cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sugar composition and invertase activity in prickly pear fruit

Sucrose was the predominant sugar in peel samples and present in lesser amounts in pulp and juice samples of prickly pear fruit. The relative total content of glucose and fructose differed among species and within fruit tissues. Acid invertase activity was found in all fruits examined while neutral invertase activity was found in two of the three species. Red-skinned fruits had no neutral invertase activity and yellow-skinned fruits had relatively high neutral invertase activity. When both invertase activities were added, a pattern of distribution of invertase activity that corresponded with sucrose levels within fruits was observed. The overall total invertase activity levels in red-skinned fruits were about twofold that of the yellow-skinned fruits and fourfold that of purple-skinned fruits.
A mixture theory for heat-induced alterations in hydration and mechanical properties in soft tissues

We propose a framework to describe the mechanical behavior of thermally damaged biological soft tissues based on a melding of ideas from classical continuum thermodynamics and irreversible thermodynamics. Relevant assumptions are delineated, details of the constitutive formulation are provided, and a set of interfacial conditions are derived that can be used as the boundary conditions for certain diffusion processes. The utility of the framework is illustrated by considering two problems that correspond to tractable experiments: transverse diffusion through a finitely deformed membrane, and radial diffusion in a thermally damaged cylindrical tissue.
Scalable mining of social data using stochastic gradient fisher scoring

The rapid growth of social data in the form of videos, microblog posts and other items shared on social media presents new opportunities for learning user behavior and preferences. Bayesian models have been used widely for modeling social data, since they capture uncertainty and prior knowledge, avoid overfitting, and can be easily extended to incorporate new types of data. Researchers have used a variety of inference procedures to learn model parameters from data. Specifically, Stochastic Gradient Fisher Scoring (SGFS) method was recently proposed for efficient inference. This method samples from a Bayesian posterior using small number of data samples in each iteration, instead of the entire data, to speed up the inference process. In this paper we explore the feasibility of SGFS for social data mining. We find that SGFS often outperforms other inference methods in dense data, but it fails in the sparse "long-tail" where there are not enough instances for it to learn parameters. This is problematic, because social data often has long-tailed distribution. To address this problem, we propose hybrid SGFS (hSGFS) and evaluate its performance on a variety of social data sets. We find that hSGFS is better able to predict held out items in data sets that have a long-tailed distribution.
Proximity printing using extreme ultraviolet radiation

With the commercialization of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography underway, there is considerable effort underway to improve EUV photoresists, so that they can meet the ITRS 2006 update requirements for resolution, line edge roughness and sensitivity. Nevertheless, the present limited availability of EUV exposure tools, and the high cost of such tools, has hampered the resist development effort. We have developed a simple, low-cost, technique to characterize different photoresist formulations for printing sub-100-nm features using EUV radiation. In the method presented here, a transmission mask is placed in close proximity to the resist sample and the resist is exposed through the mask. The mask used for this technique is a silicon nitride membrane with 50 nm gold layer which is patterned using a focused ion beam tool. The source for EUV light is a xenon based discharge plasma source from Energetiq. After developing, the resist images are measured in a scanning electron microscope to determine the feature size. Here we present results demonstrating sub-100 nm feature size using this method.
Local regression type methods applied to the study of geophysics and high frequency financial data

Abstract In this work we applied locally weighted scatterplot smoothing techniques (Lowess/Loess) to Geophysical and high frequency financial data. We first analyze and apply this technique to the California earthquake geological data. A spatial analysis was performed to show that the estimation of the earthquake magnitude at a fixed location is very accurate up to the relative error of 0.01 % . We also applied the same method to a high frequency data set arising in the financial sector and obtained similar satisfactory results. The application of this approach to the two different data sets demonstrates that the overall method is accurate and efficient, and the Lowess approach is much more desirable than the Loess method. The previous works studied the time series analysis; in this paper our local regression models perform a spatial analysis for the geophysics data providing different information. For the high frequency data, our models estimate the curve of best fit where data are dependent on time.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 transgene ameliorates chronic alcohol ingestion-induced apoptosis in cerebral cortex.

Abstract Chronic intake of alcohol results in multiple organ damage including brain. This study was designed to examine the impact of facilitated acetaldehyde breakdown via transgenic overexpression of mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) on alcohol-induced cerebral cortical injury. ALDH2 transgenic mice were produced using the chicken β-actin promoter. Wild-type FVB and ALDH2 mice were placed on a 4% alcohol or control diet for 12 weeks. Protein damage and apoptosis were evaluated with carbonyl formation, caspase and TUNEL assays. Western blot was performed to examine expression (or its activation) of ALDH2, the pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins caspase-8, Bax, Bcl-2, Omi/HtrA2, apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC), FLICE-like inhibitory protein (FLIP), X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Chronic alcohol intake led to elevated apoptosis in the absence of overt protein damage, the effect of which was ablated by the overexpression of ALDH2 transgene. Consistently, ALDH2 transgene significantly attenuated alcohol-induced upregulation of Bax, Omi/HtrA2 and XIAP as well as downregulation of Bcl-2 and ARC without affecting alcohol-induced increase of FLIP in cerebral cortex. Phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β was dampened while total/phosphorylated JNK and p38 phosphorylation were elevated following chronic alcohol intake, the effects of which were abrogated by ALDH2 transgene. Expression of total Akt, GSK-3β, p38 and ERK (total or phosphorylated) was not affected by either chronic alcohol intake or ALDH2 transgene. Our results suggested that transgenic overexpression of ALDH2 rescues chronic alcoholism-elicited cerebral injury possibly via a mechanism associated with Akt, GSK-3β, p38 and JNK signaling.
Numerical simulation of the final stages of terrestrial planet formation.

Three representative numerical simulations of the growth of the terrestrial planets by accretion of large protoplanets are considered. The mass and relative-velocity distributions of the bodies are free to evolve simultaneously in response to close gravitational encounters and occasional collisions between bodies. The collisions between bodies arise therefore in a natural way and the assumption of expressions for the relative-velocity distribution and the gravitational collision cross section is unnecessary. These simulations indicate that the growth of bodies with final masses approaching those of Venus and earth is possible, at least for the case of a two-dimensional system
π0 photoproduction above 800 MeV

This paper discusses π0 photoproduction above 800 MeV laboratory photon energy in terms of a vector-meson exchange and isobar model. Experimental data are shown to determine the ratios of magnetic to electric transition amplitudes to the second and third π- Open image in new window isobars, and a tentative fit to cross-sections is exhibited. Vector-meson exchange is shown to be essential to the description of the recoil nucleon polarization and the higher-energy cross-sections. Finally, two polarization experiments are suggested which may contribute information about the third π- Open image in new window isobar parity, and about the ω-exchange amplitude sign.
Patient-, Provider-, and System-Level Factors in Low Adherence to Surveillance Colonoscopy Guidelines: Implications for Future Interventions

Patients with a history of advanced adenomas are at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), yet rates of adherence to current surveillance colonoscopy guidelines are poor. We determined rates of referral and adherence to 3-year interval surveillance colonoscopy in patients with advanced adenomas and identified modifiable factors as possible intervention targets to improve surveillance referral and adherence in these at-risk patients. We reviewed electronic medical records (EMR) of patients (N = 103) who had pathology findings on screening colonoscopy that warranted a 3-year surveillance colonoscopy. We abstracted demographics, surveillance colonoscopy completion rate, documentation of initial pathology in the “Problem List” of the EMR, and timing and nature of visits to a primary care physician (PCP). Only 22 (21.4 %) patients had a record of surveillance colonoscopy completion. Among non-completers, 50.6 % of patients had no PCP visit within a year of their surveillance due date, 19.8 % saw a PCP and were not referred, and 29.6 % saw a PCP and were referred to either a gastroenterology consultation or a surveillance colonoscopy. Pathology found on initial screening was noted in the Problem List of 77.3 % of completers but only 33.3 % of non-completers (p ≤ 0.001). Possible targets for interventions include using EMRs to improve physician communication and encouraging patients to have timely PCP visits and follow-through after colonoscopy referral. Clinical studies in this area have the potential to improve outcomes for patients by reducing CRC mortality through early detection.
The good-enough mentoring relationship.

Objective: This study aimed to describe the state of mentoring in today’s academic environment. Methods: Resident focus groups from across the nation discussed their opinions about mentoring and experiences with mentoring, and individual faculty members were videotaped discussing the same. Results: Sixty-six residents and five faculty members participated in the project. There was consensus among residents and faculty regarding important qualities of a mentoring relationship, obstacles to forming a mentorship, and methods to improve the mentorship experience in psychiatric training. Conclusion: Mentoring is still believed to be a vital component of a successful residency experience. Specific components that warrant further research include boundaries within the relationship, ethnicity and gender factors, and potential need for resident and faculty curricula on the topic of mentoring.
A proposal for scientific validation of instruments for indirect blood pressure measurement at rest, during exercise, and in critical care

Objective. The purpose of this study was to provide a critical review and comprehensive outline of published guidelines for the validation of monitors for indirect blood pressure (BP) measurement in light of recent research and practical clinical experienceMethods. Studies testing the reliability and validity of BP monitors and available guidelines for validation have been reviewed and comparedResults. The validation studies of instruments for indirect BP measurement have used a wide variety of sample pools, BP ranges, protocols, reference instruments, and statistical procedures, thereby making it impossible to reach a consensus Few existing recommendations for validation have been found to be incomplete with respect to BP in various physiological states, sequence of procedures, sample, and statistical analysisConclusions. A new sequence of procedures for validation, including assessment of instruments during exercise and in critical care, is introduced Previously suggested sample sizes for study subjects, age, and BP groups, as well as margins of error, are statistically challenged Insufficiency of linear relationship and aggregate agreement alone in determining the interchangeability between a reference and test instrument is demonstrated by quantification of agreement
Invasive versus conservative strategy after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction in patients with antecedent angina. A report from Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Phase II (TIMI II).

Objectives. This study was designed to assess the possibility that a subgroup of patients at high risk for recurrent ischemia and reinfarction after thrombolytic therapy might benefit from early intervention. Background. The Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Phase II (TIMI II) study recently concluded that an obligatory invasive strategy after thrombolytic therapy offered no advantage over a more conservative strategy. Methods. Data from the 3, 534 patients enrolled in the TIMI II trial were analyzed to determine whether a history of antecedent angina before myocardial infarction identities patients at high risk for subsequent ischemia and whether these patients might benefit from an invasive strategy. Results. Within the TIMI II population, antecedent angina identified patients at increased risk for recurrent chest pain in the hospital (32.3% vs. 22.1%. p < 0.001) and recurrent infarction during the 1st year of follow-up (11.2% vs. 7.9%, p = 0.001) compared with that of patients without antecedent angina. Among patients assigned to the invasive strategy, coronary arteriography revealed that those with antecedent angina had a more severe residual stenosis of the infarct-related artery after thrombolytic therapy (77.1 ± 0.7% vs. 73.0 ± 0.9%, p < 0.001) and more multivessel disease (37.9% vs. 26.4%, p < 0.001). The clinical outcome of the patients with antecedent angina assigned randomly to either the invasive or the conservative strategy were compared. The invasive strategy patients had a slightly lesser incidence of recurrent chest pain in the hospital (29.9% vs. 34.8%, p = 0.13) and more negative (normal) findings on exercise tolerance tests (24.7 vs. 18.9%, p = 0.003), but there was no difference between the treatment strategies in the end point variable of recurrent myocardial infarction or death. Conclusions. These data demonstrate that antecedent angina identifies patients at increased risk for recurrent ischemic events after thrombolytic therapy. However, similar to the results for the overall population, the invasive strategy does not alter the risk of reinfarction or death compared with the conservative approach.
On the global dynamics of an autothermal reactor stabilized by linear feedback control

Abstract The global dynamics of an autothermal reactor stabilized at an (open-loop) unstable steady-state by a single proportional controller is studied as a bi
Bandwidth considerations for binary phase-only filters

A binary phase-only filter (BPOF) bandwidth and, correspondingly, the performance with respect to stochastic noise are introduced as filter design parameters. A BPOF figure of merit is defined which references the matched filter. Analytical bounds on the BPOF signal-to-noise ratio are derived. The noise performance is illustrated with simulation results. It is demonstrated through analysis and simulation that BPOFs can be designed to perform well with respect to stochastic noise.
Survival in Patients Receiving Prolonged Ventilation: Factors that Influence Outcome

Background: Prolonged mechanical ventilation is increasingly common. It is expensive and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our objective is to comprehensively characterize patients admitted to a Ventilator Rehabilitation Unit (VRU) for weaning and identify characteristics associated with survival. Methods: 182 consecutive patients over 3.5 years admitted to Temple University Hospital (TUH) VRU were characterized. Data were derived from comprehensive chart review and a prospectively collected computerized database. Survival was determined by hospital records and social security death index and mailed questionnaires. Results: Upon admission to the VRU, patients were hypoalbuminemic (albumin 2.3 ± 0.6 g/dL), anemic (hemoglobin 9.6 ± 1.4 g/dL), with moderate severity of illness (APACHE II score 10.7 + 4.1), and multiple comorbidities (Charlson index 4.3 + 2.3). In-hospital mortality (19%) was related to a higher Charlson Index score (P = 0.006; OR 1.08–1.6), and APACHE II score (P = 0.016; OR 1.03–1.29). In-hospital mortality was inversely related to admission albumin levels (P = 0.023; OR 0.17–0.9). The presence of COPD as a comorbid illness or primary determinant of respiratory failure and higher VRU admission APACHE II score predicted higher long-term mortality. Conversely, higher VRU admission hemoglobin was associated with better long term survival (OR 0.57–0.90; P = 0.0006). Conclusion: Patients receiving prolonged ventilation are hypoalbuminemic, anemic, have moderate severity of illness, and multiple comorbidities. Survival relates to these factors and the underlying illness precipitating respiratory failure, especially COPD.
Cloning of a novel isoform of the mouse NBMPR-sensitive equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT1) lacking a putative phosphorylation site

Abstract We have isolated a mouse cDNA clone corresponding to a novel isoform of the NBMPR-sensitive equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT1). The cDNA contains a 6 bp deletion in the open reading frame that changes the amino acid composition in a consensus casein kinase II (CKII) phosphorylation site at Ser-254. The clone containing Ser-254 is termed mENT1.1 and the clone lacking the serine termed mENT1.2. The deduced amino acid sequence of mENT1.1 corresponds to the previously cloned human and rat ENT1 proteins at Ser-254. Tissue distribution studies show that mRNA for both ENT1 isoforms are ubiquitously co-expressed in mouse. Analysis of genomic DNA corresponding to mouse ENT1 indicates the isoforms can be produced by alternative splicing at the end of exon 7. CEM/C19 cells stably expressing mENT1.1 and mENT1.2 show similar dose response curves for NBMPR and dipyridamole inhibition of [3H]adenosine uptake as well as exhibiting comparable selectivity for both purine and pyrimidine nucleosides but not the corresponding nucleobases.
Management of an enterocutaneous fistula in a patient with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

BACKGROUND Gastrointestinal stromal (GIS) tumors are rare malignancies that affect the esophagus, stomach, gallbladder, liver, small intestine, colon, or rectum. These tumors are often refractory to treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy and usually treated with a combination of surgery and imatinib mesylate, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. CASE This case study describes the management of an enterocutaneous fistula in a patient with a rare GIS tumor who ultimately required radical excision of the mesenteric GIS tumor by enteroenterostomy and colocolostomy. He subsequently developed an enterocutaneous fistula within his dehisced surgical wound. This fistula along with the wound required various dressings and pouching modifications to meet treatment goals and enable the patient to be discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSION Although rare, WOC nurses may care for a patient with GIS tumors. Fistulas may occur due to the disease or as a result of treatment. The use of a fistula pouching system, combined with individualized and detailed education, may allow patients to maintain a quality of life despite the poor prognosis associated with this malignancy.
Quadriceps Strength and Osteoarthritis Progression in Malaligned and Lax Knees

Greater quadriceps strength at baseline was associated with increased likelihood of tibiofemoral osteoarthritis progression in malaligned knees and lax knees. This surprising observation will requi...
Evaluation of Crab and Crawfish Waste Meals as Protein Sources for Growing Dairy Heifers

Abstract In an in situ trial to compare DM and CP disappearance of crab waste meal, crawfish waste meal, and soybean meal and to determine the effect of other dietary components on in situ disappearance of these meals, higher disappearances were found for soybean meal than for crab and crawfish waste meals. Crab waste meal had higher DM and CP disappearances than crawfish waste meal. Diet had no effect on in situ DM and CP disappearances. Twenty Holstein heifers were used in growth and digestion trials to evaluate the effect of feeding the two crustacean meals on performance. Average daily gain, feed conversion, and condition scores were higher for the soybean meal (positive control) than for all other treatments. Response to diets containing crustacean waste meals was equivalent to the soybean meal negative control, which provided 80% of the CP in the other diets. The positive control diet had higher DM, CP and ADF digestibilities and lower ash digestibility than the crustacean waste meal diets. Crustacean waste meals were inferior to soybean meal as protein sources. Modification of these products by processing at lower temperatures, or formulation of diets to include a greater quantity of less available protein or more degradable protein, would be needed to increase the average daily gain to a level acceptable to producers.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vascular disease delay timeliness of early stage lung cancer resectional surgery.

AbstractIntroduction: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and worldwide. Timeliness to diagnosis and referral for resectional surgey is key to successful management for early stage disease. Methods: We investigated the contribution of medical co-morbidities in the timeliness to resectional surgery for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A retrospective record review of NSCLC surgery cases at Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) from 2004 to 2009 from the tumor registry was conducted. Results: More than 75% of NSCLC patients exhibited at least one co-morbidity. Of the 84 patients, 26% of patients had diabetes, patients with different vascular co-morbidities accounted for 39%, whereas 33% of subjects had COPD. Patients with sleep apnea or liver disease each accounted for 6%. Vascular disease co-morbidity and COPD in NSCLC patients significantly delayed time from initial cardiothoracic surgery evaluation to thoracotomy (p = 0.01–0.02 and p < 0.05 respectively). Conclu...
Mantle helium in the Red Sea brines

HELIUM isotope studies on terrestrial samples have revealed the existence of two helium components which are clearly distinct from atmospheric helium. The first of these, which we term ‘crustal helium’, was identified in 1946 in natural gas wells1. This crustal component is produced by radioactive decay of U and Th to 4He, with 3He production by (n, α) reactions on Li; the resulting helium is characterised by 3He/4He ≃ 10−7, one-tenth of the atmospheric ratio2. The second component, ‘mantle helium’, was discovered as ‘excess 3He’ in deep ocean water, attributed to a flux of primordial helium from the mantle3. Studies of the 3He/4He ratio in deep water on the East Pacific Rise4 and in helium trapped in submarine basalt glasses5,6 have shown that this mantle component is characterised by 3He/4He ≃ 10−5, about 10 times the atmospheric ratio and 100 times the ratio in crustal helium. Basalt glasses from the Western Pacific Lau Basin, the East Pacific Rise, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge contain trapped helium with similar 3He/4He ratios, indicating that mantle helium in at least three areas in which new lithosphere is being formed has a unique and uniform isotopic signature.
The Schwarzschild H space

The usual construction of anH space from asymptotic data onI+ uses only the radiative component of the asymptotic gravitational field and ignores the longitudinal part of the field [2]. While Penrose and Sparling [1] have given the construction of a deformed twistor space encoding the Schwarzschild structure by exponentiating the linearized spin 2 monopole field, one would like to have a directH space construction as a step toward constructingH spaces containing all the asymptotic degrees of freedom. The first step of giving a directH space construction for the Schwarzschild asymptotic data is contained in the following. Several interesting new structures arise in this process.
Automatic Bill Payment and Salience Effects: Evidence from Electricity Consumption

Abstract The introduction of automatic bill payment (ABP) programs in 2005 eliminated the need for consumers to view recurring bills. If those enrolled in ABP programs offered by utilities and other service providers forgo inspection of their recurring bills, then price salience declines, prices perceived by boundedly rational agents fall, and consumption increases. This paper considers the impact of such programs on consumer demand and welfare and empirically tests whether enrollment in such programs increases demand. Results show ABP enrollment increases residential electricity consumption by 4.0% and commercial electricity consumption by as much as 8.1%. Enrollment in programs designed to smooth seasonal variation in monthly utility bills of low-income customers results in 6.7% greater electricity use.
Decision algorithms for multiplayer noncooperative games of incomplete information

Abstract Extending the complexity results of Reif [1,2] for two player games of incomplete information, this paper (see also [3]) presents algorithms for deciding the outcome for various classes of multiplayer games of incomplete information, i.e., deciding whether or not a team has a winning strategy for a particular game. Our companion paper, [4] shows that these algorithms are indeed asymptotically optimal by providing matching lower bounds. The classes of games to which our algorithms are applicable include games which were not previously known to be decidable. We apply our algorithms to provide alternative upper bounds, and new time-space trade-offs on the complexity of multiperson alternating Turing machines [3]. We analyze the algorithms to characterize the space complexity of multiplayer games in terms of the complexity of deterministic computation on Turing machines. In hierarchical multiplayer games, each additional clique (subset of players with the same information) increases the complexity of the outcome problem by a further exponential. We show that an S ( n ) space bounded k -player game of incomplete information has a deterministic time upper bound of k + 1 repeated exponentials of S ( n ). Furthermore, S ( n ) space bounded k -player blindfold games have a deterministic space upper bound of k repeated exponentials of S ( n ). This paper proves that this exponential blow-up can occur. We also show that time bounded games do not exhibit such hierarchy. A T ( n ) time bounded blindfold multiplayer game, as well as a T ( n ) time bounded multiplayer game of incomplete information, has a deterministic space bound of T ( n ).
Determination of vanadium in biological tissue by anion exchange chromatography and neutron activation analysis

A method is described for determination of vanadium in biological tissues. This method consists of a wet digestion of the tissue with nitric acid followed by anion exchange chromatography, neutron irradiation, and radioassay. The chromatographic separation will allow the decontamination of vanadium from radioactivatable sodium and chlorine which are present in large quantities in biological tissues. The validity of the method is evaluated by employing NBS-SRM 157 and 157a Bovine Liver employing the method of standard additions. The method is successfully applied to human, cow and rat liver specimens. The detection limit of the method is one ppb.
Organic carbon and the oxygen minimum in the South Atlantic Ocean

Abstract The relationship between organic matter and the oxygen minimum layer was studied in the southwest Atlantic. Data presented support the premise that the oxygen content of the Antartic Intermediate Water between, 36°S and 10°S, is independent of in situ decomposition of dissolved organic and particulate carbon. Oxygen concentrations were predicted by consideration of changes in salinity alone. It is concluded that the concentration of oxygen and organic carbon is controlled by the mixing of opposing water masses, at depths in excess of several hundred meters.
Predator-prey relationships in mummichogs (Fundulus heteroclitus (L.)): Effects of living in a polluted environment

Abstract Analysis of prey capture ability of mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus (L.) from a mercury-polluted tidal creek compared with conspecifics from an uncontaminated environment showed that the latter captured the prey organism Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis at a significantly faster rate and had significantly lower levels of mercury in their brain tissues. Exposure of uncontaminated fish to conditions similar to those of the polluted creek caused both a reduction in their prey capture rate and an increase in brain mercury to levels similar to those of fish native to the creek. Polluted fish maintained in the laboratory for extended periods failed to show either an increase in prey capture rate or a decrease in their levels of brain mercury. Size-selective predation on grass shrimp was observed among mummichogs from both sites, but did not appear to vary between sites. Videotape analysis of predatory behavior showed that fish from the polluted creek made significantly fewer attempts to capture prey. Fish from the polluted environment suffered significantly greater mortality in the presence of a predator, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, than fish from the unpolluted environment.
Host phases for actinides in simulated metallic waste forms

Abstract Argonne National Laboratory has developed an electrometallurgical process for conditioning spent sodium-bonded metallic reactor fuel prior to disposal. A waste stream from this process consists primarily of stainless steel cladding hulls containing undissolved metal fission products and a low concentration of actinide elements. This waste will be immobilized in a metallic waste form whose baseline composition is stainless steel alloyed with 15 wt% Zr (SS–15Zr). This paper presents transmission electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron diffraction observations of SS–15Zr alloys containing 2–11 wt% U, Np, or Pu. The major U- and Pu-bearing materials are Cr–Fe–Ni–Zr intermetallics with structures similar to that of the C15 polymorph of Fe 2 Zr, significant variability in chemical compositions, and 0–20 at.% actinides. A U-bearing material similar to the C36 polymorph of Fe 2 Zr had more restricted chemical variability and 0–5 at.% U. Uranium concentrations between 0 and 5 at.% were observed in materials with the Fe 23 Zr 6 structure.
Semantic and acoustic similarity and their effects on short-term retention

Ss were given five-word sequences which they were asked to recall after three intervals of interpolated activity (5 sec, 20 sec, and 40 sec). The sequences were of three types: acoustically similar, semantically similar, or control. There was a significant interaction between retention interval and type of similarity in which only the acoustic effect was significant at 5 sec and only the semantic effect at 40 sec. These findings seem to resolve some previous discrepancies and are viewed as being consistent with Waugh & Norman’s (1965) distinction between PM and SM. It is suggested that PM is primarily acoustic, while SM is primarily semantic.
Some observations on the ultrastructure of a malignant islet cell tumor associated with duodenal ulceration and severe diarrhea.

Ultrastructural study of a hepatic metastasis from a malignant islet tumor—associated initially with duodenal ulceration and subsequently with severe diarrhea and hypokalemia—has revealed a dual cell population. The first cellular category comprised cells believed to be alpha cells. The nature of the second group is not clear; they may have represented modified alpha cells. In view of recent evidence incriminating gastrin as the factor responsible for gastric hypersecretion, and in view of the postulated existence of a separate hormone responsible for the severe diarrhea encountered in some patients with islet cell tumors, it is suggested that these two cellular variants may, respectively, have been responsible for the elaboration of factors mediating the physiologic disturbances present in this patient, viz., secretion of gastrin by the alpha cells, and of an intestinal stimulant by cells of the second category, whatever their derivation.
A simple electronic microcoulometer

Abstract The construction of a simple electronic microcoulometer from readily available components is described. Reasonable results were obtained in the current-diminishing automatic coulometric titration of submillimolar amounts of KMnO4 and in the controlled-potential coulometry of submillimolar amounts of 2,2-dinitropropane and of trichloroacetic acid.
Monitoring of Moving Features in Laser Scanner-Based Navigation

The use of laser scanners (LS) is investigated for assured navigation of autonomous vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in structured urban environments. The navigation solution is based on features (e.g., lines) that are extracted from laser scan images. The ultimate goal of this research effort is to develop feature-based techniques that will enable assured navigation capabilities in Global Positioning System (GPS)-denied environments. As a first step for achieving the set goal, detection and isolation of feature motion is investigated in order to exclude moving features from the navigation estimation problem. Relatively fast-moving features are removed using the integration with inertial sensors. This approach allows for the removal of features whose velocities exceed the inertial velocity drift. Autonomous integrity monitoring techniques that exploit redundant feature geometries are applied to detect and isolate slowly moving features (i.e., features with velocities below the inertial drift) for those cases where a single slowly moving feature is present in the laser scanner (LS) field-of-view (FOV) for any given scan. Minimum detectable feature velocity is evaluated based on the actual quality of features observed in scan images. A simulation scenario is implemented to demonstrate that the proposed detection and isolation method allows for reliable exclusion of even a very slowly moving feature (velocities at a cm/s level). Validity of the simulation setup is verified using experimental data.
Effect of row spacing on biological control of sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) with Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

In field experiments conducted over 3 years, the mycoherbicidal fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, formulated either in 20% (v/v) unrefined corn oil and 0.2% Silwet L-77 surfactant or with an invert emulsion, provided season-long control of Senna obtusifolia in narrow (51 cm) rows of soybean. However, in wide (102 cm) rows, one application of either formulation failed to provide season-long control of S. obtusifolia, and two applications were required to achieve season-long weed control. In narrow (51 cm) rows, one application of the fungus either in unrefined corn oil or an invert emulsion controlled S. obtusifolia an average of ! 90%, and a second application was not required for season long weed control. Soybean yields in wide-row plots treated with two applications of either the fungus/corn oil or fungus/ invert emulsion, or with a single application of the fungal treatments in narrow-row soybean plots, were not significantly different from weed-free control plots, or from plots treated with the herbicide chlorimuron. These results suggest that row spacing can affect mycoherbicidal efficacy of this fungus for controlling S. obtusifolia.
Lessons from the recent economic crisis: the Australian household stimulus package

This paper provides an impact evaluation analysis of the 2009 Australian Household Stimulus Package, which was composed by three main cash payments: the Back to School Bonus, the Single Income Family Bonus and the Tax Bonus for Working Australians. Using panel data from the 2008 and 2009 HILDA surveys, the results show that these cash payments reduced the risk of poverty and stimulated consumption expenditure. Nonetheless, only the Back to School Bonus and the Single Income Family Bonus were really important in achieving these goals, while the Tax Bonus for Working Australians did not contribute to stimulate consumption and failed to reduce the risk of poverty. Thus, the analysis confirms the crucial role of governments to protect the most vulnerable groups avoiding a dramatic deterioration of social outcomes and favoring a fast economic recovery when interventions are timely and well-targeted.
Constructing Critical Literacy Practices Through Technology Tools and Inquiry

This article describes how students have made use of technology tools in several critical literacy activities that help to achieve the paramount goals of language and literacy education to enable students to develop critical consciousness and community agency through literacy. The technologies helped students define intertextual connections, pose questions about the basis for meaning, integrate multiple voices and perspectives, and adopt a collaborative inquiry stance. The technology tools include software programs for video editing, hyperlinked knowledge bases, and asynchronous virtual communication. Examples of technology projects are embedded as links in this article.
Infections and other inflammatory conditions

The etiology of cerebral palsy and other related perinatal brain injuries is poorly understood. Infections of the central nervous system are rare but important causes of neurodisability. Recent evidence suggests that infections and other inflammatory conditions apparently limited to the placenta are also associated with an increased risk of neurologic impairment. A major hypothesis to explain this connection is that cytokines, activated inflammatory cells, and other mediators of the innate immune response are released into the fetal circulation where they can directly or indirectly affect the development or integrity of the central nervous system. This review surveys the organisms, mediators, and placental lesions that have been associated with perinatal brain injury.
Living Alone and Depressive Symptoms: The Influence of Gender, Physical Disability, and Social Support Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Older Adults

Background. Is living alone a risk factor for depression among older adults? Previous research is mixed and inconclusive, and it is unclear whether living alone infl uences psychological distress independently of other interrelated risk factors for depression. We reexamine this association and evaluate whether it is contingent on gender, physical disability, social support, and Hispanic ethnicity. Methods. We analyze data from a multiethnic sample of older disabled and nondisabled adults residing in MiamiDade County, Florida ( n = 947). We employ descriptive and multivariate analyses stratifi ed by Hispanic ethnicity to assess the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms and evaluate whether any association is conditioned by gender, physical disability, and social support. Results. Living alone is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among Hispanics but not among nonHispanics. Variations in social support did not account for the higher overall levels of depression reported by Hispanics living alone relative to their counterparts living with a spouse, partner, or others. However, social support moderated the association between living alone and depression among both Hispanics and non-Hispanics. Conclusions. We discuss the implications of our fi ndings for future research, especially as they relate to observed ethnic differences in the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms.
Association of gender with outcomes in critically ill patients

Introduction The influence of gender on mortality and other outcomes of critically ill patients is not clear. Different studies have been performed in various settings and patient populations often yielding conflicting results. We wanted to assess the relationship of gender and intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes in the patients included in the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) IV database (Cerner Corporation, USA).
Interannual summer variability in euphausiid populations on the eastern Bering Sea shelf during the recent cooling event (2008-2010)

The recent cooling in the eastern Bering Sea resulted in a series of cold years (2008–2010) marked by extensive ice coverage and late ice retreat. In the present study, we examined the spatial and temporal variability of three predominant euphausiid species Thysanoessa raschii, Thysanoessa inermis, and Thysanoessa longipes in the summers of 2008–2010. Simple box-and-whisker plots as well as generalized additive models (GLMs) were applied to examine habitat selection for three euphausiid species. The coefficients of dispersion were calculated for three species to examine potential changes in spatial patterns. Results showed that T. raschii was broadly distributed in the inner and middle domains. The abundance of T. raschii was related to water temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a concentration. T. inermis was primarily distributed in the middle domain and was related to water temperature and salinity. T. longipes was mostly distributed in the outer domain and was only related to salinity. The proportion of T. raschii, a coastal species in the inner and middle domains, showed large interannual variation with the highest in 2008 and the lowest in 2009 (a 450% decline). This same species did not show large interannual variation in the spatial distribution. T. longipes, a shelf species in the outer domain, did not show large interannual variation in abundance, but the center of mass distribution consistently shifted northward and offshore from 2008 to 2010. T. inermis, a coastal species in the middle and coastal domains, did not show large interannual variation in abundance and spatial distribution. In summary, euphausiid populations showed large spatial and temporal variability among cold years. Different species could be affected by different processes in the southeastern Bering Sea.
Effects of ionizing radiation on a slime mould with synchronous mitosis.

SummaryIn the slime mould, Physarum polycephalum, the nuclei of a single plasmodium exhibit synchrony of division. The synthesis of DNA occurs very shortly after nuclear division, resulting in an extremely short G1- and a relatively long G2-period of interphase. When a single plasmodium was exposed to 9000 r of x-radiation during G2, a delay of division was observed; the duration of this delay was independent of the time within the G2-period at which the irradiation occurred. From the effects observed with asynchronous shake-cultures of the mould it appears that irradiation during G2 causes a cessation of the onset of DNA-synthesis and a subsequent resumption of the synthesis, which seems related in time to the delay of mitosis. Irradiation during prophase caused a greatly increased delay in nuclear division, and irradiation during the reconstruction period after division delayed the subsequent mitosis much more than did exposure during G2. Exposure of the mould to 23 000 rep of 60Co γ-radiation during mi...
Public health education using pop culture and media.

GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH KNOWLEDGE-ACTION NEEDED Public health emphasizes disease prevention, health promotion, and treatment at the population level. General knowledge about public health is lacking, despite the international growth of public health programs. The most recent public health opinion poll identified in the United States (US) was completed over 20 years ago in 1996 by Louis Harris and Associates. The random digit-dialing project revealed that a majority of US respondents viewed public health services, such as preventing the spread of infectious diseases and implementing healthy lifestyle programs, as very important (1). Still, the definition of public health remains ambiguous or unknown (1–3). When over 1000 adults were asked to define public health, 36% said it is the well-being of the public, 12% did not know, 11% said it is a government-provided health care system, and 9% said it was a governmentprovided system for the needy and elderly (3). Less than 4% of respondents identified public health with disease prevention or health promotion (3). Though this poll took place some time ago, if the trend continues, most Americans are likely still unable to define public health. This may not all be due to low-public health knowledge, but perhaps some due to low-health literacy. According to the US National Adult Literacy Survey, nearly half of the US adult population has inadequate reading or computing knowledge, and estimates show one-third of adults need assistance with interpreting health terminology (4, 5).
Direct numerical simulations of bubbly flows

The status of direct numerical simulations of bubbly flows is reviewd and a few recent results are presented. The development of numerical methods based on the one-field formulation has made it possible to follow the evolution of a large number of bubbles for a sufficiently long time so that converged statistics for the averaged properties of the flow can be obtained. In addition to extensive studies of homogeneous bubbly flows, recent investigations have helped give insight into drag reduction due to the injection of bubbles into turbulent flows and two-fluid modeling of laminar multiphase flows in channels.
Evidence of olfactory antagonistic imposition as a facilitator of evolutionary shifts in pheromone blend usage in Ostrinia spp. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

Abstract Olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) response was measured to assess why some males (“rare males”) of the Asian corn borer (ACB), Ostrinia furnacalis, have a broad behavioral response to fly upwind to both the ACB and the European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubilalis, pheromone blends. We performed single-sensillum electrophysiological recordings on ACB males that had been behaviorally assessed for upwind flight response to the ACB blend [60:40 (Z)-12-tetradecenyl acetate (Z12-14:OAc) to (E)-12-tetradecenyl acetate (E12-14:OAc)], as well as to ECB (Z-strain) and ECB (E-strain) blends [3:97 and 99:1 (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (Z11-14:OAc) to (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate (E11-14:OAc)]. Sensilla from all types of males had large- and small-spike-sized ORNs responding strongly to Z12- or E12-14:OAc, but weakly to Z11- and E11-14:OAc. In the majority of males (“normal males”) that flew upwind only to the ACB blend, Z11-14:OAc elicited responses in an intermediate spike-sized ORN associated with behavioral antagonism that is mainly tuned to (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:OAc). In the rare-type ACB males that flew to both the ACB and ECB pheromone blends, Z11-14:OAc did not stimulate this ORN. Increased responsiveness to ancestral pheromone components by ORNs associated with behavioral antagonism could be instrumental in reproductive character displacement, or in reinforcement and reproductive isolation during speciation by helping to increase assortative mating between males and females in derived populations that use novel sex pheromone blends.
Cloning and expression of the chicken CD18 cDNA.

The leukocyte integrins play a critical role in a number of cellular adhesive interactions during the im- mune response. We describe here the isolation and char- acterization of the chicken /32 (CD18) subunit, common to the leukocyte integrin family. The deduced 748-amino- acid sequence reveals a transmembrane protein with 65 % and 64% identity with its human and murine homo- logues, respectively. The chicken 132 can associate on the cell surface with the human a subunit of LFA-1 and yields a hybrid molecule capable of binding to purified ICAM-1 and ICAM-3. J. Leukoc. Biol. 55: 501-506; 1994.