cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward separation of toxic metal(II) cations by chelating polymers: Some noteworthy observations☆

Abstract It is known that polymers with immobilized chelating functionalities can selectively remove toxic Me(II) cations in the presence of competing alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations. All such chelating functionalities are, however, weak-acid or weak-base and hence, have high affinities toward hydrogen ions. Selective removal of metal ions by most of these chelating exchangers is therefore adversely affected at a very acidic pH (less than two) because of fierce competition from hydrogen ions. Experimental results presented in this study indicate that use of some specialty chelating exchangers with multiple nitrogen donor atoms can greatly alleviate this problem at high aqueous phase electrolyte concentration. Also, separation of one metal ion from another is often a prerequisite to their viable recovery and reuse for many waste streams. Type of resin functionality, aqueous phase ligand (ethylenediamine) concentration and pH are the three process variables which can be manipulated to influence the relative selectivity (separation factor) for any two metal ions. Experimental data are provided for Cu(II), Cd(H) and Pb(II) ions to this effect in the presence of competing calcium ions.
Duloxetine in the Management of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: Response Profile

Introduction Analyses examine the response rate at endpoint, as well as time course of response, in patients receiving duloxetine for management of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP). Methods Data were pooled from 3 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled 12-week trials in patients with DPNP ≥ 6 months duration, and without depression. Study 1 ( N = 457) compared duloxetine 20 mg once daily (QD), 60 mg QD, 60 mg twice daily (BID), and placebo; Studies 2 ( N = 334) and 3 ( N = 348) compared duloxetine 60 mg QD and 60 mg BID with placebo. Ethics committees approved the study protocol in accordance with Declaration of Helsinki principles. Patients provided written informed consent prior to study participation. Treatment response was defined a priori as 30% reduction in the primary efficacy measure, 24-hour average pain severity. Analysis was replicated using alternative criteria (50% reduction or 2-point reduction). Results Endpoint response rates were significantly higher among patients receiving duloxetine (60 mg QD or 60 mg BID) than those receiving placebo, regardless of chosen response criterion. The proportion of patients responding (30% reduction in 24-hour average pain severity) to duloxetine was statistically greater than to placebo Week 1 and all subsequent visits. Similar results were obtained for the visitwise sustained response rate. Within the group with a sustained response at Week 12, the proportion of patients first exhibiting a response at Weeks 1 or 2 was higher in the duloxetine groups (60 mg QD, 65.0%; 60 mg BID, 62.0%) when compared with the placebo group (40.2%). Conclusion Patients with DPNP receiving duloxetine 60 mg QD or 60 mg BID had significantly higher treatment response rates compared with patients receiving placebo, regardless of response criterion. Response to duloxetine treatment tended to occur early, with approximately 30% of patients responding at Week 1. Among duloxetine-treated patients with a sustained treatment response at Week 12, over 60% had maintained responder status for 10 to 11 weeks.
A GIS-based Visual Information Model for Buildng Construction Project Management

AbstractComputer technologies have great potential to improve management practices in the construction industry. However, the exchange of information during the construction phases of a facility is still primarily paper-based. This paper presents a GIS-based integrated visual database model that allows for effective use of computer technologies for communication, project documentation, and knowledge sharing throughout the life-cycle of a facility. The model allows for (1) accessing and retrieving construction information related to a certain construction element; (2) reporting and providing feedback from the field on the work progress, quality assurance, and inspection; and (3) evaluating the performance of the construction crews and generating cost and historical data for future reference. The proposed model is built using GIS as the base platform, and uses the 2D visual representation of the construction element as the least common denominator. The paper also reports the results of an initial evaluation...
Conduction velocity of the human inferior alveolar nerve: A preliminary report

This preliminary report describes a technique to consistently record electrophysiological signals from the uninjured inferior alveolar nerves of human subjects. Bilateral recordings were obtained from 15 consecutive human volunteers. The mean conduction velocity was 67.6 m/s, with no differences shown for right or left sides or gender. Conduction velocity testing could offer a new objectivity in the clinical study of the inferior alveolar nerve, aiding in the documentation, diagnosis, management, and follow-up of the sometimes complex neural lesions that oral and maxillofacial surgeons routinely see.
Unique amino acid composition of Red Sea brine

The lack of evidence from terrestrial environments supporting the chemical evolution model has resulted in scientists looking elsewhere in the Solar System and in space for evidence. We have suggested that the Atlantis II Deep brine (21°22′N by 38°05′E) located in a submarine rift at the bottom of the Red Sea is a promising environment possibly containing terrestrial evidence for chemical evolution1. We have also reported finding a thiocyanate concentration of 2.4×10−5 M in the Atlantis II Deep brine2. We report here the discovery of an unusually large concentration of glycine in the Atlantis II Deep brine and virtually no other dissolved free amino acids. We further suggest four possible explanations for the unique amino acid composition of Red Sea brine. Our methods of location, sampling and storage of the brines have been discussed elsewhere2.
Theoretical investigation of the origins of abrupt thermochromism in the polysilanes

Abstract Values of the conformation-dependent polymer-solvent interaction parameter VD have been calculated for some simple polysilane model compounds using quantum-mechanically derived molecular polarizabilities coupled with London's dispersion formula. The value VD = 0.97 kcal mol−1 obtained in the present study for the σ-conjugated polysilanes nearly equals the VD ≈ 1.1 kcal mol−1 estimated by Schweizer for the analogous π-conjugated carbon-backbone polymers, assuming similar physical conditions. The present results thus provide theoretical evidence in support of the pertinence of Schweizer's theory of abrupt thermochromism to the polysilanes. The conformational flexibility and versatility of the backbone is much greater for the polysilanes compared with most π-conjugated polymers, hence the conformational ‘defect energy’ ϵ of the former should be small or even negative. The combination of large VD (favouring the ‘ordered’ backbone) and small ϵ (favouring the ‘disordered’ backbone) predicted for the polysilanes would place the critical VD/ϵ parameter well in excess of the limiting value VD/ϵ ≥ 0.37 required for onset of abrupt thermochromism according the Schweizer. The (Austin Model 1) AM1-calculated change in polarizability Δα with respect to backbone rotation o was 0.63 A3 for the model polysilane but only 0.08 A3 for the analogous non-conjugated carbon-backbone model polymer. This substantial difference substantiates the existence of strong coupling between the molecular polarizability and the backbone conformation in the polysilanes. Only the longitudinal polarizability αxx contributes substantially to Δα, while the transverse polarizabilities αyy and αzz essentially combine with no net effect on Δα (i.e. Δαyy −Δαzz). The variation of the calculated band-gap energy Eg with α for corresponding values of o fits a second-order regression curve (correlation coefficient r = 0.98). As the silicon backbone approaches an all-trans conformation, the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy increases while the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy decreases to reduce Eg. This increase in the HOMO energy is balanced by a nearly equal decrease in the HOMO-1 energy; likewise, the decrease in the LUMO energy is balanced by an increase in the LUMO+1 energy.
Gamma-ray and synchrotron emission from neutralino annihilation in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Abstract We calculate the expected flux of γ-ray and radio emission from the LMC due to neutralino annihilation. Using rotation curve data to probe the density profile and assuming a minimum disk, we describe the dark matter halo of the LMC using models predicted by N-body simulations. We consider a range of density profiles including the NFW profile, a modified NFW profile proposed by Hayashi et al. (2003) to account for the effects of tidal stripping, and an isothermal sphere with a core. We find that the γ-ray flux expected from these models may be detectable by GLAST for a significant part of the neutralino parameter space. The prospects for existing and upcoming Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (ACTs) are less optimistic, as unrealistically long exposures are required for detection. However, the effects of adiabatic compression due to the baryonic component may improve the chances for detection by ACTs. The maximum flux we predict is well below EGRET's measurements and thus EGRET does not constrain the parameter space. The expected synchrotron emission generally lies below the observed radio emission from the LMC in the frequency range of 19.7–8550 MHz. As long as 〈σv〉
Mapping US Homonormativities

In this paper I argue that the Orientalist invocation of the ‘terrorist’ is one discursive tactic that disaggregates US national gays and queers from racial and sexual ‘others’, foregrounding a collusion between homosexuality and American nationalism that is generated both by national rhetorics of patriotic inclusion and by gay, lesbian, and queer subjects themselves: homo-nationalism. For contemporary forms of US nationalism and patriotism, the production of gay, lesbian and queer bodies is crucial to the deployment of nationalism, insofar as these perverse bodies reiterate heterosexuality as the norm but also because certain domesticated homosexual bodies provide ammunition to reinforce nationalist projects. Mapping forms of US homo-nationalism, vital accomplices to Orientalist terrorist others, is instructive as it alludes to the ‘imaginative geographies’ of the US, as the analytic of race-sexuality provides a crucial yet under-theorized method to think through the imaginative geographies of the US in ...
School wellness policies: effects of using standard templates.

Background Public school policies related to physical activity and nutrition recently have become the focal point for policymakers to evaluate the effect of regulations on the childhood obesity epidemic. State school board associations have begun to provide school districts templates for wellness policies, and little research exists that evaluates the effect of a template on the strength and comprehensiveness of these policies. Purpose To determine the strength and comprehensiveness of school wellness policies developed using a standard template when compared to those that do not. Methods In 2011, a random sample of wellness policies from school districts in Virginia (ten locally developed wellness policies and ten template-based policies) was coded using a previously validated audit tool for strength and comprehensiveness. Data were reduced to a scale ranging from 0 to 1, with higher scores representing stronger and more-comprehensive policies, and compared using t -tests. Results Overall, only 17% of school wellness policies met all federal requirements. On average, locally developed policies met five of six federal requirements, whereas VSBA policies met four of six, t (2, 21)=2.161, p t (2, 21)= −1.82, p t (2, 21)= −2.5, p Conclusions In this sample, locally developed policies were stronger than template-based policies. If replicated in large studies, these findings suggest that further research is needed about how best to support schools that wish to develop school wellness policies.
The effect of prostaglandin on the electric activity of the pregnant uterus.

Abstract Of 30 unilaterally pregnant rats, each had been equipped with an extracellular multielectrode assembly and an extraovular microballoon, for the simultaneous recording of electric activity and intrauterine pressure (IUP). Sequential recording, between the 17th day of pregnancy and post partum, in the intact Controls, revealed gradual transitions from local, non-propagating, asynchronic, electric activity and irregular low level oscillations in IUP to propagating, synchronic, electric activity and regular high level IUP. This transition of uterine activity occurred when the progesterone (P) levels decreased from 108±9ng/ml to 24±4ng/ml. Ovariectomy, which provokes a precipitous rather than gradual P-withdrawal, induced and accelerated evolution of electric activity and IUP, culminating in abortion. In earlier studies this ovariectomy-induced evolution of uterine activity had been intercepted by preventing P-withdrawal through replacement therapy. Exposure of animals to extraovular Prostaglandin “Impact” (PGI) in previous experiments, also resulted in P-withdrawal (probably through interference with placental luteotrophic support) and accelerated evolution of uterine activity, culminating in abortion. This accelerated process had been intercepted by preventing P-withdrawal through substitution therapy. In the present studies PGI (50–100μg PG F2, extraovular) at days 17 of pregnancy provoked an unphysiological response, manifesting in sustained multipacemaker activity and high level resting pressure. However, subsequently the transition, from local, non-propagating, asynchronic, electric activity to propagating, synchronic, electric activity and the evolution of IUP accelerated. Pharmacological reactivity increased, the same and lesser PGIs provoked more physiological uterine responses and eventually the animals aborted. Apparently, the first PGI cannot provoke in the uterus physiological electric and mechanic responses, nor does it induce abortion. However, it converts the uterus, with the progress of time, into a spontaneously active and reactive organ, which upon physiological stimulation expells the uterine contents thorugh a process similar to that of normal delivery at term. Thus the PGI provides a therapeutic measure, when the termination of pregnancy is desired by non-surgical means.
RGS4 Reduces Contractile Dysfunction and Hypertrophic Gene Induction in Gα qOverexpressing Mice

Abstract The intrinsic GTPase activity of Gα qis low, and RGS proteins which activate GTPase are expressed in the heart; however, their functional relevance in vivo is unknown. Transgenic mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of Gα qin myocardium exhibit cardiac hypertrophy, enhanced PKCξ membrane translocation, embryonic gene expression, and depressed cardiac contractility. We recently reported that transgenic mice with cardiac-specific expression of RGS4, a Gα qand Gα iGTPase activator, exhibit decreased left ventricular hypertrophy and ANF induction in response to pressure overload. To test the hypothesis that RGS4 can act as a Gα q-specific GTPase activating protein (GAP) in the in vivo heart, dual transgenic Gα q-40xRGS4 mice were generated to determine if RGS4 co-expression would ameliorate the Gα q-40 phenotype. At age 4 weeks, percent fractional shortening was normalized in dual transgenic mice as was left ventricular internal dimension and posterior and septal wall thicknesses. PKC ξ membrane translocation and ANF and α -skeletal actin mRNA levels were also normalized. Compound transgenic mice eventually developed depressed cardiac contractility that was evident by 9 weeks of age. These studies establish for the first time a role for RGS4 as a GAP for Gα qin the in vivo heart, and demonstrate that its regulated expression can have pathophysiologic consequences.
Effect of donor age on epidermal growth factor processing in man

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a well-characterized mitogen whose effectiveness decreases with age both in vivo and in vitro. Previous studies utilizing the Hayflick aging model of early versus late-passage fibroblasts failed to demonstrate changes that might account for the unresponsiveness. In contrast, we now report striking differences in EGF receptor (EGFR) number, affinity, and rate of EGF/EGFR internalization in early-passage dermal fibroblasts derived from newborn versus young adult versus old adult donors. These data demonstrate critical differences between the two models of cellular aging, provide an explanation for the age-associated loss of EGF responsiveness, and may explain in part the tendency toward impaired wound healing in the elderly.
Career anchors and organizational culture: a study of women in the IT workforce

Despite the shortage of information technology (IT) professionals and the benefits of human diversity in the global economy women are largely under represented in the IT workforce. Prior employment research on gender stratification demonstrates that this under representation is a reflection of organizational and social structures, rather than essentialist generalizations about gender group characteristics. As a result, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the IT workforce, and in particular, the opportunities and constraints that influence career choice and retention in the profession. Therefore, this study aims to empirically investigate how career satisfaction and turnover intention of females in the U.S. IT workforce are a function of individual career anchors (or self-perceived values and career motives) and organizational culture. In doing so, this study employs a qualitative methodological approach comprised of three phases. The primary objective of this study is to inform research and practice through the articulation of the ways in which career anchors and organizational culture shape American women's perception of and retention in IT careers.Jeria Quesenberry is a fourth year doctoral candidate in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University. Her adviser is Dr. Eileen M. Trauth. She expects to graduate in spring 2007.
Curriculum Internationalization Focusing on India: Pre- and Post-Assessment of Student Learning

To enhance students' global understanding, this study introduces a series of curriculum internationalization efforts from module development to implementation through an infusion method. Taking a country-specific approach, two instructional modules focused on India were developed and infused into three existing courses at a U.S. university. To assess student improvement in global understanding, assessments were performed before and after class implementation utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results of the assessment showed clear improvement in student understanding after implementation. Overall, the participants assessed the developed modules and implementation quite favorably.
Out of the Gray Times: Leading Libraries into the Digital Future

ABSTRACT Past practices, policies, and staffing patterns have served as a solid foundation for research libraries. New challenges require a fresh—and very different—look at much of what we have taken for granted over decades. This presentation will discuss the changes in philosophy, organizational models, and recruitment that are needed to reposition libraries for the digital future.
Flavin-containing monooxygenase activity in the gumboot chitonCryptochiton stelleri

Flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) activity was observed in microsomes from the digestive gland of the gumboot chitonCryptochiton stelleri. Digestive-gland microsomal oxygen uptake was initiated after the addition of N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA), methimazole, phenylhydrazine (PH), 2-aminofluorene (2-AF), or 1,1-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) to the incubations. The pH optimum for 2-AF dependent oxygen uptake was 8.4 and required NADPH. The formation of DMA N-oxide and the oxidation of methimazole was measured and confirmed the presence of FMO activity in this tissue.
Mesoporous carbon -Cr2O3 composite as an anode material for lithium ion batteries

Abstract Mesoporous carbon–Cr 2 O 3 (M-C–Cr 2 O 3 ) composite was prepared by co-assembly of in situ formed phenolic resin, chromium precursor, and Pluronic block copolymer under acidic conditions, followed by carbonization at 750 °C under Argon. The TEM results confirmed that the Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles, ranging from 10 to 20 nm, were well dispersed in the matrix of mesoporous carbon. The composite exhibited an initial reversible capacity of 710 mAh g −1 and good cycling stability, which is mainly due to the synergic effects of carbons within the composites, i.e. confining the crystal growth of Cr 2 O 3 during the high temperature treatment step and buffering the volume change of Cr 2 O 3 during the cycling step. This composite material is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries.
Current Perspectives on the Use of Meditation to Reduce Blood Pressure

Meditation techniques are increasingly popular practices that may be useful in preventing or reducing elevated blood pressure. We reviewed landmark studies and recent literature concerning the use of meditation for reducing blood pressure in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive individuals. We sought to highlight underlying assumptions, identify strengths and weaknesses of the research, and suggest avenues for further research, reporting of results, and dissemination of findings. Meditation techniques appear to produce small yet meaningful reductions in blood pressure either as monotherapy or in conjunction with traditional pharmacotherapy. Transcendental meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction may produce clinically significant reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. More randomized clinical trials are necessary before strong recommendations regarding the use of meditation for high BP can be made.
Expression of microRNA during bovine adipogenesis

Studies have recently indicated that the adipogenic process and the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism may be regulated in part at the post-transcriptional level by a class of small RNA called microRNA (miRNA). The objectives of this study were to i) determine if miRNAs are differentially expressed, and ii) evaluate expression of known miRNA targets in bovine adipocytes. Bovine adipose samples were collected from castrated males fattened on a high concentrate diet (C) or pasture (PA) and were frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C, or used to generate primary stromal-vascular cells (SV). SV cells were cultured to confluence (Control) or differentiated at confluence and harvested 2 (D2), 6 (D6), or 12 (D12) days post-confluence. A 3x3 microarray analysis was performed comparing Control and differentiated samples. miR-21, -221, and -222 (P less than 0.05) were differentially expressed. qRT-PCR was conducted using the in vitro samples, and all three miRNAs were down regulated on D2 (P less than 0.05). miR-221 and -222 were decreased on D6 compared to Control (P less than 0.05), but only miR-222 expression was decreased at D12 (P less than 0.05) compared to Control. miR-21 increased in expression compared to Control on D12 (P less than 0.05). In vivo , only miR-21 expression was affected and it was reduced in PA compared to C fat samples (P less than 0.05). Two targets of miR-21 are Programmed Cell Death Protein 4 (PDCD4) and Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN), and neither messenger RNA was differentially expressed in vitro (P greater than 0.05), but both messenger RNAs were elevated for PA compared to C (P less than 0.05). These data show that miRNAs are differentially expressed in adipose cells and tissue, and that miR-21 may be involved in adipocyte function by regulating the translation of PDCD4 and PTEN.
The impact of price decreases on telephone and cell phone diffusion

The diffusion process (the degree of penetration within a region) of telephones and cell phones has proceeded rapidly in most regions, but the factors influencing diffusion rates are still unknown. Using data from six regions (which varied in terms of economic wealth, stage of diffusion, technological and social infrastructures, and institutional policies), and two different technologies (telephone and cell phone) we showed that price-adjusted diffusion models had better explanatory power than pure diffusion models, validating Gurbaxani and Mendelson's model. We found that the impact of price decreases was positive and significant in all regions and for both technologies. Additionally the study showed that the impact of price decreases was stronger for less wealthy regions and for nations with higher developed social infrastructure (as measured by educational level) and greater political stability (as measured by Mauro's composite index) after controlling for GDP. We also found that, in general, the price effect was stronger for telephones (an older technology) than for cell phones.
Multiple Testing Procedures with Applications to Genomics

Multiple Hypothesis Testing.- Test Statistics Null Distribution.- Overview of Multiple Testing Procedures.- Single-Step Multiple Testing Procedures for Controlling General Type I Error Rates, ?(Fvn).- Step-Down Multiple Testing Procedures for Controlling the Family-Wise Error Rate.- Augmentation Multiple Testing Procedures for Controlling Generalized Tail Probability Error Rates.- Resampling-Based Empirical Bayes multiple Testing Procedures for Controlling Generalized Tail Probability Error Rates.- Simulation Studies: Assessment of Test Statistics Null Distributions.- Identification of Differentially Expressed and Co-Expressed Genes in High-Throughput Gene Expression Experiments.- Multiple Tests of Association with Biological Annotation Metadata.- HIV-1 Sequence Variation and Viral Replication Capacity.- Genetic Mapping of Complex Human Traits Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms: The ObeLinks Project.- Software Implementation.
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Kinase in the Rat Uterus: Regulation by Progesterone and Decidual Induction*

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) kinase(ATP:NAD+ 2′ phosphotransferase; EC 2.7.1.23) activity was measured in uterine endometrium from hormone-treated, chronically ovariectomized rats. After 3 days of priming with 5 μg estrone/day and 1 day of hormone deprivation (day 0), animals were injected daily for 1–5 days with (1) no hormone (C), (2) 1 ng estrone (E), (3) 2 mg progesterone (P), or (4) the two hormones combined (E+P). Decidual induction in similarly treated rats demonstrated the ability of the E+P treatment to generate a transient period of decidual sensitivity comparable to that of normal pseudopregnancy. NAD kinase activity was measured during days 2 through 6 of treatment and, additionally, 30 min after decidual induction on day 5 in animals treated with E, P, or E+P and on day 6 in animals with E+P. Kinetic parameters of NAD kinase were assessed on day 5 of treatment with E or E+P or 30 min after uterine trauma on day 5 of E+P treatment. NAD kinase activity increased over time after P and...
A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Breastfeeding Support Program for Low Income Women in Michigan

We examined the effectiveness of a peer counseling breastfeeding support program for low income women in Michigan who participate in WIC. Because there was more demand for services than could be met by the program, many women who requested services were not subsequently contacted by a peer counselor. We used a quasi-experimental methodology that utilized this excess demand for services to estimate the causal effect of the support program on several breastfeeding outcomes. We relied on data derived from administrative and survey-based sources. After providing affirmative evidence that our key assumption is consistent with the data, we estimated that the program caused the breastfeeding initiation to increase by about 27 percentage points and the mean duration of breastfeeding to increase by more than 3 weeks. The support program we evaluated was very effective at increasing breastfeeding among low income women who participate in WIC, a population that nationally breastfeeds at rates well below the national average and below what is recommended by public health professionals. Given the substantial evidence that breastfeeding is beneficial for both the child and mother, the peer counseling breastfeeding support program should be subjected to a cost/benefit analysis and evaluated at other locales.
Unified analytical solution for dynamic elastic buckling of beams for various boundary conditions and loading rates

Abstract The problem of dynamic elastic buckling of Euler–Bernoulli beams subjected to axial loads is studied analytically. The dynamic axial loading is accomplished by a constant displacement rate of one end of the beam with respect to the other. The axial loading rates are considered slow enough to obviate the need to account for axial wave propagation effects. The dynamics of the beam is formulated in the modal domain considering the lowest static buckling mode. The dynamic stability of the beam is investigated as a response problem assuming an initial deformed geometry in terms of an eccentricity favouring the mode shape. The governing partial differential equation is condensed into a unified ordinary differential equation for various boundary conditions using a single dimensionless parameter in terms of beam geometry, material properties, loading rate, and appropriate coefficients corresponding to different boundary conditions. The results obtained for the dynamic response of beams for various values of the dimensionless parameter and initial eccentricity suggest that the solutions can be combined into a single unified analytical expression for the dynamic buckling load. It is shown that the corresponding dynamic response curves can also be collapsed into a single curve using the dimensionless peak load and the associated time parameter. The accuracy of the unified analytical expression for dynamic buckling is verified against exact solution of the ordinary differential equation considering three problems in terms of dimensional quantities for different boundary conditions and loading rates. Further the validity of the single mode dynamic buckling formulation is examined by comparing the results obtained for various boundary conditions with the numerical results from the dynamic response of a large number of degree of freedom finite element model of the beam without any restriction on the deformation mode shape. This unified solution has potential application in optimum design for dynamic collapse of truss type structures subjected to dynamic loads.
Simultaneous electromagnetic enhancement of nuclear beta decay and isomeric transitions.

A nuclear system is treated in which a forbidden beta decay leads to a state metastable against gamma-ray emission. Considering both the beta and isomeric transitions to be accelerated by an applied electromagnetic field, the rate equation for emission from the isomeric state is solved for the case where the nucleus is subjected to alternating episodes of field on and field off. There are important qualitative differences in the solution between the cases where enhancement of the beta transition rate dominates enhancement of the isomeric transition rate, and vice versa. Application is made to the example of /sup 137/Cs.
Change is in the eye of the beholder

Changes in pupil diameter may reflect the dynamic processes in the brain that allow us to detect and rapidly adapt to hidden changes in the world. What's more, unrelated manipulations of pupil size may in turn influence these processes.
Controlled Synthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoic (PHA) Nanostructures in R. eutropha

In biological systems the detailed structure of macromolecules is usually encoded genetically. Here we show that the synthesis and structure of certain biopolymers can be directed by taking control of the reaction pathways in microorganisms to direct the reaction kinetics. The biological synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) presents a unique opportunity to deposit synthesized polymer into controlled nanostructures with features as small as the molecular length scale. Furthermore, this control can be extended to the level of individual polymer molecules, enabling the synthesis of block copolymers that could be used in combination with self-assembly methods to generate specific structures.
Occurrence of nematodes in benthic deposits

Abstract This paper describes a method which has been developed and found satisfactory for sampling and separation of nematodes in benthic deposits of shallow streams with sandy bottoms. A simple scoop is described for obtaining an undisturbed sample. A modification of the centrifugal flotation technique described was found more quantitative than other methods. A 3-min flotation at 2900 g in a sugar solution was followed by filtration of the supernatant through a 5μ membrane filter for separation. Enumeration was carried out after staining with eosin-Y dye. The method can safely be used to make a quantitative determination of the concentration of nematodes in benthic samples. Nematodes were found to be present in all sections of the stream system investigated. The concentration of nematodes in water and benthic samples were significantly higher below the outfall of a waste treatment plant than above the outfall. The concentrations of nematodes in the benthos during the fall months were found to be about twice that observed during summer months. This was attributed to the more favorable temperatures during the fall. During the same period, the nematode concentration in the stream benthos did not bear any constant ratio to that in the water. The nematodes in the benthos were severely affected by high flows in the stream because of the erosive action of such high discharges. The concentration of nematodes in the benthos was observed to increase during low flows. The variation found in physical properties such as effective size and uniformity coefficient and chemical properties such as chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and pH of the bottom material were found to have no direct relationship to the nematode concentration.
Arctic Marine Vegetation

IN NATURE, vol. xii. p. 55, an interesting article on the Arctic marine vegetation, quotes Ruprecht (with doubt as to his accuracy) in regard to an asserted absence of Algae in Behring Sea and the waters north of it.
Substrate specificity of pullulanase.

Abstract Action of pullulanase from Aerobacter aerogenes has been tested on a number of starch oligosaccharides. Hydrolysis is confined to cleavage of α-1 → 6-interchain links between oligosaccharide chains containing a minimum of two glucose units per chain. Starch oligosaccharides and dextrins containing two or more α-1 α 6-links are also cleaved. Glucose has not been observed as a product. A single α-1 α 6-linked glucose “stub” does not interfere with pullulanase action, and oligosaccharides containing such stubs are found in the products of pullulanase action. Under special conditions, pullulanase preparations exhibit condensation and transferase reactions.
Self-centeredness and the adult male perpetrator of child sexual abuse

Self-centeredness has been identified as a quality of the adult male perpetrator of child sexual abuse, but little or no effort has been expended toward defining the concept clearly. In this paper, the research literature on the perpetrator and psychoanalytic writings on narcissism are reviewed for the purpose of developing a comprehensive definition of self-centeredness. Literature related to the social and developmental context of child sexual abuse also is discussed. In the final section of the paper, implications for primary prevention and treatment are drawn.
Easy method for defining intracranial target volumes on orthogonal simulation films using magnetic resonance images

A technique is described for simulating intracranial radiation fields. The method involves the projection of images from magnetic resonance (MR) scans to orthogonal simulation radiographs. This approach often can supplement and occasionally obviate the need for computerized tomographic (CT) assisted treatment simulation for co-planar beam arrangements in brain irradiation. Because magnetic resonance imaging can be performed in virtually any plane and is routinely carried out in sagittal and coronal planes, transferring tumor volumes to orthogonal simulation films using this technique can be done simply and accurately. The method employs an inexpensive photographic enlarger to superimpose sagittal MR scans on the lateral skull simulation films. Tumor volumes along with other structures of interest are traced onto the film and appropriate fields and blocks are contoured. The technique is performed easily in conjunction with routine simulation sessions, provided that the appropriate MR images are available. It is most suitable for planning treatment of tumors located at midline (e.g., medulloblastomas, craniopharyngiomas, brainstem gliomas, germinomas, etc.). The technique has also been used to verify the accuracy of CT-assisted treatment planning. With relatively minor modifications, eccentric tumors also can be accurately planned, and although we have restricted our description to brain tumors, the technique may be extrapolated to tumors in other sites. Radiat. Oncol. Invest. 5:38–42, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The “two cultures” dichotomy reexamined

Recent discussions on the HUMANIST conference on Binet are but one manifestation of concern over the relations between humanists and technologists (including scientists and business people who use technology, especially computers). Focusing on the computer as an object that both unifies and separates these two communities, the discussants have broached a number of key topics, all more or less related to C. P. Show's dichotomy of the «Two Cultures». Much the same question underlies this review essay of the three books: Turing's Man (1984) by J. David Bolter, The Second Self (1984) by Sherry Turkle, and Alan Turing: The Enigma (1983) by Andrew Hodges
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF NUISANCE ALGAE BY DAPHNIA PULEX: EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

ABSTRACT The feasibility of using the zooplankton species Daphnia pulex as a biological control agent of nuisance algal blooms was investigated experimentally in two Illinois lakes. Two questions were posed: (1) Can grazing by Daphnia pulex buffer the effects of increased nutrient loading to an initially low-nutrient lake? and (2) Can D. pulex significantly reduce algal biomass when introduced into a lake that already exhibits excessive phytoplankton growth? These questions were answered by introducing D. pulex individuals into large enclosures (1,000 liters) suspended in the lakes, which do not naturally contain D. pulex . The first question was addressed in Dynamite Lake, an oligo-mesotrophic quarry lake that does not normally exhibit algal blooms. Four treatments were employed within the enclosures: (1) a control, (2) D. pulex added, (3) nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) added, and (4) D. pulex and nutrients added. Nutrients were not added until the D. pulex populations became established and were ad...
Immediate-type reactions in patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Allergic features of 38 patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) were reviewed. These features included skin reactivity to other inhalant antigens and to molds other than Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) plus clinical manifestations of rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, eczema, urticaria, anaphylaxis, food allergy, and drug allergy. ABPA patients have a high degree of allergic reactivity in all these clinical features, in particular, clearly documented food allergy. These findings differ from those previously reported in ABPA patients in England, where it was noted that patients with ABPA whose asthma began after age 30 had few manifestations of other allergic diseases. By contrast, our patients in the same age group (onset of asthma after age 30) had the same multiple allergic manifestations as younger patients. These results show that ABPA patients are a subset of atopic individuals with a greater predisposition for the development of a wide spectrum of allergic diseases, despite the lack of manifestations of other major immunologic disease patterns.
Applications of theoretical chemistry in the prediction of metabolism

Abstract Metabolism is important in both the bioactivation and detoxication of a wide variety of xenobiotic materials, including drugs, pesticides, carcinogens, and pollutants. While the biotransformation of these chemicals is carried out by a relatively small group of enzymes which catalyse oxidation, reduction, hydrolysis, and conjugation, much remains to be learned about unifying chemical concepts which can be used to rationalize known reactions and predict the course of metabolism of new chemicals. Toward this end, we describe here some investigations with polycyclic hydrocarbons, alkyl and vinyl halides, and polyhalogenated biphenyls, three classes of potentially dangerous materials present in the environment and of interest to pharmacologists and toxicologists. These studies were presented at the Fall 1982 joint meeting of the Society of Toxicology and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (Louisville) in a symposium entitled ‘Theoretical Chemistry in Predicting Drug Metabolism'.
ShAir: extensible middleware for mobile peer-to-peer resource sharing

ShAir is a middleware infrastructure that allows mobile applications to share resources of their devices (e.g., data, storage, connectivity, computation) in a transparent way. The goals of ShAir are: (i) abstracting the creation and maintenance of opportunistic delay-tolerant peer-to-peer networks; (ii) being decoupled from the actual hardware and network platform; (iii) extensibility in terms of supported hardware, protocols, and on the type of resources that can be shared; (iv) being capable of self-adapting at run-time; (v) enabling the development of applications that are easier to design, test, and simulate. In this paper we discuss the design, extensibility, and maintainability of the ShAir middleware, and how to use it as a platform for collaborative resource-sharing applications. Finally we show our experience in designing and testing a file-sharing application.
Sources and distribution of terrigenous organic matter delivered by the Atchafalaya River to sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Suspended sediments (SS) from the Atchafalaya River (AR) and the Mississippi River and surficial sediment samples from seven shallow cross-shelf transects west of the AR in the northern Gulf of Mexico were examined using elemental (%OC, C/N), isotopic (δ13C, Δ14C), and terrigenous biomarker analyses. The organic matter (OM) delivered by the AR is isotopically enriched (∼−24.5‰) and relatively degraded, suggesting that soil-derived OM with a C4 signature is the predominant OM source for these SS. The shelf sediments display OC values that generally decrease seaward within each transect and westward, parallel to the coastline. A strong terrigenous C/N (29) signal is observed in sediments deposited close to the mouth of the river, but values along the remainder of the shelf fall within a narrow range (8–13), with no apparent offshore trends. Depleted stable carbon isotope (δ13C) values typical of C3 plant debris (−27‰) are found near the river mouth and become more enriched (−22 to −21‰) offshore. The spatial distribution of lignin in shelf sediments mirrors that of OC, with high lignin yields found inshore relative to that found offshore (water depth > 10 m). The isotopic and biomarker data indicate that at least two types of terrigenous OM are deposited within the study area. Relatively undegraded, C3 plant debris is deposited close to the mouth of the AR, whereas more degraded, isotopically enriched, soil-derived OM appears to be deposited along the remainder of the shelf. An important input from marine carbon is found at the stations offshore from the 10-m isobath. Quantification of the terrigenous component of sedimentary OM is complicated by the heterogeneous composition of the terrigenous end-member. A three-end-member mixing model is therefore required to more accurately evaluate the sources of OM deposited in the study area. The results of the mixing calculation indicate that terrigenous OM (soil-derived OM and vascular plant debris) accounts for ∼79% of the OM deposited as inshore sediments and 66% of OM deposited as offshore sediments. Importantly, the abundance of terrigenous OM is 40% higher in inshore sediments and nearly 85% higher in offshore sediments than indicated by a two-end-member mixing model. Such a result highlights the need to reevaluate the inputs and cycling of soil-derived OM in the coastal ocean.
Individual differences in mental rotation: what does gesture tell us?

Gestures are common when people convey spatial information, for example, when they give directions or describe motion in space. Here, we examine the gestures speakers produce when they explain how they solved mental rotation problems (Shepard and Meltzer in Science 171:701-703, 1971). We asked whether speakers gesture differently while describing their problems as a function of their spatial abilities. We found that low-spatial individuals (as assessed by a standard paper-and-pencil measure) gestured more to explain their solutions than high-spatial individuals. While this finding may seem surprising, finer- grained analyses showed that low-spatial participants used gestures more often than high-spatial participants to convey ''static only'' information but less often than high-spatial participants to convey dynamic information. Furthermore, the groups differed in the types of gestures used to convey static information: high-spatial individuals were more likely than low-spatial individuals to use ges- tures that captured the internal structure of the block forms. Our gesture findings thus suggest that encoding block structure may be as important as rotating the blocks in mental spatial transformation.
Studies on Newcastle Disease VIII. Resistance of Chicks from Pullets Vaccinated Against Newcastle Disease

Abstract SINCE Brandly, Moses, and Jungherr (1946) showed that resistance to Newcastle disease was transferred from vaccinated or recovered hens to their chicks through the yolk, many poultrymen have vaccinated their supply flocks in order to reduce losses from Newcastle disease in young chicks. It was thought that this temporary resistance protected chicks against Newcastle disease for the first month of life. However, Newcastle disease has been observed by the writers in 16- to 20–day old chicks from 4 different flocks of pullets which had been vaccinated with live Newcastle vaccine 5 to 8 months before the chicks were hatched. The virus was isolated from the tissues of affected chicks and identified by hemagglutination tests. Losses were less than 15 percent in two outbreaks, but were 44 and 62 percent in the third and fourth outbreaks. These observations suggested the need for further information on the duration of yolk-transferred resistance . . .
Optimal design of steel frame structures

We consider the optimal design of steel structures. Given a preliminary design, we attempt to minimize the total weight of the structure subject to various loads and constraints. We combine finite element structural analysis codes with nonlinear programming optimization ones. Several examples are given.