cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Statistical analysis of factors affecting activated sludge reactor performance

A statistical analysis was conducted on factors affecting the removal of organic pollutants from municipal wastewaters in activated sludge reactors. The factors include bioaugmentation, sludge age, hydraulic detention time and waste strength. Wastewaters were obtained from the Easterly and Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plants in Cleveland, Ohio. A 20‐day sludge age, a 24‐hour detention time, and high waste strength resulted in the best organic removal efficiency. Bioaugmentation had no significant effect on activated sludge reactor performance.
Pharmacokinetics of Cephalosporins in Patients with Normal or Reduced Renal Function

The pharmacokinetic distribution of 10 cephalosporin compounds, cephalothin, cephaloridine, cephaloglycine, cephalexin, cefazolin, cephapirin, cephradine, cephacentrile, cefoxitin, and cefamandole, in patients with various degrees of renal function was reviewed. The mean serum half-life (t1/2) of each cephalosporin compound was calculated from reported data in patients grouped according to their degree of renal function, as determined by the rate of creatinine clearance. Mean t1/2 values in patients with normal renal function were compared with t1/2 values for the same cephalosporin in patients with moderate renal failure and severe renal azotemia. The effect of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis on the mean serum t1/2 of each cephalosporin was also determined. The mean serum t1/2 of each cephalosporin progressively increased as the rate of creatinine clearance decreased. Hemodialysis decreases the t1/2 of cephaloridine, cephalexin, cefazolin, and cephacetrile but only minimally influences the t1/2 of cephalothin and cefamandole. Peritoneal dialysis reduces the t1/2 of cephalothin and cephaloridine but only minimally influences the t1/2 of cefazolin and cefamandole.
Bibliographic education and reference desk service―A continuum

La formation bibliographique, le service de reference, la recherche de references en ligne et les services de pret interbibliotheque representent l'ensemble des tâches dites de reference dans une bibliotheque et forment un continuum. L'articulation de ces differents services est mise a jour dans une bibliotheque universitaire
SU‐FF‐I‐88: The Small Animal Radiation Research Platform: Benchtop Cone‐Beam CT

Purpose: We are constructing a benchtop small‐animal radiation research platform to deliver focused, conformal radiation for translational research. An x‐ray tube is employed for both irradiation and cone‐beam CTimaging. This paper reports on the design and initial results of an integrated cone‐beam CT sub‐system to provide image guidance prior to radiation treatment delivery. Materials and Methods: The design of the platform necessitates cone‐beam acquisition with a unique geometry in which projection images are acquired as the animal is rotated about an anterior‐to‐posterior axis. In these prototype experiments, images of a euthanized mouse were acquired (1 image per degree for 360°) using a phosphor‐mirror‐coupled CCDcamera and with the x‐ray tube operating at 80 kVp. We perform cone‐beam CTreconstruction via the filtered back‐projection algorithm of Feldkamp et al. Results: This system produces high‐quality CTreconstructions with isotropic resolution and minimal artifacts. Soft‐tissue contrast is easily visualized. Reconstruction time is approximately 3 minutes. The acquisition requires approximately 22 cGy dose to isocenter. Work is ongoing to reduce the dose with the use of a higher DQE flat‐panel imager, to optimize imaging parameters using the constant voltage x‐ray beam, and to automate acquisition and reconstruction.Conclusions: High quality CTreconstructions are possible with our prototype small animal system. In conjunction with robotic motion stages, the novel acquisition geometry enables the construction of a benchtop system in which the x‐ray tube is used for both on‐line CT acquisition and radiation delivery.
Unit activity of limbic system neurons: effects of morphine, diazepam and neuroleptic agents.

Abstract The effects of morphine, diazepam and three neuroleptic agents (chlorpromazine, perphenazine and haloperidol) on neuronal firing rates were studied in the limbic system of immobilized cats. Parietal craniotomy was carried out under 1.5–4.0% halothane. Extracellular potentials from single cells in the cingulate gyrus, septum and lateral hypothalamic areas were recorded using glass-coated, platinum-iridium microelectrodes. In general, intravenous administration of morphine sulfate augmented the spontaneous firing rates of most of the neurons studied. In contrast, diazepam produced a marked attenuation of both spontaneous and morphine augmented firing rates, whereas the neuroleptic agents had no significant or consistent effects on the morphine augmented firing rates of neurons in these limbic areas. These data indicate that the limbic system may play an important role in the behavioral excitement in cats induced by morphine administration and also the depressant effect of the tranquilizer diazepam. In contrast, the inability of the neuroleptic agents to antagonize the morphine augmented neuronal firing rates suggest these agents may act outside the limbic areas studied here.
A Multiple Satellite Real-Time Control Network

The Satellite Control Faciity (SCF) is composed of a central control station and a number of remote tracking stations, several of which contain dual station capability. The primary function of the SCF is to provide real-time communication and control for tests of space vehicles in a dense multiple satellite environment. This paper describes data flow within the SCF, the major functional subsystems involved, the resource scheduling and finally the manner in which the network is being controlled by a complex of computer generated real-time scheduling functions.
Changes in the sedimentation properties of HeLa cell DNA and nucleoprotein during replication

Abstract 1. Short pulses of [ 3 H]thymidine were used to label the newly replicated DNA of HeLa suspension cultures which had been grown for a generation time in [ 14 C]thymidine. DNA was extracted by several methods from whole cells, nuclei and dispersed nucleoprotein, and the relative sizes of the newly replicated and bulk DNA were compared by sedimentation in alkaline and neutral sucrose gradients. 2. The results show that DNA is first synthesized in small pieces (less than 12 S) which are joined within 1 min into intermediate replicon-sized segments (26 S) and in 30–45 min into the final DNA product (> 39 S). 3. Dispersed nucleoprotein containing the newly replicated DNA sediments faster than the bulk nucleoprotein. However, when extracted from nucleoprotein by alkali or 2 M NaCl, the newly replicated DNA sediments more slowly than the bulk DNA. 4. Evidence is presented which suggests that DNA labeled with high specific activity [ 3 H]thymidine can undergo significant radiolytic degradation within 1 week.
Carbon diffusion in Mo2C as determined from carburization of Mo

A diffusion coefficient of C in nonstoichiometric α-Mo2C has been determined from the growth kinetics of the carbide layer. The results conform to the relationship:Dc (in cm2/s) = 68.86 ± 1.51 exp [(-294.77 ± 4.98)/RT] for the temperature range of 1273 to 1673 K, with the activation energy in kJ/mole. The growth rate,Kp, of the carbide thickness can be expressed as:Kp (in cm2/s) = 32.63 ± 1.52 exp [(-319.06 ± 5.12)/RT].
Using GPUs to Accelerate CAD Algorithms

The authors give an introduction to developing an EDA tool on a graphical processing unit. They present fault simulation as one of their EDA-specific examples.
Increased expression and activity of repair genes TDP1 and XPF in non-small cell lung cancer

Resistance to camptothecin (CPT), a topoisomerase I (Top1) inhibitor, is frequently encountered in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and CPT resistance is linked with TDP1, an enzyme capable of cleaving the covalent linkage between stabilized Top1 with DNA. The aim of this study is to evaluate the in vivo expression level of TDP1, as well as parallel repair pathway components XPF and MUS81, in primary NSCLC. We collected 30 un-matched and 4 NSCLC samples matched with normal lung tissue and 8 samples of non-neoplastic lung tissue from patients with and without lung cancer, and determined the protein expression of these three genes using Western blot and TDP1 activity by a specific enzymatic assay. Both TDP1 and XPF were overexpressed in over 50% of NSCLC tissues, with wide ranges of expression levels. MUS81 did not exhibit alteration in expression. Overexpression of TDP1 and XPF is common in NSCLC, and is therefore of interest as a possible contributor to drug resistance in NSCLC.
Cleavage fracture in pearlitic eutectoid steel

The effect of microstructure on flow and fracture properties of fully pearlitic steel has been studied by independently varying the prior austenite grain size and the pearlite interlamellar spacing through appropriate heat treatments. The yield strength is independent of the prior austenite grain size but increases as the interlamellar spacing or the temperature decreases. The microstructural dependence can be explained by using a model which assumes that yielding is controlled by dislocation motion in the ferrite lamellae. The critical tensile stress for cleavage fracture is found to be independent of prior austenite grain size, increasing as the interlamellar spacing decreases. The cleavage fracture stress is independent of temperature for fine pearlite but increases as the temperature decreases for coarse pearlite. The associated fracture in blunt notch specimens initiates at inclusions beneath notch surface near the location of maximum tensile stress. From the size of such inclusions, the effective surface energy for cleavage fracture can be directly calculated and is found to be independent of temperature and prior austenite grain size but to increase as the interlamellar spacing decreases, from about 5 to 13 J/m2 for the range of microstructures and temperatures used in this study. Additional measurements of the effective surface energy and further theoretical analyses of the cleavage process are needed.
Tribological Investigation of the Polymer-Based Lubrication System With Micropores Used in a Manufacturing Transfer Line

Flooded oil lubrication systems are commonly utilized for many manufacturing processes. However, there is an increasing concern with the flooded lubrication systems due to their biological and environmental impact as well as maintenance and disposal cost. A polymer-based lubrication system with micropores, a sponge like solid lubricant allowing the oil to weep out while in use, provides a promising alternative solution to satisfy the lubrication requirements for some manufacturing processes. In addition, it can minimize contamination of the coolant system, reduce waste processing and disposal costs, and alleviate the in-plant safety hazard from oil leakage on floor surfaces. The goal of this study is to develop and improve the current lubrication system by applying a polymer-based lubrication system with micropores in order to replace the oil flooded transfer line lubrication systems currently in production use. Using a laboratory reciprocating bench test based on design of experiments, this study characterized the tribological performance of the polymer-based lubrication system with micropores under a variety of operating conditions, identified the main factor which impacts the tribological performance of the polymer-based lubrication system with micropores, and developed a model to predict the wear loss of the new lubrication system with micropores. These results provide the guidelines for possible applications of the polymer-based lubrication system used in the manufacturing process.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Mass Loss from Pulsating Neutron Stars

DESPITE the trend of recent evidence, both observational and theoretical1, that radial pulsations may not be the source of variation in pulsars, the pulsational hypothesis has still not been disproved. In particular, the expected pulsational damping times of degenerate stars may be sufficiently long (for small oscillations) that observable variations could occur over a period of millions of years (J. M. Cohen and L. C. Rosen, private communication), in spite of some earlier theoretical evidence to the contrary2. One of the chief difficulties with the pulsational hypothesis, however, is that the calculated fundamental periods are longer than 1.5 s for white dwarfs3,4 and shorter than 1 ms for most neutron-star models5, whereas most pulsars have periods lying between these extremes. Overtone pulsations in white dwarfs have been suggested as a mechanism3, but this possibility seems rather unlikely, and neither it nor the suggestion that pulsations are occurring in the non-degenerate envelope6 or atmosphere7 of a white dwarf can explain the 33 ms variations of the Crab Nebula pulsar in Taurus. In this article, a new possibility involving radial pulsations of a neutron star which is undergoing mass loss will be pointed out, with a view to interpreting the observed period8,9 and secular increase of period10,11 of the Crab Nebula pulsar.
Low-temperature ion beam mixing of medium-Z metals

Abstract Low-temperature ion beam mixing of metals is generally ascribed to a combination of ballistic and thermal spike mechanisms. For heavy ions incident on sufficiently heavy metals the mixing rate varies much faster than linearly with the nuclear energy deposition density, ϵ, possibly quadratically as predicted by a model based on interdiffusion within overlapping thermal spikes. At lower energy densities the mixing rate still exceeds ballistic estimates significantly, but does not vary faster than linearly. Comparisons of results for medium- Z systems ranging from Pd-Ni to Al-Ti in this regime show that the same fundamental mixing mechanism must still be involved - a mechanism that is strongly sensitive to chemical driving forces, i.e., some type of “diffusion”. The evidence for a thermal spike mechanism is considered.
Applying a bilingual model to mine e-commerce satisfaction sentiment

In recent years we have witnessed that e-commerce has become an international phenomenon in which sellers often need to do business with buyers who use different languages. As customers, including international customers, often make purchase decisions based on online reviews, comments and recommendations made by other customers, understanding the sentiment of online comments becomes necessary for sellers who want to provide customized recommendations to users for a higher level of customer satisfaction. To this end, we have recently developed a bilingual model to handle both English and Chinese user comments posted on e-commerce websites. This paper addresses several key issues including Chinese segmentation, data mining models and systematic design. An experiment in mining user satisfaction sentiment with English and Chinese online user comments illustrates the value of our developed bilingual model.
Analytic properties of the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker coherent-potential approximation.

It is shown that the coherent-potential approximation when used in connection with the Green-function formalism of Korringa, Kohn, and Rostoker (KKR-CPA) yields an effective-medium propagator and self-energy that possess the proper analytic structure in the complex-energy plane. The proof emphasizes the unifying features of the CPA within the tight-binding and KKR formalisms, and it is valid for the case of both muffin-tin as well as arbitrarily shaped, space-filling potential cells.
Characterizing urban sprawl using multi-stage remote sensing images and landscape metrics

Abstract This study intends to explore the spatial analytical methods to identify both general trends and more subtle patterns of urban land changes. Landsat imagery of metropolitan Kansas City, USA was used to generate time series of land cover data over the past three decades. Based on remotely sensed land cover data, landscape metrics were calculated. Both the remotely sensed data and landscape metrics were used to characterize long-term trends and patterns of urban sprawl. Land cover change analyses at the metropolitan, county, and city levels reveal that over the past three decades the significant increase of built-up land in the study area was mainly at the expense of non-forest vegetation cover. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the land cover changes allowed the identification of fast and slow sprawling areas. The landscape metrics were analyzed across jurisdictional levels to understand the effects of the built-up expansion on the forestland and non-forest vegetation cover. The results of the analysis suggest that at the metropolitan level both the areas of non-forest vegetation and the forestland became more fragmented due to development while large forest patches were less affected. Metrics statistics show that this landscape effect occurred moderately at the county level, while it could be only weakly identified at the city level, suggesting a scale effect that the landscape response of urbanization can be better revealed within larger spatial units (e.g., a metropolitan area or a county as compared to a city). The interpretation of the built-up patch density metrics helped identify different stages of urbanization in two major urban sprawl directions of the metropolitan area. Land consumption indices (LCI) were devised to relate the remotely sensed built-up growth to changes in housing and commercial constructions as major driving factors, providing an effective measure to compare and characterize urban sprawl across jurisdictional boundaries and time periods.
Multistage mode decision for intraprediction in H.264 codec

A multistage mode decision method to reduce the complexity of Intra prediction in H.264/JVT is proposed in this work. The rate-distortion optimized (RDO) mode decision is adopted by H.264 to achieve the optimal coding gain at the cost of a very high computational complexity. Our research goal is to reduce the complexity of intra prediction without significant RD performance loss. The proposed fast intra prediction algorithm uses two features, i.e. the sum of absolute residual coefficients (SATD) and the sum of absolute gradients (SAG), and a simplified RDO method to determine the best mode for 4x4 blocks. It incorporates an early termination mechanism at various intermediate decision steps to avoide unnecessary computations when a good decision can be made at an earlier stage. It is demonstrated by experimental results that the proposed scheme performs approximately 10 to 30 times faster than the current RDO mode decision (JM7.3a) with little degradation in the coding gain.
Photochemical synthesis of medium-ring azalactams from N-(aminoalkyl)-2-stilbenecarboxamides

Abstract The photochemical reactions of several N-(aminoalkyl)-2-stilbenecarboxamides have been investigated. The amide groups quench the Stilbenecarboxamide fluorescence intensity, presumably via intramolecular electron transfer. The relatively low quenching efficiencies and the absence of intramolecular exciplex formation are attributed to the molecular structure which prevents effective overlap between the stilbene and amine chromophores. The secondary amines are observed to undergo regioselective intramolecular addition to afford 9- or 10-ring azalactams in 25–43% isolated yield. The dependence of both fluorescence quenching and adduct formation upon molecular structure are discussed.
An Overview of Approaches to Adjuvant Therapy for Colorectal Cancer in the United States

Adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer and combined chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) for rectal cancer increases the proportion of patients cured of their disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy is indicated for stage III colon cancer, and although controversial for stage II disease, there is evidence to suggest that these patients may benefit as well. Adjuvant chemotherapy and RT is recommended for patients with stage II/III rectal cancer. Studies incorporating oral fluoropyrimidines as well as combination chemotherapy have been completed, with results demonstrating the value of these approaches. A new generation of studies will evaluate the biologic agents bevacizumab and cetuximab in the adjuvant therapy of colorectal cancer. For rectal cancer, optimal outcomes are dependent not only on the systemic therapy, but also on the expertise of the surgeon and the timing of RT, with improved local control and toxicity seen with preoperative therapy.
Response of North Cowden and Goldsmith Crudes to Carbon Dioxide Slugs Pushed by Nitrogen

Laboratory studies have been conducted to determine oil recovery of the North Cowden-Grayburg and Goldsmith 5,600-ft (1700-m) Clearfork crudes of west Texas when pushed by CO/sub 2/ at various pressures. Studies were made at reservoir temperatures of 100 and 111/sup 0/F (38 and 44/sup 0/C) for the North Cowden and Goldsmith 5,600-ft (1700-m) crudes, respectively. At these temperatures, it was found that the oil recovery ranged from 57 to 99% as the CO/sub 2/ pressure increased from 700 psi to 1,800 psi (4.8 to 12.4 MPa). Normally the North Cowden crude gave a higher oil recovery throughout the pressure range. In recognition that CO/sub 2/ may be in short supply, studies were made of the possibility of using a slug of CO/sub 2/ pushed by nitrogen. For the slug tests the CO/sub 2/ slugs ranged from 2.5% to 25% HCPV. All CO/sub 2/ slugs were pushed by nitrogen. The oil recovery ranged from approximately 60 to 99% over this slug size. The data were obtained in slim-tube equipment ranging from 40 to 100 ft (12 to 30 m) in length. The miscible bank formed between the CO/sub 2/ and the body of the crude oil was observed to be amore » clear strawcolored liquid. The analyses of the clear liquid and crude oil conclusively demonstrate (1) that the crude oil undergoes a continuous fractionation process when miscibly displaced by CO/sub 2/, (2) the need for long flow tests, and (3) the inability to interpret most PVT cell data in terms of miscibility.« less
Pine Oil Ingestion: A Common Cause of Poisoning

Pine oil is a common component of household cleaning solutions. We present the case of an elderly woman with dementia who ingested a household cleaning solution that contained pine oil and review the treatment of pine oil ingestion. The patient developed CNS depression and respiratory failure that required intubation and mechanical ventilation. A chest radiograph revealed diffuse alveolar interstitial infiltrates consistent with pneumonitis. The patient improved with supportive care. However, she developed nosocomial pneumonia, sepsis, and multiple organ failure and subsequently died. This case is illustrative of the increased risk for ingestion of toxic household compounds in the growing population of elderly and demented individuals, who are being cared for in the home. Pine oil ingestions are one of the most common accidental ingestions encountered in clinical practice. Clinical features of ingestion include depressed mentation, respiratory failure, and GI dysfunction. The treatment is supportive, and the ingestions are rarely fatal.
Demographic Features of Adult Fears

This paper reports one of the first investigations of adult fears. Demographic variables included: sex, race, college degree status, and sibling position for a broadly defined middle class population. Additionally, it reports a new entity, "fisity" which accounts for both the popularity and strength of a fear in a single calculated measure. Women, in general, endorsed greater overall fearfulness than men, but this differential was not observed in an all white subsample. This male-female difference is similar to trends noted in studies of children's foars. However, college degree status did not correlate with fearfulness for the total population, or for an all white male subsample; although non-degreed females did express significantly greater fearfulness than their degreed cohort. Finally, increasing birth order in the sibship also correlated with increasing fearfulness.
The DNA base composition of a flagellar mutant ofComamonas terrigena ATCC 8461

The lophotrichous flagellatedComamonas terrigena, ATCC 8461, spontaneously produces a peritrichous flagellate mutant which is physiologically like the parent. The DNA base composition of the parent and mutant were the same with 64% GC.
Autumn air-sea disequilibrium of CO2 in the South Pacific Ocean

Abstract Accurate assessment of the role of the South Pacific in the global carbon cycle has been hindered by a paucity of data. In particular, the South Pacific has been suggested as a major sink for CO2 on the basis of measurements made principally in the western basin. The PMEL/NOAA Marine CO2 Program has made basin-wide CO2 measurements over 6 years which now permit estimation of surface CO2 fluxes during the austral autumn. These results suggest that the South Pacific is not a significant sink for atmospheric CO2 during the austral autumn.
Molecular-dynamics description of early film deposition of Au on Ag(110).

We simulate the vapor deposition of the first three monolayers (ML) of Au on Ag(110) using surface-embedded-atom potentials fit to both the bulk and surface properties of the low-index faces of the Au and Ag single crystals. The simulation is carried out with the molecular-dynamics code damsel using the technique of computational annealing to mimic room-temperature deposition. We find that up to 1 ML most of the Au atoms interdiffuse to the substrate layer with little three-dimensional growth to that point. Subsequently the growth becomes more three-dimensional resembling a 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1 missing-row reconstruction, with the top layers containing higher proportions of Au atoms. The simulations thus support the interdiffusion of a single layer of Au below the Ag surface and a Stranski-Krastanov (SK) growth mode consistent with recent scanning-tunneling-microscopy (STM) analyses. We examine the dynamic mechanisms of the deposition and find that atomic replacement and high Ag mobility largely account for the observed growth. Comparisons are carried out with previous analyses of medium-energy ion-scattering and STM experiments with agreement on the interdiffusive SK growth mode interpretation.
Comment on Brent Beal's and Heather Olson Beal's “Rethinking the Market Metaphor: School Choice, the Common Good, and the National Football League”

Metaphors are powerful and have the potential to fundamentally alter one's perception of a given dynamic or situation. Brent Beal's and Heather Olson Beal's (this issue) interpretation of the field...
Electrophysiological Properties of Canine Purkinje Cells in One-Day-Old Myocardial Infarction

Electrophysiological mechanisms which underlie the ectopic ventricular beats occurring 1 day after occlusion of the anterior descending coronary artery of dogs were explored. In intact dogs, bipolar electrograms were recorded in the infarcted and normal zones. Both Purkinje and ordinary myocardial potentials were recorded from the endocardial surface of the normal zone, but only Purkinje potentials were recorded from the infarcted zone. The Purkinje potentials in the infarcted zone were diminished in amplitude and rapidity. The threshold for endocardial pacing was higher in the infarcted zone than it was in the normal zone. The refractory periods of Purkinje cells were longer in the infarcted zone than they were in the normal zone. Excised specimens of endocardial surface containing the infarcted zone were superfused with Tyrode's solution. No ordinary myocardial cells were electrically active at the endocardial surface of the infarcted zone. Purkinje cells showed diminished resting and action potentials, reduced upstroke velocity, enhanced automaticity and phase 4 depolarization, and long action potentials with prolonged phase 3. Excitability was depressed within the infarcted zone. During superfusion, even with Tyrode's solution poor in oxygen and free of dextrose, Purkinje cells recovered toward normal with respect to amplitude of resting and action potentials, upstroke velocity, automaticity, and excitability. The prolonged action potentials persisted. Repetitive firing was easily elicited within the infarcted zone. Various types of pacemaker activity were detected within the infarcted zone. Thus Purkinje cells in the infarcted zone showed distinctive alterations in electrophysiological properties which were probably related to deleterious factors that accumulated in that zone. It is likely that the arrhythmia which occurred in the intact dogs at this time originated within the altered Purkinje cells of the infarcted zone.
The call-return tree and its application to program performance analysis

The notion of a call-return tree is defined to describe the dynamic calling relationship of the procedure and functions in a program execution. It is shown how the call-return tree can be used to compute the live times and the execution times of the various calls made during the execution. The call-return tree can also be used to compute other behavioral metrics such as the depth and height of a call and the number of direct and indirect calls generated from any point. The technique applies uniformly for both nonrecursive and recursive calls. The algorithms take linear time in the length of the source code and the number of calls made during an execution.
Epidemiology of a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcal Outbreak in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit † 1466

Epidemiology of a Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcal Outbreak in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit † 1466
Effect of fat from whole soybeans on performance of dairy cows fed rations differing in fiber level and particle size.

Two trials were conducted with lactating dairy cows to determine effects on intake, performance, and chewing activity of supplemental fat in early lactation diets that differed in fiber level and particle size. In trial 1, whole raw soybeans were added at 11.6% of ration DM to alfalfa silage-based TMR containing either finely chopped silage or the same silage with 8.1% coarsely chopped alfalfa hay. Each combination of soybeans (0 or 11.6%) and silage (fine or hay added) was fed as an isocaloric, isonitrogenous TMR to eight Holstein cows in early lactation in a replicated Latin square design with 4-wk periods. Addition of soybeans decreased DMI for fine silage. With silage plus hay, soybean addition decreased milk yield and protein content but increased fat test so that FCM was unchanged. Silage plus hay promoted chewing activity with no interaction of forage particle size with fat addition on chewing activity. In trial 2, TMR based on alfalfa and corn silage contained either 25 or 29% NDF and 0 or 11.6% soybeans. Otherwise, trials 1 and 2 were similar. Soybean addition decreased DMI with low NDF diets. Addition of fat from soybeans had no effect on milk yield or composition, but low fiber decreased fat test and chewing activity. When .4 to .5 kg/d of supplemental fat from whole raw soybeans was fed, higher dietary NDF and larger particle size promoted greater intake with no effect on FCM yield.
Pseudo-A(1,3) Strain as a Key Conformational Control Element in the Design of Poly-l-proline Type II Peptide Mimics

A strategy for the synthesis of peptide mimics of the poly-l-proline type II secondary structure from 4-substituted prolines is presented. Dimeric and trimeric oligomers composed of 4-substituted prolines are shown by NMR to preferentially populate the poly-l-proline type II secondary structure in both CDCl3 and D2O. Oligomers composed of 4-substituted prolines thus imitate the desired backbone conformation and are able to incorporate non-prolyl side chains on the proline backbone.
Exploring novel methods of interferometric detection of ultrasmall phaseshifts

We propose a new method to detect ultrasmall nonreciprocal phase shifts in solids based on the Sagnac interferometer combined with internal optical modulation of the absorption. The Sagnac interferometer with heterodyne balanced detection is expected to enable shot-noise-limited detection of phase shift as a result of its insensitivity to frequency and amplitude fluctuations of the laser. The low-concentration molecular sample is internally modulated by optical saturation with a pulsed laser. This internal modulation makes the molecular absorption time-dependent, and also removes the possibility of amplitude modulation feedthrough. We describe the design of this experiment and present preliminary characterizations of the noise performance.
Crystallographic structure and functional interpretation of the cytoplasmic domain of erythrocyte membrane band 3.

The red blood cell membrane (RBCM) is a primary model for animal cell plasma membranes. One of its major organizing centers is the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3), which links multiple proteins to the membrane. Included among its peripheral protein ligands are ankyrin (the major bridge to the spectrin-actin skeleton), protein 4.1, protein 4.2, aldolase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase, deoxyhemoglobin, p72syk protein tyrosine kinase, and hemichromes. The crystal structure of cdb3 is reported at 0.26 nm (2.6 A) resolution. A tight symmetric dimer is formed by cdb3; it is stabilized by interlocked dimerization arms contributed by both monomers. Each subunit also includes a larger peripheral protein binding domain with an α+ β-fold. The binding sites of several peripheral proteins are localized in the structure, and the nature of the major conformational change that regulates membrane-skeletal interactions is evaluated. An improved structural definition of the protein network at the inner surface of the RBCM is now possible.
The efficacy of gestural cueing in dysphasic word-retrieval responses

Abstract The effectiveness of visual—gestural cueing as compared with traditional auditory—verbal cueing was investigated using a time-series design. Eight dysphasic adults equally divided into a control and an experimental group were the subjects for this study. Results indicated no significant improvement in response times after an intensive 2-wk treatment period. Similarly, no single cue was observed to be more effective than others in eliciting dysphasic word-retrieval responses. In contrast, there was a significant difference in the order in which different cues were presented. Findings indicated that regardless of cue type, the cue presented first was the most effective. The present discussion relates current findings to previous observations and reviews implications of the data for language rehabilitation in dysphasia.
Use and Costs for Tumor Gene Expression Profiling Panels in the Management of Breast Cancer From 2006 to 2012: Implications for Genomic Test Adoption Among Private Payers

Gene expression profiling has diffused into clinical practice. Reimbursements by insurers have increased, and average out-of-pocket costs to patients have decreased, seemingly driven by improved coverage for testing over time.
Sleep problems in elderly women caregivers depend on the level of depressive symptoms: results of the Caregiver--Study of Osteoporotic Fractures

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether depressive symptoms modify the association between caregiving and sleep problems in elderly women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study conducted in four communities in 1999 to 2001. SETTING: Home-based interviewer-administered questionnaires. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred seventy-five caregiver and 694 noncaregiver participants from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures. MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported frequency of three sleep problems in the previous month: trouble falling asleep, trouble staying asleep, and waking early and having trouble falling back asleep. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), excluding the sleep disturbance item. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses, caregivers did not report more sleep problems than noncaregivers, although respondents with high depressive symptoms (CES-D≥16) were twice as likely to report each sleep problem. When depressive symptoms and caregiving were considered together, caregivers with high depressive symptoms were most likely to report sleep problems (adjusted odds ratios ranging from 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.2–5.2 for trouble falling asleep to 4.0, 95% CI=2.0–7.8 for waking early, compared with nondepressed noncaregivers). By contrast, there was no difference in sleep problems between caregivers and noncaregivers who were not depressed. The combination of high depressive symptoms and high-stress caregiving situations (e.g., caring for a spouse or a person with dementia, or living with the care recipient) also increased the likelihood of sleep problems. CONCLUSION: Caregivers with high levels of depressive symptoms reported sleep problems more than nondepressed noncaregivers. These results underscore the importance of screening elderly female caregivers for depressive symptoms and sleep problems.
A transmission utility's experience to date with transformer protection systems

This paper investigates a number of design, operation and lifetime management experiences of transformer protection systems installed on National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) networks. The paper will consider the policy, application design and operational experiences under the following categories particularly since the move to numeric protection: policy and application design; operational experience to date; a bespoke transformer protection scheme solution; maintenance and post commissioning support. Examples of protection mal-operations during transformer energisation are discussed in the paper. A bespoke transformer overall protection scheme is presented for application of the scheme on a transformer banked with a long cable circuit (> 5 km). (6 pages)
Inhibition of NO synthesis or endothelium removal reveals a vasoconstrictor effect of insulin on isolated arterioles.

In this study we tested the hypothesis that insulin may differentially affect isolated arterioles from red (RGM) and white gastrocnemius muscles (WGM) because of their differences in function and m...
Immune response in hosts with cadaveric dural grafts. Report of two cases.

✓ The use of cadaveric human dura has been critical in the repair of dural defects since the dawn of neurosurgery. Reports in the literature of immune response to this type of graft have been extremely rare. Two patients are presented who received cadaveric dural implants with resulting meningeal signs and cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia several weeks after surgery. Peripheral eosinophilia was present in one patient. The signs and symptoms resolved temporarily during corticosteroid therapy and permanently upon removal of the offending grafts. These cases illustrate that an immune-type reaction can occur with significant morbidity in patients receiving cadaveric dural grafts. A proposed mechanism for this response is discussed.
Relative performance evaluation of mutual funds: A non-parametric approach

We propose an alternative mutual fund performance index which addresses the benchmark problem and controls for economies of scale in managing mutual funds. We advance a new concept of ‘return-cost’ efficiency as another important element in evaluating portfolio management, in addition to the mean-variance efficiency concept. Our index based on a non-parametric estimation is shown to be similar to the Sharpe index with multiple slopes (or factors). We have shown that all fund categories, except income funds, have similar average efficiency scores after controlling for economies of scale. Most funds operate in increasing returns to scale and seem to be successful in holding mean-variance efficient portfolios, but unsuccessful in allocating transaction costs efficiently, evidenced by excessive turnovers and loads.
RELATIONSHIP OF MESENTERIC BLOOD FLOW TO INTESTINAL ABSORPTION OF CARBOHYDRATES.

Abstract The relationship of mesenteric blood flow to the absorption of glucose and xylose was determined in the small bowel of the dog. The absorption of a 2.5 Gm. per cent solution of these carbohydrates, primarily a passive process for each sugar at this concentration, was significantly reduced when mesenteric blood flow was diminished 50 per cent. The absorption of orally administered xylose and 3-methyl glucose (3 MG), a carbohydrate actively absorbed but not metabolized, was measured in normal men. Exercise in the heat, which diminishes splanchnic blood flow, produced a 50 per cent reduction in the 3 MG levels of both 2 hour plasma and 5 hour urine samples. The absorption of xylose, however, was unaffected. These findings are suggestive of an impairment of active carbohydrate absorption associated with a diminution in splanchnic blood flow.
Overexpression of defense response genes in transgenic wheat enhances resistance to Fusarium head blight

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused by Fusarium graminearum and other Fusarium species, is a major disease problem for wheat production worldwide. To combat this problem, large-scale breeding efforts have been established. Although progress has been made through standard breeding approaches, the level of resistance attained is insufficient to withstand epidemic conditions. Genetic engineering provides an alternative approach to enhance the level of resistance. Many defense response genes are induced in wheat during F. graminearum infection and may play a role in reducing FHB. The objectives of this study were (1) to develop transgenic wheat overexpressing the defense response genes α-1-purothionin, thaumatin-like protein 1 (tlp-1), and β-1,3-glucanase; and (2) to test the resultant transgenic wheat lines against F. graminearum infection under greenhouse and field conditions. Using the wheat cultivar Bobwhite, we developed one, two, and four lines carrying the α-1-purothionin, tlp-1, and β-1,3-glucanase transgenes, respectively, that had statistically significant reductions in FHB severity in greenhouse evaluations. We tested these seven transgenic lines under field conditions for percent FHB disease severity, deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin accumulation, and percent visually scabby kernels (VSK). Six of the seven lines differed from the nontransgenic parental Bobwhite line for at least one of the disease traits. A β-1,3-glucanase transgenic line had enhanced resistance, showing lower FHB severity, DON concentration, and percent VSK compared to Bobwhite. Taken together, the results showed that overexpression of defense response genes in wheat could enhance the FHB resistance in both greenhouse and field conditions.
GPRC6A Mediates the Non-genomic Effects of Steroids

The identity of the putative G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that mediates the non-genomic effects of androgens is unknown. We present in vitro and in vivo evidence that the orphan GPRC6A receptor, a widely expressed calcium and amino acid sensing GPCR, transduces the non-genomic effects of testosterone and other steroids. Overexpression of GPRC6A imparts the ability of extracellular testosterone to illicit a rapid, non-genomic signaling response in HEK-293 cells lacking the androgen receptor. Conversely, testosterone-stimulated rapid signaling and phosphorylation of ERK is attenuated in bone marrow stromal cells derived from GPRC6A−/− mice and in 22Rv1 prostate cancer cells after siRNA-mediated knockdown of GPRC6A. Compared with wild-type controls, GPRC6A−/− null mice exhibit significantly less ERK activation and Egr-1 expression in both bone marrow and testis in response to pharmacological doses of testosterone in vivo. In addition, testosterone administration results in suppression of luteinizing hormone in wild-type male mice, but paradoxically stimulates serum luteinizing hormone levels in GPRC6A−/− null mice. These results suggest that GPRC6A is functionally important in regulating non-genomic effects of androgens in multiple tissues.
Recurrence of Cervical Cancer in Mice after Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator Therapy

Estrogen and its nuclear receptor, estrogen receptor α, are necessary cofactors in the initiation and multistage progression of carcinogenesis in the K14E6/E7 transgenic mouse model of human papillomavirus–associated cervical cancer. Recently, our laboratory reported that raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, promoted regression of high-grade dysplasia and cancer that arose in the cervix of K14E6/E7 transgenic mice treated long-term with estrogen. Herein, we evaluated the recurrence of cervical cancer after raloxifene therapy in our preclinical model of human papillomavirus–associated cervical carcinogenesis. We observed recurrence of cervical cancer in mice re-exposed to estrogen after raloxifene treatment, despite evidence suggesting the antagonistic effects of raloxifene persisted in the reproductive tract after treatment had ceased. We also observed recurrence of neoplastic disease in mice that were not retreated with exogenous estrogen, although the severity of disease was less. Recurrent neoplastic disease and cancers retained functional estrogen receptor α and responded to retreatment with raloxifene. Moreover, continuous treatment of mice with raloxifene prevented the emergence of recurrent disease seen in mice in which raloxifene was discontinued. These data suggest that cervical cancer cells are not completely eradicated by raloxifene and rapidly expand if raloxifene treatment is ceased. These findings indicate that a prolonged treatment period with raloxifene might be required to prevent recurrence of neoplastic disease and lower reproductive tract cancers.
Absence of Bloch-Siegert shift and oscillation in optically excited microwave transitions

We show that even when the effective Rabi frequency is large compared to the transition frequency, a microwave transition excited by an optically off-resonant Raman transition is immune to Bloch-Siegert effect and oscillation.
Blunt Polytrauma: Evaluation with 64-Section Whole-Body CT Angiography

Blunt polytrauma remains a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. With the major advances in computed tomography (CT) technology over the past decade, whole-body CT is increasingly recognized as the emerging standard for providing rapid and accurate diagnoses within the narrow therapeutic window afforded to trauma victims with multiple severe injuries. With a single continuous acquisition, whole-body CT angiography is able to demonstrate all potentially injured organs, as well as vascular and bone structures, from the circle of Willis to the symphysis pubis. As its use becomes more widespread, the large volume of information inherent to whole-body CT poses new challenges to radiologists in providing efficient and timely interpretation. An awareness of trauma scoring systems and injury mechanisms is essential to maintain an appropriate level of suspicion in the search for multiple injuries, and the use of multiplanar reformation and three-dimensional postprocessing techniques is important to maximize efficiency in the search. Knowledge of the key injuries that require urgent surgical or percutaneous intervention, including major vascular injuries and active hemorrhage, diaphragmatic rupture, unstable spinal fractures, pancreatic injuries with ductal involvement, and injuries to the mesentery and hollow viscera, is also necessary.
Dynamic mission planning for multiple mobile robots

Planning for multiple mobile robots in dynamic environments involves determining the optimal path each robot should follow to accomplish the goals of the mission, given the current knowledge available about the world. As knowledge increases or improves, the planning system should dynamically reassign robots to goals in order to continually minimize the time to complete the mission. In this paper, an example problem in this domain is explored and performance results of such a dynamic planning system are presented. The system was able to dynamically optimize the motion of 3 robots toward 6 goals in real time, improving the average overall mission performance compared to a static planner by 25%. A preliminary design for a practical solution to a wider class of problems is also discussed.