cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Knowledge-based diagnostic problem solving and learning in the test area of electronics assembly manufacturing

A critical area in electronics assembly manufacturing is the test and repair area. Computerized decision aids at this area can facilitate enhanced system performance. A key to developing computer-based aids is gaining an understanding of the human problem solving process in the complex task of troubleshooting in electronics manufacturing. In this paper, we present a computational model of troubleshooting and learning in electronics assembly manufacturing. The model is based on a theory of knowledge representation, reasoning, and learning, which is grounded in observations of human problem solving. The theory provides a foundation for developing applications of AI in complex, real world domains.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dynamic mechanical properties of toughened polysterene

Abstract The dynamic modulus and loss factor of various grades prepared high impact polystyrenes were measured at —140°C to 140°C. It is shown that the loss factor peak at the rubber transitional temperature increases monotonically with additional rubber content, and this can partially be correlated to the actual degree of material toughness.
Intimacy, domesticity and pet therapy with the elderly: expectation and experience among nursing home volunteers.

Abstract A study of volunteers in three nursing homes revealed that their role had several unexpected consequences for institutional residents and for the volunteers themselves. The research, carried out in geriatric facilities in upstate New York, focused on community members and college students working in a pet therapy program, through which they brought companion animals to various institutions on a weekly basis. Visiting people and pets re-created an aura of domesticity for residents who had been cut off from homes and families by age and illness. Consonant with this domestic perception by residents was the self-image that volunteers developed of their role: most came to see themselves as family and friends to patients rather than as visitors, strangers, or adjunct staff. Volunteering, however, was an emotionally demanding experience that some people handled more successfully than others. While certain individuals found the costs of this unexpected intimacy to be too high, others discovered significant rewards in what one person called its ‘selfish altruism.’ Several factors were found to mediate how volunteers felt about what they did, and whether or not they continued with their work over a long period of time. These variables included: (a) the motives that people had for becoming volunteers, (b) their prior experience doing this kind of work, (c) their career orientations, and current family and living situation, and (d) the image that they had of the elderly in general and nursing homes in particular.
Induction of Quinone Reductase by Withanolides Isolated from Physalis philadelphica (Tomatillos)

The fruits of Physalis philadelphica, known commonly as tomatillos, are an ingredient of the condiment “salsa verde”. As part of an ongoing project to discover natural product cancer chemopreventive agents, an ethyl acetate-soluble extract of the commercially available fresh fruits of P. philadelphica was found to induce quinone reductase activity in cultured Hepa 1c1c7 murine hepatoma cells. Bioassay-directed fractionation of an EtOAc extract of the fruits, aided by LC/MS, led to the isolation of a series of structurally related withanolides. One novel substance, 2,3-dihydro-3-methoxywithaphysacarpin (1), and two known compounds, withaphysacarpin (2) and 24,25-dihydrowithanolide D (3), were isolated, with the structure of 1 characterized spectroscopically. All three withanolides significantly induced quinone reductase activity in Hepa 1c1c7, TAPclBPrc1, and BPrcl murine hepatoma cells, suggesting that these compounds are monofunctional inducers, specifically elevating phase II enzymes responsible for det...
Leptin and metabolic control of reproduction.

Leptin treatment prevents the effects of fasting on reproductive processes in a variety of species. The mechanisms that underlie these effects have not been elucidated. Progress in this area of research might be facilitated by viewing reproductive processes in relation to mechanisms that maintain fuel homeostasis. Reproduction, food intake, and fuel partitioning can be viewed as homeostatic responses controlled by a sensory system that monitors metabolic signals. These signals are generated by changes in intracellular metabolic fuel availability and oxidation rather than by changes in the amount of body fat or by changes in any aspect of body composition. Leptin might be viewed as either a mediator or as a modulator of the intracellular metabolic signal. Consistent with its purported action as a mediator of the metabolic signal, leptin synthesis and secretion are influenced acutely by changes in metabolic fuel availability, and these changes might lead to changes in reproductive function. The effects of leptin treatment on reproduction are blocked by treatments that inhibit intracellular fuel oxidation. Metabolic signals that inhibit reproduction in leptin-treated animals might act via neural pathways that are independent of leptin's action. Alternatively, both leptin and metabolic inhibitors might interact at the level of intracellular fuel oxidation. In keeping with the possibility that leptin modulates the metabolic signal, leptin treatment increases fuel availability, uptake, and oxidation in particular tissues. Leptin might affect reproduction indirectly by altering fuel oxidation or other peripheral processes such as gastric emptying. Reproductive processes are among the most energetically expensive in the female repertoire. Because leptin increases energy expenditure while simultaneously inhibiting energy intake, it may have limited use as a long-term treatment for infertility.
The role of the physical therapist in the care of the older adult

Physical therapists play an important role in the care of older adults who have physical disabilities. Proper patient selection, a thorough medical, social, and functional history, and a physical examination emphasizing the neuromusculoskeletal system are the cornerstones of the evaluation process. Treatment is individualized and goal driven, with appropriate precautions being followed. Gait training is an integral part of the treatment process for many older adults with disabilities, and various assistive devices may be used to ensure safe mobility.
UNEARTHING THE DRAGON: THE GREAT FEATHERED DINOSAUR DISCOVERY: by Mark Norell. PI Press, New York 2005. 250 pp. $30 hardcover. ISBN: 0-13-186266-9

Mineralogist you may be, but if you have been willing to address the public you have likely found yourself in front of a grade school class, discussing any other topic, and discovered the astonishing capability of your young audience to bring the discussion around to dinosaurs. Some of us face these digressions with more grace than others. If you want to be better armed next time, get this book, read it (it goes fast), and take it with you for the pictures (by Norell’s collaborator, Mick Ellison) if nothing …
Modeling the distribution of Nursing Effort using structured Labor and Delivery documentation

Our study objectives included the development and evaluation of models for representing the distribution of shared unit-wide nursing care resources among individual Labor and Delivery patients using quantified measurements of nursing care, referred to as Nursing Effort. The models were intended to enable discrimination between the amounts of care delivered to patient subsets defined by attributes such as patient acuity. For each of five proposed models, scores were generated using an analysis set of 686,402 computerized nurse-documented events associated with 1093 patients at three hospitals during January and February 2006. Significant differences were detected in Nursing Effort scores according to patient acuity, care facility, and in scores generated during shift change versus non-shift change hours. The development of nursing care quantification strategies proposed in this study supports outcomes analysis by establishing a foundation for measuring the effect of patient-level nursing care on individual patient outcomes.
Cost Effectiveness of Chest Computed Tomography After Lung Cancer Resection: A Decision Analysis Model

Background Postoperative surveillance with chest computed tomography (CT) is often performed in patients who have undergone resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), despite lack of supporting data. This study involves the creation of a decision analysis model to predict the cost effectiveness of postoperative surveillance CT. Methods A decision analysis model was created in which a hypothetical cohort of patients underwent annual chest CT after resection of a stage IA NSCLC. The incidence of second primary lung cancer (SPLC), sensitivity and specificity of CT, as well as survival after resection of initial primary and SPLC were derived from published literature. The cost of CT and other procedures prompted by a positive finding on CT was calculated from Medicare reimbursement schedules. Cost effectiveness was defined as a cost of less than $60,000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained in the cohort under surveillance compared with controls under no surveillance. Results In the initial (base case) analysis, the cost of surveillance CT was $47,676 per quality-adjusted life-year gained, implying cost effectiveness. However, factors that rendered surveillance CT cost ineffective were (1) age at entry into the surveillance program greater than 65 years, (2) cost of CT greater than $700, (3) incidence of SPLC of less than 1.6% per patient per year of follow-up, and (4) a false positive rate of surveillance CT greater than 14%. Conclusions Surveillance with postoperative CT may be a cost-effective intervention to detect SPLC in selected patients with previously resected stage IA NSCLC.
Guest editorial third triennial special issue on images in plasma science

S THE PLASMA phenomena we investigate become more complex and dynamic, the need for visualization to fully appreciate those complexities becomes more acute. Great strides have been made in recent years in developing experimental imaging technologies and computational methodologies to capture those phenomena. In addition to aiding in the interpretation of experimentally, computationally, and theoretically produced data, these images are often works of art in their own right. It is my pleasure to present to you the Third Triennial Special Issue on Images in Plasma Science. The purpose of the Special Issue is to highlight physically significant plasma phenomena through the aesthetics of images and visualization. The Special Issue contains nearly 100 critically unique images
Fundus autofluorescence and the bisretinoids of retina

Imaging of the human fundus of the eye with excitation wavelengths in the visible spectrum reveals a natural autofluorescence, that in a healthy retina originates primarily from the bisretinoids that constitute the lipofuscin of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Since the intensity and distribution of fundus autofluorescence is altered in the presence of retinal disease, we have examined the fluorescence properties of the retinal bisretinoids with a view to aiding clinical interpretations. As is also observed for fundus autofluorescence, fluorescence emission from RPE lipofuscin was generated with a wide range of exciting wavelengths; with increasing excitation wavelength, the emission maximum shifted towards longer wavelengths and spectral width was decreased. These features are consistent with fluorescence generation from a mixture of compounds. While the bisretinoids that constitute RPE lipofuscin all fluoresced with maxima that were centered around 600 nm, fluorescence intensities varied when excited at 488 nm, the excitation wavelength utilized for fundus autofuorescence imaging. For instance the fluorescence efficiency of the bisretinoid A2-dihydropyridine-phosphatidylethanolamine (A2-DHP-PE) was greater than A2E and relative to both of the latter, all-trans-retinal dimer-phosphatidylethanolamine was weakly fluorescent. On the other hand, certain photooxidized forms of the bisretinoids present in both RPE and photoreceptor cells were more strongly fluorescent than the parent compound. We also sought to evaluate whether diffuse puncta of autofluorescence observed in some retinal disorders of monogenic origin are attributable to retinoid accumulation. However, two retinoids of the visual cycle, all-trans-retinyl ester and all-trans-retinal, did not exhibit fluorescence at 488 nm excitation.
Effect of compressional force on the crystallinity of directly compressible cellulose excipients.

Abstract The effect of compressional force on the crystallinity of low crystallinity cellulose (LCPC), microcrystalline celluloses (Avicel ® PH-101, PH-102 and PH-302 grades) and powdered cellulose (Solka Floc BW-100) has been investigated using an X-ray diffraction method. Microcrystalline and powdered celluloses showed an increase of about 10% in their crystallinities, compared to the values for the corresponding powders, at a compression pressure of 5–10 MPa. The increase in the crystallinity of LCPC was gradual and reached the maximum value of 5% at a compression pressure of 15 MPa. Further increase in compression pressure (to 77 MPa) had no effect on the crystallinity of LCPC, Avicel ® PH-101, Avicel ® PH-302 and Solka Floc BW-100. Avicel ® PH-102, on the other hand, showed a decrease in crystallinity at 15 MPa. Beyond 15 MPa, however, no statistically significant change in the crystallinity of the product was noted.
Heat capacities of Ar, Ne, 4 He-Ar, and 4 He-Ne films adsorbed on Cu at low temperatures

Heat capacities of Ar and Ne monolayers adsorbed on Cu are measurable at 1–4 K. Temperature dependences are similar to the low-temperature law for harmonic oscillators, but the empirical characteristic temperatures of 11–15 K are much lower than can correspond to independent adatoms oscillating in substrate sites. The magnitudes and temperature dependences do not match those predicted for surface modes of an absorbent coated with inert impurities or for the collective modes of epitaxial films. A model involving the excitations in non-epitaxial films appears to offer an explanation of the observed magnitudes and temperature dependences. The heat capacities of4He adsorbed on preplated Ar or Ne show little variation with the number of Ar layers, or between Ar and Ne coatings.
A POTEntial new gene for thrombocytopenia.

The etiology of familial thrombocytopenia can be difficult to determine, but novel mutations in the 5′UTR of ANKRD26 may represent a relatively common cause of autosomal dominant thrombocytopenia. Inherited syndromes are relatively rare causes of thrombocytopenia, but elucidation of the genes
Postpartum smoking behaviors and immune response in mothers of term and preterm infants.

Infants exposed to secondhand smoke, especially preterm infants with a very low birth weight (VLBW), have an increased risk for developing health problems. Smoking has been associated with numerous health problems in mothers and may reduce immune functioning as well. The purposes of this study were to examine smoking in postpartum mothers of term and preterm infants and to examine the relationship between smoking and immune status. Peripheral blood was drawn on 142 women at four data-collection points and tested for cotinine, immune cell phenotypes, and immune functioning. Overall, 39% of the participants smoked in the postpartum period, but 49% of mothers who delivered preterm infants smoked compared to only 28% of mothers who delivered term infants. There was no difference in cotinine levels between the smokers in both groups of postpartum mothers, nor was smoking related to immune phenotypes or immune function. Given the documented health risks to the mother and infant and the significant number of women who continue to smoke in the postpartum period, it is imperative that health care providers continue to assess smoking status and provide smoking-cessation counseling at every encounter.
Oxide Superconductivity Research at Northwestern University

A short review was presented of a wide range of activities involving the high Tc oxide superconductors at the Northwestern University. Calculations of the charge density associated with the d9 shell of the copper atom in the Cu-O planes and the d8 shell of the copper atoms along the Cu-O lines of the unit cell of YBa2Cu3O7 performed by Freeman, Massida and Yu were presented. Results of a detailed study of the pseudoternery phase diagram involving CuO, BaO and YO1.5 were shown which verify the existence of three compounds having the Y:Ba:Cu ratios 123 (the high Tc superconductor), 211 (the so-called green phase) and 132 (a new insulating compound). This work, performed by Mason and coworkers, involved X-ray diffraction, optical spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical transport studies. Transport measurements by Poeppelmeier, Song, Hwu and coworkers on the assembledges YBaSrCu3O7 anf YBa2Cu3O5F2 were reported; no evidence of superconducting behavior at temperatures above 90K was seen in the latter. A detailed study of the magnetic and transport properties of the YBa2−xLaxCu3−xNixO7±δ system was reported. For small Ni concentration (x<0.3) a continuous drop in Tc was observed. For x= 0.4 and 0.5 evidence of two separate transitions, near 75K and 25K, were seen in the resistance (with the resistance going to zero at about 15K); for x=0.7 semiconducting behavior was observed. A continuous drop in the normalized diamagnetic signal was seen with increasing x with the diamagnetic fraction being below 5 % for x=0.7 and above. X-ray diffraction showed a continuous decrease in the orthorhombic fraction and an increase in the tetragonal fraction with increasing x. Results on d.c. magnetron sputtering of thin films on MgO from a stoichiometric 123 target in an argon atmosphere were shown. With proper annealing films with onset temperature of 90K and zero resistance at 68K have been prepared; this work was done by Jin, Lee, Song and coworkers. A brief report on the effect of O-stoichiometry on EPR and susceptibility measurements in the 123 compound performed by Hoffman and coworkers and NMR in the La2−xSrxCuO4 compound by Halpern and coworkers was presented.
Foot Deformity in Myotonic Dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy is a progressive multisystem disorder that may be inherited from either parent, although only children with affected mothers usually show the more severe congenital form of the condition; others are classified as having adult myotonic dystrophy. Since 1940, 29 patients with myotonic dystrophy (10 adult, 17 congenital, two unclassified) have been followed at the Alfred I. duPont Institute. Treatment protocols have been established for the treatment of talipes equinovarus deformity commonly seen in the congenital form of myotonic dystrophy, as well as the progressive dropfoot gait more commonly seen in the adult form.
LVII. The principle of relativity, and non-newtonian mechanics

(1909). LVII. The principle of relativity, and non-newtonian mechanics. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 18, No. 106, pp. 510-523.
Feasibility of a patient-driven approach to recruiting older adults, caregivers, and clinicians for provider-patient communication research.

Purpose: This report describes the implementation of a novel, patient-driven approach to recruitment for a study of interpersonal communication in a primary care setting involving persons with Alzheimer's disease (AD), their family caregivers, and their primary care providers (PCPs). Data sources: Patients and caregivers were centrally recruited from a university-based memory clinic, followed by the recruitment of patient's individual PCPs. Recruitment tracking, naturalistic observation, and survey methods were used to evaluate recruitment success. Conclusions: About half of the patients and caregivers (n = 54; 51%) and most of the PCPs (n = 31; 76%) who we approached agreed to an audiorecording of the patient's next PCP visit. Characteristics of patient, caregiver, and PCP participants were compared to those of nonparticipants. Patient characteristics did not differ by participation status. Caregivers who volunteered for the study were more likely to be female and married than were those who declined to participate. Compared to nonparticipants, PCPs who agreed to the study were appraised slightly more favorably by patients' caregivers on a measure of satisfaction with care on the day of the visit. The vast majority of participating PCPs (95%) reported that the study had little or no impact on the flow of routine clinical operations. Implications for research: Findings support the feasibility of a patient-driven approach to recruitment for studies involving multiple linked participants. Our discussion highlights possible advantages of such an approach, including the potential to empower patient participants while achieving maximum variability within the pool of clinician participants.
Groundwater Geochemistry in Southeastern San Joaquin Valley, California.: ABSTRACT

South of the Kern River and east of the line Bakersfield-San Emigdio Creek, ground-waters pumped for irrigation occur in several chemical and geographic types. These are: (1) Kern, (2) Caliente, (3) El Paso, (4) San Emigdian, (5) Grapevine Transition, (6) East Bakersfield, (7) Kern Mesa, (8) Saline. The first four comprise the main water-body and underlie most of the area; they are chemically related to the recharging streams. Type 5 may represent a wide interface between 3 and 4. The remaining types are not related to their local streams. Types 6 and 7 are complexes that can not yet be subdivided; structural controls are important to their occurrence. Type 8 represents natural contamination of the groundwater reservoir by petroleum brines. Abnormal quantities of boron northeast of Arvin are superimposed on the Caliente type by additions of juvenile waters. Pollution by the petroleum industry is not now significant. Generally, vertical zoning of the chemical types is not pronounced. Although most of the groundwaters are eminently suitable for irrigation, some are not of desirable quality for that purpose. End_of_Article - Last_Page 2778------------
Cryptic Self-association Sites in Type III Modules of Fibronectin

Abstract The first type III module of fibronectin (Fn) contains a cryptic site that binds Fn and its N-terminal 29 kDa fragment and is thought to be important for fibril formation (Morla, A., Zhang, Z., and Ruoslahti, E. (1994) Nature 367, 193-196; Hocking, D. C., Sottile, J., and McKeown-Longo, P. J. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 19183-19191). A synthetic 31-mer peptide (NAPQ … TIPG) derived from the middle of domain III1 was also shown to bind Fn, but the site of its interaction was not determined (Morla, A., and Ruoslahti, E. (1992) J. Cell Biol. 118, 421-429). By affinity chromatography on peptide-agarose, we tested a set of fragments representing the entire light chain of plasma Fn. Only 40-kDa Hep-2 (III12-15) failed to bind. The concentration of urea required for peak elution of Fn and the other fragments decreased in the order Fn > 42-kDa GBF (I6II1-2I7-9) > 19-kDa Fib-2 (I10-12) > 110-kDa CBF(III2-10) > 29-kDa Fib-1 (I1-I5). Neither Fn nor any of the fragments bound immobilized intact III1, confirming the cryptic nature of this activity. In an effort to detect interactions between other Fn domains, all fragments were coupled to Sepharose, and each fragment was tested on each affinity matrix before and after denaturation. The only interaction detected was that of fluid phase III1 with immobilized denatured 110-kDa CBF and 40-kDa Hep-2, both of which contain type III domains. Analysis of subfragments revealed this activity to be dominated by domains III7 and III15. Fn itself did not bind to the denatured fragments. Thus, domain III1 contains two cryptic “self-association sites,” one that is buried in the core of the fold but recognizes many Fn fragments when presented as a peptide and another that is concealed in Fn but exposed in the native isolated domain and recognizes cryptic sites in two other type III domains. These interactions between type III domains could play an important role in assembly of Fn multimers in the extracellular matrix.
Preparation and electrical conductivity of poly(1,4‐naphthalene vinylene)

Preparation par elimination thermique du poly(naphtalenedimethylene-1,4-α, -dimethylsulfonium chlorure) prepare par reaction de NaOH avec le chlorure de bis-dimethylsulfonium du dimethyl-1,4 naphtalene
Chrome-level repair of phase-shift photomasks using conventional focused ion beam repair technology

Applicability of conventional Focused Ion Beam photomask repair techniques is discussed in relation to chrome-level repair of phase-shift masks. Attention is paid to the underlying glass damage caused during chrome removal as well as the residual gallium staining. A technique used to control these issues is presented that does not require depth measurements prior to phase etch of the glass substrate. The applicability of this technique is discussed as it relates to full thickness chrome used in rim and alternating PSMs as well as the thin `leaky' chrome used for attenuated masks.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Band electronic structures of unsymmetrical electron donor salts (MET)X, (MPT)2X·(THF), and (MET)3(ReO4)2 (X = C104-, PF6-)

Abstract Tight-binding band electronic structures were calculated on unsymmetrical electron donor salts (MET)X, (MPT) 2 X·(THF), and (MET) 3 (ReO 4 ) 2 , where MET ( 1 ) is methylenedithio-ethylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene, MPT ( 2 ) is methylenedithio-propylenedithio-tetrathiafulvalene, and X = c 10 4 - , PF 6 - . Both (MPT) 2 X·(THF) and (MET) 3 (ReO 4 ) 2 have band gaps, but (MET)X has a half-filled band. The semiconducting property of (MET)X stems from the nesting of its Fermi surface, which gives rise to a spin density-wave state.
The role of prophylactic cholecystectomy in the short-bowel syndrome

Objectives: To determine the factors associated with cholelithiasis and define the role of prophylactic cholecystectomy in the short-bowel syndrome. Design: Retrospective clinical review of cohort of consecutive patients. Setting: Tertiary care, academic medical center. Patients: Fifty adult (age, >16 years) patients with intestinal remnants less than 180 cm were evaluated over a 15-year period. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence and natural history of cholelithiasis, postoperative morbidity, and mortality rates. Results: Prophylactic cholecystectomy was performed in 5 patients (10%). Ten patients (20%) died within 30 days without evidence of gallstones. Eleven (31%) of the other 35 patients at risk developed biliary disease; 6 of these patients had inflammatory complications or common bile duct stones. Biliary disease was more likely (P Conclusions: Patients with the short-bowel syndrome have a significant risk for cholelithiasis if the intestinal remnant length is less than 120 cm, total parenteral nutrition is required, and the terminal ileum is resected. Prophylactic cholecystectomy is indicated in patients with benign conditions and anticipated long-term survival. It should also be considered in patients with mesenteric vascular disease who, despite significantly shortened survival, may have a high incidence of early biliary problems. (Arch Surg. 1996;131:556-560)
Cities for sale: Privatization of local government services

Private provision of public services has always been a factor in local government. In 1736 Benjamin Franklin and a group of civic leaders founded a fire company in Philadelphia because such a service was needed and the city could not provide it. Local municipalities often cannot provide the labor, equipment, and expertise to build roads, to do data processing, or to run hospitals but rather arrange with someone else who has the expertise to perform these tasks. However, during the 1970s rapid inflation, shrinking tax bases, and “no growth” budgets made the public provision of even what is popularly perceived as essential government services seem more like a tight‐rope walk than responsible government.
Tunable Narrow-band THz Generation by Type-II DFG with Linearly Chirped Optical Pulses in ZnTe

Narrowband THz pulses were produced via type-II DFG in ZnTe, where two linearly-chirped and orthogonally-polarized broadband near-IR pulses were employed. We tuned the central frequency by adjusting the time delay between the two optical pulses.
Teachers' ability to identify peer-rejected children: A comparison of sociometrics and teacher ratings☆

Abstract The effectiveness of teachers in identifying children who experience peer relationship difficulties was examined by comparing populations selected by teacher ratings and sociometric nomination procedures. While significant overlap was found, substantial differences (both false-negatives and false-positives) emerged. An examination of populations selected and not selected by teachers revealed that they were successful in identifying those who experienced the most sever peer rejection. Further, it apperars that they were most likely to select children exhibiting academic difficulties.
Development of a Quantitative Multi-Mycotoxin Method in Rice, Maize, Wheat and Peanut Using UPLC-MS/MS

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by fungi, such as Fusarium, Penicillium, and Aspergillus, which are toxic to humans with high risk factors and pose a significant threat to human health. This study was focused mostly on well-known mycotoxins, such as aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2), fumonisin (FB1, FB2), deoxynivalenol (DON), zearalenone (ZON), ochratoxin A, T-2 and HT-2, in grains. The multi-mycotoxin methods developed in this study utilise an analysis of mycotoxin through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), which can significantly improve sample analysis efficiency. The Myco6in1™ immunoaffinity column was used for purification to reduce interference from the substrate. Gradient separation to obtain the best peak shift was conducted using solvent with 0.1 % formic acid in deionised water and methanol, and gradient separation was performed on an ACQUITY BEH C18 column chromatograph. The recovery rate test for each toxin using substrates such as rice, peanut, wheat and maize mostly indicated good average recovery rates between 70 % and 120 % and the coefficient of variation mostly under 15 %. The limits of quantification (LOQ) identified by this method are less than 5 ng/g in most toxins, except for 20 ng/g in FB1and FB2. This method can rapidly and simultaneously analyse 11 mycotoxins in 9 min. It can be applied for the practical examination of mycotoxins in food to protect public health.
Passive/active microwave soil moisture retrieval disaggregation using SMAPVEX12 data

SMAPVEX12 is a pre-launch field campaign for evaluating and testing the soil moisture retrievals retrieved from the SMAP project. During this experiment, airborne microwave observations from PALS radiometer and radar: brightness temperature and radar backscatter, as well as ground measurements were acquired. In this study, the remote sensing soil moisture was retrieved from SMAPVEX12 PALS radiometer L-band (6GHz) brightness temperature at high altitude flight. The PALS soil moisture was then aggregated and compared with PALS radar backscatter coefficient to generate high spatial resolution microwave soil moisture in change. The R2 values of PALS soil moisture retrieval validation range from 0.407-0.881, indicating good accuracy of soil moisture retrieval. The R2 values of comparison between aggregated PALS Δ􀟠 and PALS Δ􀟪 range from 0.492-0.805, while the downscaled Δ􀟠 validation range from 0.128- 0.383.
Surfactant spreading on thin viscous films: film thickness evolution and periodic wall stretch

Surfactant spreading on thin viscous films is of interest in the context of surfactant and liquid transport in the lungs, for both normal lung function and treatment of disease, as well as for many industrial processes. This paper presents experimental techniques for the measurement of film deformations due to spreading surfactant and for the investigation of the effects of periodic stretching of the wall supporting the thin film to mimic airway wall motion in the lung due to breathing. Additionally, we present results from both types of experiments, which agree favorably with our theoretical work.
Thermal-Mechanical Response of Non-Uniformly Heated LEU Foil Based Target

Technetium-99m is a diagnostic radiopharmaceutical that is currently used in 80% of the global nuclear diagnostic imaging procedures. The parent isotope for technetium-99m is molybdenum-99, most commonly obtained through the irradiation of high enriched uranium (HEU) targets. In accordance with the Department of Energy’s Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) an effort is underway to develop a process to produce molybdenum-99 using low enriched uranium (LEU) targets to maintain production yield relative to HEU targets. Conversion of targets to LEU material effectively mandates that the most efficient process is to cast LEU in the form of a metal foil as opposed to current powder based dispersion designs for HEU. Using a foil requires a significant modification to the current target design. One design concept uses an LEU foil sandwiched between two nominally flat aluminum plates. The LEU is enclosed in the sandwiched structure by welding the aluminum plates together about their edges. The plate design is inspired by high density monolithic LEU fuel plates with the exception that the LEU is not bonded to the aluminum plates nor is it necessary to clamp the plate edges to prevent lateral translation. The lack of bonding between the LEU foil and the plates allows the edges of the plate to be cut off so the foil can be removed after irradiation to be chemically processed. The un-heated edges of the plate target produce 3-D temperature gradients that induce plate deformations. This paper will review thermal mechanical response of an LEU foil based molybdenum-99 plate target geometry. This study describes the effect of various edge holding conditions, thermal loads, and heat transfer coefficients on the thermal-induced deflection and stress in the plates.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Pentacoordinated Ni(bidentate)(tridentate) chelates and their hydrates

Abstract Reaction of bis(acetylacetonato)nickel(II), Ni(acac)2 (dihydrate or anhydrous), with tridentate Schiff bases (HB) in boiling toluene followed by exposure of the reaction mixture to moist air leads to the ready isolation of crystalline complexes of composition Ni(acac)(B) (OH2). Their spectral and magnetic properties are in accord with pseudooctahedral geometry. On heating, these complexes readily dehydrate giving rise to Ni(acac) (B). These have infrared spectra characteristic of the mixed ligand formulation. Their electronic spectra can be readily fitted with high-spin square pyramidal geometry. In moist solvents the equilibrium between Ni(acac) (B) and Ni(acac)(B)(OH2) can be identified from spectral data. The thermodynamics for this equilibrium has been studied in one case using variable temperature spectral results.
ACACIA: the CMU analog design system

A framework that automates the design of common analog integrated circuit modules has been developed. The framework, ACACIA, consists of three tools: OASYS, which transforms module specifications into sized schematics; ANAGRAM, which transforms sized schematics into mask geometry; and a graphics interface that facilitates automatic exploration of tradeoffs between design specifications by providing 3-D display of attainable performance surfaces
Comparison of cotton and acrylic socks using a generic cushion sole design for runners

A longitudinal single-blind study was conducted to test the friction blister prevention properties of synthetic acrylic socks in a generic construction. This study serves as a comparison with the authors' previous work comparing acrylic and cotton socks in a patented padded construction. Twenty-seven long-distance runners provided data regarding dampness, temperature, friction blister incidence, severity, and size. Two different socks were tested; each was identical in every aspect of construction except the fiber content. One test sock was composed of 100% synthetic acrylic fibers, and the other was composed of 100% natural cotton fibers. These results were unsuccessful at demonstrating any superiority of cotton or acrylic fibers when knitting produced a generic "cushion sole" sock. The superiority of acrylic fibers has thus far been demonstrated only when sock knitting provides adequate anatomical padding [corrected].
From Capitation To Fee-For-Service In Cincinnati: A Physician Group Responds To A Changing Marketplace

The experience of Group Health Associates, a multispecialty practice physician group in Cincinnati, Ohio, offers an important case study of how payment incentives and market realities can change the way physicians practice medicine. After nearly thirty years as a capitation-based medical group, these physicians recently switched completely to fee-for-service reimbursement—not willingly, but in response to an evolving marketplace. Their new business strategy seeks to create a case for being paid for performance and treating the chronically ill.
Minimal long-term cardiopulmonary dysfunction following treatment for Hodgkin's disease.

Abstract We studied the long term cardiopulmonary function, at rest and during exercise, of 57 patients who were at least 1 year (mean 5 years) post-treatment for Hodgkin's disease. To establish the maximum degree of dysfunction we studied 40 patients who had extensive intrathoracic disease treated with radiotherapy alone (Exten-X; n=20) or combined modality therapy (Exten-XC; n=20). Patients without intrathoracic disease given either prophylactic mantle therapy (Proph-X, n=10) or no chest irradiation (Control: n=7) were used as controls. An abnormal electrocardiogram, by virtue of a conduction defect, was observed in seven patients, six in the Exten-X or Exten-XC groups. Borderline abnormalities including ST-T changes, prolonged QT interval, or axis deviation occurred in 14 patients distributed evenly throughout the groups. Resting mean pulmonary function test values were normal in all treatment groups. Exercise tolerance, as indicated by peak oxygen consumption (V0 2 ), was significantly lower for the Exten- group compared to Proph-X ( p 2 for group Exten-XC was only 15% below that predicted. Of the 12 patients with abnormally low V0 2 (>20% below their predicted value), 11 were in the Exten-X or Exten-XC group with no difference between the two groups. Patients who received radiotherapy to at least one lung field, using either the thin lung block technique or open field irradiation, had significantly lower exercise tolerance than those treated with full thickness blocks ( p
Pharmacokinetic model for the uptake and disposition of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate in sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus

Abstract Sheepshead minnow Cyprinodon variegatus were placed individually in a 21 solution that contained 60 ng [ 14 C]di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)/ml at 23°C. After various periods of exposure, fish and water were analyzed for unchanged DEHP and total metabolites. A two-compartment pharmacokinetic model was developed to characterize the uptake and disposition of DEHP. In the model, DEHP reversibly entered a relatively small compartment where it predominantly underwent metabolism. A small fraction of the absorbed DEHP moved into the second relatively large storage compartment. After depletion of the external solution of DEHP, the rate of metabolism slowed, due to the slow return of DEHP from the storage compartment to the metabolic compartment. The magnitude of the absorption clearance was similar to the gill blood flow, and indicated that the uptake of DEHP was blood flow rate limited. The metabolic clearance of DEHP was much larger (29-fold) than the absorption clearance and it therefore appeared that metabolism prevented the accumulation of DEHP to a level that in the absence of metabolism would have been much higher. The model-predicted bioconcentration factor and depuration half-life of DEHP were 637 and 38 days, respectively.
Brain computed tomography in geriatric manic disorder.

Abstract Background: Excess brain changes in geriatric manic patients have been hypothesized. Few neuroimaging studies are available. Methods: Brain computed tomography scans in geriatric patients with manic disorder ( n = 30) were compared to those in same-age control subjects ( n = 18). Ratings of cortical sulcal widening (CSW), lateral ventricle–brain ratio (VBR), and related linear measures were determined. Results: Patients had greater CSW scores (Exact p = .002) and VBR ( t = 2.51, df=46, p r s = .46, p r s = .53, p Conclusions: These findings support the need for further investigation of relationships between brain structure and clinical features in geriatric mania.
Polypeptide secretion from the isolated parietovisceral ganglion of Aplysia californica.

In vitro studies of the secretory behavior of the parietovisceral ganglion in Aplysia californica were performed. The aim of these studies was to investigate the release of polypeptides in response to depolarizing stimuli, and, in particular, to determine if a specific polypeptide known to induce egg laying in the intact animal is secreted into the bathing medium. During continuous perfusion of a ganglion preincubated in leucine-3H the application of either high-potassium medium or a burst of electrical stimuli (via the pleurovisceral connective nerve) evoked a marked increase in the amount of trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitable radioactivity recovered in the perfusate. Enhanced release could be detected within 80 sec of the initial exposure to high potassium; however, incubation of a ganglion in calcium-free media before the application of high-potassium medium abolished the increase of precipitable radioactivity. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of perfusate samples revealed a significant change in the polypeptide species washed from the ganglion during high-potassium depolarization. Bioassays confirmed that egg laying is induced when high-potassium medium used to bathe a ganglion is injected into a recipient animal. These and other results permit the conclusion that the bulk of the polypeptide material secreted from the ganglion in response to depolarization is a specific neurohormone produced by two identified cell clusters, the so-called bag cells.
Animals in the Prophetic World: Literary Reflections on Numbers 22 and 1 Kings 13:

In this article, the stories of Balaam’s donkey (num. 22.22-35) and the man of God from Judah (1 Kgs 13) are analyzed independently and are also compared for similarities. Features that are common to both accounts include: the importance of the word of YHWH, the employment of animals as literary characters, the motif of death, and the portrayal of animals as divine agents. This study argues that the literary function of animals as divine agents is a distinctive characteristic of the so-called preclassical phase of biblical prophecy.
Absorption through Intestinal Epithelium as Influenced by Phospholipids

Quaternary ammonium compounds, organic cations at all physiologic pH’s, were found to be absorbed incompletely but fairly rapidly from the intestine, in vivo (Levine 1960, Levine et al. 1955). In the case of a proto-typic monoquaternary agent, benzomethamine, detailed kinetic studies showed that more than passive diffusion was involved in this absorption (Levine and Pelikan 1961). This work led to the formulation of the hypothesis that some of the quaternary compound was transferred as the neutral complex by virtue of combination with an endogenous anion. Upon testing this hypothesis, a fraction of tissue, the phosphatido-peptide fraction (Folch 1952) was found to have a significant and dose-dependent effect in increasing the degree of intestinal absorption of various quaternary ammonium compounds (Levine and Spencer 1961, Levine 1962, 1963). Kinetic studies of the absorption of benzomethamine in the presence of the phosphatido-peptide fraction have yielded data which permit the inference that the absorption of benzomethamine even in the presence of this fraction does not occur by passive (diffusion alone (Levine and Pelican 1964). The data to be reported here are results of studies undertaken to determine the mechanism by which the phosphatido-peptide fraction produces its effect on the absorption of the protottypic agent, benzomethamine.
DISCRETE-ELEMENT METHOD INVESTIGATION OF THE RESILIENT BEHAVIOR OF GRANULAR MATERIALS

This paper presents the results of numerical simulations of the resilient modulus test used to mechanically characterize the resilient behavior of aggregate materials, commonly used in pavement bases and subbases. The investigation made use of the discrete-element method (DEM) to replicate the particle behavior usually experienced during laboratory sample preparation and testing. The simulations were based on assemblies of circular particles confined between top and bottom rigid boundaries and laterally confined at constant stress. Contact forces and displacements were assumed to obey a linear relationship and shear forces were bounded by a maximum value (Coulomb friction law). Compacted samples were subjected to deviator repeated loads. The investigation showed that the DEM is capable of reproducing the results of the resilient modulus test performed on real granular materials in a qualitative manner. Further, the method predicted the effect of the state of stress depicted by laboratory testing.
Automated multi-point analysis with multi-angle photometric spectroscopy

Spectral reflection (R) and transmission (T) are the fundamental measurements for characterizing the optical properties of materials and optical coatings. Historically the complete characterization of optical materials and coatings for precision optics has been largely accomplished on the basis of normal and near normal incidence measurements due to the experimental simplicity of such an approach. This simplicity, however, is not without compromise. Normal incidence transmission measurements are typically conducted within the sample chamber of a spectrophotometer whilst near normal reflectance measurements require the use of a suitable reflectance accessory. A consequence of this approach is that there is never any guarantee that reflectance and transmission measurements are made from exactly the same patch on the sample due to sample repositioning during the significant changes in instrument configuration between R and T measurements. Multi-angle Photometric Spectroscopy (MPS) measures the reflectance and/or transmittance of a sample across a range of angles (θ i ) from near normal to oblique angles of incidence (AOI). A recent development by Agilent Technologies, the Cary 7000 Universal Measurement Spectrophotometer (UMS) combines both reflection and transmission measurements from the same patch of a sample’s surface, without sample repositioning, in a single automated platform for angles of incidence in the range 5°≤|θ i |≤85° (i.e. angles on either side of beam normal noted as +/-). In this paper we describe the use of MPS on the UMS with rotational (Φ) and radial (ζ) sample positioning control. MPS(θ i ,Φ,ζ) provides for automated unattended multi-angle R/T analysis of multiple individual samples (up to 32 pieces, 1 inch diameter) or mapping of single larger diameter samples (of up to 8 inch diameter). Examples are provided which demonstrate reduced cost-per-analysis in high volume multiple sample testing as well as spatial spectroscopic information obtained on large diameter samples.