cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rehydration characteristics of milk protein concentrate powders monitored by electrical resistance tomography

Abstract Electrical resistance tomography (ERT) is a robust and low-cost method offering real-time visualization of processes. In this work, we developed an ERT-based method to characterize the rehydration behavior of milk protein concentrate (MPC) powders. Circular-type and linear configurations were used to achieve high resolution in the radial and axial directions, respectively. To evaluate the rehydration profile, MPC powders were reconstituted to 2.5% (wt/wt) total solids at room temperature, and the rehydration behavior of the MPC powders [MPC with 85% protein (MPC85) and milk protein isolate with 90% protein (MPI90)] was monitored for a dissolution time of 30 min using the ERT system. The MPC powders were characterized in terms of overall mean conductivity, area under the mean conductivity curve, slope at a dissolution time of 3 min, and the relative dissolution index. Additionally, the focus beam reflectance measurement (FBRM) was used as a reference method to follow rehydration characteristics. Particle count changes from the FBRM measurements showed that MPI90 had higher larger particle counts and more resistance to dispersing in water. As the dissolution time proceeded, mineral ions and proteins were released and consequently increased the overall conductivity, confirming the transfer of water into MPC particles. At lower protein contents, the particle dispersion rate was higher and an increase in overall mean conductivity was observed, indicating better powder dissolution. Both configurations were able to effectively monitor differences in the dissolution behavior of MPC powders. In the ERT circular configuration, MPC85 and MPI90 showed maximum conductivity of 0.201 ± 0.006 and 0.162 ± 0.001 mS/cm, respectively. In the linear probe configuration, MPC85 and MPI90 showed maximum conductivity of 0.161 ± 0.001 and 0.136 ± 0.001 mS/cm, respectively, suggesting increasingly inhibited water transfer as the protein content of the powder increased. In this study, we demonstrated the capability of ERT using the circular and linear probe configurations to offer, in addition to qualitative tomographic images, reliable quantitative data by which to characterize the dissolution behavior of high-protein dairy powders.
Textural and Structural Characteristics of Some Experimentally Formed Eolian Strata

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the textural and structural characteristics of some experimentally formed eolian strata. The depositional processes control textural and structural characteristics of eolian sediments, and consequently, these characteristics are useful in distinguishing among the three main types of stratification in small samples such as the core. The different types of strata reflect the processes of deposition responsible for the development of each type of stratification. Sand is deposited by wind through at least two primary processes, including that by grainfall and accumulation during ripple migration, leading to the production of grainfall and ripple stratification. It is found that during eolian ripple migration, part of each ripple is removed by saltation bombardment, and the remainder is buried by the next succeeding ripple upwind. Ripple stratification of this type is characterized by thin, essentially parallel strata separated by planar bounding surfaces. It is observed that the contacts among ripple strata are generally sharp; finer grains at the base of one stratum rest on the coarser grains of the stratum below.
Repetitive Sequences of the Sea Urchin Genome III. Nucleotide Sequences of Cloned Repeat Elements

The nucleotide sequences of eight randomly selected, cloned, repetitive sequence elements were determined. No homologies exist among the eight sequences that are sufficient to promote cross-reaction between them under standard conditions of measurement. Thus, each sequence is representative of a different repeat sequence family. Statistically significant but short (8 to 41 nucleotides) internal direct and inverse repetitions occupy a minor fraction of the sequence length in five of the eight repeat sequences. None contains internal reverse repeats sufficiently long to permit inclusion in the “foldback” DNA fraction. The general lack of internal sequence homology means that the sequence complexity of the eight clones is approximately equal to the length of the cloned inserts. Nucleotide sequences of three different members of one particular short interspersed repeat sequence family are also reported. Comparison of these sequences reveals that both the number and order of internal sequence subelements differ among family members. The results show that both fine-scale rearrangement and sequence divergence have occurred during the evolution of this repeat family.
Derived models and supercompact measures on ℘ω1(℘(R))

The main result of this paper is Theorem 1.1, which shows that it is possible for derived models to satisfy “ω1 is -supercompact”. Other constructions of models of this theory are also discussed; in particular, Theorem 4.1 constructs a normal fine measure on and hence a model of “Θ is regular”+“ω1 is -supercompact” from a model of “Θ is measurable”.
Verbal Style, Gubernatorial Strategies, and Legislative Success

This article examines the relationship between a governor's verbal style and his success in achieving his legislative goals. We add a measure of verbal style developed by Roderick Hart to a traditional model used by scholars of political chief executives to explain legislative success. We apply this model to the State of the State addresses of six governors of Florida who served between 1966 and 2006. Our findings reflect the validity of the truism “words matter.” Governors who use words and phrases that connote enthusiasm, activity, and realism are more successful in the legislative arena than those who do not.
Charge transfer effects of ions at the liquid water/vapor interface

Charge transfer (CT), the movement of small amounts of electron density between non-bonded pairs, has been suggested as a driving force for a variety of physical processes. Herein, we examine the effect of CT on ion adsorption to the water liquid-vapor interface. Using a CT force field for molecular dynamics, we construct a potential of mean force (PMF) for Na(+), K(+), Cl(-), and I(-). The PMFs were produced with respect to an average interface and an instantaneous interface. An analysis of the PMF relative to the instantaneous surface reveals that the area in which the anions experience a free energy minimum is quite narrow, and the cations feel a steeply repulsive free energy near the interface. CT is seen to have only minor effects on the overall free energy profiles. However, the long-ranged effects of ions are highlighted by the CT model. Due to CT, the water molecules at the surface become charged, even when the ion is over 15 A away from the surface.
Social Learning and Farm Technology in Ethiopia: Impacts by Technology, Network Type, and Poverty Status

Abstract Improved farm technologies in Ethiopia display high levels of promise and low rates of adoption. This article studies the impact of social networks on technology adoption focusing on social learning through networks based on physical proximity and those based on intentional relationships. Impacts by network type, technology, and asset poverty status are explored. Social learning is more evident for households not in persistent poverty, for more complex technologies, and within networks based on intentional relationships rather than proximity. Results indicate that technology diffusion in Ethiopia is likely to be enhanced if extension can target intentional networks, rather than spatial clusters.
A computational examination of helical perfluoroalkane conformations and implications for the adsorption of perfluoroalkanes on platinum(111) surfaces

Abstract The two lowest-energy conformers of perfluorohexane and perfluoroheptane were investigated at the Hartree–Fock RHF/6-31G* level and the structures, properties, and vibrational frequencies determined. The lowest-energy conformers of perfluorohexane were found to differ by 8.600 kJ mol -1 (2.055 kcal mol –1 ) at this level of theory, while the lowest-energy conformers of perfluoroheptane differed by 8.662 kJ mol –1 (2.070 kcal mol –1 ). In addition, a transition state for the interconversion between the two lowest-energy conformers of perfluorohexane was investigated at the RHF/6-31G* level, and was found to lie 13.247 kJ mol –1 (3.166 kcal mol –1 ) above the energy of the lowest-energy conformer, while a transition state for the equivalent interconversion between the perfluoroheptane conformers was 15.279 kJ mol –1 (3.652 kcal mol –1 ) above the energy of the lowest-energy conformer. These results have been used to interpret previously published thermal desorption and infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopic data for the monolayer and sub-monolayer adsorption of perfluorocarbon molecules on a single-crystal Pt(111) surface under ultra-high vacuum conditions. To cite this article: W.G. Golden et al., C.R. Chimie 7 (2004) .
Authenticity in Constructivist Inquiry: Methodological Considerations Without Prescription

Principles concerning authenticity in constructivist inquiry are described in the context of the emergent paradigm. Suggestions are offered from which the researcher can choose to work toward, though never prescriptively guarantee, high-quality research findings.
Ontogenetic changes in levels of phosphodiesterase for adenosine 3′:5′-monophosphate and guanosine 3′:5′-monophosphate in the lung, liver, brain and heart from guinea pigs

Changes in tissue levels of the low Km phosphodiesterase for adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cyclc GMP) in the lung, liver, heart and brain from developing guinea pigs were studied. It was found that the contents of the soluble (cytosol) phosphodiesterase for both cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP were higher in the lung from the fetus than from the neonate and adult. The ontogenetic changes seen in the liver were qualitatively similar to thos in the lung with respect to cyclic GMP hydrolysis, while a reversed pattern of change was noted in the brain. The level of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase was highest in the fetal heart. Throughout the fetal stage, the levels of the enzyme for cyclic GMP hydrolysis were higher than those for cyclic AMP in the lung. At or around birth, a reversal in the relative levels of the two enzymes took place; two days after birth, the level of the enzyme for cyclic AMP was 2-3times higher than thos for cyclic GMP. Kinetic analysis showed that phohphodiesterases from extracts of the lung from all developmental stages of guinea pigs had the same Km (2.6 muM) for cyclic AMP and the same Km (6.6 muM) for cyclic GMP. The relative values of V, based on assays using the same amount of enzyme protein, in decreasing order, were fetus greater than neonate greater than adult. The present findings suggest that metabolism of the two cyclic nucleotides may be closely related to developmental processes of the tissues. Moreover, the actions involving cyclic GMP may be more predominent in the fetal lung and adult brain.
Fractional distribution of 203HgCl2 and CH3203HgCl in the intestine of a marine fish

Abstract HgCl 2 , and to a lesser degree, CH 3 HgCl, have been reported to inhibit the intestinal absorption of amino acids and sugars in marine fish. 1–6 The level of inhibition varied with the concentrations of the mercury compounds and the substrate as well as the fish species, seasons and the in vitro or in vivo techniques used in measurement. Comparison of rates derived from in vitro with those of in vivo procedures indicated that the mode of action of HgCl 2 was different from CH 3 HgCl. 4,5 HgCl 2 appeared to act by binding to the amino acid transport channel proteins at the luminal interface and inhibited both the active and part of the facilitated diffusion components of transport (57 % inhibition at 20 ppm and 0·25 m m l - leucine . 6 CH 3 HgCl, at the same concentrations, did not exceed 40 % inhibition and appeared to involve mainly the active component as judged by: (a) the terminal tissue-to-medium concentration ratio (T/M) of leucine which was about one in these experiments, and (b) the fact that the Na-dependent component is 40 % of total transport (see Figs 10, 11 and 17 in Ref. 6). Comparison of in vitro (mucosa and serosa exposed) and in vivo (initially only mucosa exposed) inhibition of leucine uptake indicated that during short incubations the action of CH 3 HgCl was permeability dependent while that of HgCl 2 was not. 5 To further clarify the permeability and the mode of action of these compounds in leucine uptake inhibition, recently the distribution of 203 HgCl 2 and CH 3 203 HgCl in the intestine of the toadfish ( Opsanus tau ) under in vitro and in vivo conditions were investigated. The results showed an initial rapid binding of both mercury compounds to the mucosal surface followed by a very slow tissue permeation in the case of HgCl 2 but a rapid permeation of CH 3 HgCl. In the in vivo long term series HgCl 2 appeared to induce specific mucus secretion which protected leucine transport proteins against HgCl 2 .
Heat production by composting organic matter

Abstract A method using bench-scale composting units to determine heat production rates for composting organic matter has been developed, tested and used to determine the heat production rates for three composting materials. The materials tested were cotton gin trash collected in 1977, cotton gin trash collected in 1978 and a mixture of dairy cow manure and rice hulls. The heat production rates determined for the three materials were, respectively, 20, 28 and 27 W per kilogramme of dry mass. Heat production rate determinations were made by observing the rate of temperature rise in two consecutive compost runs, in one of which 200 g of water in a plastic bottle were added to the mass of composting material. The temperature rise rates for the two runs were combined with the mass and specific heat of the water to calculate the heat production rate. This procedure eliminated the requirement of evaluating the heat capacity of the composting material and associated apparatus.
Presence of heparan sulfate in the glomerular basement membrane.

Abstract The glomerular basement membrane was subjected to digestion with specific enzymes to determine the chemical nature (sialoglycoproteins, collagenous peptides, or glycosaminoglycans) of the anionic sites previously demonstrated in the laminae rarae. Enzyme digestion was carried out both in situ and in vitro. Kidneys were perfused in situ with enzyme solutions followed by perfusion with fixative containing the cationic dye, ruthenium red, to detect the anionic sites. Glomerular basement membranes were isolated by detergent treatment of glomeruli and incubated with enzyme solutions, followed by incubation with cationized ferritin (pI 7.3-7.5) to label the anionic sites. Only highly purified enzymes free of proteolytic activity were used. The findings were the same both in situ and in vitro. The anionic sites were unaffected by treatment with neuraminidase, chondroitinase ABC, and testicular or leech hyaluronidase. However, they could no longer be demonstrated after digestion with crude heparinase, purified heparitinase, or Pronase or after nitrous acid oxidation. The results demonstrate that the sites contain heparan sulfate since they are removed by treatment with heparitinase and by nitrous acid oxidation—procedures specific for heparan sulfate; and that sialoglycoproteins or other glycosaminoglycans do not represent major components of these sites since the latter are not affected by digestion with neuraminidase and other glycosaminoglycan-specific enzymes. Identical findings were obtained on basement membranes in other locations (Bowman's capsule, tubule epithelium, and endothelium of peritubular capillaries). The presence of heparan sulfate in the glomerular basement membrane is discussed in relation to the charge-selective properties of the glomerular filter and in relation to its potential involvement in various types of glomerular injury.
Reaktionen auf Reformvorschläge für Renten der sozialen Sicherheit in den Vereinigten Staaten

Seit einiger Zeit befassen sich politische Entscheidungstrager, Analysten und Offentlichkeit in den Vereinigten Staaten mit dem versicherungstechnischen Ungleichgewicht zwischen Einnahmen und Rentenzahlungen im Altersrentensystem der sozialen Sicherheit. Als Reaktion auf dieses Ungleichgewicht schlug Prasident George W. Bush im Jahr 2004 vor, das Verfahren zur Berechnung der Renten der sozialen Sicherheit zu andern und im Rahmen der sozialen Sicherheit individuelle Investmentkonten einzurichten. Die Frage wurde intensiv debattiert, aber Mitte 2005 wurde es wieder still darum. Was von der Debatte 2004-05 bleibt, sind die Grenzen, die kunftigen Optionen zur Behandlung von Finanzproblemen des Programms der sozialen Sicherheit gesteckt sind. Der vorliegende Artikel beschreibt diese Zwange, die zusammengenommen das neue ordnungs-politische “Korsett” fur kunftige Debatten uber das Altersrentenprogramm der sozialen Sicherheit in den Vereinigten Staaten bilden.
Fluorescence Recovery Assay: A Continuous Assay for Processive DNA Polymerases Applied Specifically to DNA Polymerase III Holoenzyme

Abstract A continuous assay was developed for processive DNA polymerases. The specific enzyme used to develop the assay was the most processive polymerase known, Escherichia coli DNA polymerase III holoenzyme. The assay was based upon the recovery of the intrinsic fluorescence of single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) as it was displaced from the DNA template during DNA synthesis. The intrinsic fluorescence of SSB was quenched by as much as 80% when it bound to single-stranded DNA. As the DNA was replicated, SSB was displaced and recovered its fluorescence. The amount of fluorescence recovered was directly proportional to the amount of DNA synthesized and was used to quantitate the rate of DNA synthesis. However, since 50 to 60 nucleotides must be replicated for every SSB tetramer released, the assay is expected to work best for processive DNA polymerases. The only requirement for using this assay with other DNA polymerases is that they be able to synthesize DNA on a template coated with SSB. The replication SSBs do not pose an obstacle to the assay because they all appear to have intrinsic fluorescence that is sensitive to their ssDNA-bound state.
Multifunctional chronic 3D electrode arrays based on a simple folding process

This paper reports our latest developments of multifunctional 3D electrode arrays using a simple and novel folding method. A new generation of devices designed for chronic animal studies has been successfully developed. These chronic devices have incorporated a variety of new features including trench-based parylene encapsulation and microchannel-supported flexible interconnections, which significantly improve the device robustness. The fabricated devices have been packaged, characterized, and implanted in the cortex of rats up to 10 weeks. Chronic neural recordings have been successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, novel flexible neural probes based on hybrid silicon-parylene structures have been demonstrated to improve long-term biocompatibility.
Perspective on Flipping Circuits I

A flipped-classroom approach was implemented in a Circuits I class for electrical and computer engineering majors to lower its high attrition and failure rate. Students were asked to watch online lectures and then come to class prepared to work problems in small groups of four. The attitude, retention, and performance of students in the flipped group in Spring 2013 were compared to those for the traditionally taught group in Fall 2012. The Fall 2012 lectures were recorded, so that each group saw the same lectures. Student retention and test performance was significantly higher in the flipped course. In Fall 2012, 56% of the initially enrolled students received a C or better. In Spring 2013, this improved to 83%. The first exam scores were significantly better in Spring 2013, and this helped with student success. The authors believe that it was the alignment of online lectures, face-to-face student/teacher and peer/peer interactions, combined with the active learning component of the flipped classroom that led to these improvements .
Latent Classes of Psychiatric Symptoms Among Chinese Children Living in Poverty

Describing co-occurring symptom patterns among children in nonwestern contexts may have important implications for how emotional and behavior problems are defined, conceptualized, studied, and ultimately prevented. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted on the co-occurring psychiatric symptoms of 196 Chinese children living in poverty. Child depression, anxiety, aggression, and self-esteem scores were used as indicators in the LPA. Three classes of symptoms best described the symptom presentations of children in this study. Ninety-one percent of the youth in the sample were assigned to a class without clinically significant elevations on any symptom index. Six percent fell into an externalizing class, and 3% were assigned to a class with elevated internalizing symptoms. The three classes met empirical criteria for distinctiveness and were validated against parent- and child-rated family characteristics and resources. Children in the externalizing class were more likely to experience harsh and neglectful parenting and their parents were more likely to report avoidant coping styles. In addition to some parenting behaviors (overprotection and low parental support), internalizing symptoms were uniquely associated with low levels of education, housing, economic, and social resources. Implications for preventive interventions are discussed.
T1/T2 matching to differentiate tumor growth from radiation effects after stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: We define magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical criteria that differentiate radiation effect (RE) from tumor progression after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). METHODS: We correlated postoperative imaging and histopathological data in 68 patients who underwent delayed resection of a brain metastasis after SRS. Surgical resection was required in these patients because of clinical and imaging evidence of lesion progression 0.3 to 27.7 months after SRS. At the time of SRS, the median target volume was 7.1 mL (range, 0.5-26 mL), which increased to 14 mL (range, 1.3-81 mL) at the time of surgery. After initial SRS, routine contrast-enhanced MRI was used to assess tumor response and to detect potential adverse radiation effects. We retrospectively correlated these serial MRIs with the postoperative histopathology to determine if any routine MRI features might differentiate tumor progression from RE. RESULTS: The median time from SRS to surgical resection was 6.9 months (range, 0.3-27.7 months). A shorter interval from SRS to resection was associated with a higher rate of tumor recurrence (P = .014). A correspondence between the contrast-enhanced volume on T1-weighted images and the low signal-defined lesion margin on T2-weighted images ("T1/T2 match") was associated with tumor progression at histopathology (P < .0001). Lack of a clear and defined lesion margin on T2-weighted images compared to the margin of contrast uptake on T1-weighted images ("T1/T2 mismatch") was significantly associated with a higher rate of RE in pathological specimens (P < .0001). The sensitivity of the T1/T2 mismatch in identifying RE was 83.3%, and the specificity was 91.1 %. CONCLUSIONS: We found that time to progression and T1 /T2 mismatch were able to differentiate tumor progression from RE in most patients. When REs are suspected, surgery may not be necessary if patients respond to conservative measures. When tumor progression is suspected, resection or repeat radiosurgery can be effective, depending on the degree of mass effect.
The Metallicities and Kinematics of Local RR Lyraes

In order to study the structure and formation history of the Galaxy, low-resolution spectra were obtained of 302 nearby ab-type RR Lyrae variables selected from the General Catalog of Variable Stars. Accurate abundances and radial velocities were derived from the spectra, and distances were computed from apparent magnitudes and reddenings taken from the literature. An abrupt change in the kinematics is seen at [Fe/H] = -1.0. Below this value, the slow Galactic rotation and broad velocity dispersions of the halo are apparent (Vphi = 17 ± 14 km s-1 and sigmar : sigmaphi : sigmaz = 160 ± 15 : 112 ± 10 : 99 ± 10 km s-1 for [Fe/H] -0.45 are consistent with their being a mixture of the thick disk and old thin disk populations, or part of an extended disk exhibiting a continuum in kinematic properties. The rotational velocity and velocity dispersion were observed to be independent of abundance in the halo, in agreement with the subdwarf samples of Carney et al. (1990) and of Ryan & Norris (1991), further supporting chaotic pictures of halo formation such as the fragment accretion picture of Searle & Zinn (1978). The space density of the local halo RR Lyraes is larger than predicted from distant samples of RR Lyraes (Preston et al. 1991), suggesting that either the halo is flatter (b/a ~ 0.5) than Preston estimated (Green & Morrison 1992), or a two-component halo exists. The rotational velocities of the most metal-poor stars ([Fe/H] < -1.9) in this and other non-kinematically-selected samples are prograde, and are not influenced by metal-poor disk stars as proposed by Majewski (1992). It is suggested that the two-component, Old/Younger Halo model recently proposed by Zinn may account for Majewski's observation of retrograde halo rotation at large Z-heights, where the Younger Halo would dominate. Finally, the metallicity distribution of the field halo RR Lyraes is observed to be broader than those of the RR Lyraes in the inner and outer halo globular clusters. This result is discussed with regard to the relative spreads in horizontal-branch morphology of the field and cluster populations; if age is the dominant "second parameter", a fraction of the halo field stars may be younger than the youngest halo clusters by 1-2 Gyr.
Cancer: A piece of the p53 puzzle.

An iron-dependent form of cell death called ferroptosis has been implicated as a component of the tumour-suppressor activity of p53, providing fresh insight into how this protein prevents cancer development. See Article p.57
Spurious rate transients in vertical solidification experiments

Abstract Periodic rate transients were observed in the vertical solidification of tin alloys in quartz tubes at high temperature gradients. Experiments show that these transients arise from the difference in thermal expansion between the Sn alloy and the quartz tube. Experimental techniques have been found to eliminate these transients.
Perspectives on Immunoglobulins in Colostrum and Milk

Immunoglobulins form an important component of the immunological activity found in milk and colostrum. They are central to the immunological link that occurs when the mother transfers passive immunity to the offspring. The mechanism of transfer varies among mammalian species. Cattle provide a readily available immune rich colostrum and milk in large quantities, making those secretions important potential sources of immune products that may benefit humans. Immune milk is a term used to describe a range of products of the bovine mammary gland that have been tested against several human diseases. The use of colostrum or milk as a source of immunoglobulins, whether intended for the neonate of the species producing the secretion or for a different species, can be viewed in the context of the types of immunoglobulins in the secretion, the mechanisms by which the immunoglobulins are secreted, and the mechanisms by which the neonate or adult consuming the milk then gains immunological benefit. The stability of immunoglobulins as they undergo processing in the milk, or undergo digestion in the intestine, is an additional consideration for evaluating the value of milk immunoglobulins. This review summarizes the fundamental knowledge of immunoglobulins found in colostrum, milk, and immune milk.
Adrenergic stimulation of rat pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase

Abstract Pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) activity is known to decline slowly in rats exposed to constant light. We have found that long-term, in vivo isoproterenol treatment prevents and reverses this decline. Similarly, enzyme activity declines slowly in rats after bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy. We have also found this effect can be prevented by long-term, in vivo treatment with norepinephrine or isoproterenol. These results, the first demonstration that HIOMT activity can be stimulated by treatment with adrenergic agonists, indicate that the neurotransmitter involved in the adrenergic control of HIOMT activity is norepinephrine.
Trends in pediatric melanoma mortality in the United States, 1968 through 2004.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Mortality from melanoma in children is a poorly understood and controversial problem in dermatology. There is paucity of research into this important public health dilemma. The purpose of this study was to characterize pediatric melanoma mortality in the United States and to evaluate trends over time. METHODS AND MATERIALS Deaths were derived from a database of more than 75 million records of the U.S. Center for National Health Statistics based on routine death certification. Information on age, race, gender, and geographic location was available for years 1968 through 2004. RESULTS During the 37-year period, there were 643 deaths attributed to melanoma in children under 20 years of age in the United States, an average of 18 per year. The overall age-adjusted mortality rate for melanoma in children was 2.25 deaths per year (per 10 million at-risk individuals). Mortality rates were strongly associated with age. In the oldest age group (age 15-19 years) the mortality rate was approximately an order of magnitude 8-18 times higher compared to younger age groups. Mortality among males was 25% higher than females. Mortality rates for white children were more than twice as high as black children. Overall mortality from melanoma in children declined steadily from 1968 to 2004. The highest mortality rates were observed in Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico. CONCLUSIONS Although mortality from melanoma among children in the United State is low, the magnitude of the public health burden from this preventable cause of death is substantial. In contrast to results of studies suggesting that the incidence of melanoma may be rising in children and adolescents, the data suggest that mortality in these groups may be falling. Additional study is warranted to further characterize and ultimately reduce mortality from childhood melanoma.
Evaluating Racial Disparities in Hurricane Katrina Relief Using Direct Trailer Counts in New Orleans and FEMA Records

Are charges of racial disparities in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s relief efforts in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina accurate? Limited publicly available data on trailer distribution in New Orleans are compared to an on-site trailer count and to a complete trailer count from aerial photographs of New Orleans. The Lower Ninth Ward in Orleans Parish (98 percent Black prior to Hurricane Katrina) had significantly fewer trailers than neighboring Arabi in St. Bernard Parish (95 percent White prior to Hurricane Katrina). To control for administrative differences between parishes and socioeconomic factors, two affluent neighborhoods within Orleans Parish, Pontchartrain Park (97 percent Black prior to Hurricane Katrina) and Lakeview (94 percent White prior to Hurricane Katrina), are compared. The conclusion: racial discrepancies remain large and substantial. A number of hypotheses are developed and the implications discussed.
Reevaluating the Safety Profile of Pediatrics: A Comparison of Computerized Adverse Drug Event Surveillance and Voluntary Reporting in the Pediatric Environment

Objectives Children are at exceptionally high risk for adverse drug events. At Duke University Hospital, computerized adverse drug event surveillance and voluntary safety reporting systems work synergistically to identify adverse drug events. Here we identify the most deleterious drug classes to pediatric inpatients and determine which detection methodology provides the greatest opportunity to reduce harm. Patients and methods We evaluated all of the medication-related events detected by our computerized surveillance and safety reporting systems over a 1-year period for Duke University Hospital pediatric inpatients. Events from both systems were scored for severity and assigned a drug event category. Surveillance events were additionally scored for causality. Results A total of 849 medication-related reports were entered into the safety reporting system, and 93 caused patient harm, resulting in an adverse drug event rate of 1.8 events per 1000 pediatric patient-days. Seventy eight of the 1537 medication-related events detected by surveillance resulted in patient harm, giving a rate of 1.6 events per 1000 patient-days. The most common events identified by the safety reporting system were failures in the medication use process (26.9%), drug omissions (16.1%), and dose- or rate-related events (12.9%). The most frequent adverse drug event surveillance categories were nephrotoxins (20.7%), narcotics and benzodiazepines (19.3%), and hypoglycemia (11.5%). Most voluntarily reported events originated in ICUs (72.0%), whereas surveillance events were split evenly across intensive and general care. There was little overlap between methodologies. Conclusions The epidemiology of pediatric adverse drug events is best addressed by using voluntary reporting in tandem with other strategies, such as computerized surveillance and targeted chart review. Although voluntary reporting excels at identifying administration errors, surveillance excels at detecting adverse drug events caused by high-risk medications and identifies evolving conditions that may provoke imminent patient harm. Surveillance underperformed in pediatrics when compared with adult detection rates, suggesting that tailored rules may be necessary for a robust pediatric adverse drug event surveillance system.
The efficacy of dictionary use while reading for learning new words.

The researcher investigated the use of three types of dictionaries while reading by high school students with severe to profound hearing loss. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of each type of dictionary for acquiring the meanings of unknown vocabulary in text. The three types of dictionaries were (a) an online bilingual multimedia English–American Sign Language (ASL) dictionary (OBMEAD), (b) a paper English-ASL dictionary (PBEAD), and (c) an online monolingual English dictionary (OMED). It was found that for immediate recall of target words, the OBMEAD was superior to both the PBEAD and the OMED. For later recall, no significant difference appeared between the OBMEAD and the PBEAD. For both of these, recall was statistically superior to recall for words learned via the OMED.
Thomson's Violinist and Conjoined Twins

It is commonly taken for granted that abortion is necessarily impermissible if the fetus is a person with a right to life. In her influential essay “A Defense of Abortion,” Judith Jarvis Thomson offers what I will call the violinist example to show that merely having a right to life does not in and of itself give rise in the fetus to a right to use the mother's body. On Thomson's view, if the fetus has a right to use the mother's body that precludes terminating its life by means of an abortion, it is because the mother did something to give the fetus that right. Thus she concludes that the proposition that the fetus is a person does not imply that abortion is morally impermissible.
Epic Fasts and Shallow Spectacles: The ‘India Against Corruption’ Movement, its Critics, and the Re-Making of ‘Gandhi’

India recently witnessed a prominent movement against state corruption led by the ‘India Against Corruption’ (IAC) group, which came under criticism for utilising the Gandhian hunger strike as a protest tactic. This essay examines the Gandhi and the Gandhianism conjured up by the movement's critics, who dismissed the IAC as either sacrilegiously un-Gandhian or anachronistically Gandhian. I argue that these critics reinstated Gandhi and Gandhianism as unidimensional, ossified and largely inimitable texts. In so doing, they glossed over the contradictions, experimentation and ambivalences that marked Gandhi's life and attributed to him a closure that he disavowed. This desire to reproduce or preserve the ‘real’ Gandhi needs to give way to more creative mimicry, so that his praxis can be reinvented and enlivened by social movements today.
Reconstruction of neighboring plasma environment along a satellite path by a barotropic plasma model

Abstract We develop a barotropic plasma model for the reconstruction of steady two-dimensional magnetic and plasma fields based on the single-point measurements from a satellite along its path. The model can be accurately integrated numerically because it avoids certain numerical singularities and it also avoids an ill-conditioned mapping between plasma entropy and the density-weighted velocity stream function. Our barotropic plasma model is applied to investigate the structure and dynamics in a magnetic reconnection event reported previously. The resulting two-dimensional maps of plasma and field configurations show far more complex features than depicted in most schematics of magnetic reconnection sites. The complicated patterns contain significant changes in plasma flow directions on the reconstruction plane as well as highly structured plasma flows and magnetic compressions perpendicular to it.
Big roles for small RNAs in polyploidy, hybrid vigor, and hybrid incompatibility

Small RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and trans-acting siRNAs (ta-siRNAs), mediate gene expression and epigenetic regulation. While siRNAs are highly diverged, miRNAs and ta-siRNAs are generally conserved but many are differentially expressed between related species and in interspecific hybrids and allopolyploids. On one hand, combination of diverged maternal and paternal siRNAs in the same nucleus may exert cis-acting and trans-acting effects on transposable elements (TEs) and TE-associated genes, leading to genomic instability and endosperm and embryo failures, constituting a bottleneck for the evolution of hybrids and polyploids. On the other hand, cis and trans-acting small RNAs induce quantitative and qualitative changes in epigenetic regulation, leading to morphological variation and hybrid vigor in F1 hybrids and stable allopolyploids as well as transgressive phenotypes in the progeny, increasing a potential for adaptive evolution.
Massive Transfusion in a 66-Year-Old Man with Blunt Injury to the Thorax

labmedicine.com October 2005 Volume 36 Number 10 LABMEDICINE 657 This article uses a real case of massive transfusion to review the side effects of infusing a large amount of blood over a short time period. Most people can tolerate the loss of up to 75% of their red cell volume as long as their total volume is maintained. Without administration of fluids to maintain the total blood volume, loss of 30% of the blood volume can be fatal. Quite often in massive transfusion cases, specimens for laboratory testing are only sporadically obtained. If they are obtained and sent to the central laboratory for processing, they must be rapidly turned around, and the results quickly reported to the clinical team.
Distributed and cooperative link scheduling for large-scale multihop wireless networks

A distributed and cooperative link-scheduling (DCLS) algorithm is introduced for large-scale multihop wireless networks. With this algorithm, each and every active link in the network cooperatively calibrates its environment and converges to a desired link schedule for data transmissions within a time frame of multiple slots. This schedule is such that the entire network is partitioned into a set of interleaved subnetworks, where each subnetwork consists of concurrent cochannel links that are properly separated from each other. The desired spacing in each subnetwork can be controlled by a tuning parameter and the number of time slots specified for each frame. Following the DCLS algorithm, a distributed and cooperative power control (DCPC) algorithm can be applied to each subnetwork to ensure a desired data rate for each link with minimum network transmission power. As shown consistently by simulations, the DCLS algorithm along with a DCPC algorithm yields significant power savings. The power savings also imply an increased feasible region of averaged link data rates for the entire network.
Effects of barbiturates on facilitative glucose transporters are pharmacologically specific and isoform selective.

Barbiturates inhibit GLUT-1-mediated glucose transport across the blood-brain barrier, in cultured mammalian cells, and in human erythrocytes. Barbiturates also interact directly with GLUT-1. The hypotheses that this inhibition of glucose transport is (i) selective, preferring barbiturates over halogenated hydrocarbon inhalation anesthetics, and (ii) specific, favoring some GLUT-# isoforms over others were tested. Several oxy- and thio-barbiturates inhibited [3H]-2-deoxyglucose uptake by GLUT-1 expressing murine fibroblasts with IC50s of 0.2–2.9 mm. Inhibition of GLUT-1 by barbiturates correlates with their overall lipid solubility and pharmacology, and requires hydrophobic side chains on the core barbiturate structure. In contrast, several halogenated hydrocarbons and ethanol (all ≤10 mm) do not significantly inhibit glucose transport. The interaction of these three classes of anesthetics with purified GLUT-1 was evaluated by quenching of intrinsic protein fluorescence and displayed similar specificities and characteristics. The ability of barbiturates to inhibit other facilitative glucose transporters was determined in cell types expressing predominantly one isoform. Pentobarbital inhibits [3H]-2-deoxyglucose and [14C]-3-O-methyl-glucose uptake in cells expressing GLUT-1, GLUT-2, and GLUT-3 with IC50s of ∼1 mm. In contrast, GLUT-4 expressed in insulin-stimulated rat adipocytes was much less sensitive than the other isoforms to inhibition by pentobarbital (IC50 of >10 mm). Thus, barbiturates selectively inhibit glucose transport by some, but not all, facilitative glucose transporter isoforms.
Our School at Blair Grocery: A Case Study in Promoting Environmental Action through Critical Environmental Education.

Despite wide agreement on the goals of environmental education (EE), the promotion of action is still considered contentious. Critical environmental education (critical EE) teaches students to combine critical reflection with the ability to engage in local action to address social/environmental problems. This article examines a critical urban farming school in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward for how student action is addressed. Results found that critical learning within an egalitarian, youth-centered community located in a disadvantaged area produces students who are more enlightened and empowered to create change. However, concerns regarding funding and safety led staff to not adhere to maintaining an egalitarian ethic, undermining the individualism and unpredictability that critical EE thrives upon and producing “disconnects” in students’ education.
A Constructive Proof of the Leech Theorem for Rational Matrix Functions

We give a constructive proof of Leech’s theorem for rational matrix functions. This enables us to provide an algorithm for solving rational matrix corona problems.
Bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane mechanophores for the non-scissile and photochemically reversible generation of reactive bis-enones.

Force-induced transformations of polymer-bound functionalities have the potential to produce a rich array of stress-responsive behavior. One area of particular interest is the activation of non-scissile mechanophores in which latent reactivity can be unveiled that, under the appropriate conditions, could lead to constructive bond formation in materials exposed to typically destructive stress. Here, the mechanical activation of a bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane (BCH) mechanophore is demonstrated via selective labeling of bis-enone products. BCH ring-opening produces large local elongation (>4 A) and products that are reactive to conjugate additions under mild conditions. Subsequent photocyclization regenerates the initial BCH functionality, providing switchable structure and reactivity along the polymer backbone in response to stress and visible light.
Familiarity and lie detection: A replication and extension

Two studies of the relations among observer familiarity, perceived behavioral discrepancy, and judgmental accuracy in detecting deception are reported. In Study I, observers receiving either no prior exposure to baseline information on a communicator, one prior exposure, or repeated exposure made judgments of truthfulness or deceit on the part of 16 different communicators. Results indicated that observers having prior exposure to baseline information were significantly better at detecting deception, though repeated exposure did not significantly increase accuracy. In Study II, truthful baseline and potentially deceptive samples of behavior were compared and discrepancies estimated by a group of observers. Results indicated a strong and significant positive correlation between these discrepancy estimates and attributions (accurate or not) of deceit.
Equivalent circuits for recombination-generation processes in semiconductors: A unified approach

Abstract It is shown how, by use of irreversible thermodynamics and semiconductor statistics, one can derive resistance and capacitance matrices as well as current generator vectors. They become elements of an equivalent circuit for recombination-generation processes. These results are readily obtained for small departures from a nonequilibrium steady state (which is taken as reference state) provided quasi-Fermi levels exist. The circuit elements are found in terms of electron (and hole) concentrations in various levels and the transition probabilities between them. From the general results thus obtained many specific circuit elements already in the literature can be obtained, notably some early ones due to C.T. Sah.
Coherence functions in optical imaging

In 1963 Gordon Rogers published a paper in which he described the formation of optical images in terms of transformations of the coherence function associated with the wave propagating from the object, passing through lenses, and continuing on to the image plane. Of particular importance, he noted (a) that a clear aperture can be treated as the superposition of a large number o pinholes, the pinhole density being so high that they effectively fill the aperture, and (b) that each pair of pinholes produces in the image pl ane a sinusoidal fringe pattern. The superposition of the many fringe patterns then determines the image intensity distribution. In this paper Rogers' concept is extended to include the formation of images of 3D full-color objects and the formation of images in a particular super-resolving imaging system.
Using a bandage contact lens to prevent recurrent corneal erosion during photocoagulation in patients with diabetes.

We used a bandage contact lens to protect the epithelium in five eyes (from three patients with histories of recurrent corneal erosion) during treatment with photocoagulation. The bandage contact lens did not affect the quality of the laser burns but did prevent epithelial damage.