cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in Nerve Conduction Studies After Distal Radius Fracture Fixation Using a Volar Approach and Locked Plate

Purpose To determine whether there are changes in nerve conduction studies (NCS) of the median nerve after distal radius fracture (DRF) and to determine how operative fixation through a volar approach with a locking plate contributes to nerve conduction changes. We hypothesized that a considerable percentage of patients would have electrodiagnostic evidence of median neuropathy at the wrist after fracture, but fixation with a volar locked plate would not worsen the electrodiagnostic findings. Methods This was a prospective cohort study of 14 neurologically asymptomatic patients who underwent surgical treatment of an isolated DRF using a volar plate. All patients underwent surgery within 2 weeks of injury. On the day of surgery and at the 6-week follow-up, patients were clinically examined, Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire was completed, and patients underwent NCS using a handheld device with the unaffected limb, which was used as a comparison. Preoperative and postoperative nerve function were compared with the unaffected limb as a baseline. Results Patients without symptoms after DRF had a 28% incidence of prolonged latencies compared with reference values for the device used. Distal sensory latencies of the median nerve were 3.64 ± 0.32 ms in the unaffected arm, 3.76 ± 0.70 ms before surgery, and 3.81 ± 0.52 ms after surgery. Distal motor latencies of the median nerve were 3.91 ± 0.59, 3.60 ± 0.68, and 3.88 ± 0.36 ms in respective arms and time points. Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores improved from 77 before surgery to 46 at 6 weeks. Conclusions Asymptomatic patients may satisfy nerve conduction criteria for median neuropathy at the wrist after DRF; however, open reduction and treatment with a volar locked plate has no significant effect on NCS findings. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
Rigorous analysis of non-ideal solubility of sodium and copper chlorides in water vapor using Pitzer-Pabalan model

Abstract Gaseous mixtures of water vapor and neutral molecules of salt (e.g., NaCl, CuCl etc.) can be highly non-ideal due to a strong attractive interaction between salt and water molecules. In particular, this can result in high solubility of salts in water vapor and a strong dependence of solubility on vapor pressure. The analysis of salt solubility in water vapor can be done using the Pitzer-Pabalan model, which is based on the thermodynamic theory of imperfect gases. The original Pitzer-Pabalan work demonstrated that one can reproduce experimental data for NaCl solubility in vapor. No analysis was performed on the reliability of their original fits, which we believe has contributed to the lack of applications of the Pitzer-Pabalan model despite the apparent success of the original paper. In this work, we report our recent progress in developing a rigorous fitting procedure to parameterize the Pitzer-Pabalan model using experimental data. Specifically, we performed fitting of the experimental results obtained elsewhere for NaCl and CuCl. We investigate the degree of underfitting/overfitting and the sensitivity of the fitting quality to variations in the resulting fitting parameters. The results, as represented by the thermodynamic parameters describing the energetics of formation of salt-bearing water clusters, were successfully benchmarked against Gaussian 16 ab initio quantum chemistry calculations. The resulting rigorous fitting procedure presented here can now be applied to other systems.
A quasi-optical millimeter wave transmitter and receiver array for measurements of angular scintillation

This system, used to measure the effects of atmospheric turbulence at frequencies between 116 and 173 GHz, comprises a front-fed, off-axis parabola transmitting antenna located 1.4 km from a receiver array. The five antennas in the latter receive local oscillator power from a phase-locked klystron source via a low-loss lens beam waveguide distribution system.
Current Flavivirus Research Important for Vaccine Development

The Flaviviridae family of RNA viruses includes numerous human disease-causing pathogens that largely are increasing in prevalence due to continual climate change, rising population sizes and improved ease of global travel [...]
Navigating College after a Disaster: Understanding the Impact and Institutional Support for Community College Students after Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey devastated the state of Texas in August 2017, with the city of Houston and surrounding areas being heavily impacted. Over 30,000 people were displaced from their homes as flooding ...
Comparison of Robotic Surgery Video Quality Between YouTube and Curated Sources Using GEARS Criteria.

Abstract Objective To compare the quality of robotic prostatectomy surgical videos on the popular website YouTube with more curated, professional sources using the Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) criteria. Methods A search was performed on YouTube for robotic prostatectomy. Results were sorted by views and the first ten that met inclusion criteria were selected for review. To represent curated sources five robotic prostatectomy videos were selected from the DaVinci Surgery Community (DVS) video repository and the AUA Surgical Video Library in order of publishing from present to past. Videos were edited to be deidentified. The videos were reviewed blindly in parallel and graded using the GEARS criteria. Concordance among reviewers was measured using Chronbach's alpha. Comparisons between groups were made using student t-test. Results There was a high level of reliability of overall GEARS scores between reviewers for each video (α = 0.843). There was no significant difference between overall GEARS scores between the YouTube videos (mean 24.8, SDEV 1.85) and the AUA group (mean 24.3, SDEV 6.18) (P = 0.78). YouTube videos scored higher than the DVS videos (mean 22.1, SDEV 2.34) (P 0.03). Conclusion Despite concerns about the quality of surgical videos on YouTube for education, the most viewed surgical videos for robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy score as well or better than more curated sources using the GEARS criteria. This may represent selection via crowd sourcing of the best videos amongst a much larger overall quantity.
Hollow cathode plasma electron source for low temperature deposition of cobalt films by electron-enhanced atomic layer deposition

The development of a hollow cathode plasma electron source (HC-PES) facilitated the rapid nucleation and low temperature deposition of thin cobalt films using electron-enhanced atomic layer deposition (EE-ALD). The Co EE-ALD was performed near room temperature (30–60 °C) using sequential exposures of cobalt tricarbonyl nitrosyl and low energy (100–200 eV) electrons. Electron-stimulated desorption of CO and NO surface species creates open sites for precursor adsorption to facilitate the low temperature film growth. The HC-PES displayed high electron currents, rapid ALD cycling, and low susceptibility to chemical interference. Electron steering optics were also used to mitigate the effects of sputtering in the HC-PES. The high electron currents from the HC-PES yielded rapid nucleation of cobalt films in as few as four EE-ALD cycles with Co growth rates over 2 A/cycle on areas >4 cm2. In high aspect ratio structures, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses revealed a 4:1 topographical selectivity in favor of horizontal compared with vertical surfaces. This selectivity was attributed to the directional electron flux from the HC-PES. This topographical area selective deposition suggests that Co EE-ALD may be successful in achieving bottom-up fill of trenches and vias.
Computational Analysis of Bot Activity in the Asia-Pacific: A Comparative Study of Four National Elections

Bot-driven electoral disinformation represents a major threat to democracies worldwide. Extant scholarship, however, tends to concentrate around Western contexts. This paper undertakes a comparative computational analysis of bot activity during four recent elections in the Asia-Pacific. Through a systematic, multi-level comparison of bot activity, we contribute novel insights about shared and distinct computational features of the disinformation landscapes within a significant yet understudied geopolitical region. Across case studies in Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan, we find non-negligible levels of bot activity: bots engage in higher levels of tweet production; interact with humans especially through mentions; tend to occupy denser and more isolated communities; use simpler and abusive language; and share partisan, irrelevant, or conspiratorial content. We conclude with implications for deepening and utilizing the analysis presented here as well as future directions for further cross-national work.
Towards Continual Entity Learning in Language Models for Conversational Agents

Neural language models (LM) trained on diverse corpora are known to work well on previously seen entities, however, updating these models with dynamically changing entities such as place names, song titles and shopping items requires re-training from scratch and collecting full sentences containing these entities. We aim to address this issue, by introducing entity-aware language models (EALM), where we integrate entity models trained on catalogues of entities into the pre-trained LMs. Our combined language model adaptively adds information from the entity models into the pre-trained LM depending on the sentence context. Our entity models can be updated independently of the pre-trained LM, enabling us to influence the distribution of entities output by the final LM, without any further training of the pre-trained LM. We show significant perplexity improvements on task-oriented dialogue datasets, especially on long-tailed utterances, with an ability to continually adapt to new entities (to an extent).
Rare earth element distributions in salt marsh sediment cores reveal evidence of environmental lability during bioturbation and diagenetic processes

Abstract The distribution and accumulation of rare earth elements (REE) in the labile fraction of sediment cores collected from salt marshes in the Patos Lagoon estuary from southern Brazil were investigated. Sediment cores (ca. 40 cm) were obtained from three locations within the estuary to capture possible changes in REE content across the salinity gradient (i.e., where saline, brackish, and freshwater dominate). Salt marsh sediments from all three coring locations were enriched in the light REE (LREE) over the heavy REE (HREE) when normalized to the North American shale composite (NASC). Shale normalized values for the LREE of marsh sediments from sites M2 and M3 in the mid- and upper estuary commonly approximates unity indicating these sediments chiefly exhibit a terrigenous signature. In contrast, all 14 naturally occurring REE are depleted in the sediments from the M1 coring location in the lower estuary compared to shale. Sediments from the mid-estuary (M2 core location) where typical salinity values are ca. 10 practical salinity units, exhibit the greatest shale normalized LREE enrichments. The higher LREE contents of the M2 sediments likely reflect preferential removal of LREE from the water column owing to salt-induced coagulation of river-borne colloids that occurs during estuarine mixing processes. Sediments samples collected from the salt marsh in the lower estuary nearer the Atlantic Ocean (i.e., M1), have substantially lower REE contents than salt marsh sediments from sites M2 and M3 in the mid- and upper estuary, respectively. The more sand-rich lower estuary sediments are exposed to higher salinity water from the South Atlantic compared to the generally finer grained sediments from the mid- and upper estuary, which are dominated by brackish and freshwater conditions, respectively. Negative Ce-anomalies (i.e., Ce/Ce* 1) for much of the sediment from the M1 core, the mid depths of core M2 (i.e., 9 cm to 27 cm), and shallower than 13 cm in sediments from core M3 support oxic conditions where Ce is enriched in sediments from these depths by preferential scavenging from pore waters onto Fe/Mn oxides/oxyhydroxides. These trends in Ce/Ce* with depth in each sediment core are also consistent with known bioturbation that occurs within these marsh sediments. The relatively high REE contents of the sediments from location M3 are also related to the fact that these sediments are dominantly composed of clay-silt deposits that are enriched in organic matter. Finally, we find no conclusive evidence that the studied salt marsh sediments have been impacted by addition of REE from the local fertilizer manufacturing industry.
Antidepressants in pregnancy

Abstract Perinatal depression is associated with significant risks for women and infants. Increases in the rate of perinatal depression in the past decade have resulted in more liberal use of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy, raising concerns over safety. A growing body of evidence suggests risks of untreated depression during pregnancy may outweigh the risks of pharmacotherapy to the fetus. Evidence-based care of depressed pregnant women includes consideration of psychotherapy, diet, exercise, light therapy, and support groups, as well as pharmacotherapy. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are indicated for pregnant women with moderate to severe depressive symptoms or women with mild to moderate depression whose symptoms have not improved with nonpharmacologic treatments. An individualized treatment approach is preferred, balancing risks of pharmacotherapy during pregnancy with risks of untreated depression.
“Strange” But Not Queer: Intellectual Disability and Participation in the Body of Christ

This essay examines Brian Brock’s use of imagery and symbols in Wondrously Wounded to explain reception of the Spirit’s gifts. By recovering the symbol of wonder, Brock intervenes in discussions am...
Thirty Years of Flawed Incentives: an Empirical and Economic Analysis of Hatch-Waxman Patent-Term Restoration

Thirty years ago, the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (“Hatch-Waxman”) created a new foundation for pharmaceutical innovation by extending patent term for pharmaceutical patents and expanding access to generics. This Article explores the effects of Hatch-Waxman’s patent-term restoration provisions through an empirical and economic analysis and concludes that major structural reforms are needed. The life of a pharmaceutical patent continues to be highly unpredictable and subject to numerous biases and inefficiencies. For example: effective patent term for Hatch-Waxman patents can vary from several months to fourteen years; biologics receive more than a year and a half more patent protection than medical devices; and the implementation of the Uruguay Round General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (“GATT”) has caused billions of dollars of windfall gains and losses while accelerating reliance on improvements over new products. Moreover, Hatch-Waxman’s unnecessary and heavy-handed incentivization of obtaining FDA approval as quickly as possible places adequate safety and efficacy testing in direct conflict with brand name pharmaceuticals’ profit motives. This Article thus recommends moving towards a system of market exclusivity that provides pre-defined periods of protection for novel pharmaceutical products. © 2014 Jaime F. Cardenas-Navia. † Jaime is an associate at Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto’s New York office whose practice focuses on complex patent litigation. The views expressed in this Article belong solely to the Author. Many thanks to Scott Chambers, Nancy Linck, Hans Sauer, Jay Thomas, and Alexis Perry for their advice and guidance, with a special thanks to Hans for suggesting this Article topic. A final thank-you to my mother, Nelly Navia, and father, Jaime Cardenas-Garcia, for a lifetime of support. 1302 BERKELEY TECHNOLOGY LAW JOURNAL [Vol. 29:1301
Special Procedures: Intravenous Sedative Interviews, Hoover Test, Waddell Tests, and Hypnosis

An interview with the patient under an intravenous (IV) sedative, the Hoover test, Waddell tests, and hypnosis are some of the specialized techniques useful in the consultation-liaison (CL) setting for rapid diagnosis of potential psychological factors affecting a physical condition and for behavioral control of pain and anxiety. This chapter presents an example of an IV sedative interview using lorazepam and describes the procedure in detail, and discusses the Hoover test and the indications, precautions, and procedure of hypnosis in the CL setting.
Characteristics of three-dimensional stress fields in plates with a through-the-thickness crack

Three-dimensional finite element analyses were performed on plates with a through-the-thickness crack. Global-local finite element technique with sub-modeling was used to achieve the refinement required to obtain an accurate stress field. The existence of a weaker singularity was verified, and a model was proposed to explain the behavior of stresses in the boundary layer. This model is able to account for the competing interaction between the inverse square root singular term and the vertex singular term. The energy release rate was calculated using the modified crack closure method and energy balance. A simple technique without 3-D calculation was suggested for evaluating an approximate 3-D stress intensity factor at the mid-plane. The effect of plate thickness on the size of the three-dimensional region was studied, and the validity of two-dimensional linear elastic fracture mechanics was discussed.
Cell death of spinal motoneurons in the chick embryo following deafferentation: rescue effects of tissue extracts, soluble proteins, and neurotrophic agents.

In the absence of descending spinal and supraspinal afferent inputs, neurons in the developing lumbar spinal cord of the chick embryo undergo regressive changes including cellular atrophy and degeneration between embryonic days 10 and 16. There are significant decreases in the number of motoneurons, interneurons, and sensory (dorsal root ganglion) neurons. Although there are several possible explanations for how afferents might regulate the maintenance of neuronal viability, we have focused attention on the putative role of neurotrophic agents in these events. Previous studies have shown that specific tissue extracts (e.g., muscle, brain), soluble proteins, growth factors, and trophic agents can promote the in vitro and in vivo survival of avian motoneurons during the period of natural cell death (embryonic days 6-10). Several of these agents were also effective following deafferentation. These included brain extract (BEX), muscle extract (MEX), conditioned medium from astrocyte cultures (ACM), as well as the following neurotrophic agents: nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), S-100, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and leukemia inhibitory factor (CDF/LIF). Both transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) were ineffective. Although considerable more work is needed to determine which (and how) specific CNS-derived trophic agents regulate motoneuron survival, the present results are consistent with the notion that neurotrophic agents released from or modulated by synaptic inputs to target neurons promote neuronal differentiation and survival in the CNS.
Hysteretic properties of soluble F1 ATPase from Escherichia coli. II. Nucleotide effects on the slow changes of the enzyme kinetic behaviour.

In a previous paper from this laboratory it was shown that EC.F1 ATPase exhibits a temperature dependent transition between two stable states, called L (low activity) and H (high activity). They differ three-fold in specific activity. I report here the effects of ADP and ATP on this transition. Both nucleotides were found to shift the equilibrium between the two states in the direction of the L state. Further, the velocity of conversion from one state to the other was accelerated by the presence of the nucleotides. It was shown that the two states of the enzyme exhibit different kinetic properties in that: (i) the L state gives a hyperbolic curve when specific activity is plotted against substrate concentration, and ADP produces an immediate competitive inhibition and (ii) the H state exhibits negative cooperativity when such a curve is plotted, and shows a delayed competitive inhibition by ADP. Furthermore, when enzyme in the H state is loaded with ATP its complex kinetic behavior disappears; ADP does not have this effect. The data are interpreted to mean that the H state depleted of ATP may act as an enzyme bearing two alternative catalytic sites.
Aging of thymic epithelial progenitor pool is determined by the p63-FoxN1 regulatory axis (HEM4P.233)

The postnatal thymic epithelial progenitor (TEP) pool is proposed to be regulated by the p63 and FoxN1 genes through proliferation and differentiation, respectively. However, the combined role of these two genes in the aging TEP is still a mystery. Evidence from murine models has elucidated contrasting roles of the p63 isoforms during the aging process. We found that TAp63+, but not ΔNp63+, thymic epithelial cells (TECs) were increased with age, accompanied with increased senescence associated β-gal clusters and p21+ TECs. Senescent clusters also developed after intrathymic infusion of exogenous TAp63 cDNA into young wild-type mice. Using our conditional FoxN1 gene knockout mouse model to disrupt TEP differentiation accelerated this senescent phenotype to early middle age. However, upon infusion of exogenous FoxN1 cDNA into aged wild-type mice resulted in only an increase in ΔNp63+ TECs, but no change in TAp63+ TECs in the partially rejuvenated aged thymus. Interestingly, using a novel FoxN1 transgenic mouse model to enhance TEP differentiation, ΔNp63+ TECs were decreased in young thymus. Additionally, the TAp63+ population contained a high percentage of phosphorylated-p53 and apoptotic TECs, but showed no changes in BrdU-labeled proliferation. As a result, FoxN1 controlled TEC differentiation as a bottleneck to determine TEP pool via affecting TAp63 and ΔNp63 levels. Thus, TEC homeostasis during aging has been determined through the p63-FoxN1 regulatory axis.
Vorticity generation in a nonpremixed flame sheet

Marble's problem of a vortex winding up a diffusion flame sheet is simulated (Marble, 1985, with the effects of variable density and vorticity generation included. The initial flame is straight and passes through the vortex core, but not through the center of the vortex as in Marble's work. During the first eddy turn-over time, the swirling flow forms a flame tip region, and the amount of tip rotation around the vortex depends on the diffusion coefficient. During the next eddy turn-over time, the flame shape is quasi-steady with minor differences due to heat release and vorticity production over the parameter range examined. The gradient of mixture fraction at the flame sheet determines the amount of reaction in this Burke-Schumann flame model. This swirling flow maintains a uniform gradient along most of the flame surface, with the exception of a low-gradient region at the flame tip. If finite-rate chemistry is considered, then the tip region would likely be at higher temperature than the rest of the flame surface.
On control policies for automated traffic

In automated traffic vehicles perform a sequence of activities that are implemented through vehicle control laws. The characteristics of the control law are abstracted in a flow model by the space-time of the activity. The space-time abstraction is used to set an upper limit on the density of traffic flow. If all vehicles perform an activity and the space-time for this activity is s/spl middot//spl tau/, with s in meters and /spl tau/ in seconds, then the maximum density is k=1/s. The activity flow model addresses the case when s, /spl tau/, and the choice of activity are variable.
Mapping luminosity-redshift relationship to lemaitre-tolman-bondi cosmology

We derive a direct general map from the luminosity distance ${D}_{L}(z)$ to the inhomogeneous matter distribution $M(r)$ in the Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) cosmology and compute several examples. One of our examples explicitly demonstrates that it is possible to tune the LTB cosmological solution to approximately reproduce the luminosity distance curve of a flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe with a cosmological constant. We also discuss how smooth matter distributions can evolve into naked singularities due to shell crossing when the inhomogeneous ``curvature'' $E(r)$ is a function which changes sign.
Nanocheckerboard modulations in (NaNd)(MgW)O6

Data is presented for a complex structural and compositional modulation in the perovskite (NaNd)(MgW)O6. This modulation creates a large 14ap×14ap×2ap supercell (ap≈3.9 A is the lattice parameter of the cubic perovskite aristotype) containing ordered regions with doubled (110) d-spacings in the a-b plane separated by two-dimensional periodic antiphase boundaries and accompanied by a nanocheckerboard pattern. Faint periodic modulations in Z-contrast images suggest an associated periodic variation in composition. The presence of a sodium rich impurity implies the composition of the stable perovskite is nonstoichiometric.
Aerobic Training Induced Structural Changes of the Heart

Exercise may cause structural changes, which may increase cardiac functions such as enhanced pumping mechanism due to increased heart mass and volume. These changes may contribute to better performance. According to several studies, endurance training causes changes in structure of the heart since endurance trained athletes had larger LV dimensions, and mass. For instance, both cycling and rowing studies indicated positive structural adaptations of the heart; in addition, elite rowers had higher values than sub-elite rowers; this result suggests that elite athletes have higher level of adaptations supporting. Also, In all rat studies supported that endurance training increases LV mass, wall thickness and dimensions. Endurance training causes structural adaptations such as increased cardiac muscle mass, left ventricular wall thickness and chamber size. It is recommended that structural changes in the heart because of endurance training enhance the heart's ability to pump blood mainly by increasing its stroke volume. Training for adequate duration and time also should be taken in consideration to improve cardiac function because of the changes in the structure of the heart.
Performance evaluation of two VDL Mode 3 system configurations

To control a larger number of aircraft in an en route sector or on an airport surface, a new system configuration referred to as 1 Voice 3 Data (1V3D) has been added to the Very High Frequency (VHF) Digital Link (VDL) Mode 3 subnetwork. This new system configuration supports addressed voice and data communications for up to 240 aircraft in one user group per 25 kHz channel. This paper presents the modeling and simulation results for the 1V3D configuration and compares these results with the 2 Voice 2 Data (2V2D) system configuration in the en route domain.
Spectroscopy and Modeling of Carrier Recombination in III-N Heterostructures

Time-resolved temperature dependent PL measurements of InGaN quantum wells are presented. The effects of quantum well-like and localized state emission in similar p-i(MQW)-n structures are discussed. A phenomenological model is presented to explain the observed dynamics.
Thermal Light Scattering by Ionic Crystals.

Abstract : The temperature and crystal orientation dependence of the thermal scattering by ionic crystals is studied in the temperature range 78 to 300 degrees Kelvin, with the following results. The absolute magnitude of the intensity, the temperature dependence in first approximation, and the shift in wavelength from the incident wavelength of the components of the ideal crystal Brillouin scattering all agree with theory. The defect scattering increases linearly with temperature in first approximation. The depolarization ratios rho sub V are approximately zero. The defect scattering as a function of the crystal orientation angle theta has 2-fold symmetry. These defect scattering results are explained in terms of clouds of point-like scattering units (vacancies) around charged edge dislocations with the dislocations aligned approximately parallel to a single (100) direction in the crystal. The core of the dislocation, a region of great disorder, acts as a source and sink of vacancies and the change in the number density of the vacancies with temperature leads to the observed temperature dependence. The measurement of the scattered light as a function of the angle theta allows the intensity of the true, ideal crystal, Rayleigh scattering and the Landau-Placzek ratio for sodium chloride to be determined for the first time. The results are obtained with the essential help of a new detection technique which eliminates the stray background light without using the immersion technique or special crystal geometries. (Author)
Oscillating crystal growth rates

A number of papers in the literature have reported that under certain conditions the growth rate of a crystal may not assume a unique value at a given supersaturation. These papers implied either that identical crystals growing in a supersaturated solution under identical conditions did not all grow at the same growth rate or that a given growing crystal was alternating between two values of growth rate. In this work the existence of such a phenomenon was clearly demonstrated by experiments with sodium chloride crystal whiskers in which the growth was monitored semi-continuously. It was observed that instead of being a continuous process, crystal growth was intermittent in nature. Growth was characterized by two alternating periods, a growth period during which rapid growth occurred and a period of small or non-existent growth. This work also showed that this type of intermittent growth could account for another phenomenon previously reported in an investigation with potassium alum crystals; that in certain supersaturation regions the growth rates appeared to be insensitive to changes in supersaturation. It is also pointed out that the existence of periodic rates will complicate the expressions for the kinetics of growth used in the analysis of crystallizers and that the insensitivity of growth rates to supersaturation may affect the stability of continuous crystallizers. Eine Anzahl von Publikationen teilt mit, das die Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit eines Kristalls unter bestimmten Bedingungen bei gegebener Ubersattigung keinen einheitlichen Wert annehmen kann. Diese Arbeiten enthalten entweder, das identische Kristalle, die unter gleichen Bedingungen in einer ubersattigten Losung wachsen, nicht alle mit derselben Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit wachsen oder das ein gegebener wachsender Kristall zwischen zwei Werten der Wachstumsgeschwindigkeit schwankt. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird die Existenz einer solchen Erscheinung klar erwiesen durch Experimente mit Natriumchlorid-Whiskern, in denen das Wachstum halbkontinuierlich vorgenommen wurde. Es wurde beobachtet, das der Kristall nicht kontinuierlich, sondern mit Unterbrechungen wachst. Das Wachstum ist charakterisiert durch zwei alternierende Abschnitte, in denen er schnell bzw. langsam oder gar nicht wachst. Es wird ebenfalls gezeigt, das diese Art des intermittierenden Wachstums auf eine andere, fruher uber Kaliumalaun-Kristalle berichtete Erscheinung zuruckgefuhrt werden kann : das sich namlich die Wachstumsgeschwindigkeiten in bestimmten Ubersattigungsbereichen gegenuber Anderungen der Ubersattigung unempfindlich zeigen.
Modulated insulin delivery from glucose-sensitive hydrogel dosage forms

Abstract Glucose-sensitive hydrogels that undergo sol–gel phase transition were used to develop modulated insulin delivery systems. Glucose-sensitive hydrogels were prepared by mixing glucose-containing polymers and PEGylated concanavalin A (Con A). Glucose was incorporated into the polymer backbone by copolymerization of allyl glucose with comonomers, such as 3-sulfopropylacrylate, potassium salt (SPAK), N -vinyl pyrrolidone (VP), and acrylamide (AM). Con A grafted with five PEG molecules were used to improve the stability of Con A. Three different types of insulin delivery systems were examined: diffusion-controlled reservoir, diffusion-controlled matrix, and erosion-controlled matrix systems. Insulin release through the glucose-sensitive hydrogel membrane and from the glucose-sensitive hydrogel matrix was dependent on the glucose concentration in the receptor chamber. As the glucose concentration was increased from 1 to 4 mg/ml, the release rate increased. The insulin release rate decreased as the glucose concentration was reduced to 1 mg/ml. Modulated insulin release was achieved using the glucose-sensitive membrane and matrix systems. On the other hand, the glucose-sensitive erodible system did not show modulated release as the glucose concentration was changed between 1 and 4 mg/ml.
Membrane transport of macromolecules: New carrier functions of proteins and poly(amino acids)

Abstract Two different carrier functions of macromolecules are described, namely the piggy-back transport of a cytotoxic agent (cadmium) complexed with ferritin and the dramatic increase in transmembrane transport of an enzyme (horseradish peroxidase) effected by the covalent attachment of a fragment of poly(L-lysine) (PLL). In the first case, the in vitro cellular toxicity of cadmium-containing ferritin is compared with that of CdCl2. The demonstration of a protein-mediated cadmium transport rests on the fact that toxicity is not suppressed when a chelating agent capable of binding more than the total cadmium content of ferritin is present in the medium together with ferritin, but is suppressed when cells are exposed to ferritin at 4°C, a condition known to suppress the cellular transport of protein. The toxicity of ferritin is due to its cellular uptake and intracellular digestions, leading to the release of free cadmium inside the cell. These data are discussed in the context of the piggy-back transport of DNA-drug complexes and of LDL-cholesterolester complexes. In the second case, the cellular uptake of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is measured before and after conjugation with a MW 6,700 fragment of PLL. In the course of a 60 min. incubation at 37°C, monolayers of L-929 mouse fibroblasts take up 400 times more enzyme when the HRP is presented to cells as a PLL-HRP conjugate. Since conjugation causes a 60% loss of enzyme activity, it is concluded that the net transport of enzyme protein is 1000-fold greater than that of the unconjugated protein. This finding establishes that PLL can serve as a transport marker for proteins which are otherwise poorly taken up for lack of a specific receptor-mediated transport system. Electron microscopy demonstrates that the HRP-PLL conjugate is taken up by endocytosis; HRP reaction products are visible in vesicles and vacoules throughout the cytoplasm, including paranuclear areas. It is suggested that PLL could serve as a powerful transport marker for other enzymes.
What members of Alcoholics Anonymous really believe

Many mental health professionals work with people who are members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or may benefit from AA attendance. This article provides practical information about AA that professionals can use to understand and work with people in AA. It is a summary of a survey of 187 members of AA as well as synthesising the literature on AA. Specifically, it describes what AA is, the twelve steps and principles that underlie them, common AA expressions and how they can be used in therapy, common concerns about AA, and how to get more information about AA. Implications of how AA's steps and language can be incorporated into therapy, how therapy can facilitate working the steps of AA, and how to address consumers’ (or professionals’) concerns about AA are addressed.
Index of dysphagia: A tool for identifying deglutition problems

Applications and problems associated with an index of dysphagia are discussed. In addition to its use for establishing prevalence of dysphagia, this index identifies dysphagic patients so that early intervention may be initiated. The principal of the index is a list of 18 items that identify specific problems associated with dysphagia; demographic data are included as well. This tool may be used for clinical, research, and administrative purposes in many types of health care facilities.
A synergistic effect of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) on equine luteinizing hormone (eLH)-induced testosterone production from cultured Leydig cells of horses

Localization of IGF-I and IGF-IR were observed in Leydig cells of horses using immunohistochemistry (IHC), suggesting IGF-I may play a role in equine Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Previous studies in other species have indicated that IGF-I increases basal and/or LH/hCG-induced testosterone production. The objectives of this study were to (1) test the synergistic effect of IGF-I on eLH-induced testosterone production in cultured equine Leydig cells and (2) determine if this effect is reproductive stage-dependent. Testes were collected from five pubertal (1.1±0.1 year; 1-1.5 year) and eight post-pubertal (2.88±0.35 years; 2-4 years) stallions during routine castrations at the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital. Leydig cells were isolated using validated enzymatic and mechanical procedures. Leydig cells were treated without (control) or with increasing concentrations of purified pituitary-derived eLH and/or recombinant human IGF-I (rhIGF-I) and incubated under 95% air: 5% CO(2) at 32°C for 24h. After 24h, culture media was collected and frozen at -20°C until analyzed for testosterone by a validated radioimmunoassay (RIA). In pubertal stallions, treatment with both increasing concentrations of rhIGF-I and 5ng/ml of eLH failed to demonstrate a significant difference in testosterone production compared with 5ng/ml of eLH only. However, in post-pubertal stallions, a significant increase in the concentration of testosterone in culture media was observed from Leydig cells treated with various concentrations of rhIGF-I and 1 or 5ng/ml of eLH compared with 1 or 5ng/ml of eLH only. In conclusion, IGF-I has a synergistic effect on eLH-induced testosterone production in cultured equine Leydig cells from post-pubertal but not pubertal stallions.
Automatic generation of conference video proceedings

How many times did you miss a conference talk in a parallel track and wish you had a second chance to see it? Or you just wanted to see a few talks from a recent conference you did not attend? Video proceedings, which contain videos of all the conference talks, would be of great value in these cases. With recent progress in digital video, streaming technology, large storage, Internet and especially video indexing and retrieval technology, video proceedings finally become a reality. The key challenges are efficient production with minimal labor and easy, intuitive, and rapid user access to talks and thought-for snippet of information. This paper describes an application that allows a nearly automatic, real time creation of video proceedings. All the talks are captured in video, and are automatically indexed by speech recognition and video analysis tools. Free text search in speech and efficient multi-view video browsing are combined with the conference table of contents and speakers biography to make fully searchable and browsable video proceedings. The paper covers the work flow, processing steps, and technical details of the video segmentation, visualization, and user study results. The system was used to produce video proceedings for three local conferences.
Chronic recording of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in the restrained rat using a permanently implanted scleral search coil

A technique is described which allows accurate long-term monitoring of eye movements in the rat using permanently implanted scleral search coils. Search coils permanently sutured around the sclera yield vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain and phase values which are comparable to those reported previously in the literature using acutely implanted coils or electrooculographic electrodes. Considerations related to strain, sex and surgical procedures which permit measurement of responses in the chronically restrained rat are described. VOR gain and phase show a time course to their recovery following the implant surgery, with asymptotic performance typically attained approximately 10 days post-surgically. This technique, with the ability to monitor eye movements over weeks to months, appears ideal for development of rodent models of reflex adaptation which require observation of reflex behavior over extended periods of time. Development of a chronic procedure for monitoring eye movement in rodents is especially important given their initial response to restraint (extensive struggling). Finally, adaptation of this technique to smaller species (e.g., mouse) appears technically feasible which should permit the application of transgenic and knockout techniques to the determination of various vestibular reflex functions requiring long-term monitoring.
The calcium requirement for stimulation of rubidium efflux from isolated rat parotid acinar cells by carbachol.

Abstract Stimulation of 86 Rb + efflux from isolated parotid acinar cells by carbchol was biphasic. The phases of stimulated 86 Rb + efflux were separated on the basis of their relative requirements for extracellular Ca 2+ . If the isolated cells were incubated in Ca 2+ free buffer containing 1.0 mM ethylene glycol bis (β-aminoethyl ether) N, N 1 - tetra acetic acid (EGTA) for 30 min. before adding carbachol an initial phase of 86 Rb + efflux was observed. A second phase of 86 Rb + efflux was obtained upon addition of 2.0 mM Ca 2+ . However when cells were incubated for 60 min. in Ca 2+ free buffer containing 1.0 mM EGTA the initial phase of release caused by carbachol was inhibited by 95 percent. If the EGTA was titrated with Ca 2+ to give 1.0 mM Ca 2+ , following the 60 min. depletion regimen, the second phase was observed. Although 60 min. of Ca 2+ -depletion in EGTA buffer was required for complete inhibition of the effect of carbachol on the initial phase of 86 Rb + efflux, the response was fully restored within 4 min. after the readdition of Ca 2+ .
Clonal rearrangement of the T‐cell receptor beta‐chain gene in hyperplastic lymphadenopathy associated with lung cancer

A patient presenting with marked inflammatory lymphadenitis and Jaccoud's arthritis was found to have a rearranged gene for the beta-chain of the T-cell receptor (TCR-beta) antigen in the lymph node DNA digests and normal germ line DNA in the peripheral blood lymphocytes. Four months later, the patient was diagnosed to have poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the lung with small foci of metastatic tumor in lymph nodes that contained the same extensive lymphocytic and inflammatory cell infiltrates noted earlier. Rearranged TCR-beta chain genes were detected in both lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA at this time. The most likely explanation for the florid lymph node reaction and the unusual arthropathy appears to be a paraneoplastic immune response. The rearranged TCR-beta genes indicate a clonal T-cell expansion that most likely resulted from the aberrant immunologic response to the lung cancer.
Collecting the internet AS-level topology

At the inter-domain level, the Internet topology can be represented by a graph with Autonomous Systems (ASes) as nodes and AS peerings as links. This AS-level topology graph has been widely used in a variety of research efforts. Conventionally this topology graph is derived from routing tables collected by Route Views or RIPE RIS. In this work, we assemble the most complete AS-level topology by extending the conventional method along two dimensions. First, in addition to using data from RouteViews and RIPE RIS, we also collect data from many other sources, including route servers, looking glasses, and routing registries. Second, in addition to using routing tables, we also accumulate topological information from routing updates over time. The resulting topology graph on a recent day contains 44% more links and 3% more nodes than that from using RouteViews routing tables alone. Our data collection and topology generation process have been automated, and we publish the latest topology on the web on a daily basis.
The Environmental Advisory Service (EASe): A Decision Support System for Comprehensive Screening of Local Land-Use Development Proposals and Comparative Evaluation of Proposed Land-Use Plans

The Environmental Advisory Service (EASe) is a decision support system which can provide assistance to local planning agencies in selecting land-development alternatives or in formulating land-use plans. EASe offers a comprehensive and consistent procedure for rating either a development proposal or a proposed plan. This procedure is based upon qualitative assessments of the impact of developments or plans on the natural environment, zoning and land use, public and private services, transportation and parking, the local economy, aesthetics and urban design, and public perception. To assist in the rating process, EASe provides guidance in seeking information needed for qualitative impact assessment. In addition, EASe establishes a framework for the disposition of proposed plans or development proposals, based upon their respective ratings. In this paper are described the design, development, and microcomputer implementation of EASe.
Effects of cortisone and ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid on deposition of promethium (Pm147).

Junge erwachsene weibliche Ratten, welche Einspritzungen von radioaktivem Promethium (Pm147) erhalten hatten, wurden mit dem Kalziumsalz von Athylendiamintetraessigsaure (CaEDTA) und/oder Cortison behandelt. Die Behandlungen vergrosserten die Blutkonzentrationen von Pm147 ein wenig. CaEDTA-Behandlung verkleinerte die Menge von Promethium in der Leber um 20%, aber in anderen typischen weichen Zellgeweben und im Schenkel veranderte keine der Behandlungen die allgemeine Verteilung von Pm147. Das autoradiographische Bild zeigt, dass die ortliche Verteilung von Pm147 derjenigen von anderen lanthaniden Elementen ahnlich ist.
Agricultural Reference Index for Drought (ARID)

Several drought indices are available to compute the degree of drought to which crops are exposed. They vary in complexity, generality, and the adequacy with which they represent processes in the soil, plant, and atmosphere. Agricultural Reference Index for Drought (ARID) was developed as a reference index to approximate the water stress factor that is used to affect growth and other physiological processes in crop simulation models. Using RMSE, Willmott d index, and modeling efficiency (ME) as performance measures, ARID was evaluated using soil water contents in the root zone measured daily in two grass fields in Florida. The ability of ARID was assessed through comparison with the water deficit index (WSPD) of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CERES-Maize model. Seven other drought indices were compared with WSPD to identify the most appropriate agricultural drought index. Values of each index were computed for full canopy cover periods of maize (Zea mays L.) crops for 16 locations in the U.S. Southeast. Using periodic values, the performance of each index was assessed in terms of its correlation (r) with and departure from WSPD. The ARID reasonably predicted soil water contents (RMSE = 0.01–0.019, d index = 0.92–0.94, ME = 0.66–0.73) and adequately approximated WSPD (r = 0.90, RMSE = 0.15). Among the indices compared, ARID mimicked WSPD the most closely (RMSE smaller by 1–83%, r larger by 1–630%) and captured weather fluctuation effects the most accurately. Results indicated that ARID may be used as a simple index for quantifying drought and its effects on crop yields.