cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is prenatal myo-inositol deficiency a mechanism of CNS injury in galactosemia?

Classic Galactosemia due to galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT) deficiency is associated with apparent diet-independent complications including cognitive impairment, learning problems and speech defects. As both galactose-1-phosphate and galactitol may be elevated in cord blood erythrocytes and amniotic fluid despite a maternal lactose-free diet, endogenous production of galactose may be responsible for the elevated fetal galactose metabolites, as well as postnatal CNS complications. A prenatal deficiency of myo-inositol due to an accumulation of both galactose-1- phosphate and galactitol may play a role in the production of the postnatal CNS dysfunction. Two independent mechanisms may result in fetal myo-inositol deficiency: competitive inhibition of the inositol monophosphatase1 (IMPA1)-mediated hydrolysis of inositol monophosphate by high galactose-1- phosphate levels leading to a sequestration of cellular myo-inositol as inositol monophosphate and galactitol-induced reduction in SMIT1-mediated myo-inositol transport. The subsequent reduction of myo-inositol within fetal brain cells could lead to inositide deficiencies with resultant perturbations in calcium and protein kinase C signaling, the AKT/mTOR/ cell growth and development pathway, cell migration, insulin sensitivity, vescular trafficking, endocytosis and exocytosis, actin cytoskeletal remodeling, nuclear metabolism, mRNA export and nuclear pore complex regulation, phosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, protein phosphorylation and/or endogenous iron “chelation”. Using a knockout animal model we have shown that a marked deficiency of myo-inositol in utero is lethal but the phenotype can be rescued by supplementing the drinking water of the pregnant mouse. If myo-inositol deficiency is found to exist in the GALT-deficient fetal brain, then the use of myo-inositol to treat the fetus via oral supplementation of the pregnant female may warrant consideration.
Determination of harmane and harmine in human blood using reversed-phased high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection.

Abstract A number of tremorogenic β-carboline alkaloids have been found in common plant-derived foodstuffs, beverages, and inhaled substances. Because of their natural presence in the food chain, there is a growing concern regarding the potential risks of certain essential tremors associated with the long-term, low-level dietary exposure to these alkaloids. The purpose of this study was to develop an effective analytical method to determine blood levels of two major β-carboline derivatives, harmane and harmine. Human blood was extracted with ethyl acetate and methyl-t-butyl ether (2:98) under an alkaline condition. After evaporation of organic solvent, the samples were reconstructed in methanol. The samples were fractionated on a 250 × 4.6-mm C18 reversed-phase column with an isocratic mobile system consisting of 17.5 mM potassium phosphate buffer (ph 6.5) and methanol (30:70), followed by an on-line fluorescence detection. The method had the detection limit to determine 206 and 81 pg/ml of harmane and harmine, respectively, in 10 ml of human blood. The intraday precision (C.V.) at 25 ng/ml was less than 6.7 and 3.4% for harmane and harmine, respectively. The interday precision was 7.3% for harmane and 5.4% for harmine. The method has proven sensitive, reproducible, and thus useful for both laboratory and clinical studies of β-carboline toxicities.
Theory and design of microwave planar electrodes for stochastic cooling of particle beams

Stochastic cooling is a broadband microwave feedback system used in particle accelerators to reduce beam size growth. Because stochastic cooling is a random process, the performance of the system is directly proportional to the bandwidth of the system. Electrodes that sense and correct the position of particles in the beam must accommodate octave bandwidths in the range from 1 to 16 GHz. This article will outline the theory, design, and measurements of planar electrodes that achieve these wide bandwidths.
Thyroid hormones on amino acid and protein metabolism. I. Concentration and composition of free amino acids in blood plasma of the rat.

Free amino acid concentrations and compositions of blood plasma of rats in various thyroid hormone states were determined. The plasma amino acid concentration was increased significantly after feeding desiccated thyroid (2-fold on the 10th day) and was significantly decreased after thyroidectomy. Doses of L-triiodothyronine from 0.1 to 1.0 μmole/200 g of body weight, given to thyroidectomized rats, caused a return of plasma amino acid levels to near-normal values within 12 hr. The thyroid hormone status of the animal does not appear to alter the diurnal changes in plasma amino acids. Amino acid analysis showed that most plasma amino aicds increased significantly after feeding desiccated thyroid for 8 days, while proline and citrulline remained at the normal level, and glycine decreased. Likewise, most amino acids were decreased after thyroidectomy, with the exception of glycine and citrulline, which were increased. The concentrations of alanine and glutamic acid were increased, while the levels of proline...
Merkel cells in the outer follicular sheath.

While performing an electron microscopic examination of the skin for diagnostic purposes, we observed a cluster of cells with dense-core membrane-bound granules in the external root sheath of a hair follicle. The finding of Merkel cells in hair follicle could help to explain some histogenetic features of neuroendocrine tumors of the skin.
Injury patterns among obese children involved in motor vehicle collisions

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare injury patterns among obese children to their nonobese counterparts involved in motor vehicle collisions. Methods A nationwide data collection program containing occupant, collision, and injury details from police-reported tow-away crashes between 1997 and 2006 were used. Risk ratios (RRs) and associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were adjusted for age, sex, restraint, seat track position, vehicle curb weight, and total velocity change. Results An estimated 9 million children aged 2 to 17 years (20.2% obese) were involved in motor vehicle collisions during the study period. Among 2-to-5-year-olds, obesity increased the risk of severe head (RR, 3.67; 95% CI, 1.03-13.08) and thoracic (2.27; 1.01-5.08) injuries. Among 6-to-9-year-olds, obesity increased risk of thoracic (2.31; 1.08-4.95) and lower extremity (LE) injuries (1.89; 1.03-3.47). Among 10-to-13-year-olds, obesity increased the risk of severe thoracic (1.98; 1.08-3.65) and LE (6.06; 2.23-16.44) injuries. Among 14-to-17-year-olds, obesity increased risk of severe LE injuries (1.44; 1.04-2.00) but decreased risk of abdominal (0.20; 0.07-0.60) and head (0.33; 0.18-0.60) injuries, very similar to the pattern reported in obese adults. Conclusion The pattern of obesity-associated injuries changes from a higher risk of head and thoracic injuries among young children to a pattern in late teenagers that is similar to obese adults.
Enhancing a standard experimental delivery system (MEL) for advanced psychological experimentation

Enhancements to the Micro Experimental Laboratory (MEL) and the ways in which they facilitate development of psychological experiments are discussed in this paper. New procedures are described for (1) presenting and manipulating pictorial graphics, (2) inputting response box, voice key, joystick, digitized speech, and mouse responses, (3) outputting lights, speech, and tone stimuli, (4) editing and analyzing digitized speech, and (5) implementing multitask processing. Methods for extending the language, developing test batteries, sequencing subjects, and managing and analyzing data are described.
The preparation and characterization of a cardiac relaxing substance

Abstract Techniques for preparing cardiac myofibrils, granules and soluble relaxing substance are described, and the properties of these materials outlined. Since a cardiac relaxing factor system can be made to function in vitro , it seems likely that tension development is modified by inhibition of ATP hydrolysis in heart as well as in skeletal muscle.
Amorphous calcium phosphate-based bioactive polymeric composites for mineralized tissue regeneration

Amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), a postulated precursor in the formation of biological hydroxyapatite, has been evaluated as a filler phase in bioactive polymeric composites that utilize dental monomers to form the matrix phase on polymerization. In addition to excellent biocompatibility, these composites provided sustained release of calcium and phosphate ions into simulated saliva milieus. In an effort to enhance the physicochemical and mechanical properties and extend the utility of remineralizing ACP composites to a greater variety of dental applications, we have focused on: a) hybridizing ACP by introducing silica and/or zirconia, b) assessing the efficacy of potential coupling agents, c) investigating the effects of chemical structure and compositional variation of the resin matrices on the mechanical strength and ion-releasing properties of the composites, and d) improving the intrinsic adhesiveness of composites by using bifunctional monomers with an affinity for tooth structure in resin formulations. Si- and Zr-modified ACPs along with several monomer systems are found useful in formulating composites with improved mechanical and remineralizing properties. Structure-property studies have proven helpful in advancing our understanding of the remineralizing behavior of these bioactive composites. It is expected that this knowledge base will direct future research and lead to clinically valuable products, especially therapeutic materials appropriate for the healing or even regeneration of defective teeth and bone structures.
Regulation of GAP-43 at serine 41 acts as a switch to modulate both intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors of growing neurons, via altered membrane distribution

Abstract GAP-43 is the major neuronal substrate of protein kinase C (PKC). Its phosphorylation status dictates the severity of pathfinding errors by GAP-43 (+/−) growth cones in vivo, as well as its modulation of actin dynamics in vitro. These experiments show that stably overexpressing cDNAs mutant at its single PKC phosphorylation site at serine41 in retinoic acid treated SH-Sy5Y neuroblastoma cells regulates intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors of growing neurons. Intrinsically, only Wt and pseudophosphorylated GAP-43Ser41Asp precipitated with F-actin and potentiated F-actin — regulated filopodia formation. GAP-43Ser41Asp inhibited neurite outgrowth whereas only unphosphorylatable GAP-43Ser41Ala precipitated neurotubulin, potentiated neurotubulin accumulation in neurites and increased outgrowth. When PI3-kinase was inhibited GAP-43Ser41Asp-mediated filopodia formation was inhibited whereas GAP-43Ser41Ala-mediated neurite extension was potentiated. Extrinsically, only Wt and GAP-43Ser41Asp potentiated both homotypic adhesion and neurite outgrowth on NCAM-expressing monolayers and promoted NCAM stability. With respect to the underlying mechanism, more F-actin and NCAM colocalized with Wt and GAP-43Ser41Asp in detergent resistant membranes (DRMs) isolated from live cells and GAP-43Ser41Asp-mediated functions were insensitive to cholesterol depletion. In contrast, GAP-43Ser41Ala-mediated functions were sensitive to cholesterol depletion. Neither GAP-43Ser41Asp nor GAP-43Ser41Ala was able to protect against growth cone collapse mediated by PIP2 inhibitors. The results show that modification of GAP-43 at its PKC phosphorylation site directs its distribution to different membrane microdomains that have distinct roles in the regulation of intrinsic and extrinsic behaviors in growing neurons.
The Majority of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Septin Complexes Do Not Exchange Guanine Nucleotides

Abstract We show here that affinity-purified Saccharomyces cerevisiae septin complexes contain stoichiometric amounts of guanine nucleotides, specifically GTP and GDP. Using a 15N-dilution assay read-out by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we determined that the majority of the bound guanine nucleotides do not turn over in vivo during one cell cycle period. In vitro, the isolated S. cerevisiae septin complexes have similar GTP binding and hydrolytic properties to the Drosophila septin complexes (Field, C. M., al-Awar, O., Rosenblatt, J., Wong, M. L., Alberts, B., and Mitchison, T. J. (1996) J. Cell Biol. 133, 605-616). In particular, the GTP turnover of septins is very slow when compared with the GTP turnover for Ras-like GTPases. We conclude that bound GTP and GDP play a structural, rather then regulatory, role for the majority of septins in proliferating cells as GTP does for α-tubulin.
Role of soil manganese in the oxidation of aromatic amines.

Soil-induced oxidation and subsequent polymerization of aromatic amines is an important pathway for reducing the mobility of amines in soils and their hazard potential in the environment. This study assesses the hypothesis that manganese(III/IV) oxides/hydroxides play a significant role in the oxidation of aromatic amines in whole soils. Aromatic amines including α-naphthylamine, p-methoxyaniline, and aniline were allowed to react in aqueous whole soil suspensions for 5 d. Irreversible binding and/or transformation of amines were estimated using a rigorous extraction method and extractable transformation products were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. The Mn speciation shifts in the soil residue after amine−soil reactions were measured using a successive fractionation method and in-situ using X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. A fraction of each of the three amines became irreversibly sorbed, and a large polymer formation was observed for α-naphthyl...
Modeling Oligotrophic Biofilm Formation and Lead Adsorption to Biofilm Components

Mechanisms governing trace metal interactions with biogenic materials in oligotrophic freshwater aquatic environments were investigated with a laboratory biofilm reactor system using lead as a mode...
Initial Design and Evaluation of an Intra-Cardiac Camera System for Ventricular Septal Defects

The primary objective of this project is to design, fabricate, and test a small, integrated camera system for aiding in the visualization and surgical repair of ventricular septal defects (VSDs), or holes in the heart wall, in pediatric patients. Currently, a less invasive device to view VSDs from the left ventricle of the heart does not exist. This left perspective is ideal for obtaining an unobstructed view of the VSD. The proposed VSD camera device would also provide a platform for passing a suture through the hole in the septal wall, with future work implementing additional tools capable of more advanced tasks. This camera device will help solve some of the major issues currently associated with both cardiac imaging and surgical intervention of VSDs by providing a minimally invasive camera platform for viewing VSDs from the left ventricle. This paper examines the design development and preliminary evaluation of a proof of concept device. Included are preliminary results of image quality comparisons and design details of a pediatric-specific VSD camera device.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Impact of relative humidity on mechanical test results for optical fiber

The measurement of optical fiber's mechanical attributes is drawing more focus as deployment of fiber transitions from long-haul applications to those in today's local loop and data networks. Testing was conducted to further the understanding of the impact of environmental preconditioning factors on mechanical test result precision. This investigation, using test samples of 250 micron U.V. curable acrylate-coated optical fibers, primarily focused within and about the constraints for relative humidity as specified in the standard test methods. Differences in some mechanical test results are shown to correlate with different levels in the relative humidity of the environment in which the fibers were conditioned for 24 hours.
Functional outcomes following transanal rectal surgery

Transanal rectal surgery and particularly transanal endoscopic microsurgery are becoming increasingly utilized in a variety of settings. In well-selected cases, oncologic outcomes are comparable to more radical techniques, and operative complications are decreased with the less invasive procedures. Due to the necessity for anal dilation during transanal approaches however, concern over functional outcomes has developed. As the medical community focused on these functional results however, it became clear that compared to radical resection, transanal surgery compares favorably; disturbances due to pelvic nerve injury are notably less, and though incontinence often presents early post-operatively, it dissipates and has little effect upon patient quality of life. Both patient- and surgeon-related factors appear to influence functional outcomes, allowing for both improvements in surgical technique and clarity of patient expectations.
Intraoperative colonoscopy: Preliminary report

Colonoscopy performed in the operating room at celiotomy, but prior to colotomy, is of definite value in the intraoperative assessment of colonic disease, especially with reference to the need for and extent of resection. By avoiding colotomies, contamination of the peritoneal cavity and wound can be obviated, with concomitant diminished morbidity.
An analysis of positivity and negativity attributes of users in Twitter

Effect of mood and emotion on a person's behavior and his/her interactions with other people has been studied for a long time. Positivity and negativity of a person are two important attributes of emotion and mood. Social media is a very important platform from which we can glean the positivity and negativity attributes of a user based on his/her message postings and interactions with other users. In this paper, we study and analyze a Twitter dataset of more than 130,000 users to understand the nature of their positivity and negativity attributes. We measure behavioral attributes by sentiment analysis relating to social personal concern and psychological process. We observe that social media contains useful behavioral cues to classify users into positive and negative groups based on network density and degree of social activity either in information sharing or emotional interaction and social awareness. We believe that our findings will be useful in developing tools for predicting positive and negative users and help provide the best recommendation towards helping negative users through online social media.
Computer applications in lexicography — summary of the state‐of‐the‐art

Abstract This summary of the state‐of‐the‐art of computer applications in lexicography assesses the capabilities and extent to which these capabilities have been effectively used in the field. A history of the automation of lexicographical processes is discussed in relation to collection and transfer of data, sorting and alphabetization, and editorial and analysis procedures. A look at the lexicographer as a computer user and considerations for computer systems for building dictionaries are provided. Future applications, including special analyses by computational lexicologists, should be sought and those being pursued are described. A shared computer archive and preparation of the automated dictionary are also within our grasp.
A Facile and Stereospecific Synthesis of (E)-8-Acetoxy-6-methyl-6-octen-2-one: A Key Intermediate for Lactone-Derived Sex Pheromones of the Mexican and Caribbean Fruit Fly1

Abstract (E)-8-Acetoxy-6-methyl-6-octen-2-one, a key intermediate for the male-produced sex pheromones of the Mexican and Caribbean fruit fly, was synthesized stereospecifically in five steps with an overall yield of 50%.
Stuart hall's theory of ideology: A frame for rhetorical criticism

This paper investigates Stuart Hall's theory of ideology as a tool for rhetorical theory and criticism. After explicating the theoretical presuppositions of the theory in which issues of power and dominance, epistemology, language, legitimation, and consensus are considered, the paper offers a method for rhetorical critics which focuses upon Hall's pivotal notion of articulation. By examining terms and “logics” of public discourse in relation to historical conditions, Hall's theory enables the critic to examine how consciousness is produced in the relations among linguistic structures and social formations.
Parametric Testing of A DWPF Borosilicate Glass

A series of tests have been performed to characterize the chemical stability of a DWPF borosilicate glass sample as part of the Waste Package Task of the NNWSI Project. This material was prepared at the Savannah River Laboratory for the purpose of testing the 165-frit matrix doped with a simulated non-radioactive waste. All tests were conducted at 90{sup 0}C using deionized water and J-13 water (a tuffaceous formation groundwater). In the deionized water tests, both monoliths and crushed glass were tested at various ratios of surface area of the sample to volume of water in order to compare leach rates for different sample geometries or leaching times. Effects on the leach rates due to the presence of crushed tuff and stainless steel material were also investigated in the tests with J-13 water. 4 references, 2 figures, 4 tables.
Black bear movements and habitat use during a critical period for moose calves

In sub-Arctic and north-temperate ecosystems, opportunistic carnivores, such as black bears (Ursus americanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos), are active on the landscape for a shorter period annually than sympatric gray wolves (Canis lupus). Therefore, bear movement patterns and habitat use might be expected to be more deliberate and of greater consequence, in terms of energy acquisition, than those of predators not undergoing hibernation. Habitat choices concerning feeding, bedding, and denning grounds made by black bears therefore should reflect seasonal abundance and distribution of vegetation and key prey items as these are sites where bears remain and forage for prolonged periods of time. We recorded the movement patterns of 6 GPS-collared black bears from den emergence to onset of moose (Alces alces) parturition in 2003. Over approximately 3 weeks prior to parturition, results from average distance calculations suggest that black bears moved closer to probable moose calving-site habitat. Additionally, the seasonal habitat use by black bears surrounding dens reflected the same trend for areas where cow moose gave birth in spring 2003, with a propensity to use needleleaf forest more than any other habitat.
A successful failure: NASA’s crisis communications regarding Apollo 13

Abstract In April 1970, NASA faced its second major crisis when an explosion on board Apollo 13 threatened the lives of its three astronauts. NASA’s handling of the crisis not only would determine the fate of the three astronauts, but also the image of the space agency and possibly the future of American manned space exploration. This paper examines NASA’s crisis communications regarding Apollo 13. It argues that NASA and the Nixon administration’s handling of the crisis not only bolstered NASA’s image, but it also may have helped to gain crucial public and congressional support for continued manned space exploration. The space agency succeeded by responding quickly to the crisis and communicating honestly and openly with its key publics. The study demonstrates how a successful response to a crisis can enhance the image of an organization.
Likelihood and Duration of Flow Breakdown: Modeling the Effect of Weather

The effect of rain on freeway flow breakdown behavior is investigated. Three aspects of flow breakdown are analyzed for rain versus no rain (clear) weather conditions. First, the probability of breakdown occurrence is examined by analyzing the distribution of prebreakdown flow rates observed immediately before the onset of traffic breakdown by using a survival analysis approach. At all study sections, a reduction with prebreakdown flow rates is observed under rain conditions compared with distributions under no rain and confirms higher breakdown likelihoods at lower flows. Log likelihood ratio tests confirm the statistical significance of differences in the prebreakdown flow rate distribution parameters under rain compared with clear conditions. Second, breakdown duration is examined by estimating a semiparametric Cox proportional hazard model. With a rain event indicator set as an independent variable, the effect of rain on breakdown duration is observed. Rain during a breakdown episode is found to increase its duration, whereas rain before breakdown does not appear to affect duration. Finally, prebreakdown and postbreakdown flow rates are compared. Overall, while a reduction in prebreakdown flow rates is observed because of rain, the flow drop between prebreakdown and postbreakdown is not much different between rain (3.9% to 12.0%) and no rain (7.8% to 12.7%) conditions.
The past and future of empirical finance: some personal comments

Abstract This is an overview of how empirical finance has evolved since 1960 with some suggestions about the future developments. The original attention just to modelling the first two moments will change to considering the whole distribution. Particular attention is paid to the ‘long-memory’ property and some comments are made about the relevance of continuous time theory.
On the role of fuel cells and hydrogen in a more sustainable and renewable energy future

Abstract Fuel cell energy conversion devices and use of hydrogen as an energy carrier have benefited from major technological advancements in recent years. Fuel cells can provide continuous power with extremely low (or zero) criteria pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions from a variety of renewable and fossil fuels that well compliments the relative intermittency of many forms of renewable power. The sustainability of energy conversion is aided by the highly efficient use of limited fossil fuel reserves, of renewable fuels such as biogas, landfill and digester gas, and of waste fuel streams that can be accomplished using a fuel cell system. Hydrogen can play a significant role in that it is one of only a few options that can enable transportable power with zero pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions at the point of use. In addition, hydrogen can be efficiently produced with very low emissions from a variety of renewable and more sustainable primary energy sources such as wind, solar, and nuclear power (by water electrolysis or splitting), from biogases and industrial waste streams, as well as from fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal. While there are many significant technical hurdles to overcome before fuel cell technology can become widely available and while significant investments will be required to enable the widespread use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, recent developments are proving the environmental and energy efficiency performance, diversity, continuous power capabilities, and potential future economic competitiveness of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies that could enable their future contributions to a more sustainable and renewable energy future. The current paper introduces some potential future roles of fuel cells and hydrogen and highlights some work being conducted at the National Fuel Cell Research Center.
Ceramic hollow spheres and their applications

Abstract Ceramic hollow spheres are being developed for electronic uses in piezoelectric transducers and low dielectric constant substrates, for structural applications in syntactic and metal foams, for fluid transport uses in filters and radiant burners, and for acoustic insulation. Fabrication of coarse hollow spheres (1–10 mm) is by nozzle or sacrificial core processes and fine sizes (1–100 microns) are fabricated using sol-gel techniques.
Airline daily fare differentiation in a medium-size travel market

This paper examines variation in airline fares for trips in a medium-size travel market. It develops a conceptual model of fares offered, and uses daily information about fare, plane and flight characteristics, and trip characteristics easily available on the internet. Based on this information it estimates a two-way fixed effects model of airline fares. The results show large differences in fares among the airlines, large variation in daily fares offered, and provide evidence of fare differentiation in the travel market analyzed.
Critical State of Granular Materials Based on the Sliding-Rolling Theory

By representing the assembly by a simplified column model, a constitutive theory was recently developed for a two-dimensional assembly of rods. This theory, referred to as the sliding-rolling theory, is extended in this paper to represent the triaxial stress-strain behavior of granular materials. The sliding-rolling theory provides a dilatancy rule and an expression for the slope of the line of zero dilatancy in the stress space. These rules are then combined with triaxial observations to provide a microstructural interpretation of the critical state of granular materials. According to the theory, the slope of the critical state line in the stress space depends on the interparticle friction angle and the degree of contact normal anisotropy. To verify the basic ideas of the sliding-rolling theory, numerical experiments are conducted using the discrete-element method on three-dimensional assemblies of spheres.
Characterization of RNA transcripts and virally coded proteins synthesized in mouse fibroblasts transfected with hepatitis B DNA: HBeAg synthesis in HBcAg-negative cells with active core-antigen genes

A line of mouse cells expressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface and ‘e’ antigens identical in their physico-chemical properties to antigens from patients infected with HBV was isolated after transfection of 3T3 ceils with cloned HBV DNA. The studies reported here indicate that the ceils contain uninterrupted copies of the entire HBV genome which are unmethylated on CCGG sites and have no gross deletions or rearrangements. The entire core region is transcribed into polyadenylated RNAs large enough to serve as messengers for production of viral core antigen (HBcAg) yet no HBcAg can be detected. This suggests that the ceils produce a primary translation product copied from the HBcAg messenger which either cannot assume the proper configuration for display of HBcAg determinants or is rapidly converted to HBeAg by proteolysis.
Electromagnetic and Electrostatic Transmission-Line Parameters by Digital Computer

This paper describes a versatile digital computer program for calculating electromagnetic and electrostatic parameters for an untransposed section of overhead line. Applications to current distribution, electromagnetic and electrostatic unbalance, voltage gradients on conductor surfaces, and other problems are discussed. A technique for establishing upper and lower bounds for Carson's earth-return correction and a modified symmetrical component transformation are introduced as new concepts. The flexibility of the proposed computer program offers a means for solving a large variety of related electromagnetic problems.
Family history of inflammatory bowel disease among patients with ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background and aims Despite numerous shared susceptibility loci between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the prevalence of family history among ulcerative colitis patients is not well-established and considered to be less prevalent. A systemic review and meta-analysis were conducted to estimate the prevalence of family history of inflammatory bowel disease in ulcerative colitis patients, and its effect on disease outcomes. Methods PubMED was searched to identify studies reporting the prevalence of family history of inflammatory bowel disease among ulcerative colitis patients. Definitions of family history, study type, and subtypes of family history prevalence were abstracted, as were disease outcomes including age at ulcerative colitis diagnosis, disease location, surgery and extraintestinal manifestations. Pooled prevalence estimates were calculated using random effects models. Results Seventy-one studies (86,824 patients) were included. The prevalence of a family history of inflammatory bowel disease in ulcerative colitis patients was 12% (95% confidence interval [CI] 11 to 13%; range 0–39%). Family history of ulcerative colitis (9%; 22 studies) was more prevalent than Crohn's disease (2%; 18 studies). Patients younger than 18years of age at time of diagnosis had a greater family history of inflammatory bowel disease (prevalence 15%, 95% CI: 11–20%; 13 studies). There were no differences in disease location, need for surgery, or extraintestinal manifestations among those with a family history, although very few studies reported on these outcomes. Conclusions Overall, 12% of ulcerative colitis patients have a family history of inflammatory bowel disease, and were more likely to have a family history of ulcerative colitis than Crohn's disease. Pediatric-onset ulcerative colitis patients were more likely to have a family history of inflammatory bowel disease.
Solutions to the Problem of Diminished Social Interaction

Social animals, like humans, need to interact with others, but this is not always possible. When genuine social interaction is lacking, individuals may seek out or use sources of interaction that c...
Advances in Office Anesthesia

Background: Recent developments in anesthesia applicable to family practice settings are reviewed. Methods: MEDLINE was searched using the key words “EMLA”; “iontophoresis”; “lidocaine,” “tetracaine, adrenaline, cocaine”; and “lidocaine, epinephrine, tetracaine.” Results and Conclusions: Clinical experience has shown that there is a definite and evolving role for the newer methods of office anesthesia. Patient care can be improved by reducing the discomfort of patient procedures.
THEISTIC PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHOTHERAPY : A THEOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC CRITIQUE

. I take the APA publication A Spiritual Strategy for Counseling and Psychotherapy (Richards and Bergin 2005), along with a devoted issue of Journal of Psychology and Theology (Nelson and Slife 2006), as a paradigmatic example of a trend. Other instances include the uncritical use of “Eastern” philosophy in Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology, almost normative appeal to the “Sacred” within the psychology of spirituality, talk of “God in the brain” within neurological research, the neologism entheogen referring to psychedelic drugs, and calls for new specializations such as neurotheology and theobiology. In response to the legitimate ethical requirements of respect and openness regarding clients' religious worldviews, the trend is to make God an essential component in psychological theory. The argument is that God is active in the universe and especially in human affairs to such an extent that any accurate account of strictly psychological matters, not just a comprehensive, interdisciplinary purview that could include a distinct theological dimension, must include God as an explanatory factor. Less nuanced than standard theological thought about divine intervention—including a range of opinions from supernaturalism, to occasionalism, to providential and deistic naturalism—this trend would blur the epistemological differences between religion and science by appeal to claimed knowledge sources such as inspiration and revelation and thus undermine the achievements of evidence-based science and establish particularistic religious beliefs as standard explanatory accounts. The concern to include a spiritual, in contrast to a religious or theist, dimension in psychological theory is welcome; but elaborated approaches, such as my own and those of Roberto Assagioli, Viktor Frankl, and Ken Wilber, open to varied theological applications, already exist.
The Effect of Mental Simulation on Goal-Directed Performance

Mental simulations can have beneficial effects on goal-directed effort and performance. We make a theoretical distinction between simulations of desired goals (outcome simulation) versus simulation of the steps leading to a desired goal (process simulation). In the present study, participants simulated the outcome of writing an effective essay, the process of preparing the effective essay, or they completed no simulation. Following the simulation (or not), participants either wrote on the expected essay topic or were switched to a new topic. Both outcome and process simulations demonstrated enhanced performance on the expected task. There was some evidence that process simulations, but not outcome simulations, facilitated planning of the essay. Outcome simulations enhanced motivation and self-efficacy, but these variables did not mediate the effects of outcome simulations on performance. We discuss the beneficial effects of mental simulation for goal-directed activity.
Improved algorithm for estimation of attenuation along propagation path using backscattered echoes from multiple sources

Accurately determining the attenuation along the propagation path leading to a region of interest could significantly improve diagnostic ultrasound tissue characterization since tissue characterization requires exact compensation for the frequency-dependent attenuation along the propagation path. In a previous study (JASA, 124:1367, 2008), it was shown that the total attenuation can be determined by using the backscattered echoes from multiple sources. The preliminary computer simulation results, had an average error between -0.3 to +0.2 dB/MHz for the cases tested with a trend towards increasing error with increasing correlation length (i.e., characteristic size of the tissue microstructure of the scattering medium) and attenuation along the propagation path. Therefore, the goal of this study was to improve the accuracy of previously derived algorithm and reduce the dependence of the algorithm on correlation length and attenuation. In this study, the previous derivations were redone and the assumptions made by the algorithm regarding the scattering properties of the medium and the shape of the backscattered power spectrum were relaxed. The revised algorithm was then verified using computer simulations of five sources (6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 MHz, 50% bandwidth) exposing a homogeneous tissue region. The simulated tissue had microstructure following a Gaussian spatial correlation function (i.e., exp (−0.827(kaeff) 2 ) where k is the wavenumber) with effective radii, aeff, of 5 to 55 μm (one size per simulated case) placed at a density of 250/mm 3 (∼5 scatterers/resolution cell for 14 MHz transducer). The attenuation of the tissue was also varied from 0.1 to 0.9 dB/cm-MHz. The computer simulations demonstrated that the modifications significantly improved the accuracy of the algorithm resulting in average errors between -0.04 and 0.1 dB/MHz which is three times better than the error performance of the original algorithm.
Detection of HOCl in the antarctic stratosphere

An integrated vertical column abundance of 1.5 + or - 0.4 x 10 to the 14th molec/sq cm of HOCl has been inferred from high resolution infrared solar spectra measured by the JPL MkIV interferometer from the NASA DC-8 aircraft during flights over Antarctica in September 1987. This result was obtained by averaging spectra recorded at different times, dates, and locations, but may be considered a mid-morning measurement at a solar zenith angle of 88.2 degrees from 79 deg S, 83 deg E on September 20. This result poses an important constraint on the amount of HO(x) inside the Antarctic winter vortex and on the contribution of the HOCl catalytic cycle to the observed springtime ozone depletion.
Magnetic fluids in the blood

Recently, several medical applications have been proposed for magnetic fluids. These applications, which are reviewed here, involve introduction of magnetic fluids into the blood with subsequent magnetic guidance or magnetic detection by external devices. The issues associated with achieving magnetic guidance and minimizing toxicity are considered. The technical difficulties involved in any of the proposed applications are substantial, and would appear to outweigh the potential advantages at the present time. However, the research and development efforts in this area have been very limited and, therefore, the opportunities for innovation and further progress are significant.
Multi-fidelity storage

Imaging sensors are inherently high bandwidth devices, and applications which store image data often encounter disk or memory limits. Commonly, upon reaching such a limit, storage systems will cease sampling or overwrite existing data in an oldest-first fashion. For most applications, neither approach is optimal. We introduce a flexible, policy-based, on-line algorithm for maximizing the application-specific value of data retained on a read/write/erase storage medium such as a hard disk or flash card. Our algorithm supports both selective discard of image frames, and selective lossless and lossy transformations which may retain information valuable to an application while reducing data storage requirements. We demonstrate that our multi-fidelity storage system can fairly manage a limited data storage medium on behalf of one or more image storage applications.
Social disparities in exposures to bisphenol A and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals: a cross-sectional study within NHANES 2003-2006

Bisphenol A (BPA) and polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) are suspected endocrine disrupting compounds known to be ubiquitous in people's bodies. Population disparities in exposure to these chemicals have not been fully characterized. We analyzed data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Using multivariable linear regression we examined the association between urinary concentrations of BPA, serum concentrations of four PFCs, and multiple measures of socioeconomic position (SEP): family income, education, occupation, and food security. We also examined associations with race/ethnicity. All four PFCs were positively associated with family income, whereas BPA was inversely associated with family income. BPA concentrations were higher in people who reported very low food security and received emergency food assistance than in those who did not. This association was particularly strong in children: 6-11 year-olds whose families received emergency food had BPA levels 54% higher (95% CI, 13 to 112%) than children of families who did not. For BPA and PFCs we saw smaller and less consistent associations with education and occupation. Mexican Americans had the lowest concentrations of any racial/ethnic group of both types of chemicals; for PFCs, Mexican Americans not born in the U.S. had much lower levels than those born in the U.S. People with lower incomes had higher body burdens of BPA; the reverse was true for PFCs. Family income with adjustment for family size was the strongest predictor of chemical concentrations among the different measures of SEP we studied. Income, education, occupation, and food security appear to capture different aspects of SEP that may be related to exposure to BPA and PFCs and are not necessarily interchangeable as measures of SEP in environmental epidemiology studies. Differences by race/ethnicity were independent of SEP.
Influence of blade leading edge geometry on turbine endwall heat(mass) transfer

The secondary flows, including passage and other vortices in a turbine cascade cause significant aerodynamic losses and thermal gradients. Leading-edge modification of the blade has drawn considerable attention as it has been shown to reduce the secondary flows. However, the heat transfer performance of a leading-edge modified blade has not been investigated thoroughly. Since a fillet at the leading edge blade is reported to reduce the aerodynamic loss significantly, the naphthalene sublimation technique with a fillet geometry is used to study local heat (mass) transfer performance in a simulated turbine cascade. The present paper compares Sherwood number distributions on an endwall with a simple blade and a similar blade having modified leading-edge by adding a fillet. With the modified blades, a horseshoe vortex is not observed and the passage vortex is delayed or not observed for different turbulence intensities. However, near the blade trailing edge the passage vortex has gained as much strength as with the simple blade for low turbulence intensity. Near the leading edge on the pressure and the suction surface, higher mass transfer regions are observed with the fillets. Apparently the corner vortices are intensified with the leading-edge modified blade.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Is two-phase sampling really better for estimating age composition?

Abstract The two-phase sampling design has been traditionally used in ecology applications to estimate age composition. With regard to both economic and statistical considerations, however, the two-phase design may yield estimates of the age composition that are no better than can be obtained using simple random sampling. This article shows that the optimality of the two-phase sampling design depends upon (a) survey objectives, (b) per-unit sampling costs, and (c) the predictive power of stratum membership on age. Methods are given for determining whether two-phase sampling yields better estimates of the age composition than simple random sampling, accounting for (a), (b), and (c).
Transient response of an infinite cylindrical antenna in a dissipative medium

The transient solution of an infinite cylindrical antenna in a dissipative medium caused by an impulse excitation at a delta gap is obtained via an exact solution in the form of definite integrals and a simple asymptotic formula. This formula is used to obtain an integral for calculating the antenna current caused by a double exponential input voltage at the gap; furthermore, the resulting integral reduces to Sunde's classic result under the diffusion limit. These results are applied to the transient response of a buried wire subject to an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) or nearby lightning incident wave.
Numerical Prediction of Interference Drag of Strut-Surface Intersection in Transonic Flow

The numerical evaluation of the interference drag produced by a streamlined strut intersecting a e at wall in transonic e ow is presented. The calculations were performed on unstructured grids using the FUN2D and FUN3D codes and the Spalart ‐Allmaras turbulence model (Spalart, P. R., and Allmaras, S. R.,“ A One-Equation Turbulence Model for Aerodynamic Flows,” AIAA Paper 92-0439, Jan. 1992 ). The grids were generated with AFLR2 and VGRIDns. The impact of the thickness-to-chord ratio of the strut, theReynoldsnumber, and theeffect of the dihedral angle made by the strut with the wall are studied for both inviscid and viscous e ows. To better understand the e ow in the region where the strut and the wall intersect, the e owe eld is analyzed in a detailed fashion for the thicker strut with pressure contours and stream traces. When the thickness-to-chord ratio of the strutisreduced, the e owe eld is disturbed only locally at theintersection of thestrut with thewall. Theinterference drag is calculated as the drag increment of the arrangement compared to an equivalent two-dimensional strut of the same cross section. The results show a rapid increase of the interference drag as the angle of the strut deviates from a position perpendicular to the wall. Separation regions appear for low intersection angles, but the viscosity generally provides a positive effect in alleviating the strength of the shock near the junction and, thus, the drag penalty. This study provides an equation to estimate the interference drag of simpleintersections in transonic e ow.