cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple Idiopathic Cervical Root Resorption: A Challenge for a Transdisciplinary Medical-Dental Team

The goal of this perspective article is to use multiple idiopathic cervical root resorption (MICRR) as a model to demonstrate the need for transdisciplinary collaborations, from basic science to treatment planning, to improve the quality of health care for all. This is not a review of the literature on the current state of MICRR. Tooth root resorption is a normal physiological process required for resorption and exfoliation of primary teeth; however, root resorption of adult teeth is largely pathological. MICRR is an aggressive form of external root resorption, which occurs near the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ). The cause of MICRR remains elusive, however, it is mediated primarily by osteoclasts/odontoclasts. Accumulating case studies and experiments in animal models have provided insights into defining the etiologies and pathophysiological mechanisms for MICRR, which include: systemic conditions and syndromes, inherited genetic variants affecting osteoclast/odontoclast activity, altered periodontal structures, drug-induced root resorption and rebound effects after cessation of anti-resorptive treatment, chemotherapy, exposure to pets or viral infections, and other factors such as inflammatory conditions or trauma. To determine the causative factors for MICRR, as well as other oral-dental conditions, at minimum, a comprehensive health history should be collected for all patients by dental care providers, discussed with other health care providers and appropriate collaborations established. The examples highlighted in this perspective emphasize the need for transdisciplinary research collaborations coupled with integrated management strategies between medicine and dentistry in order to identify cause(s) early and improve clinical outcomes.
Effect of Time-Restricted Feeding on Anthropometric, Metabolic, and Fitness Parameters: A Systematic Review.

Time restricted feeding (TRF) as a form of intermittent fasting (IF) has gained popularity because its ability to reduce body mass (BM) without an emphasis on caloric restriction. However, how this dietary protocol may affect health, fitness, and performance in a relatively healthy cohort remains less clear. The purpose of this article was to systematically review the current literature concerning the effect of TRF on anthropometric, metabolic, and fitness parameters in normal-weight adults and overweight and obese individuals. A systematic search of English literature was conducted through databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. The search was facilitated by using various combinations of key words related to nutritional interventions, i.e., IF and TRF, and outcomes of interest, i.e., BM, body composition, glucose, insulin, lipid, fitness, and performance. The article selection was made based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria concerning the participants' characteristics, study design, intervention protocols, and targeted dependent variables. Twenty-three full-text longitudinal randomized and nonrandomized controlled studies were selected for this review. Our analysis indicates that TRF can reduce BM and improve nutrient metabolism in both normal- and over-weight individuals. TRF does not appear to alter protein synthesis and fat-free mass nor hamper aerobic fitness and muscular performance among physically active individuals including athletes. In conclusion, TRF as a more easily adaptable form of IF is a promising dietary approach to improving body composition and metabolic health while maintaining fitness and muscular function. However, more research is needed before this dietary protocol can be fully recommended for athletes especially those competing in sports that demand strength and power. Key teaching points and nutritional relevanceTime-restricted feeding (TRF) differs from other fasting protocols due to its emphasis on restricting eating window rather than caloric intake and can be more easily adopted by simply skipping a meal.Its deemphasis on caloric restriction appeals to many young and physically active individuals wanting to optimize body composition but needing sufficient energy to support their physical training and daily activity.Much of what is known regarding the impact of TRF on fitness and athletic performance was derived from studies that use the Ramadan fasting protocol, which differs from TRF in terms of protocol duration and feeding schedule.This review concludes that TRF is a promising dietary approach to improving body composition and metabolic health while maintaining fitness and muscular function in both normal- and over-weight individuals.Due to limited evidence concerning TRF and athletic performance, more research is needed before this dietary protocol can be fully recommended for athletes especially those competing in sports that demand strength and power.
A Technique for the Preparation of Specimens of Loose Layered Silts

A brief review of previously published results of shear strength testing of silty soils is presented. It is noted that, due to their highly porous structure and the resultant unfavorable effects derived from sampling, natural silts are among the least studied deposits in the world. When found in glaciated regions, these deposits are often laminated, usually contain small amounts of clay, and, when laminated, are invariably anisotropic. A typical naturally occurring silt, prevalent in the area of Providence, Rhode Island, is described in terms of its geologic origin and its in situ index properties. An experimental procedure which entails laboratory sedimentation, consolidation under small load increments, and laboratory freezing to obtain a soil specimen which may be handled without densification, is described. It is shown that these laboratory produced specimens duplicated the in situ varved structure and index properties of the natural silt. Although the paper reports in detail on the production of cylindrical triaxial specimens, the method may be readily adapted to produce specimens of virtually any size or shape. In conclusion, it is pointed up that, in utilizing this technique, specimens may be prepared with virtually any angular relationship between the inclination of the layers and the directions of the applied principal stresses, facilitating the investigation of anisotropic strength effects.
Chapter 4: The Quantum Hall Effect in Open Conductors

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses transport in a high magnetic field in conductors that confine a two-dimensional electron gas. The chapter also discusses basic elements of electrical conduction, the scattering problem, the current response due to differing chemical potentials. Scattering that the carrier undergoes in the reservoir completely randomizes the energy and phase of the carrier such that a carrier entering the conductor bears no phase and energy relationship to an exiting carrier. Entering and leaving the reservoir is treated as an irreversible event. Using the relations between currents and chemical potentials, one can determine the resistance for a given configuration of current sources and sinks and voltage probes. The chapter discusses two cases explicitly—the case of a two-probe conductor and the case of a resistance measurement in a four-probe setup. The reciprocity of the resistances is the experimentally observed symmetry of electric conduction. The local scattering problem investigated here is a complete solution of reservoir-to-reservoir transmission only under a set of very restrictive conditions: It is a complete solution if every carrier that has been transmitted past the local region of the saddle has a probability of one to leave the constriction in the forward direction, and if every carrier that is reflected leaves the constriction in the backward direction with a probability of one.
MO-FG-BRB-01: Investing to Address the Global Cancer Challenge

The global burden of cancer is growing rapidly with an estimated 15 million new cases per year worldwide in 2015, growing to 19 million by 2025 and 24 million by 2035. The largest component of this growth will occur in low-to-middle income countries (LMICs). About half of these cases will require radiation treatment. The gap for available cancer treatment, including radiation therapy, between high-income countries (HICs) and LMICs is enormous. Accurate data and quantitative models to project the needs and the benefits of cancer treatment are a critical first step in closing the large cancer divide between LMICs and HICs. In this context, the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has developed a Global Task Force on Radiotherapy for Cancer Control (GTFRCC) with a charge to answer the question as to what it will take to close the gap between what exists today and reasonable access to radiation therapy globally by 2035 and what the potential clinical and economic benefits are for doing this. The Task Force has determined the projections of cancer incidence and the infrastructure required to provide access to radiation therapy globally. Furthermore it has shown that appropriate investment not only yields improved clinical outcomes for millions of patients but that it also provides an overall economic gain throughout all the income settings where this investment is made. This symposium will summarize the facets associated with this global cancer challenge by reviewing the cancer burden, looking at the requirements for radiation therapy, reviewing the benefits of providing such therapy both from a clinical and economic perspective and finally by looking at what approaches can be used to aid in the alleviation of this global cancer challenge. The speakers are world renowned experts in global public health issues (R. Atun), medical physics (D. Jaffray) and radiation oncology (N. Coleman). Learning Objectives: 1. To describe the global cancer challenge and the corresponding potential benefits of addressing this challenge. 2. To describe what radiation therapy infrastructure, in terms of facilities, equipment and personnel, will be required to address this challenge. 3. To describe models of addressing personnel and infrastructure mobilization and capacity building within regions where significant cancer treatment disparities exist.
Apparent Respiratory Control in Uncoupled Mitochondria

Abstract Respiration by coupled mitochondria from heart was enhanced by acetate, butyrate, and octanoate in a controlled manner, limited by exogenous ADP. When uncoupling agents were added, the ADP requirement for oxidation of pyruvate, α-ketoglutarate, succinate, or β-hydroxybutyrate was abolished. In contrast, respiration by uncoupled mitochondria incubated with acetate, butyrate, or octanoate remained dependent on the addition of ADP. The ratio of ADP to oxygen was approximately unity in uncoupled mitochondria incubated with short chain fatty acids. The controlled increase in respiration by mitochondria associated with ADP addition was abolished or inhibited by malonate or arsenite, indicating that operation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was required for manifestation of the respiratory control in both coupled and uncoupled mitochondria. The data were interpreted to indicate that ATP required for fatty acid activation was generated from exogenous ADP indirectly via operation of the succinyl coenzyme A synthetase and the nucleoside diphosphokinase reactions. Addition of the nonmetabolized inhibitors of carnitine acetyltransferase ((+)-acetylcarnitine and dl-bromoacetylcarnitine) to bovine heart mitochondria elicited effects similar to those observed after the addition of acetate, butyrate, or octanoate. Either of these transferase inhibitors induced an increase in respiration, dependent on ADP, by both coupled and uncoupled mitochondria. The ADP to oxygen ratio in uncoupled mitochondria was approximately unity, and the effect was completely abolished by malonate or arsenite. The nature of the endogenous substrate whose oxidation was enhanced in the presence of ADP by the nonmetabolized inhibitors of carnitine acetyltransferase was not proven, but evidence was presented suggesting the importance of endogenous fatty acids in these processes.
Social Choice, Crypto-Initiatives and Policy Making by Direct Democracy

The initiative process was created originally to enable citizens to enact public policy directly and in so doing to overturn the dominion of interest groups and of state and local party machines. In recent years, initiatives have been thought to serve as a check on legislative authority and to provide the people with a means to pressure the legislature into adopting more public regarding policies. Indeed, the general consensus emerging from the most recent academic research is that, at their worst, initiatives are benign, while at their best, they serve to further the interests of electoral majorities. A few scholars, however, have found reason to pause in their celebration of the initiative, finding shortcomings in its process, its outcomes, or both. In this paper we argue that initiatives will only infrequently improve the public's welfare. We begin with a survey of the basic social choice and public choice critiques of the initiative process. We argue that, despite recent rigorous scholarly attention as to the effects of initiatives, we find little reason yet to reject the social and public choice criticisms of policy making via direct democracy. We then offer a series of anecdotes about the rise of crypto-initiatives, which are initiatives that use direct democracy as an instrument to achieve non-policy related goals. Finally, we conclude that the problems inherent in the initiative process are being magnified by the increase in crypto-initiatives and the rise of the crypto-political machines, the new 527 PACs, that sponsor them. Increasingly, the public welfare may be only an incidental consideration in the sponsorship, passage and implementation of initiatives. This in turns implies that we consider anew limiting or amending the initiative process.
Information theory, multivariate dependence, and genetic network inference

We define the concept of dependence among multiple variables using maximum entropy techniques and introduce a graphical notation to denote the dependencies. Direct inference of information theoretic quantities from data uncovers dependencies even in undersampled regimes when the joint probability distribution cannot be reliably estimated. The method is tested on synthetic data. We anticipate it to be useful for inference of genetic circuits and other biological signaling networks.
Transducer mounting and rotating system for calibrating sonars in a sea well

A transducer mounting and rotating system for use in calibrating sonars in a sea well beneath a pier at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is described. The transducer is attached to a plate fitted on the end of a shaft that is supported by a sleeve bearing at the lower end of a 6-m-long trussed steel tower. A rotary table for all-weather use with ordinary television antennas has been adapted for precision use, and attached to the surface end of the shaft. Rotation is controlled by software, with user-defined parameters, from a personal computer (PC) platform. The accuracy of the rotation is /spl plusmn/0.1 deg. Initial calibration trials of the transducer mounting and rotating system itself are described.
Delay variability: sources, impacts and trends

The electrical performance of an integrated circuit is impacted by (a) environmental factors which include variations in power supply voltage and temperature, and(b) physical factors caused by processing and mask imperfections. Only the physical sources of variability, denoted P, are dealt with. P includes device and wire model parameters such as V/sub th/, T/sub ox/ and R/sub s/.
Unique hemodynamic profile of HIV patients with portal hypertension: Comparison with HIV-associated PAH and porto-pulmonary hypertension

Introduction and Objectives HIV-associated PAH (HIV-PAH) and porto-pulmonary hypertension (PoPHTN) have well described cardiopulmonary profiles. However, little is known about the hemodynamic characteristics when both conditions coexist (HIV-PoPHTN). We hypothesise that in these cases right heart catheterisation (RHC) findings differ from those with HIV-PAH and PoPHTN alone. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with HIV-PAH, PoPHTN and HIV-PoPHTN and compared their baseline RHC results: right atrial pressure (RAP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP), cardiac index (CI), pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI) and pulmonary artery saturation (PAsat). One-way ANOVA and Student t-test between groups were used for analysis. Results We identified 93 patients; 37 HIV-PAH, 40 PoPHTN and 16 HIV-PoPHTN. Table 1 presents their hemodynamic characteristics. Table 2 shows comparisons between two groups. Conclusion HIV-PoPHTN has a similar hemodynamic profile to HIV-PAH. Both groups have worse RV function compared to PoPHTN.
Role of radiotherapy in sarcoma of the breast--a retrospective review of the M.D. Anderson experience.

Abstract Background : The role of adjuvant radiotherapy for sarcoma of the breast, based on local extension of disease and patterns of failure, remains undefined because of the rarity of the disease presentation. Methods : Fifty-nine cases of soft tissue sarcoma of the breast were retrospectively reviewed. Cystosarcoma phylloides was excluded from analysis. Surgical intervention consisted of segmental resection ( n =16) or mastectomy ( n =38); five patients underwent excisional biopsy. Adjuvant radiotherapy was administered in four patients following segmental resection and in 13 patients after mastectomy. Doses totaled 50 Gy in the majority of patients, and conventional criteria and radiotherapy techniques for adjuvant breast irradiation were used. Results : None of the dissected axillary nodes contained metastatic tumor on pathologic review. Patterns of failure were evaluated. Tumor size ( P P P = NS ). Distant metastases developed concurrently with the two local failures in the group that underwent mastectomy and radiation. After segmental mastectomy, LF occurred in 3 cases (25%) concurrent with distant metastases; no LF were noted after segmental mastectomy and radiation ( P =0.27). For all treatment groups, local recurrences were characterized as multiple and involved the chest wall. Local failure occurred in 60% of patients with positive surgical margins who did not receive adjuvant irradiation. Irrespective of surgical margins, over 75% of local recurrences developed among patients treated by surgery alone. Conclusions : The role of radiotherapy for breast sarcoma remains undefined due to the rarity of this disease presentation. This retrospective review failed to demonstrate a statistical benefit for the administration of adjuvant irradiation in sarcoma of the breast, probably because of limited patient numbers. Because large tumor size and positive surgical margins incur a higher risk for LF, radiotherapy is probably indicated in these cases. Axillary dissection obligates the radiotherapist to treat the axilla in order to include all tissues in the surgical bed, and should be avoided to reduce potential treatment related morbidity. Established therapeutic principles and techniques used for both soft tissue sarcoma and breast cancer should continue to be applied.
The diagnosis of deafness in a child

Abstract Communicating to parents the diagnosis of an irreversible disease or disability in their child is a difficult task for medical practitioners. In order for the parents, as well as the physician, to cope constructively with the severe psychological consequences, disappointment, and grief, it is critical that there be a clear understanding of common reactions to such trauma. Beginning with mixed feelings about the pregnancy common to most parents, through birth, and up to the actual diagnosis, important events take place that are examined with regard to the parents' final coping dynamics. Common reactions include denial, isolation of affect, feelings of impotence, questioning the reasons for deafness, turning to religion, blaming the doctor, guilt, “doctor shopping,” depression, and others. Constructive coping by parents can only begin after the irreversibility of the condition is acknowledge and the implications understood and accepted. Beyond this, an understanding of what lies ahead for their child is important. In this regard, habilitation and education, if not properly planned, often represent a greater liability to deaf children and their families than the deafness itself. This is due largely to a pervasive adherence to oralism and mainstreaming at the expense of more appropriate total communication specialized approach. Thus, parent counseling and the use of total communication together offer the best promise for the success of deaf children in reaching their potential.
Translation invariant spin-flip processes and nonuniqueness

We define a translation invariant measure Μ on the state space {−1, 1}ℤ and a set of strictly positive, continuous, attractive flip rates which are translation invariant, such that the corresponding martingale problem has more than one solution for Μ-almost all initial states.
Reaching out to America's immigrants: community health advisors and health communication.

PURPOSE To describe clinical services and health communication needs for recent immigrants. METHODS A review of relevant health behavior and policy research published in the past 20 years was conducted. RESULTS Health coverage for primary care, prenatal and safety net services needs to be continued for all immigrants. Legislative bodies should repeal those aspects of welfare reform laws that diminish funding for health programs. English training provides efficient and effective access to health care and health communication. Finally, health communication messages mediated by community health advisors constitute an effective alternative to mainstream health communication. CONCLUSIONS Societies whose populations consist primarily of immigrants need to be better prepared to promote the health of this group.
Pawpaws, Persimmons, and 'Possums: On the Natural Distribution of Pawpaws in the Northeast:

The northern distribution of the pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is reviewed in terms of the likelihood that Iroquois populations were directly responsible for its extension into southern Ontario and western New York, a proposition advanced by Keener and Kuhns (1997). Their argument is flawed by ignoring or misrepresenting other probable means of dispersal and by coloring or selecting evidence to strengthen their case. It is concluded that natural dispersal by a variety of medium to large mammals is an adequate explanation, and there is insufficient reason to believe that Iroquois trade or warfare was a significant or even viable mechanism for the widespread growth of Asimina in the Carolinian biotic province of southern Ontario and western New York.
Microelectrode Recording during Posteroventral Pallidotomy: Impact on Target Selection and Complications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the practical usefulness of single-cell microelectrode recording (MER) when performing posteroventral pallidotomy. METHODS: A retrospective comparison of the initial, magnetic resonance imaging-derived coordinates of the pallidotomy target to the final, MER-refined lesion coordinates in 132 consecutive pallidotomies was conducted. The time required to perform the procedure and the surgical complications are reported. RESULTS: MER led to targeting changes in 98% of the cases. In 12%, the MER-refined target was more than 4 mm from the original, image-guided site, which is a targeting error that could adversely affect outcome. Although all components of targeting were affected by MER, laterality and depth were impacted most. The ventral border of the globus pallidus pars interna was located within 1 mm of the magnetic resonance imaging-selected target in only 40% of the cases. On average, only 2.2 MER trajectories were required to perform pallidotomy. During the last 3 years of our study, 85% of the procedures were performed with one or two trajectories. The mean operating time of the operations performed during the last 3 years was 2 hours and 12 minutes. The incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage in our series (1.5%) was no higher than that reported for other large series of stereotactic procedures. No patient suffered an optic tract injury. CONCLUSION: MER provides important targeting information for performing pallidotomy. In particular, the micrometric delineation of the ventral border of the globus pallidus pars interna permits safe lesioning of the posteroventral region of the globus pallidus pars interna with little risk of visual field deficit. These data can be obtained efficiently and without increased surgical risk.
Actualizing dreams: Commercialization of civil robotics

In common with other emerging technologies such as information technology, nanotechnology, green technology and biotechnology, robotic technology has been expected to bring bright future to human beings for several decades. Commercially, in several applications including industrial robots and special purpose robots for military and exploration, the innovative technologies have been commercialized actively. Nevertheless, in the view of technology commercialization, the development of robotics as a real-life technology has seemed to be tardier than the general public's expectation for recent years. The goal of this paper is to explore what the main obstacles are in the commercialization of robotics technology, and what the possible solutions to surmount the obstacles are. To respond to these questions, first of all, this paper defines recent and future markets of real-life robotics. And then, the critical technologies which need to be developed prior to the commercialization are studied. By extension, this paper analyzes the levels and bottleneck issues of each technology mentioned above.
The impact of behavior and addiction on psychological models of cigarette and alcohol use during pregnancy

This prospective study of 241 women investigated the impact of past behavior and psychological factors on cigarette and alcohol use during pregnancy. Smokers' cigarette use was compared with their alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and drinking among smokers was compared with that of nonsmokers. Only prior smoking directly predicted smokers' cigarette use later in pregnancy, whereas smokers' alcohol use was related to both their previous drinking and their drinking self-efficacy. Among nonsmokers, neither drinking before nor early in pregnancy was related to alcohol use later in pregnancy; only subjects' self-efficacy and their beliefs about the consequences of drinking during pregnancy predicted their subsequent alcohol use. These results are consistent with the notion that greater addictive potential lessens the direct impact of psychological factors on substance use during pregnancy. Further implications of these findings for interventions and other health-related behaviors are also discussed.
Zenith angle effects in multichannel infrared sea surface remote sensing

Several approaches to infrared multichannel sea surface temperature retrievals propose using a universal set of constants. It is shown that the single-channel multiangle technique (i.e., GOES and NOAA) and the multichannel single-angle technique (NOAA-n) are similar concepts with a common derivation from radiative transfer theory. It is also shown that the linear correlation factor between surface temperature minus satellite temperature in one channel versus the difference in satellite temperatures in two channels is not independent of the difference in satellite sensed equivalent blackbody temperature. The 3.7-micron, 11-micron, and 12-micron channels on the NOAA-n AVHRR can be used in combination to compute atmospheric transmissivity and average atmospheric temperature, but a better combination would be substituting three 0.5-micron-wide channels centered on 11.25 micron, 11.75 micron, and 12.25 micron. A triple window multispectral scanner in the 11-12.5 micron region allows determination of diffuse surface reflectance which can bias sea surface temperatures - 0.4 K + or - 0.3 K.
The solubility of calcite in seawater at atmospheric pressure and 35%permil; salinity

Abstract The apparent (stoichiometric) solubility product of calcite in artificial seawater of salinity 35‰ was measured by a saturometer technique. The value of the apparent solubility product was found to be (4·59 ± 0·05) × 10−7 moles/(kilogram of seawater)2 at 25°C with a temperature coefficient of −0·0108 × 10−7/°C between 2 and 25°C. These values are significantly smaller than those found by MacIntyre (1965) and other workers. The effect of these results on the saturation of the oceans with respect to calcite is examined.
Critical Role of Nucleostemin in Pre-rRNA Processing *

Nucleostemin is a nucleolar protein widely expressed in proliferating cells. Nucleostemin is involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, and both depletion and overexpression of nucleostemin induce cell cycle arrest through the p53 signaling pathway. Although the presence of p53-independent functions of nucleostemin has been previously suggested, the identities of these additional functions remained to be investigated. Here, we show that nucleostemin has a novel role as an integrated component of ribosome biogenesis, particularly pre-rRNA processing. Nucleostemin forms a large protein complex (>700 kDa) that co-fractionates with the pre-60 S ribosomal subunit in a sucrose gradient. This complex contains proteins related to pre-rRNA processing, such as Pes1, DDX21, and EBP2, in addition to several ribosomal proteins. We show that the nucleolar retention of DDX21 and EBP2 is dependent on the presence of nucleostemin in the nucleolus. Furthermore, the knockdown of nucleostemin delays the processing of 32 S pre-rRNA into 28 S rRNA. This is accompanied by a substantial decrease of protein synthesis as well as the levels of rRNAs and some mRNAs. In addition, overexpressed nucleostemin significantly promotes the processing of 32 S pre-rRNA. Collectively, these biochemical and functional studies demonstrate a novel role of nucleostemin in ribosome biogenesis. This is a key aspect of the role of nucleostemin in regulating cell proliferation.
Limit on Fierz interference in nuclear beta decay

From a recent experiment on the analog transition $^{19}\mathrm{Ne}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{19}\mathrm{F}+{e}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$, we extract a stringent limit on the absence of Fierz interference.
A simplified method for detection of lead contamination of soil

Abstract The rhodizonate spot test for Pb has been adapted to the detection of Pb contamination of soil. Depending upon the method of extraction chosen, Pb is detectable to 400–700 μg g −1 in the dry soil sample. Extraction is carried out by heating or shaking with nitric acid, followed by filtration. The filtrate is brought to pH 1·5 with citrate using a pH meter or an indicator. The extract is spotted on filter paper and treated with freshly prepared aqueous sodium rhodizonate. Heating extracts more Pb than shaking, but a relatively stable percentage of the Pb present is extracted by shaking for 30 s. This latter method of extraction may be used as part of a rapid, simplified procedure requiring a minimum of apparatus. Use of citrate for pH adjustment eliminates the problem of crystallisation encountered with tartarate, as specified in the original procedure. Soil extracts with pH 3 gave the intense yellow colour of free rhodizonate, which tended to obscure the pink Pb-rhodizonate colour. Differences in the effect of heating and the effect of extraction time on Pb and Fe levels were observed, with Pb more readily extracted than Fe. Use of extracts with low levels of Fe made possible visual endpoint detection for the adjustment of pH. Using the shaken extraction method with a series of 107 samples, positive results were obtained for 82 samples with > 700 μg Pb g −1 , negative results for 10 samples with −1 and mixed results for 15 samples in the range 400–700 μg Pb g −1 . Selection of a cutoff value of 500 μg Pb g −1 eliminated false negative results in a pilot screening trial of 38 samples prepared by the heated extraction method.
Household Ecology: Economic Change and Domestic Life Among the Kekchi Maya of Belize

Household Ecology: Economic Change and Domestic Life Among the Kekchi Maya of Belize. Richard R. Wilk. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1991. 280 pp. $55.00 (cloth). ISBN 0–8165–1214–0.
A Multi-Mode Distributed Sensor for Vibrating Beams

Abstract A new class of distributed sensors is presented which can measure both the modal and physical displacements of vibrating composite beams. The sensor relies in its operation on a set of super-elastic Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) wires which are embedded off the neutral axes of the vibrating beams. The wires are arranged in a special manner which allows continuous monitoring of the deflection curve of the beam. The output signals of the SMA wires are processed to determine the modal displacements of the beam and the physical displacements at critical discrete points along the beam axis. The theoretical and experimental performance of the sensor is presented in both the time and frequency domains. Comparisons are given between the experimental performance of the SMA distributed sensor and that of conventional laser sensors, in order to demonstrate the accuracy and merits of the distributed SMA sensor. The results obtained suggest the potential of this new class of sensors as a viable means for controlling the vibrations of flexible composite beams and plates, particularly with modal control algorithms.
Effects of hypoxic and anoxic controlled atmospheres on carbohydrates, organic acids, and fermentation products in Asiatic hybrid lily bulbs

The effects of long-term storage of Lilium bulbs in humidified hypoxic and anoxic controlled atmospheres on the metabolism of carbohydrates, organic acids, and fermentation products in source and sink tissues were investigated. Shoot tissue of intact bulbs exposed to hypoxia accumulated carbohydrates (sucrose and reducing sugars), malate, and lactate, while ethanol accumulated and then gradually declined, compared with those stored in air. Under hypoxia, shoot tissues had lower invertase (Inv) to sucrose synthase (SuSy) and greater pyruvate kinase (PK) to phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) activity ratios than in shoots held in air. Shoot tissues exposed to anoxia were rapidly depleted of carbohydrates, and accumulated succinate and lactate compared with shoots held in air. In anoxia, ethanol rapidly accumulated and stabilized, but did not decline as observed in shoots kept in hypoxia. Shoot tissues under anoxia also had lower Inv to SuSy activity ratios than those in air, but they were not as low as those in hypoxia. PK to PEPC activity ratios initially increased compared with air but then rapidly declined. Scales of intact bulbs accumulated sucrose under hypoxia and showed a decrease in sucrose under anoxia when compared with air storage; however, sucrose stores were not exhausted under anoxia as they were in shoot tissues. Subsequently, scale tissue viability was maintained under anoxia. Scale tissues under hypoxia did not accumulate malate, lactate, and ethanol as did shoot tissues, but accumulated succinate, lactate, and ethanol under anoxia as did shoot tissues. The accumulation of lactate in anoxic scale tissues was lower than in anoxic shoot tissues, and subsequently resulted in a higher succinate to lactate ratio. Differential responses of source and sink tissues to sub-ambient O2 levels are discussed.
Response of isoprene emission to ambient CO2 changes and implications for global budgets

We explore the potential role of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) on isoprene emissions using a global coupled land–atmosphere model [Community Atmospheric Model–Community Land Model (CAM–CLM)] for recent (year 2000, 365ppm CO2) and future (year 2100, 717ppm CO2) conditions. We incorporate an empirical model of observed isoprene emissions response to both ambient CO2 concentrations in the long-term growth environment and short-term changes in intercellular CO2 concentrations into the MEGAN biogenic emission model embedded within the CLM. Accounting for CO2 inhibition has little impact on predictions of present-day global isoprene emission (increase from 508 to 523TgCyr � 1 ). However, the large increases in future isoprene emissions typically predicted in models, which are due to a projected warmer climate, are entirely offset by including the CO2 effects. Projected global isoprene emissions in 2100 drop from 696 to 479TgCyr � 1 when this effect is included, maintaining future isoprene sources at levels similar to present day. The isoprene emission response to CO2 is dominated by the long-term growth environment effect, with modulations of 10% or less due to the variability in intercellular CO2 concentration. As a result, perturbations to isoprene emissions associated with changes in ambient CO2 are largely aseasonal, with little diurnal variability. Future isoprene emissions increase by more than a factor of two in 2100 (to 1242TgCyr � 1 ) when projected changes in vegetation distribution and leaf area density are included. Changing land cover and the role of nutrient limitation on CO2 fertilization therefore remain the largest source of uncertainty in isoprene emission prediction. Although future projections suggest a compensatory balance between the effects of temperature and CO2 on isoprene emission, the enhancement of isoprene emission due to lower ambient CO2 concentrations did not compensate for the effect of cooler temperatures over the last 400 thousand years of the geologic record (including the Last Glacial Maximum).
The natural history of a “benign” rib lesion in a patient with a demyelinating polyneuropathy and an unusual variant of poems syndrome

Patients with POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, and skin changes) syndrome exhibit great clinical variability and often have osteosclerotic myeloma. We present a patient with an acquired demyelinating polyneuropathy who was eventually diagnosed as having POEMS syndrome. Her long period of observation permitted documentation of the natural history of a plasmacytoma, including its remarkably slow rate of growth and its transformation from a nonsclerotic to a sclerotic bone lesion. Her clinical and laboratory features emphasize the variability of this syndrome. Biopsy of benignappearing bone lesions should be considered in patients with acquired demyelinating polyneuropathies who do not respond to standard treatment modalities. Serial x-rays may not distinguish benign lesions from plasmacytomas in this treatable condition. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Analysis of Disputes in Transportation Projects

Disputes in construction projects are fairly common. They most often lead to increased costs, delays, and damaged business relationships. Disputes can also result in loss of reputation, personnel resources, and potential business opportunities. Previous studies have shown that the frequency of disputes in construction projects can be reduced through the timely identification of potential dispute sources and the implementation of effective lessons-learned strategies. This paper presents an analysis of the disputes for transportation projects in the state of Florida and the related lessons-learned in order to prevent these disputes from recurring in future projects. Two hundred and sixtytwo (262) cases of disputes in transportation projects between 1994 and 2008 stored in the Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) database of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) were analyzed. It was found that majority of disputes were due to unforeseen conditions. Also, more than half of the disputes (58%) occurred during the main construction stage of the projects. Most of the lessons-learned were derived from the evaluation of the DRB reports aimed to address ambiguous specifications, a responsibility-assignment mechanism, and poor conceptual planning.
Respiratory and circulatory responses in a hemoglobin-free fish, Chaenocephalusaceratus, to changes in temperature and oxygen tension

Abstract 1. 1. Dorsal aortic and caudal venous blood pressures, pO2, pCO2, pH, and lactic acid were monitored in unrestrained specimens of Chaenocephalus aceratus. The aortic blood pressure was exceptionally low (about 12 8 mm Hg) as was the blood lactic acid concentration (about 3 mg/100 ml at rest). The other parameters were similar to those of other fish. The effects of hypoxia were also examined. 2. 2. The O2 consumption increased gradually from 1 to 4°C, but then remained almost constant up to 10°C. The critical water pO2 (40–45 torr) was little affected by increased temperatures. 3. 3. The viscosity of the blood was very low (about 2–91 centistokes at 0°C); this aids the increased circulation in the chaenichthyids.
Direct Determination of Line Shapes of Rotational Spectra from Interferometric Measurements

It is shown that all the structure present in the interferogram of an “ideal” rotational spectrum consisting of many equally-spaced, identical lines is contained in a sequence of “signatures” at path differences of 0, 1/(2B), 2/(2B),…, where B is the reciprocal of inertia. For a symmetric line shape the signatures are all symmetric and homologous, the central one being upright and all successive ones inverted; but asymmetry in the line shape introduces increasing asymmetry in the successive signatures. This agrees with experience. Further, by measuring two vertical distances on each signature one may determine as many harmonics of the line shape as there are signatures. As an example, a typical run of the large interferometric modulator at The Johns Hopkins University is so analyzed.
A new approximation method for generating day-ahead load scenarios

Unit commitment decisions made in the day-ahead market and resource adequacy assessment processes are based on forecasts of load, which depends strongly on weather. Two major sources of uncertainty in the load forecast are the errors in the day-ahead weather forecast and the variability in temporal patterns of electricity demand that is not explained by weather. We develop a stochastic model for hourly load on a given day, within a segment of similar days, based on a weather forecast available on the previous day. Identification of similar days in the past is based on weather forecasts and temporal load patterns. Trends and error distributions for the load forecasts are approximated by optimizing within a new class of functions specified by a finite number of parameters. Preliminary numerical results are presented based on data corresponding to a U.S. independent system operator.
The Disappearing Conference Committee: The Use of Procedures by Minority Coalitions to Prevent Conferencing

Despite the importance of post-passage bargaining for legislative outcomes, little is known about the factors that lead to a conference committee. While the conventional wisdom claims conferences are used to resolve differences on important or complicated legislation, the theory developed here claims that coalition size and chamber rules are increasingly important determinants of conferencing. The empirical results demonstrate that post-passage bargaining and conferencing depend on the ability of the coalition within each chamber to overcome procedural hurdles. This has important implications for post-passage bargaining in an age of narrow, partisan coalitions. While the chambers may prefer conferencing to resolve their differences, minority coalitions are now willing to block the motions necessary to conference, forcing amendment trading on many bills.
Influence of untrapped electrons on the sideband instability in a helical wiggler free electron laser

The detailed influence of an untrapped‐electron population on the sideband instability in a helical wiggler free electron laser is investigated for small‐amplitude perturbations about a constant‐amplitude (a0s =const) primary electromagnetic wave with slowly varying equilibrium phase δ0s. A simple model is adopted in which all of the trapped electrons are deeply trapped, and the equilibrium motion of the untrapped electrons (assumed monoenergetic) is only weakly modulated by the ponderomotive potential. The theoretical model is based on the single‐particle orbit equations together with Maxwell’s equations and appropriate statistical averages. Moreover, the stability analysis is carried out in the ponderomotive frame, which leads to a substantial simplification in deriving the dispersion relation. Detailed stability properties are investigated over a wide range of dimensionless pump strength ΩB /Γb ck0 and fraction of untrapped electrons fu =nu /nb. When both trapped and untrapped electrons) are present...
Cost-effectiveness of a primary care intervention to treat obesity.

Background Data on the cost-effectiveness of the behavioral treatment of obesity are not conclusive. The cost-effectiveness of treatment in primary care settings is particularly relevant. Methods We conducted a within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis of a primary care-based obesity intervention. Study participants were randomized to: Usual Care (UC; quarterly visits with their primary care provider); Brief Lifestyle Counseling (BLC; quarterly provider visits plus monthly weight loss counseling visits) or Enhanced Brief Lifestyle Counseling (EBLC; all above interventions, plus choice of meal replacements or weight loss medication). A health-care payer perspective was used. Intervention costs were estimated from tracking data obtained prospectively. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were estimated with the EuroQol-5D. We estimated cost per kilogram-year of weight loss and cost per QALY. Results Weight losses after 2 years were 1.7, 2.9 and 4.6 kg for UC, BLC and EBLC, respectively (P=0.003 for comparison of EBLC vs UC). The incremental cost per kilogram-year lost was $292 for EBLC compared with UC (95% confidence interval (CI): $219-$437). The short-term incremental cost per QALY was $115,397, but the 95% CI were undefined. Comparison of short-term cost per kg with published estimates of longer-term cost per QALY suggested that the intervention could be cost-effective over the long term (≥ 10 years). Conclusions A primary care intervention that includes monthly counseling visits and a choice of meal replacements or weight loss medication could be a cost-effective treatment for obesity over the long term. However, additional studies are needed on the cost-effectiveness of behavioral treatment of obesity.
Maximum Pressure Head Due to Linear Valve Closure

The maximum pressure head resulting fron one-speed closure of wide open valves is investigated. The dimensionless variables formulated in this study make the subtle effect of the initial valve head loss explicit and separate from that of the pipe frictional head loss. The maximum head is related to initial pipe frictional head loss, the initial valve head loss, the inherent flow characteristic of the valve, and the closure period by plots of dimensionless variables.
Absorption processes near the bandgap of InSb: Laser-induced hot electron and photoconductivity studies

Abstract CO laser-induced photoconductivity measurements in n-InSb at 1.8 K are shown to give information on the amount of carrier heating and the absorption processes near the bandgap. A model is presented to explain the observed dependence of the electron temperature on the incident photon energy and laser power. The model is shown to explain nonlinear absorption effects recently observed in InSb by Miller et al.