cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Frequency of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Reappearance or Absence during the Second Pregnancy of Women Treated at Mayo Clinic between 2013 and 2018

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention ranks diabetes mellitus (DM) as the seventh leading cause of death in the USA. The most prevalent forms of DM include Type 2 DM, Type 1 DM, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). While the acute problem of diabetic hyperglycemia can be clinically managed through dietary control and lifestyle changes or pharmacological intervention with oral medications or insulin, long-term complications of the disease are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. These long-term complications involve nearly all organ systems of the body and share common pathologies associated with endothelial cell abnormalities. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying DM as related to future long-term complications following hyperglycemia, we have undertaken a study to determine the frequency that GDM did or did not occur in the second pregnancy of women who experienced GDM in their first pregnancy between 2013 and 2018 at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Within the five-year period of the study, the results indicate that 7,330 women received obstetrical care for pregnancy during the study period. Of these, 150 developed GDM in their first pregnancy and of these, 42 (28%) had a second pregnancy. Of these 42 women, 20 again developed GDM and 22 did not develop GDM in their second pregnancy within the study period. Following the occurrence of GDM in the first pregnancy, the study (1) established the number of women with and without GDM in the second pregnancy and (2) confirmed the feasibility to study diabetic metabolic memory using maternal placental tissue from GDM women. These studies represent Phase I of a larger research project whose goal is to analyze epigenetic mechanisms underlying true diabetic metabolic memory using endothelial cells isolated from the maternal placenta of women with and without GDM as described in this article.
Rethinking Our Values to Achieve Emancipatory Design

The need for inclusive environments accommodating the entire range of human functioning, both people with disabilities as well as those who are not presently disabled, has not been achieved despite decades of discussion and a growing list of standards and legislation. Perhaps because disability has always been a part of human existence and has been part of the discourse in environmental design for decades, it is not viewed as emergent and the inclusion of people with disabilities is not seen as a crisis. Nonetheless, people with disabilities represent one of the largest marginalised segments of our population. Inclusion does not subvert the other issues with regard to function or aesthetics but fulfils all criteria necessary to achieve good design. This paper explores critical aspects of emancipatory research and identifies opportunities for what should rightly be called emancipatory design. The most significant characteristics relevant to developing emancipatory design values include: 1) redistributing power within the social relationships of design; 2) adopting the biopsychosocial model of disability; and 3) facilitating users’ reciprocity, gain and empowerment. These fundamental strategies are necessary to ensure a long-term engagement in social justice and achieve good design. Inclusive design is essentially a value-based process, which takes as its premise the fact that everyone has a right to participate in community life. Consequently, a powerful argument to support the importance of teaching inclusive design is the need to assist students in the development of their own set of values to underpin their future practice as built environment professionals. Inclusive design can fulfil this important function. It is clear that teaching students to administer technical codes or interpret legislation for equal rights is an important part of the preparation of a student for professional practice, but this approach without the philosophical underpinning is unlikely to result in an inclusive environment.1
The Consequences of Violence on the Mental Health of the Elderly

This chapter reviews the prevalence and risk factors associated with violence during the life course of the elderly, including its short and long-term consequences. As violence is highly prevalent in many societies individuals who have been exposed to violence have also grown old. There is limited knowledge about the long-term implications of early exposure into late life. Elder abuse has become a major issue in public health; however, the elderly are also victims to crime, war, atrocities in society, and trauma from disasters. The mental health implications of exposure to violence are reviewed, in particular post-traumatic stress disorder. Controlled studies on treatment of older individuals exposed to violence are rare. The findings suggest that exposure to violence in childhood, as a young adult or as an elder all have adverse effects on mental health in old age. The trajectory of these mental health outcomes suggests that the elderly may have a path of resilience.
Toe/Ray Amputation

Toe amputations can be performed under an ankle block, especially for patients who have a high risk of complications if general anesthesia is induced. A ray amputation often provides a functionally and cosmetically superior outcome.
Opposition from within – Israeli soldiers resist the occupation

Protests in response to Israeli military action in the Occupied Territories have a long history in Israel. While such opposition movements in many countries are comprised of civil society activists...
Metabolomic Selection for Enhanced Fruit Flavor

Although they are staple foods in cuisines globally, commercial fruit varieties have become progressively less flavorful over time. Due to the cost and difficulty associated with flavor phenotyping, many breeding programs have long been challenged in selecting for this complex trait. To address this issue, we leveraged targeted metabolomics of diverse tomato and blueberry accessions and their corresponding consumer panel ratings to create statistical and machine learning models that can predict sensory perceptions of fruit flavor. Using these models, a breeding program can assess flavor ratings for a large number of varieties, previously limited by the low-throughput and high cost of consumer sensory panels. The ability to predict consumer ratings of liking, sweet, sour, umami, and flavor intensity was evaluated by a 10-fold cross-validation and the accuracies of 18 different models are assessed. The best performing models were used to infer the flavor compounds (sugars, acids, and volatiles) that contribute most to each flavor attribute. The prediction accuracies were high for most attributes in both blueberries and tomatoes. We expect that these models will enable an earlier incorporation of flavor as breeding targets and encourage selection and release of more flavorful fruit varieties.
Cardiology Fellow Diagnostic Accuracy and Data Interpretation Outcomes: A Review of the Current Literature.

Background Cardiology fellows, in particular, are in a unique position to mold the new cardiovascular workforce, especially in terms of risk prevention. There is a growing need for the cardiovascular workforce. In the United States, one person dies every forty-two seconds due to a cardiovascular adverse event. Methods A PRISMA systematic review included comprehensive search of the MED-LINE database (PubMed) from 1927 to 2020 - the oldest to newest available literature on the subject available through PubMed. Results Fifty-seven cardiology fellows together interpreted a total of 1719 EKGs with a correct rate of 52%. Sixty-four fellows completed a total of 1363 echocardiography interpretations with an accuracy rate of nearly 75%. Conclusion Based on the studies discussed, it is evident that a cardiology fellow, particularly in their early years of training, may be limited due to a lack of experience. With continued EKG and echocardiogram interpretation, as well as other clinical skills practice, fellows can improve their diagnostic accuracy and procedural efficiency.
Doping on Deck: The Prisoner’s Dilemma of Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Athletes from Olympians to NFL players are under constant pressure to be bigger, stronger, faster, and better than their competitors. Increasingly, athletes turn to Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). PEDs create a Prisoner’s Dilemma within sporting organizations as athletes attempt to keep up with their opponents. This chapter addresses two questions. (1) Is doping a rational strategy and (2) Does doping provide a significant financial advantage to other clean, or nondoping, swimmers? A strategic form game indicates doping is an equilibrium strategy. Simulations from a panel data set of elite swimmers indicate the financial advantage from doping is minimal for US swimmers.
Task-driven RGB-Lidar Fusion for Object Tracking in Resource-Efficient Autonomous System

Autonomous mobile systems such as vehicles or robots are equipped with multiple sensor modalities including Lidar, RGB, and Radar. The fusion of multi-modal information can enhance task accuracy but indiscriminate sensing and fusion in all modality increases demand on available system resources. This paper presents a task-driven approach to input fusion that minimizes utilization of resource-heavy sensors and demonstrates its application to Visual-Lidar fusion for object tracking and path planning. Proposed spatiotemporal sampling algorithm activates Lidar only at regions-of-interest identified by analyzing visual input and reduces the Lidar ‘base frame rate’ according to kinematic state of the system. This significantly reduces Lidar usage, in terms of data sensed/transferred and potentially power consumed, without severe reduction in performance compared to both a baseline decision-level fusion and state-of-the-art deep multi-modal fusion.
Importance of microstructure modeling for additively manufactured metal post-process simulations

Abstract This work investigates the significance of microstructure-level modeling by simulating the material response of an inhomogeneous selective laser melted (SLM) Inconel 625 specimen subjected to two different post-process operations, namely micro-milling and laser shock peening (LSP). A physics-based thermal finite element simulation is executed to obtain the SLM thermal history from which a 3-dimensional inhomogeneous microstructure representative volume element (RVE) is generated via the Dynamic Kinetic Monte Carlo predictive model. A Johnson–Cook plasticity definition coupled with Hall–Petch strengthening is used to define unique yield surfaces for individual grains based on their major diameters. Micro-milling and LSP simulations are subsequently executed with and without considering an inhomogeneous microstructure RVE in attempt to elucidate differences in the plastic strain, temperature, induced stress magnitude and distribution, as well as differences that arise during material removal for the micro-milling only. The micro-milling simulations reveal a greater volumetric distribution of plastic strain and temperature for the inhomogeneous case, although the homogeneous case with isotropic assumption reveals greater heat dissipation at the tool-workpiece interface with 27% greater contact pressure and 39% greater frictional shear stress. Examining the ductile and shear damage progression at a specific time increment reveals that the inhomogeneous model has a slightly lower damage propensity in comparison the homogeneous case, despite having identical damage models and boundary conditions. Variation in the SLM process-dependent yield surfaces, for grains at different locations, results in spatial variations of the computed stress triaxiality, which influences the material removal, as well as the stress concentrations developed near the tool-workpiece interface. Thus, a process-structure-property relationship is captured with the microstructure modeling. This work is the first to illuminate the importance of capturing SLM-induced anisotropy, considering the additively manufactured grain structure subject to micro-milling and LSP post-processes.
Surgical outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection in elderly versus younger patients

Introduction Pituitary adenomas (PAs) are one of the most common type of intracranial neoplasm with increased incidence in elderly patients. The outcomes of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery (ETS) specifically on elderly patients remains unclear. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study to compare elderly patients (age 65 years) with non-elderly patients (age <65 years) who underwent ETS for PA from January 2005 to December 2021. Surgical outcomes, including extent of resection, complication profile, length of stay, and endocrinopathy rates, were compared between elderly and non-elderly patients. Results A total of 690 patients were included with 197 (29%) being elderly. Elderly patients showed higher rates of hypertension (p 80 also did not demonstrate a worsening of surgical outcomes with age. Conclusion For well selected elderly patients in experienced endoscopic skull base centers, good surgical outcomes similarly to younger patients may be achieved.
MicroRNA Regulation of Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a key biological response regulating embryonic development, tissue repair, tumor growth, and metastasis. It requires complex regulation of gene expression in a temporal-spatial manner. microRNAs (miRs) are 18–24 nucleotide-containing endogenous RNAs that exert substantial gene regulatory effects via a posttranscriptional mechanism. Recent advance in basic research revealed that miRs exert potent angiogenic control via direct targeting certain critical secretory factors and transcription factors in a cell autonomous and non-cell autonomous manner. This chapter comprehensively summarizes the current understanding in miR regulation of angiogenesis during embryonic stage, tissue injury, as well as tumorigenesis. Approaches to deliver anti-miR entity have been successfully developed in silencing miR level in vivo. miR-based therapy might provide specific and effective solution for managing ischemic diseases or controlling tumor growth and metastasis.
Isolation and characterization of intermediate filaments.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes procedures developed for the isolation and characterization of intermediate filaments (IFs) and their subunits from different types of tissues and cells grown in culture. IFs represent one of the three major cytoskeletal components of many eukaryote cells. They appear tubular in cross section and are about 10 nm in diameter. For this reason, they are also commonly referred to as “10-nm” or “100-Ao” filaments. Their structure is unaffected by metal ions, high energy phosphates, or reductions in temperature. By both biochemical and immunological criteria, they consist of a very heterogeneous group of subunits. They can be classified into five subgroups based largely on these properties and on their tissue or cell-type of origin: those of epithelial tissues (keratin), fibroblastic cells (vimentin), muscle (desmin), astroglial cells (glial filaments), and neuronal tissues (neurofilaments). In addition, whereas microtubules and microfilaments are composed of essentially globular proteins, IFs are formed from α-helix-rich α-type fibrous proteins of the k-m-e-f class.
Comparative toxicity and structure-activity in Chlorella and Tetrahymena: monosubstituted phenols.

The relative toxicity of selected monosubstituted phenols has been assessed by Kramer and Truemper in the Chlorella vulgaris assay. The authors examined population growth inhibition of this simple green algae under short-term static conditions for 33 derivatives. However, efforts to develop a strong predictive quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) met with limited success because they modeled across modes of toxic action or segregated derivatives such as positional isomers (i.e., ortho-, meta-, para-). In an effort to further their understanding of the relationships of ecotoxic effects of phenols, the authors have evaluated the same derivatives reported by Kramer and Truemper in the Tetrahymena pyriformis population growth assay, compared the responses in both systems and developed QSARs for the Chlorella vulgaris data based on mechanisms of action.
The executive education classroom: instructor selection criteria

Purpose – This paper aims to present a number of qualitative characteristics that contribute to effective and successful instructor involvement in a custom executive education (EE) program classroom with seasoned managers as classroom learners. As such, the characteristics should be a part of any EE instructor due diligence evaluation and selection endeavor.Design/methodology/approach – This paper codifies the attributes observed in successful, sought‐after EE instructors over nearly two decades of leading custom EE programs for a variety of clients.Findings – In this paper, 13 characteristics of well‐regarded, impactful EE instructors are identified and discussed. Each characteristic is posited as important but it is the combination of all of them that is the hallmark of the most successful, memorable, effective custom EE program instructors.Practical implications – Readers are provided with a due diligence list of 13 items for identifying highly effective custom EE program instructors. Those items shoul...
Reconstructive surgery for infertility at the Boston Hospital for Women

Abstract A total of 114 consecutive laparotomies for infertility performed on the clinic service of the Boston Hospital for Women between 1961 and 1967 were studied in July 1969. Postoperatively, 32.5 per cent of the patients achieved one or more pregnancies. The percentage of patients in each of the operative groups to achieve one or more pregnancies postoperatively is as follows: for lysis of pelvic adhesions without the necessity of fimbrioplasty, 38.3 per cent; for lysis of pelvic adhesions with fimbrioplasty added, 37.5 per cent; for lysis of pelvic adhesions, fimbrioplasty, and application of Silastic hoods (because of bilateral total fimbrial occlusion), 16.7 per cent; and for reimplantation of tubes, with or without any of the above procedures, 9.0 per cent. Data are presented to indicate that reconstructive surgery may be useful even where the woman's anatomical defect is not the sole factor contributing to the couple's infertility. Factors which might be expected to alter the surgical results were analyzed, and in particular it was found that the presence of tubal rugae markings on preoperative tubograms is strongly correlated with postoperative pregnancy (60.7 per cent achieve pregnancy) while the absence of such markings is strongly correlated with failure to achieve pregnancy postoperatively (only 7.3 per cent achieve pregnancy).
Integrating Expert Knowledge and Experience

A major challenge in the field of AI is combining symbolic and statistical techniques. My dissertation work aims to bridge this gap in the domain of real-time strategy games.
The cultural socialization scale: Assessing family and peer socialization toward heritage and mainstream cultures

In a culturally diverse society, youth learn about multiple cultures from a variety of sources, yet the existing assessment of cultural socialization has been limited to parents' efforts to teach youth about their heritage culture. The current study adapted and extended an existing cultural socialization measure (Umana-Taylor & Fine, 2004) to assess 4 types of socialization practices encountered specifically during adolescence: cultural socialization by families and peers toward both one's heritage culture and the mainstream culture. In a pilot study, we developed the Cultural Socialization Scale based on retrospective reports from 208 young adults, maximizing young adults' ability to reason and reflect their adolescent experiences with various socialization practices. In the primary study, we examined the psychometric properties of the scale using reports from 252 adolescents. Cultural socialization occurred from both socialization agents toward both cultures. Our Cultural Socialization Scale demonstrated stable factor structures and high reliabilities. We observed strong factorial invariance across the 4 subscales (6 items). Multiple indicators multiple causes models also demonstrated invariance for each subscale across adolescents' demographic characteristics (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, nativity, socioeconomic status, language of assessment). The implications of the Cultural Socialization Scale are discussed.
Control of Neural Development and Function in a Thermoregulatory Network by the LIM Homeobox Gene lin-11

We show here that the lin-11 LIM homeobox gene is expressed in nine classes of head, ventral cord, and tail neurons and functions at a late step in the development of a subset of these neurons. In a lin-11 null mutant, all lin-11-expressing neurons are generated. Several of these neurons, however, exhibit neuroanatomical as well as functional defects. In the lateral head ganglion, lin-11 functions in a neural network that regulates thermosensory behavior. It is expressed in the AIZ interneuron that processes high temperature input and is required for the function of AIZ in the thermoregulatory neural network. Another LIM homeobox gene, ttx-3, functions in the antagonistic thermoregulatory interneuron AIY (). Thus, distinct LIM genes specify the functions of functionally related antagonistic interneurons within a neural network dedicated for thermoregulatory processes. Both ttx-3 and lin-11 expression are maintained throughout adulthood, suggesting that these LIM homeobox genes play a role in the functional maintenance of this neural circuit. We propose that particular LIM homeobox genes specify the distinct features of functionally related neurons that generate patterned behaviors.
Biochemistry students' ideas about how an enzyme interacts with a substrate.

Enzyme-substrate interactions are a fundamental concept of biochemistry that is built upon throughout multiple biochemistry courses. Central to understanding enzyme-substrate interactions is specific knowledge of exactly how an enzyme and substrate interact. Within this narrower topic, students must understand the various binding sites on an enzyme and be able to reason from simplistic lock and key or induced fit models to the more complex energetics model of transition state theory. Learning to understand these many facets of enzyme-substrate interactions and reasoning from multiple models present challenges where students incorrectly make connections between concepts or make no connection at all. This study investigated biochemistry students' understanding of enzyme-substrate interactions through the use of clinical interviews and a national administration (N = 707) of the Enzyme–Substrate Interactions Concept Inventory. Findings include misconceptions regarding the nature of enzyme-substrate interactions, naive ideas about the active site, a lack of energetically driven interactions, and an incomplete understanding of the specificity pocket. © 2015 by the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(4):213–222, 2015.
From Agents to Consulado: Commercial Networks in Colonial Mexico, 1520-1590 and Beyond

Este trabajo pretende ser una revision de las interpretaciones que ven en las relaciones entre los mercaderes de la Nueva Espana y los de Sevilla una subordinacion mas amplia del comercio colonial bajo el dominio del comercio metropolitano. El trabajo muestra como un conjunto de factores permitieron la constitucion de una clase autonoma de mercaderes centrados en la ciudad de Mexico. Primero, la reconfiguracion del monopolio sevillano frente a los problemas planteados por la distancia y las estructuras de comunicacion. Segundo, la creacion de mercados de credito y bienes controlados por instituciones y grupos novohispanos: un proceso que iba mano a mano con el desarrollo de la economia colonial. Tercero, la busqueda de apoyos politicos e institucionales para mejorar los intereses de los mercaderes novohispanos. El trabajo termina examinando las consecuencias del ascenso de esos mercaderes para la relacion entre colonia y metropoli a finales del siglo XVI.
Influence of copper and zinc ions on toxicity of sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

The interactions between the fungicide, sodium N-methyldithiocarbamate (NaMDC), and fungitoxic or non-toxic levels of copper or zinc ions were reevaluated. It was shown that non-toxic levels of MaMDC generally reduce the fungitoxicity of copper sulfate solutions, while copper sulfate solutions of low toxicity, when combined with NaMDC solutions of low toxicity, yielded a highly toxic mixture with an UV spectrum similar to that of dimethylthiuram disulfide, a fungicide which is about 100 times more toxic to the test organism, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici, as is the compound NaMDC. Fungi with a high sensitivity to copper ions are not suitable for demonstrating a toxic 1:1 complex between copper ions and the dithiocarbamate.
Novel octahydro- and tetrahydro-fluorenyl containing C1 symmetric zirconocenes for the stereoregular polymerization of propylene

Abstract The synthesis and polymerization behavior of two new asymmetric metallocenes containing partially or fully hydrogenated fluorenyl moieties is reported. The zirconocenes, dimethylsilylene-[η5-1-(2-methyl-4-phenyl)indenyl]-(η5-9-tetrahydrofluorenyl) zirconium dichloride (9) and dimethylsilylene-[η5-1-(2-methyl-4-phenyl)indenyl]-(η5-9-octahydrofluorenyl) zirconium dichloride (10) were both found to be very stable complexes that were highly active catalyst precursors for the polymerization of ethylene and propylene. In the case of propylene, activities approaching 108 g polymer ([mol Zr] [monomer] h)−1 were obtained. Highly stereoregular polypropylene was produced at room temperature. The complexes 9 and 10 were significantly more stable and more active than the previously prepared fluorenyl analog.
Fermentation of stachyose and raffinose by hind‐gut bacteria of the weanling pig

Two pigs were weaned at 28 d of age, and one pig each was placed on a corn-soy (CS) or a corn-soy diet containing 40% lactose (CSL). After 28 d a fecal sample was taken from each pig. The fecal bacterial community was fractionated and used as a source of inoculum to determine if high levels of lactose added to CS diets would modify the structure of the hind-gut microbial community and the in vitro breakdown of stachyose (soy molasses served at the source of stachyose) and raffinose. Bacterial growth rate tended to the higher with the CSL diet. Higher growth rates for bacteria from the CSL-fed pig were supported by the higher acetate: propionate production when compared to the CS diet. All the stachyose and raffinose disappeared during the 48 h fermentation. To our knowledge, this is the first report that stachyose or raffinose are completely fermented by the hind-gut bacteria of the weanling pig, and that this process can be affected by the addition of high levels of lactose to the diet.
Method comparisons of vehicle emissions measurements in the fort mchenry and Tuscarora mountain tunnels

Abstract Experiments were conducted in the Fort McHenry Tunnel in Baltimore, MD, and in the Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel in Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1992 to evaluate real-world automotive emissions. Included in these experiments were the first reported measurements of individual vehicle exhaust in tunnels by a remote sensing device (RSD). Results are compared to integrated emission measurements carried out by analysis of concurrent collections of tunnel air into bags, canisters, and adsorbent traps and by conventional Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The vehicles using these highway tunnels proved to be lower emitting than vehicles usually measured by remote sensing in urban areas. At Fort McHenry the RSD-measured CO CO 2 ratios were, on average, high compared to either the bag or FTIR measurements (by a factor of 1.4 ± 0.2) for the four runs monitored. RSD hydrocarbon data were obtained only at the uphill location ( + 3.76% grade). RSD HC CO 2 ratios were lower on average, but statistically indistinguishable when compared with either the FTIR or the integrated uphill measurements. At Tuscarora, the RSD-measured CO CO 2 ratios were in agreement with the CO CO 2 ratios in the tunnel bag measurements and FTIR measurements (within a factor of 1.00 ± 0.16 by one method and 0.82 ± 0.32 by a second, when traffic was dominated by light-duty spark-ignition vehicles). The RSD HC CO 2 ratios were, however, higher than the light-duty vehicle estimates from the integrated (bag/canister/Tenax) tunnel measurements by a factor of 3, and higher than the FTIR Δ HC Δ CO 2 ratios by an even higher factor, mostly owing to water vapor interferences in the low average RSD measurements. For the first time RSD measurements were collected from a small sample of heavy-duty diesels; comparisons to the heavy-duty emissions contributions for CO and HC were favorable. Analysis of emissions data for vehicle variability at Fort McHenry revealed that low CO emitting vehicles tended to be consistently low but that the minority that were high emitters ( > 2.5% CO) were more likely to be high only at the uphill location. Vehicle mileage information was collected at a toll booth in the case of Fort McHenry and at a service plaza in the case of Tuscarora for comparison against the RSD emissions measurements. This comparison showed little conventional deterioration of CO or HC emissions with mileage. The trend consisted of an increased frequency of high emitters with mileage, rather than an increase in emissions from all vehicles with increasing mileage.
Pressure and Flow Relations in Vascular Bundles of the Tomato Plant

In the tomato plant water flows through primary xylem in accordance with Poiseuille's law. This relation and the analogy between Poiseuille's and Ohm's law were employed to calculate rates of flow and differences in pressure within vascular bundles when transpiration rates from individual leaves were known. The resistance of vascular bundles to flow was calculated from a modification of Poiseuille's law and from measurements of vessels in all bundles. The rates of flow in all bundles were derived from a set of simultaneous linear equations of flow, written to correspond with the nature of the vascular network. Values of the difference in pressure associated with flow in bundles were derived from resistances and flow rates in individual bundles. These agreed substantially with values observed in a comparable plant.In large bundles, vessels occur in a frequency distribution that is approximately normal with respect either to the logarithms of their radii or to the fourth power of their radii. The largest vessels in a bundle transport most of the water when they are functioning.The tomato plant contains 2 types of vascular bundle. The large bundles of the stem form a network by joining above each node in combinations of 2 at a time. The small bundles of the stem and petiolar bundles are independent of other bundles from their origins at junctions to their termini. The small bundles offer high resistance to flow, whereas the resistance of large bundles is low. The average conductance of large bundles decreases from the base to the apex of the stem. That of small vascular bundles remains low and more or less constant throughout the plant.Only a small difference in pressure is required to maintain flow in large bundles. For lower leaves, the driving pressure required to move water to the base of a petiole is considerably less than that which moves water through petioles. The difference in pressure that maintains flow increases steadily for successively higher nodes. However, the pressure that drives flow to leaves is not always greater for higher leaves than for intermediate ones. For the plant examined, the highest leaves required a smaller amount of energy to move water from the ground than intermediate leaves did. This was also true of the power expended in moving water to individual leaves.In the large network bundles, significant cross transfer of flow occurs at junction points from one bundic to another. Because of the interconnections between large bundles. pressure and flow relations are apparently not greatly altered when localized dysfunction occurs in the vessels of large bundles. In small, independent bundles, a localized dysfunction in vessels produces a significant effect on pressure and flow relations.
Accounting for Ecosystem Services in Life Cycle Assessment, Part II: Toward an Ecologically Based LCA

Despite the essential role of ecosystem goods and services in sustaining all human activities, they are often ignored in engineering decision making, even in methods that are meant to encourage sustainability. For example, conventional Life Cycle Assessment focuses on the impact of emissions and consumption of some resources. While aggregation and interpretation methods are quite advanced for emissions, similar methods for resources have been lagging, and most ignore the role of nature. Such oversight may even result in perverse decisions that encourage reliance on deteriorating ecosystem services. This article presents a step toward including the direct and indirect role of ecosystems in LCA, and a hierarchical scheme to interpret their contribution. The resulting Ecologically Based LCA (Eco-LCA) includes a large number of provisioning, regulating, and supporting ecosystem services as inputs to a life cycle model at the process or economy scale. These resources are represented in diverse physical units and may be compared via their mass, fuel value, industrial cumulative exergy consumption, or ecological cumulative exergy consumption or by normalization with total consumption of each resource or their availability. Such results at a fine scale provide insight about relative resource use and the risk and vulnerability to the loss of specific resources. Aggregate indicators are also defined to obtain indices such as renewability, efficiency, and return on investment. An Eco-LCA model of the 1997 economy is developed and made available via the web (www.resilience.osu.edu/ecolca). An illustrative example comparing paper and plastic cups provides insight into the features of the proposed approach. The need for further work in bridging the gap between knowledge about ecosystem services and their direct and indirect role in supporting human activities is discussed as an important area for future work.
Optimal configuration of a class of irreversible heat engines. I

In a previous paper we analyzed a class of irreversible cyclic heat engines to find their optimal operating configuration for specific performance goals. In that paper the thermodynamic variables of the working fluid were not treated as dynamical variables, instead the dynamics was replaced by an integral constraint. In this paper we reanalyze the same class of heat engines treating the thermodynamic variables of the working fluid as dynamical variables, and we obtain the optimal configuration of the engine when the performance goal is to maximize the average power output per cycle or, alternatively, to maximize the efficiency of the engine. To carry through this program it is necessary to use mathematical techniques from optimal-control theory. Since this subject is unfamiliar to most physicists and chemists, we briefly introduce some of the central ideas of the theory.
The Regulation of GRP78 and Messenger RNA Levels by Hypoxia Is Modulated by Protein Kinase C Activators and Inhibitors

In this study, we have shown that steady-state levels of glucose-regulated 78 kDa (GRP78) protein and messenger RNA increase during a 5-h exposure to 0.02% oxygen. This increase in GRP78 protein and mRNA induced by hypoxia can be abolished by a 1-h pretreatment of cells before hypoxia with the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporine and H7 at concentrations at which the drugs themselves do not cause cytotoxicity. Although all studies using protein kinase inhibitors must be interpreted with caution, staurosporine and H7 have been shown to be potent inhibitors of PKC activity, suggesting a role for PKC in mediating the transcriptional regulation of GRP78 by hypoxia. Further support for PKC in regulating GRP78 gene expression by hypoxia stems from gel-mobility shift studies in mixtures of nuclear extracts from aerobic or hypoxic cells with a 36 bp region of the GRP78 promoter (-170 to -135). Binding of this factor could be inhibited by pretreating cells with the PKC inhibitor staurosporine before hypoxia or activated by treating cells with the PKC-activating phorbol ester TPA. These data suggest that activation of this hypoxia-responsive factor is sensitive to oxygen levels and seems to be mediated through a PKC signal transduction pathway.
Implementing BPEL4WS: the architecture of a BPEL4WS implementation

BPEL4WS: Workflows and Service Components BPEL4WS [1], also known as BPEL for short and soon to renamed WS-BPEL, provides the most complete realization to date of the workflow execution model in the context of a service-oriented architecture. As opposed to other process language specifications, BPEL builds natively on the Web service component model defined by the Web Services Description Language (WSDL), and models every activity in the process in terms of Web services interactions. Service-oriented architectures introduce a set of very distinctive abstractions that result in significant modifications of the basic workflow model, such as is described in [2]. In particular, the software as a service approach results in a componentized view of software applications, and the application of workflow as a component composition mechanism. BPEL naturally supports a multi-party interaction model, and BPEL processes present themselves as service components to other Web services.
An evaluation of chemical and physical defenses against fish predation in a suite of seagrass-associated ascidians

Abstract The palatability of two solitary and three colonial species of ascidians commonly found in sub-tropical seagrass meadows was evaluated using the abundant, sympatric, omnivorous pinfish Lagodon rhomboides as a model predator. Bite-sized pieces of fresh tissues of both solitary and one of the three colonial ascidian species were unpalatable to fish. Lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts of the three unpalatable species did not cause feeding deterrence indicating that secondary metabolites are not responsible for the lack of palatability. Distaplia bermudensis, the one colonial ascidian that was unpalatable to fish, had a highly acidified outer tunic (pH = 1.5). We tested the ability of acidified agar food pellets (pH = 1.5) to deter pinfish and found that the fish readily ingested acidified pellets. The toughness of the tunic of all five ascidian species was evaluated by measuring the Force (N) required to penetrate the tunic using a penetrometer. Tunic toughness is likely to explain the lack of palatability of the solitary ascidians Styela plicata and Molgula occidentalis as their tunics required a force of > 34 N to penetrate. Tunic toughness may be a particularly effective adaptation for ascidian defense in seagrass habitats where fish with strong crushing jaws, such as those that commonly occur in coral reef systems, are rare.
Ab initio search for global minimum structures of neutral and anionic B4H5 clusters. Optical isomerism in B4H5 and B4H5

Abstract Potential energy surfaces of neutral and anionic B 4 H 5 clusters were sampled using the Coalescence Kick method. We found that the neutral B 4 H 5 cluster has two optical isomers as either a global minimum structure, or as almost degenerate isomers with the global minimum structure. For the B 4 H 5 - anion only the third lowest isomer forms a pair of optical isomers. The chemical bonding patterns revealed by the Adaptive Natural Density Partitioning (AdNDP) analysis can easily explain the geometric structure of even very exotic isomers and global minima. Theoretical vertical electron detachment energies (VDEs) were calculated for comparison with future experimental work.
QUEERING OLD TIME RELIGION

Queer theory challenges traditional religions through the efforts of gay/ lesbian/bisexual and transgender (gibt) activists. This look at the US Christian scene from a white, lesbian feminist perspective lifts up several contradictions: sexism in the movements for gibt inclusion; the rigid binary sexual categories that are reinforced by bisexual experience and challenged by transgender experience; the fragmented nature of the work when it is done in rigid parochial categories. Several strategic suggestions are offered that point toward inter-faith work, a reconsideration of gender specificity, especially women's well-being, and a renewed focus on children's religious education as a locus for change.
Continuous coating of alumina particles with alkoxide-derived zirconia particles

Abstract Alumina-zirconia composite powder containing 16wt% ZrO2 was synthesized in a continous-flow reactor from commercial, narrow size-distribution alumina powder and zirconium n-propoxide. Sintered specimens showed a fine-grained, homogeneous microstructure. Preliminary mechanical properties are reported.
Metabolic demands and perceived exertion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Emergency situations often require continuous execution of one-person cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for periods of time in excess of 30 minutes. The limited research which has examined the demands of the procedure has focused on central physiological measures, despite (1) the use of a subjective end-point for termination of CPR (i.e., exhaustion) as stated in professional guidelines, and (2) significant peripheral involvement in the form of muscular exertion, a phenomenon more closely linked to Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) than to central factors. To examine subjective responses to performing CPR, 8 healthy, sedentary subjects [M age = 20.8 (yr.) ± .4; weight (kg) 82.6 ± 7.1; height (cm) 183.7 ± 2.8] reported differentiated Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) following 10 minutes of one-person CPR testing. While metabolic data observed during CPR support previous research suggesting that the energy demands of performing CPR are relatively low, both peripheral and over-all RPE were significant...
1296 STUDIES OF RENAL FUNCTION IN NEONATES WITH HYPERBILIRUBINEMIA

Recent studies have suggested that neonates with hyperbilirubinemia have impaired renal function. In order to study this problem, timed-urine collections and blood samples were obtained initially (I) from 22 neonates with hyperbilirubinemia (mean = 15.1 mg/dl, range = 11.5-19). Follow-up studies (II) were performed (n=18) within 1-12 days, when serum bilirubin was < 10 mg/dl. Study infants (S) were grouped by gestational age (GA) (33-36 or 37-42 wks) and postnatal age (PN) and results were compared between sequential studies in the same infant and with those obtained in age-matched controls (C), (n=29). There were no significant differences between S and C infants for fractional urine flow rate (V/G FR), fluid intake, or changes in body weight. Results of creatinine clearance (CCR) and fractional reabsorption of sodium (TNa) and β2 M (TBeta;2M) were: There were no significant differences between S and C infants or in paired studies for individual infants. No evidence of bilirubin nephrotoxicity as assessed by CCR, TNa, and Tβ2M was observed in these infants.
Increased iron absorption without increase in the rate of erythropoiesis.

IT is generally agreed that under normal conditions in man the total body iron is maintained at a relatively constant level by some mechanism which regulates the amount of iron absorbed from the gastro-intestinal tract. Apart from manipulating intra-luminal conditions within the intestine, numerous experimental conditions are known which increase iron absorption and which have in common an accelerated erythropoietic rate. These include anoxic hypoxia1, cobalt administration2, erythropoietin administration (Mendel, G. A., unpublished observations), pyridoxine deficiency3, acetyl phenylhydrazine induced haemolytic anaemia4 and anaemia induced by loss of blood5. The rate of erythropoiesis has been considered of major importance under ‘physiological’ conditions in regulating iron absorption6,7. In certain disease states, such as haemochromatosis, however, iron absorption may be increased without measurable increase in erythropoietic rate8. It is the purpose of this preliminary communication to report an experimental condition in which gastro-intestinal iron absorption is increased above normal in the virtual absence of erythropoiesis.
HIV in insurgency forces in sub-Saharan Africa — a personal view of policies

The special requirements for HIV-prevention programmes by armed forces or insurgency groups in very poor countries that are in active conflict have not been well described. Customary military programme components include: education on sexually transmitted diseases, condom distribution, and HIV testing. Programmes for these armed forces must address: a command structure that may not prioritize this activity, severe resource and logistical constraints, weak health systems for treating sexually transmitted illness, beliefs in traditional medicines for symptoms of sexually transmitted illness, illiteracy that diminishes the utility of educational pamphlets, rape and sexual bartering by soldiers, battlefield transfusions, tattooing and the co-epidemic of tuberculosis.
The effect of N-(4-diethylamino-2-butynyl)-succinimide (DKJ 21) on oxotremorine induced hypothermia in the rat

Summary The fall in body temperature following administration of oxotremorine to the rat can be antagonized by DKJ 21 injected systemically or into the thermoregulatory centres in the rostral hypothalamus. Since the receptors at which oxotremorine acts to cause a fall in temperature are muscarinic in nature, the findings support the view that DKJ 21 has a specific affinity for central muscarinic receptors.
Displacement and Pressure Transfer Between Structural and Fluid Meshes in Fluid-Structure Interaction

Nonlinear, time-domain hydroelastic analysis of flexible offshore structures requires that the structural motion be transferred to the fluid model and the resulting fluid pressure at the fluid-structure interface be transferred from the fluid model to the structure. When the structural mesh and the fluid mesh describe two distinct three-dimensional surfaces, the transfer of displacement and pressure is both difficult and non-unique. In this paper, a new transfer strategy based on the variational-based smoothing element analysis (SEA) technique is presented. The displacement transfer uses the original formulation of the SEA method, although the application of the procedure to displacement transfer is new. For energy conservation during the reverse pressure transfer, the original functional in the SEA method is enhanced with a new term that attempts to conserve the work done by the hydrodynamic forces when obtaining the global structural nodal forces. To evaluate the transfer methodology, the hydrodynamic response of three rigid bodies are considered. Pressure contours, hydrodynamic coefficients, and motions that are calculated based on the data transferred with the proposed method are compared with the results that are obtained from standard rigid-body hydrodynamics theory that does not include a structural finite element model. The method is shown to work very well. In addition, it has general applicability and it can deal with relatively large geometric differences in the meshes.Copyright © 2003 by ASME