cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous nucleation of Ti2AIC precipitates at TiAl grain boundaries

The microstructure of a crept Ti–52Al–3C sample was studied using transmission electron microscopy. Both primary precipitates (formed when the alloy was molten) and secondary precipitates (formed by a solid state reaction) are present; the shapes of both precipitates are plate-like. Ordinary large angle grain boundaries and ledges at twin boundaries are preferential sites for heterogenous nucleation of secondary Ti2AlC precipitates, whereas dislocations and small angle grain boundaries are not. An unique orientation relationship between these secondary Ti2AlC precipitates and the TiAl matrix was determined: {0006}Ti2AlC ‖ {111}TiAl and 〈1120〉Ti2AlC ‖ 〈011〉TiAl. The influence of the planar orientation of a grain boundary on heterogeneous nucleation is discussed, as precipitates are observed to grow into one or the other grain defining a grain boundary, depending on boundary orientation. Die Mikrostruktur von Ti–52Al–3C nach dem Kriechvorgang wird mittels TEM untersucht. Es existieren sowohl primare (im geschmolzenen Zustand gebildete) als auch sekundare (in einer Festkorperreaktion gebildete) Abscheidungen, die beide plattchenformig sind. Die heterogene Nukleation der sekundaren Ti2AlC-Abscheidungen erfolgt vorzugsweise an gewohnlichen Groswinkelkorngrenzen und Kanten an Zwillingsgrenzen, nicht jedoch an Versetzungen und Kleinwinkelkorngrenzen. Eine eindeutige Beziehung zwischen den Orientierungen der sekundaren Ti2AlC-Abscheidungen und der TiAl-Matrix wird aufgestellt: {0006}Ti2AlC ‖ {111}TiAl und 〈1120〉Ti2AlC ‖ 〈011〉TiAl. Der Einflus der Orientierung der Korngrenzenflachen auf die heterogene Nukleation wird diskutiert, da die Abscheidungen in das eine oder andere Korn wachsen und damit eine Korngrenze definieren, die von der Orientierung der Grenze abhangt.
A New Glassy State of Matter: The Color Glass Condensate

This communication describes a newly reported state of matter: The color glass condensate. Analogies to glass science are made for this nuclear physics discovery.
Structural Dynamics of an Isolated Voltage-Sensor Domain in a Lipid Bilayer

Summary A strong interplay between the voltage-sensor domain (VSD) and the pore domain (PD) underlies voltage-gated channel functions. In a few voltage-sensitive proteins, the VSD has been shown to function without a canonical PD, although its structure and oligomeric state remain unknown. Here, using EPR spectroscopy, we show that the isolated VSD of KvAP can remain monomeric in a reconstituted bilayer and retain a transmembrane conformation. We find that water-filled crevices extending deep into the membrane around S3, a scaffold conducive to transport of protons/cations, are intrinsic to the VSD. Differences in solvent accessibility in comparison to the full-length KvAP allowed us to define an interacting footprint of the PD on the VSD. This interaction is centered around S1 and S2 and suggests a rotation of 70°–100° relative to Kv1.2-Kv2.1 chimera. Sequence-conservation patterns in Kv channels, Hv channels, and voltage-sensitive phosphatases reveal several near-universal features suggesting a common molecular architecture for all VSDs.
Zinc-Deficient Embryos: Reduced Thymidine Incorporation

The 12-day-old embryos of rats with a deficiency of zinc showed a reduced uptake of tritiated thymidine when compared with controls, as shown by liquid scintillation and autoradiography. The high incidence of gross congenital malformations resulting from zinc deficiency may thus be caused by DNA impaired DNA synthesis.
Fundamentals of Peritoneal Access

The art of laparoscopic surgery is anticipating requirements for completing contemplated procedures. Patient safety and technical efficacy are inextricably linked to how carefully the patient is evaluated preoperatively. Choosing the best method for accessing the peritoneal cavity depends on patient phenotype, abdominal wall morphology, and anatomic configuration of underlying vital anatomy. Since no particular method is necessarily the safest approach for every patient, it is incumbent on every laparoscopic surgeon to be well-versed in alternative procedures for insufflation and entry into the peritoneal cavity. The laparoscopic surgeon must be forever mindful that most life-threatening surgical accidents to small and large bowel as well as to retroperitoneal vessels occur during insertion of the Veress needle and primary cannula. Review of a nationwide analysis of access-related complications in Finland revealed 256 complications during more than 70,000 laparoscopic procedures performed over 4 years; the frequency of bowel perforation was 0.1%, including 20 small and 16 large bowel injuries caused by either an umbilical trocar or Veress needle. 1 Injury to iliac vessels and aorta occurred in five patients. Complications during 1033 laparoscopic surgeries performed at one center over 6 years had an overall rate of 3%, of which 23.5% occurred during Veress needle or first trocar insertion. 2 A group in Switzerland prospectively followed 14,243 patients over 2 years and found 22 trocar and 4 Veress needle injuries (0.18%), including 19 injuries to large and
Quantitative data on cell loss and cellular atrophy of intralaminar nuclei following cortical and subcortical lesions.

Abstract Morphological changes in the intralaminar nuclei centralis medialis, paracentralis and centralis lateralis of the thalamus of adult cats after cortical excisions have been determined by means of a quantitative method. The number and size of the remaining neurons on the operated side have been compared with those of the normal side. The differences between the normal and the operated side have been compared to those found between the two sides in the control animals. The most important result is the demonstration that after cortical ablations the intralaminar nuclei show not only chromatolytic or atrophic changes of their cells but also a true cell loss. These reactions are qualitatively similar to those observed in the specific nuclei of the thalamus, the only difference being a quantitative one. As a consequence it can be suggested that some intralaminar nuclei project to certain areas of the cerebral cortex which also receive projections from one or other specific thalamic nucleus. A large essential connection of the intralaminar nuclei, in particular the nucleus centralis medialis, with subcortical structures is confirmed.
A New Three-Piece Driver Model with RLC Interconnect Load

The scaled down feature size and the increased frequency of today's deep sub-micron region call for fundamental changes in driver-load models. To be more specific, new driver-load models need to take into consideration the nonlinear behavior of the drivers, the inductance effects of the loads, and the slew rates of the output waveforms. Current driver-load models use the conventional single Ceff (one-ramp) approach and treat the interconnect load as lumped RC networks. Neither the nonlinear property nor the inductance effects were considered. The accuracy of these existing models is therefore questionable. This paper introduces a new multi-ramp driver model that represents the interconnect load as a distributed RLC network. The employed two effective capacitance values capture the nonlinear behavior of the driver. The lossy transmission line approach accounts for the impact of inductance when modeling the driving point interconnect load. The new model shows improvements of 9% in the average delay error and 2.2% in the slew rate error compared to SPICE.
HANDEDNESS AND SMOKING

This article reports the observation that proportionately more left-handed persons smoke than dextrals, and a greater proportion of left-handers than right-handers smoke 10 or more cigarettes daily, regardless of sex, race, stress of residence (or social class), and prior history of smoking. This association is especially strong among males and persons residing in residence areas of high stress (low income, low education), and weak among black females and persons who smoke 30 or more cigarettes daily. The sample was drawn from four census areas in Detroit differing by race, socioeconomic levels, and crime rates. Respondents and their spouses were 25 to 60 yr. old, married, and had relatives in the metropolitan area (N = 1496).
Disease definition, clinical manifestations, epidemiology and natural history of GERD

Gastro-esophageal reflux disease is a global problem and affects children, adolescents and adults. The incidence of the disease appears to be increasing particularly in Asia where reflux disease has not traditionally been a major health problem in the past. Recent consensus efforts to define and classify the disease in both adults and children make it possible to obtain epidemiologic and natural history data using a universally acceptable definition and classification.
Detection of CCK mRNA in the motor nucleus of the rat trigeminal nerve with in situ hybridization histochemistry.

The regional distribution of dorsal pontine tegmental neurons expressing cholecystokinin (CCK) messenger RNA (mRNA) was examined using in situ hybridization histochemical techniques. A distribution of neurons containing CCK mRNA was observed in the motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, a region which has not been shown to contain CCK by immunocytochemical means. In addition, CCK mRNA was seen in the caudal portion of the dorsal raphe nucleus which correlates with prior immunocytochemical observations. The presence of CCK mRNA in the cholinergic motor trigeminal nucleus suggests that these cells express the CCK gene and have gone undetected in previous immunocytochemical studies. It is also suggested that CCK may have an influence on muscular contraction at sites of trigeminal nerve innervation (e.g. muscles of mastication).
Strain and Alcohol Use in Russia: A Gendered Analysis

Data from a random sample of 327 adults in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia, are used to test hypotheses derived from general strain theory concerning the effect of strain on frequency of alcohol use among ...
Model of fleet-wide safety benefits of Lane Departure Warning systems

This study examines the potential effectiveness of Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems, an active safety system that aims to prevent or mitigate unintended departures from the lane while driving. Real-world departure crashes were extracted from a nationally representative sample of collisions in the U.S. from 2007 to 2011. The 2,848 collisions corresponded to 741,646 crashes. Because driver characteristics, e.g. steering input and reaction times, are unknown in retrospective crash databases, multiple simulations were performed for each crash, each with different driver characteristics. In addition, we developed a statistical framework for estimating initial vehicle conditions, i.e. departure speed, departure angle, road radius of curvature, and shoulder width. Trajectories were simulated to estimate the expected number of crashes and injuries that could be prevented by LDW. The expected reduction in road departure crashes due to LDW is estimated to be 30.3%. The expected reduction in injuries that are caused by LDW applicable crashes is estimated to be 25.8%.
Fast characterization of PBTI and NBTI induced frequency shifts under a realistic recovery bias using a ring oscillator based circuit

A ring oscillator based circuit for separately characterizing PBTI and NBTI induced frequency shifts is demonstrated in a high-k metal gate process. The proposed design, for the first time, supports AC stress with a realistic recovery condition. Other benefits over the previous works include sub-400 nanosecond measurement time, sub-picosecond resolution and a simple calibration procedure. Detailed stress and recovery measurements under different voltage and temperature test conditions are presented and analyzed.
Calcium-dependent protein phosphorylation during secretion by exocytosis in the mast cell

IN many secretory cells materials destined for secretion are packaged in membrane-limited granules and are extruded by exocytosis1. This process is known to require metabolic energy and calcium2–6. Calcium probably acts as a common mediator in stimulus–secretion coupling2, but the molecular mechanisms involved are unknown. Increasing evidence that many physiological processes are regulated by phosphorylation of proteins7 has led to the suggestion that calcium-dependent phosphorylation of proteins may be involved in secretory responses8–13. We have sought evidence for this possibility in the mast cell, the rapid and extensive secretory activity of which conforms to the general pattern of exocytosis dependent on energy and calcium4,14–20. Here we report a rapid phosphorylation of several proteins in rat peritoneal mast cells stimulated to secrete either by the classic mast cell secretagogue 48/80 (refs 15 and 21–23) or by the calcium ionophore A23187 (refs 22–25).
Critical Regulation of Early Th17 Cell Differentiation by Interleukin-1 Signaling

T helper (Th) 17 cells have been recently discovered in both mouse and human. Here we show that interleukin-1 (IL-1) signaling on T cells is critically required for the early programming of Th17 cell lineage and Th17 cell-mediated autoimmunity. IL-1 receptor1 expression in T cells, which was induced by IL-6, was necessary for the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and for early Th17 cell differentiation in vivo. Moreover, IL-1 signaling in T cells was required in dendritic cell-mediated Th17 cell differentiation from naive or regulatory precursors and IL-1 synergized with IL-6 and IL-23 to regulate Th17 cell differentiation and maintain cytokine expression in effector Th17 cells. Importantly, IL-1 regulated the expression of the transcription factors IRF4 and RORgammat during Th17 cell differentiation; overexpression of these two factors resulted in IL-1-independent Th17 cell polarization. Our data thus indicate a critical role of IL-1 in Th17 cell differentiation and this pathway may serve as a unique target for Th17 cell-mediated immunopathology.
Inter-relation between environmental monitoring data, human exposure and health effects

To determine whether a population has been affected by a chemical, evidence of exposure must be established. The mere presence of a chemical in the surroundings of a population may not, in all instances, result in actual exposure. Not all such exposures will cause health effects; nor is it always possible to establish that illness has or will result from exposure to chemicals. The inability to establish health effects in humans cannot a priori be translated to mean that a specific chemical is harmless. On the other hand, it must be determined whether health studies would be fruitful. If exposure was so minimal that no health effects are expected, then no health studies should be conducted.
K-Means Clustering Algorithm Method Based on Shuffled Frog Leaping Algorithm

Aiming to resolve the problems of the traditional k-means clustering algorithm such as random selecting of initial clustering centers,the low efficiency of clustering,low in the real,this paper proposed a novel k-means clustering algorithm method based on shuffled frog leaping algorithm.This algorithm combined the advantages of k-means algorithm and shunffled forg leaping algorithm.A chaotic local search was introduced to improve the quality of the initial individual,a new searching strategy was presented to update frog position,that increased the optimization ability of algorithm.According to the variation of the frog’s finess variance used k-means algorithm,it has the advantages in the global search ability and convergence speed.The experimental results show that this algorithm has higher accuracy..
Glove use by health care workers: Results of a tristate investigation

The Center for Devices and Radiological Health, in collaboration with the state health department of Iowa, Maryland, and Massachusetts conducted a multistate, multiinstitutional investigation of glove use by health care workers (HCWs). Twenty-two hospitals and four ambulatory care centers were included in the investigation. All 26 health care facilities were found to have adopted universal precautions policies for glove use by HCWs, per Centers for Disease Control guidelines. Four hundred five observations were made of HCWs performing procedures that may involve contact with patient body fluids, particularly blood. The prevalence of glove use during selected procedures was as follows: arterial blood gas procedure, 92.3%; intravenous line initiation/maintenance, 77.6%; and phlebotomy, 70.6%. Glove use during phlebotomy ( p p
GaussFit - A system for least squares and robust estimation

GaussFit is a new computer program for solving least squares and robust estimation problems. It has a number of unique features, including a complete programming language designed especially to formulate estimation problems, a built-in compiler and interpreter to support the programming language, and a built-in algebraic manipulator for calculating the required partial derivatives analytically. These features make GaussFit very easy to use, so that even complex problems can be set up and solved with minimal effort. GaussFit can correctly handle many cases of practical interest: nonlinear models, exact constraints, correlated observations, and models where the equations of condition contain more than one observed quantity. An experimental robust estimation capability is built into GaussFit so that data sets contaminated by outliers can be handled simply and efficiently.
Proteoglycans in prostate cancer

The complexity and diversity of proteoglycan structure means that they have a range of functions that regulate cell behavior. Through multiple interactions of their core proteins and glycosaminoglycans with extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors and chemokines, proteoglycans affect cell signaling, motility, adhesion, growth and apoptosis. Progressive changes in proteoglycans occur in the tumor microenvironment, but neither the source nor consequences of those changes are well understood. Proteoglycans studied in prostate cancer include versican--a hyalectan regulator of cell adhesion and migration-and the small leucine-rich proteoglycans decorin, biglycan and lumican, which have roles in cell signaling and tissue organization. Studies support an inhibitory role in prostate cancer for decorin and lumican. Conversely, the basement membrane proteoglycan perlecan might be a tumor promoter through upregulation of sonic hedgehog signaling. Loss of the growth-inhibitory cell-surface proteoglycans syndecan-1 and betaglycan in early prostate cancer might facilitate progression, but syndecan-1 effects are pleiotropic and its renewed expression in advanced tumors might adversely affect outcome. Importantly, cellular changes and enzymatic activity in the developing tumor can alter proteoglycan composition and structure to modify their function. Emerging studies suggest that cancers, including those of the prostate, use these changes to promote their own survival, growth, and spread.
Identification of diffusing species and the dynamic nature of diffusion paths during oxidation of a dilute Ni-Cr alloy

The results of an investigation of oxidation of a Ni-1 at.% Cr alloy are presented. Photolithographic marker experiments revealed that the markers were found to reside at the interface between a predominantly columnar outer NiO layer and a very fine grain inner layer of NiO, indicating that substantial oxygen ingress had occurred through the columnar scale. New oxide growth at the metal-oxide interface requires the oxidant to be transported across the oxide layer. Since the measured diffusion rate of oxygen ions along grain boundaries and through the lattice is much too slow to account for the observed microstructural growth (∼1: 1 ratio of inner and outer layers), it is necessary to postulate that the oxidant traverses the scale along some type of short-circuit path other than grain boundaries. Extensive formation of elongated pores and pipelike channels was observed along columnar oxide grain boundaries. Thus, it appears that the transport of oxygen occurs via voids (pores) formed by vacancy coalescence at the columnar grain boundaries. These pores appear to open and close continuously. Formation of new fine-grained oxide in these pores was observed to have sometimes completely resealed the void, suggesting a dynamic nature of the voids.
Selectivity of gold for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of cyclohexene

Rates of reaction of cyclohexene over a gold powder catalyst, in the presence or absence of hydrogen, were measured in a batch recirculation system between 203° and 285°C. After activation of the powder, consisting of a treatment with hydrogen first and then with oxygen, the measured rates are in excellent agreement with those previously reported on gold evaporated films. It has now been shown that, on gold, cyclohexene reacts irreversibly to form either cyclohexane or benzene. The selective production of benzene can be controlled within wide limits at a fixed temperature. It is depressed by high partial pressures of hydrogen, enhanced in the absence of hydrogen, while benzene becomes practically the sole product in the presence of small quantities of oxygen. Thus, at 203°C, the selectivity as measured by the ratio of benzene to cyclohexane is increased by a factor of 3000 when a partial pressure of hydrogen equal to 0.74 atm is replaced by a partial pressure of oxygen equal to 0.041 atm.
An AutoCAD Finite Element Analysis Interface

Abstract: The popular CAD package AutoCAD has many features making it a useful tool for finite element model generation and output postprocessing. A true ‘WYSIWYG’ interface is developed and used in and environment familiar to many Civil Engineers. The format of the interface is presented. Specific considerations for AutoLISP programming within AutoCAD and compiled language programming are discussed. A 2-D truss structure is presented to demonstrate use of the interface.
The roles of supersaturation, terrace width, and impurities on the formation of macrosteps on crystal surfaces using the terrace-ledge-kink model

Abstract The stability characteristics of a closed, nonperidiodic train of steps at high supersaturation which can be typical for molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) conditions of semiconductor growth are investigated by local stability analysis. It is shown that the motion of steps at high supersaturation stabilizes the system. The influence of the distance between adjacent steps on the stability of the system is investigated. The Schwoebel effect is also included along with its influence on the stability of the system. Unsteady state calculations are performed to observe the response of the system against perturbations of the equidistant step configuration. The growth rate and the positions of the steps are monitored after the introduction of a perturbation in the steady state configuration. The role of impurities at low supersaturation on surface stability is also examined. It is demonstrated that coadsorption of immobile impurities causes a disordering of steps which results in bunching. In addition, the effect of physical parameters on the time required for macrostep formation is examined.
To and from philosophy — Discussions with Gödel and Wittgenstein

I propose to sketch my views on several aspects of the philosophy of mathematics that I take to be especially relevant to philosophy as a whole. The relevance of my discussion would, I think, become more evident, if the reader keeps in mind the function of (the philosophy of) mathematics in philosophy in providing us with more transparent aspects of general issues. I shall consider: (1) three familiar examples; (2) logic and our conceptual frame; (3) communal agreement and objective certainty; (4) the transcommunal universality of mathematics; (5) the ‘big jump’ to the potential infinite; (6) the reconciliation of local creation with the ‘hypothesis’ of discovery; (7) Platonism as realism plus conceptualism; (8) foundational studies and mathematical practice; and (9) the decomposition of philosophical disagreements. The views of Godel and Wittgenstein are emphasized in order to add specificity to the discussions.
Creating the cloud-tent-ship conceit in Exodus

The enigmatic description of the columna nubis in lines 71b–92 of the Old English Exodus juxtaposes images of substances that shield God's people from their hostile environment; understanding the relations among these protective coverings requires cultural and literary knowledge not explicitly articulated in Exodus. Metaphors and typologies developed in Arator's sixth-century Historia apostolica and subsequently conventionalized in Bede's eighth-century Expositio actuum Apostolorum, texts used in the Anglo-Saxon monastic curriculum, provide an interpretative framework for the complicated accretion of images in Exodus. Using insights about metaphorical processing from cognitive science, this article argues that the Exodus-poet crafted a sophisticated tripartite conceit to generate a pastoral relationship with his audience, first by adapting metaphoric mappings from Arator and Bede and then by extending their domains with culturally specific entailments about how ships and tents functioned as protective covers in Anglo-Saxon material culture.
Retardation of Division of Three Ciliates by Intermittent and Continuous Ultraviolet Radiations at Different Temperatures

The same dosage of ultraviolet (UV) radiation retards division of several protozoans more effectively when the light is intermittent than when it is continuous, and especially at temperatures of 25-35 degrees C. At lower temperatures the difference between the effects of intermittent and continuous radiations is less marked. Somewhat similar results were obtained with the ciliates Paramecium caudatum, Blepharisma japonicum, and Colpidium colpoda, the disparity between intermittent and continuous light decreasing in the order given. The data are taken to indicate that thermochemical dark reactions succeed the absorption of UV radiations by the cells. In Blepharisma, besides initial delay in division, the cells stop dividing after one or two divisions, a "stasis" ensuing. Stasis is marked when the cells are irradiated at higher temperatures but is slight when they are irradiated at low temperatures, as if the temperature-sensitive reaction involved stasis (in all cases cultures are grown at 25 degrees C). The data are related to findings in the literature.
Visual acuity, birth order, achievement versus affiliation, and other Edwards Personal Preference Schedule scores.

Abstract Refractive errors, EPPS scores, and birth-order data were obtained form 109 male students. Ametropes (near-sighted and far-sighted persons) (i) scored higher on Affiliation and Nurturance, and lower on Achievement, (ii) achieved “via” Dominance, Endurance, or Order and (iii) tended to be first borns. “Emmetropes” (normal-sighted persons), redefined to include mild myopes (near-sighted persons), (i) scored higher on Achievement, and lower on Affiliation and Nurturance (ii) achieved “via” Independence and (iii) tended to be later borns. Mild myopes, in contrast to more advanced myopes, scored higher on Intraception. The birth-order findings were consistent with speculation concerning child-rearing practices in the development of ametropia. The finding that the two types of ametrope score similarly on some variables was inconsistent with the viewpoint that myopes and hyperopes are polar opposites.
Expression of a voltage-dependent potassium channel protein (Kv3.1) in the embryonic development of the auditory system.

The present study traces the development of a voltage-dependent potassium channel protein (Kv3.1) in the avian homologue of the cochlear nucleus, in the cochleovestibular ganglion, and in the otic epithelium from early developmental stages until near hatching. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies to the carboxy terminus (recognizing the Kv3.1b splice variant) and to the amino terminus (recognizing either form of Kv3.1) was used on Hamburger-Hamilton-staged chicken embryos. There were three periods in the relative levels of immunostaining in these regions. Early (E2–6), when precursor cells proliferate, migrate, and form axons, there was staining when using either antibody. In the middle period (E6–11), marked by hair cell differentiation, dendritic growth, and early synapse formation, staining levels decreased. In the late period (E11–19), when auditory function begins, staining increased rapidly, especially for Kv3.1b. Early Kv3.1 expression occurs in neuronal and hair cell precursors before they differentiate or function. Later, in the otic epithelium, a high level of Kv3.1 in cilia may precede or coincide with the onset of hair cell function. In neurons, some features of its localization correlate with axon outgrowth and synapse formation, others with the onset of neural activity and function. J. Neurosci. Res. 65:24–37, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A critical review of explanatory models for self-mutilating behaviors in adolescents

The present paper presents critical reviews of studies that have explored models of adolescent self-mutilation. Current definitional problems were addressed, as well as a proposal for a classification system of self-mutilation. Seven historically significant explanatory models were included, the sexual/sadomachistic model, the depersonalization model, the interpersonal/systemic model, the suicide model, the physiological/biological model, the affect regulation model, and the behavioral/environmental model. Each model was briefly described, and studies were critiqued according to methodology, research design, and basis upon which authors provided support or rejection of a model. Suggestions for improvement in the literature were made throughout the paper. Studies often overlapped within the models, and the strongest empirical support was shown for the behavioral/environmental model, which included components of the affect regulation model, interpersonal/systemic model, and depersonalization model. Explaining adolescent self-mutilation is a complex task, and evidence provided in this paper suggests that aspects of several models, or an integration of models, likely contribute to the understanding of this phenomenon.
Interactional approach to the difficult emergency department patient

An area of emergency medicine often overlooked is the management of physician-patient relationships. In the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, we use a method for facilitating difficult physician-patient interactions that includes presentation of case-study vignettes followed by recommendations for preventing or ameliorating undesirable interactions. Five of these vignettes are examined here, followed by commentary specific to the individual cases. General principles of action include letting patients or relatives have their say, remaining calm, empathic, courteous, objective and sharing information with patients.
Consideration of Moving Tooth Load in Gear Crack Propagation Predictions

Robust gear designs consider not only crack initiation, but crack propagation trajectories for a fail-safe design. In actual gear operation, the magnitude as well as the position of the force changes as the gear rotates through the mesh. A study to determine the effect of moving gear tooth load on crack propagation predictions was performed. Two-dimensional analysis of an involute spur gear and three-dimensional analysis of a spiral-bevel pinion gear using the finite element method and boundary element method were studied and compared to experiments. A modified theory for predicting gear crack propagation paths based on the criteria of Erdogan and Sih was investigated. Crack simulation based on calculated stress intensity factors and mixed mode crack angle prediction techniques using a simple static analysis in which the tooth load was located at the highest point of single tooth contact was validated. For three-dimensional analysis, however, the analysis was valid only as long as the crack did not approach the contact region on the tooth.
Water loss and gas exchange by eggs of Manduca sexta: trading off costs and benefits.

Like all terrestrial organisms, insect eggs face a tradeoff between exchanging metabolic gases (O2 and CO2) and conserving water. Here I summarize the physiology underlying this tradeoff and the ecological contexts in which it may be important. The ideas are illustrated primarily by work from my laboratory on eggs of the sphingid moth Manduca sexta. In particular, I discuss: (1) dynamic changes in metabolic demand and water loss during development; and (2) how the eggshell layers and embryonic tracheal system control the traffic of gases between the embryo and its environment. Subsequently, I identify three areas with interesting but unresolved issues: (1) what eggs actually experience in their microclimates, focusing particularly on the leaf microclimates relevant to eggs of M. sexta; (2) how egg experience influences whether or not hatchling larvae succeed in establishing feeding sites on host plants; and (3) whether Hetz and Bradley's [Hetz, S.K., Bradley, T.J., 2005. Insects breathe discontinuously to avoid oxygen toxicity. Nature 433, 516−519] oxygen toxicity hypothesis for discontinuous gas-exchange cycles applies to insect eggs.
Renal Cell Carcinoma in Octogenarians: Nephron Sparing Surgery Should Remain the Standard of Care

Purpose: Data regarding clinical outcomes in elderly patients with renal cell carcinoma are scarce. We determined management, and overall and cancer specific survival in elderly patients with renal cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database we identified 59,944 patients who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma between 1988 and 2005. Patients were separated into 2 groups of those younger than 80 years, and those 80 years old or older, and were stratified by clinical variables. Chi-square, multivariate logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to determine differences between the cohorts in terms of surgical approach, and overall and cancer specific survival.Results: In total, 4,227 patients (7.5%) were older than 80 years old. Younger patients more likely underwent partial nephrectomy than their older counterparts (13% vs 8%, p <0.001). At a median followup of 37 months (range 0 to 215) for patients younger...
Revision of the genus platylygus, with descriptions of 26 new species (Hemiptera: Miridae).

Species of the North American genus Platylygus Van Duzee 1915 are revised. Redescriptions are given for 5 previously known species, and 26 new species are described. Nineteen species described by Kelton are: angulatus , brevirostris , longirostris , and mexicanus from Durango, Mex.; aztecus from Mexico, Mex.; chamulans and chiapasensis from Chiapas, Mex.; alpinus from Chiapas, Mexico, and Puebla, Mex.; crassicornis from Mexico and Puebla, Mex.; pilosus and teocotae from Mexico, Mex.; pilosipes from Durango, Mex., and Arizona; scutellatus from Durango, Mex., Arizona, and New Mexico; contortae , crinitus , and magnus from California; knighti from Arizona and Colorado; piceicola from British Columbia, Yukon Territory, Arizona, and Colorado; pseudotsugae from British Columbia and Oregon. Seven species described by Knight are: keltoni from Durango, Mex.; andrei from Arizona; balli from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico; hirtus from Arizona; rolfsi from British Columbia, California, Oregon, and Washington; rubripes from Alberta, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Wyoming; and usingeri from California. The other species in the genus are: fuliginosus Knight from Arizona; grandis Knight from Arizona, California, and Colorado, Montana, and South Dakota; intermedius Knight from Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico; luridus (Reuter) from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, and Wyoming; and vanduzeei Usinger from Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. Platylygus uhleri (Van Duzee) is considered to be a synonym of P . luridus (Reuter). A key to species, records on distribution and biological data are included, and the male genitalia of all but one species are illustrated.
Varicella-Zoster Virus Open Reading Frame 10 Is a Virulence Determinant in Skin Cells but Not in T Cells In Vivo

The open reading frame 10 (ORF10) of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encodes a tegument protein that enhances transactivation of VZV genes and has homology to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) VP16. While VP16 is essential for HSV replication, ORF10 is dispensable for vaccine OKA (VOKA) growth in vitro. We used parent OKA (POKA) cosmids to delete ORF10, producing POKAΔ10; point mutations that disrupted the acidic activation domain and the putative motif for binding human cellular factor 1 (HCF-1) in ORF10 protein yielded POKA10-Phe28Ala, POKA10-Phe28Ser, and POKA10-mHCF viruses. Deleting ORF10 or mutating these two functional domains had no effect on VZV replication, immediate-early gene transcription, or virion assembly in vitro. However, deleting ORF10 reduced viral titers and the extent of cutaneous lesions significantly in SCIDhu skin xenografts in vivo compared to POKA. Epidermal cells infected with POKAΔ10 had significantly fewer DNA-containing nucleocapsids and complete virions compared to POKA; extensive aggregates of intracytoplasmic viral particles were also observed. Altering the activation or the putative HCF-1 domains of ORF10 protein had no consequences for VZV replication in vivo. Thus, the decreased pathogenic potential of POKAΔ10 in skin could not be attributed to absence of these ORF10 protein functions. In contrast to skin cells, deleting ORF10 did not impair VZV T-cell tropism in vivo, as assessed by infectious virus yields. We conclude that ORF10 protein is required for efficient VZV virion assembly and is a specific determinant of VZV virulence in epidermal and dermal cells in vivo.
Mating behavior and time budget of an androdioecious crustacean, Eulimnadia texana (Crustacea: Conchostraca)

The clam shrimp, Eulimnadia texana (Crustacea, Conchostraca), is found in freshwater ephemeral environments throughout the United States. Individual clam shrimp of this species are either hermaphroditic or male, a relatively rare mating system for animals known as androdioecy. Comparison of sex ratios between four neighboring populations of E. texana in Southern New Mexico showed wide variation in the ratio of males to hermaphrodites with males making up as much as 42% of some populations and not occurring at all within others. Since little is known about the behavior of this species, an ethogram and time budget were prepared based on observations of laboratory populations. Males attempt to clasp hermaphrodites prior to mating. Precopulatory mate guarding occurs in this species. Outcrossing generally occurs during mate guarding and after the hermaphrodite molts. Hermaphrodites, however, seem to control the mating process. Successful mating by males never occurred if the hermaphrodite struggled with him; hermaphrodites will self in the presence of males.
Concentration of ACTH in cavernous sinus and peripheral arterial blood in the dog.

SummaryA simple and reliable method of obtaining blood from the cavernous sinus of the dog has been presented. The level of ACTH in this blood under a variety of conditions has been found to be many times higher than the concentration in peripheral arterial blood. Hypophysectomy causes a fall to zero in the level of ACTH in this blood. With this techniC., insertion of the needle into the cavernous sinus is shown to be a definite but transient stress.The authors arc pleased to acknowledge their indebtedness to Miss Faith Bebchick and Miss Mar-iiaret Hanley for technical assistance.
Gas Exchange Consequences of Left Heart Failure

This review explores the pathophysiology of gas exchange abnormalities arising consequent to either acute or chronic elevation of pulmonary venous pressures. The initial experimental studies of acute pulmonary edema outlined the sequence of events from lymphatic congestion with edema fluid to frank alveolar flooding and its resultant hypoxemia. Clinical studies of acute heart failure (HF) suggested that hypoxemia was associated only with the final stage of alveolar flooding. However, in patients with chronic heart failure and normal oxygenation, hypoxemia could be produced by the administration of potent pulmonary vasodilators, suggesting that hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is an important reflex for these patients. Patients with chronic left HF commonly manifest a reduced diffusing capacity, an abnormality that appears to be a consequence of chronic elevation of left atrial pressure. That reduction in diffusing capacity does not appear to be primarily attributable to increases in lung water but is improved by any sustained treatment that improves overall cardiac function. Patients with heart failure may also manifest an abnormally elevated VE/VCO2 during exercise, and that exercise ventilation abnormality arises as a consequence of both alveolar hyperventilation and elevated physiologic dead space. That elevated exercise VE/VCO2 in an HF patient has proven to be a powerful predictor of an adverse outcome and hence it has received sustained attention in the HF literature. At least three of the classes of drugs used to treat HF will normalize the exercise VE/VCO2, suggesting that the excessive ventilation response may be linked to elevated sympathetic activity.
A Duroid-based planar EBG cavity resonator filter with improved quality factor

A high-Q Duroid-based planar electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) cavity resonator filter has been designed, fabricated, and tested. It was implemented in Rogers Duroid 5880 with standard board fabrication techniques. This filter provides a measured Q of 844 and a 0.91% bandwidth passband response at 10.63 GHz with a corresponding insertion loss of -2.76 dB.
Feeding ecology of pelagic fish larvae and juveniles in slope waters of the Gulf of Mexico

Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) were used to investigate feeding patterns of larval and early juvenile pelagic fishes in slope waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Contribution of organic matter supplied to fishes and trophic position within this pelagic food web was estimated in 2007 and 2008 by comparing dietary signatures of the two main producers in this ecosystem: phytoplankton [based on particulate organic matter (POM)] and Sargassum spp. Stable isotope ratios of POM and pelagic Sargassum spp. were significantly different from one another with δ 13 C values of POM depleted by 3–6‰ and δ 15 N values enriched by 2‰ relative to Sargassum spp. Stable isotope ratios were significantly different among the five pelagic fishes examined: blue marlin Makaira nigricans, dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus, pompano dolphinfish Coryphaena equiselis, sailfish Istiophorus platypterus and swordfish Xiphias gladius. Mean δ 13 C values ranged almost 2‰ among fishes and were most depleted in I. platypterus. In addition, mean δ 15 N values ranged 4–5‰ with highest mean values found for both C. hippurus and C. equiselis and the lowest mean value for M. nigricans during both years. Increasing δ 13 Co rδ 15 N with standard length suggested that shifts in trophic position and diet occurred during early life for several species examined. Results of a two-source mixing model suggest approximately an equal contribution of organic matter by both sources (POM = 55%; pelagic Sargassum spp. = 45%) to the early life stages of pelagic fishes examined. Contribution of organic matter, however, varied among species, and sensitivity analyses indicated that organic source estimates changed from 2 to 13% for a δ 13 C fractionation change of ±0·25‰ or a δ 15 N fractionation change of ±1·0‰ relative to original fractionation
Microbiological, chemical, and physical changes in fresh, vacuum-packaged pork treated with organic acids and salts.

The effects of selected organic acids and salts on microbial numbers, pH, exudate, and color were studied for vacuum-packaged, fresh pork chops. Pork chops were dipped for 2 min in (v/v) 1% acetic acid, 1% acetic/1% lactic acid, 1.5% acetic/1.5% sodium acetate, 3% acetic/3% sodium ascorbate, 3% acetic/2% NaCl or sterile, distilled water before being vacuum-packaged and stored at 2 degrees-4 degrees C for 6 weeks. Treatments containing 3% acid resulted in lower aerobic microbial numbers (P less than 0.05) and effectively inhibited Enterobacteriaceae. Treatments containing 1% acetic acid, with or without 1% lactic acid, were ineffective. All acid treatments increased exudate and were detrimental to meat color (P less than 0.05) although sodium ascorbate reduced color damage. Chops treated with 3% acetic acid/3% sodium ascorbate had the highest Hunter a and L color scores.
Soil C and N responses to woody plant expansion in a mesic grassland

Changes in land management and reductions in fire frequency have contributed to increased cover of woody species in grasslands worldwide. These shifts in plant community composition have the potential to alter ecosystem function, particularly through changes in soil processes and properties. In semi-arid grasslands, the invasion of shrubs and trees is often accompanied by increases in soil resources and more rapid N and C cycling. We assessed the effects of shrub encroachment in a mesic grassland in Kansas (USA) on soil CO2 flux, extractable inorganic N, and N mineralization beneath shrub communities (Cornus drummondii) and surrounding undisturbed grassland sites. In this study, a shift in plant community composition from grassland to shrubland resulted in a 16% decrease in annual soil CO2 flux(4.78 kg CO2 m−2 year−1 for shrub dominated sites versus 5.84 kg CO2 m−2 year−1 for grassland sites) with no differences in total soil C or N or inorganic N. There was considerable variability in N mineralization rates within sites, which resulted in no overall difference in cumulative N mineralized during this study (4.09 g N m−2 for grassland sites and 3.03 g N m−2 for shrub islands). These results indicate that shrub encroachment into mesic grasslands does not significantly alter N availability (at least initially), but does alter C cycling by decreasing soil CO2 flux.