cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pollution incidence and political jurisdiction: evidence from the TRI

Abstract Few issues are more contentious for local communities than industrial pollution. When local industries pollute, lawmakers and regulators must balance two primary concerns: economic prosperity and the environment. The role of political pressure is well documented in environmental policy. What is less clear is the role jurisdictional or boundary considerations play in determining the implementation of environmental laws. Anecdotal evidence suggests that local regulators are more lenient in their treatment of polluters when the incidence of pollution falls partially on those outside the state. One explanation for such behavior is that regulators take actions to maximize political support. This paper tests this jurisdictional model using toxics release inventory (TRI) data from 1987 to 1996. We find that facilities’ emissions into the air and water are systematically higher in counties that border other states. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that jurisdictional considerations are an important determinant of pollution incidence.
Cooperation of universities and utilities for the education of power-system engineers

The growing complexity of the power industry requires an increased influx to the utilities of highly trained engineers on the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. levels. These men must be specialists in the power field. Ironically, the number of engineers available to the electric utilities is rapidly declining. Few colleges and universities offer specialized courses in the power field. Few professors teach the necessarily specialized courses. And, as a result, few graduates are either interested in or qualified to enter the power industry. The whole problem seems to be money.
The Gender Gap in Undergraduate Business Programs in the United States

In the last several years there has been much scholarship in the area of the reverse gender gap in colleges and universities, as there have been more women than men attending and graduating from colleges and universities since the early 1980s. Little if any scholarship exists about students and recent graduates from undergraduate business programs specifically, so the topic is explored here. Included are patterns among the majors and emphases in business programs, and a logit model with choice of business major as the dependent variable. Findings include the odds are greater a student will choose business as a major if the student is a man, has parents with lower levels of education, has higher family income, had a higher GPA in high school, and did not earn advanced placement credit in high school. The findings show there are differences in the behavior of female and male students regarding choice of business major.
Statistical prediction intervals for the evaluation of ground-water quality

Factors for a normal distribution are given such that one may be 99% confident that the two-sided prediction interval chi-bar +- rs or the one-sided prediction several chi-bar + rs will contain all of the kappa future values, where chi-bar and s are the sample means and standard deviation obtained from n previous values. In the context of ground-water monitoring, the future samples may represent new monitoring values at each of kappa downgradient wells, and the n previous values might be the historical monitoring results for one or more upgradient wells. The Tables provided in this paper allow the computation of one-sided and two-sided 99% prediction intervals for previous sample sizes of n = 4 to 100 and future samples of kappa = 1 to 100. Modification of these intervals for log-normally distributed data is also presented.
Synthesis of two bi-functional ligands for the QUEST three-hybrid system

Abstract The synthesis is described for two bi-functional ligands ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) that have been used as chemical inducers of dimerization for QUEST, 1 a three-hybrid system designed to detect novel enzyme activity in vivo.
Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome type II: Report of a case with additional radiographic findings

A phenotypically female infant with 46-XY chromosomes was found to have Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, type II a rare congenital malformation syndrome with many features of the more common classic Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. The patient's skeletal survey revealed characteristic and previously undescribed skeletal anomalies which are reported. In addition a lipoma of the pituitary gland was found on magnetic resonance imaging. This lesion is particularly interesting given the hypothesized steroid abnormality in Smith-Lemli-Opitz, type II syndrome, the sexual ambiguity of males with this syndrome and the similarity of this syndrome to the Pallister-Hall syndrome which characteristically has a hamartoblastoma of the hypothalamus.
Collective aspects of conformons and the electron transfer chain.

Abstract A set of interacting harmonic oscillators is used as a model to define a low frequency collective mode in protein molecules. Such a mode may arise from electron-phonon interactions in second order perturbation theory. The mathematical scheme is analogous to those used in the theory of carcadian rhythms and in the theory of superconductivity. This collective mode may receive energy from electrons in the electron transfer chain (conformon) and pass the energy on to other similar modes. The low frequency of the mode leads to slow reactions, in agreement with experimental data. The model is compatible with some general characteristics of the electron transfer chain and its constituents: high thermodynamic efficiency, redox pools, redox switches, entatic states and conformational free energy transfer.
A method with error estimates for band-limited signal extrapolation from inaccurate data

In this paper, we consider the problem of extrapolation of a band-limited signal outside a fixed interval from its (approximate or contaminated) values in that interval. We propose a new extrapolation method that estimates the error between the extrapolated and true values, and which also resolves the ill-posedness of the problem. The method is called a modified minimum norm solution (MMNS) method. Both the continuous MMNS and its discretization are studied. The error estimates hold for some classes of band-limited signals, when the maximum magnitude of the data error is known. These classes of band-limited signals are also characterized.
Three-dimensional modeling of inert metal-loaded explosives

Abstract The reactive three-dimensional hydrodynamic code 3DE has been used to investigate the reactive hydrodynamics of a matrix of tungsten particles in HMX. A propagating detonation proceeding through the matrix of tungsten particles gives calculated detonation velocities and pressures that are much higher than observed. If the heterogeneous shock initiation Forest Fire rate for HMX is used to describe the reactive kinetics, some of the individual detonation wavelets between the tungsten particles fail. The shocked explosive continues to decompose and release energy after shock passage. Equations of state are described for a tungsten and a leadloaded explosive that reproduce the observed performance of these nonideal explosives. The calibrated equations of state use a partial energy release suggested by the three-dimensional model. Evidence is presented that the explosives have a flat top Taylor wave characteristic of weak detonations.
Proximal tubular injury in myeloma.

Renal involvement is common in multiple myeloma and implies much worse prognosis. Most of the kidney disorders associated with myeloma are caused by the excess production of monoclonal light chains,
Inhomogeneity of charge carrier concentration along the grain boundary plane in oxide superconductors

Abstract Spatially resolved transmission high energy electron loss spectrometry (EELS) has been utilized to probe the spatial variation of the hole concentration along the grain boundary (GB) plane in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (Y123). The O K pre-edge peak in the EELS spectra, which offers a quantitative measure of the hole concentration in p-type doped cuprate superconductors including Y123, has been observed to vary along the GB plane. These observations conform to the Dayem-Bridge-type model for GBs in Y123. A modified Dayem-Bridge model is presented based on the experimental observations of varying oxygen stoichiometry along the GB plane.
Pharmacodynamic Doppler determination of mitral valve area in patients with significant aortic regurgitation.

In patients with combined mitral stenosis (MS) and aortic regurgitation (AR), the Doppler-determined mitral valve area (MVA) may be overestimated due to a shorter than expected pressure half-time. We performed Doppler echocardiography at baseline and after inhalation of amyl nitrite in 10 patients with combined MS and AR (Group I) and in five patients with MS alone (Group II). AR severity was reduced by amyl nitrite inhalation in all Group I patients, with a decrease in mean jet height/LVOT ratio from 32% to 21% ( p 2 ( p
Measuring Pro-North Korean sentiment in South Korea during the Kim Jong-il Era

Abstract This study analyzes recent claims regarding positive sentiment towards North Korea among South Koreans using cross-sectional public opinion data from the 2004 and 2006 waves of the Asian Barometer. Pro-North Korean sentiments are proposed to be highest among those who feel a stronger sense of common ancestry and language with North Koreans, the wealthy, the younger, those who trust NGOs, those in Seoul and those in the southwest region. I use ordered logistical regression to test hypotheses derived from these propositions. I find support for the southwest hypothesis, though the percentage of South Koreans with these sentiments is actually very low. The results have important implications for relations on the Korean Peninsula and the study of North Korean politics.
Unital quantum operations on the Bloch ball and Bloch region

For one-qubit systems, we present a short, elementary argument characterizing unital quantum operators in terms of their action on Bloch vectors. We then show how our approach generalizes to multiqubit systems, obtaining inequalities that govern when a ``diagonal'' superoperator on the Bloch region is a quantum operator. These inequalities are the n-qubit analog of the Algoet-Fujiwara conditions. Our work is facilitated by an analysis of operator-sum decompositions in which negative summands are allowed.
On modeling weak sinks in MODPATH

Regional groundwater flow systems often contain both strong sinks and weak sinks. A strong sink extracts water from the entire aquifer depth, while a weak sink lets some water pass underneath or over the actual sink. The numerical groundwater flow model MODFLOW may allow a sink cell to act as a strong or weak sink, hence extracting all water that enters the cell or allowing some of that water to pass. A physical strong sink can be modeled by either a strong sink cell or a weak sink cell, with the latter generally occurring in low-resolution models. Likewise, a physical weak sink may also be represented by either type of sink cell. The representation of weak sinks in the particle tracing code MODPATH is more equivocal than in MODFLOW. With the appropriate parameterization of MODPATH, particle traces and their associated travel times to weak sink streams can be modeled with adequate accuracy, even in single layer models. Weak sink well cells, on the other hand, require special measures as proposed in the literature to generate correct particle traces and individual travel times and hence capture zones. We found that the transit time distributions for well water generally do not require special measures provided aquifer properties are locally homogeneous and the well draws water from the entire aquifer depth, an important observation for determining the response of a well to non-point contaminant inputs.
Dying to Kill: The Allure of Suicide Terror – By Mia Bloom

The author of this book discusses the contemporary phenomenon of suicide terror, taking the phenomenon as one that is worldwide. She examines the best‐known cases of suicide attacks (those associat...
Multiple cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases in rat kidney

Using DEAE-cellulose chromatography and Agarose gel filtration we have partially purified a low Km cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) phosphodiesterase from the 100,000 X g supernatant of rat kidneys. The characteristics of this enzyme included a Km of approximately 4 muM a pH optimum of around 8.0 and a requirement for magnesium. This preparation should be suitable for investigation of possible effects of hormones, drugs and cellular constituents on the cyclic AMP pathway through any direct effects on the low Km enzyme. We have also demonstrated a nonspecific, high Km cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase and possibly a specific cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) phosphodiesterase in the soluble fraction from rat kidneys.
Bestrophin Interacts Physically and Functionally with Protein Phosphatase 2A

Bestrophin is a 68-kDa basolateral plasma membrane protein expressed in retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE). It is encoded by the VMD2 gene, which is mutated in Best macular dystrophy, a disease characterized by a depressed light peak in the electrooculogram. Recently it was proposed that bestrophin is a chloride channel responsible for generating the light peak. To investigate its function further, we immunoaffinity purified a bestrophin complex from RPE lysates and identified bestrophin and the β-catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) as members of the complex by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Protein-protein interaction between bestrophin and PP2Ac and the structural subunit of PP2A, PR65, was confirmed by reciprocal immunoprecipitation. The C-terminal cytoplasmic domain of bestrophin was sufficient for the interaction with PP2A as demonstrated by a pulldown assay using a fusion of this domain with glutathione S-transferase. Bestrophin was phosphorylated when expressed in RPE-J cells and this phosphorylation was sensitive to okadaic acid. Purified PP2A effectively dephosphorylated bestrophinin vitro. These data suggest that bestrophin is in the signal transduction pathway that modulates the light peak of the electrooculogram, that it is regulated by phosphorylation, and that phosphorylation of bestrophin is in turn regulated by PP2A.
Percutaneous fine‐needle aspiration biopsy in malignant lymphoma: A case report of an unusual cytologic presentation

A case of an elderly Hispanic male who presented with clinical findings suspicious for lymphoma and cytologic evidence suggestive of carcinoma is presented and discussed. Percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy of a group of mesenteric lymph nodes and a pleural fluid specimen showed clusters of tumor cells suggestive of carcinoma. Electron microscopic analysis of the pleural fluid showed comparable clusters of tumor cells, which proved to be lymphoma cells enveloped by macrophages. Histologic, electron microscopic, and histocytochemical examination of an enlarged inguinal lymph node confirmed the diagnosis of lymphoma with several alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase-positive macrophages interspersed among the tumor cells. To date, the phenomenon of macrophages enveloping lymphoma cells, so as to simulate tumor cell clustering, has not been reported. It is, however, an important possibility to keep in mind with cytologically distinguishing a lymphoma from a carcinoma.
Three-dimensional constitutive relations of aligned carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposites

High volume fraction aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) polymer nanocomposites (A-PNCs) are fabricated by biaxial mechanical densification of the CNTs, followed by polymer infiltration via capillarity-assisted wetting using an aerospace-grade epoxy. These A-PNCs are then tested in tension in order to determine the full constitutive relation of the material. Prior to this work, only bulk compression or nanomechanical tests have been attempted due to the small size of the samples. Elastic stiffness derived from optical strain mapping is in agreement both with prior experimental nanoindentation measurements and finite element calculations that include the effects of waviness of the reinforcing CNT ‘fibers’. Results from longitudinal and transverse testing are shown for 0, 4, and 6 % volume fraction CNT reinforcement, and imaging via scanning electron microscopy and micro-computed tomography is used to establish morphology. Future work includes tests to establish the shear modulus and complete the full constitutive relation as a function of CNT volume fraction.
The Effects of Exercise on the Neuronal Response to Food Cues

Abstract Increased physical activity is associated with successful long-term weight loss maintenance due to mechanisms likely more complex than simply increased energy expenditure. The impact of physical activity on the central regulation of food intake may be an important mechanism of this effect. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of exercise training and acute exercise on the neuronal response to food cues as well as eating behaviors. fMRI was performed in the fasted state at baseline and again after a 6 month progressive exercise intervention (supervised, 5 days/wk) both with and without an acute exercise bout in 12 overweight/obese (5 women, 7 men; BMI 33 ± 4 kg/m2) healthy adults. fMRI data were acquired while subjects were presented with visual stimuli of foods of high hedonic value as compared to neutral control objects. Questionnaires on eating behaviors, ratings of appeal and desire for foods, and ratings of appetite (hunger, satiety, prospective intake) using visual analog scales were also performed at baseline and again after the 6-month exercise intervention. While only a trend was observed for a reduction in body weight (102 ± 5 to 99 ± 6 kg, p = 0.09), a significant reduction in fat mass was observed (36.4 ± 2.8 to 33.7 ± 3.2 kg, p = 0.04), although as expected changes in fat mass were variable (− 10.0 to + 3.7 kg). Chronic exercise was associated with a reduction in the neuronal response to food, primarily in the posterior attention network and insula. A significant positive correlation between the change in fat/body mass and the change in insula response to food cues with chronic exercise was observed. An acute exercise bout attenuated the effects of chronic exercise. The exercise intervention, however, did not impact any of the measures of appetitive behavior. In summary, despite no effects on behavioral measures of appetite, chronic exercise training was associated with attenuation in the response to visual food cues in brain regions known to be important in food intake regulation. The insula, in particular, appears to play an important role in the potential exercise-induced weight loss and weight loss maintenance.
Experimental considerations in automated NMR relaxation time measurements by the progressive saturation method

Abstract Three important parameters in automated progressive saturation T1 measurements have been examined experimentally and compared with theory. It is found that magnetic field homogeniety must be held constant. Small deviations from the ideal 90° tipping angle were found, in agreement with theory, to be tolerable. It has been shown that, for certain progressive saturation T1 experiments ten pre-acquisition phase pulses are necessary. A homogeneity monitor gate, providing timing and logic control for field gradient pulsing and field homogeneity maintenance is described.
Elementary‐school guidance: Its present status

Through a brief survey of the literature, Mr. Riccio points up the present status of the elementary‐school guidance movement. He goes on to suggest some preliminary steps that ought to precede establishment of new programs for the preparation of elementary‐guidance workers. The author is assistant professor of education at The Ohio State University.
Measurement of ultrafast ionization dynamics of gases by multipulse interferometric frequency-resolved optical gating.

Ultrafast ionization dynamics of femtosecond laser-irradiated noble and simple diatomic gases were studied using a novel two-color time-domain technique which eliminated significant complications seen in past experiments. Ultrafast depletion of the probing laser pulse was observed strictly coincident with the ionization front and attributed to a previously unobserved nonlinear frequency mixing via the transverse plasma current [F. Brunel, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 7, 52 (1990)]. Good quantitative agreement of the measured single-atom ionization rates with Ammosov-Delone-Krainov rates was found, except for $\mathrm{O}{}_{2}$ which showed a $200\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}$ smaller rate.
The clinical significance of hematocrit values before and after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background The presence of anemia before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and/or the development of bleeding or anemia after PCI has been shown to increase mortality and morbidity rates. However, the definition of severe anemia varies among reports. In this context, the roles of hematocrit at baseline and hematocrit drop after PCI, both treated as continuous variables, have not yet been described in the risk assessment of patients undergoing PCI. Methods We analyzed 6,025 consecutive patients who underwent PCI from 2003 to 2007 at our institution. In the entire population, we analyzed by multivariable Cox analysis the clinical value of both hematocrit at baseline and hematocrit drop after PCI as continuous variables. The primary end point was the composite of death and myocardial infarction at 1-year follow-up. Results The rate of the 1-year composite end point death/myocardial infarction increased continuously every time hematocrit at baseline decreased and/or hematocrit dropped after PCI. After multivariable adjustment using the relevant covariables, both hematocrit at baseline (hazard ratio = 0.92, P P Conclusion Hematocrit at baseline and the drop after PCI should be recognized as important risk factors for adverse outcomes after PCI. The inclusion of hematocrit or hemoglobin values as continuous variables in a risk-stratification scheme should be strongly considered.
Erbium Implantation in Silica Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

Defect formation induced by erbium implantation in silica glass and cristobalite was studied using molecular dynamics simulations employing a partial charge model in combination with the ZBL potential. The results show that the number of displaced atoms generated at the same PKA energy is similar in silica and cristobalite but the number of coordination defects created is much lower in the cristobalite than in silica glass. In both cases, the erbium ion is able to create an optimal coordination environment at the end of the collision cascade. Subsequent thermal annealing causes the relaxation of the silicon oxygen network structure along with a reduction of silicon and oxygen defects.
A rapid one-step kit for the routine preparation of basic 99mTc penicillamine

Abstract Basic (pH 8.4) 99 m Tc penicillamine (TPEN) is an excellent agent forimaging renal functional morphology. The radiopharmaceutical development of this renal-scanning agent has progressed from daily, “on-demand”, preparation through a two-step kit with short shelf life to the presently reported rapid, one-step, freeze-dried kit, without loss of clinical effectiveness. Renal uptake is comparable to the earlier preparations, and the freeze-dried kit has a shelf life in excess of 2 months.
Corrected author citation for the combination aster section Biotia (Asteraceae)

The author citation for the combination Aster section Biotia is corrected to: DC. ex Torrey & Gray.
Tests for Human Perception of 60 Hz Moderate Strength Magnetic Fields

After preliminary experiments that pointed out the extreme cleverness with which perceptive individuals unintentionally used subtle auxiliary clues to develop impressive records of apparent magnetic field detection, we developed a heavy, tightly sealed subject chamber to provide extreme isolation against such false detection. A large number of individuals were tested in this isolation system with computer randomized sequences of 150 trials to determine whether they could detect when they were, and when they were not, in a moderate (7.5-15 gauss rms) alternating magnetic field, or could learn to detect such fields by biofeedback training. In a total of over 30,000 trials on more than 200 persons, no significantly perceptive individuals were found, and the group performance was compatible, at the 0.5 probability level, with the hypothesis that no real perception occurred.
The role of imaging in staging renal adenocarcinoma

Numerous surgical options are available to physicians treating patients with renal adenocarcinoma. In the current clinical setting, imaging plays a key role in determining which options are selected. Newer imaging techniques such as helical CT with CT angiography, MRI, and ultrasound (US) have improved staging capabilities in this patient population. However, to approach staging accuracies recently reported, attention must be paid to proper imaging parameters. This article describes the strengths, limitations, and proper techniques used for staging renal adenocarcinoma with CT, MRI, and US.
Pulsed high intensity monoenergetic low energy X-ray source and absolute X-ray monitor

Abstract An X-ray source of 1.5, 4.5, or 8.0 keV with 10 ns durations has been produced utilizing a pulsed electron source to excite the characteristic K-line radiation of elemental targets. A parallel plate ionization chamber was calibrated in the NBS standard monoenergetic K X-ray beams and used with Ross filters to measure the pulsed source K X-ray fluence. Typical measured peak X-ray flux intensities are 10 18 −10 19 K X-rays per sr per s. The pulsed source contains four identical ports for simultaneous measurements of the K X-ray intensity by the ionization chamber and detectors being calibrated. The pulsed K X-ray source and the NBS standard steady state K X-ray source, which differ in intensity by 10 orders of magnitude, have been utilized to determine the responses of a photoelectric diode, a scintillator-vacuum photodiode combination, and a silicon PIN diode.
Some simple, exactly soluble models for surfaces and interfaces

Exact analytical results are given for several simple models of elementary excitations at surfaces or interfaces, based on one- or two-band Hamiltonians with interactions between atoms in the zeroth to first or second neighboring planes. Illustrative applications are made to the fcc (110) face of a Heisenberg ferromagnet and to electrons at the (001) surface of diamond or zinc-blende crystals; surface states appear in both cases. An extension of the general theory is presented in an appendix.
Traditional living and cultural ways as protective factors against suicide: perceptions of Alaska Native university students

Introduction. Native peoples living in Alaska have one of the highest rates of suicide in the world. This represents a significant health disparity for indigenous populations living in Alaska. This research was part of a larger study that explored qualitatively the perceptions of Alaska Native university students from rural communities regarding suicide. This analysis explored the resilience that arose from participants’ experiences of traditional ways, including subsistence activities. Previous research has indicated the importance of traditional ways in preventing suicide and strengthening communities. Method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 university students who had migrated to Fairbanks, Alaska, from rural Alaskan communities. An interview protocol was developed in collaboration with cultural and community advisors. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Participants were asked specific questions concerning the strengthening of traditional practices towards the prevention of suicide. Transcripts were analysed using the techniques of grounded theory. Findings. Participants identified several resilience factors against suicide, including traditional practices and subsistence activities, meaningful community involvement and an active lifestyle. Traditional practices and subsistence activities were perceived to create the context for important relationships, promote healthy living to prevent suicide, contrast with current challenges and transmit important cultural values. Participants considered the strengthening of these traditional ways as important in suicide prevention efforts. However, subsistence and traditional practices were viewed as a diminishing aspect of daily living in rural Alaska. Conclusions. Many college students from rural Alaska have been affected by suicide but are strong enough to cope with such tragic events. Subsistence living and traditional practices were perceived as important social and cultural processes with meaningful lifelong benefits for participants. Future research should continue to explore the ways in which traditional practices can contribute towards suicide prevention, as well as the farreaching benefits of subsistence living. Keywords: Alaska Native; cultural ways; protective factors; suicide; qualitative; interviews (Published: 5 August 2013) This paper is part of Supplement 1, 2013, ICCH15 Proceedings . More papers from this Supplement can be found here . Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2013, 72 : 20968 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.20968
What teachers come to know through school portfolio development

Abstract This article distills what teachers at six diverse, urban schools came to know as a consequence of engaging in school portfolio development from a teacher knowledge perspective. Grounded in a narrative method and form, the work highlights the asking of hard questions, the concept of powerful learning, the idea of high quality professional development, the layered nature of knowledge, the aesthetic qualities of knowing and the limitations of what reflective school portfolios can and cannot do.
Predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes: estimating injury severity scores from workers' compensation data.

Purpose Acute work-related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability among US workers. The research objectives were to assess: (1) the feasibility of estimating Abbreviated Injury Scale-based injury severity scores (ISS) from ICD-9-CM codes available in workers’ compensation (WC) medical billing data, (2) whether ISS predicts work-related disability and medical cost outcomes, (3) whether ISS adds value over other injury severity proxies, and (4) whether the utility of ISS differs for an all-injury sample compared with three specific injury samples (amputations, extremity fractures, traumatic brain injury). Methods ISS was estimated from ICD-9-CM codes using Stata’s user-written -icdpic- program for 208,522 compensable nonfatal WC claims for workers injured in Washington State from 1998 to 2008. The Akaike Information Criterion and R2 were used to compare severity measures. Competing risks survival analysis was used to evaluate work disability outcomes. Adjusted total medical costs were modeled using linear regression. Results Work disability and medical costs increased monotonically with injury severity. For a subset of 4,301 claims linked to the Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR), there was moderate agreement between WC-based ISS and WTR-based ISS. Including ISS together with an early hospitalization indicator resulted in the most informative models; however, early hospitalization is a more downstream measure. Conclusions ISS was significantly associated with work disability and medical cost outcomes for work-related injuries. Injury severity should be considered as a potential confounder for occupational injury intervention, program evaluation, or outcome studies, and can be estimated using existing software when ICD-9-CM codes are available.
Spherically shaped micron-size particle-reinforced PMMA and PC composites for improving energy absorption capability

The focus of this study was to experimentally investigate spherically shaped micron-size particles reinforced polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC) polymer composites for improving energy absorbing capabilities such as toughness and low-velocity impact resistance. In this study, a solution mixing method was developed to fabricate both PMMA and PC polymer composites with spherically shaped micron-size polyamide- nylon 6 (PA6) particles inclusions. The morphology of the fracture surfaces of polymer composites was examined by using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Strain-rate dependent response of both PMMA and PC polymer composites was investigated by characterizing tensile and flexural properties. Low-velocity penetration testing was performed for both polymer composites and the key results observed for energy absorption capabilities are discussed in this study.
Linking adiponectin to proteinuria

Obesity predisposes toward renal disease independently of diabetes and hypertension. In this issue of the JCI, Sharma and colleagues assessed the role of adiponectin, an adipose-derived hormone, in the pathogenesis of albuminuria (see the related article beginning on page 1645). Obese African Americans had reduced adiponectin levels associated with albuminuria. Adiponectin deficiency in mice induced oxidative stress, fusion of podocyte foot processes in the kidney glomerulus, and urinary albumin excretion. Adiponectin treatment reversed these abnormalities, likely through activation of AMPK. The benefits of adiponectin were observed in diabetic and nondiabetic mice. These findings suggest that adiponectin is a biomarker for kidney disease and may be targeted for prevention and treatment.
Electrochemical oxidation-reduction paths for pyrimidine, cytosine, purine and adenine Correlation and application.

In order to evaluate the striking discrepancy between the experimental ease of polarographic reduction of adenine and cytosine, and that predicted by molecular orbital calculation, the electrochemical oxidation-reduction behaviour of pyrimidine, cytosine, purine, adenine and related compounds was investigated at both mercury and graphite electrodes. Information was obtained on the specific adsorption of reactant and product species on the electrode, the reversibility of the energy-controlling electron-transfer step, and accompanying chemical reactions. Triangular sweep voltammetry, a.c. and d.c. polarography, and electrocapillary data, in particular, were utilized. The first three techniques were critically examined for their potential analytical utility. The results were compared with previously obtained electrochemical data and the sequence of electron-transfer and various non-electron transfer steps was more firmly established. It became clear that in order validly to correlate quantum mechanically calculated data for the energy required to add or remove an electron to or from the outermost electron level of each molecule (in the gas phase), with electrochemical redox potentials (in solution), the effects of adsorption, electron-transfer reversibility and solvation energy must be considered.
First Entry: Report on a Qualitative Exploratory Study of Novice User Experience with Online Finding Aids

ABSTRACT Many of those now accessing archives through online finding aids are encountering primary materials (albeit virtually) for the first time. These users are often unfamiliar with finding aid structure, terminology, and principles. This article reports on a qualitative, exploratory study of a subset of these novice users. The study concentrated on four key components of online finding aids: terminology, navigation, display, and structure. The goal was to discover by what route users accomplished a given task, to determine what elements on the site helped or hindered them in completing the task, and to gain insight into their overall experience with a range of styles of online finding aids. Findings suggest that site structure often presupposed users' knowledge of archival principles. Therefore, what may seem to archivists and their web designers to be elegant solutions to resolute issues in online finding aids, in fact, confused or eluded novice users. However, findings suggest, as well, that partic...
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Wall Region Periodicity for Turbulent Pulsatile Flow

Attention is focused in this study upon the development of a surface renewal-based analysis of transitional turbulent pulsatile flow and upon the experimental measurement of the instantaneous wall region turbulent periodicity. The resulting theoretical predictions and experimental measurements for periodicity provide a direct test of the validity of the model. The theory and experiment taken together provide further physical insight into the mechanism associated with this complex problem.
The social and cultural shaping of educational technology: toward a social constructivist framework

The Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) theory offers a useful conceptual framework for examining the social and cultural factors that may contribute to or detract from the successful integration of computer technology into educational environments. This theory, which grew out of studies in the history of technology and the sociology of science, suggests methods for studying the phenomenon of technological development, such as identifying the relevant social groups involved in the development process and the factors that either leave the technology in a state of interpretive flexibility or bring the interpretation of the technology to closure. This paper uses a SCOT approach to explore how personal and institutional beliefs can shape the ways in which technologies are used by teachers and students, and to identify the social, epistemological, cognitive and motivational factors that need to be considered as computer technology becomes an integral part of the educational experience.
Human serum albumin and Tween 80 as stabilizers of allergen solutions

Abstract Intradermal skin testing may often give inaccurate results because of poor stability of allergens and loss of protein by adsorption to the walls of containers and syringes during the process of making the extreme dilutions required with potent extracts. To test the ability of stabilizers to prevent such losses of allergenic activity, three diluents for allergens were compared: standard phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), pH 7.4, containing 0.4% phenol and the same buffer containing either 0.03% human serum albumin (HSA) or 0.005% Tween 80. Tenfold dilution series of ragweed, grass, Altemaria , and dust allergens were tested by the intradermal threshold dilution technique in the same group of patients five times over six months, comparing stored dilutions with dilutions freshly made from the same batches of lyophilized extracts. Results with Tween 80 and HSA buffers were identical and highly reproducible; however, each new set of dilutions in standard buffers frequently showed within 24 to 48 hr after preparation a lower skin test potency which varied unpredictably between ten and one thousandfold. Furthermore, upon prolonged storage at 4 °C, dilutions in standard buffer lost further activity. Storage of radiolabeled antigen E (AgE) in ordinary glass tubes for 24 hr showed adsorption of about 5% of the labeled protein to glass in the absence of stabilizers but only 0.5% in the presence of stabilizers. We conclude that stabilizing agents should be added to diluting fluids in preparing allergens for skin testing or immunotherapy.
SnapShot: Selective Autophagy

There are various types of autophagy, which can be categorized as nonselective or selective. Macroautophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process through which cells degrade and recycle cytoplasm. Nonselective macroautophagy randomly engulfs a portion of the cytoplasm into autophagosomes and then delivers them to the vacuole (in fungi or plants) or the lysosome (in other higher eukaryotes) for degradation. Selective macroautophagy, however, specifically recognizes and degrades a particular cargo, either a protein complex, an organelle, or an invading microbe. The morphological hallmark of macroautophagy is the formation of an initial sequestering compartment, the phagophore, which expands into the double-membrane autophagosome; the initial sequestration occurs in a compartment that is separate from the degradative organelle. Selective microautophagy utilizes the same cellular machinery, but in this case, the sequestration event takes place directly at the limiting membrane of the lysosome/vacuole. In higher eukaryotes, selective types of autophagy also include chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA), and two similar processes, endosomal microautophagy (e-MI) and chaperone-assisted selective autophagy (CASA), each of which involves uptake at the limiting membrane of either the lysosome or endosome. In all cases, how a substrate is targeted for sequestration and segregated from other parts of the cell is one of the major questions in this research field. Nonselective autophagy is primarily a starvation response, whereas cells use selective autophagy for a variety of purposes, including remodeling to adapt to changing environmental/nutritional conditions and to eliminate damaged organelles. Accordingly, defects in selective autophagy are associated with a range of pathophysiologies in humans, including certain types of neurodegenerative diseases.
A Geologic Time Scale 2004

This may be the most straightforward book review imaginable to write. Just buy this book and use it! You will not regret it. Verlyn Klinkenborg's 23 August 2005 editorial in the New York Times (“Grasping the depth of time as a first step in understanding evolution”) serves as a most timely way begin a review of A Geologic Time Scale 2004 (GTS2004). Klinkenborg writes, “One of the most powerful limits to the human imagination is our inability to grasp, in a truly intuitive way the depths of terrestrial and cosmological time.”
Triage of Elderly Trauma Patients: A Population-Based Perspective

Background Elderly patients are frequently undertriaged. However, the associations between triage patterns and outcomes from a population perspective are unknown. We hypothesized that triage patterns would be associated with differences in outcomes. Study Design This is a population-based, retrospective, cohort study of all injured adults aged 55 years or older, from 3 counties in California and 4 in Utah (2006 to 2007). Prehospital data were linked to trauma registry data, state-level discharge data, emergency department records, and death files. The primary outcome was 60-day mortality. Patients treated at trauma centers were compared with those treated at nontrauma centers. Undertriage was defined as an Injury Severity Score (ISS) >15, with transport to a nontrauma center. Results There were 6,015 patients in the analysis. Patients who were taken to nontrauma centers were, on average, older (79.4 vs 70.7 years, p 15 (2.2% vs 6.7%, p 15 and the undertriage rate was 32.8% (n = 80). Overall 60-day mortality for patients with an ISS >15 was 17%, with no difference between trauma and nontrauma centers in unadjusted or adjusted analyses. However, the median per-patient costs were $21,000 higher for severely injured patients taken to trauma centers. Conclusions This is the first population-based analysis of triage patterns and outcomes in the elderly. We have shown high rates of undertriage that are not associated with higher mortality, but are associated with higher costs. Future work should focus on determining how to improve outcomes for this population.
The pineal body: Site of extraocular perception of celestial cues for orientation in the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)

Tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) trained to orient in a particular compass direction under the sun fail to orient in the trained direction if they are (i) eyeless and simultaneously have the brain covered with opaque plastic or are (ii) eyeless and pinealectomized (Fig. 1–2, Table 1). Salamanders with either the eyes or the pineal intact and unobstructed continue to orient in the trained direction. These data strongly support the hypothesis that the pineal body is an effective extraocular photoreceptor (EOP) for compass orientation in tiger salamanders.
Optical properties of the output of a high-gain self-amplified free-electron laser

The temporal structure and phase evolutions of a high-gain, self-amplified free-electron laser are measured, including single-shot analysis and statistics over an ensemble of many shots. Excellent agreement with the theory of free-electron laser (FEL) and photon statistics is found. This is an important step towards understanding and controlling the radiation in such FEL pulses.
COLOC‐S: A modified COLOC sequence for selective long‐range X‐H correlation 2D NMR spectroscopy

The COLOC-S pulse sequence (a modification of COLOC) provides rapid and selective long-range correlation 2D NMR spectra. It combines the advantages of the COLOC and Freeman sequences. This modification is analysed in terms of the Product Operator Formalism, and its application is illustrated by spectral peak assignments of two insecticides, ryanodine and 1R, cis-phenothrin.
The determination of next best views

There are situations in which one would like to know a good sequence of range-image views for obtaining a complete model of a scene. This paper describes two algorithms which use partial octree models to determine the "best" next view to take.
Rapid transport of large polymeric nanoparticles in fresh undiluted human mucus

Nanoparticles larger than the reported mesh-pore size range (10–200 nm) in mucus have been thought to be much too large to undergo rapid diffusional transport through mucus barriers. However, large nanoparticles are preferred for higher drug encapsulation efficiency and the ability to provide sustained delivery of a wider array of drugs. We used high-speed multiple-particle tracking to quantify transport rates of individual polymeric particles of various sizes and surface chemistries in samples of fresh human cervicovaginal mucus. Both the mucin concentration and viscoelastic properties of these cervicovaginal samples are similar to those in many other human mucus secretions. Unexpectedly, we found that large nanoparticles, 500 and 200 nm in diameter, if coated with polyethylene glycol, diffused through mucus with an effective diffusion coefficient (Deff) only 4- and 6-fold lower than that for the same particles in water (at time scale τ = 1 s). In contrast, for smaller but otherwise identical 100-nm coated particles, Deff was 200-fold lower in mucus than in water. For uncoated particles 100–500 nm in diameter, Deff was 2,400- to 40,000-fold lower in mucus than in water. Much larger fractions of the 100-nm particles were immobilized or otherwise hindered by mucus than the large 200- to 500-nm particles. Thus, in contrast to the prevailing belief, these results demonstrate that large nanoparticles, if properly coated, can rapidly penetrate physiological human mucus, and they offer the prospect that large nanoparticles can be used for mucosal drug delivery.
The Eosinophilic Leukocyte: Structure and Function

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews information on eosinophil structure and function and provide evidence for the eosinophil as an effector cell for killing helrninths and for causing tissue damage in hypersensitivity diseases. The mammalian eosinophil is distinguished by its characteristic granules. The chapter describes specific or secondary granules with an electron-dense core and an electron-radiolucent matrix and two other distinctive types of eosinophil granules as well. While granules with crystalloid cores are characteristic of most mammalian eosinophils—the horse eosinophil is a notable exception—cores have not been observed in lowest vertebrates with the exception of certain teleost fishes and some birds. The evidence reviewed in the chapter indicates that the eosinophil has the ability to kill many species of helminths and likely does so during worm infection. This toxic ability appears to be regulated by several other cells including mast cells, monocytes, and T lymphocytes. It has also been found that an eosinophil-related protein appears to play an undefined role in human reproduction.