cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen storage properties of magnesium based nanostructured composite materials

Abstract In this work, nanostructured composite materials Mg–Ni, Mg–Ni–La, Mg–Ni–Ce and Mg–LaNi5 have been synthesized using the mechanical alloying process. The new materials produced have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transition electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electron energy dispersion spectrum (EDS) for their phase compositions, crystal structure, grain size, particle morphology and the distribution of catalyst element. Hydrogen storage capacities and the hydriding–dehydriding kinetics of the new materials have been measured at different temperatures using a Sieverts apparatus. The results show that amorphous/nanostructured composite material Mg 50 wt.%–Ni 50 wt.% absorbs 5.9 wt.% within 5 min and desorbs 5.1 wt.% hydrogen within 15 min at 250 °C, respectively. It is confirmed that mechanical alloying that reduces particle size and introduces mechanical stress accelerates the hydrogenation kinetics of the magnesium based materials even at low temperature. But, to release the absorbed hydrogen from the mechanical alloyed materials, a high temperature is still required. It is believed that the dehydriding temperature is largely controlled by the thermodynamic stability of magnesium hydride. It is found that doping Mg–Ni nano/amorphous composite materials with lanthanum, cerium and LaNi5 alloy reduces the hydriding and dehydriding temperatures. The composite material Mg 80 wt.%–LaNi5 20 wt.% absorbs 1.96% hydrogen and releases 1.75 wt.% hydrogen at 25 °C, which suggests the formation of unstable hydrides. Although the stability of MgH2 cannot be easily reduced by ball milling alone, the results suggest the thermodynamic behavior of Mg–Ni nano/amorphous composite materials can be alternated by additives such as La, LaNi5 or other effective elements.
The quality of treatment in the adult orthodontic patient as judged by orthodontists and measured by the Objective Grading System

Introduction The increase in adult orthodontic patients in the last 20 years makes it more likely that a clinician will have adult cases to present to the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) for board certification. The applicability of the Objective Grading System (OGS) to adult dentitions, however, has not been reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if well-treated adult cases, as designated by orthodontists, could pass the ABO clinical examination using the OGS. Methods Posttreatment casts of 35 adult patients from Temple University, Department of Orthodontics were ranked by 4 examiners based on visual examination of the quality of case finish using the Q-sort method. Data on each examiner's personal selection criteria to classify a well-treated case were gathered. Discrepancy index (DI) and OGS scores were measured, and the number of missing teeth was recorded. Results There was a moderate correlation between the rankings of the 4 examiners and their rankings to the OGS score. A 63% overall ABO pass rate was found. The pass rate for the well-treated cases and failure rate in the lower ranked group were both 100%. The DI scores of 97% of the cases were high enough to qualify as a board case, and 77% had 1 or more missing teeth after treatment. Examiners largely used the factors of the OGS in deciding if a case was well treated, with intercuspation being the most important factor. Conclusions This study demonstrates that well-treated adult cases can pass the ABO clinical examination using the OGS. In addition, it illustrates that missing teeth automatically inflate the DI score and improve the OGS score.
Ultrasonography of echinococcal cysts

Ultrasonographic examinations were carried out on four patients who had a total of six hydatid cysts. Three different patterns of cyst structure were recognized. These patterns are simple cyst, cyst with non-specific complex internal structure, and a “cyst within a cyst” pattern. The latter pattern depicting a daughter cyst within the primary cyst is thought to be a distinctive feature of echinococcal cysts, if not specific for them. Recognition of the cyst within a cyst pattern should permit a reasonably confident Ultrasonographic diagnosis of hydatid disease.
Costs and benefits of male-male competition in the orb weaving spider, Nephila clavipes

1. The reproductive benefits and predatory costs of male-male competition were studied in the orb weaver, Nephila clavipes. During the breeding season adult males search for females, and congregate on their orbs. 2. Males compete for hub position proximal to the female, with the largest male assuming hub status. Smaller males move about the periphery of the orb. 3. Hub males gained the advantage of almost exclusive mating, and a potential advantage of feeding on prey captured by the female. Peripheral males pursued various alternatives, but rarely mated. 4. Females, the larger sex, occasionally preyed on males. The cost to males from female predation was no greater for hub than peripheral males.
Random projection algorithms for convex set intersection problems

The focus of this paper is on the set intersection problem for closed convex sets admitting projection operation in a closed form. The objective is to investigate algorithms that would converge (in some sense) if and only if the problem has a solution. To do so, we view the set intersection problem as a stochastic optimization problem of minimizing the “average” residual error of the set collection. We consider a stochastic gradient method as a main tool for investigating the properties of the stochastic optimization problem. We show that the stochastic optimization problem has a solution if and only if the stochastic gradient method is convergent almost surely. We then consider a special case of the method, namely the random projection method, and we analyze its convergence. We show that a solution of the intersection problem exists if and only if the random projection method exhibits certain convergence behavior almost surely. In addition, we provide convergence rate results for the expected residual error.
Dynamics of an edge flame in a mixing layer

The dynamics of an edge flame in a mixing layer is considered. The flame, which stands at a well-defined distance from the plate separating the fuel and oxidizer streams, is stabilized by heat conducted back to the relatively cold plate. It has a tribrachial structure that consists of a lean premixed segment leaning toward the oxidizer side, a rich premixed segment leaning toward the fuel side, and a diffusion flame trailing behind. Within the context of a diffusive-thermal model, we describe numerically the steady and unsteady behavior of the flame. The primary objective is to systematically identify the conditions for the onset of oscillations examining, in particular, the influence of differential diffusion, mixture strength, flow rate, and radiative heat losses.
Planetary tides during the Maunder Sunspot Minimum

In order to test the tidal theory of sunspots, sun-centered planetary conjunctions and tidal potentials are reconstructed for the period of the Maunder Minimum (1645 to 1715). These are found to be effectively indistinguishable from patterns of conjunctions and power spectra of tidal potential in the modern era of a well-established 11-yr sunspot cycle. The pattern of planetary tidal forces during the Maunder Minimum is then reconstructed to investigate the possibility that multiple-planet forces were somehow fortuituously cancelled at that time; i.e., the positions of the slower moving planets in the late 17th and early 18th centuries were such that conjunctions and tidal potentials were reduced in number and force. Calculations of daily positions for Mercury, Venus, earth, and Jupiter as well as daily values of the tidal potential for the period from 1450 to 2000 indicate no striking dissimilarities between the time of the Maunder Minimum and any other period considered.
Formation of semi-permeable polyamide skin layers on the surface of supported liquid membranes

Abstract The instability of supported liquid membranes has been a major impediment to practical applications. To address this shortcoming, we have developed a method to form semi-permeable polyamide skin layers in situ on supported liquid membranes containing an anion-exchange extractant (trioctylamine) and a neutral extractant (tributyl phosphate). These skin layers encapsulate large extractant molecules within the membranes but allow the transport of small species across the membranes. A liquid–liquid interfacial polymerization reaction was employed to form the polyamide skin layers utilizing monomers that are compatible with the extractants. SEM examination of the membranes shows the polyamide skin layer to be about 1 micron thick with pore sizes below resolution. Membranes with polyamide skin layers showed a typical flux of 1 μmol/s m 2 of Cr(VI), about half that exhibited by similar membranes without skin layers.
Effects of testing versus review on rote and conceptual learning from prose

This study investigated the effect of reading ability level(high, low) and type of study activity (immediate rote test, immediate conceptual test, structured review, unstructured review, no review control) on rote and conceptual learning outcomes. Subjects were 110 sophomore and junior level high school students. The students studied a 2100 word passage and were then given either a posttest (rote or conceptual) or a set of directions leading to structured or unstructured review or a control group filler task. Rote and conceptual delayed retention tests were administered one week later. A 2×5 factorial design was used. Results indicated no significant effects for type of study activity. As expected, high reading ability students performed better than low reading ability students across all conditions.
Highly purified micro- and macronuclei from Tetrahymena thermophila isolated by percoll gradients

A new procedure is described that utilizes Percoll gradients for purifying micronuclei (MIC) and macronuclei (MAC) from Tetrahymena therrnophila. Separation of MIC from MAC during certrifugation in Percoll gradients occurs as a result of their difference in size rather than density. Three kinds of tests were used to evaluate the purity of the nuclei: visualization of the nuclei by light microscopy; examination of the nuclei by electron microscopy; and Southern blots of MIC and MAC DNA probed with the 5s rRNA genes or a fragment from the MAC extrachromosomal rDNA molecule. When examined under the light microscope, the isolated MIC and MAC have much lower nuclear cross contamination levels than previous methods have reported. MIC's contaminated with less than 1 MAC in 1000 MIC and MAC'S contaminated with less than 1 MIC in 500 MAC can be routinely prepared. Quantitative analyses of electron micrographs gave higher estimates of cross contamination in our purified nuclei, which may, in part, be explained by the difficulty in identifying small MIC or MAC fragments. Southern blots of MIC and MAC DNA probed with 5s rDNA confirmed the level of MAC contamination in the MIC estimated by light microscopy during purification of the nuclei. The level of nucleolar contamination in the MIC was estimated at 10% by Southern blots of MIC and MAC DNA, derived from a heterokaryon with distinctive MIC and MAC Barn HI sites, using an rDNA probe. HE ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila has two kinds ofnuclei
Hexagonal constellations for small cell communication

We describe novel algorithms to enable the use of hexagonal constellations in practical high-rate communication systems. The first algorithm aims at optimizing the codewords assignment to the constellation points of a hexagonal grid to minimize the average Hamming distance between adjacent codewords. This codeword assignment is critical for the bit error rate performance that is usually more relevant than symbol error rate in coded schemes. We describe an efficient dynamic programming algorithm to solve this assignment problem. Then, we study the construction of the hexagonal grid that exploits the inherent redundancy in the hexagonal grid where the available constellation points for a given peak power are usually more than the grid size. Finally, we describe computationally efficient procedures for hard and soft decoding of hexagonal constellations. The proposed algorithms are shown to provide significant improvement for the bit error rate performance for both coded and uncoded schemes.
Impact of Early Sport Specialization

(2010). Impact of Early Sport Specialization. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 8, pp. 29-37.
From Resurrection to Immortality: Theological and Political Implications in Modern Jewish Thought

Hans Jonas began his 1961 Ingersoll Lecture by acknowledging the “undeniable fact” “that the modern temper is uncongenial to the idea of immortality.” 1 Jonas nonetheless concluded his lecture by affirming that “although the hereafter is not ours … we can have immortality … when in our brief span we serve our threatened mortal affairs and help the suffering immortal God.” 2 While he may not have realized it, Jonas's words capture what I shall argue is the dominant view of immortality in modern Jewish thought. Underlying this view is an effort to refute materialist conceptions of human existence without committing to any particularly theological or traditionally metaphysical notion of immortality.
Global and local factors in earth surface systems

Earth surface systems are controlled by a combination of global factors (laws, principles and relationships that apply everywhere and always) and local factors which are place- and time-contingent. Formal arguments, framed in the context of the state factor model of soils and ecosystems, show that where the scales of the global and local components are sufficiently different, global or local dynamics can be discovered without considering the other. However, the same arguments show that the total, aggregated system cannot be understood without accounting for both the local and global components. The system dynamics cannot be recovered from the global or local controls alone. Local forms of spatial analysis provide both the conceptual and operational means to frame global factors within the spatial and historical contingency expressed in local controls. Applications have been limited in environmental sciences, but the potential is high. Entropy-based approaches also hold promise and may allow estimates of the relative contributions of global and local controls. An example of application to forest succession in the southeastern US coastal plain is designed to examine the relative importance of laws governing successional pathways with or without regular fires and of the local spatial and temporal contingencies, which control fire regime. The analysis shows that global laws governing forest succession account for about 80% and local contingencies associated with fire frequency for about 20% of the system connectance entropy.
Prospective Clinical, Study of Radial Keratotomy

A prospective clinical study of radial keratotomy was conducted at the University of Maryland. Results of surgery on 33 eyes of 19 patients with a minimum follow-up of seven months and a mean of 13.8 months are reported. There were eight patients (15 eyes) who needed adequate unaided visual acuity for occupational purposes. Preoperative visual acuity was 20/400 in 79% of eyes. Postoperative visual acuity was 20/50 or better in 48% of cases. However, in patients with preoperative refractive errors of 5 diopters or less, postoperative visual acuity was 20/50 or better in 84% of cases. Average decrease in myopia was 2.5 diopters. Decrease in myopia following radial keratotomy did not correlate with corneal curvature or whether 8 or 16 incision technique was used. However, there was a very significant (P = 0.001) difference in postoperative visual acuity of patients with refractive error of 5 diopters or less, as compared to those with greater than 5 diopters of myopia. Complications included corneal scarring, vascularization, and glare. No microperforation or endothelial cell loss was observed.
Adherence and persistence associated with an appointment-based medication synchronization program

Abstract Objective To assess the impact of an appointment-based medication synchronization (ABMS) program on medication adherence and persistence with chronic medications. Design Quasiexperimental study in which study patients were matched with control patients. Setting Rural pharmacies in the Midwestern United States between June 30, 2011, and October 31, 2012. Patients Individuals receiving at least two refills for one of six categories of medications to treat chronic diseases (i.e., angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, thiazide diuretics, metformin, statins). Intervention Patients in the ABMS program were compared with control patients receiving usual care. Main outcome measures 1-year adherence rates using proportion of days covered (PDC) and 1-year nonpersistence rates. Results Depending on the drug class, patients enrolled in the medication synchronization program (n = 47–81) had adherences rates of 66.1% to 75.5% during 1 year versus 37.0% to 40.8% among control patients. Program patients had 3.4 to 6.1 times greater odds of adherence compared with control patients. Control patients were 52% to 73% more likely to stop taking their chronic medications over 1 year. Conclusion An ABMS program in community pharmacies was associated with improved patient adherence and reduced likelihood of nonpersistence.
Attitudes of Army Commanders and First-Sergeants Towards Nutrition and it's Role in Troop Readiness

Abstract Prior to assuming command of a company of soldiers (approximately 100 soldiers), commanders and First Sergeants attend a 10-day preparatory course. During this course, a dietitian presents a one-hour class discussing the army weight control program, dining facilities and sports nutrition. Participants view a short video depicting soldiers performing in a field environment and the role nutrition plays in soldier performance. They are given a survey to determine their attitudes towards nutrition, how they receive most of their nutrition information, and whether or not they would like a dietitian to present a nutrition class to their soldiers. A Likert type scale was used to evaluate responses, with 1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree and 5=Strongly Agree. The results of 400 surveys collected in 1998 are as follows: Sixty-five percent strongly agree and 35% agree that the instruction they received is important and will assist them in their roles as army leaders. Forty-two percent strongly agree and 48% agree that the video they were shown was interesting and held their attention. Fifty-five percent strongly agree and 40% agree that they believe soldiers would benefit from nutrition education including the video they were shown. Eighty-one percent strongly agree and 19% agree that nutrition plays a key role in troop readiness and performance. The respondents indicated that 62% of them receive nutrition information from magazines, 33% from books, 30% from TV news, 28% from friends and family, 27% from health care practitioners excluding doctors, 26% from newspapers, 26% from TV programs, 25% from doctors, 16% from professional journals and 12% from the internet. Sixty-three percent indicated that they would like a dietitian to provide nutrition education to their soldiers. CONCLUSION: Army leaders believe that nutrition is important, plays a key role in troop readiness and performance, and believe that soldiers would benefit from nutrition education. This attitude will lead to an emphasis on nutritional issues and benefit the soldiers by improving their health, well-being, and performance.
Intracranial hemorrhage after coronary thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator.

The thrombolytic agent recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt- PA) produces clot lysis by catalyzing the conversion of plasminogen into plasmin [15]. In the coronary circulation, this effect is followed in 70%– 89% of cases by reperfusion of occluded arteries, which in turn results in improved ventricular function and survival as compared with untreated controls [2, 31]. The relative clot-specificity of rt-PA as compared with other thrombolytic agents (such as streptokinase and urokinase) determines a lesser degree of activation of circulating plasminogen, as well as decreased degradation of factors V, VIII, and fibrinogen by this agent [32]. This property is responsible for a lower hemorrhagic potential for rt-PA. Despite this advantage over streptokinase and urokinase, rt-PA use results in hemorrhagic complications, both systemic and intracranial, that partially limit its clinical usefulness. Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has been reported in 0.4%–1.3% of cases in clinical trials of the predominantly single-chain agent “alteplase” (Genentech Laboratories, South San Francisco, CA) [8]. An overall rate of 0.68% was derived from the analysis of a combined experience of 5258 patients treated in the United States and European clinical trials of coronary thrombolysis [4].
Expression of bcl-2 protein in stage T1NOMO non-small cell lung carcinoma

Abstract The bcl -2 gene product ( bcl -2 protein, BCLP) prevents apoptotic cell death. Via a 14;18 chromosomal translocation, BCLP is overexpressed in most follicular lymphomas as well as some other non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and it has also been documented in other nonlymphomatous malignancies. To address the possible prognostic value of this marker in predefined subsets of non—small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), the authors studied 126 T1NOMO cases seen between the years 1986 to 1991 at our institution. Patients were treated by lobectomy (105 cases) or wedge excision (21 cases) with negative margins; neuroendocrine carcinomas of all grades were specifically excluded. The mean follow-up period was 39 months. Immunostaining for BCLP was done using a monoclonal antibody (clone no. 124; DAKO, Carpinteria, CA), and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) technique. The study cases included 73 adenocarcinomas (ACs) as well as 40 squamous cell (SCC), five adenosquamous (ASC), and eight large cell/poorly differentiated (LCC) carcinomas. As assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method, overall survival was 64% at 5 years (66% AC vs 59% SC). BCLP was detected in 47 of 126 cases (37%) including 32 AC (44%), 10 SCC (25%), two ASC (40%), and three LCC (38%). No significant difference in 5-year survival was noted in a comparison of all cases with BCLP expression (63%) and those without (59%). There was, however, a significant difference in the survival of grade 1 BCLP(+) cases, when compared with grade 2 or 3 BCLP(+) cases ( P = .01). A nonstatistically significant trend toward increased survival was observed in BCLP(+) SCC cases (66% 5-year survival in BCLP[+] vs 45% in BCLP[−] [ P = .11]). Proportional hazards analysis failed to disclose significant independent risk factors. These data suggest that bcl -2 protein immunoreactivity has limited prognostic value in the pathological evaluation of NSCLC.
Molecular-Thermodynamic Theory of Micellization of Multicomponent Surfactant Mixtures: 1. Conventional (pH-Insensitive) Surfactants

A molecular-thermodynamic (MT) theory was developed to model the micellization of mixtures containing an arbitrary number of conventional (pH-insensitive) surfactants. The theory was validated by comparing predicted and experimental cmc's of ternary surfactant mixtures, yielding results that were comparable to, and sometimes better than, the cmc's determined using regular solution theory. The theory was also used to model a commercial nonionic surfactant (Genapol UD-079), which was modeled as a mixture of 16 surfactant components. The predicted cmc agreed well with the experimental cmc, and the monomer concentration was predicted to increase significantly above the cmc. In addition, the monomer and the micelle compositions were predicted to vary significantly with surfactant concentration. These composition variations were rationalized in terms of competing steric and entropic effects and a micelle shape transition near the cmc. To understand the packing constraints imposed on ternary surfactant mixtures better, the maximum micelle radius was also examined theoretically. The MT theory presented here represents the first molecular-based theory of the micellization behavior of mixtures of three or more conventional surfactants. In article 2 of this series, the MT theory will be extended to model the micellization of mixtures of conventional and pH-sensitive surfactants.
Morphological changes induced in the frog semitendinosus muscle fiber by localized ultrasound

Abstract The effects of highly localized ultrasonic vibration on frog semitendinosus muscle fibers were examined by electron microscopy. A barium titanate transducer, resonant at 85 kHz, to which a stainless steel acoustic horn was cemented, served as the sound source. Sound displacement amplitudes of one to five micra were produced at the horn tip. Thermal effects and cavitation were absent. A spectrum of structural changes was observed which depended on amplitude and duration of sonation. The mitochondrial cristae and components of the sarcotubular system appear most sensitive to ultrasound. With increasing amplitudes and treatment durations, decrease in glycogen content, Z and M line disruption, and misalignment of the filaments within the myofibrils occur. In the most severely treated fibers, there is a complete breakdown of band structure. The generation of steady intracellular stresses produced by the sound field, predicted by nonlinear acoustic theory, is postulated to explain these results. The results provide evidence that many effects of sound on muscle reported in the literature and ascribed to heating or cavitation can be produced in the absence of these factors.
Effects of Wheat Germ Oil on Reproductive Efficiency in Repeat-Breeder Cows

Summary Clinically normal repeat-breeder cows that had failed to maintain pregnancy after three or more services were alternately assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental cows received 2oz of wheat germ oil on their feed once a week for six consecutive weeks. A significantly higher percentage of the 79 treated cows maintained pregnancy after the first post-treatment service than of the 88 untreated cows. The difference in post-treatment conception between treated and untreated cows that had three unsuccessful services before treatment was not significant; however, there was a highly significant difference in favor of the treated cows that had been bred four or more times before initiation of treatment.
Urological Evaluation of Adult Renal Transplant Recipients

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 150 consecutive patients who underwent renal transplantation at our institution in 1990 to determine the effectiveness of our pre-transplantation urological evaluation. Of 100 patients who met the inclusion criteria 74 were evaluated solely with a history and physical examination, urinalysis and a urine culture, while the other 26 underwent additional tests because of either a history of urological problems or abnormalities at the initial evaluation. Urological complications occurred in 18 patients. In 10 patients the complications were related to the operation and included postoperative hematuria from bleeding at the site of the ureteral reimplantation, symptomatic lymphocele formation and urinary fistula resulting from necrosis of the distal ureter. These complications could not have been anticipated by the pre-transplant evaluation. Urological complications in the other 8 patients were a febrile urinary tract infection (4), temporary urinary retention (2), hematuria and back pain requiring bilateral native nephrectomy (1), and lower tract obstructive symptoms (1 who eventually required transurethral resection of the prostate 15 months after transplantation). Only 1 of these complications might have been averted with more extensive preoperative testing and in none of these patients did the urological complication compromise allograft function. We conclude that most patients with end stage renal disease require only minimal evaluation before renal transplantation. More extensive evaluation is necessary only in patients with a strong history of urological disease or with abnormalities found during the basic examination.
Grounding Systematic Syncretism in Learning

It is commonly assumed that patterns of syncretism in inflectional paradigms are restricted in some way. In this article, I show how such restrictions can reflect cognitive constraints on language learning. Namely, I construct a learning algorithm that is biased toward certain types of affix distributions in paradigms, thereby rendering them systematic. In developing this algorithm, I rely on the traditional notions of underspecification and blocking , but recast them in terms of learners' biases toward generalization strategies based on cross-situational intersections and default reasoning. This algorithm allows us to test claims about systematicity of syncretism using typological data and language acquisition studies. In the last part of the article, I present a crosslinguistic survey of verbal agreement paradigms that supports the algorithm's predictions.
Anesthesiologist management of perioperative do-not-resuscitate orders: a simulation-based experiment.

Introduction: This study was performed to assess perioperative reevaluation of Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders by practicing anesthesiologists. Methods: As part of an Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management course, an anesthesiologist interviewed a patient-actor with prostate cancer and bone metastases scheduled for a central venous catheter placement. The chart included a properly documented DNR order and the patient-actor’s scripted responses emphasized that he would accept resuscitative efforts only “if the adverse clinical events were believed to be both temporary and reversible.” Later, the subject assumed responsibility for the anesthesia in which the patient subsequently developed an iatrogenically induced pneumothorax, became apneic, and had a cardiovascular arrest requiring a prolonged resuscitation. Responses to these events and a following survey were evaluated. Results: Fifty-seven percent of the subjects (17/30) addressed resuscitation during the preoperative interview; 27% (8/30) decided to suspend the DNR order and 30% (9/30) instituted a goal-directed or procedure-directed DNR order. Ninety percent (27/30) of the groups chose to continue resuscitative efforts until the simulation ended. Of the surveyed participants, over 90% would place a chest tube, intubate the trachea, do chest compressions, and perform cardiac defibrillation. Common reasons for intervening were reversibility, iatrogenicity, and that intervention would be consistent with the patient’s goals. Conclusions: Inadequacies in perioperative reevaluation of DNR orders existed at all stages. Simulation of perioperative DNR orders is a useful way to elicit anesthesiologist’s actions in the heat of the moment, which may bring us closer to understanding the actions of anesthesiologists during clinical practice. (Sim Healthcare 4:70–76, 2009)
Is memory for stimulus magnitude Bayesian

This study was designed to determine whether memory for stimulus values is a Bayesian weighting of the magnitude of a stimulus and the central tendency of an exemplar’s category (Huttenlocher, Hedges, & Vevea, 2000). In five experiments, participants reproduced the remembered size of a geometric figure drawn from one of two categories whose means for size differed. Reproductions were biased toward the mean of the combined distribution rather than the mean of either category. Reproductions were also influenced by the size of the stimulus on the preceding trial. Neither of these results is entirely consistent with the view that recollections are partially constructed from a consideration of the long-run probabilities established by category membership.
Methanogenesis from acetate by cell-free extracts of the thermophilic acetotrophic methanogen Methanothrix thermophila CALS-1

High rates of methanogenesis from acetate and ATP were observed from cell-free extracts of the thermophilic acetotrophic methanogen Methanothrix (Methanosaeta) thermophila strain CALS-1 when cultures were grown in a pH auxostat fed with acetic acid. Specific methanogenic activities ranged from 50–300 nmol min–1 (mg protein)–1, which was comparable to those for whole cells. In contrast to results with Methanosarcina spp., the reaction did not require high levels of H2 in the headspace. CO was inhibitory to methanogenesis from acetate. The inhibition by CO and the lack of effect of H2 on methanogenesis from acetate resemble previous results with whole cells of CALS-1. Protein concentrations in extracts > 5 mg/ml were required for good activity, and the optimum temperature for the methanogenesis was near 65° C. ATP was required in substrate quantities and was converted mainly to AMP. The maximum CH4/ATP stoichiometry obtained was near 1.0, consistent with acetate activation using an acetyl-CoA synthetase mechanism that converts ATP to AMP and pyrophosphate. Methanogenesis in extracts was inhibited by bromoethane sulfonate and cyanide, indicating the involvement of methylcoenzyme M methylreductase and a carbon monoxide dehydrogenase complex with methanogenesis from acetate. These results are consistent with acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) as the form of activated acetate involved in methanogenesis from acetate in strain CALS-1, but no activity could be obtained from extracts using acetyl-CoA as a substrate.
Cortisol and melting of human placental DNA.

A study was conducted to observe the effect of cortisol on the melting profile (thermal denaturation) of DNA isolated from human term placenta. The melting temperatures of the DNA in 0.7 mM phosphate buffer, pH 6.9, and in 0.15M NaCl, 0.015M trisodium citrate solution, pH 7.2, were61.5 and 86.5 C, respectively. Cortisol at concentrations of 1.4–140 μM did not affect the melting profile of the placental or calf thymus DNA. It remained unaltered when the experiments were conducted in different buffers with varying ionic strengths. (Endocrinology 84: 683, 1969)
Correlation of low and high affinity thiol methyltransferase and phenol methyltransferase activities in human erythrocyte membranes

Abstract Human red blood cell (RBC) membranes have been reported to contain both high and low affinity ‘forms’ of the drug metabolizing enzyme thiol methyltransferase (TMT). The biochemical characteristics of the two ‘forms’ of human RBC TMT were compared. Apparent K m constants of the high affinity activity for 2-mercaptoethanol and S'- adenosyl - l - methionine , cosubstrates for the TMT reaction, were 0.38 μmol/l and 2.6 μmol/l, respectively. These constants may be compared with values of 20 mmol/l and 43 μmol/l, respectively, previously reported for the low affinity form of RBC TMT activity. The properties and regulation of the two forms of TMT were then compared with each other and also with those of two ‘control’ enzymes, phenol methyltransferase (PMT) and β-glucuronidase. When high and low affinity TMT, PMT and β-glucuronidase activities were measured in RBC membranes from 22 individual subjects, there were highly significant correlations among all three methyltransferase activities (all r values
The myoglobin of the gastropod mollusc Uttorina littorea L

Abstract 1. 1. The radular muscle myoglobin of Littorina littorea has been purified. 2. 2. The myoglobin has an apparent molecular weight of 30,000 and is cleaved into monomeric subunits by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (PMB). 3. 3. The monomeric derivative is electrophoretically homogeneous on acrylamide gels. 4. 4. Removal of PMB from the monomer results in partial dimerization., 5. 5. The amino-acid composition of the monomer is Lys2, His2, Arg7, Asp14, Thr8, Ser12, Glu17, Pro5, Gly19, Ala18, 1 2 Cys2, Val6, Met5, Ileu4, Leu17, Tyr4, Phe12, Trp1. 6. 6. The myoglobin of the congeneric species Littorina angulifera has an apparent molecular weight of 30,000. 7. 7. Littorina littorea myoglobin is compared with other gastropod myoglobins.
The International Laser Ranging Service

Abstract The International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) was established in September 1998 to support programs in geodetic, geophysical, and lunar research activities and to provide the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS) with products important to the maintenance of an accurate International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF). Now in operation for nearly two years, the ILRS develops (1) the standards and specifications necessary for product consistency, and (2) the priorities and tracking strategies required to maximize network efficiency. The Service collects, merges, analyzes, archives and distributes satellite and lunar laser ranging data to satisfy a variety of scientific, engineering, and operational needs and encourages the application of new technologies to enhance the quality, quantity, and cost effectiveness of its data products. The ILRS works with (1) new satellite missions in the design and building of retroreflector targets to maximize data quality and quantity, and (2) science programs to optimize scientific data yield. The ILRS is organized into permanent components: (1) a Governing Board, (2) a Central Bureau, (3) Tracking Stations and Subnetworks, (4) Operations Centers, (5) Global and Regional Data Centers, and (6) Analysis, Lunar Analysis, and Associate Analysis Centers. The Governing Board, with broad representation from the international Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) and Lunar Laser Ranging (LLR) community, provides overall guidance and defines service policies, while the Central Bureau oversees and coordinates the daily service activities, maintains scientific and technological data bases, and facilitates communications. Active Working Groups in (1) Missions, (2) Networks and Engineering, (3) Data Formats and Procedures, (4) Analysis, and (5) Signal Processing provide key operational and technical expertise to better exploit current capabilities and to challenge the ILRS participants to keep pace with evolving user needs. The ILRS currently includes more than 40 SLR stations, routinely tracking about 20 retroreflector-equipped satellites and the Moon in support of user needs.
Treatment of chronic radiation proctitis with cryoablation

Background Chronic radiation proctitis (CRP) is a common problem in patients receiving pelvic radiation. Current therapies have the potential for deep tissue injury with ulcerations, perforation, and fistula formation. Cryospray ablation therapy offers superficial ablation of mucosa and is a potential method to endoscopically treat CRP safely and effectively. Objective To determine tolerability of and response to cryotherapy in patients with radiation proctitis. Design Prospective case-series pilot study. Setting Baylor College of Medicine, Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center, Houston, Texas. Patients Ten patients were prospectively recruited with chronic hemorrhagic radiation proctitis. Interventions Endoscopic cryoablation of CRP. Main Outcome Measurements Symptom severity of CRP was obtained by using the Radiation Proctitis Severity Assessment Scale (RPSAS). Endoscopic assessment was obtained using the rectal telangiectasia density grade. The primary endpoint of the study was endoscopic improvement of CRP based on the change in rectal telangiectasia density at 3-month follow-up. Secondary endpoints included symptomatic improvement based on RPSAS and adverse events at 3 months. Results Ten patients with hemorrhagic radiation proctitis were treated with endoscopic cryoablation. Endoscopic severity improved as measured by rectal telangiectasia density from 2.7 to 1.7 ( P = .004). Overall subjective clinical scores improved as determined by the Radiation Proctitis Severity Assessment Scale from 27.7 to 13.6 ( P = .003). Endoscopic improvement correlated with symptom improvement. Limitations Nonpowered case series pilot study. Conclusions Cryoablation improved clinical and endoscopic indices in CRP. Further controlled studies are needed to identify the safety and efficacy of cryoablation for CRP.
Automated Electro-Mechanical Assessment of Psychomotor Skill for High-Stakes Certification in Surgical Robotics

In recent years, surgical robotic systems (SRS) have been employed to great effect in a wide range of minimally invasive procedures [1]. Yet despite the increasing use of these devices in clinical practice, there exists to date no definitive, objective system of measurement of the skill level of a surgeon using an SRS. Assessments of patient outcomes, surgical speed and instrument docking time have shown that improvement in skill using an SRS requires in-depth training, with exposure to as many as 20 cases of a given procedure to attain proficiency [2]. The model employed for the certification of a surgeon in the practice of minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery has addressed a parallel problem since its inception by establishing a set of exercises comprising what is now known as the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) assessment [3]. This high stakes examination tests the surgeon’s psychomotor skills in the crucial subtasks involved in the successful execution of laparoscopic surgery. The foundations of robotic surgery (FRS) project is an ongoing collaborative effort to create a similar, high-stakes assessment for surgical robotics undertaken by an international consortium of authoritative surgeons from multiple specialties. This consortium has conceptually identified and built consensus for the general system concept, subtasks, and objective performance metrics for robotic surgery, but does not intend to design or prototype working models [4]. We herein present an instrumented, electro-mechanical design and prototype of the overall system and two of the seven subtasks developed for eventual inclusion in the complete FRS high-stakes assessment [4]. The first subtask, the ring tower transfer, requires that the surgeon move a small ring positioned at the base of one tower to the base of another tower while avoiding contact between the ring and the tower along the way. The second subtask, knot tying, requires the test taker to use a provided silk suture to draw together two metal rings and secure them with a surgical knot. In both cases, our system provides automated, objective evaluation of the required performance metrics.
Differential inhibition of neuronal calcium entry and [3H]-D-aspartate release by the quaternary derivatives of verapamil and emopamil.

Abstract 1. Verapamil and emopamil are structurally related phenylalkylamine calcium channel/5-HT2 receptor antagonists that differ in their anti-ischaemic properties in experimental studies. The quaternary ammonium derivatives of these compounds were prepared and tested in assays of neuronal voltage-sensitive calcium channel (VSCC) function to determine whether the compounds act at intra- or extracellular sites. 2. The compounds were tested in K(+)-evoked: (1) rat brain synaptosomal 45Ca2+ influx, (2) release of [3H]-D-aspartate from rat hippocampal brain slices and (3) increase of intracellular calcium in rat cortical neurones in primary culture. 3. Verapamil, emopamil and the emopamil quaternary derivative caused concentration-dependent and comparable (IC50 values approximately 30 microM) inhibition of synaptosomal 45Ca2+ influx and [3H]-D-aspartate release. The verapamil quaternary derivative was considerably less active in these assays (IC50 > 300 microM). 4. The evoked increase of intracellular calcium in cortical neurones was inhibited with the following rank order of potency (IC50 value, microM): emopamil (3.6) > verapamil (17) > emopamil quaternary derivative (38) > verapamil quaternary derivative (200). 5. The results suggest that verapamil and emopamil inhibit nerve terminal VSCC function (synaptosomal 45Ca2+ influx and [3H]-D-aspartate release) by acting at distinct intracellular and extracellular sites, respectively. Verapamil and emopamil may inhibit cell body VSCC function (evoked increase of intracellular calcium in neocortical neurones) by acting at both intracellular and extracellular sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Measurement of Associations Between Environmental Exposures and Cancer

Abstract The major strength of epidemiology is that its study subjects are human beings, the species to which we wish to generalize our results. Basic epidemiologic approaches are described here, with primary reference to cohort and case-control study designs. Various measures for assessing risk are distinguished: (a) relative risk, which is important for testing etiologic hypotheses, (b) attributable risk, which informs about excess disease burden in exposed compared to nonexposed individuals, and (c) population attributable risk, which is of value in estimating the proportion of disease in an entire community associated with a particular exposure. Strengths and shortcomings of epidemiologic methods and issues in the transmission of the results of epidemiologic studies to the public are discussed. The importance of influences beyond epidemiology on public perception of risk is stressed.
Evolution of the giant dipole resonance in excited 120Sn and 208Pb nuclei populated by inelastic alpha scattering

Abstract The evolution of the giant dipole resonance (GDR) in 120 Sn and 208 Pb nuclei at excitation energies in the range of 30–130 MeV and 40–110 MeV, respectively, were studied by measuring high energy γ rays from the decay of the resonance. The excited states were populated by inelastic scattering of α particles at beam energies of 40 and 50 MeV/nucleon for 120 Sn and 40 MeV/nucleon for 208 Pb. A systematic increase of the resonance width with increasing excitation energy was observed for both nuclei. The observed width evolution was compared to calculations employing a model that adiabatically couples the collective excitation to the nuclear shape, and to a model based on the collisional damping of nucleons. The adiabatic coupling model described the width evolution in both nuclei well, whereas the collisional damping calculation could describe the width evolution only in 208 Pb. Light-particle inelastic scattering populates low angular momentum states in the target nucleus. The observed width increase is therefore interpreted to be predominantly due to fluctuations in the nuclear shape induced by temperature. This interpretation is consistent with the adiabatic model calculations and with recent angular momentum-gated measurements of the GDR in excited Sn isotopes.