cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Documenting discontent: struggles for recognition in the Purari Delta of Papua New Guinea

Within the context of the Purari Delta’s transforming materialities of resource extraction, and the legacy of the Tom Kabu iconoclastic modernist movement (1946–69), I examine the processes of materialisation bound up with two related but different things: heirlooms (eve uku) and documents (Incorporated Land Group (ILG) forms). Eve uku (‘hand head’) lie within a continuum of things (names, relations, totemic ancestral spirit-beings and sites in the environment) through which ancestral actions are shown to have happened, and descent groups’ identities manifest. However, given the ambiguous status of the traditional past among the I’ai, the power of these forms is circumscribed to the village thus making them ineffectual tokens in the bid to secure royalties from resource extraction. Instead, highly coveted documents known as ILG certificates have emerged as efficacious things by which royalties can be secured. Examining these certificates as objects, I investigate how these documents help materialise anew descent groups, communities’ relations to their environment and thus their aspirations for development with its attending materialities. The problem for the I’ai, however, remains how to obtain these documents and, as with eve uku, how to control them.
Flotation samples and some paleoethnobotanical implications

The size and composition of carbonized plant assemblages are integral to explanations about human use of plants. Experimental data indicate that the techniques researchers use to collect and process flotation samples can negatively affect the yield of carbonized plant remains, and thus critically alter the results of analysis. Recovery rates can be linked to the characteristics of the sediment matrix and the specific remains involved. Because the record is subject to current ideas and biases and, it, in turn, influences how researchers assign meanings, the described variations are relevant to paleoethnobotanists and archaeologists alike.
Hip fracture documentation-the impact of shift systems.

Summary The recent reduction in junior doctors’ hours has lead to a change in working patterns. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of this change on documentation in orthopaedic surgery. Over a 6-week period, 25 patients were admitted to our unit with hip fractures. During this period, all junior doctors worked on a ‘full-shift’ working pattern. For comparison a control group was formed comprising of 29 patients admitted with hip fractures over an earlier 6 weeks when all junior doctors worked on a traditional ‘on-call’ system. The medical records of each patient were assessed for the quality of medical documentation using a published scoring system. The on-call group scored higher for the standard of documentation compared with the shift system group (mean 24.8 versus mean 21.3), p p A change in the working pattern for junior doctors has lead to a reduction in the quality of medical documentation. With more personnel working fewer hours, maintaining a high standard of documentation is essential for the good clinical care of patients.
A longitudinal study of physical activity and breast cancer prediction.

Physical activity was analyzed as a predictor of breast cancer in the Aerobic Center Longitudinal Study. The study sample included 4,520 healthy women, with 150 incident cases of breast cancer. The study sample was limited to women who did not have a diagnosis of breast cancer at initial entry to the Aerobic Center Longitudinal Study. Women in the study were predominantly from an upper-middle class, college-educated, Caucasian American group being evaluated at a world-famous fitness center. Women with and without breast cancer had similar reports for diet history, alcohol and tobacco use, body composition, and breast health history. Women with breast cancer were older and had an earlier menarche and later menopause. Logistic regression analysis of physical activity for women with and without breast cancer was performed controlling for age. Intensity and duration of physical activity were not predictors of breast cancer. Less frequency of jogging was a significant predictor of breast cancer among women in the sample, O.R. = 1.14, P = .04. Women who reported jogging as a type of activity were less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did not report jogging, O.R. = 2.32, P = 0.05.
Asymptotic estimates of sums involving the Moebius function

Let p(n) denote the smallest prime factor of an integer n>1 and let p(1)=∞. We study the asymptotic behavior of the sum M(x,y)=Σ1≤n≤x,p(n)>yμ(n) and use this to estimate the size of A(x)=max|f|≤1|Σ2≤n<xμ(n)f(p(n))|, where μ(n) is the Moebius function. Applications of bounds for A(x), M(x,y) and similar quantities are discussed.
Phosphorus sorption characteristics in acid sulfate soils of Thailand : effect of uncontrolled and controlled soil redox potential (Eh) and pH

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to study phosphorus sorption characteristics in acid sulfate soils (para- and actual-acid sulfate soils) of Thailand. In one experiment the soils were subjected to oxidized and reduced conditions, in another they were maintained under different controlled pH (4.0, 5.0, and 6.0) and Eh (+600, +400, +300, +200, +100, and 0 mV) conditions. In both experiments the soils were kept in stirred suspensions with a soil to 0.01 M CaCl2 solution ratio of 1:7 for 6 weeks. After the incubation period, the soil suspensions were equilibrated with KH2PO4 ranging from 0 to 500 mg P kg−1 soil. Sorption isotherms were described by the classical Langmuir equation. The results from the first experiment showed that more native insoluble P was released under reduced than oxidized conditions, with more being released from para-acid sulfate soil than from actual acid sulfate soils. Soil reduction also caused an increase in P-sorption. Less P-sorption occurred under both conditions in para-acid sulfate soil than in actual acid sulfate soils. In the second experiment, the P-sorption of both actual and para-acid sulfate soils was significantly affected by soil Eh, pH, and their interactions. The P-sorption increased significantly with increasing pH and decreasing Eh. At pH 4.0, a considerable increase in P-sorption occurred as Eh decreased from +400 to +300 mV, whereas at pH 5.0 and 6.0 an obvious change in P-sorption occurred when Eh decreased from +300 mV to +200 mV. The actual acid sulfate soil sorbed more P than did para-acid sulfate soil. Significant correlation between P-sorption parameters and iron-oxides indicated the primary role of iron-oxides in P-sorption of acid sulfate soils of Thailand. Aluminum-oxides seemed to play a secondary role in P-sorption of these soils. Manganese also showed a significant effect on P-sorption.
Development of the suprarostral plate of pipoid frogs.

The rostral region of nonpipoid tadpoles has two sets of cartilages, the cornua trabeculae and the suprarostral cartilages, whereas the rostral region in pipoid larvae is occupied by a single and continuous cartilage, the suprarostral plate. The homology of this region in pipoid and nonpipoids tadpoles has been controversial. We examined the early formation and development of the suprarostral plate using serially cross-sectioned specimens of Rhinophrynus, Xenopus, and Hymenochirus. We conclude that the cartilaginous structures present in the rostral area of pipoid and nonpipoid larvae are homologous. Furthermore, we found two different developmental patterns among pipoid larvae. The chondrocranium of Hymenochirus boettgeri is described and illustrated to understand its developmental pattern and because of its uniqueness among pipoid chondrocrania. J. Morphol. 240:143–153, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A study of the course of syphilitic cardiovascular disease

Abstract This study was undertaken to obtain data relative to the duration of life of patients with cardiovascular syphilis. I have been unable to find definite information regarding this point in the medical literature. Studies of this type are of considerable importance as they permit the substitution of relative quantitative values for uncertain clinical impressions. They may be said to represent the life cycle of disease. faRead by title from the Section on Cardiology, The Mayo Clinic, Rechester, Minn.
Pediatric Drug Formulations: A Rate-Limiting Step:

The majority of drugs approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are not labeled for use in pediatric patients. Infants and young children may often benefit from such medicines; however, lack of an appropriate formulation is a rate-limiting step for clinical use or for conducting important research to develop optimal dosage guidelines. Stability studies on extemporaneous formulations must be performed to assure the delivery of desired doses. The data on bioavailability, efficacy, and safety of these formulations should also be collected, when possible. The funding of research on extemporaneous formulations should be increased. The FDA and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (through its Pediatric Pharmacology Research Units) should work with academia and industry to develop pediatric drug formulations and seek labeling for their use.
Drug metabolism in the oral cavity

Abstract The buccal mucosa is equipped with a variety of enzymes to deter the entry of topically applied drugs. Of particular interest are the proteases whose role in determining the systemic bioavailability of peptide and protein drug administered buccally has not yet been clarified. It is the objective of this review to describe the physiology and enzymology of the metabolic barrier of the oral cavity, as well as methods to evaluate and the means to overcome this barrier.
The Effect of Thyroid Hormone Supplementation on Hemodynamic Stability and Survival in an Endotoxin-Induced Model of Physiologic Stress

Abstract Severe physiologic stress is associated with intense changes in the systemic hormonal milieu. Among these changes are suppression of the thyroid hormone axis resulting in decreased levels of triiodothyronine (T 3 ) and thyroxine (T 4 ). This study was conducted to determine whether supplemental T 3 or T 4 improved (1) hemodynamic stability and/or (2) survival following a standardized level of endotoxin (ET)-induced physiologic stress. Forty-eight hours after placement of internal jugular vein and carotid artery cannulas, male Sprague–Dawley rats ( n = 91) were subjected to ET (15 or 20 mg/kg Salmonella enteritidis ET). Following an ET-induced decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP), the animals received a continuous infusion of normal saline (NS), T 3 (0.08, 0.4, or 2.0 μg/kg/hr), 0.4 μg/kg/hr T 3 in conjunction with 25 or 50 μg/min phenylephrine (PE), 0.4 μg/kg/hr T 3 and 5 μg/min dopamine, or 4.0 μg/kg/hr T 4 . There were no statistically significant differences in MAP during a 24-hr monitoring period among treatment groups. At 24 hr, there were no statistically significant differences in survival among animals treated with T 3 alone ( P > 0.05). Treatment with 4.0 μg/kg/hr T 4 produced a 24-hr survival of 78% (versus 52% NS controls); however, this was not significant ( P > 0.05). Phenylephrine administered in conjunction with T 3 yielded a worse survival when compared to controls (0% versus 44%, P 3 resulted in no change in survival at 24 hr (25%, P > 0.05). Within the dose ranges studied, T 3 alone or in conjunction with dopamine or T 4 alone did not improve hemodynamic stability or survival in an ET-induced model of physiologic stress. T 3 in conjunction with PE resulted in a significantly worse survival after ET.
Controls of phosphorus loading and transport in the Cuyahoga River of northeastern Ohio, USA

Abstract An urban stream differs from a natural stream in that it commonly contains anthropogenic nutrients from a variety of diffuse and point sources (e.g., urban runoff, industrial and municipal effluents). The Cuyahoga River as one of such stream systems receives on average 30% of water from over a dozen wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and exports over 300 Mg/yr of total phosphorus (TP) into Lake Erie. Municipal effluents account for at least two thirds of the TP loading and 90% of the effluent TP is in the form of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), i.e., the highly bioavailable form in aquatic ecosystems. Owing to its dominance of the effluent P, the Cuyahoga River may pose a disproportionately greater ecological risk to Lake Erie. Here we report results of TP and SRP as measured on water samples collected from 12 locations along the Cuyahoga River and its major tributary – Tinkers Creek under three different flow conditions in July 2007 through May 2008. Our results show that the loadings of SRP and TP increased progressively with the effluent inputs increasing from the upper basin downstream. We found the loadings of SRP and TP are not only affected by the amount of effluent P input but also regulated by stream flow regimes. Effluent P is more likely to be transformed during storm runoff events, whereas TP is more likely to be retained under low flow conditions. As a result, most of the TP loading was exported during the storm and intermediate flow conditions, whereas most of the SRP loading was delivered during the low and intermediate flow conditions. These results suggest that stream hydrology has played an important role in the loading and transport of P across the Cuyahoga River as it dictated the amount, form, and timing of P exported to Lake Erie.
An experimental investigation of stability and multiplicity of steady states in a biological reactor

The existence of multiple stable and unstable steady states in a continuous stirred tank biological reactor (CSTBR) was demonstrated experimentally for the first time. These experiments resulted in the determination of growth rate, yield and intermediate metabolite concentration data entirely from continuous culture. This information was used to qualitatively interpret the stability behavior in terms of the biochemistry and bioenergetics of substrate metabolism.
Annexin V is critical in the maintenance of murine placental integrity.

Abstract Objectives: Recurrent fetal loss can be a consequence of placental thrombosis, frequently occurring in autoimmune disorders such as antiphospholipid syndrome. A potent anticoagulant, annexin V, is abundant in placental tissues. We investigated the role of annexin V in maintaining fetal viability. Study Design: Sites of annexin V activity in placenta were found and neutralized, and the physiologic consequences on fetal development were evaluated. To find extracellular binding sites for annexin V on placental membrane, 2 approaches were taken. An epitope-tagged recombinant annexin V was infused into pregnant BALB/c mice. Endogenous annexin V was evaluated by immunohistochemical techniques. To define a role for annexin V during pregnancy, annexin V was neutralized by tail-vein infusion of affinity-purified anti–annexin V antibodies immediately before mating, 16 hours before the vaginal plugs were observed. Fetal viability, number, and size were evaluated at days 11 or 15 after conception. Results: Endogenous annexin V is enriched along the apical surfaces of trophoblasts. Animals infused with epitope-tagged annexin V had confirmed presence of extracellular binding sites for annexin V exclusively along these surfaces. In mice infused with anti–annexin V antibodies, various degrees of fetal absorption were observed. Thrombosis and necrosis were present in the fetal component of placentas from partially absorbed embryos. Focal necrosis and fibrosis were present in the decidua of placentas from embryos that were significantly smaller than the normal embryos in the same uterus. Conclusions: Apical surfaces of syncytiotrophoblasts in the placenta possess annexin V binding sites. The binding of annexin V to these coagulation-promoting surfaces is crucial for the maintenance of blood flow through the placenta and consequently for fetal viability. Infusion of anti–annexin V antibodies decreased the availability of annexin V to bind to the trophoblast surfaces and caused placental thrombosis, necrosis, and fetal loss. Our study suggests that anti–annexin V autoantibodies may contribute to recurrent pregnancy failure resulting from placental thrombosis, as found in patients with certain autoimmune diseases. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1008-16.)
Steady-state water relations of soybean seedling roots

A previous four-compartment steady-state model of the root is extended to include the following: gradients of pressure (P) and osmotic pressure (Π) in the rooting medium, cortical apoplast and xylem; unloading of solutes to the xylem from internal stores; and apoplastic water flow across the endodermis. The model is tested by determining the steady-state relationship between applied pressure (Po) and volume flow rate (Qv) for excised roots of 4-day-old soybean seedlings under various conditions (vermiculite- versus water-cultured plants, different salt concentrations, permeant versus impermeant solutes). It is concluded that apoplastic volume flow across the endodermis is negligible. It is also argued that external or apoplastic gradients of P and Π tend to reduce the magnitude of the anomalous offset often observed in Po–Qv curves. The trans-root difference in water potential (ΔΨ) is shown to be a linear function of Qv at low Qv , but both ΔΨ(Qv) and Po(Qv) become nonlinear at high Qv . This unusual behavior may result from a nonlinear dependence of apoplastic pressure gradients and / or symplastic solute-concentration gradients on Qv . Alternatively, it might reflect saturation of water transport in plasmodesmata or aquaporins. The ΔΨ associated with growth-induced water uptake is shown to be negligible compared with the growth-induced water potentials measured in the stem elongation zone.
Excess wing in the dielectric loss of glass formers: further evidence for a β-relaxation

Abstract We present dielectric loss spectra of four glass formers (propylene carbonate, glycerol, propylene glycol, and Salol) that are known to show typical excess wings, i.e. a second power law at frequencies above the α-peak. Aging experiments at sub-Tg temperatures reveal a shoulder developing out of the excess wing when thermodynamic equilibrium is approached. This finding provides experimental evidence of a Johari–Goldstein β-relaxation, strongly merged with the α-peak and causing the so-far mysterious excess wing.
Outcome From Mechanical Ventilation After Autologous Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation

Study objective To report the outcome of patients with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) receiving mechanical ventilation. Design Retrospective observational study. Setting Active hematopoietic stem cell transplantation center and a university hospital medical ICU. Patients Patients with autologous PBSCT receiving mechanical ventilation. Method A review of the medical records of patients with autologous PBSCT receiving mechanical ventilation. Data collection was restricted to the first episode of mechanical ventilation. Results A total of 78 autologous PBSCT patients received mechanical ventilation for > 24 h. Twenty patients (26%) were extubated and discharged alive from the hospital. Thirteen hospital survivors (60%) were alive at 6 months. Lung injury (LI), vasopressor use, and hepatic and renal failure (HRF) were used to predict survival after mechanical ventilation. Sixty patients (76%) had no organ failure, or had isolated LI or only required treatment with vasopressors. Their hospital survival and 6-month survival were 32% and 20%, respectively. Hospital and 6-month survival for the patients with HRF or LI and vasopressor use was 6% and 0%, respectively. Conclusions Prolonged mechanical ventilation and aggressive ICU support is justified for autologous PBSCT patients receiving mechanical ventilation with no organ failure, or who have only isolated LI, or who only require treatment with vasopressors.
Mathematical Modeling of Helper T Lymphocyte/Antigen-presenting Cell Interactions: Analysis of Methods for Modifying Antigen Processing and Presentation

Abstract Helper T lymphocytes (Th cells) are activated by contact with antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that have processed and presented the appropriate MHC-peptide complexes. Two experimental methods for modifying antigen processing and presentation include altering the properties of the antigen and altering the method of uptake. Mathematical modeling was used to investigate the effects of these two methods of the Th cell response. Two mathematical models were used, one for relating the external antigen concentration to the number of MHC-peptide complexes presented on the APC surface and the second for relating the number of MHC-peptide complexes to the number of bound T cell receptors (TCRs) on the Th cell. Large values of MHC/peptide affinity were predicted to compensate for small values of TCR/MHC-peptide affinity in particular parameter ranges. Similarly, large values of antigen receptor number were predicted to compensate for small values of antigen receptor affinity in particular parameter ranges. Results were shown to agree with a variety of experimental data. In addition, model predictions suggest that knowledge of MHC/peptide, TCR/MHC-peptide, and receptor/antigen affinities is not sufficient to accurately describe an experimental system; the kinetic rate constants can dramatically affect antigen processing and presentation, the Th-APC interaction, and the Th cell response. This theoretical approach is useful not only for interpreting experimental data but also for guiding future experiments aimed at manipulating the Th cell response.
Analysis of a continuum model for root growth

We give an analysis by asymptotic expansions of a model for root growth. The model assumes growth is due entirely to mechanical forces created by the flux of water from the surrounding soil. We attempt to suggest ways in which the model could account for experimentally observed patterns of root growth. The model predicts that the rate of growth of the root is independent of the extensibility of the root wall.
A semi-Markovian decision process based control method for offloading tasks from mobile devices to the cloud

The finite and rather small battery energy capacity in today's mobile devices has limited the functionality that can be integrated into these platforms or the performance and quality of applications that can be delivered to the users. In the last few years, there is a trend toward offloading certain computation-intensive and latency-tolerant local applications and service requests to a mobile cloud computing (MCC) system so as to save the precious battery life while providing the services requested by the users. Each mobile application can be thought of as a sequence of tasks that are executed locally or remotely. In this paper, the problem of optimal task dispatch, transmission, and execution onto the MCC system is considered. To achieve a good balance between the application execution time and power consumption, dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is applied to the local processor in the mobile device, while the transmitter can choose among multiple modulation schemes and bit rates. The rate capacity effect of a battery and power conversion losses in the mobile device are also accounted for so as to have a more realistic model of the remaining battery life. The mobile device is modeled as a semi-Markov decision process (SMDP) and the optimization problem to set the DVFS level and the transmission rate is effectively solved by linear programming combined with a one-dimensional heuristic search. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm consistently outperforms some baseline algorithms.
Subgrid modeling of moveable-bed bottom friction in wind wave models

A subgrid moveable-bed bottom friction model is developed for use in large-scale wind wave models. This model defines a representative bottom roughness based on the local application of a discontinuous roughness model and a statistical description of depth, sediment and wave parameters for a finite area within the model (i.e., a grid box). The model reproduces the discontinuous attenuation behavior of swell in conditions of initial ripple formation as predicted by a small-scale model. It furthermore suppresses non-physical oscillations of swell energy and unrealistically strong dependencies of depth-limited wave heights on sediment parameters. An alternative interpretation of the model explains the (continuous) transition between the no-ripple and ripple regimes as sometimes observed in nature.
Synthesis of 1-[2',5'-dimethoxy-4'-(β-fluoroethyl)phenyl]-2-aminopropane: studies related to 18F-labeled serotonin receptor ligands

Abstract Synthesis of the titled 2,5-dimethoxy-4-fluoroalkylamphetamine is reported. The highly functionalized aromatic nucleus of the key fluorination precursor was utimately derived from a low temperature aromatic halogen-lithium exchange reaction followed by alkylation of the resultant anion with ethylene oxide.
SU‐E‐T‐650: Impact of Machine Output Rate on Effective Dose Rate and Biologically Equivalent Fraction Size in Total Body Irradiation (TBI)

Purpose: Examine the feasibility and biological significance of increasing machine output rates in extended‐distance Total Body Irradiation (TBI). Methods: Biologically equivalent doses for TBI are derived from the LQ cell survival model. Effective dose rates and corrected fraction size for a mini‐TBI (i.e., 1 fraction × 2 Gy to patient mid‐line) delivered using 4 and 8 beams are computed as a function of machine output rate. The number of beams used for a TBI tends to increase with increasing patient size because of the clinical constraint of no more than 1000 MU per beam. All of the reported results include a 1 minute gap between beams and a (conservative) 5 minute gap for patient repositioning. Results: For a 4 beam treatment, increasing the machine output rate from 200 to 400 MU/minute reduced the fraction delivery time by 36% (28 to 18 minutes), and only increased the effective dose rate from 7 to 11 cGy/minute. For 8 beams, the fraction delivery times for 200 and 400 MU/min are 52 minutes (3.85 cGy/min) to 20 minutes (6.16 cGy/min), respectively. Increasing the machine output rate from 200 to 400 MU/min is unlikely to require more than 2–5% reduction in fraction size (alpha/beta = 1 Gy). The size of the required correction decreases as alpha/beta increases. Conclusions: Patient‐specific planning to correct for differences in beam number (patient size) are unlikely to alter the determination of biologically equivalent fraction sizes by more than 5%, which is well within the +/− 10% uniformity specified in many TBI protocols. A clinical trial to evaluate patient safety and treatment efficacy for machine output rates as high as 600–700 MU per minute are reasonable. Such a trial has the potential to substantially to increase patient comfort and reduce facility and labor costs without jeopardizing treatment effectiveness or safety.
Tobacco/Nicotine and Endogenous Brain Opioids

Smoking is a major public health problem with devastating health consequences. Although many cigarette smokers are able to quit, equal numbers of others cannot! Standard medications to assist in smoking cessation, such as nicotine replacement therapies and bupropion, are ineffective in many remaining smokers. Recent developments in the neurobiology of nicotine dependence have identified several neurotransmitter systems that may contribute to the process of smoking maintenance and relapse. These include: especially dopamine, but also norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, acetylcholine, endogenous opioids, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, and endocannabinoids. The present review examines the limited contribution of the endogenous opioid system to the complex effects of nicotine/tobacco smoking.
Method for determining individual neuron size in simultaneous single-unit recordings

A technique for estimating the size of neurons is based on extracellular recordings with paired-electrode sets. Simultaneous single-unit recordings are obtained from the dragonfly mesothoracic ganglion. It is assumed that the ganglion is a passive electrical environment, where spike amplitudes decrease with the inverse of distance squared, and spike angles (widths) increase linearly with distance from the cellular source to the recording electrodes. Starting with the recorded spike amplitudes and angles for each cell, a numerical algorithm is iterated to estimate the true value of the amplitude and angle minus these passive electrical distance effects. The resolved amplitude is a direct, consistent estimate of the size of each recorded neuron. The results indicate that a dichotomy of small and large cells is recorded in roughly a 2:1 ratio. The dichotomy of cell sizes is consistent with the available histological data, although a larger ratio of small to large cells (≈10:1) would be expected. Thus, a sampling bias for large cells is apparent, which may be reflective of the larger soma/proximal geometries of such cells. As the technique determines the size of each individual neuron, such biases are eliminated from population studies of the neural tissue. Furthermore, knowledge about the size of each individual neuron permits more detailed analyses of the interactions and contributions of single cells within a network of cells based upon size.
Influence of Sample Storage Conditions on Sweat Chloride Results

To the Editor: Sweat chloride samples may be collected in areas of a hospital that are removed from the chemistry laboratory, and a delay in analysis may compromise the integrity of the sample. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (formerly NCCLS) (CLSI) document C34-A3 (1) recommends that sweat chloride samples collected on filter paper or gauze be promptly weighed and then refrigerated in the event that the sample cannot be analyzed immediately. The citation supporting the CLSI requirements (2) did not examine other storage conditions. We investigated the stability of simulated sweat samples stored under various conditions for 3 to 5 days. KCl (Aldrich Chemical) was dissolved in 100 mL of deionized water to achieve simulated sweat with concentrations of 17, 27, 41, 63, and 85 mmol/L. Samples were then prepared by adding filter paper (Grade 541, 5.5 cm in diameter; Whatman) to snap cap vials (Fisher) that were preweighed wilth a Mettler AE240-S analytical balance. We pipetted 100 μL of each concentration onto the filter paper and immediately capped the vials. The day 0 vials were reweighed immediately. The vials for the other …
Generation of Acetate and Production of Ethyl-Lysine in the Reaction of Acetaldehyde Plus Serum Albumin

Abstract We report that incubation of acetaldehyde with bovine serum albumin results in the generation of acetate in a reaction that is directly proportional to the levels of albumin and exponentially dependent on the concentration of acetaldehyde. Both reactants need to be present for acetate to be formed. The oxidation of acetaldehyde into acetate requires that a reduced product also be generated in the reaction. It was hypothesized that, at high concentrations, acetaldehyde itself may reduce the Schiff bases formed in the reaction of a second molecule of acetaldehyde with amino groups in the protein, resulting in the generation of ethyl-lysine moieties. Incubation of acetaldehyde (240 mM) with bovine serum albumin was found to generate ethyl-lysine moieties as determined by a specific monoclonal antibody. Immunization of rabbits with products of the reaction of bovine serum albumin with acetaldehyde led to the generation of antibodies that reacted to reduced adducts formed in the reaction of acetaldehyde and proteins in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride. However, the generation of acetate from acetaldehyde plus albumin was 60-fold greater than could be explained by the reduction of Schiff bases, as determined by the maximal incorporation of [ 14 C]-acetaldehyde into an acid-precipitable protein fraction. Thus, other mechanisms to generate acetate also occur. The present findings provide an explanation for earlier reports that acetaldehyde adducts formed under "nonreducing" conditions generate antibodies that recognize reduced acetaldehyde protein adducts. However, the mechanism by which the bulk of acetate is generated in the reaction of acetaldehyde and bovine serum albumin remains to be elucidated.
Rapid morphological change in Miocene marsupials and rodents associated with a volcanic catastrophe in Argentina

ABSTRACT Large fossil samples collected from a continuous series of stratigraphic levels are ideal for studying the tempo and mode of phyletic evolution. Study of two such coeval mammalian lineages (caenolestoid marsupials and octodontoid rodents) from Miocene rocks of southern Argentina revealed marked, simultaneous changes in molar dimensions in both lineages. The changes occur across a 1.65–1.80 m thick tuff unit that covers a widespread bonebed. Geologic and taphonomic data indicate that the tuff unit marks the rapid (geologically instantaneous) burial of an ancient land surface by pyroclastic products of a single major volcanic eruption. This suggests that the morphological changes observed in the fossil mammal samples were associated with catastrophic reduction in population size or the local or regional extermination of small mammal populations. Samples of both lineages showed changes in dental dimensions that are not simply the continuation of long-term morphological trends established before the ...
Implementation and computational comparisons of primal, dual and primal-dual computer codes for minimum cost network flow problems

Abstract : The paper presents extensive computational experience with a special purpose primal simplex algorithm. The performance is compared to that of several 'state of the art' out-of-kilter computer codes. The computational characteristics of several different primal feasible start procedures and pivot selection strategies are also examined. The study discloses the advantages, in both computation time and memory requirements, of the primal approach over the out-of-kilter method. The test environment has the following distinguishing properties: (1) all of the codes are tested on the same machine and the same problems, (2) the test set includes capacitated and uncapacitated transhipment networks, transportation problems, and assignment problems, and (3) problem sizes ranging from 100 to 8,000 nodes with up to 35,000 arcs are examined. (Author)
On the political economy of state highway expenditures: Some evidence of the relative performance of alternative public choice models

This paper explores the extent to which the public demand for roads and/or power of special interest groups determines road expenditures at the state level using an extension of the methodology developed in Congleton and Shughart (1990). Reduced form models of median voter demand, special interest group equilibria, and a combined model are estimated using cross-sectional state data from the United States. We generally find support for the hypothesis that voting matters. The pure median voter models have a better fit than the pure special interest group models. Moreover, in our combined model, we find that variables from the median-voter model can not be dropped without significantly reducing the combined model's fit.
Acoustic and perceptual correlates of faster-than-habitual speech produced by speakers with Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis

Abstract Acoustic-perceptual characteristics of a faster-than-habitual rate (Fast condition) were examined for speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Judgments of intelligibility for sentences produced at a habitual rate (Habitual condition) and at a faster-than-habitual rate (Fast condition) by 46 speakers with PD or MS as well as a group of 32 healthy speakers revealed that the Fast condition was, on average, associated with decreased intelligibility. However, some speakers’ intelligibility did not decline. To further understand the acoustic characteristics of varied intelligibility in the Fast condition for speakers with dysarthria, a subgroup of speakers with PD or MS whose intelligibility did not decline in the Fast condition ( no decline group, n = 8) and a subgroup of speakers with significantly declined intelligibility ( decline group, n = 8) were compared. Acoustic measures of global speech timing, suprasegmental characteristics, and utterance-level segmental characteristics for vocalics were examined for the two subgroups. Results suggest acoustic contributions to intelligibility under rate modulation are complex. Potential clinical relevance and implications for the acoustic bases of intelligibility are discussed. Learning outcomes: Readers will be able to (1) discuss existing evidence for the use of rate change to facilitate intelligibility, (2) describe acoustic-perceptual characteristics of a faster-than-habitual rate among speakers with mild dysarthria, (3) discuss the relationships between rate, intelligibility, suprasegmental variables, and segmental variables, (4) identify the need to further investigate the acoustic basis for intelligibility and its potential theoretical and clinical implications.
Automated method for RNFL segmentation in spectral domain OCT

We introduce a method based on optical reflectivity changes to segment the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in images recorded using swept source spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). The segmented image is used to determine the RNFL thickness. Simple filtering followed by edge detecting techniques can successfully be applied to segment the RNFL from recorded images and estimate RNFL thickness. The method is computationally more efficient than previously reported approaches. Higher computational efficiency allows faster segmentation and provides the ophthalmologist segmented retinal images that better utilize advantages of spectral domain OCT instrumentation. OCT B-scan and fundus images of the retina are recorded for 5 patients. The segmentation method is applied on B-scan images recorded from all patients. An expert ophthalmologist separately demarcates the RNFL layer in the OCT images from the same patients in each B-scan image. Results from automated image processing software are compared to the boundary demarcated by the expert ophthalmologist. The absolute error between the boundaries demarcated by the expert and the algorithm is expressed in terms of area and is used as an error metric. Ability of the algorithm to accurately segment the RNFL in comparison with an expert ophthalmologist is reported.
Sex Chromosome Abnormalities

DURING the past decade several surveys have related the incidence of sex chromosome abnormalities among the general population with that among mentally deficient patients in hospital1–3. In 1963 Wegmann arid Smith4 carried out a buccal smear survey among a male population composed of juvenile delinquents and felons. They found the incidence of positive for sex chromatin lower (1 : 658) than in the neonatal population (1 : 377) and suggested that the XXY aberration does not contribute disproportionately to juvenile delinquency or felonious behaviour. Nevertheless, evidence is beginning to suggest that genetic factors influence criminal behaviour. Jacobs et al.5 have called attention to the criminal behaviour of males with the XYY sex chromosome complement.
Characteristics of application software maintenance

Maintenance and enhancement of application software consume a major portion of the total life cycle cost of a system. Rough estimates of the total systems and programming resources consumed range as high as 75-80 percent in each category. However, the area has been given little attention in the literature. To analyze the problems in this area a questionnaire was developed and pretested. It was then submitted to 120 organizations. Respondents totaled 69. Responses were analyzed with the SPSS statistical package. The results of the analysis indicate that: (1) maintenance and enhancement do consume much of the total resources of systems and programming groups; (2) maintenance and enhancement tend to be viewed by management as at least somewhat more important than new application software development; (3) in maintenance and enhancement, problems of a management orientation tend to be more significant than those of a technical orientation; and (4) user demands for enhancements and extension constitute the most important management problem area.
Complex Formation of JAK2 with PP2A, PI3K, and Yes in Response to the Hematopoietic Cytokine Interleukin-11

Abstract Interleukin-11 is a stromal derived cytokine important in hematopoiesis. IL-11 intracellular signaling travels through cytoplasmic kinases of the Janus family. How JAKs accomplish the multiple functions of IL-11 has not been determined and until recently only a few associated downstream proteins have been identified. We present evidence here for the IL-11 induced association of PP2A, PI3K, and Yes to JAK2. Reciprocal immunoprecipitations support the mutual involvement of these signaling components in IL-11 mediated signal transduction. This novel finding of JAK2/PP2A binding and release may have relevance to many serine/threonine regulated mechanisms such as PI3K, Stat, and MAPK activation. These associations support a model of JAK2 as a protein kinase docking protein of IL-11 signal transduction that may be applicable to other gp130 and JAK signal transduction systems.
MRI of pancreatic tumors

MRI employing current imaging techniques is able to detect various pancreatic tumors well, and is able to stage and characterize tumors accurately. This review article describes various current MR techniques emphasizing breath hold spoiled gradient echo (SGE) imaging, fat suppression, dynamic gadolinium administration and MR cholangiographic techniques. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas are generally low signal intensity on T1-weighted and T2-weighted images and enhance poorly on immediate post gadolinium SGE images. Islet cell tumors are generally low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and enhance intensely on immediate post gadolinium images. The appearances of less common tumors is also described.
Preliminary evaluation of H2SO4 application methods to soils

The effects of sulfuric acid application to soils and water on growth and chemical composition of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) were compared in a greenhouse experiment using high sodium bicarbonate irrigation water. Significant increases in dry matter yield and plant uptake of P en Fe were produced only by soil treatment of calcareous soils.
Neural systems affected in developmental dyslexia revealed by functional neuroimaging.

Table 1Colocalization of Functional Neuroimaging Studies Investigating Differences between Dyslexics and Controls During Phonological and Visual Motion Processing TasksRhyme JudgmentVisual MotionAuthorRumsey et al.Rumsey et al.Rumsey et al.Paulesu et al.Shaywitz et al.Eden et al.Demb et al.(1992)(1997)(1996)(1996)(1998)*(1996)*(1997)*Response typeDecision makingPronunciationDecision makingDecision makingDecision makingNoneNone(button press)(button press)(button press)(button press)#STMRegion (Brodmann area)MTV/V5(19/37) L+50 −70 +05 C--- CR+52 −75 +08 C--- CInferior parietalSupramarginal(39/40) L--- C−28 −32 +44 C−44 −40 +28 C−46 −44 +24 #CR+52 −22 +28 C+40 −62 +28 C+/−47 +/−45 +/−33 CTemporalSuperior temporal(42/22) L−52 −30 +12 C−44 −22 +04 CR+44 −20 −04 C+/−53 +/−43 +/−11 CMedial temporal(21/37) L--- C−54 −22 −04 C−50 −56 +08 CR+46 −58 −08 CInferior temporal/Fusiform L−42 −28 −16 C−48 −40 −16 CR--- C+50 −34 −20 C+48 −30 −20 COccipitalStriate/extrastriate(17/18) L−10 −92 00 D−24 −84 −04 D+/−08 +/−89 +/−03 CR+/−36 +/−80 +/−05 CFunctional brain imaging studies employing PET or fMRI (*) that have identified differences between dyslexics and controls in the posterior areas of the brain during phonological processing or visual motion processing. “C” and “D” denote which of the two groups (controls or dyslexics, respectively) showed greater activation. Talairach coordinates correspond to distance in millimeters from the anterior commissure (+ corresponds to right hemisphere; − corresponds to left hemisphere). Phonological processing studies represent group data and visual motion studies represent single subject data. STM, short-term memory task.
Kindling produces long-lasting and selective changes in gene expression of hippocampal neurons.

Abstract To test the hypothesis that repeated subconvulsive stimulations required to induce kindling can permanently alter gene expression of hippocampal neurons, we used Northern and in situ hybridization analyses to measure steady-state mRNA levels encoding several phenotypic proteins. mRNA encoding a membrane-bound protein, ligatin, was significantly reduced in kindled brains relative to naive and sham control animals. This change in gene expression persisted for over 4 months after kindling, was associated with a decrease in ligatin protein expression, was not produced by single or multiple seizures that did not induce the kindling phenomena, and was blocked by MK801. These results provide direct evidence that kindling can cause persistent changes in the expression of specific genes in hippocampal neurons and suggest that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-activated changes in gene expression may be a basic molecular mechanism underlying some of the long-lasting plasticity changes seen in kindling or models of long-term memory.
Dynamics of a draft tube gas—liquid—solid fluidized bed bioreactor for phenol degradation☆

Abstract The transient response of a draft tube gas—liquid—solid fluidized bed biofilm reactor (DTFB) to a step increase in influent phenol concentration was experimentally investigated. A mathematical model, which considers the external mass transfer resistance, the simultaneous diffusion, reaction, and adsorption of phenol and oxygen inside the bioparticles, the dynamics of biofilm growth, and the time delay of microbial growth during the transient period, is proposed. The biofilm properties such as thickness and density are allowed to vary in the model with biofilm growth to simulate the real biofilm system. Simulation results predicted from the proposed model show reasonable agreement with the experimental data.
On interior and convexity conditions, development of dual problems and saddlepoint optimality criteria in abstract mathematical programming

In this paper, duality is studied as a consequence of separating certain derived sets related to optimization problems. The interior and convexity conditions used and two groups of related derived sets are studied and a new interior condition for duality arises quite naturally. Several dual problems are presented and the paper is concluded by presentation of saddlepoint optimality criteria for the problems considered.
A comparative study of demand forecasting techniques for military helicopter spare parts

This paper deals with techniques applicable to predicting spare parts demand for military helicopters. The military helicopter is a distinct weapons system, whose unique configuration may preclude the direct application of forecasting techniques which have proved successful for other weapon systems. Furthermore, although the military helicopter has become extremely important tactically in modern warfare, it has received scant attention in terms of research concerning its supply support. Specifically, this paper summarizes research done to measure and compare the forecasting accuracy of six mathematical models, as they were applied to three prominent military helicopters. In addition, the paper describes attempts that were made to define, where possible, the conditions under which a specific forecasting technique might be applicable. In general, it is shown that the most accurate set of helicopter spare parts demand forecasts are produced by a second order polynomial exponential smoothing model. This model is observed to have most accurately described the highly volatile, and upward-trended demand time series which were the subject of the study.