cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant properties of citric acid interfere with the uricase-based measurement of circulating uric acid

Abstract Background Circulating uric acid (UA) is an important biomarker, not only in the detection and management of gout, but also in assessing the risk of related comorbidity. The impact of collection methods on clinical UA measurements has been the subject of limited study. After observing significant differences between UA concentrations of blood samples obtained by different collection tubes, we began examining the effects of exogenous tube components on measured UA concentrations. We aimed to: (1) demonstrate the variability in uricase-based UA measurements attributable to different collection methods and (2) identify factors influencing this variability. Methods Blood samples from human subjects were collected using Serum Separator Tubes (SST tubes), Acid Citrate Dextrose (ACD) tubes, and Sodium Citrate (SC) tubes. Circulating UA concentrations were measured by chemistry analyzers utilizing the uricase method. Absorbance assays were run in order to determine the effects of citric acid, sodium citrate, and dextrose on measured absorbance in the presence of leuco crystal violet dye, hydrogen peroxide, and peroxidase. Statistical analyses—including Student’s T tests and ANOVA—were used to compare results. Results UA concentrations of blood samples collected in ACD tubes were significantly lower than those collected in SST tubes (P Discussion Our results indicate that citric acid obstructs accurate uricase-based UA measurement, providing falsely low values. Citric acid, a known antioxidant, scavenges hydrogen peroxide, a key intermediate using the uricase method. By scavenging hydrogen peroxide, citric acid decreases the amount of oxidized leuco dye leading to falsely low UA measurements. Therefore, collection tubes, like ACD and SC tubes, which contain concentrations of citric acid or its conjugate base sodium citrate should not be used to measure circulating UA levels when utilizing uricase-based measurement methods.
Quantum coherence in ultrafast photo-driven charge separation.

Coherent interactions are prevalent in photodriven processes, ranging from photosynthetic energy transfer to superexchange-mediated electron transfer, resulting in numerous studies aimed towards identifying and understanding these interactions. A key motivator of this interest is the non-statistical scaling laws that result from coherently traversing multiple pathways due to quantum interference. To that end, we employed ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy to measure electron transfer in two donor–acceptor molecular systems comprising a p-(9-anthryl)-N,N-dimethylaniline chromophore/electron donor and either one or two equivalent naphthalene-1,8:4,5-bis(dicarboximide) electron acceptors at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures. The two-acceptor compound shows a statistical factor of 2.1 ± 0.2 rate enhancement at room temperature and a non-statistical factor of 2.6 ± 0.2 rate enhancement at cryogenic temperatures, suggesting correlated interactions between the two acceptors with the donor and with the bath modes. Comparing the charge recombination rates indicates that the electron is delocalized over both acceptors at low temperature but localized on a single acceptor at room temperature. These results highlight the importance of shielding the system from bath fluctuations to preserve and ultimately exploit the coherent interactions.
Nano to micron-sized particle detection in patients' lungs and its pathological significance

Mineralogical analyses of clinical samples have been proven useful to identify a causal relationship between exposure to airborne particles and pulmonary diseases. However, this type of analysis only considers the micron-sized fraction of the particles, neglecting the specific impact of submicron/nano-sized particles which have been otherwise shown to be reactive and able to induce biological effects. To fill this gap, we previously developed an innovative protocol to isolate micron-sized particles from submicron/nano-sized particles contained in 100 bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial washing (BW) samples from patients who suffered from interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) (NanoPI, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02549248). We then determined qualitatively and quantitatively the metal load in each of these fractions. The aim of the present paper is to investigate correlations between these mineralogical analyses and clinical data. The mean concentration of submicron silica particles was found to be significantly higher in the BAL and BW samples from patients suffering from sarcoidosis than those from patients suffering from other ILDs (501 vs. 246 ng mL−1 for BAL and 564 vs. 292 ng mL−1 for BW, respectively). This finding suggests a potential role of submicron silica particles in the etiology of sarcoidosis and highlights the usefulness of comprehensive mineralogical analyses to obtain new insights into the role of inhaled biopersistent particles in lung diseases.
Moving from Adoption to Use: Physicians’ Mixed Commitments in Deciding to Use Robotic Technologies:

This article shifts sociological attention from doctors' adoption of medical innovations to ask how doctors decide to use expensive technologies adopted by administrators. It draws upon a content a...
Extrinsic phonon thermal Hall transport from Hall viscosity

Motivated by recent experiments on the phonon contribution to the thermal Hall effect in the cuprates, we present an analysis of chiral phonon transport. We assume the chiral behavior arises from a nonzero phonon Hall viscosity, which is likely induced by the coupling to electrons. Phonons with a nonzero phonon Hall viscosity have an intrinsic thermal Hall conductivity, but Chen et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 124, 167601 (2020)] have argued that a significantly larger thermal Hall conductivity can arise from an extrinsic contribution which is inversely proportional to the density of impurities. We solve the Boltzmann equation for phonon transport and compute the temperature ($T$) dependence of the thermal Hall conductivity originating from skew scattering off pointlike impurities. We find that the dominant source for thermal Hall transport is an interference between impurity skew-scattering channels with opposite parity. The thermal Hall conductivity $\ensuremath{\sim}{T}^{d+2}$ at low $T$ in $d$ dimensions, and has a window of $T$-independent behavior for $Tg{T}_{\mathrm{imp}}$, where ${T}_{\mathrm{imp}}$ is determined by the ratio of scattering potentials with opposite parity. We also consider the role of nonspecular scattering off the sample boundary, and find that it leads to negligible corrections to thermal Hall transport at low $T$.
AML-104: Westchester Medical Center (WMC) Approach to Jehovah’s Witness Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Patients

Objective: Development of a bloodless therapeutic approach to management of AML in Jehovah’s Witness patients Design: Our center developed an approach for bloodless management of AML in adult patients in line with the religious beliefs of Jehovah’s Witness patients. Setting: There are over 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide. Their world headquarters is located 30 miles from WMC, and the area supports a sizable population of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Eligible Patients: Eligibility criteria include: >18 years of age, confirmed diagnosis of AML, and refusal to accept transfusion of blood products. Interventions: The protocol emphasizes the optimization of hemoglobin and platelet count, practicing conservative measures, such as minimizing blood draws and invasive procedures and using prophylactic measures against potential complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Our protocol includes: pediatric tubes, limited blood draws, IV iron, erythropoietin, weekly romiplostim, vitamin B12, folate, and aminocaproic acid. Venetoclax was planned for patients, given its less hematopoietic burden than traditional intensive chemotherapy. Main Outcomes Measures: The primary outcome is overall survival. Secondary outcome is progression free survival. Outcome measures include hemoglobin and platelet counts. Results: We present our first patient using this approach to evaluate efficacy and safety of this bloodless induction protocol, a 57-year-old gentleman with newly diagnosed AML. We initiated venetoclax and decitabine, along with all supportive interventions outlined above. Unfortunately, the patient felt unwell after the initial doses of chemotherapy and declined further treatment and left against medical advice. The patient’s total hospital stay was six days. We saw no qualitative, logistical, or administrative concerns with the bloodless approach. On discharge, the patient’s hemoglobin was 3.8 g/dL and his platelet count was 4 k/mm3. He eventually was admitted to another hospital, where he expired without AML treatment. We were unable to measure our primary and secondary outcomes, given our patient did not complete treatment. Conclusions: Though our initial patient did not complete his induction chemotherapy, from a qualitative analysis, our supportive care measures to optimize hemoglobin and platelet counts and limit bleeding risk were delivered without issues and may serve as a model for other centers with patients declining blood products in their leukemia care.
Application of Convolutional Neural Network in Lawn Measurement

Lawn area measurement is an application of image processing and deep learning. Researchers used hierarchical networks, segmented images, and other methods to measure the lawn area. Methods’ effectiveness and accuracy varies. In this project, deep learning method, specifically Convolutional neural network, was applied to measure the lawn area. We used Keras and TensorFlow in Python to develop a model that was trained on the dataset of houses then tuned the parameters with GridSearchCV in Scikit- Learn (a machine learning library in Python) to estimate the lawn area. Convolutional neural network or shortly CNN shows high accuracy (94 -97%). We may conclude that deep learning method, especially CNN, could be a good method with a high state-of-art accuracy.
Differences in Driver Distractibility Between Monolingual and Bilingual Drivers

The present research sought to bridge the gap between research on driver distraction and the bilingual advantage by testing monolingual and bilinguals in a driving simulation similar to those encountered by drivers on a daily basis. The Lane Change Test (LCT) was used to test driving performance in the presence of a delayed digit recall task (2-back task) and three types of peripheral detection tasks (PDTs). Although performance came to be degraded as the complexity of tasks increased, the overall performance of the bilinguals was more negatively affected than their monolingual counterparts across the LCT, PDT, and 2-back task. Implications and limitations are discussed.
Biosynthesis of hydroxyfatty acid polymers: Enzymatic epoxidation of 18-hydroxyoleic acid to 18-hydroxy-cis-9,10-epoxystearic acid by a particulate preparation from spinach (Spinacia oleracea)

Abstract The major component of the cuticular hydroxyfatty acid polymer, cutin, of spinach leaf was identified as 18-hydroxy- cis -9,10-epoxystearic acid. A 3000 g particulate fraction obtained from the homogenates of young spinach leaves catalyzed the epoxidation of 18-hydroxyoleic acid to 18-hydroxy- cis -9,10-epoxystearic acid. The epoxy acid was identified by thin-layer chromatography of the product of hydration of the oxirane function and subsequent reduction (octadecane-1,9,10,18-tetraol), on silica gel G and boric acid impregnated silica gel, and by radio gas-liquid chromatography of the periodate oxidation product of the tetraol derived from the epoxy acid. This enzymatic epoxidation required ATP, CoA, NADPH, and O 2 for maximal activity. The pH optimum for epoxidation was 9.0, and the epoxidase activity was located mainly in the 3000 g particulate fraction, which contained the cuticular membranes. The rate of epoxidation of the unsaturated acid was linear up to 2 h and up to a protein concentration of 1.5 mg/ml. The apparent K m and V of the enzyme was 7.5 × 10 −5 m and 180 nmol/1-h-mg protein, respectively. That the epoxidase has a stringent substrate specificity was indicated by the observation that 18-hydroxyelaidic acid, 18-acetoxyoleic acid, and oleic acid were not readily epoxidized by this enzyme preparation. Light reversible inhibition by CO suggested the involvement of cytochrome P-450 in the epoxidation. Chelators inhibited epoxidation, and this inhibition was reversed by FeSO 4 . The epoxidase was inhibited 30% by 0.5 m m NaCN, whereas the same concentration of NaN 3 showed very little inhibition. The present epoxidase is unique in that it is associated with the 3000 g particles which contain the cutin polymer and in that it requires activation of the carboxyl group distal to the epoxidation site. Enzyme preparations capable of epoxidizing 18-hydroxyoleic acid were also obtained from the skin of apple fruit and from the epidermis of Senecio odoris leaves. This is the first report on an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the C 18 family of cutin monomer acids.
Boundary slip phenomena in a binary gas mixture

The slip phenomena in gas mixtures are of fundamental significance in the specification of boundary conditions for flows in the slip regime. In a recent paper, new explicit results for the slip coefficients appropriate to binary gas mixtures were reported. The present work being reported extends the previous work to a higher level of accuracy by involving a higher order Chapman-Enskog expansion. In particular, new expressions for the slip coefficients are presented which are applicable for arbitrary models of the intermolecular interaction. Limiting expressions for the slip coefficients are given (for a simple gas) and the accuracy of the theory is discussed. Numerical calculations of the slip coefficients for different binary gas mixtures using the first and second order Chapman-Enskog approximations and the rigid sphere and Lennard-Jones (12-6) potential models have been carried out. The thermal creep and diffusion slip coefficients are found to be sensitive to the order of the approximation and to the potential model used. A comparison of the new higher order results with some of our previously obtained experimental data for the thermal transpiration effect has also been carried out and shows excellent agreement between the theory and the experiments which confirms the accuracy of the theory.
Code as Governance, The Governance of Code

The governance of a network society is tightly bound to the nature of property rights created for information. The establishment of a market involves the development of a bundle of rights that both create property and define the rules under which property-based transactions might occur. The fundamental thesis of this work is that the creation of property through licensing offers different views of the governance of the network society. Thus this article offers distinct views of the network society drawn from examinations of the various forms of governance currently applied to code, namely: open code licensing, public domain code, proprietary licenses, and the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA). The open code licenses addressed here are the GNU Public License, the BSD license, the artistic license, and the Mozilla license. We posit that the licenses are alternative viewpoints (or even conflicting forces) with respect to the nature of the network society, and that each has its own hazards. We describe the concepts of openness: free redistribution, source availability, derivations, integrity, non-discrimination, non-specificity, and non-contamination. We examine how each license meets or conflicts with these conditions. We conclude that each of these dimensions has a parallel in the dimension of governance. Within our conclusions we identify how the concept of code as law, first described by Stallman and popularized by Lessig, fails when the particulars of open code are examined. However, we explore the ways that licenses together with code provide a governance framework, and how different licenses combined with code provide a range of visions for governance of the information society. We go on to consider the fundamentally different governance model outlined by UCITA, and comment on the philosophical implications and hazards of such a framework for the world of code.
Manipulating Electoral Rules to Manufacture Single-Party Dominance

This article argues that the LDP manufactured its parliamentary dominance in postwar Japan by strategically altering specific facets of the electoral system. More generally, I demonstrate that intraparty politics play a crucial role in determining when and how electoral rules are changed. Despite widespread evidence that the LDP would win more seats under an SMP electoral formula, party leaders were repeatedly blocked from replacing the postwar MMD-SNTV system by intraparty incumbents, who feared that such a change would harm their individual reelection prospects. However, party leaders had greater leeway in altering rules that generated fewer intraparty conflicts. Between 1960 and 1990, the LDP implemented approximately fifty changes to campaign regulations, most of which were aimed at enhancing the incumbency advantage of all rank-and-file MPs. Statistical tests confirm that absent pro-incumbent revisions to the electoral code, the LDP would have succumbed to declining public popularity and lost its majority at least a decade earlier.
Unsupervised learning of temporal constancies by pyramidal-type neurons

An unsupervised learning principle is proposed for individual neurons with complex synaptic structure and dynamical input. The learning goal is a neuronal response to temporal constancies: If some input patterns often occur in close temporal succession, then the neuron should respond either to all of them or to none. It is shown that linear threshold neurons can achieve this learning goal, if each synapse stores not only a weight, but also a short-term memory trace. The online learning process requires no biologically implausible interactions. The sequence of temporal associations can be interpreted as a random walk on the state transition graph of the input dynamics. In numerical simulations the learning process turned out to be robust against parameter changes.
Preoperative Prediction of Surgical Margin Status in Patients With Prostate Cancer Treated by Radical Prostatectomy

PURPOSE: We sought to determine the preoperative factors associated with surgical margin status in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 339 patients who were treated by radical retropubic prostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy at the Mayo Clinic. None received preoperative adjuvant therapy. The mean age at the time of surgery was 66 years (range, 45 to 79 years). All specimens were totally embedded and whole-mounted. Positive surgical margin was defined as the presence of cancer cells at the inked margins. Numerous pathologic characteristics in needle biopsies and preoperative clinical findings were analyzed. RESULTS: The overall margin positivity rate was 24%. In univariate analysis, preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, perineural invasion, percentage of cancer in the biopsy specimens, and number and percentage of biopsy cores involved by cancer were all associated with positive...
Remarkable Conservation of Distinct Nonclassical MHC Class I Lineages in Divergent Amphibian Species

Nonclassical MHC class Ib (class Ib) genes are heterogeneous genes encoding molecules that are structurally similar to classical MHC class Ia molecules but with limited tissue distribution and polymorphism. Mammalian class Ib genes have diverse and often uncharacterized functions, and because of their rapid rate of evolution, class Ib phylogeny is difficult to establish. We have conducted an extensive genomic, molecular, and phylogenetic characterization of class Ib genes in two Xenopodinae amphibian species of different genera that diverged from a common ancestor as long ago as primates and rodents (∼65 million years). In contrast with the unsteadiness of mammalian class Ib genes, our results reveal an unusual degree of conservation of most Xenopodinae class Ib gene lineages, including a novel monogenic lineage represented by the divergent Xenopus laevis XNC10 gene and its unequivocal Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis orthologue, SNC10. The preferential expression of this gene lineage by thymocytes themselves from the onset of thymic organogenesis is consistent with a specialized role of class Ib in early T cell development and suggests such a function is conserved in all tetrapods.
Direct and indirect effects of group discussion on consensus

Participants within groups of three were pre‐tested on a set of issues, discussed a subset of the issues, and were then post‐tested on all the issues. Discussion led to significant group consensus on issues that were discussed by participants. Consensus was also observed for issues that were not discussed by the group, but were related to the discussed issues. Groups did not move toward consensus on non‐discussed issues that were unrelated to the discussed issues. We discuss implications of our results for theories of cognitive consistency, and for the formation of culture within large and small groups.
Energy Loss for Evaluating Transcatheter Valve Performance

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a new intervention for high surgical risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis [1]. The outcomes of the early experiences have been promising and the treatment modality is evolving very rapidly. However, mild to moderate paravalvular leaks occur commonly, over 50% of the time, after TAVI. While mild to moderate aortic regurgitation after TAVI may not have significant clinical impact in high surgical risk elderly patients, this degree of regurgitation may have considerable consequences long-term if TAV are implanted in younger and healthier patients.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
CAVITATION NOISE IN NUCLEAR REACTORS.

Abstract An experimental investigation was made of the acoustical noise emitted by flow-induced cavitation in reactor fuel element coolant channels. Spectra of the acoustical noise emitted are shown and are correlated with optical measurements taken by means of short-exposure photographs. It is shown that the amount of acoustical noise emitted by cavitation increases very rapidly with increase of flow rate and is approximately proportional to the number of cavitation bubbles present. In addition, it is deduced that the spectrum of the acoustical noise emitted by cavitation is approximately flat up to frequencies in excess of those measured and that peaks in the recorded spectra were due to microphone characteristics.
The Blumberg Case and Its Implications for Library Security at the Central University Libraries, Southern Methodist University

Abstract This paper, presented to the AMIGOS Spring 1992 Conference in Dallas, TX, in 1992, delineates security measures taken by Southern Methodist University in the aftermath of Stephen Blumberg's book thefts, and discusses the possible consequences of failing to report the theft of valuable library materials in a timely manner.
Reperfusion injury following cerebral ischemia: pathophysiology, MR imaging, and potential therapies

Introduction Restoration of blood flow following ischemic stroke can be achieved by means of thrombolysis or mechanical recanalization. However, for some patients, reperfusion may exacerbate the injury initially caused by ischemia, producing a so-called “cerebral reperfusion injury”. Multiple pathological processes are involved in this injury, including leukocyte infiltration, platelet and complement activation, postischemic hyperperfusion, and breakdown of the blood–brain barrier.
On both sides of the Hyphen : Exploring the Filipino-American identity

The purpose of this qualitative study was to compare the ethnic identities of 2 groups of Filipino Americans, 1 born in the United States and 1 born in the Philippines. Results from consensual qualitative research analysis (C. E. Hill et al., 2005; C. E. Hill, B. J. Thompson, & E. N. Williams, 1997) suggested that U.S.-born participants saw the distinguishing feature of their identity as the "American lifestyle," that is, the availability of material goods and technology. Typically, these participants were curious and wanted to explore their Filipino American identity, which they saw as influenced by both Philippine and U.S. cultures. Philippine-born individuals, in contrast, identified the following important aspects of their identity: valuing family relationships; being hospitable, polite, and respectful; having faith in God; speaking Tagalog; and having Filipino physical characteristics. Although most of the latter individuals defined their identity as a combination of both cultures, they were more likely than the U.S.-born participants to view themselves as primarily Filipino and the American aspect of their identity as a result of circumstance.
Speech in context: Plato's Menexenus and the ritual of Athenian public burial

(1999). Speech in context: Plato's Menexenus and the ritual of Athenian public burial. Rhetoric Society Quarterly: Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 65-74.
Optimum optical local-oscillator power levels for coherent detection with photodiodes

The use of an optical local oscillator for coherent detection with a photodiode can significantly reduce the responsivity of the detector because of saturation effects. Consequently, local-oscillator shot-noise-limited operation of the detector may not be possible. This effect is analyzed and formulations are developed for the optimum optical local-oscillator power level and the resultant maximum possible signal-to-noise ratio in terms of parameters derived from the photodiode current versus the optical power response curve. An effective heterodyne responsivity that can be used as a part of the specifications when one is procuring photodiodes for use in coherent detection systems is defined.
Liver enzymes and pathology in Hodgkin's disease.

Liver pathology and levels of serum enzymes of presumed hepatic origin (alkaline phosphatase (AP), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), and 5′nucleotidase (5′N)) in 67 patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) were correlated to determine the accuracy with which such serum measurements reflected hepatic involvement with HD. Patients with advanced stages of HD tended to have higher levels of serum AP than patients with localized disease whether or not HD of the liver was demonstrated. Many patients with all stages of HD who had elevated serum AP had nonspecific but abnormal liver pathology. The other serum enzymes measured were of even less value in assessing whether or not a patient had hepatic HD. Histologic examination of adequate liver tissue appears to be the only reliable method by which hepatic HD can be diagnosed. Serum AP is more sensitive than γ-GT in following the clinical course of patients with proven hepatic HD.
The methodology of W. Arthur Lewis's development economics: Economics as pedagogy

Abstract Lewis's work represents much of the best potential of economic science. Like Keynes he has transcended not only the ideology of natural law cosmology, but also the positivist-guided focus upon the endless testing of minute hypothesis and the endless formalization of non-falsifiable bodies of doctrine. Courageously and pragmatically, Lewis attempts to verify his theory not just statistically or in terms of internal logical consistency, but more broadly in terms of its accordance with general social knowledge, history, and social relevance in instructing humanity how to live better. His implicit methodology suggests that economics at its best is pedagogy.
Understanding MOOCs as an Emerging Online Learning Tool: Perspectives From the Students

This study examined participants’ learning experiences in the context of a six-week massive open online course (MOOC) in journalism with five thousand students from 137 countries. Three research questions were asked: (1) Who are the students and why are they enrolled in this MOOC?, (2) How much time have the students spent in taking this MOOC and have they completed all the assignments?, and, (3) What have they learned and what aspects of this MOOC do the students find most helpful? Four hundred and nine students responded to a survey and forty-four responded to interview questions. The main findings showed 84% of the participants were working professionals and only 28.9% were from a journalism background. Of those who did not complete the course, lack of time was the top reason. Most participants reported a positive learning experience, but lack of feedback and/or poor quality were reported as negative experiences. The discussion forum was the least liked aspect of the course.
Stimulated Optical Emission of a Terbium Ion Chelate in a Vinylic Resin Matrix

RECENTLY, the observation of optical maser action of a europium chelate (europium tris[4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-thi-enyl)-l,3 butanedione]) in polymethylmethacrylate (Eu TTA in PMMA) was reported1.
TGIRS: a two-grating (mid) infrared spectrometer

We present a brief overview of the design and construction of two grating infrared spectrometer, a new 2D array, dual grating spectrometer for the 7.0 to 13.8 micron region, built at the University of Denver (DU). This instrument has been designed to fulfill specific scientific goals in astronomy while utilizing the array to its fullest extent. The instrument uses diamond-turned aluminum optics to allow warm optical alignment and eliminate differential contraction of the optics while operating at cryogenic temperatures. Two gratings are used in the optical design to provide a resolution of about 800. The entire assembly is cooled with a Gifford-McMahon refrigerator so that it may later be adapted for use during remote observing. The array is a Rockwell 128 by 128 Si:As BIB hybrid focal plane array sensitive from optical to 26 microns. The electronics package and software for readout were developed by Wallace Instruments and are already in use on our TNTCAM at DU. 'First light' is scheduled for late summer 1996.
Response of Neoplastic Cells in Vitro to Ionizing Radiation

A brief historical survey of radiation effects on tumor cells in tissue culture is presented. The radiosensitivity of various types of normal and neoplastic cells was studied, and cytological abnormalities in the irradiated cells, such as chromatin bridges, double anaphases in the same cell, tripolar and tetrapolar mitoses, multinucleated giant cells, nuclear and cytoplasmic vacuolization, and liquefaction of the culture medium were noted. Doses of x rays ranging from 80,000 r to 150,000 r were required for total inhibition of growth of the tissue explanis in the cultures. Small doses permitted recovery. Evidence for a selective response to irradiation between various types of tissue cells, normal and malignant, is presented. Studies on a subcellular level by the aid of electronmicroscopic and microanalytic techniques revealed that the mitochondria of the more radiosensitive tumor are fewer in number and inferior in quality as compared to that of the more radioresistant tumor. The possible role these mitochondrial differences may play in cellular radiosensitivity is discussed.
Ectopia of seminal vesicle. Associated with agenesis of ipsilateral kidney.

Abstract A case of ectopia of the vas deferens and seminal vesicle associated with ipsilateral agenesis of the kidney and detailed review of the pertinent embryologic aspects and possible cause of the anomaly are presented.
CP -violating effects in heavy-meson systems

We calculate the dilepton charge asymmetry in the neutral-conjugate-heavy-meson systems produced in e/sup +/e/sup -/ annihilation. This asymmetry, which is a measure of the intrinsic CP violation in the mass matrix, is calculated in the Kobayashi-Maskawa (KM) model as well as the Higgs-boson model of CP nonconservation. While the charge asymmetry is small for the D/sup 0/-D-bar/sup 0/ and B/sup 0/-B-bar/sup 0/ systems in both models, it is predicted to be quite large (10/sup -1/--10/sup -2/) in the T/sup 0/-T-bar/sup 0/ system in the Higgs-boson scheme. Thus if experiments to measure the dilepton asymmetry are feasible (but could be considerably difficult in practice), only the T/sup 0/-T-bar/sup 0/ system can distinguish between the Higgs-boson-exchange model and the KM model. A T-violating polarization of the lepton in the semileptonic decay of a meson cannot arise in the KM model. However, even in the Higgs-boson model the transverse polarization of the muon normal to the decay plane in the semileptonic kaon decay although nonzero is still quite small (at the level approx.10/sup -4/) unless the ratio of the two vacuum expectation values v/sub 2/ /sup 2//v/sub 3/ /sup 2/ is unexpectedly large. The T-odd tau-lepton polarization in B-meson decay is expected tomore » be approx.10/sup -2/, thus conceivably measurable.« less
Combining different resistance components enhances resistance to Fusarium head blight in spring wheat

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating disease in wheat throughout the world. FHB resistance consists of two components: resistance to initial infection (type I) and resistance to spread within infected spikes (type II). Current wheat breeding programs for FHB focus on type II resistance, which limits pathogen spread but may not be sufficiently durable. To combine type I with existing type II resistance, 113 F9-derived recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from a cross between three wheat genotypes Frontana, W9207, and Alsen. The RILs were evaluated for resistance to initial infection, FHB spread within spike, kernel damage, and deoxynivalenol (DON) content in two independent greenhouse experiments in 2006 and 2007. Among the 113 RILs, 20% lines showed ≤10% initial disease severity (IDS) and ≤11 to 30% final disease severity (FDS), and 19% had DON content ≤5 μg/g. Approximately 11% of the RILs showed tendency of higher resistance (as exhibited by lower IDS, FDS, and DON content) than the resistant parents. The 42 of the FHB-resistant RILs were analyzed with seven simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers or microsatellites known to be linked to FHB resistance. Approximately half of the RILs had molecular markers linked to both types of FHB resistance indicated the presence of type I and II resistance alleles in the RILs. The resistant RILs identified in this study should be useful for the future improvement of FHB resistance in spring wheat.
Embryological evidence for developmental lability during early angiosperm evolution

Recent advances in angiosperm phylogeny reconstruction, palaeobotany and comparative organismic biology have provided the impetus for a major re-evaluation of the earliest phases of the diversification of flowering plants. We now know that within the first fifteen million years of angiosperm history, three major lineages of flowering plants-monocotyledons, eumagnoliids and eudicotyledons-were established, and that within this window of time, tremendous variation in vegetative and floral characteristics evolved. Here I report on a novel type of embryo sac (angiosperm female gametophyte or haploid egg-producing structure) in Amborella trichopoda, the sole member of the most ancient extant angiosperm lineage. This is the first new pattern of embryo sac structure to be discovered among angiosperms in well over half a century. This discovery also supports the emerging view that the earliest phases of angiosperm evolution were characterized by an extensive degree of developmental experimentation and structural lability, and may provide evidence of a critical link to the gymnospermous ancestors of flowering plants.
Successful pregnancy outcome in Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, vascular type

Background. Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by tissue fragility, translucent skin and joint hypermobility. Patients with the vascular type of EDS are prone to spontaneous arterial and visceral rupture. Pregnancy for women with vascular EDS can be life-threatening. Mortality rates are high due to the increased risk for uterine and arterial rupture in the peripartum period.Case. We describe the counseling, multidisciplinary management, protocol, and successful pregnancy outcome of a 32-year-old woman with vascular EDS.Conclusion. There is no consensus in the literature on the timing and mode of delivery for pregnant women with vascular EDS. The management undertaken in our patient may assist others in optimizing the perinatal outcome in other women who elect to continue their pregnancy despite the risks of this severe medical condition.
Love Canal Tragedy

The purpose of this environmental failure case study paper is to provide educational materials for environmental engineering courses dealing with design and operation of landfills for hazardous waste. In 1978, it was discovered that hazardous waste had contaminated homes and schools in the Love Canal area, a former chemical landfill which became a 15 acre neighborhood of the City of Niagara Falls, New York. On August 7, 1978, the United States President Jimmy Carter declared a federal emergency at the Love Canal. The Love Canal became the first man-made disaster to receive such a designation based on a variety of environmental and health related studies. Background, causes and effects of environmental failure, and remediation actions of the Love Canal superfund site are described in this paper. Lessons learned from this case study show the importance of identification of hazardous waste and the proper disposal of hazardous waste for the protection of the public health and the environment.
PARADIGMS IN THE STUDY OF HEALTH POLICY

This essay identifies and analyzes four different paradigms in the study of problems in the American health system. The paradigms, which are labelled the individual–deficiency, the economic, the organizational, and the Marxist perspective, are examined as “diagnostic paradigms” according to the way in which problems are conceptualized and the way in which remedial strategies are chosen. The essay shows the differences and similarities between characteristic diagnoses and policy solutions within the four perspectives. It is argued that such paradigms can easily be identified in recent health reform proposals.
Adverse Ocular Effects of Anticonvulsants

With increasing recognition of the interface between neurology and psychiatry, the use of anticonvulsants to treat the signs and symptoms of many psychiatric disturbances is becoming commonplace. Although rare adverse reactions, such as those in the hepatic and hematological systems, have attracted considerable concern, for many anticonvulsants it is the ocular reactions that are among the most common. This article reviews the major ocular reactions to anticonvulsants and suggests guidelines for their use. It also underscores the importance of including adverse ocular effects as part of the informed consent process.
An Analysis of Sequences of Restricted Associative Responses

(1944). An Analysis of Sequences of Restricted Associative Responses. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 149-165.
Aqueous Solubility Depression for Hydrophobic Organic Chemicals in the Presence of Partially Miscible Organic Solvents

This work examines the solubility of hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOC), including naphthalene, biphenyl, 2,2‘,4,4‘-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB-47), and 2,2‘,4,4‘,5,5‘-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153), in water saturated with partially miscible organic solvents (PMOSs), including methylene chloride and chloroform. A recirculating generator column technique provided solubility measurements for the station ary-phase chemical (HOC) in the mobile phase (PMOS solution). The observed solubility of the naphthalene (log Kow = 3.4) was not noticeably impacted by the PMOS, while that of biphenyl (log Kow = 4.1) decreased slightly with increasing PMOS concentration. In water saturated with methylene chloride and chloroform, the observed PCB-47 (log Kow = 6.2) aqueous concentrations were reduced to about 25% and 15%, respectively, of its aqueous solubility. HOC solubility results were further reduced for PCB-153 (log Kow = 7.2) and the same PMOS solutions. Solventing-out, a phenomenon analogous to salting-out, is introduce...
Large-scale failure modes of dielectric elastomer actuators

Abstract Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) show promise for robotic and mechatronic applications. However, to date, these actuators have experienced high rates of failure that have prevented their practical application. Here, large scale modes of failure of DEAs and their performance limits are studied. The objective is to provide design guidelines and bound the performance of DEAs that avoid failure. An idealized DEA is modeled and its failure is predicted as a function of film pre-stretch used during actuator fabrication, actuation voltage, and stretch rate. Three failure modes are considered: pull-in, dielectric strength, and material strength. Each failure mode is shown to dominate for different combinations of pre-stretch and stretch rate. High stretch rates lead to dielectric strength failure while low stretch rates lead to pull-in failure. Material strength failure is less important for most cases. Model predictions are validated experimentally using practical DEAs operating under load. This study suggests that DEAs cannot be operated reliably under load for long periods of time or low stretch rates due to pull-in failure limitations. To be reliable, DEAs must be used for short periods of time with high stretch rates.
Use of a Local Sensitivity Analysis to Inform Study Design Based on a Mechanistic Toxicokinetic Model for γ-Hydroxybutyric Acid

γ-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a drug of abuse, demonstrates complex toxicokinetics with capacity-limited metabolism and active renal reabsorption. The objectives of the present study were to conduct a local sensitivity analysis of a mechanistic model for the active renal reabsorption of GHB and to use the results to inform the design of future studies aimed at developing therapeutic strategies for treating GHB overdoses. A local sensitivity analysis was used to assess the influence of parameter perturbations on model outputs (plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of GHB). Further, a sensitivity index was calculated for each perturbed parameter to assess the specific segments of the time course that are critical to parameter estimation. Model outputs were simulated for rats dosed with 200, 400, 600, and 1,000 mg/kg GHB intravenously and individual parameters were perturbed by two-, five-, and tenfold higher and lower than the nominal value. Model outputs were sensitive to perturbations in clearance and volume parameters. In contrast, model outputs were found to be insensitive to changes in distributional parameters suggesting that additional tissue distribution data is required. Based on the sensitivity analysis the 1,000-mg/kg GHB dose can be eliminated from future studies as the parameters can be adequately estimated from the lower doses. To further validate the use of this model, dose-specific sampling schedules were designed based on model predictions for doses of 600 and 1,500 mg/kg. These sampling schedules were able to adequately capture the inflection point and terminal elimination phase of the plasma concentration–time profiles obtained.
Effective materials properties: Determination and application in mechanical design and optimization

AbstractA finite element procedure for determination of effective mechanical, thermal and thermomechanical properties of multi-phase materials is developed in this paper. To account for the variation in phases contiguity with the change in volume fractions, a computer-based procedure is proposed for generation of the materials microstructure. The procedure is applied to the cobalt-tungsten carbide (Co-WC) two-phase material. The results show significantly better agreement with their experimental counterparts compared with analytical methods of predicting effective materials properties. Finally, the case of flywheel optimization is used to demonstrate that accurate determination of effective materials properties can be very critical in heterogeneous-materials design problems.
Estuary Plumes and Fronts in Shelf Waters: A Layer Model

Abstract A layer model that treats fronts as discontinuities is developed to study the steady state behavior of shallow estuary plumes on the continental shelf. The complete range of earth rotation effect is evaluated from small-scale or nonrotating plumes (Kelvin number equal zero) to large-scale, rotating plumes (Kelvin number equal order one). Supercritical flow is assumed in the outlet channel and the method of characteristics is used to compute the flow downstream. Nonrotating plumes have strong boundary fronts and concentrate their greatest layer depth and mass transport offshore near the front, but form no coastal current. Rotating plumes have boundary fronts that weaken soon after discharge, form a turning region where Coriolis action deflects the flow toward shore, and subsequently set up a coastal current. Soon after its formation this coastal current is bounded offshore by a strong front called the coastal front, across which the momentum balance changes from nearly inertial in the turning regi...
Photodynamic inactivation of enveloped viruses using sapphyrin, a 22 pi-electron expanded porphyrin: possible approaches to prophylactic blood purification protocols

The in vitro photodynamic inactivation ofherpes simplex virus (HSV-1), an enveloped virus with a membranous coat, was studied using the decaalky sapphyrin 2. This new sensitizer, an unusual 22 icelectron "expanded porphyrin" with an absorption maximum at roughly 680 nm, generates singlet oxygen in roughly 25% quantum yield in its non-aggregated monomeric form and is very efficient for the photo-inactivation of HSV- 1 . It is as active as dihematoporphyrin derivative (DHE) on a per macrocycle basis and, because of light absorption by oxyhemoglobin, considerably more so in blood on a per mcident light intensity basis. Supporting fluorescence studies indicate that compound 2 has a high affinity for nonpolar environments, where it exists in its most active monomeric form, suggesting a mechanism of action that depends both on selective localization in the HSV- 1 viral membrane and accompanying efficient singlet oxygen production. In preliminary experiments with cell-free HIV-1 (also an enveloped virus), it was found that compound 2 effects a ca. 50% photo-killing with little dark toxicity at 4 jiM concentration and an essentially complete photo-eradication at 16 jiM concentration, as judged by standard reverse transcriptase assay. At this latter concentration, however, the light-induced viral inactivation is accompanied by considerable dark toxicity, which, on the basis of control experiments with uninfected cells, is ascribed to a high sensitivity of the H9 cell line employed and not to an overall, or inherent, cytotoxicity of the sapphyrin nucleus.
Synthesis and characterization of triblock copolymers of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(propylene fumarate).

Amphiphilic block copolymers were synthesized by transesterification of hydrophilic methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) and hydrophobic poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) and characterized. Four block copolymers were synthesized with a 2:1 mPEG:PPF molar ratio and mPEGs of molecular weights 570, 800, 1960, and 5190 and PPF of molecular weight 1570 as determined by NMR. The copolymers synthesized with mPEG of molecular weights 570 and 800 had 1.9 and 1.8 mPEG blocks per copolymer, respectively, as measured by NMR, representing an ABA-type block copolymer. The number of mPEG blocks of the copolymer decreased with increasing mPEG block length to as low as 1.5 mPEG blocks for copolymer synthesized with mPEG of molecular weight 5190. At a concentration range of 5−25 wt % in phosphate-buffered saline, copolymers synthesized with mPEG molecular weights of 570 and 800 possessed lower critical solution temperatures (LCST) between 40 and 45 °C and between 55 and 60 °C, respectively. Aqueous solutions of copolymer synt...