cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating the duration of a central venous catheter at time of insertion

The aim of this study was to investigate whether clinicians can estimate, at the time of insertion, the length of time a central venous catheter (CVC) will remain in place, and to identify clinical variables which may predict CVC duration. CVC-related bloodstream infection is a known complication among critically ill patients. As infection rates may increase with duration of catheterization, more expensive antimicrobial-coated catheters may be used in patients with anticipated long duration of CVC use.
Influence of polyacrylamide application to soil on movement of microorganisms in runoff water.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) use in irrigation for erosion control has increased water infiltration and reduced soil erosion. This has improved runoA water quality via lower concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorous, and pesticides, and decreased biological oxygen demand. Since non-toxic high molecular weight anionic PAMs removed clay size sediment particles in flowing water, we hypothesized that PAM would eAectively remove or immobilize microorganisms in flowing water. In an agricultural field, we determined the eAcacy of PAM-treatment of furrow irrigation water to remove several categories of microorganisms in the inflow and runoA. Treatments were: (1) PAM application and a control; (2) three flow rates; (3) two distances from the inflow point; and (4) three times during each irrigation. After water traveled 1 m at 7.5 and 15.5 l min ˇ1 , PAM-treatment reduced total bacterial and microbial biomass and total fungal biomass relative to the control treatment. After water traveled 40 m at 7.5, 15.5, and 22.5 l min ˇ1 , PAM-treatment reduced algae, the numbers active and total bacteria, active and total fungal length, and total bacterial biomass, total fungal and microbial biomass relative to the control treatment. Although specific organisms were not identified or monitored in this study, the results clearly have implications for controlling the spread of soil-borne plant pathogens and other classes of harmful organisms within and among fields via irrigation water and in re-utilized return flows. Beyond furrow-irrigated agriculture, new methods to manage overland transmission of harmful microorganisms could potentially help control transport of pathogens from animal waste in runoA and groundwater. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Reasoning about Knowledge on Computation Trees

This paper presents a bimodal logic for reasoning about knowledge during knowledge acquisition. One of the modalities represents (effort during) non-deterministic time and the other represents knowledge. The semantics of this logic are tree-like spaces which are a generalization of semantics used for modelling branching time and historical necessity. A finite system is shown to be canonically complete for the formentioned spaces. A characterization of the satisfaction relation implies the small model property and decidability for this system.
Hepatic taurocholate uptake is electrogenic and influenced by transmembrane potential difference

Uptake of the bile acid taurocholate by hepatocytes is coupled to Na+ influx. The stoichiometry of uptake, however, is uncertain, as is the influence of the transmembrane electrical potential difference (PD) on this process. In this study, we examined the relationship between taurocholate extraction and PD (measured using intracellular microelectrodes) in perfused liver, and we measured taurocholate-induced transport current in cultured hepatocytes using patch-clamp recording techniques. In the perfused liver under basal conditions, PD averaged -28.4 +/- 0.6 (SE) mV, and extraction of 1, 50, and 300 microM taurocholate was 0.95 +/- 0.02, 0.98 +/- 0.01, and 0.41 +/- 0.03, respectively. When the Na+ chemical gradient was decreased by replacing perfusate Na+ with choline, the membrane depolarized to -17.2 +/- 1.1 mV, and taurocholate extraction markedly decreased at all taurocholate concentrations (P < 0.01). When perfusate Na+ concentration was held constant at 137 mM, membrane depolarization induced by substitution of gluconate for perfusate Cl- (-17.9 +/- 0.6 mV) or Cl- for nitrate (-10.3 +/- 2.1 mV) significantly decreased extraction of 300 microM taurocholate. Abrupt exposure to taurocholate produced a concentration-dependent membrane depolarization in the presence of Na+, but not in its absence (P < 0.001). In cultured hepatocytes, exposure to 100 microM taurocholate produced an inward current of -0.056 +/- 0.016 pA/pF at a holding potential of -40 mV. This current was Na+ dependent, and it increased twofold as holding potential was changed from -20 to -50 mV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Osteoblast cell response to hydroxyapatite of different heat treatments

In vitro osteoblast precursor cell responses to characterized hydroxyapatite (HA) surfaces of different treatments were investigated. The sintered HA samples were observed to have the highest crystallite size compared to the as-received HA and calcined HA samples. As indicated by increased alkaline phosphatase specific activity and 1,25 (OH/sub 2/) vitamin D/sub 3/ stimulated osteocalcin production, a more differentiated osteoblast-like phenotype was observed on the sintered HA surfaces compared to the as-received HA and calcined HA surfaces.
Simulation of a Vehicle Impacting a Modified Thrie-Beam Guardrail

A three-dimensional finite-element simulation study, developed for the purpose of modeling the event of a compact automobile impacting a modified thrie-beam guardrail, is presented. The developed computational model has been used to simulate an actual field test that was previously conducted as part of a full-scale crash test program carried out under the auspices of FHWA. Results of the actual crash test are also used to "tune" the simulation model.
Pitfalls of gastrointestinal bleeding studies with 99mTc-labeled RBCs

A 52-YEAR-OLD woman presented with a five-day history of dark stools and nausea. Physical examination revealed a blood pressure of 148/106 mm Hg, pulse of 84/rain, and epigastric and right lower quadrant tenderness. Rectal examination demonstrated external hemorrhoids with a strongly positive guiac stool. Her hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were 10.0 (12 to 15 g/dL) and 31.1 (36% to 45%), respectively. Upon admission, a gastrointestinal bleeding study was obtained (Fig 1). Two days later, esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a superficial ulceration at the esophagogastric junction. The following day, abdominal CT was obtained for evaluation of the upper abdominal lesion (Fig 2) and perhaps a second contiguous lesion noted during scintigraphy (Fig 3). Based on the scintigraphic and positive CT findings, hepatic arteriography was performed two days later (Fig 4). She was treated conservatively for her ulcer and was discharged in stable condition. Several techniques have appeared in the literature for the preparation of 99mTc-labeled RBCs. 1-3 Unfortunately, the use of these techniques for the evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding suffers in various degrees from the presence of and, therefore, physiologic interference by 99mTc-pertechnetate. A further refinement of technique, to minimize the presence of unbound technetium, has been reported, 4 and a
Emerging pathways in asthma: innate and adaptive interactions.

Abstract Background Allergic asthma is a complex and chronic airway inflammatory disorder, and the prevalence of asthma has increased. Adaptive antigen-dependent immunity is a classical pathway of asthmatic pathology. Recent studies have focused on innate antigen-independent immunity in asthma. Scope of review This review discusses updated research associating innate immunity with allergic asthma. We focus on innate molecules (Toll-like receptors and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors) and review studies regarding innate and adaptive interactions in allergic responses (surfactant protein D, lipopolysaccharide, and early life immune responses). We also highlight new emerging concepts in the field applicable to innate immunity and asthma. Major conclusions Innate immunity plays a key role in asthma. Understanding innate and adaptive interactions provide significant information in asthmatic research. Innate molecules not only contribute to classical pulmonary defense, but also modulate inflammatory responses. Emerging concepts in the analysis of the microbiome, microRNA and autophagy may provide new insights in searching therapeutic targets. General significance Finding specific mechanisms of innate and/or adaptive immunity in asthma are timely goals for further research. Integration of bioinformatics and systems biology tools, particularly in relation to microbiome analysis, may be helpful in providing an understanding to allergic immune responses. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Asthma.
Modeling of thin film silicon solar cells with improved open circuit voltage

The purpose of this work is to develop a numerical code for modeling the performance of thin film plasmonic solar cells performing a detailed analysis of both the light interaction with the solar cell and the resulting charging transport due to the photovoltaic effect. The continuity and Poisson equations were modeled in each layer of thin film silicon solar cells using finite difference method. In each layer the system of equations were solved numerically. The mesh size was chosen to be smaller than the Debye length. Because of the large bandgap of amorphous silicon the intrinsic carrier concentration is lower in thin film silicon solar cells. Different parameters like energy bands, electron and hole concentrations, electric field, voltage, current densities etc. were calculated at each mesh point. The generation rate for carrier transport modeling was calculated from full wave electromagnetic simulations.
Erroneous conversion of carbon isotope data: Comments on a paper by Cheney and Jensen (1965)

Abstract An erroneous conversion procedure used to compare carbon isotope ratio measurements reported in different notation by different authors has been corrected.
Effects of phenylarsine oxide on agonist-induced hepatic vasoconstriction and glycogenolysis.

L'exposition aux toxiques arsenicaux entrainerait une diminution de la reponse des cellules aux signaux autacoides
Implementing a Reentry Framework at a Correctional Facility: Challenges to the Culture

Implementation research is emerging in the field of corrections, but few studies have examined the complexities associated with implementing change among frontline workers embedded in specific organizational cultures. Using a mixed methods approach, the authors examine the challenges faced by correctional workers in a work release correctional facility during their transformation into a reentry center. Findings reveal that staff report a low readiness for change while observational and interview data confirm that staff attitudes and accompanying behaviors undermine efforts to provide a humane environment for reentry. This study illustrates the value of using quantitative and qualitative methods to understand and measure key organizational issues that affect the ability to alter the milieu for delivering services. The authors examine how inertia regarding reforms is not due to the nature of the reform but rather to the culture of the organization and how important it is to address organizational culture. T...
On the thermodynamics of surfaces

Abstract Isotropic macroscopic thermodynamics is used to treat a classical model of surfaces. An equation of the Gibbs-Duhem type is derived from which the relation between surface stress and specific surface free energy follows. This derivation specifically considers the pressure dependence on size of a spherical particle bounded by an isotropic surface and hence is not restricted to the usual constant pressure assumptions. It follows from the conditions of thermodynamic equilibrium and the above Gibbs-Duhem relation that surface stress is the fundamental parameter controlling the internal hydrostatic pressure of isotropic particles as well as equilibrium vapor pressure and other phenomena dependent on internal pressure.
Local structures of copper-doped ZnO films

We report the local structures of a series of copper-doped zinc oxide films using polarization-dependent x-ray-absorption spectroscopy. The films were grown by pulsed-laser ablation under various conditions. The results show that films where copper exists solely as clusters are not ferromagnetic. The results also show that some of the copper-doped zinc oxide films are not ferromagnetic despite the fact that the copper substitution for zinc in the ZnO lattice is in the Cu{sup 2+} state, which provides the necessary unpaired spins for ferromagnetism. Therefore, Cu{sup 2+}/Zn{sup 2+} substitution is not the only imperative condition for ferromagnetism to occur. We present characteristics unique to the electronic and atomic structure of ferromagnetic films and argue that the increased covalence of the Cu{sub Zn}-O bond found in these films is a prerequisite for the spin alignments in a substitutionally copper-doped zinc oxide film.
The Gamma Distribution as a Mixture of Exponential Distributions

Abstract A gamma distribution with arbitrary scale parameter θ and shape parameter r < 1 can be represented as a scale mixture of exponential distributions.
Citizenship and the Origins of Women's History in the United States Teresa Anne Murphy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

Citizenship and the Origins of Women's History in the United States Teresa Anne Murphy. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.Teresa Anne Murphy's Citizenship and the Origins of Women's History in the United States examines the emergence of texts that examined women's contributions to history and how those texts engaged with larger debates about the role of women in the United States from its beginnings, through the Civil War, and beyond. The focus of Murphy's study remains those books and shorter historiographies of women penned by women and their significance in the larger debates about women's roles in the nation, and it makes an important contribution to the field. Murphy explores the genre of women's histories and their political implications, something previous scholars have failed to examine and that scholars like Nina Baym in her American Women Writers and the Work of History, 1790-1860 (1995) have dismissed altogether.Murphy's monograph splits its investigation and arguments into two, three-chapter parts. The first part, "Women, History, and Nation," seeks to analyze "how the discourse of women, history, and nation was created and contested in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, particularly around the notion of what might best be called domestic citizenship" (8). To accomplish this, Murphy begins with the origins of the genre, as Chapter 1 examines women's histories written by men. It discusses the histories' content and the ways that they were marketed and sold. Murphy's scholarship looks at depictions of women in these books, women as consumers, and the various ideals promoted within the new nation. By contextualizing women's histories within the framework of consumerism and culture, Murphy emphasizes these texts' role in both codifying and shaping the ideals of the period.Chapters 2 and 3 build upon the work in Chapter 1. Abigail Adams' correspondence with her husband begins Chapter 2, setting the stage for a shift from men writing women's histories to women's own interpretations and arguments about their predecessors' roles. Murphy explains, "In the exchange that took place, more positive views of female political accomplishments were articulated as a challenge to the domestic citizenship that had been proposed in the original histories of women" (40). The majority of Chapter 3 explores the work of Lydia Maria Child, while also addressing that of women reformers like Sarah Grimkc and Margaret Fuller as it moves further into the nineteenth century. …
An efficient implementation of the harmonic balance technique for solving nonlinear microwave problems

An efficient implementation of the harmonic balance method, using novel numerical algorithms, that are both robust and efficient, coupled with analytical expressions developed for the elements of the Jacobian matrix, is presented. The approach possesses excellent convergence property and speed. Simulated performances using the developed approach for a 10-GHz GaAs MESFET amplifier are found in good agreement with the measured results.
Fatty acid-binding proteins: role in metabolic diseases and potential as drug targets.

Lipids are vital components of many biological processes and crucial in the pathogenesis of numerous common diseases, but the specific mechanisms coupling intracellular lipids to biological targets and signalling pathways are not well understood. This is particularly the case for cells burdened with high lipid storage, trafficking and signalling capacity such as adipocytes and macrophages. Here, we discuss the central role of lipid chaperones — the fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) — in lipid-mediated biological processes and systemic metabolic homeostasis through the regulation of diverse lipid signals, and highlight their therapeutic significance. Pharmacological agents that modify FABP function may provide tissue-specific or cell-type-specific control of lipid signalling pathways, inflammatory responses and metabolic regulation, potentially providing a new class of drugs for diseases such as obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis.
The Relationship of Self Image as a Reader to Reading Achievement

In this research, the existence of the variable, self image as a reader, and its ability to affect reading achievement, were established. It was done by placing 240 pupils in disguised situations and obtaining a sample of their reading without their conscious knowledge.
Sufficient Node Density Conditions on Delay-Tolerant Sensor Networks for Wildlife Tracking and Monitoring

This paper investigates the performance limits of delay tolerant networks (DTNs) with intermittently connected nodes deployed for wildlife monitoring, wherein information is either transmitted or carried to static accesspoints by free-ranging animals whose movement is assumed to be random. Specifically, in such mobility-aided applications where routing is performed in a store-carry-and-drop manner, limited buffer capacity of a carrier node plays a critical role, and data loss due to buffer overflow heavily depends on access-point density. Driven by this fact, our focus in this paper is on providing sufficient conditions on accesspoint density that limit the likelihood of buffer overflow. Specifically, we first derive and prove sufficient access-point density conditions that ensure that the data loss rates are statistically guaranteed to be below a given threshold. We consider studying both the square and hexagonal accesspoint deployment structures. Then, we validate the derived theoretical results for each of the two studied structures through simulations.
Postictal SPECT in Epileptic Versus Nonepileptic Seizures

Abstract Despite advances in video-electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, in many patients distinguishing epileptic seizures from nonepileptic seizures (NES) remains a challenge. Reliable methods to make this distinction are needed. In a pilot study, we performed postictal and interictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in 22 patients undergoing video-EEG monitoring who had altered responsiveness during an episode. Eleven had seizures, defined as episodes associated with EEG seizure patterns or postictal prolactin (PRL) elevations greater than 1.5 times the highest interictal baseline PRL; 11 had NES. Among the 11 seizures, postictal SPECT was abnormal in seven (regions of hypoperfusion in six and hyperperfusion in one) and normal in four. In six cases (55%), the interictal and postictal SPECT changed. Among the 11 NES cases, postictal SPECT was abnormal in three cases (all hypoperfusion abnormalities) and normal in eight cases. In no case did the interictal and postictal SPECT change. This small sample revealed a trend toward greater hypometabolism (postictal versus interictal) on SPECT for epileptic seizures compared to NES ( p
Development of an assay for phospholipase C using column-reconstituted, extruded phospholipid vesicles.

Abstract The reconstitution of heterotrimeric G proteins into phospholipid vesicles has been widely used for the measurement of PLC-β activity in vitro. We have developed an improved and sensitive method for the assay of PLC-β activity. This approach involves reconstitution of purified βγ dimers into extruded phospholipid vesicles containing phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate and using a gel-filtration technique to separate the reconstituted vesicles from monodispersed βγ dimers and the detergent used to solubilize G proteins. The method provides physical information about the partitioning of βγ dimers into phospholipid vesicles and was used to examine the effect of different prenyl groups on the γ subunits in the activation of PLC-β. The β 1 γ 1 dimer (containing the farnesyl group) and the β 1 γ 2 dimer (containing the geranylgeranyl group) were purified from baculovirus-infected Sf9 insect cells and were found to partition equally into phospholipid vesicles. The β 1 γ 2 dimer is more potent and effective in stimulating PLC-β activity than the β 1 γ 1 dimer. The EC 50 values of βγ dimers for the activation of PLC-β determined with this method were lower than those determined by previous methodology, showing that βγ subunits have a subnanomolar affinity for PLC-β.
The effect of slow rotational motion on paramagnetic resonance spectra

Nitroxide radical paramagnetic resonance spectra are calculated as a function of rotational correlation time (τ2) by the numerical solution of diffusion-coupled Bloch equations. For a dilute aqueous solution of spin-labeled oxyhemoglobin, a τ2 of 26 ± 2 nsec is obtained. This time increases linearly with viscosity as sucrose is added to the solution.
A model of consumer response to advertising music

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a model of consumer response to music in broadcast commercials outlining four variables (listening situation, musical stimulus, listener characteristics, and advertising processing strategy) that affect a consumer's attitude toward the advertising music (Aam).Design/methodology/approach – The paper takes the form of an integrative review of the relevant literatures from the psychology of music, marketing, and advertising.Findings – Aam can be positively but also negatively influenced by many factors. Only some of these variables are employed in any typical study on consumer response to music, which may account for some conflicting findings.Practical implications – The paper discusses factors for effectively using commercial music to affect Aam, with special focus on advertising processing strategy. Advertisers are urged to exercise extreme caution in using music and to always pretest its use considering factors identified in this paper. The paper suggests ...
Public preferences for the return of research results in genetic research: a conjoint analysis

Recent policies specifying criteria about which individual research results to return leave considerable discretion to researchers. This study investigated the types of results that the public wants when participating in genetic research and whether preferences differ based on willingness to participate. A representative survey of US adults used conjoint analysis to measure priorities among eight principles of a results policy for a proposed large-cohort study. Policy preferences were measured using 12 tasks in which respondents chose between two groupings of the policy principles. Stratified analysis compared those self-identified as likely or unlikely to participate in genomic research. Of 1,515 respondents, 56% would participate in the proposed study. All eight principles were positively endorsed by participants (all P < 0.003), with priority placed on providing results at no cost and returning well-validated results for treatable and serious diseases. Providing detailed result reports was more highly valued than providing staff to explain results (P = 0.0005). Receiving results about major changes in risk was marginally disvalued by those unlikely to participate (P = 0.35). Public preferences for well-validated individual research results for serious, actionable diseases agree with emerging recommendations. However, because preferences for receiving individual research results vary, some choices should be offered to research participants. Genet Med 16 12, 932–939.
Fractalized cyclotomic polynomials

For each prime power p m , we realize the classical cyclotomic polynomial Φ p m(x) as one of a collection of 3 m different polynomials in Z[x]. We show that the new polynomials are similar to Φ p m (x) in many ways, including that their discriminants all have the form ±p c . We show also that the new polynomials are more complicated than Φ p m(x) in other ways, including that their complex roots are generally fractal in appearance.
Hyperparathyroidism and osteitis fibrosa cystica

Abstract Early cases of hyperparathyroidism, with bone cyst, and typical skeletal changes, do not show characteristic high calcium blood findings associated with low phosphorus blood findings. The therapeutics of x -ray over the parathyroids is valuable in determining the effectiveness of elimination of the bone cyst as a diagnostic procedure. The x -ray treatment of the parathyroids is simple and offers much less technical difficulty and more assurance of results than exploratory operative procedures in the search for the abnormality of the parathyroid gland or glands. The majority of the cases treated by Merritt and his co-workers, numbering sixty-nine, has shown permanency in the. repair and relief of the skeletal changes, indicating the effectiveness of radiation treatment. Clinical relief of the advanced and more severely involved cases has been, in many instances, striking and should certainly be attempted before considering any surgical procedure either to the parathyroid glands or to the bony structure.
Residual Stress Analysis of Silicon-Aluminum-Glass Bonding Processes

This paper presents a residual stress analyses based on two bonding systems, silicon-aluminum-glass and silicon-aluminum-quartz, for MEMS packaging applications: The predicted residual stress generated in the Pyrex glass bonding system is 60 to 74 GPa that is close to the fracture strength of Pyrex glass at 69 GPa. In the quartz bonding system, the predicted residual stress is 100 to 207 GPa that far exceeds the fracture strength of Quartz at 48 GPa. Experimental results are consistent with analytical predictions that small cracks are found in the glass bonding system and big fracture lines are observed in the quartz bonding system. As such, this residual stress analysis model serves as an excellent tool to assist the development of new bonding systems in the areas of material selection, geometrical design of the bonding area and the dimensions of the bonding solders.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Diagnosis of affective disorders in the elderly.

Abstract Depression is the major affective disorder in the elderly, as in the younger population. Complicating factors in its diagnosis include situational changes, depressive symptoms arising from medical illnesses or drug effects, and difficulty in differentiating the pseudodementia of depression from true dementia. The authors assess possible diagnostic applications of the dexamethasone suppression test, and also comment on specific features of bipolar disorders in the elderly.
Synergistic applications of autonomous underwater vehicles and the regional ocean modeling system in coastal ocean forecasting

The potential for using synergistic combinations of measurements from autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and output from three-dimensional numerical models for studying the central California coastal region is demonstrated. Two case studies are used to illustrate the approach. In the first, propeller-driven AUV observations revealed a subsurface salinity minimum in northern Monterey Bay. A Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) reanalysis of the three-dimensional flow in the region suggested an offshore source for this water and particular propagation pathways from the south and west into the bay. In the second case study, the effectiveness of assimilating observations in improving the ROMS reanalysis fields is investigated. A significant improvement, especially in the salinity fields, is demonstrated through a single glider deployed outside the intensive observational domain. These results suggest that investigation of more sophisticated techniques for using data and models together is warranted. Such techniques include increasing model resolution in areas of interest identified by observing platforms and using model-based “targeted observing” techniques to identify areas of uncertainty in the flow to guide placement of observational assets.
Dorsal column stimulation does not inhibit segmental nociceptive reflexes of hind limbs

Stimulation of the dorsal columns has been shown to inhibit many indices of nociception. We report here that dorsal column stimulation does not inhibit two such nociceptive reflexes in the decerebrate cat: the flexion and the crossed extension reflex. In fact, such stimulation typically facilitates these reflexes. These findings suggest that the use of segmental nociceptive reflexes as models of pain perception may not be wholly appropriate.
Further characterization of human thyroxine-binding globulin.

Abstract Thyroxine-binding globulin has been purified from human blood plasma by a three-step procedure consisting of affinity chromatography on thyroxine-Sepharose, chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, and preparative electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel. By ultracentrifugal analysis the molecular weight of thyroxine-binding globulin was found to be 60 700 compared to an estimated value of 65 000 by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Thyroxine-binding globulin contained about 13% carbohydrate which included per mole of protein, 2 residues glucose, 6 residues galactose, 12 residues mannose, 12 residues glucosamine, and 6 residues sialic acid. Analysis by gas-liquid chromatography revealed the presence of long-chain fatty acids associated with thyroxine-binding globulin. A second form of thyroxine-binding globulin which moved appreciably slower electrophoretically than thyroxine-binding globulin was also isolated. The slower moving thyroxine-binding globulin had a low sialic acid content, 0.6 residue per mole, and is apparently produced in significant quantity by desialylation of thyroxine-binding globulin during the purification procedure. Slow thyroxine-binding globulin had a molecular weight in the vicinity of 57 500 as determined by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. No evidence was found for a subunit structure in either thyroxine-binding globulin or the slower moving form of thyroxine-binding globulin.
A comparative study on poiseuille flow of simple fluids through cylindrical and slit-like nanochannels

Poiseuille flow of simple fluids in cylindrical nanochannels is investigated by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The effects of pore shape and size are studied by comparing the fluid behavior in cylindrical and slit-like pores. It is found that the cylindrical pores are involved with a stronger molecular interaction between the fluid and wall atoms due to larger surface-to-volume ratio, curvature and possibly greater molecular roughness. The fluid-wall interaction plays an important role in the fluid flow at nanoscale. As a result, the bulk fluid density in cylindrical pores is lower than in the slit-like pores because a larger number of fluid particles are apposed onto the wall surface. In addition, evident slip on the boundary is observed in the cylindrical pore while no slip occurs in the slit-like pore. The fluid in the cylindrical pores has lower temperature and more uniform temperature distribution. This suggests that the cylindrical pores perform better to conduct the viscous heat out of the channel than the slit-like pores.
Pyrophosphate interactions at the transition states of Plasmodium falciparum and human orotate phosphoribosyltransferases.

Orotate phosphoribosyltransferases from Plasmodium falciparum and human sources (PfOPRT and HsOPRT) use orotidine as a slow substrate in the pyrophosphorolysis reaction. With orotidine, intrinsic kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) can be measured for pyrophosphorolysis, providing the first use of pyrophosphate (PPi) in solving an enzymatic transition state. Transition-state structures of PfOPRT and HsOPRT were solved through quantum chemical matching of computed and experimental intrinsic KIEs and can be compared to transition states solved with pyrophosphate analogues as slow substrates. PfOPRT and HsOPRT are characterized by late transition states with fully dissociated orotate, well-developed ribocations, and weakly bonded PPi nucleophiles. The leaving orotates are 2.8 A distant from the anomeric carbons at the transition states. Weak participation of the PPi nucleophiles gives C1′−OPPi bond distances of approximately 2.3 A. These transition states are characterized by C2′-endo ribosyl pucker, based on the...
BITCHENER, JOHN, & DANA FERRIS. Written Corrective Feedback in Second Language Acquisition and Writing. New York: Routledge, 2012. Pp. xi, 218. $41.95, paper. ISBN 978–0–415–87244–7.

The article reviews the book "Written Corrective Feedback in Second Language Acquisition and Writing," by John Bitchener and Dana Ferris.
Astronomy: Dim view of past clashes

Simulations indicate that faint galaxies of a seemingly tranquil class were born in violent cosmic encounters. This would be good news for the prevailing model of how the Universe is constructed.
Co-injection strategies to modify radiation sensitivity and tumor initiation in transgenic Zebrafish

The zebrafish has emerged as a powerful genetic model of cancer, but has been limited by the use of stable transgenic approaches to induce disease. Here, a co-injection strategy is described that capitalizes on both the numbers of embryos that can be microinjected and the ability of transgenes to segregate together and exert synergistic effects in forming tumors. Using this mosaic transgenic approach, gene pathways involved in tumor initiation and radiation sensitivity have been identified.
A New Polymer Platform for the Future — Sorona ® from Corn Derived 1,3-Propanediol

Responding to environmental, sustainability, business, and market factors, DuPont has commercialized a new polymer platform, Sorona®, based on 1,3-propanediol. The physical and chemical property advantages over other polymers are described. The diol component of this polymer, 1,3-propanediol, has been demonstrated to be manufacturable via biological (fermentation) process from corn sugar. The economic, environmental, and process/product quality advantages of bio-PDO over conventional diols are discussed.
Optimal transmitter energy normalization algorithm for vapor detection and estimation using frequency agile lasers

Frequency-agile lidar (FAL) with the capability of tuning to more than 60 wavelengths within 1 second, can provide better vapor detection and multimaterial discrimination ability than two-wavelength differential absorption lidar. This paper extends an earlier optimal approach for processing FAL data to include signals with a fluctuating component due to shot-to-shot variations in the transmitted pulse energy whenever a local measurement of that energy is available. Traditional methods for performing this so-called transmit energy normalization have typically ratioed the received lidar signal by the energy monitor data. It is shown that this is, in general, not only a suboptimal approach, but can degrade the performance of the lidar below that achieved by not normalizing the data at all. The optimal approach is shown to be a linear correction to the received signal proportional to the monitor data. The estimated correlation between the transmitted and received signals provides the optimal proportionality factor at each wavelength. Simple approximate expressions are derived for comparing the performance of the optimal versus ratio estimators. The approach is illustrated on both synthetic and actual FAL data.
Comparison of hyperemotionality caused by lesions in the septal and ventromedial hypothalamic areas in the rat

Rats with bilateral lesions in the septal and ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei were compared for emotionality rating under two conditions. In one condition rats were handled every day, while in the other condition, they were not handled until 3 weeks after surgery. In both handled and nonhandled situations, septal-lesioned rats show attenuation of hyperemotionality, while ventromedial-lesioned rats show no such attenuation. The lack of attenuation of hyperemotionality in ventromedial-lesioned rats probably reflects an important integrative role played by this area in emotional behavior.
Understanding the Effects of Multiple Stigmas Among Formerly Incarcerated HIV-Positive African American Men.

Race, HIV, and incarceration, as individual and intersecting markers of social identity, have associated stigma. While some research has indicated multiple burdens of stigma can be additive, there remains a lack of investigation relative to the effects of stigma among minorities who experience both HIV and incarceration. Therefore, the current study examines the impact of multiple forms of stigma via a series of ethnographic interviews (n = 46) conducted with 12 African American men over a one-year period. Results suggest that intersecting forms of stigma can have a severe impact on the general health, mental health, and the reintegration process of formerly incarcerated HIV-positive men. Additionally, participants often conceptualized all forms of stigma separately, which resulted in compounded burden of navigation. The experience of multiple forms of stigma was also often internalized as self-stigma whereby HIV-positive individuals with a history of incarceration assumed dominant norms related to both H...
Developmental Status of Children Exhibiting Postrotatory Systagmus Durations of Zero Seconds

This research. Using a sample of 4 ½ year-old children identified during the first weeks of life as high risk, had two purposes. The first was to describe the developmental status of those children having Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test scores of zero seconds. The second was to compare the visual motor, gross motor, and cognitive development of the children with postrotatory nystagmus scores of zero seconds with children having nystagmus durations within a normal range. On all seven measures used in this research, the zero nystagmus group performed worse than the normal nystagmus group. On two measures, the Peabody Development Gross Motor Scale and scissor cutting errors, results were significant at p<.007. For three other measures, WPPSIVerbal, standing balance. And the Frostig Eye-Motor Coordination Subtest, results were significant at p<.05. Possible functional implication for children with zero nystagmus were discussed.
German Pietists and Church Music in the Baroque Age

Scholars of Pietism, the religious reform movement of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, have attempted in recent years to increase understanding and respect for the movement among American scholars. F. Ernest Stoeffler's The Rise of Evangelical Pietism (1971), Dale Brown's Understanding Pietism (1978), and Peter Erb's Pietists: Selected Writings (1983) all begin with a plea for open-minded recognition of Pietism's positive contributions. Our negative interpretation of the movement, they note, has been shaped largely by those opponents who first gave the Pietists their label.
Validity of young adults' reports of parental drinking practices.

To assess the accuracy of young adults' reports of their parents' drinking patterns, 49 students, aged 18-35, and their parents were asked to complete questionnaires assessing parental drinking practices (i.e., quantity and frequency of consumption, problems caused by alcohol). The data showed a significant correlation between students' and parents' reports of parental frequency and quantity of drinking and were interpreted as suggesting that subjects' reports of their parents' drinking patterns can be used with some degree of confidence without obtaining the data directly from the parents. The correspondence between reports of parental alcohol-related problems was examined with regard to whether subjects would be correctly classified as having a history of parental alcoholism or no such history. Methods for increasing the rate of correct subject classification are discussed.
Hypnosis home treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): exploratory study

Purpose: Gut-directed hypnosis often improves IBS, but its reliance on specialized therapists and the costs of multiple treatment visits keep it unavailable to most patients. We previously found in two studies (Dig Dis Sci 2002;47:2605–2614) that a standardized protocol using verbatim hypnosis scripts improves all central IBS symptoms in the majority of treated patients. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a previously standardized hypnosis protocol in reducing IBS symptoms and improving quality of life (QOL) and psychological well-being, when used at home without a therapist, compared to standard medical treatment.
First-year soybean growth and production as affected by soil properties following land leveling

In severely disturbed soils, such as those that have been recently land leveled, the interactions among soil properties are accentuated because of the disruption of pre-leveling equilibrium, and manifest their controlling influence on growth and production of sensitive crops, such as soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. The objective of this study was to identify pre-plant soil properties that influence first-year soybean growth and production following shallow land leveling in an alluvial soil commonly used for rice and soybean production in the Mississippi Delta region in eastern Arkansas, USA. Soil physical (i.e., bulk density and particle-size fractions), chemical (i.e., organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, and extractable soil nutrients) and biological (i.e., bacterial and fungal biomass) properties were evaluated in the top 10 cm of soil following land leveling. Soybean leaf area index at the R5-6 growth stage, plant population, above-ground dry matter, seed yield and harvest index were also measured at 50 grid points spaced evenly within a 0.36-ha study area. Post-leveling soil properties were significantly correlated with first-year soybean growth and production parameters. Variations in soil chemical properties, particularly extractable soil nutrient contents, organic matter concentrations and biological properties (i.e., microbial activities) accounted for the largest percentage of the variability in first-year soybean growth and production parameters. Results from this study indicate that factors other than those measured in this study, such prolonged soil moisture conditions and poor internal drainage, may contribute to the resulting variability of first-year soybean growth and productivity following land leveling.
Likelihood of environmental coalitions and the number of coalition members: evidences from an IAM model

To hold the grand coalition voluntarily in an economy with detrimental externalities, the allocations should be in the core. Identifying the scope or ‘size’ of the core allocations is of vital importance for understanding such a coalition. Furthermore, the relationship between the number of agents and the ‘size’ of the core reveals some crucial characteristics of coalition formation. In this paper, a cooperative game of stock externality provision is constructed to study its core properties of an economy with detrimental externality. Particularly, methods and algorithms for testing the shrinking core hypothesis are developed in the RICE model, an integrated assessment model of climate change. The calculation results show that the size of the core shrinks as the number of regions increases in RICE. The paper also evaluates the policy implications of the shrinking core phenomenon with respect to the environmental coalitions.
Kindling in the rat hippocampus: absence of dendritic alterations.

Daily, repetitive low-level electrical stimulation of the hippocampus in rats resulted in behavioral convulsions and electrographic epileptiform activity (kindling). The dendritic morphology of the kindled hippocampal sites was investigated using the Golgi method and compared to implanted but not stimulated hippocampi. No quantitative differences were statistically observed in any of the 15 dendritic parameters measured. Possible reasons for the failure to detect morphological correlates of kindling are discussed.
The use of CXB recombinant inbred mice to detect quantitative trait loci in behavior

Although recombinant inbred (RI) series of mice have been developed to identify and map single-gene characteristics, they can also be used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that account for small amounts of variance in quantitative traits such as behavior. We applied an RI QTL approach to the analysis of published behavioral data from seven studies that used the CXB RI series of mice. Nearly all of the behaviors showed strain distribution patterns indicative of multiple-gene rather than single-gene influence. Although the CXB series is limited to seven RI strains, RI QTL association analysis suggests QTL candidate markers for several behaviors, including avoidance and exploration.
Enhancing Nutritional Care for Head and Neck Surgery Patients Through the Development of a Critical Pathway

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To establish guidelines for nutrition intervention of head and neck surgery patients in a critical path. Head and neck cancer patients who undergo surgical resection of the oropharyngeal area and tissue reconstruction often experience dysphagia and require tube feeding (TF) during the early post-operative period. Pre-existing malnutrition in this population is prevalent. Prompt assessment and interdisciplinary communication to facilitate optimal nutrient delivery in a timely manner may improve patient outcome. A multidisciplinary team developed a critical pathway (CP) for "Free Flap" surgery. It delineates specific interventions to be provided at pre-determined time points during the anticipated length of stay (LOS). Emphasis is placed on early identification of patients who require TF. Nutrition consultation, height, weight, albumin, pre-albumin are ordered on the day of admission. TF is started on post-operative day (POD) 2 using an isotonic, polymeric formula, continuous infusion, and gradually advanced over the next 24 hours to goal rate. By POD 4, oral feeds may start as determined by an instrumental assessment of swallow function (modified barium swallow). TF is transitioned as tolerated to an intermittent/bolus schedule and discharge planning begins. The nutritionist communicates formula selection, equipment needed and administration schedule to the primary nurse and Quality Support Service coordinator to arrange home care services. Malnourished patients or those in transition to oral feeds will be referred to the out-patient nutrition clinic for follow-up. In the era of managed care, shortened LOS compels timely intervention and interdisciplinary coordination to maintain/ improve patient care. Incorporation of these practice guidelines ensures that nutrition intervention is provided efficiently through the continuum of care. Data on variance need to be gathered and analyzed to be used in outcomes measurement.