cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-objective particle swarm optimization for postoperative deep brain stimulation targeting of subthalamic nucleus pathways

Objective The effectiveness of deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy strongly depends on precise surgical targeting of intracranial leads and on clinical optimization of stimulation settings. Recent advances in surgical targeting, multi-electrode designs, and multi-channel independent current-controlled stimulation are poised to enable finer control in modulating pathways within the brain. However, the large stimulation parameter space enabled by these technologies also poses significant challenges for efficiently identifying the most therapeutic DBS setting for a given patient. Here, we present a computational approach for programming directional DBS leads that is based on a non-convex optimization framework for neural pathway targeting. Approach The algorithm integrates patient-specific pre-operative 7 T MR imaging, post-operative CT scans, and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) methods using dominance based-criteria and incorporating multiple neural pathways simultaneously. The algorithm was evaluated on eight patient-specific models of subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS to identify electrode configurations and stimulation amplitudes to optimally activate or avoid six clinically relevant pathways: motor territory of STN, non-motor territory of STN, internal capsule, superior cerebellar peduncle, thalamic fasciculus, and hyperdirect pathway. Main results Across the patient-specific models, single-electrode stimulation showed significant correlations across modeled pathways, particularly for motor and non-motor STN efferents. The MOPSO approach was able to identify multi-electrode configurations that achieved improved targeting of motor STN efferents and hyperdirect pathway afferents than that achieved by any single-electrode monopolar setting at equivalent power levels. Significance These results suggest that pathway targeting with patient-specific model-based optimization algorithms can efficiently identify non-trivial electrode configurations for enhancing activation of clinically relevant pathways. However, the results also indicate that inter-pathway correlations can limit selectivity for certain pathways even with directional DBS leads.
Trial functions for reduced-order models of piezoelectrically actuated microelectromechanical systems tunable lenses

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Impact of Esophageal Motion on Dosimetry and Toxicity With Thoracic Radiation Therapy.

Purpose:To investigate the impact of intra- and inter-fractional esophageal motion on dosimetry and observed toxicity in a phase I dose escalation study of accelerated radiotherapy with concurrent ...
Fruit canopy positioning affects fruit calcium and potassium concentrations, disorder incidence, and fruit quality for ‘Honeycrisp’ apple

One advantage of high-density apple orchard systems is homogeneity in fruit maturity and quality. However, even in modern orchard systems, variation in fruit quality occurs. ‘Honeycrisp’ apple is s...
Findings of a national dataset analysis on the visits of homeless patients to US emergency departments during 2005-2015.

Abstract Objectives To our knowledge, there has been limited description of emergency department (ED) visits involving homeless patients over the last decade. Our study aims to analyze US national survey data to elucidate the differences between homeless and non-homeless patients’ ED visits in terms of patient demographics, resource utilization, and diagnoses received. Study design This was a retrospective study using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) from 2005 until 2015. Methods Patient visits were classified as homeless or non-homeless based on survey data; appropriate statistical analyses were subsequently performed to compare these groups in terms of patient demographics, geography, payment method, resource utilization/diagnostic service use, as well as both psychiatric and non-psychiatric diagnoses received in the ED. Results NHAMCS data from 2005 to 2015 were aggregated. In total, 303,326 patient visits were included, which represent an estimated 1.30 billion ED visits over this period. Of these, 2750 encounters were by homeless people, representing 8,781,925 ED visits. Compared with non-homeless visits, homeless patients were disproportionately male, black, non-Hispanic, and seen in large metropolitan areas or the Western/Southern US. Homeless visits were more likely to be related to an injury (47.5% vs. 33.8%), related to an assault (4.2% vs. 1.3%), or self-inflicted (4.8% vs 0.84%). Homeless patients were also more likely to have been seen in the same ED within 72 h (7.3% vs. 3.9%) compared with non-homeless patients (3.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.5–4.4) and were seen an average of 5.7 times (95% CI: 4.7–6.8) in the same ED over the preceding 12 months, with non-homeless patients seen an average of 3.2 times (95% CI: 3.1–3.4). Homeless patients were more likely to be admitted to the hospital (14.9% vs. 11.2%) and, when admitted, spent an average of 6.3 days in the hospital (95% CI: 5.6–7.1) compared with non-homeless patients at 5.2 (95% CI: 5.1–5.3). In total, 28.4% of homeless patients received a psychiatric diagnosis (95% CI: 25.8–31.2) compared with 5.4% for non-homeless patients (95% CI: 5.2–5.7, P Conclusions Less than one in 100 US ED visits in 2005–2015 were made by homeless patients. Compared with the non-homeless, homeless patients had greatly increased rates of ED care for alcohol-related, substance abuse–related, and mental health–related problems, particularly schizophrenia and personality disorders. Homeless patients were also more likely to be seen in the ED within the past 72 h or the past 12 months. Homeless patients were more likely to be admitted to the hospital and, when admitted, exhibited longer stay times.
“Good Luck Fixing the Problem”: Small Low-Income Community Participation in Collaborative Groundwater Governance and Implications for Drinking Water Source Protection

There is increasing interest in the potential of source water protection to address chronic challenges with small systems and rural drinking water provision. Such a planning and management approach...
Streetscapes and stereotyping: streets named after Martin Luther King, Jr., and the geographies of racial identity

In addition to recognizing a commemorative space and geography that serve to legitimize a particular racial identity, streetscapes in the U.S. named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (MLK) are also a stereotyped space that is presupposed as marginalized. The main objective of this paper is to investigate whether stereotyped MLK neighborhoods differ from the lived spaces. To achieve this objective, the paper relies on two indexes of segregation: namely dissimilarity and interaction indices, the racial composition, and the socioeconomic characteristics of MLK neighborhoods in the 48 contiguous states. Both dissimilarity and interaction indices implied higher segregation in the South and Midwest. The higher proportion of the African American population relative to Whites and other races in the MLK neighborhoods, except in California, confirms that the MLK streetscapes are racially concentrated spaces. Further, analysis of socioeconomic variables does resonate with the stereotype of MLK neighborhoods as marginalized spaces. To demystify the stereotype and to reconstruct the identity of African Americans and their lived and experienced spaces, this paper draws upon studies of the broader process of racialization, critical toponymy, and stereotype theories. Based on this exploratory approach, the paper concludes that though the characteristics of MLK neighborhoods reflect their marginalized status, this status is itself the result of a broader process of racialization. This process has distributed resources unequally among racial groups, forming and buttressing negative stereotypes about African Americans while also stigmatizing their living spaces, which are all too often susceptible to a policy of benign (or not-so-benign) neglect, property devaluation, and industrial pollution.
Paradoxes of populism during the pandemic

Populist protests against Coronavirus-related restrictions in the US appear paradoxical in three respects. Populism is generally hostile to expertise, yet it has flourished at a moment when experti...
Piloting an integrated SARS-CoV-2 testing and data system for outbreak containment among college students: A prospective cohort study.

Author(s): Packel, Laura; Reingold, Arthur; Hunter, Lauren; Facente, Shelley; Li, Yi; Harte, Anna; Nicolette, Guy; Urnov, Fyodor D; Lu, Michael; Petersen, Maya; IGI Testing Consortium | Abstract: BackgroundColleges and universities across the country are struggling to develop strategies for effective control of COVID-19 transmission as students return to campus.Methods and findingsWe conducted a prospective cohort study with students living on or near the UC Berkeley campus from June 1st through August 18th, 2020 with the goal of providing guidance for campus reopening in the safest possible manner. In this cohort, we piloted an alternative testing model to provide access to low-barrier, high-touch testing and augment student-driven testing with data-driven adaptive surveillance that targets higher-risk students and triggers testing notifications based on reported symptoms, exposures, or other relevant information. A total of 2,180 students enrolled in the study, 51% of them undergraduates. Overall, 6,247 PCR tests were administered to 2,178 students over the two-month period. Overall test positivity rate was 0.9%; 2.6% of students tested positive. Uptake and acceptability of regular symptom and exposure surveys was high; 98% of students completed at least one survey, and average completion rate was 67% (Median: 74%, IQR: 39%) for daily reporting of symptoms and 68% (Median: 75%, IQR: 40%) for weekly reporting of exposures. Of symptom-triggered tests, 5% were PCR-positive; of exposure-triggered tests, 10% were PCR-positive. The integrated study database augmented traditional contact tracing during an outbreak; 17 potentially exposed students were contacted the following day and sent testing notifications. At study end, 81% of students selected their desire "to contribute to UC Berkeley's response to COVID-19" as a reason for their participation in the Safe Campus study.ConclusionsOur results illustrate the synergy created by bringing together a student-friendly, harm reduction approach to COVID-19 testing with an integrated data system and analytics. We recommend the use of a confidential, consequence-free, incentive-based daily symptom and exposure reporting system, coupled with low-barrier, easy access, no stigma testing. Testing should be implemented alongside a system that integrates multiple data sources to effectively trigger testing notifications to those at higher risk of infection and encourages students to come in for low-barrier testing when needed.
hTERT MNS16A genotype and breast cancer susceptibility in sister-pairs

1731 The expression level of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), a catalytic subunit of telomerase, is a major determinant of telomerase activity, and may have a key role in regulating telomere length and affect cancer susceptibility. We explored the associations between a functional variant of hTERT MNS16A and breast cancer risk among 278 sister-sets (296 cases and 353 controls). Variant of hTERT MNS16A was genotyped by a PCR method and classified as carrying short (S: 243 or 272bp) or long (L: 302 or 333bp) alleles according to previous functional studies. Totally, nine genotypes were obtained among the sisters (243/243, 272/243, 302/243, 302/272, 333/243, 333/272, 302/302, 333/302 and 333/333), and three of them were commonly observed (243/243, 302/243 and 302/302). No significant increase in overall breast cancer risk was observed for carriers of hTERT homozygous S allele (OR = 1.46, 95%CI: 0.75-2.84) compared with carriers of L allele (P = 0.26). No case-control differences of hTERT MNS16A genotyping by DNA repair capacity (DRC) status, benign breast disease history, ever use hormonal contraceptives, ever smoking and ever alcohol drink history were observed. These data indicate that variant of hTERT MNS16A may not modulate breast cancer susceptibility.
Invisible Primes: Fintech Lending with Alternative Data

We exploit anonymized administrative data provided by a major fintech platform to investigate whether using alternative data to assess borrowers' creditworthiness results in broader credit access. Comparing actual outcomes of the fintech platform’s model to counterfactual outcomes based on a “traditional model” used for regulatory reporting purposes, we find that the latter would result in up to 60% higher probability of being rejected and higher interest rates for those approved. The borrowers most positively affected are the “invisible primes”--borrowers with low credit scores and short credit histories, but also a low propensity to default. We show that funding loans to these borrowers leads to better economic outcomes for the borrowers and higher returns for the fintech platform.
Chapter 14 Nucleolar Proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter describes methods for nucleolar protein extraction and specific methods for assay and isolation of nucleolar enzymes. The nucleolus contains a variety of proteins or protein subunits. The techniques to study the chromatin components of the nucleus that are also applicable to the nucleolar fraction of chromatin are discussed. The procedures that may be applied directly to isolated nucleoli prior to fractionation of nucleolar subcomponents include (1) sodium chloride-hydrochloric acid extraction of proteins, (2) chloroethanol extraction, (3) urea extraction procedure, (4) acid extraction, and (5) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) extraction. For functional studies, it is advantageous to fractionate the nucleolus into “native” subcomponents prior to protein isolation. Several procedures are available for isolation of substructures such as nucleolar chromatin, preribosomal ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particles, and fibrillar elements. There are numerous enzymes involved in the assembly and processing of preribosomal particles for which no functional assay is available. The chapter also outlines the methods for studies on nucleolar antigens.
Voltage Imaging in the Study of Hippocampal Circuit Function and Plasticity

Synaptic plasticity has the capacity to alter the function of neural circuits, and long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic transmission induced by high frequency electrical activity has the capacity to store information in neural circuits. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of LTP have been studied intensively for many years and much progress has been made on this front. By contrast, how synaptic plasticity alters circuit function has received much less attention and remains poorly understood. Voltage imaging provides a powerful general technique for the study of neural circuitry, and studies of synaptic plasticity with voltage imaging are beginning to reveal important aspects of how the function of a neural circuit can change when the strength of its synapses has been modified. The hippocampus has an important role in learning and memory and the plasticity of its synapses has received much attention. Voltage imaging with voltage sensitive dye in the CA1 region of a hippocampal slice has shown that spatial patterns of enhancement following LTP induction can diverge from the spatial patterns elicited by electrical stimulation, suggesting that LTP exhibits a distinct organizational structure. LTP can alter the throughput of electrical activity in the dentate gyrus of a hippocampal slice, to gate transmission on to the CA3 region. The spatial patterns evoked by complex electrical stimulation can be stored within the CA3 region in a hippocampal slice, allowing patterns to be reconstructed with simpler electrical stimulation. Thus, voltage imaging has demonstrated that the CA3 circuit has the capacity for pattern completion. These studies with voltage sensitive dye illustrate a range of interesting and novel questions that can be addressed at the population level. It is hoped that future imaging experiments with single-cell resolution using genetically-encoded voltage sensors will provide a more detailed picture of how synaptic plasticity modifies the information processing capabilities of neural circuits.
3. Extensions of STM

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). It has demonstrated that it is possible to stabilize and scan a fine probe tip over a sample surface to nm accuracies by using piezoelectric scanners coupled with electronic feedback techniques. In order to achieve such precise control of the tip-sample spacing, it is necessary to derive an electronic feedback signal that varies rapidly as the tip-sample distance is varied. All new microscopes have the characteristic that their resolution is not determined by the wavelength that is used for the interaction, as in conventional microscopy, but rather by the size of the interacting probe that hovers over the sample surface to scan the image. As the resolution achieved is far superior to the wavelengths involved, these microscopies come under the general class of super-resolution microscopes. A number of interactions between probe tip and sample have been investigated. It also discusses some of the work done in these related scanning probe techniques. Although many of these techniques are still only in their infancy, and in some cases the theory is not fully understood, they are already contributing to the understanding of the nano-world. It is expected that with time, these techniques will play an important role in nanotechnology.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT: CAUSE OR CONSEQUENCE?

This paper discusses the inherent tension in the notion of entrepreneurship as developed by Ludwig von Mises and Israel Kirzner. Given that entrepreneurship is an omnipresent aspect of human action, it cannot also be the “cause” of economic development. Rather, for economic development to take place, certain institutions must be present in order for the entrepreneurial aspect of human action to flourish. After further developing this theoretical insight, an in-depth analysis of the institutions necessary for entrepreneurship is considered.
Cardiology patient simulator: Development of an animated manikin to teach cardiovascular disease

Abstract An animated manikin simulating 50 cardiovascular disease states has been developed. The diagnostic features include arterial and venous pulsations and chest wall movements that are synchronized with acoustic events representing the four classic areas of auscultation, wide radiation of murmurs and breath sounds. Additional features include changes in eye grounds and pupillary reactions, the occurrence of stroke, automatic aging (with greying of hair), cyanosis and change in blood pressure. An operational model is likely to be ready for clinical evaluation within 2 years at five centers: Mayo Clinic, Georgetown University, Duke University, Emory University and the University of Miami. The animated manikin and its teaching aids, with emphasis on patient simulation, may help meet two major needs: (1) to produce more and better trained physicians in less time and at less cost, and (2) to provide an objective method to measure the clinical competency of physician-students in patient-oriented examinations.
Pursuing the Pavlovian Contributions to Induction in Rats Responding for 1% Sucrose Reinforcement.

The present study investigated whether Pavlovian conditioning contributes, in the form of the response operandum serving as a conditioned stimulus, to the increase in the rate of response for 1% liquid-sucrose reinforcement when food-pellet reinforcement is upcoming. Rats were exposed to conditions in which sign tracking for 1% sucrose was measured when a subsequent period would or would not provide food pellets. Upcoming food pellets produced an increase in the sign-tracking response, but several accounts could potentially explain that increase. In a second experiment, rats responded at a higher rate for 1% sucrose on a lever predictive of upcoming food pellets than on a lever reliably followed by nonreinforcement. A similar result occurred in concurrent-choice probe sessions. These results, consistent with those of the first experiment, cannot be accounted for by the same alternative explanations and therefore suggest that Pavlovian conditioning can contribute to the observance of positive induction.
Delaware's Familiarity

Why do corporations choose to incorporate in Delaware over other states? The existing literature primarily falls into two camps — the “race-to-the-top” and the “race-to-the-bottom” — both of which credit Delaware’s success to the quality of its corporate law and the expertise of its judges. We consider an alternative explanation for Delaware’s continued success: familiarity. After decades of dominance, business parties have become increasingly familiar with Delaware law. Using data from a sample of startups financed by venture capital, we find that firms domicile in Delaware as much for familiarity reasons as for its substantive features. The Article finishes by tackling the normative implications of our findings — which are both positive and negative — for the overall quality of U.S. corporate law.
My Life with Medicine

ONCE my mother put me on a horseradish diet for an entire week. I ate nothing but tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish, and drank gallons of water to flush out my system. After suffering for months from a lingering bronchitis no conventional treatment seemed to cure, I was ready to try anything. Possibly my mother had learned about this treatment in one of those old-time remedy books that lived on our shelves, written by someone named Jethro or Hubert. The delicate tissues of my inner cheeks and throat blazed mightily each time I braved a dose. I squinched my eyes shut and thought about: the lips of my ex-boyfriends, the extravagant view from the South Rim at Big Bend National Park, chocolate cake?to be able to swallow. Till now I have hesitated to mention such details about my past, for fear they might make my mother seem reckless, or myself susceptible in the extreme. The horseradish did not make me well, but it didn't make me sicker either. I remember the lumpy horseradish-like texture of my off-white ceiling as I lay weakly in bed staring up at.it, and the bones in my wrists, which seemed more prominent each morning. I was reading Jack Kerouac at the time and had not eaten meat for years, so I could not imagine whatever meat it was that people liked to eat with horseradish to help it go down easier. My idea of a nightmare was a lamb chop sizzling in a skillet. The Kerouac books I read from then on were marked by a certain tingle that would arise in my tongue upon opening one. This treatment preceded my personal visit to one of the Filipina faith healers who had come to San Antonio to give presentations on psychic surgery. Their films showed a healer running his or her hands over the troubled region of the patient's body, babbling in some intense, electric vocabulary, and lifting what looked like a bloody kidney or tumor from the body without ever cutting it open. A few people in the back of the tiny auditorium, where my family liked to sit so as not to be called on to demonstrate anything, murmured that it was a chicken gizzard or pig liver or cow heart, and the so-called "healer" had had it up a sleeve. I listened to each possibility with equal interest. I was not devoted to believing things, but it seemed as foolish to scoff too soon. When the scratchy film showed the previously "sick" patient now well and
A Cell-Based Internalization and Degradation Assay with an Activatable Fluorescence–Quencher Probe as a Tool for Functional Antibody Screening:

For the development of therapeutically potent anti-cancer antibody drugs, it is often important to identify antibodies that internalize into cells efficiently, rather than just binding to antigens on the cell surface. Such antibodies can mediate receptor endocytosis, resulting in receptor downregulation on the cell surface and potentially inhibiting receptor function and tumor growth. Also, efficient antibody internalization is a prerequisite for the delivery of cytotoxic drugs into target cells and is critical for the development of antibody-drug conjugates. Here we describe a novel activatable fluorescence-quencher pair to quantify the extent of antibody internalization and degradation in the target cells. In this assay, candidate antibodies were labeled with a fluorescent dye and a quencher. Fluorescence is inhibited outside and on the surface of cells, but activated upon endocytosis and degradation of the antibody. This assay enabled the development of a process for rapid characterization of candidate antibodies potentially in a high-throughput format. By employing an activatable secondary antibody, primary antibodies in purified form or in culture supernatants can be screened for internalization and degradation. Because purification of candidate antibodies is not required, this method represents a direct functional screen to identify antibodies that internalize efficiently early in the discovery process.
Establishment of creatinine clearance reference values for older women.

Age-adjusted reference ranges for creatinine clearance were determined in 279 women, ages 40-95 years, who were housed in a metabolic research unit and consumed a meat-free diet. Creatinine clearance, but not serum creatinine, declined with age by 0.63 mL/min per 1.73 m2 per year. Serum and urine creatinine concentrations, used to calculate clearances, were analyzed by a kinetic Jaffe procedure. In a subset of 100 subjects, fasting serum creatinine values averaged 8.3 +/- 5.2 (SD) mumol/L higher when measured by the kinetic Jaffe procedure than by an enzymatic method (creatinine PAP). The Cockcroft-Gault formula for estimating creatinine clearance from serum creatinine in women was validated, and the modification factor for the male equation was determined to be 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.83-0.86) confirming the suggested 15% correction. A prediction formula derived from this population was similar in accuracy to the Cockcroft-Gault formula.
First Principles Study of Polyatomic Clusters of AlN, GaN, and InN. 2. Chemical Bonding

In this paper we study the chemical bonding of the small (monomer, triatomic, and dimer) neutral clusters of AlN, GaN, and InN presented earlier in paper 1. It includes the analysis of the topology of the electron density and its Laplacian, together with relevant atomic properties, in light of the theory of atoms in molecules. The most prominent feature of the bonding here, the existence of strong N-N bonds, is seen to diminish with an increase in the number of metal atoms and the degree of ionicity. The Al-N bond shows a large transfer of charge, but also a significant deformation of the Al electron shells, so it can be understood as a highly polar shared interaction. On the other hand, Ga-N and In-N bonds are nonshared interactions, with smaller charge transfers and polarizations. In all cases, the existence of a N -N bond weakens the metalnitrogen bond. The bonding picture that emerges depends only on the reliability of the electron densities, and it is consistent with the conclusions of our previous work in paper 1.
Hiring and screening practices of agencies supplying paid caregivers to older adults.

Objectives: To assess what screening practices agencies use in hiring caregivers and how caregiver competency is measured before assigning responsibilities in caring for older adults. Design: One-to-one phone interviews in which interviewers posed as prospective clients seeking a caregiver for an older adult relative. Setting: Cross-sectional cohort of agencies supplying paid caregivers to older adults in Illinois, California, Florida, Colorado, Arizona, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Participants: Four hundred sixty-two home care agencies were contacted, of which 84 were no longer in service, 165 offered only nursing care, and 33 were excluded; 180 agencies completed interviews. Measurements: Agencies were surveyed about their hiring methods, screening measures, training practices, skill competencies assessments, and supervision. Two coders qualitatively analyzed open-ended responses. Results: To recruit caregivers, agencies primarily used print and Internet (e.g., Craigslist.com) advertising (n = 69, 39.2%) and word-of-mouth referrals (n = 49, 27.8%). In hiring, agencies required prior �life experiences� (n = 121, 68.8%) few of which (n = 33, 27.2%) were specific to caregiving. Screening measures included federal criminal background checks (n = 96, 55.8%) and drug testing (n = 56, 31.8%). Agencies stated that the paid caregiver could perform skills, such as medication reminding (n = 169, 96.0%). Skill competency was assessed according to caregiver self-report (n = 103, 58.5%), testing (n = 62, 35.2%), and client feedback (n = 62, 35.2%). General caregiver training length ranged from 0 to 7 days. Supervision ranged from none to weekly and included home visits, telephone calls, and caregivers visiting the central office. Conclusion: Using an agency to hire paid caregivers may give older adults and their families a false sense of security regarding the background and skill set of the caregiver.
How to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates in Practice

A recommendation from a physician is the most influential factor in determining whether a patient is screened for colorectal cancer. While the vast majority of primary care physicians report that they screen for colorectal cancer, many patients do not receive the recommendation they need. Evidence-based strategies can help the physician ensure that every appropriate patient leaves the office with the needed recommendation. Choosing an office system that can be implemented by the physician or office staff can fuel efforts to achieve higher screening rates. Reminder systems, tracking systems, communication strategies, and policies that reinforce use of evidence-based guidelines may contribute.
Current aspects of LWR containment loads due to severe reactor accidents

Abstract Severe accidents are under study for the assessment of risk in light water reactors. Such accidents pose a threat to containment integrity due to the extreme pressure and temperature loads that may be induced from many physical processes; e.g. direct heating, molten core-concrete interactions. This paper reviews the important features of current LWR containments and discusses the state of knowledge for the important physical processes that may threaten containment integrity.
Mantle peridotite in newly discovered far-inland subduction complex, southwest Arizona: initial report

The latest Cretaceous to early Palaeogene Orocopia Schist and related units are generally considered a low-angle subduction complex that underlies much of southern California and Arizona. A recently discovered exposure of Orocopia Schist at Cemetery Ridge west of Phoenix, Arizona, lies exceptionally far inland from the continental margin. Unexpectedly, this body of Orocopia Schist contains numerous blocks, as large as ~300 m, of variably serpentinized mantle peridotite. These are unique; elsewhere in the Orocopia and related schists, peridotite is rare and completely serpentinized. Peridotite and metaperidotite at Cemetery Ridge are of three principal types: (1) serpentinite and tremolite serpentinite, derived from dunite; (2) partially serpentinized harzburgite and olivine orthopyroxenite (collectively, harzburgite); and (3) granoblastic or schistose metasomatic rocks, derived from serpentinite, made largely of actinolite, calcic plagioclase, hercynite, and chlorite. In the serpentinite, paucity of relic...
Optical cavity resonances in water micro-droplets: Implications for shortwave cloud forcing

[1] The influence of narrow optical resonances, which result from trapping of light rays via total internal reflection in water droplets, on the absorption of shortwave (SW) solar radiation has been estimated through high resolution Mie scattering calculations. Our results indicate that these resonances engender an increase in absorption of solar radiation by cloud droplets that is several W/m2 above the linear direct absorption process. Mie scattering calculations performed at the Δx = 0.1 (x = 2πr/λ) resolution typically implemented in cloudy sky radiative transfer models are shown to be insufficient for accurate determination of the attenuation of SW radiation when considered over relatively narrow wavelength ranges, consistent with the recent finding of Nussenzveig [2003]. However, for broadband calculations we find positive and negative errors in Mie calculations at Δx = 0.1 nearly cancel resulting in reasonable estimates of SW attenuation.
Adsorption and solution of hydrogen in single crystal niobium

Hydrogen adsorbs on the (100) face of niobium at 90 K into at least two states sequentially. The first state, which appears to be molecular, has a dipole moment of −0.022 Debye/molecule, an inittial sticking coefficient of 0.23, and a saturation coverage of 3.2 × 1014molecules/cm2 reached after an exposure of about 1 L (1 L = 10−6torr·rec). The first state may be a precursor for adsorption into the second state. The second state is atomic and has a dipole moment of −0.141 Debye/atom, an initial sticking coefficient of 0.056, and a saturation coverage of 9 × 1014atoms/cm2, which is reached after an exposure of about 12 L. The heat of adsorption for state 2 was found to be 26.5 ± 3 kcal/mol.
An outbreak of fetal and neonatal losses associated with the diagnosis of bovine viral diarrhea virus

A severe outbreak of dairy herd pregnancy wastage was investigated. At the beginning of the outbreak, a total of 121 lactating cattle were pregnant and considered to be at risk. Overall, 33.1% of the population at risk aborted, while 25.6% gave birth to calves that either died during the early neonatal period or demonstrated signs compatible with congenital defects (abnormal births). A laboratory diagnosis of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection was made in two surviving neonatal calves with symptoms of cerebellar hypoplasia and blindness. An on-farm investigation was conducted to determine if the abortions and abnormal births were associated with BVDV infection. The rate of abortions versus abnormal births was biphasic when graphed by the date of occurrence. The cases of abortion occurred early in the outbreak and were followed by the neonatal losses. Within the population at risk, the mean values for gestational age at the beginning of the outbreak were different between the subpopulations described by gestational outcome. The outcome of each pregnancy that existed at the beginning of the outbreak was determined. Classifications included normal birth (birth of a normal calf), abnormal birth (a neonatal loss of the type described above), abortion, and continued gestation (normal, uncompleted pregnancy). The average gestational age at the time of the index case (the first cases of pregnancy wastage) for these four pregnancy outcome classfications was 142.0, 106.2, 86.7 and 31.3 days, respectively. Reasons for assuming that this outbreak was related to BVDV are discussed.
A sex-linked gene controlling gonadotrop differentiation and its significance in determining the age of sexual maturation and size of the platyfish, Xiphophorus maculatus

Abstract A sex-linked gene controlling the age at which the gonadotropic zone of the adenohypophysis differentiates and becomes physiologically active has been identified in the teleost Xiphophorus maculatus . Within the Belize stock, the factor P e , for early differentiation, is linked to a pigment gene Ir (red iris) whereas P l , for late differentiation, is linked to Br (red body). Males homozygous for Ir (Y- Ir Y- Ir ) become sexually mature between 10 and 16 weeks and heterozygous males (Y- Ir Y- Br ) between 14 and 25 weeks. No overlap in maturation times is found when the two kinds of males are raised under identical conditions. A cross of a heterozygous Belize male, Y- Ir Y- Br , with an XX female of the Jamapa stock homozygous for early maturation, yielded 13 Ir males that matured between 12 and 15 weeks and 15 Br males that differentiated sexually between 18 and 24 weeks. At 60 days the gonadotropic zone of the pituitary gland of males homozygous for Ir is well developed while that of Ir Br male heterozygotes is composed of only a few chromophobes. No other differences in pituitary structure were detected. At 105 days the gonadotropic zone of Ir Br males is fully formed. Presence or absence of the gonadotropic zone is well correlated with the differentiation of the testis. Androgen from the developing gonad, in turn, controls the metamorphosis of the anal fin into a gonopodium. Because the growth rate of males decreases markedly at the time of sexual maturity, an effect also mediated by androgenic hormone, early-maturing males (Ir) are significantly smaller than late-maturing ones (Br). Up to that time the growth rate of the two kinds of males is the same. Size is thus the ultimate permanent record of the differences between the two kinds of males. The action of the P genes in females has not yet been investigated. Preliminary evidence shows that males homozygous for P l mature between 20 and 32 weeks and grow correspondingly larger. the polymorphism effecting gonadotrop differentiation is a natural component of wild populations and of laboratory stocks derived from them.
Starter Metabolism. V. The Mechanism of Acetoin Formation as Determined with C14-Labeled Substrates,

Summary C 14 -labeled substrates, including uniformly labeled glucose and citric acid, 1-5-labeled citric acid, and pyruvates labeled in three different positions were used to determine the source of carbon and mechanism of formation of acetoin by a mixed starter culture consisting predominantly of Streptococcus cremoris and Leuconostoc species. The starter culture was found to transform the C 14 from Carbon Atoms 2, 3, 4, or 6 of citric acid into the acetoin molecule; whereas, Carbon Atoms 1 and 5 were not. The addition of uniformly labeled glucose to a dialyzed milk medium containing either unlabeled citrate or pyruvate resulted in labeled acetoin, as did the addition of uniformly labeled citric acid to the dialyzed milk medium containing unlabeled glucose. The methyl and alpha-keto carbons, but not the carboxyl carbon, of pyruvic acid were transformed into acetoin. Carboxyl carbon appeared in the CO 2 . A possible pathway for the formation of acetoin is proposed.
The effect of a surgically created shunt between the corpus cavernosum penis and corpus spongiosum penis of stallions on erectile and ejaculatory function

Objective—To evaluate the effect of a shunt created between the corpus cavernosum penis (CCP) and corpus spongiosum penis (CSP) on erectile and ejaculatory function of normal stallions and to verify persistence of the shunt. Study Design—The capability of stallions to develop an erection and to ejaculate was evaluated before and after creation of a corporeal shunt. Persistence of the shunt was determined by dye injection into the CCP at necropsy. Animals—Six stallions. Methods—A CCP-CSP shunt was created in five stallions. Semen was collected before and 4 to 14 weeks after surgery, before the horses were euthanatized. Dye was injected into the CCP to determine persistence of the shunt. Dye was also injected into the CCP of a control stallion. Results—All stallions had normal erectile and ejaculatory function before and after surgery. Dye, injected into the CCP, entered the CSP in three of five treated stallions, demonstrating persistence of the shunt, whereas in two stallions, dye was found only in the CCP, indicating closure of the shunt. No dye was detected in the CSP of the control stallion. Conclusions—Creation of a corporeal shunt does not interfere with normal erection and ejaculation of stallions. Shunt closure is not necessary for stallions to retain normal erectile and ejaculatory function. Clinical Relevance—Failure of a stallion affected by priapism to achieve normal erection or to ejaculate after creation of a corporeal shunt would likely be because of damage to corporeal tissue than from an effect of the shunt. ©Copyright 1999 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons
Synthesis of analogs of α-ecdysone. A simplified synthesis of 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-7-en-6-one-5β-steroids

Abstract Several compounds that contain the steroid nucleus of α-ecdysone were synthesized, namely; 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-5β-cholest-7-en-6-one, 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-27-nor-5β-cholest-7-en-6-one, 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-(24R)-5β-ergost-7-en-6-one, and 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-(24R)-5β-stigmast-7-en-6-one, and their mass spectral data and that of their 5α-isomers are presented. Also 11 derivatives of the 2β,3β,14α-trihydroxy-5β-cholest-7-en-6-one were prepared as were additional compounds with specific structural features that would help to better define the relationship of structure to biological activity in insects.
The Effect of Stem Design on End-of-Stem Pain in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty

A series of 143 revision total knee arthroplasties was evaluated using a Knee Society clinical score, radiographic assessment, and satisfaction questionnaire. Patients completed a pain drawing showing the location and severity of pain they experienced at 2 years follow-up. Two stem designs were used: a solid, fluted cobalt chrome stem (group I) and a slotted titanium stem (group II). End-of-stem pain was associated with solid cobalt chrome stems while a lower incidence of stem pain was associated with slotted titanium stems. Symptoms were intermittent and activity related in all but 2 cases, but none required component revision. The presence of end-of-stem pain did appear to be clinically significant because patients with this pain were more likely to be only somewhat satisfied or dissatisfied with their degree of pain relief compared to those without end-of-stem pain. Stem design does appear to impact the incidence of end-of-stem pain in revision total knee arthroplasty.
Electron dynamics in graded nanostructures

Abstract In this paper I describe recent work, jointly with M. Geller, treating the dynamics of electrons in semiconducting alloys, such as Al c Ga 1− c As, whose compositions, characterized by c , is a slowly varying function of position: | ▿ c ( r )| b ⪡ 1, where b is a characteristic lattice spacing. The mathematical framework is provided by the so-called generalized Wannier functions (GWF) a n , l ( r ) where n and l are band and site labels (for composite bands an additional label v is needed). The GWFs are generalizations to non-periodic systems of the traditional Wannier functions for periodic systems. We show that the eigenstates and frequency-dependent electric response functions can be completely described in terms of two quantities, e n ( k ; c ) and p nn ′ ( k ; c ), the energy and momentum matrix elements of the uniform alloys of concentrations c , ranging over the values of c in the non-uniform system under consideration.
Quality Indicators for Sentinel Node Surgery

Surgical quality has historically been measured on the basis of the short-term morbidity and mortality. However, mortality from and immediate complications associated with breast and axillary surgery are extremely low and, therefore, are not adequate indicators of the quality of a particular operation for a patient with a breast malignancy. Unlike the introduction of novel laparoscopic techniques for abdominal surgery, for which clinical trial evaluation has been infrequent, the sentinel node mapping and nodal dissection (SLND) procedure has undergone intense retrospective and prospective clinical scrutiny throughout its development and widespread inclusion in surgical practice. SLND for breast cancer was introduced over 20 years ago and was performed in association with axillary dissection to identify the sentinel nodes and determine the number of false negatives, thereby ensuring low incidence of inaccurate oncologic staging. The original studies used a single mapping agent; this progressed to use of combination techniques with more than one mapping agent over the next five years. Sentinel lymph node mapping and dissection is now the operation of choice for patients with early-stage breast cancer. Outcomes can now be measured without requiring measurement of the number of false negatives, because use of axillary dissection is now infrequently co-associated with SLND. As novel dyes and agents are being introduced and as indications for SLND among patients with advanced breast cancer after neoadjuvant systemic treatment are expanding, evaluation of alternative indicators will be needed to determine the best indicators of quality for adequate staging and continued low procedural morbidity. Indicators of quality of SLND are reviewed in this paper. How these indicators will aid evaluation of innovative nodal techniques for patients with a breast malignancy is also discussed.
FcγRIIb Inhibits Allergic Lung Inflammation in a Murine Model of Allergic Asthma

Allergic asthma is characterized by airway eosinophilia, increased mucin production and allergen-specific IgE. Fc gamma receptor IIb (FcγRIIb), an inhibitory IgG receptor, has recently emerged as a negative regulator of allergic diseases like anaphylaxis and allergic rhinitis. However, no studies to date have evaluated its role in allergic asthma. Our main objective was to study the role of FcγRIIb in allergic lung inflammation. We used a murine model of allergic airway inflammation. Inflammation was quantified by BAL inflammatory cells and airway mucin production. FcγRIIb expression was measured by qPCR and flow cytometry and the cytokines were quantified by ELISA. Compared to wild type animals, FcγRIIb deficient mice mount a vigorous allergic lung inflammation characterized by increased bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cellularity, eosinophilia and mucin content upon ragweed extract (RWE) challenge. RWE challenge in sensitized mice upregulated FcγRIIb in the lungs. Disruption of IFN-γ gene abrogated this upregulation. Treatment of naive mice with the Th1-inducing agent CpG DNA increased FcγRIIb expression in the lungs. Furthermore, treatment of sensitized mice with CpG DNA prior to RWE challenge induced greater upregulation of FcγRIIb than RWE challenge alone. These observations indicated that RWE challenge upregulated FcγRIIb in the lungs by IFN-γ- and Th1-dependent mechanisms. RWE challenge upregulated FcγRIIb on pulmonary CD14+/MHC II+ mononuclear cells and CD11c+ cells. FcγRIIb deficient mice also exhibited an exaggerated RWE-specific IgE response upon sensitization when compared to wild type mice. We propose that FcγRIIb physiologically regulates allergic airway inflammation by two mechanisms: 1) allergen challenge mediates upregulation of FcγRIIb on pulmonary CD14+/MHC II+ mononuclear cells and CD11c+ cells by an IFN-γ dependent mechanism; and 2) by attenuating the allergen specific IgE response during sensitization. Thus, stimulating FcγRIIb may be a therapeutic strategy in allergic airway disorders.