cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global sensitivity analysis of biological multiscale models

Abstract Mathematical models of biological systems need to both reflect and manage the inherent complexities of biological phenomena. Through their versatility and ability to capture behavior at multiple scales, multiscale models offer a valuable approach. Owing to the typically nonlinear and stochastic nature of multiscale models as well as unknown parameter values, various types of uncertainty are present; thus, effective assessment and quantification of such uncertainty through sensitivity analysis is important. In this review, we discuss global sensitivity analysis in the context of multiscale and multicompartment models and highlight its value in model development and analysis. We present an overview of sensitivity analysis methods, approaches for extending such methods to a multiscale setting, and examples of how sensitivity analysis can inform model reduction. Through schematics and references to past work, we aim to emphasize the advantages and usefulness of such techniques.
Introduction: radical documentary today

The history of documentary film is both indebted to and stifled by the legacy of John Grierson. Grierson certainly helped to codify documentary into a coherent mode of film practice, yet his politi...
Sybil Campbell, first woman judge and supporter of higher education for women

Sybil Campbell was appointed a Metropolitan stipendiary magistrate in 1945, the first woman to become a full-time judge in the courts of England and Wales. She sat for 16 years, at Tower Bridge Mag...
High-temperature heat exchangers in indirectly fired combined cycle (IFCC) systems: materials management and performance improvement

Abstract: In order to increase the efficiency of coal-fired power production, ultrasupercritical pulverized coal-fired boilers, indirectly fired combined cycle (IFCC) systems, and integrated gasification combined cycle systems are being investigated. Each type of system benefits from higher working fluid temperatures, which means higher-temperature materials are required for heat exchangers and turbines. In this chapter, a brief introduction to these technologies is provided, followed by a detailed discussion on the material, fabrication, corrosion, and performance issues for high-temperature heat exchangers (HTHXs) aimed at IFCC systems. In particular, oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloy-based HTHXs are examined, with data on flowing slag corrosion and pilot-scale performance presented. In addition, a new method for joining ODS alloys is described.
Impacts of assimilating observations from connected vehicles into a numerical weather prediction model

Abstract Numerical weather prediction (NWP), a method of weather forecasting using equations that describe atmospheric flows and behavior, is used extensively to help predict weather conditions along roadways and has important implications for maintaining safety and efficiency on the transportation network. An insufficiently dense surface observation network presents a major limitation in obtaining the current state of the atmosphere for NWP at high spatial and temporal resolutions, such as required by road weather applications. Connected vehicle technologies, where public, private, and commercial vehicles serve as weather-observing platforms, can be used to fill in these gaps in the surface weather observation network. A pilot study was formed to quantify the impact of a dense network of observations along roadways, such as would exist with fully implemented connected vehicle technologies, on NWP. First, a simulated vehicle probe dataset was created. This dataset was assimilated into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for select case studies, and the resulting output compared against observations and a baseline WRF run without the vehicle data assimilation. It was found that these observations had an overall positive impact on precipitation and other surface variable outputs, though in several cases the impact was slight. Major improvements occurred when using wiper status as a proxy for precipitation to apply forward error correction to a point model forecast of probability of precipitation and quantitative precipitation forecasts.
Abstract PO-042: FGFR1 expression correlates inversely with the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of FGFR inhibitors in pancreatic cancer

Aberrant functions of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) have been implicated in the tumor progression of pancreatic cancer (PaCA). However, the mechanisms of FGFR action and the therapeutic utilities of FGFR inhibitors (FGFRi) in PaCA remain largely under-investigated. Here the mechanisms of FGFR inhibition in PaCA were investigated using pan-FGFRi that are under clinical development and specific shRNA against individual FGFRs. FGFRi treatment, such as BGJ398 and AZD4547, significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and cell expression of key markers associated with cell survival and invasiveness was suppressed, in multiple PaCA cell lines. Gemcitabine (Gem) is the standard-of-care for PaCA, and the development of Gem resistance (GemR) compromises its efficacy, thereby Gem only provides modest survival benefits. We found that FGFRi was effective in inhibiting cell proliferation, migration of strongly GemR cells and tumors (named as MIA-GR8 cells and MIA-GR8 tumors) that were all derived by increasing Gem exposure from MIA PaCa-2 cells in vitro and selected by Gem in vivo. These results suggest its potential clinical utility as a class of alternative drug candidates in tumors that acquired GemR. Downregulation of GemR markers mediated by FGFRi treatment in GemR cells also suggested its therapeutic application of FGFRi in combination with Gem, in order to overcome GemR. Mechanistically, the molecular mechanisms of individual FGFR were investigated. shRNA-mediated inhibition of FGFR2 or FGFR3 did not decrease cell growth, and the overexpression of FGFR1 promoted cell migration rather than proliferation. Furthermore, the efficacy of FGFRi treatment was investigated in multiple cell lines and patient-derived xenograft. The inhibitory effects of BGJ398 in PANC-1 cell growth and migration were compromised by exogenic overexpression of FGFR1, and its efficacy on cell viability suppression was correlated with FGFR1 in multiple cell lines. In patient-derived xenografts, the efficacy of FGFRi on tumor growth inhibition was also correlated with FGFR1 expression. These data provide evidence that precision medicine which targets FGFR using FGFRi in PaCA tumors which express relatively modest or low amount of FGFR1 could be more effective than that with a high FGFR1 expression. Citation Format: Qingxiang Lin, Andrea Serratore, Eugene Kandel, Robert M. Straubinger. FGFR1 expression correlates inversely with the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of FGFR inhibitors in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer; 2020 Sep 29-30. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(22 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-042.
Systematic Detection and Characterization of Hydrogen Bonding in Proteins via Local Vibrational Modes

We introduce a new software, Efficient Detection of Hydrogen Bonds (EDHB), that systematically detects hydrogen bonds based on the nearest neighbors algorithm. EDHB classifies inter- and intramolecular hydrogen bonds as well as hydrogen bond networks. EDHB outperforms commonly used hydrogen bond detection methods in terms of speed of execution. An important additional feature of EDHB is that information from preceding quantum chemical studies (i.e., natural bond orbital analysis data and second energy derivative information) can be used to determine the electrostatic/covalent character of the hydrogen bonds and to calculate local-mode hydrogen bond force constants as a quantitative measure of their intrinsic strength. We applied EDHB to a diverse set of 163 proteins. We identified hydrogen bond networks forming intramolecular rings of different sizes as a common feature playing an important role for specific secondary structure orientations such as α-helixes and turns. However, these networks do not have a significant influence on the hydrogen bond strength. Our comprehensive local-mode analysis reveals the interesting result that the hydrogen bond angle is the governing factor determining the hydrogen bond strength in a protein. EDHB offers a broad range of application possibilities. In addition to proteins, EDHB can be generally used to detect and characterize hydrogen bonds in protein-ligand interactions, water clusters, and other systems where a hydrogen bond plays a critical role, as well as during molecular dynamics simulations. The program is freely available at https://github.com/ekraka/EDHB.
The imprint of primordial gravitational waves on the CMB intensity profile

Abstract We use the induced geometry on the two dimensional transverse cross section of a photon beam propagating on a perturbed Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) spacetime to find the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) photon distribution over a telescope's collecting area today. It turns out that at each line of sight the photons are diluted along a transverse direction due to gravitational shearing. The effect can be characterized by two spin-weight-two variables, which are reminiscent of the Stokes polarization parameters. Similar to that case, one can construct a scalar and a pseudo-scalar function where the latter only gets contributions from the tensor modes. We analytically determine the power spectrum of the pseudo-scalar at superhorizon scales in a simple inflationary model and briefly discuss possible observational consequences.
Dimensions of Capacity in Nonprofit Human Service Organizations

The purpose of this paper is to present and develop a firmer grasp of the underlying dimensions of organizational capacity in nonprofit human service organizations. The paper draws on the resource-based view of the organization (Barney et al. in Journal of Management 37:1299, 2011; Wernerfelt in Strategic Management Journal 5:171, 1984), which recognizes that organizational attributes and capabilities facilitate performance. Interviews were conducted with 66 executives in moderate sized, human service organizations to discuss factors that influence performance. Findings suggest that human, financial, and social capital all contribute to organizational performance. Executives emphasized the quality of people associated with the organization including the role of the board of directors in supporting performance. Many respondents also believed that maintaining healthy and dynamic external relationships was critical to success.
Fever, Immunity, and Molecular Adaptations

The heat shock response (HSR) is an ancient and highly conserved process that is essential for coping with environmental stresses, including extremes of temperature. Fever is a more recently evolved response, during which organisms temporarily subject themselves to thermal stress in the face of infections. We review the phylogenetically conserved mechanisms that regulate fever and discuss the effects that febrile-range temperatures have on multiple biological processes involved in host defense and cell death and survival, including the HSR and its implications for patients with severe sepsis, trauma, and other acute systemic inflammatory states. Heat shock factor-1, a heat-induced transcriptional enhancer is not only the central regulator of the HSR but also regulates expression of pivotal cytokines and early response genes. Febrile-range temperatures exert additional immunomodulatory effects by activating mitogen-activated protein kinase cascades and accelerating apoptosis in some cell types. This results in accelerated pathogen clearance, but increased collateral tissue injury, thus the net effect of exposure to febrile range temperature depends in part on the site and nature of the pathologic process and the specific treatment provided.
Analysis of mixtures of C60 and C70 by Raman spectrometry

A non-destructive method to determine the percent composition and relative purity of bulk solid phase mixed fullerene samples using Raman spectroscopy is described. This ratiometric method has a significant advantage in ease of use over other methods, in that the samples are analyzed in a short time, as solids in suspension, with minimal sample pre-preparation, using easy to operate instrumentation. The ratio of unique vibrational bands vs. percent composition is used to construct a calibration curve, and a detection limit estimated in the presence of chemical noise.
Titan's Atmosphere and Surface

This review is based on the report of the 1973 Titan Atmosphere Workshop ( The Atmosphere of Titan , NASA SP-340, 1974). The interior is presumably dominated by a melted NH3 - H2O solution, and the presence of CH4 is suggested by its abundance in the atmosphere. There is also evidence for H2, although a very high escape rate is implied. Nitrogen, from NH3 photolysis, could help in retarding this escape. Several lines of evidence suggest the presence of clouds and haze; both frozen CH4 and organic polymers are plausible. The thermal-emission spectrum shows peaks at 8 and 12 μ m, presumably due to CH4 and C2H6 in a warm stratosphere, but no minimum at 17 μm due to a pressure-induced H2 greenhouse. A decline in brightness temperature at longer wavelengths suggests a weak greenhouse effect from pressure-induced absorption in CH4. A surface temperature near 125°K is suggested by the weight of the evidence, but a value as low as 90°K is not excluded.
The effect of surface-limited microcracks on the effective Young's modulus of ceramics

The effect of aligned Vickers indentation cracks upon the Young's modulus of polycrystalline alumina bars was investigated. The measured Young's modulus for indented specimens was compared with the theoretical predictions based on a variety of models, including a model developed by the authors.
Acute weight gain, gender, and therapeutic response to antipsychotics in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia

Previous research indicated that women are more vulnerable than men to adverse psychological consequences of weight gain. Other research has suggested that weight gain experienced during antipsychotic therapy may also psychologically impact women more negatively. This study assessed the impact of acute treatment-emergent weight gain on clinical and functional outcomes of patients with schizophrenia by patient gender and antipsychotic treatment (olanzapine or haloperidol). Data were drawn from the acute phase (first 6-weeks) of a double-blind randomized clinical trial of olanzapine versus haloperidol in the treatment of 1296 men and 700 women with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The associations between weight change and change in core schizophrenia symptoms, depressive symptoms, and functional status were examined post-hoc for men and women and for each medication group. Core schizophrenia symptoms (positive and negative) were measured with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), depressive symptoms with the BPRS Anxiety/Depression Scale and the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale, and functional status with the mental and physical component scores on the Medical Outcome Survey-Short Form 36. Statistical analysis included methods that controlled for treatment duration. Weight gain during 6-week treatment with olanzapine and haloperidol was significantly associated with improvements in core schizophrenia symptoms, depressive symptoms, mental functioning, and physical functioning for men and women alike. The conditional probability of clinical response (20% reduction in core schizophrenia symptom), given a clinically significant weight gain (at least 7% of baseline weight), showed that about half of the patients who lost weight responded to treatment, whereas three-quarters of the patients who had a clinically significant weight gain responded to treatment. The positive associations between therapeutic response and weight gain were similar for the olanzapine and haloperidol treatment groups. Improved outcomes were, however, more pronounced for the olanzapine-treated patients, and more olanzapine-treated patients gained weight. The findings of significant relationships between treatment-emergent weight gain and improvements in clinical and functional status at 6-weeks suggest that patients who have greater treatment-emergent weight gain are more likely to benefit from treatment with olanzapine or haloperidol regardless of gender.
Aesthetics and Game-Based Learning: Applying John C. Belland’s Connoisseurship Model as a Mode of Inquiry

In 1991, Hlynka and Belland challenged both the prevailing positivist research paradigm and the emerging qualitative research paradigm in educational technology research by advocating for a third “critical” paradigm. The third paradigm proposed was for the use of different art and literary criticisms. Among those proposed was the connoisseurship model. Belland argued that the connoisseurship model was an effective means of “getting inside” of experiences. During the past decade, a growing interest in game-based learning environments has presented both innovative opportunities and intriguing challenges in how to view, critique, and evaluate these environments. While both qualitative and quantitative methodologies have been used, game-based learning environments are dynamic spaces constructed of multiple influences from the arts and sciences, yet too often science as the prevailing mode of inquiry misses the impact and influence of the aesthetics. The purpose of this chapter is to examine and apply the connoisseurship model proposed by John C. Belland in Paradigms Regained as a means for critiquing and “getting inside” of game-based learning environments.
Transistor-oscillator induction-motor drive

Transistor and saturable-core-transformer oscillators driving small 2-phase induction motors provide, in effect, a d-c motor without a commutator. The inductive, motor load on the oscillators requires that the transistors carry current in both directions and this is aided by shunting the transistors with rectifiers. Simple interconnection of two oscillators provides the 2-phase system. Operation of an experimental drive in the range from 125 to 500 cycles per second resembles behavior of a separately excited d-c motor except that motor shaft rotation is not reversed by reversing the d-c source. The harmonics in the square-wave motor voltages usually have negligible effect.
Toward Rational Design of Drug Delivery Substrates: I. Mixture Theory for Two-Scale Biocompatible Polymers

To rationally design drug release substrates, much as in the rational design of the drugs themselves, the biocompatible polymer physics, chemistry, and biology must be married in a mechanistic fashion via mathematics, and the mathematics must in turn be implemented on the computer for predictive purposes. Here we take a first step in this direction by developing two-scale, thermodynamically consistent, constitutive models for swelling, glassy, biocompatible polymers. Specifically, we apply mixture theory with averaged field equations to obtain thermodynamically consistent constitutive models for both charged and uncharged viscoelastic hydrogels in the glassy state. In Part II of this article we extend these results to a three-scale setting with two fluid phases on the macroscale. We develop constitutive models, insert these into the macroscale field equations, simplify, and solve an imbibition problem by the finite element method.
Dietary adaptation of some extinct ruminants determined by premaxillary shape

Extant ungulates can be divided into three dietary categories: browsers, grazers, and mixed feeders. Dietary adaptations can be differentiated in extant ruminants based upon analysis of premaxillary shape. This study applies methods to determine the dietary adaptations of extinct ungulates through analysis of premaxillary shapes. While browsers have pointed premaxillae and grazers have square premaxillae, mixed feeders have premaxillae that are a shape intermediate to the browsers and grazers, sometimes accompanied by an indentation on either side of the incisive foramen, which results in a club-shaped premaxilla. Cranioceras skinneri (Palaeomerycidae), Dromomeryx whitfordi (Palaeomerycidae), Palaeotragus coelophrys, "Palaeotragus" primaevus, an undetermined species from the Baringo Basin of Kenya (Giraffidae), Texoceros guimonensis (Antilocapridae), and Turcocerus grangeri (Bovidae) were found browsers; Aletomeryx gracilis (Palaeomerycidae), Bramatherium megacephalum (Giraffidae), Cosoryx furcatus (Antilocapridae), Honanotherium schlosseri (Giraffidae), Samotherium boissieri (Giraffidae), Samotherium neumayri (Giraffidae), Samotherium sp. nov., Sivatherium giganteum (Giraffidae), and Synthetoceras tricornatus (Protoceratidae) were grazers; and Merycodus necatus (Antilocapridae) and Palaeotragus rouenii (Giraffidae) were mixed feeders.
Water Probe in Coal Mine Working Face

Water probe in coal mine working face is an important part of the work of Mine Water. When the mine working face close to the aquifer hydraulic conductivity faults, underground rivers, caves and hydraulic conductivity collapse columns; extractive damaging effects, water probe should be done. However, the calculation of water inflow face probe has no feasible way. This paper discussed the theoretical calculations to explore water drilling inflow well group interference method and provides the basis for provision of drainage system for the coal mining enterprises.
Chronic hyperalgesic priming in the rat involves a novel interaction between cAMP and PKCe second messenger pathways

Toward the goal of defining new pharmacological targets for the treatment of chronic pain conditions, in previous studies we established a model, termed 'hyperalgesic priming,' in which an acute inflammatory stimulus causes a long-lasting latent susceptibility to hyperalgesia induced by subsequent exposures to the inflammatory mediator, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Those investigations suggested the hypothesis that priming induces a novel linkage between the PGE2-activated second messenger cascade and the epsilon isoform of protein kinase C (PKCepsilon). In the present study, comparison of dose-response relations for hyperalgesia produced by PGE2, forskolin, 8-Br-cAMP, or the protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit, in primed versus normal animals, demonstrated that priming-induced enhancement of the PGE2-activated second messenger cascade occurs downstream to adenylate cyclase and upstream to PKA. Therefore, PGE2-induced hyperalgesia in the primed animal is enhanced by the recruitment of a novel cAMP/PKCepsilon signaling pathway in addition to the usual cAMP/PKA pathway. These observations suggest that pharmacological disruption of the novel interaction between cAMP and PKCepsilon might provide a route toward the development of highly specific methods to reverse cellular processes that underlie chronic pain states.
PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN DOUBLING TIME SUBSEQUENT TO RADICAL PROSTATECTOMY AS A PROGNOSTICATOR OF OUTCOME FOLLOWING SALVAGE RADIOTHERAPY

ABSTRACTPurpose: Therapy for men with detectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) following radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer remains controversial. Salvage radiotherapy (SRT) is commonly used because of its relatively low morbidity. We present a single institution retrospective review of patients treated with SRT.Materials and Methods: A longitudinal cohort study (between April 1987 and April 2000) using the referral based Mayo Clinic Prostate Cancer Registry was conducted. A total of 211 patients were included in this study if detectable serum PSA was the sole indication for SRT and no hormonal therapy was administered.Results: Median followup from surgery to death or last followup was 7.2 years, from RP to SRT was 1.7 years and from SRT to last contact was 4.2 years. Median PSA and prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) at SRT initiation was 0.60 ng/ml and 7.32 months; respectively. Of the patients 90% had nadir PSA less than 0.4 ng/ml within 3 years of SRT. Biochemical disease-fre...
An Application of Covariance Analysis to Capacity Expansion at an Intermodal Blending Plant

Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) integrates analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression. The basic advantages of ANCOVA over ANOVA are: (1) generally greater power, and (2) reduction in bias caused by differences between groups that exist before experimental treatments are administered. ANCOVA has numerous possible applications in the evaluation of simulation output, especially where the values of covariates are not known until after the simulation experiment is completed. These covariates are uncontrolled experimental variables that influence the response but are themselves unaffected by the experimental factors. This paper provides an application of multiple analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to a simulation experiment to determine whether an intermodal transfer and blending facility should add commodity handling and storage capacity. A discrete simulation model of the plant generated cash flows from several proposed capital projects. These cash flows indicated that capacity expansion was a prudent decision. However, when the treatment means for the various combinations of additional capacity were adjusted by MANCOVA for the same levels of operating volume and scheduling performance, the adjusted cash flows produced unacceptable financial returns. In this example, the increased precision of the MANCOVA model suggested that plant management should not invest in additional storage and commodity handling capacity.
Cognitive and psychological factors associated with early posttreatment functional outcomes in breast cancer survivors.

Breast cancer survivors experience cognitive difficulties following chemotherapy, yet the effects of these deficits on functional outcomes have not been systematically evaluated. This study assessed the relationships between post-chemotherapy cognitive difficulties and functional outcomes. Forty-six women with breast cancer were seen at 1-month post-chemotherapy; data were collected on cognitive functioning, psychological variables, and physical symptoms. Wilcoxon Signed Rank analyses revealed cognitive deficits in executive functioning and verbal fluency. Subsequent regression analyses demonstrated that poorer executive functioning was associated with decreased productivity, community involvement, and social role functioning. Poorer quality of life was predicted by depression and reluctance to seek social support, but not cognitive functioning. These findings indicate that executive functioning deficits are associated with important functional outcomes among breast cancer survivors 1-month post-chemotherapy. Thus, treatment efforts should focus on addressing cognitive, as well as psychological and physical, issues among cancer survivors.
Lower bounds for graph embeddings and combinatorial preconditioners

Given a general graph G, a fundamental problem is to find a spanning tree H that best approximates G by some measure. Often this measure is some combination of the congestion and dilation of an embedding of G into H. One example is the routing timep(G, H) ≤ O (congestion + dilation), the number of steps necessary to route pairwise demands G on network links H in the store-and-forward packet routing model. Another is the condition numberkf(G, H) ≤ O (congestion · dilation), the square root of which bounds the number of iterations necessary to solve a linear system with coefficient matrix G preconditioned by H using the classical conjugate gradient method. The algorithmic applications of being able to find (efficiently) a good tree approximation H for a graph G are numerous; but what if no good tree exists.In this paper, we seek to identify the class of graphs G which are intrinsically difficult to approximate by a particular measure. It is easily seen that with respect to routing time, G is hardest to approximate by a tree H precisely when it contains either long cycles (which yield high dilation)or large separators (which yield high congestion). We show that with respect to condition number, the existence of long cycles or large separators in G is sufficient but not necessary or it to be hardest to approximate, by demonstrating a nearly-linear lower bound or the case in which G is a square mesh. The proof uses concepts from circuit theory, linear algebra, and geometry, and it generalizes to the case in which H is a spanning subgraph of G of Euler characteristic k. The result has consequences or the design of preconditioners or symmetric M-matrices and perhaps also of communication networks.
A 2010 map estimate of annually tilled cropland within the conterminous United States

Abstract A ca. 2010, 30 m resolution map depicting annually tilled areas across the conterminous United States was developed. Input sources included four years, spanning 2008–2011, of annual national-level coverage Cropland Data Layer (CDL) land cover classifications as produced by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Derived total land area under tillage from the aggregate CDL product equaled 112.8 million hectares (278.7 million acres). By comparison, the 2007 Census of Agriculture (CoA) produced an estimate of 122.9 million hectares, suggesting the map is under representing tilled area by 10.1 million hectares or 8.2%. Regression analysis using state-level summaries showed a strong, albeit biased, correlation (r-squared = 0.99) between the CDL derived tilled area and the CoA information. Notable outliers were North Dakota and Montana. Comparisons of the CDL tilled map were also made against the 2006 National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) land cover product’s Cultivated Crops category. Strong state-level regression agreement (r-squared = 0.98) was also found between the NLCD and the CDL acreages, but the NLCD estimated 8.5% more area than the CDL and thus closely matched that of the CoA. However, significant pixel level differences were found between the CDL and the NLCD. Nationally 5.6% of the maps were in disagreement as to whether cultivated or not, a large proportion considering around a seventh of the country’s land area is tilled. States of Arkansas, Montana and Wisconsin had the largest absolute discrepancies between the NLCD and CDL. Accepting the CDL as reference showed a national level NLCD cropland commission error of 23.0% and omission error of 14.5%. Much of what is believed to be problematic in the NLCD could be explained by definitional issues having included alfalfa hay into their cultivated category for many areas. Ultimately, while it is likely that the CDL annually tilled area model is an underestimate of the true total, taken contextually in map form and adjusted for undercount bias it likely is the best available.
A pilot study to determine support during the pre-treatment phase of early prostate cancer.

While we know about physicians' involvement in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, little is known about others who assist men in dealing with the diagnosis and treatment choices, once they are diagnosed with early prostate cancer, but not yet treated. This pilot study explores if men use other sources of support and the roles and functions of support providers. We conducted separate individual interviews with 21 men diagnosed with prostate cancer and 18 persons identified by the diagnosed men as their support provider. Some of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer reported not relying on a support provider, others identified other men already treated for prostate cancer, others' their partner. The provided support consisted of informational and emotional support. Men already treated for prostate cancer provided informational support. Spousal support depended on the diagnosed partner's willingness to accept emotional and/or informational support. Due to the variation in diagnosed men's support, we recommend that physicians inquire about patients' sources of and interest in support. This will reveal which patients rely almost exclusively on physicians, when deciding on a certain treatment. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of water-soluble extract of tobacco smoke condensate from commercial filter and defiltered cigarettes on seed germination

Abstract The effect of water-soluble extracts of tobacco smoke condensate (TSC) from two commercial cigarettes, with filters and defiltered, on seed germination of onion (Allium cepa) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) was investigated. One of the cigarettes had a 2 cm cellulose acetate filter while the other had a filter comprised of 1 cm cellulose acetate followed by 1 cm activated charcoal. The effect of TSC on germination of tomato and onion seeds varied with different concentrations. Higher concentrations (0·05%, 0·10% and 0·25%) of TSC from defiltered cigarettes proved more effective than TSC from cigarettes with filters in inhibiting onion seed germination, as compared with tomato. In tomato, lower concentrations (0·01%, 0·025%, 0·05% and 0·10%) of TSC from these cigarettes, with filters or defiltered, did not significantly prevent seed germination. The highest concentration (0·25%), however, did effectively prevent seed germination. At the end of the experiment, non-germinated seeds treated with the highest concentration (0·25%) of TSC from both filter and defiltered cigarettes were washed four times with distilled water and then allowed to germinate on moist filter paper. Onion and tomato seeds, which had been previously treated with TSC from cigarettes with filters, started germination which was as high as the controls. However, the seeds which had been exposed to TSC from defiltered cigarettes responded differently. Tomato seeds germinated while onion seeds did not. Thus, the inhibition induced by 0·25% of TSC from defiltered cigarettes was permanent in onion and temporary in tomato.
Anterior segment ischemia after strabismus surgery with microvascular dissection.

Abstract Anterior segment ischemia is a rare but well-known complication of extraocular muscle surgery. 1 Several surgical techniques have been used to prevent this complication in high-risk patients. A number of studies have suggested that microvascular dissection and preservation of the anterior ciliary vessels during strabismus surgery may reduce the risk of ischemic complications. 2-4 We present a case in which anterior segment ischemia occurred despite the use of this vessel-sparing technique. J AAPOS 2000;4:56-7.
The demographic viewpoint in the vital and health statistics monographs of The American Public Health Association.

The plan calls for monographs on 16 specific topics and a review volume. The specific topics include a monograph on fertility, another on marriage and divorce, and one on social and economic factors in mortality, all of which are of obvious demographic interest. The core of the development of the monographs dealing with the disease topics, and accidents, homicide, and suicide, is a tabulation program involving specific and age-adjusted death rates based upon the deaths in the United States for the three year period 1959-61 and the 1960 census of population. The program called for a set of standard tabulations common to each monograph and also a set of special tabulations tailored to meet the particular needs for each topic as specified by its authors. This wealth of demographic detail regarding mortality in the United States during 1959-61 fills only one aspect of its health picture. To fill out the health picture, use is being made of the great volume of morbidity data out of the National Health Interview and Examination Surveys and a wide variety of other specialized surveys. In all of these, the findings are invariably described in terms of the demographic characteristics of age and sex, and frequently in terms of such social-economic variables as education, income, work status, and occupational class.
Treatment of pyogenic granulomas with the 585 nm pulsed dye laser

Abstract Background: Current therapeutic alternatives for pyogenic granulomas include surgical excision, electrodesiccation and curettage, cryotherapy, and ablation with CO 2 or continuous-wave vascular lasers. Objective: Our purpose was to investigate the use of the 585 nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser (585 nm PDL) for the treatment of pyogenic granulomas in terms of efficacy, advantages in technique, and side effects. Methods: Eighteen patients with symptomatic pyogenic granulomas in a variety of locations were treated with the 585 nm PDL and examined. Results: Sixteen of 18 treated patients demonstrated both symptomatic and clinical clearing of the lesions with excellent cosmetic results after treatment. The two patients who dropped out after one to two 585 nm PDL treatments were eventually treated successfully with electrodesiccation and curettage. No postoperative complications and no persistent pigmentary changes or scarring were observed. The procedure required no anesthesia, and postoperative care was limited to the application of a topical antibiotic ointment. Conclusion: Our experience suggests that treatment of pyogenic granulomas with the 585 nm PDL is a safe, effective, and reasonable alternative to conventional therapy.
Design of two- and three-element diffractive telescopes

Design procedures for simple two- and three-element diffractive telescopes are described. The basic configuration for the two-element design is obtained analytically by solving design equations to set the Seidel aberrations to target values. Computer optimization is used to complete the design of the doublet and triplet telescopes. It is shown that diffraction limited performance can be obtained from these diffractive systems. 1.
Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic (VATS) Lobectomy After Induction Therapy

Concerns regarding the sequelae of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy on the pleural space and tissue planes had previously deterred the application of video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy for patients who underwent neoadjuvant therapy. As experience with VATS has increased, however, its application toward more technically demanding operations has also expanded. The diminished impact on pulmonary function associated with the VATS approach may make pulmonary resection more tolerable in compromised patients. This article describes an approach designed for maximal safety on carefully selected patients who have undergone induction therapy.
Current Trends in Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy: An Interdisciplinary Assessment

Abstract This research was designed to provide a body of information on the opinions of a representative sample of hypnosis practitioners and researchers regarding issues related to the current trends in hypnosis and hypnotherapy. A survey of 500 members (psychologists, physicians, and dentists) of the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis resulted in a 33 percent return rate and was followed by a telephone survey of 9 percent of nonrespondents to increase generalizability. Respondents were asked to provide demographic information, identify books and journals perceived as influential and significant to hypnosis, identify current major authors and theoreticians in the field of hypnosis, and assess directions of future research and applied growth in hypnosis. Overall, respondents indicated a relative balance in representative books, authors, and theoretical views secondary to the continued pervasive influence of Milton Erickson. Behavioral medicine and neurological/neuropsychological bases of hypnosis resea...
Low Dean Number Convective Heat Transfer in Helical Ducts of Rectangular Cross Section

Flow in a torroidal duct is characterized by increased convective heat transfer and friction compared to a straight duct of the same cross section. In this paper the importance of the nonplanarity (torsion) of a helical duct with rectangular cross section is investigated. A previously determined low Dean number velocity solution is used in the decoupled energy equation for the hydrodynamically fully developed, thermally developing case. Torsion, known to increase the friction factor, is found to cause a decrease in the fully developed Nusselt number compared to pure torroidal flow. Therefore, it is recommended that torsion be minimized to enhance heat transfer.
Effect of context on verbal recall

Sixty-seven S s were presented with samples of English text in which one word had been replaced by a blank and were allowed 15 min to list all the words that might have been the one deleted. The context surrounding the blank varied from 0 to 40 words. Increasing the amount of context decreased the number of words that S could produce to fit the context, but increased the proportional recall rate, that is, the proportion of the total number of words recallable that was produced per unit time. The results were interpreted in terms of a search model for verbal recall, in which the context determines the number of target words, the number of items in memory through which S searches for target words, and the rate at which he scans these items.
980-nm diode laser for middle ear surgery

We used a 980 nm diode laser at 15 W in the continuous wave mode, delivered through a 200 micrometer optical fiber to perform in vitro laser stapedotomies in a model system. We could measure the temperature increase of the perilymph after the laser had penetrated the footplate. More than 0.5 mm away from the footplate the temperature increase was 3 degrees Celsius or less. However, a measurable amount of the laser light penetrated more than 4 mm in our model perilymph system. There was no evidence of acoustic waves and the optical fiber was easy to use. We anticipate that this laser is safe and effective for laser stapedotomies.
Arabidopsis CYP72C1 is an atypical cytochrome P450 that inactivates brassinosteroids

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are a diverse family of proteins that have specialized roles in secondary metabolism and in normal cell development. Two P450s in particular, CYP734A1 and CYP72C1, have been identified as brassinosteroid-inactivating enzymes important for steroid-mediated signal transduction in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genetic analyses have demonstrated that these P450s modulate growth throughout plant development. While members of the CYP734A subfamily inactivate brassinosteroids through C-26 hydroxylation, the biochemical activity of CYP72C1 is unknown. Because CYP734A1 and CYP72C1 in Arabidopsis diverge more than brassinosteroid inactivating P450s in other plants, this study examines the structure and biochemistry of each enzyme. Three-dimensional models were generated to examine the substrate binding site structures and determine how they might affect the function of each P450. These models have indicated that the active site of CYP72C1 does not contain several conserved amino acids typically needed for substrate hydroxylation. Heterologous expression of these P450s followed by substrate binding analyses have indicated that CYP734A1 binds active brassinosteroids, brassinolide and castasterone, as well as their upstream precursors whereas CYP72C1 binds precursors more effectively. Seedling growth assays have demonstrated that the genetic state of CYP734A1, but not CYP72C1, affected responsiveness to high levels of exogenous brassinolide supporting our observations that CYP72C1 acts on brassinolide precursors. Although there may be some overlap in their physiological function, the distinct biochemical functions of these proteins in Arabidopsis has significant potential to fine-tune the levels of different brassinosteroid hormones throughout plant growth and development.
Polypropylene: A Literature Review of the Thermal Decomposition Products and Toxicity:

This report presents a comprehensive literature review of the thermal decomposition products of polypropylene evolved under pyrolytic and oxidative conditions and the acute toxicity of combustion products of this polymer. Generally, the pyrolysis products of polypropylene (300–700°C) were aliphatic saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. The combustion of polypropylene in air (200–600°C) produced oxygenated hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, CO, CO2, and H2O. In general, as combustion temperature and time increased, the proportions of oxygenated and aliphatic hydrocarbons decreased, whereas the proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons increased. Using the University of San Francisco/National Aeronautical and Space Administration (USF/NASA) method under the fixed temperature program, time to death in mice caused by the combustion products of polypropylene decreased as the temperature was increased. Under the rising temperature mode, time to death decreased when polypropylene was combus...
Cardiac progenitor cells: from embryonic to the aging heart

Contrary to popular belief that a postnatal mammalian heart lacks the ability to regenerate, it has been shown recently that cardiomyocyte renewal occurs throughout the entire lifespan of mammals, even in humans. While this raises exciting possibilities for therapeutic intervention for patients with heart disease, the mechanism of such postnatal cardiomyocyte renewal is unclear. It is believed that either progenitor-mediated differentiation or proliferation of pre-existing cardiomyocytes may be responsible for new cardiomyocyte generation. Different populations of postnatal cardiac progenitor cells, including c-Kit+, Sca-1+, side-population, epicardial-derived and cardiosphere cells, have been described. These postnatal cardiac progenitor cells, theoretically, could be stimulated to undergo proliferation and cardiac-specific differentiation to regenerate cardiac tissue. Stimulation of cell cycle re-entry by mature cardiomyocytes has also been described. Ultimately, a greater understanding of both processe...
Basement membrane biosynthesis by isolated bovine retinal vessels: Incorporation of precursors into extracellular matrix

Abstract The biosynthesis of microvascular basement membrane has been demonstrated in a purified preparation of isolated bovine retinal vessels. With the use of a detergent extraction procedure to isolate morphologically intact retinal vessel basement membrane, the incorporation of labeled amino acids and carbohydrates into the purified extracellular matrix was shown. Electron microscopy demonstrated the purity of the microvessel preparations and the basement membrane derived from them, confirming that the incorporation observed represented incorporation of radioactive precursors into ultrastructurally intact microvascular basement membrane. The incorporation of amino acids and carbohydrates into the basement membrane was sensitive to heat inactivation, respiratory poisons, and inhibitors of protein and collagen synthesis. Only a small fraction of the proline label deposited in the extracellular matrix was digested by collagenase treatment, in agreement with the small amount of labeled hydroxyproline found in the isolated basement membrane, indicating that while some synthesis of collagen is observed, the bulk of incorporation occurring in this system appears to be into noncollagenous glycoprotein components of the basement membrane. The results are in agreement with different rates of secretion and deposition of glycoprotein and collagen components into the basement membrane matrix. This is the first demonstration of basement membrane biosynthesis by the isolated retinal microvasculature and represents a promising system for the study of the metabolic basis for the marked pathology of the vessel wall occurring in diseases such as diabetes mellitus.
THE ATLAS PII-ECR ION SOURCE PROJECT

The Argonne PII-ECR ion source has been operating for ten months. Beam development has proceeded well and has included the first beams from solid materials as well as gases. High voltage operation has been accomplished and beams to an atomic physics program have been provided for a total of four months. Problems with the high voltage transformer has limited run time at high voltage. A test of ion cyclotron resonance heating has occurred, demonstrating the possibility of selectively enhancing certain charge states in the extracted beam distributions. First beam from the Phase I Positive Ion Injector (PII) project is scheduled for February, 1989. 7 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.