cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Back to 1984: The Role of American Universities in Dismantling Liberal Democracy

This article discusses the psychological pressures of free society and the resulting tendency towards totalitarianism -- an ever-present cultural undercurrent in liberal democracies. Recessive in periods of optimism (created by economic growth, military victories, international prestige), this tendency may become dominant when national self-confidence vanes and especially dangerous when it takes hold of the cultural elites. The position occupied by the university system, these elites’ alma mater and major employer, is particularly important. A bastion against the totalitarian tendency during significant scientific breakthroughs which increase the authority of science (representing and requiring freedom of thought and expression as a necessary condition of intellectual creativity), it becomes its hothouse with the development of bureaucracy, when emphasis on creativity is inevitably replaced by the stress on competence. Today, it is argued here, all the conditions favoring totalitarian tendency combine to undermine liberal democratic society from within, with freedom of expression being the first target of attack.
Microcomputer Instrumentation and Control

The technological advances in all levels of digital computers, including those found in vehicular applications, have been and continue to be rapid. A detailed description of the present state of this technology is beyond the scope of this book. The goal of this chapter is to present models for the basic structure and operation of devices that are euphemistically termed “microcomputers.” The level of description is intended to provide a model for such devices that will assist in the explanation of their widespread vehicular electronic applications in later chapters. Each vehicular digital electronic system presented throughout the remainder of the book is illustrated by a block diagram in which the digital processing operation is represented by a “microcomputer” based subsystem.
Numbers, Programs, and ISETL

This chapter reflects, as does the entire book, our ideas on how people can learn Mathematics. The essential point is that by working to understand and use a programming language the student is, perforce, mentally active in constructing whatever concepts are required by the syntax of the language and the programs that are written in the language. When, as is the case with ISETL (interactive set language), the syntax is very close to standard mathematical language and, as in this book, the programs are carefully selected to correspond to mathematical concepts, this mental activity is automatically directed toward understanding ideas in Mathematics.
Characterization of low adsorption filter membranes for electrophoresis and electrokinetic sample manipulations in microfluidic paper-based analytical devices

The emergence of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) has renewed interest in paper as a substrate for chemical separations and analysis. The availability of engineered filter membrane materials effectively broadens the definition of “paper” as a substrate material, and presents the opportunity to utilize their engineered properties in chemical analyses. Here we evaluate a selection of low adsorption filter membrane materials for their efficacy in achieving zonal electrophoretic separations of amino acids within μPADs. Cellulose acetate (Whatman OE66), cellulose ester (MF-Millipore), and polyvinylidene fluoride (Durapore PVDF) substrates were evaluated for their performance in electrokinetic μPADs, including establishing microfabrication parameters, characterizing Joule heating, and establishing fluorescence detection limits. Heating-limited electric fields in the range of 230–350 V cm−1 were achieved, and fluorescence limits of detection of ca. 3 nM were observed in both green (fluorescein) and red (Nile blue) fluorescence channels for OE66 substrates. Electrophoretic separations of a three amino acid mixture were demonstrated in PVDF and OE66 μPADs, while relatively high rates of electroosmotic flow in MF-Millipore substrates enabled electrokinetic flow gating in this material. These studies demonstrate the efficacy of zonal electrophoresis in μPADs made from low adsorption substrates, and highlight design considerations for the development of similar μPAD systems.
DNA-Mediated Transformation of Phytopathogenic Fungi

All plants are vulnerable to attack by fungi. Plant diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi result in devastating damage to cultivated plants and forest trees world-wide (1,2). The some 8,000 known phytopathogenic fungal species are distributed in all major taxonomic groups of fungi and display diverse physiological behaviors and life styles ranging from obligate parasites to facultative species (3). Some major fungal pathogens and their notable features are listed in Table 1.
Design and Assembly of an Inexpensive, Automated Microbore Amino Acid Analyzer: Separation and Quantitation of Amino Acids in Physiological Fluids

An amino acid analyzer capable of separating and quantitating 0.5 to 20 n moles of each ninhydrin-positive compound in physiological fluids has been designed and assembled from commercially available components. The buffer sequence, column temperature change and sample application are controlled by an automatic programmer constructed from a series of timers. The liquid delivery portion of the instrument consists of a series of polystyrene and stainless steel chambers pressurized with argon and connected through valves and manifolds to conventional positive displacement pumps. The column is highly polished stainless steel tubing (0.21-cm ID) packed with 9-µ cation exchange resin. Micro colorimeters, equipped with appropriate interference filters and small-volume (2–8 µ1) flow cells, are used as detectors. The sample loader is a dual 20-port automatic valve containing 25-µl sample loops. Small-bore teflon tubing (32 AUG), interconnected with tubing adapters and connectors, is used for buffer lines and reaction coil (100° C); ninhydrin lines are 1/16-inch stainless steel tubing. Separation of 42 ninhydrin positive compounds, including column equilibration, is accomplished in 5 hours. Procedures for the extraction of amino acids from physiological fluids and tissues as well as the preliminary clean-up of these extracts are also described.
Climatic Impacts of Volcanic Eruptions

Abstract Large volcanic eruptions inject sulfur gases into the stratosphere. The resulting stratospheric sulfate aerosol clouds last for several months to a couple years. Volcanic clouds produce global cooling, and are the most important natural cause of climate change from decades to millennia. Regional responses include winter warming of Northern Hemisphere continents following major tropical eruptions and weakening of summer Asian and African monsoons following tropical and Northern Hemisphere high latitude eruptions. Volcanic clouds also produce stratospheric ozone depletion. The very large Toba eruption 74,000 years ago may have caused a human genetic bottleneck. Volcanic eruptions serve as an analog warning us of the dangers of anthropogenic stratospheric inputs from geoengineering or nuclear war.
Highly selective molybdenum-based catalysts for ring hydrogenation and contraction

Abstract The reduction and carburization of oxides of molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, and selected mixed oxides of the same elements in H2/hydrocarbon atmospheres were investigated with the goal of generating non-noble metal catalysts capable of aromatic ring hydrogenation and contraction. Toluene served as a surrogate for heavy aromatics and as a diagnostic reactant for the nature of the surface sites. At 400 °C, a H2:toluene molar ratio of 35:1, and a total pressure of 21 bar, all oxides except Nb2O5 were converted into active catalysts that produced methyl-cyclohexane, ethylcyclopentane, dimethylcyclopentane, benzene and xylene, and C1-C6 alkanes. Increasing hydrogenolysis selectivity with time on stream indicated slow carbide formation. At 350 °C, MoO3 was converted into a stable catalyst with about 35% and 55% carbon selectivity to methylcyclohexane and ring contraction products, respectively, and little C1-C6 formation. Selectivity was largely invariant to conversion. Post-reaction analysis of this material by powder diffraction indicated a mixture of MoO2 and a second phase characterized by cubic symmetry, which, while the sample contained a small amount of carbon, was best described as oxidic with a metal-to-oxygen ratio of roughly 1:2. Oxides containing two metal cations showed shorter induction periods and better long-term stability than MoO3, revealing further potential for optimization of this type of catalyst.
Abstract B42: Safer approaches to colorectal cancer chemoprevention

Colorectal cancer (CRC) protective effects of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors are well established; however, they are associated with gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding and enhanced cardiovascular risk. Mechanistic studies suggest that upregulation of 15-PGDH, sparing COX-1/2 and prostaglandin (PG)I2 synthase and/or selectively targeting mPGES-1 and 5-LOX, would reduce the cardiovascular side effects and may improve the chemopreventive efficacy. One unexplored area in colorectal cancer chemoprevention towards safer drug development is limited or no studies on targeting mPGES-1/5LOX. To design and develop selective inhibitors of dual mPGES-1/5-LOX, we used in silico small-molecular docking simulations approaches, and identified LFA-9 as a novel dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibitor among >35 analogs. Azoxymethane (AOM)-induced rat colonic tumors were utilized to assess pharmacodynamic inhibitory effects of LFA-9 on mPGES-1 and 5-LOX by Radio-HPLC. At low μM LFA-9 inhibited the mPGES-1 and 5-LOX activities by ~57% and ~68%, respectively. We tested five different doses (100-1,600 ppm) of LFA-9 by modified AIN-76A diet on male C57 mice and observed that 80% suppression of colonic polyps with >2 mm size. Importantly, mice fed with 350-ppm LFA9 showed colon tumor inhibition of 60% (male) and 90% (female). It is noteworthy that both male and female mice fed with 700-ppm LFA-9 showed 91% inhibition of colon tumors. Overall, the above results show that LFA-9 is a novel dual mPGES-1/5-LOX inhibitor, a safer agent and potential for prevention of CRC in high-risk patients. (Grant support: NCI N01-CN 25001-26 and 1R01CA213987-01.) Citation Format: Chinthalapally V. Rao, Altaf Mohammed, Naveena B. Janakiram. Safer approaches to colorectal cancer chemoprevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR International Conference held in cooperation with the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) on Translational Cancer Medicine; May 4-6, 2017; Sao Paulo, Brazil. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(1_Suppl):Abstract nr B42.
Chylothorax and Chylopericardium: A Complication of Long-Term Central Venous Catheter Use

The development of chylothorax and chylopericardium is an uncommon complication of the long-term use of central venous catheters. We describe a unique case of an end stage renal disease patient on hemodialysis with a left jugular tunneled catheter who developed superior vena cava syndrome. Our patient presented with both a large pleural and pericardial effusion that despite drainage continued to reaccumulate. Further imaging with CT scan of the thorax revealed stenosis of the superior vena cava leading to recurrent chylothorax and chylopericardium.
The Privileged Few: How Exclusionary Zoning Amplifies the Advantaged and Blocks New Housing—and What We Can Do About It:

“Rethinking Exclusionary Zoning” provocatively claims that the movement to eliminate exclusionary zoning is misguided, and will create a worse set of social, economic, and political conditions than...
Automated hematoma segmentation and outcome prediction for patients with traumatic brain injury.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. Automated brain hematoma segmentation and outcome prediction for patients with TBI can effectively facilitate patient management. In this study, we propose a novel Multi-view convolutional neural network with a mixed loss to segment total acute hematoma on head CT scans collected within 24 h after the injury. Based on the automated segmentation, the volumetric distribution and shape characteristics of the hematoma were extracted and combined with other clinical observations to predict 6-month mortality. The proposed hematoma segmentation network achieved an average Dice coefficient of 0.697 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.966 between the volumes estimated from the predicted hematoma segmentation and volumes of the annotated hematoma segmentation on the test set. Compared with other published methods, the proposed method has the most accurate segmentation performance and volume estimation. For 6-month mortality prediction, the model achieved an average area under the precision-recall curve (AUCPR) of 0.559 and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.853 using 10-fold cross-validation on a dataset consisting of 828 patients. The average AUCPR and AUC of the proposed model are respectively more than 10% and 5% higher than those of the widely used IMPACT model.
The Black and White of Invasive Mechanical Ventilation in Advanced Dementia.

Background/objectives Over the past decade, feeding tube use in nursing home residents with advanced dementia has declined by 50% among white and black patients. Little is known about whether a similar reduction has occurred in other invasive interventions, such as mechanical ventilation. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Acute-care hospitals in the United States. Participants Medicare beneficiaries with advanced dementia who previously resided in a nursing home and were hospitalized between 2001 and 2014 with pneumonia and/or septicemia and of either black or white race. Measurement Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), as identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD) procedure codes. Two multivariable logistic regression models examined the association between race and the likelihood of receiving IMV, adjusting for patients' demographics, physical function, and comorbidities. A hospital fixed-effects model examined the association of race within a hospital, whereas a random-effects logistic model was used to estimate the between-hospital variation in the probability of receiving IMV and examine the overall association of race and use of IMV. Results Between 2001 and 2014, 289,017 patients with advanced dementia were hospitalized for pneumonia or septicemia. Use of IMV increased from 3.7% to 12.1% in white patients and from 8.6% to 21.8% in blacks. Among those ventilated, 1-year mortality rates remained high, at 82.7% for whites and 84.2% for blacks dying in 2013. Compared with whites, blacks had a higher odds of receiving IMV in the fixed-effects (within-hospital) model (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.34; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.29-1.39) and in the random-effects (between-hospital) model (AOR = 1.46; 95% CI = 1.40-1.51). Conclusion IMV use in patients with advanced dementia has increased substantially, with black patients having a larger increase than whites, based, in part, on the hospitals where black patients receive care.
Optical implementation of inner-product neural associative memory

A liquid-crystal TV spatial light modulator (LCTV SLM) input device and LCTV nonlinear thresholding element are presently used to accomplish an all-optical implementation of an inner-product neural associative memory. This architecture represents an alternative to the vector-matrix multiplication method of the Hopfield model, which is most often employed by neural network associative memory models. LCTV SLM experimental results are presented and discussed.
A decentralized approach for discovering runtime software architectural models of distributed software systems

Abstract Context: Runtime software architectural models of self-adaptive systems are needed for making adaptation decisions in architecture-based self-adaptive systems. However, when these systems are distributed and highly dynamic, there is an added need to discover the system’s software architecture model at runtime. Current methods of runtime architecture discovery use a centralized approach, in which the process is carried out from a single location. These methods are inadequate for large distributed software systems because they do not scale up well and have a single point of failure. Objective and Method: This paper describes DeSARM (Decentralized Software Architecture discoveRy Mechanism), a completely decentralized and automated approach, based on gossiping and message tracing, for runtime discovery of software architecture models of distributed software systems. DeSARM is able to identify at runtime important architectural characteristics such as components and connectors, in addition to synchronous and asynchronous communication patterns. Furthermore, through its use of gossiping, DeSARM exhibits the properties of scalability, global consistency among participating nodes, and resiliency to failures. This paper demonstrates DeSARM’s properties and answers key research questions through experimentation with software architectures of varying sizes and complexities executing within a computer cluster. Results: DeSARM enables the decentralized discovery of runtime software architectural models of distributed software systems while exhibiting the properties of scalability, global consistency among participating nodes and resiliency to failures. Scalability is achieved through DeSARM’s ability to successfully discover software architectures of increasing sizes and complexities executing across node counts of increasing sizes. Global consistency among participating nodes is achieved by each node within the system discovering the complete software architecture independently but in coordination with each other. Finally, resiliency to failures is achieved by DeSARM successfully discovering the software architecture of the system in the presence of component failures.
Abstract 15555: Potential Cure for Hypertension? The Effect of Crispr Genome Editing

Hypertension is recognized as one of the largest contributors to the global burden of disease. Unfortunately, for the majority of patients, hypertension is poorly controlled due, in part, to poor m...
Adversarial Network Forensics in Software Defined Networking: Demo

The essential part of an SDN-based network are flow rules that enable network elements to steer and control the traffic and deploy policy enforcement points with a fine granularity at any entry-point in a network. Such applications, implemented with the usage of OpenFlow rules, are already integral components of widely used SDN controllers such as Floodlight or OpenDayLight. The implementation details of network policies are reflected in the composition of flow rules and leakage of such information provides adversaries with a significant attack advantage such as bypassing Access Control Lists (ACL), reconstructing the resource distribution of Load Balancers or revealing of Moving Target Defense techniques.In this demo [4, 5] we present our open-source scanner SDNMap and demonstrate the findings discussed in the paper "Adversarial Network Forensics in Software Defined Networking" [6]. On two real world examples, Floodlight's Access Control Lists (ACL) and Floodlight's Load Balancer (LBaaS), we show that severe security issues arise with the ability to reconstruct the details of OpenFlow rules on the data-plane.
Relationships Matter: The Protective Role of Teacher and Peer Support in Understanding School Climate for Victimized Youth

Victimization at school has been shown to affect a student’s perceptions of school climate, specifically in regard to how safe they feel at school and how fair they perceive their schools to be. The current study investigated the potentially protective role of supportive teachers and peers in reducing the negative influence of victimization on student perceptions of safety and equity with a diverse and predominantly low SES sample of 310 ninth-grade students across eight schools in the greater New York City area. Participants completed the Maryland Safe and Supportive Schools (MDS3) Survey to assess social support and perceived safety and equity at school and a measure of victimization adapted from the Survey on School Crime and Safety (SOSCS). Results indicated that social support from teachers and peers was an important protective resource and that when both sources of support were high, youth reported that their schools were safer and more equitable. There was evidence of a buffering effect; when social support from teachers and peers was high, there was no relationship between victimization and perceptions of safety. Teacher support was also protective when social support from peers was low. Results highlight the importance of positive and supportive relationships in promoting perceptions of school climate. Further, results suggest that social support can be especially protective for youth experiencing victimization.
Cortical sulci in the human fetal brain and development

Abstract Human cerebral cortex shows the dramatic areal expansion and folding during fetal life with the most prominent and dynamic genetic regulation. The position of early sulcal folds appears to be associated with cortical functional areas predetermined from genetic protomap, and specific patterns of sulcal folding have been hypothesized to relate to optimal organization and arrangement of the functional areas and their white matter connections. As primary sulcal folding pattern is prenatally determined and neurodevelopmental disabilities associated with abnormal pattern may have a prenatal origin, it is needed to develop and use in vivo fetal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis techniques to provide a predictive model of postnatal brain development and neurodevelopmental disability risk from early fetal life. Recent advances in fetal MRI analysis allow us to quantify and characterize normal and abnormal sulcal development and detect early-emerging subtle abnormalities in cortical sulcal pattern in several brain developmental disorders.
Scientists' Perspectives on Navigating the Science-Policy Frontier

The literature on the interface between science and policy suggests that the way scientists engage in the policy process influences the use of scientific knowledge in policy making. There is a lack of scholarly attention, however, to scientists themselves and how they conceptualize the interaction between science and policy. This study seeks to improve our understanding of how scientists conceptualize the science-policy interface and how they engage with this interface by studying a group of climate scientists. Based on an electronic survey and qualitative interviews we found that the scientists in our sample view policy engagement as an appropriate role for scientists. However, they exhibit low degrees of policy engagement over the past year. Cultural and capacity issues appear to limit their policy engagement, which has implications for future efforts to engage scientists in policy.
Efficiency comparison for microturbine power conditioning systems

The efficiency of two power conditioning systems (PCS) for a microturbine application is studied. One PCS composes of a passive rectifier, a boost converter and an inverter. The other composes of an active rectifier and an inverter. The Powerex device loss models are modeled in Saber. A 2-pole microturbine that generates high-frequency AC (400 Hz-900 Hz) is used as the input to the power conditioning systems. The results show that the topology with active rectifier has higher efficiency at heavy load. The methodology presented in this paper can be used for efficiency evaluation of other power conditioning systems.
Design and performance analysis of efficient Keccak tree hashing on GPU architectures

In an effort to provide security and data integrity, hashing algorithms have been designed to consume an input of any length to produce a fixed length output. KECCAK was selected by NIST to become the next Secure Hashing Algorithm (SHA-3) after nearly five years of competition. In addition to providing a sequential operating mode, there is also a tree mode that allows large input messages to be hashed in parallel. This work focuses on the exploration and analysis of the KECCAK tree hashing mode on a GPU platform. Based on the implementation, there are core features of the GPU that could be used to accelerate the time it takes to complete a hash due to the massively parallel architecture of the device. In addition to analyzing the speed of the algorithm, the underlying hardware is profiled to identify the bottlenecks that limited the hash speed. The results of this work show that tree hashing can hash data at rates of up to 3 GB/s for the fixed size tree mode. On a 3.40 GHz CPU, this is the equivalent of 1.03 cycles per byte, more than six times faster than a sequential implementation for a very large input. For the variable size tree mode, the throughput was 500 MB/s. Based on the performance analysis, modification of the input rate of the KECCAK sponge resulted in a negligible change to the overall speed. As a result of the hardware profiling, the register and L1 cache usage in the GPU was a major bottleneck to the overall throughput.
Mathematical Modeling of Interleukin-27 Induction of Anti-Tumor T Cells Response

Interleukin-12 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which promotes Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activities, such as Interferon- secretion. For this reason Interleukin-12 could be a powerful therapeutic agent for cancer treatment. However, Interleukin-12 is also excessively toxic. Interleukin-27 is an immunoregulatory cytokine from the Interleukin-12 family, but it is not as toxic as Interleukin-12. In recent years, Interleukin-27 has been considered as a potential anti-tumor agent. Recent experiments in vitro and in vivo have shown that cancer cells transfected with IL-27 activate CD8+ T cells to promote the secretion of anti-tumor cytokines Interleukin-10, although, at the same time, IL-27 inhibits the secretion of Interferon- by CD8+ T cells. In the present paper we develop a mathematical model based on these experimental results. The model involves a dynamic network which includes tumor cells, CD8+ T cells and cytokines Interleukin-27, Interleukin-10 and Interferon-. Simulations of the model show how Interleukin-27 promotes CD8+ T cells to secrete Interleukin-10 to inhibit tumor growth. On the other hand Interleukin-27 inhibits the secretion of Interferon- by CD8+ T cells which somewhat diminishes the inhibition of tumor growth. Our numerical results are in qualitative agreement with experimental data. We use the model to design protocols of IL-27 injections for the treatment of cancer and find that, for some special types of cancer, with a fixed total amount of drug, within a certain range, continuous injection has better efficacy than intermittent injections in reducing the tumor load while the treatment is ongoing, although the decrease in tumor load is only temporary.
Posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder.

A 29-year-old woman with cystic fibrosis presented with abdominal pain, which had worsened over 3 days, together with low-grade fever and chills. The pain, which radiated from the central to the lower abdomen, increased with movement and had been present since bilateral lung transplantation 4months earlier. She had occasional nausea and nonbilious vomiting. The medical history included laparotomy for postoperative small bowel obstruction, diabetes mellitus, and osteoporosis. Medications included metoclopramide, lactulose, prednisone, tacrolimus, azathioprine, valacyclovir, itraconazole, cotrimoxazole, alendronate, lansoprazole, pancreatic enzymes, insulin, calcium, folate, and a multivitamin. Examination was normal except for mild periumbilical tenderness. Laboratory tests revealed mild anemia and a slight nonanion gap acidosis. Two small duodenal ulcers were discovered at EGD. Biopsy specimens revealed mild duodenitis with superficial ulceration. At
Damping of a nanocantilever by paramagnetic spins

We compute damping of mechanical oscillations of a cantilever that contains flipping paramagnetic spins. This kind of damping is mandated by the dynamics of the total angular momentum, $\text{spin}+\text{mechanical}$, and it does not require an external magnetic field. Rigorous expression for the damping rate is derived in terms of the imaginary part of the magnetic susceptibility. The effect of spins on the quality factor of the cantilever can be significant in cantilevers of small length that have large concentration of paramagnetic spins of atomic and/or nuclear origin.
Ontogeny of immunoreactive gonadotropin-releasing hormone neuronal systems in amphibians

Abstract The ontogeny of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) systems was investigated in 3 anuran amphibians (genus Rana ) by means of immunocytochemical (ICC) techniques and antibodies generated against 3 different forms of GnRH. Antisera that recognize primarily chicken II and mammalian GnRHs revealed two anatomically and developmentally distinct GnRH systems. One system, referred to here as the forebrain-spinal cord system, contained GnRH immunoreactive (ir) fibers extending from the rostral diencephalon through the ventromedial brainstem to the spinal cord. Intensity of labeling was robust in the youngest, premetamorphic tadpoles, but decreased with age. GnRH immunolabeling in the hypothalamic-pituitary tract was not detected until late prometamorphosis and increased with age. Development of GnRHir in the hypothalamic-pituitary tract coincided with first appearance of GnRHir in the terminal nerve in R. catesbeiana , but not in R. cascadae or R. aurora , suggesting species differences. Comparisons of results obtained with antisera to different forms of GnRH support the interpretation that the forebrain-spinal cord system, hitherto undescribed in amphibians, develops first and synthesizes a non-mammalian, chicken II-like GnRH, and that the hypothalamic-pituitary system develops later and synthesizes primarily mammalian GnRH. We speculate that the forebrain-spinal cord system may represent a GnRH innervation of frog sympathetic ganglia, and that the two GnRH systems are chemically and embryonically distinct.
Air quality simulation models from EPA

Abstract Air Quality Simulation Models have been made available using the UNAMAP system. UNAMAP consists of FORTRAN source codes, test data and resulting print files on 9-track magnetic tape plus user's guides from NTIS. It is also available on EPA's IBM 3090 as executible codes and source codes. An assessment has been made of UNAMAP with recommendations to bring the system up-to-date regarding the state-of-the-art of technology transfer. An electronic Bulletin Board Service has been supporting UNAMAP since July 1987. FORTRAN mainframe source codes will soon be available on floppy diskettes from NTIS.
UV-visible spectroscopic study of the reaction kinetics of methylpiperazine-modified poly(vinyl chloride)s for use as fixed-state proton carrier membranes

Abstract Aminated poly(vinyl chloride)s (AmPVCs) were synthesized for use as fixed-site proton carrier membranes. Reactions between PVC and methylpiperazine (MePIP) in dimethylformamide (DMF) were studied using UV-VIS spectroscopy over time, temperature, and in the presence of the catalyst, potassium fluoride (KF). Based on the spectra of AmPVCs in THF, the peak attributions were assigned and the extinction coefficients were calculated to determine the vinyl MePIP groups and polyenes with different number of conjugated double bonds (n). The rate constants for the accumulation of vinyl MePIP groups (kN), polyenes with 2≤n≤7 (kn), and total conjugated double bonds (kD) were calculated at 90°C. The kN constant was only about one half as much as kD, and kn>kn+1 (for 2≤n≤7). Assuming an Arrhenius relationship, the activation energies (ΔE) were calculated for the formation of the vinyl MePIP groups and polyenes with 2≤n≤13 over different temperature ranges and in the presence or absence of KF. The first double bond formation was always favoured over the substitution reaction at any temperature and were independent of the presence of KF. As for the propagation of double bonds, short chains grew easier than long chains; but after a certain n, they grew with the same energy barrier. When the EMF-pH responses of AmPVC membranes were studied, no clear dependence was observed between the Nernstian responses of the membranes and the amount of conjugated double bonds (D) or the D/RN, where RN was the amount of vinyl MePIP groups. Nernstian responses were obtained for membranes made from AmPVCs with 0.003≤RN≤0.04 and 0.6≤D/RN≤1.7.
Is Fluid Therapy Associated With Cerebral Edema in Children With Diabetic Ketoacidosis

Study objective Diabetic ketoacidosis is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in children with type I diabetes mellitus, and cerebral edema is the leading cause of pediatric diabetic ketoacidosis death. Excessive intravenous fluid administration has been implicated as a cause of cerebral edema. We perform an evidence-based emergency medicine review assessing the association of intravenous fluid hydration and cerebral edema. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for comparative studies. Because of the low incidence of cerebral edema, we included observational studies in our review. We sought studies including patients younger than 18 years and with diabetic ketoacidosis. We defined cerebral edema, using clinical, radiographic, pathologic criteria, or treatment for intracranial pressure. Results Three studies met criteria for this review, of which 2 used fluid volume/body weight per unit of time, and the third measured cumulative total volume during hourly periods. The first 2 studies showed no statistically significant association between intravenous fluid administration and cerebral edema. The third study showed a significant association (odds ratio 6.55; 95% confidence interval 1.38 to 30.97) between the total volume (uncorrected for body weight) of infused fluid and the risk of cerebral edema. Conclusion Accepting the inherent limitations of observational studies, we found a lack of strong or consistent results implicating rate or volume of fluid administration as a precipitant cause of cerebral edema in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis.
Clearance of anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies: the natural immune complex clearance mechanism

Objective. To develop an in vitro model for investigating the mechanism by which autoantibodies in immune complexes (ICs) that are bound to primate erythrocytes via antigen-based heteropolymers (AHPs) are cleared from the circulation and localized to the liver. Methods. IgG anti‐double-stranded DNA (antidsDNA) antibodies in ICs with dsDNA were bound to human erythrocytes via complement receptor 1 (CR1) either by opsonization with normal human serum as a complement source or through the use of an AHP, which consists of an anti-CR1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) that is chemically crosslinked with dsDNA. We performed parallel investigations of the mechanism of transfer of both types of erythrocyte-bound ICs to a monocytic cell line (U937). Erythrocytes with CR1bound ICs were incubated with U937 cells under a variety of conditions, and subsequently, the levels of IgG anti-dsDNA, CR1, AHP, or C3b on both erythrocytes and U937 cells were measured by flow cytometry with appropriate fluorescently labeled probes. Results. In the presence of U937 cells, both the AHP‐anti-dsDNA and C3b-opsonized ICs were rapidly removed from the erythrocytes; at 37°C, more than half of the complexes were removed in 2 minutes. Monomeric mouse IgG2a mAb blocked the transfer of both types of complexes by 75%, suggesting that Fcg receptor type I (FcgRI) is the main phagocyte receptor responsible for the removal of ICs from erythrocytes. Levels of CR1 on the erythrocyte surface were reduced during transfer of the AHP‐anti-dsDNA ICs, suggesting that transfer involves a concomitant removal of CR1, presumably by proteolysis. Conclusion. Transfer of AHP‐anti-dsDNA ICs from erythrocyte CR1 to model phagocytes occurs by a mechanism that is similar to the natural mechanism of IC clearance, involving recognition by FcgRI and removal of erythrocyte CR1 as key steps.
Protoparmelia capitata sp. nov., and P. isidiata Diederich, Aptroot & Sérus., two species of Protoparmelia (Lecanorales, Ascomycota) from south-eastern North America

Protoparmelia capitata Lendemer, a sorediate species, is described as new to science. It is characterized by having large hemispherical soralia. Protoparmelia isidiata Diederich, Aptroot & Serus., an isidiate species, is reported for the first time from North America. Both taxa produce alectoronic acid, and are shown to be widespread in sub-tropical portions of south-eastern North America. The placement of these two taxa in Protoparmelia is supported by a phylogenetic study of mitochondrial SSU rDNA sequences.
Absence of the glucose effect on the frequency of lysogenization in Salmonella typhimurium.

WHEN a sensitive bacterial cell is exposed to a temperate bacteriophage it may undergo lysis, become lysogenized, or remain uninfected. The relative frequency with which these responses occur depends on the genetic structure of the phage and the conditions of the infection. The outcome may be influenced by temperature1, multiplicity of infection2, and the addition of various chemicals3,4. In a recent paper5, it was reported that glucose added to a nutrient agar medium affected a 100 per cent lysogenic response with Salmonella typhimurium strain LT2 (C + dg s)6 and phage PLT22, while a glucose diauxie-resistant variant of this strain (C + dgr −1)6 was found to be immune to this apparent glucose effect. These conclusions were based on observations of ‘turbid’ or ‘less turbid’ plaques as the criteria for lysogenization or lysis, respectively, of the initially infected cell. Recent attempts to duplicate these experiments were not successful, nor could any glucose effect on the frequency of lysogenization be detected using a more direct and reliable method developed by Luria and Fraser (ref. 4). (We wish to thank E. Bertani for details of the method and the indicator strain.)
Inhibition of Blood-brain Barrier (BBB) P-glycoprotein (PGP) Function by Ceftriaxone does not Alter the Regional Distribution of Bilirubin (B) Entry into Rat Brain † 1019

Inhibition of Blood-brain Barrier (BBB) P-glycoprotein (PGP) Function by Ceftriaxone does not Alter the Regional Distribution of Bilirubin (B) Entry into Rat Brain † 1019
Near-IR imaging of Erbium Laser Ablation with a Water Spray.

Near-IR (NIR) imaging can be used to view the formation of ablation craters during laser ablation since the enamel of the tooth is almost completely transparent near 1310-nm1. Laser ablation craters can be monitored under varying irradiation conditions to assess peripheral thermal and transient-stress induced damage, measure the rate and efficiency of ablation and provide insight into the ablation mechanism. There are fundamental differences in the mechanism of enamel ablation using erbium lasers versus carbon dioxide laser systems due to the nature of the primary absorber and it is necessary to have water present on the tooth surface for efficient ablation at erbium laser wavelengths. In this study, sound human tooth sections of approximately 2-3-mm thickness were irradiated by free running and Q-switched Er:YAG & Er:YSGG lasers under varying conditions with and without a water spray. The incision area in the interior of each sample was imaged using a tungsten-halogen lamp with a band-pass filter centered at 1310-nm combined with an InGaAs area camera with a NIR zoom microscope. Obvious differences in the crater evolution were observed between CO2 and erbium lasers. Ablation stalled after a few laser pulses without a water spray as anticipated. Efficient ablation was re-initiated by resuming the water spray. Micro-fractures were continuously produced apparently driven along prism lines during multi-pulse ablation. These fractures or fissures appeared to merge together as the crater evolved to form the leading edge of the ablation crater. These observations support the proposed thermo-mechanical mechanisms of erbium laser involving the strong mechanical forces generated by selective absorption by water.
Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Regarding Environmental Health Hazards:

This article analyzes 1,609 responses to a Massachusetts survey on physicians' knowledge and practice in the detection and treatment of environmentally induced illness. One would assume that practicing in a Superfund site area would heighten awareness among physicians. Yet physicians who practice in communities with Superfund sites are no more knowledgeable about environmental health hazards than those who practice in communities without Superfund sites. Physicians specializing in occupational/preventive medicine are the most knowledgeable about environmental health hazards, whereas obstetrician/gynecologists are the least knowledgeable. Self-rated knowledge of environmental health hazards was found to be strongly related to knowledge about the Right-to-Know law and also to the likelihood of asking questions about workplace and nonworkplace environmental exposures. Physicians who perceive that nonworkplace environmental hazards are very important are more knowledgeable about medical interviewing, diagnost...
Aminosäurezusammensetzung und N-endständige Aminosäuren der nach Hess abgetrennten Mehlproteine

1. Die Aminosaurezusammensetzung von Zwickelprotein, Haftprotein-Starke, abgelostem Haftprotein aus Weizen und Hafer Bowie von Weizenkleber und -gliadin ist ermittelt worden. Neben Unterschieden im Gehalt an Glutaminsaure und Prolin wurden solche im Gehalt an basischen Aminosauren (Lysin und Arginin) ermittelt, der im Haftprotein-Starke-Ruckstand deutlich hoher war als im Zwickelprotein. Die nachHess abgetrennten und morphologisch definierten Proteine sind also auch chemisch als nicht identisch anzusehen. 2. Als N-endstandige Aminosauren wurden nach der Methode nachSanger dunnschichtchromatographisch Glu, Ser, His, Gly, Ala, Phen, Val, Leu und — wenn auch schwach — Thr gefunden, und zwar in allen untersuchten Proteinfraktionen des Weizen-, Roggen-, Hafer- und Erbsenmehles. 3. Die Dunnschichtchromatographie der nachSanger erhaltenen DNP-Aminosauren wurde zu einer quantitativen Arbeitsweise entwickelt; dabei wurden quantitative Unterschiede im Gehalt an N-endstandigen Aminosauren der untersuchten Proteinfraktionen festgestellt. Haftprotein enthielt einen hoheren molaren und prozentualen Anteil an N-endstandigen Aminosauren als Zwickelprotein.
Education and Outreach for the International Polar Year

If the 65 educators, scientists, and media specialists who gathered at the “Bridging the Poles” workshop in Washington, D.C. last June have their way a semitrailer truck labeled “Got Snow?” would traverse the country during the International Polar Year (IPY) of 2007–2009 loaded with polar gear, interactive activities, and a snowmaker. We would significantly increase the number of Arctic residents—especially indigenous Alaskans—with Ph.D.s. We would build exchange programs between inner city youths and polar residents. Polar exhibitions would open at natural history and art museums and zoos. And polar postage stamps, interactive polar computer games, national polar book-of-the-month recommendations, made-for-TV polar documentaries, and a polar youth forum would bring the poles front and center to the public's attention.
Fluorescence quenching immunoassay performed in an ionic liquid

We describe the first example of immunoanalysis performed within an ionic liquid with minimal deleterious effect; our results bode well for the development of second-generation biosensors, particularly in applications involving poorly water soluble analytes including pesticides, phospholipids, and illicit drugs.
Molecular Mechanisms Mediating a Deficit in Recall of Fear Extinction in Adult Mice Exposed to Cocaine In Utero

Prenatal cocaine exposure has been shown to alter cognitive processes of exposed individuals, presumed to be a result of long-lasting molecular alterations in the brain. In adult prenatal cocaine exposed (PCOC) mice we have identified a deficit in recall of fear extinction, a behavior that is dependent on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus. While we observed no change in the constitutive expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein and mRNA in the mPFC and hippocampus of adult PCOC mice, we observed blunted BDNF signaling in the mPFC of adult PCOC mice after fear extinction compared to the control animals. Specifically, during the consolidation phase of the extinction memory, we observed a decrease in BDNF protein and it’s phospho-TrkB receptor expression. Interestingly, at this same time point there was a significant increase in total Bdnf mRNA levels in the mPFC of PCOC mice as compared with controls. In the Bdnf gene, we identified decreased constitutive binding of the transcription factors, MeCP2 and P-CREB at the promoters of Bdnf exons I and IV in the mPFC of PCOC mice, that unlike control mice remained unchanged when measured during the behavior. Finally, bilateral infusion of recombinant BDNF protein into the infralimbic subdivision of the mPFC during the consolidation phase of the extinction memory rescued the behavioral deficit in PCOC mice. In conclusion, these findings extend our knowledge of the neurobiologic impact of prenatal cocaine exposure on the mPFC of mice, which may lead to improved clinical recognition and treatment of exposed individuals.
Cholestyramine therapy in patients with a paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts

Five patients with a paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts are described. Cholestyramine, an anion exchange resin, relieved their pruritus as anticipated. In two patients, liver function and physical growth improved when the concentrations of serum bile acids were decreased to normal values. From these observations it appears that bile acids may exert a deleterious effect on hepatic metabolism.
The sequoia-loving sprite, a new genus and species of fungus gnat (Diptera, Mycetophilidae) from California

California is one of the most biologically diverse regions of the world, yet the diversity of fungus gnats (Mycetophilidae) remains largely undocumented within the state. A modest survey of these flies has led to the discovery of a new genus and species of gnat that lives alongside one of the most iconic trees in the world, the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). Spritella sequoiaphila gen. et sp. n. is described and illustrated and its status among other mycetophilid genera is analyzed and discussed.
Serologic and clinical response of children with sickle cell disease to bivalent influenza A split virus vaccine.

INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY to severe bacterial infections is well documented in sickle cell disease? Although there is little evidence that non-bacterial infections pose similar problems, viral diseases such as influenza can predispose to infection with bacteria, particularly Streptococcuspneumoniae, which may be a major cause of death in children with SCD. 2' 3 In addition, viral infections may trigger a sickle cell crisis, necessitating hospitalization. 4 Prevention of viral diseases is therefore desirable. The availability of bivalent influenza vaccine (A/New Jersey/ 76-A/Victoria/75) during the latter half of 1976 provided an opportunity to evaluate the clinical response of young SCD patients to immunization.