cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stereotactic radiosurgery before bilateral adrenalectomy is associated with lowered risk of Nelson's syndrome in refractory Cushing's disease patients.

Nelson’s syndrome is a rare but challenging sequelae of Cushing’s disease (CD) after bilateral adrenalectomy (BLA). We sought to determine if stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) of residual pituitary adenoma performed before BLA can decrease the risk of Nelson’s syndrome. Consecutive patients with CD who underwent BLA after non-curative resection of ACTH secreting pituitary adenoma and had at least one follow-up visit after BLA were studied. Nelson’s syndrome was diagnosed based on the combination of rising ACTH levels, increasing volume of the pituitary adenoma and/or hyperpigmentation. Fifty patients underwent BLA for refractory CD, and 43 patients (7 men and 36 women) had at least one follow-up visit after BAL. Median endocrine, imaging, and clinical follow-up were 66 months, 69 months, and 80 months, respectively. Nine patients (22%) were diagnosed with the Nelson’s syndrome at median time after BLA at 24 months (range: 0.6–119.4 months). SRS before BLA was associated with reduced risk of the Nelson’s syndrome (HR = 0.126; 95%CI [0.022–0.714], p=0.019), while elevated ACTH level within 6 months after BLA was associated with increased risk for the Nelson’s syndrome (HR = 9.053; 95%CI [2.076–39.472], p=0.003). SRS before BLA can reduce the risk for the Nelson’s syndrome in refractory CD patients requiring BLA and should be considered before proceeding to BLA. Elevated ACTH concentration within 6 months after BLA is associated with greater risk of the Nelsons’ syndrome. When no prior SRS is administered, those with a high ACTH level shortly after BLA may benefit from early SRS.
A Perfect Prosecution: The People of the State of New York Versus Dominique Strauss-Kahn

People v. Strauss-Kahn is an ideal lens through which to examine the operation of a criminal justice system that privileges the presumption of guilt, or, to use the words of the US Supreme Court in the 2012 decisions Lafler v. Cooper and Missouri v. Frye, has become “a system of pleas, not a system of trials.” It is both an excellent example of a transparent and objective invocation of the criminal sanction, and a sharp counterpoint to the vast majority of cases where law enforcement conclusions are privileged and rarely second-guessed. As analyses of wrongful convictions have sadly but inevitably demonstrated, the screening methods of police and prosecutors are fallible. Moreover, the prevalence of “tunnel vision” once the decision to charge has been made means that few cases experience the kind of post-indictment investigation and reevaluation seen in the prosecution of Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Stage by stage, the Strauss-Kahn case illustrates how to counterbalance the presumption of guilt and give expression to the presumption of innocence in the pretrial period through vigilantly-invoked and enforced due process protections. Drawing from this examination, the paper will then explore how to approach this model process in the more standard cases, which typically see a fraction of the judicial, law enforcement, and defense resources afforded Dominique Strauss-Kahn. The Strauss-Kahn prosecution offers several insights, three of which will be sketched at the paper’s conclusion: a requirement that prosecutorial decision-making be subject to a reasonable doubt standard; vigilant and early enforcement of the prosecutor’s obligation to disclose information that is favorable to the accused; and finally, a requirement that a prosecutor explain in writing any decision to dismiss the felony charges in indicted felony cases, so that the factual, legal and policy bases of these decisions (numbering almost one quarter of New York’s superior court felony cases annually) can be analyzed and publicized.
Online medical books: their availability and an assessment of how health sciences libraries provide access on their public Websites.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the number and topical range of available online medical books and to assess how health sciences libraries were providing access to these resources on their public Websites. Method: The collection-based evaluative technique of list checking was used to assess the number and topical range of online medical books of the six largest publishers. Publisher inventory lists were downloaded over a two-day period (May 16–17, 2004). Titles were counted and compared with the 2003 Brandon/Hill list. A sample of health sciences libraries was subsequently derived by consulting the 2004 “Top Medical Schools-Research” in U.S. News & World Report. Bibliographic and bibliothecal access methods were evaluated based on an inspection of the publicly available Websites of the sample libraries. Results: Of 318 currently published online medical books, 151 (47%) were Brandon/Hill titles covering 42 of 59 Brandon/Hill topics (71%). These 151 titles represented 22% (N = 672) of the Brandon/Hill list, which further broke down as 52 minimal core, 41 initial purchase, and 58 other recommended Brandon/Hill titles. These numbers represented 50%, 28%, and 12%, respectively, of all Brandon/Hill titles corresponding to those categories. In terms of bibliographic access, 20 of 21 of sampled libraries created catalog records for their online medical books, 1 of which also provided analytical access at the chapter level, and none provided access at the chapter section level. Of the 21 libraries, 19 had library Website search engines that provided title-level access and 4 provided access at the chapter level and none that at the chapter section level. For bibliothecal access, 19 of 21 libraries provided title-level access to medical books, 8 of which provided classified and alphabetic arrangements, 1 provided a classified arrangement only, and 10 provided an alphabetic arrangement only. No library provided a bibliothecal arrangement for medical book chapters or chapter sections. Conclusions: This study shows that the number and topical range of online medical books is reaching a point where collection-level consideration is warranted to facilitate efficient use and to prevent the problem of split files. However, the results also show that few efforts are underway on the publicly available Websites of the surveyed health sciences libraries to provide the analytical access necessary to meet the structural needs of clinical information seekers.
Cleansing the City: Sanitary Geographies of Victorian London – By Michelle Allen

This author's focus is ambivalence toward the new forms of sanitary citizenship in Victorian London, which led even to disenchantment by end of century. Michelle Allen is one of many contemporary l...
Simulation Modeling in Support of a European Airspace Study

To address some questions about usage of European airspace by United States Air Force aircraft, two simulation models are employed. The first model offers a wide array of functions to represent aircraft movement and management of aggregates or “flows” of aircraft. The second model uses a Petri net approach to represent the complexity of a flight planning/replanning operation, in order to estimate staffing requirements.
Mechanisms of H+ and Na+ Changes Induced by Glutamate, Kainate, and d-Aspartate in Rat Hippocampal Astrocytes

The excitatory transmitter glutamate (Glu), and its analogs kainate (KA), and D-aspartate (D-Asp) produce significant pH changes in glial cells. Transmitter-induced pH changes in glial cells, generating changes in extracellular pH, may represent a special form of neuronal-glial interaction. We investigated the mechanisms underlying these changes in intracellular H+ concentration ([H+]i) in cultured rat hippocampal astrocytes and studied their correlation with increases in intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i), using fluorescence ratio imaging with 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) or sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI). Glu, KA, or D-Asp evoked increases in [Na+]i; Glu or D-Asp produced parallel acidifications. KA, in contrast, evoked biphasic changes in [H+]i, alkaline followed by acid shifts, which were unaltered after Ca2+ removal and persisted in 0 CI(-)-saline, but were greatly reduced in CO2/HCO3(-)-free or Na(+)-free saline, or during 4,4'-diisothiocyanato-stilbene-2,2'-disulphonic acid (DIDS) application. The non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) blocked KA-evoked changes in [H+]i and [Na+]i, indicating that they were receptor-ionophore mediated. In contrast, CNQX increased the [H+]i change and decreased the [Na+]i change induced by Glu. D-Asp, which is transported but does not act at Glu receptors, induced [H+]i and [Na+]i changes that were virtually unaltered by CNQX. Our study indicates that [Na+]i increases are not primarily responsible for Glu- or KA-induced acidifications in astrocytes. Instead, intracellular acidifications evoked by Glu or D-Asp are mainly caused by transmembrane movement of acid equivalents associated with Glu/Asp-uptake into astrocytes. KA-evoked biphasic [H+]i changes, in contrast, are probably attributable to transmembrane ion movements mediated by inward, followed by outward, electrogenic Na+/HCO3- cotransport, reflecting KA-induced biphasic membrane potential changes.
Grouping Practices and Reading Outcomes for Students with Disabilities.

This meta-analytic review investigated the relationship between reading outcomes for students with disabilities (learning disabilities, behavior disorders) and the grouping formats (student pairs, small groups, combinations of different formats) used during their reading instruction. Twenty studies produced between 1975 and 1995 met criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Results indicated positive effects for alternative grouping formats compared to whole class instruction; support for the efficacy of student pairing was particularly strong. In addition, analyses indicated that outcomes for students involved in cross-age tutoring varied significantly by students' role (tutor vs. tutee) within the pair. Implications of the findings are discussed with regard to classroom practice in the teaching of reading to students with disabilities.
HCW 2014 Keynote Talk

Funded by the US National Science Foundation, the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) project seeks to provide "a single virtual system that scientists can use to interactively share computing resources, data and experience."1 The resources, owned by many different organizations and individuals in the US or abroad, may be at national centers, on campuses, in individual research labs, or at home. Heterogeneity pervades such an environment. There are heterogeneous processor architectures, node architectures, operating systems, load management systems, file systems, linkage libraries, MPI implementations and versions, authentication policies, authorization requirements, internet access policies and mechanisms, and operational policies, tolerance for risk -- the list goes on and on. It is the role of the XSEDE architecture to provide a clean model for component/component interactions, the definition of the standard core components, and the architectural approach to the non-functional aspects, often called the "ilities". These interfaces and interaction patterns must be sufficient to implement the XSEDE use case both today and into the future. We have followed the principles that Notkin and others espoused in the early 1990s.This talk describes the architectural features required to satisfy one of the most demanding use cases: executing workflows spanning XSEDE resources and campus-based resources. This use highlights the obvious functional aspects of execution and data management, identity federation, identity delegation, as well as more difficult-to-homogenize qualities such as local operational policies. We will begin with a discussion of the use case requirements, then examine how the architectural components are combined to realize the use case. We will then discuss some of the problems encountered along the way both with the standards used as well as the approach of a homogeneous virtual machine.
Drawing Plausible Inferences about the Impact of State Dependent Coverage Expansions.

In a recent paper published in Health Services Research, Burgdorf (2014) critiqued our prior research (Monheit et al. 2011) demonstrating that state laws expanding young adult dependent coverage led to an increase in the likelihood of such coverage.1 Using Current Population Survey (CPS) data similar to our earlier study, applying a comparable difference-in-difference estimation framework, implementing several falsification tests, and most important, drawing a distinction between parental and spousal dependent coverage, Burgdorf asserts that our conclusion regarding the impact of this coverage expansion is flawed. In reaching this conclusion, Burgdorf asserts that the increase in dependent coverage of young adults through the state reforms was driven by enrollment in spousal dependent coverage rather than in parental dependent coverage.2 As a consequence, Burgdorf raises serious doubts about our conclusion that the state reforms had the intended effect of increasing young adult dependent coverage through a parent's private insurance plan. While we welcome further research that helps to clarify the role of these state insurance reforms and further quantifies their impact on young adult coverage and other outcomes, we believe that Burgdorf's conclusion regarding our work is implausible. Our assertion is based on the following points.
Accumulation, organization and deployment of oogenetically derived Xenopus yolk/nonyolk proteins.

The animal/vegetal (A/V) polarity of the typical amphibian egg is immediately recognizable by the distinct pigmentation differences between the darkly pigmented (animal) and lightly pigmented (vegetal) hemispheres. That polarity arises early in oogenesis. Prior to the vitellogenic period during which yolk platelets accumulate and the original (uniform) pigmentation pattern changes, a polarized distribution of several internal components can be detected. Ribosomal DNA accumulates within a localized area in the nucleus (Brachet, 1977). The Balbiani body (containing large numbers of mitochondria) is located outside and to one side of the nucleus, while the nucleoli are later segregated within the nucleus on the opposite side (Billett & Adam, 1976). By the end of the previtellogenic period the Balbiani body (mitochondrial cloud) has moved to the periphery, marking the future vegetal pole (Heasman, Quarmby & Wylie, 1984). During early vitellogenesis the distribution of yolk in an animal/vegetal gradient pattern may be related to the ‘slightly off center’ position of the germinal vesicle (Nieuwkoop, Johnen & Rzehak, 1985).
MR of diffusion slowing in global cerebral ischemia

PURPOSE To investigate the causal connections between ischemia and the hyperintensity in diffusion-weighted MR images that has been associated with it. METHODS Diffusion-weighted and T2-weighted MR imaging were used in a feline global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion model. Single 30-minute vascular occlusions followed by reperfusion were studied. Global occlusions were used to avoid interpretive complications associated with the temporally unstable hemodynamics of the penumbral zones around focal occlusions and the possible growth of the ischemic and penumbral regions with time. RESULTS Diffusion-weighted hyperintensity and the associated diffusional slowing were not attributable exclusively to the cessation of blood flow because: 1) it does not appear abruptly at the onset of ischemia; 2) it resolves slowly early in reperfusion; and 3) it reappears after prolonged reperfusion. CONCLUSION The times during which diffusion-weighted hyperintensity is manifested during ischemia, and recovers with reperfusion, point to a role for energy metabolism failure.
Dietary Isoflavones Reduce Plasma Cholesterol and Atherosclerosis in C57BL/6 Mice but not LDL Receptor–Deficient Mice

Susceptibility to atherosclerosis is determined by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including diet. Consumption of diets rich in soy protein has been claimed to protect against the development of atherosclerosis. Potential mechanisms include cholesterol lowering, inhibition of lipoprotein oxidation and inhibition of cell proliferation by soy proteins or isoflavones, such as genistein, that are present in soy. This study was designed to determine whether soy isoflavones confer protection against atherosclerosis in mice and whether they reduce serum cholesterol levels and lipoprotein oxidation. C57BL/6 and LDL receptor-deficient (LDLr-null) mice were fed soy protein-based, high fat diets with isoflavones present (IF+, 20.85 g/100 g protein, 0.027 g/ 100 g genistein, 0.009 g/100 g daidzein) or diets from which isoflavones, and possibly other components, had been extracted (IF-, 20.0 g/100 g protein, 0.002 g/100 g genistein, 0.001 g/100 g daidzein). Because LDLr-null mice develop extensive atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia after minimal time on a high fat diet, they were fed the diets for 6 wk, whereas C57BL/6 mice were fed the diets for 10 wk. Plasma cholesterol levels did not differ between LDLr-null mice fed IF- and those fed IF+, but were 30% lower in C57BL/6 mice fed the IF+ diet than in those fed the IF- diet. Susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification, measured as the lag phase of conjugated diene formation in LDLr-null mice, was not altered by isoflavone consumption. All LDLr-null mice developed atherosclerosis, and the presence or deficiency of dietary isoflavones did not influence atherosclerotic lesion area. In contrast, atherosclerotic lesion area was significantly reduced in C57BL/6 mice fed IF+ compared with those fed IF-. Thus, this study demonstrates that although the isoflavone-containing diet resulted in a reduction in cholesterol levels in C57BL/6 mice, it had no effect on cholesterol levels or on susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification in LDLr-null mice. Further, dietary isoflavones did not protect against the development of atherosclerosis in LDLr-null mice but did decrease atherosclerosis in C57BL/6 mice. These findings suggest that soy isoflavones might lower cholesterol levels by increasing LDL receptor activity, and the reduction in cholesterol may offer some protection against atherosclerosis.
Design, synthesis and evaluation of synthetic receptors for the recognition of aspartate pairs in an α-helical conformation☆

The specific targeting of protein surface functional groups remains a largely unexplored aspect in molecular recognition. In this study, a series of zwitterionic, 16-mer peptides serve as models for the recognition of carboxylate pairs in proteins. A receptor is described that contains two guanidinium groups separated by 4–5 A by a rigid bicyclo[3.3.0]octane spacer. Modeling studies indicate that such a receptor would be suitable for binding with two aspartate carboxylates when the amino acids are separated by two (i+3) or three (i+4) other amino acids in an α-helical peptide. Studies employing circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that the addition of the receptor to the i+3 peptide substrate caused a 23% enhancement of helical structure in 15% water/methanol at 25°C. Other substrate peptides [(i+1), (i+4), (i+7), (i+10)] showed lower helical induction. Similar, but weaker binding and helical induction were observed under buffered conditions (10 mM Tris-Mes, pH 7.0). These results, along with studies employing a series of related di-cationic receptors, suggest a 1:1 binding model composed of specific hydrogen interactions between each receptor guanidinium with each substrate carboxylate when the peptide adopts a helical conformation.
Identification and characterization of the rat adipocyte glucose transporter by photoaffinity crosslinking.

Abstract The photoaffinity crosslinking agent hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate has been used to attach [ 3 H]cytochalasin B to a rat adipocyte low-density microsomal membrane protein of 45–50 kDa. The characteristics of the [ 3 H]cytochalasin B-labeled protein are consistent with those of the adipocyte glucose transporter. The low-density microsomes from cells incubated without insulin incorporate twice the amount of radioactivity per mg membrane protein than low-density microsomes derived from insulinstimulated cells. This value agrees with the distribution of glucose transporters measured in this intracellular membrane fraction prepared from basal and insulin-treated cells by [ 3 H]cytochalasin B binding. Preincubation of membranes with 500 mM D-glucose reduces the photoaffinity crosslinking by 48% relative to that observed with 500 mM L-glucose. Isoelectric focusing of low-density microsomes containing the photoaffinity crosslinked transporter yields three bands of radioactivity focusing at pH values of 5.5, 4.5, and 4.2 respectively. Following islation from the isoelectric focusing gel and SDS—polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, all three peaks can be shown to contain a band of 45–50 kDa which crossreacts with an antiserum raised against the purified human erythrocyte glucose transporter. These results suggest that the identification, isolation and purification of the adipocyte glucose transporter is now possible using the techniques described above.
Detection of high-molecular-weight amyloid serum protein complexes using biological on-line tracer sedimentation

The systemic amyloidoses are a rare but deadly class of protein folding disorders with significant unmet diagnostic and therapeutic needs. The current model for symptomatic amyloid progression includes a causative role for soluble toxic aggregates as well as for the fibrillar tissue deposits. Although much research is focused on elucidating the potential mechanism of aggregate toxicity, evidence to support their existence in vivo has been limited. We report the use of a technique we have termed biological on-line tracer sedimentation (BOLTS) to detect abnormal high-molecular-weight complexes (HMWCs) in serum samples from individuals with systemic amyloidosis due to aggregation and deposition of wild-type transthyretin (senile systemic amyloidosis, SSA) or monoclonal immunoglobulin light chain (AL amyloidosis). In this proof-of-concept study, HMWCs were observed in 31 of 77 amyloid samples (40.3%). HMWCs were not detected in any of the 17 nonamyloid control samples subjected to BOLTS analyses. These findings support the existence of potentially toxic amyloid aggregates and suggest that BOLTS may be a useful analytic and diagnostic platform in the study of the amyloidoses or other diseases where abnormal molecular complexes are formed in serum.
Equine herpesvirus type 1 defective-interfering (DI) particle DNA structure: The central region of the inverted repeat is deleted from DI DNA

Abstract The inverted repeat (IRs) component of the genome of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) is an important region of structure and function. It is a major constituent of the DNA of EHV-1 defective-interfering (DI) particles which have been shown to mediate the coestablishment of oncogenic transformation and persistent infection of hamster embryo cells. In addition, the IRs encodes the single EHV-1 immediate early gene and the 31.5K very early protein. DNA sequences encompassing EHV-1 internal IRs and the joint between the long (L) and short (S) regions were subcloned into the plasmid vectors pBR322 and pUC12. A total of 22 subclones were derived, including six Sal I subclones in pBR322 and 12 Sma I subclones in pUC12. Individual subclones were employed in Southern blot hybridizations to define subclone homology to repeated, unique, or heterogeneous (het) DNA sequences within the EHV-1 genome. These studies revealed that the EHV-1 het region is contained entirely within the unique long region of the viral genome and is separated from the L/S junction by approximately 1.8 MDa of completely unique DNA sequences. Furthermore, these IRs subclones were employed in blot hybridizations to analyze the integrity of IRs DNA sequences within the cloned DNA of EHV-1 DI particles. These analyses demonstrated that IRs DNA sequences present in DI DNA were extensively rearranged and contained major deletions (0.80–0.83 map units) which removed a large portion of the single EHV-1 immediate early gene (0.78–0.83 and 0.95–1.00 map units) located in the IRs. Thus, these data and those previous studies ( R. P. Baumann et al. , 1984 , J. Virol. 50, 13–21; R. P. Baumann, J. Staczek, and D. J. O-Callaghan, 1986 , Virology 153, 188–200) indicate that the major subunits of the DI DNA molecule are comprised of selected sequences from the IRs component and a highly conserved short sequence located at the terminus of the L region of the standard viral genome.
Characterization of an Interelement Enhancement Effect in a dc Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry System

The enhancement of atomic and ionic emission in a dc plasma due to the addition of easily ionized elements has been studied. The results show that the addition of the concomitants: (1) causes enhancements in both atomic and ionic emission, (2) does not cause significant changes in the electron temperature or the electron population of the plasma excitation zone, (3) results in a downward shift in the rotational temperature of that zone, and (4) does not cause significant changes in the efficiency with which analytical species are delivered to the plasma. These observations indicate that the enhancement effect cannot be readily explained based on plasma temperature increases or the classical ionization repression mechanism. As an alternative, it is suggested that the enhancement may result from increases in the population of metastable argon with coincident increases in excitation via collision with this species. This mechanism is circumstantially supported by the present results but must be regarded as tentative.
A new family of Mn 12 single-molecule magnets: replacement of carboxylate ligands with diphenylphosphinates

Abstract The synthesis, structural characterization and magnetic properties of a new mixed ligand member of the Mn12 family are reported. The reaction of [Mn12O12(O2CPh)16(H2O)4] (4) with diphenylphosphinic acid produces [Mn12O12(O2CPh)7(O2PPh2)9)(H2O)4] (5). The crystal structure of 5 shows the [Mn12O12]16+ core is retained and exhibits two abnormally oriented Jahn-Teller elongation axes. The ligand distribution alternates about the core with the ninth Ph2PO2 − group in an equatorial position. Magnetic studies indicate an S=10 ground state and retention of the single-molecule magnetism behavior.
Luminescence studies of lanthanide complexation reactions: europium(III) with saccharin in water

Luminescence studies of lanthanide complexation have many advantages over those involving UV-Vis measurements. Because of the hypersensitive peaks and increased sensitivity to the environment surrounding europium, significantly lower metal ion concentrations are required for measurement, thereby allowing complexation studies to be more accurate and carried out at lower ionic strengths, which is closer to the biological ionic strength. In solid state X-ray studies between the lanthanides and saccharin, one or two saccharin molecules bind per lanthanide ion. Our studies in solution indicate that one saccharide ligand binds to europium(III), the same as in the solid. We are using emission and lifetime data to calculate the binding constants as a function of temperature in water.
Differential response of citrus rootstocks to aluminum levels in nutrient solutions i. plant growth

Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the Al tolerance of selected citrus rootstocks. Six‐month‐old seedlings of five citrus rootstocks were grown for 60 days in nutrient solutions. The solutions contained 7 levels of Al ranging from 4 to 1655 μM and similar P concentration of 28 μM. The nutrient solution pH was maintained at 4.0±0.1 and the temperature at 25±1°C. At high Al treatment levels, plants had thickened root tips and root caps covered with black gelatinous material. At high levels of Al treatments, seedlings of some rootstocks had yellow, mottled, and withered new leaves near end of experiment. New‐growth root lengths and shoot height responded differently to Al concentrations in the nutrient solution. New‐growth fresh weight of whole plants appeared to be the most sensitive indicator of Al tolerance. Based on response of fresh weight of whole plants to Al concentrations, relative Al tolerances of the rootstocks were Cleopatra mandarin > rough lemon > sour orange > ...
Scientific Data Infrastructure for Sustainability Science Mobile Applications

With the recent ecological and volatile climate issues, numerous concerns have arisen which have led to the rapid growth of sustainability sciences. In sustainability studies and related areas such as crisis data management, multiple communities need to interact and contribute data, and then have this data modeled for them in an effective manner. The National Science Foundation Advisory Committee for Environment Research and Education states that, "Because of the complex relationships among people, ecosystems, and the biosphere, human health and well-being are closely linked to the integrity of local, regional and global ecosystems." In our work, we look towards developing a mobile application platform that allows data integration for multiple information sources that allows the user flexibility to learn about and actively participate in understanding and helping their environment. In this paper, we address our current work with the scientific aspects of this data.
The hardness and elastic modulus of chromium-implanted silicon carbide☆

Abstract The hardness and elastic modulus of α-SiC single crystals were determined using an ultra-low load micro-indentation hardness tester for implantation conditions that produced both crystalline and amorphous as-implanted surfaces. The effect of fluence for 260 keV chromium implantation was noted as was the effect of substrate temperature. For implantation at room temperature, the relative hardness (implanted/unimplanted) rises to a maximum of 1.10 at a fluence of 1.5 × 1014 Cr/cm2 (260 keV) and then decreases with increasing fluence as amorphization begins. The fully amorphous silicon carbide has a hardness value that is about 40% of the unimplanted value. The elastic modulus of the implanted material is lower for all implanted conditions.
Changes in the distribution of body mass index of adults and children in the US population

BACKGROUND: National survey data show increases in mean body mass index (BMI) and in the prevalence of overweight and obesity for adults and children in the United States, indicating a change in the distribution of BMI. OBJECTIVE: To apply graphical methods to describe changes in the distribution of BMI. DESIGN: BMI values from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III: 1988–94) were compared with data from earlier cross-sectional nationally representative surveys for adults 20–74 y of age and for children and adolescents 6–17 y of age. Tukey mean–difference plots were used to investigate the changes in the distributions of BMI within sex–age groups. RESULTS: Mean–difference plots allow qualitative visual comparisons of the distributions of BMI between surveys. For all sex–age groups, there was increasing skewness with a greater shift in the upper part of the distribution so that, within each group, the heaviest subgroup was heavier in NHANES III than in prior surveys. For the youngest children, the lower part of the distribution showed virtually no change. With increasing age the whole distribution tended to shift upward slightly, suggesting an increase in BMI across the entire population. CONCLUSIONS: These changes in the distribution of BMI suggest the combination of both profound environmental determinants and a population with a high degree of susceptibility. The reasons for the increasing prevalence of obesity should be sought in part by seeking to understand the factors causing increases in the population as a whole.
How animal embryo research led to the first documented human IVF.

Abstract Research studies using animal gametes led to the first documented human IVF in 1969. A key contribution was the development of a reliable culture medium for IVF of hamster oocytes, which was then used successfully with human gametes in the laboratory. This article describes how this was accomplished. Hamster IVF was obtained using a bicarbonate-buffered culture medium based on Tyrode's solution. A dose-response experiment showed that IVF in this species was highly dependent on the pH of the culture medium. At pH 7.2 or less, very few oocytes were penetrated and spermatozoa did not undergo acrosome reactions. Over the pH range 7.3–7.5, 40% of oocytes were fertilized in vitro, while at pH 7.6 or higher, more than 75% of oocytes were fertilized and most spermatozoa exhibited acrosome reactions. There was no apparent effect of pH on sperm motility. These experiments showed that in the hamster, fertilization in vitro is highly pH-dependent, most likely through pH effects on the sperm acrosome reaction and sperm:zona binding. The data led to formulation of a culture medium, Tyrode-B, that consistently supported high levels of IVF of hamster oocytes. When this medium was used for human gametes, IVF was observed and documented for the first time. Spermatozoa penetrating through the zona pellucida and sperm components within the ooplasm were detected, and some oocytes exhibited two pronuclei. These observations suggested that human IVF might be useful for alleviation of infertility.
Oxygen consumption of mammalian myocardial cells in culture: measurements in beating cells attached to the substrate of the culture dish.

A Lucite attachment which permitted the measurement of oxygen consumption in cells in culture without manipulating the cells was constructed. The attachment fit over commercially available dishes for cell culture and had an oxygen electrode built into it. Oxygen uptake of cells in culture was thus measured. Cells were attached to the substrate of the culture dish during the measurements and could be observed in an inverted phase microscope. Cells did not show any morphological changes, e.g., cell shapes or beating rate in case of myocardial cells, before and after the measurements of oxygen consumption. Using this method the rate of oxygen consumption was determined in rat myocardial and heart non-muscle cells in culture and also in HeLa and L6 cell lines. Myocardial cells in culture had an approximately four times higher rate of oxygen uptake compared with heart non-muscle, HeLa, and L6 cells. The oxygen uptake of beating myocardial cells was higher by about 50% compared with quiescent myocardial cells.
Crustacean cardiac pacemaker model— an analysis of the singular approximation

Abstract The problem of proving the existence of periodic solutions of a model for the crustacean cardiac pacemaker is studied through the zero-order term of an asymptotic approximation of the system. An existence theorem is proven for a broad class of such systems. This result is applied to the model in question. The system is compared with other pacemaker models in the literature. Some mathematical consequences of the analysis are discussed.
Saturation of a high-gain single-pass FEL

We study a perturbation expansion for the solution of the nonlinear one-dimensional FEL equations. We show that in the case of a monochromatic wave, the radiated intensity satisfies a scaling relation that implies, for large distance z traveled along the undulator, a change in initial value of the radiation field corresponds to a translation in z (lethargy). Analytic continuation using Pade approximates yields accurate results for the radiation field early in saturation.
Effects of β-bungarotoxin on mitochondrial respiration are caused by associated phospholipase a activity

Abstract Mitochondria prepared from tissue that had been incubated with β-bungarotoxin exhibited abnormal respiration. The respiratory rate in the presence of substrate only was apparently normal, but it did not increase upon the addition of ADP. This effect could also be obtained by treatment with V. russelli phospholipase A or oleate. Treatment with lesser amounts of these agents caused the mitochondria to become uncoupled.
New data on Conorhynchus hololeucus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Trehala are unusual insect pupal chambers that are sweet and have been used as human food (Pierce 1915). Trehala are constructed on the outside of stems by larvae in the genus Larinus Dejean, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae). New data on 4 trehala constructing species of Larinus were recently presented by Gultekin (2008). Trehala-like capsule constructions have also been observed in several genera of Cleonini, including Conorhynchus Motschulsky, 1860, Trichocleonus Motschulsky, 1860, Scaphomorphus Motschulsky, 1860 and Pachycerus Schoenherr, 1823 (Volovnik 2010), and the Lixini genus Hypolixus Desbrochers, 1898 (Nikulina 1989). Larvae, pupae and new generation adults of Hypolixus tigrinus (Reitter 1890) were found in oval trehala-like capsules on the stem base of Suaeda arcuata Bunge (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) and S. paradoxa Bunge (Nikulina 1989). A recent ecological research project conducted in eastern Turkey revealed that larvae of Conorhynchus hololeucus (Pallas, 1781) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Lixinae) create structures similar to the trehala of Larinus. Their host plant in eastern Turkey is Atriplex sp. (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) (Fig. 1), and according to TerMinassian (1988) host plants of C. hololoeucus are Atriplexta tarica L., Salsola sclerantha C. A. Meyer and S. carinata C. A. Meyer (Caryophyllales: Amaranthaceae) in former USSR. Adults feed on the leaves by chewing out semicircular areas. Usually 2-3 pairs of adults are present on one plant and they mate on the leaves (Fig. 2). The females lay eggs in the neck of the root of the host plant. The young larvae open superficial galleries downwards under the bark of the root. As each larva develops it makes an external trehala-like capsule, which it enlarges as development proceeds. The legless larva has a creamy white color with a brown head capsule (Fig. 3). The capsule may be separate (Fig. 4), or 4-5 capsules may be connected to each other on a single root of a host plant (Fig. 6). Pupation occurs in the capsule (Fig. 5) in late summer. The new generation of adults remains for some d in their capsules, and emerge in late summer-early autumn of the same year. Upon emergence, the adults search out a secluded place on the ground for hibernation. This weevil species produces one generation per year.
Energy migration dynamics in a Ru(II)- and Os(II)-based antenna polymer embedded in a disordered, rigid medium

The energy migration dynamics have been studied in multi-centered assemblies embedded in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films using steady-state and time-resolved emission techniques. The assemblies consist of twenty Ru(II) and Os(II) polypyridyl coordination complexes linked through a polystyrene backbone. Energy migration is initiated by photoexcitation of one of the Ru(II) sites and terminated upon sensitization of a low-energy Os trap. The inhomogeneous environment of the assembly results in a distribution of excited-state energies, which is frozen in time due to the rigidity of the PMMA film. Energy migration proceeds toward the lower energy sites, resulting in a time-dependent red-shift in the polymer emission band.
Fabrication and characterization of microwell array chemical sensors.

Microwell arrays have been fabricated on the distal face of coherent fiber-optic bundles. A typical microwell array comprises ∼3000 individual optical fibers that were etched chemically. Individual microwells were ∼1 to 14-μm deep with ∼22-μm widths and were filled partially with a chemical sensing (polymer + dye) layer to produce a microwell array sensor (MWAS). MWASs were fabricated using a technically expedient, photoinitiated polymerization reaction whereby a ∼2 to 10-μm thick pH-sensitive or O2-sensitive sensing layer was immobilized inside each microwell. The pH-sensing layer comprised fluorescein isothiocyanate−dextran conjugate immobilized in a photopolymerizable poly(vinyl alcohol) membrane. The O2-sensing layer comprised a ruthenium metal complex entrapped in a gas-permeable photopolymerizable siloxane membrane. pH and PO2 were quantitated by acquiring luminescence images using an epifluorescence microscope/charge-coupled device imaging system. The pH-sensitive MWAS displayed a pKa of ∼6.4 and a...
Antioxidant activity of a rosemary extract and its constituents, carnosic acid, carnosol, and rosmarinic acid, in bulk oil and oil-in-water emulsion

This study was aimed at evaluating the antioxidant activity of a commercial rosemary extract and the active constituents carnosol, carnosic acid, and rosmarinic acid, in inhibiting the formation and decomposition of hydroperoxides in tocopherol-stripped corn oil and in the corresponding corn oil-in-water emulsions. In bulk corn oil, the rosemary extract, carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, and α-tocopherol were significantly more active than carnosol. In contrast, in corn oil-in-water emulsion, the rosemary compounds were less active than in bulk oil, and the rosemary extract, carnosic acid, carnosol, and α-tocopherol were more active than rosmarinic acid. Similar results were obtained in corn oil-in-water phosphate buffer emulsion at pH 5, but α-tocopherol was less active. Carnosol and carnosic acid were much more active antioxidants in corn oil-in-water emulsions buffered at pH 4 and 5 than at pH 7. The decreased antioxidant activity of the polar hydrophilic rosemary compounds in the emulsion system may be ...
The Kimray-Greenfield vena cava filter: a case of unusual misplacement.

An unusual case of misplacement of a Kimray-Greenfield filter in an hepatic vein is described and preventive measures are suggested.
Sideways into sociology

L'A. estime que les methodes elaborees par les constructivistes constituent un apport de premier plan pour l'analyse sociologique. Il decrit de quelle maniere ce type de methode peut etre utilise au cours de recherche sur la mafia, sur le satanisme, sur les abus sexuels perpetres sur les enfants. Il affirme que le constructivisme permet d'identifier les groupes d'interet qui sont a l'origine des mouvements de « panique morale » observes aux Etats-Unis.
Intergenerational Transfer of Normative Parental Attitudes

The parenting and child-rearing attitudes of 97 female college students along with their parents were assessed using the Adult Adolescent Parenting Inventory. Analysis showed a generational effect for empathic awareness of children's needs between mother and daughter. Other cross-sex and demographic effects were discussed.
Fuzzy Enabled Hybrid Genetic Algorithm–Particle Swarm Optimization Approach to Solve TCRO Problems in Construction Project Planning

AbstractOne of the most challenging tasks of a construction project planner is to simultaneously minimize the total project cost and total project duration while considering issues related to optimal resource allocation and resource leveling. Therefore, project planners face complicated multivariate, time-cost-resource optimization (TCRO) problems that require time-cost-resource tradeoff analysis. The hybrid GA–PSO approach is presented to solve complex, TCRO problems in construction project planning. The proposed approach uses the fuzzy set theory to characterize uncertainty about the input data (i.e., time, cost, and resources required to perform an activity) in this hybrid approach. The proposed fuzzy-enabled hybrid GA–PSO approach is applied to solve two optimization problems that are found in the construction project planning literature. It is shown that the proposed fuzzy enabled hybrid GA–PSO approach is superior to existing optimization algorithms at finding better project schedule solutions with ...
Membrane fouling during microfiltration of protein mixtures

Abstract Crossflow microfiltration is an efficient method for the clarification, stabilization and sterilization of fruit juices and other biological suspensions. One of the main problems with the application of this technique, however, is membrane fouling caused by the presence of proteins and polysaccharides. The fouling behavior of four 0.2 μm hydrophilic microfiltration membranes (polysulfone, polycarbonate, polyvinylidene fluoride, and cellulose acetate) is described for protein mixtures of bovine serum albumin (BSA), lysozyme (LY), and ovalbumin (OV). The study of membrane fouling was carried out using a stirred cell, and then analyzed with electron microscopy and with flux decline, total resistance and permeate concentration versus time plots. During the filtration of single protein solutions using polysulfone and polycarbonate membranes, BSA and LY displayed only internal membrane fouling for a 3-h period, whereas OV exhibited an initial phase in which internal fouling dominated, followed by external or surface membrane fouling. When different binary protein mixtures were filtered through the polysulfone and the polycarbonate membranes, the highest membrane fouling was found for those mixtures containing ovalbumin. Finally, the filtration of a ternary protein mixture showed different fouling behaviors, depending on the surface porosities of the four membranes employed; lower surface porosities exhibited more rapid external membrane fouling.
Analysis of thin shells by the Element-Free Galerkin method

A meshless approach to the analysis of arbitrary Kirchhoff shells by the Element-Free Galerkin (EFG) method is presented. The shell theory used is geometrically exact and can be applied to deep shells. The method is based on moving least squares approximant. The method is meshless, which means that the discretization is independent of the geometric subdivision into “finite elements”. The satisfaction of the C1 continuity requirements is easily met by EFG since it requires only C1 weights; therefore, it is not necessary to resort to Mindlin-Reissner theory or to devices such as discrete Kirchhoff theory. The requirements of consistency are met by the use of a polynomial basis of quadratic or higher order. A subdivision similar to finite elements is used to provide a background mesh for numerical integration. The essential boundary conditions are enforced by Lagrange multipliers. Membrane locking, which is due to different approximation order for transverse and membrane displacements, is removed by using larger domains of influence with the quadratic basis, and by using quartic polynomial basis, which can prevent membrane locking completely. It is shown on the obstacle course for shells that the present technique performs well.
Growth and Osmotic Adjustment of Cultured Suspension Cells from Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb After an Abrupt Increase in Salinity

We have developed a cell suspension culture from alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides [Mart.] Griseb), a C 3 member of the Amaranthaceae. Intact plants of alligator weed can grow at 400 mol m -3 NaCl. Growth of alligator weed suspensions was compared to growth of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38) suspensions after subculture to 200 mol m -3 NaCl. Fresh weight and cell density of salt-treated alligator weed suspensions more than doubled by 7 d after subculture, but the fresh weight of salt-treated tobacco suspensions did not double during the 21 d experiment. Correspondingly, cell viability dropped from about 90% to 77% in alligator weed and to 41% in tobacco, at 1 d after subculture to 200 mol m -3 NaCl