cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced coated-tubing failures cut costs at Dickinson Heath Sand Unit

In the Dickinson Heath Sand Unit waterflood, corrosion-related failures of coated injection tubing began accelerating in 1979 with the increased water production attributed to waterflood response. The trend peaked in 1984 when $164,000 was spent pulling failed tubing (34 workovers). Starting in 1983, the selection of coatings, coating-application-process quality control, and handling/installation procedures were examined, modified, and refined. The author discusses how these changes and improvements resulted in fewer pulling jobs and less money spent on associated workovers during 1988.
Caffeoyl ester accumulation in corn leaves inoculated with fungal pathogens

Abstract Corn leaves inoculated with the fungal pathogens Colletotrichum graminicola or Helminthosporium maydis accumulated two caffeoyl esters that were extractable. These were identified as caffeoyl glucose, and a caffeoyl ester with an unknown acidic moiety. The response was not cultivar specific as a number of susceptible and resistant cultivars produced both compounds following infection. Increased levels of the two esters were detected at infection sites 20 hr after inoculation when visible symptoms of disease first became apparent as minute necrotic flecks. The manner in which the two compounds accumulated and the fact that they were not inhibitory in vitro to either pathogen may indicate that their function in the disease response involves host metabolism rather than fungal inhibition.
Complete genome analysis and virulence characteristics of the Louisiana West Nile virus strain LSU–AR01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Flaviriridae family, which can cause significant morbidity and mortality in birds, horses, and humans. The WNV–LSU–AR01 strain was isolated from a dead blue jay in Louisiana in 2001. Phylogenetic analysis using 75 full WNV genomes revealed that the LSU–AR01 strain belongs to a distinct subclade among the North American strains. The LSU–AR01 strain differed from the NY-99 prototypic strain by 26 nucleotides causing six amino acid changes. An asparagine-to-lysine change was located immediately proximal to a known CD8+T cell epitope in NS4B, while a glutamine-to-lysine change was located within a predicted CD8+T cell epitope in NS5. The LSU–AR01 strain caused pronounced neuronal necrosis, perivascular cuffing and gliosis in comparison to the NY-99-infected mice. These results suggest that the previously identified Connecticut strains may contain highly neurovirulent strains such as the LSU–AR01 that have spread in North America.
Changing perspectives in children hospitalized with poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis.

Changing perspectives in 95 children with poststreptococcal acute glomerulonephritis (PSAGN) in our hospital between 1979 and 1988 are reported. Between 1961 and 1970 an average of 31±6.3 patients/year with PSAGN were treated and 70% had antecedent pyoderma. In the present study antecedent pharyngitis was observed in 59 children und pyoderma in 36. In comparison to the decade ending in 1970 our data show: (1) a marked decline in the prevalence of PSAGN (P=<0.0005), (2) a predominance of antecedent pharyngeal infection (P=0.044), (3) a decline in urban and an increase in rural patients with PSAGN (P=0.0483); and in the last decade: (1) a predominance of antecedent pharyngeal infection in children over 6 years of age (P=0.0009) and (2) a predominance of antecedent pyoderma in black children (P=0.0004).
An Automatic Continuum Compensating Photometer for Observations of Aurora and Airglow

An auroral-airglow photometer is described which automatically samples the night sky continuum at a wavelength adjacent to the emission line and subtracts the contribution of the continuum to the total observed signal. The sampling rate of 150 cps permits the subtraction of fluctuations in the continuum. Emission intensities over seven orders of magnitude may be monitored in unattended operation with an over-all response time of 1 sec/decade. Three emission wavelengths are monitored sequentially. The logarithm of the intensity is automatically recorded on a strip chart recorder. Full-scale deflection of the recorder pen corresponds to one decade of light intensity.
Introductory Course Content and Goals

A nationwide survey of introductory psychology instructors showed that introductory courses are remarkably uniform in structure and content, with few differences across instructors and institutions. Instructors' most important goal was to "engage students in scientific inquiry about psychological processes," but instructors said that what the course does best is to survey the field and the different approaches to it. A survey of introductory students showed that most expected to learn about people and relationships and to gain useful skill and knowledge. At the end of the term, most described the course as a survey, and the course few short of many of their expectations.
An Empirical Analysis of Umbrella Branding

In this article, the author studies the processes by which consumers’ quality perceptions of a brand in a product category are affected by their experience with the same brand in a different catego...
Automated detection of objects in Sidescan sonar data

Detection and mapping of subsurface obstacles is critical for safe navigation of littoral regions. Sidescan sonar data offers a rich source of information for developing such maps. Typically, data are collected at two frequencies using a sensor mounted on a towfish. The major features of interest depend on the specific mission, but often include: objects on the bottom that could pose hazards for navigation, linear features such as cables or pipelines, and the bottom type, e.g., clay, sand, rock, etc. A number of phenomena can complicate the analysis of the sonar data: Surface return, vessel wakes, fluctuations in the position and orientation of the towfish. Developing accurate maps of navigation hazards based on sidescan sonar data is generally labor intensive. We propose an automated approach, which employs commercial software tools, to detect of these objects. This method offers the prospect of substantially reducing production time for maritime geospatial data products.
Expression profile of leukocyte genes activated by anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA)

Expression profile of leukocyte genes activated by anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA). Background Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA) induce neutrophil activation in vitro with release of injurious products that can mediate necrotizing vasculitis in vivo. The importance of ANCA IgG F(ab′) 2 -antigen binding versus Fcγ receptor engagement in this process is controversial. We propose that ANCA-antigen binding affects cell signaling pathways that can result in changes of gene expression. Methods Microarray GeneChip analysis and real-time, quantitative PCR (TaqMan ® ) was used to probe for transcripts in leukocytes from patients (in vivo gene expression study) and in leukocytes treated with ANCA IgG or ANCA-F(ab′) 2 (in vitro gene expression study). Results Microarray gene chip analysis showed that ANCA IgG and ANCA-F(ab′) 2 stimulate transcription of a distinct subset of genes, some unique to whole IgG, some unique to F(ab′) 2 fragments, and some common to both. DIF-2 , COX-2 , and IL-8 were identified as genes responsive to ANCA signaling and were selected for in depth evaluation. In vitro DIF-2 and IL-8 were increased by both ANCA IgG and F(ab′) 2 , but COX-2 only by MPO-ANCA F(ab′) 2 . In vivo DIF-2 levels were increased in leukocytes of ANCA patients, which correlated strongly with disease activity and ANCA titer. DIF-2 was not increased in patients in remission or in disease control patients (systemic lupus erythematosus and IgA nephropathy). COX-2 gene expression was significantly increased in patients with active disease, while IL-8 was increased in remission. Conclusions The data indicate that leukocyte genes are activated in vitro by both ANCA Fc and ANCA F(ab′) 2 pathways and that in vitro activation mimics changes in circulating leukocytes of patients with ANCA disease. Increased levels of DIF-2 in patient leukocytes strongly correlate with severity of disease in kidney tissue. The observations indicate a previously unrecognized role for DIF-2 in ANCA-mediated inflammation, which raises the possibility that DIF-2 has an important role in other types of inflammation.
Development and Application of a New Upscaling Technique

Detailed reservoir descriptions have become available with the advent of geostatistical conditional simulation and geological-engineering reservoir characterization techniques which can honor and integrate information such as core, well log, well test, geological and geophysical data. Prohibitive computational costs of flow simulations with such detail limit us to coarse grid systems. Of all the reservoir properties, permeability has the foremost effect on fluid flow. Therefore a procedure to properly scale-up small scale permeabilities to a permeability of a large scale coarse grid is needed. This paper presents an extension of the new 3-D absolute permeability analytical upscaling method by incorporating 3-D directional search and coordinate rotation procedures. The method for single-phase upscaling is applied to realistic 3-D reservoir heterogeneities and Glenn Pool Self Unit flow simulations and excellent agreement is obtained between fine and upscaled coarse grid simulations. The paper also presents the extension of the method to relative permeability upscaling. Based on phase permeabilities, a theory of analytical upscaling for waterflooding has been developed. The method assumes steady-state flow under capillary-viscous equilibrium and calculates effective relative permeability tensors based on phase permeabilities as a function of water saturation. The preliminary results of the new two-phase analytical upscaling method in 2-Dmore » are compared with numerical results and a promising match is obtained. The new method may present a viable alternative to numerical upscaling.« less
Cotton root growth as affected by P fertilizer placement

Growth chamber studies were conducted to evaluate root growth and P uptake by cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) as affected by the proportion of the soil volume that is treated with fertilizer P. Cotton seedlings were grown in a Dewey silty clay loam (Typic Paleudult) and a Marvyn loamy sand (Typic Paleudult). The Dewey soil had a low-P status and the Marvyn soil had a high-P status (7 and 44 mg kg−1 Mehlich I extractable P, respectively). Phosphorus was added at a constant or base rate which was added to decreasing proportions of the soil volume (i.e. 1.0, 0.5, 0.25 and 0.125). The addition of the same amount of P to decreasing proportions of the soil volume resulted in a stimulation of root growth in the P-fertilized soil volume relative to the nonfertilized soil. The degree of stimulation was similar for the two soils which differed in P status. Phosphorus uptake reached a maximum when 0.25 and 0.50 of the soil volume was treated with P on the Marvyn and Dewey soils, respectively.
Surfactant-templated silica aerogels

By combining the molecular silica precursor tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) with an alkaline, micellar, water: methanol solution, we form surfactant-templated silica gel (STSG) monoliths. The wet monoliths can be exchanged with ethanol and then supercritically extracted with carbon dioxide to produce surfactant-templated silica aerogels (STSAs). STSAs represent a new class of aerogels that are composed of aggregated submicron porous particles that have tunable intraparticle nanoporosity. STSAs catalyzed with NH4OH experience no measurable shrinkage upon extraction and have bulk densities less than ~0.15 g/cc. The STSAs can then be calcined to remove the remainder of the surfactant. The calcination process leads to minimal shrinkage (<8%), high surface area (~700 m2/g), uncracked monoliths with hierarchical inter- and intraparticle porosities, and bulk densities less than 0.08 g/cc. We use XRD, SAXS, SEM. 29Si NMR. and N2 Sorption to characterize the structure and porosity of these novel aerogels.
The DNA strand of chimeric RNA/DNA oligonucleotides can direct gene repair/conversion activity in mammalian and plant cell-free extracts

Chimeric oligonucleotides (chimeras), consisting of RNA and DNA bases folded by complementarity into a double hairpin conformation, have been shown to alter or repair single bases in plant and animal genomes. An uninterrupted stretch of DNA bases within the chimera is known to be active in the sequence alteration while RNA residues aid in complex stability. In this study, the two strands were separated in the hope of defining the role each plays in conversion. Using a series of single-stranded oligonucleotides, comprised of all RNA or DNA residues and various mixtures, several new structures have emerged as viable molecules in nucleotide conversion. When extracts from mammalian and plant cells and a genetic readout assay in bacteria are used, single-stranded oligonucleotides, containing a defined number of thioate backbone modifications, were found to be more active than the original chimera structure in the process of gene repair. Single-stranded oligonucleotides containing fully modified backbones were found to have low repair activity and in fact induce mutation. Molecules containing various lengths of modified RNA bases (2'-O-methyl) were also found to possess low activity. Taken together, these results confirm the directionality of nucleotide conversion by the DNA strand of the chimera and further present a novel, modified single-stranded DNA molecule that directs conversion in plant and animal cell-free extracts.
Spermatogenesis in XO,Sxr mice: role of the Y chromosome.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the role of the Y chromosome in spermatogenesis by a quantitative and qualitative analysis of spermatogenesis as it occurs in the absence of a significant portion of the Y chromosome, i.e., in XO,Sxr male mice. Although these mice have the testis-determining portion of the Y chromosome on their single X chromosome, they lack most of the Y chromosome. Since it was found that all sperm-specific structures were assembled in a normal spatial and temporal pattern in spermatids of XO,Sxr mice, the genes controlling these structures cannot be located on the Y chromosome outside of the Sxr region, and are more likely to be on autosomes or on the X chromosome. In spite of the assembly of the correct sperm-specific structures, spermatogenesis was not quantitatively normal in XO,Sxr mice and significantly reduced numbers of spermatids were found in the seminiferous tubules of these mice. Furthermore, two size classes of spermatids were found in the testes of XO,Sxr mice, normal and twice-normal size. These findings are suggestive of abnormalities of meiosis in XO,Sxr spermatocytes, which lack one of the two sex chromosomes, and may not implicate function of specific genes on the Y chromosome. Morphological abnormalities of spermatids, which were not unique to XO,Sxr mice, were observed and these may be due to either a defective testicular environment because of reduced numbers of germ cells or to the lack of critical Y chromosome-encoded products. Since pachytene spermatocytes of XO,Sxr mice exhibited a sex vesicle, it can be concluded that the assembly of this structure does not depend on the presence of either a complete Y chromosome or the pairing partner for the X chromosome.
DNA curvature and flexibility in vitro and in vivo

It has been more than 50 years since the elucidation of the structure of double-helical DNA. Despite active research and progress in DNA biology and biochemistry, much remains to be learned in the field of DNA biophysics. Predicting the sequence-dependent curvature and flexibility of DNA is difficult. Applicability of the conventional worm-like chain polymer model of DNA has been challenged. The fundamental forces responsible for the remarkable resistance of DNA to bending and twisting remain controversial. The apparent 'softening' of DNA measured in vivo in the presence of kinking proteins and superhelical strain is incompletely understood. New methods and insights are being applied to these problems. This review places current work on DNA biophysics in historical context and illustrates the ongoing interplay between theory and experiment in this exciting field.
Corn and alfalfa production as influenced by limited irrigation

Several corn and alfalfa varieties were subjected to varying levels of water deficits under field conditions over a two-year period at the Utah State University Evans farm at Logan, Utah. Dry matter yields of corn and alfalfa varieties showed a linear relationship to evapotranspiration (Et. In most cases grain yields also showed a linear response to Et. When relative yields of dry matter and grain of corn varieties were related to relative Etit was found that the slopes of the linear regression lines changed more between the two years than between the varieties within a given year. It was found that yields predicted by Hanks' (1974) model were highly correlated with measured yields for both corn and alfalfa.
Identification of sulfur sources and isotopic equilibria in submarine hot-springs using multiple sulfur isotopes

Abstract Multiple sulfur isotopes were measured in metal sulfide deposits, elemental sulfur, and aqueous hydrogen sulfide to constrain sulfur sources and the isotopic systematics of precipitation in seafloor hydrothermal vents. Areas studied include the Eastern Manus Basin and Lau Basin back-arc spreading centers and the unsedimented basalt-hosted Southern East Pacific Rise (SEPR) and sediment-hosted Guaymas Basin mid-ocean ridge spreading centers. Chalcopyrite and dissolved hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) δ 34 S values range from −5.5‰ to +5.6‰ in Manus Basin samples, +2.4‰ to +6.1‰ in Lau Basin samples, and +3.7‰ to +5.7‰ in SEPR samples. Values of δ 34 S for cubic cubanite and H 2 S range from −1.4‰ to +4.7‰ in Guaymas Basin samples. Multiple sulfur isotope systematics in fluid-mineral pairs from the SEPR and Lau Basin show that crustal host rock and thermochemical reduction of seawater-derived dissolved sulfate (SO 4 ) are the primary sources of sulfur in mid-ocean ridge and some back-arc systems. At PACMANUS and SuSu Knolls hydrothermal systems in the Eastern Manus Basin, a significant contribution of sulfur is derived from disproportionation of magmatic sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), while the remaining sulfur is derived from crustal host rocks and SO 4 reduction. At the sedimented Guaymas Basin hydrothermal system, sulfur sources include crustal host rock, reduced seawater SO 4 , and biogenic sulfide. Vent fluid flow through fresher, less-mature sediment supplies an increased quantity of reactant organic compounds that may reduce 34 S-enriched SO 4 , while fluid interaction with more highly-altered sediments results in H 2 S characterized by a small, but isotopically-significant input of 34 S-depleted biogenic sulfides. Near-zero Δ 33 S values in all samples implicate the abiotic processes of SO 4 reduction and leaching of host rock as the major contributors to sulfur content at a high temperature unsedimented mid-ocean ridge and at a back-arc system. Δ 33 S values indicate that SO 2 disproportionation is an additional process that contributes sulfur to a different back-arc system and to acid spring-type hydrothermal fluid circulation. At the sedimented Guaymus Basin, near-zero Δ 33 S values are also observed, despite negative δ 34 S values that indicate inputs of biogenic pyrite for some samples. In contrast with previous studies reporting isotope disequilibrium between H 2 S and chalcopyrite, the δ 34 S values of chalcopyrite sampled from the inner 1–2 mm of a chimney wall are within ±1‰ of δ 34 S values for H 2 S in the paired vent fluid, suggesting equilibrium fluid-mineral sulfur isotope exchange at 300–400 °C. Isotopic equilibrium between hydrothermal fluid H 2 S and precipitating chalcopyrite implies that sulfur isotopes in the chalcopyrite lining across a chimney wall may accurately record past hydrothermal activity.
Thermal transformations of nitrogen and sulfur forms in peat related to coalification

The chemical pathways for nitrogen and sulfur transformations during coalification are elucidated by comparing the chemical forms of unaltered peats, lignites, and coals and pyrolyzed peats. Nitrogen forms are characterized by a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and 15N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In unaltered peats, the 15N NMR and XPS nitrogen (1s) spectra are consistent with the presence of amide nitrogen. When peat is pyrolyzed, the main peak in the 15N NMR spectrum broadens and shifts from −260 ppm to −245 ppm, which is consistent with the loss of some amide nitrogen and the appearance of pyrrolic nitrogen forms. The pyrolyzed peat shows a new XPS peak that appears at 398.6 eV, which is characteristic of pyridinic nitrogen. These results indicate that a thermal transformation of amide nitrogen into pyrrolic and pyridinic forms occurs after thermal stress that is roughly equivalent to lignitification. High total nitrogen levels are found in pyrolyzed peats relative to lignite...
Atelosteogenesis type II: Sonographic and radiological correlation

Atelosteogenesis type II is a lethal chondrodysplasia characterized by severe micromelia, spinal abnormalities, talipes equinovarus, and abducted thumbs and toes. We present a case diagnosed at 21 weeks of gestation in which antenatal sonographic and post-mortem radiological findings were correlated. The patient had a recurrence of this disorder in a subsequent pregnancy which was terminated at 15 weeks, supporting previous reports of an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. The feasibility of diagnosing the following morphological features by prenatal ultrasonography is demonstrated: coronal clefts of the vertebral bodies, metaphyseal and epiphyseal abnormalities, spinal deviations such as cervical kyphosis and a horizontal sacrum, additional ossification centres in the pelvis, and preaxial deviation of the thumbs and toes. The differential diagnosis of this disorder from other skeletal dysplasias with similar features is discussed.
Cue-dependent amnesia: permanence and memory return.

Abstract Rats were trained in an appetitive maze task. In the first experiment ECS was administered in the maze start box, goal box, or a neutral box 7 days atter criterion performance. Amnesia was selective only to animals given ECS in the maze start box. No spontaneous recovery of memory was observed. In the second experiment an amnesia was created in the maze goal box by first allowing the animals to run through the maze before administering ECS in the goal box. Some evidence was presented that a second treatment with ECS may produce a return of memory.
STUDIES ON THE BACTERIOPHAGE OF D'HERELLE VI. ON THE VIRULENCE OF THE OVERGROWTH IN THE LYSED CULTURES OF BACILLUS PESTIS CAVIÆ (M. T. II).

Resistants isolated from the overgrowth of cultures of B. pestis caviae (M. T. II) lysed by various strains of specific bacteriophage proved to be avirulent when administered to mice by feeding, or by intraperitoneal injection. These cultures remained resistant to the action of bacteriophage so long as they were carried on agar. When transferred to broth, however, one group of resistants, namely, those isolated by means of "weak" phages, became susceptible to lysis after five to seven daily passages. The other group of resistants, isolated from the cultures lysed by one of the "strong" phages, failed to become susceptible to lysis even after nearly 200 passages in broth. Simultaneously with the recovery of susceptibility, the cultures of the first group regained a degree of virulence comparable to that of the parent culture of B. pestis caviae. The cultures of the second group of resistants have failed thus far to recover virulence (10 months after isolation). The latter cultures, apart from lack of both virulence and susceptibility to lysis, are identical with the parent culture of B. pestis caviae, as indicated by biochemical and antigenic properties. Our findings offer evidence in favor of the view that resistant strains result from selection among variants already existing in the parent culture and do not arise through the inheritance of specific immunity properties produced by the action of phage.
Source localization in view of urban sensing applications

An analysis of the effect of sensor positions and the number of sensors on source location estimates in urban environments is performed. The sensors are uniformly distributed on a circle around a building in which the source is to be localized. Location estimates are obtained via trilateration and multilateration. Source location errors, as a function of the number and positions of sensors, are derived under equal range errors assumption, and the asymptotic behavior of location errors is observed.
Reinforcement of simulated immature roots restored with composite resin, mineral trioxide aggregate, gutta-percha, or a fiber post after thermocycling

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fracture resistance after thermocycling of simulated immature teeth restored with composite, a fiber post, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), or gutta-percha. Methods Eighty-four primary bovine mandibular incisors were divided into 7 groups (n = 12). Negative controls received no treatment. Teeth in all other groups were prepared to an internal diameter of 1.75 mm. After placement of 4-mm apical barrier of MTA, the canals were filled with their respective test materials to the facial cementoenamel junction. For the fiber post group, a fiber post was fitted to extend from the MTA barrier to 2 mm below the incisal edge and was cemented with Build-It FR. The positive controls were left unfilled. The access openings were filled with BisFil II composite. All teeth were then thermocycled for 500 cycles at 5°C and 55°C with a 30-second dwell time and 5-second transfer time. Each root was horizontally fractured through the test material by using an Instron Universal Testing Machine, and the peak load to fracture was recorded. The data were analyzed with analysis of variance and Tukey post hoc tests (P Results and Conclusions Thermocycled composite was not significantly stronger than gutta-percha and MTA. The only material that significantly strengthened the simulated immature teeth was the fiber-reinforced composite with a fiber post.
Studies on the Paleotropical Vernonieae (Asteraceae): additions to the genus Acilepis from southern Asia

Abstract Thirty-three species are recognized in the genus Acilepis with new combinations provided for A. attenuata, A. chiangdaoensis, A. divergens, A. doichangensis, A. fysonii, A. gardneri, A. heynei, A. kingii, A. lobbii, A. namnaoensis, A. nayarii, A. nemoralis, A. ngaoensis, A. ornata, A. peguensis, A. peninsularis, A. principis, A. pseudosutepensis, A. setigera, A. sutepensis, A. thwaitesii, A. tonkinensis, and A. virgata. Acilepis belcheri is described as new. The rhizomiform structure of the pollen muri is discussed and compared with other Vernonieae in Old World Erlangeinae and in New World Lepidaploinae with similar muri.
Studies on TMPD:TCNB; a Donor-Acceptor with Room Temperature Paramagnetism and (n-π) Interaction

Abstract : A donor-acceptor compound based on N,N,N ′ ,N ′-tetramethyl- p -phenylene-diamine and 1,2,4,5 -tetracyanobenzene (TMPD:TCNB) has been synthesized. The crystal structure of the black 1:1 complex formed between TMPD and TCNB has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction at room temperature. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P-1 with cell dimensions: a = 7.4986(15) A, b = 7.6772(11) A, c = 8.0764(15) A, α = 78.822(12)°, β = 83.3779(19)°, γ = 86.289(17)°. TMPD and TCNB molecules are stacked alternately in infinite columns along the a -axis. The structure does not seem to show the usual π - π interaction between the two aromatic rings, but indicates an n- π interaction localized between the nitrogen atoms of the donor and the cyano groups of the acceptor. Keywords: Donor-Acceptor, Charge transfer complex, magnetism. Introduction The search for purely organic molecular magnets, with room temperature ordering is of current interest [1-3]. One of the main challenges in organic magnetic materials is to synthesize i) stable
Geospatial analysis of hepatitis C in Connecticut: a novel application of a public health tool

Summary Objectives This study aimed to use geographic information systems (GIS) that facilitate analysis of associations between location, environment and disease to document the non-random distribution of hepatitis C, identify infection cluster areas, and describe the demographic characteristics of those areas. Methods Spatial analysis was conducted of newly reported positive hepatitis C test results using the Connecticut Hepatitis C Reporting Database. A complete database of unduplicated hepatitis C laboratory reports that were sent to the Connecticut Department of Public Health during 1999 was created. Spatial filtering was used to eliminate random noise generated by sparsely populated towns or small number of cases per town. Cluster analysis was used to determine whether cases of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection tend to occur closer in space to other cases than would be expected by chance alone. The demographic attributes of identified clusters of HCV-positive reports were examined. Results Areas with the highest concentration of HCV reports roughly correspond to the major metropolitan areas of Connecticut. Six significant clusters of HCV reports were identified in Connecticut. Four of the six clusters identified were located in the most densely populated and most urban areas of the state. All but one identified cluster had been described previously as areas of substantial injection drug use, as indicated by their designation as five of the sites of syringe exchange programmes in Connecticut. This finding suggests that geospatial analysis may assist in the identification of clusters that would not otherwise be suspected based on local demographics or other characteristics. Conclusions These findings contribute significantly to the understanding of the state-specific epidemiology of HCV infection. This methodology can be applied wherever a similar database exists to enable the implementation of targeted prevention and educational campaigns to raise awareness of HCV risk factors, the importance of being tested, and treatment options.
Coupled cavity tunable semiconductor diode lasers incorporating multi-layer mirrors

We present numerical and experimental results of coupled cavity tunable semiconductor lasers incorporating multi-layer mirrors. We also describe the fabrication techniques employed. We obtain enhanced single mode tunability with high side mode suppression.
Poorly differentiated colon carcinoma cell lines deficient in alpha-catenin expression express high levels of surface E-cadherin but lack Ca(2+)-dependent cell-cell adhesion.

Studies on several different types of carcinomas, with the notable exception of colon carcinoma, have shown that poorly differentiated tumors are frequently deficient in E-cadherin dependent cell-cell adhesion. In this study, we examined Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion in colon carcinoma cell lines. Five poorly differentiated (Clone A, MIP 101, RKO, CCL 222, CCL 228) and four moderately-well differentiated (CX-1, CCL 235, DLD-2, CCL 187) colon carcinoma cell lines were assayed for their ability to form cell-cell aggregates and for their levels of E-cadherin expression. All of the poorly differentiated cell lines exhibited low levels of Ca2+-dependent cell-cell aggregation, in contrast to the moderately-well differentiated cell lines. Contrary to most previous studies, however, we observed that three of the five poorly differentiated cell lines examined expressed E-cadherin by FACS analysis and immunoprecipitation using an E-cadherin mAb. In fact, two of these cell lines expressed a 3- to 4-fold higher l...
Between Deep and Ephemeral Time: Representations of Geology and Temporality in Charles Eliot’s Metropolitan Park System, Boston (1892–1893)

In Charles Eliot’s (1859–1897) and Sylvester Baxter’s (1850–1927) 1893 plan for a Metropolitan Park system for Boston we see the radical proposition of a network of open spaces, of varied sizes and...
NITROGEN-INDUCED CHANGES IN SEEDLING REGENERATION AND DYNAMICS OF MIXED CONIFER–BROAD-LEAVED FORESTS

Most research on forest dynamics has focused on species' light requirements as the major driver for successional change. However, soil resource availability may modify seedling responses to light and ultimately alter the course of succession. In the present study, we examined how seedlings in mixed conifer-broad-leaved forests in eastern North America differed in their growth and mortality responses to manipulated nitrogen avail- ability. We then incorporated these responses into an individual-based model of forest dynamics (SORTIE) to assess potential longer-term consequences of seedling responses to nitrogen for temperate forest community dynamics. We grew seedlings of six study species, both individually and in mixed-species competitive stands, in a common garden for two years. The earlier successional broad-leaved species (yellow birch and red maple) consis- tently showed the greatest increases in biomass in response to nitrogen addition, while the most late successional of the broad-leaved species (sugar maple) and all the coniferous species did not grow significantly larger with increased nitrogen. We found a significant correlation between species' early growth rate and nitrogen growth enhancement. For those species that underwent significant nitrogen-induced shifts in growth and/or mortality, we adjusted their parameters in the seedling/sapling growth and mortality submodels of SOR- TIE (covering up to 10 cm dbh). Simulations revealed that nitrogen effects on both seedling growth in high light and seedling mortality in low light (data from parallel experiment) changed overall forest structure and dynamics. Increased nitrogen led to: (1) further dom- inance of young forests by earlier successional species (yellow birch in particular), through its impacts on seedling high-light growth, and (2) even greater persistence of later suc- cessional species (predominantly hemlock) in older forests, through its impacts on seedling low-light mortality. These findings were robust to an uncertainty analysis that incorporated experimentally derived error into the seedling/sapling submodels. In contrast, the identity of the species replaced by yellow birch and hemlock was more sensitive to uncertainty in parameter values. We conclude that seedling physiological and demographic responses to increased nitrogen availability have the potential to scale up and influence successional dynamics in mixed temperate forests, provided these effects persist throughout seedling and sapling life stages.
Group V phospholipase A2 mediates barrier disruption of human pulmonary endothelial cells caused by LPS in vitro.

We examined the functional role of 14-kD secretory group V phospholipase A2 (gVPLA2) on the barrier function of pulmonary endothelial cells (ECs) after LPS activation in vitro. Expression of gVPLA2 was elicited by 20 ng/ml LPS as demonstrated by increased (1) mRNA, (2) protein content, and (3) cell surface expression of gVPLA2 within 4 hours. The effect of LPS on EC barrier function was measured by transendothelial monolayer electrical resistance (TER). LPS increased permeability across EC monolayers at 2–3 hours, and was sustained for 10 hours or more. Blockade of gVPLA2 with mouse monoclonal 3G1 (MCL-3G1) monoclonal antibody directed against gVPLA2 inhibited EC barrier dysfunction elicited by LPS in a time- and concentration-dependent manner; control IgG had no effect on TER. Like LPS, exogenous gVPLA2 caused increased EC permeability in a time- and concentration-dependent manner; neither gIIaPLA2, a close homolog of gVPLA2, nor W31A, an inactive mutant of gVPLA2, caused a decrease in EC TER. Immunofluo...
Cowboys Full: The Story of Poker

Our tour begins with the transformation of poque — a French and Persian parlor diversion — into a bawdy frontier game favoring the most effective cheaters. It then follows through to the gentrification of poker and, finally, its meteoric rise in popularity after the introduction of the “pocket cam,” which evolved poker from a table game into a profitable spectator sport. McManus examines in great detail how this metamorphosis represents the changing face of American culture, from fledgling frontier nation to dominant political and economic force, from outlaws in dirty saloons to average Joes and Janes in spotless, well-lit poker rooms complete with hand sanitizer dispensers. One of the more interesting, and justifiably controversial, concepts is that of a supposed “immigrant gene” and its potential influence on American history and culture. McManus cites Peter C. Whybrow (2005), a behavioral scientist at UCLA, who asks (as if wondering aloud) why Canadians, South Americans, and other Western colonial cultures do not seem as predisposed to move inexorably from one risk to the next, in search of greater and greater reward, as US culture (unfortunately, he provides no evidence for this observation). Relying heavily on Whybrow’s suggestion of a genetic marker that predisposes certain individuals to search for greener pastures during difficult times, McManus indicates that the US’s unique history may have facilitated the concentration of this as-yet unidentified gene in the U.S. population. Much of the book is concerned with cheating, bluffing, and reading opponents’ bluffs — skills that can prove invaluable at the table, as well as in other high-stakes situations. In many cases, effective leadership involves winning decisive victories from positions of weakness. One of the many examples he related was a story about Nathan Bedford Forrest, a confederate general in the Civil War, infamous for his merciless treatment of enemy combatants and civilians (and even more infamous for starting the Ku Klux Klan). Forrest pulled off a monumental bluff, convincing Colonel Abel Streight to surrender, even though Streight had Forrest significantly outnumbered and outgunned. (The humiliated Colonel
Estimated incidence of open-angle glaucoma in Olmsted County, Minnesota.

Abstract Purpose To determine the incidence rates of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Design Retrospective population-based estimate of incidence. Participants From the medical histories of 60,666 residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, who had ocular diagnoses during the study period, 114 subjects with newly diagnosed OAG were identified. Methods The database of the Rochester Epidemiology Project was used to identify all Olmsted County residents with a coded diagnosis of OAG, glaucoma suspect, or ocular hypertension during the period 1965 to 1980. Subjects newly diagnosed with and treated for OAG who also had documented clinical evidence of elevated intraocular pressure, optic nerve damage, and/or visual field loss consistent with glaucoma were included as incident cases. Population data for Olmsted County were drawn from United States Census data. Crude incidence data were adjusted to the age and gender distribution of the 1990 United States white population. Main outcome measures Estimated incidence rates of OAG. Results The overall age- and gender-adjusted annual incidence rate of OAG in a predominantly Caucasian population is conservatively estimated to be 14.5 per 100,000 population. The rates increased with age from 1.6 in the fourth decade of life to 94.3 in the eighth decade. There was no significant difference in incidence by gender. The average annual rate of OAG in the last 2 years of the study was 27.7 compared with 12.3 before 1979. This difference is suggestive of the effect of the introduction of a new medical therapy (timolol) for OAG during the last 2 years. Conclusions The incidence rates of OAG increase markedly with advancing age, and screening efforts should be targeted at both men and women in the older age groups. The advent of new diagnostic and therapeutic modalities can have an effect on incidence rates.
Evidence‐Based Approaches in I–O Psychology Should Address Worse Grumbles

Many people grumble about evidencebased approaches, describing barriers to their successful implementation, giving reasons about why they won’t ever work or are wrong for other reasons (Learmonth, 2006; Morrell, 2008; Reay, Berta, & Kohn, 2009). Thus, proponents of evidence-based practices such as Briner and Rousseau (2011), in this article, and elsewhere (Briner, Denyer, & Rousseau, 2009) write papers that defend evidence-based approaches and emphasize how the appropriate use of evidence would enhance practice. Rather than adding a(nother) defense of the evidence-based approach, I want to ponder the grumbles that Briner and Rousseau discuss. In 1971, Abraham Maslow published a book entitled The Farther Reaches of Human Nature in which he distinguished between low grumbles, high grumbles, and metagrumbles. His focus largely centered on how grumbling was carried out in workplaces, and he argued that ‘‘if the level of complaints is studied in the industrial situation, it can be used also as a measure of the level of health of the whole organization’’ (p. 240). Maslow described low-level grumbles in work settings as about falling short of basic needs. These may include firing without notice, arbitrary treatment from supervisors, and
Vegetation canopy anisotropy at 1.4 GHz

The 1.4 GHz brightness of a field corn canopy can be predicted with the zero-order radiative transfer model only when the canopy is considered to be anisotropic.
Sizzled: a secreted Xwnt8 antagonist expressed in the ventral marginal zone of Xenopus embryos

An expression cloning screen was used to isolate a novel gene homologous to the extracellular cysteine-rich domain of frizzled receptors. The gene (which we called sizzled for secreted frizzled) was shown to encode a soluble secreted protein, containing a functional signal sequence but no transmembrane domains. Sizzled (szl) is capable of inhibiting Xwnt8 as assayed by (1) dose-dependent inhibition of siamois induction by Xwnt8 in animal caps, (2) rescue of embryos ventralized by Xwnt8 DNA and (3) inhibition of XmyoD expression in the marginal zone. Szl can dorsalize Xenopus embryos if expressed after the midblastula transition, strengthening the idea that zygotic expression of wnts and in particular of Xwnt8 plays a role in antagonizing dorsal signals. It also suggests that inhibiting ventralizing wnts parallels the opposition of BMPs by noggin and chordin. szl expression is restricted to a narrow domain in the ventral marginal zone of gastrulating embryos. szl thus encodes a secreted antagonist of wnt signaling likely involved in inhibiting Xwnt8 and XmyoD ventrally and whose restricted expression represents a new element in the molecular pattern of the ventral marginal zone.
Post-ischemia ERG recovery is influenced by temperature

In experimental work on retinal ischemia and its medical management, we have been disturbed by the large variations in the electroretinogram (ERG) recovery of rabbit eyes subjected to similar degrees of ischemia. We investigated whether body temperature might be one of the critical factors. We studied pigmented Dutch rabbits that had been subjected to 60 min of ocular ischemia followed by 4 h of reperfusion at different body temperatures. Ischemia was produced by cannulating the anterior chamber and raising the intraocular pressure. Scotopic ERGs and rectal temperatures were recorded at regular intervals. Rabbits with a subnormal mean temperature of 35.5–37.7°C throughout the experiment showed mean a-and b-wave recoveries of 131.52% and 107.68% of pre-ischemic values after 4 h reperfusion. At temperatures between 37.8–38.9°C, the a-and b-waves only recovered to 88.43% and 32.0% respectively. Even small degrees of cooling greatly enhanced post-ischemic ERG recovery. This may explain some of the variations ...
Experimental characteristics and performance analysis of monolithic InP-based HEMT mixers at W-band

Experimental characteristics of monolithic InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT mixers are presented together with a theoretical analysis. Experiments at W-band show a maximum conversion gain of 0.9 dB with 2 dBm of LO power level. This is the first demonstration of a monolithic HEMT mixer with conversion gain at W-band. The conversion gain dependence on LO power, RF frequency and gate bias is measured and compared with the theoretical predictions. Good agreement between the theory and experiment could be found. >
Antibiotics in acute necrotising pancreatitis

1 UNAIDS. UNAIDS annual report: making the money work. Geneva: UNAIDS, 2006. http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2007/ 2006_unaids_annual_report_en.pdf (accessed Jan 17, 2008). 2 Global HIV Prevention Group. Bringing HIV prevention to scale: an urgent global priority. http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2007/pwghiv_prevention_report_fi nal_en.pdf (accessed Jan 17, 2008). 3 Shelton JD, Halperin D, Wilson D. Has global HIV incidence peaked? Lancet 2006; 367: 1120–22.
Composite Energy Storage Flywheel Design for Fatigue Crack Resistance

Composite flywheels can be a high-density energy storage device because of the very high specific strength and strength per unit weight. The rotors are fiber reinforced in the circumferential direction to resist centripetal loads resulting from high-speed rotation. A press-fit process is also used to induce precompression in the radial direction that improves mechanical strength by preventing radial separation of rotors. However, this design and fabrication process leaves the radial and axial directions of rotor vulnerable to propagation of fatigue crack growth in the rotor. A semiempirical approach is proposed to enhance the ldquocrack growthrdquo resistance of the rotor. Axial glass plies are incorporated to confine the crack growth through the radius and along the circumferential direction of rotor. The fracture properties of specific hybrid laminates are then measured to provide information required for an optimal rotor design.
Mach’s Psychology of Investigation and the Limits of Science

As we have seen, the conceptual psychology which is the underlying paradigm for the latter nineteenth century stems from a synthesis of Empiricism and Idealism. Another name playing a role in this synthesis is Ernst Mach, an Austrian physicist, who is remembered for his delineations of the concept of “frame of reference” and the Doppler effect — that is, his work in scientific epistemology.1 Mach’s reputation is that of the psychologist among physicists. His program ranges through the culture and history of the sciences as well, including: the history of science and its relativity,2 thought experiments (influencing ultimately even Einstein),3 Monism as a joint psychological and physical perspective on scientific investigation (especially in the circles around the journal The Monist),4 and the biological or economic adaptation of organisms — all topics at the core of Mach’s psychological approach to the methodologies of science.
Embryology, Anatomy, and Histology of the Kidney

This chapter focuses on three levels of kidney morphology: embryologic development, gross anatomical structures, and histological features. The first section illustrates the progression of kidney development from initial rudimentary pronephroi to metanephroi or permanent kidneys residing in the posterior abdominal wall. In the second section, gross features of the kidney are discussed, along with its relationship to other structures, vascular perfusion, lymphatic drainage, and nervous system innervation. The final section explores the microanatomical structures that allow the kidney to function as an integral component of the urinary system.