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Vermont Mutual Insurance Group was on a mission when searching for a new space to be constructed for its Claims Division department. Not only did the property casualty company need [...]

Heat Recovery Method for TMP Plants Keys on Mill's Steam, Energy Needs The continual improvement in the quality of thermomechanical pulp (TMP) has increased its popularity as a replacement for [...]

Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World by Adam Grant Adam Grant is always provocative, and this book includes a case study where he looks at an idea his own students [...]

Frailty is a syndrome where the ability to cope with acute physiological stress is compromised, although it is unclear what impact this stress has on long-term outcomes. Vascular-Physiological and Operative Severity Score for enumeration of Mortality and Morbidity is a validated method for calculating levels of stress associated with vascular procedures. We designed this study to evaluate the long-term impact of different levels of surgical stress among frail older patients undergoing vascular surgery procedures.

For patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), randomized trials have found endovascular AAA repair (EVAR) is associated with lower perioperative morbidity and mortality than open surgical repair (OSR). However, OSR has fewer long-term aneurysm-related complications, such as endoleak or late rupture. Patients treated with EVAR and OSR have similar survival rates within two years after surgery, and OSR does not require intensive surveillance. Few have examined if patient preferences are aligned with the type of treatment they receive for their AAA. Although many assume that patients may universally prefer the less-invasive nature of EVAR, our preliminary work suggests that patients who value the lower risk of late complications may prefer OSR.

In short, there's a revolution raging all around us. No one suspected that Shawn Fanning, sitting in his dorm room at Northeastern University in 1999, was about to change the [...]

This bit of household wisdom, glorified in a song from the popular film Mary Poppins, could be the worst medical advice ever offered. A spoonful of sugar might coax us […]

Research has been conducted on genomic sequence evolution. The mapping and sequencing of mouse chromosome regions and the comparative sequence analysis of the human and mouse genomic regions are reported, and the results demonstrate that duplications associated with mouse chromosomes are recent.

Williams syndrome is a complex developmental disorder that results from the heterozygous deletion of a ~1.6-Mb segment of human chromosome 7qll.23. The results from a study in this context provided an important comparative sequence resource to develop mouse models of the disorder.

Salmonellaand Cronobacterare two bacteria of concern in powdered food ingredients with low water activity, due to their ability to remain viable for long periods of time. There is great interest in studying the survival of these bacteria in powdered foods, but discrepancies have been reported between broth-grown and lawn-grown bacterial cells and their thermal resistance and desiccation tolerance once inoculated onto powdered foods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate three different powdered food inoculation methods, two broth-grown and one lawn-grown. To evaluate these methods on three types of powdered food matrices, Salmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium LT2 (ATCC 700720), Salmonellasurrogate Enterococcus faecium(NRRL B-2354), and Cronobacter sakazakii(ATCC 29544) were inoculated onto nonfat dry milk powder, organic soy flour, and all-purpose flour using one of the three previously developed inoculation methods. In the first broth-grown method, labeled broth-grown pelletized inoculation, a bacterial cell pellet was added to powdered foods directly and mixed with a sterile wooden stick. The second broth-grown method, labeled broth-grown spray inoculation, used a chromatography reagent sprayer to spray the bacterial cell suspension onto the powdered foods. The third inoculation method, lawn-grown liquid inoculation, made use of a spot inoculation and a stomacher to incorporate each bacterium into the powdered foods. Results indicated that the method of inoculation of each powder impacted repeatability and bacteria survivability postequilibration (4 to 6 days). Broth-grown spray inoculation, regardless of the powder and bacterium, resulted in the highest log reduction, with an average ∼1-log CFU/g reduction following equilibration. Broth-grown pelletized inoculation resulted in the second-highest log reduction (∼0.79 log CFU/g), and finally, lawn-grown liquid inoculation was the most stable inoculation method of the three, with ∼0.52-log CFU/g reduction. Overall, the results from this inoculation study demonstrate that inoculation methodologies impact the desiccation tolerance and homogeneity of C. sakazakii, E. faecium,and SalmonellaTyphimurium LT2.

Enterprise-wide risk management technology is a new tool that can help banks assess their potential risk exposure in dollar terms over the course of a long-term agreement. It can provide an international view of risk exposure because enterprise risk management systems collect and analyze data from trading systems and other sources. Aggregate or granular risk analysis offers new opportunities for applying strategic risk management information in management, in such areas as transaction pricing, compensation management, product/market development and capital management., Risk management is all too often based on a broad rule of thumb. CATS Software's Rod A Beckstrom argues that available measurement techniques are such that a far more accurate [...]

ISDN and Frame Relay-together One of the major networking challenges many companies are grappling with today is how to electronically link all of their small office, home office, and mobile […]

The spectrum of somatic alterations in hematologic malignancies includes substitutions, insertions/deletions (indels), copy number alterations (CNAs), and a wide range of gene fusions; no current clinically available single assay captures the different types of alterations. We developed a novel next-generation sequencing-based assay to identify all classes of genomic alterations using archived formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blood and bone marrow samples with high accuracy in a clinically relevant time frame, which is performed in our Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments–certified College of American Pathologists–accredited laboratory. Targeted capture of DNA/RNA and next-generation sequencing reliably identifies substitutions, indels, CNAs, and gene fusions, with similar accuracy to lower-throughput assays that focus on specific genes and types of genomic alterations. Profiling of 3696 samples identified recurrent somatic alterations that impact diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy selection. This comprehensive genomic profiling approach has proved effective in detecting all types of genomic alterations, including fusion transcripts, which increases the ability to identify clinically relevant genomic alterations with therapeutic relevance.

As the evolution of the Smart Grid transforms the energy and utility industry, consumers will be affected in unimaginable ways. Consumers will embrace the new technology in different ways and [...]

This article analyzes articles published in the Journal of Educational Computing Research (JECR) from 2003 to 2012. The authors analyzed the articles looking for trends in article types and methodologies, the most common topics addressed in the articles, the top-cited articles, and the top authors during the period. The analysis suggests that JECR employs a primarily inferential approach to their articles, which aligns with the journal's goal of "outcome effects" based research (Journal of Educational Computing Research, n.d.). The most common topics addressed by the articles were "educational technology" and "computer assisted instruction." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I enjoy MOTHER EARTH NEWS immensely! While most Of what it covers seems like a fantasy to me, I value it most for the hope it inspires. When it seems [...]

Nancy Feldman related the story of a dissatisfied customer's problems with Gateway ('Computer Vendor to Customer: No New PC, No Refund, So Sue Us,' April, p. 28). I'm impressed she […]

The article mentions several hybrids of cactus Opuntia diploursina (O. diploursina) from northwestern Arizona. Topics discussed include features of cactus including O. basilaris which is having straight, short reddish-brown spines discovered by researcher David Silverman, O. treleasei having cream colored stigma discovered by researcher J.M. Colter and O. nicholii is stable and self propagating hybrid discovered by researcher Dorde Wright Woodruff. It also presents photographs of the cactus.

The article focuses on the newly found cactus species, diploursina of genus Opuntia belonging to Cactaceae family from the Grape-vine Mesa region in Mohave County, Arizona. Also included is information about diploursina's diploid nature, dry fruits and growth on alluvial gravel covered soil. Also discussed is the difference between O. diploursina and O. Trichophora including growth habit, spine color, and number of spines.

Conference rooms can often become stuffy when they are filled with people. The CO2 level drops and the adequate ventilation system suddenly becomes inadequate. A retrofit can help alleviate this problem. Contractors can install a standalone, constant-volume ddc in place of a temperature control. This system is described in detail and actually saves energy while keeping in compliance with indoor air quality compliance., Even as cigarette smoke drifts away as a primary air pollutant, conference rooms and other people-packed environments frequently undershoot fresh air ventilation standards. Here's a simple, off-the-shelf retrofit that will [...]

Introduction:The fetal-to-neonatal transition is one of the most complex processes in biological existence; much is unknown about this transition on the molecular and biochemical level. Based on growing metabolomics literature, we hypothesize that metabolomic analysis will reveal the key biochemical intermediates that change during the birth transition.Results:Using two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–TOFMS), we identified 100 metabolites that changed during this transition. Of these 100 metabolites, 23 demonstrated significant change during the first 72?h. Of note, four intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were identified (a-ketoglutaric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, and succinyl-CoA), demonstrating a consistent rate of rise during the study. This may signify the transition of the neonate from a hypoxic in utero environment to an oxygen-rich environment. Important signaling molecules were also identified, including myo-inositol and glutamic acid.Discussion:GC × GC–TOFMS was able to identify important metabolites associated with metabolism and signaling. These data can be used as a baseline for normal birth transition, which may aid in future perinatal research investigations.Methods:Late-preterm Macaca nemestrina were delivered by hysterotomy, with plasma drawn from the cord blood and after birth at eight additional time points to 72?h of age.

Abstract: Objective: To compare the prevalence of pulp calcification with that of carotid calcification using digital panoramic dental radiographs. Study design: Digital panoramic radiographs of patients at a dental oncology clinic were included if (1) the carotid artery bifurcation region was visible bilaterally and (2) the patient had non-restored or minimally restored molars and/or canines. An endodontist evaluated the images for pulpal calcifications in the selected teeth. An oral and maxillofacial radiologist independently evaluated the same images for calcifications in the carotid bifurcation region. Odds-ratio and Pearson χ2 were used for data analysis. Presence of pulpal calcification was also evaluated as a screening test for the presence of carotid calcification. Results: A total of 247 panoramic radiographs were evaluated. 32% (n = 80) had pulpal calcifications and 25% (n = 61) had carotid calcifications with 12% (n = 29) having both carotid and pulp calcifications. A significantly higher prevalence of both pulp and carotid calcification was found in subjects older than age 60 years compared to younger age groups. Accuracy of pulpal calcification in screening for carotid calcification was 66.4%. Conclusions: Both pulp and carotid calcifications were more prevalent in older individuals. The presence of pulp calcification was not a strong predictor for the presence of carotid calcification.

Early this year the financial community received an electrifying warning when E. Gerald Corrigan, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, addressed what he sees as significant risks […]

Presents letters to the editor referencing articles and topics discussed in previous issues. "Super Solar Homes Everyone Can Afford," which discussed the use of solar energy at home; "Green Gazette," which featured Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai; "Tractor Safety Is No Accident," which focused on the cause of tractor-related accidents; "Finding Great Garden Seeds," which centered on organic and sustainable seed companies in the U.S.

Williams syndrome is a complex developmental disorder that results from the heterozygous deletion of a approximately 1.6-Mb segment of human chromosome 7q11.23. These deletions are mediated by large (approximately 300 kb) duplicated blocks of DNA of near-identical sequence. Previously, we showed that the orthologous region of the mouse genome is devoid of such duplicated segments. Here, we extend our studies to include the generation of approximately 3.3 Mb of genomic sequence from the mouse Williams syndrome region, of which just over 1.4 Mb is finished to high accuracy. Comparative analyses of the mouse and human sequences within and immediately flanking the interval commonly deleted in Williams syndrome have facilitated the identification of nine previously unreported genes, provided detailed sequence-based information regarding 30 genes residing in the region, and revealed a number of potentially interesting conserved noncoding sequences. Finally, to facilitate comparative sequence analysis, we implemented several enhancements to the program, including the addition of links from annotated features within a generated percent-identity plot to specific records in public databases. Taken together, the results reported here provide an important comparative sequence resource that should catalyze additional studies of Williams syndrome, including those that aim to characterize genes within the commonly deleted interval and to develop mouse models of the disorder.

The sequencing of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from Xenopuslaevishas lagged behind efforts on many other common experimental organisms and man, partly because of the pseudotetraploid nature of the Xenopusgenome. Nonetheless, large collections of XenopusESTs would be useful in gene discovery, oligonucleotide-based knockout studies, gene chip analyses of normal and perturbed development, mapping studies in the related diploid frog X.tropicalis, and for other reasons. We have created a normalized library of cDNAs from unfertilized Xenopuseggs. These cells contain all of the information necessary for the first several cell divisions in the early embryo, as well as much of the information needed for embryonic pattern formation and cell fate determination. To date, we have successfully sequenced 13,879 ESTs out of 16,607 attempts (83.6% success rate), with an average sequence read length of 508 bp. Using a fragment assembly program, these ESTs were assembled into 8,985 ‘contigs’ comprised of up to 11 ESTs each. When these contigs were used to search publicly available databases, 46.2% bore no relationship to protein or DNA sequences in the database at the significance level of 1e−6. Examination of a sample of 100 of the assembled contigs revealed that most (∼87%) were comprised of two apparent allelic variants. Expression profiles of 16 of the most prominent contigs showed that 12 exhibited some degree of zygotic expression. These findings have implications for sequence-specific applications for XenopusESTs, particularly the use of allele-specific oligonucleotides for knockout studies, differential hybridization techniques such as gene chip analysis, and the establishment of accurate nomenclature and databases for this species.

Nephropathic cystinosis is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by the defective transport of cystine out of lysosomes. Recently, the causative gene (CTNS) was identified and presumed to encode an integral membrane protein called cystinosin. Many of the disease-associated mutations in CTNS are deletions, including one >55 kb in size that represents the most common cystinosis allele encountered to date. In an effort to determine the precise genomic organization of CTNS and to gain sequence-based insight about the DNA within and flanking cystinosis-associated deletions, we mapped and sequenced the region of human chromosome 17p13 encompassing CTNS. Specifically, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based physical map spanning CTNS was constructed by sequence-tagged site (STS)-content mapping. The resulting BAC contig provided the relative order of 43 STSs. Two overlapping BACs, which together contain all of the CTNS exons as well as extensive amounts of flanking DNA, were selected and subjected to shotgun sequencing. A total of 200,237 bp of contiguous, high-accuracy sequence was generated. Analysis of the resulting data revealed a number of interesting features about this genomic region, including the long-range organization of CTNS, insight about the breakpoints and intervening DNA associated with the common cystinosis-causing deletion, and structural information about five genes neighboring CTNS (human ortholog of rat vanilloid receptor subtype 1 gene, CARKL, TIP-1, P2X5, and HUMINAE). In particular, sequence analysis detected the presence of a novel gene (CARKL) residing within the most common cystinosis-causing deletion. This gene encodes a previously unknown protein that is predicted to function as a carbohydrate kinase. Interestingly, both CTNS and CARKL are absent in nearly half of all cystinosis patients (i.e., those homozygous for the common deletion). [The sequence data described in this paper have been submitted to the GenBank data library under accession nos. AF168787 and AF163573.]

Helianthus petiolaris andH. niveus are polytypic species which are morphologically distinct at the periphery of their ranges but intergrade in areas of sympatry.Helianthus niveus includes both annual and perennial members, whereasH. petiolaris is strictly annual. Chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA restriction site data were used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of populations of the two species. Cladistic analyses reveal the following: (1) neither species is monophyletic; (2) the annual habit is derived once in this complex; and (3) the region of morphological intergradation appears to be primary in origin. The significance of interbreeding versus common descent in defining species concepts is discussed in relation to the above cladistic analyses.

Heiser [Heiser, C. B. (1951) Evolution 5, 42-51] hypothesized that Helianthus annuus ssp. texanus was derived by the introduction of H. annuus into Texas and subsequent introgression of genes from Helianthus debilis ssp. cucumerifolius into H. annuus. Although often considered to be one of the best cases of introgression in plants, alternative hypotheses to introgression, such as convergence or the joint retention of the ancestral condition, could not be ruled out in the original study. To test for the occurrence of introgression we examined 14 populations of H. annuus ssp. texanus, 14 allopatric populations of H. annuus, and three populations of H. debilis ssp. cucumerifolius with reference to diagnostic chloroplast DNA and nuclear ribosomal DNA markers. Thirteen of the 14 populations of H. annuus ssp. texanus had chloroplast DNA and/or ribosomal DNA markers of H. debilis ssp. cucumerifolius. In contrast, no chloroplast DNA or ribosomal DNA markers of H. debilis ssp. cucumerifolius were found in the 14 allopatric populations of H. annuus. Our findings provide strong support, therefore, for the hypothesized introgressive origin of H. annuus ssp. texanus.

The article discusses the inclusion of seven-a-side rugby (rugby sevens) in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. The sport, a spinoff the traditional fifteen-a-side (fifteens) and classified as amateur in the U.S., gained mainstream legitimacy. Fifteens, a physical and tactical sport that is 80 minutes long, while rugby sevens with games that are 14 minutes long, require athletes to be quick, as well as possess tackling skills, passing skills and evasive running skills.

No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.