cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing Chandra and SIRTF Observations for Obscured Starbursts and AGN at High Redshift

Tracking the star formation rate to high redshifts requires knowledge of the contribution from both optically visible and obscured sources. The dusty, optically-obscured galaxies can be located by X-ray and infrared surveys. To establish criteria for selecting such sources based only on X-ray and infrared surveys, we determine the ratio of infrared to X-ray brightness that would be observed by SIRTF and Chandra for objects with the same spectral shapes as nearby starbursts if seen at high redshift. The parameter IR/X is defined as IR/X = (flux density observed in SIRTF MIPS 24 $\mu$m filter in mJy)/(total flux observed within 0.5-2.0 keV in units of 10^-16 ergs\s\cm^2). Based on observations of NGC 4038/39 (``The Antennae''), NGC 3690+IC 694 (Arp 299 or Mkn 171), M 82, and Arp 220, nine starburst regions are compared using mid-infrared spectra taken by the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO) and X-ray spectra obtained with Chandra . The IR/X are determined as they would appear for 1 4 would not match any of the objects considered.
Identifying and Categorizing Risks Incumbent in US Nuclear Power Plant Construction

AbstractIn the US, nuclear power plants offer a means of generating power with less carbon emissions and higher efficiency as compared to traditional fossil plants. Because of this, they offer a so...
Effectiveness of Thermal Ablation and Stereotactic Radiotherapy Based on Stage I Lung Cancer Histology.

Abstract Purpose To assess whether the effectiveness of thermal ablation (TA) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) as initial treatments for stage I lung cancer varies depending on the histological subtype. Materials and Methods The 2004–2016 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage I lung cancer treated with TA or SBRT. Patients Results A total of 28,425 patients were included (SBRT, n = 27,478; TA, n = 947). TA was more likely to be used in Caucasian patients, those with more comorbidities and smaller neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the lower lobe, and those whose treatment had taken place in the northeastern United States. After propensity score matching, a cohort with 4,085 SBRT and 817 TA patients with balanced confounders was obtained. In this cohort, OS for TA and SBRT was comparable (hazard ratio = 1.07; 95% confidence interval,0.98–1.18; P = .13), although it varied by histological subtypes: higher OS for TA was observed in patients with non–small cell NETs (vs SBRT hazard ratio = 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.24–0.95; P = .04). No significant OS differences between TA and SBRT were noted for adenocarcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, small cell carcinomas, and non-neuroendocrine large cell carcinomas (each, P > .1). Conclusions OS following TA and SBRT for stage I lung cancer is comparable for most histological subtypes, except that OS is longer after TA in non–small cell NETs.
New Complexities, New Threats

The complexity of the world, especially in computing terms, is growing exponentially. This complexity is now such that no human can understand it in its entirety. This note explores some implications of this new situation.
Opioid use and prescribing practices for women undergoing elective gynecologic surgery

Objectives To describe opioid prescribing practices in women undergoing elective gynecologic surgery for benign indications and determine the rate of new persistent opioid use (NPOU) among opioid-naive women. Methods Retrospective population-based cohort study using linked administrative data in Ontario supported by ICES Institute. We included opioid adult women who underwent elective gynecologic surgery between January 1st 2013 and March 31st 2018 for benign indications in Ontario, Canada. Women were included if they were opioid-naive in the year prior to surgery. Results There were 132,506 patients in our cohort. Perioperative opioid use was documented in 27,763 (21.0%) patients and NPOU was documented in 4,827 (3.65%) patients undergoing gynecologic surgery. Patients who filled an opioid prescription were more likely to develop NPOU (unadjusted OR 1.49, 95%CI 1.40-1.59, p Conclusions Women undergoing gynecologic surgeries, irrelevant of level of invasiveness, are at increased of developing NPOU when filling an opioid prescription due to their surgery. Opioids play an important role in managing post-operative pain, however, the risks and benefits of prescribing them must be carefully weighed by healthcare providers.
Training spiking neural networks with a multi-agent evolutionary robotics framework

We demonstrate the training of Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) in a novel multi-agent Evolutionary Robotics (ER) framework inspired by competitive evolutionary environments in nature. The topology of a SNN along with morphological parameters of the bot it controls in the ER environment is together treated as a phenotype. Rules of the framework select certain bots and their SNNs for reproduction and others for elimination based on their efficacy in capturing food in a competitive environment. While the bots and their SNNs are not explicitly trained to survive or reproduce using loss functions, these drives emerge implicitly as they evolve to hunt food and survive. Their efficiency in capturing food exhibits the evolutionary signature of punctuated equilibrium. We use this signature to compare the performances of two evolutionary inheritance algorithms on the phenotypes, Mutation and Crossover with Mutation, using ensembles of 100 experiments for each algorithm. We find that Crossover with Mutation promotes 40% faster learning in the SNN than mere Mutation with a statistically significant margin.
Lutein and zeaxanthin reduce A2E and iso-A2E levels and improve visual performance in Abca4−/−/Bco2−/− double knockout mice

Abstract Accumulation of bisretinoids such as A2E and its isomer iso-A2E is thought to mediate blue light-induced oxidative damage associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and autosomal recessive Stargardt disease (STGD1). We hypothesize that increasing dietary intake of the macular carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin in individuals at risk of AMD and STGD1 can inhibit the formation of bisretinoids A2E and iso-A2E, which can potentially ameliorate macular degenerative diseases. To study the beneficial effect of macular carotenoids in a retinal degenerative diseases model, we used ATP-binding cassette, sub-family A member 4 (Abca4−/−)/β,β-carotene-9′,10′-oxygenase 2 (Bco2−/−) double knockout (KO) mice that accumulate elevated levels of A2E and iso-A2E in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and macular carotenoids in the retina. Abca4−/−/Bco2−/− and Abca4−/− mice were fed a lutein-supplemented chow, zeaxanthin-supplemented chow or placebo chow (~2.6 mg of carotenoid/mouse/day) for three months. Visual function and electroretinography (ERG) were measured after one month and three months of carotenoid supplementation. The lutein and zeaxanthin supplemented Abca4−/−/Bco2−/− mice had significantly lower levels of RPE/choroid A2E and iso-A2E compared to control mice fed with placebo chow and improved visual performance. Carotenoid supplementation in Abca4−/− mice minimally raised retinal carotenoid levels and did not show much difference in bisretinoid levels or visual function compared to the control diet group. There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between carotenoid levels in the retina and A2E and iso-A2E levels in the RPE/choroid. Supplementation with retinal carotenoids, especially zeaxanthin, effectively inhibits bisretinoid formation in a mouse model of STGD1 genetically enhanced to accumulate carotenoids in the retina. These results provide further impetus to pursue oral carotenoids as therapeutic interventions for STGD1 and AMD.
Expert Intervention Learning: An online framework for robot learning from explicit and implicit human feedback

Scalable robot learning from human-robot interaction is critical if robots are to solve a multitude of tasks in the real world. Current approaches to imitation learning suffer from one of two drawbacks. On the one hand, they rely solely on off-policy human demonstration, which in some cases leads to a mismatch in train-test distribution. On the other, they burden the human to label every state the learner visits, rendering it impractical in many applications. We argue that learning interactively from expert interventions enjoys the best of both worlds. Our key insight is that any amount of expert feedback, whether by intervention or non-intervention, provides information about the quality of the current state, the quality of the action, or both. We formalize this as a constraint on the learner’s value function, which we can efficiently learn using no regret, online learning techniques. We call our approach Expert Intervention Learning (EIL), and evaluate it on a real and simulated driving task with a human expert, where it learns collision avoidance from scratch with just a few hundred samples (about one minute) of expert control.
Thermodynamic modeling of aqueous Na+–K+–Cl−–SO42− quaternary system with electrolyte NRTL model

Abstract A comprehensive thermodynamic model based on electrolyte non-random two-liquid (eNRTL) equation is developed for aqueous Na + –K + –Cl − –SO 4 2− quaternary system. To account for the composition dependence of the solution nonideality, the eNRTL model requires two binary interaction parameters for each of the four electrolyte–water and four electrolyte–electrolyte pairs. We obtain the eNRTL binary parameters for (K + SO 4 2− ):H 2 O pair, (K + SO 4 2− ):(Na + SO 4 2− ) pair and (K + Cl − ):(K + SO 4 2− ) pair by regressing literature data. The eNRTL binary parameters for the other electrolyte–water and electrolyte–electrolyte pairs are retrieved from the literature. To account for the temperature dependence, each of the eNRTL binary parameter is correlated with a Gibbs–Helmholtz type expression with up to three temperature coefficients. The eNRTL model accurately represents various thermodynamic properties of the aqueous quaternary system and its subsystems with temperatures up to 473.15 K and electrolyte concentrations up to saturation.
Ring-Chromosomes, Telocentric Chromosomes, Isochromosomes, and B Chromosomes

This chapter is a continuation of the discussion of unusual chromosome types. As mentioned before, the term “unusual” in this connection is a relative term. We very often have a certain concept of things, and whatever deviates from this concept we call “unusual”. Because ring-chromosomes, telocentric chromosomes, isochromosomes, or B chromosomes differ from the majority of chromosomes in humans, animals and plants, they are considered unusual. But apparently, in some instances, such chromosomes fulfill a need that cannot be met by any other chromosome type. There is no obvious connection between these four chromosome types except that they all deviate in some way or another from the prototype as described in Chapters 2 and 3.
Willingness to Pay and Preference for Private Institutions

This study focuses on the correlates of student preference for private institutions over public institutions in their senior year in high school, with a particular focus on the effects of students' subjective responses to tuition costs and to financial aid availability. The data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal study of postsecondary educational choice of high school students in the state of Indiana. The results indicate that in addition to student and family background and student academic characteristics, students' subjective responses to tuition costs and to financial aid availability have a substantial linkage with student preference for private or public institutions. This study suggests that family and ascribed characteristics alone do not explain student preference for the type of postsecondary institution. Students' subjective responses to tuition costs and to financial aid availability are also directly related to student preference for a certain type of postsecondary institution, independent of student family background and academic characteristics. This suggests that the willingness to pay, not only the ability to pay, plays a direct role in student college choice decisions. The implications for policy making are discussed.
Therapy of mixed anaerobic-aerobic infections: Lessons from studies of intra-abdominal sepsis

Mixed anaerobic-aerobic infections may occur in a variety of anatomical locations and are usually related to the spread of bacteria from a proximal mucosal surface. Much has been learned about the pathophysiology and treatment of mixed anaerobic-aerobic infections from the study of intra-abdominal sepsis related to spillage of colonic contents. There is an average of five microorganisms at the infected site: three anaerobic and two aerobic pathogens. Appendicitis and diverticulosis are the most common conditions which predispose to fecal contamination of the intra-abdominal cavity. Initially, peritonitis develops which, if untreated, progresses to an abscess. The abscess is a unique pathologic entity which may form a protective environment for the microorganisms and present a barrier to the action of certain antimicrobial agents. Treatment usually involves two modalities: surgical drainage or debridement and appropriate antimicrobial agents to cover both components of the mixed infection. On the basis of in vitro susceptibility there are six groups of antimicrobial agents that are useful in treating intra-abdominal infections: clindamycin; metronidazole; chloramphenicol; broad-spectrum penicillins (carbenicillin/ticarcillin/piperacillin); cephalosporins (cefoxitin/moxalactam); and imipenem. Randomized prospective studies have shown that the first five of these groups are effective in the therapy of intra-abdominal mixed infections. Preliminary data indicate that imipenem/cilastatin is very effective in the therapy of this serious infection; however its place in the therapeutic armamentarium awaits the completion of randomized prospective studies against established drugs.
Electrochemiluminescence Quenching by Halide Ions at Bipolar Electrodes

Quenching of Ru(bpy)32+ electrochemiluminescence (ECL) by Cl−, Br−, and I− ions was studied as a function of halide concentration in a bipolar electrochemical cell. All of the halides investigated showed similar qualitative behavior: above a critical concentration, ECL intensity was found to decrease linearly as the halide ion concentration was increased, due to dynamic quenching of Ru(bpy)32+ ECL. Stern-Volmer slopes (KSV) of 0.111±0.003, 4.2±0.3, and 6.2±0.3 mM−1 were measured for Cl−, Br− and I−, respectively. The magnitude of KSV correlates with halide ion oxidation potential, consistent with an electron transfer quenching mechanism. Using the bipolar platform described herein, aqueous, halide-containing solutions could be quantified rapidly using the sequential standard addition method. The lower detection limit is determined by a complex mechanism involving the competitive electrooxidation of halide ions and the ECL co-reactants, as well as the passivation of the surface of the bipolar electrode, and was found to be 0.20±0.01, 0.08±0.01 and 10±1 mM, respectively, for I−, Br−, and Cl−. The performance of the bipolar ECL quenching assay is comparable to previously published fluorescence quenching methods for the determination of halide ions, while being much simpler and less expensive to implement.
Low-temperature co-fired ceramic microchannels with individually addressable screen-printed gold electrodes on four walls for self-contained electrochemical immunoassays

Microchannel devices were constructed from low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) materials with screen-printed gold (SPG) electrodes in three dimensions—on all four walls—for self-contained enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays with electrochemical detection. The microchannel confines the solution to a small volume, allowing concentration of electroactive enzymatically generated product and nearby electrodes provide high-speed and high-sensitivity detection: it also facilitates future integration with microfluidics. LTCC materials allow easy construction of three-dimensional structures compared with more traditional materials such as glass and polymer materials. Parallel processing of LTCC layers is more amenable to mass production and fast prototyping, compared with sequential processing for integrating multiple features into a single device. LTCC and SPG have not been reported previously as the basis for microchannel immunoassays, nor with integrated, individually addressable electrodes in three dimensions. A demonstration assay for mouse IgG at 5.0 ng/mL (3.3 × 10-11 M) with electrochemical detection was achieved within a 1.8 cm long × 290 μm high × 130 μm wide microchannel (approximately 680 nL). Two of four SPG electrodes span the top and bottom walls and serve as the auxiliary electrode and the assay site, respectively. The other two (0.7 cm long × 97 μm wide) are centered lengthwise on the sidewalls of the channel. One serves as the working and the other as the pseudoreference electrode. The immunoassay components were immobilized at the bottom SPG region. Enzymatically generated p-aminophenol was detected at the internal working electrode within 15 s of introducing the enzyme substrate p-aminophenyl phosphate. A series of buffer rinses avoided nonspecific adsorption and false-positive signals.
Coupling stable isotope studies with food web manipulations to predict the effects of exotic fish: lessons from Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico.

1.Exotic species threaten native species worldwide, but their impacts are difficult to predict. 2.Stable isotope analysis was combined with field competition experiments to predict how an invasive African cichlid fish, Hemichromis guttatus, might affect native fish in the desert springs of Cuatro Cienegas, Mexico. 3.Stable isotope analysis suggested diet overlap between the invader and juvenile endemic cichlids, and field experiments verified that the invader reduces growth rates of the juvenile endemics through competition, but has smaller effects on adults. 4.Competition between juvenile endemic cichlids and the invader was asymmetric, with the exotic out-competing the native, suggesting the potential for competitive exclusion if the invasion is not stopped. 5.These results suggest that exotic removal programmes in Cuatro Cienegas should focus on removing/reducing populations of the exotic cichlid in habitats where juvenile native cichlids are concentrated. 6.This approach could help focus efforts to manage exotic species before populations of native species have crashed, when it is too late to intervene. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structural Basis of RNA Folding and Recognition in an AMP-RNA Aptamer Complex

THE catalytic properties of RNA1,2 and its well known role in gene expression and regulation are the consequence of its unique solution structures. Identification of the structural determinants of ligand recognition by RNA molecules is of fundamental importance for understanding the biological functions of RNA, as well as for the rational design of RNA sequences with specific catalytic activities3–6. Towards this latter end, Szostak et al.7,8 used in vitro selection techniques to isolate RNA sequences ('aptamers') containing a high-affinity binding site for ATP, the universal currency of cellular energy, and then used this motif to engineer ribozymes with polynucleotide kinase activity. Here we present the solution structure, as determined by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculations, of both uniformly and specifically 13C-, 15N-labelled 40-mer RNA containing the ATP-binding motif complexed with AMP. The aptamer adopts an L-shaped structure with two nearly orthogonal stems, each capped proximally by a G·G mismatch pair, binding the AMP ligand at their junction in a GNRA-like motif.
Structure of α-Helical Membrane-bound Human Islet Amyloid Polypeptide and Its Implications for Membrane-mediated Misfolding *

Human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) misfolding is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of type II diabetes mellitus. It has recently been shown that membranes can catalyze the misfolding of hIAPP via an α-helical intermediate of unknown structure. To better understand the mechanism of membrane-mediated misfolding, we used site-directed spin labeling and EPR spectroscopy to generate a three-dimensional structural model of this membrane-bound form. We find that hIAPP forms a single α-helix encompassing residues 9–22. The helix is flanked by N- and C-terminal regions that do not take up a clearly detectable secondary structure and are less ordered. Residues 21 and 22 are located in a transitional region between the α-helical structure and C terminus and exhibit significant mobility. The α-helical structure presented here has important implications for membrane-mediated aggregation. Anchoring hIAPP to the membrane not only increases the local concentration but also reduces the encounter between peptides to essentially a two-dimensional process. It is significant to note that the α-helical membrane-bound form leaves much of an important amyloidogenic region of hIAPP (residues 20–29) exposed for misfolding. Misfolding of this and other regions is likely further aided by the low dielectric environment near the membrane that is known to promote secondary structure formation. Based upon these considerations, a structural model for membrane-mediated aggregation is discussed.
Heat and mass transfer resistance analysis of membrane distillation

Expressions for the mass transfer resistances of all the physical domains composing the air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) and direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) processes are developed and their absolute and relative effects are evaluated to improve the process understanding and identify promising ways for its improvement. The resistances are computed based on the authors’ two-dimensional conjugate model in which a simultaneous numerical solution of the momentum, energy and diffusion equations of the feed and cold solutions have been carried out, and the results of which were validated in comparison with available experimental results. Some of the main conclusions are that: (1) the use and examination of process domain mass transfer resistances is indeed an effective method for understanding the process and identifying ways to improve it, (2) the air/vapor gap dominates the mass transfer resistances of the AGMD domains, and while increasing the air/vapor gap width reduces the parasitic heat transfer by conduction, increasing the width beyond 2 mm has thus not improved the process thermal efficiency, (3) the hot solution inlet temperature and the air gap width have by far the strongest effect on the domain mass transfer resistance, mainly as a consequence of their effect on the air/vapor gap mass transfer resistance, (4) the inlet velocities of the hot and cold solutions have a small effect in AGMD, where the effect of the hot solution velocity is the higher one, (5) the concentration of the solution has a slight effect on the process, (6) the material used for the membrane should have a small thermal conductivity for a more efficient MD process and (7) efforts to minimize the mass transfer resistance of the cold solution will have a relatively small effect on the permeate flux.
The Effectiveness of One-Sided and Two-Sided Appeals as a Function of Familiarization and Context

Summary Eighty-four male college students were given either a one-sided or two-sided appeal in which the communicator argued that a defendant in a court case was guilty of murder. A measure of agreement with the appeal served as the dependent variable. Ss unfamiliar with the issues in the simulated court case were more persuaded by a one-sided appeal than a two-sided appeal when the study was described as dealing with “accuracy of decision making.” On the other hand, there was a tendency for unfamiliar Ss to be more persuaded by a two-sided appeal than a one-sided appeal when an explicit persuasion context was provided. Also, Ss familiar with the issues were more resistant to persuasive attempts than unfamiliar Ss. Analysis of postexperimental questionnaire data revealed that counterarguments and perceptions of communicator competence and correctness were associated with the effects of the independent variables on S attitudes.
Steady-state model of the D-region during the February 1979 eclipse

Abstract Significant electron precipitation of sufficiently stable duration permitted the use of a steady-state model for the description of the charged particle distributions in the D -region during the eclipse of 26 February 1979. For the positive ions, the current results support conclusions reached in conjunction with the SPE-disturbed D -region of November 1969. Again, the three-body process leading to the clustering of NO + with CO 2 is determined to be the principal loss mechanism for NO + ions below 80 km. Inexplicably, the loss of NO + by clustering with N 2 is only of equal importance, at most. Carbon dioxide apparently is an important agent in hastening the formation of the heavier oxonium ions, H 7 O 3 + and H 9 O 4 + . There was some evidence for this fact from the SPE also, but analysis of the current data is more conclusive. A number of minor positive ions have been modelled with fair success. Differences between the model and the data are discussed. There is some agreement between the model and the negative ion data. However, the measurements by both the AFGL and the Bern University groups indicate a layer of heavy negative ions, peaking near 82 km, which suggests an origin separate from gas-phase chemistry.
Effects of Surface Area-to-Solution Volume Ratio on Chemical Durability of Nuclear Waste Glasses

We report data on the relationship between nuclear waste glass durability, as measured by leachate concentrations and leach rates, and the ratio of glass surface area to solution volume, S/V. The study includes West Valley non-radioactive production glasses (SF6 and SF10), West Valley glasses containing U and Th designed at CUA (WVCM47, WVCM50, and WVCM59), Savannah River SRL–TDS–131 glass, and Hanford waste glass HW–39 (for which existing literature data is used). While some of these glasses show departures of leachate concentrations from simple (S/V)t scaling others conform well. The departures are, in all cases, most evident at high values of S/V. It is therefore important, therefore to understand how glass composition determines which corrosion mechanism is dominant in order to assess the region of validity of extrapolations based on (S/V)t scaling. While leach rates show a general tendency to decrease with S/V and time, exceptions are evident for the less durable glasses which show minima and maxima in the S/V-dependence at fixed time.
Hole size and energetics in double helical DNA: Competition between quantum delocalization and solvation localization

The transition between single step long-range tunneling and multistep hopping transport in DNA electron transfer depends on a myriad of factors including sequence, distance, conformation, solvation and, consequently, hole state energetics. We show that the solvation energetics of hole (radical cation) states in DNA is comparable to the quantum delocalization energetics of the hole. That is, the solvation forces that tend to localize the hole compete with the quantum effects that give rise to hole delocalization. The net result is that the hole states are predicted to be relatively compact (one to three base pairs in length) and that the “trap depth” of these holes is expected to be much shallower than anticipated by gas-phase quantum chemical analysis of base stacks. This analysis predicts guanine oxidation potential dependence on the length of GC runs to be modest (differences <0.1 V for holes from one to three base pairs). The lowering of the trapped hole binding energy has significant implications for ...
Inhibition of sexual receptivity by anesthesia during estrogen priming

Abstract Anesthetics such as pentobarbital have been used to infer a role of neural activity in several neuroendocrine responses. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that neural activityduring estrogen priming is necessary for the induction of sexual receptivity. Sexual behavior was induced in overiectomized female rats by tow pulses of unesterified estradiol 6 h apart, followed by progesterone at 19 h and testing at 24 h. Anesthetizing animals for approximately 1 h during each exposure to estradiol inhibited the induction of receptivity. Anesthesia immediately before each exposure to estradiol did not interfere with the induction of sexual receptivity. The induction of neural progestin receptors by estradiol was not prevented by anesthesia. Anesthesia had no effect on the uterine weight response to estradiol. These results suggest that neural activity during estrogen priming is required for the induction of sexual receptivity, and point to differences in the mechanism of action of estrogens in the brain and the uterus.
Telomerase - strategies to exploit an important chemotherapeutic target.

Telomeres, unique protein-DNA complexes located at the chromosome ends, have important functions involving both DNA protection and cellular signalling. Telomere structure is very dynamic yet tightly controlled. One important factor is the presence of telomerase, a telomere-specific DNA polymerase activated in a majority of cancer cells. Cancer and normal cell telomeres may have dissimilar structures due to variances in telomere length, telomerase activity and levels of telomere binding proteins. In designing compounds to strictly target cancer cells, these distinctions should be investigated. Much of the recent focus has been on the development of highly effective telomerase inhibitors. Another novel group of small molecules target telomere DNA, thereby disrupting both telomerase activity and telomere structure. This class of compounds should have an immediate impact on cell growth and viability. Since many molecular characteristics of telomeres are unknown, small molecules should also be useful in probin...
A Comparison of Treatments for Reducing the Toughness of Early-Harvested Broiler Pectoralis

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate combining different treatments in the prevention of the toughening associated with early-harvested broiler breast meat. Broiler carcasses were treated with different combinations of high voltage electrical stimulation (HV) (630 V, 270 mA, pulsing 2 s on and 1 s off for five pulses), low voltage electrical stimulation (LV) (115 V, 200 mA, pulsing 1 s on and 1 s off for 14 min), high temperature conditioning (HTC) (39 C), and muscle tensioning (MT). Harvesting the breast fillets at 1 h post-mortem from untreated carcasses significantly increased the shear value of the resulting meat compared with harvesting at 24 h post-mortem. None of the treatment systems evaluated completely prevented this toughening. Only HV + MT significantly reduced the shear value mean relative to the control meat deboned at 1 h post-mortem. The HV + MTC + MT, LV + HTC, and LV + HTC + MT treatment systems did not significantly differ from the control deboned at 1 h whereas the HV + HTC treatment system significantly increased the shear value relative to this same 1-h control.
Use of tertiarybutylarsine in atomic layer epitaxy and laser‐assisted atomic layer epitaxy of device quality GaAs

The use of trimethylgallium (TMGa) and tertiarybutylarsine (TBAs) in atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) and laser‐assisted atomic layer epitaxy (LALE) of GaAs is studied for the first time. TBAs is found to be a direct and suitable replacement for arsine (AsH3) in achieving monolayer self‐limiting growth. Carbon contamination in the GaAs films grown by LALE using TMGa and TBAs is greatly reduced relative to those using TMGa and AsH3. Laser structures single GaAs quantum wells grown by ALE and LALE using TBAs exhibit threshold current density as low as 300 and 520 A/cm2, respectively.
Comparison of the effects of stimulators and inhibitors of resorption on the release of lysosomal enzymes and radioactive calcium from fetal bone in organ culture.

The release of lyosomal enzymes, collagenase, and previously incorporated 45Ca from fetal rat long bones cultured in a chemically defined medium is compared. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and prostaglandin E2 increased the release of β-glucuronidase, acetylglucosaminidase, and cathepsin D, but showed little effect on collagenase activity in the medium at 48 h. The dose-response relations for β-glucuronidase and 45Ca release were similar. However, the increase in lysosomal enzyme release was proportionally greater and occurred earlier than the increase in 45Ca release. PTH also caused a significant increase in total β-glucuronidase activity in bone plus medium. Several agents which stimulate 45Ca release at an optimal concentration, but not. at a higher concentration, including dibutyryl cAMP, isobutylmethylxanthine, and the calcium ionophore, A23187, all increased lysosomal enzyme release at the concentration which increased 45Ca release. Three inhibitors of bone resorption (calcitonin, cortisol, and colchici...
Ocean Liner Shipping: Organizational and Contractual Response by Agribusiness Shippers to Regulatory Change

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 (OSRA) promotes changes in international ocean liner shipping. An important policy issue attendant to the passage of OSRA is the Act's likely impact on the international competitiveness of the sectors that depend upon ocean shipping. Thus, to establish how freight rates and other logistical costs of using ocean liner services are now determined, this study examines emerging methods of organization and contracting among exporters of food and forest products. We find that, although many shippers negotiate private contracts with carriers, many others utilize a third-party agent to negotiate a rate with a carrier on their behalf. This article also identifies differences between two key types of third-party agents. Finally, given that a shipper in this trade does not contract directly with a carrier, this article explains the shipper's conditional choice about which type of agent to use. [EconLit citations: L140, L980, Q130]. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 19: 459–472, 2003.
Prediction of drug absorption using multivariate statistics.

Literature data on compounds both well- and poorly-absorbed in humans were used to build a statistical pattern recognition model of passive intestinal absorption. Robust outlier detection was utilized to analyze the well-absorbed compounds, some of which were intermingled with the poorly-absorbed compounds in the model space. Outliers were identified as being actively transported. The descriptors chosen for inclusion in the model were PSA and AlogP98, based on consideration of the physical processes involved in membrane permeability and the interrelationships and redundancies between available descriptors. These descriptors are quite straightforward for a medicinal chemist to interpret, enhancing the utility of the model. Molecular weight, while often used in passive absorption models, was shown to be superfluous, as it is already a component of both PSA and AlogP98. Extensive validation of the model on hundreds of known orally delivered drugs, “drug-like” molecules, and Pharmacopeia, Inc. compounds, whic...
YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ 45/spl deg/ [001] tilt grain boundaries induced by controlled low-energy sputtering of MgO substrates: transport properties and atomic-scale structure

Grain boundaries can act as weak links in the high T/sub c/ materials. If properly controlled, these grain boundaries can be used in various device applications. We have been able to reproducibly form 45/spl deg/ [001] tilt grain boundary junctions in YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-x/ thin films. The films were grown-on MgO substrates using a pre-growth substrate treatment. A low energy broad beam argon ion source was used to irradiate a select region of (100) MgO substrates. The film on the milled portion of the substrate grows predominantly with a grain orientation rotated 45 degrees about the c-axis with respect to the grain on the unmilled portion. Backscattered electron Kikuchi patterns have been used to confirm that the rotation occurs across the entire milled portion of the substrate. Transport properties of these films are discussed and related to high resolution electron microstructural and microchemical analyses of the grain boundaries. This technique has potential use in device applications as a method for controlled grain boundary engineering. >
Multidisciplinary gastrointestinal cancer clinic: abdominal radiologist as active participant.

Rationale and Objectives. Abdominal radiologists actively participated and provided subspecialty radiologic expertise in a multidisciplinary gastrointestinal cancer clinic that served a tertiary referral center. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and nonradiologists' opinions of this new approach to radiologic consultation. Materials and Methods. One of four subspecialty-trained abdominal radiologists joined physicians from four other subspecialties in staffing weekly 4 hour clinic sessions. Images were reviewed, opinions on test selection and interventional options rendered, and patients met with when interventional options were considered. Radiologists were compensated a fixed sum for each session. A survey of nonradiologists' opinions about the radiologists' active participation was conducted after 15 months (61 clinic sessions). Results. Abdominal radiologists' active participation was feasible and highly regarded by nonradiologist physicians. Specific benefits cited in the survey included improved interpretation, more efficient use of nonradiologist physician time, and improved rapport between radiologists and nonradiologists. Nonradiologist physicians believed that patient care was improved and that the radiologists' participation should continue. Conclusion. The active participation of abdominal radiologists in a multidisciplinary gastrointestinal cancer clinic is feasible and highly regarded by nonradiologists.
The Wulff construction and asymptotics of the finite cluster distribution for two-dimensional Bernoulli percolation

We consider two-dimensional Bernoulli percolation at densityp>p c and establish the following results:
Prescription opioid abuse, chronic pain, and primary care: A Co-Occurring Disorders Clinic in the chronic disease model

Abuse of opioids has become a public health crisis. The historic separation between the addiction and pain communities and a lack of training in medical education have made treatment difficult to provide, especially in primary care. The Co-occurring Disorders Clinic (COD) was established to treat patients with co-morbid chronic pain and addiction. This retrospective chart review reports results of a quality improvement project using buprenorphine/naloxone to treat co-occurring chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) and opioid dependence in a primary care setting. Data were collected for 143 patients who were induced with buprenorphine/naloxone (BUP/NLX) between June 2009 and November 2011. Ninety-three patients (65%) continued to be maintained on the medication and seven completed treatment and were no longer taking any opioid (5%). Pain scores showed a modest, but statistically significant improvement on BUP/NLX, which was contrary to our expectations and may be an important factor in treatment retention for this challenging population.
Protolith Signatures and Element Mobility of the Maksyutov Complex Subducted Slab, Southern Ural Mountains, Russia

Geochemical data from the Maksyutov Complex in the southern Ural Mountains provide evidence for the nature of the protoliths of eclogite boudins and sedimentary gneiss from the ultrahigh-pressure metamorphosed (UHPM) subducted slab, and for an evaluation of fluid-mediated mass transfer in the Devonian to Carboniferous subduction zone. Eclogites have major- and trace-element compositions of tholeiitic basalts with enriched mid-ocean ridge basalt (E-MORB) characteristics, whereas sedimentary gneiss resembles continent-derived shales. The geochemical data combined with field relations and Proterozoic protolith ages suggest the eclogite boudins formed as dikes or sills of basalt in sedimentary continental material of the East European platform during the initial opening of the paleo-Uralian ocean. Portions of the mafic boudins show large-ion lithophileelement (LILE) and light-rare-earth element (LREE) enrichment. Fluid transport of the LILE and LREE in the subduction zone seems to have been channelized (or ot...
Beyond Planck Energy to Non-Archimedean Geometry

A Lagrangian is proposed for interacting number fields such that below the Planck length p-adic fields and non-Archimedean geometry are relevant while at larger length scales the usual Riemannian geometry is applicable. Our motivation for the Lagrangian is based on the consideration of group properties in the previously-proposed primary quantization approach.
The narrative imperative: Fiction and the aging writer

Abstract Literary critics and humanistic gerontologists are interested in the inter-connection of fiction, autobiography, and the life-cycle. Both have much to gain from the techniques of the other. Gerontologists can learn useful techniques from psychoanalytic and post-structuralist theories, but their questions about aging and the life cycle will enrich library studies as well. A brief examination of the life and literary career of E.M. Forster and Virginia Woolf is offered as an example of a way of combining literary theory with gerontological concerns.
Handling time, prey preference, and functional response for Chrysoperla rufilabris in the laboratory

The predaceous larvae of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister) exhibited some success-motivated searching, particularly when feeding on Heliothis virescens (F.) eggs, but handling time did not decrease with experience. Handling time for H. virescens larvae was more than twice that for eggs. H. virescens larvae were preferred to cotton aphids (Aphis gossypu (F.)) while aphids were preferred to H. virescens eggs. C. rufilabris larvae exhibited a linear functional response to the three prey types tested, over the prey densities tested. Resume Temps de manipulation, choix des proies et reactions fonctionnelles de Chrysoperla rufilabris au laboratoire C. rufilabris (Burmeister) est commun dans des habitats varies de differentes parties des USA. Les larves sont predatrices et attaquent presque tous les insectes au corps mou. Sa prospection est orientee quand il s'alimente sur des œufs et les premiers stades d'Heliothis virescens F. mais pas lorsqu'il consomme Aphis gossypii F. Le temps de manipulation par C. rufilabris n'est cependant pas modifie par la consommation anterieure de proies ces types. Il depend du type de proie: il est plus de 2 fois plus long avec les chenilles d'H. virescens qu'avec ses œufs. Les larves de C. rufilabris sont des predateurs generalistes ayant des preferences lorsqu'elles ont le choix: les chenilles d'H. virescens sont preferees aux pucerons du coton, et ceux-ci aux œufs de H. virescens. Elles presentent une reaction fonctionnelle lineaire pour tous les types de proies, a toutes les densites examinees. C. rufilabris constitue un potentiel interessant pour la lutte biologique avec des interventions inondatrices contre de nombreux insectes nuisibles. Cependant, des mises au point techniques sont necessaires pour obtenir une production de masse economique et des methodes de liberation dans la nature efficaces.
Schöne Jungs und schräge Plots: Verführung bei Grillparzer und Stifter

Taking its cues from Peter von Matt’s distinction between a classical and a modern scheme of seduction, this essay discusses the male seducers and the plot patterns in a play and a novella by two major Austrian writers from the restoration period before 1848. It examines the transformation of the sentimental seduction plot in Franz Grillparzer’s dramaturgy via the example of Die Argonauten (1821) and explores the construction of male virginity and the seduction of the gaze in Adalbert Stifter’s novella Das alte Siegel (1844).
Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy mimicking persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous.

Abstract Purpose: To report an unusual case of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy in an infant. Methods: Case report. A 6-day-old girl had unilateral microphthalmia in the right eye, with a retrolental plaque initially diagnosed as persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. Three months later, peripheral retinal vascular changes and a fibrovascular ridge were noted in the left eye, suggesting familial exudative vitreoretinopathy as the cause in both eyes. Results: The microphthalmic right eye was unsalvageable. The left eye developed an exudative retinal detachment despite photocoagulation of the peripheral avascular retina. Additional cryotherapy resulted in resolution of the detachment and regression of the vascular changes. Conclusions: With highly asymmetric involvement, neonatal familial exudative vitreoretinopathy can mimic persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous. Fellow eye involvement can progress rapidly.
Infiltration of liposome bupivacaine into the transversus abdominis plane for postsurgical analgesia in robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy: a pilot study.

Background Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) infiltration has been increasingly used for postsurgical analgesia in abdominal/pelvic procedures; however, duration/extent of analgesia with standard local anesthetics is limited. This pilot study assessed the preliminary efficacy and safety of two volumes of liposome bupivacaine administered via TAP infiltration in patients undergoing robotic laparoscopic prostatectomy.
An improved method for heterotopic cardiac allografting.

Summary Cervical cardiac allografting offers several advantages for the study of cardiac transplantation, including ease of performance and ready accessibility of the graft to palpation and visual evaluation. An improved technique is described which has advantages of simplicity, shortened ischemia time, and improved rate of allograft survival. This preparation has been used successfully in more than 70 animals for the investigation of various aspects of cardiac transplantation, rejection, immunosuppression, and preservation.
Fluorescent lanthanide complexes with 2,2′-bipyridine 1,1′-dioxide

Abstract The syntheses and physical properties of the crystalline compounds [Eu(bipyO2)4](ClO4)3 and [Tb(bipyO2)4](ClO4)3(bipyO2-2,2′-bipyridine, 1,1′-dioxide) are reported. The compounds are characterized by i.r. spectra and conductance measurements. Both complexes are observed to fluorescence in both the solid state and in nitromethane solution, and the fluorescence spectra for both the europium and terbium complexes in solution are reported.
Cerebromicrocirculatory defects in animal model of depression

In the tetrabenazine (TBZ) model of depression, the cerebromicrocirculation was discovered to respond abnormally to metabolic demand as mimicked by the administration of CO2. Altered responsivity of cerebral blood flow and effective permeability of the blood — brain barrier to changes in PaCO2 were found. These physiologic defects coincided temporally with TBZ-induced depletion of central norepinephrine and dopamine and with the development of the behavioral effects of TBZ (the end points used to test the antidepressant potential of experimental drugs). Pretreatment with amitriptyline (a standard antidepressant and amine reuptake inhibitor) prevented the development of these TBZ-induced abnormalities in the cerebromicrocirculation, just as it prevented the behavioral effects.