cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of an injury prevention program on the lower limb stability in young volleyball players.

Background Volleyball players have a high risk of injury in the lower limbs as a consequence of the specific characteristics of the sport, such as repetitive jumps and falls. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary injury prevention program on lower limb stability in young volleyball players. Methods The experimental design was a non-randomized controlled trial. All the measurements were performed in a standardized room in a sports center. Twenty-six young male volleyball players (mean age: 15.39±1.16 years-old), divided into experimental (n=15) and control groups (n=11) participated in this study. The experimental group performed an 8-week prevention program including lower limb strength and plyometric training, and joint and core stability. The Y-Balance and force platform landing tests were carried out as the pre- and post-tests. Results The main outcome measures were the injuries history, distance and difference reached in anterior, post-lateral and post-medial axis of the Y-Balance test, and the force produced in Z, X and Y axis after landing. Differences were found between groups and measurements in all the variables of the Y-Balance test, except in the frontal axis for the dominant leg and for the differences between legs (p=0.039-0.001); and in the ground reaction forces (Z axis) (p=0.040), the X axis (p=0.014) and the dynamic postural stability index (p=0.025) of the lateral jump with the non-dominant leg. Conclusions An 8-week prevention program seems to improve the lower limb stability in young volleyball players.
Complications in the spine associated with type 2 diabetes: The role of advanced glycation end-products

Abstract Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is an increasingly prevalent disease with numerous comorbidities including many in the spine. T2D is strongly linked with vertebral fractures, intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration, and severe chronic spinal pain. Yet the causative mechanism for these musculoskeletal impairments remains unclear. The chronic hyperglycemic state in T2D promotes the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in tissues, and the accumulation of AGEs may play a role in musculoskeletal complications by modifying the extracellular matrix, impairing cellular homeostasis, and perpetuating an inflammatory cascade via its receptor (RAGE). The AGE and RAGE associated alterations in extracellular matrix composition and morphological features of the vertebral bodies and IVDs are likely contributors to the incidence and severity of spinal pathologies in T2D. This review will broadly examine the effects of AGEs on tissues in the spine in the context of T2D, with an emphasis on the changes in the vertebrae and the IVD. Along with the clinical and epidemiological findings, we will provide an overview of preclinical rodent models of T2D that exhibit deficits in the IVD and vertebral bone. Elucidating the role of AGEs and RAGE will be crucial for understanding the disease mechanisms and translation therapies of musculoskeletal pathologies in T2D.
Designing Games for Enabling Co-creation with Social Agents.

Digital tools have long been used for supporting children's creativity. Digital games that allow children to create artifacts and express themselves in a playful environment serve as efficient Creativity Support Tools (or CSTs). Creativity is also scaffolded by social interactions with others in their environment. In our work, we explore the use of game-based interactions with a social agent to scaffold children's creative expression as game players. We designed three collaborative games and play-tested with 146 5-10 year old children played with the social robot Jibo, which affords three different kinds of creativity: verbal creativity, figural creativity and divergent thinking during creative problem solving. In this paper, we reflect on game mechanic practices that we incorporated to design for stimulating creativity in children. These strategies may be valuable to game designers and HCI researchers designing games and social agents for supporting children's creativity.
Determining normal values for lower trachea and bronchi size in children by computed tomography (CT).

Background Normative data for central airway dimensions are a prerequisite to objectively assess large airway pathologies. Studies with computed tomography (CT) measurements of normal trachea and bronchi size in children are scarce. Objective The purpose of this study is to establish normal values of central airway dimensions in children by CT. Methods The study included chest CT studies from children aged 0-18 years. Any condition that predisposed the patient to have an abnormal tracheal or bronchial size was excluded. Airway diameters and cross-sectional area (CSA) were measured using double oblique reconstructions at five levels: proximal trachea, mid-trachea, distal trachea, right main bronchus, and left main bronchus. Results The inclusion criteria were met by 110 subjects (mean age, 10.8 years; SD, 5.2 years). Various regression models that considered the relationship between patient demographics and anteroposterior (AP) diameter, transverse diameter, and CSA at each of the five levels were assessed. R2 was utilized to select the best model. Multiple formulae (using patient age) were developed to calculate expected normal dimensions for five levels in the central airways on the natural log scale. Finally, z-scores were obtained for central airway dimensions at these five levels. Conclusion Normative data in pediatric central airways are crucial to identify large airway pathologies. We propose using the formulae devised in our study to calculate the predicted dimensions of central airways and their z-scores in pediatric patients. Normative data from our study will aid in objective quantification of central airways, increase clinician confidence, and provide appropriate patient care.
Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Idiopathic Hyperoxaluria Treatments.

Purpose: Calcium oxalate(CaOx) stone formation is influenced by urinary oxalate excretion. Stone formers with elevated urinary oxalate are commonly prescribed a low-oxalate diet or oral supplementa...
Ethically speaking: Timing

Do you have the ability to pick the right moment to do something? If you do, then you have good timing. Many years ago, shortly after we married, my wife worked with a colleague who had a knack for buying stocks, bonds, and precious metals at a high and selling at a low. His amazing blunders decimated his savings in no time: he had bad timing. In contrast, I was lucky when I sold all my stocks in August 1987 and September 2007, right before the market crashed. I had good timing. Knowing the right time to take action is a skill that is not only useful in the stock market, but applies to many important life decisions. Good timing implies careful planning and decision making. Sometimes life does not allow for this convenience, though.
A Conceptual Model for Studying Social Welfare Policy Comparatively

Abstract Courses in international or comparative social welfare have many benefits, but require a framework for systematic comparisons between countries. This article presents an institutional political process model for studying social welfare policy comparatively. The principal elements of the model include each country's societal values, government institutions (operationalized as the role of interest groups), policy goals, and system implementation (type of welfare system). The model is demonstrated through a comparison of the dissimilar social welfare systems of Sweden and the U.S.
A Mighty River: Intersections of Spiritualities and Activism in Children's and Young Adult Literature.

AbstractThis article seeks to expand the possibilities of support that children’s and young adult literature provides to activist‐oriented educators. Joining our voices to others who have made significant contributions to this emphasis, our work examines a too‐often‐silenced aspect of activism: its intersection with spirituality. Using an inclusive conceptualization of spirituality that emphasizes diversity and complexity, we present and engage with a range of picture books and novels relevant to spiritual activism. We first present a literature review that traces the use of literature in the teaching of activism and spirituality. Drawing from this scholarship, we identify key criteria for selecting spiritual activist texts. Next, we discuss several texts that meet these criteria in relation to four overarching themes: 1) aligning activist approaches with spiritualities, 2) invoking praxis to sustain a vision of change, 3) identifying activist strategies for effecting change, and 4) negotiating across spi...
Response of flame speed to positively and negatively curved premixed flames

We address flame stretch effects on two-dimensional premixed ‘regular’ (RF) and ‘inverted’ (UF) flames burning methane–air and propane–air mixtures through an experimental investigation. The regular flames have a negative curvature and are concave to the unburned mixture, while the inverted flames are positively curved and convex. The response to stretch (that addresses the influence of curvature) differs along the planar and curved regions of a premixed flamefront. A curved flame behaves as a lens that focuses (negative curvature) or defocuses heat from the burned to the unburned side depending upon its curvature, but defocuses (negative curvature) or focuses the concentration of the deficient reactant from the unburned side into the premixed reaction zone. The focusing of heat into the unburned side of the negatively curved RF raises the local temperature in the unburned region and increases the upstream velocity. The positive curvature of the UF induces a positive stretch rate, which decreases the flam...
The Mott Problem in One Dimension

In the α decay of a nucleus, the tracks left in the medium by the α particle are linear, even though its initial wave function is spherically symmetric. Understanding this quantum phenomenon has been called “the Mott problem”, ever since Mott’s fundamental paper on the subject (Mott in Proc. R. Soc. London Ser. A 126:79 1929). Here we study a one dimensional version of the Mott problem. The particle emitted in the decay is represented as a superposition of waves, one traveling to the left, the other to the right. The atoms with which the particle interacts are modeled as two level systems. The wave equation obeyed by the particle is taken to be the massless Dirac equation. For a certain space-time structure for the particle-atom interaction, it is possible to derive an explicit space-time solution for the entire system, for an arbitrary number of atoms. In the one dimensional solution, the coherent superposition of right and left-moving wave packets leaves behind tracks of excited atoms. The Mott problem on the nature of the tracks left behind is addressed using the reduced density matrix, defined by taking the trace over all particle degrees of freedom. It is found that the reduced density matrix is the incoherent sum of two terms, one involving excited atoms only on the right; the other involving excited atoms only on the left, implying that tracks will show excited atoms on one side or the other. In one dimension, tracks which involve excited atoms exclusively on one side or the other are the analog of straight tracks in three dimensions.
Monte Carlo study of the aqueous hydration of dimethylphosphate conformations

Monte Carlo computer simulations were performed on dilute aqueous solutions of the dimethylphosphate anion and the sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair, with the two phosphodiester torsional angles in the gauche–gauche, gauche–trans, and trans–trans conformations. The structural and energetic aspects of the aqueous hydration of each molecule were analyzed in terms of quasi component distribution functions based on the proximity criterion and partitioned into ionic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic contributions to facilitate an understanding of the hydration pattern and conformational trends in these multifunctional solutes. Special attention was also paid to methodological issues affecting hydration, such as statistical uncertainty in the determined hydration indices, choice of partial atomic charges for the solute atoms, and solute–water interaction potentials adopted in the simulations. The results showed that gauche–trans and gauche–gauche forms are equally favorable for the dimethylphosphate anion with the trans extended form destabilized by hydration. The sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair hydration energetically favors the trans–trans conformation.
Brillouin-zone averaging in angle-resolved x-ray photoemission from valence levels of single-crystal gold and aluminum

Abstract Angle-resolved X-ray photoemission spectra from the valence bands of gold and aluminum single crystals at 25°C are found to exhibit two types of behavior that are inconsistent with the predictions of a previously-proposed direct-transition model: (1) For gold, changing the excitation energy from 1253.6 to 1486.6 eV yields essentially identical spectra for emission along the [001], [111], or [112] directions. (2) For aluminum, the emission directions [001], [110], [111], and [112] all exhibit identical spectra with 1486.6 eV excitation. These results thus indicate that nearly complete Brillouin-zone averaging occurs in angle-resolved XPS spectra for these systems at room temperature, and that some form of anisotropic matrix element must be primarily responsible for the changes in spectra with emission direction previously observed for gold and copper at hν = 1486.6 eV.
Impact of pretransplant hyponatremia on outcome following liver transplantation

Hyponatremia is associated with reduced survival in patients with cirrhosis awaiting orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). However, data are sparse regarding the impact of hyponatremia on outcome following OLT. We investigated the effect of hyponatremia at the time of OLT on mortality and morbidity following the procedure. The study included 2,175 primary OLT recipients between 1990 and 2000. Serum sodium concentrations obtained immediately prior to OLT were correlated with subsequent survival using proportional hazards analysis. Morbidity associated with hyponatremia was assessed, including length of hospitalization, length of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and occurrence of central pontine myelinolysis (CPM). Out of 2,175 subjects, 1,495 (68.7%) had normal serum sodium (>135 mEq/L) at OLT, whereas mild hyponatremia (125-134 mEq/L) was present in 615 (28.3%) and severe hyponatremia (<125 mEq/L) in 65 (3.0%). Serum sodium had no impact on survival up to 90 days after OLT (multivariate hazard ratio = 1.00, P = 0.99). Patients with severe hyponatremia tended to have a longer stay in the ICU (median = 4.5 days) and hospital (17.0 days) compared to normonatremic recipients (median ICU stay = 3.0 days, hospital stay = 14.0 days; P = 0.02 and 0.08, respectively). There were 10 subjects that developed CPM, with an overall incidence of 0.5%. Although infrequent, the incidence of CPM did correlate with serum sodium levels (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Pre-OLT serum sodium does not have a statistically significant impact on survival following OLT. The incidence of CPM correlates with hyponatremia, although its overall incidence is low. Incorporation of serum sodium in organ allocation may not adversely affect the overall post-OLT outcome. (HEPATOLOGY 2009;49:1610–1615.)
Theory of the spin-1 bosonic liquid metal - Equilibrium properties of liquid metallic deuterium

The theory of a two-component quantum fluid comprised of spin-1/2 fermions and nonzero spin bosons is examined. This system is of interest because it embodies a possible quantum liquid metallic phase of highly compressed deuterium. Bose condensation is assumed present and the two cases of nuclear-spin-polarized and -unpolarized systems are considered. A significant feature in the unpolarized case is the presence of a nonmagnetic mode with quadratic dispersion owing its existence to nonzero boson spin. The physical character of this mode is examined in detail within a Bogoliubov approach. The specific heat, bulk modulus, spin susceptibility, and thermal expansion are all determined. Striking contrasts in the specific heats and thermal-expansion coefficients of the liquid and corresponding normal solid metallic phase are predicted.
A criterion for classifying radioactive cells.

Abstract A method for estimating the proportion of cells labelled with a radioactive isotope is derived. Its application rrequires that the fraction of cells labelled with i (i = 0, 1, 2,… grains in a control tissue and injected tissue be known.
Diameter of the mitochondrial outer membrane channel: Evidence from electron microscopy of frozen-hydrated membrane crystals

The average projected density of mitochondrial outer membrane channels has been obtained from electron microscopic images of unstained, frozen-hydrated two-dimensional crystals. The density map is consistent with the projection of hollow, thin-walled cylinders aligned normal to the membrane plane with a diameter of 3.8 ± 0.1 nm. This diameter closely matches that of the largest β-barrel that can be formed from one copy of the 30-kDa mitochondrial outer membrane channel protein.
Extract: mining social features from WLAN traces--a gender-based case study

The next frontier for sensor networks is sensing the human society. Several mobile societies are emerging, especially with wide deployment of wireless LANs (WLANs) on campuses. WLAN traces can provide much insight into mobile user behavior. Such insight is essential to develop realistic models and to design better networks, and analyze effects of social attributes on mobile network usage. The most extensive libraries of wireless traces are collected from university campuses, are anonymized and do not provide affiliation, gender or preference information explicitly. Hence, it becomes a challenge to analyze network usage characteristics for social groups using the existing traces. In this paper, we present two novel scientific techniques to classify WLAN users into social groups. The first technique uses mapping of the traces into buildings (e.g., dept. buildings, libraries, sororities and fraternities) to extract affiliation and gender information based on network usage statistics. The second technique utilizes directory information that can be linked to WLAN users to extract useful information. For example, usernames of the WLAN users (if available) can be used to find user's gender based on first name and databases. As a case study we perform classification and behavior analysis of users by gender. Extensive WLAN traces from two major universities are collected over three years and analyzed. Results from both the methods are cross-validated and show more than 90% correspondence.Results of gender classification are then used to examine usage patterns and preferences across gender groups, including spatio-temporal distribution of wireless on-line activity, study majors and vendor preference. In some cases these metrics are equal across genders, however, there are several interesting cases that clearly indicate statistically significant and consistent effects of gender; e.g., males have longer on-line sessions in Engineering and Music, while females have longer sessions in Social Sciences and Sports areas. At one university female groups consistently preferred Apple computers. These findings can have a great impact on several mobile networking applications; they can be directly used for realistic modeling of wireless user on-line behavior, mobility and virus susceptibility, and for designing socially-aware protocols and class-based or gender-based services, to name a few.
Indigenous Rights, Global Governance, and State Sovereignty

This article discusses indigenous rights within the context of global governance. I begin by defining the terms “global governance” and “indigenous peoples” and summarizing the rights that are most important to indigenous peoples. The bulk of this article studies the global governance of indigenous rights in three areas. The first example is the creation of the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. A second example involves violations of indigenous rights brought before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. A third case looks at a relatively new international regime created by indigenous peoples themselves—the Inuit Circumpolar Council. I conclude by using theories of sovereignty to assess the relative successes and failures of indigenous efforts to secure their rights.
Age-dependence of isoproterenol-induced DNA synthesis in submandibular glands of BALB/c mice.

Abstract The age-dependency of isoproterenol (IPR) induced DNA synthesis was investigated in different organs of Balb/c mice. Although modifications of the physiological rate of DNA synthesis after IPR injection occured also in liver and spleen, a quasi-linear decrease of the peak of IPR response with advancing age was observed only in submandibular glands. Such a decrease was observed when animals were injected with 10−4 g IPR per g body weight, lower doses being unable to discriminate between young and old mice. In spite of some differences between mice and rats, the early appearance and linearity of age-dependency remain common features of IPR response.
Unimodal Batesian polymorphism in the Neotropical swallowtail butterfly Eurytides lysithous (Hbn.)

The Brazilian swallowtail Eurytides lysithous is evidently a Batesian mimic of several Parides species. It is polymorphic for mimetic patterns in both sexes. Various populations contain from one to three major forms, and these seem to depend on two unlinked loci or supergenes. Samples from natural populations, and one reared brood, suggest that one locus controls two white-marked forms, with incomplete dominance producing a third heterozygous form. The heterozygotes are everywhere deficient from Hardy-Weinberg expectations. The second putative locus has an allele epistatic to the first locus which converts the white-marked forms to black, but epistasis is apparently incomplete in heterozygotes. The incomplete dominance and epistasis result in extraordinarily variable polymorphic populations and would allow a genetic analysis for comparison with those already done in the classic Batesian polymorphic swallowtails of the Old World.
RSVP Bibliography: 2009-2011

The RSVP Bibliography catalogues essays, theses, and books published in the field of Victorian periodicals studies from December 2009 through December 2011. It includes entries relevant to newspapers and magazines of Great Britain and the British Empire, 1837-1901.
Choosing to exercise more: Small choices increase exercise engagement

Abstract Objectives The purpose of the study was to examine whether individuals' motivation to exercise could be increased by providing them with an incidental choice. Design Experimental design with two groups. Method Two groups of participants were asked to perform four exercises (i.e., lunges, jumping jacks, bear crawls, medicine-ball throws). After a demonstration of each exercise, a choice group was given the opportunity to choose the order of exercises, while a control group performed them in a pre-determined order. Subsequently, all participants decided how many sets and repetitions of each exercise they wanted to complete. Results Choice group participants performed a significant greater number of total repetitions (sets × repetitions) of all exercises than did control group participants. Conclusions The finding suggests that individuals' need for autonomy can be supported by giving them small choices, which can positively affect exercise engagement.
Abstract 633: BAL1 and its partner E3 Ligase, BBAP, Link PARP activation, Ubiquitylation and double-strand DNA repair independent of ATM, MDC1 and RNF8.

The BAL1 macro domain-containing protein and its partner E3 ligase, BBAP, are overexpressed in chemotherapy-resistant lymphomas. BBAP selectively ubiquitylates histone H4 and indirectly promotes early 53BP1 recruitment to DNA damage sites. However, neither BBAP nor BAL1 have been directly associated with a DNA damage response (DDR) and the function of BAL1 remains undefined. DDR proteins assemble in a coordinated, sequential manner at sites of DNA breaks. The initial recruitment phase is rapid, transient and dependent upon PARylation at DNA damage sites. A second phase, which also begins within seconds but lasts for hours, includes the sequential phosphorylation of ATM, MDC1 and the RNF8-dependent ubiquitylation of multiple double-strand break (DSB) repair factors. We have now defined a direct link between the rapid and short-lived PARP1 activation and PARylation at DNA damage sites, PAR-dependent recruitment of the BAL1 macro domain-containing protein and its partner BBAP E3 ligase, local BBAP-mediated ubiquitylation and subsequent recruitment of the checkpoint mediators, 53BP1 and BRCA1. The PARP1-dependent localization of BAL1/BBAP functionally limits both early and delayed DNA damage and enhances cellular viability independent of ATM, MDC1 and RNF8. These data establish BAL1 and BBAP as bona fide DDR pathway members and directly associate PARP1 activation, BRCA1 recruitment and DSB repair. Citation Format: Qingsheng Yan, Rong Xu, Liya Zhu, Xin Cheng, Zhe Wang, John Manis, Margaraet Shipp. BAL1 and its partner E3 Ligase, BBAP, Link PARP activation, Ubiquitylation and double-strand DNA repair independent of ATM, MDC1 and RNF8. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 633. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-633
Falls among patients who had elective orthopaedic surgery: a decade of experience from a musculoskeletal specialty hospital.

Study Design Retrospective cohort study. Objective To evaluate falls among elective orthopaedic inpatients at a musculoskeletal hospital. Background Falls are the most commonly reported hospital incidents. Approximately 30% of in-hospital falls result in minor injury, and up to 8% of falls result in moderate to severe injury. Given the projected rise in elective orthopaedic procedures, it is important to better understand fall patterns in this population. Methods A retrospective review of electronic medical records and patient charts (2000–2009) was conducted to identify falls in patients admitted for elective orthopaedic procedures. Results There were 868 falls among orthopaedic patients older than 18 years. The fall rate was 0.9% of admissions, or 2.0 falls per 1000 inpatient days. The average age of the patients who had fallen was 68 years, and 57.6% were women. Knee replacements (38.2%), spine procedures (18.5%), and hip replacements (14.7%) were the procedures most commonly associated with falls. Thr...
Circular DNA forms of colicinogenic factors E1, E2 and E3 from Escherichia coli

Abstract Colicinogenic factor E1 (Col E1) DNA isolated from Escherichia coli by phenol extraction followed by dye-buoyant centrifugation was found to consist almost exclusively of the monomer 23 s supercoiled circular DNA form. Little if any of the larger multiple forms which are characteristic of Col E1 DNA isolated from Proteus mirabilis were observed. The Col E1 DNA isolated from E. coli was shown to be similar, if not identical, to the monomer form of P. mirabilis by co-purification through alkali denaturation, neutralization and nitrocellulose filtration, and by co-sedimentation in sucrose gradients. The Col E1 DNA of E. coli also gives rise to a 17 s form with first-order kinetics during degradation with pancreatic deoxyribonuclease, as does the 23 s form isolated from P. mirabilis . A rapid technique of isolation of closed circular DNA molecules from E. coli , consisting of direct dye—buoyant centrifugation of a sheared sarkosyl lysate was developed. Using this technique, Col E1 from E. coli was again isolated as the 23 s form exclusively, while colicinogenic factors E2 and E3 were both found to be predominantly 25 s DNA forms. The sedimentation properties of the Col E2 and Col E3 DNA indicate a molecular weight of 5 × 10 6 for these factors.
Semantic Holism is seriously false

Semantic Holism is the claim that any semantic path from inferential semantics (the indeterminate semantics forced by the classical inference rules of PC) reaches all the way to classical semantics if it is even one step long. In our joint paper “Semantic Holism”, Belnap and I showed that some such semantic paths are two steps long, but we left open a number of questions about the lengths of semantic paths. Here I answer the most important of these questions by showing that there are infinitely long semantic paths that begin at inferential semantics but that do not even reach classical semantics. I do this by showing how to construct such an infinite semantic path from the members of the family of (n−1)-out-of-n-disjunction connectives.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: What? Who? When? How?

Abstract Cardiac resynchronization therapy is an important and underused tool to help patients with heart failure symptoms, left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVEF≤35%), and intraventricular conduction system disease (QRS≥120 msec). Cardiac resynchronization therapy paces the heart simultaneously from both right and left ventricles (through the coronary sinus). Approximately three quarters of patients who undergo a successful implant will have some degree of symptomatic improvement and have fewer heart failure hospitalizations. When cardiac resynchronization therapy is combined with a defibrillator, patients may benefit from the added protection against sudden arrhythmic death.
EXPLOSIVE INSTABILITY DUE TO 3-WAVE OR 4-WAVE MIXING, WITH OR WITHOUT DISSIPATION

It is known that an "explosive instability" can occur when nonlinear waves propagate in certain media that admit 3-wave mixing. In that context, three resonantly interacting wavetrains all gain energy from a background source, and all blow up together, in finite time. A recent paper [17] showed that explosive instabilities can occur even in media that admit no 3-wave mixing. Instead, the instability is caused by 4-wave mixing, and results in four resonantly interacting wavetrains all blowing up in finite time. In both cases, the instability occurs in systems with no dissipation. This paper reviews the earlier work, and shows that adding a common form of dissipation to the system, with either 3-wave or 4-wave mixing, provides an effective threshold for blow-up. Only initial data that exceed the respective thresholds blow up in finite time.
Flammability limits, ignition energy, and flame speeds in H2–CH4–NH3–N2O–O2–N2 mixtures

Abstract Experiments on flammability limits, ignition energies, and flame speeds were carried out in a 11.25- and a 400-liter combustion vessel at initial pressures and temperatures of 100 kPa and 295 K, respectively. Flammability maps of hydrogen–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–air, as well as lean flammability limits of various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures were determined. Ignition energy bounds of methane–nitrous oxide, ammonia–nitrous oxide, and ammonia–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures have been determined and the influence of small amounts of oxygen on the flammability of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures has been investigated. Flame speeds have been measured and laminar burning velocities have been determined for ammonia–air–nitrous oxide and various hydrogen–methane–ammonia–nitrous oxide–oxygen–nitrogen mixtures. Lower and upper flammability limits (mixing fan on, turbulent conditions) for ignition energies of 8 J are: H2–N2O: 4.5 ∼ 5.0% H2(LFL), 76 ∼ 80% H2(UFL); CH4–N2O: 2.5 ∼ 3.0% CH4(LFL), 43 ∼ 50% CH4(UFL); NH3–N2O: 5.0 ∼ 5.2% NH3(LFL), 67.5 ∼ 68% NH3(UFL). Inerting concentrations are: H2–N2O–N2: 76% N2; CH4–N2O–N2: 70.5% N2; NH3–N2O–N2: 61% N2; NH3–N2O–air: 85% air. Flammability limits of methane–nitrous oxide–nitrogen mixtures show no pronounced dependence on small amounts of oxygen (
Phylogenetic relationships among species of the subgenus Parasitatax (Acari: Unionicolidae: Unionicola) based on DNA sequence of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase i gene

Abstract Morphological differences among species of parasitic water mites in subgenus Parasitatax (Unionicolidae: Unionicola) are comparatively minor, with taxonomic distinctions among most members of the taxon based on subtle differences in one or two morphological characters. Two species of the subgenus, Unionicola formosa Dana and Whelpley, 1836 and U. foili Edwards and Vidrine, 1994 are morphologically indistinguishable and have been designated separate species on the basis of host specificity and allozyme analysis. The present study examines heterogeneity in sequence data of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene among four putative species of the subgenus Parasitatax: U. dimocki Vidrine, 1986, U. foili, U. formosa, and U. ypsilophora Bonz, 1783. Because populations of U. formosa from different species of host mussels are genetically divergent, intraspecific diversity of the COI gene among host-associated populations of U. formosa was also examined. DNA sequence data was used to co...
The chinese herbal medicine formula MSSM-002 suppresses allergic airway hyperreactivity and modulates TH1/TH2 responses in a murine model of allergic asthma.

Abstract Background: Asthma is a major public health problem worldwide, and the morbidity and mortality of asthma have increased in the past two decades. The reputed efficacy, low cost, and relative absence of side effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have led to increasing interest in the use of TCMs for the treatment of asthma in Western countries. However, there are few well-controlled scientific studies on the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action of TCMs used to treat asthma. Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of the Chinese herbal medicine formula MSSM-002, derived from TCMs used to treat allergic asthma, on a well-characterized mouse model of allergic asthma. Methods: Mice sensitized intraperitoneally and challenged intratracheally with conalbumin were treated with MSSM-002 24 hours after the first intratracheal challenge. Dexamethasone-treated, saline solution sham-treated, and naive mice served as controls. The effects of MSSM-002 on allergic airway hyperreactivity, inflammation, antigen-specific antibody production, lung histologic features, and cytokine profiles were evaluated. Results: MSSM-002 treatment virtually eliminated airway hyperreactivity and markedly reduced the total number of cells and the percent eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids compared with the sham-treated group. Lung histologic features showed that MSSM-002 reduced inflammation and mucus production. These effects were equivalent to the effects of dexamethasone, but in contrast to the overall immunosuppressive effects of dexamethasone MSSM-002 treatment decreased antigen-specific IgE, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 levels without suppressing IgG2a and IFN-γ synthesis. Conclusion: MSSM-002 exhibits anti–airway hyperresponsiveness, anti–airway inflammation, and immunoregulatory effects on T H 1/T H 2 responses, which may be useful for treatment of allergic asthma. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;106:660-8.)
Compression Deformation and Structural Relationships of Medium Grain Cooked Rice

ABSTRACT Cooked rice quality is based on a number of factors including texture. Texture and structure of foods are closely related and aspects of the relationship can be explored by correlating compression measurements to structural observations of the compressed material. To obtain compression measurements, single cooked, milled rice grains were compressed in a texture analyzer to a specific percentage (% compression) of the original grain; the uncompressed grain is 0%. The experiment, using single grains in each case, was repeated multiple times. Compression percentages of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70% were measured against a constant resistance force in the texture analyzer. Structures of cooked rice grains at the various compression levels were compared by brightfield and fluorescence microscopy. The outside of an uncompressed, intact, cooked rice grain is swollen and distorted while the interior has three or more odd-shaped holes (voids). Each void is largest in the center of the grain and decreases in...
Nutritional and Developmental Regulation of Plasma Leptin in Dairy Cattle

Leptin is thought to play a critical role in regulating energy metabolism throughout mammalian life. In growing dairy cattle, plasma leptin has been proposed as a partial mediator of the effects of nutrition on reproductive and mammary development. However, the developmental stage at which the plane of nutrition increases plasma leptin has not been well defined. Further, it is unknown whether the onset of puberty is affected by plasma leptin concentration in dairy cattle. To investigate these questions, two studies were performed. In the first study, neonatal calves were fed a milk replacer at levels supporting an average daily gain of 570 g/d (L) or 1210 g/d (H). Weekly blood samples were obtained until slaughter at 105 kg of body weight. Plasma leptin and adiposity remained constant in the L calves, but started to increase by the third week of age in the H calves. In the second study, 3- to 5-mo-old heifers were fed a total mixed ration supplemented with either calcium salts of palm fat or conjugated linoleic acids at levels sustaining an average daily gain of approximately 1.0 kg/d. Blood samples were obtained until the third postpubertal luteal phase. The fat source had no effects on growth parameters, body composition, age at puberty, or plasma leptin. Therefore, plasma leptin was reanalyzed as a function of age from start of treatment until slaughter. The plasma concentration of leptin remained nearly constant at 2.3 ng/ml until 1 yr of age, when a rise in plasma leptin became obvious. Puberty occurred with equal frequency either around 1 yr of age when plasma leptin was nearly constant or later when leptin was rising rapidly. We conclude that plasma leptin is regulated by nutrition in early postnatal life, but that a sudden increase in plasma leptin is not required for the onset of puberty in dairy cattle.
Mechanical and metallurgical properties of retired 3.5NiCrMoV low pressure steam turbine discs

A study has been made of chemical composition, metallurgical structure and mechanical properties of many low-pressure turbine discs that had been retired from service, due to in-service cracking. Determination of the chemical composition involved both bulk chemical analyses and trace element analyses. The metallurgical examination involved determination of material microstructure, grain size, and grain boundary composition (Auger analysis). The mechanical properties measured included tensile strength, notch toughness, and fracture toughness. It was found that variations in bulk chemical composition do not affect the susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking and no abnormal composition that had contributed to in-service cracking was identified. The turbine discs that had cracked in service had widely varying tensile strengths, indicating that stress corrosion susceptibility of these particular discs were independent of their yield strength in the range 734 to 1131 MPa (106 to 164 ksi). The Charpy V-notch impact tests and the fracture toughness tests performed showed that the 3.5NiCrMoV steels generally had good toughness. Temper embrittlement of these steels led to reduced toughness and was related to increased phosphorus segregation to the prior austenite grain boundaries. The steels examined had similar tempered bainite microstructures, but varying grain sizes. There was no significant microstructural difference among the materials, and there was no evidence of inherent microstructural defects or abnormalities that may have contributed to the in-service cracking.
Violations of the 12/23 rule at the mouse immunoglobulin kappa locus, including Vκ-Vκ rearrangement

Classically, recombination between immunoglobulin gene segments uses a pair of recombination signal sequences (RSSs) with dissimilar spacers (the "12/23 rule"). Using a series of different genotyping assays, four different kinds of atypical rearrangements were identified at the murine kappa locus: (1) V kappa to V kappa, (2) J kappa to J kappa, (3) V kappa to iRS, a heptameric sequence found in the J kappa C kappa intron, and (4) a possible by-product of a rearrangement between a V kappa and the hypothetical 12-RSS side of a pre-existing signal joint. The novel V kappa-V kappa structure prompted further characterization. Sequence analysis of 14 different V kappa-V kappa rearrangements cloned from murine splenocytes and hybridomas revealed a V kappa 4 family member as one participant in 13 rearrangements, but no rearrangements contained two V kappa 4 genes. The V kappa 4 partner in the V kappa-V kappa rearrangement exhibited more trimming of nucleotides at the V kappa-V kappa junction. A signal joint derived from the inversional rearrangement of two neighboring V kappas was also recovered. These data suggest that the V kappa-V kappa structures arise via RAG-mediated, intrachromosomal recombination.
Unsteady flow in a supersonic cascade with subsonic leading-edge locus

Linearized theory is used to predict the unsteady flow in a supersonic cascade with subsonic axial flow velocity. A closed-form analytical solution is obtained by using a double application of the Wiener-Hopf technique. Although numerical and semianalytical solutions of this problem have already appeared in the literature, this paper contains the first completely analytical solution. It has been stated in the literature that the blade source should vanish at the infinite duct resonance condition. The present analysis shows that this does not occur. This apparent discrepancy is explained in the paper.
Insect evolution: Redesigning the fruitfly

Homeotic mutations in Drosophila can result in dramatic phenotypes that suggest the possibility for rapid morphological evolution, but dissection of the genetic pathway downstream of Ultrabithorax is beginning to reveal how wing morphology may have evolved by more gradual transformations.
Unrecognized acetaminophen toxicity as a cause of indeterminate acute liver failure

Background Despite extensive investigation, the cause of liver injury in 14% of acute liver failure patients remains unknown (indeterminate). In a pilot study, using a novel assay, highly specific acetaminophen-cysteine adducts were detected in 7 of 36 (19%) indeterminate patients.
Some methodological issues in the development of quality of life measures for the evaluation of medical interventions

This paper discusses a series of important methodological issues in developing targeted health-related quality of life measures in studies of the effects of medical interventions. Such measures cannot be developed unless the evaluator understands the life domains that medical interventions affect. Qualitative discovery methods are needed to obtain this understanding. Once domains are targeted for measurement, careful and systematic laboratory pilot work should be used to select initial scale items. Psychometric evaluation of response patterns in subsequent field tests is needed to assess the measures. Less concern should be directed to internal consistency reliability of scales in the psychometric evaluation and more to the ability of short scales to reproduce total scale variance and to provide precise measurement within the range of the outcome where effects are expected. The paper closes with a discussion of modern methods of item response scaling that can be used to address these issues.
Extension Program Delivery—Past, Present, and Future: An Overview

The 1914 Smith-Lever Act, which launched extension education, has been amended frequently and was rewritten in 1953. However, its statement of basic purpose has remained the same: "to aid the diffusion among the people of the United States useful and practical information on the subjects relating to agricultural and home economics and to encourage the application of the same." An underlying though unstated purpose of this diffusion of information was to help bring about changes in behavior and in the economic and social environment designed to promote well-being. In other words, the extension purpose is to foster change in society-i.e., change by individuals, households, firms, and governments.
Microbial community response to transition from conventional to conservation tillage in cotton fields

Abstract In the southeastern United States, conservation tillage techniques are used to conserve soil nutrients and structure, providing habitat and substrate for biota, which are largely responsible for the mineralization of nutrients in the soil. A deterrent for growers considering the transition to conservation tillage is the delay in soil response (e.g. increased soil carbon, efficient nutrient cycling, impacts on yield) associated with the equilibration of the soil food web. The objective of this study was to determine if the microbial community composition and biomass changed with transition to conservation tillage. Soils sampled from five sites, representing a chronosequence of conservation tillage (from conventionally tilled to 30 year no-till), were collected for fatty acid analysis. Microbial communities were significantly different among sites. Fungi, characterized by 18:2ω6, 18:1ω9, and 18:3ω6c fatty acids, were typically lowest in the conventionally tilled soil, probably due to repeated disruption of the fungal hyphae associated with tillage. In all soils, soil nutrient concentrations, moisture and microarthropod abundance were correlated with microbial structure. Plots in conservation tillage were significantly different from the conventionally tilled plots, but did not exhibit a clear linear pattern across the chronosequence. This evidence that belowground food webs can respond quickly to a cessation in tillage suggests that the delay in soil response may be due more to the time required to build organic matter than to a slow response by the biota.
Within-Row Spacing Influences on Diverse Sorghum Genotypes: I. Morphology

(...) Our objective was to determine changes in morphology of four diverse sorghum genotypes as influenced by within-row spacing. Four sorghum genotypes (IS-0469, IS-0865, IS-954063, and IS-2952) designated G1, G2, G3, and G4, were sown at five within-row spacings o 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60 cm at two field locations in 1986 and 1987. Differences among genotypes and within-row spacings were significant (P<0.05) for most morphological characteristics
A Strategy for Health Care Reform — Toward a Value-Based System

Michael Porter writes that the only way to truly contain costs in health care is to improve outcomes. He discusses how we can achieve universal coverage in a way that will support, rather than impede, a fundamental reorientation of the delivery system around value for patients.