cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective study of 210 consecutive cases of endocapsular phacoemulsification using the AM0 SI‐30NB 3‐piece foldable lens

Purpose: To assess the acceptability of clinical outcome achieved with use of the SI-30NB lens, as well as the incidence of any lens related complications. Methods: This prospective study evaluated 210 consecutive eyes undergoing endocapsular phacoemulsification cataract surgery (EPECS), with implantation of the AM0 SI-30NB foldable three-piece lens, commencing with the first patient in our practice receiving this implant. There was 99% follow-up for at least three months, with a mean of nine months, and a range of three to 14 months. Incisions were a maximum of 3.2 mm in size, and this allowed minimisation of astigmatism, and maximisation of early visual rehabilitation. Results: The final visual acuity results were excellent, with 95% of cases achieving corrected vision of 6/12 or better. All cases without pre-existing ocular pathology achieved corrected vision of 6Y6, apart from a single case which achieved 6/9, but the patient died before follow-up. The lens-related complication rate was less than 1% (two patients). No decentration of any other implant ocurred, and no patient complained of edge glare. There were no cases of iris chafing or pigment dispersion. Only three patients (1.4%) required Yag posterior capsulotomy in the first 14 months of the study. Central bag-bag fixation was achieved in 206 of the 210 cases in the study (98%). Conclusion The results achieved using the SI-30NB lens with a small incision phaco procedure were excellent. Lens-related complications occurred in only two cases and very few cases have had problems with posterior capsular opacification.
Comment on “Dynamic Peierls-Nabarro equations for elastically isotropic crystals”

The paper by Pellegrini [Phys. Rev. B 81, 024101 (2010)] introduces additional ``distributional terms'' to the displacement of the static field of a dislocation and claims that they are needed so that Weertman's equation for the steady-state motion of the Peierls-Nabarro dislocation be recovered. He also claims that the [Eshelby, Phys. Rev. 90, 248 (1953)] solution for a moving screw is wrong, a statement with which I disagree. The same [Eshelby, Phys. Rev. 90, 248 (1953)] solution is also obtained and used by the eminent dislocation scientists Al'shitz and Indenbom in Al'shitz et al. [Sov. Phys. JETP 33, 1240 (1971)] that the author ignores. A key reference in the formulation of the problem as a 3D inclusion with eigenstrain is Willis [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 13, 377 (1965)] who showed that, in the transient fields, the static Eshelby equivalence of dislocations to inclusions (with eigenstrain) does not hold, but only at long times when they tend to the static ones. In this Comment the author provides the fundamental physics of the behavior of a moving Volterra dislocation in nonuniform motion by showing how the singular fields near the moving core are obtained from ``first principles'' (without solving for the full fields). The limit to the steady-state motion of a Peierls-Nabarro dislocation is also shown how to be obtained from first principles from the Volterra one by taking the appropriate limit, without the need of the additional distributional terms that Pellegrini introduces.
Precausal quantum mechanics

It is pointed out that both classical Wheeler-Feynman electrodynamics and its finite quantized generalization inevitably lead to microscopic causality violation. As there is some evidence for such effects in proton Compton scattering, there is possibly reason to prefer such absorber theories of action at a distance over field theories as the more reasonable microscopic description of nature.
Mars Ice Caps

Minimum atmospheric temperatures required to prevent CO2 condensatio in the Mars polar caps are higher than those obtained in a computer experiment to simulate the general circulation of the Mars atmosphere. This observation supports the view that the polar caps are predominantly solid CO2. However, thin clouds of H20 ice could substantially reduce the surface condensation rate.
The Impact of Perceived Channel Utilities, Shopping Orientations, and Demographics on the Consumer's Online Buying Behavior

This study proposed and tested a model of consumer online buying behavior. The model posits that consumer online buying behavior is affected by demographics, channel knowledge, perceived channel utilities, and shopping orientations. Data were collected by a research company using an online survey of 999 U.S. Internet users, and were cross-validated with other similar national surveys before being used to test the model. Findings of the study indicated that education, convenience orientation, experience orientation, channel knowledge, perceived distribution utility, and perceived accessibility are robust predictors of online buying status (frequent online buyer, occasional online buyer, or non-online buyer) of Internet users. Implications of the findings and directions for future research were discussed.
Engineering properties of separated manure solids

Abstract Separated manure solids were collected from three dairy farms with different solid-liquid separators to study the engineering properties of the material. The specific heat, thermal conductivity and mean dry particle density of the solids were determined. Equations to estimate thermal diffusivity and air-filled porosity were also developed.
The National Ignition Facility: alignment from construction to shot operations

The National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, completed it's commissioning milestone on March 10, 2009 when it fired all 192 beams at a combined energy of 1.1 MJ at 351nm. Subsequently, a target shot series from August through December of 2009 culminated in scale ignition target design experiments up to 1.2 MJ in the National Ignition Campaign. Preparations are underway through the first half of of 2010 leading to DT ignition and gain experiments in the fall of 2010 into 2011. The top level requirement for beam pointing to target of 50μm rms is the culmination of 15 years of engineering design of a stable facility, commissioning of precision alignment, and precise shot operations controls. Key design documents which guided this project were published in the mid 1990's, driving systems designs. Precision Survey methods were used throughout construction, commissioning and operations for precision placement. Rigorous commissioning processes were used to ensure and validate placement and alignment throughout commissioning and in present day operations. Accurate and rapid system alignment during operations is accomplished by an impressive controls system to align and validate alignment readiness, assuring machine safety and productive experiments.
Stochastic Acceleration and Photon Emission in Electron-dominated Solar Flares

We examine four electron-dominated flares, two from the GRS instrument on 1989 March 6, and two from the EGRET and BATSE instruments on 1991 June 30 and 1991 July 2. Their photon spectra, which are almost all caused by electron bremsstrahlung radiation, show significant deviations from a simple power-law form. These are attributed to the deviations in the spectra of the accelerated electrons. We develop three stochastic acceleration models to explain the shape of the photon spectra: the hard sphere model, the whistler wave model, and a more general, but still simplified, stochastic acceleration model. For photon emissions, we use a simple sum of the thin target emission from the trapped electrons at the acceleration site near the loop top and the thick target emission from the escaping electrons which travel along the magnetic field lines and radiate in the denser chromosphere at the footpoints. We find that the hard sphere model does not fit any of the flares and can be ruled out. The other two models show that the high-energy cutoff in the two GRS flares can be attributed to synchrotron radiation losses in the presence of a 500 G magnetic field at the acceleration site. The observed break in the photon spectra of all four flares around 1 MeV is attributed to a combination of the energy dependence of the escape time of particles out of the acceleration region and the change in the energy dependence of the bremsstrahlung cross section between the nonrelativistic and relativistic regimes. Further steepening of the spectrum at even lower energies is caused by Coulomb losses at the acceleration site. We find that acceleration timescales as low as ~1 s are possible with a ratio of turbulent to the magnetic field energy densities of ~10-4. We also set limits on the plasma density, the size of the acceleration region, and the spectrum of the plasma turbulence.
Novel secondary hormonal therapy in advanced prostate cancer: an update.

Purpose of review In a large proportion of advanced prostate cancer patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy, progression of the disease occurs despite low levels of testosterone, termed castration-resistant prostate cancer. This heralds the onset of the lethal form of the disease. Recent investigations into the mechanisms of castration resistance have shown that despite low levels of androgen, the androgen receptor remains active through a variety of mechanisms and thus represents a key treatment target in castration-resistant prostate cancer. Recent findings Clinical approaches to these patients have rapidly progressed and include antiandrogen withdrawal, sequential antiandrogen use, adrenal androgen production inhibitors, and estrogenic compounds. Multiple efforts are underway to develop additional therapies targeted at this phenomenon. Summary Hormonal therapy in advanced prostate cancer is rapidly evolving to more effectively target disease processes underlying prostate cancer, with multiple promising agents on the horizon.
Synthesis of classical, three-carbon-bridged 5-substituted furo[2,3-d]pyrimidine and 6-substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine analogues as antifolates.

We report, for the first time, the biological activities of four-carbon-atom bridged classical antifolates on dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), thymidylate synthase (TS), and folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) as well as antitumor activity. Extension of the bridge homologation studies of classical two-carbon bridged antifolates, a 5-substituted 2,4-diaminofuro[2,3-d]pyrimidine (1) and a 6-subsituted 2-amino-4-oxopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (2), afforded two four-carbon bridged antifolates, analogues 5 and 6, with enhanced FPGS substrate activity and inhibitory activity against tumor cells in culture (EC50 ≤ 10-7 M) compared with the two-carbon bridged analogues. These results support our original hypothesis that the distance and orientation of the side chain p-aminobenzoyl-l-glutamate moiety with respect to the pyrimidine ring are a crucial determinant of biological activity. In addition, this study demonstrates that, for classical antifolates that are substrates for FPGS, poor inhibitory activity against is...
Triple bonds between tungsten atoms with ancillary dimesitylboroalkoxide ligands. Preparations, properties and structures of W2(NMe2)4[OB(Mes)2]2 and W2(OBut)4[OB(Mes)2]2

From the reaction between W 2 (NMe 2 ) 6 and dimesitylborinic acid, (Mes) 2 BOH (2 equiv.), in toluene, the golden- yellow crystalline compound W 2 (NMe 2 ) 4 [OB(Mes) 2 ] 2 ( 1 ) has been isolated and characterized (elemental analysis, 1 H, 13 C{ 1 H}, 11 B NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and a single crystal X-ray diffraction study). At −160 °C, a =39.379(7), b =13.649(2), c =21.918(4) A, β=123.12(1)°, Z =8 and space group C 2/ c . The compound W 2 (OBu t ) 4 [OB(Mes) 2 ] 2 ( 2 ) has been similarly characterized as a dark red crystalline compound obtained from the reaction between W 2 (OBu t ) 6 and (Mes) 2 BOH (2 equiv.) in toluene. At −159 °C, a =17.164(2), b =19.773(2), c =18.490(2) A, β=102.91(1)°, Z =4 and space group C 2. In both compounds there are unsupported WW bonds of distance 2.3068(13) and 2.3521(15) A for compound 1 and 2 , respectively. In 1 there is a central ethane like W 2 N 4 O 2 core with the gauche conformation, WN=1.94(2) (av.) and WO=1.93(1) A. The coordination geometry at nitrogen is trigonal planar and the NC 2 units are aligned along the WW axis as found for related compounds. In compound 2 the W 2 O 4 O′ 2 skeleton is eclipsed and most surprisingly the WO′ distances to the OB(Mes) 2 ligands are shorter 1.81(1) A than the WO distances 1.94(1) and 1.90(1) A to the alkoxide ligands. In both 1 and 2 the coordination geometry at boron is trigonal planar and the OB distances fall in the range 1.37(3)–1.41(3) A, and are statistically equivalent to that of the free borinic acid. Compound 2 has crystallographically imposed C 2 symmetry and the OB(Mes) 2 groups are syn . These are the first structurally characterized boroalkoxides coordinated to the (WW) 6+ moiety and comparisons of WO π bonding are made with respect to related OR and OSiR 3 compounds.
Maasai on the Lawn: Tourist Realism in East Africa

Mayers Ranch is a tourist attraction near Nairobi, privately owned by the Mayers, a British ex-colonial family who are now Kenyan citizens. The site features Maasai "tribal" dancing followed by tea and scones on the Mayers' lawn.' We will argue that the site enacts a colonial drama of the savage/pastoral Maasai and the genteel British, playing upon the explicit contrast between the wild and the civilized so prevalent in colonial discourse and sustained in East African tourism. The master narrative of tribal resistance and colonial contain-
Beyond the Joys of Teaching: Stories from Four Novice Secondary Teachers

The purpose of this study was to document four novice secondary teachers' experiences as they progressed from the last year in their teacher education program through their first three years of teaching. Autobiographies, interviews, and focus groups were conducted to record their stories as novice teachers. In addition to the development of their understanding of teaching, their roles and responsibilities as teachers, and their interactions with students and families, teachers in this study also shared their understanding of today's educational context and how it impacted their development.
Engineering science research issues in high power density transmission dynamics for aerospace applications

This paper discusses analytical and experimental approaches that will be needed to understand dynamic, vibro-acoustic and design characteristics of high power density rotorcraft transmissions. Complexities associated with mathematical modeling of such systems will be discussed. An overview of research work planned during the next several years will be presented, with emphasis on engineering science issues such as gear contact mechanics, multi-mesh drive dynamics, parameter uncertainties, vibration transmission through bearings, and vibro-acoustic characteristics of geared rotor systems and housing-mount structures. A few examples of work in progress are cited.
Two Reports of Phacomatosis Pigmentovascularis Type Iib, One in Association with Sturge–Weber Syndrome and Klippel–Trenaunay Syndrome

We present two rare cases of phacomatosis pigmentovascularis type IIb, with one patient demonstrating concurrent Sturge-Weber syndrome and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second infantile case meeting diagnostic criteria for systemic phacomatosis pigmentovascularis type IIb, Sturge-Weber syndrome and Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome in the English language literature.
Sensing by bacterial regulatory systems in host and non-host environments.

To survive in various niches, bacteria must effectively integrate a multiplicity of signals from their environment. In this Opinion article, the authors discuss whether recent reports that theSalmonella typhimuriumPhoP/PhoQ system recognizes antimicrobial peptides are likely to be biologically significant. Free-living organisms have the ability to gauge their surroundings and modify their gene expression patterns in ways that help them cope with new environments. Here we discuss the physiological significance of recent reports describing the ability of the Salmonella typhimurium PhoP/PhoQ two-component system to recognize and respond to host-derived antimicrobial peptides.
Hypoxanthine transport in mammalian cells: Cell type-specific differences in sensitivity to inhibition by dipyridamole and uridine

We have measured by rapid kinetic techniques the zero-trans influx of hypoxanthine in various cell lines and its sensitivity to inhibition by uridine, dipyridamole, nitrobenzylthioinosine and nitrobenzylthiopurine. The results and those reported earlier divided the cells into two distinct groups. In mouse P388, L1210 and L929 cells uridine and hypoxanthine had little effect on the transport of each other, supporting the view that nucleosides and hypoxanthine are transported by different carriers. In these cells, hypoxanthine transport was also uniquely resistant to inhibition by dipyridamole (IC50 (50% inhibition dose) >30μM). In Novikoff and HTC rat hepatoma, Chinese hamster ovary and Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, on the other hand, hypoxanthine and uridine inhibited the transport of each other about 50% at a concentration corresponding to the Michaelis-Menten constant of their transport, and hypoxanthine transport was strongly inhibited by dipyridamole (IC50=100 to 400nM). Although these results are compatible with the view that nucleosides and hypoxanthine are transported by a common carrier in these cells, this conclusion is not supported by the finding that uridine transport is strongly inhibited in some of these cell lines, as in first group of cells, by nitrobenzylthioinsine, whereas hypoxanthine transport is highly resistant in all cell lines tested. In contrast, the transport of both substrates is highly resistant to inhibition by nitrobenzylthiopurine. The Michaelis-Menten constants for uridine transport are about the same in all cell lines. The Michaelis-Menten constants for hypoxanthine transport are similar to those for uridine transport in some cell lines, but are much higher in others. This difference is unrelated to the sensitivity of uridine and hypoxanthine transport to inhibition by each other or dipyridamole.
Visual projections to the optic tecta in Xenopus after partial extirpation of the embryonic eye

The temporal, nasal or dorsal half (40–60%) of the eye primordium was excised in Xenopus frog embryos stage 25/26 (optic vesicle), 31/32 (optic cup) or 38 ± 1 (early larval eye). The residual nasal (NF) or temporal (TF) or ventral (VF) fragment gradually rounded-up to form a grossly normal eye of normal or reduced size. Electrophysiologic analysis of the visuotectal projection after metamorphosis showed that (independent of stage of surgery and final eye size) most eyes of each type generated normal retinotectal maps (orderly and continuous retinotopic projection across the entire tectum). A minority of NF eyes generated double-nasal compound maps, in which nasal and temporal halves of the adult retina projected as mirror images (of the nasal pattern) over the whole tectum. A minority of TF eyes generated double-temporal compound maps, while a minority of VF eyes generated double-ventral compound maps. Respectively, these compound maps simulated those generated by NN, TT or VV “compound-eyes” prepared by fusing two nasal half eyes, or two temporal half eyes, or two ventral half eyes. The incidence of double-maps was lowest in TF eyes at all stages, and after stage 25/26 surgery in all eye types. Lure tests and post-synaptic recording confirmed that these eyes formed functional retinotectal synapses, and that the (presynaptic) map accurately mirrored the connectivity pattern. The results are considered in terms of (1) the patterning of locus specificities in the retinal ganglion cell population, (2) embryonic “regulation” and “reduplication” in non-neural systems, and (3) alternative mechanisms by which partial extirpation might modify the deployment or expression of ganglion cell locus specificities to produce the retinotectal connectivity patterns we observed.
Comparison of nanosecond and picosecond excitation for two-photon laser-induced fluorescence imaging of atomic oxygen in flames

Two-photon laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) imaging of atomic oxygen is investigated in premixed hydrogen and methane flames with nanosecond and picosecond pulsed lasers at 226 nm. In the hydrogen flame, the interference from photolysis is negligible compared with the LIF signal from native atomic oxygen, and the major limitations on quantitative measurements are stimulated emission and photoionization. Excitation with a nanosecond laser is advantageous in the hydrogen flames, because it reduces the effects of stimulated emission and photoionization. In the methane flames, however, photolytic interference is the major complication for quantitative O-atom measurements. A comparison of methane and hydrogen flames indicates that vibrationally excited CO2 is the dominant precursor for laser-generated atomic oxygen. In the methane flames, picosecond excitation offers a significant advantage by dramatically reducing the photolytic interference. The prospects for improved O-atom imaging in hydrogen and hydrocarbon flames are presented.
Development of GABAA receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents in hippocampus

Hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells receive two kinetic classes of GABA(A) receptor-mediated inhibition: slow dendritic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (GABA(A,slow) IPSCs) and fast perisomatic (GABA(A,fast)) IPSCs. These two classes of IPSCs are likely generated by two distinct groups of interneurons, and we have previously shown that the kinetics of the IPSCs have important functional consequences for generating synchronous firing patterns. Here, we studied developmental changes in the properties of GABA(A,fast) and GABA(A,slow) spontaneous, miniature, and evoked IPSCs (sIPSCs, mIPSCs, and eIPSCs, respectively) using whole cell voltage-clamp recordings in brain slices from animals aged P10-P35. We found that the rate of GABA(A,slow) sIPSCs increased by over 70-fold between P11 and P35 (from 0.0017 to 0.12 s(-1)). Over this same age range, we observed a >3.5-fold increase in the maximal amplitude of GABA(A,slow) eIPSCs evoked by stratum lacunosum-moleculare (SL-M) stimuli. However, the rate and amplitude of GABA(A,slow) mIPSCs remained unchanged between P10 and P30, suggesting that the properties of GABA(A,slow) synapses remained stable over this age range, and that the increase in sIPSC rate and in eIPSC amplitude was due to increased excitability or excitation of GABA(A,slow) interneurons. This hypothesis was tested using bath application of norepinephrine (NE), which we found at low concentrations (1 microM) selectively increased the rate of GABA(A,slow) sIPSCs while leaving GABA(A,fast) sIPSCs unchanged. This effect was observed in animals as young as P13 and was blocked by coapplication of tetrodotoxin, suggesting that NE was acting to increase the spontaneous firing rate of GABA(A,slow) interneurons and consistent with our hypothesis that developmental changes in GABA(A,slow) IPSCs are due to changes in presynaptic excitability. In contrast to the changes we observed in GABA(A,slow) IPSCs, the properties of GABA(A,fast) sIPSCs remained largely constant between P11 and P35, whereas the rate, amplitude, and kinetics of GABA(A,fast) mIPSCs showed significant changes between P10 and P30, suggesting counterbalancing changes in action potential-dependent GABA(A,fast) sIPSCs. These observations suggest differential developmental regulation of the firing properties of GABA(A,fast) and GABA(A,slow) interneurons in CA1 between P10 and P35.
Choreographing Change One Step at a Time: Reflections on Integrating Technology into Teacher Education Courses.

Abstract This article reports the findings of a collective case study conducted during the Spring 1996 semester to describe new technology use in teacher education courses and to investigate the progress made by College of Education faculty. When examining cases individually, changes in each course as a result of including new technology were minimal; yet when viewed across cases, the potential impact of small changes on the overall teacher education program became evident. In addition, the article incorporates the reflections and personal insights of the participants. These perspectives evolved from a group interview conducted to bring closure to the study, which instead became a springboard for sharing accomplishments and experiences. The elaborated stories presented in this article provide evidence of how thinking or teaching changed as a result of increased technology integration, and they demonstrate the potential for programmatic impact through collective faculty effort.
Determination of a dynamic model for urethane prosthetic compounds

A frequency-response testing technique for determining the dynamic behavior of urethane prosthetic compounds is discussed. Experimental preparation of strip specimens and test results are presented. Sinusoidal response data of the tested strips are compared with three computer synthesizers (viscoelastic, viscous and complex modulus) of the one-dimensional wave equation for deciding on a model which best represents the material and subsequently calculating the value of a dynamic loss factor. The closed form solutions for the three mathematical models subject to sinusoidal boundary conditions are expressed in terms of functions which can be easily programmed for machine computation in FORTRAN IV language involving complex arguments. Dynamicloss factors are required for experimental and finite-element studies of prosthetic left ventricle of animal and human hearts. For the test strips, the loss factor, δ, is found to be dependent on the frequency.f. The results presented show that a viscoelastic model with a frequency-dependent loss factor of the form δ=c/f n is an excellent representation for analyzing the dynamic behavior of urethane compounds subjected to a range of frequencies corresponding to heart-beat rates. Derivation of the model parametersc andn is explained in detail.
Inattentive and noninattentive ADHD children: do they constitute a unitary group?

Teacher-rated ADHD and normal control children were administered a continuous performance test (CPT), and were then further subdivided based upon the presence or absence of objectively assessed attentional deficits. In addition, children were assessed using several measures of cognitive and behavioral functioning. Attentional deficits were significantly more prevalent among the ADHD group, but about half of the ADHD children showed no evidence of objectively assessed attentional dysfunction. Further group analyses indicated that ADHD children with objectively assessed attentional dysfunction appeared cognitively impaired, while ADHD children without objective evidence of attentional dysfunction had more conduct problems. CPT inattention was not related to the presence of cognitive impairments or conduct problems in the control group. These data must be considered preliminary because teacher ratings were the only source of diagnosis and a single measure of inattention was used. However, they suggest that two subtypes of ADHD children can be identified, one characterized by inattention and learning problems, and the other by conduct problems. Language: en
Evaluating the economic impact of design alternatives on domestic communication satellite ventures

Abstract What are the economic consequences of establishing a domestic communication satellite venture? Has the best design alternative been selected? Should investments be made to develop new technology? How much should be invested? These are but some of the questions facing those concerned with providing domestic communication satellite services. Because of the demand, performance and cost uncertainties and the unpredictability of the need for and timing of large capital expenditures (due to less than perfect reliability of transportation systems and satellites) providing answers to these and other related questions is a complex process. This paper describes a methodology for providing answers to the above questions. The methodology, by explicitly considering demand, performance and cost uncertainties and satellite and transportation system reliability, develops probabilistic pro forma financial analyses of domestic communication satellite system ventures. In so doing, the risk dimension is quantified and alternative courses of action can be evaluated and compared taking into account expected values, risk and risk aversion preferences. It is also important to quantify and consider the risk dimension since many R & D projects are specifically aimed at risk reduction.
Analysis of operating data for evaluation, diagnosis and control of batch operations

Abstract Correct interpretation of measured process variables is essential for the evaluation, diagnosis and control of batch operations. The extraction, though, of the ‘pivotal’ temporal features from operating data is not a trivial task for two reasons: the localization in time of the operating features, and the multi-scale character of operating trends. This paper introduces an integrated systematic approach, based on the wavelet decomposition of batch records of operating variables, which accomplishes the following goals: (1) It extracts the temporal features of the process trends at various time-scales. (2) It generalizes the multi-scale description of operating variables, by identifying the common features among many records of these operating variables. (3) It establishes relationships among the temporal patterns of operating variables, thus leading to pattern-based diagnosis and control of batch operations. Data from an industrial batch fermentor are used to illustrate the ideas of the proposed approach and its value for evaluating batch operations.
FORMATION OF NITRATE IN DETACHED GREEN LEAVES OF SWISS CHARD AND TOMATO

In 1933, Vickery, Pucher, Wakeman, and Leavenworth (?) reported the formation of nitrate in tobacco leaves subjected, in the absence of light, to either air drying or distilled water culture. The present investigation seeks to extend this unprecedented (1) observation to leaves other than those of the tobacco; for this purpose random choice was made of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris var. cicla) and tomato Lycopersicum esculentum Mill)? The treatment of the leaves followed as closely as possible that given the tobacco ; the results so obtained indicate that the tobacco is not unique in showing nitrate formation and that the phenomenon differs in magnitude depending upon the nature of the leaf and its condition.
Zero-angle depolarized light scattering of a colloidal polymer

Abstract The potential of zero-angle depolarized scattering for measuring the size distributions of optically anisotropic particles is considered. To illustrate the method, an analysis of Fluon, a teflon latex suspension, is presented. Homodyne correlation functions having signal-to-noise characteristics every bit as good as conventional unpolarized finite-angle measurements enabled confident application of a smoothed exponential sampling algorithm to obtain the decay rate distribution, which was converted to a size distribution with certain approximations. The size distribution obtained from light scattering agrees well with that from electron microscopy.
Iatrogenic Paradoxical Air Embolism in Pulmonary Hypertension

Paradoxical systemic air embolism (PAE) occurring as a complication of right-to-left intracardiac shunting during evaluation and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not been previously reported. We report four cases of PH-associated PAE recently encountered at our center. Two patients with PH experienced transient neurologic deficits during agitated-saline contrast echocardiography (ASCE), and a patent foramen ovale was subsequently diagnosed in both patients. Two patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome (ES), while receiving epoprostenol via multilumen catheters, experienced transient neurologic deficits while flushing the unused port of the catheter. No patient experienced permanent neurologic deficits. We conclude that ASCE poses a risk for PAE in patients with PH and clinically silent, previously undetected, right-to-left intracardiac shunts, and that multilumen catheters used for long-term epoprostenol therapy in ES carry a risk of PAE.
Wet deposition of low molecular weight mono- and di-carboxylic acids, aldehydes and inorganic species in Los Angeles☆

Abstract About 60 rainwater samples were collected at west Los Angeles, California in 1981–1984 and were analyzed for C 1 –C 9 monocarboxylic acids (0.33–79 μM, average (av.) 13±15 μM), C 2 –C 10 dicarboxylic acids (2.9–51 μM, av. 7.5±14 μM) and C 1 –C 4 aldehydes (0.85–28 μM, av. 9.2±11 μM). Distributions of monocarboxylic acids show a predominance of formic (average concentration: 6.5 μM) and acetic (av. 5.6 μM) acids followed by propionic acid (av. 0.44 μM). Oxalic acid is the dominant diacid (av. 3.9 μM) followed by succinic acid (av. 1.0 μM). Formaldehyde (av. 6.9 μM) is the dominant aldehyde, with the next most abundant, acetaldehyde, being minor (av. 0.65 μM). For select rain samples described in this paper, were found to comprise monocarboxylic acids 0.9–12.3% (av. 4.4±3.4%), diacids comprise 1.2–9.5% (av. 4.2±3.3%) and aldehydes comprise 0.2–6.2% (av. 2.1±2.2%) of total organic carbon (TOC, 2.0–18.6 mg C l −1 ; av. 9.8±5.4 mg C l −1 ). Annual rain fluxes of monocarboxylic acids and aldehydes during 1982–1983 were calculated to be 0.24 and 0.11 g m −2 yr −1 , respectively, with an annual estimated wet deposition in the Los Angeles Basin of 3120 and 1430 tons, respectively. These fluxes are equivalent to 2500 times of the acids and 2.5 times of the aldehydes emitted from automobile exhausts in the Los Angeles air basin. This comparison suggests that major portions of the carboxylic acids detected in the rain are not directly emitted from auto-exhausts, but are most likely produced in the atmosphere by gaseous and/or aqueous phase photo-induced reactions.
Formation, motion and superconductivity of large bipolarons

Bipolarons can form in materials with exceptionally strong electron- lattice interactions. Although small (singlet site) bipolarons readily localize, large (multisite) bipolarons, in analogy with large polarons in ionic solids, are presumed to move itinerantly. Perovskite-based materials are prime candidates for the formation of large bipolarons. As mobile charged bosons, large bipolarons condense into a superconducting state. Large bipolarons possess distinctive properties that are in accord with observations in novel superconductors.
Increased β‐Myosin Heavy Chain in Acute Cellular Rejection Following Human Heart Transplantation

Background: Increased expression of smooth muscle and nonmuscle myosin heavy chains has been previously reported in animal models of cardiac allograft rejection. However, altered expression of β-myosin heavy chain in human cardiac rejection has not been determined. Methods: Two-dimensional (2D)-gel electrophoresis of endomyocardial biopsies taken from patients with (Grade 3A, n = 6) and without (Grade 0, n = 6) acute rejection were analyzed. Increased expression of two protein spots (MW ∼ 12 kDa) were identified in the presence of acute rejection and were further characterized by mass spectrometry analysis. In patients who had acute rejection, protein expression was subsequently analyzed by immunoblotting on biopsies preceding, during, and following treatment of rejection. Results: Mass spectrometric analysis of the protein spots detected 6 and 22 tryptic peptides, respectively. Protein sequence database search analysis identified the first protein as β-myosin heavy chain and the second spot consisted of proteins of unidentified nature that may represent novel proteins. Immunoblotting analysis showed 1.4 × fold increase (p < 0.01) of protein expression of β-myosin heavy chain expression in the presence of acute rejection. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first 2D-gel study to describe increased expression of β-myosin heavy chain and other proteins of unidentified nature in association with human cardiac allograft rejection.
SU-E-T-48: Application of Evidence Theory in Radiation Oncology Outcome Analysis

Purpose: To apply evidence theory to radiotherapy outcome analysis for better combination of clinical evidence, some of them not self‐consistent, incorporating uncertainties of the evidence. To illustrate the theory, we used clinical data of different sources from Quantitative Analysis of Normal Tissue Effects in the Clinic (QUANTEC) publications. The belief‐plausibility range obtained from the combined outcome presents a fundamentally new method for clinical outcome evaluation. Methods: Evidence theory was applied to the original data obtained from QUANTEC. In evidence theory the uncertainty of practical data is characterized by the basic belief assignment function, therefore the uncertainty is quantitatively included in the statistical calculations. Considering the inconsistent and conflicting data from different sources, we used Yager's combination rule to combine the statistical information and obtained a belief‐plausibility range for the dose‐volume outcome. The goodness of the predictive power is evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) graph. Results: With evidence theory and Yager's combination rules, we fused the data from different sources with respective uncertainties and obtained the belief‐plausibility range, which can be considered as a probability range bounded by its lower and upper limits. For the example of predicting pneumonitis from lungcancer treatments (data from three institutions are combined, cf. supporting document). Logistic fits for the values of belief and plausibility functions at different doses were obtained. Two commonly used NTCP models, LKB and CV model, are applied and fitted to clinical data of pneumonitis respectively. A probability range of uncertainties is obtained for each model. Evidence theory is used to fuse the strength of these two models. Conclusions: We have presented two examples to demonstrate how evidence theory can be used to combine clinical evidence of various uncertainties. With evidence theory, belief and plausibility are utilized for clinical evidence evaluation, a new alternative to the conventional probability presentation of the clinical outcome.
Intermittency in the Scrape-off Layer of the National Spherical Torus Experiment During H-mode Confinement

A gas puff imaging diagnostic is used in the National Spherical Tokamak Experiment [M. Ono, et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] to study the edge turbulence and intermittency present during H-mode discharges. In the case of low power Ohmic H-modes the suppression of turbulence/blobs is maintained through the duration of the (short lived) H-modes. Similar quiescent edges are seen during the early stages of H-modes created with the use of neutral beam injection. Nevertheless, as time progresses following the L-H transition, turbulence and blobs reappear although at a lower level than that typically seen during L-mode confinement. It is also seen that the time-averaged SOL emission profile broadens, as the power loss across the separatrix increases. These broad profiles are characterized by a large level of fluctuations and intermittent events.
Total arsenic concentrations in toenails quantified by two techniques provide a useful biomarker of chronic arsenic exposure in drinking water.

Accurate quantitation of any contaminant of interest is critical for exposure assessment and metabolism studies that support risk assessment. A preliminary step in an arsenic exposure assessment study in Nevada quantified total arsenic (TAs) concentrations in tissues as biomarkers of exposure. Participants in this study (n=95) were at least 45 years old, had lived in the area for more than 20 years, and were exposed to a wide range of arsenic concentrations in drinking water (3–2100 ppb). Concentrations of TAs in blood, urine, and toenails determined by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) ranged from below detection to 0.03, 0.76, and 12 ppm, respectively; TAs in blood rarely exceeded the limit of detection. For comparison, TAs in toenails determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA) ranged from below detection to 16 ppm. Significant (P<0.0001) positive regressions were seen between the TAs concentration in toenails and in drinking water (adjusted r2=0.3557 HG-AFS, adjusted r2=0.3922 NAA); TAs concentrations in urine were not described by drinking water As (adjusted r2=0.0170, P=0.1369). Analyses of TAs in toenails by HGAFS and NAA yielded highly concordant estimates (r=0.7977, P<0.0001). These results suggest that toenails are a better biomarker of chronic As exposure than urine in the current study, because the sequestration of As in toenails provides an integration of exposure over time that does not occur in urine.
Costs of diagnosis and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: when does choosing the treatment regimen based on susceptibility testing become cost effective?

Costs of diagnosis and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: when does choosing the treatment regimen based on susceptibility testing become cost effective?
Fine Structural Localization of Cholesterol during Fat Absorption by Bovine Intestinal Mucosa

Abstract Digitonin was incorporated into tissue fixation to localize free cholesterol during fat absorption by the bovine small intestine. Reaction products were associated with lipid droplets in the apical part of epithelial cells and, to a limited extent, with lipid-containing regions of the Golgi apparatus and intercellular spaces. These observations suggest that cholesterol is associated with lipid droplets early in the transport phase and that such an association may be the result of the process of chylomicron formation.
Peer assessment accounting for student agreement

Peer assessment has been gaining significant ground as a means of fostering an environment of accountability and responsibility for group projects in higher education. A popular peer assessment method assigns individual grades via a linear relationship to peer assessment scores. Using this method, a group member who receives his or her group’s average peer assessment score is assigned the instructor‐given group grade; the group member who receives a total peer assessment score of zero is assigned an individual grade of zero. Unfortunately, applying this method often requires time‐consuming exploratory data analysis because of the potential for the method to yield a high spread of grades, including grades over 100%. The present study proposes a modification, which accounts for the degree of student agreement. When the modified procedure results in a change from the group grade, the direction of change is always the same, but with smaller magnitude, requiring less subsequent data analysis and instructor tim...
Controllable Lenses for Photovoltaic Energy Generation Enhancement

Fixed-focal point solar concentrators have been used in high-power density applications. However, the inability to control the focal point often saturates the energy generation of the cells and exposes them to excessive heat. In this condition, the efficiency of solar cells drops rapidly and results in low energy production. This paper introduces a controllable focal point lens to maximize the energy generation of thin-film and thick-film solar cell. An electrowetting phenomenon is used to control the curvature and the focal point of the lens. The voltage that is applied across the lens directly controls the light intensity on solar cell areas. Therefore, it can control the energy generation and operating temperature of the cells. Experimental results prove the effectiveness of the focal point lens in energy generation enhancement in thick and thin films. Thick-film solar cells generate more power at high electrowetting voltage, whereas thin films that maximize the power at low electrowetting voltage. The P-V curves of thick films demonstrated a decrease in solar cell voltage of the maximum power point. Thin-films demonstrated an increase in cell voltage of the maximum power point at higher electrowetting voltage of low sunbeam intensities. The controllable lens increased the energy production by 78%.
Trends in smoking, cancer risk, and cigarette promotion current priorities for reducing tobacco exposure

Tobacco use in the US is currently responsible for more than 30% of all cancer deaths, including cancers of the lung, larynx, oral cavity, pharynx, pancreas, kidney, bladder, and cervix. The lung cancer epidemic in men and then women since the turn of the century followed an increased prevalence of cigarette smoking. Recent declines in lung cancer rates in men reflect a decline in men's smoking prevalence over the past few decades. However, lung cancer is still the major cause of cancer death in men and is now essentially tied with breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer death in women. The demography of smoking has markedly altered over time, so that current efforts to prevent tobacco use should address young women, ethnic minorities, lower socioeconomic groups, and Third World populations. The tobacco industry's aggressive strategies to promote tobacco use should also be monitored, publicized, and countered. Relevant activities for the individual health-care practitioner are suggested here. Because more than 25% of Americans are still smoking, our priority in cancer prevention must be to continually encourage the reduction of tobacco use.
Optical measurements of the surface plasmon of copper

The optical properties of the noble metal copper are determined by computer fitting the experimentally obtained attenuated total internal reflection (ATR) spectra of its surface plasmon in the visible spectral region (0.42 to 0.63 μm). The dispersion curves of the surface plasmon resonance of copper are determined; they show that the resonance exists on the steep absorption edge of ϵ2 at 2.16 eV. This absorption edge, which is due to the d-band to Fermi level transition, causes the large shift in the location of the surface plasmon excitation from ϵ1(ωs) = −1 to ϵ1(ωs) = −4.7 and causes the true resonance to occur in the complex frequency plane.
Intraoperative testing of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator: how much is enough?

Introduction: Defibrillation testing of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is considered a standard and required practice at the time of implantation. How much testing, if any in some cases, should be performed, however, remains unknown. Methods and Results: Included in this retrospective analysis were 835 patients (77% men; age 65 ± 13 years) who received transvenous ICDs between January 1996 and December 2003. One hundred twenty-nine (15.5%) had intraoperative defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing, 503 (60.2%) had limited defibrillation safety margin testing, and 203 (24.3%) had no defibrillation testing. We compared the outcome (success of ICD therapies against spontaneous VT/VF events and survival) of the three groups of patients, who in some respects had important clinical differences. The success of the first delivered shocks against VT/VF was similar for DFT (91%), safety margin testing (91%), and no-testing (92%) groups; and the second shocks terminated the remaining episodes in all three groups. Sudden-death-free survival rates were similar in the three groups, however, the overall long-term survival rate was significantly lower in the no-testing group (58%) than in the DFT (74%) and safety margin testing (69%) groups (P < 0.0005). Multivariate analysis found no strong predictors of sudden death, but there were several independent predictors of overall mortality including lack of ICD testing (HR: 2.031, CI: 1.253–3.290, P = 0.004). Conclusion: In this select patient cohort, success of ICD therapies and sudden-death-free survival were similar in patients who had DFT, safety margin testing, and no testing, but overall survival was significantly lower in the no-testing group. Thus in the absence of prospective mortality data, a minimum of safety margin ICD testing should remain standard practice.