cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tricyclic antidepressants exhibit variable pharmacological profiles at the α2A adrenergic receptor

Antidepressant mechanisms of action remain shrouded in mystery, greatly hindering our ability to develop therapeutics which can fully treat patients suffering from depressive disorders. In an attempt to shed new light on this topic, we have undertaken a series of studies investigating actions of tricyclic antidepressant drugs (TCAs) at the α2A adrenergic receptor (AR), a centrally important receptor, dysregulation of which has been linked to depression. Our previous work established a particular TCA, desipramine, as an arrestin-biased α2AAR ligand driving receptor endocytosis and downregulation but not canonical heterotrimeric G protein-mediated signaling. The present work is aimed at broadening our understanding of how members of the TCA drug class act at the α2AAR, as we have selected the closely related but subtly different TCAs imipramine and amitriptyline for evaluation. Our data demonstrate that these drugs do also function as direct arrestin-biased α2AAR ligands. However, these data reveal differences in receptor affinity and in the extent/nature of arrestin recruitment to and endocytosis of α2AARs. Specifically, amitriptyline exhibits an approximately 14-fold stronger interaction with the receptor, is a weaker driver of arrestin recruitment, and preferentially recruits a different arrestin subtype. Extent of endocytosis is similar for all TCAs studied so far, and occurs in an arrestin-dependent manner, although imipramine uniquely retains a slight ability to drive α2AAR endocytosis in arrestin-null cells. These findings signify an important expansion of our mechanistic understanding of antidepressant pharmacology, and provide useful insights for future medicinal chemistry efforts.
Effect of d-norgestrel on LH levels and ovulation in the rhesus monkey.

Abstract The mode of action of a synthetic progestin on serum LH levels and ovulation was studied in female rhesus monkeys. Oral d-norgestrel was administered continuously for up to 10 cycles on a body weight basis designed to reflect clinical doses that have been used in the minipill and combination oral contraceptive. A dose of 3 μg d-norgestrel/day (minipill dose) did not alter the length of the menstrual cycle or midcycle LH surge. A dose of 30 μg d-norgestrel/day(combination dose) produced amenorrhea associated with elevated tonic levels of serum LH characterized by irregular, pulsatile surges. In monkeys treated with 3 μg d-norgestrel/day, ovulation occurred as judged by laparoscopy or histologic observation of a corpus luteum. At ten times this dose, ovaries were atrophic with a reduced number of developing follicles and no evidence of corpora lutea. Luteinized follicles were also present. When d-norgestrel (30 μg/day) was discontinued, ovulatory-like LH patterns and regular menses resumed in the first two consecutive post-treatment cycles. As in women, microdose d-norgestrel therapy does not block ovulation, but at higher doses produces a disturbance in LH secretion and ovulatory function which can be readily reversed when therapy is discontinued.
Won’t you be my neighbor? Race, class, and residence in Los Angeles, by Camille Zubrinsky Charles

In Won’t You be my Neighbor?, Charles argues that understanding racial segregation is key for understanding racial inequality in the United States. To Charles, where a person lives significantly im...
Mini-chromosome maintenance complexes form a filament to remodel DNA structure and topology

Deregulation of mini-chromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins is associated with genomic instability and cancer. MCM complexes are recruited to replication origins for genome duplication. Paradoxically, MCM proteins are in excess than the number of origins and are associated with chromatin regions away from the origins during G1 and S phases. Here, we report an unusually wide left-handed filament structure for an archaeal MCM, as determined by X-ray and electron microscopy. The crystal structure reveals that an α-helix bundle formed between two neighboring subunits plays a critical role in filament formation. The filament has a remarkably strong electro-positive surface spiraling along the inner filament channel for DNA binding. We show that this MCM filament binding to DNA causes dramatic DNA topology change. This newly identified function of MCM to change DNA topology may imply a wider functional role for MCM in DNA metabolisms beyond helicase function. Finally, using yeast genetics, we show that the inter-subunit interactions, important for MCM filament formation, play a role for cell growth and survival.
Current Trends in the Clinical Management of an Old Enemy: Congestive Heart Failure in the Elderly

Much has been learned in the past decade, through quality medical and nursing research, regarding the pathophysiology and management of congestive heart-failure. Primary care practitioners are challenged to apply the latest data to the clinical management of these patients when there is clear eviden
Solution to spatial inhomogeneity on video monitors

One problem with the use of computer graphics monitors in vision experiments is spatial inhomogeneity: phosphor output intensity can vary between screen locations. This feature complicates accurate display of stimuli—either output must be confined to a small portion of the screen or variability must be accepted. We have developed a platform-independent spatial compensation algorithm to correct for variance in output luminances over the surface of the screen. We have implemented and tested this algorithm on our own graphics system. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Recent Research Trends in Transglutaminase Technology for Food Processing

Based on the hypothesis that cross-links contribute considerably to the physicochemical and functional properties of protein, we examined the usefulness of the cross-linking enzyme transglutaminase (TGase) in terms of protein polymerization, gelation, film formation, and peptide incorporation into protein. TGase-producing microorganisms were discovered, and mass production and preparation of the enzyme was accomplished. TGase has been used in the production of various new food items such as restructured meat and seafood, new textured sausages and fish cakes, retort resistant soybean curd, Iong-life noodles, volume-improved bread, etc. We present here an overview of developments in microbial TGase technology to date.
Welfare effects of tied food aid

Abstract An important part of the overall U.S. aid program is Public Law 480 food aid. The design of the program seeks to satisfy numerous and often conflicting objectives. Several constraints have been placed on the use by recipient countries of that aid to insure that the intentions of the program are achieved. This paper examines the implications for recipient country welfare of both the traditional and the proposed restrictions on PL480 aid. It also seeks to clarify the interpretation of empirical work on the effects of this aid. It is shown that the net value of such commodity tied aid is simply the grant component of the subsidized sale and may easily be realized by substituting food aid imports for commercial imports. Restrictions which prevent aid recipients from doing so are costly to the recipient and could lead even to immuserization. Empirical evidence obtained by others is consistent with the notion that such restrictions are circumvented, where possible, by food aid recipients. The results presented indicate that a ‘Schultzian’ disincentive effect is characteristic of a closed economy. Typical interventions on the part of recipient country governments do not effectively reclose the economy. Hence, open economy models are more appropriate frameworks for evaluating the effects of PL480 aid.
The Angular Diameter of Alpha Bootis by the Interferometer.

2Jeans, Dynamical Theory of Gases, p. 247. 3Adams, "The Quantum Theory," Bull. Nat. Res. Council, 1, No. 5, Oct., 1920. 4Jeans, loc. cit., p. 246. 5Ithaca, Physic. Rev., 14, p. 368. 6Wm. A. Felsing (Thesis), Technology Press, June, 1918. 7 Keyes, loc. cit. 8Proc. R. Soc. London, 84A, p. 595. 9Leipzig, Ann. Physik, 17A, 1882 (418). 1OProc. R. Soc. London, 87A, pp. 556--57. Phil. Trans. R. Soc., 185A, p. 572. 12J. Chem. Soc. London, 99, p. 708. 13Ann. Physik, 59, p. 200. 4 Landolt Bornstein (1912). 15Z. Anorg. Chem., 93, p. 18. "6Brillouin, Leqons sur la Viscosite, pp. 152-159.
Numerical Simulations of Biomass Co-Firing in a Fluidized Bed Combustor

Fluidized bed technology is an established technology for energy generation due to low operating temperatures, high system efficiency, fuel flexibility, and easier control of pollutants such as NOx and SO. Co-firing of biomass is an attractive option for power generation as it increases use of renewable and waste materials, thereby replacing the conventional coal. This paper investigated biomass co-firing in a fluidized bed using two models. The first model is based on the recent study on the high-volatile solid fuels in a fluidized bed. The first model considered the fluidized bed combustor as three distinct zones: bed zone, splashing zone, and freeboard zone, and took into account material balances in each zone. In addition, sub-models for estimating the pollutants such as NOx and SO were also included in the model. The second model was based on the coal combustion in a fluidized bed. The second model only considered bed and freeboard zones in a fluidized bed. The model for pollutant emissions was also included in the second model. The predictions of both models included char loading in the bed, combustion efficiency, and pollutant emissions. Predictions of both models were compared with the available experimental data to validate the models. The results of the study suggest that current coal models may be appropriate to apply for biomass co-firing in fluidized coal combustors as long as the biomass co-firing is limited to not more than 30% of the total fuel.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Postpartum contraceptive use among adolescent mothers.

Objective: To compare the incidence of repeat pregnancy and method continuation rate at 12 months postpartum in young women who chose either depot medroxyprogesterone acetate or oral contraceptives (OCs) as contraception. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 122 postpartum women younger than 18 years of age who delivered between January 8, 1997 and December 31, 1997. Patients choosing depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (n = 76) and OCs (n = 46) were accrued for 12 months and were followed-up for a minimum of 12 months. Main outcome measures were median contraceptive method continuation and the incidence of repeat pregnancy at 12 months postpartum. Results: There was no difference in mean age at delivery (P = .47), parity (P = .84), or gravidity (P = .78) between depot medroxyprogesterone acetate and OC users. At 12 months postpartum, 27.4% of OC users and 55.3% of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate users were still using contraception. Median time to contraceptive discontinuation was longer for those choosing depot medroxyprogesterone acetate compared with OCs (17.8 vs 7.4 months, respectively, P = .002). The overall incidence of repeat pregnancy at 12 months postpartum was 10.6%. Among OC and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate users, respectively, 24% and 2.6% became pregnant again, producing a relative risk (RR) of 9.09 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1, 39.2) for repeat pregnancy among OC users. The mean time to repeat pregnancy (this was reported instead of the median time whenever the pregnancy rate had not reached 50% at the end of the follow-up period) was longer for depot medroxyprogesterone acetate compared with OC users (17.1 months vs 13.2 months, respectively, P < .001). Conclusion: Adolescent mothers using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injection for contraception have a higher method continuation rate and a lower incidence of repeat pregnancy at 12 months postpartum than those selecting OCs during the same period.
Percutaneous Drainage in the Treatment of Emphysematous Pyelonephritis: 10-Year Experience

AbstractPurpose: We investigated the effect of percutaneous drainage for the treatment of emphysematous pyelonephritis.Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was done of 25 patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis who were treated initially with computerized tomography (CT) guided percutaneous drainage during a 10-year period. The patients were concomitantly treated with antibiotics, fluids, and correcting blood glucose and/or ureteral obstruction. We also compared our results of percutaneous drainage to CT findings.Results: CT identified 12 patients with emphysematous pyelonephritis who had gas with little fluid and 13 who had gas with renal or perirenal fluid collections. In 20 of 25 patients (80%) antibiotic therapy combined with percutaneous drainage constituted the only treatment required. Three patients (12%) whose clinical status improved after percutaneous drainage subsequently underwent elective nephrectomy without further complications. Two patients (8%) died of multiple organ failure...
Hepatitis Due to Herpes Simplex Virus in Marrow-Transplant Recipients

Eight cases of hepatitis due to herpes simplex virus (HSV) (five "confirmed," three "possible") were identified among marrow-transplant recipients at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center between 1975 and 1988. The clinical and pathological characteristics of these patients are described and compared with published findings for non-marrow-transplant recipients with HSV hepatitis. Clinical syndromes in the marrow-transplant recipients ranged from fever associated with abdominal pain and elevations in serum aminotransferase levels to fulminant hepatitis. Evidence of hepatic infection appeared before day 20 following transplantation unless prophylaxis with acyclovir was given, in which case HSV hepatitis did not appear until after day 40. All patients died, although the one patient who was given early, empirical high-dose acyclovir therapy clearly improved with antiviral therapy and may have died of other causes. Involvement of multiple organs with HSV was found in three of four patients with confirmed HSV hepatitis who underwent autopsy. In all cases, reactivation of latent HSV was the presumed source of the HSV hepatitis. HSV hepatitis should be considered when HSV-seropositive recipients of marrow transplants develop abdominal pain, fever, and elevations in aminotransferase levels.
Les lésions du tendon du subscapulaire : étude descriptive et résultats des réparations chirurgicales

Resume Les lesions interessant le tendon du subscapulaire restent des lesions encore meconnues, plus frequentes que ce qui est classiquement ecrit. Une etude descriptive a ete realisee sur 22 patients (23 epaules) presentant une rupture du tendon du subscapulaire. Tous ces patients ont beneficie d’une reparation chirurgicale de la coiffe des rotateurs par suture et ont ete revus avec un recul moyen de 73 mois. Les resultats de cette serie ont ete compares a une etude prospective publiee par un des auteurs (RHC), qui a revu avec un recul moyen de 13,4 ans, 97 autres patients (105 epaules) operes pour une rupture de la coiffe des rotateurs. L’etude comparative a permis de preciser les particularites liees aux atteintes du tendon du subscapulaire. Ces lesions sont survenues plus frequemment apres un traumatisme de l’epaule et le handicap fonctionnel a ete plus important qu’en cas d’atteinte des autres tendons. La prise en charge chirurgicale a ete plus rapide et a necessite une adaptation de la voie d’abord chirurgicale. En postoperatoire, une protection de la rotation externe a ete realisee pendant 4 a 6 semaines. Enfin, les resultats obtenus apres reparations les lesions de la coiffe avec atteinte du tendon du subscapulaire ont ete inferieurs aux autres reparations. Cependant dans les 2 series, les resultats ont ete directement lies a la taille de la rupture. Si des resultats satisfaisants ont pu etre obtenus en cas de lesions isolees du tendon du subscapulaire, lorsque plus d’un tendon a ete atteint, les resultats des reparations chirurgicales ont ete plus decevants.
Negative differential resistance in InGaAs strained layer heterostructures

Abstract Strained-layer resonant tunneling structures of pseudomorphic GaAsAlAsInxGa1−xAsAlAsGaAs for indium compositions as high as x = 0.25 are studied both experimentally and with a simple quantum mechanical model. The energy spectrum of the unbiased structure includes both resonant and bound states due to the narrow-band gap InGaAs well. Negative differential resistance is observed for both resonant states and bound states. Qualitative agreement between experimental and calculated results are shown.
Torsion of the paradidymis

Abstract A second case of torsion of the paradidymis is reported. The embryologic aspects and incidence of appendages within the tunica vaginalis are discussed. This case is compared with the only other report of this clinical entity.
THE IMPACT OF OCLC ON INTERLIBRARY LOAN IN THE UNITED STATES

The OCLC Interlibrary Loan Subsystem became available for use 1 April 1979. The advantages and disadvantages of the ILL Subsystem are examined, as well as the composition and use of the OCLC on‐line union catalogue. Library staffing has had to change because of the way some tasks are now accomplished. Library patrons expect and receive better service. OCLC is conspicuously successful in helping libraries to cope with ever‐increasing numbers of interlibrary loan requests.
OUTCOME OF PATIENTS WITH PRENATALLY DETECTED DUPLEX SYSTEM URETEROCELE; NATURAL HISTORY OF THOSE MANAGED EXPECTANTLY

Purpose: We assessed the outcome of patients treated for prenatally detected duplex system ureterocele with particular reference to those treated expectantly.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 52 consecutive patients treated between 1984 and 1999 with a median followup of 8 years (range 1 to 16.2).Results: Of the 38 patients who underwent surgical treatment 13 subsequently required unplanned secondary procedures. A total of 14 cases satisfying currently defined criteria, including less than 10% upper renal pole function, an unobstructed lower pole (absent nonrefluxing hydroureteronephrosis), lower pole vesicoureteral reflux not exceeding grade III and unobstructed bladder outflow, were managed expectantly with a median followup of 8 years (range 1.6 to 12.8). In this group of patients prophylactic antibiotics were routinely prescribed until the completion of toilet training or age 5 years in those with persistent reflux on repeat cystography. None has required surgery or had symptoms or uri...
Astaxanthin in Calanus pacificus: Assessment of pigment-based measures of omnivory

We investigated the suitability of the pigments astaxanthin and canthaxanthin as biomarkers for measuring the contribution of microzooplankton prey to copepod diets. Identification and quantification of pigments of the marine planktonic copepod Calanus pacificus and heterotrophic protists were made using reversephase HPLC with a photodiode array detector. Astaxanthin content in the body tissues of C. paczjicus declined significantly within 2 h after the onset of starvation. The esterified an’d unesterified pigment fractions behaved differently, with the unesterified fraction initially increasing in starved animals. Tissue astaxanthin content of C. paczjicus increased by 50% in 24 h when fed the cryptomonad alga Rhodomonas sp. Such rapid changes in copepod body tissue pigments in response to starvation or feeding would lead to large errors in pigmentbased measures of omnivory. Furthermore, neither astaxanthin nor canthaxanthin could be detected in any extract of six species of cultured and one species of field-collected heterotrophic marine protists. Although a variety of carotenoids were found in Protist extracts, no single pigment was common to all heterotrophic protists. Omnivory by copepods has been measured with laboratory cultures (Stoecker and Sanders 1985; Wiadnyana and Rassoulzadegan 1989) as well as with incubations with field-collected prey assemblages (Gifford and Dagg 1991; Ohman and Runge 1994; Fessenden and Cowles 1994). These studies demonstrate that many copepods are omnivorous and will selectively ingest microzooplankton over phytoplankton. An immunochemical approach was introduced by Ohman (1992); however, methods which quantify the contribution of microzooplankton to copepod diets without manipulating the predators or their prey have been generally lacking. Kleppel et al. (1988) suggested that the carotenoid pigments astaxanthin and canthaxanthin could be used as biomarkers for the presence of animal prey in zooplankton diets in a manner analogous to the use of chlorophyll a and other algal pigments in quantifying copepod herbivory (e.g. Mackas and Bohrer 1976; Head and Harris 1994). The approach relies on the following assumptions: that astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are uniquely of “animal” origin and are widely distributed among potential prey; that these pigments remain identifiable once ingested by consumers; that the pigments originating from consumer tissues and prey tissues can be distinguished; and that there is a consistent relationship between prey astaxanthin-canthaxanthin content and measures of prey biomass such as organic C or N. Here we address the third and fourth assumptions in detail.
Ethnic Origins, Educational Level, and Responses to a Health Questionnaire

Attitudes toward illness and medicine in various population groups, differential reactions to pain, as well as relationships between social status and types of illness have been examined in a number of studies in recent years. Such research has provided accumulating data on the role of social and cultural elements in perceptions of illness and in the etiology of certain physical and emotional diseases. Evidence from reports of war observations and experimental situations, as well as from clinical studies in medical fields offers numerous indications of relationships between perceptions of illness or pain and factors external to the individual.
Assessment of delivery methods used in the informed consent process at a safety-net hospital

Background Informed consent is legally and ethically required before a patient undergoes an endoscopic procedure, yet current literature suggests that patient comprehension of key components of informed consent is poor. Objective To evaluate specific aspects of and patient satisfaction with the informed consent process in patients who attended an endoscopy education class versus gastroenterology clinic. Design Prospective survey that examined all components of the informed consent process. Setting Safety-net hospital. Patients Outpatients undergoing endoscopy. Intervention Endoscopy education class versus gastroenterology clinic. Main Outcome Measurements Patient recall of the components of and satisfaction with the informed consent process. Results A total of 301 patients completed the survey, 52.0% of whom attended and were consented in an endoscopy education class. Patients who attended an endoscopy education class reported that a greater number of individual components of the informed consent process were explained to them as compared with patients who were consented in clinic. In multivariate analysis, patients who attended an education class were more likely to recall having had the alternatives (odds ratio [OR] 4.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.0-11.8), details of the procedure (OR 3.0; 95% CI, 1.3-6.8), and what to expect after the procedure (OR 3.0; 95% CI, 1.5-5.6) explained to them by a provider. These patients were more likely to know they could refuse the procedure (OR 4.1; 95% CI, 1.0-16.8), compared with patients consented in the gastroenterology clinic. Limitations Non-randomized trial. Conclusion Patients from a diverse, urban population who attended a multilingual endoscopy education class reported having more elements of the informed consent process explained to them compared with patients who were consented in gastroenterology clinic.
Dogmatism, Trust, and Message Acceptance

Summary Forty-eight high and 48 low dogmatic undergraduates were led to expect positive, neutral, or negative information about unidentified foreign nations, but along with a no-expectancy control group (n # 24) they received only neutral information. As hypothesized, low dogmatic (open-minded) persons were unaffected by the prior pronouncements of a source, but closed-minded (dogmatic) individuals rejected both source and message when their expectancies were disconfirmed. It was concluded that openminded persons attended to the content and implications of a message, whereas closed-minded persons attended to the surface quality of information and the reputation of the source.
Fused airborne sensor technology

No rapid (airborne) reconnaissance and survey capability exists to detect, localize, and discriminate buried and partially buried unexploded ordnance and ordnance and explosive waste. In the last decade, several factors point to the need for a new approach in site survey and cleanup methodology including an increasing number of areas being surplused by the Department of Defense (DOD), the continual public awareness of the location and status of formerly used defense sites, and the reduction in DOD budgets. The need for a safe, accurate, economical, and time-expedient land survey and detection capability has never been so great. Fused Airborne Sensor Technology (FAST) is derived from a similar proven multi-sensor fusion approach for mine reconnaissance against buried sea mines, the most difficult mines to detect in underwater environments. The FAST concept will use a single helicopter platform for spatial and temporal co-registration and fusion of sensor data. Sensors will include a superconducting magnetic field gradiometer, a two-color infrared camera, ground-penetrating radar, and a visible spectrum camera. The combination of these sensors allows for detection, identification, and localization of a wide spectrum of targets. Multiple `looks' at the target and associated clutter by sensors detecting different physical phenomena will allow lowering individual sensor thresholds to ensure each sensor detects all targets and clutter of interest. Sensor fusion will then be used to reject the clutter. Since sensor characteristic information is derivable through testing for both targets of interest and known clutter, a `fingerprinting' process can be used to pull the targets from the typically clutter-rich background. The FAST concept will be presented with sensor and fusion methodology for application to a wide variety of buried and partially buried targets.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Chemical self-replication of palindromic duplex DNA.

MOLECULAR replication, a fundamental process of life, has in recent years been the subject of laboratory investigations using simple chemical systems1–10. Whereas the work of Rebek's group4,5 has focused on molecular architectures not known in living systems, self-replicating and template-based self-assembling systems based on nucleotides6–8 are regarded as potential models for exploring the evolution of replicating systems on the early Earth. Previous replicating oligonucleotides have been of the single-stranded, self-complementary type: small oligonucleotide fragments are assembled on a pre-existing template and linked to form an exact copy of the template. This process cannot easily be reiterated, however, because of the strong binding of the newly formed strand to the original template. Furthermore, DNA replication in living systems operates by complementarity rather than self-complementarity—each newly assembled strand is complementary to, rather than identical to, its template—and the replication process starts and finishes with double helices. Here we report the self-replication of palindromic (symmetrical) duplex DNA-like oligonucleotides, 24 monomers long, in the absence of enzymes by means of a cycle that transfers information from template to copy and is potentially capable of extension to include non-symmetrical sequences, selection and mutation. Replication proceeds by a chemical process involving the formation of an intermediate triplex structure, and is sequence-selective in the sense that mismatches impair its efficiency. These results indicate that DNA-like double-helical molecules can replicate without assistance from proteins, a finding that may be relevant both to the appearance of replicating systems on the early Earth and to the development of new approaches to DNA amplification.
Effectiveness of chemical control for the black turpentine beetle in central Louisiana.

Two methods of controlling the black turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) in cutover stands were evaluated over a 3-year period. A benzene hexachloride diesel oil spray was applied to (1) all fresh-cut stumps and damaged trees or (2) only damaged and infested trees. Neither treatment showed significant difference in reducing tree mortality when compared with checks; nor was either treatment effective in reducing tree mortality when compared with unsprayed plots.
Removal of Trace Concentrations of Heavy Metals Using Complexing Ion‐Exchange Resins

Abstract Oak Ridge National Laboratory is examining potential new technologies for treating radiologically‐contaminated process wastewater. The current treatment facility is aging and is optimized to remove 90Sr, but future wastewaters are likely to contain mostly activated metals, such as 51Cr and 64Cu. Other low‐volume wastewaters may contain trace concentrations of Hg and U. Complexing ion‐exchange resins and other specialized sorbents were tested for removing trace concentrations of heavy metals. Short‐term column tests and batch loading tests were conducted using a surrogate wastewater and various sorbents. These tests showed that metal uptake was very rapid, and that good removal and relatively high loadings could be achieved from a very dilute wastewater surrogate. Forager M‐TU (Dynaphore, Inc.) showed the best overall results, removing 91.9% of the Cr, 99.3% of the Cu, >99.7% of the Hg, and >99.9% of the U with a contact time of 120 seconds in a short‐term column test.
Effect of In Vitro Lipid Peroxidation on High Affinity Ca ++ -ATPase Activity in Neuronal Nuclear Membranes of the Newborn Piglet

Effect of In Vitro Lipid Peroxidation on High Affinity Ca ++ -ATPase Activity in Neuronal Nuclear Membranes of the Newborn Piglet
The effect of prinomastat (AG3340), a potent inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, on a subacute model of proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose. To determine the efficacy of prinomastat (AG3340), a synthetic inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase, in the treatment of experimental proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) induced by intravitreal dispase injection. Methods. One eye each of 53 New Zealand white rabbits was injected in the vitreous cavity with 0.07 unit of dispase to induce PVR. One week after PVR induction, 53 rabbits were randomized (27:26) to receive 0.5 mg prinomastat or the vehicle of the drug (acidified water) intravitreally every two weeks. The scores of PVR severity (scale of 1–5) were graded to compare the prinomastat-treated animals with the control group. Results. The average PVR scores in the treatment and control groups were 2.62 and 3.57 respectively (p = 0.038; Wilcoxon rank sum). Clinically significant PVR with retinal detachment (PVR = grade 3) developed in 76% of rabbits in the control group versus 51% of rabbits treated with prinomastat. Conclusions. Intravitreally administered prinomastat decreased development ...
Lithium insertion chemistry of phosphate phases with the lipscombite structure

Abstract The lithium insertion chemistry of an iron phosphate with the lipscombite structure, Fe1.19PO4F0.11(OH)0.46(H2O)0.43, was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), galvanostatic cycling, and potentiostatic intermittent titration. The compound, prepared by a simple hydrothermal method, contains interconnecting chains of face-sharing FeO6 octahedra with about 60% Fe occupancy. Assuming that all the iron may be reduced, the theoretical capacity is about 180 mAh g−1, similar to that of olivine-type LiFePO4. Reversible intercalation was found to proceed via a single-phase reaction at an average potential of 2.8 V versus Li+/Li. Good structural stability upon intercalation/deintercalation was observed. The unit cell volume increased linearly and isotropically with increasing lithium content, reaching 10% for a Li:Fe ratio of 0.96. XRD peak widths increased on lithiation, presumably due to disorder created by conversion of Fe3+ to the larger Fe2+, but decreased on subsequent delithiation. The rate capability of this material appears to be diffusion-limited, and may benefit from a decrease in particle size. The lithium insertion behavior of a related compound, Ti5O4(PO4)4, was also investigated.
Infrared measurements on arsine: ν1 and ν3 bands, perturbation-allowed transitions, equilibrium structure

Abstract High resolution infrared measurements are reported on arsine (AsH 3 ) from 2260 to 1960 cm −1 . Numerous perturbation-allowed transitions have been found and are used to determine the C 0 rotational constant. Ten ground state rotational constants are determined including one that describes the splitting of the k = 3 levels. A complete equilibrium structure is determined. A total of 26 upper state constants are determined by means of a computer program which simultaneously fits both ν 1 and ν 3 bands and includes many off-diagonal matrix elements. This analysis will fit transitions through J = K = 12 to within experimental error, but it is concluded that to fit higher rotational transitions the perturbing effects of 2 ν 4 must be taken into account explicitly.
Displacement and strain estimation for evaluation of arterial wall stiffness using a familial hypercholesterolemia swine model of atherosclerosis

Purpose: To track variations in the deformation of the arterial wall noninvasively by estimating the accumulated displacement and strain over a cardiac cycle may provide useful indicators of vascular health. Methods: In this paper, we propose an approach to track a region of interest (ROI) locally and estimate arterial stiffness variation in a familial hypercholesterolemic swine model of spontaneous atherosclerosis that allows for systematic and reproducible study of progression of the disease mechanism. Results: Strain and displacement indices may be derived from the variations of the accumulated displacement and accumulated strain (obtained from the gradient of the accumulated displacement) over a cardiac cycle to predict not only the likelihood of developing vascular diseases, but also the sites where they may occur. Currently, an ROI thickness value of less than one mm within the arterial wall is necessary for the axial accumulated displacement and strain to obtain reproducible estimates. Conclusions: Accumulated axial displacement and strain estimation on the artery wall shown in this paper indicate the repeatability of these measurements over several cardiac cycles and over five familial hypercholesterolemic swine. Our results also demonstrate the need for a small region of interest within the arterial walls for accurate and robust estimates of arterial function.
Reactions of Laser-Ablated Boron Atoms with Methanol. Infrared Spectra and ab Initio Calculations of CH3BO, CH2BOH, and CH2BO in Solid Argon

Laser-ablated boron atoms react with methanol to give primarily CH3BO, which is isolated in an argon matrix. FTIR spectra of various isotopic combinations and MP2 calculated isotopic frequencies he...
Individual, group and agency strategies for coping with job stressors in residential child care programmes

This article describes job stressors experienced by workers in residential child care programmes, and coping strategies undertaken by individual workers, their co-workers and their organizations. It also examines the associations of stressors and problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies at each level with four measures of job attitudes and distress. Stressful job circumstances and coping responses were coded from transcripts of in-depth, open-ended interviews with 82 male and female child care workers employed by 14 residential child care agencies. Job attitudes and distress, assessed with standard Likert-style scales, served as dependent measures in regression analyses. Stressors unique to human service work, although frequently mentioned, were generally less potent predictors of distress than were stressors that are common to other professions, such as lack of agency support. Coping efforts by co-workers and by agencies made substantial contributions to individual well-being, above and beyond the rather weak effects of individual coping efforts. It appears useful to extend theories of individual coping to group and organizational strategies, especially in job situations, where many stressors are beyond individual control.
The Psychology of Case‐Based Reasoning: How Information Produced from Case‐Matching Methods Facilitates the Use of Statistically Generated Information

Case‐based reasoning (CBR) research has compared CBR output to other decision support methods such as statistics. This study differs by evaluating the effect of CBR as an input to judgment. We develop psychological theory concerning the use of CBR and its attenuation of biases that impair the use of statistical advice. Study 1 finds participants shown CBR cases made judgments closer to regression advice than do participants shown only regression advice. Study 2 finds that regression and CBR were used to corroborate each other. Participants used central tendency and dispersion information from CBR cases when this information was apparent in the cases. However, such use was not always normative. Results support including multiple decision aiding features in decision support systems (DSS).
Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Airborne Pollutants: Effects of Air Mixing and Source Location

The presence of airborne pollutants in indoor environments has been associated with occupants’ discomfort and/or adverse health effects. This study investigates occupational exposure in relation to indoor air mixing and source location relative to a human body. Experimental and computational methods were used to provide information about the pollutant distribution in the vicinity of the human body for different levels of room air mixing. Study results show that the often used assumption of uniform pollutant distribution in an occupied space is not always appropriate for estimation of inhalation exposure. Results also indicate that an occupant may experience very high acute exposure to airborne pollutants when little air mixing exists in a space and the pollutant source is in the vicinity of the occupant. The buoyancy-driven flow induced by the convective heat transfer from an occupant's body can transport pollutants in the occupant's vicinity to the breathing zone. Specific study results reveal that a sou...
Polyacrylamide Molecular Weight and Charge Effects on Infiltration under Simulated Rainfall

Soil sealing is a severe problem worldwide. Increased runoff and decreased seedling emergence cause on- and off-site problems affecting farmers and communities. One possible soil sealing control measure is the application of polyacrylamide (PAM). Little is known about the interaction of specific PAMs with soils of differing characteristics. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between different PAMs and soils of varying characteristics. We examined PAM charge densities (CD) of 20, 30, and 40% hydrolysis with molecular weights (MW) of 6, 12, and 18 Mg mol -1 . The soils used were Heiden clay (fine, smectitic, thermic Udic Haplustert), Cecil sandy loam (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic Typic Kanhapludult), and Fincastle silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, mesic Aeric Epiaqualf). Polyacrylamide (20 kg ha -1 ) was sprayed onto the soil in liquid form. Soil material was exposed to rainfall simulation in the laboratory. Infiltration rate was used as an indicator of soil surface sealing. Polyacrylamide increased infiltration rates on all three soils relative to the control. Twenty and 30% CD PAMs performed best in maintaining high infiltration rates on Heiden clay. The 12 Mg mol -1 MW formulations worked best for Cecil sandy loam. Fincastle silt loam showed no preference for a particular PAM formulation. Polyacrylamide increased final infiltration rate by as much as 3- to 5-fold for these soils. Different PAM formulations provided differing degrees of soil protection, varying between soils. Understanding the interaction of different soils with various PAM formulations will enable PAM users to select the best PAM product for their soil conditions.
Geology, water geochemistry and geothermal potential of the jemez springs area, Canon de San Diego, new Mexico

Abstract Studies of the geology, geochemistry of thermal waters, and of one exploratory geothermal well show that two related hot spring systems discharge in Canon de San Diego at Soda Dam (48°C) and Jemez Springs (72°C). The hot springs discharge from separate strands of the Jemez fault zone which trends northeastward towards the center of Valles Caldera. Exploration drilling to Precambrian basement beneath Jemez Springs encountered a hot aquifer (68°C) at the top of Paleozoic limestone of appropriate temperature and composition to be the local source of the fluids in the surface hot springs at Jemez Springs. Comparisons of the soluble elements Na, Li, Cl, and B, arguments based on isotopic evidence, and chemical geothermometry indicate that the hot spring fluids are derivatives of the deep geothermal fluid within Valles Caldera. No hot aquifer was discovered in or on top of Precambrian basement. It appears that low- to moderate-temperature geothermal reservoirs (
Real and imaginary modulation spectral subtraction for speech enhancement

In this paper, we propose a novel spectral subtraction method for noisy speech enhancement. Instead of taking the conventional approach of carrying out subtraction on the magnitude spectrum in the acoustic frequency domain, we propose to perform subtraction on the real and imaginary spectra separately in the modulation frequency domain, where the method is referred to as MRISS. By doing so, we are able to enhance magnitude as well as phase through spectral subtraction. We conducted objective and subjective evaluation experiments to compare the performance of the proposed MRISS method with three existing methods, including modulation frequency domain magnitude spectral subtraction (MSS), nonlinear spectral subtraction (NSS), and minimum mean square error estimation (MMSE). The objective evaluation used the criteria of segmental signal-to-noise ratio (Segmental SNR), PESQ, and average Itakura-Saito spectral distance (ISD). The subjective evaluation used a mean preference score with 14 participants. Both objective and subjective evaluation results have demonstrated that the proposed method outperformed the three existing speech enhancement methods. A further analysis has shown that the winning performance of the proposed MRISS method comes from improvements in the recovery of both acoustic magnitude and phase spectrum.
Brain Mechanisms for Active Vision

Active vision refers to the exploration of the visual world with rapid eye movements, or saccades, guided by shifts of visual attention. Saccades perform the critical function of directing the high-resolution fovea of our eyes to any point in the visual field two to three times per second. However, the disadvantage of saccades is that each one disrupts vision, causing significant visual disturbance for which the brain must compensate. Exploring the interaction of vision and eye movements provides the opportunity to study the organization of one of the most complex, yet best-understood, brain systems. Outlining this exploration also illustrates some of the ways in which neuroscientists study neuronal systems in the brain and how they relate this brain activity to behavior. It shows the advantages and limitations of current approaches in systems neuroscience, as well as a glimpse of its potential future.
The military environment: risk factors for women's non-fatal assaults.

Little is known regarding environmental exposures for non-fatal violence toward women in the workplace. We sought to identify factors associated with non-fatal physical assault occurring to women during military service. A cross-sectional telephone survey of a national sample of 558 women veterans who served in Vietnam and subsequent eras of military service was conducted; 537 women were interviewed. Twenty-three percent experienced non-fatal physical assault during military service. Rates of assault were consistent across eras of service. Military environmental exposures, including sexual harassment allowed by officers (P < 0.0001) and unwanted sexual advances while on duty (P < .0001) and in sleeping quarters (P < 0.0001), were independent risk factors for assault. Environmental factors in the military workplace, including leadership behavior, appeared to promote violence toward military women. Such occupational factors can be identified and should be eliminated.
Simultaneous visual detection and identification: theory and data

A signal-detection model is presented for the two-alternative forced-choice procedure that gathers simultaneous detection and identification judgments. By using vector representation, a measure of independent processing within the visual system is derived. The independence measure is applied to data on the detection and identification of stimuli that differ along the dimensions of orientation, spatial frequency, and size. Data are presented that favor the signal-detection model over a high-threshold model.
Surface-bonding geometry of (2 x 1)S/Ge(001) by the normal-emission angle-resolved photoemission extended-fine-structure technique.

The surface structure of (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)S/Ge(001) was determined using the angle-resolved photoemission extended-fine-structure technique in the normal-emission direction. By comparison of the experimental data with curved-wave, multiple-scattering calculations, quantitative information about the local adsorption geometry was obtained. In particular, adsorption in a twofold bridge site, with a S-Ge bond length of 2.36\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 A\r{}, was found. The twofold S bridge appears most likely to occur between two partially intact symmetric Ge-Ge dimers, with the Ge dimer laterally displaced by 0.10\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 A\r{} from the bulk position. This result therefore provides evidence for S bonding to strong dangling bonds in the original dimers of the clean Ge(001) surface. There is, however, no evidence of significant surface contraction or expansion in the substrate layers, in contrast to the (2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2)S/Ge(111) case.
N400 and semantic categorization in schizophrenia.

Abstract The N400 component of event-related potentials (ERPs) was investigated in medicated schizophrenic patients and normal controls in a semantic categorization task. The subjects' task was to indicate whether pairs of words were semantically related or unrelated. The ERPs to the unrelated second words of the pairs contained a negative component. N400, which was reduced and delayed in the patients. However, inspection of individual subjects' data indicated that N400 was abnormal only in a subgroup of schizophrenics. Abnormalities in the amplitude of N400 suggest impairments in semantic expectanices, whereas abnormalities in the latency of N400 suggest a delay in information processing.