cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations between baseline and longitudinal semi-automated quantitative joint space width at the hip and incident hip osteoarthritis: Data from a community-based cohort.

Objective To evaluate quantitative joint space width (qJSW, at 10-, 30-, and 50-degree locations) in relation to incident radiographic and symptomatic hip osteoarthritis (rHOA and sxHOA, respectively) in a community-based cohort. Methods Data were from Johnston County OA Project (JoCoOA) participants with supine hip radiographs at each of 4 timepoints; all had Kellgren-Lawrence grades (KLG) and qJSW. We assessed covariates (age, race, height, weight, body mass index [BMI]) associated with qJSW, and hip-level associations between qJSW and HOA, over time using sex-stratified and multivariable-adjusted linear mixed models. A cluster analysis with logistic regression estimated associations between qJSW trajectory groups and incident rHOA and sxHOA. Results At baseline, 397 participants (784 hips, 41% men, 24% Black, mean age=57 years) had a mean BMI=29 kilograms/meter2 . Over a mean of 18 years, 20% and 12% developed incident KLG-defined rHOA or sxHOA, respectively. QJSW was more sensitive to changes over time at 50 degrees. Values were stable among men but declined over time in women. Heavier women lost more qJSW; changes in qJSW were not significantly associated with race, education, or injury in women or men. In women only, loss of qJSW over time was associated with 2-3 times higher odds of rHOA and sxHOA; among women and men, narrower baseline qJSW was associated with these outcomes. Conclusion Hip qJSW demonstrates marked sex differences, with significant loss over time only in women. Loss of qJSW over time in women, and narrower baseline qJSW in men and women, was associated with incident rHOA and sxHOA.
Does immigration boost public Euroscepticism in European Union member states

A number of studies have established a strong link between anti-immigration and Eurosceptic attitudes. But does this relationship necessarily imply that more immigration would increase public Euros...
Advances in engineering and synthetic biology toward improved therapeutic immune cells

Abstract Engineered immune cells as therapies is a rapidly growing field that can successfully address complex and refractory disease in ways traditional molecular therapeutics cannot. Currently, engineering these cells entails viral-mediated genomic integration of desired genes or electroporation-based delivery of gene-editing machinery, notably the Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats - CRISPR-associated (CRISPR-Cas9) system. Recent advancements in nonviral delivery methods and improved Cas-based gene editors are providing new tools that may enable the production of consistent and precisely defined therapeutic immune cells. Combined with ideas borrowed from synthetic biology, these engineering advances are poised to help create the next generation of immune cell therapies with even greater precision and functionality to address complex diseases.
EIT-kit Demo: An Electrical Impedance Tomography Toolkit for Health and Motion Sensing

In this paper, we propose EIT-kit, an electrical impedance tomography toolkit for designing and fabricating health and motion sensing devices. EIT-kit contains (1) an extension to a 3D editor for personalizing the form factor of electrode arrays and electrode distribution, (2) a customized EIT sensing motherboard for performing the measurements, (3) a microcontroller library that automates signal calibration and facilitates data collection, and (4) an image reconstruction library for mobile devices for interpolating and visualizing the measured data. Together, these EIT-kit components allow for applications that require 2- or 4-terminal setups, up to 64 electrodes, and single or multiple (up to four) electrode arrays simultaneously. We motivate the design of each component of EIT-kit with a formative study, and conduct a technical evaluation of the data fidelity of our EIT measurements. We demonstrate the design space that EIT-kit enables by showing various applications in health as well as motion sensing and control.
Measuring the Physical Properties of the Solar Corona: Results from SUMER/SOHO and TRACE

Using SUMER observations taken above the limb of a quiet region we derive electron temperatures, emission measures, and absolute elemental abundances. This analysis, which uses recently published ionization balance calculations and the latest solar photospheric abundances, indicates that the low-FIP elements are enriched by a factor of 2.3 ± 0.7 in the corona, which is smaller than some previous measurements. TRACE observations of this region yield systematically lower temperatures and emission measures.
Elevated expression of 5-HT1B receptors in nucleus accumbens efferents sensitizes animals to cocaine.

Although the effects of psychostimulants on brain dopamine systems are well recognized, the direct actions of cocaine on serotonin systems also appear to be important to its addictive properties. For example, serotonin actions at 5-HT1B receptors in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) modulate cocaine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and alter the rewarding and stimulant properties of cocaine. However, the mechanisms of these effects have been unclear, because several neuron types in VTA express 5-HT1B receptors. One possibility is that 5-HT1B receptors on the terminals of GABAergic projections from NAcc to VTA inhibit local GABA release, thereby disinhibiting VTA neurons. We tested this hypothesis directly by using viral-mediated gene transfer to overexpress 5-HT1B receptors in NAcc projections to VTA. A viral vector containing either epitope hemagglutinin-tagged 5-HT1B and green fluorescent protein (HA1B–GFP) cassettes or green fluorescent protein cassette alone (GFP-only) was injected into the NAcc shell, which sends projections to the VTA. HA1B–GFP injection induced elevated expression of 5-HT1B receptors in neuronal fibers in VTA and increased cocaine-induced locomotor hyperactivity without affecting baseline locomotion. Overexpression of 5-HT1B receptors also shifted the dose–response curve for cocaine-conditioned place preference to the left, indicating alterations in the rewarding effects of cocaine. Thus, increased expression of 5-HT1B receptors in NAcc efferents, probably in the terminals of medium spiny neurons projecting to the VTA, may contribute to psychomotor sensitization and offer an important target for regulating the addictive effects of cocaine.
Ionosphere‐thermosphere models at the Community Coordinated Modeling Center

[1] One of the ways to address the science needs of the research community and to enable science progress is to provide community access to modern space science models. The Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) is a multiagency partnership based at the Goddard Space Flight Center that hosts a set of state-of-the-art space science models ranging from the solar atmosphere to the Earth's upper atmosphere. The CCMC provides a Web-based, no-cost, Runs on Request system, by which the interested scientist can readily request simulations for time intervals of interest. CCMC also provides a tailored Web-based visualization interface for the model output, including near-real-time results from select models. Model outputs have been specifically tailored for easy comparison with observational data to facilitate data analysis and model validation. This paper provides an overview of CCMC activities, with an emphasis on the ionosphere-thermosphere models residing there.
Adaptive Algorithms for Cache-Efficient Trie Search

In this paper, we present cache-efficient algorithms for trie search. There are three key features of these algorithms. First, they use different data structures (partitioned-array, B-tree, hashtable, vectors) to represent different nodes in a trie. The choice of the data structure depends on cache characteristics as well as the fanout of the node. Second, they adapt to changes in the fanout at a node by dynamically switching the data structure used to represent the node. Third, the size and the layout of individual data structures is determined based on the size of the symbols in the alphabet as well as characteristics of the cache(s). We evaluate the performance of these algorithms on real and simulated memory hierarchies. Our evaluation indicates that these algorithms outperform alternatives that are otherwise efficient but do not take cache characteristics into consideration. A comparison of the number of instructions executed indicates that these algorithms derive their performance advantage primarily by making better use of the memory hierarchy.
The effects that the optical properties of particles have on atmospheric aerosol measurements with optical particle spectrometers

Abstract The response of optical spectrometers is affected by the optical properties of measured particles. Kim and Boatman (1990a, 1990b) derived new corrected size calibration data, based on the Mie scattering response calculations for different refractive index values. The validity of these calibration corrections was assessed by comparing the aerosol scattering extinctions calculated from the spectrometer data with those measured simultaneously by a three-wavelength nephelometer. The agreement between the measured and calculated scattering extinctions was within 15%, when the size calibration data from the “rural” aerosol model were used.
Step kinetics on monosodium urate monohydrate single crystal surfaces: an in situ AFM study

The deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in synovial fluid is a classic clinical symptom of the joint disease gout. In previous work (CrystEngComm, 2011, 13, 1111–1117), it was reported that crystal growth occurs by an island deposition mechanism in 2–10 mM urate solutions under simulated physiologic conditions (150 mM NaCl, 37 °C, pH = 7.4). The present work examines in greater detail the molecular-level growth occurring in the areas between deposited islands on two types of single crystal surfaces – (100) and (1–10) using in situ atomic force microscopy. The surface topography on both types of faces consisted of elementary (unit cell) steps and macrosteps (>45 nm) which showed significant quantifiable differences in their in-plane growth kinetics. All growing steps exhibited orientations corresponding to high Miller Index directions and showed a non-linear increase in lateral velocity over the supersaturation range σ = 2.5–3.4. Topographical imaging was additionally used to establish the preferred relative orientation of domains in these frequently twinned crystals.
Archeological evidence for selection in avocado

A series of avocado seeds recovered from the deposits in El Riego, Purron and Coxeatlan Caves of the Tehuaean area show gradual increase in size and a change in shape from oldest to youngest. The oldest cotyledon from Zone XXIV of the Coxcatlan Cave deposit is dated at least 7000 B. C. It was probably brought into the Cave from a native tree growing in mesic forest in one of the barrancas in the mountainside to the east. The quantity of avocado seeds and the presence of other undoubtedly cultivated plants indicates that avocados probably were being planted on nearby streamsides by 6500 B. C. The dramatic increase in the figure obtained by multiplying the length by the width of the largest avocado cotyledons proves that selection for larger fruit was markedly effective by 900 B. C. Since avocados are a long-lived tree crop and the results of selection are not readily apparent, the increase in size is particularly significant. While the average size of the avocado cotyledons increases from older to younger cultural horizons, the smaller seeds remain abundant. Evidently trees that bore small or poor fruit were not eliminated and they probably slowed the process of selection materially for trees that bore larger and better fruit.
A New TRADDition in Intracellular Antiviral Signaling

To effectively defeat viral infection, a mammalian host must detect the presence of viruses and activate a robust antiviral response, which is mediated by cytokines known as type I interferons (IFNs). Much excitement has been generated by the discovery of the retinoic acid–induced gene 1–like helicase (RLH) pathway, which detects RNA-containing viruses in the cytoplasm and activates the type I IFN response. A study now describes a role for the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)–associated death domain (TRADD) in the antiviral response and sheds new light on how the RLH signaling complex is organized upon viral infection.
Low-dimensional [110]-orientated lead chalcogenides for mid-infrared lasers

Low dimensional lead salt structure such as quantum-well (QW) structure is proposed for the fabrication of opto-electronic devices. Among [100], [111], and [110] orientations, [110]-orientated QW structure offers the highest gain. Theoretical simulations of [110] QW Pb-salt edge-emitting lasers show a 70-degree temperature increase in continuous-wave (CW) operation compared to the conventional [100]-orientated lasers. With modestly reduced Auger recombination of low dimensional material and with improved heat dissipation for laser structure, CW operation with about 10 mW output powers at room temperature for PbSe QW laser is predicted. PbSe epitaxial layer and PbSe/PbSrSe QW structures were, for the first time, successfully grown on [110]-orientated BaF2 substrate by molecular-beam-epitaxy (MBE). The linewidth of the rocking curve from high-resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) measurement for PbSe thin film is 60 arcsec, which indicates high crystalline quality. The dislocation density estimated by the rocking curve is 1.18x107 cm-2. Photoluminescence intensity of [110]-orientated samples was twice as high as that on [111]-orientated BaF2 substrates from the same MBE run.
Interactions between Sindbis virus RNAs and a 68 amino acid derivative of the viral capsid protein further defines the capsid binding site

In previous studies of encapsidation of Sindbis virus RNA, we identified a 570nt fragment (nt 684-1253) from the 12 kb genome that binds to the viral capsid protein with specificity and is required for packaging of Sindbis virus defective interfering RNAs. We now show that the capsid binding activity resides in a highly structured 132nt fragment (nt 945-1076). We had also demonstrated that a 68 amino acid peptide derived from the capsid protein retained most of the binding activity of the original protein and have now developed an RNA mobility shift assay with this peptide fused to glutathione-S-transferase. We have used this assay in conjunction with the original assay in which the intact capsid protein was immobilized on nitrocellulose to analyze more extensive deletions in the 132-mer. All of the deletions led to a reduction in binding, but the binding of a 5' 67-mer was enhanced by the addition of nonspecific flanking sequences. This result suggests that the stability of a particular structure within the 132nt sequence may be important for capsid recognition.
Mutations in Escherichia coli ExbB Transmembrane Domains Identify Scaffolding and Signal Transduction Functions and Exclude Participation in a Proton Pathway

ABSTRACT The TonB system couples cytoplasmic membrane proton motive force (pmf) to active transport of diverse nutrients across the outer membrane. Current data suggest that cytoplasmic membrane proteins ExbB and ExbD harness pmf energy. Transmembrane domain (TMD) interactions between TonB and ExbD allow the ExbD C terminus to modulate conformational rearrangements of the periplasmic TonB C terminus in vivo . These conformational changes somehow allow energization of high-affinity TonB-gated transporters by direct interaction with TonB. While ExbB is essential for energy transduction, its role is not well understood. ExbB has N-terminus-out, C-terminus-in topology with three TMDs. TMDs 1 and 2 are punctuated by a cytoplasmic loop, with the C-terminal tail also occupying the cytoplasm. We tested the hypothesis that ExbB TMD residues play roles in proton translocation. Reassessment of TMD boundaries based on hydrophobic character and residue conservation among distantly related ExbB proteins brought earlier widely divergent predictions into congruence. All TMD residues with potentially function-specific side chains (Lys, Cys, Ser, Thr, Tyr, Glu, and Asn) and residues with probable structure-specific side chains (Trp, Gly, and Pro) were substituted with Ala and evaluated in multiple assays. While all three TMDs were essential, they had different roles: TMD1 was a region through which ExbB interacted with the TonB TMD. TMD2 and TMD3, the most conserved among the ExbB/TolQ/MotA/PomA family, played roles in signal transduction between cytoplasm and periplasm and the transition from ExbB homodimers to homotetramers. Consideration of combined data excludes ExbB TMD residues from direct participation in a proton pathway.
A queueing model of airport passenger departures by taxi: Competition with a public transportation mode

A Poisson queue with random clearing of all customers is formulated for the purpose of studying the interaction between taxicabs and buses at an airport. The analytical model is validated by comparison with a detailed simulation model calibrated from actual airport data. The operating characteristics of this transportation system are studied. The mean daily and mean peak period expected waiting times and the probabilities of modal switching as a function of the number of taxis in service and bus frequencies are exhibited. Taxis are discovered to be a highly effective transport mode, substituting at the rate of one daily cab to one additional daily bus trip for equal mean peak period passenger wait.
An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Capital Budgeting Practices and Earnings Performance

(1981). An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Capital Budgeting Practices and Earnings Performance. The Engineering Economist: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 185-196.
The effect of lincomycin on the excretion of diethylstilbestrol and its uterotrophic action in rats.

Abstract The enterohepatic circulation of diethylstilbestrol (DES) has been shown to be extensive and to be dependent on enteric β-glucuronidase activity for release of absorbable DES from its nonabsorbable glucuronide excreted in bile. A regimen of the antibiotic lincomycin has been shown in rats to markedly reduce enteric β-glucuronidase activity, intestinal hydrolysis of C14-DES-glucuronide and absorption of radioactivity. Studies were therefore performed to determine if this lincomycin regimen, by reducing enterohepatic circulation of DES, would alter systemic effects of DES such as uterine weight gain in ovariectomized rats. The lincomycin regimen consisted of 25 mg twice daily by gastric intubation on days 1–4 and 500 mg/l in drinking water on days 1–7. Lincomycin-treated and control rats were injected s.c. with DES (1.6 or 5.0 μg/kg/day) on days 4–6 and sacrificed on day 7 for measurement of uterine weight; the injection on day 4 consisted on monoethyl-l-C14-DES. Lincomycin did not change the uterotrophic effect of DES. The regimen did, however, reduce the urinary excretion of radioactivity and increase the fecal excretion of glucuronide conjugates, consistent with reduced enterohepatic circulation of DES. In a separate study, bile from rats given DES s.c. was administered into the cecum of lincomycin-treated and control rats; whereas 31.8% of the cecal dose was excreted in the bile of controls, only 1.9% was excreted in lincomycin-treated rats, indicating the marked reduction of DES enterohepatic circulation produced by lincomycin. These findings suggest that the enterohepatic circulation of DES does not significantly contribute to its systemic effects.
Placentophagia in rats is modifiable by taste aversion conditioning

Abstract An aversion to placenta was conditioned by pairing ingestion with LiCl-induced illness, in virgins, in nonpregnant primipara, and in primipara during the first parturition. Persistence of the aversion was assessed at the subsequent parturition, immediately after the subsequent parturition, and two weeks after the subsequent parturition. The results indicated that (a) female rats can learn an aversion to placenta, (b) the aversion was expressed during parturition, (c) previous parturitional experience reduced retention of the aversion, but not acquisition, (d) rats can distinguish between their own normally delivered placenta and donor placenta, and (e) an aversion to placenta at parturition did not appear to have a major effect on pup care.
Water Use of St. Augustinegrass and Bahiagrass under Varying Nitrogen Rates

In Florida, state agencies are concerned about St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze] for being a possible high water user and excess (N) applications in home lawns. This has resulted in a desire by some municipalities to substitute St. Augustinegrass with bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge). Consequently, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of different N fertilizer rates on water use and turf quality of bahiagrass and St. Augustinegrass commonly used in residential yards. The experiment was a split-plot randomized complete block design repeated over two trials. Whole plots arranged in blocks consisted of either bahiagrass cultivar 'Pensacola' or St. Augustinegrass cultivar 'Floratam'. Subplots consisted of two N rates (98 and 294 N kg ha -1 yr -1 ). Water use rates, was influenced by grass type and by N rates with bahiagrass having higher water use rates (WURs) than St. Augustinegrass in one of the two trails. The high N rate increased turfgrass WURs but only in Trial 1. In both trials clipping yields (CY) were greater for bahiagrass than St. Augustinegrass. Furthermore, the higher N rate produced greater CY than the lower N rate. All treatments produced acceptable turfgrass quality when averaged for each trial though, not for ever cycle. Bahiagrass generally produced superior quality ratings than St. Augustinegrass. In addition, the higher N rate always produced higher quality scores than the lower N rate.
Fake Congruence Modular Curves and Subgroups of the Modular Group

Abstract We construct a special class of noncongruence modular subgroups and curves, analogous in some ways to the usual congruence ones. The subgroups are obtained via the Burau representation, and the associated quotient curves have a natural moduli space interpretation. In fact, they are reduced Hurwitz spaces corresponding to covers with 4 branch points and monodromy group equal to semi-direct products of a cyclic and an abelian group. Furthermore, they form a modular tower in the sense of Fried. We study representations on the cohomology of these fake congruence modular curves and also calculate the genera of certain quotient curves.
Sources and sinks of carbon in boreal ecosystems of interior Alaska: A review

Boreal ecosystems store large quantities of carbon but are increasingly vulnerable to carbon loss due to disturbance and climate warming. The boreal region in Alaska and Canada, largely underlain by discontinuous permafrost, presents a challenging landscape for itemizing carbon sources and sinks in soil and vegetation. The roles of fire, forest succession, and the presence (or absence) of permafrost on carbon cycle, vegetation, and hydrologic processes have been the focus of multidisciplinary research in boreal ecosystems for the past 20 years. However, projections of a warming future climate, an increase in fire severity and extent, and the potential degradation of permafrost could lead to major landscape and carbon cycle changes over the next 20 to 50 years. To assist land managers in interior Alaska in adapting and managing for potential changes in the carbon cycle we developed this review paper by incorporating an overview of the climate, ecosystem processes, vegetation, and soil regimes. Our objective is to provide a synthesis of the most current carbon storage estimates and measurements to guide policy and land management decisions on how to best manage carbon sources and sinks. We surveyed estimates of aboveground and belowground carbon stocks for interior Alaska boreal ecosystems and summarized methane and carbon dioxide fluxes. These data have been converted into similar units to facilitate comparison across ecosystem compartments. We identify potential changes in the carbon cycle with climate change and human disturbance. A novel research question is how compounding disturbances affect carbon sources and sinks associated with boreal ecosystem processes. Finally, we provide recommendations to address the challenges facing land managers in efforts to manage carbon cycle processes. The results of this study can be used for carbon cycle management in other locations within the boreal biome which encompasses a broad distribution from 45° to 83° north.
Condensation in Attics: Are vapor barriers really the answer?

Abstract Calculations of water vapor flow through walls and ceilings are frequently based on the permeabilities of building material, and implicitly assume that most of the vapor transport takes place by diffusion. In order to determine the validity of this assumption, a model for vapor transfer between two spaces by diffusion and convection is first developed. Measurements in a number of houses reveal that, for normal construction practices in U.S. wood frame houses, the transfer of water vapor from living space to attic is almost entirely by air movement. “Kraft” paper “vapor barriers”, frequently attached to batt insulation, do not effectively hinder air (or moisture) flow into attics. Even after numerous cracks and openings in the attic floor, below the insulation, were plugged, significant air flow from living space to attic remained, and evidence of condensation of water vapor within the attic was observed. In new housing, a continuous sheet placed between the ceiling and the framing of the attic floor should effectively hinder air and moisture flow. In existing housing, where it may not be possible to install a continuous sheet under the attic insulation, adequate opening for ventilation with outside air should be provided to prevent moisture build-up and condensation.
The cosmic origins spectrograph: capabilities and prelaunch performance

The Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) is an ultraviolet spectrograph scheduled for installation in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during HST Servicing Mission 4, currently planned to occur in August 2008. COS was designed to maximize sensitivity to faint point sources, and will provide limiting sensitivities at moderate spectral resolutions (R∼20,000) that are a factor of 2 to >10 times better than those provided by previous ultraviolet spectrographs on HST. Here, we present an overview of the some of the science areas that will be addressed by COS observations and provide a summary of the capabilities of COS and the expected on-orbit performance.
Lipid composition of transverse tubular membanes from normal and dystrophic skeletal muscle

Abstract Vesiculated fractions of transverse tubular (TT) membranes were isolated from normal and genetically dystrophic breast muscle of the chicken. The lipid composition of the TT was compared to the lipids of highly purified sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes and enriched fractions of sarcolemma (SL) membranes. Normal TT membranes contained a significantly higher molar ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid phosphorous (0.86) when compared to both SR (0.17) and SL (0.38) membranes. The phospholipid phosphorous-to-protein ratio was highest for SL (1.55 μmol phosphorous/mg), intermediate for TT (1.09), and lowest for the SR (0.79) membranes. TT membranes contained lower amounts of phosphatidylcholine and higher amounts of sphingomyelin when compared to SR while the TT phospholipid distribution was not significantly different from that of the SL. These data indicate that our putative TT fraction displays a lipid composition distinctly different from that of SR and SL and confirms other biochemical and morphological data which indicate that they are of TT origin. All three membrane classes isolated from dystrophic muscle displayed significant alterations in the composition of various lipids. Cholesterol levels were elevated most notably in SL (2.4-fold) followed by the SR (1.3-fold) but not TT membranes. Dystrophic TT and SL but not SR displayed elevated levels of phospholipid phosphorous. Few differences in the distribution of the individual phospholipid classes were found among the dystrophic membranes except for a 2.2-fold increase in the sphingomyelin content of the SR. The observed lipid abnormalities may be the underlying cause of reported alterations in excitation-contraction coupling and suggest that avian dystrophy may result from a generalized membrane defect.
Fiscal sustainability in a panel of Asian countries

Panel cointegration techniques indicate that government revenue (REV) and expenditure (EXP) in a panel of five Asian economies for the period 1974 to 2001 were nonstationary and cointegrated series. However, the cointegration coefficient was significantly less than unity, indicating ‘weak’ fiscal sustainability and the likelihood that policy measures would be needed to put the public finances on a more sustainable basis.
Alcohol-related emergency department visits associated with collegiate football games.

Abstract Objective: In 2003, after several post–college football game riots, multiple strategies including strict enforcement of open container laws were instituted by the authors’ city and university. The authors compared alcohol-related visits to the on-campus emergency department (ED) associated with home football games in 2002 and 2006, hypothesizing that alcohol-related visits should decline. Participants: ED patients during home game weekends. Methods: Retrospective cohort study comparing the 2002 and 2006 home games—similar seasons wherein the team went undefeated. Logistic regression assessed the impact of environmental and patient characteristics on the likelihood of an ED visit being alcohol related. Results: In total 2,220 visits in 2002 and 2,146 visits in 2006 were reviewed. Alcohol-related visits increased from 2002 (7.9%) to 2006 (9.5%, p = .06). Despite community interventions, the odds of an ED visit being alcohol related increased (odds ratio [OR] 1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI95] 1.06...
Local therapy, systemic benefit: challenging the paradigm of biological predeterminism.

Abstract This paper briefly reviews the historical evolution of paradigms that have been purported to characterise the clinical behaviour of breast cancer, with the intention of guiding treatment approaches. Results from randomised clinical trials and the explosion of knowledge in the area of cancer biology have discredited the monolithic paradigms that had dominated thinking about breast cancer in the past. Contemporary notions of breast cancer biology recognise that, although some cancers disseminate well before becoming clinically detectable, acquisition of a metastatic phenotype can occur at any point (or not at all) in the local evolution of the tumour. As a consequence, both systemic and timely local–regional therapies can be expected to influence disease dissemination and patient survival. This is consistent with results observed in clinical trials, overviews of which indicate that prevention of four local recurrences will, on the average, prevent one death from breast cancer. Optimisation of local–regional treatment is an important goal in breast cancer management.
Autoionization phenomena in plasma radiation processes

Abstract Autoionizing resonances can play important roles in atomic radiation processes associated with electron-ion collisions in a high-temperature plasma. In the kinetic-theory description, autoionizing resonances provide indirect contributions to the rates for excitation, ionization, and recombination. Calculations have been performed for the rate coefficients describing dielectronic recombination, which is often the dominant recombination mechanism for non-hydrogenic ions. In the determination of the distribution of charge states, account has been taken of the contributions from autoionization following inner-shell-electron excitation and radiative stabilization following radiationless electron capture (dielectronic recombination). The radiative emission processes that have been investigated correspond to bound-bound, free-bound, and free-free transitions. Particular emphasis has been given to the detailed simulation of the Kα satellite spectra due to both inner-shell-electron excitation and dielectronic recombination. In a sufficiently dense plasma, the populations of the autoionizing states can be substantially altered by both collision processes and plasma electric microfields. As a result, significant modifications can occur in the dielectronic recombination rates and satellite line intensities. It is desirable to treat these effects self-consistently with the high-density modifications to the spectral-line shapes, taking into account the same set of elementary atomic collision, radiation, and autoionization processes. A comprehensive framework for a self-consistent description is provided by a density-matrix approach, in conjunction with Liouville-space projection-operator and resolvent-operator techniques.
Thermodynamic Assessment and Calculation of the Ti-Al System

A thermodynamic description of the Ti-Al system has been developed. Three different analytical descriptions were used to describe the three different types of phases occurring in the Ti-Al system: the stoichiometric compounds, the disordered solution phases, and the ordered inter-metallic compounds which have homogeneity ranges. A least-squares technique was used to optimize the thermodynamic quantities of the analytical description using experimental data available in the literature. The calculated phase diagram, as well as the thermodynamic func-tions, agree well with the critically evaluated experimental data from the literature.
Enhanced effects of 6-hydroxydopamine on evoked overflow of striatal dopamine in aged rats

Nigrostriatal dopamine neurons degenerate during aging, and the excessive loss of dopamine neurons that occurs with Parkinson's disease is usually confined to older individuals. Although 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning of the nigrostriatal dopamine system is a common method for producing animal models of dopamine neuron degeneration, there have been relatively few studies that have examined the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine on the dopamine systems of aged animals. The present experiments were designed to determine if nigrostriatal dopamine neurons in aged rats are more sensitive to the neurotoxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine than those of younger rats. Young (4-month-old), middle-aged (14-month-old) and aged (24-month-old) Fischer-344 rats were given a single injection of vehicle, 50 or 100 microg 6-hydroxydopamine into the right lateral ventricle. Three to four weeks later in vivo electrochemistry was used to measure potassium-evoked overflow of dopamine in the striatum. In the young rats the 50-microg dose had no significant effect on evoked overflow of dopamine in the striatum or on post-mortem levels of dopamine in the striatum or substantia nigra. The higher dose in the young animals diminished evoked overflow of dopamine as well as tissue levels of dopamine. In the aged rats both doses of 6-hydroxydopamine led to significant decreases in evoked overflow of striatal dopamine and in tissue levels of dopamine in the striatum and substantia nigra. These results suggest that dopamine neurons of aged Fischer-344 rats are more susceptible to the toxic effects of 6-hydroxydopamine than those of younger animals.
From games to mathematical concepts via the hand‐held programmable calculator

In this paper the authors suggest a few games for which programmable pocket calculators are used to create an environment in which mathematical concepts can be experienced more easily by students.
Dispersion of transit times within the pulmonary vasculature from microfocal angiograms

The site and mechanism of the dispersion of blood transit times within the pulmonary vascular bed can be described using x-ray angiography images of bolus passage through the pulmonary vasculature. Time-absorbance curves from the lobar inlet artery and outlet vein, various locations within the arterial and venous trees, and regions of the microvasculature were acquired from the images. The overall dispersion within the lung lobe was determined from the inlet arterial and outlet venous curves by examining the difference in their first and second moments, mean transit time and variance, respectively. Subsequently, the moments at each location within the arterial tree were calculated and compared to those of the lobar inlet artery curve. The transit time variance imparted on the bolus as it traveled through the pulmonary arterial tree upstream from the smallest measured arteries was < 5 percent of the variance attributable to transit through the total lung lobe vascular bed. Similar results were obtained for the venous pathways using reverse-flow conditions. Regional capillary mean transit time and variance were obtained from the measured microvascular residue curves using a mass-balance model. These results suggest that most of the bolus dispersion occurs within the pulmonary capillary bed rather than in large feeding arteries or draining veins.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nb 3 Sn in 1978: State of the art

Seventeen years after its discovery as the first practical high field superconductor and seven years since it was demonstrated in multifilamentary form, it seems appropriate to ask, "What is the current status of Nb 3 Sn"? This question is approached from a user's point of view with particular emphasis on the multifilamentary form of Nb 3 Sn. Data from national laboratories, universities, and conductor manufacturers have been compiled and assessed. The result is a comprehensive picture of past, present, and future conductor types and their properties. Applications of these conductors in magnets are reviewed including both those devices already completed and those which are being proposed and/or constructed at this time. Finally, a summary of ongoing research and development programs is included along with the author's assessment of their impact on future Nb 3 Sn magnets.
Thermodynamic analyses of hydrogen production from sub-quality natural gas: Part I: Pyrolysis and autothermal pyrolysis

Abstract Sub-quality natural gas (SQNG) is defined as natural gas whose composition exceeds pipeline specifications of nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and/or hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S). Approximately one-third of the U.S. natural gas resource is sub-quality gas [1] . Due to the high cost of removing H 2 S from hydrocarbons using current processing technologies, SQNG wells are often capped and the gas remains in the ground. We propose and analyze a two-step hydrogen production scheme using SQNG as feedstock. The first step of the process involves hydrocarbon processing (via steam–methane reformation, autothermal steam–methane reformation, pyrolysis and autothermal pyrolysis) in the presence of H 2 S. Our analyses reveal that H 2 S existing in SQNG is stable and can be considered as an inert gas. No sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and/or sulfur trioxide (SO 3 ) is formed from the introduction of oxygen to SQNG. In the second step, after the separation of hydrogen from the main stream, un-reacted H 2 S is used to reform the remaining methane, generating more hydrogen and carbon disulfide (CS 2 ). Thermodynamic analyses on SQNG feedstock containing up to 10% (v/v) H 2 S have shown that no H 2 S separation is required in this process. The Part I of this paper includes only thermodynamic analyses for SQNG pyrolysis and autothermal pyrolysis.
Glycosaminoglycans synthesized by cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells

Bovine corneal endothelial (BCE) cells seeded and grown on plastic dishes were labeled with 35S-sulfate or 3H-glucosamine for 48 h at various phases of growth of the cultures. Newly synthesized proteoglycans were isolated from the culture medium and from the extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by the BCE cells, and the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) component of the proteoglycans was analyzed. Cells actively proliferating on plastic surfaces secreted an ECM that contained heparan sulfate as the major 35S-labeled GAG (86%) and dermatan sulfate as a minor component (13%). Upon reaching confluence, the BCE cells incorporated 35S-labeled chondroitin sulfate (20%), as well as heparan sulfate (66%) and dermatan sulfate (14%), into the EC. Seven-day postconfluent cells incorporated newly synthesized heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate into the matrix in approximately equal proportions. Dermatan sulfate was the main 35S-labeled GAG (60-65%) in the medium of both confluent and postconfluent cultures. 35S-Labeled chondroitin sulfate (20-25%) and heparan sulfate (15%) were also secreted into the culture medium. The type of GAG incorporated into newly synthesized ECM was affected when BCE cells were seeded onto ECM-coated dishes instead of plastic. BCE cells actively proliferating on ECM-coated dishes incorporated newly synthesized heparan sulfate and dermatan sulfate into the ECM in a ratio that was very similar to the ratio of these GAGs in the underlying ECM. Addition of mitogens such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF) to the culture medium altered the type of GAG synthesized and incorporated into the ECM by BCE cells seeded onto ECM-coated dishes if the cells were actively growing, but had no effect on postconfluent cultures.
The interplay between the electronic structure and reactivity of aluminum clusters: model systems as building blocks for cluster assembled materials

Reactions of aluminum–carbon cluster anions with oxygen were investigated under well-defined thermal conditions in a fast flow reactor. The resistance of particular species to the etching of oxygen is observed and is explained through the predicted shell closings of the Jellium model. The presence of Al7C−, in particular, is compatible with this cluster being a composite Jellium system stabilized by ion-polarizability interactions. This would be the first species of which we are aware that exits as a magic cluster in this context.
Thiouracil and antibody titers of chickens from lines divergently selected for antibody response to sheep erythrocytes

Chickens from lines selected for high (HA) and low (LA) antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were fed adlibitum either a diet containing 0 (control) or .1% thiouracil (TF) throughout two trials. Chicks were injected intravenously with .1 ml of .25% SRBC at 37 days of age in Trial 1, and a booster of the same dosage was given to half of these chicks at 61 days of age. Antibody titers were measured 5 and 3 days after primary and secondary inoculations. In Trial 2, primary inoculations of SRBC were given at 21 and 38 days of age, and chicks were bled 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after inoculation. TF chicks had lower body weights and higher feed efficiencies than controls. Plasma thyroxine (T4) concentrations were similar for both lines, but line by diet interactions were present for plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and T3/T4 ratios. When fed the control diet, T3 concentrations and T3/T4 ratios were higher for line HA than line LA, but the pattern was reversed when thiouracil was fed. Antibody titers to SRBC in both trials were higher for HA than LA chicks, but were similar for TF and control chicks. Persistence of elevated titers appeared to be greater in TF than control chicks. There were no differences between TF and control chicks for heterohphil/lymphocyte ratios.1
Neuronal Signaling through Alternative Splicing: Some Exons CaRRE...

Alternative splicing represents a mechanism by which a single gene can be used to create proteins with different functions. Neurons use alternative splicing to produce channels with different sequences and biophysical or regulatory properties. O'Donovan and Darnell discuss a mechanism by which neurons can alter channel splicing in response to neuronal activity through a signal generated by calcium and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase activity.
Patterns of HER2 testing in the management of primary breast cancer.

Abstract Background : Women with invasive breast cancer should be tested for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) status at the time of diagnosis. To date, no population-based patterns of use studies have examined demographic and clinicopathologic factors associated with decisions by clinicians to test patients. Methods : We reviewed summary pathology reports submitted to the Connecticut Tumor Registry for all Black/African American (B/AA) women ( n =644) and a 7% random sample ( n =720) of White women diagnosed in 2000–2003 with primary invasive breast carcinoma. Receipt of a HER2 test (yes vs. no) was examined in relation to patient race, age, socioeconomic status, year of diagnosis, estrogen receptor (ER) status, tumor grade, lymph node status, size and stage at diagnosis. Results : A greater proportion of tumors from B/AA patients were tested compared to those of White women (69.5% vs. 61.9%, p p p p p Conclusions : Variation in which breast cancer patients received HER2 testing appears to reflect expectations about a woman's prognosis. Discrepancies in receipt of testing deserve further study as current guidelines call for all tumors to be assessed in order to adequately characterize prognosis and determine eligibility for HER2-targeted therapy.
ORDER NEIGHBOR STATISTICS FOR A CLASS OF RANDOM PATTERNS IN MULTIDIMENSIONAL SPACE

THE order neighbor distance probability distribution is defined for a class of random patterns. The properties of a random pattern given by the order neighbor formulation include the expected distances from a randomly selected locus to the first, second, Jth nearest objects and the theoretical frequency distributions of those distances. It is shown that order neighbor distances have a chi-square distribution. Accordingly, a chisquare statistic may be used to detect the presence of random influences in an observed distribution of objects. This study contributes to the analysis of pattern in two ways. First, the study of distribution is extended to several levels of geometric objects, thereby removing the existing limitation to analysis of point patterns. The patterns stressed in this report are formed by the distribution of (i) points, (ii) points on radials in a focal or nodal system, and (iii) straight-line rays and segments. The expression for the probability distribution is sufficiently general to provide for the study of additional pattern types. Second, numerical results are obtained for patterns in Euclidean k dimensional space. These data generalize the analysis of distribution for map, physical, and mathematical spaces. The higher dimensional results provide a basis for the study of distribution in social and economic spaces. The order neighbor method for summarizing an observed pattern is described in Section I. Section II gives the derivation of a generalized probability distribution for a theoretical random pattern. Alternative procedures for testing the hypothesis that an observed distribution is random are discussed in Section III. Adaptation of the generalized probability function to three particular pattern types in Section IV illustrates specific applications for the study of distribution. The use of order