cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Do Mandatory Face Shields Reduce the Number of Craniomaxillofacial Injuries in the National Hockey League

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of the National Hockey League's (NHL) mandatory visor policy on the number and type of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) injuries. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was designed using the 2 databases: the NHL Injury Viz and the Pro Sports Transactions. CMF injuries and player characteristics from the NHL's 2009-2010 through the 2016-2017 seasons were obtained. The study outcomes of games missed and number of injuries were compared before and after the implementation of the league rule. Results A total of 149 CMF injuries were included in the final sample. Following the mandatory visor rule, there were significant decreases in the total number of CMF injuries per season (14.3 vs 30.7, P = .01) and the number of upper face injuries per season (7.0 vs 16.7, P = .04). Although there was no difference in the ratio of upper facial injuries before and after the rule change, players who wore a face shield did have a lower proportion of upper face injuries among all CMF injuries sustained (42.9 vs 64.6%, P Conclusions Upper facial injuries were observed to be less common among players wearing face shields. After the NHL mandated face shields, there were significant decreases in the mean number of CMF and upper facial injuries per season. Face shields did not appear to influence the severity or downtime from injury that were sustained.
Memristive Devices and Circuits

The chapter is dedicated to the conceptual description of memristive devices as key elements of neuromorphic systems. Starting from the definition of the memristor, proposed by L. Chua in 1971, a comparison of this device with other resistance switching elements (memistor and mnemotrix, in particular) is presented. A current state of the art in the field of inorganic and organic memristive devices is overviewed with special attention to their synapse mimicking properties and neuromorphic applications.
Directional Posterior Corneal Profile Changes in Fuchs' Endothelial Corneal Dystrophy.

PURPOSE To determine directional changes in peripheral corneal thickness and corneal astigmatism over a range of severity of Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD). METHODS Eyes with FECD were categorized as mild, moderate, or advanced according to the area and confluence of guttae and the presence of clinical edema. Normal corneas were devoid of guttae. Peripheral thickness centered on the corneal apex, and radii of posterior curvature were measured with Scheimpflug imaging. Variables were compared between groups by using generalized estimating equation models. RESULTS Scheimpflug images were acquired in 101 normal corneas and 112 corneas with FECD. Normal corneas were 8.6 ± 4.8 μm thicker vertically than horizontally (P = 0.001); the steep posterior meridian was vertical in 91% of corneas. The difference between vertical and horizontal thicknesses decreased to 4.7 ± 7.3 μm in advanced FECD (P = 0.008); 46% had a steep vertical posterior meridian (P = 0.001). Vertical radius of curvature was flatter than normal in moderate (by 0.2 mm, P = 0.011) and advanced (by 0.4 mm, P < 0.001) FECD. Mean posterior corneal power was less negative in moderate (by 0.2 diopters [D], P = 0.009) and advanced (by 0.4 D, P < 0.001) FECD compared to normal. CONCLUSIONS Posterior toricity is abnormal in advanced FECD because of relatively greater horizontal than vertical corneal thickening. Posterior corneal power decreases (i.e., is less negative) in moderate and advanced FECD, which can affect the choice of intraocular lens power during cataract surgery, and might explain the hyperopic shift after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty.
Bone composition and histology of young growing rats fed diets of varied calcium bioavailability: spinach, nonfat dry milk, or calcium carbonate added to casein.

Bone composition and histology were evaluated in young growing rats fed nutritionally complete but calcium-restricted (0.15%) diets in which calcium was derived from spinach, nonfat dry milk (NFDM), or CaCO3 added to casein. Groups of male weanling rats were pair-fed for 28 d. A 0.5% calcium casein-based diet group fed ad libitum was included to provide a comparison of normal bone structure and composition. Bone growth and bone ash were depressed in spinach-fed rats. Total bone tibia calcium in 0.5% calcium casein-based, 0.15% calcium casein-based, NFDM and spinach diet groups were 64.0, 29.2, 30.7 and 13.8 mg, respectively. All other measured bone mineral levels were also lower, except for potassium. Femur hydroxyproline concentrations were 1.2, 1.6, 1.6 and 2.1% in 0.5% calcium casein-based, 0.15% calcium caseinbased, NFDM and spinach diet groups, respectively. Bone histomorphometry indicated gross underdevelopment and compromised mineralization of trabecular bone of spinach-fed rats. For the first time, it has been demonstrated with histologic techniques that calcium from the low bioavailable source, spinach, compromises both the quantity and quality of bone. In contrast, when calcium is fed to growing animals at levels below the National Research Council requirement but from a highly bioavailable source (i.e., NFDM and CaCO3), there is only a reduction in bone quantity.
A Chinese Amphibious Invasion of Taiwan: An Estimate of Military Feasibility

The People's Republic of China (PRC) has a long-standing territorial claim on the Republic of China (ROC), more commonly known as Taiwan. This document is an analysis of the potency of the Chinese threat to launch an amphibious invasion across the Taiwan Strait with the objective of annexation. Following a brief description of the environment and associated factors, an overview of PRC and ROC naval capabilities is presented. The projections for the outcome of a confrontation of the two fleets are based on equipment analysis and analogy with the Falkland Islands conflict. The air forces of both nations are described subsequently. The capabilities of each are discussed including aircraft and weapons characteristics, and pilot training. Attrition projections are made on the basis of the Falkland Islands War, the Yom Kippur War, and the 1982 Israeli-Lebanese War. A scenario necessitating the capture of airfields on the Pescadores is considered. Finally, conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions for further research are provided. Force data for both China and Taiwan is derived from credible open literature and is believed to be up to date as of the writing of this analysis.
The Impact of Implicit Self-Theory on Rated Creativity in Third- and Sixth-Graders

A total of 114 3rd- and 6th-graders from a suburban elementary school participated in a study examining the influence of implicit self-theories on rated creativity in the domains of art and literature in a quasi-experiment. Creativity was measured via the Consensual Assessment Technique. Participants were divided into two groups and received different sets of instructions emphasizing either an incremental or entity-implicit theory of creativity, before completing a drawing task and a writing task. Implicit theories of creativity of participants were measured before and after the instructions were given. The results indicated that participants in the incremental group showed increased incremental views following the manipulation; participants in the entity group showed no significant change. The writing (but not the artwork) from the incremental group was rated as more creative than those from the entity group. This effect was stronger for third graders than for sixth graders, suggesting that implicit theo...
The demography of extraterrestrial civilizations

Studies carried out within the last ten years on the nature and distribution of extraterrestrial intelligent life are reviewed. Arguments for the absence of intelligent life in the Galaxy based on the assumption that at least some of these would have engaged in colonization and for the presence of colonies of extraterrestrials in some undiscovered location in the solar system are presented, and it is noted that both these views rest on the notion that interstellar travel can be achieved at high velocities in very large vehicles, which has been questioned. Alternative suggestions concerning interstellar exploration by automated probes and the possible extended time scale and motivation for galactic colonization are pointed out. Attention is then given to arguments for the extreme smallness of one of the factors in the Drake equation used to estimate the number of communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Galaxy, including the frequency of single stars, the likelihood that planets with the correct initial composition and conditions for life are at the proper distance from their stars, the probability of the formation of DNA and the origin of life, and the time for the evolution of intelligence. It is concluded that it seems likely that other civilizations exist in the Galaxy, although the number and distribution of such civilizations may only be determined by the detection of one or more examples.
Proton radiative capture: Giant dipole resonances built on excited states

Recent experimental studies have been made for the radiative-capture reactions11B(p, γ)12C and27Al(p, γ)28Si leading to excited final states of12C or28Si. All states of the final nucleus, which have a large component as a single proton times the ground state of the target nucleus, produce large radiative-capture cross-sections. These (p, γ) cross-sections show clear evidence of resonances. We argue that a qualitative description of these resonances can be made in terms of Brown’s “direct-semi-direct” theory of the giant dipole resonance (GDR). This theory describes the GDR in terms of a resonance energy, a width and a single-particle energy shift. The existing data indicate that both the resonant energy and shift, for the GDR built on excited states, are very close to the same values for the ground-state GDR.
Communicating With the New Reference Librarian: The Teaching Process

Presentation des programmes de formation permanente des bibliothecaires specialises dans le service question-reponse, dispenses aux Etats-Unis
Entrepreneurship, Industrial Organization, and Economic Growth: A German Example *

The following bit of research has two purposes, one general and one specific. Its general purpose is to suggest how the three elements in its title arc linked together, and in doing this to connect more closely the work of historians, which has focused on entrepreneurship, with that of economists, which has centered around economic growth as measured in statistical aggregates. The specific purpose is to show how the organization of the German coal-mining industry in fact constituted one such connection between the economic activity of individuals and the industrial development of a nation.
Children's understanding of illness: Students' assessments

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of graduate students in the fields of nursing, social work, child life, and counseling education regarding children's understanding of illness concepts. Students were assessed as to their knowledge of children's perceptions of illness as described from a Piagetian developmental viewpoint. Eighty-five graduate students from a southern university in the fields of nursing, social work, child development/child life, and counseling categorized statements made by children regarding their understanding of illness concepts. A data-gathering instrument, developed by Perrin & Perrin (1983), was used to assess the graduate students' ability to assign a developmental age to children's responses to illness-concept questions. Additionally, the students were evaluated on their knowledge of how children perceive illness identification, causality, prevention, treatment, and use of medication. The students correctly categorized by age, children's statements regarding illness concepts only 38% of the time and correctly identified knowledge statements 50% of the time. No remarkable differences were found among the areas of specialization. Without a knowledge base of developmental theories that can be applied directly to clinical practice, nurses are at a disadvantage when working with children and their families. A better understanding of children's communication needs can ultimately lead to improved coping abilities on the part of the child and appropriate interventions on the part of the nurse. The relatively low number of correct responses suggests a need for additional training opportunities that would incorporate cognitive developmental theory into clinical practice for nurses and other health care professionals who plan to work with children.
Particle acceleration at shocks with surface ripples

The present treatment of superthermal-ion acceleration on the surface of a fast-mode hydromagnetic shock gives attention to (1) small-amplitude surface ripples characterized by width L and amplitude A that are large relative to the energetic-ion gyroradius, and (2) shocks which are on average quasi-perpendicular. An investigation is made of the effects of the confinement, evolving geometry, and finite shock curvature associated with the ripple, by integrating along the orbits of the proton test particles. As an upstream magnetic field line convects through the surface ripple, it intersects the shock at two points, thereby forming a temporary magnetic trap. Flux-line profiles and angular distributions in a given ripple differ substantially, depending on the path it takes through the ripple and its distance from the shock.
Enhanced hypertrophy in ob/ob mice due to an impairment in expression of atrial natriuretic peptide.

Abstract Rationale We investigated the molecular mechanism(s) that play a role in leptin signaling during the development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) due to pressure overload. To this end, ob/ob leptin deficient and C57BL/6J control mice were subjected transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Methods Control sham C57BL/6J and ob/ob mice, along with C57BL/6J and ob/ob leptin deficient mice were subjected transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for 15 days and then evaluated for morphological, physiological, and molecular changes associated with pressure overload hypertrophy. Results Evaluation by echocardiography revealed a significant increase in left ventricular mass (LVmass) and wall thickness in ob/ob mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) as compared to C57BL/6J. Analysis of the expression of molecular markers of LVH, such as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), revealed a blunted increase in the level of ANP in ob/ob mice as compared to C57BL/6J mice. We observed that leptin plays a role in modulating the transcriptional activity of the promoter of the ANP gene. Leptin acts by regulating NFATc4, a member of the nuclear factor activated T cell (NFAT) family of transcription factors in cardiomyocytes. Our in vivo studies revealed that ob/ob mice subjected to TAC failed to activate the NFATc4 in the heart, however, intraperitoneal injection of leptin in ob/ob mice restored the NFATc4 DNA-binding activity and induced expression of the ANP gene. Conclusion This study establishes the role of leptin as an anti-hypertrophic agent during pressure overload hypertrophy, and suggests that a key molecular event is the leptin mediated activation of NFATc4 that regulates the transcriptional activation of the ANP gene promoter.
Syntheses and structural characterizations of rhenium carbonyl complexes of a bitopic ferrocene-linked bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligand

Abstract The reaction between Fe[C5H4CH(pz)2]2 (pz = pyrazolyl ring) and two equivalents of Re(CO)5Br in refluxing toluene produces Fe[C5H4CH(pz)2Re(CO)3Br]2 (1) in high yield. A similar reaction with a ligand/rhenium ratio of slightly greater than one yields mainly 1 and a low yield of Fe[C5H4CH(pz)2Re(CO)3Br][C5H4CH(pz)2] (2). The compound H2C(pz)2Re(CO)3Br (3) was prepared by the reaction of H2C(pz)2 and Re(CO)5Br. Compounds 1 and 2 show a reversible oxidation at ca. 0.9 V (Ag/AgCl) that can be assigned to the oxidation of the ferrocene moiety and one irreversible oxidation at ca. 1.4 V assigned to the oxidation of the rhenium metal center. The solid-state structures of 1 · CH3NO2, 1 · 2CH3NO2, 1 · 2CH3CN and 2 · 1/2Et2O · 1/2C3H6O have been determined, with 1 · 2CH3NO2 and 1 · 2CH3CN being isomorphous. All four are organized into supramolecular structures by the interactions of the acidic hydrogens of the pyrazolyl and methine groups with either the bromine atoms or carbonyl ligand oxygen atoms, and in 2 the lone pairs on the uncomplexed bis(pyrazolyl)methane units.
Effect of Dietary Fat and Protein on Performance, Egg Composition, Egg Solids,and Egg Quality of Hy-line W-36 Hens During Phase 1

A 4×3 factorial experiment with four dietary fat levels and three protein levels was conducted to determine the influence of dietary fat on performance, egg composition, egg solids, and egg quality of Hy-line W-36 hens at different protein levels. This experiment lasted 16 weeks. Hy-line W-36 hens (n=1440) in phase 1 (21 weeks of age) were randomly divided into 12 treatments (8 replicates of 15 birds per treatment). There was no significant interaction on all parameters between protein and dietary fat. Protein had a significant effect on egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion, albumen weight, percent whole egg solids, and yolk color. Dietary fat had a linear effect on feed intake. As dietary fat increased from 0 to 3.35%, feed conversion linearly improved. A further increase of dietary fat from 3.35 to 5.04% had no additional effect on feed conversion. There was no significant difference in egg specific gravity among hens fed diets supplemented with 0%, 1.67% and 3.35% fat levels. Increasing dietary fat from 3.35 to 5.04% significantly decreased egg specific gravity. As protein increased, albumen weight significantly increased and percent whole egg solids significantly decreased. Increasing dietary fat significantly increased percent yolk, yolk/albumen ratio and percent whole egg solids, but decreased percent albumen. Based on feed conversion and egg specific gravity, the addition of 3.35% fat might be sufficient for optimal performance and egg quality of Hy-line W-36 hens during phase 1.
Development of Generalized Plane-Strain Tensors for the Concentric Cylinder

A pair of two new tensors called GPS tensors S and D is proposed for the concentric cylindrical inclusion problem. GPS tensor S relates the strain in the inclusion constrained by the matrix of finite radius to the uniform transformation strain (eigenstrain), whereas tensor D relates the strain in the matrix to the same eigenstrain. When the cylindrical matrix is of infinite radius, tensor S reduces to the appropriate Eshelby's tensor. Explicit expressions to evaluate thermal residual stresses σ r , σ θ and σ z in the matrix and the fiber using tensor D and tensor S, respectively, are developed. Since the geometry of the present problem is of finite radius, the effect of fiber volume fraction on the stress distribution can be easily studied. Results for the thermal residual stress distributions are compared with Eshelby's infinite domain solution and finite element results for a specified fiber volume fraction.
Comparison of personal versus fictional narratives of children with language impairment.

Purpose Personal narratives are common in children’s conversations, recommended as the appropriate genre for early writing by educators, and part of many high-stakes tests, possibly because they te...
Uromodulin: old friend with new roles in health and disease

The most abundant urinary protein, Tamm-Horsfall protein, later renamed uromodulin, is expressed exclusively by the thick ascending limb cells of the kidney and released into urine from the apical cell membrane. Uromodulin is believed to protect against urinary tract infections and stones, but its other physiologic functions have remained obscure until recently. Renewed interest in uromodulin has been brought about by the identification of uromodulin mutations as causes of a discrete group of diseases that are distinct from nephronophthisis. The three overlapping clinical uromodulin-associated kidney diseases (UAKD) are medullary cystic disease type 2, familial juvenile hyperuricemic nephropathy and glomerulocystic kidney disease. Previously thought of as "adult diseases", it is now recognized that they may also present in childhood and even in infancy. Common characteristics of all three diseases are autosomal dominant inheritance, unremarkable urine sediment and slow progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). They are frequently associated with hyperuricemia and gout. These diseases appear to result from failure of the mutant uromodulin to be incorporated into the apical cilium, thereby placing UAKD in the category of "ciliopathies". In addition to causing specific UAKD, certain uromodulin gene polymorphisms have been linked to ESRD in general, suggesting that uromodulin plays a modulatory role in kidney disease progression.
The “Tell Us Now” Campaign for Organ Donation: Using Message Immediacy to Increase Donor Registration Rates

There is a substantial gap between those people in the United States who identify as being favorable toward organ donation (~90%) and those registered as donors (~30%). A growing body of evidence suggests Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices are effective sites for facilitating higher organ donor registration rates on a national scale. The goal of the current study was to determine the utility and sustainability of a message immediacy approach, which draws from theoretical concepts such as priming and cues to action. Message immediacy requires individuals be: (a) exposed to a message that prompts an action, (b) in an environment where a prescribed action or behavior can be enacted, and (c) favorable toward the promoted behavior or action. Thirty-four Michigan counties, divided into three implementation groups, received campaigns in October (Group 1), November (Group 2), and December (Group 3) of 2009. Registration rates for three to six months after campaign implementation indicate that the on-site ...
China: Competitive intelligence practices in an emerging market environment

Little is known about how CI is conducted in emerging market economies, yet it's essential for managers to understand CI in global markets in order to compete and cooperate with their counterparts worldwide. Because CI is developing rapidly in China with its increasing levels of market competition and because of China's importance in world trade, it was selected for this study, which consisted of a mail survey to CI practitioners, a follow-up survey to managers who use CI, and in-depth case studies. Among the findings: Chinese organizations are still experimenting with the administration and structure of their CI programs—the sample revealed 27% have an information services–type function, 55% are in some stage of formalizing their CI program, and 18% have well-established programs. Overall, Chinese CI units are much larger than the staffs in American CI units, but few practitioners devote all of their time to CI activities, and most practitioners have little experience with a broad array of information sources and analytical techniques. The findings also indicate the need for a wider adoption of codes of ethics and training. Developments in China's information infrastructure will be a key determinant of how quickly their CI professionals develop their information collection and analytical skills. There are opportunities for Western information vendors to leverage their knowledge, skills, and reputation in this area and take part in establishing the foundation for Chinese CI practices. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
NanoCipro Encapsulation in Monodisperse Large Porous PLGA Microparticles

Pulmonary drug delivery of controlled release formulations may provide an effective adjunct approach to orally delivered antibiotics for clearing persistent lung infections. Dry powder formulations for this indication should possess characteristics including; effective deposition to infected lung compartments, persistence at the infection site, and steady release of antibiotic. Large porous particles ( approximately 10-15 microm) have demonstrated effective lung deposition and enhanced lung residence as a result of their large diameter and reduced clearance by macrophages in comparison to small microparticles ( approximately 1-5 microm). In this report, Precision Particle Fabrication technology was used to create monodisperse large porous particles of poly(d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) utilizing oils as extractable porogens. After extraction, the resulting large porous PLGA particles exhibited a low density and a web-like or hollow interior depending on porogen concentration and type, respectively. Ciprofloxacin nanoparticles (nanoCipro) created by homogenization in dichloromethane, possessed a polymorph with a decreased melting temperature. Encapsulating nanoCipro in large porous PLGA particles resulted in a steady release of ciprofloxacin that was extended for larger particle diameters and for the solid particle morphology in comparison to large porous particles. The encapsulation efficiency of nanoCipro was quite low and factors impacting the entrapment of nanoparticles during particle formation were elucidated. A dry powder formulation with the potential to control particle deposition and sustain release to the lung was developed and insight to improve nanoparticle encapsulation is discussed.
Physical response requirements of pressure transducers for the reproduction of physiological phenomena

THE pressure variations generated by the heart beat are perhaps the most rapidly changing pressures normally occurring in the body. In general therefore manometer systems capable of faithful reproduction of the pressure pulses occurring in the cardiovascular system are adequate, at least dynamically, for recording pressures encountered under usual circumstances elsewhere in the body.
Forty-something breast screening.

I write to comment on a statement in the sidebar “How one radiologist turns up the heat” (News & Comment, [21 Feb., p. 1057][1]) of the article “The breast-screening brawl” by Gary Taubes, in which I am quoted as attributing Daniel Kopans's harsh criticisms of my epidemiologist colleagues at
Purification and characterization of proteins excreted by cells infected with herpes simplex virus and their use in diagnosis.

Abstract A virus-specific glycoprotein, excreted by rabbit kidney cells infected with herpes simplex virus, type 1, has been purified and radioiodinated. This problem has an electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gels similar to that of one of the largest glycoproteins of the virions of herpes simplex virus (Molecular Weight ∼132,000) and shares antigenic determinants with an internal virion protein. After radioiodination, this glycoprotein can be used for the detection of virus-specific antigens in patients with herpes simplex virus encephalitis.
Socially Desirable Responding in Close Relationships: A Dual-Component Approach and Measure

Five studies were conducted to develop and validate a brief measure of socially desirable responding (SDR) for use in close relationships research, the Inventory of Desirable Responding in Relationships (IDRR). Specifically, a two-component measure of SDR was created to assess individuals' tendencies to: (i) deceive themselves, and (ii) deceive others regarding negative aspects of their close relationship. Study 1 employed exploratory factor analyses to isolate items that loaded on two factors, labeled Relationship Self-Deception (REL-SD) and Relationship Impression Management (REL-IM). Study 2 confirmed the factor structure obtained in Study 1 and provided evidence for a two-factor versus one-factor model of relationship SDR. Consistent with the hypotheses, Study 3 demonstrated that REL-IM scores are higher when generated in a public condition relative to an anonymous condition, whereas REL-SD scores remain unaffected by this manipulation. Consistent with the literature on the role of illusions in mental...
Bill Costerton: leader as servant.

Figure 1 Fig. 1. Images of Bill Costerton in the office (centre, © MSU News Services) or exploring the wilderness (from bottom left clockwise) at high altitude fishing hole, exploring the Canadian Rockies by canoe, hiking with his wife Vivian, or looking for biofilms on the Athabasca River. Dr. John William (Bill) Costerton peacefully passed away early this summer on 12 May 2012, surrounded by his adoring family in his home in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, following a valiant fight against pancreatic cancer. Bill has been given the loving monikers, ‘Father of Biofilms’ and ‘The King of Slime’. While the vast majority of scientists could only see cultures in either Petri dishes or test tubes as the valid growth mode for microorganisms, Bill saw something else. He saw microbial life as a community of microorganisms attached to hydrated surfaces, whether they were on the rocks of a mountain stream, visualized in his youth as a shepherd, or on a pacemaker lead isolated from an infected patient. The ‘Eureka’ moment came to him during a stay in the NH Grand Krasnapolsky Hotel in the historic district of Amsterdam, where he realized not only the importance of biofilms, but also the uniqueness of the phenotypic difference displayed by microorganisms within biofilms, like antibiotic tolerance or slow growth rate. He soon published his benchmark paper ‘How Bacteria Stick.’ [Costerton JW, Geesey GG, Cheng KJ. (1978) Scientific American 238: 86–95] and his journey continued for another three and a half decades, as the chief proponent of a biofilm centric view of the microbial world. As with all paradigmatic shifts, he faced doubts, obstacles, and resistance from the scientific community, who had depended upon Petri dishes and shaken cultures for so many decades. However, in the end, the special properties of Bill's biofilms were grudgingly accepted as …
Analysis of Tear Glucose Concentration with Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

We have developed a mass spectrometry-based method that allows one to accurately determine the glucose concentration of tear fluid. We used a 1 µL micro-capillary to collect tear fluid from the tear meniscus with minimal irritation of the eye. We analyzed the 1 µL volume of collected tear fluid with liquid-chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with the use of D-glucose-6,6-d2 as an internal standard. Repeated measurements and a recovery experiment on pooled, onion-induced tears showed that the analysis of the glucose in tears was precise (4% relative standard deviation) and provided 100% recovery. We found the tear glucose concentration of one fasting nondiabetic subject to be 13 to 51 µM while the onion-induced tear glucose concentration of a different nondiabetic subject to be 211 to 256 µM.
Predation-driven dynamics of zooplankton and phytoplankton communities in a whole-lake experiment

1. Species compositions of zooplankton and phytoplankton were followed in Tuesday Lake before and after experimental manipulation of its fish populations (addition of piscivorous largemouth bass, removal of planktivorous minnows). Plankton dynamics were compared to those of adjacent, unmanipulated Paul Lake, where piscivorous fish have been dominant historically. 2. Indices of similarity for the zooplankton communities in the two lakes in 1984 prior to the manipulation were low; however, following the manipulation in spring, 1985, similarity of the zooplankton in the two lakes rose considerably and remained high throughout 1986. This was the result of an increase in Tuesday Lake of previously rare large-bodied cladocerans (Daphnia pulex, Holopedium gibberum) which were the dominants in Paul Lake, and the disappearance in Tuesday Lake of the dominant small-bodied copepod Tropocyclops prasinus, a minor component of the Paul Lake zooplankton. These observations are consistent with prior observations of the effects of size-selective predation on zooplankton communities. 3. Phytoplankton communities also responded strongly to the manipulation, with similarity indices for the two lakes rising from low levels in 1984 to high levels of similarity in 1985 and 1986, reflecting the decrease of formerly dominant Tuesday Lake taxa which were unimportant in Paul Lake and the appearance or increase in Tuesday Lake of several taxa characteristic of the Paul Lake phytoplankton assemblage. these results clearly show that food web structure can have pronounced effects on community composition at all levels of the food web, and that, just as zooplankton communities are structured by sizeselective predation, phytoplankton communities are structured by herbivory. These observations may provide some insight into factors governing the complex distributions of phytoplankton species among various lakes.
COMPOSITION AND LABELING PATTERNS OF "FREE" AND PROTEIN AMINO ACIDS IN RANA CATESBEIANA TADPOLES AND FROGS.

Abstract The composition of free and protein amino acids, patterns of glucose-U-C 14 labeling, and amino acid pools of various tissues of Rana catesbeiana tadpoles and frogs were compared. It was demonstrated that there were no significant variations in the amino acid composition of whole organ proteins within one animal and of corresponding tissues of tadpole and frog. However, marked differences in several free amino acids in muscle were observed, with histidine being unusually abundant. Glucose-U-C 14 was incorporated into the protein amino acids alanine, glutamic acid, and aspartic acid in all tadpole tissues; in addition to these compounds, serine, glycine, and proline were also labeled in tadpole liver. Radioactivity levels of the free amino acids indicated that the synthesis of serine and glycine from glucose occurred more readily in frog liver than in tadpole liver. The time course of glucose-U-C 14 utilization for the formation of free and protein amino acids in tadpole liver was followed. It was observed that the maximum radioactivity in the free amino acids was reached before the peak of radioactivity was seen in the protein amino acids.
TCLP underestimates leaching of arsenic from solid residuals under landfill conditions.

Recent revision of the arsenic in drinking water standard will cause many utilities to implement removal technologies. Most of the affected utilities are expected to use adsorption onto solid media for arsenic removal. The arsenic-bearing solid residuals (ABSR) from adsorption processes are to be disposed of in nonhazardous landfills. The Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) tests whether a waste is hazardous or nonhazardous; most solid residuals pass the TCLP. However, the TCLP poorly simulates the alkaline pH, low redox potential, biological activity, long retention time, and organic composition of mature landfills. These same conditions are likely to favor mobilization of arsenic from metal oxide sorbents. This study quantifies leaching of arsenic from Activated Alumina (AA) and Granular Ferric Hydroxide (GFH), two sorbents expected to be widely used for arsenic removal. The sorbents were subjected to the TCLP, the Waste Extraction Test (WET), an actual landfill leachate, and two synthetic...
An ultrafast mechanical shutter for X-rays

Abstract A new shutter which can open and close in 2 μs is presented. The shutter can stop hard X-rays and is suitable for use with pinhole camera systems. This paper describes its design and presents preliminary data from its first use at the CESR storage ring to isolate 120 ps X-ray pulses.
Numerical analysis of the strained state of cellular pipes in inhomogeneous soil

With the help of Fourier series, we propose a method for the evaluation of the strained state of cellular underground pipes with regard for the variations of the reaction coefficient of the surrounding soil. As a result, we write, in recurrent form, the coefficients of Fourier series for the averaged components of the vector of displacements of a cellular structure. On this basis, we find the radial displacements of a polymeric pipe along its contour.
Applications of simultaneous ion backscattering and ion-induced X-ray emission

Abstract Simultaneous ion backscattering and ion-induced X-ray emission ( E x ⪰ 300 eV ) analyses have been performed using helium ions as probes of the first few hundred nanometers of various materials. These studies serve as a demonstration of the complementary nature of the two types of information obtained. Uncertainties associated with each of the individual techniques were reduced by performing both analyses. The pricipal advantages of simultaneous analyses over sequential analyses have been delineated.
Purification and sequence of a non-opioid peptide derived from ovine proenkephalin: implications for possible species specific processing.

Abstract A non-enkephalin containing pentadeca peptide derived from ovine adrenal proenkephalin has been purified and sequenced. The sequence of the peptide is: Phe-Ala-Glu-Pro-Leu-Pro-Ser-Glu-Glu-Glu-Gly-Glu-Ser-Tyr-Ser (preproenkephalin 237–251) representing the amino portion of peptide B (preproenkephalin 237–268). The sequence is identical to bovine preproenkephalin 237–251, differing from the corresponding human sequence at positions 240 and 244. This peptide can be generated by a processing event common to other opioid peptides and is present in chromaffin granules in significant amounts. The presence of this peptide in substantial quantities suggests a possible difference in proenkephalin processing between the bovine and ovine adrenal medulla.
Lifetimes of formaldehyde (1A2) in the diffuse region

Abstract Lifetimes for the first excited singlet state of H 2 CO, D 2 CO, and HDCO have been measured from linewidths. In the region of 7000–9000 cm −1 of vibrational energy, lifetimes between 2 and 14 psec were observed. These lifetimes increase with decreasing energy and may be smoothly extrapolated to the results below 4000 cm −1 . The H 2 CO lifetimes are shorter than D 2 CO lifetimes but longer than those for HDCO.
Clues to the design of a marketing mix

Looks at two aspects of the industrial purchasing process: constructing a definitive any variations in their relative importance by purchasing and non‐purchasing executives when making buying decisions. Proposes that marketing manager need to know what factor influence buying behaviour in order to be able to design better a marketing mix for their organization. Suggests that marketing, managers may also benefit from an analysis of vendor attributes.
Improved Rotative Mid-Point Mensuration and Newton-Raphson Method in 2-D Flat Rolling Simulation

Newton-Raphson (N-R) method has been employed to solve the system of simultaneous equations arising in Rigid-Plastic finite element simulation. The combination of the improved rotative mid-point mensuration and the N-R method, named the M-P method is designated to solve the equations of velocity increment in Rigid-Plastic FEM. The CPU times required for calculation by the M-P method and the N-R method are compared and it is found that the CPU time required for calculation of the N-R method is more than the M-P method. The calculated rolling forces by the M-P method and the N-R method are compared and it is found that the former correlates better with the measured value. Numerical tests and application show that the M-P method is feasible and steady.
Helix-random coil transitions in synthetic DNAs of alternating sequence

The helix-coil transitions of two synthetic DNA copolymers have been studied as models for the behavior of natural DNAs and in order to learn how to form hybrid molecules by a coil-helix transition. Hybrid formation is made possible by the regularly alternating base sequence which is adenine-thymine in dAT† and adenine-5-bromouracil in dA BU ¯ . The helix-coil transitions of dAT and dA BU ¯ are similar to those of natural DNAs but show three striking differences. First the optical density melting curves are reversible, a fact noted by Marmur & Doty and explained by the alternating sequences. Second, the thermal transition becomes broad in high salt: there is a 20-fold increase in width from the lowest to the highest salt concentration studied. Third, viscosity melting curves measured at the ambient temperature show a pre-transition zone in which the viscosity drops without an observable change in optical density, and in low or moderate salt the viscosity rises as the transition in optical density takes place. In low salt there is a difference of 9°C in the melting temperatures of the two copolymers, dA BU ¯ being the more stable, but this difference disappears in high salt. In the alkaline pH transition dA BU ¯ melts 1·5 pH units below dAT, which is explained by the difference in pK'a between 5-bromouracil (8·0) and thymine (9·8). In both types of transition, conditions can be found where the optical density melting curves for a mixture of dAT and dA BU ¯ show two clearly resolved steps.
Bound to Have Blood: Frontier Newspapers and the Plains Indian Wars. By Hugh J. Reilly. (Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 2011. Pp. ix, 162. $15.95.)

During the second half of the nineteenth century, Americans were greatly interested in the ongoing conflicts with Indians on the Great Plains. People sought information wherever possible in order t...
Transitions between micro-brittle and micro-ductile material behaviour during FCP in short-fibre reinforced composites

Abstract Fatigue crack growth in short-fibre reinforced composites is accompanied by a large zone of transformed (damaged) material. This damage consumes energy and hence is seen to control fatigue fracture toughness and the rate of crack growth. The crack layer theory was employed to introduce the concept of energy required for active zone translation ( γ ∗ R 1 ). This formalism was used to explain transitions in material behaviour and to show how the lengths of different zones affect fatigue fracture toughness and fatigue lifetime. The effect of different mean load levels on fatigue behaviour was also investigated.
Design of discrete-time nonlinear control systems via smooth feedback

Using the center manifold theory for maps in a systematic way, the authors present in this note a necessary condition and sufficient conditions for discrete-time nonlinear systems to be stabilizable via smooth state feedback. Then, the authors derive a necessary and sufficient condition characterizing the existence of exponential observers for Lyapunov stable discrete-time nonlinear systems. This, in turn, leads to a separation principle for the asymptotic stabilization problem. As an application, the output regulation problem is solved via error feedback. >
On the site of discrimination of chicks against vitamin D2

Abstract Chicks are capable of converting both vitamins D2 and D3 at approximately equal rates to the biologically active polar metabolite (peak IV) believed to be the metabolically active form of the vitamin. However, the peak IV metabolite from vitamin D2 has little vitamin D activity in chicks while that from D3 is more biologically active than D3 itself. The peak IV both from D2 and from D3 is fully antirachitic in rats suggesting that the chick discriminates against vitamin D2 at the level of the peak IV metabolite.
Laminated decompositions involving a given submanifold

Abstract Let M denote a connected ( n +1)-manifold (without boundary). We study laminated decompositions of M , by which we mean upper semicontinous decompositions G of M into closed, connected n -manifolds. In particular, given M with a lamination G and N , a locally flat, closed, n -dimensional submanifold, we determine conditions under which M admits another lamination G N with N ϵ G N . For n ≠ 3 a sufficient condition is that i : N → M be a homotopy equivalence. For n > 3 we give examples to show that i : N → M being a homology equivalence is not sufficient. We also show how to replace the assumption of local flatness of N with a weaker cellularity criterion ( n ⩾ 4) known as the inessential loops condition. We then give examples illustrating the abundance of pathology if M is not assumed to have a preexisting lamination.
Serum IgG, IgA and IgM concentration in 1,038 patients with various neurological disorders.

Concentration of serum IgG, IgA and IgM in 1,038 unselected patients with various neurological diseases was determined. In 521 instances, the levels of CSF IgG, IgA and IgM were also established. In serum, the most frequent selective quantitative abnormality was found in the IgA concentration. In CSF, an increased level of IgG with normal IgA concentration and undetectable IgM was established about 8 times more frequently than isolated increase of CSF IgA. Selective quantitative abnormalities in serum IgG were observed in 35% of patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis as compared to 5% in instances in the “definite” MS group. Abnormal bands in the serum gamma-globulin field were most frequently seen in electropherograms from patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, in cases of malignant lymphoproliferative disorders and in patients with “definite” MS. No correlation between the concentration of serum and CSF immunoglobulins could be established. Most frequent quantitative abnormalities in serum IgG, IgA and/or IgM were established in malignant lymphoproliferative disorders, in patients with myopathies including myositides and in subacute or chronic inflammatory CNS disorders. Highest incidence of increased CSF IgG, IgA and/or IgM concentration was detected in patients with inflammatory CNS disease, in instances of “definite” MS and in malignant lymphoproliferative disorders with CNS symptomatology. Increased CSF IgG and IgA concentration with detectable levels of IgM in patients with elevated CSF total proteins indicated alterations in the blood/CNS barrier structures.
Sarcoptes scabiei Mites Modulate Gene Expression in Human Skin Equivalents

The ectoparasitic mite, Sarcoptes scabiei that burrows in the epidermis of mammalian skin has a long co-evolution with its hosts. Phenotypic studies show that the mites have the ability to modulate cytokine secretion and expression of cell adhesion molecules in cells of the skin and other cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems that may assist the mites to survive in the skin. The purpose of this study was to identify genes in keratinocytes and fibroblasts in human skin equivalents (HSEs) that changed expression in response to the burrowing of live scabies mites. Overall, of the more than 25,800 genes measured, 189 genes were up-regulated >2-fold in response to scabies mite burrowing while 152 genes were down-regulated to the same degree. HSEs differentially expressed large numbers of genes that were related to host protective responses including those involved in immune response, defense response, cytokine activity, taxis, response to other organisms, and cell adhesion. Genes for the expression of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) precursor, IL-1β, granulocyte/macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) precursor, and G-CSF precursor were up-regulated 2.8- to 7.4-fold, paralleling cytokine secretion profiles. A large number of genes involved in epithelium development and keratinization were also differentially expressed in response to live scabies mites. Thus, these skin cells are directly responding as expected in an inflammatory response to products of the mites and the disruption of the skin’s protective barrier caused by burrowing. This suggests that in vivo the interplay among these skin cells and other cell types, including Langerhans cells, dendritic cells, lymphocytes and endothelial cells, is responsible for depressing the host’s protective response allowing these mites to survive in the skin.