cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of highly repeated DNA sequences of rat with EcoR1 endonuclease.

Abstract Cleavage of rat liver nuclear DNA with EcoR1 restriction endonuclease yields 14 discrete fragments ranging from 2300 to 93 base pairs in length, representing approx. 10.5% of the rat genome. Fragments of 1500, 180, and 93 base pairs are reiterated over 100 000 times; fragments of 2300, 880, 290, and 200 base pairs are reiterated over 20 000 times; the remaining fragments are present in over 1000 copies per genome. When compared to whole rat DNA, 11 were 1–5% richer in A · T base pairs and five were 1.5–2.5 times more methylated. From the criteria of the banding patterns in complete and incomplete digests, base composition and extent of methylation, none of these fragments appeared to be generated as oligomers of a basic shorter repeat. The reassociation of EcoR1 fragments was monitored on hydroxyapatite and by S1 nuclease treatment in order to assess band reiteration frequency and the possibility of interspersion or short internal repeats. The renaturation of the four smallest EcoR1 fragments gave no indication of short internal repeats from hyperpolymer formation nor interspersion with lower frequency sequences by size reduction after S1 nuclease treatment. Anomalous renaturation of several large fragments was observed, possibly due to internal repeats.
Molecular markers associated with linolenic acid content in soybean

An altered FA profile with decreased linolenic (18∶3) acid in soybean germplasm was developed by crossing N97-3708-13, a soybean line with reduced 18∶3 (<5.4%) and ‘Anand’, a normal soybean cultivar (9.7% 18∶3). The resulting recombinant inbred lines are promising because they may promote healthier oil with improved oxidative stability and flavor. The objective of this study was to utilize the population N97-3708-13 × Anand to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers associated with 18∶3 content. Two markers, Satt534 and Satt560, which are located approximately 10 cM apart from each other, near the Fan locus on linkage group B2, were identified as quantitative trait loci significantly associated with 18∶3 content (P=0.001, R 2=0.59, individually). The SSR markers identified in this study should be useful for implementation of marker-assisted selection for low-18∶3 genotypes in soybean breeding programs.
A reliable method for intraoperative evaluation of syndesmotic reduction.

Objectives:To determine the accuracy of a technique for intraoperative assessment of syndesmotic reduction in ankle fractures.Design:Prospective, case series.Setting:University hospital.Patients/Participants:Eighteen consecutive patients with suspected syndesmotic injuries were enrolled between 2007
A Longitudinal Study of Adaptive Changes in Oxygen Transport and Body Composition

The effects of a 20-day period of bed rest followed by a 55-day period of physical training were studied in five male subjects, aged 19 to 21. Three of the subjects had previously been sedentary, and two of them had been physically active. The studies after bed rest and after physical training were both compared with the initial control studies. Effects of Bed Rest All five subjects responded quite similarly to the bed rest period. The total body weight remained constant; however, lean body mass, total body water, intracellular fluid volume, red cell mass, and plasma volume tended to decrease. Electron microscopic studies of quadriceps muscle biopsies showed no significant changes. There was no effect on total lung capacity, forced vital capacity, one-second expiratory volume, alveolar-arterial oxygen tension difference, or membrane diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. Total diffusing capacity and pulmonary capillary blood volume were slightly lower after bed rest. These changes were related to changes...
Use of a flat panel display for measurement of sine condition violations

Previous works have shown the viability of using the Sine Condition Test (SCTest) to verify the alignment of optical systems. The SCTest uses the Abbe sine condition to measure the mapping between the entrance and exit pupils of an optical system. From this pupil mapping, the linearly-field dependent aberrations can be measured and used to verify the alignment. Specifically, the linear astigmatism is used as a metric to determine how well the optical system is aligned. An advantage to using the sine condition to measure the off-axis performance is that the measurement equipment can be placed on-axis. By doing this, the uncertainty of the measurement is reduced, making this test especially useful for verifying systems with large inherent aberrations. In this paper, we expand the design space of the SCTest by exploring the two different source options: a point source with a grating or a flat-panel display. Additionally, we show experimental results of implementing the SCTest using a flat-panel display. Last, we explain how the SCTest can be implemented on more complex systems, such as a three-mirror anastigmat (TMA) and a double Gauss. By exploring the design space, we provide more design options for selecting the SCTest source, increasing the flexibility and utility of the SCTest.
Prognosis Methodologies for Health Management of Electronics and MEMS Packaging

The current state-of-art in managing system reliability is geared towards the development of life-prediction models for unaged pristine materials under known loading conditions based on relationships such as the Paris’s Power Law [Paris, et. al 1960, 1961], Coffin-Manson Relationship [Coffin 1954; Tavernelli, et. al. 1959; Smith, et. al. 1964; Manson, et. al. 1964] and the S-N Diagram. There is need for methods and processes which will allow interrogation of complex systems and sub-systems to determine the remaining useful life prior to repair or replacement. This capability of determination of material or system state is called “prognosis”. In this paper, a methodology for prognosis-of-electronics has been demonstrated with data of leading indicators of failure for accurate assessment of product damage significantly prior to appearance of any macro-indicators of damage. Proxies for leading indicators of failure have been developed including – micro-structural evolution characterized by average phase size and interfacial stresses at interface of silicon structures. Structures examined include – electronics package, MEMS Packages and interconnections on a metal backed printed circuit board typical of electronics deployed in harsh environments. Since, an aged material knows its state the research presented in this paper focuses on enhancing the understanding of material damage to facilitate proper interrogation of material state. Mathematical relationship has been developed between phase growth rate and time-to-1-percent failure to enable the computation of damage manifested and a forward estimate of residual life.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Archaeology and English as an Imperial lingua franca

My brief comment argues that English as a lingua franca of archaeological discourse produces sharp inequalities not only between those who are linguistically unable versus those who are able to participate, even participants are forced into a pattern of valuations in which the Anglo-American preference for theory over other archaeological concerns reigns supreme. The result is a forced co-optation into the ideologically dominant system for any non-western archaeologist who wants her voice to be heard.
Dead or Alive? The Federalism Revolution and Its Meaning for Public Administration

Robert K. Christensen is an assistant professor of political science and serves the master of public administration and PhD in public policy programs at University of North Carolina-Charlotte. Interested in institutional precursors of public and nonprofi t performance, his research focuses on the intersection of public law, policy, and public and nonprofi t administration. He is a past recipient of the John A. Rohr
Radiocarbon Content of CO2 Respired from High Arctic Tundra in Northwest Greenland

Abstract Tundra soils contain large amounts of organic carbon (C) that might become available to microbial decomposition as soils warm. To elucidate the C sources currently sustaining CO2 emissions from striped tundra soils (soil respiration) in Northwest Greenland, we studied the seasonal pattern and radiocarbon (14C) signature of soil respiration and of CO2 within the pore space, respired from roots and non-root–associated microbes, and of bulk soil organic matter. Old C pools are present in the topsoil of both barren ridges (1000–5000 yrs) and vegetated troughs (modern to 600 yrs). Before leaf-out, soil respiration was depleted in 14C relative to atmospheric CO2, root and microbial respiration within the topsoil, demonstrating a substantial contribution of C fixed before 1950. As the growing season progressed, the contribution of older C pools decreased, but remained apparent in the soil respiration from ridges and in pore space CO2. Soil respiration from troughs became dominated by recently fixed C. A...
Selectivity viacatalyst or substrate control in catalytic asymmetric transformations of bifunctional symmetrical substrates

Catalytic asymmetric transformations of bifunctional symmetrical substrates pose interesting problems in selectivity. In one extreme, catalyst control leads to identical selectivity at both sites, and amplification of chirality in the product. This improved enantiopurity comes at the expense of reduced yield; the undesired meso byproduct must be separated. Alternatively, substrate control may modify the inherent selectivity of the catalyst. The first transformation may change the substrate to make the second transformation less selective (negative cooperativity), while positive cooperativity can result in selectivity greater than that afforded by simple catalyst control. Similar behavior may occur in polyfunctional substrates with three or more identical reactive sites. Substrate vs. catalyst control and positive vs. negative cooperativity plausibly depends upon the structure of the substrate and the linker between the active sites, but has rarely been investigated systematically. This perspective presents several examples of structure–selectivity relationships with the eventual goal of designing substrates for positive cooperativity and enhanced selectivity in asymmetric catalysis.
All-fiber passively mode-locked laser oscillator at 1.5 µm with watts-level average output power and high repetition rate

We report on a passively mode-locked all-fiber laser oscillator at 1.5 microm based on heavily doped phosphate-glass active fiber. An active fiber only 20 cm long is sufficient to produce as much as 2.4 W of average output power directly from the oscillator. The width of the mode-locked pulses varies from 8 ps at the lowest output power in the mode-locked state to 44 ps at the highest power. Our picosecond laser oscillator features a high repetition rate of 95 MHz and high peak pulse power of approximately 540 W. The oscillator combines the convenience of all-fiber construction with power performance that was previously achievable only with mode-locked bulk-optic laser oscillators or more complex systems involving fiber amplifiers.
Iron reduction by apple roots

Abstract A series of experiments was carried out to determine Fe reduction rate of apple (Malus domestica Borkh) seedling roots under Fe‐stress conditions and factors which may affect the rate of reduction. Root Fe reduction decreased with increasing solution pH over the range of 5.0 to 8.0 for Fe‐stressed seedlings while pH had little effect on unstressed seedlings. Iron‐stressed seedlings responded with higher root reduction rates with increased Fe concentrations (23 to 134 uM Fe) with DTPA as the chelating agent. FeDTPA or FeEDTA both resulted in higher root reduction rates compared to FeEDDHA for both Fe‐stressed and unstressed seedlings. The quantity of FeDTPA reducing activity of plant‐free root exudates was measured and found to be about one tenth the rate of reduction by roots, suggesting that enhanced Fe3+ reduction by Fe‐stressed roots was not due to exudates. Several treatments including respiratory inhibitors, girdling of roots and aerobic versus anaerobic conditions were tested. The data indi...
The Logical Character of the Principle of Induction

The purpose of this paper is to make clear (1) that the widely recognized formulations of the principle of induction do not express the most fundamental rule of induction; (2) that the current view concerning the probability of induction must be revised in terms of a frequency theory of probability; (3) that on this basis the problem of induction in its traditional form is a pseudo-problem; and (4) that the principle of induction must be interpreted as a pragmatic or operational maxim.
The Subordinate State System of Southern Africa

This paper hypothesizes the existence of a subordinate state system in Southern Africa.l Evidence will be produced to show that this system can be described as an entity, that it operates quite independently of the dominant world power blocs, and most importantly, that it can best be analyzed and understood in terms of its own interrelations. Having postulated this system, I will then analyze the forces and pressures, both on and within the system, in an effort to assess the system's prospects for stability. The idea of joining the notion of an integrated system with that of a discussion about the possibility of future stability in the area
An expert systems model for implementing statistical process control in the health care industry

Abstract Today's health care industry is under increased pressure to become more efficient and cost effective. In addition, hospitals are now required to adopt the techniques and methods of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) as part of their accreditation requirements. One of the main challenges facing health care providers implementing CQI is how to manage, control and improve processes using Statistical Process Control (SPC) techniques, especially control charts. This paper describes the development of an SPC expert system which is designed to advise hospital personnel how to measure and control their processes effectively using different types of control charts such as X-bar and R-charts, P-charts, IC-charts and Individual-X and Moving charts. The SPC expert system is implemented in GURU, a menu driven, totally integrated expert system development tool. The structure of the SPC expert system is described and examples, using actual data from a local hospital are presented. A complete step-by-step interactive session with the expert system is also shown. Finally, the effectiveness of the SPC Expert System is evaluated and the feasibility of linking the expert system directly to SPC software packages is explored.
Teaching Design to Freshmen: Style and Content

This paper describe a freshman course in engineering design that stresses the open-ended and ill-structured nature of design in a project-based context. The projects are chosen in part for their social context and utility. The projects are supplemented by lectures on design methodology and other topics related to engineering practice. Among the deliverables required of the students are proposals, progress reports, and written and oral presentations—the latter to an external design jury as part of a design competition.
Purification, characterization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies on Neiserria gonorrhoeae Gly1ORF1

Gly1ORF1 is a protein produced by the two pathogenic Neisseria species, N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis, but not by commensal Neisseria, suggesting that it may be involved in pathogenesis. The protein has a signal sequence that is cleaved, is associated with outer membrane fractions of N. gonorrhoeae (GC) and is found in spent media and in outer-membrane fractions when expressed in Escherichia coli. GC strains with null mutations of the gly1 locus have increased toxicity to human fallopian tubes in organ culture, suggesting that Gly1ORF1 may alter the amount or properties of toxic moieties produced by GC [Arvidson et al. (1999), infect. Immun. 67, 643-652]. In an effort to understand the function of Gly1ORF1 and its role in pathogenesis, structural biology studies have been initiated. Here, the purification, characterization by dynamic light scattering, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of recombinant Gly1ORF1 are reported. Dynamic light scattering indicated the protein to be a dimer in solution. The crystals belonged to space group P6(3), with unit-cell parameters a = 95.2, b = 95.2, c = 83.7 A and two molecules per asymmetric unit. The crystals diffracted to 2.4 A using a conventional X-ray source.
Unique expression patterns for paclitaxel, doxorubicin and cisplatin in breast carcinoma cells

Unique expression patterns for paclitaxel, doxorubicin and cisplatin in breast carcinoma cells
Temporal Variation in Community Composition, Pigmentation, and Fv/Fm of Desert Cyanobacterial Soil Crusts

Summers on the Colorado Plateau (USA) are typified by harsh conditions such as high temperatures, brief soil hydration periods, and high UV and visible radiation. We investigated whether community composition, physiological status, and pigmentation might vary in biological soil crusts as a result of such conditions. Representative surface cores were sampled at the ENE, WSW, and top microaspects of 20 individual soil crust pedicels at a single site in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, in spring and fall of 1999. Frequency of cyanobacterial taxa, pigment concentrations, and dark adapted quantum yield [F(v)/F(m)] were measured for each core. The frequency of major cyanobacterial taxa was lower in the fall compared to spring. The less-pigmented cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatus showed significant mortality when not in the presence of Nostoc spp. and Scytonema myochrous (Dillw.) Agardh. (both synthesizers of UV radiation-linked pigments) but had little or no mortality when these species were abundant. We hypothesize that the sunscreen pigments produced by Nostoc and Scytonema in the surface of crusts protect other, less-pigmented taxa. When fall and spring samples were compared, overall cyanobacterial frequency was lower in fall, while sunscreen pigment concentrations, chlorophyll a concentration, and F(v)/F(m) were higher in fall. The ratio of cyanobacterial frequency/chlorophyll a concentrations was 2-3 times lower in fall than spring. Because chlorophyll a is commonly used as a surrogate measure of soil cyanobacterial biomass, these results indicate that seasonality needs to be taken into consideration. In the fall sample, most pigments associated with UV radiation protection or repair were at their highest concentrations on pedicel tops and WSW microaspects, and at their lowest concentrations on ENE microaspects. We suggest that differential pigment concentrations between microaspects are induced by varying UV radiation dosage at the soil surface on these different microaspects.
The Nobel Prize in Physics 2007: Giant Magnetoresistance. An idiosyncratic survey of spintronics from 1963 to the present: Peter Weinberger's contributions

While the twentieth century was dominated by advances in controlling electrical currents through the charge of the electron, aka electronics, the rapid developments since 1988 have lead to a control of currents through the spin of the electron, i.e., spintronics. The groundwork for this field comes from studies on metallic alloys and multilayers started in the early 1960s. Due to parallel developments in the growth of semiconductor heterostructures, e.g., molecular beam epitaxy, work on metallic layers rapidly advanced in the late 1970s and early 1980s. By 1988 groups lead by Fert and Grunberg were able to grow metallic multilayers which displayed the sought after effect; a small magnetic field was able to dramatically change the electric resistance of the structures. This led to an immediate explosion in activity in this area; so much so that the materials which display this effect were incorporated in the read-heads of hard disk drives of computers by 1997. I will focus on developments in three distinct...
Food Security: An Ecological–Social Analysis to Promote Social Development

Coupled with the obesity epidemic, food insecurity presents a public health and social crisis. The United States' industrialized food system embodies an unsustainable network of production and unequal distribution of food creating threats to both the natural environment and human development. Ecological, economic, and social systems are interdependent and their relationships to food security are complex and dynamic. Social workers have a unique set of community practice knowledge and skills that can help communities achieve greater access to affordable, healthy food. Building interdisciplinary networks to change food policies and develop sustainable and equitable food systems can address food insecurity.
Simulation of cylindrical flow to a well using the U.S. Geological Survey Modular Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model

Cylindrical (axasymmetric) flow to a well is an important specialized topic of ground-water hydraulics and has been applied by many investigators to determine aquifer properties and determine heads and flows in the vicinity of the well. A recent modification to the U.S. Geological Survey Modular Three-Dimensional Finite-Difference Ground-Water Flow Model provides the opportunity to simulate axisymmetric flow to a well. The theory involves the conceptualization of a system of concentric shells that are capable of reproducing the large variations in gradient in the vicinity of the well by decreasing their area in the direction of the well. The computer program presented serves as a preprocessor to the U.S. Geological Survey model by creating the input data file needed to implement the axisymmetric conceptualization. Data input requirements to this preprocessor are described, and a comparison with a known analytical solution indicates that the model functions appropriately.
New Method for Calculating the Intrinsic Absorption Rate of Drugs

If conceiving the body to be a single compartment is correct, calculations based on this presumption should result in an exact estimate of the rate of appearance of a drug into the blood when administered intravenously at a precisely known rate. In order to test this hypothesis selected drugs were administered intravenously at known logarithmic and linear rates of infusion, thereby mimicking first- and zero-order absorption conditions. It is shown that methods based on the single-compartment concept do not result in acceptable estimates of the absorption rates. Not only do these methods lead to an incorrect rate constant but occasionally allow incorrect assignment of the order of the process. A new equation is presented, presuming the drug distributes between a central and one peripheral compartment, which allows one to calculate the rate of absorption. The equation results in an accurate estimate of the known rates of infusion (absorption) for the drugs studied to date.
Inferring relationships between native plant diversity and Lonicera japonica in upland forests in north Mississippi, USA

ABSTRACT Question: Do anthropogenic disturbances interact with local environmental factors to increase the abundance and frequency of invasive species, which in turn exerts a negative effect on native biodiversity? Location: Mature Quercus-Carya and Quercus-Carya-Pinus (oak-hickory-pine) forests in north Mississippi, USA. Methods: We used partial correlation and factor analysis to investigate relationships between native ground cover plant species richness and composition, percent cover of Lonicera japonica, and local and landscape-level environmental variables and disturbance patterns in mature upland forests. We directly measured vegetation and environmental variables within 34 sampling subplots and quantified the amount of tree cover surrounding our plots using digital color aerial photography. Results: Simple bivariate correlations revealed that high species richness and a high proportion of herbs were associated with low Lonicera japonica cover, moist and sandy uncompacted soils, low disturbance in t...
Full-penetration temperature and magnetic relaxation in a single crystal of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox.

We have developed the concept of a characteristic temperature {ital T}{sup *} at which the flux first fully penetrates the sample. Based on this concept, we have interpreted the effects of the temperature on the magnetic relaxation that have been measured in a single crystal of Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub {ital x}} in a broad range of temperature (5--35 K) and applied magnetic field (0.1--4 kG). The magnetic relaxation exhibits a clear peak in the {ital dM}/{ital d} ln{ital t}-versus-temperature plot, and the peak position is highly affected by the applied field. We have also interpreted the peak shift of {ital dM}/{ital d} ln{ital t} with different fields in terms of the flux-creep and the critical-state models.
Denaturant-dependent conformational changes in a beta-trefoil protein: global and residue-specific aspects of an equilibrium denaturation process.

Conformational properties of the folded and unfolded ensembles of human interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) are strongly denaturant-dependent as evidenced by high-resolution two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), limited proteolysis, and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The folded ensemble was characterized in detail in the presence of different urea concentrations by 1H−15N HSQC NMR. The β-trefoil fold characteristic of native IL-1ra was preserved until the unfolding transition region beginning at 4 M urea. At the same time, a subset of native resonances disappeared gradually starting at low denaturant concentrations, indicating noncooperative changes in the folded state. Additional evidence of structural perturbations came from the chemical shift analysis, nonuniform and bell-shaped peak intensity profiles, and limited proteolysis. In particular, the following nearby regions of the tertiary structure became progressively destabilized with increasing urea concentrations: the β-hairp...
Impact of a novel balloon occlusion technique on fluoroscopy time and radiation dose during Y90 radioembolization

No. 475 Impact of a novel balloon occlusion technique on fluoroscopy time and radiation dose during Y90 radioembolization Black, A.K. Jones, A. Mahvash, B.C. Odisio, R. Avritscher, J. Ensor, Jr., R. Murthy, J.R. Steele, Jr.; Interventional Radiology, UT MD Anderson, Houston, TX; Imaging Physics, UT MD Anderson, Houston, TX; Biostatistics, UT MD Anderson, Houston, TX Purpose: To assess the impact of a novel balloon occlusion technique on time and dose metrics during Y90 radioembolization (Y90 RE) Materials and Methods: Prior to July 2011, Y90 RE was performed following standard coil embolization of all hepatoenteric collaterals. After July 2011, a technique was introduced whereby a temporary occlusion balloon was inflated in the common hepatic artery, resulting in hepatopedal flow in hepatoenteric collaterals, eliminating the need for coil embolization. A retrospective review of sequential patients who underwent Y90 RE before and after the introduction of the balloon occlusion technique was performed. Data were gathered from the radiology information system and the electronic medical record. Only patients with Michel’s classification type 1 anatomy were included. Results: 22 coil embolization patients and 21 balloon occlusion patients were included. The logarithms of the data were analyzed using two-tailed t-tests as the data followed log-normal distributions. The geometric means of fluoroscopy time (FT, 30.5 vs 13.9 min, -54%), dose area product (DAP, 735.0 vs 597.3 Gy-cm2, -19%), reference air kerma (Kar, 3,006 vs 2,397 mGy, -20%), and number of DSA runs (#DSA, 19.5 vs 18.0, -7.7%) all decreased in the balloon occlusion group versus the coil embolization group, however only the decrease in FT was statistically significant (FT: po0.0001; DAP: p1⁄40.261; Ka,r: p1⁄40.202; #DSA: p1⁄40.479). The lack of significance of the decreases in DAP and Kar was attributed to the much lower Kar rate in fluoroscopy compared to DSA (50-80x), and the fact that a similar number of angiograms are acquired regardless of the technique used. Conclusion: Use of a temporary occlusion balloon catheter versus coil embolization significantly decreased fluoroscopy time during Y90 RE. A larger sample size is necessary to determine if this technique results in reductions in DAP and Kar that are significant.
Endothelins in the normal and diseased kidney

Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a 21-amino acid peptide that potently modulates renal function. ET-1 is produced by, and binds to, most renal cell types. ET-1 exerts a wide range of biologic effects in the kidney, including constriction of most renal vessels, mesangial cell contraction, inhibition of sodium and water reabsorption by the nephron, enhancement of glomerular cell proliferation, and stimulation of extracellular matrix accumulation. ET-1 functions primarily as an autocrine or paracrine factor; its renal effects must be viewed in the context of its local production and actions. This is particularly important when comparing ET-1 biology in the nephron, where it promotes relative hypotension through increased salt and water excretion, with ET-1 effects in the vasculature, where it promotes relative hypertension through vasoconstriction. Numerous studies indicate that ET-1 is involved in the pathogenesis of a broad spectrum of renal diseases. These include those characterized by excessive renal vascular resistance, such as ischemic renal failure, cyclosporine (CyA) nephrotoxicity, radiocontrast nephropathy, endotoxemia, rhabdomyolysis, acute liver rejection, and others. ET-1 appears to play a role in cell proliferation in the setting of inflammatory glomerulonephritides. The peptide also may mediate, at least in part, excessive extracellular matrix accumulation and fibrosis occurring in chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, and other disorders. Deranged ET1 production in the nephron may cause inappropriate sodium and water retention, thereby contributing to the development and/or maintenance of hypertension. Finally, impaired renal clearance of ET-1 may cause hypertension in patients with end-stage renal disease. Many ET-1 antagonists have been developed; however, their clinical usefulness has not yet been determined. Despite this, these agents hold great promise for the treatment of renal diseases; it is hoped that the next decade will witness their introduction into clinical practice.
Tolerance and Absence of Rebound Vasodilation Following Topical Ocular Deconestant Usage

Abstract Commercial preparations of two topical ophthalmic vasoconstrictors were evaluated for whitening ability, duration of action, tolerance, and rebound vasodilation in 11 normal volunteers. Both 0.02% naphazoline HCl and 0.05% tetrahydrozoline HCl significantly reduced baseline redness after a single use (Part I); however, naphazoline produced significantly more whitening than did tetrahydrozoline. Only naphazoline retained its whitening ability after ten days (Part II). The level of redness remained significantly below baseline for eight hours after a single use of either vasoconstrictor and for six hours after multiple use of naphazoline. The diminished effectiveness of tetrahydrozoline after the ten-day test period may encourage its overuse. Neither vasoconstrictor produced rebound vasodilation after discontinuation of use.
Partitioning of persistent organic pollutants between blubber and blood of wild bottlenose dolphins: implications for biomonitoring and health.

Biomonitoring surveys of wild cetaceans commonly utilize blubber as a means to assess exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), but the relationship between concentrations in blubber and those in blood, a better indicator of target organ exposure, is poorly understood. To define this relationship, matched blubber and plasma samples (n = 56) were collected from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and analyzed for 61 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 5 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners, and 13 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). With the exception of PCB 209, lipid-normalized concentrations of the major POPs in blubber and plasma were positively and significantly correlated (R2 = 0.828 to 0.976). Plasma concentrations, however, significantly increased with declining blubber lipid content, suggesting that as lipid is utilized, POPs are mobilized into blood. Compound- and homologue- specific blubber/blood partition coefficients also differed according to lipid cont...
Leucine-Rich Repeat-Containing, G Protein-Coupled Receptor 4 Null Mice Exhibit Intrauterine Growth Retardation Associated with Embryonic and Perinatal Lethality

Leucine-rich repeat-containing, G protein-coupled receptors (LGRs) belong to the largest mammalian superfamily of proteins with seven-transmembrane domains. LGRs can be divided into three subgroups based on their unique domain arrangement. Although two subgroups have been found to be receptors for glycoprotein hormones and relaxin-related ligands, respectively, the third LGR subgroup, consisting of LGR4–6, are orphan receptors with unknown physiological roles. To elucidate the functions of this subgroup of LGRs, LGR4 null mice were generated using a secretory trap approach to delete the majority of the LGR4 gene after the insertion of a β-galactosidase reporter gene immediately after exon 1. Tissues expressing LGR4 were analyzed based on histochemical staining of the transgene driven by the endogenous LGR4 promoter. LGR4 was widely expressed in kidney, adrenal gland, stomach, intestine, heart, bone/cartilage, and other tissues. The expression of LGR4 in these tissues was further confirmed by immunohistoch...
Do probe molecules influence water in confinement

The water inside reverse micelles can differ dramatically from bulk water. Some changes in properties can be attributed to the interaction of water molecules with the micellar interface, forming a layer of shell water inside the reverse micelle. The work reported here monitors changes in intramicellar water through chemical shifts and signal line widths in 51V NMR spectra of a large polyoxometalate probe, decavanadate, and from infrared spectroscopy of isotopically labeled water, to obtain information on the water in the water pool in AOT reverse micelles formed in isooctane. The studies reveal several things about the reverse micellar water pool. First, in agreement with our previous measurements, the proton equilibrium of the decavanadate solubilized within the reverse micelles differs from that in bulk aqueous solution, indicating a more basic environment compared to the starting stock solutions from which the reverse micelles were formed. Below a certain size, reverse micelles do not form when the pol...
Planned ictal FDG PET imaging for localization of extratemporal epileptic foci.

Summary: Purpose: This work demonstrates the feasibility of planned ictal positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-glucose (FDG) for localization of epileptic activity in patients with frequent partial seizures of extratem-poral origin. Methods: Ictal PET imaging was performed in four patients (two men and two women, ages 28–61) with continuous or very frequent (every 3–15 min) partial seizures. All patients had abnormalities apparent on magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomographic (CT) imaging, two with extensive brain lesions that precluded precise localization of the seizure focus with interictal PET or single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) imaging. Results: Ictal PET imaging demonstrated a restricted area of focal hypermetabolism concordant with surface electroen-cephalographic (EEG) recording in all cases. The PET images were registered to MR imaging data for further anatomic localization of hypermetabolic regions in three cases. The ictal PET data were used to guide neurosurgical intervention in one case. Conclusions: We conclude that planned ictal PET imaging may be a useful and potentially superior approach to ictal SPECT for identifying the epileptic focus in a selected group of patients with continuous or frequent simple partial seizures.
Regulation of Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: Policy Enforcement and Unintended Consequences

Public and private developers and planners often encounter environmental contamination caused by leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs) when redeveloping previously used urban lands (brownfields). This article addresses the process by which underground storage tanks (USTs) are regulated, how leaks are discovered, and the proportion of serious leak incidents with groundwater contamination. Empirical case-study evidence of 429 leaking tank sites in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, describes the severity of leaks, how they were discovered, and the effect of a No Further Action status, which was minimal. Programmatic failure of the state regulatory agency may be partly responsible for this lower transaction rate and may partially contribute to many closed tank locations and inadvertent loss of jobs. Trends in liability reduction for USTs may change this in the near future.
A protocol to assess heat tolerance in a segregating population of raspberry using chlorophyll fluorescence

Abstract A detached leaf protocol was developed to assess heat tolerance in raspberry ( Rubus L. subgenus Idaeobatus ) by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence. In order to establish the heat screen protocol for field measurements in a segregating population, several baseline experiments were performed on genotypes with known heat tolerance based on visual observations in multiple climates. ‘Mandarin’ and ‘Qualicum’ were used as heat tolerant and heat susceptible controls, respectively. We determined that: optimum collection time was in the morning before ambient temperatures reached 28 °C, critical temperature (Tc) was 45 °C, minimum duration of dark adaptation was 15 min, and optimum heat shock duration was 30 min. Parameters established in baseline experiments were subsequently used for screening a large population (196 genotypes) planted in the field, where warm conditions commonly occur (maximum temperatures ranging between 30 and 35 °C). A significant difference in chlorophyll fluorescence was found between the two controls; ‘Qualicum’, the heat sensitive cultivar, had the lowest Fv / Fm (variable fluorescence/maximum fluorescence) value, while 18.8% of the segregating population had a higher Fv / Fm value than ‘Mandarin’, the heat tolerant cultivar. We have identified 106 individuals with an Fv / Fm above 0.600 (representing 52% of the population), and 7 individuals above 0.680 (4% of the population). The distribution of heat tolerance within the population was essentially normal, and thus quantitative trait analysis is a plausible approach for studying heat tolerance. This protocol has potential application to other Rosaceae species, and is not dependent on visual assessment.
Polynomial and Catenary Curve Fits to Human Dental Arches

Polynomial and catenary equations were fit by least square error methods to the dentitions of seven children with "normal" occlusion. Mean and mean square error were then used to analyze accuracy of curve fits and asymmetries of arches. A lack of congruency for the "lines of occlusion" common to the maxilla and mandible suggest that the defining anatomic landmarks are inaccurate. These analyses show that the coefficients of the sixth degree polynomial equations appear to have potential as clinical indicators of arch form and, perhaps, malocclusion.
View Compensated Compression of Volume Rendered Images for Remote Visualization

Remote visualization of volumetric images has gained importance over the past few years in medical and industrial applications. Volume visualization is a computationally intensive process, often requiring hardware acceleration to achieve a real time viewing experience. One remote visualization model that can accomplish this would transmit rendered images from a server, based on viewpoint requests from a client. For constrained server-client bandwidth, an efficient compression scheme is vital for transmitting high quality rendered images. In this paper, we present a new view compensation scheme that utilizes the geometric relationship between viewpoints to exploit the correlation between successive rendered images. The proposed method obviates motion estimation between rendered images, enabling significant reduction to the complexity of a compressor. Additionally, the view compensation scheme, in conjuction with JPEG2000 performs better than AVC, the state of the art video compression standard.
Lamina-Specific Deficits in Parvalbumin-Immunoreactive Varicosities in the Prefrontal Cortex of Subjects With Schizophrenia: Evidence for Fewer Projections From the Thalamus

OBJECTIVE: Neuronal number in the mediodorsal thalamic nucleus, the principal source of thalamic projections to the prefrontal cortex, has been reported to be lower in subjects with schizophrenia. The authors tested the hypothesis that schizophrenia is associated with a selective deficit in a marker of thalamic axon terminals in the middle layers of the prefrontal cortex, the primary zone of termination of thalamic axons. METHOD: The densities of parvalbumin-immunoreactive varicosities (putative axon terminals) were determined in the superficial and middle layers of prefrontal cortex area 9 from 20 matched pairs of subjects with schizophrenia and normal comparison subjects. In order to determine the specificity of these observations, similar studies were conducted in subjects with major depressive disorder and in monkeys after 9–12 months of haloperidol treatment. RESULTS: The relative densities of parvalbumin-immunoreactive varicosities did not differ between schizophrenic and comparison subjects in the ...
Injectable multifunctional scaffold for spinal cord repair

Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects thousands of Americans each year. The injury results in local cell loss in the spinal cord, interrupting the connections between brain and periphery. Current treatment options for SCI are limited due to the inability of adult neurons to regenerate in the inhibitory environment of the injured central nervous system (CNS). The primary goal of this work is to design a multifunctional, injectable hydrogel that supports neural repair following SCI. This project proposes the use of a branched copolymer based on poly(N-isopropylacryalmide) (PNIPAAm) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The thermosensitive nature of the hydrogel allows for easy implantation together with cellular grafts, and the controlled delivery of therapeutic factors. In this study, we investigated the cytocompatibility of the scaffold in vitro and also report its performance in vivo, with and without brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a rodent model of SCI. Our results show that the injectable PNIPAAm-PEG scaffold completely fills the injury site, and does not elicit a larger host inflammatory response than a commercially available gelatin sponge. In addition, we have shown that the scaffold loaded with BDNF is permissive to host axon growth. With these promising results, we suggest that an injectable PNIPAAm-PEG hydrogel can serve as a multifunctional device that will result in an effective platform technology for the treatment of SCI.
Strong Performance Guarantees for Asynchronous Buffered Crossbar Schedulers

Crossbar-based switches are commonly used to implement routers with throughputs up to about 1 Tb/s. The advent of crossbar scheduling algorithms that provide strong performance guarantees now makes it possible to engineer systems that perform well, even under extreme traffic conditions. Until recently, such performance guarantees have only been developed for crossbars that switch cells rather than variable length packets. Cell-based crossbars incur a worst-case bandwidth penalty of up to a factor of two, since they must fragment variable length packets into fixed length cells. In addition, schedulers for cell-based crossbars may fail to deliver the expected performance guarantees when used in routers that forward packets. We show how to obtain performance guarantees for asynchronous crossbars that are directly comparable to those previously developed for synchronous, cell-based crossbars. In particular we define derivatives of the Group by Virtual Output Queue (GVOQ) scheduler of Chuang et al. and the Least Occupied Output First Scheduler of Krishna et al. and show that both can provide strong performance guarantees in systems with speedup 2. Specifically, we show that these schedulers are work-conserving and that they can emulate an output-queued switch using any queueing discipline in the class of restricted Push-In, First-Out queueing disciplines. We also show that there are schedulers for segment-based crossbars, (introduced recently by Katevenis and Passas) that can deliver strong performance guarantees with small buffer requirements and no bandwidth fragmentation.
Young Female Drivers in Fatal Crashes: Recent Trends, 1995–2004

Objective. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-to 20-year-olds. In 2004, nearly 8,000 15to 20-year-old drivers were killed in crashes. Epidemiologic studies repeatedly identify overrepresentation of young males in fatal crashes. Recent studies of young females and risk-taking behaviors (drug use, violent crime, risky sexual behavior) show unfavorable trends. The objective of this study is to study the extent of contribution of young female drivers to national fatal crashes over and to uncover unfavorable trends linked to risky driving behavior. Methods. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) on drivers in crashes with one or more fatalities during 1995–2004 were studied. Five age groups were used: 16, 17, 18, 19–20, and 21–24 years. Linear regression was used to measure trends over time. The regression results represent differences in proportions and changes in proportion of crashes that fell into specified categories. ...
A Model of Power Distribution

This paper develops a conceptual model of power and propositions about the impact of changing relationships on the redistribution of power. Market structure literature is integrated with channel power literature to develop a theoretical model of power distribution.
The Motion of Simulated Convective Storms as a Function of Basic Environmental Parameters

Abstract Based on results from a three-dimensional cloud-resolving model, it is shown that simulated convective storm motions are affected by thermodynamic as well as kinematic properties of the environment. In addition to the mean wind and its vertical shear, the effect on isolated storm motion of parameters such as bulk convective available potential energy (CAPE), the vertical distribution of buoyancy in the profile, the heights of the lifting condensation level (LCL) and level of free convection (LFC), and cloud-base temperature is considered. Storm motions show at least some sensitivity to all input parameters. Consistent with previous studies, hodograph radius has the most pronounced effect, but the vertical distribution of shear (which also influences the mean wind) affects storm evolution and propagation, even when the effective hodograph radius is unchanged. Among the thermodynamic parameters, the most significant variations occur when the LCL–LFC configuration is modified or when cloud-base temp...
The Difficult Airway

Securing the airway in a dyspneic patient is a challenging task because of the myriad causes and presentations. Initial assessment may demonstrate factors indicative of upper airway abnormalities; however, they may not be specific nor sensitive enough to accurately predict difficult intubation. A well-equipped airway cart must be immediately available. A standardized escalating approach to secure the airway in a difficult situation begins with a rapid sequence of attempts at standard intubation, followed by attempted tube introduction over a bougie or using a flexible endoscope or laryngeal mask, and finally surgical interventions including cricothyrotomy or tracheotomy.