cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indexing inventors: The ‘sources of invention’ revisited

Abstract This paper presents a behavioral model of an inventor's contractual choice in which (a) newly established organized research is formulated to be an endogenous outcome of this choice, and (b) the value of the inventor's inventive ingenuity or ability is conceptually defined. We hypothesize that the difficulty of appropriating the returns to basic knowledge is a reason why inventors form research organizations. The main implication of the model is that inventors with a higher inventive ability have a greater incentive to organize research. The career patent records of sixty-three poineering inventors, profiled in Jewkes, Sawers and Stillerman's Sources of Invention , are examined. The data is consistent with the implication of our model: We find that inventors with a high index of inventive ability are more likely to be affiliated with organized research.
A general theory for perceptual indicators of family life quality

The paper presents Foa and Foa's Resource Theory (1974) that was used to develop a self-report, multidimensional measure of family well-being, an indicator of family life quality. Facet theory methods of sentence mapping provided an explicit way to explain how theoretical constructs were translated to operational measures, and a rationale for the use of multidimensional scaling analysis to verify the circular structure of resource classes proposed by the theory. Results of the analyses confirmed the theoretical propositions for a sample of 560 adults and indicated a better fit of the data for women's, compared to the men's model.
Business ethics, business practices, and the power of the parable

Business practitioners and academics areconstantly seeking guidelines for improvingethical business practices. In this paper weattempt to explain how the New Testamentparables can be used to provide insight intothis topic. A number of parables deal directly withbusiness topics such as wealth (money andproperty rights) and stewardship (servants). While admittedly the primary purpose of theseparables is not to offer business guidance, webelieve that a number of parables can helpguide business professionals in making ethicaland effective business and personal decisions. Furthermore, while neither author is a trainedtheologian, we believe that the laity can offervaluable insights on applying the Scriptures totheir professional lives. In our paper, we first examine the ethics of business as it relates to the fundamental issue of wealth and wealth accumulation. Thequestion being ``Is wealth evil in and ofitself?'' While we conclude that wealth is notevil in and of itself, the possession of wealthmay lead to potential ethical pitfalls. Anumber of parables concern wealth and listexplicit virtues or traits to be emulated aswell as traits to be avoided. Thus theparables provide guidance for the use of richesand avoidance of pitfalls. Parables also helpwith the issue of stewardship, critical inbusiness practice.While the parables provide support for a numberof modern day business practices, the parablesalso hold warnings for business managers. Themanager owes a responsibility to the owner ofthe wealth, but all wealth and gifts areultimately those of the Creator, God. We arereminded that while the ways of earthly wealthmay be complex, the way the heavenly wealth issimple.
Influence of endogenous and exogenous electron donors and trichloroethylene oxidation toxicity on trichloroethylene oxidation by methanotrophic cultures from a groundwater aquifer.

Abstract Trichloroethylene (TCE)-transforming aquifer methanotrophs were evaluated for the influence of TCE oxidation toxicity and the effect of reductant availability on TCE transformation rates during methane starvation. TCE oxidation at relatively low (6 mg liter-1) TCE concentrations significantly reduced subsequent methane utilization in mixed and pure cultures tested and reduced the number of viable cells in the pure culture Methylomonas sp. strain MM2 by an order of magnitude. Perchloroethylene, tested at the same concentration, had no effect on the cultures. Neither the TCE itself nor the aqueous intermediates were responsible for the toxic effect, and it is suggested that TCE oxidation toxicity may have resulted from reactive intermediates that attacked cellular macromolecules. During starvation, all methanotrophs tested exhibited a decline in TCE transformation rates, and this decline followed exponential decay. Formate, provided as an exogenous electron donor, increased TCE transformation rates in Methylomonas sp. strain MM2, but not in mixed culture MM1 or unidentified isolate, CSC-1. Mixed culture MM2 did not transform TCE after 15 h of starvation, but mixed cultures MM1 and MM3 did. The methanotrophs in mixed cultures MM1 and MM3, and the unidentified isolate CSC-1 that was isolated from mixed culture MM1 contained lipid inclusions, whereas the methanotrophs of mixed culture MM2 and Methylomonas sp. strain MM2 did not. It is proposed that lipid storage granules serve as an endogenous source of electrons for TCE oxidation during methane starvation.
R&D investment dynamics in agglomerations under weak appropriability regimes: Evidence from Indian R&D labs

What are the dynamics of R&D investment when firms agglomerate in environments with weak intellectual property rights protection? Specifically, do foreign and domestic firms present equal opportunities for free riding by domestic firms in such environments? We examine the impact on local firms' R&D investment from knowledge spillovers originating from co-located foreign and domestic firms within and across industries. Building on fieldwork in India, we predict free riding by local firms on nearby foreign and local firms. Furthermore, we expect local firms to free ride more from other local firms within their industry and from foreign firms across industries. Analyzing a sample of 3,475 R&D lab investment decisions during 2003–2010 in India, we find that local firms free ride from other local firms both within and across industries
Self-Organization of Polymer-Motor Systems in the Cytoskeleton

Microtubules and actin filaments are organized into dynamic arrays inside cells. In this paper I discuss in conceptual form the assembly mechanisms of three specific arrays: asters, spindles and leading edge structures. The role of energy transducing processes, particularly motor protein activity, in assembly is explored. I conclude that dynamic interaction between motor proteins and cytoskeletal polymers play a very general role in spatial organization of the cytoplasm.
Progression of amygdala volumetric abnormalities in adolescents after their first manic episode.

Objective Although previous neuroimaging studies suggest that adolescents with bipolar disorder exhibit smaller amygdala volumes compared with healthy adolescents, whether these abnormalities are present at illness onset or instead develop over time remains unclear. The aim of this study was to conduct a prospective longitudinal investigation comparing amygdala neurodevelopment among adolescents after their first manic episode, adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and healthy adolescents. Method A total of 30 adolescents hospitalized for their first manic/mixed episode associated with bipolar disorder, 29 adolescents with ADHD, and 24 demographically matched healthy teens underwent magnetic resonance imaging scanning at index assessment and approximately 12 months later. Adolescents with bipolar disorder were prospectively evaluated using diagnostic interviews and with symptom rating scales. Results Mixed models examining the group × time effect for both left ( p = .005) and right ( p = .002) amygdala volumes were statistically significant. Change in left ( p = .01) and right ( p = .0008) amygdala volumes from baseline to 12 months were significantly different among groups. Specifically, left amygdala volumes increased over time in healthy adolescents ( p = .008) and adolescents with ADHD ( p = .0009), but not in adolescents with bipolar disorder ( p = .3). Right amygdala volume increased over time in adolescents with ADHD ( p p = .1 and p = .3, respectively). In adolescents with bipolar disorder, baseline total amygdala volume was significantly greater in those who subsequently achieved symptomatic recovery as compared with those who did not achieve recovery ( p = .02). Conclusions Adolescents with mania do not exhibit normal increases in amygdala volume that occur during healthy adolescent neurodevelopment.
Light activation of the LOV protein Vivid generates a rapidly exchanging dimer

The fungal photoreceptor Vivid (VVD) plays an important role in the adaptation of blue-light responses in Neurospora crassa. VVD, an FAD-binding LOV (light, oxygen, voltage) protein, couples light-induced cysteinyl adduct formation at the flavin ring to conformational changes in the N-terminal cap (Ncap) of the VVD PAS domain. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), equilibrium ultracentrifugation, and static and dynamic light scattering show that these conformational changes generate a rapidly exchanging VVD dimer, with an expanded hydrodynamic radius. A three-residue N-terminal beta-turn that assumes two different conformations in a crystal structure of a VVD C71V variant is essential for light-state dimerization. Residue substitutions at a critical hinge between the Ncap and PAS core can inhibit or enhance dimerization, whereas a Tyr to Trp substitution at the Ncap-PAS interface stabilizes the light-state dimer. Cross-linking through engineered disulfides indicates that the light-state dimer differs considerably from the dark-state dimer found in VVD crystal structures. These results verify the role of Ncap conformational changes in gating the photic response of N. crassa and indicate that LOV-LOV homo- or heterodimerization may be a mechanism for regulating light-activated gene expression.
Recent abyssal benthic foraminiferal biofacies of the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean

Abstract Study of Recent abyssal benthic foraminifera from core-top samples in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean has identified distinctive faunas whose distribution patterns reflect the major hydrographic features of the region. Above 3800 m, Indian Deep Water (IDW) is characterized by a diverse and evenly-distributed biofacies to which Globocassidulina subglobosa, Pyrgo spp., Uvigerina peregrina , and Eggerella bradyi are the major contributors. Nuttalides umbonifera and Epistominella exigua are associated with Indian Bottom Water (IBW) below 3800 m. Within the IBW fauna, N. umbonifera and E. exigua are characteristic of two biofacies with independent distribution patterns. Nuttalides umbonifera systematically increases in abundance with increasing water depth. The E. exigua biofacies reaches its greatest abundance in sediments on the eastern flank of the Ninetyeast Ridge and in the Wharton-Cocos Basin. The hydrographic transition between IDW and IBW coincides with the level of transition from waters supersaturated to waters undersaturated with respect to calcite and with the depth of the lysocline. Carbonate saturation levels, possibly combined with the effects of selective dissolution on the benthic foraminiferal populations, best explain the change in faunas across the IDW/IBW boundary and the bathymetric distribution pattern of N. umbonifera . The distribution of the E. exigua fauna cannot be explained with this model. Epistominella exigua is associated with the colder, more oxygenated IBW of the Wharton-Cocos Basin. The distribution of this biofacies on the eastern flank of the Ninetyeast Ridge agrees well with the calculated bathymetric position of the northward flowing deep boundary current which aerates the eastern basins of the Indian Ocean.
Melatonin synthesis by the retina

Melatonin fulfills many of the criteria for classification as a hormone. Until recently it was considered to be elaborated exclusively by pineal organs. Melatonin synthesis by other tissues has been indicated but not demonstrated unequivocally. Trout retinas in a whole-organ culture system in vitro synthesized tritiated melatonin from a substrate containing tritiated serotonin. This raises the possibility that the trout retina is an endocrine organ.
Efficient J-Based Failure Assessment Diagrams for Engineering Critical Assessments of Circumferentially Cracked Pipes Subjected to Axial Force, Pressure, and Bending

Engineering critical assessments (ECAs) of cracked pipes increasingly involve situations of high strains (e.g., reeling and ratcheting fatigue), multiple loads (combined bending, axial forces, and internal pressure), and multi-axial stressing (due to pressure). In this paper, some of the implications of these loading conditions on ECAs are investigated by generating BS 7910 Level 3C Failure Assessment Diagrams (FADs) from the results of a large matrix of finite element analysis (FEA) J computations for circumferentially cracked pipes. The Level 3C (J-based) FADs (which provide the most accurate FAD approach to ECAs) are compared with the corresponding and more widely employed (but less accurate) Level 2B (material dependent) FADs in order to assess the accuracy of the latter. Use of FEA J solutions in a Level 3C FAD ensures that the effects of material behavior, load type, crack type, crack geometry, and pipe geometry are accurately captured whereas a Level 2B FAD only attempts to accurately capture the effects of material stress-strain behavior. It is demonstrated that under some circumstances a Level 2B assessment will result in non-conservative results compared to the corresponding Level 3C assessment. The current comparison between Levels 3C and 2B addresses the mechanics involved in these approaches and does not take into account the possible differing treatments of material property uncertainties on ECAs within the two approaches. Based on the current results, an efficient J formulation is described that facilitates the practical implementation of a J-based ECA. The novel approach used is based on determining material dependent shift factors that transform Level 3C FADs derived from the fully plastic components of J solutions into Level 3C FADs that represent J behaviors in the linear elastic and fully plastic regimes, and the transition region in-between. This new J formulation treats combined axial forces, pressure, and bending when applied proportionally or non-proportionally and forms the basis of the monotonic and cyclic crack tip driving forces employed in the program FlawPRO. This program performs comprehensive conventional and high strain J-based ECAs that involve reeling, arbitrary strain cycling, ratcheting fatigue, and ductile tearing that are equivalent to a Level 3C FAD approach.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Timing of insemination in dairy heifers

Data representing 676 AI of 372 virgin dairy heifers during 1984 to 1987 at the University of Illinois were analyzed by analysis of variance to determine the effect of timing of AI on conception rate. Standing to be mounted, bawling, and attempting to mount were the three criteria used for determining the presence of estrus. More than 90% of the observations were conducted by one herdsperson between 0700 and 1600 h daily. Heifers were artificially inseminated with frozen semen from 58 bulls by one of two technicians. Conception rate on first AI was 56%, determined by return to estrus or 33- to 50-d rectal palpation for pregnancy. Conception rate to second and later AI was near 40%. Eighty-six percent of the heifers conceived during the trial. The average interval between first observation of standing estrus and AI was 10.5 h; the range was 15 min to 33 h. The model discussed contained six variables: time interval between first observation of standing estrus and AI (group), breed, sire within breed, year bred, season bred, and inseminator. The analysis of variance of conception to first AI showed timing of AI and service sire as the two most significant effects. Conception to first AI was worst when AI occurred 13.5 to 33 h after first observation of estrus. No factors considered were significant sources of variation for second or later AI.
Allyl Transfer to Aldehydes and Ketones by Brønsted Acid Activation of Allyl and Crotyl 1,3,2-Dioxazaborolidines

Alkyl dioxazaborolidines are air-stable and often crystalline organoboranes. A variety of Bronsted acids activate allyl dioxazaborolidines to generate reactive allyl-transfer reagents in situ. These reagents add to aldehydes and ketones to generate the corresponding alcohols in good yields under mild conditions. The E- and Z-crotyl reagents react diastereoselectively with aldehydes and ketones to produce anti and syn adducts, respectively, a result consistent with a cyclic transition state (type I mechanism).
Influence of adapted sport on quality of life: Perceptions of athletes with cerebral palsy

Purpose This study sought to examine the effect of adaptive sports participation on athletic identity and influence on quality of life (QOL) for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) participating in the CP World Games. Method Surveys were conducted with 73 international athletes competing in the 2005 CP World Championships. The survey included descriptive questions about sport involvement and socio-demographics, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and the Influence on Quality of Life Scale. Results A significant relationship was found between influence on QOL and athletic identity (r = 0.505; p Conclusions The results suggest that participation in adapted sport is related to QOL and athletic identity for individuals with CP. To foster these benefits advocates for persons with disabilities should work toward increasing opportunities to compete in sports.
Malformations vasculaires multiples et récidivantes chez un malade atteint du syndrome de Bannayan–Riley–Ruvalcaba

Le syndrome de Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba (BRRS) est une maladie dominante rare et habituellement autosomique, associee au syndrome tumoral hamartomateux PTEN, qui est medicalement diagnostique en presence de la triade macrocephalie, lentiginose genitale, et polypose intestinale. Des malformations vasculaires, dont des shunts arterioloveineux, des anomalies arterioveineuses, et des fistules arterioveineuses, peuvent egalement etre vues dans un sous-groupe de malades BRRS, allant de la surcroissance locale de petits vaisseaux a de volumineux anevrysmes. L'etendue de ces manifestations vasculaires et leur physiopathologie n'est pas completement comprise. Dans cette observation, nous rendons compte d'un malade avec BRRS et malformations vasculaires recidivantes du membre inferieur gauche. Nous passons en revue la litterature existante, avec un focus sur la taille des malformations vasculaires et le traitement de ces malades BRRS. A partir de la nature recidivante et parfois etendue de la pathologie vasculaire, nous recommandons que les medecins suivent les malades BRRS attentivement pour un depistage et un traitement precoces.
Nitric Oxide as a Positive Inotropic Agent in Isolated Rat Hearts

The purpose of this study was to examine the inotropic effects of nitroprusside (NP), a direct nitric oxide (NO) donor, in isolated rat hearts. Langendorff-perfused hearts (n = 5), paced at 6 Hz, were subjected to 15 min of equilibration (EQ) followed by infusion of NP, producing a coronary artery concentration of 1 x 10(-5) M. Coronary flow, left ventricular developed pressure (DP), end-diastolic pressure, and contractility and compliance (+/- dP/dt) were monitored throughout the experiment by a computerized data acquisition system. Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) was measured at the end of EQ and after 2 1/2 min of NP infusion. Myocardial efficiency was calculated as the quotient of DP divided by MVO2. Values are expressed as the mean +/- SEM. Paired t tests were used to calculate statistical significance. Values for parameters monitored at end EQ and at 2 1/2 min NP infusion showed that there was a 93% increase in coronary flow, 18, 17, and 16% increases in developed pressure, contractility, and compliance, respectively, no significant change in end-diastolic pressure, a 49% increase in myocardial oxygen consumption, and a 21% decline in myocardial efficiency (P < 0.05 for all differences). We conclude that in the isolated rat heart, NO behaves as a positive inotrope.
An evaluation of submarine groundwater discharge along the continental shelf of Louisiana using a multiple tracer approach

[1] Natural geochemical tracers (222Rn, 3H, 3He, and 4He) were used to assess submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) along the continental shelf west of the Mississippi River. In order to assess SGD, groundwater, surface water, and sediment samples were collected on land and during six 4-day cruises aboard the R/V Pelican between March 2003 and May 2004. A box model approach was used to quantify sources and sinks of 222Rn in the study area and to calculate SGD rates. SGD estimates were we based on two end member values for the potential advecting fluids: (1) that supported by 226Ra in the sediments; and (2) groundwater activities measured in monitoring wells. Calculated 222Rn SGD rates based on sediment supported activities ranged from 0.04 to 0.14 cm d−1, and estimates based on monitoring well activities ranged from 0.01 to 0.07 cm d−1 and corresponds to 1.41 km3 yr−1 of discharged water over our study area, equivalent to <1% of the Mississippi River during the same time frame. 3He and 4He, longer-lived tracers, exhibited significantly greater anomalies in the eastern portion of the study area which corresponds with greater oil and gas extraction and the release of formation water into the water column in this region. While the total SGD was relatively minor, potential sources of SGD are many and we suggest formation water associated with oil and gas extraction, geothermal convection, and seawater recirculation are the primary sources with a minimal contribution from terrestrially derived topography driven flow.
Synthesis and evaluation of new protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Part 1. pyridine-containing stilbenes and amides.

Abstract A series of pyridine-containing stilbene and amide derivatives based on the structure of piceatamol, a naturally occurring protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been prepared and tested for inhibition of p56lck. The most potent of these compounds is a competitive inhibitor of p56lck with respect to ATP.
Observation of a Positronium Zeeman Transition in γ-Al 2 O 3

The Zeeman transition between the $M=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ and $M=0$ states of orthopositronium in its ground state has been observed in a solid for the first time, when positrons were stopped in a $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ powder pellet, thus providing strong evidence that essentially free orthopositronium exists in $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. The value for the positronium fine-structure interval is $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}(\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})=203.308\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.024$ GHz (120 ppm). The difference $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}(\mathrm{free}\mathrm{Ps})\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\nu}(\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3})$ is 88 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 25 MHz.
Singular left-definite Sturm–Liouville problems

Abstract We study singular left-definite Sturm–Liouville problems with an indefinite weight function. The existence of eigenvalues is established based on the existence of eigenvalues of corresponding right-definite problems. Furthermore, for each singular left-definite problem with limit-circle non-oscillatory endpoints we construct a regular left-definite problem with the same eigenvalues and use it to obtain properties of eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. Inequalities among eigenvalues recently established for regular left-definite problems are extended to the singular case.
Circular dichroism of trigonal dihedral chromium(III) complexes: a theoretical study based on open-shell time-dependent density functional theory.

Spin-unrestricted time-dependent density functional theory has been applied to the electronic circular dichroism spectra of Cr(III) complexes with an open-shell ground state, that is, [Cr(L-L)3]n+ with L-L = en(ethylenediamine), acac(acetylacetonate), ox(oxalate), mal(malonate), and Thiox(dithiooxalate). The simulated CD spectra are analyzed in details and compared with experimental data, as well as previous calculations on similar Co(III) complexes where available. The theoretical results serve as a tool for elucidating the absolute configuration of similar complexes, by pointing to transitions for which the sign of the rotatory strength can be used as fingerprint for one particular configuration.
Formation of steroid hormones from acetate-1-14C by a human fetal testis preparation grown in organ culture.

Abstract Human fetal testis tissue was shown to synthesize in vitro steroid hormones from sodium acetate-1- 14 C. Testes obtained 13 hours after death from a 21 cm male human fetus were grown in organ culture. After 9 days sodium acetate-1- 14 C was added, and growth was permitted to continue for 8 more days. Radioactive steroids formed were identified by reverse isotope dilution, and radiochemical purity was established by crystallization to constant specific activity. The C 21 steroids, 3 β -hydroxy- Δ 5 -pregnen-20-one, progesterone, and 17-hydroxy- Δ 4 -pregnene-3, 20-dione, were the major radioactive steroids found. The c 19 steroids, Δ 4 -androstene-3, 17-dione and testosterone, were formed in smaller amounts.
Site-resolved energetics in DNA triple helices containing G*TA and T*CG triads.

Recognition of specific sites in double-helical DNA by triplex-forming oligonucleotides has been limited until recently to sites containing homopurine−homopyrimidine sequences. G·TA and T·CG triads...
Effect of Insulin and Hexokinase on Glycolysis of Bovine Spermatozoa

Summary Insulin, yeast hexokinase, or a combination of both substances increased the rate of fructolysis of washed, phosphate buffer-suspended bovine spermatozoa. Seminal plasmas from the same ejaculates suppressed insulin-hexokinase effects. Glucose uptake was not affected by insulin, and hexokinase depressed it. Insulin and hexokinase together, however, increased glucolysis by sperm. When glucose and fructose were in the same media only the former was appreciably utilized and its uptake was increased by the insulin-hexokinase combination. The effect of hexokinase on fructolysis was not merely reversed by boiling the enzyme, but fructolysis was markedly depressed. In the presence of hexokinase, corticotropin, egg albumin, gonadotropin, or oxytocin did not increase the fructolytic rate, although oxytocin had a latent, depressant effect. Glucagon, like insulin, significantly stimulated fructolysis under similar conditions. The effects of insulin and hexokinase, observed in these experiments, cannot be explained in terms of our present knowledge.
Innate cellular defenses of APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases and viral counter-defenses.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases, which are unique to mammals, have been identified as potent innate cellular defenses against both endogenous retroelements and diverse retroviruses. To evade such host defenses, retroviruses have developed multiple strategies. This article reviews several proposed mechanisms of these viral counter-defenses. RECENT FINDINGS Primate lentiviruses encode a virion-infectivity factor that induces targeted destruction of APOBEC3 proteins by hijacking the cellular ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Virion-infectivity factor molecules of HIV-1 and SIV are newly identified substrate receptor proteins that assemble with Cul5, ElonginB, ElonginC, and Rbx1 to form an E3 ubiquitin ligase and target selected APOBEC3 proteins for polyubiquitination. Foamy viruses use a different viral protein, BET, which binds and sequesters APOBEC3 away from the assembling virions. Simple retroviruses such as murine leukemia virus may avoid virion packaging of cognate APOBEC3 protein through yet another novel mechanism, in the absence of a viral regulatory factor. SUMMARY APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases target broad retroelements. Contemporary retroviruses have developed multiple unique strategies to combat this powerful host defense system. As a result, these retroviruses and APOBEC3 proteins maintain an equilibrium that allows regulated viral replication. These viral counter-defenses thus represent vulnerable targets for the design of new classes of antiviral inhibitors.
Snowboarding injuries: general patterns, with a focus on talus fractures.

Injury patterns in snowboarding brief differ from those in Alpine skiing. Snowboarders tend to have fewer knee and thumb injuries than skiers but more upper-extremity trauma, fractures in general, and ankle injuries. Of particular concern in snowboarding is fracture of the lateral process of the talus (LPT), which masquerades as an inversion ankle sprain, is often missed, and can lead to significant disability. Signs are typically similar to those of inversion sprains, but pain on palpation of the lateral process can be helpful in diagnosis. Standard radiographs often do not show the fracture, so CT or lateral tomography may be required. The most minor, nondis-placed LPT injuries may heal with casting and rehab, but more severe fractures typically require surgery.
Commentary on an article by K.A. Egol, MD, et al.: "distal radial fractures in the elderly: operative compared with nonoperative treatment".

The authors hit the jackpot in terms of interest and applicability of a research topic. A distal radial fracture is one of the most common fractures, representing 16% of all fractures1. The treatment of distal radial fractures in patients over sixty-five years old is an important topic in light of the aging population, and these patients may have substantial comorbidities to consider when a treatment plan is formulated. In addition, the trends in the treatment of distal radial fractures have changed over the years. There were numerous articles in the 1990s on external fixation, after which the use of a dorsal buttress plate became popular. Combination treatment, such as percutaneous pin fixation along with use of an external fixator in more severe fractures, then became widely used. However, the evolution of the volar locked plate in the distal end of the radius was targeted for use in elderly patients with osteoporotic bone. The use of the locked plates has provided one example of how technology has changed treatment in orthopaedic surgery in recent years. The use of a volar locked plate compared with the other treatment methods may provide a desired radiographic outcome2. The question remains as to how a “perfect” radiographic result equates with functional outcome. This study compared operative and nonoperative treatment for distal …
Avian influenza viral nucleocapsid and hemagglutinin proteins induce chicken CD8+ memory T lymphocytes.

Abstract The avian influenza viruses (AIVs) can be highly contagious to poultry and a zoonotic threat to humans. Since the memory CD8+ T lymphocyte responses in chickens to AIV proteins have not been defined, these responses to H5N9 AIV hemagglutinin (HA) and nucleocapsid (NP) proteins were evaluated by ex vivo stimulation with virus infected non-professional antigen presenting cells. Secretion of IFNγ by activated T lymphocytes was evaluated through macrophage induction of nitric oxide. AIV specific, MHC-I restricted memory CD8+ T lymphocyte responses to NP and HA were observed 3 to 9 weeks post-inoculation (p.i.). The responses specific to NP were greater than those to HA with maximum responses being observed at 5 weeks p.i. followed by a decline to weakly detectable levels by 9 weeks p.i. The cross-reaction of T lymphocytes to a heterologous H7N2 AIV strain demonstrated their ability to respond to a broader range of AIV.
A GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY OF PRODUCTIVITY

Productivity is treated as a systems concept. It is argued that the causal texture of the system's environment dictates the relevant productivity construct and measurement. Based on Emery and Trist's taxonomy of environments, three concepts of productivity are defined: Process productivity, bounded productivity and systemic productivity. Each concept implies a different measure of productivity. Current economic and managerial literature is related to these concepts.
Hormone replacement therapy: Will it affect seizure control and AED levels?

Interest in the years of reproductive changes for women with epilepsy (WWE), specifically perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause has been emerging in the epilepsy community. This article discusses evidence for changes in seizure frequency during perimenopause and postmenopause. Further, a catamenial epilepsy pattern during the reproductive years may be a hallmark for the observed seizure frequency change during these years; that is, an increase at perimenopause but a decrease at menopause. This finding implies that a subset of WWE are particularly susceptible to endogenous reproductive hormonal changes. An adverse effect on seizure frequency with the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during postmenopause for WWE was reported in questionnaires, and was later borne out in a clinical trial. The laboratory counterpart of this human trial, HRT in ovariectomized rodent seizure models, shows that estrogen and progesterone are neuroprotective and do not uniformly increase seizure frequency. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between “the lab and the clinic” are presented. Strategies for managing HRT in symptomatic postmenopausal WWE using estrogenic and progestogenic compounds that may be less likely to promote seizures are discussed.
Adiabatic focusing of light in subwavelength high-index contrast dielectrics

Nano-photonic structures with slowly varying periodicity offer rich possibilities for simultaneous space-variant wavefront and dispersion control. Here, we investigate the use of Hamiltonian optics as a tool to design and analyse such structures in the capacity of well corrected imaging lenses. Hamiltonian optics uses the dispersion relation as conservable to solve a set of dynamic equations for ray trajectories. It is computationally efficient and thus appropriate for optimisation, and provides good agreement compared with the more rigorous finite difference in time domain (FDTD) method.
SENSORY TEXTURE RELATED TO LARGE‐STRAIN RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF AGAR/GLYCEROL GELS AS A MODEL FOOD

Descriptive sensory analysis and large-strain rheological methods were used to evaluate textural characteristics ofagar gels as a model food. The gels were differentiated in the same manner by sensory analysis and rheological properties (P ≤ 0.05), and significant correlations between sensory and rheological properties were reported. First bite and chew-down sensory terms correlated with each other and with fracture properties. Specifically, the first bite sensory term "fracture force" correlated with the chew-down sensory term "chewiness" (r = 0.99, P ≤ 0.001), and both of these sensory terms were correlated with fracture stress (σ f ) and modulus (r = 0.94 - 0.97, P ≤ 0.05). The first bite sensory term "deformability" was positively correlated with fracture strain (r = 0.88, P ≤ 0.05) and negatively correlated with the strain-hardening constant (r = -0.93, P < 0.05). The chew-down property "particle breakdown" was negatively correlated with σ f values (r = -0.97, P ≤ 0.05). For agar gels, each sensory texture term can be linked with a large-strain mechanical property.
Fertility of the jews

The objectives of this paper were to review and summarize the existing literature on Jewish fertility and to discuss the highlights of data on fertility trends and differentials based on survey data obtained on the Jewish population of the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island. The literature consistently confirmed the finding of lower fertility among Jews since the 1880’s in the United States and for the last seventy-five years in a variety of European countries.
Making a Mark: a computational and visual analysis of one researcher’s intellectual domain

Dr. David Mark is widely regarded as a path-breaking researcher in geographic information science. What are the structural and temporal characteristics of his intellectual contributions, as seen through the eyes of the broader academic community? Aiming to answer that question, this article presents a scientometric analysis of publications that have been cited alongside David Mark’s papers. In deliberate contrast to the widespread focus on using citation data to condense scientific impact into a handful of indicators, the methodological contribution of this study lies in its mix of computational and visualization approaches. In the search for latent domain structures, state-of-the-art practices in information science, bibliometrics, and network visualization are combined and extended. An initial network of 50,000+ publications and 4,000,000+ document co-citations undergoes a series of transformations reducing it to 9000 publications that are then clustered in a two-stage process, leading to 678 communitie...
Improvement in near visual function after macular translocation surgery with 360-degree peripheral retinectomy.

Information is limited on how specific near-vision skills are impacted by therapies such as macular translocation surgery with 360-degree retinectomy (MT360) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Standardized tests of near vision were given to 25 consecutive patients with AMD who met entry criteria for this study, preoperatively and 6 and 12 months after MT360. Tests included: near acuity with the Lighthouse chart, timed reading speed using Sloan cards, contrast sensitivity, and color vision. Distance acuity was measured using Bailey–Lovey charts. Measures of preoperative visual function were analyzed to identify those predictive of visual outcomes. Distance acuity was 20/80 or better in 52% of patients at 12 months after surgery, and mean acuity improved from ~20/125 preoperatively to ~20/100 at 12 months. Mean near acuity improved from 3.2±2.5 M before surgery to 1.5±1.0 M at 12 months (significant change of −1.5±2 M, P<0.001). Gain of greater than five numbers in contrast sensitivity at 12 months was also significant (P<0.001). Mean reading speed improved from 41±31 words per minute (wpm) before surgery to 67±44 wpm at 12 months (significant gain of 25±33 wpm, P=0.001). Preoperative distance acuity, near acuity, and reading speed were each predictors of postoperative near visual function. Standardized testing of near visual function provides important predictive and functional outcome data for MT360. MT360 significantly improved near visual function (including near acuity, reading speed and contrast sensitivity) in patients with subfoveal lesions from AMD in the second eye.
High-accuracy proton-carbon chemical-shift correlations from one-dimensional polarization-transfer 13C NMR spectra☆

Abstract A H/C chemical-shift correlation technique which has the speed of one-dimensional NMR experiments, but which yields results equivalent to those of a two-dimensional NMR experiment with a huge data matrix, has been developed. A few (two to eight) 13C spectra are acquired using a modified INEPT pulse sequence. From the intensity variations of the 13C signals, the chemical shifts of the directly bonded protons can be calculated to an accuracy of a few hertz by least-squares procedures. In the case of poor spectra (S/N = 5), the errors increase to 10 Hz. The technique can be used to measure directly 1H chemical shifts in samples whose 1H spectra are ambiguous or uninformative due to severely overlapping signals. Any spectrometer capable of doing INEPT can be used. No 2-D software is used, disk storage requirements are very modest, data processing is simple and fast, and the minimum time for data acquisition is short. Sensitivities are typically about equal to those of a conventional H/C 2-D experiment with the same acquisition time.
Nitric oxide in the sensory function of the carotid body.

Abstract Recent studies suggest that nitric oxide (NO) may act as a chemical messenger in the nervous system. Since neurotransmitters are considered necessary for the sensory function of the carotid body, and molecular O 2 is a co-factor for NO synthesis, we examined whether (a) chemoreceptor tissue also synthesizes NO and if so, (b) does endogenous NO affect chemosensory activity. Experiments were performed on carotid bodies obtained from anesthetized cats ( n = 20 ). Distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of NO was examined using NADPH-diaphorase histochemistry. Many nerve plexuses innervating the chemoreceptor tissue were positive for NADPH-diaphorase, indicating that the nerve fibers are the primary source of NO production in the carotid body. Radiometric analysis of NOS activity of the chemoreceptor tissue averaged 1.94 pmol [ 3 H]citrulline/min/mg protein. NOS activity was significantly less in low pO 2 reaction medium than in room air controls. Chemosensory activity in vitro increased in a dose-dependent manner in response to l -ω-nitro arginine ( l -NNA), an inhibitor of NOS activity. The effects of NOS inhibitor were enantiomer selective as evidence by reversal of the responses by l - but not d -arginine. These observations imply that endogenous NO is inhibitory to carotid body sensory activity. cGMP levels of l -NNA-treated carotid bodies were significantly less than untreated controls, suggesting that the actions of NO are coupled to the cGMP second messenger system, as elsewhere in the nervous system. Based on the findings that (a) low pO 2 decreased NOS activity and, (b) endogenous NO is inhibitory to the sensory discharge, it is suggested that the mechanism(s) of sensory excitation by hypoxia in the carotid body may involve ‘disinhibition’ inhibitory to the sensory discharge, it is suggested that the mechanism(s) of sensory excitation by hypoxia in the carotid body may involve ‘disinhibition’ resulting from NO synthesis.
The Role of Oxygen Dissociation in Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Zinc Oxide from Oxygen and Diethyl Zinc

The influence of electron impact dissociation of oxygen on neutral chemistry was studied for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of zinc oxide using oxygen and diethyl zinc. Electron conditions in the reactor were estimated based on simulations of well-known Ar-O2 plasmas, while the majority of the thermal chemistry was abstracted from the combustion literature. A rudimentary model of film growth was developed using the rate of oxygen dissociation as the lone adjustable parameter.n Model results were compared directly with experimental measurements of deposition rates and neutral species densities for a wide range of conditions. Good quantitative agreement between experiments and model were observed as a function of composition and rf power. The system is highly sensitive to the electron impact dissociation of oxygen, which creates the radical pool that drives the majority of the chemistry. The approach detailed here provides a framework for the development of models of oxide PECVD derived from other metalorganic precursors.
Two-Component Spinors in General Relativity

In this paper we develop a general-relativistic theory of two-component spinors somewhat along the lines pioneered more than twenty years ago by Weyl and by Infeld and van der Waerden. This formalism is in some respects more natural than the theory of four-component spinors. We begin by introducing into a four-dimensional manifold as our basic geometric structure a set of four 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2 Hermitian matrices, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\ensuremath{\mu}}$, and we show that these matrices by themselves define uniquely a Riemannian metric with the usual signature of a space-time manifold. It turns out that one can describe the gravitational field and its laws very conveniently in this matrix formalism; at the same time the ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}^{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ enable one to construct invariant two-component and four-component spinor wave equations. We use these formal possibilities to define local Lorentz transformations and, in particular, the transformations corresponding to time reversal and to space inversion.
Lymph node micrometastases do not predict relapse in stage II colon cancer.

Background: Over one third of patients with stage II colonic adenocarcinoma experience tumor recurrence. Because effective adjuvant therapy is now available, it is important to identify subsets of patients at higher risk for relapse who may benefit from early treatment. Immunohistochemistry has been used to detect microscopic metastases in histologically uninvolved mesenteric lymph nodes, but the prognostic significance of minimal nodal involvement has not been established.
In-cylinder gas temperature and water concentration measurements in HCCI engines using a multiplexed-wavelength diode-laser system: Sensor development and initial demonstration

Abstract A wavelength-multiplexed, fiber-optic-based, line-of-sight, diode-laser absorption sensor is developed for crank-angle-resolved measurements of temperature and water concentration in a homogeneous-charge-compression-ignition (HCCI) engine. An initial demonstration of its use on two optical HCCI engines at Sandia National Laboratories is reported. The measurements encompassed both motored- and fired-engine operation for temperatures between 300 and 1700 K and pressures between 1 and 55 bar. A spectroscopic line selection process identifies the most appropriate water absorption linepair for thermometry under these conditions. Key solutions to suppress crank-angle-dependent noise in the transmitted laser signals are reported, including careful spectroscopic design and optical engineering to accommodate beam-steering, engine vibration and polarization-related interference. Data obtained through this sensor can provide critical engine characteristics such as combustion efficiency, peak combustion temperature, and autoignition temperature. The flexibility of the wavelength-multiplexed architecture allows the straightforward addition of other wavelengths to potentially enable the simultaneous measurement of other important engine parameters such as temperature non-uniformity, and fuel, CO, and CO2 concentrations.
Determination of the temperature dependence of material properties in image furnaces

Abstract A special testing method is described which makes it possible to determine a property of a specimen for narrow temperature intervals from measurements in the wide-range temperature distribution of an image furnace. The determination is based on the measurement of the property at several different flux levels of known temperature distribution.
A retrospective analysis of medical or surgical therapy in young patients with diverticulitis

Summary Background : Acute diverticulitis is increasingly being recognized in younger patients, but its management remains controversial. Aim : To compare long-term outcomes of young patients treated with surgery vs. medical therapy for their first episode of diverticulitis. Methods : A retrospective chart analysis at a university and an affiliated community hospital between 1991 and 2002 revealed 149 patients ≤40 years of age with confirmed diverticulitis. Forty-nine patients (38 males, 11 females) were contacted at least 1 year after their first episode of diverticulitis. Outcomes were compared based on initial therapy – antibiotics or surgical resection. The groups were compared by outcomes, gender, age, white blood cell count, temperature and diet. Results : Three (15%) of 20 surgical patients (mean follow-up 6.89 years), and 16 (55%) of 29 medical patients had a recurrence of diverticulitis (mean follow-up 5.72 years; P = 0.01). The treatment groups did not differ in age, white blood cell count, or temperature. Conclusions : (i) Surgical treatment is effective initial therapy but disease may recur in a minority of patients; (ii) medical treatment is less effective initial therapy, with recurrence in half of the patients; (iii) initial presentation is not a strong predictor of disease recurrence.