cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation and identification of respiratory tract and intestinal microflora of Meriones meridianus in a conventional animal facility.

Background Culturable bacterial species from the respiratory tract and ileocecal junction of Meriones meridianus (midday gerbils) captured in the Xinjiang Luntai area were isolated and identified to confirm the microflora and develop approaches for biological purification of laboratory animals and relevant microbial precautions. Methods Bacteria from respiratory tracts and ileocecal junctions of 30 wild M. meridianus were harvested and isolated by inoculation into culture media. Isolated strains were confirmed by mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA sequencing. Results Thirty-nine bacterial species from 20 families and 27 genera were identified and isolated from wild M. meridianus. Typical bacteria were Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus, and the most common microflora were Vibrio, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusion Wild M. meridianus carries multiple bacteria, most of which are pathogenic or conditional pathogens. This study provides a basis for the development of animal models and laboratory animals from wild M. meridianus.
Hardware/Software Background

To better appreciate hardware/software codesign research, this chapter introduces embedded systems, discusses models of design representation, describes the concept of a virtual machine hierarchy, examines performance modeling, and presents important aspects of hardware/software development. The intent of this chapter is not to provide a tutorial-like presentation of these topics but to highlight those areas that are relevant to hardware/software codesign.
Exploring Virtual Agents for Augmented Reality

Prior work has shown that embodiment can benefit virtual agents, such as increasing rapport and conveying non-verbal information. However, it is unclear if users prefer an embodied to a speech-only agent for augmented reality (AR) headsets that are designed to assist users in completing real-world tasks. We conducted a study to examine users' perceptions and behaviors when interacting with virtual agents in AR. We asked 24 adults to wear the Microsoft HoloLens and find objects in a hidden object game while interacting with an agent that would offer assistance. We presented participants with four different agents: voice-only, non-human, full-size embodied, and a miniature embodied agent. Overall, users preferred the miniature embodied agent due to the novelty of his size and reduced uncanniness as opposed to the larger agent. From our results, we draw conclusions about how agent representation matters and derive guidelines on designing agents for AR headsets.
Apparent Molar Volumes and Adiabatic Compressibilities of Crown Ethers and Glymes in H2O and D2O at 25°C

The apparent molar volumes and adiabatic compressibilities of 18-Crown-6, 15-Crown-5, 12-Crown-4, tetraglyme, and triglyme were measured at 25°C in H2O and D2O. The contribution of the -CH2CH2O- group to the limiting partial molar volumes and compressibilities of cyclic and open-chain ethers in both solvents are compared and solvent isotope effects calculated. It is concluded, based on the compressibility results, that there is a subtle difference between the hydration of the ethene oxde group in cyclic and open-chain ethers and that this difference persists in D2O. These results indicate that the calculation of limiting apparent molar compressibilities using additivity schemes will have to account for whether the group is in a cyclic or open-chain compound.
An evaluation of good governance in US Olympic sport National Governing Bodies

Research question This paper applies the Sports Governance Observer (SGO) methodology to 47 US Olympic NGBs (National Governing Bodies) of sport and discusses the utility of such constructs. Resear...
Fetal intervention for congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a condition that results from incomplete diaphragm formation during embryogenesis. The diaphragmatic defect allows for herniation of abdominal viscera into the chest, and the resulting pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension can lead to cardiorespiratory failure in the neonatal period. There is a wide spectrum of disease severity in CDH, and while advances in neonatal care and the introduction of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation have improved outcomes in many cases, the most severe defects are still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Improvements in prenatal diagnostic and prognostic capabilities have created an opportunity to select high risk patients for fetal intervention. Three decades of refinements in the fetal surgical therapy for CDH have led to the current technique of Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion (FETO). Herein, we review the current considerations for selecting patients for fetal intervention, and the contemporary fetal surgical operation for CDH, FETO, with a focus on early outcomes and ongoing studies.
Data-Efficient Process Monitoring and Failure Detection for Robust Robotic Screwdriving

Screwdriving is one of the most prevalent assembly methods, yet its full automation is still challenging, especially for small screws. A critical reason is that existing techniques perform poorly in process monitoring and failure prediction. In addition, most solutions are essentially data-driven, thereby requiring lots of training data and laborious labeling. Moreover, they are not robust against varying environment conditions and suffer from generalization issues. To this end, we propose a stage and result prediction framework that combines knowledge-based process models with a hidden Markov model. The novelty of this work is the incorporation of operation-invariant characteristics such as screwdriving mechanics and stage transition graph, enabling our system to generalize across different experimental settings and largely reduce the required data and labeling. In our experiments, a system trained on M1.4x4 screws adapted with very little non-labeled data to three other screws (M1.2x3, M2.5x5, and M1.4x4) with widely varying tightening current, motor velocity, insertion force, and tightening force.
Evidence for phylogenetically and catabolically diverse active diazotrophs in deep-sea sediment.

Diazotrophic microorganisms regulate marine productivity by alleviating nitrogen limitation. However, we know little about the identity and activity of diazotrophs in deep-sea sediments, a habitat covering nearly two-thirds of the planet. Here, we identify candidate diazotrophs from Pacific Ocean sediments collected at 2893 m water depth using 15N-DNA stable isotope probing and a novel pipeline for nifH sequence analysis. Together, these approaches detect an unexpectedly diverse assemblage of active diazotrophs, including members of the Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae, Gammaproteobacteria, and Deltaproteobacteria. Deltaproteobacteria, predominately members of the Desulfobacterales and Desulfuromonadales, are the most abundant diazotrophs detected, and display the most microdiversity of associated nifH sequences. Some of the detected lineages, including those within the Acidobacteria, have not previously been shown to fix nitrogen. The diazotrophs appear catabolically diverse, with the potential for using oxygen, nitrogen, iron, sulfur, and carbon as terminal electron acceptors. Therefore, benthic diazotrophy may persist throughout a range of geochemical conditions and provide a stable source of fixed nitrogen over geologic timescales. Our results suggest that nitrogen-fixing communities in deep-sea sediments are phylogenetically and catabolically diverse, and open a new line of inquiry into the ecology and biogeochemical impacts of deep-sea microorganisms.
MOSFET threshold voltage modelling and parameters optimisation of new ion implant-based subthreshold device

This paper introduces a new doping profile for devices to be used in subthreshold circuits. Results show that the optimised device with the proposed doping profile offers higher ON current in the s...
Older Adults' Physical Activity-Related Social Control and Social Support in the Context of Personal Norms.

This study investigated whether perceived physical activity norms moderated the effects of physical activity-related social interactions on intentions to engage in physical activity among community...
The Shrinking Merger Arbitrage Spread: Reasons and Implications

In this study, we examine the evolution of the arbitrage spread between 1990 and 2007 and find that since 2002 the arbitrage spread has declined by over 400 basis points ("bps"). This decline is both economically and statistically significant. The decline in arbitrage spread corresponds with the decline in aggregate returns of M&A hedge funds as well as increased inflows into M&A hedge funds. We explore three possible explanations for the decline in arbitrage spread. Our study finds that a part of the decline in arbitrage spread may be explained by increased trading in the targets' stock subsequent to the merger announcement, reduced transaction costs, and changes in risk related to merger arbitrage. Our findings suggest some of the decline in arbitrage spread is likely to be permanent and thus investors seeking to invest in M&A hedge funds should focus on returns of the prospective funds since 2002 rather than returns over a longer period of time.
Transform the Land, Train the Youth: Water and Soil Conservation Teams and State-Induced Migration in mid-1960s China

Beginning in 1964, the PRC party-state orchestrated the resettlement of thousands of young people from cities to erosion-prone areas in China's Loess Plateau to form “water and soil conservation teams” (shuitu baochi zhuanyedui). Although their ostensible mission was to limit erosion by building terraces and planting trees, documents related to conservation teams emphasized their capacity to thoroughly reform urban youth while mobilizing them to do the work of remaking the environment. Provincial and county archives, along with fieldwork conducted at the site of one water and soil conservation team in Shaanxi province's Baishui county, indicate that conservation teams did not realize either of these objectives. Due to urban youth's inexperience with agriculture and conservation, they did little to promote environmental management. At the same time, unruly teenagers who migrated to the countryside to join conservation teams, as well as the cadres who oversaw them, continued to engage in transgressive behavior.
Synchronous Generator Vulnerability Assessment Against Solar and HEMP MHD-E3 GIC

The solar storm or a high-altitude nuclear detonation leads to geomagnetic disturbance (GMD) that causes the flow of geomagnetically induced current (GIC) in the power systems. The GIC leads to half-cycle saturation of generator step-up (GSU) transformers that causes negative-sequence currents to flow in the generator's stator windings. This in turn leads to excessive rotor vibration, heating and generation fluctuations, thus threatening the grid reliability and resiliency. This paper performs the vulnerability assessment of the most-widely utilized power generation resource i.e. synchronous generators against GIC by performing a detailed harmonic analysis and depicting the resultant mechanical, electrical and thermal repercussions. The simulation is performed in PSCAD/EMTDC for a 13.8kV/120MVA grid-tied synchronous hydro-generator impacted by a GMD. The simulation results highlight the significant threat facing the highly prevalent generation facilities that are largely unprotected against the adverse effects caused by the GMD on power systems.
The Study of Animal Rhetorics as an “Awareness Raising” Effort

The penultimate chapter highlights some ways animal studies raise awareness of not only the plight of nonhuman animals, but also several groups of oppressed human animals. We rely too heavily on traditional views toward the nonhuman, despite our more enlightened times. It is better that we identify with the species similar to us, and to attempt to hear their voices and avoid the traps of mediation when possible, in order to provide all living creatures more autonomy, dignity, and freedom. All animals die, but humans have the power to prevent much of their suffering before they do.
Socioeconomic status across the life course and dementia-status life expectancy among older Americans

This study examines how socioeconomic status (SES) across the life course is associated with individuals' lifetime dementia experience - the years of life persons can expect to live and without with dementia. Conceptually, dementia-free life expectancy reflects the ability to postpone dementia onset while dementia life expectancy reflects the average lifetime period with the condition. How SES across the life course contributes to dementia-status life expectancy is the focus of this study. We assess whether persons who are advantaged in their lifetime SES live the most years without dementia and the fewest years with dementia compared to less advantaged persons. Using the Health and Retirement Study (2000-2016), we examine these questions for U.S. adults aged 65 and older using multistate life tables and a microsimulation approach. The results show that higher SES persons can expect to live significantly more years of life without dementia and that the period of life with dementia is compressed compared to less advantaged persons. The results also underscore that importance of cumulative exposure, showing that adults from disadvantaged childhoods who achieve high education levels often have dementia experiences that are similar to or better than those of adults from advantaged childhoods who achieved low education levels.
Partnering with Families Through Photo Collages

This article describes the implementation and benefits of a photo-based family communication method called Daily Explorations. Daily Explorations are one- to two-page photo collages that are annotated with meaningful explanations of children’s play and e-mailed to parents every day. The process, described in more detail in this article, is a relatively simple way to help families gain a deeper understanding of not only what their children do every day, but also why these activities are important. Results of a parent survey indicate that families receive many benefits from these photo communications including: increased knowledge of child development, increased understanding of how children learn through play, increased parent/child communication about school activities, and increased family understanding of the program and activities.
Asset-Based Funding and Integrated Capital Markets in Europe

The paper examines the complementary role of covered bond and securitization markets in enhancing the effectiveness of monetary policy and the integration of capital markets in the euro area. Both types of asset-based finance are instrumental in supporting the portfolio rebalancing and credit channels of quantitative easing, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of monetary easing on borrowing costs. Moreover, greater integration of capital markets as outlined by the European Commission (2015)’s recent Green Paper on the Capital Markets Union (CMU) will benefit from the capacity of asset-based finance to broaden access to long-term finance for smaller firms and enhance cross-border investment to facilitate private sector risk-sharing within the euro area.
Predicting Performance and Quantifying Corporate Governance Risk for Latin American Adrs and Banks

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how the boosting approach can be used to quantify the corporate governance risk in the case of Latin American markets. We compare our results using Adaboost with logistic regression, bagging, and random forests. We conduct tenfold cross-validation experiments on one sample of Latin American Depository Receipts (ADRs), and on another sample of Latin American banks. We find that if the dataset is uniform (similar types of companies and same source of information), as is the case with the Latin American ADRs dataset, the results of Adaboost are similar to the results of bagging and random forests. Only when the dataset shows significant non-uniformity does bagging improve the results. Additionally, the uniformity of the dataset affects the interpretability of the results. Using Adaboost, we were able to select an alternating decision tree (ADT) that explained the relationship between the corporate variables that determined performance and efficiency.
Involvement of Food Intake and Amino Acid Catabolism in the Branched-Chain Amino Acid Antagonism in Chicks

The role of food intake and branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism in the branched-chain amino acid antagonism was investigated. A diet containing crystalline amino acids as the sole source of amino acids was formulated to contain adequate levels of all required nutrients. The basal diet contained 0.60% isoleucine, 0.82% valine and 1.2% leucine. Increasing dietary leucine to 5.0% resulted in reduced food consumption, weight gain, and efficiency of food utilization. These effects were prevented by increasing dietary isoleucine and valine to 0.80 and 1.07%, respectively. When L-[1-14C]isoleucine or L[1-14C]valine were included in the diet, the amont of 14CO2 exhaled was increased within 24 hours of feeding the 5% leucine diet. The excretion of 14C was unaffected by leucine. It was determined by force feeding that approximately 70% of the reduced growth rate in chicks fed the leucine-supplemented diet ad libitum could be accounted for by reduced food intake. A portion of the growth depression may be due to increased BCAA catabolism, limiting the availability of valine and isoleucine for growth.
Trapped Particle Population Changes Associated with Solar Events

Trapped particle population changes associated with solar events are caused by the effects of solar wind discontinuities on the magnetosphere. The most drastic sequence of such time variations occurs during a magnetospheric storm.
Custer's Last Battle: Struggling with Scale

Increased scale enhances the scope and depth of historical interpretation, paving the way for more accurate constructions of bygone events. Improved interpretation through increased scale also has a corollary; the better the interpretive results, the more strained the defense of cherished beliefs about the past. Few examples in archaeology better illustrate this than Joshua’s biblical conquest of the Promised Land – from ca. 1407 BCE to 1400 BCE according to orthodox dating (derived from biblical synchronisms with Near Eastern absolute chronologies, primarily the Egyptian). Yet nothing in Egyptian records speaks of a Conquest, directly or indirectly, nor do the biblical conquest (Joshua) and settlement traditions (Judges) hint at Egyptians in the land. Such silence is rather odd; the Conquest (allegedly) happened during the Late Bronze Age, a period well-known, thanks in no small part to archaeology, as the height of Egyptian power and hegemony in Canaan. Indeed, the Book of Joshua’s ‘‘conquered cities’’ (at least those identified) – including Jericho – have yielded to archaeologists hardly a trace of Late Bronze conflict, and some lack altogether traces of settlement at that time (e.g., Stiebing, 1989). And not surprisingly, Canaanite Late Bronze Age settlements are rarely fortified – a sure reflection of Egyptian control. But for some, preservation of the biblical story is paramount, and all manner of ‘‘solutions’’ have been proposed. Making archaeology fit orthodox Conquest dating is one way. Destruction layers, for example, are ripped from their terminal Middle Bronze Age temporal context (ca. 1550 BCE) and reassigned to the end of Late Bronze I (ca. 1400 BCE) (e.g., Bimson and Livingston, 1987). Such attempts accept the absolute chronology upon which the Holy Land’s Bronze and Iron ages (and later) history is built. Others reject it. Rohl (1995), for example, re-invents the Egyptian absolute chronology to validate biblical history. Still others are committed to an historical Conquest, but not its orthodox dating. Using the accepted chronology, they put the Conquest earlier or later. One destination, for example (e.g., Anati, in Stiebing, 1985:58–59), is the terminal Early Bronze Age (just after 2200
The conversion of eIF-2·GDP to eIF-2·GTP by eIF-2B requires Met-tRNAfMet

We have investigated why the recycling of eIF-2.GDP to eIF-2.GTP, mediated by the guanine nucleotide exchange factor eIF-2B, is rapid in rabbit reticulocyte lysate, reconstituted for optimal protein synthesis, but slow in an isolated reaction with purified eIF-2B. We have found that purified eIF-2B dissociates eIF-2.[3H]GDP as efficiently in the presence of GTP as it does in the presence of GDP provided Met-tRNA(fMet) is added. tRNA(fMet) is ineffective, and there is no Met-tRNA(fMet) requirement for exchange with GDP. Exchange of eIF-2 bound GDP for GTP is completely dependent upon Met-tRNA(fMet) in the presence of ATP, suggesting that under physiological conditions efficient recycling of eIF-2.GDP to eIF-2.GTP requires conversion of the latter, a relatively unstable complex, to a more stable Met-tRNA(fMet).eIF-2.GTP complex.
Flooding of Ganymede's bright terrains by low-viscosity water-ice lavas

Large regions of the jovian moon Ganymede have been resurfaced, but the means has been unclear. Suggestions have ranged from volcanic eruptions of liquid water or solid ice to tectonic deformation, but definitive high-resolution morphological evidence has been lacking. Here we report digital elevation models of parts of the surface of Ganymede, derived from stereo pairs combining data from the Voyager and Galileo spacecraft, which reveal bright, smooth terrains that lie at roughly constant elevations 100 to 1,000 metres below the surrounding rougher terrains. These topographic data, together with new images that show fine-scale embayment and burial of older features, indicate that the smooth terrains were formed by flooding of shallow structural troughs by low-viscosity water-ice lavas. The oldest and most deformed areas (the 'reticulate' terrains) in general have the highest relative elevations, whereas units of the most common resurfaced type--the grooved terrain--lie at elevations between those of the smooth and reticulate terrains. Bright terrain, which accounts for some two-thirds of the surface, probably results from a continuum of processes, including crustal rifting, shallow flooding and groove formation. Volcanism plays an integral role in these processes, and is consistent with partial melting of Ganymede's interior.
New efforts on global change recommended

With the Bush administration working to finalize its initiatives on climate change research and technology, a new report criticizes several major federal and other climate reports and assessments, while also calling for improved research, climate data, and assessment efforts that are “not distorted by political pressures.” A December 4 report by the George C. Marshall Institute, “Climate Science and Policy: Making the Connection,” recommends that better climate models will need improvements in areas including the knowledge of key climate processes, such as the role of clouds and water vapor.
Tuning friction atom-by-atom in an ion-crystal simulator

Friction between ordered, atomically smooth surfaces at the nanoscale (nanofriction) is often governed by stick-slip processes. To test long-standing atomistic models of such processes, we implemented a synthetic nanofriction interface between a laser-cooled Coulomb crystal of individually addressable ions as the moving object and a periodic light-field potential as the substrate. We show that stick-slip friction can be tuned from maximal to nearly frictionless via arrangement of the ions relative to the substrate. By varying the ion number, we also show that this strong dependence of friction on the structural mismatch, as predicted by many-particle models, already emerges at the level of two or three atoms. This model system enables a microscopic and systematic investigation of friction, potentially even into the quantum many-body regime.
On Judaism, Christianity, Anti-Semitism in Kafka's the Castle, His Letters and Diaries

In his writings Kafka scrutinized, encouraged by his friend Max Brod, the early 20th-century German-speaking disputes on the ancient Jewish origins of Christianity and attempted an explication of the Christian-Germanic ideology of anti-Semitism.
Rastreio de dislipidemias em crianças e adolescentes – a evidência que sustenta as recomendações

Recently, several medical societies have published clinical guidelines on screening for dyslipidemias in children and adolescents, including the Portuguese Directorate General of Health in June 2013. These recommendations have emerged in response to the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood. Furthermore, studies have shown that the atherosclerotic process can begin in childhood and that children with dyslipidemias tend to maintain lipid profile disorders in adulthood. However, it is uncertain whether screening for dyslipidemias decreases cardiovascular risk, morbidity, and mortality. This article reviews the different screening strategies proposed by the main medical societies, and analyzes the evidence supporting these recommendations. Clinical guidelines on screening for dyslipidemias are not based on studies showing benefit in the reduction of cardiovascular risk, morbidity or mortality. The need to perform this screening should be considered for the individual patient.
The Joint Determinants of Managerial Ownership, Board Independence, and Firm Performance

We specify a simple structural model to isolate the economic determinants of managerial ownership and board structure in a value-maximizing contracting environment. The optimal firm size, level of managerial ownership, and the proportion of outsiders on the board is jointly determined by the relative importance of the three productivity parameters of physical assets, managerial/insider effort and outside director's advising/monitoring role in the firm production process. Our model provides an equilibrium explanation for the cross-sectional relationships between managerial ownership, board structure, and firm performance that is consistent with existing evidence. We use the model to provide an alternative explanation for the observed changes in compensation structure arising from new rules mandating changes in board independence following the Sarbanes Oxley act in 2002.
Increased transsulfuration mediates longevity and dietary restriction in Drosophila

The mechanisms through which dietary restriction enhances health and longevity in diverse species are unclear. The transsulfuration pathway (TSP) is a highly conserved mechanism for metabolizing the sulfur-containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine. Here we show that Drosophila cystathionine β-synthase (dCBS), which catalyzes the rate-determining step in the TSP, is a positive regulator of lifespan in Drosophila and that the pathway is required for the effects of diet restriction on animal physiology and lifespan. dCBS activity was up-regulated in flies exposed to reduced nutrient conditions, and ubiquitous or neuron-specific transgenic overexpression of dCBS enhanced longevity in fully fed animals. Inhibition of the TSP abrogated the changes in lifespan, adiposity, and protein content that normally accompany diet restriction. RNAi-mediated knockdown of dCBS also limited lifespan extension by diet. Diet restriction reduced levels of protein translation in Drosophila, and we show that this is largely caused by increased metabolic commitment of methionine cycle intermediates to transsulfuration. However, dietary supplementation of methionine restored normal levels of protein synthesis to restricted animals without affecting lifespan, indicating that global reductions in translation alone are not required for diet-restriction longevity. Our results indicate a mechanism by which dietary restriction influences physiology and aging.
Approximate response of a two-level system to intense multimode radiation

Abstract The rotating wave solution for a two-level atom in an intense monochromatic radiation field is extended by an approximation to the case of a multimode radiation field. Expressions for the resultant average excitation probability of the upper state are presented for rectangular and triangular pulses.
Pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma.

SUMMARY 1.Six cases of proved eosinophilic granuloma of the lungs are reported, including follow-ups of eight years and six years on two of them. Twenty-three additional cases from the literature are reviewed. 2.Pulmonary function studies showed the only consistent abnormality to be overdistention of the lungs. Lung compliance was reduced at some time during the course of the disease in three of four patients. Definite restrictive changes were demonstrated in one during the early stages of his disease. 3.Lack of rsponse to specific regimen of therapy in pulmonary eosinophilic granuloma is noted. Patients should be given the opportunity to undergo spontaneous remission.
Insecticide Tolerance of Ground- and Foliage-dwelling Spiders (Araneae) in European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Action Sites

Spider fauna was sampled in 1983 and 1984 from action sites of adult European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). The ground-dwelling spider community was best characterized as a hunting guild and consisted primarily of Lycosidae, Thomisidae, and Gnaphosidae. A gnaphosid species, Gnaphosa parvula Banks, is a new state record for Iowa. Total ground spiders reached greatest numbers by June and declined thereafter. The foliage-dwelling spider community was characterized as both an orb-web guild and a hunting guild. Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Salticidae, Thomisidae, and Oxyopidae accounted for 89% of the foliage-inhabiting spiders. Effects of carbaryl and fenvalerate applied for adult ECB control were tested on the spider fauna in action sites. Spider populations were generally not affected, except for the foliage spider family, Tetragnathidae, whose numbers were significantly reduced for 28 d in 1984 in treated action sites. It is suggested that beneficial spider populations, particularly ground-dwellers, could be protected from adverse effects of insecticide treatments if treatment was timed to miss peak densities and the application was primarily directed at the upper foliage canopy
α-tocopherol concentrations of the nervous system and selected tissues of adult dogs fed three levels of vitamin E

The effects of dietary vitamin E levels on tissue α-tocopherol (α−T) concentrations in different parts of the nervous system are largely unknown. Therefore, we measured the α−T contents of nervous and other tissues obtained from beagle dogs fed for two years a vitamin E-deficient diet (−E, 0.05±0.02 mg vitamin E/kg diet, n=2), a vitamin E-supplemented diet (+E, 114±14 mg/kg, n=2), or a standard chow diet (En, 74±6 mg/kg, n=3). Brain regions and spinal cords of +E dogs contained about double the α−T concentrations of En dogs, and about 10-fold those of −E dogs. The various brain regions of −E dogs, compared with En dogs, retained 12–18% of the α−T concentrations, with the exception of the caudal colliculus, which retained 48%. Peripheral nerve α−T concentrations in +E dogs (67 ng/mg wet weight) were nearly 5-fold higher than in En dogs (13.4±5.9 ng/mg) and 80-fold higher than in −E dogs (0.8 ng/mg). Within each dietary group, the lowest α−T concentrations in the central nervous system (CNS) were in the spinal cord. Peripheral nerves were the most susceptible to vitamin E repletion or depletion: in +E dogs, nerves contained higher concentrations of α−T than most brain regions; in En dogs, they contained similar concentrations; but in −E dogs, they contained less α−T than most brain regions. Muscles and other tissues of −E dogs retained from 1 to 10% of En values. The studies demonstrate that the CNS conserved α−T compared to peripheral nerves and nonnervous tissues in adult dogs, but contained lower absolute concentrations of α−T compare with most other tissues.
Circular polarization signal for aerosols and clouds

ABSTRACT Circular polarization of scattered solar radiation is essentially zero for almost all aerosol and cloud cases. Required conditions for non-zero circular polarization include multiple- scattering and large scatterer size relative to wavelength. The single-scattering of incident solar radiation can produce linearly polarized light but not circularly polarized light. A second scattering event can transform some of the linearly polarized light into circularly polarized light. Additional scattering events can both create and destroy circular polarization via the transformation process with linear polarization. The peak in circular polarization ratio magnitude occurs at the optical depth for which the multiple-scattering processes have maximized its creation-to-destructi on rate. Provided multiple-scatte ring has occurred, circular polarization can only exist for scatterers of large size relative to the wavelength. For aerosols, this implies desert dust or oceanic aerosols and short wavelength observations (i.e., less than 0.5P m). All cloud particles are considered large as they are roughly an order of magnitude larger than aerosols.
Assessing the nature of nanotechnology: can we uncover an emerging general purpose technology?

Attention has increasingly shifted towards the long-run perspective on technological innovation, which suggests that progress comes in waves, each one originating with a major breakthrough or general purpose technology (GPT). This paper seeks to assess whether nanotechnology is likely to be (or become) a GPT, a characteristic that other researchers have sometimes assumed though not necessarily documented. Based on a survey of existing literature, this paper will explore the extent to which nanotechnology addresses three primary characteristics of a GPT: pervasiveness, innovation spawning, and scope for improvement. The paper draws on patent and patent citation databases to highlight the types of quantitative and qualitative information that would be necessary, and in some instances is still lacking, to characterize fully the nature of nanotechnology.
Properties of polymer–nanoparticle composites

Abstract An overview of properties of polymer–nanoparticle composites in bulk and in solution is presented along with a review of work performed during the last 3 years. The review is particularly focused on organic–inorganic materials such as polymer–nanospheres, tubes, rods, fibers and nanoplatelets. Fundamental studies on flow-induced structures in polymer–particle composites are emphasized. This relatively new area demands sophisticated experiments to augment pragmatic knowledge necessary to support theoretical descriptions of composite structures and properties. The complexity of this area guarantees that this will remain an active field for some time to come.
The response of prestressed aluminum

Abstract Experimental data on the propagation of changes in strain associated with an unstable load are presented. These deformations frequently propagate at speeds which are less than 10 in/sec. These large amplitude deformations are the result of adding small increments of the load at long time intervals. The wave speed calculated from the Karman-Taylor wave theory and based on a smooth stress-strain relation for the material is 18 × 10 3 in/sec. One large change in strain ‘propagates’ at an average, speed of 3·7 × 10 −3 in/sec. These slowly propagating deformations occur only at certain discrete loads in prestressed specimens of annealed aluminum. Between these loads, the response is approximately that of a linearly elastic material. Some data on preloaded specimens tested in a torsional impact apparatus are also included.
Najib Mahfuz, Nobel prize winner: A bibliographical essay

Najib Mahfuz is the first Arab‐language author to win the Nobel Prize in literature. Born in 1911 the son of a middle‐class Jamaliyah merchant, he became the most popular novelist in Egypt and the Arab countries.
Potential for prostate cancer prevention through physical activity

Objectives Review the most recent literature investigating exercise in the prevention of prostate cancer to determine whether or not exercise might play a role preventing the disease.
Anti-Yo Antibody Uptake and Interaction with Its Intracellular Target Antigen Causes Purkinje Cell Death in Rat Cerebellar Slice Cultures: A Possible Mechanism for Paraneoplastic Cerebellar Degeneration in Humans with Gynecological or Breast Cancers

Anti-Yo antibodies are immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies reactive with a 62 kDa Purkinje cell cytoplasmic protein. These antibodies are closely associated with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration in the setting of gynecological and breast malignancies. We have previously demonstrated that incubation of rat cerebellar slice cultures with patient sera and cerebrospinal fluid containing anti-Yo antibodies resulted in Purkinje cell death. The present study addressed three fundamental questions regarding the role of anti-Yo antibodies in disease pathogenesis: 1) Whether the Purkinje cell cytotoxicity required binding of anti-Yo antibody to its intraneuronal 62 kDa target antigen; 2) whether Purkinje cell death might be initiated by antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity rather than intracellular antibody binding; and 3) whether Purkinje cell death might simply be a more general result of intracellular antibody accumulation, rather than of specific antibody-antigen interaction. In our study, incubation of rat cerebellar slice cultures with anti-Yo IgG resulted in intracellular antibody binding, and cell death. Infiltration of the Purkinje cell layer by cells of macrophage/microglia lineage was not observed until extensive cell death was already present. Adsorption of anti-Yo IgG with its 62 kDa target antigen abolished both antibody accumulation and cytotoxicity. Antibodies to other intracellular Purkinje cell proteins were also taken up by Purkinje cells and accumulated intracellularly; these included calbindin, calmodulin, PCP-2, and patient anti-Purkinje cell antibodies not reactive with the 62 kDa Yo antigen. However, intracellular accumulation of these antibodies did not affect Purkinje cell viability. The present study is the first to demonstrate that anti-Yo antibodies cause Purkinje cell death by binding to the intracellular 62 kDa Yo antigen. Anti-Yo antibody cytotoxicity did not involve other antibodies or factors present in patient serum and was not initiated by brain mononuclear cells. Purkinje cell death was not simply due to intraneuronal antibody accumulation.
Binding of trifluorolactate to pig heart H4-lactate dehydrogenase.

Summary The binary complex of pig heart lactate dehydrogenase and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide has been shown to bind the substrate analog β,β,β-trifluorolactate. The interaction was studied by measurement of the inhibition of enzymic activity and of changes in absorbance and fluorescence. Binding of trifluorolactate to the enzyme was not detected in the absence of cofactor. The ternary complex formed with this analog does not react to give trifluoropyruvate, and it therefore is particularly useful for physical studies.
Subclavian steal syndrome from high-output brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula: A previously undescribed complication of dialysis access

Abstract A 28-year-old dialysis-dependent man presented with episodic vertebrobasilar insufficiency. Noninvasive studies demonstrated an estimated 5.8 L/min flow through the arteriovenous fistula in his left arm and reversal of flow in the left vertebral artery. Surgical reduction of fistula flow resulted in the elimination of symptoms and the return of antegrade flow in the left vertebral artery. intraoperative invasive monitoring corroborated the pressure gradient responsible for his subclavian steal syndrome. (J Vasc Surg 2001;33:883-5.)
Strategies to Prevent Postdischarge Adverse Events Among Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure

Hospitalizations for heart failure (HF) are increasing, and HF is the primary cause of readmission for all Medicare patients. Inpatient HF mortality is poor, but most morbidity and mortality occurs after hospital discharge. Readmissions attributable to HF persist or increase over time after discharge, and past HF admissions predict both readmission and mortality. The heightened risk of readmission dissipates slowly after discharge, suggesting that any intervention should be part of a lasting care package in the outpatient setting. Interventions that apply to multiple common medical comorbidities may be more likely to reduce overall adverse events.
The Climate Convention: deciphering the Kyoto commitments

The third meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP-3) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) concluded with the signing of the Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC 1997). After much political wrangling and an extended all night negotiation session, delegates agreed to a Protocol that mandates specific emissions limits for industrialized countries and economies in transition (collectively listed as Annex I countries). The Protocol mandates that the average anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent emission of each Annex I country should be no more than its agreed allowance in the ‘first quantified emission limitation commitment period’ which is defined as the five years between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2012 (UNFCCC 1997, Article 3.7). The base-period for most countries in Annex I is 1990. The exceptions, which were granted during COP-2 (UNFCCC 1996, decision 9/CP.2), are Bulgaria (1989), Hungary (1985-87), Poland (1988) and Romania (1989).
Splenectomy in advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia: A single institution experience with 50 patients

Abstract purpose: To assess the efficacy of splenectomy in the treatment of refractory cytopenias associated with advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). patients and methods: The histories of 57 patients with CLL who underwent splenectomy at the Mayo Clinic between 1975 and 1991 were retrospectively reviewed. Of the 57 patients, 50 underwent splenectomy for reasons directly related to their disease process such as cytopenias or symptomatic splenomegaly. The histories from these 50 patients were studied to assess the response to splenectomy and the operative morbidity and mortality. results: Ninety-four percent of patients were in Rai stage III or IV with extensive marrow infiltration, massive splenomegaly, and cytopenias refractory to chemotherapy. A positive response to splenectomy was defined at 3 months of follow-up as: (1) a hemoglobin level of 11 g/dL or greater in a patient with a preoperative value less than 11 g/dL; or (2) a platelet count of 100 × 10 3 /mm 3 or greater in a patient with a preoperative value less than 100 × 10 3 /mm 3 . A positive response was achieved in 77% of patients with anemia, 70% of patients with thrombocytopenia, and 64% of patients with both anemia and thrombocytopenia. The response was sustained at 1 year of follow-up in 86%, 84%, and 85% of the patients, respectively. Postoperative transfusion requirements decreased correspondingly. The operative morbidity was 26%, and the operative mortality was 4%. The mean duration of hospitalization was 9.8 days (median: 9 days; range: 5 to 24 days). The actuarial median survival after splenectomy was 41 months in responders and 14 months in nonresponders. We found no preoperative parameters that were clearly predictive of a poor hematologic response. In particular, outcome was not affected by preoperative spleen size or the degree of marrow infiltration by CLL. All patients with symptomatic splenomegaly had an improved sense of well-being. conclusion: In this, the largest single institution study to date, we found splenectomy to be efficacious in providing durable remissions of refractory cytopenias and in relieving symptomatic splenomegaly in the majority of patients with CLL. The procedure is associated with a low perioperative mortality. Although the impact on survival is uncertain, the improved peripheral blood counts may allow the administration of adequate doses of myelosuppressive chemotherapy.
Recovery from traumatic injury: Trauma patients’ perceptions of facilitators and barriers

r c 201 jotn.201 : +1 336 @uncg.e Abstract Background: Individuals who have sustained an unintentional physical traumatic injury often undergo a lengthy and arduous process of recovery, as they strive to return to pre-injury levels of physical, occupational and social function. However, little research has been conducted on interventions to support trauma patients during recovery, and the few interventions implemented have limited success. Objectives: This qualitative descriptive study was designed to explore the facilitators and barriers to the recovery process to inform nursing interventions and research. Methods: A sample of 13 individuals in the southeast United States, who sustained an unintentional traumatic injury requiring hospitalization in the previous 6 months, completed an in-person semi-structured interview. Data were analyzed using line by line coding, identification of patterns and themes, and constant comparison of themes to the data. Results: Four major themes that facilitated recovery from injury were identified: support, coping, processing, and progress. Major barriers to recovery included financial losses, physical changes, lack of information, and emotional consequences. Discussion: Trauma patients need informational and support resources, especially peer support from those with a similar injury, to provide indicators of progress and promote successful integration of the injury event and its consequences into their views of self. c 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Is AIDS an invariably fatal disease?: A model analysis of AIDS survival curves

Trends in the survival of 1,157 Maryland adult AIDS cases diagnosed between 1983 and 1988 are analyzed using a model of AIDS survivability that fits the experimental data. A parameter that proves exceedingly useful in this model analysis is the survival half-life, which is defined as the elapsed time after AIDS diagnosis for half of the cohort to die. It is found that the survival half-life begins a significant, monotonic rise beginning in 1986 until its value for the 1988 cohort is 65.8% greater than that of the 1985 cohort, a result that dramatically improves long-term survivability with AIDS. The 6-year survivability with AIDS for the 1983 cohort was found to be 4.1%. Because of the great increase in the survival half-life after 1985, the 6-year survivability for the 1988 cohort is projected to be almost three times its value for the 1983 cohort. The model analysis also shows that most of the long-term survivors with AIDS have a much longer survival half-life than that of the great majority of those that have died. Thus, it is very important that these survivors be studied to ascertain whether any cause(s) for their long-term survival can be isolated.
Painful Heel Syndrome: Rationale of Diagnosis and Treatment

Recent developments in isotope imagery have allowed orthopaedic surgeons some insight into stress areas of the skeleton that are not readily seen on routine X-rays. This X-ray imagery has been used in evaluating patients with painful heel syndrome. In 97.7% of the cases, the bone scan was positive on the side of the heel that had the pain. An X-ray technique exposing the painful heel at a 45 degree angle on the medial side with the cassette underneath the foot showed a bony condensation in many of the cases which was thought to represent a fatigue fracture. Based on these bone scans and X-ray findings, a classification system has been devised. A flow chart is described using logical progression in the diagnosis and treatment phase of this problem.