cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A clinical monitoring form for mood disorders

Objective: The Clinical Monitoring Form (CMF) for mood disorders was developed as a time efficient record keeping tool for routine clinical use. This report presents preliminary data evaluating the correlation between the CMF's dimensional subscales for depression and mood elevation and formal mood rating scales across a wide spectrum of mood states. Methods: To harvest data for 500 follow-up visits required collection of data from consecutive records accumulated during the conduct of seven double blind clinical trials involving a total of 58 participants. These trials utilized the CMF as a source document in conjunction with formal study outcome scales, e.g. Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Mania Rating Scale (MRS) from the Schedule of Affective Disorders-Current (SUM-C). Correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the relationship between the formal rating scales, Clinical Global Impression and the depression (SUM-D) and mood elevation (SUM-ME) subscales of the CMF. Results: Robust correlations were observed between SUM-D and the formal depression scales, HRSD and MADRS, r=0.79, r=0.88, respectively. Similar robust correlations were also found between the SUM-ME and the formal mood elevation scales, YMRS and the MRS, r=0.84, r=0.86, respectively. Conclusion: The CMF appears to offer a reasonable alternative to the formal rating scales typically used in research studies.
Parity violation in electron scattering

Parity-violating electron scattering has been a very useful tool for probing the structure of neutral currents and providing detailed information on electroweak form factors. A pioneering SLAC measurement in the mid-70s provided an important early test of the Standard Model. Modern electron accelerators provide high-intensity (> 100 µA), CW beams with polarizations as high as 85%. Experiments such as SAMPLE, A4, HAPPEX and G0 have exploited these capabilities and obtained new information on electroweak strange form factors in the Q 2 range of 0.1–1.0 (GeV/c)2. That activity continues. Other experiments are designed to provide stringent tests of the Standard Model. E-158 at SLAC recently measured the weak charge of the electron. Q weak is a challenging new experiment at JLAB which is designed to measure the weak charge of the proton. This will probe for physics beyond the Standard Model corresponding to energy scales of more than 5TeV.
Electrophoretic Mobility of Lipid Coated Nanoparticles: Understanding the Influence of Size and Charge on a Lipoprotein Particle Mimic

Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Although smaller LDL particles are more atherogenic, it is not clear how LDL particle size influences atherogenesis. Smaller particles may be more prone to macrophage uptake and plaque formation. Alternatively, increased rates of lipid oxidation may explain the atherogenic effects of smaller LDL. We have developed a mimic of LDL that allows independent examination of the effect of LDL size and oxidation. We have engineered LDL mimics using liposome-encapsulated gold nanoparticles, in which the size and surface charge are independently controlled during synthesis. Here we examine the effects of lipid composition on zeta potential and electrophoretic mobility of LDL mimics. Using these mimics, we explored the effect of the lipid coating on the nanoparticles including anionic lipids and oxidized lipids. Dynamic light scattering was used to determine the size of the mimics and gel electrophoresis was used to measure the mobility and calculate zeta potential. The charge of the lipid coating influenced the mobility and we anticipate this will influence how the mimics interacts with proteins.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Large melting point depression of 2-3-nm length-scale nanocrystals formed by the self-assembly of an associative polymer: Telechelic, pyrene-labeled poly(dimethylsiloxane)

Large melting point depressions for organic nanocrystals, in comparison with those of the bulk, were observed in an associative polymer: telechelic, pyrene-labeled poly(dimethylsiloxane) (Py-PDMS-Py). Nanocrystals formed within nanoaggregates of pyrenyl units that were immiscible in poly(dimethylsiloxane). For 5 and 7 kg/mol Py-PDMS-Py, physical gels resulted, with melting points exceeding 40 °C and with small-angle X-ray scattering peaks indicating that the crystals were nanoconfined, were 2–3 nm long, and contained roughly 18–30 pyrenyl dye end units. In contrast, 30 kg/mol Py-PDMS-PY was not a gel and exhibited no scattering peak at room temperature; however, after 12 h of annealing at −5 °C, multiple melting peaks were present at 5–30 °C. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3470–3475, 2004
Penetrating injuries of the neck and the increasing role of CTA

Vascular injuries of the neck are most frequently the result of penetrating trauma. Diagnostic evaluation of hemodynamically stable patients who have suffered penetrating neck wounds is challenging and remains controversial. In order to reduce morbidity and mortality, prompt diagnosis and subsequent treatment of these injuries is critical. Traditionally, these patients undergo direct contrast angiography. However, this technique has limitations including its invasive nature and potential complications. The use of routine screening angiography has also been questioned because of the low rate of positive examinations. More recently, helical and multislice CT angiography (CTA) has emerged as a fast, minimally invasive accurate study to evaluate penetrating neck injuries. CTA is not operator-dependent and the results can be reproduced easily by using established technical parameters. It is readily available in most centers and allows the simultaneous evaluation of the extravascular soft tissues and bones.
Prediction of color and pH measurement throughout boneless center-cut pork loins.

Boneless pork loins (N=95) divided into three groupings based on National Pork Producers Council color standards were utilized to characterize changes in color and pH throughout the loin. CIE L∗, CIE a∗, CIE b∗, saturation, and hue angle differed (P<0.05) for color category and chop position. A color category by position interaction (P<0.05) existed only for pH values. These differences in color and pH measures throughout the loin indicate that one measurement may not characterize the entire boneless loin. For all color and pH measures significant orthogonal and polynomial contrasts existed, therefore, separate regression equations were developed for each color category to predict position response. Multiple regression equations were significant for most objective measures of color and pH, but the low R2 values indicate that these models provide little information as to changes in color and pH throughout the boneless pork loin.
Addressing small computers in the first OS course

Small computers are emerging as important components of the contemporary computing scene. Their operating systems vary from specialized software for an embedded system to the same style of OS used on a generic desktop or server computer. This article describes a course in which systems are classified by their hardware capability and the traditional OS topic areas are then dissected, augmented, reassembled, and reorganized to illustrate the aspects of each topic as applicable to each class of small computers. Ultimately, the course covers the same material as a conventional OS course, but from a new perspective.
All-Epitaxial VCSELs with Tunnel-Coupled QDs-QW InAs-InGaAs Active Medium

Tunnel-coupled pairs of InGaAs quantum well (QW) grown on top of InAs quantum dots (QDs) were optimized. All-epitaxial QDs-QW VCSELs demonstrated CW-mode lasing (Ith= 1.8 mA, Pmax.= 0.7mW) at QD ground state emission wavelength, 1135nm.
Psychotherapy as an Operational Theology Process

This article discusses the concept that pathology derives from the absolutizing of an internalized object, usually from the family of origin, which unconsciously operates as a false absolute or idol in one's psyche. To survive in a world perceived as governed by such a false god, one develops symptoms and strategies that function as false saviours and idolatrous processes of one's distorted universe. The therapist's task is to help the client to identify and to consider changing the double idolatry of the false god and of the idolatrous strategies of salvation. Thus, such unconscious operational theology of the double idolatry is made conscious and the client becomes free to live in a universe governed by the loving creator who seeks to save the client by the unconditional and unambiguous divine love.
Targeted therapy of cancer: new roles for pathologists—prostate cancer

The clinical dilemma today in the management of prostate cancer (PCA) is to distinguish men who need definitive treatment from men who have indolent disease. As demonstrated most recently by the randomized Scandinavian trial evaluating the benefit of prostatectomy over Watchful Waiting, surgery significantly decreased the risk of death from PCA. However, this same study also suggests that 19 men need to be treated to benefit one man. Given the high prevalence of the disease, the aging of the population, and the potential morbidity of treatment, the ability to distinguish aggressive from indolent forms of PCA is critical. Treatment for advanced PCA begins with androgen ablation, but eventually hormone-refractory (HR) PCA emerges. Novel therapies are in various stages of clinical trials, including kinase inhibitors, antisense oligonucleotides, and inhibitors of heat-shock proteins. The discovery of novel therapeutic approaches is an active area of clinical research. Eliminating HR PCA before it advances is a high priority in the biomarker field. Therefore, the development of molecular signatures of lethal PCA are critical. In addition, the recent discovery that a significant percentage of PCAs harbor a TMPRSS2-ETS gene fusion suggests that targeting either the ETS transcription factors or the fusion product may offer a novel approach to therapy. However, in 2007, the mainstay of treatment for advanced PCA remains androgen ablation therapy as originally introduced in the early 1940s.
Biogenesis of γ-secretase early in the secretory pathway

γ-Secretase is responsible for proteolytic maturation of signaling and cell surface proteins, including amyloid precursor protein (APP). Abnormal processing of APP by γ-secretase produces a fragment, Aβ42, that may be responsible for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The biogenesis and trafficking of this important enzyme in relation to aberrant Aβ processing is not well defined. Using a cell-free reaction to monitor the exit of cargo proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), we have isolated a transient intermediate of γ-secretase. Here, we provide direct evidence that the γ-secretase complex is formed in an inactive complex at or before the assembly of an ER transport vesicle dependent on the COPII sorting subunit, Sec24A. Maturation of the holoenzyme is achieved in a subsequent compartment. Two familial AD (FAD)–linked PS1 variants are inefficiently packaged into transport vesicles generated from the ER. Our results suggest that aberrant trafficking of PS1 may contribute to disease pathology.
A satellite based global education system: The Knowledge Network of the World

Abstract Today the entire world is struggling to meet the educational needs of more people than ever before. Nearly every country, and especially the developing world has a current and projected shortage of qualified teachers at all educational levels. As a result, there is little likelihood that the necessary educational resources of traditional approaches can be mustered to meet the clearly identified global needs. This paper expands upon a visionary proposal by Arthur C. Clarke for the development and implementation of an electronic tutor. It is demonstrated that the realization of this idea is both technologically and economically feasible and capable of addressing the educational dilemma in an economically viable fashion. Developmental design, operational cost factors are explored together with forecasts for implementation of the electronic tutor unit and the infrastructure required to provide a truly global educational capability by the year 2000. This electronic tutor system is characterized as the key element within a new Knowledge Network of the World (KNOW).
Sampling Properties of U-statistics for a Class of Stationary Nonlinear Processes

We consider the sampling properties of U-statistics based on a sample of realization from a class of stationary nonlinear processes which include, in particular, linear, bilinear and finite order volterra processes. It is shown that if the size n of the realization tends to infinity then certain normalized versions of the U-statistics tend to be distributed normally with zero means and finite variances.
Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of a branching decasaccharide fragment of the capsular polysaccharide of type III group B Streptococcus

Abstract A combined, chemical and enzymatic synthesis is reported of a decasaccharide corresponding to two contiquous repeating units of the type-specific, capsular polysaccharide of the human pathogenic Type III group B Streptococcus.
Engineering Study of Thermal Problems in Ferrites of AGS Accelerating Cavities

Expressions for radial and transverse temperature profiles in a ferrite disc heated internally by a high frequency alternating magnetic field of an accelerating cavity were developed from Fourier's equation for heat conduction. These expressions were further utilized in equations for thermal stresses to determine the pattern of stress distribution inside ferrites. Numerical results were then plotted to facilitate engineering evaluation of cooling methods, It became evident that solid copper plate of reasonable thickness could not adequately cope with the higher heat dissipation requirements of the AGS Conversion Program. Copper cooling plate with internal water passages, however, was found to be an effective heat sink for the ferrites. Derived equations are quite general and therefore could be applied to any thermal problem that is similar in character.
Social avoidance and distress as a predictor of perceived locus of control and level of self‐esteem

Proposed the degree of social discomfort to be indicative of an individual's perceived locus of control and level of self-esteem. Introductory psychology students (N = 143) at the University of Alaska completed questionnaires for Social Avoidance and Distress (SAD), Rotter's Internal versus External Control of Reinforcement Scale, and Janis-Field Personality Inventory. There were significant differences in locus of control and level of self-esteem among those Ss rated as high SAD, moderate SAD, and low SAD. High SAD Ss were found to have significantly greater external locus of control and lower self-esteem than either the moderate or low SAD Ss. Individuals who experience social anxiety, as opposed to those who are comfortable in social situations, are likely to feel that they have less control over the rewards in life and experience less positive self-regard.
Technical and management notes generalized model for the time pattern of the diffusion process: A comment

The objective of this comment is to provide a clarification on the derivation of the Bass model [1] provided by Mahajan and Schoeman [2].
Actinide production in reactions of heavy ions with Cm-248

Transfer reactions of heavy ions with $^{248}$Cm targets are evaluated for their usefulness in producing unknown neutron-rich actinide nuclides. Cross sections for the production of nuclides in the region 91\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}100 were determined radiochemically from bombardments with $^{18}$O, ${\mathrm{}}^{86}$Kr, and $^{136}$Xe ions. The systematic trends in the cross sections for these reactions can be understood in terms of the Coulomb potential and the stabilizing effect of the reaction Q values, which tend to favor the production of nuclei with Zg${Z}_{\mathrm{target}}$ with low excitation energies. Extrapolation of the product yields into unknown regions of charge and mass indicates that the use of heavy-ion transfer reactions to produce new neutron-rich above-target species is limited. Substantial production of unknown neutron-rich below-target species is expected in reactions with heavy projectiles like $^{136}$Xe and $^{238}$U.
Response of Ladino White Clover to Sulfur at Cool Temperatures

(...) Shoot dry matter production for the initial 144-d growth period and two subsequent 22-d regrowths was significantly higher for the 450 kg P ha −1 rate at all temperatures; however, yield increase resulting from an increase in S was minimal (< 10%) and inconsistent. Sulfur application increased uptake of S and N (...)
A Study of Blockwise Wavelet Estimates Via Lower Bounds for a Spike Function

A blockwise shrinkage is a popular adaptive procedure for non-parametric series estimates. It possesses an impressive range of asymptotic properties, and there is a vast pool of blocks and shrinkage procedures used. Traditionally these estimates are studied via upper bounds on their risks. This article suggests the study of these adaptive estimates via non-asymptotic lower bounds established for a spike underlying function that plays a pivotal role in the wavelet and minimax statistics. While upper-bound inequalities help the statistician to find sufficient conditions for a desirable estimation, the non-asymptotic lower bounds yield necessary conditions and shed a new light on the popular method of adaptation. The suggested method complements and knits together two traditional techniques used in the analysis of adaptive estimates: a numerical study and an asymptotic minimax inference.
Comparison of Discharge Silver Concentrations from Electrolytic Plating and Metallic Replacement Silver Recovery Units

Silver-based photographic X-ray film is made of solid crystals of silver chloride or silver bromide suspended in a gelatin and then coated on a film. During the X-ray developing process, the image is processed and the nonimage areas containing solid silver chloride or silver bromide crystals are removed in a solution called the fixer. There may be local environmental regulations that regulate the amount of silver discharged from a facility. To meet these regulations, many facilities have added silver recovery units to their processes. Two different types of recovery processes are in use in a large hospital and three clinics under study. All of the units were claimed by their respective manufacturers to be able to recover silver down to concentrations of 5 mg/L. This concentration would ensure that the building that houses each unit would meet the local county limit of 0.5 mg/L silver for total building silver discharge. The hypothesis for this research is that one system, newer and more expensive, consisting of so-called electrolytic plating units (EPUs) (which are followed by so-called metallic replacement units [MRUs] as a backup), will have better silver recovery than MRUs alone. A total of six units were sampled, three EPUs (in combination with MRUs) and three MRUs. The units were sampled once or twice a day for 10 days for a total of 17 samples from each. The samples then were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, and an analysis of variance was performed on the results. The range for the electrolytic plating unit/metallic replacement unit combinations was 0.20-99.9 mg/L (mean of 35.15 mg/L; median of 33.8 mg/L). The range for the MRUs alone was 7.2-1112 mg/L (mean of 565.5 mg/L; median of 720 mg/L). Many individual results exceeded 5 mg/L, such that extensive dilution would be required to ensure the building effluent did not exceed 0.5 mg/L. It is suggested that the metallic replacement units be changed to EPUs (with metallic replacement backup units) because they had better silver recovery. Also, the EPU combinations need to be sampled regularly to ensure that their silver concentrations are at acceptable levels.
The potential of exposure biomarkers in epidemiologic studies of reproductive health.

Abstract To further the development and application of exposure markers in field investigations in reproductive epidemiology, we have synthesized recent examinations of the issues surrounding exposure measurements in reproductive epidemiology. The specific goals of this paper are to define exposure biomarkers and explore their potential uses, particularly as screening tools. The tests for glucaric acid, thioethers, mutagenicity, and porphyrin patterns meet the general criteria for useful exposure screens. For certain xenobiotic agents, these tests accurately differentiate exposure levels, as demonstrated in occupational and environmental epidemiologic studies. As urinary screens, they are noninvasive and applicable on a large scale with current laboratory techniques. For short-term exposure, glucaric acid, thioethers, and mutagenicity tests are useful. Porphyrin patterns may measure cumulative effects as well as current exposure levels. The usefulness of these tests in epidemiologic studies of environmental effects on reproductive health has yet to be studied. To do so, the battery must be standardized for pregnant women, and test results must be correlated with measured adverse reproductive outcomes, such as gestational length and birthweight. This correlation is particularly important because maternal exposure rather than fetal exposure is being measured. The extent to which xenobiotic chemicals cross the placental barrier may vary greatly depending on the type of exposures, timing in pregnancy, and maternal detoxification capability. Without better exposure measures, epidemiologic studies of reproductive health probably will not successfully identify xenobiotic fetotoxic agents in the environment. However, with an adequate battery of nonspecific exposure biomarkers, prospective studies of environmental effects on pregnancy outcomes might be possible.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Plant Development: Small RNAs and the Metamorphosis of Leaves

In many plant species, the degree of serration and complexity in successive leaves increases. A new study suggests that small-RNA-mediated licensing of competitive interactions between transcription factors links the developmental clock regulating vegetative phase change with leaf morphology.
Organotypic Slice Culture of E18 Rat Brains

Organotypic slice cultures from embryonic rodent brains are widely used to study brain development. While there are often advantages to an in-vivo system, organotypic slice cultures allow one to perform a number of manipulations that are not presently feasible in-vivo. To date, organtotypic embryonic brain slice cultures have been used to follow individual cells using time-lapse microscopy, manipulate the expression of genes in the ganglionic emanances (a region that is hard to target by in-utero electroporation), as well as for pharmacological studies. In this video protocol we demonstrate how to make organotypic slice cultures from rat embryonic day 18 embryos. The protocol involves dissecting the embryos, embedding them on ice in low melt agarose, slicing the embedded brains on the vibratome, and finally plating the slices onto filters in culture dishes. This protocol is also applicable in its present form to making organotypic slice cultures from different embryonic ages for both rats and mice.
PERMEABILITY TO SUGARS AND FATTY ACIDS IN POLYTOMA OBTUSUM.

SYNOPSIS. Whole cells of Polytoma obtusum do not utilize glucose or other hexoses, but cell-free extracts show glucokinase activity having a pH optimum at 8.5 and a Q10 of 2.4 between 0–20°C. Lack of glucom utilization by whole cells reflects a permeability barrier to all sugars. To determine whether inability of acetate-grown cells to utilize butyrate also denoted a permeability barrier, permeability to acetate and butyrate was studied in acetate- and butyrate-grown cells However, acetate-grown cells accumulated C-14 labeled butyrate against a concentration gradient. Therefore inability of acetate-grown cells to utilize butyrate does not denote a permeability barrier. Acetate-kinase activity was consktently demonstrated in cell-free extracts of both acetate- and butyrate-grown cells. Butyrate kinase was consistently found only in butyrate-grown cells. However, the absence of buttymte kinase in acetate-grown cells cannot be claimed since occasionally butyrate kinase activity was demonstrated in extracts of acetate-grown cells.
Inequality and the Organization of Knowledge

Since the seminal work of Lawrence F. Katz and Kevin M. Murphy (1992), the study of wage inequality has taken as its starting point a neoclassical constant-elasticity-of-substitution production function using as inputs capital and lowand high-skill labor. This approach assumes that the organization of production is fixed and determined by a particular specification of technology, and it ignores both the source of the interaction between workers and the organizational aspects of this interaction. These shortcomings are particularly important in light of growing empirical evidence that points, first, to the importance of decreases in the cost of processing and communicating information and, second, to the complementarity between organizational change and adjustments in the distribution of wages (e.g., Timothy F. Bresnahan et al., 2002). This paper argues that theories that seek to guide empirical research on these areas must put knowledge and information at the center of the analysis of organizations and link the organizational structure with aggregate variables via equilibrium frameworks. In Garicano and Rossi-Hansberg (2003), we present a model of this kind. It determines the patterns of organization, as manifested by the communication and specialization patterns, and the implied wage structure, that result from different costs of acquiring and communicating information. Here, we present a simple variant of this theory that allows us to focus on one of the main aspects of that framework: the sorting of agents into teams and the wage and organizational structure that accompanies that sorting. We use this simple model to analyze the changes in organization and wages that result from a very specific type of technological change: a reduction in the cost of communicating knowledge or information. This model allows us to consider the effect on within-class wage inequality, and the impact of information technology on the creation and form of organizations (e.g., size distribution of hierarchies). However, because knowledge is exogenously given, and agents cannot invest in learning, an important margin of the model in Garicano and Rossi-Hansberg (2003) is fixed, namely, the degree of “decentralization” or the extent to which problems are solved at lower levels. That model allows the simultaneous study of the acquisition of knowledge, spans of control, and matching in equilibrium. Moreover, it goes beyond the current analysis in that it allows for organizations with an unconstrained number of layers, and in that it studies two aspects of the impact of information technology: communication technology (like here) and the technology to acquire knowledge or information (e.g., processing power through cheaper database access).
An overview of performance measures in higher education and libraries

Aux Etats-Unis, avec le passage a l'âge de l'information et les transformations fondamentales du systeme d'enseignement superieur, le controle de la qualite et l'etablissement de mesures de performance sont devenus des preoccupations majeures au sein des etablissements d'enseignement superieur. Les bibliotheques de recherche academiques subissent une pression identique et reconnaissent le besoin de mesurer les performances et les resultats. Trois facteurs au moins affectent la fiabilite et la validite des donnees : la coherence entre institutions et dans le temps ; la facilite d'utilisation versus l'utilite des donnees rassemblees ; les valeurs et le sens des mesures. Les bibliotheques de recherche auront tout interet a commencer par adopter quelques-uns des indicateurs de performance recommandes par la norme ISO 11620 et l'IFLA - International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
Masking of alphabetic character recognition by dynamic visual noise (DVN)

The recognition of alphabetic characters composed of dot patterns is interfered with by dynamic visual noise (DVN) composed of similar dots randomly plotted over the character field. In this study we examine the general ability of the visual system to defect test characters as the level of this DVN varies. Three experiments are performed. The first deals with the effect of the DVN when the characters are embedded in continuous bursts of the noise, while the second and third examine the effects of leading and trading bursts of the DVN on character recognizability. Though the applicability of this paradigm to psychological questions is very brood, we concentrate on the problems of the channel capacity of the visual system and the persistence of the effects. The time course of the psychological instant is also considered.
Magnetic Properties of Cobalt-Containing Diblock Copolymers with Cylindrical Morphology of Different Domain Sizes

Previously, we have synthesized a cobalt-containing diblock copolymer system which exhibited room temperature ferromagnetic properties after phase separation and heat treatment. We have also shown that the morphology and cobalt density in the nanostructured domains both influenced the magnetic properties of these materials due to nanoconfinement which enhanced the dipolar interactions between otherwise superparamagnetic cobalt nanoparticles. Here, we investigated the effect of domain size on the magnetic properties of these room temperature ferromagnetic materials (RTFMs) using a series of five cobalt-containing diblock copolymers with various molecular weights and constant block ratios. The diblock copolymers self-assembled into cylindrical morphologies with different domain sizes upon solvent annealing, and then were converted to RTFMs upon a simple heat treatment. The domain sizes of these RTFMs did not show a significant impact on their coercivity values, possibly because the domain size range investigated was not large enough and the cobalt–cobalt dipolar interactions were nearly constant throughout. At the same time, this study confirms that the RTFMs generated from these novel block copolymers are robust.
The Authenticity of Ethnographic Research

In this introduction to this special publication of JCCD, the principles of ethnography are explained and placed within the domain of social research. Issues such as the role of interpretation in science, the balance of subjectivity and objectivity in social research, and beliefs about science in American culture all contribute to the evaluation of qualitative research in general and ethnographic research in particular The value of ethnographies for clinicians and teachers as well as researchers is addressed in an overview of the papers that follow.
Splenic origin of early-labeled bilirubin in rats exposed to high altitude.

AbstractThe formation of early-labeled [14C]bilirubin (ELB) from the pulse-injected heme precursor, [2-14C]glycine was measured in rats. Chronic exposure to a simulated altitude of 18,000 ft increased the rate of ELB formation two- to three-fold over that in sea level controls for periods of up to 40 hr following precursor injection. Splenectomy significantly reduced the rate of ELB formation in altitude-exposed rats in the 0- to 5-hr interval after precursor injection, but splenectomy had no effect in sea level controls. Conversely, hypoxia increased the rate of ELB excretion in splenectomized rats in the 10- to 20-hr interval after precursor injection, but not at earlier time intervals. These results are consistent with our previous hypothesis that an exaggerated splenic erythropoiesis with both effective and ineffective components develops in the rat as a result of chronic exposure to extreme altitude.
Relating local vision measurements to global navigation satellite systems using waypoint based maps

Roughly 50% of all the traffic fatalities are due to lane departures [2]. There is great interest in advanced driver assistance systems that prevent unintended lane departure. Currently there are passive lane detection systems that warn the driver of unintended land departure know as land departure warning (LDW) systems which rely on cameras to track lane markings. LDW systems base solely off camera measurements are prone to failures due to poor environmental lighting or poor lane marking coverage. Combining the measurements from multiple sensors will create a much more robust LDW system that is not prone to failures.
Electrostatic basis for the unidirectionality of the primary proton transfer in cytochrome c oxidase.

Gaining detailed understanding of the energetics of the proton-pumping process in cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is one of the challenges of modern biophysics. Despite promising mechanistic proposals, most works have not related the activation barriers of the different assumed steps to the protein structure, and there has not been a physically consistent model that reproduced the barriers needed to create a working pump. This work reevaluates the activation barriers for the primary proton transfer (PT) steps by calculations that reflect all relevant free energy contributions, including the electrostatic energies of the generated charges, the energies of water insertion, and large structural rearrangements of the donor and acceptor. The calculations have reproduced barriers that account for the directionality and sequence of events in the primary PT in CcO. It has also been found that the PT from Glu-286 (E) to the propionate of heme a3 (Prd) provides a gate for an initial back leakage from the high pH side of the membrane. Interestingly, the rotation of E that brings it closer to Prd appears to provide a way for blocking competing pathways in the primary PT. Our study elucidates and quantifies the nature of the control of the directionality in the primary PT in CcO and provides instructive insight into the role of the water molecules in biological PT, showing that “bridges” of several water molecules in hydrophobic regions present a problem (rather than a solution) that is minimized in the primary PT.
Low-temperature hydrogen transfer and cracking catalysis in molten SbCl3-AlCl3

Abstract Molten SbCl 3 -10 mol% AlCl 3 has been found to catalyse unusual hydrogen transfer chemistry for the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, naphthalene, under extremely mild, aprotic conditions. At 130 °C and in the absence of added hydrogen gas, naphthalene is rapidly hydrogenated and isomerized in the melt to form 1-methylindene, 1-methylindane, and tetralin. The hydrogen used in the formation of these products is generated internally from the coupling of a portion of the naphthalene to form condensed aromatics such as binaphthalenes, benzofluoranthenes, and perylene. Furthermore, many of these condensed products not only undergo similar hydrogenation and isomerization, but they are also severely cracked in this medium. Under these aprotic, low-temperature reaction conditions, the redox properties of SbCl 3 are believed to play a key role in the catalytic process, the effect of added AlCl 3 being to enhance the oxidizing power of the SbCl 3 in addition to increasing the Lewis acidity of the melt.
3D architectures are not just for microbatteries anymore

Building battery architectures with functional interfaces that are interpenetrated in three dimensions opens the door to major gains in performance as compared to conventional 2-D battery designs, particularly with respect to the battery footprint. We are developing 3-D solid-state Li-ion batteries that are sequentially assembled from interpenetrating and tricontinuous networks of anode, cathode, and electrolyte/separator materials. We use fiberpaper- supported carbon nanofoams as a massively parallel, conductive, ultraporous base platform within which to create the 3-D cell. The components required for battery operation are incorporated into the x,y,z -scalable papers and include nanoscale coatings of metal oxides that serve as Li-ion-insertion electrodes and ultrathin, electroninsulating/ Li-ion conducting polymer coatings that serve as the electrolyte/separator.© (2011) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Childhood lead poisoning and its treatment

The 30-year federal war on childhood lead poisoning began in the activist days of the 1960s and was codified in the Lead Paint Poison Prevention Program of 1970 (1) introduced by Senator Edward Kennedy. Since that time the mean blood lead of US children has decreased from above 1 j.l.mollL (20.7 j.l.g/dL) to below .25 j.l.mollL (5.2 j.l.g/dL). With only two reported deaths in children from acute lead encephalopathy in the past 20 years (2), the politically attuned could call it a preordained triumph. The clinically oriented will credit early screening and diagnosis with the infrequency of life-threatening symp­ toms. The environmentalist can relate the elimination of leaded gasoline to the decline in mean blood lead. The skeptic might question the validity of current evidence for the neurobehavioral risk of low-level lead. The pharma­ cologist might express astonishment at the limited evidence for the therapeutic efficacy of chelation therapy acquired over all these years. To address the latter two concerns, this is a review of the current status of childhood lead poisoning and its treatment. To facilitate comparisons of data relating to blood lead, all subsequent values of blood lead are cited as the traditional j.l.gldL rather than as the molar concentration (1 j.l.g/dL = .0483 j.l.mollL)
Buoyancy effects on heat transfer and temperature profiles in horizontal pipe flow of drag-reducing fluids

Abstract We have studied the extent to which buoyancy effects in horizontal pipe flows of drag-reducing viscoelastic fluids cause distortions to both laminar and turbulent temperature profiles. In the case of laminar flows, these distortions may lead to variations in Nusselt numbers that are larger than those seen for Newtonian pipe flows under similar conditions. In the case of turbulent drag-reducing flows, the effects of buoyancy can also be large and may in turn result in large errors in estimated Nusselt numbers if not properly accounted for. These errors are quantified and recommendations are made on how to reduce them.
Global Lightning Parameterization from CMIP5 Climate Model Output

Lightning is best known as a component of severe weather, but diverse communities of researchers, such as those in atmospheric chemistry and global fire modeling, have long recognized that lightning plays a significant role in many components of the Earth system. Global climate models are unlikely to be able to simulate lightning from first principles, but the same models do simulate many parameters related to convection, includingtotal precipitation rate,convectiveprecipitationrate,andconvectivemassflux.Thisstudycombines satellite observations of lightning and CMIP5 climate model simulations to derive an empirical parameterization of monthly lightning in terms of monthly simulated convective parameters. Convective mass flux best captures the spatiotemporal distribution of observed lightning. Derived lightning seasonality is captured with 95% confidence over 69% of land but only 30% of ocean. Spatially, the correlation of derived lightning and observed lightning is 0.74. Overall, global observations suggest lightning occurs at an annual rate of 47 flashes per second, while lightning from the parameterization occurs at 44 flashes per second. A robust feature of the relationship between lightning and climate model convective parameters is that lightning flash rate increases linearly with increases in convective precipitation rate and in convective mass flux for a significant subset of the total range of those convective parameters. Namely, this linear proportionality is evident when the convective precipitation rate is less than 4‐5mmday 21 and the convective mass flux is less than 15‐ 16kgm 22 h 21 , which account for about 90% of the values simulated by the climate models.
Sodium theophylline glycinate.

A method of preparation and the characterization of Sodium Theophylline Glycinate are described. This new combination produces a typical theophylline response in animals and it is well tolerated in large amounts in man.
Removal and fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants in an urban stormwater bioretention facility.

This research investigated the removal and fate of 16 USEPA priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from urban stormwater runoff through a bioretention cell. Bioretention is an infiltration/filtration practice containing a mixed layer of about 90 cm of soil, sand, and organic matter, planted with appropriate vegetation. Field water quality monitoring and bioretention media core analyses were performed. The results indicate that bioretention is a promising management practice to control runoff PAH pollutants. The PAH event mean concentration (EMC) reduction ranged from 31 to 99%, with a mean discharge EMC of 0.22 μg/L. The mass load decreased from a mean value of 0.0180 kg/ha yr to 0.0025 kg/ha yr, suggesting an average PAH mass load reduction of 87% to the discharging watershed. The most dominant PAH species monitored were fluoranthene and pyrene. Influent PAHs indicated strong affiliation with runoff total suspended solids (TSS). As such, PAH removal positively correlated with TSS remo...
Using Question Series to Evaluate Question Answering System Effectiveness

The original motivation for using question series in the TREC 2004 question answering track was the desire to model aspects of dialogue processing in an evaluation task that included different question types. The structure introduced by the series also proved to have an important additional benefit: the series is at an appropriate level of granularity for aggregating scores for an effective evaluation. The series is small enough to be meaningful at the task level since it represents a single user interaction, yet it is large enough to avoid the highly skewed score distributions exhibited by single questions. An analysis of the reliability of the per-series evaluation shows the evaluation is stable for differences in scores seen in the track.
Dynamic invariant detection for relational databases

Despite the many automated techniques that benefit from dynamic invariant detection, to date, none are able to capture and detect dynamic invariants at the interface of a program and its databases. This paper presents a dynamic invariant detection method for relational databases and for programs that use relational databases and an implementation of the approach that leverages the Daikon dynamic-invariant engine. The method defines a mapping between relational database elements and Daikon's notion of program points and variable observations, thus enabling row-level and column-level invariant detection. The paper also presents the results of two empirical evaluations on four fixed data sets and three subject programs. The first study shows that dynamically detecting and inferring invariants in a relational database is feasible and 55% of the invariants produced for each subject are meaningful. The second study reveals that all of these meaningful invariants are schema-enforceable using standards-compliant databases and many can be checked by databases with only limited schema constructs.
Escherichia coli BdcA controls biofilm dispersal in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Rhizobium meliloti

Background: Previously we showed that BdcA controls Escherichia coli biofilm dispersal by binding the ubiquitous bacterial signal cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP); upon reducing the concentration of c-di-GMP, the cell shifts to the planktonic state by increasing motility, decreasing aggregation, and decreasing production of biofilm adhesins. Findings: Here we report that BdcA also increases biofilm dispersal in other Gram-negative bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Rhizobium meliloti. BdcA binds c-di-GMP in these strains and thereby reduces the effective c-di-GMP concentrations as demonstrated by increases in swimming motility and swarming motility as well as by a reduction in extracellular polysaccharide production. We also develop a method to displace existing biofilms by adding BdcA via conjugation from E. coli in mixed-species biofilms. Conclusion: Since BdcA shows the ability to control biofilm dispersal in diverse bacteria, BdcA has the potential to be used as a tool to disperse biofilms for engineering and medical applications.
Erosion of microbicide formulation coating layers: Effects of contact and shearing with vaginal fluid or semen

An effective vaginal microbicide formulation must distribute and maintain an epithelial coating layer. The post-application durability of this coating is significantly affected by the vaginal environment. A new in vitro assay quantified coating layer erosion after contact and shear with simulated vaginal fluid or semen. Coating layer persistence and viscosity of both fluid and gel layers were assessed versus time. Five vaginal formulations were studied. In all gels, there was an overall trend of rapid (∼30 min) and significant viscosity loss. Although there were differences across gels and between simulants, greater erosion occurred after contact with the low-pH vaginal fluid simulant (>50% viscosity decrease), as compared to an alkaline semen simulant. These in vitro results suggest significant differences in vivo of vaginal coating retention by the test gels. This new assay can be diversified to create a spectrum of biologically relevant conditions which collectively simulate the natural history of vaginal formulation residence.
Desmoplastic Infantile Ganglioglioma and Desmoplastic Cerebral Astrocytoma of Infancy

The desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma and desmoplastic cerebral astrocytoma of infancy are rare neoplasms arising in the cerebral hemispheres within the first two years of life which are defined by a combination of distinctive clinicopathologic features. The tumours are massive, partially cystic and invariably occur in a supratentorial location. Involvement of multiple lobes is common with a predilection for frontoparietal areas. In one series of 22 desmoplastic infantile gangliogliomas, all patients presented between 2 and 24 months of age (mean = 6 months; median = 4 months) with a male to female ratio of 1.4:1. In the nine reported cases of the desmoplastic cerebral astrocytoma of infancy, all patients presented between 1.5 and 14 months of age (mean = 6.8 months; median = 6 months) with a male to female ratio 0.8:1. The hallmark feature of both neoplasms is an abundant and often dense desmoplasia, imparting a characteristic firmness to the neoplasms. In the desmoplastic infantile gangliogliomas, astroglial and neuronal tumour cells in addition to variable numbers of more primitive, mitotic cells comprise the neoplastic neuroepithelial populations. In contrast, the neuroepithelial component of the desmoplastic infantile astrocytomas is restricted to neoplastic astrocytes. Despite the large size, cellular pleomorphism and cellular atypia, prognosis following successful surgical resection in both types of tumours is quite favorable. The longest followup data is available for the desmoplastic infantile gangliogliomas. With the median interval of 8.7 years (range 1 to 14.5 years) following surgery for 14 patients in this series, there were no deaths due to tumour or any evidence of tumour recurrence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)