cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Dirty Work of Promoting “Recycling” of America's Sewage Sludge

Serious illnesses, including deaths, and adverse environmental impacts have been linked to land application of sewage sludge. EPA and the wastewater treatment industry have worked with Congress to fund wastewater trade associations to promote land application, supporting industry-friendly scientists and discouraging independent research, to prevent local governments from restricting land application and to thwart litigation against municipalities and the industry.
Learning curve analysis of a patient lift-assist device

One of the challenges facing ergonomists in the implementation of an ergonomic solution is addressing the concerns related to their impact on productivity. The focus of the current study was to (1) apply standard learning curve analysis to the learning that takes place as an individual works with a patient handling device and (2) compare the effects of two different training protocols on measures of learning. Eighteen subjects completed 11 replications of a patient transfer task after participating in either an "interactive" training protocol or "see-one-do-one" training protocol. The results show that the learning rate for this task was 83% with no difference as a function of training protocol. The results do indicate that the effect of Training Method was significant (p<0.05) for time to complete the first patient lift task (370s for the interactive training vs. 475s for see-one-do-one training). The results of the analysis of the survey data supported the objective results in that the only measure that was responsive to training type (p<0.05) was related to comfort level in performing the patient lift task for the first time. The results emphasize the importance in considering learning when introducing an intervention in the workplace, and showed that in this instance, training type had an immediate impact on productivity, but that this effect diminished over time.
Preeclampsia and the risk of large-for-gestational-age infants.

Objective We sought to compare the risk of giving birth to large-for-gestational-age (LGA) infants in women with and without preeclampsia, after adjustment for obesity and glucose intolerance. Study Design We conducted secondary analysis of a prospective database of pregnant women with and without preeclampsia who delivered infants from 1998 through 2006 at Massachusetts General Hospital (n = 17,465). Results The risk of LGA was similar in women with and without preeclampsia (odds ratio, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.59–1.14). After adjustment for body mass index, glucose intolerance, and other factors, the risk of LGA was significantly lower in women with preeclampsia compared to those without preeclampsia (odds ratio, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.96). Stratified analysis in groups with a higher risk of LGA revealed that preeclampsia has a similar effect on the risk of LGA regardless of maternal obesity, glucose intolerance, parity, and race. Conclusion Preeclampsia appears to be characterized by reduced, and not increased, fetal growth.
A 3.8 Gs/s, 75mW, 10 bit continuous time bandpass ΣΔ ADC in 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology

The direct conversion of RF signals to digital bit stream is one of the main requirements of software radio architecture. This paper reports the design of a fourth order continuous time LC bandpass sigma-delta ADC which performs A/D conversion of narrowband signals around 950 MHz using 3.8 GHz clock. A new architecture is proposed which uses only non return to zero (NRZ) DAC with the LC loop filter to reduce the effects of clock jitter. The architecture also has full control of tuning all the loop transfer function coefficients in order to obtain good SNR performance. The operation of the architecture is examined in detail and extra design parameters are introduced to ensure robust operation of the ADC. Measurement results of the ADC, implemented in IBM 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology, show SNR of 63 dB and 59 dB in signal bandwidths of 200 kHz and 1 MHz, respectively, around 950 MHz while consuming 75 mW of power from ± 1.25 V supply.
Sprayer control by sensing orchard crop characteristics: Orchard architecture and spray liquid savings

The performance of a control system for an orchard air-carrier sprayer was evaluated. The sprayer control system used spray target information obtained from an ultrasonic measurement system. Based on the target measurements, three three-nozzle manifolds on each side of the sprayer were controlled by an on-board computer. Field tests were conducted to investigate the spray volume savings achieved through use of the control system. The relationships between spray volume savings and orchard target architecture were analysed for row sections in peach and apple orchards. Spray volume savings ranged from 28 to 52% and were strongly related to the target architecture.
The Effects of Traumatic Stressors and HIV-Related Trauma Symptoms on Health and Health Related Quality of Life

The study identified relations among traumatic stressors, HIV-related trauma symptoms, comorbid medical conditions, and health related quality of life (HRQL) in individuals with HIV. Participants (N = 118) completed a structured clinical interview on HIV as a traumatic stressor and other severe traumatic stressors and completed the Impact of Event Scale to assess HIV-related trauma symptoms and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form (SF-36) to assess HRQL. Medical chart reviews determined comorbid conditions. Path analysis findings indicated participants with prior severe traumatic stressors experienced their HIV diagnosis as traumatic and in turn were more likely to have current HIV-related trauma symptoms which were negatively related to HRQL. HIV as a traumatic stressor was related to coronary artery diseases and HRQL. Traumatic stressors and HIV-related trauma symptoms impact health in individuals with HIV and highlight the need for psychological interventions prior to diagnosis and throughout treatment.
Phlebotomus Sandflies of the Paloich Area in the Sudan (Diptera, Psychodidae)

This report describes results of field studies on Phlebotomus sandflies from August 1962 to October 1963 in the Paloich area, Upper Nile Province, Sudan about 600 km south of Khartoum. A description of the area is given which includes topography, climate, flora and people. The ecology of the 13 Phlebotomus species of the area is summarized and habitat preferences, seasonal occurrences and hosts are described. The changes of the sandfly fauna from the wet to the dry season are discussed and it is concluded that the change is one of addition and subtraction, but not species replacement. Three species of the area, orientalis, papatasi and heischi , frequently bite man and two species, clydei and schwetzi , rarely do so. From the medical viewpoint, P. langeroni orientalis is the most important form as it is the probable vector of kala-azar. The flight range of orientalis , determined by marking flies with fluorescent powders, was at least 730 m. Some flies were also found to reach 1.5–2 m above the ground in free flight. The effects of wind on the man-biting activity of orientalis were studied and it was determined that winds below 1.5 m/sec (5.3 kmph) are not deterrent, but between 1.5 and 2.5 m/sec biting activity diminishes and at 4.0 m/sec (14.5 kmph) ceases almost entirely. Average time required for feeding to repletion on man is 4 min 35 sec. A host list has been compiled from cage tests and from the literature. Cavities in trees are the chief daytime resting spots in the wet season; in the dry season soil cracks are used in the day to escape the heat and dessication of above surface locations and foliage of two forest evergreens harbor flies at night. Two and one-half tons of soil were searched for immature stages by direct examination and a sugar flotation technique, but only a single larva of P. africanus was found in mud at the base of a tree. The species are placed in two subgenera, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. Keys, descriptions and illustrations are given for each species and new synonymies are proposed for some named varieties.
Effect of supplemental light on growth, prolactin, progesterone and luteinizing hormone in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

Fifty non-pregnant Surti buffalo heifers aged between 17 and 42 months (n=24, 24 months) were randomly assigned to groups subject to either natural daylight +4h supplemental light (n=25) or natural day light (n=25), to study changes in growth, serum prolactin (Prl), progesterone (P4) and luteinizing hormone (LH) to supplemental lighting. Ambient temperatures (T) and relative humidity (RH) generally were >27° C and <70% during the day-time, respectively. Light-supplemented heifers had 16.2 kg net body weight (BW) gain at 9 weeks compared to 20.8 kg for controls, but higher mean Prl after 6.5 weeks (P<0.01), and higher P4 (0.41 vs 0.19 ng/ml;P<0.06) than control heifers. Older heifers had 39.7% greater BW (P<0.01), but a net 4.3% BW gain compared to a 10.1% gain for younger heifers at 10 weeks. Older, light-supplemented heifers had higher mean P4 (0.63 vs 0.19 ng/ml;P<0.07) than the other groups. These weight and hormonal changes suggest that 4 h supplemental light can alter growth and endocrine function in buffaloes under similar planes of nutrition. While light supplementation did not have a positive effect on body wieght during the 10 week study, body weight and endocrine changes due to supplemental light may be important factors for initiation of reproductive cyclicity.
Measles, Hmong, and metaphor: culture change and illness management under conditions of immigration.

When 19 Hmong families and three healers in St. Paul, Minnesota, were interviewed regarding their understanding of measles and the ways in which they cared for children with the disease, their responses spanned the range between Hmong animistic cosmology and Western theories of disease. The metaphors of growth that were used to describe the disease link language, cosmology, causation, body processes, and illness management practices. This study discusses the themes of cyclical time, diseasecausing spirits, the natural/supernatural dichotomy, and agricultural metaphors as applied to disease, as well as the growing adaptation to, use of, and interpretation of Western medicine by these immigrants. [Hmong, measles, metaphor, animistic cosmology, cultural adaptation]
MO‐E‐BRB‐02: Incorporating Open Standards Into Online Medical Physics Education

Purpose:Graduate students, residents, and allied health professionals rely on medical physicists to help them learn about medical physics, and online learning is increasingly being used to supplement or replace traditional didactic education. Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) versions of course management and authoring software are available for creating and managing media for online courses. These software packages can be easier to use in the long run because they tend to be more standards compliant, which makes maintenance of the content more manageable. Methods and Materials: FOSS course management software was implemented to supplement a yearly physics course offered to residents. Management of the system was relatively easy, and incorporating materials from a variety of sources was relatively straightforward. Additions and updates are immediately reflected in the online course, and features in the software allow the residents to take an active role in their own education.Results: Initially, the online content mirrored the handout binder given to the new residents, and residents adapted very quickly to using the new system. Residents appreciated the almost immediate feedback provided by computer‐graded quizzes, and the course faculty were able to generate reports showing questions that were either more difficult or not covered very well in the lectures. These reports provided the basis for review sessions that were interspersed with the lectures. In the short term, it placed an increased burden on faculty to move materials online, but modifying them is currently somewhat easier. Conclusion:Learning to use FOSS tools to author and manage course materials is one way to create an enhanced learning environment, benefiting both learners and teachers. As we learn to take advantage of more of the features of the software, the learning environment can be enhanced even further and can be applied to more than just resident education.
Rheumatoid factor in acute bacterial endocarditis

Sera from 55 parenteral drug abusers with endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus were assayed for the presence and titer of rheumatoid factor. Thirteen (24%) of the 55 patients with endocarditis had sera positive for rheumatoid factor at one point or another in their courses; only 2 (7%) of 30 noninfected drug users were found to be positive. It appeared that more severe cases, as evidenced by duration of fever after initiation of antibiotic therapy, were more likely to develop rheumatoid factor.
Pipeline or personal preference: women in engineering

Although the number of women in the engineering field has increased since the 1960s, those increases have largely stagnated over the last few years. This paper re-examines the pipeline for bringing women into engineering and, based on survey data, examines the attitudes, motivations, and interests of 969 male and female engineering students. Gender similarities and differences are identified, and their implications for recruitment and retention of women are considered.
Processing, Fracture Toughness, and Vickers Hardness of Allylhydridopolycarbosilane‐Derived Silicon Carbide

Bulk specimens of precursor-derived silicon carbide (SiC) suitable for mechanical-property measurements were prepared from allylhydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS), which is a commercially available, hyperbranched polycarbosilane. Crack-free pellets were obtained by cold-pressing mixtures of finely ground, 1000°C pyrolyzed, “AHPCS-SiC” with neat AHPCS, followed by pyrolysis to 1000°C and ten subsequent reinfiltration/pyrolysis steps with the neat liquid AHPCS. Then, these pellets were heat-treated to 1200°, 1400°, and 1600°C, followed by additional reinfiltration/pyrolysis cycles to the final respective maximum temperatures. This fabrication process simulated the production of the matrix phase for ceramic-matrix composites via successive infiltration/pyrolysis cycles. The density of the material processed at these temperatures, measured via the Archimedes method, was 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, and 2.9 g/cm3, respectively, and the average open porosities of the samples were 2, 0.2, 1, and 9 vol%, respectively. The fracture toughness was measured using the single-edge V-notched-beam method, and the hardness was measured via Vickers indentation. The samples had an average toughness of 1.40 ± 0.08, 1.65 ± 0.09, 1.67 ± 0.07, and 1.46 ± 0.08 MPa·m1/2 for the samples that were treated at 1000°, 1200°, 1400°, and 1600°C, respectively. The Vickers hardness for these samples, measured at a load of 1000 g, was 12 ± 1, 13 ± 2, 11 ± 1, and 9 ± 1 GPa, respectively.
Short-term effects of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I on metabolic control of patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I (rhIGF-I) lowers blood glucose, serum insulin, C-peptide, and lipid levels in healthy and diabetic animals and humans. We hypothesized that rhIGF-I might control blood glucose levels and concomitantly reduce pancreatic insulin secretion in patients with type II diabetes. If true, rhIGF-I might serve as a therapeutic agent that could mitigate some of the detrimental effects of hyperinsulinemia secondary to insulin resistance in these patients. In this study, we treated 12 patients with type II diabetes mellitus twice daily for 5 days with sc rhIGF-I in doses of 90, 120, or 160 micrograms/kg body weight. Metabolic parameters in the fasting and postprandial states were assessed during a 3-day baseline period, the rhIGF-I treatment period, and a 3-day follow-up period, respectively. Administration of rhIGF-I significantly reduced mean (+/- SD) concentrations of fasting blood glucose (12.3 +/- 4.5 to 9.1 +/- 2.6 mmol/L), serum insulin (98 +/- 52 to 56 +/- 27 pmol/L), and C-peptide (993 +/- 298 to 728 +/- 232 pmol/L). It also decreased postprandial (area under the curve) blood glucose (32.5 +/- 12.7 to 23.9 +/- 8.1 mmol/L.h), serum insulin (1102 +/- 707 to 467 +/- 332 pmol/L.h), and C-peptide (5958 +/- 2747 to 3442 +/- 1523 pmol/L.h). The administration of rhIGF-I was also associated with a small but significant reduction in serum triglycerides (6.76 +/- 3.45 to 5.32 +/- 2.59 mmol/L) and total cholesterol (6.13 +/- 1.25 to 5.66 +/- 1.20 mmol/L), 24-h creatinine clearance increased significantly (85 +/- 30 to 133 +/- 51 mL/min), and microalbuminuria was unchanged. Although rhIGF-I was reasonably well tolerated, side effects included low-grade edema, mild and mainly asymptomatic orthostatic hypotension, and bilateral temporomandibular tenderness. We conclude that short-term treatment of type II diabetic patients with rhIGF-I favorably affects metabolic control and enhances kidney function. An assessment of the risk/benefit ratio of rhIGF-I administration to this group of patients awaits extended experiments.
Is There Any Empirical Support for Bowen's Concepts of Differentiation of Self,

Murray Bowen's Family Systems Theory is considered by many to be the most thorough and thoughtful set of ideas that family therapy has created (Nichols & Schwartz, 1995). But does the literature support his concepts and ideas? This article reviewed eight empirical research articles published in the last decade or so in which Bowenian concepts were tested. The purpose was to determine whether there is any empirical support for Bowen's concepts of differentiation of self, triangulation, and fusion. Some of Bowen's notions were supported by empirical data and two valid and reliable instruments designed to test Bowenian concepts were created.
Using Genetic Programming To Solve the Schrödinger Equation

In a recent paper [Makarov, D. E.; Metiu, H. J. Chem. Phys. 1998, 108, 590], we developed a directed genetic programming approach for finding the best functional form that fits the energies provided by ab initio calculations. In this paper, we use this approach to find the analytic solutions of the time-independent Schrodinger equation. This is achieved by inverting the Schrodinger equation such that the potential is a functional depending on the wave function and the energy. A genetic search is then performed for the values of the energy and the analytic form of the wave function that provide the best fit of the given potential on a chosen grid. A procedure for finding excited states is discussed. We test our method for a one-dimensional anharmonic well, a double well, and a two-dimensional anharmonic oscillator.
Laser forward transfer using structured light

A digital micromirror device (DMD) is used to spatially structure a 532 nm laser beam to print features spatially congruent to the laser spot in a laser-induced forward transfer (LIFT) process known as laser decal transfer (LDT). The DMD is a binary (on/off) spatial light modulator and its resolution, half-toning and beam shaping properties are studied using LDT of silver nanopaste layers. Edge-enhanced “checkerboard” beam profiles led to a ~30% decrease in the laser transfer fluence threshold (compared to a reference “checkerboard” profile) for a 20-pixel bitmap pattern and its resulting 10-μm square feature.
Judicial Procedure in Labor Unions

The problem of discipline, 370. — Intervention by the courts: action beyond union's authority, 372; action against public policy, 373; remedies allowed are futile, 374; requirement of a fair trial, 375. — Judicial processes within trade unions: the problem, 376; punishable conduct, 377; initial action, 381; channels of appeal, 382; comparison of AF of L and CIO, 383. — Intervention by general or international officers, 383. — Summary of findings, 384.
Parochialism in EU economic policy: case study between the Boeing Company and the Airbus Company

The mechanisms for European Union (EU) economic policy making mandate that for Common Commercial Policy (CCP) to be effective, the EU must directly negotiate with member states. Its mission to create cooperation forces the EU to bypass national governments and directly target parochial governments due to the need to rapidly mobilise human capital to account for real-time industrial changes. This work attempts to address this issue using the aeronautic industry, which requires European cooperation and regularly interacts with US economic interests. Each European country involved in the aeronautic industry is analysed on how they individually make policy and at what parochial levels the EU must interact with in making CCP. These assertions are validated using the case study of the subsidies conflict between Boeing and Airbus and illustrate the tension between European and US economic policy.
Half-micrometer linewidth metrology

This investigation studies linewidth metrology techniques and compares SEM measurement results with an electrical linewidth probe procedure. Calibration offsets between reticle, resist, etched, and electrical probe dimensions are compared for the 500-nm nominal isolated and grouped images. These individual probe-site measurements, as monitored with a low-voltage SEM through this process, are then compared to individual-site and full-field electrical data.
Cryptic residual GALT activity is a potential modifier of scholastic outcome in school age children with classic galactosemia

Classic galactosemia is a potentially lethal disorder that results from profound deficiency of galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT), the second enzyme in the Leloir pathway of galactose metabolism. Although early diagnosis and rigorous dietary restriction of galactose prevent or resolve the potentially lethal acute symptoms, patients are at markedly increased risk of long-term complications including significant cognitive, speech, and behavioral difficulties, among other problems. The mechanisms that underlie these long-term complications remain unclear, as do the factors that modify their severity. Here we explored the scholastic and behavioral outcomes experienced by a cohort of 54 school age children with classic galactosemia. Data collected included survey responses from parents and teachers, school records including standardized test scores, and GALT genotype data used to estimate predicted residual GALT activity based on a yeast expression system. As expected, many but not all of the children in our study demonstrated speech, scholastic, and behavioral difficulties. Perhaps most striking, we found that predicted cryptic residual GALT activity, often below the threshold of detection of clinical assays, appeared to modify scholastic outcome. These data raise the intriguing possibility that cryptic GALT activity might also influence the severity of other long-term complications in classic galactosemia.
Carpal tunnel release under intravenous regional or local infiltration anaesthesia.

Fifteen patients with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome underwent surgery using intravenous regional anaesthesia (IVRA) on one hand and local infiltration anaesthesia (LA) on the other. All 30 carpal tunnel releases were performed without complication. Patient tolerance for IVRA and LA was similar. Six patients preferred the LA, eight preferred IVRA and one had no preference. Tourniquet time averaged 16 minutes when LA was used and 24 minutes with IVRA (P<0.05). Use of local anaesthesia allows more expeditious surgery and limits costs, but intravenous regional anaesthesia is recommended if epineurotomy, internal neurolysis or flexor tenosynovectomy are planned.
A one‐dimensional model of the seasonal thermocline II. The general theory and its consequences

A theory of the layer formation due to surface processes is presented, which is more general than that used in the preceding paper I. Convection due to heating at depth and cooling at the surface is included, as well as the mechanical stirring due to wind action. The theory is applicable to arbitrary forms of heating, including intermittent or continuous processes, and could be used to investigate diurnal as well as seasonal effects. A detailed application is made to the case treated approximately in I, for which a solution is now obtained in analytic form. The results obtained allow a quantitative, as well as qualitative, comparison with the ocean. It is found that reasonable layer depths are predicted using measured heating rates, and a value of the turbulent kinetic energy input to the water deduced from the mean surface stress. The effects of heating at depth can be comparable with wind stirring, even when the temperature of the upper layer is increasing. During the winter, convection due to surface cooling dominates the processes which deepen the layer. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1967.tb01462.x
Evaluation of Forward Collision Warning System for Urban Driving

Commercially available forward collision warning systems (FCWS) have been designed for highway use, with traffic moving in regular patterns on roadways with modest curvature. The development and the evaluation of an FCWS for urban driving are described. An urban FCWS is significantly more complicated because of irregular movements of subject (equipped) and target vehicles, as well as the presence of many static objects close to the vehicle's path (parked cars, street furniture, etc.). The prototype FCWS was tested for 1 year on two urban transit buses in public service in San Mateo County, California, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Analysis of the data collected from these tests shows that the FCWS produced favorable changes in driving behavior, generally leading bus operators to drive more cautiously and consistently. The tests did not continue long enough to determine long-term changes in driving behavior or carryover effects after FCWS use ended, so additional testing is needed to address those issues.
Interdecadal Variations of the Thermohaline Circulation in a Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Model

Abstract A fully coupled ocean-atmosphere model is shown to have irregular oscillations of the thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean with a time scale of approximately 50 years. The irregular oscillation appears to be driven by density anomalies in the sinking region of the thermohaline circulation (approximately 52°N to 72°N) combined with much smaller density anomalies of opposite sign in the broad, rising region. The spatial pattern of see surface temperature anomalies associated with this irregular oscillation bears an encouraging resemblance to a pattern of observed interdecadal variability in the North Atlantic. The anomalies of sea surface temperature induce model surface air temperature anomalies over the northern North Atlantic, Arctic, and northwestern Europe.
Aortic Root and Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Reconstruction Using Composite Biological Valved Conduits After Failed Ross Procedure

The Ross procedure or pulmonary autograft has been frequently used for surgical treatment of aortic valve disease. One considerable disadvantage of the Ross procedure is the involvement of two valves (aortic and pulmonary) in treatment of single (aortic) valve disease. Both the aortic and pulmonary valves are at risk for future degeneration. Concurrent failure of both valves after a Ross procedure is rare but presents a significant technical challenge when reoperation is necessary. We describe a novel approach to this complication using composite biological valved conduits comprised of stentless bioprosthetic valves and polyester grafts.
Monitoring the speciation of aqueous free chlorine from pH 1 to 12 with Raman spectroscopy to determine the identity of the potent low-pH oxidant.

The speciation of aqueous free chlorine above pH 5 is a well-understood equilibrium of H2O + HOCl OCl- + H3O+ with a pKa of 7.5. However, the identity of another very potent oxidant present at low pH (below 5) has been attributed by some researchers to Cl2(aq) and by others to H2OCl+. We have conducted a series of experiments designed to ascertain which of these two species is correct. First, using Raman spectroscopy, we found that an equilibrium of H2O + H2OCl+ HOCl + H3O+ is unlikely because the "apparent pKa" increases monotonically from 1.25 to 2.11 as the analytical concentration is increased from 6.6 to 26.2 mM. Second, we found that significantly reducing the chloride ion concentration changed the Raman spectrum and also dramatically reduced the oxidation potency of the low-pH solution (as compared to solutions at the same pH that contained equimolar concentrations of Cl- and HOCl). The chloride ion concentration was not expected to impact an equilibrium of H2O + H2OCl+ HOCl + H3O+, if it existed. These observations supported the following equilibrium as pH is decreased: Cl2(aq) + 2H2O HOCl + Cl- + H3O+. The concentration-based equilibrium constant was estimated to be approximately 2.56 x 10(-4) M2 in solutions whose ionic strengths were approximately 0.01 M. The oxidative potency of the species in low pH solutions was investigated by monitoring the oxidation of secondary alcohols to ketones. These and other results reported here argue strongly that Cl2(aq) is the correct form of the potent low-pH oxidant in aqueous free-chlorine solutions.
Sodium transport and phosphoproteins.

IN previous work1 we have shown that liver slices suspended in a medium free of sodium ions show a depressed turn-over of phosphoprotein phosphorus. This effect is reversed by addition of sodium. In these and the experiments shown here, the phosphoproteins have been identified by isolation of radioactive pbosphorylserine from acid hydrolysates of the crude proteins. We have found that the phosphoproteins sensitive to Na+ are non-mitochondrial1, the mitochondrial phosphoproteins appearing to have different properties2.
Piezoresistivity and failure of carbon filaments in axial compression

Abstract A novel technique for axial compression of single carbon filaments is introduced. Single filaments were bonded to the surface of polymer compression specimens in a manner analogous to the mounting of metal-foil strain gages. By measuring the fiber piezoresistive behavior, filament compression could be monitored. In compression, the resistance of the filaments decreased nonlinearly and reached a minimum value just prior to failure. This nonlinear decrease in resistance with compression was found to be reversible up to strains of −3%. Filament failure was marked by an abrupt increase in resistance, and average ultimate compressive strains were −3% or greater for all fiber types. Because these failure strains are approximately double those measured for high-fiber-content composites in longitudinal compression, it was concluded that the compressive strength of composites fabricated from the fiber ekamined is not limited by the strength of the fiber and that a large potential exists to improve composite strength.
CHURCHES AT THE TRANSITION BETWEEN GROWTH AND WORLD EQUILIBRIUM

This paper was originally presented at the annual meeting of the program board of the Division of Overseas Ministries of the National Council of Churches. It followed a discussion by Jorgen Randers showing the implications of present world trends in growth of population and industrialization, depletion of natural resources, rise in population, and full utilization of agricultural land. Referring to the two hours of his talk and the ensuing discussion, Randers said, “The entire purpose is to convince you that exponential growth cannot go on forever in a world of fixed size.” Randers stressed that overtaxing of the natural environment is caused more by industrialization than by population. Industrial processes use natural resources and emit pollution. Capital-intensive agriculture in time decreases the productivity of land. Limiting of capital accumulation is as necessary as limiting of population. World civilization must and will move from growth to equilibrium, either by human choice or by the pressure of natural and social forces. Many trade-offs and choices lie before us in the approaching equilibrium. We can press forward along the historical growth curves, exceed the limits of the world environment, and endure a collapse of population and industrialization back to a level the world can support. Or we can choose a redirection of law, policies, and religions to create a smooth transition to world equilibrium. Even in choosing equilibrium, alternatives arise. The higher the population, the lower will be the achieveable standard of living and quality of life. Trade-offs will be made consciously or implicitly between advantages in the immediate future compared to advantages in the distant future. An inherent conflict exists between time horizons. Choosing to maximize the present quality of life condemns future generations to suffer for their predecessors' advantage. The reader should, if possible, read first any of those cited in notes1, 2, or 6 listed at the end of this paper before reading the following text, —J A Y W. FORRESTER.
Structures of Side Chain Liquid Crystalline Poly(silylenemethylene)s

The structures of side chain liquid crystalline poly(silylenemethylene)s (−(SiCH3R−CH2)−: R = O(CH2)NO−Ph−Ph, Ph = phenyl) (PSM-N; N = 3, 6, 8, 11) have been studied by X-ray diffraction, different...
Analysis of the Effects of Gender and Doctoral Program Emphasis on Scientist and Practitioner Interests

The impact of gender and the interaction effect of gender and doctoral program specialty (counseling psychology, school psychology, and educational psychology) on scientist and practitioner interests are assessed in this study. The sample consists of 153 doctoral students admitted to a doctorate of education program in a department of educational psychology from 1991 to 2004. The Scientist-Practitioner Inventory was group administered to students. There were between-group differences in practitioner interests and within-group differences between scientist and practitioner interests among students in three discipline areas within the same department. Faculty need to evaluate their attitudes and expectations toward promoting a scientist-practitioner model and students need to be fully informed about the philosophy, student expectations, and curriculum that relates to a scientist-practitioner oriented program.
Meprin, a brush-border enzyme, plays an important role in hypoxic/ischemic acute renal tubular injury in rats1

Meprin, a brush-border enzyme, plays an important role in hypoxic/ischemic acute renal tubular injury in rats. Background It has been shown that non-congenic mice strains with lower levels of renal meprin develop less renal injury following renal ischemia and reperfusion. We have demonstrated that following ischemia-reperfusion renal injury, there is a rapid shift of meprin localization and intensity from the brush border to the cytoplasmic compartment, tubular lumens and the tubular basement membranes. Radical shifts in the localization of an activated enzyme to potentially sensitive areas of the tubule suggest a toxic role for meprin in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Though meprin degrades extracellular matrix components and other substrates, to our knowledge meprin cytotoxicity has never been examined. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to determine if meprin is directly cytotoxic to renal cells in vitro. The second objective was to determine if inhibition of meprin is protective against hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in vitro and ischemia-reperfusion injury in vivo. Methods The immortalized porcine epithelial cell line (LLC-PK 1 ) and Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells in culture were exposed to meprin in various concentrations and for various times. Cell death was determined by Trypan Blue exclusion, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and the 3-4, 5 dimethylthiazol-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Renal slices were used to examine the effect of the meprin inhibitor, actinonin, on hypoxic injury in vitro. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in ischemia-reperfusion injury studies to determine the effect of actinonin on renal function as measured by plasma urea nitrogen, creatinine and renal histology. Results Meprin is cytotoxic to LLC-PK 1 and MDCK cells in a concentration and time dependent manner. The meprin inhibitor 1,10-phenanthroline completely abolished the cytotoxic effect. Renal slices exposed to hypoxia and hypoxia followed by reoxygenation showed marked cell death. Pre-treatment with the actinonin was markedly protective while not interfering with the hypoxia-induced fall in adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) levels. In in vivo studies, rats exposed to ischemia/reperfusion injury were markedly protected against acute renal failure by IP treatment with actinonin. Conclusions Meprin is cytotoxic to cultured renal tubular epithelial cells in vitro. Renal slices are protected from hypoxia-reoxygenation injury in vitro by the meprin inhibitor actinonin. Meprin inhibition is protective against rat renal hypoxia-reoxygenation injury. These data strongly support the concept that meprin is cytotoxic and may play a key role in renal ischemia-reperfusion induced renal injury.
Invoice payment by library acquisitions: A controlled time study

Abstract This study provides a statistical examination of time spans elapsing between monitorable accounts payable functions within a library acquisitions context. The data was compiled over a 3-month period at the James A. Michener Library, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado. Dates and other factors were documented and consolidated as invoices passed through definable stages of preremittance processing. The derivatives were computed providing specific, quantitative system analysis for internal accountability. These results can be used as a reference for similar analyses.
Reality and Renovascular Disease: When Does Renal Artery Stenosis Warrant Revascularization?

Managing patients with atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) remains complex, particularly since several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) failed to identify overall benefit from renal revascularization. The pendulum that previously favored revascularization has swung to a near-polar opposite over the last 5-10 years, with support almost vanishing in some venues. Contrary to this trend, in this issue of AJKD, Ritchie et al 1 present an analysis of their database registry of ARVD maintained in Manchester, United Kingdom, that indicates that identifiable high-risk presentations with ARVD have distinctly different outcomes and may receive major benefits from stent placement. Decades of experience since the 1930s have confirmed the role of renovascular occlusion in accelerating hypertension. For many years, clinicians routinely sought to diagnose renovascular hypertension as part of the quest for “curable” hypertension. In some cases, life-saving reversal of malignant-phase hypertension was reported after restoring renal blood flow, particularly before the introduction of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system blockade. Highgrade ARVD was recognized to sometimes produce kidney atrophy and irreversible decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). When bilateral ARVD is present, impaired sodium excretion can lead to refractory heart failure. A specific syndrome linking abrupt increases in blood pressure (BP) with cardiac decompensation and sudden onset of “flash pulmonary edema” has been described, originally by Pickering et al. 2-5 Improvement after renal revascularization has
Uncoupling Approximation for the Dynamic Analysis of Structures Embedded in Hysteretic Media.

Abstract The main purpose of this study is to consider an uncoupling method for analyzing explosively loaded structures embedded in hysteretic media. The method, which is based on wave propagation considerations, can be viewed as the plane wave approximation extended to nonlinear problems. Free-field data (both traction and velocity vectors) must be known in order to apply the method. Accuracy of the approximation is shown to be quite good when applied to a series of one-dimensional soil-structure interaction problems, even when the structure and surrounding soil are both nonlinear. Multi-dimensional problems and techniques for improving the method are also briefly discussed.
Spatial Approximation between the Amino Terminus of a Peptide Agonist and the Top of the Sixth Transmembrane Segment of the Secretin Receptor

Abstract Distinct spatial approximations between residues within the secretin pharmacophore and its receptor can provide important constraints for modeling this agonist-receptor complex. We previously used a series of probes incorporating photolabile residues into positions 6, 12, 13, 14, 18, 22, and 26 of the 27-residue peptide and demonstrated that each covalently labeled a site within the receptor amino terminus. Although supporting a critical role of this domain for ligand binding, it does not explain the molecular mechanism of receptor activation. Here, we developed probes having photolabile residues at the amino terminus of secretin to explore possible approximations with a different receptor domain. The first probe incorporated a photolabile p-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine into the position of His1 of rat secretin ([Bpa1,Tyr10]secretin-27). Because His1 is critical for function, we also positioned a photolabile Bpa as an amino-terminal extension, in positions -1 (rat [Bpa-1,Tyr10]secretin-27) and -2 (rat [Bpa-2,Gly-1,Tyr10]secretin-27). Each analog was shown to be a full agonist, stimulating cAMP accumulation in receptor-bearing Chinese hamster ovary-SecR cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with the position -2 probe being most potent. They bound specifically and saturably, although the position 1 analog had lowest affinity, and all were able to label the receptor efficiently. Sequential specific cleavage, purification, and sequencing demonstrated that the sites of covalent attachment for each probe were high within the sixth transmembrane segment. This suggests that secretin binding may exert tension between the receptor amino terminus and the transmembrane domain to elicit a conformational change effecting receptor activation.
Management of high serum cholesterol and related disorders in patients at risk for coronary heart disease

Cholesterol lowering has been shown to be of benefit in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in both patients with established CHD (secondary prevention) and those without (primary prevention). In secondary prevention trials, moderate cholesterol lowering reduced the rate of new events and decreased both morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. In primary prevention, a reduction of cholesterol by 20% has produced a 31% reduction in recurrent coronary morbidity, a 33% reduction in coronary mortality, and 22% less total mortality. The target of therapy is lowdensity lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol: in patients with established CHD, goal LDL is ≤100 mg/dL. In high-risk patients without established CHD, the target goal for LDL cholesterol is ≤ 130 mg/dL. Nondrug measures, bile acid sequestrants, nicotinic acid, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarylcoenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors all play important roles in cholesterol-lowering therapy.
Sandbagging as a Self-Presentational Strategy: Claiming to be Less than You Are

Sandbagging is a self-presentational strategy involving the false prediction or feigned demonstration of inability. Three studies explored the individual differences and situational variables influencing sandbagging behavior. Study 1 demonstrated that the newly created Sandbagging Scale possessed adequate reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. The next two studies examined the social determinants of sandbagging. In Study 2, greater performance pressure led participants with higher scores on the Sandbagging Scale to predict worse performance on an upcoming task. In Study 3, participants with higher scores on the Sandbagging Scale were more likely to predict worse performance on an upcoming task to someone who was ostensibly evaluating their performance, but only when the individual did not possess prior performance information. Sandbagging is discussed as a self-presentational strategy used to reduce performance pressure and provide a low baseline against which subsequent performance ...
Research Spotlight: Comparing different land surface heat flux estimates

[1] Land surface heat fluxes are an important component of Earth's energy and water cycle, and quantifying these fluxes can help scientists better understand climate change. These heat fluxes are affected by factors such as cloud cover, precipitation, surface radiation, air temperature, and humidity. Different methods are used to estimate monthly mean land surface heat flux. To determine how well these different methods agree with one other, Jimenez et al. present a detailed global intercomparison of 12 such products for the period 1993–1995. Some of these products are based on combining global satellite-based data and physical formulations, while others come from atmospheric reanalysis and land surface models. The authors found that although there were some differences among the products, the products all captured the seasonality of the heat fluxes as well as the expected spatial distributions related to major climatic regimes and geographical features. Furthermore, the products correlate well with each other in general, in part due to large seasonable variability and the fact that some of the products use the same forcing data. (Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, doi:10.1029/2010JD014545, 2011)
Validation of prediction equations for apparent metabolizable energy of corn distillers dried grains with solubles in broiler chicks

An experiment consisting of 3 nearly identical trials was conducted to determine the AMEn content of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to validate 4 previously published prediction equations for AMEn of corn DDGS in broilers. In addition, prior research data were used to generate a best-fit equation for AMEn based on proximate analysis. Fifteen samples of DDGS ranging in ether extract (EE) from 4.98 to 14.29% (DM basis) were collected from various dry-grind ethanol plants and were subsequently fed to broiler chicks to determine AMEn content. A corn-soybean meal control diet was formulated to contain 15% dextrose and test diets were created by mixing the control diet with 15% DDGS at the expense of dextrose. In each trial, male Ross × Ross 708 chicks were housed in grower battery cages and received a common starter diet until the experimental period. Each cage was randomly assigned to 1 of the dietary treatments (trial 1 and trial 2: control + 6 test diets, 13 replicates per diet; trial 3: control + 3 test diets, 12 replicates per diet). Experimental diets were fed over a 6-d acclimation period, followed by a 48-h total excreta collection period. On a DM basis, AMEn of the 15 DDGS samples ranged from 1,975 to 3,634 kcal/kg. Analyses were conducted to determine gross energy, CP, EE, DM, starch, total dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber, and ash content of the DDGS samples. All results were reported on a DM basis. Application of the 4 equations to the validation data resulted in root mean square error (RMSE) values of 335, 381, 488, and 502 kcal/kg, respectively. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator technique was applied to proximate analysis data for 30 corn coproducts adapted from prior research and resulted in the following best-fit equation: [AMEn (kcal/kg) = 3,673 - (121.35 × CF) + (51.29 × EE) - (121.08 × ash); P < 0.01; R(2) = 0.70; R(2) adj = 0.67; RMSE = 270 kcal/kg]. The RMSE values obtained through validation were not consistent with the expectation of predictive performance based on internal measures of fit for each equation. These results indicated that validation is necessary to quantify the expected error associated with practical application of each individual prediction equation to external data.