cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Open Online System Adoption in K-12 as a Democratising Factor.

This study seeks to understand how district size and wealth factors influence the adoption of open-source online systems in primary and secondary (K-12) education. Most schools now utilise online systems (e.g. CMS, LMS, SIS) for a number of purposes, and it is anticipated that no-cost and open-source systems could be of great value for democratising access to information system resources and improving the plight of struggling schools. By using web extraction techniques to collect all public school website data for K-12 districts in the target state (n = 133) and merging this data-set with public financial records, researchers conducted a series of one-way analysis of covariance and multivariate analysis of variance tests to determine main effects. Results indicate that larger, wealthier districts are more likely to adopt open source systems than smaller, poorer districts. These results call into question the democratising impact of open-source systems for struggling schools and suggest the importance of l...
Urbi and the City Licensee Managers

A leading low income housing builder in Mexico decides which prospective new local partner best extends its advantages in managing twin production lines of homes and clients. URBI has built substantial competitive advantage in the technology and culture that matches the outputs of these two production systems. The company has also built extensive expertise in accessing the many mortgage and funding sources in Mexico. To grow, the company is interested in entering other Mexican geographies but faces a choice of doing this with its own staff and buying land for cash, or partnering with local entrepreneurs and local land owners. In evaluating the choices, students must think more deeply about what makes the two production lines work and how to balance the two lines. The discussion can end with comparisons of the Mexican political and government circumstances that encourage this method of producing workforce housing as compared with the U.S., China, India, and other markets.
Transformation of Salmonella typhimurium by Plasmid Deoxyribonucleic Acid

A modified transformation procedure that is effective for the introduction of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid at high frequency into Salmonella typhimurium, as well as into Escherichia coli, is described. Transformed bacteria acquire a circular deoxyribonucleic acid species having the genetic and molecular characteristics of the transforming plasmid.
Juscelino Kubitschek and the 1960 Presidential Election

Brazilian specialists have long recognised the importance of the 1960 presidential elections, which set in motion a process that culminated in a 21—year military dictatorship. Only in 1989 did Brazilians witness once again the direct election of a president. Nonetheless, scholarly literature on this event is sparse and often tends toward the ahistorical view that the election of Jânio Quadros in 1960 was part of an inexorable process. Almost entirely ignored are the reasons why Brazil's largest political party, the Partido Social Democratico or PSD, nominated for president a weak candidate, Marshal of the Brazilian Army Henrique Teixeira Lott.1Clearly, Lott himself was not part of a praetorian guard that imposed his candidacy. Indeed, the Marshal was a reluctant candidate, who offered to withdraw in October 1959 in favour of a ‘national unity candidate’.2 In my view Lott's nomination had much more to do with a complex series of manoeuvres carried out by Brazil's president Juscelino Kubitschek (1956–61) than with his own actions. For Kubitschek, the political parties and presidential aspirants in 1960 were merely pawns in his highly personalistic vision of the political process. Constitutionally barred from seeking immediate re—election, Kubitschek initially manoeuvred to induce his party, the PSD, not to run its own presidential candidate. When this effort failed, he displayed, at the very least, ambivalence regarding the fate of the party's candidate.An analysis of Kubitschek's actions and motivations presents methodological challenges to the historian. Historians traditionally rely heavily on written documentation to support their analysis of actions and motivations.
Transcriptional profiling of human amniotic fluid derived stem cells and their multilineage differentiation

INTRODUCTION: We have recently isolated a subpopulation of pluripotent stem cells from human amniotic fluid (Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells, AFSC). These cells have a high self renewal capacity, with a short doubling time, do not require a feeder layer, and can be grown in basic medium supplemented. AFSC can be differentiated in vitro into osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic, vasculogenic, and hepatic phenotypes. The goal of this study is to understand the genetic processes involved in stem cell differentiation that would identify targets to increase the efficiency of differentiation.
Role of peridural fibrosis in the failed back: a review

Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is the presence of persistent, disabling pain in the hip, thigh, leg, or lower back of a patient who has undergone a laminectomy or discectomy. Some degree of FBSS is found in approximately 15% of such patients. There may be a direct relationship between the extent of pathology found during the initial surgical procedure and the probability that FBSS will develop. Although FBSS is usually due to improper diagnosis and surgery, another important cause is peridural fibrosis. Part of the answer may have to do with neuromechanics. In a healthy person, pain associated with dural and nerve root movement does not typically occur when performing activities of daily living. In contrast, in a person with peridural scarring, the dura and nerve roots are bound by fibrosis, and putting traction on the nerve roots and dura by back and limb movement produces pain. This pain is aggravated by the presence of inflammation at the surgical site. Research has shown that disc herniation activates the arachidonic acid cascade, resulting in the production of prostaglandins E1 and E2 and leukotriene B, substances that contribute to an inflammatory process that persists after discectomy. In an attempt to inhibit peridural fibrosis, methylprednisolone, polyethylene films, and fat grafts have been applied to the dura after discectomy. These experimental treatments have had limited success. Development of a therapy that reliably prevents peridural adhesive fibrosis will reduce the incidence of FBSS.
The state of molybdenum (VI) in perchloric acid solutions

Abstract Solubility measurements of molybdic oxide and of the molybdic oxide hydrates were made to determine the nature of the ionic species formed in 0–6 N perchloric acid solutions. Both hydrates produce the same molybdic acid in water and the same monovalent cation in 0·1-1·0 N perchloric acid. Each hydrate forms its own unique molybdic acid in perchloric acid more concentrated than 2 N. Solubility equilibrium was not observed for molybdic oxide which produced different ions than the hydrates.
Effect of DNA polymerase inhibitors on the replication of human cytomegalovirus. Brief report.

Aphidicolin, a specific inhibitor of cellular DNA polymerase α and of viral DNA polymerase, inhibits production of infectious virus and cellular and viral DNA synthesis of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-infected cells. On the other hand, 2′, 3′-dideoxynucleosides, inhibitors of DNA polymerases β and γ, do not affect HCMV replication. The data show that the α DNA polymerases of either viral or cellular origin are required for viral DNA synthesis, and cannot be substituted by the cellular DNA polymerase β and γ.
Chloride-Bearing Materials in the Southern Highlands of Mars

Chlorides commonly precipitate during the evaporation of surface water or groundwater and during volcanic outgassing. Spectrally distinct surface deposits consistent with chloride-bearing materials have been identified and mapped using data from the 2001 Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System. These deposits are found throughout regions of low albedo in the southern highlands of Mars. Geomorphologic evidence from orbiting imagery reveals these deposits to be light-toned relative to their surroundings and to be polygonally fractured. The deposits are small (
Asymptotic and small sample analysis of the stochastic properties and certainty equivalents of winning bids in independent private values auctions

This paper investigates the stochastic properties of the first price and second price winning bids in auctions with risk neutral bidders with independent and identically distributed valuations. In such an environment, the winning first price bids second order stochastically dominate the second price winning bids. A key result of this paper is that the ratio of the variance of the winning first price bid to that of the winning second price bid is strictly less than one even as the number of bidders goes to infinity. This suggests that the stochastic dominance of the winning first price bids does not vanish even in the limit. Both the asymptotic and small sample properties of winning bids are investigated. In particular, the small sample results suggest that the identification power of econometric procedures that rely on winning bids can decline rapidly as the number of bidders increases. This paper also includes a systematic evaluation of the difference in certainty equivalents between the two auction formats for several common distributions and number of bidders for the case of auctioneers with constant coefficient of absolute risk aversion. These results are presented in a form that makes it easy to apply them to a specific auction of interest.
Neural and endothelial control of the peripheral circulation—Implications for anesthesia: Part II, endothelium-mediated effects in the normal and diseased circulation

HE CLASSIC view of neural-humoral control of the circulation held that postganglionic sympathetic nerves in the perivascular space of vascular smooth muscle (VSM) release epinephrine and norepinephrine and the adrenal medulla secretes epinephrine into the bloodstream and that these effects are balanced by release of acetylchohne by postganglionic parasympathetic nerves located in the heart and possibly other structures. It is now known that there are many more autonomic neurotransmitters such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and dopamine. It is now also known that nerves synthesize and simultaneously release more than one neurotransmitter (eg, VIP and acetylcholine from postganglionic parasympathetic neurons) and that the same neurotransmitter may act upon different receptor subtypes (eg, adrenergic ai, a2). I The neurotransmitter may modulate vascular function at the postjunctional VSM membrane (eg, cq, purInoceptor P2) or at the prejunctional perivascular neuronal membrane (eg, az, P1). As presented in the Part I review article, it is generally held that control of overall peripheral vascular tone for the organism is mediated by sympathetic outflow to perivascular nerves. But there are other important effectors of vascular tone present in blood, VSM itself, and the vascular endothelial lining. The blood transports platelets, clotting factors, neutrophlls, monocytes, and other endocrine hormones besides epinephrine that can act on VSM as well as on the endothelium.
Subseries Methods in Regression

Abstract We extend subseries methods for stationary sequences to the regression setting. To estimate sampling distributions, the subseries approach computes the statistic of interest on all possible subseries of a shorter length than the original series, and uses the distribution of these replicates to mimic the distribution of the original statistic. For proper choice of subseries length, the regression parameters can be estimated to order O(n -2/3), thus improving on the normal approximation. The replicates can also be used to reduce the bias of robust estimators. Simulation results demonstrate the finite-sample effectiveness of the approach for both distribution function estimation and bias reduction. Applications to spatial data are also discussed.
Integrated high-power electro-optic lens and large-angle deflector.

We present a theoretical discussion and experimental demonstration of what to our knowledge is a novel integrated electro-optic lens and beam deflector fabricated in lithium tantalate. The cylindrical lens collimates Gaussian beams as small as 4 µm in diameter, whereas the independently controlled deflector is capable of scanning the collimated beam through an angular range of nearly 20°.
Electrooptical processing for radio astronomy

A recent report of the first computer-generated radio-derived photographs of the Whirlpool Galaxy will no doubt provide impetus for additional radio photography of astronomical events. Electro-optical techniques, developed in the past decade for obtaining high resolution range, range-rate, and angular target data with array radars, may be highly suitable for generating visible images of astronomical events. The electrooptical processor can furnish continuously and unambiguously, in the form of an optical image, the distribution of radio emission present in the entire effective scan sector of an array without the necessity of electronic steering.
Putting Together the Puzzle for Professional Development

Professional Issues Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program To describe the development and utilization of the professional development model at Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio. Professional development for nurses can sometimes be puzzling. Although professional practice is more clearly defined, individuals can become overwhelmed with their own continued professional development. In our organization, the nursing professional practice model was developed by staff nurse members of our hospital-wide nursing congress. These nurses collaborated to determine the key concepts essential to nursing practice.
Fast algorithms for histogram matching: Application to texture synthesis

Texture synthesis is the ability to create ensembles of images of similar structures from sample textures that have been photographed. The method we employ for texture synthesis is based on histogram matching of images at multiple scales and orientations. This paper reports two fast and in one case simple algorithms for histogram matching. We show that the sort-matching and the optimal cumulative distribution function (CDF)-matching (OCM) algorithms provide high computational speed compared to that provided by the conventional approach. The sort-matching algorithm also provides exact histogram matching. Results of texture synthesis using either method show no subjective perceptual differences. The sort-matching algorithm is attractive because of its simplicity and speed, however as the size of the image increases, the OCM algorithm may be preferred for optimal computational speed.
Determination of tellurium and antimony in nickel alloys by laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry in a graphite furnace

Abstract Analytical laser excited atomic fluorescence of the metalloids tellurium and antimony in an electrothermal atomizer was studied. The detection limits were 20 fg and 10 fg for tellurium and antimony respectively, equivalent to about 0.01 ng g −1 in nickel based alloys by direct solid sample analysis, for a 1 mg solid sample, or 1 ng g −1 by the dissolution method, for a 100 mg solid sample in 100 ml solution. The detection limits were three orders of magnitude better than those obtained by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. They were also comparable to, or better than, those by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The linear dynamic ranges of the calibration curves were found to be six and seven orders of magnitude for antimony and tellurium respectively. By use of aqueous calibration, tellurium was accurately determined in NIST nickel alloy Standard Reference Materials by both a solid sample method, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of about 13%, and a dissolution method with an RSD of about 9%. Antimony in Pratt and Whitney “A” series nickel alloy standards was successfully determined by the dissolution method, with an RSD of about 7%, but by solid sampling the antimony method gave incomplete recovery. Molecular fluorescence backgrounds from nitric oxide and silicon monoxide were observed and discussed.
Dollar depreciation and US industry performance

Abstract This study analyzes the effects of the real exchange rate and the real interest rate on domestic sales, exports, and imports for 19 manufacturing industries and selected non-merchandise sectors in the USA. The estimates are combined with a simulation of an exogenous dollar depreciation to infer net industry effects of a non-policy induced drop in the value of the dollar. The results indicate that the direct impacts of the depreciation are concentrated in net exports, with only limited effects on home sales. Hoewver, the indirect effects of the depreciation, which work through the domestic interest rate and foreign and domestic income and prices, have a significant impact on domestic sales, as well as net trade, in both merchandise and non-merchandise sectors.
Chlamydia pneumoniae induces expression of pro-atherogenic factors through activation of the lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1

Several lines of evidence have associated Chlamydia pneumoniae with cardiovascular disease including acceleration of atherosclerotic lesion progression in hyperlipidemic animal models by infection. Many of the pro-atherogenic effects of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) occur through the activation of the lectin-like ox-LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1). Chlamydia pneumoniae upregulates the expression of the LOX-1 mRNA, promotes the uptake of ox-LDL, and utilizes the LOX-1 receptor for infectivity. The overall goal of this study was to determine whether C. pneumoniae organisms upregulated LOX-1 protein expression in vascular cells and whether upregulation of pro-atherogenic factors by C. pneumoniae occurred through LOX-1. Chlamydia pneumoniae induced LOX-1 protein expression in both endothelial cells and RAW macrophages. Upregulation was prevented by preincubation of cells with LOX-1 antibody prior to infection. Similarly, C. pneumoniae upregulated protein expression of adhesion molecules, MMP-1, and MMP-3, which was mitigated by anti-LOX-1 antibody. Prior treatment of organisms with PNGase, which removes the chlamydial glycan that is N-linked to the major outer membrane, abolished C. pneumoniae upregulation of LOX-1. These studies suggest that activation of LOX-1 expression occurs through binding of the chlamydial glycan and provides one mechanism by which C. pneumoniae infection could play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Non-spontaneous disintegration of hypernuclei in flight

On the basis of a binary model, expressions are obtained for the probability of hypernuclear disintegration in flight. Numerical calculations for 50 MeV5HΛ slowing in liquid hydrogen, oxygen, and xenon indicate that such processes are most prevalent for medium-Z media. Of the two processes considered, stripping and electric dissociation, the former appears to dominate in the medium- and large-Z range.
Laser-Based Standoff Detection of Surface-Bound Explosive Chemicals

Avoiding or minimizing potential damage from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) such as suicide, roadside, or vehicle bombs requires that the explosive device be detected and neutralized outside its effective blast radius. Only a few seconds may be available to both identify the device as hazardous and implement a response. As discussed in a study by the National Research Council, current technology is still far from capable of meeting these objectives. Conventional nitrocarbon explosive chemicals have very low vapor pressures, and any vapors are easily dispersed in air. Many pointdetection approaches rely on collecting trace solid residues from dust particles or surfaces. Practical approaches for standoff detection are yet to be developed. For the past 5 years, SRI International has been working toward development of a novel scheme for standoff detection of explosive chemicals that uses infrared (IR) laser evaporation of surfacebound explosive followed by ultraviolet (UV) laser photofragmentation of the explosive chemical vapor, and then UV laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of nitric oxide. This method offers the potential of long standoff range (up to 100 m or more), high sensitivity (vaporized solid), simplicity (no spectrometer or library of reference spectra), and selectivity (only nitrocompounds).
Transient, asymptotic, elastodynamic analysis : a simple method and its application to mixed-mode crack growth

Abstract When a moving singularity in a linearly elastic solid admits, in its steady state, an asymptotic eigen-expansion of variable-separable type, its asymptotic expansion in an unsteady state can be obtained systematically. A simple, straightforward method is presented here for deriving the transient, asymptotic, elastodynamic local fields near such moving singularities. The method makes use of the steady-state solution, and turns a transient problem into finding the particular solutions of a set of second-order ordinary differential equations, which have constant coefficients and nonhomogeneous terms involving only cosine and sine functions. The method is employed to obtain transient plane elastodynamic near-tip fields for a crack growing in a homogeneous, isotropic and linearly elastic solid. The fields are given in terms of two displacement potentials, applicable to general mixed-mode crack growth cases, from which crack-tip stress and deformation fields can be readily derived. Such transient solutions will be useful in numerical simulation as well as experimental interpretation of dynamic crack propagation events.
Using the spine surgical invasiveness index to identify risk of surgical site infection: a multivariate analysis.

Background: Surgical site infection after spine surgery is a well-known complication that can result in poor outcomes, arthrodesis-site nonunion, and neurological injury. We hypothesized that a higher surgical invasiveness score will increase the risk for surgical site infection following spine surgery. Methods: Data were examined from patients undergoing any type of spinal surgery from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2004, at two academic hospitals. The surgical invasiveness index is a previously validated instrument that accounts for the number of vertebral levels decompressed, arthrodesed, or instrumented as well as the surgical approach. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each of the categorical variables. Multivariate binomial stepwise logistic regression was used to examine the association between surgical invasiveness and surgical site infection requiring a return to the operating room for treatment, adjusting for confounding risk factors. Results: The regression analysis of 1532 patients who were evaluated for surgical site infection identified the following significant risk factors for surgical site infection: a body mass index of >35 (relative risk, 2.24 [95% confidence interval, 1.21 to 3.86]; p = 0.01), hypertension (relative risk, 1.73 [95% confidence interval, 1.05 to 2.85]; p = 0.03), thoracic surgery versus cervical surgery (relative risk, 2.57 [95% confidence interval, 1.20 to 5.60]; p = 0.01), lumbosacral surgery versus cervical surgery (relative risk, 2.03 [95% confidence interval, 1.10 to 4.05]; p = 0.02), and a surgical invasiveness index of >21 (relative risk, 3.15 [95% confidence interval, 1.37 to 6.99]; p = 0.01). Conclusions: Patients undergoing more invasive spine surgery as measured with the surgical invasiveness index had greater risk for having a surgical site infection that required a return to the operating room for treatment. Surgical invasiveness was the strongest risk factor for surgical site infection, even after adjusting for medical comorbidities, age, and other known risk factors. The magnitude of this association should be considered during surgical decision-making and intraoperative and postoperative care of the patient. These findings further validate the importance of the invasiveness index when performing safety and clinical outcome comparisons for spine surgery. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Removal of triosephosphate isomerase from albumins.

Abstract Commercial serum albumin and ovalbumin from a variety of sources contain triosephosphate isomerase activity which can interfere with many enzyme assays and metabolic studies. A simple procedure is described for the removal of this contaminant by preparative electrophoresis or electrofocus-ing.
Control of nonlinear delay systems: A tutorial

We present several general results on stabilization of time-delay systems with delays of arbitrary length. We focus on nonlinear systems with input and state delays, with delays that are constant, time-varying or state-dependent. The design methodology is based on the concepts of infinite-dimensional backstepping and nonlinear predictor feedback. Several illustrative examples are provided.
Inclined running increases pulmonary haemorrhage in the Thoroughbred horse.

Summary Reasons for performing study: Capillary stress failure-induced (exercise-induced) pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) during intense running in horses is thought to involve both intravascular (i.e. mean pulmonary arterial pressure [Ppa] >100 mmHg) and extravascular (e.g. negative inspiratory pressure swings) mechanisms. Hypothesis: That inclined running would reduce breathing frequency (coupled to stride frequency) and increase tidal volume thus increasing lung volume changes and intrapleural pressure swings resulting in more pronounced EIPH. Methods: Six Thoroughbred horses were run to volitional fatigue (incremental step test) on a level (L) and inclined (I; 10%) treadmill in random order. Pulmonary minute ventilation, arterial blood gases and mean Ppa were obtained during each run while EIPH severity was quantified via bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) 30 mins post run. Results: Time to fatigue did not differ between trials (P>0.05). At end-exercise, breathing frequency was reduced (L, 127.8 ± 3.0; I, 122.6 ± 2.1 breaths/min; P 0.05); however, the mean peak Ppa was reduced during the inclined run (L, 105+5; I, 96 ± 4 mmHg, P<0.05). In the face of reduced Ppa, EIPH severity was increased significantly (P<0.05) during the inclined vs. level run (L, 37.0 ± 11.7; I, 49.6 ± 17.0 times106 red blood cells/ml BAL fluid). Conclusions: Although inclined running lowered peak Ppa, EIPH severity was increased. It is likely that this effect resulted, in part, from an altered ventilatory pattern (i.e. increased tidal volumes and associated intrapleural pressure changes). Potential relevance: This conclusion supports an important role for extravascular factors in the aetiology of EIPH.
Self-Assembly Behavior of a Diblock Copolymer of Poly(1,1-dihydroperfluorooctyl acrylate) and Poly(vinyl acetate) in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

High-pressure laser light scattering experiments were performed to study the molecular association behavior of a diblock copolymer of poly(1,1-dihydroperfluoroocty acrylate) and poly(vinyl acetate) in supercritical carbon dioxide. Both pressure-induced and temperature-induce d micellization processes were observed over a pressure range of 90-552 bar and a temperature range of 25-75 °C, respectively. In sequence with increasing pressure at a fixed temperature, five regions appeared: (1) an insoluble solute appeared; (2) a small portion of the copolymer was dissolved to form unimers; (3) around the critical phase separation pressure region, some large aggregates were observed together with unimers; (4) over the critical phase separation pressure, very narrow size-distributed micelles in equilibrium with unimers were formed in the solution; (5) with a further increase in pressure, the micelles were gradually dissolved to form unimers; in the meantime, some anomalous large aggregates appeared around the critical micelle pressure. The appearance of the large aggregates can be ascribed to the copolymer composition heterogeneity. Upon lowering the temperature at a fixed pressure, a similar dissolution and association process of the copolymer in CO 2 was observed in terms of the critical phase separation temperature and the critical micelle temperature (CMT), because both increasing pressure and decreasing temperature increase the density of CO 2 and thus improve the solvent quality. The pressure dependence of the CMT with a fixed copolymer concentration, in combination with the pressure dependence of the critical micelle concentration at a fixed temperature, enables us to summarize the results with a mathematical relation among the critical micelle concentration, pressure, and temperature. After knowing either two of them for the copolymer solution in CO 2 , the third critical micellization condition can be predicted. The positive standard enthalpy of micellization (+18.8 kJ/mol) indicates an entropy-driven process.
Revenue sharing and monopoly government: A reply

The purpose of our article on the economic consequences of revenue sharing was relatively straightforward: It was to refute, with a particular view of government, the commonly stated proposition that revenue sharing (as well as many other forms of inter-government grants) is intended to decentralize governmental powers by distributing federal government revenues to state and local governments. Further, our purpose was to argue that state and local governments saw in revenue sharing a means of cartelizing tax collections, of charging monopoly tax-prices. In this regard, our analysis extended the economic theory of regulation, developed by George Stigler and refined by others, to the state and local government 'market.' The line of analysis is fully compatible with explanations for the rate and regulations instituted by, for example, the CAB. We fully expected many of the same consequences experienced from, say, the regulation of the airline industry to appear in the government market. The main conclusions of the paper were (1) revenue sharing would move stat~ and local governments away from their competitive tax-price equilibrium (which was used in our article more as a conceptual reference point than as a description of the actual state of affairs in the real world) and would lead to greater tax collections by all levels of government and (2) would give rise to inefficiency in the allocation of resources. The comments of Professors Friedman and Kurth on our article are useful because they make quite explicit a point that was subsumed in our analysis, mainly that regulation and control of competition in the price dimension will lead to competitive pressures in areas not controlled. As in the case of regulation of the airline industry, suppressed price competition can be, eventually, expected to be reflected in non-price dimensions, like the quality and quantity of government services. These points do not disturb us for two reasons. First, again, our purpose was to argue that revenue sharing leads to inefficiency, and inefficiency that goes by the name of'under' or 'over' production is still inefficiency. Second, the Friedman-Kurth argument reinforces our position which is that state and local government officials had a private interest in the creation and extension
Clinical findings of irritation among chromium chemical production workers.

Background Several reports of workers in chromate production and chromeplating have indicated that exposure to hexavalent chromium is associated with skin and nasal irritation. Methods A cohort of 2,357 workers first employed between 1950 and 1974 at a chromate production plant was identified. Clinical findings of irritation were identified by a physician as a result of routine examinations or visits to the medical clinic by members of the cohort. Percentages of the cohort with various clinical findings, the time from hire to occurrence of the first finding, and the mean and median annual hexavalent chromium (measured as CrO3) concentration for the job title where the clinical finding first occurred were determined. A proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the relationship between hexavalent chromium exposure and first occurrence of each of the clinical findings. Results Nasal irritation and nasal ulceration were the most common clinical findings reported, occurring in more than 60% of the cohort. The average time to first occurrence of these findings was less than 3 months, whereas the time to first occurrence of the other findings ranged from 10 to 22 months. Median exposure to hexavalent chromium at the time of occurrence for most of the findings was about 20 μg/m3. The proportional hazards model indicated that ulcerated nasal septum, irritated skin, and perforated eardrum were significantly associated with ambient hexavalent chromium exposure; all clinical findings with the exception of conjunctivitis and irritated skin were associated with the calendar year of hire, with the risk being lower as the calendar year of hire became more recent. Annual average ambient hexavalent chromium concentrations generally dropped in the plant over the period of the study. Conclusions Workers in the chromate production plant in this study experienced a variety of nasal and skin irritations. Irritated and ulcerated nasal septa, in particular, were quite common clinical findings, occurring in over 60% of the cohort, and they occurred in relatively short periods of time—less than 3 months from date of hire. Annual average concentrations of chromium may not be a good predictor of clinical findings of irritation. Am. J. Ind. Med. 38:127–131, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Confinement Under an Open Sky: Following the Speed Trap from Guernica to Gaza and Beyond

This article explores the global significance of Palestine through a focus on the politics of confinement. Using the work of Paul Virilio and others, I examine the processes of colonization, incarceration, and acceleration that have combined to produce the confining realities of contemporary Palestine. The rhetoric of ‘disengagement’ associated with the dismantling of Israeli settlement colonies in Gaza represents the discursive face of a process through which the Israeli state has cemented its domination of Palestine while rebranding itself as a world leader in the technologies of permanent warfare. Palestine, in this sense, is diagnostic of a larger global system of dromocracy (the rule of speed) that articulates in complex ways with neoliberal capitalism. Within such a system, everyone is subject to the tyranny of speed and to the psychological and moral disorientation it produces.
Non-cancer life stressors contribute to impaired quality of life in ovarian cancer patients

Abstract Objectives Diagnosis and treatment for a life threatening illness such as cancer are known to be psychologically impactful. However, little is known about the influence that non-cancer life stressors have on the quality of life (QOL) of ovarian cancer patients. The goal of the present study was to examine associations between non-cancer life stressors and QOL in 123 women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer who were followed prospectively and longitudinally for one year. Methods Mixed models for repeated measures were used to examine the relationship between life stressors and QOL pre-surgery and one year later, while adjusting for age, cancer stage, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and chemotherapy status (at one year). Prospective associations between QOL pre-surgery and one-year QOL were also examined. Results Number and severity of life stressors were unrelated to QOL of participants before surgery. At one year, however, participants experiencing a greater number of life stressors reported poorer concurrent physical well-being (PWB) ( p =0.015), functional well-being (FWB) ( p p =0.0003), and total QOL ( p p Conclusions Non-cancer life stressors can substantially impact long-term QOL of ovarian cancer patients, adjusting for medical variables such as chemotherapy and cancer stage, thus highlighting the importance of evaluating the stress burden of patients in ongoing cancer care.
Light trapping enhancement in thin silicon solar cells using photonic crystals

Recent developments in light trapping designs based on photonic crystal structures are presented. Design structures that take advantage of the photonic stop-bands in specially engineered photonic crystal materials are described. To this end, the new materials allow for the propagation of normally incident light while disallowing the transmission of obliquely incident light waves. Hence, an angular selective light filter is formed that regulates the passage of light in and out of the solar cell structure. When combined with diffraction grating structures, the angular light filter provides a new type of light trap that differs from traditional geometric optical designs, such as texturing. This paper explores the science and possibilities afforded by the new photonic crystal enhanced solar cell.
Interspecies aminoacylation of transfer ribonucleic acid from several higher plants, Neurospora, yeast and Escherichia coli

Abstract Interspecies specificity between tRNA and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from several sources (soybean, corn, and pea seedlings, carrot root, yeast, Neurospora crassa, Escherichia coli ) was tested. Sizeable differences in both the rate and total level of aminoacylation of tRNA occurred in heterologous systems derived from evolutionarily distant species. Conversely, similar relative rates and plateau levels of acylation of leucine and tyrosine tRNA occurred in homologous and heterologous systems derived from closely related organisms such as pea and soybean. Only minor differences in relative rates of aminoacylation occurred in all higher plant crosses.
MO‐C‐BRCD‐03: The Role of Informatics in Medical Physics and Vice Versa

Like Medical Physics,ImagingInformatics encompasses concepts touching every aspect of the imaging chain from image creation, acquisition, management and archival, to image processing,analysis, display and interpretation. The two disciplines are in fact quite complementary, with similar goals to improve the quality of care provided to patients using an evidence‐based approach, to assure safety in the clinical and research environments, to facilitate efficiency in the workplace, and to accelerate knowledge discovery. Use‐cases describing several areas of informatics activity will be given to illustrate current limitations that would benefit from medical physicist participation, and conversely areas in which informaticists may contribute to the solution. Topics to be discussed include radiation dose monitoring, process management and quality control, display technologies, business analytics techniques, and quantitative imaging. Quantitative imaging is increasingly becoming an essential part of biomedicalresearch as well as being incorporated into clinical diagnostic activities. Referring clinicians are asking for more objective information to be gleaned from the imaging tests that they order so that they may make the best clinical management decisions for their patients. Medical Physicists may be called upon to identify existing issues as well as develop, validate and implement new approaches and technologies to help move the field further toward quantitative imaging methods for the future. Biomedical imaginginformatics tools and techniques such as standards, integration, data mining, cloud computing and new systems architectures, ontologies and lexicons, data visualization and navigation tools, and business analytics applications can be used to overcome some of the existing limitations. Learning Objectives: 1. Describe what is meant by Medical ImagingInformatics and understand why the medical physicist should care. 2. Identify existing limitations in information technologies with respect to Medical Physics, and conversely see how Informatics may assist the medical physicist in filling some of the current gaps in their activities. 3. Understand general informatics concepts and areas of investigation including imaging and workflow standards, systems integration, computing architectures, ontologies,data mining and business analytics, data visualization and human‐computer interface tools, and the importance of quantitative imaging for the future of Medical Physics and ImagingInformatics. 4. Become familiar with on‐going efforts to address current challenges facing future research into and clinical implementation of quantitative imaging applications.
Transperitoneal laparoscopic staging with aortic and pelvic lymph node dissection for gynecologic malignancies.

The paraaortic lymph node dissection is performed first. The patient is placed in the dorsal lithotomy position with the legs in the universal Allen stirrups. A Foley catheter is inserted. An open laparoscopy technique is performed and the blunt port is inserted into the umbilicus. Five-millimeter trocars are placed medial to the iliac crest, usually 1 cm superiorly and 1 cm medially, avoiding the abdominal wall vasculature. A 5/10 or 5/ 12 mm trocar is placed in the suprapubic area. Preoperative bowel prep is usually performed, and the patient is offered epidural anesthesia. Epidural anesthesia may facilitate bowel contraction by sympathetic blockade and may facilitate exposure. The patient is placed in the steep Trendelenburg position. Orogastric intubation is preferred.
Dynamics of nematode communities in tomatoes grown in conventional and organic farming systems, and their impact on soil fertility

Nematode communities were monitored intensively through a tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) growing season in plots managed by conventional and organic farming practices. The temporal dynamics of individual species of bacterial-feeding nematodes differed and suggested differing importance of species in their contribution to N-mineralization in the organically managed soil. Species with r-selected, colonizer characteristics were most responsive to incorporation of organic matter and the subsequent increase of microbial biomass. Bacterial-feeding nematode populations were lowest early in the growing season, when tomato plants exhibited symptoms of nitrogen deficiency. We hypothesize that increasing abundance, biomass and activity of these nematodes in the spring by organic matter incorporation at the end of the previous crop would reduce the observed nitrogen stress. Fungal-feeding nematodes were more abundant in the conventional than the organic plots during periods of organic matter decomposition, possibly related to the higher carbon:nitrogen ratios of the crop residues incorporated into the conventional soils than of the manures and leguminous cover crops incorporated into the organic soils. Predaceous and omnivore nematode populations were low in both farming systems, and plant-parasitic nematode species reflected the crop sequences in rotations used in each system.
Insect glucagon-like peptides: Evidence for a high molecular weight form in midgut from Manducta sexta (L.)

Abstract Extracts of midgut from the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta were examined for the presence of glucagon-related peptides. Although antisera specific for glucagon of molecular weight 3500 were not reactive with gut material, glucagon-like immunoreactivity was readily detected with an antiserum that reacts with high molecular glucagon-like peptides. Gel filtration of a partially purified extract identified the major immunoreactive component as a peptide of approximate molecular weight 15,000. It is concluded that the hornworm midgut, like its mammalian counterpart, contains a larger glucagon-like peptide which shows highly selective immunoreactivity.
Location of cardiac vagal preganglionic cell bodies in the bullfrog.

Abstract The bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana, provides a relatively simple model for study of the cardiac innervation. The present study located the origin of cardiac vagal preganglionic cell bodies in the frog with the retrograde tracer, horseradish peroxidase (HRP). HRP was injected subepicardially over the surface of atrial regions and along the major vessels exiting the heart. Labeled cell bodies in the brainstem were confined to the nucleus of the glossopharyngeal—vagal complex, from approximately 1.5 mm caudal to 1.5 mm rostral to the calamus scriptorius (obex). Brainstem neurons were labeled ipsilateral to the intact vagus nerve when unilateral vagotomy was performed at the time of HRP injection. No labeled somata were identified in the spinal cord. Comparison of the cardiac pool of neurons with the population of neurons labeled after injection of HRP directly into the cervical vagus nerve demonstrated that cardiac preganglionic neurons are localized to the caudal region of the vagal neuron pool and that there are no dimensional differences between the two populations in terms of major and minor diameters.
In vitro radiolabeling of galactosyl and N-acetylgalactosaminyl moieties of glycoproteins with carbon-14

The primary alcohol group on the carbon 6 of terminal galactosyl and N-acetylgalactosaminyl moieties of glycoproteins can be oxidized to an aldehyde by treatment with galactose oxidase. By reacting these aldehyde groups with14C-labeled sodium cyanide,14C-labeled cyanohydrin derivatives were obtained. Similarly, reduction of these aldehyde groups with tritiated sodium borohydride following standard procedures, yields3H-labeled glycoproteins.14C- and3H-labeled derivatives of asialofetuin and asialo ovine submaxillary mucin with high specific radioactivities were prepared using these procedures. Mixtures containing microgram amounts of14C- and3H-labeled glycoproteins were subjected to column chromatography and gradient ultracentrifugation and the position of the individual glycoproteins was determined by simultaneous counting for14C and3H. These experiments demonstrate the usefulness of this approach for comparative analytical studies using biological specimens available in minute quantities.
Atherogenesis and thrombosis: Mechanisms, pathogenesis, and therapeutic implications

Although the mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD) has declined by almost 50% during the past 25 years, CHD remains the leading cause of death in the United States and is responsible for more than 500,000 deaths annually. The underlying cause of CHD is coronary atherosclerosis. Although the intact intima is highly resistant to thrombus formation, when injury occurs, even superficial, a sequence of reactions is initiated--platelet aggregation, macrophage accumulation, intimal smooth muscle proliferation, fibrous tissue proliferation, and lipid accumulation--that result in the development of obstructive atheroma. Repeat intimal injury and cycling of this process lead to continued progression of the atheroma and coronary artery occlusion. Unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction appear to result from rupture of an atherosclerotic plaque, hemorrhage into the plaque, and luminal thrombosis. The cause of plaque rupture is unknown and may result from normal hemodynamic forces when the fibrous cap of an atheroma has become severely attenuated and fragile. Based on the pathogenesis of chronic atherosclerosis and acute rapid atheroma progression, several therapeutic options become evident. These include antiplatelet, anticoagulant, and thrombolytic therapies, as well as the possibility of arrest and reversal of atherosclerosis in some patients.
Simulation of a real-time fault detection and analysis system for a CIM token ring network

Real-time fault detection and correction for CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing) operations in a distributed system architecture are introduced. Initially, an architecture is formulated that addresses problems related to the ability to handle real-time data and uncertain information. The techniques developed establishes a secondary channel for reallocation of critical resources and provides for prioritization of channel assignment. An intelligent interface is designed to handle situations involving uncertain information that is initiated by sensors located in the CIM facility. Simulation results show that this approach satisfies 99.1% of all data transfer needs, and all of the highest priority data transfers were satisfactorily made. >