cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolism of bis(2-chloroethyl)ether and bis(2-chloroisopropyl)ether in the rat.

Male rats were given single peroral doses of bis(1-14C-2-chloroethyl)ether ([1-14C]BCEE) (40 mg/kg) and of bis(1-14C-2-chloroisopropyl)ether ([1-14C]BCIE) (90 mg/kg). Excretion of14CO2 and urinary14C was followed for 48 hr. The time required to eliminate one half of the dose was 12 hr for [1-14C]BCEE and 19 hr for [1-14C]BCIE. In the case of [1-14C]BCEE, expired14CO2 accounted for 11.5 ± 5.6(SD) % of the dose, urinary14C accounted for 64.7 ± 14.8%, and 2.4 ± 1.3% was found in the feces. The figures for [1-14C]BCIE were 20.3 ± 9.4% expired as14CO2, 47.5 ± 8.1% as urinary14C, and 3.8 ± 0.3% as fecal14C. Thiodiglycolic acid (TDGA) accounted for roughly 75% of the total urinary14C collected after the [1-14C]BCEE dose. Lesser metabolites of BCEE were 2-chloroethoxyacetic acid (CEAA) (5%), and N-acetyl-S-[2-(2-chloroethoxy)ethyl]-L-cysteine (ACEEC) (7%). Metabolites of [1-14C]BCIE identified in rat urine were 2-(2-chloro-1-methylethoxy)propanoic acid (CMEPA), roughly 36% of the total urinary14C, and N-acetyl-S-(2-hydroxypropyl)-L-cysteine (AHPC) at 19%.
PLOT-DERIVED PARAMETERS FOR BASIN COMPUTATIONS / Paramètres dérivés de parcelles à des fins de calculs pour les bassins versants

Abstract Data from small plots within a basin were used with a digital basin model to estimate parameters for computing runoff from the entire basin. The parameters inferred from soils and crop data were optimized using the digital model to compute runoff from the plots. The optimized values of soil and crop parameters were then used to compute the runoff from the total basin. The results demonstrate the value of plot data and the importance of a deterministic model which uses parameters derived from readily available soil and crop data.
Surface coefficient for multipole magnetic field boundary condition problems

A method for handling boundary conditions in multipolar magnetic field systems is described. This method allows quite complex boundaries (including those with loss) to be handled quite simply. A prototype field problem is worked and a few boundary conditions are derived.
Reconstruction of Shoulder Abduction and External Rotation in Obstetrical Brachial Plexus Palsy Patients

Stability of the shoulder joint and restoration of abduction are important following obstetrical brachial plexus paralysis, as more distal functions depend on having a stable and functioning shoulder. Both deltoid and supraspinatus muscles are active and play a significant role during arm abduction. Along with the suprascapular nerve reinnervation, it is our policy to also neurotize the axillary nerve. The purpose of this report is to present our experience of suprascapular nerve reconstruction in cases of obstetrical brachial plexus palsy. Our overall results were good or excellent in 96% of the patients for the supraspinatus muscle and 75% of the patients for the infraspinatus muscle. Suprascapular nerve neurotization from distal spinal accessory nerve produced similar results to those obtained after reconstruction from the C5 proximal stump. Early surgery (at less than 6 months of age) yielded significantly better results than late surgery (at more than 6 months of age). When microsurgical reconstruction of the brachial plexus is performed before the age of 3 months, it is unlikely for the patient to need a secondary procedure for correction of results obtained after nerve repair.
Intraoperative radiation therapy for patients with recurrent rectal and sigmoid colon cancer in previously irradiated fields.

Abstract A retrospective study evaluated 15 patients with pelvic recurrence of colorectal cancer in a previously irradiated region who received intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) as part of salvage therapy. Total prior external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) doses ranged from 45 to 79.2 Gy. Tumor resection was accomplished in 14 patients, with an exenteration performed in seven. IORT dose was 15–20 Gy. Three patients received additional EBRT as a post-operative course of 25.2 Gy in 14 fractions. Actuarial 3-year local control rate was 25%. The 3-year overall survival rate was 29%. Patients with fixed and/or bulky pelvic tumors had a local control rate of 19% at 12 months and median overall survival of 9 months. Patients with less extensive clinical presentations of anastomotic non-fixed transmural recurrence, isolated pelvic node metastasis and rectal recurrence following local excision had a local control rate of 42% at 36 months and median survival of 43 months. We conclude that clinical presentation of recurrent disease is an important prognostic factor. The value of IORT may be limited to patients with less extensive clinical presentations.
Changing Geo-politics of Oil and the Impact on India

Abstract Oil is a much sought after resource in the modern world economy. Until the previous decade, Middle East was thought to hold the maximum proven reserves of oil. This provided an incentive for western nations to maintain peace and stability in the region. However, discovery of new oil reserves in Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, Alaska and Russia, have challenged the status quo. Emerging Asian economies, namely India and China, will have to deal with an unstable supplier for one of the most important components in their energy portfolio.Given the situation, India is especially at risk as it imports almost 70% of its oil requirement, up to 65% of which originates from the Middle East. In a disruptive scenario of disturbance in the Middle East, India would find it difficult to meet its oil needs, jeopardizing its energy future. This paper analyzes India's energy consumption pattern, consumption of oil and oil products over the past four decades and the composition of India's oil import sources over the past five years. Finally, a model is proposed to secure India's energy future.
Managing Through Conflict Harnessing the Energy and Power of Change

Janet was fuming. This was the third time in a row she'd gotten up to answer a patient's call light while Betty, her colleague, just sat there, not even bothering to look up from her charting to see which patient was calling. As Janet marched down the hall she thought about how she would, again, probably end up working overtime because she needed to finish charting. It seemed like Betty was always leaving right at the end of the shift because she focused only on getting her own work done versus pitching in and helping everyone so they all could leave on time.
A visual display aid for planning rover traversals

An interactive graphical planning system has been developed, which allows a human operator to design and check traversals (cross-country paths) for a planetary rover vehicle. The display provides the operator with necessary information about the terrain and indicates violations of operational or dynamic constraints on the rover. The operator can select different kinds of two-dimensional maps as well as a perspective view of the rover environment to plan the traversals. An experiment has been carried out to determine the ability of the operator to estimate the rover attitude in a large variety of situations. It turned out that the estimation error is highly dependent on the rover attitude itself. This result can be used to determine a vertical scale for the perspective representation of the terrain which avoids an underestimation of dangerous rover attitudes.
Peritoneoscopic placement of peritoneal dialysis catheter and bowel perforation: experience of an interventional nephrology program.

Abstract Background: Bowel perforation is an uncommon but serious complication of peritoneoscopic peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion. The approach to diagnosis of bowel perforation utilizing this technique has not been previously published. The authors report their experience with the diagnosis and management of bowel perforation in the context of peritoneoscopic placement of PD catheters. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 750 PD catheters inserted over a 12-year period (January 1991 to May 2003) utilizing peritoneoscopic technique. Results: Six (0.8%) patients experienced bowel perforation during the procedure. The diagnosis was made immediately during the procedure in 5 (83%) of the 6 patients. Of these 5, peritoneoscopy confirmed intrabowel position of the cannula by visualizing bowel mucosa (n = 3) and hard stool (n = 1). The fifth patient showed extrusion of fecal matter upon trocar withdrawal before peritoneoscopy. All 5 had emanation of foul-smelling gas through the cannula. Bowel rest and broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics were initiated. Of the 5, 1 required surgery, whereas the others were discharged home after 3 days. The sixth patient had fever, severe peritoneal irritation, and polymicrobial peritonitis the morning after the procedure. In this patient, no evidence of bowel injury was noted during the procedure except for brief emanation of foul-smelling gas. He required surgical intervention. Conclusion: Bowel perforation can be diagnosed immediately in most patients undergoing peritoneoscopic PD catheter insertion. A majority of these patients can be treated medically. The surgical team should be consulted if the patient shows clinical deterioration or has signs of peritoneal irritation.
Magnetic resonance imaging: a potential tool in assessing the addition of hyperthermia to neoadjuvant therapy in patients with locally advanced breast cancer

The poor overall survival for patients with locally advanced breast cancers has led over the past decade to the introduction of numerous neoadjuvant combined therapy regimens to down-stage the disease before surgery. At the same time, more evidence suggests the need for treatment individualisation with a wide variety of new targets for cancer therapeutics and also multi modality therapies. In this context, early determination of whether the patient will fail to respond can enable the use of alternative therapies that can be more beneficial. The purpose of this review is to examine the potential role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in early prediction of treatment response and prognosis of overall survival in locally advanced breast cancer patients enrolled on multi modality therapy trials that include hyperthermia. The material is organised with a review of dynamic contrast (DCE)-MRI and diffusion weighted (DW)-MRI for characterisation of phenomenological parameters of tumour physiology and their potential role in estimating therapy response. Most of the work published in this field has focused on responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens alone, so the emphasis will be there, however the available data that involves the addition of hyperthermia to the regimen will be discussed The review will also include future directions that include the potential use of MRI imaging techniques in establishing the role of hyperthermia alone in modifying breast tumour microenvironment, together with specific challenges related to performing such studies.
Closed form exact solutions for the steady state vibrations of continuous systems subjected to distributed exciting forces

Abstract A method for determining the vibratory response of continuous systems subjected to distributed excitation forces is presented. The method is exact and yields closed from expressions for the vibratory displacements. This is in contrast with the well known eigenfunction superposition (ES) method which requires expressing the distributed forcing functions and the displacement response functions as infinite sums of free vibration eigenfunctions. The closed from expressions require relatively simple calculations for plotting response curves of displacement amplitude vs. forcing frequency. The method is demonstrated for strings, rods, beams, membranes and plates. Both viscous and material damping are treated.
Estimating the call option values embedded in closed‐end automobile leases

Believes that a feature of most closed‐end automobile leases is the right to purchase the car for a specified price at the termination of the lease. This characteristic of a closed‐end autombile lease is similar to a European call option and is transferred to the lessee at no explicit charge. Develops a methodology to calculate the value of the call option feature embedded in closed‐end automobile leases. Concludes that the rational lessee should lease autos that generate low option values.
Nonlinear control under delays that depend on delayed states

Abstract We recently introduced a design methodology for the stabilization of nonlinear systems with input and state delays that depend on the current state of the plant. In the present paper we consider nonlinear systems with delays that depend on the delayed state of the plant, that is, the delay is defined implicitly as a nonlinear function of the state at a past time which depends on the delay itself. Since the prediction horizon and the delay depend on the state of the plant, the key design challenges are how to compute the predictor state and the delay (since the delay needs to be available in order to compute the predictor). We resolve these challenges and we establish closed-loop stability with the aid of a strict Lyapunov functional that we construct. We also design a predictor feedback law for systems with state delays that depend on delayed states. We present an example of a strict-feedforward nonlinear system with input delay.
Patterns of cross-orientation friendships in high schools

Abstract Previous studies indicate that school friendship networks of sexual minority students (students with non-heterosexual orientations) consist mostly of straight peers, but little is known about these straight friends. This paper examines what background characteristics predict straight students’ chance of having sexual minority friends by analyzing friendship nomination data from two large high schools included in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Straight females are more likely than straight males to have cross-orientation friendships particularly with sexual minority males. Like friendships among straight students, cross-orientation friendships show a strong homophilous tendency—straight students choose sexual minority friends within their grade levels, racial groups, and academic aptitude levels. Beyond homophily, white race and high levels of academic aptitude and parent education increase straight students’ chance of having sexual minority friends in some gender combinations, consistent with previous research showing the links between these backgrounds and positive attitudes toward sexual minorities.
Measurements of Simultaneously Recorded Spiking Activity and Local Field Potentials Suggest that Spatial Selection Emerges in the Frontal Eye Field

The frontal eye field (FEF) participates in selecting the location of behaviorally relevant stimuli for guiding attention and eye movements. We simultaneously recorded local field potentials (LFPs) and spiking activity in the FEF of monkeys performing memory-guided saccade and covert visual search tasks. We compared visual latencies and the time course of spatially selective responses in LFPs and spiking activity. Consistent with the view that LFPs represent synaptic input, visual responses appeared first in the LFPs followed by visual responses in the spiking activity. However, spatially selective activity identifying the location of the target in the visual search array appeared in the spikes about 30 ms before it appeared in the LFPs. Because LFPs reflect dendritic input and spikes measure neuronal output in a local brain region, this temporal relationship suggests that spatial selection necessary for attention and eye movements is computed locally in FEF from spatially nonselective inputs.
Efficient Syntheses of β-Sesquiphellandrene and Zingiberenol Employing a Tandem Arylation-Multistep Reduction-Hydrolysis Sequence1

Abstract The title sesquiterpenes are synthesized in one step from the common intermediate 4-(6-methyl-5-hepten-2-yl)-2-cyclohexen-1-one, which is prepared using a one-pot tandem arylation-multistep reduction-hydrolysis sequence.
Electron-Spin-Resonance Absorption Spectrum of Platinum in Yttrium Aluminum Garnet

An electron-spin-resonance absorption spectrum taken at 3-cm wavelength and attributed to trivalent platinum ($5{d}^{7},{t}^{6}e$) at octahedral sites in yttrium aluminum garnet has been observed at temperatures below 120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. The spectrum is described by $S=\frac{1}{2}$ and $\mathrm{I}=\frac{1}{2}$ (due to the 34% abundant $^{195}\mathrm{Pt}$). There are 24 magnetically inequivalent orientations of the platinum ion per unit cell arising from what is believed to be static Jahn-Teller distortions at each of the eight inequivalent octahedral sites. The $g$ and $A$ tensors are orthorhombic with principal components ${g}_{i}=1.962$, ${g}_{j}=2.361$, ${g}_{k}=2.424$ and ${A}_{l}=99 \mathrm{Oe}$, ${A}_{m}=88 \mathrm{Oe}$, and ${A}_{n}=30 \mathrm{Oe}$. The two tensors are not diagonal in the same coordinate system and their orientations with respect to the garnet cubic directions is discussed.
Secreted Bacterial Effectors and Host-Produced Eiger/TNF Drive Death in a Salmonella-Infected Fruit Fly

Death by infection is often as much due to the host's reaction as it is to the direct result of microbial action. Here we identify genes in both the host and microbe that are involved in the pathogenesis of infection and disease in Drosophila melanogaster challenged with Salmonella enterica serovartyphimurium (S. typhimurium). We demonstrate that wild-type S. typhimurium causes a lethal systemic infection when injected into the hemocoel of D. melanogaster. Deletion of the gene encoding the secreted bacterial effector Salmonella leucine-rich (PslrP) changes an acute and lethal infection to one that is persistent and less deadly. We propose a model in which Salmonella secreted effectors stimulate the fly and thus cause an immune response that is damaging both to the bacteria and, subsequently, to the host. In support of this model, we show that mutations in the fly gene eiger, a TNF homolog, delay the lethality of Salmonella infection. These results suggest that S. typhimurium-infected flies die from a condition that resembles TNF-induced metabolic collapse in vertebrates. This idea provides us with a new model to study shock-like biology in a genetically manipulable host. In addition, it allows us to study the difference in pathways followed by a microbe when producing an acute or persistent infection.
Effects of seasonally frozen soil on the seismic behavior of bridges

Many of the broad cold regions are located in seismic active zones. Little research has been conducted to investigate the seasonally frozen soil effects on the seismic performance of bridge structures. An analytical investigation of the seasonally frozen soil effects on the seismic behavior of a soil–pile–bridge pier system is presented. Elastic–plastic Finite Element (FE) analyses of a soil–pile model were conducted to obtain the cyclic behavior of the soil–pile system under the unfrozen and frozen soil condition. The equivalent foundation spring coefficients widely used for design practices were developed for the frozen soil condition. A simplified FE model of the soil–pile–bridge pier system was built by representing the soil–pile system with the derived equivalent foundation springs. Modal and push-over analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of seasonally frozen soil on the seismic behavior of the bridge bents. It is found that seasonally frozen soil causes significant change in the stiffness and damping ratio of the soil–pile system, and may have greatly impact the dynamic response of the bridge piers; the influence increases with decreasing pier height-span ratio or increasing overall pier stiffness. It is also found that seasonally frozen soil may impact bridge seismic behavior; the lateral displacement capacity of the pier decreases and the shear demand increases in the frozen soil condition.
Influence of thyroid activity on carotene disappearance from the rat intestine

Abstract Disappearance of aqueous suspensions of beta carotene, during 3-hour incubations in the ligated intestine, was studied in three trials involving 120 rats. When 800 p.p.m. of iodinated casein was added to the diet, disappearance was significantly increased. Blood data indicate that this can be attributed to more rapid conversion of carotene to vitamin A. Adding 400 p.p.m. of iodinated casein or either 55 or 110 p.p.m. of methimazole to the diet did not affect carotene disappearance.
Composite polymer derived ceramic system for oxidizing environments

Preceramic polymers and expansion agents are being investigated to produce composite ceramic coatings for oxidation protection of metallic substrates. In this paper, we present results of a systematic approach to selecting the preceramic polymer and expansion agents and the optimization of the processing parameters to produce composite ceramics. Six commercially available poly(silsesquioxane) polymers and a polysiloxane were studied. In addition, several metals and an intermetallic were considered as potential expansion agents. Based on this study, the most desirable polymer/expansion agent combination and optimal processing parameters have been identified.
Application of the embedded-atom method to liquid transition metals

The recently developed embedded-atom method (EAM) of Daw and Baskes [Phys. Rev. B 29, 6443 (1984); Phys. Rev. Lett. 50, 1285 (1983)] is applied to the description of liquid transition metals. A particular set of EAM functions fitted to bulk solid properties is then used to compute the static structure factor and theoretical pressure at the experimental zero-pressure density of various liquid transition metals. The results are in good agreement with experimental data, thus supporting the overall validity of the approach. Further, a systematic prescription for the determination of approximate pair potentials, as well as three- or more-body interactions, from the EAM formalism is presented and shown to give results for the pair correlations in good agreement with the full theory. Finally, the numerical values of the EAM functions used in the calculations for Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, and Au are given.
Effects of shell condition and size upon the shell choice behavior of a hermit crab

Abstract Hermit crabs attracted to simulated sites of predation upon gastropods, a source of empty shells, were more likely to inhabit shells of worse condition than crabs collected by visual searches, suggesting that shell condition affects shell choice behavior. Laboratory tests showed that Pagurus pollicaris Say inhabiting shells with lip damage, hydroid colonies, and pitting by boring organisms exchanged shells more frequently than crabs in unmodified shells. Shell fit also affected laboratory shell exchange; i.e., crabs in relatively small shells exchanged significantly more than crabs in relatively large shells. The shell conditions inducing the highest observed rates of shell exchange were those potentially increasing the risk of predation: lip damage, relatively small shells, and shells weakened by boring organisms. The active shell exchange behavior induced in crabs inhabiting damaged, pitted, and fouled shells explains the overrepresentation of these shell conditions at predation events where the probability of shell exchange is high.
Industry, academe and the national tourist organizations

Abstract Jafar Jafari reports on the second Educators Forum sponsored by the Pacific Area Travel Association (PATA) held in Macau, 12–14 September 1983.
Methionine adenosyltransferase: kinetic properties of human and rat liver enzymes.

Abstract Methionine adenosyltransferase (ATP: l -methionine S-adenosyltransferase, EC 2.5.1.6) requires K+ and Mg2+ for full activity in vitro. It was shown that in the absence both of excess Mg2+ (i.e., of amounts greater than required for mgATP2− formation) and of K+, the rat liver transferase displays sigmoidal substrate-activity curves for MgATP2− (Hill coefficient, n = 2.8) and for methionine (n = 1.7), the co-substrate being saturating; the sigmoidicity of the methionine substrate-activity curve is increased (n = 2.3) in the presence of the half-saturating concentration of MgATP2−. The substrate-activity curves for the human liver transferase, however, are hyperbolic. In the absence of the activators, activity of both enzymes at saturating concentrations of the substrates is about half that in the presence of the activators. The addition of excess Mg2+ (100 m m ) abolishes the sigmoidicity of the substrate-activity curves for the rat liver transferase. With both enzymes, the maximum reaction rate attained is only slightly increased in the presence of excess Mg2+, but (except for the methionine curve of the human enzyme) there is a large decrease in substrate concentration required for a half-maximal reaction rate (S0.5), suggesting that the effect of the Mg2+ is to increase the affinity of the enzymes for the substrates. The addition of K+ (100 m m ) also increases the apparent affinity of the two enzymes for the substrates, but without abolishing the sigmoidicity of the MgATP2− substrate-activity curve of the rat liver transferase (n = 2.1). In the presence of both activators, S0.5 may be further decreased over that in the presence of either activator alone, but the major effect is a large increase in maximum reaction rate.
Incidence and Heat Resistance of Clostridium botulinum Type E Spores in Menhaden Surimi

Raw menhaden surimi (Brevoortia tyrannus) was examined to determine the incidence of Clostridium botulinum spores. Seven of 565 test portions (1.2%) were positive for type E spores. The thermal death time (TDT) tube method was used to determine the heat resistance of C. botulinum type E spores inoculated into the remaining 558 negative portions. Calculated mean D-values in mm were 8.66 at 73.9°C, 3.49 at 76.7°C, 2.15 at 79.4°C, and 1.22 at 82.2°C. The z-value of the phantom TDT curve was 9.78Co. Our data indicate previously reported minimal time/temperature thermal processes used to set surimi gel provide an adequate margin of safety with regard to C. botulinum type E.
A spiny vesicle in slime-producing cells of the bean root.

Vesicles bearing a specialized layer associated with the outer surface of the bounding membrane have become widely recognized fine structural components since the first reports of their presence in animal cells (8, 13, 15). Presumably this morphological specialization of the vesicle, which usually takes the form of a hairy coating or an alveolate reticulum, is related to functional specialization, including selective absorption, transport, or fusion. In some instances it has been shown that these "coated" vesicles in animal cells are concerned in the selective accumulation and transport of protein (3, 7, 14). Perhaps the first clear demonstration of coated vesicles in plant cells was that by Berkaloff () in the brown alga, Himanthalia. Manton (10) has illustrated and discussed fringed vesicles occurring in the green alga, Stigeoclonium, as have Leedale et al. (9) in Euglena. In the author's laboratory, vesicles with an alveolate surface and a diameter of about 85 mp, including coat, have been observed in a variety of meristematic and differentiating cells in flowering plants and have been studied particularly in root hairs (2). The present paper describes the occurrence of vesicles of a new kind in plant cells. These vesicles are unusual in several respects: they possess a specialized surface layer of a type not previously reported for vesicles in plant or animal cells, they occur in aggregates in the cytoplasm, and they are restricted to one stage in the differentiation of particular kinds of cells closely related ontogenetically.
Wide row spacing for deep-furrow planting of winter wheat

Abstract A tillage-based winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.)-summer fallow rotation is practiced on 1.56 million cropland hectares in the low-precipitation ( −1 (8 site years) and same number of seeds ha −1 (3 site years) with row spacing of 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, and 80 cm and measured effects on grain yield, grain yield components, straw production, and weed dynamics. With same number of seeds row −1 (seeding rate declined as row spacing widened) the highest average grain and straw yield was achieved with the 40 and 45-cm spacing with gradual decline as row spacing widened due to fewer spikes unit area −1 (SPU) and despite increased kernels spike −1 (KPS). Kernel weight (KW) was not a factor. With same number of seeds ha −1 (more seeds row −1 as row spacing widened) there were no overall differences in SPU, KPS, KW, and straw production among treatments and only a slight grain yield reduction at the two widest spacing treatments. Weeds were not an agronomic problem with any spacing treatment due to timely and effective in-crop herbicide application although weed dry biomass did increase slightly as row spacing widened. Our research suggests that row spacing for WW production in the dryland PNW can be widened to at least 50 cm and most likely 55 cm to facilitate conservation-tillage farming with equal grain and straw production compared to narrower row spacing currently used by farmers.
Some major accident investigations of fires in underground rail rapid transit systems

Etude du niveau de securite dans le cas d'incendies survenus entre 1979 et 1981 sur les systemes BART a San Francisco, SEPTA en Pennsylvanie et NYCTA a New York
Patterns of local aromaticity in graphene oxyradicals

Two families of polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) oxyradicals are investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and the semi-empirical PM6 method. These families result from the edge oxidation of substrates that involve only zigzag edges and those that include both zigzag and armchair edges. Oxyradical stability is shown to correlate with local aromatic character of six-atom rings characterized by the harmonic oscillator measure of aromaticity (HOMA) and with the distribution of HOMA values in molecules. It is demonstrated, that oxidation at the edge has a non-local effect on the structure of PAHs and leads to distinguishable types of HOMA patterns that are common for both families of PAHs.
Supported Treadmill Ambulation for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Pilot Study

Abstract Sanjak M, Bravver E, Bockenek WL, Norton J, Brooks BR. Supported treadmill ambulation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot study. Objectives: To determine the feasibility, tolerability, safety, and exercise treatment-effect size of repetitive rhythmic exercise mediated by supported treadmill ambulation training (STAT) for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Design: Interventional with repeated-measures design. Setting: Multidisciplinary ALS clinic at academic medical center. Participants: Convenience sample of patients with ALS (N=9) who were ambulatory with assistive devices (Sinaki-Mulder stages II–III). Interventions: Repetitive rhythmic exercise-STAT (30min total; 5min of exercise intercalated with 5min of rest) performed 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Main Outcome Measure: ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R), percentage of predicted vital capacity (VC), total lower-extremities manual muscle test (MMT), rate of perceived exertion (RPE), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in 10 lower and 10 upper extremities. Gait performance, which included walking distance, speed, steps, and stride length, was evaluated during treadmill and ground 6-minute walk tests (6MWTs) and 25-foot walk test (25FWT). Results: Feasibility issues decreased screened participants by 4 patients (31%). Nine patients were enrolled, but 6 patients (67%) completed the study and 3 (23% of original cohort; 33% of enrolled cohort) could not complete the exercise intervention because of non–ALS-related medical problems. Tolerability of the intervention measures during the treadmill 6MWT showed improvement in RPE ( P ≤.05) and FSS score ( P ≥.05). Safety measures (ALSFRS-R, VC, MMT) showed no decrease and showed statistical improvement in ALSFRS-R score ( P ≤.05) during the study interval. Exercise treatment-effect size showed variable improvements. Gait speed, distance, and stride length during the treadmill 6MWT improved significantly ( P ≤.05) after 4 weeks and improvements were maintained after 8 weeks compared with baseline. Walking distance during the ground 6MWT increased significantly after 4 weeks and was maintained after 8 weeks compared with baseline ( P ≤.05). Walking speed during the 25FWT and lower-extremity MVIC improved, but were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Repetitive rhythmic exercise-STAT is feasible, tolerated, and safe for patients with ALS. Repetitive rhythmic exercise-STAT treatment-effect size across a number of ALS-related measures was consistent with improved work capacity and gait function in patients with ALS who are dependent on assistive devices for ambulation. Repetitive rhythmic exercise-STAT should be evaluated further in larger studies to determine the stability of this improved function in relation to the rate of progression of the underlying ALS.
Molecular cloning and sequence analysis of multiple cDNA variants for thyroid-stimulating hormone β subunit (TSHβ) in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas)

Abstract We cloned and sequenced full-length cDNAs encoding the β subunit of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSHβ) from the pituitary of fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) using 5′- and 3′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Three cDNA variants for TSHβ with lengths of 1184-, 1093-, and 818-bp were identified. The cDNA variant of 1184-bp included 453-bp of open-reading frame and 610-bp of 3′ UTR followed by a poly(A)site. This cDNA encodes 150 amino acids including a 19 residue signal peptide and a mature TSHβ protein of 131 residues with sequence identities of 97–53% to other fishes and 42–39% to mammals. The 1093-bp cDNA variant was identical to the 1184-bp variant in the open-reading frame, but contained a deletion of 40-bp in the 3′ UTR. The 818-bp cDNA variant, however, contained 498-bp of open-reading frame followed by 227-bp of 3′ UTR and a poly(A)site. The deduced amino acid sequence for this cDNA variant showed 99.2% homology with the 1184- and 1093-bp variants of TSHβ, but a single deletion of 332-bp nucleotides spanning the predicted stop codon and 3′ UTR resulted in a deduced amino acid sequence with 15 additional residues on the C terminus. The presence of this 818-bp cDNA variant in the pituitary was further confirmed by PCR using primers developed to the 5′ and 3′ UTR. PCR and Southern blot analyses of genomic DNA suggested only one gene for TSHβ. Sequencing of this gene revealed a hairpin loop structure of approximately 300-bp located in the 3′ UTR and corresponding to the region of the 332-bp deletion in the 818-bp transcript.
An ab initio study of the BF3H2O complex

Abstract Ab initio Hartree-Fock and second-order Moller-Plesset calculations were performed on the molecular complex BF3H2O. Optimized geometries and total energies were determined using various basis sets, and the calculated vibrations and interaction energies were determined using total energies for BF3 and H2O. A comparison with experimental data is presented.
Evaluation of Different Lansoprazole Formulations for Nasogastric or Orogastric Administration

BackgroundCritically ill patients who require treatment with proton pump inhibitors are often unable to swallow solid dosage forms and have nasogastric (NG) or orogastric (OG) tube placement. Many ...
SPREADSHEET MACRO TO DETERMINE USDA SOIL TEXTURAL SUBCLASSES

Texture is an important soil characteristic that is routinely determined in many soils-related studies. Although many investigators employ spreadsheets to calculate the data needed for texture determinations, a good computer-based method to identify the complete name for the texture has not been reported. In this study, I developed a technique that integrates seamlessly with spreadsheets and determines the names of the USDA soil textural subclasses. The technique uses laboratory particle size analysis data and employs a macro to execute a quantitative key to the textural subclasses. The macro is easy to use because it is incorporated in a spreadsheet file, can be called from a textbox or user defined button, and can be edited by anyone with a basic background in macro languages. The macro was written in Excel for Windows version 4.0 macro language, but opens in more recent versions of Excel for Windows and Mac. The macro has advantages over manual methods because it is much faster and not prone to errors....
Determining continuous-time state equations from discrete-time state equations via the principal q th root method

Fast computational methods are developed for finding the equivalent continuous-time state equations from discrete-time state equations. The computational methods utilize the direct truncation method, the matrix continued fraction method, and the geometric-series method in conjunction with the principal q th root of the discrete-time system matrix for quick determination of the approximants of a matrix logarithm function. It is shown that the use of the principal q th root of a matrix enables us to enlarge the convergence region of the expansion of a matrix logarithm function and to improve the accuracy of the approximants of the matrix logarithm function.
Molecular mechanisms of CD8(+) T cell trafficking and localization.

Cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells are potent mediators of host protection against disease due to their ability to directly kill cells infected with intracellular pathogens and produce inflammatory cytokines at the site of infection. To fully achieve this objective, naive CD8(+) T cells must be able to survey the entire body for the presence of foreign or "non-self" antigen that is delivered to draining lymph nodes following infection or tissue injury. Once activated, CD8(+) T cells undergo many rounds of cell division, acquire effector functions, and are no longer restricted to the circulation and lymphoid compartments like their naive counterparts, but rather are drawn to inflamed tissues to combat infection. As CD8(+) T cells transition from naive to effector to memory populations, this is accompanied by dynamic changes in the expression of adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors that ultimately dictate their localization in vivo. Thus, an understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating CD8(+) T cell trafficking and localization is critical for vaccine design, control of infectious diseases, treatment of autoimmune disorders, and cancer immunotherapy.
Isolation and characterization of cytoskeletons from cotton fiber cytoplasts

Over the last 25 yr, success in characterizing the individual protein components of animal cytoskeletons was possible, in part, due to technical advances in the isolation and purification of anucleate cytoskeletons from animal cells. As a step towards characterizing protein components of the plant cytoskeleton, we have isolated cytoskeletons from cytoplasts (anucleate protoplasts) prepared from cotton fiber cells grown in ovule culture. Cytoplasts isolated into a hypertonic, Ca2+-free medium at pH 6.8 retained internal structures after extraction with the detergent, Triton X-100. These structures were shown to include microtubule and microfilament arrays by immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Actin and tubulin were the only abundant proteins in these preparations, suggesting that microfilaments and microtubules were the major cytoskeleta elements in the isolated cytoskeletons. The absence of additional, relatively abundant proteins suggests that (a) other cytoskeletal arrays potentially present in fiber cells (e.g., intermediate filaments) were either lost during detergent extraction or were minor components of the fiber cell cytoskeleton; and (b) high ratios of individual cytoskeletal-associated proteins relative to actin and tubulin were not required to maintain microtubules and microfilaments in organized structures.
Detection of amino alcohols and diamines

Test-tube and spot reaction procedure are presented for the detection ofα-amino alcohols and aliphatic 1,2-diamino compounds. The test is dependent on the reduction of periodate in sulfuric acid medium, followed by the precipitation of silver iodate in nitric acid solution.
Electric-Field Gradient Tensor in Ferrous Compounds

The electric-field gradient tensor at the iron nucleus in ferrous (${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$) compounds is investigated. One sees that under the combined action of axial and rhombic crystalline fields and the spin-orbit interaction, the ferrous-ion $(^{5}D,3{d}^{6}){d}_{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$ states produce a large, temperature-dependent, contribution to the electric-field gradient tensor. It is found that this direct contribution is diminished by that from the lattice itself (the second-order axial and rhombic components of the crystalline field), as well as Sternheimer polarization effects and covalency. The results of this investigation are then applied to M\"ossbauer results in FeSi${\mathrm{F}}_{6}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}6${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O to obtain an estimate of the electric quadrupole moment of ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{57m}(0.29\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02\mathrm{b})$, which is in agreement with that from ferric (${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$) studies. Finally, estimates also based upon M\"ossbauer measurements, are made of the ${d}_{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}$ energy splittings in the ferrous compounds, FeSi${\mathrm{F}}_{6}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}6${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, FeS${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}7${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, Fe${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}2${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, Fe${(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{4}\mathrm{S}{\mathrm{O}}_{4})}_{2}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}6${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, FeS${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, Fe${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}4${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$O, and Fe${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$.
Isohedonic tastes support a two-dimensional hypothesis of palatability

The hypothesis that tastes activate two systems of palatability processing was tested by examining the ingestive and aversive fixed-action patterns (FAPs) elicited by equally preferred tastes. Berridge and Grill (1983) reported that the probability of occurrence of aversive FAPs could be increased without producing a reciprocal reduction in the probability of ingestive responses. This independence of ingestion and aversion was confirmed, and it was shown that the effect extends to measures of the actual quantity, as well as the probability, of the FAPs. It was further shown that ingestive and aversive FAPs could be increased together by simultaneously increasing the sucrose and quinine concentration of a taste. Equal preference between tastes may therefore need not imply identical hedonic evaluations, but rather simply an equivalent balance between ingestive and aversive systems. These data provide support for a two-dimensional hypothesis of palatability processing.
Methodology for rapid assessment of the radon potential of soils

A technique using a small diameter probe and a portable alpha-particle scintillometer for sample collection and analysis has been developed. It is fast, efficient, cost-effective, and can be modified to accommodate a wide spectrum of sampling conditions. When soil-gas sampling for radon is combined with geophysical gamma-ray measurements, pedological characteristics of surficial materials, and geologic knowledge of bedrock, the combination forms a powerful technological basis for estimating radon potential of soils. The method can help provide information on a short time-frame so that local governments, land developers, and builders can take appropriate measures when planning new construction.
The Journal in 1947 and 1997: A Dramatic Change

The opportunity to analyze the differences in what was written in the first four volumes of Pediatrics in 1948 through 1949 and the contents of the most recent volumes in 1996 through 1997 begs the question of why medical journals should be read. For most physicians, at least initially, it is the perceived need to “keep up.” The implied message, reinforced by medical school and residency faculty, is that those who fail to be familiar with the most late-breaking developments will invariably make mistakes and kill someone. Most physicians have an unread stack of journals on bedside tables with attendant guilt that comes as naturally to us as breathing. This dark cloud dissipates only slowly through the years as we see so much “new” information become obsolete, discredited, or simply unused, and question the extent to which journal articles affect how we practice. It is in this realm—the relevance of journal articles to influencing medical practices—where the contents of past and current volumes diverge. In essence, although Pediatrics has consistently been directed toward the interests of general pediatricians like myself, there were a higher percentage of articles in earlier editions that affected how we practiced. In the 1996 through 1997 volumes, there is a smaller proportion of articles that the general pediatrician needs to read to stay au current . I do not mean to disparage my favorite journal. It is just that “keeping up” is no longer the primary reason to read Pediatrics ; intellectual stimulation and relaxed pleasure is. I enjoy reading the Journal in the same way I enjoy a current affairs periodical such as the New Republic . The articles may not change what tests I order or what antibiotic I prescribe, but rather provide enrichment through appreciation of developments taking place in my profession. Not …
Are Beliefs About God Theoretical Beliefs? Reflections on Aquinas and Kant

The need to address our question arises from two sources, one in Kant and the other in a certain type of response to so-called Reformed epistemology. The first source consists in a tendency to distinguish theoretical beliefs from practical beliefs (commitments to the world's being a certain way versus commitments to certain pictures to live by), and to treat theistic belief as mere practical belief. We trace this tendency in Kant's corpus, and compare and contrast it with Aquinas's view and a more conservative Kantian view. We reject the theistic-belief-as-mere-practical-belief view: it is bad descriptive anthropology, it embraces a misguided ideal of a fragmented self unattainable by human beings, and it will deter people from the most desirable sort of faith. The second source consists in the idea that since theistic beliefs function as answers to why-questions, their epistemic status hangs on whether they meet certain distinctively explanatory standards, whatever support they might receive from other sources. We argue that this is a non-sequitur and suggest questions for further research.