cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Verigene Gram-Positive Blood Culture Nucleic Acid Test for Rapid Detection of Bacteria and Resistance Determinants

Rapid identification of pathogens from blood cultures can decrease lengths of stay and improve patient outcomes. We evaluated the accuracy of the Verigene Gram-positive blood culture (BC-GP) nucleic acid test for investigational use only (Nanosphere, Inc., Northbrook, IL) for the identification of Gram-positive bacteria from blood cultures. The detection of resistance genes (mecA in Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and vanA or vanB in Enterococcus faecium and Enterococcus faecalis) by the BC-GP assay also was assessed. A total of 186 positive blood cultures (in BacT/Alert FA bottles) with Gram-positive cocci observed with Gram staining were analyzed using the BC-GP assay. The BC-GP results were compared with the identification and susceptibility profiles obtained with routine methods in the clinical laboratory. Discordant results were arbitrated with additional biochemical, cefoxitin disk, and repeat BC-GP testing. The initial BC-GP organism identification was concordant with routine method results for 94.6% of the blood cultures. Only 40% of the Streptococcus pneumoniae identifications were correct. The detection of the mecA gene for 69 blood cultures with only S. aureus or S. epidermidis was concordant with susceptibility testing results. For 3 of 6 cultures with multiple Staphylococcus spp., mecA detection was reported but was correlated with oxacillin resistance in a species other than S. aureus or S. epidermidis. The detection of vanA agreed with susceptibility testing results for 45 of 46 cultures with E. faecalis or E. faecium. Comparison of the mean times to results for each organism group showed that BC-GP results were available 31 to 42 h earlier than phenotypic identifications and 41 to 50 h earlier than susceptibility results.
Observation of excited states in the radiolysis of liquid hydrocarbons

Abstract Various picosecond and nanosecond pulse radiolysis studies of excited states in alkane and erene liquids are described. In particular, the origin of the excited states is sought after. In alkanes ion neutralization gives rise to excited triplet states of solutes. Singlet energy transfer from excited alkanes to solutes gives rise to the excited singlet states of the solutes. In aromatic liquids both the excited singlet and triplet state of the solvent are observed, and energy transfer to solutes is readily established. The role of ion neutralization in the formation of excited states is proportionally less pronounced as the observed yield of ions is low. However, indirect experiments suggest that the ion neutralization reaction is too rapid for conventional observation, and even in arenes large yields of excited states are formed by ion neutralization.
How Capital Budgeting Helped a Sick City: Thirty Years of Capital Improvement Planning in Cleveland

During the 1970s, Cleveland’s capital improvement plan (CIP) was scorned as a bad joke, and the city’s roads, bridges, and public buildings fell into disrepair. The city’s default on its fiscal obligation in 1978 seemed to cap the city’s infrastructure problem; there was no comprehensive strategy for capital spending and in a bankrupt city, no money to spend in any event. Yet, during the 1980s, with support from the administration, the business community, and the innovations of a small group of dedicated urban planners, the CIP was restructured and hundreds of millions were systematically invested in public infrastructure. By the 1990s, most of the innovative changes of the 1980s seemed to be institutionalized, but there were ominous clouds on the horizon.
Methyl ester of n-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Chemotactic responses of human blood monocytes and inhibition of gold compounds

N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, a potent chemotactic peptide for human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, is less chemotactic for human blood monocytes. Esterification of the N-formylated tripeptide enhances its chemotactic activity for monocytes by more than 4 logs, whereas a decrease by 3 logs is observed for polymorphonuclear leukocytes. These results indicate the participation of the C-terminal carboxyl group in chemotaxis of different cell types. We have also observed the selective inhibition of chemotactic responsiveness of human blood monocytes by a clinically useful antirheumatic drug, sodium aurothiomalate. Since this is the first in vitro cell migration model of inflammation in which gold compounds have demonstrated activity in micromolar concentrations, it suggests a site of action for this antirheumatic drug.
Hunting Jim W. Corder

Introduction: The Hunt for Traces of Remnants [T]here are remnants around me, or traces of remnants—misunderstood and misremembered moments and events, ghostly presences, hazy icons. I'm such a tra...
Utility and accuracy of ultrasonically measured gallbladder wall as a diagnostic criteria in biliary tract disease

Biliary tract sonography has achieved wide acceptance as a screening test for chronic calculous disease. However, the clinical usefullness of biliary sonography is limited by the inability of this test to identify patients with acalculous cholecystitis or to separate patients with calculous cholecystitis from those with asymptomatic calculi. A prospective blinded study of 106 patients undergoing cholecystectomy was performed to determine if, cholecystosonography could visualize the gallbladder wall accurately and to evaluate gallbladder wall thickening as a predictor of disease. Of these patients, 88 had a sonographically visible gallbladder wall and in 95% of the patients the ultrasonic and direct surgical measurements of the gallbladder wall agreed within 1 mm. To determine the sonographic size range of gallbladder wall thickness in the normal population, the width of the gallbladder wall in the fasting state was measured in 100 patients without biliary tract disease. One percent of the normal population had thickened gallbladder walls, in contrast to 96% of the patients with acute calculous or acalculous cholecystitis. Gallbladder wall thickness appears to be an accurate noninvasive technique for diagnosing patients with acute calculous and acalculous cholecystitis in the absence of other entities which thicken the gallbladder wall such as ascites and hypoproteinemic states.
High performance branch prediction

Today's advanced architectures increasingly rely on accurate instruction fetch and branch prediction to maintain optimum pipeline performance. In this paper, dynamic branch prediction techniques are investigated and methods to increase branch prediction accuracy are explored. A result of this analysis has been the development of several dynamic branch prediction architectures that combine promising aspects of accurate branch prediction methods currently implemented. The objective of this research was to provide an advanced high performance branch prediction architecture that can easily be incorporated into existing architectures without instruction set modification. Development of a hybrid branch prediction architecture that uses both global and local branch histories is presented and shown to have significant performance advantages. Several branch architectures are presented for performance.
Observations of middle ultraviolet emissions in the middle and lower thermosphere: NO, O2, O, and Mg+

[1] We present an analysis of day and night limb spectra obtained from the Ionospheric Spectroscopy and Atmospheric Chemistry (ISAAC) satellite instrument in the middle ultraviolet spectral region between 260 and 300 nm. Tangent heights above the Earth's surface range from 81 to 200 km. These spectra contain signatures of daytime fluorescent scattering by nitric oxide in the γ bands, emission by atomic oxygen at 297.2 nm, and fluorescent scattering by ionized magnesium. The night spectra are dominated by the Herzberg bands of molecular oxygen. Our analysis includes retrievals for vertical profile densities of NO and slant column densities of O and Mg+ in the lower thermosphere. We show how these quantities are related to variable inputs of solar soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet radiation. The Herzberg band emission is used to constrain the ratio of Herzberg I to Herzberg II band emission and to determine the nighttime vibrational distribution of the excited A3Σu+ state of molecular oxygen.
Unified Gauge Model for Electromagnetic, Weak and Direct Lepton-Quark Interactions

A gauge model unifying weak and electromagnetic interactions and the so- called anomalous or direct interactions between leptons and quarks is discussed. The theory involves six leptons $nu$/sube/, $nu$/sub mu/, e$sup -$, $mu$$sup -$, E$sup 0$, M$sup 0$, and six quarks N$sup 0$, lambda$sup 0$, P$sup +$, g$sup +$, c$sup +$, t$sup 0$ which are arranged in irreducible representations of the gauge group G/subl//subh/ = SU(2)/subL/ x SU(2)/subR/ x U(1) in such a way that spin- one fields that carry exotic quantum numbers also carry electrical charge. The theory is free of Adler-Bell-Jackiw anomalies. To give masses to six out of the seven gauge fields of G/subl//subh/ and also to leave the $nu$/sube/, $nu$/sub mu/ massless while providing mass to E$sup 0$, M$sup 0$ through the Higgs-Kibble mechanism, two scalar doublets and a scalar (2 x 2) multiplet are introduced. Lepton number and baryon number are separately conserved. In the presence of neutral heavy leptons conventional lepton-hadron universality is maintained through a Cabibbo-type rotation. The rotation of the quarks leads to an explanation for the mysterious $delta$I = 1/2 rule observed in nonleptonic decays. By allowing for a direct coupling between N$sup 0$/subR/ and $mu$$sup -$/subR/ the effective strength of neutral currents could be sufficiently larger in some processes without disagreement with experiments on $nu$ + N $Yields$ $nu$ + X or precision experiments involving quantum-electrodynamic phenomena. Besides neutral-current effects that could be of experimental interest, the decay of the g$sup +$ quark entails no enhancement of K/$pi$ branching ratio and its interaction with charged W, say in the reaction $nu$/sub mu/ + N$sup 0$ $Yields$ g$sup +$ + $mu$$sup -$, is enhanced relative to $nu$/sub mu/ + N$sup 0$ $Yields$ P$sup +$ + $mu$$sup -$ to G/subF/ cot$beta$. The fermion mass matrix has interesting properties and the electron and the muon mass vanish ''naturally'' in zeroth order and should therefore be computable theoretically. (AIP)
Prolonged infusion of cycloheximide does not block mossy fiber sprouting in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: The role of protein synthesis in mossy fiber sprouting is unclear. Conflicting reports exist on whether a single dose of the protein synthesis–blocker cycloheximide administered around the time of an epileptogenic injury can block the eventual development of mossy fiber sprouting. Methods: In rats, osmotic minipumps and cannulae were implanted to deliver 8 mg/ml cycloheximide to one dentate gyrus and vehicle to the other. This method has been used to block protein synthesis in the infused region for up to 5 days with minimal neurotoxic effects (Taha and Stryker, Neuron 2002;34:425–36). After 2 days of infusion, rats were treated with pilocarpine to induce status epilepticus. Pumps were removed 3 days later. Thirty days after pilocarpine treatment, rats were perfused, and hippocampal sections were processed for Timm staining. Results: Timm staining revealed aberrant mossy fiber sprouting in the inner molecular layer regardless of whether hippocampi were treated with cycloheximide or vehicle. Cycloheximide-treated hippocampi displayed more aberrant Timm staining and more tissue damage around the infusion site than did vehicle-treated hippocampi. Conclusions: Prolonged infusion of cycloheximide, spanning the period of pilocarpine treatment, did not block mossy fiber sprouting. This finding suggests that protein-dependent mechanisms around the time of an epileptogenic injury are not necessary for the eventual development of synaptic reorganization.
Beyond targets: Consequences of vicarious exposure to misogyny at work.

The present study tested a model examining 2 indicators of a hostile interpersonal workplace climate for women-observed hostility (i.e., incivility and sexual harassment) toward women and perceived organizational unresponsiveness to sexual harassment--and how they relate to well-being and withdrawal for employees. Participants included 871 female and 831 male employees from a public university. According to structural equation analyses, observing hostility toward women and perceiving the organization as lax about harassment predict lower well-being, which translates into higher organizational withdrawal for both female and male employees. Results hold even after controlling for personal mistreatment, negative affectivity, and observed hostility toward men. These findings suggest that working in a misogynistic environment can have negative effects for all employees.
Visualization and Detection of Infectious Coxsackievirus Replication Using a Combined Cell Culture-Molecular Beacon Assay

Rapid detection of infectious viruses is of central importance for public health risk assessment. By directly visualizing newly synthesized viral RNA with molecular beacons (MBs), we have developed a generalized method for the rapid and sensitive detection of infectious viruses from cell culture. An MB, CVB1, specifically targeting the 5' noncoding region of the enterovirus genome was designed and synthesized. Introduction of MB CVB1 into permeabilized cells highly infected with coxsackievirus B6 resulted in brightly fluorescent cells that can be easily visualized with a fluorescence microscope. In contrast, no detectable signal was observed with noninfected cells or with nonspecific MBs. The number of fluorescent cells also increased in a dose-responsive manner, enabling the direct quantification of infectious viral dosages by direct counting of fluorescent foci. As little as 1 PFU of infectious coxsackievirus B6 was detected within 6 h postinfection. When combined with nuclease-resistant MBs, this method could be useful not only for the real-time detection of infectious viruses but is also useful to study the life cycle of viral processing in vivo.
Information systems for the age of consequences

This paper discusses what kinds of computer information systems might be of broad social value in the context of the increasingly severe ecological and social consequences of economic growth, and how they might be built and maintained. The paper has two parts. The first offers a particular understanding of the ecological and social “limits” to economic growth. The second considers how this understanding can inform computer information systems design and operation and characterizes good “limits-aware” computing research.
Distributed Information Management in the National HPCC Software Exchange

The National HPCC Software Exchange is a collaborative effort by member institutions of the Center for Research on Parallel Computation to provide network access to HPCC-related software, documents, and data. Challenges for the NHSE include identifying, organizing, filtering, and indexing the rapidly growing wealth of relevant information available on the Web. The large quantity of information necessitates performing these tasks using automatic techniques, many of which make use of parallel and distribution computation, but human intervention is needed for intelligent abstracting, analysis, and critical review tasks. Thus, major goals of NHSE research are to find the right mix of manual and automated techniques, and to leverage the results of manual efforts to the maximum extent possible. This paper describes our current information gathering and processing techniques, as well as our future plans for integrating the manual and automated approaches. The NHSE home page is accessible at http://www.netlib.org/nhse/.
Analyzing and Tracking Burning Structures in Lean Premixed Hydrogen Flames

This paper presents topology-based methods to robustly extract, analyze, and track features defined as subsets of isosurfaces. First, we demonstrate how features identified by thresholding isosurfaces can be defined in terms of the Morse complex. Second, we present a specialized hierarchy that encodes the feature segmentation independent of the threshold while still providing a flexible multiresolution representation. Third, for a given parameter selection, we create detailed tracking graphs representing the complete evolution of all features in a combustion simulation over several hundred time steps. Finally, we discuss a user interface that correlates the tracking information with interactive rendering of the segmented isosurfaces enabling an in-depth analysis of the temporal behavior. We demonstrate our approach by analyzing three numerical simulations of lean hydrogen flames subject to different levels of turbulence. Due to their unstable nature, lean flames burn in cells separated by locally extinguished regions. The number, area, and evolution over time of these cells provide important insights into the impact of turbulence on the combustion process. Utilizing the hierarchy, we can perform an extensive parameter study without reprocessing the data for each set of parameters. The resulting statistics enable scientists to select appropriate parameters and provide insight into the sensitivity of the results with respect to the choice of parameters. Our method allows for the first time to quantitatively correlate the turbulence of the burning process with the distribution of burning regions, properly segmented and selected. In particular, our analysis shows that counterintuitively stronger turbulence leads to larger cell structures, which burn more intensely than expected. This behavior suggests that flames could be stabilized under much leaner conditions than previously anticipated.
Autocrine effect of vascular endothelial growth factor-A is essential for mitochondrial function in brown adipocytes

Abstract Objective The obesity epidemic in the United States, as well as the accompanying condition of type 2 diabetes, puts a majority of the population at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases including coronary artery disease, stroke, and myocardial infarction. In contrast to white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT) is well vascularized, rich in mitochondria, and highly oxidative. While it is known that the angiogenic factor VEGF-A is required for brown adipocyte development, the functional consequences and exact mechanism remain to be elucidated. Here, we show that VEGF-A plays an essential autocrine role in the function of BAT. Materials and methods Mouse models were generated with an adipose-specific and macrophage-specific ablation of VEGF-A. Adipose tissue characteristics and thermogenic response were analyzed in vivo, and mitochondrial morphology and oxidative respiration were analyzed in vitro to assess effects of endogenous VEGF-A ablation. Results VEGF-A expression levels are highest in adipocyte precursors compared to immune or endothelial cell populations within both WAT and BAT. Loss of VEGF-A in adipocytes, but not macrophages, results in decreased adipose tissue vascularization, with remarkably diminished thermogenic capacity in vivo . Complete ablation of endogenous VEGF-A decreases oxidative capacity of mitochondria in brown adipocytes. Further, acute ablation of VEGF-A in brown adipocytes in vitro impairs mitochondrial respiration, despite similar mitochondrial mass compared to controls. Conclusion These data demonstrate that VEGF-A serves to orchestrate the acquisition of thermogenic capacity of brown adipocytes through mitochondrial function in conjunction with the recruitment of blood vessels.
Categories Influence Predictions About Individual Consistency

Predicting how people will behave in the future is a critical social-cognitive task. In four studies (N = 150, ages preschool to adult), young children (ages 4–5) used category information to guide their expectations about individual consistency. They predicted that psychological properties (preferences and fears) would remain consistent over time after hearing one example in which properties followed a category-linked distribution (e.g., children of different genders had different properties) but not when properties varied within a category (e.g., children of the same gender had different properties). The developmental course of these findings is examined. Results suggest the importance of considering how children’s emerging theories of behavior and of social groups operate together to inform their expectations about the social world.
Topographic controls on erosion rates in tectonically active mountain ranges

The functional relationship between erosion rate and topography is central to understanding both controls on global sediment flux and the potential for feedback between tectonics, climate, and erosion in shaping topography. Analysis of a high-resolution (10-m-grid) DEM transect across the convergent orogen of the Olympic Mountains reveals a non-linear relation between long-term erosion rates and mean slope, similar to a model for hillslope evolution by landsliding in steep terrain. The DEM data also reveal a relation between mean slope and mean local relief. Coarser-scale (1-km-grid) global analysis of the relation between erosion rate and mean local relief reveals different trends for areas with low erosion rates and tectonically active mountain ranges, with the composite relation being well-described by non-linear models. Together these analyses support the emerging view that erosion rates adjust to high rates of tectonically driven rock uplift primarily through changes in the frequency of landsliding rather than hillslope steepness, and imply that changes in local relief play a minor role in controlling landscape-scale erosion rates in tectonically active mountain ranges. - 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Fault-Tolerant Distributed Deployment of Embedded Control Software

Safety-critical feedback-control applications may suffer faults in the controlled plant as well as in the execution platform, i.e., the controller. Control theorists design the control laws to be robust with respect to the former kind of faults while assuming an idealized scenario for the latter. The execution platforms supporting modern real-time embedded systems, however, are distributed architectures made of heterogeneous components that may incur transient or permanent faults. Making the platform fault tolerant involves the introduction of design redundancy with obvious impact on the final cost. We present a design flow that enables the efficient exploration of redundancy/cost tradeoffs. After providing a system-level specification of the target platform and the fault model, designers can rely on the synthesis of the low-level fault-tolerance mechanisms. This is performed automatically as part of the embedded software deployment through the combination of the following three steps: replication, mapping, and scheduling. Our approach has a sound foundation in fault-tolerant data flow, a novel model of computation that simplifies the integration of formal validation techniques. Finally, we report on the application of our design flow to two case studies from the automotive industry: a steer-by-wire system from General Motors and a drive-by-wire system from BMW.
α-2 And β-adrenergic receptors mediate NE's biphasic effects on rat thick ascending limb chloride flux

The sympathetic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE) influences renal sodium excretion via activation of adrenergic receptors. The thick ascending limb (THAL) possesses both α-2 and β-adrenergic re...
Organizational modeling using virtual agents and virtual communities

The concepts of virtual agents and virtual communities are introduced. Based on these concepts, a remote procedure dispatching (RPD) scheme and an ambassador model are proposed. While virtual agents and virtual communities are images of remote agents dynamically created and maintained by a local agent as computer network domain objects, the RPD scheme supplements remote procedure call by allowing remote procedures to be dispatched to remote sites, and the ambassador model allows an image or an ambassador of an agent to be dispatched to remote hosts. Then, the virtual agents can be organized into virtual communities for coordination purposes. The major advantages of this approach lies in its flexibility for agent-oriented unilateral protocol selection and protocol change. Thus, it provides a supplement to the client-server model for organizational modeling. A prototype design and implementation are presented. The basic ideas are illustrated with an example in information retrieval and business administration. >
Placement of the processors of a hypercube

The authors formalize the problem of minimizing the length of the longest interprocessor wire as the problem of embedding the processors of a hypercube onto a rectangular mesh, so as to minimize the length of longest wire. Where neighboring nodes of the mesh are taken as being at unit distance from one another, and where wires are constrained to be laid out as horizontal and vertical wires, the length of the wire joining nodes u and v of the mesh equals the graph-theoretic distance between u and v. The problem of minimizing delays due to interprocessor communication is then modeled as the problem of embedding the vertices of a hypercube onto the nodes of a mesh, so as to minimize dilation. Two embeddings which achieve dilations that (for large n) are within 26% of the lower bound for square meshes and within 12% for meshes with aspect ratio 2 are presented. >
Relationship between the National ED Overcrowding Scale and the number of patients who leave without being seen in an academic ED

Objective: We hypothesize that the number of patients who leave without being seen is correlated with the simple-to-use National Emergency Department Overcrowding Scale (NEDOCS). Methods: Results of a 6-item ED overcrowding scale (NEDOCS) were collected prospectively over a 17-day study period. The following additional data were extracted from records for each 2-hour study period: (1) number of registered patients, (2) number of ambulances that arrived, and (3) number of patients signed in that hour who eventually left without being seen. Spearman correlation coefficients were computed for the leaving without being seen (LWBS) rate with the NEDOCS score at the time of patient presentation and 2, 4, and 6 hours later. Results: The study period represents two hundred fourteen 2-hour periods. The LWBS rate was determined for 100% of the times; NEDOCS scores were determined for a sampling of 62% of the times spread equally over all hours of the day and days of the week. Correlation between the NEDOCS score and LWBS was 0.665. Conclusion: The NEDOCS score is well correlated with LWBS.
Miniature antennas for lunar and planetary surface communications

Surface communications assets in future NASA exploration scenarios such as robotic rovers, human extravehicular activities (EVA), and probes will necessitate small size, lightweight, low power, and robust antenna elements. With the availability of space in these devices being a major concern, miniature antennas provide a potential solution toward addressing these issues. The current problem with miniature antennas, however, is their inherently low efficiencies, which will be unacceptable for low power applications. At the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), prototypes of several potentially useful miniature antenna designs for lunar and planetary surface communications have been investigated. Specifically, two novel candidate designs which hold promise, the folded Hilbert curve fractal antenna (fHCFA) and the compact microstrip monopole antenna (CMMA), are described in this paper. Both demonstrate comparable performance to a quarter-wavelength monopole, but at smaller than 1/3 the size, making them more suitable for integration in communications systems with stringent size and volume requirements (i.e., wireless sensors, space suits and others).
Causes of Recurrent Abdominal Pain

reports of abdominal pain caused by exotic entities. Ureteropelvic junction obstruction as a cause of recurrent abdominal pain was reported by Belman and Flotte.8~9 The usual symptoms suggestive of the diagnosis are the combination of recurrent, episodic abdominal pain and vomiting, at times precipitated by the ingestion of excessive quantities of liquids. Renal ultrasonography during an episode of pain usually establishes the diagnosis. In rare instances, a diuresis-assisted intravenous pyelogram or renal scan may be necessary. Abnormal antroduodenal mo-
Enhanced carbon dioxide causing the dust storm-related increase in high-altitude photoelectron fluxes at Mars

Several studies have shown that the Martian global dust storm occurred in 2001 had a long-term influence on high-altitude photoelectron fluxes by analyzing the observations of the magnetometer/electron reflectometer instrument on board Mars Global Surveyor, most likely because the dust altered the neutral atmosphere in a significant way in terms of photoelectron production and loss. This study investigates candidate atmospheres that can replicate observations, especially focusing on the role that thermospheric composition and density play in high-altitude photoelectrons. Through the simulations of our SuperThermal Electron Transport model, it is found that high-altitude photoelectron fluxes at more field-aligned pitch angles are very sensitive to composition change and surprisingly independent of density. For more perpendicular pitch angles, both composition and density take part in determining photoelectron fluxes. Also, a CO2 atmosphere is the only one of the tested atmospheres that can qualitatively match the observation, which suggests that the global dust storm might have altered the photoelectron fluxes via causing CO2 to be the dominant species at a much larger altitude range than usual.
Population geography and the island Pacific.

The themes of population geography in the Pacific Islands are discussed. There has been a long dominance of administering nations but since 1965 regional universities have been established in 3 Pacific territories. Population geography in the Pacific is the product of certain antecedents: 1) the establishment in 1952 of a separate Dept. of Demography in the Australian National University and 2) convening of an interdisciplinary symposium in 1961. There is no consistent definition of population geography in the Islands; the study of human populations is broadly ecological in approach. The 3 traditions in geography that flourish in the Pacific are regional man-environment and spatial analyst. There has always been a close link in the Pacific between research and its application but preliminary conclusions have lacked the publicity for island administrators to assess their policy implications. The growth of regional universities has created an increase in cooperative projects.
Harry S. Truman: The Coming of the Cold War. By Nicole L. Anslover. (New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Pp. vii, 225. $29.95.)

This volume, intended for classroom use, is part of the publisher's series intended to illustrate the roles of ordinary Americans in history. It contains a narrative and primary documents and has a...
How Law Librarians Can Assist with Law Journal Publication Agreements

As expert researchers, law librarians have the ability to assist law journals with revising their publication agreements. The law librarian often has individual knowledge of legal publishing trends, such as copyright considerations, that law journals should take into account for their publication agreements.
The Master Transcription Factor mtfA Governs Aflatoxin Production, Morphological Development and Pathogenicity in the Fungus Aspergillus flavus

Aspergillus flavus produces a variety of toxic secondary metabolites; among them, the aflatoxins (AFs) are the most well known. These compounds are highly mutagenic and carcinogenic, particularly AFB1. A. flavus is capable of colonizing a number of economically-important crops, such as corn, cotton, peanut and tree nuts, and contaminating them with AFs. Molecular genetic studies in A. flavus could identify novel gene targets for use in strategies to reduce AF contamination and its adverse impact on food and feed supplies worldwide. In the current study, we investigated the role of the master transcription factor gene mtfA in A. flavus. Our results revealed that forced overexpression of mtfA results in a drastic decrease or elimination of several secondary metabolites, among them AFB1. The reduction in AFB1 was accompanied by a decrease in aflR expression. Furthermore, mtfA also regulates development; conidiation was influenced differently by this gene depending on the type of colonized substrate. In addition to its effect on conidiation, mtfA is necessary for the normal maturation of sclerotia. Importantly, mtfA positively affects the pathogenicity of A. flavus when colonizing peanut seeds. AF production in colonized seeds was decreased in the deletion mtfA strain and particularly in the overexpression strain, where only trace amounts were detected. Interestingly, a more rapid colonization of the seed tissue occurred when mtfA was overexpressed, coinciding with an increase in lipase activity and faster maceration of the oily part of the seed.
Transport of sodium chloride and water in rat ascending vasa recta.

Experiments were undertaken to test the hypothesis that transcapillary small solute (NaCl and urea) gradients drive water across ascending vasa recta (AVR). Axial gradients of NaCl and urea were eliminated with furosemide. AVR were perfused with buffer containing fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran and 22Na. Perfusion of AVR with isotonic buffer at 10 and 20 nl/min yielded collectate-to-perfusate 22Na ratios of 0.17 +/- 0.05 and 0.34 +/- 0.03, respectively, in AVR of 601 +/- 56 and 583 +/- 46 microns mean length, respectively. A 22Na permeability of 113.2 +/- 12.8 x 10(-5) cm/s was determined. AVR were perfused at 20 nl/min with buffer NaCl of 0 (hypotonic to papilla), 161 (isotonic), or 500 mM (hypertonic). Transcapillary volume flux was not significantly different in these groups (3.8 +/- 1.5, 4.6 +/- 1.5, and 2.1 +/- 1.4 nl.min-1.mm-1, respectively). AVR were perfused in the hydropenic kidney at 5 nl/min antegrade from tip to base and retrograde from base to tip, which was a maneuver designed to impose physiological transcapillary NaCl and urea gradients of opposite direction. Volume fluxes were -1.4 +/- 0.05 and -1.3 +/- 0.04 nl.min-1.mm-1 in these groups, respectively. These data demonstrate that the AVR are highly permeable to NaCl and that physiological small solute gradients do not influence water movement across the AVR wall.
Now what? Starting your first professional academic reference position

Moving from graduate school into an academic reference position can be a difficult transition. A new environment, a variety of new people and the challenge of meeting expectations can quickly become overwhelming. This article reviews the pertinent literature and relates the relevant experiences of two reference librarians during their first three years in professional positions. Topics addressed include: reference service, collection development, committee work, relating to faculty and colleagues, professional development and understanding set procedures while striving to be innovative in the workplace.
Failure mechanics in ternary composites of polypropylene with inorganic fillers and elastomer inclusions

The effects of phase morphology, interfacial adhesion and filler particle shape and volume fraction on the fracture toughness of polypropylene (PP) filled with CaCO3 or Mg(OH)2 and ethylene-propylene elastomer (EPR) were investigated. Separation of the inorganic filler and elastomer particles was achieved using maleic-anhydride-grafted PP (MPP) to enhance the inorganic filler-matrix adhesion. Encapsulation of the rigid filler by the elastomer was achieved by using maleic-anhydride-grafted EPR (MEPR) to increase the inorganic filler-elastomer adhesion. The two limiting morphologies differed significantly in fracture toughness under impact loading at the same material composition. A model for a mixed mode of failure, accounting for the plane strain and plane stress contributions to the strain energy release rate,G c, was used to predict the upper and lower limits forG c for the two limiting morphologies over an interval of elastomer volume fractions,v e, from 0–0.2 at a constant filler volume fraction,V f = 0.3, and over the filler volume fraction from 0–0.4 at constant EPR content. The role of material yield strength in controlling fracture toughness has been described successfully using Irwin's analysis of plastic zone size. The presence of elastomer enhances both the critical strain energy release rate for crack initiation,G c, and the resistance to crack propagation as expressed by Charpy notched impact strength for the two limiting morphologies. Satisfactory agreement was found between the experimental data and predictions of upper and lowerG c limits.
Expanding the History and Range of Mixed Methods Research

Presentations of the history and range of mixed methods research presented in textbooks, handbooks, and journal articles have typically ignored a great deal of earlier and contemporary research tha...
Regulation of the genes for 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 and type 2 in the kidney of the Dahl rat.

BACKGROUND An isoenzyme of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD), 11beta-HSD-2 confers aldosterone specificity on the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) and is found collocated in renal cortical collecting duct cells with the MR. To investigate whether the salt sensitivity of the Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat is due to 11beta-HSD deficiency, we measured 11beta-HSD-1 and 11beta-HSD-2 mRNA levels in the kidneys of Dahl-S and Dahl salt-resistant (R) rats. In addition, we studied the effects of gender, age and dietary sodium on expression of mRNA for the two isoforms. S and R rats were placed on low- or high-sodium (HNa) diets and sacrificed after 33 and 115 days. Rat kidney RNA was isolated and 11beta-HSD-1 and 11beta-HSD-2 mRNA levels were measured on Northern filter hybridization using isoform-specific probes. RESULTS No strain differences were observed in the mRNA expression of the two isoforms of 11beta-HSD under any of the experimental conditions. No gender or age differences were observed in 11beta-HSD-2 mRNA but HNa diet almost doubled 11beta-HSD-2 mRNA (P<0.0009). 11beta-HSD-1 mRNA levels were consistently higher, more than double, in male rats versus females rats (P<0.0001), and in the 115-day-old rats versus the 33-day-old rats (P<0.0001). Dietary sodium intake did not affect 11beta-HSD-1 mRNA levels. CONCLUSIONS There is no difference in the expression of the two isoforms of 11beta-HSD in the kidneys of the S and R rats, which might explain the salt sensitivity and higher blood pressure of the S rat. Renal 11beta-HSD-1 mRNA levels are higher in male than in female rats, and in the older rats of both strains. In the kidney, the 11beta-HSD-2 gene is regulated by sodium status but is not affected by gender or age.
Battling Voices: Schizophrenia as Social Relation in Abel García Roure's Una cierta verdad [A Certain Truth] (2008)

Director Abel Garcia Roure studied filmmaking with Joaquim Jorda at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra de Barcelona, and this, his first long-form cinematic product, is a highly nuanced documentary prioritizing the interplay between the film's two privileged groups: providers and patients. The battle of voices we watch unfold on screen is a social dialogue between these two polarized groups of actors. The potential resolution of this conflict—in this Global Disability Studies reading of Garcia Roure's film—seemingly lies outside of the clinical institutions into which we are drawn along with these necessarily social actors. This article linked the content and form of the film through an analysis that bridges its social and spatial context, previous Disability Studies work on Spanish cultural production, and the writings of Michel Foucault. Ultimately, the film suggests that it is the clinical paradigm's low tolerance for nuance and lack of precise tools that in fact perpetuates this ongoing battle of voices. The resulting picture emphasizes schizophrenia as a cognitive disability that must be understood simultaneously as a social relation.
Preharvest herbicide treatment improves regeneration in Southern Appalachian Hardwoods

Preharvest herbicide treatment of undesirable and unmerchantable v getation was compared to postharvest felling. Ten years after the clearcut harvesting, the preharvest treatment had increased the number and proportion of desirable stems and decreased the number and proportion of undesirable sprouts in the dominant stand. Stands that developed after the preharvest herb•cide treatment are dominated by single-stemmed d sirable species, and excellent future stocking isassured. Because of the presence of undesirable sprout clumps, plots receiving the postharvest felling have an uncertain future. An effective preharvest treatment that costs about he same as postharvest felling is recommended. Clearcutting has become th method f choice for natural regeneration of southern Appalachian hardwoods. After the merchantable stand is removed, all or most of the residual unmerchantable stems are felled. The resulting natural regeneration is a combination of seedlings, advance reproduction, and stump sprouts (Beck 1980). While regeneration has usually been acceptable, postharvest felling of residual unmerchantable stems •s not without problems. Logging slash makes traversing the often steep topography difficult. Furthermore, when undesirable species are cut they usually sprout prolifically, and these sprouts can displace stems of more desirable species (McGee and Hooper 1970). These problems can be avoided by treating unmerchantable stems prior to harvest with herbicides. This paper presents the results of two studies comparing postharvest felling of unmerchantable stems with preharvest herbicide treatment.
Use of an Infrared Camera to Improve the Outcome of Facial Nerve Monitoring

Intraoperative cranial nerve neuromonitoring (IONM) has significantly reduced morbidity historically associated with skull-base procedures. It provides the surgeon with immediate feedback to preserve both anatomic and physiologic function of monitored nerves. However, when the surgeon cauterizes tissue near the nerve, the monitoring equipment is saturated by the cautery signal, eliminating IONM information at a critical time. The use of an infrared camera under the drapes to observe the face for movement due to nerve stimulation is an invaluable adjunct to traditional IONM. Monitoring may also be improved by contralateral electrode placement to help identify artifact from nerve stimulation, using the microscope's video output to compare the surgeon's hand movements to recorded activity, and learning basic anatomy of the inner ear and skull base in order to know when heightened attention is important.
Diagnosis and Outcome of Herpes Simplex Encephalitis

Children with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) admitted to the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada, between Jan 1994 and Dec 2005, were studied prospectively.
Rise and fall of vector infectivity during sequential strain displacements by mosquito‐borne dengue virus

Each of the four serotypes of mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV-1-4) comprises multiple, genetically distinct strains. Competitive displacement between strains within a serotype is a common feature of DENV epidemiology and can trigger outbreaks of dengue disease. We investigated the mechanisms underlying two sequential displacements by DENV-3 strains in Sri Lanka that each coincided with abrupt increases in dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF) incidence. First, the post-DHF strain displaced the pre-DHF strain in the 1980s. We have previously shown that post-DHF is more infectious than pre-DHF for the major DENV vector, Aedes aegypti. Then, the ultra-DHF strain evolved in situ from post-DHF and displaced its ancestor in the 2000s. We predicted that ultra-DHF would be more infectious for Ae. aegypti than post-DHF but found that ultra-DHF infected a significantly lower percentage of mosquitoes than post-DHF. We therefore hypothesized that ultra-DHF had effected displacement by disseminating in Ae. aegypti more rapidly than post-DHF, but this was not borne out by a time course of mosquito infection. To elucidate the mechanisms that shape these virus-vector interactions, we tested the impact of RNA interference (RNAi), the principal mosquito defence against DENV, on replication of each of the three DENV strains. Replication of all strains was similar in mosquito cells with dysfunctional RNAi, but in cells with functional RNAi, replication of pre-DHF was significantly suppressed relative to the other two strains. Thus, differences in susceptibility to RNAi may account for the differences in mosquito infectivity between pre-DHF and post-DHF, but other mechanisms underlie the difference between post-DHF and ultra-DHF.
Über die Unverständlichkeit

Der Aufsatz Uber die Unverstandlichkeit wurde offenbar schon im September 1798 begonnen (vgl. an A. W. Schlegel, 29.9.1798; 24, 174) und wohl im Fruhjahr 1799 abgeschlossen (vgl. Schleiermacher an Schlegel, 10./11.7.1800; 25, 139; 473).
The Water Cycle, Climate Change, and (Some of) Their Interactions

This note is assigned in Darden's course elective, "Global Economics of Water." There is more than enough fresh water to satisfy the world's needs. The primary concern, however, is the geographical mismatch between water needs and the availability of water to communities who need it. Hence, a major challenge for the 21st century is to better manage this mismatch. In this note, we focus on one particular factor—climate change—and how it may contribute to future stress on water resources. We lay out the basics of climate change and the hydrological cycle, and we point to some of the intricate ways in which both phenomena are connected. This note does not contain blanket policy recommendations as to how to fight global warming beyond the general statement that the rational response to the risk and uncertainty of higher global temperatures and their associated environmental changes is to take actions that ensure against potentially adverse effects. Excerpt UVA-GEM-0118 Feb. 19, 2014 The Water Cycle, Climate Change and (some OF) their Interactions The world is not running out of water. There is more than enough water to satisfy the world's needs. The primary concern, however, is the geographical mismatch between water needs and the availability of water. Hence, a major challenge for the 21st century is to better manage this mismatch. The availability and use of water is determined by many factors. Discussions about future water scarcity reflect worries about a growing world population, its increasing affluence, and the lifestyle and dietary changes this will entail, as well as concerns about pollution and depletion of surface and groundwater resources. In this note, we focus on one particular factor—climate change—and how it may contribute to future stress on water resources. We strive to lay out the basics of climate change as well as of the hydrological cycle, and we point to some of the intricate ways in which both phenomena are connected. This note does not contain blanket policy recommendations as to how to fight global warming beyond the general statement that the rational response to the risk and uncertainty of higher global temperatures and their associated environmental changes is to take actions that ensure against potentially adverse effects. The Water Cycle . . .