cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesenteric and celiac duplex scanning: a validation study.

Purpose: To validate the accuracy of previously established duplex ultrasound criteria for > or =50% superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and celiac artery (CA) stenosis by comparison with arteriography. Methods: Duplex criteria established retrospectively in our laboratory in 1991 identified an end-diastolic velocity (EDV) > or =45 cm/sec, or no flow signal, as highly sensitive (100%) and specific (92%) indicators for SMA stenosis > or =50% or occlusion. EDV was more accurate (95%) than peak systolic velocity (PSV), which had a maximal accuracy of 86% at a PSV > or =300 cm/sec, with low sensitivity (62%), but high specificity (100%). For CA, accurate velocity thresholds were not identified, but we subsequently noted that retrograde common hepatic artery flow direction from SMA collateral was highly predictive of severe CA stenosis or occlusion. Since publication of those findings, 243 mesenteric duplex scans were performed for clinical evaluation of suspected chronic mesenteric ischemia. Angiographic confirmation was available for a subset of 46. SMA and CA diameters were measured on lateral aortograms by observers blinded to the duplex results, and the original duplex diagnostic criteria were tested for accuracy. In addition, receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was performed on the velocity data to identify the most accurate velocity thresholds in the new data. Results: Duplex was technically adequate in 98% of SMA, 96% of CA, and 89% of hepatic arteries, and arteriograms were adequate in 100% of SMA and 98% of CA. For the SMA, EDV > or =45 cm/sec again provided the best sensitivity (90%), specificity (91%), positive predictive value (90%), negative predictive value (91%), and overall accuracy (91%). As in the retrospective study, PSV > or =300 cm/sec provided low overall accuracy (81%), low sensitivity (60%), but high specificity (100%). Lowering the PSV threshold improved sensitivity but reduced accuracy. For CA, retrograde common hepatic artery flow direction was 100% predictive of severe CA stenosis or occlusion. Velocity data in CA provided accuracy not found in the original study. EDV > or =55 cm/sec or no flow signal had best overall accuracy (95%) with high sensitivity (93%) and specificity (100%). PSV > or =200 cm/sec or no signal also had excellent accuracy (93%), sensitivity (93%), and specificity (94%). In addition, three of four anatomic anomalies were correctly identified by duplex. These included one right hepatic and one common hepatic artery originating from the SMA, and one common celiacomesenteric trunk. Conclusion: This validation analysis confirms that duplex velocity criteria are accurate in the identification of mesenteric occlusive disease. Retrograde common hepatic artery flow direction correctly predicts severe CA stenosis or occlusion. Duplex ultrasound may also identify mesenteric anatomic variants that can influence study interpretation.
A Non-Local Convective Flux Limiter for Upwind-Biased Finite Volume Simulations

Finite volume methods on structured and unstructured meshes often utilize second-order, upwind-biased linear reconstruction schemes to approximate the convective terms, in an attempt to improve accuracy over first-order methods. Limiters are employed to reduce the inherent variable over- and under-shoot of these schemes; however, they also can significantly increase the numerical dissipation of a solution. This paper presents a novel non-local, non-monotonic (NLNM) limiter developed by enforcing cell minima and maxima on dependent variable values projected to cell faces. The minimum and maximum values for a cell are determined primarily through the recursive reference to the minimum and maximum values of its upwind neighbors. The new limiter is implemented using the User Defined Function capability available in the commercial CFD solver Ansys FLUENT. Various simple test cases are presented which exhibit the NLNM limiter’s ability to eliminate non-physical oscillations while maintaining relatively low dissipation of the solution. Results from the new limiter are compared with those from other limited and unlimited second-order upwind (SOU) and first-order upwind (FOU) schemes. For the cases examined in the study, the NLNM limiter was found to improve accuracy without significantly increasing solution convergence rate.© 2010 ASME
Portable data assistants: Potential in evidence-based practice autism treatment

Abstract The emerging era of “evidence-based practice” emphasizes that human service agencies need to find effective and efficient means of training staff and implementing systems change based on scientific evidence. Additional advancements in technology use across populations and settings within the field have also served as a catalyst for the development of contemporary staff training techniques. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to train management-level staff employed at an agency for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders to collect agency-wide data using personal digital assistant (PDA) data collection systems.
Phytosterol biosynthesis from lanosterol in Euphorbia peplus

Abstract Lanosterol-14C was administered to the leaves of two Euphorbia peplus plants and radioactive sterol was isolated by extraction, saponification and chromatography. Radioactivity was retained in this fraction after acetylation, chromatography on silver nitrate-impregnated silicic acid, crystallization, hydrolysis and further cystallization. The isolated triterpene was acetylated, epoxidized and chromatographed on thin-layer plates. Radioactivity in zones corresponding to the epoxy-acetates of the major triterpenes of E. peplus, cycloartenol and 24-methylenecycloartanol, was immeasurably small on the chromatoplate.
Greatly defocused, point-projection, off-axis electron holography

Abstract A practical and wave-optical description is given for two modes of greatly defocused point-projection electron holography that have been implemented in a scanning transmission electron microscope. A comparison is made between these electron holographic modes and those conventionally employed in TEM. The resolution, field-of-view, and phase sensitivity is discussed in general, and for our particular implementation. A method for correcting defocus aberrations in holographic images is shown. Phase contrast arising from electromagnetic fields is described. Quantitative examples are given for the determination of the mean inner potential, thickness integrated magnetization in magnetic thin films and domain structure in magnetic superlattices.
Fabrication and characterization of improved p-GaTe/n-InSe heterojunction solar cells

InSe thin films were deposited by thermal evaporation of polycrystalline InSe onto the sulfur passivated p-GaTe:In substrates at 450K–550K to fabricate improved p-GaTe:In/n-InSe heterojunction solar cells. Dark J-V measurements showed that the reverse saturation current density decreased from 4 × 10−6 A/cm2 to 2 × 10−9 A/cm2 and the ideality factor was reduced from 2.04 to 1.12 as a result of surface passivation of p-GaTe substrate materials. Under illumination of 75mW/cm2, the open-circuit voltage increased from 0.53 V to 0.62 V and short-circuit current density increased from 7.93 mA/cm2 to 10.34 mA/cm2 for solar cells with surface passivated p-GaTe:In substrates, leading to an increased solar cell efficiency of ∼6.09%.
Adjunctive use of monthly physician questionnaires for surveillance of surgical site infections after hospital discharge and in ambulatory surgical patients : Report of a seven-year experience

We report our experience with the use of monthly physician questionnaires, in conjunction with traditional in-house monitoring, for surveillance of surgical site infections (SSIs) in inpatients after hospital discharge and in ambulatory surgical patients (i.e., those not requiring perioperative hospitalization) over a 7-year period (July 1988 to June 1995) involving 156,977 surgical procedures. The mean annual response rate was 73% and did not change significantly from year to year (range, 71% to 75%), but the proportion of surgical procedures covered by returned surveys increased during the study period from 75% to 81% in inpatients and from 78% to 86% in ambulatory surgical patients (p < 0.0001 for both comparisons). Of 1051 SSIs identified, 231 (22%) were identified solely by the survey: 16% of SSIs in inpatients after discharge and 66% of SSIs in ambulatory surgical patients. Of 787 cases meeting the criteria for SSI on the basis of in-house surveillance and listed on returned questionnaires, 366 (47%) were not marked as SSIs by the responding surgeons. We conclude that since its implementation in 1988, monthly physician surveys at our medical center continue to contribute significantly to identification of otherwise undetected SSIs. However, monthly questionnaires should only complement, not replace, traditional in-house surveillance.
High-SNR analysis of MIMO linear precoders

For linear MIMO precoders, the diversity is an important parameter affecting broad tradeoffs in system design, however, the diversity of many MIMO precoders has not been available in the open literature. This paper analyzes the diversity of the following MIMO precoders: the zero-forcing (ZF), regularized ZF, matched filtering and Wiener filtering. Several interesting properties of these precoders are revealed by this analysis. It is shown that regularized ZF (RZF) and the matched filter (MF) exhibit two-mode diversity: full diversity at low rates R and error floor at high rates. The rate threshold of this two-mode behavior is analytically determined. The Wiener precoder is also shown to produce a diversity that depends on the spectral efficiency and can be as small as one and as large as the product of the number of transmit and receive antennas.
Phase behavior of PVAC–PTAN block copolymer in supercritical carbon dioxide using SAFT

Abstract Statistical associating fluid theory (SAFT) is an equation of state that can be used to calculate the phase behavior of mixtures comprised of components that exhibit wide disparities in molecular size, such as solvent–polymer mixtures. In this paper, we model the phase behavior of a PVAC-PTAN block copolymer composed of a CO 2 –phobic polyvinyl acetate (PVAC) and a CO 2 –philic poly(1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorooctyl acrylate) (PTAN) in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ) using SAFT. SAFT is a molecular-based equation that is designed to account for effects of molecular association, chain flexibility, repulsive and dispersion interactions. The group contribution approach of Lora et al. was used to obtain the physical SAFT parameters for PVAC and PTAN polymers. PTAN was modeled as a non-associating polymer while PVAC was modeled with two association sites per molecule. Cloud curves of CO 2 –PVAC, CO 2 –PTAN and of the PVAC-b-PTAN–CO 2 system were predicted, and good agreement was obtained with the experimental data available. Additionally, critical micellar densities (CMD) appear to be successfully predicted for the PVAC-b-PTAN–CO 2 system using a criteria based in the variation of osmotic pressure with surfactant concentration. This was made possible by the ability of SAFT to handle long chain and association interactions.
Abstract B45: The inhibitory effect of a novel DOT1L inhibitor in MLL-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia

Rearrangement of the gene mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) occurs in ~75% of infant and ~10% child/adult acute leukemias. Outcomes for MLL-rearranged leukemias are dismal, with fewer than 20% of infants <3 months of age expected to survive the disease. Intensified chemotherapy has led to increased toxicity without significantly improved survival, likely due to a small population of leukemic stem cells that are resistant to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. DOT1L, the only known histone 3-lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase, is essential for the survival and proliferation of MLL-rearranged leukemia stem cells. A potent inhibitor of DOT1L, SYC-522, has been reported by our collaborator, Dr. Yongcheng Song [Yao, et al. (2011) J. Am. Chem. Soc.]. Treatment of MLL-rearranged leukemia cell lines with SYC-522 for 24 hours resulted in decreased H3K79 methylation at 3μM for MV4-11 and 10μM for THP-1 and MOLM13 cell lines. SYC-522 did not affect H3K4 methylation in MLL-rearranged or MLL-wild type leukemia cell lines. After 3-6 days of treatment with SYC-522 (3μM), the mRNA levels of two important genes regulated by DOT1L, HOXA9 and MEIS1, were decreased by more than 50% in MV4-11 cells. Additionally, CCND1 expression was decreased by 30~50%, but BCL2L1 expression was not changed. Exposure of MLL-rearranged leukemia cells to SYC-522 caused cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and promoted differentiation, as assessed both morphologically and by increased CD14 expression. Furthermore, SYC-522 treatment decreased the number of myeloid colony forming units (CFUs) of primary MLL-rearranged AML samples by 50% (30μM), but decreased myeloid CFUs from normal bone marrow samples by only 20%. SYC-522 induced <10% apoptosis in MLL-rearranged AML cell lines at doses up to 10μM for up to 20 days. However, pretreatment with SYC-522 (3μM for 3 days) significantly increased the sensitivity of MLL-rearranged leukemia cells to chemotherapy drugs, such as etoposide and mitoxantrone. Treatment of MV4-11 cells with 10nM mitoxantrone caused 20% ± 5% apoptosis, which was increased to 40% ± 5% with 10nM mitoxantrone+ 3μM SYC-522 (n=3; p<0.05). Similar results were obtained for MV4-11 cells treated with etoposide with and without SYC-522 pretreatment, and for MOLM-13 cells treated with each chemotherapy agent. These results suggest that SYC-522-mediated inhibition of DOT1L activity sensitizes MLL-rearranged leukemia cells to DNA-damaging chemotherapy, and therefore the inhibition of DOT1L is likely to be a promising approach to improving therapies for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Citation Format: Wei Liu, Wei Liu, Lisheng Deng, Yongcheng Song, Michele Redell, Michele Redell. The inhibitory effect of a novel DOT1L inhibitor in MLL-rearranged acute myeloid leukemia. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer; Jun 19-22, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(13 Suppl):Abstract nr B45.
Hadamard transform Raman imagery with a digital micro-mirror array

Abstract Our previous efforts in Hadamard transform Raman imaging in the visible spectral region began with stationary two-dimensional (2D) Hadamard encoding masks and evolved to moving 2D Hadamard encoding masks. We have now advanced to using a spatial light modulator developed by Texas Instruments, herein called a digital micro-mirror array (DMA), as a computer-controlled 2D Hadamard encoding mask. The aluminized mirrors in the DMA are 16 um square and rotatable by ±10° from an intermediate position. The +10° position of a micro-mirror directs its spatial resolution element onto the detector and the −10° position of a micro-mirror directs its spatial resolution element away from the detector. The heterogeneous samples investigated were three layers of immiscible liquids (benzene–water–nitrobenzene) and a layer of solid benzoic acid stuck to a piece of double sided tape with a 1.0 mm 2 chip of naphthalene pressed onto the layer of benzoic acid near one corner of the benzoic acid layer. Macroscopic images of the various components in these samples have been generated with a spatial resolution of 340 um. Spectra of individual pixels at the sample plane have been obtained for the sample of immiscible liquids. Images of liquid and solid heterogeneous samples and spectra of individual pixels at the sample plane can be obtained by Hadamard transform Raman imaging using a DMA as a 2D Hadamard encoding mask that operates rapidly and reliably.
Tunneling — How It All Started

A personal account of the early history of tunneling and the contribution of Ronald W. Gurney.
Sites of steroid synthesis in the ovary of the cyclic hamster: a histochemical study.

The histochemistry of lipids, Δ5-3β-, 20α and 17β-hydroxy-steroid dehydrogenases, glucose-6-phosphate and isocitrate dehydrogenases, NADH and NADPH-diaphorases and acid phosphatase has been studied in the ovary of the cyclic hamster. None of the enzymes studied was present in the preantral follicles on day 1 (day of ovulation) or any day of the 4-day cycle. With the development of antral follicles (on day 3) a few fine lipid droplets appeared in the granulosa cells. The theca interna exhibited moderate amounts of NADH-diaphorase, Δ5-3β-HSDH, 17β-HSDH and slight NADPH-diaphorase, G-6-PDH and ICDH, whereas the granulosa cells of antral follicles showed weak Δ5-3β-HSDH, NADH-diaphorase and moderate 17β-HSDH but intense NADPH-diaphorase, G-6-PDH and ICDH activities. All enzyme activities in both theca and granulosa became more pronounced on proestrus (day 4). In the corpora lutea (CL) all the above enzymes were present on day 1 and increased on day 2, followed by a rapid decline on days 3 and 4. Lipids were sparsely represented in CL on days 1 and 2 but showed marked accumulations on days 3 and 4. Likewise, acid phosphatase increased on days 3 and 4. The enzyme 20α-HSDH was not detectable in the CL. The interstitium showed moderate amounts of lipids, Δ5-3β-HSDH and NADH-diaphorase while 17β-HSDH, NADPH-diaphorase, G-6-PDH and ICDH were only weakly present. There were no appreciable changes in the lipid and various enzymes in the interstitium throughout the cycle except for Δ5-3β-HSDH which increased slightly on the afternoon of day 4. Acid phosphatase was not detected in appreciable amounts in the interstitium throughout the cycle. These findings suggest that preantral follicles are unlikely to contribute to steroidogenesis. The antral follicles are the principal source of estrogen, with the granulosa being the major site of synthesis. The interstitium can serve as a major source of progesterone (P) while the theca interna and granulosa cells of antral follicles may form additional sites for P synthesis on the afternoon of day 4. The CL in the hamster are very short-lived and steroidogenesis in them may proceed beyond the synthesis of progesterone. The present findings are correlated with the steroid levels found during the cycle. Appropriate comparisons are also made with the rat ovary.
The Action of Cardiac Glycosides on Experimental Auricular Flutter

The effect of cardiac glycosides on auricular flutter produced by the method of Rosenblueth and Garcia Ramos is studied. In the denervated heart these drugs produce an increase in the effective refractory period, a decrease in conduction velocity and excitability. The flutter is reverted to a sinus rhythm because of the increase in the effective refractory period. In the innervated heart these glycosides can change the auricular flutter to auricular fibrillation. This change is mediated through the vagus since atropine or cutting the vagi promptly reverts the fibrillation to a sinus rhythm. The change from auricular flutter to fibrillation was never observed in vagotomized dogs.
Subunit interactions during cooperative opening of voltage-gated proton channels.

Voltage-gated proton (Hv1) channels are dimers, where each subunit has a separate permeation pathway. However, opening of the two pathways is highly cooperative. It is unclear how Hv1 channels open their permeation pathways, because Hv1 channels lack a classic pore domain. Using voltage-clamp fluorometry, we here detect two conformational changes reported by a fluorophore attached to the voltage sensor S4 in Hv1 channels. The first is voltage dependent and precedes channel opening, with properties consistent with reporting on independent S4 charge movements in the two subunits. The second is less voltage dependent and closely correlates with channel opening. Mutations that reduce dimerization or alter the intersubunit interface affect both the second conformational change and channel opening. These observations suggest that, following an initial S4 charge movement in the two subunits, there is a second, cooperative conformational change, involving interactions between subunits, that opens both pathways in Hv1 channels.
Quantitative effects of nefiracetam on spatial learning of rats after cerebral embolism.

Abstract Recent studies have shown that nefiracetam ameliorates cognitive dysfunction because of ischemia when behavioral testing occurs during treatment. We sought to determine if there was a persistent effect after treatment, by testing spatial learning of embolized rats after nefiracetam therapy. Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats (250 to 300g) were divided into 3 categories. The control group (n = 5) underwent no surgery or cerebral embolism. The vehicle group (n = 12) was anesthetized with halothane, underwent surgery, injected with intracarotid microspheres, and given orally 5mL/kg of the vehicle (0.5% aqueous sodium carboxymethyl cellulose) for 21 days. The nefiracetam group (n = 12) was embolized and treated orally with 30 mg/kg nefiracetam (6mg/mL in vehicle) for 21 days. Outcome was determined with visual spatial learning after the end of treatment. Results: Embolization caused a significant impairment in visual spatial learning, which nefiracetam completely ameliorated (group main effect, F2,444 = 6.4, P =.002). Mean latency to the escape was 35 ± 6 seconds for the vehicle group versus 18 ± 4 seconds for the nefiracetam group, after 4 days of testing. This effect persisted after a further interval of 10 days (retention test). A reversal test (to assess working memory for new information) yielded mean latencies of 26 ± 6 seconds for the control group, 49 ± 5 seconds for vehicle, and 25 ± 4 seconds for nefiracetam (group main effect, F2,109 = 8.0, P =.0005, Newman-Keuls, P
Surgical Treatment of Symptomatic Superior Labrum Anterior-Posterior Tears in Patients Older Than 40 Years A Systematic Review

Background:Successful arthroscopic repair of symptomatic superior labral tears in young athletes has been well documented. Superior labral repair in patients older than 40 years is controversial, with concerns for residual postoperative pain, stiffness, and higher rates of revision surgery.Purpose:To analyze the published data on the surgical treatment of superior labral injuries in patients aged ≥40 years, including those with concomitant injuries to the rotator cuff.Study Design:Systematic review.Methods:A systematic review of the literature was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The MEDLINE database via PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for articles related to superior labrum anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: the study contained at least 1 group of patients who had undergone arthroscopic repair of a type II or IV SLAP lesion with a minimum 2...
Application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Fasting and Postprandial Volumes in Humans

Abstract Our aims were to measure the gastric volume response in excess of ingested meal volume (i.e. gastric accommodation), contribution of swallowed air to this excess, day-to-day variability of gastric volumes measured by MRI and their relationship to volumes measured by single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT). In 20 healthy volunteers, fasting and postprandial gastric volumes were measured after technetium99m-pertechnetate labeling of the gastric mucosa by SPECT and separately by MRI, using 3D gradient echo and 2D half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo (HASTE) sequences. Ten of these subjects had a second MRI exam to assess intra-individual variation. Thereafter, another 10 subjects had two MRI studies during which they ingested the nutrient in 30 or 150 mL aliquots. During MRI, the postprandial gastric volume change exceeded the ingested meal volume by 106 ± 12 mL (Mean ± SEM). The HASTE and gradient echo sequences distinguished air from fluid under fasting and postprandial conditions respectively. This postprandial excess mainly comprised air (61 ± 5 mL), which was not significantly different when ingested as 30 or 150 mL aliquots. Fasting and postprandial gastric volumes measured by MRI were generally reproducible within subjects. During SPECT, postprandial volumes increased by 158 ± 18 mL; gastric volumes measured by SPECT were higher than MRI. MRI measures gastric volumes with acceptable performance characteristics; the postprandial excess primarily consists of air, which is not affected by the mode of ingestion. Gastric volumes are technique specific and differ between MRI and SPECT.
Merit Pay: A Case Study in a California School District.

This paper is a report on a study which examined the possibility of instituting a merit pay plan in a small school district in California. The paper is a preliminary investigation aimed at focusing attention on the substantive issues of merit pay and their effect on instructional performance. The first part of this paper summarizes merit pay in business and industry, merit pay in education, merit pay plans in California schools, and characteristics of the district under study. In the second part, practical difficulties in the district under study are described and analyzed. The third part constitutes the enumeration and examination of conditions which are required for the development and implementation of a merit pay plan in the district. Due to the difficulties in accumulating raw data, decisions on methodologies were made during the process of data collection. These methodologies are described throughout the paper.
Perceptual and electroencephalographic registration of masked emotional words in defensiveness : An exploratory study

Abstract This study measured perceptual and electroencephalographic responses to masked pleasant, unpleasant, neutral and sexual words in participants scoring as high defensive (N = 22) or low defensive (N = 30) on the EPQ-L. Six words of each category were presented in random order in ascending durations between 50.1 ms random letter masks. A word identification task designed to elicit impression management (i.e. by requiring participants to say sexual words aloud), preceded a word detection task designed to assess perceptual sensitivity (i.e. by having subjects quietly choose from among words from the same category). Sexual words appeared to elicit impression management, which did not differ between groups. Patterns of detection accuracies for the various emotional word categories differed for high and low defensive participants in a manner consistent with individual differences in unconscious processing of emotional words. Parallel differences emerged in patterns of electroencephalographic α (8–13 Hz) decreases in response to the words, with unconscious effects having a posterior topography.
Cognitive parallels between moral judgment and modal judgment

A central question in the study of moral psychology is how immediate intuition interacts with more thoughtful deliberation in the generation of moral judgments. The present study sheds additional light on this question by comparing adults' judgments of moral permissibility with their judgments of physical possibility--a form of judgment that also involves the coordination of intuition and deliberation (Shtulman, Cognitive Development 24:293-309, 2009). Participants (N = 146) were asked to judge the permissibility of 16 extraordinary actions (e.g., Is it ever morally permissible for an 80-year-old woman to have sex with a 20-year-old man?) and the possibility of 16 extraordinary events (e.g., Will it ever be physically possible for humans to bring an extinct species back to life?). Their tendency to judge the extraordinary events as possible was predictive of their tendency to judge the extraordinary actions as permissible, even when controlling for disgust sensitivity. Moreover, participants' justification and response latency patterns were correlated across domains. Taken together, these findings suggest that modal judgment and moral judgment may be linked by a common inference strategy, with some individuals focusing on why actions/events that do not occur cannot occur, and others focusing on how those same actions/events could occur.
Numerical Modeling of Fiber Push-Out Test in Metallic and Intermetallic Matrix Composites-Mechanics of the Failure Process

The application of push-out test to characterize the mechanical behavior of interfaces in Metallic and Intermetallic Matrix Composites (MMCs and IMCs) is studied using Finite Element Method. A stress based criterion for debonding, and frictional resistance based criterion for interfacial sliding are used in the proposed model to predict the interfacial behavior during the push-out test. The complexities involved in modeling the process, and interpretation of the experimental results in the case of MMCs and IMCs, as compared with Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) are addressed. The mechanics of interface failure is analyzed and an attempt is made to capture the debonding sequence during a thin-slice push-out test. The effect of different material and testing variables on the experimental observations are studied. The influence of processing induced residual stresses on interface behavior during the push-out test is examined in detail, with the main focus on the role of residual shear stresses in a thin-slic...
Enhanced vascular contractility and diminished coronary artery flow in rats made hypertensive from diet-induced obesity.

To determine whether obesity-induced hypertension was associated with alterations in vascular contractility and/or cardiac function. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed either a low fat (LF; 11% kcal as fat) or a moderately high fat (MHF; 32% kcal as fat) diet for 11 weeks. Body weight; mean arterial pressure; angiotensin peptides; mesenteric contractile response to phenylephrine (PE), potassium chloride (KCl), serotonin, angiotensin II (AngII), calcium chloride; baseline and isoproterenol-induced cardiac contractility; baseline and isoproterenol-induced coronary artery blood flow. Rats fed the MHF diet segregated into obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) groups. OP rats exhibited elevations in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and elevations in systemic concentrations of angiotensin peptides. Mesenteric arteries from OP rats exhibited a greater contractile response to PE, KCl and serotonin (5-HT). Heightened responses to PE persisted in arteries from OP rats even after normalization of the response to KCl. In contrast, the response of permeabilized mesenteric arteries to a maximal concentration of calcium was similar in rats from each group. Isolated perfused hearts exhibited similar baseline and isoproterenol-induced contractility in rats from each group. However, isoproterenol was unable to increase coronary artery blood flow in hearts from OP rats. Enhanced vascular reactivity may contribute to obesity-induced hypertension, while reductions in coronary artery relaxation would impair the ability of the heart to respond to increased myocardial demand.
Benzo[b]thiophene derivatives. XXV. Condensation and reductive alkylation of 3-aminoalkylbenzo[b]thiophenes with formaldehyde

The reductive alkylation of 3-aminomethylbenzo[b]thiophene by the Eschweiler-Clarke (formaldehyde-formic acid) method and of 3-β-aminoethylbenzo[b]thiophene by the Borch (formaldehyde-cyanoborohydride) method proceeded in good yields. However, the Eschweiler-Clarke reaction with 3-β-aminoethylbenzo[b]thiophene gave the Pictet-Spengler cyclized product, N-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzo[b]thieno[2,3c]pyridine. Mechanistic aspects of the latter reaction were investigated.
Plant defense mechanisms against fungal pathogens: polygalacturonase inhibitor proteins

Polygalacturonase inhibitor proteins (PGIPs) act to thwart fungal penetration of the plant cell wall as an induced plant defense to early fungal attack. PGIPs are ubiquitous cell wall localized proteins that specifically inhibit the activity of fungal polygalacturonases (PGs), some of which are important fungal pathogenicity factors. They also indirectly contribute to the defense response by modulating the PG cleavage of pectin polymers, thereby forming longer-chain oligogalacturonides that are proposed to induce further defense responses within the plant. PGIPs and plant-resistance genes are characterized by their leucine-rich repeat motif, which provides specific recognition of pathogen-derived molecules such as PGs. The high level of polymorphism between both PGIP and PG proteins provides clues toward understanding the functional evolution of plant leucine-rich repeat proteins and their ligands. This knowledge will be important for the development of directed disease control strategies for crop protection.
Characterization of the Diversity and Temporal Stability of Bacterial Communities in Human Milk

Recent investigations have demonstrated that human milk contains a variety of bacterial genera; however, as of yet very little work has been done to characterize the full diversity of these milk bacterial communities and their relative stability over time. To more thoroughly investigate the human milk microbiome, we utilized microbial identification techniques based on pyrosequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Specifically, we characterized the bacterial communities present in milk samples collected from 16 women at three time-points over four weeks. Results indicated that milk bacterial communities were generally complex; several genera represented greater than 5% of the relative community abundance, and the community was often, yet not always, stable over time within an individual. These results support the conclusion that human milk, which is recommended as the optimal nutrition source for almost all healthy infants, contains a collection of bacteria more diverse than previously reported. This finding begs the question as to what role this community plays in colonization of the infant gastrointestinal tract and maintaining mammary health.
Utilization of coal-ash minerals for technological ceramics

Glasses synthesized from Utah bituminous coal-ash melts were crystallized to form glass ceramics to determine the feasibility of coal-ash utilization. The use of additives to promote glass formation and catalysts to serve as nucleation sites for crystallization was studied. The microstructure of the crystalline phase was investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The bulk glasses and glass-ceramics were evaluated by Knoop microhardness and density measurements. The crystalline phase formed has been identified as anorthite, CaAl2Si2O8. Crystallization of the ash was possible up to a maximum of approximately 40%. The use of TiO2 as a nucleation catalyst did little to improve the degree of crystallinity; however, the crystal phase became better defined when this catalyst was used, even in small amounts.
NEUTROPHIL (PMN) MIGRATION IN RESPONSE TO CHEMOTACTIC FACTORS GENERATED BY THE INVADING PATHOGENS IN ACUTE BACTERIAL ENTERITIS (ABE)

The role of chemotactic and random migration(RM) in ABE is not known. They were determined in 9 pts with ABE due to shigella or salmonella between days 3&5 of admission and 9 controls. One day prior to study each isolate was grown in medium 199 to generate specific chemotactic factors (SCF). Leukocytes were harvested from heparinized blood and 1.0×106PMNS were deposited on to 3 u millipore filter which was placed in the Boyden's chamber. The upper compartment of the chamber was filled with Hank's solution (HS) and the lower with SCF 100uL/mL of HS. Three simultaneous chambers were also set up with endotoxin activated serum (EAS), E. coli generated factors (ECF) and HS alone in the lower compartments. After 3hr's incubation filters were stained and cells which migrated to lower surface were counted. A ratio of migrated to total cells with SCE, EAS & ECF was termed as chemotactic index(CI) and RM with HS alone. In 4 pts studies were repeated after therapy. Mean (±1SD) values are presented (table): Mean CIs of patients with all the 3 factors were significantly lower than those of controls and significantly increased after therapy. RM was similar. Supression PMN chemotaxis may be one step in the pathogenesis of ABE. Counteracting it with drug/agents may improve the outcome.
The production and characterization of a transition metal (FE(III))-S(IV) aerosol

A simple method for the routine generation of aerosols which contain Fe(III)-S(IV), for use in inhalation toxicological and biochemical studies, is presented. The technique involves passage of SO2 through a heated column containing a vanadium pentoxide-alumina catalyst, followed by contact with a submicrometer aerosol of Fe2O3. The resultant aerosol is realistic in terms of potential production in flue gas desulfurization devices as well as in the plumes of smelters and fossil-fuel burning power plants. During the process of aerosol analysis, a number of difficulties were encountered with the thermometric titration calorimetry method for sulfite determination. These are discussed in relation to the experimental results.
Quinuclidinyl benzilate binding in house fly heads and rat brain

: House fly heads contain a binding site for 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) that is quite similar in pharmacology to the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor of vertebrate tissues. The house fly site binds [3H]QNB reversibly with a Kd of 260 PM and Bmax of 1 pmol/g of heads from direct binding measurements. The Kd calculated from the ratio of the dissociation rate constant (2 × 10−4 sec−1) to the association rate constant (2.5 × 106 M−1 Sec−1) was 80 pM. The house fly site binds (-)quinuclidinyl benzilate preferentially, as do classic muscarinic receptors. The binding is also sensitive to other muscarinic antagonists and agonists. Nicotinic and other drugs are no more effective on the house fly site than they are on the rat brain muscarinic receptor itself. These binding studies suggest that the house fly QNB binding site is a muscarinic receptor.
Race and track location in U.S. public schools

Scholars continue to debate whether persistent racial inequality flows primarily from differences in measured achievement [e.g., Cancio, A. S., Evans, T. D., & Maume, D. J., Jr. (1996). Reconsidering the declining significance of race: Racial differences in early career wages. American Sociological Review, 61, 541–556; Farkas, G., & Vicknair, K. (1996). Appropriate tests of racial wage discrimination require controls for cognitive skill: Comment on Cancio, Evans, and Maume. American Sociological Review, 61, 557–560], a debate pointing scholars toward the school. Yet, a look inside schools reveals conflicting evidence concerning students’ opportunities. Notably, analyses of race and track location have found Whites and Asians advantaged when compared to Blacks and Latino/as [e.g., Mickelson, R. A. (2001). Subverting swann: First- and second-generation segregation in Charlotte–Mecklenberg schools. American Educational Research Journal, 38, 215–252], Black–White–Latino/a equality [e.g., Lucas, S. R., & Gamoran, A. (2002). Tracking and the achievement gap, In J. E. Chubb, & T. Loveless (Eds.), Bridging the gap (pp. 171–198). Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press], and Whites disadvantaged when compared to Blacks and Asians [e.g., Garet, M. S., & DeLany, B. (1988). Students, courses, and stratification. Sociology of Education, 61, 61–77]. Upon investigating whether schools actually vary in their racial/ethnic gaps in track location, we find important school-level differences. This variation is not random; the more racially diverse the school, the better Whites’ chances and the worse Blacks’ chances of college prep course-taking. Provocatively, predicted probabilities of college-prep course-taking are consistent with one-to-one substitution of Whites for Blacks as one moves from less to more diverse schools. The results suggest analysts must explore cross-school variation to discern when, where, and why comparable students have different placements. Further, the findings imply that pursuing diversity, the sole remaining acceptable justification for race-conscious desegregation efforts, may actually hinder Blacks’ access to demanding curricula.
Sugar beet root rot at harvest in the US Intermountain West

Root rot in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) causes significant losses worldwide. To assess the distribution of root rot fungi and their relationship to bacterial root rot, commercial sugar beet roots with rot symptoms were collected at harvest time in the Intermountain West. Isolations for both fungi and bacteria were conducted using standard microbiological techniques, and the root area rotted was assessed. A subset of fungal isolates was tested for pathogenicity to sugar beet in greenhouse assays and field trials with and without manure. In the field survey of rotting beets, the fungi most frequently associated with root rot included Fusarium spp. (Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium acuminatum with 24% and 15% of isolates, respectively), Geotrichum spp. (16% of isolates), Rhizoctonia solani (15% of isolates), and Mucor spp. (14% of isolates). However, only R. solani isolate F321 (AG-2-2IIIB) consistently caused rot in greenhouse pathogenicity tests. In the field survey, a mean of 6% of the root tissue had rotte...
The relationship between nicotine dependence and addiction severity amongst cocaine abusers

The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and the Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) are two widely used instruments in their respective domains, but have rarely been used simultaneously with a substance abuse population. It is argued that the complex link between nicotine and substance dependence continues not to be well understood, partially because the measures of smoking in published research with addiction treatment populations have not been standardized. We studied ASI and FTND responses of 102 crack‐cocaine patients in order to examine the potential utility of using both instruments to enhance our understanding of these addictions and their relationship to each other. Total FTND scores were significantly related to ASI drug severity, psychiatric severity and psychiatric composite scores. Controlling for gender variance yielded similar results. We conclude that using the FTND does prove to be more sensitive than a less objective measure of smoking, but the ASI and FTND appear to be psychometrica...
ON THE THEORY OF DIFFRACTION BY AN APERTURE IN AN INFINITE PLANE SCREEN. I.

The diffraction of a scalar plane wave by an aperture in an infinite plane screen is examined theoretically. The wave function at an arbitrary point of space is expressed in terms of the discontinuity in its normal derivative at the screen, where the boundary condition is that of vanishing wave function. An integral equation for the discontinuity in normal derivative (or the residual function which measures its deviation from the simple distribution appropriate to a completely infinite screen) is the result of applying the boundary condition to the space wave function. Utilizing the integral equation (whose solution is generally unobtainable), the diffracted spherical wave amplitude at large distances from the aperture is cast into a form which is stationary with respect to small variations (relative to the correct values) of the residual functions arising from a pair of incident waves. An homogeneous expression for the amplitude is exhibited wherein the part independent of the residual functions defines a Kirchoff approximation. The connection with another stationary form of the amplitude, involving a pair of aperture wave functions, is examined. A variational expression for the plane wave transmission cross section of the aperture is based on the amplitude observed in the direction of incidence. The variational formulation is applied for a wave incident normally on a circular aperture. By comparison with the exact results available for this problem, it appears that use of simple residual functions in the variational formulation yields approximate, yet accurate expressions for the diffracted amplitude and transmission cross section over a wide range of frequencies.
His Majesty's Opponent: Subhas Chandra Bose and India's Struggle against Empire. By Sugata Bose. (Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University, 2011. Pp. xvi, 388. $35.00.)

Subhas Chandra Bose, Netaji (revered leader) to his followers, has always been a controversial figure. As the Indian nationalist who mounted the most serious armed resistance to British rule in the...
Estimation of the interindividual variability in the one-compartment pharmacokinetic model for methylmercury: implications for the derivation of a reference dose.

A critical step in the U.S. EPA's derivation of an Reference Dose (RfD) for methylmercury is conversion of the maternal hair Hg concentration of 11 ppm to average daily intake using the one-compartment pharmacokinetic model. A default uncertainty factor (UF) adjustment of 3 for interindividual variability was then applied to this conversion. A probabilistic (Monte Carlo) analysis is presented estimating the interindividual variability inherent in this dose conversion for women 18-40 years old based on data in the scientific literature. The dose of 1.1 micrograms/kg/day, calculated by the U.S. EPA to correspond to 11 ppm Hg in hair, is estimated in this analysis to be larger than 94-99% of corresponding doses. The application of a UF of 3 to this U.S. EPA value gives a dose which is estimated to be larger than 28-73% of corresponding doses. This analysis suggests that if the dose conversion in the RfD is intended to be inclusive of 95-99% of women 18-40, the daily intake should be set at 0.1-0.3 microgram/kg/day. The RfD of 0.03-0.1 microgram/kg/day, derived from this dose by the U.S. EPA's application of an additional UF of 3 for additional toxicologic concerns, is somewhat smaller than the current RfD of 0.1 microgram/kg/day.
Aerodynamic Analysis of Blunt Trailing Edge Airfoils

The adoption of blunt trailing edge airfoils for the inboard region of large wind turbine blades has been proposed. Blunt trailing edge airfoils would not only provide a number of structural benefits, such as increased structural volume and ease of fabrication and handling, but they have also been found to improve the lift characteristics of airfoils. Therefore, the incorporation of blunt trailing edge airfoils would allow blade designers to more freely address the structural demands without having to sacrifice aerodynamic performance. Limited experimental data make it difficult for wind turbine designers to consider and conduct tradeoff studies using these section shapes and has provided the impetus for the present analysis of blunt trailing edge airfoils using computational fluid dynamics. Several computational techniques are applied, including a viscous/inviscid interaction method and three Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes methods.
Deformed Lateral Elements in Synaptonemal Complexes of Phaedranassa viridiflora

An electron microscopical study was made of an intermittent structural deformity in the lateral elements of synaptonemal complexes in pollen mother cells during zygotene of diploid and triploid forms of Phaedranassa viridiflora. The deformed regions, which extended linearly for distances up to 0.6 μm in otherwise normal elements, are interpreted as hollow-centred bulges in a structure comprised of protein fibres apparently arranged in the form of a tightly wound helix. It is suggested that the bulging may arise if contraction of the lateral element is out of step with that in the chromosome, during prophase contraction at zygotene/ pachytene, as may perhaps follow under certain environmental conditions in organisms where there is some degree of genetical unbalance. There was evidence which suggested that local precocious duplication may sometimes have occurred in the chromosome axes proximal to the deformities in the lateral elements.