cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antihelminthics in Pregnancy and Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), primarily Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworm, inflict a substantial morbidity burden on poor populations living in tropical and subtropical regions. Chronic STH infections can cause intestinal blood loss and nutrient loss and/or malabsorption, which can result in or exacerbate iron deficiency, anaemia and other nutritional deficiencies. More than 1 billion people are infected with at least one STH, and at least 44 million pregnant women are infected with hookworm alone. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the harmful consequences of these parasitic infections due to increased nutritional demands during pregnancy. We aimed to determine the effect of antihelminthics in pregnancy on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) outcomes. A systematic review was conducted using online databases, and relevant articles were hand searched. We included four observational studies in the general review and four randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in the meta-analysis (total n = 3777 for the meta-analysis). Antihelminthics in pregnancy had no overall benefit on maternal anaemia [risk ratio (RR) = 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79, 1.10]], low birthweight (RR = 0.96 [95% CI 0.72, 1.29]) or perinatal mortality (RR = 0.98 [95% CI 0.58, 1.68]). The risk of very low birthweight was lower in the antihelminthics group (RR = 0.21 [95% CI 0.05, 0.83]); however, this estimate included data from only two trials (total n = 1936). In all four trials, antihelminthics in pregnancy significantly decreased the prevalence of STH infection. Three observational studies showed that antihelminthics in pregnancy improved maternal iron status, two studies reported beneficial effects on birthweight, and two studies found a beneficial effect on infant survival. Although few RCTs to date have failed to collectively demonstrate a clear beneficial impact of antihelminthics in pregnancy on maternal, newborn and child health outcomes, findings from observational studies suggest a potential benefit on maternal anaemia, birthweight and infant mortality. This meta-analysis was limited by a dearth of evidence from RCTs, and further trials examining the effect of antihelminthics starting in the second trimester of pregnancy in poor, STH-endemic regions with high rates of anaemia are needed.
A method for allelic replacement that uses the conjugative transposon Tn916: deletion of the emm6.1 allele in Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4.

Abstract The emm6.1 allele of Streptococcus pyogenes JRS4 was deleted by using the conjugative transposon Tn916. The aphA-3 gene, conferring resistance to kanamycin, was cloned between the sequences flanking the structural gene for the type 6 M protein (emm6.1) and inserted into the BstXI site of Tn916 to generate the chimeric transposon Tn916-5K3. Because the BstXI site lies in a nonessential region of Tn916, the chimeric transposon could transfer by conjugation from Bacillus subtilis into JRS4. In some of the transconjugants, Tn916-5K3 replaced the emm6.1 locus of JRS4 by homologous recombination between the cloned emm6.1-flanking regions and the resident chromosome. One recombinant studied in detail, JRS75, was kanamycin resistant and tetracycline sensitive and lacked immunologically detectable M6 protein. Furthermore, by Southern blot analysis, the DNA region encompassing the emm6.1 structural gene was found to have been replaced by aphA-3.
The lurcher gene induces apoptotic death in cerebellar Purkinje cells

In the neurologically mutant mouse strain lurcher (Lc), heterozygous animals display cell autonomous degeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells beginning in the second postnatal week. During the course of our studies to identify the genetic lesion responsible for this disease (Norman et al., 1991), we have formulated an hypothesis suggesting that in Lc Purkinje cells homeostasis is sufficiently perturbed to lead to the activation of programmed cell death, thus resulting in neuronal loss and the consequent neurologic disease (Heintz, 1993). To address this possibility, we have examined the properties of Lc Purkinje cells as they die during the second postnatal week. Our light and electron microscopic studies demonstrate that dying Lc Purkinje cells exhibit the characteristic morphologic features of apoptosis, including nuclear condensation, axon beading and membrane blebbing. Using an in situ end-labeling method, we have also detected nicked nuclear DNA in these cells. Furthermore, we have examined the expression of the sulfated glycoprotein 2 (SGP2), whose mRNA is induced in both T-cells and prostate epithelial cells undergoing apoptotic death. We show by in situ hybridization that SGP2 is not expressed at detectable levels in normal Purkinje cells, but that its mRNA is present in Lc Purkinje cells prior to their death. Also expression of the Kv3.3b potassium channel, which marks the terminal phase of Purkinje cell differentiation, is evident in Lc Purkinje cells prior to their death. These data demonstrate that the Lc mutation induces apoptosis in cerebellar Purkinje cells following their maturation in postnatal cerebellum. Isolation of the Lc mutation and further analysis of its action in eliciting apoptosis can provide an important opportunity for understanding the etiology of neurodegenerative disease.
Effects of palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids on hepatic and vascular lipid deposits

Hepatic and vascular lipid deposits were produced in rats by a diet containing hydrogenated coconut oil plus cholesterol. The effects of different amounts of palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids on these deposits were determined by histological examination and chemical analysis using silicic acid and gas-liquid chromatography. Marked regression of hepatic sterol esters and triglycerides was noted in the animals fed 5% or more of linoleate, but no effect on coronary lipid deposits was observed. When compared to a fat-free diet, oleate seemed to have no effect, whereas palmitate prevented the regression of hepatic sterol esters. The alterations in the fatty acid pattern of all the hepatic lipid fractions produced in animals by the cholesterol and coconut oil diet were reversed by 5% or more of dietary linoleate. There is suggestive evidence that linoleate induces increased synthesis of arachidonate. The latter fatty acid may then be incorporated into the structure of some phospholipids, which probably have a vital function in the transport of cholesterol and glycerides.
Analyzing a database of residential air leakage in the United States

Abstract We analyzed more than 70,000 air leakage measurements in houses across the United States to relate leakage area—the effective size of all penetrations of the building shell—to readily available building characteristics such as building size, year built, geographic region, and various construction characteristics. After adjusting for the lack of statistical representativeness of the data, we found that the distribution of leakage area normalized by floor area is approximately lognormal. Based on a classification tree analysis, year built and floor area are the two most significant predictors of leakage area: older and smaller houses tend to have higher normalized leakage areas than newer and larger ones. Multivariate regressions of normalized leakage are presented with respect to these two factors for three house classifications: low-income households, energy program houses, and conventional houses. We demonstrate a method of applying the regression model to housing characteristics from the American Housing Survey to derive a leakage-area distribution for all single-family houses in the US. The air exchange rates implied by these estimates agree reasonably well with published measurements.
Effects of global density ratio on the centerline mixing behavior of axisymmetric turbulent jets

Measurements, utilizing Rayleigh light scattering, of timeaveraged concentration and unmixedness have been made along the centerlines of axisymmetric turbulent jets formed from six pairs of jet and ambient gases. Jet to ambient density ratios range from 0.14 to 5.11. Findings are compared with predictions of an approx. similarity analysis and with extensive previous literature measurements. It is shown that virtual origins for plots of inverse time-averaged concentration are strongly dependent on global density ratio. Unmixedness values first grow with increasing distance from the jet source and then achieve an asymptote. The flow distance required to reach this asymptote is a strong function of density ratio.
On the Possibility of Grounding A Defense of Ecofeminist Philosophy

It is a pleasure to comment on Karen Warren's excellent book.1 The book is a treasure trove of discussions in ecofeminist philosophy that I am sure people will be drawing upon for years to come. In the introduction to the book, Warren says that her main goal is to present and defend a particular version of ecofeminist philosophy (xiii). In my brief comments, I want to consider how Warren understands that defense, consider how strong it is, and consider further how one might add to it to make it even stronger. As I was trying to figure out how best to understand Warren's defense of ecofeminist philosophy, I kept being reminded of Warren's conception of philosophy as quiltmaking.2 According to this conception, in philosophizing we bring together a wide array of ideas like patches with some prima facie constraining conditions, and we don't quite know what will emerge until we put all the ideas or patches together. Well, I sort of felt that way about Warren's various remarks throughout the book on how she understands herself to be defending a particular version of ecofeminist philosophy. They were like various patches that needed to be brought together to illuminate her defense. Moreover, according to Warren's conception of philosophy as quiltmaking, we will sometimes need to repair or replace certain ideas or patches in our philosophical quilt patches that we
Explanation of the “anomalous spectrum associated with sudden stark shifts”

Abstract Popular incorrectly interpreted the observation of incompletely modulated M = 0 components of l-doublet transitions of OCS as an “anomalous spectrum” due to transient effects.
Fracture toughness of alumina-niobium interfaces : experiments and analyses

Abstract The mixed-mode interfacial fracture toughness of an alumina/niobium system is investigated. The interface was formed by solid-state bonding bulk Coor's AD-999 fine-grain alumina with a commercial purity niobium. The interface is very sharp; data acquired from high-resolution electron microscopy indicate that the width of the interface is no more than ten atomic planes. Furthermore the thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials differ by less than 5% so that residual stresses produced by the bonding process are minimal. The interfacial fracture toughness of the alumina/niobium system under tension-dominated load states and various combinations of in-plane shear and tension have been measured. For comparison purposes, the toughness of alumina under mixed-mode loading conditions was also measured. The fracture toughness of alumina is relatively insensitive to mode mixity. In contrast, the fracture toughness of the alumina-niobium interface depends strongly on mode mixity. At a phase angle o...
Effective Local Exhaust Ventilation for Controlling Formaldehyde Exposures during Embalming

Abstract Previous studies have found that formaldehyde exposures to embalmers during the embalming process exceeded current occupational health criteria and standards. There are currently just over 20,000 mortuaries in the United States, employing 75,000 people. Mortuaries, as small businesses, typically do not have access to the occupational health and safety expertise that larger companies do. Therefore, a research study was conducted to develop and evaluate a local exhaust ventilation system to control formaldehyde exposures. The control design that was developed consisted of a pair of 6-ft-long slot hoods placed on each side of the embalming table. Through a series of laboratory tests, an optimum flow rate (20 m3/min) was determined for the local exhaust ventilation system. The final design was field tested at a college of mortuary science to determine its effectiveness. A series of 16 tests were conducted with a variety of different embalming procedures. For each test, two personal and three area sam...
Solar Fusion and The Coulomb Dissociation of 8 B; What Have We Learned and Where Do We Go from Here?

The much needed nuclear input to the Standard Solar Model, S 17(0), has now been measured with high precision (±5% or better) by different groups and good agreement is found, even when very different methods are employed. We review the decade long research program to measure the cross section of the 7Be(p,γ)8B reaction using the Coulomb dissociation method, including the pioneering RIKEN1 experiment carried out during March 1992, followed by RIKEN2, GSI1, GSI2 and an MSU experiment. Our RIKEN and GSI data allow us to rule out the much tooted large E2 contribution to the Coulomb dissociation of 8B. Specifically recent results of the MSU experiment are not confirmed. The GSI1 and GSI2 high precision measurements are in good (to perfect) agreement with the newly published high precision measurements of direct capture with 7Be targets. From these GSI-Seattle-Weizmann high precision data we conclude that the astrophysical cross section factor, S 17(0), is most likely in the range of 20–22 eV-b. We point out to an additional large uncertainty (−10% +3%) that still exists due to uncertainty in the measured slope of the S-factor and the theoretical extrapolation procedure which may still lower S 17(0) down to approximately 18.5 eV-b. For quoting S 17(0) with an uncertainty of ±5% or better, yet another measurement needs to be performed at very low energies, as recently discussed by the UConn-Weizmann-LLN collaboration for the CERN/ISOLDE facility.
Synthesis and structure of some asymmetric aryloxide derivatives of zirconium(IV): X-ray crystal structures of Cp2Zr(OAr-2,4Me2,6cyMe)(CH2Ph) and Cp2Zr(OAr-2Me,6But)(η2-ButNCCH2Ph), where OAr-2,4Me2,6cyMe = 2,4-dimethyl,6-(α-methylcyclohexyl)phenoxide and OAr-2Me,6But = 2-methyl,6-tert-butylphenoxide

Abstract Reaction of all asymmetric phenols 2-methyl,6-tert-butylphenol (HOAr-2Me,6But) and 2,4-dimethyl,6-(α-methylcyclohexyl)phenol (HOAr-2,4Me2,6cyMe) with Cp2Zr(CH2Ph)2 at 120°C in toluene leads to the slow formation of the mono-substituted derivatives Cp2Zr(OAr-2Me,6But)(CH2Ph) (1) and Cp2Zr(OAr-2,4Me2,6cyMe)(CH2Ph) (2) along with one equivalent of toluene. A single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of 2 confirmed the stoichiometry and shows the carbon and oxygen atoms of the benzyl and aryloxide ligands occupying positions about the zirconium atom typical of Cp2Zr(X)(Y) type compounds. The large ZrOAr angle of 165.3(5)° results in the aryloxide occupying a “wedge-like” space within the coordination sphere. This wedge is oriented within the plane which bisects the metallocene unit, i.e. almost coplanar with the ZrCO plane, and is oriented so that the bulky α-methylcyclohexyl group lies next to the benzyl ligand. The reaction of 1 with ButNC also takes place very slowly leading to the η2-iminoacyl compound Cp2Zr(OAr-2Me,6But)(η2-ButNCCH2Ph) (3). Despite the steric demands of the bulky aryloxide ligand, the spectroscopic and structural data on 3 show the iminoacyl to be η2-bonded to zirconium, ZrN = 2.244(4) A, ZrC = 2.208(5) A. In the solid state the 18-electron compound 3 has the η2-iminoacyl group lying along the plane bisecting the metallocene unit. Crystal data at 20°C for ZrOC34H42 (2): a = 10.201(1), b = 14.372(3), c = 20.365(3) A, β = 95.210(9)°, Z = 4, dcalc = 1.287 g cm−3 in space group P21/n; for ZrONC33H41 (3): a = 9.708(1), b = 10.698(1), c = 27.829(3) A, Z = 4, dcalc = 1.284 g cm−3 in space group P212121.
A look at dispersion in porous media through computed tomography imaging

This paper presents a method for measuring the longitudinal dispersion coefficient and the adsorption properties of porous media by X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging. The in situ solvent concentration profiles of tracer tests were imaged and fitted to a convection-dispersion mathematical model. In addition to providing the average dispersion coefficient traditionally measured with breakthrough curves, our method allows the dispersion phenomenon to be visualized and the contribution of heterogeneity to the dispersion coefficient to be estimated. The method is demonstrated by measuring the dispersion coefficients and adsorption properties of a sandpack and a Berea sandstone. Results show that heterogeneity increases the dispersion coefficient above that of a homogeneous porous medium. Adsorption was found to be higher in the Berea sandstone, a natural porous medium, than in the clean sandpack. CT imaging of the tracer tests has shed more light on the dispersion and adsorption phenomena in porous media.
STUDIES ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF BORDETELLA PERTUSSIS : I. MORPHOLOGY, ORIGIN, AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF STRUCTURES PRESENT IN THE EXTRACELLUAR FLUID OF LIQUID CULTURES OF BORDETELLA PERTUSSIS

Two distinct particles have been recognized in the extracellular fluid of B. pertussis cultures. Both appeared to arise from the surface (cell wall) of the organism. One of these, a membranous particle, seemed to derive from long projections on the organism composed of the outer membrane of the cell wall. The second particle, a fine filament, was not readily comparable with any previously described bacterial structure. The two particles could be separated from each other by gradient centrifugation in CsCl. Lymphocytosis-promoting factor and histamine-sensitizing activity were only associated with fractions containing the fine filaments.
Robust photoregulation of GABA A receptors by allosteric modulation with a propofol analogue

Photochemical switches represent a powerful method for improving pharmacological therapies and controlling cellular physiology. Here we report the photoregulation of GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)Rs) by a derivative of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol), a GABA(A)R allosteric modulator, which we have modified to contain photoisomerizable azobenzene. Using α(1)β(2)γ(2) GABA(A)Rs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and native GABA(A)Rs of isolated retinal ganglion cells, we show that the trans-azobenzene isomer of the new compound (trans-MPC088), generated by visible light (wavelengths ~440 nm), potentiates the γ-aminobutyric acid-elicited response and, at higher concentrations, directly activates the receptors. cis-MPC088, generated from trans-MPC088 by ultraviolet light (~365 nm), produces little, if any, receptor potentiation/activation. In cerebellar slices, MPC088 co-applied with γ-aminobutyric acid affords bidirectional photomodulation of Purkinje cell membrane current and spike-firing rate. The findings demonstrate photocontrol of GABA(A)Rs by an allosteric ligand, and open new avenues for fundamental and clinically oriented research on GABA(A)Rs, a major class of neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system.
Conformational comparison of human pituitary growth hormone and human chorionic somatomammotropin (human placental lactogen) by second-order absorption spectroscopy☆

Second-order absorption spectra strongly suggest the presence of a hydrogen bond between the single Trp of human pituitary growth hormone (hGH) and a carboxylate ion. This hydrogen-bonded complex is buried within the hydrophobic interior of the hGH molecule. Although the homologous Trp in human chorionic somatomammotropin [human placental lactogen, HCS(hPL)] is also buried within the hydrophobic interior of the molecule, there is no evidence that it is hydrogen bonded in the native protein. However, during the early stages of thermolysin digestion of HCS(hPL), both difference and second-order absorption spectra do indicate the transient presence of a similar hydrogen-bonded Trp-carboxylate complex. The molar extinction coefficients of hGH and HCS(hPL) have been refined.
Population-Based Study of the Relationship Between Patent Foramen Ovale and Cerebrovascular Ischemic Events

OBJECTIVE To determine whether patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a risk factor for a cryptogenic cerebrovascular ischemic event (CIE). METHODS This case-control study of 1072 residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who underwent contrast transesophageal echocardiography between 1993 and 1997 included 519 controls without CIE randomly selected from the population, 262 controls without CIE referred for transesophageal echocardiography because of cardiac disease, 158 cases with incident CIE of obvious cause (noncryptogenic), and 133 cases with incident CIE of uncertain cause (cryptogenic). RESULTS Large PFOs were detected in 108 randomly selected controls (20.8%), 22 referred controls (8.4%), 17 noncryptogenic CIE cases (10.8%), and 22 cryptogenic CIE cases (16.5%). After adjustment for age, sex, hypertension, smoking, atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, and number of contrast injections, the presence of a large PFO was not significantly associated with group status ( P =.07). Using the odds of the presence of large PFO in the randomly selected controls as the reference, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of the presence of large PFO was 0.47 (0.26-0.87) for referred controls, 0.69 (0.37-1.29) for noncryptogenic CIE cases, and 1.10 (0.63-1.90) for cryptogenic CIE cases. CONCLUSIONS Patent foramen ovale is not a risk factor for cryptogenic ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack in the general population. The PFO's importance in the genesis of cryptogenic CIE may have been overestimated in previous studies because of selective referral of cases and underascertainment of PFO among comparison groups of patients referred for echocardiography for clinical indications other than cryptogenic CIE.
Parelaphostrongyliasis in white-tailed deer in Missouri.

The heads of 137 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were collected on the opening day of the 1996 Missouri (USA) firearms deer season and surveyed for the presence of meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis). Eighteen percent of the deer examined were infected. Mean intensity of infection was 2.0 (range 1–7). There were no significant differences of infection or mean intensity when deer were classified and compared according to sex or age class.
The influence of an illusion of control on panic attacks induced via inhalation of 5.5% carbon dioxide-enriched air

The current study tested the notion that a sense of control can mitigate anxiety and panic attacks caused by the inhalation of 5.5% carbon dioxide (CO2)-enriched air. Twenty patients with panic disorder inhaled a mixture of 5.5% CO2-enriched air for 15 minutes. All patients were instructed that illumination of a light directly in front of them would signal that they could decrease the amount of CO2 that they were receiving, if desired, by turning a dial attached to their chair. For ten patients, the light was illuminated during the entire administration of CO2. For the remaining ten patients, the light was never illuminated. In fact, all patients experienced the full CO2 mixture, and the dial was ineffective. When compared with patients who believed they had control, patients who believed they could not control the CO2 administration (1) reported a greater number of DSM-III-revised panic attack symptoms, (2) rated the symptoms as more intense, (3) reported greater subjective anxiety, (4) reported a greater number of catastrophic cognitions, (5) reported a greater resemblance of the overall inhalation experience to a naturally occurring panic attack, and (6) were significantly more likely to report panic attacks. These data illustrate the contribution of psychologic factors to laboratory induction of panic attacks through inhalation of 5.5% CO2-enriched air.
An implementation of Heegaard Diagrams

A software platform for the construction and study of three dimensional manifold structures and more generally, of two dimensional cell complexes is presented. Interactive operations allow the construction of 3-manifold spaces in planar form. Manifold invariants, based upon the diagrams and their associated presentations are constructed directly. The package incorporates the operations defined by J. Singer. This package enables a user to graphically define and apply 3-manifold operations in the context of Heegaard Diagrams.
The cardiopulmonary effects of dexmedetomidine infusions in dogs during isoflurane anesthesia

Abstract Objective To determine the cardiopulmonary changes associated with intravenous (IV) infusions of dexmedetomidine at equipotent isoflurane-dexmedetomidine concentrations compared with isoflurane alone. Study design Prospective, randomized, crossover experiment. Animals Six adult intact female mixed-breed dogs weighing (mean ± SD [range]) 23.3 ± 3.8 (17.8–29.4) kg. Methods Anesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. Measurements of respiratory rate (fR), heart rate (HR), systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures (SAP, DAP, MAP, MPAP), central venous pressure (CVP), pulmonary arterial occlusion pressure (PAOP), cardiac index (CI), left and right ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI, RVSWI), systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance index (SVRI, PVRI), arteriovenous shunt ( Q ˙ s / Q ˙ t ), oxygen delivery ( D ˙ O 2 ), oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER), oxygen consumption, arterial and mixed venous blood gases, and arterial packed cell volume (PCV) were obtained 30 minutes after instrumentation at an end-tidal isoflurane concentration (F e ’Iso) of 1.73 ± 0.02% (1.3 MAC). Dexmedetomidine was administered IV at 0.5 or 3 μg kg−1 over 6 minutes followed by an infusion at 0.5 (LD) or 3 μg kg−1 hour−1 (HD), respectively, with F e ’Iso at 1.41 ± 0.02 (LD) or 0.72 ± 0.09% (HD). Measurements were taken at 10, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes after the start of the infusion. Results The low dose produced significant decreases in HR, increases in SAP, DAP, CVP, MPAP, PAOP and LVSWI, but no change in CI. HD produced significant increases in SAP, MAP, DAP, CVP, PAOP, SVRI, LVSWI, O2ER and PCV and significant decreases in CI and D ˙ O 2 . There were significant differences between treatments in HR, MAP, DAP, CVP, MPAP, PAOP, CI, SVRI, HCO 3 - , SBE, D ˙ O 2 , O2ER and Q ˙ s / Q ˙ t . Conclusions and clinical relevance Cardiopulmonary changes associated with LD were within clinically accepted normal ranges whereas HD produced clinically significant changes. The LD may be useful as an anesthetic adjunct in healthy dogs.
Optimal fair downlink fractional frequency reuse for cellular wireless networks

We consider adaptive rate scheduling mechanisms used by densely deployed base station (BS) nodes in cellular wireless networks. These BS nodes share downlink channels under the employment of omnidirectional and directional antennas. We study the throughput capacity rates achieved under reuse-k scheduling schemes, for k = 1, 3, with and without the incorporation of fractional frequency reuse (FFR) assignments. We consider an absolute fairness requirement, aiming to maximize the minimum level of the throughput rate realized per mobile. For this purpose, under the inclusion of FFR schemes, we propose an optimal classification for interior and exterior mobiles coupled with optimal bandwidth allocation to each class of mobiles. When omnidirectional antenna beams are employed, we show these schemes to yield a significantly enhanced performance when compared to non-FFR based operations. In turn, when directional antenna beams are used, we show that the FFR scheme does not lead to much performance enhancement.
Metabolism of hexachlorobenzene in the fry of steelhead trout, Salmo gairdneri (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Dietary intake of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) by steelhead trout (Salmo gairdneri) fry required 12 to 14 days to reach steady state equilibrium. On cessation of feeding, half of the absorbed HCB was eliminated in seven days and half of the remaining HCB in the following three days. The fry (10-gm body wt) during the exposure phase metabolized HCB to very low levels of pentachlorophenol (PCP), which was conjugated further with glucuronic acid. PCP was also produced in vitro by hepatic microsomal P-450 of the larger fry. The small 1-gm fry at the end of the experiment (20 days post-exposure) showed traces of only 2,5-dichloro-, 2,3,6,-trichloro- and 2,4,5-trichloro-phenol.
Some Considerations in Modeling of Moisture Transport in Heating of Hygroscopic Materials

Abstract Hygroscopic materials are those in which the equilibrium pressure of water vapor changes with moisture content and temperature, such as food, soil or wood, etc. Heat and moisture transports are coupled in heating of hygroscopic materials. One of the major links between temperature and moisture changes is water evaporation. There have been different formulations on modeling of evaporation in the past. A typical approach (Model 1 in this article) is to equate the evaporation rate to the rate of local moisture loss. The first part of this paper illustrates that such an approach is physically incorrect based on fundamental conservation relationships. A conservation-based coupled heat and moisture transfer model (Model 2) is presented here based on previous multiphase transport models. It shows that total evaporation rate over the entire material is included in Model 1 while the local evaporation rate is not. The situations when Model 1 may or may not generate large errors are discussed. The second pa...
For Reasons of Poverty: A Critical Analysis of the Public Child Welfare System in the United States

Introduction Child Welfare Through the Twentieth Century: Policy and Reality The Crusade Against Child Abuse Whose Neglect? The State Intervenes The Permanency Planning Movement An Analysis of the Dual Role Structure of the Child Welfare System Restructuring the Public Child Welfare System Bibliography Indexes
ON CERTAIN FOURIER SERIES EXPANSIONS OF DOUBLY PERIODIC FUNCTIONS OF THE THIRD KIND.

It is a well-known fact that the Fourier series expansions of the doubly periodic functions of the first (i.e., elliptic), second and third kinds (in the sense of Hermite) yield, when subjected to appropriate methods, important results in the theory of numbers. The purpose of this paper is to indicate the derivation of such expansions for certain doubly periodic functions of the third kind of a type having a larger number of zeros than poles [2].
Prismatic Structure in Ice

“I admit with you that the prismatic structure of ice on the point of melting does not appear to have any connection with the hexagonal crystals in which it is formed; and that the great analogy between the conditions of ice in that state and of igneous rocks, and I may add of clay in the process of desiccation, seems to point to contraction as the common cause. But then arises the question whether ice really does contract as it approaches the melting-point, as we know that most melted mineral matter does on cooling, and clay on drying. I am quite willing to admit that it may do so, and that, as you observe, its demeanour at a point about 32° F. has not been accurately ascertained; but if so, the fact should first be determined from independent observations before drawing conclusions from it. I am willing also to admit that I spoke loosely in my former letter when I said that the air bubbles in the process of freezing seemed to be formed in vertical lines. My object, in the concluding sentence of that letter, was to express a doubt as to there being any such contraction as you suppose on the ice approaching the melting-point, and to point out the lines of air bubbles as being the immediate cause of the structure of rotten ice. I did not then go into the origin of the bubbles, or into the cause of their being thus found in vertical lines. It is difficult to suppose that they were originally formed in those lines, for though it seems natural that the air, which is always contained in water, should be excluded on its crystallising, there does not appear to be any sufficient reason why the bubble excluded to-day should be placed exactly under that formed yesterday. Upon reviewing the whole question, I am induced to think that, as will often happen, we were both right and both wrong: that you were right in attributing the prismatic structure originally to contraction, but wrong in supposing that contraction to be caused by an increase of temperature on the approach of the thaw, and that I was right in attributing the final break-up into prisms to the liquefaction spreading in every direction from the lines of air bubbles, but wrong in speaking of them as if they had originally been formed in those lines. We need not resort to a hypothetical contraction about the melting-point; we have a vera causa in accesses of cold, which will give you the desired contraction, and me my vertical lines of air bubbles. The true explanation I take to be as follows.
The Effect Of Digital Unsharp Masking On The Detectability Of Interstitial Infiltrates And Pneumothoraces

A potential advantage of digital radiographic systems is their ability to enhance images by various types of processing. Digital unsharp masking is one of the simplest and potentially most useful forms of enhancement. The efficacy of unsharp masking in clinical radiologic diagnosis has not been investigated systematically, however. The effect of digital unsharp masking on the detectability of two types of subtle abnormalities, pneumothorax and interstitial infiltrate, was studied in an observer performance test. An ROC analysis of this preliminary data suggests that unsharp masking may improve diagnostic accuracy for pneumothorax. Radiologists' performance in identifying interstitial infiltrates was degraded by the image processing, however, and false positive diagnoses tended to be more frequent.
Solubility studies in multicomponent fertilizer solutions

Data from four solubility studies for liquid fertilizer solutions containing three or more plant nutrients are presented on equilateral triangles. Isoconcentration contour lines indicate the maximum solubility of the nutrients as the sum of the plant food components, i.e., total plant nutrient = %N + %P2O5 + %K2O.
Finite-size corrections to the JKR technique for measuring adhesion: Soft spherical caps adhering to flat, rigid surfaces

Adhesion measurements based on the fracture mechanics analysis of Johnson, Kendall, and Roberts (JKR) provide a very convenient method for measuring the energy of adhesion, G, for elastomeric materials against a variety of substrates. The JKR approach utilizes linear elastic fracture mechanics, and is based on the assumptions that the contact geometry is characterized by a single radius of curvature, and that the relevant dimensions of the adhering bodies are large compared to the dimensions of the contact area. The assumption of large sample size is not necessarily valid for the commonly employed geometry consisting of a soft, spherical cap pressed against a flat, rigid surface. The implications of the resultant finite-size corrections are studied here using two different model systems: a cross-linked poly(n-butyl acrylate) homopolymer and a gel made from an acrylic triblock copolymer diluted with 2-ethylhexanol. The compliance of the spherical caps is found to deviate significantly from the value assumed in a standard JKR analysis. This discrepancy is independent of the contact area, however. Determinations of the fracture energy which are based on the relationship between the load and contact area are, therefore, not affected by this correction to the compliance. The modified compliance does need to be accounted for when the fracture energy is determined from the relationship between the contact area and the relative displacements of the adhering bodies. Use of this relationship is shown to provide a particularly powerful method for determining the modulus and/or adhesion energy for low-modulus solids.
Silica-dispersed glucose oxidase for glucose sensing: in vitro testing in serum and blood and the effect of condensation pH

Abstract The objectives of this study were to examine the feasibility of using glucose oxidase (GOx) dispersed in a silica matrix for glucose monitoring in whole blood, and then to assess whether the flexibility of silica sol–gel chemistry could be exploited to enhance glucose sensor performance and stability. Silica-dispersed GOx was deployed on platinized platinum (Pt) wire to form a Clark-type amperometric glucose sensor. Sensors were calibrated using buffered glucose standard solutions, and then tested against glucose spiked human serum and whole blood. All serum and whole blood measurements met the minimum FDA requirement of falling within the “A+B region” of a Clark Error Grid. To our knowledge this is the first report of using silica-dispersed GOx to measure glucose in whole blood. The effect of condensation pH on sensor performance was assessed by dispersing GOx in silica condensed at pH 3, 7, and 12, and then testing the sensor response against glucose calibration standards. The pH 12 silica sensors had statistically faster response time, and higher sensor sensitivity compared to pH 7, pH 3 silica and glutaraldehyde crosslinked sensors. Membranes of the pH 12 silica had statistically higher glucose diffusion coefficient than did the pH 7 and 3 sensors. GOx dispersed in pH 12 silica also had the longest half life. We hypothesize that the gel-like pH 12 silica gels provided reduced barriers to glucose diffusion, and the more aqueous microenvironment provided greater stability for the enzyme.
Unilateral exposure of Shaker B potassium channels to hyperosmolar solutions

This study tests the hypothesis that ion channels will be affected differently by external (extracellular) versus internal (cytoplasmic) exposure to hyperosmolar media. We looked first for effects on inactivation kinetics in wild-type Shaker B potassium channels. Although external hyperosmolar exposure did not alter the inactivation rate, internal exposure slowed both onset and recovery from fast inactivation. Differential effects on activation kinetics were then characterized by using a noninactivating Shaker B mutant. External hyperosmolar exposure slowed the late rising phase of macroscopic current without affecting the initial delay or early rising phase kinetics. By contrast, internal exposure slowed the initial steps in channel activation with only minimal changes in the later part of the rising phase. Neither external nor internal hyperosmolar exposure affected tail current rates in these noninactivating channels. Additionally, suppression of peak macroscopic current was approximately twofold smaller during external, as compared with internal, hyperosmolar exposure. Single-channel currents, observed under identical experimental conditions, showed a differential suppression equivalent to that seen in macroscopic currents. Apparently, during unilateral hyperosmolar exposure, changes in macroscopic peak current arise primarily from changes in single-channel conductance rather than from changes in equilibrium channel gating. We conclude that unilateral hyperosmolar exposure can provide information concerning the potential structural localization of functional components within ion-channel molecules.
A frequency tripled two-dimensional coupled oscillator array

A previously reported two-dimensional (2-D) coupled oscillator array is fitted with an array of frequency triplers and a radiating aperture comprising nine patch elements to create an agile beam transmitter with aperture phase excursion consistent with /spl plusmn/90/spl deg/ of scan. Results of measurements of the aperture phase distribution and the far zone field of this transmitter under both unscanned and scanned conditions are reported.
Innovations in Measuring Rater Accuracy in Standard Setting: Assessing “Fit” to Item Characteristic Curves

Standard setting methods such as the Angoff method rely on judgments of item characteristics; item response theory empirically estimates item characteristics and displays them in item characteristic curves (ICCs). This study evaluated several indexes of rater fit to ICCs as a method for judging rater accuracy in their estimates of expected item performance for target groups of test-takers. Simulated data were used to compare adequately fitting ratings to poorly fitting ratings at various target competence levels in a simulated two stage standard setting study. The indexes were then applied to a set of real ratings on 66 items evaluated at 4 competence thresholds to demonstrate their relative usefulness for gaining insight into rater “fit.” Based on analysis of both the simulated and real data, it is recommended that fit indexes based on the absolute deviations of ratings from the ICCs be used, and those based on the standard errors of ratings should be avoided. Suggestions are provided for using these ind...
Blood and Runx1: got to have it, really need it

Comment on Goyama et al, page [3558][1], and Sun and Downing, page [3565][2] Altered levels of AML1 (Runx1) differentially affect myeloid and lymphoid sub-populations. Two articles in this issue of Blood address the question: How much functional acute my-elogenous leukemia 1 (AML1)/Runx1 (Runt-
Triaging patients with transient ischemic attack—what can we learn from diffusion-weighted imaging?

Triaging patients with transient ischemic attack—what can we learn from diffusion-weighted imaging?
Serum magnesium and potassium levels in hypertensive patients after a therapeutic switch from hydrochlorothiazide plus a potassium supplement to maxzide

Determinations of serum magnesium and potassium levels and blood pressure were made in 40 hypertensive patients in whom daily therapy with 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide plus potassium supplements was switched to a once-daily regimen of 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide plus 75 mg of triamterene (Maxzide). Patients showed no clinically significant changes in blood pressure or in serum magnesium or serum potassium values following the switch. It is concluded that therapy in patients receiving hydrochlorothiazide and up to 60 meq of potassium can be safely switched to Maxzide without adversely affecting serum magnesium levels, serum potassium levels, or blood pressure control.
THE TRANSFER OF POLITICAL FUNCTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL PARTY COMMITTEES TO THE WHITE HOUSE: FROM EISENHOWER TO NIXON

During the New Deal and succeeding administrations national power and authority became increasingly more centralized in the White House and Executive Office of the President. As this institutionalized presidency emerged, increasing numbers of political functions were centralized in the expanding office of the president. This paper examines the changing structural relationship between the White House and the national party with particular emphasis on the distribution of patronage appointments and staffing the executive branch. The period of analysis begins with the Eisenhower administration and concludes with the Nixon presidency. The authors note that although subsequent administrations may demonstrate the unintended effects of this concentration of authority, it is unlikely that it will be willfully reversed.
Large-scale calculations for hadron spectroscopy

Some recent Monte Carlo calculations for quantum chromodynamics, performed on Euclidean lattices of rather large extent, are reviewed. The purpose of the calculations is to provide accurate determinations of quantities, such as interquark potentials or mass eigenvalues, which are relevant for hadronic spectroscopy. Results obtained in quenched QCD on 163×32 lattices are illustrated, and a discussion of computational resources and techniques required for the calculations is presented.
Barber's task-motivational theory and post-hypnotic amnesia.

Abstract Barber's (1969) task-motivational theory was compared to traditional hypnotic state theory using post-hypnotic amnesia as the dependent variable. 33 Ss were selected on the basis of a standard hypnotic susceptibility scale, matched and divided equally between three groups; a hypnotic permissive-motivational, a non-hypnotic permissive-motivational, and a control no-suggestions group. The results were as follows: (a) permissive-motivational suggestions of amnesia appeared to be as effective for non-hypnotic Ss as they were for hypnotic Ss; (b) post-hypnotic amnesia as defined in the study was not produced for any of the three groups; (c) low hypnotic susceptible Ss demonstrated, in some cases, a significant difference in performance on the index of experimentally produced amnesia as compared to higher susceptible Ss. These results were considered as further validation of Barber's (1969) task-motivational theory of hypnosis.
A detour on the road to the market: Coordination, queues, and the distribution of income

Abstract We examine the policy choices of a planned economy engaged in economic reform. Problems of coordination characteristic of immature markets—uncertainty in income and economies of scale in the organization of the sector—may limit the government's ability to control the growth of the private sector. Further, the government's constituents, who typically work in the state sector and have time to wait in queues, often prefer that the government levy high taxes on private firms. Although this policy necessitates a low state-sector wage to maintain the sectoral distribution of workers, the implicit wage from waiting in queues rises.
Characterization of spontaneous recurrent epileptiform discharges in hippocampal–entorhinal cortical slices prepared from chronic epileptic animals

Epilepsy, a common neurological disorder, is characterized by the occurrence of spontaneous recurrent epileptiform discharges (SREDs). Acquired epilepsy is associated with long-term neuronal plasticity changes in the hippocampus resulting in the expression of spontaneous recurrent seizures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and characterize endogenous epileptiform activity in hippocampal- entorhinal cortical (HEC) slices from epileptic animals. This study employed HEC slices isolated from a large series of control and epileptic animals to evaluate and compare the presence, degree and localization of endogenous SREDs using extracellular and whole cell current clamp recordings. Animals were made epileptic using the pilocarpine model of epilepsy. Extracellular field potentials were recorded simultaneously from areas CA1, CA3, dentate gyrus, and entorhinal cortex and whole cell current clamp recordings were obtained from CA3 neurons. All regions from epileptic HEC slices (n = 53) expressed SREDs, with an average frequency of 1.3 Hz. In contrast, control slices (n = 24) did not manifest any SREDs. Epileptic HEC slices demonstrated slow and fast firing patterns of SREDs. Whole cell current clamp recordings from epileptic HEC slices showed that CA3 neurons exhibited paroxysmal depolarizing shifts associated with these SREDs. To our knowledge this is the first significant demonstration of endogenous SREDs in a large series of HEC slices from epileptic animals in comparison to controls. Epileptiform discharges were found to propagate around hippocampal circuits. HEC slices from epileptic animals that manifest SREDs provide a novel model to study in vitro seizure activity in tissue prepared from epileptic animals.