cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In situ deformation apparatus for time-of-flight neutron diffraction:Texture development of polycrystalline ice Ih

This article documents a new in situ deformation apparatus built for neutron diffraction investigations of polycrystalline materials in low-temperature environments and the first experiment in which it was used. We performed texture analysis of fine-grained polycrystalline D2O ice Ih deformed uniaxially between 230 and 240K using time-of-flight neutron diffraction on the high-pressure preferred orientation diffractometer at the Manuel Lujan, Jr. Neutron Scattering Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The new deformation apparatus operates at 1atm of ambient pressure and over temperatures in the range of 77K<T<298K, and accommodates up to 667N of uniaxially applied load. It is suitable for diffraction studies of any bulk polycrystalline material, ideally cylindrical in shape, and is adaptable to multiple neutron spectrometers, including those at other polychromatic and monochromatic neutron facilities. The first experiment on a hexagonal ice sample demonstrates development of fiber texture in the dire...
Hydrogel contact lens-induced corneal warpage

Background: Although contact lens-induced corneal warpage is most frequently associated with PMMA lenses, approximately 27% of reported cases of corneal warpage have been attributed to hydrogel lens wear. The change in corneal contour may be the result of either mechanical deformation, chronic metabolic insult, or a combination of mechanical and metabolic challenges. Limited oxygen transmissibility through some hydrogel lenses may lead to chronic hypoxia and acidosis. These metabolic challenges can change corneal physiology sufficiently to cause clinically significant corneal warpage. Case reports: Three cases of hydrogel contact lens-induced corneal warpage are presented. In all three cases, cessation of lens wear led to restoration of the normal corneal contour and visual acuity. All patients were refit with more oxygen-permeable lenses, and have successfully resumed wearing contact lenses. Conclusion: Certain individuals who wear hydrogel contact lenses can experience corneal warpage. Clinical signs of corneal warpage include changes in refractive error, decreased visual acuity with spectacle correction, and changes in corneal topography. Serial topography is useful to monitor the cornea to resolution of the condition. Contact lenses with higher oxygen transmissibility will frequently alleviate the relative hypoxia that may be associated with corneal warpage.
Pb(Sc0.5Nb0.5)xΦ1−xO3, Perovskite-type ferroelectric solid solutions possessing relatively large spontaneous polarizations

Abstract The spontaneous polarization and Curie temperature were measured for various compositions of the perovskite-type ferroelectric solid solution systems Pb ( Sc 0.5 Nb 0.5 ) x Φ 1− x O 3 , where Φ is either Ti, Zr, or Hf; ceramic samples were used in all the measurements. The maximum value for the spontaneous polarization of a particular system is found to decrease as Ti is replaced by Zr and Zr by Hf, although the corresponding concentration of the four-valent Φ ion and the temperature at which the spontaneous polarization is measured are not necessarily the same for the three different compositions exhibiting the maximum spontaneous polarization; 30 μC cm 2 was the largest value that was observed for the spontaneous polarization. An increase in the concentration of Φ increases the Curie temperature of the respective solid solution system. Curie points decrease in value, correspondingly, as Ti is replaced by Zr and Zr by Hf. For perovskite-type ferroelectric solid solutions having the general stoichiometric formula Pb [( B a + I ) x ( B b + II ) y …] O 3 , it is found that the maximum room temperature spontaneous polarization is obtained when the average ionic radius for all the B -ions (of the metal-oxygen octahedra) is approximately 0.75 A.
Gender Mainstreaming in Community-Oriented Wildlife Conservation: Experiences from Nongovernmental Conservation Organizations in India

Gender mainstreaming (GM) is the promotion of gender equity and women's empowerment in institutional policy and practice. GM can potentially improve community-oriented conservation outcomes because gender roles often shape values, knowledge, use, and access/control of environmental resources. Through a mixed-methods study of 52 nongovernmental organization (NGO)-based, community-oriented wildlife conservation projects in India, this article examines supervisors’ perceptions of the effectiveness of GM in achieving conservation outcomes. While many projects did include elements of GM (specifically, gender analysis and support for women's empowerment), approaches tended to be ad hoc and not empirically grounded. To overcome obstacles to integration of GM in conservation, NGOs would benefit from the creation of formal gender policies to guide baseline data collection and analysis, professional development, and related empirical research. Ultimately, the study illustrates various ways in which gender and conse...
Use Of Matrix Methods In The Calculation Of The Normal Modes Of Molecular Vibrations And Refinement Of Molecular Force Fields

In this article the various matrices and matrix operations used in the analysis of vibrational spectra of polyatomic molecules are described. This is applied to the quantitative refinement of molecular force fields for Wilson G-F calculations and criteria are developed which must be satisfied by an acceptable force field. This method permits an unambiguous choice between different force fields which predict the observed frequencies but give different potential energy distributions amongst the various internal coordinates.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Preparation of '2,('3)-O-Acyl-pCpA derivatives as substrates for T4 RNA ligase-mediated “chemical aminoacylation”

Abstract The synthesis of '2('3)-O-(amino)acyl-pCpA derivatives is described and the products are characterized chemically and as substrates for T4 RNA ligase in the presence of E. coli tRNA phe-COH. The modified (N-acetylammo)acyl-tRNA's so derived are characterized by their chromatographic and biochemical properties, and by their ability to act as P-site tRNA donors in the peptidyltransferase reaction.
Comparison of Benthic Macroinvertebrates Colonizing Sand, Wood, and Artificial Substrates in a Low-Gradient Stream

ABSTRACT We compared macroinvertebrate assemblages sampled from artificial and natural substrates within a small, sandy-bottomed coastal plain stream, Alabama, USA. Separate samples were collected from natural coarse woody debris (CWD) accumulations, benthic sand substrate, and Hester-Dendy multiplate samplers (HDs, 54-d incubations). Shannon's H′ was lowest and % dominant taxon was highest in sand samples. Proportion of the total assemblage as EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichcptera) was significantly higher on HDs than from sand, and proportion of the assemblage as Chironomidae was higher from sand than on CWD. Invertebrate biomass on HDs was almost two times higher than from sand, whereas biomass from sand was nearly an order of magnitude higher than biomass on CWD. TWINSPAN indicated CWD and HDs assemblages were distinctive from sand substrates, largely because of differential abundance of the midges Rheotanytarsus sp., Thienemanniella sp., Rheosmittia sp., and Polypedilum sp., the mayfly...
Stronger silicon for microsystems

Abstract Few studies have deliberately varied the microstructure of microfabricated polycrystalline silicon (polySi) to examine their effects on resulting mechanical performance and reliability. In the present study, the tensile strength distributions of four microfabricated polySi variants were examined, corresponding to two different grain sizes (285 nm vs. 125 nm) in both the undoped and heavily P-doped conditions. Microtensile tests revealed that the coarse-grained materials exhibited significantly lower characteristic strengths (1.48–1.76 GPa) compared to the fine-grained material (2.80–2.83 GPa). The difference in strength was attributed largely to preferential etching of grain boundary grooves that were considerably more pronounced in the coarse-grained material. The presence of phosphorous doping had a less pronounced effect on strength values, lowering the characteristic strength of coarse-grained material by merely 16% and having little or no effect on the fine-grained material.
Root intrusion in tooth-implant combination cases.

The various proposed etiologies for root intrusion in tooth-implant combination cases are discussed. Clinical examples of root intrusion are illustrated. Advantages and disadvantages of nonrigid connector and coping/suprastructure techniques are presented. (Implant Dent 1993;2:79–85)
Some aspects of crack behavior in a nonhomogeneous material

Abstract The energy release rate is calculated for an antiplane shear crack in a nonhomogeneous elastic medium whose shear modulus corresponds to a reduced rigidity about the crack front. Plastic zones about the crack tip are calculated based upon the yielding condition of von Mises and the effect of decreasing rigidity upon these zones is displayed. In addition the crack problem is analysed within the framework of the strain energy density theory and the maximum cleavage stress theory.
Therapeutic options for childhood-onset lysosomal storage disorders

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a heterogeneous group of inherited diseases, caused primarily by a deficiency of an enzyme responsible for the catabolism of various substrates; by-products of cellular turnover. As a consequence, there is progressive accumulation of incompletely metabolized materials in different cell types; and the corresponding tissues\organs involved define the pattern of disease expression. The LSDs have been traditionally classified according to the biochemical composition of tissue deposits (e.g., glycosphingolipids and glycosaminoglycans). More recently, delineation of disease mechanisms has prompted grouping on the basis of the functional defect (e.g., enzyme deficiency or intracellular transport problem). Prior to the advent of enzyme-replacement therapy, management options were mainly palliative; although bone marrow transplantation was, and remains, a therapeutic approach for selected disorders. This review will examine the use of enzyme-replacement therapy and substrate-...
Mechanism of the pulmonary vasoconstrictor action of digoxin in the dog.

The pulmonary vascular effects of a subarrhythmic dose of digoxin (60 micrograms/kg i.v.) were examined in the canine in situ perfused lung. Digoxin produced an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (66.1%) and pulmonary arterial pressure (8.2 mm Hg) at 70 min after injection in the constant-flow, blood-perfused lung preparation. The digoxin-treated group exhibited higher plasma levels of norepinephrine compared with control dogs. The pulmonary vasoconstrictor response to digoxin was abolished by prior treatment with the alpha-adrenergic antagonists phenoxybenzamine and phentolamine. This vasoconstriction does not involve inhibition of synthesis or action of vasodilator prostaglandins by digoxin, as pretreatment with indomethacin did not attenuate, and even tended to increase, the pressor response to digoxin. The response was prevented by prior treatment with blockers of nonneuronal uptake of catecholamines normetanephrine and hydrocortisone, but not with cocaine, a blocker of neuronal uptake. In the lung preparation perfused with Krebs buffer solution, digoxin failed to produce vasoconstriction when administered intravenously (60 micrograms/kg) or in the perfusate at a concentration of 8 ng/ml, the blood level at the peak of the pressor response. Sodium-pump activity (ouabain-sensitive 86Rb+ uptake) of intralobular pulmonary arteries excised after 90 min of exposure to digoxin was the same as activity in arteries from control dogs. In conclusion, digoxin produces a pulmonary vasoconstriction through an alpha-adrenergic mechanism. Since the pressor response was observed only in the blood-perfused lung, blood-borne catecholamines are apparently involved.
Occupational influences on retirement, disability, and death

This research examines the alternative mechanisms by which occupations influence the nature and timing of older men’s labor force withdrawal. We specifically assess the extent to which occupational factors operate directly and indirectly on exiting events and whether occupations constrain traditional determinants of labor force participation. Based on a discrete-time hazard modeling approach, the results substantiate that the occupational task activities—substantive complexity and physical demands— are key elements of the work environment that are evaluated against nonwork alternatives. In the case of retirement, these aspects of occupational attractiveness function as a dominant and direct force in retirement decision making. With regard to disability, the occupational attribute of substantive complexity operates as an indirect advantage (through higher wages) by reducing the risk of disability. Indicators of career continuity also influence retirement among older workers. Finally, the results suggest that financial characteristics and health problems are central to the distribution of older workers across the alternative destination statuses of retirement, disability, and death.
Masturbation: A Kantian condemnation

Etude de la condamnation de la masturbation masculine et de tout usage non-naturel des attributs sexuels dans la «Metaphysique des moeurs» de Kant, ou le philosophe denonce tout onanisme en termes de violation du devoir moral envers soi-meme. Defendant une moralite sexuelle traditionnelle fondee sur la finalite de la nature, l'A. entreprend une apologie de la thoerie morale kantienne qui se veut condamnation du vice et poursuite de la vertu
Effects of Electrolyte Concentration on Surfactant Adsorption to a QCM Immersed in Surfactant + Electrolyte Solutions

Abstract Surfactant adsorption from aqueous electrolyte solutions onto metal surfaces was characterized through the use of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM). The need for a better understanding of the surfactant adsorption process became apparent in previous studies by Morton et al., directed toward the development of a thermodynamically-based model of oil removal from metal surfaces. These modeling efforts utilized existing data on surfactant adsorption data, yet required the estimation of surfactant adsorption phenomena, such as the transition between monolayer adsorption and multi-layer adsorption and the location of the critical micelle concentration (CMC). Experimental techniques utilizing the quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) have been shown to be highly reliable for measuring slight changes, on the order of a nanogram, in the adsorption behavior of surfactants from aqueous solutions. The current study demonstrates that the addition of low concentrations (< 100 mM) of sodium chloride to aqueous so...
ROC optimization may improve risk stratification of prostate cancer patients

Abstract Objectives. Rational treatment decision requires accurate projection of the clinical course of a patient. Current methods in clinical outcome analysis mostly focus on population data. We investigated the applicability and optimization of the widely used actuarial method to project individual clinical outcomes. Methods. We designed and implemented a Clinical Outcome Prediction Expert (COPE) that performs, assesses, and optimizes actuarial prediction on individual cases. We analyzed a post-prostatectomy database, consisting of 1043 patients. Sixty percent of the database was used for training and 40% for validation. Stratified actuarial curves are used to project individual outcomes. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, the Gleason score, and the clinical American Joint Commission on Cancer Staging T-stage before treatment were used as predictors. The area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to measure predictive performance. Results. We obtained simple optimized stratification of pretreatment PSA level of 10 ng/mL or less, or more than 10 ng/mL; Gleason score of 6 or lower, or higher than 6; and clinical AJCC T-stage of T2a or lower, or higher. The optimized univariate risk scores were used to generate a multivariate score. After optimization, we found the higher risk group consisted of patients with PSA more than 10 ng/mL, or with PSA of 10 ng/mL or less and Gleason score higher than 6 and clinical AJCC T-stage higher than T2a. The optimized multivariate risk score has the highest ROC area of 0.77 among all predictors. Conclusions. The best conditions to perform actuarial prediction on individual cases are not known a priori and require optimization. This study shows that ROC optimization simplifies risk stratification and may improve the accuracy of clinical outcome prediction.
Effect of Acute Exercise on Clinically Measured Reaction Time in Collegiate Athletes

AB Purpose: We have developed a reliable and valid clinical test of reaction time (RTclin) that is sensitive to the acute effects of concussion. If RTclin is to be used as a sideline concussion assessment tool then the acute effects of exercise on RTclin may need to be controlled for. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the effect of exercise on RTclin. Methods: A gender-balanced group of 42 collegiate athletes were assigned to an exercise (n = 28) and a control (n = 14) group using 2:1 block randomization. The exercise group completed a graded four-stage exercise protocol on a stationary bicycle (100 W x 5 min; 150 W x 5 min; 200 W x 5 min; sprint x 2 min), whereas the control group was tested at identical periods without exercising. Mean RTclin was calculated for eight trials as the fall time of a vertically suspended rigid shaft after its release by the examiner before being caught by the athlete. RTclin was measured at baseline and after each of the four stages. Results: As both HR and RPE significantly increased for the four stages in the exercise group (P < 0.001), mean RTclin showed a significant overall decline during repeated test administration (P < 0.008). However, there were no significant group (exercise vs control, P = 0.822) or group-by-stage interaction (P = 0.169) effects on RTclin as assessed by repeated-measures analysis of variance. Conclusions: Exercise did not appear to affect RTclin performance in this study. This suggests that RTclin measured during a sideline concussion assessment does not need to be adjusted to account for the acute effects of exercise
Specialized merge processor networks for combining sorted lists

In inverted file database systems, index lists consisting of pointers to items within the database are combined to form a list of items which potentially satisfy a user's query. This list merging is similar to the common data processing operation of combining two or more sorted input files to form a sorted output file, and generally represents a large percentage of the computer time used by the retrieval system. Unfortunately, a general purpose digital computer is better suited for complicated numeric processing rather than the simple combining of data. The overhead of adjusting and checking pointers, aligning data, and testing for completion of the operation overwhelm the processing of the data.A specialized processor can perform most of these overhead operations in parallel with the processing of the data, thereby offering speed increases by a factor from 10 to 100 over conventional computers, depending on whether a higher speed memory is used for storing the lists. These processors can also be combined into networks capable of directly forming the result of a complex expression, with another order of magnitude speed increase possible. The programming and operation of these processors and networks is discussed, and comparisons are made with the speed and efficiency of conventional general purpose computers.
ESR evidence regarding the structures of some simple nitrogen-centered radicals in aqueous solution

Abstract The ESR spectrum of the radical obtained by reaction of eaq− with N-bromoacetamide in aqueous solution is described by the parameters aN = 10.40, aH(CH3) = aH(OH) = 1.46 G, and g = 2.00326. These values show that the stable structure is CH3C(OH)N, i.e., methylene iminc type, and is not CH3C(O)NH. The OH proton dissociates with a pK of 6.3 and the resulting anion CH2C(O−)N shows magnetic parameters also consistent with an imino type. The unpaired electron in these radicals is in a nitrogen p orbital in the plane of the heavy atoms. The previously reported radicals −O2 CNH and CH3OC(=O)N− derived from OH + OCN− and eaq− + CH3 OC(O)NHCl respectively, have higher g factors (and a large proton splitting in the case of −O2 CNH) which suggest they are of the amino or amido structure with the unpaired electron in a nitrogen p orbital at right angles to the plane of the heavy atoms. Together, these radicals illustrate two different sites of protonation and two different structures for the -(CON)− group.
Predictors of recovery in activities of daily living among disabled older persons living in the community

Objective To identify the factors that predict recovery in activities of daily living (ADLs) among disabled older persons living in the community.
Collaborative networked hypermedia education: lessons from the NERO project

Abstract This paper describes the genesis, development and delivery of a course in software engineering for hypermedia. The course was developed collaboratively at four geographically separated universities for delivery via high-speed networked hypermedia. The authors and their collaborators at Portland State University and Oregon State University built the course as a set of distributed modules. This enabled (1) exploration of a variety of styles of educational hypermedia, including text, forms and audio modalities, and (2) rapid reuse. Novel course materials included forms-based prototypes, forms-based exercises, audio-annotated notes, and a simple audiovisual ‘slide show’ utility for delivery of protocol data for use by students. As a result of this project, we learned that distributed collaborative delivery of a course is significantly easier than similarly situated development of the course. The preparation of a hypermedia course involves significantly extra effort—comparable to writing a textbook—but produces teaching materials that are much more flexibly deliverable than traditional CAI materials.
Enlightened Communication Is the Key to Building Relationships

ABSTRACT The role of communication in relationship marketing is often presented as crucial, and yet, specifics of theories and concepts from the field of communication are scant. Furthermore, despite the intuitive appeal and face validity of relationship marketing and its large-scale implementation, both the theory and practice of relationship marketing seem to be fraught with problems that limit its impact in the marketplace. Consequently, the relationship-oriented approach to marketing threatens to become a case of an espoused theory instead of a theory in use. The authors contend that the complexity of the relationship marketing process exceeds the capabilities of its theories in use and suggest the broadening of the theoretical foundation of relationship marketing and consequent enhancement of its practical application by incorporating theories and ideas from the field of communication. The predominantly relational orientation of communication makes it a depository of concepts and ideas that can illum...
Modeling the impact behavior of AD85 ceramic under multiaxial loading

Summary This paper presents an advanced constitutive model to describe the complex behavior of ceramic materials under impact loading conditions. The governing equations utilize a set of microphysically based constitutive relationships to model deformation and damage processes in a ceramic. The total strain is decomposed into elastic, plastic and microcracking components. The model parameters for AD85 ceramic were determined using the data from split Hopkinson bar and bar-on-bar experiments under uniaxial stress state and plate impact experiment under uniaxial strain state. To further validate the generality of the model parameters, modeling of a diagnostic ballistic experiment in which a steel projectile impacted a AD85 ceramic-front-faced thick aluminium plate, was considered. In this experiment, stress histories were measured in the target by embedded manganin and carbon stress gauges. The results from the numerical simulations of the ballistic experiment using a shock-wave propagation based finite element code, successfully matched the measured stress history.
Further results from a laboratory model of the convective planetary boundary layer

The turbulence in a laboratory convective mixed layer is probed more extensively than in the preliminary study of Willis and Deardorff (1974), and results presented. Turbulence intensities, spectra and probability distributions using mixed-layer scaling compare favorably with similarly scaled field measurements not available or plentiful in 1974. However, the velocity spectra in the convection tank exhibit only a short inertial subrange due to the close proximity of the dissipation subrange to the energy-containing range. The turbulence budget suggests that the convergence of the vertical transport of pressure fluctuations is a rather important term. Results on the entrainment rate are also presented, using both mixed-layer scaling and local interfacial scaling.
First Order Topological Structures and Theories

In this paper we introduce the notion of a first order topological structure, and consider various possible conditions on the complexity of the definable sets in such a structure, drawing several consequences thereof. Our aim is to develop, for a restricted class of unstable theories, results analogous to those for stable theories. The “material basis” for such an endeavor is the analogy between the field of real numbers and the field of complex numbers, the former being a “nicely behaved” unstable structure and the latter the archetypal stable structure. In this sense we try here to situate our work on o-minimal structures [PS] in a general topological context. Note, however, that the p-adic numbers, and structures definable therein, will also fit into our analysis. In the remainder of this section we discuss several ways of studying topological structures model-theoretically. Eventually we fix on the notion of a structure in which the topology is “explicitly definable” in the sense of Flum and Ziegler [FZ]. In §2 we introduce the hypothesis that every definable set is a Boolean combination of definable open sets. In §3 we introduce a “dimension rank” on (closed) definable sets. In §4 we consider structures on which this rank is defined, and for which also every definable set has a finite number of definably connected definable components. We show that prime models over sets exist under such conditions.
Failure analysis of firewater pipeline

Abstract This paper presents the failure analysis of a fire water pipe line from a petrochemical industry. Leakages were noticed at the top portion of the pipeline. Severe deep pits were observed at the top inner surface and deposits found at the bottom inner surface of the pipe line. Visual inspection, microscopic examination, chemical and water analyses were employed in the present failure analysis. The analysis results showed that the failure occurred due to the severe oxygen corrosion attack at the top portion of the pipe while the bottom surface of the pipe suffered from under deposit corrosion. The fire water pipe line was made of low carbon steel.
The metabolic role of peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase II. Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase activity on washed rat liver ribosomes

Abstract Peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase activity has been found both free from and bound to rat liver ribosomes. Washing the ribosomes with 1.0 M NH4Cl, 0.1 mM MgCl2 (plus isotonic medium) removed most nuclease and acylase activities. The residual enzymatic activity toward N-acyl-aminoacyl-tRNAs had all the defining properties of the peptidyl-tRNA hydrolase: broad specificity toward acyl-aminoacyl-tRNAs with acyl-amino acid and active tRNA as products, low activity toward both acyl-aminoacyl-RNA fragments and aminoacyl-tRNAs. The rat liver hydrolase activity stimulated the hydrolysis of Escherichia coli fMet-tRNAf. Four of five resolvable rat liver Ac-Ser-tRNAs were relatively poor substrates for rat liver hydrolase but were acceptable to E. coli hydrolase. A possible metabolic role for hydrolase of removing relatively non-specifically N-acetylated aminoacyl-tRNAs is discussed.
Required counseling for mental health professional trainees: Its perceived effect on self-awareness and other potential benefits

Background: Professional literature, mental health training program accreditation standards, and mental health professionals support the idea that high levels of self-awareness are necessary for mental health professionals to deliver effective services to a diverse client population.Aims: The authors examined the experience of 164 students in a counselor preparation program that required 10 sessions of individual counseling for perceived effect on self-awareness and recommendation for requirement of counseling for trainees.Method: The researchers developed a survey including a Counselor Self-Awareness Scale to examine students' perceptions regarding the value of the required counseling experience.Results: Students perceived a significant increase in awareness of interactions with clients, as well as other benefits, and 92% of participants supported required counseling for mental health professional trainees.Conclusions: This study provided support for the effectiveness of required counseling in increasing...
Calcium: A Central Regulator of Plant Growth and Development

Today no one questions the assertion that Ca2+ is a crucial regulator of growth and development in plants. The myriad processes in which this ion participates is large and growing and involves nearly all aspects of plant development (recent reviews in [Harper et al., 2004][1]; [Hetherington and
Consumer Perception of Food‐Borne Illness Risks Before and After the 2006 E. Coli Events

Late in 2006 there were two well-publicized outbreaks of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in the United States. One is traced back to contaminated spinach and the other is connected to contaminated lettuce. By looking at the relative rankings of food-borne illness relative to other risks (i.e., war or terrorism, accidents at home, accidents away from home, environmental disaster, natural disaster, and infectious diseases), changes that occurred following the outbreaks are examined. Risks are defined for the project participants as the chance of sudden, unexpected injury, illness, or death. Changes in consumer behavior and attitude are also examined. The ranking of risks associated with food-borne illness increases significantly following the outbreaks, but behaviors and attitudes do not change significantly. The media play a role in increasing awareness. People who listen to news on TV or on the radio daily have significant changes in their ranking of food-borne illness risk; however, those that do not listen to media news as often do not have significant differences in their responses. Gender, age, and the presence of children in the home also mattered in determining significant changes in the ranking of food-borne illnesses.
Defective Complement Inhibitory Function Predisposes to Renal Disease

The role of the complement system in mediating human renal disease has long been recognized in immune-complex excess syndromes such as systemic lupus erythematosus and in dense deposit disease in which no immunoglobulin (Ig) is present. Over the past 15 years, mutations in complement regulatory genes have been demonstrated to predispose to thrombotic microangiopathies including atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, C3 and C1q glomerulopathies, and preeclampsia. Excessive complement activation on an endothelial cell, due to either an autoantibody or a regulatory protein deficiency, sets up a procoagulant state in these diseases as well as in the antiphospholipid syndrome. Knowledge of the genes involved and the functional consequences of alterations in their structure has led to therapy that blocks complement activation.
Outcomes in Children and Young Adults Who Are Hospitalized for Firearms-Related Injuries

Objectives. To compare outcomes by in- tent of nonfatal firearms-related injuries in a hospital- ized population, newborn to 19 years of age, and estimate the national incidence of ensuing disability. Methods. Descriptive statistics and comparative anal- ysis using 2 , odds ratio, and t test were applied to data from the National Pediatric Trauma Registry (NPTR) and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. Demograph- ics, preinjury medical history, scene of injury, primary body part injured, severity of injury, utilization of re- sources, short-term and long-term disability, medical cause of disability, and disposition at discharge were studied. Results. NPTR unintentional (n 268) and assault- related firearms-related injuries (n 506) were com- pared. In both groups, the majority of patients were male (80%). Compared with the unintentionally injured, the assaulted children were older and more frequently black (59.3% vs 32.5%). Approximately 17% in both groups had a preinjury history of medical/psychosocial problems. Unintentional injuries occurred mainly in private dwell- ings (75.7%), and assaults occurred in public places/street (53.8%). In both groups, injuries to multiple body regions were prevalent, and a substantial proportion sustained injuries of serious to critical level. Most children were transported by ambulance, but a significant proportion in the unintentional group were transported by helicop- ter. The rate of admission to the intensive care unit was 40% for both groups. The unintentionally injured had a higher rate of surgical intervention (66.8% vs 50.8%) and stayed in the hospital longer than the assaulted ones (median: 5 days vs 3 days). Almost half of the children in both groups were discharged with disability, and 87% returned to their home. Applying the NPTR disability rate to National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimates of hospitalization suggests that 3200 children nationwide develop disability from firearms-related in- juries annually. Conclusions. Nonfatal firearms-related injuries in a pediatric population are associated with a high use of medical resources and lasting disability. Public policies should be developed and implemented to reduce the occurrence of these catastrophic events. Pediatrics 2004; 113:1306 -1312; pediatric, trauma, injury, disability.
The enzymatic activation of coenzyme B12

The enzymatic “activation” of coenzyme B12 (5′-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, AdoCbl), in which homolysis of the carbon–cobalt bond of the coenzyme is catalyzed by some 109- to 1014-fold, remains one of the outstanding problems in bioinorganic chemistry. Mechanisms which feature the enzymatic manipulation of the axial Co–N bond length have been investigated by theoretical and experimental methods. Classical mechanochemical triggering, in which steric compression of the long axial Co–N bond leads to increased upward folding of the corrin ring and stretching of the Co–C bond is found to be feasible by molecular modeling, but the strain induced in the Co–C bond seems to be too small to account for the observed catalytic power. The modeling study shows that the effect is a steric one which depends on the size of the axial nucleotide base, as substitution of imidazole (Im) for the normal 5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole (Bzm) axial base decreases the Co–C bond labilization considerably. An experimental test was thus devised using the coenzyme analog with Im in place of Bzm (Ado(Im)Cbl). Studies of the enzymatic activation of this analog by the B12-dependent ribonucleoside triphosphate reductase from Lactobacillus leichmannii coupled with studies of the non-enzymatic homolytic lability of the Co–C bond of Ado(Im)Cbl show that the enzyme is only slightly less efficient (3.8-fold, 0.8 kcal mol−1) at activating Ado(Im)Cbl than at activating AdoCbl itself. This suggests, in agreement with the modeling study, that mechanochemical triggering can make only a small contribution to the enzymatic activation of AdoCbl. Another possibility, electronic stabilization of the CoII homolysis product by compression of the axial Co–N bond, requires that enzymatic activation be sensitive to the basicity of the axial nucleotide. Preliminary studies of the enzymatic activation of a coenzyme analog with a 5-fluoroimidazole axial nucleotide suggest that the catalysis of Co–C bond homolysis may indeed be significantly slowed by the decrease in basicity.
Bundled Discounts, Leverage Theory, and Downstream Competition

Under plausible circumstances, a monopolist in one market can use its control of prices in that market to force competing downstream buyers to sign tying contracts that will lever its monopoly into another market. Specifically, the monopolist of the tying good can place each downstream buyer in a prisoner's dilemma by offering them more favorable pricing on the tying good if they sign a requirements-tying contract covering the tied good. Since a buyer benefits on receiving more favorable pricing on the tying good and the competitors do not, and suffers if the competitors receive more favorable pricing on the tying good and the buyer does not, buyers will sign the tying contract even when they would earn higher profits if they all refused to sign. This enables a monopolist in one market to inefficiently exclude an entrant in another market.
Critical Role for CD4+ T Cells in Controlling Retrovirus Replication and Spread in Persistently Infected Mice

Reactivations of persistent viral infections pose a significant medical problem in immunocompromised cancer, transplant, and AIDS patients, yet little is known about how persistent viral infections are immunologically controlled. Here we describe a mouse model for investigating the role of the immune response in controlling a persistent retroviral infection. We demonstrate that, following recovery from acute Friend virus infection, a small number of B cells evade immunological destruction and harbor persistent virus. In vivo depletions of T-cell subsets in persistently infected mice revealed a critical role for CD4(+) T cells in controlling virus replication, spread to the erythroid lineage, and induction of erythroleukemia. The CD4(+) T-cell effect was independent of CD8(+) T cells and in some cases was also independent of virus-neutralizing antibody responses. Thus, the CD4(+) T cells may have had a direct antiviral effect. These results may have relevance for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections where loss of CD4(+) T cells is associated with an increase in HIV replication, reactivation of persistent viruses, and a high incidence of virus-associated cancers.
51V NMR: A New Probe of Structure and Bonding in Catalysts

Solid State 51V NMR spectra are sensitive to changes In the surface structure of V2O5 dispersed on Al2O3 and TiO2 supports. For V2O5 supported on alumina, wideline and magic-angle spinning experiments at 4.7 and 7.0 T reveal the presence of two vanadium species with different bonding environments. The relative proportions of these species change monotonically as a function of the vanadium concentration. In contrast, supported vanadium oxide on TiO2 substrates show a much more V2O5-like environment. Structural inferences are discussed In connection with solid state 51V NMR studies on model compounds with known crystal structures and site symmetries.
Geophysics and nutritional science: toward a novel, unified paradigm

This article discusses a few basic geophysical processes, which collectively indicate that several nutritionally adverse elements of current Western diets also yield environmentally harmful food consumption patterns. We address oceanic dead zones, which are at the confluence of oceanography, aquatic chemistry, and agronomy and which are a clear environmental problem, and agriculture's effects on the surface heat budget. These exemplify the unknown, complex, and sometimes unexpected large-scale environmental effects of agriculture. We delineate the significant alignment in purpose between nutritional and environmental sciences. We identify red meat, and to a lesser extent the broader animal-based portion of the diet, as having the greatest environmental effect, with clear nutritional parallels.
Systematic Approach to Radiology of Endocrine Disorders Affecting the Musculoskeletal System

Diagnostic imaging has two major roles in the management of the patients with endocrine dysfunction: (1) Localization of the abnormal endocrine gland and demonstration of the nature and extent of abnormality. (2) Visualizing the radiological musculoskeletal abnormalities in target organs.
Beyond Gout: Colchicine Use in the Cardiovascular Patient:

Colchicine is one of the oldest medications still in use today and is commonly used for the treatment of gout and familial Mediterranean fever. Its anti-inflammatory properties have raised the question of its utility in managing several cardiovascular diseases, including postoperative atrial fibrillation and pericarditis. This article will review the evidence for colchicine in these conditions and provide recommendations for use.
Sudden Cardiac Death and Disorders of the QT Interval: Anesthetic Implications and Focus on Perioperative Management

ONG QT SYNDROME (LQTS) and short QT syndrome SODIUM CHANNEL PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND LQTS/SQTS L(SQTS) are genetic cardiac ion channelopathies that occur in the general population and have a well-documented association with sudden cardiac death both in children and adults. Sudden cardiac death usually is caused by sustained ventricular tachycardia, including ventricular fibrillation. The published incidence averages about 5 to 10 deaths per 10,000 population. In the United States, sudden cardiac death is responsible for about 300,000 to 450,000 deaths per year. The ion channelopathies are a heterogenous group of inherited multisystem disorders that include Brugada syndrome, catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. These conditions have 3 features in common: (1) a structurally normal heart, (2) genetic basis, and (3) predisposition to lethal arrhythmias. They are being recognized with increased frequency in the perioperative period, and guidelines for the management of patients with these complex arrhythmias are lacking. This review addresses the perioperative issues associated with LQTS and SQTS, with a focus on evidence-based management.
Giving Low-Income Americans Minimum Access to Legal Services

RECENTLY the Legal Services Corporation pre sented to Congress its request for an appropria tion of $304 million for the fiscal year 1979 to com plete its three-year plan to provide minimum access to civil legal assistance for all poor people in the United States. In fiscal years 1977 and 1978 Congress appropriated most of the funds necessary for the first two years of this plan. It recognized the plan as an essential step in meeting the corporation's statutory mandate to "pro vide equal access to the system of justice in our nation for individuals who seek redress of grievances." Completion of the plan in 1979 will establish legal assistance programs across the country for the low income people who desperately need that assistance. The corporation was established to ensure that those who are otherwise unable to afford legal assist ance are provided both access to justice and equal justice under the law. Legal services lawyers act as civil law enforcement officers to ensure that the laws are carried out on behalf of poor people. The mandate of the corporation, under the 1974 Legal Services Corporation Act, is to support "high quality legal assistance to those who would be other wise unable to afford adequate legal counsel." The act defines an eligible client as "any person financially unable to afford legal assistance." By this provision, Congress recognized that many low income and even middle-income persons in this country cannot afford the high costs of essential legal care. For poor people, however, a legal problem is all too often an acute crisis in ways that are simply not true for others. An eviction notice may mean no hous ing at all; a defective car may mean unemployment because of lack of transportation; the denial of social security benefits may mean no food for a family. In view of the overwhelming needs of the poor, Congress first directed the corporation to focus its resources on persons with the greatest economic need.
Improving Quality: When Surgeons Take the Bit Between the Teeth, Patients Win!

See related article on pages 160–169. Continuing his career-long focus on surgical quality improvement, Dr Robert J. Cerfolio is once again grabbing the bit and leading the charge for surgeons to systematically and deliberately evaluate surgical quality, this time focusing on robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy. In the Seminars article titled “Robotic Esophagectomy for Cancer: Early Results and Lessons Learned,” the authors evaluate 85 patients who underwent predominantly laparoscopic gastric conduit mobilization and tubularization with robotic-assisted thoracoscopic esophageal mobilization and anastomosis over a 4-year time frame. In contrast to many publications, the current article focuses on several quality improvement measures that were implemented over the time frame of the study in efforts to improve upon relatively high rates of 90-day mortality and anastomotic leak. To improve on patient selection preoperatively, they implemented longer rehabilitation before surgical intervention in patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scores of 2 or 3 following preoperative chemotherapy or radiation or both. In those patients, operative intervention is delayed until the patient has fully recovered. Though “fully recovered” is not defined, if the patient is able to climb 28 steps without stopping, they are candidates for operation; if not, chemoradiation is used as definitive treatment. During the operative phase, in response to delayed liver failure in 2 patients, they now routinely perform laparoscopic liver biopsy in patients with a history of alcohol abuse to determine whether or not unsuspected cirrhosis is present. In response to high leak rates and leak-associated morbidity, they altered their techniques for conduit formation and the anastomosis, and began monitoring daily white blood cell counts to improve early detection of leaks. Given the small numbers of patients, it is not possible to evaluate whether these changes are effective and we will have to wait for subsequent publications. The value in the current
DIRECT INJECTION OF THE THYMUS WITH ANTIGENIC SUBSTANCES.

SummaryDirect injection of the adult hamster thymus gland with a variety of substances has produced changes in lymphoid tissues, bone marrow and blood that suggest thymic stimulation. The changes produced by direct injection of the thymus gland include splenomegaly and lymphadenopathy, increase of bone marrow lymphocytes, increase of gamma globulin, positive Coombs' antiglobulin test, development of follicles within the thymus gland, plasma cell development in the thymus, spleen and lymph nodes and anemia, possibly of the autoimmune type.