cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In situ biomonitoring of caged, juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Lower Duwamish Waterway

Contaminated sediments may have wide-ranging impacts on human and ecological health. A series of in situ caged exposure studies using juvenile Chinook salmon was conducted in the Lower Duwamish Waterway (LDW). Chemical analysis of sediment, water, and fish tissue were completed. Additionally, in 2004, DNA adducts in hepatic and gill tissues were measured. Gills contained significantly higher DNA adducts at stations B2 and B4, prompting further analysis of gills in 2006 and 2007. Fluorescent aromatic compounds (FACs) in bile, and CYP1A1 in hepatic tissue were also measured during 2006 and 2007, respectively. FACs in field-caged fish were comparable or significantly higher than wild-caught fish LDW fish and significantly higher than lab fish after only 8-10 days, demonstrating the equivalency of exposure to that of migrating salmon. Furthermore, selected biomarkers appear to be capable of detecting spikes in contamination between sampling years, emphasizing the need for multiple year data collection.
The control of heme synthesis in soybean root nodules.

Abstract 1. 1. Heme synthesis from δ-amino[4- 14 C]levulinic acid in soybean root nodule extracts is inhibited by exogenous heme with maximum (50%) inhibition occurring at a heme concentration of 1 · 10 −4 M. Removal of the exogenous heme results in a reversal of this inhibition. 2. In the nodule extracts, heme synthesis from δ-amino[su14C]levulinic acid is stimulated by the addition of apo-leghemoglobin. We conclude that heme biosynthesis in soybean root nodules is endproduct, negatively feedback controlled, and we suggest that heme synthesis in this symbiotic complex may be coupled to that of apo-leghemoglobin.
Hot Wire/Film Behavior in Low-Temperature Gases

Commercially available hot wires/films were used to measure the velocities of evaporated hydrogen or helium gas during cryogenic mixing experiments. Hot wires were found to be too delicate to use in this harsh environment. Hot films were rugged enough to use at cryogenic temperatures even though they failed after a number of thermal cycles. Since the hot films have small aspect ratios, 13.4 and 20, they are quite sensitive to the thermal loading, Tw/Tg, even with a correction for the conduction end loss. In general, although the increase of the Nusselt number with Reynolds number at low temperatures was similar to that at room temperature, there was also a pronounced variation with Tw/Tg over the large range of 1.2 to 12 investigated.
Interpersonal Attraction as a Function of Attitude Similarity-Dissimilarity and Desire for Certainty

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of need for certainty on the functional relationship between level of attitude similarity and interpersonal attraction. It was hypothesized that persons having a high desire for certainty would be more attracted to those who agreed and less attracted to those who disagreed than Ss exhibiting a lower need for certainty. The data indicated a significant main effect for attitude similarity on attraction, but the hypothesized interaction with need for certainty was not significant.
Susceptibility of C58 mice to paralytic disease induced by lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus correlates with increased expression of endogenous retrovirus in motor neurons

Abstract The induction of poliomyelitis by lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) in C58 mice is dependent upon several host factors including old age, loss of immune competence and genetic predisposition. Two genetic components segregate with susceptibility to this neurological disease: the presence of multiple proviral copies of N-tropic endogenous murine leukemia viruses (MuLV) and homozygosity of the permissive allele for N-tropic viral replication ( Fv −1 n n ). We have quantified the levels of RNA for several endogenous retroviruses, using virus specific oligonucleotide probes, in various tissues of C58 mice in relation to age and immunosuppression. A tissue specific increase in expression of 3.0 kb AKR MuLV RNA in the spinal cords of mice occurred with increasing age of the mice and was enhanced several-fold by immunosuppression in old mice. Susceptibility to LDV-induced poliomyelitis occurs in the same age dependent manner as AKR MuLV expression and is also enhanced by immunosuppression. In contrast, the mink cell focus forming virus (MCF) RNA levels in the spinal cord remained constant despite apparent variations in MCF RNA expression in other tissues, and no xenotropic retrovirus RNA was detectable in spinal cords or brains of the C58 mice. The increased AKR MuLV RNA in the spinal cord was shown by in situ hybridization to be mainly located in the same motor neurons that become infected with LDV in these mice and are destroyed as paralysis develops. These results support a novel dual virus hypothesis for LDV-induced poliomyelitis in which increased endogenous retroviral expression in motor neurons renders these cells susceptible to cytocidal replication of LDV and hence to the development of LDV-induced poliomyelitis.
Will the human factors of relationship selling survive in the twenty‐first century?

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate whether this savored relationship goal within business‐to‐business selling will survive through this century's formidable stumbling blocks. The fundamental question may very well be, if not the present sales model(s) then is it time to formulate a new sales models?Design/methodology/approach – The research examines the relevant sales challenge elements and sales beneficial factors as components of a new sales return on investment (ROI) model. This has generated a series of subordinate research objectives, which attempt to rationalize the contribution and weighted value of each of the modeled elements. The use of secondary research reveals a consistent thread of relationship‐selling challenges for sales teams.Findings – Client management and sales are key functions in most organizations, and companies are increasingly realizing the importance of preserving and developing relationships with their existing clients, in addition to developing new clients. The challenge ...
Some necessary conditions on Mueller matrices

We address the issue of physical realizability constraints on depolarizing scattering or imaging systems. In particular, the overpolarization problem, that is the problem of ensuring that the output degree of polarization is always smaller than (or equal to) unity, is discussed in detail. We derive a set of necessary conditions on the elements of a Mueller matrix. These conditions can be used to test the accuracy of polarimetric measurements and computations. Numerical examples are given.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Aqueous adsorption of anions onto oxides at pH levels above the point of zero charge

Abstract The adsorption of most simple anions and anionic polyelectrolytes from water onto oxides occurs by electrostatic (hydrogen) bonding to positive surface sites. Surface site density is governed by pH and acid-base character of the oxide. Certain anions continue to adsorb at pHs significantly above those where positive surface site density falls to approximately zero. These anions include phosphate, phosphate esters, and organic acids containing hydroxyl functionality. A mechanism for this involves hydrogen bonding of the residual hydroxy groups to negatively charged surface oxide ions. Past work on adsorption of phosphate, arsenate, etc., onto oxides will be discussed in terms of the present model.
A uniform asymptotic evaluation of integrals

Previous uniform asymptotic evaluations of integrals have been restricted to cases where the integrand singularities are close to the saddle point(s). A method is presented here which allows such uniform evaluations with integrand singularities anywhere near the steepest descent path.
CONTRIBUTION OF SPONTANEOUS MOTOR ACTIVITY TO THE 24 HOUR CONTROL OF BODY TEMPERATURE IN MALE AND FEMALE RATS

The metabolic heat produced from motor activity contributes to the control of core temperature (Tc); however, little is known regarding the role of motor activity in thermoregulation in warm and cold environments and the influence of sex and the estrous cycle. To address these issues, motor activity and Tc were monitored by radiotelemetry in male and female rats maintained at ambient temperatures (Ta) ranging from 12 to 33.5°C for 24 h under a 12:12 L:D cycle. The contribution of the mean level of motor activity to the elevation in Tc, termed ΔTma, was determined using linear regression analysis of Tc vs motor activity recorded at 5 min intervals during the light and dark phases. ΔTma was significantly affected by Ta, sex, and stage of the estrous cycle, whereas the light and dark cycle had marginal effects. ΔTma was highest in female rats at Tas of 22 to 33.5°C. Both sexes exhibited a reduction in ΔTma at Tas ≥ 26°C. There was no difference in ΔTma in rats housed at a Ta of 12°C as compared to 22°C, suggesting that the contribution of motor activity to Tc does not change with cold exposure. There was a 50% reduction in ΔTma during proestrus concomitant with a 160% elevation in motor activity compared to metestrus and diestrus but an increase in ΔTma during estrus. Overall, the contribution of motor activity on Tc is reduced in the male rat when exposed to warm Tas and also in the female rat during proestrus, a period when Tc is elevated.
Physiological variation in alpha-adrenoceptor-mediated arterial sensitivity: relation to agonist affinity

Vascular smooth muscle from different arteries of the rabbit varies in sensitivity to norepinephrine, even when factors known to contribute to this variation are excluded. Sensitivity to norepinephrine mediated through the alpha-adrenoceptor is linearly related to the agonist dissociation constant, but is not significantly related to receptor reserve. These results suggest that agonist affinity is the primary determinant of sensitivity to norepinephrine, at least in these arteries, and that this is a locally regulated characteristic which may account for regional sensitivity changes.
Spider mites of Mexico (Acari: Tetranychidae)

ABSTRACT Twenty-eight genera and 143 species of the plant feeding mites from Mexico are recognized; many of these are found in the United States and Central and South America. A new genus Sonotetranychus is described for Anatetranychus daleae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello, and A. albiflorae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello. Twenty-six new species are described: Monoceronychus erythrinae, M. littoralis, M. pachucensis, Langella ambrosiae, Eotetranychus guaymas, E. neolewisi, E. zexmlniae, E. euphorbiae, E. deleoni, E. hameliae, E. zempoalensis, E. salviae, E. typhae, Mononychellus chapalensis, M. eysenhardtiae, M. willardiae, Platytetranychus pueblensis, Schizotetranychus prosopis, Oligonychus (Wainsteiniella) pini, W. (W.) juniperi, O. (Homonychus) perseae, O. (Pritchardinychus) tlaxcensis, O. (P.) daleae, O. (P.) quercus, Tetranychus (Tetranychus) eharai and T. (Polynychus) neopolys . Keys to the genera and species are given, and all species are figured.
Downregulation of p22phox in Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells Inhibits Choroidal Neovascularization in Mice

Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) occurs in a variety of chorioretinal diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and is the major cause of severe visual loss in patients with AMD. Oxidative stress has been thought to play an important role in the development of CNV. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase is one of the major intracellular sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the vascular system. In this study, we examined the expression of p22phox, an integral subunit in the NADPH oxidase complex, in the mouse eye. We determined that p22phox is expressed in the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and inner retinal neurons. A small-interfering RNA (siRNA) designed against p22phox efficiently reduced the expression of the protein in the eye when delivered by means of recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector. Vector treatment inhibited CNV in the mouse when delivered into the subretinal space where RPE cells were transduced. These results suggest that NADPH oxidase–mediated ROS production in RPE cells may play an important role in the pathogenesis of neovascular AMD, and that this pathway may represent a new target for therapeutic intervention in AMD.
A phase I study of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin and levamisole

Purpose: The activity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) against colon cancer is enhanced by leucovorin and the combination of 5-FU and levamisole has activity in the adjuvant treatment of colonic malignancies. The combination of 5-FU with both leucovorin and levamisole may provide additional benefit in the treatment of colon cancer. Methods: A phase I study to assess qualitative and quantitative toxicities of this three-drug combination and to determine a dose for further phase II testing was undertaken. The role of levamisole as an immunomodulator was also assessed. Results: A group of 38 patients with incurable etastatic malignancies received 119 cycles of treatment at eight dose levels. 5-FU (375 mg/m2 per day) and leucovorin (200 mg/m2 per day) were administered intravenously (days 1–5). Levamisole was administered orally (days 1–3 and 15–17) at doses from 30 to 470 mg/m2 per day. Patients received both 5FU/leucovorin and 5-FU/leucovorin/levamisole in random order for their initial two cycles. All subsequent treatments were with the three-drug combination. Toxicities included nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, thrombocytopenia and granulocytopenia. Diarrhea was the dose-limiting toxicity at 470 mg/m2 per day levamisole. The addition of levamisole resulted in more toxicity than 5-FU and leucovorin alone. No clinical responses were seen with this regimen. The addition of levamisole resulted in more immunomodulation than 5-FU and leucovorin alone as evidenced by release of neopterin from monocytes. Conclusion: With this schedule and dose of 5-FU and leucovorin, the maximum tolerated dose of levamisole was 354 mg/m2. However, given the lack of response and the absence of dose-dependent immunomodulation, this may not be the appropriate dose for further phase 11 studies.
Pediatric altered mental status.

Dr. Nathan Mick: Today’s case is that of a 6-month-old female presenting with decreased responsiveness. The patient was well until that morning when she was difficult to arouse from sleep. The patient’s mother noted that during the past week the child had begun to sleep through the night without waking. At 7:00 that morning when she went in to awaken the child and couldn’t, she assumed the child was “tired” and allowed her to remain sleeping. One hour later, she again had difficulty waking her daughter and called her pediatrician who urged her to have her daughter evaluated in the Emergency Department (ED). The mother reported that her daughter was an only child with no recent sick contacts and that the house contained no prescription medications. The child’s past medical history was notable for a normal term labor and vaginal delivery. There had been no significant illnesses. She was breast fed until 3 months of age and then transitioned to formula. The patient was cared for by her maternal grandmother during the daytime as her parents both worked outside the home. She had met normal developmental milestones to date. She was on no prescription medications, had no allergies, and was up to date on all immunizations including the pneumococcal vaccine. The patient lived with her mother and father, who had been married 5 years. Dr. Eric Nadel: Are there any questions about the initial history? Dr. Jessica Peters: Was there any history of trauma? Dr. Nathan Mick: The mother denied any history of trauma in the preceding week. The child was able to crawl but not walk and there were no stairs or other “high risk” areas in the home. The child’s initial vital signs were: pulse 140 beats/ minute, respiratory rate 30 breaths/minute, oxygen saturation 99%, temperature 37°C, and blood pressure 96/50 mm Hg. The physical examination revealed a well-developed, well-nourished 6-month-old lying quietly on a gurney. The skin examination revealed no petechiae or ecchymoses. The head and neck examinations revealed no signs of otitis media, trauma, nuchal rigidity, or pharyngitis. The pupils were normal, round and reactive. There was no respiratory distress and breath sounds were clear. The heart and abdominal examinations were normal. The child was listless with open eyes and very little movement of the extremities. She did not respond negatively to separation from her mother and did not respond to venipuncture and vascular access. Dr. Eric Nadel: Are there any questions regarding the physical examination? Dr. Todd Thomsen: Perhaps the most ominous finding on examination is the lack of response to “stimulation” via needle stick. Was this child protecting her airway? Dr. Nathan Mick: The child was handling her secretions without difficulty and was ventilating normally with a normal oxygen saturation, so immediate airway
Transient effects in quenching detected by harmonic-content frequency-domain fluorometry

Abstract Transient effects in the diffusional quenching of indole fluorescence by acrylamide were detected by frequency-domain fluorometry. The samples are excited with a repetitive train of picosecond pulses, and the frequency response is measured using the harmonic content up to 1 GHz. The decay of unquenched indole in aqueous buffer is dominantly a single exponential. In the presence of acrylamide the partially quenched indole fluorescence became distinctly more complex. Analysis of the frequency response of the fluorescence yields the apparent interaction radius (7.1 A) and mutual diffusion coefficient (1.1 × 10 −5 cm 2 s ).
CT angiography for emergency decision making in acute coronary syndromes: applying future vision now.

infarction (AMI) from the ED, physicians have to err on the side of admitting patients to rule out AMI. Strategies to streamline this process, including the utilization of chest pain centers, have been shown to be effective at reducing unnecessary hospital admissions, but have not been widely adopted [3–6]. Consequently, more efficient means of risk stratifying patients presenting to the ED with chest pain are needed. Cardiac CTangiography allows for the noninvasive, anatomic assessment of the presence of coronary artery disease. It is associatedwith a negative predictive value of nearly 100% for intermediate-term cardiovascular events and represents a potentially cost-effective tool for the risk stratification of patients presenting to the ED with a suspected ACS [2, 7]. The American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) PA 4005 clinical trial is the latest published comparativeeffectiveness trial undertaken to determine whether cardiac CTangiography (CCTA) can be applied to expedite discharge from the ED by more efficiently identifying chest-pain patients presenting to the ED who do not have significant coronary artery disease (CAD).
More Carrots than Sticks: Antanas Mockus's Civic Culture Policy in Bogota.

The son of a Lithuanian artist, Antanas Mockus was the president of the National University in Colombia before he became mayor of Bogota in 1995. As mayor, he transformed the city into a huge classroom, not only bringing to his administration a new view of governing but also transforming the way people exercised their citizenship. Mockus resorted to a creative communicative and pedagogical effort to change the citizens' hearts and minds in favor of peaceful coexistence and legal compliance. Symbols, metaphors, and humor became the language through which the administration would enforce its measures to deal with urban violence. Unconventional techniques, such as a symbolic vaccine against domestic violence and the use of mimes to control traffic circulation and create a sense of shame among those who committed infractions, helped to stop crime and develop a new sense of citizenship.
Effects of species on nutrient cycles and soil change

The choice of species to be favoured in forest management is subject to several considerations, among them the possibility of adverse effects on site productivity. Information on this possibility is reviewed from three viewpoints: nutrient cycling, soil genesis and classification, and relatively short-term (i.e. within one generation) changes in soil properties and growth rate. Nutrient cycle models describe flows between soil and plant components of ecosystems but generally can reveal little about variation in nutrient supply over the life of a stand. Profound changes in profile characteristics and mineral weathering occur on a time scale of millennia and can scarcely be expected within a single generation of one or another species. Many reported comparisons of species effects on soil profile development, physical structure, or nutrient status are invalid for a variety of reasons, including inadequate perception of inherent soil heterogeneity. Claims of decreased yields resulting from successive generations of conifers are not borne out by recent studies. Finally, maximum changes in soil due to choice of species appear minor in comparison with the mechanical and chemical impacts associated with present day intensive forest management.
Epidemiology of thoracic aortic dissection

Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is estimated to occur at a rate of 3-4 cases per 100,000 persons per year and is associated with a high mortality. Reported rates are probably underestimates of the true incidence of TAD because of difficulties in diagnosis. The incidence of TAD appears to have been increasing over time. TAD is most common in men and older individuals. Aortic dilatation is a well-established risk factor for TAD but is not a prerequisite; most ascending aortic dissections occur when aortic diameter is <5.5 cm. Although atherosclerosis and typical cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and smoking, are associated with TAD, evidence supporting their direct causal role is lacking. Notably, diabetes mellitus is remarkably uncommon in patients with TAD. Other risk factors for TAD include inflammatory diseases, iatrogenic aortic injury, and drug use. Congenital cardiovascular defects, such as bicuspid aortic valve, and certain genetic syndromes, such as Marfan syndrome, are the genetic factors most commonly associated with TAD. Specific nonsyndromic genetic mutations in families and single nucleotide polymorphisms have also been identified as possible risk factors for TAD.
Sometimes more competent, but always less warm: Perceptions of biologically oriented mental-health clinicians:

Background and aims:Biological conceptualizations of psychopathology are ascendant, including among mental-health clinicians. However, it is unknown how this might affect people’s perceptions of cl...
Resident progenitors, not exogenous migratory cells, generate the majority of visceral mesothelium in organogenesis.

Historically, analyses of mesothelial differentiation have focused on the heart where a highly migratory population of progenitors originating from a localized “extrinsic” source moves to and over the developing organ. This model long stood alone as the paradigm for generation of this cell type. Here, using chick/quail chimeric grafting and subsequent identification of mesothelial cell populations, we demonstrate that a different mechanism for the generation of mesothelia exists in vertebrate organogenesis. In this newly discovered model, mesothelial progenitors are intrinsic to organs of the developing digestive and respiratory systems. Additionally, we demonstrate that the early heart stands alone in its ability to recruit an entirely exogenous mesothelial cell layer during development. Thus, the newly identified “organ intrinsic” model of mesotheliogenesis appears to predominate while the long-studied cardiac model of mesothelial development may be the outlier.
Strategies to avoid wrong-site surgery during spinal procedures

Wrong-site surgery (WSS) is a rare occurrence that can have devastating consequences for patient care. There are several factors inherent to spine surgery that increase the risk of WSS compared with other types of surgery. Not only can a surgeon potentially operate on the wrong side of the spine or the wrong level, but there are unique issues related to spinal localization that can be challenging for even the most experienced clinicians. The following review discusses important issues that can help prevent WSS during spinal procedures.
Expression, Purification, and Analysis of Unknown Translation Factors from Escherichia coli: A Synthesis Approach

New approaches are currently being developed to expose biochemistry and molecular biology undergraduates to a more interactive learning environment. Here, we propose a unique project-based laboratory module, which incorporates exposure to biophysical chemistry approaches to address problems in protein chemistry. Each of the experiments described herein contributes to the stepwise process of isolating, identifying, and analyzing a protein involved in a central biological process, prokaryotic translation. Students are provided with expression plasmids that harbor an unknown translation factor, and it is their charge to complete a series of experiments that will allow them to develop hypotheses for discovering the identity of their unknown (from a list of potential candidates). Subsequent to the identification of their unknown translation factor, a series of protein unfolding exercises are performed employing circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopies, allowing students to directly calculate thermodynamic parameters centered around determining the equilibrium constant for unfolding as a function of denaturant (temperature or chemical). The conclusion of this multi-part laboratory exercise consists of both oral and written presentations, emphasizing synthesis of the roles of each translation factor during the stepwise process of translation.
Time-dependent study of photon-induced autoionization decay

Using the time-dependent close-coupling method, we have investigated the decay dynamics of autoionization states of He, induced by resonant photon excitations. The resulting autoionization decay rates agree very well with those obtained both from experiments and other theoretical methods. Utilizing the advantage of the time-dependent method, we have also studied the dynamical behaviors of the two electrons ``trapped'' in autoionization states of He. The calculated interelectron distances in triplet and singlet $P$ states explain the large difference of their decay rates. Moreover, we also explored the possibility of modifying autoionization decay by additional few-cycle pulses.
Measurement of Shear Wave Velocity of Heavy Oil

It is well known that the fluids have no shear modulus and therefore no shear wave can propagate through fluids. But heavy oils have properties that are much complex than lighter oils. At low temperatures, heavy oils are extremely viscous and begin to act like solids. An effective shear modulus appears allowing propagation of shear waves. The bulk moduli of heavy oils increase since the bulk and shear moduli are related with each other. Therefore, it is observed that the compressional wave velocity of heavy oils increases faster than that of light oils at low temperatures.
Estimating Outcome Distributions for Compliers in Instrumental Variables Models

In Imbens and Ingrist (1994), Angrist, Imbens and Rubin (1996) and Imbens and Rubin (1997), assumptions have been outlined under which instrumental variables estimands can be given a causal interpretation as a local average treatment effect without requiring functional form or constant treatment effect assumptions. We extend these results by showing that under these assumptions one can estimate more from the data than the average causal effect for the subpopulation of compliers; one can, in principle, estimate the entire marginal distribution of the outcome under different treatments for this subpopulation. These distributions might be useful for a policy maker who wishes to take into account not only differences in average of earnings when contemplating the merits of one job training programme vs. another. We also show that the standard instrumental variables estimator implicitly estimates these underlying outcome distributions without imposing the required nonnegativity on these implicit density estimates, and that imposing non-negativity can substantially alter the estimates of the local average treatment effect. We illustrate these points by presenting an analysis of the returns to a high school education using quarter of birth as an instrument. We show that the standard instrumental variables estimates implicitly estimate the outcome distributions to be negative over a substantial range, and that the estimates of the local average treatment effect change considerably when we impose nonnegativity in any of a variety of ways.
T. S. Eliot's "Burnt Norton": past, present, and future

Critical interpretations of “Burnt Norton” have varied widely over the nearly 80 years since its first publication. While many early scholars saw it as an abstract meditation on philosophy, the revelation in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s of the relationship of Eliot and Emily Hale changed to some extent the way in which it is read, with more of a personal view, at least in its inspiration. Indeed, I suggest that “Burnt Norton” and specifically the rose garden passage presents the two figures in the poem at a moment fraught with the possibility of rekindling their earlier romance. Our knowledge of the subsequent poems and of the failure of the further development of their relationship greatly colors our reading of the poem, preventing us from seeing the tension and suspense of this experience as it balances between the attraction of human love and that of a demanding spiritual commitment.
Newer neuromuscular blockers. Is the practitioner ready for muscle relaxants

Muscle relaxation may be required for certain surgical procedures. The development of newer neuromuscular blocking agents with few side effects and shorter onsets of action make the use of these drugs more appealing to the private practitioner. This article reviews both currently used and newer neuromuscular blocking agents. Also, monitoring of neuromuscular function and use of neuromuscular blocking agent antagonists will be discussed.
Smart weapons operability enhancement synthetic scene generation process

The smart weapons operability enhancement (SWOE) program has developed a synthetic scene generation process that incorporates formal experimental design, random sampling procedures, data collection methods, physics models, and numerically repeatable validation procedures. The SWOE synthetic scene generation procedure uses an assemblage of measurements, static and dynamic information databases, thermal and radiance models, and rendering techniques to simulate a wide range of environmental conditions. The models provide a spatial and spectral agility that permits the simulation of a wide range of sensor systems for varied environmental conditions. Comprehensive validation efforts have been conducted for two locations: Grayling, Michigan and Yuma, Arizona, and for two spectral bands: shortwave (3 - 5 micrometers ) and longwave (8 - 12 micrometers ) IR. The intended use of the validated SWOE process is synthetic battlefield scene generation. The users of the SWOE process are the smart weapons system designers, developers, testers and evaluators, including developers of automatic target recognition algorithms and techniques.
Emergency department evaluation of ventricular shunt malfunction: is the shunt series really necessary?

Objective: The malfunction of a ventricular shunt is one of the most common clinical problems encountered in pediatric neurosurgery. Standard emergency department (ED) evaluation of suspected shunt malfunction consists of plain radiographs of the skull, neck, chest, and abdomen (shunt series) to look for mechanical breaks, kinks, and disconnections in the shunt, and a cranial computed tomography (CT) scan to evaluate for signs of increased ventricular size. We hypothesized, however, that in the context of a cranial CT scan that did not demonstrate a shunt malfunction, obtaining the shunt series would not prove to be clinically useful. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients younger than 18 years with a history of a ventricular shunt who presented to an urban, tertiary pediatric ED between January 1, 2000, and September 30, 2004, for suspected shunt malfunction. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were recorded, as well as the results of shunt series and cranial CT scans. Shunt malfunction was defined as the performance of a shunt revision within 1 week of radiographic evaluation. Results: During the study period, 291 children with a ventricular shunt were evaluated in the ED 461 times for suspected shunt malfunction. The mean age of patients was 90.6 months (SD, 71.5 months); 163 (58.5%) were men, and 209 (71.8%) were white. Three hundred sixty patients (78.1%) had a shunt series performed during their ED evaluation, and 410 (88.9%) had a CT scan of the head. Seventy-one patients (15.4%) were diagnosed with shunt malfunction. Twenty-two had a normal cranial CT scan. Of these patients, 6 had an abnormal shunt series, and 14 had a normal shunt series. Conclusions: The routine use of the shunt series seems warranted in the evaluation of the child with suspected shunt malfunction as children with shunt malfunction may present with a normal cranial CT scan but an abnormal shunt series.
Corticothalamic neurons and thalamocortical terminal fields: An investigation in rat using horseradish peroxidase and autoradiography

Subsequent to thalamic injections in rats of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) alone or HRP and [3H]leucine in combination, the cells of origin of the corticothalamic projections and the terminal fields of the thalamocortical projections were identified. HRP-labeled corticothalamic neurons were uniformly found in layers V and VI. They were medium to small in size and always pyramidal in shape with the larger neurons being found in layer V. On the other hand, 3 different patterns for the distribution of thalamocortical terminal fields were observed. The autoradiographic material indicated that in prefrontal cortex the bulk of thalamocortical fibers terminate in layer III while in motor cortex they terminate primarily in layer V. A third pattern was shared by temporal, occipital and parietal cortex where the bulk of thalamocortical fibers terminate preferentially in layer IV. The data derived from the rats which had received thalamic injections of HRP and [3H]leucine in combination indicated that the connections between cortex and thalamus are in general reciprocal. These results are discussed with regard to earlier studies using classical or more recently developed neuroanatomical methods.
Stability of 111In-Bleomycin in vivo —Properties compared with 57Co-bleomycin

111Indium-bleomycin (111In-BLM) and 57Co-bleomycin (57Co-BLM) were prepared and their distributions were compared in the tissues, blood, and urine in tumor-bearing and in untreated mice and rats. Autoradiographs of electrophoresis gels showed that patterns for urine from untreated and tumor-bearing animals, collected 1–3 h or 48 h after injection of 111In-BLM were similar to those for in vitro mixtures of urine and 111In-BLM, but differed from the patterns obtained with 111InCl3 under in vivo or in vitro conditions. In rats bearing mammary adenocarcinoma, 48 h after administration of the radio-pharmaceutical, the activity ratio of tumor to eleven different tissues was 1.2–4.6 times higher for injected 111In-BLM than for 111InCl3 (P≦0.001 or P≦0.05). Imaging with a gamma camera depicted tumors in mice more distinctly with 111In-BLM than with 111InCl3. These findings were interpreted as reflecting the stability of 111In-BLM in vivo. The tumor concentration (%dose/g) was higher for the viable area than for the necrotic area for 111In-BLM, but the reverse was true for 57Co-BLM.
Automation potential of pipe laying operations

Abstract This paper introduces the automation/robotization potential of the underground construction pipe laying operation. A conceptual design will be presented and the steps necessary for conducting a feasibility study to analyze the automation/robotization potential of this proposed concept will be described.
Farm Animal Research in Crisis

The annual economic value of livestock and poultry sales in the United States currently exceeds $132 billion ( 1 ), yet only about 0.04% ($32.15 million) ( 2 ) of the $88 billion Department of Agriculture (USDA) budget in fiscal year 2007 ( 3 ) was allocated to its competitive grants program for research that directly involves agriculturally important domestic animals. By contrast, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) apportioned 4.1% ($29.5 billion) of its $716 billion budget in fiscal year 2008 to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of which ∼80% supported extramural research ( 4 ). Whether this direct comparison between USDA and DHHS is appropriate may be debatable; still, it clearly illustrates the huge disparity in total budget available for research grants focused on animal agriculture, about 1/918th that for human health. The private sector does invest in agricultural research and development, but, understandably, such funds are highly focused on commercial interests and not on basic research of the kind we discuss.
Reduced sweating threshold during exercise-induced hyperthermia

Two methods have been proposed previously for evaluating thermoregulatory responses to isolated core temperature perturbations. One involves clamping skin temperature at 28°C by water immersion and elevating core temperature by exercise. In the other, core temperature is reduced by central venous infusion of cold fluid while skin temperature is kept constant near 36°C. The sweating-to-shivering temperature range determined using the first protocol is ≈0.6±0.2°C, but is 1.4±0.6°C using the second. The authors tested the hypothesis that the disparity results from an exercise-induced reduction in the sweating threshold. The sweating threshold was determined three times each in six men, with skin temperature kept constant (36.5–37.0°C) throughout. The first threshold (control) was in response to gradual core hyperthermia that resulted from a skin temperature sufficiently high to prevent dissipation of metabolic heat. The second threshold (exercise) was in response to exercise-induced hyperthermia, and followed a period of core cooling (≈ 1°C) induced by central venous infusion of cold lactated Ringer's solution. The purpose of the central venous cooling was to reduce core temperature to a level well below the sweating threshold. The third threshold (recovery) again resulted from a skin temperature sufficiently high to prevent dissipation of metabolic heat. The control sweating threshold was 0.7±0.2°C greater than during exercise (P<0.01), but virtually identical to that during recovery. Since the control and recovery thresholds were similar, hyperhydration (necessary in this protocol) appears not to have influenced sweating thresholds. Our results thus indicate that exercise per se reduces the sweating threshold sufficiently to explain reported differences in the sweating-to-shivering range.
Dewey: A Pragmatist View of History

Abstract Despite the centrality of the idea of history to Dewey’s overall philosophical outlook, his brief treatment of philosophical issues in history has never attracted much attention, partly because of the dearth of the available material. Nonetheless, as argued in this essay, what we do have provides an outline of a comprehensive pragmatist view of history distinguished by an emphasis on methodological pluralism and a principled opposition to thinking of historical knowledge in correspondence terms. The key conceptions of Dewey’s philosophy of history discussed in this paper – i.e. historical constitution of human nature, constructivist ontology of historical events, as well as the belief that the proper form of historical judgments is underwritten by the category of continual change – are discussed with a view to the current challenges in philosophy of history, e.g. the contest between naturalism and rationalism, objectivity and relativism, questions surrounding the function of narrative in history, and the relationship of history to the problems of identity and self-knowledge. The intended upshot of the essay is to suggest that Dewey’s brief yet substantial analysis may be capable of supplying the guiding principles for articulating a viable and promising pragmatist (and naturalist) conception of historical knowledge.
Federal budgeting prognosis: madison's nightmare ?

The process of budgeting for the federal government has broken down, leading to annual gridlock, misleading budget accords, and ever larger national deficits. This process failure (as evidenced by the ineffectiveness of Gramm-Rudman-Hollings legislation, “tricky” government accounting practices, and suspicion surrounding the 1990 Budget Summit agreement) has its roots in the very safeguards created by Founding Father James Madison. A “Madisonian Nightmare” of partisan politics and powerful, stable interest groups now makes achieving responsible federal budgets nearly impossible.
Very low human Papillomavirus DNA prevalence in mature women with negative computer-imaged liquid-based Pap tests.

BACKGROUND. The prevalence of high-risk Human Papillomavirus DNA (hrHPV DNA) in women with negative Papanicolaou (Pap) test results provides a measure of residual risk for cervical neoplasia after cytology screening. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of hrHPV DNA in several thousand women ages ≥30 years with negative ThinPrep Imaging System (TIS)-imaged Pap test results in a large academic hospital cytology laboratory. METHODS. All cytology-negative TIS-imaged ThinPrep Pap tests (TPPT) with hrHPV DNA tests that were performed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) method from May 1, 2005 to November 20, 2006 were identified and reviewed. Imaged-negative Pap test slides associated with a positive hrHPV DNA test result were rescreened manually. Variation in hrHPV DNA prevalence was assessed for different age and ethnic groups. RESULTS. Of 8070 imaged cytology-negative TPPT from women ages 11 to 90 years, hrHPV DNA test results were also available. Among 7426 women ages ≥30 years with a cytology-negative, TIS-imaged, Pap test, a significant age-associated decline in hrHPV DNA prevalence was noted, 3.4% in 3050 women ages 30–45 years, 2.4% in 7426 women ages 30–90 years, and 1.8% in 5491 women ages 40–90 years. The hrHPV DNA-positive rate was 2.3% in 6012 imaged cytology-negative white women and 4.1% in 739 imaged cytology-negative black women. CONCLUSIONS. Very low HC2 hrHPV DNA rates in 7426 women ages ≥30 years with cytology-negative, TIS-imaged, ThinPrep, Pap tests were similar to recently published data from 1 other academic center and lower than rates reported in previous studies on cytology-negative North American or European women screened manually with conventional or liquid-based Pap tests. These data may impact assessments of how best to combine cytology and HPV testing. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Preservice teachers use the newspaper to teach science and social studies literacy

This paper investigates the effectiveness of using the newspaper to teach science and social studies. Within a rural public school setting, preservice and inservice teachers used the newspaper to develop lessons in science and social studies for grades K, 2, 3, 5, and 6. Attitudinal measures were collected from preservice teachers, inservice teachers, and elementary students towards the use of the newspaper as an educational tool in the classroom. Semantic mapping was used to measure the effectiveness of using the newspaper to increase science and social studies conceptual awareness. Results indicate positive attitudes and a substantial increase in conceptual awareness among subjects within this study.
Adenoma of the common bile duct : endoscopic diagnosis and resection

Adenomas of the common bile duct are a rare and unusual cause of bile duct obstruction, with only a few cases recorded in the medicalliterature.s Since the advent of endoscopy, adenomas of the duodenum and ampulla of Vater presenting with cholestasis have been commonly documented.11 However, recorded cases of adenomas arising within the common bile duct are still rare, and largely confined to the surgical literature.s We present, what is to our knowledge, the first case in the English language literature of an adenoma of the common bile duct presenting with biliary obstruction as diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERe) and endoscopically resected.
Subduction zone melting of pelagic sediments constrained by melting experiments

The fate of pelagic sediments in subduction zones has an important bearing on global geochemical cycles and the thermal structure of subduction zones. Recent mass-balance calculations have indicated that about 20% of subducted sediments are recycled to volcanic arcs. Trace-element studies of these volcanic arcs imply that the subducted sediment melts while the gabbroic crust that underlies it dehydrates. This requires a rather specific thermal structure in subduction zones. Here we report laboratory melting experiments that allow us to derive melting curves for pelagic red clay at pressures of up to 40 kbar, equivalent to depths of 120 km within the mantle. The melting behaviour of wet red clay is similar to that for wet gabbro, but melting occurs at a slightly lower temperature, showing that sediment melting and gabbro dehydration can occur at the same temperature. The combination of trace-element data and phase diagrams such as that derived here may thus be used to constrain the temperature of the slab–mantle boundary.
Characteristics of 252Cf neutron sources used for radiotherapy

Abstract Medical neutron sources using 252 Cf are currently available for both intracavitary and interstitial radiotherapy. Neutron absorbed dose distributions have been measured primarily with applicator tube sources but are little affected by variations in source encapsulation. Agreement among various laboratories is poorer for neutrons than for gamma rays, which typically contribute only about one third of the total absorbed dose near the source. Recommended neutron dosimetry data, corrected for geometrical attenuation, show a slowly varying exponential decrease with distance from the source, with a value at 1 cm of about 2·4 rad cm 2 μg −1 hr −1 . Measured average LET's range from 30 to 45 keV μ −1 , depending on the contribution of gamma rays to the dose. A new, small afterloading cell for interstitial brachytherapy will incorporate onlyen ough beta ray filtration to reduce the beta-gamma dose rate at 0·5 cm to approximately the neutron dose rate level.
Quantum Electrodynamical Effects in Kerr-Newmann Geometries

Following the classical approach of Sauter, of Heisenberg and Euler and of Schwinger the process of vacuum polarization in the field of a "bare" Kerr-Newman geometry is studied. The value of the critical strength of the electromagnetic fields is given together with an analysis of the feedback of the discharge on the geometry. The relevance of this analysis for current astrophysical observations is mentioned.
Electromagnetic measurement of iliac artery blood flow in the rat: on-line integration of flow

The results reported in this study demonstrate that the electromagnetic method of blood flow determination can be used to measure flow in a vessel serving the hindquarter vascular bed of the rat. Furthermore, since the total volume of blood passing through the artery can be determined by continuous integration of blood flow rate, alterations in volume by vasoactive agents indicate that vascular sensitivity can be quantitated in millilitres over any selected time interval.