cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Aggregate Surface Energy Using the Universal Sorption Device

Moisture damage in asphalt concrete pavements is a major cause for high maintenance costs of state and federal highways. Moisture damage in asphalt concrete is largely due to loss of adhesion between bitumen and aggregate, and loss of cohesive strength in the mastic (bitumen and mineral filler). Surface energy components of bitumen and aggregate are used to calculate their interfacial bond strength and effectively quantify moisture susceptibility of asphalt concrete mixes. This technology has several advantages over conventional mechanical tests currently being used to identify moisture susceptible mixes. However, accurate surface energy characterization of bitumen and aggregate is the key element to calculate interfacial bond strengths. This paper presents development of a sorption based method to measure specific surface area and surface energy components of aggregate. Measured surface energy components and precision statements are presented for five aggregates. The paper also illustrates application of bond strengths calculated from surface energy components of aggregate and bitumen in the selection process of compatible pairs of aggregate and bitumen to produce a durable mix.
Colloid stability in vadose zone Hanford sediments.

We experimentally determined colloid stability of natural colloids extracted from vadose zone sediments from the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Reservation. We also used reference minerals, kaolinite, montmorillonite, and silica, for comparative purposes. Colloid stability was assessed with two different methods: the batch turbidity method and dynamic light scattering. Critical coagulation concentra tions (CCCs) were determined for pure Na and pure Ca electrolyte solutions, as well for mimicked Hanford vadose zone pore waters with varying sodium adsorption ratios (SARs). Critical coagulation concentrations obtained from the batch turbidity method were sensitive to initial colloid mass concentrations, settling time, and CCC criteria. The lower the initial colloid concentration and the shorter the settling times were, the larger was the CCC. The CCCs determined from the dynamic light scattering, where diluted colloidal suspensions are used, were not dependent on settling time and arbitrary CCC criteri...
Beneath a Modern Sky: Space Technology and Its Place on the Ground

In delineating a trajectory of human history, anthropology and other social sciences have tended to describe traditional life in particular geographic terms while leaving modem experience universal...
Bolstering the case for lobectomy in stages I, II, and IIIA small-cell lung cancer using the National Cancer Data Base.

Introduction Current therapy for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) relies on chemoradiation therapy, and the role of primary surgical resection in these patients remains controversial. A minority of SCLC patients present without metastatic disease and are candidates for surgery. This study investigates the role of surgical resection in select patients with SCLC, using a national cohort of approximately 2500 resected patients. Methods A retrospective study of SCLC patients in the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) was performed where patients were grouped for comparison by stage and treatment regimen. Survival was estimated by Kaplan–Meier methods and multivariate comparisons using Cox regression. Results Of 28,621 cases of potentially resectable SCLC, 2476 patients (9%) underwent surgery of the primary site with curative intent. Five-year overall survival for patients after resection was 51%, 25%, and 18% for clinical stages I, II, and IIIA, respectively. Addition of surgery to chemotherapy was associated with decreased likelihood of death (hazard ratio: 0.57, 95% confidence interval: 0.47–0.68), independent of age, stage, and comorbidity score. Lobectomy was associated with a 5-year overall survival of 40% compared with 21% and 22% for sublobar resection and pneumonectomy, respectively. Hazard ratio for death after sublobar resections compared with lobectomy was 1.38 (95% confidence interval: 1.12–1.71). Conclusions Patients with stages I, II, and III SCLC, who underwent surgical resection as part of initial treatment with chemotherapy had respectable OS. These data may warrant prospective studies of including surgery in the multimodality treatment of SCLC in specific circumstances.
Tillage alters root distribution in a mature asparagus planting.

Abstract Only a limited number of studies have been conducted on the root growth of asparagus. Soil cores from six sample depths (0.15, 0.3, 0.45, 0.6, 0.75, and 0.9 m) in two tillage systems (till and no-till) were separated into fibrous (Fi) and fleshy (Fl) roots and root length density (RLD) determined. Harvest dates for roots began on 22 March and continued at three-week intervals until 8 November. Since analysis of variance was unable to identify significant tillage system by harvest date by sample depth interaction, the data were re-analyzed using the additive main effects and multiplicative interactions (AMMI) statistical model. AMMI identified significant interactions between tillage dates (tillage systems by harvest dates) and sample depth for Fi-RLD and Fl-RLD. Fi- and Fl-RLD increased in all depths before spear harvest in March and April, decreased during the spear harvest period of May to June, then increased after fern establishment in July before declining late in the growing season. Regardless of sample depth or harvest date, RLD for fibrous and fleshy roots were greater in no-till than till. RLD were greatest in the 0.3 and 0.45 m depths and tended to decrease as depth increased for both tillage systems. In general, RLD were greater for fibrous compared to fleshy roots in all depths. A better understanding of the changes in root growth may be useful for improving asparagus yields through better crop management.
Krüppel-like factor 4 (gut-enriched Krüppel-like factor) inhibits cell proliferation by blocking G1/S progression of the cell cycle.

Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is an epithelial cell-enriched, zinc finger-containing transcription factor, the expression of which is associated with growth arrest. Previous studies show that constitutive expression of KLF4 inhibits DNA synthesis but the manner by which KLF4 exerts this effect is unclear. In the present study, we developed a system in which expression of KLF4 is controlled by a promoter that is induced upon treatment of cells containing the receptors for the insect hormone, ecdysone, with ponasterone A, an ecdysone analogue. The rate of proliferation of a stably transfected colon cancer cell line, RKO, was significantly decreased following addition of ponasterone A when compared with untreated cells. Flow cytometric analyses indicated that the inducible expression of KLF4 caused a block in the G(1)/S phase of the cell cycle. A similar block was observed when ecdysone receptor-containing RKO cells were infected with a replication-defective recombinant adenovirus containing an inducible KLF4 and treated with ponasterone A. Results of these studies provide evidence that the inhibitory effect of KLF4 on cell proliferation is mainly exerted at the G(1)/S boundary of the cell cycle.
ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION OF CALCAREOUS FINES ON THE CAROLINA CONTINENTAL SHELF

The fine carbonate fraction (less than 63 μ in diameter) in 175 sediment samples collected from the Carolina continental margin has been studied. This fraction, generally under 5% of the total sample, averages 43% CaCO3. By comparison, the CaCO3 fraction of the total samples averages only 25%. On the inner shelf, the percentage CaCO3 in the fine fraction is twenty or more times greater than the percentage CaCO3 in the total sample. With increased distance offshore, the percentages of CaCO3 in the fine fraction and the total sample approach equality. Beyond the shelf break the percentage of CaCO3 in the total sample is greater than that in the fines. The CaCO3 faunal components are primarily foraminifera, fragments of foraminifera, mollusc-barnacle fragments and echinoid material. Minor constituents include alcyonarian and tunicate spi-cules, Halimeda and other calcified green algae. Many grains are bored and show solution effects. The coarse carbonate fraction shows distinct regional faunal assemblages, but the fines are essentially uniformly distributed. Two exceptions are a zone of mollusc fragments around Cape Hatteras and a foraminifera zone on a portion of the outer shelf. The average carbonate mineral assemblage consists of 44% low-Mg calcite, 38% aragonite and 18% high-Mg calcite. The principal modes of origin of calcareous fines on the Carolina continental margin are probably biological and physical destruction of coarser particles and primary formation in fine size fraction (as in the case of some foraminifera).
A possible Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanism mediated by norepinephrine in vascular smooth muscle

In vascular smooth muscle, the norepinephrine-sensitive Ca2+ store is distinct from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Under physiological conditions, Ca2+ released from the norepinephrine-sensitive store may induce Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, i.e. norepinephrine mediated activation may involve a Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanism.
Shock interactions with magnetized interstellar clouds. 1: Steady shocks hitting nonradiative clouds

We study the interaction of a steady, planar shock with a nonradiative, spherical, interstellar cloud threaded by a uniform magnetic field. For strong shocks, the sonic Mach number scales out, so two parameters determine the evolution: the ratio of cloud to intercloud density, and the Alfven Mach number. We focus on the case with initial field parallel to the shock velocity, though we also present one model with field perpendicular to the velocity. Even with 100 zones per cloud radius, we find that the magnetic field structure converges only at early times. However, we can draw three conclusions from our work. First, our results suggest that the inclusion of a field in equipartition with the preshock medium can prevent the complete destruction of the cloud found in the field-free case recently considered by Klein, McKee, & Colella. Second, the interaction of the shock with the cloud can amplify the magnetic field in some regions up to equipartition with the post-shock thermal pressure. In the parallel-field case, the shock preferentially amplifies the parallel component of the field, creating a 'flux rope,' a linear structure of concentrated magnetic field. The flux rope dominates the volume of amplified field, so that laminar, rather than turbulent, amplification is dominant in this case. Third, the presence of the cloud enhances the production of X-ray and synchrotron emission. The X-ray emission peaks early, during the initial passage of the shock over the cloud, while the synchrotron emission peaks later, when the flow sweeps magnetic field onto the axis between the cloud and the main shock.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray and optical spectroscopic characterization of the photochemical reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides strain 2.4.1☆

Abstract The photochemical reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides 2.4.1 has been crystallized. The crystals were obtained in a solution of β-octylglucoside by the vapor diffusion technique using polyethylene glycol 4000 as the precipitant at 22 °C. The orthorhombic crystals (space group P212121) have cell constants a = 142.5 A , b = 136.1 a A , c = 78.5 A , and diffract to 3.7 A. The crystals display pronounced linear dichroism in the carotenoid absorption spectral region.
SU‐C‐217A‐02: An Effective Dose Monitoring Program for Computed Radiography

Purpose: To develop a method for determining the effective dose to patients undergoing computed radiography examinations and incorporating this method into an automated dose monitoring program. Methods:Images from computed radiography exams were pulled from PACS to get dicom header information. Exposure indicator values were converted to plate exposure using vendor specified relationships between exposure indicator and plate exposure. Plate exposure was converted to patient entrance skin exposure through experimentally determined transmission factors. Transmission factors were determined by placing an ion chamber 40 inches from the x‐ray source with a grid directly in front of the ion chamber and lucite directly in front of the grid. This was repeated for different lucite thickness (15.7cm, 20.3cm, 24.7cm, 30.3cm, and 34.5cm), kVp (60, 80, 100, 120), field size (5×5, 10×10, and 14×14 in.), and grid ratio (none, 8:1, and 12:1). These data were fit to a surface using the following equation for each grid ratio and field size: TF=(C1*‐kVp—2+C2*kVp+C0)*e(−C4*thickness) This equation was used to calculate transmission factors for patient exams using assumed kVp and thickness. Patient entrance skin exposure was converted to effective dose through Monte Carlo simulations through PCXMC using kVp and patient thickness typical of each exam for average adults. Results: Examination of patient dose for different scans shows wide variability in the amount of radiation dose delivered to patients. For Chest exams, the dose range was from 0.002mSv to 0.3 mSv with a median dose of 0.044mSv. Philips had a median dose of 0.05 1mSv while Carestream had a median dose of 0.033mSv. Conclusions: The results emphasize the importance of monitoring dose for computed radiography. This data can be used to compare dose across vendors, machines, and exam types. We can determine diagnostic reference levels, flag outliers, and potentially optimize image quality.
Interrelations between C4 ketogenesis, C5 ketogenesis, and anaplerosis in the perfused rat liver.

We investigated the interrelations between C4 ketogenesis (production of β-hydroxybutyrate + acetoacetate), C5 ketogenesis (production of β-hydroxypentanoate + β-ketopentanoate), and anaplerosis in isolated rat livers perfused with 13C-labeled octanoate, heptanoate, or propionate. Mass isotopomer analysis of C4 and C5 ketone bodies and of related acyl-CoA esters reveal that C4 and C5 ketogenesis share the same pool of acetyl-CoA. Although the uptake of octanoate and heptanoate by the liver are similar, the rate of C5 ketogenesis from heptanoate is much lower than the rate of C4 ketogenesis from octanoate. This results from the channeling of the propionyl moiety of heptanoate into anaplerosis of the citric acid cycle. C5 ketogenesis from propionate is virtually nil because acetoacyl-CoA thiolase does not favor the formation of β-ketopentanoyl-CoA from propionyl-CoA and acetyl-CoA. Anaplerosis and gluconeogenesis from heptanoate are inhibited by octanoate. The data have implications for the design of diets for the treatment of long chain fatty acid oxidation disorders, such as the triheptanoin-based diet.
Conformational analysis—CXIV : Molecular mechanics studies of sulfoxides

Abstract The conformational characteristics of dimethyl sulfoxide and a number of 6-membered ring sulfoxides have been studied. The thiane, 1,3- and 1,4-dithiane and 1,3,5-trithiane ring systems with various oxide substitutions have been examined. It is found that the chair forms are more stable than the twist or boat in all cases. The energy profiles of the twist-boat manifold are in many cases highly unusual, and quite different from anything so far known experimentally. The axial-equatorial preference of the oxygen is highly variable, depending on the steric and electrostatic interactions found in the particular case.
The Influence of Production Mode on the Recall of Signs in Normal Adult Subjects

Preliminary evidence has suggested that signs produced with contact between the two hands or between the hand and body are learned more readily than signs produced without such contact. Using a paradigm that eliminated the possibly confounding variables of previous studies, the effect of production mode on sign acquisition and recall was investigated with normal young adults. Results indicated that contact signs were acquired more readily than noncontact signs by one of two subject groups. More contact than noncontact signs were produced correctly during recall. Recall at 1 week was equivalent to that at same day for contact signs, but same-day recall was greater than 1-week recall for noncontact signs. Examination of responses that were correct except for a contact/noncontact discrepancy suggested that contact was added more often than it was deleted from signs during recall. These findings are discussed in terms of the role of tactile feedback in learning and memory and their potential application to te...
Hemisphere Differences in Speech-Sound Event-Related Potentials in Intensive Care Neonates: Associations and Predictive Value for Development in Infancy

Neurodevelopmental delays in intensive care neonates are common but difficult to predict. In children, hemisphere differences in cortical processing of speech are predictive of cognitive performance. We hypothesized that hemisphere differences in auditory event-related potentials in intensive care neonates are predictive of neurodevelopment in infancy, even in those born preterm. Event-related potentials to speech sounds were prospectively recorded in 57 infants (gestational age 24-40 weeks) prior to discharge. The Developmental Assessment of Young Children was performed at 6 and 12 months. Hemisphere differences in mean amplitudes increased with postnatal age (P < .01) but not with gestational age. Greater hemisphere differences were associated with improved communication and cognitive scores at 6 and 12 months, but decreased in significance at 12 months after adjusting for socioeconomic and clinical factors. Auditory cortical responses can be used in intensive care neonates to help identify infants at higher risk for delays in infancy.
Differential expression of a senescence‐enhanced metallothionein gene in Arabidopsis in response to isolates of Peronospora parasitica and Pseudomonas syringae

The metallothionein gene, LSC54, shows increased expression during leaf senescence in Brassica napus and Arabidopsis thaliana. A number of abiotic and biotic stresses have been shown to induce senescence-like symptoms in plants and, to investigate this further, the promoter of the LSC54 gene was cloned and fused to the GUS gene and transformed into Arabidopsis. The promoter was highly induced during leaf senescence and also in response to wounding; histochemical analysis indicated that this induction was localised to a few cells close to the wound site. The transgenic Arabidopsis tissue was infected with compatible and incompatible isolates of both the fungal biotroph, Peronospora parasitica and the bacterial necrotroph, Pseudomonas syringae. Incompatible isolates induced rapid cell death (the hypersensitive response) at the site of infection and, with both pathogens, early, localised expression of the GUS gene was observed. In contrast, relatively slow induction of the GUS gene was seen in the compatible interaction and this was correlated with the appearance of senescence-like symptoms in the biotrophic interaction and cell death by necrosis that occurred in response to the necrotrophic pathogen. These results suggest that there are common steps in the signalling pathways that lead to cell death in the hypersensitive response, pathogen induced necrosis and senescence.
QUANTITATIVE BIOGRAPHY: A “CLIOMETRIC” APPROACH TO PRESIDENTIAL STUDIES

Presidential studies are evolving from historical and biographical explorations to more methodologically rigorous ones. Contemporary studies can benefit from a typology of presidential activities that allows us to actually see what presidents do. This paper develops a typology, and uses data from the Eisenhower, Johnson, and Nixon administrations to explore activity. The data largely confirm existing notions about activity and travel, but dispute popular conceptions of presidents being primarily legislators. One advantage of activity data is the ability to explore commonalities across presidencies. For example, support exists for the notion that presidents invest more time in legislative and social activities in election years. Another advantage is the ability to explore empirically presidential-congressional relations. A regression analysis determines that contact with Congress is driven primarily by members' institutional status and secondarily by partisan concerns. There is also some evidence that contact with Congress varies directly with a president's legislative success.
Effects of tetrahydropapaveroline in the nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area on ethanol preference in the rat.

Numerous studies have attempted to identify sites of action in brain that are sensitive to the dopamine-aldehyde condensation product, tetrahydropapaveroline (THP). Recent studies performed by Myers and his co-workers have uncovered diverse sites of action in the brain. The present experiments were based on the hypothesis that the dopamine-aldehyde condensation products would be most reactive at those synapses that were dominated by the parent amine. To test this hypothesis, rats were implanted with bilateral cerebral cannulae in those brain regions that define the rostral-caudal aspects of two major dopaminergic systems: the mesolimbic system and the nigrostriatal system. Following surgery, rats were given single, bilateral injections of 1.0 μg THP. The results suggest that a single injection of THP tends to augment the rat's preference for ethanol, when THP is placed in regions of the brain that correspond to the mesocorticolimbic system which in this study included certain aspects of the posterior hypothalamus. THP did not change the rat's preference for ethanol when the compound was injected into the nigrostriatal system.
Hearing loss and otitis media in velo-cardio-facial syndrome.

Abstract There is an increased prevalence of otitis media and associated hearing loss in patients with isolated cleft or submucous cleft palates, palatal abnormalities which are well known components of velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS). The records of 166 VCFS patients were reviewed for the purpose of documenting the prevalence of middle ear disease and associated conductive hearing loss in patients with VCFS. Patients were divided according to age, type of palatal abnormality and presence or absence of chromosomal deletion using fluorescence hybridization test. Results indicated that the prevalence of middle ear disease in patients with VCFS was 47% and the prevalence of hearing loss was 44%, the majority of which was conductive and due to middle ear disease (74%) and 11% of which was sensorineural. There was no statistical difference between groups using the χ 2 -test with regard to age, type of palatal abnormality and presence of chromosomal deletion. The prevalence of conductive hearing loss secondary to middle ear disease in VCFS is comparable to the prevalence found in isolated cases of cleft palate.
The Usability of Print and Online Video Instructions

This study investigates the usability of print and online video instructions for computer tasks. Usability tests, comprehension tests, and questionnaires were collected from participants, and 4 areas of usability were analyzed: effectiveness, retention, satisfaction, and preference. Findings show marginal differences between the 2 mediums, except in terms of user satisfaction and instruction length. This research helps technical communicators better understand the affordances, or potentials and limitations, of print and video instructions.
Mycobiont overlap between two mycoheterotrophic genera of Monotropoideae (Pterospora andromedea and Sarcodes sanguinea) found in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Pterospora andromedea, a mycoheterotroph, has been shown to form obligate symbioses with only three species of Rhizopogon in section Amylopogon: R. salebrosus, R. arctostaphyli and an undescribed molecular taxon. Sarcodes sanguinea, another my coheterotroph in Ericaceae, and sister taxon to Pterospora andromedea, has been found to form symbioses with two species of Rhizopogon in section Amylopogon: R. ellenae and R. subpurpurascens. To date no overlap has been recorded between these two achlorophyllous plants and their associated mycobionts. Tissue from Pterospora andromedea rootballs and Rhizopogon spp. basidiocarps were collected from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The mycobionts were identified using sequence analysis of the ITS locus and compared with sequences of Rhizopogon spp. section Amylopogon from GenBank. Sequences of two additional loci, ATP6 and RPB2 were also generated and analyzed. In addition to Rhizopogon salebrosus, Pterospora andromedea was found for the first time in association with a fourth mycobiont, Rhizopogon ellenae, a known associate of Sarcodes sanguinea. The discovery of a new symbiont may provide evidence for an undiscovered lineage of Pterospora andromedea inhabiting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In addition, overlap in obligate mycobionts between closely related mycoheterotrophs provides interesting new information on the phylogenetic history and coevolution of the mycoheterotrophs in the Monotropoideae (Ericaceae).
Research problem the matrix numerical range

Every active mathematician has a storehouse of unresolved questions that he/she hopes someday to settle, but may never owing to changing interests, greener pastures elsewhere, or simply lack of a good idea. Since one mathematician's abandoned turf may be another's greener pasture, why not pose that unresolved question as a research problem? If it cannot be solved by anybody, the resulting publicity may confer luster on the proposer. and if it solved by somebody, the original proposer may be able to use the new ideas in further work. It's a winning stretegy to pose research problems, and a losing one not to since mathematics is a cooperative effort to reveal nature's truths
LOCATION AND INDEXING OF ARTICLES WRITTEN BY PODIATRIC PHYSICIANS

This study was undertaken to determine which biomedical journals contain articles written by podiatric physicians and in which indexing sources such articles are likely to appear. A survey was conducted of the 20 most frequently published podiatrist authors from a selected group of podiatric journals during the period from 1990 to 1995. Articles published by these authors during the study period were examined to determine where they had appeared. The MEDLINE database was found to contain the largest number of citations to articles written by these podiatric physicians. Both the Podiatry Index and Embase are also very good sources of citations to podiatric medical literature and should be used to supplement MEDLINE searches.
Stream function-potential function coordinates for aeroacoustics and unsteady aerodynamics

'Stream function as a coordinate approach' (SFC) combined with compact high-order finite difference schemes has been developed and applied to aeroacoustics and unsteady aerodynamics problems. Straightforward implementation of SFC creates coarse grids at the vicinity of stagnation points that smears high-order numerical computations. Grid clustering is employed to resolve coarse grid near stagnations points. The agreement between numerical results and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements for flapping airfoil shows the robustness of the current approach for performing high-order computations.
No reduction activity and FTIR characterization of rhodium on niobia-modified SiO2

Abstract Several 2% Rh/silica catalysts containing from 0 to 6% Nb 2 O 5 were prepared by consecutive impregnations with aqueous solutions of niobium oxalate and rhodium trichloride. These catalysts were studied using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to determine Rh oxidation state and dispersion. The addition of Nb 2 O 5 to Rh/SiO 2 resulted in a decrease in Rh(0) for relatively low niobia loadings (0 to 3 % Nb 2 O 5 ) and an increase in Rh(I) for higher niobia loadings (3 to 6% Nb 2 O 5 ). These two effects combined to give a minimum Rh dispersion for a catalyst containing approximately 3% Nb 2 O 5 . For the reduction of NO by CO the niobia addition decreased the observed rate (per gram catalyst) but had little effect on activation energy or concentration dependencies. A combination of the observed rate and Rh dispersion data suggests that specific rate varies inversely with Rh dispersion for these catalysts and conditions.
The hyperactive vestibular response.

A hyperactive nystagmic response following routine vestibular stimulation has long been recognized. Central pathology was suspected as responsible for increased postcaloric or postrotatory nystagmus and more recent experimental studies confirmed hyperactive nystagmus after lesions in the cerebellum were created. In order to utilize the hyperactive nystagmus response as an abnormal clinical sign, it was essential to establish criteria for this phenomenon. In 67 normal subjects weak and strong caloric stimulations were performed and by measuring nystagmus frequency at the culmination a wide range of responses was obtained. Using these data as a base line, three groups of hyperactive responses were classified in 1 700 patients. Group A exhibited nystagmus intensities never encountered in the control subjects. Group B represents an increased nystagmus activity at the range which has been found only exceptionally in normals (in 3 out of 133 normal ears). Group C comprises the category of patients in which resp...
LVD micromirror for rapid reference scanning in optical coherence tomography

A translationally-scanning mirror is always desired for the axial scanning in optical coherence tomography (OCT), but conventional scanners are bulky and have relatively slow scanning speed. This paper reports a micromirror that has the potential to achieve both the scanning speed and range required by OCT. The large piston motion of the micromirror is obtained using a large-vertical-displacement (LVD) microactuator. The device is fabricated using a deep-reactive-ion-etch (DRIE) CMOS-MEMS process. A pair of electrothermal bimorph actuators is employed to achieve tilt-free mirror plate and large piston motion. A linear voltage divider with a voltage ratio of 1:2.3 between the two electrothermal actuators has been used to obtain static displacements up to 200 mm. The frequency response of this device was obtained using a laser Doppler vibrometer, and resonant peaks were observed at 1.18 and 2.62 kHz. AC signals at 50 Hz with a voltage ratio of 1:1.2 were supplied to the actuators, and the maximum dynamic piston motion was measured to be 26 mm. The decreasing amplitude over increasing frequency was caused by the heat-sink effect of the mirror plate. A phase delay between the two actuators was also observed.
Nomenclatural changes in schizachyrium (Poaceae)

Two morphological variants ofSchizachyrium hirtiflorum are reduced to varietal rank underS. sanguineum. Schizachyrium semiberbe is included as a synonym of the typical variety ofS. sanguineum.
Loop accessibility in transfer RNA.

Summary Endonuclease digestion of tRNA and unfractionated tRNA mixtures results in only discrete fragment sizes which are quarters or multiples thereof, thus strongly supporting the validity of the cloverleaf structure for all tRNAs. Kinetic studies with individual tRNA species and with unfractionated tRNA using pancreatic RNase as well as RNase T1 indicate that the anticodon loop is by far the most accessible region of the tRNA structure, being at least ten times more susceptible to cleavage than either side loop. RNase T1 fragmentation kinetics of species containing free guanine in one, two or all three major loops reveal that the dihydrouridine loop is the second most susceptible to attack, being several times more accessible than the ribothymidine loop. This has been confirmed with unfractionated tRNA and appears to be a general feature of tRNA structure in solution.
On-line flow injection analysis of volatile organic compounds in seawater by membrane introduction mass spectrometry.

The combination of flow injection analysis with membrane introduction mass spectrometry for analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in seawater is examined and is compared to measurements made in water. Membrane introduction mass spectrometry is performed using a benchtop ion trap mass spectrometer, and characterization of various aspects of the flow injection and ion trap combination for the analysis of volatile organic compounds (including anthropogenic halocarbons) in seawater is carried out. The analyte responses are shown to be linear over several orders of magnitude (e.g. for methylene chloride), independent of seawater pH (e.g. for chlorobenzene) and independent of matrix effects for the VOCs studied. A comparison of the performance of a microporous (Teflon) membrane with that of an amorphous silicone membrane is made, and the former is shown to provide lower detection limits which are in the parts-per-trillion range (300 ppt for chlorobenzene, 190 ppt for trans-1,2-dichloroethene). The microporous membrane provides faster response times by a factor of four to five for relatively more polar compounds, such as chlorobenzene. An analysis of a seven-component mixture demonstrates the ability of this on-line combination to allow multicomponent analysis of mixtures of some complexity.
Fiber from whole grains, but not refined grains, is inversely associated with all-cause mortality in older women: the Iowa women's health study.

Background: Inconsistencies in epidemiologic findings relating grain fiber to chronic disease may be explained by differentiating nutrient-rich fiber derived from whole grain vs. nutrient-poor fiber derived from refined grain.Objective: Given that phytochemicals are most varied and abundant in the outer layers of grains, we tested the hypothesis that whole grain fiber consumption is associated with a reduced mortality risk in comparison to a similar amount of refined grain fiber.Design: 11040 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, matched on total grain fiber intake, but differing in the proportion of fiber consumed from whole vs. refined grain, were followed from baseline in 1986 through 31 December, 1997, during which time 1341 deaths occurred in 124,823 observed woman-years.Results: After multivariate adjustment in proportional hazards regression, women who consumed on average 1.9 g refined grain fiber/2000 kcal and 4.7 g whole grain fiber/2000 kcal had a 17% lower mortality ra...
GENETIC STUDIES OF PATHOLOGIC CONDITIONS AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO INFECTION IN BIOMPHALARIA GLABRATA

During studies on the genetics of variation in susceptibility of B. galbrata to infection with S. mansoni, four types of proliferative amoebocytic accumulations have been observed. They occur in four different clonal stocks of B. glabrata, beginning as amoebocytic aggregations, namely, in the atrial cavity, pericardial cavity, periaortic space, and hemocoel between the stomach and intestine. Persistent amoebocytic accumulations involve the sinuses around the stomach, intestine, and hepatopancreas. In these snails, nests of undifferentiated cells occur in the anterior pericardial wall, which is considered to be a hemopoietic area. Crossing experiments indicate the involvement of genetic factors, possibly in combination with infectious agents.
Ultrasimple extremely broadband Transient-Grating Frequency-Resolved-Optical-Gating device

We demonstrate an ultrasimple, extremely broadband, alignment-free, and single-shot Transient-Grating Frequency-Resolved-Optical-Gating device using a mask to separate the input beam into three beams and a Fresnel biprism to cross and delay them.
A CONCEPTUAL MODEL to Support Curriculum Review, Revision, and Design in an Associate Degree Nursing Program

Abstract In light of declining NCLEX-RN® first-write pass rates and the National League for Nursing call to transform nursing education, faculty at an associate degree nursing program in the southeastern United States began the process of intensive critique of its curriculum and program outcomes. Based on in-depth analysis and assessment of program outcomes, a conceptual framework was created to guide curriculum revision, development, and implementation processes. The framework serves as a guide for ongoing and systematic curriculum review and revision based upon evaluation findings. The basis of the conceptual framework was the result of an extensive literature review and an incorporation of the faculty-created philosophy.
Description of Professional Master's Athletic Training Programs

Context Professional master's (PM) athletic training programs (ATPs) are becoming more popular as the profession debates what the entry-level degree should be for athletic training. More information is needed related to the potential benefits of PM ATPs. Objective Describe the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited PM ATPs including athletic training student retention rates and career placement rates as well as strengths and areas for improvement. Design Mixed-method study. Setting Professional master's ATPs. Patients or Other Participants We surveyed directors of all accredited PM ATPs and obtained responses from 15 out of the 25 directors (60.0%). Main Outcome Measure(s) We sent a link to an electronic survey to all directors. The survey asked background questions about the ATP, the institution, and the director. Using data saturation as a guide, we also performed follow-up telephone interviews with 8 directors to expand upon the data gathered in the survey, specif...
Use of a Probe for the Putative Sex Determining Gene, Zinc Finger Y, in the Study of Patients With Ambiguous Genitalia and XY Gonadal Dysgenesis

Using reverse genetics, a candidate for the sex determining gene from the Y chromosome has recently been cloned. We have used a DNA probe from this gene to assess the presence of this crucial region of the Y chromosome in patients with sexual ambiguity or gonadal dysgenesis. The DNA from 3 cases of gonadal dysgenesis, one complicated by somatic anomalies and mental retardation, reacted normally with this putative sex determining gene. A patient having a small phallus and pseudovaginal, perineoscrotal hypospadias (PPSH) also had normal Y chromosomal DNA. We hypothesize that the defect in sex determination in all 4 cases is most probably subsequent to the primary sex determining switch.
Effects of phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone on basic drug detection in high performance thin layer chromatographic systems.

Woods, W.E., Chay, S., Houston, T., Blake, S.W. & Tobin, T. Effects of phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone on basic drug detection in high performance thin layer chromatographic systems. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 8, 181–189. Interference or ‘masking’ in thin layer chromatography occurs when the presence of one drug on a thin layer plate physically obscures or interferes with the detection of another drug. We investigated the ability of phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone to mask or interfere with the detection by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) of basic drugs used illegally in horse racing. Of fifty-five basic drugs called ‘positive’ since 1981 by laboratories affiliated with the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC), forty did not comigrate with phenylbutazone or oxyphenbutazone and could not, therefore, be masked. When 75μg/ml of oxyphenbutazone was spiked into urine samples, subjected to an extraction procedure for basic drugs, and then run in our routine HPTLC systems, no ‘spots’ due to oxyphenbutazone appeared. ‘Masking’ by oxyphenbutazone, therefore, did not and could not occur in our test systems. When phenylbutazone at a concentration of 30μg/ml was spiked into urine samples and run in the routine HPTLC system, phenylbutazone spots were visible under ultraviolet light and after certain specific oversprays were used to visualize basic drugs. These spots, however, did not interfere with routine thin layer testing for basic drugs. It was concluded that phenylbutazone and oxyphenbutazone had no significant ability to interfere with detection of the parent forms of these basic drugs under the conditions described in these experiments. T. Tobin, Kentucky Equine Drug Research and Testing Programs, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546-0076, U.S.A.
Element-By-Element Algorithms for Nonsymmetric Matrix Problems Arising in Fluids

A multi-element group, domain decomposition algorithm is presented for solving linear nonsymmetric systems arising in finite element analysis. The iterative strategy employed is based on the generalized minimum residual (GMRES) procedure origi­nally proposed by Saad and Shultz. Two levels of preconditioning are investigated. Applications to problems of high-speed compressible flow illustrate the effectiveness of the scheme.
Model checking and evidence exploration

We present an algebraic framework for evidence exploration: the process of interpreting, manipulating, and navigating the proof structure or evidence produced by a model checker when attempting to verify a system specification for a temporal-logic property. Due to the sheer size of such evidence, single-step traversal is prohibitive and smarter exploration methods are required. Evidence exploration allows users to explore evidence through smaller, manageable views, which are definable in relational graph algebra, a natural extension of relational algebra to graph structures such as model-checking evidence. We illustrate the utility of our approach by applying the Evidence Explorer, our tool implementation of the evidence-exploration framework, to the Java meta-locking algorithm, a highly optimized technique deployed by the Java Virtual Machine to ensure mutually exclusive access to object monitor queues by threads.
The Pathophysiology of Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Complex Disease in AIDS

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) organisms cause disseminated disease in patients with AIDS. The organisms penetrate the gastrointestinal mucosa by unknown mechanisms and are phagocytosed by macrophages in the lamina propria. These cells cannot kill the organisms, and MAC spreads through the submucosal tissue. Lymphatic drainage transports mycobacteria to abdominal lymph nodes, from which the organisms enter the bloodstream. Hematogenous spread can occur to many sites, but spleen, bone marrow, and liver are the most common. Tissue destruction is rare, and most signs and symptoms of MAC disease are due to elaboration of cytokines. MAC is rarely the direct cause of death but increases the risk for superinfection; death may result from malnutrition or other infections.
A method for measuring coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering at a far off-axis high-energy neutrino beam target

We present an experimental method for measuring the process of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CENNS). This method uses a detector situated transverse to a high-energy neutrino beam production target. This detector would be sensitive to the low-energy neutrinos arising from decay-at-rest pions in the target. We discuss the physics motivation for making this measurement and outline the predicted backgrounds and sensitivities using this approach. We report a measurement of neutron backgrounds as found in an off-axis surface location of the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) target. The results indicate that the Fermilab BNB target is a favorable location for a CENNS experiment.
A direct binding site for Grb2 contributes to transformation and leukemogenesis by the Tel-Abl (ETV6-Abl) tyrosine kinase.

A direct binding site for the Grb2 adapter protein is required for the induction of fatal chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)-like disease in mice by Bcr-Abl. Here, we demonstrate direct binding of Grb2 to the Tel-Abl (ETV6-Abl) fusion protein, the product of complex (9;12) chromosomal translocations in human leukemia, via tyrosine 314 encoded by TEL exon 5. A Tel-Abl point mutant (Y314F) and a splice variant without TEL exon 5 sequences (Δe5) lacked Grb2 interaction and exhibited decreased binding and phosphorylation of the scaffolding protein Gab2 and impaired activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase in hematopoietic cells. Tel-Abl Y314F and Δe5 were unable to transform fibroblasts to anchorage-independent growth and were defective for B-lymphoid transformation in vitro and lymphoid leukemogenesis in vivo. Previously, we demonstrated that full-length Tel-Abl induced two distinct myeloproliferative diseases in mice: CML-like leukemia similar to that induced by Bcr-Abl and a novel syndrome of small-bowel myeloid infiltration endotoxemia and hepatic and renal failure. Lack of the Grb2 binding site had no effect on development of small bowel syndrome but significantly attenuated the induction of CML-like disease by Tel-Abl. These results suggest that direct binding of Grb2 is a common mechanism contributing to leukemogenesis by oncogenic Abl fusion proteins.
Kernel energy method applied to vesicular stomatitis virus nucleoprotein.

The kernel energy method (KEM) is applied to the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) nucleoprotein (PDB ID code 2QVJ). The calculations employ atomic coordinates from the crystal structure at 2.8-A resolution, except for the hydrogen atoms, whose positions were modeled by using the computer program HYPERCHEM. The calculated KEM ab initio limited basis Hartree-Fock energy for the full 33,175 atom molecule (including hydrogen atoms) is obtained. In the KEM, a full biological molecule is represented by smaller "kernels" of atoms, greatly simplifying the calculations. Collections of kernels are well suited for parallel computation. VSV consists of five similar chains, and we obtain the energy of each chain. Interchain hydrogen bonds contribute to the interaction energy between the chains. These hydrogen bond energies are calculated in Hartree-Fock (HF) and Moller-Plesset perturbation theory to second order (MP2) approximations by using 6-31G** basis orbitals. The correlation energy, included in MP2, is a significant factor in the interchain hydrogen bond energies.
miRNA208/Mef2 and TNF-α in right ventricular dysfunction: the transition from hypertrophy to failure.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but progressive and deadly disease caused by functional and structural changes in the pulmonary vasculature, which lead to an increase in pulmonary vascular resistance. Regardless of the initial pathogenic trigger, the major causes of increased pulmonary vascular resistance in patients with PAH are sustained pulmonary vasoconstriction, pulmonary vascular remodeling, in situ thrombosis, and increased pulmonary vascular wall stiffness. Despite expanding research into the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension, death rates from pulmonary hypertension have continued to increase 2.5% per year for women and 0.9% per year for men during the past decade.1 Patients with PAH, if untreated, die mainly because of progressive right heart failure, and the response of the right ventricle (RV) to the increased afterload is an important determinant of outcome in patients.2 During the development of pulmonary hypertension, an initial adaptive response of the RV to the increased afterload is to increase its wall thickness and contractility with varying degrees of RV hypertrophy.3 However, with disease progression, sustained long-term pressure overload of the RV can lead to progressive contractile dysfunction and eventually cause RV failure with further RV dilation. Little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanisms, which underlie the development of RV failure. The mechanism that determines the transition of RV function from compensated hypertrophy to decompensated failure is also uncertain. Article, see p 56 MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as crucial regulators of cardiovascular development and cardiac remodeling, have attracted increasing interest in recent years. Drake et al4 compared the gene expression patterns between RV hypertrophy in hypoxia-induced …