cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient nucleic acid detection by templated reductive quencher release.

RNA-templated fluorescence activation is a nucleic acid detection strategy that offers the possibility of direct visual detection of genetic information in living cells. Here we describe a new reaction strategy for fluorescence activation in which a phosphine on one DNA probe reduces an azide group in a linker on a second probe, resulting in linker cleavage and release of a fluorescence quenching group. These “Q-STAR” probes are shown to yield a strong fluorescence turn-on signal in ∼20 min, with very low background and substantial amplification by turnover on the template. A green/red pair of such probes allowed the discrimination of two bacterial species by a single nucleotide difference in their 16S rRNA. The beneficial properties of the reductive quencher release design make these probes promising candidates for widespread application in the detection of nucleic acids in vitro and in cells.
Photooxidation of dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide. II - Mechanism evaluation

The mechanisms for atmospheric photooxidation of CH3SCH3 and CH3SSCH3 developed in Part I are evaluated by a series of outdoor smog chamber experiments. Measured product yields, including SO2, H2SO4, CH3SO3H and HCHO, are reported. The predictions of the mechanisms developed in Part I are found to be in substantial agreement with the measured concentrations from the smog chamber. By comparison of mechanism predictions and observations, critical uncertainties in the mechanism are identified.
Application of Transmission Electron Microscopy to Radiation Damage in Ceramics

Ceramics are becoming increasingly important in many radiation environments. In addition to refractory fissionable fuels, electrical insulators will be needed for instrumentation in breeder reactor systems and will be widely applied in all fusion reactor concepts, including first-wall coatings, blanket gaps, injectors, divertors, magnet insulation, and windows. These applications require mechanically stable (and in some cases transparent) dielectric solids which must maintain electrical as well as mechanical integrity under severe radiation fields. Refractory ceramic materials of low atomic number will be increasingly useful in structural applications as well because they resist activation and contribute less objectionable sputter contaminants. Ceramic solids are also likely to be increasingly utilized as repository media for active nuclear wastes. The irradiation behavior of these nonmetallic materials is critical and at present poorly understood, but transmission electron microscopy is beginning to reveal significant similarities, as well as substantial differences, in their behavior as compared to that of better-characterized metallic solids.
Sarcoidosis of the Appendix Presenting as Appendiceal Perforation and Abscess

A case of acute appendicitis with perforation and abscess formation secondary to sarcoidosis is presented in a black man with marked multisystem involvement with sarcoidosis. Histologically, noncaseating granulomatous changes with multinucleated giant cells were seen in all layers of the appendix including the mesentery. A discussion of the present case in light of three previously described cases of probable sarcoidosis of the appendix along with the other intestinal forms of sarcoidosis ensues.
Keeping them up in the air

Bird Flight Performance: A Practical Calculation Manual. By C. J. Pennycuick. Clarendon: 1989. Pp.153. £25, $49.95.
A new algorithm for determining a collision-free path for a CMM probe

Recent developments in computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) systems have made the speed and accuracy of the traditional approaches in dimensional inspection bottlenecks of the production line. To overcome these bottlenecks, computer integrated dimensional inspection was proposed with the coordinate measuring machine (CMM) being the key device. In this investigation, a framework for integrating the CMM into the computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) environment is developed to automate the process of design, manufacturing and inspection. An algorithm to generate an optimum collision-free CMM probe path is proposed. This algorithm uses the ray tracing technique to locate the collision of the possible paths, between the initial probe point and the target point, with the workpiece to be inspected. If there is a collision, the algorithm works through the topological structure of the part and selects the midpoint of the edge, shared by the face with which the path collides and the adjacent face nearest to the target point, as the next probe point. This procedure is followed till the target point is reached. The first half of the proposed algorithm is implemented using Mechanical Desktop as the CAD system and AutoCAD Runtime Extension (ARX) as the application programming interface, running on a Windows NT 4.0 platform. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by the results of the implementation demonstrating optimum collision-free dimensional inspection path generation for three prismatic parts.
Controlled Surface Engineering and Device Fabrication of Optoelectronic Polymers and Carbon Nanotubes by Plasma Processes

Owing to their π-electron delocalization along the backbone, conjugated polymers possess unique optoelectonic properties attractive for a wide range of applications in various electronicand photonic devices. Having a conjugated all-carbon structure with specific molecular symmetries, carbon nanotubes have also attracted a great deal of interest for optoelectronic applications. It is well known that surface and/or interfacial properties are of paramount importance for most optoelectronic applications. Recent developments in the field have clearly indicated the possibility of using radio-frequency glow-discharge plasma for introducing functional surfaces/interfaces with region-specific characteristics necessary for advanced electronic and/or photonic devices. In this article, we summarize our work on the use of plasma processes (both plasma treatment and plasma polymerization) for the surface and interface control of optoelectronic polymers and carbon nanotubes for potential applications in electronic and photonic devices, and reference is also made to other complementary work as appropriate.
Bile duct disruption after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

The reported prevalence of biliary tract disruption following laparoscopic cholecystectomy has ranged from 0% to 7% in early reports. 1–3 We have reviewed the first 823 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at our institution and found 13 symptomatic biliary complications necessitating further therapy (prevalence 1.6%). This finding represents a decrease from the 2.7% prevalence found in our earlier series. The incidence of biliary complications will likely continue to vary depending on patient selection, operator experience, and new developments in laparoscopic technique. Bile duct injury and bile leaks are often difficult to diagnose but must be strongly considered in postoperative patients with abdominal pain, fever, jaundice or continued bilious drainage from a surgical drain. Whereas computed tomography (CT) and sonography are sensitive in detecting perihepatic or free peritoneal fluid collections, they are nonspecific and definitive diagnosis of biliary tract injury requires hepatobiliary scintigraphy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), or percutaneous aspiration. Disruption of the biliary tree has commonly been treated with reoperation or percutaneous drainage. More recently, endoscopic management has shown encouraging results for bile leaks and strictures in small series.
Characteristics of Corrosion Scales on Steels in a CO2-Saturated NaCl Brine

Abstract A consequence of corrosion of steel in the presence of oxygen-free carbon dioxide and a water phase is the formation of an iron carbonate (FeCO3 corrosion scale. This scale provides some p...
Maternal reactions to fetal sex

A descriptive design was used to characterize maternal reactions to the knowledge of fetal sex based on sex preference. The sample was 88 females with singleton pregnancies who had had an amniocentesis for fetal chromosome studies and met the following sample criteria: (a) Fetal karyotype and other studies were normal, (b) knowledge of fetal sex was desired, and (c) sex preference had been established. Maternal reactions to the knowledge of fetal sex were ascertained through a questionnaire I developed and that participants answered in writing. Sample characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics, and the mothers' narrative responses were subjected to content analysis. Maternal sex preferences were equally split between male and female. However, there were differences in the way mothers who attained and mothers who did not attain their preferred fetal sex spoke of their fetuses.
Effective Hamiltonian for metallic Pu

Abstract We derive a low-energy effective Hamiltonian H ˜ Pu for metallic Pu by assuming that intra-atomic Coulomb and spin–orbit interactions are much stronger than the kinetic energy terms. An important property of H ˜ Pu is the exact cancellation of the effective f - f hopping tensor that places Pu closer to lanthanide systems such as Ce or mixed valent Sm than to the rest of the actinides. The similarity between the low-energy models of Pu and these mixed valent lanthanide systems could be the common root for explaining the large volume expansions observed in all of them.
Faculty work in developing and teaching web‐based distance courses: A case study of time and effort

Abstract Using an experiential case approach, this study explores the conventional wisdom that distance education courses require greater faculty work effort and time commitment than traditionally taught courses. The study's basis for analysis is an instructor's time and effort in developing and delivering a graduate‐level course in public administration, for both a distance course (a modality with which he had no previous experience) and his traditional classroom courses. The study finds support for the conventional wisdom. But it also suggests hypotheses for future comparative analysis that development and delivery time and effort may partially depend on the accumulation of instructor experience and the level of institutional support. This article also identifies some implications for future research and faculty participation in distance education.
Acute care surgery: the trauma surgeon's perspective.

Within the context of modern health care, the field of trauma surgery has been remarkably successful. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) can trace its roots directly to the Committee on Fractures in 1950. The group was a largely quiescent committee until the 1966 publication of “Accidental Death and Disability: The Neglected Disease” by the National Academy of Sciences. Following its publication, national interest focused on injury prevention and injury care. Trauma fellowships began to appear in the late 1970s, and clinical research conducted primarily in the 1980s demonstrated the beneficial effect of a trauma service on diminishing preventable mortality. By 1976, the ACS-COT had developed criteria for categorizing hospitals according to the level of trauma care available; this set of criteria is now called the “Optimal Resources for the Care of the Injured Patient” and has largely laid the foundation for how trauma care is practiced in North America today. The ACS-COT began its verification site visits of trauma hospitals in 1987 and, by the 1990s, most academic surgery departments had incorporated a trauma section or division into its academic and research structure. In 2001, the ACS-COT began a consultation program on entire regional or state trauma systems and, in 2002, there were reported to be more than 1100 trauma centers in the United States, including 190 Level I centers and 263 Level II centers, with 84% of the population within 1 hour of a level I or II trauma center. This remarkable adaptation of regionalized medical care is virtually unique to trauma and has been fostered by
Lobster (Decapoda) Diversity and Evolutionary Patterns Through Time

Analyses of diversity patterns at the infraorder, superfamily and family level demonstrate that the lobsters as a group were significantly more diverse in the Mesozoic, especially the Triassic and Jurassic, than in the Cenozoic and Holocene. Peaks in numbers of genera occurred in the Late Jurassic (Oxfordian and Tithonian), Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian and Campanian), and Holocene. Smaller peaks occurred in the Lower Triassic (Anisian) and Eocene (Lutetian). Analysis of substrate preferences for various families, based upon rock type enclosing the fossils, suggests that Nephropoidea and Erymidae were quite variable in substrate preference. When examined by energy-level preferences, most lobster groups exhibit preferences; some preferences changed through time. A long-standing preference for low energy substrates appears to support the long held hypotheses that Nephropidae moved into deeper water either because of the end-Cretaceous events, or due to competition with brachyurans. Inhabitation of many types of substrates seems to predict survival of mass-extinction events in lobsters as does a shift in substrate preference through time. Lobsters can be arranged into three evolutionary faunas, Triassic, Jurassic, and Modern, that are distinct and exhibit discrete body plan and faunal turnover patterns. Several biases in the dataset have been identified. These include a strong bias toward European, Mesozoic occurrences at the expense of other locations and times; an environmental bias toward epicontinental versus oceanic or active margin occurrences; and monographic biases.
A nuclear polyhedrosis virus infective to the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella

Abstract A nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from the alfalfa looper, Autographa californica , infected larvae of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella . Transmission was confirmed by light and electron microscopy and by feeding polyhedra obtained from pink bollworm cadavers to larvae of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni . Preliminary studies were made of the infectivity, symptomatology, and histopathology of the virus in pink bollworm larvae.
Toward a Feminist Ballet Pedagogy: Teaching Strategies for Ballet Technique Classes in the Twenty-First Century

Abstract Classical ballet technique is commonly taught through the use of authoritarian practices and normalizing aesthetic values, but the construction of the ballet dancer as a docile subject in opposition to an all-knowing instructor might impede ballet's progression. In this article I explore my development of a feminist or democratic ballet pedagogy that transforms the ballet studio into an environment that engages individual participants’ learning styles and life experiences, and encourages experimentation and collaboration. Using data collected from students enrolled in my ballet technique courses, I examine a pedagogical approach in which alternative teacher–student relationships are created and practiced. My intervention on tradition uses the classroom as the site in which to interrogate ballet's traditional teaching methods and values, and I seek an approach for the twenty-first century that preserves rigor and is invested in the maintenance of the form at the same time that it generates and use...
Effects of wing and tail location on the aerodynamic characteristics of an airplane for Mach numbers from 0.25 to 4.63

Experimental investigations have been conducted to determine the effect of wing vertical position and horizontal-tail vertical and axial position on the static aerodynamic characteristics of a wing-body horizontal-tail configuration. The configurations investigated included the wing in a high, mid, or low position on the body with the horizontal tail in each of these vertical positions as well as in three axial positions. The closest position of the horizontal tail to the wing essentially provided on all-wing configuration. In addition, tests were made for the three wing positions with the horizontal tail removed. The tests were made in three different wind tunnels to provide data for a Mach number range from 0.25 to 4.63. The purpose of the investigation was to illustrate the strong effects of interference flow fields as a function of geometry and flight regime. An analysis of the results indicate some arrangements that might lead to aerodynamic problems and others in which the interference flow fields might be favorably exploited. The results suggest that a coplanar concept with a translating horizontal tail could potentially minimize the aerodynamic changes with Mach number and provide more optimum performance over the Mach number range.
Family risk factors for child and adolescent suicidal behavior

In this review, the author evaluates the empirical support for the claims that various aspects of family dysfunction are risk factors for completed suicide or suicidal symptoms in childhood or adolescence. There is consistent evidence that a history of physical or sexual abuse is a risk factor and some evidence for other risk factors, including poor family or parent-child communication, loss of caregiver to separation or death, and psychopathology in first-degree relatives. However, the researchers of the vast majority of studies did not attend to whether the putative risk factors preceded the development of suicidal symptoms; thus, most of the claims regarding family risk factors are not justified by their research designs and findings. Language: en
Turbulent Dynamics of a Critically Reflecting Internal Gravity Wave

Results from computational fluid dynamics experiments of internal wave reflection from sloping boundaries are presented. In these experiments the incident wave lies in a plane normal to the slope. When the angle of wave energy propagation is close to the bottom slope the reflection causes wave breakdown into a quasi-periodic, turbulent boundary layer. Boundary layer energetics and vorticity dynamics are examined and indicate the importance of the three-dimensional turbulence. The boundary layer exhibits intermittent turbulence: approximately every 1.2 wave periods the boundary layer mixes energetically for a duration of about one-third of a wave period, and then it restratifies until the next mixing event. Throughout the wave cycle a strong thermal front is observed to move upslope at the phase speed of the incident waves. Simulations demonstrate that the net effects of turbulent mixing are not confined to the boundary layer, but are communicated to the interior stratified fluid by motions induced by buoyancy effects and by the wave field, resulting in progressive weakening of the background density gradient. Transition to turbulence is determined to occur at Reynolds numbers of approximately 1500, based upon the wavelength and maximum current velocity of the oncoming wave train. The boundary layer thickness depends on the Reynolds number for low Richardson numbers, with a characteristic depth of approximately one-half of the vertical wavelength of the oncoming wave.
It's in the Name: A Synthetic Inquiry of the Knowledge Is Power Program [KIPP].

The task of this article is to interrogate the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) model to develop a more robust understanding of a prominent trend in the charter school movement and education policy more generally. To accomplish this task, this article details the findings of a synthetic analysis that examines the KIPP model as a Hegelian whole concept operative in a specific mode of social reality. The guidance for this analysis is grounded in a rather straightforward research question. Given the prominence that the KIPP model has achieved in the charter school movement in the United States, what can a synthetic analysis tell us about not only KIPP, but also the larger charter school movement?
Human substance P receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells directly activates Gαq/11, Gαs, and Gαo

Substance P receptor (SPR) stably expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stimulates at least three second messenger systems including phosphoinositide hydrolysis, cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation, and arachidonic acid release. Whether these second messenger systems are activated via single or multiple G proteins is not known. Therefore, in the present study we examined whether human SPR (hSPR) stably expressed in CHO cells activates multiple G proteins. This was achieved by photoaffinity labeling of Gα-subunits with [32P]azidoanilido-GTP ([32P]AA-GTP) upon hSPR stimulation in CHO-hSPR membranes followed by immunoprecipitation of the labeled Gα-subunits with antibodies specific for various Gα-subunits. These experiments reveal that hSPR directly activates Gαq/11, Gαs and Gαo. While hSPR is known to couple Gαq/11, the present study provides the first evidence that hSPR can also activate Gαs and Gαo in a mammalian system.
Simulation of high-pressure liquid hydrogen releases

Abstract Sandia National Laboratories is working with stakeholders to develop scientific data for use by standards development organizations to create hydrogen codes and standards for the safe use of liquid hydrogen. Knowledge of the concentration field and flammability envelope for high-pressure hydrogen leaks is an issue of importance for the safe use of liquid hydrogen. Sandia National Laboratories is engaged in an experimental and analytical program to characterize and predict the behavior of liquid hydrogen releases. This paper presents a model for computing hydrogen dilution distances for cold hydrogen releases. Model validation is presented for leaks of room temperature and 80 K high-pressure hydrogen gas. The model accounts for a series of transitions that occurs from a stagnate location in the tank to a point in the leak jet where the concentration of hydrogen in air at the jet centerline has dropped to 4% by volume. The leaking hydrogen is assumed to be a simple compressible substance with thermodynamic equilibrium between hydrogen vapor, hydrogen liquid and air. For the multi-phase portions of the jet near the leak location the REFPROP equation of state models developed by NIST are used to account for the thermodynamics. Further downstream, the jet develops into an atmospheric gas jet where the thermodynamics are described as a mixture of ideal gases (hydrogen–air mixture). Simulations are presented for dilution distances in under-expanded high-pressure leaks from the saturated vapor and saturated liquid portions of a liquid hydrogen storage tank at 10.34 barg (150 PSIG).
Cardiorespiratory changes induced by vertebral artery injection of sodium cyanide in cats.

Abstract Brain stem hypoxia caused by vertebral artery injection of sodium cyanide (NaCN) (1–20 μg) in artificially ventilated cats depressed phrenic and stimulated sympathetic nerve activity with a simultaneous increase in arterial blood pressure. Larger doses of NaCN caused greater effects. Hypercapnia produced by inhalation of 7% CO 2 in O 2 tended to reduce NaCN-induced responses on phrenic activity but not on blood pressure or sympathetic activity. Infusion into the vertebral artery with hypoxic saline (3% CO 2 in N 2 ) altered blood pressure, also affecting phrenic and sympathetic nerves similarly to NaCN administration. However, washout of CO 2 by infusion of 100% O 2 bubbled saline at high flow rates (3.6 ml/min) depressed phrenic as well as sympathetic activity and blood pressure. Spinal transection at the first cervical level eliminated sympathetic excitatory response to intravertebral cyanide injection. However, a large dose of NaCN (600 μg) given intravenously in spinal animal excited sympathetic activity. We conclude that intravertebral injection of NaCN can be used to study the effects of local hypoxia of the brain stem on cardiorespiratory responses and that hypoxia acts at both these sites (brain stem and spinal cord) to stimulate sympathetic excitation.
The impacts of BaAka net hunting on rainforest wildlife

Conservation programs often implicitly assume that subsistence hunting by indigenous peoples using traditional hunting methods is ecologically sustainable. Indeed communal net hunts are less detrimental to wildlife than are the other principal hunting methods in central African forests, namely cable snares and firearms. However, research in the Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve of the Central African Republic suggests that BaAka net hunters may overexploit primary game species including the blue duiker Cephalophus monticola and the bay duiker Cephalopus dorsalis. The method itself spares protected and endangered species, but overexploitation of game species results from increases in hunting intensity as BaAka populations grow and hunting ranges decline. Given the dynamic socio-economic conditions, subsistence hunting over the long-term is not ecologically sustainable. Wildlife management programs therefore must address not only hunting method and hunting area, but also must develop viable subsistence and economic alternatives for local residents.
Advances in internet congestion control

In this survey, we first review the concept of congestion control with a focus on the transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP). We describe many recently proposed algorithms to combat congestion and improve performance, particularly active queue management (AQM) algorithms such as random early detection (RED) and its variants. We then survey control-theoretic analysis and design of TCP congestion control with an AQM scheme. In addition, we discuss three problems associated with AQM proposals: parameter setting, the insensitivity to the input traffic load variation, and the mismatch between macroscopic and microscopic behavior of queue length dynamics. As alternatives to AQM algorithms, we also survey architectural approaches such as modification of source or network algorithms, and economic approaches including pricing or optimization of allocated resources. Finally, we list many open issues that persist in the design, operation, and control of the Internet.
ARF mutation accelerates pituitary tumor development in Rb+/− mice

Mice heterozygous for the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor gene develop pituitary and thyroid tumors with high penetrance. We demonstrate here that loss of the ARF tumor suppressor strongly accelerates intermediate lobe pituitary tumorigenesis in Rb heterozygous mice. These effects in the pituitary are greater than those conferred by p53 loss in that Rb+/−;ARF−/− mice display significantly more early atypical lesions than Rb+/−; p53−/− mice. Also, Rb+/−;ARF−/− compound mutants do not develop many of the novel tumors or precancerous lesions seen in Rb+/−;p53−/− compound mutants. Although complete loss of ARF expression is not obligatory for pituitary tumorigenesis in Rb+/− mice, alterations of the ARF locus are observed in tumors from Rb+/−;ARF+/− mice, consistent with a selective advantage of ARF inactivation in this context. We conclude that inactivation of ARF acts more broadly than that of p53 in connecting abrogation of the Rb pathway to tumorigenesis.
The relationship of wind parameters in determining oxidant concentrations in two New Jersey communities

Abstract A 2-year study of the relationship of wind speed and direction to total oxidant (including ozone) concentration and phytotoxicity was made of two New Jersey communities, Carlstadt and New Brunswick, where air pollution damage to vegetation has frequently been observed. Results obtained during a 4-hr period from 11.00 to 15.00 local time indicated a negative correlation between wind speed and oxidant concentration which was significant (at P = 0.05) during all months of the year. Winds originating from the directions of heavily populated and industrialized areas with respect to each community were associated with oxidant concentrations which were significantly higher than those occurring when winds proceeded from suburban or residential areas. While wind speed was not demonstrated to be related to the build-up of the very low concentrations required to injure extremely sensitive tobacco plants (0.035 ppm), higher concentrations (above 0.060 ppm) correlated very well with changes in wind speed. Whereas 46 per cent of all the oxidant concentrations in excess of 0.035 ppm occurred when the wind was less than 4 m.p.h. in velocity, 90 per cent of the concentrations above 0.060 ppm occurred when wind speed was at this low level. As with earlier results for sulfur dioxide concentrations, the majority of potentially phytotoxic oxidant concentrations in Carlstadt or those which could be injurious to sensitive crops if grown in the area were associated with the winds originating from the NE and SW. Concentrations at this level rarely occurred when the wind was from due N.
A conditioned taste aversion induced by α-methyl-p-tyrosine

Abstract Rats treated with either four 50 mg kg or 100 mg kg injections of alpha methyl-p-tyrosine (α-MPT) spaced 12 hr apart acquired an aversion to a 0.1% saccharin solution in a two-bottle choice with water. Rats treated with either saline or four injections of 100 mg kg of α-MPT without saccharin present exhibited a complete preference for the saccharin solution. In a subsequent experiment, the saccharin aversion induced by the four 100 mg kg α-MPT injection procedure was found to persist after telencephalic norepinephrine had returned to normal levels. Thus, α-MPT was found to be a highly effective drug for inducing a taste aversion at dose levels which did not produce obvious signs of toxicity.
Traffic classification and scheduling in ATM networks

Virtual paths (VPs) are an integral part of the resource management and control hierarchy of ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks. To improve the utilization of network resources and facilitate management and control, source types are organized into traffic classes. Each traffic class is transported by its own virtual path subnetwork. In this paper, we consider issues related to the design of traffic classes. We consider an ATM switch node to which cells arrive from a diverse set of source types. Traffic classes are assumed to be served according to a weighted round robin policy, while cells belonging to a given traffic class are served in first-come-first-served order. We consider the problem of determining the optimal set of traffic classes. Under suitable simplifying assumptions, it is shown that the above problem can be modeled as a set-partitioning problem. The structure of the problem at hand is then exploited to develop an efficient heuristic. Several examples are given to illustrate the developed methodology.
Abnormal exhaled ethane concentrations in scleroderma.

AbstractScleroderma (systemic sclerosis) is a chronic multisystem autoimmune disease in which oxidative stress is suspected to play a role in the pathophysiology. Therefore, it was postulated that patients with scleroderma would have abnormally high breath ethane concentrations, which is a volatile product of free-radical-mediated lipid peroxidation, compared with a group of controls. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean exhaled ethane concentration of 5.27 pmol ml–1 CO2 (SEM=0.76) in the scleroderma patients (n=36) versus the mean exhaled concentration of 2.72 pmol ml−1 CO2 (SEM=0.71) in a group of healthy controls (n=21). Within the scleroderma group, those subjects taking a calcium channel blocker had lower ethane concentrations compared with patients who were not taking these drugs (p=0.05). There was a significant inverse association between lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (per cent of predicted) and ethane concentration (b=−2.8, p=0.026, CI=−5.2 to −0.35). These d...
On the Joint Role of Subtropical Atmospheric Variability and Equatorial Subsurface Heat Content Anomalies in Initiating the Onset of ENSO Events

Abstract Previous research has shown that seasonal mean variations in both the subtropical/extratropical sea level pressures over the central North Pacific and the subsurface heat content anomalies in the western equatorial Pacific are significantly related to the state of the El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) 12–18 months later. Here we find that positive (negative) subsurface temperature anomalies in the western equatorial Pacific during boreal summer/fall, followed by negative (positive) anomalies in the sea level pressure fields over the subtropical central North Pacific during boreal winter, tend to result in positive (negative) mature ENSO events 12–15 months later (i.e., during the following boreal winter). When the intervening sea level pressure anomalies are of the same sign as the preceding heat-content anomalies, the correlation between the heat-content anomalies and the following boreal-winter ENSO state disappears. There is still some relation between the boreal-winter sea level pressure an...
Gap junctions and septate-like junctions between neurons of the opisthobranch mollusc Navanax inermis.

The buccal ganglia ofNavanax inermis were studied by thin section, lanthanum infiltration and freeze fracture. Freeze fracture clearly demonstrates small gap junctions between neuronal processes in the neuropil, many of which are known to be electrotonically coupled. Junctional particles cleave with the P-face. In thin section, gap junctions appeared as small blurred contacts, presumably because of the small size of the junctions. Lanthanum infiltration was poor and failed to aid in identifying gap junctions. However, it did reveal septate-like junctions whose septa were not osmiophilic. Corresponding E-face grooves and ridges were seen in freeze fracture, sometimes adjacent to gap junctions. The septate-like junctions have parallel membranes and may have been mistaken for gap junctions in several other thin section studies of invertebrate neurons.
Catecholamine Stimulation of Ion Transport in the Toad Urinary Bladder

We have observed that serosal catecholamines increase the amplitude of the short-circuit current (Isc) in the toad urinary bladder by as much as 450%. Chemical sympathectomy with 10(-6) M 6-hydroxydopamine and the sympathomimetic effects of 10(-5) M tyramine indicate a reservoir of amines in the serosal stroma of the tissue. The urinary epithelium from the toad responds to six adrenoceptor agonists: (-)-epinephrine, (-)-norepinephrine, (-)-phenylephrine, clonidine, methoxamine and oxymetazoline. The alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine is most potent for stimulating Isc. Some agonists were found to diminish Isc. Apparently this is related to a simultaneous increase in the transepithelial flux of both chloride and sodium. The Isc response to the catecholamines is also inhibited by several adrenoceptor antagonists. The alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine is more effective than the alpha 1-antagonist prazosin for blocking the stimulation of epithelial transport. As a result of these studies, we have tentatively classified the serosal adrenoceptor of the toad urinary bladder as alpha 2.
Series analysis methods in enumeration of chemical isomers

Methods of series analysis are used to interpret the results of a computer enumeration of chemical isomers. It is demonstrated how a typical asymptotic behavior that controls the number of isomers arises from singular points of the generating function. The approach is tested on the examples of the isomers of alkanes, alkenes, alkyl radicals and polyenes.
Presentation of the Howland Award to Helen Brooke Taussig

The primary purpose of the Howland Award is to honor the accomplishments of exceptional contributors to the well-being of children, but an equally important by-product is to identify models of desirable life styles. This is particularly true because pediatrics has the awesome responsibility for advising society on goals for successful parenthood. The Howland medalists, including the present one, have all exhibited a common characteristic that represents the ideal model for all child rearing—the enjoyment of socially useful achievement. I emphasize enjoyment and I emphasize achievement. There seem to be five necessary elements for success in such a pursuit. First, and possibly the most important, the wise choice of parents. Second, a cultural heritage of scholarship. Third, an inwardly directed style that comes from adequate self-confidence. Fourth, the opportunity for self-generated or externally imposed challenges. Fifth, appropriately applied direction and encouragement.
Size distribution of sea-salt emissions as a function of relative humidity

Abstract This note presents a straightforward method to correct sea-salt-emission particle-size distributions according to local relative humidity. The proposed method covers a wide range of relative humidity (0.45–0.99) and its derivation incorporates recent laboratory results on sea-salt properties. The formulas are given as functions of relative humidity and compared with growth factors derived from earlier theoretical work. Application of this method to several common open-ocean and surf-zone sea-salt-particle source functions is described. The resulting sea-salt-emission aerosol distributions can be used directly in atmospheric model simulations without further correction.
Age Differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Psychiatric Disorders, and Healthcare Service Use Among Veterans in Veterans Affairs Primary Care Clinics

Objective To expand our understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence, its psychiatric characteristics, and service use among elderly veterans in Veterans Affairs (VA) primary care clinics. Methods A cross-sectional, epidemiological design (N = 745) incorporating self-report measures, structured interviews, and chart reviews was used to obtain relevant information for analyses. Results The oldest group of veterans (≥65 years; N = 318) had lower prevalence of most psychiatric diagnoses than the youngest (18–44 years; N = 69) and middle-aged (45–64 years; N = 358) groups. Despite having higher rates of combat exposure, veterans in the oldest group (6.3%) had one-third the prevalence of PTSD than those in the middle-aged group (18.6%). A similar pattern was found across other psychiatric diagnoses. For example, those in the oldest group (7.5%) had one-third the prevalence of major depression as those in the two younger groups (21.7% and 22.9%). These differences were maintained after controlling for relevant demographic covariates (race, sex). Results from examination of VA health care service use across the three groups were consistent with the findings that the oldest veteran group is functioning significantly better across mental health domains. Conclusion Elderly veterans who use VA primary care services evidence lower rates of PTSD and other psychiatric disorders, and they use significantly less VA mental health services. They also do not appear to show evidence of worse physical health functioning or use VA health care services or disability benefits at a meaningfully higher rate than their younger counterparts.
Ag-Clad Au Nanoparticles: Novel Aggregation, Optical, and Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Properties

Ag-coated Au colloidal particles have been prepared by reduction of Ag+ in the presence of preformed Au colloids. The composition of the Au100-xAgx particles was varied from x = 0 to 80. SERS spectra of pyridine, p-nitroso-N,N‘-dimethylaniline (p-NDMA), and trans-1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (BPE) have been obtained with these colloids. At monolayer Ag coverages (x < 10), the optical spectra of Ag-coated Au particles are indistinguishable from uncoated Au particles. However, the SERS behavior of aggregated colloids with 647.1 nm excitation is extremely dependent upon the Ag:Au ratio. Very small amounts of Ag (x ≤ 5) lead to an increase in SERS intensity, but further increases lead to complete loss of signal. For p-NDMA and pyridine, these data can be explained by Ag inhibition of adsorbate-induced aggregation. The initial increase in SERS intensity results from production of smaller aggregates that exhibit a surface plasmon band in better alignment with the excitation wavelength; higher ratios of Ag elimina...
A method for the quantitation of tryptophan in Escherichia coli fermentation broth by isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

Abstract A rapid, isocratic method for the determination of tryptophan in Escherichia coli fermentation broths by reversed-phase HPLC is described. Tryptophan can be measured in fermentations containing either chemically defined media or media with hydrolyzed protein supplements. The procedure was rugged and rereproducible (RSD = 1.7%). The sample response was found to be linear up to 10 mcg of tryptophan/ml. Two different columns—Vydac C18 30 mm and “deactivated” SupelcoSil LC-18-DB—were compared and evaluated for use in the analysis. The deactivated columns had the residual silanols on the silica gel chemically inactivated to reduce the interaction with basic groups or analytes. The deactivated column was found to provide better peak shape (peak assymetry factor 40000/m) and durability (> 3000 injections per column) than the non-deactivated column. The procedure described was found to be more selective than a fluorometric procedure.
Putting Breast Health First: Establishing No-Cost Comprehensive Breast Care for the Indigent and Underinsured Requires a Well-Orchestrated Community Collaboration

Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center's unique CARE Network in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is used as a best-practice model to illustrate what can be achieved when breast cancer care facilities set aside politics and collaborate to put women's breast health needs first. How the CARE Network, working in partnership with other health care agencies, was established to meet a regional need and how it has maximized various funding sources to provide free mobile mammography and comprehensive breast cancer services to an uninsured and underinsured population is described. The essential services required to reach and treat this population to help lower the rate of breast cancer deaths in a state which has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in the country are delineated.
Retention and activity of BMP-2 in hyaluronic acid-based scaffolds in vitro.

Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) delivered in a suitable implantable matrix has the potential to repair local skeletal defects by inducing new bone formation from undifferentiated pluripotent stem cells resident in host tissue. In this study, we examined in vitro the potential of a derivatized hyaluronic acid (Hyaff-11) scaffold as a delivery vehicle for recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) in bone and cartilage repair therapies. Hyaff-11 scaffolds were fabricated using a phase inversion/particulate leaching method and soak-loaded with rhBMP-2. In vitro release kinetics of rhBMP-2, demonstrated using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assay revealed a slow, sustained rhBMP-2 release during 28 days, with a cumulative release of 31.82% of the initial rhBMP-2 loaded. rhBMP-2 was released in bioactive form as demonstrated by ALP induction of pluripotent cell line, C3H10T1/2 (T1/2), down the osteoblast lineage when incubated with the release supernatants. rhBMP-2 retention in Hyaff-11 scaffolds was greater than that from collagen gels, which released most of the initially loaded rhBMP-2 by 14 days. rhBMP-2-loaded Hyaff-11 scaffolds were also seeded with T1/2 cells and evaluated at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days for viability and expression of osteoblast phenotype. Cells remained viable throughout the study and expressed a time- and dose-dependent ALP and osteocalcin expression in the rhBMP-2 groups. Based on these observations, Hyaff-11 scaffolds may be suitable delivery systems for rhBMP-2 in bone/cartilage repair because of their ability to retain rhBMP-2, release low levels of bioactive rhBMP-2 to the local environment in a sustained manner, and stimulate differentiation of pluripotent stem cells.
Africanisms in American culture

Introduction, Joseph E. Holloway1. The Origins of African-American Culture, Joseph E. Holloway 2. "What Africa Has Given America": African Continuities in the North American Diaspora, Joseph E. Holloway 3. African Elements in African-American Culture, Molefi Kete Asante 4. Africanisms in African American Names in the United States, Joseph E. Holloway 5. The Case of Voodoo in New Orleans, Jessie Gaston Mulira 6. Gullah Attitudes toward Life and Death, Margaret Washington Creel 7. The Sacred World of the Gullahs, Joseph E. Holloway 8. African Religious Retentions in Florida, Robert L. Hall 9 Sacrificial Practices in Santeria, an African-Cuban Religion in the United States, George Brandon 10. Kongo influences on African American Artistic Culture, Robert Farris Thompson 11. Africanisms in African-American Music, Portia K. Maultsby 12. Africanisms and the Study of Folklore, Beverly J. Robinson 13. The African Heritage of White America, John Edward Philips 14. The African Character of African American Language: Insights from the Creole Connection, Selase W. Williams
Measurement and analysis of the temperature and pressure dependence of the 7F0→5D0 excitation spectra of Eu(III) complexes with 4-phenylethynyl-2,6-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid

Abstract The pressure and temperature dependence of the 5D0→7F0 transition of Eu(III) in complexes with 4-phenylethynyl-2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid has been measured at various metal to ligand ratios. The spectra have been fit to a sum of Lorentzian peaks, and the temperature dependence used to determine ΔH for the equilibrium reaction for formation of the tris complex from the bis complex. The pressure dependence of the 5D0→7F0 transitions corresponding to the bis and tris species is analyzed in order to determine the associated difference in volume, ΔV, between reactants and products.
Synthesis of Cysteine from Methionine in Normal Adult Subjects: Effect of Route of Alimentation

Parenteral alimentation solutions free of cysteine, probably an essential amino acid for premature infants, were administered continuously to eight healthy men through catheters in the superior vena cava and through nasogastric tubes. When the preparation was administered parenterally, the plasma cystine concentration dropped markedly. When feeding was switched to the oral route, the concentration rose immediately, but returned to baseline only when a cystine-containing diet was fed. These studies indicate that the synthesis of cysteine from methionine is limited, even in the adult subject, when cystine-free diets are administered parenterally.
A new class of attacks on time series data mining\m{1}

Traditional research on preserving privacy in data mining focuses on time-invariant privacy issues. With the emergence of time series data mining, traditional snapshot-based privacy issues need to be extended to be multi-dimensional with the addition of time dimension. We find current techniques to preserve privacy in data mining are not effective in preserving time-domain privacy. We present the data flow separation attack on privacy in time series data mining, which is based on blind source separation techniques from statistical signal processing. Our experiments with real data show that this attack is effective. By combining the data flow separation method and the frequency matching method, an attacker can identify data sources and compromise time-domain privacy. We propose possible countermeasures to the data flow separation attack in the paper.