cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minisuperspace models as infrared contributions

A direct correspondence of quantum mechanics as a minisuperspace model for a self-interacting scalar quantum-field theory is established by computing, in several models, the infrared contributions to 1-loop effective potentials of Coleman-Weinberg type. A minisuperspace approximation rather than truncation is thereby obtained. By this approximation, the spatial averaging scale of minisuperspace models is identified with an infrared scale (but not a regulator or cutoff) delimiting the modes included in the minisuperspace model. Some versions of the models studied here have discrete space or modifications of the Hamiltonian expected from proposals of loop quantum gravity. They shed light on the question of how minisuperspace models of quantum cosmology can capture features of full quantum gravity. While it is shown that modifications of the Hamiltonian can be well described by minisuperspace truncations, some related phenomena such as signature change, confirmed and clarified here for modified scalar field theories, require at least a perturbative treatment of inhomogeneity beyond a strict minisuperspace model. The new methods suggest a systematic extension of minisuperspace models by a canonical effective formulation of perturbative inhomogeneity.
Abstract P373: A Comparison of Examination-Based and Self-Reported Cardiovascular Health Indicators Using Mississippi Delta Cardiovascular Health Examination Survey Preliminary Data and the Mississippi Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) surveillance at the regional or local level is limited. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) frequently provides the primary source of information on CVD and its risk factors at the population level. However, BRFSS data may be limited due to reliability of self-reported information, a lack of serologic and other objective measurements, and non-local level sampling frames. The Mississippi Delta Cardiovascular Health Examination Survey (CHES) is an ongoing CVD surveillance system in the 18-county Mississippi Delta, a predominately rural, disadvantaged region with some of the highest rates of CVD in the nation. Our objective was to compare prevalence estimates of self-reported CVD risk factors from the Mississippi BRFSS with examination-based measures of these risk factors from Delta CHES. Methods: Delta CHES uses an in-home data collection model to collect survey data, anthropometric measures and fasting blood specimens on a representative sample of adults ≥ 18 years of age living in the Mississippi Delta region. Preliminary examination data, collected between October 2012 and October 2013, from 484 Delta CHES participants were compared to weighted 2011 Mississippi BRFSS self-reported data from 1,187 respondents living in the Mississippi Delta region. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for measures related to obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, and smoking. In Delta CHES, dyslipidemia was defined as abnormal values for any cholesterol component or for triglycerides; hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mm Hg; obesity was defined as body mass index of ≥ 30.0 kg/m 2 ; current smoking was defined as serum cotinine level > 10.0 ng/mL; and diabetes was defined as plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl or hemoglobin A1c ≥ 6.5%. For prevalence estimates, non-overlapping 95% CIs indicate statistical significance (at α=0.05). Results: Delta CHES provided a significantly greater prevalence estimate of obesity [53.5% (95% CI 48.9-58.1%) vs. 42.9% (95% CI 39.0-46.9%)], diabetes [24.4% (95% CI 20.3-28.5%) vs. 16.3% (95% CI 13.7-18.9%)] and smoking [30.4% (95% CI 26.0-34.9%) vs. 20.2% (95% CI 16.7-23.6%)] compared to BRFSS. Conversely, the prevalence of hypertension was significantly lower in Delta CHES compared to BRFSS [14.4% (95% CI 11.2-17.6%) vs. 51.8% (95% CI 47.9-55.8%)]. Conclusion: Objectively measured estimates from Delta CHES and self-reported measures from the Mississippi BRFSS differed for key CVD risk factors. These preliminary findings suggest self-reporting may have distorted past estimates of CVD risk factor rates in the Mississippi Delta region. Population-based CVD surveillance systems using examination-based measurements can provide perspective on routinely collected self-reports.
Presumptive bacterial translocation in horses with strangulating small intestinal lesions requiring resection and anastomosis.

Objective To document whether presumptive bacterial translocation (PBT) occurs in horses with small intestinal strangulation (SIS). Design Prospective clinical cohort study. Setting University tertiary care facility. Animals Thirty-six adult horses with SIS (clinical cases) and 10 adult horses without gastrointestinal disease (control cases). Interventions Sterile collection and bacterial culture of samples from peripheral venous blood, mesenteric venous blood, mesenteric lymphatic tissue, and intestinal aspirates from horses with SIS and control horses without gastrointestinal disease. Measurements and Main Results Five of 36 (13.8%) horses with SIS had at least 1 sample yield a positive result. Shorter SIS bowel segments were more likely to yield a positive culture result. (P < 0.01). Two of 10 of control horses had positive culture results with different bacterial species identified compared to horses with SIS. Antimicrobial usage did not influence bacterial culture status (P = 0.31). There were no differences between culture-positive and culture-negative horses with SIS regarding admission, clinical, or clinicopathologic variables. Conclusions PBT occurs in normal horses and in horses with SIS. Bacterial genera differed between groups. A low incidence of PBT occurs in horses with SIS suggesting postoperative morbidity in some cases may be due to other factors.
NONRADIOACTIVE METHODS FOR LABELING AND IDENTIFYING MEMBRANE SURFACE PROTEINS

Publisher Summary The function of cilia is to provide motility, surfaces on which a variety of cell surface molecules are displayed for cell-cell interactions during mating, chemoreception, and a variety of cellular functions. In a study of Tetrahymena thermophila ciliary membrane proteins, identified were more than 40 ciliary membrane surface proteins, at least 16 of which also bind concanavalin A. Putative membrane surface proteins can be identified by iodination, followed by resolution of proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography. Biotinylation involves the covalent coupling of biotin to a protein or other molecule and the subsequent binding of biotin to avidin or the more specific streptavidin, with which biotin forms an extremely high affinity bond. Avidin or streptavidin can be coupled to alkaline phosphatase or other reagents that produce a colorimetric reaction used to identify biotinylated proteins bound to nitrocellulose. A variety of compounds, some of which are reversible, can be used to link biotin to proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. Sulfosuccinimidyl 6-(biotinamido) hexanoate (NHS-LC biotin) reacts with primary amines (generallylysine epsilon groups) to form a stable covalent amide bond. Reactions are favored in slightly alkaline media, in which the primary amines are unprotonated. The NHS-LC biotin is water soluble and does not penetrate the ciliary membrane to label axonemal or cytoplasmic proteins. The method of identifying putative membrane proteins by staining blotted proteins with concanavalin A (Con A) and HRP has been described in this chapter. NHS-LC biotin has an extremely short half-life and virtually all labeling is completed within 5–10 minutes. These methods were developed for Tetrahymena cells, but similar methods have been used for Chlamydomonas . The chapter discusses the methods for labeling Tetrahymena cilia with NHS-LC biotin, alkaline phosphatase-streptavidin staining of biotinylated protein, labeling blotted proteins with concanavalin A.
Context-based online configuration-error detection

Software failures due to configuration errors are commonplace as computer systems continue to grow larger and more complex. Troubleshooting these configuration errors is a major administration cost, especially in server clusters where problems often go undetected without user interference. This paper presents CODE-a tool that automatically detects software configuration errors. Our approach is based on identifying invariant configuration access rules that predict what access events follow what contexts. It requires no source code, application-specific semantics, or heavyweight program analysis. Using these rules, CODE can sift through a voluminous number of events and detect deviant program executions. This is in contrast to previous approaches that focus on only diagnosis. In our experiments, CODE successfully detected a real configuration error in one of our deployment machines, in addition to 20 user-reported errors that we reproduced in our test environment. When analyzing month-long event logs from both user desktops and production servers, CODE yielded a low false positive rate. The efficiency of CODE makes it feasible to be deployed as a practical management tool with low overhead.
Fictional and everyday violence: the Brazilian audience as an interpretive community of Brazilian cinema

This essay explores the relationship between representations of violence in some contemporary Brazilian films and its very material presence in Brazilian everyday life. It argues that the current emphasis on the portrayal of brutality in Brazilian films is more than a marketing strategy implemented to boost sales. The Brazilian audience deserves special attention because the violence depicted in Brazilian cinema carries a particular meaning for Brazilian spectators. It dialogues with – and cannot be interpreted and understood separate from – other images and instances of aggression that permeate Brazil. Brazilian audiences form what Stanley Fish calls an “interpretive community”, as their sense-making of these films also derives from their shared current collective and individual experiences of violence. Important evidence of this communal interpretive experience is the fact that Brazilian cinema has helped to foster a public debate about violence in most urban centers. Moreover, as the essay shows, film ...
Abstract 404: Racial Differences In Aldosterone And Its Relationship With Potassium

Potassium (K), acting synergistically with angiotensin-II, stimulates aldosterone production, which then promotes secretion of K in distal nephron. Blacks have on average significantly lower aldosterone levels than whites. The extent to which the reduced aldosterone level stems from less stimulation by K is unknown. Also, there may be less dependency on aldosterone to influence K homeostasis in blacks. In an observation study, we looked for race differences in K-aldosterone relationships in a cohort of healthy young blacks and whites (ages 5-39 years). We analyzed 1116 samples from 161 blacks and 271 whites. Our data showed that at although K decreased with age (at a rate of 0.09 mmol/L per year), at any given age K levels of blacks and whites were quite similar (Fig a & b), whereas plasma aldosterone levels were approximately 7 ng/dL lower in blacks (p<0.0001; Fig c & d). We then assessed the aldosterone-K relationships by characterizing the effects of K on aldosterone as functions of age. K and aldosterone were positively correlated in both race groups (p<0.0001), an effect that declined with age for both groups (p<0.05), but at any given age K effect was significantly greater in whites (p<0.001; Fig e and f). Blacks maintained K at a level that was nearly identical to whites despite their having much lower aldosterone levels. We speculate that an expanded volume in blacks facilitated K excretion and reduced stimulation of aldosterone by K because of less synergism with angiotensin II. With increasing age additional sodium may accumulate which increases volume resulting in concurrent declines in K, aldosterone, as well as their associations, in both race groups. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A fault tolerance framework for CORBA

We describe a fault tolerance framework for CORBA that provides fault tolerance management and core services, implemented above the ORB for ease of use and customization, and fault tolerance mechanisms, implemented beneath the ORB for transparency and efficiency. Strong replica consistency is facilitated by a multicast engine that provides reliable totally ordered delivery of multicast messages to the replicas of an object. Transparency to the application allows application programmers to focus on their applications rather than on fault tolerance, and transparency to the ORE allows existing commercial CORBA ORBs to be used without modification. The fault tolerance framework adheres to CORBA's objective of interoperability by ensuring that different implementations of the specifications of the framework can interoperate and that non-fault-tolerant objects can interwork with fault-tolerant objects.
Copper transport by lobster hepatopancreatic epithelial cells separated by centrifugal elutriation: measurements with the fluorescent dye Phen Green.

The hepatopancreas of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) possesses four types of epithelial cells arranged along blind-ended tubules. At the distal tips of these tubules, stem cells termed E-cells differentiate into three other cell types, R-cells, F-cells and B-cells, each of which have different absorptive and secretory roles in the biology of the overall organ. This investigation uses centrifugal elutriation to separate the individual hepatopancreatic epithelial cell types of Homarus americanus and to investigate their plasma membrane copper transport properties using the copper-sensitive fluorescent dye Phen Green. Results show highly dissimilar endogenous concentrations of copper in each cell type and within the vacuoles (vesicles) released from these cells during the centrifugation process ([copper] in vacuoles>E-cells>R-cells>F-cells approximately B-cells). All four cell types were able to absorb copper from external concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 8 micromol l(−1), but considerable differences in transport rates occurred between the cell types. External calcium (0--10 mmol l(−1)) stimulated the uptake of external copper in a saturable fashion, suggesting the occurrence of carrier-mediated metal uptake. Addition of the Ca(2+) channel blocker verapamil (30 micromol l(−1)) to the external medium reduced the uptake rate of copper by all four cell types, but to different extents in each type of cell. External zinc (0--1000 nmol l(−1)) was a competitive inhibitor of copper influx in E- and R-cells, suggesting that the two metals shared the same binding and transport mechanism. A model is proposed which suggests that copper may enter all hepatopancreatic epithelial cell types by a divalent cation antiport process that exchanges intracellular Ca(2+) (or other cations) with either external copper or zinc. Verapamil-sensitive Ca(2+) channels may allow access of external calcium to cytoplasmic exchange sites on the antiporter or to activator sites on the same transport protein. The results suggest that elutriation is an excellent technique for the separation of complex invertebrate organ systems into their separate cell types and for analyzing the physiological properties of each cell type in isolation.
100 Effects of Antenatal Magnesium Sulfate Administration on Neutro-Phil Activation in The Umbilical Cord Blood of Preterm Newborns

Background: The results of epidemiological studies concerning neurological outcome of preterm newborns revealed beneficial effects of maternal magnesium sulphate administration on reduction of intracranial hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia and consequently the incidence of cerebral palsy. One hypothesis for this fact is modulation of inflammatory response by elevated magnesium (Mg2+) concentration.
Microcosms of Democracy: Imagining the City Neighborhood in World War II-Era America

This essay sketches the rise of a Popular Front-inflected vision of the U.S. city neighborhood's meaning and worth, a communitarian ideal that reached its zenith during World War II before receding in the face of cold-war anxieties, postwar suburbanization, and trepidation over creeping blight. During the war years, numerous progressives interpreted the ethnic-accented urban neighborhood as place where national values became most concrete, casting it as a uniquely American rebuff to the fascist drive for purity. Elaborations appeared in the popular press's celebratory cadences, in writings by educators and social scientists such as Rachel DuBois and Louis Wirth, and in novels, plays, and musicals by Sholem Asch, Louis Hazam, Kurt Weill, Langston Hughes, and others. Each offered new ways for making sense of urban space, yet their works reveal contradictions and uncertainties, particularly in an inability to meld competing impulses toward assimilation and particularism. Building on the volume's theme "The Arts in Place," this essay examines these texts as a collective form of imaginative "placemaking." It explores the conflicted mode of liberal nationalism that took the polyglot city neighborhood as emblem. And it outlines the fissures embedded in that vision, which emerged more fully as the provisional wartime consensus dissolved.
CORRELATIVE INHIBITION OF ROOT EMERGENCE IN THE GAMMA-IRRADIATED COLEUS LEAF. I. PREMORPHOGENIC LEVELS OF AUXIN, RNA, AND METABOLITES IN THE PETIOLE BASE.

Exposure of the lamina of the Coleus leaf to gamma radiation inhibits the formation of adventitious roots in the shielded base of the petiole. This abscopal effect on morphogenesis is associated with a sequential reduction in the levels of auxin, RNA and protein in the petiole base, before differentiation occurs. The levels of soluble carbohydrate and nitrogen, nucleotides, and rates of RNA synthesis in these tissues appear not to be involved initially in the radiation effect.
Parallel processors and systems for algebraic manipulation: current work

What efforts are needed to produce a parallel system (computer architecture and interconnection network) for fast algebraic manipulation? This paper outlines current steps toward such a system, including work in related areas of parallel symbolic processing languages and general- and special-purpose multiprocessor systems.
The English article system: Acquisition, function, and pedagogy

Abstract This paper describes the acquisition, frequency, and function of the English articles (a, the, and O—the zero article). It explains the two types of zero article (zero and null) and shows how these occur in alternation with a and the. It then provides a framework for the presentation of the articles in the classroom at the three general levels of beginning, intermediate, and advanced proficiency.
Phase separations in pH-responsive polyelectrolyte multilayers: charge extrusion versus charge expulsion.

Polyelectrolyte multilayers with continuously variable amounts of ionizable weak acid functionality were prepared by blending ionizable and nonionizable polyelectrolytes in the deposition solutions. Diluting ionizable groups in this way yielded multilayers that were more structurally stable, shown by thickness and atomic force microscopy measurements, as their internal polymer charge was varied by the pH of the external solution. Multilayers prepared with opposite surface charge to that appearing within the bulk (as a result of ionization) were more stable, as were thinner films, both results suggesting the extrusion of bulk charge to the surface. These multilayers were able to control the direction and magnitude of electroosmotic flow in microfluidics systems. Multilayers bearing only one, diluted layer of ionizable material were surprisingly effective in this respect.
Kinetics and mechanisms of the ligand substitution of (η5-C9H7)M(CO)4, where M=Nb or Ta, and a reinvestigation of the kinetics of (η5-C5H5)M(CO)4. Molecular structure of (η5-C5H5)Nb(Co)3[P(C6H5)3]

Abstract Kinetic studies were performed for CO substitution reactions of (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )M(CO) 4 and (η 5 -C 9 H 7 )M(CO) 4 (where M=Nb, Ta) with phosphines and phosphites. Niobium derivatives were found to undergo ligand exchange at higher rates than tantalum, and indenyl derivatives exchanged faster than cyclopentadienyl derivatives. The cyclopentadienyl compounds were found to react by a dissociative or dissociative interchange mechanism as opposed to an associative mechanism as suggested by an earlier kinetic study. The indenyl compounds were found to predominantly react by an associative mechanism. Rate and thermodynamic data indicate that the indenyl effect is operative in these Group V compounds. The molecular structure of (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )Nb(CO) 3 [P(C 6 H 5 ) 3 ]·0.25CH 2 Cl 2 was determined: P 1, a =10.817(2), b =12.403(2), c =18.962(3) A, α =100.901(13), β =104.695(10), γ =103.52(2)°, V =2307.6(7) A 3 , Z =4, R F =3.36.
Market and Bargaining Approaches to Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement Problems

The ability of a market type mechanism to significantly reduce the compliance costs of current state and national erosion standards is investigated. The ability of such an institution when applied to a recursively produced pollutant such as sediment from agricultural land is, however, extremely sensitive to the order in which contracts are executed. The gain-ranked order of contracting is found to result in a larger reduction in costs than the mean cost reduction calculated under a random order of contracting. The degree to which actual contracting more closely corresponds to the random or gain-ranked order is, therefore, of crucial importance given the desirability of achieving a sediment load at the least cost possible.
An aborted human fetus with truncus arteriosus communis—Possible teratogenic effect of Tedral

We recently performed a detailed anatomicopathologic examination on an aborted human embryo whose mother had taken four tablets of Tedral (one tablet of Tedral contains 130 mg theophylline, 25 mg ephedrine, 8 mg phenobarbital) for an upper respiratory tract infection when the embryo was at approximately 30 days of development. On the same day, the mother developed acute chest pain and a fast, irregular heart beat. The abortion occurred at approximately 80 days of gestation. The heart of the fetus showed truncus arteriosus (Van Praagh type Al). Although no direct cause and effect relationship was proven in this case, the possibility of a teratogenic effect of Tedral during early pregnancy is considered.
On the combinatorial structure of Bayesian learning with imperfect information

Apart from the enumerative nature of event frequencies, the connection between Bayesian theory and combinatories does not seem to be an obvious one. In this paper, I study the underlying combinatorial structure of a particular class of Bayesian revision problems. This class is characterized by two properties. First, the initial Bayesian prior is taken to be Dirichlet. Second, the sequence of observations generated by the stochastic process in question, assumed i.i.d., is taken to convey imperfect information in general. In the body of the paper, I demonstrate that the combinatorial features of interest surface during the application of Bayes' Rule. This gives rise to a sequence of posterior distributions having strong combinatorial attributes. Not unexpectedly, the first moments of the posteriors turn out to have strong combinatorial attributes as well; and these are of special interest. Finally, the analysis serves to generalize the well-known conjugate family property for Dirichlet distributions (see DeGroot [1]) from the case when observations convey perfect information to the case where they convey imperfect information.
Spanish gold: Stereotypes, ideology, and the construction of a U.S. Latino market∗

A textual analysis of articles in advertising trade magazines shows how the U.S. Latino population was transformed from an “invisible market”; into “Spanish gold”; through the redefinition, but not the elimination, of traditional stereotypes: though basic elements of the stereotypes persist, values useful to advertisers are now assigned to the stereotyped ascriptions and behaviors. The analysis also shows that existing stereotypes of marginalized groups constrain and shape market recognition of minorities; that is, the market is ideological. Finally, the advertising trade press's attempts at defining a “Latino market”; can be seen as an exercise in what Omi and Winant have called “racial formation”;: “the process by which social, economic and political forces determine the content and importance of racial categories, and by which they are in turn shaped by racial meanings.”;
Long-term effectiveness of the immunotherapy of anal condyloma acuminatum

In a seven-year period, 200 patients with persistent or recurrent anal and perianal condyloma acuminatum were treated by immunotherapy. There were 120 primary and 80 recurrent cases in the study. Autogenous vaccine was prepared for each patient and injected subcutaneously, 0.5 ml weekly, for six weeks. Excellent results were seen in 84 per cent, fair results in 11 per cent and no benefit in 5 per cent of patients. No adverse reactions or complications were encountered. Long-term follow-up (average 46 months) was possible for 86 per cent of the patients, all of whom remained disease free. Immunotherapy is the recommended method of treatment for extensive, recurrent, or persistent anal condyloma acuminatum.
Single-Particle Optical Sizing of Microbubbles

Single-particle optical sizing techniques are being used to determine the size distributions of microbubble ultrasound contrast agents and to study the dynamics of individual microbubbles during ultrasound stimulation. The goal of this study was to compare experimental light obscuration and scattering measurements of microbubble size distributions with predictions from generalized Lorenz-Mie scattering theory (GLMT). First, we illustrate that a mono-modal size distribution can be misrepresented by single-particle light obscuration measurements as multi-modal peaks because of non-linearities in the extinction cross section-versus-diameter curve. Next, polymer bead standards are measured to provide conversion factors between GLMT calculations and experimental flow cytometry scatter plots. GLMT calculations with these conversion factors accurately predict the characteristic Lissajous-like serpentine scattering plot measured by flow cytometry for microbubbles. We conclude that GLMT calculations can be combined with optical forward and side scatter measurements to accurately determine microbubble size.
Development of Patterns for Digital Image Correlation Measurements at Reduced Length Scales

Methods for patterning metal thin films at the microscale and nanoscale by applying the patterns to metallic and polymeric materials for use in shape and deformation measurements in a scanning electron microsope (SEM) or other high magnification imaging system are described. In one approach, thin films of metallic materials (e.g., Au, Ag, Cu, and Cr) are applied to a variety of substrates. The coated samples are then placed into a reaction vessel, where the specimens are heated and exposed to a nitrogen atmosphere saturated with selected volatile chemicals. This process results in nano-scale remodeling of the metallic films, thereby affording high contrast random patterns with different morphologies. In a second approach, thin films of metallic materials, including gold and silver, also have been applied using a simplified UV photolithographic method requiring a minimum amount of laboratory preparation. Using selected substrates, both methods have been used successfully to transfer patterns onto polymeric and metallic materials ranging from 50–500 nanometers with chemical vapor rearrangement and 2 to 20 microns with UV photolithography, providing a pattern that can be used with digital image correlation to quantify both the surface profile and also surface deformations at reduced length scales.
Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy of the Bile Duct for Image-Guided Cancer Diagnosis

Definite diagnosis of bile duct malignancy is based on duct stricture biopsy. Currently, peroral cholangioscopy is the only technology available for guiding stricture biopsy. Unfortunately, the sensitivity of cholangioscopy-guided bile duct biopsy can be as low as 30%. Siebel et al. has developed an ultra thin (1.2-1.6 mm diameter), ultra flexible (6 mm bending radius) scanning fiber endoscope (SFE) that allows video-rate (30 Hz) high-resolution (600 lines) true color imaging (Fig. 1.A-C) [1]. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy (TRFS) allows assessing tissue biochemical composition, an important biomarker of epithelial cancer [2]. We hypothesize that the combination of high-resolution SFE imaging with TRFS biochemical assessment should improve the sensitivity of bile duct biopsy. Here, we present the first TRFS data ever collected from bile ducts, demonstrating the feasibility of measuring bile duct endogenous TRFS signal with adequate SNR upon acceptable power levels of UV light excitation.
A water‐soluble tetramethylbenzidine‐2‐hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin inclusion complex as an efficient mediator for oxidoreductases

A water soluble 3,5,3′,5′-tetramethylbenzidine-2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (TMB-hpβCyD) inclusion complex was demonstrated for the first time as an efficient mediator for glucose oxidase, xanthine oxidase and glutamate dehydrogenase. At pH 5, the cyclic voltammogram of the TMB-hpβCyD complex exhibited two reversible oxidation waves with potential peak values (Epa) of 384 mV (TMB TMB+·) and 496mV (TMB+· TMB2+) at a glassy carbon electrode (vs. Ag/AgCl). The Epa value of the former was pH-independent, whereas that of the latter was strongly pH dependent. However, at pH 7 the inclusion complex exhibited only one reversible oxidation wave with Epa of 396 mV. Based on cyclic voltammetric measurements, the second rate constant (k) for the TMB+ (glucose oxidase) reaction was determined as 6.7 × 105 M−1s−1 which compares favorably with that of ferrocene (2.6 × 104 M−1s−1), one of the most common mediators. The inclusion complex was then investigated for bioelectrocatalysis at membrane electrodes of glucose oxidase and xanthine oxidase. The response of the hypoxanthine electrode was linear up to 40μM; its sensitivity was 2.8 μA mM−1 and a response time was smaller than 2 min. A similar response time was also observed for the glucose electrode, however, the linear range and sensitivity of the glucose electrode were 0–3 mM and 0.6 μA mM−1, respectively. The capability of TMB+˙ to oxidize NADH formed from a glutamate dehydrogenase:NAD/glutamate reaction, was also demonstrated, as illustrated by a well-defined catalytic wave for NADH oxidation.
An analytic formula for heating due to ozone absorption

An attempt was made to devise a simple expression or formula to describe radiative heating in the atmosphere by ozone absorption. Such absorption occurs in the Hartley, Huggins, and Chappuis bands and is only slightly temperature and pressure dependent.
Physician-modified endovascular grafts for the treatment of elective, symptomatic, or ruptured juxtarenal aortic aneurysms

Objective To determine if a physician-modified endovascular graft (PMEG) is a safe and effective method of treating juxtarenal aortic aneurysms in patients considered to be unsuitable for open surgical repair. Methods A retrospective, nonrandomized, single institution evaluation of the safety and efficacy of physician modification of a currently Food and Drug Administration-approved device (Zenith Flex; Cook Inc, Bloomington, Ind) to preserve branch vessels when used in the treatment of patients with elective, symptomatic, or ruptured juxtarenal aortic aneurysms. Results Forty-seven consecutive patients underwent fenestrated endovascular repair using PMEG over a 3-year period. Thirty-eight patients (80%) were symptomatic or had rapid aneurysm expansion. Eighty-five percent of patients were American Society of Anesthesiologist category III or IV. Eight-two fenestrations were created for 58 renal arteries, 16 superior mesenteric arteries, three celiac arteries, and the rest accessory vessels. Mean follow-up was 607 days, with a range of 425 to 1460 days. Mean contrast usage and fluoro time were 98 mL and 48 minutes. Technical success rate was 98%, and freedom from aneurysm-related death was 98%. There were six complications (13%). Three (6%) were access related, and three (6%) were procedure related and included one stroke, one case of renal failure, and one branch artery dissection. On follow-up, six patients (13%) had endoleak. There was one type 1 endoleak and five type 2 endoleaks. In-hospital and 30-day mortality was 2%, with one patient expiring due to aspiration on the ward after successful endovascular repair. Two patients died during follow-up; one at 58 days due to cessation of dialysis and one at 485 days due to stent graft migration and occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. There were two deaths in the first year, one in the second year, and zero in the most recent year of experience. One patient with endoleak (2%) had aneurysm sac expansion at 1 year requiring secondary intervention. Conclusions PMEG is a safe and effective alternative for treating patients with juxtarenal aneurysms who have no other alternatives for repair. Longer-term follow-up is needed to assess the durability of repair and potential for device-related complications.
Genetic assessment of rectal temperature and coat score in Brahman, Angus, and Romosinuano crossbred and straightbred cows and calves under subtropical summer conditions

Abstract The objectives of this study were to characterize rectal temperature and coat score under subtropical North American summer conditions for straightbred and crossbred Romosinuano, Brahman, and Angus cattle, to estimate heterosis and breed direct and maternal effects in a subset of those, and to estimate heritability and genetic correlation of these traits. Records of cows (n=612 cows; 1861 total records) and calves (n=1588) from summer days in subtropical Florida, USA, were evaluated using animal models. Records of cows and calves from 2 management groups were analyzed separately. In the first management group, cows were all straightbred as were their calves; most of these cows were dams of cows in the other management group. Cows in that second management group were produced from all possible matings of Romosinuano, Brahman, and Angus bulls and cows; breed groups were 3 straightbred groups and 3 groups of F1 cows (reciprocal crosses combined). Calves of these cows were 3-breed crosses (all F1 cows were mated to bulls of the 3rd breed) and F1 crosses (straightbred cows were bred in approximately equal numbers to bulls of the other 2 breeds). Angus straightbred and crossbred cows and calves had the highest rectal temperature and coat score (subjective score where larger numbers indicated greater quantity of hair on the coat) means in all 4 analyses. In the second management group (straightbred and crossbred cows raising crossbred calves), Romosinuano straightbreds and F1 Romosinuano–Brahman cows had the lowest (P
Analysis of serpentine polymorphs in investigations of natural occurrences of asbestos

This work investigates potential analytical variability in environmental investigations of natural occurrences of asbestos (NOA) due to intergrown serpentine minerals. Franciscan complex and serpentinite rock samples were obtained from likely NOA sites in coastal Northern California with geographic information system (GIS) maps, then analyzed using polarized light microscopy (PLM), transmission electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and selected area electron diffraction (TEM/SAED/EDS), and environmental scanning electron microscopy with EDS (ESEM/EDS). Non-asbestos serpentine fibers were superficially similar to chrysotile but were differentiated quickly using TEM morphology criteria and reference SAED overlays. 94 NOA fibers were classified as asbestiform chrysotile (62%), polygonal serpentine (34%), lizardite scrolls (2%), and lizardite laths (2%). Chrysotile fibril widths (mean = 42 nm) were significantly different from those of polygonal serpentine and lizardite laths (167 and 505 nm, respectively), but not lizardite scrolls (37 nm). Due to differing preparations and microscope resolutions, TEM analyses investigated a distinct, smaller population of particles (0.01–10 μm) than did PLM analyses (10–100 μm). A higher proportion of asbestiform phases in the finer fraction could potentially bias TEM bulk percent asbestos determinations. ESEM/EDS of intermediate particle size ranges revealed 20–200 μm, elongated particles with intermixed asbestiform and non-asbestiform structures on their surfaces. These particles were too thick and complex to be resolved by PLM, and too massive to be detected by TEM. These large particles are likely to exist in samples prepared by mechanical crushing or grinding, but are not likely to be generated by “releasable asbestos” methods.
Tree-ring dating of pre-1980 volcanic flowage deposits at Mount St. Helens, Washington

Tree-ring dating (ring-width pattern matching) was used to determine emplacement dates for eight subfossil-tree–bearing, pre-1980 pyroclastic-flow and lahar deposits in stream valleys draining Mount St. Helens, Washington. Limiting dates were also established for nine other pre-1980 flowage deposits from the ages of trees rooted on or near them, or from exhumed trees. The 17 new dates improve understanding of the chronology of events during and after Mount St. Helens9s Kalama eruptive period, which extended from a.d. 1479 to the mid-1700s. We assign bracketing dates to the three phases of the Kalama eruptive period: 1479–1510 to the early Kalama, during which Mount St. Helens erupted explosive dacitic tephras, pyroclastic flows, and one or more domes; 1489–1566 to the middle Kalama, during which Mount St. Helens produced andesitic tephras, pyroclastic flows, and lava flows; and 1489–1750 to the late Kalama, during which Mount St. Helens again erupted dacite. Overlap of the brackets reflects the limits of our dating resolution. The revised chronology confirms that little time (perhaps 50 yr) elapsed between the end of Mount St. Helens9s Kalama eruptive period and the start of the succeeding Goat Rocks eruptive period (a.d. 1800–1857). Eruptions apparently occurred sporadically during the entire 1479–1857 interval. The record also indicates that a large pyroclastic flow occurred 7–10 yr after the explosive eruptions that began the Kalama eruptive period. The dates further imply that extrusion of the pre-1980 summit dome continued intermittently for ≈ 100 yr and limit the ages of two tephras. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of relict tree-bearing deposits to volcanic history studies.
Haemophilus influenzae type b immunization in infants on peritoneal dialysis

As part of a multi-center collaborative study, we measured antibody levels toHaemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) in ten chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) patients, aged 39 months or less, who were immunized while on CPD. Nine of the ten developed protective antibody levels to Hib. Four patients had serial measurements of antibody and all maintained protective levels, although the levels did decrease in two patients. Thus most, but not all, infants immunized with Hib vaccine while on CPD develop protective antibody levels. The factors responsible for vaccine failure are not clear. Whether patients maintain protective antibody over time needs to be determined.
Mapping Histology to Metabolism: Coregistration of Stained Whole-Brain Sections to Premortem PET in Alzheimer's Disease

The association between [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) counts obtained 8 h before death and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) staining density in a patient with Alzheimer's disease (AD) was evaluated. In our patient FDG-PET counts were globally decreased with a greater focal deficit in the left medial temporal region independent of volume loss. After death, whole-brain sections derived from cryomacrotome sectioning were stained for NFTs by the Gallyas method and elastically warped into their native space enabling registration with premortem FDG-PET data. Gallyas staining density was localized to the paralimbic cortex of the basal forebrain, medial temporal, and orbital frontal regions. The poor correlation between NFT staining density and hypometabolism on FDG-PET implicates alternate mechanisms underlying the metabolic defect in AD.
Electron transport and excitations in graphene

Abstract Graphene is a two-dimensional, single atomic layer carbon structure with many unique physical and chemical properties. In this article, I will focus on electron transport through graphene, both incoherent and coherent, the control of the current through external electric fields, and the realization of high frequency transistors based on graphene. I will also discuss briefly graphene.’s optical properties and how they can be used to create wide wavelength range, ultra-fast photodetectors. Finally, I will present results on the field-induced opening of a tunable band-gap in bi-layer graphene.
Laser ablation microthruster technology

A review of Laser Albation Microthruster (LAmuT) technology along with recent experimental results are presented.
Genetic contributions to preterm birth: Implications from epidemiological and genetic association studies

Infants born before term (<37 weeks) have an increased risk of neonatal mortality as well as other health problems. The increasing rate of preterm birth in recent decades, despite improvements in health care, creates an impetus to better understand and prevent this disorder. Preterm birth likely depends on a number of interacting factors, including genetic, epigenetic, and environmental risk factors. Genetic studies may identify markers, which more accurately predict preterm birth than currently known risk factors, or novel proteins and/or pathways involved in the disorder. This review summarizes epidemiological and genetic studies to date, emphasizing the complexity of genetic influences on birth timing. While several candidate genes have been reportedly associated with the disorder, inconsistency across studies has been problematic. More systematic and unbiased genetic approaches are needed for future studies to examine the genetic etiology of human birth timing thoroughly.
Effects of ECT on the TRH stimulation test

The prognostic value of the TRH stimulation test was evaluated in 23 inpatients with major depressive disorder before and after a trial of ECT. In contrast to previous reports, the peak TSH response to TRH was significantly decreased after treatment compared with before treatment. This effect was consistent across individuals and subgroups (responders/nonresponders; unilateral/bilateral ECT). The particular ECT technique used in the study may account for the discrepancies between these findings and those previously reported by other authors.
Developmental Regulation of Neuregulin1 Isoforms and erbB Receptor Expression in Intact Rat Dorsal Root Ganglia

Neuregulins (NRGs) are a family of growth factors which bind to the erbB family of tyrosine kinase receptors. The exact nature and interaction of specific NRG isoforms and erbB receptors that occur during the development of the nervous system have not been reported. In order to better understand the role that different NRG isoforms and erbB receptors play in the differentiation, proliferation, and survival of neurons and glial cells, we isolated protein and mRNA from dorsal root ganglia of rat pups between embryonic day (E) 13 and postnatal day (P) 15. The relative expression levels of the NRGs and erbB receptors for the different time points were compared using both Western and RT-PCR analyses. NRG1-type1α protein levels were highest at E-13 and then decreased by approximately 40% and remained constant through P-15. In contrast, mRNA levels for NRG1-type1α remained constant from E-15 to P-15. The protein levels for NRG1-type 1β were similar to NRG1-type1α at E-13 with an approximate 40% increase in the levels at E-15 and E-17 followed by a decrease to E-13 levels for the remainder of the developmental time periods. The mRNA levels for NRG1-type1β remained constant from E-15 to P-15. The protein and mRNA expression patterns for each erbB receptor were distinctive. The protein levels for erbB-2 were highest at E-19 while erbB-3 levels were highest at E-17 and E-18. ErbB-4 protein levels were highest at E-13 and decreased through P-15. The developmental pattern for erbB-2 and erbB-4 mRNA levels had no relation to that of the corresponding protein levels while the mRNA levels for erbB-3 were highest at E-17 and E-18 similar to the pattern observed for the erbB-3 protein levels. We concluded that both NRG and erbB expression in dorsal root ganglia are mostly translationally controlled and that NRG1 isoforms and their erbB receptors are not coordinately regulated.
A nonspherically symmetric model for the peculiar A star Alpha-2

Observations show that in the optical region the peculiar A star Alpha-2 CVn has a flatter energy distribution during maximum light than during minimum light. This indicates that during maximum light a lower-temperature region, but necessarily larger surface area, than during minimum light is seen. This suggests a nonspherically symmetric star, which is oblate with respect to the magnetic axis and which is cooler at the magnetic poles than at the magnetic equator. The light variations of such nonspherically symmetric oblique rotator models have been studied. It is found that, for an oblate ellipsoid with an axial ratio of 0.92 and a temperature difference of about 1000 K between the poles and the equator, the overall variations of the optical and the ultraviolet energy distributions can be well understood.
Glycogen Storage and Degradation During In Vitro Growth and Differentiation of Giardia intestinalis

Abstract: Giardia intestinalis is the causative agent of human giardiasis, a common diarrheal illness worldwide. Despite its global distribution and prevalence, many questions regarding its basic biology and metabolism remain unanswered. In this study, we examine the accumulation and degradation of glycogen, an important source of stored carbon and energy, during the in vitro growth and differentiation of G. intestinalis. We report that, as G. intestinalis progresses through its growth cycle, cultures of trophozoites accumulate glycogen during the lag and early logarithmic phases of growth and then utilize this compound during their remaining logarithmic growth. As cultures enter the stationary phase of growth, they re-accumulate glycogen stores. The activity of glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme involved in glycogen metabolism, also varied throughout in vitro trophozoite growth. During the in vitro induction of trophozoite differentiation into water-resistant cyst forms, the cultures initially accumulated...