cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Munchausen's stridor: non‐organic laryngeal obstruction

Summary A patient had at least 15 hospital admissions for symptoms of acute dyspnoea accompanied by loud stridorous sounds. These episodes had been diagnosed as acute airway obstruction and she was treated on all occasions on an emergency basis. In the absence of a definitive etiology and with other clues, it was then recognized that the patient was imitating the clinical appearance of laryngeal obstruction. Following the establishment of this, psychiatric care was initiated with the goal of rehabilitation of the patient, and there have been no further episodes to the present time.
Management of Nasal Trauma in Children

• The management of nasal trauma in children differs considerably from that in adults. In children, the evaluation is decidedly more difficult because of lack of patient cooperation and different anatomical features. The controversy regarding surgical manipulation of the pediatricnose has resulted in confusion as to the proper management of nasal trauma in this age group. On the basis of our experience with these problems, we have developed a philosophy of management; its principles and techniques are described herein. ( Arch Otolaryngol 1984;110:190-192)
The Comparative Method

The comparative method is a formalization of the comparison that is unavoidable in any attempt at cross-cultural analysis. Yet, the comparative method has generated considerable controversy in religious studies. This article reviews the issues raised about comparison in anthropology, the social science that has as its enduring goal a holistic understanding of all human societies and that consequently has made greater use of comparison – and accordingly has subjected it to greater scrutiny – than any other discipline.
Nonlinear Koopman modes of coupled swing dynamics and coherency identification

We report modal analysis of coupled swing dynamics of a multi-machine power system. The analysis is based on the so-called Koopman operator, a linear, infinite-dimensional operator that is defined for any nonlinear dynamical system and captures full information of the system. The modal analysis makes it possible to extract single-frequency modes, which are called Koopman modes, embedded in the coupled swing dynamics and to identify a coherent group of generators in which they swing together in frequency and phase.
Organosulfur chemistry on W(211) surfaces. 2. A comparison of benzene, thiophene, and tetrahydrothiophene

The interactions of benzene, thiophene, and tetrahydrothiophene with clean, oxidized, and sulfided W(211) surfaces were studied with LEED, AES, and temperature programmed reaction. Benzene and thiophene appear to absorb as bases making -bonds to the surface. Benzene decomposed to yield adsorbed carbon and hydrogen. Thiophene appeared to undergo electrophilic attack at the 2-position forming a carbon bound surface intermediate. This surface intermediate was desulfurized and the resulting hydrocarbon surface intermediate underwent C-C bond scission forming C3 hydrocarbons as the dominate desorption product. The electrophilic attack at the 2-position was shown by methyl group elimination from 2,5-dimethylthiophene. Adsorbed oxygen and sulfur enhanced the adsorption of benzene and thiophene by making the surface more acidic. Tetrahydrothiophene (THT) appear to adsorb as a base, forming a bond between the S(3p) electrons and the surface. Desulfurization of adsorbed THT led to C4 hydrocarbons as the dominate desorption product. Adsorbed oxygen and sulfur inhibited reaction of THT. These results suggest that the surface reactivity and subsequent desulfurization of thiophene is controlled by electrophilic attack on the aromatic ring, and the ensuing reduction of resonance stabilization facilitates sulfur removal. 41 references, 8 figures, 4 tables.
Emerging trends in search user interfaces

What does the future hold for search user interfaces? Following on a recently completed book on this topic, this talk identifies some important trends in the use of information technology and suggest how these may affect search in future. This includes is a notable trend towards more "natural" user interfaces, a trend towards social rather than solo usage of information technology, and a trend in technology advancing the integration of massive quantities of user behavior and large-scale knowledge bases. These trends are, or will be, interweaving in various ways, which will have some interesting ramifications for search interfaces, and should suggest promising directions for research.
Measurement of serum isopropanol and the acetone metabolite by proton nuclear magnetic resonance: application to pharmacokinetic evaluation in a simulated overdose model.

AbstractThe purpose of this investigation was to 1) compare the performance of proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to gas chromatography head-space analysis in the measurement of serum isopropanol and its metabolite, acetone, obtained during a simulated overdose, and 2) compare pharmacokinetic parameters obtained using the two analytical techniques. Three healthy volunteers ingested 0.6 mL/kg of 70 % isopropanol and blood samples were obtained at baseline, 0.16, 0.33, 0.66, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, 8.0, 12.0, and 24.0 hours post-ingestion. Resulting sera were analyzed by gas chromatography head-space analysis and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for determination of isopropanol and acetone concentrations. A correlation between concentrations quantitated by gas chromatography head-space analysis versus proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was determined using linear regression. Pharmacokinetic disposition parameters were determined from serum concentration-time data ...
Measurement of DNA repair deficiency in workers exposed to benzene

We hypothesize that chronic exposure to environmental toxicants can induce genetic damage causing DNA repair deficiencies and leading to the postulated mutator phenotype of carcinogenesis. To test our hypothesis, a host cell reactivation (HCR) assay was used in which pCMVcat plasmids were damaged with UV light (175, 350 J/m{sup 2} UV light), inactivating the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene, and then transfected into lymphocytes. Transfected lymphocytes were therefore challenged to repair the damaged plasmids, reactivating the reporter gene. Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) and Gaucher cell lines were used as positive and negative controls for the HCR assay. The Gaucher cell line repaired normally but XP cell lines demonstrated lower repair activity. Additionally, the repair activity of the XP heterozygous cell line showed intermediate repair compared to the homozygous XP and Gaucher cells. We used HCR to measure the effects of benzene exposure on 12 exposed and 8 nonexposed workers from a local benzene plant. Plasmids 175 J/m{sup 2} and 350 J/m{sup 2} were repaired with a mean frequency of 66% and 58%, respectively, in control workers compared to 71% and 62% in exposed workers. Conversely, more of the exposed workers were grouped into the reduced repair category than controls. These differences inmore » repair capacity between exposed and control workers were, however, not statistically significant. The lack of significant differences between the exposed and control groups may be due to extremely low exposure to benzene (<0.3 ppm), small population size, or a lack of benzene genotoxicity at these concentrations. These results are consistent with a parallel hprt gene mutation assay. 26 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs.« less
Pattern matching between two non-aligned random sequences

Given two independent sequences of letters, we seek the probability distribution of the length of the longest matching word. This word can be in different positions in the two sequences and we consider both perfect and nearly perfect matching. We derive bounds and approximations for the probability and compare them with other bounds and approximations. The results can be applied to DNA sequences in molecular biology and generalized matching between two independent random sequences.
Can localization studies be used to direct focused parathyroid operations

Abstract Background. There is considerable controversy today concerning the most appropriate surgical approach for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. The conventional surgical operation involves a bilateral neck exploration through a collar incision with identification of all parathyroid tissue and removal of abnormal parathyroid glands while the patient is under general anesthesia. The success rate of this operation is about 95% or greater in the hands of an experienced endocrine surgeon. Preoperative localization techniques are generally considered to be unnecessary before initial parathyroid operations. The purpose of this investigation was (1) to evaluate the individual and combined accuracy of ultrasonography and technetium 99m sestamibi scans in localizing abnormal parathyroid glands and (2) to determine whether such scans could be used to direct a focused operation. Methods. We retrospectively studied 338 patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism who had preoperative neck localization studies, ultrasonography and/or technetium 99m sestamibi scans, and parathyroid exploration (238 patients or, reexploration, 60 patients) from January 1996 to April 2000 at the University of California San Francisco/Mount Zion Medical Center. The preoperative localization studies were recorded as true-positive, false-positive, and false-negative and compared with the surgical and pathologic findings and with the outcome of the operation. Results. All of the abnormal parathyroid glands were correctly identified by ultrasonography in 184 of 303 patients (60.7%) and by technetium 99m sestamibi scanning in 183 of 237 patients (77.2%). The sensitivities of ultrasonography and sestamibi were 65% and 80%, respectively. Among the 202 patients who received both ultrasonography and sestamibi scans, a parathyroid tumor was identified at the same site in 105 (52%) of them. When both techniques identified a parathyroid tumor at the same site, the tests were correct in 101 of 105 patients and the sensitivity increased to 96%. Conclusions. When both the ultrasonography and sestamibi scans identified the same, solitary parathyroid tumor in patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism, this was the only abnormal parathyroid gland in 96% of the patients. A focused parathyroidectomy could therefore be performed in such patients with an acceptable (~95%) success rate. (Surgery 2001;129:720-9.)
714-3 Defibrillation Using a Series of High-Frequency Monophasic Current Pulses

Chopping a defibrillation waveform into a series of high-frequency pulses may be a method to alter its effective shape. In seven pentobarbital anesthetized dogs, we measured defibrillation current (150) using a 10 msec long series of high-frequency (HF) pulses. HF waveforms consisted of monophasic rectangular current pulses at 1 KHz to 20 KHz with 50% “on-time” duty cycle. Control 150s were measured for 5 and 10 msec continuous pulses. Data were normalized by the current (2.61 ± 0.51 amps) required for the 10 msec controls. Resistance was the same for HF (71 Ω) and continuous (75Ω) pulses. 150 did not change with frequency (anova, p = 0.55) but all HF required twice (1.96 ± 0.17) the current of the 10 msec control. The 5 msec control required 1.27 ± 0.16 times the 10 msec control current. These data demonstrate that defibrillation was governed by the timeaveraged current since HF and 10 msec control waveforms required equal time-averaged currents but HF required twice the actual current and energy. Waveform duration was also important since HF waveforms were “on” for 5 msec but required 1.55 ± 0.16 times the 5 msec control current. These data also suggest that the heart defibrillates as though the current pulses were “filtered” with a time constant greater than 1 msec although no actual filtering was observed. Such filtering might help explain the role of waveshape on defibrillation efficacy and could be utilized in HF series to create arbitrary effective waveform shapes. We conclude that HF defibrillation is possible; that time-averaged current governs 150 for HF waveforms ≥ 1 KHz; and that HF chopping may permit waveform shapes to be effectively altered.
Intention, intentional action, and moral responsibility

Rejetant les arguments utilitaristes en faveur de l'application des notions d'intention et d'intentionnalite dans le domaine de la responsabilite morale, l'A. mesure le role conceptuel de l'intention et de l'action intentionnelle dans les schemes explicatifs de la philosophie de l'esprit, ainsi que dans les schemes evaluatifs de la philosophie morale
The circadian clock controls toll-like receptor 9-mediated innate and adaptive immunity.

SUMMARY Circadian rhythms refer to biologic processes that oscillate with a period of � 24 hr. These rhythms are sustained by a molecular clock and provide a temporal matrix that ensures the coordination of homeostatic processes with the periodicity of environmental challenges. We demonstrate the circadian molecular clock controls the expression and function of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). In a vaccination model using TLR9 ligand as adjuvant, mice immunized at the time of enhanced TLR9 responsiveness presented weeks later with an improved adaptive immune response. In a TLR9-dependent mouse model of sepsis, we found that disease severity was dependent on the timing of sepsis induction, coinciding with the daily changes in TLR9 expression and function.Thesefindingsunveiladirectmolecular link between the circadian and innate immune systems with important implications for immunoprophylaxis and immunotherapy.
A dose-response curve employing thrombocytopenia induced by the Friend leukemia virus.

SummaryThe Friend Leukemia Virus causes significant thrombocytopenia within 48 hours after infection in Swiss Webster female mice. This thrombocytopenia has been demonstrated to be dependent upon the dilution of virus inoculated. A linear relationship exists between dose of virus and degree of thrombocytopenia. A dose-response curve using thrombocytopenia can be used to assay the Friend Leukemia Virus.
Report on the special track in AI Education at FLAIRS 28

This report highlights recent work in AI Education and Pedagogy that was presented at FLAIRS 28.
Development of an Autonomous Aerial Vehicle: A Case Study

This paper describes the design, development, and deployment of an unmanned autonomous aerial vehicle developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology during 1990–1991. The approach taken, the system architecture, and the embedded intelligence of the project as conceived by a team of students, faculty, and industrial affiliates is reported. The project focused on engineering a vehicle which performed an intended mission in the time, space, and weight restrictions specified as part of an AUVS 1991 Competition. This paper documents the system and its various components and also provides a discussion of integration issues. The project demonstrated capabilities of existing and new technologies, but also highlighted many serious integration issues, particularly when using prototype components. The project also demonstrated the utility and mutual benefits of academic-industry projects. All members of the team benefited by working on a real and tangible project. Industrial participates gained first hand experience integrating their products with other components and many saw potential for their products and services in new markets.
Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of equine seminal plasma proteins and their correlation with fertility

The objectives of this study were to 1) identify proteins found in stallion seminal plasma utilizing two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) in conjunction with Western blot analysis; and 2) to determine if any of these individual proteins were correlated with stallion fertility utilizing regression analysis. Fertility was quantified by assigning a breeding score for each stallion. Each score was calculated by dividing the number of conceptions by the number of breedings for each stallion for four successive breeding seasons (1992-1995). Ejaculates from stallions of known fertility (n = 6) were collected with a Missouri-style artificial vagina. Immediately after collection, the semen sample was filtered and the gel fraction removed. The resultant sperm-rich fraction was centrifuged in a Beckman Microfuge E at 10,000 x g and the seminal plasma aspirated from the pelleted sperm cells. Two-dimensional PAGE of the seminal plasma was performed under denaturing conditions which revealed that 14 proteins were common in all stallions in the research population. Four of these proteins (SP-1, SP-2, SP-3, and SP-4) were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) correlated with the breeding score assigned for each stallion. Regression analysis of protein optical densities with breeding score indicated that SP-1 (72 kDa, pI 5.6) was positively correlated with fertility (P < 0.05, r2 = 0.706), while SP-2 (75 kDa, pI 6.0), SP-3 (18 kDa, pI 4.3), and SP-4 (16 kDa, pI 6.5) were found to be negatively correlated (P < 0.05, r2 = 0.762, 0.730, 0.775 respectively) with fertility. Western blot analysis of SP-1 indicated there was an antigenic homology with a bovine 55 kDa fertility-associated seminal plasma protein identified in a study by Killian et al. (19). This suggests that the two proteins may have a similar physiological role and therefore common biological properties. These results indicate that analysis of stallion seminal plasma proteins can be used as an indicator of fertilizing capacity. Identification of such proteins in stallion seminal plasma could lead to better insight into the nature of subfertility or infertility in the horse, as well as to indicate better cryopreservation strategies.
Replication of an oxidized abasic site in Escherichia coli by a dNTP-stabilized misalignment mechanism that reads upstream and downstream nucleotides.

Abasic sites (AP) and oxidized abasic lesions are often referred to as noninstructive lesions because they cannot participate in Watson−Crick base pairing. The aptness of the term noninstructive for describing AP site replication has been called into question by recent investigations in E. coli using single-stranded shuttle vectors. These studies revealed that the replication of templates containing AP sites or the oxidized abasic lesions resulting from C1‘- (L) and C4‘-oxidation (C4-AP) are distinct from one another, suggesting that structural features other than Watson−Crick hydrogen bonds contribute to controlling replication. The first description of the replication of the abasic site resulting from formal C2‘-oxidation (C2-AP) is presented here. Full-length and single-nucleotide deletion products are observed when templates containing C2-AP are replicated in E. coli. Single nucleotide deletion formation is largely dependent upon the concerted effort of pol II and pol IV, whereas pol V suppresses fram...
Dynamic-deflection tire modeling for low-speed vehicle lateral dynamics

Vehicle lateral dynamics depends heavily on the tire characteristics. Accordingly, a number of tire models were developed to capture the tire behaviors. Among them, the empirical tire models, generally obtained through lab tests, are commonly used in vehicle dynamics and control analyses. However, the empirical models often do not reflect the actual dynamic interactions between tire and vehicle under real operational environments, especially at low vehicle speeds. This paper proposes a dynamic-deflection tire model, which can be incorporated with any conventional vehicle model to accurately predict the resonant mode in the vehicle yaw motion as well as steering lag behavior at low speeds. A snowblower was tested as an example and the data gathered verified the predictions from the improved vehicle lateral model. The simulation results show that these often-ignored characteristics can significantly impact the steering control designs for vehicle lane-keeping maneuvers at low speeds.
Finite element design sensitivity analysis and its integration with numerical optimization techniques for structural design

Abstract This paper presents the development of a structural design optimization methodology and a software system DESIGN-OPT by integrating numerical optimization techniques, finite element methods, and pre- and post-processing CAE tools. Specifically, the commercially available codes COPES/ADS and ADINA are employed for numerical optimization and finite element analysis, respectively; and software packages like MOVIE.BYU, PLOT 10 and SUPERTAB are used for pre- and post-processing purposes. The finite-difference and semi-analytical (or implicit differentiation) approaches of design sensitivity analysis were explored with the ADINA code for static as well as dynamic problems; and a comparison of the two approaches is made in terms of computational efficiency, solution accuracy and the ease of software implementation. A broad range of element types (truss, beam, plate and 2D/3D continuum) are considered, and the effects of centrifugal and thermal loadings are included. A number of interface programs are developed to integrate various computer codes: for example, OPT-AN and AN-OPT processors transfer data between the optimizer and the analyzer. A variety of design problems related to both size and shape optimization are presented as illustrative examples. Finally, some remarks are made for further research on the subject, such as the role of geometric modeling and automatic meshing for shape optimization.
Ca2+/Calmodulin Kinase-dependent Activation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 Transcriptional Activity in Cells Subjected to Intermittent Hypoxia

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) occurs in many pathological conditions. However, very little is known about the molecular mechanisms associated with IH. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) mediates transcriptional responses to continuous hypoxia. In the present study, we investigated whether IH activates HIF-1 and, if so, which signaling pathways are involved. PC12 cells were exposed to either to 20% O2 (non-hypoxic control) or to 60 cycles consisting of 30 s at 1.5% O2, followed by 4 min at 20% O2 (IH). Western blot analysis revealed significant increases in HIF-1alpha protein in nuclear extracts of cells subjected to IH. Expression of a HIF-1-dependent reporter gene was increased 3-fold in cells subjected to IH. Although IH induced the activation of ERK1, ERK2, JNK, PKC-alpha, and PKC-gamma, inhibitors of these kinases and of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase did not block HIF-1-mediated reporter gene expression induced by IH, indicating that signaling via these kinases was not required. In contrast, addition of the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM or the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) kinase inhibitor KN93 blocked reporter gene activation in response to IH. CaM kinase activity was increased 5-fold in cells subjected to IH. KN 93 prevented IH-induced transactivation mediated by HIF-1alpha, and its coactivator p300, which was phosphorylated by CaM kinase II in vitro. Expression of the HIF-1-regulated gene encoding tyrosine hydroxylase was induced by IH and this effect was blocked by KN93. These observations suggest that IH induces HIF-1 transcriptional activity via a novel signaling pathway involving CaM kinase.
Effects of diagnostic low-volume uterine lavage shortly before first service on reproductive performance, culling and milk production.

Abstract The objective was to evaluate if uterine sampling by low-volume uterine lavage, done shortly before the end of the voluntary waiting period, affected reproductive performance, milk production, or culling. Approximately 20 cows (40 and 60 d postpartum) were sampled in each of 38 herds (total, 752 cows), whereas all remaining cows concurrently between 40 and 60 d were a non-sampled reference cohort (n = 2,252 cows). There was an interaction between parity and sampling for first-service conception, calving to conception interval, and milk production. When stratified by parity, there was a tendency for impaired reproductive performance in sampled primiparous cows compared with non-sampled primiparous cows (Odds Ratio for pregnancy to first-service = 0.78 (95% C.I. 0.58–1.04). The Hazard Ratio for pregnancy in sampled primiparous cows was 0.89 (95% C.I. 0.77–1.04) compared to non-sampled primiparous cows. Sampling did not affect first-service conception rate (Odds Ratio for pregnancy Odds ratio (OR) for pregnancy = 1.03; 95% C.I. 0.80–1.33) or calving-to conception interval in multiparous cows (Hazard Ratio = 1.04; 95% C.I. 0.91–1.18). Sampling did not affect culling risk (Hazard Ratio HR = 0.92; 95% C.I. 0.77–1.11) after accounting for covariates. After stratification by parity, milk production was not affected by sampling except in fourth- and fifth-parity cows where sampled cows produced more milk than non-sampled cows after controlling for first test-day milk production and days-postpartum at first test-day. In conclusion, sampling by low-volume uterine lavage did not have significant detrimental effects on reproduction, culling, or milk production. However, there was a tendency for lower first-service conception in sampled primiparous cows, but the procedure appeared to be benign in multiparous cows.
Trillion Cell CAD Based Cartesian Mesh Generation for the Finite Difference Time Domain Method on a 4 Gigabyte Linux Workstation

A robust CAD based, highly accurate and fast Cartesian mesh generation technique for a colossal number of cells capacity using a minimal single processor computing resource is presented. The cells are generated in Yee format for the Finite Difference Time Domain method. There are three key techniques presented that achieve this capability: a memory efficient ray tracing method, a highly accurate ray-facet intersection test, and a novel exact arithmetic tie-breaking algorithm for rays intersecting facet edges and vertices.
Su1615 U.S. Survey Assessing Current ERCP-Related Radiation Protection Practices

ERCP was graded based on ASGE procedure complexity score. All data was summarized as mean with standard deviation, or median with interquartile ranges. Radiation exposure to patients during ERCP between TEs and UEs was compared by using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. All reported P values are 2 sided, and all comparisons attained statistical significance at p!0.05. Results: During the study period of 1 year, 297 ERCPs were performed on 198 patients. The mean patient age was 55 ( 19) years, and 57% were female. About 66% of the ERCPs were of procedure complexity 1 & 2.ERCPs performed by TEs were associated with a 45% lower median dose area product (19.03 Gy-cm2 vs 34.5 Gy-cm2; p!0.001) and effective dose (4.94 mSv vs 8.97 mSv; p!0.001), and 54% lower median fluoroscopy time (2.6 minutes vs 5.6 minutes; p!0.001) even after adjusting for procedure complexity score. Table 1 highlights the overall patient radiation exposure and compares the radiation exposure between TE and UE. Conclusions: ERCPs performed by TEs are associated with significantly lower radiation exposure to patients when compared to those performed by UEs. We suggest that a “dedicated ERCP fluoroscopy radiation safety training” should be incorporated in the advanced endoscopy fellowship curriculum.
The dirty dozen: Twelve failures of the Hurricane Katrina response and how psychology can help.

This comprehensive analysis addresses the United States' alarming lack of preparedness to respond effectively to a massive disaster as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. First, a timeline of problematic response events during and after Hurricane Katrina orients readers to some of the specific problems encountered at different levels of government. Second, a list of the "Dirty Dozen"--12 major failures that have occurred in prior disasters, which also contributed to inadequate response during and after Hurricane Katrina--is presented. Third, this article encourages expanding psychology's role beyond the treatment of trauma to encompass disaster planning and mitigation efforts from a broader public health perspective. Finally, areas for important interdisciplinary research in human behavior that will influence our nation's overall preparedness for future catastrophes are identified, and ways psychologists can become personally involved beyond treating casualties are discussed.
Passionalist or Rationalist? The emotions in Aquinas’ moral theology

Interest in the passions and their contribution to the moral life is enjoying a resurgence in the study of Thomas Aquinas. But much of that interest assumes that Aquinas’ position is simply propassion. This is certainly true of Robert Miner's exhaustive study, Thomas Aquinas on the Passions. In this essay, however, I question the adequacy of this assumption on two related grounds. First, I examine the implications for Aquinas’ account of the morality of the emotions of his use of the political analogy to account for the structural relation between passion and reason. Second, I suggest that accounts of the passions must consider the experiential differences in the passions of post-lapsarian agents. I conclude that Aquinas’ account of the role of emotion in the moral life is decidedly less positive than Miner's presentation suggests.
Thermal analysis of hectorite. Part II. Differential thermal analysis

Abstract The thermal behavior of the SHCa-1 hectorite source clay specimen was studied by the technique of computerized differential thermal analysis (DTA) using dynamic nitrogen, dynamic air, dynamic carbon dioxide, and static air atmospheres. The atmospheric dependence of the DTA thermal curves was established. A series of samples heated in dynamic nitrogen purge was analyzed by X-ray diffraction spectrographic techniques to establish the high temperature phases of the SHCa-1 (carbonate-contaminated) hectorite specimen. Differential thermal analysis was also performed on a processed (carbonate-cleaned) hectorite specimen using dynamic nitrogen atmosphere. Additional TG-DTG thermal curves were included in this portion of the study.
Acetylation of αMSH and β-endorphin by rat neurointermediate pituitary secretory granule-associated acetyltransferase

Abstract ACTH(1–8) and ACTH(9–13)NH2 were used as potential enzyme inhibitors to begin examining the relationship between the acetylation of ACTH- and β-endorphin-related peptides. ACTH(1–8) was a potent inhibitor of the acetylation of both ACTH- and β-endorphin-related peptides, whereas ACTH(9–13)NH2 was an effective inhibitor only of the acetylation of ACTH-related substrates. This inhibition pattern indicated that there may be an unusual interaction between some ACTH- and β-endorphin-related peptides as substrates for the acetyltransferase. Utilizing HPLC to separate ACTH- and β-endorphin-related peptides present in the same reaction mixture, ACTH(1–14) and β-endorphin(1–27) at Km and saturating concentrations were used as substrates to examine the ability of one peptide substrate to affect the acetylation of the other. It was observed that the acetylation of ACTH(1–14), even at Km concentration, was relatively unaffected by the presence of β-endorphin(1–27). However, the acetylation of β-endorphin(1–27) was significantly reduced by the presence of ACTH(1–14). This preferential acetylation of ACTH-related peptides over the acetylation of β-endorphin-related peptides might have physiological importance under some conditions.
The freshman weight gain: a model for the study of the epidemic of obesity.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to quantify the weight gain of freshmen during their first 12 weeks at Cornell University. In addition, students completed questionnaires that revealed particular behaviors and activities that were associated with weight gain. DESIGN: Serial, correlational study. SUBJECTS: A total of 68 freshmen from Cornell University. MEASUREMENT: A total of 60 students were weighed during the first week of the semester, then again 12 weeks later. They were also given a questionnaire to complete concerning their behavior during the previous 12 weeks. RESULTS: After adjusting for clothing weights, the mean weight gain of the freshmen was 1.9±2.4?kg, a value significantly different from 0. Two regression models generated from the questionnaire were fitted to the weight gain. The first linear regression model (Model 1) accounted for 58% of the variance and indicated that eating in the ‘all-you-can-eat’ dining halls accounted for 20% of the variance in weight gain. Snacking and eating high-fat ‘junk food’ accounted for anther 20%. When initial weight was used as a covariate (Model 2), the consumption of junk foods, meal frequency and number of snacks accounted for 47% of the variance. CONCLUSION: The study clearly demonstrated that significant weight gain during first semester college is a real phenomenon and can be attributed to tangible environmental stimuli. The weight gain is considerably greater than that observed in the population and may be useful as a model to test various techniques that may reduce or reverse the ‘epidemic’ of obesity observed in the general population.
Incertohypothalamic A13 dopamine neurons: effect of gonadal steroids on tyrosine hydroxylase.

In this study the effect of gonadectomy and steroid treatment on the dorsal component of the incertohypothalamic dopamine system or nucleus A13 was assessed by immunocytochemistry using an antibody ra
On the Energy Exchange between the Divergent and Rotational Components of Atmospheric Flow over the Tropics and Subtropics at 200 mb during Two Northern

Abstract The kinetic energy of divergent and rotational flows, and the conversion between these two energy reservoirs, have been computed using the 200 mb fields in the tropics (15°S–20°N) and the subtropics (20–42.5°N)during the summers of 1967 and 1972. The computations are performed in the spectral domain. The numerical results of the conversion between the kinetic energy of divergent and rotational flows and the spectral distribution in the tropics are close to the estimate of generation of kinetic energy by Krishnarmurti and his colleagues. It is suggested that the computation of conversion between the kinetic energy of divergent and rotational flows using the horizontal winds may provide an alternative method of evaluating the generation of kinetic energy in the tropics. The comparison of the kinetic energy of divergent and rotational flows, and conversion between these two energy reservoirs in both the tropics and the subtropics, are also discussed. Effort is also made, to compare the contributions...
Primary knee and hip arthroplasty among nonagenarians and centenarians in the United States.

Objective The number of individuals ages ≥100 years in the US is expected to increase considerably in the future along with the need for arthroplasties. This report focuses on the poorly studied epidemiology and mortality outcomes of arthroplasty among these individuals. Methods We describe the epidemiology of knee and hip arthroplasties among centenarians using data from a large hospital discharge database in the US (the Nationwide Inpatient Sample) during the period 1993 through 2002. We used nonagenarians as the comparison group with adjustment for differences in the prevalence of congestive heart failure, neurologic diseases such as dementia and stroke, renal and hepatic diseases, obesity, anemia, malignancy, coagulopathy, and depression and other psychiatric illnesses. Cox regression models were used to study the mortality outcomes following arthroplasty. Results Overall, there were 679 hip arthroplasties and 7 knee arthroplasties among centenarians in this database. The corresponding figures for nonagenarians were 33,975 and 2,050, respectively. A vast majority (83%) of hip arthroplasty recipients were women. Risk-adjusted mortality estimates following arthroplasty for centenarians were higher than for nonagenarians (hazard ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.10–1.95). However, this was similar to differences in overall in-hospital mortality (hazard ratio 1.36, 95% confidence interval 1.32–1.40) between these 2 age categories. Conclusion In the US population, hip and knee arthroplasty are very rarely performed among centenarians. Our in-hospital mortality data suggest that arthroplasties should not be denied to centenarians solely because of short-term postoperative life expectancy estimates.
Hyperplane dependence in relativistic quantum mechanics

Through the explicit introduction of hyperplane dependence as a form of relativistic dynamical evolution, we construct a manifestly covariant description of a single positive energy particle interacting with any one of a large class of “moving” external potentials. In1+1 dimensions, the simplified mathematics allows us to display a number of general properties of solutions to the equations of motion for evolution on hyperplanes.
Review of electronic-nose technologies and algorithms to detect hazardous chemicals in the environment

Abstract Novel mobile electronic-nose (e-nose) devices and algorithms capable of real-time detection of industrial and municipal pollutants, released from point-sources, recently have been developed by scientists worldwide that are useful for monitoring specific environmental-pollutant levels for enforcement and implementation of effective pollution-abatement programs. E-nose devices are ideal instruments for measuring and monitoring carbon and greenhouse-gas emissions due to their sensitivity to a wide diversity of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A large number of e-nose instrument types, based on a wide diversity of technologies and operational mechanisms, are available to monitor gaseous and particulate pollutants released into the atmosphere, or liquid and dissolved organic pollutants released into municipal and industrial waste-water systems. Some commonly used e-nose technologies include conducting polymers (CP), metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS), quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), and surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors. Potential pollution-detection applications of e-noses range from atmospheric pollutant (gas-leak) detection of carbon emissions from biofuel production plants and fossil-fuel production sources in the oil and gas industry to VOC-releases from numerous other industries. E-nose technologies are potentially capable of monitoring all phases of industrial manufacturing processes to minimize production of pollutants and maintain efficient, clean production lines. E-nose devices are also useful in designing more environmentally-friendly, clean technologies for energy production, various industrial processes and product-manufacturing systems. This paper is a review of recent novel electronic-nose systems and algorithms, developed over the past decade, that have potential applications for detecting specific types of harmful VOC pollutants in the environment to meet carbon-capture and emission-reduction targets of worldwide environmental protection agencies.
An analysis of the chronology of late Pleistocene mammalian extinctions in North America

Abstract Some 35 genera of mammals became extinct in North America as the Pleistocene came to an end. Current attempts to explain those extinctions generally assume that all of the losses took place between 12,000 and 10,000 yr B.P., even though 13 of the 35 genera lack radiocarbon dates of reasonable validity that would place them in this 2000-yr period. Analyses of the structure of the radiocarbon chronology available for the extinct taxa suggest that some may lack terminal Wisconsin dates simply because they are so poorly represented in the paleontological record. These analyses also suggest, however, that the population numbers of many genera that became extinct toward the end of the Pleistocene may have significantly dwindled by 12,000 yr B.P., and that many of the genera that have yet to be dated to terminal Wisconsin times may not have survived beyond 12,000 yr B.P. If this is the case, current explanations of the extinctions are in need of extensive modification.
Effectiveness of Lift Systems for Long Term Care Residents

It is often the role of the occupational or physical therapist who works in long term care to inservice certified nursing assistants in safe and proper lifting procedures for residents of the facility in which they work. There have been limited choices in either manual or mechanical lifts available that meet safe standards for moving residents from one surface to another. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the feasibility of using the CM (Columbus McKinnon) Assist Personal Transfer System (PTS), a stable, fixed base lift, as a transfer device for residents of long term care facilities. Three factors determined the effectiveness of the PTS including the speed of the transfer as compared to other techniques used to transfer residents, the effect of using the PTS on nursing staff, and the impact the PTS has on the well-being of residents. Two long term care facilities in the western New York region were recruited as sites to conduct the PTS project. A total of 33 residents and 52 nursing assistants par...
Estimating the Impact of Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy: The San Bernardino County Experience

We examined the relation between maternal smoking and adverse infant outcomes [low birth weight (LBW), and preterm birth (PTB)] during 2007–2008 in San Bernardino County, California—the largest county in the contiguous United States which has one of the highest rates of infant mortality in California. Using birth certificate data, we identified 1,430 mothers in 2007 and 1,355 in 2008 who smoked during pregnancy. We assessed the effect of never smoking and smoking cessation during pregnancy relative to smoking during pregnancy for the 1,843/1,798 LBW, and 3,480/3,238 PTB’s recorded for 2007/2008, respectively. To describe the effect of quitting smoking during pregnancy, we calculated the exposure impact number for smoking during pregnancy. Major findings are: (1) relative to smoking during pregnancy, significantly lower risk of LBW among never smoking mothers [OR, year: 0.56, 2007; 0.54, 2008] and for smoking cessation during pregnancy [0.57, 2007; 0.72, 2008]; (2) relative to smoking during pregnancy, significantly lower risk of PTB was found for never smoking mothers [0.68, 2007; 0.68, 2008] and for smoking cessation during pregnancy [0.69, 2007; 0.69, 2008]; (3) an exposure impact assessment indicating each LBW or PTB outcome in the county could have been prevented either by at least 35 mothers quitting smoking during pregnancy or by 25 mothers being never smokers during pre-pregnancy. Our findings identify an important burden of adverse infant outcomes due to maternal smoking in San Bernardino County that can be effectively decreased by maternal smoking cessation.
Supersonic DC-arcjet synthesis of diamond

Abstract A supersonic, direct-current arcjet, designed for expansion into low pressures (⪡ 100 Pa) and operating entirely on hydrogen, is employed to produce diamond films on molybdenum substrates. This technique features strongly reduced boundary layer effects due to the near rarefied flow conditions, and short residence times for post-plasma injected reactants, thereby providing better control of the gas-phase chemistry. The results from a parametric study of diamond growth for methane as a carbon source gas are presented. Despite the low pressures, relatively high diamond growth rates (up to 10 μm h−1) are obtained. A “saturation” is observed in the variation of the diamond film thickness with methane to hydrogen flow ratio. Non-diamond phases become more pronounced at higher methane flow ratios, where the film thickness appears to increase linearly with methane concentration. The results are interpreted within the framework of a simplified five-step heterogeneous mechanism that accounts for the competition between the growth of diamond and non-diamond carbon.
Improving the water management and cell performance for the passive vapor-feed DMFC fed with neat methanol

A passive vapor-feed direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was experimentally investigated to improve its water management and cell performance when neat methanol was directly used. The effects of different water management approaches, including the addition of a water management layer (WML) and a hydrophobic air filter layer (AFL), and the use of thinner membrane on the cell performance, internal resistance, and fuel efficiency were investigated. The transient discharging behavior and long-term stability of the passive vapor-feed DMFC with the optimized water management were also studied. The results showed that by adding a WML and an AFL, or thinning the membrane thickness, the water management capability can be highly improved, not only enhancing the water recovery from the cathode to the anode, leading to a lower internal resistance and better cell performance, but also curbing the methanol crossover, increasing the fuel efficiency. It is also seen from the long-term constant-voltage test that the discharged current varied with the methanol concentration in the tank and the ambient temperature, while no evident permanent performance degradation was encountered after the 150 h test.
Factors Controlling the Sintering of Ceramic Particulate Composites: II, Coated Inclusion Particles

Composite powders were synthesized by coating coarse ZrO2 inclusion particles with a cladding of fine-grained, crystalline ZnO powder using a chemical precipitation technique. Three different inclusion sizes (1, 3, and 14 μm) were used by selecting the size of the starting ZrO2 powder, and the volume fraction of the inclusions was controlled by the amount of ZnO precipitated. The powders were compacted by uniaxial pressing in a die and then sintered at a constant heating rate of 4°C/min to 1500°C. The sintering kinetics were almost independent of the inclusion volume fraction, and of the inclusion size, for inclusion contents up to ∼40 vol%. Furthermore, composites containing up to ∼40 vol% inclusions were sintered to almost full density under the same conditions used for the unreinforced matrix. This is considerably better than the densities obtained for conventionally mixed powders, where a modest inclusion content (< ∼ 10 vol%) has been observed to cause a severe reduction in the sintered density of the composite matrix. The kinetic data and microstructural observations are a further indication that the main factors which oppose the free sintering of ceramic particulate composites are processing-related; these factors are (i) inclusion-inclusion interactions which constrain the matrix and (ii) the packing of the matrix phase in regions immediately surrounding the inclusions.
SCR catalyst performance in flue gases derived from subbituminous and lignite coals

Lignite and subbituminous coals from the United States of America have characteristics that impact the performance of catalysts used in selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for nitrogen oxide removal and mercury oxidation. Typically, these coals contain ash-forming components that consist of inorganic elements (sodium, magnesium, calcium, and potassium) associated with the organic matrix and mineral grains (quartz, clays, carbonates, sulfates, and sulfides). Upon combustion, the inorganic components undergo chemical and physical transformations that produce intermediate inorganic species in the form of inorganic gases, liquids, and solids. The alkali and alkaline-earth elements are partitioned between reactions with minerals and reactions to form alkali and alkaline-earth-rich oxides during combustion. The particles resulting from the reaction with minerals produce low-melting-point phases that cause a wide range of fireside deposition problems. The alkali and alkaline-earth-rich oxides consist mainly of very small particles (<5 μm) that are carried into the backpasses of the combustion system and react with flue gas to form sulfates, and possibly carbonates. These particles cause low-temperature deposition, blinding, and plugging problems in SCR systems. These coals also contain the very low levels of chlorine that are necessary for mercury oxidation. Slipstream testing was conducted at two selected subbituminous-fired power plants and one lignite-fired power plant to determine the impacts of ash on SCR plugging, blinding, and mercury oxidation. The results indicated a high potential for blinding and plugging due to the formation of sulfate-bonded deposits and no evidence for mercury oxidation.