cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
40Ar/39Ar spectrum ages for biotite, hornblende and muscovite in a contact metamorphic zone

Abstract Biotite, hornblende and muscovite from 2700 m.y. old rocks in northeastern Minnesota near the contact of the 1150 m.y. Duluth Complex have been analyzed by 40 Ar/ 39 Ar technique to determine whether spectrum ages can be used to distinguish partial loss of radiogenic argon due to a reheating event. Biotite and hornblende give plateau ages comparable to the ordinary K-Ar ages for all samples including those with intermediate ages. Muscovite gives plateau ages for the samples with less than 11% argon loss. An intermediate muscovite with a conventional K-Ar age of 1850 m.y. gives progressively older 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages for higher temperature fractions. Microprobe analysis reveals no systematic correlation between biotite chemistry and loss of argon in the contact zone. This suggests that the rate-controlling process for the loss of argon from biotite in the contact zone may be volume diffusion or recrystallization without a measurable change in major element composition. Biotites with intermediate ages give plateaus because the rate-controlling processes in the vacuum furnace are related to dehydroxylation and delamination and are unrelated to the process causing loss of argon in the contact zone. The data for the muscovites are not easily interpreted, in part because of the limited number of samples. The hornblende data show a correlation between argon loss and change in major element composition suggesting that recrystallization may be a rate-controlling process for the loss of argon from hornblende in the contact zone. The small number of samples precludes a definitive statement.
Comparative analysis of affine scaling algorithms based on simplifying assumptions

We analyze several affine potential reduction algorithms for linear programming based on simplifying assumptions. We show that, under a strong probabilistic assumption regarding the distribution of the data in an iteration, the decrease in the primal potential function will be $$\Omega (\rho /\sqrt {log(n)} )$$ with high probability, compared to the guaranteedΩ(1). (ρ ⩾2n is a parameter in the potential function andn is the number of variables.) Under the same assumption, we further show that the objective reduction rate of Dikin's affine scaling algorithm is $$(1 - 1/\sqrt {log(n)} )$$ with high probability, compared to no guaranteed convergence rate.
On significance of the least significant bits for differential privacy

We describe a new type of vulnerability present in many implementations of differentially private mechanisms. In particular, all four publicly available general purpose systems for differentially private computations are susceptible to our attack.The vulnerability is based on irregularities of floating-point implementations of the privacy-preserving Laplacian mechanism. Unlike its mathematical abstraction, the textbook sampling procedure results in a porous distribution over double-precision numbers that allows one to breach differential privacy with just a few queries into the mechanism.We propose a mitigating strategy and prove that it satisfies differential privacy under some mild assumptions on available implementation of floating-point arithmetic.
Regional Susceptibility of Northeast Lakes to Zebra Mussel Invasion

Abstract The rapid spread of the exotic zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) concerns aquatic resource managers in the United States and Canada. Since 1990, it has been spreading from the Great Lakes into the Northeast. The zebra mussel cannot colonize equally in northeastern lakes in part because soft water causes ion exchange and reproductive problems when [Ca2+] reaches a lower limit of approximately 12 mg/L, and pH drops below 7.3. We used (1) an alkalinity map to conservatively delineate areas expected to be at low risk for zebra mussel invasion and (2) water chemistry data from 344 lakes sampled in the 1991–1994 Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) to estimate numbers and surface area of lakes at risk in the Northeast (New England, New York, and New Jersey). These lakes were randomly selected from a target population of 11,080 lakes > 1 and < 10,000 ha using a probability design that allowed inference to all lakes in the region with known confidence. An estimated 25% (2,770 SE = 410...
SU-E-T-504: Electron Beam Tuning Methodology for TrueBeam Phase-Space Library Generation

Purpose: Field‐independent phase‐space files are an effective means to reduce the time to simulate particle transport through medical linac treatment head components. The purpose of this work is to: (a) introduce the methodology used to newly create the full TrueBeam phase‐space library; (b) generate ∼50GB of data for each of seven photon beams; (c) present the results of the validation against recent gold beam data (GBD) measurements. Methods: An accurate representation of the TrueBeam field‐independent treatment head components was implemented in Geant4 (v.9.4.p02) and deployed on a large cloud‐based cluster with >500 computing cores. The incident electron beam was modeled by assuming Gaussian distributions for the energy spectrum, beam divergence, and spot size. Spot dimensions were fixed by measurements of the electron spots on the same three machines on which GBD was measured. Three remaining electron beam parameters (mean energy, energy spread, beam divergence) were varied one‐by‐one until the slopes of the least‐squares fits to the differences between Monte Carlo and measurement were <1% per fitted region (50 to 300 mm depth for percent depth doses, 0 to ±180 mm off‐axis position for in‐field profiles). Results: Seven photon beams were tuned to within 1% of GBD. The resulting sets of optimal electron beam parameters were used to generate ∼50GB per beam of IAEA‐format phase‐space files on a flat scorer (73.3 cm from isocenter) above the Y‐jaws for the 4MV, 6MV, 6FFF, 8MV, 10MV, 10FFF and 15MV beams, where FFF is the flattening filter free mode. Conclusion: A consistent methodology of electron beam tuning for megavoltage radiotherapy linac simulations allowed generation of a complete library of phase‐space files for TrueBeam freely available to support the majority of modeling needs for TrueBeam worldwide.
Quantitative Cathodic Preparation of Selected Aqueous Reagents Used in an Undergraduate Laboratory

A guide for instructors and laboratory assistants to prepare several aqueous reagents used in an undergraduate laboratory is presented. Dilute reagents consisting of OH–(aq), Fe2+(aq), and Sn2+(aq) were prepared by electrolytic reduction of the respective precursors at the cathode. Concurrently, water was electrolyzed at the anode. A known mass of anhydrous Na2CO3 (a primary standard) was added to the anode compartment. Electrolytically produced H+(aq) ions were titrated in situ against Na2CO3 using bromophenol blue indicator. The electrolysis was promptly stopped when the indicator changed color from blue to yellow. The amount of H+(aq) produced at the anode was determined from the mass of Na2CO3. Because the same current passed through the electrolysis cell, the stoichiometric relation between the cathode and anode reactions facilitated the determination of the reagent prepared at the cathode. The concentration of reagent prepared at the cathode was independently confirmed by the volumetric titration method. The electrolysis cell, powered by 18 V dc power supply, eliminated the requirement of a coulometer or a constant current power source. Setup of an electrolysis cell and experimental details for preparing reagents are presented.
Genetic and environmental risk factors for the onset of drug use and problems in adoptees.

Applying survival analysis methodology to age-of-onset data from an adoption study (N = 196), we present evidence that risks for both drug use and drug problems (DSM abuse or dependence) are elevated when combined antisocial personality (ASP) and substance abuse is present in the same biological parent. It is increased not only in comparison to adoptees with no known biological risk, but also when compared to adoptees with a biological background for only substance problems or only ASP. Neither of these later groups showed a statistically higher risk when compared with controls. Among adoptees with recurrent drug use, adolescent aggressivity is also elevated when the combined substance abuse/ASP biological diathesis is present. Statistical control for aggressivity diminished but did not eliminate the predictive significance of the combined biological diathesis for drug problems. We also verify, using more refined methodology, our previous reports of gender and adverse adoptive environmental influences on drug-related outcomes in these subjects. We could not document a biology-environment interaction, but power to do so was rather low. We argue that the observed biological associations are broadly consistent with generalization to other substances of an alcoholism phenotype similar to Cloninger's Type II or Babor's Type B.
Transplantation and Jacobians of Sunada isospectral Riemann surfaces

Abstract We consider relations among the Jacobians of isospectral compact Riemann surfaces constructed using Sunada's theorem. We use a simple algebraic formulation of “transplantation” of holomorphic 1-forms and singular 1-cycles to obtain two main results. First, we obtain a geometric proof of a result of Prasad and Rajan that Sunada isospectral Riemann surfaces have isogenous Jacobians. Second, we determine a relationship (weaker than isogeny) that holds among the Jacobians of Sunada isospectral Riemann surfaces when the Jacobians’ extra structure as principally polarized abelian varieties is taken into account. We also show all Sunada isospectral manifolds have isomorphic real cohomology algebras. Finally, we exhibit transplantation of cycles explicitly in a concrete example of a pair of isospectral Riemann surfaces constructed by Brooks and Tse.
A simplified technique for translaryngeal tracheostomy (TLT). A preliminary report.

In this prospective observational study we present preliminary results of a modification of the translaryngeal tracheostomy technique that was introduced by Fantoni in 1997. The study was conducted in a five-bed surgical intensive care unit of a university teaching hospital. The study included 14 consecutive surgical patients (8 men, 6 women) who underwent a modified translaryngeal tracheostomy in a 6-month period. In our modification of the technique, we keep the basic principle of the inside-to-outside approach of the Fantoni technique, and combine it with a blind needle insertion, as reported in the classic subcricoid retrograde intubation technique. The technique that we use involves two medical doctors and a nurse. Mean patient age was 68.9 years (range: 31–85 years) and mean APACHE II score was 15.8 (range: 6–31). Mean operative time for the procedure was 15.2 min (range: 11.5–22 min). Eight of the patients died during the postoperative course in the ICU from causes relevant to their surgical pathology. One patient survived to be discharged from the ICU but died of an acute myocardial infraction later in the same hospital stay. Five patients survived to be discharged from the hospital. The modified translaryngeal tracheostomy seems to be as reliable and safe as the original technique. In addition, the modified technique is faster and can be performed without the use of an endoscope.
Minimizing the Worst Slowdown: Offline, Online

We look for protocols (service disciplines) setting an upper bound on the slowdown (expected sojourn time divided by job size) a job may face, irrespective of the processing times of other jobs. We call this worst slowdown the liability of a job. In a scheduling problem with identical release dates, allowing the server to randomize the order of service cuts almost in half the liability profiles feasible under deterministic protocols. The same is true if cash transfers are feasible and users have linear waiting costs. When release times are arbitrary, we characterize liability functions implementable by a deterministic online protocol, where the liability depends on the number of jobs in the queue upon release of the job. In an M/D/1 queue with a given arrival rate, the liability of a job is at least its slowdown when all other jobs are of the same size. We conjecture that this liability is feasible online, and identify a probabilistic protocol exceeding it by at most 130%.
The temporal course of the frustration effect

Abstract General activity subsequent to reward (R) and nonreward (N) was monitored at 5-sec intervals with a stabilimeter in the runway goal box. Activity of never-rewarded control S s was also measured. In Expt 1 it was found that the frustration effect (difference between N- and R-trial activities) disappeared after about 40 sec of goal box confinement. This disappearance of the frustration effect was due to activity increase on R trials rather than activity decrease on N trials as a function of time. Comparison of N-trial activity with control group activity indicated that frustration does not dissipate within 60 sec. Expt 2 investigated activity following reward and nonreward as a function of reward magnitude. Evidence from these experiments suggests that the late R-trial activity increase results from frustration, possibly conditioned to apparatus cues on N trials.
Undergraduate elective on optoelectronic materials and devices

An elective course on optoelectronic materials and devices offered at the University of San Diego is described. Main topics include band structure, semiconductor alloys, optical processes, photodetectors, light emitting diodes, laser diodes, fiber optics, and quantum wells. Laboratory projects and innovative pedagogical aspects of the course are also discussed.
Entrainment of frequency in evolution equations

The existence of periodic solutions near resonance is discussed using elementary methods for the evolution equation ·u = Au + ϵf(t, u) when the linear problem is totally degenerate (e2πA = I) and the period of f is entrained with ϵ (T = 2π(1 + ϵμ)). The approach is to solve the periodicity equation u(T,p,ϵ) = p for an element p(ϵ) in D, the domain of A, as a perturbation from an approximate solution p0. p0 is a solution of the nonlinear boundary value problem 2πμAp + ∝02π e−Asf(s, eAsp) ds = 0 obtained from the periodicity equation by dividing by ϵ, applying the entrainment assumption, and letting ϵ → 0. Once p0 is known, the conventional inverse function theorem is applied in a slightly unconventional manner. Two particular cases where results are obtained are ut = ux + ϵ{g(u) − h(t, x)} with g strongly monotone and ddtvw = 0ddxddx0vw + ϵv3h(t,x) , where in both cases D is a certain class of 2π-periodic functions of x.
Behavior of pressure and heat transfer in sharp fin-induced turbulent interactions

An experimental study has been performed of sharp fin-induced shock wave/turbulent boundary-layer interactions at Mach 5 under moderately cooled wall conditions. The experimental data include mean surface pressure and heat transfer rate distributions for fin angles of attack of 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 deg. Data were acquired in spanwise and conical coordinate systems to assess the behavior of the surface properties. Although the surface pressure distributions collapse in conical coordinates, the heat transfer distributions do not. Instead, the heat transfer was found to be nearly constant along rays from a virtual conical origin determined from the pressure distributions.
Spectroscopy of jet-cooled perylene-d12

Abstract Fluorescence excitation spectra and dispersed emission spectra for individually excited vibrational featured in S 1 perylene- d 12 have been obtained. More so than in the case of undeuterated perylene, additional structure is observed in perylene- d 12 bands that may be due to linear-bent transitions in the molecule. Dispersed emission spectra were measured after excitation of S 1 levels ranging from the vibronic origin to 1400 cm −1 above the origin. For levels with E vib −1 the emission is resonant. For higher levels the fluorescence in some cases is all or nearly all resonant while in other cases significant relaxation has taken place on the time scale of emission. These non-monotonic variations of IVR relative to E vib are qualitatively similar to the ones previously seen with perylene- h 12 .
A general ADC/computer interface

Abstract An interface between a 4096 channel nuclear pulse analogue to digital converter and a PDP-7 computer is described. The ADC can be used on-line with the computer, and, when the computer is being used for other purposes, the ADC can be used with two hard-wired 1024 channel memories. This latter use allows experiments to be set up without requiring computer time and permits experiments to be carried out off-line that require only 2048 channels of memory or less. Routing and coincidence circuitry is also provided. The memories of outdated hard-wired analysers can thus be utilized with up-to-date ADC front ends.
Dipole source localization by the mottled sculpin II. The role of lateral line excitation patterns

Extracellular, single unit recording techniques were used to measure the responses of posterior lateral line nerve fibers to a 50-Hz dipole source that slowly changed its location along the length of the fish. The flow-field equations for a dipole source were used to model the pressure gradient pattern and thus, the expected excitation pattern along a linear array of lateral line receptor organs for different source locations. Finally, excitation patterns were similarly modeled along the left and right side of the fish's head for actual steps taken by sculpin in approach pathways to the 50-Hz dipole source. Spatial histograms of posterior lateral line nerve fiber responses to different locations of the dipole source could be predicted from pressure gradient patterns modeled from the flow-field equations, confirming that the modeling approach applied to behavioral results was a good predictor of excitation patterns likely to be encoded by the lateral line periphery. An examination of how modeled excitation patterns changed from one position to the next in typical approach pathways and how patterns differed between positions from which successful and unsuccessful strikes were launched suggests that approach and strike strategies can indeed be explained by the information available in excitation patterns. In particular, changes in the spatial distribution of pressure gradient directions (polarities), available only when the source is lateral (as opposed to directly in front of the fish), appear to enhance the ability of sculpin to determine source distance. Without such information, misses are more likely to occur and successful strikes are more likely to be launched from short distances only.
Digestion characteristics and growth of steers fed a corn–grain based supplement compared to a de-oiled rice bran plus cottonseed supplement with or without extrusion processing

Abstract This study evaluated ruminal digestion characteristics and performance of beef steers supplemented with either a conventional or co-product based feed, and the effects of extrusion of the co-product supplement. In experiment 1, a 3 × 3 Latin square design was used to evaluate ruminal digestion characteristics in cannulated beef steers fed hay plus (1) corn and cottonseed meal (71:29, w/w DM; CCSM); (2) de-oiled rice bran and whole cottonseed (62:38, w/w DM; DRCS) or; (3) extrusion processed DRCS supplement (EXT) with the de-oiled rice bran and cottonseed supplement being mixed before extrusion. Supplements were offered at 10 g/kg body weight (BW). Contrasts were used to evaluate differences between supplements, (1) CCSM versus the average of the DRCS and EXT and, (2) DRCS versus EXT. Neither supplement type nor processing affected predicted hay dry matter (DM) intake, supplement DM intake, or total DM intake, and supplement DM degradation rate in the rumen did not differ. However, rate of passage of the CCSM (58.4 g/kg/h) supplement was higher (P = 0.01) than the DRCS (44.1 g/kg/h) and EXT (45.3 g/kg/h) supplements. Passage rate also tended (P = 0.08) to be higher with EXT versus DRCS. Supplement type or processing did not affect hay DM degradation rate or passage rate (P > 0.10). Supplement type tended (P = 0.06) to change the ruminally degradable crude protein to ruminally degradable organic matter (OM) ratio (g/kg, RDP:RDOM) with CCSM supplement having a RDP:RDOM of 185 compared to 114 for DRCS and EXT. Supplement type or processing did not affect overall diet RDP:RDOM or total tract DM digestibility. Seventy-two crossbred beef steers were used in experiment 2. Hay DM intake tended (P = 0.07) to be higher for CCSM supplemented versus DRCS or EXT supplemented calves. Despite the tendency for higher hay intake of CCSM calves, ADG did not differ. De-oiled rice bran plus whole cottonseed can effectively replace corn plus cottonseed meal as a supplement for growing cattle fed low-quality hay, and extruding the de-oiled rice bran plus cottonseed supplement did not alter animal performance.
Scaling of passive condenser system for separate effect testing

Abstract The passive containment cooling system (PCCS) of the simplified boiling water reactor (SBWR) is a passive condenser system designed to remove energy from the containment for long term cooling period after a postulated reactor accident. Depending on pressure condition and noncondensable (NC) gas fraction in drywell (DW) and suppression pool (SP), three different modes are possible in the PCCS operation namely the forced flow, cyclic venting and complete condensation modes. The prototype SBWR has total of six condenser units with each unit consisting of hundreds of condenser tubes. Simulation of such prototype system is very expensive and complex. Hence a scaling analysis is used in designing an experimental model for the prototype PCCS condenser system. The motive for scaling is to achieve a homologous relationship between an experiment and the prototype which it represents. A scaling method for separate effect test facility is first presented. The design of the scaled test facility for PCCS condenser is then given. Data from the test facility are presented and scaling approach to relate the scaled test facility data to prototype is discussed.
The mouse secreted frizzled-related protein 5 gene is expressed in the anterior visceral endoderm and foregut endoderm during early post-implantation development.

Abstract The anterior visceral endoderm (AVE) plays an important role in anterior–posterior axis formation in the mouse. The AVE functions in part by expressing secreted factors that antagonize growth factor signaling in the proximal epiblast. Here we report that the Secreted frizzled-related protein 5 ( Sfrp5 ) gene, which encodes a secreted factor that can antagonize Wnt signaling, is expressed in the AVE and foregut endoderm during early mouse development. At embryonic day (E) 5.5, Sfrp5 is expressed in the visceral endoderm at the distal tip region of the embryo and at E6.5 in the AVE opposite the primitive streak. In Lim1 embryos, which lack anterior neural tissue and sometimes form a secondary body axis, Sfrp5 -expressing cells fail to move towards the anterior and remain at the distal tip of E6.5 embryos. When compared with Dkk1 , which encodes another secreted Wnt antagonist molecule present in the visceral endoderm, Sfrp5 and Dkk1 expression overlap but Sfrp5 is expressed more broadly in the AVE. Between E7.5 and 8, Sfrp5 is expressed in the foregut endoderm underlying the cardiac mesoderm. At E8.5, Sfrp5 is expressed in the ventral foregut endoderm that gives rise to the liver. Additional domains of Sfrp5 expression occur in the dorsal neural tube and in the forebrain anterior to the optic placode. These findings identify a gene encoding a secreted Wnt antagonist that is expressed in the extraembryonic visceral endoderm and anterior definitive endoderm during axis formation and organogenesis in the mouse.
Sensitisation of pituitary cells to luteinising hormone releasing hormone by clomiphene citrate in vitro.

SINCE the original study of Greenblatt1 in 1962, clomiphene citrate (2 [P-(2-chloro-1, 2-diphenylvinyl) phenoxy] triethylamine dihydrogen citrate) (Clomid) has been used successfully to induce ovulation in anovulatory conditions. The ovulation inducing effect of Clomid is mediated through a transient increase in the pituitary release of luteinising hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which in turn initiates follicular maturation and ovulation2,3. Although the mechanism of action of Clomid is unknown, this substance has been reported to possess both antioestrogenic and oestrogenic properties. Experimental studies of the pituitary, hypothalamus and uterus have shown that Clomid competitively inhibits oestradiol binding to oestrogen receptors, suggesting an antioestrogenic action4–7. On the other hand, the observation that Clomid stimulates uterine growth is suggestive of an oestrogenic action8,9. Oestradiol has been shown to increase the responsiveness of cultured pituitary cells to luteinising hormone releasing hormone (LHRH)10. We show here, using cultured pituitary cells as a model system, the possible antioestrogenic and oestrogenic effects of Clomid on LH release in vitro, and demonstrate that Clomid, like oestradiol-17β, increases the responsiveness of gonadotrophs to LHRH in vitro. We conclude that Clomid acts as an oestrogen rather than an antioestrogen on the pituitary gonadotrophs.
The Effects of Cash Management Assistance by States to Local Governments

In 1985 North Carolina's Local Government Commission (LGC) began a program to evaluate the percentage portfolios of the funds invested and the diversity of the investment governments and public authorities. The LGC established state's local five evaluation criteria and notified the governments and authorities of deviations from the five investment norms. This article discusses what was reported to the LGC and changes in invested funds occuring after LGC's evaluation. Principal findings include: cities over 10,000 population and counties in general are investing a high percentage of their funds; small-sized cities and public authorities tend to avoid the higher yielding, but more complex to purchase, instruments: and most governments and authorities experienced a considerable increase in the percentage of funds invested after review by the LGC. Based on the marked increases in funds invested, other states should consider helping local governments and public authorities with cash management.
You Call This Service?: A Civic Ontology Approach to Evaluating Service-Learning in Diverse Communities

This article considers the impact of service-learning in diverse communities on student civic development. A key debate in the literature is whether service-learning in diverse communities fosters student moral/cognitive development or reinforces preexisting stereotypes. This debate has significant implications for student's future civic engagement. Through a qualitative analysis of 61 reflections of service-learning experiences in Oxnard, California done by undergraduate students at California Lutheran University, I develop a civic ontology model designed to assess a student's civic development. The model identifies four axes of a student's civic development (efficacy, deservedness, value judgment, and identity). The model presents service-learning scholars and practitioners with a mechanism for evaluating the outcomes of student service-learning in diverse communities.
Racial attitudes effects on voting in 2012: An introduction to the Symposium on the U.S. Presidential Election

This Symposium on voting in the 2012 U.S. presidential election emphasizes the effects of racial attitudes. While voting was highly polarized along racial and ethnic lines in 2012, the Symposium articles agree that racial attitudes were not the dominant factor in the election. The articles show that racial attitudes had a wide range of effects on the election, affecting attitudes toward the Democratic Party, toward Barack Obama as a person, toward Mitt Romney, and toward the Tea Party, with heightened effects among Hispanic voters, but racial resentment does not explain the drop in Obama's support among whites from 2008 to 2012. As in 2008, race was only a subliminal issue in the 2012 election. Racial resentment still exists among some whites, but its effect was smaller than expected during a recession. Still, racial attitudes should be expected to continue to affect voting in the post-Obama era.
A Regional Perinatal Database Supports 'The Guidelines for Perinatal Care' Recommendations for Maternal Transport † 1303

1997 AAP/ACOG “Guidelines for Perinatal Care” recommends antenatal transfer to a Subspecialty center (level 3) for preterm labor and impending delivery at gestational age <32 wks. Based on our regional population based perinatal database (1982-1991), we reported that infants with birth weights 500-999 gms had an increase in the probability of birth at a Subspecialty center (p<0.001) and a decreased neonatal mortality(p<0.005) (Ped. Res. 33.4). There was an overall decrease in neonatal mortality for infants with birth weights 1000-1499 gms whether they were cared for exclusively at a Specialty (level 2) center (p<.005) or all or part at a Subspecialty center (p<.001) (Ped. Res.35.4). Because of the increased availability of neonatologists and perinatologists at Specialty centers in Cincinnati, we evaluated neonatal mortality from 1982-1996 among 1000-1499 gm infants by site of birth. Mean annual live births are 29,271 with 0.66% weighing 1000-1499 gms, range (0.55%-0.77%). Using logistic regression, there was a decrease in neonatal mortality over time as expected (p<.0001) and controlling for the effect of time, there was a decrease in neonatal mortality by site of birth (p<.01). Of the 302 infants born at Basic (level 1) or Specialty centers, 46% subsequently were transferred to a Subspecialty center. Only 1.7% of births 1000-1499 gms were born at Basic centers. Despite the increased availability of neonatologists at Specialty centers, our data supports antenatal transfer of mothers <32 wks gestational age with preterm labor and impending delivery. Table
Long-term exercise training in overweight adolescents improves plasma peptide YY and resistin.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term exercise training on concentrations of five hormones related to appetite and insulin resistance in overweight adolescents. In addition, we were interested in the relationships of these hormones with each other and with anthropometric and/or cardiovascular disease marker changes. Participants were ≥ the 85th percentile for BMI for age and sex and participated in an 8-month supervised aerobic training program. Anthropometrics, cardiovascular fitness assessment, and fasting blood samples were taken pre- and post-training. Glucose, insulin, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, leptin, active ghrelin, total peptide YY (PYY), adiponectin, and resistin concentrations were measured. The participants increased their time to exhaustion on an incremental treadmill test and decreased both percent body fat and blood triglyceride concentrations. Total PYY concentration increased and resistin concentration decreased after long-term exercise training, which are favorable outcomes. Leptin concentrations were related to weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, and triglyceride concentrations pre- and post-training. The changes in resistin concentrations were related to the changes in triglyceride concentrations. We conclude that long-term exercise training has beneficial effects for overweight adolescents with respect to PYY and resistin, hormones related to appetite and insulin sensitivity.
Laser chemical vapor deposition of thin films

Abstract Laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) is a technique to deposit thin films of oxidation, corrosion, and wear resistant materials as well as electronic, optoelectronic, and superconductor materials. The shape and morphology, which affect the properties of such films, depend on the laser parameters and the processing conditions. This paper presents a mathematical model to predict the shape of the deposits. Also, this model allows to select the appropriate process parameters to obtain a good quality film. The Damkohler number is shown to influence the morphology of the film. Also, an optimum condition is found to exist for depositing thin films by using the LCVD technique.
LHRH and LH in peripubertal female rats following prenatal and/or postnatal ethanol exposure

Abstract The effects of pre- and postnatal exposure to ethanol (ETOH) on LHRH and LH were investigated. Pregnant and/or lactating dams were fed ETOH during: 1) gestation, 2) lactation, or 3) gestation-lactation. Female offspring were decapitated at 30 or 40 days-of-age; trunk blood was collected for plasma LH RIA; and hypothalamic tissues were collected for LHRH RIA. Hypothalamic LHRH content of all ETOH-exposed groups was less than that of non-ETOH-fed controls at 30 and 40 days-of-age (p
The Described Experience of Primary Caregivers of Children With Mental Health Needs

About 10% of our nation's children have serious mental health needs that result in significant functional impairments. Although research has found that primary caregivers of children with mental health needs have high levels of depressive symptoms and distress, little is known about the challenges these caregivers face. Focus groups with 20 caregivers of children with mental health needs between 2 and 17 years of age revealed these themes: struggling with care systems, living in fear, being burdened and exhausted, worrying about the rest of the family, and having good things happen. Caregivers described extreme challenges and many unmet needs that are important to consider in efforts to improve both children's and caregivers' well-being.
Lactate dehydrogenase isozymes of the flatfish, Pleuronectiformes: kinetic, molecular and immunochemical analysis.

At least two genes are responsible for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) synthesis in the tissues of eighteen species of flatfish (Pleuronectiformes). The relative activity of these genes is markedly skewed with LDH‐A being present in much larger amounts and in a wider variety of tissues than LDH‐B. Certain flatfish exhibit a single LDH‐A while others have five forms of this tetramer. Molecular hybridization experiments demonstrate that these five tetramers have two distinguishable subunits. These subunits were purified and subjected to amino acid analysis, peptide mapping, kinetic and immunochemical analysis and shown to be very similar, perhaps identical, in primary structure. Treatment with reducing reagents failed to interconvert them. LDH‐B was partially purified and shown to be kinetically and immunochemically distinct from LDH‐A. As is true for many other fish, additional LDH isozymes are obseved in eye and brian tissues. These results show that the flatfish genetic information for LDH synthesis is similar to that of other fish, and flatfish LDH A and B subunits are homologous to those of other vertebrates. Copyright
Population‐, community‐ and ecosystem‐level responses of aquatic mesocosms to pulsed doses of a pyrethroid insecticide

Population-, community-, and ecosystem-level responses to pulsed dosing of a pyrethroid insecticide were studied in experimental aquatic mesocosms. Twelve mesocosms (0.1 ha, 700 m3 volume) were dosed with technical-grade esfenvalerate dissolved in acetone (subsurface injection of 0-, 0.25-, 0.67-, or 1.71-μg/L nominal concentrations in triplicated mesocosms) on six dates at two-week intervals. We monitored dissipation rate of esfenvalerate; survival, growth, and reproduction of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus); dynamics of benthos and zooplankton; biomass and productivity of phytoplankton; macrophyte biomass; diurnal oxygen pulse; and water quality over a five-month interval. Esfenvalerate dissipated rapidly from the water column (half-life, 10 h). Zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates decreased at 0.25 μg/L. Changes in invertebrate fauna due to esfenvalerate were partly obscured by indirect effects and seasonal dynamics. Bluegill survival, biomass, adult male survival, and reproductive success were negatively correlated with measured esfenvalerate concentrations. Although direct mortality of fish and invertebrates may be predictable from laboratory single-species tests, indirect responses of fish, zooplankton, and phytoplankton are predictable only with prior knowledge of factors controlling ecosystem structure and function.
Generic Development of Topical Dermatologic Products, Part II: Quality by Design for Topical Semisolid Products

The emergence of quality by design as a relatively new systematic science and risk-based approach has added a new dimension to pharmaceutical development and manufacturing. This review attempts to discuss the quality by design elements and concepts applied for topical semisolid products. Quality by design begins with defining a quality target product profile as well as critical quality attributes. Subsequently, this is followed by risk identification/risk analysis/risk evaluation to recognize critical material attributes and critical process parameters, in conjunction with design of experiments or other appropriate methods to establish control strategies for the drug product. Several design-of-experiment examples are included as practical strategies for the development and optimization of formulation and process for topical drug products.
Constraint equations: a concise compilable representation for quantified constraints in semantic networks

Constraint Equations provide a concise declarative language for expressing semantic constraints that require consistency among several relations. The constraints provide a natural addition to semantic networks, as shown by an extension to the KL-ONE/NIKL representation language. The Equations have a more natural and perspicuous structure than the predicate calculus formulas into which they may be translated, and they also have an executable interpretation. Both universal and existential quantifiers are expressible conveniently in Constraint Equations, as are cardinality quantifiers and transitive closure. For a subclass of these constraints, a prototype compiler automatically generates programs which will enforce these constraints and perform the actions needed to reestablish consistency.
Interparental Hostility and Early Adolescent Problem Behavior: Spillover via Maternal Acceptance, Harshness, Inconsistency, and Intrusiveness

To explore the link between interparental hostility and adolescent problem behaviors, the current study examines four important maternal parenting dimensions as potential mediators: acceptance, har...
Design and initial evaluation of an implantable sonomicrometer and CW Doppler flowmeter for simultaneous recordings with a multichannel telemetry system

We have developed a sonomicrometer and continuous wavelength (CW) Doppler flowmeter for a multichannel telemetry system. These developments will enable us to measure ventricular dimension and coronary artery blood velocity, which are valuable parameters to characterize sudden cardiac death (SCD) in ambulatory animal models of ventricular arrhythmias. The design goals for the sensors were accuracy, low power consumption, small size and compatibility with each other. The circuits were designed successfully and tested simultaneously in vivo. The CW Doppler flowmeter draws 9 mA and the sonomicrometer draws 28 mA on a 5-V supply. The ability to measure heart dimension and blood velocity will add significantly to our understanding of the sequence of events leading up to spontaneous sudden cardiac death.
Singlet and triplet state dynamics of charge and hydride transfer reactions of OD+ (X3Σ−) with propyne

We report a crossed beam study of the title reactions in the collision energy range from 0.45 to 1.23 eV (43–119 kJ/mol). Both reactions are exoergic and proceed as direct processes on a time scale much less than the rotational period of the transient association complex of approaching reactants. The charge transfer process takes place with zero momentum transfer. Density Functional Theory calculations of the structures of reactive intermediates show that a plausible pathway for hydride transfer involves initial charge transfer on a triplet surface, followed by intersystem crossing to the singlet manifold. This process is followed by rapid hydrogen atom transfer to form an intermediate that dissociates smoothly to products. The kinematics of the heavy + light-heavy mass combination result in mixed energy release at the lowest collision energy, in which both the breaking and forming bonds are extended, while at higher collision energies, the incremental translational energy in the reactants appears preferentially in product translation, consistent with induced repulsive energy release. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
GENESTRACE: PHENOMIC KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY VIA STRUCTURED TERMINOLOGY

The era of applied genomic medicine is quickly approaching accompanied by the increasing availability of detailed genetic information. Understanding the genetic etiology behind complex, multi-gene diseases remains an important challenge. In order to uncover the putative genetic etiology of complex diseases, we designed a method that explores the relationships between two major terminological and ontological resources: the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) and the Gene Ontology (GO). The UMLS has a mainly clinical emphasis; Gene Ontology has become the standard for biological annotations of genes and gene products. Using statistical and semantic relationships within and between the two resources, we are able to infer relationships between disease concepts in the UMLS and gene products annotated using GO and its associated databases. We validated our inferences by comparing them to the known gene-disease relationships, as defined in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man's morbidmap (OMIM). The proof-of-concept methods presented here are unique in that they bypass the ambiguity of the direct extraction of gene or disease term from MEDLINE. Additionally, our methods provide direct links to clinically significant diseases through established terminologies or ontologies. The preliminary results presented here indicate the potential utility of exploiting the existing, manually curated relationships in biomedical resources as a tool for the discovery of potentially valuable new gene-disease relationships.
Dielectric constant determination using ground-penetrating radar reflection coefficients

A method to determine ground-penetrating radar (GPR) velocities, which utilize Brewster angles, is presented. The method determines the relative dielectric constant ratio at interface boundaries where the radar wave is traveling from a low-velocity to a high-velocity medium. Using Brewster angle analysis is currently the only means to determine the velocity of the medium below the deepest detectable reflector. Data are presented for water-saturated clean sand with a known velocity of 0.52 m/ns, which overlays a sandy silt with a known velocity of 0.13 m/ns. Brewster angle analysis of a common midpoint (CMP) survey gives a relative dielectric constant ratio of 33/4.77. The Brewster angle relative dielectric constant ratio is in good agreement with the relative dielectric constant ratio calculated from the known velocities.
Influence of molecular resolution on sequence-based discovery of ecological diversity among Synechococcus populations in an alkaline siliceous hot spring microbial mat

Previous research has shown that sequences of 16S rRNA genes and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer regions may not have enough genetic resolution to define all ecologically distinct Synechococcus populations (ecotypes) inhabiting alkaline, siliceous hot spring microbial mats. To achieve higher molecular resolution, we studied sequence variation in three protein-encoding loci sampled by PCR from 60°C and 65°C sites in the Mushroom Spring mat (Yellowstone National Park, WY). Sequences were analyzed using the ecotype simulation (ES) and AdaptML algorithms to identify putative ecotypes. Between 4 and 14 times more putative ecotypes were predicted from variation in protein-encoding locus sequences than from variation in 16S rRNA and 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer sequences. The number of putative ecotypes predicted depended on the number of sequences sampled and the molecular resolution of the locus. Chao estimates of diversity indicated that few rare ecotypes were missed. Many ecotypes hypothesized by sequence analyses were different in their habitat specificities, suggesting different adaptations to temperature or other parameters that vary along the flow channel.
Partial volume tissue classification of multichannel magnetic resonance images-a mixel model

A single volume element (voxel) in a medical image may be composed of a mixture of multiple tissue types. The authors call voxels which contain multiple tissue classes mixels. A statistical mixel image model based on Markov random field (MRF) theory and an algorithm for the classification of mixels are presented. The authors concentrate on the classification of multichannel magnetic resonance (MR) images of the brain although the algorithm has other applications. The authors also present a method for compensating for the gray-level variation of MR images between different slices, which is primarily caused by the inhomogeneity of the RF field produced by the imaging coil. >
Inequality and the Duration of Growth

The relationship between income inequality and economic growth is complex. Some inequality is integral to the effective functioning of a market economy and the incentives needed for investment and growth. But inequality can also be destructive to growth, for example, by amplifying the risk of crisis or making it difficult for the poor to invest in education. This paper finds that the duration of growth spells is robustly associated with more equality in the income distribution. Inequality matters, moreover, even when other determinants of growth duration—external shocks, initial income, institutional quality, openness to trade, and macroeconomic stability—are taken into account.
Hemangioblasts: of mice and men

[Comment on Kennedy et al, page 2679][1]What is a hemangioblast? The term can be traced to the last century when putative bipotential cells in the blood islands of vertebrate embryos displayed the ability to give rise to both the endothelial and hematopoietic lineages. While studies in the chick,
EPA at 30: Fairness in Environmental Protection

This Article looks at how EPA is managing the fairness issue in a discrete but highly charged context: permit issuances that affect heavily impacted communities. This Article first provides a discussion of how fairness-oriented reform might evolve within the permit process. This section also examines permit issuances that were appealed to the U.S. Environmental Appeals Board (EAB) on environmental justice grounds. Proceeding one step beyond environmental law, the Article looks at how EPA is responding to claims of disparate impact under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. However, rather than focus on the intricacies of legal doctrine under Title VI law, this Article instead examines the analytical framework that the Agency devised to investigate disparate impact claims. This Article briefly examines brownfield initiatives, the "Tier 2 refinery proposal," which is an aspect of implementing the Clean Air Act (CAA) mobile source provisions that necessitate new air permits at refineries, and "White Paper Number 3," a recently proposed guidance that pertains to efforts to reform new source permitting under the CAA.13. This Article examines the Agency's response to this potential conflict and, ultimately, how its guidance for investigating Title VI claims reveals in part the resolution of this conflict. The Article then concludes with exploratory suggestions for alternative approaches to fairness-oriented reform in permitting.