cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Two-Dimensional Matched Filters to X-Ray Radiographic Flaw Detection and Enhancement

Detection and enhancement of low contrast flaws in radiographic images with high noise fields is an ongoing topic of research in nondestructive evaluation. In film radiography, the minimum detectable flaw thickness is controlled by the exposure characteristics and the flaw size in relation to the thickness of the part. The exposure characteristics determine the overall sensitivity and noise level, while the flaw thickness controls the contrast of the flaw image with respect to the background film density. Often it is difficult to generate optimal exposures when inspecting thick objects or complicated part geometries. This can result in noisy images due to the poor counting statistics of the photons as well as optical film densities that are suboptimal for visual interpretation. In addition, flaw contrast is often extremely low due to the flaw size or the poor orientation of crack-like flaws. The goal of the work presented in this paper is to demonstrate the utility of digital image processing using the matched filter for detecting and enhancing flaws in low-contrast, high-noise radiographic images. The basic theory of the matched filter will be presented along with its application to two-dimensional images, In addition several practical examples will be shown on simulated and real radiographs.
Biology Of Sodium-Absorbing Epithelial Cells: Dawning of a New Era

The sections in this article are: 1 Background 1.1 Birth of Modern Era of Epitheliology 1.2 Extensions and Modifications of Original Koefoed-Johnsen—Ussing Model 1.3 Regulation of Intracellular Ion Composition and Volume 1.4 Glossary 2 Na+ Transport Pool 2.1 Intracellular Na+ Compartment 2.2 What is the Relation Between Cell Na+ Activity and Na+ Pump Rate? 3 Na+ Pump(S) 3.1 Na+-K+-ATPase 3.2 Na+-ATPase: Is There a Second Na+ Pump? 3.3 Na+-HCO−3 Cotransport Across Basolateral Membranes 3.4 Summary 4 Basolateral Membrane K+ Conductance 4.1 Parallelism Between Rate of Transcellular Na+ Transport and Basolateral Membrane K+ Conductance 4.2 Physiological Utility of Parallelism Between Pump Rate and K+ Conductance of Basolateral Membrane 4.3 What Intracellular Signal(s) is Responsible for Parallelism Between Transcellular Na+ Transport, Pump Rate, and K+ Conductance of Basolateral Membranes? 4.4 Summary 5 Volume Regulation 5.1 Are the Mechanisms Responsible for Pump-Leak Parallelism and Volume Regulatory Decrease Related? 5.2 Is Na+ Pump Rate Affected by Cell Swelling? 5.3 How do Cells “Recognize” an Increase in Volume? 5.4 Summary 6 Regulation of Cell Ca2+ 7 Summary: Toward A “New Biology” of Na+ -Absorbing Epithelial Cells
Trade-offs in antibody repertoires to complex antigens

Pathogens vary in their antigenic complexity. While some pathogens such as measles present a few relatively invariant targets to the immune system, others such as malaria display considerable antigenic diversity. How the immune response copes in the presence of multiple antigens, and whether a trade-off exists between the breadth and efficacy of antibody (Ab)-mediated immune responses, are unsolved problems. We present a theoretical model of affinity maturation of B-cell receptors (BCRs) during a primary infection and examine how variation in the number of accessible antigenic sites alters the Ab repertoire. Naive B cells with randomly generated receptor sequences initiate the germinal centre (GC) reaction. The binding affinity of a BCR to an antigen is quantified via a genotype–phenotype map, based on a random energy landscape, that combines local and distant interactions between residues. In the presence of numerous antigens or epitopes, B-cell clones with different specificities compete for stimulation during rounds of mutation within GCs. We find that the availability of many epitopes reduces the affinity and relative breadth of the Ab repertoire. Despite the stochasticity of somatic hypermutation, patterns of immunodominance are strongly shaped by chance selection of naive B cells with specificities for particular epitopes. Our model provides a mechanistic basis for the diversity of Ab repertoires and the evolutionary advantage of antigenically complex pathogens.
The expansion of religious affiliation: An explanation of the growth of church participation in the United States 1850–1930☆

Abstract This paper focuses on the period in U.S. history that experienced the most rapid rate of increase of church membership—the decades between 1850 and 1930—in order to explain synchronic and diachronic variation in those rates. Using pooled cross-sectional time series analysis, different predictions are derived and tested from theories of secularization/social control, comparative disadvantage, resource mobilization, and pluralism. The effects of spatial diffusion and the momentum of religious tradition also are estimated. Our conclusion is that religious monopoly—not diversity—fuels religious expansion. This finding is bolstered by the complementary result that ethnic homogeneity is also conducive to religious expansion. Together these results highlight the importance for mobilization of religious and ethnocultural dominance in a particular niche.
Historical changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract We reconstructed the historical trends in atmospheric deposition of nitrogen to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, from 1910 to 1995 by compiling data from literature sources, and adjusting the data for geographical and methodological differences. The reconstructed data suggest that NO 3 -N wet deposition to this region increased from a low of 0.9 kg N ha −1 yr −1 in 1925 to a high of approximately 4 kg N ha −1 yr −1 around 1980. The trend in NO 3 -N deposition has remained since the early 1980s at around 3.6 kg N ha −1 yr −1 . In contrast, NH 4 -N wet deposition decreased from more than 4 kg N ha −1 yr −1 in the mid 1920s to about 1.5 kg N ha −1 yr −1 from the late-1940s until today. Emissions of NO x -N in the Cape Cod airshed increased at a rate of 2.1 kg N ha −1 per decade since 1910, a rate that is an order of magnitude higher than NO 3 -N deposition. Estimates of NH 3 emissions to the northeast United States and Canada have decreased slightly throughout the century, but the decrease in reconstructed N-NH 4 + deposition rates does not parallel emissions estimates. The trend in reconstructed total nitrogen deposition suggests an overall increase through the century at a rate of 0.26 kg N ha −1 per decade. This overall increase in deposition may expose coastal forests to rates of nitrogen addition that, if exceeded, could induce nitrogen saturation and increase nitrogen loads to adjoining estuaries.
Shifts of the spherical single-particle levels

Abstract Spherical HFB calculations are reported for a wide range of nuclei using a variety of “realistic” and schematic forces. It is shown that the realistic interactions lead to substantial shifts of the spherical single-particle levels as a function of N and Z, large enough in some cases to change the “magic” numbers away from the line of nuclear stability. A simple force is presented which can simulate these effects.
The quasilinearization method for boundary value problems on time scales

Abstract In this paper, we apply the method of quasilinearization to a family of boundary value problems for second order dynamic equations − y Δ ∇ + q ( t ) y = H ( t , y ) on time scales. The results include a variety of possible cases when H is either convex or a splitting of convex and concave parts and whether lower and upper solutions are of natural form or of natural coupled form.
Measurements of southern swell at Guadalupe Island

Abstract We have obtained some energy spectra of pressure fluctuations on the sea bottom at a depth of 60 fathoms off Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The spectra consist of peaks whose frequency increases by about 10 per cent per day; sequences repeat once every three or four days. The waves come from the southwest quarter, and the distance of generation is estimated at 8000 nautical miles. The signals are attributed to cyclones in the storm belt of the Southern Hemisphere. The earliest arrivals are of the order of 1 mm high and 1 km long. They may have originated in the Indian Ocean and passed just east of New Zealand, or to the west through the Tasman Sea. Later arrivals were generated in the South Pacific. Measurements taken at many other occasions at various localities in the north-east Pacific indicate that this radiation from the Southern Hemisphere is present at all seasons. Apparently it constitutes the principal background in the ocean wave spectrum for the low frequencies under consideration.
Functions of staminate flowers in andromonoecious Pseudocymopterus montanus (Apiaceae, Apioideae)

The pollen donor and pollinator attractor hypotheses are non-exclusive alternative explanations for the functions of the staminate flowers of andromonoecious plants. We tested assumptions and predictions of both hypotheses using the andromonoecious perennial Pseudocymopterus montanus (Apiaceae, Apioideae), in which staminate flowers are approximately one-third as massive as perfect ones and sequentially blooming umbels bear varying proportions of staminate flowers. We confirmed that larger umbels receive more visits than smaller ones. We demonstrated that fluorescent dye is a suitable analog of P. montanus pollen and that larger umbels donate more dye to nearby recipient umbels than do smaller ones. We showed that experimental removal of staminate flowers lowers fruit set only in primary umbels. We used stepwise multiple regressions to examine the effects of staminate flowers on xenogamous pollination, overall (xenogamous and geitonogamous) pollination and fruit set. The regressions revealed significant effects of staminate flowers only for cross pollination of primary umbels. We concluded that in P. montanus, staminate flowers function primarily as pollen donors.
Developmental shift in the selective tidal-stream transport behavior of larvae of the fiddler crab Uca minax (LeConte)

Abstract Following hatching, larvae of the fiddler crab Uca minax (La Conte) are exported from the adult habitat in estuaries to coastal and shelf waters where they undergo development prior to re-entering estuaries as postlarvae (megalopae). Studies of the spatial distribution of both newly hatched zoeae (Stage I) and megalopae indicate they undergo rhythmic vertical migrations associated with the tides for dispersal and unidirectional transport (selective tidal-stream transport) both within estuaries and between estuaries and the nearshore coastal ocean. We tested the hypothesis that U. minax zoeae possess a circatidal rhythm in vertical migration that facilitates offshore transport in ebb tidal flows, while postlarvae (megalopae) return to estuaries using a similar flood-phased endogenous rhythm. We also determined if the expression of the rhythm was influenced by the salinity conditions zoeae and megalopae experience as they transition between low-salinity regions of estuaries and high-salinity coastal waters. Stage I zoeae were collected by holding ovigerous female crabs in the lab until hatching. Megalopae were collected from the plankton and identified to species using molecular techniques (PCR-RFLP). Under constant laboratory conditions, both zoeae and megalopae exhibited endogenous circatidal rhythms in swimming that matched the principal harmonic constituent of the local tides (12.39 ± 0.07 h; X ¯ ± SE). Upward swimming in Stage I zoeae occurred 2.5-4 h after high tide near the time of expected maximum ebb currents in the field. Rhythmic swimming of megalopae occurred slightly earlier in the tide (2.5 ± 0.09 h after high tide; X ¯ ± SE) but was not entirely synchronized with flood currents, as expected. Salinity conditions had no apparent effect on the expression or pattern of the rhythms. Results indicate that this circatidal rhythm forms the behavioral basis of selective tidal-stream transport (STST) in early stage U. minax zoeae, but does not undergo a sufficient phase shift to account for vertical distribution patterns exhibited by megalopae in the field.
Opiate withdrawal: The result of conditioning or physiological mechanisms?

Although it has been suggested that opiate withdrawal responses might be conditioned compensatory responses elicited by drug-associated stimuli, the present results do not support such a view. Withdrawal, as measured by an aversion to a saccharin solution following the termination of morphine administration, occurred independent of the presence of morphine-paired environmental or temporal cues. These results suggest that withdrawal is most likely the result of some physiological mechanism, rather than the result of conditioning.
Induction of the Cholesterol Transporter ABCA1 in Central Nervous System Cells by Liver X Receptor Agonists Increases Secreted Aβ Levels

The expression, function, and regulation of the cholesterol efflux molecule, ABCA1, has been extensively examined in peripheral tissues but only poorly studied in the brain. Brain cholesterol metabolism is of interest because several lines of evidence suggest that elevated cholesterol increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. We found a largely neuronal expression of ABCA1 in normal rat brain by in situ hybridization. ABCA1 message was dramatically up-regulated in neurons and glia in areas of damage by hippocampal AMPA lesion after 3–7 days. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated ABCA1 protein in cultured neuronal and glial cells, and expression was induced by ligands of the nuclear hormone receptors of the retinoid X receptor and liver X receptor family. ABCA1 was induced by treatment with retinoic acid and several oxysterols, including 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol and 24-hydroxycholesterol. Expression of an ABCA1-green fluorescent protein construct in neuroblastoma cells demonstrated fluorescence in perinuclear compartments and on the plasma membrane. Because the Aβ peptide is important in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis, we examined whether ABCA1 induction altered Aβ levels. Treatment of neuroblastoma cells with retinoic acid and 22(R)-hydroxycholesterol caused significant increases in secreted Aβ40 (29%) and Aβ42 (65%). Treatment with a nonsteroidal liver X receptor ligand, TO-901317, similarly increased levels of secreted Aβ40 (25%) and Aβ42 (126%). The increase in secreted Aβ levels was reduced by RNAi blocking of ABCA1 expression. These data suggest that the cholesterol efflux molecule ABCA1 may also be involved in the secretion of the membrane-associated molecule, Aβ.
Dendronization of gold and CdSe/cdS (core–shell) quantum dots with tomalia type, thiol core, functionalized poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrons

Abstract Poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers containing disulfide cores (i.e., cystamine) and possessing carboxylic acid or hydroxyl terminal groups were reduced with dithiothreitol (DTT) to yield single site, thiol core, functionalized PAMAM dendron reagents. These thiol functionalized dendron reagents were used to surface modify (dendronize) both gold nanoparticles, as well as CdSe/CdS (core–shell) quantum dots (QDs). Dendronization involved self-assembly of the focal point thiol functional dendrons at the metal interface of both gold and CdSe/CdS QDs by ligand exchange of protective surfactants used for their synthesis. The synthesis, characterization and preliminary luminescence studies of these new dendritic hybrids are reported.
Low-lying electronic states of nitrosyl cyanide (NCNO): An ab initio MCHF study

Ab initio multiconfiguration Hartree–Fock calculations of the electronic structure of several low‐lying electronic states of nitrosyl cyanide (NCNO) are reported. The essential features of the electronic structure of these states were analyzed to provide a qualitative correlation diagram for the dissociation process NCNO → NC+NO. It is found that the four lowest‐lying states 1,3A′ and 1,3A′ are connected directly to ground state products. Excitation energies and geometrical parameters for these states and for the 2‐ 1A′ and 2‐ 1A′ states are presented. Implications of these findings for NCNO photodissociation processes are discussed.
Infrared characterization of a cascaded arc plasma

Abstract We have constructed a cascaded arc light source and characterized its infrared emission properties. Breaking down Ar gas flowing through the cascaded arc channel forms a wall-stabilized plasma. The properties of the plasma can be adjusted by varying the pressure (1–4 atm) and the current flowing through the arc (15–30 A). The infrared (2000– 10,000 cm −1 ) emission of the cascade arc plasma is measured using a Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. The infrared emission can be used to determine the electron density (ne) and the temperature (T) of the plasma, assuming the plasma is in partial local thermodynamic equilibrium (PLTE). The plasmas at the highest currents and pressures satisfy the assumption of PLTE, while the plasmas at other conditions do not. This enables the calculation of new transition probabilities for the infrared transitions in the Ar plasma. The electron density of the cascaded arc Ar plasma at our operating conditions varies between 2 and 5×10 22 m −3 while the temperature varies between 9500 and 11,500 K.
Optimization of magnetic field sweep and field modulation amplitude for continuous-wave EPR oximetry.

For continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, what settings of magnetic field sweep width and field modulation amplitude yield the best accuracy in estimated linewidth? Statistical bounds on estimation error presented in this work provide practical guidance: set the sweep width and modulation amplitude to 8 and 4 times the half-width half-maximum linewidth, Γ, respectively. For unknown linewidths in the range [Γmin, Γmax] the worst-case estimation error is minimized by using settings designed for Γmax. The analysis assumes a Lorentzian lineshape and a constant modulation amplitude across the extent of the irradiated paramagnetic probe. The analytical guidelines are validated using L-band spectroscopy with a particulate LiNc-BuO probe.
Reinforcement delay of one second severely impairs acquisition of brain self-stimulation

The effect of delayed reinforcement on the acquisition of lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation was investigated. Brain stimulation reinforcement minimizes cues associated with reinforcement delivery (secondary reinforcement) and, by eliminating consummatory responses, permits precise temporal control of the interval between the operant response and reinforcement. Different groups were trained in daily 1-h sessions for brain stimulation reinforcement at one of 4 delay intervals (1, 2, 3 or 6 s). Responses made during the delay interval were not reinforced and reset the delay timer. Control groups (IMMEDIATE) were reinforced immediately, but were required to space responses — according to a delayed reinforcement of low rates (DRL) schedule — for an interval corresponding to one of the delay of reinforcement intervals. The DRL schedule equalized opportunities for reinforcement and non-reinforcement. At all intervals, rats trained with delayed reinforcement had significantly lower bar-press rates than controls trained with immediate reinforcement under DRL. When reinforcement schedules were switched (DELAY groups now get IMMEDIATE and vice versa), response rates rapidly shifted to levels appropriate to the new schedule. The pre-switch results indicate that delays even as short as 1 s markedly impede the acquisition of self-stimulation behavior. The post-switch results suggest that delay of reinforcement, like stimulation intensity, may determine the strength of hypothalamic reinforcement and hence final levels of performance.
Bakunin's Confession

In 1849 Bakunin was arrested and tried by the Saxon authorities for his participation in the uprising of Dresden; in 1850 he was sentenced to death. The sentence, however, was not executed because the Saxon authorities agreed to surrender him to the Austrians who sought him for his participation in the Czech revolt of 1848. Again he was tried, and in 1851 sentenced to death. This time the sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life. The commutation was a formality for it had been decided in advance that on the day of the sentence he would be transported to the Russian border and handed over to the Russian authorities. In Russia, Bakunin had already been sentenced in absentia to loss of the privileges of nobility and to hard labor for life in Siberia when, in 1844, he refused to obey an order to return to Russia. Hence, in 1851, Bakunin was not tried by the Russian authorities but was simply imprisoned in the Peter-Paul fortress, in execution of the earlier sentence. In the fortress, at first, nothing happened; Bakunin waited in vain for his deportation to Siberia. After two months the door of his cell opened, and he received a call from Count Orlov, aide-de-camp to the Tsar and chief of the Third Section. The caller informed Bakunin that he was sent by the Tsar personally, and was ordered to invite him to write a confession of his sins to the Tsar. "Tell him," the Tsar had ordered, "that he shall write to me like a spiritual son to his spiritual father." Bakunin accepted the invitation; the result is the Confession.'
U.S. Grand Strategy Following the George W. Bush Presidency

Debates over U.S. grand strategy have devoted a disproportionate level of attention to the War on Terror itself rather than the evolving strategic environment. Challenges including an impending shift in the balance of power, structural deficits, and divided public opinion will significantly impact the policy options available to government leaders, but they have not been adequately addressed. This article analyzes the options available for U.S. grand strategy following the George W. Bush presidency by relating key U.S. national interests with domestic and international policy constraints on the horizon. The analysis concludes that the United States must adopt a defensive grand strategy to rebuild popular consensus, to prevent further strain on the military, and to consolidate its gains in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, this strategy will require flexible coalitions, not formal international organizations, because of a significant divergence of security interests and capabilities with its European allies.
A brave New World: Virtual Grand Rounds in Dermatology.

Two dermatologist friends, widely separated by geography, had the dream to build a virtual grand rounds that could connect colleagues around the world for diagnostic and therapeutic suggestions as well a intellectual stimulation. They recrulted 2 students and constructed the site over a summer vacation. Virtual Grand Rounds in Dermatology is a prototype for what can be launched by nonacademic practitioners with few resources. We envision Virtual Grand Rounds in Dermatology as a service to dermatologists who practice at a remove from university hospitals and tertiary referral centers, as well as to others who wish to collaborate with colleagues distributed over a wide geographical net. For us, this has been a voyage into a brave new world with many exciting vistas. It can be accessed online: http://www.vgrd.org.
Text Integration and Mathematical Connections: A Computer Model of Arithmetic Word Problem Solving

Understanding arithmetic word problems involves a complex interaction of text comprehension and mathematical processes. This article presents a computer simulation designed to capture the working memory demands required in “bottomup” comprehension of arithmetic word problems. The simulation's sentence-level parser and text integration component reflect the importance of processing the problem from its original natural language presentation. Children's probability of solution was analyzed in exploratory regression analyses as a function of the simulation's sentence-level and text integration processes. Working memory variables measuring the combined effects of concepts to remember and text integration inferences account for a significant proportion of variance in children's solution probabilities across the first four grade levels (K-3). Consistent with previous results from others, which highlighted the significance of small changes in problem wording, the simulation offers a process-oriented perspective as to why natural language presentation constrains the comprehension of mathematical relationships.
Enabling Disaster Early Warning via a Configurable Data Collection Framework and Real-time Analytics

The detection and prediction of natural catastrophes or man-made disasters before they occur has recently shone the light on several relatively new technologies. Due to the significant development of mobile hardware and software technologies, a smartphone has become an important device for detecting and warning about such disasters. Specifically, disaster-related data can be collected from diverse sources including smartphones' sensors and social networks, and then the collected data are further analyzed to detect disasters and alert people about them. These collective data enable a user to have access to a variety of essential information related to disaster events. Using the example of a communicable disease outbreak, such information helps to identify and detect the ground zero of a disaster, as well as make sense of the means of transmission, progress, and patterns of the disaster. In this paper, we discuss a novel approach for analyzing and interacting with collective sensor data in a visual, real-time, and scalable fashion, offering diverse perspectives and data management components.
Comparative effects of organic and inorganic mercury on brain slice respiration and metabolism.

—Respiration and carbohydrate metabolism were measured in guinea-pig brain slices exposed to organic and inorganic mercury. Organic mercury decreased oxygen uptake and 14CO2 production at consistently lower concentrations than inorganic mercury. Organic mercury also caused a striking elevation of pyruvate and lactate at low doses where inorganic mercury had no effect on respiration or metabolism. A unique inhibition of tricarboxylic acid cycle function is suggested and might partially explain the distinctive neurotoxicity of organic mercury.
The Effects of Different Silane Crosslinking Approaches on Composites of Polyethylene Blends and Wood Flour

Though silane chemistry has been used to crosslink unfilled polyethylene for many years, such cross- linking has only been recently applied to wood plastic composites to improve properties such as creep resistance. However, the presence of wood significantly changes the silane chemistry and a greater understanding is necessary for optimal processing and performance. We investigated three different approaches of adding silane and peroxide during reactive extrusion of wood-plastic composites were investigated and compared to their unfilled counterparts. Up to 2 grams of a 20:1 solution of vinyltrimethoxysilane and dicumyl peroxide by weight were added per 100 grams of plastic. Low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, and a blend of the two were investigated as matrices in composites containing approximately 25% wood flour. The unfilled plastics crosslinked efficiently and little premature crosslinking occurred during process- ing. Though only modest improvements in tensile strengths were found in unfilled plastics, the notched Izod impact energy of unfilled HDPE improved nearly 600% when crosslinked. Unlike the unfilled plastics, most of the crosslinking of the composites occurred during processing. This resulted in high viscosities and processing difficulties, negating some of the advantages of a separate crosslinking step and limiting the amount of crosslinking possible. Some reinforcement of the plastics by the wood flour was achieved when sufficient crosslinking solution was added. Adding crosslinking solution also and greatly increased reverse-notched impact energies. The differences between the approaches for preparing the crosslinked composites appeared to largely be a matter of efficiency in terms of the amount of crosslinking solution required to affect processing and performance. The most efficient approach was a two-step procedure where the silane was first grafted to the plastic and then wood flour was com- pounded with the grafted silane in a second step. Published 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 2292-2303, 2011
The COX-2 inhibitors--an update.

The Multinational Etoricoxib and Diclofenac Arthritis Long-term (MEDAL) Program presented in this issue of the Journal is an effort to clarify the role of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patient care. Knowledge about the balance between benefit (pain control) and harm (increased risk of serious cardiovascular events) is not well established for any of the marketed selective and nonselective NSAIDs. The objective of this commentary is to review briefly the outcome of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hearing in February 2005 and the subsequent actions taken, comment on the new safety data on celecoxib, and finally discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the MEDAL Program.
Electron Microprobe and Microhardness Studies of Enamel Remineralization

Enamel samples were demineralized and subsequently remineralized in a calcifying solution. Microhardness, which dropped after acid etching, recovered its hardness in part after remineralization. The mean calcium and phosphorus concentrations of the softened enamel increased after remineralization. The Ca/P weight ratio remained within the range of 2.05 to 2.12 in all enamel samples.
Pulsed-Dye Laser Treatment of Leg Telangiectasia: With and Without Simultaneous Sclerotherapy

Thirty consecutive female patients with red leg telangiectasia less than 0.2 mm in diameter were treated with a Candela SPTL-1 Pulsed Dye Laser (PDL) tuned to 585 nm with a pulse duration of 450 microseconds at energies ranging from 6.0 to 8.5 J/cm2 delivered through a 5-mm spot size to the entire length of the telangiectasia. Seven patients with 25 patches of telangiectatic matting after previous sclerotherapy were also treated. Twenty-seven patients with symmetrical telangiectatic patches or a large "starburst" telangiectatic flair that could be divided into two separate treatment sites were treated at one site with PDL alone, and at the other site with a combination of PDL followed immediately by sclerotherapy (SCL) with Polidocanol 0.1-0.25 ml per injection site at a concentration of either 0.25%, 0.5%, or 0.75%. PDL treatment is efficacious for both essential telangiectasia and vessels that arise through the phenomena of telangiectatic matting. Sixty-five percent of vessels are completely faded with treatment. PDL alone has a remarkably low incidence of adverse sequelae. Treatment is most efficacious if all vessels larger than 0.2 mm in diameter, especially varicose and reticular feeding veins, are treated first. Treatment results are not affected by vessel location. And post-treatment compression of this type of vessel appears unnecessary. Combination PDL/SCL treatment appears to offer no advantage to sclerotherapy treatment alone and has a significant degree of complications when treatment is limited to red telangiectasia less than 0.2 mm in diameter with the laser parameters utilized.
Redefining Tenure: Tradition Versus the New Political Economy of Higher Education

This article investigates the problems that confront academe and suggests that faculty work has changed so profoundly in recent years that tenure is no longer sufficient and/or necessary. The autho...
Quantitation of cytokine levels in skin graft donor site wound fluid

We quantified endogenous levels of multiple cytokines in skin graft donor site wounds in patients with small to moderate-sized burn injuries. Thirteen patients aged 11 months to 61 years with mean TBSA burn of 4 +/- 1 per cent underwent placement of occlusive wound dressings on partial skin thickness donor site wounds. Fluid was aspirated from beneath the dressing on postoperative day 1 and every subsequent 24 h until no further fluid could be obtained. Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic-fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) were measured by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). We found substantial levels of EGF and TNF-alpha in the donor site wound fluid in all 13 patients; detectable levels of bFGF in five patients; and elevated levels of IL-1 in three patients. There were no detectable levels of these cytokines in normal human serum. In contrast, there were no measurable levels of PDGF in any patient's wound fluid; the mean level in serum was 1.5 ng/ml +/- 0.2 s.e.m. Studies of cytokines in the normal wound healing environment may help in the design of future therapies to augment wound healing.
Transmural gradients in Na/K pump activity and [Na+]i in canine ventricle

There are well-documented differences in ion channel activity and action potential shape between epicardial (EPI), midmyocardial (MID), and endocardial (ENDO) ventricular myocytes. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist in Na/K pump activity. The whole cell patch-clamp was used to measure Na/K pump current (IP) and inward background Na+-current (Iinb) in cells isolated from canine left ventricle. All currents were normalized to membrane capacitance. IP was measured as the current blocked by a saturating concentration of dihydro-ouabain. [Na+]i was measured using SBFI-AM. IP(ENDO) (0.34 ± 0.04 pA/pF, n = 17) was smaller than IP(EPI) (0.68 ± 0.09 pA/pF, n = 38); the ratio was 0.50 with IP(MID) being intermediate (0.53 ± 0.13 pA/pF, n = 19). The dependence of IP on [Na+]i or voltage was essentially identical in EPI and ENDO (half-maximal activation at 9–10 mM [Na+]i or ∼−90 mV). Increasing [K+]o from 5.4 to 15 mM caused both IP(ENDO) and IP(EPI) to increase, but the ratio remained ∼0.5. Iinb in EPI and ENDO were nearly identical (∼0.6 pA/pF). Physiological [Na+]i was lower in EPI (7 ± 2 mM, n = 31) than ENDO (12 ± 3 mM, n = 29), with MID being intermediate (9 ± 3 mM, n = 22). When cells were paced at 2 Hz, [Na+]i increased but the differences persisted (ENDO 14 ± 3 mM, n = 10; EPI 9 ± 2 mM, n = 10; and MID intermediate, 11 ± 2 mM, n = 9). Based on these results, the larger IP in EPI appears to reflect a higher maximum turnover rate, which implies either a larger number of active pumps or a higher turnover rate per pump protein. The transmural gradient in [Na+]i means physiological IP is approximately uniform across the ventricular wall, whereas transporters that utilize the transmembrane electrochemical gradient for Na+, such as Na/Ca exchange, have a larger driving force in EPI than ENDO.
Performance of the National Meteorological Center's Medium-Range Model

Abstract The operational model used to generate medium-range forecasts at the National Meteorological Center (NMC) has undergone significant changes in the last few years, resulting in considerable improvement in the skill of its forecasts. The introduction of interactive clouds in late 1988 significantly reduced a cold bias present in model forecasts since April 1985. Model errors during recent Northern Hemisphere summers appear linked to thermal forcing, causing temperatures and upper tropospheric heights over cooler ocean areas to be too low, and heights over the western United States to be too high.
Large DC Magnet Power Supplies at SLAC

Currently a total of six dc magnet power supplies, ranging in size from 1.6 MW to 6.0 MW are in operation at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Five of these supplies are static converters, using step-down transformers and thyristors, while the sixth one is a two-unit motor-generator set. Certain design criteria have evolved, dictated by specific needs at SLAC and by operating experience obtained over the three-year period during which this equipment was installed. Primary power distribution is at 12.47 kV. Vacuum switches in place of circuit breakers incorporating special protective equipment to prevent complications have been successfully used to do the frequent switching required by the loads. Provisions have been made to permit reconnection of the output for use with the various loads. All static converters use oil-filled transformers, most of which are of special design. Twelve-pulse rectifier systems using SCR's are employed throughout, and are operated in such a way that in at least one case the inherently poor power factor of phase-controlled converters can be improved.
Native American disease history: past, present and future directions

Infectious disease introduction in the Americas has been approached in historical, not biological, terms. We believe that this historical focus has limited scholarly understanding of Native American disease experience, past and present. Our goal is to link disease contact and contemporary Native American biology. We review the historical debates, and argue that advances in evolutionary theory and molecular genetics should be incorporated into models and descriptions of Native American disease history. Our discussion highlights the model of infectious disease evolution and host-pathogen interactions in terms of the classic division between host, parasite and environment. We reference specific infectious diseases throughout and examine the question of New World tuberculosis in detail. We are hopeful that our discussion will result in new directions for investigation of disease history in the Americas.
Acupuncture Therapy for Prevention of Emergence Delirium in Children Undergoing General Anesthesia

ABSTRACT Background: Emergence delirium may be experienced by 12%–50% of children undergoing general anesthesia. Pharmacological interventions used for management of emergence delirium may result in sedation and longer recovery time from anesthesia. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for prevention of emergence delirium. Design, Setting, and Patients: A retrospective review of the Seattle Children's Hospital anesthesiology department acupuncture database of children diagnosed with emergence delirium after general anesthesia who had acupuncture therapy with needle stimulation at SP 6, HT 7, LR 3, and magnets at ear Shenmen area in a subsequent anesthetic for the same procedure. Patients undergoing different anesthetic techniques or different procedures were excluded. The database included cases from July 2004 to January 2006. Main Outcome Measures: Symptoms of emergence delirium Results: Twelve patients, aged 2 to 17 years (median, 4 years), 58% males, were included. The most c...
Response to Steven M. Cohen’s Marshall Sklare Lecture, AJS 2010

This brief response focuses on Steven Cohen’s contributions to the field, supports his focus on the opposition between Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews, and argues for less of a focus on intermarriage.
Cortical responsiveness during talking and listening in schizophrenia: an event-related brain potential study.

Abstract Background: Failures to recognize inner speech as self-generated may underlie positive symptoms of schizophrenia-like auditory hallucinations. This could result from a faulty comparison in auditory cortex between speech-related corollary discharge and reafferent discharges from thinking or speaking, with misattribution of internal thoughts to external sources. Although compelling, failures to monitor covert speech (thoughts) are not as amenable to investigation as failures to monitor overt speech (talking). Methods: Effects of talking on auditory cortex responsiveness were assessed in 10 healthy adults and 12 patients with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) using N1 event-related potentials (ERPs) to acoustic and visual probes during talking aloud, listening to one’s speech played back, and silent baseline. Trials contaminated by muscle artifact while talking were excluded. Results: Talking and listening affected N1 to acoustic but not to visual probes, reflecting modality specificity of effects. Patterns of responses to acoustic probes differed between control subjects and patients. N1 to acoustic probes was reduced during talking compared with baseline in control subjects, but not in patients. Listening reduced N1 equivalently in both groups. Conclusions: Although the failure of N1 to be reduced during talking was not related to current hallucinations in patients, it may be related to the potential to hallucinate.
On the Response of Halogen Occultation Experiment (Haloe) Stratospheric Oxone and Temperature to the 11-Yr Solar Cycle Forcing

Results are presented on responses in 14-yr time series of stratospheric ozone and temperature from the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE) of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) to a solar cycle (SC-like) variation. The ozone time series are for ten, 20-degree wide, latitude bins from 45S to 45N and for thirteen "half-Umkehr" layers of about 2.5 km thickness and extending from 63 hPa to 0.7 hPa. The temperature time series analyses were restricted to pressure levels in the range of 2 hPa to 0.7 hPa. Multiple linear regression (MLR) techniques were applied to each of the 130 time series of zonally-averaged, sunrise plus sunset ozone points over that latitude/pressure domain. A simple, 11-yr periodic term and a linear trend term were added to the final MLR models after their seasonal and interannual terms had been determined. Where the amplitudes of the 11-yr terms were significant, they were in-phase with those of the more standard proxies for the solar uv-flux. The max minus min response for ozone is of order 2 to 3% from about 2 to 5 hPa and for the latitudes of 45S to 45N. There is also a significant max minus min response of order 1 K for temperature between 15S and 15N and from 2 to 0.7 hPa. The associated linear trends for ozone are near zero in the upper stratosphere. Negative ozone trends of 4 to 6%/decade were found at 10 to 20 hPa across the low to middle latitudes of both hemispheres. It is concluded that the analyzed responses from the HALOE data are of good quality and can be used to evaluate the responses of climate/chemistry models to a solar cycle forcing.
The Politics of Personal Knowledge

(1987). The Politics of Personal Knowledge. Curriculum Inquiry: Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 319-329.
Nystagmic Coriolis reaction in the cat. I. Preliminary report.

A series of cats with normal ears and with unilateral labyrinthectomy were exposed to Coriolis acceleration by simultaneous rotations of constant angular velocity about a vertical and horizontal axis. In both sets of animals, the results were in agreement with predictions formulated by the labyrinthine kinematics of Coriolis acceleration. The recordings showed that in both horizontal and vertical leads two reversals in the direction of nystagmus occurred for each oscillation of the Coriolis acceleration. The infra-red films demonstrated that the direction of nystagmus changed orderly for each oscillation of Coriolis acceleration. A phase difference between this oscillation and reversals of nystagmus was found. The phase difference was shifted as a function of angular velocity about the horizontal axis.
Measuring cycle time of the global procurement process

Abstract While the reduction of cycle time in organizational processes is directly associated with improved performance, quality, and customer satisfaction, limited research has been devoted to developing a valid measure of the construct. To enhance cycle time theory and the practical implementation of cycle time reduction in procurement processes, a unidimensional cycle time (CT) scale is developed. The scale is based on a national purification sample and an international reliability and validity sample using the strategic business unit as the level of analysis. The final CT scale exhibits sufficient reliability and validity based on common standards in the marketing literature.
Density dependence of the dielectric constant of rare-gas crystals.

A local-density approximation scheme is proposed to compute, from first principles, the in-crystal polarizabilities of rare-gas atoms. The scheme is applicable to condensed, closed-shell systems in general, ordered or disordered. The method is illustrated by computing the density dependence of the dielectric constant of crystalline Ar. Excellent agreement with experimental results is found.
The Nuclear Envelope of Amoeba proteus During Mitosis as Studied With a Monoclonal Antibody Against a Membrane‐Associated Protein

. The behavior of nuclear envelopes during mitosis in Amoeba proteus was studied by means of indirect immunofluo-rescence staining using a monoclonal antibody against a 220-kD membrane-associated protein of amoebae in conjunction with DAPI staining of chromatin. The antibody selectively recognized antigens on nuclear envelopes during interphase but did not react with the nuclear membranes during mitosis until after cytokinesis had been completed. Thus, it appeared that the membrane-associated protein reacting with the monoclonal antibody and normally present on the nuclear membranes was absent from fragmented nuclear membranes or nuclear membranes that were continuous but did not have the honey-comb lamina. The findings suggested that the 220-kD nuclear-membrane protein may be involved in the dissolution and reformation of the honey-comb lamina during mitosis in amoebae.
Determination of Subcoal Strata Strength Using Ultrasonic Testing

This paper explains the correlation between shear strength and ultrasonic wave velocities, of a subcoal strata. Core samples from eleven coal mine floor borings were tested for their strength and ultrasonic properties. The results of the ultrasonic testing were compared with the shear strength values determined from undrained triaxial, and unconfined compression strength tests. 18 refs.
Volatile seed germination inhibitors from plant residues

Volatile emissions from residues of the winter cover legumes, Berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.), hairy vetch [Vicia hirsuta (L.) S.F. Gray], and crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), inhibited germination and seedling development of onion, carrot, and tomato. Using GC-MS, 31 C2-C10 hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, furans, and monoterpenes were identified in these residue emission mixtures. Mixtures of similar compounds were found in the volatiles released by herbicide-treated aerial and root residues of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) and the late-season woody stems and roots of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Vapor-phase onion, carrot, and tomato seed germination bioassays were used to determine the time- and concentration-dependent inhibition potential of 33 compounds that were either identified in the plant residue emissions or were structurally similar to identified compounds. Cumulative results of the bioassays showed that (E)-2-hexenal was the most inhibitory volatile tested, followed by nonanal, 3-methylbutanal, and ethyl 2-methylbutyrate. All the volatile mixtures examined contained at least one compound that greatly inhibited seed germination.
Serial Hemodynamics During Intra-aortic Balloon Counterpulsation for Cardiogenic Shock

The use of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) has achieved some success in the treatment of cardiogenic shock, but there has been little objective documentation of the serial hemodynamic effects of counterpulsation in man. Six patients who satisfied strict criteria for refractory cardiogenic shock were treated with IABC. The following determinations were made serially: systemic blood pressure (BP), pulmonary artery pressures (PAP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAW), cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), and A-VO2 difference. The average duration of balloon assist was 5.8 days (range 1.5 to 21 days). There was immediate improvement in all patients in that pressors could be maintained at lower levels. Although mean systolic BP did not change significantly from control values, augmented diastolic BP was maintained between 112 and 120 mm Hg. Initially, there were significant decreases in mean PAP (–13.4 mm Hg, P < 0.02), mean PAW (–10 mm Hg, P < 0.01), and A-VO2 difference (–2.12 ml/100...
Extrasolar planets: a neptunian triplet.

Three planets of Neptune mass have been discovered orbiting a Sun-like star known to have an asteroid belt. Exquisite measurements suggest that the search for habitable planets might be easier than assumed.