cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical Characteristics of Arctic Stratus Clouds

Abstract Observations of the physical properties of Arctic status clouds (ASC) over the Beaufort Sea area were made by the NCAR Electra aircraft during June 1980. The cloud morphology and microstructure observed during these experiments are described here. Arctic stratus clouds were formed under various meteorological conditions, but not when the axis of the Beaufort Sea ridge was zonal and the airflow into the region was continental. The mean drop diameter in clouds observed under all conditions remained near 10 μm, while the mean liquid water content (LWC) was characteristic of the air mass forming the clouds and essentially determined by the mean drop concentration. Clouds showed considerable horizontal homogeneity but significant vertical changes occurred within them. The vertical profiles of LWC show that the values generally increased with height, as a result of an increase in droplet size rather than concentration. The drop size distribution near the base was monomodal, characteristic of condensati...
Quantum and dynamical effects of proton donor-acceptor vibrational motion in nonadiabatic proton-coupled electron transfer reactions

This paper presents a general theoretical formulation for proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) reactions. The solute is represented by a multistate valence bond model, and the active electrons and transferring proton(s) are treated quantum mechanically. This formulation enables the classical or quantum mechanical treatment of the proton donor-acceptor vibrational mode, as well as the dynamical treatment of the proton donor-acceptor mode and the solvent. Nonadiabatic rate expressions are presented for PCET reactions in a number of well-defined limits for both dielectric continuum and molecular representations of the environment. The dynamical rate expressions account for correlations between the fluctuations of the proton donor-acceptor distance and the nonadiabatic PCET coupling. The quantities in the rate expressions can be calculated with a dielectric continuum model or a molecular dynamics simulation of the full system. The significance of the quantum and dynamical effects of the proton donor-acceptor mode is illustrated with applications to model PCET systems.
A cone beam computed tomography system for true 3D imaging of specimens

Abstract A system for 3D cone beam computed tomography has been developed, consisting of a microfocus x-ray source and x-ray image intensifier coupled to a CCD camera. Full width at half maximum resolving power has been experimentally measured to be 70 μm when imaging 10 mm diameter objects. The 3D nature of the resulting image data can be used to visualize internal structure and compute parameters such as volume, surface area, and surface/volume orientation. Applications in several areas are shown.
Mortality of Spot Shrimp Associated with Streamer Tags

Abstract Adult spot shrimp (Pandalus platyceros) were marked with vinyl streamer tags and held at two densities for 19 d. The mortality among large, tagged female shrimp (65.9%) held at an initial density of 51 shrimp/m 2 was significantly greater than among untagged control females (45.4%) held at the same density. Similarly, the mortality among smaller, tagged adult male shrimp (63.6%) held at an initial density of 34 shrimp/m 2 was greater than among untagged control males (0%) held at the same density. Density- or size-related mortality (or both) also occurred because 45.4% of the large control females held at the highest density died but none of the smaller control males held at a lower density died. This laboratory study suggests that the vinyl streamer tag, affixed by a previously tested tagging methodology, should not be used for mark-recapture population studies for spot shrimp.
Nonlinear interactions during magnetic field-line reconnection in plasmas

Abstract Stimulated by important dynamic processes in space and fusion plasmas, the reconnection of magnetic fields in plasmas is investigated. A well-controlled large laboratory plasma is established, and direct observations of magnetic fields and particle distributions are performed. High speed computers are interfaced with the experiment so as to permit the analysis of multidimensional functions. These include the average magnetic field topology 〈B(r, t)〈 and the tensor correlation function 〈B1B2〉ω,k of magnetic fluctuations, as well as the electron phase space distribution function ƒ(v, r, t). The observations show that the characteristic field topology of a neutral sheet is subject to a high level of magnetic turbulence consisting of low frequency whistler waves. These are excited by anisotropies in the electron distribution functions inside the current sheet, in particular by energetic electrons which run away in the electric field along the separator. The observed microinstabilities and kinetic processes cannot be described by classical fluid theories or MHD simulations but are important in determining the effective resistivity and reconnection rate.
Estrogen Production and Metabolism in Endometriosis

Aromatase activity is absent in normal endometrium. In contrast, aromatase is expressed aberrantly in endometriosis, which gives rise to strikingly high levels of aromatase activity in this tissue. Both aromatase expression and activity are stimulated by PGE2. This results in local production of estrogen, which induces PGE2 formation and establishes a positive feedback cycle. Another abnormality in endometriosis, that is, deficient 17beta-HSD type 2 expression, impairs the inactivation of estradiol to estrone. These molecular aberrations collectively favor accumulation of increasing quantities of estradiol and PGE2 in endometriosis. The clinical relevance of these findings was exemplified by the successful treatment of an unusually aggressive case of postmenopausal endometriosis using an aromatase inhibitor.
Telling them like it is: The role of economic and environmental factors in single mothers' discussions with their children

Uses interview data from a sample of 155 single mothers of at least one child between the ages of 10 and 17 to assess the impact of financial strain and welfare status (Aid to Families with Dependent Children) on three areas of maternal functioning: (a) belief in the appropriateness of telling children about family problems, (b) disclosure of financial matters and personal worries to children, and (c) curbing of children's material consumption and social experiences as a strategy to ease financial strain. Also examined whether other environmental conditions (i.e., negative life events, social support), demographic factors, and mothers' mental health account for significant variation in these three outcomes once financial strain and welfare status are taken into account. Financial strain, but not welfare status, was a significant predictor of all three dependent variables. Age of child, number of children in the household who
Tomographic Correction of Transmission Distortions In Reflected Seismic Amplitudes

A tomographic inversion adjusts seismic reflection amplitudes to remove distortions caused by spatial variations in the transmission properties of the overlying earth. These variations create distinctive patterns on displays of reflection amplitude versus source-receiver offsets and midpoints. These patterns are inverted for amplitude corrections that remove the transmission distortions. The methodology is demonstrated on a strong “bright spot” reflection under a large filled channel in the Gulf of Mexico. Transmission anomalies are defined at each point in a depth model as a fractional increase or decrease in wave amplitude. These changes in amplitude scale multiplicatively along raypaths. An inversion of transmission anomalies (i) minimizes errors between modeled and picked amplitudes, (ii) uses a quadratic objective function for easy optimization, and (iii) distinguishes reflectivity changes from transmission anomalies. Reflection are estimated by reflection tomography for interval velocities. The effects of channel irregularities greatly obscured the observed amplitude versus offset in the Gulf of Mexico The transmission anomaly model reconstructed recorded amplitudes accurately and removed the corresponding interference patterns. Most transmission anomalies were imaged near the top of the channel. Local focusing and defocusing of waves by velocity variations can explain these perturbations of amplitudes. An anomaly does have different effects on reflections at different depths.
Microstructural Changes in Wood Plastic Composites Due to Wetting and Re-drying Evaluated by X-ray Microtomography

An extruded wood polypropylene composite subjected to soaking-drying cycles in distilled water was investigated nondestructively using an X-ray microtomography. The representative elementary volumes of the material were examined and discussed using means/median of image intensity values and void contents in 3D XMT images. A 2 mm cube was determined as the representative elementary volume for this material. There were some differences for means in the dry, wet, and re-dried states. The specimen cutting position, i.e., surface or core, affects the results because there was a “resin rich/glazed” surface layer formed during extrusion and the WPPC material had a larger scale heterogeneity, which relates to the difference in flow rate between the core and face of a die. The void contents of re-dried specimens were higher than those of dry specimens.
Talking About Ourselves, Talking About Our Mothers: Latina Prospective Teachers Narrate Their Life Experiences

Through a Bakhtinian conceptual framework, this text explores Latina prospective teachers’ life histories—their experiences at home, in their K-12 schooling, on campus in a Midwestern university, and in their teacher education program. Further, it shows how often, when asked about their own experiences, Latinas responded with stories of their mothers’ past and present experiences. The author shows how drawing on stories of their mothers supported young women in rebutting discourses promulgated by white female peers regarding their cultural and language backgrounds, making them feel dismissed and unvalued. They used “mother stories” as ways to assert their strengths, knowledge, and understandings about schools and schooling.
WNT and cyclooxygenase-2 cross-talk accelerates adenoma growth.

Both Wnt and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) pathways are activated in most sporadic and familial colorectal cancers, especially in those with chromosomal instability. We have recently shown that a common target of both signaling pathways, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-?, is involved in intestinal adenoma growth. Activation of this receptor by synthetic agonist (GW501516) or COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) accelerates intestinal adenoma growth in ApcMin mice. Moreover, these effects are lost in ApcMin mice lacking PPAR?. These findings implicate PPAR? as a focal point of cross-talk between the Wnt and prostaglandin signaling pathways. Based on this work it looks as if PPAR? agonists currently in development for treatment of dyslipidemias and obesity may increase the risk of tumor formation in humans. By contrast, antagonists of PPAR? may provide a novel approach for prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.
Impact of uncertainty on location

Until now, the effects of uncertainty on location patterns have remained largely unexplored. Theories about the way in which firms make decisions to locate have long been restricted by the assumption that they know all the relevant facts when the decisions are made. This book attempts to generalize location theory to take account of the fact that the opposite is more often the case--firms are uncertain when they make their decisions.Taking a theoretical rather than empirical approach to the problem, the book discusses such topics as the location of duopolists, the patterns of towns, the production decisions of firms, and the impact of widespread innovations on location. In addition, it contains a collection of largely independent models that need to be more fully tested and combined into a mathematical theory.Walter Isard writes in his foreword that "regardless of the viewpoint to which the reader is sympathetic, he will find the Webber book to be an important contribution to location theory. It does a fine job of surveying and critically evaluating, in a consistent analytical manner, many of the advances during the last fifteen years of rapid growth of location theory; consequently, location students can now obtain a better view of the field as a whole. More important, this book goes beyond a critical analytical survey. It focuses attention on an area seriously neglected by location theorists, namely the impact of uncertainty upon location decisions and spatial patterns. Webber states the case for studying this impact. It is a sound case. Further, Webber is not misled about his contribution. He modestly views his book as 'a preliminary account of one direction in which new location theory may profitably evolve."The book is a volume in the MIT Regional Science Studies Series, of which Walter Isard is General Editor.
Reserpine and the Medical Marketplace

THE COST of treating hypertension in the United States exceeds $10 billion per year, 1 most of which is spent on medications. Prescription drug costs are rising at three times the general inflation rate and are the largest out-of-pocket medical expense for three fourths of all elderly patients. 2 An important cause of rising drug costs is a shift in physician prescribing from inexpensive old drugs to expensive new drugs, 3 which is driven to a considerable extent by new drug marketing. This sometimes includes active discouragement of the use of older drugs, as with diuretics, 4 but often lack of promotion alone is sufficient to cause an older drug to fall into disuse. 5 Inexpensive generic drugs are not advertised and are less likely to be discussed in symposia or by visiting lecturers or studied and reported on in industry-funded trials. Negative reports about these drugs go unchallenged, positive
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Elderly

This article reviews the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which will grow in prevalence as the population ages. Prognosis of late-onset ulcerative colitis (UC) is generally similar to that of early-onset UC, whereas in Crohn disease it is probably better because of a tendency for colonic involvement. Disease complications are related more to the duration of the inflammatory bowel disease than the subject's current age. The diagnosis in elderly patients can be challenging due to the large number of conditions that mimic IBD on radiologic, endoscopic, and histologic testing. Distinguishing these conditions from IBD will significantly alter prognosis and treatment. Complications related to IBD and its treatment are common and must be recognized early to limit their impact in a vulnerable elderly population.
Preoperative Nomogram Predicting 12-Year Probability of Metastatic Renal Cancer

Purpose: For patients with renal masses localized to the kidney there is currently no preoperative tool to predict the likelihood of metastatic recurrence following surgical intervention. We developed a predictive model that could be used in the preoperative setting.Materials and Methods: We pooled institutional databases from Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Mayo Clinic, and identified complete data on 2,517 patients with renal masses and no concurrent evidence of metastases who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to model preoperative clinical and radiographic characteristics as predictors for development of metastases following nephrectomy. Internal validation was performed with a statistical bootstrapping technique.Results: Metastatic recurrence developed in 340 of the 2,517 patients. Median followup for patients without metastatic recurrence was 4.7 years. A nomogram was developed using preoperative characteristics to predict the 12-year likelih...
Recent results on charm physics from CLEO

Abstract We summarize recent results from the CLEO Collaboration dealing with Cabibbo-suppressed D 0 decays, D 0 decays to neutrals, D s semieptonic decays and decay modes of the Λ c .
The Hypothesis Regarding the Benefit of Carotid Endarterectomy Under Locoregional Anesthesia in Prevention of Stroke May be Unanswered

A recent trial attempted to investigate the role of locoregional anesthesia (LA) in carotid endarterectomy (CEA) compared with general anesthesia. The hypothesis regarding the advantage of LA is based on the intraprocedural neurologic evaluation and the early identification of neurologic deficit. The trial has not demonstrated the superiority of the rocoregional anesthesia versus general anesthesia and revealed equal results concerning the prevention of stroke. We analyze the reasons which explain why the hypothesis regarding the advantage of LA in CEA, in comparison to general anesthesia cannot be answered.
In Vitro Chemoresistance Testing in Well-Differentiated Carcinoid Tumors

Well-differentiated, “typical” carcinoid tumors traditionally have a very poor response to chemotherapy. We hypothesized that tumor specimens from well-differentiated carcinoid tumors would be highly resistant to the effects of chemotherapy when tested against a variety of antineoplastic agents in vitro. Ninety-eight typical carcinoid specimens were surgically harvested, cultured, and tested against antineoplastics in vitro. 3H-Thymidine incorporation was used to assess the percentage of cell-growth inhibition (PCI) of tested specimens. PCI was used to determine if specimens had extreme drug resistance (EDR), intermediate drug resistance (IDR), or low drug resistance (LDR) to each reagent against which they were tested. Seventy specimens generated results. Each was tested with an average of six drugs. The mean proportions of drugs classified as LDR, IDR, and EDR were 0.48 (range 0–1), 0.34 (range 0–1), and 0.18 (range 0–0.80), respectively. The mean numbers of drugs per specimen exhibiting LDR, IDR, and EDR chemoresistance were 2.7, 2.1, and 1.2, respectively. 57 of 70 specimens (81%) had LDR to at least two drugs. 5-FU had the highest frequency of low chemoresistance at 69%, followed by doxorubicin at 67%. Low in vitro resistance to chemotherapeutics was prevalent among typical carcinoids, while EDR was comparatively infrequent. This implies that there may be less clinical chemoresistance and more chemosensitivity among typical carcinoid tumors than clinical trials have previously revealed. These findings warrant additional investigations assessing the response of carcinoid tumors to assay-guided chemotherapy regimens.
Replacing linear Hamming codes by robust nonlinear codes results in a reliability improvement of memories

Linear single-error-correcting, double-error-detecting (SEC-DED) codes used in the design of reliable memories cannot detect and can miscorrect errors with large Hamming weights. We propose protection for memory devices based on extended Vasil'ev codes. These nonlinear SECDED codes have a minimum distance of four, fewer undetectable errors and fewer errors that are miscorrected than linear codes with the same dimension and redundancy. The extended Vasil'ev codes can provide for higher reliability in the presence of repeating errors or high rate of multibitupsets. As far as we know, our paper is the only one discussing application of efficient nonlinear codes for design of reliable memories. The proposed approach can be applied to RAM, ROM, FLASH and disk memories with relatively low hardware overhead.
Short form of a situational temptation scale for heavy, episodic drinking.

Purpose: A short form for situational temptations to drink scale was developed from an original 21-item inventory by Migneault. Methods: The form measured four hypothesized subscales of temptations on a sample of 348 college drinkers (66% female). Peer pressure, social anxiety, negative affect, and positive/social situations subscales were replicated and reduced. Results: Strong empirical support was found for a hierarchical model, indicating that the four subscales can be summed to provide a global measure of situational temptations. Confirmatory factor results, internal and external validity, and high correlations with the original measures indicate that the short form was as psychometrically valid as the original measure. Implications: Measures of external validity demonstrated the applicability of this measure to heavy drinking prevention programs.
Synthesis, characterization, and potential application of highly chemically durable glasses based on AlF3

Fluorozirconate glasses are stable with respect to devitrification but have poor chemical durability and only fair mechanical strength. AlF3-based glasses with improved chemical durability and enhanced mechanical strength are reported here. The optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these glasses are contrasted to the more familiar ZBLAN composition. The infrared edge of these glasses lies at shorter wavelengths than ZrF4-based glasses, but aluminum fluoride glasses offer some interesting opportunities for short-range IR fiber applications such as sensing, remote spectroscopy, and laser power propagation.
Solar Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

The lectures presented under this title consisted largely of material drawn from the American Physical Society’s Study Group on Solar Photovoltaic Energy Conversion. The panel was chaired by the author. The other members were D. DeWitt (IBM), J.P. Gollub (Haverford College), R.N. Hall (General Electric), C.H. Henry (Bell Labs), J.J. Hopfield (Princeton University), T.C. McGill (CalTech), A. Rose (Boston University), J. Tauc (Brown University), R.M. Thomson (National Bureau of Standards), M.S. Wrighton (MIT), and J.H. Martin (Harvard University), who served as Executive and Technical Assistant to the Study. The following material is abstracted from the Study Group’s report on which the lectures focused, with some editorial alterations from the original. The reader should refer to the published report, “Solar Photovoltaic Energy Conversion” (1979, American Physical Society, 35 E. 45th St., New York, NY 10017) for definitive information concerning the Study Group’s conclusions. The following precis, however, should serve to convey the substance of these conclusions.
IMRS-HF: A CLINICAL DECISION TOOL FOR PREDICTING 30-DAY HOSPITAL READMISSION AMONG HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

Innovative strategies and tools for stratification of 30-day readmission (30dR) risk are needed due to penalties legislated in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Intermountain Risk Score (IMRS) is a sex-specific tool derived to predict mortality using the complete blood count (CBC), basic metabolic
ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC ENHANCEMENT OF HEAT TRANSFER IN A SHELL-AND TUBE HEAT EXCHANGER

Enhancement of heat transfer in a heat exchanger via a DC corona discharge was studied experimentally using a single-tube shell-and-tube heat exchanger. Air was the working fluid in both the tube and shell sides. Excitation of the tube side was via a single wire electrode, while that of the shell side was via four rod electrodes oriented symmetrically at 90° intervals. Three series of experiments were performed: (1) excitation of the tube side only, (2) excitation of the shell side only, and (3) simultaneous excitation of the tube and shell sides. Both heat transfer and pressure drop measurements were performed, with Reynolds number and electric field potential as parametric quantities in the tube and shell sides. It was found that highest enhancements take place when the tube and shell sides are excited simultaneously, yielding a 322% increase in the overall heat transfer coefficient. Study of the heat transfer enhancements per unit pumping power indicates that for the range of parameters studied, the te...
Development of a System for the Study of Solid Fuel Conversion Under Supercritical Water Conditions

Due to its low cost and abundance, a large amount of coal and biomass is still being used to generate electricity throughout the world. Given that these solid fuels are here to stay for the foreseeable future, the problem of their environmental impact in terms of their emission of CO2 and harmful gas streams will remain unless solutions to it can be found. Supercritical water (SCW) is an attractive medium for power generation because of its special characteristics. Organic compounds extracted from coal and biomass hydrolyze, and they are completely miscible in SCW. In contrast, sulfur, chlorine and many trace elements in coal are oxidized and form insoluble salts in SCW, which precipitate and can be removed. The coal/biomass-to-electricity scheme takes advantage of these characteristics of SCW in using it as a reaction medium.A description of the experimental facility to conduct experiments for pulverized coal and biomass conversion under SCW conditions (P>218 atm and T>647 K) is provided. The facility includes high-pressure water pumps, pulse-dampening accumulators, a water preheater, an oxygen booster, a SCW gasification reactor, and a reaction quenching cooler. This work presents the entire coal/biomass conversion system, built and assembled, which permits the acquisition of data needed to determine the rate coefficients for reactions that are suitable for SCW conditions. The focus of the facility is a flow reactor that can be pressurized up to 340 atm at temperatures up to 750 K. The continuous flow reactor is 15 meters long, sufficient for residence times as long as 15 minutes when the total mass flow rate (slurry plus SCW flow rates) is 20 grams/min. The residence time in the reactor is varied by controlling the solids content of the slurry and the flow rate of the water supplied. The feed water is pressurized and preheated to the test conditions before the solids slurry and any oxygen are admitted. Oxygen is added so that the heat release from partial oxidation of the solids can supply energy for autothermal gasification. The facility developed is in operation to collect data sets for the characterization of conversion mechanism.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The Influence of Risk-Taking Behaviors on the Transition Into Marriage: An Examination of the Long-Term Consequences of Adolescent Behavior

Previous studies have examined the consequences of adolescent substance use and delinquency, yet most of these studies have focused on the relatively short-term effects of such behaviors. The present study examines the long-term consequences of adolescent delinquency and substance use as it affects the marital choices of young adults. Using a nationally representative sample of 5,331 females and 4,842 males in their late 20s, the analyses show that both substance use patterns and delinquent behavior in the adolescent years significantly affect the likelihood of marriage and the age at first marriage of young adults. Delinquent behaviors appear to increase the likelihood of marriage and lower the age at first marriage for both sexes, whereas higher levels of substance use (alcohol and marijuana) substantially lower females' likelihood of marriage. The results suggest that a gender difference exists in how risk-taking behaviors in adolescence impacts marital outcomes in adulthood. The analyses are discussed...
Advanced cardiac life support antiarrhythmic drugs

The role of antiarrhythmic drugs in resuscitation from cardiac arrest remains controversial. Use of these agents grew out of their recognized ability to suppress premature ectopic complexes, with little evidence to date of any benefit when used to treat pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. Intravenous amiodarone has emerged as having the greatest weight of evidence for improving resuscitation from cardiac arrest, but cardiac life support guidelines have established a sorely needed higher standard for the acceptance and ranking of pharmacologic therapies for cardiac arrest.
Effects of Stimulus Characteristics and Task Demands on Pilots' Perception of Dichotic Messages

The experiment is an initial investigation of pilot performance when auditory advisory messages are presented dichotically, either with or without a concurrent pursuit task requiring visual/motor dexterity. The dependent measures were percent correct and correct reaction times for manual responses to the auditory messages. Two stimulus variables which show facilitory effects in traditional dichotic-listening paradigms, differences in pitch and semantic content of the messages, were examined to determine their effectiveness during the functional simulation of helicopter pursuit. In an effort to accumulate points for the advisory messages for accuracy alone or for both accuracy and reaction times which were faster than their opponent's. In general, the combined effects of the stimulus and task variables are additive. When interactions do occur they suggest that an increase in task demands can sometimes mitigate, but usually does not remove, any processing advantages accrued from stimulus characteristics. The implications of these results for cockpit displays are discussed.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Two Types of Teaching Aids in an Occupational Therapy Research Class

Students who have mastered statistical calculation problems often experience difficulty in choosing an appropriate procedure to apply to a given research problem. To assist them in the process, two teaching aids were assigned at random to a group of 29 beginning research students. Their performance in selecting appropriate statistical procedures for analyzing data indicated that, while both aids were helpful, the algorithm format was more effective than the prose form.
Endoscopic adjuncts to intraventricular surgery.

The cerebral ventricles, located deep within the brain substance and filled with clear cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), are ideally suited for endoscopic surgery. Endoscopic neurosurgery was first introduced in the early 1900s as a means of diagnosing and treating hydrocephalus. It was abandoned for many years because of poor instruments and poor results. Recently, there has been a resurgence of interest in neuroendoscopy for the management of ventricular pathology as the result of a variety of technical advances, including improved optics, illumination, and miniaturized instruments. Minimally invasive neurosurgery is a concept that holds great appeal, and with the availability of improved instrumentation and surgical experience, this concept is currently practical in the clinical setting. The indications and limitations for endoscopic neurosurgery are still being defined, however. Endoscopes have been used successfully within the cerebral ventricles to treat ependymal and arachnoid cysts, simplify complex loculated hydrocephalus, and treat obstructive hydrocephalus as well as to biopsy and even resect a variety of intraventricular cysts and tumors. This article reviews the history of endoscopic surgery and focuses on its current uses in the management of intraventricular pathology.
Impedance phlebography. Critical evaluation of its relation to inspiratory capacity.

Impedance phlebography, a noninvasive approach to the diagnosis of venous thrombosis, depends on decreasing calf electrical impedance in normal subjects during inspiration. In order to assess the relationship between impedance changes and inspiratory volume, normal subjects were studied at various depths of inspiration. The mean inspiration volume required for a result indicating no evidence of venous thrombosis was over 1500 ml. There was significant variation between subjects and between limbs in the same subject. Routine postoperative patients were not generally able to achieve these inspiration volumes. It is concluded that insufficient tidal volume is responsible for many false positive results. Impedance phlebography is not reliable without simultaneous spirometric evidence of high inspiratory volume.
Effect of apomorphine hydrochloride administration on serum concentrations of prolactin, and growth hormone in cattle

Administration of apomorphine hydrochloride to cattle significantly depressed serum prolactin (PRL) concentrations and elevated serum growth hormone (GH) concentrations in a dosimetric fashion.
Stochastic response of practical sliding isolation systems

Abstract Practical sliding isolation systems utilize Teflon sliding bearings in which the coefficient of friction exhibits a strong dependency on the velocity of sliding. Analytical solutions for the stochastic response of such practical sliding systems are presented in this paper and verified by extensive Monte Carlo simulations.
Resident conference at the viewbox: An experimental approach

Rationale and Objectives. To develop and test an experimental radiology resident conference format designed to incorporate more cases, improve visibility of cases, increase resident participation, decrease resident anxiety, and provide residents with feedback on their oral presentation skills. Methods. Sixteen radiology residents were paired into eight teams. Each team was given an identical packet of eight chest radiograph cases, assigned a viewbox, and given 16 minutes to review the cases. Each case was then discussed in front of the group, by one resident from a team, such that all teams participated in oral presentation. The conference moderator provided a written handout, discussion of the findings, and diagnosis for each case. Residents anonymously evaluated each other's performance, the experimental conference format, and 15 traditional conferences. Results. Residents subjectively found the experimental conference to be a statistically significant improvement over the traditional conferences in certain areas (P Conclusion. The experimental conference serves as a valuable alternative to the traditional “hot-seat” conference.
Effect of the inclusion of PEG on the solid‐state properties and drug release from polylactic acid films and microcapsules

The use of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) for controlled drug delivery applications was limited by unfavorable physical properties such as hydrophobicity, high intrinsic crystallinity, low permeability, and high glass transition temperatures. This research used polyethylene glycols (PEGs) of varying molecular weights (300–18,500 g/mol) and concentrations (0–50% w/w) to modify the permeability, intrinsic crystallinity, glass transition temperature, residual solvent levels, and release of a model drug, 5-flurouracil (5FU), from monolithic films and microcapsules fabricated with PLA. The films were fabricated by solvent casting from methylene chloride. The microcapsules were formed by a coacervation method by using a methylene chloride/hexane solvent/nonsolvent system. Compared to PLA films, all PLA : PEG films showed the following: (1) a glass transition temperature between 40 and 55°C, (2) 5–8% lower residual solvent levels, and (3) enhanced permeability to 5FU. These results suggested that the incorporation of PEG improves the physical properties of PLA films to enable fabrication of controlled release delivery systems. Similar to the films, incorporation of PEG also enhanced the permeability of PLA microcapsules to 5FU. However, high intrinsic crystallinity, dual endothermal character for PLA melting, and significant burst release of 5FU in PLA : PEG microcapsules may limit their development for controlled drug delivery applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2025–2030, 2004
ON THE IMMORTALITY OF EXAMINATION PESTS

THERE was a time when the touchstone of the hopeful high school graduate's fitness to enter cloistered college halls was his fluency in declining in faultless German the biological curiosities, Reptil, Animal and Fossil. A little search among old and happily forgotten examination papers might easily add Amphibium and Krokodil to the list. I am tempted to suggest in passing that the examiner, in spite of appearances to the contrary, was not wholly void of humane and scholarly intentions. Let us credit him at least with the well-meant attempt to furnish his prospective student with a correct and adequate nomenclature for the academic menagerie that was to furnish him a doleful amusement during the more tedious hours of the coming college years. Lest one linguistic field should prove insufficient for his entertainment, we took care to provide him with a few joujoux from somewhere else: a few cailloux to throw at the Animalien, or if he preferred a less deadly missile, a chou or two. These might serve to scare away at least the hiboux and still leave him sufficiently helpless for ordinary disciplinary purposes before whatever other pests the faultless rhythm of the deathless list might suggest. Fuss enough was made over these pedagogic joujoux in days gone by to keep the minds of the helpless victims in lifelong confusion about them. Did you ever have trouble on the spur of the hectic and unhappy fraction of a moment in instantaneously recalling whether it was s or x that these beasts took with them when a whole lot of them went off on a witches' Sabbath together? If you did, you know how it feels to be the joujou of fate and pedantry in its playful mood.
Differential Regulation of Mouse Ah Receptor Gene Expression in Cell Lines of Different Tissue Origins

The dioxin-binding Ah receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates the expression of several drug-metabolizing enzymes and has been implicated in immunosuppression, teratogenesis, cell-specific hyperplasia, and certain types of malignancies and toxicities. In order to examine tissue-specific regulation of the mouse Ah receptor gene (Ahr), we studied chimeric deletion constructs, containing the Ahr 5' flanking region and the firefly luciferase reporter gene (Luc). Transient transfection assays were performed in five established mouse cell lines: Hepa-1c1c7 (derived from hepatoma), JB6-C1 41-5a (epidermis), MLE-12 (lung epithelium), F9 (embryonal carcinoma), and NIH/3T3 (fibroblasts). Treatment of the cell lines included: dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), retinoic acid (RA), cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP), or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). Expression levels of Luc varied widely from one untreated cell line to another, this finding was also confirmed by measurements of AHR mRNA steady-state levels. In all cell lines except F9 cells, maximal constitutive expression was observed with constructs containing 78 bp of Ahr promoter sequences, which include several putative binding sites for the transcription factor Sp1. In contrast, in F9 cells, inclusion of sequences between -174 and -78 resulted in a fourfold stimulation of constitutive expression, suggesting that other transcription factors are important in Ahr gene expression in these cells. In MLE-12 and 41-5a cells, expression was significantly decreased by treatment with dioxin, RA, cAMP, or TPA. A similar inhibitory effect was observed in cAMP-treated MLE-12 and F9 cells; this result was confirmed by RT-PCR measurements of AHR mRNA steady-state levels. These results indicate that both up- and down-regulation of the Ahr gene occur and exhibit tissue-and cell-type specificity.
The composition of the lipids of Gromphadorhina portentosa L. (blattidae)

Abstract 1. 1. The differences between the content and composition of the lipids extracted from mature male and female specimens of Gromphadorhina portentosa (L.) were analyzed. 2. 2. The females contained almost twice as much lipid as the males principally because of their greater content of neutral lipid material, mainly the triglycerides. 3. 3. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine were the dominant polar lipid classes in both the male and female and the distribution of the phospholipid classes was similar in both sexes. 4. 4. Palmitic and oleic acids accounted for more than 70 per cent of the total fatty acids in both genders. 5. 5. The males generally possessed a higher content of linoleic acid than the females. 6. 6. The observed differences are compared with lipid compositions of other species.
Oxidative stabilization of PAN/SWNT composite fiber

Abstract PAN/SWNT composite fibers have been spun with 0, 5, and 10 wt% single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Tensile fracture surfaces of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers exhibited extensive fibrillation, while for PAN/SWNT composite fibers, tendency to fibrillate decreased with increasing SWNT content. The reinforcing effect of SWNTs on the oxidized polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber has been studied. At 10 wt% SWNTs, breaking strength, modulus, and strain to failure of the oxidized composite fiber increased by 100%, 160%, and 115%, respectively. Tensile fracture surfaces of thermally stabilized PAN and the PAN/SWNT fibers exhibited brittle behavior and well distributed SWNT ropes covered with the oxidized matrix can be observed in the tensile fracture surfaces of the fibers. No de-bonding has been observed between unoxidized or the oxidized PAN matrix and the nanotube ropes. Higher strain to failure of the oxidized composite fiber as compared to that of the oxidized control PAN fiber also suggests good adhesion/interaction between SWNT and the oxidized matrix. Thermal stresses generated on the composite fiber during the oxidation process were lower than those for the control fiber. The potential of PAN/SWNT composite fiber as the precursor material for the carbon fiber has been discussed.
Non-contact helium-based plasma for delivery of DNA vaccines. Enhancement of humoral and cellular immune responses

Non-viral in vivo administration of plasmid DNA for vaccines and immunotherapeutics has been hampered by inefficient delivery. Methods to enhance delivery such as in vivo electroporation (EP) have ...
Chlorination by a long-lived intermediate in the mechanism of flavin-dependent halogenases.

The flavin-dependent halogenase RebH catalyzes the formation of 7-chlorotryptophan as the initial step in the biosynthesis of antitumor agent rebeccamycin. The reaction of FADH2, Cl-, and O2 in the active site generates the powerful oxidant HOCl, which was presumed to carry out the chlorination reaction. Herein, we demonstrate the formation of a long-lived chlorinating intermediate (t1/2 = 63 h at 4 °C) when RebH, FADH2, Cl-, and O2 react in the absence of substrate tryptophan. This intermediate remained on the enzyme after removal of FAD and transferred chlorine to tryptophan with kinetically competent rates. The identity of this intermediate is suggested by the X-ray crystal structure of RebH, which revealed an active site Lys79 located in a central position between flavin and tryptophan binding sites and just 4.1 A above C7 of tryptophan. The chlorinating species is proposed to be a Lys-eNH-Cl (lysine chloramine) from reaction of enzyme-generated HOCl with the active site Lys79. This covalent enzyme ch...
Changes in enzyme activities of the hatching muscle of the chick (Gallus domesticus) during development

Abstract 1. 1. Oxidative (MDH, ICDH, succinic oxidase) and glycolytic (pyruvic kinase, LDH) enzyme were assayed in the complexus and gastrocnemius muscles of the chick during incubation days 17–21 and at 6–8 days post-hatching. 2. 2. Enzyme activity patterns were found to be generally similar in the two muscles but the complexus was slightly more glycolytic and less oxidative than the gastrocnemius. 3. 3. Significant increases in pyruvic kinase activity were noted for both muscles at the time of pipping and the possible significance of this is discussed.
The effects of organized crime on legitimate businesses

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the development and nature of organized crime in the USA over the past 50 years, emphasizing organized crime's corruption and victimization of legitimate businesses and describing law enforcement's efforts to combat organized crime through specific case studies.Design/methodology/approach – First, the paper analyzes the control over and corruption of legitimate businesses in the USA by the La Cosa Nostra (“LCN,” or the American Mafia), including the following industries: Las Vegas gaming; moving and storage; garment; waste – hauling; and, construction, and the following unions: the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; Laborers International Union of North America; and, the International Longshoreman's Association. The paper also describes law enforcement's successful efforts to combat such corruption through the use of criminal and civil racketeering laws and specific prosecutions. The paper then discusses the emergence in the mid‐1980s of non‐tradition...
Monitoring glucose in vivo by measuring laser-induced acoustic profiles

The optoacoustic method of monitoring absorbed optical energy distribution in tissues was employed to measure changes in glucose concentration in vivo. Glucose osmotic and hydrophilic properties cause reduction of tissue scattering as a result of glucose concentration increase around scattering particles and fibers. The opto-acoustic (OA) method utilizes time-resolved measurements of laser- induced ultrasonic profile in tissue resembling the distribution of absorbed optical energy. This opto-acoustic profile yields effective optical attenuation coefficient, which decreases with decrease of scattering. Glucose effect has been investigated initially in phantoms resembling optical properties of sclera and polystyrene microspheres water solution colored with potassium chromate and then in sclera in vitro and in sclera of live rabbits. The forward mode of opto-acoustic detection was used in the experiments in vitro. Experiments were performed in UV spectral range at the wavelength of (lambda) equals 355-nm. Experimental results demonstrated that an increase in glucose concentration from 5 mM to 60 mM was expressed in the 3 percent reduction of (mu) eff in aqueous solution of polystyrene microspheres. The effect of glucose on sclera in vitro was more prominent and measured as 10 percent reduction of (mu) eff with increase of glucose concentration from 1 mM to 50 mM. It was found that both the amplitude and the profile of OA signal were influenced by mechanical pressure applied to sclera specimen toward the surface of OA transducer. In experiments in live tissue, the backward detection mode was employed, as the only one side access to the tissue surface was available. In experiments in vivo the opto-acoustic profiles were measured in rabbit's sclera before and after intravenous glucose administering. The glucose concentration in rabbit blood was simultaneously measured using commercial device employing chemical analysis of blood. Experimental results demonstrated that a 1 mM increase in glucose concentration resulted in a 3 percent decrease of optical attenuation in rabbit sclera in vivo. Such a pronounced change of optical scattering in sclera in response to physiologic change in blood glucose concentration encourages us to continue measurements in vivo and modeling glucose effect on tissue optics.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intracavity dye laser spectroscopy as a gain probing technique.

A He–Ne discharge tube with gain at 6328 A, a flashed ruby rod with gain at 6943 A, and a brightly fluorescing flame were each inserted into the cavity of a flashlamp-pumped dye laser. The influence of the two gain media on the dye laser differs significantly, apparently due to their dissimilar saturation characteristics. Refractive index effects were also observed. The flame experiment demonstrates the efficacy of the intracavity technique as a simple relative population probe.