cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
U937 and THP-1 cells do not release LTB4, LTC4, or LTD4 in response to A23187.

U937 and THP-1 cells possess some characteristics of human mononuclear phagocytes, cells which synthesize and release LTB4, LTC4, and LTD4. Incubation of these cells with recombinant human interferongamma (IFN-gamma) or Phorbol Myristate Acetate (PMA) induces a more differentiated cell state. We hypothesized that U937 and THP-1 cells would release LTB4, LTC4, and LTD4 in response to stimulation with the non-physiologic agonist, calcium ionophore A23187 and that preincubation with IFN-gamma or PMA might alter leukotriene release by thes cells. We cultured both cell lines for 48 hours in the presence and absence of IFN-gamma (10000 units/ml)n and for 120 hours in the presence and absence of PMA (160 nM) and then challenged them with A23187 (5uM) for 30 minutes at 37°C. The supernatants were deproteinated and assayed by RIA for LTB4 and LTC4 and by RP-HPLC for LTB4, LTC4, and LTD4. Neither U937 nor THP-1 cells released quantities of leukotrienes detectable by RIA, <0.3ng/5 × 106 cells. Peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes from normal volumteers, cultured and challenged in vitro at under identical conditions, released 11.3 ± 2.9 ng LTB4 and 2.0 ± 1.5 ng LTC4/106 viable monocytes. The lack of leukotriene production by U937 and THP-1 cells was not altered by preincubation for 48 hours with IFN-gamma (n=3) nor by preincubation with PMA for 120 hours (n=3). We conclude 1) U937 and THP-1 cells do not appear to be appropriate in vitro models for the examination of leukotriene release from normal mononuclear phagocytes. 2) Pre-incubation of U937 and THP-1 cells with IFN-gamma or PMA under the conditions tested, does not induce the ability of these cell lines to release leukotrienes.
Do lagoons near concentrated animal feeding operations promote nitrous oxide supersaturation

Abstract Animal wastewater lagoons nearby concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) represent the latest tendency in global animal farming, severely impacting the magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions, including nitrous oxide (N2O). We hypothesized that lagoon wastewater could be supersaturated with N2O as part of incomplete microbial nitrification/denitrification processes, thereby regulating the N2O partitioning in the gaseous phase. The objectives of this study were: (i) to investigate the magnitude of dissolved N2O concentrations in the lagoon; and (ii) to determine the extent to which supersaturation of N2O occurs in wastewater lagoons. Dissolved N2O concentrations in the wastewater samples were high, ranging from 0.4 to 40.5 μg N2O mL−1. Calculated dissolved N2O concentrations from the experimentally measured partition coefficients were much greater than those typically expected in aquatic systems (
Neuroenhancement in a Medicated Generation: Overlooked Uses of Cognitive Stimulants

Medications and substance use have become increasingly popular within society. Some have labeled the current generation as “Generation RX” in recognition that the development and marketing of pharm...
Gated intracoronary thallium201 scintigraphy: feasibility and potential clinical advantages.

Visualization of ventricular walls with true global motion and myocardial thickening is not possible with use of present scintigraphic techniques. When thallium 201 (201TI) is injected intravenously (IV), only about 5% reaches the myocardium. However, if 201TI is injected intracoronarily, 100% reaches, and approximately 88% localizes in, the myocardium, which results in higher count rates than when given IV, permitting acceptable acquisition times for gated true wall motion studies. The authors describe a new technique using intracoronary (IC) 201TI to acquire high count rate, high contrast, and short acquisition time in gated true wall motion studies. Thirteen patients were studied at rest with gated IC thallium. Six of these patients also had resting IV 201TI myocardial studies. After routine coronary angiography, 0.75 mCi of 201TI was injected into each coronary artery. Multiple sequential one-minute gated studies were obtained in LAO and RAO projections, followed by sequential five-minute images for two hours to determine 201TI redistribution kinetics. Regions of interest over segments of left and right ventricles and background permitted definition of temporal and spatial distributions. Three one-minute gated studies were summed with a total count of 2,100 K for a three-minute acquisition. Myocardium-to-background ratios were as high as 13:1 withmore » a mean of 11.4:1 in the IC study compared with 2.3:1 in the IV studies. Washout half-time in normal myocardium was 95 +/- 5 min. The detectability and size of perfusion defects were different on gated diastolic and systolic, nongated, and IV studies. Questionable defects seen on nongated studies or after IV administration were easily noted on gated diastolic images.« less
Profile of tedizolid phosphate and its potential in the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections

Tedizolid phosphate is the first once-daily oxazolidinone approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). It is more potent in vitro than linezolid against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other gram-positive pathogens causing ABSSSI, even retaining activity against some linezolid-resistant strains. Tedizolid is approximately 90% protein bound, leading to lower free-drug concentrations than linezolid. The impact of the effect of food, renal or hepatic insufficiency, or hemodialysis on tedizolid's pharmacokinetic have been evaluated, and no dosage adjustment is needed in these populations. In animal and clinical studies, tedizolid's effect on bacterial killing is optimized by the free-drug area under the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration ratio (fAUC/MIC). The 200 mg once-daily dose is able to achieve the target fAUC/MIC ratio in 98% of simulated patients. Two Phase III clinical trials have demonstrated the noninferiority of tedizolid 200 mg once daily for 6 days to linezolid 600 mg twice daily for 10 days. In vitro, animal, and clinical studies have failed to demonstrate that tedizolid inhibits monoamine oxidase to a clinically relevant extent. Tedizolid has several key advantages over linezolid including once daily dosing, decreased treatment duration, minimal interaction with serotonergic agents, possibly associated with less adverse events associated with the impairment of mitochondrial protein synthesis (eg, myelosuppression, lactic acidosis, and peripheral/optic neuropathies), and retains in vitro activity against linezolid-resistant gram-positive bacteria. Economic analyses with tedizolid are needed to describe the cost-effectiveness of this agent compared with other options used for ABSSSI, particularly treatment options active against MRSA.
Observations of health indices used to monitor a tailwater trout fishery

Abstract Health of the population of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in the San Juan River tailwater was monitored to determine the effects of potential crowding from a reduced winter flow test at Navajo Dam, northwestern New Mexico. A systematic necropsy-based health profile provided a rapid method to detect gross changes in the health of the fish population. The health assessment index (HAI) was calculated to quantify the necropsy system and allow statistical comparisons of data sets. Other suborganismic indices were selected to encompass a range of responses specific to the stress of environmental alterations: physiology assessment using total protein and percent muscle lipids, an immune assessment using serum lysozyme, and a cellular-based evaluation using histology. The HAI values showed no clear trend in fish health, although significant differences occurred among fish samples during the test. Significant declines in condition factors and percent muscle lipids throughout the study suggested a seas...
Physical Aging in Graphite Epoxy Composites.

The matrix dominated mechanical behavior of a graphite epoxy composite was found to be affected by sub Tg annealing. Postcured + or - 45 deg 4S specimens of Thornel 300 graphite/Narmco 5208 epoxy were quenched from above Tg and given a sub Tg annealing at 140 C for times up to 10 to the 5th power min. The ultimate tensile strength, strain to break, and toughness of the composite material were found to decrease as functions of sub Tg annealing time. No weight loss was observed during the sub Tg annealing. The time dependent change in mechanical behavior is explained on the basis of free volume changes that are related to the physical aging of the nonequilibrium glassy network epoxy. The results imply possible changes in composite properties with service time.
On the climatic optimization of the tilt and azimuth of flat-plate solar collectors

Abstract A numerical climatic model for computing total solar irradiance on the surface of a flat-plate collector, positioned at any tilt and azimuth, is described. Owing to a small time-step (one hour), and a quasi-realistic characterization of a collector's environment, the algorithm is able to produce credible estimates of both the climatically “optimal” position and the amount of energy lost to a collector when it is non-optimally positioned. Exemplary computations for Sterling, Virginia and Sunnyvale, California are presented and they suggest that the non-optimal positioning of a collector, e.g. as a simple function of latitude and a few highly summarized climatic-environmental variables, will not, in many cases, produce significant losses of available solar irradiance. In other situations, however, where a collector's horizon is significantly obstructed and/or the climatic environment of the area creates large diurnal or seasonal asymmetries in available irradiance, non-optimal positioning may cause sizeable energy losses. It is also apparent that even moderately sized horizonal obstructions, which are “seen” by a collector, can substantially reduce the amount of available irradiance, relative to an unobstructed horizon.
Study of Closure of the Embryonic Rat Palate In Vitro with the Effects of Certain Chemicals

In organ cultures of rat-palatal processes from 15-day-old embryos, addition of vitamin A or vitamin A with cortisone to the culture medium caused nonfusion and epithelial disruption. Cortisone alone did not show a teratogenic effect; nor did it exaggerate the effect of vitamin A.
On a Continuous Method of Approximating Solutions of the Heat Equation

Theoretical methods, based on a priori pointwise bounds, for approximating solutions of many elliptic and parabolic initial and/or boundary value problems, have been developed in recent years. These methods, however, are relatively unknown to potential users since applications of the methods have not appeared in the literature. In this paper their usefulness is illustrated by employing some of the author's theoretical results as a basis for the construction of a digital program to compute an approximate solution of an initial boundary value problem for the heat equation.
Minority-carrier injection into semi-insulators

A previous paper was concerned with the injection of minority carriers into relaxation semiconductors without traps. The present paper considers traps in their dual role as recombination centers and charge-storage localities. It is shown that the presence of traps changes the boundary between majority-carrier depletion ($\ensuremath{\Delta}n l 0$) and the majority-carrier augmentation ($\ensuremath{\Delta}n g 0$), moving the system more towards the latter, compared with expectations based on the trap-free case. Trapping of injected minority carriers also leads to an increase of majority-carrier diffusion in opposition to the current, and the containment of this diffusion calls for higher-than-normal electric fields. As a consequence, the injection region can have a higher-than-normal resistance, qualitatively as predicted by Van Roosbroeck, but for quite different reasons. Computed contours show the corresponding charge concentration and field profiles. The resistance enhancement effect is expected to be most prominent in lifetime semiconductors of high trap density; conditions for its appearance (if any) in relaxation semiconductors are discussed. Questions relating to the definition of relaxation semiconductors are also discussed.
Kidney disease in childhood-onset diabetes.

The increasing prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents in many parts of the world is strongly implicated in the increasing incidence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes during childhood.1,2 Whether youth affords some protection from the vascular complications of diabetes is uncertain, but the importance of this question is clear given the major public health and economic impact associated with earlier development of diabetic complications, including kidney disease. Some studies suggested that the prepubertal years of diabetes contribute less to the risk of diabetic kidney disease than the postpubertal years; however, this concept is controversial.3–8 Nevertheless, up to 40% of persons with type 1 diabetes develop overt diabetic nephropathy within 20 to 25 years of the onset of diabetes. Most studies that examine the risk of microalbuminuria and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes are based on prevalence cohorts, often with short-term follow-up, and included patients with varying durations of diabetes.9–12 Accordingly, selection and survivor biases may be introduced that impact on the assessment of the role of age at onset of diabetes on the development and progression of diabetic kidney disease. The Steno group13 recently described the frequency of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria in an inception cohort of patients who were followed up from the onset of type 1 diabetes. Age at the diagnosis of diabetes averaged 27.5 years in this cohort, and the investigators reported that after about 18 years of diabetes, the cumulative incidences of microalbuminuria and macroalbuminuria were 33.6% and 14.6%, respectively. They also observed that permanent regression from microalbuminuria to normoalbuminuria was rare, with most of those who experienced regression relapsing to microalbuminuria. Their findings suggest that the development of microalbuminuria in older-onset type 1 diabetes is often associated with progressive nephropathy.
Age, growth, and sex ratio of American eels in brackish-water portions of a South Carolina River

Abstract American eels Anguilla rostrata (yellow phase; N = 462) collected from brackish-water portions (range of salinity: 0–23‰) of the Cooper River, South Carolina, ranged in length from 26.0 to 68.7 cm and in weight from 32 to 767 g. The length-weight relationship is log10W = -5.85 + 3.07 log10L; W = wet weight (g) and L = total length (mm). Age estimates (inland years) from 442 pairs of otoliths indicated a mean age of 4.3 years and range of 1–12 years. Growth of American eels from brackish-water areas of the Cooper River was faster than growth of the species from northeastern United States and Canada. American eels from this southern habitat appear to migrate back to sea after ages 6–7, sooner than eels from northern locations. Histological examination of gonads from 458 specimens revealed that females outnumbered males 23 to 1. These results were consistent with most previous investigations and suggest that females dominate American eel populations in brackish-water and freshwater habitats in North...
Closing the Gap between Research and Practice: Case Study of School-Wide Literacy Reform.

This case study of one elementary school describes an ongoing effort to close the gaps between literacy research and practice in order to promote the successful literacy transitions of all students. Jefferson Elementary School's reading program is a research-driven, school-wide program emphasizing prevention-based instruction, early identification, intensive intervention, and ongoing staff development. For emergent and beginning readers, these efforts are coordinated through the consistent use of instructional diets to guide teachers in curriculum decisions and their allocation of classroom literacy time. We identify assessment-based decision making, curricular coordination, small group instruction, efficient management, ongoing data analysis, knowledgeable leadership, and persistence as essential ingredients in this effort.
Beam position monitors for storage rings

Abstract Accurate monitoring of the position of particle beams and synchrotron light beams is becoming more important for the types of experiments that are currently being performed and for those experiments being planned for the future. This paper reviews the present state of beam position monitors for synchrotron light sources and storage rings. It includes descriptions of position monitors for both the stored particle beam and the synchrotron light beam. Typical interfaces for these monitors and their system characteristics (resolution, stability, bandwidth and problems or limitations) are discussed. General considerations for the design of beam position monitoring systems and results from operational position monitoring systems are presented. The paper also reviews several types of diagnostic measurements using beam position monitors which are useful in improving accelerator operations.
Focus Groups as an Approach to Outcomes Assessment

Focus Groups, used heavily in marketing and public relations, can be valuable tools, as well, for assessing outcomes of MPA programs. By capitalizing on the human tendency to discuss issues and ideas in groups, focus groups depend on interaction to shape opinions and encourage an exchange of ideas. Focus groups, usually consisting of from seven to ten participants and led by a well-prepared moderator, are carefully planned discussions de signed to go beyond a questionnaire, individual interview, or survey to get at explanation and emotion behind simple answers. They are particularly useful when used in conjunction with data-based as sessment tools.
The use of poultry litter as co-substrate and source of inorganic nutrients and microorganisms for the ex situ biodegradation of petroleum compounds

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine the feasibility of utilizing poultry litter as a source of microorganisms, C co-substrate, N, and P to enhance the biodegradation of petroleum compounds in contaminated soil. An initial laboratory-scale study utilized soil contaminated with approximately 3,000 mg/kg (ppm) total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHC) as diesel fuel. Biotreatment units, each containing 10 L of contaminated soil, were supplemented (0, 1, 10, and 20%, total weight basis) with broiler litter containing 3.65% N and 1.89% P. Petroleum-degrading microorganisms previously enriched from broiler and turkey litter were also inoculated into the litter-treated units. A significant first order rate of TPHC biodegradation was measured for all treatment units containing broiler litter (P
A comparative study of Porasil and Styragel as column supports for gel permeation chromatography

Abstract Molecular weight data were compared using two different column supports, Styragel and Porasil. A series of poly(styrene) and poly(vinylchloride) materials were analyzed on a Model 100 gel permeation chromatograph. The results obtained from the Porasil-packed columns were consistently lower than those obtained using the Styragel-packed columns. Data from both methods were further compared to values determined by such classical techniques as light scattering and membrane osmometry. Two experimental parameters, concentration and injection time, were included in this evaluation.
Stress-relaxation testing. Part III: Influence of wire alloys, gauges, and lengths on clasp behavior

Commonly used, commercially available dental wires have been evaluated and ranked through stress-relaxation testing to given the clinician a basis for determining their use as retentive clasp arms. Clinical laboratory principles relative to the use of wire clasp arms have been discussed. Clinical experience with the cobalt-chrome-nickel wire retentive clasp arms used in the infrabulge approach over the last 8 years has been rewarding. These wire clasps have been every bit as effective as the cast bar clasps and have proven to be superior in terms of adjustability and resistance to fracture. The relation of active clasp length to retention and permanent deformation is a crucial one and should be a component of every philosophy of design and construction of removable partial dentures.
Invertases from Rust-infected Wheat Leaves

Summary Total invertase activity increases three-fold in leaves of Triticum aestivum L. infected with Puccinia striiformis. Levels of invertase activity are elevated about 17 days after infection, when fungal spores can be detected on the leaves. DEAE-cellulose chromatography resolves the activity into two different peaks, termed Peak I and Peak II. The two forms differ in their pH optima, KM values for sucrose, and their response to inhibition by citrate. The KM and pH optima of Peak I invertase from healthy leaves are different than those from infected leaves. The relative amounts of the two forms of the enzyme also vary in healthy versus infected leaves. The stimulation of total invertase activity in rust-infected leaves is due to a net increase in Peak I activity.
Cooperation and Competition of Urban and Rural Children in the Republic of South Korea

Abstract The cooperative and competitive behavior of 8–9 year old children in urban and rural Korea was assessed by three different experimental techniques. The urban children were significantly more competitive and less cooperative in experiments 1 and 2, experiments in which the competitive alternative involved direct overt conflict. Both groups were highly competitive in experiment 3 in which the competitive alternative was less overt.
Charge-coupled-device based scanner for tomography of fluorescent near-infrared probes in turbid media.

We present a novel tomographer for three-dimensional reconstructions of fluorochromes in diffuse media. Photon detection is based on charge-coupled device technology that allows the implementation of a large parallel array of detection channels with high sensitivity. Using this instrument we studied the response and detection limits of near-infrared fluorochromes in diffuse media as a function of light intensity and for a wide range of biologically relevant concentrations. We further examined the resolution of the scanner and the reconstruction linearity achieved. We demonstrate that the instrument attains better than 3 mm resolution, is linear within more than two orders of magnitude of fluorochrome concentration, and can detect fluorescent objects at femto-mole quantities in small animal-like geometries. These measurements delineate detection and reconstructioncharacteristics associated with imaging of novel classes of fluorescent probes developed for in vivo molecular and functional probing of tissues.
Observations Presenting Examples of Missing Palate

Abstract The following “Observation” appeared (In Latin) in the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina of 1757 and to our knowledge has never been published in the English literature. We came across the report in the early 1970s while preparing the report “Cleft lip and cleft palate: one genetic system” (Chabora and Horowitz, 1974). The 1757 paper was translated by a member of the Columbia University Greek and Latin Department, but reached us too late for inclusion in our references. Forgotten for many years, the paper, and its translation, recently came to light in our files. Christopher Jacob Trew's clear description of penetrance and expressivity in a kindred in which both cleft lip and palate and isolated cleft palate are segregating may be something of an historic curiosity at this point, but we expect that others will enjoy reading this early example of a careful and thoughtful pedigree study.
Continuous precipitation polymerization of vinylidene fluoride in supercritical carbon dioxide: A model for understanding the molecular-weight distribution

Abstract Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) that is synthesized by precipitation polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) has a bimodal molecular weight distribution (MWD) and a very broad polydispersity index (PDI) under certain reaction conditions. Different models have been formulated to account for this behavior. This paper presents a homogenous model for a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) that includes the change of the termination reaction from kinetic control to diffusion control as the chain length of the polymeric radicals increases, and accounts for the change in the termination rate constant with macroradical chain length in the diffusion-controlled region. The model also includes the chain transfer to polymer reaction. Comparison of the model output with experimental data demonstrates that changes of the MWD, including the development of a bimodal distribution, with such reaction conditions as monomer concentration and average residence time are successfully predicted. In addition, the model can capture the occurrence of gelation, which appears to be responsible for a region of inoperability that was observed in the polymerization experiments. The success of this homogeneous model is consistent with recent research demonstrating that the CO2-rich phase is the main locus of polymerization for the precipitation polymerization of vinylidene fluoride and vinylidene fluoride/hexafluoropropylene mixtures in scCO2, at the conditions that have been studied to date.
WHY NO TRANSLATION

The use of translation, either word-for-word or expression-for-expression, is often found in the teaching of a foreign language. It is also frequently regarded a s an easy short-cut to attain command of the language to be learned. Teachers who have had practical up-to-date linguistic training, however, do not find it to be an entirely satisfactory technique. For the mastery of a foreign language involves more than the mere association of meaning carried by a word in the native language with that carried by another word in a foreign language. Every language is a closely and arbitrarily knitted mechanism composed of sounds and sound sequences, grammatical devices, and vocabulary items, and the details involved in this intricate relationship and the inter-play among these units are fairly rigid and limited, and vary from language to language. In other words, to memorize all the entries in a bi-lingual dictionary wi l l not enable a person to speak a foreign language. There are essential linguistic features that lie outside the realm of lexical equivalents, such a s the use of word order in English to distinguish certain statements from certain questions, the presence of one or more words functioning a s a structural signal, the use of specific expressions which may have equivalents in lexical meaning in another language but which a re used differently according to the social patterns or behavior of the people who speak the language. These and numerous other devices cannot be brought about by either word-for-word or expression-for-expression translation, and the purpose of this article is to use a few examples to show that translation is not an adequate technique in the teaching of a foreign language. Every language uses certain devices to convey meaning. The same device may be used by various languages. For example, English and Chinese both use word order a s a pattern to indicate the direction of action. The actor and the goal in
Patterns of subsequent malignancies after Hodgkin lymphoma in children and adults.

Summary To evaluate the impact of reduced radiation and combined modality therapy (CMT) in the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma, we assessed the risk of second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) in patients who received extended-field radiotherapy only and patients who underwent CMT. Among 404 patients treated at Yale during 1970–2004, the risk of solid SMNs was elevated in the radiotherapy only group (n = 198, median follow-up = 21·1 years) compared to the general population, with a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of 1·85 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1·17–2·78]. No increase was observed in the CMT group (n = 206, median follow-up = 14·3 years), although potential differences in SMN risk were indicated across the age spectrum in subgroup analysis. Patients who received mustard-containing regimens had increased risks for haematological SMNs (SIR = 8·74) and all SMNs (SIR = 1·85). When the analysis was stratified by age at diagnosis, children (0–20 years) had a significantly higher risk of SMNs (SIR = 5·24, 95% CI: 2·26–10·33), regardless of the treatment received. These findings suggest that recent treatment options utilizing lower dose radiation and less intense alkylator chemotherapy might be associated with lower incidences of SMNs among adults but not necessarily children.
The SPIDERS project - Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security at US military facilities

The SPIDERS project (Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security) is a three-year, $40 million, Joint Capabilities Technology Demonstration (JCTD) for the US Department of Defense (DoD) which will demonstrate secure microgrid implementations at three military installations. The SPIDERS microgrids will provide a number of benefits compared to conventional DoD electrical systems, including improved reliability for mission-critical loads, reduced reliance on fuel for diesel power (by using renewable energy sources during outages), increased efficiency of backup generators, reduced operational risk for energy systems through strong cyber security, and flexible electrical energy by building microgrid architectures which can selectively energize loads during extended outages. The three selected sites follow a “crawl, walk, run” progression with respect to microgrid technology, so at Hickam AFB (in Oahu, Hawaii) the SPIDERS microgrid will maintain critical loads along a single feeder, while at Ft. Carson (in Colorado Springs, Colorado) the project will encompass a significant portion of the main cantonment area, and at Camp Smith (also on Oahu, Hawaii and the headquarters of US Pacific Command) the entire facility will be on a SPIDERS microgrid. SPIDERS is funded by both DoD and the US Department of Energy (DOE), leveraging the capabilities and expertise of both agencies.
Transesterification of Camelina Sativa Oil using Supercritical and Subcritical Methanol with Cosolvents

Transesterification of camelina oil using supercritical methanol with hexane as a cosolvent and subcritical methanol along with potassium hydroxide as a cosolvent/catalyst was investigated to study the methyl ester conversion process. It was found that cosolvents play a vital role in reducing the severity of critical operational parameters and maximize the biodiesel yield. The experimental results from the process parametric evaluation studies show that supercritical methanol with hexane as a cosolvent could produce maximum methyl esters using the following conditions: reaction temperature of 290 °C, methanol to oil ratio of 45, and reaction time of 40 min. For subcritical methanol condition with 0.3 wt % potassium hydroxide as a cosolvent, methyl ester yields of +90% are obtained using the following conditions: reaction temperature of 180 °C, methanol to oil molar ratio of 30, and a reaction time of 20 min. Process variables critical to the methyl ester conversion are determined to be cosolvent ratio, mo...
A Fragile Link: Disaster Relief, ICTs and Development

When disasters strike and aid agencies pour in to help the survivors they are increasingly making use of advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). For remote areas of developing countries, this use of ICTs may be the community' s first exposure to these technologies. And while the role of these ICTs is primarily linked to disaster response and recovery, in certain situations they can be transitioned for use in development programs. This paper discusses the crucial factors in design and deployment of relief ICTs that are likely to influence their ultimate use as tools for development. Derived from cases developed through secondary data, the factors are broken into those related to communication technology transfer and those related to information technology transfer. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed
Sleepy Dogs Don't Lie: A Genetic Disorder Informative About Sleep

Molecular genetic approaches have facilitated our understanding of numerous diseases and provided important insights into the neurobiological basis of various behaviors. Until recently, the complex behavioral and physiological adaptation known as sleep has been impervious to such approaches. In the last two years, however, a familiar theme has been played out in the sleep field: The discovery of the genetic basis of an animal model of a human disorder has implications both for the treatment of patients and for the neural basis of a specific behavior. In this issue, the paper by Hungs et al. provides the latest chapter in this fascinating and rapidly unfolding story.
Poka-Yoke Process Controller: Designed for Individuals with Cognitive Impairments

Poka-yoke is a Japanese term meaning "error proofing." Poka-yoke techniques were developed to achieve zero defects in manufacturing and assembly processes. The application of these techniques tends to reduce both the physical and cognitive demands of tasks and thereby make them more accessible. Poka-yoke interventions create a dialogue between the worker and the process, and this dialogue provides the feedback necessary for workers to prevent errors. For individuals with cognitive impairments, weighing and counting tasks can be difficult or impossible. Interventions that provide sufficient feedback to workers without disabilities tend to be too subtle for workers with cognitive impairments; hence, the feedback must be enhanced. The Poka-Yoke Controller (PYC) was designed to assist individuals with counting and weighing tasks. The PYC interfaces to an Ohaus CT6000 digital scale for weighing parts and for counting parts by weight. It also interfaces to sensors and switches for object counting tasks. The PYC interfaces to a variety of programmable voice output devices so that voice feedback or prompting can be provided at specific points in the weighing or counting process. The PYC can also be interfaced to conveyor systems, indexed turntables, and other material handling systems for coordinated counting and material handling operations. In all of our applications to date, we have observed improved worker performance, improved process quality, and greater worker independence. These observed benefits have also significantly reduced the need for staff intervention. The process controller is described and three applications are presented: a weighing task and two counting applications.
Dipyridyl-induced Cell Elongation and Inhibition of Cell Wall Hydroxyproline Biosynthesis.

Incubation of soybean hypocotyl sections with 0.1 millimolar 2,2′-dipyridyl in the absence of auxin results in increases in growth rate and in cell wall extensibility lasting for about 3 hours. This is accompanied by greatly decreased biosynthesis of hydroxyproline, which ultimately appears in the wall, and in slightly reduced oxygen uptake, both of which continue for at least 9 hours. Continuous synthesis of hydroxyproline which appears in the cell wall is thus not necessary for short term growth. The decrease in growth and cell wall extensibility that occurs between the 3rd and 9th hours of dipyridyl inhibition cannot be attributed to cross-linking of newly synthesized hydroxyproline, since its synthesis is still inhibited.
Thermal behavior of polyhydrazides and poly‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles

The thermal properties of a series of polyhydrazides and corresponding poly-1,3,4-oxadiazoles have been investigated using differential thermometric and thermogravimetric techniques. In addition, the conversion rates of the polyhydrazides to the corresponding oxadiazole structures have also been measured. In general, weight loss in polyhydrazides occurs in three distinct stages corresponding, respectively, to loss of adsorbed water, cyclodehydration, and decomposition of the poly-1,3,4-oxadiazole formed in situ. The polyoxadiazoles generally exhibit only a single weight loss step (below 700°C.) corresponding to decomposition and volatilization of the substrate itself. These data clearly indicate that the presence of aliphatic carbon–carbon linkages in the polymer backbone reduces the temperature at which decomposition of the polyoxadiazoles is noted. Corresponding differential thermometry patterns give additional data on phase transitions in the polymers and indicate, in general, that the poly-1,3,4-oxadiazoles formed in situ decompose before reaching their intrinsic melting points (under the specific conditions of these experiments). Comparison of the poly-1,3,4-oxadiazoles prepared under the (rapid) dynamic conditions of the differential thermometry and thermogravimetry techniques employed (30°C./min.) with isothermal rate data clearly suggests subtle structural differences in the polyoxadiazoles prepared by the two different modes. In general, ΔE‡ for the hydrazide–oxadiazole conversion amounts to about 49–53 Kcal./mole while ΔS‡ amounts to 14–17 e.u. However, both ΔE‡ and ΔS‡ for the polymer containing exclusively 1,3-phenylene linkages between incipient oxadiazole groups appear to be considerably higher (ΔE‡ = 62 Kcal./mole, ΔS‡ = 34 e.u.). This striking difference is explained in terms of the increased order resulting from the higher degree of crystallinity in the polyhydrazide.
Glycated albumin and direct low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD), renal failure, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Lowering glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) as well as low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) has been associated with a decreased risk of these complications. We evaluated the utility of glycated albumin (GA) and direct LDL-C, 2 novel assay, as compared to HbA1c and calculated LDL-C, in evaluating diabetes control and lipid in a heterogeneous population and in specific subgroups of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods We obtained fasting blood samples and measured HbA1c, GA, and direct LDL-C, as well as other parameters, in a multi-ethnic population of 616 male and female patients with type 2 diabetes and 895 non-diabetic controls. Results HbA1c and GA levels, which measure different periods of glycemia, had a correlation of r = 0.70 (p Conclusions Calculated LDL-C provides an accurate assessment of fasting LDL-C compared with a direct measurement in most subjects, except for those with hypertriglyceridemia, and GA correlates with HbA1c in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects and may serve as a reasonable marker of short term diabetic control.
Progesterone levels and litter performance of sows following postpartum administration of prostaglandin F2α

Abstract A total of 101 sows was used to examine postpartum progesterone levels and litter performance following administration of 15 mg prostaglandins F2α (PGF2α n = 48) given within 12 h after farrowing. Daily blood samples and rectal temperatures were taken from all sows during the first 3 d post partum. Plasma progesterone (P4) concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Regardless of treatment, plasma P4 levels for all sows decreased in a similar fashion over the 3 d sampled. Mean (± SEM) P4 on Day 2 (0.55 ± 0.06 ng/ml) and Day 3 (0.38 ± 0.04 ng/ml) were lower (P
Cold dark matter with MOND scaling

We provide a holographic dual description of Milgrom's scaling associated with galactic rotation curves. Our argument is partly based on the recent entropic reinterpretation of Newton's laws of motion. We propose a duality between cold dark matter and modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND). We introduce the concept of MONDian dark matter, and discuss some of its phenomenological implications. At cluster as well as cosmological scales, the MONDian dark matter would behave as cold dark matter, but at the galactic scale, the MONDian dark matter would act as MOND.
Reliability of policy announcements and the effects of monetary policy

Abstract Monetary authorities regularly announce targets for monetary growth, but the market may not completely trust these announcements because they may not always be truthful. Hence, the market does not have perfect knowledge about future monetary policy and must form its expectations on the basis of information it can extract from the announcements and its observations of the actual money supply. This paper asks how the macroeconomic effect of monetary policy might be altered by more reliable policy announcements, in the setting of a medium-sized open economy. It is found that, contrary to the full-information case, a reduction in monetary growth of 1% may lead on impact to a reduction in inflation of much less than 1%, if the announcements are not very credible. The output costs of lowering inflation are smaller both in the short run and the long run, the more reliable the announcements. However, the plausibility of announcements does not affect the output loss for a given appreciation of the currency. Fluctuations in the exchange rate that are attributable to monetary disturbances beyond the policy-makers' control can nonetheless be dampened by making announcements that are more highly correlated with the truth.
Primary lymphoma of the liver

Nine adult white men ranging in age from 27 to 76 (mean, 55 years) were treated for primary hepatic lymphoma between 1972 and 1986 at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Six patients presented with right upper quadrant or epigastric pain or discomfort, and three patients complained of fatigue and lethargy. Fever and night sweats were evident in two, and two patients had lost weight. One patient was asymptomatic; the liver mass was detected during the work-up for cancer of the prostate. Seven patients on whom computerized tomography was performed all had solitary masses in the liver although in three of them tumor had extended into both lobes as noticed at surgery. One had additional porta hepatic lymph node metastasis. Eight patients underwent an exploratory laparotomy; four had hepatic resection, and four had wedge biopsies of unresectable liver tumor. One patient had a percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver. Eight patients received combination chemotherapy. Six patients are alive, five of whom are in initial complete remission. All three patients who died had persistent or recurrent disease in the liver. The results of therapy and surgery to date in these and in other cases in the literature are encouraging.
An Early Event in Adipogenesis, the Nuclear Selection of the CCAAT Enhancer-binding Protein β (C/EBPβ) mRNA by HuR and its Translocation to the Cytosol

HuR is a ligand for nuclear mRNAs containing adenylate-uridylate-rich elements in the 3′-untranslated region. Once bound to the mRNA, HuR is recognized by adapter proteins that then facilitate nuclear export of the complex. In the cytosol, HuR is thought to function to control stability and translation of its ligand message. In the 3T3-L1 cells HuR is constitutively expressed and localized predominantly to the nucleus in the preadipocytes. However, within 30 min of exposure to the differentiation stimulus the HuR content in the cytosol increases, consistent with HuR regulating the availability of relevant mRNAs for translation. Using in vitro RNA gel shifts, we have demonstrated that the CCAAT enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) message is a ligand for HuR. Within 2 h of initiation of the differentiation process, HuR complexes containing C/EBPβ mRNA could be isolated from the cytosolic compartment. Importantly, the process appears to be highly selective, as cyclin D1, which contains a putative HuR binding site and is expressed on the same time frame as C/EBPβ, was not found in the immunoprecipitated messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes. The proximity of this event to adipogenic stimuli and the importance of C/EBPβ to the differentiation process have led us to hypothesize a role for HuR in the regulation of the onset of adipogenesis. In support of this hypothesis, small interfering RNA suppression of HuR protein content resulted in an inhibition of C/EBPβ protein expression and an attenuation of the differentiation process.
Concentrated hydrochloric acid extraction as predictor of total arsenic in lead arsenate-contaminated orchard soils

Washington State University recommends use of a room-temperature concentrated HCl extraction procedure to determine soil arsenic (As) concentrations (HClc-As). This testing procedure was originally developed for orchard soils contaminated with lead arsenate pesticide residues, and has been claimed to extract 95 to 100% of total soil As. We measured soil As concentrations in 12 orchard soils (total As ranging from 3 to 438 mg kg− 1) and two geologic standard reference materials using the HCl procedure and compared the results to total As in the samples measured using neutron activation analysis (NAA). NAA-arsenic and HClc-As were linearly related; however, relative recovery of soil As by the HClc method declined with decreasing NAA-As below about 240 mg kg− 1. The HClc soil testing procedure therefore does not provide an accurate measure of total soil As. Because it is quick and inexpensive, the procedure still may be useful for estimating plant responses to soil As.
Kinetics of viscosity reduction of pectin solutions using a pectinase formulation at high hydrostatic pressure

Abstract Pectinase formulations from Aspergillus niger, are commonly used in fruit juice clarification. The effect of moderate temperature (42.4–62.4 °C) at pressures that stabilize a pectinase formulation (200 and 300 MPa) was studied. The rate of viscosity reduction of pectin solutions increased with temperature with a maximum of 0.0960 ± 0.0108 Pa−1 s−2 at 62.4 °C and 300 MPa which represents a 2.6-fold increase in rate of viscosity reduction relative to the recommended conditions of 45 °C and 0.1 MPa. Negative apparent activation volumes of −0.22 ± 0.18 to −5.21 ± 0.39 cm3 mol−1 indicate that pressure favored the increase in the rate of viscosity reduction with pressure having the greatest effect at 57.1 °C. Apparent activation energies of 27.7 ± 0.7 to 42.4 ± 11.3 kJ mol−1 K−1 indicate that temperature had greater effects at high pressure (200–300 MPa) than at atmospheric pressure (15.0 ± 4.4 kJ mol−1 K−1).
On understanding the enhancement of optical absorption in nanostructure photovoltaic solar cells

Understanding the enhancement of optical absorption in nanostructure photovoltaic (PV) solar cells, specifically GaAs core-shell nanopillar arrays, is accomplished through the full-wave electromagnetic characterization of the optical electric fields. Inherent advantageous electromagnetic properties of reduced reflection, increased absorption, and angle of incidence independence can be understood through the absorption mechanism that is a function of the interaction of the incident electric field with the nanopillar structure, materials, and configuration. The role of nanopillar structure versus the role of the nanopillar materials in optical absorption will be revealed by comparing nanopillars using purely perfectly electric conducting (PEC) materials with that of nanopillars using semiconductor material. Also, further development of nanopillar design will be suggested from an absorption aspect.
Editing out caloric: Fresnel, Arago and the meaning of light

Augustin Fresnel and Francois Arago are typically credited with jointly establishing the wave theory of light in early nineteenth-century France. Yet the two men, working in different traditions, brought to their collaboration vastly different conceptions of what light was and how it should be studied. This paper traces the work that went into co-ordinating these disparate approaches into a united front, as well as the dissolution of the alliance after 1821. Although the fruits of their alliance proved remarkably stable, in fact agreement between them was never more than partial.