cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Risk Factor Improvement Following Bariatric Surgery

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in American adult men and women. In the United States, it is estimated that nearly 1 in every 4 deaths is attributable to heart disease, amounting to more than 600,000 people annually. Smoking cessation efforts, tight control of blood pressure, and widespread use of cholesterol-lowering medications are examples of commonly practiced approaches to lowering CAD risk of the asymptomatic population, based on the increasing understanding of the markers of disease and its pathophysiology. As more specific markers that correlate with cardiovascular and coronary artery disease are identified, the predictive value is improved, the understanding of the disease is enhanced, and its relationship to other disease states—specifically obesity—is elucidated. Although long-term cardiac-specific survival data after intentional weight loss is lacking, there is strong data to support that weight loss in the overweight and obese population decreases nearly all identified risk factors for cardiovascular disease. To date, bariatric surgery has proven to be the only durable treatment method for significant weight loss in the obese population. Thus, weight loss surgery is a rational approach to the treatment of obesity in patients at risk for cardiovascular disease.
Supravital cell staining with Hoechst 33342 and DiOC5(3).

Publisher Summary The Hoechst (HO342) dyes are benzimidazole derivatives that have a high specificity for double-helical DNA and bind preferentially to A-T base regions, but do not intercalate. Hoechst 33258 has been used in mouse chromosome-banding studies. This dye was quenched when bound to bromodeoxyuridine (BrdUrd)-substituted DNA and developed a method for detecting regions of sister chromatid exchange in metaphase chromosomes labeled with BrdUrd. Although the technique has been useful for a number of cell types, unfortunately HO342 can be limited in usefulness in many cell systems by poor cell cycle resolution due to limited uptake of the dye through the viable plasma membrane, dye toxicity, and loss of long-term viability following ultra-violet (UV) excitation and cell sorting. Dye uptake and/or retention are cell type-dependent and many cell types, including line Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are particularly refractory in this regard. The quality of the DNA histogram for CHO cells stained with HO342 alone is extremely poor. Such results are not acceptable when attempting to obtain a high degree of accuracy in sorting cells from specific phases of the cell cycle.
The use of importance performance analysis in the hospitality industry: a comparison of practices.

ABSTRACT Increased demands placed by consumers, competition, and shrinking management teams has resulted in the need for hospitality professionals to use effective tools to improve the changing situation. The Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) was a tool first introduced by Martilla and James (1977) to assist professionals in evaluating the effectiveness of various agency issues and attributes. Hospitality researchers have used this technique in at least forty-two studies since then. The purpose of this study was to compare the use of IPA in hospitality related research and compare historical use of IPA to a recent study in a private club setting.
Development of a dosing algorithm in a nurse‐managed outpatient anticoagulation clinic

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of an algorithm created for use in a nurse-managed outpatient anticoagulation clinic with the use of clinical judgment without formalized guidelines. Data source: A search of the databases in Pub Med and the Cumulative Index to Nursing of articles published through November 2009 yielded 19 articles concerning warfarin, practice guidelines, and use of algorithms. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted comparing 179 consecutive patient visits in September 2007 with 206 consecutive patient visits in 2009 at the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Anticoagulation Clinic. An algorithm was created that incorporated “removeable causes” to aid nurses in decision making when, for example, additions and deletions of new medications are added that interact with warfarin (Coumadin). Results: In both years, there was a greater percentage of no change versus change in warfarin dose reflecting stable dosage patterns in both years. Chi-square analysis showed no statistical significance in the relationship between dosing changes and year. A significant relationship was found, however, between removeable causes and year, suggesting improved documentation of removable causes in 2009. Implications for practice: Further study with a larger prospective randomized sample population is needed to more accurately assess the algorithm's effect on time in therapeutic range (TTR).
KARL BARTH AND ISLAM

Karl Barth comments briefly, sporadically and polemically on Islam as a false religion. He views it as a threat to Christendom, using it as a cipher for National Socialism, as an example of absolute monotheism, and finally as a “paganised” form of rabbinic Judaism. But an examination and critique of Barth's understanding of Judaism, which is central to his understanding of Islam, recognises the interdependency of Church and Synagogue for Barth. This article argues that this mutual dependency should also be extended to include Islam. While Barth never developed a theology of Islam per se, this new understanding gives his theology the potential to be of use to the new encounter between Christianity and Islam.
The Role of Alveolar Bone in the Noneruption of Molar Teeth in Grey Lethal Mice

The in utero and neonatal development of the molar teeth in osteopetrotic grey lethal mice and normal litter mates was observed in timed embryos which were obtained by caeserian section, and in neonatal litters which were sacrificed on the day of birth and each day thereafter until day 7. Serial coronal and sagittal sections through the heads were prepared. The earliest disturbances in the alveolar bone-tooth germ complex were seen at day 19 in utero. At birth, the grey lethal first molar germs are severely distorted by encroaching alveolar bone. The abnormalities become progressively more marked until day 7. The failure in alveolar bone remodeling is the factor which prevents tooth eruption in grey lethal mice.
On Recovery of Intra-Block Information

Abstract In experimental designs with randomized blocks, estimates of the inter-block variance often have few degrees of freedom since they depend only on the block averages (the inter-block information). These degrees of freedom are further reduced by the number of parameters appearing in the inter-block information. However, some parameters also appear in the intra-block information, and thus allow two independent estimators. The difference of these two estimators provides additional information about the inter-block variance. This paper shows how this extra information may be recovered to improve tests of hypotheses concerning inter-block parameters.
Preoperative Deltoid Size and Fatty Infiltration of the Deltoid and Rotator Cuff Correlate to Outcomes After Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Background Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) allows the deltoid to substitute for the nonfunctioning rotator cuff. To date, it is unknown whether preoperative deltoid and rotator cuff parameters correlate with clinical outcomes.
Two-stream mixing with finite initial boundary layers.

mines that the secondary emission current jA at V f , ji = je. The extra power jeAp[(Vf Vp) + %T.\ comes from the plasma electrons. In traversing the sheath, each electron loses the energy e(Vf — Vp) that each ion gains, and it delivers an average of 2Te + ^ to the probe surface. This extra power, 0.187 w in this case, is extracted from the local electron gas, which is supported by the discharge. Therefore, a floating calorimeter power measurement in a tenuous plasma beam is larger than the product of the convective power density in the beam and calorimeter area. Many radial surveys have been made with the probe of Fig. 1 in the exhaust beam of a magnetic expansion thruster. UQ was interpreted as the singly-ionized directed ion energy, and the resulting integrated ion momentum agreed with thrust stand measurements to within about 10%. Agreement as good as this between calorimetric and thrust stand data is unusual, and gives credibility to the method of reduction of the probe data.
Recognizing Sign Language from Brain Imaging

Classification of complex motor activities from brain imaging is relatively new in the fields of neuroscience and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). We report sign language classification results for a set of three contrasting pairs of signs. Executed sign accuracy was 93.3%, and imagined sign accuracy was 76.7%. For a full multiclass problem, we used a decision directed acyclic graph of pairwise support vector machines, resulting in 63.3% accuracy for executed sign and 31.4% accuracy for imagined sign. Pairwise comparison of phrases composed of these signs yielded a mean accuracy of 73.4%. These results suggest the possibility of BCIs based on sign language.
Application-specific path switching: a case study for streaming video

The focus of this paper is on improving the quality of streaming video transmitted over the Internet. The approach we investigate assumes the availability of multiple paths between the source and the destination, and dynamically selects the best one. Although this is not a new concept, our contribution is in estimating the "goodness" of a path from the perspective of the video stream, instead of relying only on raw network performance measures. The paper starts by showing that the use of raw network performance data to control path switching decisions can often result in poor choices from an application perspective, and then proceeds to develop a practical approach for evaluating, in real-time, the performance of different paths in terms of video quality. Those estimates are used to continuously select the path that yields the best possible transmission conditions for video streaming applications. We demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the scheme through experiments involving different types of videos.
Commissioning a CT-compatible LDR tandem and ovoid applicator using Monte Carlo calculation and 3D dosimetry

Purpose: To determine the geometric and dose attenuation characteristics of a new commercially available CT-compatible LDR tandem and ovoid (T&O) applicator using Monte Carlo calculation and 3D dosimetry. Methods: For geometric characterization, we quantified physical dimensions and investigated a systematic difference found to exist between nominal ovoid angle and the angle at which the afterloading buckets fall within the ovoid. For dosimetric characterization, we determined source attenuation through asymmetric gold shielding in the buckets using Monte Carlo simulations and 3D dosimetry. Monte Carlo code MCNP5 was used to simulate 1.5 × 109 photon histories from a 137Cs source placed in the bucket to achieve statistical uncertainty of 1% at a 6 cm distance. For 3D dosimetry, the distribution about an unshielded source was first measured to evaluate the system for 137Cs, after which the distribution was measured about sources placed in each bucket. Cylindrical PRESAGE® dosimeters (9.5 cm diameter, 9.2 cm height) with a central channel bored for source placement were supplied by Heuris Inc. The dosimeters were scanned with the Duke Large field of view Optical CT-Scanner before and after delivering a nominal dose at 1 cm of 5–8 Gy. During irradiation the dosimeter was placed in a water phantom to provide backscatter. Optical CT scan time lasted 15 min during which 720 projections were acquired at 0.5° increments, and a 3D distribution was reconstructed with a (0.05 cm)3 isotropic voxel size. The distributions about the buckets were used to calculate a 3D distribution of transmission rate through the bucket, which was applied to a clinical CT-based T&O implant plan. Results: The systematic difference in bucket angle relative to the nominal ovoid angle (105°) was 3.1°–4.7°. A systematic difference in bucket angle of 1°, 5°, and 10° caused a 1% ± 0.1%, 1.7% ± 0.4%, and 2.6% ± 0.7% increase in rectal dose, respectively, with smaller effect to dose to Point A, bladder, sigmoid, and bowel. For 3D dosimetry, 90.6% of voxels had a 3D γ-index (criteria = 0.1 cm, 3% local signal) below 1.0 when comparing measured and expected dose about the unshielded source. Dose transmission through the gold shielding at a radial distance of 1 cm was 85.9% ± 0.2%, 83.4% ± 0.7%, and 82.5% ± 2.2% for Monte Carlo, and measurement for left and right buckets, respectively. Dose transmission was lowest at oblique angles from the bucket with a minimum of 56.7% ± 0.8%, 65.6% ± 1.7%, and 57.5% ± 1.6%, respectively. For a clinical T&O plan, attenuation from the buckets leads to a decrease in average Point A dose of ∼3.2% and decrease in D2cc to bladder, rectum, bowel, and sigmoid of 5%, 18%, 6%, and 12%, respectively. Conclusions: Differences between dummy and afterloading bucket position in the ovoids is minor compared to effects from asymmetric ovoid shielding, for which rectal dose is most affected. 3D dosimetry can fulfill a novel role in verifying Monte Carlo calculations of complex dose distributions as are common about brachytherapy sources and applicators.
Parental Asset Accumulation Trajectories and Children's College Outcomes.

Abstract The effects of parental assets on children's educational outcomes have mainly been explored from the perspective of asset holdings. However, the process of asset accumulation may also have effects. While asset-based policies are predicated on the premise of asset accumulation, little is known about the effects of different asset accumulation trajectories. This study attempts to fill this gap. The results indicate that youths born into households that had asset holdings significantly higher than zero have better college outcomes compared to youths born into households with lower levels of net worth that did not increase significantly over time. However, when lower-wealth households experience significant asset accumulation over time, youths from these households have similar educational outcomes as youths from wealthier households. Finally, the results indicate that the effects of assets are partially or fully mediated by the mother's educational expectations. Implications for asset-based policy are discussed.
Genome-Wide Mapping of Yeast RNA Polymerase II Termination

Yeast RNA polymerase II (Pol II) terminates transcription of coding transcripts through the polyadenylation (pA) pathway and non-coding transcripts through the non-polyadenylation (non-pA) pathway. We have used PAR-CLIP to map the position of Pol II genome-wide in living yeast cells after depletion of components of either the pA or non-pA termination complexes. We show here that Ysh1, responsible for cleavage at the pA site, is required for efficient removal of Pol II from the template. Depletion of Ysh1 from the nucleus does not, however, lead to readthrough transcription. In contrast, depletion of the termination factor Nrd1 leads to widespread runaway elongation of non-pA transcripts. Depletion of Sen1 also leads to readthrough at non-pA terminators, but in contrast to Nrd1, this readthrough is less processive, or more susceptible to pausing. The data presented here provide delineation of in vivo Pol II termination regions and highlight differences in the sequences that signal termination of different classes of non-pA transcripts.
Co-delivery of doxorubicin and siRNA using octreotide-conjugated gold nanorods for targeted neuroendocrine cancer therapy

A multifunctional gold (Au) nanorod (NR)-based nanocarrier capable of co-delivering small interfering RNA (siRNA) against achaete-scute complex-like 1 (ASCL1) and an anticancer drug (doxorubicin (DOX)) specifically to neuroendocrine (NE) cancer cells was developed and characterized for combined chemotherapy and siRNA-mediated gene silencing. The Au NR was conjugated with (1) DOX, an anticancer drug, via a pH-labile hydrazone linkage to enable pH-controlled drug release, (2) polyarginine, a cationic polymer for complexing siRNA, and (3) octreotide (OCT), a tumor-targeting ligand, to specifically target NE cancer cells with overexpressed somatostatin receptors. The Au NR-based nanocarriers exhibited a uniform size distribution as well as pH-sensitive drug release. The OCT-conjugated Au NR-based nanocarriers (Au–DOX–OCT, targeted) exhibited a much higher cellular uptake in a human carcinoid cell line (BON cells) than non-targeted Au NR-based nanocarriers (Au–DOX) as measured by both flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Moreover, Au–DOX–OCT–ASCL1 siRNA (Au–DOX–OCT complexed with ASCL1 siRNA) resulted in significantly higher gene silencing in NE cancer cells than Au–DOX–ASCL1 siRNA (non-targeted Au–DOX complexed with ASCL1 siRNA) as measured by an immunoblot analysis. Additionally, Au–DOX–OCT–ASCL1 siRNA was the most efficient nanocarrier at altering the NE phenotype of NE cancer cells and showed the strongest anti-proliferative effect. Thus, combined chemotherapy and RNA silencing using NE tumor-targeting Au NR-based nanocarriers could potentially enhance the therapeutic outcomes in treating NE cancers.
Superplastic creep of low melting point solder joints

In prior work, we showed that eutectic Sn-Pb solder joints exhibit superplastic behavior after rapid solidification. Further examples of superplasticity in nominally air-cooled solder joints are reported in this study of three low-melting point alloys: 40In-40Sn-20Pb (wt. %), eutectic 52In-48Sn, and 43Sn-43Pb-14Bi, which were creep-tested in shear at 20°, 65°, and 90° C. The test results indicate that above 65° C, the indium-containing solders have stress exponents between 2.4 to 2.9, a possible overall shear strains of 500%, and an absence of primary creep; at 90° C, 43Sn-43Pb-14Bi solder has a stress exponent close to 2.3. Optical microstructures of the three solders are presented; they help to explain the superplastic behavior.
β-Adrenergic receptor subtypes in stress-induced behavioral depression

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the role of β-adrenergic receptors in an animal model of stress-induced behavioral depression. β-Adrenergic receptors in several brain regions and leukocytes of rats were determined by receptor binding techniques using 125I-cyanopindolol (cyp) as ligand and propranolol as displacer for total β-adrenergic receptors, and ICI 86,406 for β1- and ICI 118, 551 for β2-adrenergic receptors. We observed that the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax) and the apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 125I-cyp binding to total β-adrenergic receptors were increased in hippocampus of stressed rats with escape deficits (48 h after training) as compared to control rats. This increase was due to an increase in Bmax and Kd of 125I-cyp binding to β1-adrenergic receptors but not to β2-adrenergic receptors. There was no significant difference in β1-adrenergic receptors in cortex and cerebellum or β2-adrenergic receptors in hippocampus, cortex, cerebellum, or leukocytes of stressed (48 h after training) rats with escape deficits as compared to control rats. Interestingly, it was observed that β1- and β1-adrenergic receptors in various brain regions (cortex, cerebellum, and hippocampus) and β2-adrenergic receptors in leukocytes of stressed rats (10 days after training) were not significantly different from control rats, although escape deficits were still present. These results suggest that abnormalities in adrenergic neurotransmission are associated with an upregulation of β1-adrenergic receptors, which in turn may be involved in the early stages of behavioral deficits caused by uncontrollable shock.
Unemployment Insurance in the 21st Century

The federal—state employer-funded unemployment insurance system of the United States is about 75 years old. It worked fairly well in the 20th century, with occasional help from Washington during sp...
A design for team peer code review

The software industry needs our graduates to have significant and meaningful experiences with teamwork. A new design has been developed for a teamwork exercise based on peer code review. This design uses the three Ss of building assignments for cooperative learning: Same problem, Specific choices, and Simultaneous report. Students perform peer code review individually, and within and between stable small groups. The code can be sanitized student work or may be altered by the instructor to meet specific course learning objectives. The review is done in three phases. First, individuals answer yes or no to questions that evaluate the quality of the design and code. Then each group answers the same set of questions. When the groups have completed their evaluation, the class joins together to reveal and discuss the answers. This design was successfully implemented during the 2003-2004 academic year in an introductory programming class. This design is applicable to more advanced classes with significant programming assignments. Future work includes extending this structure to give students experience with other software engineering artifacts early in their academic careers.
X-ray absorption spectroscopy of light elements in biological systems

Abstract Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy of light elements has, until recently, fallen almost exclusively within the purview of materials science. Recent developments in techniques now allow access to this spectral range by biological scientists. This review discusses some of the recent work on X-ray absorption spectroscopy of light elements in biological systems and discusses some of the possibilities for future work.
Interdecadal changes in El Niño onset in the last four decades

Abstract The characteristics of the onset of the Pacific basin-wide warming have experienced notable changes since the late 1970s. The changes are caused by a concurrent change in the background state on which El Nino evolves. For the most significant warm episodes before the late 1970s (1957, 1965, and 1972), the atmospheric anomalies in the onset phase (November to December of the year preceding the El Nino) were characterized by a giant anomalous cyclone over east Australia whose eastward movement brought anomalous westerlies into the western equatorial Pacific, causing development of the basin-wide warming. Meanwhile, the trades in the southeastern Pacific (20°S–0°, 125°–95°W) relaxed back to their weakest stage, resulting in a South American coastal warming, which led the central Pacific warming by about three seasons. Conversely, in the warm episodes after the late 1970s (1982, 1986–87, and 1991), the onset phase was characterized by an anomalous cyclone over the Philippine Sea whose intensification...
Incidence and ramifications of the oculocardiac reflex during the orbitozygomatic approach: a prospective assessment

Objective The oculocardiac reflex (OCR) is a sudden decrease in heart rate resulting from mechanical manipulation of the orbit, especially due to traction on the orbital contents. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and clinical ramifications of OCR elicitation by the orbitozygomatic (OZ) approach. Methods Electrocardiographic strips were collected prospectively from 104 patients undergoing OZ approaches. Recording was started at the commencement of the craniotomy cuts and was stopped after completion of the OZ osteotomy. Each recording was divided into stage 1, which encompassed the time between the start of the craniotomy cuts to the commencement of the osteotomy cuts, and stage 2, which encompassed the time from commencement of osteotomy cuts until completion of all bone work and dural tacking Orbital manipulation occurred exclusively during stage 2. A decrease in heart rate of 10 bpm or more between stage 1 and stage 2 was recorded as an OCR event. Results In our 104 patients we detected OCR events 31.7% of the time. There was no significant difference in rate of OCR occurrence found in analysis of the covariates of hypertension, hyperlidemia, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism/hyperthyroidism, β-blocker use, calcium channel blocker use, or tobacco use. In each case, transient cessation of orbital manipulation was sufficient to normalize heart rate. No patients required anticholinergic intervention as a result of OCR, and there were no postoperative ramifications of the OCR. Conclusions OCR occurs in nearly one-third of patients who undergo the OZ approach. However, simple cessation of orbital manipulation is sufficient to normalize the patient's heart rate. Rarely is medical management required or does there appear to be any significant postoperative ramifications.
Microassay for Oligosaccharyltransferase: Separation of Reaction Components by Partitioning in Detergent Solution Followed by Ultrafiltration

Oligosaccharyltransferase catalyzes the transfer of oligosaccharide from a lipid dolichol to asparagine acceptor sites on nascent polypeptides. We have developed an assay for this enzyme which is based on the specific distribution of the substrate and product of the reaction in detergent solution. GlcNAc-[3H]GlcNAc-PP-Dol was synthesized for use as a carbohydrate donor. Benzoyl-Asn-Leu-Thr-amide, a commercially available peptide, was used as the oligosaccharyltransferase glycan acceptor substrate. In the presence of Triton X-100, GlcNAc-[3H]GlcNAc-PP-Dol partitions into detergent micelles while glycosylated acceptor peptide partitions into the intermicellar aqueous compartment. Separation of GlcNAc-[3H]GlcNAc-PP-Dol and glycopeptide was achieved by ultrafiltration. With this method oligosaccharyltransferase activity in microsomal preparations could be measured with as little as 1 microgram of protein.
Determining input features for multilayer perceptrons

Abstract A method of selecting salient features from a superset of features is developed. Two metrics are used to measure the average saliency of injected noise. A confidence interval constructed around this average allows for the identification of features that contribute little to classification. This feature selection method is applied to an exclusive-or (XOR) problem containing noise and a four-class problem. This method of determining input features is shown to result in more accurate, faster training multilayer perceptron classifiers.
Cdc25 Phosphatases and Cancer

The Cdc25 phosphatases function as key regulators of the cell cycle during normal eukaryotic cell division and as mediators of the checkpoint response in cells with DNA damage. The role of Cdc25s in cancer has become increasingly evident in recent years. More than 20 studies of patient samples from diverse cancers show significant overexpression of Cdc25 with frequent correlation to clinical outcome. Recent screening and design efforts have yielded novel classes of inhibitors that show specificity for the Cdc25s over other phosphatases and cause cell cycle arrest in vivo. Herein we provide a single source for those interested in the cellular functions of Cdc25 in cell cycle progression, its role in the progress of cancer and survival of cancer patients, and recent efforts in the design of specific inhibitors.
Manipulation of fullerene-induced impurity states in carbon peapods

Electronic structures of several semiconducting and metallic carbon peapods have been studied using density functional theory. We have systematically investigated the effects of two key factors, the tube diameter and the type of the encaged metal atom inside ${\mathrm{C}}_{60},$ on the energy level and the electron occupation number of ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$-induced impurity states in semiconducting peapods. The manipulation of these impurity states controls the type of the majority carrier $(p$ or $n)$ and the carrier density of a semiconducting peapod. In addition, the possibility of superconductivity of potassium-doped peapods has been discussed.
Analysis of phonon-induced spin relaxation processes in silicon

We study all of the leading-order contributions to spin relaxation of conduction electrons in silicon due to the electron-phonon interaction. Using group theory, the $k\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}p$ perturbation method, and the rigid-ion model, we derive an extensive set of matrix element expressions for all of the important spin-flip transitions in the multivalley conduction band. The scattering angle has an explicit dependence on the electron wave vectors, phonon polarization, valley position, and spin orientation of the electron. Comparison of the derived analytical expressions with results of empirical pseudopotential and adiabatic band charge models shows excellent agreement.
Comparison of Capacitance-Based Soil Water Probes in Coastal Plain Soils

Soil water influences infiltration and runoff and consequently water quality. In situ measurements of soil water are critical for understanding hydrologic and water quality processes. Many advances have recently been made in soil water measurement techniques. In particular, instruments for estimating volumetric water content from measurements of soil electrical properties have become common. While the instruments have been shown to be good indicators of relative changes in soil water, questions remain regarding their ability to yield quantitative estimates. Most of these techniques rely on a limited set of calibration equations obtained through laboratory analysis of homogeneous soil materials (i.e., sand, silt, and clay). The accuracy of two capacitance-based soil water probes was assessed for a range of Coastal Plain soils. The probes measure capacitive and conductive soil properties and relate these to water content through calibration. Calibration curves for three different Coastal Plain soils were developed. Laboratory tests indicate that the probes yield estimates of volumetric water content within ±0.05 cm 3 cm −3 of the observed values for these soils. Greater variability was observed in comparisons with field observations. Results indicate that improved equations can be developed through soil-specific laboratory calibration. The capacitance probes should prove to be useful tools for estimating volumetric water content in these soils. Additional work is required to quantify probe differences and the effects of soil conductivity on the measurements.
Carbon and sulphur isotopic composition of Kilauea parental magma

All the available data for the isotopic composition of carbon in gases emitted from summit fumaroles at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii, indicate that the carbon is enriched in 13C compared with oceanic tholeiite and in contrast to most estimates for the isotopic composition of mantle carbon1–6. Several mechanisms proposed to explain this enrichment of 13C have proved unsatisfactory2. We show here that recent models7,8 for the volatile contents and degassing of Kilauea magma permit a satisfactory reinterpretation of carbon and sulphur isotope data1–3,9,10 for Kilauea. The results indicate that Kilauea parental magma is significantly enriched in 13C compared with mid-oceanic basalts and with inferred isotopic compositions for mantle carbon3–6. Hence, mantle sources of hot-spot and mid-oceanic basalts may differ in δ13C. In contrast, the isotopic composition of sulphur in Kilauea parental magma is similar to that of mid-oceanic basalts11.
T cell lymphoma presenting as esophageal obstruction and bronchoesophageal fistula

Background The mediastinum is an uncommon location for presentation of peripheral T cell lymphoma. Esophageal involvement by non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is extremely unusual. Although staging can be performed with routine imaging studies, surgical intervention is often required to ensure accurate histologic diagnosis of these lymphomas. Peripheral T cell lymphomas not otherwise specified are among the most aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphomas with often a poor response to conventional chemotherapy
Role of the Myeloperoxidase-H2O2-Halide System in Concanavalin A-Induced Tumor Cell Killing by Human Neutrophils

Human blood neutrophils in the presence of the lectin, concanavalin A, exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against murine lymphoma cells (LSTRA) as assessed by 51 Cr release from labeled target cells. Tumor cell killing was rapid, with significant 51 Cr release observed at 30 min and maximal release at 2 hr. Cytotoxicity showed a linear relationship to the log of the effector cell:target cell ratio, with significant killing detected at ratios as low as one neutrophil to 20 LSTRA cells. Under the conditions employed, human blood mononuclear leukocytes (lymphocytes plus monocytes) were not effective killer cells. Cytotoxicity required halides (chloride, iodide) for maximal activity and was markedly reduced by agents that inhibit heme enzymes (azide, cyanide) or degrade H 2 O 2 (catalase). Neutrophils deficient in myeloperoxidase or the respiratory burst had impaired cytotoxic activity, and these defects were corrected by the addition of purified myeloperoxidase or an H 2 O 2 -generating enzyme system, respectively. Concanavalin A also initiated protein iodination by neutrophils, a process that requires myeloperoxidase and H 2 O 2 . Both cytotoxicity and iodination were inhibited in a dose-related fashion by α-methyl-D-mannoside, a carbohydrate that blocks concanavalin A binding to mammalian cell membranes. These data demonstrate that concanavalin A-induced neutrophil-mediated tumor cell cytotoxicity occurs as a consequence of lectin-binding to the effector cell. Furthermore, this surface stimulation results in the secretion of the lysosomal enzyme, myeloperoxidase, and the metabolic product H 2 O 2 . These agents combine with extracellular halides to form a system that is cytotoxic to mammalian tumor cells.
Visualization of genetic recombination intermediates of human adenovirus type 2 DNA from infected HeLa cells

The study of recombination in prokaryotes has been facilitated by the availability of recombinational mutants and simple genetic elements such as phages and plasmids. These small but defined molecules of DNA have been especially useful for electron microscopic analysis of structural detail of molecules undergoing recombination both in vivo and in vitro. A limitation in the structural analysis of plasmid recombination is the absolute number of recombining molecules which can be identified and analysed amidst a background of nonrecombining molecules. This limitation would be of even greater consequence in studies of genetic recombination in animal cells. We therefore chose virus-infected animal cells as a model system for the study of the molecular mechanism of genetic recombination in higher organisms. HeLa cells infected with adenovirus serotype 2 (Ad-2) offer several advantages for studying recombination: (1) the virus contains a small and well characterized genome of about 35 kilobases; (2) a large amount of Ad-2 DNA is accumulated during lytic infection and host DNA synthesis is suppressed; (3) Ad-2 recombines at a very high frequency; and (4) similar to phages, animal viruses and Ad-2 in particular are believed to use many of the host cell's enzymes in necessary metabolic processes, presumably including recombination. In this study we used electron microscopic techniques to visualize the structures of in vivo Ad-2 DNA recombination intermediates. Molecules were observed with structures at putative cross-over points which were consistent with the molecular mechanism of recombination proposed by Holliday. In addition, we observed Ad-2 DNA molecules engaged in recombination which were simultaneously serving as templates for replication and/or transcription. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first visualization of in vivo recombination intermediates of discrete DNA molecules isolated from eukaryotic cells.
Effects of β-MSH, Cortisol and ACTH on Tyrosinase in the Skin of Newborn Hamsters and Mice

Administration of β-melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) to newborn Syrian golden hamsters and to black and brown mice increases tyrosinase activity in body skin by 30-50% after 2 to 4 days of daily treatment. The low ventral skin activity in hamsters can be increased over 100% by this treatment. Cortisol treatment lowers tyrosinase activity in both hamsters and mice, and this action is prevented by simultaneous treatment with MSH. ACTH does not lead to consistent increases or decreases in hamster enzyme, but interpretation is hampered because ACTH administration probably increases endogenous glucocorticoid production. Prolactin, growth hormone, luteinizing hormone and thyroid stimulating hormone have no significant effect on hamster tyrosinase. It seems likely that conditions in man and other mammals that result in elevated levels of MSH are associated with increases in skin tyrosinase and that the increased enzyme produces the dark skin or hair pigmentation. Cortisol may lower tyrosinase by blocking rel...
Die beeinflussung des polymerisationsablaufs durch nebenreaktionen der initiatorradikale

Da bei der radikalischen Polymerisation von Styrol der normale Kettenabbruch durch Kombination erfolgt, mus bei der kinetischen Analyse berucksichtigt werden, das praktisch jede Nebenreaktion (z. B. Ubertragung, Abbruch durch Initiatorradikale) zu einer Veranderung der Molekulargewichtsverteilung fuhrt. Unter sinngemaser Verwendung des direkt vom Experiment gelieferten Viskositatsmittels des Polymerisationsgrades wird untersucht, welcher Bruchteil der aus dem Initiator (Azo-bis-isobutyronitril) entstehenden Radikale zum Start von Ketten verwendet, und in welchen Nebenreaktionen der Rest verbraucht wird. Unter quantitativer Berucksichtigung dieser Nebenreaktionen werden die Geschwindigkeitskonstanten und Aktivierungsenergien von Wachstum und Abbruch neu berechnet. Since the termination reaction in the radical polymerization of styrene is mutual combination of growing chains, in the kinetic analysis it has to be taken into account that practically every side reaction (e. g. chain transfer, termination by initiator radicals) necessarily varies the molecular weight distribution. Thus it is convenient to base the kinetic calculations directly on the experimental viscosity average of the degree of polymerization. Some of the radicals formed during the decomposition of the initiator (azo-bis-isobutyronitrile) start chains, while the remainder are consumed by side reactions. A quantitative consideration of these side reactions requires a recalculation of the rate constants and activation energies of propagation and termination.
Setting a Context for Explaining Risk

Agency representatives often believe that if they could only find ways to explain risk data more clearly, communities would accept risk that scientists see as minimal, and take seriously risks scientists see as serious. While explaining the data effectively is important, agencies and industries need to place a greater priority on understanding community concerns, involving communities in risk decisions, and developing trust and credibility.
Coenzyme A Changes in Liver, Spleen and Kidney of Rats with Infections of Plasmodium berghei.

SummaryCo A concentration and total content in liver, spleen, and kidney of normal rats and rats with infections of Plasmodium berghei have been described. During the course of infection the concentration of Co A in the liver dropped but the total amount present was unchanged. In the spleen the concentration remained static, whereas the total was proportional to the increased size of the organ. The kidney showed no appreciable changes in Co A, but a decreased concentration of free pantothenate was apparent in young infected animals.
Humoral immune response to recombinant adenovirus and adeno-associated virus after in utero administration of viral vectors in mice.

Adenovirus and adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene delivery is limited by the induction of a humoral immune response that prevents readministration. To determine whether viral delivery in the “preimmune” fetus would produce dose- or time-dependent tolerance, we evaluated the humoral immune response after sequential pre- and postnatal virus administration. We evaluated six injection route and viral dose combinations of adenovirus (intra-amniotic, intrahepatic, and intramuscular injection at 4 × 108 and 2 × 109 particles/fetus) at d 15 postconception (p.c.); three route and dose combinations at d 13 p.c. (intramuscular injection at 1 × 108, 3 × 108, and 5 × 108 particles/fetus); and one route and dose combination of adeno-associated virus (intramuscular at 2.5 × 1010 genome copies/fetus) at d 15 p.c. In utero injection of either viral vector at any route and dose combination resulted in the production of low titers of neutralizing antivirus and antitransgene (β-galactosidase) antibodies. This primary immune response only partially blocked transgene expression after the readministration of viral vectors postnatally. However, delivery of the virus postnatally triggered an immune response that completely blocked transgene expression after a third viral injection. Together, these results suggest that, for B6/129 F1 mice, in utero injection of recombinant adenovirus or adeno-associated virus between d 13 and 15 p.c. does not induce tolerance to the viral vector or transgene product.
A fungal-like organism associated with a wasp (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in Dominican amber.

Abstract A fungal-like organism emerging from a parasitic wasp (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in Dominican amber is characterized. The fossil consists of a white sclerotium-like formation in the wasp’s abdomen and a flattened clava-like structure with an ovoid terminus emerging from the sclerotium-like formation. The ovoid terminus bears a protruding elliptical appendix. The fossil, which is characterized by its small size, somatic configuration, pteromalid host and presence in Dominican amber, cannot be placed with assurance in any extant fungal group at this time.
Improving electrical safety through forensic analysis of failure

Electrical safety starts with policy, continues with education, requires administrative vigilance, and becomes individual responsibility at all levels. Case studies in electrical injury will be presented herein as the basis for understanding concepts of design for electrical safety. Working on the assumption that all electrical injuries are preventable, they must also be foreseeable. Instances of electrical system/human contact will be presented. Each case was subjected to adversarial analysis through litigation. How proper design for electrical safety might have prevented the occurrence will be discussed in light of the forensic viewpoints. Where it is known, the outcome by settlement or jury decision will be disclosed.
A dual decomposition algorithm

Suppose that a large-scale block-diagonal linear programming problem has been solved by the Dantzig—Wolfe decomposition algorithm and that an optimal solution has been attained. Suppose further that it is desired to perform a post-optimality analysis or a complete parametric analysis on the cost-coefficients or the RHS of the linking constraints. Efficient techniques for performing these analyses for the ordinary simplex case have not been easily applied to this case as one operation involves doing a minimizing ratio between all columns of two rows of the tableau. As the columns are not readily known in Dantzig—Wolfe decomposition, other techniques must be used. To date, suggested methods involve solving small linear programs to find these minimizing ratios. In this paper a method is presented which requires solving no linear programs (except possibly in the case of degeneracy of a subproblem) using and utilizing only the information typically stored for Dantzig—Wolfe decomposition.
Enumeration under group action: Unsolved graphical enumeration problems, IV

Abstract This review article presents three methods for solving enumeration problems which can be construed as the determination of the number of orbits of an appropriate permutation group. Such a group must be constructed in accordance with the idiosyncrasies of the configurations to be counted and the equivalence relation on them. Thus three different binary operations on permutation groups, the sum, product, and power group, are defined and the structure of each is investigated. Applications of the corresponding theorems for enumeration under group action are provided. We conclude with a table of 27 current unsolved problems in graphical enumeration.
Derivation of a quark-antiquark multi-gluon annihilation potential

We calculate an effective nucleon-antinucleon annihilation potential from a quark model. We show that the different multigluon processes depend on one function, the effective quark-antiquark annihilation density, found to be the same in two very different approximations. This density is given by predetermined confined quark wave functions.
Picking up the pieces: the roles of functional remnants of calpain-mediated proteolysis.

Calpain-mediated cleavage of neuronal targets has long been associated with excitotoxicity and synaptic plasticity. In this issue of Neuron , two papers by Xu et al. and Abe and Takeichi explore the respective roles of mGluR1α cleavage in excitotoxicity and β-catenin cleavage in transcriptional control. Together, these papers show the functional importance of fragments of calpain-mediated cleavage.
Joining political and geographic perspectives: Geopolitics and international relations

In the multidisciplinary study of international relations geographical/geopolitical considerations are essential, and must explicitly be brought back into the concepts and theory undergirding inter...
Spontaneous electron emission from a cold surface

At cryogenic temperature, the dark rate in a photomultiplier is caused by single electrons, emitted spontaneously from the cathode surface. This "cryogenic" dark rate increases with decreasing temperature down to at least 4 K. The average event rate is proportional to the area of the emitting surface and insensitive to the electric field at that surface. The electrons are emitted in bursts. The bursts are distributed randomly in time, but the events within a burst are highly correlated. The burst durations are distributed according to a power law. As the temperature decreases, the rate of bursts, as well as the number of events per burst, increase. The observed time distributions are indicative of a trap mechanism. So far, there is no physics explanation of the observed phenomenon.
Computer-Centered Data Handling Systems

The advantages and disadvantages of a stored-program digital computer as a data gathering, analyzing, and control tool for experimental research, are outlined. The advantages of computers in high-energy, low-energy, and neutron physics research are listed. A survey is presented of the applications of computers in multiparameter analysis, concurrent data reduction, and multi- experiment research, with examples of each application. Effects of computer use on research techniques are discussed. (D.L.C.)
Surgical management of conductive hearing loss in children

This article focuses on congenital anomalies of the middle ear. Embryologic development of the ossicles is reviewed with an emphasis on possible developmental missteps leading to the most commonly seen deformities. Considerations in evaluation of surgical candidacy are reviewed, as is the general surgical approach. A survey of the most commonly noted middle ear anomalies is presented using a previously described classification system. Results of various large series are compared. The article concludes with a discussion of the role of bone-anchored hearing aids in managing conductive hearing loss in children.
Compact VCSEL pumped Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers

We have explored using 808nm Vertical Cavity Surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays for end-pumping of Nd:YAG lasers. A variety of laser designs were explored including a compact passively Q-switched lasers that produced a 22mJ pulse having a pulse width of <1.5ns, and an actively Q-switched laser that produced a 40mJ pulse having a 7 ns pulse width. The VCSEL pumped actively Q-switched laser was used as a source for sum frequency generation. Using a 2mm type II KTP and 3mm type I LBO, we generated greater than 5mJ at 355nm with a 21% THG conversion efficiency.