cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of general clinical research centers for nursing research.

This study examines to what extent academic nursing faculty members understand the purpose of general clinic research centers (GCRCs) and use this resource in their programs of research. GCRCs provide a controlled research-oriented infrastructure to conduct safe, innovative, and multidisciplinary studies. Survey questionnaires were sent to associate deans of research at schools of nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission within 60 miles of a GCRC. They were asked to distribute questionnaires to 20% of faculty members. Of the 186 nurse faculty members responding, 85% had not conducted research at a GCRC as a principal investigator and 69% of the sample reported that their colleges or universities do not make information about GCRCs available to new faculty. Making greater use of this valuable resource allows nurse researchers to become more involved in developing new knowledge and testing interventions and in psychologica...
SUCROSE INGESTION, ACTIVITY AND TASK ORIENTATION

It has been speculated that sucrose consumption affects the behavior of young children. However, little empirical information is available. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of sucrose on the behavior of 8 normal children aged 3 to 5 yrs, who were tested individually using a double-blind, crossover design. On separate mornings each child received 6 ounces of orange juice, sweetened one morning with sucrose (2 gm/kg body weight), and the other morning with aspartame (11.6 mg/kg), a dipeptide artificial sweetener. Three parameters tested included, vigilence measured with a computerized version of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT); and activity level and focus both assessed during free-play. Total number of errors during the CPT were determined before and 30,60 and 90 minutes after the drink. Free-play was videotaped for three 15 minute sessions beginning 15, 45, and 75 minutes after the drink. The sessions, segmented into 10 second intervals, were coded for occurrence of movement across a floor grid, and for focus on the available toys. Coding was done by two "blind" observers (observers agreement > 90%). Compared to aspartame, sucrose ingestion was associated with increased errors during the CPT (p < .003), increased activity during play sessions (p=.05), and decreased focus (p=.04). These differences occurred 45 to 60 minutes following the drinks. This study provides objective evidence in children of a significant time dependent, behavioral effect of sucrose ingestion.
Neuroendocrine biomarkers, social relations, and the cumulative costs of stress in Taiwan

Allostatic load (AL) is thought to represent the physiological toll that builds up over the life course as a consequence of the body's response to stress. An important aim of this paper is to test this widely held-but little investigated-understanding of what AL represents. More specifically, using the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study (SEBAS), a nationally representative survey of Taiwan conducted in year 2000, this paper scrutinizes the connection between stressful life histories and neuroendocrine allostatic load (NAL). Stressful life histories are operationalized through the use of two sets of indicators: one set makes use of respondents' subjective interpretations of various life domains and the other makes use of non-subjective data about conditions that are expected to be stressful (e.g., widowhood, living alone, and low education). NAL is an index of four neuroendocrine biomarkers (cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), epinephrine, and norepinephrine) collected in blood and urine samples under resting, basal states. The major findings of this paper are twofold. First, there is little evidence to support the hypothesis that baseline levels of the neuroendocrine markers stem from stressful life histories. Second, report of current stress (among women only) is positively correlated with higher NAL levels. Taken together, these findings question whether the neuroendocrine markers of the AL construct reflect long-term processes over the life course. Indeed, evidence here suggests that the neuroendocrine markers may reflect the exact opposite-a transient state at the time of the study.
Effect of Cable Length on Time Domain Reflectometry Calibration for High Surface Area Soils

Time domain reflectometry (TDR) has been used by soil scientists to determine soil water content (θ). A waveform analysis determines an apparent dielectric number (e α ) which can often be empirically related to e. Bound water near colloid surfaces has different properties than free water. At the gigahertz frequencies used for TDR, free water has a negative temperature effect but bound water has a positive temperature effect on dielectric number. Long coaxial cables reduce the higher frequencies of the TDR equipment, which can influence the frequency dependent e, of bound water. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of coaxial cable length and temperature on apparent dielectric properties for samples with and without large amounts of bound water. Two undisturbed columns of Okoboji mucky silty clay loam (fine, smectitic, mesic cumulic Endoaquoll) with a specific surface area of 286 m 2 g -1 and two packed sand samples with calculated surface areas of 0.01 m 2 g -1 were used for the experiment. The e a was determined at four cable length combinations, three temperatures, and a range of θ. The temperature correction factors for Okoboji ranged from 0.008 to 0.012 θ/°C, depending on cable length. Long cables increased the rise time 41%, which decreased the frequency bandwidth. The Okoboji samples had a bulk electrical conductivity as high as 0.14 S m which hampered determination of the final part of the waveform. In summary for Okoboji, cable length and temperature had a greater effect on e a than did θ. High surface area samples should be calibrated using the same cable length used for measurements, and the temperature effect should be incorporated.
Adaptive Strategies in Vigilance Research

In an adaptive, or self-adjusting vigilance task, numerous variables combine to define an adaptive strategy, a sot of decision rules which govern the adjustments in task difficulty. This paper discusses several possible adaptive strategies, particularly variations in the number of scored signals and the amount of change in task difficulty (gain factors). A model by which the signal detection rate can be predicted is developed, and three experiments test the accuracy of this model, and the ability of an adaptive task to hold a constant detection rate over a 48 min vigil.
A comparative investigation of soluble protein polymorphism in Robinia pseudoacacia roots by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Abstract Investigations of soluble proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of root extracts of black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) were carried out with 41 trees from diverse habitats representing dominant-stem forms ( R. p. var. rectissima Raber) and typical forms ( R. pseudoacacia L.). Soluble protein patterns of dominantstem forms and typical trees did not show differences attributable to tree form. Heritability estimates (broad sense) were determined as 9·19% within location and 7·.5% among populations. A variance components model was constructed which showed the interaction between parental trees and location to be most significant in determining variation. Location variance was second in importance, with parental variance and experimental error of less significance. The data were analyzed by the moment of inertia. It is indicated that, based on protein similarity, the dominant-stem form is an ecological variant and should not be given varietal status.
Use of diamond turned mirrors for synchrotron radiation

Abstract The diamond turning technique has great interest for users of synchrotron radiation because of its ability to produce surfaces of arbitrary shape. It also has the advantage of being well adapted to producing metal optics. These are of interest because they lend themselves to water cooling and hence represent one approach to the problem of high synchrotron radiation power loadings on optical surfaces. The optical figure produced by diamond turning is generally adequate for synchroton radiation applications. The main difficulty centers around the question of smoothness. Diamond turned surfaces must receive a final polish after machining before they are sufficiently smooth for use with ultra-violet or X-ray radiation. The manufacturing stages can be carried out by various groups in the optics industry and the National Synchrotron Light Source has procured a considerable number of mirrors and is having them polished for used on the VUV storage ring. At the time of writing one mirror has been completed and evaluated and we give the results for this and discuss the indications for the future. The important measurement of the r.m.s. height of the surface roughness has given a value of (3.4 ± 0.9) A using total integrated scatter of visible light at normal incidence.
Nitric Oxide Effects on Force–Velocity Characteristics of the Rat Diaphragm

The present experiments tested nitric oxide (NO) effects on shortening velocity and power production in maximally activated rat diaphragm at 37°C. Diaphragm fiber bundles (n = 10/group) were incubated at 37°C in Krebs-Ringer solution containing no added drug (control), the NO synthase inhibitor Nϖ-nitro-l-arginine (l-NNA; 10 mM), the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 1 mM), or a combination (l-NNA + SNP). Loaded shortening velocity was measured via the load-clamp technique over a range of afterloads. Unloaded shortening velocity (Vo) was measured in control and l-NNA-treated bundles (n = 12/group) by using the slack test. Force-velocity data fitted to the Hill equation determined a Vmax of 13.7 ± 0.4 lengths/s, contradicting the notion that rat diaphragm Vmax declines at temperatures > 35°C. In contrast, l-NNA decreased Vmax (P < 0.05), loaded shortening velocity (P < 0.001), and power production (P < 0.001), but did not change Vo or maximal isometric force. All l-NNA effects were prevented by coincubating fiber bundles with l-NNA + SNP. SNP alone had no effect on any variable. These data indicate that endogenous NO is essential for optimal myofilament function during active shortening.
The Role of Transforming Growth Factor β in Lung Development and Disease

Transforming growth factor (TGF) β plays an important role in normal pulmonary morphogenesis and function and in the pathogenesis of lung disease. The effect of TGFβ is regulated via a selective pathway of TGFβ synthesis and signaling that involves activation of latent TGFβ, specific TGFβ receptors, and intracellular signaling via Smad molecules. All three isoforms of TGFβ are expressed at high levels during normal lung development, being particularly important for branching morphogenesis and epithelial cell differentiation with maturation of surfactant synthesis. Small amounts of TGFβ are still present in the adult lung, and TGFβ is involved in normal tissue repair following lung injury. However, in a variety of forms of pulmonary pathology, the expression of TGFβ is increased. These include chronic lung disease of prematurity as well as several forms of acute and chronic adult lung disease. While TGFβ1 appears to be the predominant isoform involved, elevated levels of all three isoforms have been demonstrated. The increase in TGFβ precedes abnormalities in lung function and detectable lung pathology, but correlates with the severity of the disease. TGFβ plays a key role in mediating fibrotic tissue remodeling by increasing the production and decreasing the degradation of connective tissue via several mechanisms.
Modeling Morphogenesis of Outer Segments of Vertebrate Photoreceptor Cells

The vertebrate eye contains two main types of photoreceptor cells: rods and cones. The outer segment of the rod cells are cylindrical in shape and contain 500-1000 pancake-shaped structures stacked on top of each other, ensheathed within a plasma membrane. Each individual pancake can be thought of as an individual sac with an enclosing membrane, a structure known as a vesicle. The shape of these vesicles is very important since misshaping of the vesicles can lead to loss of eyesight. We will discuss how the quasi-equilibrium shapes of these vesicles could be determined by membrane energetics, and will introduce a Metropolis algorithm to obtain thermodynamically stable vesicle shapes.
Teaching measurement through historical sources.

This article provides an example of the use of historical issues associated with intelligence testing to teach about the nature of measurement in psychology and includes pedagogical questions for the classroom. Students learning about research may assume that the ways psychologists measure constructs are permanent and immutable. However, using intelligence as the focus, this article shows how its measurement evolved, reflecting contemporaneous theories and assumptions. The initial sensory and psychophysical measurements designed by Cattell (1890) to measure mental ability were logically defensible in his era and gained temporary acceptance by many psychologists. Currently, standardized tests reflect the biases of later psychologists. The article highlights reasons for such changes.
Signals derived from the underlying mesoderm are dispensable for zebrafish neural crest induction

Signals from the non-neural ectoderm, the neural ectoderm, and the underlying mesoderm have all been implicated in the induction of neural crest. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in particular has an important role in this process; however, it is unclear whether this activity of BMP is due to its effects on patterning the underlying mesoderm, to its ability to establish a competent neural plate boundary zone, or to the direct specification of neural crest at intermediate levels of activity within a BMP gradient. We show neural crest induction occurs in zebrafish in the absence of involuted mesoderm, indicating that this tissue and signals derived from it are dispensable for the formation of neural crest. Dorsal-involuted mesoderm is a major source of secreted BMP antagonists, and the activity of BMP signaling is thought to depend on the presence of the opposing activity of these antagonists. We find that the three BMP antagonists known to be expressed during gastrulation in zebrafish, noggin1, follistatin, and chordin, are dispensable for neural crest induction. These results suggest that mechanisms for restricting the spatio-temporal pattern of BMP expression may compensate for the loss of secreted BMP antagonist activity in establishing dorso-ventral patterning, neural induction, and the neural crest.
Dobutamine-induced changes of left atrial two-dimensional deformation predict clinical and neurohumoral improvement after levosimendan treatment in patients with acutely decompensated chronic heart failure

Abstract Background We investigated whether dobutamine-induced changes of the left atrial (LA) two-dimensional speckle tracking parameters are related to clinical and neurohumoral improvement after levosimendan treatment in patients with acutely decompensate chronic heart failure (ADCHF). Methods Forty-six patients with ADCHF and LV ejection fraction Results The change (%) of LA-contractile strain and LV longitudinal stain rate were independent determinants of improvement of NYHA class, and BNP and increase in the 6-min walk test distance (b=−0.59, b=−0.65, b=0.41, and b=−0.44, b=−0.40, b=0.60, respectively, p 2 =0.46 to 0.58 for NYHA improvement and from r 2 =0.44 to 0.70, for the BNP reduction and from r 2 =0.49 to 0.60, for increase in the 6-min walk test distance (p 2 =0.46 to 0.58, p=0.02. Conclusion In patients with ADCHF, left atrial two-dimensional speckle tracking parameters in addition to LV longitudinal strain rate may detect those patients who are prone to improve after levosimendan treatment.
The action of iodine upon thyroidectomized frog larvae.

L'alimentation des larves de grenouille sans thyroides avec un melange d'iode et de farine (Pablum) a provoque la metamorphose, ce qui confirme les investigations deSwingle 1, aussiLipner etHazen 5. La radiochromatographie de la bile et du foie hydrolyse, apres immersion des larves dans NaI131, ne revela pas la presence de thyroxine ou diiodotyrosine. La chromatographie de l'iode-farine apres hydrolyse, fit apparaitre de la monoiodotyrosine et de la diiodotyrosine, mais apres hydrolyse de la farine, on trouva seulement de la monoiodotyrosine. Il est probable que la thyroxine, synthetiseein vitro a partir de la diiodotyrosine, le pH etant alcalin, fut le facteur qui declencha la metamorphose des larves sans thyroides.
IRBs as Asset for Ethics Education in Geography

This article frames the research ethics review process conducted by institutional review boards (IRBs) as an opportunity to enrich the education of geographers. Student participation in the IRB process enhances the education of geographers at the undergraduate and graduate levels in two key ways. Geographers can use participation in this process to demonstrate the relevance of a disciplinary code of ethics to professional practice. More important, such participation helps learners, particularly novices, conceptualize research as an ongoing process of intentional inquiry, in which the protection of research participants is vigilantly observed.
Deficient tracheal rings

Deficient cartilaginous rings are an extremely rare intrinsic tracheal defect. To our knowledge, only two cases have previously been reported in the literature. We describe our experience with three patients presenting with this unusual defect causing severe tracheomalacia who were successfully managed with slide-tracheoplasty. With respect to correction of the stenotic tracheal segment, our clinical outcomes were excellent. Dissimilarities in medical history suggest that the origin of deficient tracheal rings can be either congenital or acquired.
El Niño prediction and predictability

El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is by far the most energetic, and at present also the most predictable, short-term fluctuation in the Earth's climate system, though the limits of its predictability are still a subject of considerable debate. As a result of over two-decades of intensive observational, theoretical and modeling efforts, ENSO's basic dynamics is now well understood and its prediction has become a routine practice at application centers all over the world. The predictability of ENSO largely stems from the ocean-atmosphere interaction in the tropical Pacific and the low-dimensional nature of this coupled system. Present ENSO forecast models, in spite of their vast differences in complexity, exhibit comparable predictive skills, which seem to have hit a plateau at moderate level. However, mounting evidence suggests that there is still room for improvement. In particular, better model initialization and data assimilation, better simulation of surface heat and freshwater fluxes, and better representation of the relevant processes outside of the tropical Pacific, could all lead to improved ENSO forecasts.
Improvement of anther culture methods for doubled haploid production in barley breeding.

There is potential to accelerate cultivar development with a doubled haploid system for breeding line production. Anther culture methodology was evaluated for U.S.A. spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) breeding applications. Gelrite was found to be an acceptable replacement for ficoll in the induction medium to reduce costs while maintaining embryoid and plant production levels. Beneficial effects of 28 d cold pretreatment of donor spikes for anther culture were confirmed with Pacific Northwest USA barley genotypes. A 3 d mannitol solution pretreatment of fresh anthers was shown to be less effective for green plant production compared to 28 d cold pretreatment of donor spikes. Extended donor spike cold pretreatment from 28 to 42 d did not reduce anther culture productivity. Based on this research, anther culture techniques show promise for economical and convenient application in spring barley breeding.
Evidence for subsurface atomic displacements of the GaAs(110) surface from LEED/CMTA analysis

Abstract The low-energy electron diffraction constant momentum transfer average (LEED/CMTA) technique is applied to the GaAs(110) surface. In addition to verifying our earlier model of the top layer atomic displacements, atomic displacements in the first subsurface layer, opposite in direction to those in the top layer, are suggested. Best estimates for atomic positions in the surface and first subsurface layers are given.
The Comlex Syntax project: the first year

We describe the design of Comlex Syntax, a computational lexicon providing detailed syntactic information for approximately 38,000 English headwords. We consider the types of errors which arise in creating such a lexicon, and how such errors can be measured and controlled.
The Effect of Single and Divided Doses of High Intensity X-Rays on the Eggs of Drosophila

The many studies on the relation between the intensity of radiation and the magnitude of the biological reaction indicate that in a majority of cases high intensities and brief exposures are more effective than low intensities and correspondingly long exposures; and that single doses are more effective from the biological point of view than divided doses. The opinion is sometimes expressed or implied that experimental results which point to an opposite conclusion are probably wrong. In the literature, reviewed by Griffith and Zimmer (7) Pack and Quimby (16), and Schreiber (20), may be found many instances of experiments in which the same test objects and technic were used and yet the results were contradictory. Ascaris eggs, exposed in air, are reported to be less affected by divided doses than by a single massive dose (13, 8), and again to be more affected (23). Exposed in an atmosphere deprived of its oxygen, these eggs show a simple cumulative effect of repeated doses (8); that this treatment may produce a greater reaction than that which follows a single dose is also claimed (11). The behavior of tissue culture cells under different conditions of dosage is also under dispute. Faber (6) states that the mitotic rate is equally retarded whether the dose is given at high or low intensities or in fractions, while others (1, 22) believe that high intensities are the more effective and that divided doses produce a greater reaction than single large doses. Drosophila eggs, according to Sievert and Forssberg (21), respond equally to all intensities of x-rays within a very wide range; but Roesler and Henshaw (19) find that high intensities are more effective than low.
Familial progressive external ophthalmoplegia and ragged-red fibers.

“Ragged-red fibers” have been found in limb muscles of patients with progressive ptosis and external ophthalmoplegia, but despite the frequent familial nature of the disease, none of the cases with ragged-red fibers have been noted to be familial. We are reporting a family with progressive external ophthalmoplegia and ragged red fibers in which the disease occurred in four generations and in which biopsy of two patients demonstrated numerous ragged-red fibers in skeletal muscle.
Synthesis and characterization of NpCl4(DME)2 and PuCl4(DME)2 neutral transuranic An(IV) starting materials.

The 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME) solvento adducts of Np(IV) and Pu(IV) tetrachloride have been prepared and isolated in good and moderate yields, respectively, along with single-crystal structural determinations. These neutral molecules are expected to provide alternative synthetic pathways in the pursuit of non-aqueous and organometallic complexes.
Influence of Soybean Variety and the Method of Processing in Tofu Manufacturing: Comparison of Methods For Measuring Soluble Solids in Soymilk

The measurement of percent solids in soymilk was compared by three methods: light scattering, refractive index, and hydrometry. Soymilks were prepared from Vinton, Amsoy 71, and Weber variety soybeans by grinding the hydrated soybeans in (A) 20-25°C water, (B) 100°C water, and holding the slurry temperature above 90°C for 10 min or (C) soaking the soybeans in 45°C 15% ethanol solution for 12 hr and grinding in 20-25° water. Hydrometer readings at 80-90°C showed no correlation with soymilk percent solids. Light scattering was found more accurate at measuring percent solids compared with refractive index. Significant differences were found between the standard curves of percent solids vs light scattering due to the variety of soybeans and the processing conditions.
Experimental basis for use of fluconazole for preventive or early treatment of disseminated candidiasis in granulocytopenic hosts.

To determine the potential for the use of fluconazole for prevention and treatment of disseminated candidiasis in granulocytopenic patients, we investigated its activity and pharmacokinetics in models of acute, subacute, and chronic forms of disseminated candidiasis in persistently granulocytopenic rabbits. Fluconazole was administered for systemic prophylaxis, early treatment, and delayed treatment. Single-dose and steady-state plasma pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, and dose-response studies of the investigational compound were studied in subacutely infected granulocytopenic rabbits. Fluconazole was more effective when used for systemic prophylaxis or early treatment of disseminated candidiasis than for delayed treatment. Fluconazole was as effective as amphotericin B plus flucytosine in preventive and early treatment of disseminated candidiasis but was significantly less effective than amphotericin plus flucytosine in the treatment of chronic candidiasis. Dose-response studies demonstrated that the antifungal effect of fluconazole was doseand time-dependent. Studies of the pharmacokinetics of fluconazole in rabbits demonstrated a long half-life in plasma and a large volume of distribution, properties that correspond to the attainment of high levels of penetration into tissues at multiple organ sites. We conclude that fluconazole is effective for prevention and early treatment of disseminated candidiasis in persistently granulocytopenic rabbits and that the evaluation of its use in preventive or early treatment of disseminated candidiasis in carefully designed clinical trials is warranted.
Light Scattering Study of Aggregation Kinetics in Dense, Gelling Aerosols

We report the results of a study of the kinetics of a dense aggregating aerosol system that show that the predictions of the Diffusion Limited Cluster Aggregation (DLCA) model no longer hold when the system is dense. We studied a soot aerosol using the small angle light scattering technique created by exploding a mixture of a hydrocarbon gas and oxygen in a closed chamber. The soot particles started as individual monomers, ca. 38 nm radius, grew to bigger fractal clusters with time and finally stopped evolving after spanning a network across the whole system volume. This spanning is aerosol gelation. The study of the kinetics of the aggregating system showed that as the system evolved from a cluster dilute to cluster dense system, the aggregation kernel homogeneity λ evolved from the dilute limit, DLCA value of zero to a value 0.42 +/− 0.05 at the gel point. This evolution is consistent with previous simulation and theory. The experimental value at the gel point is nearly equal to the value of 0.5 predict...
TU-F-217A-01: Informatics 2: Dose Monitoring.

Public concern over radiation from medical imaging is now higher than ever before and hospitals are being placed under increased scrutiny to ensure that their patients do not receive radiation overdoses. California already requires that there is a record of a dose estimate for every CT examination. In response, there has been a renewed interest in research and commercial ventures for the best method to monitor radiation dose for medical imaging procedures. The goal of this session is to highlight some tools that are currently available for dose monitoring, to illustrate how using these tools can improve the quality of care at an institution, and to provide a sample of the future developments in radiation dose monitoring. Learning Objectives: 1. To provide an understanding of the basic science behind dose monitoring 2. To demonstrate few clinical implementation of dose monitoring systems 3. To discuss the advanced concepts currently under investigation (eg, patient size tracking) 4. To demonstrate how dose monitoring systems can be used for improved quality initiatives
Synonym comprehension and the generality of categorization models

When subjects classify a two-word display as representing the “same” category or two “different” categories, semantic similarity between the words facilitates “same” decisions but impedes “different” decisions. The present research investigated whether the similarity effect observed for categorization would also be found in synonym comprehension; that is, the task of deciding whether two words are or are not synonymous. Experiment 1 found that an increase in semantic similarity between two “partial” synonyms facilitated synonym response latency. Experiment 2 found that an increase in the similarity between two nonsynonyms impeded nonsynonym response latency. Thus, the similarity effect on categorization latency and on synonym comprehension resemble each other. Moreover, models of the categorization process that account for the similarity effect on categorization appear to be applicable to synonym comprehension.
SU-GG-T-76: Post Implant Dosimetry for I 125 and Pd 103 Anchor and Non Anchor Seeds

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate if there is a significant difference between the post implant dosimetry of the anchor and non anchor seeds for both I‐125 and Pd‐103. Method and Materials: The post implant plans of 40 patients treated during 2008 – 2009 in our institution were analyzed. 10 patients were treated for each of the following seeds; I‐125 ancer seeds I‐125 anchor seeds (BrachySciences, Inc. Oxford, CT)a Pd‐103 anchor seeds (BrachySciences, Inc. Oxford, CT) and Pd‐103 non anchor seeds (Theragenics Corporation® Buford, GA). Advantage I‐125™ Seed (Model IAI‐125A) and Theraseed Pd‐103™ Seed (Model 200) were the seed models used for I‐125 and Pd‐103 respectively. Besides having a ribbed structure, the anchor seeds are encapsulated with a bioabsorbable polymer which is designed to help aid fixity (see figure 1). The preplan criteria for all implants were the same. All seeds were loose seeds implanted using a Mick applicator. A seed localizing scan was acquired 30 days post the implant. Dose levels that cover 100% (D100) and 90% (D90) of prostate were determined. In addition, the fraction of the prostate volume receiving 200% (V200), 150% (V150), 100% (V100) of the prescribed dose were also evaluated. Results: The differences in D100, D90, V100, V150 and V200 for the patients in this study for the anchor and non‐anchor seeds for both I‐125 and Pd‐103 are statistically insignificant. It may be possible that if different dosimetric quality indicators are studied then a difference may be more visible. Conclusion: We did not observe a statistically significant dose difference in the post implant dosimetry between the anchor and non — anchor seeds for the patients included in this study. Future works on sector analysis may be able to provide more information on differences resulted from using anchor seeds.
Contributions of the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex to energy and body weight regulation

The effects of selective ibotenate lesions of the complete hippocampus (CHip), the hippocampal ventral pole (VP), or the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in male rats were assessed on several measures related to energy regulation (i.e., body weight gain, food intake, body adiposity, metabolic activity, general behavioral activity, conditioned appetitive responding). The testing conditions were designed to minimize the nonspecific debilitating effects of these surgeries on intake and body weight. Rats with CHip and VP lesions exhibited significantly greater weight gain and food intake compared with controls. Furthermore, CHip-lesioned rats, but not rats with VP lesions, showed elevated metabolic activity, general activity in the dark phase of the light-dark cycle, and greater conditioned appetitive behavior, compared with control rats without these brain lesions. In contrast, rats with mPFC lesions were not different from controls on any of these measures. These results indicate that hippocampal damage interferes with energy and body weight regulation, perhaps by disrupting higher-order learning and memory processes that contribute to the control of appetitive and consummatory behavior.
Factors affecting restraint stress-induced potentiation of morphine analgesia

Abstract The analgesic effect of opioid drugs is potentiated in rats exposed to restraint stress as compared to unstressed rats. The purpose of the present study was to quantify how the following factors affect morphine-induced analgesia: habituation to restraint versus exposure to restraint for the first time, restraint stress duration, and interval from restraint to analgesic testing. Expts. 1 and 2 generated dose- and time course curves for morphine in rats exposed to one of 3 treatments: no restraint stress (NS), first exposure to 1 or 6 h of restraint (FS), or 5 days of restraint habituation followed by 1 or 6 h of restraint on the test day (HAB). Analgesia was measured by the tail-flick assay. Rats subjected to 1 h of restraint displayed dose- and time-dependent potentiation of morphine-induced antinociception compared to unstressed rats. Given 4.0 mg/kg morphine, FS-treated subjects showed 1.4- and 2.7-fold more potentiation of analgesia than HAB- and NS-treated rats, respectively. Rats restrained for 6 h prior to testing showed significant dose effect for morphine but failed to reveal significant treatment effects. Thus, increasing the duration of restraint from 1 to 6 h attenuated morphine antinociception in FS- and HAB-treated subjects to the level of NS subjects. In Expt. 3, several groups of rats underwent a single 1-h session of restraint at various time intervals prior to injection with morphine (4.0 mg/kg) and tail-flick testing. An unstressed group also receiving morphine served as control. Rats restrained at 0.5, 24, 48 and 168 h prior to testing showed significant potentiation of morphine-induced antinociception, with peak potentiation (twice the level of antinociception) occurring at 24 h after restraint. Thus, previous exposure to restraint, the duration of restraint, and interval between restraint and analgesia testing affect the degree to which stress modifies morphine-induced analgesia.
A novel C-terminal proteolytic processing of cytosolic pyruvate kinase, its phosphorylation and degradation by the proteasome in developing soybean seeds.

Cytosolic pyruvate kinase (ATP:pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) is an important glycolytic enzyme, but the post-translational regulation of this enzyme is poorly understood. Sequence analysis of the soybean seed enzyme suggested the potential for two phosphorylation sites: site-1 (FVRKGS 220 DLVN) and site-2 (VLTRGGS 407 TAKL). Sequence- and phosphorylation state-specific antipeptide antibodies established that cytosolic pyruvate kinase (PyrKin c ) is phosphorylated at both sites in vivo. However, by SDS-PAGE, the phosphorylated polypeptides were found to be smaller (20-51 kDa) than the full length (55 kDa). Biochemical separations of seed proteins by size exclusion chromatography and sucrose-density gradient centrifugation revealed that the phosphorylated polypeptides were associated with 26S proteasomes. The 26S proteasome particle in developing seeds was determined to be of approximately 1900 kDa. In vitro, the 26S proteasome degraded associated PyrKin c polypeptides, and this was blocked by proteasome-specific inhibitors such as MG132 and NLVS. By immunoprecipitation, we found that some part of the phosphorylated PyrKin c was conjugated to ubiquitin and shifted to high molecular mass forms in vivo. Moreover, recombinant wild-type PyrKin c was ubiquitinated in vitro to a much greater extent than the S220A and S407A mutant proteins, suggesting a link between phosphorylation and ubiquitination In addition, during seed development, a progressive accumulation of a C-terminally truncated polypeptide of approximately 51 kDa was observed that was in parallel with a loss of the full-length 55 kDa polypeptide. Interestingly, the C-terminal 51 kDa truncation showed not only pyruvate kinase activity but also activation by aspartate. Collectively, the results suggest that there are two pathways for PyrKin c modification at the post-translational level. One involves partial C-terminal truncation to generate a 51 kDa pyruvate kinase subunit which might have altered regulatory properties and the other involves phosphorylation and ubiquitin conjugation that targets the protein to the 26S proteasome for complete degradation.
Effects of uncertain fuel costs on fossil fuel and electric energy flows in the US

To explore the effects of uncertain fuel costs on the bulk energy flows in the US, we introduce stochastic fuel costs in a generalized network flow model of the integrated electric energy system, including coal, natural gas, and electricity generation. The fuel costs are modeled as discretely distributed random variables. A rolling two-stage recourse stochastic programming approach is employed to simulate the decision process involving uncertain costs with forecast updates. All the data are derived from publicly available information for the years 2002, when natural gas prices rose much higher than forecast, and 2006, when gas prices were lower than expected. Government forecasts of the natural gas prices are adapted to generate the scenarios considered in the stochastic formulation. Compared to the expected value solution from the deterministic model, the recourse solution found from the stochastic model for 2002 has higher total cost, lower natural gas consumption and less subregional power trade but a fuel mix that is closer to what actually occurred. The comparisons are qualitatively similar but muted in the 2006 case. The stochastic model assists decision makers to simulate the future flows within the national electric energy system and better understand how they are affected by uncertain fuel costs.
Knowledge acquisition for group problem solving

Abstract The tasks faced by contemporary and future managers are and will be increasingly complex and cognitive in nature. In fact, most managers are faced with the management of the knowledge bases of groups of individual possessing specialized knowledge in a variety of domains. Eliciting, representing, organizing, integrating, constraining and evaluating these collective knowledge sources are required for accurate problem solving and decision making in the manager's environment. Given the complexity of these cognitive activities, computerized systems for group problem solving (GPSS) and group decision support (GDSS) have emerged. An existing problem with these systems is the lack of facility with which knowledge can be ellicited, organized, and integrated for problem solving and decision making activities. The research presented in this paper describes an automated knowledge acquisition capability based upon a cognitive complexity analysis for generating problem representations from which decisions and problem solutions can be made. The problem solving process described is consistent with an information processing model of problem solving which can be applied to group and individual applications and serves as a core architecture for the development of an information center.
Identifying support surfaces of climbable structures from 3D point clouds

This paper presents a probabilistic technique for identifying support surfaces like floors, walls, stairs, and rails from unstructured 3D point cloud scans. A Markov random field is employed to model the joint probability of point labels, which can take on a number of user-defined surface classes. The probability of a point depends on both local spatial features of the point cloud around the point as well as the classifications of points in its neighborhood. The training step estimates joint and pairwise potentials from labeled point cloud datasets, and the prediction step aims to maximize the joint probability of all labels using a hill-climbing procedure. The method is applied to stair and ladder detection from noisy and partial scans using three types of sensors: a sweeping laser sensor, time-offlight depth camera, and a Kinect depth camera. The resulting classifier achieves approximately 75% accuracy and is robust to variations in point density.
Perfection: Coming to Terms with Being Human

Michael J. Hyde, Perfection: Coming to Terms with Being Human (Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2010), xvii + 322 pp. $29.95 (cloth). Michael Hyde's latest book substantially extends his formidab...
Simulation and Control of an Industrial Rotary Calciner with a Heat Shield Around the Combustion Zone

While operating a high temperature rotary calciner, two frequently encountered problems are shell overheating and the consequent deformation of the calciner, and heat loss. A simple and relatively inexpensive solution is to install a concentric metallic shield around the combustion zone. This heat shield can help to reduce the shell temperature and recover some of the energy that would otherwise be lost. Steady state temperature profiles of an industrial calciner with a heat shield around its combustion zone are computed via simulation. Open loop dynamics of the system are also analysed and the information obtained is used to design a PID feedback controller. Finally, the performance of the control system is tested with respect to various disturbances.
Cells of origin of entorhinal cortical afferents to the hippocampus and fascia dentata of the rat

The pathway from the entorhinal cortical region to the hippocampal formation has previously been shown to be comprised of two sub-systems, one of which projects predominantly to the ipsilateral fascia dentata and regio inferior of the hippocampus proper, and a second which projects bilaterally to regio superior. The goal of the present investigation was to determine if these two pathways might originate from different cell populations within the entorhinal area. The cells of origin of these entorhinal pathways were identified by retrograde labeling with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Injections which labeled the entorhinal terminal fields in both the fascia dentata and regio superior resulted in the retrograde labeling of two populations of cells in the entorhinal area. Ipsilateral to the injection, HRP reaction product was found in the cells of layer II (predominantly stellate cells) and the cells of layer III (predominantly pyramidal cells). Contralateral to the injections, however, the reaction product was found almost exclusively in the cells of layer III. With selective injections of the entorhinal terminal field in regio superior, only the cells of layer III were labeled, but these were labeled bilaterally. Selective injection of the entorhinal terminal field in the fascia dentata, however, resulted in the labeling of cells of layer II, but not of layer III, and these cells of layer II were labeled almost exclusively ipsilaterally. A very small number of labeled cells in layer II were, however, found contralateral to the injection as well. No labeled cells were found either in the presubiculum or parasubiculum following injections of the hippocampal formation. These cell populations were found capable of retrograde transport of HRP, however, since cells in both presubiculum and parasubiculum were labeled following HRP injections into the contralateral entorhinal area. These results suggest that the projections to the fascia dentata originate from the cells of layer II, while the projections to regio superior originate from the cells of layer III of the entorhinal region proper. The very slight crossed projection from the entorhinal area to the contralateral area dentata probably originates from the small population of cells in layer II which are labeled following HRP injections in the contralateral area dentata.
Protonated Forms of Monoclinic Zirconia: A Theoretical Study

In various materials applications of zirconia, protonated forms of monoclinic zirconia may be formed, motivating their study within the framework of density-functional theory. Using the HCTH/120 exchange-correlation functional, the equations of state of yttria and of the three low-pressure zirconia polymorphs are computed, to verify our approach. Next, the favored charge state of a hydrogen atom in monoclinic zirconia is shown to be positive for all Fermi-level energies in the band gap, by the computation of defect formation energies. This result is consistent with a single previous theoretical prediction at midgap as well as muonium spectroscopy experiments. For the formally positively (+1e) charged system of a proton in monoclinic zirconia (with a homogeneous neutralizing background charge density implicitly included), modeled using up to a 3 × 3 × 3 arrangement of unit cells, different stable and metastable structures are identified. They are similar to those structures previously proposed for the neut...
Isotopes as clues to the origin and earliest differentiation history of the Earth

Measurable variations in 182 W/ 183 W, 142 Nd/ 144 Nd, 129 Xe/ 130 Xe and 136 XePu/ 130 Xe in the Earth and meteorites provide a record of accretion and formation of the core, early crust and atmosphere. These variations are due to the decay of the now extinct nuclides 182 Hf, 146 Sm, 129 I and 244 Pu. The l82 Hf– 182 W system is the best accretion and core-formation chronometer, which yields a mean time of Earth’s formation of 10 Myr, and a total time scale of 30 Myr. New laser shock data at conditions comparable with those in the Earth’s deep mantle subsequent to the giant Moon-forming impact suggest that metal–silicate equilibration was rapid enough for the Hf–W chronometer to reliably record this time scale. The coupled 146 Sm– 147 Sm chronometer is the best system for determining the initial silicate differentiation (magma ocean crystallization and proto-crust formation), which took place at ca 4.47 Ga or perhaps even earlier. The presence of a large 129 Xe excess in the deep Earth is consistent with a very early atmosphere formation (as early as 30 Myr); however, the interpretation is complicated by the fact that most of the atmospheric Xe may be from a volatile-rich late veneer.
Re-examining the risk for switch from unipolar to bipolar major depressive disorder in youth with ADHD: a long term prospective longitudinal controlled study.

Background Recent studies have identified subthreshold forms of bipolar (BP)-I disorder and deficits in emotional regulation as risk factors for bipolar disorder in youth. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether emotional dysregulation and subthreshold forms of BP-I disorder increase the risk for BP switches in ADHD youth with non-bipolar MDD.