cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Localization of thermal sensation: An illusion and synthetic heat

Touching three thermal stimulators with the first, second, and third fingers of the hand revealed the following phenomena: (1) When the outer two stimulators were warm (or cold) and the center stimulator thermally neutral, warmth (or cold) was felt at all three fingers (referral). (2) When all three stimulators were warm (or cold), the magnitude of warmth (or cold) felt at the middle finger was greater than the sensation felt when the center stimulator alone was touched (enhancement). (3) When the thermal qualities of the center and outer stimulators differed, the sensation at the middle finger often took on the quality of the sensation produced at the outer fingers (domination). (4)Synthetic heat was sometimes experienced when the outer stimulators were warmed and the center stimulator cooled. The results raise interesting possibilities concerning the probable role that tactile stimulation plays in thermal localization.
Bioelectrical enhancement in tissue-electrode coupling with metamorphic-stage insertions for insect machine interfaces

Implanting microtechnologies into insects with an aim of domesticating its locomotion poses certain challenges, however, performing surgical implantation during the early stages of metamorphic growth was shown to mitigate some of the related detriments. This study reports the bioelectrical enhancement at the tissue-electrode interface allowed with these metamorphic stage insertions, where the electrodes implanted in the insect during the early pupal stages and right after emergence were compared. An average 1 kHz impedance of 8.9 kΩ was obtained with pupal stage inserted electrodes, ten days after the emergence, as compared to 12.1 kΩ observed when electrodes were implanted in the adult state. Charge storage capacity also increased to 52 mC/cm2 from 38 mC/cm2 with the early metamorphic insertions. The performed voltage excursion studies also confirmed the enhancement demonstrating an increase from 3.5 mC/cm2 to 5.1 mC/cm2 in the injectable amount of charge in the water window.
Thyroid hormone and adrenergic signaling in the heart

Thyroid hormone action has profound consequences for the heart, ranging from atrial fibrillation to hemodynamic collapse. It has long been known that the cardiovascular signs and symptoms seen in thyrotoxicosis resemble those seen in states of catecholamine excess. However, measured concentrations of serum catecholamines in patients with thyrotoxicosis are typically normal or even low, suggesting an increase in the adrenergic responsiveness of the thyrotoxic heart. In spite of several decades of work, the question of whether thyroid hormone increases cardiac adrenergic responsiveness is still controversial. In this brief review, we consider the reasons underlying this controversy, focusing on the complexity of the adrenergic signaling cascade.
Spectroscopic properties of rare earth borohydrides: Er(BH4)3·3THF in pure and mixed crystals☆

Abstract The optical spectra of Er(BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF neat crystals and La, Gd, Y(BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF mixed crystals are reported and analyzed. Lanthanum borohydride is found to have a different room temperature crystal structure (triclinic) from Er, Gd, Y(BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF (Pbcn). At low temperature the Pbcn crystals undergo a phase transition to a structure with two crystallographically inequivalent sites in a unit cell. The optical spectra of Er(BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF in Er, Y, Gd(BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF crystals clearly evidence these two sites. Large vibronic intensity is observed at 1.6 K and 77 K and nine “molecular” vibrations are assigned. These modes are quite similar to those found for U(BH 4 ) 4 . Er (BH 4 ) 3 ·3THF spectra are very different: no vibronic transitions are observed but many (often upwards of fifty for a given manifold) weak sharp “satellite” lines are found associated with pure electronic transitions. These data are discussed in terms of structural differences and comments on bonding and covalent character in lanthanide borohydrides are made.
Salt Concentration and Force Affect HU-DNA Interaction

HU is one of the most abundant proteins in bacterial nucleoid and participates in nucleoid compaction and regulation. We used magnetic tweezers to study the dependence of DNA condensation by HU on force, salt and HU concentration. DNA bending exhibited only flexible hinge behavior at 150 mM and 200 mM NaCl, which may be considered physiological levels. No binding was observed at 300 mM NaCl. We tracked the disassociation of HU-DNA complexes in real time and found HU binding to be fully reversible in salt concentration above 100 mM NaCl. The 90% disassociation lifetime, t0.9, extended when the initial HU concentration in which the complexes formed was increased. If the salt concentration was raised while keeping the initial HU concentration and pulling force fixed, however, the t0.9 decreased. Taking 150 nM HU and 0.08 pN force for example, the average t0.9 was 233.0 minutes for 100 mM NaCl, 41.6 minutes for 150 mM, and 6.1 minutes for 200 mM. In addition, if the pulling force was increased from 0.08 pN to 0.28 pN, the t0.9 decreased by an amount dependent on the initial HU concentration. Our results suggested that HU-DNA association and disassociation can be regulated by a combination of mechanical tension, salt and HU concentration.
Early Diagenesis: Composition of Interstitial Waters of Recent Marine Muds: ABSTRACT

The earliest diagenetic changes that may be observable in a Recent marine sediment are those due to chemical reactions between the solid minerals and trapped sea water. The nature and extent of the reactions may be interpreted from the chemical composition of the interstitial water in combination with the mineralogy of the sediment. The water composition may be a more sensitive clue to some reactions than the mineralogy of the solid. Interstitial waters have been extracted from four different sets of long cores of fine-grained recent marine sediment of the Atlantic Ocean using a modified filter press. Four cores come from an area off Cape Cod, Massachusetts; two cores are from the western side of the Atlantic off the coast of Brazil; three cores are from the Romanche Deep in the equatorial Atlantic; seven samples came from the preliminary test for the Mohole, off Guadalupe Island in the Pacific. More than 150 samples of waters, similar in composition to sea water, have been analyzed for Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, and SiO2. It appears that in the sediment waters, in comparison with the overlying sea water, there is some tendency for sodium and chloride to increase slightly, calcium to decrease, magnesium to rema n constant, and silica to increase greatly. Wide variations in water composition are correlative with sediment lithology. Changes in water composition may be due to post-burial reactions between sea water and clay and carbonate minerals as well as to salt-filtering effects of the compacting clay membranes. Calcium concentration may be reduced by precipitation of secondary CaCO3. Sodium and chloride increase as a result of salt-filtering, although some paleosalinity effects may be possible in some nearshore areas where hydrography was strongly affected by Pleistocene events. Silica increases as a consequence of the dissolution of amorphous siliceous organisms and is probably poised at concentrations in equilibrium with montmorillonite. Shipboard determinations of pH on fresh co es compared with pH of End_Page 279------------------------------ aerated squeezed waters indicate that CO2 pressures in the sediment may be an order of magnitude higher than that in equilibrium with the atmosphere, an effect probably related to the bacterial decomposition of organic matter. End_of_Article - Last_Page 280------------
Use of sodium nitroprusside in neonates: efficacy and safety.

Sodium nitroprusside was administered to 58 neonates, including 11 with severe respiratory distress syndrome, 15 with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, 28 with clinical shock, three with systemic hypertension, and two with pulmonary hypoplasia, all refractory to conventional intensive therapy. Nitroprusside was infused at 0.2 to 6.0 μg/kg/min for periods of 10 minutes to 126 hours. Infants with severe respiratory distress syndrome had increased Pa o 2 and decreased Pa co 2 or peak inspiratory pressure, and nearly all (82%) survived. Infants with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn had variable responses; improvement did not correlate with survival, but survival (47%) was identical to that in an earlier series of infants given tolazoline. Infants in shock had improved perfusion, urine output, and serum bicarbonate levels, and these responses were significantly related to survival. Hypertension was controlled in all three hypertensive infants. Adverse effects were very uncommon. Toxic effects were not observed. Sodium nitroprusside is effective and can be used safely in circulatory disorders in the neonate.
TROPHIC RELATIONSHIPS AND THE NITROGEN ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF AMINO ACIDS IN PLANKTON

Stable nitrogen isotope ratios of whole organisms and tissues are routinely used in studies of trophic relationships and nitrogen flow through ecosystems, yet changes underlying increases in W15N from food source to consumer are not completely understood. In this study, the W15N of 16 amino acids in marine planktonic consumers and their food sources were examined using gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spec- trometry of their N-pivaloyl-i-propyl-amino acid ester derivatives. Moderate increases in bulk W'5N with trophic position reflect an averaging of large increases in the W15N of some amino acids, and little or no change in others. Amino acids showing consistently large increases (e.g., glutamic acid changes by -7%o between food and consumer) provide greater scope for defining trophic position than the smaller isotopic changes in bulk material. In contrast, amino acids like phenylalanine show no change in W15N with trophic position and therefore preserve information about nitrogen sources at the base of the food web. The ability to acquire information about both trophic level and nitrogen sources at the base of the food web from single samples of consumer tissues offers a powerful new tool for elucidating pathways of N transfer through food webs.
Human and mouse amelogenin gene loci are on the sex chromosomes.

Enamel is the outermost covering of teeth and is the hardest tissue in the vertebrate body. The enamel matrix is composed of enamelin and amelogenin classes of protein. We have determined the chromosomal locations for the human and mouse amelogenin (AMEL) loci using Southern blot analyses of DNA from human, mouse, or somatic cell hybrids by hybridization to a characterized mouse amelogenin cDNA. We have determined that human AMEL sequences are located on the distal short arm of the X chromosome in the p22.1 → p22.3 region and near the centromere on the Y chromosome, possibly at the proximal long arm (Yq11) region. These chromosomal assignments are consistent with the hypothesis that perturbation of the amelogenin gene is involved in X-linked types of amelogenesis imperfecta, as well as with the Y-chromosomal locations for genes that participate in regulating tooth size and shape. Unlike the locus in humans, the mouse AMEL locus appears to be assigned solely to the X chromosome. Finally, together with the data on other X and Y chromosome sequences, these data for AMEL mapping support the notion of a pericentric inversion occurring in the human Y chromosome during primate evolution.
Preparation of polysiloxane stationary phases for capillary column chromatography: a new methoxyphenyl phase

Contemporary methods for the synthesis of alkyl- and arylsubstituted polysiloxane stationary phases are reviewed. A new, moderately polar phase containing the 3-(4-methoxyphenyl)-propyl group is reported.
Optical Spectroscopy of Individual Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes and Graphene

Linear optical measurements and Raman spectroscopy have been applied to probe electronic excitations and phonons in individual carbon nanotubes and in isolated samples of single-layer graphene.
The Effect of Florida’s Bright Futures Program on College Enrollment and Degree Production: An Aggregated-Level Analysis

In this study, we investigate the impact of the Bright Futures Scholarship Program on college enrollment and degree production in Florida by using IPEDS enrollment, migration, and completion data. Results suggest large and significant enrollment effects at Florida’s public 4- and 2-year institutions, for both full-time and part-time enrollment. This large growth is at least in part due to reduced out-migration of Florida’s resident students attending out-of-state institutions. Thus the net effect is lower than the enrollment growth in Florida. Finally, our results indicate that the effect of Bright Futures on degree production is lower than that on enrollment. This aggregated-level analysis provides an important baseline for our future research on the effect of Bright Futures on students’ college attendance, choice, financial aid renewal, persistence, and graduation by using detailed individual-level data.
Congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium: enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography in 18 cases.

Objective To describe the imaging characteristics of congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (CHRPE). Design Retrospective, observational case series. Participants Eighteen eyes of 18 patients with CHRPE. Methods Review of chart, fundus photography, ultrasonography, fundus autofluorescence, infrared reflectance (IR) imaging, and enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT). Main Outcome Measures Features of CHRPE as analyzed by EDI-OCT. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 48 years (range, 13–73 years). There were 5 males and 13 females, and 17 Caucasian and 1 African American patients. The mean best-corrected visual acuity was 20/22 (range, 20/20–20/40). The CHRPE was located in the retinal periphery (n = 16) with intralesional lacunae (n = 14) and surrounding nonpigmented (n = 4) and pigmented (n = 14) halo. By ultrasonography, the mean CHRPE thickness was 1.0 mm (range, 0.9–1.4 mm). Fundus autofluorescence disclosed hypoautofluorescence (n = 18) with lacunae (n = 14) showing isoautofluorescence (n = 10) or hypoautofluorescence (n = 4). Infrared reflectance imaging displayed hyporeflectivity in the area of pigmentation (n = 16) and hyperreflectivity within lacunae (n = 14). On EDI-OCT, all 18 lesions were flat with a mean basal diameter of 4529 μm (median, 3707 μm; range, 697–11 617 μm). The mean central sublesional choroidal thickness (126.4 μm) was not different compared with thickness 50 μm outside the margin (126.8 μm; P = 0.99). The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was absent (n = 2), thickened (n = 16), or irregular (n = 15). Of 9 lesions in which lacunae were imaged, 8 showed absent RPE. The overlying retinal findings included thinning or absence of the outer retina beginning at the ganglion cell layer (n = 1), outer plexiform layer (n = 4), outer nuclear layer (n = 12), or inner segment/outer segment junction (n = 1). Additional retinal findings included hyperreflective spots (n = 11), cystoid edema (n = 5), and subretinal cleft (n = 6). Subretinal cleft specifically occurred at the site of absent photoreceptors. Conclusions Generally, CHRPE displays hypoautoflouorescence and hyporeflectivity with hyperreflective lacunae on IR imaging. On EDI-OCT, CHRPE seems flat with thickened, irregular RPE and absent RPE within lacunae. A prominent feature is outer retinal loss, generally involving the outer nuclear layer to photoreceptors, occasionally with a characteristic subretinal cleft.
Finding and labeling the subject of a captioned depictive natural photograph

We address the problem of finding the subject of a photographic image intended to illustrate some physical object or objects ("depictive") and taken by usual optical means without magnification ("natural"). This could help in developing digital image libraries since important image properties like subject size and color of a photograph are not usually mentioned in accompanying captions and can help rank the photograph retrievals for a user. We explore an approach that identifies the "visual focus" of the image and the "depicted concepts" in a caption and connects them. The visual focus is determined by using eight domain-independent characteristics of regions in the segmented image, and the caption depiction is identified by a set a rules applied to the parsed and interpreted caption. The visual-focus determination also does combinatorial optimization on sets of regions to find the set that best satisfies focus criteria. Experiments on 100 randomly selected image-caption pairs show significant improvement in precision of retrieval over simpler methods, and, particularly, emphasizes the value of segmentation of the image.
Bibliometrics and Social Network Analysis of the Nanotechnology Field

This paper presents bibliometrics analysis as a way to determine the key authors contributing to the nanotechnology field. Web of science data base on the 1992-2006 time frame is used for that purpose. Statistics such as the authors with highest number of publications, countries, making highest level of contribution to the field are obtained from the bibliometrics analysis. Concepts from social network analysis are used to determine the inter-relationships among lead authors and co-authors. The key players in the nanotechnology field are identified and the nature and intensity of collaboration among them are described.
Hormone therapies in women aged 40 and older: prevalence and correlates of use.

Abstract Context The objective of this paper is to report the prevalence and correlates of both prescription and non-prescription hormone use. Design/setting/sample Cross-sectional baseline study from a prospective cohort of 30,448 women receiving mammography in New Hampshire. Main outcome measures Odds of prescription hormone and non-prescription hormone use. Results 29,851 women were included; 62% reported some use of prescription hormone therapy, with current long-term prescription hormone therapy users representing the largest group (25%). Among ever-users, estrogen only was the most commonly used preparation (71% versus 30% for estrogen and progestin combined). Both single agent estrogen and estrogen and progestin combined regimens were taken primarily for treatment of menopausal symptoms or disease prevention. Correlates for prescription hormone use included a family history of breast cancer (associated with decreased use—OR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.93), and family history of heart disease (associated with increased use—OR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.17). Ten percent of women reported ever use of phytoestrogens (over-the-counter hormones). Family history of breast cancer was a correlate of over-the-counter hormone use (OR 1.10; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.19). Conclusion Management of menopausal symptoms and disease prevention were the main reasons for using prescription hormones, and health histories were important correlates of both prescription and over-the-counter hormone exposures. As evidence changes regarding risks and benefits of hormone exposure, primary care physicians should help women reassess their use of hormonal agents.
Scalable synthesis and derivation of functional polyesters bearing ene and epoxide side chains

Functional polyester chemistry is well suited to improve delivery of biomacromolecular drugs because it enables tuning of degradation profiles and inclusion of key functional groups (e.g. cationic charges for nucleic acid binding). However, current approaches to introduce functionality suffer from inadequate scalability and modularity. We have developed a scalable library of functional polyesters based on the polymerization of trimethylolpropane allyl ether (TPAE) with diacid chlorides (poly(TPAE-co-AC)s). The reactive side chains can be easily modified with various functional thiols (e.g. alkyl-, amino-, and PEG-) and amines to generate a diverse set of materials, thereby tuning the chemistry for potential opportunities in drug delivery. The polymerization occurs readily under mild conditions at room temperature with Mw for poly(TPAE-co-suberoyl chloride) exceeding 42000 g mol−1. In addition, poly(TPAE-co-adipoyl chloride) was polymerized on a 100+ gram scale in 71% final isolated yield. Due to the structural similarity to established non-functional polyesters such as PLGA, these new materials may find broad application as functional polyesters for gene delivery, tissue engineering, and other nanotechnology applications.
Land records modernization: Centers of excellence from a Wisconsin perspective

Abstract Faculty representing a variety of disciplines at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are planning for the establishment of a center of excellence in land information science, for the purpose of providing a program that develops scholars and professionals, as recommended in a recent report of the National Research Council. They have begun by identifying an interdisciplinary graduate program focused upon education, training, and research required for the development and implementation of large-scale, multipurpose land information systems within the Public Land Survey states. These discussions have identified (a) five reasons to support the concept of centers of excellence in land information studies; (b) five components that are important, if not essential, to the development of a center; and (c) three types of resources at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, including the academic resources of seven departments, institutes, or centers offering instruction in 45 existing courses that are central to or supportive of philosophical and theoretical as well as the technical and application aspects of land records modernization; seven facilities that could provide source materials, research, and technical assistance; and three institutional cooperators. This paper reviews why centers of excellence are needed now, outlines components such a center should include, and discuss current efforts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that support the center of excellence concept.
Testing the Acceptance Model of Intuitive Eating With College Women Athletes

Intuitive eating is an adaptive eating style that involves eating for physical rather than emotional reasons, reliance on internal hunger and satiety cues, and lack of restriction in eating. In our...
A three-dimensional wide-angle BPM for optical waveguide structures.

Algorithms for effective modeling of optical propagation in three- dimensional waveguide structures are critical for the design of photonic devices. We present a three-dimensional (3-D) wide-angle beam propagation method (WA-BPM) using Hoekstra’s scheme. A sparse matrix algebraic equation is formed and solved using iterative methods. The applicability, accuracy and effectiveness of our method are demonstrated by applying it to simulations of wide-angle beam propagation, along with a technique for shifting the simulation window to reduce the dimension of the numerical equation and a threshold technique to further ensure its convergence. These techniques can ensure the implementation of iterative methods for waveguide structures by relaxing the convergence problem, which will further enable us to develop higher-order 3-D WA-BPMs based on Pade approximant operators.
Progress Report on Microscopic Examination of Permian Crude Oils: ABSTRACT

Studies of several samples of Permian crude oil were made for the purpose of determining the source, character, and amount of the included organic residues. The method of obtaining the residues was similar to that used by Sanders. Diatoms, spines, plant remains, and fragments of other organic materials were observed in the residues examined, but further studies will be necessary before the source of these remains can be determined. End_of_Article - Last_Page 934------------
Coronary embolism in primary myocardial disease.

Abstract Two patients in whom coronary embolism occurred in association with primary myocardial disease are presented. In addition to coronary embolism, multiple systemic embolism occurred in both patients. In Patient 1, cerebral embolism preceded coronary embolism by a short period of time, and death resulted from myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. In Patient 2, the patient survived the episode of coronary embolism, but had episodes of precordial pain for some months following coronary embolism, and continued to have multiple systemic emboli. It is suggested that some instances of angina and sudden death in primary myocardial disease may be due to coronary embolism.
The effects of long-term ingestion of asbestos on the colon of F344 rats.

Weanling F344 rats, which were fed a diet containing 10% chrysotile (B), were studied over their life-time to determine the effects of ingested asbestos on the colon. Control groups consisted of rats fed a diet containing a 10% nonnutritive cellulose or a standard laboratory rat diet. The pathological findings in the colons of 501 rats (189 on asbestos diet, 197 on fiber control diet, and 115 on standard control diet), are reported here. Epithelial tumors of the colon (eight adenocarcinomas and one adenoma) were found in nine of the rats on study. Four of the tumors were in asbestos-fed rats, two tumors were found in the non-nutritive cellulose controls, and three tumors were found in the standard laboratory rat diet controls. The probability (based on actuarial analysis) of developing adenoma or adenocarcinomas during the 32 months of the study were 7.4% for the asbestos-fed group, 3.5% for the fiber control diet and 4.0% on the standard control diet. In addition, one malignant mesothelioma of the type induced by intraperitoneally administered asbestos was found in the asbestos-fed group. Non-neoplastic lesions of the colon were also evaluated. The cumulative risk for development of any colon-associated lesion (non-neoplastic plus neoplastic lesions) was greatest for asbestos-fed rats (17.9%), compared to 13.6% for those fed the fiber control diet and 8.2% for those fed the standard control diet. The colon tissue levels of adenosine, 3'-5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) were significantly lower in the animals fed asbestos compared to the control diets. Chrysotile fibers were seen by electronmicroscopy (e.m.) in six of ten ashed colon specimens of rats fed the asbestos diet. Although the differences in numbers of tumors between the animals fed asbestos and the controls were not statistically significant at the 5% level, we felt that the combination of observations including 1) evidence of increased probability of asbestos-fed animals to develop colon lesions in general; 2) evidence of a special type of mesothelioma in rats fed asbestos; 3) evidence for a cell regulator defect (lowered cAMP levels) in colon tissues of animals fed asbestos; and 4) evidence for asbestos fiber penetration of the colonic mucosa (e.m. studies) suggest that ingested asbestos is not inert in the colon.
Facilitating Scientific Investigations and Training Data Scientists

On a Monday morning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 29 sixth-grade students and their teacher conducted scientific investigations on insect adaptations by remotely controlling an environmental scanning electron microscope from their classroom. Before the session, these students gathered and mailed insect specimens to the Beckman Institute of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where the electron microscope is physically located. Like any principal investigator, their teacher submitted a formal proposal to request access to the microscope for a classroom project ( 1 ). The proposal was to participate in the Beckman Institute's Bugscope, , a free educational technology outreach project, which enables kindergarten to 12th grade (K-12) and undergraduate students and teachers to remotely access and control the microscope in real time from their classroom computers. For the teacher, the educational benefits to her students included the ability to see insect anatomy details too minute for their classroom microscopes; the development of the skills necessary to acquire their own images; and, most important, the opportunity to chat with scientists and ask them questions about insects, electron microscopy, and science careers.
Flexible Satellite Systems

In today's unpredictable and dynamic environment, flexibility is an important aspect in system design. Flexibility increases system capability and effectiveness, reduces long term cost, encourages innovation, and protects against uncertainty. It is often at odds with optimization. High cost and harsh environment lead to specialized high performance satellite systems with stringent size, weight, and power constraints. These inflexible systems are costly to modify. The longevity of some satellite systems exacerbates the issue and leads to some existing satellites flying obsolete technologies developed more than 20 years ago. In this article, we argue that flexibility is a critical issue in satellite design. We illustrate flexibility through three example technologies; DVB-S2, SONET, and multiple-access receivers. The purpose of the examples and of this paper is to stimulate and encourage the community to incorporate flexibility in future satellite systems.
Carbon loss from an unprecedented Arctic tundra wildfire

In 2007, an area of more than 1,000 square kilometres of Alaskan tundra was destroyed by a single fire, more than doubling the cumulative area burnt in this region since 1950. Michelle Mack and colleagues now show that, in the process, 2.1 teragrams of carbon was released and about one-third of soil organic matter burned away, thereby potentially exposing permafrost soils to thaw. The amount of carbon released from the entire burn was comparable to the annual net carbon sink of the entire Arctic tundra biome during the past 25 years of the twentieth century. As tundra fires are expected to increase as the climate warms, combustion of 'old growth' tundra soil could constitute a positive climate feedback, by transferring surface soil carbon to the atmosphere and accelerating the thaw and decomposition of deeper permafrost carbon. Arctic tundra soils store large amounts of carbon (C) in organic soil layers hundreds to thousands of years old that insulate, and in some cases maintain, permafrost soils1,2. Fire has been largely absent from most of this biome since the early Holocene epoch3, but its frequency and extent are increasing, probably in response to climate warming4. The effect of fires on the C balance of tundra landscapes, however, remains largely unknown. The Anaktuvuk River fire in 2007 burned 1,039 square kilometres of Alaska’s Arctic slope, making it the largest fire on record for the tundra biome and doubling the cumulative area burned since 1950 (ref. 5). Here we report that tundra ecosystems lost 2,016 ± 435 g C m−2 in the fire, an amount two orders of magnitude larger than annual net C exchange in undisturbed tundra6. Sixty per cent of this C loss was from soil organic matter, and radiocarbon dating of residual soil layers revealed that the maximum age of soil C lost was 50 years. Scaled to the entire burned area, the fire released approximately 2.1 teragrams of C to the atmosphere, an amount similar in magnitude to the annual net C sink for the entire Arctic tundra biome averaged over the last quarter of the twentieth century7. The magnitude of ecosystem C lost by fire, relative to both ecosystem and biome-scale fluxes, demonstrates that a climate-driven increase in tundra fire disturbance may represent a positive feedback, potentially offsetting Arctic greening8 and influencing the net C balance of the tundra biome.
Preparation and structural analysis of carbon-supported Co core/Pt shell electrocatalysts using electroless deposition methods.

Cobalt core/platinum shell nanoparticles were prepared by the electroless deposition (ED) of Pt on carbon-supported cobalt catalyst (Co/C) and verified by HRTEM images. For a 2.0 wt % Co/C core, the ED technique permitted the Pt loading to be adjusted to obtain a series of bimetallic compositions with varying numbers of monolayers (ML). The tendency for corrosion of Co and the electrochemical (i.e., oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)) activity of the structures were measured. The results from temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) analysis suggest that a single Pt ML coverage is formed at a Pt weight loading between 0.5 and 0.7% on the 2.0% Co/C. HRTEM analysis indicates that the continuity of the Pt shell on the Co core depends on the precursor Co particle size, where “large” Co particles (>10 nm) favor noncontinuous, three-dimensional Pt structures and “small” Co particles (<6 nm) favor layer-by-layer growth. For these larger core−shell particles, Co was observed to quickly corrode in 0.3 M H2SO4. Surface ...
Alcohol Intoxication Effects on Simulated Driving: Exploring Alcohol-Dose Effects on Brain Activation Using Functional MRI

Driving while intoxicated is a major public health problem. We investigated impaired driving using a simulated driving skill game that presents an 'in-car' view of a road and a readout of speed. We explored brain activation and behavioral alterations from baseline at two blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). Participants received single-blind individualized doses of beverage alcohol designed to produce blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.04 and 0.08 or placebo. Scanning occurred on a 1.5 Tesla Philips MRI scanner after training to asymptote performance. Analysis was performed using independent component analysis (ICA) to isolate systematically nonoverlapping 'networks' and their time courses. Imaging results revealed seven separate driving-related brain networks with different time courses. Several significant findings were observed for the imaging data. First, dose-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) changes were revealed in orbitofrontal (OF) and motor (but not cerebellar) regions; visual and medial frontal regions were unaffected. Second, cerebellar regions were significantly associated with driving behavior in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, a global disruptive effect of alcohol on the ICA time courses was observed with highly significant differences in OF and motor regions. Alcohol thus demonstrated some behavioral effects and unique, disruptive, dose-dependent effects on fMRI signal within several brain circuits. The fMRI data also suggest that the deficits observed in alcohol intoxication may be modulated primarily through OF/anterior cingulate, motor and cerebellar regions as opposed to attentional areas in frontoparietal cortex.
Matching oversegmented 3D images to models using association graphs

Abstract A new enhancement to the use of association graphs for model matching is introduced. The specific problem addressed is matching when, due to noise, errors occur in the segmentation process, and these errors result in oversegmentation: that is, a single surface in the model is reported as two surfaces by the segmenter. The association graph is augmented by ‘merge nodes’ which possess the appropriate properties. The algorithm is described and examples are presented.
Hybrid Adaptive Splines

Abstract An adaptive spline method for smoothing is proposed that combines features from both regression spline and smoothing spline approaches. One of its advantages is the ability to vary the amount of smoothing in response to the inhomogeneous “curvature” of true functions at different locations. This method can be applied to many multivariate function estimation problems, which is illustrated by an application to smoothing temperature data on the globe. The method's performance in a simulation study is found to be comparable to the wavelet shrinkage methods proposed by Donoho and Johnstone. The problem of how to count the degrees of freedom for an adaptively chosen set of basis functions is addressed. This issue arises also in the MARS procedure proposed by Friedman and other adaptive regression spline procedures.
Use of incompatible displacement modes for the calculation of element stiffnesses or stresses

Abstract The addition of incompatible displacement modes to lower-order displacement-based elements is re-evaluated. Recent research has indicated that a simple numerical correction can be applied to the shape functions in order that the constant-strain patch test is passed. In this paper a new method of stress recovery is presented in which incompatible modes are introduced. A least-square approximation is used to calculate element stresses which are in microscopic equilibrium and tend to be in global equilibrium with the applied nodal loads on the finite element assemblage. Also, a consistent and robust method for the evaluation of thermal stresses is presented. The numerical methods presented are general and can be applied to all displacement-based finite elements. The basic formulation and examples which are presented in this paper are in three-dimensional elasticity using the eight-node isoparametric elements. Accuracy of the element is illustrated and it is demonstrated that both displacements and stresses are almost identical to those produced by Pian's hybrid stress elements.
The need to modify health education programs for the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled

The health of individuals who are diagnosed as developmentally disabled or mentally retarded has long been a concern of health professionals. Historically health education has addressed the life style and health issues associated with the norm of the population. While there have been many advances in health education which are admirable, modification of health education programs for the developmentally disabled remains an important consideration. Those areas of health education which might be adapted to the developmentally disabled include mental and emotional health, substance abuse, sexuality and reproduction nutrition, weight control, fitness, and other factors related to disease prevention and overall health and well being. From a review of the literature, it seems that successful modification of health education materials for the developmentally disabled incorporates the use of repetition, involvement of health care providers and family, a focus on managing stress and value clarification as well as the enhancement of self-esteem and self-worth. In general, the health issues of concern for the mentally retarded and the developmentally disabled are not markedly different from that of the general population. It does appear that additional research is necessary for the adaptation of programs which could provide this much needed training for developmentally disabled and mentally retarded individuals.
Carious-like lesions of enamel produced in the artificial mouth.

Abstract For the work described in this report, freshly extracted teeth were mounted in plastic boxes and the surfaces were photographed at a magnification of about 8×. The mounted teeth were placed in cylindrical glass funnels and a bacteriologic medium was allowed to flow dropwise over the individual teeth. The teeth were inoculated at weekly intervals by soaking for thirty minutes in a sample of pooled saliva. Usually at regular intervals, the teeth were examined at a magnification of 30× and photographed when necessary. Under these conditions, lesions of the enamel have been produced which are very similar in appearance and position to natural carious lesions. By the use of bilaterally identical teeth, it has been shown that tooth surfaces brushed twice daily remain fairly sound for long periods, whereas unbrushed or roughened areas soften rapidly. Typical regions of attack of brushed teeth are developmental pits and grooves, particularly on the occlusal surfaces, proximal surfaces, and cervical areas near the cementoenamel junction. The mode of attack is quite different when a strictly decalcifying medium is used without bacterial development. Individual teeth exhibit considerable difference in resistance to enamel attack. Apparently deciduous and unerupted teeth are much less resistant than old erupted teeth. Enamel attack has been observed only when glucose is present in the media, and when streptococci, lactobacilli, or both have developed. In the absence of glucose, the tooth surfaces remain intact for long periods. Dentine is decalcified under these conditions, but usually the structure is retained. Some instances of dentine destruction have been noted; in current investigations the conditions necessary for dentine destruction are under active investigation.
Epidemiology of pediatric transports and non-transports in an urban Emergency Medical Services system.

Objective. This study was done to describe an urban, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system's experiences with pediatric patients andthe rate andcharacteristics of non-transports in this setting. Methods. A retrospective analysis of all pediatric patients responded to by the Detroit Fire Department Division of EMS between January 1, 2002 andAugust 30, 2002 was done. Results. There were 5,976 pediatric EMS cases. Children 10 years of age or older accounted for 49.4% of transports, 53.8% of all patients had medical illness, and38.8% of the patients belonged to the non-urgent category. A large percentage of patients were not transported (27.2%), most commonly secondary to parent/caregiver/patient refusals. The median number of minutes on-scene for refusals was longer than for transports (23.5 vs. 17.3, respectively)[difference = 6.2 minutes (95% CI: 5.6–6.9)]. The odds ratios (OR) for refusal was highest for assaults (2.09; 95% CI: 1.66–2.63), difficulty in breathing (1.38; 95% CI: 1.14–1.68), andmotor vehic...
Product Aggregation, Market Integration, and Relationships between Prices: An Application to World Salmon Markets: Comment

species. These conclusions led to a number of significant policy implications. ABW's analysis is based on the premise that when markets are well integrated the LOP holds. The methodology employed is the Johansen test which, as ABW claim, "...provides the critical link in empirical work when prices are nonstationary, because it allows testing of hypotheses on the cointegration parameters in this framework, in contrast to what is possible with the Engle and Granger test" (p. 579). A large body of literature in recent years has questioned the above premise and methodology for testing market integration (e.g., Barrett 1996, McCallum, McNew, McNew and Fackler, Miljkovic). We believe that it is important to define market integration in a more precise manner before drawing conclusions and policy recommendations. The empirical international trade literature and the open macroeconomics literature rely on the concept of tradability. A product is tradable between two countries if the good is actually traded, or if market intermediaries are indifferent
Burning velocities of fluorocarbon-oxygen mixtures

The burning velocities of mixtures of perfluoropropene (C 3 F 6 ), perfluorocyclobutene (c-C 4 F 6 ), and perfluorocyclobutane (c-C 4 F 6 ) with oxygen at atmospheric pressure are reported. The peak burning velocity of fluorocarbon-oxygen mixtures cannot be correlated with the peak calculated adiabatic flame temperature, but it is shown that the peak burning velocity can be correlated with maximum equilibrium fluorine atom concentration. These results indicate that the flame propagation mechanism in fluorocarbon-oxygen systems is dominated by diffusion of reactive fluorine atoms from the hot products into the unburned reactants rather than by thermal effects.
Recent Advances in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)-related Lymphoma

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients are at an increased risk for developing both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma when compared with the general population. With the remarkable decrease in the incidence of opportunistic infections since the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), acquired immune deficiency syndrome-related lymphoma (ARL) is now the second most common cancer associated with human immunodeficiency virus after Kaposi sarcoma. Over the last few years, advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of this heterogeneous group of lymphomas have led to the adoption of new classification systems. The prognosis of patients with ARL has improved dramatically with the availability of HAART, and the survival of many of these patients is now comparable to patients in the general population. Apart from the contribution of HAART, this improvement in prognosis can also be attributed to new initiatives in treatment of these patients, such as the use of effective infusional regimens, the feasibility of high-dose therapy with peripheral stem cell rescue for relapsed or refractory disease, and better supportive care. Nonetheless, several controversial issues persist, including the optimal timing of HAART with combination chemotherapy, the role of rituximab when incorporated into treatment regimens, and the optimal therapy for patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Burkitt lymphoma. This article reviews the changes in the epidemiology of ARL in the era of HAART, advances in the biology of ARL, new developments in the management of patients with ARL, and several of the controversial issues that oncologists may encounter in the care of these patients.
The extramural exocrine pancreas program of the U.S. national institutes of health

Summary The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the major agency in the federal government that supports both biomedical research and training in the digestive diseases as it relates to health maintenance, human development throughout life, disease prevention, and disease treatment. The present article summarizes the exocrine pancreas program in the context of digestive diseases expenditures of the NIH. This article is a follow-up review of the Pancreas Program as originally described by Roussos (Pancreas 1986; 1:74-79). The period covered in this review is fiscal year (FY) 1987 to present. Data presented for FY 1987 to 1992 were provided by the NIH Data Book (U.S. Public Health Service, 1993). Fiscal data for FY 1993-FY 1994 are compiled from institutional databases, FY 1995 figures are presented from the President's budget request submitted to the Congress of the United States.
Automated defect detection for sewer pipeline inspection and condition assessment

To regularly and proactively assess conditions of sewer infrastructure systems to ensure their structural integrity and continuity of services, it is critical to advance the state of automated pipeline inspection and condition assessment. Currently, a critical issue is to address realistic defect detection that deals with real sewer inspection data. This paper presents the findings of a research project that seeks to enable automated detection of defects in sewer pipelines from inspection videos and images. The need for and the challenges of automated defect detection in sewer infrastructure condition monitoring are presented. Based on a general detection and recognition model established in this paper, a change detection based approach which is tailored to solve the challenges in this sewer pipeline domain is described and illustrated through case study.
Water Vapor Continuum Absorption of Carbon Dioxide Laser Radiation near 10 μ

Laboratory measurements using a stabilized CO2 laser and a 1-km long path absorption cell are presented here for pure water vapor and water vapor–air mixtures. An empirical extinction coefficient equation is presented and used to compute absorption for a variety of atmospheric slant paths. Finally, the laboratory results are confirmed by comparison with outdoor transmission studies over a 1.95-km path.