cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CHEMICAL EFFECTS ON PWR SUMP STRAINER BLOCKAGE AFTER A LOSS-OF-COOLANT ACCIDENT: REVIEW ON U.S. RESEARCH EFFORTS

Industry- or regulatory-sponsored research activities on the resolution of Generic Safety Issue (GSI)-191 were reviewed, especially on the chemical effects. Potential chemical effects on the head loss across the debris-loaded sump strainer under a post-accident condition were experimentally evidenced by small-scale bench tests, integrated chemical effects test (ICET), and vertical loop head loss tests. Three main chemical precipitates were identified by WCAP-16530-NP: calcium phosphate, aluminum oxyhydroxide, and sodium aluminum silicate. The former two precipitates were also identified as major chemical precipitates by the ICETs. The assumption that all released calcium would form precipitates is reasonable. CalSil insulation needs to be minimized especially in a plant using trisodium phosphate buffer. The assumption that all released aluminum would form precipitates appears highly conservative because ICETs and other studies suggest substantial solubility of aluminum at high temperature and inhibition of aluminum corrosion by silicate or phosphate. The industry-proposed chemical surrogates are quite effective in increasing the head loss across the debris-loaded bed and more effective than the prototypical aluminum hydroxide precipitates generated by in-situ aluminum corrosion. There appears to be some unresolved potential issues related to GSI-191 chemical effects as identified in NUREG/CR-6988. The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, however, concluded that the implications of these issues are either not generically significant or are appropriately addressed, although several issues associated with downstream in-vessel effects remain.
Self-consistent generation of tectonic plates in time-dependent, three-dimensional mantle convection simulations 2. Strain weakening and asthenosphere

[1] In a previous paper [Tackley, 2000b] it was shown that a combination of temperature-dependent viscosity and viscoplastic yielding is sufficient to give rudimentary plate tectonic-like behavior in three-dimensional models of mantle convection. Here the calculations are extended to include two complexities that have been suggested as being important in localizing deformation at plate boundaries: strain weakening and the presence of a low-viscosity asthenosphere. Introducing an asthenosphere by reducing the viscosity by a factor of 10 where material reaches a solidus (1) dramatically improves plate quality, even if the asthenosphere is restricted to regions around spreading centers, (2) gives good, smoothly evolving platelike behavior over a wide range of yield stress values spanning an order of magnitude, and (3) gives bimodal stable solutions over a range of yield stresses; either immobile-lid or plate behavior may be obtained, depending on initial condition. By contrast, introducing an asthenosphere by using depth-dependent viscosity has a much smaller effect on system behavior. Increasing strain weakening (1) improves localization at spreading centers but leads to an increasingly complex network of spreading centers fragmenting the plates, (2) weakens convergent zones and can make downwellings highly episodic, and (3) does not lead to pure transform boundaries in these calculations. Time-dependent “damage” evolution and instantaneous strain-rate weakening give very similar results. All cases that display platelike behavior have very long wavelength mantle heterogeneity, consistent with Earth's.
Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase/nuclear factor-κB: A novel signaling pathway regulates cardiomyocyte hypertrophy

Since 1993, when Sadoshima et al1 published their observations on the role of Angiotensin II (Ang II) in the stretch-induced hypertrophic response of cardiomyocytes, we have known that peptide hormones were important in the development of hypertrophy stimulated by cell stretch, the initiating stimulus in pressure overload-induced hypertrophy and in the hypertrophy that occurs in the noninfarcted myocardium following a myocardial infarction. Ang II, as well as endothelin-1 (ET-1) and α-adrenergic agents, activate intracellular pathways by binding to 7 transmembrane-spanning receptors coupled to heterotrimeric G proteins of the Gq class. The critical role of this class of receptors and G proteins in pressure overload-induced hypertrophy was elegantly demonstrated by Ahkter et al2 who showed that cardiac specific expression in mice of a peptide that blocked signal transmission by Gq markedly blunted the hypertrophic response to aortic banding. See p 509 The question that has dominated the field of cardiomyocyte biology is how do these hormones, acting via their cognate receptors and Gq, trigger the hypertrophic response? One clear conclusion has evolved thus far: the hypertrophic response of cardiomyocytes is regulated by an enormously complex network of interacting cytosolic signaling pathways.3 Gq activation ultimately results in the production of intermediates that increase cytosolic free [Ca2+] and activate members of the protein kinase C family, and leads to the recruitment of several protein kinases, including the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), calcium calmodulin-dependent protein kinases, Akt/PKB, and the Janus kinases. These kinases phosphorylate a number of transcription factors, increasing their transcriptional activating activity and, in some cases, DNA binding activity. Elevated [Ca2+] can also activate the protein phosphatase, calcineurin,4 which dephosphorylates members of the nuclear factor-activated T cell (NF-AT) family of transcription factors, causing their nuclear translocation. Activated transcription factors bind to specific DNA sequences …
Nitric oxide contributes to the augmented vasodilatation during hypoxic exercise

We tested the hypotheses that (1) nitric oxide (NO) contributes to augmented skeletal muscle vasodilatation during hypoxic exercise and (2) the combined inhibition of NO production and adenosine receptor activation would attenuate the augmented vasodilatation during hypoxic exercise more than NO inhibition alone. In separate protocols subjects performed forearm exercise (10% and 20% of maximum) during normoxia and normocapnic hypoxia (80% arterial O2 saturation). In protocol 1 (n= 12), subjects received intra-arterial administration of saline (control) and the NO synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (l-NMMA). In protocol 2 (n= 10), subjects received intra-arterial saline (control) and combined l-NMMA–aminophylline (adenosine receptor antagonist) administration. Forearm vascular conductance (FVC; ml min−1 (100 mmHg)−1) was calculated from forearm blood flow (ml min−1) and blood pressure (mmHg). In protocol 1, the change in FVC (Δ from normoxic baseline) due to hypoxia under resting conditions and during hypoxic exercise was substantially lower with l-NMMA administration compared to saline (control; P < 0.01). In protocol 2, administration of combined l-NMMA–aminophylline reduced the ΔFVC due to hypoxic exercise compared to saline (control; P < 0.01). However, the relative reduction in ΔFVC compared to the respective control (saline) conditions was similar between l-NMMA only (protocol 1) and combined l-NMMA–aminophylline (protocol 2) at 10% (−17.5 ± 3.7 vs.−21.4 ± 5.2%; P= 0.28) and 20% (−13.4 ± 3.5 vs.−18.8 ± 4.5%; P= 0.18) hypoxic exercise. These findings suggest that NO contributes to the augmented vasodilatation observed during hypoxic exercise independent of adenosine.
Cellular and humoral immunity: a distinction in antigenic recognition.

THERE is little or no humoral cross reactivity between the native and denatured forms of a protein antigen. Antibodies to native bovine ribonuclease do not bind ribonuclease oxidized with performic acid1–3, indicating that antibodies can distinguish between two molecular conformations. There is no humoral cross reactivity between rabbit IgG and the product of reduction of all the disulphide bridges4–6. Also there is essentially no serological cross reactivity between lysozyme and its reduced and S-carboxymethylated (CM-lysozyme) derivative7–9.
Shipboard/landbased radar clutter/jamming rejection using a structured covariance matrix

Abstract Shipboard/landbased radars require adaptive signal processing to suppress interference consisting of external directional jammers and background clutter. Using a structured covariance matrix form, which includes partial knowledge of the internal noise and temporal clutter covariance matrix, a fast converging adaptive signal processor is developed that can take two forms: (1) simultaneously adaptively weight the spatial (antenna elements) and temporal (pulses) inputs to form an output or (2) adaptively weight the spatial (antenna elements) inputs and nonadaptively pulse-Doppler process thereafter to form an output. In either case it is shown using a simplistic mismatched clutter/jamming model that the convergence performance (within 3 dB of optimum) of the new adaptive processors (AP) is almost the same as that of the fast converging processor when no clutter was present in the data inputs. For both cases, the algorithms converge for typical scenarios under consideration in just a few independent sample vectors per input channel.
Predator inspection behaviour and attack cone avoidance in a characin fish: the effects of predator diet and prey experience

Individuals that dare approach predators (predator inspection behaviour) can reduce their overall risk of predation by engaging in attack cone avoidance. Under laboratory conditions, we investigated the interaction between predator diet and prey experience with predators in attack cone avoidance during predator inspection visits by glowlight tetras,Hemigrammus erythrozonus (Characidae, Ostariophysi). Shoals of predator-experienced versus predator-naive glowlight tetras were exposed to live Jack Dempsey cichlids, Cichlasoma octofaciatum, that had been fed a diet of tetras (possessing an alarm pheromone) or swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri (lacking a recognizable alarm pheromone). Naive tetras exposed to tetra-fed predators significantly increased their antipredator response (increased shoaling, dashing and freezing) and altered their predator inspection behaviour (increased latency to respond, decreased rate of inspection and decreased inspecting group size) compared with naive tetras exposed to swordtail-fed predators. In addition, naive tetras exposed to tetra-fed predators directed significantly greater proportions of their inspection visits towards the tail versus the head of the predator (attack cone avoidance) versus naive tetras exposed to swordtail-fed predators. Experienced tetras, regardless of predator diet, also significantly increased antipredator responses and altered their inspection behaviour. Experienced tetras also displayed significant attack cone avoidance. These data suggest that both predator diet and prey experience play a significant role in the threat-sensitive mediation of predator inspection behaviour in prey fish. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Informatics: a focus on computer science in context

Because the field of computer science has broadened so much in recent years, traditional degree programs are becoming crowded with new courses, each introducing its own "essential" topic. However, with more and more such courses, it is no longer possible to cover every topic in a single, coherent, four-year program. Many alternative approaches are available to address this situation. At UC Irvine, we have chosen a solution in which we offer four coordinated degree programs: a B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering, a conventional B.S. in Computer Science, a new B.S. in Informatics, and a broad overview B.S. in Information and Computer Science. Of these, the B.S. in Informatics is the most innovative, focusing on software and information design. Context plays a particularly strong role in our B.S. in Informatics: Placing software development in context is critical to the delivery of successful solutions, and we educate our students accordingly. We present our definition of informatics, detail our curriculum, describe its pedagogical characteristics and objectives, and conclude with some critical observations regarding informatics and its place in computer science education.
The rise of ethnic politics in Latin America

Ethnic conflict and politics manifest themselves differently in various parts of the world and raise questions concerning the primordial nature of ethnic identity. At their worst, historically grou...
Inhomogeneity correction for magnetic resonance images with fuzzy C-mean algorithm

Segmentation of magnetic resonance (MR) images plays an important role in quantitative analysis of brain tissue morphology and pathology. However, the inherent effect of image-intensity inhomogeneity renders a challenging problem and must be considered in any segmentation method. For example, the adaptive fuzzy c-mean (AFCM) image segmentation algorithm proposed by Pham and Prince can provide very good results in the presence of the inhomogeneity effect under the condition of low noise levels. Their results deteriorate quickly as the noise level goes up. In this paper, we present a new fuzzy segmentation algorithm to improve the noise performance of the AFCM algorithm. It achieves accurate segmentation in the presence of inhomogeneity effect and high noise levels by incorporating the spatial neighborhood information into the objective function. This new algorithm was tested by both simulated experimental and real clinical MR images. The results demonstrated the improved performance of this new algorithm over the AFCM in the clinical environment where the inhomogeneity and noise levels are commonly encountered.
Effects of allergic inflammation of the nasal mucosa on the severity of rhinovirus 16 cold.

Abstract Background: Despite the strong association of asthma exacerbations with rhinovirus (RV) infection, inoculation of asthmatic subjects with RV only causes small changes in lower airway function, suggesting that RV infection is not itself sufficient to provoke asthma exacerbations. Objective: Our purpose was to test whether allergic inflammation increases the airway response to RV infection. Methods: We compared the severity of RV type 16–induced colds in 2 groups of 10 subjects with allergic rhinitis. One group received 3 nasal challenges with allergen and the other received challenges with placebo over the week before nasal inoculation with RV type 16 (4000 tissue culture infective dose 50% per subject). Subjects kept symptom diaries and were assessed with spirometry, methacholine challenge, nasal lavage, and sputum induction on days 2, 4, 7, 10, 15, and 30 after inoculation. Results: The 2 groups developed equal rates of infection (90%), similar cold symptoms (Jackson score median [interquartile range], 11 [6-33] vs 20.5 [6-42] for allergen and placebo groups respectively, P = .54), and similar changes in cellular profile and in IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in nasal lavage fluid and induced sputum after RV inoculation. The incubation period was significantly longer in the allergen group (2.5 [1-5.5] vs 1 [1-1] day, P = .03) and the duration of cold symptoms was shorter (5 [4-7] vs 8.5 [6-10] days, P = .008). We also found an inverse correlation between the percent of eosinophils in nasal lavage fluid before inoculation and the severity of cold symptoms ( r = –0.58, P = .008). Conclusion: In subjects with allergic rhinitis, augmented nasal allergic inflammation before inoculation with RV type 16 does not worsen the severity of cold symptoms but delays their onset and shortens their duration. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:923-32.)
Structural Water in Carbonated Hydroxylapatite and Fluorapatite: Confirmation by Solid State 2 H NMR

Water is well recognized as an important component in bone, typically regarded as a constituent of collagen, a pore-filling fluid in bone, and an adsorbed species on the surface of bone crystallites. The possible siting and role of water within the structure of the apatite crystallites have not been fully explored. In our experiments, carbonated hydroxyl- and fluorapatites were prepared in D2O and characterized by elemental analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and infrared and Raman spectroscopy. Two hydroxylapatites and two fluorapatites, with widely different amounts of carbonate were analyzed by solid state 2H NMR spectroscopy using the quadrupole echo pulse sequence, and each spectrum showed one single line as well as a low-intensity powder pattern. The relaxation time of 7.1 ms for 5.9 wt% carbonated hydroxylapatite indicates that the single line is likely due to rapid, high-symmetry jumps in translationally rigid D2O molecules, indicative of structural incorporation within the lattice. Discrimination between structurally incorporated and adsorbed water is enhanced by the rapid exchange of surface D2O with atmospheric H2O. Moreover, a 2H resonance was observed for samples dried under a variety of conditions, including in vacuo heating to 150°C. In contrast, a sample heated to 500°C produced no deuterium resonance, indicating that structural water had been released by that temperature. We propose that water is located in the c-axis channels. Because structural water is observed even for apatites with very low carbonate content, some of the water molecules must lie between the monovalent ions.
Quantification of Redox-Induced Thickness Changes of 11-Ferrocenylundecanethiol Self-Assembled Monolayers by Electrochemical Surface Plasmon Resonance

Redox-induced orientation changes (or monolayer thickness changes) of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 11-ferrocenylundecanethiol (FcC11SH) were quantified by the electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR). EC-SPR enables one to determine the collective effect of the monolayer thickness and refractive index changes resulted from the oxidation of ferrocene (Fc) to ferrocenium. To measure the monolayer volume variation associated with the molecular orientation change, an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) was used to determine the total number of water molecules accompanying with the ion-pairing between the ferrocenium cation and the counteranion in the solution. With the maximum void space within the SAM for water incorporation known, the Lorentz-Lorenz equation was used to correlate the SPR dip shift to the maximum monolayer thickness variation. In the presence of 0.1 M HClO4 and 0.1 M HNO3, the monolayer thickness changes were deduced to be 0.09 and 0.08 nm, respectively. Thus, upon electrochemical oxidation of the FcC11SH SAM, the swinging of the alkyl chain farther away from the electrode (Ye et al., Langmuir, 1997, 13, 3157) or the rotation or flipping of the Fc cyclopentyldiene ring around the bond between the Fc group and the alkyl chain (Viana et al., J. Electroanal. Chem. 2001, 500, 290) can both lead to the observed film thickness changes, with the former probably being the more important process.
INTQ: A Mesoscopic Simulation to Analyze Intermittent Queues in Work Zones

Intermittent queue conditions may happen due to stochasticity in arrival or departure rate. This paper develops INTQ which is a mesoscopic simulation approach to estimate intermittent queue length and delay. In INTQ, traffic is divided into groups with different sizes. The minimum group size is one for single free flowing vehicles, and it is more than one for platoons of vehicles. Each group has certain characteristics, such as size, inter-group gap, and average speed that are generated from statistical distributions. Once a group is generated, it moves in the network under some rules, called Group Following Rules. The INTQ methodology is presented and applied for a work zone and simulation results are compared with field data.
Quality improvement of care transitions and the trend of composite hospital care.

The prevalence and length of observation stays, defined by the US Department of Health and Human Services as short-term treatments provided to outpatients to determine whether beneficiaries require treatment as inpatients or can be discharged, has increased, with a concurrent reduction in hospitalizations.1 However, the magnitude of these shifts has not been quantified. As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implements payment reductions to hospitals for high rates of rehospitalizations and funds quality improvement initiatives focused on better care coordination and reducing unplanned returns to the hospital, it is important to understand the composite effect on hospitalizations (defined as any admission to the inpatient service of a hospital) and observation stays at the population level.
Intrinsic requirement for zinc finger transcription factor Gfi-1 in neutrophil differentiation

We report essential roles of zinc finger transcription factor Gfi-1 in myeloid development. Gene-targeted Gfi-1(-/-) mice lack normal neutrophils and are highly susceptible to abscess formation by gram-positive bacteria. Arrested, morphologically atypical, Gr1(+)Mac1(+) myeloid cells expand with age in the bone marrow. RNAs encoding primary but not secondary or tertiary neutrophil (granulocyte) granule proteins are expressed. The atypical Gr1(+)Mac1(+) cell population shares characteristics of both the neutrophil and macrophage lineages and exhibits phagocytosis and respiratory burst activity. Reexpression of Gfi-1 in sorted Gfi-1(-/-) progenitors ex vivo rescues neutrophil differentiation in response to G-CSF. Thus, Gfi-1 not only promotes differentiation of neutrophils but also antagonizes traits of the alternate monocyte/macrophage program.
Synthesis and characterization of a new fluorogenic substrate for alpha-galactosidase.

Alpha-galactosidase A hydrolyzes the terminal alpha-galactosyl moieties from glycolipids and glycoproteins in lysosomes. Mutations in α-galactosidase cause lysosomal accumulation of the glycosphingolipid, globotriaosylceramide, which leads to Fabry disease. Small-molecule chaperones that bind to mutant enzyme proteins and correct their misfolding and mistrafficking have emerged as a potential therapy for Fabry disease. We have synthesized a red fluorogenic substrate, resorufinyl α-d-galactopyranoside, for a new α-galactosidase enzyme assay. This assay can be measured continuously at lower pH values, without the addition of a stop solution, due to the relatively low pK a of resorufin (~6). In addition, the assay emits red fluorescence, which can significantly reduce interferences due to compound fluorescence and dust/lint as compared to blue fluorescence. Therefore, this new red fluorogenic substrate and the resulting enzyme assay can be used in high-throughput screening to identify small-molecule chaperones for Fabry disease.
Use of umbilical artery base excess: Algorithm for the timing of hypoxic injury

Intrapartum asphyxia is responsible for only a small proportion of cerebral palsy cases, although obstetricians are often held accountable. Umbilical cord pH and blood gas values provide valuable information regarding the status of the infant at birth; base excess determination quantifies the magnitude of metabolic acidosis, the putative risk factor for central neurologic injury. Human and animals studies have confirmed normal values of base excess before labor, and consistent rates of base excess change in relation to the degree of fetal hypoxemia or heart rate patterns. Thus, the combination of assumed base excess values before labor and measured values after birth, together with an assessment of degrees of fetal hypoxemia during labor, permits an interpolation of fetal base excess values throughout the course of labor. Because threshold levels of base excess (eg, -12 mmol/L) have been associated with an increased risk of neonatal neurologic injury, this approach provides a framework for the assessment of fetal heart rate tracings during labor and, potentially, the timing of hypoxic/ischemic injury.
Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles Fully-Integrated 0.13 μm CMOS Digital Low-IF DVB-S/S2 Satellite TV Tuner Using a Discrete-Step AGC Loop

A fully-integrated digital low-IF DVB-S/DVB-S2 satellite TV tuner was realized in 0.13 μm CMOS. It uses a first analog down-conversion to a sliding low-IF, followed by digitization, a second digital mixing to baseband and digital channel selection. Performing more signal processing in the digital domain lead to a relaxation of the RF front-end specifications, allowing its CMOS implementation. The digital low-IF architecture provides a digital power estimation and allows the use of a discrete-step AGC loop that results in a lower noise and linearity degradation in comparison with continuous AGC loops. Digital calibration is used throughout the DVB tuner, minimizing the gain variation over corners and relaxing the noise and linearity constraints. Partitioning the DVB-S2 receiver into a front-end tuner IC built in a mixed-signal CMOS process and a back-end demodulator and MPEG processor IC implemented in a straight digital CMOS process minimizes the receiver cost
Measurements of photon correlations in a two mode laser beam.

Two mode He-Ne gas laser irradiance autocorrelation function measurement, comparing time-to-amplitude converter techniques with frequency domain measurements
(Z)-3-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile and (Z)-3-[1-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-2-(3-thienyl)acrylonitrile.

(Z)-3-(1H-Indol-3-yl)-2-(3-thienyl)­acrylo­nitrile, C15H10N2S, (I), and (Z)-3-[1-(4-tert-butyl­benzyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-2-(3-thienyl)­acrylo­nitrile, C26H24N2S, (II), were prepared by base-catalyzed reactions of the corresponding indole-3-carbox­aldehyde with thio­phene-3-aceto­nitrile. 1H/13C NMR spectral data and X-ray crystal structures of compounds (I) and (II) are presented. The olefinic bond connecting the indole and thio­phene moieties has Z geometry in both cases, and the mol­ecules crystallize in space groups P21/c and C2/c for (I) and (II), respectively. Slight thienyl ring-flip disorder (ca 5.6%) was observed and modeled for (I).
Meta-analysis of non-renewable energy resource estimates

Abstract This paper offers a review of estimates of ultimately recoverable resources (URR) of non-renewable energy sources: coal, conventional and unconventional oil, conventional and unconventional gas, and uranium for nuclear fission. There is a large range in the estimates of many of the energy sources, even those that have been utilized for a long time and, as such, should be well understood. If it is assumed that the estimates for each resource are normally distributed, then the total value of ultimately recoverable fossil and fissile energy resources is 70,592 EJ. If, on the other hand, the best fitting distribution from each of the resource estimate populations is used, a the total value is 50,702 EJ, a factor of around 30% smaller.
Comparison of the electronic structure of the lanthanides and actinides

Abstract This paper reviews the electronic structure of the 4f and 5f compounds. To this end optical and magnetic analyses of similar compounds are compared. In most cases this entails comparing trivalent actinide with trivalent lanthanide compounds although the f 1 configuration (Ce 3+ diluted in Cs 2 NaYCl 6 and Pa 4+ diluted in Cs 2 ZrCl 6 ) is treated in detail. In general the ground electronic states for lanthanide and actinide compounds with the same number n of f electrons (f n ) and the same coordination about the metal ions are similar, although the total crystal field splitting in the actinides is approsimately twice as great as for the lanthanides. The half-filled shell f 7 is a special case with a relatively large ground state splitting in the 5f 7 ground term caused by the effects of the much larger spin-orbit coupling.
MRI-compatible audio/visual system: impact on pediatric sedation.

Background. While sedation is necessary for much pediatric imaging, there are new alternatives that may help patients hold still without medication. Objective. We examined the effect of an audio/visual system consisting of video goggles and earphones on the need for sedation during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and methods. All MRI examinations from May 1999 to October 1999 performed after installation of the MRVision 2000 (Resonance Technology, Inc.) were compared to the same 6-month period in 1998. Imaging and sedation protocols remained constant. Data collected included: patient age, type of examination, use of intravenous contrast enhancement, and need for sedation. The average supply charge and nursing cost per sedated patient were calculated. Results. The 955 patients from 1998 and 1,112 patients from 1999 were similar in demographics and examination distribution. There was an overall reduction in the percent of patients requiring sedation in the group using the video goggle system from 49 to 40 % (P < 0.001). There was no significant change for 0–2 years (P = 0.805), but there was a reduction from 53 to 40 % for age 3–10 years (P < 0.001) and 16 to 8 % for those older than 10 years (P < 0.001). There was a 17 % decrease in MRI room time for those patients whose examinations could be performed without sedation. Sedation costs per patient were $80 for nursing and $29 for supplies. Conclusion. The use of this video system reduced the number of children requiring sedation for MRI examination by 18 %. In addition to reducing patient risk, this can potentially reduce cost.
A defined artificial diet for the larvae of Manduca sexta

The tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (Johannson) (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae), has become an important and widely used laboratory animal. It was first cultured on the foliage of its host plants (Waldbauer et al., 1964; Hoffman et al., 1966), but is now typically cultured on undefined artificial diets that contain such complex substances as wheat germ and yeast (Yamamoto, 1969; Bell & Joachim, 1976; Baumhover, 1985). A diet that includes such ingredients, each containing the gamut of nutrients, is useful for maintaining cultures but is not appropriate for most nutritional studies, including studies of dietary self-selection. We here describe a defined diet (containing no ingredients that are chemically less well characterized than linseed oil) that is suitable for studies of self-selection and other aspects of nutrition. To the best of our knowledge, no defined diet for M. sexta has been previously published. The defined diet (Table 1), a modification of Vanderzandt's (1968) diet, is prepared as follows: The group A ingredients, water and agar, are poured into a flask that is capped with aluminum foil, autoclaved for 20 min, cooled for 10 min, poured into a blender with the group B ingredients, and then thoroughly mixed. When the mixture cools below 60 ~ the group C ingredients are added, the diet is blended for 5 min and then poured into plastic molds. After the diet has cooled to room temperature, each mold is wrapped with aluminum foil and stored at 4 ~ until used. Table 1. Composition of defined diet for rearing Manduca sexta larvae
BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION FOR PEDIATRIC MALIGNANCIES

Hematopoietic cellular reconstitution with bone marrow is an established treatment approach for a variety of hematologic, oncologic, and immunologic diseases. This article reviews the marrow transplant process and current status of marrow transplantation in pediatric patients with malignant diseases.
Goddard Earth Observing System chemistry‐climate model simulations of stratospheric ozone‐temperature coupling between 1950 and 2005

[1] Links between the stratospheric thermal structure and the ozone distribution are explored in the Goddard Earth Observing System chemistry-climate model (CCM). Ozone and temperature fields are validated using estimates based on observations. An experimental strategy is used to explore sensitivities of temperature and ozone using the CCM alongside the underlying general circulation model (GCM) with ozone specified from either observations or from a chemistry-transport model (CTM), which uses the same chemical modules as the CCM. In the CTM, upper stratospheric ozone is biased low compared to observations; GCM experiments reveal that using CTM ozone reduces a warm temperature bias near the stratopause in the GCM, and this improvement is also seen in the CCM. Near 5 hPa, the global-mean ozone profile is biased low in the CTM but is close to observations in the CCM, which suggests that the temperature feedbacks are important in simulating the ozone distribution in the middle stratosphere. In the low stratosphere there is a high bias in simulated ozone, which forces a warm bias in the CCM. The high ozone also leads to an overestimate in total column ozone of several tens of Dobson units in the polar regions. In the late part of the twentieth century the seasonal activation of chlorine, especially over Antarctica, destroys ozone as expected, so that chlorine-induced ozone decreases are overestimated in the CCM compared to the real atmosphere. Ozone-change experiments reveal that the thermal structures of the GCM and CCM respond in a similar manner to ozone differences between 1980 and 2000, with a peak ozone-induced temperature change of about 1.5 K (over 20 years) near the stratopause, which is at the low end of the range computed by other models. Greenhouse-gas-induced cooling increases with altitude and, near the stratopause, contributes an additional 1.3 K to the cooling near 1 hPa between 1980 and 2000. In the Antarctic, the ozone hole is simulated with some success by the CCM. As with many other models, the polar vortex is too persistent in late winter, but counteracting this, the CCM undergoes too much midwinter variability, meaning the ozone hole is more variable than it is in the real atmosphere. Temperature decreases associated with the ozone hole in the CCM are similar to those computed with other models.
TU‐C‐AUD‐09: Comprehensive Assessment Methodology for Radiation Oncology Information Systems

Purpose: To develop a comprehensive methodology to systematically assess the information flow and the performance of radiation oncologyinformation systems (ROIS). Method and Materials: Radiation oncologyinformation objects were classified into Clinical Processes, Information Management and Technological Innovation Integration. Comprehensive maps of the IS/IT infrastructure, processes and information flow were generated by a team of experts. These maps served as the basis for testing and evaluating connectivity and process flow and to guide the development of a quantitative survey to assess the performance of an ROIS. Performance was defined as a measure of how the ROIS matches the site‐specific clinical practice and IS/IT infrastructure. Each group of tasks, activities and processes, associated with the three areas classified above, were hierarchically controlled according to importance in patient care and scored by the team members. The survey was applied and experiential feedback recorded in a sample of clinical areas for two test ROIS. Results: Practice specific process and infrastructure maps were generated. Functional and interoperability problems were identified and some resolved during the mapping process. The developed survey was applied and initial results indicate a range of ROIS compatibility with clinical process. While different, each ROIS demonstrated above adequate performance. Experiential feedback provided suggestions to improve ROIS integration and site‐specific processes. Conclusion: This work attempts to provide an objective tool to understand and analyze information flow and its compatibility with a given ROIS in a clinic specific patient care setting. Mapping provides insight into process communication, interoperability and efficiency. The hierarchy and importance of various characteristics are customizable to a given clinical practice and thus allow the tool's broad applicability. Proper assessment of information flow and matching to an ROIS will provide a more efficient and more effective care delivery setting. Conflict of Interest: Supported in part by Varian Medical Systems.
Zur Kenntnis des Rosenöls. 2. Mitteilung. Die Konstitution des Oxyds C10H18O aus bulgarischem Rosenöl

Dem von SEIDEL & STOLL aus bulgarischem Rosenol und seither auch aus Geraniumol isolierten linksdrehenden Monoterpenoxyd C10H18O wird auf Grund spektroskopischer und synthetischer Untersuchungen die Konstitution des (4 R)-cis-2-(2′-Methyl-l′-propenyl)-4-methyl-tetrahydropyrans (II) zuerteilt.
Genera in paleontology: Definition and significance

Three working concepts or definitions of the genus as a systematic category are available: the “phylogenetic”; or “cladistic”; concept, which views genera as monophyletic clades, the “phenetic”; or...
The ribonucleic acid, lipid, and polysaccharide constituents of influenza virus preparations.

Abstract The ribonucleic acid, lipid, and polysaccharide constituents of three strains of influenza virus (PR8, DSP, and Lee) and of related host materials were investigated by chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques. Cephalin, sphingomyelin, lecithin, and unesterified cholesterol were found in the virus strains examined in approximately the same proportions as in the material derived from normal allantoic fluid or membrane. In addition, the proportions of phospholipid:cholesterol:triglyceride were of the same order in virus and normal membrane. All three strains were found to contain (as polysaccharides) galactose, mannose, fucose, and amino sugar in approximately the same proportions as in the material from allantoic fluid or membrane. From the ribose released on hydrolysis of the viruses, it was possible to estimate that the three strains of influenza virus contain about 0.8% ribonucleic acid.
A Comment on Ali Tas˛ıran's `Wage and income effects on the timing and spacing of births in Sweden and in the United States'

This note reviews and evaluates Tasiran's (1995) claim that estimated female wage effects on Swedish fertility dynamics reported by Heckman and Walker (1990) are not robust to the use of microwage data. The results reported here indicate that once individual wage measures have been purged of measurement error, estimated female wage effects are not sensitive to the introduction of microwages. The results reported by Heckman and Walker (1990) persist even with the use of microwage data.
Effects of water deprivation on schedule-induced polydipsia

Twelve food-deprived male albino rats, randomly assigned to three equal groups, were successively exposed to (a) baseline conditions with water freely available in both the experimental chamber and the home cage, and (b) baseline and free-reinforcement schedule (FFI-60-sec) conditions with water freely available in the experimental chamber and available on a free or limited basis in the home cage. Prior to experimental sessions, Group 1 had continuous access to water in the home cage, whereas Groups 2 and 3 were 12 and 22.33 h water deprived, respectively. Results indicated that water deprivation (a) increased the probability of the development of schedule-induced polydipsia, but (b) had no augmentative effect on either asymptotic intake level or rate of development of the phenomenon.
In Vivo Residue-specific Histone Methylation Dynamics

Methylation of specific histone residues is capable of both gene activation and silencing. Despite vast work on the function of methylation, most studies either present a static snapshot of methylation or fail to assign kinetic information to specific residues. Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry on a high-resolution mass spectrometer and heavy methyl-SILAC labeling, we studied site-specific histone lysine and arginine methylation dynamics. The detection of labeled intermediates within a methylation state revealed that mono-, di-, and trimethylated residues generally have progressively slower rates of formation. Furthermore, methylations associated with active genes have faster rates than methylations associated with silent genes. Finally, the presence of both an active and silencing mark on the same peptide results in a slower rate of methylation than the presence of either mark alone. Here we show that quantitative proteomic approaches such as this can determine the dynamics of multiple methylated residues, an understudied portion of histone biology.
Watercraft-related Drownings among New York State residents, 1988-1994

OBJECTIVE: To describe environmental and personal risk factors associated with watercraft-related drownings. This information may be useful in developing boating safety programs, regulations, and enforcement priorities. METHODS: A companion article in this issue (Unintentional Drownings Among New York State Residents, page 448) summarizes an investigation of 883 non-bathtub drownings among New York State residents for the years 1988 to 1994 using medical examiner, coroner, police, and hospital records in addition to death certificate data. This report details the environmental and personal risk factors associated with 216 watercraft-related drownings. RESULTS: Ninety-three percent of watercraft-related drowning victims were male, with the highest rate of drowning observed among males ages 15-44 years. Most commonly, the victim entered the water when the watercraft capsized (36%), the victim fell overboard (24%), or the victim intended to swim (11%). Personal flotation devices (PFDs) were known to be worn by only 9% of drowning victims, and in these cases other risks overwhelmed the effectiveness of the PFD. Of 73 individuals 15 years of age or older for whom adequate blood alcohol concentration analyses were provided, 44% were positive for blood alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this study, increased use of PFDs, avoidance of dangerous currents, and less alcohol use by operators and passengers of all types of watercraft would result in a reduction in watercraft-related drownings. In addition to continued education efforts, boating safety measures that deserve consideration include enforcement of current PFD and boating while intoxicated (BWI) regulations and expansion of BWI laws to apply to all boaters.
Universal constraint on evolution of all coding sequences

Abstract What often escapes notice is the inherent paradox in the role of natural selection in evolution. Inasmuch as a coding sequence encoding a functionless protein shall be ignored by natural selection, the initial acquisition of a function by a protein has to be intrinsic in the construction principle of coding sequences. The very fact that many proteins of very divergent functions tend to have rather similar amino acid compositions suggests that there must be a universal rule in the construction of all coding sequences, and this rule was previously defined as the TA/CG-deficiency—TG/CT-excess rule. When manifesting itself in coding sequences of rather balanced base composition, this rule establishes C T G as one of the most numerous base trimers. While Leu is the major residue of most proteins; C T G is the most frequently utilized of 6 Leu codons in E. coli to man. Yet, the two most common base tetramers, G C T G and C C T G, need not be translated in their second reading frame to yield Leu. Their preferential translation in the first reading frame increases Ala and Pro at the expense of Leu, while that in the third reading frame yielded extremely Cys-rich metallothionein.
Baboon/dSmad2 TGF‐β signaling is required during late larval stage for development of adult‐specific neurons

The intermingling of larval functional neurons with adult-specific neurons during metamorphosis contributes to the development of the adult Drosophila brain. To better understand this process, we characterized the development of a dorsal cluster (DC) of Atonal-positive neurons that are born at early larval stages but do not undergo extensive morphogenesis until pupal formation. We found that Baboon(Babo)/dSmad2-mediated TGF-β signaling, known to be essential for remodeling of larval functional neurons, is also indispensable for proper morphogenesis of these adult-specific neurons. Mosaic analysis reveals slowed development of mutant DC neurons, as evidenced by delays in both neuronal morphogenesis and atonal expression. We observe similar phenomena in other adult-specific neurons. We further demonstrate that Babo/dSmad2 operates autonomously in individual neurons and specifically during the late larval stage. Our results suggest that Babo/dSmad2 signaling prior to metamorphosis may be widely required to prepare neurons for the dynamic environment present during metamorphosis.
Double-blind, randomized, multicenter study of doxacurium vs. pancuronium in intensive care unit patients who require neuromuscular-blocking agents

Objective To compare the neuromuscular-blocking and hemodynamic effects of doxacurium vs. pancuronium administered by intermittent bolus to intensive care unit (ICU) patients who required neuromuscular block to facilitate mechanical ventilation for >or=to24 hrs. Design A multicenter, prospective, double-blind, randomized study comparing doxacurium, a new benzylisoquinolone neuromuscular-blocking agent, with pancuronium. Setting ICUs of three tertiary care hospitals. Patients Forty critically ill patients (29 male, 11 female) with an average age of 52.5 yrs (range 19 to 80). Interventions With approval of our Institutional Review Boards and after obtaining informed consent, 40 critically ill patients were entered into the study. Histories and the results of physical examinations were recorded, laboratory data were collected, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores were calculated during the 8 hrs before the start of the study medication. Patients received either doxacurium (initial dose of 0.04 mg/kg) or pancuronium (initial dose of 0.07 mg/kg) by bolus injection with continuous measurement of vital signs every minute for 15 mins. We measured the degree of neuromuscular blockade using a peripheral-nerve stimulator to measure the Train-of-Four count. Patients were rebolused (doxacurium dose of 0.025 mg/kg, pancuronium dose of 0.05 mg/kg) based on clinical criteria, which were substantiated by measurement of the Train-of-Four count. The neuromuscular-blocking drugs were stopped when the patient no longer required paralysis or after 5 days of therapy, whichever came first. Group comparisons were made using repeated measures analysis of variance, Fisher's exact test, and two sample t-tests, when appropriate. Spearman's rank-correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationship of onset time and recovery time with all baseline laboratory values and the APACHE II scores. A p Measurements and Main Results There were no differences between the two groups with respect to age, gender, or APACHE II scores. There were no differences between groups in terms of adverse experiences, nor with respect to time of onset of block, number of doses, or the duration of neuromuscular blockade (2.6 vs. 2.2 days for doxacurium vs. pancuronium, respectively). There was a statistically significant increase in heart rate after the initial dose of pancuronium (120 +/- 23 vs. 109 +/- 22 beats/min postinjection vs. preinjection, respectively; p Conclusions In critically ill patients requiring neuromuscular block for >24 hrs, doxacurium was well tolerated without evidence of tachycardia and with a relatively prompt recovery profile.
Chemical class separation of coal liquids by high-performance liquid chromatography on a semi-preparative, phosphoric acid-modified amino-bonded-phase column

Abstract A amino-bonded stationary phase, modified by treatment with phosphoric acid to form an amino phosphate, permits the high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of aliphatic, non-polar aromatic, neutral/acidic polar aromatic and basic polar aromatic hydrocarbon chemical classes. It was employed to fractionate coal liquid samples on a semi-preparative scale.