cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative evidence that salt marshes and mangroves may protect seagrass meadows from land-derived nitrogen loads

Seagrass meadows within estuaries are highly sensitive to increased supplies of nitrogen (N). The urbanization of coastal watersheds increases the delivery of N to estuaries, threatening seagrass habitats; both seagrass production per unit area and the area of seagrass meadows diminish as land-derived N loads increase. The damaging effects of land-derived N loads may be lessened where there are fringes of coastal wetlands interposed between land and seagrass meadows. Data compiled from the literature showed that production per unit area by seagrasses increased and losses of seagrass habitat were lower in estuaries with relatively larger areas of fringing wetlands. Denitrification and the burial of land-derived N within fringe wetlands may be sufficient to protect N-sensitive seagrass habitats from the detrimental effects of land-derived N. The protection furnished by fringing wetlands may be overwhelmed by increases in anthropogenic N loads in excess of 20–100 kg N ha−1 y−1. The relationships of land-derived N loadings, fringing coastal wetlands, and seagrass meadows demonstrate that different units of the landscape mosaic found in coastal zones do not exist as separate units, but instead are coupled and uncoupled by biogeochemical transformations and transport among environments.
Reaction of heparitin sulfate with nitrous acid

Abstract Degradation of heparitin sulfate with nitrous acid at −20° has been shown to be a useful technique for the study of structural features of this mucopolysaccharide. Products obtained from this reaction indicate that heparitin sulfate is composed of multiple, alternating sections containing 2-acetamido-2-deoxy- O -(glycuronosyl)- d -glucose or 2-deoxy- O -glycosyluronic-2-sulfamido- d -glucose repeating units, each separate section containing only N -acetylated or N -sulfated 2-amino-2-deoxy- d -glucose residues. Variation in size of the individual sections is indicated by the data.
Ancillary services and retention of youth in HIV care

The purpose of this prospective study was to test the relationship between receipt of ancillary services (case management, advocacy, counseling) over six months and retention of youth in HIV care in the subsequent six months. Medical records of 75 youth (ages 16-25) enrolled in a comprehensive HIV care program at a university-affiliated medical center in Detroit, Michigan were reviewed for receipt of services in a 12-month period. The youth program offered medical and ancillary services in a one-stop-shopping model. The expectation for medical care for youth was at least quarterly medical appointments. A three-point scale was constructed with a score of '0' indicating no gaps (at least one medical care appointment every three months in a six-month period), a score of '1' indicating one gap (no appointment in one of the two quarters) and a score of '2' indicating two gaps (no appointments in six months). Increased receipt of ancillary services in the first six months predicted lower gap scores in the second six months, even controlling for gap scores in the first six months. Counseling appointments were the strongest predictor. Preliminary results suggest the continued need for resources allocated to ancillary services to support retention in care.
Managing Injuries to the Primary Dentition

This article overviews the diagnosis and management of traumatic injuries to primary teeth. The child's age, ability to cooperate for treatment, and the potential for collateral damage to developing permanent teeth can complicate the management of these injuries. The etiology of these injuries is reviewed including the disturbing role of child abuse. Serious medical complications including head injury, cervical spine injury, and tetanus are discussed. Diagnostic methods and the rationale for treatment of luxation injuries, crown, and crown/root fractures are included. Treatment priorities should include adequate pain control, safe management of the child's behavior, and protection of the developing permanent teeth.
Thermography and neural networks for SRAM voltage stress prediction

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) chips undergo several types of stress in the field, including thermal, electrical, and humidity stress. Existi ng work has concentrated primarily on humidity and thermal stress; th ere has been relatively little emphasis on voltage stress level predicti on. The objectives of this investigatio n were to (1) explore the impact of voltage stress on SRAM functionality, (2) observe heating rate differences under voltage st ress over time, (3) predict stress levels using artificial neural network models, and (4) develop a generic methodology for voltage stress prediction. A 62256 SRAM CMOS based chip located on an 8051 prog ramming board was studied. Preliminary experiments suggest that as voltage and/or stress time increases, chip temperature increases as well. In addition, the combination of both factors causes the chip to fail within minutes of stre ss. Artificial neural network models with 3-2-1 and 3-3-1 topologies were constructed to predict stress level given heating rate over time . Thermal profiles of both the entire chip and the die area only were used for neural network model de velopment and evaluation. Results indicate (1) high-voltage stress shortens the lifecycle of SRAM chips, (2) heating rate increases are relatively great in the first few minutes, then reach a steady state, and (3) the neural network model can predict stress level with good accuracy. Using data from the die area yielded the lowest average error rate (3.6 %) an d using data from the entire chip yielded a 10% error rate. In addition, the trainRP learning function resulted in a lower error ra te than other learning functions such as trainGD and trainCGP . Keywords : SRAM, stress prediction, electronics, integrated circuit, neural networks.
Cytologic diagnosis of Lawsonia intracellularis proliferative ileitis in a Japanese snow macaque (Macaca fuscata)

Diffuse ileal thickening and ileocecocolic lymphadenomegaly were observed during exploratory laparotomy in a 2-year-old male Japanese snow macaque (Macaca fuscata) that had flu-like signs and diarrhea. Cytologic examination of ileal biopsy imprints revealed many mature, mildly karyolytic neutrophils and fewer well-differentiated lymphocytes, eosinophils, macrophages, and plasma cells in a background containing amorphous, necrotic material. Tightly cohesive sheets of moderately pleomorphic epithelial cells also were seen. The cytologic diagnosis was chronic, active, mixed inflammation with atypical epithelial cells and necrosis. Histologically, the mucosal and crypt epithelium was moderately hyperplastic with a loss of goblet cells, increased mitoses, and frequent crypt abscesses. Within the lamina propria and extending into the submucosa was a marked neutrophilic infiltrate, with low numbers of lymphocytes, histiocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils. The histologic diagnosis was chronic, diffuse, marked suppurative and lymphocytic ileitis. Warthin-Starry silver staining of the ileal biopsy and imprint specimens demonstrated numerous pleomorphic, curved bacilli consistent with Lawsonia intracellularis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry confirmed the identity of the infectious agent. L intracellularis infection may be underdiagnosed because silver stain is required to visualize the organism with light microscopy and because the pathognomonic crypt hyperplasia may be complicated by secondary pathologic changes. Application of silver stain to cytologic specimens should be considered when distal intestinal lesions associated with hyperplastic epithelium, with or without inflammation, hemorrhage, or necrosis, are identified in animals with clinical signs of enteritis, especially in frequently affected species or in stressed or young animals.
T cells in the central nervous system: messengers of destruction or purveyors of protection?

Although the destructive effects of an overactive adaptive immune system have been well established, especially in the context of autoimmune diseases, recently an understanding of the beneficial effects of the adaptive immunity in central nervous system (CNS) injuries has emerged. CD4+ T cells have been shown to benefit injured CNS tissue through various mechanisms; both traditional cytokine signalling and by modulating the phenotype of neural cells in the injury site. One of the major targets of the cytokine signalling in the CNS are myeloid cells, both resident microglia and monocytes, that infiltrate the tissue after injury and whose phenotype; protective or destructive, appears to be directly influenced by T cells. This cross-talk between the adaptive and innate immune systems presents potential new targets that could provide tangible benefits in pathologies that currently have few treatment options.
An implicit finite element material model for energetic particulate composite materials.

The predisposition of energetic particulate composite materials, or high explosives (HE), to ignition by bulk heating (cookoff) poses serious safety problems. Because unexpected initiation of HE must be a major consideration in any activity involving employment of the material, its behaviour under a variety of conditions is of much interest. The formulation of a numerical constitutive model that can be employed in an implicit finite element code to predict the mechanical and ignition behaviour of HE is presented. The capability of the developed material model is then demonstrated through its implementation in the ABAQUS finite element code to simulate the response of HE test configurations. The simulated response is found to compare favourably with the physical test results, in the cases where test data exist. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exosome‐Mediated Transfer of miR‐133b from Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells to Neural Cells Contributes to Neurite Outgrowth

Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have potential therapeutic benefit for the treatment of neurological diseases and injury. MSCs interact with and alter brain parenchymal cells by direct cell-cell communication and/or by indirect secretion of factors and thereby promote functional recovery. In this study, we found that MSC treatment of rats subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) significantly increased microRNA 133b (miR-133b) level in the ipsilateral hemisphere. In vitro, miR-133b levels in MSCs and in their exosomes increased after MSCs were exposed to ipsilateral ischemic tissue extracts from rats subjected to MCAo. miR-133b levels were also increased in primary cultured neurons and astrocytes treated with the exosome-enriched fractions released from these MSCs. Knockdown of miR-133b in MSCs confirmed that the increased miR-133b level in astrocytes is attributed to their transfer from MSCs. Further verification of this exosome-mediated intercellular communication was performed using a cel-miR-67 luciferase reporter system and an MSC-astrocyte coculture model. Cel-miR-67 in MSCs was transferred to astrocytes via exosomes between 50 and 100 nm in diameter. Our data suggest that the cel-miR-67 released from MSCs was primarily contained in exosomes. A gap junction intercellular communication inhibitor arrested the exosomal microRNA communication by inhibiting exosome release. Cultured neurons treated with exosome-enriched fractions from MSCs exposed to 72 hours post-MCAo brain extracts significantly increased the neurite branch number and total neurite length. This study provides the first demonstration that MSCs communicate with brain parenchymal cells and may regulate neurite outgrowth by transfer of miR-133b to neural cells via exosomes.
Stocking density and tank size in the design of breed improvement programs for body size of tilapia

Abstract Various aspects of cultural conditions were investigated in an effort to design an efficient selective breeding scheme for tilapia. High density culture has the potential of reducing confounding environmental effects associated with fish behavior. Body size of fry reared through 56 days was not affected by any of the stocking densities used (10–200 fry/l) with uniform water inflow. However, when water inflow was proportional to fish density, high density culture of fingerlings (18 fish/l) did appear to promote growth and result in improved normality of the distribution of body size relative to fish stocked at lower (2 fish/l) or higher (200 fish/l) densities. Although this could be interpreted as a consequence of diminished social interactions, a definitive conclusion could not be made in the absence of direct observational data on individual fish. Mixed-model methodology was used to estimate genetic parameters for body size. Estimated heritability for body weight was about 0.25 for all ages from 56 to 126 days. Phenotypic and genetic correlations among body weights at various ages were positive and near unity.
The CCD/TRANSIT Instrument (CTI) Data-Analysis System

The automated software system for archiving, analyzing, and interrogating data from the CCD/Transit Instrument (CTI) is described. The CTI collects up to 450 Mbytes of image-data each clear night in the form of a narrow strip of sky observed in two colors. The large data-volumes and the scientific aims of the project make it imperative that the data are analyzed within the 24-hour period following the observations. To this end a fully automatic and self evaluating software system has been developed. The data are collected from the telescope in real-time and then transported to Tucson for analysis. Verification is performed by visual inspection of random subsets of the data and obvious cosmic rays are detected and removed before permanent archival is made to the optical disc. The analysis phase is performed by a pair of linked algorithms, one operating on the absolute pixel-values and the other on the spatial derivative of the data. In this way both isolated and merged images are reliably detected in a single pass. In order to isolate the latter algorithm from the effects of noise spikes a 3x3 Hanning filter is applied to the raw data before the analysis is run. The algorithms reduce the input pixel-data to a database of measured parameters for each image which has been found. A contrast filter is applied in order to assign a detection-probability to each image and then x-y calibration and intensity calibration are performed using known reference stars in the strip. These are added to as necessary by secondary standards boot-strapped from the CTI data itself. The final stages involve merging the new data into the CTI Master-list and History-list and the automatic comparison of each new detection with a set of pre-defined templates in parameter-space to find interesting objects such as supernovae, quasars and variable stars. Each stage of the processing from verification to interesting image selection is performed under a data-logging system which both controls the pipe-lining of data through the system and records key performance monitor parameters which are built into the software. Furthermore, the data from each stage are stored in databases to facilitate evaluation, and all stages offer the facility to enter keyword-indexed free-format text into the data-logging system. In this way a large measure of certification is built into the system to provide the necessary confidence in the end results.
Individuality and community: the contrasting role of the state in family life in the United States and Sweden

Underlying moral values of individuality versus community and assumptions about what is a "just society" make public policies toward children vastly different in Sweden and the United States. This article explores the origins, cost, and benefits of welfare policies that permit child poverty in the U.S. as a cost of the high value of autonomy/individuality, and policies that prevent child poverty in Sweden, at the cost of economic competitiveness and individual initiative. I conclude that both extremes of moral values have more social costs than benefits but that children should be protected in any nation as the future of the society.
The C-terminal region of carboxypeptidase E involved in membrane binding is distinct from the region involved with intracellular routing

Carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is involved in the biosynthesis of numerous peptide hormones and neurotransmitters. Previously, the C-terminal region of CPE has been shown to participate in the binding of the protein to membranes and to also contribute to the sorting of CPE into the regulated pathway. In this study, the role of the C-terminal region of CPE was further examined using several approaches. A series of CPE mutants with C-terminal deletions was expressed in the baculovirus system; constructs with a deletion of 14 or 23 residues were expressed at levels comparable to wild-type CPE. In contrast, deletion of 33 or more residues eliminated CPE activity, and the resulting protein was not secreted from the cells. Even though CPE mutants with a deletion of 14 or 23 residues were expressed normally, the resulting protein was mainly soluble, whereas approximately 55% of wild-type CPE was membrane associated. When expressed in AtT-20 cells, CPE with a deletion of 43 C-terminal amino acids was not secreted, whereas CPE with a deletion of 23 residues was secreted via the regulated pathway. Pulse-chase analysis revealed the protein with a deletion of 43 residues to be degraded in a non-acidic intracellular compartment. To investigate whether the C-terminal region of CPE can confer membrane binding and regulated pathway sorting to another protein, portions of the CPE C-terminal region were attached to the C terminus of albumin and the fusion proteins expressed in AtT-20 cells. Of the constructs examined, only the protein containing 51 amino acids of CPE was sorted to the regulated pathway, although with reduced efficiency compared to endogenous CPE. Although the C-terminal 14 amino acids of CPE are sufficient to target albumin to membranes, this fusion protein is not sorted into the regulated pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that the C-terminal 14 amino acids of CPE are important for membrane binding and that membrane binding and sorting require distinct signals.
Sortilegio: Cola Rienzi and the Blasphemy of documentation

Cola Rienzi, the 14th century notary and usurper who briefly resurrected the Roman Republic during the Avignon Papacy, is an important figure in the history of professional writing. The son of an unlettered country innkeeper, Cola combined a passion for classical rhetoric and literature with extensive training in legal documentation to create and sustain a messianic regime. By imitating Ancient Roman memos and reports in his written edicts, Cola convinced the people that he was their tribune and savior. The aristocrats and clerics chafing under Cola's authority, however, considered these documents sortilegio, sheer witchcraft. When Rienzi's edicts became increasingly self-serving and grandiloquent, the mob, sickened by his megalomania, tore him to pieces. Although he was posthumously declared anathema by the Church-partly for having invented the fountain pen-Cola's legislative reforms, and his revolutionary use of the classics to reshape administrative writing, helped pave the way for Renaissance Humanism.
Acetone problem in use of the acetylene blockage method for assessment of denitrifying activity in soil

Abstract Studies to evaluate the acetylene (C2H2) blockage method for assessment of denitrifying activity in soil showed that the gas emerging from cylinders of purified C2H2 available commercially contains substantial amounts of acetone and that this impurity is readily utilized by denitrifying microorganisms for reduction of nitrate. They also showed that C2H2 enhanced denitrification of nitrate in soils even when it was purified to remove acetone, but that the effect of acetone‐free C2H2 on denitrifying activity was much smaller than that of acetone‐contaminated C2H2. These observations indicate that use of C2H2 not purified to remove acetone may lead to serious overestimation of denitrifying activity in soils by the C2H2 blockage method.
Accurate measurement of stable isotopes of lithium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A method based on inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), for accurate isotopic analysis of lithium in human blood and urine is reported. The method permits the precise and accurate measurement of isotope ratios for 6Li/7Li to within ±1%(RSD) for the lithium concentration range typical of urine and blood from patients on lithium therapy. The measured isotope ratio is independent of typical drifts in the ion beam intensities. The instrument response to increasing isotope ratio is highly linear for at least an order of magnitude above the natural ratio. Complete isotope ratio data acquisition for a measurement precision of 1%(RSD) can be carried out in less than 7 min per sample.Applying the method of in vitro isotope dilution with 6Li as the spike, the over-all accuracy of the method is better than 3% for any single sample, with a mean deviation in 12 measurements of better than 1%.
Exact solution of a vertex model in d dimensions

We consider a class of vertex models describing directed lines on a lattice in arbitraryd dimensions, and solve the model exactly for the Cartesian lattice and in the case that each loop of lines carries a fugacity - 1. Our analysis, which can be carried out for arbitrary lattices, is based on an equivalence of the vertex model with a dimer problem. The dimer problem is, in turn, solved using the method of Pfaffians. It is found that the system is frozen below a critical temperatureT cwith the critical exponentα = (3 −d)/2.
In situ hybridization of biotinylated DNA probes to cotton meiotic chromosomes.

A modified procedure for in situ hybridization of biotinylated probes to meiotic chromosomes of cotton has been developed with high retention of squashed cells on slides, preservation of acid-fixed chromosome morphology, exceptionally low levels of background precipitate at nonspecific hybridization sites and improved photomicrographic recording. Salient features of the techniques include pretreatment of slides before squashing, cold storage of squash preparations, and use of interference Biters for distinguishing precipitate from chromatin. A cloned 18S/28S ribosomal DNA fragment from soybean was biotinylated via nick-translation and hybridized to microsporocyte meiotic chromosomes 6f cotton (Gostypium hirsutum L. and G. hirsutum L. X G. barbadense L.). Enzymatically formed precipitate from streptavidin-bound peroxidase marked the in situ hybridization.In situ hybridization of biotinylated probes to cotton meiotic chromosomes adds the specificity and resolution of in situ hybridization to the chromosomal...
Polymorphism and orientation development in melt spinning, drawing, and annealing of nylon‐6 filaments

A new method has been developed for determining the total crystallinity and relative amounts of α- and γ-phases in nylon-6 samples. The procedure is based on a combination of X-ray and density data and does not require complicated analytical procedures to separate overlapping reflections. The technique has been applied to study the structural changes accompanying the melt spinning, annealing, and drawing of nylon-6 filaments. Higher spin draw ratios result in higher crystallinity, greater relative amounts of γ-phase, and higher orientation. Annealing up to 2 h in boiling water or a 20% aqueous formic acid solution decreases the γ-phase content, increases the α-phase content and total crystallinity, but does not eliminate all of the γ-phase in samples spun with high spin draw ratios. Annealing in vacuum also increases the α-phase content when annealing is carried out at temperatures above 120°C, but there is little effect below this temperature. Drawing of as-spun and conditioned filaments at 90°C also increases the α-phase content and decreases the γ-phase content. The total crystalline content increases with draw ratio for samples with low spin draw ratios, but drawing has little effect on the total crystalline content of samples spun with higher spin draw ratios. Drawing also results in substantial increases in orientation, especially for samples spun with low spin draw ratios. The effects of these changes in structure on the mechanical properties are also described.
135 Comparison of the Expression of CD11B Receptors of Neutrofils in Preterm Neonates and Term Healthy Neonates Assessed in Umbilical Artery Blood.

Objectives: An intrauterine infection of bacterial origin is the most frequent cause of preterm births. Promising marker of the intrauterine infection in preterm neonates seems to be an assessment of the expression of CD11b receptors of neutrofils.
The Risk of Recurrent Urolithiasis in Children Is Dependent on Urinary Calcium and Citrate

Objectives To determine which risk factors help predict recurrent stone formation. Urinary stone disease is relatively rare in children. At our institution, a full urinary metabolic evaluation is initiated after the first stone episode. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed to assess urinary metabolic profiles in children with urolithiasis. Twenty-four–hour urine collections were performed and evaluated. Urine chemistries were adjusted for creatinine and weight. Abnormal thresholds were obtained from the available published data. The patients were stratified into solitary or recurrent stone formers by review of the medical record. Multivariate analysis was performed with a logistic regression model to assess for independent risk factors for stone recurrence. Results A total of 148 samples from 88 patients with solitary stones and 84 samples from 51 patients with recurrent stones were evaluated. Age and gender were well-matched between the 2 groups. Most known stones were calcium oxalate, and there were no radiolucent stones in those with unknown composition. A significantly higher number of patients with recurrent stones had abnormal values for calcium (73% vs 57%) and citrate (30% vs 13%) by univariate analysis. Both calcium (odds ratio, 2.3, P P Conclusions There are significant differences in the urinary calcium and citrate levels between children with solitary and recurrent calcium stone formation. This may allow identification of patients at risk for stone recurrence that may benefit from more aggressive dietary and/or pharmacologic intervention.
Equilibrium morphologies for Cl-roughened Si(100) at 700-750 K: Dependence on Cl concentration

Adsorbed halogen atoms on Si(100)-(2×1) can induce roughening at temperatures where material removal (etching) is minimal. Variable temperature scanning tunneling microscopy was used to follow roughening at 700-750 K for surfaces with 0.1-0.99 ML of Cl. Dimer vacancies and Si adatoms were observed at short times, and at longer times the progression toward a state of dynamic equilibrium was traced. Once dynamic equilibrium was reached, the appearance of individual pits and regrowth islands changed but their densities and mean sizes did not. The results show that the roughness depends nonlinearly on Cl coverage with surfaces having 0.3 ML being nearly ten times rougher than those with 0.1 ML. The importance of Cl-free dimers is stressed, and the role of Cl as an impediment for vacancy and adatom diffusion is demonstrated. Roughening is attributed mainly to adsorbate-adsorbate repulsive interactions.
Librarianship and symbol-mediated communication

This discussion moves from A. Kaplan's view of information as the formal structure of ideas to Mead's view of intersubjective communication, and thence to Popper's overview of reality. It presents a model of librarianship, identifies its components with K.R. Popper's three worlds, and concludes that librarianship is a technology of intellection not a technology of action. >
Improving Library Services for Distance Learners: A Literature Review

Academic libraries offer many services to distance learning students. The sources of literature reviewed here offer information that shows relevant similarities and differences between library services offered to traditional students and distance learning students. Likewise, the associated findings from the literature offer insight that is applicable for a project to modify and improve library services for distance learners in higher education.
Pulmonary Complications in Cardiac Transplant Recipients

Background: The incidence of pulmonary complications in heart transplant recipients has not been extensively studied. We report pulmonary complications in 159 consecutive adult orthotopic heart transplantations (OHTs) performed in 157 patients. Materials and methods: Retrospective review of medical records. Results: Forty-seven of 159 recipients (29.9%) had 81 pulmonary complications. Pneumonia was the most common (n 5 27), followed by bronchitis (n 5 15), pleural effusion (n 5 10), pneumothorax (n 5 7), prolonged respiratory failure requiring tracheotomy (n 5 7), and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (n 5 6). All patients with late-onset (> 6 months after transplantation) community-acquired bacterial pneumonia presented with fever, cough, and a new lobar consolidation on the chest radiograph, and responded promptly to empiric antibiotics without undergoing an invasive diagnostic procedure. In contrast, early-onset nosocomial bacterial pneumonias carried a 33.3% mortality rate. A positive tuberculin skin test result was associated with a significantly higher rate of pulmonary complications (62.5% vs 26.8%, p 5 0.007). Lung cancer and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) developed exclusively in 6 of the 61 patients (8.1%) who received induction immunosuppression with murine monoclonal antibody (OKT3). Conclusion: Pulmonary complications are common following heart transplantation, occurring in 29.9% of recipients, and are attributed to pneumonia of primarily bacterial origin in one half of cases. Late-onset community-acquired pneumonia carried an excellent prognosis following empiric antibiotic therapy, suggesting that in the appropriate clinical setting invasive diagnostic procedures are unnecessary. Analogous to reports in other solid-organ transplant recipients, induction therapy with OKT3 was associated with an increased incidence of lung cancer and PTLD. Overall, the development of pulmonary complications after OHT has prognostic significance given the higher mortality in this subset of patients. (CHEST 2001; 120:508‐513)
Fragipan Horizon Fragmentation in Slaking Experiments with Amendment Materials and Ryegrass Root Tissue Extracts

Slaking experiments were conducted of fragipan clods immersed in solutions of poultry manure, aerobically digested biosolid waste (ADB), fluidized bed combustion byproduct (FBC), D-H2O, CaCO3, NaF, Na-hexa-metaphosphate, and ryegrass root biomass. The fragipan clods were sampled from the Btx horizon of an Oxyaquic Fragiudalf in Kentucky. Wet sieving aggregate analysis showed significantly better fragmentation in the NaF, Na-hexa-metaphosphate, and ryegrass root solutions with a mean weight diameter range of 15.5–18.8 mm compared to the 44.2–47.9 mm of the poultry manure, ADB, and FBC treatments. Dissolved Si, Al, Fe, and Mn levels released in solution were ambiguous. The poor efficiency of the poultry manure, ADB, and FBC treatments was attributed to their high ionic strength, while the high efficiency of the NaF, Na-hexa-metaphosphate, and rye grass root solutions to their high sodium soluble ratio (SSR). A slaking mechanism is proposed suggesting that aqueous solutions with high SSR penetrate faster into the fragipan capillaries and generate the critical swelling pressure and shearing stress required to rupture the fragipan into several fragments. Additional fragmentation occurs in a followup stage during which potential Si, Al, Fe, and Mn binding agents may be released into solution. Field experiments testing these findings are in progress.
Spin-singlet wave function for the half-integral quantum Hall effect

We present an analytic wave function describing a spin-singlet incompressible fluid of electrons confined to a single Landau level, which exhibits a half-integral quantum Hall effect. Our numerical studies suggest that this state may be responsible for the recently observed effect with \ensuremath{\nu}=(5/2. .AE
Critical incidents as a technique for teaching professionalism

Background: The issue of professional behavior in medicine has been extensively discussed in the medical literature and clarity regarding what constitutes professional behavior, and strategies for assessing professionalism have begun to emerge.Aim: To address the information gap on effective strategies for teaching professionalism.Methods: The critical incident technique (CIT) established by Flanagan has proven to be a useful way to structure teaching and/or evaluation of professionalism.Results: By analyzing ‘real-life’ occurrences of unprofessional behavior with learners, the CIT yields common terminology and definitions of professionalism that can be explored within a structured framework for discussion.Conclusions: CIT is a versatile strategy as it can be utilized with varied audiences (e.g., students, faculty), in a wide array of settings (e.g., workshops, grand rounds). Examples of CIT use associated with teaching professionalism are reviewed and key features associated with its success are identified.
HYPER: A Hybrid Approach to Efficient Content-Based Publish/Subscribe

Publish/Subscribe (pub/sub) is an important paradigm for distributed content delivery. Traditionally, there have been two approaches to supporting pub/sub service: subject-based and content-based. Content-based pub/sub allows fine-grained expressiveness, and thus is a more attractive solution for content dissemination. However, the performance of a content-based pub/sub network is bounded by the expensive matching cost of content messages. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach capable of minimizing both the matching and forwarding overhead within the pub/sub network and the delay experienced by clients receiving the content. The hybrid approach aims to eliminate redundant matching and forwarding inside the pub/sub network. In particular, it identifies a number of virtual groups by exploring common subscription interests among clients, and messages for each virtual group are only matched once at the group entry point. In addition, for each virtual group, the content delivery tree embedded in the underlying pub/sub network can benefit from shortcutting forwarding-only paths. Simulations have shown that the hybrid approach is highly effective in improving the service efficiency and quality of a content-based pub/sub system
Revision Rotator Cuff Repair

The management of patients with a failed rotator cuff repair is challenging. Revision arthroscopic repairs can be entertained in select patients when realistic outcomes are understood. Complete evaluation of the shoulder is needed to identify and treat potential confounding pain generators. The ability to determine if a recurrent tear is repairable is difficult, because there are no established criteria to make this determination. If a recurrent tear is found to be repairable, the results of the surgery are encouraging, although persistent limitations in shoulder function are common. Strategies to improve the rates of tendon healing should be used and include the use of stronger repair constructs, when possible, and implementation of a slower rehabilitation progression.
Targeting the alternative NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer: a new direction for therapy?

Pancreatic cancer, due to its late diagnosis, is difficult to treat. In addition, current therapy options are insufficient and new approaches for combination treatment are required. Recent demonstration of the importance of constitutive signaling of NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK, also named MAP3K14) in maintaining the high basal activity of the alternative NF-κB pathway in pancreatic cancer suggests novel possibilities for therapeutic intervention. Strategies to target the alternative NF-κB pathway include not only the use of small molecule inhibitors for NIK and IκB kinase α (IKKα), but also broad spectrum approaches such as using proteasome inhibitors or combinatorial approaches targeting both alternative and canonical pathways. These may also act synergistically with currently used drugs.
Basic Research in Antioxidant Inhibition of Steps in Atherogenesis

Oxidised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) contributes to atherogenesis by a number of mechanisms, and antioxidants may act as anti-atherogens. LDL oxidation is inhibited by LDL-associated antioxidants, particularly alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), and water-soluble antioxidants present in LDL's biologic milieu, especially ascorbate (vitamin C). In addition to protecting LDL against oxidation, antioxidants may act at the level of the vascular cell by limiting cellular production of reactive oxygen species, and, thus, cell-mediated LDL oxidation. Cellular antioxidants can also protect against vascular cell dysfunction that would otherwise promote atherogenesis, such as increased adhesion molecule expression and monocyte recruitment, impaired production or release of nitric oxide, or both, and the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Some of these processes are regulated by nuclear factor-kappa B or related transcription factors, which are redox-sensitive and inhibited by antioxidants. Furthermore, cellular antioxidants can limit cytotoxic effects of oxidised LDL and other oxidant insults, inhibiting vascular cell necrosis and lesion progression. Finally, some antioxidants, in particular alpha-tocopherol, may affect atherogenesis by inhibiting platelet function and mural thrombosis, although this effect appears to be explained by the inhibition of protein kinase C independent of alpha-tocopherol's antioxidant activity.
Nucleation Phenomena in Transitions from two to three phases, diffusion Couples, Phase Stability,the thin film formation of some silicides

Nucleation is generally understood to refer to the initial process of creating a new phase, for example, liquid water, from another phase, water vapor, as a result of a temperature excursion which carries the system through some critical temperature (in the case at hand, at normal atmospheric pressure, 100°C). The processes involved in such transformations have been the object of careful observations for a long time, at least two centuries; a very good historical perspective on this subject is found at the beginning of Ref. 1. The special case of metal vapors condensing on substrates in order to form thin films is considered in all texts dealing with thin film preparation [2]. The precipitation of a new phase, such as CuAl 2 , from a supersaturated solution (of copper in aluminum) has immense technological importance which motivates the attention being paid to nucleation phenomena in all metallurgical treatises [3,4].(A particularly thorough discussion is found in Ref. 5.) In all cases, nucleation phenomena are controlled by the necessity of creating an interface between the nucleated phase and the original matrix. The energy of the interface imposes special thermodynamic constraints on the evolution of the system.
Perimenopause: From Research to Practice

The menopausal transition, or perimenopause, is associated with profound reproductive and hormonal changes. These changes have been well chronicled and matched with concomitant symptoms. The pattern of appearance of menopausal symptoms and their natural history have become increasingly clear thanks to the conduct of several long-term, longitudinal cohort studies that have examined many aspects of women's biology and psychology through this time of life. Menopausal symptoms are highly prevalent; they are sufficiently bothersome to drive almost 90% of women to seek out their healthcare provider for advice on how to cope. (1) The classic symptom of menopause is the hot flash, which is experienced by most women, and is moderately to severely problematic for about 1/3 of women. While most women will have an experience of hot flashes limited to just a year or two, others will experience them for a decade or more, and a small proportion of women will never be free of them. Poor sleep becomes more common in perimenopausal women not only in association with the menopausal transition but also in relation to aging. Depressed mood and increased anxiety also increase during the transition, with an abrupt rise in prevalence as women approach the later stages of the menopausal transition and have longer bouts of amenorrhea. These common symptoms often interact with one another such that depressed women tend to experience worse hot flashes along with worse sleep. As women enter the latter stages of the transition, vaginal dryness and dyspareunia also become more likely, affecting about 1/3 of the population. Unlike hot flashes, mood issues, and sleep, vaginal symptoms will not go away without treatment. Clinical approaches to these problems often involve hormone therapy, which can be safely given to most perimenopausal women on a short-term basis. Therapeutic strategies that are nonhormonal and behavioral can also be deployed.
The Effect of Variable Load Energy Absorbers on the Biodynamic Response of Cadavers

Several types of energy absorbers were tested on a sled simulating a crash deceleration using instrumented, seated erect dummies and cadavers. The energy absorbers were mechanical load limiting devices which attenuated the impact by yielding or tearing of metal. Their principal effects were to reduce the peak deceleration sustained by the occupant with the expected reduction in restraint forces. Constant load level energy absorbers were found to be unattractive because they can easily left double quote bottom out right double quote causing forces and body strains which could be much higher than those without absorbers. Head accelerations were significantly reduced by the energy absorbers as well as some body strain. However, spinal strains in the cadaver were not significantly reduced. They appear to be not only a function of the peak deceleration level but also of the duration of the pulse. Language: en
Effects of input pressure on in vitro turtle heart during anoxia and acidosis: a 31P-NMR study

In vitro working hearts of the turtle, Chrysemys picta bellii, paced at 30 beats/min, were studied over a range of input pressures in the following sequence of perfusion conditions: control normoxia, control anoxia, lactacidotic normoxia, and lactacidotic anoxia. Two such series of experiments were performed. In series 1 (n = 12), ventricular pressure (PV) and cardiac output were measured, and power output and dPV/dt were calculated. In series 2 (n = 5), intracellular phosphorus metabolites and intracellular pH (pHi) were also measured using 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectroscopy. In series 1 all mechanical variables increased with input pressure in generally similar fashion, except during anoxic acidosis, during which mechanical performance was depressed and was increased less or not at all by input pressure. Creatine phosphate (CP) and pHi fell significantly in anoxia and anoxic acidosis, but neither these variables, ATP, CP/ATP, nor, presumably, ADP changed as a function of input pressure with any perfusate despite often large increments in mechanical output. We conclude that anoxia and acidosis act synergistically to depress cardiac function in turtle hearts. Also, the insensitivity of NMR variables to changes in input pressure and cardiodynamics suggests that changes in these variables are unimportant for controlling energy turnover in this preparation.
Fracturing and flow: Investigations on the formation of shallow water sills on Europa

Abstract Double ridge tectonic features appear prominently and ubiquitously across the surface of Jupiter's icy moon Europa. Previous studies have interpreted flanking fractures observed along some of the ridges as indicators of stress resulting from the ridge loading and flexing of the ice shell above a shallow water body. Here, we investigate a shallow water sill emplacement process at a time when the shell is cooling and thickening and explore the conditions that would make such a system feasible on timescales of ridge formation. Results show that fracture initiation and transport of ocean water to shallow depths can realistically occur, although horizontal fracturing and sill lifetimes prove challenging. Finite element models demonstrate that mechanical layering or a fractured shell do not provide enough stress change to promote horizontal fracturing, but tidal forcing does result in a small amount of turn. Assuming it is possible for a shallow sill to form, a sill would convect internally and conduct heat out quickly, resulting in a short lifetime in comparison to an estimated flexure timeframe of 100 kyr suggested required for double ridge formation. Consideration of heat transfer and residence in the overlying ice, however, extends the flexure timeframe and multiple sill intrusions or replenishment with warm ocean water could prolong the effective sill lifetime. Though challenges still remain for sill formation at Europa, these analyses constrain the potential mechanisms for emplacement and indicate sills can act as viable options for supplying the heat needed for surface flexure. Further analyses and future missions to Europa will help to increase our understanding of these enigmatic processes.
Rubber Chemicals from Cyclic Amines. V. Thiocarbamyl Sulfenamide Accelerators Derived from 3-Azabicyclo(3.2.2)Nonane

Abstract Evaluation of thiocarbamyl sulfenamides (I) prepared from 3-azabicyclo-(3.2.2) nonane and other amines indicates that the curing properties of stocks accelerated by (I) are influenced by the amino groups which constitute the thiocarbamyl and sulfenamide moieties, R and R′, respectively, and also vary with the formulation of the rubber stocks. The fastest cures are obtained when R is pyrrolidinyl or dimethyl and slowest cure when R′ is N-tert-butyl or N-morpholino. The lowest maximum crosslink density is obtained with morpholino- or piperidinothiocarbonyl sulfenamide. In a non-extended SBR black stock the crosslinking reaction generally proceeds as a second order reaction. The major part of the crosslinking reaction of the slower curing stocks proceeds by a fast first order rate followed by a slower first order rate.
Lange's Antecedents: The Emergence of Social Documentary Photography of California's Farmworkers

Photographers focusing on California farmworkers are often described as heirs to a tradition that emerged midway through the Great Depression, mainly from the heroic efforts of one iconic photographer, Dorothea Lange. By calling attention to a diverse group of underappreciated antecedents who have never been linked together, this article presents a more sequential, less tidy account of how social documentary photography focused on farmworkers in the Golden State in the years before Lange moved out of her studio into the countryside. Without ever referring to their work as social documentary photography, these photographers, largely on their own and with little knowledge of one another, broke with standard commercial practices, turned a probing eye on the fields, recorded history as it unfolded, and created a visually stunning, realistic, often uncomfortable body of work.
Noise elimination of shaped charge

Based on gunpoint mufflers and industrial mufflers,three kinds of noise eliminators were designed to control the explosion hazard effects,depress the explosion noise,and extend the use of shaped charge.Experimental investigations of noise eliminators with different configurations and different parameters were carried out.It is proved that the small-hole-diffusion noise eliminator with 80-mm outside diameter is strong,that the shaped charge jet penetrates through 40-mm-thick 45# steel isotropic target,and that the sound pressure level at 30 m cuts down to 60 dB,which is safe and available for commercial use.The anticipated design requirements are satisfied.