cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bubble materials characterization using spatial filtering

Abstract A technique for bubble materials characterization is described which utilizes spatial filtering. This method of characterization is amenable to automation and the resolution actually improves as the bubble diameter is decreased from 4μm to 1μm. The technique of spatial filtering is then applied to the problem of magnetic defect detection to produce instant defect maps of large areas.
Glycoalkaloid Development during Greening of Fresh Market Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)

Chlorophyll and glycoalkaloid synthesis in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tubers occur in direct response to light. The two processes are concurrent, but independent. Color photographic indices to subjectively grade fresh market potatoes for the extent of greening were developed under lighting conditions consistent with those of retail markets. Total glycoalkaloid (TGA) and chlorophyll accumulation for four cultivars were determined over the respective greening scales, thus calibrating the scales for TGA content. On average, TGA concentrations in complete longitudinal sections of tubers (flesh samples) were highest in Dark Red Norland followed by Russet Norkotah, Yukon Gold, and White Rose. TGA concentrations of flesh samples of White Rose and Yukon Gold tubers were somewhat variable and did not increase in direct proportion to greening level and chlorophyll content, particularly at higher levels of greening. TGA concentrations in Dark Red Norland and Russet Norkotah tubers were highly correlated (P < or = 0.001) with greening level and chlorophyll concentrations. When averaged over greening levels, skin samples contained 3.4- to 6.8-fold higher concentrations of TGAs than flesh samples, depending on the cultivar. The TGA concentration in periderm samples ranged from 37 to 160 mg/100 g of dry wt. Regardless of greening level, concentrations of TGAs in the flesh samples (including attached periderm) remained within limits presumed safe for human consumption. Discrimination of greened tubers on the basis of perceived glycoalkaloid toxicity is likely unfounded for the cultivars and greening levels studied.
Influencing web-browsing behavior with intriguing and informative hyperlink wording

Textual hyperlinks are important mainstays of the navigation systems of websites. The study presented here examines how the wording of hyperlinks in a navigation menu and embedded within the body text of a web page can influence users' browsing behavior, perceptions, and comprehension. Five experimental conditions were tested that varied hyper-link wording (generic, intriguing, and informative) in a navigation menu and in embedded links. Significant differences were found between the experimental conditions concerning number of links clicked, number of pages viewed, and inferential comprehension, with higher scores for study participants in conditions that had a navigation menu with generic hyperlink wording and embedded hyperlinks with intriguing or informative wording.
Effects of Noise Burst Rise Time and Level on the Human Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response

An experiment was conducted to examine the effects of noise burst rise time and level on the human BAER. Noise burst levels included 15, 30, 45 and 60 dB nHL, with linear rise times of 0, 0.5, 1.25 and 2.5 ms. With increasing noise burst level, there is a decrease in wave V latency and an increase in peak amplitude. With increasing noise burst rise time, there is an increase in wave V latency and a decrease in wave V amplitude. The slope of the latency/intensity function increases with increasing rise time. The slope of the latency/rise time function increases with decreasing noise burst level. The change in wave V latency associated with changing rise time is less than the change in rise time for all experimental conditions.
Energetics of the Sequence-specific Binding of Single-stranded DNA by the F Factor Relaxase Domain *

Abstract Transfer of conjugative plasmids between bacteria requires the activity of relaxases or mobilization proteins. These proteins nick the plasmid in a site- and strand-specific manner prior to transfer of the cut strand from donor to recipient. TraI36, the relaxase domain of TraI from plasmid F factor, binds a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) oligonucleotide containing an F factor sequence with high affinity and sequence specificity. To better understand the energetics of this interaction, we examined the temperature, salt, and pH dependence of TraI36 recognition. Binding is entropically driven below 25 °C and enthalpically driven at higher temperatures. van't Hoff analysis yields an estimated of binding (–3300 cal mol–1 K–1) that is larger and more negative than that observed for most double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)-binding proteins. Based on analyses of circular dichroism data and the crystal structure of the unliganded protein, we attribute the to both burial of hydrophobic surface area and coupled folding and binding of the protein. The salt dependence of the binding indicates that several ssDNA phosphates are buried in the complex, and the pH dependence of the binding suggests that some of these ssDNA phosphates form ionic interactions with basic residues of the protein. Although data are available for relatively few sequence-specific ssDNA-binding proteins, sufficient differences exist between TraI36 and other proteins to indicate that, like dsDNA-binding proteins, ssDNA-binding proteins use different motifs and combinations of forces to achieve specific recognition.
The Polonium brief: a hidden history of cancer, radiation, and the tobacco industry.

ABSTRACT The first scientific paper on polonium‐210 in tobacco was published in 1964, and in the following decades there would be more research linking radioisotopes in cigarettes with lung cancer in smokers. While external scientists worked to determine whether polonium could be a cause of lung cancer, industry scientists silently pursued similar work with the goal of protecting business interests should the polonium problem ever become public. Despite forty years of research suggesting that polonium is a leading carcinogen in tobacco, the manufacturers have not made a definitive move to reduce the concentration of radioactive isotopes in cigarettes. The polonium story therefore presents yet another chapter in the long tradition of industry use of science and scientific authority in an effort to thwart disease prevention. The impressive extent to which tobacco manufacturers understood the hazards of polonium and the high executive level at which the problem and potential solutions were discussed within t...
Cholesterol and Kir channels

To date, most of the major types of Kir channels, Kir2s, Kir3s, Kir4s, and Kir6s, have been found to partition into cholesterol-rich membrane domains and/or to be regulated by changes in the level of membrane cholesterol. Surprisingly, however, in spite of the structural similarities between different Kirs, effects of cholesterol on different types of Kir channels vary from cholesterol-induced decrease in the current density (Kir2 channels) to the loss of channel activity by cholesterol depletion (Kir4 channels) and loss of channel coupling by different mediators (Kir3 and Kir6 channels). Recently, we have gained initial insights into the mechanisms responsible for cholesterol-induced suppression Kir2 channels, but mechanisms underlying cholesterol sensitivity of other Kir channels are mostly unknown. The goal of this review is to present a summary of the current knowledge of the distinct effects of cholesterol on different types of Kir channels in vitro and in vivo. © 2009 IUBMB IUBMB Life 61(8): 781–790, 2009
THE ROLE OF ANAEROBIC ABILITY IN MIDDLE DISTANCE RUNNING PERFORMANCE

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between anaerobic ability and middle distance running performance. Ten runners of similar performance capacities (5 km times: 16.72, SE 0.2 min) were examined during 4 weeks of controlled training. The runners performed a battery of tests each week [maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max), vertical jump, and Margaria power run] and raced 5 km three times (weeks 1, 2, 4) on an indoor 200-m track (all subjects competing). Regression analysis revealed that the combination of time to exhaustion (TTE) during the VO2max test (r2 = 0.63) and measures from the Margaria power test (W.kg-1, r2 = 0.18; W, r2 = 0.05) accounted for 86% of the total variance in race times (P less than 0.05). Regression analysis demonstrated that TTE was influenced by both anaerobic ability [vertical jump, power (W.kg-1) and aerobic capacity (VO2max, ml.kg-1.min-1)]. These results indicate that the anaerobic systems influence middle distance performance in runners of similar abilities.
Unusual bone dysplasia featuring severe platyspondyly and vertebral "coronal cleft" in infancy, and changes of metaphyseal chondrodysplasia in childhood.

This is the report of a boy who presented at birth with severe generalized platyspondyly, a vertebral “coronal cleft”, and an abnormal configuration of the pelvis with short and broad iliac and ischial bones and horizontal acetabular roofs. The rest of the skeleton was normal. In the ensuing years the vertebral bodies and pelvis assumed a near normal configuration, but the patient developed changes of metaphyseal chondrodysplasia in the long bones of the lower limbs with progressive shortness of stature.
Extremely Frequent Behavior in Consumer Research: Theory and Empirical Evidence for Chronic Casino Gambling

The present study informs understanding of customer segmentation strategies by extending Twedt’s heavy-half propositions to include a segment of users that represent less than 2% of all households—consumers demonstrating extremely frequent behavior (EFB). Extremely frequent behavior (EFB) theory provides testable propositions relating to the observation that few (2%) consumers in many product and service categories constitute more than 25% of the frequency of product or service use. Using casino gambling as an example for testing EFB theory, an analysis of national survey data shows that extremely frequent casino gamblers do exist and that less than 2% of all casino gamblers are responsible for nearly 25% of all casino gambling usage. Approximately 14% of extremely frequent casino users have very low-household income, suggesting somewhat paradoxical consumption patterns (where do very low-income users find the money to gamble so frequently?). Understanding the differences light, heavy, and extreme users and non-users can help marketers and policymakers identify and exploit “blue ocean” opportunities (Kim and Mauborgne, Blue ocean strategy, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, 2005), for example, creating effective strategies to convert extreme users into non-users or non-users into new users.
The guardian of the genome

The discovery of the tumor suppressor protein known as p53, and the process of unearthing its functions came about as a result the efforts of thousands of scientists around the globe. In p53: The Gene that Cracked the Cancer Code , science writer Sue Armstrong takes a fresh look at the exciting breakthroughs and disappointing setbacks that characterized this endeavor. The result, according to reviewers Anna Mandinova and Sam W. Lee, is a brilliant narrative that captures the enthusiasm and excitement of scientific discovery, as well as the daily struggles and challenges faced by cancer researchers.
Acceleration plane method for analysis of a circuit with nonlinear inductance and nonlinear capacitance

This paper analyses the transient behavior of a circuit with nonlinear resistance, inductance, and capacitance by the acceleration plane method developed recently by the author.1 The method as extended here is able to solve a nonlinear differential equation of the following type: ?(x)x + f(x, x) + f1(x) = F(t). Five examples are given, with F(t) equal to a constant or a time function. Either ?(x), f1(x, x), or f1(x) may be gven as a graph plotted from experimental data. The forcing function F(t) may be a sine wave or any time function. The method owes its simplicity to a close relation with physical boundary conditions. In one example, the phenomenon of ferroresonance is obtained. Also the possibility of applying the same method to a circuit with R(t), L(t), and C(t) is indicated.
Against all advice: An analysis of out-of-hospital refusals of care

Abstract Study objective We examine the characteristics of patients involved in out-of-hospital emergency medical services (EMS) incidents that result in refusal of care and determine the rates of subsequent EMS, emergency department (ED), and inpatient care, as well as death within 7 days. Methods Utah statewide EMS data identifying refusals of care were probabilistically linked to Utah statewide ED, inpatient, and death certificate data within 7 days of the initial EMS refusals for 1996 to 1998. Refusals were defined as incidents in which field treatment or transport was refused and did not include incidents in which EMS providers deemed care or transport unnecessary. Results Of 277,244 EMS incidents, 14,109 (5.1%) resulted in refusals of care. For all age groups, motor vehicle crash dispatches resulted in the highest rate of refusal of care, ranging from 8.0% to 11.7%. Slightly more than 3% of patients involved in a refusal of care incident had a subsequent EMS dispatch within a week. One fifth of the patients involved in EMS refusals of care had a subsequent ED visit. Less than 2% of the EMS refusal patients were hospitalized; hospitalization was highest among children younger than 3 years and adults older than 64 years. Twenty-five adults died within a week of refusing EMS care, of whom 19 (76.0%) were older than 64 years. Conclusion Refusal of care incidents are a small segment of all EMS incidents. They arise from a variety of situations, and the risk for missed intervention may be minimal.
Exploring the Concept of Perceived Female Sexual Empowerment: Development and Validation of the Sex is Power Scale

This paper presents three studies designed to develop and validate a scale measuring the extent to which women believe that both they and other women generally gain power through their sexuality. The first two studies used exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to derive and confirm the factor structure of the Sex is Power Scale (SIPS). The SIPS is comprised of two subscales, one assessing one’s own feeling that sex can bring power and one assessing the belief that women in general use sex to gain power. In Study 3, convergent and discriminant validity were assessed. Correlations indicated that the SIPS subscales are distinct from conceptually related measures. Ways in which this scale could be useful to researchers are discussed.
Model consideration of the bombardment event of the asteroidal belt by the planetesimals scattered from the Jupiter zone

The temporal evolutions of the planetesimals scattered from the Jupiter zone for different masses of the proto-Jupiter (2 = 0.1 and b = 1.0 of the present mass) are investigated. Due to the combined effects of the orbital evolution of the planetesimals and the elimination of these projectiles either via impact capture or injection into escape velocity by the outer planets, the whole scattering process lasts about 100 million yr for case (a) and about 10 million yr for case (b). The longer time scale may be a good estimate for the accretion time interval of Jupiter while the shorter one gives the upper time limit of the late heavy-bombardment epoch of the terrestrial planets due to planetesimals scattered from the Jupiter zone. Consideration of the collisional interaction of these projectiles with the asteroids indicates that the corresponding bombardment effect could be rather appreciable. From this point of view, the structure of the asteroidal belt could be affected significantly not only by Jupiter's gravitational perturbation effect but also by its early scattering process.
Performance characteristics of beta-2-microglobulin measurements on a Beckman Immage analyzer with the DakoCytomation reagent kit

Abstract Objective Evaluation of serum beta-2-microglobulin (β2M) in an automated analyzer. Design and methods The DakoCytomation β2M kit is an antibody based reagent intended for quantitative determination of β2M in serum and plasma by rate nephelometry. Results The limit of blank is 0.16 mg/L. The method is linear up to 17.9 mg/L. The imprecision ranged from 2.1% to 7.9% at the concentrations of 1.77 and 7.19 mg/L, respectively. Method comparison yielded slope = 1.009, r = 0.998. No interference was observed from hemolytic or icteric specimens. Reference interval of a healthy population was 1.13 mg/L to 3.04 mg/L. Conclusion The DakoCytomation reagent is acceptable to measure serum β2M.
Solutions of pure equations in rational division algebras, II☆

Let α be a rational number and m a positive integer. In this paper it is determined which of the pure equations xm + α = 0 have a solution in a finite-dimensional division algebra with center the rational field Q. Necessary and sufficient conditions on m and α are given.
OPTIMIZATION OF ALGIN/CALCIUM BINDER IN RESTRUCTURED BEEF

Optimal use of ingredients can affect both the functionality and economics of meat products. The effects of 0–0.8% sodium alginate (algin), 0–0.15% calcium carbonate, 0–1.2% encapsulated lactic acid, 0–0.18% dry lactic acid, 0–0.12% calcium lactate and 0–0.3% palm oil on raw and cooked bind, discoloration, flavor, mouthfeel, aroma, cook yield and pH of restructured beef were studied. A formulation of 0.4% algin, 0.075% calcium carbonate and 0.6% lactate was optimal based on product characteristics and quantity of ingredients added. Inferior products resulted from the use of individual components of commercial lactate or the exclusion of calcium carbonate from the formulation.
Social behavior and space-use of young of ground-dwelling squirrel species with different levels of sociality

Comparisons among young of ground-dwelling squirrel species with different adult sociality indicate patterns of interaction during development that may influence the evolution of complex sociality. Social behavior and spatial overlap of weaned young with their mothers, littermates, non-littermate young, and adult conspecifics were compared among Gunnison's prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni), yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), Columbian ground squirrels (Spermophilus columbianus), and thirteen-lined ground squirrels (S. tridecemlineatus). The adult social organization of these species differs markedly: Gunnison's prairie dogs are highly social, yellow-bellied marmots and Columbian ground squirrels are relatively less social, and thirteen-lined ground squirrels are asocial. In young Gunnison's prairie dogs, social cohesion and spatial overlap were high not only with the mother and littermates, but with all members of the harem. In yellow-bellied marmots, social cohesion occurred with all members o...
Chlorination of binary alloys (SiGe, MoRe and AuPt)

Abstract The chlorination rates of three binary systems were determined. Mo46Re and Au8.5Pt where the compositions are in approximate weight per cent were studied with respect to temperature and chlorine pressure. Silicon, Si20Ge, Si40Ge, Si60Ge, Si80Ge and germanium chlorination rates were determined with only one chlorine pressure but over a range of temperatures. The results as correlated with plausible reaction mechanisms indicate the usefulness of alloy chlorination for studying gas-metal reactions.
Infusion design methodology for thick-section, low-permeability preforms using inter-laminar flow media

Abstract The vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process is used to fabricate large-scale composite structures that can have substantial laminate thicknesses. For thick-sections and preforms of low permeability, surface distribution media based VARTM processes such as SCRIMP require long infusion times because the resin has to flow through the complete laminate thickness limiting the process to very long gelation time resin systems. The processing time can be greatly reduced if multiple high-permeability fabrics are integrated periodically between fabric layers reducing the apparent infusion thicknesses of the preform. This paper outlines the infusion challenges of thick-section, low-permeability preforms and illustrates an injection design methodology using inter-laminar flow media. The design is applied on a 7.5 cm thick glass part and includes material characterization, flow simulation and fabrication of the component using an instrumented setup to validate the flow behavior and design. Overall, the methodology can be used to optimize the flow setup of thick-section composites.
Further evidence for heterogeneity in antisocial alcoholics.

Abstract Heterogeneity has been described in antisocial personality and alcohol abuse. In a replication study, alcoholics with a diagnosis of antisocial personality were divided into two groups on the basis of reported lifetime number of depressive symptoms. The antisocials with a higher number of depressive symptoms also showed a greater number of other types of lifetime psychopathologic symptoms when compared to the antisocials with a lower number of depressive symptoms. These results continue to support heterogeneity in antisocial alcoholics similar to the concept of primary and secondary sociopaths which has been proposed from studies of nonalcoholic samples.
The biologic activity of mast cell granules: V. The effects of antihistamine treatment on rat cutaneous early- and late-phase allergic reactions

Mast cell-dependent late-phase allergic reactions (LPR) as sequelae of immediate hypersensitivity responses (IR) occur in both human and rat skin; thus the rat has served as a useful model to investigate the pathogenesis of cutaneous LPR. To analyze the roles that histamine might play in the generation of rat LPR, the effects of H1 and/or H2 antihistamines on both LPR and antecedent blueing responses (IR) were investigated. Systemically administered diphenhydramine and cimetidine, alone or in combination, reduced blueing reactions to histamine. However, blueing responses to anti-IgE were only partially abrogated by antihistamine treatment with diphenhydramine alone or the combination of antihistamines. Diphenhydramine treatment alone partially inhibited the histologic intensity of LPR in a dose-dependent manner. Although cimetidine treatment alone had no inhibitory effect, it potentiated the diphenhydramine-induced inhibition of LPR. The inhibitory action of antihistamine treatment was apparent only in reactions elicited by anti-IgE or mast cell granules containing histamine, since LPR caused by histamine-free mast cell granules were not affected by antihistamines. This observation suggests that the inhibitory effect of antihistamines on LPR was the result of a specific blockade of histamine receptors rather than the result of a nonspecific suppressive effect. Our findings demonstrate that cutaneous inflammation generated as a result of mast cell degranulation can be significantly reduced by treatment with H1 and H2 histamine receptor antagonists.
Surface Orientation Affects the Direction of Cone Growth by Leptolyngbya sp. Strain C1, a Likely Architect of Coniform Structures Octopus Spring (Yellowstone National Park)

Laminated, microbially produced stromatolites within the rock record provide some of the earliest evidence for life on Earth. The chemical, physical, and biological factors that lead to the initiation of these organosedimentary structures and shape their morphology are unclear. Modern coniform structures with morphological features similar to stromatolites are found on the surface of cyanobacterial/microbial mats. They display a vertical element of growth, can have lamination, can be lithified, and observably grow with time. To begin to understand the microbial processes and interactions required for cone formation, we determined the phylogenetic composition of the microbial community of a coniform structure from a cyanobacterial mat at Octopus Spring, Yellowstone National Park, and reconstituted coniform structures in vitro. The 16S rRNA clone library from the coniform structure was dominated by Leptolyngbya sp. Other cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria were present in much lower abundance. The same Leptolyngbya sp. identified in the clone library was also enriched in the laboratory and could produce cones in vitro. When coniform structures were cultivated in the laboratory, the initial incubation conditions were found to influence coniform morphology. In addition, both the angle of illumination and the orientation of the surface affected the angle of cone formation demonstrating how external factors can influence coniform, and likely, stromatolite morphology.
Modeling of Composite Material Behavior for Blast and Ballistic Impact

A robust computational constitutive model has been developed to characterize the progressive failure behavior of composite laminates under blast and ballistic impact conditions. In this study, the capacity of the progressive failure model integrated within LS-DYNA has been evaluated by performing simulations of blast and ballistic impact composite panels. Correlation results indicated that the current composite model can be used to quantify the composite ballistic impact and blast damage behavior with reasonable accuracy. The present composite material model can provide insight into the damage development and progression that occurs during the ballistic impact or blast loading of lightweight composite armor. The availability of this design tool will greatly facilitate the development of composite structures with enhanced ballistic survivability.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
IASPS Satellite Symposium on Statistical Hydrology: Tucson, Arizona, August 31–September 2, 1971

During the past summer, the International Association for Statistics in Physical Sciences (IASPS), an autonomous section of the International Statistical Institute (ISI), organized Satellite Symposia in the United States concerning applications of probability and statistics. These symposia were a spin-off of the biennial meetings of ISI In Washington, D.C., and covered the areas of geology, hydrology, metallurgy, point processes, turbulence, and pollution. The meetings were designed to promote Interchange of ideas between statisticians and specialists in these areas.
Histopathology of the early cryolesion in rabbit testis.

Abstract In this paper there are described the histopathological features of lesions induced in rabbit testes by single standard cryoinjuries inflicted between a few minutes and 4 days earlier. The most important events determined by the thermal insult consist of a sudden coagulation necrosis of the directly affected parenchyma, and an acute, unspecific inflammatory reaction in the rest of the gonad, characterized by interstitial edema and histiocytic-polynuclear infiltration. As reported in an earlier publication, this inflammatory-reparative process ends in about 1 month after the cryoinjury, with fibrous replacement of the necrotic tissue and reestablishment of the normal morphological and functional conditions in the rest of the gonad.
The Effects of Achieved National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification on the Marginality of Physical Education Teachers.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between achieving The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification and feelings of marginality of physical education teachers. Data sources included a focus group interview with 6 National Board Certified Physical Education Teachers (NBCPETs) and individual phone interviews with 20 NBCPETs using an interview guide (Patton, 2007). Data were analyzed inductively using the Miles and Huberman (1984) four-stage process. Findings indicated that teachers and administrators considered National Board Certification a symbol of highly skilled teaching. Possessing this symbol changed the way the NBCPETs approached their work and how others acted toward them. NBCPETs felt more confident, more vocal, and more active in leadership positions.
Transcellular movement of hydroxyurea is mediated by specific solute carrier transporters

Objective Hydroxyurea has proven laboratory and clinical therapeutic benefits for sickle cell anemia and other diseases, yet many questions remain about its in vivo pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. Previous reports suggest that hydroxyurea passively diffuses across cells, but its observed rapid absorption and distribution are more consistent with facilitated or active transport. We investigated the potential role of solute carrier (SLC) transporters in cellular uptake and accumulation of hydroxyurea. Materials and Methods Passive diffusion of hydroxyurea across cell membranes was determined using the parallel artificial membrane permeability assay. SLC transporter screens were conducted using in vitro intracellular drug accumulation and transcellular transport assays in cell lines and oocytes overexpressing SLC transporters. Gene expression of SLC transporters was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction in human tissues and cell lines. Results Hydroxyurea had minimal diffusion across a lipid bilayer but was a substrate for five different SLC transporters belonging to the organic cation/carnitine transporters and organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATP) families of transporters and urea transporters A and B. Further characterization of hydroxyurea transport revealed that cellular uptake by OATP1B3 is time- and temperature-dependent and inhibited by known substrates of OATP1B3. Urea transporters A and B are expressed differentially in human tissues and erythroid cells, and transport hydroxyurea bidirectionally via facilitated diffusion. Conclusions These studies provide new insight into drug transport proteins that may be involved in the in vivo absorption, cellular distribution, and elimination of hydroxyurea. Elucidation of hydroxyurea transcellular movement should improve our understanding of its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and may help explain some of the interpatient drug variability observed in patients with sickle cell anemia.
Terrestrial Observations from NOAA Operational Satellites

Important applications to oceanography, hydrology, and agriculture have been developed from operational satellites of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and are currently expanding rapidly. Areas of interest involving the oceans include sea surface temperature, ocean currents, and ocean color. Satellites can monitor various hydrological phenomena, including regional and global snow cover, river and sea ice extent, and areas of global inundation. Agriculturally important quantities derived from operational satellite observations include precipitation, daily temperature extremes, canopy temperatures, insolation, and snow cover. This overview describes the current status of each area.
Culturally interpreting environment as determinant and experience of health.

In minority communities, experiences of the environment and health disparities are frequently related. An important component of nursing practice in communities is to address these issues in cultural context to improve overall community health experiences. This present ethnographic study was conducted in an urban barrio community in which residents have responded to health threats posed by local environmental hazards with sustained community-focused health and development strategies. Data generation occurred during field visits in the community and included interviews, participant observation, field notes, participant-drawn maps, examination of artifacts and existing documents, and photography. Two dimensions define the community experience of the environment in this community:contamination and unhealthy community. The environment is a complex and multidimensional concept of central importance to community experiences. Environmental health cannot be addressed without first understanding that experience in cultural context.
Electronic structure and magnetic properties of Y4Co3

Abstract The electronic structure of Y4Co3 has been studied based on the density functional theory within the local-density approximation. The calculation indicates that Y4Co3 is very close to ferromagnetic instability. The Fermi surfaces are composed mainly of 3d electrons of Co and 4d electrons of Y.
NUMERICAL CALCULATIONS OF MULTIPLE COULOMB EXCITATION CROSS SECTIONS

Abstract Alder and Winther's theoretical predictions for excitation amplitudes, probabilities and cross sections for multiple E2 Coulomb excitation of rotational states have been numerically evaluated on a high speed computer. The range of parameters chosen is particularly used in the analysis of excitations produced by heavy ions in the energy range obtainable with Tandem Van de Graaff accelerators. The results form a basis for further extension of the calculations.
Surface electrochemistry of CO and methanol at 25--75 C probed in situ by infrared spectroscopy

Effects of temperature and CO partial pressure on the adsorption of carbon monoxide at a polycrystalline platinum electrode in 0.1 M HClO4 were studied with cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopy. Appreciable CO coverages were detected with infrared spectroscopy from ambient up to the high-temperature limit of the experiments (75 °C). In CO saturated solution, voltammograms were dominated by the diffusion-controlled current arising from the oxidation of bulk CO. However, under these conditions the adsorbed CO layer was readily detected with infrared spectroscopy. At 75 °C, a strong atop CO band (2075−2080 cm-1) was observed at double layer and hydrogen adsorption potentials. Loss of the adlayer due to oxidation occurred at potentials positive of 0.3 V (vs KCl saturated Ag/AgCl). In CO-free electrolyte solution, atop CO band intensities measured at 75 °C were lower than those recorded in CO saturated solution by about 50%, and the adlayer was more easily oxidized. CO formed from solutions of 0.3 M me...
Distributed Slow-Wavb Chebyshev Reflecfor

A frequency-selective distributed reflector based on a new crosstie overlay slow-wave coplanar waveguide is created for possible high-Q circuit applications in monolithic microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits. The slow-wave reflector is desiped from a transmission-line prototype which has a prescribed stopband and also prescribed Chebyshev passbands. After the conductor loss was taken into account, good agreement between theory and preliminary experiment was observed. Based on the same theory, a new slow-wave reflector created from a modified crosstie overlay coplanar waveguide is proposed and examined. Respectable slow-wave factor and a drastic reduction of conductor loss have been obtained.
A SIMPLE TEST OF COCAINE CRAVING AND RELATED RESPONSES

This study evaluated a self-rated instrument for assessing perceived craving, mood, energy, and health levels in patients who are withdrawing from cocaine addiction. The instrument consisted of four 20-centimeter line scales. Twenty-five patients in a 28-day inpatient addictions treatment unit were chosen at random points in their treatment and given a chance to rate themselves on each scale by making a mark on a line that corresponded to their self-perception. Each patient performed two self-assessment, one day apart. The scores for each scale were correlated and found to be highly reliable. Surprisingly, none of the other three scale scores had a strong relationship with craving, and possible reasons for this result are discussed.
Adaptive error concealment for Multiple Description Video Coding using motion vector analysis

Multiple Description Coding (MDC) is an efficient error resilient video coding method especially for real-time applications when retransmission is unacceptable. For applications with scalable, multicast and P2P environments, it is advantageous to use more than two descriptions. In this paper, we present an adaptive temporal-spatial error concealment method using motion vector analysis to improve the performance of MDC. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.
Ileovesicostomy as an alternative form of bladder management in tetraplegic patients

Abstract Objectives Bladder management in tetraplegic patients traditionally has been intermittent catheterization by a caretaker, placement of indwelling suprapubic or urethral catheters, sphincterotomy and external catheter drainage, or supravesical urinary diversion with an ileal conduit. The aim of this study was to examine the ileovesicostomy as an alternative form of bladder management in such patients. Methods We report our experience with ileovesicostomy as an incontinent cutaneous urinary diversion not requiring ureteral reimplantation. Six tetraplegic patients who had experienced significant morbidity with their preoperative form of bladder management were managed with an ileovesicostomy fashioned like a funnel from the bladder dome to the right lower quadrant. All patients underwent preoperative and postoperative fluoroscopic and urodynamic evaluations. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and followed postoperatively with serum chemistries, upper urinary tract imaging, and urine bacteriologic studies. Results There were no perioperative complications. Postoperative urodynamics demonstrated subjects to have a mean stomal leak-point pressure of 7.7 cm H2O (range 5 to 10). Radiographically, patients carried low urinary residuals (less than 100 cc) and did not exhibit vesicoureteral reflux. In follow-up of 12 to 15 months, no patient has demonstrated calculus formation, hydronephrosis, autonomic dysreflexia, or worsening renal function. Conclusions This procedure successfully creates continuous urinary drainage without catheterization, while maintaining the native antireflux mechanism of the ureterovesical junction and avoiding indwelling foreign materials in the urinary tract. Longer follow-up with more cases will be necessary to confirm these findings and to support a recommendation of the incontinent ileovesicostomy as a standard method for managing the neurogenic bladder in tetraplegic patients.
JF pantridge: Starting hearts out of hospital

Abstract Prehospital cardiac resuscitation is an integral part of emergency medicine, which provides the majority of field medical control. J. F. Pantridge and his associates moved cardiac resuscitation from the hospital to the scene of the patient's collapse in the late 1960s, markedly improving survival rates. Many of the prognostic indicators and principles of care apparent in the Belfast group's early results have been confirmed over the last 20 years.
Testosterone effects on ribosomal RNA levels in injured peripheral motor neurons: A preliminary report

We have previously demonstrated that administration of testosterone to hamsters during the eary phases of axonal regeneration following facial nerve injury accelerates both the rate of regeneration of the fastest growing population of axons and the return of functional movement. We hypothesized from those studies that testosterone primes the neuronal cell body in such a way as to accelerate the “switch” from a normal to a reparative state. That hypothesis was tested in this study using ribosomal DNA (rDNA) probes in conjunction within situ hybridization to map the molecular response of the polymerase I system to axotomy, with and without hormone exposure. Adult male hamsters were subjected to right facial nerve severance, with the left side serving as an internal control. Half the animals were administered testosterone propionate via subcutaneous implants.In situ hybridization using a genomic rDNA probe complementary to the 28S rRNA species was accomplished, and levels of rRNA in injured facial neurons assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our initial findings indicate that testosterone markedly upregulates rRNA levels after injury, and support the hypothesis of an acceleration in the metabolic switch to a reparative state. This leads us, in turn, to suggest that this effect of testosterone on the ribosomal system is causally related to the increase in axonal regeneration rate andreturn of functional movement previously documented in this system.
Machine tongues XIX: Nyquist, a language for composition and sound synthesis

Signal processing, including synthesis, is an important component of any digital audio system. Often, however, signal processing is offered with little or no additional support. The goal of Nyquist is to provide an open-ended programming language that supports high-level compositional tasks in addition to low-level signal processing. One of the key advantages of Nyquist is the integration of signal processing, control, and temporal structure within a general-purpose programming language. The programming language Lisp provides an interactive interface, flexibility in manipulating sounds, and a base for performing other related symbolic processing. Sounds are first-class types in Nyquist; hence they can be assigned to variables, passed as parameters, and stored in data structures. Storage for sounds is dynamically allocated as needed, and is reclaimed by automatic garbage collection (Schorr and Waite 1967). This feature allows "instruments" to be implemented as ordinary Lisp functions, and eliminates the orchestra/score dichotomy found in other systems. Nyquist semantics include behavioral abstraction as introduced by Arctic (Dannenberg 1984; Dannenberg, McAvinney, and Rubine 1986) and Canon (Dannenberg 1989). The motivation for behavioral abstraction is the idea that one should be
The potential for and challenges of detecting chemical hazards with temperature-programmed microsensors

Abstract Several recent demonstrations of the abilities of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS)-based microsensor technology to detect hazardous compounds and their simulants in a variety of background conditions are presented. In each case, two pairs of conductometric metal oxide sensors (TiO 2 and SnO 2 ) produced via chemical vapor deposition are operated using temperature-programmed sensing (TPS). NIST microdevices can utilize this operating mode to sample a wide operating temperature range (50 °C–480 °C) in a very short time ( Several examples are presented: cyclohexyl methyl methylphosphonate (CMMP), a simulant for cyclosarin (GF), is detected at concentrations ranging from 700 pmol/mol to 90 nmol/mol in air backgrounds ranging from 0% relative humidity (RH) to 70% RH. The chemical warfare agents (CWAs) tabun (GA), sarin (GB), and sulfur mustard (HD) are detected at 25 nmol/mol in dry air, humidified air (40% RH), and diesel fume-laden air (3.5% saturation). Finally, a selection of five toxic industrial chemicals (TICs) and one chemical warfare simulant (CWS) are measured at immediate danger to life and health (IDLH) and permissible exposure limit (PEL) levels in an array of backgrounds, including seven different interferences, each at three concentration levels (from 0.1% to 2.0% saturation), with humidity ranging from 50% RH to 90% RH, and ambient temperature spanning 0 °C–40 °C. Technical developments that have enabled the illustrated performances, as well as future directions for conductometric microsensor research aimed at meeting the various stringent demands faced in the hazardous chemical detection application sector, are described.
The Character of Recent American Political Thought

La pensee politique americaine prend trois formes principales: precheuse, legitimante et critique. La pensee politique recente est etudiee dans le contexte de ces trois traditions. Les deux courants contemporains, le « neoconservatisme »(Kristol, Bell et autres) et sa soit-disante contre-partie radicate (McWilliams, Lasch, Schaar) apparaissent etre dans la ligne de la tradition critique. Un examen plus approfondi revele cependant un engagement de la part des deux groupes pour ressuciter le republicanisme classique. L'utilite d'une telle perspective est exploree et l'essai conclut que l'analyse de la societe americaine selon cette perspective se meprend sur le caractere de l'histoire de la culture politique americaine et place tous ces auteurs contemporains tres pres de la tradition legitimante qu'ils attaquent.
Recurrence rates of treated basal cell carcinomas. Part 2: Curettage-electrodesiccation.

This is the second article in a series that reviews the experience in the Skin and Cancer Unit, from 1955 through 1982, with the treatment of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). This report deals with 2314 previously untreated (primary) BCCs removed by curettage-electrodesiccation. Multivariate analysis showed that increasing lesion diameter (P less than .001), high-risk anatomic sites (nose, paranasal, nasal-labial groove, ear, chin, mandibular, peri-oral, and peri-ocular areas) (P less than .001), middle-risk anatomical sites (scalp, forehead, pre- and post-auricular, and malar areas) (P less than .001), and time-span treated (1955 to 1963) (P = .012) were independent risk factors for high recurrence rates. The patient's age, sex, and lesion duration before treatment did not affect the recurrence rates. In order to best illustrate our current experience with BCCs, the last time-span (1973 to 1982) was examined in detail. For the low-risk sites (neck, trunk, and four extremities), BCCs of all diameters responded well to curettage-electrodesiccation with an overall 5-year recurrence rate of 3.3% (SE = 1.5%) determined by the modified life-table method. In the middle-risk sites BCCs less than 10 mm in diameter had a recurrence rate of 5.3% (SE = 2.7%). Finally, in the high-risk sites, lesions less than 6 mm in diameter had a recurrence rate of 4.5% (SE = 2.6%). Thus, BCCs less than 6 mm in diameter, regardless of anatomic site, as well as selected larger BCCs depending on their anatomic site, are effectively treated by currettage-electrodesiccation.
Transcription factor p53 influences microglial activation phenotype.

Several neurodegenerative diseases are influenced by the innate immune response in the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia have proinflammatory and subsequently neurotoxic actions as well as anti-inflammatory functions that promote recovery and repair. Very little is known about the transcriptional control of these specific microglial behaviors. We have previously shown that in HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), the transcription factor p53 accumulates in microglia and that microglial p53 expression is required for the in vitro neurotoxicity of the HIV coat glycoprotein gp120. These findings suggested a novel function for p53 in regulating microglial activation. Here, we report that in the absence of p53, microglia demonstrate a blunted response to interferon-γ, failing to increase expression of genes associated with classical macrophage activation or secrete proinflammatory cytokines. Microarray analysis of global gene expression profiles revealed increased expression of genes associated with anti-inflammatory functions, phagocytosis, and tissue repair in p53 knockout (p53−/−) microglia compared with those cultured from strain matched p53 expressing (p53+/+) mice. We further observed that p53−/− microglia demonstrate increased phagocytic activity in vitro and expression of markers for alternative macrophage activation both in vitro and in vivo. In HAND brain tissue, the alternative activation marker CD163 was expressed in a separate subset of microglia than those demonstrating p53 accumulation. These data suggest that p53 influences microglial behavior, supporting the adoption of a proinflammatory phenotype, while p53 deficiency promotes phagocytosis and gene expression associated with alternative activation and anti-inflammatory functions. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.