cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regional Anesthesia Is Cost-Effective in Preventing Unanticipated Hospital Admission in Pediatric Patients Having Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background and Objectives Published studies have shown a benefit of regional anesthesia (RA) in preventing unplanned hospital admissions (UHAs) and decreasing hospital costs after orthopedic surgeries in adults but not pediatric patients. We performed a retrospective analysis to assess the effect of converting from an opioid to RA-based approach to pain management after pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods The records of patients having ACL reconstruction were reviewed. Two groups, those with (n = 115) and without (n = 39) nerve blocks, were identified. Single-shot blocks or indwelling catheters were performed in the operating room (OR) or a block room. Time to discharge readiness, postoperative opiate and antiemetic consumption, hospital admission or discharge, and complications were recorded. The cost of providing RA, the change in UHA and postanesthesia care unit utilization, and subsequent financial impact were calculated. Results Regional anesthesia–based pain management was associated with a lower rate of UHA (P = 0.045), less time in postanesthesia care unit phase II (P = 0.013), and a reduction in opioid consumption (P Conclusions Regional anesthesia for pain after ACL repair in pediatric patients facilitated reliable same-day surgery discharge and significantly reduced UHAs. Single-shot blocks and blocks performed outside the OR were the most cost-effective. In addition, nerve block patients required less opioids and were ready for discharge sooner.
Puromycin effect on amino acid transport: differential rates of carrier protein turnover.

In fetal rat calvaria, puromycin selectively inhibited the uptake of certain groups of amino acids. Puromycin treatment decreased the uptake of glycine, L-proline, and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid but was without effect on the active uptake of all other amino acids tested. In studies of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid uptake, puromycin decreased the maximal transport velocity by 70% but had no effect on the affinity of the transport system for the amino acid. With puromycin treatment, the fall-off in rates of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid uptake was first order with a half-life of 68 min. Insulin treatment increased this half-life to 118 min. These findings suggest that protein components of specific transport systems are degraded at varying rates after puromycin blockade of protein synthesis. Hormones that stimulate amino acid transport (e.g., insulin) may decrease the rate of degradation of these protein components.
Pressor responses to vasopressin in pigs and sheep with DOCA hypertension

Pressor responses to vasopressin were determined in pigs and sheep during three experimental periods: 1) before deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) treatment, 2) 21 days after DOCA implantation (100 mg/kg) when a stable hypertension had developed, and 3) after reversal of the hypertension by removing the implant in the sheep or by decreasing the dietary sodium intake in the pigs. The infusion of lysine (LVP) or arginine (AVP) vasopressin into pigs and sheep, respectively, resulted in dose-dependent increases in plasma vasopressin concentration. The levels of plasma LVP or AVP achieved by these infusions were not altered in any of the experimental periods. The administration of vasopressin resulted in dose-dependent increases in mean arterial blood pressure. However, pigs required five times more LVP than sheep required AVP to achieve similar pressor responses. The pressor responsiveness to vasopressin was attenuated when either species was made hypertensive. This effect was reversed when normal blood pressure was restored by reducing sodium intake in the pigs or by removing the DOCA implant from the sheep. These data establish that an increased pressor response to vasopressin does not contribute to DOCA hypertension in pigs or sheep.
Soil CO2 flux trends with differences in soil moisture among four types of land use in an Ecuadorian páramo landscape

AbstractParamo grasslands are important carbon sinks in the Ecuadorian Andes. Although carbon content of paramo Andisols is correlated with high water retention, the effects of differences in soil moisture under different types of land use on soil carbon processes have not been explicitly tested in the Ecuadorian Andes. This study assessed the relationship between soil moisture and soil CO2 flux among a mature paramo grassland, recently burned paramo grassland, native montane forest, and pine plantation in an Ecuadorian paramo landscape. Soil CO2 flux was greater in the forest sites compared to the grassland sites. Thus, a shift from grassland to forest cover may have significant implications for soil carbon loss via CO2 flux. Our results suggest that although soil moisture plays a significant role in differences of soil CO2 flux rates among land-use types, more investigation into mechanisms for soil carbon loss and how they are driven by land-use change is needed. To our knowledge, these are the first so...
The human CTC1/STN1/TEN1 complex regulates telomere maintenance in ALT cancer cells

Maintaining functional telomeres is important for long-term proliferation of cells. About 15% of cancer cells are telomerase-negative and activate the alternative-lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway to maintain their telomeres. Recent studies have shown that the human CTC1/STN1/TEN1 complex (CST) plays a multi-faceted role in telomere maintenance in telomerase-expressing cancer cells. However, the role of CST in telomere maintenance in ALT cells is unclear. Here, we report that human CST forms a functional complex localizing in the ALT-associated PML bodies (APBs) in ALT cells throughout the cell cycle. Suppression of CST induces telomere instabilities including telomere fragility and elevates telomeric DNA recombination, leading to telomere dysfunction. In addition, CST deficiency significantly diminishes the abundance of extrachromosomal circular telomere DNA known as C-circles and t-circles. Suppression of CST also results in multinucleation in ALT cells and impairs cell proliferation. Our findings imply that the CST complex plays an important role in regulating telomere maintenance in ALT cells.
A partial labeling framework for multi-class imbalanced streaming data

Imbalanced data streams are found in many real world applications such as spam email detection, and internet traffic data. The classification of such data is challenging, since data stream usually changes, and the model should be updated to maintain the performance. However, obtaining the true labels of the samples to build a new model is not easy, since labeling is expensive and time consuming. Additionally, existence of the multiple and imbalanced classes may cause to lose performance over one class while trying to gain on another. In this paper, we propose RLS-Multi (Reduced Labeled Samples-Multiple class) which is a classification framework for the multi-class and evolving imbalanced data stream. RLS-Multi handles the data with multiple classes, and it uses a small fraction of the data to update the model. RLS-Multi is compared with McELM, and VWOS-ELM which are two fully labeling approaches for classification of the imbalanced and multi-class data stream. The experimental results show that the performance of the RLS-Multi is not significantly different from the two other techniques, requiring only up to 25% of the samples to label for majority of the data sets, on average.
Metamorphoses of a photon sphere

There are circular planar null geodesics at $r=3M$ around a Schwarzschild black hole of mass $M$. These geodesics form a photon sphere. Null geodesics of the Schwarzschild space-time which do not form the photon sphere are either escape to null infinity or get captured by the black hole. Thus, from the dynamical point of view, the photon sphere represents a smooth basin boundary that separates the basins of escape and capture of the dynamical system governing the null geodesics. Here we consider a Schwarzschild black hole distorted by an external, static, and axisymmetric quadrupolar gravitational field defined by a quadrupole moment $q$. We study null geodesics around such a black hole and show that the photon sphere does not survive the distortion. For $q\ensuremath{\lesssim}\ensuremath{-}0.017001$ it transforms into a fractal basin boundary that indicates chaotic behavior of the null geodesics. We calculate the box-counting fractal dimension of the basin boundary and the related uncertainty exponent, which depend on the value of the quadrupole moment.
Sufficiency in the Undominated Case

In this paper the concept of statistical sufficiency is studied within a general probability setting. It is not assumed that the family of probability measures is dominated. That is, it is not assumed that there is a σ-finite measure μ such that each probability measure in the family is absolutely continuous with respect to μ. In the dominated case, the theory of sufficiency has received a thorough-going and elegant treatment by Halmos and Savage [6], Bahadur [2], and others. Although many families of probability measures of importance for statistical work are dominated, many others are not. Nonparametric statistical work, especially, abounds with undominated families. It seems appropriate, therefore, to see what can be learned about sufficiency in the undominated case.
The School and Community Study: Characteristics of Students Who Have Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities Served in Restructuring Public Schools

We present selected initial results from a study investigating the effects of school restructuring and reform activities on outcomes for students who are identified as having serious emotional and behavioral disabilities. A review of the literature revealed six key areas of reform for investigation: accountability, governance, parent involvement, “includedness,” curriculum and instruction, and pro-social discipline. Ten schools (five elementary, two K-8, one middle, and two high schools) actively engaged in school restructuring and reform efforts were selected to participate in the study, and their status related to these six areas is presented. Characteristics of the students identified as having emotional and behavioral disabilities and served in these schools in special education settings (N = 116) are described. Results from the administration of standardized assessments revealed that these students have significant levels of emotional and behavioral disabilities that impair their functioning at school and at home. Further, school staff are providing the majority of counseling services to these students during the school day, with non-school professionals providing services to 25% of the students.
Now That We're “Well Rounded,” Let's Commit to Quality Physical Education Assessment

With the authorization of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in December 2015, the role of physical education in public schools has the potential to change significantly. It is imperative that physical education be supported by assessment-driven evidence in order to reach and speak to legislators, national boards, school administrators, educators and the students themselves. However, with only 32.7 percent of states requiring student assessments that directly relate to state physical education standards, there is currently little accountability for physical educators, programs and students to meet the requirements of comprehensive, skills-based physical education. To increase the perceived value of physical education and justify its importance as a part of students' well-rounded education, physical educators need to examine the means by which they define, measure and report student achievement in the physical education setting, and commit to developing and implementing quality assessment.
Control of net community production by microbial community respiration at Station ALOHA

Abstract Net community production (NCP) constrains the amount of carbon that is available for storage within or export from, the photic zone of marine ecosystems. With the aim of studying the control exerted by microbial community respiration (MCR) and gross primary production (GPP) over NCP, short-term variability in rates of MCR, GPP and NCP were measured over a 13-day sampling period (August 23–September 4, 2012) at Station ALOHA. During this period, picoplankton abundances and concentrations of photosynthetic pigments demonstrated weak to moderate decreases coincident with the passage of a low salinity water mass through the sampling area. During the same period, rates of MCR, measured using the in vivo INT method, varied by 2.7-fold. Rates of primary production (PP) were estimated based on four different methodologies: Fast Repetition Rate Fluorometry (FRRF), 14C-bicarbonate assimilation, diel changes in mixed layer O2 concentrations based on Seaglider measurements, and isotopic composition (17ΔO2) of dissolved O2. Remarkably, these different methods for measuring microbial metabolism were consistent, suggesting that collectively these different approaches provide an accurate constraint on ecosystem metabolism, despite the different time and space scales over which these measurements integrate. FRRF-derived estimates of PP, which were similar in magnitude to 14C-based-PP, were significantly correlated with variability in mixed layer MCR. None of the other independent measurements of PP demonstrated significant relationships to MCR. Day-to-day variability in MCR and bacterial growth efficiency (BGE), derived based on measurements of bacterial production (as estimated by 3H-leucine incorporation) and MCR, were related to changes in NCP estimated from O2/Ar ratios (O2/Ar-NCP), suggesting short-term variability in the efficiency with which microorganisms consume dissolved organic matter exerts direct control on rates of NCP in this ecosystem. Our results highlight internal consistency among the derived rates of ecosystem metabolism using a suite of different methodologies to estimate productivity and respiration. Moreover, we find that rates of MCR can be as variable as PP and that variability in MCR may regulate NCP in this ecosystem.
Temperature and Manure Placement in a Snowpack Affect Nutrient Release from Dairy Manure During Snowmelt

Agricultural nutrient management is an issue due to N and P losses from fields and water quality degradation. Better information is needed on the risk of nutrient loss in runoff from dairy manure applied in winter. We investigated the effect of temperature on nutrient release from liquid and semisolid manure to water, and of manure quantity and placement within a snowpack on nutrient release to melting snow. Temperature did not affect manure P and NH-N release during water extraction. Manure P release, but not NH-N release, was significantly influenced by the water/manure solids extraction ratio. During snowmelt, manure P release was not significantly affected by manure placement in the snowpack, and the rate of P release decreased as application rate increased. Water extraction data can reliably estimate P release from manure during snowmelt; however, snowmelt water interaction with manure of greater solids content and subsequent P release appears incomplete compared with liquid manures. Manure NH-N released during snowmelt was statistically the same regardless of application rate. For the semisolid manure, NH-N released during snowmelt increased with the depth of snow covering it, most likely due to reduced NH volatilization. For the liquid manure, there was no effect of manure placement within the snowpack on NH-N released during snowmelt. Water extraction data can also reliably estimate manure NH-N release during snowmelt as long as NH volatilization is accounted for with liquid manures for all placements in a snowpack and semisolid manures applied on top of snow.
Combined Capture and Utilization of CO2 for Syngas Production over Dual-Function Materials

The integration of CO2 capture and conversion has been recently demonstrated as a promising approach to address CO2 emissions while producing value-added chemicals and fuels. Herein, we report in s...
Influence of liquid metal feeding on the flow and macrosegregation in DC casting

The influence of liquid metal feeding on the flow and macrosegregation during direct chill (DC) casting of Al-4.5wt-%Cu billets is investigated. An analytical study for constricted inlets predicts ...
Systematic review of the etiology behind patellar clunk syndrome

Background Total knee arthroplasty is one of the most successful operations performed worldwide today. Patellar clunk syndrome (PCS) is a postoperative complication that arises due to the development of a fibrous nodule along the undersurface of the quadriceps tendon. The current literature on PCS has not yet come to a consensus regarding its etiology. To date, this is the first study that analyzes the existing literature on PCS in order to generate a conclusion regarding its etiology. It is hypothesized that prosthesis design is the main component behind the development of PCS. Aim To determine the etiology of PCS and its association with pre and post-operative characteristics of the prosthesis and native knee. Methods We conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA guidelines by searching through PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar from May-July 2018 for cases of PCS using search MeSH terms "patella OR patellar" AND "clunk" OR "catch" OR "crepitus". The search included case series and clinical trials and excluded review articles, yielding 30 articles from the original search and 3 additional articles from reference lists. We extracted data upon the outcomes in patients afflicted with PCS to determine the etiology of PCS. We performed additional bias assessments to validate our search algorithm and results. Results Prosthesis design was the metric most frequently implicated in the incidence of PCS, though several other metrics were contributory toward its pathogenesis. Later prosthetic designs incorporate a reduced intercondylar box ratio and box width to reduce contact between the proximal patellar pole and the intercondylar box, thereby reducing incidence of PCS. Conclusion The etiology of PCS is multifactorial, owing to the growing metrics that have associations with its incidence. This conclusion is validated by the significance of prosthesis design as the most likely parameter involved in developing PCS since different prosthesis designs are often the result of different parameters. Future studies should be directed at isolating individual prosthetic parameters of prosthesis designs in order to determine what permutation of parameters is most closely associated with the development of PCS.
Exposure-age and erosion rate determination using the in-situ nuclide pair 10Be–14C

Abstract Cosmogenic nuclides (CN) are widely used to determine both erosion rates E and exposure ages t of surfaces. However, in situations where both quantities are unknown, measuring a single CN at a surface is typically not sufficient to determine both t and E. We discuss the possibility of determining both t and E by measuring the CN pair, in-situ 10 Be and 14 C in quartz, at a surface. We use a previously derived Bayesian approach to derive a joint probability density for the age and erosion rate. We work through several quantitative examples to show in what ways the method may work or not work.
Multi-objective genetic algorithm optimization of a directionally sensitive radiation detection system using a surrogate transport model

Abstract Direction-sensitive and imaging radiation detection systems often rely on complicated mask geometries to reconstruct source positions and images. Optimizing the design of these masks is difficult, often non-intuitive, and computationally intensive due to the radiation transport involved. Advances in computational resources, efficient, stochastic optimization techniques, and improved variance reduction in radiation transport through hybrid deterministic-Monte Carlo methods have enabled researchers to consider methods to find formal optimal solutions for these systems. However, many systems span a complex and large design space making full radiation transport simulations to inform the optimization routine computationally intractable. This work applies a multi-objective genetic algorithm to a generalizable surrogate model, benchmarked through full Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations, to determine the optimal design for the rotating scatter mask directionally-sensitive detection system. Performing the equivalent optimization of 10,000 design evaluations with Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations would take 460 CPU-years. In contrast, the 10,000 surrogate design evaluations produced Pareto frontiers comparable to the Monte Carlo results, while reducing the computational cost by 99.998% to 4.1 CPU-days. The chosen optimal designs maintain high directional accuracy with respect to the original design, while improving the response basis similarity by 14% and increasing the efficiency by a factor of 40 at the cost of increasing the mask’s mass by a factor of 3.
The Trouble with White Feminism: Whiteness, Digital Feminism and the Intersectional Internet

In August, 2013 Mikki Kendall, writer and pop culture analyst, started the hashtag #SolidarityisforWhiteWomen as a form of cyberfeminist activism directed at the predominantly white feminist activists and bloggers at sites like Feministing, Jezebel and Pandagon who failed to acknowledge the racist, sexist behavior of one their frequent contributors. Kendall’s hashtag activism quickly began trending and reignited a discussion about the trouble with white feminism. A number of journalists have excoriated Kendall specifically, and women of color more generally, for contributing to a “toxic” form of feminism. Yet what remains unquestioned in these journalistic accounts and in the scholarship to date, is the dominance of white women as architects and defenders of a framework of white feminism – not just in the second wave but today, in the digital era.. In this chapter, I offer a critique of white feminism as it plays out on the intersectional Internet. To do this, I critically examine three examples of white women’s feminist activism: Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In and “Ban Bossy” campaigns, Eve Ensler’s One Billion Rising, and The Future of Online Feminism report. I end with a discussion about the difficulty of challenging white feminism, how necessary it is to move forward, and how crucial the Internet is for sustaining such a critique.
Informal institutions and citizenship in rural Africa : risk and reciprocity in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire

Part I. Informal Institutions of Reciprocity in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire: 1. Introduction 2. The information institutions of reciprocity: a quantitative puzzle and analysis 3. Local conflicts over the meaning of reciprocity: a qualitative analysis of change Part II. Legacies of the State Role in Mediating Risk in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire: 4. The legacies of the colonial administrative state in constructing the citizen, family, and community role 5. The construction and retrenchment of state social service provision and the unintended consequences for reciprocity 6. The empire of the young: contrasting legacies of state agricultural policy for local capitalism and reciprocity Part III. Informal Institutions of Reciprocity and the Prospects for Democratic Citizenship: 7. Transformations of the informal institutions of reciprocity and the implications for citizenship 8. Conclusion.
Topics in Nonlinear Functional Analysis

Topological approach: Finite dimensions Topological degree in Banach space Bifurcation theory Further topological methods Monotone operators and the min-max theorem Generalized implicit function theorems Bibliography.
Claisen, Eschenmoser-Claisen, Johnson-Claisen, and Ireland-Claisen rearrangements

The Claisen, JohnsonClaisen, IrelandClaisen, para-Claisen rearrangements, along with the Carroll rearrangement belong to the category of [3,3]-sigmatropic rearrangements, which is a concerted process. The arrow-pushing here is merely illustrative. For the abnormal Claisen rearrangement, see page 1.
Acute effects of maternal ethanol infusion on fetal cardiac performance

In adult animals and man, both acute and chronic ethanol intake is associated with depression of myocardial performance. Accordingly, the cardiac effects of maternal ethanol infusions, in a manner comparable to common obstetric practice of inhibition of premature labor with ethano mighte for inhibition of premature labor, were evaluated in six chronically instrumented fetal sheep. Fetal and ewe arterial PO2, PCO2, and pH values remained within normal limits with infusion rates of 15 c.c. per kilogram of 10 per cent ethanol over two hours (blood ethanol = 110 mg. per cent) and 15 c.c. per kilogram over one hour (blood ethanol = 210 mg. per cent). Fetal instrument evaluation (for 14 to 30 days after operation) provided data concerning pressures and cardiac dimensions which allowed analysis of left ventricular performance. Ethanol produced a significant depression of the extent (p less than 0.01) and velocity (p less than 0.001) of left ventricular myocardial fiber shortening as well as in the mean rate of left ventricular myocardial fiber shortening as well as in the mean rate of left ventricular circumferential fiber shortening (p less than 0.01). These indices of cardiac contractility were depressed in the absence of changes in end diastolic diameter, left atrial pressure, and systemic arterial pressure. Thus, the practice of inhibition of premature labor with ethano6 might contribute to depressed myocardial performance in the neonatal period.
Indexing and querying constantly evolving data using time series analysis

This paper introduces a new approach for efficiently indexing and querying constantly evolving data. Traditional data index structures suffer from frequent updating cost and result in unsatisfactory performance when data changes constantly. Existing approaches try to reduce index updating cost by using a simple linear or recursive function to define the data evolution, however, in many applications, the data evolution is far too complex to be accurately described by a simple function. We propose to take each constantly evolving data as a time series and use the ARIMA (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average) methodology to analyze and model it. The model enables making effective forecasts for the data. The index is developed based on the forecasting intervals. As long as the data changes within its corresponding forecasting interval, only its current value in the leaf node needs to be updated and no further update needs to be done to the index structure. The model parameters and the index structure can be dynamically adjusted. Experiments show that the forecasting interval index (FI-Index) significantly outperforms traditional indexes in a high updating environment.
Parental feeding practices and child weight status in Mexican American families: a longitudinal analysis

Parental feeding practices are thought to influence children’s weight status, through children’s eating behavior and nutritional intake. However, because most studies have been cross-sectional, the direction of influence is unclear. Moreover, although obesity rates are high among Latino children, few studies of parental feeding practices have focused on this population. This 2-year longitudinal study examined mutual influences over time between parental feeding practices and children’s weight status, in Mexican American families with children 18 years old at baseline. Mothers (n = 322) and fathers (n = 182) reported on their feeding practices at baseline, 1-year follow-up, and 2-year follow-up. Weight status, defined by waist-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI), was ascertained at all assessments. Cross-lagged panel models were used to examine the mutual influences of parental feeding practices and child weight status over time, controlling for covariates. Both mothers’ and fathers’ restriction of food predicted higher subsequent child weight status at Year 1, and for fathers this effect was also found at Year 2. Mothers’ and fathers’ pressure to eat predicted lower weight status among boys, but not girls, at Year 1. Child weight status also predicted some parental feeding practices: boys’ heavier weight predicted mothers’ less pressure to eat at Year 1, less use of food to control behavior at Year 2, and greater restriction at Year 2; and girls’ heavier weight at Year 1 predicted fathers’ less pressure to eat and less positive involvement in child eating at Year 2. This study provides longitudinal evidence that some parental feeding practices influence Mexican American children’s weight status, and that children’s weight status also influences some parental feeding practices. Feeding practices of both mothers and fathers were related to children’s weight status, underscoring the importance of including fathers in research on parental feeding practices and child obesity.
Three distinct genotypes within Candida parapsilosis from clinical sources

Three genetically distinct groups of Candida parapsilosis were detected among clinical isolates. These were distinguishable on the basis of isoenzyme profiles and DNA sequences of internally transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences flanking the 5.8S RNA gene. In an investigation of 45 strains, including 32 clinical isolates from Texas, C. parapsilosis group I composed the majority of the common clinical isolates. The type strain of C. parapsilosis was a member of this group. The 10 group II isolates were indistinguishable from group I strains when tested with the API 20C kit. The two group III isolates differed from those in groups I and II by being D-xylitol positive by the API 20C kit; however, isolates in all groups assimilated D-xylitol from broth. Isoenzyme profiles excluded the close relationship of any of these groups to Lodderomyces elongisporus, which is a teleomorphic yeast that has a physiological profile similar to that of C. parapsilosis. Although there were insignificant differences in the ITS2 rDNA sequences, comparisons of the ITS1 sequences revealed several differences. A sequence analysis of ITS1 in which missing bases were counted as mismatches showed the following similarities: group I versus group II, 87.7%; group I versus group III, 82.1%; group II versus group III, 84.5%. Also, the activity of secreted proteinase showed differences among the three groups, with many group I isolates having moderate to high activity. The degree of susceptibility to antifungal agents, amphotericin B, ketoconazole, and 5-fluorocytosine, could not be used to determine an isolate's group.
Differentiation of G:C vs A:T and G:C vs G:mC Base Pairs in the Latch Zone of α-Hemolysin

The α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore can detect DNA strands under an electrophoretic force via many regions of the channel. Our laboratories previously demonstrated that trapping duplex DNA in the vestibule of wild-type α-HL under force could distinguish the presence of an abasic site compared to a G:C base pair positioned in the latch zone at the top of the vestibule. Herein, a series of duplexes were probed in the latch zone to establish if this region can detect more subtle features of base pairs beyond the complete absence of a base. The results of these studies demonstrate that the most sensitive region of the latch can readily discriminate duplexes in which one G:C base pair is replaced by an A:T. Additional experiments determined that while neither 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine nor 7-deazaguanine opposite C could be differentiated from a G:C base pair, in contrast, the epigenetic marker 5-methylcytosine, when present in both strands of the duplex, yielded new blocking currents when compared to strands with unmodified cytosine. The results are discussed with respect to experimental design for utilization of the latch zone of α-HL to probe specific regions of genomic samples.
Raman Spectrum of Wurtzite Silicon

The Raman spectrum of a metastable polycrystalline sample of wurtzite silicon is reported. The data are analyzed using a large-zone comparison with the diamond cubic phase of silicon and in terms of a simple force-constant model. These measurements are compared with the Raman spectrum of amorphous silicon and with the microcrystallite model of the amorphous phase.
Screening for toxic industrial chemicals using semipermeable membrane devices with rapid toxicity assays

Abstract A time-integrated sampling device interfaced with two toxicity-based assays is reported for monitoring volatile toxic industrial chemicals (TICs). Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) using dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as the fill solvent accumulated each of 17 TICs from the vapor phase. Uptake kinetics experiments for one of these compounds (acrolein) indicated that it was significantly concentrated (i.e., 10% of the 24 h maximum) in as little as 10 min and was concentrated by a factor of over 200 for a 24 h exposure time as measured using both mass and toxicity assays. The effect of each of the TICs on the Microtox bacterial luminescence assay and IQ-Tox Daphnia magna fluorescence assay was determined both from a direct assay and a vapor accumulation assay using SPMDs. Microtox EC50 values (concentrations yielding 50% inhibition) were determined for each of the TICs analyzed. The rank order of the Microtox EC50 values for each of the compounds measured by direct dilution of the TICs into assay buffer was similar but not identical to the Apparent (App) EC50 values determined from the vapor accumulation assay. The ratios of the EC50 to the AppEC50 values were used to calculate apparent toxicity-derived concentration factors (i.e., the toxicity equivalents of compound that concentrate from vapor into the SPMD). EC50 values for the IQ-Tox assay as measured using a 90 min fluorescence assay were, in most cases, similar but not identical to the Microtox EC50 values for individual compounds.
Linear theory of superradiance in a free-electron laser.

This study is motivated by the analytical solutions of superradiance in a high-gain free-electron laser obtained by Bonifacio, Maroli, and Piovella, using the technique of Laplace transforms (Opt. Commun. 68, 369 (1988)). An error in these analytical solutions is remedied by a correct treatment of the boundary conditions on the electron beam, and the earlier theory is extended to allow for both electron shot noise and an optical pulse in the initial state. It is shown that, when the optical pulse is shorter than the electron pulse, superradiant behavior can also occur at the leading edge of the optical pulse.
Disturbance localization in linear systems with simultaneous pole-assignment or decoupling

For a constant linear dynamic system with unmeasurable disturbances, geometric necessary and sufficient conditions are derived for the existence of a state-feedback controller that localizes the disturbances and simultaneously assigns the closed-loop poles or decouples the closed-loop system. These conditions are simple, intuitively appealing, and closely related to the known necessary and sufficient conditions for the separate problems to be solvable alone. Furthermore, it is shown that for these combined problems no additional flexibility is afforded by using dynamic compensation instead of static compensation except for the combined problem of disturbance localization and decoupling where the additional flexibility is derived from that for the decoupling problem alone. Under a standard rank assumption, it is established that the combined problem of simultaneously localizing the disturbances, assigning the poles and decoupling the system has no solution.
Energy Transformation to Generalized Timoshenko Form for Nonuniform Beams

A, B, C, D = stiffness matrices of the second-order asymptotically correct beam theory a = characteristic length of the cross-sectional dimension ai = unit vectors of the reference coordinate system b = half-width of a beam with a rectangular cross section E = Young’s modulus F1 = internal axial force F2, F3 = internal shear forces k1 = initial twist k2, k3 = initial curvatures ‘ = characteristic wavelength of deformation along x1 M1 = internal torque M2,M3 = internal bending moments n = outward-directed unit normal vector R = characteristic radius of initial twist and curvatures R, S, T = submatrices of the generalized Timoshenko flexibility matrix t = thickness of a beam with a rectangular cross section U = sectional strain energy X, Y, G = submatrices of the generalized Timoshenko stiffness matrix x1 = beam axial coordinate x2, x3 = local, Cartesian, cross-sectional coordinates for the beam section
SU-E-I-122: Polymer Gel and Magnetic Resonance Relaxometry Based 3D Dose Monitoring

Purpose: Recent advances in Radiation Therapy allow accurate shaping of the dose volume so that normal tissue and critical regions can be spared. However, it is important to monitor the 3D dose distribution of these complex treatment plans to verify the delivered dose distribution. Our aim was to optimize Magnetic Resonance imaging to map the 3D dose distribution of a novel radiation therapy system, TrueBeam sn1018(Varian) using a polymergel. Methods: The polymergel (BANG KIT, MGS Research) was prepared under normoxic conditions and stored in glass vials. A calibration was performed in the dose range of 3–18 Gy with irradiation using the True Beam. Several imaging sequences (Fast Spin Echo, Multi (8) Spin Echo, Single Spin Echo) were evaluated for spin‐spin relaxometry (T2) at 1.5 T (GE Medical Systems) with focus on accuracy, high spatial resolution, SNR while minimizing acquisition time. Treatment plan based irradiations (simulating different volumes and shapes) were performed at a dose rate of 600 MU/min for verification of the dose maps. Results: The calibration curve (1/T2 vs Dose) was linear in the range of irradiation. The three imaging sequences were consistent in 1/T2 values in the low dose range with the FSE sequence showing some saturation at high dose values. The treatment plan dose mapping is currently underway and will be aligned with the treatment plan simulation to evaluate the degree of match between the plan and actual irradiation.Conclusion: The polymergel and MR monitoring can enable generation of 3D dose maps with high accuracy and spatial resolution to verify treatment plans of small volumes and steep dose gradients.
The Role of Working Memory in Levels of Situation Awareness

Situation awareness (SA) brings together theories in cognition to examine what an operator perceives, understands and predicts about their environment. Previous characterization of working memory (WM) influence in levels of awareness however is sparse and has several shortcomings, including how both WM and SA have been measured. In the current experiment, a factor analytic approach to WM was adopted based on performance on three different WM tasks. These factor scores were then related to SA which was measured over two forms of scenarios in a complex dynamic decision-making task. In one scenario, Level 1 SA was assessed, and the other assessed Level 3 processes implicitly. Findings from 99 participants indicate WM was unrelated to Level 1, but was related to Level 3 SA with the relationship strengthening with increasing task experience. These results refine and contribute to ongoing theory in the context of SA and dynamic task performance, and provide future directives to individual differences research i...
The response of female Mountain White-crowned Sparrows to songs from their natal dialect and an alien dialect

Female Mountain White-crowned Sparrows from Colorado were tested in a laboratory playback experiment to determine their response to male songs from their own natal dialect and to those from an alien dialect of the same subspecies, Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha (Fig. 1). Observations were made on locomotor activity and copulation postures produced during each experimental test session. The subjects gave copulation displays almost exclusively when hearing their natal dialect and new or no displays when hearing the alien dialect (Fig. 2). The birds also exhibited significantly greater locomotor activity when hearing the natal dialect than they did when hearing the alien dialect (Fig. 3). We conclude that females are sensitized by their early song learning experience to be responsive to songs from their natal dialect and virtually sexually unresponsive to songs from an alien dialect. We speculate that the copulation posture given in the experiment implies that females in natural populations would preferably only mate assortatively with males from their natal dialect region.
Autologous Human Fibrochondrocytes From Meniscectomy Debris are a Potent Cell Source for Meniscus Tissue Engineering

The meniscus is a fibrocartilaginous tissue vital to the normal functioning of the knee [1]. The dense collagenous structure is sparsely colonized by meniscal fibrochondrocytes (MFCs) which maintain and remodel the extracellular matrix (ECM) [2,3]. While the meniscus functions well with a lifetime of use, traumatic or degenerative injuries to the avascular, inner region of the meniscus fail to heal. Disruption of the fibrous architecture impairs load transmission and initiates erosion of the adjacent articular surfaces, or osteoarthritis (OA). Damage to the meniscus is typically treated by resection of the torn tissue via arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, which alleviates symptoms but similarly predisposes patients to OA [4]. Tissue removed in this procedure is deemed surgical waste and is subsequently discarded.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Activities and interaction in the Tri-n-butyl phosphate-water system

Abstract The solubility of water in TBP at 25°C and various water activities was measured by the isopiestic vapour balancing technique. The solubility follows Henry's law, XH2O = (0·478 ± 0·002)aH2O up to XH2O = 0·36 (CH2O = 1·2 M) at aH2O = 0·75, then deviates gradually at higher concentrations up to XH2O = 0·511 (CH2O = 3·58 ± 0·02 M) at saturation. The corresponding activities of TBP were calculated via the Gibbs-Duhem relation, and from these, the partial molal free energies of mixing. The activity coefficients of TBP are close to unity throughout, the greatest deviation being at water saturation: fTBP = 1·054 (mole fraction scale). Densities and thence partial molal volumes, as a function of the molality of water in TBP, were determined at both 25°C, V H 2 O = (17·08 ± 0·05) + (0·422 ± 0·04)m 1 2 and V TBP = 273·8 and 2°C, V H 2 O = (16·69 ± 0·03) + (0·526 ± 0·03)m 1 2 and V TBP = 268·3 n 1/ mole . The densities and excess partial free energies and also dielectric constants of the TBP·H2O mixtures were examined for evidence of compound formation. The former did not show any such evidence. Dielectric constants at 2°C showed a slight interaction at mole ratio 1:1, indicating that a TBP·H2O complex does exist but is only weakly bonded.
Salient features of high-energy multiparticle distributions learned from exact solutions of the one-dimensional Ising model.

We have derived explicit expressions in the one-dimensional Ising model for multiplicity distributions ${\mathit{P}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}\ensuremath{\xi}}$(n) and factorial moments ${\mathit{F}}_{\mathit{q}}$(\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\xi}). We identify the salient features of ${\mathit{P}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}\ensuremath{\xi}}$(n) that lead to scaling, ${\mathit{F}}_{\mathit{q}}$(\ensuremath{\delta}\ensuremath{\xi})=F${\mathrm{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}}_{\mathit{q}}$[${\mathit{F}}_{2}$], and universality. These results compare well with the presently available high-energy data. We point out the important features that should be studied in future higher-energy experiments of multiparticle productions in pp, p\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}p, ep, ${\mathit{e}}^{+}$${\mathit{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$, and NN. We also make comments on comparisons with Koba-Nielsen-Olesen and negative-binomial distributions.
Reflections on Democratization

H umankind is in the midst of largescale transition marked by telling differences but profound similarities. Throughout this world, political systems are becoming more participatory and less authoritarian. For want of better or more accurate terminology, this worldwide phenomenon generally is termed the process of "democratization," which may be defined as the process of moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system. We political scientists in the United States have taken U.S. democracy for granted. We have also observed the difficulties and many failed attempts over time in achieving democracy in other parts of the world. Now, given the worldwide democratization movement, we are increasingly being asked-rightly or wrongly-for our advice. And so we are called upon to be reflective, analytical, and introspective about democracy.
Corticotropin-releasing hormone is involved in conditioned stimulus-induced reduction of natural killer cell activity but not in conditioned alterations in cytokine production or proliferation responses

Research from our laboratory has demonstrated that the presentation of an aversive conditioned stimulus produces pronounced suppression of several in vitro measures of immune status. The present study was designed to evaluate the role of central corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in the mechanisms mediating these conditioned effects. The aversive conditioned stimulus was a distinct environment that had previously been associated with electric footshock. Lewis rats received intraventricular administration of either buffered saline or a dose of the CRH-selective receptor antagonist alpha-helical CRH(9-41) (0, 0.5, 5, or 50 micrograms) prior to exposure to the aversive conditioned stimulus or home cage control treatment. The aversive conditioned stimulus produced decreases in splenic natural killer cell activity, splenocyte responsiveness to the mitogens concanavalin A (ConA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the combination of ionomycin and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA), blood leukocyte responsiveness to ConA and PHA, and the production of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma by activated splenocytes. The conditioned stimulus also produced an increase in plasma levels of corticosterone. Pretreatment with alpha-helical CRH(9-14) completely blocked the conditioned stimulus-induced suppression of natural killer cell activity. The CRH antagonist had no attenuative effect on the conditioned suppression of splenocyte or blood leukocyte proliferation in response to mitogens, or the production of interleukin-2 or interferon-gamma by activated splenocytes. There was also no effect of alpha-helical CRH(9-14) on the conditioned stimulus-induced increase in plasma corticosterone. These findings suggest that conditioned stimulus-induced suppression of natural killer cell activity is mediated by a mechanism that involves activity at central CRH receptors, and that this conditioned modulation is independent of HPA activation. Furthermore, these results indicate that the mechanisms involved in conditioned stimulus-induced suppression of proliferative or cytokine production responses are distinct from those involved in the modulation of natural killer cell activity.
The structure of copolymer crystals formed from dilute solution and in bulk

The thermodynamic and structural properties of a series of hydrogenated polybutadienes, crystalized in the bulk and from dilute solution, have been investigated. These polymers are ethyl-branched ethylene copolymers with narrow molecular weight and composition distributions. Despite the fact that for both modes of crystallization these random-sequence copolymers display a lamellar crystalline habit, all of the independent physical chemical measurements are quantitatively consistent in indicating a relatively thin crystallite with a large amorphous disordered overlayer. This is seen to be a very general phenomenon for copolymer crystallization. The core thicknesses, determined from Raman LAM and from small-angle x-ray scattering, are in good agreement. Quantitatively consistent values of the degree of crystallinity are obtained from the density, enthalpy of fusion, Raman internal modes, Raman LAM, and small-angle x-ray scattering. It is significant that independent thermodynamic and structural methods give the same result.