cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Fracture–Matrix Interaction on Thermal–Hydrological Conditions in Heated Fractured Rock

Dual-continuum models have been widely used in modeling flow and transport in fractured porous rocks. Among many other applications, dual-continuum approaches were used in predictive models of the thermal–hydrological conditions near emplacement tunnels (drifts) at Yucca Mountain, NV, the proposed site for a radioactive waste repository in the USA. In unsaturated formations such as those at Yucca Mountain, the magnitude of mass and heat exchange between the two continua—fracture network and rock matrix—depends on the small-scale flow characteristics in the fractures, because channelized finger-type flow strongly reduces the interface area between the matrix surfaces and the flowing liquid. This effect may have important implications, for example, during the time period that the fractured rock near the repository drifts would be heated above the boiling point of water. Depending on the magnitude of heat transfer from the matrix, water percolating down the fractures will either boil off in the rock region above drifts or may penetrate all the way to the drift walls and possibly seep into the open cavities. In this study, we conducted a sensitivity analysis using different approaches to treat fracture–matrix interaction in a three-dimensional dual-continuum setting. Our simulation example was a laboratory heater experiment described in the literature that provides evidence of rapid water flow in fractures, leading to seepage into the heater hole despite above-boiling conditions in the adjacent fractured rock. We showed that the experimental finding can only be reproduced when the interface area for heat transfer between the matrix and fracture continua is reduced to account for flow channeling. Our analysis also suggests that the conditions in the laboratory experiment are unique and not representative of the expected thermal–hydrological conditions near emplacement drifts at Yucca Mountain.
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPK) mediates Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) up regulation of arginine transport in cultured intestinal epithelia

Abstract Introduction. Intestinal luminal growth factor EGF plays a key role in regulating intestinal epithelial growth and differentiation as well as amino acid absorption. However, little is known about the intracellular regulatory mechanisms involved. The purpose of this in vitro study was to delineate the intracellular signaling pathways involved in the EGF stimulation of arginine transport in cultured intestinal epithelial cells. Methods. IEC-6 cells were grown to sub-confluence and incubated in EGF (0–200 ng/ml), ± inhibitors of MAPK ERK1 (PD 98059, 0–50 μM) or MAPK p38 (SB 203580, 0–10 μM). 3H-arginine (5 μm to 10 mM) transport activity, arginine transporter MCAT1 mRNA, and MAPK levels were measured. Data are means ± SD and analyzed by ANOVA with P TABLE—ABSTRACT P14 . Treatment Control PD 98059 SB 203580 Control 0.213 ± 0.11 0.238 ± 0.03 0.225 ± 0.05 EGF 0.309 ± 0.03 ∗ 0.256 ± 0.02 ∗∗ 0.245 ± 0.03 ∗∗ Note. Unit: nmole/mg/min; ∗ p ∗∗ p
A MORPHOLOGIC STUDY OF THE GENUS MONOBLEPHARELLA

THE MSONOBLEPHARIDALES is an order which has been of special interest to investigators of the aquatic Phycomycetes since Cornu published his discovery of Monoblepharis in 1871. Its distinctive type of sexual reproduction, in which a large, nonflagellate and nearly motionless egg is fertilized by a small uniflagellate sperm, has been found in no other group of fungi. This has led to much critical study and speculation as to its origin and relationships. The genus Monoblepharella, a member of the Monoblepharidales, was established by F. K. Sparrow (1940), based on a fungus recovered from soil collected by WV. R. Taylor in Trinidad in 1939. Because of its obviously close relationship to species of Monoblepharis, the organism was first described as a member of this genus (Sparrow, 1939), but after more consideration and study it was segregated (Sparrow, 1940) into a genus of its own under the binomial Monoblepharella Taylori Sparrow. This change was justified by the presence in Monoblepharella of a motile zygote propelled by the persistent flagellum of the male gamete and also by certain other distinctive mnorphologic features. Although what was apparently the same fungus appeared in three other soil samples collected by W. R. Taylor, isolates from these were not critically studied, particular attention being given only to the type strain. A second species of the genus, M. mexicana Shanior, was recovered from three soil samples collected in Mexico in 1941 (Shanor, 1942). Other isolates of Monoblepharella have been obtained from soils collected by C. D. LaRue in Mexico, Central America, and South America in 1940, and from California soils collected by the author in 1942. The eleven isolates available for the present investigation have included both of these originally described by Sparrow and Shanor, and also a number of others from localities distributed widely in the WVestern Hemisphere. It has seemed advisable, therefore, to make a thorough study of these isolates, to observe possible variations, and to confirm and supplement certain points in the developmental history and morphology of members of the genus. As a result of this study two new species have been described (Springer, 1945). MATERIALS AND METHODS.-The material available consisted of cultures started from the Taylor collections by Sparrow, a culture of M. mexicana furnished by Shanor, and soil samples from the other
Activity-dependent dynamics and sequestration of proteasomes in dendritic spines

The regulated degradation of proteins by the ubiquitin proteasome pathway is emerging as an important modulator of synaptic function and plasticity. The proteasome is a large, multi-subunit cellular machine that recognizes, unfolds and degrades target polyubiquitinated proteins. Here we report NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor-dependent redistribution of proteasomes from dendritic shafts to synaptic spines upon synaptic stimulation, providing a mechanism for local protein degradation. Using a proteasome-activity reporter and local perfusion, we show that synaptic stimulation regulates proteasome activity locally in the dendrites. We used restricted photobleaching of individual spines and dendritic shafts to reveal the dynamics that underlie proteasome sequestration, and show that activity modestly enhances the entry rate of proteasomes into spines while dramatically reducing their exit rate. Proteasome sequestration is persistent, reflecting an association with the actin-based cytoskeleton. Together, our data indicate that synaptic activity can promote the recruitment and sequestration of proteasomes to locally remodel the protein composition of synapses.
A novel compact model of the product marginal yield and its application for performance maximization

In this paper, we present a novel compact model to calculate the product performance accurately. The compact model is constructed by leakage current and active speed calculation of logic circuit. It becomes possible to estimate marginal yield before pilot wafer by the input of a little Si information (Ring Oscillator frequency, leakage of transistor, wiring capacitance, transistor variability) to the compact model. It is effective to change a transistor target in order to improve marginal yield and maximize product performance. In the case of increasing the CPU frequency by 25% using the same process technology, we can improve marginal yield about 15% by using this method before pilot wafer.
Vitamin C Intake and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Persons with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract Background.Persons with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease, partly due to concomitant worsening of traditional risk factors including dyslipidemia and hypertension. Based on evidence from small, controlled clinical trials, we hypothesized that increased intake of vitamin C would be associated with improved cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor status among community-dwelling persons with NIDDM. Methods.In separate but parallel statistical analyses, hypotheses were evaluated among persons with NIDDM confirmed by WHO criteria from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS,n= 520) and from the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study (SLVDS,n= 422). For IRAS, diet and vitamin supplement use was assessed by food frequency interview and for SLVDS, by 24-hr dietary recall interview. Results.Mean vitamin C intake (mg/day) was 275 for IRAS and 133 for SLVDS, including supplements. In cross-sectional regression models from each data set, vitamin C intake was not associated with systolic or diastolic blood pressure nor with HDL-C, LDL-C, or triglycerides (Pvalues >0.10; adjusted for calories, demographic and lifestyle variables, obesity, diabetes duration, and medications). In prospective analyses including 285 SLVDS participants, baseline vitamin C intake was not related to any of these CVD risk factors measured an average of 4 years later nor to change in CVD risk factor status during the follow-up period. Conclusions:We conclude that, across a wide range of intake, vitamin C does not appear to be associated with improved CVD risk factor status among community-dwelling persons with diabetes.
Surgonomics: the cost dynamics of craniotomy.

Prospective payment systems using the diagnostic related group (DRG) mechanism are being phased in for Medicare inpatient hospital care. The purpose of this study was to examine a common neurosurgical procedure (001), craniotomy without trauma, and characterize the cost dynamics of this DRG. All patients (n = 50) treated in this DRG at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center during 1983 had their financial charges exclusive of physician fees examined. The findings were: (a) each hospital service category had wide charge variances around the mean; (b) emergency (ER) admissions were 200% more expensive than nonemergency (non-ER) admissions; (c) ER admissions seemed to have no greater severity of illness than non-ER admissions, but had a significantly different referral pattern (i.e., admission from the ER to a nonneurosurgical service with a subsequent neurosurgical referral); (d) this DRG when grouped into clinical "subproducts" (i.e., craniotomy for tumor, hematoma, hydrocephalus, aneurysm, benign cyst, and other) showed marked charge differences; and (e) the most expensive 25% of patients had five times higher charges than the least expensive 25% for both ER and non-ER admissions. This type of financial analysis may give surgeons a methodology with which to address the problems of cost containment in a more serious manner.
Otoacoustic emission screen results in critically ill neonates who received gentamicin in the first week of life

Study Objective. To characterize the extent that serum gentamicin concentrations are associated with hearing loss indicated by otoacoustic emission (OAE) screen failure in critically ill neonates receiving gentamicin in accordance with a high-dose, extended-interval dosing protocol. Design. Retrospective medical record review. Setting. Two neonatal intensive care units in a pediatric tertiary care system. Patients. Sequential sample of 528 critically ill neonates who were admitted between February 2003 and January 2008 and who received a gentamicin pharmacokinetic consultation during the first week of life and an OAE hearing screen before hospital discharge. Neonates were stratified into two groups: very low birth weight (VLBW [≤ 1500 g]) and non-VLBW (> 1500 g). Measurements and Main Results. Gentamicin was dosed intravenously to achieve a target calculated gentamicin peak serum concentration (Cmax) of 7–10 μg/ml and a target trough serum concentration (Cmin) of less than 2 μg/ml. The dosage administered was 4 mg/kg/dose every 48 hours if the neonate's birth weight was less than 1250 g or if the neonate was receiving indomethacin. Otherwise, the dosing interval was every 24 hours. Initial OAE screen results were obtained from the medical records, and follow-up results were collected for neonates who failed the initial OAE screen. The overall rate of OAE screen failure was 13.1% (69/528 patients). The rate of OAE screen failure was 34.1% (29/85 patients) in the VLBW neonates, which was significantly higher than the failure rate in non-VLBW neonates (9.0% [40/443 patients], p=0.001). Multivariate analysis of non-VLBW neonates determined that each 1–μg/ml increase in gentamicin Cmax was associated with an increased risk of OAE screen failure (odds ratio [OR] 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–1.7, p=0.003). Further, the non-VLBW neonate subpopulation had an increased rate of OAE screen failure if the gentamicin Cmax exceeded 10 μg/ml (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1–4.2, p=0.022) compared with neonates whose Cmax was 10 μg/ml or lower. No association between serum gentamicin concentration and OAE screen failure could be determined among the VLBW neonates. Conclusion. Neonates weighing more than 1500 g at birth and whose gentamicin Cmax exceeded 10 μg/ml were at an increased risk for OAE screen failure. Monitoring and maintaining gentamicin Cmax at or below 10 μg/ml may minimize hearing impairment; however, further studies are necessary.
Pseudometabolic acidosis caused by underfill of Vacutainer tubes.

Study objectives: To determine how serum bicarbonate and anion gap are affected by sample size in a 10-mL red-top (clot) Vacutainer® tube at the fixed sample volumes of 10, 3, and 1 mL. Design: Venous phlebotomy on consecutive emergency department patients; three tubes drawn in random order. The first 20 patients had unvented tubes, and the last ten had the tubes vented within one minute of the draw. Setting: University hospital ED. Participants: Thirty ED patients. Interventions: All blood samples had electrolytes determined within one hour of phlebotomy. To approximate the ED setting, the time to analysis was not controlled, but each triple draw had simultaneous analysis. Measurements and main results: Mean bicarbonate in mmol/L (with sample size) was 21.7 (10 mL), 19.4 (3 mL), and 16.3 (1 mL) ( r 2 = .86, P = .0001). Anion gap in mmol/L was 16.7 (10 mL), 17.5 (3 mL), and 19.1 (1 mL) ( r 2 = .84, P = .0077). Venting of Vacutainer® tubes did not significantly change these results. Conclusion: Underfill of 10-mL Vacutainer® tubes causes a significant decline in bicarbonate and an increase in anion gap that may be mistaken for a metabolic acidosis. To correct for these effects, the bicarbonate should be increased by 0.5 to 0.6 mmol/L, and the anion gap should be decreased by 0.2 to 0.3 mmol/L for every milliliter of air above the sample in a 10-mL Vacutainer® tube. Venting the tubes will not correct this effect. All tubes should be filled completely to avoid creating a pseudometabolic acidosis.
Algorithm for Delaunay triangulation and convex-hull computation using a sparse matrix

Abstract A direct algorithm for computing the Delaunay triangulation of 2D data points is presented. The algorithm is based on a sparse-matrix data structure and on a circular-triangulation strategy, called shelling, that guarantees that the triangulation is complete and correct, and allows the dynamic update of the internal sparse-matrix data structure during triangulation. An edge list is used to govern the shelling procedure, and to output edges of the convex hull of the data set. The algorithm is numerically stable, i.e. degeneracies such as collinear or coincident points are automatically handled.
Itinerant electron ferromagnetism in Fe-alloyed, Ni3Al based materials

Abstract Bulk magnetic properties of Ni 3 -based alloys containing up to 10 at% Fe have been investigated. The experimental results are compared with those for off-stoichiometry Ni 3 Al and interpreted using Stoner and SCR spin fluctuation theory.
Effect of cargo size and shape on the transport efficiency of the bacterial Tat translocase

The Tat machinery translocates fully-folded and oligomeric substrates. The passage of large, bulky cargos across an ion-tight membrane suggests the need to match pore and cargo size, and therefore that Tat transport efficiency may depend on both cargo size and shape. A series of cargos of different sizes and shapes were generated using the natural Tat substrate pre-SufI as a base. Four (of 17) cargos transported with significant (>20% of wild-type) efficiencies. These results indicate that cargo size and shape significantly influence Tat transportability.
Quality Control Analysis of Student-Generated Pharmaceutical Capsules.

Pharmacists, although not practicing chemists, often use skills and knowledge obtained in chemistry courses that are essential for success in their profession. This is especially apparent when preparing prescriptions for drugs that do not have a commercially available dosage form. Some well-publicized events indicate the potency of these drugs is often incorrect and can result in serious side effects and even death. These errors result because pharmacists are not always aware of the concentration of drug found in a prepared dosage form. In this experiment, students generate capsules and analyze them using spectophotometric techniques to determine the potency of the capsule content. This experiment is appropriate for any chemistry course where quantitative analysis using spectroscopy is taught and also explores the challenges of creating homogeneous solid mixtures. Students learn the challenges of preparing pharmaceuticals and are surprised at the failure rate among practicing pharmacists and their own work. The experiment emphasizes the requirement for good technique in preparation of homogeneous solid mixtures and utilizes ultraviolet spectroscopy to determine the quality of their product.
Some remarks on weak continuity

(1991). Some Remarks on Weak Continuity. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 98, No. 10, pp. 931-934.
The Rhetoric of Roe v. Wade: When the (Male) Doctor Knows Best

An examination of the rhetoric of the Court's majority opinion in Roe v. Wade shows that, in contrast to the public meaning of Roe's ruling as a second wave feminist victory, Roe's rhetoric denied women agency and undermined their judgments and their voices. This study demonstrates how the community of meaning endorsed through Roe's rhetoric—specifically the rhetorical constructs of the “doctor knows best” and the “woman-as-patient”—advanced traditional ideas about women and provided a host of warrants for future judges and legislatures to limit women's reproductive rights. Ultimately, this study informs our understandings of the contemporary abortion rights struggle, the role of the Supreme Court as a rhetorical institution, and the rhetorical history of gender and sex politics in the United States.
WOMEN AND THE LAW IN IRIGARAYAN THEORY

: “Women and the Law in Irigarayan Theory” by Gail Schwab is a reading of French feminist philosopher Luce Irigaray's writings on law together with texts of American feminist jurisprudence. The first part of the article summarizes many of the conflicts surrounding the concept of equality in American feminist legal thought and attempts to move beyond them with the Irigarayan principle of equivalence or equivalent rights. The second part of the article deals more generally with the symbolic changes that will be necessary in order to change the law, and with the cultural evolution that changes in the law can bring about, and more specifically with two areas of Irigarayan legal theory that are central to cultural change and evolution: the concept of female identity or virginity, and the relationship to the mother. In the conclusion, a new utopian vision of what law might be-the cultural mediation for an evolved intersubjectivity-is developed through Irigaray's most recent texts.
Supernumerary limb structures with regenerated posterior chick wing bud tissue

When a large wedge of stage 21 posterior chick wing bud tissue was removed and the cut edges were pinned together, wings with a complete complement of skeletal elements developed in 91% of the cases. Twenty-four hours after removing this wedge of posterior limb bud tissue, tissue had regenerated that was capable of causing the formation of supernumerary (extra) limb skeletal elements when transplanted to a site in the anterior half of a host wing bud. The extra structures formed were similar to those formed when a wedge of non-regenerated, posterior edge, stage-21 wing bud was transplanted to a more anterior position in a host wing bud. When a rectangular shaped portion of posterior edge stage-21 wing buds was removed and the cut edges were not pinned together, five of 15 cases formed a wing with a complete set of skeletal elements and the rest were missing an ulna and/or digit IV or digits III and IV. Twenty-four hours after removing this rectangle of posterior-edge wing bud tissue, tissue had regenerated which, when transplanted to a more anterior position in a host wing bud, resulted in the formation of supernumerary skeletal elements. These results are contrary to those obtained by Fallon and Crosby ('75), who concluded that there was no regeneration of posterior wing bud tissue capable of causing the formation of supernumerary wing structures when transplanted to a more anterior position in a host wing bud.
Abiotic Selenium Redox Transformations in the Presence of Fe(II,III) Oxides

Many suboxic sediments and soils contain an Fe(II,III) oxide called green rust. Spectroscopic evidence showed that selenium reduces from an oxidation state of +VI to 0 in the presence of green rust at rates comparable with those found in sediments. Selenium speciation was different in solid and aqueous phases. These redox reactions represent an abiotic pathway for selenium cycling in natural environments, which has previously been considered to be mediated principally by microorganisms. Similar green rust–mediated abiotic redox reactions are likely to be involved in the mobility of several other trace elements and contaminants in the environment.
National Instruments records a hit with Elvis

This year, National Instruments have gone a step further by making two key product innovations available: LabView 7 Express, the latest edition of their flagship software, and the Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (ELVIS), a new prototyping and development system that takes full advantage of the new software's power and flexibility.
Isolated shortness of breath in a woman with a history of Hodgkin lymphoma.

Background:Isolated shortness of breath in the patient with a history of a malignancy creates a diagnostic challenge and serves as a source of anxiety. Although cancer recurrence is typically the first concern of the patient and the clinician, toxicities of anticancer therapies must also be considered.Methods:A case of a 49-year-old woman with a distant history of Hodgkin lymphoma with 2 months of progressive dyspnea is presented and discussed.Results:Although the patient was found to have bilateral pleural and pericardial effusions that were concerning for a recurrence of malignancy, analysis and cytology of fluids were negative for cancer. Instead a diagnosis of effusive–constrictive pericarditis secondary to radiation therapy was made.Conclusion:When treating a patient with a history of malignancy who presents with dyspnea, it is important to consider the downstream effects related to cancer treatments, even decades later, to guide specific therapies and to assuage the patient’s fears.
Three-Dimensional Contact Analysis of Elastic-Plastic Layered Media With Fractal Surface Topographies

Three-dimensional rough surfaces were generated using a modified two-variable Weierstrass-Mandelbrot function with fractal parameters determined from real surface images. The number and size of truncated asperities were assumed to follow power-law relations. A finite element model of a rigid sphere in normal contact with a semi-infinite elastic-plastic homogeneous medium was used to obtain a constitutive relation between the mean contact pressure, real contact area, and corresponding representative strain. The contact model was extended to layered media by modifying the constitutive equation of the homogeneous medium to include the effects of the mechanical properties of the layer and substrate materials and the layer thickness. Finite element simulations of an elastic-plastic layered medium indented by a rigid sphere validated the correctness of the modified contact model. Numerical results for the contact load and real contact area are presented for real surface topographies resembling those of magnetic recording heads and smooth rigid disks. The model yields insight into the evolution of elastic, elasticplastic, and fully plastic deformation at the contact interface in terms of the maximum local surface interference. The dependence of the contact load and real contact area on the fractal parameters and the carbon overcoat thickness is interpreted in light of simulation results obtained for a tri-pad picoslider in contact with a smooth thin-film hard disk.
Effects of ortho-lodo sodium benzoate on acute myocardial ischemia, hemodynamic function, and infarct size after coronary artery occlusion in dogs

Abstract Ortho-iodo sodium benzoate (OISB) decreases the affinity of blood for oxygen, thus enhancing potential tissue oxygen delivery. To test the hypothesis that a change in oxygen affinity would ameliorate regional myocardial ischemic injury resulting from occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery, experiments were carried out in 55 anesthetized dogs which received an intravenous infusion of OISB. In Protocol I studies ( n = 9), preocclusion intravenous infusion of OISB (500 mg/kg) reduced epicardial S-T segment elevation 15 minutes after coronary occlusion, while a similar volume of normal saline solution did not affect this index of ischemic damage. In Protocol II experiments, 34 dogs were randomized to either an OISB or saline group, after which the LAD was ligated, the chest closed, and the animal allowed to recover from anesthesia. Myocardial infarction (MI) size was assessed after the animal died or was killed 8 to 24 hours later, and was found to be 29% smaller in dogs receiving OISB. In 6 dogs, blood P 50 (the partial oxygen pressure at which hemoglobin is 50% saturated with oxygen) was increased by OISB infusion, confirming that its administration effected a rightward shift in the oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve. Protocol III studies assessed the effects of OISB on cardiac hemodynamic function and acute myocardial ischemic damage when infusion was begun 15 minutes after LAD occlusion: average epicardial S-T segment elevation was not altered by saline solution, but decreased when OISB was infused during the last 15 minutes of myocardial ischemia. Reductions in heart rate, left ventricular dP/dt, and cardiac output were observed in 7 dogs during OISB infusion, but there were no changes in these measurements during coronary occlusion in 5 dogs receiving a constant infusion of saline solution. There were no changes in regional myocardial blood flow (microsphere technique) to either ischemic or nonischemic zones in either the saline control or OISB treatment groups. Thus, both acute myocardial ischemic injury (assessed by epicardial electrocardiographic mapping) and ultimate MI size are reduced when OISB is infused before experimental coronary artery occlusion. OISB also reduces myocardial ischemic injury when its administration is begun 15 minutes after coronary occlusion, while effecting decreases in heart rate, left ventricular contractility, and cardiac output.
Approximate factorization with source terms

A comparative evaluation is made of three methodologies with a view to that which offers the best approximate factorization error. While two of these methods are found to lead to more efficient algorithms in cases where factors which do not contain source terms can be diagonalized, the third method used generates the lowest approximate factorization error. This method may be preferred when the norms of source terms are large, and transient solutions are of interest.
Studies on the electron transport system. XX. Chemical and physical properties of the coenzyme Q family of compounds.

Abstract The chemical and physical properties of four members of a closely related group of compounds are described. These compounds, which function as oxidation-reduction coenzymes in terminal electron transport, have been isolated from beef heart mitochondria, Azotobacter vinelandii and Torula utilis . These compounds are shown to be similar in that each contains the same quinonoid chromophore, probably dialkoxylated. These compounds have different molecular weights, and this difference is at least in part explained by the composition of the mono-unsaturated isoprenoid side chain(s); that is, these compounds differ in the number of such isoprenoid units which occur in the side chain. The formulae of these four compounds which best fit the available data are C 58 H 88 O 4 , C 53 H 80 O 4 , C 48 H 72 O 4 and C 43 H 64 O 4 .
The English Language Amendment: A Case Study on Language and Politics.

English language teaching has always been affected by the political system. This article discusses the English Language Amendment (ELA), a proposed constitutional amendment before Congress which states that English should be made the "official" language of the United States. A brief historical background is provided, followed by a discussion of arguments for and against the ELA. The motives behind the ELA are examined, and an assessment of how the bill affects ESL professionals is outlined. The goals of the article are to alert readers to the dangers of the ELA, to counter arguments made by its supporters, and to urge opposition to the Amendment. A language is more than a grammatical or communicative system. It is a symbolic system laden with emotional attachments that can arouse the deepest passions. Such feelings about a language are not only individual in nature; often they develop collectively into a group ideology and as such can affect the language policy of a country. Composed of a mixture of historical facts, mythology, and half-truths, the ideology often becomes a rationale either for existing language policy decisions or for efforts to create new policy directions. This article is a study of one such case: the English Language Amendment (ELA) currently before the U.S. Congress. The attempt by the proponents of this constitutional amendment to make English the "official" language of the United States has engendered bitter debate between the supporters and detractors of the concept and has spawned a series of similar proposals for making English the official language in various states and municipalities, the most recent instance occurring in California with the passage of Proposition 63.
Determination of bacterially derived auxins using a microplate method

Rapid and efficient methods for determining the ability of soil and rhizosphere bacteria to produce key metabolites which are useful in growth promotion or suppression of plant growth are needed. A microplate method was developed and compared to a standard method for assays of auxin compounds produced by bacteria. The microplate method was similar to the standard method in accuracy of determination, required less chemical reagents, and considerably reduced the time required for analyses.
Linked marker analysis of spontaneous HLA variants of somatic cells.

Fourteen independent, spontaneously arising HLA-A1 and -B27 variant clones were isolated from the pseudodiploid B lymphoid line T5-1 by selection using A1 and B27 alloantiserum, respectively, and complement. T5-1 is heterozygous for the tightly linked loci HLA-DR, -B, and -A and probably for -C as well. Following recloning, each of the variants was tested for the HLA specificities of T5-1. None of these spontaneous variants had a genetic lesion which extended to the nearest flanking HLA marker, less than 1 cM distant. On the other hand, a variant isolated from mutagenized cells had a lesion which extended completely through one HLA region in cis, suggesting that haploid expression in the HLA region is compatible with viability, that there are no recessive lethals in the opposite HLA region, and that spontaneously arising variants with extended lesions could have been recovered had they occurred. From these results, we conclude that extended genetic lesions of 0.8 cM or longer contribute less than 10% to the overall rate of spontaneous variation for HLA alleles, which we previously estimated at about 5×10 −7 per cell per generation.
New Orleans asthma: V. Relationship between Charity Hospital asthma admission rates, semiquantitative pollen and fungal spore counts, and total particulate aerometric sampling data

Abstract A 2 year study of the relationship between climatologic variables, semiquantitative rotoslide pollen and fungal spore aerometric sampling data, and emergency room asthma admission rates at New Orleans Charity Hospital was made. An interrelationship between certain climatologic factors, high airborne spore and pollen concentrations, and asthma admission rates was noted. Large asthma "epidemics" (above 40 asthma admissions per 24 hours) occurred almost exclusively from June through December and in greater magnitude during September, October, and November. High summer asthma admission rates were significantly associated with high "total spore and pollen," "basidiospore-like," and "small spore" rotoslide counts. Asthma "epidemics" occurring during the peak September and October local Ambrosia pollination season were not necessarily associated with sudden influxes of Ambrosia pollen, but there was a significant relationship between high daily asthma admission rates (above 20 daily asthma admissions) and 24 hour rotoslide Ambrosia counts during September and early October. Asthma "epidemics" of considerable magnitude occurred in late October and November immediately following the peak Ambrosia pollination season. High total and "basidiospore-like" rotoslide spore concentrations plus heavy deposits of amorphous chitinous material resembling plant debris were noted on slide samples during these episodes. We currently postulate that New Orleans epidemic asthma does not involve a point source chemical or particulate pollutant but rather results from sensitization of the local atopic population by diverse natural inhalant allergens acting in seasonal patterns.
On the Hartree-Fock problem

Abstract The Hartree-Fock problem is investigated by examining the symmetry properties of the SCF spin-orbitals. These can be classified as closed-shell, open-shell or general spin-orbitals according to the commutation rules satisfied by their one-electron SCF hamiltonians. The effect of symmetry-breaking in spin, angular momentum and space-group symmetry is considered schematically and the physical implications of such symmetry-breaking are discussed.
Immunodeficiency with Elevated IgM, Lymphoid Hyperplasia, Autoimmune Anemia, and Thrombocytopenia

PRESENT ILLNESS AND SIGNIFICANT PAST MEDICAL HISTORY An 18-month-old African-American male was referred to the Allergy/Immunology Clinic because of upper airway obstruction, cardiomegaly, and recurrent respiratory infections. He was a full-term infant with a birth weight of 7 lbs 6 oz. He had frequent episodes of otitis media since 4 months of age. He also had several episodes of diarrhea; however, the diarrhea subsided after a few months. At 7 months of age he was admitted to a hospital in his local community for pneumonia, pyelonephritis, and E. coli sepsis. He had two other admissions for pneumonia to his local hospital at 13 and 17 months of age. At 17 months of age the pulmonary infiltrates were in the right middle lobe and the lingula. For about 6 months prior to referral he had several episodes of “sleep apnea.” Adenoidectomy was recommended; however, this surgery was not scheduled because of recurrent episodes of otitis media and persistent mucopurulent rhinorrhea.
The diffusion of gold through polycrystalline silver in thin films at temperatures near 150°C

Abstract The diffusion of gold through polycrystalline silver in the form of thin films at annealing temperatures far from the melting point was monitored at the silver-vacuum interface with an electron spectrometer (ESCA) as a function of time and was verified further by serial sectioning with argon etching. The diffusion can be characterized by a grain boundary diffusion constant of 4.3 × 10 -17 cm 2 s -1 at 141°C for a silver thickness of 51.2 nm. After a rapid increase of gold on the silver surface during the first few minutes of annealing the diffusion follows an analysis of Wuttig and Birnbaum. Serial sectioning reveals the build-up of gold on the silver-vacuum surface caused by a combination of grain boundary and surface diffusion.
The PaGe 2008 Shared Task on Parsing German

The ACL 2008 Workshop on Parsing German features a shared task on parsing German. The goal of the shared task was to find reasons for the radically different behavior of parsers on the different treebanks and between constituent and dependency representations. In this paper, we describe the task and the data sets. In addition, we provide an overview of the test results and a first analysis.
Selective Modification of Chitosan to Enable the Formation of Chitosan-DNA Condensates by Electron Donator Stabilization

Chitosan, a polyaminosaccharide, has been investigated for its use in the field of drug-delivery and biomaterial applications because of its natural biocompatibility and polycationic properties. Chemical modifications of chitosan have been attempted in an effort to increase the transfection efficiency with respect to gene delivery applications; however, it is unknown how these modifications affect the formation of the condensates. This study attempts to determine the effects of modification of the cationic center of chitosan on the ability to condense DNA. Specifically, electron-donating or -withdrawing groups were used as modifiers of the cationic charge on the chitosan backbone to stabilize the protonated form of chitosan, which is necessary to form condensates and increase the efficiency of the polymer to condense DNA by yielding condensates at a lower nitrogen to phosphorous (N : P) ratio. While an N : P ratio of 7 is needed to condense DNA with unmodified chitosan, phthalate-modified chitosan yielded condensates were obtained at an N : P ratio of 1.0.
Backscattering from resistive strips

Strips made of a resistive sheet material have lower backscattering cross sections than the corresponding perfectly conducting strips, and this is true in particular when the illumination is edge-on with the electric vector parallel to the edge. Attention is focused on this case. Using the moment method applied to an appropriate integral equation, data are obtained for the surface field and backscattered far field of a resistive strip for a variety of strip widths w and uniform resistances R . The front- and rear-edge contributions to the far field are then extracted. It is shown that for strips whose width is greater than about a half-wavelength the former is the same as for a half-plane having the same resistance, whereas the latter is proportional to the square of the current at that point on the half-plane corresponding to the rear edge of the strip. The implications of these results on the selection of a strip resistance for low backscattering are discussed.
Chemoprevention of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Ginseng

Ginseng has been used as a medicinal herb to maintain physical vitality for thousands of years, and it has also been shown to be a nonorgan-specific cancer preventive agent by several epidemiologic studies. However, the chemopreventive effects of Korea white ginseng (KWG) in lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) have not been tested. In this study, we investigated the chemopreventive activity of KWG in a mouse lung SCC model. N-nitroso-trischloroethylurea (NTCU) was used to induce lung tumors in female Swiss mice, and KWG was given orally. KWG significantly reduced the percentage of lung SCCs from 26.5% in the control group to 9.1% in the KWG group and in the meantime, increased the percentage of normal bronchial and hyperplasia. KWG was also found to greatly reduce squamous cell lung tumor area from an average of 9.4% in control group to 1.5% in the KWG group. Treatment with KWG decreased Ki-67 staining, suggesting that the lung tumor inhibitory effects of KWG were partly through inhibition of proliferation. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry identified 10 ginsenosides from KWG extracts, Rb1 and Rd being the most abundant as detected in mouse blood and lung tissue. The tumor inhibitory effects of KWG are mediated by inhibition of activator protein (AP-1), as showed by in vitro study conducted on AP-1/NF-κB-dependent mouse non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines. Western blotting of lung tissues also indicated that NTCU upregulated AP-1 through phosphorylation of c-jun-NH2-kinase, which was downregulated by KWG in concurrence with its chemoprevention function. These results suggest that KWG could be a potential chemopreventive agent for lung SCC.
Light field compression using disparity-compensated lifting and shape adaptation

We propose disparity-compensated lifting for wavelet compression of light fields. With this approach, we obtain the benefits of wavelet coding, such as scalability in all dimensions, as well as superior compression performance. Additionally, the proposed approach solves the irreversibility limitations of previous light field wavelet coding approaches, using the lifting structure. Our scheme incorporates disparity compensation into the lifting structure for the transform across the views in the light field data set. Another transform is performed to exploit the coherence among neighboring pixels, followed by a modified SPIHT coder and rate-distortion optimized bitstream assembly. A view-sequencing algorithm is developed to organize the views for encoding. For light fields of an object, we propose to use shape adaptation to improve the compression efficiency and visual quality of the images. The necessary shape information is efficiently coded based on prediction from the existing geometry model. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme exhibits superior compression performance over existing light field compression techniques.
Masculine Instrumentality and Feminine Expressiveness: Their Relationships with Sex Role Attitudes and Behaviors.

Data from the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) Masculinity and Femininity scales have led to the hypothesis that androgynous individuals are more “behav...
The Trophoblastic Tower of Babel: Classification Systems for Metastatic Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia

There are presently three classifications of metastatic gestational trophoblastic tumors (MGTM). The first is that of low-risk and high-risk neoplasia devised by Hammond, now designated the National Cancer Institute classification. The second is that of FIGO that attempts to conform to the staging of other gynecologic malignancies by that organization. The third is a scoring system adopted by World Health Organization (WHO) from the original devised by Bagshawe. This scoring system is finding the widest acceptance and is increasingly being used for treatment planning. However, different investigators not only define risk groups differently from the WHO recommendation, but also modify the WHO scoring system in novel, individualistic ways that changes the total score and outcome assessment. This results in patients with the same risk factors being placed in different WHO risk groups. Comparison of therapy between center is then invalidated. Furthermore, it would appear preferable that the WHO scoring system is restricted to metastatic neoplasia. To achieve a uniform scoring system for MGTN there needs to be consensus (i) whether lung metastases should be detected by chest X ray or CAT scan; (ii) whether the size of metastases should be measured clinically or radiologically (including ultrasound, CAT scan, and MRI); (iii) are multiple lung or brain metastases counted by CAT scan or MRI; (iv) are ABO blood groups to be included so that the number of points is uniform for different centers; and (v) that idiosyncratic and individual categories are not added or omitted from the score.
Unexploited Efficiencies In Higher Education

In� “Unexploited� Efficiencies� in� Higher� Education,”� Henry� C.� Eyring , a junior majoring in Economics at Brigham Young University-Idaho, argues that one way that the U.S. can compete globally in college attainment is to decrease cost-per-graduate. He explains how many stakeholders in higher education stand to benefit from unexploited cost-efficiencies. Eyring cites strategies implemented by Brigham Young University-Idaho as examples of ways that institutions of higher education can become more cost-efficient in producing graduates. Administrators at Brigham Young University-Idaho� utilize� a� model� called� the� “Graduate� Fishbone”� that� quantifies� the effect of alterations to policy, retention, and instructional delivery at Brigham Young University-Idaho on cost, students served, and annual graduates produced. That model allows analysis of the efficacy of cost-efficiency promoting strategies, and is available electronically from the author upon request. An extended version of this paper with additional charts and explanation is also available electronically from the author upon request.
First Report of Northern Stem Canker of Soybean Caused by Diaporthe phaseolorum var. caulivora in North Dakota

In early September 2003, patches of soybean (Glycine max) plants in a field in Foster County, ND had dead branches with reddish brown cankers at the nodes. Stem tissue with cankers from two plants were excised and immersed in a 0.5% NaOCl solution for 1 min, rinsed with sterilized distilled water, and placed into Petri dishes containing potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with streptomycin sulfate (200 mg/liter). Four fungi were hyphal tipped and grown on PDA, acidified PDA, or water agar (WA) with soybean stem pieces incubated at 21°C with 24-h light and identified by culture and spore morphology after 3 to 4 weeks. Cultures were identified as Diaporthe phaseolorum var. caulivora that produced white colonies with interspersed cottony tufts of mycelium on PDA (1). Stromata were small and scattered irregulary on the plate. Perithecia of the D. phaseolorum var. caulivora isolates were black and globose with eight-spored asci formed on soybean stem pieces on WA. To confirm pathogenicity of the D. phaseolorum var. caulivora isolates, soybean plants (cv. NuTech 0606) were grown in the greenhouse and inoculated with recovered D. phaseolorum var. caulivora isolates. The stems of soybean plants at the V3 stage were excised just below the fourth node. Mycelia plugs of the four different 1-week-old cultures of D. phaseolorum var. caulivora were placed into the large end of disposable micropipette tips (200 μl). The micropipette tip containing a D. phaseolorum var. caulivora culture was subsequently placed over a cut soybean stem. The four D. phaseolorum var. caulivora isolates were used to inoculate 10 stems apiece. To serve as controls, 10 cut soybean stems were inoculated with micropipette tips containing plugs of noninfested PDA and 10 cut stems were not inoculated. Ten days after inoculation, micropipette tips were removed and lesions that had developed on the stem were measured. The mean lesion lengths of the D. phaseolorum var. caulivora inoculated stems ranged from 48 to 82 mm and were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater than the lesion lengths of the noninfested PDA (3 mm) and no PDA (1 mm) controls. Northern stem canker was only observed in the one field; however, surveys were not conducted to determine the prevalence of the disease throughout the soybean-production area of North Dakota. To our knowledge, this is the first report of northern stem canker on soybean in North Dakota. Reference: (1) F. A. Fernandez et al. Stem canker. Pages 33-35 in: Compendium of Soybean Diseases. 4th ed. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1999.