cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Problems of Measurement of the Relationship Between Civil Society and Democracy When Using Survey Data

Over the last three decades, it has become accepted wisdom that membership in civil society organizations enhances civic participation and encourages democratic outcomes. The attraction of the hypothesis grows from the universal power of its predictions. Similar concentrations of membership in civil society should create corresponding pressures for democratization in the United States, Asia or Europe. Utilizing data from 37 national level surveys in eight countries, this article finds that the quality of the data is insufficient to substantiate long-term trends or cross-country comparisons regarding the impact of associational membership on democratization. Methodological flaws in sampling and interviewing preclude validation of theories about the relationship between civil society and democracy.
POTENCIALIDADES DAS HUMANIDADES PARA A CONSTRUÇÃO DE UMA SOCIEDADE DEMOCRÁTICA

RESENHA DA OBRA: NUSSBAUM, M. Sem fins lucrativos: por que a democracia precisa das humanidades. Sao. Paulo: WMF Martins Fontes, 2015. [1] [1] Do original: NUSSBAUM, Martha C. Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2010.
Cross-Sectional Associations of Objectively Measured Sedentary Time, Physical Activity, and Fitness With Cardiac Structure and Function: Findings From the Dallas Heart Study.

Background Physical inactivity and low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are associated with higher risk of heart failure. However, the independent contributions of objectively measured sedentary tim...
Unknown Renal Impairment: A Rare Case of Inhaled Tobramycin Induced Acute Kidney Injury in a Cystic Fibrosis Patient

Acute kidney injury is a reversible medical condition commonly caused by nephrotoxic agents. The infrequency that a nebulized medication elicits a renal insult presents a rare diagnostic challenge. Within this case, we report a 57-year-old cystic fibrosis patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) Stage G3b (baseline 1.5–1.6 mg/dL) who developed an acute kidney injury (AKI) with a serum creatinine elevation to 4.08 mg/dL and associated worsening vestibular dysfunction related to twice-daily nebulized tobramycin inhalation solution (TIS). The patient was found to have a tobramycin serum level of 4.2 μg/mL 2.5 h after TIS dosing, with elevation remaining present at 1.1 μg/mL 24 h after discontinuation of therapy. Laboratory values at one month continued to show elevated creatinine levels at 2.1 mg/dL, suggesting progression of his baseline CKD. This case supports the benefit of obtaining tobramycin serum levels and vestibular/audiology function testing when evaluating patients on chronic nebulized TIS who present with acute or chronic renal dysfunction. From these serum levels, adjustments to daily dosing, regular monitoring of tobramycin serum levels, or discontinuation of treatment should be made to prevent permanent renal damage in patients with CKD. Calculated Naranjo ADR Probability Scale: 9; Definite.
Metagenomics and Quantitative Stable Isotope Probing Offer Insights into Metabolism of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Degraders in Chronically Polluted Seawater.

ABSTRACT Bacterial biodegradation is a significant contributor to remineralization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)—toxic and recalcitrant components of crude oil as well as by-products of partial combustion chronically introduced into seawater via atmospheric deposition. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill demonstrated the speed at which a seed PAH-degrading community maintained by chronic inputs responds to acute pollution. We investigated the diversity and functional potential of a similar seed community in the chronically polluted Port of Los Angeles (POLA), using stable isotope probing with naphthalene, deep-sequenced metagenomes, and carbon incorporation rate measurements at the port and in two sites in the San Pedro Channel. We demonstrate the ability of the community of degraders at the POLA to incorporate carbon from naphthalene, leading to a quick shift in microbial community composition to be dominated by the normally rare Colwellia and Cycloclasticus. We show that metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) belonged to these naphthalene degraders by matching their 16S-rRNA gene with experimental stable isotope probing data. Surprisingly, we did not find a full PAH degradation pathway in those genomes, even when combining genes from the entire microbial community, leading us to hypothesize that promiscuous dehydrogenases replace canonical naphthalene degradation enzymes in this site. We compared metabolic pathways identified in 29 genomes whose abundance increased in the presence of naphthalene to generate genomic-based recommendations for future optimization of PAH bioremediation at the POLA, e.g., ammonium as opposed to urea, heme or hemoproteins as an iron source, and polar amino acids. IMPORTANCE Oil spills in the marine environment have a devastating effect on marine life and biogeochemical cycles through bioaccumulation of toxic hydrocarbons and oxygen depletion by hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria. Oil-degrading bacteria occur naturally in the ocean, especially where they are supported by chronic inputs of oil or other organic carbon sources, and have a significant role in degradation of oil spills. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are the most persistent and toxic component of crude oil. Therefore, the bacteria that can break those molecules down are of particular importance. We identified such bacteria at the Port of Los Angeles (POLA), one of the busiest ports worldwide, and characterized their metabolic capabilities. We propose chemical targets based on those analyses to stimulate the activity of these bacteria in case of an oil spill in the Port POLA.
From the River to the Sea: Water Conflict and International Law in Israel and Palestine

This paper revisits the question of water conflict between Israel and Palestine in light of a political shift towards a one-state reality, with a focus on Palestinian water rights. It reassess the utility of various legal approaches to resolving water resource conflict equitably, and meaningfully articulating water rights, in the context of some form of Israeli annexation of the West Bank. In doing so, it seeks to move scholarship on water conflict between Israel and Palestine forward from predominant assumptions of a two-state solution and re-focus discussion on how international law can be most effectively used should some form of annexation occur.
Airway-specific autoantibodies identify a subset of patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease

BackgroundFibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD) has previously been associated with the presence of autoantibody. While studies have focused on systemic autoimmunity, the role of local autoantibodies in the airway remains unknown. We therefore extensively characterised the airway and peripheral autoantibody profiles in patients with fILD and assessed association with disease severity and outcome. MethodsBronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was collected from a cohort of fILD patients and total airway antibody concentrations were quantified. An autoantigen microarray was used to measure IgG and IgA autoantibodies against 124 autoantigens in BAL from 40 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 20 chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP), 20 connective tissue disease-associated ILD (CTD-ILD) patients and 20 controls. ResultsA subset of patients with fILD but not healthy controls had a local autoimmune signature in their airways that was not present systemically, regardless of disease. The proportion of patients with IPF with a local autoantibody signature was comparable to that of CTD-ILD, which has a known autoimmune pathology, identifying a potentially novel subset of patients. The presence of an airway autoimmune signature was not associated with reduced survival probability or changes in lung function in the cohort as a whole. Patients with IPF had increased airway total IgA and IgG1 while subjects with CHP had increased airway IgA, IgG1 and IgG4. In patients with CHP, increased airway total IgA was associated with reduced survival probability. ConclusionThe presence of airway autoantibodies identifies a unique subset of patients with fILD and the mechanisms by which these autoantibodies contribute to disease requires further investigation.
Studies on the reconstituion of bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase. 3. Evidence for a strong interdependence between Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ binding in the expression of the spectroscopic properties of the native protein and for a close proximity of the Zn 2+ and Cu 2+ sites.

Abstract 1. 1. Conditions are described for reconstitution of apo superoxide dismutase to native protein in high yield with no side products. 2. 2. 67 Zn (I = 5 2 ) has been substituted in place of normal zinc with no observable broadening of the EPR spectrum. 3. 3. Excess cyanide added to the 63Cu-substituted protein yields a low-field hyperfine line having a superhyperfine pattern clearly arising from an interaction with three nitrogen nuclei. 4. 4. Cu2+ may bind so as to form a Zn2+-binding site and Zn2+ may bind forming a native Cu2+-binding site. 5. 5. When present in excess, Cu2+ bind in close proximity to one another, and an EPR spectrum characteristic of a magnetic dipolar coupling between at least two Cu2+ has been observed.
Filtrodynamics: Time Dependent Trans-Filter Pressure Signals for Early Detection and Monitoring of Particulates During Chemical Processing

In many chemical manufacturing processes particulates often appear in addition to the desired products. Frequently, these particulates are undesirable and ubiquitous in macromolecular reactors that produce and process both synthetic and natural macromolecules. In some cases, however, particulates are necessary, such as bacteria in a biotechnology reactor. This work presents ‘filtrodynamics’, a means for early detection and monitoring of particulates in chemical processes. Time-dependent pressure signals across filters yield information on particulate populations. Moreover, a characteristic loading model has been proposed that self-consistently interlinks the particle concentration, flow rates, and filter properties via a characteristic loading parameter Lc. Filtrodynamics may yield a low cost alternative to delicate and difficult to maintain online optical sensors.
A conserved network for control of arthropod exteroceptive optical flow reflexes during locomotion

We have developed an exteroceptive reflex network of sensory interneurons and command neurons that simulates arthropod optical reflexes based on current ethological and neurophysiological models. The simple neural network was instantiated in software with discrete-time map-based neurons and synapses and can mediate four forms of optomotor reflexes in arthropods: (1) translational responses to pure translational optic flow; (2) rotational responses to pure angular rotation and (3) combinations of translation and rotation that occur during obstacle avoidance and (4) yaw. Simple neural networks are well suited for controlling robots and can be used to test neurophysiological hypotheses, particularly related to sensory fusion in arthropods.
Ko-Lin Chin and James O. Finckenauer: Selling sex overseas: Chinese women and the realities of prostitution and global sex trafficking

The article reviews the book "Selling Sex Overseas: Chinese Women & the Realities of Prostitution & Global Sex Trafficking," by Ko-Lin Chin and James O. Finckenauer. Keywords: Human trafficking
Why New Orleans Matters by Tom Piazza: Book Reviews

Why New Orleans Matters Tom Piazza. New York: ReganBooks, 2005. Do you hear that sound, that low moan, distinct from the din of mourning for Katrina's dead and the utter physical destruction of vast expanses of property and land in Louisiana and Mississippi? More than a year after the devastation brought by the tropical demon, that sad, synchronized song is growing distant. But it's still being heard and felt: Those who treasure the unique music, cuisine, architecture, and dialect of New Orleans continue to mourn the potential loss of one of American culture's great natural resources. The tour books typically, and correctly, point to the depth of American musical roots, the multiple variants of rock and roll, RB people had no sanitary facilities, no medical care, and the weakest were easy pickings for the predators among them," he writes of the goings-on at the Convention Center. "Thousands lived through scenes out of Goya or Hieronymus Bosch. Nobody came through ... to give them some hope" (xi-xii). The author, a New Yorker enamored of the exotic sound of New Orleans music-from Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to Fats Domino, Professor Longhair and Dr. Johnmoved to the Crescent City in 1994, after graduating from the Iowa Writers Workshop. But he fell in love with New Orleans in 1987, when visiting for the Jazz and Heritage Festival, known as Jazz Fest to locals and devotees. …
The effect of direct measurement versus cadaver estimates of anthropometry in the calculation of joint moments during above-knee prosthetic gait in pediatrics

Joint reaction forces, moments and powers are important in interpreting gait mechanics and compensatory strategies used by patients walking with above-knee prostheses. Segmental anthropometrics, required to calculate joint moments, are often estimated using data from cadaver studies. However, these values may not be accurate for patients following amputation as prostheses are composed of non-biologic material. The purpose of this study was to compare joint moments using anthropometrics calculated from cadaver studies versus direct measurements of the residual limb and prosthesis for children with an above-knee amputation. Gait data were collected for four subjects with above-knee prostheses walking at preferred and fast speeds. Joint moments were computed using anthropometrics from cadaver studies and direct measurements for each subject. The difference between these two methods primarily affected the inertia couple (Iα term) and the inertial effect due to gravity, which comprised a greater percentage of the total joint moment during swing as compared to stance. Peak hip and knee flexor and extensor moments during swing were significantly greater when calculated using cadaver data (p<0.05). These differences were greater while walking fast as compared to slow speeds. A significant difference was not found between these two methods for peak hip and knee moments during stance. A significant difference was found for peak ankle joint moments during stance, but the magnitude was not clinically important. These results support the use of direct measurements of anthropometry when examining above-knee prosthetic gait, particularly during swing.
A Brief Educational Intervention in Personal Finance for Medical Residents

Although medical educational debt continues to escalate, residents receive little guidance in financial planning. To educate interns about long-term investment strategies. University-based medicine internship program. An unselected cohort of interns (n = 52; 84% of all interns) underwent a 90-minute interactive seminar on personal finance, focusing on retirement savings. Participants completed a preseminar investor literacy test to assess baseline financial knowledge. Afterward, interns rated the seminar and expressed their intention to make changes to their long-term retirement accounts. After 37 interns had attended the seminar, a survey was administered to all interns to compare actual changes to these accounts between seminar attendees and nonattendees. Interns’ average score on the investor literacy test was 40%, equal to the general population. Interns strongly agreed that the seminar was valuable (average 5.0 on 5-point Likert scale). Of the 46 respondents to the account allocation survey, interns who had already attended the seminar (n = 25) were more likely than interns who had not yet attended (n = 21) to have switched their investments from low to high-yield accounts at the university hospital (64 vs 19%, P = 0.003) and to enroll in the county hospital retirement plan (64 vs 33%, P = 0.07). One 90-minute seminar on personal finances leads to significant changes in allocation of tax-deferred retirement savings. We calculate that these changes can lead to substantial long-term financial benefits and suggest that programs consider automatically enrolling trainees into higher yield retirement plans.
Cyclic AMP-induced changes in protein synthesis in a cellular slime mould, Polysphondylium pallidum.

IN addition to acting as a chemotactic signal1,2, cyclic AMP induces the formation of stalk cells from undifferentiated amoebae in the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium3,4. The inductive action is specific for cyclic AMP, as AMP, ATP, ADP, GMP and GTP have no effect5. The induction also acts on Polysphondylium pallidum, a related species, even though cyclic AMP is not chemotactic for this species5,6.
On the virtual crack extension method for calculating the derivatives of energy release rates for a 3D planar crack of arbitrary shape under mode-I loading

Abstract This paper generalizes the analytical virtual crack extension method presented by Lin and Abel [Int. J. Fract. 38 (1988) 217] by providing the energy release rates and their derivatives at all points along a three-dimensional (3D), planar crack front of arbitrary shape. It is shown that the local variation of curvature along the crack front and interaction between crack front perturbations at adjacent crack points must be considered to properly calculate the derivatives of the energy release rates. The main advantage of the method is that the energy release rates and their derivatives at all points along the crack front in a multiply cracked, 3D body can be accurately calculated by the present virtual crack extension method in a single analysis. Comparisons of the energy release rates and their derivatives with exact solutions show that the present method can achieve sufficient accuracy for calculation of the energy release rates and their derivatives. All the advantages and accuracy of the two-dimensional virtual crack extension method presented by Hwang, [Engng. Fract. Mech. 59 (4) (1998) 521] are maintained for the 3D case. The present method has immediate application to the following and related problems: the shape prediction and stability analysis of an evolving 3D crack front in brittle fracture, configurational stability in fatigue crack propagation prediction, investigation of bifurcation in brittle fracture.
Ion beam mixing of multilayered Ti/C and Fe/C structures

Abstract The possibility of inducing ion beam mixing between metal and carbon was studied by using multilayered samples and Xe ion bombardment at 600 keV. Both Ti/C/Ti and Fe/C/Fe samples were examined. Rutherford backscattering was utilized to detect the number of iron or titanium atoms intermixed with carbon during bombardment. Our results reveal that the mixing of both iron and titanium with carbon is possible but not very effective. Furthermore, the mixing of titanium with carbon is approximately a factor 1.5 lower than that of iron when the different damage production in both kinds of samples are taken into account. Qualitatively the amount of mixing in these two systems scales with diffusivities and not with the heats of formation. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that ion mixing induced amorphous phase production in iron samples whereas the compound TiC was produced in titanium samples. We attribute the differences to lattice strain and heat of mixing.
Geometry-based fully automatic mesh generation and the delaunay triangulation

One approach to fully automatic mesh generation in two and three dimensions is to generate and triangulate a set of points within and on the boundary of a geometry using the properties of the Delaunay triangulation. Because the point data generate mesh topology of greater dimension, it is necessary to insure topological compatibility and perform classification of the resulting mesh with respect to the original geometry. Necessary and sufficient conditions for classification of mesh topology on three-dimensional planar geometry are given, as well as a discussion of the more complex case of curved geometry. This paper also presents conditions to insure topological compatibility along with techniques for identifying and resolving cases of incompatibility.
Shared genes related to aggression, rather than chemical communication, are associated with reproductive dominance in paper wasps (Polistes metricus)

In social groups, dominant individuals may socially inhibit reproduction of subordinates using aggressive interactions or, in the case of highly eusocial insects, pheromonal communication. It has been hypothesized these two modes of reproductive inhibition utilize conserved pathways. Here, we use a comparative framework to investigate the chemical and genomic underpinnings of reproductive dominance in the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes metricus. Our goals were to first characterize transcriptomic and chemical correlates of reproductive dominance and second, to test whether dominance-associated mechanisms in paper wasps overlapped with aggression or pheromone-related gene expression patterns in other species. To explore whether conserved molecular pathways relate to dominance, we compared wasp transcriptomic data to previous studies of gene expression associated with pheromonal communication and queen-worker differences in honey bees, and aggressive behavior in bees, Drosophila, and mice. By examining dominant and subordinate females from queen and worker castes in early and late season colonies, we found that cuticular hydrocarbon profiles and genome-wide patterns of brain gene expression were primarily associated with season/social environment rather than dominance status. In contrast, gene expression patterns in the ovaries were associated primarily with caste and ovary activation. Comparative analyses suggest genes identified as differentially expressed in wasp brains are not related to queen pheromonal communication or caste in bees, but were significantly more likely to be associated with aggression in other insects (bees, flies), and even a mammal (mice). This study provides the first comprehensive chemical and molecular analysis of reproductive dominance in paper wasps. We found little evidence for a chemical basis for reproductive dominance in P. metricus, and our transcriptomic analyses suggest that different pathways regulate dominance in paper wasps and pheromone response in bees. Furthermore, there was a substantial impact of season/social environment on gene expression patterns, indicating the important role of external cues in shaping the molecular processes regulating behavior. Interestingly, genes associated with dominance in wasps were also associated with aggressive behavior in bees, solitary insects and mammals. Thus, genes involved in social regulation of reproduction in Polistes may have conserved functions associated with aggression in insects and other taxa.
Supersymmetric field theories at finite temperature

Abstract We show by explicit calculations to second and third order in perturbation theory, that finite temperature effects do not break the supersymmetry Ward-Takahashi identities for graded thermal Green functions of the Wess-Zumino model. Moreover, it is argued that this result is true to all orders in perturbation theory, and further, true for a wide class of supersymmetric theories. We point out, however, that these identities can be broken in the course of a phase transition that restores an originally broken internal symmetry.
Abstract P2-19-02: Do older women benefit from post-mastectomy breast reconstruction?

Purpose: Despite evidence that post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR) decreases psychological morbidity and improves body image, older women (aged 65 and above) receive it six times less often than younger women. It is unclear whether this difference represents a disparity or reflects informed patient choices since the outcomes of PMBR in older women have never been rigorously studied. We hypothesized that in older women, the use of PMBR is associated with greater psychosocial well-being and breast satisfaction than mastectomy alone. Patients and Methods: The Dillman method was used to survey 299 older women with stage 0-III breast cancer who underwent a mastectomy from 2006-2011. The response rate was 75.3%. The survey incorporated demographic questions and measured satisfaction and health-related quality of life outcomes using the Duke health profile and the BREAST-Q mastectomy module. Patients who underwent PMBR were compared to those who did not (no-PMBR) to determine differences in patient characteristics, satisfaction, and quality-of-life outcomes between groups. Satisfaction and outcome results were risk adjusted using multivariable logistic regression to account for differences between PMBR and no-PMBR groups. Results: The median age of respondents was 72. Of these, 77/214 (36%) elected to undergo PMBR. Marital status, education level, race, and tumor stage were similar in PMBR and no-PMBR groups. Those in the PMBR group were generally younger and more affluent than those in the no-PMBR group (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). There were no significant differences in age-adjusted physical health, anxiety, or depression scores between PMBR and no-PMBR groups. Both groups reported high levels of decisional satisfaction. However, after adjusting for age and income, PMBR was associated with greater breast satisfaction (BREAST-Q score 69 vs. 57, p<0.001) and greater psychosocial well-being (BREAST-Q score 83 vs. 76, p<0.001). These differences in scores compared favorably to those seen in younger women. Conclusions: This is the first study to compare psychosocial outcomes and breast satisfaction between older women who undergo PMBR and those who do not. These findings show that older women have the potential to benefit from PMBR at least as much as younger women do. PMBR can be performed in a significant proportion of older women with high levels of satisfaction. Older women who are appropriate candidates should be encouraged to consider breast reconstruction, and efforts should be made to narrow the disparity in the delivery of PMBR between older and younger women. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P2-19-02.
A Technique for Improving Voltage Breakdown Threshold

An antenna design innovation has been developed which provides high power handling capability in low pressure air, and may be used to reduce near-field plasma losses.
The effects of photochemical oxidants on the yield of snap beans

Abstract Effects of photochemical oxidants (primarily ozone) in the ambient air of Eastern United States on the yields of selected snap bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars grown from the seedling stage to maturity in “open-top” field chambers were studied. The chambers were supplied with either carbon-filtered or nonfiltered air. The research was conducted at Beltsville, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. during 1972–1976 and at Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1972. Cultivars Bush Blue Lake (BBL) 290, BBL 274 and Gallatin 50 represented processing type beans and Astro, fresh market beans. Two crops, an early and a late crop, were grown each year. At Beltsville from 1972 to 1974, BBL 290, the most sensitive cultivar to oxidants, averaged 14% less bean yield (range 5–27%) in nonfiltered air than in filtered air. Gallatin 50 and Astro, two oxidant tolerant cultivars, yielded about the same in the two environments. The results were similar in North Carolina. In 1975 yields were greatly reduced due to heavy rains. Consequently, no measurable yield effects attributable to oxidants could be determined. In the late crop in 1976, however, BBL 274 yielded 22% less in the nonfiltered air. The other three cultivars did not exhibit statistically significant oxidant induced yield losses. Yields in ambient air field plots without chambers were essentially equivalent to those in the nonfiltered chambers indicating that chamber effects per se were minimal. The microclimates of the chambers are described in an Appendix.
Ambiguous Divorce-Related Communication, Relational Closeness, Relational Satisfaction, and Communication Satisfaction

Using Communication Privacy Management theory, the study argues parents' ambiguity during divorce-related stressor conversations influence parents' and young adult children's relational closeness, satisfaction, and communication satisfaction. Thirty-nine parent–young adult child dyads discussed a divorce-related stressor and reported their thoughts. Hierarchical regression models indicated children's perceptions of parents' ambiguity predicted lower communication satisfaction; however, parents' use of ambiguity was unrelated to relational closeness, satisfaction, or communication satisfaction. Tolerance for ambiguity did not moderate the relationships. Results suggest that offspring may not want detailed information; perceiving parents to use minimal ambiguity may contribute to lower communication satisfaction after discussing divorce-related stressors.
Subsurface Oceans on Europa and Callisto: Constraints from Galileo Magnetometer Observations

Magnetic field perturbations measured during Galileo flybys of Europa and Callisto are consistent with dipole fields induced by the temporal variations of the ambient jovian magnetospheric field. These fields are close to those expected for perfectly conducting moons. We investigate the implications of these observations for the electrical structure of the moon’s interiors using a simple shell model. It is found that Europa and Callisto must possess regions where the conductivity exceeds 0.06 and 0.02 S/m at a depth of less than 200 and 300 km below the surface, respectively. This conductivity is unattainable in ice or silicates, unless the ice layer is at least partially molten or very large temperature gradients can be maintained below the ice. An ionosphere or a cloud of pick-up ions are probably also insufficiently conductive. Global Earth-like oceans under the surface of both moons could account for the observations provided they are at least a few kilometers thick. c ∞ 2000 Academic Press
METHOD OF IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROACTIVELY WITH GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS: EXAMPLE FROM A COLLEGE CAMPUS

A method of combining two information bases with the aid of geographic information systems to identify locations where pedestrian crash problems exist or may exist in the near future is described. The first information base is a set of police crash reports. Locations and attributes obtained from these reports are used to identify clusters of pedestrian crashes in an area so that sites can be evaluated for safety improvements. Geographic analysis of crash types, severity, pedestrian age, and other factors may also be conducted with these data. The second information base is a set of pedestrian and driver perception surveys. Data from this survey are used to identify locations that may have a high potential for crashes even though none or few have been reported recently. Integrating the two information bases may allow transportation planners and engineers to focus on sites with the greatest potential for pedestrian improvements and ultimately prevent more crashes, injuries, and fatalities. The proactive dat...
Metabolic control of epilepsy

It has been assumed that anticonvulsants or antiepileptic drugs, now called antiseizure drugs (ASDs), act on the underpinnings of nerve cell firing: ion channels that generate action potentials, or neurotransmitter receptors that control synaptic transmission. The breakthroughs heralded by the first generation of ASDs, such as the GABAA (γ-aminobutyric acid type A) receptor modulator phenobarbital and the sodium channel antagonist phenytoin, are a major reason for this view. The emergence of second- and third-generation ASDs that also inhibit ion channels provided additional support. However, as epilepsy research has matured, our understanding of ASDs has also. The report by Sada et al. ( 1 ) on page 1362 of this issue exemplifies this trend. The study raises a surprising question: Should the focal point of ASD development actually be neurons?
The inhibition of gonadotrophic hormone secretion by physiological doses of estrogen.

WHEN an immature female rat is united in parabiosis with an ovariectomized littermate, the ovaries of the intact rat undergo hypertrophy (Kallas, 1930). This has been attributed to the hypersecretion of gonadotrophins by the pituitary of the castrated rat, the hormones of which pass directly via the blood to the intact partner where they stimulate the ovaries (Bunster and Meyer, 1938; Biddulph, Meyer and Gumbreck, 1940). It is believed that the gonadotrophin which increases in the ovariectomized female is largely follicle stimulating hormone (Greep, 1940; Biddulph and Meyer, 1946). Daily injections of small quantities of estrogen, or larger quantities of androgen, desoxycorticosterone acetate, or progresterone into the ovariectomized partner prevent the hypersecretion of the gonadotrophic hormones by the pituitary and the corresponding hypertrophy of the ovaries of the partner (Bunster and Meyer, 1933; Biddulph, Meyer and Gumbreck, 1940; Byrnes and Shipley, 1950).
Papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum in a man: a case report.

BACKGROUND Papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum (PSCP) is a rare primary peritoneal tumor, described exclusively in women. It is believed to arise from the secondary mullerian system, which is comprised of the pelvic and lower abdominal mesothelial lining and subjacent (subcoelomic) mesenchyme in women. Both mesotheliomas and PSCP arise from the coelomic epithelium, but are clinicopathologically and biologically distinct entities. METHODS The authors report clinicopathologic findings in a man, age 74 years, who died 3 months after the diagnosis of an extensive malignant abdominal disease. RESULTS The routine histologic and immunocytochemical studies of tumor tissue, obtained during the patient's lifetime and at autopsy, validated the unique occurrence of PSCP in a man. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates that PSCP can occur in a man and that this diagnosis may be considered in the differential diagnosis of papillary serous tumors of the peritoneum in male patients. Although rare, PSCP is a diagnostically distinct entity the treatment of which is similar to ovarian serous tumors rather than mesotheliomas. Cancer 1998;82:860-6. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Multifaceted roles for lipids in viral infection

Viruses have evolved complex and dynamic interactions with their host cell. In recent years we have gained insight into the expanding roles for host lipids in the virus life cycle. In particular, viruses target lipid signaling, synthesis, and metabolism to remodel their host cells into an optimal environment for their replication. This review highlights examples from different viruses that illustrate the importance of these diverse virus-lipid interactions.
Mandatory drug testing in the United States

Abstract Mandatory drug testing in the United States was initiated by the Army in an effort to control illegal drug use in Vietnam. Subsequently, following the investigation of a plane crash of the aircraft carrier Nimitz in 1981, the Navy developed a similar program. In 1986, President Reagan issued an Excutive Order prohibiting use of illegal drugs by Federal employees. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services was directed to formulate adequate regulations for urine drug testing and to accredit laboratories that could demonstrate their ability to fulfill these obligations. The National Institute for Drug Abuse (NIDA) was given this responsibility and has instituted a rigorous periodic proficiency testing and laboratory inspection program. As of November 1992, 91 laboratories were accredited by NIDA. Although only Federal employees were included in the original program, Federal agencies promulgated regulations in 1988 that required all contractors serving these agencies to insure that their workplaces and employees were drug free. Not to be overshadowed, private industry decided they should also be involved, and many companies developed drug testing programs. These private industry programs are not obliged to follow the NIDA program, but most do so. Some use drug testing laboratories accredited by CAP-AACC. The drug testing programs by private industry are subject to regulations in several but not all states. Additional drug testing programs involve the criminal justice programs (prisoners and probationers), drug rehabilitation program participants and the judicial system (pretrial evaluation, prisoners and probationers). Collectively these programs have led to a multi-million dollar drug testing industry and the expenditure of additional funds for treatment and prevention programs. Few objective data are available on the number of positive drug tests. The military feel that their program is a significant deterrent to drug use because less than 1% of those tested are found to be positive. In non-regulated private industry, pre-employment positive tests average 10%, but employees' positives average 1–2%. In the NIDA labs the average positive rate is 3%. The criminal justice system yields about a 10% positive rate by probationers and those in rehabilitation programs. The cost/benefit ratios of all these programs are seldom calculated. Until they are, it will be difficult to assess the ultimate value of these programs.
Cyclooxygenase-2–dependent Superoxide Generation Contributes to Age-dependent Impairment of G Protein–mediated Cerebrovasodilation

BackgroundPrevious studies have observed that activation of cyclooxygenase-2 contributes to generation of superoxide anion after fluid percussion brain injury (FPI). This study was designed to characterize the effects of FPI on the vascular activity of two activators of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G
The near-infrared absorption of liquid water at temperatures between 27 and 209°C☆

The spectral absorption coefficients of liquid water have been measured between 2200 and 3000 cm^(-1) and between 3700 and 7600 cm^(-1) at temperatures of 27, 89, 159, and 209°C. The integrated intensities for the entire spectral regions extending from 4600 to 5900 cm^(-1) and from 5900 to 7600 cm^(-1) have also been determined at each of the specified temperatures. Following Buijs and Choppin, the experimental data have been used, in a highly simplified analysis, for the determination of hydrogen bonding in liquid water on the assumption that water consists of clusters containing only zero, one or two hydrogen bonds per molecule. We have also indicated briefly a more complete analysis of the experimental measurements in which the full range of results on spectral absorption coefficients as a continuous function of frequency is properly utilized.
Nuclear Fuel in a Reactor Accident

Nuclear accidents that lead to melting of a reactor core create heterogeneous materials containing hundreds of radionuclides, many with short half-lives. The long-lived fission products and transuranium elements within damaged fuel remain a concern for millennia. Currently, accurate fundamental models for the prediction of release rates of radionuclides from fuel, especially in contact with water, after an accident remain limited. Relatively little is known about fuel corrosion and radionuclide release under the extreme chemical, radiation, and thermal conditions during and subsequent to a nuclear accident. We review the current understanding of nuclear fuel interactions with the environment, including studies over the relatively narrow range of geochemical, hydrological, and radiation environments relevant to geological repository performance, and discuss priorities for research needed to develop future predictive models.
A Markovian Model for the Valuation of Human Assets Acquired by an Organizational Purchase

A corporation acquires the assets and liabilities of a securities brokerage firm for a price in excess of net book value. A Markov analysis is used in conjunction with human resource accounting to value a pool of account executives employed by the brokerage firm. The tax implications of imputing a portion of the purchase price premium to the pool of human assets as opposed to goodwill are discussed.
NATURAL CONVECTION IN A HORIZONTAL CONCENTRIC CYLINDRICAL ANNULUS

This numerical study of natural convection flow in a horizontal cylindrical annulus is aimed at establishing the utility of the Galerkin‐spline formulation for natural convection problems. The annulus has isothermal walls and the fluid is of constant material properties except for its density; density variation is incorporated via the Boussinesq approximation. Two formulations are employed, the velocity formulation and the streamfunction formulation. We are able to demonstrate the usefulness of the Galerkin‐spline formulation for the problem and in comparison with published data, show that it leads to greater accuracy than the finite difference method. We also show the streamfunction formulation to be superior computationally to the velocity formulation. We find no bifurcation from the basic state up to 60,000 in Grashof number, even without a priori assumption of symmetry about the vertical plane. This last finding is in sharp contrast to results obtained when porous material fills the annulus.
The extensive cross-reaction of several syngeneic rat-anti-BP antiserums with myelin basic proteins (BP) of other species.

On the average, 80–90% of the syngeneic antibodies, raised in Lewis-strain rats against Lewis-rat myelin basic protein, cross-reacted with BP from guinea pig, rabbit, beef and pig, and with the 2 basic proteins of the rat, small and large. The cross-reactions were observed in two ways: by the comparison of binding curves obtained from the reactions of experimental serums with 125I-labeled preparations of 6 basic proteins; and by absorptions of experimental serums with the 6 basic proteins bound to Sepharose-4B. The small fraction of antibodies that remained, after absorption with any of the 6 BP immunoadsorbents, did not fit any specific BP-reaction pattern; in fact, any particular adsorbent was just as efficient at removal of BP-binding activity as any other BP-Seph-4B. It appears that the systemic humoral response to syngeneic BP in the rat is restricted for the most part to the organ-specific portions (60%) of the BP molecule and not randomly extended to the remaining (40%) species-specific portions.
The difficulty of eliminating donor leukocyte microchimerism in rat recipients bearing established organ allografts

It is generally accepted that the acute migration of multilineage leukocytes from the organ graft into the host (1–6) has profound immunologic implications. However, the role, if any, of persistent small numbers of donor cells (microchimerism) in the maintenance of organ alloengraftment has been controversial (7–13). An ideal way to assess the biologic significance of such microchimerism would be to study the consequences of eliminating the donor leukocytes from recipients of stable transplanted organs. We report here an effort to remove microchimerism in Brown Norway (BN) rat recipients of Lewis (LEW) heart, liver, or bone marrow cell (BMC) allografts. To generate controls, we used a previously standardized model, in which a spectrum of microchimerism-associated donor specific nonreactivity (tolerance) is reproducibly induced under a short course of tacrolimus (14). In addition to histopathologic analysis of the primary graft, the extent of the tolerance is assessed in this model by transplantation of a challenge LEW heart at 110 days. In the present study, the highly reproducible microchimerism in such experiments and the associated donor-specific nonreactivity were compared with the outcomes when the allograft-primed BN recipients were subjected to total body irradiation (TBI, 9.5 Gy) after 60 days, and reconstituted immediately with an infusion of naive BN BMC. Even with this drastic procedure, it was not possible in organ recipients to completely eliminate the microchimerism.
D-1 and D-2 receptor antagonists decrease corn oil sham feeding in rats.

Abstract Intraperitoneal injection of the highly selective D-1 and D-2 receptor antagonists, SCH 23390 and (−)-raclopride, respectively, produced a dose-related decrease in the intake of corn oil in a 30-min, sham-feeding test. The threshold dose for a significant decrease in intake was 100 μg·kg −1 for SCH 23390 and 200 μg·kg −1 for raclopride. These doses did not impair rats' latencies to initiate sham feeding, and they did not produce any overt motor deficits. These data, therefore, are consistent with the hypothesis that central dopaminergic activity at both D-1 and D-2 receptors is necessary for the normal processing of the sensory and/or hedonic effects of the oral stimuli produced by corn oil during sham feeding.
Classification of non-crystalline solids

Abstract Considerable confusion is caused in the literature by lumping all non-crystalline solids under a single name, often “glass”. A solid of any composition may exist in several crystalline and also several non-crystalline forms, each having a different structure and set of properties. The existence of the differences between various non-crystalline forms has been neglected principally due to the lack of tools for structural analysis of aperiodic lattices. This paper proposes an interim classification of non-crystalline solids based on the method of preparation which gives rise to, and can be correlated with, the structural differences. The effectiveness of the scheme is illustrated for the case of the many genetically and structurally different non-crystalline forms of SiO2.
Potentiation of Vecuronium by Desflurane vs. Isoflurane

Preliminary studies suggest that desflurane’s potentiation of muscle relaxants equals or exceeds that by isoflurane. However, in most studies of vecuronium (1,2), variability within groups is too large to demonstrate differences between anesthetics. To overcome this problem, we compared vecuronium’s potentiation by desflurane vs. isoflurane using a crossover study design.
Experimental and calculated photopeak efficiencies for a coaxial Ge(Li) detector

Abstract Experimental and calculated photopeak efficiencies have been obtained for a 32 cm 3 true coaxial Ge(Li) detector at four distances: 2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm and 20 cm. A comparison of these results is presented.
Case study evaluations of a bio-cognitive-behavioral approach for the treatment of borderline personality disorder

This case study report evaluated the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral treatment programcombined with alprazolam in the treatment of symptoms associated with Borderline Personality Disorder with four patients. The results suggested that the treatment was correlated with reductions in target symptoms, depression, anxiety and global psychopathology. Suggestions for further research are made.