cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The wounding of Alexander the Great in Cyropolis (329 BC): The first reported case of the syndrome of transient cortical blindness?

I believe that the transient blindness which presented Alexander the Great after his being wounded on his head and/or his neck by a stone from a catapult during the siege of Cyropolis (329 BC) was in all probability a case of transient cortical blindness that was recognized as a special entity in the 1960s. I reached this conclusion after the comparative study of the Emperor's clinical picture provided by ancient texts, especially those of Plutarch and Quintus Curtius Rufus, with that of a modern medical bibliography.
Hydrocarbons reported off northern California coast

The USGS reports finding the first concentrations of hydrocarbons off the northern California coast in a sea floor sample taken about 40 km. east of Eureka. Analyzed aboard RV Sea Sounder, the 1.6-m gravity core was found to contain anomalously high amounts of natural gases, ranging from methane to butane. The sample was collected and examined by Michael E. Field, Keith A. Kvenvolden, and Samuel H. Clarke, Jr. It was taken in November from a small pond of sediment near the crest of a knoll about 500 m below the sea surface on the Eel Plateau. The knoll, say the scientists, is a diapir-like structure similar in some respects to the salt domes in the petroleum regions of Texas and the Gulf of Mexico.
The Effect of Glycerol Treatment of Voltage-Clamped Snake Muscle Fibers

The effect of glycerol treatment on the membrane currents and tension development was studied in voltage clamped snake muscle fibers. In muscle fibers which were exposed for 1 h to a normal saline containing 400 mM glycerol and then returned to a normal medium, graded depolarizations did not accompany contractile responses. However, when the fiber was depolarized to a certain level, an increment of outward current appeared which partially inactivated with time. The threshold for delayed rectification in glycerol-treated fibers was almost the same as that of intact fibers in spite of the absence of contractile tension. The results suggest that the delayed rectification may be attributed at least in part to the surface membrane and that the contractile activation probably does not depend simply on the inactivating outward currents through the delayed rectification channel.
Cochlear neuronal populations in developmental defects of the inner ear. Implications for cochlear implantation.

A histological study was made to determine the cochlear neuronal populations of 20 human ears having hearing loss caused by developmental defects. The neuronal populations ranged from 7677 in an ear with Mondini dysplasia to 30753 in an ear with DiGeorge's syndrome, the norm for young human subjects being 35000 neurons. The length of the cochlear (spiral) ganglion varied from 7.3 mm to 14.8 mm, the norm for human subjects being 12 mm. The sensorineural hearing losses in all cases were attributable to malformation or degeneration of the sensorineural structures. The hearing loss was moderate in one case of Alport's syndrome, severe in one case of Usher's syndrome and in one case of severe Mondini dysplasia; it was profound in one case of maternal rubella, one of congenital deafness of unknown cause, another case of severe Mondini dysplasia and one of Down's syndrome (Trisomy 21). One case of mild Mondini dysplasia and one of DiGeorge's syndrome were known to have normal hearing. In 4 other cases hearing st...
The Marmoset Model of GB Virus B Infections: Adaptation to Host Phenotypic Variation

Approximately 3% of the world population is chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV infection is the leading cause of liver transplantation in the United States (1, 40), and liver cancer due to HCV infection is one of the most rapidly increasing types of cancer in the United States (19). The only animal model for HCV infection is the chimpanzee, which has numerous drawbacks. Therefore, GB virus B (GBV-B) infection of tamarins represents an important small primate surrogate model for HCV infections (3, 4). Due to the limited availability of tamarins, our laboratory and others (5, 16, 20, 21) initiated GBV-B studies with common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate closely related to the tamarin (Saguinus sp.). The tamarin and marmoset represent smaller, less expensive, and more-readily available animal models than the chimpanzee. The history of the GB agent originates with the inoculation of tamarins with serum obtained from a surgeon with hepatitis in an attempt to pass a human hepatitis agent in an animal model (for a review, see reference 4). Subsequently, two viruses were cloned from the tamarin, GBV-A and GBV-B (28, 34). It is now assumed that both viruses were natural tamarin viruses and were not passed to the tamarin from the surgeon; however, GBV-B has not been isolated a second time from tamarins and, the surgeon's serum is no longer available for testing. GBV-B has a very narrow host range for tamarins, marmosets, and other closely related New World monkeys (this study; 6, 21). The organization of the GBV-B genome is very similar to that for HCV. The GBV-B polyprotein encodes 10 proteins, including the structural proteins at the amino terminus (core, E1, E2, and p13) and the nonstructural proteins at the carboxy terminus (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A, and NS5B) (15). The RNA genome contains secondary structures in the 5′ and 3′ noncoding regions (NCR), and cis RNA elements are located in the 5′ and 3′ NCR and, if similar to those in HCV, in the NS5B coding region (for a review, see reference 37). In this study, we examined the virus-host interactions of GBV-B during serial passage in marmosets. On the basis of infection profiles, we found that marmosets displayed two phenotypes, the susceptible and partially resistant phenotypes, and that GBV-B was able to rapidly adapt when passaged through a partially resistant marmoset. Once GBV-B adapted, the partially resistant phenotype was not observed again. Furthermore, a modified GBV-B clone was able to replicate in marmosets, and the susceptible and partially resistant phenotypes were reproduced. Sequence mutations observed in GBV-B after passage in partially resistant marmosets may reflect changes that improved interaction with host proteins critical for efficient replication or that allowed innate immune evasion. Furthermore, genetic variation among marmosets may predispose animals to a partially resistant or susceptible phenotype.
An Improved Mitral Valve Prosthesis

Abstract A Dacron velour–covered, Teflon-disc mitral valve prosthesis was developed in an effort to reduce thromboembolic complications of mitral valve replacement. A 12- to 28-month follow-up of 202 patients receiving these prostheses demonstrated only a 4.5% total incidence of such complications. However, a continuing search has been made for more durable materials. The most promising of these has been Pyrolite carbon, which now has been used for both the disc and the struts. Sacrifice of calves at intervals up to 12 months with scanning electron microscopical studies has demonstrated a disc and strut wear curve projecting 140 years prior to penetration of the Pyrolite carbon coating. Orifice and frustum areas of all sizes have been enlarged without change in mounting diameter. Clinical investigations of this prosthesis in several centers have been associated with as low an incidence of thromboembolic complications as that achieved with the Teflon-disc prosthesis. This improved prosthesis now has been released for general use.
Relative potency of analogues of excitatory amino acids on hippocampal CA1 neurons.

The relative potency of analogues of excitatory amino acids to produce depolarization when applied in the apical dendritic field of CA1 cells was studied in the hippocampal slice. The effect of these compounds was measured by recording focal potentials (FPs), the shift in the extracellular d.c. potential produced by the compounds applied. The ability of focal potentials to measure neuronal responses was evaluated. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-type agonists were 10-20 times more potent, relative to L-glutamate, than reported from investigations in spinal cord. Quisqualate (QA), +/- alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and kainate (KA) exhibited potencies on CA1 cells similar to those reported for spinal neurons. These data indicate that elements in CA1 cells possess a receptor with an affinity for N-methyl-D-aspartate-type agonists. Some putative antagonists were found to induce negative focal potentials suggesting a direct, excitatory action in this area.
Oscillatory Thermal Structures in a Reattaching Jet Flow

Spatially varying surface temperature oscillations in a nominally steady reattaching slot jet at a Reynolds number (Re) of 5000 are analyzed using Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) for two nozzle-to-surface spacings, and three exit openings of the nozzle. The surface temperature data in these experiments were recorded using infrared thermography at a frequency of 20 Hz along two selected lines on the impingement surface corresponding to geometrically similar and dissimilar regions within the reattachment curtain. The magnitude of temperature oscillations were found to increase with an increase in exit opening for the larger nozzle spacing. The POD analysis results indicate that a majority of the temperature flucutations are well captured by 15 dominant modes. In many cases, the three dominant modes accounted for approximately 60 percent of the variance in surface temperature fluctuation.
Computational experience with a group theoretic integer programming algorithm

This paper gives specific computational details and experience with a group theoretic integer programming algorithm. Included among the subroutines are a matrix reduction scheme for obtaining group representations, network algorithms for solving group optimization problems, and a branch and bound search for finding optimal integer programming solutions. The innovative subroutines are shown to be efficient to compute and effective in finding good integer programming solutions and providing strong lower bounds for the branch and bound search.
Monitoring influenza activity in the United States: a comparison of traditional surveillance systems with Google Flu Trends.

Background Google Flu Trends was developed to estimate US influenza-like illness (ILI) rates from internet searches; however ILI does not necessarily correlate with actual influenza virus infections. Methods and Findings Influenza activity data from 2003–04 through 2007–08 were obtained from three US surveillance systems: Google Flu Trends, CDC Outpatient ILI Surveillance Network (CDC ILI Surveillance), and US Influenza Virologic Surveillance System (CDC Virus Surveillance). Pearson's correlation coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to compare surveillance data. An analysis was performed to investigate outlier observations and determine the extent to which they affected the correlations between surveillance data. Pearson's correlation coefficient describing Google Flu Trends and CDC Virus Surveillance over the study period was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.79). The correlation between CDC ILI Surveillance and CDC Virus Surveillance over the same period was 0.85 (95% CI: 0.81, 0.89). Most of the outlier observations in both comparisons were from the 2003–04 influenza season. Exclusion of the outlier observations did not substantially improve the correlation between Google Flu Trends and CDC Virus Surveillance (0.82; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.87) or CDC ILI Surveillance and CDC Virus Surveillance (0.86; 95%CI: 0.82, 0.90). Conclusions This analysis demonstrates that while Google Flu Trends is highly correlated with rates of ILI, it has a lower correlation with surveillance for laboratory-confirmed influenza. Most of the outlier observations occurred during the 2003–04 influenza season that was characterized by early and intense influenza activity, which potentially altered health care seeking behavior, physician testing practices, and internet search behavior.
Concrete model theory for a class of operators with unitary part

Abstract Let m and vt, 0 ⩽ t ⩽ 2π be measures on T = [0, 2π] with m smooth. Consider the direct integral H = ⊕L2(vt) dm(t) and the operator (Lƒ)(t, λ) = e −iλ ƒ(t, λ) − 2e −iλ ∫ t 2π ∫ T ƒ(s, x) e(s, t) dv s (x) dm(s) on H , where e(s, t) = exp ∫st ∫T dvλ(θ) dm(λ). Let μt be the measure defined by ∫ T ƒ(x) dμ t (x) = ∫ 0 t ∫ T ƒ(x) dv s dm(s) for all continuous ƒ, and let ϑt(z) = exp[−∫ (eiθ + z)(eiθ − z)−1 dμt(gq)]. Call {vt} regular iff for all t, ¦ϑ t (e iθ )¦ = ¦ϑ 2π (e iθ )¦ for 1 a.e.
Change in Relationship of Blood Volume to Weight in Congestive Heart Failure

Blood volume has been estimated in a small group of nonedematous hospitalized patients and in cardiac patients in severe congestive failure by both Cr51-labeled red cells and iodinated (I131) human serum albumin. In the analysis of the data attention is directed to a fallacy inherent in the usual ratio method of relating blood volume to weight. An alternative method of analysis is proposed that not only yields greater accuracy, but makes the analysis more sensitive. The authors present their interpretation of the effects of tissue wasting and accumulation of edema fluid on the changes in the relationship between blood volume and weight in congestive heart failure. Analyzing other data from the literature by this method the authors have demonstrated a relationship between the amount of edema fluid and the increase in blood volume in congestive failure.
Discover our Earth: An Earth Science Information System for undergraduate education

In many scientific disciplines, there are currently several large-scale efforts to build comprehensive information management systems. Cornell University's Geoscience Information Systems Project (http://atlas.geo.cornell.edu/) is one of the larger efforts designed to build such a system for geoscience research [Seber et al., 1997; Seber et al., 2000]. Utilizing this resource in education activities has great potential for improving the quality of Earth science education. This article summarizes our work on developing education applications, and discusses issues related to building interactive information systems for education purposes.
Nitrogen rate and cultivar effects on nitrogen and nitrate concentration of sweet potato leaf tissue

Abstract The effects of 4 ? application levels, 0, 45, 90, and 135 kg N/ha, and 2 cultivars, ‘Centennial’ and ‘Jewel’, on total ? and NO3‐N concentration of leaf blades and NO3‐N concentration of petioles were determined in 2 field experiments. The concentrations of NO3‐N in petioles of ‘Centennial’ plants were much higher than those of ‘Jewel’ plants. Petiole NO3‐N concentrations were more sensitive to differences in soil ? application levels than blade total ? concentrations. Petiole NO3‐N concentrations were also affected by plant age at sampling. While petiole NO3‐N concentration was a reliable indicator of current ? status of the plants, total ? concentration of blades appeared to be a more reliable predictor of yield. Critical concentrations of total ? in blades associated with a 5% reduction in total marketable root yield were 3.0 and 3.2% for ‘Centennial’ and ‘Jewel’, respectively.
The use of alumina “SepPaks®” as a simple method for the removal and determination of tungsten-188 breakthrough from tungsten-188/rhenium-188 generators

Abstract A simple method using an alumina SepPak ® has been developed to determine the breakthrough levels of 188 W from 188 W/ 188 Re generator systems. Detection of low levels of 188 W in the presence of high levels of 188 Re (155 keV, 15%) by traditional counting techniques is not possible because the 188 W parent emits gamma photons of only very low intensity at 227 keV (0.22%) and 290 keV (0.40%). In order to remove and quantitate levels of 188 W in “real time” without having to wait several days for decay of the 188 Re caughter, the use of an alumina SepPak ® in tandem with the alumina generator is an effective technique to trap the 188 W breakthrough. The efficiency of this technique was demonstrated by doping 2 mCi of 188 Re with 2 μCi of 188 W. This doped sample provided a control which would correspond to a very high breakthrough value (0.1%), which is 10 3 times greater than the usual breakthrough of the alumina system ( −4 %). Even these very high levels of 188 W could not be detected by gamma-ray spectroscopy in the presence of the 188 Re. When the eluant was subsequently passed through an acid-washed alumina SepPak ® followed by thorough washing (20 mL) with 0.9% NaCl, however, the 227 and 290 keV gamma lines were clearly detected, which facilitated quantification of the 188 W breakthrough levels. Breakthrough levels 1000 times lower could still be detected by this method, making it a useful quality control tool in assessing 188 W/ 188 Re generator performance.
Urban geology of boulder, colorado: A progress report

A cooperative program in urban geology between the city of Boulder, Colorado, and the Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, has been in effect since late 1969. The principal geological problems in the rapidly growing urban environment of Boulder include: The Boulder city geologist collects data on soils exposed in open excavations within the city, maps ancient and modern landslides, provides information for contractors bidding on public works projects, and reviews the geologic aspects of all consulting work prepared for the city. Examples of formats used for the communication of information to responsible city officials include geotechnic maps of all open cuts, street pavement design maps, and input into the city-wide standard specifications for enginnering projects.
Introducing time in reaction systems

Reaction systems are a formal model of interactions between biochemical reactions. The main observation underlying the formulation of this model is that such interactions are based on two basic mechanisms: facilitation and inhibition. This paper continues the investigation of reaction systems, and in particular, it proposes a formal framework for introducing time into reaction systems. Within this framework one can formally define and investigate notions such as reaction times, creation times of compounds, their life spans, etc.
Inter- and Intraindividual Variability in Ketamine Dosage in Repetitive Invasive Procedures in Children with Malignancies

Midazolam/ketamine sedation has been used successfully in children undergoing painful invasive procedures. The authors prospectively assessed inter- and intra-individual variability in ketamine dosage for sedation in repetitive invasive procedures in children with malignancies. A total of 92 invasive procedures (58 lumbar punctures, 34 bone marrow biopsies; range: 2–9 procedures/patient) were performed on 25 children (median age: 12 years). Intravenous sedation consisted of 0.1 mg midazolam/kg and 0.5–1.0 mg ketamine/kg. Incremental dosages of ketamine (0.33 mg/kg) were given if necessary to achieve or maintain deep sedation. Primary outcome measure was the inter- and intraindividual ketamine dosage required to achieve adequate sedation; secondary outcome measures were the number of procedures with adequate sedation (Ramsay score of >4), the number of adverse side effects, and the need for therapeutic interventions. All 92 invasive procedures were completed with satisfactory sedation levels in 88 procedur...
Comparison of Lignin-Like Polymers Produced Peroxidatively by Cinnamic Acid Derivatives in Leaf Sections of Phleum.

Using the quantitative techniques for lignin determination described previously for herbaceous grasses (14), the study of the production of lignin-like polymers by peroxidation of phenolic compounds such as eugenol and ferulic acid has been extended to include p-hydroxycinnamic and sinapic acids and coniferyl alcohol. All of these substrates give slightly different products, some of them more similar than others to the lignin isolated from mature timothy grass, Phleum pratense L. This lignin has been characterized by its solubility in 0.5 N NaOH, by an ionization difference spectrum with relatively high peaks in the 350 my region and smaller ones at 250 my. and 300 mg, a negative minimum in the 280 mA region, and by the presence of hydroxybenzylalcohol groups (14). These results support the general scheme (fig 5) of immediate precursors of the p-hydroxyl phenyl, guaiacyl, and sinapyl moieties of lignins in plants as elucidated by several groups of workers (3, 6,10), but illustrate possible basic differences between the formation of the more highly polymerized lignin of woody plants and the smaller more soluble polymers typical of herbaceous plants.
Natural Convection Along Slender Vertical Cylinders With Variable Surface Temperature

Natural convection in laminar boundary layers along slender vertical cylinders is analyzed for the situation in which the wall temperature T{sub w}(x) varies arbitrarily with the axial coordinate x. The governing boundary layer equations along with the boundary conditions are first cast into a dimensionless form by a nonsimilar transformation and the resulting system of equations is then solved by a finite difference method in conjunction with the cubic spline interpolation technique. As an example, numerical results were obtained for the case of T{sub w}(x) = T{infinity} + ax{sup n}, a power-law wall temperature variation. They cover Prandtl numbers of 0.1, 0.7, 7, and 100 over a wide range of values of the surface curvature parameter. Representative local Nusselt number as well as velocity and temperature profiles are presented. Correlation equations for the local and average Nusselt numbers are also given.
Effects of agriculture on discharges of nutrients from Coastal Plain watersheds of Chesapeake Bay

We measured annual discharges of water, sediments, and nutrients from 17 Chesapeake Bay watersheds with differing proportions of agricultural lands on the inner, central, and outer Coastal Plain. In all regions of the Coastal Plain, the flow-weighted mean concentrations of N species in watershed discharge increased as the proportion of cropland in the watershed increased. In contrast, the concentrations of P species did not correlate with any land use. Instead, P concentrations correlated with the concentration of suspended particles, which differed greatly among watersheds in different regions of the Coastal Plain. Consequently, the ratio of N/P in discharges differed widely among watersheds, potentially affecting N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth in the receiving waters. Concentrations of dissolved silicate, organic C, pH, and alkalinity in discharges did not differ greatly among watersheds or correlate with land use. Nitrogen discharge correlated with net anthropogenic inputs of N to the watershed, but usually less than one-third of the net anthropogenic inputs were discharged.
Nonrevisiting cycles on surfaces

Abstract A polyhedral map on a surface is a 2-cell embedding of a connected graph on the surface such that the intersection of any two faces of the map is either empty, a single vertex, or a single edge. For a polyhedral map M, the question of the existence of a nonplanar cycle whose intersection with every face of M is either connected or empty (such a cycle is said to be nonrevisiting), remains open. The only surfaces that are known to have such cycles are the projective plane, torus, and Klein bottle (Barnette, Discrete Math. 70 (1988) 1–16). This paper uses the notion of a polygonal representation of a polyhedral map to extend the result in Barnette (1988) to a class of polyhedral maps on the double torus and connected sum of three projective planes. In this regard, a graph coloring conjecture is proposed and is shown to be true for K 3, 3 and all planar graphs.
Mathematical modeling of molecular diffusion through mucus

The rate of molecular transport through the mucus gel can be an important determinant of efficacy for therapeutic agents delivered by oral, intranasal, intravaginal/rectal, and intraocular routes. Transport through mucus can be described by mathematical models based on principles of physical chemistry and known characteristics of the mucus gel, its constituents, and of the drug itself. In this paper, we review mathematical models of molecular diffusion in mucus, as well as the techniques commonly used to measure diffusion of solutes in the mucus gel, mucus gel mimics, and mucosal epithelia.
Home ownership, social insurance, and the welfare state

Home ownership has potentially significant consequences for welfare state policy. High owner-occupancy rates may function as private insurance where social spending is low (a substitution effect). Alternatively, state income redistribution policies could raise the number of home owners (an income effect). Cross-national time-series data show that social spending is negatively related to home ownership, and mediates the positive relationship between income inequality and owner-occupancy rates. This suggests that owner-occupancy acts as a form of social insurance over the life course. Future welfare state researchers should consider the issue of home ownership in analyses of inequality and the social safety net.
The impact of September 11 on dreaming

This study focuses on a set of dreams related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and their aftermath, using content analysis and cognitive psychology to explore the interweaving of external public catastrophe and internal psychological processes. The study tests several recent claims in contemporary dream research, including the central image theory of Hartmann [Hartmann, E., & Basile, R. (2003). Dream imagery becomes more intense after 9/11/01. Dreaming, 13(2), 61-66; Hartmann, E., & Brezler, T. (2008). A systematic change in dreams after 9/11/01. Sleep, 31(2), 213-218], the media exposure factor postulated by Propper [Propper, R. E., Stickgold, R., Keeley, R., & Christman, S. D. (2007). Is television traumatic? Dreams, stress, and media exposure in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Psychological Science, 18(4), 334-340], the continuity hypothesis of Domhoff [Domhoff, W. G. (1996). Finding meaning in dreams: A quantitative approach. New York: Plenum], the cognitive and metacognitive approach of Kahan [Kahan, T. L. (2001). Consciousness in dreaming: A metacognitive approach. In K. Bulkeley (Ed.), Dreams: A reader on the religious, cultural, and psychological dimensions of dreaming (pp. 333-360). New York: Palgrave], and the threat simulation theory of Revonsuo [Revonsuo, A. (2000). The reinterpretation of dreams: An evolutionary hypothesis of the function of dreaming. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23(6), 877-901]. Our findings suggest the terrorist attacks had a tangible impact on the content of many people's dreams, but did not fundamentally alter the cognitive processing features of their dreaming. The 9/11 attacks affected what they dreamed about, but not the way they dreamed.
The density and expansibility of artificial seawater solutions from 0 to 40°C and 0 to 21‰ chlorinity

Abstract The density of artificial seawater has been measured with a magnetic float densitometer at 1 atm. from 0 to 40°C (in 5° intervals) and from 0 to 21‰ chlorinity. The densities at each temperature have been fitted to a modified Root (1933) equation, d = d 0 + A V ′ Cl V + B V ′ Cl V 3 2 and an equation based on the Debye-Huckel limiting law, d = d 0 + A V Cl V + B V Cl V 3 2 + C V Cl V 2 where AV′, BV′, AV, BV and CV are temperature-dependent constants (related to the ion-water and ion-ion interactions of the major components), d0 is the density of pure water and ClV is the volume chlorinity — Cl V = Cl (‰) × density . The densities fit these equations to ±9 p.p.m. from 0 to 25°C and ±18 p.p.m. from 30 to 40°C. The densities for artificial seawater are in good agreement with our measurements of Copenhagen seawater and the results for natural seawater obtained from Knudsen's tables. The expansibilities of the artificial seawater mixtures have been calculated from the temperature dependence of the densities. The resulting expansibilities at each temperature were fitted to the equations α = α 0 + A E ′ Cl V + B E ′ Cl V 3 2 and α = α 0 + A E Cl V + B E Cl V 3 2 + C E Cl V 2 where AE′, BE′, AE, BE and CE are constants (related to the effect of temperature on the ion-water and ion-ion interactions of the major components) and α0 is the expansibility of pure water. The expansibilities fit these equations to ±1 p.p.m. and at 35‰ S agree within ±1 p.p.m. with the expansibilities obtained for natural seawater from Knudsen's tables. Theoretical density and expansibility constants have been determined from the apparent equivalent volumes and expansibilities of the major components of seawater by using the additivity principle. The average deviations of the calculated densities and expansibilities are, respectively, ±20 and ±3 p.p.m. over the entire temperature range.
Variation in and Factors Associated With Use of Episiotomy

Episiotomy is a common obstetric procedure, estimated to be performed in 25% of vaginal deliveries in the United States in 2004.1 Restrictive use of episiotomy has been recommended given the risks of the procedure and unclear benefits of routine use. In 2006, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended against routine episiotomy,2 and, in 2008, the National Quality Forum recognized limiting routine episiotomy as an important measure of quality and patient safety, noting increased risks of pain, laceration, and anal incontinence with the procedure.
Better Informing Efforts to Increase Latino Student Success in Higher Education

Student-oriented institutional research capacities of colleges and universities provide the means to gather, combine, and analyze a great deal of information about students’ academic preparation for undergraduate and for graduate education, their academic and other experiences while pursuing their degrees, and their academic progress and development. Thus, these capacities represent an extremely valuable resource for leaders of colleges and universities as they seek to develop more effective policies, programs, and practices for improving academic outcomes for Latinos in higher education. This article offers a number of recommendations for using institutional research capacities for this purpose.
Current conveyors, operational amplifiers and nullors

Nullors are used to provide a common framework for considering both current-conveyor and operational-amplifier circuits. A condition is established under which a current-conveyor circuit and an op-amp circuit can be said to be equivalent. A procedure is given for generating equivalent op-amp and current-conveyor circuits from a given op-amp (current-conveyor) circuit.
A modified three-field technique for breast treatment

Radiation therapy of breast cancer commonly uses three high-energy photon fields. The supraclavicular field and the two tangential fields are often matched on the skin. An analysis of the dose distribution in the matchline region shows a dose of up to 200% of the prescribed dose over the width of 8 mm at 3 cm depth. This is a result of the beam divergence and the complex geometry. A modification of the treatment technique has reduced the dose to less than 140% of the prescribed dose over approximately 4 mm. The modified technique uses a shielding block which covers the caudad half of the supraclavicular field and makes the caudad edge vertical. The cephalad edges of the two tangential fields are defined by a shielding block, which hangs vertically from the treatment head regardless of gantry and collimator position. This block obstructs a small portion of the radiation field and defines a vertical field edge. These three vertical field edges are brought into coincidence by adjustment of couch turntable angle and longitudinal couch position. The nearly perfect geometric match in three dimensions achieved in this manner further improves the cosmetic results after radiation treatment of breast cancer.
Optimization of cardiac cine in the rat on a clinical 1.5-T MR system

Object: the overall goal was to study cardiovascular function in small animals using a clinical 1.5-T MR scanner optimizing a fast gradient-echo cine sequence to obtain high spatial and temporal resolution. Materials and methods: normal rat hearts (n = 9) were imaged using a 1.5-T MR scanner with a spiral fast gradient-echo (fast field echo for Philips scanners) sequence, three Cartesian fast gradient-echo (turbo field echo for Philips scanners) sequences with different in-plane resolution, and with and without flow compensation and half-Fourier acquisition. The hearts of four rats were then excised and left-ventricle mass was weighed. Inter- and intra-observer variability analysis was performed for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements. Results: half-Fourier acquisition with flow compensation gave the best sequence in terms of image quality, spatial as well as temporal resolution, and suppression of flow artifact. Ejection fraction was 71 ± 4% with less than 5% inter- and intra-observer variability. A good correlation was found between MRI-calculated left-ventricular mass and wet weight. Conclusions: using optimized sequences on a clinical 1.5-T MR scanner can provide accurate quantification of cardiac function in small animals and can promote cardiovascular research on small animals at 1.5-T
CAM-Cycling and CAM-Idling in Drosanthemum hispidum (L.) Schwant. (Mesembryanthemaceae)

Summary Although C 3 -CAM flexibility has been reported previously in members of the Mesembryanthemaceae, CAM-cycling and CAM-idling have not. Measurements of CO 2 and H 2 O gas exchange throughout the day and night with greenhouse-grown individuals of Drosanthemum hispidum (Mesembryanthemaceae) indicated that nocturnal CO 2 uptake was virtually non-existent. On the other hand, tissue titratable acidity increased at night under both well-watered and drought stress conditions, presumably a result of refixation of respiratory CO 2 . The presence of CAM-cycling and CAM-idling should benefit D. hispidum by potentially conserving water during periods of water availability and by maintaining metabolic activity during droughts, allowing rapid recovery to pre-stress conditions following tissue hydration.
Reforming American Schools: The Role of the States

Here's a look at school reform efforts undertaken at the state level, along with some recommendations for enhancing those efforts.
Are the oscillations in the one-photon superradiance emission temporal profile from a small sphere real?

In the scalar photon model, oscillations appear in the emission temporal profile of the one-photon superradiance from a small sphere. We show that this phenomenon is an artefact of the scalar model. In the physically realizable vector model (quantum electrodynamics) these oscillations are absent.
Nitrogen in diamond thin films

Abstract The local structure, dynamical properties and spin-lattice relaxation rate of nitrogen in diamond films produced by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition has been investigated by electron spin resonance in the temperature range 10–773 K. We find an isotropic g-value g = 2.0024 and hyperfine interaction constants A‖ = 40.7 G and A⊥ = 28.2 G consistent with an axial distortion along one of the four equivalent [111] directions. The peak to peak line width is ΔHpp = 3.0 G and the spin concentration is of the order of Ns = 9 × 1018 cm−3. The line shape has Lorentzian character in the center and Gaussian character in the wings. The high-temperature reorientation frequency was found to follow an Arrhenius-type behavior with ν0 = 3.2 × 1012 Hz and EJT = 0.69 eV. From the saturation behavior of the resonance line the spin-lattice relaxation time was found to be of the order to T1e ≈ 1.0 × 10−5 s at room temperature and T1e ≈ 1.0 × 10−3 s at 10 K.
Solving ordinary differential equations for simulation

Abstract Runge-Kutta formulas are given which are suited to the tasks arising in simulation. They are methods permitting interpolation which use overlap into the succeeding step to reduce the cost of a step and its error estimate.
Distinguishing seemingly indistinguishable animals with computer vision

A general method to recognize and track unmarked animals within a population will enable new studies of social behavior and individuality.
Familial hypothalamic diabetes insipidus in rats.

WE are at present raising a strain of rats with hypothalamic, vasopressin-sensitive diabetes insipidus. This disease arose as an apparently spontaneous mutation along with a mutation for albinism in some of the affected animals, from a pure strain of Long-Evans hooded rats being bred for an unrelated research problem not involving radioactivity. The original litter of 17 included 4 albino females with diabetes insipidus, one albino male without diabetes insipidus, and one hooded male and one hooded female each with diabetes insipidus.
Healing Psychosocial Trauma in the Midst of Truth Commissions: The Case of Gacaca in Post-Genocide Rwanda

Post-conflict governments and multilateral organizations have advocated truth commissions since the end of the Cold War. The mandate of truth commissions has been to combine the rule of law with psychosocial goals in the hope that they will break systemic cycles of violence and facilitate reconciliation. While these commissions emphasize the dimensions of truth telling, apology, forgiveness, and reconciliation, in practice, they are often challenged to fulfill the mandate of healing psychosocial traumas through these dimensions in countries that suffer not only from the traumatic experience of wars and genocide, but also from the multiple psychosocial issues that result from these forms of mass violence. The present article examines the psychosocial role of gacaca, a form of truth commission that was introduced in post-genocide Rwanda in 2002, and argues that relying on gacaca alone to heal psychosocial trauma in Rwanda underestimates the depth of suffering that genocide created both at the individual and...
Congenital proximal tracheoesophageal fistula

Abstract Proximal pouch tracheoesophageal fistulas were discovered in 13 of 170 patients (7.7%) who had esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula. Approximately one-third of these were discovered preoperatively, one-third intraoperatively, and the remainder during the first 10 mo postoperatively. We feel that the incidence of this anomaly will be seen to be much higher than previously reported if surgeons specifically look for it.
Involvement of Raf-1 in chronic δ-opioid receptor agonist-mediated adenylyl cyclase superactivation

Chronic δ-opioid receptor agonist treatment of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing the human δ-opioid receptor (hDOR/CHO) leads to increased cAMP formation after the removal of the agonist (adenylyl cyclase superactivation). We have previously found that at the same time, chronic δ-opioid receptor agonist treatment augments phosphorylation of the adenylyl cyclase VI isoenzyme. Since phosphorylation of adenylyl cyclase VI by Raf-1 protein kinase was recently shown, we tested the role of Raf-1 in adenylyl cyclase superactivation in hDOR/CHO cells. We found that pretreatment of the cells with the selective Raf-1 inhibitor GW5074 (3-(3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzylidene-5-iodo-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one) (10 μM, 30 min) attenuates chronic deltorphin II-mediated increase in forskolin-stimulated cAMP formation by 40% (n=6, P<0.05). Better understanding of the molecular mechanism of adenylyl cyclase superactivation should aid in the development of analgesics that act longer and have fewer side effects.
Plant-wide modeling of an indirect coal–biomass to liquids (CBTL) plant with CO2 capture and storage (CCS)

Abstract The net greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions of conversional Fischer Tropsch (FT) synthetic fuels derived from coal are about double of those from petroleum fuels. Adding moderate amounts of biomass to coal can substantially reduce the carbon footprint of the indirect fuel production plant. The indirect coal–biomass to liquids (CBTL) technology with CO 2 capture and storage (CCS) is more environmental friendly than the conventional coal to liquids (CTL) processes. This paper focuses on the selection of CCS technologies and obtaining their optimal operating conditions for a CBTL plant. A detailed process model is developed in Aspen Plus V7.3.2 for this purpose. In this plant, syngas is produced in the biomass/coal-fed co-gasifier. Then, a sour water gas shift (WGS) reactor converts a portion of the CO in the syngas to CO 2 to obtain the desired H 2 /CO ratio in the syngas feed to the FT unit. Substantial amount of CO 2 is captured before the FT reactor by using a dual-stage, selective physical solvent-based process. In the FT unit, the Fe-based catalyst is used in the low temperature FT (LTFT) slurry reactor to convert syngas to hydrocarbons. For selection of the post-FT CO 2 capture technology, three candidate technologies – Selexol, MEA and MDEA/PZ, are evaluated. The results show that the MDEA/PZ technology with intercooling has the lowest overall penalty. Impacts of two key design variables, H 2 /CO ratio at the inlet of the FT unit and biomass/coal ratio of the feedstock, on the product yield and utility consumptions are investigated.
Radio isotope jubilee

This year is the 30th anniversary of the arrival in Britain from the U.S.A. of the first batch of an artificial radioactive isotope, radioactive phosphorus, for biomedical research. George Popjak, one of the few scientists who had the opportunity of using the earliest samples of 32P in England in 1946, became much involved at the National Institute for Medical Research, London, in 1947 in the receiving, standardization and distribution of the isotopes to all researchers in the country. In the following article he recalls some of events of those early days of the introduction of isotopes into Britain.
Ion-Specific Effects under Confinement: The Role of Interfacial Water

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations were employed for the study of the structure and dynamics of aqueous electrolyte solutions within slit-shaped silica nanopores with a width of 10.67 A at ambient temperature. All simulations were conducted for 250 ns to capture the dynamics of ion adsorption and to obtain the equilibrium distribution of multiple ionic species (Na+, Cs+, and Cl−) within the pores. The results clearly support the existence of ion-specific effects under confinement, which can be explained by the properties of interfacial water. Cl− strongly adsorbs onto the silica surface. Although neither Na+ nor Cs+ is in contact with the solid surface, they show ion-specific behavior. The differences between the density distributions of cations within the pore are primarily due to size effects through their interaction with confined water molecules. The majority of Na+ ions appear within one water layer in close proximity to the silica surface, whereas Cs+ is excluded from well-defined water layers....
Correlation between the amplitude of plasma membrane fluctuations and the response of cells to electric and magnetic fields

Abstract Several hypotheses designed to explain electric and magnetic (EM) field interaction with cells propose the plasma membrane as a primary target. The present experiments tested whether the status of the plasma membrane influences the response of cells to EM fields. HL-60 cells were exposed to defined EM fields in the presence of either colchicine or cytochalasin B and transcript levels for β-actin and c-fos were determined. The steady state of these mRNAs is known to be increased when cells are exposed to the EM fields used in this study. Treatment of cells with colchicine disturbs microtubules and can lead to small decreases in local plasma membrane fluctuations. Cytochalasin treatment affects the microfilament structure and has been shown to lead to small increases in local membrane fluctuations. The treatment of cells during EM field exposures with colchicine produces opposite effects from that observed in cells treated with cytochalasin B. The stimulatory effect of EM fields on the expression of β-actin and c-fos is abolished in the presence of colchicine. The levels for both β-actin and c-fos, however, are enhanced in the presence of cytochalasin B. These experiments show that the status of the plasma membrane is important in the response of the cell to EM field exposure.
Evolution of microstructure and phase in amorphous, protocrystalline, and microcrystalline silicon studied by real time spectroscopic ellipsometry

Abstract Real time spectroscopic ellipsometry has been applied to develop deposition phase diagrams that can guide the fabrication of hydrogenated silicon (Si:H) thin films at low temperatures (
Small Molecule Binding to the Mixed-Valent Diiron Center of Methane Monooxygenase Hydroxylase from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) as Revealed by ENDOR Spectroscopy

The binding of several exogenous molecules at the active site of the soluble methane monooxygenase hydroxylase (MMOH) from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) is described. The interaction of methanol, the product of methane hydroxylation, with the mixed-valent FeIIFeIII form of the enzyme induces a change in the EPR spectrum of the unmodified protein from g = 1.940, 1.865, and 1.740 to one with g1 = 1.963 and g2 = 1.862. This spectral change arises from the coordination of methanol to the diiron center, as demonstrated by electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopic studies of mixed-valent MMOH prepared with CD3OH added to a DMSO-treated sample, which displayed a 2H interaction with an isotropic hyperfine splitting of ∼0.5 MHz. A detailed analysis indicates that methanol binds to the ferrous iron without displacing a terminally bound water molecule identified previously. Acetate labeled with 13C at the carboxylate carbon atom also gives rise to ENDOR signals, whereas no such signals are seen when ...
Orientation in cognitive maps.

Abstract In 14 experiments, subjects had to “point to” surrounding environmental locations (targets) while imagining themselves in a particular spot facing in various directions (orientations). The spatial information was either committed to memory (cognitive maps) or directly presented on each trial in the visual or tactile modality. Reaction times (RT) indicated that orientation shifts were achieved through mental rotation in the visual task, but not in the cognitive map or tactile tasks. Further, in the latter two tasks targets were located most quickly when they were adjacent to or opposite the imagined orientation. Several explanations of this finding were tested. Various aspects of the data suggest that cognitive maps are not strictly holistic, but consist of orientation-specific representations, and—at least in part—of relational propositions specific to object pairs.
Convergence of iterative methods for a fourth-order discretization scheme

Abstract We prove, that under certain conditions, some classical iterative methods converge for the linear system resulting from a fourth-order compact discretization of the convection-diffusion equation.
Design for manufacturing layout analyses correlate layout to physico-chemical yield loss mechanisms

We introduce a case-based learning workflow in the foundry for managing layout weakpoints and implementing layout analyses checks. In this work, we describe case studies that demonstrate how layout analyses can be used to detect layout weakpoints and correlate them to actual physico-chemical mechanisms behind defects observed on silicon.