cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced joint motion supersedes asymmetry in explaining increased metabolic demand during walking with mechanical restriction.

Abstract Recent research has highlighted the complex interactions among chronic injury- or disease-induced joint limitations, walking asymmetry, and increased metabolic cost. Determining the specific metabolic impacts of asymmetry or joint impairment in clinical populations is difficult because of concurrent neurological and physiological changes. This work investigates the metabolic impact of gait asymmetry and joint restriction by unilaterally (asymmetric) and bilaterally (symmetric) restricting ankle, knee, and combined ankle and knee ranges of motion in unimpaired individuals. We calculated propulsive asymmetry, temporal asymmetry, and step-length asymmetry for an average gait cycle; metabolic rate; average positive center of mass power using the individual limbs method; and muscle effort using lower limb electromyography measurements weighted by corresponding physiological cross-sectional areas. Unilateral restriction caused propulsive and temporal asymmetry but less metabolically expensive gait than bilateral restriction. Changes in asymmetry did not correlate with changes in metabolic cost. Interestingly, bilateral restriction increased average positive center of mass power compared to unilateral restriction. Further, increased average positive center of mass power correlated with increased energy costs, suggesting asymmetric step-to-step transitions did not drive metabolic changes. The number of restricted joints reduces available degrees of freedom and may have a larger metabolic impact than gait asymmetry, as this correlated significantly with increases in metabolic rate for 7/9 participants. These results emphasize symmetry is not by definition metabolically optimal, indicate that the mechanics underlying symmetry are meaningful, and suggest that available degrees of freedom should be considered in designing future interventions.
Dual-energy CT imaging over non-overlapping, orthogonal arcs of limited-angular ranges.

Background Interest exists in dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) imaging with scanning arcs of limited-angular ranges (LARs) for reducing scan time and radiation dose, and for enabling scan configurations of C-arm CT that can avoid possible collision between the rotating X-ray tube/detector and the imaged subject. Objective In this work, we investigate image reconstruction for a type of configurations of practical DECT interest, referred to as the two-orthogonal-arc configuration, in which low- and high-kVp data are collected over two non-overlapping arcs of equal LAR α, ranging from 30° to 90°, separated by 90°. The configuration can readily be implemented, e.g., on CT with dual sources separated by 90° or with the slow-kVp-switching technique. Methods The directional-total-variation (DTV) algorithm developed previously for image reconstruction in conventional, single-energy CT is tailored to enable image reconstruction in DECT with two-orthogonal-arc configurations. Results Performing visual inspection and quantitative analysis of monochromatic images obtained and effective atomic numbers estimated, we observe that the monochromatic images of the DTV algorithm from LAR data are with substantially reduced LAR artifacts, which are observed otherwise in those of existing algorithms, and thus visually correlate reasonably well, in terms of metrics PCC and nMI, with their reference images obtained from full-angular-range data. In addition, effective atomic numbers estimated from LAR data of DECT with two-orthogonal-arc configurations are in reasonable agreement, with relative errors up to ∼ 10%, with those estimated from full-angular-range data in DECT. Conclusions The results acquired in the work may yield insights into the design of LAR configurations of practical dual-energy application relevance in diagnostic CT or C-arm CT imaging.
Reactions of co-ordinated ligands—II

Abstract A convenient method for the preparation of a new class of iron isonitrile complexes, (RCH 2 NC) 5 Fe II CNX(I), from alkali ferrocyanides and alkyl halides activated in the α-position by a carbon-carbon double bond is described. The structure proof for (C 6 H 5 CH 2 NC) 5 FeCNBr is given by its conversions to (C 6 H 5 CH 2 NC) 4 Fe(CN) 2 and (C 6 H 5 CH 2 NC) 6 FeBr 2 ; hydrolysis to benzylamine; reduction to benzylamine and N-methylbenzylamine, and oxidation to benzoic acid. The preparation of (RCH 2 NC) 4 Fe(CN) 2 (II) and (RCH 2 NC) 6 FeBr 2 (III) complexes from (I) or directly from alkali ferrocyanides is given. The probable reaction mechanism of this reaction is the displacement of halide from the alkyl halide by the ferrocyanide anion or the partially alkylated ferrocyanide anion. Both the ionization of the alkyl halide and the nucleophilicity of the anion appear to influence the rate of the reaction.
Formation of pattern in regenerating tissue pieces of Hydra attenuata: III. The shaping of the body column

Excised pieces of hydra body tissue of varying size and shape regenerate into cylinders with a head and foot at opposite ends. The numbers of cells along the axial and circumferential dimensions were determined before, during, and after regeneration. The main process in shaping the excised tissue into a body column was found to be a rearrangement of the cells. When regenerates of different size were measured, the proportions of the body columns were found to vary, such that the smaller the animal the squatter the body column was. The presence of the head in regenerates was necessary for the formation or maintenance of the cylindrical shape, while the size of the head determined the proportions of the cylinder. The formation of a gradient of adhesivity induced by the developing head is suggested as the basis for the rearrangement of the cells into the cylindrical form.
A lossy image codec based on index coding

Summary form only. We propose a new lossy image codec based on index coding. Both Shapiro's embedded zerotree wavelet algorithm, and Said and Pearlman's codetree algorithm use spatial orientation tree structures to implicitly locate the significant wavelet transform coefficients. A direct approach to find the positions of these significant coefficients is presented. The new algorithm combines the discrete wavelet transform, differential coding, variable-length coding of integers, ordered bit plane transmission, and adaptive arithmetic coding. The encoding can be stopped at any point, which allows a target rate or distortion metric to be met exactly. The bits in the bit stream are generated in the order of importance, yielding a fully embedded code to successively approximate the original image source; thus it is well suited for progressive image transmission. The decoder can also terminate the decoding at any point, and produce a lower bit rate reconstruction image. Our algorithm is very simple in its form (which will make the encoding and decoding very fast), requires no training of any bind or prior knowledge of image sources, and has a clear geometric structure. The image coding results of it are quite competitive with almost all previous reported image compression algorithms on standard test images.
Analyzing Ideas and Tracing Discursive Interactions in Institutional Change: From Historical Institutionalism to Discursive Institutionalism

Comparative political economists who use historical institutionalism have made great contributions in describing what happened in cases of political economic change in advanced industrialized democracies, but they have great difficulty explaining much of why this happened. This paper argues that a discursive institutionalist analytic framework helps to explain why, and it will show how by offering methodological guidelines for the analysis of ideas and discourse in action. It will focus on such issues as the timing and content of change, both revolutionary and evolutionary; the agents and context of change through their articulation of ideas in discursive interactions in both the meaning-based frameworks of communication and the structural frameworks elucidated by historical institutionalists. The paper illustrates throughout with examples from the historical and discursive institutionalist literatures on national capitalisms and welfare states.
The Economists and the Problem of Monopoly

For much too long a time, students of the history of the American antitrust policy have been at least mildly perplexed by the coolness with which American economists greeted the Sherman Act. Was not the nineteenth century the period in which the benevolent effects of competition were most widely extolled? Should not a profession praise a Congress which seeks to legislate its textbook assumptions into universal practice? And with even modest foresight, should not the economists have seen that the Sherman Act would put more into economists' purses than perhaps any other law ever passed? Of course there were partial explanations. The coolness of the economists sometimes rested more on disbelief in the efficacy of the Sherman Act than on hostility to its purpose. The route of regulation was preferred-although this preference hardly restores the reputations of those economists as prophets. One might even point out that there were not many good American economists at the time, although an undeniable giant such as Irving Fisher shared the common view. I intend on this occasion to review the attitudes of economists toward monopoly as a problem in public policy. My subject, however, is a good deal broader than the Sherman Act and its reception: the last two centuries of the economic writings on monopoly policy, particularly in England and the United States, will be surveyed. Thereafter I shall examine the reciprocal effects of economics and antitrust policy.
Reformulation/Reuse of Explosives, Propellants and Pyrotechnics for Commercial Applications

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) faces many environmental issues and concerns in the demilitarization and disposal of obsolete, execs and unserviceable munition items. Removal technology has already been demonstrated for the majority of explosive and propellant loaded items but the reclaimed energetic material is being destroyed by OB/OD or other destruction technologies. Increased concern for the protection of the environment has mandated that DoD must pursue improved methods of munitions demilitarization while maximizing ingredient recovery. For the past few years, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NAVSURFWARCENDIV), Crane, Indiana has concentrated on reclaiming the valuable energetics with subsequent reformulating for commercial applications.
Effects of additives on graphitisability of carbons and graphite

The effect of additives to the green mix on the subsequent graphitisability of various carbons and graphites has been studied using X-ray diffraction techniques. The carbons have been characterised in terms of the structural parameters, La, Lc, d0002 and p. It is concluded that metallic iron (or sometimes other catalysing additives) produces little enhancement of graphitisability in materials which are known to be intrinsically graphitising on the Franklin scale (for example chars from PVC, petroleum and pitch). The cooking of petroleum, prior to mixing with a binder, is shown to predetermine the form that the coke will assume as the grist in the graphitised artefact. It is suggested as a consequence that it should be possible to investigate the effect that the grist and binder components have separately on the various physical properties of a heat-treated artefact. It is shown that the addition of metallic impurities substantially enhances the degree of graphitisation and crystallinity attainable in a given heat treatment of classical non-graphitising carbons (furan coke and cellulose). By contrast, for an archetypical graphitising material (PVC char), the crystallinity and structural perfection potentially attainable on heat treatment are considerably decreased as a result of the addition of sulphur.
Glomerulotubular balance, dietary protein, and the renal response to glycine in diabetic rats

The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) normally increases during glycine infusion, which is a test of “renal reserve.” Renal reserve is absent in diabetes mellitus. GFR increases after protein feedin...
Deep Learning in Intermediate Microeconomics: Using Scaffolding Assignments to Teach Theory and Promote Transfer

Intermediate microeconomics is typically viewed as a theory and tools course that relies on algorithmic problems to help students learn and apply economic theory. However, the authors’ assessment research suggests that algorithmic problems by themselves do not encourage students to think about where the theory comes from, why the theory is relevant, or under what conditions different theories and tools should be applied. In this article, the authors draw upon current learning theory to develop a sequence of scaffolding assignments that move students from well-structured algorithmic problems to ill-structured applied problems which encourage more elaborate and robust processing of course concepts. Their assessment data suggest that these assignments promote deep learning of economic theory as well as enhanced ability to transfer learning to later courses.
Operating experience with a fluidized bed test combustor

This paper presents operating experience with a fluidized bed combustor burning various coals. The primary focus is on the effect of relevant coal properties on combustor performance. Tests were carried out using anthracite, HVB and HVC bituminous and sub-bituminous A coals, and petroleum coke. Comparisons of the performance of the combustion on the various fuels are made. A two-stage fluidized bed combustor operating in a single-stage mode without recycle was employed. Experimental measurements included temperature, fuel feed rate, fluidization velocity and bed height. For some of the coals, bed agglomeration was found to occur. The results indicate that coal properties have an important effect upon the operation of the fluidized bed combustor.
COMPUTERIZED ANALYSIS OF BLOOD-GAS EQUILIBRIA Part I CO2 Titration of Oxygenated Whole Blood

Carbon dioxide-induced changes in the acid-base status of oxygenated whole blood are analyzed using fundamental physiochemical constraints and equilibrium data. Emphasis is placed on the influences of red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) and osmosis upon pH. The ratio of CO2induced hematocrit and plasma pH changes in normal blood is found to be −0.03, in agreement with the literature value. Changes in pH due to CO2 also agree with published data. The [DPG]-dependence of hematocrit and pH changes is calculated to be very small. Neglect of hematocrit changes introduces only slight error in the calculation of pH changes.
Relative abundance and seasonal activity of earthworms (Lumbricidae and Megascolecidae) as determined by hand-sorting and formalin extraction in forest soils on the southern Appalachian Piedmont

Abstract The relative efficiency of different sampling methods for earthworms may vary with site characteristics, season and earthworm species. We conducted a study in which earthworms were collected by hand-sorting and by formalin extraction in a successional, mixed hardwood-pine forest. The efficiency of each collecting technique was assessed in terms of seasonal trends, soil physical properties and species collected. Earthworm community age structure and seasonal temperature and moisture trends were the factors most integral to the efficiency of each technique. Results indicate that for the part of the year in which small juvenile earthworms were most abundant (November-May), hand-sorting was far superior to formalin extration. However, for the remainder of the year, the efficiency of the two techniques did not vary significantly. The formalin extraction method was more effective than hand-sorting for the collection of Lumbricus terrestris L., but not for any other species. Soil physical properties such as pH and texture, while important in distributional patterns of earthworms, did not have a significant effect on the efficiency of the collection techniques.
Generation of autologous Epstein-Barr virus-specific cytotoxic T cells for adoptive immunotherapy in solid organ transplant recipients.

Background Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-driven posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) affect 2%-27% of solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Adoptive immunotherapy may have therapeutic potential in this setting, but there is little experience in generating autologous EBV-specific cytotoxic T-cell lymphocytes (EBV-CTLs) from SOT recipients, and their efficacy and persistence in an immunosuppressed environment is unknown. Methods EBV-CTLs were generated from eight SOT recipients, using weekly stimulations with autologous lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) and interleukin-2. CTL phenotype and function were evaluated in the presence of therapeutic concentration of cyclosporin A or FK506. Results In all cases, CTLs expanded with normal kinetics. The majority was CD3+CD8+ (mean, 76%), with less than 3% of natural killer cells. All ex vivo-generated CTLs produced significantly higher killing of autologous LCLs than of HLA-mismatched LCLs (mean, 56% vs. 14% at 20:1 ratio). No lysis of autologous or allogeneic PHA blasts was observed. The CTL expansion rate was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of immunosuppressive drugs; however, neither lytic activity nor phenotype was affected. Conclusions Using methods that are approved for clinical application, EBV-CTLs can be generated from SOT recipients, even those with frank lymphoma, or who are receiving immunosuppressive drugs. These CTLs retain their function in the presence of immunosuppressive agents. Although in vivo efficacy, safety, and persistence can be assessed only in clinical trials, our results suggest that CTLs can be effective for the treatment of PTLD, even when immunosuppression cannot be reduced because of the high risk of graft rejection.
The general equilibria of a spinning satellite in a circular orbit.

Let a rigid satellite move in a circular orbit about a spherically symmetric central body, taking into account only the main term of the gravitational torque. We investigate and find all solutions of the following problem. Let the satellite be permitted to spin about an axis that is fixed in the orbit frame; the satellite need not be symmetric, the spin not uniform, and the spin axis not a principal axis of inertia. The complete discussion of this type of spin reveals that the cases found by Lagrange and by Pringle - and the well-known spin about a principal axis of inertia orthogonal to the orbit plane - are essentially the only ones possible.
Structure and properties of polyurethanes based on halogenated and nonhalogenated soy–polyols

Four polyols were prepared by a ring opening of epoxidized soybean oil with HCl, HBr, methanol, and by hydrogenation. Two series of polyurethanes were prepared by reacting the polyols with two commercial isocyanates: PAPI and Isonate 2143L. Generally, the properties of the two series were similar. The crosslinking density of the polyurethane networks was analyzed by swelling in toluene. Brominated polyols and their corresponding polyurethanes had the highest densities, followed by the chlorinated, methoxylated, and hydrogenated samples. The polyurethanes with brominated and chlorinated polyols had comparable glass transition and strength, somewhat higher than the polyurethane from methoxy containing polyol, while the polyurethane from the hydrogenated polyol had lower glass-transition and mechanical properties. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 4062–4069, 2000
A confirmatory note on the effects of captivity and space on the behavior of the black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludicianus)

Abstract The annual cycle of agonistic behavior exhibited by captive prairie dogs in the Philadelphia Zoo was also observed in a colony in the St. Louis Zoo. This behavior appeared to be an adaptation of a similar cycle exhibited by females in the wild. By scaling down the coterie territory to the size of the female's nesting territory in the wild, the need for agonistic behavior was reduced to a short period of time. Thus, territorial adjustment apparently lessened the amount of stressors imposed on the prairie dog individual. By the associated reduction in stress, the prairie dog can maintain the essential characteristics of its natural social structure.
PROLACTIN AND THE ENCEPHALOPATHY OF REYE'S SYNDROME

Abstract Serum prolactin and plasma tyramine were measured in twelve patients with liver-biopsy proven Reye's syndrome. Three patients who reached stage-IV coma had a mean peak serum prolactin of 60.7 ng/ml±33·7 ng/ml (±SEM), whereas the remaining nine patients with less severe neurological abnormalities had serum prolactin of 10-3 ng/ml±3·4 ng/ml. Plasma tyramine on admission was significantly higher (3·04 ng/ml±0·89 ng/ml) than that in controls (0·8-1·2 ng/ml), and plasma tyramine concentration correlated with duration of coma. In four patients who progressed to stage III coma or deeper, ventricular-fluid dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline were measured. Ventricular-fluid dopamine was substantially higher in all 4 Reye's patients than in other hospital patients without encephalopathy. In patients with Reye's syndrome, hyperprolactinaemia may be related to hypothalamic dopamine depletion and such patients may benefit from pharmacological treatment of encephalopathy with bromocriptine or levodopa.
The Continuous Spectrum Approximation in Quantum Statistics

A class $O$ of systems of noninteracting quantum-mechanical particles is defined, so that it is often justifiable to approximate a given system of particles as a system of class $O$. A "limit $L$" is defined as the limiting case which arises of the number of particles $N$ and the volume $V$ of the system are both allowed to tend to infinity so as to keep the ratio $\frac{N}{V}$ a finite and nonzero constant. It is shown that if one wishes to calculate the mean value of an extensive variable, as averaged over a canonical or over a grand canonical ensemble, for a system of class $O$ in the limit $L$, one can apply the continuous spectrum approximation directly to the particle quantum states (excepting, possibly, the states which belong to the lowest energy level) without using a limiting process.
Complications after the Norwood operation: An analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database

Background Limited multicenter data exist regarding the prevalence of postoperative complications after the Norwood operation and their associated mortality risk. Methods We evaluated infants in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database who underwent the Norwood operation from 2000 to 2009. The prevalence of postoperative complications after the Norwood operation and associated in-hospital mortality were described. Patient factors associated with complications were evaluated in multivariable analyses. Results A total of 2,557 patients from 53 centers were included. Median age at operation was 6 days (interquartile range, 4 to 9 days) and 90% had a right dominant ventricle. Overall mortality was 22%, and 75% had 1 complication or more. Mortality increased with increasing number of complications: 1 complication, 17%; 2 complications, 21%; 3 complications, 26%; 4 complications, 33%; and 5 or more complications, 45%. Renal and cardiovascular complications carried the greatest mortality risk. Patient factors associated with 1 complication or more included weight less than 2.5 kg (odds ratio [OR], 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 2.1), single right versus single left ventricle (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.01 to 2.0), preoperative shock (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1 to 2.1), non–cardiac/genetic abnormality (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.9), and preoperative mechanical ventilatory (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.6) or circulatory (OR 4.0; 95%CI, 1.6 to 10.2) support. Conclusions Complications after the Norwood operation are common, carry significant mortality risk, and are associated with several preoperative patient characteristics. These data may aid in providing prognostic information to families and in guiding quality improvement initiatives.
Stimulation by Insulin and Glucagon of Ornithine Decarboxylase Activity in Perfused Rat Livers

The effects of insulin and glucagon on ornithine decarboxylase activity were determined in perfused rat livers and compared with the effects of these agents on tyrosine aminotransferase. Insulin stimulated ornithine decarboxylase activity with or without amino acids in the perfusion medium. Glucagon stimulated this enzyme in perfusions with added amino acids, but decreased it in the absence of added amino acids. Tyrosine aminotransferase was increased by both agents with or without added amino acids. The increase in ornithine decarboxylase began in the second or third hour of perfusion, whereas tyrosine aminotransferase increased within 1 hr of hormone addition. (Endocrinology 93: 640, 1973)
Storage phosphor digital mammography

Summary Digital mammography using storage phosphor CR is still in the investigational stage. It is the only digital mammography system that has been tested in preliminary clinical trials with promising early results. Further clinical studies are needed to assess the impact of the limited spatial resolution of storage phosphor technology on its application as a digital screening mammography system. Further studies also are needed to determine the optimum image processing parameters needed in digital mammography.
Operational performance of validated physiologic scoring systems for predicting in-hospital mortality among critically ill emergency department patients.

Objectives:New Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II, Morbidity Probability Model at admission (MPM0 II), and Logistic Organ Dysfunction System (LODS) have all demonstrated high accuracy for predicting mortality in intensive care unit populations. We tested the prognostic accuracy of these ins
Effect of hydrophobic and hydrophilic additives on sol–gel transition and release behavior of timolol maleate from polycaprolactone-based hydrogel

The objective of this work was to delineate the effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymeric additives on sol–gel transition and release profile of timolol maleate (TM) from poly (ethylene glycol)–poly (e-caprolactone)– poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG–PCL–PEG)-based thermosensitive hydrogel. Polycaprolactone (hydrophobic additive) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (hydrophilic additive) reduced critical gel concentration of PEG–PCL–PEG triblock polymer. The effect of PCL on sol–gel transition was more pronounced than PVA. However, with PCL no statistically significant difference in release profile was observed. The effect of PVA on release profile was more pronounced, which reduced the cumulative percentage release of TM from 86.4±0.8% to 73.7±1.8% over 316 h. Moreover, cytotoxicity of the hydrogel was also investigated utilizing rabbit primary corneal epithelial culture cells. No significant cytotoxicity of hydrogel alone or in presence of additives was observed. So, polymeric additive strategy serves as a valuable tool for optimizing TM release kinetics from PEG–PCL–PEG hydrogel matrix.
Impact of charge state on gas-phase behaviors of noncovalent protein complexes in collision induced dissociation and surface induced dissociation

Charge states of noncovalent protein complexes in the gas phase are known to affect their propensity for unfolding and dissociation. In this work, C-reactive protein (CRP) pentamer and Concanavalin A (ConA) tetramer at different charge states were subjected to collision induced dissociation (CID) and surface induced dissociation (SID) in a modified quadrupole/ion mobility/time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Charge manipulation was achieved through solution addition of charge reducing (triethylammonium acetate) or supercharging (3-nitrobenzylalcohol) reagents. The results show that charge reduction increases the stability of the proteins to dissociation and suppresses unfolding of the precursors. While CID becomes less effective at dissociation of charge reduced CRP and ConA, SID showed better preserved subunit contacts that are useful for quaternary structure elucidation. In contrast, supercharging of CRP and ConA leads to facile dissociation into subunits even for CID. The extent of precursor unfolding also increases with greater charge. Another interesting finding is that low-charge multimer products (dimers, trimers, etc.) seem to be collapsed after being released from the complexes. Further investigation is necessary to fully understand this behavior. The data presented here suggest that charge manipulation can be used to “tune” the dissociation behavior of noncovalent protein complexes in order to obtain the most useful information desired for structural analysis.
“Shortly They Will Play Me in What Forms They List upon the Stage”: Hamlet, Conscience, and the Earl of Essex

Abstract This essay explores the theme of conscience in Hamlet as it relates to Elizabethan Catholics and their hopes for Robert Devereux, second earl of Essex. Hamlet may represent Essex, the second half of the play being either a study of why Essex, put under house arrest in 1599, might delay taking bold action, or perhaps a negative example of how Essex ought not to proceed. Hamlet exhibits two traits that lead to delay, both applicable to Essex: rashness, and an overweening trust in Providence. These traits lead to tragedy in the play, as they would for Essex.
Cerambycid Pests of Sunflower: Distribution and Behavior in the Southern Plains

Ten species of Cerambycidae were collected from cultivars of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L., but only Mecas inornata Say, Ataxia hubbardi Fisher, and Dectes texanus LeConte are serious pests in the Rolling Plains and High Plains areas of Texas, and only M. saturnina LeConte and D. texanus attack sunflower in central and south Texas. Mecas inornata and M. saturnina were the most destructive of the girdling insects that attack sunflower. They destroyed as much as 20 to 62%, respectively, of plants in isolated areas. Also, M. inornata was observed to do considerable damage to wild H. annuus and to attack H. mollis Lambert, H. tuberosus L., H. salicifolius Dietr., and H. maximiliani Schrader in the Rolling Plains. Dectes texanus texanus LeConte attacked sunflower in the Rolling Plains southward, D. texan us alticola Casey was found on the High Plains of Texas, and D. texanus murinus Dillon was found in extreme West Texas. Distributional and alternate host records were made for the 10 species.
Porphyrin π-cation and protein radicals in peroxidase catalysis and inhibition by anti-thyroid chemicals

1. Thyroid peroxidase (TPO) catalyses the iodination and phenolic coupling reactions in the biosynthesis of thyroid hormones. 2. The two-electron oxidation of TPO by H2O2 produces an oxoferryl porphyrin pi-cation radical compound I that isomerizes spontaneously to a form of compound I that contains an oxoferryl haem and the second oxidizing equivalent as an amino acid radical. 3. The pi-cation radical compound I is the catalytic species that effects iodide ion oxidation and the protein radical compound I is most likely the catalytic species that catalyses coupling. 4. Methimazole, a therapeutic, anti-hyperthyroid drug, is a suicide substrate for TPO and effects irreversible inactivation by TPO-mediated S-oxygenation to a reactive sulphenic acid that binds covalently to the prosthetic haem. 5. Sulphamethazine and other arylamines containing electron-withdrawing substituents inhibit TPO compound I-mediated reactions by reversible, mixed-type inhibition. 6. Ethylenethiourea, a fungicide metabolite, blocks TPO-mediated iodination by reacting with the catalytic iodinating species as an alternate substrate. 7. Resorcinol and related dietary flavonoids are suicide substrates for TPO and act by covalent binding to amino acid residues, presumably those radical sites present in the compound I isomer. 8. Nitrosobenzene, a known radical-trapping agent, blocks TPO-mediated coupling but not iodination or phenolic oxidations presumably by interception of the 3,5-diiodotyrosyl radical species generated during the coupling reaction.
When a Random Walk of Fixed Length can Lead Uniformly Anywhere Inside a Hypersphere

A variation of the Pearson-Rayleigh random walk in which the steps are i.i.d. random vectors of exponential length and uniform orientation is considered. Conditioned on the total path length, the probability density function of the position of the walker after n steps is determined analytically in one and two dimensions. It is shown that in two dimensions n = 3 marks a critical transition point in the behavior of the random walk. By taking less than three steps and walking a total length l, one is more likely to end the walk near the boundary of the disc of radius l, while by taking more than three steps one is more likely to end near the origin. Somehow surprisingly, by taking exactly three steps one can end uniformly anywhere inside the disc of radius l. This means that conditioned on l, the sum of three vectors of exponential length and uniform direction has a uniform probability density.
The Market for Scholarly Communication

ABSTRACT This article provides an overview of the market for scholarly communication and how that market creates unusual positions for the producers, distributors, and consumers as compared to a traditional market for goods and services. Unlike traditional markets, the end users of scholarly communication are often not those responsible for the actual purchase and distribution of the products. The separation of end user and purchasers creates a number of interesting features that are explored in this article.
Desertification and the political agenda

Why, more than ten years after the United Nations Conference on Desertification, can so little progress on implementing the Plan of Action be reported? The answer lies, in part, in the characteristics of the issue. As an issue, desertification lacks definitional clarity, and geographic and resource specificity; it is intractable, long-term and latent; and it has a technical bias and no clearly defined villain. These characteristics make it difficult to muster the requisite political support needed to generate sustained policy attention from the public and decisionmakers. If the real problems encompassed by desertification are to be solved, the issue needs to be reframed and recast into a set of manageable and feasible objectives.
Post-quench ductility evaluation of Zircaloy-4 and select iron alloys under design basis and extended LOCA conditions

Abstract Oxidation experiments were conducted at 1200 °C in flowing steam with tubing specimens of Zircaloy-4, 317, 347 stainless steels, and the commercial FeCrAl alloy APMT. The purpose was to determine the oxidation behavior and post-quench ductility under postulated and extended LOCA conditions. The parabolic rate constant for Zircaloy-4 tubing samples at 1200 °C was determined to be k = 2.173 × 10 7 g 2 /cm 4 /s, in excellent agreement with the Cathcart–Pawel correlation. The APMT alloy experienced the slowest oxidation rate among all materials examined in this work. The ductility of post-quenched samples was evaluated by ring compression tests at 135 °C. For Zircaloy-4, the ductile to brittle transition occurs at an equivalent cladding reacted (ECR) of 19.3%. SS-347 was still ductile after being oxidized for 2400 s (CP–ECR ≈ 50%), but the maximum load was reduced significantly owing to the metal layer thickness reduction. No ductility decrease was observed for the post-quenched APMT samples oxidized up to 4 h.
Probe design for edge-effect reduction in eddy current inspection

Eddy current methods are used extensively in the nondestructive testing of aircraft structures and parts. One of the challenging problems in the inspection of aircraft structures is the detection of flaws in multi-layer geometries in the vicinity of edges. Very often the large contribution to the signal from the edges mask the information related to the defects. The design of new eddy current probes for reducing edge effects is therefore of significant interest. This paper investigates the design of a new eddy current probe for eliminating the edge effect. A simple method to focus the field is devised using a combination of two coils. The total field distribution is controlled by choosing the coil geometry and coil currents appropriately. Both the magnitude and phase of the currents in the tow coils are varied in order to obtain the desired flux pattern. The efficiency of these probe designs is demonstrated using finite element models. The probe parameters are optimized using finite element predictions. A probe built on the basis of this study is used to demonstrate experimentally the feasibility of the approach.
Mycophenolic acid trough level monitoring in solid organ transplant recipients treated with mycophenolate mofetil: association with clinical outcome.

ABSTRACTBackground: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is widely and successfully used in immunosuppressive regimens for the prophylaxis of organ rejection following transplantation. Conventionally, it is administered at a fixed dose without serial measurements of plasma concentrations of mycophenolic acid (MPA), the active metabolite. Recently, there has been an increased interest in therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of MMF therapy to optimize the benefit/risk index of the drug. Predose trough samples of MPA are considered most convenient and economic, thereby allowing an increased use of TDM in the transplant setting. However, the added value of TDM for MMF therapy is still under debate.Objective: This paper reviews (based on a systematic PubMed and EMBASE search, 1995–June 2006) the current evidence of the usefulness and clinical relevance of MPA trough level monitoring during MMF therapy in solid organ transplantation.Findings and conclusions: Based on data available in the public domain, the contribution of...
Boundary integral equations in three-dimensional elastostatics using the Boussinesq-Cerruti fundamental solution

Abstract A so-called traction-free fundamental solution rather than the conventional Kelvin fundamental solution is used to formulate the boundary integral equations for problems in three-dimensional elastostatics. For an isotropic material, the traction-free fundamental solution is a combination of the Boussinesq and Cerruti solutions. This formulation has two advantages over the conventional one. The first is that the boundary integral equations are less singular than the conventional formulation and converge in the normal sense rather than in the Cauchy principal value sense. The second is that a formal differentiation of the boundary integral representation for displacement leads to a valid integral representation for the in-plane stress components on the boundary in terms of the boundary displacements and tractions only. The analogous representation obtained from the conventional boundary integral equations does not converge.
Effect of Plasma Ion Bombardment on the Reflectance of Io's Trailing and Leading Hemispheres

The possible effect of a net difference in the ion bombardment flux to the surface of Io on the ratio of the reflectance spectra is investigated. Io's vapor-deposited surface layers are simulated by a laboratory-produced film of vapor-deposited SO2 with a small admixture (about 3 percent) of H2S and (about 0.1 percent) H2O. It is shown that the reflectance ratio in the UV/visible of the surface bombarded by keV ions to the unbombarded surface is surprisingly similar to the observed ratio of Io's trailing to leading hemispherical reflectance. The changes produced are either structural or involve products of species originally present in the sample.
Study on Home Caregiving for Elders with Alzheimer's and Memory Impairment

This article studies the cause and effect relationships home caregivers experience in the process of caring for family members with Alzheimer's and memory impairment. This study is unique in that i...
Carbon-11 hydroxyephedrine with positron emission tomography for serial assessment of cardiac adrenergic neuronal function after acute myocardial infarction in humans☆

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent and reversibility of neuronal abnormalities in patients with an acute myocardial infarction. Background. Previous experimental studies have described ischemic injury to sympathetic neurons exceeding the area of myocardial necrosis. Carbon-11 (C-11) hydroxyephedrine (HED) is a norepinephrine analogue that can be used for the noninvasive evaluation of neuronal integrity using positron emission tomography. Methods. We studied 14 volunteers and 16 patients experiencing a first acute myocardial infarction. Positron emission tomographic imaging was used to quantitatively compare regional perfusion, as assessed with nitrogen-13 ammonia, with myocardial retention of C-11 hydroxyephedrine early after myocardial infarction as well as >6 months after the acute event. Results. C-11 hydroxyephedrine and flow images demonstrated homogeneous tracer retention in volunteers but were abnormal in all patients. C-11 hydroxyephedrine abnormalities were more extensive than those for blood flow assessed by semiquantitative polar map analysis (31 ± 15% vs. 17 ± 17% left ventricle; p < 0.05), particularly in five patients with non-Q wave infarction (31 ± 11% vs. 3.5 ± 2.5% left ventricle; p = 0.008). Eleven patients with Q wave infarction had matched defects (28 ± 17% vs. 21 ± 17% left ventricle; p = NS). C-11 hydroxyephedrine tissue retention fraction was quantified in three tissue zones: zone 1 (abnormal rest flow) had retention fraction 0.037 ± 0.02−min; zone 2 (normal rest flow but decreased carbon-11 hydroxyephedrine retention) had retention fraction 0.068 ± .034−min, and zone 3 (normal flow and carbon-11 hydroxyephedrine retention) had retention fraction 0.087 ± 0.041−min(p = 0.0004). Follow-up studies at 8 ± 3 months in eight patients revealed no change in extent of abnormalities or absolute tissue tracer retention in infarct and peri-infarct territories. Conclusions. The results of abnormal regional sympathetic innervation in patients with infarction confirm previous experimental data and suggest persistent neuronal damage in infarct and peri-infarct territories, without evidence of reinnervation of reversibly injured myocardium.
Pure Time Delay Analysis for Decentralized Networked Control Systems

The network disturbance effect can be considered as either a perturbation or as a pure time delay for the exchanged signals. The network-induced time delay is one of the main challenges when a network is inserted in the feedback loops of a control system. In this paper, our objective is to improve the behavior of a Networked Control System (NCS) by analyzing the time-delay given that the decentralized control design method is adopted. First, we review an observer-based control method for decentralized control systems. Second, we establish a map between the decentralized non-networked system, and the typical NCS state-space representation. The main idea the mapping is to put the Decentralized Networked Control System (DNCS) in a general form and then map the resulting system to the typical NCS form. Third, we derive the global dynamics of the DNCS. Fourth, an upper bound for the time-delay is derived that guarantees the stability of LTI DNCSs. Finally, we present a numerical example that illustrates the applicability of the derived bound.© 2014 ASME
Differential activation of astrocytes by innate and adaptive immune stimuli.

The immunologic privilege of the central nervous system (CNS) makes it crucial that CNS resident cells be capable of responding rapidly to infection. Astro- cytes have been reported to express Toll-like receptors (TLRs), hallmark pattern recog- nition receptors of the innate immune system, and respond to their ligation with cytokine production. Astrocytes have also been reported to respond to cytokines of the adaptive immune system with the induction of antigen presentation functions. Here we have compared the ability of TLR stimuli and the adaptive immune cytokines interfer- on- (IFN-) and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) to induce a variety of immunologic functions of astrocytes. We show that innate signals LPS- and poly I:C lead to stronger upregulation of TLRs and production of the cytokines IL-6 and TNF- as well as innate immune effector molecules IFN-4, IFN-, and iNOS compared with cytokine-stimu- lated astrocytes. Both innate stimulation and adaptive stimulation induce similar ex- pression of the chemokines CCL2, CCL3, and CCL5, as well as similar enhancement of adhesion molecule ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression by astrocytes. Stimulation with adaptive immune cytokines, however, was unique in its ability to induce upregulation of MHC II and the functional ability of astrocytes to activate CD4 T cells. These results indicate potentially important and changing roles for astrocytes during the progression of CNS infection. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PSEUDO-PRIMACY EFFECTS IN FREE RECALL'

Summary.-Shiffrin (1970) has suggested that the primacy effect in the serial position curve is the result of the temporal distinctiveness of the initial items in the list. Given this assumption a pseudo-primacy effect should be observed in other parts of the list if distinctive cues are provided. The present experiments tested this prediction. The distinctive cues presented were a change from a male to a female reader (or vice versa) and a short pause in list presentation. Pseudo-primacy effects were produced and the shape of the serial position curve was changed to a significant degree. A number of recent models of memory have emphasized the role of the context in which information is given for memorization as an important factor in the memorization process (e.g., Norman & Rumelhart, 1970; Shiffrin, 1970). These models propose that one does not store the literal meaning of the stimu111s or its nature since this information is already stored before the experiment begins. Rather, memorization proceeds by the establishing of an association between pre-existing representarions of the stimuli (including their characteristics or attributes) and the experimental context in which they are given. According to Norman and Rumelhart (1970), recall then proceeds by retrieving all those attributes which have the proper contextual association and reconstructing the stimulus or item. Shiffrin (1970) conceives of all the icerns possessing [he contextual association as defining a search set. The probability of retrieving an item from the search set depends, in part, on its size. The larger the search set the lower the probability of recall. Any search restricted to a cercain part of the list should result in a higher probability of recall for the items in that part. In this way, Shiffrin (1970) can account for the primacy effect in the serial position curve without making a rehearsal assumption. The beginning of the list provides a natural and distinctive cue upon which to define a smaller search set, one for beginning items. Since at some point in recall the search process is restricted to this smaller part of the list, the probability of recall from this portion of the list is greater. It is essentially the von Restorff effect at work at the beginning of the list. It should be noted that this explanation of the primacy effect differs considerably from the more commonly cited explanation proposed by Glanzer and Cunitz (1966). They propose that recall is higher for the initial list items because they are retrieved from long-term storage. 'The present research was adapted from a doctoral dissertation done under the direction of Dr. John A. Robinson, and submitted to the Department of Psychology, University of