cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A declarative approach for service enablement on hybrid cloud orchestration engines

The rapidly increasing complexity and scale of hybrid cloud environments requires improved service management capabilities in orchestration and automation. Current methods focus on provisioning infrastructure but lack functionality for consistently enabling and performing operational activities on managed services. We propose a data-driven approach to dynamically generate Orchestration Engine plugins from service descriptor metadata. Our approach extends Orchestration Engines by representing managed services as code within reusable blueprints in order to accelerate service deployments and ease management activities. In our work, we provide a data model and system architecture to allow service providers to easily author and publish resource definitions for a wide range of public and private services. These definitions may be combined into solution blueprints, forming a declarative and reusable representation of a managed workload. After provisioning a workload, administrators can view service instance data and invoke operational activities. For evaluation, we describe the authoring and orchestration of a hybrid cloud workload and discuss the strengths of our solution versus current methods.
An Improved Method for Electroblotting of Protein from SDS-PAGE Gels for Direct Microsequencing

Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) is a very powerful and simple separation technique for proteins available to most research laboratories. The detection and recovery of proteins from such gels is an important tool in biochemistry. Although electroelution of proteins from gels has been and continues to be successful, that technique has limitations with respect to speed, recovery and ease of multiprotein isolation from a single gel. Electroblotting of proteins from SDS-PAGE for direct microsequencing has recently been accomplished (Aebersold et al. J. Biol. Chem. 261(9), 4229–4238 (1986) and Vandekerckhove et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 152, 9–19 (1985)). However, these methodologies have limitations, the most important of which is the low (7–20 μg/cm2) protein binding capacity of the derivatized glass fiber filters used as the blotting media. While the search for a blotting media with a high protein binding capacity which is stable to the organic solvents and acids used in the sequencing process continues, a refinement of the published methodologies would be useful. This report describes progress made in combining several different approaches using polybrene coated TFA activated GF/C filters as the basic blotting media.
Patterns of olfactory dysfunction in chronic rhinosinusitis identified by hierarchical cluster analysis and machine learning algorithms

BACKGROUND Olfactory dysfunction is a common symptom of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). We previously identified several cytokines potentially linked to smell loss, potentially supporting an inflammatory etiology for CRS-associated olfactory dysfunction. In the current study we sought to validate patterns of olfactory dysfunction in CRS using hierarchical cluster analysis, machine learning algorithms, and multivariate regression. METHODS CRS patients undergoing functional endoscopic sinus surgery were administered the Smell Identification Test (SIT) preoperatively. Mucus was collected from the middle meatus using an absorbent polyurethane sponge and 17 inflammatory mediators were assessed using a multiplexed flow-cytometric bead assay. Hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to characterize inflammatory patterns and their association with SIT scores. The random forest approach was used to identify cytokines predictive of olfactory function. RESULTS One hundred ten patients were enrolled in the study. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 5 distinct CRS clusters with statistically significant differences in SIT scores observed between individual clusters (p < 0.001). A majority of anosmic patients were found in a single cluster, which was additionally characterized by nasal polyposis (100%) and a high incidence of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (50%) and aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) (33%). A random forest approach identified a strong association between olfaction and the cytokines interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13. Multivariate modeling identified AERD, computed tomography (CT) score, and IL-2 as the variables most predictive of olfactory function. CONCLUSION Olfactory dysfunction is associated with specific CRS endotypes characterized by severe nasal polyposis, tissue eosinophilia, and AERD. Mucus IL-2 levels, CT score, and AERD were independently associated with smell loss.
Improving Postpartum Depression Screening in Pediatric Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Project.

Abstract Background Despite recommendations for standardized postpartum depression screening in primary care pediatrics, few pediatric healthcare providers are adequately screening mothers for postpartum depression. Aims To improve standardized screening for postpartum depression in the pediatric primary care setting. Secondary aims were to determine if infant and family characteristics (gender of infant, feeding method, insurance type, income level, ethnicity of infant) were associated with positive postpartum depression screening. Methods This quality improvement project involved implementing a standardized postpartum depression screening tool into pediatric primary care practice. Independent samples t-test and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results Postpartum depression screening practices improved from 83% to 88% (p = 0.096). Although not statistically significant, infant characteristics of male gender, Medicaid or sliding-scale payment for services, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with higher rates of positive postpartum depression screens. Conclusions Pediatric health care providers can effectively screen for postpartum depression. Certain infant and family characteristics may alert the provider to higher risks for mothers.
Managing Understory Fagus grandifolia for Promoting Beech Bark Disease Resistance in Northern Hardwood Stands

Many Allegheny hardwood stands contain dense understories of very shade-tolerant American beech, resulting from partial disturbances that have accelerated root sucker development. The low-shade produced by these sprouts hampers silvicultural regeneration efforts to maintain species diversity in new cohorts. An increasing proportion of sprouts result from stressed trees infested with beech bark disease. The clonal sprouts also have a genetic affinity for the disease. A mixture of Accord® and Oust® herbicides, applied to understory vegetation after shelterwood establishment cuts, can significantly reduce understory beech density. Yet, retention of some overstory beech, with demonstrated disease resistance, is ecologically desirable. The root sprouts from these parent trees should also have resistance to the disease. We used broadcast herbicide application to kill understory vegetation after shelterwood harvests in three stands, and tested the effect of herbicide on beech sprouts associated with resistant trees. Eight years after treatment, plots that had received herbicide had similar densities of beech to no-herbicide plots. However, there were significant differences in seedling densities among stands (P = .0303) and species (P = .0014). Our results indicate that there is much temporal variability in regeneration dynamics after treatment. Resistant beech sprouts are still competitive in the long term, even after herbicide application.
The voice of the radiologist: Enabling patients to speak directly to radiologists.

Abstract Patients and patient advocates express a desire to speak directly with radiologists, who are ideally suited to answer imaging-related questions and recommend for further imaging or testing. While web-based patient portals have improved patient access to reports of radiology examinations, they do little to help patients understand the report, and rarely facilitate contact with their radiologists. We implemented an alias phone number that forwarded to the smartphone of each participating radiologist and embedded it in 3896 reports over 8 months. It was embedded as an invitation to the individual viewing the report to call with questions. For each call received, we logged parameters such as call duration, call reason, and required radiologist time/resources. Finally, the call was documented in the electronic medical record. Radiologists received 27 calls exclusively about cross-sectional exams: 22 from patients or caregivers, and 5 from physicians. The reasons for the calls included term definitions, correction of dictation errors, findings not specifically mentioned, and clinical impact of findings. Time spent on the phone with patients averaged 8.6 min. When including the time spent reviewing the images, patient chart, and/or literature; the total radiologist time per call was approximately 13.9 min. Averaged over all of the exams in the study, this service added 5 s to each exam. While the total call rate was low, implementation of this program required minimal effort. The aliased phone number masked the radiologist's phone number and allowed scheduled consultation hours. Even when called, the time to address questions appears to be minimal.
Do Women Have Inferior Outcomes to Men after LVAD Implantation- A Propensity-Matched Comparison

Purpose Examine gender differences continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) recipients. Methods Retrospective review of 695 patients receiving a CF-LVAD from 11/2003 to 08/2017, of which 551 (79.3%) were male and 144 (20.7%) were female. Genders were compared after propensity score matching for age ≥50 yrs, diagnosis, body surface area, INTERMACS class, comorbidities, prior mechanical circulatory support, and prior sternotomy. Survival and outcomes were compared between 139 matched gender pairs. Results After matching, no difference was seen in baseline characteristics (Table 1). A competing risk analysis showed that women had a non-significant increase in mortality (p=0.065) (Figure 1). Women had higher rates of right ventricular assist device support (3.4% vs 0.8%, p=0.03) and there was a trend towards higher rates of stroke, LVAD exchange, and longer length of stay. Additionally, lower rates of drive line infection and transplantation in women were seen (Table 2). Conclusion Larger studies are needed to determine if these single center findings of increased probability of mortality amongst women are reproducible. Additionally, further study should be devoted to risk factors for postoperative right heart failure among women.
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Considerations for Extramedullary Leukemia

The purpose of this review is to summarize the current literature on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment options available for extramedullary (EM) manifestations of leukemia including myeloid sarcoma (MS) and leukemia cutis (LC). Advanced imaging using 18FDG-PET/CT is an effective screening tool for EM manifestations of leukemia. The role of radiation therapy has been more clearly delineated in the treatment of both MS and LC. FDA-approved targeted agents have improved outcomes in patients with AML but have not demonstrated improvements specifically for EM; however, a checkpoint inhibitor, Ipilimumab, holds promise in impacting local control for the treatment of AML-related EM. EM manifestations of leukemia pose significant therapeutic challenges. Treatment of EM is predicated on multiple factors including the presence of concomitant bone marrow involvement, AML-risk classification, and timing of presentation at initial diagnosis or relapse following systemic therapy.
Robust Decision Theory and Econometrics

This review uses the empirical analysis of portfolio choice to illustrate econometric issues that arise in decision problems. Subjective expected utility (SEU) can provide normative guidance to an ...
Tunable Piezoelectricity of Multifunctional Boron Nitride Nanotube/Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Stretchable Composites

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) uniformly dispersed in stretchable materials, such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), could create the next generation of composites with augmented mechanical, thermal, and piezoelectric characteristics. This work reports tunable piezoelectricity of multifunctional BNNT/PDMS stretchable composites prepared via co-solvent blending with tetrahydrofuran (THF) to disperse BNNTs in PDMS while avoiding sonication or functionalization. The resultant stretchable BNNT/PDMS composites demonstrate augmented Young's modulus (200% increase at 9 wt% BNNT) and thermal conductivity (120% increase at 9 wt% BNNT) without losing stretchability. Furthermore, BNNT/PDMS composites demonstrate piezoelectric responses that are linearly proportional to BNNT wt%, achieving a piezoelectric constant (|d33 |) of 18 pmV-1 at 9 wt% BNNT without poling, which is competitive with commercial piezoelectric polymers. Uniquely, BNNT/PDMS accommodates tensile strains up to 60% without plastic deformation by aligning BNNTs, which enhances the composites' piezoelectric response approximately five times. Finally, the combined stretchable and piezoelectric nature of the composite was exploited to produce a vibration sensor sensitive to low-frequency (≈1 kHz) excitation. This is the first demonstration of multifunctional, stretchable BNNT/PDMS composites with enhanced mechanical strength and thermal conductivity and furthermore tunable piezoelectric response by varying BNNT wt% and applied strain, permitting applications in soft actuators and vibration sensors.
Orthodontic Treatment of Periodontally Compromised Teeth After Laser Periodontal Therapy: A Case Report

Objective: To assess stability of laser periodontal therapy (LPT) results after orthodontic tooth movement. Background: Periodontitis and malocclusion each exhibit high global prevalence. Thus, den...
The Market Reaction to Straight Debt Issues: The Effects of Free Cash Flow

In this paper we examine the market's reaction to 937 straight debt issues between 1983 and 1993. We also test the effect that firm's existing cash flow and investment opportunities have on the market reaction. We find a negative and significant market reaction to a straight debt announcement. In addition, we find tht the market reaction to a straight debt issue is directly related to the issuing firm's level of existing cash and inversely related to the issuing firm's investment opportunities.
Thought Problems and Aggression Over Time Among Youth in Foster Care.

Youth in foster care may demonstrate high levels of aggression and thought problems. There is a growing trend to consider mental health symptoms of youth involved with the foster care system from a developmental trauma perspective. The aim of this study was to test if trauma, race, age, and gender predicted variability in thought problems and aggression for youth in foster care. The sample (n = 303) included youth in out-of-home placements with a mean age of 14 years, a diverse racial demographic, and almost an equal percentage of males and females. Participants were assessed over three waves using a series of multilevel growth curve models. Results indicated significant decreases in thought problems and aggression and youth with higher levels of trauma reported higher initial levels and swifter decreases of both thought problems and aggression over time. While trauma was associated with aggression and thought problems, results found that youth demonstrated significant decreases in aggression and thought problems over time. A better understanding of the long-term effects of trauma on thought problems and aggression of youth in foster care is needed. While our findings suggest foster care may be protective in fostering resilience, additional research on the nature of potential positive effects of foster care on aggression and thought problems is suggested.
Mentoring for Transformation

If we aim to maintain an open and responsive approach to proteges, listening closely to their words, writings, and the context of their lives is just the beginning. In asking us to reconsider the very nature of our subjectivity by accepting that we depend upon others for our ability to come into presence, Biesta prepares the ground in which meaningful, responsive mentorship might be cultivated.
Re-visioning Latin American Studies in the United States

In the early 1990s, an influential group of northern scholars, foundation representatives and observers of academic trends came to the conclusion that ‘Area Studies’ were in crisis. Although the critiques and calls for reformulation applied across the board to a heterogeneous array of Area Studies fields, they had particular resonance within Latin American Studies (LAS). Rooted in disciplinary and institutional developments dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, LAS came into its own in the 1950s, in the context of the Cold War. It rapidly became the largest, most well-funded and most prestigious of the Area Studies fields. For this reason, among others, LAS assumed a central role in the broader debate: should Area Studies persist in their current form? If not, what successor intellectual and institutional configurations should emerge in their place? Nearly twenty years later, this high-stakes debate has virtually disappeared. By various important measures, LAS is thriving. This essay provides ...
CREVICE CORROSION & PITTING OF HIGH-LEVEL WASTE CONTAINERS: INTEGRATION OF DETERMINISTIC & PROBABILISTIC MODELS

A key component of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) being designed for containment of spent-fuel and high-level waste at the proposed geological repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada is a two-layer canister. In this particular design, the inner barrier is made of a corrosion resistant material (CRM) such as Alloy 625 or C-22, while the outer barrier is made of a corrosion-allowance material (CAM) such as carbon steel or Monel 400. An integrated predictive model is being developed to account for the effects of localized environmental conditions in the CRM-CAM crevice on the initiation and propagation of pits through the CRM.
A phenylalanine codon deletion at the UGT1 gene complex locus of a Crigler-Najjar Type I patient generates a pH-sensitive bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase

The characterization (Ritter, J. K., Chen, F., Sheen, Y. Y., Tran, H. M., Kimura, S., Yeatman, M. T., and Owens, I. S. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 3257-3261) of the single-copy UGT1 gene complex encoding both bilirubin and phenol UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (transferase) has been critical to the determination of genetic defects in Crigler-Najjar Type I patients. The complex (UGT1A-UGT1G) codes for at least two bilirubin, three bilirubin-like, and two phenol transferases. Seven different exons 1, each with an upstream promoter and each encoding the amino terminus of an isoform, are arrayed in series with four common exons (encoding seven identical carboxyl termini) in the 3'-region of the locus. Predictably, a critical mutation in a common exon inactivates the entire locus. A deleterious mutation in an exon 1, as we report here for the UGT1A gene in a Crigler-Najjar Type I patient, predictably affects the amino terminus of that single isoform. The code for the predominant bilirubin isozyme, the HUG-Br1 protein, is missing the phenylalanine codon at position 170 in exon 1 of UGT1A, abolishing a conserved diphenylalanine. We demonstrate that, at the pH (7.6) routinely used for bilirubin glucuronidation studies, both the HUG-Br1 protein and human liver microsomes have approximately one-third the activity seen at the major pH optimum of 6.4 and at low ionic strength. The altered isozyme with nearly normal activity at pH 7.6 is inactive at pH 6.4, a result consistent with the definition of a pH-sensitive mutant. The Km value for bilirubin using the wild-type protein is approximately 2.5 microM at both pH 6.4 and 7.6 and that for the mutant is 5.0 microns at pH 7.6. The structure of the wild-type enzyme compared to that of the mutant indicates that hydrophobic properties at the active center are critical for metabolizing the lipophile-like substrate. The low ion/pH requirements for bilirubin glucuronidation may signal the basis for the distribution of these isozymes to an organelle (endoplasmic reticulum) that can establish compatible conditions/compartments for each catalysis.
Blade surface pressure measurement on a pusher propeller in flight

Unsteady aerodynamics of a pusher propeller operating in the wake of a pylon is investigated through analysis of flight test data. Twenty-two surface-mounted miniature pressure transducers were installed at the 75 and 90 percent radius locations on a propeller blade on a test-bed aircraft. Twenty-six different flight conditions were flown to cover the range of speeds, rpm, altitudes, and flap positions encountered by an advanced turboprop general aviation aircraft. Preliminary analysis of the flight test data indicate a strong three-dimensionality to the perturbed flow at the 75 and 90 percent radii due to pylon wake encounter. Time-history of the pressure transducer waveforms recorded for 700 revolutions exhibit a one-per-cycle wave oscillation on the wake signature. No explanation is found for this behavior yet.
Anaerobic induction of ProMn-superoxide dismutase in Escherichia coli.

Abstract Escherichia coli growing anaerobically respond to NO3- plus PQ2+ with a 20-30-fold induction of an inactive form of the manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). Mutants lacking a functional nitrate reductase fail to show this response. This inactive enzyme can be activated by addition of Mn(II) salts to cell extracts in the presence of acidic guanidinium chloride, followed by dialysis against neutral buffer. Direct addition of Mn(II) to cell extracts does not result in activation. However, addition of Mn(II) to purified apo-MnSOD results in partial activation. Inactive, reconstitutable MnSOD is induced 13-fold within 15 min of exposure to NO3- plus PQ2+. Western blot analysis revealed a 15-fold increase in immunoreactive MnSOD under these conditions, suggestive of de novo synthesis of this protein. A strain of E. coli bearing a multicopy plasmid carrying the MnSOD gene (sodA) overproduces inactive MnSOD 19-fold compared to the parent strain under anaerobic conditions. Strains of E. coli with an inactivating insertion in the sodA gene do not induce inactive, reconstitutable MnSOD in response to NO3- plus PQ2+ and lack the immunoreactive MnSOD band. These results, in toto, suggest that the inactive protein synthesized under anaerobic conditions in the presence of NO3- plus PQ2+, acting as an electron sink, is a product of the sodA gene and is devoid of activity due to occupation of the manganese site by another metal.
Artificial urinary sphincter erosion: the role of corticosteroids in an unusual presentation

Glucocorticosteroid use has proven beneficial for the management of many medical conditions. Unfortunately its anti-inflammatory properties also profoundly affect many aspects of wound healing. We present a case of an unusual presentation of an artificial urinary sphincter erosion in a patient treated with chronic high-dose steroids.
Crossover reactions between synthetic replicators yield active and inactive recombinants.

Self-replicating molecules can be synthesized through the covalent linkage of two complementary subunits to give a self-complementary structure. Complementarity refers to sizes, shapes, and the weak intermolecular forces involved in molecular recognition between the two subunits. In order to provide a model system for evolution at the molecular These reactions gave rise to new structural types. The ability (or inability) of the new recombinants to catalyze their own formation is shown to be a consequence of their molecular shapes.
Comments on Using Dimensional Limestone…Books…Conferences…

These comments are the result of work by Brent Blackwell, who was a graduate student in the Del E. Webb School of Construction at Arizona State University. Masonry contractors, personnel at a fabricating and quarrying facility in Southern Indiana, and the Indiana Limestone Institute were all interviewed to determine the critical factors that affect impacting quality limestone work. The objective here is to present to the building industry a commentary on the interaction that must take place between the masonry contractor and the stone producer to achieve a successful project. Communication between supplier and end user is of utmost importance in delivering a quality project. The contractor and the supplier/fabricator have a responsibility to inform each other in a timely manner about their respective expectations concerning schedule and all essential information necessary to produce the desired results. It is essential that the important information exchanged be accurate and be given as far in advance as possible. The general contractor GC is often the one who bids and holds the project contract with the owner. Therefore the GC is the entity that is closest to knowing the wants, needs, and specifications of the owner, architect, or construction manager. As a result, the contractor needs to be very knowledgeable about the specifications of the materials to be used on the project. The contractor has the duty of informing the supplier of the materials that will be needed, the dates, and the order in which deliveries of finished goods will be made. The contractor should make sure that the supplier is informed at all times of any potential changes, special conditions, and tolerances allowed on the job. It is also critical that the contractor use care in selecting a building stone supplier. Concurrently, the supplier is responsible for accurately and honestly informing the contractor about the capability of the plant to supply the job materials. It is the supplier/fabricator’s duty to know the technical aspects of the product, such as the strengths of the materials, the performance and durability of the dimensional limestone products per the application, as well as to give accurate estimates of the time and cost to produce, package, and ship the materials. The supplier is also responsible for managing the quality of the dimensional stone to ensure that it is cut to measurement tolerances and meets the requirements of the job, including approved physical appearances such as grain and color. The information that follows is based on discussions with masonry contractors, a supplier/fabricator, and an organization that represents the limestone industry. Discussions were conducted with the sales, production, shipping, quality control, and financial and management personnel at Indiana Limestone Company, Inc., to learn their perspectives on what could be done to improve the deliverability of quality limestone to contractors. Indiana Limestone Company, Inc., is the nation’s largest supplier and fabricator of limestone. Next, discus-
Protection of focal cerebral ischemia by alkalinization of systemic pH.

OBJECT It has been demonstrated in many studies that intracellular brain acidosis during cerebral ischemia is a significant factor in perpetuating the cycle of cellular dysfunction leading to neuronal injury. The purpose of this study was to determine whether preischemic administration of alkalotic agents could reduce neuronal injury after focal cerebral ischemia. METHODS Fifteen fasted rabbits under 1.0% halothane anesthesia were randomized into three groups: Group 1 rabbits were ischemic controls (n = 5) that underwent 4 hours of focal cerebral ischemia. Groups 2 and 3 rabbits underwent a paradigm similar to that of Group 1, except that they were pretreated with either sodium bicarbonate or Carbicarb at similar buffering capacities. Intracellular brain pH (pH(i)), regional cortical blood flow (rCBF), and intrinsic reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) fluorescence were measured with in vivo fluorescence imaging. At the end of each experiment, infarct volume expressed as a percentage of hemispheric volume was measured by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. RESULTS Preischemic alkalinization did not alter brain pH(i), rCBF, or NADH fluorescence. After 4 hours of ischemia, brain pH(i), rCBF, NADH fluorescence, and infarct volume measured 6.40 +/- 0.09 (mean +/- standard error), 11 +/- 2 ml/100 g/min, 165 +/- 8% of baseline control, and 37 +/- 3% in ischemic controls, respectively. In Group 2 animals treated with sodium bicarbonate, brain pH(i), rCBF, NADH fluorescence, and infarct volume improved significantly (P < 0.05, analysis of variance) to 6.74 +/- 0.08, 24 +/- 6 ml/100 g/min, 137 +/- 6% of baseline control, and 22 +/- 4%, respectively. Group 3 Carbicarb animals demonstrated improvements in brain pH(i), rCBF, and NADH fluorescence, with a significant reduction in infarct volume. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that pretreatment with alkalinizing agents may be a useful intervention to provide intraoperative cerebral protection from ischemic injury.
Symbol-rate blind equalization based on constrained blind separation

Blind adaptive equalization has been of long-standing interest, and Bussgang-type algorithms for blind equalization based on gradient descent schemes are well-known. Algorithms based on blind source separation (BSS) have also been of interest. These exploit the independence of a transmitted symbol sequence, and are generally based on a fractional sampling scheme. In this paper, we study BSS based algorithms operating under symbol-rate sampling. With a Toeplitz structure constraint on the separating matrix, the source signal can be recovered with faster convergence. We also show that signal phase recovery is possible under an I/Q constraint, or with proper choice of a quantized nonlinearity.
Remacemide HC1 and its metabolite, FPL 12495AA, limit action potential firing frequency and block NMDA responses of mouse spinal cord neurons in cell culture

The novel anticonvulsant, remacemide HCl [(+/-)-2-amino-N-(1-methyl-1,2-diphenylethyl)acetamide monohydrochloride; FPL12924AA], and a desglycinated metabolite [(+/-)-1-methyl-1,2-diphenylethylamine monohydrochloride; FPL 12495AA] reversibly limited sustained high-frequency repetitive firing (SRF) of sodium-dependent action potentials by mouse spinal cord neurons in monolayer dissociated cell culture. Limitation occurred with an IC50 of 7.9 X 10(-6) M for remacemide and 1.2 X 10(-6) M for FPL 12495AA (P < 0.05 vs. remacemide). Stereoisomers of the desglycinate limited SRF with IC50 values of 3.3 X 10(-6) M and 3.5 X 10(-6) M for the S(+) and R(-) compounds, respectively. The concentration of racemic desglycinate and of either stereoisomer that produced limitation in all neurons tested was 10(-4) M. Maximal rate of rise (Vmax) of action potentials decreased progressively until firing ceased during 400-ms depolarizing pulses. Efficacy of remacemide, but not of the desglycinate, increased with time (maximum at 16-36 h). The limitation was voltage dependent. In addition, reduction of Vmax and action potential failure occurred during stimulation with 400-ms pulses and trains of brief (1 ms) depolarizations at different frequencies. These findings suggest an effect on voltage-sensitive sodium current that generates the action potential upstroke. Remacemide and the desglycinate also significantly reduced the amplitude of neuronal responses to pressure application of NMDA in use-dependent manner at concentrations equal to the IC50 values for limitation of action potential firing. Resting potential and input resistance were not changed significantly by either drug. Limitation of high-frequency firing of action potentials by both remacemide HCl and FPL 12495AA may contribute to the anticonvulsant efficacy of these compounds at concentrations overlapping the range required to block glutamatergic hyperexcitability.
Thermal chondroplasty: effect of bipolar and monopolar radio frequency energy

Cartilage fibrillation is commonly associated with injury and long-term degeneration. Contouring the articular surface with radiofrequency energy (RFE) may stabilize the surface, and improve clinical function, but subchondral bone injury has been reported in some patients. The purpose of this research was to document the effects of bipolar and monopolar RFE on articular cartilage. Bipolar RFE and monopolar RFE treatment of abraded bovine cartilage was investigated in an in vitro model. Bipolar RFE caused greater chondrocyte death than monopolar RFE, (bipolar RFE: 1700-?m; monopolar RFE: 800-?m) (p<0.05). Both bipolar RFE and monopolar RFE contoured the articular surface but the depth of chondrocyte death raised concerns regarding the clinical application of RFE. Further work investigated the arthroscopic application of bipolar RFE and monopolar RFE on human chondromalacic cartilage in vitro. Both devices smoothed the fibrillated surface, but bipolar RFE caused increased depth of chondrocyte death compared to monopolar RFE (bipolar RFE 2100-?m; monopolar RFE 620-?m (p<0.05). Fluoroptic thermometry has demonstrated cartilage matrix temperatures exceeding 70° C 2-mm below the articular surface during the application of bipolar RFE. The clinical use of the bipolar RFE systems available to date will likely result in unacceptable chondrocyte death and subchondral injury. While RFE demonstrates some promise for the management of cartilage injury, further work must be completed to define the parameters for its application.
Evaluation of soil and vegetation heat flux predictions using a simple two-source model with radiometric temperatures for partial canopy cover

Abstract A two-source model developed to use radiometric temperature observations for predicting component surface energy fluxes from soil and vegetation was evaluated with data from a row crop (cotton). The total or combined heat fluxes from the soil and vegetation agreed to within 20% of the observed values, on average. Component heat flux predictions from the soil and vegetation indicated that soil evaporation was generally higher than canopy transpiration. This result contradicts an earlier study which showed that soil evaporation was ∼1/3 of canopy transpiration rates with a significant source of sensible heat from the soil being advected to the canopy ( Kustas, 1990 ). Moreover, the modeled derived canopy temperatures were ∼6 K higher and soil temperatures were ∼4 K lower than the radiometric temperature observations. In order to obtain more physically realistic soil and vegetation component heat fluxes and better agreement between the predicted and observed soil and canopy temperatures, two model parameterizations required modification. One adjustment was to the magnitude of the Priestley–Taylor coefficient αPT used in estimating canopy transpiration. The magnitude of αPT was increased by ≈50% from its `universal constant' αPT ∼ 1.3 to αPT ∼ 2. The other modification was to the free convective velocity, UCV, defined as constant in the original formulation for estimating soil resistance to sensible heat flux transfer, RS. The new formulation is based on the recent experimental results from Kondo and Ishida (1997) who found that UCV ∝ ΔT1/3 where ΔT is the surface–air temperature difference. Both of these modifications are shown to be supported by observations from the literature and therefore are not considered merely model `tuning'. Furthermore, component heat fluxes predicted by the model using canopy and soil radiometric temperature observations support the higher αPT value and new free convective formulation for estimating RS. Two other changes to model algorithms are described which are relevant to all dual-source modeling schemes. One is replacing the commonly used Beer's law type expression for estimating the divergence of net radiation in partial canopy covered surfaces with a more physically-based algorithm. The other is a simple method to address the effects of clumped vegetation (common in row crops and sparse canopies) on radiation divergence and wind speed inside the canopy layer.
Structural Characteristics of Synthetic Amorphous Calcium Carbonate

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is an important phase involved in calcification by a wide variety of invertebrate organisms and is of technological interest in the development of functional materials. Despite widespread scientific interest in this phase a full characterization of structure is lacking. This is mainly due to its metastability and difficulties in evaluating structure using conventional structure determination methods. Here we present new findings from the application of two techniques, pair distribution function analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which provide new insight to structural aspects of synthetic ACC. Several important results have emerged from this study of ACC formed in vitro using two common preparation methods: (1) ACC exhibits no structural coherence over distances > 15 A and is truly amorphous; (2) most of the hydrogen in ACC is present as structural H2O, about half of which undergoes restricted motion on the millisecond time scale near room temperature; ...
A note on the role of the branching ratio in the transfer of resonance radiation

Abstract The significance of the branching ratio in problems involving the transfer of resonance radiation in a gas is discussed. The apparent disagreement between the results of two recent calculations on the optically pumped slab is shown to reside in the different values for the branching ratio assumed by the authors. It is shown that the results of Van Trigt for the asymptotic eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Biberman-Holstein equation, for a branching ratio of unity, can readily be extended to the case of arbitrary branching ratio, thus considerably enlarging the domain of applicability of these results.
Pattern recognition using stochastic neural networks

In this paper, we study pattern recognition using stochastic artificial neural networks (SANN). A learning system can be defined by three rules: the encoding rule, the rule of internal change, and the quantization rule. In our system, the data encoding is to store an image in a stable distribution of a SANN. Given an input image f (epsilon) F, one can find a SANN t (epsilon) T such that the equilibrium distribution of this SANN is the given image f. Therefore, the input image, f, is encoded into a specification of a SANN, t. This mapping from F (image space) to T (parameter space of SANN) defines SANN transformation. SANN transformation encodes an input image into a relatively small vector which catches the characteristics of the input vector. The internal space T is the parameter space of SANN. The internal change rule of our system uses a local minima algorithm to encode the input data. The output data of the encoding stage is a specification of a stochastic dynamical system. The quantization rule divides the internal data space T by sample data.
Diurnal emission of volatile compounds by Japanese beetle-damaged grape leaves

Abstract The volatile compounds liberated by Japanese beetle ( Popillia japonica Newman) feeding on grape leaves ( Vitis labrusca L.) were studied. Ten consecutive collections of 3 hr duration were performed on live vines starting at 09:00 and continuing until 15:00 the following day. Release of most compounds followed a diurnal pattern, with the period of peak emission from 12:00 to 15:00 and the period of least emission from 00:00 to 03:00. Nineteen compounds were identified from the beetle-damaged vines, most of which were aliphatic aldehydes, alcohols and esters as well as terpene hydrocarbons. During periods of peak emission, volatile production from beetle-damaged vines was about 50-times higher than that of undamaged vines. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
Hydroxylation of phenol to hydroquinone catalyzed by a human myeloperoxidase-superoxide complex: possible implications in benzene-induced myelotoxicity.

Benzene, a known human rnyelotoxin and leukemogen is metabolized by liver cytochrome P-450 mono-oxygenase to phenol. Further hydroxylation of phenol by cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase results in the formation of mainly hydroquinone, which accumulates in the bone marrow. Bone marrow contains high levels of myeloperoxidase. Here we report that phenol hydroxylation to hydroquinone is also catalyzed by human myeloperoxidase in the presence of a superoxide anion radical generating system, hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase. No hydroquinone formation was detected in the absence of myeloperoxidase. At low concentrations superoxide disniutase stimulated, but at high concentrations inhibited, the conversion of phenol to hydroquinone. The inhibitory effect at high superoxide dismutase concentrations indicates that the active hydroxylating species of myeloperoxidase is not derived from its interaction with hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, catalase a hydrogen peroxide scavenger, was found to have no significant effect o...
Detection of a Vibrio sp. by the Bacteriophagous Nematode Pelodera chitwoodi

Summary. Pelodera chitwoodi was able to distinguish between a Vibrio sp. (food bacterium) and Chromobacterium janthinum (non-food bacterium), and between bacteria and mud. Nematodes migrated preferentially to the Vibrio sp. at various distances, temperatures, and pH values. Migration to food bacteria increased with an increase in bacterial concentration. Resting and dead bacteria failed to attract nematodes. Nematodes were able to detect a vibrio colony separated from them by a plastic barrier, and migrated to areas on agar containing exudate and dialysate from the vibrio. Both exudate and dialyzate contained 4 amino acids and 3 vitamins which attracted nematodes. However, attraction of nematodes to these compounds was not as strong as to metabolizing bacteria, indicating that additional compounds were also involved.
Perspectives on Rangeland Management Education and Research in Argentina

Perspectives on Rangeland Management Education and Research in Argentina DOI:10.2458/azu_rangelands_v33i1_anderson
Pneumatic transport of solids in an inclined geometry

Flow studies were conducted in 0.0266-m and 0.0504-m glass pipes held at various angles of inclination. Measurements in these experimental setups included particle velocities, solid mass flow rates, and pressure drops in both the upper and the lower halves of the pipe. Visual observations of the flow patterns were made through the glass section. Particles used in this system included glass particles of 67-, 450-, and 900-μm diameter, as well as iron oxide of 400-μm diameter. Mass flows from the two halves of the pipe were obtained by splitting the flow with a knife-edged separator. Experiments were also performed in a 0.0095-m transfer line in an inclined loop. The angle of inclination of the test loop was varied from 0 to 90 degrees from the horizontal. The effect of angle of loop inclination, tube diameter, and particle characteristics on basic flow parameters were studied. Des etudes ont ete menees dans des tubes de verre de 0,0266 et 0,0504 m a differents angles d'inclinaison. Les mesures prises dans ces montages experimentaux comprennent les vitesses de particules, les debits massiques de solides et les pertes de charge dans la moitie inferieure et superieure du tube. Des observations visuelles des conditions d'ecoulement ont ete effectuees a travers la section de verre. On a utilise des particules de verre de 67, 450 et 900μm de diametre ainsi que des particules d'oxyde de fer de 400μm. Les ecoulements massiques des deux sections du tube ont ete obtenus en dedoublant l'ecoulement a l'aide d'un separateur biseaute. Des experiences ont egalement ete realisees dans une conduite de transfert de 0,0095 m dans une boucle inclinee. L'angle d'inclinaison de la boucle d'essai varie de 0 a 90 degres par rapport a l'horizontal. On a etudie l'effet de l'angle d'inclinaison de la boucle, du diametre du tube et des caracteristiques des particules sur les parametres de base de l'ecoulement.
Influence of temperature on chill-coma and the electrical activity of the central and peripheral nervous systems of the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana

1. 1. Electrical recordings were made from selected peripheral and central nervous system sites during a temperature decrease that induced chill-coma in Periplaneta americana. 2. 2. Presence or absence of electrical activity, and fluctuations in amplitude and frequency preceding action potential extinction were determined and analyzed. 3. 3. The peripheral nerves fade out electrically at a slightly higher temperature than the adjoining central nervous system in the same body region. 4. 4. More importantly, there is a marked difference in the temperature sensitivity of the nervous system in the cervical and thoracic regions.
Role of amino acids in germination of Bacillus licheniformis spores. II. Effect on radioactive spores.

Abstract The distribution of radioactivity in the cytoplasm, spore coats, and exudates during germination of Bacillus licheniformis spores labeled with radioactive l-alanine and l-valine was determined. When the radioactive spores were germinated with nonradioactive l-alanine and l-valine, radioactivity was released after germination medium, with very little radioactivity released after germination was complete. Most of the radioactivity had its origin in the cytoplasm in l-alanine-induced germination, but with l-valine approximately 50% of the radioactivity was released from the spore coats. The radioactivity released was associated with ninhydrin-positive components on paper chromatograms, one at the point of application to the paper, the other at the Rf value of alanine. When l-alanine was used to germinate the spores, the greater portion of radioactivity (66%) was in the alanine spot. When l-valine was the germinant, approximately 50% of the radioactivity in the exudates remained as a nonmohile ninhydrin-positive component. When radioactive spores were germinated with l-alanine, free d-alanine was released into the germination medium, with the concentration increasing throughout a 4-hr incubation period. d-alanine was not released when l-valine was used as the spore germinant. Spores germinated with either l-alanine or l-valine also released dipicolinic acid (DPA) into the germination medium after germination. The release of DPA was somewhat slower than that of d-alanine, with d-alanine appearing in the germination exudates during the process of germination, and DPA being released only after germination was practically complete.
Cinematographic system for high-image-density particle image velocimetry

A cinematographic system, which integrates the concepts of high-image-density PIV, laser scanning, and framing photography, allows temporal resolution of the order of one percent of the time scale of the largest vortical structures in the turbulent wake from a cylinder at a Reynolds number of 10,000. With this resolution in time, it is possible to track, in a continuous fashion, the patterns of streamwise vorticity in the near-wake.
The effect of Schmidt number on turbulent scalar mixing in a jet-in-crossflow

Abstract The adequacy and accuracy of the constant Schmidt number assumption in predicting turbulent scalar fields in jet-in-crossflows are assessed in the present work. A round jet injected into a confined crossflow in a rectangular tunnel has been simulated using the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with the standard k – e turbulence model. The principal observation is that the turbulent Schmidt number has a significant effect on the prediction of the species spreading rate in jet-in-crossflows, especially for the cases where the jet-to-crossflow momentum flux ratios are relatively small. A turbulent Schmidt number of 0.2 is recommended for best agreement with experimental data.
SOLUBILITY OF WATER ICE IN METALLIC HYDROGEN: CONSEQUENCES FOR CORE EROSION IN GAS GIANT PLANETS

Using ab initio simulations we investigate whether water ice is stable in the cores of giant planets, or whether it dissolves into the layer of metallic hydrogen above. By Gibbs free energy calculations we find that for pressures between 10 and 40 Mbar the ice-hydrogen interface is thermodynamically unstable at temperatures above approximately 3000 K, far below the temperature of the core-mantle boundaries in Jupiter and Saturn. This implies that the dissolution of core material into the fluid layers of giant planets is thermodynamically favored, and that further modeling of the extent of core erosion is warranted.