cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the Structure of Production Affect Demand for Schooling in Peru

May 1998 Banking crises are more likely to occur in liberalized financial systems. Financial liberalization should be approached cautiously - even where macroeconomic stabilization has been achieved - in countries where there is little respect for the rule of law, poor contract enforcement, and a high level of corruption. Demirguc-Kunt and Detragiache study the empirical relationship between banking crises and financial liberalization using a panel of data for 53 countries for 1980-95. They find that banking crises are more likely to occur in liberalized financial systems. But financial liberalization's impact on a fragile banking sector is weaker where the institutional environment is strong - especially where there is respect for the rule of law, a low level of corruption, and good contract enforcement. They examine evidence on the behavior of bank franchise values after liberalization. They also examine evidence on the relationship between financial liberalization, banking crises, financial development, and growth. The results support the view that, even in the presence of macroeconomic stabilization, financial liberalization should be approached cautiously in countries where institutions to ensure legal behavior, contract enforcement, and effective prudential regulation and supervision are not fully developed. This paper - a joint product of the World Bank's Development Research Group and the International Monetary Fund's Research Department - is part of a larger effort to study financial liberalization. The authors may be contacted at ademirguckunt@worldbank.org or edetragiache@imf.org.
Emerging Functional Differences between the Synaptotagmin and Ferlin Calcium Sensor Families

The ferlin family proteins have emerged as multi-C2 domain regulators of calcium-triggered membrane fusion and fission events. While initially determined to share many of the features of members of the synaptotagmin family of calcium sensors, ferlins in more recent studies have been found to interact directly with non-neuronal voltage-gated calcium channels and nucleate the assembly of membrane-trafficking protein complexes, functions that distinguish them from the more well studied members of the synaptotagmin family. Here we highlight some of the recent findings that have advanced our understanding of ferlins and their functional differences with the synaptotagmin family.
The Soil Conservation Service’s New Water Quality Indicators Guide

The Soil Conservation Service (SCS) is actively involved in agriculturally related water quality issues. In recent years, as the public became aware of surface and ground water problems, the SCS has responded with new and innovative technologies for agricultural nonpoint source treatment. As part of the new technology, the SCS developed the Water Quality Indicators Guide: Surface Waters (Guide) to aid in finding solutions to water quality problems associated with sediment, animal wastes, nutrients, pesticides, and salts.
Radiographic determination of developmental age in fetuses and stillborns.

The gestational age and/or viability of a fetus can become an important forensic issue. Several investigators have produced linear regression formulas based on crown-heel length (CHL), crown-rump length, or body diameters to determine gestational age. This study re-examines the relationship between fetal long bone length and CHL and tests a method of estimating CHL, and therefore gestational age, from radiographic measurements of the major long bone diaphyses. The results are compared with data based on dry bone measurements. Data from 252 cases confirm a strong correlation between all long bone lengths and CHL (> or = r = .9063; p < 0.01). Long bone length means for each CHL group are presented, as well as regression formulas for estimating CHL from radiographic measurements of the long bone diaphyses. The findings correspond closely with results based on a European sample, thereby validating that reference population as a normative sample for fetal analysis in the United States. The radiographic method can be used in instances where skeletal preparation is impossible or undesirable.
Blunt cerebrovascular injury in pediatric trauma: a national database study.

Objective The incidence of blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI) has not been well characterized in the pediatric population. The goal of this study was to describe the incidence, patient characteristics, and risk factors for pediatric patients with cerebrovascular injuries. Methods The authors collected data from the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID), a nationally representative database of pediatric admissions, for years 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2012. Results Among an estimated 646,549 admissions for blunt trauma, 2150 were associated with BCVI, an overall incidence of 0.33%. The incidence of BCVI nearly doubled from 0.24% in 2000 to 0.49% in 2012. Patients 4 to 13 years of age were less likely to have BCVI than those in the youngest (0-3 years) and oldest age groups comprising adolescents (14-17 years) and young adults (18-20 years). BCVIs were associated with cervical (adjusted OR [aOR] 4.6, 95% CI 3.8-5.5), skull base (aOR 3.0, 95% CI 2.5-3.6), clavicular (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8), and facial (aOR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0-1.5) fractures, as well as intracranial hemorrhage (aOR 2.7, 95% CI 2.2-3.2) and traumatic brain injury (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.7-2.3). Mechanism of injury was also independently associated with BCVI: motor vehicle collision (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.2) and struck pedestrian (aOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0-1.9). Among pediatric patients with BCVI, 37.4% had cerebral ischemic infarction with an in-hospital mortality of 12.7%, and patients with stroke had 20% mortality. Conclusions The incidence of pediatric BCVI is increasing, likely due to increased use of screening, but remains lower than that in the adult population. Risk factors include the presence of cervical, facial, clavicular, and skull base fractures, similar to that of the adult population. Diagnosed BCVI is associated with a relatively high incidence of stroke with increased morbidity and mortality. The use of adult screening criteria is likely reasonable given the similarity in the risk factors identified in this study. Further studies are needed to investigate the role of treatment with antiplatelet agents or anticoagulation.
Modified Reverse Osmosis System for Treatment of Produced Waters

This final report of ''Modified Reverse Osmosis System for Treatment of Produced Water,'' DOE project No. DE-FC26-00BC15326 describes work performed in the third year of the project. Several good results were obtained, which are documented in this report. The compacted bentonite membranes were replaced by supported bentonite membranes, which exhibited the same salt rejection capability. Unfortunately, it also inherited the clay expansion problem due to water invasion into the interlayer spaces of the compacted bentonite membranes. We noted that the supported bentonite membrane developed in the project was the first of its kind reported in the literature. An {alpha}-alumina-supported MFI-type zeolite membrane synthesized by in-situ crystallization was fabricated and tested. Unlike the bentonite clay membranes, the zeolite membranes maintained stability and high salt rejection rate even for a highly saline solution. Actual produced brines from gas and oil fields were then tested. For gas fields producing brine, the 18,300 ppm TDS (total dissolved solids) in the produced brine was reduced to 3060 ppm, an 83.3% rejection rate of 15,240 ppm salt rejection. For oilfield brine, while the TDS was reduced from 181,600 ppm to 148,900 ppm, an 18% rejection rate of 32,700 ppm reduction, the zeolite membrane was stable. Preliminary results show the dissolved organics, mainly hydrocarbons, did not affect the salt rejection. However, the rejection of organics was inconclusive at this point. Finally, the by-product of this project, the {alpha}-alumina-supported Pt-Co/Na Y catalytic zeolite membrane was developed and demonstrated for overcoming the two-step limitation of nonoxidation methane (CH{sub 4}) conversion to higher hydrocarbons (C{sub 2+}) and hydrogen (H{sub 2}). Detailed experiments to obtain quantitative results of H{sub 2} generation for various conditions are now being conducted. Technology transfer efforts included five manuscripts submitted to peer-reviewed journals and five conference presentations.
A Fireproof, Lightweight, Polymer-Polymer Solid-State Electrolyte for Safe Lithium Batteries.

Safety issues in lithium-ion batteries have raised serious concerns due to their ubiquitous utilization and close contact with the human body. Replacing flammable liquid electrolytes, solid-state e...
Increased expression of Fragile X mental retardation protein in malformative lesions of patients with focal cortical dysplasia.

Objective Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) accounts for nearly half of all cases of medically refractory epilepsy in the pediatric and adult patient populations. This neurological disorder stems from localized malformations in cortical brain tissue due to impaired neuronal proliferation, differentiation, and migration patterns. Recent studies in animal models have highlighted the potential role of the Fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) levels in FCD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of FMRP activation in cortical brain tissues surgically resected from patients with FCD. In parallel, this study also investigated protein levels within the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and canonical Wnt signaling pathways. Methods Pathologic tissue from malformative lesions of FCD patients with medically refractory epilepsy was compared to relatively normal control non-epileptic tissue from patients with intracranial neoplasms. A series of western blotting assays were performed to assess key proteins in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, canonical Wnt signaling pathways, and FMRP. Results There was suppression of S235/236-phosphorylated S6, GSK3α, and GSK3β protein levels in samples derived from FCD patients, compared to non-epileptic controls. FCD samples also had significantly greater levels of total and S499-phosphorylated FMRP. Conclusion These findings support our hypothesis that malformative lesions associated with FCD are characterized by high levels of FMRP activation along with dysregulation of both PI3K/AKT/mTOR and canonical Wnt signaling. These novel clinical findings extend previous work in animal models, further suggesting a potential unforeseen role of GSK3α, and GSK3β in the pathophysiology of FCD and refractory epilepsy.
On the geometry of burnside quotients of torsion free hyperbolic groups

In this paper, we detail the geometrical approach of small cancellation theory used by Delzant and Gromov to provide a new proof of the infiniteness of free Burnside groups and periodic quotients of torsion-free hyperbolic groups.
Coalitions for land grabbing in wartime: state, paramilitaries and elites in Colombia

This analysis considers two contrasting trajectories of coercive and illegal land accumulation across two northern Colombian municipalities in wartime. Together they reveal how the state establishe...
Introduction to Special Issue: Determining Legislative Intent in State Courts, Selected Methods and Sources

Judges and legislators alike have expressed a desire for more certainty on how and when legislative history should be used, both in the interpretation of statutes and to ascertain intent. This is an evolving area of the law, and states appear to be taking the lead in experimenting with methods to provide clarity to what has traditionally been a murky issue. These changes will have an impact on researchers in the future. The articles included in this issue were selected to demonstrate a range of approaches in the areas of legislative process, the history of courts and legislatures addressing the need for and use of legislative history in confronting the uncertainties that inevitably arise in the application of laws, and resources available in each state.
Women in Cardiology Twitter Network: An Analysis of a Global Professional Virtual Community From 2016 to 2019

Background Social media is an effective channel for the advancement of women physicians; however, its use by women in cardiology has not been systematically studied. Our study seeks to characterize...
Vertebral Artery Compression by the Greater Cornu of the Thyroid Cartilage.

A case of symptomatic unilateral vertebral artery compression by the greater cornu of the thyroid cartilage is described. Imaging shows ossification of the greater cornu of the thyroid cartilage wi...
Analysis of neural network takeover-time predictions for shared-control autonomous driving

Autonomous driving systems may encounter situations where it is necessary to transfer control to the human driver, for instance when encountering unpredictable dangerous road conditions. To be able to do so safely, the autonomous system needs an estimate of how long it will take for the human driver to take control of the vehicle. A neural network can be used for making such predictions. However ensuring that such a neural network can be used in safety-critical situations is very challenging. We discuss our recent efforts for building, analysing and formally verifying a neural network built for predicting takeover time in a shared-control autonomous driving system. The network was trained on data collected from a (semi-) autonomous driving simulator. We evaluated several techniques for the analysis of the neural network as follows. We performed robustness and sensitivity analysis for the neural network, using the Marabou formal verification tool. We evaluated off-the-shelf attribution tools to determine the important features upon which the neural network makes its predictions. We investigated trust and confidence analysis to better understand the neural network outputs. And finally, we performed adversarial training to improve the quality of the neural network. We discuss our results and outline directions for future work.
Assessment of the competitiveness of agricultural holdings in Bulgaria

Despite its importance and continuing debates, there is still no consensus on what is the competitiveness of farms, how to measure the competitiveness of different organizations in agriculture, what is the absolute and comparative competitiveness of different types of farms, which are the critical factors for increasing the competitiveness at the current stage of development, etc. This study tries to fill the existing gap by applying a holistic approach and assessing the competitiveness of Bulgarian farms as a whole and with different specializations. The multi-criteria assessment found that the level of competitiveness of farms in the country is at a good level, with low adaptive potential and economic efficiency to the greatest extent contributing to lower competitiveness. More than a third of all agricultural holdings have a low level of competitiveness. The most competitive are the farms specialized in beekeeping, followed by field crops, mixed animal husbandry and mixed crops production, and the lowest for farms in grazing livestock. The most significant factors for increasing the competitiveness of Bulgarian farms are market conditions (supply and demand, prices, competition), direct government subsidies, access to knowledge, advice and counseling, participation in government support programs, available information, financial opportunities, and opportunities for benefits in the near future. The proposed approach should be improved and applied more widely and periodically, increasing accuracy and representativeness. The latter requires close cooperation with producer organizations, advisory service and other stakeholders, and improvement of the agricultural information collection system in the country.
Policing for Profit and Asset Forfeiture: Evidence from the Equitable Sharing Suspension

In January 2015, the Department of Justice (DOJ) temporarily suspended a federal asset forfeiture program that grants local law enforcement the ability to retain property confiscated from suspected criminals. This tool enables authorities to circumvent state level requirements to deposit forfeiture revenue into general funds. Using difference-in-differences, I exploit the DOJ’s decision — in conjunction with state forfeiture laws — to measure the importance of federal financial incentives tied to property seizure. Contrary to implications from preexisting legal and empirical research, I find the purported loss of forfeiture revenue did not reduce confiscations or encourage other revenue generating activity.
Tracheal Separation is Driven by NKX2-1-Mediated Repression of Efnb2 and Regulation of Endodermal Cell Sorting

The mechanisms coupling fate specification of tissues to their physical separation remain largely unknown. The mammalian trachea and esophagus differentiate from a single tube of definitive endoderm, requiring the mutually repressive transcription factors SOX2 and NKX2-1, but how the dorsoventral site of tissue separation is defined to properly allocate tracheal and esophageal cell types is unknown. Here, we show that the EPH/EPHRIN signaling gene Efnb2 regulates tracheoesophageal separation by controlling the dorsoventral allocation of tracheal-fated cells. Ventral loss of NKX2-1 results in disruption of separation and an expansion of Efnb2 expression in the trachea that is independent of SOX2. Through chromatin immunoprecipitation, we find that NKX2-1 binds the Efnb2 gene, indicating that repression is likely direct. Finally, by inducing mosaicism for Nkx2-1 within the embryonic foregut, we generate ectopic NKX2-1/EPHRIN-B2 boundaries which organize ectopic trachea separation. Together these data demonstrate that NKX2-1 connects tracheal specification with tissue separation through the regulation of EPHRIN-B2 and tracheoesophageal cell sorting.
Social Justice Research in Science Education: Methodologies, Positioning, and Implications for Future Research

This chapter reviews social justice research in science education, focusing on the developmental trajectory and theories of method that drive the research. I address the following questions in this review: What are some of the trends in social justice citations? What methodologies are employed in social justice research in science education? What are the epistemological, ontological, catalytic, and tactical assumptions embedded in the research methodologies? What are the implications for future research in social justice in science education? After an analysis of trends, I discuss early framing of social justice in science education research. Then, I review five studies, focusing on the authors’ social and theoretical positioning and on ways in which critical methodologies blend scholarship and activism. I conclude with several implications for future social justice research in science education.
Vortex motions and conformal mappings

An evolution equation describing vortex motions of invariant curves is established. Exact solutions of this equation, generalizing those of Kirchoff and Moore and Saffman, are found. A non linear dispersion relation extending a classical result of Lamb is demonstrated. Other results are proven.
Bone Marrow‐Derived Cell Transplantation Therapy for Myocardial Infarction: Lessons Learned and Future Questions

Over the last decade, many investigators have utilized bone marrow-derived cells for cell transplantation therapy in animal studies and in patients with acute myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure. In those experimental and clinical studies, various doses and types of bone marrow-derived cells have been transplanted to the injured myocardium using a variety of approaches, such as intracoronary infusion or catheter-based direct endomyocardial injection, and at different time points after successful coronary reperfusion. The reported treatment effects are variable, which may be related to differences in cell type and quantity of transplanted cells, timing and approach of cell transplantation and patient selection. In this review, we summarize and discuss the controversies and questions related to the clinical use of bone marrow-derived cells.
Synthesis, Purification, and Properties of a Semisynthetic Ribonuclease S Incorporating 4-Fluoro-l-histidine at Position 12

Abstract The NH2-terminal pentadecapeptide of ribonuclease was synthesized with 4-fluoro-l-histidine (4-F-His) in place of the naturally occurring histidine at position 12. This peptide, [4-F-His 12]synthetic-(1-15), serves as an active site analogue of the native NH2-terminal eicosapeptide, RNase-S-(1-20), in that it forms a stable, noncovalent complex with the native ribonuclease fragment of residues 21 through 124, RNase-S-(21-124). A functional purification scheme has been used to prepare purified synthetic peptide in two steps. Purified semisynthetic ribonuclease S analogue complex was obtained by sulfoethyl-Sephadex chromatography of a mixture of crude, solid phase-derived peptide and native RNase-S-(21-124). Isolated [4-F-His 12]synthetic-(1-15) peptide was obtained from the purified complex after dissociation in 50 % acetic acid and gel permeation chromatography. The substitution of fluorine in the 4 position of the imidazole ring of histidine 12 does not disrupt the association of the synthetic peptide to native RNase-S-(21-124) as demonstrated by the binding constant measured in competition with native RNase-S-(1-20). Several other conformational properties of the analogue complex also are similar to those of the native RNase-S complex. However, the complex of [4-F-His 12]-synthetic-(1-15) and RNase-S-(21-124) is devoid of catalytic activity, a result attributed to the perturbation in the acid dissociation constant of the imidazole side chain by fluorine substitution.
Vibrational relaxation of NO−(v=1) in icosahedral (Ar)12NO− clusters

Relaxation dynamics of NO(-)(v=1) in icosahedral (Ar)(12)NO(-) clusters are studied using classical dynamics and semiclassical procedures over the temperature range of 100-300 K. The minimum energy of the equilibrium configuration (-9875 cm(-1)) needed in the study is determined by varying the cluster size z in (Ar)(z)NO(-). NO(-)(v=1) is embedded in the cluster, which is filled with low frequency motions: 39 cm(-1) for the argon modes, 77 cm(-1) for the Arc...NO(-) substructure vibration, 109 cm(-1) for the librational frequency of restricted rotation, and 128 cm(-1) for oscillatory local translation. Dynamics calculations show that in the early time period (<20 ps), part of the vibrational energy rapidly transfers to rotation, but most energy transfers to Ar atoms on a long time scale (approximately 1 ns). The long time scale leads to the relaxation rates of 0.403 ns(-1) at 100 K and 0.453 ns(-1) at 300 K. The rates calculated using analytical formulations vary nearly linearly from 0.288 ns(-1) at 100 K to 0.832 ns(-1) at 300 K. Although the temperature dependence is stronger in the latter, both approaches give the rates on a nanosecond time scale. The principal energy transfer pathway is from NO(-) vibration to Ar vibrations via oscillatory local translation, while the NO(-) rotation is in a librational state. The energy transfer probabilities are two orders of magnitude larger than the vibration-to-translation probabilities in the gas phase collision Ar-NO(-)(v=1).
Models for impurity production and transport in tokamaks

Models for the edge conditions which are commonly used in tokamak transport codes have been kept simple partly because of a lack of data. A report is presented on an improved model for the particle and energy balance of e/sup -/, H/sub 1//sup +/, H/sub 1//sup 0/, H/sub 2//sup +/, H/sub 2//sup 0/, O/sup 0/, O/sup (1 yields 8)/sup +// in the plasma scrape-off region. Experiments should yield the needed data in the near future, and allow one to test the model. The diffusion of impurities has been studied with a neoclassical model. The role of 'anomalous spreading' of the impurity distribution has been studied for the case of Fe. A model is presented for the expulsion of low-Z (oxygen) impurities for cases where q(0) greater than 1, but in which a large shear-free region is produced in the plasma core.
Surface mounted PIFA

The paper describes a compact planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) for Bluetooth and WLAN applications. It briefly describes the design, performance and implementation into a mobile phone handset.
Conserved mechanisms of glucose sensing and regulation by Drosophila corpora cardiaca cells

Antagonistic activities of glucagon and insulin control metabolism in mammals, and disruption of this balance underlies diabetes pathogenesis. Insulin-producing cells (IPCs) in the brain of insects such as Drosophila also regulate serum glucose, but it remains unclear whether insulin is the sole hormonal regulator of glucose homeostasis and whether mechanisms of glucose-sensing and response in IPCs resemble those in pancreatic islets. Here we show, by targeted cell ablation, that Drosophila corpora cardiaca (CC) cells of the ring gland are also essential for larval glucose homeostasis. Unlike IPCs, CC cells express Drosophila cognates of sulphonylurea receptor (Sur) and potassium channel (Ir), proteins that comprise ATP-sensitive potassium channels regulating hormone secretion by islets and other mammalian glucose-sensing cells. They also produce adipokinetic hormone, a polypeptide with glucagon-like functions. Glucose regulation by CC cells is impaired by exposure to sulphonylureas, drugs that target the Sur subunit. Furthermore, ubiquitous expression of an akh transgene reverses the effect of CC ablation on serum glucose. Thus, Drosophila CC cells are crucial regulators of glucose homeostasis and they use glucose-sensing and response mechanisms similar to islet cells.
On the Propagation of Second-Sound in Nonlinear Media: Shock, Acceleration and Traveling Wave Results

An exhaustive study of thermal shock, acceleration (or temperature-rate) and traveling waves in media with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity, and within which the flux is described by the Maxwell–Catteneo law, is presented. The resulting quasilinear, hyperbolic system of equations predicts a variety of interesting phenomena in such media including, but not limited to, dynamic thermal shock waves with jump-dependent wave speed, finite-time temperature-rate wave blow-up, and temperature-rate wave formation as traveling waves reach a critical speed. Both analytical (integral transforms, singular surface theory, solution of transcendental equations using special functions) and numerical approaches are used; the former are benchmarked against the latter where appropriate. Parallels are drawn between the nonlinear heat waves discussed in the present work and nonlinear wave phenomena in related “classical” continuum theories such as acoustics.
What is Community College Excellence? Lessons from the Aspen Prize

In 2008, President Obama set a goal of the US regaining its worldwide preeminence in the percentage of citizens with a college degree by the year 2020. In doing so, he elevated the importance of wh...
Functional Interactions at the Interface between Voltage-Sensing and Pore Domains in the Shaker Kv Channel

Voltage-activated potassium (K(v)) channels contain a central pore domain that is partially surrounded by four voltage-sensing domains. Recent X-ray structures suggest that the two domains lack extensive protein-protein contacts within presumed transmembrane regions, but whether this is the case for functional channels embedded in lipid membranes remains to be tested. We investigated domain interactions in the Shaker K(v) channel by systematically mutating the pore domain and assessing tolerance by examining channel maturation, S4 gating charge movement, and channel opening. When mapped onto the X-ray structure of the K(v)1.2 channel the large number of permissive mutations support the notion of relatively independent domains, consistent with crystallographic studies. Inspection of the maps also identifies portions of the interface where residues are sensitive to mutation, an external cluster where mutations hinder voltage sensor activation, and an internal cluster where domain interactions between S4 and S5 helices from adjacent subunits appear crucial for the concerted opening transition.
Laparoscopic optical coherence tomography imaging of human ovarian cancer.

Objectives Ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death among women in the US largely due to late detection secondary to unreliable symptomology and screening tools without adequate resolution. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a recently emerging imaging modality with promise in ovarian cancer diagnostics, providing non-destructive subsurface imaging at imaging depths up to 2 mm with near-histological grade resolution (10–20 μm). In this study, we developed the first ever laparoscopic OCT (LOCT) device, evaluated the safety and feasibility of LOCT, and characterized the microstructural features of human ovaries in vivo.
Femtosecond ablation scaling for different materials

We are making a comprehensive study of the ablation of elemental materials by femtosecond lasers. Specifically, we are examining the ablation of a wide range of metals, under vacuum and in ambient air, using 850-nm wavelength, 100-fs laser pulses in an intensity range approaching and extending beyond the air ionization threshold. We compare ablation rates and examine in detail the morphology and structural integrity of the ablation region, towards gaining greater knowledge of the interaction science as well as constructing empirical models for fabrication guidelines across the periodic table.
T Cells Targeting Carcinoembryonic Antigen Can Mediate Regression of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer but Induce Severe Transient Colitis

Autologous T lymphocytes genetically engineered to express a murine T cell receptor (TCR) against human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) were administered to three patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory to standard treatments. All patients experienced profound decreases in serum CEA levels (74–99%), and one patient had an objective regression of cancer metastatic to the lung and liver. However, a severe transient inflammatory colitis that represented a dose limiting toxicity was induced in all three patients. This report represents the first example of objective regression of metastatic colorectal cancer mediated by adoptive T cell transfer and illustrates the successful use of a TCR, raised in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) transgenic mice, against a human tumor associated antigen. It also emphasizes the destructive power of small numbers of highly avid T cells and the limitations of using CEA as a target for cancer immunotherapy.
Penetrating Keratoplasty Combined With Extracapsular Cataract Extraction

In my previous prospective study of 132 eyes, the incidence of clinically significant cystoid macular edema was 42% in aphakic penetrating keratoplasty, 33% in combined keratoplasty and cataract extraction with vitrectomy, and only 4% in combined keratoplasty and cataract extraction without vitrectomy. In the present study we added 26 aphakic and 11 pseudophakic keratoplasties and 17 procedures combining keratoplasty with extracapsular cataract extraction. Grafts were clear in 94% of patients, and 43% had visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Clinically significant cystoid macular edema occurred in 35% of aphakic and 27% of pseudophakic keratoplasties. Cystoid macular edema did not occur in combined keratoplasty and extracapsular cataract extraction.
When Is a Group the Union of Proper Normal Subgroups

(2002). When Is a Group the Union of Proper Normal Subgroups? The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 109, No. 5, pp. 471-473.
Gaseous elemental mercury exchange with low mercury containing soils: Investigation of controlling factors

Abstract Deposition of atmospheric elemental Hg (Hg 0 ) to soils may be an important pathway for the transfer of Hg 0 to terrestrial ecosystems. In this study a laboratory method was applied to investigate the role of soils with natural background Hg concentrations ( 0 and to identify factors influencing Hg 0 exchange between these soils and air. Air–soil Hg 0 exchange was measured for a variety of dry substrates (8 pure soil constituents and 35 soils) under controlled experimental conditions. Fluxes measured using the pure soil constituents indicated that the mineralogical nature of the soil particles may play an important role in the sorption of atmospheric Hg 0 . In individual tests for 26 of the 35 natural soils, statistically significant linear correlations were found between Hg 0 flux and air Hg 0 concentration. Mercury flux under light conditions was typically higher than that in the dark, and soil air compensation points (CP, the air Hg 0 concentrations at which there is no net Hg 0 exchange) were significantly higher under light exposure. When all soil data were combined, at low air concentrations (2.8 ± 0.8 ng/m 3 ) soils emitted Hg 0 to the air in light conditions (mean flux: 1.3 ± 1.0 ng/m 2 h) and adsorbed Hg 0 in dark conditions (mean flux: −1.1 ± 1.2 ng/m 2 h); while at elevated air Hg 0 concentration (5.8 ± 1.0 ng/m 3 ) deposition was the dominant flux (mean flux of −2.1 ± 1.6 and −4.6 ± 1.25 ng/m 2 h in the light and dark, respectively). At air Hg 0 concentrations similar to the ambient air ( 3 ; 1.7 ± 1.6 ng/m 3 ), Hg 0 concentration in the air, light, and soil Hg concentration were significantly correlated with air–soil Hg 0 exchange, while at higher air Hg 0 concentrations (⩾5 ng/m 3 ; 8.2 ± 2.2 ng/m 3 ) that might be found in urban areas, soil Hg concentration, pH, and organic matter were the primary factors correlated with Hg 0 flux. This study indicates that natural background soil may be a source or sink of atmospheric Hg 0 depending on environmental parameters and soil physical and chemical properties.
Osmotic water flow in leaky epithelia.

I review three currently unsolved and controversial problems in understanding solute-linked water transport in epithelia. 1. Values of osmotic water permeability (Posm) calculated from steady-state osmotic flow in response to a gradient of a probe molecule tend to be underestimates, because of three unstirred-layer (USL) effects. These are: dissipation of the probe's gradient by diffusion in USL's; reduction of the probe's gradient, due to the sweeping-away effect of water flow gencrated by the probe itself; and solute polarization (creation of an opposing gradient of an initially symmetrically distributed solute by the sweeping-away effect). These errors increase with probe permeability. USL thickness,Posm, and concentration ratio of symmetrically distributed solute to probe, and vary inversely as the fractional area available for water flow (e.g., lateral intercellular space width). The form of an osmotic transient, and the possibility of extracting a truePosm value from the transient, depend on the relative values of three time constants: those for solute diffusion in USL's, for solute polarization by water flow in USL's and for measuring water flow. Sweeping-away effects cause major underestimates (by one or more orders of magnitude) in epithelialPosm determinations, as shown by apparent streaming potentials during osmotic flow and by transiently reversed flows after removal of the probe. TruePosm values for leaky epithelia probably exceed 10−3 or 10−2 cm/sec·osm. The necessary conditions for resolving osmotic transients are set out. 2. I illustrate the difficulties in deciding what fraction of transepithelial water flow is via the cells, and what fraction via the junctions. There is no existing method for answering this question. 3. Controversies about the validity, or need for modification, of the standing-gradient theory are discussed.
Macrophage cholesterol removal by triglyceride-phospholipid emulsions

Summary Phospholipid liposomes were previously shown to mobilize cholesterol from cultured macrophage foam cells. Because Intralipid, a clinically available triglyceride-phospholipid emulsion, contains both phospholipid liposomes and triglyceride-emulsion particles, we sought to study its effect on macrophage cholesterol mobilization. Following an 18h incubation of J774 macrophages in serum-free medium supplemented with Intralipid, cholesteryl ester content decreased by up to 50% in previously cholesterol-loaded cells, and by 25% in non-loaded cells. Both components of Intralipid, liposomes and emulsion particles, independently caused reductions in cellular cholesteryl ester. We conclude that clinically available triglyceride-phospholipid emulsions can mobilize macrophage cholesterol in vitro.
Serum antibodies to whole-cell and recombinant antigens of Borrelia burgdorferi in cottontail rabbits.

Archived serum samples, from 95 eastern cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus floridanus) captured in New York, New York, USA and Millbrook, New York, USA, during 1985–86, were analyzed in solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for total and class-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M antibodies to whole-cell or recombinant antigens of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto. Using a polyvalent conjugate, rabbit sera contained antibodies to whole-cell and recombinant antigens (protein [p]35, p37, or VlsE) during different seasons, but there was no reactivity to outer surface protein (Osp)A or OspB. Seventy-six of the 102 sera (75%) analyzed were reactive with one or more of the antigens; 61 of the positive samples (80%) reacted to whole-cell antigens, followed by results for the p35 (58%, 44/76), VlsE (43%, 33/76), and p37 (29%, 22/76) antigens. Fifty-eight sera (76%) contained antibodies to the VlsE or p35 antigens with or without reactivity to whole-cell antigens. High antibody titers (≥1:2,560) recorded f...
Microscopic studies of transition metal chalcogenides

The reaction of single crystals of transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2 layer structures) with n-butyllithium to form LiMX2 have been followed with the optical microscope. Small crystals are observed to intercalate Li with movement of a distinct front through the crystal. Larger crystals crack but remain intact. The reaction of single crystals of transition metal trichalcogenides (MX3-chain structures) to form Li3MX3 have also been observed and here large crystals fragment to smaller crystals. Both reactions are topochemical reactions in which structural integrity is retained. In the first case (MX2) slight structural rearrangement occurs and in the second case moderate structural rearrangement occurs. The reaction of TiS2 with NH3 is also discussed.
Bio-optical drifters : Scales of variability of chlorophyll and fluorescence

Both the California Current System and the Antarctic Polar Front are characterized by mesoscale variability and meandering jets. These meanders lead to regions of strong vertical motion, on the order of several tens of meters per day. To study physical and biological scales of variability in these two systems, near-surface drifters were released in these two environments; twenty-six in the California Current and five in the Polar Front. Each drifter was equipped with a spectroradiometer to measure upwelled radiance at the SeaWiFS wavelengths as well as at 683 nm. A temperature system was also included. Data were relayed to shore via satellite. These data were converted into biological quantities, including chlorophyll and an apparent quantum yield of fluorescence. Decorrelation time scales were calculated and compared with corresponding statistics of the physical environment. Time scales for all variables increased as the drifters moved from nearshore to offshore. The scales associated with temperature and chlorophyll were similar nearshore, but increased more rapidly offshore for temperature. This suggests that the processes regulating the distribution of temperature and chlorophyll are similar in the nearshore region and significantly differ offshore.
Functional Assessment of Elderly Subjects in Four Service Settings

ABSTRACT: Rapid, reliable and valid assessment of the functional status of elderly persons is a prerequisite for the efficient provision of appropriate types of services. The Functional Assessment Inventory, a 30-minute, multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire, is an abbreviated modification of the OARS Multidimensional Functional Assessment Questionnaire. It was administered by interviewers to a stratified sample of 244 elderly persons in a rural county of Florida, in four service settings. These four sites were: nursing homes (63 subjects), adult congregate living facilities (ACLF) (62 subjects), adult day care programs (60 subjects), and senior centers (59 subjects). Patterns of functional impairment for each setting were identified. Nursing home patients showed impairment in all dimensions (physical, mental, economic, social, and activities of daily living) with mental and ADL impairments predominating. ACLF subjects showed social, mental and ADL impairments. Subjects in adult day care and senior centers were less generally impaired on all dimensions, with physical, mental and ADL impairments predominating in the day care subjects, and social impairments predominating in the senior center subjects. The respondent refusal rate was less than 10 percent. The findings suggest potential for the widespread use of the new shorter Functional Assessment Inventory for determining the type, level, and appropriateness of services for the elderly.
Stress induced defects in vitreous calcium aluminates.

Induced flaws on vitreous calcium aluminates were investigated quantitatively by applying controlled loading forces to fresh breakage surfaces. Test surfaces were chemically treated to display surface flaws, dynamically created by an indenter. The mean value of flaw length was linearly related to the square root of the applied load on the indenter. A critical stress of flaw formation was calculated from the experimental data. Introduction of silica as a dopant and vacuum melting conditions were found to influence flaw length. Silica weakened the structure and produced a lower critical stress of flaw formation, whereas vacuum melting resulted in an increase in this value. An influence of internal defect concentration was also indicated by variations in the ir transmission characteristics of the glasses. The indicated OH− screening effects at 2.8 μ were in agreement with the findings from the flaw studies. A defect array on fresh breakage surfaces suggested the formation of vacancies, and within this pattern the indenter forces produced an interesting localized displacement effect. The magnitude of the displacement agreed with a proposed vacancy diffusion mechanism.
A TIME SERIES ANALYSIS OF STATE GASOLINE DEMAND, 1975–1980 *

ARIMA time series model building techniques are used to construct fifty-one state gasoline demand models based on monthly data for the period of January, 1975 to July, 1960. Statistically satisfactory models are obtained for all states. Price elasticity estimates are >0 for all states. All but four are statistically significant at the 0.05 level. The significant price elasticity estimates range from −0.138 to −0.377, with most clustering about −0.2. Estimates of state gasoline supply shortages for May, June, and July, 1979 are also presented which range from 0 to 8 percent of normal consumption for the three-month-period.
HPLC Determination of Cyanuric Acid in Swimming Pool Waters Using Phenyl and Confirmatory Porous Graphitic Carbon Columns

The chlorinated salts of cyanuric acid have found an important role in recreational swimming pool waters across the United States. Upon application to pool water, they can (1) release disinfectant chlorine or (2) stabilize the free available chlorine by acting as chlorine reservoirs in the form of cyanuric acid, preventing the photolytic destruction of residual chlorine by sunlight. Recommended levels of the cyanuric acid stabilizer are in the 10-100 mg/L concentration range according to the National Swimming Pool Foundation (San Antonio, TX). Two isocratic HPLC methods with UV detection (213 nm) employing phenyl and porous graphitic carbon (PGC) columns and phosphate buffer eluents (pH 6.7 and pH 9.1, respectively) were developed to accurately measure cyanuric acid in swimming pools. The two methods allowed fast separation and detection of the stabilizer in 4 (phenyl) and 8 (PGC) min. Both methods offered practical sensitivities with method detection limits of 0.07 (phenyl) and 0.02 mg/L (PGC). Neither one of the two methods required the use of sample cleanup cartridges. They exhibit chromatograms with excellent baseline stability enabling low-level quantitation. Most important, the PGC column had a useful lifetime of five months and 500 sample analyses/column. Eleven pool water samples were fortified with 4.8-50.0 mg/L stabilizer, and the average recovery was 99.8%. Finally, statistical analysis on the relative precisions of the two methods indicated equivalence at the 0.05 critical level.
Induction of tumor cell resistance to macrophage-mediated lysis by phorbol esters: A postbinding event

Abstract Activated macrophages can recognize, bind to, and lyse tumor cells in an antibody-independent manner. We have found that tumor cells pretreated with phorbol esters are markedly less susceptible to macrophage-mediated cytolysis, although the initial binding step is unaffected. Tumor cells preincubated with tumor-promoting phorbol esters (10 −8 –10 −6 M ) were rendered resistant to macrophage kill whereas non-tumor-promoting derivatives were inactive in protecting tumor cells against cytolysis. Inhibition of [ 3 H]phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate binding by other phorbol esters correlated with their potency as tumor promoters and their ability to render tumor cells resistant to macrophage killing. The role of protein kinase C as the receptor to phorbol esters was implicated by inhibition of PDBu binding by phenothiazine derivatives. This suggests a possible mechanism for the resistance of phorbol ester-treated tumor cells to macrophage-mediated cytolysis.
Objective detection of averaged auditory brainstem responses.

Detection of an auditory brainstem response, ABR, usually relies on visual evaluation of two or more data acquisition runs of a fixed number of sweeps to determine if there is sufficient replication of the averaged waveforms to indicate a response. Visual interpretation can be difficult when the signal-to-noise ratio is poor because of either a small response or high levels of physiological background noise. Moreover, variations in the background noise from run to run can result in poor or spurious replications of component peaks and troughs in the waveform. A previous study (Elberling & Don, 1984) described a statistical approach for objective evaluation of the quality of an ABR recording. The method uses variance analysis in calculating the ratio of the magnitude of the ABR to the estimated averaged background noise. This study further applies this method to obtain a quantitative definition of the ABR threshold, to demonstrate its application in automatic threshold detection, and to estimate the number of sweeps required to reach detection criterion. Application of this method is valuable in reducing the variability of test interpretation and in maximizing the efficiency of recording ABRs by avoiding the averaging of excessive or insufficient numbers of sweeps. These improvements enhance the cost-benefit of ABR testing to the patient.
ANOVA and rank tests when the number of treatments is large

Abstract In this paper we consider the analysis of variance (ANOVA) F-tests, and rank statistic analogs, for testing equality of treatment means in the one-way and two-way experimental layouts. The rank-based procedures include the Kruskal-Wallis and Friedman statistics with chi-squared critical values, and the “ANOVA on ranks” or F-versions of these procedures. We provide proofs of asymptotic normality for these statistics under the nonstandard assumption that the number of treatments converges to infinity while the number of replications per treatment remains finite. These results confirm the robustness of F-distribution critical values for nonnormal data in situations which have a large number of treatments.