cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forty‐eight Years of Rice Improvement in Texas since the Release of Cultivar Bluebonnet in 1944

Information on the contribution of plant breeding to changes in yields and other agronomic traits is useful for optimizing selection gains; thus, this study aimed to determine the contribution of Texas rice (Oryza sativa L.) breeding to changes in cultivars released during the 48 yr since the release of 'Bluebonnet' in 1944. Twenty-three cultivars were evaluated in three environments and two N levels. Days to heading, plant height, whole and total milled rice percentages, and grain yield were measured. Significant variation among cultivars was found for all traits evaluated, while N affected all traits except milled rice. There was a linear decrease in days to heading in cultivars released from 1944 to 1992. Plant height decreased at 1.28 and 1.10 cm yr -1 for the 190 and 95 kg ha -1 N levels, respectively, mainly due to the incorporation of the semidwarf gene in many cultivars starting in 1981. Plant heights of recently released cultivars were more stable across N levels and less susceptible to lodging. Although whole and total milled rice percentages increased at 0.06 and 0.03% yr -1 , respectively, environmental factors limited their genetic advances. Grain yield increased at 42.0 and 26.3 kg ha -1 yr -1 under the 190 and 95 kg ha -1 N levels, respectively, demonstrating that newer releases responded well to higher N. These show the remarkable progress in the Texas rice breeding program from 1944 to 1992.
EFFECTS OF HYPOPHYSECTOMY AND REPLACEMENT THERAPY ON THE THYROID AND ADRENAL GLANDS OF THE MALE GROUND SQUIRREL1

IT HAS BEEN conclusively demonstrated in recent years that in a variety of laboratory mammals the hypophysis exercises a controlling influence upon the thyroid and adrenal glands. However, no adequate study has been made, to our knowledge, of the role of the pituitary in thyroid and adrenal periodicity as manifested in a wild, annually breeding mammal. The present investigation is designed to fill this gap. The common thirteen-lined ground squirrel of the Middle West, Citellus tridecemlineatus, in which various aspects of endocrine relationships have been systematically studied by our laboratories since 1931, constitutes the object of the work reported here. In this species, distinct annual thyroid and adrenal cycles have been observed and described by the senior writer, who has likewise produced experimental modifications of these basic cycles by administration of pituitary extracts (1, 2). The present paper deals, conversely, with the effects of experimental hypopituitarism, achieved by the ablation of ...
Antarctic ice is smaller

The Ross Ice Shelf, straddling the protected waters of the Ross Sea off Antarctica, has produced an iceberg three times the size of Long Island. A massive raft of ice about 208 km long, 53 km wide, and 250 m thick calved cleanly off the shelf in late September or early October and is currently moving away from the coast at about 200 m/hour, heading west and, of course, north. It is the largest piece of floating ice on record, and if it can stay in one piece for a trip to slightly lower latitudes, it may drift into westerly ocean currents and be carried in a victory lap all the way around the continent.
Evaluating the stress-buffering function of meaning in life among older people.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to see if a strong sense of meaning in life helps older adults cope more effectively with the effects of lifetime trauma. Methods : The data were obtained from a nationwide longitudinal survey of older adults (N = 1,093). Questions were asked about traumatic events arising at any point in an individual's life and depressive symptoms. Results : The findings suggest that meaning tends to offset the deleterious impact of traumatic life events on depressive symptoms. However, these effects were observed only when the cross-sectional data were examined. In contrast, statistically significant stress-buffering effects were not present when the impact of trauma and meaning on change in depressive symptoms over time was evaluated. Discussion: The findings from this study provide a basis for devising interventions to help older people cope more effectively with the effects of traumatic events that have arisen in their lives.
PC-based car license plate reader

A car license plate reader (CLPR) using fuzzy inference and neural network algorithm has been developed in Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and installed in highway toll stations to identify stolen cars. It takes an average of 0.7 seconds to recognize a car license plate by using a PC with 80486-50 CPU. The recognition rate of the system is about 97%. The techniques of CLPR include vehicle sensing, image grab control, optic pre- processing, lighting, and optic character recognition (OCR). The CLPR can be used in vehicle flow statistics, the checking of stolen vehicles, automatic charging systems in parking lots or garage management, and so on.
The association between adolescent spirituality and voluntary sexual activity

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the spectrum of adolescent spirituality and to determine the association between dimensions of spirituality and voluntary sexual activity (VSA) in adolescents. Design: A sample of 141 consecutive youth aged 11–25 years presenting to an urban, hospital-based adolescent medicine clinic completed a 153-item instrument assessing sociodemographics, psychosocial parameters, and eight specific aspects of spirituality including: (1) religious attendance, (2) religious importance, (3) intrinsic and (4) extrinsic religious motivation, (5) belief in God, (6) belief in divine support, (7) existential aspects of spirituality, and (8) spiritual interconnectedness. Adolescents were also asked about VSA. Results: Sixty-one percent of respondents were African-American and 67.4%, female; mean age was 16.0 ± 2.4 years. Adolescent religious attendance was equally distributed across the categories from “none” to “weekly or greater” attendance. Over 90% felt religion was somewhat important in their lives. Over 85% reported belief in God. Fifty-six percent of respondents reported a history of VSA. Greater importance of religion (p = 0.035) and higher spiritual interconnectedness with friends (p = 0.033) were inversely associated with VSA. A multiple logistic regression model including age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and specific denomination of religious faith, importance of religion, and spiritual interconnectedness found that spiritual interconnectedness with friends (OR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.85, 0.99) and age (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.34, 2.28) were independent predictors of VSA. Conclusions: Spirituality is a common facet of adolescents’ lives. Younger age and higher spiritual interconnectedness, particularly interconnectedness among spiritual friends, are independently associated with a lower likelihood of VSA.
The Hydrolysis of Anhydrous Dicalcium Phosphate into Hydroxyapatite

Hydrolytic conversion of dicalcium phosphate anhydrous (DCPA; CaHPO4) to non-stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAP; Ca10-x(HPO4)x(PO4)6-x(OH)2-x) was investigated under controlled-solution conditions for identification of solution factors which influence the nucleation, growth, and crystal morphology of the apatitic product phase. The hydrolysis experiments (1 mmol to 7.5 mmol CaHPO4/250 mL) were carried out under CO2-free N2 at fixed pH in the presence of 25-100 mmol/L CaCl2 by standard pH-stat techniques at 37 degrees C. The pH values of the experimental solutions ranged from 6.35 to 9.0. The crystal size and shape of the HAP product were established by x-ray diffraction, and by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Generally, hydrolysis times and the size of the HAP crystals attained upon completion of the conversion were inversely related to pH. However, crystal size decreased sharply below pH 6.5. Crystal morphology was also strongly affected by pH, with the most equi-dimensionally-shaped crystals developing at pH 7.0. Although the HAP first appeared on the surface of the DCPA, the amount of DCPA used did not affect the final HAP crystal size or the time required for the hydrolysis to be completed. These data suggest that DCPA initiated HAP formation but that nucleation density (i.e., number of nuclei/unit area DCPA surface) and subsequent growth events were controlled by solution factors.
Preserved atrial natriuretic peptide secretory function after cardiac transplantation

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretory function is preserved after cardiac transplantation. Thirteen hemodynamically stable outpatients performed supine exercise on a bicycle an average of 7 months after orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Right atrial pressure increased 2.2-fold (6 ± 1 to 13 ± 2 mm Hg) and pulmonary artery wedge pressure 2.1-fold (11 ± 1 to 23 ± 7 mm Hg) with exercise in the transplant recipients. Resting venous ANP level (114 ± 19 pg/ml) and peak exercise venous level (373 ± 61 pg/ml) was elevated in transplant recipients (p
Hazardous wastes, politics, and public policy: a comparative state analysis.

growth, industrial expansion, and technological change upon the environment. One of the major public policy issues to emerge recently is concern over public health and safety associated with hazardous (chemical) wastes. Dramatic incidents, such as kepone dumping in the James River, the "Valley of the Drums" incident in Kentucky, and the damage apparently caused by the Love Canal chemical disposal sites, have served as catalysts in mobilizing public interest in the responsible management of hazardous wastes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that "in 1980, at least 57 million metric tons of the nation's total wasteload can be classified as hazardous" (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1980). Indeed, the hazardous waste problem is often described as the single most threatening issue facing the country or "the environmental problem of the century" (Epstein, Brown, and Pope 1982: 37). As a result of this concern the hazardous waste issue has become the focus of much scholarly research and congressional activity (Goldfarb 1979; Getz and Walter 1980; Worthley and Torkelson 1981; Jorling 1981; Eckhardt 1981; Levine 1982). Moreover, the responsible management of hazardous waste has generated substantial interest among state governmental leaders and agencies, whose responsibilities include its regulation. Specifically, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (or RCRA, as it is commonly called), charges the EPA with approving state hazardous waste control programs. In the event that a state fails to comply with the standards set by RCRA, the EPA itself is authorized to develop and implement a program in that state (Steeler 1980). Although the states have strong incentives to comply with RCRA, their policy responses reflect varying commitments to the responsible management of hazardous waste. Consequently, it is important to explore some potential explanations of state policy in this area. The purpose of this comparative state study is to examine the states' policy responses to the hazardous waste problem and to evaluate the utility of several indicators (both new and conventional) hypothesized to
Integration of a Linear Hyperbolic Equation

Hyperbolic PDEs are associated with wave phenomena and propagation. A vibrating string, a vibrating column of air in a wind instrument, supersonic flow and shock waves, are some examples of physical phenomena described by hyperbolic equations. We will limit ourselves in this chapter to one-dimensional unsteady and two-dimensional steady model problems, governed by the linear convection equation and the wave equation respectively. The two model equations have been studied in the previous chapter and shown to be of hyperbolic type.
On the scavenging of SO2 by cloud and raindrops: III. A theoretical study of SO2 washout by rain falling through a pollution plume

Our previously described absorption model for the scavenging of trace gases by individual cloud and rain drops was applied to an ensemble of drops of given size distribution as found in typical atmospheric rainfalls. This study allowed: (1) determination of the redistribution which a pollution plume suffers as rain falls through it, and (2) determination of the amount of pollutant contained in. the fallen rain. For the present application it was assumed that the pollution plume consisted of SO2, only, and that its concentration varied vertically as a Gaussian distribution centered 200 m above the ground. Rain of various intensities and corresponding drop size distributions was allowed to pass through this pollution layer.
A Pressure Projection Method for Nearly Incompressible Rubber Hyperelasticity, Part II: Applications

In the first part of this paper a pressure projection method was presented for the nonlinear analysis ofstructures made of nearly incompressible hyperelastic materials. The main focus of the second part of the paper is to demonstrate the performance of the present method and to address some of the issues related to the analysis of engineering elastomers including the proper selection of strain energy density functions. The numerical procedures and the implementation to nonlinear finite element programs are presented. Mooney-Rivlin, Cubic, and Modified Cubic strain energy density functions are used in the numerical examples. Several classical finite elasticity problems as well as some practical engineering elastomer problems are analyzed. The need to account for the slight compressibility of rubber (finite bulk modulus) in the finite element formulation is demonstrated in the study of apparent Young's modulus of bonded thin rubber units. The combined shear-bending deformation that commonly exists in rubber mounting systems is also analyzed and discussed.
Glucose utilization of cardiac and skeletal muscle homogenates from fetal and adult rhesus monkeys.

Glucose Utilization of Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Homogenates from Fetal and Adult Rhesus Monkesy
Water-based synthesis of ZnSe nanostructures using amphiphilic block copolymer stabilized lyotropic liquid crystals as templates

Simultaneous size and shape control of zinc selenide (ZnSe) nanostructures was achieved using lyotropic liquid crystal templates formed by the self-assembly of an amphiphilic block copolymer in the presence of water and a less polar organic solvent. ZnSe quantum dots, hollow nanospheres, nanotubes, and nanolaminates (parallel nanoplates or free-standing quantum wells) were grown at room temperature in the aqueous phase of a poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer/water/p-xylene ternary system. The nucleation of ZnSe was facilitated by an irreversible reaction between zinc acetate dissolved in water and hydrogen selenide gas that was allowed to diffuse into the self-assembled template. The nanostructures exhibit good crystallinity under high-resolution transmission electron miscroscopy and quantum confinement effects in their photoluminescence spectra. The shape and size of nanocrystals can be precisely controlled by altering the structure of the templating phase, by tuning the size of the nanodomains, and by changing the concentration of the zinc precursor.
Flexural behavior of prestressed FRP tubular bridge deck

Abstract An experimental and analytical study was undertaken to assess the flexural behavior of a new fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) deck system. The deck consists of a series of pultruted FRP tubes, post-tensioned in between each two stringers. Seven pure compression tests and eleven flexural tests were carried out to investigate the effect of tube size, bonding condition, post-tensioning, and supporting conditions. Finite element modeling of compression and flexural specimens was carried out to determine the effect of tube interface friction, bond and geometry restraints. The study showed feasibility of the new deck system for bridges with closely spaced stringers, where lack of two-way panel action is not a primary concern. Failure modes were also identified for these types of deck systems. Longer span decks generally failed in bending, whereas shorter span decks suffered from local shear failure at the corner of the tubes. Prestressing provided redundancy and reserved strength to the deck system.
Antisense raf oligodeoxyribonucleotide is protected by liposomal encapsulation and inhibits Raf-1 protein expression in vitro and in vivo: implication for gene therapy of radioresistant cancer

We have redesigned cationic liposomes by using a combination of dimethyldioctadecyl ammonium bromide, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol to enhance the in vitro and in vivo effectiveness of antisense raf oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN). Circulating ODNs carried in vivo by liposomes were intact for at least 24 h, while free ODNs were undetectable after 5 min. Liposome-encapsulated antisense raf ODN (LE-ATG-AS) inhibited Raf-1 protein expression in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, radioresistant tumor cells treated with LE-ATG-AS raf ODN were sensitized to ionizing radiation. These data provide new information for the delivery and potency of antisense ODN in vivo, and support the use of LE-ATG-AS raf ODN for gene therapy of radioresistant cancer.
Students' use of mobile technology to collect data in guided inquiry on field trips

This study was conducted during a two-week summer science camp that included two field trips to a local river and to a botanical garden. During the camp period, fifth and sixth graders learned about water quality in the class, collected data using Zydeco (a mobile-based inquiry learning system) on field trips, and reviewed data in the classroom. This paper is aimed to discuss how students make decision to capture multimedia data (video, audio, photo) and metadata (tag) on the Zydeco system to answer their driving question, and to explore students' perspectives on this type of guided inquiry learning with the use of the supportive mobile-based program.
Therapeutic Delivery of MicroRNA-29b by Cationic Lipoplexes for Lung Cancer

MicroRNA-29b (miR-29b) expression has been shown to be reduced in non-small–cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues. Here, we have identified the oncogene cyclin-dependent protein kinase 6 (CDK6) as a direct target of miR-29b in lung cancer. We hypothesized that in vivo restoration of miR-29b and thus targeting of genes important to tumor initiation and progression may represent an option for lung cancer treatment. We developed a cationic lipoplexes (LPs)-based carrier that efficiently delivered miR-29b both in vitro and in vivo. LPs containing miR-29b (LP-miR-29b) efficiently delivered miR-29b to NSCLC A549 cells, reduced the expression of key targets CDK6, DNMT3B, and myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL1), as well as cell growth and clonogenicity of A549 cells. In addition, the IC50 for cisplatin in the miR-29b–treated cells was effectively reduced. In a xenograft murine model, LPs efficiently accumulated at tumor sites. Systemic delivery of LP-miR-29b increased the tumor miR-29b expression by approximately fivefold, downregulated the tumor mRNA expression of CDK6, DNMT3B, and MCL1 by ~57.4, ~40.5, and ~52.4%, respectively, and significantly inhibited tumor growth by ~60% compared with LP-miR-NC (negative control). Our results demonstrate that cationic LPs represent an efficient delivery system that holds great potential in the development of miRNA-based therapeutics for lung cancer treatment.
Ignition behavior of pure and blended methyl octanoate, n-nonane, and methylcyclohexane

Abstract Excited-state species profiles and ignition delay times were obtained under dilute conditions (99% Ar) using a heated shock tube for methyl octanoate (C9H18O2), n-nonane (n-C9H20), and methylcyclohexane (MCH) over a broad range of temperature and equivalence ratio (ϕ = 0.5, 1.0, 2.0) at pressures near 1 and 10 atm. Measurements were then extended to include two ternary blends of the fuels using 5% and 20% (vol.) of the methyl ester under stoichiometric conditions. Using three independently validated chemical kinetics mechanisms, a model was compiled to assess the influence of methyl ester concentration on ignition delay times of the ternary blends. Under near-atmospheric pressure, ignition delay times were of the following order for the pure fuels: methyl octanoate
Factors Associated with Breast Cancer Screening in Asian Indian Women in Metro-Detroit

Few studies have examined social factors related to breast cancer screening in Asian Indian women in the Midwestern US. This cross-sectional, community-based survey utilized constructs of the Health Belief Model to examine factors associated with breast cancer screening among Asian Indian women in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. Of the 160 participants, 63.8% reported receiving both a clinical breast exam and mammogram within the past 2 years. Women were more likely to screen for breast cancer if they had a college education, lived in the US for more years, perceived that breast cancer screening is useful in detecting breast cancer early, agreed that mammography was important, and received a recommendation by a healthcare provider to get a mammogram. These findings highlight the need for further research on regional differences in breast cancer screening knowledge, behaviors and predictors among Asian Pacific Islanders subgroups such as Asian Indian women who recently immigrated to the US.
Constructing Ethnicity: Creating and Recreating Ethnic Identity and Culture

Contrary to expectations implicit in the image of the “melting pot” that ethnic distinctions could be eliminated in US society, the resurgence of ethnic nationalism in the United States and around the world has prompted social scientists to rethink models of ethnicity rooted in assumptions about the inevitability of assimilation.1 Instead, the resiliency of cultural, linguistic, and religious differences among populations has led to a search for a more accurate, less evolutionary means of understanding not only the resurgence of ancient differences among peoples, but also the actual emergence of historically new ethnic groups.2 The result has been the development of a model of ethnicity that stresses the fluid, situational, volitional, and dynamic character of ethnic identification, organization, and action – a model that emphasizes the socially “constructed” aspects of ethnicity, that is, the ways in which ethnic boundaries, identities, and cultures, are negotiated, defined, and produced through social interaction inside and outside ethnic communities.3
Left Syringeal Dominance in Testosterone-Treated Female Canaries

Abstract Male canaries ( Serinus canaria ) produce most of their song syllable types on the left side of the syrinx, the two-sided vocal organ. Female canaries treated with testosterone propionate begin to sing in a male fashion, a behavior seldom seen in untreated females. To learn whether syringeal dominance occurs in testosterone-treated female canaries, we deactivated either the right or the left side of the syrinx by severing the tracheosyringeal nerve on that side. Recordings of the birds’ songs were made before and after the nerve cut, and song analysis was based upon visual comparisons of sound spectrograms. Pre- and post-operative syllable types were identified by their frequency structures and repetition rates. Six of eight birds displayed clear left dominance as assessed by nerve cuts; therefore, we concluded that most, but not all, female canaries generate the majority of their syllable types with the left syrinx.
Effects of nitric oxide and cyclooxygenase inhibition on splanchnic hemodynamics in portal hypertension

Portal hypertension is associated with splanchnic hyperemia and increased plasma levels of prostacyclin. Recently, nitric oxide was proposed as a mediator of this arterial vasodilatation. We hypothesized that portal hypertension alters the relative contribution of prostacyclin and nitric oxide to splanchnic vasomotor control. We studied the relationship of nitric oxide and prostaglandins in normal and portal-hypertensive (3 wk after partial portal vein ligation) male rabbits at baseline and following increasing doses of indomethacin, LG-nitro-L-arginine methylester or both. L-arginine was used as the control. Aortic, central and portal venous pressures were measured directly. Blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery was measured by means of an ultrasonic flow probe, and resistance was calculated. LG-nitro-L-arginine methylester produced vasoconstriction (increased resistance and decreased blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery) in normal and portal-hypertensive rabbits, although in portal hypertensive animals resistance and superior mesenteric artery blood flow remained significantly different than that in normal rabbits because of preexisting hyperemia. L-arginine reversed the effect of LG-nitro-L-arginine methylester. Cyclooxygenase blockade induced dose-dependent vasoconstriction in normal and portal-hypertensive animals. Indomethacin induced further vasoconstriction after LG-nitro-L-arginine methylester and reduced portal venous pressure in portal-hypertensive animals. We conclude that this indicates an amplified role for some prostaglandin, probably prostacyclin, in portal hypertension hemodynamics. It also implies that the two vasodilators act by way of independent mechanisms. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;18:1416–1421.)
Using the DSM-III-R in Counseling

Familiarity with DSM-III-R is an important element in maintaining professional expertise for counselors. This article discusses the new revisions contained in the DSM-III-R.
Suitability of artificial nests.

The Report “Lower predation risk for migratory birds at high latitudes” by L. McKinnon et al. (15 January, p. [326][1]) describes a massive artificial nest experiment spanning 29 degrees of latitude in the high Arctic. The authors suggest that artificial nests are appropriate for this sort of
Development of classification: The use of similarity and dimensional relations ☆

Abstract Findings about perceptual development indicate that overall similarity is the primary perceptual relation by which young children compare complex objects. Traditional studies of classification, however, did not focus on children's organizational use of holistic relations but rather on their ability to classify by dimensions or criterial attributes. The results from such traditional studies suggest that young children are deficient classifiers. The present research investigated the possibility, contrary to the traditional view, that 4- to 6-year-old children are competent and systematic classifiers at least by overall similarity. In three experiments, preschoolers and kindergarteners classified various sets of multidimensional stimuli that could be organized into categories by overall similarity or by dimensional attributes. Consistent with the research in perceptual development, the children were highly attentive to overall similarity. However, the preschoolers in particular showed marked difficulty in using this relation to form categories of more than two objects. The children's difficulties were highly reminiscent of traditional claims about early classification. Analyses of the classification strategies used by the children, however, suggest that even the youngest children understood the purpose of a classification. The developmentla changes appear to be in the ability to execute a classification. Importantly, type of classification strategy was independent of type of category organization. Individual children used the same strategies both when classifying by overall similarity and by dimensional attributes. These results strongly suggest that it is the classification skills themselves, and not just the ability to classify by particular relations, that change with age.
A geometrically based method for automated radiosurgery planning

Abstract Purpose: A geometrically based method of multiple isocenter linear accelerator radiosurgery treatment planning optimization was developed, based on a target’s solid shape. Methods and Materials: Our method uses an edge detection process to determine the optimal sphere packing arrangement with which to cover the planning target. The sphere packing arrangement is converted into a radiosurgery treatment plan by substituting the isocenter locations and collimator sizes for the spheres. Results: This method is demonstrated on a set of 5 irregularly shaped phantom targets, as well as a set of 10 clinical example cases ranging from simple to very complex in planning difficulty. Using a prototype implementation of the method and standard dosimetric radiosurgery treatment planning tools, feasible treatment plans were developed for each target. The treatment plans generated for the phantom targets showed excellent dose conformity and acceptable dose homogeneity within the target volume. The algorithm was able to generate a radiosurgery plan conforming to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) guidelines on radiosurgery for every clinical and phantom target examined. Conclusions: This automated planning method can serve as a valuable tool to assist treatment planners in rapidly and consistently designing conformal multiple isocenter radiosurgery treatment plans.
Irradiated polyethylene II—Free radical formation

Abstract Allyl free radical formation in Marlex 50 polyethylene at room temperature is correlated with vinyl group disappearance and vinylene group formation. The allyl radicals were generated with 2 MeV electrons from a Van de Graaff accelerator and their concentrations were measured with electron spin resonance techniques. A kinetic analysis of the free radical formation and vinyl disappearance data provides a mechanism for these reactions. The mechanism assumes the formation of a steady state concentration of positive alkyl ions, which are formed initially, followed by charge transfer to vinyl and vinylene groups. A subsequent reaction between the vinyl ion and a neutral vinyl group takes place. The resultant divinyl and vinylene ions form allyl radicals following charge recombination. Kinetic equations derived from this mechanism correlate well with experimental data. The G value for alkyl ion formation calculated from these equations, is the same as that obtained for radical formation in lower molecular weight hydrocarbons and for alkyl radical formation in polyethylene at 77°K and at low doses. This G value also correlates with the G values for the polymerization of olefins. The kinetic data provide evidence that allyl radical formation does not take place through a precursor alkyl radical.
Clinical Assessment of Early Morning Blood Pressure in Patients With Hypertension

In most individuals with hypertension, blood pressure (BP) shows a moderate to marked increase around the time of awakening, which has been linked to increases in cardiovascular complications occurring at this time of day. Many antihypertensive agents do not adequately control early morning BP, particularly when administered once daily in the morning. Points to consider in selecting an effective antihypertensive drug include pharmacokinetics and formulation of the agent and timing of administration. Agents with long pharmacologic half-lives, such as the angiotensin II receptor blocker telmisartan, the calcium antagonist amlodipine, and the beta-blocker bisoprolol, are examples of antihypertensive drugs with demonstrated efficacy in controlling early morning BP. Bedtime administration of chronotherapeutic preparations is also effective for controlling early morning BP. Given the association between early morning BP and cardiovascular risk, future clinical trials should focus on the efficacy of antihypertensive drugs during this important period of risk.
Global shark currency: the distribution, frequency, and economic value of shark ecotourism

Ecotourism represents a highly popularised activity which has exhibited global growth in recent years. In the present paper, we examine the distribution, frequency, and economic value of shark-based ecotourism operations worldwide. A total of 376 shark ecotour operations across 83 locations and 8 geographic regions were identified. Here we describe the global and regional scope of the industry; determine the species utilised in shark ecotourism activities; and examine the recreational usage values of sharks. Further, we conducted a case study of a shark tourism operation based in South Africa by analysing 12 years of demographical and economical data, revealing increasing trends in the total number of customers served and cost per trip over the sampling period. We also compare consumptive and non-consumptive values of shark resources and discuss the potential research and conservation implications of the industry to sharks worldwide.
Development of LIGA process using a superconducting compact synchrotron light source

This paper describes the LIGA process using a 600-MeV superconducting compact synchrotron light source. Deep-etch X-ray lithography is conducted using a new resist and mask. The resist is composed of a copolymer of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA). Its main benefit is its high sensitivity, which is one order of magnitude greater than that of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) conventionally used in the LIGA process. The mask is composed of a 2-μm-thick silicon nitride membrane with high transparency, supporting a 5-μm-thick tungsten absorber. Experimental results for deep-etch X-ray lithography, electroplating, and molding techniques are presented. A micro-ultrasonic transmitter obtained using these techniques is also described. The purpose of this study is the realization of low-cost microcomponents for a variety of industrial applications. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 120(1): 40–48, 1997
BeSpoken Protocol for Data Dissemination in Wireless Sensor Networks

For wireless sensor networks with many location- unaware nodes, we investigate a protocol, dubbed BeSpoken, that steers data transmissions along a straight path called a spoke. The protocol directs data transmissions by randomly selecting relays to retransmit data packets from crescent-shaped areas along the spoke axis. The resulting random walk of the spoke hop sequence may be modeled as a two dimensional Markov process. We propose design rules for protocol parameters that minimize energy consumption while ensuring that spokes propagate far enough and have a limited wobble with respect to the spoke axis.
Reversal of a postnatal alcohol-induced deficit in learned persistence in the rat by d-amphetamine.

Periodic (high peak) exposure to alcohol during early infancy in the rat has been shown to disrupt the partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE), a measure of persistence learning, when rats were tested at weaning age. The current study examined the effects of d-amphetamine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) on the PREE after early postnatal exposure to alcohol (4.5 mg/kg) delivered in a milk-based diet or an isocaloric control diet via oral intubation once a day on postnatal days 4 to 9. On postnatal days 20 and 21, rats were trained on either a continuously reinforced or partially reinforced schedule of food reward, followed by extinction. Rats were randomly assigned to eight conditions, depending on diet, drug, and reward schedule. The results were (1) a replication of the finding that periodic (high peak) exposure to alcohol diminishes the PREE, and (2) that amphetamine restores the PREE to normal levels in alcohol-treated animals, and may reduce the PREE in control subjects. The possible role of noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems in situations of extinction and nonreward are discussed.
Caveolin, Caveolae, and Endothelial Cell Function

Caveolae are 50- to 100-nm cell-surface plasma membrane invaginations observed in terminally differentiated cells. They are particularly abundant in endothelial cells, where they are believed to play a major role in the regulation of endothelial vesicular trafficking and signal transduction. The use of caveolin-1–deficient mice has provided many new insights into the roles of caveolae and caveolin-1 in the regulation of endothelial cell function. These novel findings suggest an important role for caveolin-1 in the pathogenesis of cancer, atherosclerosis, and vascular disease.
Rigorous synthesis and simulation of complex distillation networks

Recent insights for better understanding the thermodynamic foundations of separation processes have renewed the interest in exploring energy-efficient distillation networks. Complex column networks have substantial potential for energy savings over conventional configurations. This article introduces a computational algorithm for synthesizing such complex energy-efficient networks. A robust feasibility criterion drives the selection of design specification and operating conditions. It will be shown that columns composed of sections whose liquid stage composition profiles have no gaps are realizable. To prove the rigor of design computations, numerous separation networks were synthesized and validated with the Aspen flowsheet simulator. By using our computational results as input, AspenPlus simulations converged in a few iterations. Our method builds on temperature collocation, a thermodynamically motivated search method for determining feasible operating conditions and design details for achieving the desired product targets. Our findings suggest that significant energy savings can be realized with rigorous complex networks synthesis for industrial separation problems. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2011
Political Intolerance and Political Repression During the McCarthy Red Scare

I test several hypotheses concerning the origins of political repression in the states of the United States. The hypotheses are drawn from the elitist theory of democracy, which asserts that repression of unpopular political minorities stems from the intolerance of the mass public, the generally more tolerant elites not supporting such repression. Focusing on the repressive legislation adopted by the states during the McCarthy era, I examine the relationships between elite and mass opinion and repressive public policy. Generally it seems that elites, not masses, were responsible for the repression of the era. These findings suggest that the elitist theory of democracy is in need of substantial theoretical reconsideration, as well as further empirical investigation.
INFLUENCE OF CONTEXTUAL FACTORS ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN A SAMPLE OF LATINO ADOLESCENTS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF SCHOOL ATTACHMENT

The present study further evaluated contextual factors (i.e., neighborhood violence and peer rejection) that contribute to academic performance by examining school attachment as a moderator of these associations in a sample of Latino high school students (N = 144, 54% male). Findings suggested that both neighborhood violence and peer rejection were negatively associated with academic performance. However, the influence of neighborhood violence depended on levels of school attachment, with neighborhood violence unrelated to poor academic performance when levels of school attachment were high. In contrast, peer rejection was robustly associated with poor academic performance, regardless of the level of school attachment. Implications of findings are discussed.
Temperature dependence of monovalent cation fluxes in isolated rat hearts: a magnetic resonance study

Abstract Ion flux studies were performed on Langendorff-perfused rat hearts using 87 Rb, 7 Li and 23 Na NMR at 36, 20 and 10°C, and at constant extracellular pH (7.40). Using 31 P NMR, the intracellular pH was estimated and the high energy phosphate content monitored. Compared to 36°C ( k =0.044±0.015 min −1 ), our measurements showed incomplete Rb + efflux with a dramatically (5-fold) increased rate constant, k , at 20°C, k =0.238±0.080 min −1 . 5 μM glibenclamide, a K ATP -channel inhibitor, completely depressed the hypothermia-activated Rb + efflux at this temperature ( k =0.052±0.018 min −1 ). 7 Li NMR efflux studies on KCl-arrested hearts at 20°C also showed an increase (3-fold) in efflux rate constant: k =0.090±0.003 min −1 relative to its value at 36°C. At 10°C, both Rb + and Li + showed efflux rate constants similar to those observed at 36°C, k =0.071±0.016 min −1 and k =0.050±0.005 min −1 , respectively, and the washout was complete. 31 P NMR at 36, 20 and 10°C indicated cytosolic alkalinization at pH values of 7.05, 7.21 and 7.40, respectively. The ion transport data could be interpreted in terms of a myocyte model allowing for temperature-dependent changes in transport coefficients. The incomplete efflux of Rb + at 20°C may indicate the existence of a mitochondrial Rb + -pool with a very low Rb + permeability for efflux. These findings correlate with previously observed membrane phase transitions in these systems.
Improving wavefront boundary condition for in vivo high resolution adaptive optics ophthalmic imaging

An ophthalmic adaptive optics (AO) imaging system is especially affected by pupil edge effects due to the higher noise and aberration level at the edge of the human pupil as well as the impact of head and eye motions on the pupil. In this paper, a two-step approach was proposed and implemented for reducing the edge effects and improving wavefront slope boundary condition. First, given an imaging pupil, a smaller size of sampling aperture can be adopted to avoid the noisy boundary slope data. To do this, we calibrated a set of influence matrices for different aperture sizes to accommodate pupil variations within the population. In step two, the slope data was extrapolated from the less noisy slope data inside the pupil towards the outside such that we had reasonable slope data over a larger aperture to stabilize the impact of eye pupil dynamics. This technique is applicable to any Neumann boundary-based active /adaptive modality but it is especially useful in the eye for improving AO retinal image quality where the boundary positions fluctuate.
A model of digestion modulation in grasshoppers

Abstract A phenomenological model is presented that links digestion and gustatory responsiveness for insect herbivores using chemical reactor models for digestion and feedbacks from nutrient titers in the hemolymph that determine internal delays. Numerical simulations under conditions of variable temperature and food quality gave qualitative and quantitative predictions of intermeal behavior coupled to substrate and nutrient concentrations in digestive structures (crop, midgut, and hemolymph system) that reasonably reflect available results for grasshoppers. Direct links between foraging behavior and the physiological process of digestion shows that digestion modified by temperature is an important rate-limited step in nutrient acquisition because of differential effects on different rates. Key results from the model, many deserving further empirical and theoretical study, include: (1) elevated metabolism at high temperature outstrips increased nutrient gain from increased gut throughput rates, indicating that the nutrient budget is regulated by temperature-dependent hemolymph use. (2) Depending on parameter choices, both absorption- and digestion-limitation is possible, regulated in part by midgut retention time of digesta. (3) For conditions studied here, foraging delay takes precedence over hemolymph feedback and may be explained by the need to balance diets. (4) Unless increased temperatures accompany lower food quality, insect herbivores will be unable to fully compensate for decreased food quality. (5) There is a physiological advantage to foraging at the extreme temperature range of well-studied development curves (? 38 – 40 ° C) although even higher temperatures beyond this point could be fatal, indicating the need for risk assessment models of such decisions.
Systemic Therapy of Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: How Hopeful Should We Be?

Worldwide, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. In the U.S., 18,510 new cancers of the liver and intrahepatic bile duct are expected in 2006, with an estimated 16,200 deaths. The incidence rates for HCC in the U.S. continued to rise steadily through 1998 and doubled during the period 1975-1995. Unresectable or metastatic HCC carries a poor prognosis, and systemic therapy with cytotoxic agents provides marginal benefit. A majority of HCC patients (>80%) presents with advanced or unresectable disease. Even for those with resected disease, the recurrence rate can be as high as 50% at 2 years. Because of the poor track record of systemic therapy in HCC, there has been a sense of nihilism for this disease in the oncology community for decades. However, with the arrival of newly developed molecularly targeted agents and the success of some of these agents in other traditionally challenging cancers, like renal cell carcinoma, there has recently been renewed interest in developing systemic therapy for HCC. This review attempts to concisely summarize the historical perspective and the current status of systemic therapy development in HCC.
Detailed Investigation of Light Induced Charge Injection into a Single Conjugated Polymer Chain

Detailed single molecule spectroscopic results are presented for the recently reported oxidation of single-chain conjugated polymers of MEH-PPV at the HTL/insulator interface of an MIS device. The ...
VON THÜNEN'S ISOLATED STATE AND THE AREA AROUND ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT This paper compares the agricultural patterns in the immediate umland of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the crop theory in von Thunen's Isolated State. Although many of the assumptions upon which the Isolated State was built are not met in the study area, several striking empirical parallels can be seen. First, there is a ninety-five square mile eucalyptus forest surrounding the capital city, producing firewood and building material for the city. Even more significant is the shape of the forest which resembles the theoretical patterns suggested by Thunen that resulted from the introduction of an improved transportation surface into the Isolated State along which costs were drastically reduced. Eucalyptus forests are also found around smaller towns over much of Ethiopia in accordance with the idea that the small town in the Isolated State would produce its own land use zones. Vegetable production is found in close proximity to the city although vegetable and milk production do not occur together as s...
MANAGEMENT OF PROSTHESIS INFECTIONS IN UROLOGIC SURGERY

Prosthetic devices are a cornerstone of urologic surgical care. The most disastrous complication of these surgical procedures is infection. The prevention, identification, and management of infections are critical to maintaining functional urologic prosthetic devices. Although the incidence is low, rapid identification of infections once they occur and proper management with antibiotics, surgical intervention, irrigation, and salvage procedures can maintain the function of urologic prosthetic devices despite clinical infection.