cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hardware failure and reoperation after hybrid anterior cervical corpectomy and discectomy for multilevel spondylotic disease: A retrospective single-institution cohort study

Abstract Background context Hybrid cervical corpectomy/ACDF (HCC-ACDF) is commonly utilized to treat multilevel cervical myelopathy; however, the incidence and mechanisms of hardware failure remain largely uncharacterized. Purpose We report our experience with this procedure with the goal of describing and better understanding post-operative failures. Methods The records of 20 consecutive patients who underwent HCC-ACDF for multilevel CSM between June 2015 and December 2018 at this Hospital (blinded) were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were followed for at least 1 year after surgery and were therefore included in the study. Outcome measures include incidence of and reason for subsequent posterior cervical surgery, incidence of and reason for subsequent anterior cervical surgery, progressive symptomatic myelopathy, radiographic hardware failure, and net reduction of pre-operative kyphosis. Continuous variables are reported with means and standard deviations. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare outcomes of binary variables. Results 20 patients (mean age 60) underwent anterior HCC-ACDF for 3-level CSM. Mean clinical follow up was 26 months (range: 12–56 months). Mean operative time was 205 min and mean blood loss was 105 mL. Radiographic fusion was achieved in 15 of 18 (83%) patients for whom adequate radiographic follow-up was available. HCC-ACDF resulted in an average restoration of 4 degrees of cervical lordosis (standard deviation: 7.3 degrees). One patient (5%) developed symptomatic hardware failure requiring additional surgery. One patient (5%) developed progressive myelopathy within 4 months of surgery. 2 others (10%) developed adjacent segment disease within 2 years of surgery. Three of 20 patients (15%) required subsequent posterior surgery. Conclusions Rates of hardware failure after HCC-ACDF in our series compare favorably with reports of multilevel anterior corpectomy but are higher than those reported in previous series of HCC-ACDF. No patient characteristics were significantly associated with rates of surgical failure.
An Update on the Hemodynamic Model of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

ABSTRACT Purpose To provide an update on the hemodynamic model of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Evidence-based perspective. Methods Review of literature and experience of authors. Results Choroidal hemodynamics are not the primary cause of AMD as proposed by Ephraim Friedman in 1997. However, evidence is accumulating to suggest that choroidal perfusion is an important environmental influence that contributes to our understanding disease progression in this complex genetic disease. While early and intermediate AMD appear to be influenced to a large extent by the underlying genetics, the asymmetry of disease progression to the later stages of AMD cannot be explained by genetics alone. The progression of disease and the asymmetry of this progression appear to correlate with abnormalities in choroidal perfusion that can be documented by optical coherence tomography. These perfusion abnormalities in the setting of a thickened Bruch's membrane are thought to exacerbate the impaired nutritional exchange between the retinal pigment epithelium and the choriocapillaris. We propose that the genetic susceptibility to develop AMD combined with age-related changes in macular choroidal hemodynamics, such as increasing choriocapillaris perfusion deficits and decreasing choroidal vascular densities, play an important role in disease progression and may help explain the asymmetry between eyes, particularly in the later stages of AMD. Conclusions This updated hemodynamic model of AMD focuses on disease progression and highlights the importance of age-related changes in the choroidal circulation as a major environmental influence on disease severity in eyes that are genetically susceptible to develop AMD.
Etude de la performance acoustique des écrans antibruit de faible hauteur pour le tramway : optimisation numérique par méthode de gradient et approches expérimentales

Noise has become a main nuisance in urban areas to the point that according to the World Health Organization 40% of the European population is exposed to excessive noise levels, mainly due to ground transportation. There is therefore a need to find new ways to mitigate noise in urban areas. In this work, a possible device to achieve this goal is studied: a low-height noise barrier. It consists of a barrier typically less than one meter high placed close to a source, designed to decrease the noise level for nearby pedestrians and cyclists. This type of device is studied both numerically and experimentally. Tramway noise barriers are especially studied since the noise sources are in this case very close to the ground and can therefore be attenuated efficiently. The shape and the surface treatment of the barrier are optimized using a gradient-based method coupled to a 2D boundary element method (BEM). The optimization variables are the node coordinates of a control mesh and the parameters describing the surface impedance. Sensitivities are calculated efficiently using the adjoint state approach. Numerical results show that the shapes generated by the optimization algorithm tend to be quite irregular but provide a significant improvement of more than 5 dB(A) compared to simpler shapes. Utilizing an absorbing treatment on the source side of the barrier is shown to be efficient as well. This second point has been con firmed by scale model measurements. In addition, a full scale low height noise barrier prototype has been built and tested in situ close to a tramway track in Grenoble. Measurements show that the device provides more than 10 dB(A) of attenuation for a close receiver located at the typical height of human ears. These results therefore seem to con rm the applicability of such protections to efficiently decrease noise exposure in urban areas.
Chapter 5 Parallel computing in network optimization

Publisher Summary Parallel and vector supercomputers are today considered basic research tools for several scientific and engineering disciplines. The novel architectural features of these computers which differ significantly from the von Neumann model are influencing the design and implementation of algorithms for numerical computation. This chapter discusses parallel architectures and broad issues that relate to the implementation and performance evaluation of parallel algorithms. It also defines the network optimization problems. The topic of parallel computing for linear network optimization problems and nonlinear networks are discussed. The chapter provides brief overview of additional work for multicommodity network flows and stochastic network programs. The general methodological ideas for the design of specific algorithms for each problem class are given. The algorithms that have some potential for parallelism are also discussed. The methodological development is followed by a subsection of parallelization ideas, i.e., specific ways in which each algorithm can be implemented on a parallel computer. Finally, computational results with the parallel implementation of some of the algorithms that have appeared in the literature are summarized and discussed.
The global extent of the mid stratospheric CN layer: A three-dimensional modeling study

For the first time the global extent of a mid stratospheric new particle layer is addressed, using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Earth System Model, version 1 (CESM1), with the high-top atmosphere component, the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM). The CESM1(WACCM) version has been configured for pure sulfate formation in the stratosphere, including the formation of late winter to spring condensation nuclei (CN), or small particle, layers of enhanced concentration in the polar regions. CESM1(WACCM) adequately reproduces, with some differences, a layer of observed (r > 3–10 nm) particles originating in the polar stratosphere as measured in both the Antarctic and northern mid latitude regions. The austral CN layer in August has nearly a symmetrical maximum in concentration within the 60–65°S latitude band and extends to 15°S. In comparison in February, the Northern Hemisphere CN layer has less symmetry and extends to only 30°N. CN concentrations in the mid stratosphere are variable due to the polar formation of the CN layer in each hemisphere, and the CN layer accounts for > 50–90% of the r > 3 nm particles in the stratospheric column poleward of 30°S and 35°N during winter and spring. The increase in CN concentration during the formation of the austral layer is not necessarily smooth. There may be fluctuations related to changes in temperature, partitioning of sulfuric acid, and the competition between nucleation, condensation, and coagulation. CESM1(WACCM) also predicts fall CN layers in both hemispheres. There are no observations to compare with this prediction.
Supercompilation: Techniques and Results

Program transformation by supercompilation is summarized. The current state of work on supercompilation is illustrated by several examples of successful transformation. In the process of work it became clear that many different supercompilers can be written by using various techniques in their basic modules. A formal language to describe these techniques is needed. An outline of such a language, SCPL, for the top level of control in a supercompiler is given.
Broadcast and select OADM nodes application and performance trade-offs

As data and Internet traffic continue to drive the need for higher bandwidth and longer connection distances, network designs must enable low cost transparency. Our results show that B&S OADMs achieve this goal, because they offer significantly reduced insertion loss for express channels, built-in spectral equalization capability, lower first-installed cost and an easy upgrade path. In the future, the broadcast and select concept likely will be expanded beyond OADMs to optical cross-connects interconnecting more than two fiber pairs and into other application spaces such as regional or metropolitan area networks. More specifically, we have shown that B&S architectures compete with parallel OADM approaches in ULH applications and that they offer cost and optical performance benefits over more conventional parallel OADM architectures. In terms of optical performance, the B&S architecture offers lower through loss and higher loss per add/drop channel comparedcompared to conventional 'demux-switch-mux' architectures.
Lethal seizures predicted after aminophylline therapy in cocaine abusers

Mice with a history of chronic (10 days), but not acute, treatment with a non-convulsant dose of cocaine showed increased sensitivity (P<0.001) to the toxic effects of aminophylline (seizures, lethality) relative to controls even days after the cessation of cocaine treatment. The present finding suggests that individuals with a history of cocaine use may be at increased risk for convulsive and lethal complications associated with the therapeutic use of aminophylline.
Interactions of Aqueous U(VI) with Soil Minerals in Slightly Alkaline Natural Systems

Uranium (U) is a common contaminant at numerous surface and subsurface sites in proximity to areas involved with weapons manufacturing and atomic energy related activities. This paper covers some important aspects of the aqueous hexavalent uranium [U(VI)] interactions with soil minerals that are present in contaminated soils and sediments. The retention of U via interactions with soil minerals has significant consequences for the prediction of its short- and long-term behavior in soils and geological systems. Studies of the nature and type of these interactions have provided the necessary evidence for assessing the geochemical behavior of U in natural systems under different physical, biogeochemical, hydrological, and reducing or oxidizing conditions. Over the last 20 years, aqueous U(VI): soil mineral interactions have been studied by geochemists, soil chemists, clay and soil mineralogists, and the progress in some areas is remarkable. Although a mechanistic description and understanding of the complex interactions involving U and soil minerals in natural systems is currently difficult, results from carefully designed and executed field and laboratory experiments with these materials have improved our understanding of the heterogeneous system’s behavior and U contaminant mobility and transport. There are, however, areas that warrant further exploration and study. Numerous research publications were reviewed in this paper to present recent important findings to reveal the current level of the understanding of the U(VI) interactions with soil minerals, and to provide ideas for future needs and research directions.
Commodity aesthetics: The industrial exhibitions of Paris, 1834—1844, reviewed

The industrial exhibitions in Paris during the July Monarchy drew large crowds and broad coverage in the press. Reviews of these exhibitions frequently appeared in newspapers that covered the annual art Salons, and often in the same part of the publication — in the feuilleton space. Thus an aesthetic of the commodity emerges in the reviews of the industrial exhibitions, as readers were taught to view the objects produced by industry with the same eye that assessed the value of new works of art. This essay concerns the contours of this aesthetic and how reviewers produced interest in these objects on display. Coverage of these exhibitions reveals the dominance of progress as an organizing paradigm for the historical consciousness in the early nineteenth century. Yet, at the same time, counterbalancing such a valuation of progress, objects are often represented as connected to or evocative of a lost pre-Revolutionary past.
Ultrastructure of a reduced developmental cycle (minicycle) in Blastocladiella emersonii

Binucleate germlings of Blastocladiella emersonii were induced to differentiate into zoosporangia containing only two zoospores by shifting them from growth medium to dilute phosphate buffer. Samples for both light and electron microscopy were taken every 30 minutes from the time of induction at 3 h after inoculation through zoospore discharge at 7.5 h. The sequence and timing of intracellular structural changes during sporangium formation and zoospore differentiation were estimated from thin sections prepared from each 0.5-h sample. The intrinsic sequence of intracellular change in such “minicycle” cells was found to be similar to that of late log phase cells. It differed from cells induced at the late log phase in that mitosis did not occur after induction, the abundant macrotubular elements characteristics of late log phase cells were absent, and the timing of developmental events was different. Thus, although mitosis may occur, it is not a necessary event in sporulation. Furthermore, the contribution of macrotubular membranes to γ -particle formation, although a normal part of differentiation, is not essential. The absence of the macrotubules may contribute to the longer time required for zoosporangial differentiation in minicycle cells when compared with the “normal” 19-h zoosporangial cycle.
Emergency preparedness as a continuous improvement cycle: perspectives from a postacute rehabilitation facility.

Objectives To describe the iterative process of emergency planning and preparedness: risk assessment, planning, rehearsal, implementation, and refinement. Design A narrative reflection of two complete facility evacuations in advance of major hurricanes in 2005 (hurricane Rita) and 2008 (hurricane Ike) conducted by a postacute rehabilitation facility located on the Texas gulf coast. Participants Facility staff involved in the evacuation and ongoing care post evacuation, and adults with moderate to severe acquired brain injury receiving residential postacute rehabilitation and long-term care services. Results Experiences from two evacuations revealed that planning and preparation beyond what is required by licensing and accrediting agencies is necessary; attending to the needs of staff during and after and the emergency is a critical component of planning and preparedness; and the necessity of incorporating "lessons learned" into refinement of emergency preparedness plans. Conclusions Facilities providing residential services to persons with neurological injury are potentially vulnerable to a number of natural and manmade disasters. Careful planning, preparation, and practice are necessary to ensure safe evacuation of persons served and facility personnel in response to an emergency. Experiences (i.e., "lessons learned") from each evacuation, subsequent changes to emergency preparedness plans, and recommendations for emergency preparedness beyond a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, are presented.
Medium-long-chain chimeric human Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase: medium-chain enzyme with the active center base arrangement of long-chain Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase.

The catalytically essential glutamate residue that initiates catalysis by abstracting the substrate α-hydrogen as H+ is located at position 376 (mature MCADH numbering) on loop JK in medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCADH). In long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCADH) and isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase (IVDH), the corresponding Glu carrying out the same function is placed at position 255 on the adjacent helix G. These glutamates thus act on substrate approaching from two opposite regions at the active center. We have implemented the topology of LCADH in MCADH by carrying out the two mutations Glu376Gly and Thr255Glu. The resulting chimeric enzyme, “medium-/long” chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MLCADH) has ∼20% of the activity of MCADH and ∼25% that of LCADH with its best substrates octanoyl-CoA and dodecanoyl-CoA, respectively. MLCADH exhibits an enhanced rate of reoxidation with oxygen, however, with a much narrower substrate chain length specificity that peaks with dodecanoyl-CoA. This is the same maxim...
Package-induced temperature dependence of MEMS capacitive strain sensor and system design considerations

MEMS capacitive strain sensors are attractive for a wide range of industrial sensing applications due to their high sensitivity, large dynamic range and low temperature dependence. However, after sensors packaging and attachment to a targeted metallic surface, the overall sensing system can exhibit a substantial package-induced temperature dependence caused by different thermal expansion coefficients of silicon, metallic surface and bonding adhesives, thus degrading overall performance. Temperature characterization from −20°C to 150°C of prototype strain sensing modules attached on a stainless steel surface reveals a temperature dependence of −6.2 μe/°C. As a results, an increased dynamic range of the sensing electronics are required at the expense of an increased system supply voltage as well as power dissipation. A careful system characterization over the operating temperature range and optimized system design considerations are, therefore, critical for achieving stringent performance requirements.
The Chalcolithic Period of the Southern Levant: A Synthetic Review

In the southern Levant, the late fifth millennium to mid-fourth millennium BC—traditionally known as the Chalcolithic period—witnessed major cultural transformations in virtually all areas of society, most notably craft production, mortuary and ritual practices, settlement patterns, and iconographic and symbolic expression. A degree of regionalism is evident in material culture, but continuity in ceramic styles, iconographic motifs, and mortuary practices suggests a similar cultural outlook linking these sub-regions. Luxury items found in group mortuary caves provide good evidence for at least some inequality in access to exotic materials. The level of complexity in social organization, however, is still debated. Divergent interpretations of Chalcolithic socio-economic organization suggest that, with the large amount of new information now available, a reevaluation of the debate is due. In this article we synthesize the more recent evidence and weigh interpretations of processes that led to the widespread fundamental changes witnessed during the late fifth to early fourth millennium BC.
Temporal Changes in Purity and Specific Activity of Tritium-Labeled 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: Radiopurity Model for Toxicology

The specific activity (S) and radiopurity (R) of tritium labeled 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, [3H]TCDD, were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) while attempting to accurately characterize TCDD doses received by invertebrates, fish, and fish embryos during several toxicology studies conducted over a 3 year period. The [3H]TCDD sample was found to consist of six TCDD analogues involving hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium substitution at the 1,6-dibenzo-p-dioxin carbon positions and a complex mixture of impurities (with and without tritium labels). Planar aromatic impurities were identified as tolyl-TCDD adducts and appeared to result from the decay of 3H radiolabels to produce TCDD carbocations which reacted with the solvent, toluene. Formation of TriCDD and tolyl-TriCDDs, from both TCDD and tolyl-TCDDs, probably resulted from radiolysis-induced loss of a chlorine to form TriCDD free radicals which reacted with toluene. The measurement of S for [3H]TCDD by GC/MS was accurate and ...
Separation of ferrichromes and other hydroxamate siderophores of fungal origin by reversed-phase chromatography.

Abstract Iron(III) chelates of nineteen trihydroxamate siderophores of fungal origin, including ferrichromes, coprogen and triacetylfusarinine C, were separated on a preparative scale with a reversed-phase column using the octadecyl silica gels LRP-1 or LRP-2 as the stationary phase and a water—methanol gradient as the mobile phase. Using this system in combination with silica gel column chromatography, most siderophores can be obtained in pure form. Factors affecting the mobility of these compounds in the reversed-phase system are discussed.
Clinical measurements of hard palate and implications for subepithelial connective tissue grafts with suggestions for palatal nomenclature.

Purpose The objectives of the present study were to 1 ) identify a reliable measuring technique for a palatal graft, 2 ) observe the patterns of the neurovascular bundle, and 3 ) identify the morphology of the hard palate. Subepithelial connective tissue grafts are performed at an increasing rate to improve esthetics and oral health. Palatal graft techniques began in 1963, and today the subepithelial connective tissue graft is the most widely accepted technique. The greater palatine nerve and artery are critical neurovascular structures to identify. Their pattern and palate morphology are not well defined. Materials and Methods Anatomy texts, atlases, and specialty texts were analyzed. We dissected 17 palates (17 left and right halves) from embalmed human cadavers, implementing a measuring technique to locate the most coronal structure of the greater palatine artery and greater palatine nerve bundle, observing the patterns and palatal morphology. Electronic digital calipers and a periodontal probe were used for data collection. Results The dissection results revealed a reliable measuring technique, a common pattern of the bundle, and osseous palatal landmarks not clearly defined in contemporary texts. The dissections also demonstrated a medial and lateral groove, along with a crest in the palatine process of the maxillary bone. The greater palatine artery traversed the lateral groove, and the greater palatine nerve traversed the medial groove consistently. The crest was located anteroposteriorly between the grooves. Conclusions The results of our study suggest a useful measurement technique, a consistent neurovascular pattern, and the need to reconsider the palatal nomenclature.
Mass-Dependent Fractionation of Selenium and Chromium Isotopes in Low-Temperature Environments

Selenium (masses 74, 76, 77, 78, 80, and 82; Table 1⇓) and chromium (masses 50, 52, 53 54; Table 1⇓) are treated together in this chapter because of their geochemical similarities and similar isotope systematics. Both of these elements are important contaminants in surface and ground water. They are redox-active and their mobility and environmental impact depend strongly on valence state and redox transformations. Isotope ratio shifts occur primarily during oxyanion reduction reactions, and the isotope ratios should serve as indicators of those reactions. In addition to environmental applications, we expect that there will be geological applications for Se and Cr isotope measurements. The redox properties of Se and Cr make them promising candidates as recorders of marine chemistry and paleoredox conditions. View this table: Table 1. Compositions of natural Se and Cr and currently used double spikes (atom %). There are only about a dozen published studies on Se isotopes and only two on Cr isotopes. This chapter summarizes what has been learned thus far, and almost all of this work concentrates on aqueous reactions at earth surface temperatures. It also attempts to provide some geochemical background and reviews some relevant points from the sulfur isotope literature, which provides insight into the isotopic systematics of Se and Cr. ### Se geochemistry Se is chemically similar to sulfur, which is immediately above it in the periodic table. Its concentration in the earth’s crust is small, with most rocks containing less than 0.1 ppm Se except for shales, which span a wide range of concentration and average roughly 1ppm (Faure 1991). Coal is also relatively rich in Se, averaging 3 ppm (Cooper et al. 1974). Se can substitute extensively for S in pyrite (Coleman and Delevaux 1957). However, Se concentrations of many sulfide minerals are quite small, suggesting strong decoupling of Se from S in some systems. …
Efficient transmitters and receivers for high-power wireless powering systems

The efficiency of a wireless powering system is maximized when the power transmitter power-added efficiency (PAE), power receiver conversion efficiency (η C ) and wireless coupling efficiency (η W ) are maximized. This paper focuses on a general approach to the design of an efficient transmitter and receiver of a high-power wireless powering system, which is valid for any type of wireless power coupling. Experimental results for high-efficiency power transmitters and receivers at various frequencies and with various power levels are discussed.
Composition of Lipids in Some Beef Muscles

SUMMARY— The lipids extracted from five different muscles of four Angus steers were separated into phospholipids, free fatty acids, and a fraction containing the triglycerides. The phospholipid concentration for a given muscle was relatively constant in all four animals. The concentration of total lipids varied considerably more than that of phospholipids. The diaphragm had the highest total lipid and phospholipid content. The diaphragm also differed from the other muscles studied in the palmitic and steak acid concentration of the phospholipids. The free fatty acid concentration varied from muscle to muscle, however, two distinct patterns of free fatty acid distribution were observed in the four animals. The triglycerides and phospholipids differed in the qualitative composition of their fatty acids. Approximately 20% of the phospholipid fatty acids, but only a trace of triglyceride fatty acids, were above C20. The phospholipids contained a much greater amount of polyunsaturated acids than the triglycerides.
The relationship between dental overbite and eustachian tube dysfunction.

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between deep dental overbite and eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Design Case-control study Setting Tertiary care pediatric otolaryngology outpatient clinic at the Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts. Patients 105 patients between the ages of 2 and 6 years. Study Measurements Dental overbite, overjet, and occlusal relationships were measured by an observer who was unaware of ETD status. ETD was defined as having ventilation tubes in place or having the recommendation for ventilation tube placement by an attending pediatric otolaryngologist. In addition, demographic information and medical and social histories were prospectively recorded. Results In a multivariate logistic regression model, children with deep bites were 2.8 times more likely to have ETD than those without deep bites (P = .03). Other independent risk factors for ETD identified in this model were family history of otitis media (OM) and age less than 3 years. Conclusions Children with deep dental overbites are at a significantly increased risk for developing ETD.
A theory of multiple steady states in isothermal homogeneous CFSTRs with many reactions

The qualitative capacity for multiple steady states in an isothermal homogeneous continuous flow stirred tank reactor is determined by the operative reaction network. Examples demonstrate that there is an extremely delicate relationship between reaction network structure and the possibility of multiple steady states. Nevertheless, by means of an easily constructed diagram, called the SCL graph, the capacity of complex reaction networks for multiple steady states can often be decided very quickly. Moreover, information carried by the SCL graph is sufficiently refined as to identify subtle distinctions between networks that can admit multiple steady states and very similar ones that cannot.
MEQALAC: (Multiple Electrostatic Quadrupole Array Linac): A New Approach to Low Beta RF Acceleration

MEQALAC is an acronym for a multiple-beam electrostatic-quadrupole array linear accelerator. The principle of operation is very simple. It makes use of the fact that electrostatic quadrupoles focus more effectively at low velocities than conventional magnetic quadrupoles. Moreover, the pole-tip field of an electrostatic quadrupole is limited by field emission of electrons, and is not a function of the size of the quadrupole. Conventional magnetic quadrupoles, on the other hand, require increasingly high current densities if one attempts to scale to smaller size.
The Interaction of Landmarks and Map Alignment in You-Are-Here Maps

Knowing where one is located within an environment is one of the most fundamental tasks humans have to master in their daily routines. Maps, as external representations of the environment offer intuitive ways to extend the capacities of the human cognitive systems. Operations such as planning a route can be performed on maps instead of in the environment. Question of how to design maps that support cognitive processes such as wayfinding in novel environments have been discussed in several disciplines. The research reported here addresses the question of how map alignment and the presence of landmarks in maps interact during wayfinding. For the purpose of systematically analyzing the relationship between map alignment and landmark presence, nine virtual environments were designed. Routes learned from maps with different alignments and different numbers of landmarks present at decision points were used. While generally landmarks are assumed to foster wayfinding performance, our results indicate that misalig...
Tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens [Noctuidae] resistance to l-canavanine, a protective allelochemical

Abstract l -Canavanine, the toxic guanidinooxy structural analog of l -arginine found in many leguminous plants was fed to fifth instar larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens [Noctuidae] in agar-based artificial diet. These feeding studies revealed H. virescens to be resistant to the potentially insecticidal effects of this allelochemical in larval stages and established its LC50 in the terminal instar larvae at 300 mM. The canavanine-treated larvae did not show any of the pupal developmental aberrations exhibited by a canavanine-sensitive insect such as the tobacco horworm, Manduca sexta. Parenterally injected canavanine evaluations complemented the dietary toxicity data and established the LD50 in the terminal instar larvae at 10.7 g kg−1. H. virescens stressed by exposure to 150 mM-canavanine-containing diet for 48 hr, excreted only 0.6% of the canavanine consumed during a subsequent 24-hr exposure to this diet. Parenterally injected canavanine cleared from the hemolymph with a t 1 2 of 135 min. It was evident that canavanine was not merely excreted or sequestered but rather was metabolized effectively by this insect. Feeding studies employing other nonprotein amino acids revealed that this destructive generalist feeder could not cope with all potentially toxic nonprotein amino acids.
Consuming Citizen: Neoliberating the Obese Body

The public discourse surrounding obesity in the United States reveals a great deal about contemporary cultural tensions and anxieties. In this essay, I assess that discourse as shaped by and in contemporary mainstream media. I argue that the obese body serves as a field on which broader tensions relevant to consumption, which prominently characterize this historical moment in the U.S., are reflected, negotiated, and rationalized. Specifically, the obese body has both prompted discourse regarding consuming patterns and practices and mobilized the discourse of neoliberalism by engaging key cultural imperatives of citizenship—namely, privacy, individualism, and freedom. This rhetorical crafting of and by the obese body has significant cultural implications, as well as theoretical implications for the relationship between body and discourse.
Level scheme of Ga69

Abstract The decay of Ge 69 (38.5±0.5 h) to levels in Ga 69 has been investigated with scintillation spectrometers and coincidence techniques. Transitions were found to depopulate levels at 323, 576, 880, 1120, 1346, 1560, 1880, 1910, 1945 and 2040 keV. A source of Zn 69 was also investigated but no new transitions were observed. A decay scheme consistent with the experimental data is presented.
Temperature-dependent consolidation of puromycin-susceptible memory in the goldfish.

Memory of a shock-avoidance task in goldfish ( Carassius auratus ) maintained at 20°C shows a temporal gradient of insusceptibility to post-trial injection of puromycin upon testing 7 days later. Treatment with the antimetabolite 24 hr after training has no effect on retention. There is a significant decrease in the puromycin-induced memory loss if fish are warmed to 30°C for a 90-minute interval between conditioning and injection of puromycin. If fish are cooled to 4.5°C for 24 hr between learning and puromycin injection, a significant block of memory results. There are in addition time-independent effects of the cold treatment on performance. Although temperature increase from 20 to 30°C does not in itself affect retention, it does cause a 3-fold stimulation of incorporation of 3 H-leucine into brain protein. Decrease in temperature from 20 to 4.5°C reduces protein labeling by 86–97 percent.
Improvements in the Safety Screening of Resin Manufacturing Processes

Consequences of acrylic resin reactor runaways can be devastating, as it is evident in investigation reports of industrial accidents. Critical in preventing major accidents is the safety screening of any acrylic resin formula to be manufactured in large scale. Computer model simulations facilitate the evaluation of “layers of protection” against acrylic polymerization runaways. This work describes the adaptation of a chemical process dynamic simulator (DuPont™ TMODS™) for use in simulating acrylic polymerization runaways. “Loss of cooling” and “monomer pooling (accumulation)” scenarios are the causes of these runaways. Simulations show that scenarios leading to “monomer pooling” result in more energetic runaways and to larger emergency relief capacity requirements than “loss of cooling” scenarios. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2009
Interplay between Tamm-like and Shockley-like surface states in photonic crystals

The goal of this paper is to demonstrate that surface states in a defect chain embedded in a host photonic crystal can be viewed as an interplay between the Tamm-like and Shockley-like states. The defect chain with alternating strong and weak bonds is analyzed using an empirical tight-binding model and the finite difference time domain technique. We investigate how the spectrum of the structures changes with different termination of the chain. It is shown that under certain conditions the Tamm and Shockley states can coexist or can transform from one to the other. These important features allow for controlling the surface states in photonic crystals in frequency, location, and strength.
Alkylsilane-based stationary phases via a displaceable surface template approach : Synthesis, characterization, and chromatographic performance

A method is presented for the preparation of silica-based alkylsilane stationary phases using octanol as a displaceable surface template to control the rate of alkylsilane condensation with the silica surface, and thereby, the resulting alkylsilane surface coverage. This method improves upon conventional preparation schemes by allowing alkylsilane stationary phases of systematically varying surface coverage to be prepared from a single reaction mixture and a single precursor molecule without rigorous control of water content of the solution or of the silica. Octadecylsilane stationary phases ranging in surface coverage from ∼3.5 to 6.0 μmol/m2 were synthesized using one set of experimental conditions with variation of only the octadecylsilane/octanol ratio. The conformational order of the octadecylsilane alkyl chains was assessed using Raman spectroscopy and was found to increase with increasing surface coverage in a manner similar to stationary phases prepared by conventional routes. As chromatographic s...
An electrophoretic variant of a human fibroblast protein with characteristics of smooth muscle tropomyosin.

Abstract A charge variant of a protein (Tm: 3; molecular weight approximately 35,000) that co-migrates with human smooth muscle tropomyosin has been found in whole cell extracts from the fibroblasts of a father and his son. The variant protein co-purifies with Tm: 3, shifts with it to a higher apparent molecular weight on sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of 4 m -urea, is a component of the microfilaments, and has a peptide cleavage pattern identical to that of Tm: 3 and smooth muscle tropomyosin. The results indicate that Tm: 3 and the variant (Tm: 3.1) are smooth muscle tropomyosin, suggesting that normal human fibroblasts synthesize at least two tropomyosins (Tm: 3 and the non-muscle tropomyosin Tm: 4, molecular weight approximately 30,000) and that they are the products of separate genes.
Chocolate, sex, and disorderly women in late-seventeenth- and early-eighteenth-century Guatemala

Chocolate, in the form of a hot chocolate beverage, was widely available to men and women of all ethnic and social groups in late-seventeenth and early-eighteenth-century Santiago de Guatemala, the capital city of colonial Central America. At the same time, chocolate acted as a central vehicle of women's ritual power, used as the basis for magical potions to cast supernatural illness, in sexual witchcraft practices, and even, at times, as a flash point for women's disorderly behavior in public settings. The gendered associations of chocolate with ritual power and disorder in Guatemala are considered within the broader context of the changing cultural uses and meanings of New World food products during European expansion in the Americas.
Genetic Variation Meets Replication Origins

Genome replication programs are highly orchestrated. In this issue, Koren and colleagues leverage whole-genome sequencing data to discover that DNA replication timing patterns differ between individuals and are associated with genetic variants. These so-called rtQTLs represent a new form of quantitative trait loci that may influence gene dosage and mutational frequency and provide mechanistic insights into the regulation of DNA replication.
The fate of Easter Island: The limits of resource management institutions

Abstract Malthus [Malthus, Thomas, [1798] 1970. An Essay On The Principle Of Population. Penguin, New York.] believed that population growth will eventually lead to natural resource depletion, economic and social collapse and population decline. Brander and Taylor [Brander, James A., Taylor, M. Scott, 1998. The simple economics of Easter Island: a Ricardo-Malthus model of renewable resource use. American Economic Review 88, 119–138] use a predator–prey model with an assumption of an open access resource. They show that the collapse of Easter Island could be explained by a Malthusian trap combined with technical characteristics of the resources. They suggest that institutional change such as assignment of property rights could potentially have averted the collapse of Easter Island. In this paper, we show that even if the islanders had complete assignment of property rights and implemented optimal resource management with infinite horizon, or equivalently had a social planner that implemented such an optimal plan, as in neoclassical welfare economics, a similar boom-bust cycle would have occurred.
McN-A-343, a specific agonist of M1-muscarinic receptors, exerts antinicotinic and antimuscarinic effects in the rat adrenal medulla.

Abstract Pirenzepine, McN-A-343 and oxotremorine were used to determine the subtypes of muscarinic receptors involved in the secretion of catecholamines from the isolated perfused adrenal gland of the rat. In the presence of 0.1 μM pirenzepine, the concentration-secretion curve for muscarie was shifted in parallel to the right by almost one log unit. With 0.5 μM the shift was over two log units. The apparent dissociation constant for pirenzepine was about 1.12 × 10 −8 M. Perfusion with McN-A-343 (1–30 μM) did not evoke the secretion of catecholamines. A further increase to very high concentrations (100–1000 μM) caused only a modest secretion (about 50ng/5 min with 300 μM as compared to the same amount of secretion obatined with 1 μM muscarine). Secretion evoked by nicotine was significantly reduced (30%) by 3 μM McN-A-343, and the inhibition increased (90%) with higher concentrations (100 μM). McN-A-343 also produced concentration-dependent inhibition of catecholamine secretion evoked by muscarine. A significant effect was observed at 30 μM and reached a maximum level at 300 μM. Oxotremorine, like McN-A-343 was a partial agonist on the muscarinic receptors; but unlike McN-A-343, did not block the stimulatory effects of nicotine. Although the pirenzepine data suggest that M 1 receptors are responsible for the secretion of catecholamines in the rat adrenal medulla, this conclusion is not supported by the results obtained with the M 1 -receptor agonist, McN-A-343, which proved to be an effective blocker of muscarinic as well as nicotinic receptors.
Localized surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy of single silver nanocubes

In this work, we use dark-field microscopy to observe a new plasmon resonance effect for a single silver nanocube in which the plasmon line shape has two distinct peaks when the particles are located on a glass substrate. The dependence of the resonance on nanocube size and shape is characterized, and it is found that the bluer peak has a higher figure of merit for chemical sensing applications than that for other particle shapes that have been studied previously. Comparison of the measured results with finite difference time domain (FDTD) electrodynamics calculations enables us to confirm the accuracy of our spectral assignments.
A study of logger fatalities from 1992–2000

Objectives: To determine if certain loggers are at increased risk of death during logging operations. Methods: Statistical analysis of 780 logger fatalities for a nine year period (1992–2000). Results: The major findings are: (1) treefallers suffer nearly 63% of all fatalities, (2) the region where the fatality occurred and the size of the employer were not significant factors that contributed to a high percentage of treefaller fatalities, and (3) the Northeast and Midwest regions showed a higher percentage of fatalities compared with the South and West regions. Conclusions: Overall, the logger fatality rate for 1992–2000, compared with 1980–88 has decreased slightly; however, treefallers continue to be the group of loggers who suffer the highest fatality rate.
Suppression of intrachannel nonlinearities using BCJR algorithm and iterative decoding

MAP symbol decoding supplemented with iterative decoding is used to mitigate the intrachannel nonlinearities. The MAP detector operates on the channel trellis to correct the corrupted data and to provide soft outputs processed further in an iterative decoder. A dramatic performance improvement is demonstrated.
A simplified technique for the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, utilizing the one-hour uptake of orally administered I131.

IT IS widely accepted that the 24-hour thyroidal u'ptake following the oral ingestion of a tracer dose of radioactive iodine (I131) is a useful screening test for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism (1, 2). This study concerns a shortened and simplified screening test for hyperthyroidism, utilizing the one-hour thyroidal uptake following the oral ingestion of a tracer dose of I131. One hundred and eighty-two fasting subjects (176 referred for thyroid evaluation and 6 healthy volunteers) were given from 4 to 8 microcuries of radioactive iodine (I131) by mouth. One hour, and again twenty-four hours after ingestion the thyroidal uptake was determined over the gland by means of a scintillation counter,1 at a distance of 20 centimeters; the result was compared with that obtained on an aliquot of the ingested dose, previously counted at the same distance. The data were expressed as percentage of administered dose.
The D1 dopamine receptor in the rat brain: quantitative autoradiographic localization using an iodinated ligand.

The distribution of dopamine D1 receptors in the rat, labeled with [125I]SCH 23982, was studied using a quantitative in-vitro light-microscopic autoradiographic method. The binding of [125I]SCH 23982 to slide-mounted tissue sections and membrane preparations of prefrontal cortex was salurable. specific and of high affinity. Scatchard analysis revealed a Kd of 1.15 ± 0.47nM and Bmax of 8.76 ± 0.34fmol/mg tissue in prefrontal cortex membranes and a Kd of 1.27±0.14nm and Bmax of 67.6 ± 3.75fmol/mg tissue in slide-mounted tissue sections at the level of the striatum. [125I]SCH 23982 was found to predominantly label D1 receptors, but a small fraction of the binding was to serotonin receptors. D1 receptors were found throughout the forebrain and were concentrated in the substantia nigra pars reticulata, accumbens nucleus, caudate putamen, entopeduncular nucleus, olfactory tubercle and the major island of Calleja. [125I]SCH 23982 binding to serotonin receptors was concentrated in the cortices, dorsal raphe, central gray, anterior hypothalamic area and the molecular cell layer of the cerebellum. Knowledge of the distribution of D1 receptors may increase our understanding of the role of D1 receptors in central nervous system dopaminergic function. Furthermore, data on the potential sites of interaction of [125I]SCH 23982 with serotonin receptors may help to understand the complex physiology and pharmacology of the primarily D1 selective compound.
Direct glycosylation: synthesis of α-indoline ribonucleosides

Abstract A selective synthesis of α-anomers of indoline nucleosides is described. Ribonucleosides of indoline, dimethylindoline and 5-bromoindoline are readily prepared in good yield by reacting indoline bases directly with the protected sugar, 2,3- O -(1-methylethylidene) 5- O -(triphenylmethyl)- D -ribofuranose in dry ethanol or methylene chloride in presence of molecular sieves at 40–60 °C.