cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perioperative and Approach-Related Complications Associated with Anterior Cervical Surgery

The anterior approach to the cervical spine follows a well-defined fascial plane to the vertebral bodies and discs and allows for good decompression of the spinal cord and nerve roots. Interbody fusion and anterior instrumentation can be carried out with little added morbidity. Patients can anticipate good outcomes, and the risk of complications is small in the hands of an experienced surgeon. This article reviews the published data on complications of the anterior approach to the cervical spine, focusing on etiology, diagnosis, and management of these complications. Raising the surgeons' awareness on complications that are possible during the procedure is essential in minimizing the incidence of adverse events, and allows for early detection and appropriate management of complications when they do occur.
Muhr and Mawhibah: A Multicultural Perspective on Women's Gifts.

The development of a person's gifts is influenced by multiple factors‐including culture. In this paper, we explore implications for the development of gifts of women from a nonmainstream culture in the United States by sharing the personal experiences of gifted Islamic women. Based on five women's personal experiences, five key aspects for the development of gifts were revealed; (a) a sense of social motivation, (b) a sense of spiritual motivation, (c) a focus for change, (d) a role for study and learning, and (e) barriers to change. The first three categories were clearly articulated by each participant. The remaining two categories were suggested from the data of a majority of the participants, but not by all. In negotiating the five aspects listed, these women identified needs within their communities and used their gifts to address the needs‐exercising their rights and fulfilling their responsibilities as Muslim women.
The Submissive, the Calculated, and the American Dream: Coverage of Asian American Political Candidates in the 1990s

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the news coverage of 3 election campaigns of the 1990s in which Asian American candidates were involved. The campaign stories from the LA Times, Seattle Times, and Oregonian were selected in the sample. Our investigation centered on fairness of the coverage and depiction of the candidates. Findings indicate that overall the coverage of the Asian American candidates, compared with their European American counterparts, is fair and balanced. However, the ethnic background of the Asian American candidates is more likely than their opponents to appear in the stories. Many stereotypical attributes about the Asian American candidates also exist in the stories examined.
Thermochemical properties of the hydrogen getter DEB

Abstract Vapor pressures of the hydrogen getter 1,4 bis(phenylethynyl)benzene (DEB), together with two of its derivatives namely DEB mixed with carbon-supported Pd (DEB–Pd/C) and hydrogenated DEB–Pd/C, are measured from room temperature to the melting temperature (179°C). The corresponding thermodynamic information, such as the enthalpy of vaporization, boiling point, and the deviation from ideal solution behavior of DEB–Pd/C, has been derived from the vapor pressure–temperature relationships. In addition, the hydrogenation kinetics of DEB–Pd/C (powder form and rod-like) has also been investigated at a fixed pressure of 13.3 Pa (0.1 Torr) and at four temperatures, 21°C, 35°C, 45°C and 55°C.
A Change in Strategy: The Use of Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering to Augment the Course of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a condition that is very prevalent throughout the world and is a leading cause of back pain. The socioeconomic burden that back pain has imparted on our health care system and economy cannot be overstated. Current surgical treatment modalities address disrupted biomechanics and pain and not the underlying pathophysiology of disease, resulting in suboptimal outcomes. With advances in cellular and molecular biology, disc tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have emerged as new options. Biological treatments could potentially address the imbalance between catabolism and anabolism that results in disc degeneration, and thus could augment or potentially reverse the course of IDD. The role of tissue engineering, stem cells, and gene therapy has not been completely realized; therefore, continued in vivo studies are required for clinical translation. This article reviews intervertebral disc anatomy and physiology, as well as regenerative medicine concepts, advancements, and challenges facing clinical application.
Sympathetic support of energy expenditure and sympathetic nervous system activity after gastric bypass surgery

Resting energy expenditure (REE) is partially dependent on the sympathetic nervous system as evidenced by the fact REE decreases during systemic beta-adrenergic blockade. It is not known how gastric bypass affects the sympathetically mediated component of REE or muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). We measured REE before and after beta-blockade in female subjects approximately three years post-gastric bypass surgery and in female obese individuals for comparison. We also measured MSNA in a subset of these subjects. The gastric bypass subjects had no change in REE after systemic beta-blockade, reflecting a lack of sympathetic support of REE, in contrast to obese subjects where REE was reduced by beta-blockade by approximately 5% (P<0.05). The gastric bypass subjects, while still overweight (BMI = 29.3 vs 38.0 kg/m2 for obese subjects, P<0.05), also had significantly lower MSNA compared to obese subjects (10.9 ± 2.3 vs. 21.9 ± 4.1 bursts/min, P<0.05). The reasons for low MSNA and a lack of sympathetically mediated support of REE after gastric bypass are likely multifactorial and may be related to changes in insulin sensitivity, body composition, and leptin, among other factors. These findings may have important consequences for the maintenance of weight loss after gastric bypass. Longitudinal studies are needed to further explore the changes in sympathetic support of REE and if changes in MSNA or tissue responsiveness are related to the sympathetic support of REE.
Investigations of magnetic microstructures using scanning electron microscopy with spin polarization analysis

Abstract A field emission scanning electron microscope was fitted with electron spin polarization analyzers in order to image submicron magnetic microstructures. Spin polarization analysis of the emitted secondary electrons provides a direct measurement of the magnitude and direction of the magnetization in the area probed by the incident electron beam. The polarization measurement is independent of topographic contrast which is measured simultaneously. The polarization was measured using a new type of analyzer which is very compact, simple, and at least as efficient as a Mott detector. The small detector size allowed the use of multiple orthogonal detectors so that all three components of the magnetization vector could be measured. This apparatus was used to examine the domain structure of various Fe-3% Si crystals.
The problem of radiotracer abdominal activity in myocardial perfusion imaging studies.

Despite advances in nuclear cardiology, abdominal radiotracer activity obscuring a portion of the heart and degrading diagnostic image quality is not uncommon. This problem occurs more frequently with technetium 99m–based agents than with thallium 201 or positron emission tomography imaging with rubidium 82, is much more common at rest and after vasodilator stress than after exercise, and is seen more frequently in women than in men. Although moderate levels of radiotracer activity in the liver and intestines are often seen, this artifact renders myocardial perfusion imaging studies uninterpretable in only a small fraction, around 2% of cases. However, the problem requires repeat imaging and leads to more time-consuming evaluation and less definitive interpretations on a regular basis. Radioactivity in the intestines and liver can overlap the heart, most commonly the inferior segments. When it does, photons can scatter from the abdomen into the inferior region, artifactually increasing the brightness of these segments. If, for example, the abdominal activity influence is greater on the resting images than on the stress images, this increased brightness can mimic ischemia. Increased abdominal activity adjacent to the heart can also cause a paradoxical decrease in brightness of the affected cardiac segment because of the effect of filtered backprojection, which can remove counts from the areas immediately adjacent to a very bright region as a result of ramp filtering. In extreme cases activity in the liver or intestines can totally obscure a part of the heart.
Chloroplast genome organization of bromegrass, Bromus inermis Leyss

A physical map of the Bromus inermis chloroplast genome was constructed using heterologous probes of barley and wheat chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) to locate restriction sites. The map was aligned from data obtained from filter hybridization experiments on single and double enzyme digests. Cleavage sites for the enzymes PstI, SalI, KpnI, XhoI and PvuII were mapped. The chloroplast genome of B. inermis is similar in physical organization to that of other grasses. The circular cpDNA molecule of B. inermis has the typical small (12.8 kbp) and large (81.3 kbp) single-copy regions separated by a pair of inverted repeat (21 kbp) regions. The cpDNA molecule of B. inermis is collinear in sequence to that of wheat, rye, barley and oats. No structural rearrangements or major deletions were observed, indicating that the cpDNA of Bromus is a useful tool in phylogenetic studies.
High-capacity hydrogen release through hydrolysis of NaB3H8

NaB3H8 has advantages over NaBH4 and NH3BH3, two most widely studied chemical hydrides for hydrogen storage via hydrolysis. NaB3H8 has an extraordinary high solubility in water and thus possesses a high theoretical capacity of 10.5 wt% H via hydrolysis, in contrast to 7.5 wt% for NaBH4 and 5.1 wt% for NH3BH3. NaB3H8 is reasonably stable in water which makes it unnecessary to add corrosive NaOH as a stabilizer as the case for NaBH4. Furthermore, hydrolysis of NaB3H8 can be catalyzed by a Co-based catalyst with fast kinetics that is comparable to Ru-based catalysts. Therefore, cost-effective hydrolysis of NaB3H8 is possible for practical applications. A high capacity of 7.4 wt% H was achieved when water was included in the materials weight.
Development of Insulin Resistance in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

Insulin resistance is a manifestation of both diabetes mellitus and obesity. However, the mechanism is still not clearly identified. Herein, we describe a procedure that allows us to evaluate the development of insulin resistance in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Under these conditions, we show that the concentration of insulin required for 50% desensitization of glucose transport activity is 100 pM; maximal desensitization could be achieved with 1 nM. This demonstrates for the first time that 3T3-L1 adipocytes develop insulin resistance in response to physiologically relevant concentrations of insulin. Glucose (or glucosamine), in addition to insulin, was required to establish desensitization. The expression of GLUT4 protein decreased by 50% with exposure to 10 nM insulin. The dose-dependent loss of GLUT4 was similar to the dose dependence for insulin-resistant transport activity. Translocation in the presence of acute insulin was apparent, but the extent of recruitment directly reflected the decrease in GLUT4 protein. GLUT4 mRNA also declined, but the ED50 was approximately 5 nM. Together, these data suggest that the loss of GLUT4 protein likely underlies the cause of desensitization. However, the loss of GLUT4 protein did not correlate with the loss in GLUT4 mRNA suggesting post-translational control of GLUT4 expression.
Three-dimensional image-guided placement of S2 alar screws to adjunct or salvage lumbosacral fixation

Abstract Background Context Achieving fusion across the lumbosacral junction is challenging because of the unfavorable biomechanics associated with ending a fusion at this level. Bicortical placement of S1 pedicle screws can increase the construct stability at the lumbosacral junction; however, construct failure and pseudoarthrosis can still result. Iliac screws have been shown to increase the stiffness of lumbosacral constructs, but disadvantages include difficulty in connecting the iliac screw to adjacent sacral screws, painful screw loosening or prominence requiring removal, and the inability to place the screws in some patients with previous iliac crest autograft harvest. Purpose The purpose of the study is to describe a technique of S2 alar screw placement using three-dimensional image guidance. Study Design/Setting The study design is a retrospective analysis. Patient Sample Twenty patients undergoing lumbosacral fusion had 32 screws placed using this technique. Outcome Measures An independent radiologist graded screw placement and lumbosacral fusion on thin-cut postoperative computed tomographic (CT) scans. Methods Image guidance in this study was accomplished with the Medtronic Stealth Station Treon (Medtronic Inc., Littleton, MA, USA) used in conjunction with the O-ARM (Medtronic Inc.). Indications for placement of S2 alar screws included the following: to adjunct S1 pedicle screws in multilevel fusion cases; as an adjunct or alternative to S1 pedicle screws in pseudoarthrosis revision cases in which the S1 screws had loosened; as an alternative to S1 pedicle screws in cases where medial trajectory of an S1 pedicle screw was difficult to obtain because of a low-set lumbosacral junction; and a combination of the above. The entry point of the screw was typically chosen lateral and superior to the S2 dorsal foramen with the trajectory directed anterior, inferior, and lateral. Attempt was made to place the screw with the tip purchasing, but not penetrating through, the triangular area of cortical bone that can be found at the anterior, inferior, and lateral boundary of the sacral ala. An independent radiologist graded the placement of the screws on the intraoperative CT scan obtained with the O-ARM or on postoperative CT scans. Lumbosacral fusion was assessed on postoperative CT scans obtained at follow-up. Results No complications occurred in this study as a result of S2 alar screw placement or image guidance. Five screws did penetrate the anterior cortex of the sacrum, with no clinical consequence. At the time of abstract submission, 16 patients were able to have follow-up CT scans, 15 of which were graded as solid fusion at the lumbosacral junction by the grading radiologist. Conclusions Three-dimensional image guidance allows for safe placement of large S2 sacral alar screws that can provide additional biomechanical stability to lumbosacral constructs or serve as an alternate point of sacral fixation when S1 pedicle screws cannot be salvaged or placed in a medial trajectory.
p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Mediates Hypoxic Regulation of Mdm2 and p53 in Neurons

The multifunctional tumor suppressor protein, p53, inhibits cell growth and promotes differentiation and programmed cell death. p53 activity is controlled by transcriptional, translational, and post-translational regulation. A major pathway for post-translational regulation of p53 comprises its nucleocytoplasmic transport and subsequent proteasomal degradation, which involves binding to the oncoprotein, murine double minute-2 (Mdm2). Hypoxia and other stress signals cause cellular injury partly through the action of p53. In this study, we show that hypoxia induces down-regulation of Mdm2 as well as serine 15 phosphorylation and nuclear accumulation of p53 in cultured cortical neurons from E16 mice. These effects are diminished by the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors SB203580 and SB202190, but not by the inactive analog SB202474, and by a dominant-interfering mutant of the p38-activating kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 3 (MKK3). Hypoxic neuronal death was also reduced by p38 inhibitors, by dominant-interfering MKK3, and by a p53-antisense oligodeoxynucleotide and was increased by a constitutively active form of p38 and by an Mdm2-antisense oligodeoxynucleotide. These results demonstrate that p38 and Mdm2 have roles in coupling hypoxic-ischemic neuronal insults to activation of p53 and hypoxic cell death.
Interior Design Dissertations, Theses, and Creative Projects

Graduate students' work is an important resource in building the body of knowledge for the profession of interior design. To develop an awareness of the research being conducted at the graduate level in interior design programs, the following list was compiled by the IDEC Graduate Education Network. Each year a list of recently completed dissertations, theses, and creative projects is compiled and submitted for publication in JID. Interior design programs responding to the network's request for information are listed. The present list represents submittals for 1995 and those for 1994 that had not been previously listed.
Towards a theory of ecotone resilience: Coastal vegetation on a salinity gradient

Abstract Ecotones represent locations where vegetation change is likely to occur as a result of climate and other environmental changes. Using a model of an ecotone vulnerable to such future changes, we estimated the resilience of the ecotone to disturbances. The specific ecotone is that between two different vegetation types, salinity-tolerant and salinity-intolerant, along a gradient in groundwater salinity. In the case studied, each vegetation type, through soil feedback loops, promoted local soil salinity levels that favor itself in competition with the other type. Bifurcation analysis was used to study the system of equations for the two vegetation types and soil salinity. Alternative stable equilibria, one for salinity-tolerant and one for salinity intolerant vegetation, were shown to exist over a region of the groundwater salinity gradient, bounded by two bifurcation points. This region was shown to depend sensitively on parameters such as the rate of upward infiltration of salinity from groundwater into the soil due to evaporation. We showed also that increasing diffusion rates of vegetation can lead to shrinkage of the range between the two bifurcation points. Sharp ecotones are typical of salt-tolerant vegetation (mangroves) near the coastline and salt-intolerant vegetation inland, even though the underlying elevation and groundwater salinity change very gradually. A disturbance such as an input of salinity to the soil from a storm surge could upset this stable boundary, leading to a regime shift of salinity-tolerant vegetation inland. We showed, however, that, for our model as least, a simple pulse disturbance would not be sufficient; the salinity would have to be held at a high level, as a ‘press’, for some time. The approach used here should be generalizable to study the resilience of a variety of ecotones to disturbances.
Generalized fuzzy c-means clustering strategies using L/sub p/ norm distances

Fuzzy c-means (FCM) is a useful clustering technique. Modifications of FCM using L/sub 1/ norm distances increase robustness to outliers. Object and relational data versions of FCM clustering are defined for the more general case where the L/sub p/ norm (p/spl ges/1) or semi-norm (0 0 in order to facilitate the empirical examination of the object data models. Both object and relational approaches are included in a numerical study.
Quenching of singlet oxygen and sensitized delayed phthalocyanine fluorescence

Quenching of singlet-oxygen-sensitized 703 nm delayed fluorescence (SOSDF) of tetra-tert-butylphthalocyanine (Pc) by β-carotene, α-tocopherol, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-met...
Synthesis of Nanostructured WC Films by Supersonic Impaction of Nanoparticle Aerosols

Tungsten carbide (WC) coatings were prepared using supersonic impaction of nanoparticles produced by pulsed laser ablation of microparticle aerosols. The influence of experimental parameters such as, carrier gas type and impaction velocity on the structure, composition and physical properties of the resultant particles and films were studied. It was found that stoichiometric, crystalline films could be grown. These films pass both the adhesive lift off and scratch tests. TEM investigations indicate that the laser ablation forms individual particles with mean size of 7 ± 3 nm. At the highest aersol pressures small aggregates were also observed, and adjustment of the gas pressure in the laser interaction cell was found to control the degree of aggregation. Upon impaction, the separate particles form dense, self sintering nanocrystalline films, with helium forming the most dense as determined from SEM images.
Travellers in many guises: the origins and destinations of dendritic cells.

The migratory behaviour of dendritic cells (DC) is tightly linked to their differentiation state. Precursor DC constitutively repopulate normal tissues from the bloodstream, and are recruited in elevated numbers to sites of inflammation. Whilst maturing in response to antigenic stimulation, DC acquire the capability to enter lymph nodes via afferent lymphatic vessels, thus facilitating their presentation of antigen to naive T cells. Peripheral blood monocytes constitute a second DC precursor population, which during an inflammatory response are recruited to the affected site where some differentiate into functional DC. The availability of separate DC precursor populations is thought to be significant for the character, amplification and perpetuation of the resultant immune response. In addition, the balance between steady-state trafficking of incompletely activated DC bearing self-antigens from the periphery, and the migration of fully mature DC from inflammatory sites into lymph nodes might have profound effects upon tolerance induction and activation of T cells, respectively.
Anomalous low-temperature elastic behavior of a nitrogen-strengthened chromium-manganese stainless steel

Abstract Elastic constants of an Fe21Cr6Ni9Mn stainless steel were studied experimentally by both pulse and resonance methods. The room-temperature elastic constants are similar to those of AISI 304. During cooling to liquid-nitrogen temperature (76 K), all the elastic constants behave anomalously below 130 K. As in FeMn alloys, these anomalies are probably due to a Neel transition. A further anomaly in the compressibility at 190 K suggests a second transition of unknown nature.
Who's being swindled?: a case for enlightened naivete

This paper is concerned with methods of reducing variability and computer time in a simulation study. The Monte Carlo swindle, through mathematical manipulations, has been shown to yield more precise estimates than the “naive” approach. In this study computer time is considered in conjunction with the variance estimates. It is shown that by this measure the naive method is often a viable alternative to the swindle. This study concentrates on the problem of estimating the variance of an estimator of location. The advantage of one technique over another depends upon the location estimator, the sample size, and the underlying distribution. For a fixed number of samples, while the naive method gives a less precise estimate than the swindle, it requires fewer computations. In addition, for certain location estimators and distributions, the naive method is able to take advantage of certain shortcuts in the generation of each sample. The small amount of time required by this “enlightened” naive method often more...
Rituals of Gender: A Study of Etiquette, Public Symbols, and Cognition

The purposes of this article are embodied in three questions central to the development of symbolic anthropology. How does one identify the alleged symbolic message in public rituals, and does this meaning have some sort of empirically demonstrable analogue in the minds of the actors, or consequences for their behavior? Second, can these questions be answered by a method of interpreting symbols that is empirical and that utilizes clearly specified and replicable procedures? Finally, is it legitimate to attribute symbolic meanings to behavior if the participants themselves are not aware of such meanings? If nonconscious meaning exists, does it have any effect on attitudes and motivation for behavior? Analysis of data, derived from responses to Osgood's Semantic Differential relating to concepts of gender and manners between the sexes, provides affirmative answers to the questions raised above.
Long-term changes in the Georges Bank food web: trends in stable isotopic compositions of fish scales

Fish scales from seven species of demersal fish in an archival collection were analyzed for stable isotopic compositions of carbon and nitrogen to study long-term changes in trophic structure of the Georges Bank food web. Nitrogen isotopic compositions are often used to infer trophic level. In the case of haddock, Melanogrammus aeglefinus (Linnaeus), there was a trend towards feeding at 2/3 of one trophic level (2.45% in δ15N) lower in 1987 than in 1929. Values of °13C, frequently employed to identify sources of organic carbon to consumers, declined by 1.5‰ from 1929 to 1960, and then increased again toward the present, suggesting changes in the food web at the level of the primary producers. Superimposed on long-term isotopic trends were short-term variations (1 to 10 yr).To identify potential causes for these isotopic trends, canonical correlation analysis was performed between isotopic data and a suite of environmental and population factors including sea surface temperature, the Greenland Regional Pressure Anomaly (GRPA), the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and the following haddock stock parameters; stock size, fishing mortality, recruitment, and weight-at-age-2 (a measure of growth rate). Isotopic variation was significantly correlated with a combination of environmental and population variables: GRPA, NAO, weight-at-age-2, stock size, and fishing mortality. On the basis of published gut content analyses, the seven fish species were predicted to vary in trophic level (TL) from American plaice, Hippoglossoides platessoides (Fabricius), (TL 2.9) to summer flounder, Paralichthys dentatus (Linnaeus), (TL 4.5), whereas measured °15N values suggested smaller differences in the trophic levels of these species (less than one TL). Four species showed good agreement between gut-predicted and measured δ15N values, while three species did not. Inclusion of information on ontogenetic dietary shifts in our predictions improved the agreement in some cases but not in other. Differences between stable isotope analysis and gut content analysis in terms of what they measure, i.e., integrated assimilated diet vs short-term ingested diet, respectively, may account for some of the differences in results. Based on our analyses and previous studies, feeding habits of these fish may undergo considerable year-to-year and geographic variation, some of which may have been missed in gut content analyses. To the extent that these fish are representative members of the food web, trophic variation in these fish may indicate more general changes in the food web.
Effect of nonlinear polarization on shapes and stability of pendant and sessile drops in an electric (magnetic) field

Axisymmetric shapes and stability of nonlinearly polarizable dielectric (ferrofluid) drops of fixed volume which are pendant/sessile on one plate of a parallel-plate capacitor and are subjected to an applied electric (magnetic) field are determined by solving simultaneously the free boundary problem comprised of the Young-Laplace equation for drop shape and the Maxwell equations for electric (magnetic) field distribution. Motivated by the desire to explain certain experiments with ferrofluids, a constitutive relation often used to describe the variation of polarization with applied field strength is adopted here to close the set of equations that govern the distribution of electric field. Specifically, the nonlinear polarization, P, is described by a Langevin equation of the form P = α[coth (τE) −1/(τE)], where E is the electric field strength. As expected, the results show that nonlinearly polarizable drops behave similarly to linearly polarizable drops at low field strengths when drop deformations are small. However, it is demonstrated that at higher values of the field strength when drop deformations are substantial, nonlinearly polarizable supported drops whose contact lines are fixed, as well as ones whose contact angles are prescribed, display hysteresis in drop deformation over a wide range of values of the Langevin parameters α and τ. Indeed, properly accounting for the nonlinearity of the polarization improves the quantitative agreement between theory and the experiments of Bacri et al. (1982) and Bacri & Salin (1982, 1983). Detailed examination of the electric fields inside nonlinearly polarizable supported drops reveals that they are very non-uniform, in contrast to the nearly uniform fields usually found inside linearly polarizable drops.
Customer Portfolio Analysis among Competing Retail Store Brands

Customer portfolio analysis (CPA) may be useful for improving retailers’ attempts to successfully position their stores in the minds of consumers. A customer portfolio for a store includes new-primary, loyal-primary, and defector (formerly primary) customers, as well as occasional customers who shop primarily at competing stores. Customers’ attitude-accessibility with respect to first-linking a given store with evaluative attributes may offer useful information about the reasons for the shopping behaviour of customers in a store’s customer portfolio.
Conformation Changes, N-terminal Involvement, and cGMP Signal Relay in the Phosphodiesterase-5 GAF Domain

The activity of phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) is specific for cGMP and is regulated by cGMP binding to GAF-A in its regulatory domain. To better understand the regulatory mechanism, x-ray crystallographic and biochemical studies were performed on constructs of human PDE5A1 containing the N-terminal phosphorylation segment, GAF-A, and GAF-B. Superposition of this unliganded GAF-A with the previously reported NMR structure of cGMP-bound PDE5 revealed dramatic conformational differences and suggested that helix H4 and strand B3 probably serve as two lids to gate the cGMP-binding pocket in GAF-A. The structure also identified an interfacial region among GAF-A, GAF-B, and the N-terminal loop, which may serve as a relay of the cGMP signal from GAF-A to GAF-B. N-terminal loop 98-147 was physically associated with GAF-B domains of the dimer. Biochemical analyses showed an inhibitory effect of this loop on cGMP binding and its involvement in the cGMP-induced conformation changes.
Nonchaotic behaviour in three-dimensional quadratic systems II. The conservative case

It is shown that almost all three-dimensional conservative quadratic systems of ordinary differential equations with a total of four terms on the right-hand side of the equations do not exhibit chaos. A previous paper showed the same thing for dissipative systems. PACS Number: 0545
Computer simulation of grain boundaries in Ni3Al: The effect of grain boundary composition

The authors have performed atomistic simulations on three (001) symmetric tilt grain boundaries: 5(210), (310), and 13(320). Depending on which sub-lattice in each of the two grains is occupied by Al, the grain boundary may have different stoichiometries. All of the simulations show that the Al-rich grain boundaries have the highest grain boundary energies. Thus Al-rich grain boundaries are more likely to fail than those which have the bulk stoichiometry or are Ni-rich. This conclusion is consistent with the observed stoichiometry dependence of the beneficial boron effect. The similarity between the grain boundary energies (cohesive energies) of Ni/sub 3/Al and Ni and the much higher yield stress of Ni/sub 3/Al provides a justification for the ''inherent'' brittleness of Ni/sub 3/Al grain boundaries.
Information management in farm production

Abstract Although the microcomputer has significant potential for enhancing farm decisionmaking, implementation of that innovation must occur within the framework of each farm's information system. In this paper the concept of alternative information networks is suggested for industrial stage versus information stage farms. Evidence is presented that suggests that a movement from industrial stage farms is occurring. Implications of such a movement for farm adoption of computers are discussed.
Benefits of maternal corticosteroid therapy in infants weighing ≤1000 grams at birth after preterm rupture of the amnion

Abstract Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of antenatal maternal corticosteroid treatment on selected neonatal outcomes in infants weighing ≤1000 g at birth after preterm rupture of membranes. Study Design: In a 1-year (1992-1993) prospective observational study, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network collected outcome data for 766 infants who did not have a major fetal anomaly and who had a birth weight ≤1000 g (378 were born after preterm rupture of membranes). Only fetuses deemed potentially viable by the obstetrician were included in our analysis. Selected neonatal outcomes were compared between mothers who did and did not receive antenatal corticosteroids. Logistic regression variables included birth weight, sex, race, amnionitis, tocolytic therapies, mode of delivery, and surfactant use. Results: Two hundred fourteen of the 378 infants whose mothers had preterm rupture of membranes were deemed potentially viable; 62 of these mothers received antenatal steroids and 152 did not. Groups were similar with respect to gestational age, birth weight, race, amnionitis, and delivery mode. Women who received antenatal steroids were more likely to have received tocolysis ( P Conclusions: Corticosteroid treatment in women with preterm rupture of membranes was of no apparent benefit to neonates weighing ≤1000 g. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:677-82.)
In search of water vapor on Jupiter: Laboratory measurements of the microwave properties of water vapor under simulated jovian conditions

Abstract Detection and measurement of atmospheric water vapor in the deep jovian atmosphere using microwave radiometry has been discussed extensively by Janssen et al. (Janssen, M.A., Hofstadter, M.D., Gulkis, S., Ingersoll, A.P., Allison, M., Bolton, S.J., Levin, S.M., Kamp, L.W. [2005]. Icarus 173 (2), 447–453.) and de Pater et al. (de Pater, I., Deboer, D., Marley, M., Freedman, R., Young, R. [2005]. Icarus 173 (2), 425–447). The NASA Juno mission will include a six-channel microwave radiometer system (MWR) operating in the 1.3–50 cm wavelength range in order to retrieve water vapor abundances from the microwave signature of Jupiter (see, e.g., Matousek, S. [2005]. The Juno new frontiers mission. Tech. Rep. IAC-05-A3.2.A.04, California Institute of Technology ). In order to accurately interpret data from such observations, nearly 2000 laboratory measurements of the microwave opacity of H2O vapor in a H2/He atmosphere have been conducted in the 5–21 cm wavelength range (1.4–6 GHz) at pressures from 30 mbars to 101 bars and at temperatures from 330 to 525 K. The mole fraction of H2O (at maximum pressure) ranged from 0.19% to 3.6% with some additional measurements of pure H2O. These results have enabled development of the first model for the opacity of gaseous H2O in a H2/He atmosphere under jovian conditions developed from actual laboratory data. The new model is based on a terrestrial model of Rosenkranz et al. (Rosenkranz, P.W. [1998]. Radio Science 33, 919–928), with substantial modifications to reflect the effects of jovian conditions. The new model for water vapor opacity dramatically outperforms previous models and will provide reliable results for temperatures from 300 to 525 K, at pressures up to 100 bars and at frequencies up to 6 GHz. These results will significantly reduce the uncertainties in the retrieval of jovian atmospheric water vapor abundances from the microwave radiometric measurements from the upcoming NASA Juno mission, as well as provide a clearer understanding of the role deep atmospheric water vapor may play in the decimeter-wavelength spectrum of Saturn.
Development of a knowledge base for ESOL teacher education

Abstract This paper considers the process of constructing a knowledge base for preparing teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) by examining initial efforts at knowledge base development within a university-based teacher education program. The paper (a) reviews the literature on the knowledge base in teacher education, (b) describes currently available resources and efforts toward TESOL knowledge base development, (c) describes knowledge base development within the context of a university’s teacher education program and describes the components of a TESOL knowledge base in this program, and (d) advocates for a TESOL knowledge base to enhance the profession at the national and international levels.
Mortality of Striped Bass Larvae in Relation to Contaminants and Water Quality in a Chesapeake Bay Tributary

Abstract Numerous factors have been implicated in the decline of striped bass Morone saxatilis along the east coast of the United States. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of contaminants and water quality on survival of striped bass larvae in a natural spawning habitat (Nanticoke River, Maryland). Larvae were tested in chambers submerged in the river. Organic and inorganic contaminants and water quality variables were monitored to correlate survival of larvae with habitat quality. In two 96-h experiments at three river stations, 90–99% of larvae died whereas control mortality was only 15–25%; the differences were significant. None of the 69 organic contaminants specifically analyzed were detected in river water and can be eliminated as causes of larval mortality. Of the eight metals analyzed, seven never exceeded 50 μg/L in river water, but total aluminum concentrations were 480–4,100 μg/L (39–181 μg/L filtered sample). Factors suspected as contributors to mortality were low pH (6.0–6.8), h...
Effect of particulate contamination on the friction and wear of a magnetic head-rigid disk interface:

AbstractParticulate contamination studies were carried out with laser-textured and mechanically textured magnetic rigid disks and nanosliders. The effects of particle concentration and its size, particle material, duration of exposure to contamination, interface speed and disk textures were studied. The head-disk interface (HDI) durability increased as particle concentration decreased. The effect of different hard-particle materials was attributed to how easily it can form agglomerates. Data indicate that limited-time exposure to a class 10 000 environment will not deter tribological performance of the HDI. In a contaminated environment, head flying in the data zone exhibited higher durability than that in the-lase textured zone. However, the mechanically textured disk and the data zone of laser-textured disks showed comparable durability in the presence of contamination. The HDI damage mechanism and pattern changed as the disk speed changed. A failure mechanism to show how the airborne particles interact...
Use of monoclonal antibodies in identification and characterization of fish viruses

Abstract Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) for fish viruses have been used increasingly in fish health management programs and as tools in research. The initial and most widespread use has been in the development of improved diagnostic and virus identification assays. MAbs with broad reactivity that provide standardized reagents for use in general screening assays for particular groups of fish viruses have been developed, whereas MAbs with more restricted specificities permit the rapid serotyping of fish viruses and, in some cases, the identification of specific virus strains. The large number and variety of MAbs now available for some fish viruses, such as the aquatic birnaviruses and rhabdoviruses, present an ideal opportunity to select appropriate MAbs to construct standardized virus identification assays for use by all fish pathologists worldwide. Furthermore, these MAbs have been used to identify specific epitopes that stimulate a protective immune response to many fish viruses, and to investigate the mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization of fish viruses. They also have been used to study the epidemiology of specific viruses as well as antigenic variation and the mechanisms by which new strains arise. Such information is important for the development of reliable diagnostic assays for short-term control methods as well as the development of effective vaccines for long-term control of virus diseases in fish. This article presents a brief overview of MAb production and a review of some current applications of MAbs in the identification and characterization of viruses of fish.
Famous Lines in History: Blaschko Lines

The lines of Blaschko describe a linear pattern of distribution of various congenital, nevoid, andacquiredskindisorderswith their suspectedembryological origins not yet well understood. These lines were painstakingly and thoroughly documented first by German dermatologist AlfredBlaschko.Blaschkowas the sonof aphysician andwasborn in 1858 in Freienwalde and died in 1922 in Berlin. He was a private practitioner in Berlin, where his dermatologic interests ranged from dermatitis herpetiformis, leprosy, and, later in his career, occupational skin diseases to social hygiene and venereal diseases. Blaschko studied the distribution of various nevoid disorders, such as epidermal and sebaceous nevi, aswell as acquired disorders, such as linear psoriasis, eczema, lichen planus, lichen simplex chronicus, and scleroderma. He transposed the pattern of these lesions in more than 140 patients onto dolls and statues and eventually produced complete illustrations of his famous lines all over thebody.His findingswere published in 1901 as a supplement to the Proceedings of the German Dermatological Society’smeeting held inBreslau that year. Thepublication included 26 pages of hand drawings, the first 9 of which were illustrations of herpes zoster. Although we now know that zoster follows the distributionof cutaneousdermatomesandnotBlaschko lines, the2distributions were commonly confused at the time. In 1902, Blaschko helped in the founding of the German Society for the Fight against Venereal Diseases alongwith Albert Neisser, a leading expert in venereology and the discoverer of theNeisseria gonorrhoeae bacterium. He served as general secretary for the organization and led efforts to educate the public regarding venereal diseases by distributing pamphlets and leaflets, organizing lectures all over the country, offering seminars for teachers, and lobbying for sex education in classes. After reviewingBlaschko’swritingsduringthis time,RobertJackson,who in 1976 published a detailed review of Blaschko’s seminal findings, suggests hewas perhaps among the first advocates of thewomen’s liberationmovement. For instance, inanaddress in 1903Blaschkoargued that the best form of prophylaxis against venereal disease was improvement of the economic condition of women, which would only be possible in agenuinely freeanddemocratic state. In 1913, he counteredprevious legislative efforts to ban advertising for contraceptives by calling these efforts extremely dangerous, and championed the “recommendationofprophylacticsuntil thewholepopulation is fully informed from the onset of puberty.” Clearly,Blaschko’s legacy isas impressive forhisdiligentworkasadermatologistandeminenteyeforpatternrecognitionasit isforhiscourageous championing of social health reforms at the turn of the 20th century.
Critical Rayleigh numbers for cryogenic experiments

We give critical Rayleigh numbers, Rc, and the corresponding critical wavevectors, ac, for the onset of Rayleigh-Benard convection for thermal conditions on the horizontal boundaries that model physical experiments, particularly those carried out at low temperatures with liquid helium. We assume that a fluid layer, satisfying the Boussinesq approximation, is bounded above and below by rigid plates with finite, nonzero vertical thicknesses and finite thermal conductivities. The effect of sidewalls on Rc is not likely to be important for many experiments and so is not considered here; specifically, we assume a horizontally infinite layer. At the top of the top plate and the bottom of the bottom plate, we consider boundary conditions for which a linear combination of the convective temperature field and its vertical derivative vanishes. For these boundary conditions, the growth rates of the linear stability problem are necessarily real. We find that Rc only deviates significantly from 1708 and ac only deviates significantly from 3.11, when the thermal conductivity of the fluid is comparable to or larger than that of the boundaries, or when the plates are exceptionally thin. In particular a fixed heat flux applied to highly conducting plates (a configuration frequently used in cryogenic experiments) does not cause Rc to vary much from the standard value, 1708.
Viscous Airflow Through a Rigid Tube With a Compliant Lining: A Simple Model for the Air-Mucus Interaction in Pulmonary Airways

The respiratory tract of mammals is lined with a layer of mucus, described as viscoelastic semi-solid, above a layer of watery serous fluid. The interaction of these compliant layers with pulmonary airflow plays a major role in lung clearance by two-phase gas-liquid flow and in increased flow resistance in patients with obstructive airway diseases such as cystic fibrosis, chronic bronchitis and asthma. Experiments have shown that such coupled systems of flow-compliant-layers are quite susceptible to sudden shear instabilities, leading to formation of relatively large amplitude waves at the interface. Although these waves enhance the lung clearance by mobilizing the secretions, they increase the flow resistance in airways. The objective of this paper is to understand the basic interaction mechanism between the two media better by studying airflow through a rigid pipe that is lined by a compliant layer. The mathematical model that has been developed for this purpose is capable of explaining some of the published experimental observations. Wave instability theory is applied to the coupled air-mucus system to explore the stability of the interface. The results show that the onset flow speed for the initiation of unstable surface waves, and the resulting wavelength, are both very sensitive to mucus thickness. The model predicts that the instabilities initiate in the form of propagating waves for the elastic mucus where the wave speed is about 40 percent of the flow speed. The wavelength and phase speed to air velocity ratio are shown to increase with increasing mucus thickness. Also, results show that the mucus viscosity causes the onset air velocity to increase and the wave speed to decrease. The predictions of the model for the viscoelastic case are in good qualitative and quantitative agreement with some of the published experimental observations.
Job satisfaction among music therapists.

Job satisfaction surveys were mailed to 2,371 registered and certified members from the National Association for Music Therapy (NAMT) and the American Association for Music Therapy (AAMT). Materials included a 36-item questionnaire and a stamped, return addressed envelope. Of the questionnaires distributed, 1,344 (57%) were returned. Reliability analysis of the job satisfaction scale, performed as a measure of internal consistency on 885 cases, revealed an alpha coefficient of .85. The measure of job satisfaction used in this study is therefore accepted as highly reliable. The present study suggests that music therapists indeed report a pleasurable emotional state as they evaluate their jobs. The nature of music therapists' work and other conditions of their employment contribute to high job satisfaction.