cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dependence of drying technique on surface area and pore size for polyethylene glycol/tetramethoxysilicate hybrid gels

Abstract The effect of drying technique on the surface area and pore size of ethylene glycol/polyethylene glycol (PEG)/tetramethoxysilicate hybrid gels is presented. Various molecular weight polyethylene glycols were added to acid-catalyzed solutions of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in methanol. The two drying techniques investigated were supercritical CO 2 drying and conventional evaporation. Nitrogen adsorption was used to determine the surface area and pore radius. As the molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol increased, the pore size of the gel increased, and the surface area decreased. For gels with no polymer additive, both the surface area and pore size of the gels is dependent on the drying method. However, when the various polymers were added, this difference became insignificant, indicating that the polymer assists in opening the pore structure and prevention of syneresis.
Do religion and spirituality influence coping in end-stage emphysema patients?

COPD is a chronic and progressive disease associated with poor quality of life and an increased risk of psychological distress.[1][1] While the physical and psychosocial impact of end-stage lung disease has been evaluated, few studies have explored the influence of religious and spiritual coping on
Lasting impact of a professional development program on constructivist science teaching

This study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the GK-12: Lowcountry Partners for Inquiry program that included an emphasis on constructivist teaching methods for science teachers and science graduate students. The goal was to monitor middle school teachers’ use of constructivist practices in their classrooms two years after their last program experience. Classroom observations, Constructivist Learning Environment Surveys (CLES), and interviews were conducted to assess their use of constructivist practices. Data suggest that teachers’ use of constructivist practices increased following completion of the GK-12 program. Scores in each of the five CLES categories were significantly higher two years post program involvement than at the end of the program (p < 0.05). Teachers reported that they not only continued but also increased their use of constructivist practices because of the increased achievement and improved critical thinking skills of their students.
Fabrication and characterization of room temperature silicon single electron memory

A single electron memory was demonstrated in crystalline silicon that has a transistor channel width of ∼10 nm and a nanoscale floating gate of dimension ∼(7 nm × 7 nm × 2 nm), patterned by electron beam lithography, lift-off, and reactive ion etching. Quantized shift in the threshold voltage and self-limited charging process have been observed at room temperature. Analysis has shown that these quantized characteristics are the results of single electron charging effect in the nanoscale floating gate.
The properties of a glycyl-soluble-RNA synthetase from chick embryo.

Summary 1. The properties of a glycyl-soluble-RNA synthetase from chick embryo are described. The enzyme was stabilized by 0.4 M mercaptoethanol. It catalyzed a glycine-dependent 32 PP i -ATP exchange but not a 32 P i -ATP exchange, and the formation of glycyl-soluble-RNA. The enzyme requires either Mg 2+ or Mn 2+ for activity; Mg 2+ is more effective at high concentration and Mn 2+ at low concentration. Ca 2+ antagonizes the action of Mg 2+ . Partial inhibition by p -chloromercuriphenylsulfonate is reversed by mercaptoethanol. Hydroxamate formation is inhibited by ribonuclease (EC 2.7.7.16), PP i , or AMP. 2. A modification of the Loftfield and Eigner method for measuring hydroxamate formation is described. In the present modification, trichloroacetic acid-treated preparations are added directly to columns of Dowex-50 which can be used repeatedly by simple regeneration.
New stochastic algorithm and its application to compact QED.

A new stochastic algorithm for calculating the properties of Hamiltonian lattice field theories is described. This approach improves the efficiency as well as the statistical accuracy of projector-method simulations. As an example, this new method (called parallel scoring) is applied to periodic QED. Parallel scoring is the software equivalent of parallel processing. Its advantages and disadvantages are illustrated and discussed. Numerical results from the application of the parallel-processing algorithm to periodic QED in two space dimensions are presented and compared to earlier work.
The U28 Nanosphere: What's Inside? (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 14/2011)

The cover picture shows the assembly process of uranyl peroxide clusters through templating cations and anions. The yellow polyhedra are the monomeric building blocks, UO2(O2)34–. In this schematic, the assembly of pentagonal and hexagonal rings is templated by K+ (green spheres) and Cs/Rb+ (pink spheres) ions. The assembly of spherical capsules from rings is then templated by Ta(O2)43– anions (Ta = blue spheres, O = red spheres). Details are discussed in the article by M. Nyman et al. on p. 2197 ff. The cover art was produced by Mona Aragon (Sandia National Laboratories).
Interaction of Neurospora mitochondrial structural protein with other proteins and coenzyme nucleotides.

Abstract Neurospora mitochondrial structural protein associates with Neurospora malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) as evidenced by fluorimetric titration, enzyme inhibition, immunodiffusion-precipitin reaction, and solubility tests. Association of the structural protein with horse-heart myoglobin is revealed by sedimentation and immunodiffusion-precipitin tests. Evidence of association specificity of the structural protein for other proteins is presented. Fluorimetric titration data indicate that 1 mole of either of the coenzyme nucleotides, ATP or NADH, is bound per mole of structural protein.
Gas-Phase Chemistry of Bare and Oxo-Ligated Protactinium Ions: A Contribution to a Systematic Understanding of Actinide Chemistry

Gas-phase chemistry of bare and oxo-ligated protactinium ions has been studied for the first time. Comparisons were made with thorium, uranium, and neptunium ion chemistry to further the systematic understanding of 5f elements. The rates of oxidation of Pa+ and PaO+ by ethylene oxide compared with those of the homologous uranium ions indicate that the first and second bond dissociation energies, BDE[Pa+−O] and BDE[OPa+−O], are approximately 800 kJ mol-1. The relatively facile fluorination of Pa+ to PaF4+ by SF6 is consistent with the high stability of the pentavalent oxidation state of Pa. Reactions with ethene, propene, 1-butene, and iso-butene revealed that Pa+ is a very reactive metal ion. In analogy with U+ chemistry, ethene was trimerized by Pa+ to give PaC6H6+. Reactions of Pa+ with larger alkenes resulted in secondary and tertiary products not observed for U+ or Np+. The bare protactinium ion is significantly more reactive with organic substrates than are heavier actinide ions. The greatest differe...
Attending to the disembodied character in research on professional narratives: How the performance analysis of physically disabled professionals’ personal stories provides insight into the role of the body in narratives of professional identity

This essay provides a rationale of how Performance Analysis and Narrative Positioning within research on Physically Disabled Professionals’ Personal Narratives can provide insight into the role of the body in the analysis of professional narratives. Through analyzing the participants’ open-ended narratives as performances in which the narrators draw upon performativities to reconcile the absurdity associated with their deemed ‘unprofessional’ bodies legitimately occupying a professional space, the author traces the emergence of embodied professional heroes in four variations: the Super Hero, Warrior Hero, Tragic Hero, and Rogue Hero, each which illuminates the importance of the body in the construction of personal narratives of professionalism. In conclusion, the author calls for attention to the potential performance of the Anti Hero across personal narratives that emerge in unmarked bodies in order to attend the underlying performativities and discourses of power within all narratives of professionalism.
Periodic mixing and combustion processes in gas fired pulsating combustors

Abstract Although gas fired pulse combustors for home and water heating have been in use for a number of years, little research has been carried out, to date, to develop an understanding of the fundamental physical and chemical processes which control the operation of the pulse combustors. Consequently, the past developments of such combustors have been based upon costly trial-and-error approaches. This paper describes some results of an ongoing investigation which studies controlling processes in valved pulse combustors. Specifically, this paper provides experimental data which describe the mixing of the reactants, the time dependence of the combustion process heat release rate, its phase relationship with the combustor pressure, and the spatial characteristics of the combustion process. High speed shadow and Schlieren photography was carried out on a partially transparent pulse combustor. The combustion was observed to take place largely in the mixing chamber. Fuel and air jets enter the mixing chamber prior to the combustor reaching its minimum pressure. The two jets impinge, and mix and the new reactants are ignited by entrained remnants of reacting pockets from the previous cycle. This ignition takes place at the location and time at which the two reactant streams first mix. The resultant reactive stream breaks into two opposing vortices which fill the mixing chamber. Finally, data from CH and CC radiation measurements showed that the reaction is periodic and that it remains nonzero throughout the entire cycle. Furthermore, the reaction rate is in phase with the combustion pressure oscillations, satisfying Rayleigh's criterion for wave driving by heat addition.
STRUCTURE AND MECHANICS OF CEMENT FOAMS

Lightweight cellular concretes have been available for a number of years. They are made by adding aluminium powder to the cement mix or by introducing a foaming agent to a cement slurry. Materials with densities in the range 320–1600 kgm−3 are commonly available commercially; they are used for insulated concrete roof-deck systems, masonry blocks, cladding panels and engineered fills for geotechnical applications. Their unique set of properties make them attractive as a foam core material for structural sandwich panels: they have moderate thermal insulation, high heat capacity, high stiffness, excellent fire resistance and low cost relative to polymer foams. The structure and mechanical behaviour of cellular cements ranging in density from 160–1600 kg m−3 are described.
Composite Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Based on Stabilized Phosphotungstic Acid and Sulfonated Poly(etheretherketone) for Fuel Cell Applications

Sulfonated poly(etheretherketone) (SPEEK), with 577 g per equivalent proton, was made by the direct sulfonation method using sulfuric acid. Composite membranes were prepared by the addition of 0, 5, 15, 30, and 40 wt % phosphotungstic acid (PTA) to the nonwater soluble SPEEK. After Cs + stabilization of the solid acid-containing composites was done, the membranes' conductivities were tested as alternatives to Nafion in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The presence of Cs―PTA in the membranes had little effect on conductivity at low relative humidity (RH), although a 30-40% loading did enable σ = 0.12 S/cm at 80°C and 100% RH. A characterization of Cs―PTA and composite membranes via thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared, and water uptake measurements revealed that stabilization of the PTA with a Cs + ion also resulted in a sharply curtailed ability to uptake and hold water, a necessary attribute of a significant protonic mobility. Even so, the presence of Cs―PTA in SPEEK membranes enabled improved current-voltage curves in a fuel cell configuration by reducing the interfacial resistance between SPEEK and the Nafion-based catalyst particle binder.
A comparison of information based deflection strategies

A wide variety of deflection routing strategies using packet state information are compared in terms of delay performance using a toroidal network with uni-directional links. It is found that deflection strategies based on packet age, the number of deflections experienced or path length prediction work equally well and are superior to random deflection. Strategies based on source to destination shortest path distance or current location to destination shortest path distance were significantly inferior to random deflection. This ranking was found to hold with or without the inclusion of nodal input buffers.
Infantile autism and childhood schizophrenia: Review of the issues from the sociocultural point of view

After presenting an historical overview of the development of the concept of childhood psychosis, this paper discusses the various etiologies which have been offered to explain severe disturbances of childhood. Reference is made to the nature/nurture polemic. In spite of the general belief that the etiology is biologically determined, particularly in infantile autism, the actual evidence tends to be meagre. Furthermore, the literature includes a number of studies which have been found to be methodically weak and which seem to disclaim the intellectual and socioeconomic superiority of the parents of autistic children, contrary to Kanner's original finding that such superiority exists. The link between social class and autism, according to Cantwell's review, does not appear to fit a purely biological causation of autism. This remains an awkward finding which still demands an explanation. The contention of this paper is that contradictory findings could be explained, as stated by Kanner, by the 'inordinate' use of the label 'autism' to include various types of children's severe disorders, even brain-damaged children. Furthermore this review emphasizes the fact that a total neglect of sociocultural variables in the study of such children has led to confounding results. A careful reading of the literature and correspondence with numerous psychiatrists around the world have led the author to believe that infantile autism is more prevalent in highly technological countries where there is extensive geographical and economic mobility coupled with the nuclearization of the family. This paper offers supportive evidence for this speculation.
Value of serum alkaline phosphatase in evaluating hyperplasia of parathyroid glands in chronic hemodialysis patients

To investigate the value of serum alkaline phosphatase in evaluating hyperplasia of parathyroid glands in hemodialysis patients, 28 hemodialysis patients who had parathyroid sonography examinations for secondary hyperparathyroidism were studied retrospectively. There were significant elevations of serum alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum total calcium, and dialysis duration in patients with sonography-detectable parathyroid (N = 17) as compared with those of sonography-undetectable (N = 11) parathyroid. Hemodialysis patients who have both higher serum alkaline phosphatase (> 94 IU/L) and considerably elevated serum PTH (9 x or higher) are likely to have sonography-detectable parathyroids (positive predictive value of 93%). Patients with mildly or moderately elevated serum PTH but normal serum alkaline phosphatase are less likely to have sonography-detectable parathyroids (negative predictive value is 100%). These findings suggest that the elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase could be a valuable parameter in addition to the high serum PTH level in predicting hyperplasia of parathyroid glands in chronic hemodialysis patients.
The effects of quipazine on serotonin metabolism in rat brain.

Quipazine, 2-(1-piperazinyl)-quinoline, is a drug that has been reported to stimulate serotonin receptors in brain. We therefore studied the effect of quipazine on several parameters of serotonin metabolism in rat brain. Quipazine caused a slight, dose-related elevation of serotonin levels and decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels for 2–4 hrs after it was administered. The decrease in 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels was probably due primarily to a depression of 5-hydroxyindole synthesis, since quipazine also decreased the rate of 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation after NSD 1015, the rate of serotonin decline after α-propyldopacetamide, and the rate of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid accumulation after probenecid. The elevation of serotonin was probably due to weak inhibition of monoamine oxidase. Quipazine reversibly inhibited the oxidation of serotonin by rat brain monoamine oxidase invitro and protected against the irreversible inactivation of the enzyme invivo. Quipazine also was a potent inhibitor of serotonin uptake into brain synaptosomes invitro and attained concentrations in brain higher than the invitro IC50. However, quipazine did not prevent the depletion of brain serotonin by p-chloroamphetamine invivo. In addition to stimulating serotonin receptors in brain, quipazine may inhibit monoamine oxidase and serotonin reuptake invivo.
TU‐EE‐A2‐06: A Computer Simulated Study of Dose Optimization Based On Lung Tumor Probability Function Obtained From Long Time Dynamic MRI Scan of Human Subject

Purpose: To minimize normal lung dose by probability distribution function (PDF) based treatment planning for lungtumors.Method and Materials: PDFs were obtained from 5 minute dynamic MRI scans of healthy volunteers. The reproducibility of the PDF was validated by repeat scans two to four weeks later. A blood vessel in the lung was identified as “clinical target volume, (CTV)” and tracked automatically to acquire motion trajectories, which were converted to the PDF. The PDF was then incorporated into the objective function of the optimization, which was weighted by the probability of detecting the CTV at a given position. The optimization was performed for a computer simulated phantom with CTV embedded in a cylindrical lung and sequential tomotherapy delivery with beamlet size of 1×2 mm. A series of dose distributions were generated based on different optimization priorities of lungtissue.Results: PDF based optimization produced apparently inhomogeneous dose distribution along the CTV motion axis with a peak of 160% of the prescription dose at the low probability end of CTV motion. However, in the moving coordinate, the CTV dose volume histogram failed to show substantial heterogeneity. Compared with conventional optimization, the volume of lung receiving 20% prescription dose was decreased by 44% and the mean lung dose was reduced 9.5% without compromising the CTV dose. Conclusions and Discussion: Our optimization algorithm based on a reproducible sequential long dynamic MRI respiratory model reduces both mean lung dose and the volume of lung receiving less than 20% of the prescription dose, which are two of the best predicators of radiation‐induced lung toxicity. However, very high dose delivery resolution is required for implementation that for tomotherapy may require a two pass dose delivery strategy with different jaw widths.
Interneuronal Projections to Identified Cilia-Activating Pedal Neurons in Hermissenda

Neural networks have been shown to support the generation of more than one behavioral motor act. In the nudibranch mollusk Hermissenda, Pavlovian conditioning results in light, the conditioned stim...
Sex Differences in Associations of Depressive Symptoms with Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome among African Americans

Young to middle-aged women usually have notably lower rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than their male counterparts, but African American women lack this advantage. Their elevated CVD may be influenced by sex differences in associations between depressed mood and CVD risk factors. This cross-sectional study examined whether relations between scores on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale and a spectrum of CVD risk factors varied by sex among African Americans (n = 1076; ages 30–64) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Sex-stratified multiple regressions and logistic regressions were conducted. Among women, CES-D scores correlated positively with systolic blood pressure and waist-to-hip ratio (P's < .05), but inversely with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P < .01). Women had twice the odds for metabolic syndrome if CES-D scores ≥16 and had a ≥14% increase in odds of hypertension, abdominal obesity, and low HDL-C with each 5-unit increase in CES-D scores. Among men, CES-D scores correlated positively with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P < .05), and odds of hypertension increased by 21% with each 5-unit increase in CES-D scores. Depressive symptoms may promote premature CVD risk in African Americans, at least in part, via CVD risk factors and prevalent metabolic syndrome, particularly in African American women.
Balancing Eldercare and Employment: The Role of Work Interruptions and Supportive Employers

This study investigates pathways by which employed caregivers' stress is related to their work performance appraisal, with particular attention to work interruptions and supportive employers. Based on a nationally representative sample from the 2004 National Long-Term Care Survey (NLTCS), the study focuses on caregivers to older adults who are currently participating in paid employment (N = 652). Results from structural equation modeling indicate that work interruptions mediate the relationship between caregivers' stress and their work performance appraisal. In addition, the support of employers moderates the relationship between employed caregivers' stress and their work interruptions as well as the relationship between their work interruptions and work performance appraisal. These results point to the need for training supervisors and helping them to understand the potential dual effects of their support on employed caregivers' work interruptions and performance.
The pterolichoid feather mites (Acarina, Astigmata) of the Megapodiidae (Aves, Galliformes)

The pterolichoid feather mites of megapodes are reviewed. Named taxa are briefly discussed and most are figured. The Pterolichidae (Pterolichinae) are: Ascetohchus Perez & Atyeo, three species; Echinozonus Atyeo & Perez, six species; Pereziella Atyeo, two species; and Phycoferus Atyeo & Perez, two species. New pterolichine taxa, with the type species listed first, include: Botryaspis cordiforma gen. et sp.n. and B. cordata gen. et sp.n.; Cycloprotarsus lineatus gen. et sp.n., C. centralis gen. et sp.n. and C. monacrotrichus gen. et sp.n.; Eurypterolichus gen.n. for Pterolichus navicula comb.n. Trouessart & Neumann and E. coniger gen. et sp.n.; Goniodurus gen.n. for Pterolichus (Pseudalloptes) quadratus comb.n. Trouessart and G. bilobatus gen. et sp.n.; Haptepigynus gen.n. for Pterolichus (Pseudalloptes) tridentiger comb.n. Trouessart and H. holonotus gen. et sp.n.; Heliaspis ventralis gen. et sp.n.; Leipobius ocellatus gen. et sp.n.; Maleolichus maleo gen. et sp.n.; Mayracarus gen.n. for Pterolichus (P.) tritilobus comb.n. Trouessart; Megapodobius arcuatus gen. et sp.n. and M. striatus gen. et sp.n.; Oxygynurus brevissimus gen. et sp.n., O. longicaulis gen. et sp.n., O. mediocaulis gen. et sp.n. and O. parvicaulis gen. et sp. n.; Prionoturus amembranatus gen. et sp. n.; Talegallobius bidentatus gen. et sp.n.; and Tanysomacarus imperfectus gen. et sp.n. and T. brachymeles gen. et sp.n. A new taxon of the Thoracosathesidae is: Thoracosathes caudiculata sp.n. Keys are provided and host- commensal associations are discussed. All taxa are restricted to the Megapodiidae. Cheylabis fuscina Trouessart is assigned to Pereziella and has as a synonym P. dupilcata Atyeo.
C-TERMINAL TYPE 1 COLLAGEN PROPEPTIDE (CICP) IS A MARKER FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE BPD IN PRETERM INFANTS. † 1356

Known factors involved in the development of BPD include lung immaturity, ventilator-induced trauma and oxygen toxicity. We hypothesized that inadequate nutrition in the early weeks of postnatal life also contributes to the development of severe BPD (oxygen requirement and characteristic X-ray changes at 36 weeks corrected gestational age) by disrupting the normal lung development. We prospectively measured C1CP, a marker of growth (Ped Res 1996;39:305A), as an indicator of growth failure in infants at high risk for developing severe BPD. Thirty-six neonates (gestational age: 25-30 weeks) who were not receiving postnatal steroids at the time of measurement, had weekly C1CP levels assayed for first 4 wks of life. C1CP was measured in duplicate by sandwich immunoassay using monoclonal antibodies. Fourteen infants developed severe BPD. The birth weights and ventilation days of infants who developed severe BPD (1004±52 gms; 17.6±4 days; mean ± sem) were significantly different from those who did not (1205±48 gms; 6.3±3 days). Figure
Klebsiella: Harmless to Problematic

Abstract BACKGROUND: Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPNE), previously an innocuous bug in our pediatric burn unit, changed its characteristics recently. A 13-year-old male was admitted from Mexico with a third-degree 60% TBSA flame burn. We isolated from his burn wound tracheal aspirate, banked autograft skin, and grew a KPNE sensitive only to Amikacin and Gentamycin. Over the next 3 months, this organism was isolated from 13 additional burn patients. METHODS: A search for a reservoir included water samples from OR and tub room hoses, various equipment cultures from both areas, and the burn unit. Peri-rectal swabs and tube feed stocks were monitored weekly. RESULTS: KPNE was recovered from two pieces of equipment in one of the ORs, a patient room (post discharge and cleaned), and one container of tube feed stock. The OR and patient room were temporarily closed for aggressive cleaning. Procedural changes were made for mixing and hang time of tube feedings. CONCLUSION: Ten of fourteen patients utilized the operating room where the KPNE was found, which implicated the OR suite as the potential source of transmission. The peri-rectal swabs showed no sign of the organism. Cleaning procedures have been reviewed, and cleaning rooms between cases is a joint effort of OR staff and Environmental Services with close attention to detail. Follow-up random cultures of clean ORs have not recovered the organism.
Chinese Plantation Workers and Social Conflict in Peru in the late Nineteenth Century

As the world capitalist system developed during the nineteenth century non-slave labour became a commodity that circulated around the globe and contributed to capital accumulation in metropolitan centres. The best examples are the emigration of millions of Asian indentured servants and European labourers to areas of European colonisation. Asians replaced emancipated African slaves on plantations in the Caribbean and South America, supplemented a declining slave population in Cuba, built railways in California, worked in mines in South Africa, laboured on sugarcane plantations in Mauritius and Fiji, and served on plantations in southeast Asia. Italian immigrants also replaced African slaves on coffee estates in Brazil, worked with Spaniards in the seasonal wheat harvest in Argentina, and, along with other Europeans, entered the growing labour market in the United States. From the perspective of capital, these workers were a cheap alternative to local wage labour and, as foreigners without the rights of citizens, they could be subjected to harsher methods of social control.1
Beta-adrenergic enhancement of angiotensin II-stimulated aldosterone secretion.

Abstract Beta-adrenergic agonists have been shown to stimulate aldosterone secretion. Angiotensin II (AII) is one of the important stimuli of aldosterone secretion; conceivably beta-adrenergic influences affect the stimulatory potential of AII. Using cultured rat adrenal capsules, we found that 10 −7 M epinephrine and 10 −7 M isoproterenol enhanced 10 −7 M AII-stimulated aldosterone production. Propranolol (10 −7 M) completely inhibited the ability of epinephrine to augment the stimulatory actions of AII. In conclusion, beta-adrenergic agonists promote stimulation of aldosterone secretion by AII.
On the application of the photomultiplier to astronomical photometry

Abstract A general discussion is made of some of the characteristics of photomultipliers. The relation of these to astronomical measurements is emphasized, especially in regard to obtaining optimum efficiency and stability in photometry in several colours.
A Dynamic Model for Induced Reactivation of Latent Virus

We develop a deterministic mathematical model to describe reactivation of latent virus by chemical inducers. This model is applied to the reactivation of latent KSHV in BCBL-1 cell cultures with butyrate as the inducing agent. Parameters for the model are first estimated from known properties of the exponentially growing, uninduced cell cultures. Additional parameters that are necessary to describe induction are determined from fits to experimental data from the literature. Our initial model provides good agreement with two independent sets of experimental data, but also points to the need for a new class of experiments which are required for further understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
The pathophysiology of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

The molecular basis of PNH is known. Somatic mutation of the X-chromosome gene PIGA accounts for deficiency of glycosyl phosphatidylinositol–anchored proteins (GPI-AP) on affected hematopoietic stem cells and their progeny. However, neither mutant PIGA nor the consequent deficiency of GPI-AP provides a direct explanation for the clonal outgrowth of the mutant stem cells. Therefore, PNH differs from malignant myelopathies in which clonal expansion is directly attributable to a specific, monogenetic event (e.g., t(9;22) in CML) that bestows a growth/survival advantage upon the affected cell. Multiple, discrete PIGA mutant clones are present in many patients, suggesting that a selection pressure that favors the PNH phenotype (i.e., GPI-AP deficiency) was applied to the bone marrow. The nature of this putative selection pressure, however, is speculative, as is the basis of clonal expansion. In many patients, the majority of hematopoiesis is derived from PIGA mutant stem cells. Yet clonal expansion is limited (nonmalignant), and the contribution of the mutant clones to hematopoiesis may remain stable for decades. Understanding the basis of clonal selection and expansion will not only delineate further the pathophysiology of PNH but also provide new insights into stem cell biology and suggest novel therapeutic strategies for enhancing marrow function.
Pet-Care Management in Child-Rearing Families

AbstractThis exploratory pilot study examined parents' and children's responsibilities for pet care as compared to other household chores. Families included in the study (N=42) included children ranging in age from preschoolers to young adults. The results indicate that pet care is a parental chore in families with preschoolers, it becomes a shared parent-child responsibility in families with schoolchildren, and, in families with teenagers, pet care is primarily a youngster's responsibility. The results suggest that pet-care patterns within child-rearing families may differ from the division of labor for other types of household chores.
The hepatitis C virus: Overview

Our knowledge of hepatitis C virus (HCV) dates only from 1975, when non-A, non-B hepatitis was first recognized. It was not until 1989 that the genome of the virus was first cloned and sequenced, and expressed viral antigens used to develop serological assays for screening and diagnosis. HCV is in a separate genus of the virus family Flaviviridae. It is a spherical enveloped virus of approximately 50 nm in diameter. Its genome is a single-stranded linear RNA molecule of positive sense and consists of a 5' noncoding region, a single large open reading frame, and a 3' noncoding region. The open reading frame encodes at least three structural and six nonstructural proteins. The genome is characterized by significant genetic heterogeneity, based on which HCV isolates can be classified into six major genotypes and more than 50 subtypes. Even individual isolates of HCV are genetically heterogeneous (quasispecies diversity). Genetic heterogeneity of HCV is greatest in the amino-terminal end of the second envelope protein (hypervariable region 1). This region may represent a neutralization epitope that is under selective pressure from the host's humoral immune response. Infection with HCV proceeds to chronicity in more than 80% of cases, and even recovery does not protect against subsequent re-exposure to the virus. The development of a broadly protective vaccine against HCV will therefore require a better understanding of the molecular biology and immune response to this virus.
Comparison of phase-field and Potts models for coarsening processes

We have compared the phase-field model to the Potts model for two coarsening processes, grain growth and Ostwald ripening, both in two-dimensions. The Potts model is a discrete, statistical mechanical numerical simulation technique. In contrast, the phase-field model is a continuum, thermodynamic numerical simulation technique. The similarities and differences in microstructures, kinetics, and grain size distributions obtained for grain growth and Ostwald ripening by the phase-field model and by the Potts model were investigated. Both models gave very similar kinetic, topological and grain size distribution results for grain growth and Ostwald ripening in spite of their different approaches. In this paper, we review each model and its application to coarsening processes, present the results of grain growth and Ostwald ripening and finally, discuss how the physics of grain growth and Ostwald ripening is incorporated into these two different models.
Correlation of immunohistochemical staining and mutations of p53 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract Mutations of the p53 tumor suppressor gene are common in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Detection of mutations by sequencing provides more information than immunohistochemical staining, but the equipment needed and the time required make it less practical for use in large-scale studies or in studies in developing countries. The degree of correlation between results obtained with these two methods has been studied in various tumors but has not been well-established in human HCCs. Paraffin sections of HCCs of 28 patients from Qidong, China were immunohistochemically stained using monoclonal antibody to p53. In addition, exons 5-8 of the p53 gene were sequenced in these HCCs. Of the 28 HCCs, nine had 0-9% of nuclei stained for p53, and 19 had 50-95% stained. Mutations in p53 exons 5-8 were found in 17/28 (61%) HCCs, including 15 at codon 249 (exon 7), one at codon 198 (exon 6), and one at codon 175 (exon 5). Among these 17 cases with p53 mutations, 16 cases (94%) had 50-95% of nuclei stained. Among 11 HCCs with no mutations by sequencing, 8 were also negative by immunohistochemistry (0-9% of nuclei stained) (73%) (the five HCCs with no staining whatsoever all had wild-type p53). Immunohistochemical staining to detect p53 mutations in human HCCs detected most mutations that were detected by sequencing (94% sensitivity, 73% specificity), and this method is therefore suitable when sequencing cannot be performed.
Do rats represent time logarithmically or linearly

This study examined two possible psychophysical time scales, a logarithmic representation of time with constant variability and a linear representation of time with scalar variability. Twenty-four rats were tested on a modified temporal bisection procedure in which multiple responses could occur in a 10-s time window after the termination of a stimulus. The number of "long" or "short" responses was used as a measure of the rats' certainty of the duration of the presented interval. Data were analyzed with signal detection theory, and straight lines were fit to the zROC curves with the assumptions of a logarithmic representation of time with constant variability and a linear representation of time with scalar variability. The logarithmic representation of time with constant variability provided a better fit to the data than the linear representation of time with scalar variability.
Facilitated detection of antibiotic-resistant Pseudomonas in cystic fibrosis sputum using homogenized specimens and antibiotic-containing media

Abstract Sputa from 30 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) were cultured on routine and selective media plus three Mueller-Hinton antibiotic resistance screening plates containing tobramycin (5 μg/ml), azlocillin (100 μg/ml), and ticarcillin (100 μg/ml). In addition to direct semiquantitative plating, samples were homogenized for semiquantitative and quantitative culture. Blood agar plates from direct semiquantitative and homogenized semiquantitative cultures were then replica plated onto the antibiotic screening plates. Homogenized semiquantitative and quantitative cultures both detected more Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains than direct semiquantitative plating (103 versus 85 strains), including more antibiotic-resistant strains. Antibiotic screening media facilitated isolation of resistant strains and decreased detection time by 24 hr. Of the 103 strains on homogenized semiquantitative and quantitative cultures isolated before replica plating, 13 (13%) were tobramycin-resistant, 67 (65%) were ticarcillin-resistant, and 42 (41%) were azlocillin-resistant; 13 of 30 cultures (43%) had at least one tobramycin-resistant organism before replica plating. Replica plating detected an additional seven tobramycin-resistant and nine ticarcillin- or azlocillin-resistant strains in seven patients. Homogenization, antibiotic screening media, and replica plating enhance recognition of antibiotic-resistant strains in CF sputum.
Alcohol and drug use among “street” adolescents

Studies of adolescent alcohol use typically sample intact high school populations. This study assessed "street" adolescents alienated from the mainstream educational system. Despite recent optimism regarding adolescent substance use, these respondents showed considerable alcohol consumption, drinking to get drunk, and problems. The major correlates of substance abuse were "personal" drinking motives, expectancies of alcohol effects and peer behavior. Thus, adolescents who would not appear in typical studies showed much stronger alcohol involvement than the general population, with individual differences best accounted for by attitude variables relevant to a "stress-vulnerability" approach to substance abuse.
How do Broader Monetary Aggregates and Divisia Measures of Money Perform in McCallum's Adaptive Monetary Rule?

Abstract This paper addresses two questions. First, can a monetary policy rule be identified that; (1) promotes greater levels of price stability than actual discretionary policy has, (2) performs well (i.e., promotes long-run price stability) in different, plausible macroeconomic models, (3) performs well when financial innovations, regulatory changes or other factors alter the relationship (e.g., velocity) between the policy instrument and the target variable, (4) when relevant, performs well when financial innovations, regulatory changes, or other factors alter the relationship between the control variable and the policy instrument, (5) allows the public to monitor central bank compliance with the rule, and (6) is operational? Second, can adaptive rules using broader Divisia measures of money as policy instruments (e.g., M2 and above) achieve greater levels of price stability than rules using the traditional monetary aggregates? Divisia measures of money are examined because research suggests they may exhibit a stronger and more stable relationship with nominal GDP than broad monetary aggregates computed as the unweighted sum of their component assets. Rules that indirectly target a stable price level are examined using the traditional aggregates and Divisia measures of M2, M3, and Liquidity (L), respectively, as policy instruments. Counterfactual GDP simulations are conducted in three different macroeconomic models over the time period 1964:Q2–1997:Q4. The performance of rules using the different policy instruments is assessed by comparing the simulated GDP time path to a target time path consistent with long-run price stability. All simulations explicitly assume that the Fed cannot precisely control the policy instruments over time periods as short as one quarter. Results suggest that all the policy instruments examined satisfy the six criteria for rule success. The best performance is produced by the rule using Divisia L as its policy instrument. Rules using Divisia measures of money usually outperform their (traditional) monetary aggregate counterparts—although the difference is often inconsequential.
Dyadic agreement on the MMPI-2

Abstract Research in behavior genetics has documented assortative mating with respect to physical, demographic, sociocultural, and personality variables. The present study examined patterns of dyadic similarity on personality characteristics reflected on MMPI-2 items and scales in a sample of 982 couples. MMPI-2 scales with high dyadic correlations appear to entail the following broad domains: attitudes about substance use (MMPI-2 scales AAS, APS, and MAC-R), domestic satisfaction (MSD, FAM, and Pd), and mistrust (ASP, CYN, and Re). Principal components analysis of a matrix of 60 items possessing strong dyadic correlations revealed nine underlying dimensions: Cynical Mistrust, Substance Abuse, Domestic Dissatisfaction, Sensation-Seeking, Financial Worry, Stereotypic Masculinity, Self-Confidence, Piety, and Deviant Ideation. Years of acquaintance did not moderate dyadic similarity. Couples receiving counseling demonstrated less dyadic similarity than couples not in counseling.
Continuous interscalene nerve block following adhesive capsulitis manipulation.

To the Editor: We report on a prospective series of patients who were treated with a 3-day ambulatory perineural local anesthetic infusion in addition to the customary single-injection brachial plexus block for shoulder manipulation, using specific prospectively-defined endpoints. Shoulder adhesive capsulitis may be treated with manipulation under anesthesia to physically break up scar tissue associated with the joint capsule. After manipulation, frequent intensive range-of-motion exercises are critical to prevent recurrence of pathology.1,2 Unfortunately, shoulder motion following manipulation is often painful, greatly limiting adherence to the exercise regimen and resulting in a return of capsular adhesions.3 While treating shoulder pain with continuous interscalene nerve blocks has been studied previously following invasive surgical procedures in the immediate postoperative period,4 their application in non-surgical patients—and any longer-term, post-infusion effects on range-of-motion—remain uninvestigated.
Corpus callosum shape changes in early Alzheimer's disease: an MRI study using the OASIS brain database.

The corpus callosum (CC) is the largest fiber bundle connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It has been a region examined extensively for indications of various pathologies, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Almost all previous studies of the CC in AD have been concerned with its size, particularly its mid-sagittal cross-sectional area (CCA). In this study, we show that the CC shape, characterized by its circularity (CIR), may be affected more profoundly than its size in early AD. MRI scans (n = 196) were obtained from the publicly available Open Access Series of Imaging Studies database. The CC cross-sectional region on the mid-sagittal section of the brain was automatically segmented using a novel algorithm. The CCA and CIR were compared in 98 normal controls (NC) subjects, 70 patients with very mild AD (AD-VM), and 28 patients with mild AD (AD-M). Statistical analysis of covariance controlling for age and intracranial capacity showed that both the CIR and the CCA were significantly reduced in the AD-VM group relative to the NC group (CIR: p = 0.004; CCA: p = 0.005). However, only the CIR was significantly different between the AD-M and AD-VM groups (p = 0.006) being smaller in the former. The CCA was not significantly different between the AD-M and AD-VM groups. The results suggest that CC shape may be a more sensitive marker than its size for monitoring the progression of AD. In order to facilitate independent analyses, the CC segmentations and the CCA and CIR data used in this study have been made publicly available (http://www.nitrc.org/projects/art).
Physical studies of ribosomes from Escherichia coli.

The method of sedimentation equilibrium has been used to measure the molecular weights of 30, 50 and 70 s ribosomes from Escherichia coli strain MRE 600. Partial specific volumes at 4 °C are found to be 0.591 cm3/g, 0.685 cm3/g, and 0.596 cm3/g for the three types of particles. The respective molecular weights obtained are 0.90 (±0.03) × 106, 1.55 (±0.05) × 106, and, approximately, 2.65 (±0.2) × 106. Dimensions in solution, as estimated from sedimentation velocity, intrinsic viscosity and the radius of gyration are somewhat larger than implied by most electron microscope studies.
Raman spectroscopy of low-temperature phases of RbAg4I5

Raman spectra were obtained of single crystals of RbAg4I5 in an effort to confirm independently the far-infrared results of Volkov and co-workers that structural phase transitions occur at 44 and 30 K. The present results, that a strong ‘extra’ line occurs below 44 K at 12 cm−1, is in agreement with their measured value, confirming that the phase just below 44 K is non-centrosymmetric, in agreement with their proposed C3 point group.
Reactivity control options of space nuclear reactors

Abstract This paper compares two ex-core control options of the gas-cooled Submersion Subcritical Safe Space (S^4) reactor with a fast neutrons energy spectrum: (a) rotating BeO drums with 120° thin segments of enriched B 4 C in the BeO radial reflector; and (b) sliding segments in the BeO radial reflector. Investigated are the effects on the beginning-of-life (BOL) excess reactivity, reactivity depletion rate and operation life, and the spatial neutron flux distributions and fission power profiles in the core. Also investigated is the effect of reducing the thickness of the enriched B 4 C segments in the control drums on the BOL excess reactivity, when one or two of the 6 drums are stuck in the shutdown position. Reducing the thickness of the B 4 C segments from 0.5 mm to 0.238 mm, with one drums stuck in the shutdown position, increases BOL cold and hot-clean excess reactivity from +$1.71 and +$0.47 to +$2.38 and +$0.89, respectively. These reactivity values are almost identical to those of the reactor with one of the six reflector segments stuck open in the shutdown position. Results also showed that the control options made little difference in the reactor performance. The power peaking in the reactor core with sliding reflector segments is slightly lower and the spatial power profiles are relatively flatter. The operation life of the reactor with a sliding reflector segments control, when operating at a nominal thermal power of 471 kW, is only 22 full power days longer than with rotating drums control.