cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A model of smoldering combustion applied to flexible polyurethane foams

Smoldering combustion, particularly in upholstery and bedding materials, has been proven a serious life hazard. The simplest representation of this hazard situation is one-dimensional downward propagation of a smolder wave against a buoyant upflow (cocurrent smolder); the configuration treated here is identical in all respects to this except for the presence of a forced flow replacing the buoyant one. The complex degradation chemistry of the polyurethanes is here reduced to the two major overall reactions of char formation and char oxidation. The model solutions, which are in reasonable agreement with experimental results, show the smolder process to be oxygen-limited, which leads to some very simple trends. More subtle behavior aspects determine actual propagation velocity, fraction of fuel consumed, and apparent equivalence ratio (all of which are variable). The self-insulating character of the smolder wave makes it viable in a wide-ranging set of conditions if the igniting stimulus is sufficiently long. These results have significant implications regarding the problem of smolder prevention or hindrance.
Market conditions, underwriter reputation and first day return of IPOs

Abstract In this study, I develop a model that describes underwriters' price-setting behavior during initial public offerings (IPOs). Because of reputational concerns during high valuation periods, top-tier underwriters adjust the initial offer price valuation to the lower, historical industry valuation. The top-tier underwriter effectively increases the first day return but decreases the long-run underperformance of the IPO. In contrast, low-tier underwriters price issues to maximize cash flow. The empirical findings support the model. The first day return is significantly correlated to the relative valuation, and reputational concerns are only important to top-tier underwriters.
Unanswered questions about Helicobacter pylori

There is general agreement that Helicobacter pylori eradication is indicated in all infected patients with duodenal ulcer disease and is probably indicated in all infected patients with gastric ulcer disease. However, translation of treatment recommendations into practice leads to some difficult clinical decisions. Three of the more perplexing questions are whether or not all patients with dyspepsia and H. pylori should be treated, whether or not a definitive diagnosis of ulcer should be established by an invasive method, and whether H. pylori eradication is sufficient to prevent recurrence of bleeding ulcers, especially in patient groups that have a high frequency of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use. Another common problem is the question of whether or not to establish the success of an eradication regimen in an individual patient and the choice of method to obtain this information. There is also an obvious need to develop better antimicrobial regimens aimed specifically at Helicobacter pylori. At the basic level, almost nothing is known about the mechanisms by which H. pylori produces peptic ulcer in 10-20% of infected patients while producing gastritis in all infected subjects. There is good evidence that host factors, including intrinsic rate of acid secretion, family history and smoking are independent additive risk factors for ulcer. Ingestion of NSAIDs appears to be an independent and separate risk factor. There is evidence that strains of H. pylori that lack certain genetic markers may have a reduced likelihood of causing ulcers, but the 'ulcer' marker is present in the majority of infected subjects without ulcer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Acquisitions of solvent thrifts: Wealth effects and managerial motivations

Abstract We examine voluntary acquisitions of solvent stock-held thrift institutions since 1979, and find that bidding firms suffered losses, target firms gained, and the impact of the merger on the bidder-target pair was positive on average. During the post-FIR-REA period acquirers experienced smaller losses and targets experienced smaller gains relative to the pre-FIRREA period. An investigation into the motives of bidding firm management provides evidence indicating the presence of synergy, agency, and hubris motivations in the pre-FIRREA period. Although the acquisitions environment underwent substantial changes in the post-FIRREA period, we find no evidence of corresponding changes in acquisition motivations.
An Approach to the Failed Ankle Arthrodesis

Ankle arthrodesis remains the gold standard of surgical treatment for advanced ankle joint arthritis. Failure can occur as a result of infection, nonunion or malunion, resulting in pain and poor function. This paper offers a systematic approach to preventing, and managing these problems should they occur. Revision arthrodesis performed with a detailed understanding of the appropriate alignment and mechanics of the ankle joint, combined with meticulous attention to understanding and reversing the cause of the failure can result in successful salvage and restoration of function.
Radial artery versus saphenous vein patency randomized trial: five-year angiographic follow-up.

Background— Graft patency is a fundamental predictor of long-term survival after coronary artery bypass surgery. Left and right internal thoracic artery (arterial) graft patency has been shown to be superior to that of saphenous vein grafts. More recently, the radial artery has been used as an aortocoronary graft, but little is known about the midterm and long-term patency of this conduit. We performed a single-center prospective randomized trial comparing the angiographic patency of radial artery and saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass grafts at 5 years after surgery. Methods and Results— We enrolled 142 patients randomized at a single center to have either the radial artery or saphenous vein grafted to a stenosed branch of the native left circumflex coronary artery. The primary end point was angiographic graft patency 5 years postoperatively. At 5 years, 134 patients were alive and eligible for reangiography (5-year survival, 94.4%). Angiography was performed in 103 patients (77%); 98.3% of radial arter...
Predictors of Psychological Functioning and Adoption Experience in Adults Searching for Their Birthparents

ABSTRACT The present study examined potential predictors of psychological functioning and adoption experience in adults who had either already met or were in the process of meeting their birthparents. A sample (n = 345) of adults was surveyed with questions targeting a variety of psychological, structural, and sociodemographic variables. The results showed that adoption experience and psychological functioning were closely interrelated. Furthermore, different variables predicted different aspects of psychological functioning and adoption experience and provided clues towards understanding differential functioning in persons who were adopted. Psychological similarity to adoptive parents contributed significantly to the prediction of the quality of attachment relationships. It is suggested that future research may benefit from targeting variables that influence variability in adoption adjustment.
Differentiation of stereochemistry of glycosidic bond configuration: Tandem mass spectrometry of diastereomeric cobalt-glucosyl-glucose disaccharide complexes

Configurations of glycosidic linkages (α or β) in a series of 1,3-, 1,4-, and 1,6-glucosyl-glucose disaccharides were differentiated by tandem mass spectrometry. Diastereomeric octahedral complexes, [Co+3 (acac)2/disaccharide]+, were generated in situ via fast-atom bombardment ionization. Mass-analyzed, ion kinetic energy spectra of the metastable complexes obtained in the absence of collision gas indicated that the major product ion results from the loss of an acetylacetonate ligand, which thus generates the ion [Co+2(acac)/disaccharide]+. Kinetic energy release measurements for this dissociation display a consistently greater value for complexes that possess an α-linked disaccharide relative to those that possess β-linked disaccharides, regardless of linkage position.
Heart mitochondria metabolize 3-methylthiopropionate to CO2 and methanethiol.

Abstract 3-Methylthiopropionate (MTP) stimulates respiration of substrate-depleted heart mitochondria. This is blocked by uncouplers and by malonate. With the use of methyl- 14 C-and uniformly 14 C-labeled MTP, it was found that methanethiol and CO 2 are reaction products. The methyl carbon was not significantly oxidized. This study, together with a recent report [P. W. D. Scislowski et al. (1987) Biochem. J. 247 , 35–40], demonstrates the existence of a transsulfuration independent pathway of methionine metabolism by muscle, and that the complete pathway following the initial transamination is a mitochondrial process. The data suggest that MTP is oxidized via acetyl-CoA.
Spin and angular momentum in general relativity

In the general theory of relativity, the group of coordinate transformations gives rise to four point-to-point conservation laws, which are usually identified with energy and linear momentum. In the presence of a semiclassical Dirac field, it is convenient to introduce at each point of space-time an arbitrary set of four orthonormal vectors (quadrupeds, "beine") and to consider the group of "bein" transformations, which then play the role of local, nonholonomic lorentz transformations. A search for the corresponding conservation laws leads to terms that have the form of a spin angular momentum and which, in order to be conserved, must be supplemented by terms representing the orbital angular momentum. The technique of the so-called superpotentials has enabled us to introduce, in addition to the canonical stress-energy, a "contravariant" stress-energy which contains the usual symmetric Dirac and Maxwell terms and also asymmetric, purely gravitational terms. It is this set of expressions which enters into the orbital angular momentum. The techniques presented here are applicable to more general covariant theories, provided the gravitational field is represented by a metric tensor.
Spontaneous recruitment and annihilation of degrees of freedom in biological coordination

Abstract Whereas bifurcations within an already active set of components are well-known in biological coordination (e.g. gait transitions), less well understood is the process by which previously quiescent degrees of freedom are spontaneously activated. We introduce a simple paradigm to explore how complex, biological systems flexibly recruit and annihilate degrees of freedom according to parametric task requirements. A sequence of transitions within and across planes of motion is observed as a control parameter is varied. Such transitions are invariably preceded by enhancement of fluctuations in trajectory related variables. Our results suggest a theoretical model in which the main qualitative changes observed experimentally are a consequence of two consecutive Hopf bifurcations.
Mission investigates radiation arriving at Earth

NASA's Solar, Anomalous, and Magnetospheric Particle Explorer (SAMPEX) satellite, an international collaboration with Germany, is the first of a series of scientific research missions called “Small Explorers.” In 1989, NASA chose three initial missions to research energetic radiations observed near Earth and radio frequency emissions given off by stars in early development. In addition to the pursuit of scientific research, the Small Explorer program emphasizes small spacecraft and rapid development of each mission—in 3 years or less [Baker et al., 1991]. The SAMPEX mission yields new information on the high-velocity radiations arriving at Earth from the Sun and interstellar space. SAMPEX is named after the primary sources of the radiations: [Solar] ions and electrons, which are swept up by huge explosions in the solar atmosphere, [Anomalous] cosmicrays, which are believed to be interstellar gas atoms accelerated at the edge of the solar system, and [Magnetospheric] electrons, which plunge into the upper atmosphere and may influence its chemistry.
Citrus thrips Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) (Thys., Thripidae) scarring and navel orange fruit quality in California

Washington navel orange fruit (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) which were scarred to various degrees by citrus thrips, Scirtothrips citri (Moulton), were evaluated for internal quality of the fruit. Consistent fruit quality trends were observed with more heavily scarred fruit showing more rapid weight loss, higher percent soluble solids, lower titratable acidity, and higher sugar:acid ratios. These data suggest that the indirect effect of citrus thrips feeding on immature fruit may be advancement of fruit maturity. Implications to citrus thrips management are discussed. Zusammenfassung Untersuchungen zum Einflus von Thripshefall (Scirtothrips citri [Moulton] [Thys., Thripidae]) auf die Fruchtqualitat von Navelorangen in Kalifornien Die Fruchtqualitat von Navelorangen (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) wurde in Abhangigkeit vom Vernarbungsgrad — verursacht durch Thripsbefall — untersucht. Mit zunehmender Vernarbung war zu erkennen, das bei den Orangen ein rascherer Gewichtsverlust, ein hoherer Prozentsatz an loslichen Feststoffen, ein geringerer Gehalt an titrierbarer Saure und ein hoheres Zucker-Saure-Verhaltnis festzustellen ist. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, das der Thripsbefall an unreifen Fruchten indirekt die Fruchtreife fordert. Die daraus folgenden Konsequenzen fur die Thripsbekampfung werden diskutiert.
Practicability of shipping HeLa cell suspensions for use in color test for poliomyelitis antibodies.

SummaryIt has been found feasible to ship large numbers of suspended HeLa cells packed in a small container. Neutralization titers of 185 sera tested with 2 different types of shipped HeLa cells have yielded reproducible results. Under the conditions described the neutralizing capacity of 4000 serums has been tested against 3 prototype strains of poliomyelitis virus in a color test.
Effect of pepsin on ionic permeability of canine esophageal mucosa.

Recently we have demonstrated that a “mucosal barrier” to H+ is present in the esophagus of dog and man and in the presence of bile this barrier becomes more permeable to H+. In this study we measured the effect of pepsin on ionic movement across the mucosa of distally occluded canine esophagus. The rate of H+ ion loss was increased significantly (P < 0.001) when two different concentrations of pepsin were added to three different concentrations of HCl. Pepsin disrupts the esophageal “mucosal barrier,” and this observation suggests that reflux esophagitis in cases of incompetent gastroesophageal sphincter may be due to increased permeability of the mucosa to H+ induced by pepsin.
Causality of deep convection from a cloud-resolving model

Understanding deep convection and clouds is among the most important goals of tropical weather and climate dynamics. Deep convection, the vertical transport of buoyant air through the depths of the atmosphere, controls cloud formation and precipitation rates. To help forecast the weather, operational forecasters are beginning to use cloud-resolving models: atmospheric models with resolutions high enough to adequately represent individual clouds and often a scale broad enough to capture large-scale patterns in deep convection.
The adsorption of isopropanol and acetone by activated charcoal.

This study was performed to determine the adsorption of isopropanol and acetone by activated charcoal over a range of charcoal:solvent ratios. The charcoal binding of isopropanol was studied in both hydrochloric acid and water solutions, while acetone was analyzed in water. Gram ratios of charcoal to solvent ranged from 1:1 to 20:1. After the addition of charcoal the solution was agitated and centrifuged. The supernatant was then analyzed by gas chromatography. Each increment in charcoal dose increased the percent adsorption of both isopropanol and acetone. At the 20:1 ratio 87–92% of the solvent was bound by activated charcoal. In vivo study is needed to determine if activated charcoal therapy can shorten the half-life of isopropanol and acetone and decrease the duration of supportive care needed following ingestions of these solvents.
Sound Transmission Through an Aeroelastic Plate into a Cavity

Sound transmission through a convected fluid loaded plate, i.e., aeroelastic plate, backed by a reverberant acoustic cavity is investigated. The plate and cavity are modeled using Galerkin's method while the aerodynamic forces on the plate are approximated with a singular value decomposition method. Analytical results indicate that variations in the external flow velocity can significantly affect the sound transmission. The mechanism by which these effects occur is discussed. Also discussed is the importance of including the cavity coupling toward calculating the transmitted sound.
Prediction of Total Skeleton Mineralization from Individual Bone Data

Abstract METABOLISM of skeletal minerals in the chicken has been studied by determining ash percentage, specific mineral content and distribution of administered isotopes in individual bones. In most studies, the tibia has been used as the sample bone for analysis (Baird and MacMillan, 1942; Migicovsky and Emslie, 1950; Itoh and Hatano, 1964). The humerous and sternum have been used by Martin and Patrick (1962), although some investigations for a biological vitamin D assay have been developed using toe bones (Baird and MacMillan, 1942; Evans and Carver, 1944; Campbell et al., 1945) or beak (Wei et al., 1954). With the excep- tion of the reports by Taylor and Moore (1954 Taylor and Moore (1956); Taylor et al, (1960); and Taylor and Morris (1964), very few studies have been conducted on the metabolism of the total skeleton of the laying hen, and little has been reported concerning the differences in the metabolism of individual bones. Itoh…
High yield purification of a tagged cytoplasmic [NiFe]-hydrogenase and a catalytically-active nickel-free intermediate form

The cytoplasmic [NiFe]-hydrogenase I (SHI) of the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus evolves hydrogen gas (H2) from NADPH. It has been previously used for biohydrogen production from sugars using a mixture of enzymes in an in vitro cell-free synthetic pathway. The theoretical yield (12 H2/glucose) is three times greater than microbial fermentation (4 H2/glucose), making the in vitro approach very promising for large scale biohydrogen production. Further development of this process at an industrial scale is limited by the availability of the H2-producing SHI. To overcome the obstacles of the complex biosynthetic and maturation pathway for the [NiFe] site of SHI, the four gene operon encoding the enzyme was overexpressed in P. furiosus and included a polyhistidine affinity tag. The one-step purification resulted in a 50-fold increase in yield compared to the four-step purification procedure for the native enzyme. A trimeric form was also identified that lacked the [NiFe]-catalytic subunit but catalyzed NADPH oxidation with a specific activity similar to that of the tetrameric form. The presence of an active trimeric intermediate confirms the proposed maturation pathway where, in the terminal step, the NiFe-containing catalytic subunit assembles with NADPH-oxidizing trimeric form to give the active holoenzyme.
Transgenic Mice Enriched in Omega-3 Fatty Acids Are More Susceptible to Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Impaired Resistance to Tuberculosis in fat-1 Mice

BACKGROUND. Besides their health benefits, dietary omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) can impair host resistance to intracellular pathogens. Previously, we and others have showed that n-3 PUFA-treated macrophages poorly control Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in vitro. METHODS. Wild-type and fat-1 transgenic mice were infected with virulent H37Rv M. tuberculosis via the aerosol route. We evaluated bacteriological and histopathological changes in lungs, as well as differences in activation and antimycobacterial capacity in primary macrophages ex vivo. RESULTS. fat-1 mice were more susceptible to tuberculosis, as demonstrated by higher bacterial loads and less robust inflammatory responses in lungs. Macrophages obtained from fat-1 mice were more readily infected with M. tuberculosis in vitro, compared with wild-type macrophages. This impaired bacterial control in cells from fat-1 mice correlated with reduced proinflammatory cytokine secretion, impaired oxidative metabolism, and diminished M. tuberculosis-lysotracker colocalization within phagosomes. CONCLUSIONS. We showed that endogenous production of n-3 PUFAs in fat-1 mice increases their susceptibility to tuberculosis, which could be explained in part by diminished activation and antimycobacterial responses in cells from fat-1 mice. These data suggest that n-3 PUFA-supplemented diets might have a detrimental effect on immunity to M. tuberculosis and raise concerns regarding the safety of omega-3 dietary supplementation in humans.
Design, simulation, and fabrication of a 90° SOI optical hybrid based on the self-imaging principle

This paper introduces a compact 90o optical hybrid, built on small size SOI waveguide technology .This optical hybrid is a critical component of a potentially low-cost coherent optical receiver design developed within the frame of our Optical Coherent Transmission for Access Network Extensions (OCTANE) project. In previous recent work, 90o optical hybrids were realized in SOI rib waveguide technology with 4 μm top silicon and a rib height of approximately 2 μm. In this paper, we introduce a compact 90o optical hybrid, built on small size SOI waveguide technology (1.5 μm SOI -based rib waveguide, with 0.8μm rib height). The proposed device consists of multimode interferometers (MMIs) connected in such a way that four different vector additions of a reference signal (local oscillator) and the signal to be detected are obtained. At the outputs, the hybrid provides four linear combination of the signal with the reference which differs by a relative phase shift of the reference of 90o. The four output signals are detected by a pair of balanced receivers to provide in-phase and quadrature (I&Q) channels. The phase differences arise naturally from the self imaging property of a MMI. The key elements of the 90o optical hybrid, including a 2×2 MMI, a 4×4 MMI, and polarization diversity configuration have been designed and simulated, using the numerical mode solving tool FIMMPROB. The 2×2 and 4×4 MMI had overall lengths of 701μm and 3712.5μm lengths respectively. Tapers are used to couple adiabatically single mode waveguides to the entrance and exit ports of the MMI to assure correct operation by avoiding coupling to the higher order transverse modes allowed at the entrance and exit ports of the MMI. The simulation results at 1550nm show polarization independence and phase errors between the ports of less than 0.03 degrees. Currently the design is in fabrication at the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Center with the support of CMC Microsystems and experimental results will be subject to a further report.
Infections Associated with the Genus Edwardsiella: the Role of Edwardsiella tarda in Human Disease

The role of the genus Edwardsiella in human illness is reviewed. Of the three recognized species, only Edwardsiella tarda has been demonstrated to be pathogenic for humans. Chief infections associated with this species include bacterial gastroenteritis, wound infections such as cellulitis or gas gangrene associated with trauma to mucosal surfaces, and systemic disease such as septicemia, meningitis, cholecystitis, and osteomyelitis. Risk factors that are associated with E. tarda infections include exposure to aquatic environments or exotic animals (e.g., reptiles or amphibia), preexisting liver disease, conditions leading to iron overload, and dietary habits (e.g., raw fish ingestion). Although studies indicate that this bacterium is susceptible to most commonly prescribed antibiotics, fatal gastrointestinal and extraintestinal infections have been described.
The pro-fibrotic factor IGFBP-5 induces lung fibroblast and mononuclear cell migration.

We have previously shown that insulin-like growth factor–binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is overexpressed in fibrotic lung tissues and that it induces production of extracellular matrix components such as collagen and fibronectin both in vitro and in vivo. We recently observed mononuclear cell infiltration in lung tissues of mice expressing IGFBP-5. We therefore examined the role of IGFBP-5 on the migration of immune cells. Migration assays demonstrated that IGFBP-5 induced migration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a dose-dependent manner. Preferential migration of monocytes/macrophages, natural killer cells, and T cells was observed. Moreover, the CD4/CD8 ratio of migrating cells was significantly higher in vitro and in vivo in response to IGFBP-5. IGFBP-5 resulted in preferential migration of activated CD4+ T cells and monocytes. Interestingly, IGFBP-5 also induced migration of primary human lung fibroblasts. Exogenous administration of IGFBP-5 induced activation of mitogen-activated protei...
Observations of defects in beta brass

Abstract Direct evidence was obtained that a high supersaturation of vacancies is produced by quenching in beta brass. Anti-phase domain boundaries, APB were observed by an anomalous contrast mechanism using a {211} reflection. The APB contained a higher supersaturation of vacancies than within the domains. The dislocations which formed by the condensation of vacancies delineate the APB and often have a dendritic appearance. The dislocations which form within the domains through the condensation of vacancies are randomly distributed and often have the form of circular loops on the {111} planes and square loops on the {100} planes. The vacancies condense more readily at the APB than within the domains because the supersaturation is greater there and the APB is eliminated when dislocations form there.
Inter- and intrasubunit interactions between transmembrane helices in the open state of P2X receptor channels

P2X receptor channels open in response to the binding of extracellular ATP, a property that is essential for purinergic sensory signaling. Apo and ATP-bound X-ray structures of the detergent-solubilized zebrafish P2X4 receptor provide a blueprint for receptor mechanisms but unexpectedly showed large crevices between subunits within the transmembrane (TM) domain of the ATP-bound structure. Here we investigate both intersubunit and intrasubunit interactions between TM helices of P2X receptors in membranes using both computational and functional approaches. Our results suggest that intersubunit crevices found in the TM domain of the ATP-bound crystal structure are not present in membrane-embedded receptors but substantiate helix interactions within individual subunits and identify a hot spot at the internal end of the pore where both the gating and permeation properties of P2X receptors can be tuned. We propose a model for the structure of the open state that has stabilizing intersubunit interactions and that is compatible with available structural constraints from functional channels in membrane environments.
Influences of Age on Emotional Reactivity During Picture Processing

We compared emotional reactivity to affective pictures for 32 older (60-71 years) and 34 younger (18-23 years) adults. We collected the startle-blink reflex, N1 and P3 components of the probe-evoked event-related brain potential, corrugator electromyogram, heart rate, and self-report measures of pleasure and arousal. Self-report findings indicated that older, compared with younger, adults reported greater overall pleasure and arousal. Older adults also exhibited decreased N1 and P3 amplitude, corrugator activity, and heart rate deceleration compared with younger adults. The startle-blink reflex revealed that older adults exhibited increased startle-blink magnitude compared with younger adults during unpleasant pictures, with no age differences observed for pleasant and neutral contents. These age differences suggest that older adults have differential reactivity to affective picture viewing, and they indicate that age-related changes in emotion are not unitary across response systems.
Functional and Histological Assessment of an Experimental Model of Takotsubo's Cardiomyopathy

Background Our objectives were to characterize functional and structural features of an experimental model of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and its response to beta-blockers. Methods and Results In protocol 1, a dose-finding study: 69 rats received various doses of isoproterenol (ISO) and echocardiographic and histologic parameters were measured on days 2 to 3 or day 8. There were no dose-dependent effects and, out of 69 ISO-treated rats, 40 (58.0%) survived and 29 (42.0%) died within 24 hours. Of survivors, 30 had apical akinesis averaging 12.1±1.6% of the long axis LV circumference. Out of the 40 survivors, 32.5% showed apical akinesis ≥10%, 42.5% showed akinesis<10% and 25% showed no apical akinesis. The basal portion of the LV was always preserved. At 24 hours, histology and ultrastructure showed necrosis, vacuolization, lipid droplets, mononuclear cell infiltration, damaged mitochondria, and edema. On day 8, apical akinesis fully resolved but histologic abnormalities were still present. In protocol 2, rats were randomized to Control; ISO100 mg/kg; propranolol+ISO; and metoprolol+ISO groups. Pretreatment with propranolol and metoprolol improved survival to 90% and 100% respectively, compared with 60% in the ISO group, but did not reduce the incidence and extent of akinesis or the structural damage. Conclusion TC can be mimicked in a rat model of ISO exposure that demonstrates apical akinesis on days 2 to 3 with full recovery of systolic regional wall motion abnormality despite the presence of persistent foci of necrosis and fibrosis on day 8. Pretreatment with beta-blockers improved survival but did not affect structural and functional alterations.
Origins of the Indo-Europeans: genetic evidence.

Abstract Two theories of the origins of the Indo-Europeans currently compete. M. Gimbutas believes that early Indo-Europeans entered southeastern Europe from the Pontic Steppes starting ca. 4500 B.C. and spread from there. C. Renfrew equates early Indo-Europeans with early farmers who entered southeastern Europe from Asia Minor ca. 7000 BC and spread through the continent. We tested genetic distance matrices for each of 25 systems in numerous Indo-European-speaking samples from Europe. To match each of these matrices, we created other distance matrices representing geography, language, time since origin of agriculture, Gimbutas' model, and Renfrew's model. The correlation between genetics and language is significant. Geography, when held constant, produces a markedly lower, yet still highly significant partial correlation between genetics and language, showing that more remains to be explained. However, none of the remaining three distances--time since origin of agriculture, Gimbutas' model, or Renfrew's model--reduces the partial correlation further. Thus, neither of the two theories appears able to explain the origin of the Indo-Europeans as gauged by the genetics-language correlation.
Strengths of Glass Spheres in Compression

The strengths of individual glass spheres of a commercial soda-lime-silica composition were measured in diametral compression for an extensive range of sizes. Standard plots for a two-parameter Weibull distribution yielded m values of ∼5 over a 400-fold range of volumes corresponding to a 50-fold range of surface areas. Various techniques related to the Weibull formulation, including normalization to a single specimen size, were applied to demonstrate the existence of a single flaw population in all of the sphere sizes. Dependence of the strengths on volume flaws for the diametral compression mode of testing was also confirmed.
Estimation of parentage and relatedness in the polyploid white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) using a dominant marker approach for duplicated microsatellite loci

We investigated the usefulness of microsatellite loci in the white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus, for estimating parentage and relatedness using algorithms developed for dominant markers. Microsatellite alleles were scored as independent dominant markers, and the resultant data were used with likelihood ratio statistics to estimate parentage. We tested three parentage scenarios: (1) assignment to parent pairs, (2) assignment to sires and dams independently when all possible parents were included (three sires and three dams), and (3) assignment to sires and dams when the true sires and dams were combined with a broodstock of 157 fish. Accuracy of assignment to parent-pairs exceeded 99% (scenario 1). Assignment accuracy to sires and dams independently was lower (scenario 2) but we present methods to improve this accuracy even when the number of possible sires and dams is large (scenario 3). Using LOD scores in conjunction with δ values, a statistic quantifying confidence in the LOD scores, accuracy was maintained at a high level even when the number of sires and dams is large (n=90 and 73, respectively). Pairwise relatedness estimates were also made for fish from known sib groups to test if the correct sib groups could be identified using the dominant marker approach. The use of unweighted pair-group method using arithmetic mean (UPGMA) clustering algorithm to identify sib groups from a matrix of relatedness values proved to be successful for identifying all full-sib groups. The results suggest our approach of scoring microsatellite alleles as dominant markers can be used to accurately estimate parentage and relatedness.
Short Communication: The three-stage ordered flow shop problem with flexible stage ordering

We consider a design problem involving a three-machine ordered flow shop with flexible stage ordering to determine, from a scheduling perspective, which layout (and which schedule) is the best. We conclude that the Small-Median-Large layout coupled with Shortest Processing Time (SPT) sequencing rule yield the best design with respect to both the maximum job completion time (makespan) and the total (average) job completion time criteria.
Assisting Children Caught in Disasters: Resources and Suggestions for Practitioners.

This article provides readers with information regarding the impact of disasters on children. It introduces basic relief efforts and mental health services that are common to most disaster-related situations. Classroom- and community-based interventions are also included along with conclusions and key points for educators.
Time to thrombolytic treatment: Factors affecting delay and their influence on outcome

Abstract One of the major limitations to realizing the full potential of the life-saving effects of thrombolytic therapy has been the failure to initiate treatment in the first 1 to 1.5 h after symptom onset. The barriers to early treatment include the following: 1). Most patients fail to react rapidly and appropriately to symptoms. 2) Few emergency medical/paramedic systems have established effective traige systems for patients with chest pain or have implemented prehospital electrocardiography to better manage patients with possible acute myocardial infarction. 3) Time to treatment after hospital arrival currently averages 1 to 1.5 h—two to three times longer than what should be necessary to initiate therapy in the patients with typical electrocardiographic and clinical findings and co-morbid risk factors. Trials evaluating the effects of prehospital-initiated therapy have all shown trends toward a reduction in mortality (1.8%) associated with early treatment; however, none has been large enough in and of itself to be conclusive. The goal in the corning years will be to decrease each of these components of delay by developing effective education programs for the lay public speeding and improving prehospital care by the routine use of electrocardiography and reducing hospital treatment times to ≤ 30 min in the “uncomplicated” patient.
Activin-like kinase receptor 1 (ALK1) in atherosclerotic lesions and vascular mesenchymal cells.

Objective : Activin-like kinase receptor 1 (ALK1) is a transforming growth factor (TGF)-β type I receptor expressed in vascular mesenchyme, yet its function in vascular mesenchymal cells (VMC) is unclear. We examined ALK1 expression in human coronary atherosclerotic lesions and bovine and human VMC undergoing cellular condensation in vitro. We also examined the effect of activated ALK1 on cell proliferation and smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation. Methods and results : Our results showed that ALK1 was expressed in human coronary atherosclerotic lesions as determined by immunohistochemistry. ALK1 was also expressed in cellular condensations of bovine and human VMC as determined by real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, which is known to increase condensation size, increased ALK1 expression when induced from a BMP-2 adenoviral vector. In turn, activated ALK1 induced expression of matrix GLA protein (MGP), a BMP-2 inhibitor known to limit condensation size. Activated ALK1 enhanced proliferation of VMC as determined by 3H-thymidine incorporation, whereas MGP decreased proliferation. Activated ALK1 also enhanced expression of SMC lineage markers and ALK5, another TGF-β type I receptor, as determined by immunoblotting, real-time PCR and immunocytochemistry. Anti-TGF-β antibodies abolished expression of SMC markers in the presence of constitutively active ALK1, suggesting that ALK1 activation alone is not sufficient to promote SMC differentiation. Conclusions : We conclude that there is a balance between the actions of BMP-2 and MGP in the initiation of vascular mesenchymal cell condensation and SMC differentiation, and that targeting ALK1, BMP2 and/or MGP may lead to novel concepts of atherosclerosis treatment.
Plate osteosynthesis of fractures of the shaft of the humerus: comparison of limited contact dynamic compression plates and locking compression plates

The aim of this retrospective study was to compare outcomes and complications of displaced fractures of the shaft of the humerus treated with limited-contact dynamic compression plates (LCDCPs) and locking compression plates (LCPs). Two hundred and twelve patients with displaced fractures of the shaft of the humerus, treated with plate osteosynthesis from January 2005 to December 2009 were reviewed. One hundred and two patients (group A) were treated with LCDCP osteosynthesis and 110 patients (group B) were treated with LCP osteosynthesis. Clinical and radiological assessments were made at monthly intervals for the first 6 months and then at 2-month intervals for the next 6 months. Primary outcome measures like operative time, duration of hospital stay, time to fracture union, union rate and secondary outcome measures (functional outcome and complications such as infection, malunion, delayed union, nonunion, implant failure and iatrogenic radial nerve palsy) were compared between both groups. The ULCA scoring system and Mayo elbow performance index (MEPI) were used to assess shoulder and elbow functions, respectively. Rodriguez-Merchan criteria were used to assess the functional outcomes of the fracture fixation. There was no significant difference found between the two groups in terms of primary outcome measures. According to Rodriguez-Merchan criteria, comparison of functional outcomes of both groups showed insignificant difference (p = 0.48). There was no significant difference found between the two groups regarding mean ULCA score (p = 0.34) and mean MEPI sore (p = 0.54). In terms of complications, no significant difference was found between the two groups. This study concludes that the principle of fracture fixation was more important than plate selection in fractures of the shaft of the humerus. Level 3.
Nature’s Economy and the Human Economy

Human beings and the human economy are entirely integrated into nature's economy—the biosphere and the ecosystems that comprise it. Society is therefore utterly dependent on the free services provided by ecosystems. But population growth, rising per capita consumption, and the use of environmentally malign technologies are steadily erod- ing those services. Projecting how long that process can continue without a global calamity depends on numerous uncertainties, many created by the existence of nonlinearities, thresh- olds, and lag times in ecological systems. A major problem is to determine how to allocate resources in various ways to solve the human predicament. Scientists have much of the in- formation necessary for making those decisions, so the biggest problem is in the purview of social scientists. They must help to determine how best to move society from knowledge to action.
The roles of CU impurity states in CdTe thin film solar cells

Despite potential detrimental effects of Cu impurity inclusion in CdTe thin film solar cells, such as degradation caused by Cu diffusion into CdS, or reduced shunt resistance, most devices include Cu as p-dopant in CdTe and/or part of the back contact material [1 – 3]. I–V characterization and time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) data reveal that, depending on the ZnTe:Cu/Ti back contact deposition condition, Cu may cause dramatic changes in the electrical properties of the CdTe thin film. Very low levels of Cu can reduce the already low conductivity of the CdTe thin film, while increasing the Cu concentration can increase both conductivity and minority carrier lifetime. Specifically, a contacting temperature to 250°C – 300° C can produce high efficiency devices that demonstrate long minority carrier lifetimes. Increase the contacting temperature beyond ∼300°C can yield a CdTe thin film that becomes insulating, or even to n-type. Such a complicated and puzzling effect on the property and quality of the CdTe thin film — turning from a poor p-type, to a poorer p-type, to a better p-type, to insulating, and then to n-type — is all due to different levels of Cu involvement in the CdTe thin film. In this paper, we try to review such dramatic changes of the CdTe behavior through exploring the roles of Cd vacancy (a double and non-shallow acceptor) and Cu impurity (a substitutional non-shallow acceptor), as well as Cu interstitial (a shallow donor). We study the interaction between the Cd vacancy states and the Cu impurity states, as well as the self compensation of the Cu impurity states. Based on the study, we offer a qualitative explanation of the various CdTe behaviors due to different levels of Cu treatment temperature.
Reactions of the cyanide ion with the packed-bed silver electrode

Abstract Current-potential curves are given for flow of solution containing cyanideion through a silver packed-bed electrode. It is shown that under the proper experimental conditions analyses of the free cyanide ion may be carried out. It is also shown that, within certain concentration limits, analyses of mixtures of CN − and Cl − may be carried out.
Syntaxin 2 splice variants exhibit differential expression patterns, biochemical properties and subcellular localizations

The syntaxins are a large protein family implicated in the targeting and fusion of intracellular transport vesicles. A subset of proteins of this family are the four syntaxin 2 splice variants, syntaxins 2A (2), 2B (2′), 2C (2″) and 2D. Each syntaxin 2 variant contains an identical, or nearly identical, amino-terminal cytoplasmic domain followed by a distinct hydrophobic (syntaxins 2A and 2B) or hydrophilic (syntaxins 2C and 2D) carboxyl-terminal domain. To investigate whether the difference among the syntaxin 2 variants is functionally important, we have examined comparatively their RNA transcript and protein expression patterns, membrane associations, protein-protein interactions and intracellular localizations. Analysis of the RNA transcript and protein expression patterns demonstrated that syntaxins 2A, 2B and 2C are broadly, but not uniformly, expressed while syntaxin 2D expression is restricted to the brain. Subcellular fractionation studies showed that syntaxins 2A and 2B behave as integral membrane proteins while syntaxin 2C is only partially associated with membranes. In vitro biochemical assays demonstrated that the syntaxin 2 variants exhibit similar yet distinct interactions with other proteins implicated in vesicular trafficking, including SNAP-25, SNAP-23, VAMP-2 and n-sec1. In a variety of nonpolarized cell types, syntaxins 2A and 2B localized to both the plasma membrane and endosomal membranes. However, in two polarized epithelial cell lines, MDCK and Caco-2, syntaxin 2A localized predominantly to the apical plasma membrane while syntaxin 2B was associated with both the apical and the basolateral membranes. These observations indicate that the distinct carboxyl-terminal domains of the syntaxin 2 variants influence their biochemical and localization properties and may therefore confer upon these variants different functional roles in the regulation of intracellular membrane trafficking.
Regulation of the Nmda Receptor: Implications for Neuropsychological Development

Recent work has shown that zinc is involved in the developmental regulation of neurotrophins and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, controlling use of glutamate as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). This is particularly important in the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in learning and memory, and is an intriguing link to the role of zinc in neuropsychological development.
Surgical Process Improvement: Impact of a Standardized Care Model With Electronic Decision Support to Improve Compliance With SCIP Inf-9

The absence of standardization in surgical care process, exemplified in a “solution shop” model, can lead to unwarranted variation, increased cost, and reduced quality. A comprehensive effort was u...
Integrated models that unite local and regional data reveal larger-scale environmental relationships and improve predictions of species distributions

The scale of environmental relationships is often inferred through the use of species distribution models. Yet such models are frequently developed at two distinct scales. Coarse-scale models typically use information-poor (e.g., presence-only) data to predict relative distributions across geographic ranges, whereas fine-scale models often use richer information (e.g., presence–absence data) to predict distributions at local to landscape scales. We unite presence–absence and presence-only data to predict occurrence of species, what we refer to as integrated distribution models. We determine if integrated models improve predictions of species distributions and identification of characteristic spatial scales of environmental relationships relative to presence–absence modeling and ensemble modeling that averages predictions from separate presence-only and presence–absence models. We apply recent advances in integrated distribution models to predict Sherman’s fox squirrel (Sciurus niger shermani) distribution in north-central Florida. Presence-only data were collected through a citizen-science program across its geographic range, while presence–absence data were collected using camera trapping surveys across 40 landscapes. Integrated models estimated environmental relationships with greater precision and identified larger characteristic scales for environmental relationships than using presence–absence data alone. In addition, integrated models tended to have greater predictive performance, which was more robust to the amount of presence–absence and presence-only data used in modeling, than presence–absence and ensemble models. Integrated distribution models hold much potential for improving our understanding of environmental relationships, the scales at which environmental relationships operate, and providing more accurate predictions of species distributions. Many avenues exist for further advancement of these modeling approaches.