cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
She works hard for the money: women in Kansas agriculture

Since 1997 there has been a significant increase in the number and percentage of Kansas farmers who are women. Using Reskin and Roos’ (Job queues, gender queues: explaining women’s inroads into male occupations, Temple University Press, Philidelphia, 1990) model of “job queues and gender queues” I analyze changes in the agricultural industry in Kansas that resulted in more women becoming “principal farm operators” in the state. I find there are three changes largely responsible for women increasing their representation in the occupation: an increase in the demand for niche products, a decrease in the average farm size, and greater societal acceptance of women as farmers. This study adds to the growing literature on women principal farm operators in developed countries, and is among the first to explore why women are becoming a larger percentage of the occupation in the United States.
Evaluation of a fiber-optic-based system for optical property measurement in highly attenuating turbid media

Fluorescence- and reflectance-based imaging techniques have a strong potential to improve clinical detection of pathologies such as cervical neoplasia. However, quantitative understanding of data collected by these approaches necessitates information on tissue optical properties in vivo. At present, there is minimal in vivo data on the optical properties of many tissues in the wavelength range that is most relevant -- the ultraviolet A to visible. We report here on the development and evaluation of a second-generation diffuse reflectance system for measurement of tissue optical properties using a linear-array fiber optic probe with maximum separation distance of 2.5 mm. Improvements over the prior system include the implementation of an imaging spectrograph, a high sensitivity CCD camera and in-line neutral density filters to maximize dynamic range and signal to noise ratio. Absolute measurements of tissue reflectance were enabled through calibration of the reflectance system. Multivariate calibration models for optical property prediction were generated using a neural network algorithm and reflectance distributions calculated by a Monte Carlo model. Spatially-resolved reflectance data sets were measured in well--characterized tissue phantoms at 405 nm for absorption coefficients (μa) from 1 to 25 cm-1 and reduced scattering coefficients (μs') from 5 to 25 cm-1. These models were used to estimate the optical properties of tissue phantoms from reflectance measurements. By comparing predicted and known optical properties, the average percent error for μa and μs' was found to be ± 3.2% and ±5.6%, respectively. These results indicate a level of accuracy that is more than twice that of our prior approach.
Empirical Fitting of Hard Contact Lenses in Infants and Young Children

Abstract A method of empirically fitting hard contact lenses in infants and young children is described. It can be performed without the benefit of "K" readings and does not require the patient to be anesthetized. Lens fit is judged by fluorescein pattern, degree of finger tightness on the cornea, and indirect determination of steepness by comparing baseline refraction with final over-refraction using a contact lens of known power. This simplified technique has been found to be reliable and practical with good lens fit obtained in most patients. The visual results achieved in unilateral aphakic patients using this method are comparable to those found elsewhere in the Literature.
Discovering the Determinants of Chemistry Course Perceptions in Undergraduate Students

The primary goals of this project were to develop a reliable instrument to measure the chemistry course perceptions (CCP) of undergraduate chemistry students and to determine the predictors of CCP of undergraduate students as they enter their first college chemistry class. In a pilot study, 250 undergraduate students were solicited with 57 students of variable demographics responding. The results indicated the instrument was reliable at measuring general self-efficacy (GSE) and chemistry course perceptions at α = 0.88 and α = 0.82, respectively. Then, all of the students taking the fall semester introductory chemistry class were solicited at the beginning of their semester. Of the 756 students solicited, 398 completed the survey questionnaire. Analysis of the data showed that, for these students, GSE was the largest predictor of CCP. However, age and ethnicity approached statistical significance. This analysis also showed that there was a small but statistically significant decrease in the CCP of students repeating this course. The model used in this study explained 22% of the variance of CCP. The Chemistry Course Perceptions Questionnaire appears to be reliable and may be useful for comparison of the impact of different teaching styles on the affective domain of undergraduate students. We see its use in measuring factors that affect the retention of students in undergraduate chemistry and science degree programs.
Calcium-magnesium antagonism in insulin secretion by the perfused rat pancreas.

Isolated rat pancreases were perfused in an organ perfusion system with a medium containing 4.6 % dextran as the colloid and approximating plasma in its electrolyte composition. A glucose pulse of 2-min duration (producing a glucose concentration of 200–220 mg/100 ml) consistently stimulates insulin secretion if the perfusing medium contains Ca at 2.5 mEq/1. The secretory response is attenuatedif Mg is added to produce a concentration of 2.5 mEq/1 and is abolished when the Mg concentration reaches 5 mEq/1. With a Mg concentration of 5 mEq/1 secretion occurs if Ca also is elevated to 5 mEq/1. Further elevation of the Mg concentration to 15 mEq/1 again abolishes secretion with this higher Ca concentration. (Endocrinology 85: 594, 1969)
Evaluation of the palmar circulation by pulse oximetry.

The usual method of substantiating collateral circulation of the hand is with Allen's test. We used the pulse-detecting capability of the pulse oximeter to assess the presence of collateral circulation of the hand. Thirty-one patients undergoing radial artery cannulation for intraoperative monitoring were evaluated before cannulation with a modified Allen's test and by pulse oximetry. After the collateral circulation of the hand was tested by the modified Allen's test, a pulse oximeter probe was placed on the index finger. Both radial and ulnar arteries were occluded until no perfusion was detected by the pulse oximeter. The test was repeated twice on each hand, once for each artery. The time to reperfusion after arterial release was recorded. Reperfusion times greater than 15 seconds were considered abnormal. This sequence was repeated postoperatively after the radial artery cannulae were removed. A total of 68 tests were performed before cannulation; 3 showed an abnormal Allen's test, a finding confirmed by pulse oximetry evaluation. The Allen's test was indeterminate 13 times. In all of these cases, pulse oximetry demonstrated collateral blood flow. When collateral circulation was determined to be present by Allen's test, it was also found to be present with pulse oximetry. Three days after cannulation was discontinued, 8 patients had abnormal Allen's test results, a finding again confirmed by pulse oximetry evaluation. Of 15 patients with indeterminate Allen's test results, 12 had collateral blood flow determined by pulse oximetry and 3 had abnormal results. The ability of pulse oximetry to detect collateral circulation was significantly different (P<0.001) when compared with Allen's test both before and after radial artery cannulation. Using the photoplethysmographic component of the pulse oximeter may improve the assessment of collateral circulation of the hand in which arterial cannulation is being contemplated.
Effect of heat treatment and electron beam surface melting on the friction and wear behavior of a Cu-12wt.%Al alloy

Abstract A Cu-12wt.%Al eutectoid composition binary alloy was tested for friction and wear in three conditions designed to provide (1) a eutectoidal microstructure (treatment E), (2) a martensitic microstructure (treatment M) and (3) an electron-beam-melted surface (treatment EB). Polished blocks of the alloy were wear tested unlubricated against AISI 52100 steel rings at a 10 N load and 20 cm s −1 velocity in an argon gas environment. Both EB and M treatments gave lower block wear than the E heat treatment. All three showed transfer of material to the steel rings. Friction break-in characteristics varied with heat treatment. The martensitic microstructure, while lower in microindentation hardness, had a lower block wear volume. Electron beam melting of this alloy did not seem to improve performance any further than the quench used to produce martensite.
Preparing to Plan: Collaborative Planning in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Abstract Broad community-scale, collaborative planning processes can help stakeholders develop trust. However, planners should also consider ways to develop trust before embarking on larger community processes. When relationships are fostered between community organizations through smaller planning exercises, those relationships can lead to unexpected and innovative outcomes. Such partnerships lead to independent projects as well as to more effective participation in formalized, broad-based planning. The central components of small working sessions and of their process include allowing relationships to develop over time, creating alternative narratives in the context of community conflict, and validating local knowledge in formal planning discourse. What our experience tells us is that although trust can be built in large, formalized processes, when community members learn to work together beforehand, that earlier groundwork facilitates more effective participation in later projects. Planning as discussed...
A phase II trial of alpha-interferon and 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced carcinoid and islet cell tumors

BACKGROUND 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) has shown modest single-agent activity in patients with carcinoid or islet cell tumors. Alpha interferon (alpha-IFN) has also shown modest single agent activity in these diseases, although biologic responses have been far more prevalent than have objective tumor regressions. The combination of alpha-IFN and 5-FU has demonstrated enhanced activity in several gastrointestinal malignancies. METHODS Twenty-one patients with advanced neuro-endocrine tumors (14 with carcinoid tumors, 7 with islet cell carcinomas) were treated with alpha-IFN and 5-FU in a Phase II study. 5-Fluorouracil was administered by intravenous bolus injection at an initial dose of 400 mg/m2/day for 5 consecutive days. After a 1-week break, 5-FU then was administered weekly by intravenous bolus at a dose of 750 mg/m2. Alpha interferon administration was begun on Day 1 of 5-FU at a daily dose of 3 x 10(6) U subcutaneously and continued for the duration of the trial. RESULTS Of the 14 carcinoid patients with carcinoid tumors, 1 experienced a partial response (7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0-20%) that lasted for 6 months. Eight of the patients with carcinoid tumors achieved stable disease for a median of 6 months (range, 2-10 months). One of the patients with islet cell tumors (14%; 95% CI 0-39%) achieved a partial response that persisted after 8 months; 4 patients with islet cell tumors had stable disease for a median of 13 months (range, 4-27+ months). Even at this relatively low dose of alpha-IFN, 14 of 21 patients required a dose reduction in the alpha-IFN (13 for fatigue, 1 for ataxia). Three patients experienced myelosuppression of greater than Grade 3, and three patients had diarrhea of greater than Grade 3. One patient experienced dose-limiting hand-foot syndrome. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the combination of 5-FU and alpha-IFN does not have any clear superiority over the individual agents alone; 5-FU appears to reduce patient tolerance of alpha-IFN when given on a daily schedule. Further investigations are needed to identify active agents in the treatment of neuroendocrine malignancies.
A survey of Lanczos procedures for very large real ‘symmetric’ eigenvalue problems

Abstract First we identify five options which can be used to distinguish one Lanczos eigenelement procedure from another. Then using these options to characterize the various procedures which have been proposed, we briefly survey the recent research on Lanczos methods for solving real symmetric eigenvalue problems.
Hydrogen NMR in a-Si:H films on substrates

Abstract NMR experimentson a a-Si:H films on substrates reveal that the environments for the bonded hydrogen are essentially unaltered by removal of the film from the substrate. There is, however, a significant diffusion of H2 molecules out of the material which is removed from the substrates.
Luminescent Solar Concentrators

Various planar configurations of the luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) are discussed including the uniformly doped, the stacked plate, the thin film, and the multilayered film LSC. Radiation which is lost from the luminescent plate by falling within the critical angle for total internal reflection is examined in terms of the above configurations. A ten parameter efficiency profile has been developed to better evaluate the collector performance and to allow direct comparison with other photovoltaic devices. A collector efficiency of 3.2% is reported and the feasibility of 8 to 10% efficient devices discussed. Several optical distribution factors have been defined and experimentally evaluated for the luminescent plate and associated photovoltaic cell. These factors have been used to calculate a plate-to-cell optical coupling coefficient for two commercially available solar cells. LSCs based on organic and inorganic phos-phor systems are compared and the problem of dye staility discussed.
Bicarbonate-dependent chloride absorption in small intestine: ion fluxes and intracellular chloride activities.

Proximal, stripped segments of small intestine from the urodeleAmphiuma were short-circuited in media containing Na+, Cl− and HCO 3 − . Under these conditions there was a large net absorption of Cl−, a small net absorption of Na+ and a residual flux (J Net R ) consistent with HCO 3 − secretion. Net Cl− absorption correlated with the short-circuit current (I sc); net Na+ absorption correlated negatively withJ Net R . Acetazolamide eliminated theI sc, lowered Cl− absorption by 50%, and reduced net Na+ absorption without alteringJ Net R . Benzolamide inhibited theI sc without alteringJ Net R . Benzolamide inhibited theI sc more rapidly when applied on the mucosal surface. Replacement of Na+ or HCO 3 − (and CO2) in the media eliminated theI sc, net Cl− absorption and the residual flux. Likewise, inclusion of the stilbene SITS in the serosal media eliminated theI sc, net Cl− absorption and the residual flux. The cytoplasmic activity of Cl− (a ) was determined with single and double-barreled microelectrodes. Thea of villus absorptive cells in normal media was 21.0mm and in excess of that expected on the basis of electrochemical equilibrium of Cl− at the mucosal membrane. Active Cl− accumulation was also observed in the presence of acetazolamide but was eliminated upon replacement of media Na+ with choline. The mucosal membrane potential was depolarized upon replacement of media Na+. It is concluded that Cl− is actively absorbed into intestinal cells ofAmphiuma by an electrogenic process located in the mucosal membrane. Depending on the level of intracellular HCO 3 − , accumulated Cl− may diffuse passively back into the mucosal media or undergo exchange with bath HCO 3 − at the serosal membrane.
A method to improve patient access in urological practice.

Purpose: Studies to improve patient access to care have generally involved office based primary care practices or highly managed systems. Surgical practices differ in their referral nature, the common need for imaging at the first appointment and the need to schedule subsequent surgical procedures. We determined whether new patient access to care can be improved in a surgical practice.Materials and Methods: To reduce new patient appointment wait times to a goal of 5 working days (1 week), a 12-week transition period into a new scheduling approach was designed. At the next clinic with open slots (9 weeks away) 10% of the appointments were held open until the week before for new patient visits. For each of the following 4 weeks 10% additional appointments were held open each week until 50% were being reserved. These slots were not available until 1 week before the clinic date and then were only open for new patients calling to make an appointment.Results: Appointment delay times improved significantly and t...
Comparison of spiroplasmas by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell proteins

Spiroplasmas (helical, motile mycoplasmas from plants and arthropods) have been grouped according to patterns produced by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of cell proteins dissolved in sodium dodecyl sulfate; the grouping is in agreement with classification schemes proposed on the basis of serological and DNA hybridization properties.
An evaluation of nuclear electric propulsion for planetary exploration missions

A set of nuclear electric propulsion (NEP) system parameters for planetary exploration missions is described. Orbiter missions to the planets Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were selected for assessment, and five delivery modes were evaluated. The NEP system envisioned for this application consisted of a nuclear fission reactor with a thermoelectric conversion system and a thrust subsystem comprised of power processors coupled with mercury ion-bombardment thrusters. The results indicate that an NEP system sized at 90-160 kW electrical power rating and operating within a specific impulse range of 4500-5500 sec provides adequate performance for outer planet exploration.
HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THE MOUNT ST. HELENS' ERUPTION: LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS

Abstract A dry sedimented sample of Mount St. Helens volcanic ash was subjected to mineralogical and in vitro and in vivo biologic tests in order to define its potential for harm to exposed worker populations. The majority of the ash particles were within the respirable range and belonged to the plagioclase class of minerals. Free crystalline silica constituted 7.2% of the sample. In vitro biologic tests using varying concentrations of ash indicated the ash to be mildly fibrogenic. This was confirmed in vivo. Ash extracts were not mutagenic in two microbial assay systems and particulate ash had no effect on interferon production by monkey kidney cell monolayers or on the human complement system in vitro. Marked inhibition of the antibacterial substance, superoxide anion, from zymosan and ash exposed alveolar macrophages, suggests volcanic ash may impair antibacterial host defence mechanisms. Long-term inhalation and prospective autopsy studies of the exposed population are in progress.
Predicting climate-induced changes in population dynamics of invasive species in a marine epibenthic community

Abstract As climate change and invasive species, both individually and in concert, continue to elicit responses in native communities, we are challenged with finding strategies for predicting the strength of such impacts. The effects of invasive species are often determined by their abundance, and warming temperatures can alter species' demographic rates and, thus, population growth rates. Here, we combined lab experiments, field experiments and observations, and population modeling to predict the population dynamics of three marine invaders in response to climate warming. We projected population growth rate at an ambient and an increased temperature predicted by climate-change scenarios (+ 4 °C) for three invasive species in the epibenthic fouling community of Bodega Harbor, California, USA: the tunicates Botrylloides violaceus and Botryllus schlosseri and the bryozoan Watersipora subtorquata . There was a positive effect of temperature on population growth rate for B . schlosseri , and further analysis revealed that this predicted increase was driven by warming effects on settler growth rate and adult fecundity. Increases indicated for non-native marine fouling species are especially pertinent when considering the potential cascading effects on community composition and functioning that can result from species invasions. Our results highlight the potential for marked increases in an invasive species in response to climate change, as well as the promising role that population modeling can play in elucidating the mechanisms of such responses.
A CARBON DIOXIDE FLUX GENERATOR FOR TESTING INFRARED GAS ANALYZER-BASED SOIL RESPIRATION SYSTEMS

An artificial flux generation device was developed to test the accuracy of a closed-dynamic soil respiration system (LICOR 6400). The device consisted of an enclosed reservoir with a porous top; the reservoir contained a volume of CO 2 enriched air, which was monitored by an infrared gas analyzer (IRGA). When the internal CO 2 concentration within the reservoir was elevated, diffusion rates through the porous medium were measured by recording changes in CO 2 concentration within the reservoir. This dilation-based artificial flux mimics natural soil respiration, and allows an independent verification of the accuracy of soil respiration measurement systems. We tested a LI-COR 6400 portable photosynthesis system fitted with a 6400-09 soil CO 2 flux chamber. On average, this system overestimated high flux rates by 2 to 4% and underestimated low flux rates by 4 to 20% over five independent trials. Soil respiration appeared to be sensitive to boundary layer mixing, and ambient CO 2 concentrations.
A content-context-centric approach for detecting vandalism in Wikipedia

Collaborative online social media (CSM) applications such as Wikipedia have not only revolutionized the World Wide Web, but they also have had a hugely positive effect on modern free societies. Unfortunately, Wikipedia has also become target to a wide-variety of vandalism attacks. Most existing vandalism detection techniques rely upon simple textual features such as existence of abusive language or spammy words. These techniques are ineffective against sophisticated vandal edits, which often do not contain the tell-tale markers associated with vandalism. In this paper, we argue for a context-aware approach for vandalism detection. This paper proposes a content-context-aware vandalism detection framework. The main idea is to quantify how well the words contained in the edit fit into the topic and the existing content of the Wikipedia article. We present two novel metrics, called WWW co-occurrence probability and top-ranked co-occurrence probability for this purpose. We also develop efficient mechanisms for evaluating these two metrics, and machine learning-based schemes that utilize these metrics. The paper presents a range of experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Model-Free CUSUM Methods for Person Fit.

This article demonstrates the use of a new class of model-free cumulative sum (CUSUM) statistics to detect person fit given the responses to a linear test. The fundamental statistic being accumulated is the likelihood ratio of two probabilities. The detection performance of this CUSUM scheme is compared to other modelfree person-fit statistics found in the literature as well as an adaptation of another CUSUM approach. The study used both simulated responses and real response data from a large-scale standardized admission test. Most person-fit research has used item response models to recognize aberrant or inconsistent behavior of examinees. A continuous item response function (IRF), such as the logistic function or the normal ogive, is employed to model the response patterns of examinees, and any response patterns suggesting an inadequate match to the IRF are classified as aberrant. Person-fit statistics derived from such item response models are parametric because they require estimates of the parameters of a model that defines a response pattern for each test item. However, there is at least one area of person-fit research that does not require an item response model. “Model-free statistics” make use of the difficulty of each item, as derived from observed responses; thus, a parameter, item difficulty, is estimated. Examples of model-free statistics found in the literature are C ∗ (Harnisch & Linn,
Nonlinear filter derived from topological image features

A digital machine-inspection system is being developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory to detect flaws on printed graphic images. The inspection is based on subtraction of a digitized test image from a reference image to determine the location, number, extent, and contrast of potential flaws. When performing subtractive analysis on the digitized information, two sources of errors in the amplitude of the difference image can develop: (1) spatial misregistration of the reference and test sample, or (2) random fluctuations in the printing process. Variations in printing and registration between samples will generate topological artifacts related to surface structure, which is referred to as edge noise in the difference image. Most feature extraction routines require that the difference image be relatively free of noise to perform properly. A novel algorithm has been developed to filter edge noise from the difference images. The algorithm relies on the a priori assumption that edge noise will be located near locations having a strong intensity gradient in the reference image. The filter is based on the structure of the reference image and is used to attenuate edge features in the difference image. The filtering algorithm, consisting of an image multiplication, a global intensity threshold, and an erosion/dilation, has reduced edge noise by 98% over the unfiltered image and can be implemented using off-the-shelf hardware.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Terribly Romantic, Terribly Progressive, or Terribly Tragic: Rehabilitating Ivan IV under I.V. Stalin

In recent years scholars have written much on the valorization of Ivan the Terrible in the historical mythology of the Stalinist period. Their work has illustrated how the first Russian tsar and his Muscovite domain were represented as glorious antecedents to Stalin and Soviet society. Through the lens of historical analogy, Ivan the Terrible provided the context for an examination of issues relevant to Soviet life in the 1930s and 1940s, ranging from the ubiquitous danger of treason to the manifest destiny of a strongly centralized, multinational state.
A Model for Data Leakage Detection

We study the following problem: A data distributor has given sensitive data to a set of supposedly trusted agents (third parties). Some of the data is leaked and found in an unauthorized place (e.g., on the web or somebody's laptop). The distributor must assess the likelihood that the leaked data came from one or more agents, as opposed to having been independently gathered by other means. We propose data allocation strategies (across the agents) that improve the probability of identifying leakages. These methods do not rely on alterations of the released data (e.g., watermarks). In some cases we can also inject "realistic but fake" data records to further improve our chances of detecting leakage and identifying the guilty party.
Maximum-Likelihood Estimation, the CramÉr–Rao Bound, and the Method of Scoring With Parameter Constraints

Maximum-likelihood (ML) estimation is a popular approach to solving many signal processing problems. Many of these problems cannot be solved analytically and so numerical techniques such as the method of scoring are applied. However, in many scenarios, it is desirable to modify the ML problem with the inclusion of additional side information. Often this side information is in the form of parametric constraints, which the ML estimate (MLE) must now satisfy. We unify the asymptotic constrained ML (CML) theory with the constrained Cramer-Rao bound (CCRB) theory by showing the CML estimate (CMLE) is asymptotically efficient with respect to the CCRB. We also generalize the classical method of scoring using the CCRB to include the constraints, satisfying the constraints after each iterate. Convergence properties and examples verify the usefulness of the constrained scoring approach. As a particular example, an alternative and more general CMLE is developed for the complex parameter linear model with linear constraints. A novel proof of the efficiency of this estimator is provided using the CCRB.
The Moderating Role of Top Management Team Interdependence: Implications for Real Teams and Working Groups

Prior research evidence shows that within-team interdependence moderates the process-performance relationship in small groups. Data collected from 94 top management teams (TMTs) replicated and exte...
Methods and network architecture for modifying extensible virtual environment to support mobility

This paper studies extensible network virtual environments from a mobile device perspective. In this context a mobile device is a power limited device, whose battery capacity, available connection speed, graphical computing power and performance are very limited and the screen size is highly variable. As a solution to enable extensible virtual world services for mobile devices, this paper proposes methods and an architecture to reduce the amount of data traffic and strategies to dynamically adjust graphical complexity for mobile device characteristics.
Rheumatoid nodulosis an unusual variant of rheumatoid disease

A middle-aged man developed multiple subcutaneous nodules associated with palindromic rheumatism. There was little evidence of synovitis; however multiple cyst-like intraosseous radiolucencies were noted. Nodules from two sites were histologically typical rheumatoid nodules. Subjective and objective improvement occurred during penicillamine therapy. This clincial presentation seems sufficiently distinctive to warrant characterization as a variant of rheumatoid disease termed by us: rheumatoid nodulosis.
Treatment of murine invasive candidiasis with amphotericin B and cilofungin: evidence for enhanced activity with combination therapy.

Abstract The in vivo interactions of cilofungin, an echinocandin antifungal agent, and amphotericin B, a polyene derivative, in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis have been investigated. While single therapy with either drug alone prolonged survival of infected mice, kidney colony counts were not appreciably reduced. In contrast, combination therapy, especially at higher doses of both drugs, resulted in significant prolongation of survival and suppression of growth of yeast cells in the kidneys. Combination therapy of experimental candidiasis with cilofungin and amphotericin B did not result in antagonism; rather, additive or synergistic effects were seen. Future preclinical work with other echinocandin and polyene derivatives should include studies evaluating the in vivo interactions of both classes of compounds.
Maternal Zinc Deficiency in Rats Affects Growth and Glucose Metabolism in the Offspring by Inducing Insulin Resistance Postnatally

Interactions among zinc (Zn), insulin, and glucose metabolism are complex. Maternal Zn deficiency affects maternal carbohydrate metabolism, but the mechanisms underlying changes in glucose homeostasis of offspring are not well understood. Rats consumed Zn-deficient (ZnD; 7 microg/g) or control (ZnC; 25 microg/g) diets ad libitum from 3 wk preconception to 21 d postparturition. Litters were culled to 7 pups/dam postnatally and pups were allowed to nurse their original mothers; after weaning, pups were fed nonpurified diet. Insulin and glucose tolerance tests were performed on the pups at wk 5 and 10. Although there was no difference in birth weight between groups, ZnD pups weighed significantly more than controls by d 10 (+5%) and 20 (+10%). Both blood glucose and serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) concentrations at wk 3 were significantly higher in ZnD pups than in controls. Both male and female ZnD rats were less sensitive to insulin and glucose stimulation than controls at wk 5 and 10. At wk 15, serum leptin concentrations were higher in male ZnD rats than in controls. Phosphorylation of muscle Akt protein, an insulin receptor (IR) signaling intermediate, was lower in female ZnD rats than in controls at wk 15, but they did not differ in phosphorylation of IR. Maternal Zn deficiency resulted in greater serum IGF-1 concentrations and the excessive postnatal weight gain in their offspring as well as impaired subsequent glucose sensitivity. It was associated with gender-specific alterations in the serum leptin concentration and the insulin signaling pathway. These findings suggest that suboptimal maternal Zn status induces long-term changes in the offspring related to abnormal glucose tolerance.
Do You Need to Believe in Orbitals to Use Them?: Realism and the Autonomy of Chemistry

Eric Scerri and other authors have acknowledged that the reality of chemical orbitals is not compatible with quantum mechanics. Recently, however, Scerri and Sharon Crasnow have argued that if chemists cannot consider orbitals as real entities, then chemistry is in danger of being reduced to physics. I argue that the question of the existence of orbitals is best viewed as an issue of explanation, not metaphysics: In many chemically important cases orbitals do not make sufficiently accurate predictions, and must be replaced. Chemists and physicists can acknowledge this fact while maintaining the utility of orbitals and the autonomy of chemistry.
Prominent R wave and shallow S wave in lead V1 as a result of lateral myocardial infarction.

Abstract Twelve cases are presented with electrocardiograms showing a prominent R wave and decrease in amplitude of the S wave in Lead V 1 due to myocardial infarction disturbing the normal opposing electromotive forces which cause a deep S wave in Lead V 1 .
AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IN GEOPHYSICS

The problem of organizing an adequate, balanced training program for a career in geophysics has been the subject of several studies and investigations, the most comprehensive being that conducted by the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers’ special committee on Geophysical Education in collaboration with the American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the American Geophysical Union. The results of such studies have invariably indicated that the ideal geophysics curriculum should stress the fundamentals of physics, mathematics, and geology with a minimum amount of work in geophysics as such for coordinating the more basic sciences. The ideal undergraduate curriculum would include course coverage along the following lines: (a) basic geology with advanced work in stratigraphy, structural geology, mineral deposits and petrology, (b) basic physics with advanced work in electricity and magnetism, optics, light and sound, and instrumentation techniques, and (c) basic mathematics with adv...
Estimating friction using incipient slip sensing during a manipulation task

A scheme is presented by which a manipulator can use dynamic tactile sensing to detect when it is about to lose hold of a grasped object. By detecting localized slips on the gripping surface which precede gross slip, the controller can modify the grasp force to prevent the object from slipping. Also, by monitoring normal and tangential forces at the contact when these incipient slip signals occur, the controller obtains an accurate estimate of the friction coefficient which can then be used during the manipulation task. Accurate knowledge of the friction coefficient is essential when grasping fragile objects or manipulating with sliding. >
Intraoperative angiography does not lead to increased rates of surgical site infections

Background Intraoperative angiography (IOA) is essential in evaluating residual aneurysm following clip ligation, but it does lead to an additional procedure which increases the duration of the procedure as well as increasing room traffic. We examined whether IOA during microsurgery is a risk factor for developing cranial surgical site infection. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study was performed of all patients undergoing craniotomy for aneurysm treatment between 2005 and 2012 at the University of Michigan. IOA was used at the surgeons’ discretion. The primary outcome of interest was occurrence of a surgical site infection and the secondary outcome of interest was clip repositioning following IOA. Variables including IOA were tested for their independent association with the occurrence of a surgical site infection. Results During the study period 676 intracranial aneurysms were treated by craniotomy; IOA was used in 104 of these cases. There were a total of 20 surgical site infections, 2 in the IOA group (1.9%) and 18 in the non-IOA group (3.1%), indicating that IOA was not a statistically significant variable for infection (p=0.50). No additional single variable measured could be shown to have a statistically significant increase in infection, and there were no direct complications related to the use of IOA (stroke, dissection, perforation). Conclusions IOA does not increase the risk of developing a surgical site infection. It can be conducted without exposing patients to an undue risk of infection.
Caspase inhibitors block MHV-3 induced apoptosis and enhance viral replication and pathogenicity

Infection with mouse hepatitis virus strain 3 (MHV-3) results in lethal hepatitis in BALB/c mice, compared to the minimal disease observed in A/J mice (Levy, Leibowitz, and Edgington, 1981). The response of the macrophage to MHV infection is a key determinant of the outcome of MHV-induced hepatitis (Levy, Leibowitz, and Edgington, 1981; Shif and Bang, 1969). We have previously shown that infection of A/J macrophages with MHV-3 triggers apoptosis in most of the infected cells (Belyavskyi et al., 1998). In contrast, infection of BALB/c macrophages results in only a small percentage of the cells undergoing apoptosis. In this report we have utilized caspase inhibitors to investigate the hypothesis that the rapid induction of apoptosis in macrophages derived from A/J mice limits MHV replication and hepatic injury during MHV infection.
Small Arteries Supplying the Trabeculae Carneae Cordis

The arterial supply to the trabeculae carneae cordis in 13 randomly collected hearts was studied in detail by means of stereoroentgenograms of radiopaque-injected coronary arteries. Certain anatomic peculiarities of the small arterial vessels that supply the trabecular carneae cordis are described. The concept that these small blood vessels may play a role in providing collateral circulation to the subendocardial myocardium is presented. Also, the possible contribution of these small trabecular arteries to the production of angina pectoris clinically in patients in whom angiocardiography reveals normal main coronary arteries is suggested.
Intrauterine growth restriction

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the most common identifiable cause of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). 2. List maternal conditions that can cause both IUGR and preterm delivery. 3. Characterize the effects of IUGR on fetal water, mineral, nitrogen, protein, glycogen, adipose tissue, total energy balance, and tissue mass. 4. Describe Doppler velocimetry findings suggestive of chronic fetal distress. 5. List potential adult disorders resulting from IUGR. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is defined as a rate of fetal growth that is less than normal for the growth potential of a specific infant. An enormous number and variety of established and possible causes have been identified. Potentially, any aberration of biological activity in the fetus can lead to growth failure. For example, deficiency or insufficient action of any one of the factors that influence fetal growth (see “Factors Influencing Fetal Growth” in this issue), alone or in combination, could lead to IUGR. The most common identifiable cause is fetal undernutrition due to placental insufficiency. Although most placentas that have insufficient function probably have specific deficits in nutrient transport capacity (eg, decreased placental vasculature with resulting decreased uterine and/or umbilical blood flow, decreased number or function of specific nutrient transporters), a smaller-than-normal placenta alone is sufficient to limit fetal nutrient supply. Small placental size can be natural, pathologic, or simply relative. For example, a small mother generally cannot produce a large placenta because her uterus is small. Similarly, even a normal-size mother can have a relatively small uterus, and, therefore, produce a small placenta if she carries more than one fetus. Experiments of artificially decreased placental growth have shown that any such restriction leads to fetal growth delay, confirming the direct relationship between placental and fetal size and the primary causal role of the placenta in determining fetal growth. However, there is …
Platelet-activating factor-induced calcium mobilization and oxidative metabolism in hepatic macrophages and endothelial cells

Fluorescence image analysis of the calcium sensitive dye Indo-1 was used to characterize platelet-ac- tivating factor (PAF)-induced calcium mobilization in hepatic macrophages and endothelial cells. PAF, but not lyso-PAF, an inactive analog, induced a rapid and tran- sient increase in intracellular levels of calcium that ap- peared to depend on the presence of extracellular cal- cium. In both macrophages and endothelial cells, these effects were dose dependent, reaching maximal levels with 10 nM PAF. However, the kinetics of the calcium response to PAF in macrophages and endothelial cells was distinct. The endothelial cells responded more rapid- ly to PAF than the macrophages (within 1 mm vs. 2-3 mm, respectively) and displayed longer recovery periods (4 mm vs. >10 mm, respectively). In contrast, the mag- mtude of the response to PAF was greater in the macro- phages. In both cell types, triazolam and alprazolam, two PAF antagonists, and the calcium channel blocker verapamil inhibited PAF-induced calcium mobilization. PAF also stimulated superoxide anion production alone and in combination with the macrophage activator 12-0. tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in both cell types. Macrophages produced more of this reactive oxygen in- termediate in response to PAF and TPA than endothelial cells. Interestingly, in the absence of extracellular cal- cium or when verapamil was added to the cultures, super- oxide anion production by the macrophages, but not the endothelial cells, was significantly reduced. These results demonstrate that, although hepatic macrophages and en- dothelial cells mobilize calcium in response to PAF, the characteristics of the response in each cell type are dif- ferent. These differences may underlie, at least in part, distinct functional responses of the cells to PAF. J. Leuhoc.Bio153: 190-196; 1993.
Fundamental analysis of lateral displacement estimation quality in ultrasound elastography

Complementary to axial, lateral displacement and strain can provide important information on the biological soft tissues in all applications of elastography. In this paper, the effect of key parameters on the lateral displacement estimation was investigated, in simulations and phantom experiments. The performance of the lateral estimator was evaluated by measuring its associated bias, jitter and correlation coefficient of radio-frequency (RF) signals. Simulation results showed that the bias, jitter and correlation coefficient undergo periodic variations depending on the lateral displacement, with a period equal to the pitch (i.e., adjacent element distance). The performance of the lateral estimation was improved, when a smaller pitch, or a larger beamwidth, was used. The results of the ph4antom experiments were shown to be in good agreement with the simulation findings, including the periodic variation of the performance with lateral displacement, effect of pitch and beamwidth. In conclusion, smaller pitch and wider beamwidth were found to be the key in reducing the jitter error in the lateral displacement estimation.
Photoinduced Spectral Diffusion and Diffusion-Controlled Electron Transfer Reactions in Fluorescence Intermittency of Quantum Dots

An overview is given for the experimental and theoretical development on fluorescence intermittency (blinking) in semiconductor crystalline nanoparticles. We consider a model with photoinduced spectral diffusion and diffusion-controlled electron transfer processes as the underlying mechanism for intermittency in quantum dots. Depending on the frequency response of a dielectric medium, anomalous/normal diffusion in energy space leads to power-law intermittency for single quantum dots and quasi-stretched exponential decay in ensemble-averaged fluorescence intensity. Intricate relationship between single particle and ensemble behavior is discussed. Some kinetic and energetic parameters are linked to the temporal behavior of blinking statistics and ensemble fluorescence decay.
Field evaluation of the value-engineered 3-meter discus buoy

In 1993, the National Data Buoy Center developed a value-engineered (VE) version of the 3-m-diameter discus buoy. The first field deployment of this design occurred in the summer of 1994 when two VE 3-m buoys were moored off the North Carolina coast. This paper presents results and evaluation of the performance of the VE 3-m design for data measurement by comparing the measured data to those measured from two standard 3-m discus buoys in a very close vicinity. In addition, a summary of future planned deployments of the buoy is also detailed.
Focus on “Rho kinase mediates serum-induced contraction in fibroblast fibers independent of myosin LC20phosphorylation”

the control elements involved in molecular signaling pathways responsible for changes in contractility of muscle cells have been known for decades. Whether contractility is actin driven, in the case of cardiac and skeletal muscle with highly organized sarcomeric filaments, or myosin driven, for
Specificity of hammerhead ribozyme cleavage.

To be effective ip gene inactivation, the hammerhead ribozyme must cleave a complementary RNA target without deleterious effects from cleaving non-target RNAs that contain mismatches and shorter stretches of complementarity. The specificity of hammerhead cleavage was evaluated using HH16, a well-characterized ribozyme designed to cleave a target of 17 residues. Under standard reaction conditions, HH16 is unable to discriminate between its full-length substrate and 3'-truncated substrates, even when six fewer base pairs are formed between HH16 and the substrate. This striking lack of specificity arises because all the substrates bind to the ribozyme with sufficient affinity so that cleavage occurs before their affinity differences are manifested. In contrast, HH16 does exhibit high specificity towards certain 3'-truncated versions of altered substrates that either also contain a single base mismatch or are shortened at the 5' end. In addition, the specificity of HH16 is improved in the presence of p7 nucleocapsid pmtein from human immunodeficiency virus (H1V)-1, which accelerates the association and dissociation of RNA helices. These results support the view that the hammerhead has an intrinsic ability to discriminate against incorrect bases, but emphasizes that the high specificity is only observed in a certain range of helix lengths.