cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
(201) Disparities in Laboratory Pain amongst Latinx- and White-Americans

Prior research on laboratory pain among Latinx-Americans shows an enhanced pain sensitivity relative to White-Americans. However, the three laboratory pain studies that have included Latinx-Americans have only examined static pain measures (i.e., tolerances and thresholds). Here, we examine pain sensitivity among 25 Latinx-Americans (48%f) and 37 White-Americans (54%f) using both static and dynamic measures of pain (i.e., mechanical temporal summation (MTS), conditioned pain modulation (CPM)). Consistent with prior work, Latinx-Americans had lower pain thresholds and tolerances across modalities (i.e., heat, cold, pressure; ds:0.29-0.75). Latinx-Americans also had greater MTS (d = .41) as well as cold-pain after sensations (d = .45), than White-Americans. However, CPM did not differ between groups (d = 0.06). These results extend previous findings and suggest that observed differences in pain sensitivity between Latinx- and White-Americans may be due to enhanced sensitization, rather than altered top-down modulation.
Managing Cancer Pain, Monitoring for Cancer Recurrence, and Mitigating Risk of Opioid Use Disorders: A Team-Based, Interdisciplinary Approach to Cancer Survivorship.

Background: Palliative care (PC) teams increasingly care for patients with cancer into survivorship. Cancer survivorship transcends distinctions between acute, chronic, malignant, and nonmalignant pain. Partnering with oncologists, PC teams manage pain that persists after disease-directed treatment, evaluate changing symptoms as possible signs of cancer recurrence, taper opioids and mitigate risk of opioid misuse, and manage comorbid opioid use disorder (OUD). While interdisciplinary guidelines exist for pain management in survivorship, there is a need to develop a conceptual model that fully translates the biopsychosocial framework of PC into survivorship pain management. Objective: This review frames a model for pain management in cancer survivorship that balances analgesia with the imperative to minimize risk of OUD, recognizes signs of disease recurrence, and provides whole-person care. Methods: Comprehensive narrative review of the literature. Results: Little guidance exists for co-management of pain, psychological distress, and opioid misuse in survivorship. We identified themes for whole-person pain management in survivorship: use of opioids and co-analgesic medications to prevent recurrent pain from residual tissue damage following cancer treatment, opioid tapering to the lowest effective dose, utilization of nonpharmacologic psychological interventions shown to reduce pain, screening for and management of OUD in partnership with addiction medicine specialists, maintaining vigilance for disease recurrence, and engaging in shared medical decision making. Conclusions: The management of pain in cancer survivorship is complex and requires interdisciplinary care that balances analgesia with the imperative to reduce long-term inappropriate opioid use and manage OUD, while maintaining therapeutic presence with patients in the spirit of PC.
Transcanal Computed Tomography Views for Transcanal Endoscopic Lateral Skull Base Surgery: Pilot Cadaveric Study.

Objective Transcanal endoscopic operative approaches provide for a minimally invasive surgical portal to the lateral skull base. Traditional preoperative imaging evaluation involves computed tomography (CT) acquisition in the axial and coronal planes that are not optimized for the transcanal surgical corridor. Herein, we describe a novel CT-based “transcanal view” for preoperative surgical planning and intraoperative navigation. Study Design Present study is a cadaveric imaging study. Methods Cadaveric temporal bones (n = 6) from three specimens underwent high-resolution CT (0.625 mm slice thickness). Using three-dimensional (3D) Slicer 4.8, reformatted “transcanal” views in the plane of the external auditory canal (EAC) were created. Axial and coronal reformats were used to compare and measure distances between anatomic structures in the plane of the EAC. Results The degree of oblique tilt for transcanal CT reformats was 6.67 ± 1.78 degrees to align the EAC in axial and coronal planes. Anticipated critical landmarks were identified easily using the transcanal view. Mean values were 8.68 ± 0.38 mm for annulus diameter, 9.5 ± 0.93 mm for isthmus diameter, 10.27 ± 0.73 mm for distance between annulus and isthmus, 2.95 ± 0.13 mm for distance between annulus and stapes capitulum, 5.12 ± 0.35 mm for distance between annulus and mastoid facial nerve, and 19.54 ± 1.22 mm for EAC length. Conclusion This study is the first to illustrate a novel “transcanal” CT sequence intended for endoscopic lateral skull base surgery. Future studies may address how incorporation of a transcanal CT reformat may influence surgical decision making.
Characterization of microcystin-induced apoptosis in HepG2 hepatoma cells.

Abstract Microcystins (MCs) are a class of hepatotoxins that are commonly produced by freshwater cyanobacteria. MCs harm liver cells through inhibiting protein phosphatases 1 and 2A (PP1 and PP2A) and can produce dualistic effects, i.e., cell death and uncontrolled cellular proliferation. The induction of programmed cell death, i.e., apoptosis, in MC treated hepatic cells has been described previously; however, its exact pathway remains unclear. To address this, HepG2 human hepatoma cells were exposed to MC-LR, the most prevalent isomer of MCs, and morphological and physiological responses were examined. Microscopy and Alamar Blue assay showed that HepG2 cells responded to MC-LR treatment with apoptosis characteristics, such as clumping and shrinking of cells and detachment from the monolayer culture surface. A fluorescent caspase activation assay further revealed activation of all tested apoptosis-dependent caspases (i.e., caspase-3/7, 8 and 9) after 24 h of MC-LR treatment. Furthermore, caspase-8 was found being activated 4 h after MC-LR treatment, earlier than observed activation of caspase-9 (8 h after MC-LR treatment). These data demonstrated that MC-LR can induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells through both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways and that the extrinsic pathway may be activated before the intrinsic pathway. This indicates that extrinsic pathway is more sensitive than intrinsic pathway in MC induced apoptosis. This knowledge contributes to a better understanding of MC hepatotoxicity and can be further used for developing treatments for MC exposed hepatic cells.
mSphere of Influence: Peering through a Keyhole into the Unseen World.

Sarah Lebeis studies the assembly and function of plant microbiomes. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the paper "Functional Overlap of the Arabidopsis Leaf and Root Microbiota" (Y. Bai, D. B. Muller, G. Srinivas, R. Garrido-Oter, et al., Nature 528:364-369, 2015, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16192) provided a roadmap for how large culture collections composed of well-characterized bacterial isolates provide essential resources to test hypotheses concerning microbial communities.
An Exploration of the Relationship Between Autonomy Congruence, Perceived Supervisor Individualized Consideration, and Employee Outcomes:

Human resource practices requiring employee participation or involvement in work-related decision-making have been commonly believed to be beneficial to work outcomes; however, we suggest that the ...
A Thank You

As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it. – Lao Tzu, Philosopher and WriterA foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. – ...
Detection of the Zeeman Effect in the 36 GHz Class I CH 3 OH Maser Line with the EVLA

We report the first detection of the Zeeman effect in the 36 GHz Class I CH{sub 3}OH maser line. The observations were carried out with 13 antennas of the EVLA toward the high mass star-forming region M8E. Based on our adopted Zeeman splitting factor of z = 1.7 Hz mG{sup -1}, we detect a line-of-sight magnetic field of -31.3 +- 3.5 mG and 20.2 +- 3.5 mG to the northwest and southeast of the maser line peak, respectively. This change in sign over a 1300 AU size scale may indicate that the masers are tracing two regions with different fields, or that the same field curves across the regions where the masers are being excited. The detected fields are not significantly different from the magnetic fields detected in the 6.7 GHz Class II CH{sub 3}OH maser line, indicating that CH{sub 3}OH masers may trace the large-scale magnetic field, or that the magnetic field remains unchanged during the early evolution of star-forming regions. Given what is known about the densities at which 36 GHz CH{sub 3}OH masers are excited, we find that the magnetic field is dynamically significant in the star-forming region.
Dynamic network flow optimization for real-time evacuation reroute planning under multiple road disruptions

Abstract During the course of an evacuation, evacuees often encounter unexpected incidents interrupting their plans for evacuation. Roads may not be accessible due to flooding, wild-fire propagation, accidents, the collapse of highway structures, and various other reasons. The evolving disturbances to the evacuation plan due to road disruptions may prolong the evacuation process and lead to chaos, injuries, and loss of life unless a quick, efficient recovery plan is implemented. In this work, we aim to provide a rerouting approach for an evacuation network that undergoes road disruptions. Unlike previous studies, it is assumed that incidents can occur on multiple roads and that the time of each occurrence can differ from the time of other occurrences. Flow optimization techniques are used to represent evacuation traffic flow on the transportation network. A dynamic traffic flow rate is considered in which the evacuation flow rate can change over time during the planning horizon. The variation in the flow rates enables a better projection of the traffic dynamics and consequences caused by disturbances. Furthermore, a path-based dynamic network flow optimization formulation is proposed to make the model scalable for large evacuation networks. Two preprocessing algorithms are introduced to calculate specific parameters associated with road disruptions and topology of the evacuation network. The use of these parameters enables us to transform the original optimization model into a linear model to reduce the computational burden. Numerical experiments are made to show the performance of the proposed model. Furthermore, the effects of specific features such as disruption time, disturbance location, and the plan updating time on the evacuation process are investigated. Results indicate that when more incidents occur later or when incident information is received earlier, the magnitude of the rerouting completion time is lessened.
Six Students Who Shaped a University: The First Honors College Students and the Idea of College

On 3 January 1957, two months after the naming of this nation’s first Honors College, the announcement was made of the formation of a branch campus, Michigan State University-Oakland, to be built on the Wilson estate in Oakland County, Michigan. The donation of their Oakland estate by Alfred G. and Matilda R. Wilson bore the characteristic vision of the Wilsons. However, this decidedly personal philanthropic story would mostly be interesting but academically inconsequential if not for the fortuitous naming of the nation’s first Honors College in November 1956, and what that declared and what that provided with the Wilson ethos behind it. As it happened, therefore, MSU-O was announced within those two short months of the creation of the MSU Honors College. Further historical fate defined what came next and why it is significant in the development of Honors Colleges uniquely here in the United States. As fate and history would have it, MSU-O (later named Oakland University) would thus become the first university in the nation informed by the thoughts and ideals of Honors College students.
Oropharyngeal Cancer Early Outcomes and Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S): The COVID-19 pandemic triggered a national emergency which drastically affected the practice of medicine. Studies have already shown that delays in cancer screening/diagnosis/treatment have ensued, and some project this will translate into increased mortality. We aimed to evaluate if early oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) outcomes with radiation therapy (RT) were affected. MATERIALS/METHODS: On 3/17/2020, in response to the crisis in New York City, telemedicine consultations were implemented at our institution and patients followed prospectively. The Covid cohort (COV) includes new patients through July 2020. They were compared to a contemporary pre-Covid (PC) historical cohort of new patients from November 2019 to 3/16/2020. We reviewed medical records and collected clinicopathologic factors for OPC patients treated with curative intent RT. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate time-to-event outcomes. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 8.6 [1.0-13.8] months for all (5.8 months COV, 10.1 months PC). Both cohorts encompassed â¼19 weeks, but half as many consults were seen during the pandemic (nâ¯=â¯38 COV, nâ¯=â¯78 PC). The COV cohort included: 74% telehealth, 92% definitive RT (no surgery), and 89% chemoRT. The PC cohort included: 0% telehealth, 88% definitive RT (no surgery), and 94% chemoRT. There was no difference in COV vs. PC median times from consultation to simulation (1.1 [0-6.4] weeks vs. 1.4 [0-10.6] weeks) or simulation to RT start (2.1 [1.3-4.9] weeks vs. 2.0 [1.1-9.9] weeks). There was no difference in 6 month outcomes between COV vs. PC cohorts: local control (100% vs. 100%, Pâ¯=â¯0.70), regional control 100% vs. 100%, Pâ¯=â¯0.70), distant control (95.2% vs. 97.2%, Pâ¯=â¯0.91), cancer-specific survival (100% vs. 98.7%, Pâ¯=â¯0.48). There was no difference in outcomes between telemedicine vs. in-person consults. There were numerically more patients with very advanced disease during the pandemic: T4 (13.2% COV vs. 7.7% PC) or N3/M1 (5.2% COV vs. 2.6% PC), but differences were not statistically significant due to limited numbers. More patients treated during the pandemic developed grade 3 dysphagia requiring feeding tubes (10.5% COV vs. 5.1% PC), not significant due to limited numbers. No patients diagnosed with COVID (1 before, 2 during, and 5 after RT) had recurrence at last follow-up. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in early 6 month outcomes between COV and PC cohorts, no difference in outcomes with telemedicine, and RT delivery was sustained at pre-pandemic timelines. Several important clinical trends were identified in the COV cohort: about half as many consultations were seen during the pandemic, patients appeared more likely to present with very advanced disease, and more patients required feeding tubes during treatment. These findings may have important post-pandemic healthcare delivery implications related to delays in diagnosis, threats to long-term outcomes, and increased supportive care needs.
DRIVING SIMULATORS : ARE THEY VALID TEST ENVIRONMENTS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT?

This paper looks at the use of driving simulators as an efficient and inexpensive method of testing collision warning systems. It describes a study of the simulator image factors which affect the detection of rear-end collisions and motion.
Relation between Red Cell Membrane Na,K-ATPase and Band 3

Publisher Summary This chapter presents experiments designed to establish the role of band 3 as the protein responsible for information transfer between the extracellular ouabain binding site of the Na, K-ATPase and the cytoplasmic glycolytic enzymes. The three components [Na, K-ATPase/band 3/G3PDH] are linked together so closely that conformational information can be transferred through this complex from the outside of the cell to the inside. In view of the presence of binding sites for G3PDH and aldolase on band 3, experiments are carried out to determine whether conformational information could be transferred between band 3 and the glycolytic enzymes, using the 31p resonance shift of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (2,3-DPG) to report on the conformation of MPGM for which 2,3-DPG is an obligatory substrate. The inhibitor, 4, 4’-diisothiocyano-2, 2’-stilbenedisulfonic acid (DIDS) is a specific inhibitor of anion transport in band 3. Treatment of red cells with DIDS affects the resonance of 2, 3-DPG as does treatment with the cardiac glycoside cation transport inhibitor, ouabain, which is specific to the Na, K–ATPase. The DIDS experiments show that band 3 is coupled to the glycolytic enzyme system.
Use of V-Agent Analogs to Probe the Active Site of Atypical Butyrylcholinesterase from Oryzias latipes

The atypical butyrylcholinesterase (aBuChE) from Oryzias latipes shares approximately 65% sequence similarity to both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase and was studied for its capacity...
Alkaline earth cation binding to large and small bilayer phosphatidylserine vesicles: A calorimetric and potentiometric study

Abstract A study is reported of the interaction of alkaline earth metal ions with bovine brain phosphatidylserine vesicles by potentiometric and calorimetric titration methods. Two sizes of vesicle, 25 nm and 100 nm, were studied in 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.4. The small vesicles were found to bind Ca2+ more strongly than the large vesicles. Ca2+ and Ba2+, but not Sr2+ or Mg2+, cause crystallization of the phospholipid acyl hydrocarbon chains with coincident destruction of the vesicles. Ca2+ -induced crystallization of the hydrocarbon chains occurs at approximately the same point on the Ca2+ binding isotherm at which charge neutralization of the vesicle surface occurs. Thermodynamic data for binding of Ca2+ and Mg2+ to small vesicles and for binding of Ca2+ to large vesicles are reported. Potentiometric titration data were used to obtain equilibrium constants for M2+ binding and the calorimetric titration data were used to obtain ΔH values. The potentiometric and calorimetric titration data are mutually supportive in establishing the stoichiometry and nature of the reactions occurring.
Information needs and information seeking in primary care: a study of nurse practitioners.

Objective: The objective was to understand the information-related behavior of nurse practitioners (NPs), a population of clinicians responsible for an increasing proportion of primary care. Methods: Two phases of data collection addressed seven research questions. The initial phase of data collection was a questionnaire sent to 300 NPs, who were asked to report their experiences of needing information as a result of patient encounters as well as their experiences of seeking information. The second phase of data collection entailed a series of interviews with twenty NPs following their encounters with patients to collect data on instances of information needs and information seeking. Results: NPs most frequently needed information related to drug therapy and diagnosis. NPs with a master's degree were found to perceive information needs more frequently than their colleagues who had not received a master's degree. The information resources NPs used most frequently were consultations with colleagues, drug reference manuals, and textbooks and protocol manuals. NPs were more likely to pursue needs related to drug therapy with a print resource and needs related to diagnosis with a colleague. The generalizability of a need emerged as a negative predictor of information seeking. Conclusions: This study has addressed a number of questions about the information-related behavior of NPs in primary care practices and led to the development of a temporal model of information seeking in these settings. Results of this research underscore the importance of access to information resources in primary care practices. This study's findings also support the development of educational and outreach programs to promote evidence-based decision making among primary care clinicians.
Pilot reaction to high speed rotation.

Ten pilots subjected to high speed rotation to determine their susceptibility to motion sickness, vestibular nystagmus and performance of complex functions
Risk Assessment Tools and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System

This paper addresses the possible consequences for racial and ethnic disparities of the growing reliance on risk assessment tools for sentencing in juvenile justice systems. These tools consider both legal factors (i.e. criminal history) and personal background factors (e.g. household composition, parents’ arrest history, the youth’s mental health, attitudes, school status, and current employment status) to predict the likelihood of recidivism, which then informs punishment decisions. Because they decontextualize race, the associations between race and risk factors linked to race could possibly create higher risk scores and harsher punishments for minority youth.
Evolution of large feedforward networks

This research employs evolution to create large (500 hidden unit) multiple layer perceptrons which attempt to perform six-way classification in a noisy environment. The classification is of words in text, according to their part of speech. The most promising aspect of the evolutionary strategy is that of allowing the entire population to evolve briefly, then split into separate populations which evolve independently, interbreed in a merged large population, split into separately evolving populations, and so on. Although this approach can be simulated on a sequential machine, it is inherently parallel. The resulting classifiers typically sustain a diversified classification strategy, as evidenced by their confusion matrices, beyond the point at which sequential steady state evolution has converged.
High-precision determination of 234U/238U activity ratios in natural waters and carbonates by ICPMS

A method has been developed for precise measurement of {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U activity ratios in natural waters and carbonates using quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. A recovery of 80--85% of seawater U is achieved by Fe(III) coprecipitation followed by extraction chromatography with a supported dipentyl pentane phosphonate material; 90--95% of U is recovered from carbonates, which are dissolved in HNO{sub 3} and subjected to the same extraction chromatographic preparation. Isotopic measurements are made via recirculating pneumatic nebulization of small volumes of solutions containing 0.5--5 mg/L U. {sup 234}U/{sup 235}U is measured as a proxy for determination of {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U; iridium is added to sample solutions and the ion ratio {sup 191}Ir{sup 40}Ar{sup +}/{sup 193}Ir{sup 40}Ar{sup +} is measured for internal mass discrimination correction {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U activity ratios in the range 1.143--1.154 are observed for 13 seawater and contemporary corals, in agreement with the established marine {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U activity ratio. For samples sizes of 5--25 {micro}g U, ICPMS uncertainties of {+-} 0.2--0.5% relative, 2{theta} standard error, approach those obtained for < 0.1 {micro}g U by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Measurements of {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U activity ratios in bottled waters, Lake Erie surface waters, mollusk fossils, and fertilizersmore » are also demonstrated.« less
Equivalence checking of circuits with parameterized specifications

We consider the problem of equivalence checking of circuits N1,N2 with a common specification (CS). We show that circuits N1 and N2 have a CS iff they can be partitioned into toggle equivalent subcircuits that are connected “in the same way”. Based on this result, we formulate a procedure for checking equivalence of circuits N1 and N2 with specifications S1 and S2. This procedure not only checks equivalence of N1 and N2 but also verifies that S1 and S2 are identical. The complexity of this procedure is linear in specification size and exponential in the value of a specification parameter. Previously we considered specifications parameterized by the size of the largest subcircuit (specification granularity). In this paper we give a more general parameterization based on specification “width”.
People of the Shoals: Stallings Culture of the Savannah River Valley

People of the Shoals: Stallings Culture of the Savannah River Valley. Kenneth E. Sassaman. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2006. 193 pp.
Promoting Physical Activity in Girls: A Case Study of One School's Success.

ABSTRACT: This case study profiles one of 24 high schools that participated in a school-based, NIH-funded study to increase physical activity among high school girls. The case study school was one of 12 randomly assigned to the intervention group. The study intervention was based on the premise that a successful intervention is developed and tailored by teachers and staff to fit the context of their school. Intervention guidelines (Essential Elements) and the Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP) model were used to direct intervention activities for physical education, health education, school environment, school health services, faculty/staff health promotion, and family/community involvement. All girls at the case study school received the intervention. A team of school employees provided leadership to develop and implement the intervention in collaboration with a university project staff. Data collected over a two-year period were used to describe changes that occurred in each CSHP area. Key changes were made in the school environment, curricula, policies, and practices. Qualitative measures showed girls more involved in physical activity. Quantitative measures taken in eighth grade, and repeated with the same set of girls in ninth grade, showed increases in both moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (p = < .01) and vigorous physical activity (p = .04). Other schools can use this case to modify components of the CSHP model to increase physical activity among high school girls.
Una perspectiva antropológica sobre la tecnología andina y explicación de la racionalidad del hombre andino: nota sobre runakunapka wsayninkupag rurasquankunaqa: la tecnología en el mundo andino

Este es el primero de dos volumenes de una antologia sobre la tecnologia andina, ambiciosa y ampliamente concebida, que abarca un largo periodo (prehistoria a la actualidad) , disciplinas (antropologia, etnohistoria, geografia y matematicas) y regiones geograficas de los Andes Centrales (predominantemente el Peru).
Foliar chemical concentrations in red alder stands of various ages

Six stands of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) were sampled to assess the relationship between stand age and foliar chemical concentrations. The stands ranged in age from 9 to 45 years, and were located near Olympia, Washington, on sites of similar soil, aspect, and slope. Foliage was collected in July, and concentrations of most essential nutrients and aluminum were determined. Foliar concentrations of these elements varied among the different stands. Highest concentrations of N, P, Ca, S, Fe, and Al were found in trees of the youngest stand. Concentrations of N, P, S, and Fe were negatively correlated with stand age. The strongest correlation was obtained with P (r=−0.96,P<0.01), followed by N (r=−0.85,P=0.03). Results suggest that declining growth and deterioration of red alder stands with age may be related, at least in part, to limiting supplies of essential nutrients, especially P, N, and S.
Sulfur Speciation in Petroleum: Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization or Chemical Derivatization and Electrospray Ionization Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry

Molecular characterization of sulfur-containing species in petroleum is important because sulfur-containing compounds are detrimental to the environment and the refining processes. In a recent report, the sulfur-containing compounds in a vacuum bottom residue (VBR) were methylated to enhance their detectability by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass analysis. The most abundant sulfur compounds exhibited relatively low double bond equivalents (4 < DBE < 12). Alternatively, atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) mass analysis can provide molecular characterization without chemical derivatization. Here, we compare the sulfur speciation of a petroleum vacuum bottom residue by ESI and APPI with a 9.4 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometer. Even after methylation, ions produced by APPI extend to much higher DBE than by ESI. Moreover, analysis of the saturates and aromatics fractions of underivatized VBR by APPI shows comparable ionization efficiency across a broad DBE range. ...
Operation of a segmented Hall thruster with low-sputtering carbon-velvet electrodes

Carbon fiber velvet material provides exceptional sputtering resistance properties exceeding those for graphite and carbon composite materials. A 2 kW Hall thruster with segmented electrodes made of this material was operated in the discharge voltage range of 200–700 V. The arcing between the floating velvet electrodes and the plasma was visually observed, especially, during the initial conditioning time, which lasted for about 1 h. The comparison of voltage versus current and plume characteristics of the Hall thruster with and without segmented electrodes indicates that the magnetic insulation of the segmented thruster improves with the discharge voltage at a fixed magnetic field. The observations reported here also extend the regimes wherein the segmented Hall thruster can have a narrower plume than that of the conventional nonsegmented thruster.
The unimoment method applied to elliptical boundaries

A hybrid finite-element method (FEM) is presented for electromagnetic scattering by inhomogeneous dielectric cylinders of arbitrary cross section. The method employs an artificial elliptical boundary to enclose the scatterer and divide the solution region into interior and exterior regions. The field in the interior region is formulated using the FEM, and the field in the exterior region is represented by an eigenfunction expansion involving Mathieu functions. These fields are coupled at the elliptical boundary by enforcing field continuity conditions. A numerical example is given to demonstrate the advantages of the method.
The indications and outcomes in the use of osteocutaneous radial forearm free flap.

Introduction. Whether secondary to cancer surgery ablation or trauma, surgeons are faced with defects of the mandible or maxilla that would be best reconstructed with a thin, pliable soft tissue component and vascularized bone. A subset of these challenging wounds do not require the bicortical bone necessary to reestablish structural integrity or to retain a dental prosthesis, because the soft tissue needs are more critical than the bony needs. It is this niche that the radial forearm osteofaciocutaneous free flap (RFOFF) fulfills well. In the past, potential and real donor site morbidity has precluded the routine use of this flap. New methods to reduce this morbidity have rekindled our use of this flap. Procedures Used. A retrospective review of patients with defects of the mandible or maxilla treated with the RFOFF from July 1, 1997, to December 31, 2000, was performed. After flap harvest, the donor site was rigidly fixated. A skin graft was placed, and a volar splint was applied for 7 days. The arm was then fully mobilized. Parameters examined were defect location, donor site complications, flap survival, fistula occurrence, plate fracture, and/or extrusion. Results. Thirty-four patients were reconstructed with the RFOFF with a follow-up of 10–54 months. Seven patients had an anterior maxillectomy defect, and 27 patients had a lateral mandibulectomy defect with associated tongue/tonsillar fossa and/or palate defect. There were no cases of flap failure or donor site radius fracture. During the follow-up period, there were no plate fractures or intraoral exposures as evidenced by clinical and radiographic evaluation. Fistulas occurred in five patients; all healed without surgical intervention. Conclusion. With rigid fixation of the residual radius, donor site morbidity has been minimized, and indications for this flap have expanded. Specifically the anterior maxillary arch and the ascending ramus, angle, and posterior body of the mandible (nontooth-bearing areas) are the sites most amenable to the thin bony stock of the harvested radius. The pliable forearm skin is ideal for the soft tissue defects. We believe that the RFOFF with bone has a definite role in the reconstruction of select head and neck defects. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 25: 475–481, 2003
The effects of organic protein supplementation upon growth, feed conversion and texture quality parameters of juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum)

An eight week feeding trial was conducted to examine the impacts of organically certifiable alternate protein sources on growth, feed efficiency, biological indices, fillet proximate composition and fillet quality in juvenile cobia. Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The control diet provided 45% crude protein from Special Select® menhaden fish meal and 10% total lipid. The remaining diets were formulated with 25 and 40% inclusion of NuPro® (an organically certified yeast-derived protein source), and 40% inclusion of organically certified soybean meal, soybean isolate, or hemp seed meal. Two additional diets were formulated to contain a mixture of all organic protein sources at 23% with 8% fish meal or 25% and no fish meal. Diets were fed to triplicate groups of juvenile cobia (initial weight 10 g/fish) in 300 L circular tanks connected as part of a recirculating aquaculture system. Weight gain ranged from 167 to 1138% increase from initial weight and was similar for all fish fed diets containing 40% of any given alternate protein source. Fish fed the blended diet with 8% fish meal exhibited significantly lower weight gain, SGR, and FE ratio values than all other fish. Cobia fed the diet without any fish meal did not survive to the end of the study. Biological indices such as muscle ratio (MR), visceral somatic index (VSI), and packed cell volume (PCV) were all similar between fish fed the control diet and those fed diets with up to 40% alternate protein. Fish fed the diet with only 8% fish meal had significantly lower MR, PCV, and plasma protein, and significantly higher VSI. All fish exhibited similar fillet proximate composition for protein, lipid, dry matter, and ash except for those fed the diet containing 8% fish meal. Alternate protein source did appear to impact the fillet texture of cobia. Generally speaking, plant protein sources returned higher textural characteristics than the fish meal control. At all time points and all texture parameters, cobia fed the diet containing hemp seed meal returned the highest values except for distance to rupture in the final time point. Results indicate that up to 40% fish meal protein can be replaced by any of the organically certifiable alternate proteins that were used in this study without detrimental impacts to weight gain, feed efficiency, biological indices, or fillet composition in juvenile cobia. Our results also suggest that alternate proteins have differential effects upon final product quality, which may have implications in terms of cobia processing and development of industrial products. © 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Transport by reconstituted lactose carrier from parental and mutant strains of Escherichia coli.

The lactose transport carrier from parental (X71/F'W3747) and mutant cells (54/F'5441) was reconstituted into proteoliposomes. Transport by the counterflow assay showed slightly greater activity in proteoliposomes prepared from extracts of the mutant membranes compared with that for the parental cell. The mutant carrier showed a threefold lowerK m but similarV max compared to the parent. On the other hand proteoliposomes from the mutant showed a defect in protonmotive force-driven accumulation, compared with the parent. With a pH gradient (inside alkaline) plus a membrane potential (inside negative) the parental proteoliposomes accumulated lactose 25-fold over the medium concentration while the mutant proteoliposomes accumulated sixfold. In a series of experiments proteoliposomes were exposed to proteolytic enzymes. Chrymotrypsin treatment resulted in 30% inhibition of counterflow activity for the reconstituted carrier from both parent and mutant. Papain produced 84% inhibition of transport by the reconstituted parental carrier but only 41% of that of the mutant. Trypsin and carboxypeptidase Y treatment had no effect on counterflow activity of either parent or mutant. Exposure of purified lactose carrier in proteoliposomes to carboxypeptidase Y resulted in the release of alanine and valine, the two C-terminal amino acids predicted from the DNA sequence.
THE BALANCE OF POWER: ESSENTIAL OR INESSENTIAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER?

On the basis of the historical record of power relationships among countries, reaching back to antiquity, as surveyed in this paper record, it rather looks as if the balance of power among states is basically an exceptional phenomenon, although sometimes it lasted a long time. The present situation in which the world is dominated by one non‐aggressive power certainly looks at least as exceptional.
Childhood attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms and adolescent female sexual victimisation: mediating and moderating effects of risky behaviours

The mediating effects of risky behaviours on the linkage between childhood attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms and adolescent sexual victimisation in college women were examined using structural equation modelling (n=374). The moderating effects of timing onset of risky behaviours were also examined. General risky behaviour was not a significant mediator. Rather, findings supported a specificity hypothesis suggesting risky sexual behaviour is a better explanation of the ADHD symptoms–sexual victimisation association than is general risky behaviour. Early onset of alcohol or marijuana use, consensual sexual activity and staying out all night interacted with childhood ADHD symptoms to increase general risky behaviour and sexual risk-taking. We conclude that to understand the risk for sexual victimisation in adolescent females with childhood ADHD symptoms it would be advisable to focus specifically on sexual risk-taking.
Prediction of Resonant Response of Shrouded Blades With Three-Dimensional Shroud Constraint

In this paper, the three-dimensional shroud contact kinematics of a shrouded blade system is studied. The assumed blade motion has three components, namely axial, tangential, and radial components, which result in a three dimensional relative motion across the shroud interface. The resulting relative motion can be decomposed into two components. The first one is on the contact plane and can induce stick-slip friction. The other component is perpendicular to the contact plane and can cause variation of the contact normal load and, in extreme circumstances, separation of the two contacting surfaces. In order to estimate the equivalent stiffness and damping of the shroud contact an approach is proposed. In this approach, the in-plane slip motion is assumed to be elliptical and is decomposed into two linear motions along the principal major and minor axes of the ellipse. A variable normal load friction force model (Yang and Menq, 1966) is then applied separately to each individual linear motion, and the equivalent stiffness and damping of the shroud contact can be approximately estimated. With the estimated stiffness and damping, the developed shroud contact model is applied to the prediction of the resonant response of a shrouded blade system. The effects of twomore » different shroud constraint conditions, namely two-dimensional constraint and three-dimensional constraint, on the resonant response of a shrouded blade system are compared and the results are discussed.« less
Rise and fall of a basalt-trachyte-rhyolite magma system at the Kane Springs Wash Caldera, Nevada

Magmas erupted at the Kane Springs Wash volcanic center record the buildup and decay of a silicic magma chamber within the upper crust between 14.1 and 13.2 Ma ago. Intrusion of a variety of mantle-derived basaltic magmas into the crust sustained the system thermally, but only alkali basalts appear to be parental. Fractionation of alkali basalt, together with 10–20% contamination by partial melts of the lower crust, generated trachyandesite magmas. Mafic trachytes, with magma temperatures of ∼1,000° C, were initially generated from trachyandesites at depths greater than 15 km. Continued fractionation combined with assimilation of upper crustal melts at a depth of 5–10 km produced more evolved trachytes and high-silica rhyolites. These silicic magmas erupted as the Kane Wash Tuff 14.1 Ma ago from a chamber zoned from fayalite-bearing alkali rhyolite near 820° C at the roof to a trachytic “dominant volume”. Initial ash flows of the Kane Wash Tuff, Member V1, are metaluminous, whereas later cooling units, Members V2 and V3, are mildly peralkaline and have higher Fe, Zr, and Hf and lower Ca, Th/Ta, Rb/ Zr, and LREE/HREE. Less than 1 % upper crustal component was involved in generation of Members V2 and V3 from trachytic magma. Eruption of ∼130 km3 of magma resulted in collapse of the Kane Springs Wash caldera. Trachytic magma from deeper levels of the system was extruded onto the caldera floor shortly afterward, forming a central trachyte/syenite complex. Replacement of this magma by hotter, more mafic magma may have induced additional melting of the already heated chamber walls, as high-silica rhyolites that erupted in the “moat” surrounding the central complex have a large crustal component. Early moat rhyolites had temperatures near 800° C and, in contrast to the Kane Wash Tuff, are ferroedenite-bearing, have higher Al, K/Na, Th/Ta, and Ba, and have lower Fe, REE, and Zr. Fractional crystallization of this magma within the cooling and crystallizing magma chamber formed biotite-bearing rhyolite in isolated pockets. The most evolved of these had temperatures near 700° C, elevated F contents, H2O contents of ∼5 wt.%, Rb> 500 ppm, chondrite-normalized LREE/HREE <1, and formed vapor-phase topaz. Declining temperatures and Cl/ F from the Kane Wash Tuff through the moat rhyolites may reflect decreasing basalt input into the base of the system and increasing proportions of upper crustal melts in the silicic magmas.
Prognostic criteria in idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis in children.

An epidemiologic survey was undertaken of 30 children in whom idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis (IPH) had been identified. In determining the prognostic significance of various parameters, a clinical severity score was used. This included the year of onset of IPH, fever, difficulty in breathing, the severity of the anemia, the roentgenographic findings and therapeutic modalities such as transfusions, administration of steroids, antibiotic treatment and splenectomy. Eighteen patients had died. The results of this investigation suggest that: (1) The severity of the disease at its onset does not determine the survival; (2) Females survived longer; (3) Young age of the patients at the onset of IPH seems to carry a less favorable prognosis; (4) The common therapeutic modalities in use have not proved to be beneficial. We believe that some enviromental insult to the developing lung in genetically predisposed persons may contribute to a higher morbidity in the younger patients.
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors May Improve Myelin Integrity

Recent clinical trials have revealed that cholinergic treatments are efficacious in a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders that span the entire human lifespan and include disorders without cholinergic deficits. Furthermore, some clinical and epidemiological data suggest that cholinergic treatments have disease modifying/preventive effects. It is proposed that these observations can be usefully understood in a myelin-centered model of the human brain. The model proposes that the human brain's extensive myelination is the central evolutionary change that defines our uniqueness as a species and our unique vulnerability to highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. Within the framework of this model the clinical, biochemical, and epidemiologic data can be reinterpreted to suggest that nonsynaptic effects of cholinergic treatments on the process of myelination and myelin repair contributes to their mechanism of action and especially to their disease modifying/preventive effects. The ability to test the model in human populations with safe and noninvasive imaging technologies makes it possible to undertake novel clinical trial efforts directed at primary prevention of some of the most prevalent and devastating of human disorders.
Advanced nanoelectronic architectures for THz-based biological agent detection

The U.S. Army Research Office (ARO) and the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) jointly lead and support novel research programs that are advancing the state-of-the-art in nanoelectronic engineering in application areas that have relevance to national defense and security. One fundamental research area that is presently being emphasized by ARO and ECBC is the exploratory investigation of new bio-molecular architectural concepts that can be used to achieve rapid, reagent-less detection and discrimination of biological warfare (BW) agents, through the control of multi-photon and multi-wavelength processes at the nanoscale. This paper will overview an ARO/ECBC led multidisciplinary research program presently under the support of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) that seeks to develop new devices and nanoelectronic architectures that are effective for extracting THz signatures from target bio-molecules. Here, emphasis will be placed on the new nanosensor concepts and THz/Optical measurement methodologies for spectral-based sequencing/identification of genetic molecules.
Comfort Zone Revisited: Child Characteristics and Professional Comfort with Consultation.

This study examined professional comfort of 84 early intervention professionals in providing consultation about children with varying types, severity levels, and combinations of disabilities. A rep...
On optimal input design and model selection for communication channels

In this paper, the optimal model (structure) selection and input design that minimize the worst case identification error for communication systems are provided. The problem is formulated using metric complexity theory in a Hilbert space setting. It is pointed out that model selection and input design can be handled independently. Kolmogorov n-width is used to characterize the representation error introduced by model selection, while Gel'fand and Time n-widths are used to represent the inherent error introduced by input design. After the model is selected, an optimal input which minimizes the worst case identification error is shown to exist. In particular, it is proven that the optimal model for reducing the representation error is a Finite Impulse Response (FIR) model, and the optimal input is an impulse at the start of the observation interval. Numerical results are presented to show the verification and determine the accuracy of the FIR filter model and impulse pilot signal.
Proton transfer in the mechanism of triosephosphate isomerase.

Triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) catalyzes the reversible interconversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (GAP), with Glu-165 removing the pro-R proton from C1 of...