cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of soil pH and soil water content on prosulfuron dissipation

The sulfonylurea herbicide prosulfuron, 1-(4-methoxy-6-methyltriazin-2-yl)-3-[2-(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)phenylsulfonyl]urea, is used for the selective control of broadleaf weeds in corn, sorghum, and cereal grains. To investigate its fate in soils, this study examined the effects of soil pH and water content on the rates of dissipation processes and the products formed under aerobic conditions. Radiometry and chromatography analyses were used to quantify the degradation products and bound residues formed in incubations of 10 different soils. The pH-dependent hydrolysis of the sulfonylurea bridge to form phenyl sulfonamide was the primary transformation process. Significant microbial degradation of prosulfuron occurred in 2 of the 10 soils, yielding 14CO2 and desmethyl prosulfuron among the major products. The time required for 50% dissipation of the herbicide (DT50) was determined for each soil and water content treatment. At equivalent water contents, prosulfuron DT50 values were positively correlated wit...
Measurement of Homocysteine Concentrations and Stable Isotope Tracer Enrichments in Human Plasma

Elevated levels of plasma homocysteine have been established as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine is in low concentration in plasma (5-15 microM) and is bound to other thiols (e.g., cysteine in plasma proteins) via disulfide bonds. Existing methods for measuring homocysteine have difficulty in reducing and maintaining the reduction of homocysteine for measurement. We describe a GC/MS method that first reduces the disulfides in the physiological sample matrix and then immediately alkylates the free thiols with 4-vinylpyridine to prevent the reformation of the disulfide bonds. We use a deuterated internal standard, [3,3,3',3',4,4,4',4'-2H8]homocystine to account for losses associated with the isolation, derivatization, and measurement of the natural homocysteine. The amino acids are separated and derivatized to form the tert-butyldimethylsilyl derivatives. This method requires only 50 microL of plasma to measure homocysteine concentrations to 5 microM. Total homocysteine concentrations in plasma can be measured routinely from 0.5-mL samples with relative intra- and interday precisions of 1.3 and 4.0%, respectively. This method is sensitive enough to determine tracer enrichments of [1-13C]homocysteine with a detection limit of < 0.3 mol% excess and an average tracer precision of 0.6%.
Centriole Age Underlies Asynchronous Primary Cilium Growth in Mammalian Cells

Primary cilia are microtubule-based sensory organelles that play important roles in development and disease . They are required for Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling. Primary cilia grow from the older of the two centrioles of the centrosome, referred to as the mother centriole. In cycling cells, the cilium typically grows in G1 and is lost before mitosis, but the regulation of its growth is poorly understood. Centriole duplication at G1/S results in two centrosomes, one with an older mother centriole and one with a new mother centriole, that are segregated in mitosis. Here we report that primary cilia grow asynchronously in sister cells resulting from a mitotic division and that the sister cell receiving the older mother centriole usually grows a primary cilium first. We also show that the signaling proteins inversin and PDGFRalpha localize asynchronously to sister cell primary cilia and that sister cells respond asymmetrically to Shh. These results suggest that the segregation of differently aged mother centrioles, an asymmetry inherent to every animal cell division, can influence the ability of sister cells to respond to environmental signals, potentially altering the behavior or fate of one or both sister cells.
The titanocene methylene-zinc halide complex: a convenient synthesis and its methylenating action on unsaturated carbon centers☆

Abstract The titanocene methylene-zinc halide complex, which can be conveniently prepared by treating titanocene dichloride with methylenezinc iodide in THF solution, readily methylenates ketones, nitriles, and alkynes.
A single spacer nucleotide determines the specificities of two mRNA regulatory proteins

Regulation of messenger RNA is crucial in many contexts, including development, memory and cell growth. The 3' untranslated region is a rich repository of regulatory elements that bind proteins and microRNAs. Here we focus on PUF proteins, an important family of mRNA regulatory proteins crucial in stem-cell proliferation, pattern formation and synaptic plasticity. We show that two Caenorhabditis elegans PUF proteins, FBF and PUF-8, differ in RNA-binding specificity. FBF requires the presence of a single 'extra' nucleotide in the middle of an eight-nucleotide site, whereas PUF-8 requires its absence. A discrete protein segment is responsible for the difference. We propose that a structural distortion in the central region of FBF imposes the requirement for the additional nucleotide and that this mode of PUF specificity may be common. We suggest that new specificities can be designed and selected using the PUF scaffold.
NMR Study of interaction between guanosine 5′-monophosphate and serum albumins☆

The interaction between guanosine 5′-monophosphate (GMP) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) or human serum albumin (HSA) was studied by measuring the spin-spin relaxation times of the G-8H signal of GMP in the absence and presence of 4 % BSA or HSA in D20. Among the various proton signals of GMP, only the 8H signal was broadened in the presence of serum albumin. The following equilibrium constants are calculated: K (GMP · HSA) = 17 at 32°, 26 at 12.5° K(GMP·BSA) > 100. The effect of several paramagnetic metal ions on the GMP proton and phosphorus signals in the absence and presence of BSA has been determined. Manganese (11) and copper (11) ions bind to GMP and BSA strongly, and there is competition between BSA and GMP for the metal ion in a system containing BSA, GMP, and Mn2+ or Cu+.
First-principles study of the structural properties of Ge.

With the use of an ab initio pseudopotential method, the structural properties of Ge are investigated at normal and high pressures. The pressure-induced structural phase transitions from cubic diamond to ..beta..-Sn, to simple hexagonal (sh), and to double hexagonal close packed (dhcp) are examined. With the possible exception of the dhcp structure, the calculated transition pressures, transition volumes, and axial ratios are in good agreement with experimental results. We find that sh Ge has characteristics similar to those of sh Si; the bonds between hexagonal layers are stronger than intralayer bonds and the transverse phonon modes become soft near the transitions from the sh to ..beta..-Sn and the sh to hcp structures. At normal pressures, we compare the crystal energies for the cubic diamond, hexagonal 2H, and hexagonal 4H structures. Because of the similar sp/sup 3/ bonds in these structures, the structural energy differences are less than about 14 meV, and the 2H and 4H phases are metastable with respect to the cubic diamond structure. The equation of state is also presented and compared with experiment.
A pseudo-tRNA modulates antibiotic resistance in Bacillus cereus.

Bacterial genomic islands are often flanked by tRNA genes, which act as sites for the integration of foreign DNA into the host chromosome. For example, Bacillus cereus ATCC14579 contains a pathogenicity island flanked by a predicted pseudo-tRNA, tRNAOther, which does not function in translation. Deletion of tRNAOther led to significant changes in cell wall morphology and antibiotic resistance and was accompanied by changes in the expression of numerous genes involved in oxidative stress responses, several of which contain significant complementarities to sequences surrounding tRNAOther. This suggested that tRNAOther might be expressed as part of a larger RNA, and RACE analysis subsequently confirmed the existence of several RNA species that significantly extend both the 3′ and 5′-ends of tRNAOther. tRNAOther expression levels were found to be responsive to changes in extracellular iron concentration, consistent with the presence of three putative ferric uptake regulator (Fur) binding sites in the 5′ leader region of one of these larger RNAs. Taken together with previous data, this study now suggests that tRNAOther may function by providing a tRNA-like structural element within a larger regulatory RNA. These findings illustrate that while integration of genomic islands often leaves tRNA genes intact and functional, in other instances inactivation may generate tRNA-like elements that are then recruited to other functions in the cell.
The respirator problem; an industrial hygienist's viewpoint.

(1958). The Respirator Problem—an Industrial Hygienist's Viewpoint. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 149-153.
Trace Decomposition of Selegiline. Use of Worst-case Kinetics for a Stable Drug

A solution of selegiline hydrochloride reference standard, which contained no detectable impurities at the time of its preparation, was found by HPLC to contain a trace of a compound at the locus of methamphetamine when analyzed after 1 year. Heating selegiline solutions at pH 7 and 105 °C produced methamphetamine as the major product at a rate which closely followed the first-order rate equation. Using only these data and worst-case assumptions, rate constants were estimated at various temperatures; the activation energy was estimated to be about 25 kcal, and the stability-indicating validity of the assay used was reaffirmed. Selegiline undergoes degradation at a negligibly slow rate.
Cytometric Measurement of Fluorogenically Stained Hydrosols as a Rapid Biothreat Confirmer

We present an orthogonal detection method to be used as a secondary confirmation of alarms generated by a single-particle laser-induced fluorescence-based (LIF) sensor. This method measures the protein content of collected particles using fluorescamine stain.
VI.—THE QUEST FOR MEANINGS

PHILOSOPHERS have sought to identify the meaning of a linguistic expression with (1) what the expression refers to (stands for, designates, denotes, connotes), or alternatively with the relation between the expression and its referent (connotation...); (2) with the idea(s) it expresses or evokes; (3) with the responses, or dispositions thereto, called out by its utterance, plus, perhaps, the situation in which the utterance occurs. Despite the variety in these attempts, I believe they all run foul of basically the same difficulties. In this paper, I' shall be primarily concerned with explaining why they all fail and must fail. But first I want to indicate briefly the two sorts of fatal difficulties which plague all these theories.' First, whatever sort of entity is identified with meaning, there will be meaningful expressions corresponding to which no such entity can be found. Not all words refer to something, nor do all have connotations. What are the referents, or the connotations of ' is ', ' although ', ' of'? If, under the pressure of a referential theory, we do find something which we are willing to call the referent of ' of '-e.g. the relation of possession-it will turn out that we are using 'referent' in a sense quite different from that in which Dwight Eisenhower is the referent of 'the president of the U.S. in 1956 '. Again we cannot locate a unique idea corresponding to each meaningful unit in a phrase like 'promote the general welfare '. At least we can do so only by making ' having an idea of welfare ' equivalent to 'hearing and understanding " welfare " '; and as so defined talk about ideas can provide no elucidation for talk about meaning. And not all sentences regularly elicit any actual response, or even any disposition to respond. Try a response theory on ' My great grandfather fought at Gettysburg'. Second, even where such entities can be located they cannot be identified with the meaning of the expression. Thus ' the father of pragmatism' refers to C. S. Peirce, but we can hardly identify the meaning of the phrase with that savant. If we did we should be committed to saying, e.g. that the meaning of ' the father of pragmatism' was married twice and often wrote reviews for the Nation. Again, we cannot say that the meaning of 'look out'
Uptake and distribution of 2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl in fry of lake trout and Chinook salmon and its effects on viability.

Abstract Lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ) and Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ) sac fry were exposed to water containing low ppb (μg/liter) concentrations of 14 C-labeled 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCB). The HCB was added to the water in a static system three times per day for 15 days, each addition being a calculated water concentration of 5 ppb. Although the HCB did not accumulate in the water, it did accumulate in the fry of both species, reaching a concentration of 7.6 ppm in lake trout and 3.6 ppm in Chinook salmon, 1 day after the last addition. Subsequently, all the HCB-treated fry died: All the lake trout fry died by 64 days, and all the Chinook fry by 16 days, after the last addition of HCB. For each species it was found that the amount of HCB present in the fry at the time of death was constant, no matter when the animals died. In a separate experiment, sac fry of both species were exposed to 500 ppb [ 14 C]HCB in the water for 4 hr, and the amount of HCB in the fry was followed for 3 months. The data indicate that some of the HCB was lost from the fry after 3 months. Analyses of yolk and other fry tissues during the 3-month period indicated that the localization of the HCB in the animals shifted with time and that large amounts were present in the digestive organs at 3 months after exposure.
Perceptions of Parental Intimate Relationships and Their Affects on the Experience of Romantic Relationship Development Among African American Emerging Adults

The quality of romantic relationships that parents maintain has an impact on their children. Emerging adult children base their relationships on similar values and/or opposing beliefs of their parental romantic relationships. This phenomenological study aimed to identify how African American emerging adults experience their parental romantic relationships and how they find meaning in the romantic relationships of their parents. Results suggest that African American emerging adults develop both positive and negative perceptions about romantic relationships from their parents’ relationships, which affect the way these adults perceive, develop, and maintain their own romantic unions. African American emerging adults also find meaning in their parental couple relationships as they share similar experiences in their relationship quality, mate choice, and/or personal or mate characteristics and personality traits as their parents.
Alcoholic extraction of vegetable oils. I. Solubilities of cottonseed, peanut, sesame, and soybean oils in aqueous ethanol

Solubilities of cottonseed, peanut, sesame, and soybean oils in aqueous alcoholic solutions at various temperatures were determined directly. Solubility curves for the four oils in aqueous alcoholic solutions are presented.
Scalp-EEG fast activity synchronization precedes nosewiping in sleep-arousal in temporal lobe epilepsy.

• Fast activity synchronization detectable on scalp-EEG precedes nosewiping in sleep-arousal.
Fluid-Fluid Interactions.: Axel Liebscher and Christoph A. Heinrich, Editors. Pp. 432. Mineralogical Society of America and Geochemical Society, Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, Volume 65. 2007. Paperback. ISBN-13 978-0-939950-77-5. Price US$40.00.

Fluid-fluid interactions—mixing, immiscibility, and phase separation—are frequently proposed as mechanisms of ore genesis. As is written in the introductory pages of this volume, “…immiscibility of fluids and the associated phenomena of multi-phase fluid flow are generally dealt with only in subsections…. This volume attempts to fill this gap…..and explicitly focus on the role that co-existing fluids play in the diverse geologic environments.” There is much didactic sense in a volume with this focus, if only because there are commonalities of the components and topologies of phase diagrams in multi-component fluid systems, whatever their compositions—magmas, aqueous solutions, or hydrocarbons. I congratulate the editors for their conception of a short course covering the physics and chemistry of coexisting geologic fluids at the 2007 Goldschmidt Conference in Koln and publication of the materials as a volume in the well-respected Mineralogical Society of America (MSA) Reviews series. The format is typical of the series, with chapters from different authors, in this case an international list dominantly from the Germanic and Scandinavian realm. The economic geologist should be aware that the …
Ionizing irradiation effects on S-phase in checkpoint mutants of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In mammalian cells, γ-irradiation activates checkpoint controls to delay entry into, or passage through S-phase, while chronic exposure to methyl methanesulfonate or hydroxyurea causes a similar delay in yeast. In yeast, at least five genes are involved: RAD9, RAD17, RAD24, RAD53 and MEC1, a homologue of ATM. Here, using flow cytometry analysis and alkaline sucrose gradient centrifugation of labeled, newly made DNA, we demonstrate, in synchronized RAD wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, that: (1) γ-irradiation at START delays entry into S-phase, (2) irradiation shortly before or during early S-phase delays completion of S-phase and (3) the latter response is largely a consequence of replicon initiation inhibition. The delay produced by irradiation during early S-phase depends on the function of the checkpoint genes RAD9, RAD17, RAD24, RAD53, MEC1 and MEC3. However, at least four, RAD17, RAD53, MEC1, MEC3, are not needed to delay S-phase progression when cells are irradiated shortly before S-phase begins.
The microwave spectrum, force field and dipole moment of CF2

Abstract Measurements of the microwave spectrum of CF 2 have been extended to include transitions up to J = 40. Using these extended measurements, a centrifugal distortion analysis has been performed and from the distortion constants, the force field, infrared spectrum, average structure, Coriolis coupling constants, and inertial defect have been calculated. The original assignment of the infrared spectrum has been confirmed. An improved value for the dipole moment, 0.469 ± 0.026 D, has been obtained.
Alternative male reproductive tactics in a natural population of prairie voles Microtus ochrogaster

Alternative reproductive tactics have been described in male mammals, but little information exists regarding fitness benefits and whether males change tactics. Adult male prairie voles Microtus ochrogaster (Wagner, 1842) display alternative tactics described as resident and wanderer. Enclosure studies provide conflicting data concerning the relative success of each tactic and whether males display one tactic throughout adulthood. To characterize further residents and wanderers in this species, we examined data collected during 5 years of monitoring a natural population in Illinois, USA. We found that during the breeding period, wandering males survived longer, moved longer distances, and were more likely than residents to have scrotal testes. During the nonbreeding period, wandering and resident males differed only in whether or not they established residency. Data on sources and fates of resident and wandering males revealed that a substantial proportion of males switched tactics. Our estimate of the reproductive contribution of wandering males to the population, which is based on the premise that wandering males typically mate with single females, suggests that wanderers contribute 34–38% of young recruited during March through October and 4–12% in November, when single females are less common. Parentage studies in natural populations are necessary to test our estimates.
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for poor-prognosis lymphoma: Response, toxicity, and survival depend on disease histology

Purpose To evaluate outcomes and identify prognostic factors in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients with end-stage lymphoma. Patients and methods Data were retrospectively analyzed of 64 patients (42 men and 22 women) 18 to 48 years of age with recurrent or refractory lymphoma who underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from matched sibling donors (or in 1 case from a one antigen-mismatched relative) between May 1981 and July 1994. Results Twelve patients survived free of disease. They were 8 of 15 with low-grade lymphoma (disease-free survival at 2 years 59% ± 13%); 3 of 25 with lymphoblastic lymphoma (disease-free survival 17% ± 8%); and 1 of 10 with diffuse small non-cleaved cell lymphoma (disease-free survival 10% ± 9%). Survival and disease-free survival of patients with low-grade lymphoma were significantly superior compared to any other subgroup of patients ( P P P ≤0.003). Conclusions Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is an effective procedure in patients with refractory low-grade lymphoma. It results in long-term remissions and should be considered in younger patients with recurrent disease who have a matched sibling donor. The late recurrence in 1 patient indicates the necessity of continued follow-up. A small fraction of patients with end-stage intermediate- and high-grade lymphoma can obtain prolonged disease-free survival, but recurrence and regimen-related toxicity remain major problems. The results could be improved by the development of conditioning regimens with less toxicity and by the use of bone marrow transplantation earlier in the course of the disease.
The morphology of Saturn's ultraviolet aurora

[1] Spectrographic images in the far ultraviolet, obtained from observations made from 2007 to 2009, are used to quantify and compare the morphology of Saturn's northern and southern aurora in local time. Made by the UVIS imager on the Cassini spacecraft, these observations differ from previous UV observations of Saturn's aurora by offering complete local time coverage of the aurora from small zenith angles. A statistical picture emerges after combining over 105 spectrographic images of the north and south aurora. From its composite, the northern aurora exhibits an intensity peak of ∼40 kR near 05 h local time, while the southern aurora peaks at ∼60 kR near the same local time. Aurora intensities in the post-noon sectors are essentially constant at ∼10 kR. The half-power points of latitudinal profiles reveal widths of ∼4° near dawn and ∼8° near dusk in both north and south. The aurora has an approximately circular shape (not oval!), although harmonic fits suggest the northern aurora is more nearly circular than the southern. The center of the northern aurora has an offset of ∼1–2° from the pole, while the southern center is offset by ∼2–3°, with both offsets in the midnight-to-dawn quadrant. When mapped to the polar regions, precipitation of field-aligned energetic electrons (>20 keV) generally lies equatorward of the main auroral intensity at all local times.
Pentamidine Congeners 1: Synthesis of Cis- and Trans-Butamidine Analogues As Anti-Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia Agents.

Butamidine analogues possessing unsaturation in the ether bridge between the bisamidinophenyl or bisimidazolinophenyl functionalities have been synthesized as semirigid congeners of pentamidine. These compounds demonstrated good anti-P. carinii pneumonia activity in a rat model of the disease.
Parental environment: effects on survival, growth and aggressive behaviors of 2 rodent species.

The influence of the parental environment on the development of aggressive behaviors was studied in 2 muroid rodent species. Litters of southern grasshopper mice and northern white-footed mice were reared by the natural parents or were reciprocally cross-fostered soon after birth to parents of the opposite species. After weaning at 24–26 days, mice of both species were isolated and observed at 10-day intervals from 30 to 100 days of age in one of the following tests: (1) predation on house crickets; (2) interspecific aggression toward Swiss-Webster laboratory mice; and (3) intraspecific aggression toward opponents of the same gender and approximate age. Naturally reared grasshopper mice males and females displayed extremely high levels of aggressive and predatory behaviors whereas white-footed mice controls were passive and defensive in all tests. Rearing by white-footed mice foster parents resulted in a significant decrease in the aggression of grasshopper mice males and females toward laboratory mice. During intraspecific encounters, fostered grasshopper mice initiated fewer social interactions than naturally reared controls. The predatory behavior of grasshopper mice was not altered by the fostering procedure. The behavioral measures of fostered white-footed mice showed no systematic changes when compared to controls. These results indicate that the postnatal parental environment contributes to the naturally high levels of aggressive behaviors of grasshopper mice. In contrast, the limited aggressive behaviors of a naturally passive species, white-footed mice, were not increased by fostering at birth to parents of a highly aggressive species, grasshopper mice.
The Supergravity Brane-World

We examine the Randall-Sundrum brane-world and demonstrate how it may be realized in terms of a doubled D3-brane configuration of type IIB theory. We further investigate the supersymmetry of the brane-world and show that, despite claims to the contrary, it is indeed compatible with supersymmetry. This result depends on having a higher dimensional origin for the model, which the type IIB realization provides.
Spanning the Racial Divide in American Public Opinion: Post-September 11

Scholars have opined that specific catastrophic events or general shocks to the populace can cause a measurable change in public opinion for issues directly related to the event or shock In this work, I argue that the events of 911 are a large enough impact to affect the racial divide in this country in relation to support for war. I develop and test this hypothesis empirically using a national survey conducted shortly after the events of 911. The results suggest that the racial divide is as large as or larger than it has been in our nation's history, even after controlling for varying levels of income and education among cognitively engaged individuals.
The Weighted Diamond-Difference Form of Nodal Transport Methods

Very high computational efficiencies have been achieved recently by introducing higher order approximations to nodal formalisms for the discrete ordinates, neutron transport equation. However, the ...
Hydrocephalus as a possible early symptom in a child with a spinal cord tumor

Spinal cord tumors are relatively uncommon in children. These tumors have been associated with increased intracranial pressure in both children and adults. An infant presented initially with hydrocephalus and subsequently developed symptoms consistent with spinal cord abnormalities. Various proposed etiologies for increased intracranial pressure in spinal cord tumors are presented. Spinal cord tumors should be considered in the presence of childhood hydrocephalus and increased intracranial pressure without a clearly defined etiology.
Package Size Reduction & Solder Joint Reliability for High Density Semiconductor Packaging

Semiconductor packaging development for high volume consumer products poses many unique challenges across several technical disciplines in order to deliver the performance, cost, and reliability targets demanded in today's markets. In this paper, we will focus on the challenges around implementing compact Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA) package solutions for semiconductor devices considering the interdependencies of printed circuit motherboard technology, motherboard assembly processes, and reliability requirements for the mobile personal computer market segment. The focus will be on interconnect density, package size and product requirements and strategies for balancing each of these considerations. The discussion includes an examination of the trade offs around various strategies for package size reduction and how they apply to different markets.
Income Differences in Perceived Neighborhood Environment Characteristics Among African American Women

Perceptions of neighborhood attributes for physical activity may be influenced by individual level income. This study examined differences in perceptions of neighborhood attributes for walking and bicycling in high and low income African American women. African American women (n = 388) aged 20–65 years completed the International Physical Activity Prevalence Study’s Environmental Survey Module. Independent t-tests determined differences in perceptions of neighborhood attributes by income group. Principal component factor analysis explored differences in factor structure for survey items. Low income African American women perceived their neighborhood as being less safe with regard to crime and traffic, having fewer free recreational opportunities, and having more public transportation stops nearby. Survey items weighed differently on each factor between income groups. Household income should be taken into consideration when interpreting perceptions of neighborhood for physical activity in African American women.
Becoming a Male Stripper: Recruitment, Socialization, and Ideological Development

Using interview data from fourteen male strippers, this article examines several occupational issues related to this nontraditional work role for men. The intention is to concentrate on the individual dynamics of becoming a male stripper. Specifically, we discuss (a) the situational contingencies affecting how males are recruited to stripping, (b) the socialization process they undergo, and (c) the outcome of socialization, which is the development of ideologies regarding the occupation of stripping. A secondary purpose is to put our findings in perspective by comparing and contrasting them with those on females involved in stripping.
Characterizing stroke lesions using digital templates and lesion quantification tools in a web-based imaging informatics system for a large-scale stroke rehabilitation clinical trial

Previously, we presented an Interdisciplinary Comprehensive Arm Rehabilitation Evaluation (ICARE) imaging informatics system that supports a large-scale phase III stroke rehabilitation trial. The ePR system is capable of displaying anonymized patient imaging studies and reports, and the system is accessible to multiple clinical trial sites and users across the United States via the web. However, the prior multicenter stroke rehabilitation trials lack any significant neuroimaging analysis infrastructure. In stroke related clinical trials, identification of the stroke lesion characteristics can be meaningful as recent research shows that lesion characteristics are related to stroke scale and functional recovery after stroke. To facilitate the stroke clinical trials, we hope to gain insight into specific lesion characteristics, such as vascular territory, for patients enrolled into large stroke rehabilitation trials. To enhance the system’s capability for data analysis and data reporting, we have integrated new features with the system: a digital brain template display, a lesion quantification tool and a digital case report form. The digital brain templates are compiled from published vascular territory templates at each of 5 angles of incidence. These templates were updated to include territories in the brainstem using a vascular territory atlas and the Medical Image Processing, Analysis and Visualization (MIPAV) tool. The digital templates are displayed for side-by-side comparisons and transparent template overlay onto patients’ images in the image viewer. The lesion quantification tool quantifies planimetric lesion area from user-defined contour. The digital case report form stores user input into a database, then displays contents in the interface to allow for reviewing, editing, and new inputs. In sum, the newly integrated system features provide the user with readily-accessible web-based tools to identify the vascular territory involved, estimate lesion area, and store these results in a web-based digital format.
Effect of Propionibacterium acnes-containing immunostimulant on interferon-gamma (IFNγ) production in the neonatal foal

Abstract Production of the Th1 cytokine interferon gamma (IFNγ) is associated with resistance to intracellular pathogens, including Rhodococcus equi . While neonatal foals are initially deficient in IFNγ production, expression of this cytokine increases throughout their first year of life. This is presumably the result of stimulation by environmental antigens including pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPS) signaling through toll-like receptors (TLR). This increased expression of IFNγ is likewise associated with an age-related resistance to R. equi infection. While immunostimulants containing PAMPS have been administered to adult horses in an attempt to modify their immune response, the effect of these materials on IFNγ expression in foals is unknown. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of administering a commercial immunomostimulant (EqStim ® ( Propionibacterium acnes ) on IFNγ production measured using intracellular staining (IFNγ) and RT-PCR.
Mood disturbance and pregnancy: pros and cons of pharmacologic treatment

The management of psychiatric disturbances during pregnancy, particularly depression and bipolar disorders, is complex. This article reviews the existing data regarding the impact of an untreated psychiatric illness on the infant's development. In addition, the potential risks to the fetus due to prenatal exposure to different psychotropic agents, including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and benzodiazepines, are summarized. Moreover, this article emphasizes that no decision is risk-free, and the ultimate goal is to reduce the exposure to both the illness and the potential teratogenic effects of the treatment. Therefore, clinicians should seek a treatment strategy, which poses the least risk for both mother and infant.
An improved low-Reynolds-number κ-ε turbulence model for recirculating flows

Abstract A revised form of the low-Reynolds-number κ—e turbulence model is presented that aptly describes recirculating (separated and reattached) flows. The revised model is well suited for low to moderate Reynolds numbers. It is applied to two-dimensional channel flows, flow over a backward facing step, and flow over a forward facing step to calculate flow fields and surface heat or mass transfer rates. Results from the present model are in better agreement with experimental data than other low-Reynoldsnumber models. Asymmetric flow through an array of rectangular cylinders, as well as in a two-dimensional symmetric sudden expansion duct, is found numerically and supported by experimental results.
In vitro fertilization for cancer patients and survivors.

Abstract Objective: To determine in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome in cancer patients. Design: Retrospective record review. Setting: Academic, hospital-based assisted reproductive technology (ART) program. Patient(s): Sixty-nine women undergoing 113 IVF/gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) cycles after cancer treatment in one partner, and 13 women undergoing 13 IVF cycles for embryo cryopreservation before chemotherapy/radiation. Intervention(s): IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), assisted hatching, and gamete intrafallopian transfer as indicated. Main Outcome Measure(s): Delivery rate, spontaneous abortion rate, number of embryos cryopreserved, cancer diagnosis, systemic or local cancer treatment, female age, amount of gonadotropin used, treatment duration, peak estradiol level, and number of oocytes and embryos. Result(s): The women undergoing IVF after chemotherapy had poorer responses to gonadotropins than did the women with locally treated cancers even though they were younger (33.5 ± 1.3 vs. 36.5 ± 0.5 years; P P =NS]). The women who had cryopreserved all embryos before chemotherapy produced more oocytes (18.7 ± 3.2 vs. 14.5 ± 1.2) and embryos (11.3 ± 1.9 vs. 7.5 ± 0.7) than did the women who had had a history of local cancer treatment. Male factor infertility as a result of cancer treatment is well treated with IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, where indicated (32% delivery rate/cycle), with no difference between the frozen sperm banked before cancer treatment and fresh sperm produced after treatment. Conclusion(s): Chemotherapy diminishes the response to ovulation induction in assisted reproductive technologies. IVF with cryopreservation of embryos allows embryo banking before chemotherapy for women who have been newly diagnosed with cancer. Factors related to the partner affect the success of IVF for male factor infertility as a result of cancer treatment.
Learning about Minerals through the Art of Jewelry Making: A Multicultural Science Connection

ABSTRACT This article presents an activity that focuses on helping students investigate the formation of rocks, minerals, and gemstones. Students describe visual, textual, and physical properties of various specimens of minerals. Using compare and contrast skills, students can classify the primary types of rock, ask questions about the Earth's inner processes that result in the formation of our natural resources, and discuss cross-cultural traditions’ perspectives on many of our Earth's natural resources. In this multicultural science activity, children actively engage in a hands-on lesson that allows them to visualize and appreciate the beauty of the Earth's natural resources through the art of jewelry making. This lesson provides an artistic approach to science as students explore various properties of the Earth's materials and physical properties of matter.
Effects of PaCO2 derangements on clinical outcomes after cerebral injury: A systematic review

Abstract Objective Partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO 2 ) is a major regulator of cerebral blood flow (CBF). Derangements in PaCO 2 have been thought to worsen clinical outcomes after many forms of cerebral injury by altering CBF. Our aim was to systematically analyze the biomedical literature to determine the effects of PaCO 2 derangements on clinical outcomes after cerebral injury. Methods We performed a search of Cochrane Library, PUBMED, CINHAL, conference proceedings, and other sources using a comprehensive strategy. Study inclusion criteria were (1) human subjects; (2) cerebral injury; (3) mechanical ventilation post-injury; (4) measurement of PaCO 2 ; and (5) comparison of a clinical outcome measure (e.g. mortality) between different PaCO 2 exposures. We performed a qualitative analysis to collate and summarize effects of PaCO 2 derangements according to the recommended methodology from the Cochrane Handbook. Results Seventeen studies involving different etiologies of cerebral injury (six traumatic brain injury, six post-cardiac arrest syndrome, two cerebral vascular accident, three neonatal ischemic encephalopathy) met all inclusion and no exclusion criteria. Three randomized control trials were identified and only one was considered a high quality study as per the Cochrane criteria for assessing risk of bias. In 13/17 (76%) studies examining hypocapnia, and 7/10 (70%) studies examining hypercapnia, the exposed group (hypercapnia or hypocapnia) was associated with poor clinical outcome. Conclusion The majority of studies in this report found exposure to hypocapnia and hypercapnia after cerebral injury to be associated with poor clinical outcome. However, the optimal PaCO 2 range associated with good clinical outcome remains unclear.
The Contribution of Ant-Plant Protection Studies to Our Understanding of Mutualism'

One common class of ant-plant mutualism involves ants that defend plants from natural enemies in return for food and sometimes shelter. Studies of these interactions have played a major role in shaping our broad understanding of mutualism. Their central contribution has come via their development of approaches to measuring the benefits, costs, and net outcomes of mutualism, and their explicit consideration of variability in all of these phenomena. Current research on these interactions is suggesting ecological and evolutionary hypotheses that may be applicable to many other forms of mutualism. It is also generating comparative data for testing the few general theories about mutualism that currently exist.
Multiset Permutations and Loopless Generation of Ordered Trees with Specified Degree Sequence

An ordered tree with specified degree sequence and n internal nodes has ai nodes of degree i, where a0=1+?i=1(i?1)ai and n=?i=0ai. This paper presents the first loopless algorithm for generating all ordered trees with specified degree sequence. It uses a new version of the algorithm for generating multiset permutations. When ak=N, a0=(k?1)N+1, and all other ai's are 0, all N node k-ary trees are generated.
Surface thermodynamics of liquid mixtures

The surface tensions of both simple and complex liquid mixtures are considered. It is shown that the surface tensions of mixtures of simple liquids can be predicted well from a model utilizing the concept of a regular surface solution. For complex mixtures, the use of a parameter reflecting the difference in characteristic energy between the bulk liquid and the surface leads to a good fit of the data for a number of systems. On etudie les tensions superficielles de melanges liquids, simples et complexes, et y indique qu'on peut predire ďune maniere satisfaisante celles des melanges de liquides simples au moyen ďun modele ou ľon utilise le concept ďune solution a surface reguliere. Dans le cas de melanges complexes, ľemploi ďun parametre qui indique la difference en energie caracteristique entre la masse du liquide et la surface conduit a ľobtention de renseignements qui s'appliquent a un certain nombre de systemes.
Median rhomboid glossitis: A developmental anomaly?

Abstract Although median rhomboid glossitis has traditionally been attributed to an embryologic fault, no case of this disorder has ever been reported in a young child. It appears much more likely that the lesion is of an inflammatory, infectious, or degenerative nature.
Speed of Telemedicine vs Ophthalmoscopy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Diagnosis

Purpose To compare the speed of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) diagnosis using standard indirect ophthalmoscopy with that of telemedicine. Design Prospective, comparative study. Methods Three study examiners (2 pediatric retinal specialists [R.V.P.C., T.C.L.] and 1 pediatric ophthalmologist [M.F.C.]) conducted ROP diagnosis via standard indirect ophthalmoscopy and telemedicine. Each examiner performed: 1) standard ophthalmoscopy on 72 to 150 consecutive infants at his respective institution and 2) telemedical diagnosis on 125 consecutive deidentified retinal image sets from infants from an at-risk population. Time for ophthalmoscopic diagnosis was measured in 2 ways: 1) time spent by the examiner at the infant's bedside and 2) mean total time commitment per infant. Time for telemedicine diagnosis was recorded by computer time stamps in the web-based system. For each examiner, nonparametric statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney U test) was used to compare the distribution of times for examination by ophthalmoscopy vs telemedicine. Results Mean (± standard deviation [SD]) times for ophthalmoscopic diagnosis ranged from 4.17 (± 1.34) minutes to 6.63 (± 2.28) minutes per infant. Mean (± SD) times for telemedicine diagnosis ranged from 1.02 (± 0.27) minutes to 1.75 (± 0.80) minutes per infant. Telemedicine was significantly faster than ophthalmoscopy (P Conclusions The ophthalmologist time requirement for telemedical ROP diagnosis is significantly less than that for ophthalmoscopic diagnosis. Additional time requirements associated with bedside ROP diagnosis increased this disparity. Telemedicine has potential to alleviate the time commitment for ophthalmologists who manage ROP.
The Effect of Cecal Coccidiosis on the Blood Cells of the Domestic Fowl 2. The Changes in the Blood Volume During the Course of the Infection

Abstract INTRODUCTION PREVIOUS studies on the total erythrocyte count and the hematocrit value of chickens severely infected with cecal coccidiosis have shown that during the hemorrhagic phase of the disease the erythrocyte number per unit volume of blood decreases approximately fifty percent (Natt and Herrick, in press). From these data, one may conclude that the chickens lost an average of fifty percent of their total erythrocytes from the hemorrhage. This assumption may not be justified, however, since one must also take into consideration the changes in the total plasma volume of the animal. As the total erythrocyte count and hematocrit value are essentially ratios of cells to plasma in a specific quantity of blood, any increase or decrease in the total plasma volume of the animal can be reflected in the erythrocyte count or the hematocrit value even though the total erythrocyte number of the animal remains constant. Accordingly, studies were …
Stock level distributions for (s,S) inventory problems†

The transient probability distribution for the stock level is found for the (s,S) inventory model. An integral equation is obtained for the stock level distribution from the state equations. The integral equation is solved in terms of a parameter, which is obtained by solving a renewal type equation. The steady-state results are then obtained from the transient solutions.
The Contribution of Reinhold Niebuhr's ‘Moral Ambiguity’ to Contemporary Discussions on the Morality of Intervention and the Use of Force in a Post-Cold War World

The post-Cold War world poses challenges to traditional principles guiding the ethics of the use of force. Military intervention and the current war on terror are two phenomena that challenge just war criteria such as just cause, right authority, and reasonable hope for success. The just war tradition is helpful but needs to be expanded and re-thought to address the pressing issues of our time. This paper suggests Reinhold Niebuhr's category of ‘moral ambiguity’ as a contribution to the discussion. His application of moral ambiguity to his situation during World War II and the Cold War witnesses to the depth that such a category can add to current international circumstances fraught with moral complexity. Though it too requires critique, contemporary discussions on military intervention reflect many of Niebuhr's evaluations of the ambiguity in the use of force as different global actors seek humane alternatives to provide relief to intense human suffering.
AXR1 promotes the Arabidopsis cytokinin response by facilitating ARR5 proteolysis.

Summary The plant hormone cytokinin plays essential roles in many aspects of growth and development. The cytokinin signal is transmitted by a multi-step phosphorelay to the members of two functionally antagonistic classes of Arabidopsis response regulators (ARRs): type B ARRs (response activators) and type A ARRs (negative-feedback regulators). Previous studies have shown that mutations in AXR1, encoding a subunit of the E1 enzyme in the RUB (related to ubiquitin) modification pathway, lead to decreased cytokinin sensitivity. Here we show that the cytokinin resistance of axr1 seedlings is suppressed by loss of function of the type A ARR family member ARR5. Based on the established role of the RUB pathway in ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, these data suggest that AXR1 promotes the cytokinin response by facilitating type A ARR degradation. Indeed, both genetic (axr1 mutants) and chemical (MLN4924) suppression of RUB E1 increased ARR5 stability, suggesting that the ubiquitin ligase that promotes ARR5 proteolysis requires RUB modification for optimal activity.