cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Guidelines for specifying optical homogeneity of laser rods using interferometry

Abstract The effect of the neodymium doping on the optical homogeneity of laser rods has been reviewed for specifying and measuring optical homogeneity of these materials for high yield laser operation. It is concluded from the results that phosphate glass laser rods are more strain-free and more nearly optically perfect than the yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser crystals.
Noninvasive polarimetric measurement of glucose in cell culture media

In order to enhance cell culture growth in bioreactors, biosensors such as those used for glucose detection must be developed that are capable of monitoring cell culture processes continuously and preferably noninvasively. The development of a unique noninvasive, optically based polarimetric glucose sensor is reported. The data were collected using a highly sensitive, lab-built polarimeter with digital feedback and a red laser diode source. A range of glucose concentrations was evaluated using both glucose-doped double-distilled water and a bovine serum-based medium. The serum-based medium is the nutritional environment in which the cell cultures are grown. Both media were examined across two glucose concentration ranges—a lower range of 100 mg/dl in 10-mg/dl increments and a higher range up to 600 mg/dl in 50-mg/dl increments. The linear regression in all experiments yielded standard errors of prediction of less than 8.5 mg/dl across both ranges.
The neural basis for category-specific knowledge: an fMRI study.

Abstract Functional neuroimaging studies of healthy adults have associated different categories of knowledge with distinct activation patterns. The basis for these recruitment patterns has been controversial, due in part to the limited range of categories that has been studied. We used fMRI to monitor regional cortical recruitment patterns while subjects were exposed to printed names of Animals, Implements, and Abstract nouns. Both Implements and Abstract nouns were related to recruitment of left posterolateral temporal cortex and left prefrontal cortex, and Abstract nouns additionally recruited posterolateral temporal and prefrontal regions of the right hemisphere. Animals were associated with activation of ventral-medial occipital cortex in the left hemisphere at a level that approaches significance. These findings are not consistent with the “sensory–motor” model proposed to explain the neural representation of word knowledge. We suggest instead a neural model of semantic memory that reflects the processes common to understanding Implements and Abstract nouns and a selective sensitivity, possibly evolving from adaptive pressures, to the overlapping, intercorrelated visual characteristics of Animals.
Aromaticity and Möbius antiaromaticity in monocyclic [11]annulenium cations.

Monocyclic [11]annulenium cations, which are experimentally unknown, have been studied primarily via DFT methods but also with some CCSD(T) validation. We have located six minima: two doubly trans (26, 27), one triply trans (28), one singly trans (29), one quintuply trans (trannulene-type, 33), and one all-cis (31). The first three are aromatic, 33 is modestly aromatic, 29 is nonaromatic, and the last is a Mobius antiaromatic species. We also investigated the fusion of various numbers of three-membered rings (3MRs) to the central 11-membered ring (11MR). We found several planar, all-cis-[11]annulenium ion derivatives as well as another Mobius antiaromatic species (52b); for comparison, we also found planar, antiaromatic all-cis-[12]annulene (60) and [15]annulenium cation (61) derivatives. The (anti)aromatic characterization of these compounds is based mainly on calculated magnetic data for the ground singlet and vertical triplet states, although aromatic stabilization energies (ASE) are also considered. Data for optimized triplets, several of which are Mobius aromatic systems (31t, 52t, 63t, 64t), are also included. Several of these cations are reasonable synthetic targets.
Decomposing delta, theta, and alpha time-frequency ERP activity from a visual oddball task using PCA.

Objective Time–frequency (TF) analysis has become an important tool for assessing electrical and magnetic brain activity from event-related paradigms. In electrical potential data, theta and delta activities have been shown to underlie P300 activity, and alpha has been shown to be inhibited during P300 activity. Measures of delta, theta, and alpha activity are commonly taken from TF surfaces. However, methods for extracting relevant activity do not commonly go beyond taking means of windows on the surface, analogous to measuring activity within a defined P300 window in time-only signal representations. The current objective was to use a data driven method to derive relevant TF components from event-related potential data from a large number of participants in an oddball paradigm.
Triggered vacuum gaps

Characteristics of a sealed vacuum gap are described and the difficulties encountered in applying this gap as an overvoltage protection device are discussed. It is shown how these difficulties can be ameliorated by the use of gas-free electrode materials and by triggering the gap when breakdown is required. Several methods of triggering are discussed and some practical triggering devices are described that inject minute quantities of ionized hydrogen into the gap. The hydrogen is eventually recovered by the use of a titanium hydride getter. It is shown that breakdown of the gap can be accomplished in less than one-tenth microsecond by first producing a glow discharge that is rapidly transformed into a metal-vapor arc. Properties of the metal-vapor arc are described which have an effect on the characteristics of the vacuum gap. A number of practical sealed-off triggered vacuum gaps are illustrated. These are used to carry microsecond capacitor discharge currents and 60-cycle power line currents for ½ cycle. The operating voltage range is from a few hundred volts to 100 kV. The advantages of vacuum gaps over gas-filled gaps are given and a number of overvoltage protection and switching applications are listed.
Channel multiplexing in fault-tolerant modular multiprocessors

A systematic approach to the design of fault-tolerant multiprocessors is described in this paper. This design approach utilizes the concept of multiplexing different channels of communication links to reconfigure fault-tolerant systems in the presence of faults. It is a simple approach which can be applied to different modular architectures and can implement different spare allocation strategies. In this paper, we derive the theoretical bounds of the channel requirement per link to reconfigure the system properly and utilize all the available spare nodes. For some links, this bound is as high as 2m, where m is the degree of a node. However, it is shown that a constant number of channels per link allows the system to be reconfigured properly and to utilize all the available spare nodes almost 100% of the time. We apply this approach to the construction of fault-tolerant binary trees and fault-tolerant binary hypercubes.
Preparation and biodistribution of copper-67-labeled porphyrins and porphyrin-A6H immunoconjugates☆

Abstract The synthetic porphyrins, N -benzyl-5,10,15,20- tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl)porphine ( N -bzHTCPP) and N -4-nitrobenzyl-5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20- tris (4-sulfophenyl)porphine ( N -bzHCS 3 P), represent excellent radiocopper chelating agents that may find utility in antibody-mediated diagnosis and/or therapy. N -bzHCS 3 P was conjugated to an anti-renal cell carcinoma (RCC) antibody, A6H, and labeled with copper-67. 67 CuCS 3 P-A6H was studied for its biodistribution in human RCC xenograft-bearing nude mice, along with the radiolabeled free porphyrins. The porphyrins resulted in tumor:blood ratios in the range of 3 to 4 after 48 h. The radiolabeled antibody achieved a tumon:blood ratio of over 16 after 45 h, indicating accumulation at the desired site. However, unwanted localization also occurred in the liver and spleen, which will have to be rectified before realizing the full potential of this approach.
University outreach in STEM education through a Roller Coaster Science and Engineering Camp

We describe the structure, implementation, and outcomes of a Roller Coaster Science and Engineering Camp for students in grades 7–12. The framework for the camp has been developed over several years with the goal of providing a unique experience in STEM education using the theme of roller coaster science and engineering. Students form simulated “roller coaster design companies,” whose goal is to design a working roller coaster. To assist with the design process, we have developed a Roller Coaster Card Game that incorporates a series of track segments depicting starting hills, vertical loops, corkscrews, cobra rolls, horseshoe turns, and brake segments which can be assembled to initiate the design process. Based on scientific analysis, students exchange cards from the original design with cards depicting similar segments and corrected dimensions. Only certain card combinations result in a working model. The final design is then programmed into a commercial roller coaster software package, where it can be simulated from a first-person rider perspective. We discuss the impact of the camp on student involvement in other research projects and enrichment opportunities. While the specific impact of any single intervention is difficult to measure, we offer some assessment of student participant performance in math/science.
Antibacterials as adjuncts to incision and drainage for adults with purulent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infections.

The annual incidence of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) has nearly tripled in the US since the early 1990s. Many purulent SSTIs in the community setting are caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Incision and drainage (ID however, the use of adjunctive antibacterials is controversial. The objective of this study was to systematically evaluate studies that have investigated whether or not antibacterials provide added benefit to ID (ii) English language; (iii) compared ID and (iv) compared patient outcomes. We also reviewed the references of these articles to identify other relevant studies. Studies that solely examined paediatric patients were excluded. To facilitate cross-study comparison, we systematically evaluated the following study characteristics: (i) study design; (ii) patient population; (iii) comparator groups; (iv) sample size; (v) outcome measures; (vi) outcome definitions; (vii) duration of follow-up; and (viii) measurement and adjustment of potential confounding variables. Eleven studies, spanning more than 30 years, met inclusion criteria. Two of these were conducted prior to the emergence of MRSA in the community; another evaluated cephalexin versus placebo for MRSA. None of these found added benefit of adjunctive antibacterials. Four studies compared health outcomes between patients who received ‘wactive’ or ‘appropriate’ therapy and those who received ‘inactive’ or ‘inappropriate’ therapy after ID however, the current evidence is limited to small, case-control, observational studies.
Interactions of tumor cells with intact capillaries: a model for intravasation

The interactions of metastatic variants of the B16 and K-1735 melanoma cell lines with intact capillaries isolated from rabbit brain were studied in vitro. The abilities of various cells to attach to and flatten out on the surface of blood vessels were monitored with phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy. In general, cells highly metastatic in vivo were capable of attaching to and flattening out on the surface of capillaries at a faster rate than cells of low metastatic potential or normal cells. In addition, K-1735 melanoma cells and normal fibroblasts were labeled with 125I-iododeoxyuridine, incubated with capillaries, and subsequently passed through filters. This procedure separated unattached cells from cells attached to capillaries. This assay provided quantitative information on the adhesion of metastatic tumor cells and normal cells to capillaries. Tumor cells attached to capillaries in significantly greater numbers than normal cells. Cells with high metastatic potential attached to the capillaries in greater numbers than cells with low metastatic potential, but not significantly. This model may be useful for elucidating some of the mechanisms involved in tumor cell attachment and penetration of the capillary wall during intravasation in vivo.
Structure, iodination and growth of the axial skeletons of Muricea californica and M. fruticosa (Coelenterata: Gorgonacea)

Axial skeletons of two closely related, sympatric species of gorgonians were examined for details of gross morphology, internal organization and fine structure. Banded fibers with a periodicity of 430 A and oriented circum-axially to the longitudinal axis of the skeleton (i.e., lying on the plane perpendicular to the axis), were revealed by electron microscopy in the axial skeleton of Muricea californica; they indicate the presence of a collagen-like protein in the gorgoin of this species. No circum-axial fibers were found in the axial skeleton of M. fruticosa. Differences in fine structure are related to gross morphological differences in the skeletons. A sequence of events for the addition of new material to the axial skeleton (growth) is described based on histological observation. Iodine-125 is used as a tracer for the deposition of new skeletal material, and is suggested as a new method for studying gorgonian growth rates.
An efficient method for transgene expression in hairy root cultures of Catharanthus roseus

Transgenic hairy root cultures of the medicinal plant, Catharanthus roseus, were established with green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression under the control of an estrogen-inducible system. The Agrobacterium-mediated transformation process was optimized with an overall efficiency of 33%. Furthermore, GFP expression was tightly regulated and highly inducible using the estrogen-inducible system as demonstrated in hairy roots. This paper describes the optimized transformation method using the estrogen-inducible system for engineering the production of pharmaceutically important alkaloid compounds from C. roseus hairy root cultures.
Chloride ion increases [3H]dopamine accumulation by synaptic vesicles purified from rat striatum: inhibition by thiocyanate ion.

The effect of chloride ion on transport of [3H]dopamine into synaptic vesicles purified from rat striatum has been evaluated. The inclusion of 10 mM chloride ion in the incubation medium produced a 100% increase in temperature-sensitive [3H]dopamine uptake into synaptic vesicles from approximately 1800 pmol/mg to 3600 pmol/mg of protein. Half-maximal effects were observed with chloride ion at 4 mM concentration. The anion selectivity of stimulation supports the presence of anion channels within the membranes of dopaminergic storage organelles. Low concentrations of thiocyanate ion (<10 mM), 4-acetamido-4′-isothiocyano2-2′-disulfonic acid stilbene (100 μM), and duramycin (5 μg/ml) selectively blocked the chloride ion stimulated accumulation of [3H]dopamine. Higher concentrations of these agents are required to significantly reduce [3H]dopamine uptake in the absence of chloride ion. These results suggest that both components of the proton electrochemical gradient (ΔΨ and δpH) are important for dopamine uptake by brain vesicles. This article presents the first demonstration that chloride ion plays a role in the transport of dopamine into vesicles isolated from the CNS.
Pregnancy in Renal Transplant Recipients

Women with renal disease face increasing infertility and high-risk pregnancy as they approach end-stage renal disease due to uremia. Renal transplantation has provided these patients the ability to return to a better quality of life, and for a number of women who are of child bearing age with renal disease, it has restored their fertility and provided the opportunity to have children. But, although fertility is restored, pregnancy in these women still harbors risk to the mother, graft, and fetus. Selected patients who have stable graft function can have successful pregnancies under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team involving maternal fetal medicine specialists and transplant nephrologists. Careful observation and management are required to optimize outcome for mother and fetus.
Socialist Intergovernmental Policy During the Mitterrand Era

Many observers ofFrenchpolitics see intergovernmental decentralization as President Mitterrand's most impressive domesticpolicy accomplishment. This article assesses the current state ofaffairs in the French intergovernmental system by focusing on how Socialist reforms have altered relations among levels since the early 1980s. It examines the Mitterrand government's most recent effort to address remaining nettlesome issues in a system that is, ten years after thefirst legislation, still very much influx. Using evolution in intergovernmentalfinances as an indicator of changing center/periphery relations, this study reveals both fundamental transformations and significant continuity in the French system.
A Test for the Antigenicity of Rabies Vaccine

ConclusionA simple test for evaluating the antigenicity of rabies vaccine is described and its advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
Power switch system based on Microelectromechanical switch

A power switching system combining a MEMS (Microelectromechanical systems) switch and an arc suppression circuit has been developed. The system, using a single 3mm × 3mm MEMS switch die coupled with protection electronics, has been demonstrated to switch both resistive loads and inductive loads to a peak power of around 800W. The entire opening and closing operations are completed in a few microseconds, orders of magnitude faster than mechanical relays and nearly as fast as solid state devices. The MEMS switch is an array of microscale cantilevered relays that are electrostatically opened and closed in microseconds. A pulsed diode bridge protection circuitry is used in conjunction with the MEMS switch to open and close the energized contacts without damaging the contacting surface and without generating an arc. This MEMS based power switching system is scaled in both series and parallel to increase the switched voltage and current capability respectively. MEMS switch based power switching has the capability to enable both current limiting and arc free switching, characteristics that can significantly reduce dangerous downstream fault energy for AC and DC protection and distribution applications.
Circumventing an azeotrope in reactive distillation

Using a McCabe−Thiele diagram, we explain nonintuitive behavior in a binary reactive distillation column where we react and separate two isomers displaying a maximum boiling azeotrope. Placing sufficient reaction on only two trays in the top section of the column, we shift the top operating line to lie below the 45° line. On lower nonreacting trays, we then easily step past the azeotrope. Once past the azeotrope, we even find that the column temperature decreases as we step down the column.
Bone marrow stromal cells regulate caspase 3 activity in leukemic cells during chemotherapy

The interaction between leukemic cells and stromal cells of the bone marrow microenvironment has been shown to enhance leukemic cell survival during exposure to chemotherapeutic agents. In the current study we investigated whether association of B lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemic cells with human bone marrow stromal cells altered caspase activation during chemotherapy treatment. Following treatment with Ara-C or VP-16 in vitro, caspase 3 activity in leukemic cells was consistently reduced by co-culture of leukemic cells with human bone marrow stromal cell layers. These observations suggest that the protective effect of the bone marrow microenvironment on leukemic cells may be due, in part, to regulation of caspase 3 activity.
Silver emissions and their environmental impacts: a multilevel assessment.

A detailed accounting of environmental releases of silver is presented for the year 1997, based on data from Yale University's Stocks and Flows (STAF) project and other sources. The analysis is carried out for 64 countries, eight regions, and the world. From the chemical composition and receiving media of these different releases, each emission category is assigned an environmental impact score in accordance with the Indiana Relative Chemical Hazard (IRCH) ranking system. Flows are scaled by impact and land area to form an overall semiquantitative assessment of the environmental impact of silver. Of the 64 countries, the United States has the highest gross emissions for nearly all flows to the environment. On a regional basis, Asia is the largest emitter of silver directly to land and water. In major silver-producing countries, tailings tend to have the highest environmental impact of any emissions category; in nonproducing countries, it is dissipation to land (Hong Kong having the highest impact in this ...
Single-Screw Extrusion of Defatted Soy Flour, Corn Starch and Raw Beef Blends

Effects of feed moisture, fat and corn starch levels and process temperature on physical properties of extrudates of defatted soy flour-amylose corn starch-raw beef blends were investigated using response surface methodology. Contour plots showed a convex curve of expansion ratio (ER) with moisture, concave curves of bulk density (BD) and shear-force (SF) with moisture, and concave cmves of SF with each of the four extrusion variables. Fat decreased ER and increased BD, whereas corn starch increased ER. Products with high ER and low BD and SF tended to have prominent air cells, continuous protein matrices, and smooth cell wall surfaces in scanning electron micrographs. The optimum extrusion conditions for minimal SF values, with 20% non-dehydrated beef muscle and varied amounts of defatted soy flour, were: 29.1% feed moisture; 2.96% feed fat; 22% feed corn starch; and 162°C process temperature.
Not so amateur

Volunteer star-gazers tracking satellites at the start of the space age often surpassed the professionals.
Reliable 1.2W CW red-emitting (Al)GaInP diode laser array with AlGaAs cladding layers

A 1.2W CW AlGaInP/GaInP laser array operating at a wavelength of 690nm is demonstrated. The array consists of 36 lasers on 16 μm centres with 8μ-wide ridge waveguides and has been mounted junction-side down onto a diamond heatsink. Excellent reliability has been proven by lifetime tests at 1.1 W for over 2300 h.
Mannitol Biosynthesis in Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Cell-free extracts of mycelia and sclerotia ofSclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) D By. grown on synthetic liquid medium with various carbon sources containedd-mannitol-1-phosphate: NAD oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.17) and weakd-mannitol: NADP oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.67) activity. The difference in specific activity of the two enzymes coupled with the presence ofd-mannitol-1-phosphatase activity indicates the major pathway for mannitol synthesis. $$\begin{gathered} D - Fructose - 6 - P + NADH + H^ + \mathop \rightleftharpoons \limits_2^1 D - Mannitol - 1 - P + NAD^ + \hfill \\ D - Mannitol - 1 - P\xrightarrow{{ 3 }}D - Mannitol + P_i \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ . Both enzymes were present in mycelia and sclerotia at all times, but highest activity occurred during early stages of growth. The optimum pH for reactions 1,2 and 3 was 7.5, 10.5 and 6.5 respectively. The oxidoreductase was quite specific in substrate requirements. Both enzymes were inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents and the phosphatase was activated by Mg2+.
The art and design of genetic screens: Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans was chosen as a model genetic organism because its attributes, chiefly its hermaphroditic lifestyle and rapid generation time, make it suitable for the isolation and characterization of genetic mutants. The most important challenge for the geneticist is to design a genetic screen that will identify mutations that specifically disrupt the biological process of interest. Since 1974, when Sydney Brenner published his pioneering genetic screen, researchers have developed increasingly powerful methods for identifying genes and genetic pathways in C. elegans.
Properties of synaptic transmission at single hippocampal synaptic boutons.

SYNAPTIC transmission between individual presynaptic terminals and postsynaptic dendrites is a fundamental element of communication among central nervous system neurons. Yet little is known about evoked neurotransmission at the level of single presynaptic boutons1–5. Here we describe key functional characteristics of individual presynaptic boutons of hippocampal neurons in culture. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (e.p.s.cs) were evoked by localized application of elevated K+ /Ca2+ solution to single functional boutons, visually identified by staining with the vital dye FM1-43 (refs 6, 7). Frequent repetitive stimulation produced a decline in the incidence of e.p.s.cs as the pool of releasable vesicles was exhausted; typically, recovery proceeded with a time constant of about 40 s (23 °C), and involved a vesicular pool capable of generating about 90 e.p.s.cs without recycling. At individual synapses, synaptic currents were broadly distributed in amplitude1, but this distribution was remarkably similar at multiple synapses on a given postsynaptic neuron. The average size of synaptic currents and of responses to focal glutamate application varied fourfold across different cells, decreasing markedly with increasingly dense synaptic innervation. This raises the possibility of a very effective mechanism for coordinating synaptic strength at multiple sites throughout the dendritic tree.
Detecting genetic predisposition for complicated clinical outcomes after burn injury.

Abstract Sepsis, septic shock and organ failure are common among patients with moderate to severe burns. The inability of demographic and clinical factors to identify patients at high risk for such complications suggests that genetic variation may influence clinical outcome. Moreover, the genetic predisposition to death from infection has been estimated to be greater than for cardiovascular disease or cancer [1]. While it is widely accepted that genetic factors influence many complex disease processes, controversy has emerged regarding the most appropriate methods for detection and even the validity of many published allelic associations [2–19]. This article will review the few studies of genetic predisposition that have been conducted in the setting of burn injury, then discuss some of the obstacles and potential approaches for the discovery of additional allelic associations.
STEROID SOLUBILITY STUDIES WITH AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF UREA AND UREIDES.

Abstract Aqueous solutions of urea, 1-acetyl-3-methyl-urea and 1,3-dimethyl urea increase the water solubility of testosterone and some related steroids if the 17-hydroxyl group of the steroid is free. The heats of solution of testosterone in water and 2 M, 4 M, 6 M, and 8 M urea are essentially the same (about 4.3 kcal mol−1 degree−1) in the 15 °–35 °C temperature range. The free energy of transfer of testosterone from water to aqueous urea is independent of temperature for a given urea concentration. The ultraviolet absorption maximum as well as the molecular extinction coefficient for testosterone is essentially the same in 8 M urea and in water. These data are interpreted as indicating that testosterone is solubilized in aqueous urea by a combination of urea interaction with with a 17-polar group and an environment which can accommodate the nonpolar portions of the steroid. The spectral evidence suggests that with 8M urea the Δ4-3-keto group of the A-ring behaves as if still essentially in an aqueous environment.
Linking the Community and the University

Discusses research and service collaborations between universities and community‐based organizations. Examines factors that promote effective university‐community research and service collaboration, based on the 15‐year experience of the Environmental Resource Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Biosphere 2 Center as a unique tool for environmental studies

The Biosphere 2 Laboratory of Biosphere 2 Center, Arizona, is a unique, self-contained glasshouse fostering several mesocosms of tropical and subtropical regions on an area of 12 700 m2. It was constructed around 1990 to test whether human life is possible in this completely sealed, self-sustaining artificial ecosystem. Mainly due to overly rich organic soils, the initial mission failed in a spectacular manner that raised enormous disbelief in the scientific seriousness of the project. From 1995 to 2003, the facility had been operated by Columbia University under a completely new scientific management. The aim of the project had then been to conduct research in the field of ‘experimental climate change science’. Climatic conditions within the mesocosms can be precisely controlled. In studies with elevated CO2, altered temperature and irrigation regimes performed in the rainforest, coral reef and agriforestry mesocosm, the facility had proven to be a valuable tool for global climate change research. Upon submission of this manuscript, Columbia University is relinquishing the management of this facility now although there was a contract to operate the facility until 2010, leaving it with an unclear destiny that might bring about anything from complete abandonment to a new flowering phase with a new destination.
Kawasaki Syndrome Hospitalizations Among Children in the United States, 1988–1997

To the Editor .— In a recent article by Chang,1 hospitalization records extracted from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) were used to describe the epidemiology of Kawasaki syndrome (KS) during 1988–1997 in the United States. Chang reported that the incidence of KS increased over the 10-year study period. We question the accuracy of these findings, because the methods used for analyzing the NIS data were inappropriate. The NIS is an annual stratified probability sample of hospitals from participating statewide data organizations designed to approximate a 20% sample of US community hospitals. It is produced as part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in partnership with the states.2 Because the NIS is a complex stratified sample of hospitals, appropriately scaled discharge weights are provided with the …
Removal of acetylaminofluorene from the DNA of control and repair-deficient human fibroblasts.

Abstract Removal of covalently-bound acetylaminofluorene (AAF) from DNA was studied in confluent (non-dividing) control and repair-deficient human fibroblasts. Control fibroblasts and fibroblasts from individuals with Fanconi's anemia and ataxia telangiectasia removed about 50% of the bound AAF in 48 hours. Fibroblasts from individuals with xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) (complementation groups A and C) removed little AAF while XP variants appeared to remove AAF as well as, or almost as well as, control cells.
Electron-beam induced growth of Cu nanoparticles in silica glass matrix

The growth of nanometer-scale Cu metal particles in an amorphous SiO2 film was observed under a finely focused, intense electron beam in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope. Annular dark-field images show that the particle illuminated by the beam grows at the expense of surrounding Cu particles. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy was used for identifying the oxidation states of particles containing Cu atoms. An electric-field induced diffusion model explains the growth of metal particles in a dielectric medium.
THE MECHANISM OF ENERGY TRANSFER FROM POLY‐p‐BENZOYLPHENYLACETIMIDO‐BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN TO SMALL‐MOLECULE QUENCHERS

— Results of a quantitative photochemical study of poly-p-benzoylphenylacetimido-bovine serum albumin in the presence of small-molecule triplet quenchers are reported. The efficiency of quenching by organic salts containing low triplet energy chromophores is shown to be qualitatively dependent on their predicted association constants to the modified protein. In addition, quenching is inhibited by salts of organic acids which possess high binding affinities for the protein but do not contain chromophores of low triplet energy. Quantitative treatment of the quenching and inhibition data yields results which strongly support the operation of an ‘affinity controlled’ mechanism for triplet energy transfer from the benzophenone moieties of the modified-bovine serum albumin to quenchers such as α-naphthylacetate and trans-cinnamate.
Water Centric Cities of the Future - Towards Macroscale Assessment of Sustainability

The developments of several current and future ecocities have been comparatively assessed as to their environmental benefits of preservation or restoration of the ecological and hydrological (water reuse) functionality of their surface water bodies and social benefits such as carbon emissions reduction, recreation, and resource recovery. These evaluation categories are the key components of the Triple Bottom Line assessment of sustainability. The assessed urban water developments include downtown San Antonio (TX, USA), ecocity portion of San Francisco and Sonoma Mountain Village (CA, USA), Hammarby Sjostad (Sweden), Tianjin, Qingdao and Dongtan (China), and Masdar (UAE). The analysis revealed some problems with the lack of macroscale measures, models, and indices for some key components of the triple bottom assessment. Several research hypotheses and ecocity concepts were suggested for further research and studying.
The Absent Female Friend: Recent Studies in Early Modern Women’s Friendship

Over the last 15 years, the idea that the classical and humanist canon of friendship writings explicitly excludes women has shaped scholarship around that absence. Friendship before the late 17th century was masculine, ethical, and public; from the 18th century forward, it was female, inconsequential, and private. Recent studies argue for the presence of early modern women’s friendship in relations of utility, marriage, and homoeroticism. In addition, I argue, we should recognize Renaissance women’s claims to humanist friendship, or amicitia, as an intervention in political discourse through an appropriation of public rhetoric.
Design and scientific return of a miniaturized particle telescope onboard the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE) CubeSat

The Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope Integrated Little Experiment (REPTile) is a loaded-disc collimated solid-state particle telescope designed, built, tested, and operated by a team of students at the University of Colorado. It was launched onboard the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE), a 3U CubeSat, from Vandenberg Air Force Base on September 13th, 2012, as part of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program.
A detailed analysis of the auditory evoked response wave form in children during REM and stage 2 sleep

Abstract The auditory evoked response (AER) to click stimuli was recorded between vertex and occiput in fourteen children aged 27–60 months. In order to enhance individual details in the wave form of the AER, a single AER was summed throughout the first 3–5 REM periods of the night, and a second AER was summed throughout all stage 2 sleep which occurred within 1 h of these REM periods. The AER was found to be composed of a complex series of positive and negative potentials whose wave form was relatively similar between subjects. The wave form was found to be almost invariably composed of two vertex-negative components peaking at 33 msec and 229–283 msec respectively, separated by a large positive component peaking at 104–129 msec. A second negative component peaking at 78–88 msec was almost invariably found during REM sleep, but was present in only 50% of subjects during stage 2 sleep. It was suggested that if a sufficiently large number of individual responses were summed together, an AER template could be produced which would be useful in identifying individual components in the AER to 100 stimuli or less. The complexity of the AER wave form and its uniformity between subjects indicate that the AER may prove to be a useful experimental measure of CNS function in 2–5-year-old subjects.
Estimating Parameters from Mixed Samples

Abstract Assume that a sample is a mixture of two samples from two different populations with distributions Fθ1 and Fθ2 . Given the form of Fθ , estimators of θ1 and θ2 are introduced. It is shown that the estimators are consistent and their asymptotic joint distribution is derived. The suggested estimators are compared with the maximum likelihood estimators and the method of moments estimators. For small sample sizes the comparison is done by a Monte Carlo study. For large sample sizes the estimators are assessed by numerically computing their asymptotic variances.
Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment

Aristolochic acid (AA) is a compound extracted from the Aristolochia species of herbs. It has been used for centuries as a remedy for various illnesses and diseases. However, in the early 1990s in the setting of a weight loss herbal remedy, AA exposure was associated with a syndrome of kidney injury, termed aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN). This entity is marked by elevated serum creatinine, significant anemia, and histopathologic changes demonstrating a hypocellular interstitial infiltrate with severe fibrosis. Progression towards end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is rapid, with most patients having chronic kidney disease for less than 2 years. In addition, AAN is associated with a 40-45 % prevalence of urothelial carcinomas. Treatment of AAN is limited to glucocorticoids that have been shown to delay progression in non-randomized trials. As most patients progress to ESRD, need for renal replacement therapy, as either dialysis or kidney transplant, usually ensues. However, given the high malignant potential, care must be taken to minimize future development of upper urinary tract cancers by performing prophylactic bilateral nephroureterectomies and aggressive cancer surveillance.
Microstructural Analysis of a Cubic Bicontinuous Morphology in a Neat SIS Triblock Copolymer

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695, Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, Corporate Research Division, The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio 45239, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143
Utility of detailed preoperative cardiac testing and incidence of post-thoracotomy myocardial infarction.

Objective Recent literature has questioned the efficacy of routine detailed preoperative cardiac ischemia testing and preoperative cardiac intervention before noncardiac surgical procedures. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing thoracotomy (n = 294) between January of 1999 and January of 2005. Results The median age was 62 years. Detailed preoperative cardiac testing was performed on 184 patients (63%) and went beyond a thorough history, physical examination, and electrocardiogram to include at least one of the following: dobutamine stress echo (n = 116), nuclear stress test (n = 66), treadmill test (n = 8), and coronary angiogram (n = 40). Evidence for coronary disease was detected in 43% of tests (99/230) performed. Revascularization was performed in 10% of all patients (4/40) who underwent coronary angiography. Postoperative myocardial infarction occurred in 7 patients (2.4%) with 4 myocardial infarction-related mortalities. No significant difference was found in the incidence of myocardial infarction in patients with (n = 184) or without (n = 110) detailed preoperative cardiac testing (3.3% vs 0.9%, P = .29). Of the 4 patients (1.4%) who underwent revascularization to treat coronary lesions identified during prethoracotomy workup, 2 had a myocardial infarction, 1 of which was caused by thrombosis of a coronary stent. In the subset of patients who underwent lobectomy (n = 149), detailed cardiac testing was performed on 107 patients (72%). The incidence of myocardial infarction was similar in tested and untested patients (2.8% vs 2.4% respectively, P = 1.0). Conclusion Selective use of detailed preoperative cardiac testing refines risk stratification and identifies patients for corrective cardiac interventions; however, it did not prove fully protective against myocardial infarction after thoracotomy in our study.
Protein-to-energy ratios in complete feeds for calves at ages 8 to 18 weeks.

Abstract Three matched groups of calves (five Holsteins and one Brown Swiss) were fed from age 8 to 18 wk on complete-feed diets. Protein-to-energy ratios were 1:17.4, 1:36.0, and 1:41.1 (grams digestible protein per kilocalories of digestible energy) for Rations 1, 2, and 3. The ratios were established by varying the amounts of soybean oil meal and corn in the diets. Growth and feed efficiency were similar on Rations 1 and 2 and superior to that on Ration 3. Based on digestibilities and nitrogen balances, nitrogen utilization was higher on Ration 1 than that on the two other diets. Blood serum protein groups and total free amino acids in blood were similar for calves on all three rations. Blood valine and isoleucine were similar on Rations 1 and 2 but greater than on Ration 3. Protein:energy ratio should be more narrow than 1:41.1 for adequate growth of calves from 8 to 18 wk of age.
Mortgage banking for the New American Empire, and other futures

Although the mortgage sector of the banking industry in the USA has seen good times in the recent past, the futures are uncertain. This article considers the nature of futures studies and applies futures analysis to the mortgage sector. The history of banking, and the USA, has been a struggle between three competing public philosophies: liberalism, populism, and progressivism. But the current Bush administration's pursuit of a New American Empire presents all of us, as well as banking, with a new and largely unanticipated future, the consequences of which are ominous.
The effect of preheating of wood on ignition temperature of wood char

Abstract Samples of solid cottonwood in the form of discs have been heated at 250°C in both air and nitrogen, up to 12 h, and in air at 150°C up to 30 days. The preheated samples were then further heated in air at 5°C/min to unpiloted ignition. Despite major chemical changes during the various preheating treatments, the ignition temperatures were not significantly affected, except for a slight decrease (11 °C) after 5 days at 150°C in air.
Narcotic blockade, length of addiction and persistence of etonitazene consumption in rats

Rats were given daily trials to determine relative preference for an opiate (etonitazene, ETZ) or for water. Animals with a greater history of previous drug exposure developed ETZ preferences more rapidly than did relatively drug-naive animals. Pretreatment with adequate blocking doses of naloxone reduced drug intake to near zero in most subjects. However, animals with the greatest history of prior addiction continued to drink large quantities of ETZ, despite pretreatment with relatively large doses of naloxone. These results can be explained by assuming that stimuli associated with the reinforcing properties of the opioid solution become strong conditioned reinforcers, capable of maintaining responding for long periods of time despite blockade of the reinforcement properties of the drug.
Inter-trial response strategy in operative time estimation

Two strategies “creeping” and “bracketing” were postulated as alternative methods of approximating a target score, and it is suggested that the use of these strategies is influenced by the conditions under which performance took place. This was tested using large and small movements of a cursor along a trackway against large and small resistances. Each S’s scores were auto-correlated, lagged once and lagged twice while learning and while continuing to respond in the absence of KR. Analysis of the variance of the transformed auto-correlations showed them to be significantly more positive for the large movement when lagged once. It was concluded that intertriai strategy was influenced by the learning conditions, and that the Ss used only the preceding trial in formulating their strategy for the next.
Long-term measurements of CO2 flux and evapotranspiration in a Chihuahuan desert grassland

Abstract We measured CO2 and evapotranspiration (ET) fluxes above a Chihuahuan desert grassland from 1996 through 2001. Averaged across six years, this ecosystem was a source (positive flux) of CO2 in every month. Over that period, sustained periods of carbon uptake (negative flux) were rare. Averaged across all months, we estimated that CO2 was being released into the atmosphere at a rate of +1.5 g CO2 m−2 d−1 (+0.40 g C m−2 d−1) or +533 g CO2 m−2 yr−1 (+145.3 g C m−2 yr−1). Average ET was 299 mm yr−1 with a monthly range of 0.15 mm d−1 in December to 2.15 mm d−1 in August.
Surface resistivity tailoring of ceramics by metal ion implantation

Abstract An important technique used for the suppression of high-voltage surface flashover on ceramic insulators as well as for RF windows is to provide some surface conduction to bleed off the accumulated surface charge. We have used metal ion implantation to modify the surface of high-voltage ceramic vacuum insulators so as to provide a uniform surface resistivity of the order of 10 10 Ω square −1 . A broad-beam vacuum arc ion source-based implanter was used to implant Pt at about 130 keV to doses of up to ∼6×10 16 ions cm −2 into both small ceramic test coupons and also into the inside surface of several ceramic accelerator columns 25 cm I.D. by 28 cm long. For implantation of the large columns, an appendage to the implanter was made that allowed the column to be continuously rotated while being implanted. A rotating cradle held the column at an appropriate angle to the incident energetic large-area ion beam while continuously slowly rotating it about its axis so that the entire inside surface was uniformly implanted. The mechanism was insulated, and the high-voltage resistance could be measured in-situ (with implantation switched off) at selected times during the processing. By appropriate choice of dose, the surface resistivity could be tailored over a range from its pre-implantation value of >10 15 Ω square −1 down to ∼10 9 Ω square −1 . The results indicate that even lower resistivity values can be achieved if desired. Here, we describe the experimental set-up used to do the ion implantation and summarize the results of our work on implantation into test coupons and ceramic columns.
Avoiding another directive: the unstable politics of European Union cross-border health care law.

Abstract The European Union’s (EU) 2011 Directive on cross-border patient mobility codifies the right of any EU citizen to travel abroad for treatment and be reimbursed on the same terms as they would be at home. Governments hoped it would end the string of court cases that had reshaped EU health law but this article argues that it is likely to produce yet more judicial challenges. Patient mobility is an attractive idea with unclear definitions and divergent implementation. In many cases, providers, insurers and governments will not communicate and leave the patient with a bill – almost daring the patient to sue, and the courts to make more policy. Governments should try to prevent this by investing in coordination and alternative redress for patients who might otherwise sue.