cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of plasma lysosomal enzyme activity and its relationship to severity of injury following blunt vehicular trauma in dogs

Objective: To determine plasma β-d-glucuronidase (βG) activity in the first 4 hours following injury in dogs struck by a motor vehicle, and to evaluate whether the degree of enzyme activity is correlated with the severity of injury. Design: A prospective clinical study. Setting: Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Animals: Thirteen client-owned dogs that were presented to the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania between June and August 1999 for blunt vehicular trauma. Ten healthy student and staff-owned dogs served as controls. Interventions: None. Measurements: Plasma was analyzed for βG enzyme activity at the time of presentation (n=13), and 1 and 4 hours (n=7) following presentation to the Emergency Service for blunt vehicular trauma. The results were compared with enzyme activity from healthy controls evaluated serially over 4 hours. Fluorometric analysis using 96-well microtiter plates was used to perform the enzyme assays. The relationships between presentation (n=13) and 4 hours (n=7) of enzyme activity and 3 indices of metabolic and physical disturbance (serum pH, serum lactate and Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) score) at the time of presentation were also investigated. Main results: Of the 13 dogs, 7 fulfilled the inclusion criteria for comparison of enzyme activity of the trauma over time. A statistically significant difference in βG activity was found in the trauma group (mean 75.6±10.4 U) at 4 hours following presentation compared with controls (mean 48.0±6.4 U). This difference was suggested by 1 hour following presentation (trauma group, mean 70.4±10.9 U; control group, mean 49.8±5.5 U), although it did not reach statistical significance. Thirteen dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria for comparison of only presentation enzyme activity with trauma severity score, serum lactate, and serum pH. No statistically significant relationship was found between the βd-glucuronidase activity and the presenting ATT score, serum lactate concentration, or serum pH at either presentation or 4 hours, although the power of these analyses was low. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the activity of βG, a lysosomal enzyme, increases significantly in the systemic circulation in dogs 4 hours following blunt trauma. Additional research to include more severely injured dogs, a larger number of dogs, and to follow the course of injury for a longer period of time would be beneficial to further characterize βG activity following blunt trauma.
The reliability of calculations with the RSF algorithm

The numerical stability is examined of plasma simulation results obtained with the RSF code. (AIP)
Comparative kinetics of nucleotide analog incorporation by Vent DNA polymerase

Comparative kinetic and structural analyses of a variety of polymerases have revealed both common and divergent elements of nucleotide discrimination. Although the parameters for dNTP incorporation by the hyperthermophilic archaeal Family B Vent DNA polymerase are similar to those previously derived for Family A and B DNA polymerases, parameters for analog incorporation reveal alternative strategies for discrimination by this enzyme. Discrimination against ribonucleotides was characterized by a decrease in the affinity of NTP binding and a lower rate of phosphoryl transfer, whereas discrimination against ddNTPs was almost exclusively due to a slower rate of phosphodiester bond formation. Unlike Family A DNA polymerases, incorporation of 9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]X triphosphates (where X is adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine; acyNTPs) by Vent DNA polymerase was enhanced over ddNTPs via a 50-fold increase in phosphoryl transfer rate. Furthermore, a mutant with increased propensity for nucleotide analog incorporation (VentA488L DNA polymerase) had unaltered dNTP incorporation while displaying enhanced nucleotide analog binding affinity and rates of phosphoryl transfer. Based on kinetic data and available structural information from other DNA polymerases, we propose active site models for dNTP, ddNTP, and acyNTP selection by hyperthermophilic archaeal DNA polymerases to rationalize structural and functional differences between polymerases.
Polyolefin nanocomposites : Essential work of fracture analysis

The tensile properties and the fracture toughness, based on the essential work of fracture (EWF) method, of melt-compounded polymer nanocomposites based on polypropylene (PP) with organo-modified clays (montmorillonite) and maleic anhydride (MA)-grafted PP coupling agents were studied. Depending on the compounding sequence and on whether a coupling agent was used, some improvements in tensile properties were observed. These improvements were related to the level of dispersion of clay particles. The highest tensile properties were obtained for the PP/clay compound showing the highest surface density of uniform sub-micron particles. The mechanical improvements of the PP/clay compounds were those of a microcomposite in which the fiber reinforcement has an average aspect ratio of 17-35. The PP/ clay compounds with coupling agents and with highest surface density of uniform sub-micron particles showed very good fracture toughness, with EWF values slightly higher than those of unfilled PP. Fractographic observations showed that clay particles acted as void nucleation sites, which then grew and coalesced, promoting fibrillation of the remaining material between the voids. The EWF results indicated that the void nucleation density determined the fracture toughness. The EWF results also indicated that the plastic work dissipation related to the stability of the fibrillation, which was promoted by the use of a coupling agent.
An examination of artificial immune system optimization in intelligent state space pruning for LOLP estimation

The probabilistic reliability evaluation of composite power systems is a complicated and computation intensive task. Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) is often used as the method of choice for tackling this difficult problem, though MCS may also suffer from issues regarding high dimensionality leading to an increased need for computational resources. In order to address this issue an algorithmic method known as state space pruning has been developed in two flavors: Analytical and Metaheuristic based. The state space pruning methodology reduces the size of a given state space by removing states where there is no loss-of-load. This allows the MCS algorithm to sample a state space with a higher density of failure states which, in turn, leads to faster convergence. This study applies the CLONALG algorithm to the metaheuristic based version of state space pruning, compares and contrasts the results with genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) implementations, and discusses its strengths and weaknesses as applied to test systems both with and without the consideration of transmission line outages. Simulations are completed using the IEEE reliability test system (RTS) and the modified RTS (MRTS).
Preferences and willingness to pay for health states prevented by pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

Objective. To measure parents’ and other adults’ values for preventing disease associated with pneumococcal infection and to evaluate how including these values changes the economic appraisal of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Methods. Data on preferences and willingness to pay to reduce risk of illness were collected for 6 illnesses that are preventable by pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (simple otitis media, complex otitis media, moderate pneumonia, severe pneumonia, bacteremia, and meningitis) and 1 vaccine-related adverse event (fever and fussiness after vaccine). Interviews were conducted with 2 groups of respondents: 1) parents of children who had experienced 1 or more of the outcomes described in the survey (n = 101) and 2) a US community sample (n = 109). The 30-minute telephone interview used modified time trade-off questions and willingness-to-pay questions. Values from the interview were incorporated in an existing decision-analytic model that simulated the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in a hypothetical cohort of newborns. Results. Among parents, the median amount of time that respondents said that they would be willing to trade to avoid diseases ranged from 0 days for otitis media to 1 year for severe pneumonia and 2 years for meningitis. Among the US community sample, the median amounts of time traded were higher, ranging from 7 days for otitis media to 3 years for meningitis. Median willingness-to-pay amounts varied from $100 to prevent 1 episode of otitis media and $500 to reduce the risk of meningitis from 21 in 100 000 to 6 in 100 000 and were similar between parents and community members. Incorporating time trade-off amounts into the existing economic model for pneumococcal conjugate vaccine resulted in cost-effectiveness ratios Conclusions. Both parents and community members assign relatively high values to preventing meningitis, pneumonia, and complex otitis media. When the value of preventing pneumococcal diseases is incorporated into economic analyses, pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has a cost-effectiveness ratio in the range of other widely used health interventions.
A new strategy to counter allergy.

A chimeric fusion protein inhibits the allergic reaction induced by cat allergen in a mouse model.
Due Diligence and "Reasonable Man," Offshore

In the wake of an international crackdown against preferential tax regimes, Caribbean tax havens and other jurisdictions have adopted “due diligence” procedures to manage financial and reputational risk. Due diligence relies on qualitative forms of evaluation and defers grounded and definitive knowledge claims through continuous peer review. In doing so, it mirrors certain forms of ethnographic practice at a number of levels of scale. This article tracks the shifts in financial regulation from crime to harm and from certainty to scrutiny and reflects on their implications for ethnography—as a limited and open-ended process of evaluation warranted by qualitative forms of judgment. It seeks to complicate our picture of contemporary capitalisms by drawing attention to the nonquantifiable and the ethical that lie “inside” them. Where conventional forms of ethnographic critique might look to expose the political or economic interests behind actions, symbols, or social relationships, this article has a more modest goal: to try to understand the similarity of form between due diligence and anthropology.
Higher energy collective excitations in trapped Bose condensates

We investigate theoretically the collective excitations of trapped Bose condensates with energies of the order of the chemical potential of the system. For the MIT sodium Bose condensate in a Cloverleaf trap, we find interesting level crossing behavior for high energy excitations and calculate the spatial magnetic dipole moments for selective creation of condensate excitations.
Hydrogen production by methane decomposition and catalytic partial oxidation of methane over Pt/CexGd1 − xO2 and Pt/CexZr1 − xO2

Abstract Hydrogen production by methane decomposition and catalytic partial oxidation of methane (CPOM) over Pt/(Ce0.91Gd0.09)O2 − x and Pt/(Ce0.56Zr0.44)O2 − x were studied. Results show that during the methane decomposition tests, in the absence of gaseous oxygen, hydrogen and CO were the main products and very small quantities of CO2 were recorded. The generation of these products lasted for about 2 h, indicating that in the catalytic stability of these materials, the carrier plays an important factor. The addition of Gd and Zr cations to ceria had a positive effect on the catalysts stability. Regarding the catalytic partial oxidation of methane, a stable hydrogen production was recorded for 20 h. Here, it is proposed that the formation of a Pt–O–Ce bond causes high stability of Pt in Ce-containing supports under oxidizing conditions at high temperatures because this bond may act as an anchor, inhibiting the sintering of Pt. The deposited carbon during the catalytic tests was oxidized and the CO2 profiles showed a sharper peak appearing at a lower temperature and a broader peak at the higher temperature. The first peak may correspond to the oxidation of coke on and in the vicinity of the metal and the second CO2 peak may represent the coke on the carrier. The CPOM as a function of O/C ratio was studied. It was observed that the catalyst with a higher ionic conductivity, Pt/(Ce0.91Gd0.09)O2 − x, generated a lower amount of deposited carbon.
Liquid chromatographic separation and quantitative determination of isomeric arene tricarbonylchromium complexes

Abstract High speed column liquid chromatography has been shown to be an effective method for the separation and quantitative determination of isomeric arene tricarbonylchromium complexes. The mixture of the two isomers of (2,3-dimethylnaphthalene)tricarbonylchromium (0) formed when this complex is synthesized from hexacarbonylchromium (0) has been shown to consist of 73% of the isomer in which the Cr(CO) 3 group is bonded to the methylated ring.
Re‐membering the body: Body politics in Toni Morrison's the bluest eye

(2001). Re‐membering the body: Body politics in Toni Morrison's the bluest eye. Lit: Literature Interpretation Theory: Vol. 12, No. 2, pp. 189-203.
Development Policy and Its Determinants in East Asia and Latin America

A policy-focused human capital approach to development, incorporating industrial policy but stressing land reform, education, and labor-intensive production, is used to explain why South Korea and Taiwan have developed more successfully since 1960 than Argentina, Brazil, or Mexico. The policy-focused human capital approach is contrasted to free-market and cultural-values approaches.
Phonocardiographic Diagnosis of Aortic Ball Variance

Fatty infiltration causing changes in the silastic poppet of the Model 1000 series Starr-Edwards aortic valve prostheses (ball variance) has been detected with increasing frequency and can result in sudden death. Phonocardiograms were recorded on 12 patients with ball variance confirmed by operation and of 31 controls. Ten of the 12 patients with ball variance were distinguished from the controls by an aortic opening sound (AO) less than half as intense as the aortic closure sound (AC) at the second right intercostal space (AO/AC ratio less than 0.5). Both AO and AC were decreased in two patients with ball variance, with the loss of the characteristic high frequency and amplitude of these sounds. The only patient having a diminished AO/AC ratio (0.42) without ball variance at reoperation had a clot extending over the aortic valve struts. The phonocardiographic findings have been the most reliable objective evidence of ball variance in patients with Starr-Edwards aortic prosthesis of the Model 1000 series.
Stimulated scattering in laser driven fusion and high energy density physics experiments

In laser driven fusion and high energy density physics experiments, one often encounters a kλD range of 0.15 < kλD < 0.5, where stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) is active (k is the initial electron plasma wave number and λD is the Debye length). Using particle-in-cell simulations, the SRS reflectivity is found to scale as ∼ (kλD)−4 for kλD ≳ 0.3 where electron trapping effects dominate SRS saturation; the reflectivity scaling deviates from the above for kλD < 0.3 when Langmuir decay instability (LDI) is present. The SRS risk is shown to be highest for kλD between 0.2 and 0.3. SRS re-scattering processes are found to be unimportant under conditions relevant to ignition experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Large-scale simulations of the hohlraum plasma show that the SRS wavelength spectrum peaks below 600 nm, consistent with most measured NIF spectra, and that nonlinear trapping in the presence of plasma gradients determines the SRS spectral peak. Collisional effects on SRS, stimulated Bril...
Searching for nonlinearities in real exchange rates

A recent innovation in modeling exchange rates has been the use of nonlinear techniques such as threshold autoregressive models and its smooth transition variants. This paper investigates the smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) modeling strategy in an application to real exchange rates. The key findings are as follows. First, using the methodology advocated by Terasvirta (1994), we find evidence of nonlinear dynamics for several of the spot dollar real exchange rates using monthly data on five of the G7 countries. However, once estimated, we find that the STAR specification is appropriate for only one of the three exchange rate series indicated to be an ESTAR process. Moreover, using simulations, we show that the underlying methodology used to detect nonlinearities in the data exhibit substantial size biases, which we attribute to influential observations. We also investigate an alternative nonlinear specification and find that we can model the dollar-sterling and the dollar-lira real exchange rates better as an open-loop TAR process instead of a SETAR process.
Thiol manipulation as a means of overcoming drug resistance in a novel cyclophosphamide-induced resistant cell line

Abstract Acquired drug resistance is a major obstacle in the successful treatment of cancer by chemotherapy. To study mechanisms of resistance to alkylating agents, we have derived an in vitro subline of the murine KHT-iv sarcoma, KHT-rep/iv, that has acquired resistance to cyclophosphamide. Compared to the parental line, KHT-rcp/iv exhibited an ∼2.8-fold resistance, determined from the ratio of the slopes of the resistant to the parental survival curve. The subline also was found to be cross-resistant to other alkylating agents, as well as to the epipodophyllotoxin, etoposide, a structurally unrelated compound (resistance factor of ∼2.2). In view of this broad spectrum of cross-resistance observed, we investigated the possibility that glutathione (GSH), an abundant tripeptide implicated in the detoxification of electrophilic species, may be involved. GSH levels were increased two-fold in the resistant line (16.0 ± 1.0 fmol/cell) as compared to the parent line (8.1±0.7 fmol/ cell). Also, when the GSH content was reduced to that of the parent with the addition of the thiol depletor buthionine sulfoxinine (BSO), the sensitivity of the subline to cyclophosphamide, as well as to the other agents, was enhanced so that it equaled that of the parent cell line. These results imply that enhanced GSH levels may be a major mechanism of resistance in the KHT-rcp/iv cells. Our findings further suggest that thiol manipulation may prove useful in overcoming this type of pleiotropic drug resistance.
“Let Us, Then, Be Up and Doing”

(2003). “Let Us, Then, Be Up and Doing”. ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes and Reviews: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 30-35.
The induced MMF method

The method of induced magneto-motive force in calculating the complex radiated power of planar apertures in a perfectly conducting screen is reviewed in this paper. The equivalence between the MMF method and the Fourier spectrum method is pointed out. It is shown that the basic formulas involved in the Fourier spectrum method can be derived from the existing formulas found in Green's function method. In the case of an aperture excited by a waveguide, the MMF method yields the same results as the one obtained by the variational method using a trial function corresponding to the field distribution of the dominant mode inside the waveguide.
Selected US farm machinery market characteristics and their implications for the future.

Trends in farm machinery use suggest the US farm machinery market is a replacement market. Moreover, since 1960, the price of machinery has risen relative to prices for other production inputs. Econometric analysis suggests that higher relative machinery prices encourage input substitution. Thus, relative price trends should be a major concern to the machinery industry. The analysis also suggests that demand for machinery is elastic, meaning that lower prices could produce higher gross sales. Last, annual machinery purchases by farmers will likely remain variable because factors influencing purchases are variable. Therefore, reducing factory and dealer inventories could produce lost sales.
High structural stability of single wall carbon nanotube under quasi-hydrostatic high pressures

Abstract In quasi-hydrostatic conditions, single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) exhibit high structural stability to ∼35 GPa, well beyond the stability of sp2 C C bonds in graphite, carbon fullerenes, benzene, and other hydrocarbons. The pressure-induced Raman changes of SWNT are completely reversible below 16 GPa, partially reversible between 16 and 35 GPa, and irreversible beyond 35 GPa where it turns into highly disordered graphite. We explain the high stability in terms of the pressure-induced structural modification to an interlinked configuration, which occurs reversibly under substantial sp3 hybridization (∼20%) and, thus, increases the stability of sp2 C C bonds in the SWNTs.
Cyclic Estradiol Treatment Normalizes Body Weight and Restores Physiological Patterns of Spontaneous Feeding and Sexual Receptivity in Ovariectomized Rats

Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function strongly influences feeding and body weight in cycling females in many species. To test the sufficiency of cyclic variations in plasma estradiol to reproduce normal patterns of spontaneous feeding, food intake, and body weight, ovariectomized Long-Evans rats were subcutaneously injected every fourth day with 2 microg estradiol benzoate or with the oil vehicle alone. Cyclic estradiol treatment completely normalized the trajectory of body weight gain and total food intake through seven treatment cycles. The hyperphagia of ovariectomized rats was expressed as an increase in spontaneous meal size. Meal frequency decreased, but not enough to compensate for the increase in meal size. Estradiol treatment normalized both parameters. In addition, cyclic estradiol treatment produced a further phasic decrease in meal size (and increase in meal frequency) and a decrease in food intake during the second night after injection. This phasic change is similar to the feeding changes occurring during estrus in intact rats. Sexual receptivity was measured during the eighth estradiol treatment cycle, 4 h after injection of 0.5 mg progesterone. Lordosis scores at the time of the treatment cycle modeling estrus were maximal, and scores at the time modeling diestrus were slightly increased over those of rats that did not receive estradiol. Finally, plasma estradiol levels, measured during the ninth treatment cycle, revealed a near-normal cyclic pattern of plasma estradiol levels. These results provide the first demonstration that the induction of a cyclic, near-physiological pattern of plasma estradiol is sufficient to maintain normal levels of body weight, spontaneous feeding patterns, total food intake, and (together with progesterone) sexual receptivity in ovariectomized rats.
MO-B-203-03: Clinical Implementation of Robotic Systems for Brachytherapy

Image‐guidance is one of the main aspects of brachytherapy for accuracy and consistency of seed implantation. Modalities such as ultrasonography (U/S), computed tomography(CT), and magnetic resonance(MR) have been integrated with the robots for performing the clinical procedures. Therefore, proper calibration and appropriate testing of the integrated system are critical for achieving the desired treatment, safety and clinical outcome. However, satisfactory acceptance testing simply assures that the robotic system satisfies all agreed‐upon specifications between the vendor and the buyer. The process of commissioning a robot for clinical use should include verification of dosimetric planning system and testing of its accuracy, development of operational procedures, and training of all concerned with the operation of the robotic system. Before introducing any new robotic system in clinical environment, the robustness and reliability of the system should be evaluated. In additional to the traditional tests for brachytherapy, several additional items must be tested before commissioning the robotic system and should be periodically evaluated following a quality assurance program. Due to the complexity and constraints of the clinical environment where the clinician is an expert with high abilities to detect, analyze and react to unwanted critical situations, the clinician and the robot have to work together in a collaborative synergistic way. Interaction between the robot and the patient is extremely important because of the nature of tasks intended to be performed by a brachytherapyrobot. Since the brachytherapyrobotic systems carry a surgical tool (needle) and radioactive seeds and come in contact with the patient as well as close proximity to the clinical staffs, the robots have to be at least partly cleanable, sterilizeable (needle and seed passage), robust, reliable and safe. Safety, accuracy, user‐friendliness and reliability (SAUR) are the critical criteria that need to be satisfied for any robotic system to be introduced in clinical practice. Learning Objectives: 1. Review the imaging modalities used for robot‐assisted seed implantation 2. Understand the brachytherapyrobotic system calibration 3. Understand the commissioning and QA procedures and issues 4. Understand the safety and reliability issues for introducing robotic systems in the clinic
An Autonomous Circadian Clock in the Inner Mouse Retina Regulated by Dopamine and GABA

The influence of the mammalian retinal circadian clock on retinal physiology and function is widely recognized, yet the cellular elements and neural regulation of retinal circadian pacemaking remain unclear due to the challenge of long-term culture of adult mammalian retina and the lack of an ideal experimental measure of the retinal circadian clock. In the current study, we developed a protocol for long-term culture of intact mouse retinas, which allows retinal circadian rhythms to be monitored in real time as luminescence rhythms from a PERIOD2::LUCIFERASE (PER2::LUC) clock gene reporter. With this in vitro assay, we studied the characteristics and location within the retina of circadian PER2::LUC rhythms, the influence of major retinal neurotransmitters, and the resetting of the retinal circadian clock by light. Retinal PER2::LUC rhythms were routinely measured from whole-mount retinal explants for 10 d and for up to 30 d. Imaging of vertical retinal slices demonstrated that the rhythmic luminescence signals were concentrated in the inner nuclear layer. Interruption of cell communication via the major neurotransmitter systems of photoreceptors and ganglion cells (melatonin and glutamate) and the inner nuclear layer (dopamine, acetylcholine, GABA, glycine, and glutamate) did not disrupt generation of retinal circadian PER2::LUC rhythms, nor did interruption of intercellular communication through sodium-dependent action potentials or connexin 36 (cx36)-containing gap junctions, indicating that PER2::LUC rhythms generation in the inner nuclear layer is likely cell autonomous. However, dopamine, acting through D1 receptors, and GABA, acting through membrane hyperpolarization and casein kinase, set the phase and amplitude of retinal PER2::LUC rhythms, respectively. Light pulses reset the phase of the in vitro retinal oscillator and dopamine D1 receptor antagonists attenuated these phase shifts. Thus, dopamine and GABA act at the molecular level of PER proteins to play key roles in the organization of the retinal circadian clock.
DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF hGH AND bGH ON ELECTRON TRANSPORT COMPONENTS OF LIVER MITOCHONDRIA

Mitochondrial (mito) protein synthesis has been shown to be influenced by hypophysectomy (Hy) and GH treatment (JBC 248 4263:1973). Cytochromes a, a3, b, c, C1 and flavin have now been measured by difference spectrophotometry in purified mito of rats after Hy and subsequent treatment with hGH and bGH. Concentrations were calculated independently of one another by solving simultaneous equations - mean ± SD. Hy significantly decreased (p 0.01) the concentration (nmoles/mg protein) of all cytochromes and subsequent GH treatment increased. hGH did not but bGH did decrease flavin to near normal level. This appears to be the first reported difference in the mechanism of action between the two hormones in Hy rats.
What is the utility of measuring the serum ammonia level in patients with altered mental status

If you already know that the patient has decompensated liver disease, then measuring the ammonia level has little value.
Performance monitoring of a short-span integral-abutment bridge using wireless sensor technology

Discussed in this paper is the implementation of a wireless sensor system for performance monitoring of bridges. The advanced wireless sensor system, developed at Clarkson University's Laboratory for Intelligent Infrastructure and Transportation Technologies (LIITT), allows for structural monitoring of bridges. A short-span integral-abutment bridge located in New York State is instrumented with a wireless sensor system measuring acceleration, and strain to monitor the behavior of the structure under various loading conditions including ambient, environmental and traffic loading. Strain and acceleration measurements are recorded simultaneously and in real time to validate various performance characteristics of the bridge, including load distribution along an interior girder, as well as additional stiffness factors (end fixity and composite action of the beams and bridge deck), using existing bridge load testing and condition evaluation guidelines used by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Additionally, acceleration measurements are used to extract the superstructure's first five natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes. Results are compared to a developed Finite Element Method (FEM) model based on the bridge as built drawings.
Immunology of the sperm-egg interaction

The study of immunologic factors in infertility is in its infancy, and many questions remain to be answered. Further studies using newer techniques are needed to elucidate the actual contributions of immune mechanisms to infertility. Understanding the role of immunologic factors should lead to more effective treatment of patients whose infertility is immunologic in etiology.
High confidence embedded software design: a quadrotor helicopter case study

Traditional design methodology is not suitable for high-confidence embedded software due to the lack of a formal semantic model for software analysis, automatic code generation, and often designed embedded software is hard to reuse. In order to automatically generate high-confidence and reusable embedded software, we propose a TLM-centric, platform-based, time-triggered and component-oriented method. We use this new method to generate the control software for a quadrotor helicopter.
Internal Framework of Southwestern Florida Bank: ABSTRACT

The University of Texas Institute for Geophysics has collected 550 nmi of multichannel reflection seismic data from the western half of the southern Florida Bank. These data indicate that the structural framework underlying the area consists of several elements. Along the north, the Pinellas County arch is a basement feature oriented northeast-southwest and overlain by a relatively thin carbonate sedimentary section that thickens into the Tampa Embayment to the northwest and the South Florida basin to the southeast. The western margin of the bank is underlain by the Sheffield arch, a basement feature trending northwest-southwest and flanked by the Florida Escarpment on the west and the South Florida basin sedimentary section to the east. It is most likely a southeastward ontinuation of the Pinellas County arch. The southern terminus of the Sheffield arch is overlain by a structure interpreted as a buried Tertiary shelf margin, possibly a reef, within the present bank. Within the South Florida basin sedimentary section, there are two secondary basins trending approximately northeast-southwest. They probably originated in Jurassic to Early Cretaceous(?) time and were continuously reactivated into the Tertiary. In addition, an off-bank seismic facies is present between the southern end of the Sheffield arch and the Tortugas Bank. This feature is interpreted as a Jurassic(?) to Tertiary reentrant into the southern Florida Bank. Finally, the present southern shelf break is underlain by a series of prograding clinoforms estimated to be late Tertiary to Quatern ry in age. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1219------------
Utilization of the boundary line approach in the development of soil nutrient norms for soybean production

Abstract Boundary Unes, which previously have been employed for development of plant diagnostic norms for DRIS, were applied to soils for critical value Improvement. Soil test values and yields for soybeans (Glycine max L.) were collected for Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina experiment station plots and farmers’ production fields. The sampling population was divided on the basis of surface soil texture and yield level in order to formulate soil critical value norms for both fine‐textured (clayey) and coarse‐textured (sandy) Ultisols in the southeastern United States. Boundary Une approach (BLA) norms for the fine‐ and coarse‐textured soils were similar to those norms employed by state‐operated soil testing laboratories for Piedmont and Coastal Plain soils, respectively. Two Coastal Plain soils having different surface soil textures, viz. clayey versus sandy, gave critical values by the BLA corresponding to the norms for fine‐ and coarse‐textured soils. Greater precision in the development of soil crit...
Methyl-β-cyclodextrin: an alternative carrier for intravenous infusion of palmitate during tracer studies in swine (Sus scrofa domestica)

Fatty acid-free albumin has been the standard carrier for intravenous infusion of fatty acids to study in vivo lipid metabolism. However, subjects can have adverse reactions to infusion of albumin. We sought an alternative to albumin as a carrier for intravenous infusion of fatty acids, using the pig as a model. Cyclodextrins are naturally occurring water-soluble molecules that can serve as carriers for lipid-soluble compounds. 13C-palmitate was complexed to either 20% methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, 20% 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin, or 5% porcine albumin (isotopic purity of infusates: 99.22+/-0.06%). 13C-palmitate-albumin was infused under fed conditions and 13C-palmitate-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin was infused under fasted and fed conditions in 50-kg pigs. Palmitate remained in solution at 4 degrees C in methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, but precipitated at 25-30 degrees C in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin. Pigs infused with 13C-palmitate-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin maintained normal body temperature and appetite; those infused with 13C-palmitate-albumin became anorexic and exhibited other negative side effects to albumin. Palmitate oxidation rates under fed conditions were similar using either 13C-palmitate-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin or 13C-palmitate-albumin complexes. Fasting increased 13C-palmitate-methyl-beta-cyclodextrin oxidation by approximately eight-fold. These data suggest that methyl-beta-cyclodextrin may be a suitable substitute for albumin in fatty acid metabolism studies in swine.
Current controlled liquid phase epitaxial growth and characterization of InGaAsP

The current controlled liquid phase epitaxy (CCLPE) or electroepitaxy growth technique has been employed for the first time to grow lattice matched In1 - xGaxAsyP1 - y quaternary layers with composition in the range of 0 < x < 0.47 on (100) InP substrates at a constant furnace temperature of 650°C. The growth results showed a linear relationship between the growth rate of the epilayer and current density (up to 15 A/cm2). The growth rate varied from 0.62 μm/min for In0.53Ga0.47As to 0.03–0.05 μm/min for quaternary layers corresponding to a wavelength of ≌ 1.3 μm, at a current density of 10 A/cm2. X-ray diffraction measurements showed good lattice match between the epilayer and the substrate. The experimental data are compared with the derived numerical results based on the existing model.
Susceptibility to lysis by natural killer and natural cytotoxic cells is independent of the mitotic stage of the target cell cycle.

Abstract Natural cell-mediated cytotoxicity (NCMC) against a number of target cells is mediated by at least two distinct effector populations, with natural killer (NK) and natural cytotoxic (NC) cells being the predominant in the murine system. The studies described in this report examine the role that the phase of the mitotic cycle of the target cell has on its susceptibility to lysis by NC and NK cells. We show that neither the kinectics nor the magnitude of NC cell lysis is altered when assayed using target cells which have been enriched for G1, S, or G2 + M stages of the cell cycle. Similarly, NK cell lysis by fresh or poly-IC augmented effector cells was not effected by target Cell Cycle.
Comparative theoretical synthesis of high-energy density materials 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine

In this study, the optimal synthetic route for 2,4,6-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (TNTA) was investigated. The synthesis of TNTA was performed using cyanamide (H2NCN) as a starting material. In the first stage, a radical addition reaction was used to generate melamine, which is the precursor of TNTA. In addition, a gaseous nitration reaction using nitrogen dioxide radicals (•NO2) as the nitration agent was used to gradually induce radical substitutions to convert dicyandiamide (H2NCN)2 to melamine (H2NCN)3. Additional nitration steps lead to triaminocyanide and, ultimately, TNTA. In addition, nitryl cyanide (O2NCN) was also tested as a starting material for radical addition to generate dinitryl cyanide (O2NCN)2, trinitryl cyanide (O2NCN)3, and, finally, TNTA. The activation energy barrier in each of the reaction steps as well as the various synthetic routes were compared to provide insight into the design of more feasible routes for the synthesis of TNTA. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stable sets versus independent sets

Ding, G., Stable sets versus independent sets, Discrete Mathematics 117 (1993) 73-87. Let G=( V,E) be a graph and let Y(G) be the set of stable sets of G. The matroidal number of G, denoted by m(G), is the smallest integer m such that Y(G)=Y,u$~u .I. uj,,, for some matroids Mi = ( V, Yi) (i = 1, 2, , m). We characterize the graphs of matroidal number at most m for all m > 1. For mQ3, we show that the graphs of matroidal number at most m can be characterized by excluding finitely many induced subgraphs. We also consider a similar problem which replaces ‘union’ by ‘intersection’.
An information filing system for oral surgeons

Abstract A simple method of classifying, storing, and retrieving information for oral surgeons is described, whereby it becomes possible, with minimal effort, to have immediately available any pertinent information that the user has previously accumulated and currently desires for reference, review, or reflective study. Bulk removal of accumulated information from any particular subject area is possible for instant review purposes, and preparation of seminars, lectures, or papers for publication. A comprehensive classification indexing system is presented, which, if adhered to, will allow for an orderly review of topics and literature. Such review can be especially helpful to anyone preparing for specialty board examinations or can be valuable to one's professional growth.
Inflammatory Response in Islet Transplantation

Islet cell transplantation is a promising beta cell replacement therapy for patients with brittle type 1 diabetes as well as refractory chronic pancreatitis. Despite the vast advancements made in this field, challenges still remain in achieving high frequency and long-term successful transplant outcomes. Here we review recent advances in understanding the role of inflammation in islet transplantation and development of strategies to prevent damage to islets from inflammation. The inflammatory response associated with islets has been recognized as the primary cause of early damage to islets and graft loss after transplantation. Details on cell signaling pathways in islets triggered by cytokines and harmful inflammatory events during pancreas procurement, pancreas preservation, islet isolation, and islet infusion are presented. Robust control of pre- and peritransplant islet inflammation could improve posttransplant islet survival and in turn enhance the benefits of islet cell transplantation for patients who are insulin dependent. We discuss several potent anti-inflammatory strategies that show promise for improving islet engraftment. Further understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response will provide the basis for developing potent therapeutic strategies for enhancing the quality and success of islet transplantation.
Amplified spontaneous emission in a Ti: Sapphire regenerative amplifier

Amplified spontaneous emission power and contrast ratio in a linear miltipass Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier with a wavelength centered at 1054 nm are calculated and measured. It is shown that the passive losses of a seed pulse and the losses in coupling to the regenerative amplifier cavity mode degrade the intensity contrast ratio to 10(-6)-10(-7). The advantage of an optical parametric chirped pulse amplifier with respect to the contrast ratio is discussed.
The Leprosy Asylum in India: 1886–1947

Writing against a historical practice that situates the leprosy asylum exclusively within prison-like institutions, this article seeks to show the variation in leprosy asylums, the contingencies of their evolution, and the complexity of their designs, by devoting attention to the characteristics of the leprosy asylum in India from 1886 to 1947, in particular to the model agricultural colony. Drawing upon the travel narratives of Wellesley Bailey, the founder of the Mission to Lepers in India, for three separate periods in 1886, 1890-91, and 1895-96, it argues that leprosy asylums were formed in response to a complex conjunction of impulses: missionary, medical, and political. At the center of these endeavors was the provision of shelter for persons with leprosy that accorded with principles of good stewardship and took the form of judicious use of donations provided by benefactors. As the Mission to Lepers began to bring about improvements and restructuring to asylums, pleasant surroundings, shady trees, sound accommodation, and good ventilation became desirable conditions that would confer physical and psychological benefits on those living there. At the same time, the architecture of the asylum responded to economic imperatives, in addition to religious and medical aspirations, and asylums moved towards the regeneration of a labor force. Leprosy-affected people were increasingly employed in occupations that contributed to their sustenance and self-sufficiency, symbolically reincorporating the body damaged by leprosy into the economic world of productive relations.
Molecular epidemiology of cytomegalovirus: viral transmission among children attending a day care center, their parents, and caretakers.

This 26-month prospective study monitored 104 children from one day care center (DCC), and their families, for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. Among the children, 14 different strains of CMV were identified by restriction endonuclease analysis of the viral DNA of isolates. Three of these strains infected 44 DCC children and apparently were transmitted within the DCC environment. Only children younger than 3 years of age acquired the DCC-associated CMV strains. Of 75 seronegative children in this age group, 34 acquired DCC-associated CMV strains, and four were infected with unique strains. Among 23 children older than 3 years of age, none acquired the DCC-associated strains, although six were infected with unique strains. Of 18 seronegative mothers, six acquired CMV infections within 3 to 7 months after their children became infected; the strains were identical to those isolated from their children and were DCC associated. Four fathers, three seropositive mothers, and two care-takers also shed DCC-associated strains of CMV. None of the 31 mothers whose children were not infected shed CMV. There was no apparent CMV-associated morbidity. These results prove the frequent transmission of CMV within the DCC environment and from DCC children to their parents. They further suggest that caretakers do acquire CMV from DCC children.
Use of the asymmetric photoionization model to explain the length and time dependence of second-harmonic generation in fibers

The growth of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) in fibers has been observed to saturate with time as well as with length and can actually decrease after prolonged exposure to fundamental light. We have measured the length dependence of the SHG as a function of time during preparation, saturation and subsequent exposure to IR light. We have also measured the time dependence of erasure of the (chi) (2) grating with exposure to various amounts of green light. Based on these measurements we have been able to determine the parameters of the asymmetric photoionization model, specifically the current and two photon absorption rate. We have performed preliminary experiments using planar waveguides to measure the asymmetric photocurrent.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mutation screening of the dopamine D2 receptor gene in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder subtypes: preliminary report of a research strategy.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable syndrome with onset in childhood that is associated with clinical response to drugs, which increase the release of monoamines, especially dopamine. A variety of studies have reported on genetic associations of ADHD with polymorphisms for various component genes of the dopamine pathway. The promise of preliminary associations found with several genes is mitigated by the significant controversy that exists over what are the appropriate clinical characteristics of ADHD associated with its familial transmission. In the current report, we describe a strategy for mutation screening in common, complex disorders and its application to the systematic screening for coding region variation in the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene. We used groups of individuals who met diagnostic criteria for DSM-IV-defined ADHD subtypes, as well as recently defined latent class criteria for pure familial forms of ADHD. No coding region sequence variations were identified in the DRD2 gene that met our requirements for prevalence to be considered a candidate variant contributing to susceptibility for ADHD.
Simulations of Rupture in Thin Films of Evaporating Liquids

Evolution of dry patches in a thin film of a volatile liquid on a uniformly heated plate is investigated in the framework of a lubrication-type model. The effects of surface tension, evaporation, thermocapillarity, and disjoining pressure are taken into account. Dry areas on the plate are modeled by isothermal microscopic films, which are in thermodynamic equilibrium with the vapor. For non-polar liquids such equilibrium is achieved due to van der Waals forces. Simulations indicate formation of a well-defined capillary ridge around a growing dry patch and show increase in the contact line speed with time. For polar liquids the microscopic film is formed by combined action of van der Waals and electrical double layer forces, the capillary ridge is very small and the contact line speed quickly approaches a constant value. Numerical simulations demonstrate that the proposed model is capable of describing a number of complicated phenomena observed in dewetting of evaporating films.Copyright © 2005 by ASME