cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beryllium Analyses by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS, or ion microprobe) represents an extremely sensitive technique for the microanalysis of beryllium. Positive ions of beryllium are readily formed and its analysis by SIMS is not overly complicated. Matrix effects appear to be small (<20%). In this chapter I will describe SIMS instrumentation, the problems facing Be analysis, solutions to these problems, calibrations for Be and limits of detection. As of the writing of this chapter (mid-2000), SIMS instruments broadly useful to geochemists are commercially available from two companies. Australian Scientific Instruments (ASI, at www.anutech.com.au/asi/shrimpii.htm) sells the SHRIMP (Super High Resolution Ion Micro Probe). The SHRIMP was designed to allow high transmission of secondary ions at high mass resolution and permits U-Pb ages on zircons to be determined. Beryllium analyses are possible on the SHRIMP, but none have been obtained to date (Vickie Bennett and Ian Williams, Australian National University, pers. comm.). Cameca Instruments Inc. (www.cameca.fr) markets an instrument (the IMS 3f-6f series) that focuses on the needs of the semiconductor industry, and is also the most common SIMS instrument in earth science laboratories. A second Cameca instrument (IMS 1270) is designed for applications demanding high transmission at high mass resolving power (as in the SHRIMP). A tutorial on SIMS can be found on the world-wide web (www.cea.com), but a brief description follows. In SIMS, a high-energy primary ion beam is directed at a sample. The impacts of these ions with the target result in the ejection of atoms from the top two or three monolayers of the target surface (Dumke et al. 1983). Some of the ejected atoms are ionized during these collisions, and these “secondary ions” can then be accelerated into a mass spectrometer for isotope selection and analysis. Below I describe primary ion beams and the path followed by secondary ions …
AN INTRODUCTION TO SINGULAR PERTURBATIONS

. In this article we discuss the asymptotic analysis of so-called singularly perturbed differential equations. We begin by discussing some very simple nonmathematical examples, and then proceed to two mathematical examples, namely, the well-known example of Friedrichs and a problem of John Mahony's. The presentation is addressed primarily to those who may have had little or no previous experience with this particular type of problem. However, the author hopes others will find something of interest in the somewhat unusual approach we take.
Evaluation of phospholipid and liposomal S‐adenosyl methionine for the treatment of liver injury in a murine model

We have used a murine model of Acetaminophen induced hepatoxicity to determine if S-adenosyl methionine 1,4 butanedisulfonate (SD4) in liposomes can prevent liver injury when administered immediately prior to acetaminophen, as judged by serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels, and histological evidence of liver necrosis. No protection was observed when mice received 1 g/kg unencapsulated SD4. Partial protection was observed with 5 or 0.5 mg/kg SD4 in unextruded distearoylphosphatidylglycerol (DSPG) liposomes. Protection comparable to that seen in mice receiving encapsulated SD4 is achieved when mice received lipid alone in equivalent amounts, suggesting that the contribution of encapsulated SD4 to the efficacy of the liposomes may be minimal. Unextruded distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) liposomes show only slight effects even at 50 mg/kg SD4. This is likely caused by the size of unextruded DSPC lipsomes, because extruded DSPC liposomes, whose size is smaller, are of comparable efficacy to unextruded DSPG liposomes.
Environmental temperature and the body fluid system of the fresh-water teleost—III. Hematology and blood volume of thermally acclimated brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis

Abstract 1. 1. Hematological and plasma and blood volume variations associated with the thermoacclimatory process have been investigated in brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis. 2. 2. Warm-adapted trout were characterized by larger numbers of somewhat smaller erythrocytes than cold-acclimated animals. Mean cellular hemoglobin was stable, but total oxygen content increased as a consequence of changes in plasma and blood volume. 3. 3. The data are discussed in terms of their bearing upon metabolic compensation at high temperature.
Identifying functional reorganization of spelling networks: an individual peak probability comparison approach.

Previous research has shown that damage to the neural substrates of orthographic processing can lead to functional reorganization during reading (Tsapkini et al., 2011); in this research we ask if the same is true for spelling. To examine the functional reorganization of spelling networks we present a novel three-stage Individual Peak Probability Comparison (IPPC) analysis approach for comparing the activation patterns obtained during fMRI of spelling in a single brain-damaged individual with dysgraphia to those obtained in a set of non-impaired control participants. The first analysis stage characterizes the convergence in activations across non-impaired control participants by applying a technique typically used for characterizing activations across studies: Activation Likelihood Estimate (ALE) (Turkeltaub et al., 2002). This method was used to identify locations that have a high likelihood of yielding activation peaks in the non-impaired participants. The second stage provides a characterization of the degree to which the brain-damaged individual’s activations correspond to the group pattern identified in Stage 1. This involves performing a Mahalanobis distance statistics analysis (Tsapkini et al., 2011) that compares each of a control group’s peak activation locations to the nearest peak generated by the brain-damaged individual. The third stage evaluates the extent to which the brain-damaged individual’s peaks are atypical relative to the range of individual variation among the control participants. This IPPC analysis allows for a quantifiable, statistically sound method for comparing an individual’s activation pattern to the patterns observed in a control group and, thus, provides a valuable tool for identifying functional reorganization in a brain-damaged individual with impaired spelling. Furthermore, this approach can be applied more generally to compare any individual’s activation pattern with that of a set of other individuals.
The College of American Pathologists laboratory accreditation program

The College of American Pathologists (CAP) operates voluntary programs in proficiency testing (PT) and quality monitors, which are briefly described. Additionally, a peer-based laboratory accreditation program covers over 6,100 clinical laboratories. Participation requires successful PT and on-site inspections using a series of 18 checklists structured along traditional subdisciplines of laboratory medicine and anatomic pathology. The laboratory general checklist contains over 250 questions covering broad issues affecting all disciplines. Among these are three items within the computer services section that specifically probe the laboratory’s use of autoverification. Data autoverification is defined as the process by which the computer performs the initial verification of test results; any data that fall outside of set parameters should be reviewed by the human operator. Central to these questions is the role of the laboratory director in approving the rules and validation. CAP does not define the specific technical details, recognizing the uniqueness of each laboratory setting and the patients it serves.
Egg Placement by Anopheles gambiae (Diptera:Culicidae) as Influenced by Resting Surface Slope and Enclosure

In these experiments, oviposition by laboratory-reared Anopheles gambiae s.s. was as likely to occur from a vertical perch, as from a horizontal sitting position on a substrate of moist mud or open water. Tall cylinders with moist, dark walls provided an enclosed vertical resting surface from which An. gambiae deposited eggs. Similar numbers of eggs were deposited in these cylinders as on dark and moist horizontally-positioned ovipositional substrates. Likewise, An. gambiae oviposited equally from a vertical perch among emergent surrogate reeds vs. sitting horizontally on mud. Open ovipositional resources with exposed resting surfaces presenting 45°, 90°, and 135° angles relative to the cage floor received fewer eggs than a horizontally positioned, moist and dark ovipositional dish, even though more An. gambiae females settled on these angled resting surfaces post-oviposition. We conclude that vertical resting sites are adequate perches from which oviposition can occur if they provide high humidity and the paramount dark and wet ovipositional cues for An. gambiae oviposition.
Comparative mapping of 18 equine type I genes assigned by somatic cell hybrid analysis.

Polymerase chain reaction primers designed from horse cDNA sequences and from consensus sequences highly conserved in mammalian species were used to amplify markers for synteny mapping 18 equine type I genes. These markers were used to screen a horse–mouse somatic cell hybrid panel (UCDavis SCH). Fourteen primer sets amplified horse-specific fragments, while restriction enzyme digests of PCR products were used to distinguish the fragments amplified from horse and mouse with four primer sets. Synteny assignments were made based on correlation values between each marker tested and other markers in the UCDavis SCH panel database. The 18 horse genes were assigned to previously established synteny groups. Synteny mapping of two genes previously mapped in the horse by FISH was used to anchor two UCD synteny groups to horse chromosomes. Previous chromosome assignments of three equine loci by FISH were confirmed. Comparative mapping analysis based on published human–horse Zoo-FISH data and the synteny mapping of 14 horse genes confirmed the physical assignment of 12 synteny groups to the respective horse chromosomes and was used to infer the physical location of one synteny group.
S(+)-ibuprofen destabilizes MYC/MYCN and AKT, increases p53 expression, and induces unfolded protein response and favorable phenotype in neuroblastoma cell lines

Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric solid tumor that exhibits a striking clinical bipolarity: favorable and unfavorable. The survival rate of children with unfavorable neuroblastoma remains low among all childhood cancers. MYCN and MYC play a crucial role in determining the malignancy of unfavorable neuroblastomas, whereas high-level expression of the favorable neuroblastoma genes is associated with a good disease outcome and confers growth suppression of neuroblastoma cells. A small fraction of neuroblastomas harbors TP53 mutations at diagnosis, but a higher proportion of the relapse cases acquire TP53 mutations. In this study, we investigated the effect of S(+)-ibuprofen on neuroblastoma cell lines, focusing on the expression of the MYCN, MYC, AKT, p53 proteins and the favorable neuroblastoma genes in vitro as biomarkers of malignancy. Treatment of neuroblastoma cell lines with S(+)-ibuprofen resulted in a significant growth suppression. This growth effect was accompanied by a marked decrease in the expression of MYC, MYCN, AKT and an increase in p53 expression in neuroblastoma cell lines without TP53 mutation. In addition, S(+)-ibuprofen enhanced the expression of some favorable neuroblastoma genes (EPHB6, CD44) and genes involved in growth suppression and differentiation (EGR1, EPHA2, NRG1 and SEL1L). Gene expression profile and Ingenuity pathway analyses using TP53-mutated SKNAS cells further revealed that S(+)-ibuprofen suppressed molecular pathways associated with cell growth and conversely enhanced those of cell cycle arrest and the unfolded protein response. Collectively, these results suggest that S(+)-ibuprofen or its related compounds may have the potential for therapeutic and/or palliative use for unfavorable neuroblastoma.
Carbon accumulation in Colorado ponderosa pine stands

Woody encroachment and thickening have occurred throughout the western United States and have been proposed as important processes in the US carbon (C) budget despite large uncertainty in the magnitude of these effects. In this study we investigated ponderosa pine encroachment near Boulder, Colorado. We reconstructed a time series of forest structure to estimate changes in C storage by the trees. Advantages of this technique include the ability to estimate changes in C stocks over time with a single series of measurements (i.e., no historical measurements), and the ability to calculate accumulation rate changes through time. Substantial variation occurred in the C amounts and accumulation rates among the three plots resulting from differences in slope, aspect, and soil conditions. Accumulation rates increased exponentially as trees increased in size and additional trees established within the plots, and were highly variable among plots (0.090.7 Mg C·ha1·year1 during 19802001). These rates were less th...
Dialogic Activity Structures for Project-Based Learning Environments.

Activity structures such as classroom lessons and initiation-reply-evaluation sequences are important cultural tools that help students and teachers accomplish everyday activity, but they are not well adapted to open-ended inquiry conducted by students in small groups with teacher guidance. In this research, I identified alternative activity structures that better enable teachers to scaffold children's performance of open-ended projects involving artifact construction. A case study and discourse analysis from an earth science class show how dialogic activity structures at 2 time scales support students in learning the discipline of science. At the scale of a multiweek unit, an activity structure embodies aspects of science practice such as assembling data to support claims. At the scale of verbal exchanges, action negotiation dialogues, student questioning dialogues, and action feedback dialogues help the teacher to guide students in their work while requiring that students maintain agency. I discuss impl...
Preparation and Tests of Refractory Sulfide Crucibles

Crucibles have been prepared from all af the sulfides of barium, cerium, and thorium, and also from some of the mixed sulfides of cerium with thorium and uranium with thorium. The type of molds used, as well as the methods of pressing of the sulfide powders, are described in detail. Sintering procedures and techniques are listed for each of the various refractories. More than 800 refractory sulfide crucibles have been produced by the authors in the Berkeley laboratories. These crucibles have ranged from extremely small containers with 0.0026 cc. capacity to crucibles with 50 cc. capacity. Tests of these crucibles indicate that they are satisfactory refractories for a large number of metals and halides. Tests of the individual sulfide refractories as containers for various melts are summarized. The individual differences, as well as similarities, of the sulfide refractories are pointed out.
PharmacistCARE: description of a pharmacist care service and lessons learned along the way.

Objective To describe the PharmacistCARE program, an innovative pharmacy practice model implemented within a self-insured employer and to describe lessons learned by the authors in implementing and maintaining the program. Setting University of Kentucky (UK), March 2003 to present. Practice description A free-standing pharmacist clinic located within an ambulatory care facility owned by UK HealthCare. Practice innovation PharmacistCARE, a pharmacist-provided patient care service for UK Health Plan members that includes comprehensive disease and medication therapy management. Main outcome measures Various lessons learned by the authors during development, implementation, and maintenance of the program. Results The program has been recognized by the university as a positive contribution to health plan service enhancement and cost savings and has documented enhanced patient care outcomes. Conclusion The PharmacistCARE program is a unique pharmacist-provided service delivered in a free-standing pharmacist clinic that enhances health outcomes for adult members in a self-insured employer group.
A MODELING STUDY OF SEVERAL ASPECTS OF CANOPY FLOW

Abstract Several aspects of canopy flow are investigated. The problem of steady flow in a horizontally infinite canopy under neutral thermal stratification is treated theoretically. The resulting analytical model is then used as a boundary condition for a nonlinear numerical model designed to study transition regions near the leading and trailing edges of a canopy. This model shows a wave effect downstream from a leading edge observed in the field and laboratory. A tendency for a splitting of the flow near a windward canopy edge is also brought out.
Current concepts on the pathogenesis and markers of preterm births.

Preterm births continue to be a major problem in obstetrics, contributing to the majority of mortality and nearly half of the long-term morbidity associated with childbirth. Prior efforts to reduce the incidence of preterm births have met with limited success. Improved understanding regarding the potential mechanisms involved with preterm labor, however, has resulted in a variety of new markers that can identify women at risk of preterm delivery. This article highlights the various mechanisms for preterm births and the promising markers for identifying women at risk for preterm delivery.
Retrieval formulae for inquiry systems

Abstract This article discusses the design of automated information-retrieval systems which accept questions in ordinary English and yield as output a numerical answer. Fundamental to the efficient implementation of such a system is the notion of retrieval formulae. These formulae are representations of search strategies in the artificial language of a retrieval automaton. As a first step, a linguistic processor maps English questions into this artificial language. Subsequently, the system will conduct the appropriate search to satisfy the requirements of each formula. The method is illustrated with references to a fortran program which retrieves information from a data base obtained from the field of Astronomy.
Nanowire-mask based fabrication of high mobility and low noise graphene nanoribbon short-channel field-effect transistors

Graphene nanoribbon (GNR) is a quasi one-dimensional film, in which a bandgap exists through the quantum confinement and/or localization effect. Compared to bulk graphene, GNR has high potential in achieving high I on /I off ratio. The carrier mobility of GNR, however, exhibits strong degradation because of the uncontrollable edge roughness and/or states. Most reported GNR-FETs are patterned using ebeam-lithography processes, where the spot size of the electron beam limits the edge smoothness1. In this work, we present a GNR fabrication method based on a nanowire-mask, where the edge roughness is determined by the surface roughness of the nanowire ( hole ∼1180cm2/(Vs), I on /I off >7 and low frequency noise figure A∼10−6 at 300K. Moreover, short-channel SLR (∼250nm) shows conductance quantization at 77K3, and confirms that the quasi-ballistic transport properties can be achieved through this method.
Lysine acetylation in the lumen of the ER: A novel and essential function under the control of the UPR

The N(e)-amino group of lysine residues can be transiently modified by the addition of an acetyl group. Recognized functions of N(e)-lysine acetylation include regulation of activity, molecular stabilization and conformational assembly of a protein. For more than forty years lysine acetylation was thought to occur only in the cytosol and nucleus. Targets included cytoskeletal-associated proteins as well as transcription factors, histone proteins and proteins involved in DNA recombination and repair. However, in 2007 we reported that a type I membrane protein involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease was transiently acetylated on the e amino group of seven lysine residues while transiting along the secretory pathway. Surprisingly, the acetylation occurred in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) forcing us to reconsider old paradigms. Indeed, if lysine acetylation can occur in the lumen of the ER, then all the essential biochemical elements of the reaction must be available in the lumen of the organelle. Follow-up studies revealed the existence of ER-based acetyl-CoA:lysine acetyltransferases as well as a membrane transporter that translocates acetyl-CoA from the cytosol into the ER lumen. Large-scale proteomics showed that the list of substrates of the ER-based acetylation machinery includes both transiting and resident proteins. Finally, genetic studies revealed that this machinery is tightly linked to human diseases. Here, we describe these exciting findings as well as recent biochemical and cellular advances, and discuss possible impact on both human physiology and pathology.
A hybrid solution for monitoring conversational skills of children with special needs

Children/Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) demonstrate communication skill deficits and often do not utilize appropriate turn-taking in conversations. Several intervention strategies have been designed to improve conversational skills, but assessing conversations and determining strategy effectiveness often prove to be complicated and time-consuming processes. In this paper, we present: (i) a lightweight smartphone-based conversational turn monitoring system which automatically measures turn-taking statistics of speakers involved in a conversation (thus significantly reducing the labor involved in determining intervention success); (ii) evaluations of the effectiveness of our proposed monitoring system using several collected conversational traces; (iii) a customizable Android application developed to teach students how to conduct conversations; and (iv) preliminary evaluations of the effectiveness of the Android application in improving the communication skills of adolescents with ASD/speech/language deficits using two unique communication skill rubrics designed by our speech therapist. Our preliminary evaluations show promising results of our proposed low-cost hybrid monitoring solution for tracking the conversational skills of students with communication skill deficits.
Technological Change and the Stock Market

Tobin's average q has usually been well above 1, but fell below 1 during 1974-1984. Our model explains this pattern and reconciles it with unchanging aggregate investment. The stock market value in the numerator of q reflects ownership of physical capital and knowledge, but the denominator measures just physical capital. Therefore, q is usually above 1. Periodic arrivals of important new technologies, such as the microprocessor in the 1970's, suddenly render old knowledge and capital obsolete, causing the stock market to drop. National accounts measures of physical capital miss this rapid obsolescence. Then q appears to drop below 1. (JEL E44, O3, O41)
Classifying Java class transformations for pervasive virtualized access

The indirection of object accesses is a common theme for target domains as diverse as transparent distribution, persistence, and program instrumentation. Virtualizing accesses to fields and methods (by redirecting calls through accessor and indirection methods) allows interposition of arbitrary code, extending the functionality of an application beyond that intended by the original developer.We present class modifications performed by our RuggedJ transparent distribution platform for standard Java virtual machines. RuggedJ abstracts over the location of objects by implementing a single object model for local and remote objects. However the implementation of this model is complicated by the presence of native and system code; classes loaded by Java's bootstrap class loader can be rewritten only in a limited manner, and so cannot be modified to conform to RuggedJ's complex object model. We observe that system code comprises the majority of a given Java application: an average of 76% in the applications we study. We consider the constraints imposed upon pervasive class transformation within Java, and present a framework for systematically rewriting arbitrary applications. Our system accommodates all system classes, allowing both user and system classes alike to be referenced using a single object model.
Excitation and ionization in H(1s)-H(1s) collisions: II. Inclusion of electron exchange

Hydrogen atom-hydrogen atom scattering is a prototype for many of the fundamental principles of atomic collisions. In this work we present the formalism and the predictions of a time-dependent self-consistent-field description of the H + H system for scattering in the intermediate energy regime of 1-100 keV. Because of the unrestricted nature of the numerical orbital description, this method includes the effects of an unlimited basis set within each orbital. Electron exchange and a limited amount of electron correlation are included as well. We solve numerically coupled three-dimensional Schrodinger equations for the two-electron orbitals in singlet and triplet symmetries. Excitation and ionization cross sections are computed and compared with other theory and experiment. The results capture many features of the problem but illustrate a need for more quantitative experimental information concerning the H + H system in this energy range.
Tracking primary hyperplane competitors during genetic search

Holland's fundamental theorem of genetic algorithms (the “schema theorem”) provides a lower bound on the sampling rate of a single hyperplane during genetic search. However, the theorem tracks the change in representation for a single hyperplaneas if its representation is independent of other hyperplanes. Hyperplane samples are clearly interdependent and interactions in the hyperplane samples means that Holland's notion of “implicit parallelism” does not universally hold when conflicting hyperplanes interact. A set of equations are defined which allows one to model the interaction of strings, or of schemata representing hyperplanes at order-N and hyperplanes less than order-N. These equations do not account for the effects of higher order hyperplanes or co-lateral competitions. Nevertheless, these equations can serve to better describe the interaction of primary hyperplane competitors.
An Investigaton of Minimum-Weight Dual-Material Symmetrically Loaded Wheels and Torsion Arms

A cylindrically symmetric layout of two opposite families of logarithmic spirals is shown to define the layout of minimum-weight, symmetrically loaded wheel structures, where different materials are used for the tension and compression members, respectively; referred to here as dual-material structures. Analytical solutions are obtained for both structure weight and deflection. The symmetric solutions are shown to form the basis for torsion arm structures, which when designed to accept the same total load, have identical weight and are subjected to identical deflections. The theoretical predictions of structure weight, deflection, and support reactions are shown to be in close agreement to the values obtained with truss designs, whose nodes are spaced along the theoretical spiral layout lines. The original Michell solution based on 45 deg equiangular spirals is shown to be in very close agreement with layout solutions designed to be kinematically compatible with the strain field required for an optimal dual-material design.
BLADDER HISTOLOGICAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONIC INDWELLING URINARY CATHETER

AbstractPurpose: Chronic urinary catheters induce histological changes in the bladder with time. The exact etiology of these changes is postulated to arise from inflammation and local tissue response. We elucidate the incidence of nonmalignant histological change in bladder biopsies of patients with chronic indwelling urinary catheters.Materials and Methods: During 7 years 208 spinal cord injured patients underwent bladder biopsies as part of a surveillance program for vesical malignancy. All patients had chronic (more than 8.5 years) indwelling urethral or suprapubic catheters as definitive management for neurogenic voiding dysfunction. Biopsies were obtained from 4 to 6 sites within the bladder, including areas that were visually abnormal. All samples were routinely fixed with hematoxylin and eosin staining, and interpreted by an experienced pathologist.Results: A total of 17 patients were identified with malignancy, including 10 with squamous cell carcinoma, 5 with transitional cell carcinoma and 2 wit...
A modeling study of water and salt exchange for a micro-tidal, stratified northern Gulf of Mexico estuary

Abstract A three-dimensional hydrodynamic model is applied to the Mobile Bay system to study water and salt exchange with the northern Gulf of Mexico via Main Pass (MP) and eastern Mississippi Sound via Pass-aux-Herons (PaH). On average, more water leaves the Bay through MP than through PaH, and the Bay gains salt through MP and loses about the same amount through PaH. However, the volume discharge rate Qf and salt transport rate FS vary greatly in response to wind and river discharge with the range of variation 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than the corresponding mean. Stratification plays a key role for salt transport through MP. During periods of large river discharge, the landward shear dispersive transport FE peaking during equatorial tides and the landward tidal oscillatory transport FT peaking during tropic tides, respectively, balance the seaward advective transport QfS0. During periods of relatively weak stratification, FS at MP is almost entirely determined by QfS0 and its variability is well correlated with north–south (along-estuary) wind, associated with the barotropic (water level) adjustment. At the shallow, weakly stratified PaH, FS is almost identical to QfS0, and Qf is well correlated with east–west wind, with the correlation becoming stronger during the dry period.
The impact of combined use of fall-risk medications and antithrombotics on injury severity and intracranial hemorrhage among older trauma patients

PURPOSE: Use of fall-risk medications (medications that increase risk of falling in the elderly as defined by Beers criteria, STOPP/START criteria, and other literature) or antithrombotics is common in the elderly, and the impact of their concomitant use should be assessed in regards to fall injuries. The primary objective of this study is to assess the simultaneous outpatient use of fall-risk medications and antithrombotics in elderly fall-patients, and secondarily to analyze the injury severity score and occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage. METHODS: Consecutive chart review at a level 2 trauma center in California, USA from August 01, 2009 to October 31, 2010. Records included 112 patients at least 65 years of age admitted with an outpatient fall. Fisher's exact and Student's t-tests were used (alpha 0.05, two-tailed) to examine prescribing patterns, intracranial hemorrhage occurrence, and injury severity score. Regression adjusted for antithrombotic and fall-risk medication type and number, opiate use, co-morbidities, age, and gender. RESULTS: Thirty-nine percent (44/112) of outpatients were prescribed antithrombotics plus fall-risk medications. The mean injury severity score (ISS) was 13.3 (range 1-26, standard deviation 7.2) for patients taking both medication classes versus 9.7 (range 1-25, standard deviation 7.5) for patients taking antithrombotics alone (p = 0.027). Additionally, in patients over 80 years of age, intracranial hemorrhage occurred more frequently with the use of antithrombotics plus fall-risk medications versus antithrombotics alone (18/29 = 62.1% versus 7/24 = 29.2%, p = 0.027, odds ratio = 3.974, 95% confidence interval = 1.094-15.010). Multivariate analyses showed an independent relationship between intracranial hemorrhage occurrence and type of therapy, as well as injury severity score and simultaneous therapy with fall-risk medications and antithrombotics. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous prescribing of antithrombotics and fall-risk medications is common. For outpatients over 80 years of age, the odds of experiencing a post-fall intracranial hemorrhage are 4 times higher when prescribed antithrombotics plus fall-risk medications compared to antithrombotics alone, and injury severity is higher with combined use of these medication classes. Language: en
Reconsidering Psychoanalytic Notions of Paternal and Maternal Roles in Situations of Father-Absence

Traditional psychoanalytic literature describes the father as occupying a critical role in child development. The father’s loss or absence is seen as hindering development from early infancy throughout childhood and even into adulthood. Father absence is defined as any situation where the father is psychologically disconnected from his children, whether or not he is currently living in the same home. Dramatic shifts have occurred in the American family over the past several decades, which have resulted in changes for both the father and mother’s role in child development. With the increasing divorce rate and rise in single parenthood, father-absence has become common, and a multiplicity of family forms has emerged. However, psychoanalytic ideas regarding maternal and paternal roles have not been modified to encompass these changing family forms. Research is beginning to show that children can develop in families that are not the traditional mother-father unit. Two case examples are provided to examine various factors related to unresolved separation-individuation issues, and how psychoanalytic ideas regarding the paternal and maternal functions can be used in either a modified or unmodified manner in organizing the clinical material.
The Retinal Rod Na+/Ca2+,K+Exchanger Contains a Noncleaved Signal Sequence Required for Translocation of the N Terminus *

The retinal rod Na+/Ca2+,K+ exchanger (RodX) is a polytopic membrane protein found in photoreceptor outer segments where it is the principal extruder of Ca2+ ions during light adaptation. We have examined the role of the N-terminal 65 amino acids in targeting, translocation, and integration of the RodX using anin vitro translation/translocation system. cDNAs encoding human RodX and bovine RodX through the first transmembrane domain were correctly targeted and integrated into microsomal membranes; deletion of the N-terminal 65 amino acids (aa) resulted in a translation product that was not targeted or integrated. Deletion of the first 65 aa had no effect on membrane targeting of full-length RodX, but the N-terminal hydrophilic domain no longer translocated. Chimeric constructs encoding the first 65 aa of bovine RodX fused to globin were translocated across microsomal membranes, demonstrating that the sequence could function heterologously. Studies of fresh bovine retinal extracts demonstrated that the first 65 aa are present in the native protein. These data demonstrate that the first 65 aa of RodX constitute an uncleaved signal sequence required for the efficient membrane targeting and proper membrane integration of RodX.
Excitonic Effects In Lattice-Matched And Strained Quantum Wells And Their Application To Optical Devices

Excitonic effects in multiquantum wells and the associated non-linearities can be exploited to realize a new class of devices for electro-optic and photonic switching applications. Methods to tailor the excitonic behavior and the operating characteristics of these devices are described.
Molecular biology: A fix for RNA.

It has long been known that cells repair chemically or physically damaged DNA. But the discovery that damaged RNA can also be repaired may come as a surprise. What's more, some of the same enzymes are involved.
Vapour-liquid equilibria for cryogenic mixtures

Abstract The Scatchard—Hildebrand theory of liquid solutions gives a quantitative description of vapour—liquid equilibria for simple mixtures when the geometric-mean assumption for the cohesive energy density is relaxed through the introduction of a characteristic binary constant. Solubility parameters and molar volumes are given for thirteen common cryogenic fluids and characteristic binary constants are reported for twenty-eight binary mixtures. Extension to multicomponent mixtures is straightforward; no ternary (or higher) constants are required. The correlation presented here is useful for design of separation processes at low temperatures and moderate pressures.
α-TEA inhibits survival and enhances death pathways in cisplatin sensitive and resistant human ovarian cancer cells

RRR-alpha-tocopherol ether linked acetic acid analog (alpha-TEA), is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for ovarian cancer. Pro-death and pro-life signaling pathways were studied to understand the anti-cancer actions of alpha-TEA on cisplatin-sensitive (A2780S) and -resistant (A2780/cp70R) human ovarian cancer cells. Both cell lines were refractory to Fas; whereas, alpha-TEA sensitized them to Fas signaling. alpha-TEA increased levels of Fas message, protein and membrane-associated Fas. Neutralizing antibodies to Fas or Fas L partially blocked alpha-TEA-induced apoptosis. alpha-TEA induced prolonged activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and its substrate c-Jun; Bax conformational change; and cleavage of Bid and caspases-8, -9 and -3. Chemical inhibitors of JNK, and caspases blocked alpha-TEA-induced apoptosis. alpha-TEA decreased phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt/PKB) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), as well as cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) and Survivin protein levels. Knockdown of Akt and ERK activity using phosphoinositide- 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MKK1) inhibitors enhanced alpha-TEA-induced apoptosis. Over-expression of constitutively active Akt2 and MKK1 blocked alpha-TEA-induced apoptosis. Collectively, data show alpha-TEA to be a potent apoptotic inducer of both cisplatin-sensitive and -resistant human ovarian cancer cells via activating death receptor Fas signaling and suppressing anti-apoptotic AKT and ERK targets.
Muscle mass loss in Rhesus monkeys: age of onset.

Abstract Sarcopenia, the decline in skeletal muscle mass and function with age, contributes to increased frailty and decreased functional performance in the aging human population. The negative health consequences of muscle mass loss emphasize the need for development of a nonhuman primate model for the prevention or attenuation of sarcopenia. The age of onset for muscle mass loss in Rhesus macaques was determined using three datasets; (i) dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) data from a cross-sectional study of 90 adult Rhesus monkeys; (ii) lean tissue mass and estimated skeletal muscle mass (ESM) from 727 DXA scans taken in 38 monkeys in a long-term, longitudinal aging study; and, (iii) quadriceps weights taken at necropsy from 13 male and 28 female Rhesus monkeys. These data indicate that both male and female Rhesus monkeys develop sarcopenia with age. The onset of sarcopenia is 14.1±2.8 years in females and 15.8±2.5 years in males. Muscle loss reaches 20% in males by 23.2 years of age and in females by 24.5 years of age. Furthermore, our data indicate percentage declines in ESM similar to those seen in humans with advancing age. These data support the suitability of the Rhesus monkey as a primate sarcopenia model.
Cysteine and Cystine Transport at the Blood-Brain Barrier

The nature of cysteine and cystine uptake from the cerebral capillary lumen was studied in the rat using the carotid injection technique, [35S]-Cysteine uptake was readily inhibited by the synthetic amino acid 2-aminobicyclo(2,2,1)heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), the defining substrate for the leucine-preferring (L) system in the Ehrlich ascites cell. The addition of nonradioactive alanine or serine, representatives of the alanine, serine, and cysteine-preferring (ASC) system, produced no significant decrease in the uptake of cysteine after cysteine transport by the L system was blocked with BCH. This indicated that the major component of cysteine's transport from the brain capillary lumen was by the L system with no detectable uptake of cysteine by the ASC system. No carrier-mediated transport of cystine, the disulfide form of the amino acid, was detected, nor was there any inhibition by cystine of the transport of the neutral amino acid methionine or the basic amino acid arginine. These results suggest that the ASC system, if present, is not quantitatively important for the transport of neutral amino acids from the brain capillary lumen.
Electron Field Emission Properties of Closed Carbon Nanotubes

Recent experiments have shown that carbon nanotubes exhibit excellent electron field emisson properties with high current densities at low electric fields. Here we present theoretical investigations that incorporate geometrical effects and the electronic structure of nanotubes. The electric field is dramatically enhanced near the cap of a nanotube with a large variation of local field distribution. It is found that deviation from linear Fowler-Nordheim behavior occurs due to the variation of the local field in the electron tunneling region. The maximum current per tube is of the order of 10 microA. Local and microscopic aspects of field emission from nanotubes are also presented.
Biochemical characterization of torsinB

Mutations in torsinA, a member of the AAA+ family of ATPases, are associated with early onset-dystonia. A closely related homologue, torsinB, has also been described but the significance of this second form is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that in transfected cells, torsinB has similar electrophoretic mobility to torsinA but is more basic consistent with predictions from the cDNA sequence. Like torsinA, torsinB is glycosylated and localized to PDI-positive structures in cells. However, torsinB unlike torsinA has a tendency to form intracellular inclusions when expressed at similar levels. We were able to confirm previous reports that torsinA is present in brainstem Lewy bodies, but we saw no torsinB-like immunoreactivity in the same structures. These results show that torsins A and B are similar proteins, although there are differences in the abundance of the two homologues and in their recruitment into Lewy bodies.
Calculation of the three-dimensional flow field in supersonic inlets at angle of attack using a bicharacteristic method with discrete shock wave fitting

An analysis is presented for calculating the flow field in supersonic mixed-compression aircraft inlets operating at angle of attack. The flow field is computed by a steady three-dimensional bicharacteristic method. The bow shock wave and the reflected internal shock wave system are computed by a three-dimensional discrete shock wave fitting procedure. Viscous and thermal diffusion may be included as source terms in the bicharacteristic method. A production type computer program capable of determining the flow field in a variety of axisymmetric mixed-compression supersonic inlets is available. The results of the present analysis agree well with those produced by the two-dimensional method of characteristics when axisymmetric flow fields are computed. For three-dimensional flow fields, the results of the present analysis agree well with experimental data except in regions of high viscous interaction and boundary layer removal. The present analysis does not compute the boundary layer, nor does it account for boundary layer bleed.
Comparative and developmental studies on blood coagulation

Abstract 1. 1. The variations in prothrombin time, Factors V and VII was studied in nine species. 2. 2. The changes in prothrombin time, Factors V and VII was studied during the development of rats and swine. 3. 3. In rats and swine, the prothrombin time decreased post partum, while the Factor V and VII content increased.
Disturbance decoupling by high gain feedback

Asymptotic disturbance decoupling (ADD), a concept which is suitable for the study of the effects of high gain feedback on disturbance decoupling, is introduced in this note. We show that the conditions for ADD are the conditions for exact disturbance decoupling due to Wonham and Morse for a reduced order system.
Efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis for prevention of Lyme disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if antibiotic prophylaxis following a deer tick bite is effective in reducing the risk of developing Lyme disease.
Subsequent mental development of children with lead encephalopathy, as related to type of treatment.

Summary Nine BAL-treated cases of lead encephalopathy were compared with nine EDTA-treated cases 2 to 5 years after hospitalization. Psychological tests were administered to all in an effort to determine possible differences in residual deficit as related to type of treatment. 1. No significant differences were found between mean ratings of both groups in general intelligence. Both averaged within the normal range. 2. The EDTA group was superior to the BAL group on visual motor tests at significantly better than chance expectancy. 3. Among BAL-treated cases, the severity of visual-motor impairment generally corresponding to severity of illness. Visual motor dysfunction was found less frequently among the severe EDTA cases. While it is suggested from this study that EDTA may be more effective in reducing undesirable psychological residuals, the possibility of their occurrence remains despite type of treatment.
Minichromosome assembly accompanying repair-type DNA synthesis in Xenopus oocytes

Abstract Minichromosomes were assembled by injection of circular DNA into the nucleus of Xenopus oocytes. We observed that, in the course of DNA supercoiling and chromatin assembly, a small percentage of the injected DNA molecules incorporated a radioactive precursor. This DNA synthesis was carried out by aphidicolin-sensitive DNA polymerase, and generated short repair-like patches covalently linked to the injected DNA. We found that the DNA thus repaired was rapidly supercoiled almost to completion within 15 to 30 min after injection, whereas 60 to 120 min were required to supercoil the intact, bulk DNA molecules. Such differential supercoiling kinetics was also observed when UV-damaged DNA was injected. Chromatin assembly, which was characterized by DNA fragment sizes protected from micrococcal nuclease digestion, was consistent with the rapid DNA supercoiling and proceeded more efficiently on the repaired DNA. These results indicate that there are at least two kinetically distinct ways of assembling minichromosomes in the oocyte nucleus, and that the repaired DNA molecules preferentially follow the faster pathway.
A geomagnetic polarity time scale for the period 0–17 Ma, based on 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages for selected field reversals

Utilizing 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages for selected field reversals at ∼ 1, 2, 10, 16 and 34 Ma, a geomagnetic polarity time scale (GPTS) is constructed, following the technique of Cande and Kent [1992]. This differs markedly from previous GPTS, especially in middle-late Miocene time; the ages for the chrons in post-Miocene time are in agreement with values derived by the astrochronological technique. Refinements in this GPTS await acquisition of 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages for field reversals in the time frames 3–8 Ma and 11–15 Ma.
Assessing the ethics of implementing performance appraisal systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to try to understand better whether performance appraisal (PA) helps performance evaluators (PEs) to manage more effectively and meet employees' expectations in US‐based corporations.Design/methodology/approach – A 54‐item research instrument was developed and implemented using structured interviews with 54 PEs, who worked at five US‐based corporations (Aetna Insurance, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Valspar, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals). Responses were statistically analyzed with descriptive statistics and decision trees.Findings – Time dedicated to implementing PA was the most important factor leading to ethical issues. PEs with the highest educational levels and most experience spent the least amount of time (1.86 vs 3.19 hours) implementing PA. Most PEs (79.6 percent) solicited feedback about employees' performance from employees' peers but 20 percent did not. Additionally, not a single PE had PA as a specific objective, making it difficult to sequester time necessary for PA....