cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A community nitrogen footprint analysis of Baltimore City, Maryland

The nitrogen footprint tool (NFT) provides a novel way for communities to understand the environmental impacts of their collective activities and consumption. Reactive nitrogen (Nr; all N species except N2) is created by the Haber-Bosch process for food production and as a by-product of fossil fuel combustion and two natural processes, biological nitrogen fixation and lightning. While it is a vital input for food production, too much Nr has a negative effect on the environment. Calculating the amount of Nr released to the environment as a result of an entity's resource consumption is the first step in reducing those Nr losses. The nitrogen (N) footprint method has previously taken this approach at the personal and institution scale. In this study, the nitrogen footprint approach is extended, for the first time, to the community level to calculate the N footprint of Baltimore City, Maryland, USA. The total N footprint of Baltimore City was ~19,000 MT N or 30 kg N per capita in 2016, dominated by the food production sector (73%), followed by the energy and transportation sectors (15% combined). There was geographic variability among census block groups' per capita N footprint within Baltimore City; likely driven primarily by economic factors. Several management scenarios were assessed to better understand what actions may reduce the Baltimore City N footprint over time. The study explored the effect and efficacy of reducing meat consumption, increasing the use of renewable energy sources, and reducing electricity consumption on the city's total N footprint. The model for the Baltimore City N footprint calculation can be applied to other communities in the United States at the spatial grain of the census block group or any country with this level of data to provide an indicator of nitrogen sustainability.
Wealth-on-the-hoof and the low-power state: Caprines as capital in early Mesopotamia

Abstract The new political communities that emerged in Mesopotamia during the fourth and third millennia BCE have long been held up as classic cases of early state formation. Over the past few decades, however, the veil has been lifted on these states – revealing their weakness, fragility, and instability. In this article, we build on the recently proposed “low-power model” to develop an alternative perspective on state finance that highlights the presumptive character of sovereignty in Mesopotamia. State makers managed to assemble a more-or-less effective vision of sovereign authority by exploiting the inherent ambiguity of certain forms of state capital. Sheep and goats offer a prime example. Drawing on a region-wide compilation of zooarchaeological data, as well as selected material from the cuneiform record, we redirect the archaeological discussion of caprines and the state in Mesopotamia. Caprines were not simply staple goods; they were complicated forms of social, political, economic, religious, and cultural capital, used to finance specific state projects and support specific state claims. In a world of aspirational states and incomplete authority, caprines offered a valuable means of strategic ambiguation, that is, a means of projecting a fuzzy image of broad-based sovereignty that did not yet exist in practice.
Reconsidering Colonial Maryland's Bills of Credit: 1767-1775

In a recent article in the Economic History Review, Celia and Grubb liken colonial Maryland’s dollar-denominated bills of credit to discount securities, circulating at less than their face value. This note argues that the bills in question circulated at par with specie and were treated as interchangeable with specie dollars. Celia and Grubb arrive at their conclusion by misstating the par of exchange.
The Dark Ages: Reponses to the Renewables Boom

The politics of renewable power in Spain shifted abruptly as the first decade of the 2000s came to an end. Where renewable power had previously enjoyed broad political support, it increasingly faced criticism and opposition from multiple actors and across the political spectrum. The immediate cause of this sea change was the sharp jump in support payments occasioned by the boom in solar photovoltaic and, secondarily, the growth in wind and concentrated solar power. In response, successive governments under both major political parties took a series of increasingly stringent actions, including the introduction of an entirely new support system, intended first to limit the expansion of support costs and then to reduce them. As a result, the upward trend in renewable capacity slowed and then ground to a halt, although not without a number of undesirable consequences.
Inertia Emulation Control using Demand Response via 5G Communications

Building energy equipment is moving rapidly towards Internet of Things (IoT)-driven devices to provide consumer connectivity and device management. These device-level interfaces along with 5G communications will be leveraged to develop control architectures to engage a large number of monitoring and control devices and provide real-time and reliable energy services. Emerging 5G networks have high potential to provide the communication technology for demand response, with fast transfer speed, high reliability, and high number of connections. Guaranteed inertial response to limit frequency fluctuations is one of the main challenges in modern power systems due to the increased penetration of renewable generation, and it is largely affected by communication delays and packet losses. This paper analyzes inertial response and rate of change of frequency in a power system model with inverter-interfaced air conditioners. The control loop considers time delays and packet losses to show the need to switch to 5G networks in future smart grids.
The Structure Of Queries On Geometric Data

A geometric object is an abstraction of reality and many of its properties can be studied without direct reference to the absolute coordinates of its elements. We have developed a coding method that uses this fact to simplify the manipulation of vectorized n-dimensional geometric schemes and used it to reduce those manipulations to a small set of basic operations. We have built a subroutine package implementing these operations that works on a workspace extracted from a very simple data base. A pilot project is described in which this package is used in the management of map information for a geometrical data base.
Economic freedom, homeownership, and state labor market conditions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reconcile research finding that labor market outcomes are related to economic freedom for entrepreneurs and separate research finding that higher homeownership rates are associated with more unemployment. Design/methodology/approach – Using panel data covering the 50 states over 1981-2009, this paper analyzes the relationship between labor market conditions, economic freedom, and homeownership rates. Findings – The results indicate that economic freedom is associated with favorable labor market conditions but that the relationship between homeownership and poor labor market outcomes is small and insignificant in most specifications once economic freedom is accounted for. Originality/value – This paper is the first paper to examine the relationship between labor market outcomes and both homeownership and economic freedom. The results suggest that the economic environment for entrepreneurs is more important than any rigidities created by homeownership.
Designing a user and usage database to promote, market, and demonstrate the value of selected statewide databases: The Florida Electronic Library as an example

Purpose – This paper aims to overview the development of a user and usage database, including multiple datasets that were combined to achieve multi‐faceted analysis of users and their usage of the Florida Electronic Library (a statewide, licensed database).Design/methodology/approach – Because of the differences in the purposes and activities among the project's five phases, the research team employed a multi‐method approach to data collection, including content analysis of datasets, usability and functionality assessments of the beta database, and cross‐tab and descriptive statistical analyses of datasets in the final database.Findings – Researchers found first that, although numerous potential datasets existed, not all could be collated into one interactive database due to variations in measurement levels, currency, and other factors. Ultimately, the database included usage and Census data, allowing the researchers to assess usage per capita and in the context of counties' demographic profiles. The rese...
Parents as Quasi-Therapists Under the Individuals with Disabilities Act

The Supreme Court has recognized that Congress enacted the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400-1482 (IDEA) to ensure that children with disabilities have available to them a Free Appropriate Public Education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs. This Article addresses whether IDEA entitles parents of disabled children who provide therapy to their child and act as a quasi-therapist because the school district failed to provide a Free Appropriate Public Education are entitled to reimbursement for the therapy services they provide. Additionally, Bucks County Department of Mental Health/Mental Retardation v. Pennsylvania, 379 F.3d 61 (3d Cir. 2004), the seminal case that held that parents, in certain circumstances, are entitled to reimbursement for therapeutic services they provide is extensively analyzed. This Article maintains that Bucks County was correctly decided, with the exception of a portion of the opinion that limited parental reimbursement to situations where a therapist was unavailable. In any event, parents are now clearly entitled to full reimbursement after the Supreme Court's May 2007 decision in Winkelman v. Parma City School District, 127 S. Ct. 1994 (2007), which held that parents have independent and enforceable rights under IDEA. In reaching this conclusion, this Article also addresses the principle objections to providing parental reimbursement. Specifically, some object that parents are not legally qualified, since most are not schooled in the needed therapy. However, existing precedent permits reimbursement of uncertified therapists, and this Article submits that parental therapists should not be treated any differently. Additionally, some object that if parents are reimbursed as quasi-therapists, they might become "employees" of the school district and be entitled to employment law rights and protections. This Article demonstrates that although IDEA is similar to the National Labor Relations Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, a parental therapist is unlikely to be considered an "employee" of the school district under any of the tests that courts use to define employees. This Article also discusses the deplorable education conditions many disabled children were forced to tolerate before the enactment of IDEA in 1975. This history is necessary to understand, and be aware of, when examining special education law policy.
Combining text and image information in content-based retrieval

This research explores the interaction of textual and photographic information in an integrated text/image database environment. By understanding the caption accompanying a picture, we are able to extract information useful in (i) retrieving the picture and (ii) directing an image interpretation system to identify relevant objects (in this case, faces) in the picture. The latter constitutes a powerful technique for automatically indexing images. In cases where images are not accompanied by text, it is far easier to manually add a line of descriptive text than to manually truth the images. A multi-stage system, PICTION, which uses captions to identify human faces in an accompanying photograph has been developed. We discuss the use of PICTION's output in content-based retrieval of images to satisfy focus of attention in queries.
Arterial Blood, Rather Than Venous Blood, is a Better Source for Circulating Melanoma Cells.

ABSTRACT Background CTCs provide prognostic information and their application is under investigation in multiple tumor types. Of the multiple variables inherent in any such process, none is more important to outcome than the appropriateness of the sample source. To address this question, we investigated CTCs in paired peripheral venous and arterial blood specimens obtained from stage IV uveal melanoma patients. Methods Blood specimens were obtained from both common femoral arteries and antecubital veins in 17 uveal melanoma patients with multiple hepatic metastases for CTC measurements. Finding CTCs were detectable with greater frequency (100%) and in larger numbers (median 5, range 1 to 168) in all arterial blood specimens than in venous samples (52.9%; median 1, range 0 to 8). Patients with hepatic as well as extra-hepatic metastasis showed higher number of arterial CTCs, compared to patients with liver-only metastasis (p=0.003). There was no significant association between the number of arterial CTCs and the tumor burden within the liver in patients who had liver-only metastases. Interpretation Our data indicate that arterial blood specimens might be a better source of circulating uveal melanoma cells. Although less conveniently processed, perhaps arterial blood should be evaluated as sample source for measurement of CTCs.
Prosthetics and Orthotics

More than 100,000 major lower limb amputations occur annually in the United States, and most are the result of dysvascular disease. There are more than 500,000 amputee survivors currently in the United States. There are at least 10 times more lower extremity amputations than there are upper extremity amputations. The primary cause of lower limb amputation in the age group older than 50 years is diabetes and vascular disease. The primary cause of lower limb amputation in the age group younger than 50 years is trauma. The primary cause of upper limb amputation is also trauma. The distribution and relative energy costs for lower limb amputation are outlined in Table 1.
12 Marriage Pluralism in the United States : On Civil and Religious Jurisdiction and the Demands of Equal Citizenship

“Legal pluralism” is hot, particularly in family law. As family law and practice in the United States have become global due to the globalization of the family, some argue it is time for U.S. family law to embrace more legal pluralism so that civil government would cede jurisdictional authority over marriage and divorce law to religious communities. They point to forms of pluralism already present in U.S. family law, such as covenant marriage (available in three states) and New York’s get statutes. They suggest the U.S. should learn from how many other nations allocate jurisdiction over marriage and divorce law (for example, systems of personal law, in which religious tribunals have such jurisdiction). In this chapter, I argue that an exercise in comparative law does reveal many different ways of allocating jurisdiction over family law, but does not answer the normative question of whether these are good models for U.S. family law. Challenging the call for a “multi-tiered” marriage, I analyze what form of marriage pluralism in the U.S. is sought and what might be motivating this demand. I examine differing views about whether there should be congruence between religious and civil marriage, illustrating with the controversy over same-sex marriage. I raise a normative concern over tensions between religious doctrines and key commitments, values, and functions of civil family law, illustrating with how state courts in the U.S. now navigate those tensions when asked to enforce terms of religious marriage contracts and other religious law. I am also skeptical as to whether a more pluralistic legal system can adequately protect the equal citizenship of women. Nearly every foreign example that proponents of jurisdictional pluralism in family law offer raises troubling question about how to reconcile sex equality with religious freedom. Feminist scholars highlight the importance of claims of national and constitutional citizenship as a strategy for redressing sex inequality, even as they affirm the value of membership in religious and cultural groups. Finally, I ask what lessons we might learn about legal pluralism from the recent controversy over religious family law arbitration (or “sharia arbitration”) in Ontario.
Interregional Fiscal Equity and Benefit Transfers

Over twenty years ago James M. Buchanan showed that serious horizontal inequities could exist in a federated system in the sense that residents of relatively low-income political subdivisions might receive lower benefits (net of taxes) from central and state government expenditures than people with the same income residing in high-income states. One possible solution offered was the imposition of discriminatory federal income tax rates with higher rates being charged in high-income states. This paper suggests an alternative solution in the form of federal transfers of benefits among states, either via conditional grants or revenue-sharing. The relative merits of the two approaches are discussed, and it is shown that the redistribution of benefits can be achieved at minimum cost by an application of the Hitchcock transportation problem.
Ion exchange membrane cathodes for scalable microbial fuel cells.

One of the main challenges for using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is developing materials and architectures that are economical and generate high power densities. The performance of two cathodes constructed from two low-cost anion (AEM) and cation (CEM) exchange membranes was compared to that achieved using an ultrafiltration (UF) cathode, when the membranes were made electrically conductive using graphite paint and a nonprecious metal catalyst (CoTMPP). The best performance in single-chamber MFCs using graphite fiber brush anodes was achieved using an AEM cathode with the conductive coating facing the solution, at a catalyst loading of 0.5 mg/cm2 CoTMPP. The maximum power density was 449 mW/m2 (normalized to the projected cathode surface area) or 13.1 W/m3 (total reactor volume), with a Coulombic efficiency up to 70% in a 50 mM phosphate buffer solution (PBS) using acetate. Decreasing the CoTMPP loading by 40−80% reduced power by 28−56%, with only 16% of the power (72 mW/m2) generated using an AEM cathode...
Excitonic condensation of massless fermions in graphene bilayers

Graphene, a single sheet of graphite with honeycomb lattice structure, has massless carriers with tunable density and polarity. We investigate the ground-state phase diagram of two graphene sheets (embedded in a dielectric), separated by distance $d$ where the top layer has electrons and the bottom layer has holes, using mean-field theory. We find that a uniform excitonic condensate occurs over a large range of carrier densities and is weakly dependent on the relative orientation of the two sheets. We obtain the excitonic gap, quasiparticle energy, and the density of states. We show that both the condensate phase stiffness and the mass of the excitons with massless particles as constituents, vary as the square root of the carrier density, and predict that the condensate will not undergo Wigner crystallization.
Addressing clinical trials: can the multidisciplinary Tumor Board improve participation? A study from an academic women's cancer program.

Abstract Objective The Tumor Board (TB) allows for an interdisciplinary approach to cancer treatment designed to encourage evidence-based treatment. However, its role in facilitating clinical trial participation has not been reported. We aimed to determine whether a prospective TB is an effective strategy for trial recruitment and to identify steps within the TB process that facilitate discussion of trial eligibility and optimize accrual. Methods We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of women presented to Gynecologic Oncology TB between March and December 2008. Patient demographics, TB recommendations, and post-TB patient discussions were abstracted. These were compared to data derived from the Department of Oncology Research to determine research team awareness of eligible patients and confirm trial enrollment(s). Data analysis was completed with Chi-square test; risk ratios and confidence intervals were calculated as summary measures. Results We reviewed 1213 case presentations involving 916 women. Overall, 358 TB recommendations (30%) identified eligible patients, of which enrollment consisted of 87 (24%) trials (6% therapeutic trials and 18% non-therapeutic trials). Compared to other types of TB recommendations, those involving trials were discussed less frequently at post-TB patient visits (79% vs. 44%). Documentation of trial discussion at the post-TB visit was more likely to result in trial participation, versus solely relying on the research staff to communicate enrollment eligibility with the treating team (RR 2.5, p =0.006). Conclusions Patients identified by the TB were 2.5-times as likely to enroll in a clinical trial, but trials were mentioned only 44% of the time. Interventions that facilitate trial discussions during post-TB meetings are needed to improve trial participation.
Cardiac transplantation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Cardiac transplantation is a treatment option for patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) who developed refractory heart failure and/or intractable arrhythmia. However, the pretransplant characteristics and post-transplant prognosis for patients with nondilated idiopathic HC has not yet fully elucidated. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed 813 consecutive transplant recipients undergoing cardiac transplantation at Columbia University Medical Center from 1999 to 2010 and compared the clinical course of 41 patients with idiopathic HC with that of 373 patients with ischemic heart disease and 398 patients with other heart disease. The patients with HC were younger than those with ischemic heart disease (47.8 ± 14.0 vs 57.1 ± 9.4 years; p 55 mm; n = 14). In conclusion, the post-transplant survival of those with HC did not differ from those of the subjects who underwent transplant for other non-HC indications.
Asymmetries in spectral lines due to plasma-ion broadening: Some unusual cases and a possible test for plasma homogeneity.

We have measured the profiles of plasma-broadened and slightly red- or blue-shifted spectral lines of neutral argon and nitrogen in a wall-stabilized arc and have performed a detailed line-shape analysis with a computerized data acquisition and processing system. According to Stark broadening theory, isolated lines of neutral atoms in dense plasmas are mostly broadened by electron impact resulting in symmetrical Lorentzian profiles, and are also broadened by the plasma ions, which produce a small additional contribution to the width as well as asymmetries in the line profile. As in two earlier experimental studies, we have utilized this difference in symmetries to study the effects of ion broadening. In this paper we have extended our work to some unusual cases where lines exhibit relatively rare ``blue'' shifts and where we study spectral transitions which are appreciably broadened because they originate from high-lying atomic levels. Our results are again in close agreement with the quasistatic theory of ion broadening which predicts that the asymmetry pattern has a characteristic minimum and maximum near the central part of the lines, but this pattern is reversed for the blue-shifted lines. We have also utilized the asymmetries for a check on plasma homogene- ity. By deliberately including nonhomogeneous areas of emission into the line of sight, we found drastic, readily observable distortions in the asymmetry patterns.
Strange goings on in dense nucleonic matter

Abstract It has been suggested that charged pions form a Bose-Einstein condensate in baryonic matter at zero temperature and about twice nuclear density. In this letter it is shown that at somewhat higher densities one finds a charged kaon condensate, driven to a large extent by the “stgma term” interaction with baryons. Using the SU(3) × SU(3) chiral lagrangian to model meson-baryon interactions it is found that baryonic matter acquires a strangeness-per-baryon ratio approaching one at several times nuclear density. The relevance of kaon condensation as a route to strange matter and its role in neutron stars are discussed.
Effects of tracheostomies on infection and airway complications in pediatric burn patients.

Considerable controversy exists as to whether tracheostomy is ever indicated in burn patients. New advents in the treatment of inhalation injury have improved survival, making the use of tracheostomy more usual. The purpose of this study was to analyze the outcome of tracheostomies, and the effect of time on complications. Patients requiring ventilatory support and tracheostomies were studied. Demographic data, hospital course, ventilatory parameters and complications were analyzed. Two hundred ninety patients required ventilation and 36 tracheostomy. Mean percentage of TBSA burned was 59%±4. Ninety percent of these patients presented with inhalation injury. Mortality in tracheostomy patients was 25 and 16% in all ventilated patients. Thirty-five percent of the patients developed late complications. Patients who had their airway converted to tracheostomy before day 10 postinjury had a significantly lower incidence of subgIottic stenosis, and patients who required airway pressures over 50 cm H2O for more than 10 days had a significantly higher incidence of tracheomalacia. Pneumonia occurred at similar incidence in ventilated and tracheostomy patients. The mortality and late complications of pediatric burn patients with tracheostomy has decreased over the last decade. They do not present with higher incidence of pneumonia. Maintenance of airway pressures below 50 cm H2O and conversion of the artificial airway to tracheostomy before day 10 postinjury may be advisable in patients requiring long term ventilation to prevent late complications.
The Economic Feasibility of Aquaculture

HE U. S. freshwater fishing industry is beset by severe economic problems. The annual value of the catch from the Great Lakes, a primary source of U. S. freshwater fish, declined from $10.8 million in 1950 to $6.1 million in 1969 [16]. The commercial catch of wild catfish also has declined sharply in recent years [15]. The decline in the value of the freshwater catch can be attributed to several causes: overfishing, sea lamprey invasion of the Great Lakes, industrial and agricultural pollution of streams and lakes, thermal pollution, and increased foreign competition. Aquaculture is the art and science of cultivating or propagating water-dwelling organisms in a controlled environment [7, 8]. Interest in aquaculture as an alternative way of obtaining fish supplies has increased as the commercial catch of freshwater fish has declined. The technique is often cited as a highly efficient means of increasing food and protein production to relieve pressures on the food supplies induced by population growth [7, 11]. In today's ecologyconscious society, enthusiasm about aquaculture also has developed because it represents a possible economic use for the heated waste water discharged from electric power generating plants. This large source of heated water might be used for producing fish in the Great Lakes region, where up to now fish raising has not been profitable because cool temperatures have produced short growing seasons and low fish growth rates. Whether aquaculture will realize much of its economic potential is not known with certainty. Most studies to date have focused on the engineering and biological aspects of aquaculture. Consequently, little information is available on
Drug resistance in parasites: can we stay ahead of the evolutionary curve?

The articles in this special issue of Trends in Parasitology document the current status of drug discovery in various helminth and protozoan parasitic infections. Parasitic diseases present a unique challenge to those who try to prevent or treat them. In most cases, the parasite has evolved to evade the human immune system, so the human host can control, but not eliminate, the parasite. Design of effective vaccines against these diseases presents daunting difficulties; therefore, drugs are currently the only way to prevent or treat parasitic diseases. Under these circumstances, selection of resistance to any effective, well-tolerated drug is inevitable; the question is not if, but when. The goal of this review is to try to draw general conclusions about the measurement and selection of resistance to drugs directed against a variety of very different parasites.
Influence of Water Quality on the Embodied Energy of Drinking Water Treatment

Urban water treatment plants rely on energy intensive processes to provide safe, reliable water to users. Changes in influent water quality may alter the operation of a water treatment plant and its associated energy use or embodied energy. Therefore the objective of this study is to estimate the effect of influent water quality on the operational embodied energy of drinking water, using the city of Tampa, Florida as a case study. Water quality and water treatment data were obtained from the David L Tippin Water Treatment Facility (Tippin WTF). Life cycle energy analysis (LCEA) was conducted to calculate treatment chemical embodied energy values. Statistical methods including Pearson's correlation, linear regression, and relative importance were used to determine the influence of water quality on treatment plant operation and subsequently, embodied energy. Results showed that influent water quality was responsible for about 14.5% of the total operational embodied energy, mainly due to changes in treatment chemical dosages. The method used in this study can be applied to other urban drinking water contexts to determine if drinking water source quality control or modification of treatment processes will significantly minimize drinking water treatment embodied energy.
The synthesis of heterobimetallic systems based on a hexatertiaryphosphine ligand system: cobalt-nickel and nickel-platinum complexes

Abstract Heterobimetallic complexes can be prepared in an extremely straightforward fashion by the use of the binucleating hexatertiaryphosphine ligand (Et 2
MINCE: mining change history of Android project

An analysis of commit history of Android reveals that Android has a code base of 550K files, where on an average each file has been modified 8.7 times. 41% of files have been modified at-least once. In terms of contributors, it has an overall contributor community of 1563, with 58.5% of them having made > 5 commits. Moreover, the contributor community shows high churn levels, with only 13 of contributors continuing from 2005 to 2011. In terms of industry participation, Google & Android account for 22% of developers. Intel and RedHat account for 2% of contributors each and IBM, Oracle, TI, SGI account for another 1% each. Android code can be classified into 5 sub-projects: kernel, platform, device, tools and toolchain. In this paper, we profile each of these sub-projects in terms of change volumes, contributor and industry participation. We further picked specific framework topics such as UI, security, whose understanding is required from perspective of developing apps over Android, and present some insights on community participation around the same.
On the definition of a diffusion constant in a nonequilibrium system

A diffusion constant for electrons in a current-carrying semiconductor can be unambiguously defined in nearly uniform systems. For frequency-dependent density gradients it is $$D_{\alpha \beta } (\omega ) \equiv \int\limits_0^\infty {dt e^{i\omega t} \overline {\Delta \upsilon _\alpha (t)\Delta \upsilon _\beta (0),} } $$ where\(\overline {\Delta \upsilon _\alpha (t)\Delta \upsilon _\beta (0)} \) is the velocity correlation function with respect to the steady state in a bias field.
Interaction of divalent cations and barbiturates on four identified leech neurons

Abstract 1. Barbiturates caused action potential prolongation of cell-specific degree in four identified leech neurons, which are similarly affected by tetraethylammonium ion (TEA). 2. Ca opposed this action; Mn did not. Both ions have opposite effects on prolongations caused by TEA. 3. The barbiturates probably acted through a Ca-sensitive repolarization process normally present to different degrees in the four kinds of cells.
A remark on the fluctuation behavior of I.I.D. Poisson random variables

Abstract An iterated logarithm law is obtained for the almost certain fluctuation behavior of i.i.d. Poisson random variables.
Cytotoxicity of fine particles with and without adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using Chinese hamster lung cells (V79)

Abstract The cytotoxic effects of coal fly ash (CFA) and wood charcoal, with and without adsorbed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), were compared to the cytotoxicity of alumina and silica particles in V79 cells. Particle uptake was confirmed using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Cellular toxicity was determined by clonal survival following a 6-day exposure to CFA and wood charcoal particles, with and without adsorbed pyrene and benzo( a )pyrene (BaP), and to alumina and silica. Particle concentrations needed to produce a 50% reduction in survival were used to compare cytotoxic endpoints. Clonal survival decreased in a dose-response fashion as particle concentration increased. Silica and alumina were the most toxic particles, followed by charcoal and CFA was the least toxic. Differences in the chemical nature of the particle surfaces and the amount of adsorbed toluene-soluble mater were hypothesized to influence the observed cytotoxicities of the different particles. Adsorption of pyrene on CFA had minimal effect on the cytotoxicity of the CFA. Pyrene adsorption had little or no effect on charcoal cytotoxicity. The toxic effect of charcoal was increased following adsorption of 50 × 10 −12 moles of BaP/ μ g particle. Generally, the toxicity of the particle with adsorbed PAH was less than the sum of the toxicity due to particle alone plus the same concentration of PAH in solution.
Biotransformation of furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural by enteric bacteria

A survey was conducted with seventeen enteric bacterial strains (including the generaKlebsiella, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Citrobacter, Edwardsiella andProteus) to examine their ability to transform furfural and 5-hydroxymethyl furfural (5-MHF). The enteric bacteria were able to convert furfural to furfuryl alcohol under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions in a relatively short incubation time of 8 h. 5-HMF was transformed by all the enteric bacteria studied to an unidentified compound postulated to be 5-hydroxymethyl furfuryl alcohol, which had an absorbance maximum of 222 nm. These bacteria did not transform furfuryl alcohol or 2-furoic acid. The enteric bacteria did not use furfural, 5-HMF, furfuryl alcohol or 2-furoic acid as sole source of carbon and energy. Biotransformation of furfural and 5-HMF was accomplished by co-metabolism in the presence of glucose and peptone as main substrates. The rate of transformation was similar under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. These transformations are likely to be of value in the detoxification of furfurals, and in their ultimate conversion to methane and CO2 by anaerobic digestion.
Estimating Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) Fecundity in the Field: Comparison of Data from North America and Sardinia, Italy

Regression equations for estimating fecundity of gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), from egg mass length were compared for a North American population and one from Sardinia, Italy. There was no significant difference in slopes and intercepts of the two data sets, indicating that the relationship between egg mass length and fecundity was the same for these two populations. A combined linear regression function was developed (log10 number of eggs per mass = 1.48 log10, egg mass length + 0.44, r 2 = 0.71, P < 0.0001). If subsequent comparisons of this regression with data from other populations reveal the same general relationship, measurement of egg mass length may be of general use as a simple, rapid, noninvasive field estimator of gypsy moth fecundity.
Scaling Parameter to Predict the Soil Water Characteristic from Particle-Size Distribution Data

The Arya-Paris model is an indirect method to estimate the soil water characteristic from particle-size data. The scaling parameter, α, in the original model was assumed constant for all soil textures. In this study, α is defined as α i = (log N i /log n i ), ), where n i is the number of spherical particles in the ith particle-size fraction (determined by the fraction solid mass, w i , and mean particle radius, R i ) and N i is the number of spherical particles of radius R i required to trace the pore length generated by the same solid mass in a natural structure soil matrix. An estimate for log N i was obtained by either relating log N i to log n i using a logistic growth equation or by relating log N i linearly to log (w i /R 3 i ) based on the similarity principle. For any given texture, both approaches showed that α was not constant but decreased with increasing particle size, especially for the coarse fractions. In addition, α was also calculated as a single-value average for a given textural class. The three formulations of α were evaluated on 23 soils that represented a range in particle-size distribution, bulk density, and organic matter content. The average α consistently predicted higher pressure heads in the wet range and lower pressure heads in the dry range. The formulation based on the similarity principle resulted in bias similar to that of the constant a approach, whereas no bias was observed for the logistic growth equation. The logistic growth equation implicitly accounted for bias in experimental procedures, because it was fitted to log N i values computed from experimental soil water characteristic data. The formulation based on the similarity principle is independent of bias that might be inherent in experimental data.
Interaction Induced Electron Self-Interference in a Semiconductor: The Phonon Staircase Effect

The exact quantum mechanics of a model semiconductor system of an electron with a discrete and equidistant energy spectrum interacting with a single phonon mode is presented. An electron initially excited into a coherent superposition of states interacts with phonons thereby creating a self-interference {ital in time} which reduces the emission of phonons to isolated bursts. This self-interference effect gives rise to steplike behavior in the relaxation kinetics of the electron and phonons. We show that this {open_quotes}phonon staircase{close_quotes} effect is a consequence of a correlated initial electron distribution and the violation of energy conservation in the electron-phonon interaction on short time scales. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Visual Function in Patients with Cone–Rod Dystrophy (CRD) Associated with Mutations in theABCA4 (ABCR) Gene

Abstract Mutations in the ABCA4(ABCR) gene cause autosomal recessive Stargardt disease (STGD). ABCR mutations were identified in patients with cone–rod dystrophy (CRD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) by direct sequencing of all 50 exons in 40 patients. Of 10 patients with RP, one contained twoABCR mutations suggesting a compound heterozygote. This patient had a characteristic fundus appearance with attenuated vessels, pale disks and bone-spicule pigmentation. Rod electroretinograms (ERGs) were non-detectable, cone ERGs were greatly reduced in amplitude and delayed in implicit time, and visual fields were constricted to 10° diameter. Eleven of 30 (37%) patients with CRD had mutations in ABCR. In general, these patients showed reduced but detectable rod ERG responses, reduced and delayed cone responses, and poor visual acuity. Rod photoresponses to high intensity flashes were of reduced maximum amplitude but showed normal values for the gain of phototransduction. Most CRD patients with mutations inABCR showed delayed recovery of sensitivity (dark adaptation) following exposure to bright light. Pupils were also significantly smaller in these patients compared to controls at 30 min following light exposure, consistent with a persistent ‘equivalent light’ background due to the accumulation of a tentatively identified ‘noisy’ photoproduct.
The effect of iodoacetate on the retinal cell DNA in rabbit.

Abstract Sedimentation of the DNA from control rabbit retinal cells revealed a major peak at 580 Svedberg units. Following a single injection of 20 mg/kg of sodium iodoacetate (IAA), the percent of DNA in this control peak showed a rapid decline which persisted for about 3 hr. From 5–10 hr after injection, the percent of DNA in the control peak increased after which a secondary, slower decline occurred which levelled off at about 20 hr and then persisted for at least 5 days. Electron microscopy demonstrated changes in the chromatin material of the visual cells during the period of investigation. Electroretinograms were depressed shortly after injection but were completely recovered 6 hr later and remained normal throughout the experimental period. It is suggested that IAA induces an initial damage to the DNA which is capable of being repaired but that a concomitant slower toxic action results in irreversible damage to a portion of the DNA. The residual damage to the DNA may be related to the “latent” effect of IAA toxicity observed by other investigators.
The dominance region and ripple noise pitch: A test of the peripheral weighting model

An estimate of the spatial curve of pitch dominance for the repetition pitch of ripple noise was measured using the pitch strength discrimination procedure. A variety of stimulus conditions were examined. The peripheral weighting model [Yost and Hill, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 66, 400–410 (1979)] of repetition pitch assumes a relationship between the curve of pitch dominance and the shape of the psychophysical suppression or unmasking function. Ripple noise was also used to estimate the psychophysical suppression or unmasking function. The results indicate that with the estimates of the psychophysical suppression or unmasking function the peripheral weighting model can account for the general shape of the curve of pitch dominance.
The polypeptides of rat liver mitochondria: identification of a 36,000 dalton polypeptide as the subunit of ornithine transcarbamylase.

Abstract One of the major polypeptide bands seen after rat liver mitochondria are subjected to dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis is a component with a mass of 36,000 daltons that makes up 3 to 4% of the total mitochondrial protein. This band, designated Va (1), purifies with an enzyme of the urea cycle, ornithine transcarbamylase (E.C. 2.1.3.3). Evidence is presented that the band Va polypeptide is a single molecular species corresponding to the polypeptide chain of this enzyme.
On the Ergodic Capacity of MIMO Triply Selective Rayleigh Fading Channels

The ergodic capacity is investigated for triply selective MIMO Rayleigh fading channels. A mathematical formula is derived for the ergodic capacity in the case when the channel state information is known to the receiver but unknown to the transmitter. A closed-form formula is derived that quantifies the effect of the frequency-selective fading on the ergodic capacity into an intersymbol interference (ISI) degradation factor. Different from the existing conclusion that the frequency-selective fading channel has the same ergodic capacity as the frequency flat fading channel, we show that the discrete-time inter-tap correlated frequency-selective fading channel has smaller ergodic capacity than the frequency flat fading channel. Only in the special case when the fading does not have ISI inter-tap correlations will the ergodic capacity be the same as that of the frequency flat channel. Theoretical derivation and computer simulation demonstrate that the inter-tap correlations can have more significant impact on the ergodic capacity than the spatial correlations.
Tables for born approximation calculations of K- and L-shell ionization by protons and other charged particles

Tables are presented for the calculation of the Born cross sections for ionization by proton impact of K- and L-shells and of individual L-subshells in atoms. The tables cover a wide range of proton energies above a few tenths of an MeV and many values of the atomic number, specified by dimensionless energy and screening parameters. Excitation functions for the K-shell are also tabulated as functions of the incident proton energy and the energy transfer. These are useful in estimating the energy distribution of delta rays and the K-shell correction to the stopping power of protons.
Rising Ovarian Cancer Mortality in the Elderly: A Manifestation of Differential Survival

Ovarian cancer mortality among the elderly in developed countries is increasing. Using published United States mortality data, annual age-specific ovarian cancer mortality rates from 1951 to 1989 were determined for the over-60 age groups and compared to corresponding annual age group population sizes. Rising ovarian cancer mortality rates among the elderly in the United States from 1951 to 1989 were increasingly dependent, with increasing age, upon increasing age group population size. These findings suggest that differential survival, and its effect upon the surviving gene pool in an aging population, may account for some of the observed increase in ovarian cancer mortality rates among recent successive elderly cohorts.
Synovial mast cells: role in acute and chronic arthritis

Mast cells reside in the normal synovium and increase strikingly in number in rheumatoid arthritis and other joint diseases. Given the broad spectrum of activity of this lineage, it has for decades been considered probable that mast cells are involved in the pathophysiology of synovitis. Recent work in murine arthritis has substantiated this suspicion, showing that mast cells can contribute importantly to the initiation of inflammatory arthritis. However, the role of the greatly expanded population of synovial mast cells in established arthritis remains unknown. Here we review the current understanding of mast cell function in acute arthritis and consider the potentially important influence of this cell on key processes within the chronically inflamed synovium, including leukocyte recruitment and activation, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, matrix remodeling, and injury to collagen and bone. We also consider recent evidence supporting an immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory role for mast cells as well as pharmacologic approaches to the mast cell as a therapeutic target in inflammatory arthritis.
An Unpublished Description of the Villa Doria in Genoa During Charles V's Entry, 1533

Recent scholarship on the Renaissance villa in Italy has emphasized its two major functions, as a pleasure retreat from the city and as a ceremonial entry into the city. This documentary note publishes a previously unknown Mantuan description of the Villa Doria in Genoa, addressed to Isabella d'Este, during the triumphal entry of Charles V into Genoa from March 28 to April 8, 1533. The document has interest for Renaissance scholars as the first description of the Villa Doria and of Perino del Vaga's decorations of 1529-33. It also shows the villa as part of a ceremonial sequence of entry into the city, which helps to explain many aspects of the villa's design and decorative program.
Psychosocial Factors Related to Repeat Mammography Screening Over 5 Years in African American Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate health beliefs associated with repeat mammography screening in African American women 51 years or older over a 5-year period. Long-term repeat mammography screening is inconsistent in African American women; therefore, this study measured demographic, kno