cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glutamate-like immunoreactivity during hair cell recovery after gentamicin exposure in the chinchilla vestibular sensory periphery.

Objective: Determine the expression of glutamate by immunohistochemistry in normal and recovering vestibular hair cells in the chinchilla crista ampullaris after gentamicin ototoxicity. Study Design: In five groups of three animals each, ototoxicity was produced by placing gentamicin (50 μg)-impregnated Gelfoam pellets within the perilymphatic space of the superior semicircular canal. Animals were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks after treatment. A group of normal (n=3) animals was also processed. Methods: For the detection of glutamate the inner ears of these animals were dissected, and the horizontal cristae ampullaris embedded in plastic. Two-micron-thick tissue sections were obtained and incubated with monoclonal antibodies against glutamate. The immunoreaction was detected using the avidinbiotinylated-complex technique and diaminobenzidine was the chromogen. Results: Normal sensory epithelia demonstrated type I and type II hair cells with moderate glutamate-like immunoreactivity. Supporting cells demonstrated no glutamate-like immunoreactivity. Afferent nerve fibers and calyxes surrounding type I hair cells demonstrated strong glutamate-like immunoreactivity. At 1 and 2 weeks after treatment the few type II hair cells surviving ototoxic treatment (15%-18%) contained moderate glutamate-like immunoreactivity, supporting cells showed no immunoreactivity, and nerve terminals and fibers displayed strong immunoreactivity. At 4 and 8 weeks after treatment, recovered hair cells (80%) had greater glutamate-like immunoreactivity when compared with normal hair cells, supporting cells displayed no glutamate-like immunoreactivity, and afferent fibers contained strong glutamate-like immunoreactivity. At 16 weeks, glutamate-like immunoreactivity in hair cells returned to normal level. Conclusion: Glutamate may be used as an indicator of hair cell differentiation and as an index of the molecular recovery of hair cells after ototoxicity.
Condensation, Frost Formation, and Frost Melt-Water Retention Characteristics on Microgrooved Brass Surfaces Under Natural Convection

In this study, frost is grown on microgrooved and flat brass samples under specific operating conditions and a comparison of the condensation, frosting, and defrosting pattern on microgrooved and flat brass surfaces is carried out experimentally. The surfaces are fabricated by a mechanical micromachining process and no chemical alteration of the surface is conducted. It is found that the shape, size, and distribution of condensed water droplets and the subsequent frost structure are significantly affected by the presence of microgrooves on the surface. The condensed water droplets take an elongated shape and then coalesce along the pillars and grooves on the microgrooved surfaces, giving a parallel “brick-wall-like” frosting pattern. The frost crystals on these microgrooved surfaces exhibit more directional growth parallel to the surface, with numerous ice flakes growing in the perpendicular and angular directions to the grooves. This nonuniform growth of the frost layer also gives the appearance of a spo...
Puffing of Okara/Rice Blends Using a Rice Cake Machine

Okara is the insoluble byproduct of soymilk and tofu manufactures. It is cheap, high in nutrients, and possesses great potential to be applied to functional human foods. In this study, a puffed okara/rice cake product was developed with blends of okara pellets and parboiled rice. Consumer preference and acceptance tests were conducted for the product. Okara pellets were prepared by grinding the strands obtained from extruding a mixture of dried okara and rice flour (3:2, w/w) with a twin-screw extruder. Okara pellets and parboiled rice were blended in 4 ratios, 90:10, 70:30, 40:60, and 0:100 (w/w), and tempered to 14% and 17% moisture. The blends were puffed at 221, 232, and 243 degrees C for 4, 5, or 6 s. The okara/rice cakes were evaluated for specific volume (SPV), texture, color, and percent weight loss after tumbling. Overall, the decrease in okara content and increase in moisture, heating temperature and time led to greater specific volume (SPV) and hardness, lighter color, and lower percent weight loss after tumbling. The consumer tests indicated that the okara/rice cake containing 70% okara pellets was preferred and the 90% one was liked the least. The possible drivers of liking for the puffed okara/rice cakes could be the okara content, hardness, SPV, bright color, and percent weight loss after tumbling.
Water-in-CO2 Microemulsions as Nanoreactors for Synthesizing CdS and ZnS Nanoparticles in Supercritical CO2

Semiconductor nanopaparticles of CdS and ZnS were synthesized by mixing two water-in-CO2 microemulsions with one containing S2- ions and the other containing Cd2+ or Zn2+ ions in the water core. Nanoparticle formation was monitored in situ by measuring their absorption spectra in the UV−vis range using a high-pressure fiber-optic system. The size of the nanoparticles formed in the microemulsion was found to depend on the water-to-surfactant ratio (W). At W = 6 and 12, the band gaps of CdS were calculated to be 3.50 and 3.15 eV, corresponding to particle radii of 1.4 and 1.7 nm, respectively. The ZnS particles synthesized at W = 12 showed a band gap of 4.26 eV, corresponding to a mean particle radius of 1.6 nm. This microemulsion-plus-microemulsion approach offers a simple method for synthesizing various nanoparticles in supercritical CO2 using water-soluble reagents as starting materials.
Seasonal Patterns of Fish Abundance in Two Mountain Creeks of the Little Missouri River Drainage, Arkansas

Abstract Abundance and distributions for five taxonomic groups of fishes were recorded by underwater surveys in two headwater streams of the Little Missouri River System in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. Observations were made from February to November 1993. Two components of the native fish assemblage were discernible: year-round residents and spring-to-fall residents. Creek chub (Semotilus atromaculatus) and central stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum) appeared to be year-around residents. Two types of spring-to-fall residents were recognized: species represented by juveniles only, and species represented by all age classes. Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) observed in the creeks were primarily juveniles. Longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and several shiner species (Cyprinidae) were observed breeding in the creeks.
Hyperquenching for protein cryocrystallography

When samples having volumes characteristic of protein crystals are plunge cooled in liquid nitrogen or propane, most cooling occurs in the cold gas layer above the liquid. By removing this cold gas layer, cooling rates for small samples and modest plunge velocities are increased to 1.5 × 104 K s−1, with increases of a factor of 100 over current best practice possible with 10 µm samples. Glycerol concentrations required to eliminate water crystallization in protein-free aqueous mixtures drop from ∼28% w/v to as low as 6% w/v. These results will allow many crystals to go from crystallization tray to liquid cryogen to X-ray beam without cryoprotectants. By reducing or eliminating the need for cryoprotectants in growth solutions, they may also simplify the search for crystallization conditions and for optimal screens. The results presented here resolve many puzzles, such as why plunge cooling in liquid nitrogen or propane has, until now, not yielded significantly better diffraction quality than gas-stream cooling.
Another Example of Phenotype Rhnull

Blood-donor typing provided the sixth example of a person with the rare phenotype, Rhnull. Serologic investigation of the propositus and his family gives indirect support for the theory that the homozygous state of amorphic genes (X0r/X0r) at a locus independent of Rh can block the production of the precursor substance upon which the Rh genes act to form the Rh antigenic determinants on red blood cells.
Automated information systems and urban decision making

Abstract This paper assesses the value of automated information systems for urban decision making and investigates alternative strategies for enhancing the value of this information. It is based on intensive survey and case study data in 40 U.S. cities with populations greater than 50.000. The findings indicate that although automated information systems are attributed significant usefulness by some types of decision makers for certain arrays of decisions, they are not generally useful to most urban decision makers. However, the findings suggest that they might be made more useful through management strategies which stress sensitive integration of these users with the technology.
A Note on the Buckling of an Elastic Plate Under the Influence of Simple Shear Flow

The linear von Karman equation describing the buckling of an elastic flat plate due to a distributed deformation-dependent load is discussed. It is shown that, in the case of buckling under the influence of an over-passing simple shear flow, a detailed hydrodynamic analysis of the disturbance flow due to the buckling is not necessary, and the eigensolutions can be determined exclusively from the stress field of the unperturbed simple shear flow. Corrections to previous results for a circular membrane patch are made.
Validated transmittance band model for SO 2 in the infrared

A band model is presented for the calculation of atmospheric molecular transmittance through sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the infrared region. It consists of a well-established double-exponential function defined by three absorber-dependent parameters and a single spectrally dependent parameter. The parameters are determined by an optimal numerical procedure which incorporates a mixture of line-by-line calculated transmittance data and laboratory measurements. The developing data are degraded to 20-cm−1 resolution spectral averages repeated at 5-cm−1 intervals for easy adaptability with the lowtran code. A diurnally and seasonally averaged mixing ratio profile for SO2 is proposed for use with the thirty-three layer standard atmosphere models. The proposed band model reproduces the developing data with an average rms error of 2.37%.
Principal Fiber Bundle Interpretation of the KP-Hierarchy

The Grassmannian and the Lax pair approaches to the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (KP) hierarchy are analyzed in the framework of (formal) principal fiber bundles. The underlying factorization problem is formulated as a local triviality condition. In particular the common object in the two approaches — the Baker function — coordinatizes the base space, the fiber consists of certain generalized differential operators. An example is constructed to show that despite the apparent similarity to the splitting in [8], the local triviality condition cannot be given a group theoretic interpretation. Introduction For about twenty years "completely integrable" nonlinear partial differential equations have been investigated intensively from different points of view. In particular, the Kadomtsev-Petviashvili hierarchy (KP-hierarchy) has been treated from the point of view of Grassmannian like manifolds [12], [13], Lax pairs [6], [7], [13], [14], and the general Riemann-Hilbert problem [8]. The original goal of this paper was to clarify geometrically the relations between these three approaches to the KP-hierarchy. In the end we were able to generalize the pseudo-differential operator approach of [13] to give a natural relation between the Grassmannian point of view and the Lax pair point of view via (formal) principal fiber bundles. Even something like a Riemann-Hilbert splitting appears (Theorem 3.6 and (5.7.27)). However, it turns out that this Riemann-Hilbert type of splitting cannot be obtained as a ''group splitting" as in [8]. At this point we have to leave it open to understand the relations between all these approaches from a higher, unifying approach. In §1 we recall the definition of the Grassmannian manifold X and the associated r-functions. In §2 we consider a set °1/F0 that will turn out in §4 to be a principal G£(//+)-fiber bundle over X and a map 0}, //_ = span {A; r<0}. We choose subspaces VCB(H+, //_), V~CB(H-, H+) such that V=(V , V~) is a Jordan pair, i.e. for x e V, y~ E V~, we have xy~x E V and y~xy~ E V~. In [2] we chose V, V~ as Asymmetric normed ideal" and thus imposed canonical Banach structures on V\ but for the purposes of this paper this seems to be only of minor importance. Nevertheless we have always these examples in mind. 1.2. Given V= (V', V") one constructs a variety X by (1.2.1) X= Vx V~l~, where the equivalence relation "~" is given by: (1.2.2) (*, y)~(x', y) itl~(y~y'}x is invertible and x' =x[I(y-y'}x]-\
Applications of excimer laser in nanofabrication

This paper addresses novel applications of an excimer laser (308 nm wavelength, 20 ns pulse duration) in nanofabrication. Specifically, laser assisted nanoimprint lithography (LAN), self-perfection by liquefaction (SPEL), fabrication of metal nanoparticle arrays, and the fabrication of sub-10-nm nanofluidic channels are covered. In LAN, a polymeric resist is melted by the laser pulse, and then imprinted with a fused silica mold within 200 ns. LAN has been demonstrated in patterning various polymer nanostructures on different substrates with high fidelity and uniformity, and negligible heat effect on both the mold and the substrate. SPEL is a novel technology that uses selective melting to remove fabrication defects in nanostructures post fabrication. Depending on the boundary conditions, SPEL is categorized into three basic types: Open-SPEL that takes place with surface open, Capped-SPEL where a cap plate holds the top surface of the nanostructures and Guided-SPEL where a plate held a distance above the structure guides the molten materials to rise and form a new structure with better profile. Using SPEL (in less than 200 ns), we have achieved a reduction of line edge roughness (LER) of Cr lines to 1.5 nm (3σ) (560% improvement from the original), which is well below what the previous technologies permit, and a dramatic increase of the aspect ratio of a nanostructure. We have used SPEL to make sub-25-nm smooth cylindrical NIL pillar molds and smoothing Si waveguides. Excimer laser is also used to make metal nanoparticles. Monolayers of particles are fabricated on various substrates (silicon, fused silica and plastics) by exposing thin metal films to a single laser pulse. Periodic nanoparticle arrays have been fabricated by fragmentation of metal grating lines. The periodicity of these nanoparticles can be regulated by surface topography such as shallow trenches. Finally, an excimer laser pulse has been used to melt the top portion of 1D and 2D Si gratings to seal off the top surface, forming enclosed nanofluidic channel arrays. The channel width has been further reduced to 9 nm using self-limited thermal oxidation. DNA stretching using 20 nm wide self-sealed channels is also demonstrated.
On the asymptotic behavior of solutions of generalized Korteweg-de Vries equations

Abstract The asymptotic behavior of solutions of the generalized Korteweg-de Vries equation t t + u xxx + p ¦u¦ p − 1 u x = 0 with p ϵ [1, 2] is studied. Any solution u of (GKdV) with nonidentically zero Cauchy data ψ ∈ L2( R )is shown not to be asymptotic to a substantial class of solutions of the Airy equation vt + vxxx = 0.
Optical Properties of Nickel and Tungsten and Their Interpretation According to Drude's Formula

New optical data are reported for nickel at 88\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 298\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 473\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and for tungsten at 298\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, 1100\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, and 1600\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in the wavelength range 0.365 to 2.65 microns. These data are shown to depend on wavelength in a way which is in good quantitative agreement with a formula initially proposed by Drude. By attributing different terms in Drude's equation to the motion of different classes of free and bound electrons, one may conclude that several classes of each are present in both metals. Each class of free electrons accounts for a portion of the dc conductivity and has its own characteristic relaxation time or wavelength. From this analysis it appears that most of the dc conductivity may be attributed to one class of free electrons, although optical properties are strongly influenced by other classes as well. In both metals the characteristic wavelength ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{r1}$ of the first class of free electrons proves to be proportional to the corresponding conductivity ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}$ at different temperatures. In nickel the constant ratio $\frac{{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{1}}{{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{r1}}$ accounts for the low temperature coefficient of optical properties throughout the visible and near infrared range. In tungsten this constant ratio contributes to the existence of the $x$-point or cross-over wavelength in the spectral emissivity. It is shown that the anomalous skin effect may not be a significant factor in the measured optical properties of a metal like nickel in the range of wavelength where these properties have only a small temperature coefficient.
Language Ideologies and Local Languages as the Medium-of-Instruction Policy: A Critical Ethnography of a Multilingual School in Nepal.

This paper analyzes the ideologies and practices of local languages as the medium-of-instruction (MOI) policy in a multilingual school in Nepal. Grounded on the notion of language policy as a locally situated social practice, this critical ethnographic study investigates challenges – both ideological and implementational – that local languages MOI policies face in a socio-politically stratified multilingual country, Nepal. This study shows that a well-intended language policy aiming at promoting linguistic diversity and addressing linguistic minority children's learning difficulties may face ideological and implementational resistance. As cultural and linguistic capital of linguistic minorities are not recognized in the wider educational market, indigenous communities are found ambivalent with regard to the relevance of their own languages in school. The fragile socio-economic, political, and educational position of the minority groups due to long history of monolingual top-down policy and the covert or i...
Glycoprotein processing and glycoprotein processing inhibitors.

Considerable evidence is now accumulating from both in vivo and in vitro studies that the oligosaccharide chains of the plant N-linked glycoproteins undergo modification or processing reactions after the oligosaccharide has been transferred from its lipid-linked oligosaccharide intermediate to the protein. These processing reactions occur in the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus of the cell and involve the removal of certain sugars and the addition of other sugars. While the processing reactions appear to be generally similar to those that occur in animal cells, there are some notable differences, such as the addition of a β-linked xylose to many of the plant glycoproteins. It will be interesting to determine the exact sequence of these reactions and how they are regulated in the cell. Recently, some very useful inhibitors have become available that act on the glycosidases that catalyze the removal of glucose and mannose. These inhibitors cause the accumulation of aberrant oligosaccharide chains on the glycoproteins. Such unusual glycoproteins should be valuable tools for studies on the role of oligosaccharide in glycoprotein function.
Acceptable Risk?: Making Decisions in a Toxic Environment

Creating Risks Organizational Chaos" Beginning Decontamination and Medical Surveillance Constricting the Field of Organizations As Excursus on Resolving Organizational Dilemmas: The County Government's Risk Organizing Medical Surveillance Organizing Decontamination The Exposed Organizing Risk Appendix A: The Players Appendix B: A Methodological Accounting References List of Interviews
Comparative environmental life cycle assessment of green roofs

Abstract This paper describes the life cycle environmental cost characteristics of intensive and extensive green roofs versus conventional roofs. A life cycle inventory and environmental impact assessment is used to document and analyze the similarities and differences in the environmental impacts of the fabrication, transportation, installation, operation, maintenance, and disposal of all three roof systems. This is important because there are additional resources committed to green roofs from which environmentally relevant benefits, such as reduced electrical energy use for building cooling, are derived. The extensive green roof design for the case study presented here is from an actual 1115 m 2 (12,000 ft 2 ) green roof project on a retail store in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. The case study includes a conventional ballasted roof, an extensive, or shallow growing medium green roof, and an intensive, or deep growing medium green roof. For the life cycle inventory and the material use, both the types of material used and the transportation distances to the site are with respect to this project. The study found that, for the Pittsburgh, PA climate, the energy use reduction that is realized because of the lower thermal conductivity of the roof due to the green roof growing medium is the critical factor in determining the relative magnitude of the environmental impact of the alternatives compared here. Although the energy use reduction is not very large in relation to the overall building energy use, it is significant for environmental impact over the life cycle of the building.
ADHD boys in young adulthood: psychosocial adjustment.

ABSTRACT Objective To prospectively examine psychosocial functioning in young adulthood in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method This 10-year prospective study compared psychosocial functioning in 18 young adult men in whom ADHD had been diagnosed in childhood and 18 male controls who had never been psychiatrically ill. Subjects' average age was 21 years at follow-up. Interviews assessed subjects' educational, occupational, residential, and marital status; utilization of mental health services; and psychological status. Results Young adults with ADHD were significantly more likely than controls to be using mental health services, to report psychological problems, and to have fathered children. In addition, a trend indicated that young men with ADHD were more likely to have dropped out of high school but subsequently attained a graduate equivalency diploma. There was also a trend for young adults with ADHD to report a greater history of trouble with the law; however, the groups did not differ on current legal problems. Conclusions Overall, these young adults with ADHD appear to have overcome educational and legal difficulties experienced during high school. However, continued problems in psychological functioning appear to persist into young adulthood.
Application of the Ritz Method to the Optimization of Vibrating Structures

This work presents an application of the Ritz Method to the optimization of vibrating structures. The optimization problems considered here involve local design choices made in various regions of the structure in hopes of improving the vibration characteristics of the structure. In order to find the global optimum, one must perform an exhaustive search over all combinations of such choices. Even a modest number of design choices may give rise to a large number of combinations, so that an exhaustive search becomes computationally intensive. In the present work, the Ritz Method is employed to efficiently compute cost functions related to the vibration characteristics of the structure. Since the Ritz Method is based on integral expressions of the potential and kinetic energies of the structure, one may naturally divide these integrals over regions of the structure. In doing so, the concept of substructuring appears naturally in the formulation without explicitly considering boundary conditions between regions. This advantage, combined with the well-known convergence properties of the Ritz Method, provide for a computationally efficient approach for optimization problems. Numerical examples related to the optimization of a vibrating plate illustrate the approach.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Nonlinear Mechanical Properties of a Thermoset Matrix Composite at Elevated Temperatures

Models are presented for describing the stress-strain relationships and the strengths of a thermoset matrix composite exposed to elevated temperature. The models take into account the nonlinear elastic characteristics of the material. For Fiberite 976 resin and for unidirectional Fiberite T300/976 composite the constants required in the models were determined by measuring the tensile, compressive, and shear properties, and Poisson ratios at 75, 250, 300, and 350°F. The strengths, initial (stress → 0) moduli, and initial Poisson's ratios of the unidirectional composite were calculated from the known resin and fiber properties using micromechanics equations. A procedure is also described which, together with the stress-strain-strength models developed in this study, can be used to calculate the deformations and strengths of loaded multidirectional laminates at high temperatures. To evaluate the accuracies of the models and the calculation procedure deformations and strengths of multidirectional Fiberite T30...
Responses to T-cell and B-cell mitogens in autoimmune Palmerston North and NZB/NZW mice.

Abstract Palmerston North (PN) mice, a newly recognized model of systemic lupus erythematosus, were compared with autoimmune hybrid NZB NZW mice in a study designed to examine spleen cell responsiveness to T-cell and B-cell mitogens. Modest reductions of responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) were noted in PN females after 24 weeks of age; these responses were reduced significantly in NZB NZW females. In contrast, male PN and NZB NZW mice responded actively to PHA and Con A throughout the first year of life. Responses to lipopolysaccharide were not affected by age or sex. Anti-DNA antibody levels, blood urea nitrogen, and glomerular histology were analyzed to determine if autoantibody production or renal failure correlated with suppressed mitogenic responsiveness. These factors, examined singly and together, were not as important as age. In this system, age and sex did not influence spleen cell responses to mitogens in normal CD-1 mice. Age and sex were of minimal importance in determining responses to T-cell mitogens in the recently defined PN model of autoimmunity. In contrast, age and sex exerted strong influences upon responses to PHA and Con A in the NZB NZW model of lupus.
Effect of dexamethasone on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme a reductase activity and cholesterol synthesis in rat liver

Abstract Dexamethasone increases reductase activity in cultured liver cells after a lag period of 2 h. The increases of activity are linear from 10−9 to 10−5 M dexamethasone, the maximum responses ranging from 2- to 4-fold. The increased reductase activity after dexamethasone treatment is not due to a change of the state of phosphorylation/dephosphorylation of the enzyme nor to an increase of cytosolic activating factor(s) for the reductase. Cholesterol synthesis, measured by incorporation of either 14C]acetate or 3H2O, increases 3-fold after dexamethasone (10−6 M) treatment, as does the hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity, confirming that this enzyme is rate-controlling for cholesterol synthesis in cultured liver cells as it is in vivo. Dexamethasone (10 μg/100 g rat), given after onset of the light cycle, increases reductase activity over control rats at the nadir of the circadian cycle of this enzyme. When given after onset of the dark cycle, dexamethasone does not increase reductase activity over controls at the peak of their circadian cycle. Thus, physiologic doses of glucocorticoids partially reverse the decline in reductase activity due to the circadian rhythm.
A Meta-Analysis of Differences in IQ Profiles between Individuals with Asperger's Disorder and High-Functioning Autism.

A meta-analysis was performed to examine differences in IQ profiles between individuals with Asperger’s disorder (AspD) and high-functioning autism (HFA). Fifty-two studies were included for this study. The results showed that (a) individuals with AspD had significantly higher full-scale IQ, verbal IQ (VIQ), and performance IQ (PIQ) than did individuals with HFA; (b) individuals with AspD had significantly higher VIQ than PIQ; and (c) VIQ was similar to PIQ in individuals with HFA. These findings seem to suggest that AspD and HFA are two different subtypes of Autism. The implications of the present findings to DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder are discussed.
Changes in health service use and mortality among U.S. elderly in 1980-1986.

Concern has emerged about the impact on quality of care of recent changes in Medicare reimbursement for acute hospital episodes (i.e., the introduction of the Prospective Payment System based on the Diagnosis Related Groups Reimbursement methodology). One aspect of those concerns is that very sick patients would be prematurely discharged to nursing homes in which the high level of medical care required would not be available. This was recently studied in terms of changes between 1981 and 1985 in the location of deaths (e.g., hospital, institutional) reported on U.S. death certificates. We analyzed the death certificate data for a longer period of time (1980 to 1986) and stratified the analysis by both age and cause of death-which we felt were important determinants of location of death. We also examined data from the 1982 and 1984 National Long Term Care Surveys linked to data on Medicare service use. In those analyses we could explicitly identify chronically disabled and institutionalized populations and...
Flash and pattern-reversal visual evoked potential abnormalities in infants and children with cerebral blindness

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were recorded of 60 infants and children with cerebral blindness, aged between six weeks and 10 years, and compared with age-matched normative data. Every patient had abnormal VEPs. 18 had absent flash and pattern VEPs and 13 had atypical or atypical and asymmetrical flash and pattern VEPs. Of the remaining 29, most had greater abnormality of pattern than of flash VEPs and greater abnormalities over parietal and temporal than occipital areas. Eight patients had normal occipital responses to flash and five others had delayed responses with normal morphology. One had normal occipital responses to pattern stimuli. All of these had abnormal late occipital responses or abnormal responses over the parietal and temporal areas. It is recommended that visual assessments using VEPs employ both flash and pattern stimuli, that pre-occipital as well as occipital recordings be made and that tracings be compared with age-specific normative data.
Bacterial biofilms: the powerhouse of a microbial fuel cell

Research in the field of microbial fuel cells has exploded in recent years and is providing insights into the specialized biological processes that occur within these systems. Fundamental to the functioning of a microbial fuel cell is the formation of highly specialized bacterial biofilms on the electrode surface. While many different bacterial species have been found to associate with electrodes, to date only a few have been isolated in pure culture with the ability to produce a high current density. One such species, Geobacter sulfurreducens, is speculated to form an electrical conductive biofilm capable of electron transfer across a considerable distance greater than 50 µm. The mechanisms for electron transfer across such distances are only just being understood and may involve a matrix of bacterially produced nanowires and/or c-type cytochromes, but limited due to proton accumulation. Evolutionary and genetic engineering studies are now being employed to increase power output on a per cell basis with ...
Asymmetrical information in the provision of human services: an empirical investigation of contract failure theory

In this article, we empirically investigate the validity of the contract failure arguments as applied to a segment of the child care industry. However, prior research has focused upon actual quality differences between nonprofit and for-profit providers whereas the theory is concerned with consumers' perceptions of quality differences. In the current study, we examine both consumers′ perceptions and actual performance in testing the theory. In general, the data provide support for contract failure.
Focusing the academy's strengths to reorganize healthcare.

With the current focus on healthcare reform in the United States Congress, it is important to celebrate the impact that colleges and schools of pharmacy are making on public policy. Many of the provisions included in both the House and Senate proposals reflect a desire for a reorganized healthcare system based on the teaching, research, and service of pharmacy faculty members. AACP has contributed dozens of examples of how community-campus partnerships are creating greater value across the healthcare continuum, improving the quality of care patients receive, and increasing or at least maintaining access to critical community-based services, including service delivery utilizing telemedicine technology.
Ultrafast formation of an intramolecular cation–pi bond

Abstract Ultrafast conformeric dynamics in N,N-dimethylphenethylamine is initiated by photo-excitation to the 3p Rydberg level. On the ion-like potential energy surface of the Rydberg state, the formation of an intramolecular cation–pi bond between the positively charged amine ion core and the aromatic ring is observed in real time using Rydberg fingerprint spectroscopy. The structural dynamics of the cation–pi bond formation proceeds with a 5.3 ps time constant at an internal temperature of 760 K.
NGF Activates Similar Intracellular Signaling Pathways in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells as PDGF-BB But Elicits Different Biological Responses

The signaling pathways that regulate smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation are incompletely understood. Smooth muscle cells express at least 3 families of receptor tyrosine kinases that mediate cell migration: platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptors, the trk family of neurotrophin receptors, and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor. The neurotrophin, nerve growth factor (NGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 induce the migration but not the proliferation of smooth muscle cells, whereas PDGF-BB stimulates both responses. To determine whether distinct signaling pathways downstream of receptor tyrosine kinases specifically mediate smooth muscle cell migration or proliferation, the ligand-induced activation of different signaling pathways in smooth muscle cells was examined. NGF induces prolonged activation of the Shc/MAP kinase pathway and phospholipase Cgamma compared with PDGF-BB. The activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, however, was 10-fold greater in response to PDGF-BB compared with NGF. Insulin-like growth factor 1 activates only phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase. Pharmacological inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, Wortmannin and LY294002, inhibit PDGF-BB and NGF-induced migration, whereas an inhibitor of MAP kinase kinase, PD98059, has no effect. Our results suggest that (1) different receptor tyrosine kinases use similar patterns of activation of signaling pathways to mediate distinct biological outcomes of cell migration and proliferation, (2) NGF activates signaling proteins in smooth muscle cells similar to those activated during NGF-induced neuronal differentiation, and (3) the combinatorial effects of different signaling pathways are important for the regulation of smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. Further studies using mutant trk receptors will help to define the signal transduction pathways mediating NGF-induced smooth muscle cell migration.
F-center accumulation as a mechanism of multiple-pulse, laser-induced bulk damage in KBr and KI at 532 nm

Abstract Recent results suggest that laser-induced stable F-centers play a significant role in multishot, bulk laser damage in KBr and KI at 532 nm. The production of stable F-centers is a result of laser-induced electron-hole pair generation and is accompanied by an expansion of the crystal lattice. Thus, the nonuniform coloration produced by the focused laser beam leads to a buildup of local stresses resulting ultimately in catastrophic damage of the crystal. The model developed exhibits the observed dependence on photon flux density for multishot damage in KBr and KI for temperatures from 55 to 300 K.
Adults matter: Protecting children from the negative impacts of bullying

This study examines the degree to which support from parents and teachers buffers the level of depression for four groups of children involved in bullying (victim, bully, bully-victims, or not involved children). Nine hundred and seventy-seven 5th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade students in the rural South completed questionnaires on bullying, social support, and depression. Children who were not involved in bullying reported less depression and more social support than children involved in bullying, and bully-victims were the most at-risk group. Furthermore, results indicate that in all four bully status groups, children reported fewer symptoms of depression when support from parents was high compared to when it was low. For all groups except victims, when parental support was low, support from teachers was associated with fewer symptoms of depression. When parental support was high, the impact of support from the teacher was not significant. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spectral Methods for Nonlinear Parabolic Systems

Many physical problems are naturally formulated as nonlinear parabolic systems of partial differential equations in periodic geometry. In this paper, a simple, efficient, spectrally-accurate numerical method for these problems is described and implemented. The method combines stiff extrapolation with fast solvers for elliptic systems. Theory and numerical results show that the method solves even difficult problems including phase field models and mean curvature flows.
The Influences of Social Context on Kindergarten Journal Writing

Abstract This study investigated the influence of social context on kindergartners' journal writing. The researcher employed participant observation, interviews, audio recordings, field notes, photographic recordings, the case study method, and triangulation procedures. Data consisted of the children's writing samples, social interaction recordings, ongoing interviews, and collected artifacts. The researcher recorded over 100 contact hours during this 19 week investigation. This article demonstrates how teaching and learning to write in the kindergarten classroom are influenced by a variety of factors inherent in the social situation.
An Approximation To The Stationary Distribution Of A Multidimensional Markov Process

Abstract In this paper we present an approximate, non-iterative method for calculating the stationary distribution of a multidimensional Markov process. Although the method has more general applications, we illustrate it for a particular example of a repairable item inventory model with returns. We analyze two versions of this model. In the first version we assume that all failed items are repairable, whereas in the second version we assume that some of the failed items are irreparable and hence are scrapped. Each version gives rise to multidimensional state spaces that are extremely large even for problems with a relatively small number of items. Because of the large state spaces, the emphasis of this paper is on developing an approximation for the stationary distribution. We show that this approximation is not only easy to calculate but is also quite accurate across a broad range of problem parameters.
Apraxia of Speech in Children and Adolescents: Applications of Neuroscience to Differential Diagnosis and Intervention

This paper presents an overview of clinical and neuroscience research that is relevant to distinguishing characteristics of childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) from perceptual/phonological disorders (PPD) in children with speech sound disorders. An initial attempt at developing a clinical checklist of as few as seven speech production characteristics, based on a literature review, may be useful for distinguishing CAS from PPD. Data on 11 children seen for intensive speech language intervention in 2008 are presented. The paper also provides longitudinal data on four children seen over two decades that presented with CAS vs. PPD. Clinical implications of a treatment outcome study, the CAS checklist, and longitudinal case studies are discussed.
915 SPONTANEOUS IN VITRO NEUTROPHIL DIFFERENTIATION IN SEVERE CONGENITAL NEUTROPENIA: EVIDENCE FOR A NORMAL MARROW MICROENVIRONMENT

Marrow cells from 5 patients with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN) associated with maturation arrest at the promyeloeyte stage were found to differentiate spontaneously into segmented neutrophils in long-term marrow culture (LTC). Previous studies have indicated that the granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) in SCN are normal in number and in responsiveness to exogenous colony stimulating activity. This latter observation suggests that part of the defect in SCN may be extrinsic to the granulocytic lineage. To test this hypothesis, we have used autologous LTC to examine the ability of the patient's microenvironment to support granulopoiesis. By week 2 of culture, all 5 patients demonstrated terminal neutrophil differentiation with 2.9±3.6 × 106 (mean ± S.D.) band and segmented neutrophils/flask (12-45% of total cells), a value comparable to that seen in cultures from a normal control (2.0 ±0.6 × 106/flask). Differentiation to mature neutrophils persisted through 6 weeks of culture in all but 1 patient. In that patient the addition of 13-cis-retinoio acid (RA) (10−6M) to culture at week 3 produced a resurgence of neutrophil differentiation at week 6. We conclude that CFU-GM from patients with SCN are able to proliferate and differentiate on an autologous marrow adherent layer, suggesting the development of a normal in vitro microenvironment. Furthermore, the spontaneous differentiation which occurred in these cultures implies the presence of an in vivo suppressor of granulopoiesis. Finally, stimulation of differentiation by RA suggests a possible therapeutic role for this agent.
Antenna array multipath mitigation method in navigation augmentation system

This paper presents the antenna array multipath mitigation method in the satellite navigation augmentation system. The digital receiver with multiple correlators is proposed. The antenna elements of the array each output the raw sampled digital data to every internal receiver channel. The carrier phase of the satellite is correlated out in the channel, and the direction of arrival is estimated, then the digital beamforming is operated to mitigate the multipath. The direction of arrival estimation and the decorrelation method of the correlated signal of the three dimensional array are researched in the paper. A three dimensional spheriform array with current dipoles is proposed, receiving the correlated signals. The three dimensional array proposed is compact with small volume. The linear arrays on X axis, Y axis and Z axis adopt the forward-backward spatial smoothing technique to decorrelate the signals respectively. The direction of arrival is estimated by MUSIC, and there is no matching needed. Distinguish the direct satellite signal by the result of demodulated navigation message. In the simulation, the direction of the direct satellite signal and the multipath signals estimated are used to optimize the weights to apply the beamforming to the desired satellite, and place a null on the estimated multipath direction.
On Adhering to Judicial Instructions: Reactions of Dogmatic and Nondogmatic Juries to the Judge's Charge in an Entrapment Case1

Juries differing in dogmatism assessed the culpability of a defendant who had sold heroin to an undercover police officer and pled entrapment as his legal defense. The extenuating circumstances surrounding the drug sale provided either a reasonably compelling justification (high extenuating circumstances) or minimal justification (low extenuating circumstances) for an entrapment plea. Because of their alleged respect for and reliance on the pronouncements of authority figures, it was hypothesized that dogmatic juries would be more influenced than nondogmatic juries by the judge's charge about the meaning of entrapment (which, in this case, focused on the propriety of police conduct). Analyses of the jury deliberations, the decisions rendered, and postexperimental questionnaire data supported this hypothesis. Some implications of these outcomes are discussed.
Biomass burning emissions of reactive gases estimated from satellite data analysis and ecosystem modeling for the Brazilian Amazon region

[1] To produce a new daily record of trace gas emissions from biomass burning events for the Brazilian Legal Amazon, we have combined satellite advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) data on fire counts together for the first time with vegetation greenness imagery as inputs to an ecosystem biomass model at 8 km spatial resolution. This analysis goes beyond previous estimates for reactive gas emissions from Amazon fires, owing to a more detailed geographic distribution estimate of vegetation biomass, coupled with daily fire activity for the region (original 1 km resolution), and inclusion of fire effects in extensive areas of the Legal Amazon (defined as the Brazilian states of Acre, Amapa, Amazonas, Maranhao, Mato Grosso, Para, Rondonia, Roraima, and Tocantins) covered by open woodland, secondary forests, savanna, and pasture vegetation. Results from our emissions model indicate that annual emissions from Amazon deforestation and biomass burning in the early 1990s total to 102 Tg yr−1 carbon monoxide (CO) and 3.5 Tg yr−1 nitrogen oxides (NOx). Peak daily burning emissions, which occurred in early September 1992, were estimated at slightly more than 3 Tg d−1for CO and 0.1 Tg d−1for NOx flux to the atmosphere. Other burning source fluxes of gases with relatively high emission factors are reported, including methane (CH4), nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and sulfur dioxide (SO2), in addition to total particulate matter (TPM). We estimate the Brazilian Amazon region to be a source of between one fifth and one third for each of these global emission fluxes to the atmosphere. The regional distribution of burning emissions appears to be highest in the Brazilian states of Maranhao and Tocantins, mainly from burning outside of moist forest areas, and in Para and Mato Grosso, where we identify important contributions from primary forest cutting and burning. These new daily emission estimates of reactive gases from biomass burning fluxes are designed to be used as detailed spatial and temporal inputs to computer models and data analysis of tropospheric chemistry over the tropical region.
Synthesis of gonadotropin-releasing hormone III analogs. Structure-antitumor activity relationships.

Following the observation that the activity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone III (GnRH-III) in the suppression of growth of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells surpasses that of GnRH and other analogs thereof, analogs of GnRH-III were synthesized to investigate the structural basis for the improved antitumor activity. Compounds synthesized include analogs with changes in the central sequence in which GnRH-III differs from GnRH and in the C- and N-terminal regions. The results indicate that a salt bridge between Asp6 and Lys8 stabilizes the active conformation of GnRH-III and show the importance of the Trp7. Replacement of the C-terminal Gly-NH2 with d-Ala-NH2 was not well tolerated, but replacement with ethylamide was. Replacement of pGlu1 with Ac-d-Trp appears to have a significantly deleterious effect on a unique conformation of GnRH-III which is responsible for its binding to the receptors on cancer cell lines and the resultant antitumor activity.