cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unrecognized non-Q-wave myocardial infarction: prevalence and prognostic significance in patients with suspected coronary disease.

Background Unrecognized myocardial infarction (UMI) is known to constitute a substantial portion of potentially lethal coronary heart disease. However, the diagnosis of UMI is based on the appearance of incidental Q-waves on 12-lead electrocardiography. Thus, the syndrome of non-Q-wave UMI has not been investigated. Delayed-enhancement cardiovascular magnetic resonance (DE-CMR) can identify MI, even when small, subendocardial, or without associated Q-waves. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and prognosis associated with non-Q-wave UMI identified by DE-CMR.
NAT1/DAP5/p97 and Atypical Translational Control in the Drosophila Circadian Oscillator

Circadian rhythms are driven by gene expression feedback loops in metazoans. Based on the success of genetic screens for circadian mutants in Drosophila melanogaster, we undertook a targeted RNAi screen to study the impact of translation control genes on circadian locomotor activity rhythms in flies. Knockdown of vital translation factors in timeless protein-positive circadian neurons caused a range of effects including lethality. Knockdown of the atypical translation factor NAT1 had the strongest effect and lengthened circadian period. It also dramatically reduced PER protein levels in pigment dispersing factor (PDF) neurons. BELLE (BEL) protein was also reduced by the NAT1 knockdown, presumably reflecting a role of NAT1 in belle mRNA translation. belle and NAT1 are also targets of the key circadian transcription factor Clock (CLK). Further evidence for a role of NAT1 is that inhibition of the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase increased oscillator activity in cultured wings, which is absent under conditions of NAT1 knockdown. Moreover, the per 5'- and 3'-UTRs may function together to facilitate cap-independent translation under conditions of TOR inhibition. We suggest that NAT1 and cap-independent translation are important for per mRNA translation, which is also important for the circadian oscillator. A circadian translation program may be especially important in fly pacemaker cells.
Effect of radiation sterilization and aging on ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

The mechanical properties of polyethylene components used in prosthesis are altered after fabrication by the sterilization procedure and by the environmental and mechanical aging which occurs after implantation. To assess the importance and extent of these alterations, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylenes from two sources, Hercules 1900 and RCH 1000C, were subjected to gamma-ray irradiation and aging in serum and argon environments. Changes induced by these treatments in the structural and mechanical parameters have been determined by a variety of experimental techniques. The effect of irradiation is to introduce crosslinks and to increase the degree of crystallinity resulting in changes in the tensile properties in the direction of higher stiffness and reduced ductility. Aging for six months produced similar changes with subtle differences. The results suggest that the initially low degree of crystallinity which results from the sluggish mobility of the very long chain molecules offers the opportunity for significant changes in the properties during use in the long run.
Does volunteering moderate the relation between functional limitations and mortality

Previous studies have demonstrated that functional limitations increase, and organizational volunteering decreases, the risk of mortality in later life. However, scant attention has been paid to investigating the joint effect of functional limitations and organizational volunteering on mortality. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that volunteering moderates the relation between functional limitations and risk of mortality. This prospective study used baseline survey data from a representative sample of 916 non-institutionalized adults 65 years old and older who lived in the continental United States. Data on mortality were extracted six years later from the National Death Index. Survival analyses revealed that functional limitations were associated with an increased risk of dying only among participants who never or almost never volunteered, suggesting that volunteering buffers the association between functional limitations and mortality. We conclude that although it may be more difficult for older adults with functional limitations to volunteer, they may receive important benefits from doing so.
Convergence Speed for Simple Symmetric Exclusion: An Explicit Calculation

For the infinite-volume simple symmetric nearest-neighbor exclusion process in one dimension, we investigate the speed of convergence to equilibrium from a particular initial distribution. We use duality to reduce the analysis to that of the two-particle process, which we further reduce to a random walk reflecting rightward at zero, whose generator is self-adjoint on l 2(Z). We obtain the spectral representation of the generator and use asymptotic analysis to show that convergence is slow.
Musing: Adaptable Mobile Augmented Reality Application for Museums and Art Galleries

A fundamental goal of museums is to engage their visitors. For the uninitiated visitor, especially for those in an academic museum or gallery, art can be challenging, intimidating, and difficult to understand. Museums have historically used text-based didactics, hardware-based audio/visual guides and on-staff docents to provide historical, technical, biographical, and sociopolitical context for artworks. In the case of small museums, inexpensive text didactics are often the only source of information available to the visitor. Hence, these venues cannot take advantage of the audio, video, Web sites, and online resources that can enhance learning. The research team has developed an iPhone application, called Musing; an Augmented Reality application that allows a museum visitor to acquire artworks images via the iPhone's camera. Using image processing algorithms, Musing recognizes the artwork and places point of interest widgets (POIs), in the form buttons, on top of the artwork displayed on-screen. These POIs provide the visitor with historical, technical, biographical, and sociopolitical information via audio, video, text overlays, and/or Web sites. Placing POIs over any part of an artwork allows the museum professional to provide contextual information that can help to create a meaningful experience for the visitor. The ability for the visitor to download Musing on their own phone reduces the costs associated with providing loaner hardware. Lastly, Musing's Administrator Panel allows museum professionals with limited technical ability to build exhibits and add POI for use within the application.
Finite deflection structural analysis using plate and shell discreteelements.

An analysis capability for predicting the nonlinear behavior of elastic structural systems that can be adequately idealized with rectangular plate and cylindrical shell discrete elements is reported. The displacement patterns in each element are approximated in terms of products of one-dimension al, first-order Hermite interpolation polynomials and undetermined nodal displacement parameters. Geometric admissibility of the displacement state for an assembled set of these discrete elements can be readily assured. Incorporation of geometric nonlinearities in the strain-displacement relations permits the prediction of finite displacements. For example, elastic postbuckling behavior can be analyzed using this method. The option to impose a prescribed end-shortening and then determine the boundary-force distribution required to maintain the resulting displacement pattern is a valuable feature of this capability. Numerical solutions are obtained by direct minimization of the total potential energy. The elastic postbuckling behavior of a flat-plate panel and a cylindrical shell panel are presented as examples. The applicability of these discrete elements to predicting the elastic postbuckling behavior of integrally stiffened plate and cylindrical shell panels is provided by the assumed element displacement patterns.
Understanding Checkpointing Overheads on Massive-Scale Systems: Analysis of the IBM Blue Gene/P System

Providing fault tolerance in high-end petascale systems, consisting of millions of hardware components and complex software stacks, is becoming an increasingly challenging task. Checkpointing continues to be the most prevalent technique for providing fault tolerance in such high-end systems. Considerable research has focussed on optimizing checkpointing; however, in practice, checkpointing still involves a high-cost overhead for users. In this paper, we study the checkpointing overhead seen by various applications running on leadership-class machines like the IBM Blue Gene/P at Argonne National Laboratory. In addition to studying popular applications, we design a methodology to help users understand and intelligently choose an optimal checkpointing frequency to reduce the overall checkpointing overhead incurred. In particular, we study the Grid-Based Projector-Augmented Wave application, the Carr-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics application, the Nek5000 computational fluid dynamics application and the Parallel Ocean Program applicationâand analyze their memory usage and possible checkpointing trends on 65,536 processors of the Blue Gene/P system.
Alternative histochemical markers for skeletal muscle capillaries: A statistical comparison among three muscles

Abstract Except in thin muscles, the analysis of muscle capillarity depends on direct ultrastructural visualization or histochemical identification of the capillaries using stains for basement membrane or reactions for endothelial cell enzymes. The accuracy of existing histochemical methods for detecting capillaries has not been systematically tested, however. The purpose of the present study was to compare muscle capillarity determined by two methods currently in use, Griffonia simplicifolia I lectin (GSI) and ATPase, with two alternative capillary markers, Lycopersicon esculentum lectin (LEA) and MRC OX.43 antigen. Capillarity, expressed as capillaries around fibers (CAF), was determined in the soleus, extensor digitorum longus, and sternomastoid muscles from 4-month-old female rats. The GSI, LEA, and MRC OX.43 capillary markers gave identical results for each muscle, confirming their validity as cytochemical probes. In contrast, the capillary ATPase method gave significantly lower CAF determinations, with a differential effect of preincubations at pH 4.4 vs 4.0. These data suggest that capillary ATPase acid stability varies within the capillary bed. The use of one or more of the alternative capillary markers tested is suggested for studies of muscle capillarity to confirm that binding sites or enzyme activity used for a given probe is expressed under both control and experimental conditions.
A Microprocessor-Assisted Calibration for a Remote Working Level Monitor

A method is described for calibrating a Remote Working Level Monitor, an instrument which measures Working Level and Rn-daughter concentrations in the atmosphere. The method makes use of a microprocessor to calculate beta efficiencies for RaB and RaC from the counts accumulated in the RaA, Ra(B + C) and RaC' channels of the instrument. Both the alpha spectroscopic and total-alpha methods are used to determine the Rn-daughter concentrations. These methods require the processor to solve systems of linear equations with several unknowns. No assumptions about Rn-daughter equilibrium are made.
NEUTRON SCATTERING AT 2.2 Mev BY TIME OF FLIGHT

A millimicrosecond time-of-flight technique has been applied to a study of the scattering of 2.2-Mev neutrons from targets of Fe, ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}$, and Y. The 3-Mev phase-focused proton beam from the BNL 18-inch cyclotron was used to produce high-intensity neutron pulses in the $\mathrm{T}(p, n){\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ reaction. The angular distributions of the elastically scattered neutrons have been measured for the above targets. The angular distributions of the inelastically scattered neutrons from the 0.845-Mev level in ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{56}$ and from the 0.803-Mev level in ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}$ have been carefully studied, and were found to be symmetric about ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$. The angular distributions of the inelastically scattered neutrons from levels at 1.34 and 1.43 Mev in ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}$ and from levels at 0.913 and 1.53 Mev in Y have been measured, and also appear to be symmetric about ${\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{c}.\mathrm{m}.}=90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$. The inelastic scattering from ${\mathrm{Pb}}^{206}$ shows evidence for a new level at 1.15 Mev.
A full employment policy for prisons in the United States: Some arguments, estimates, and implications

Abstract By 1990 prison populations in the United States had risen 135 percent since 1980, and most states were facing record budget deficits and cuts. After well over a dozen years of renewed interest in prison industry programs and slow but steady growth in inmate employment, most prisons still suffered from vast unemployment of inmates. This article proposes a policy of prisoner full employment, presents a number of models, and discusses the implications of dramatically increasing prisoner employment. It asserts that prisons can be made more productive without significant threats to the civilian labor force and that these centers of productivity can yield economic, institutional, and individual benefits.
Parallel effects of cations on PNIPAM graft wettability and PNIPAM solubility.

Stimuli-responsive surfaces grafted with thermoresponsive polymers switch from hydrophilic to hydrophobic thermally, making these surfaces attractive in applications such as in microfluidics devices, as antifouling surfaces, and in cell culture and tissue engineering. These materials exhibit changes in wettability as the polymer undergoes a phase transition above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Because the presence of salts affects LCSTs in accordance to the Hofmeister series, salt effects on the wettability of these thermoresponsive surfaces will dramatically impact device performance. Prior studies of such effects have focused on the influence of anions. Detailed studies of the effects of cations have not been carried out. Here, the influence of varying cation identity in a series of mono-, di-, and trivalent sulfate salts on the wettability of a stimuli-responsive grafted surface was investigated by measuring advancing water contact angle (Θa) changes. The cation-induced changes in Θa w...
Lateral friction in the oceans as an effect of potential vorticity mixing

Abstract Applying a mixing-length calculation to potential vorticity rather than to momentum a new type of lateral friction appears in the oceanic mass transport equations. This friction is evaluated for the special case of horizontally homogeneous, quasi-geostrophic turbulence. The main effect is a westward force arising from the so-called β-term. This produces an additional southward interior transport and a strengthening of the western boundary current. A turbulent exchange coefficient KH = 108 em2s−1 is sufficient to give a Gulf Stream transport twice that obtained by the classical Sverdrup model.
Anti-(tumor necrosis factor) alters the response of human monocytes to liposomal muramyl tripeptide.

The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms by which liposome-encapsulated muramyl tripeptide phosphatidylethanolamine (L-MTP-PE) stimulates monocytes to produce tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1). We have previously shown that secretion of TNF protein occurred 2–4 h following incubation of monocytes with L-MTP-PE and that this stimulation of TNF production was associated with an increase in TNF mRNA. Increased intracellular interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and IL-1β were not detected until 8 h after exposure to L-MTP-PE. To determine whether TNF played a role in the stimulation of IL-1 production by L-MTP-PE, normal human monocytes were incubated with L-MTP-PE or medium in the presence or absence of anti-TNF or anti IL-1α plus anti IL-1β. Enhanced expression of IL-1α and IL-1β mRNA was inhibited at 4 h but not 24 h when monocytes were incubated with L-MTP-PE plus anti-TNF compared with L-MTP-PE alone. By contrast, enhanced expression of TNF mRNA wasnot inhibited at any time when monocytes were incubated with L-MTP-PE and anti-IL-1α plus anti-IL-1β. These data indicate that the up-regulation of IL-1 seen in monocytes following L-MTP-PE exposure may be due in part to the production of TNF. The up-regulation of TNF, however, appears to be independent of IL-1 production.
A Novel Frame-Level Constant-Distortion Bit Allocation for Smooth H.264/AVC Video Quality

It is known that quality fluctuation has a major negative effect on visual perception. In previous work, we introduced a constant-distortion bit allocation method [1] for H.263+ encoder. However, the method in [1] can not be adapted to the newest H.264/AVC encoder directly as the well-known chicken-egg dilemma resulted from the rate-distortion optimization (RDO) decision process. To solve this problem, we propose a new two stage constant-distortion bit allocation (CDBA) algorithm with enhanced rate control for H.264/AVC encoder. In stage-1, the algorithm performs RD optimization process with a constant quantization QP. Based on prediction residual signals from stage-1 and target distortion for smooth video quality purpose, the frame-level bit target is allocated by using a close-form approximations of ratedistortion relationship similar to [1], and a fast stage-2 encoding process is performed with enhanced basic unit rate control. Experimental results show that, compared with original rate control algorithm provided by H.264/AVC reference software JM12.1, the proposed constant-distortion frame-level bit allocation scheme reduces quality fluctuation and delivers much smoother PSNR on all testing sequences.
Data Collection and Collaboration

During a recent meeting of the APSA Committee on Publications, headed by Lisa Martin, we discussed a proposal that had been put forward to encourage authors to deposit their data in a central repository to provide more centralized access for others seeking to replicate or extend prior work. Such a strategy should ostensibly make it easier for methodological, theoretical, and empirical work to flourish and cumulate.
Relationships between the J-integral and the crack opening displacement for stationary and extending cracks

Abstract R elationships between the J-integral and the crack opening displacement δt are obtained by exploiting the dominance of the Hutchinson-Rice-Rosengren singularity in the crack-tip region. The coefficient dn that relates J to δt, is dependent on the material deformation properties and is independent of crack configuration under small-scale yielding conditions. For low hardening materials, dn appears to be configuration dependent in the fully yielded state. Similarly, the slope of the J-resistance curve is relatable to an operationally defined crack opening angle if J-controlled crack growth conditions are met. These relationships are corroborated by finite element results for the complete regime of elastic-plastic deformation and experimental data for A533B steels, HY-80 steels and several other ductile metals.
Characterization of Appalachian faults

This study presents a classification/characterization of Appalachian faults. Characterization factors include timing of movement relative to folding, metamorphism, and plutonism; tectonic position in the orogen; relations to existing anisotropies in the rock masses; involvement of particular rock units and their ages, as well as the standard Andersonian distinctions. Categories include faults with demonstrable Cenozoic activity, wildflysch-associated thrusts, foreland bedding-plane thrusts, premetamorphic to synmetamorphic thrusts in medium- to high-grade terranes, postmetamorphic thrusts in medium- to high- grade terranes, thrusts rooted in Precambrian basement, reverse faults, strike-slip faults, normal (block) faults, compound faults, structural lineaments, faults associated with local centers of disturbance, and geomorphic (nontectonic) faults.
Quantum chemical study of biradical decay channels in cytidine nucleosides

Abstract The biradical radiationless decay mechanism of the excited electronic state structure of the cytidine, 5-fluorocytidine, and deoxycytidine nucleosides are studied at CIS and coupled cluster CC2 levels with the cc-pVDZ basis set. Nucleoside radiationless decay pathways are compared with those of the isolated bases. For the ground state geometry, cytidine and deoxycytidine as well as isolated cytosine have S 1 π H π L ∗ states. In moving towards lower energy configurations, this doorway ππ ∗ state crosses over to a biradical excited state, which in turn intersects the ground electronic state and is responsible for the S 1 → S 0 internal conversion. Qualitatively, the radiationless decay mechanisms of cytidine nucleosides are similar to the isolated cytosine base.
Patient perceptions of asthma-related financial burden: public vs private health insurance in the United States

Abstract Background Given the complexity of the health insurance market in the United States and the confusion that often stems from these complexities, patient perception about the value of health insurance in managing chronic disease is important to understand. Objective To examine differences between public and private health insurance in perceptions of financial burden with managing asthma, outcomes, and factors that explain these perceptions. Methods Secondary analysis was performed using baseline data from a randomized clinical trial that were collected through telephone interviews with 219 African American women seeking services for asthma and reporting perceptions of financial burden with asthma management. Path analysis with multigroup models and multiple variable regression analyses were used to examine associations. Results For public ( P P P P P P Conclusion African American women who perceive asthma as a financial burden regardless of health insurance report more urgent health care visits and lower quality of life. Burden may be present despite having and being able to generate economic resources and health insurance. Further policy efforts are indicated and special attention should focus on type of coverage.
The planetary-boundary-layer model of Ellison (1956)—A retrospect

This paper outlines the Planetary-Boundary-Layer model (a model for the approach to the geostrophic wind) briefly sketched by Ellison in 1956 and presents it in a historical perspective bringing out some of its merits which have not received adequate attention.
Techniques for improving the cosmetic outcome of breast conservation surgery.

This paper presents techniques to enhance the aesthetic results of conservative breast surgery. A number of methods are described to improve results of conservative surgery by limiting deformity, reducing scars and by immediate replacement of tissue. By application of the appropriate technique breast tumours may be excised from any quadrant in a large or small breast with a good cosmetic outcome. Attention to detail with pre-operative planning of the estimated tissue loss, placement of incisions, fish-tailing of quadrantectomy scars, utilization of reduction mammoplasty incisions and immediate replacement of defects after wide excision are useful in obtaining good aesthetic results.
Electrostatic charge effects on pharmaceutical aerosol deposition in human nasal-laryngeal airways.

Electrostatic charging occurs in most aerosol generation processes and can significantly influence subsequent particle deposition rates and patterns in the respiratory tract through the image and space forces. The behavior of inhaled aerosols with charge is expected to be most affected in the upper airways, where particles come in close proximity to the narrow turbinate surface, and before charge dissipation occurs as a result of high humidity. The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the deposition of charged aerosols in an MRI-based nasal–laryngeal airway model. Particle sizes of 5 nm–30 µm and charge levels ranging from neutralized to ten times the saturation limit were considered. A well-validated low Reynolds number (LRN) k–ω turbulence model and a discrete Lagrangian tracking approach that accounted for electrostatic image force were employed to simulate the nasal airflow and aerosol dynamics. For ultrafine aerosols, electrostatic charge was observed to exert a discernible but insignificant effect. In contrast, remarkably enhanced depositions were observed for micrometer particles with charge, which could be one order of magnitude larger than no-charge depositions. The deposition hot spots shifted towards the anterior part of the upper airway as the charge level increased. Results of this study have important implications for evaluating nasal drug delivery devices and for assessing doses received from pollutants, which often carry a certain level of electric charges.
Infrared observations of asteroids from space: The past and future

Infrared observations from space have large sensitivity and total instantaneous field of view advantages over ground-based measurements. The limits to telescope performance from thermal emission from the atmosphere and sky noise are eliminated in space and the instrument can be cooled to temperatures where the photon noise from the zodiacal background provides the fundamental limit to the sensitivity of the system. Furthermore, the entire thermal infrared spectral range is available; the atmospheric is virtually opaque at the wavelengths of molecular absorption bands from water vapor and CO2 to ground-based observations. Space-based infrared radiometry from the experiments described in this article supplied the basis for the largest, consistent set of derived diameters and albedos of asteroids. Radiometry over a large spectral range and a large span of phase angles provides essential information of the detailed thermal properties of a body. Infrared measurements resolve the ambiguity of whether a visual observation is of a small highly reflective object or a large dark one. Infrared spectroscopy obtained by the previous space-based experiments, and the spectral capability of two infrared missions to be flown within the next several years, is a powerful remote sensing tool to assay the mineralogy of a surface. A description is given of what knowledge has been and will be gained from past and future infrared missions on the physical characteristics of asteroids. Why the database derived from previous satellites remains the major source of new radiometric measurements is explained and the benefits to be had from a space-based infrared spectrometer/photometer dedicated to studying small bodies in the solar system presented.
Measurement of vorticity in the surface layer using an acoustic echo sounder array

Abstract The earth's atmospheric surface layer is usually defined as that region of the lower atmosphere (generally below about 10 m above the earth's surface) where surface friction causes vertical fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum to be constant with height. Within the surface layer, either in response to surface friction or to the atmosphere above, horizontal circular eddies often develop. These circular motions may provide the source of rotation for dust devils so often seen on hot and dry days particularly in desert regions. Also, at larger scales ( ∼ 1 km in diameter ) regions of warm and therefore buoyant upward moving air, called thermal plumes, may acquire rotation. These plumes may extend from the earth's surface to more than a kilometer in height on a warm afternoon. Fluid dynamicists quantify this horizontal rotation with a parameter known as the vertical component of vorticity. Vorticity is very difficult to measure in the earth's atmosphere at scales of close to a kilometer because the calculation involves wind-speed differences over horizontal distances of about 500 m. The winds must be measured quite accurately because the differences can be quite small and, therefore, the errors in these measurements are often quite large. This work describes a method of measuring vertical vorticity at scales down to 500 m using an array of three acoustic sounders about 2 m above the earth's surface which overcomes some of the accuracy problems mentioned above. We relate these vorticity measurements to other atmospheric parameters and compute temporal spectra of these quantities to help explain the relationship between vorticity, thermal plume activity, and the smaller-scale dust devils.
Endogenous androgen deficiency enhances diet-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient mice.

Background Despite numerous clinical and animal studies, the role of sex steroid hormones on lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerosis remain controversial.
Elaboration of vitamin B12 by Escherichia coli.

Les auteurs ont constate l'absence de la vitamine B12 dans le corps 1° deE. coli 113-3, 2° de son parent prototrophique et 3° dans la souche sauvage. Le titre de B12 dans le milieu de culture s'est trouve fortement augmente par la methionine, dans le cas de la souche sauvage uniquement. En ajoutant de la cyanocobalamine on a obtenu dans les trois cas une augmentation de desoxyribosides.
Inhibin-mediated feedback control of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion in the female rat

The secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) by the anterior pituitary gland is regulated by the interaction of hypothalamic and gonadal hormones. Recently, proteins termed inhibins that selectively suppress FSH secretion have been purified and characterized from the gonadal fluids of several species. Antibodies to a synthetic peptide encompassing the amino terminal 25 residues of the recently characterized porcine inhibin were used to develop a specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) for inhibin and to neutralize endogenous inhibin during the estrous cycle of the rat. The administration of 20 international units of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) stimulated the secretion of inhibin in intact immature female rats, whereas ovariectomy caused an abrupt decrease in plasma inhibin concentrations that were not prevented by the injection of PMSG. The infusion of a polyclonal antiserum to inhibin, from 12 noon on proestrus to 1 a.m. on the morning of estrus, as well as its acute intravenous injection during diestrus I or II, caused an increase in plasma FSH (but not luteinizing hormone) concentrations. These results support the hypothesis of a feedback loop between the release of ovarian inhibin and FSH in the female rat.
Experimental and Numerical Studies of Ethanol Flames

This paper reports results of experimental and numerical investigations of ethanol-air diffusion flames and partially premixed flames at an air-side strain rate of 100 s−1 , in a counterflow geometry. The diffusion flame consists of prevaporized fuel, with mole fraction of 0.3, diluted with nitrogen in the fuel stream, and plant air as the oxidizer stream. The partially premixed flame includes prevaporized fuel in air partially premixed to an equivalence ratio of 2.3 in the fuel stream, and plant air as the oxidizer stream. Temperature profiles were measured by thermocouple, and concentration profiles of the stable species C2 H5 OH, CO, CO2 , H2 , H2 O, O2 , N2 , CH4 , C2 H6 , and C2 H2 +C2 H4 were measured by gas chromatography of samples withdrawn by a fine probe. Computational studies involved numerical integration of the conservation equations, with detailed chemistry, transport and radiation effects included, to calculate the structures of the counterflow flames. A chemical-kinetic mechanism consisting of 235 elementary steps and 46 species with recently published reaction-rate parameters was developed and tested for these flames. The proposed mechanism, which produces reasonable agreement with previous measurements of ignition, freely propagating premixed flames and diffusion-flame extinction, also yields good agreement with much of the present data, although there are quite noticeable differences between predicted and measured peak C2 H6 concentrations. These differences and the desirability of additional tests of other predictions and of tests under other conditions motivate further research.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
An Improved Spectrographic Evaporating Dish

Teflon evaporating dishes have been available for some time. However, their use in emission spectroscopy has been limited because of poor recovery of powdered samples due to electrostatic charging of the dishes.
The return of bedside rounds.

To the editors: We applaud the effort by Gonzalo et al. to increase bedside rounding by internal medicine residents1. However, we do wish to comment on their study’s expressed motive, a perceived downward trend in the fraction of medical education taking place at the bedside. Among the many physician-educators lamenting this trend since the 1960s, LaCombe’s 1997 commentary in the Annals of Internal Medicine has been particularly influential2. His statement that, “In the old days, 30 years ago, 75% of teaching was at the bedside. … By 1978, that figure had decreased to 16%” has been widely repeated in the literature on bedside teaching, including in the article by Gonzalo et al. The 1964 study from which LaCombe derived his 75% “baseline,” however, actually reported that 75% of dedicated teaching sessions for ward-based medical students included time at the bedside3. Forty-five years later, in 2009, the frequency of trips to the bedside during teaching rounds remained fairly stable at 61%4. The percentage of time on teaching rounds spent at the bedside has also stayed similar over time compared to the 16% cited by LaCombe, ranging from 19.2%5 in 1965 to 17%4 in 2009. This is not to say that bedside teaching—critical for training in humanism, physical exam, and other clinical skills poorly amenable to either classroom instruction or written assessment—is not under pressure from technology, work hour limitations, rapid patient turnover and the ever-expanding canon of raw medical knowledge. Work to study and promote bedside teaching should be motivated by the technique’s intrinsic value rather than by a misconception that bedside instruction is on the decline.
Supercritical carbon dioxide solvent extraction from surface-micromachined micromechanical structures

Results are presented supporting the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) drying to enhance the yield of surface-micromachined micromechanical devices following the final release etch. The equipment and extraction process of the SCCO2 system are described, and results of successfully released cantilevered beams and microengines are presented. A new system capable of drying 6 inch wafers is also described.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dare to Delay? The Impacts of Adolescent Alcohol and Marijuana Use Onset on Cognition, Brain Structure, and Function

Throughout the world, drug and alcohol use has a clear adolescent onset (Degenhardt et al., 2008). Alcohol continues to be the most popular drug among teens and emerging adults, with almost a third of 12th graders and 40% of college students reporting recent binge drinking (Johnston et al., 2009, 2010), and marijuana (MJ) is the second most popular drug in teens (Johnston et al., 2010). The initiation of drug use is consistent with an overall increase in risk-taking behaviors during adolescence that coincides with significant neurodevelopmental changes in both gray and white matter (Giedd et al., 1996a; Paus et al., 1999; Sowell et al., 1999, 2002, 2004; Gogtay et al., 2004; Barnea-Goraly et al., 2005; Lenroot and Giedd, 2006). Animal studies have suggested that compared to adults, adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of drugs, especially alcohol and MJ (see Schneider and Koch, 2003; Barron et al., 2005; Monti et al., 2005; Cha et al., 2006; Rubino et al., 2009; Spear, 2010). In this review, we will provide a detailed overview of studies that examined the impact of early adolescent onset of alcohol and MJ use on neurocognition (e.g., Ehrenreich et al., 1999; Wilson et al., 2000; Tapert et al., 2002a; Hartley et al., 2004; Fried et al., 2005; Townshend and Duka, 2005; Medina et al., 2007a; McQueeny et al., 2009; Gruber et al., 2011, 2012; Hanson et al., 2011; Lisdahl and Price, 2012), with a special emphasis on recent prospective longitudinal studies (e.g., White et al., 2011; Hicks et al., 2012; Meier et al., 2012). Finally, we will explore potential clinical and public health implications of these findings.
How to do things on purpose: R. A. Duff'sIntention, Agency, and Criminal Liability

There is a lot of material in this book, and Duff handles most of it very well. It is unfortunate that he felt the need to tie his discussion of serious philosophical questions in the criminal law to larger overarching questions of philosophy. It is possible that current conceptions of intentional action implicate dualism (or Dualism), I suppose, but that would be a book-length discussion all of its own. It would begin with a careful discussion of just what dualism is, and would track down the various ways in which particular substantive positions on intentional action rule out alternatives to dualism. Such a work might be interesting indeed. It would be interesting, for example, to see a discussion of a type of conceptual dualism that I suspect Duff would find congenial: a dualism that insisted upon the autonomy of purposive notions and rejected the causal analysis of intentional action. Would that sort of dualism make any difference at all for the criminal law? It might, and it might not. But in any event that is not what we find in this book, which, for all of its healthy enthusiasm for the place of philosophy in the law shows an excessive tolerance for makeweight arguments about the great questions.
Diffusion and solubility of hazardous compounds in polyvinyl chloride

Abstract Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a widely used polymer for many types of products, some of which come into close contact with people. To obtain flexibility a variety of plasticizers are added to PVC. Over the years these additives have been investigated extensively in terms of their potential health and safety hazards. The diffusion and solubility of these materials at higher concentrations (10–50 wt%) in PVC have been reported by a number of researchers. Similar data at very low concentrations, however, have not been found. At ambient temperatures the diffusivity is so low that direct measurements are very difficult if not impossible. In this study data at higher temperatures have been obtained, compared with predictions or correlated with a model, and then extrapolated to ambient conditions. This provides some reasonable estimates of the solubility and diffusivity that can be expected at the lower limits of concentration, low temperature, and atmospheric pressure.
Effectiveness of Recommended Fat-Trimming Procedures on the Reduction of PCB and Mirex Levels in Brown Trout (Salmo Trutta) from Lake Ontario

For over a decade, a study reported by Skea et al. (1979, 1981) has served as a much-cited reference on the effectiveness of fish fillet fat-trimming to reduce organochlorine contaminant burdens in fish from the Great Lakes. By 1990, however, the results from the Skea study had yet to be independently replicated. In an effort to verify these results and to address other related questions about fillet fat-trimming efficacy, twenty sport-caught brown trout (Salmo trutta) from Lake Ontario were selected for study. Total weight, total length, sex, age, and condition factor (K) for each fish were determined. One side (fillet) of each fish (including rib cage and scaled skin) was removed using standard filleting technique. The opposing fillet was trimmed using the fat-trimming procedures recommended by New York State for fat-soluble contaminant reduction. The trimming procedure resulted in substantial loss in yield (Mean: 41.6%) when compared to the untrimmed “standard fillet”, although this loss was chiefly composed of what would be generally considered as inedible or unpalatable body parts. The standard and trimmed fillets were analyzed for total fat content and for concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mirex using standard laboratory and gas chromatographic analyses. Results indicated significant reductions in total fat (61.8%), PCB (45.6%), and mirex (44.2%) levels in the trimmed fillets when compared to corresponding levels in standard fillets. Significant statistical correlations were also found between fat content and contaminant levels in both standard and trimmed fillets. The pattern of strong and/or statistically significant correlations between such physical factors as weight, length, age, and condition, and the levels of fat content and contaminant concentrations in the fillets suggested that the common health advisory recommendation to avoid larger and older fish in order to minimize ingestion of fat-soluble contaminants is clearly warranted. Sex of fish was found to be unrelated to fat content and contaminant levels. Results of this limited study compare closely to specific findings for brown trout reported by Skea. Comparison of the results from both studies suggests that the recommended fat-trimming procedure remains consistently effective despite wide variation in the initial (untrimmed fillet) levels of contamination.
Climate Change in the Classroom: Patterns, Motivations, and Barriers to Instruction Among Colorado Science Teachers

A large online survey of Colorado public school science teachers (n=628) on the topic of climate change instruction was conducted in 2007. A majority of Earth science teachers were found to include...
Pathophysiology of obstructive nephropathy

Obstruction of the urinary tract is a common and potentially reversible cause of acute and chronic renal failure. Although the clinical features of obstructive nephropathy have been generally recognized for many years, recently our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disturbed renal function has been enhanced by the detailed study of experimental models of this disorder. The effects of urinary tract obstruction on renal function must be considered both during and after relief of obstruction and are greatly influenced by whether the obstruction is unilateral or bilateral, acute or chronic, partial or complete. Striking changes in renal function occur during the first 24 hours of complete unilateral (UUO) or bilateral ureteral obstruction (BUO) in experimental animals. After relief of BUO, there is marked increase in sodium and water excretion despite the severe reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a natriuretic state referred to as postobstructive diuresis (POD). After relief of UUO, in contrast, there is no absolute increase in sodium and water excretion, although fractional excretion is greater from the post-obstructive kidney. Acute partial ureteral obstruction causes a decrease, not an increase, in sodium and water excretion, but the characteristic functional change in chronic hydronephrosis is an inability to conserve sodium and water. The purpose of this review is to examine the experimental data that clarifies selected aspects of the pathophysiology of obstructive nephropathy.
Organization, Structure, and Assembly of α-Carboxysomes Determined by Electron Cryotomography of Intact Cells

Carboxysomes are polyhedral inclusion bodies that play a key role in autotrophic metabolism in many bacteria. Using electron cryotomography, we examined carboxysomes in their native states within intact cells of three chemolithoautotrophic bacteria. We found that carboxysomes generally cluster into distinct groups within the cytoplasm, often in the immediate vicinity of polyphosphate granules, and a regular lattice of density frequently connects granules to nearby carboxysomes. Small granular bodies were also seen within carboxysomes. These observations suggest a functional relationship between carboxysomes and polyphosphate granules. Carboxysomes exhibited greater size, shape, and compositional variability in cells than in purified preparations. Finally, we observed carboxysomes in various stages of assembly, as well as filamentous structures that we attribute to misassembled shell protein. Surprisingly, no more than one partial carboxysome was ever observed per cell. Based on these observations, we propose a model for carboxysome assembly in which the shell and the internal RuBisCO (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase) lattice form simultaneously, likely guided by specific interactions between shell proteins and RuBisCOs.
Siberian glaciation as a constraint on Permian–Carboniferous CO2 levels

Reconstructions of Phanerozoic CO2 levels have generally relied on geochemical modeling or proxy data. Because the uncertainty inherent in such reconstructions is large enough to be climatically significant, inverse climate modeling may help to constrain paleo-CO2 estimates. In particular, we test the plausibility of this technique by focusing on the climate from 360 to 260 Ma, a time in which the Siberian landmass was in middle to high latitudes, yet had little or no permanent land ice. Our climate model simulations predict a lower limit for CO2—the value beneath which Siberia acquires “excess” ice. Simulations provide little new information for the period in which Siberia was at a relatively low paleoaltitude (360–340 Ma), but model results imply that paleo-CO2 levels had to be greater than 2–4× modern values to be consistent with an apparently ice-free Siberia in the late Permian. These results for the later period in general agree with soil CO2 proxies and the timing of Gondwanan deglaciation, thus providing support for a significant CO2 increase before the end-Permian boundary event. Our technique may be applicable to other time intervals of unipolar glaciation.