cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulation of a rapid-exit industrial parking structure

When Eli Lilly and Company considered the use of multilevel parking structures as providers of high-density parking space, concern was expressed as to operating efficiency under peak-load, end-of-workday conditions. Simulation of various types of structures addresses itself specifically to this concern and, in addition, provides interesting and useful design information regarding the structure and the configuration of structure site. This paper will review the simulation study made at Eli Lilly and Company and the application of IBM's GPSS/360 simulator package.
Multiple pairwise comparison procedures based on the Lin and Wang test for right censored survival data

When comparing the prognosis of more than two groups in clinical trials, researchers may use multiple comparison procedures to determine which treatments actually differ from one another. Methods of controlling the Family Wise Error (FWE) rate for multiple comparisons of survival curves have received attention in the statistical literature. Adjustments such as Bonferroni, Holm's, Steele's and the closed procedure based on the logrank test have been studied. If hazards cross, the adjustments based on the logrank test may not be the most appropriate. Chi (2005) developed multiple testing procedures based on weighted Kaplan–Meier statistics as these statistics may perform better than the logrank for non-proportional hazards alternatives. The aim of this research is to propose multiple testing procedures based on the Lin and Wang (2004) statistic for all pairwise comparisons. Simulation studies have shown this statistic can be more powerful than the logrank for certain crossing hazards. Through simulation, the FWE rate and power of the Bonferroni and Holm's adjustments based on the Lin and Wang statistic will be studied. For comparison purposes, the same adjustment procedures based on the logrank and Wilcoxon will be included in the simulations. These methods are applied to data from the Bone marrow transplant registry.
An Evaluation of Alternative Estimation Techniques and Functional Forms in Developing Statistical Appraisal Models

This paper examines the combined effects of multicollinearity, parameter stability, and alternative function forms in hedonic regression models. The results indicate that the significance and stability of the regression coefficients as well as prediction accuracy are sensitive to the choice of functional form and estimation technique. In certain respects nonlinear models proved to be more effective than linear models and ridge regression techniques were generally superior to OLS estimation. Since no single estimation technique or functional form was superior in all respects, the appraiser may have to choose between minimizing the average prediction error or maximizing prediction stability.
Control of the Potato Tuberworm in Potatoes

In California, the potato tuberworm, Gnorimoschema operculella (Zell.) is especially difficult to control in potato varieties such as Kennebec which produce tubers close to the surface of the soil. Chemical control measures are aimed at preventing population increases in foliage during the growing period so that fewer moths and larvae will be present to infest tubers when the crop matures. Insecticides tested as foliage sprays in field trials conducted during 1958 and 1959 included DDT, endrin, Thiodan® (6,7,8,9,10,10-hexachloro-1,5,5a,6,9,9a-hexahydro-6,9- methano-2,4,3-benzodioxathiepin-3-oxide), Guthion® ( O,O -dimethyl S - (4-oxo-1,2,3-benzotriazin-3-(4H)ylmethyl) phosphorodithioate), Sevin® (1-naphthyl methylcarbamate), and dimethoate. A 50% calcium arsenate dust was also tested and was found to be ineffective. In the 1958 trials, five applications of each insecticide were made at biweekly intervals. In 1959, treatments were repeated at 10-day intervals for u total of six applications. Endrin and Guthion were the most effective materials tested. Guthion applied at the rate of 0.75 pound per acre appeared to be superior to endrin used at the rate of 0.6 pound per acre in killing larvae in their leaf mines and in controlling adults. Thiodan applied at the rate of 1.0 pound per acre gave excellent results 1958 but control of larvae in foliage with this material in 1959 was poor. Sevin applied at 1.5 pounds per acre was about as effective as endrin applied at 0.6 pound. Dimethoate applied at the rate of 1.0 pound per acre gave only fair control of larvae in the foliage. DDT at a dosage of 2 pounds per acre had little effect on larvae in the foliage. Despite excellent control of larvae in the foliage with endrin and Guthion, only 51% control of larvae in the tubers of the Kennebec variety resulted. With Russett, a deeper-setting variety, endrin gave 81% control and Guthion 75%. Undoubtedly these infestations developed as a result of flights of moths from heavily infested nearby areas, indicating that although a producer may keep his field free of infestation during the growing season he may still harvest appreciably infested tubers if nearby sources of moths are disregarded. In 1958, DDT and Guthion caused populations of the potato aphid, Macrosiphum solanifolii (Ashm.), to increase 6-fold and nearly 12-fold, respectively. Guthion and Sevin resulted in 7-fold and 20-fold increases in populations of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulz.) in 1959.
Learners' Perceptions toward Pronunciation Instruction in Three Circles of World Englishes.

From the perspective of World Englishes (i.e., varieties of English in different regions of the world), mutual intelligibility is a key issue for both listeners and speakers. Nevertheless, learners often have an idealized notion of native-speaker spoken norms and may be in favor of more prestigious inner circle models than others. This study examined students' (N = 617) perceptions and expectations of their pronunciation and their attitudes toward instructors' accent varieties in the three circles of World Englishes collected from six countries in the inner circle (the United States and New Zealand), the outer circle (South Africa and Pakistan), and the expanding circle (Japan and South Korea). The results show that students in the inner circle and expanding circle countries, compared to those in the outer circle, were more dissatisfied with their current curriculum of learning pronunciation due to confusion of various models, teachers' mono-model treatment of accent variation, and lack of effort of incorporating the role of English as an international language. These findings suggest that the concept of World Englishes should be better integrated into ESL/EFL classroom teachings.
ZnSe-GaAs heterojunction parameters

Abstract We synthesized ZnSe-GaAs(100) heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy and characterized in situ the band offsets by means of X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. We measured a valence band offset of 0.78 eV, i.e. 0.3 eV lower than that observed earlier for ZnSe-GaAs(110) heterostructures grown at room temperature. A further reduction in the valence band offset was obtained by fabricating thin pseudomorphic Ge layers in the interface region. The additional Ge-induced interface dipole increases monotically with Ge layer thickness in the 1 to 6 monolayer range, and saturates at higher coverages. The low valence band offset (0.44 eV) observed in the engineered interfaces should improve hole injection in ZnSe-GaAs based n-p laser diodes.
G domain dimerization controls dynamin's assembly-stimulated GTPase activity

Dynamin is an atypical GTPase that catalyses membrane fission during clathrin-mediated endocytosis. The mechanisms of dynamin’s basal and assembly-stimulated GTP hydrolysis are unknown, though both are indirectly influenced by the GTPase effector domain (GED). Here we present the 2.0 A resolution crystal structure of a human dynamin 1-derived minimal GTPase–GED fusion protein, which was dimeric in the presence of the transition state mimic GDP.AlF4-.The structure reveals dynamin’s catalytic machinery and explains how assembly-stimulated GTP hydrolysis is achieved through G domain dimerization. A sodium ion present in the active site suggests that dynamin uses a cation to compensate for the developing negative charge in the transition state in the absence of an arginine finger. Structural comparison to the rat dynamin G domain reveals key conformational changes that promote G domain dimerization and stimulated hydrolysis. The structure of the GTPase–GED fusion protein dimer provides insight into the mechanisms underlying dynamin-catalysed membrane fission. Dynamin catalyses membrane fission of clathrin-coated endocytic vesicles. In this study, Chappie et al. present the 2.0-A resolution crystal structure of a minimal GTPase–GED fusion protein constructed from human dynamin 1, which has dimerized in the presence of the transition-state mimic GDP.AlF4−. The structure reveals the catalytic machinery and explains how assembly-stimulated GTP hydrolysis is achieved through dimerization of the G domain. The structural analysis provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying dynamin-catalysed membrane fission. Dynamin is a protein that catalyses the fission of clathrin-coated endocytic vesicles from cellular membranes. To carry out fission, it must hydrolyse GTP. The mechanism by which it does so is unknown, although it does require dynamin's GTPase effector domain (GED). Here, the structure of a minimal GTPase–GED fusion protein constructed from human dynamin 1 is presented. The structure reveals the catalytic machinery and provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying dynamin-catalysed membrane fission.
The slow motion of a sphere through a viscous fluid towards a plane surface. II - Small gap widths, including inertial effects.

Hydrodynamic force experienced by sphere moving slowly through viscous fluid towards plane surface at small gap widths, including inertial effects
Mesenteric Shunting During Thoracoabdominal Aortic Clamping to Prevent Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation in Dogs

The current study was undertaken to determine if cold crystalloid perfusion of the mesenteric circulation or continuous arterial shunting into the superior mesenteric artery would prevent the subsequent development of disseminated intravascular coagulation in a dog model. Twenty-two dogs were divided into four groups: those with distal aortic occlusion; those with isolated washout of the mesenteric circulation via the superior mesenteric artery with cold crystalloid; those with continuous isolated arterial perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery via an open proximal aorta; and those with shunting of blood into the superior mesenteric artery from the proximal aorta with an Inahara-Pruitt shunt. Coagulation parameters were measured for 24 hours and compared to the results with 32 dogs in the following groups: sham operation; supraceliac aortic occlusion for 30 minutes, 60 minutes, 90 minutes; superior mesenteric occlusion for 90 minutes; and celiac axis occlusion for 90 minutes. Shunting or direct arterial perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery prevented disseminated intravascular coagulation from occurring. Infrarenal aortic occlusion resulted in no change in any of the coagulation factors, whereas crystalloid perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery resulted in death in all animals. These results indicate that the disseminated intravascular coagulation that occurs with supraceliac aortic occlusion or superior mesenteric occlusion of greater then one hour can be prevented by continuous arterial perfusion of the superior mesenteric artery during proximal aortic clamping.
Missouri River restoration efforts should include adaptive management, report urges

A new report on the Missouri River calls for major restoration measures and indicates that the river has continued to decline, from an ecological standpoint, to the point at which irreparable damage may be done to the river. The 9 January report, by the U.S. National Research Council's (NRC) Committee on Missouri River Ecosystem Science, calls for a policy of adaptive management of the river and for the creation of a broad-based stakeholder process.
Concurrent Evaluation of p53, β-Catenin, and α-Fetoprotein Expression in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Recent models suggest that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) develops through several independent pathways marked by key mutations in the β-catenin or p53 gene. An additional pathway potentially is marked by aberrant expression of α-fetoprotein (AFP). To see whether these potential markers are expressed independently, we immunostained sequential sections from 55 HCCs. Of the cases, 30 (55%) were positive for 1 or more proteins: AFP, 19 cases (35%); p53, 12 cases (22%); and β-catenin, 9 cases (16%). Seven tumors (13%) were positive for more than 1 protein, with 4 of 7 positive in the same area of tumor and 3 of 7 positive in different areas of the carcinomas. By statistical analysis, expression of the markers was independent of one another and of tumor size. Concurrent evaluation of p53, β-catenin, and AFP protein expression showed no associations, supporting models in which these proteins might serve as markers of independent pathways in the development of HCC.
IPSS-independent prognostic value of plasma CXCL10, IL-7 and IL-6 levels in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Recent studies suggest a powerful prognostic value for plasma cytokine levels in primary myelofibrosis (interleukin (IL)-2R, IL-8, IL-12, IL-15 and C–X–C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10)) and large-cell lymphoma (IL-2R, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, CXCL9 and CXCL10). To examine the possibility of a similar phenomenon in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), we used multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure 30 plasma cytokines in 78 patients with primary MDS. Compared with normal controls (n=35), the levels of 19 cytokines were significantly altered. Multivariable analysis identified increased levels of CXCL10 (P<0.01), IL-7 (P=0.02) and IL-6 (P=0.07) as predictors of shortened survival; the survival association remained significant when the Cox model was adjusted for the International Prognostic Scoring System, age, transfusion-need or thrombocytopenia. MDS patients with normal plasma levels of CXCL10, IL-7 and IL-6 lived significantly longer (median survival 76 months) than those with elevated levels of at least one of the three cytokines (median survival 25 months) (P<0.01). Increased levels of IL-6 were associated with inferior leukemia-free survival, independent of other prognostic factors (P=0.01). Comparison of plasma cytokines between MDS (n=78) and primary myelofibrosis (n=127) revealed a significantly different pattern of abnormalities. These observations reinforce the concept of distinct and prognostically relevant plasma cytokine signatures in hematological malignancies.
Fracture-free release of CVD diamond

Abstract Vapor-deposited diamond sometimes fractures during or after deposition. This cracking may be caused by differential stresses between the substrate and the deposited diamond. The yield of fracture-free CVD diamond may be greatly enhanced when the deposition surface is pre-coated with a thin layer of a temperature-dependent hydride former such as niobium. During cooling from the deposition temperature in a hydrogen atmosphere, hydrogen reacts between 300 and 500 °C with the niobium layer to form a weak embrittled layer of niobium hydride. Thermal differential strains generated by cooling cause the hydride to fracture at stress levels well below the fracture stress of the deposited diamond. With this technique, large thick sheets of crack-free CVD diamonds are reproducibly released from their deposition substrate.
Mutually Assured Destruction

I am that person with the twitchy eye whose finger you don’t want on that button. I will slap my shoe on the table, then
The Surprising Rut Pathway: an Unexpected Way To Derive Nitrogen from Pyrimidines

Four years ago, Sydney Kustu’s group reported their surprising discovery that Escherichia coli’s well-studied genome contains a previously unrecognized seven-gene operon (rutABCDEFG) encoding a pathway to degrade pyrimidines, making the two ring nitrogen atoms available for assimilation (4). The rut operon is one of the most highly expressed clusters of NtrC-controlled genes in E. coli (9), but until the publication of this report, the function of this operon was unknown. Andrei Osterman said he had doubted that such a discovery was possible today: it was “too big a skeleton to be hidden in the closet” (5). The surprises continued as we learned more: the pathway is different from either of the known pathways of pyrimidine degradation (oxidative and reductive) (7): it makes the two ring nitrogen atoms available for assimilation but discards the four ring carbon atoms (one as CO2, the others as a 3-carbon waste product), and it supplies all of the cell’s growth-sustaining nitrogen from pyrimidine rings at room temperature but not at 37°C (4).
α-Endosulfine, a potential regulator of insulin secretion, is required for adult tissue growth control in Drosophila

α-Endosulfine is a small protein that has been proposed to regulate ion channel activity and insulin secretion, but in vivo studies have been lacking. We have previously established the Drosophila ovary as a model system in which to study adult tissue growth regulation, and demonstrated a role of the insulin pathway in the proliferative response of ovarian cells to nutritional changes. Here, we find that the Drosophila α-endosulfine (dendos) gene, whose protein is expressed in germline and somatic cells of the ovary, as well as in the brain and certain regions of the intestine, is also required for this response. This requirement is non-cell autonomous, which is consistent with a role of dendos in secretion of Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs), required for the proliferative response to nutritional changes. Our results show that dendos is also required for a distinct process in oogenesis, namely, the osmotic regulation of stage 14 oocytes, and that this requirement is cell autonomous, consistent with the role in ion channel regulation suggested by studies of the mammalian homologues.
Characterization of cDNA for the large subunit of the transcription initiation factor TFIIF.

AT least six chromatographically resolvable general transcription factors may participate in accurate initiation by RNA polymerase II in HeLa cell-derived systems1–3. TFIIF (also termed FC, RAP30/74 and β/γ) can bind directly to RNA polymerase II in solution4–6 and decrease the affinity of RNA polymerase II for nonspecific DNA7. From studies on the kinetics of transcription initiation1, on the composition of transcription initiation complexes fractionated by acrylamide gel electrophoresis8, and on template competition experiments9, TFIIF is known to act at an intermediate stage in initiation complex formation. It acts after TFIID firmly associates with DNA, but coincidentally with or immediately after RNA polymerase II binding to DNA, and before the recruitment of factor TFIIE. TFIIF may6 or may not4,5 have DNA helicase activity. The small subunit (RAP30) of TFIIF has been cloned6 and shows some amino-acid sequence homology to bacterial cr factors. We have partially sequenced the RAP74 protein from purified HeLa cells, cloned its complementary DNA and shown that its translation product can interact with RAP30 in vitro as well as in vivo. The cDNA predicts an amino-acid sequence that lacks obvious DNA or RNA helicase motifs. It has regions rich in charged amino acids, including segments containing a higher content of acidic amino acids than are found in strong transcriptional activators such as VP16 (ref. 10).
Promoting justice in stem cell intellectual property

According to the World Trade Organization, intellectual property rights are "rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time." The rationale behind intellectual property rights is to offer a quid pro quo, between creators and the public, intended to spur innovation. Inventors gain exclusivity (and an opportunity for profits) in exchange for publicly disclosing details about their creations. The public gains free access to information - information that can then be used to support further innovation. Innovation is seen as an inherent good in this context, as it can lead to the development of things people need (e.g., treatments for disease, green energy technologies or a better mousetrap). Exclusive rights to intellectual property are managed via patents and licenses, with patenting being primarily regulated at the national level. Intellectual property rights are the dominant mechanism used in innovation policy, particularly in science. However, myriad modifications and alternatives to intellectual property rights have been proposed and utilized, including patent pooling, intellectual property exchanges and clearing houses, innovation prizes and open-source licenses. The challenges related to competing models of innovation policy present in a fairly consistent manner across most fields of science. However, this paper will focus exclusively on intellectual property rights and models of innovation policy in the context of stem cell science. It is not that the issues themselves are unique in this context, but rather that there are a series of factors that make a discussion of intellectual property rights and models of innovation policy particularly important in the context of stem cell science.
Killer collapse: empirically probing the philosophically unsatisfactory region of GRW

GRW theory offers precise laws for the collapse of the wave function. These collapses are characterized by two new constants, λ and σ. Recent work has put experimental upper bounds on the collapse rate, λ. Lower bounds on λ have been more controversial since GRW begins to take on a many-worlds character for small values of λ. Here I examine GRW in this odd region of parameter space where collapse events act as natural disasters that destroy branches of the wave function along with their occupants. Our continued survival provides evidence that we don't live in a universe like that. I offer a quantitative analysis of how such evidence can be used to assess versions of GRW with small collapse rates in an effort to move towards more principled and experimentally-informed lower bounds for λ.
Impact of Environmental Chemicals on Key Transcription Regulators and Correlation to Toxicity End Points within EPA’s ToxCast Program

Exposure to environmental chemicals adds to the burden of disease in humans and wildlife to a degree that is difficult to estimate and, thus, mitigate. The ability to assess the impact of existing chemicals for which little to no toxicity data are available or to foresee such effects during early stages of chemical development and use, and before potential exposure occurs, is a pressing need. However, the capacity of the current toxicity evaluation approaches to meet this demand is limited by low throughput and high costs. In the context of EPA’s ToxCast project, we have evaluated a novel cellular biosensor system (Factorial1) that enables rapid, high-content assessment of a compound’s impact on gene regulatory networks. The Factorial biosensors combined libraries of cis- and trans-regulated transcription factor reporter constructs with a highly homogeneous method of detection enabling simultaneous evaluation of multiplexed transcription factor activities. Here, we demonstrate the application of the techn...
Dental Treatment Improves Self-Rated Oral Health in Homeless Veterans – A Brief Communication

Objective The aim of this study was to assess homeless veterans' perception of their oral health and the impact that oral disease and treatment have on self-assessed quality of life. Methods Outcomes included measures of general and oral-specific quality of life and functional status. Single-item self-report of oral health and the General Oral Health Assessment Index were assessed at baseline and after treatment. Results One hundred and twelve veterans completed the baseline questionnaire, and 48 completed the follow-up. Veterans who were eligible for ongoing dental care had improved General Oral Health Assessment scores, while patients who received only emergency dental care saw a decreased score (2.46 versus -2.12). General Oral Health Assessment improvement was significantly related to fewer teeth at baseline (18 versus 23), a lower baseline General Oral Health Assessment (23.6 versus 28.1), having a denture visit (22 versus 35 percent), and improvement in self-reported oral health (25 versus 42 percent). Conclusion There was significant improvement in homeless veterans'perceived oral health after receiving dental care.
Natural history of SIVmac BK28 and H824 infection in Macaca nemestrina

The natural histories of disease progression induced by two closely related molecular clones of SIVmac were evaluated to determine the utility of these viruses for modeling fast and slow progression to AIDS in Macaca nemestrina. Viral and immune parameters were measured to determine differential progression. Survival time, viral load and CD4+ T cell decline all were indicative of distinct rates of progression, while early measurements of interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) producing cells did not indicate significant differences.
The Use of Sample Quasi-Ranges in Setting Confidence Intervals for the Population Standard Deviation

Abstract The problem is the determination of an optimal selection method of quasi-range for setting one-sided confidence bounds and confidence intervals for the standard deviation from a given distribution. The proposed methods of optimal selection are applied to random ordered samples from the normal, exponential and rectangular distributions. Tables of confidence bounds for the standard deviation of these distributions are given for confidence levels commonly used in statistical work. These are compared with the results of standard procedures.
Effects of hypertonicity on water intake in the elderly: an age-related failure.

Dehydration is a common clinical syndrome associated with many illnesses and treatments in the elderly. Prior studies have shown diminished sensation of thirst during water deprivation. It is currently unclear whether age-related decreases in thirst perception impair the defense against a hyperosmolar challenge. To examine the impact of water ingestion during hyperosmolality, young and old subjects were allowed free access to water during and after an intravenous infusion of 5% hypertonic saline. Cumulative water intake and serum osmolality were compared between seven healthy young (20–28 yrs) and seven healthy old (72–89 yrs) volunteers during and following a two hour hypertonic saline infusion at a rate of 0.06 ml.kg-1 min-1. Serum osmolality and water intake were markedly different between the two groups. In the old group, serum osmolality increased by 17 mosmol/kg above baseline despite free access to water. In contrast, serum osmolality increased to only 7 mosmol/kg above baseline in the young group and did not rise further. By ingesting water, the young were able to defend against an additional increase in serum osmolality. The young drank approximately twice that of the old during the infusion period. Healthy older individuals drink less than young despite a significantly increased serum osmolality. This hypodipsia in old individuals increases their susceptibility to hypertonicity.
Determination of descriptors for fragrance compounds by gas chromatography and liquid–liquid partition

Retention factors on a minimum of eight stationary phases at various temperatures by gas–liquid chromatography and liquid–liquid partition coefficients for five totally organic biphasic systems were combined to estimate descriptors for 28 fragrance compounds with an emphasis on compounds that are known or potential allergens. The descriptors facilitated the estimation of several properties of biological and environmental interest (sensory irritation threshold, odor detection threshold, nasal pungency threshold, skin permeability from water, skin–water partition coefficients, octanol–water partition coefficients, absorption by air particles, adsorption by diesel soot particles, air–water partition coefficients, and adsorption by film water). The descriptors are suitable for use in the solvation parameter model and facilitate the estimation of a wide range of physicochemical, chromatographic, biological, and environmental properties using existing models.
Unifying immunology with informatics and multiscale biology

Dudley and colleagues review some of the computational analysis tools for high-dimensional data and how they can be applied to immunology.
Confocal Optical Sectioning for Meiotic Analysis in Oenothera Species and Hybrids

We present a photomicrographic technique for analysis of meiosis in Oenothera species and hybrids. In many species, the 14 isomorphic, 1-2 μm chromosomes are organized into a permanent translocation ring. Interspecific hybrid meiotic analysis is complicated by variations in homology between chromosome sets (Renner complexes) of allospecific origin. Though most wild species form complete rings of 14 at meiosis, hybrids often form combinations of smaller rings and bivalents. There is evidence that asynapsis (chains and univalents) also frequently occurs in hybrids. The greater complexity of hybrid meiotic organization can hinder resolution of individual chromosomes in such chains and small rings and encumber photomicrography of all chromosomes in a cell. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) offers a new cytogenetic approach in ring-forming Oenothera species and hybrids. Fortunately, crystal violet, the stain classically used with this difficult material, fluoresces at an excitation wavelength of 488 nm...
Three-dimensional optical tomographic imaging of vascular reactivity in the brain

We report on the first three-dimensional, volumetric, tomographic localization of changes in the concentration of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin in the brain. To this end we have developed a model-based iterative image reconstruction scheme that employs adjoint differentiation methods to minimize the difference between measured and predicted data. To illustrate the performance of the technique, the three-dimensional distribution of changes in the concentration of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin during a Valsalva maneuver are visualized. The observed results are consistent with previously reported effects concerning optical responses to hemodynamic perturbations.
C−H and Si−H Activation on Palladium(II) and Platinum(II) Complexes with a New Methoxyalkyl-Substituted Diimine Ligand

Electrophilic 1,4-bis(methoxypropyl)-2,3-dimethyl-1,4-diazabutadiene Pd(II) and Pt(II) cations 2a,b with a BArF counteranion have been prepared. Complex 2a undergoes intramolecular C−H activation to form tricyclic 5, and complex 2b adds to Et3SiH to form an octahedral diimine Pt(IV) silyl hydride complex, 7.
Detection and confirmation of staphylococcal enterotoxin B in apple juice and milk using piezoelectric-excited millimeter-sized cantilever sensors at 2.5 fg/mL.

A sensitive and reliable method for the detection of a model toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in buffer, apple juice, and milk is shown using piezoelectric-excited, millimeter-sized cantilever (PEMC) sensors. Limit of detection in spiked milk and apple juice samples is 10 and 100 fg, respectively. PEMC sensors (2 mm2) are prepared by immobilizing a polyclonal antibody specific to SEB, which was exposed to 1 mL of 1% milk and apple juice containing 10 fg−10 ng. Sensor response to 100 fg, 1 pg, and 10 pg of SEB in apple juice resulted in resonance frequency decreases of 113 ± 18 (n = 4), 308 ± 24 (n = 4), and 521 ± 20 (n = 2) Hz, respectively. In milk, 10 fg, 100 fg, 1 pg, and 10 pg of SEB resulted in resonance frequency decreases of 126 ± 18 (n = 2), 143 ± 35 (n = 4), 310 ± 32 (n = 5), and 557 ± 25 (n = 2) Hz, respectively. Positive detection of SEB in the sample solution was observed within the first 20 min. The responses of the sensor to positive (SEB present, but no antibody on sensor), negativ...
Complications of diagnostic physostigmine administration to emergency department patients.

Abstract Study objectives: Literature exists describing the complications associated with therapeutic physostigmine administration. No series exists detailing strictly diagnostic use. Our objective was to document the complications associated with diagnostic physostigmine administration in emergency department (ED) patients suspected of having antimuscarinic delirium. Methods: Two reviewers blinded to the study purpose performed a retrospective chart review on all adult patients administered physostigmine diagnostically over a 79-month period at a tertiary-care hospital. Twenty percent of charts were reviewed by both abstractors. The data abstracted from the chart included total dose of physostigmine, effect on mental status, any subsequent complications, or any use of atropine. Discharge summaries, toxicology consultations, and urine drug screens were used to determine the cause of the altered mental status. Results: Thirty-nine adult patients were administered varying doses of physostigmine (range 0.5 to 2 mg). The reviewers were able to determine the cause of the altered mental status in 35 patients. The cause was purely antimuscarinic in 19 patients, purely nonantimuscarinic in 10 patients, mixed antimuscarinic and nonantimuscarinic in 2 patients, psychiatric in 4 patients, and unknown in 4 patients. A total of 22 patients had full reversal of delirium, and this group comprised all 19 patients with a purely antimuscarinic cause and 3 patients in whom a cause was never determined. One (2.6%) in 39 patients had a brief convulsion without adverse sequelae. This patient was poisoned with an antimuscarinic drug. No patient had dysrhythmias, had signs of cholinergic excess, or was administered atropine. Conclusion: Diagnostic physostigmine administration was without significant complication when given to ED patients suspected of having antimuscarinic delirium. Although a relatively small series, it contributes to the safety profile of physostigmine. [ Ann Emerg Med. 2003;42:14-19.]
Inadequacy of the Liebig Limiting‐Factor Paradigm for Explaining Varying Crop Yields

Historically, the limiting-factor paradigm has been used to describe how crop yields may be constrained by the individual input resources required by plants. The limiting-factor paradigm proposes that plant growth is constrained only by a single resource whose availability is so low that it solely inbibits greater gowth or growth rates. However, this paradigm ignores the great flexibility of plants to acclimate morphologically and physiologically to changing environmental conditions. In view of the inadequacy of the limiting-factor paradigm, an analysis analogous to that used in economic studies to describe well-managed businesses was developed [...]
Constrained-phase-space approach to spin alignment in deep-inelastic heavy-ion collisions

A constrained-phase-space description of equilibrium in the angular momentum degrees of freedom is used to calculate the spin alignment in deep-inelastic heavy-ion reactions. The phase space is constructed by considering the internal degrees of freedom of the excited fragments and the conservation of angular momentum; the constraint which reflects the reaction dynamics is derived from the classical sticking condition. For several cases of mass-asymmetric heavy-ion reactions, the measured alignments are quantitatively reproduced. It is found that the alignment depends most sensitively on the initial angular momentum and on the fragment deformation at separation so that alignment data are useful to determine these quantities. Angular correlations of sequential-fission fragments from deep-inelastic reactions are also calculated. In the considered example, the measured in-plane anisotropy is explained as mainly resulting from the restrictions, imposed by the experimental setup, on the orientations of the orbital angular momenta in the entrance and exit channels.
A note on perceptions of auditors’ internal control report mandated by the PCAOB: Can reformatting the report enhance perceived value added?

Abstract The auditor’s report is a critical link in communicating financial data to users. Because of substantial audit costs incurred in integrated audits, the perceived value added by the auditor’s report becomes even more important. The auditor’s report prescribed by Auditing Standard No. 2 (and the new Auditing Standard No. 5) issued by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) includes a limitations paragraph. The SAS 58 audit report format that has been in use over 15 years does not contain a limitations paragraph. The SAS 58 report likely serves as a mental frame of reference (a referent report) for users evaluating other independent auditor’s report formats relating to assurance services, including the AS2 and AS5 reports. Whether inclusion of a limitations paragraph could adversely affect the users’ evaluation of the AS2 report is the focus of this study. In light of the publicity given to fraudulent financial reporting and other prevailing economic/environmental conditions, it is reasonable for users to expect that the auditor’s report provide a high degree of assurance regarding material fraud. We extend the [Foster, B. P., McClain, G., Shastri, T. (2005). A note on Pre-Sarbanes–Oxley Act users’ and auditors’ perceptions of a limitations paragraph in the auditor’s internal control report. Research in Accounting Regulations, 18, 195–217] study, by focusing on the AS2 report using data obtained about user perceptions from a field experiment conducted with MBA students. Results suggest that users perceive that an internal control report format without the limitations paragraph will enhance the readability and reliability of the report, and reduce the level of accommodation (additional information) required for decision making. Users perceive that the auditors’ exposure/liability is likely to remain substantially the same whether or not the report format includes a limitations paragraph. Also, users perceive that incorporating fraud wording would further enhance the readability and reliability dimensions of the internal control report format without the limitations paragraph. Taken collectively, the auditor’s report format with fraud wording, but without the limitations paragraph likely maximizes economic benefit accruing to users by minimizing their information risk. Policy-making bodies may find the results and approach taken in this study useful to evaluate report formats for assurance services.
Earthworms and nitrogen mineralization in corn agroecosystems with different nutrient amendments

Abstract To investigate the influence of earthworms on net rates of N mineralization in agricultural soils, we manipulated earthworm populations for three years in three corn agroecosystems that differed in nutrient inputs (inorganic N, legume, or manure). Each spring and fall, earthworms were added to, removed from, or left unmodified in field enclosures within each agroecosystem. In the second and third year, we measured soil concentrations of mineral N (0–15 cm depth) in these enclosures, as well as net rates of N mineralization using an in situ soil core incubation method. In the inorganic N-fertilized agroecosystem, mineral N concentrations were often greatest in the enclosures with earthworm additions or least in enclosures with earthworm reductions. The largest differences were seen following inorganic fertilizer application, suggesting either greater net N immobilization or increased N loss from the surface soil in the enclosures with earthworm reductions. Subsequent net rates of N mineralization were greater in the enclosures with reduced earthworm populations, possibly due to the turnover of N in microbial biomass. In the legume-fertilized agroecosystem, overall rates of net N mineralization were greater in enclosures with earthworm additions than in enclosures with earthworm reductions. In this agroecosystem, cumulative net N mineralization during the two-year study was significantly higher in enclosures with earthworm additions than in enclosures with unmodified or reduced populations. Earthworms can significantly influence the net rates of N mineralization in agricultural soils, but the timing, direction, and the magnitude of this influence appears to be dependent on the nature of the nutrient inputs.
Inhibition of Acetylating Activity in an Enzymatic Assay for Aminoglycoside Antibiotics

The radioenzymatic technique using aminoglycoside-6′-acetyltransferase is suitable for determining serum concentrations of aminoglycoside antibiotics that have a 6′-amino group. Standard curves constructed for each drug in normal human serum are generally satisfactory, but we encountered a pool of human serum (designated IN pool) that inhibited the acetylating activity of the assay. Standard curves for amikacin, kanamycin, gentamicin, and tobramycin in the acetylating assay were all abnormal with standards prepared in the IN pool. Acetylating activity was also inhibited with amikacin standards prepared in a filtrate of this serum pool. Heat inactivation (56°C for 30 min) of the IN pool did not eliminate the problem. When the IN pool was diluted 1:10 in normal human serum, the standard curve obtained with amikacin was comparable to the curve with standards prepared in normal human serum. With amikacin standards prepared in a 1:2 dilution of the IN pool in normal human serum, an intermediate level of acetylating activity was observed. When this IN pool was used for the preparation of gentamicin and amikacin standards in a bioassay with Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 27799 as the test strain, valid standard curves and concentrations were obtained. Furthermore, no differences in the biological activity of amikacin were observed with Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Bacillus subtilis as the test strain. Excellent agreement between the microbial assay and the enzymatic assay was obtained with serum specimens tested for gentamicin ( r = 0.89), tobramycin ( r = 0.96), and amikacin ( r = 0.96). The results obtained with the IN pool illustrate the need for regular use of check samples of known performance, independent from the standards, when determining antibiotic levels in serum.
Non-linear dynamics of supported pipe conveying pulsating fluid—I. Subharmonic resonance

Abstract In this paper the non-linear behavior of supported pipes conveying pulsating fluid is examined in the vicinity of subharmonic resonance. The method of averaging is used to yield a set of autonomous equations when the parametric excitation frequency is twice the natural frequency of the system. The autonomous, averaged equations are then used to examine the bifurcation behavior of the system. It is found that the trivial solution lts for the stability boundaries and bifurcation paths are obtained. Numerical values of these results are plotted for pinned-pinned and clamped-clamped pipes.
The measurement of social support: The social support network inventory

HE PLURALISTIC OR BIOPYSCHOSOCIAL model of illness acknowledges that social factors play a role in the development of physical and emotional illness. Or, in Cassel’s language, that there is a “contribution of the social environment to host resistance.“’ Research continues to explore those social variables which directly or indirectly contribute to pathophysiologic processes, vulnerability to illness, symptom formation, and treatment response. One major area of research concerns the influence of stress and life events beginning with early writings of Cannon2 and Adolf Meyer.-’ Since the development of quantitative instruments for measuring life events, pioneered by Holmes and Rahe,4 there has been a flurry of studies examining the relationship between this variable and a variety of dependent symptom variables. Unfortunately, life events have rarely accounted for more than 15% and frequently less than 10% of the variance in any psychiatric outcome measures. Cognizant of the limits of a parsimonious theory linking stressful life events to illness, Caplan5 and others have suggested that social supports or social networks may be an intermediary variable serving to buffer the potentially negative effects of stress. Subsequently, a variety of investigators have shown an inverse association between specific aspects of social support and the development of depression in the general population6 and in recent widows;’ an inverse relationship between social support and symptom severity has also been shown in unipolar populations. R.9 Components of social support have also been examined in relationship to schizophrenia,‘O anxiety,” and psychosomatic disorders.r2 In most of these studies, social support has emerged as a better predictor of outcome than life events, causing speculation that there is a direct effect in addition to that of buffering stress. Although the use of specific questions on aspects of social support (eg, number of friends, relatives in the immediate geographic area, presence of a close contidante) are useful, it became clear by the mid-70’s that quantitative instruments were needed to reliably assess social support in research investigations and clinicians. This report presents the rationale, design, and psychometric testing of one instrument-the Social Support Network Inventory (SSNI)--which the authors began developing in 1979. It should be noted that other investigators such as Pattison” began developing similar instruments at that time; an excellent review of the methodology of these instruments has been provided by Lin.13
Cyclist safety on bicycle boulevards and parallel arterial routes in Berkeley, California

a b s t r a c t This study compares the safety of bicyclists riding on bicycle boulevards to those riding on parallel arterial routes in Berkeley, California. Literature on the impact of motor vehicle traffic characteristics on cyclist safety shows that high motor vehicle speeds and volumes and the presence of heavy vehicles are all detrimental to cyclist safety. This suggests that cyclists may be safer on side streets than on busy arterials. Bicycle boulevards—traffic-calmed side streets signed and improved for cyclist use—purport to offer cyclists a safer alternative to riding on arterials. Police-reported bicycle collision data and manually collected cyclist count data from bicycle boulevards and parallel arterial routes in Berkeley, California from 2003 to 2010 are used to test the hypothesis that Berkeley’s bicycle boulevards have lower cyclist collision rates and a lower proportion of bicycle collisions resulting in severe injury. While no significant difference is found in the proportion of collisions that are severe, results show that collision rates on Berkeley’s bicycle boulevards are two to eight times lower than those on parallel, adjacent arterial routes. The difference in collision rate is highly statistically significant, unlikely to be caused by any bias in the collision and count data, and cannot be easily explained away by self-selection or safety in numbers. Though the used dataset is limited and the study design is correlational, this study provides some evidence that Berkeley’s bicycle boulevards are safer for cyclists than its parallel arterial routes. The results may be suggestive that, more generally, properly implemented bicycle boulevards can provide cyclists with a safer alternative to riding on arterials.