cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pyrite oxidation and reduction: Molecular orbital theory considerations

In this paper, molecular orbital theory is used to explain a heterogeneous reaction mechanism for both pyrite oxidation and reduction. The mechanism demonstrates that the oxidation of FeS2 by Fe(3+) may occur as a result of three important criteria: (1) the presence of a suitable oxidant having a vacant orbital (in case of liquid phase) or site (solid phase) to bind to the FeS2 via sulfur; (2) the initial formation of a persulfido (disulfide) bridge between FeS2 and the oxidant, and (3) an electron transfer from a pi(asterisk) orbital in S2(2-) to a pi or pi(asterisk) orbital of the oxidant.
Control of neuron shape during development and regeneration

We have examined the ability of Mueller reticulospinal neurons in the CNS of the larval sea lamprey to sprout following axonal and dendritic injury. Axotomy induces regenerative sprouting exclusively from the axon stump if it occurs at a site distant from the soma in the spinal cord. However, axotomy within the hindbrain at a site close to the soma results in profuse neuritic sprouting from the dendrites. The gross morphology and trajectories of these “dendritic” sprouts resemble those of regenerating axons. Amputation of Mueller cell dendrites (dendrotomy) without axotomy does not result in neuritic sprouting from either the axon or dendrites, indicating that axotomy is specifically required for sprouting to occur. However, dendrotomy is capable of altering the distribution of sprouting in a previously axotomized Mueller cell by inducing sprouting at the site of the dendrotomy lesion. Sprouts of both dendritic and axonal origin tend to follow linear, rostrocaudally oriented paths along or near the ventral surface of the hindbrain. Some sprouts form very large, palmate growth cones on the marginal surface, which in turn give rise to many branches that continue to grow either rostrally or caudally along the surface of the brain. We discuss the possibility that both dendritic and axonal sprouts evoked by axotomy of Mueller neurons are recapitulating initial axonal development during embryogenesis, and that their trajectories are determined by developmental guidance cues persisting in the ventral hindbrain.
Pediatric Testicular Torsion Epidemiology Using a National Database: Incidence, Risk of Orchiectomy and Possible Measures Toward Improving the Quality of Care

Purpose: Testicular torsion causes considerable morbidity in the pediatric population but the societal burden is poorly quantified. We determined the modern incidence of testicular torsion as well as the current rates of orchiectomy and attempted testicular salvage, and identified the risk factors for testicular loss.Materials and Methods: A cohort analysis was performed of 2,443 boys (age 1 month to less than 18 years) and 152 newborns who underwent surgery for testicular torsion in the 2000, 2003 and 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database. Patient and hospital characteristics predictive of orchiectomy vs attempted testicular salvage were analyzed.Results: There was a bimodal distribution of testicular torsion with peaks in the first year of life and in early adolescence. The overall mean age ± SD at presentation was 10.6 ± 5.8 years. The estimated yearly incidence of testicular torsion for males younger than 18 years old was 3.8 per 100,000. Orchiectomy was performed in 41...
Comparative genomic analysis of the sigB operon in Listeria monocytogenes and in other Gram-positive bacteria.

The stress-responsive, alternative sigma factor ςB has been described in members of three Gram-positive genera, Bacillus, Listeria, and Staphylococcus. In these bacteria, ςB appears to play an important role in facilitating rapid adaptation to and survival in stressful environments. ςB activity is regulated through a complex system of phosphatases and kinases encoded by rsb (regulator of sigma B) genes. We describe the sigB operon structure for the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes and apply this sequence as well as other previously described sigB operon sequences to probe the evolution and functional conservation of the ςB stress response system among different Gram-positive bacteria. While ςB as well as two Rsbs (RsbS and RsbT) are highly conserved (73%, 84%, and 79% average amino acid [aa] identities, respectively), the predicted aa sequences of the other Rsb proteins showed less conservation (62–71% aa identities). Furthermore, the sigB operon structure varies among bacterial species. Bacterial species differ in the numbers and identities of rsb genes encoded in their genomes. We thus conclude that the ςB stress-response system as represented by the sigB operon has diverged in both its overall components as well as in the sequences of its individual proteins, even among closely related bacterial species. Differential evolution of this stress response system among various genera may represent a strategy that enables bacteria to adapt cellular response and survival systems to a variety of stress conditions.
USA hospice care in the 1990s

The rapid growth of palliative care in the USA has been markedly slowed by restrictions and changes in funding. Despite this, a census in 1989 showed that nearly 200 000 patients were being cared for by hospice programmes employing nearly 20 000 staff in paid positions. Programmes have had to adapt to altered funding requirements. The greatest remaining problem is physicians' ignorance of the specialty of hospice/palliative medicine. The ignorance can be overcome by establishing palliative care as a medical subspecialty (as in the UK) and introducing it into the curricula of medical schools.
Method for the quantitation and characterization of the cholinergic neurotoxin, monoethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion (AF64A)

Abstract Monoethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A), which is generated from the precursor, acetylcholine mustard hydrochloride, exerts selective neurotoxic effects against brain cholinergic neurons when injected intracerebrally. Conditions associated with optimal generation of AF64A were examined. The results indicate that hydrolysis and cyclization of the precursor are optimal at 25°C with the former occurring at pH 9.0 and the latter at pH 7.3. The aziridinium ion is best stabilized at pH 7.3 at 4°C.
Isolation of the intact strands of the deoxyribonucleic acid of TΦ3, a bacteriophage for Bacillus stearothermophilus

Abstract Alkaline-denatured DNA of TФ3, a bacteriophage for the thermophilic bacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 8005, forms two bands in a neutral CsCl density gradient. The difference in density between the two bands increases with increasing concentration of polyriboinosinic-guanylic acid (poly(I,G)). The buoyant density of the heavy (H) strand varies with the relative concentration of poly(I,G) whereas the buoyant density of the light (L) strand does not. The strands were isolated preparatively on the basis of this increased difference in the buoyant density. The isolated strands had typical single-stranded nucleic acid thermal denaturation curves, whereas a mixture of the two strands (H + L) had a typical complementary denatured DNA melting curve. The sedimentation coefficients (under alkaline conditions) of alkaline-denatured TФ3 DNA, H strand, and L strand were 38.3, 38,6 and 39.3 S, respectively. The sedimentation coefficients (under neutral conditions) of the isolated L strand-poly(I,G) complex (L IG ) and H strand-poly(I,G) complex (H IG ) were 77.0 and 184.2 S, respectively. The buoyant densities of the isolated strands were 1.707 (L) and 1.717 (H). The buoyant densities of the isolated complexes were 1.709 (L IG ) and 1.827 (H IG ). These results indicate that the isolated strands are intact and complementary and that the H IG complex is a large aggregate of H strands and poly(I,G).
Virtual Environment for Transportation Data Management System

The New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department has routinely been collecting traffic data and pavement nondestructive testing data (pavement surface deflections) and realized that unless a more efficient way to retrieve and review voluminous amounts of transportation data were developed, the highway engineer would be overwhelmed and some of the data would have to be ignored for practical reasons. The Virtual Environment for Transportation Data (VETD) management system was developed as a proof-of-concept software package to overcome this problem. The VETD management system is a comprehensive front-end software package that allows the user to easily locate and retrieve data files through a map and to visualize large data sets. The user can then invoke numerical or analytical tools to facilitate the decision-making process. The user can also call any off-the-shelf three-dimensional topographical software package to access the virtual-reality representation of the surrounding area associated with ...
Urban vegetational change as an indicator of demographic trends in cities: the case of Detroit.

Urban vegetation impinges upon the physical environment by positively enhancing the microclimate and air and water quality. On the other hand, changes to the physical environment as well as the socioeconomic conditions of urban dwellers affect the health of urban vegetation and species abundance and diversity. This two-way vegetation-environment dynamism makes urban vegetation an ideal meter to gauge the environmental health of cities. Although studies utilizing such a proposition exist with reference to the physical environment, the usefulness of vegetation in monitoring urban social change has received very little attention. In this study the author seeks to find whether changes in urban vegetation can be linked to urban social changes by using Detroit as a case study. Demographic trends in Detroit are analyzed in light of the increasing greenness in the city detected by recent satellite images. Robust relationships between greenness change and demographic factors associated with urban decay (population...
Effects of Bounce on Particle Transport, Deposition and Removal in Turbulent Channel Flow

Effects of bounce on particle transport, deposition and removal in turbulent channel flow are studied. The pseudo-spectral method is used to generate the instantaneous turbulent fluid velocity field by Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) procedure. The particle equation of motion includes all the relevant hydrodynamic forces. In addition, simulation accounts for particle adhesion, resuspension and rebound processes. For particle bounce from the surface, the critical velocity is evaluated and is used in the analysis. Effects of bounce during particle-wall collisions on the deposition rate are also studied.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Seed size and emergence time within a stand of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.): the establishment of a fitness hierarchy

To determine the role of seed size in creating adult plants of different reproductive success, individual seedlings were marked and periodically censused in a natural stand of wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) in Hamden, Connecticut. Maximum cotyledon witdth is a useful field estimator of seed weight in this species, although dramatic variation in the availability of water can modify this relationship. Using maximum cotyledon width as a linear estimate of seed weight showed that an increase in seed weight gives rise to a disproportionately large increase in an individual's total reproductive output. Analysis of covariance demonstrated that reproductive output is influenced more heavily by seed weight (maximum cotyledon width) than by emergence time. Genetic variation for seed size has been maintained in this population, suggesting that selection favoring large seeds during the seedling stage may be counteracted by selection for large numbers of seeds.
Type-1 polarized nature of mouse liver CD8α– and CD8α+ dendritic cells: tissue-dependent differences offset CD8α-related dendritic cell heterogeneity

Interleukin-12 p70 (IL-12p70) is a major dendritic cell (DC)-produced cytokine known to support type-1 T helper (Th1) cells and inflammatory-type immunity. While the ability of DC to produce bioactive IL-12p70 depends on both the DC subtype and the microenvironmental conditions of DC development, the relative contribution of each of these factors remains unclear. Here, we report that in contrast to spleen CD8alpha+ and CD8alpha- DC that show strong differences in their respective IL-12p70-producing capacities, CD8alpha+ and CD8alpha- DC isolated from the liver, a non-lymphoid organ, both efficiently produce IL-12p70 in amounts comparable to spleen CD8alpha+ DC. The IL-12p70-producing capacity CD8alpha+ and CD8alpha- DC from either location is greatly increased following their overnight culture in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The elevated production of IL-12p70 by short-term cultured DC correlates with their enhanced expression of CD40 and other costimulatory molecules, and elevated T cell-stimulatory capacity. These data indicate that low IL-12-producing capacity is not an intrinsic property of the CDalpha8- DC subtype, and support the hypothesis that factors such as the site of DC development and maturation stage play a dominant role in defining DC function.
Limitations of ergonovine testing in patients with variant angina

Fourteen patients with variant angina underwent ergonovine testing during diagnostic coronary angiography. The clinical electrocardiographic or angiographic manifestations of coronary artery spasm could not be reproduced in six of these patients. Five patients had chest pain and transient ST-segment elevation within 4 days of the ergonovine study, including three who developed coronary spasm in the catheterization laboratory. It appears that the sensitivity of ergonovine testing in the diagnosis of coronary spasm is lower than previously emphasized.
Optimization of the loading limit for capillary zone electrophoresis of synthetic opioid and tachykinin peptides: a study of the interactions among the amount of peptide, resolution, saturation, injection volume and capillary diameter

Abstract The upper loading limit in the capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) of a mixture of fourteen synthetic opioid peptides and one tachykinin peptide was determined for capillaries of 50-, 75-, 100-, 130-, 150-, and 200-μm internal diameter (I.D.) to optimize the separation of these neuropeptides. The loading limit is an important parameter for preparative post-CZE studies. Electrophoretic resolution is illustrated for each capillary I.D. as the injection volume and amount of injected peptide increase. Loading limit is evaluated, based on the considerations of resolution, saturation, and current-stability. Among the capillaries studied, the capillary with 100 μm I.D. gives the optimal loading limit (39–78 pmol of each peptide).
New mites (Acari: Laelapidae) from the nests of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponinae) from Asia

Abstract Two new mite species found in Trigona nests from Sumatra, Malaysia and the Philippines are described and illustrated. They belong to the genus Eumellitiphis Turk, hitherto known only from a single species described from Lestrimellita nests from the West Indies. A key based on dorsal chaetotaxy and ventral sclerotization is provided for the females of the new species, Eumellitiphis inouei and E. philippinensis, and E. mellitus Turk. A list of known laelapid commensals inhabiting the nests of meliponine stingless bees is given, with geographic distribution and host relationships.
Optimizing wavefront-guided corrections for highly aberrated eyes in the presence of registration uncertainty

Dynamic registration uncertainty of a wavefront-guided correction with respect to underlying wavefront error (WFE) inevitably decreases retinal image quality. A partial correction may improve average retinal image quality and visual acuity in the presence of registration uncertainties. The purpose of this paper is to (a) develop an algorithm to optimize wavefront-guided correction that improves visual acuity given registration uncertainty and (b) test the hypothesis that these corrections provide improved visual performance in the presence of these uncertainties as compared to a full-magnitude correction or a correction by Guirao, Cox, and Williams (2002). A stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm was used to optimize the partial-magnitude correction for three keratoconic eyes based on measured scleral contact lens movement. Given its high correlation with logMAR acuity, the retinal image quality metric log visual Strehl was used as a predictor of visual acuity. Predicted values of visual acuity with the optimized corrections were validated by regressing measured acuity loss against predicted loss. Measured loss was obtained from normal subjects viewing acuity charts that were degraded by the residual aberrations generated by the movement of the full-magnitude correction, the correction by Guirao, and optimized SPGD correction. Partial-magnitude corrections optimized with an SPGD algorithm provide at least one line improvement of average visual acuity over the full magnitude and the correction by Guirao given the registration uncertainty. This study demonstrates that it is possible to improve the average visual acuity by optimizing wavefront-guided correction in the presence of registration uncertainty.
An evaluation of the rotational barrier about the BN bond of 1-aminoborepins

Abstract 13C NMR spectroscopy has been used to determined the barriers to rotation about the BN bonds of 1-(N-benzyl-N-methylamino)borepin and 1-(N-benzyl-N-methylamino)-4,5-dihydroborepin as 18 and 19.8 kcal mol−1, respectively. The corresponding rotational barriers of a variety of aminoboranes have been calculated using the semi-empirical AM1 method.
A time integration algorithm based on the state transition matrix for structures with time varying and nonlinear properties

A variable order method of integrating the structural dynamics equations that is based on the state transition matrix has been developed. The method has been evaluated for linear time variant and nonlinear systems of equations. When the time variation of the system can be modeled exactly by a polynomial it produces nearly exact solutions for a wide range of time step sizes. Solutions of a model nonlinear dynamic response exhibiting chaotic behavior have been computed. Accuracy of the method has been demonstrated by comparison with solutions obtained by established methods.
Statewide adolescent asthma surveillance.

We assessed the prevalence of diagnosed asthma, wheezing, healthcare utilization, and environmental triggers in children ages 13-14 years, and evaluated the feasibility of statewide asthma surveillance in North Carolina. A cross-sectional study (N = 1596) was conducted using the International Survey for Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Ten percent reported current diagnosed asthma. Nineteen percent reported wheezing symptoms with no diagnosis of asthma. Children with frequent wheezing were more likely to be poor, African-American, and female. Thirty percent of diagnosed asthmatics made 1 or more emergency room visits in the last year. Undiagnosed asthmatics were unmedicated. These results highlight the magnitude of the asthma epidemic in early adolescence, and illustrate that statewide surveillance using ISAAC is feasible.
Right ventricular mechanics in the fetus with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Background Right ventricular mechanics influence outcomes in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). The aim of this study was to determine whether differences in right ventricular performance have their origins in fetal life and if the architectural character of the hypoplastic left ventricle affects right ventricular mechanics. Methods The first complete fetal echocardiograms after 17 weeks' gestation were reviewed in 84 fetuses with HLHS and in 115 gestational age-matched normal controls. Inflow, outflow, and myocardial tissue Doppler velocities were measured. E/A and E/e′ ratios and right ventricular myocardial performance index were calculated. Results In fetuses with HLHS, there were lower tricuspid E/A ratios (mean, 0.6 ± 0.1 vs 0.7 ± 0.1; P P = .006), and higher right ventricular myocardial performance indices (mean, 0.47 ± 0.14 vs 0.40 ± 0.10; P Conclusions Right ventricular mechanics are different from normal in fetuses with HLHS and are influenced by the presence of left ventricular endocardial fibroelastosis. These differences precede the imposition of undue loading conditions as a consequence of surgical palliation and may offer clues to the development of later right ventricular failure.
Lu-Hf and Sm-Nd isotopic systematics in chondrites and their constraints on the Lu-Hf properties of the Earth

Sm–Nd and Lu–Hf isotopic data are presented for 19 chondritic meteorites: six carbonaceous chondrites, five L-chondrites, seven H-chondrites, and a single enstatite chondrite. The primary goal of the study is to better define the Bulk Silicate Earth (BSE) reference values for Hf isotopes. Except for one sample with lower Sm/Nd, the Sm–Nd data define a cluster around the accepted reference values for chondrites and terrestrial planets, giving a mean 147Sm/144Nd of 0.1960±0.0005, and a mean 143Nd/144Nd of 0.512631±0.000010 (uncertainties are two standard errors). It seems appropriate to retain the presently accepted Sm–Nd reference parameters, 147Sm/144Nd=0.1966 and 143Nd/144Nd=0.512638 (when fractionation-corrected to 146Nd/144Nd=0.7219).Lu–Hf isotopic data are not clustered, but spread along an approximate 4.5-Ga isochron trend, with a range of 176Lu/177Hf from 0.0301 to 0.0354. The data are similar to many of the samples of chondrites presented by Bizzarro et al. [Nature 421 (2003) 931], but lack the range to lower Lu/Hf shown by those authors. Our chondrite data define a regression line of 4.44±0.34 Ga when 1.867×10−11 year−1 is used for the decay constant of 176Lu [Science 293 (2001) 683; Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 219 (2004) 311–324]. Combining our data with the main population of analyses from Bizzarro et al. [Nature 421 (2003) 931] yields 4.51±0.24 Ga. Unless samples of eucrite meteorites and deviating replicates of chondrites with 176Lu/177Hf less than 0.030 are employed, no combination of the main population of chondrite Lu–Hf data yields a regression with sufficiently low error to constrain the decay constant of 176Lu. Sample heterogeneity seems to hinder the acquisition of reproducible Lu–Hf analyses from small, manually ground pieces of chondrites, and we suggest that analysis of powders prepared from large volumes of meteorite will be needed to adequately characterize the Lu–Hf isotope systematics of chondritic reservoirs and of BSE. Our results for carbonaceous chondrites show higher average 176Lu/177Hf and 176Hf/177Hf than ordinary chondrites, and the mean of carbonaceous chondrites also coincides with replicate analyses of a powder representing a large volume of meteorite, the Allende powder from the Smithsonian Institution. Use of the carbonaceous chondrite mean for BSE Lu–Hf characteristics results in a BSE Hf–Nd point that lies well within the array of terrestrial compositions, and leads to plausible initial eHf values for Precambrian rocks. An improved objective resolution of meteorite data and of meteoritic models for the Earth needs to occur before BSE can be established for Lu–Hf.
THE TIMING OF ENDOTHERMY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTRICAL BIRDS

Nestlings of altricial birds are unable to maintain homeothermic body temperatures at hatching, and their abilities to thermoregulate improve gradually during growth. Numerous studies have indicated the ages at which various species become essentially homeothermic (the "age of endothermy," e.g., Dawson and Evans 1957, 1960, Maher 1964, Ricklefs and Hainsworth 1969). However, little is known of the degree of flexibility of that age with respect to other growth processes, or of the adaptive significance of its timing. Dawson and Evans (1957) noted a correlation between the age of endothermy and the length of the nestling period for several species of altricial birds. Contrary results were found by Maher (1964) who demonstrated nearly identical ages of endothermy in the Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) and the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) in spite of the former's markedly longer nestling period. On the other hand, Morton and Carey (1971) stated that rapid acquisition of endothermy is a primitive characteristic of the Fringillidae and that the Snow Bunting has more recently acquired a protected nest site and a longer nestling period. Ricklefs and Hainsworth (1968) were able to show that the age of endothermy does not occur at the same stage of growth in all species. Thus, the age of endothermy normally may be flexible with respect to growth and most directly dependent on the length of the nestling period. This paper examines the correlations among various growth parameters, nestling period, and the age of endothermy for a variety of altricial species to determine which factors best predict that age.
Polydimethylsiloxane pellets for sustained delivery of morphine in mice

A new dosage form was designed whereby a polymeric silicone elastomer pellet provided sustained delivery of morphine to mice over 11 days. These pellets, which can be made easily and inexpensively with a standard tablet mold, gradually released morphine sulfate into the implanted mice. Maximal morphine-induced physical dependence, measured by jumping during naloxone-induced withdrawal, was observed 3-5 days after implantation. At this time, slightly less than 50% of the morphine sulfate had been released. Drug release continued through Day 11 and was accompanied by a physical dependence of decreased magnitude compared to that observed on Day 3 or 5.
MCMC-Based Assessment of the Error Characteristics of a Surface-Based Combined Radar–Passive Microwave Cloud Property Retrieval

Collocated active and passive remote sensing measurements collected at U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program sites enable simultaneous retrieval of cloud and precipitation properties and air motion. Previous studies indicate the parameters of a bimodal cloud particle size distribution can be effectively constrained using a combination of passive microwave radiometer and radar observations; however, aspects of the particle size distribution and particle shape are typically assumed to be known. In addition, many retrievals assume the observation and retrieval error statistics have Gaussian distributions and use least squares minimization techniques to find a solution. In truth, the retrieval error characteristics are largely unknown. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods can be used to produce a robust estimate of the probability distribution of a retrieved quantity that is nonlinearly related to the measurements and that has non-Gaussian error statistics. In this work, an MCMC algorithm is used to explore the error characteristics of cloud property retrievals from surface-based W-band radar and low-frequency microwave radiometer observations for a case of orographic snowfall. In this particular case, it is found that a combination of passive microwave radiometer measurements with radar reflectivity and Doppler velocity is sufficient to constrain the liquid and ice particle size distributions, but only if the width parameter of the assumed gamma particle size distribution and mass‐dimensional relationships are specified. If the width parameter and mass‐dimensional relationships are allowed to vary realistically, auniqueretrieval of the liquid andiceparticlesizedistribution forthisorographic snowfall caseisrendered far more problematic.
Magnetic suspension and balance systems

Conditions necessary for controlled magnetic suspension are reviewed, and various types and configurations of systems are described. The principal components of these systems are discussed. The use of magnetic suspension and balance systems in wind tunnels is then considered, and some aerodynamic results are examined. >
Essentialism gives way to motivation

The recognition that contentful universals are rare and often "banal" does not undermine the tact that most non-universal but recurring patterns of language are amenable to explanation. These patterns are sensical or motivated solutions to interacting and often conflicting factors. As implied by the Evans & Levinson's (E&L's) article, linguistics would be well served to move beyond the essentialist bias that seeks universal, innate, unchanging categories with rigid boundaries.
Facioskeletal changes in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective: To investigate the facioskeletal morphology in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with and without temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement. Methods: Eighty five patients were included. TMJ involvement was defined by orthopantomogram alterations. Lateral cephalograms were used to determine linear and angular measurements and occlusion. Results: Patients regardless of their TMJ status had a 67% chance for retrognathia and a 52% chance for posterior rotation of the mandible and, respectively, 82% and 58% if TMJ involvement were present. Changes were not uniformly distributed among the different subtypes. Conclusion: Patients with JIA have an altered facial morphology, especially in the presence of TMJ involvement.
Spatial Mismatch is not Always a Central-city Problem: An Analysis of Commuting Behaviour in Cleveland, Ohio, and its Suburbs

The spatial mismatch hypothesis predicts that black residents of central cities will have longer commutes that others due to: (a) racial discrimination in the housing and labor markets; and (b) the scarcity of entry-level jobs in the central city. This paper uses a quasi-experimental design to distinguish between these two types of spatial mismatch using 1990 data from Cleveland, Ohio. Commuting times for the residents of four Cleveland neighborhoods were compared: a poor black neighborhood in Cleveland; a poor white neighborhood in Cleveland; a lower-middle-class black suburb; and a lower-middle-class white suburb. The results did not find any strong evidence that city residents suffered from poor job accessibility in 1990. However, findings did reveal that residents of the black suburb had longer commutes than resident of the white suburb, even though the black suburb was accessible to more skill-matched jobs. Far more black than white suburbanites worked in the central city. Potential causes for this finding are suggested, including hiring discrimination or preferences on the part of black workers for specific industry sectors.
Carbon dynamics of Oregon and Northern California forests and potential land-based carbon storage.

Net uptake of carbon from the atmosphere (net ecosystem production, NEP) is dependent on climate, disturbance history, management practices, forest age, and forest type. To improve understanding of the influence of these factors on forest carbon stocks and flux in the western United States, federal inventory data and supplemental field measurements at additional plots were used to estimate several important components of the carbon balance in forests in Oregon and Northern California during the 1990s. Species- and ecoregion-specific allometric equations were used to estimate live and dead biomass stores, net primary productivity (NPP), and mortality. In the semiarid East Cascades and mesic Coast Range, mean total biomass was 8 and 24 kg C/m 2 , and mean NPP was 0.30 and 0.78 kg Cm � 2 � yr � 1 , respectively. Maximum NPP and dead biomass stores were most influenced by climate, whereas maximum live biomass stores and mortality were most influenced by forest type. Within ecoregions, mean live and dead biomass were usually higher on public lands, primarily because of the younger age class distribution on private lands. Decrease in NPP with age was not general across ecoregions, with no marked decline in old stands (.200 years old) in some ecoregions. In the absence of stand-replacing disturbance, total landscape carbon stocks could theoretically increase from 3.2 6 0.34 Pg C to 5.9 6 1.34 Pg C (a 46% increase) if forests were managed for maximum carbon storage. Although the theoretical limit is probably unattainable, given the timber-based economy and fire regimes in some ecoregions, there is still potential to significantly increase the land-based carbon storage by increasing rotation age and reducing harvest rates.
High Tc monolithic helical magnets

Helical magnets have been manufactured of both high Tc and low Tc materials. The helical magnets are manufactured from solid hollow cylinders. A helix is machined in the cylinders, resulting in one-layer solenoids. In this paper, results of a BSCCO 2212 helical magnet are discussed. The magnet has been tested in fields up to 15 T. Stability, quench protection, and critical parameters have been determined. Results of local heating of the magnet, and the resulting quench propagation, have been studied. A distributed method of quench protection has been tested. The results may be used for quench protection of large high-Tc magnets. The details of the testing are described.
Stability and margin of stability tests for multidimensional filters

In this paper we give simplified proofs of the stability and the margin of stability criteria of Zeheb and Walach for n-dimensional recursive digital filters. We base our proofs on the method of Lagrange multipliers. Both the stability and margin of stability questions are converted into the problem of locating the zeros of a system of polynomial equations. These systems can then be solved using Buchberger's algorithm for computing the Groebner basis of a polynomial ideal.
Cladistic biogeography of Gleditsia (Leguminosae) based on ndhF and rpl16 chloroplast gene sequences

We used cladistic analysis of chloroplast gene sequences (ndhF and rpl16) to test biogeographic hypotheses in the woody genus Gleditsia. Previous morphological comparisons suggested the presence of two eastern Asian-eastern North American species pairs among the 13 known species, as well as other intra- and inter-continental disjunctions. Results from phylogenetic analyses, interpreted in light of the amount of sequence divergence observed, led to the following conclusions. First, there is a fundamental division of the genus into three clades, only one of which contains both Asian and North American species. Second, the widespread and polymorphic Asian species, G. japonica, is sister to the two North American species, G. triacanthos and G. aquatica, which themselves are closely related inter se, but are both polymorphic and paraphyletic. Third, the lone South American Gleditsia species, G. amorphoides, forms a clade with two eastern Asian species. Gleditsia thus appears to have only one Asian-North American disjunction and no intercontinental species pairs. Low sequence divergence between G. amorphoides and its closest Asian relatives implicates long-distance dispersal in the origin of this unusual disjunction. Sequence divergence between Asian and North American Gleditsia is much lower than between Asian and North American species of its closest relative, Gymnocladus. Estimates of Asian-North American divergence times for Gymnocladus are in general accordance with fossil data, but estimates for Gleditsia suggest recent divergences that conflict with ages of known North American Gleditsia fossils.
Neurodevelopmental changes in working memory and cognitive control

One of the most salient ways in which our behavior changes during childhood and adolescence is that we get better at working towards long-term goals, at ignoring irrelevant information that could distract us from our goals, and at controlling our impulses — in other words, we exhibit improvements in cognitive control. Several recent magnetic resonance imaging studies have examined the developmental changes in brain structure and function that underlie improvements in working memory and cognitive control. Increased recruitment of task-relevant regions in the prefrontal cortex, parietal cortex and striatum over the course of development is associated with better performance in a range of cognitive tasks. Further work is needed to assess the role of experience in shaping the neural circuitry that underlies cognitive control.
Factors Limiting Fruit Production in Asclepias meadii in Northeastern Kansas

Abstract Low levels of fruit production are thought to threaten the persistence of Asclepias meadii (Mead's milkweed) populations. We evaluated four hypotheses explaining the low fruit production in one population (herbivory, pollen limitation, resource shortages and rainfall) by collecting within-year data on stem size, levels of fruit initiation and mature fruit production and by considering among-year data on total fruit production and annual rainfall. In 2002, severe herbivory resulted in the death of about 63% of the population's flowering stems. Managers could increase fruit production by protecting stems from mammal herbivory. A path analysis revealed that leaf width and the number of fruits initiated were the most important predictors of mature fruit production. In 1991–2002 the previous year's total annual precipitation significantly affected the total number of fruits produced only in years of burning. Increasing the persistence of these long-lived plants to years of greater rainfall could have ...
COUNTABLE LENGTH RAMSEY GAMES

It is known that the first player has a winning strategy for the Ramsey game R(α, < n, a) if α < ω2 is a limit ordinal, and for the Ramsey game R(α, 2,α) if α < ω1 is a limit ordinal or the successor of a limit ordinal. By way of contrast, we show that the second player wins R(ω ω , 3, ω ω ). More generally, the second player wins R(φ, 3, ω V (ω ω )*) for φ a scattered linear order type of any cardinality (where the game lasts ω-many moves).
NOTE FROM THE EDITORIAL OFFICE: THE PASSING OF KERR L. WHITE.

It is with great sadness that I have to inform the readers of the International Journal of Health Services of the death of Dr. Kerr L. White, a founding member of the Editorial Board of the Journal and a major force behind its establishment. Dr. White was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to a Scottish father and English mother. He studied economics and medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, and continued his studies in economics at Yale University. He also undertook graduate studies in statistics and epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He was the founder of health services research and development in the United States, having established the National Center for Health Services and Research Development of the U.S. federal government. His areas of expertise included the organization, funding, and impact of health care on health and quality of life of populations. A primary motivation of his work was linking his commitment to social relevance with the rigor required in scientific research. Dr. White was invited by the Johns Hopkins University to establish a division of Medical Care and Hospitals in the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, which later became the Department of Health Policy and Management. He was a major progressive force at Hopkins and in the academic community of the United States. He encouraged his students and collaborators to question the conventional wisdom in medical establishments in the 1960s, when the Journal was established, with the intention to provide a forum for critical research and scholarship. He and Karl Evang, senior public health officer of Norway, and Sir John Brotherston, senior public health officer of Scotland, encouraged me to establish the IJHS. I had the enormous privilege of being a student of all three. In this description of Professor Kerr White, I would like to add a personal note. Kerr was an excellent human being. When I finished my studies in health
Effects of the fructose analog, 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol, on food intake and estrous cyclicity in Syrian hamsters

Hyperphagia and anovulation are both triggered by prior food deprivation or other treatments that decrease intracellular availability of metabolic fuels in most species studied. Syrian hamsters fail to show compensatory hyperphagia, but do show anestrus in response to these energetic challenges. In the present experiments, we examined food intake, plasma glucose levels, and estrous cyclicity in Syrian hamsters in response to 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol (2,5-AM), a fructose analog that is thought to trigger eating in rats by depleting intracellular levels of ATP. In experiment 1, female estrous cycling hamsters were treated with 100, 200, 400, or 800 mg/kg 2,5-AM or the vehicle by intraperitoneal injection. Food intake was measured 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 h after treatment. There were no statistically significant increases in food intake in response to any dose of 2,5-AM. In experiment 2, blood samples were drawn at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 25 h after hamsters were treated with 0 or 400 mg/kg 2,5-AM. 2,5-AM treatment resulted in a mild but significant decrease in plasma glucose levels similar to those seen in 2,5-AM-treated rats, suggesting that 2,5-AM has similar effects on fuel metabolism in rats and hamsters. In experiment 3, hamsters received 2,5-AM, 2,5-AM plus the fatty acid oxidation inhibitor methyl palmoxirate, or vehicle every 6 h over the first 48 h of the estrous cycle and were tested for indexes of estrous cyclicity at the end of the cycle. All hamsters showed normal estrous cycles, regardless of treatment. If 2,5-AM has similar metabolic consequences in rats and hamsters, the present results suggest that decreased intracellular levels of ATP and mild hypoglycemia do not increase food intake or inhibit estrous cyclicity in Syrian hamsters.
Diagnostic Fail Data Minimization Using an $N$ -Cover Algorithm

With the increasing transistor count and design complexity of modern integrated circuits, a large volume of fail data is collected by the tester for a failing die. This fail data is analyzed by a diagnosis procedure to obtain information about the defects in the die that caused it to fail. However, large portions of the fail data are not necessary for diagnosis. As a result, the diagnosis procedure spends time analyzing unnecessary data, thus decreasing its speed and throughput. We present a methodology to minimize the amount of fail data that is provided to the diagnosis procedure without compromising the diagnosis accuracy (DA). Our methodology evaluates the outputs at which the tests failed to eliminate noncontributing failing tests. The efficacy of our algorithm is demonstrated using fail data from industry fabricated chips. The experimental results show that, on average, our algorithm achieves fail data minimization of 40% while maintaining an average DA of 95%. The speed of the diagnosis procedure is increased by 39%.
π-Complexation in nickel-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions.

The kinetic isotope effect (KIE) is used to experimentally elucidate the first irreversible step in oxidative addition reactions of a zerovalent nickel catalyst to a set of haloarene substrates. Halogenated o-methylbenzene, dimethoxybenzene, and thiophene derivatives undergo intramolecular oxidative addition through irreversible π-complexation. Density functional theory computations at the B3LYP-D3/TZ2P-LANL2TZ(f)-LANL08d level predict η2-bound π-complexes are generally stable relative to a solvated catalyst plus free substrate and that ring-walking of the Ni(0) catalyst and intramolecular oxidative addition are facile in these intermediates.
Disappearing bodies: VISIBILITY AND ERASURE, MOBILITY AND CONTAINMENT OF THE THIRD WORLD IMMIGRANT DURING THE WAR ON TERROR

Ishtiyaq Shukri's novel, The silent minaret, centres on the disappearance of Issa Sham-suddin. Is his disappearance an act of defiance, or have “sinister forces” orchestrated his erasure? Issa's removal from the documenting machinery of the nation state can be seen as an act of insubordination: a means of protesting the categorization of the colonial body through the map of passports, visas, and permits. The problem with reading Issa's disappearance as a site of protest is that state-organized acts of “disappearance” are occurring simultaneously as the novel unfolds.The prisoners that Issa sees, on the television screen at the shisha cafe in London, are the first arrivees in what is to become a notorious system of prison colonies outside official US jurisdiction, outside the legal and physical borders of United States territory. Shukri draws parallels between the ventures of theVOC the manner in which labouring bodies were moved, removed, and erased in order to fulfil colonial desires and the way...
Abstract 2290: More than a biomarker: Studying the role of vimentin in lung cancer metastasis

A major mechanism of metastasis is the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) where epithelial cells from the primary site undergo genetic and epigenetic alterations to become motile and mesenchymal. A canonical marker of EMT and a clinical marker of metastasis is the intermediate filament protein, vimentin. Vimentin expression correlates with increased metastatic potential and poor patient prognosis across most solid tumor types including lung, prostate, and breast cancers; however little is known about how vimentin functions to promote the metastatic cascade. Here we use a lung cancer mouse model to study the role of vimentin in lung cancer metastasis in vivo. We have re-developed an LSL-KrasG12D,LKB1fl/fl mouse model whereby intranasal administration of lentiviral Cre recombinase causes a KrasG12D mutation and LKB1 knockout in the lungs. Consequently, about half of the mice that develop primary lung tumors after 10 weeks also develop metastasis to the mediastinal lymph nodes by week 16. We crossed this mouse with a Vim-/- mouse to create a LSL-KrasG12D,LKB1fl/fl, Vim-/- (termed here KLV) mouse to determine if loss of vimentin prevents lung cancer metastasis in this model. Our findings show that the KLV mouse exhibits significantly less metastasis to the mediastinal lymph nodes (12%) as compared with its vimentin wild type counterpart but does not show a decrease in primary tumor formation. These knockout mice also exhibit less focal invasion at the primary tumor site while maintaining a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma histology independent of vimentin genotype. Taken together, our work indicates that vimentin is critical for lung cancer metastasis but not primary tumor formation. Citation Format: Alessandra M. Salgueiro, Melissa Gilbert-Ross, Lauren S. Havel, John Shupe, Adam I. Marcus. More than a biomarker: Studying the role of vimentin in lung cancer metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2290. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2290
Interventional Treatments of Cancer Pain

Pain is a significant burden for patients with cancer and is particularly prevalent among those with advanced cancer. Appropriate interventional cancer pain therapies complement conventional pain management by reducing the need for systemic opioid therapy and its associated toxicity; however, these therapies are often underutilized. This article reviews techniques, indications, complications, and outcomes of the most common interventional approaches for the management of cancer-related pain. These approaches include intrathecal drug delivery, vertebral augmentation, neurolysis of the celiac, superior hypogastric and ganglion impar plexus', image-guided tumor ablation, and other less commonly performed but potentially beneficial interventions.