cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of dye-doped silica nanoparticles prepared using a reverse microemulsion method

Fluorescent labeling based on silica nanoparticles facilitates unique applications in bioanalysis and bioseparation. Dye-doped silica nanoparticles have significant advantages over single-dye labeling in signal amplification, photostability and surface modification for various biological applications. We have studied the formation of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)dichlororuthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)) dye-doped silica nanoparticles by ammonia-catalyzed hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in water-in-oil microemulsion. The fluorescence spectra, particle size, and size distribution of Ru(bpy) dye-doped silica nanoparticles were examined as a function of reactant concentrations (TEOS and ammonium hydroxide), nature of surfactant molecules, and molar ratios of water to surfactant (R) and cosurfactant to surfactant (p). The particle size and fluorescence spectra were dependent upon the type of microemulsion system chosen. The particle size was found to decrease with an increase in concentration of ammonium hydroxide and increase in water to surfactant molar ratio (R) and cosurfactant to surfactant molar ratio (p). This optimization study of the preparation of dye-doped silica nanoparticles provides a fundamental knowledge of the synthesis and optical properties of Ru(bpy) dye-doped silica nanoparticles. With this information, these nanoparticles can be easily manipulated, with regard to particle size and size distribution, and bioconjugated as needed for bioanalysis and bioseparation applications.
TH‐E‐ValB‐06: Quantitative Characterization of Tumor Vascular Dysfunction in High‐Grade Gliomas Prior to and During Radiotherapy

Introduction: Vascular properties within and adjacent to tumors may not be distinguishable by cerebral blood flow [CBF] or cerebral blood volume [CBV] alone, since the rates of CBV change may not be proportional in magnitude to CBF change. Hence, the empirical and physiological relationships between CBF and CBV were examined to estimate vasculature‐specific hemodynamiccharacteristics in high‐grade gliomas. Methods: Twenty patients with gliomas were studied with dynamic contrast‐enhanced T2* MRI [DCE‐MRI] before and during radiotherapy [RT]. CBF and CBV were calculated from DCE‐MRI and the relationships between the two were evaluated using two different metrics: The physiological measure of Mean Transit Time [MTT]=CBV/CBF; and, Empirical fitting of CBV and CBF using the power law, expressed as CBV=Constant*(CBF)β. Three tissue types were assessed, Gd‐enhanced tumor volume [GdTV], non‐enhancing abnormal tissue located beyond GdTV but within the abnormal hyperintense volume on FLAIR images [NEV], and normal tissue in hemisphere contralateral to tumor[CNT]. Effects of tissue types, CBV magnitudes (low[L], medium[M] and high[H] CBV), before and during RT, on MTT and β were analyzed by factorial ANOVA. Results: Both, MTT and β were significantly different (p<0.009) among the three tissue types. MTT increased from CNT(=1.60s) to NEV(=1.93s) to GdTV(=2.28s) (<0.0005). The power exponent β was significantly greater in GdTV(=1.079) and NEV(=1.070) than CNT(=1.025), but β in NEV and GdTV were not significantly different from each other. β increased with increasing CBV magnitude. There was a significant decrease in MTT and a significant increase in β in tumor (GdTV) and peritumoral (NEV) tissue during RT compared with pre‐RT values. Conclusions: β was strongly dependent on CBV magnitude and MTT on tissue type. Progressive abnormalities in functional characteristics of the vascular bed were noted, with significant disorder in tumor, but mild abnormality in peritumoral tissue. Early vascular response to radiation was first observed in functional rather than structural properties.
Poly(α-hydroxyacids) for application in the spinal cord: Resorbability and biocompatibility with adult rat schwann cells and spinal cord

Future surgical strategies to restore neurological function in the damaged human spinal cord may involve replacement of nerve tissue with cultured Schwann cells using biodegradable guiding implants. We have studied the in vitro and in vivo degradability of various aliphatic polyesters as well as their effects on rat Schwann cells in vitro and on spinal cord tissue in vivo. In vitro, cylinders made of poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) 50:50 (PLA25GA50) started to degrade at 7 days, compared with 28 days for cylinders made of poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PLA50). This faster degradation of PLA25GA50 was reflected by a much higher absorption of water. In vivo, after implantation of PLA25GA50 or PLA50 cylinders between the stumps of a completely transected adult rat spinal cord, the decrease in molecular weight of both polymers was similar to that found in vitro. In vitro degradation of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA100) mixed with increasing amounts of PLA100 oligomers also was determined. The degradation rate of PLA100 mixed with 30% oligomers was found to be similar to that of PLA50. In vitro, PLA25GA50 and the breakdown products had no adverse effect on the morphology, survival, and proliferation of cultured rat Schwann cells. In vivo, PLA25GA50 cylinders were integrated into the spinal tissue 2 weeks after implantation, unlike PLA50 cylinders. At all time points after surgery, the glial and inflammatory response near the lesion site was largely similar in both experimental and control animals. At time points later than 1 week, neurofilament-positive fibers were found within PLA25GA50 cylinders or the remains thereof. Growth-associated protein 43, which is indicative of regenerating axons, was observed in fibers in the vicinity of the injury site and in the remains of PLA25GA50 cylinders. The results suggest that poly(alpha-hydroxyacids) are likely candidates for application in spinal cord regeneration paradigms involving Schwann cells.
Endotoxin induces glutathione reductase activity in lungs of mice

Glutathione reductase catalyzes the NADPH-dependent conversion of glutathione disulfide to glutathione and helps protect the lung from injury by reactive oxygen. In animals allowed to breathe nearly 100% oxygen, the activities of other antioxidants in the lung can be induced by treatment with endotoxin, and this induction is associated with increased tolerance to hyperoxia. The purpose of this study was to see whether glutathione reductase activity in the lungs of mice increased with endotoxin treatment alone. We studied 60 FVB mice (20 males and 40 females). Half received endotoxin (500 micrograms/kg) intraperitoneally at time 0 and 24 h, and the controls received an equal volume of saline. At 48 h we killed the mice and removed their lungs. Treatment of mice with endotoxin increased glutathione reductase activity in the lung 55% (0.035 +/- 0.005 to 0.054 +/- 0.010 mumol NADPH reduced/min/mg protein; mean +/- SD; endotoxin different from control, p < 0.001). The increase in activity was the same for male and female mice. We measured the specific protein for glutathione reductase by Western analysis and mRNA for glutathione reductase using a slot-blot analysis and found that both increased roughly 2-fold with endotoxin treatment. This suggests that endotoxin treatment resulted in either increased rate of transcription of glutathione reductase mRNA or increased mRNA stability. We conclude that endotoxin treatment increases glutathione reductase activity in the lung and that this increase in activity may play a role in subsequent protection from hyperoxia.
Sexual health promotion and adult retail stores

To explore the extent to which adult retail stores may contribute to a community's sexual health promotion infrastructure, we collected data from 294 customer service employees of 80 adult retail stores in 61 U.S. cities. Findings indicated that these stores and their employees do possess at least a baseline level of characteristics that indicate they are serving, or have the potential to serve, as sexual health resources in their communities. As researchers and practitioners continue to explore new and effective mechanisms for responding to sexual health issues, they should consider outlets such as adult stores. Enhancing the capacity of these stores to contribute to sexual health may require strategic collaborations between sexual health researchers, sexual health practitioners, and the adult retail industry in order to develop initiatives that are responsive to the unique goals and cultures of each.
Further analysis of a Late Jurassic dinosaur bone-bed from the Morrison Formation of Montana, USA, with a computed three-dimensional reconstruction

A Late Jurassic sauropod bone-bed comprising thousands of individual skeletal ele- ments in the Morrison Formation of Montana, USA, is re-analysed to further elucidate its taphonomic history. New data gained from detailed contextual sampling is assembled and presented to test the hypothesis of a drought-induced, mass-mortality assemblage, and its subsequent depositional emplace- ment by a debris flow. Large dinosaur bone-beds are well-known in the Morrison, yet the Mother's Day Quarry site is unique for the formation in depicting an apparent debris flow deposit. Use of a computer program tailored to the data allows three-dimensional reconstruction of the bone-bed and recreates the palaeoslope of the deposit, adding support to the debris flow hypothesis. Such digital manipulation of field data may allow a deeper understanding of other bone-bed origination events.
Occurrence and clinical significance of thrombocytopenia in a population undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary revascularization☆

AbstractObjectives. This study sought to determine the frequency of thrombocytopenia and its relation with clinical outcomes in high risk patients undergoing percutaneous coronary revascularization...
Molecular heterogeneity in osteogenesis imperfecta type I

Osteogenesis imperfecta (01) type I is characterized by bone fragility without significant deformity, osteopenia, normal stature, blue sclerae, and autosomal dominant inheritance. Dermal fibroblasts from most affected individuals produce about half the expected amount of type I collagen, suggesting that the OI type I phenotype results from a variety of mutations which alter the apparent expression of either COL1A1 or COL1A2, the genes encoding the chains of type I collagen
State-based modeling of continuous human-integrated systems: An application to air traffic separation assurance

A method for modeling the safety of human-integrated systems that have continuous dynamics is introduced. The method is intended to supplement more detailed reliability-based methods. Assumptions for the model are defined such that the model is demonstrably complete, enabling it to yield a set of key agent characteristics. These key characteristics identify a sufficient set of characteristics that can be used to establish the safety of particular system configurations. The method is applied for the analysis of the safety of strategic and tactical separation assurance algorithms for the next generation air transportation system. It is shown that the key characteristics for this problem include the ability of agents (human or automated) to identify configurations that can enable intense transitions from a safe to unsafe state. However, the most technologically advanced algorithm for separation assurance does not currently attempt to identify such configurations. It is also discussed how, although the model is in a form that lends itself to quantitative evaluations, such evaluations are complicated by the difficulty of accurately quantifying human error probabilities.
Bronchial segment matching in low-dose lung CT scan pairs

Documenting any change in airway dimensions over time may be relevant for monitoring the progression of pulmonary diseases. In order to correctly measure the change in segmental dimensions of airways, it is necessary to locate the identical airway segments across two scans. In this paper, we present an automated method to match individual bronchial segments from a pair of low-dose CT scans. Our method uses the intensity information in addition to the graph structure as evidences for matching the individual segments. 3D image correlation matching technique is employed to match the region of interest around the branch points in two scans and therefore locate the matching bronchial segments. The matching process was designed to address the differences in airway tree structures from two scans due to the variation in tree segmentations. The algorithm was evaluated using 114 pairs of low-dose CT scans (120 kV, 40 mAs). The total number of segments matched was 3591, of which 99.7% were correctly matched. When the matching was limited to the bronchial segments of the fourth generation or less, the algorithm correctly identified all of 1553 matched segments.
Balancing and Limiting Episcopal Power: Bishop Thomas Barlow’s Use of Common Law in Disputes with Arminian Anglican Clerics

Thomas Barlow was a Reformed theologian simultaneously fighting on three fronts against Catholic, Dissenting Protestant and Arminian Anglican opponents. The first two of these groups threatened the Church of England from the outside, while the last group was transforming Anglican doctrine through its domination of the most important posts in the episcopal hierarchy. Barlow could not argue directly against the power of bishops without assisting the external opponents, yet he had to find a way to prevent other bishops from interfering in his continued support for Reformed theology. In order to reduce their power within the Church of England, Barlow had to look outside the institution for ways to limit his superior’s power. This essay examines two arguments in which Barlow ventured into polemics about the secular law of England in an effort to maintain limits on his Anglican opponents’ exercise of power.
Dopamine D1 antagonists potentiate the durations of bar and cling catalepsy and the dorsal immobility response in rats.

The effects of dopamine D1 antagonists SCH 23390 or SKF the peak effect of SK&F 83566 took place at 20 min and that for SCH 23390 at 40 min for each behavior. At each effective drug dose, SCH 23390 had a greater effect than SK&F 83566 on each behavior. Dopamine D1 antagonists potentiated three different immobility responses, as do dopamine D2 antagonists.
A Successful Feminist Shelter: A Case Study of the Family Crisis Shelter in Hawaii

Feminist-run shelters for battered women seek both to provide protection for these women and to empower them with a critique of the society that promotes violence and male domination. Largely because of difficulties in obtaining funding, however, in the U.S. the trend has been for such shelters to be coopted into conventional social service agencies. This article presents a case study of the Family Crisis Shelter in Hawaii, which has retained its feminist program and continues to promote societal change despite its financing by governmental and conventional funding sources. The author attributese this shelter's relative success to its particular empowerment strategy, which primarily depends on staffing by nonprofessional former shelter residents and its policy of providing nonjudgmental support for its residents.
Career Development for Community Adult Educators: Interrelating Personal and Professional Development:

Career development programs have emerged recently as one answer to the varied needs of a changing workforce. This qualitative case study examined participants' experiences in a career development p...
Cost-Effectiveness of Primary Care

This article is intended only as an introduction to the use of cost-effectiveness analysis in primary care. The goals are to provide a clear understanding of the difference between the cost of a treatment and its cost-effectiveness; consider what is generally a socially acceptable range for cost-effectiveness; provide some basic criteria for critically evaluating cost-effectiveness analyses in the medical literature; give some examples of the cost-effectiveness of various treatments in primary care; and provide for comparison some examples of cost-effectiveness in the world of specialty care. For those interested in more detail, excellent books and reviews are available, including the report of a US. Public Health Service-appointed expert panel.
On the secular variations in the composition of Phanerozoic marine potash evaporites

In a recent paper, L.A. Hardie proposed that the secular changes in the mineralogy of marine nonskeletal limestones and in the mineralogy of marine potash evaporites during the Phanerozoic are the result of changes in the composition of seawater caused primarily by fluctuations in the flux of seawater through mid-ocean ridges. He suggested that even quite small variations (25%) in this flux have a profound effect on the composition of seawater. We show that the effects of changes in the hydrothermal flux are much smaller than he proposed. Nevertheless, a doubling of the hydrothermal flux could probably alter the composition of seawater sufficiently to affect the mineralogy of marine potash evaporites. An alternative explanation for the variations in the mineralogy of these deposits invokes differences in the degree of dolomitization during the evaporation of seawater. The apparent near constancy of the K{sup +} content of seawater during the Phanerozoic supports this hypothesis. It seems likely that during periods of rapid seafloor spreading the rate of seawater cycling is greater than today, that sea level is higher, that very large carbonate platforms are more abundant, and that changes in seawater chemistry together with increases in dolomitization during the evaporation of seawatermore » lead to MgSO{sub 4}-free potash deposits. The relative importance of these several effects can probably be determined with certainty only when we have analyses of relatively unaltered seawater from the several Phanerozoic periods. 27 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.« less
Inhibitory Effect of Autologous Plasma on the Uptake of Tritiated Thymidine by Leukaemic Lymphoblasts and its Relation to Prognosis

Summary. In vitro incorporation of tritiated thymidine was measured in blast cells from 33 unselected and untreated patients with lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) both when autologous plasma was present and also when it was substituted by pooled normal plasma. A similar procedure was carried out on 19 patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukaemia (AnonLL). Plasma from the patients with ALL was variably found to reduce the uptake of the radiolabelled DNA-precursor by their own blasts, with the most marked effect apparent in those with shorter survival times (P < 0.42). This phenomenon was not observed in AnonLL. The amount of plasma-mediated inhibition shown by the ALL patients also correlated overall with their WBC, a known feature of a poor outlook, but even in the 21 patients with WBC below 20.0 ± 109/1 there was still a significant association between plasma effect and survival (P < 0.01). The demonstration of such inhibitory plasma may be a useful prognostic marker in otherwise ‘standard risk’ ALL, and also may indicate a large tuniour inass where this is not reflected by the height of the circulating WBC.
Protection of multicast scalable video by secret sharing: simulation results

Security is an increasingly important attribute for multimedia applications that require prevention of unauthorized access to copyrighted data. Two approaches have been used to protect scalable video content in distribution: Partial encryption and progressive encryption. Partial encryption provides protection for only selected portions of the video. Progressive encryption allows transcoding with simple packet truncation, and eliminates the need to decrypt the video packets at intermediate network nodes with low complexity. Centralized Key Management with Secret Sharing (CKMSS) is a recent approach in which the group manager assigns unique secret shares to the nodes in the hierarchical key distribution tree. It allows the reconstruction of different keys by communicating different activating shares for the same prepositioned information. Once the group key is established, it is used until a member joins/leaves the multicast group or periodic rekeying occurs. In this paper, we will present simulation results regarding the communication and processing requirements of the CKMSS scheme applied to scalable video. In particular, we have measured the rekey message size and the processing time needed by the server for each join/leave request and periodic rekey event.
Frequency reconfigurable, 220–5000 MHz, five-band RF MEMS PIFA

A frequency reconfigurable, 220–5000MHz, five-band planar inverted F-antenna for the US Public Safety bands is presented in this paper. The reconfigurability of the antenna is achieved using 13 RF Micro Electro Mechanical Systems switches in order to alter the antenna operation between the bands, at 221, 470, 620, 935, and 4960MHz. The switches are employed to change the electrical lengths of the RF current paths on the antenna geometry which gives a high operational frequency ratio of 22 (4960/220). The measurement results agree well with simulations, where 10%, 5%, 8%, 7%, and 8% fractional bandwidths have been measured in the five bands respectively.
Narcolepsy: Cholinergic receptor changes in an animal model

An inbred colony of narcoleptic doberman pinschers has been analyzed for muscarinic receptor levels in 19 discrete brain regions. In comparison to age-matched controls, receptors were generally elevated in the brainstem and reduced in forebrain areas. No changes in receptor binding affinity were detected. The increased receptor levels found in the brainstem suggest that cholinoceptive neurons in this region are hypersensitive and may be involved in the initiation of cataplexy and other aspects of the narcolepsy syndrome.
A Selected Review of the Literature of Adjustment to Hemodialysis

The manner in which dialysis patients respond to the stress of chronic renal failure has been focused on in an active body of research. The general approach to the concept of adjustment is critically reviewed and its implications for research considered. A number of important selected factors are reviewed and conclusions in each of the areas are presented. Specific problems are defined and alternative approaches proposed.
A Reexamination of the “Sons of the Pit” in CD 13:14

This paper reexamines the arguments for the reconstruction, “sons of the dawn,” in CD 13:14 and contends that based on material evidence the former consensus reading, “sons of the pit,” is more likely. The reading “sons of the dawn” gained acceptance because of the apparent absence of the necessary stroke for taw and the discovery of a similar phrase in 4Q298. A close examination of a new image of the manuscript, however, reveals the presence of a serif consistent with taw rather than res and the remnants of ink where one would expect the leg of taw.
PLASMA DRIFT INSTABILITIES WITH PHASE VELOCITIES BELOW THE ION THERMAL VELOCITY

Abstract The existence of “drift” plasma instabilities with phase velocities at, and below, the ion thermal velocity is demonstrated. Possible experimental evidence is indicated.
Chapman Conference delves into the significance of rock glaciers

Rock glaciers are rubble-covered, flowing mixtures of rock and ice common in many alpine and polar regions. They even may occur on Mars. Although rock glaciers are important agents of geomorphic modification of the landscapes in which they occur, they are less well studied than their “true” ice-glacier cousins, and many questions surround their origin and development. The scientific benefits of answering these questions may be considerable, in part because rock glaciers could provide accessible archives of local climatic conditions throughout much of the last 10,000 years, and possibly extending back much longer in some settings. A Chapman Conference on the geomorphic and climatic significance of rock glaciers was sponsored by AGU at the Northwest College Field Station in the Absaroka Mountains near Cody, Wyo., August 23–28, 1996. Despite more than 40 years of study, surprisingly little is understood about rock glaciers. Even hypotheses about their genesis are controversial: one view holds that regardless of compartheir similar appearance and distribution, rock glaciers are distinct from true glaciers and strictly result from periglacial processes [Barsch, 1996]; the other holds that the formation of rock glaciers involves a continuum of processes from glacial to periglacial [Potter, 1972]. The conference was convened to help resolve the issue of the origin of rock glaciers, to highlight the significance of rock glaciers as geomorphic systems, and to identify areas for future research.
Habitat and reef-fish assemblages of banks in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

The moderately deep terraces and banks of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) were surveyed to describe their habitat and reef-fish assemblages. These tracts of bottom at 30–40 m comprise more than 4,500 km2 of the region’s reef area. The habitat was found to be dominated by algal meadows (65% cover of exposed bottom), with infrequent relief features. Annual monitoring of select stations for 4 years at Necker Bank indicated that the relative difference in algal abundance between stations persisted from year to year (at least in summer). Temperature records from year-long deployments of archival thermistors in high-cover (>70%) and low-cover (<30%) algal biotopes were indistinguishable, providing no explanation of the algal differences between stations. At all banks, Microdictyon was the primary alga, averaging 1.22 kg/m2. In spite of the extensive standing primary production, and a historical lack of fishing, bank reef-fish populations were impoverished. Mean densities, sizes, and biomass of trophic groups were considerably less than values reported for NWHI reef shallows. An overall mean biomass was estimated at 22.5 g/m2, which is a fifth of that reported for shallow reefs of the region. Fish biomass of all trophic groups was associated with the few sources of relief available on the banks. Apex predators (sharks, jacks, and snappers), common on all surveys (with a mean of five per station), were proposed to constrain fish populations to sparse sources of relief resulting in a skewed size structure of the two primary fish trophic components. Sizes of lower-level carnivores were tightly correlated with sources of relief whereas the size of herbivores were not, indicating that herbivores more often venture out and risk the exposed algal meadows. These bank summits are a rare example of a near pristine reef system with high benthic primary productivity and low fish biomass, and are a stark contrast to shallower coral-reef ecosystems of the NWHI.
Variant Angina Associated With Bitter Orange in a Dietary Supplement

The Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale of ephedrine-based weight-loss products because of their association with many cardiovascular adverse effects. Bitter orange is now being used as a stimulant in "ephedra-free" weight-loss supplements but was recently implicated in adverse cardiovascular sequelae. To our knowledge, this report describes the first case of variant angina associated with bitter orange in a dietary supplement.
Clinical prediction rules in physical therapy: coming of age?

Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) are tools designed to aid in clinical decision making by statistically combining clinical findings to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, prognosis, or prediction of response to treatment for individual patients. In physical therapy the majority of CPR-related research has focused on prediction of treatment response. An appeal of CPRs is their potential to make the process of subgrouping patients more evidence based and less reliant on unfounded theories and tradition. The development of CPRs, however, may not be the best solution in every situation. If physical therapy care for a condition is characterized by complex decision making, with a variety of potential options for different subgroups of patients, a CPR may be extremely valuable for improving care. For clinical conditions with less heterogeneity, different strategies, such as randomized clinical trials or quality-improvement studies, may be more effective. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2009;39(3):159–161. doi:10.2519/j...
Dirac's large numbers hypothesis in Einstein's theory of gravitation

A method is given for incorporating Dirac's Large Numbers hypothesis into Einstein's standard theory of general relativity. The method involves the assumption that at each point in space there exist two types of clocks, a cosmological clock measuring ephemeris timeτ and an atomic clock measuring atomic timet A . Newton's law of universal gravitation is formulated relativistically in terms of these two times and the proper distance determined by measuring rods between simultaneous events, and a method is given for operationally identifyingG. The Large Numbers hypothesis requirement thatG A ∝1/t A is then used to establish the relationship between the two times. Alternative derivations of the time relationship not involving a time-varying gravitational “constant” are obtained by intercomparison of various large numbers. It is shown that the resulting relationship betweent A andτ gives agreement with the observed natural microwave radiations. Also, the Large Numbers hypothesis leads to a time formed from the fundamental constants of Nature that is comparable to the age of the Universe.
Letter by Djuricich and Madanick Regarding Article, “A Randomized Trial of Social Media From Circulation”

We applaud Fox et al1 and Circulation for designing a randomized trial of social media to study the potential impact of social media on journal reach. Similar to health care in general, journals themselves must adapt to a changing environment, and the use of social media and other emerging technologies will clearly alter this landscape. Advocates of the use of social media in medicine and medical education have been quick to question the …
Rethinking Affirmative Action: Redefining Compelling State Interest and Merit in Admission

Affirmative action is under attack by those who believe that race neutral criteria or a totally color-blind admissions process is mandated by the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This onslaught comes in the form of voter-approved state initiatives outlawing the use of race in admission, a recent court case that rejected the position established in the Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) decision, and recent litigation involving the University of Michigan. Surrounding this controversy is the search for better definitions of equity, diversity, strict scrutiny, compelling state interest, and merit. This article is a continuation of two other works (Hendrickson, 1996, 1999) and reviews the history of the evolution of the concepts of equal protection under the law or equity and affirmative action. A review of the case law on admission and affirmative action will
Spatial heterogeneity in post-dispersal predation on Prunus and Uvularia seeds

We investigated effects of seed density, distance from parent, and habitat (woods, open field) on post-dispersal predation risk (chiefly by rodents) for seeds of Prunus virginiana (Rosaceae). Additional study of the habitat effect (woods, open field, treefall gap) was made with seeds of Prunus avium (Rosaceae) and Uvularia grandiflora (Liliaceae). Density of Prunus seeds (range 2-40 seeds/group) did not affect predation risk for individual seeds. Distance from parent plants did influence predation risk, which was greatest directly beneath parents. This distance effect primarily comprised a sharp drop in risk within 2 m of parents, a distance too small to generate a "spacing rule" for conspecifics.We found that habitat strongly influenced predation intensity. Rates of removal of Prunus seeds were higher in woods than in open fields, except when overall predation intensity was very low and no pattern could be discerned. Prunus seed removal rates were higher in closed woods than in treefall gaps. Consequently, a Prunus seed will more likely escape predation if dispersed to an open site. In contrast, Uvularia seed removal rates were higher in open fields than in woods but did not differ between closed woods and tree-fall gaps.Predation intensity was spatially patchy between and within experimental arrays, but was consistent over time at some specific points in space, possibly reflecting home ranges of seed predators.
Shifting reactions to risks: a case study

Social science research in the field of risk analysis has emphasised evaluating the magnitude of individuals’ reactions to risks (e.g. strength and salience of concerns, frequency and forcefulness of behaviours that respond to risks). Fewer studies assess the factors that contribute to risk reactions or the types of risks to which reactions are directed (e.g. human health, wildlife health or ecosystem health risks; economic or aesthetic concerns). Theoretical and empirical research on amplification and attenuation of risk (e.g. the Social Amplification of Risk Framework) reveals that the strength of people’s reaction to risks can change markedly over time, as a function of new stimuli. We expand on this foundation to consider here how the types of risks members of the public react to may also shift over the course of their exposure to a hazard, particularly as more information about the hazard becomes available. This case study of risk reactions related to an outbreak of type E botulism in north-western M...
The hydrodynamic force and torque on a bounded sphere in Poiseuille flow

The lattice Boltzmann (LB) method is used to study the hydrodynamic force and torque acting on a sphere held stationary between parallel plates in pressure-driven flow. This and associated flow configurations are explored in this paper. LB results are in excellent agreement with existing theory and numerical results for simple pressure-driven flow between parallel plates, for flow through a periodic medium of spheres [Zick AA, Homsy GM], and for the force and torque acting on a sphere held fixed at the quarter vertical position in a pressure-driven flow between parallel plates. In the latter case, LB calculations reveal a screening effect caused by neighboring periodic images of the test sphere
More laboratory evidence on the disparity between willingness to pay and compensation demanded

Abstract Recent experimental work showing a disparity between willingness to pay for and compensation demanded to give up lottery tickets is contrary to economists' ideas about rationality. Presented here are the results of experiments in which subjects participate in second price auctions to indicate willingness to pay and compensation demanded for lottery tickets that have fixed odds of winning or losing money. When the auction institution used has truthful revelation of preferences as the dominant strategy, and that strategy is announced to subjects, the difference between the measures of value decreases significantly. The within subject comparison design provides a more discriminating measure of behavior than between subject comparison designs used previously.
Decoupling policy from mechanism in Internet routing

Routing is a black art in today's Internet. End users and ISPs alike have little control over how their packets are handled outside of their networks, stemming in part from limitations of the current wide-area routing protocol, BGP. We believe that many of these constraints are due to policy-based restrictions on route-exportation. Separating forwarding policy from route discovery would allow users to select among the possibly many inter-AS paths available to them and enable ISPs to more effectively manage the end-to-end behavior of their customers' traffic.As a concrete mechanism for enforcing forwarding policy, we purpose the concept of a network capability that binds together a path request, an accountable resource principal, and an authorizing agent. Network capabilities are central to Platypus, a loose source routing protocol we are designing, which composes network capabilities authorized by multiple ISPs to construct alternative inter-AS routes that can be independently validated and accounted for on the fly.
Inhibition of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Cyclooxygenase-2 and Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression by 4-[(2′-O-acetyl-α-L-Rhamnosyloxy)Benzyl]Isothiocyanate from Moringa oleifera

Moringa oleifera Lamarck is commonly consumed for nutritional or medicinal properties. We recently reported the isolation and structure elucidation of novel bioactive phenolic glycosides, including 4-[(2'-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnosyloxy)benzyl]isothiocyanate (RBITC), which was found to suppress inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells. Inhibitors of proteins such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and iNOS are potential antiinflammatory and cancer chemopreventive agents. The inhibitory activity of RBITC on NO production (IC(50) = 0.96 ± 0.23 μM) was greater than that mediated by other well-known isothiocyanates such as sulforaphane (IC(50) = 2.86 ± 0.39 μM) and benzyl isothiocyanate (IC(50) = 2.08 ± 0.28 μM). RBITC inhibited expression of COX-2 and iNOS at both the protein and mRNA levels. Major upstream signaling pathways involved mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). RBITC inhibited phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and stress-activated protein kinase, as well as ubiquitin-dependent degradation of inhibitor κBα (IκBα). In accordance with IκBα degradation, nuclear accumulation of NF-κB and subsequent binding to NF-κB cis-acting element was attenuated by treatment with RBITC. These data suggest RBITC should be included in the dietary armamentarium of isothiocyanates potentially capable of mediating antiinflammatory or cancer chemopreventive activity.
Stress evolution of the San Andreas fault system: Recurrence interval versus locking depth

[1] Major ruptures along the San Andreas Fault System (SAFS) are driven by stress that has accumulated in the upper locked portion of the crust. The present-day stress accumulation rate on any given fault segment is fairly well resolved by current geodetic measurements. Model stress accumulation rates vary between 0.5 and 7 MPa per century and are inversely proportional to earthquake recurrence intervals. In contrast, the total accumulated stress on a given fault segment is poorly resolved since it depends on the uncertain rupture history of each fault over the past few thousand years. We simulate accumulated stress at crustal depths for both past and present-day conditions by assuming complete release of accumulated slip deficit during major ruptures. These speculative results indicate that the southern San Andreas, which has not ruptured in a major earthquake in over 300 years, is currently approaching a threshold stress level.
The Disposition of Doxorubicin on Repeated Dosing

Twelve cancer patients (aged 49-74 years) receiving doxorubicin (66 +/- 8 mg/m2) as a 1-hour intravenous infusion had serial serum samples (0-48 hours) obtained after the first and second courses of therapy. Mean number of days between courses was 24.3, and all patients had normal liver function. Patients received the same concomitant antineoplastic agents and doses in both courses. Doxorubicin and doxorubicinol concentrations were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography and fitted to a two- or three-compartment infusion model. White blood cell and platelet toxicity were evaluated as (initial--nadir/initial)* 100. Differences in pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by a paired t test. Wide intrapatient and interpatient variability was seen between therapeutic courses. A significant decrease in the apparent volume of distribution of the central compartment (Vc = 16.6 versus 10.4 L/m2; P < .05), and a nonsignificant decrease in clearance (CL = 748 versus 658 mL/min/m2) was observed on the second course of therapy. Doxorubicinol area under the curve and elimination half-life were similar between courses. Extensive chemotherapy-induced changes in white blood cell and platelet counts were observed but were similar in degree for courses 1 and 2. These data suggest that higher initial doxorubicin concentrations on the second course of therapy are secondary to an alteration in distribution volume (Vc). In this subset of patients, however, these changes were not associated with an increase in hematologic toxicity.
A Review of Graphene‐Based Electrochemical Microsupercapacitors

The rapid development of miniaturized electronic devices has led to a growing need for rechargeable micropower sources with high performance. Among different sources, electrochemical microcapacitors or microsupercapacitors provide higher power density than their counterparts and are gaining increased interest from the research and engineering communities. To date, little work has appeared on the integration of microsupercapacitors onto a chip or flexible substrates. This review provides an overview of research on microsupercapacitors, with particular emphasis on state-of-the-art graphene-based electrodes and solid-state devices on both flexible and rigid substrates. The advantages, disadvantages, and performance of graphene-based microsupercapacitors are summarized and new trends in materials, fabrication and packaging are identified.
Significant fetal bradycardia during antepartum heart rate testing

Reviewed were 800 patients who underwent antepartum fetal heart rate testing. Significant fetal bradycardia (
Ultraviolet radiation physics in astronomy and geophysics

Abstract The astrophysicist has been compelled, in his studies of the solar and stellar atmospheres, to abandon in some cases the simpler “local thermodynamic equilibrium” approach. The new approach assumes statistical equilibrium and writes equations which concern the transfer of energy. Details of the atomic and electronic collisions must be taken into account, along with the effects of the radiation field itself. The need for values of excitation, ionization, and similar cross sections is therefore of paramount importance. For studies of the corona where high ionization and excitation prevail, u.v. radiation is a pertinent factor. The appropriate laboratory and theoretical parameters are badly needed. Detailed studies of the photochemical reactions and ionization in the earth's upper atmosphere frequently touch on u.v. spectroscopic theory and data. In particular, the investigation of ionization rates has pointed out the need for accurate total absurption cross sections of molecules and atoms for u.v. radiation as well as the need for better ionization efficiencies. The range below 300 A should be emphasized. Accurate solar absolute intensity data is lacking for the same regions. The improvement of optical instruments for the u.v. region is progressing, but more work remains to be done. The greatest lack seems to be the absence of good absolute calibration for intensity in the far u.v. The causes of some of the inadequacies of modern reflection gratings, including the echelle, should be found by laboratory research, and the remedies, if any, put into effect. Transmission and reflectivity research in the u.v. has already contributed notably to improvement in optical instrumentation. A good physics theory remains to be developed in this field, and basic laboratory research is in order.
Interface between problem-based learning and a learner-centered paradigm

BACKGROUND Problem-based learning (PBL) has made a major shift in support of student learning for many medical school curricula around the world. Since curricular development of PBL in the early 1970s and its growth in the 1980s and 1990s, there have been growing numbers of publications providing positive and negative data in regard to the curricular effectiveness of PBL. The purpose of this study was to explore supportive data for the four core objectives of PBL and to identify an interface between the objectives of PBL and a learner-centered paradigm. METHODS The four core PBL objectives, ie, structuring of knowledge and clinical context, clinical reasoning, self-directed learning, and intrinsic motivation, were used to search MEDLINE, the Education Resources Information Center, the Educator's Reference Complete, and PsycINFO from January 1969 to January 2011. The literature search was facilitated and narrowed if the published study included the following terms: "problem-based learning", "medical education", "traditional curriculum", and one of the above four PBL objectives. RESULTS Through a comprehensive search analysis, one can find supportive data for the effectiveness of a PBL curriculum in achieving the four core objectives of PBL. A further analysis of these four objectives suggests that there is an interface between PBL objectives and criteria from a learner-centered paradigm. In addition, this review indicates that promotion of teamwork among students is another interface that exists between PBL and a learner-centered paradigm. CONCLUSION The desire of medical schools to enhance student learning and a need to provide an environment where students construct knowledge rather than receive knowledge have encouraged many medical schools to move into a learner-centered paradigm. Implementation of a PBL curriculum can be used as a prevailing starting point to develop not only a learner-centered paradigm, but also to facilitate a smooth curricular transition from a teacher-centered paradigm to a learner-centered paradigm.
A Novel Technique for Quantitative Temperature Mapping in Liquid by Measuring the Lifetime of Laser Induced Phosphorescence

A unique method is described in the present paper for quantitative mapping of temperature field in a liquid flow by taking advantage of the phosphorescence lifetime dependence on temperature. This methodology represents an extension of the Molecular Tagging Velocimetry (MTV) technique. As in MTV measurements, the phosphorescence signal is imaged at two successive times within the lifetime of the tracer. The phosphorescence lifetime, estimated from the intensity ratio of the two images at each point, is calibrated with respect to the temperature. This procedure eliminates the effects of the variation of the incident illumination. The method described in the present paper also allows the simultaneous quantification of velocity and temperature fields in a fluid flow by using the same phosphorescent tracer (1-BrNp·Gβ-CD·ROH) and the same optical and equipment setup. While the displacements of the tagged regions between two interrogations provide the estimate of fluid velocity vectors, the intensity ratio of the two images represents the fluid temperature distribution. The implementation and application of the new technique are demonstrated by conducting simultaneous temperature and velocity measurements in a pulsed cold jet discharging into hot ambient fluid.
Medical pearl: pruritus ani and seborrheic dermatitis.

Answer: Lysinuric protein intolerance. This is an autosomal recessive condition caused by a defect in membrane transport of the cationic amino acids lysine, arginine, and ornithine. Patients with lysinuric protein intolerance have a dermatitis which is indistinguishable from neonatal lupus, may develop complications consistent with lupus, such as vasculitis and glomerulonephritis, and may have positive titers of antinuclear antibodies and sicca syndrome A and sicca syndrome B antibodies. They manifest failure to thrive, have no evidence of heart block, and have hyperammonenemia. These children preferentially avoid protein-rich foods, and must avoid them as they grow up. These patients exhibit no photosensitivity.