cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phospholipid-sensitive Ca2+-dependent protein kinase preferentially phosphorylates serine-115 of bovine myelin basic protein

: Phospholipid-sensitive Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (PL-Ca-PK) and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (A-PK) both preferentially phosphorylated serine residues of bovine myelin basic protein (MBP). Tryptic peptide maps of MBP phosphorylated by PL-Ca-PK or A-PK, however, revealed different phosphopeptides, suggesting a difference in the intramolecular substrate specificity for the two enzymes. Serine-115 of MBP, in the sequence (-Arg-Phe-Ser(115)-Trp-), was found to be a preferred and probably major phosphorylation site for PL-Ca-PK. Because serine-115 of bovine MBP corresponds to serine-113 of rabbit MBP, an in vivo phosphorylation site reported by Martenson et al. (1983), and PL-Ca-PK is present at a very high level in brain and myelin, it is suggested that the enzyme may be responsible for the in vivo phosphorylation of this and other sites in MBP.
Enhanced Solubility of Oxygen and Carbon Monoxide in CO2-Expanded Liquids

CO2-expanded liquids are attractive solvent mixtures for many reactions since they have the potential to be designed to dissolve liquid and gaseous reactants, as well as catalysts, can have improved mass transfer compared to traditional liquid-phase reactions, can reduce the amount of volatile organics solvent necessary, and can ameliorate safety concerns. Of primary importance in evaluating CO2-expanded liquids for reactions involving permanent gases is the solubility of those gases in the liquids in the presence of CO2. Here, we report the solubility of O2 and CO in CO2-expanded acetonitrile, acetone, and methanol at temperatures between 25 and 40 °C and pressures to 90 bar. The solubility of O2 and CO in the CO2-expanded liquids is enhanced over the solubility in the absence of CO2 at the same O2 or CO fugacity. However, in no case in the mixed gas system did the O2 or CO solubility substantially exceed what one could achieve with the pure O2 or pure CO at the same total pressure. Thus, the enhancement...
The seasonal variation of the diurnal thermospheric winds over Millstone Hill during solar cycle maximum

Abstract Incoherent scatter radar measurements of the diurnal variation of the electron and ion temperatures, electron density and vertical plasma drift are used to determine the diurnal variation of neutral winds at F -layer heights over Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W) for different seasons. The technique to derive the thermospheric winds from incoherent scatter radar data and the results for equinox conditions have been discussed by Roble et al . (1974). Data for three summer and three winter days in 1969 and 1970 are examined for seasonal characteristics during geomagnetic quiet time at solar cycle maximum conditions. The derived diurnal variation of the neutral winds for summer months shows a later morning transition from equatorward to poleward winds and an earlier evening transition from poleward to equatorward winds than during winter months. These times of transition have a pronounced influence on the ionospheric structure and are partly responsible for the characteristic ‘summer’ and ‘winter’ type behavior of the ionosphere observed over Millstone Hill. The diurnally averaged values of the thermospheric winds at 300 km also have a seasonal variation. During summer, the zonal winds are westward at about 15 m −1 and are eastward at about the same velocity during the winter. The diurnally averaged meridional winds show a strong equatorward flow during summer of about 50 m s −1 whereas during winter months the winds are considerably weaker and irregular, with an average equatorward flow on some days and poleward flow on others. The zonally averaged values are consistent with a mean meridional circulation from the summer hemisphere to the winter hemisphere at F -layer heights. However the irregular meridional winds in the winter indicate a weakening of this circulation near Millstone Hill.
Unilateral cricothyroid contraction and glottic configuration

Summary It is frequently stated that unilateral cricothyroid muscle (CT) paralysis can be diagnosed by physical examination, noting rotation of the glottis, and shortening and vertical displacement of the ipsilateral vocal fold. These signs, however, are inconsistently observed, and there is considerable controversy regarding the direction of glottic rotation. To determine the effects of CT contraction on three-dimensional glottic configuration, we performed computerized tomography on cadaver larynges before and after simulated CT contraction. Radiopaque makers were used to compute distances. Unilateral CT contraction equally increased the length of both membranous vocal folds, and rotated the posterior glottis less than 1 mm. CT contraction neither adducted the vocal processes, nor significantly their altered vertical level. These results suggest that unilateral CT paralysis cannot be diagnosed on the basis of any clinically apparent change in glottal configuration.
Post nephrectomy arteriovenous aneurysm--a late complication.

Summary The case history and radiologic findings of a patient with a post nephrectomy arteriovenous aneurysm are presented. This entity is a rare complication and usually occurs many years following nephrectomy.
Quantifying beaver dam dynamics and sediment retention using aerial imagery, habitat characteristics, and economic drivers

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis) population experienced a precipitous decline in the early twentieth century, fueled by the economic value of their pelts and habitat loss from forestry and agricultural expansion. The historical response of beaver populations to changing stresses is difficult to quantify due to a lack of population data. Here we characterize beaver dam dynamics as a surrogate measure for population and analyze spatio-temporal relationships with landscape and management characteristics, and estimate the potential of watershed beaver dam activity to sequester sediment. We use aerial photos from >70 years along with GIS analysis to quantify counts, sizes, and distributions of beaver dams and impoundments over time, including site recurrence. Human predation pressure and young aspen area are used to predictively model temporal changes in dam count. Finally, we estimate sediment retention through time by applying our data to published relationships. Our analyses reveal a remarkable correlation between watershed beaver dam dynamics and statewide records of beaver harvest. Beaver dams show a pattern of spatial clustering as the number of dams increased, mostly in tributaries directly connected to the main river, regardless of stream order. Our multiple linear regression model predicts dam counts from pelt prices and young aspen area, producing an excellent fit (R2 = 0.86). We found evidence for beaver population recovery from near extirpation using relatively simple and widely-available measures. Methods we present can be used to estimate regional beaver population dynamics in other watersheds.
Path Integral Solution of the Dirichlet Problem

Abstract A scheme for functional integration developed by Cartier/DeWitt-Morette is first reviewed and then employed to construct the path integral representation for the solution of the Dirichlet problem in terms of first exit time. The path integral solution is then applied to calculate the fixed-energy point-to-point transition amplitude both in configuration and phase space. The path integral solution can also be derived using physical principles based on Feynman's original reasoning. We check that the Fourier transform in energy of the fixed-energy point-to-point transition amplitude gives the well known time-dependent transition amplitude, and calculate the WKB approximation.
Half-Life of Th 232 and the Branching Ratio of Bi 212

The half-life of ${\mathrm{Th}}^{232}$ has been calculated by determining an absolute gamma-disintegration rate for ${\mathrm{Tl}}^{208}$ in equilibrium with ${\mathrm{Th}}^{232}$ for three old thorium nitrate salts and one natural thorite sample. The branching ratio, $\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{(\ensuremath{\alpha}+\ensuremath{\beta})}$, for ${\mathrm{Bi}}^{212}$, a necessary parameter in the calculation, was also measured. The half-life of ${\mathrm{Th}}^{232}$ was found to be 1.42\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{10}$ years within an estimated error of 5%, which is essentially in agreement with the presently accepted value. The branching ratio, $\frac{\ensuremath{\alpha}}{(\ensuremath{\alpha}+\ensuremath{\beta})}$, of ${\mathrm{Bi}}^{212}$ was found to be 0.362\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.006, about 7.4% higher than the currently accepted value.
MARPOL 73/78 and Annex I: An Assessment of its Effectiveness

† B.S. Marine Transportation, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy; J.D. (2005) with a Certificate in International and Comparative Law, Whittier Law School, Costa Mesa, California. Member, California Bar Association. The author wishes to thank Whittier Law School Professors William Burns and Peter Reich for the opportunity to publish and for their support and guidance in rewriting and editing the final product. The author also wishes to thank Whittier Law School's Professor and Associate Dean of Library Services J. Denny Haythorn, Richard J. Nikas of the law firm Herrick Nikas, and her parents, Gene and Maura Mattson, for their comments and assistance at various points of the research and editing process.
Parallel Languages, Parallel Cultures: Language as a New Foundation for the Reorganisation of Knowledge and Practice in Southern India

Linguistically bounded literatures, such as Telugu or Kannada literature, appear today as entities that have existed as meaningful categories nearly as long as the languages themselves. However, this imagination of literary worlds as coterminus with languages has not always made sense. Using debates over pedagogy and knowledge production sparked by the advent of printing in southern India, this article argues that languages emerged as discrete foundations for the parallel reorganisation of knowledge and practice only during the nineteenth century. Literary production, educational practice, the writing of history, the imagination of genres, and eventually the assertion of socio-political identity and geographical divisions have all been reorganised in relation to vernacular languages in India during the past 150 years. The article demonstrates that the treatment of languages as parallel rather than complementary media marks a new relationship to language that differs from earlier relation-ships to language...
Predictors of uncertainty in adults with an acute exacerbation of heart failure

assessment and management of this symptom is not a major focus of patient education for heart failure self care. Worsening of this symptom is often overlooked by patients as a sign of worsening HF. Understanding the patient’s experience of fatigue may be useful to guide the development of interventions to improve symptom monitoring in HF. Methods: In a qualitative study involvolving 33 chronic HF patients and 20 caregivers participants were asked to talk about their symptoms. Sixteen participants (13 patients and 3 caregivers) identified fatigue as the ‘‘most difficult’’ or ‘‘most distressing’’ thing about living with HF and an additional 8 participants (6 patients and 2 caregivers) identified fatigue as one of their symptoms that could use better treatment. Ten dyads and a total of 24 participants are included in this qualitative analysis describing what it is like to experience fatigue as the most distressing symptom for patients with heart failure? Results: Two overarching themes emerged from the patients’ and caregivers’ experiences with fatigue: Symptom Experience and Meaning. Each theme included several categories. The Symptom Experience of fatigue included ‘‘knowing’’ the symptom, the ‘‘physical experience’’, the ‘‘planning’’ necessary to cope with and recover from the symptom, and what the patient ‘‘can’t do’’ because of fatigue. The Meaning of fatigue included two categories; the ‘‘existential meaning’’ and the ‘‘contextual meaning’’ of fatigue. Conclusion: There is a need to develop clinical tools for more comprehensive assessment and management of fatigue in HF. Patient education for self care is needed to help patients recognize and interpret fatigue as an early symptom related to HF. Patients are aware of their mortality when they experience fatigue, for them it represents the life limiting nature of HF. Unfortunately, health care providers may not understand the distressing nature of the experience. Routine communication between patient and provider should include serial assessments of fatigue, acknowledge of the importance of fatigue as symptom of HF, and be open to the possibility of discussing patient concerns with end of life.
Nitrogen Isotopes as Indicators of NOx Source Contributions to Atmospheric Nitrate Deposition Across the Midwestern and Northeastern United States

Global inputs of NOx are dominated by fossil fuel combustion from both stationary and vehicular sources and far exceed natural NOx sources. However, elucidating NOx sources to any given location re...
Equilibrium cycles in an overlapping generations economy with production

Abstract Perfect foresight equilibrium trajectories of an overlapping generations model with production may include stable or unstable invariant closed curves. These orbits are detected using the Hopf bifurcation theorem, where the parameter of bifurcation is purely technological. The paper also proves that there is a stabilization policy that completely eliminates the cycle. Finally, using a C.E.S. production function, it is shown that the range of values of the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor for which cycles may exist is bounded above.
Sensitivity of the SRBC PFC assay versus ELISA for detection of immunosuppression by TCDD and TCDD-like congeners.

Abstract The splenic antibody plaque forming cell (PFC) assay is a widely used assay in immunotoxicity testing. A recent revision of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide (FIFRA) Immunotoxicity test guidelines by the EPA recommended that either the PFC assay or the sheep red blood cell (SRBC) specific serum IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) be used to assess the primary humoral response to SRBCs. The PFC assay quantifies the number of plasma cells in the spleen producing SRBC-specific antibody, while the ELISA measures SRBC-specific IgM antibody in the serum. Because these two assays measure different endpoints, there is a need for comparison of their sensitivity and reliability. The purpose of this project was to determine if these two assays are equally sensitive to suppression of the SRBC response in B6C3F1 female mice. Female B6C3F1 mice were given a single oral exposure to different doses of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or four TCDD-like congeners. One week later, two sets of mice were immunized with SRBC. The first set was evaluated for the PFC response and the second for the ELISA response, on day 4 or 5 post-immunization, respectively. The four TCDD-like congeners tested were: 1,2,3,7,8-pentachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (PeCDD), 1,2,3,4,7-pentachlorodibenzofuran (4PeCDF), 3,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB126) and 2,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlrorbiphenyl (PCB118). The results were used to generate dose-response curves for the determination of the ED50 for TCDD and each TCDD-like congener. For all chemicals tested, measuring the level of SRBC-specific IgM antibody by ELISA was more sensitive than the PFC assay to detect immunosuppression, as indicated by lower ED50 values. These results indicate that the SRBC-specific IgM ELISA is a more sensitive assay for detecting the T-cell mediated immunotoxicity of dioxin-like chemicals in this rodent model.
3,5-DINITROBENZOYL AMINO ACID ESTERS. BROADLY APPLICABLE CHIRAL SOLVATING AGENTS FOR NMR DETERMINATION OF ENANTIOMERIC PURITY

Abstract Methyl esters of N-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-amino acids have been used as chiral solvating agents to induce NMR spectral nonequivalence between the enantiomers of a broad array of solutes.
Chronic continuous nicotine exposure during periadolescence does not increase ethanol intake during adulthood in rats.

Background Nicotine has been considered as the gateway drug, because many teenagers experience cigarette smoking before seeking out other drugs. By using an animal model system, we assessed the effects of chronic continuous nicotine exposure during periadolescence on ethanol intake during young adulthood. Methods Periadolescent Sprague-Dawley rats (35 days old) were used at the beginning of this study. These animals received subcutaneous implantation of nicotine pellets (15 or 25 mg in 21-day time-release pellets) or placebo pellets (0 mg of nicotine) on postnatal day 35. Beginning on postnatal day 53, the animals received various concentrations of ethanol solution during their active period (5:00 PM to 9:00 AM) starting with 2% (v/v, 4 days), then 5% (5 days), 8% (6 days), and 10% (6 days). Between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM of the same day, the ethanol solution was replaced by regular tap water. The amounts of ethanol solution and regular water were measured daily. Results The analyses showed that ethanol intake (grams per kilogram of body weight) in the nicotine 15 and 25 mg groups did not differ from that in the nicotine 0 mg group, and no sex difference was found in ethanol intake. However, ethanol intake was increased as a function of the treatment days. Conclusions The results showed that chronic continuous nicotine exposure during adolescence did not increase ethanol intake in rats during young adulthood.
Anti-human von Willebrand factor monoclonal antibody AJvW-2 prevents thrombus deposition and neointima formation after balloon injury in guinea pigs

Immediately after angioplasty, platelet adhesion to the injured arterial wall and subsequent release of various mitogens may contribute to neointima formation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of AJvW-2, a monoclonal antibody against human von Willebrand factor (vWF), on neointima formation in a guinea pig model. The carotid artery was injured with a balloon catheter, and AJvW-2 was administered by a single bolus injection. AJvW-2 dose-dependently prevented neointima formation 14 days after injury. Significant inhibition was observed at 1.8 mg/kg, at which dose significant inhibition of platelet aggregation was achieved for 2 days. By elastic-Masson staining, organized thrombi were observed in the neointimal lesion on day 14. The thrombus area was significantly correlated with neointimal thickness. Furthermore, thrombus deposition, immunostained for vWF and fibrin(ogen), was observed on the media immediately after balloon injury. AJvW-2 significantly reduced the deposition of both adhesive proteins and reduced the incidence of organized thrombus formation, which might affect subsequent neointima formation. However, the proliferation of cultured smooth muscle cells was not affected by AJvW-2. These results suggest that AJvW-2 prevents neointima formation by inhibition of initial platelet-mediated thrombus formation rather than by direct inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation.
Phage-Host Interactions in Commercial Mixed-Strain Dairy Starter Cultures: Practical Significance—A Review

Abstract Mixed-strain dairy starter cultures are complex ecosystems consisting of undefined mixtures of lactococcal and leuconostoc strains. These starters also often contain lytic bacteriophages that coexist with the bacterial strains in a phage-carrier state. Many of the strains within these cultures have acquired various phage resistance mechanisms that help them survive in the presence of phages in the milk environment. Most lactococcal strains currently used in defined starter systems were originally isolated from mixed-strain starters. Phage resistance mechanisms associated with individual lactococcal strains are studied worldwide; however, few detailed investigations have been conducted to unravel the characteristics and interactions of individual strains and phages coexisting in these complex mixtures. This article presents an overview of mixed-strain starters and discusses the possible mechanisms that contribute to the phage-carrier state and what is known about the characteristics and interactions of bacterial strains and phages residing within mixed-strain starters.
Etomidate, propofol and the neurosteroid THDOC increase the GABA efficacy of recombinant α4β3δ and α4β3 GABAA receptors expressed in HEK cells

General anesthetics, once thought to exert their effects through non-specific membrane effects, have highly specific ion channel targets that can silence neuronal populations in the nervous system, thereby causing unconsciousness and immobility, characteristic of general anesthesia. Inhibitory GABA(A) receptors (GABA(A)Rs), particularly highly GABA-sensitive extrasynaptic receptor subtypes that give rise to sustained inhibitory currents, are uniquely sensitive to GABA(A)R-active anesthetics. A prominent population of extrasynaptic GABA(A)Rs is made up of alpha4, beta2 or beta3, and delta subunits. Considering the demonstrated importance of GABA receptor beta3 subunits for in vivo anesthetic effects of etomidate and propofol, we decided to investigate the effects of GABA anesthetics on "extrasynaptic" alpha4beta3delta and also binary alpha4beta3 receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells. Consistent with previous work on similar receptor subtypes we show that maximal GABA currents through "extrasynaptic" alpha4beta3delta receptors, receptors defined by sensitivity to EtOH (30mM) and the beta-carboline beta-CCE (1microM), are enhanced by the GABA(A)R-active anesthetics etomidate, propofol, and the neurosteroid anesthetic THDOC. Furthermore, we show that receptors formed by alpha4beta3 subunits alone also show high GABA sensitivity and that saturating GABA responses of alpha4beta3 receptors are increased to the same extent by etomidate, propofol, and THDOC as are alpha4beta3delta receptors. Therefore, both alpha4beta3 and alpha4beta3delta receptors show low GABA efficacy, and GABA is also a partial agonist on certain binary alphabeta receptor subtypes. Increasing GABA efficacy on alpha4/6beta3delta and alpha4beta3 receptors is likely to make an important contribution to the anesthetic effects of etomidate, propofol and the neurosteroid THDOC.
A Method for the Electrophoretic Analysis of Proteins and RNAs of Single Cells

SYNOPSIS A method is described for the electrophoretic analysis of proteins or RNAs from individual amebae. The method is based on fluorographic autoradiography of semi-micro polyacrylamide gels in which [35S]methionine or [3H]uridine materials from single cells have been subjected to electrophoresis. The method is more sensitive and provides better resolution than previous methods for single cells. It is suitable, also, for quantitation of the separated components.
Experimental and analytical studies of structures seismically isolated with an uplift-restraining Friction Pendulum system

This paper presents findings from a comprehensive analytical and experimental study on the uplift-restraining XY-FP sliding isolation system. To investigate the effectiveness of the XY-FP isolator and provide a rational basis for evaluating the efficacy of the developed mathematical model, an extensive experimental program was conducted on the earthquake simulator at the University at Buffalo. The experimental program involved a slender, five-storey, scale-model frame seismically isolated with four XY-FP isolators subjected to simulations of historical horizontal and vertical ground motions. The experimental response demonstrates the validity of the concept and provides evidence for the effectiveness of the XY-FP isolator in preventing uplift. A comprehensive analytical model capable of emulating the mechanical behaviour of the XY-FP isolator is developed and implemented in program 3D-BASIS-ME. The newly enhanced program is used to predict the dynamic response of the seismically-isolated model structure. Comparison of analytical predictions with experimental results attests to the efficacy of the analytical model for simulating the response of the XY-FP isolator. With its appealing conceptual simplicity and its proven effectiveness, the new uplift-restraining isolator has the potential to facilitate the application of seismic isolation even under the most extreme of conditions, including but not limited to near-fault strong ground motions and uplift-prone structural systems. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complete urethral disruption without pelvic fracture.

A 4-year-old white girl was unrestrained and ejected from a motor vehicle during an accident. She had multiple lacerations, a tense abdomen and left femur fracture. There was no blood at the urethral meatus. Attempted bladder catheterization was unsuccessful. Computerized tomography revealed a right renal laceration with a perinephric hematoma. There was substantial fluid and/or blood surrounding the bladder intraperitoneally and extraperitoneally (see figure). There was no evidence of a pelvic fracture on CT or plain x-ray. Surgery performed by the pediatric trauma team revealed a large stable right retroperitoneal hematoma and tense bladder. The case was then referred to us. We opened the bladder intraperitoneally and drained several hundred cc of bloody urine and clots. The 2 ureteral orifices were identified and had clear efflux. The bladder neck was widely gaping and completely disrupted from the urethra. A 12Fr Foley catheter did not pass into the urethra in antegrade fashion. A urethral catheter placed in retrograde fashion was identified in the space of Retzius. We placed 5 sutures of 3-zero poliglecaprone circumferentially to reapproximate the bladder neck and urethra. The Foley catheter was brought into the bladder. The patient was returned to the operating room for a left femur pin and body cast. The procedures were tolerated without a complication. Voiding cystourethrography showed no extravasation 5 weeks later and the urethral catheter was removed. The patient voided immediately and surprisingly was continent. At age 18 years she remains completely continent with normal sensation and voiding every 4 hours.
Adaptive entropy-coded 2-D DPCM encoding of images

The authors describe the theory and performance of a particular adaptive entropy-coded quantization (AECQ) scheme used in conjunction with 2-D DPCM (differential pulse code modulation) and operating on real-world image sources. The resulting system, called 2-D DPCM/AECQ, is described in detail and its performance illustrated on a typical real-world image. The system makes use of an adaptive buffer-control strategy to modify the DPCM quantizer characteristics on the basis of the buffer occupancy state. This adaptive buffer-state feedback is used to control the average rate of the variable-length entropy-coded quantizer code words at the input to the buffer, to allow interfacing to a fixed-rate transmission or storage channel. Image coding results demonstrate, both objectively and subjectively, that achievable performance is close to that predicted on the basis of rate-distortion considerations even for reasonably small buffer sizes. >
EFFECT OF GAS ATMOSPHERES ON MICROBIAL QUALITY OF PORK

Ten 100 kg pigs were slaughtered, chilled at 2–3°C for 48 hr and divided at random into two equal groups. Strict sanitary procedures were used in removing loins. Loins from five pigs (expt 1) were vacuum packaged (50.8 cm Hg) in barrier bags, aged at 2–4°C for 5 days, cut into 1.27 cm thick chops and five chops were allotted at random to each treatment group from each animal. Experiment 2 loins were cut into 1.27 cm thick chops 2 days post-slaughter and 5 chops were allotted at random to each treatment group from each animal. Storage treatments used were: 100% air, 100% O2, 100% N2, 100% CO2 and a gas mixture (70% N2, 25% CO2, 5% O2). Chops were individually packaged in saran bags which were evacuated, gas flushed, evacuated, partially filled again with gas and stored at −1.1°C. Bacteria (total count, lactic acid producers and anaerobes) were enumerated 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days post-slaughter. No significant differences were found in bacterial counts between experiments within any sampling period; therefore, all animals were pooled into one experiment with 10 replications. Aerobic counts illcreased more rapidly and were higher (P < 0.05) for air, O2 and N2 samples at each week than for CO2 and the gas mixture. The gas mixture and CO2 suppressed growth of aerobes throughout storage. Aerobic counts were not suppressed by N2, and there was no significant difference in this count on chops incubated in air, O2 and N2 at any interval. No significant difference was noted in growth of lactic acid producers in the first 2 wk of storage; however, after the third week, counts were higher in CO2 and the gas mixture treatments than in the air, N2 or O2 treatments. The fact that CO2 and the gas mixture inhibited growth is of importance to the fresh meat industry and deserves further research.
Police-Run Brothels in Republican Kunming:

Breaking from practice in the rest of China, local officials in Republican Kunming selected an unusual strategy for controlling prostitution: police-managed brothel compounds called jiyuan. In the face of social resistance from many groups, the jiyuan subjected prostitutes to unusually high levels of surveillance and state intervention, as a local state bureaucracy was created to monitor the brothels. This phenomenon is theoretically significant because it illustrates how apparently “private” gender systems result in distinct local state formations.
Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Women ≤ 40 versus 50 to 60 Years: Increasing Size and Stage Disparity Compared With Older Women Over Time

Women ≤ 40 years account for 5% of new breast cancer diagnoses. Although there is increased awareness of genetic and other breast cancer risk factors, it is not clear whether this has resulted in earlier diagnosis in young women. A database review identified 8892 women treated for breast cancer from 1980 to 2002. We compared 925 women aged ≤ 40 years with 2362 women aged 50 to 60 years. The mean and median tumor size and lymph node status were determined for each group. There were significant differences in tumor size and lymph node status in younger versus older women. From 1980 to the mid 1990s, tumor size and nodal status did not differ. Since the mid 1990s, tumor size has decreased more rapidly for women aged 50 to 60 years than for those ≤ 40 years. In 1998 to 2002, the mean tumor size reached a plateau of 1.8 cm in women 50 to 60 years, compared with a plateau of 2.4 cm in women ≤ 40 years (P < .001). The median tumor size in 1998 to 2002 was 1.4 cm in women 50 to 60 years compared with 1.9 cm in women ≤ 40 years (P < .001). Lymph node status was also significantly different during 1998 to 2002: 23.9% positive in women 50 to 60 years versus 35.2% in women ≤ 40 years (P < .001). Since the 1980s, women aged 50 to 60 years have enjoyed a greater decrease in tumor size and percentage with positive nodes. These data could be the result of ineffective screening of younger women or of more aggressive tumor biology. Further study is required to determine whether more effective identification and screening of young, high-risk women can result in earlier detection.
Comparative actions of synthetic co-grammotoxin SIA and synthetic ω-Aga-IVA on neuronal calcium entry and evoked release of neurotransmitters in vitro and in vivo

The effects of synthetic ω-grammotoxin SIA (ra-GsTx SIA) and synthetic ω-Aga-IVA were tested in in vitro and in vivo neurochemical assays that are reflective of voltage-sensitive calcium channel function. Synthetic ω-GsTx SIA inhibited K+-evoked rat and chick synaptosomal 45Ca2+ flux, K+-evoked release of [3H]D-aspartate and [3H]norepinephrine from rat hippocampal brain slices and K+-evoked release of [3H]norepinephrine from chick cortical brain slices with potency values that were comparable to those found previously with ω-GsTx SIA purified from the venom of the tarantula spider Grammostola spatulata. These results indicate that trace contaminants do not account for the pharmacology of purified ω-GsTx SIA. ω-GsTx SIA caused a complete inhibition of rat synaptosomal 45Ca2+ flux and hippocampal slice [3H]o-aspartate release, whereas ω-Aga-IVA caused a maximal inhibition of approx 75%. ω-GsTx SIA and ω-Aga-IVA caused an identical partial inhibition of K+-evoked increases of intracellular calcium in cortical neurons in primary culture. The addition of nitrendipine to either ω-GsTx SIA or ω-Aga-IVA resulted in an additive and virtually complete inhibition of the cortical neuron intracellular calcium response. In in vivo microdialysis studies, the K+-evoked release of glutamate from hippocampus of awake freely moving rats was inhibited with the following rank order of potency: ω-conotoxin GVIA > ω-GsTx SIA > ω-Aga-IVA. Complete inhibition of K+-evoked hippocampal glutamate release was observed with 300 nM co-conotoxin GVIA and 3 μM ω-GsTx SIA. In urethane anesthetized rats, ω-CgTx GVIA caused a partial inhibition, whereas ω-GsTx SIA caused a concentration-dependent and complete inhibition, of basal serotonin release in the hippocampus. Therefore, ω-GsTx SIA was shown to inhibit responses that are sensitive to ω-conotoxin GVIA, ω-Aga-IVA and ω-conotoxin MVIIC, consistent with the notion that ω-GsTx SIA inhibits N-, P-and Q-type high threshold voltage-sensitive calcium channels.
System control and management for low-cost high-volume GaAs manufacturing

With a portfolio consisting of Metal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MESFET), Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors (pHEMT), Heterojunction Insulated Gate Field Effect Transistors (HIGFET), and Indium Gallium Phosphide Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (InGaP-HBT) technology, one factory has embarked on a mission to become a leader of cost and volume gallium arsenide (GaAs) manufacturing. Separate new product and new technology introduction systems have been developed and employed. Furthermore, several manufacturing and yield improvement systems, designed primarily for high-volume silicon factories, have been implemented. Additionally, a comprehensive cost-reduction project was implemented to bring wafer costs to benchmark levels.
On the use of vector antennas embedded on fabric as frequency selective surfaces

In this paper a three element vector antenna (two orthogonal dipoles and a square loop) was proposed for use in FSSs. A prototype design working at 8 GHz was tested. Measurement results show that vector antennas provide a higher mean signal energy (MSE) as compared to conventional dipole antennas. The multiple signatures are obtained when using loop and dipole antennas at the transceiver. These multiple signatures can be combined to provide even higher MSE ( ap4 dB) as compared to the system with two dimensional dipole array and dipole transceiver. The vector antenna system is also more resistant to misalignment with the transceiver.
Elemental analysis of nanoparticles via electron beam lithography of patterned arrays on silicon-nitride membranes

I devised a method of electron beam lithography for patterning thin-film silicon- nitride membranes with nanoscale metal arrays of known dimensions. Employing SEM image-based metrology and ellipsometry to determine all three spatial dimensions of the metal nanostructures in the array, the calculated mass of each individual one can be used as a standard for elemental X-ray microanalysis. Thereafter, the net X-ray counts from the patterned nanostructures on a thin silicon-nitride substrate and nanoparticle unknowns can be compared directly for a "standards-based" quantitative analysis. The minimum mass detectable by this technique is ~10-15 gm, supporting the determination of the absolute mass of nanoparticles with diameters as small as 20 to 30 nm. I then used a JEOL 6500F SEM equipped with a Bruker Quantax XFlash 4030 silicon drift detector (SDD) to assess the absolute masses of nickel nanoparticles contained in agglomerates of single-walled carbon nanotubes.
Trends In Mortality of Mammals On Roads In Northern California

Abstract Carcasses of 11 medium-sized species of mammals along two-lane highways in northern Central Valley, California, were counted between 1997 and 2007 to obtain an indirect measure of changes in mammalian populations over time. Over this period, 1.23 mammalian carcasses were recorded per 100 km, lower than that reported in several other parts of North America. Each species was classified as human-sensitive, suburban-adaptable, or human-adapted according to the use of the land in which it was principally located. In contrast to simple predictions that populations of more human-sensitive species would be in decline and human-associated species would be increasing, indices of populations of all species showed little change once volume of traffic had been taken into account. Therefore, populations of most of the common mammals in the study area appear relatively stable at present. Annual fluctuations in populations of one species did not mirror those of other species of mammals suggesting that each speci...
Cover crop effects on nitrogen mineralization and availability in conservation tillage cotton

Understanding cover crop influences on N availability is important for developing N management strategies in conservation tillage systems. Two cover crops, cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), were evaluated for effects on N availability to cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in a Typic Kanhapludult soil at Watkinsville, Ga. Seed cotton yields following clover and rye were 882 kg ha−1 and 1,205 kg ha−1, respectively, in 1997 and were 1,561 kg ha−1 and 2,352 kg ha−1, respectively, in 1998. In 1997, cotton biomass, leaf area index, and N were greater on some dates following crimson clover than following rye but not in 1998. During 1997, net soil N mineralized increased with time in both systems, but a similar response was not observed in 1998. Net soil N mineralization rates following crimson clover and rye averaged, respectively, 0.58 kg and 0.34 kg N ha−1 day−1 in 1997 and 0.58 kg and 0.23 kg N ha−1 day−1 in 1998. Total soil N mineralized during the cotton growing season ranged from 60 kg ha−1 to 80 kg ha−1 following crimson clover and from 30 kg ha−1 to 50 kg ha−1 following rye. Soil N mineralization correlated positively with heat units and cumulative heat units. Net soil N mineralization rates were 0.023 kg ha−1 heat unit−1 once net mineralization began. Soil heat units appeared to be a useful tool for evaluating N mineralization potential. Nearly 40% of the rye and 60% of the clover biomass decomposed during the 6 weeks prior to cotton planting, with nearly 35 kg N ha−1 mineralized from clover.
Strategic Interaction and Interstate Crises: A Bayesian Quantal Response Estimator for Incomplete Information Games

Private information characteristics like resolve and audience costs are powerful influences over strategic international behavior, especially crisis bargaining. As a consequence, states face asymmetric information when interacting with one another and will presumably try to learn about each others' private characteristics by observing each others' behavior. A satisfying statistical treatment would account for the existence of asymmetric information and model the learning process. This study develops a formal and statistical framework for incomplete information games that we term the Bayesian Quantal Response Equilibrium Model (BQRE model). Our BQRE model offers three advantages over existing work: it directly incorporates asymmetric information into the statistical model's structure, estimates the influence of private information characteristics on behavior, and mimics the temporal learning process that we believe takes place in international politics.
Making good decisions about breast cancer chemoprevention.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations on chemoprevention of breast cancer, which appear in this issue with a supporting evidence review by Kinsinger and colleagues, present two se...
Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation of cell growth in injection molding of microcellular plastics

A mathematical formulation and numerical simulation for non-isothermal cell growth during the post-filling stage of microcellular injection molding have been developed. The numerical implementation solves the energy equation, the continuity equation, and a group of equations that describe the mass diffusion of dissolved gas and growth of micro-cells in a microcellular injection molded part. The “unit-cell” model employed in this study takes into account the effects of injection and packing pressures, melt and mold temperatures, and super-critical fluid content on the material properties of the polymer-gas solution and the cell growth. The material system studied is a microcellular injection molded polyamide 6 (PA-6) resin. Two Arrhenius-type equations are used to estimate the coefficients of mass diffusion and solubility for the polymer-gas solution as functions of temperature. The dependence of the surface tension on the temperature is also included in this study. The numerical results in terms of cell size across the sprue diameter agree fairly well with the experimental observation. The predicted pressure profile at the sprue location has also been found to be in good agreement with the dynamics of the cell growth. Whereas for conventional injection molding the pressure of the system tends to decay monotonously, the pressure profile in microcellular injection molding exhibits an initial decay resulting from cooling and the absence of packing followed by an increase due to cell growth that expands the polymer-gas solution and helps to pack out the mold uniformly. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2274–2287, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Pyrethroid modifications of the activation and inactivation kinetics of the sodium channels in squid giant axons.

Abstract The kinetics of sodium channel activation and inactivation were analyzed in the squid giant axons internally treated with various pyrethroids. Pyrethroids increased the steady-state sodium current in squid giant axons by removing the inactivation. The steady-state sodium conductances in control and pyrethroid-treated axons showed the same voltage dependence, indicating that the removal of inactivation by pyrethroids did not lead to an alteration of gating charge transfer. The pyrethroid-modified sodium channels were activated with a biphasic time course involving the movement of at least two gating particles, and both components were voltage-dependent. The slower component was abolished by treatment with either pronase orN-bromoacetamide. The net elementary charges transported in the electric membrane field were reduced in the course of slow activation of the pyrethroid-induced sodium current. It appears that the ‘immobilization’ of gating charge is related to the slow activation rather than the inactivation of the sodium channel.
The utilization of quality assurance methods in emergency medical services.

Objective:The concept of the necessity of a good quality assurance (QA) plan for emergency medical services (EMS) is well-accepted; guidelines as how best to achieve this and how current systems operate have not been defined. The purpose of this study was to survey EMS systems to discover current methods used to perform medical control and QA and to examine whether the existence of an emergency medicine residency affected these components.Methods:A survey was mailed in 1989 to the major teaching hospitals associated with all of the emergency medicine residency programs (n = 79) and all other hospitals with greater than 350 beds within the 50 largest United States metropolitan areas (n = 172). If no response was received, a second request was sent in 1990. The survey consisted of questions concerning four general EMS-QA categories: 1) general information; 2) prospective; 3) immediate; and 4) retrospective medical control.Results:Completed surveys were received from 78.5% of residency and 50% of non-residency programs. The majority had an emergency medicine physician as medical director (80.1% vs 61.5%, p = .03). While both residency and non-residency hospitals participated in initial public and prehospital personnel education, academic programs were more likely to be involved in continuing medical education (98.2% vs 82.3%, p = .009). On-line (direct) supervision was more likely to be provided by residency institutions (96.4% vs 81.0%, p = .017) which was provided by a physician in 88.3%. Trip sheet review was utilized by 62.0% of non-residency and 75.5% of residency programs responding, and utilized the paramedic coordinator (44.5% vs 46.1%) or medical director (35.7% vs 34.5 %) primarily.Conclusion:This survey characterizes some of the current methods utilized nationwide in EMS-QA programs. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these various methods, and to develop a model program.
Eighth Amendment Presumptions: A Constitutional Framework for Curbing Mass Incarceration

The Supreme Court’s conceptualization of the Eighth Amendment over the past decade has focused on narrow exceptions to the ability of the states to punish criminal offenders, excising particular punishments based on characteristics of the offender or crime. What is missing, however, is a set of broader guiding principles delineating the line between acceptable and impermissible punishments. The Court itself, in Kennedy v. Louisiana, acknowledged as much, describing the case law as “still in search of a unifying principle.” In light of this vacuum, this article proposes a new approach to the application of the Eighth Amendment. The absence of regulation of excessive and disproportionate punishments by state legislatures over the past two decades has resulted in the largest prison population in the history of the human race. Instead of merely being a tool that merely removes a few types of offenses and offenders from the purview of state legislatures, the Eighth Amendment should also serve as a more robust guide to shape state penal practices.To that end, this Article argues for the development of a series of Eighth Amendment presumptions — guiding principles that would govern the punishment practices of legislatures without excluding them from the conversation. Currently, the Eighth Amendment serves to identify the constitutional “exceptions” to the “rules” promulgated by the legislatures. This Article’s approach would reverse that status quo, with the Court articulating general rules and the legislatures then developing (and justifying through careful study) the exceptions to the rules. Indeed, an examination of the Court’s Eighth Amendment cases suggests this “presumptive” sentiment is already implicit in much of the thinking of the Court.Part I of the Article briefly explains the shortcomings of the current evolving standards of decency doctrine and its devastating consequences. Part II of the Article explores the concept of presumptions, exploring how presumptions operate and demonstrating their virtues. The Article then argues in Part III for the reimagining of the Eighth Amendment as an Amendment of constitutional presumptions combining elements from the Court’s past cases with the needs arising from three decades of neglecting the decisions of legislatures. Finally, Part IV demonstrates how this conceptual framework would work in practice.
Two Propositions on the Optimum Level of Producing Public Goods

Considers two propositions to see what the optimal level of government for the production of collectively produced goods is. Situations where economies of scale are not exhausted and where it is thus more costly to supply the service on a smaller scale; situations where segregation of consumers into homogeneous groups is not easy.