cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition as an empirical tool to analyze racial disparities in obesity.

Objective Racial disparities in obesity in the US are often assumed to reflect racial disparities in socio-economic status, diet and physical-activity. We present an econometric method that helps examine this by “decomposing” the racial gap in body-mass index (BMI) into how much can be explained by racial differences in “standard” predictors of BMI, and how much remains unexplained. Methods The Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition is widely used in other fields, but remains under-utilized in the obesity literature. We provide algebraic and graphical illustrations of the decomposition, and further illustrate it with an example using data for white and black respondents in Mississippi and Alabama. BMI is the outcome of interest. Predictor variables include income, education, age, marital status, children, mental health indicators, diet and exercise. Results The mean predicted gap in BMI between white and black men is small, statistically insignificant, and can be attributed to racial differences in the predictor variables. The mean predicted gap for women is larger, statistically significant, and <10% of it can be explained by differences in predictor variables. Implications of the findings are discussed. Conclusion Wider application of this method is advocated in the obesity literature, to better understand racial disparities in obesity.
The School and Crime Prevention

The school can be seen as a prime factor in the development and prevention of delinquent behavior. This chapter examines the role schools play in engendering deviant lifestyles as well as the secondary preventive efforts that schools can provide. This has been done by the three-step process by first discussing the theoretical support for the role schools play in delinquency, then by examining specific aspects of the educational process that are important for delinquency, and lastly by examining programs that have been established to intervene in the harmful aspects of school, with special attention paid to programs demonstrating an impact on subsequent delinquency and in-school misbehavior. A wide range of programs and educational strategies that have emerged to address delinquency both in and outside schools have been discussed; they are—preschool programs, elementary and high school programs, alternative schools, and other interventions such as the safe and drug free schools program, the safe schools/healthy children initiatives, and truancy reduction programs.
A time-dependent mean-field theory for prompt nucleon emission in heavy-ion reactions

In recent years the study of fast particles emitted during heavy-ion reactions has been one of the outstanding problems of nuclear physics. Here we present a mean-field theory for the problem. The essence of the model is to treat the relative motion of the ions classically while treating the internal excitations quantum mechanically. The motivation for the theory comes from the earlier time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) calculations. These calculations have shown that the time scale for particle emission was on the order of 10/sup -22/ secs., and, in particular, these particles were emitted before dynamical rearrangement and exchange processes induce an appreciable change on the entrance channel values of the heavy-ion masses and energies. We consider particle emission from a reaction of the type A+B ..-->.. N+X, where N denotes a single emitted nucleon and X stands for everything else. Here, for simplicity, we study particle emission from fragment A which is perturbed by the external time-dependent field produced by a structureless particle of mass B located at a distance R from the center of A. 8 references.
The Making and Transnationalization of an Ethnic Niche: Vietnamese Manicurists

The article addresses how Vietnamese immigrant women developed an urban employment niche in the beauty industry, in manicuring. They are shown to have done so by creating a market for professional nail care, through the transformation of nailwork into what might be called McNails, entailing inexpensive, walk-in, impersonal service, in stand-alone salons, nationwide, and by making manicures and pedicures de riguer across class and racial strata. Vietnamese are shown to have simultaneously gained access to institutional means to surmount professional manicure credentializing barriers, and to have developed formal and informal ethnic networks that fueled their growing monopolization of jobs in the sector, to the exclusion of non-Vietnamese. The article also elucidates conditions contributing to the Vietnamese build-up and transformation of the niche, to the nation-wide formation of the niche and, most recently, to the transnationalization of the niche. It also extrapolates from the Vietnamese manicure experience propositions concerning the development, expansion, maintenance, and transnationalization of immigrant-formed labor market niches.
An investigation of bioecological influences associated with first use of methamphetamine in a rural state.

Purpose: Methamphetamine (MA) addiction is a significant problem in rural areas of the United States. Yet, little theoretically driven formative research has been conducted on the interactions of factors influencing initiation. The study was guided by Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. Methods: Eighty-three MA users participated in an interview. Quantitative data included sociodemographic characteristics, drug use history, and psychosocial functioning. Semistructured interviews examined MA use histories with a focus on initiation. Transcripts of the interviews were coded for 5 themes related to Bronfenbrenner's influences including individual motivation, family, peers, work or school, or community as factors influencing initiation of MA use. Five dummy variables representing the presence or absence of a mention of Bronfenbrenner's 5 influences were created from the qualitative codes and entered into a hierarchical cluster analysis. Findings: The analyses revealed 4 distinct clusters: (1) predominantly female, influenced by peers and individual curiosity, (2) predominantly female, youngest age of first use, influenced by a family culture of drug use, (3) predominantly male, older age at first use, influenced by work settings and family co-workers, and (4) predominantly male, older age at first use, in the school context with a desire to increase intimacy. Conclusions: Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model was useful for classifying initiating influences and grouping individuals based on different combinations of influences. Identifying combinations of initiating factors such as work and community may facilitate tailoring of prevention programs, which may maximize efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Effect of ligand derivatization at different positions on photochemical properties of hybrid Re(I) photocatalysts

Abstract Hybrid CO2-reduction photocatalysts based on Re(bpy)(CO)3Cl, where bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine, were synthesized in order to investigate the effect of different ligand derivatization strategies on photochemical properties of the hybrid Re(I) systems. Derivatization of the bpy ligand was carried out at the 4,4′- and 5,5′-positions with electron-withdrawing amide groups. The derivatized ligands were grafted on mesoporous silica via a dipodal silane coupling agent and were further coordinated with Re(I). The synthesized hybrid photocatalysts were studied using spectroscopic techniques, including UV–visible, in situ infrared and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and tested in photochemical CO2 reduction. An interesting light-induced color change was observed for the hybrid photocatalyst involving derivatization of the bpy ligand at the 5,5′-positions. Combined UV–visible and EPR studies indicated that in the reduced form of this hybrid photocatalyst electron density was more localized on the bpy ligand than on the Re(I) center. Further studies with in situ infrared spectroscopy demonstrated possible formation of a carbonate-bridged binuclear Re(I) species on this hybrid photocatalyst. Our results are particularly relevant to developing new molecular and hybrid photocatalytic systems which involve extensive derivatization of coordinating ligands with functional groups for improved solar energy conversion.
Small Group Studies of Regulatory Decision‐Making for Power‐Frequency Electric and Magnetic Fields

The possibility that the electric and magnetic fields associated with high voltage power transmission lines may pose health risks has been a topic of growing concern in regulatory circles. While there is now a great deal of excellent science available (Nair, Morgan, and Florig 1988, Adey 1986, Florida Electric and Magnetic Fields Science Advisory Committee 1985), it is complex and subtle, and precludes clear conclusions about either the existence or magnitude of any risk. As a consequence, attempts at risk assessment have met with limited success (Morgan et al 1984; Florig 1986). At the same time, growing public concern, regulatory activity, and legal activity, have forced regulators and others to take action (O’Grady 1986, Nair, Morgan, and Florig 1989).
Identification of spatially varying parameters in distributed parameter systems by discrete regularization

Abstract Identification of spatially varying parameters in distributed parameter systems from noisy data is an ill-posed problem. The regularization identification approach, developed by C. Kravaris and J. H. Seinfeld [SIAM J. Control Optim. 23 (1985), 217–241] provides stable approximate solutions to that problem. In this work, a discretized minimization of the smoothing functional is proposed by using finite-dimensional convergent approximations in Sobolev spaces. A convergence theorem for the discretized minimization of the smoothing functional is established. The performance of this discrete regularization approach is evaluated by numerical experiments on the identification of spatially varying diffusivity in the two-dimensional diffusion equation.
Unique mechanistic features of allergic rhinitis

Symptoms of allergic rhinitis are produced by inflammatory mediators that are released upon activation of mast cells by antigen-IgE interaction. These mediators target the end organs directly or indirectly. Stimulation of sensory nerves by histamine, for example, leads to sneezing, pruritus, rhinorrhea, and nasal congestion. The clinical presentation of allergic rhinitis is also characterized by the phenomenon of hyperresponsiveness to nonallergic stimuli, such as cold air and various irritants. This phenomenon is believed to result from the effect of allergic inflammation on the sensory nerves that supply the upper airway mucosa. Various nonallergic triggers have been shown to act on the nasal mucosa through sensorineural stimulation. In allergic rhinitis, responsiveness to these stimuli is increased compared with the healthy state. A similar phenomenon is observed against such products of the allergic reaction as his-tamine and bradykinin. Also, in allergic rhinitis, stimulation of sensory nerves per se can produce inflammatory changes, a phenomenon known as neurogenic inflammation. The mechanism behind the development of sensorineural hyperresponsiveness and of increased propensity for neurogenic inflammation is unknown. However, evidence exists that the neurotrophin nerve growth factor, which can induce all these changes on sensory nerves, is produced in the human nasal mucosa and found in higher quantities in nasal secretions of patients with perennial allergic rhinitis as compared with healthy control subjects. Also, nerve growth factor is acutely released into nasal fluids after allergen provocation of patients with allergic disease. In patients with asthma of atopic origin, allergic rhinitis is almost ubiquitous. Because the nose is the air conditioner of the respiratory system, its dysfunction may negatively affect the lower airways. In addition to the conditioning of inhaled air, the association between allergic rhinitis and asthma may involve various mechanisms. For example, allergen provocation in the nose of a patient with asthma can lead to reductions in pulmonary function and to increased lower airway responsiveness after several hours. Also, nasal inflammation may propagate through a systemic route to affect the lower airways.
Fuzzy Segmentation and Recognition of Continuous Human Activities

Most previous research has focused on classifying single human activities contained in segmented videos. However, in real-world scenarios, human activities are inherently contin- uous and gradual transitions always exist between temporally adjacent activities. In this paper, we propose a Fuzzy Segmen- tation and Recognition (FuzzySR) algorithm to explicitly model this gradual transition. Our goal is to simultaneously segment a given video into events and recognize the activity contained in each event. Specifically, our algorithm uniformly partitions the video into a sequence of non-overlapping blocks, each of which lasts a short period of time. Then, a multi-variable time series is creatively formed through concatenating the block-level human activity summaries that are computed using topic models over each block's local spatio-temporal features. By representing an event as a fuzzy set that has fuzzy boundaries to model gradual transitions, our algorithm is able to segment the video into a sequence of fuzzy events. By incorporating all block summaries contained in an event, the proposed algorithm determines the most appropriate activity category for each event. We evaluate our algorithm's performance using two real-world benchmark datasets that are widely used in the machine vision community. We also demonstrate our algorithm's effectiveness in important robotics applications, such as intelligent service robotics. For all used datasets, our algorithm achieves promising continuous human activity segmentation and recognition results.
Chemical Forms of Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc in Black, Oolong, Green and Instant Black Tea

The chemical forms of iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc were quantified in black, oolong, green and instant black tea infusions. Iron was least soluble in black tea (69%) and most soluble in instant black tea (100%). Calcium was least soluble in green tea (46%) and instant black tea (35%). Almost all magnesium and zinc (89%-98%) were soluble in all teas. The fermented teas had more complexed iron than unfermented tea. Conversely, more ionic iron was in green tea. All ionic iron in the four teas was in the ferric state. Tannase, a polyphenol degrading enzyme, and lemon juice solubilized iron and calcium in some teas. Tannase and lemon juice might reduce the detrimental effect of tea on mineral availability.
Migrant youths in Beijing: a life history analysis of class reproduction

This study utilizes life history analysis to explore the class reproduction process among migrant youths in Beijing, the capital city of China. Eight migrant youths were interviewed about their life histories using a life-line interview methodology. Results showed that these migrant youths could be classified into four groups based on their residential location and the duration of their residence in Beijing, each representing distinctive characteristics. Limited family educational background, poor quality of school education and unstable community environment were common experiences among the youths. In addition, the hukou system and other social policies that restricted education opportunities for these migrant youths contributed to the class reproduction process. Thus, the current education system, family background and social policy all adversely affect the opportunities of migrant youths to choose different life paths from their parents. This article then offers suggestions for changes in policy formu...
Transabdominal and transvaginal endosonography: evaluation of the cervix and lower uterine segment in pregnancy.

The clinical value of conventional transabdominal and transvaginal sonography (endosonography). for the evaluation of the cervix and lower uterine segment between 14 and 36 weeks' gestation was evaluated in 20 unselected obstetric patients. Sonographic evaluation of the cervix and lower uterine segment was adequately depicted in 76% with the transabdominal technique compared to 83% with the transvaginal approach. According to set guidelines, these preliminary results suggest that the transvaginal technique may be superior in obtaining an adequate evaluation of the lower uterine segment and cervix and may offer an advantage of not depending on a fully distended bladder for evaluation.
Use of 2-D-adaptive mesh in simulation of combustion front phenomena

Abstract Solutions to models with different length scales may contain regions such as shocks, steep fronts and other near discontinuities. Adaptive meshing strategies, in which a spatial mesh network is adjusted dynamically so as to capture the local behavior accurately, will be described. The algorithm will be tested on an example of solid-solid combustion.
Socioeconomic Impacts of Public Forest Policies on Heterogeneous Agricultural Households

Nepal has a long history of returning public forests to local people as part of its community forestry programme. In principle the community forestry programme is designed to address both environmental quality and poverty alleviation. However, concern has been expressed that forest policies emphasise environmental conservation, and that this has a detrimental impact on the use of community forests in rural Nepal where households require access to public forest products to sustain livelihoods. To study the effect of government policies on forest use, an economic model of a typical small community of economically heterogeneous households in Nepal was developed. The model incorporates a link between private agriculture and public forest resources, and uses this link to assess the socioeconomic impacts of forest policies on the use of public forests. Socioeconomic impacts were measured in terms of household income, employment and income inequality. The results show that some forest policies have a negative economic impact, and the impacts are more serious than those reported by other studies. This study shows that existing forest policies reduce household income and employment, and widen income inequalities within communities, compared to alternative policies. Certain forest policies even constrain the poorest households’ ability to meet survival needs. The findings indicate that the socioeconomic impacts of public forest policies may be underestimated in developing countries unless household economic heterogeneity and forestry’s contribution to production are accounted for. The study also demonstrates that alternative policies for managing common property resources would reduce income inequalities in rural Nepalese communities and lift incomes and employment to a level where even the poorest households could meet their basic needs.
Consultation with the specialist: renal tubular acidosis.

1. James C.M. Chan, MD* 2. Jon I. Scheinman, MD† 3. Karl S. Roth, MD* 1. 2. *From the Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Biochemistry Molecular Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 3. 4. †Department of Pediatrics at the University of Kansas, Kansas City, KS. Objectives After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the important presenting characteristics of renal tubular acidosis (RTA). 2. Delineate the mechanisms of the growth failure commonly encountered in RTA. 3. Characterize the various types of primary RTA. 4. Describe diagnostic tests and treatment modalities available for RTA. 5. Delineate the conditions giving rise to secondary distal and proximal RTA. A 2-month-old Caucasian female presented for failure to thrive. She was born at 33 weeks’ gestation via primary cesarean section for pregnancy-induced hypertension to a 38-year-old G1P0 mother. Her birthweight was 1,430 g, making her small for gestational age. Apgar scores were 7 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. Newborn metabolic screen results were negative. At 3 weeks of age, with good oral intake of formula, alternating with breastfeeding, the infant was discharged from the hospital. The infant’s paternal grandfather died at age 61 from bronchitis and heavy smoking. The 60-year-old paternal grandmother was healthy and well. There was no family member of short stature. The 38-year-old mother (162.6 cm) and the 46-year-old father (175.3 cm) both were in good health. The maternal grandfather, age 72, had a history of renal stones. The 67-year-old maternal grandmother (157.5 cm) had a history of gallstones. No one in the family was on dialysis or had kidney diseases except for the maternal grandfather’s renal stones. At 2 months of age, the infant had persistent failure to thrive and a 1-day history of irritability and vomiting and was readmitted for diagnostic evaluation. Serum bicarbonate level was 12 mEq/L (12 mmol/L), and she was tachypneic, with a respiratory rate of 60 breaths/min and intercostal retraction. Her height was 48.5 cm (<5th percentile) and her weight was 3.45 kg (<5th percentile). Blood pressure was 81/48 mm Hg. She was alert and calm, with normal skin turgor. …
Automatic Segmentation of Mammographic Density

Abstract Rationale and Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate a completely automatic method, based on Kittler's optimal threshold, to estimate breast density by using the mammographers' definition. Materials and Methods Thirty-two normal, right-craniocaudal-view mammograms of women aged 37–86 years were digitized. The whole breast area was segmented by using Kittler's optimal threshold procedure, and the dense portions were then segmented by using a modified version of Kittler's method. Segmentation results were validated by three independent mammographers who provided a signed percentage (in steps of 5%) to indicate the difference between their own visual estimation of the dense portions and the results obtained with the algorithm. The difference between the algorithm measurements and the mammographers' measurements was compared to the interobserver differences. Results A high correlation was found between the algorithm measured density and the mammographers' measurements. Spearman correlations ranged from 0.92 to 0.95 ( P Conclusion The difference between density as measured with the algorithm and as measured by the mammographers is similar to the differences observed between mammographers. This algorithm could be useful in providing clinically accurate estimates of breast density.
Errata: An Approach for Estimating Vibration Characteristics of Nonuniform Rotor Blades

A method is presented for determining the vibration characteristics of a rotating blade whose cross-sectional dimensions or mechanical properties may vary sharply or even discontinuously along its length. The coupled flapwise bending, chordwise bending, and torsional vibration of the blade is analyzed by the method of the new quotient which is based on a variational statement proposed by Nemat-Nasser. In this approach, the nonuniform blade properties may be approximated by step (piecewise constant) functions. Two illustrative examples are given, and the results are compared with available experimental data and other numerical solutions. The comparison shows that the method of the new quotient yields very good results.
Tb3+ and Eu3+ luminescence in imidazolium ionic liquids

Abstract The luminescence properties of Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ dissolved in ionic liquids are studied. Solutes in this study include simple lanthanide compounds (e.g., EuBr 3 , TbCl 3 ) and lanthanide complexes (e.g., Eu(dpa) 3 3− where dpa = 2,6 pyridine dicarboxylate dianion) dissolved in a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide(BMIBr)/water mixture. Emission, excitation, and time-resolved emission measurements are utilized to characterize the spectroscopic properties. It is well established in the literature that the solubility and spectroscopic properties of lanthanides in ionic liquids are highly dependent upon environmental factors including purity, and water content [K. Binnemans, Chemical Reviews (2007); I. Billard, S. Mekki, C. Gaillard, P. Hesemann, C. Mariet, G. Moutiers, A. Labet, J.-C.G. Bunzli, European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry 6 (2004) 1190–1197; S. Samikkanu, K. Mellem, M. Berry, P.S. May, Inorganic Chemistry 46 (2007) 7121–7128]. The water in this ionic liquid system acts as a co-solvent to facilitate solubility of Tb 3+ and Eu 3+ compounds. The observed spectroscopic properties of Eu 3+ and Tb 3+ salts are expectedly impacted by the high water content, but unexpectedly impacted by the BMIBr ionic liquid. However, the spectroscopy of Eu(dpa) 3 3− is unaffected by the presence of BMIBr.
A new remote subsite in ribonuclease A.

Abstract The interaction between bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase A) and its RNA substrate extends beyond the scissile bond. Enzymic subsites interact with the bases and the phosphoryl groups of a bound substrate. We evaluated the four cationic residues closest to known subsites for their abilities to interact with a bound nucleic acid. Lys-37, Arg-39, Arg-85, and Lys-104 were replaced individually by an alanine residue, and the resulting enzymes were assayed as catalysts of poly(cytidylic acid) (poly(C)) cleavage. The values of K m andk cat/K m for poly(C) cleavage were affected only by replacing Arg-85. Moreover, the contribution of Arg-85 to the binding of the ground state and the transition state was uniform—K m increased by 15-fold and k cat/K mdecreased by 10-fold. The contribution of Arg-85 to binding was also apparent in the values of K d for complexes with oligonucleotides of different length. This contribution was dependent on salt concentration, as expected from a coulombic interaction between a cationic side chain and an anionic phosphoryl group. Together, these data indicate that Arg-85 interacts with a particular phosphoryl group of a bound nucleic acid. We propose that Arg-85 comprises a new distal subsite in RNase A—the P(−1) subsite.
What Have We Learned About Treatment Failure in Empirically Supported Treatments? Some Suggestions for Practice

Abstract The examination of treatment failure has substantial value in advancing psychological practice as illustrated by the articles in this special issue. Treatment failure is not well defined and includes at least two independent phenomena: nonresponse and deterioration. After discussing the important distinction between nonresponse to treatment and client worsening, some general findings are highlighted. These include client, therapy, and therapist dimensions. The retrospective study of nonresponse to treatment can lead to important modifications in treatment protocols and can influence theory as well as clinical intervention. However, there is a need for methods suitable for routine care that monitor treatment response and make suggestions for changes in real time. A system for accomplishing this task in routine care is briefly described.
Physiologic and pathologic functions of the NPP nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family focusing on NPP1 in calcification.

The catabolism of ATP and other nucleotides participates partly in the important function of nucleotide salvage by activated cells and also in removal or de novo generation of compounds including ATP, ADP, and adenosine that stimulate purinergic signaling. Seven nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase NPP family members have been identified to date. These isoenzymes, related by up conservation of catalytic domains and certain other modular domains, exert generally non-redundant functions via distinctions in substrates and/or cellular localization. But they share the capacity to hydrolyze phosphodiester or pyrophosphate bonds, though generally acting on distinct substrates that include nucleoside triphosphates, lysophospholipids and choline phosphate esters. PPi generation from nucleoside triphosphates, catalyzed by NPP1 in tissues including cartilage, bone, and artery media smooth muscle cells, supports normal tissue extracellular PPi levels. Balance in PPi generation relative to PPi degradation by pyrophosphatases holds extracellular PPi levels in check. Moreover, physiologic levels of extracellular PPi suppress hydroxyapatite crystal growth, but concurrently providing a reservoir for generation of pro-mineralizing Pi. Extracellular PPi levels must be supported by cells in mineralization-competent tissues to prevent pathologic calcification. This support mechanism becomes dysregulated in aging cartilage, where extracellular PPi excess, mediated in part by upregulated NPP1 expression stimulates calcification. PPi generated by NPP1modulates not only hydroxyapatite crystal growth but also chondrogenesis and expression of the mineralization regulator osteopontin. This review pays particular attention to the role of NPP1-catalyzed PPi generation in the pathogenesis of certain disorders associated with pathologic calcification.
Processing first-order queries under limited access patterns

We study the problem of answering queries over sources with limited access patterns. Given a first-order query Q, the problem is to decide whether there is an equivalent query which can be executed observing the access patterns restrictions. If so, we say that Q is feasible. We define feasible for first-order queries---previous definitions handled only some existential cases---and characterize the complexity of many first-order query classes. For each of them, we show that deciding feasibility is as hard as deciding containment. Since feasibility is undecidable in many cases and hard to decide in some others, we also define an approximation to it which can be computed in NP for any first-order query and in P for unions of conjunctive queries with negation. Finally, we outline a practical overall strategy for processing first-order queries under limited access patterns.
Luminescent η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl tantalum(V) complexes: synthesis, characterization, and emission spectroscopy

Abstract A series of η 5 -pentamethylcyclopentadienyl tantalum(V) complexes have been prepared and their electronic and emission spectra examined. Compounds of the form Cp*TaX 4 (where X=Cl, Br, OC 6 F 5 ) and Cp*TaCl 2 X 2 (where X=OC 6 Cl 5 , 2,6-OC 6 H 3 Cl 2 ), as well as CpTaX 4 , have been found to luminesce at 77 K in frozen glasses (only Cp*TaCl 4 , reported previously, luminesces at ambient temperature in both solid and fluid solution). The shifts in luminescence maxima with ligand variation lead to the conclusion that the emissive state is a ligand-to-metal charge transfer in which the highest occupied orbital is based on the donor atom of one of the monodentate ligands and the lowest unoccupied orbital is Ta-based.
Attempts To Inoculate Xiphinema Index With Grape Fanleaf Virus By Microinoculation

Techniques and microequipment to mechanically inoculate X, index with grape fanleaf virus are described. There was no evidence from mechanical inoculation tests on Chenopodium quinoa that the virus was introduced into adult female X. index by microinoculation, although the nematodes survived the injury caused by microneedles, later fed on grape seedlings, and apparently reproduced normally.
Hemodynamic Effects of Cerebral Arteriovenous Aneurysms

The hemodynamic alterations produced by large cerebral arteriovenous aneurysms are qualitatively similar to those caused by arteriovenous aneurysms elsewhere in the body. Congestive heart failure was not observed in our eight patients; it appears to be unusual in adult cases. By comparing cardiac outputs with a control group the mean aneurysm blood flow in six patients was estimated to be 2,804 ml. per minute at rest. Isoproterenol increased cardiac output relatively more than the estimated aneurysm flow. Implications of the present data with respect to the concept of "central" blood volume are discussed. Progressive mental and neurologic deterioration is the rule with large cerebral arteriovenous aneurysms. Repeated bleeding episodes, which may not be obvious clinically, appear to be partially responsible.
Personality types of otolaryngology resident applicants as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

Objective. To assess the personality types of applicants to a single otolaryngology residency program using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The personality types were compared with those of the ge...
Isolation of Nitrosoguanidine-Induced Mutants of Streptococcus diacetilactis with Enhanced Ability to Produce Acetoin and Diacetyl

Abstract Streptococcus diacetilactis was treated with N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and plated on lactose-citrate-creatinine agar. Cultures started from slightly pink colonies produced lactic acid much more slowly than the original culture and produced much larger amounts of acetoin and diacetyl.
Effects of cholecystokinin-receptor agonists on cortical 5-HT release in guinea pigs on the X-maze.

Abstract Rex, A. and H. Fink. Effects of cholecystokinin-receptor agonists on cortical 5-HT release in guinea pigs on the X-maze. Peptides 19(3) 519–526, 1998.—Exposure of guinea pigs to the elevated plus maze (X-maze), an animal model of anxiety, causes an increase of extracellular serotonin (5-HT) in the lateral prefrontal cortex monitored by microdialysis. The neuropeptide cholecystokinin (CCK) plays a role in the modulation of anxiety. To compare the roles of CCK receptors, the effects of the CCK-A receptor agonist A-71378, the CCK-A/B receptor agonist CCK-8S and the CCK-B receptor agonist BOC-CCK-4 on anxiety-related behavior and the 5-HT release in the prefrontal cortex were determined. None of the drugs changed the behavior of the guinea pigs and the cortical 5-HT release under resting conditions in the familiar home cage. A-71378 and CCK-8S had no effect on the behavior on exposure to the X-maze whereas BOC-CCK-4 induced an ‘anxious’ behavior. The results suggest that ‘anxious’ behavior induced by CCK is associated with selective CCK-B receptor stimulation. A-71378 inhibited the rise in 5-HT on exposure to the X-maze. CCK-8S had no effect and the anxiogenic BOC-CCK-4 potentiated the rise in 5-HT on the X-maze. Both CCK receptors mediate changes in 5-HT release under aversive conditions, but not in a resting state. The results suggest a receptor subtype-specific influence of CCK on behavior and 5-HT activity under aversive conditions.
Nanoprodrugs of nsaids inhibit the growth of U87-MG glioma cells

Several recent reports have demonstrated that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit the growth of various malignant cells suggesting their application as anticancer agents. In this study, we prepared six nanometer-sized prodrugs (nanoprodrugs) of NSAIDs, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and naproxen through the spontaneous emulsification mechanism using monomeric and dimeric derivatives of the NSAIDs. We evaluated their effect on the proliferation of U87-MG glioma cells by cell counting, WST-1 cell proliferation reagent, and propidium iodide incorporation. The two ibuprofen nanoprodrugs inhibited the cell growth more potently than the indomethacin nanoprodrugs, whereas the naproxen nanoprodrugs did not show any significant effect. Remarkably, ibuprofen did not show any effect at an equimolar concentration. Approximately, 4.4% of the ibuprofen nanoprodrugs was found in the cell, whereas no ibuprofen could be detected suggesting that the superior effect of the nanoprodrugs can be attributed to the efficient cellular uptake of the nanoprodrugs.
X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region of two-component heterokaryons of Neurospora crassa. VIII. Dose-dependence of the overall spectrum.

Abstract There is considerable controversy in the literature concerning the nature of X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in various experimental organisms. To investigate this problem in Neurospora crassa a series of experiments (Webber and de Serres, 1965) was performed to study the induction-kinetics of X-ray-induced mutation in the adenine-3 (ad-3) region of a two-component heterokaryon (H-12). Subsequent genetic analyses (de Serres, 1989a,b,c, 1990a), on a series of 832 mutants recovered in these experiments, have shown that 3 different classes of ad-3 mutants were recovered, namely gene/point mutations, multilocus deletions and multiple-site mutations. Complementation studies with a series of genetic markers that define 21 genetic loci in the ad-3 and immediately adjacent genetic regions have shown that ad-3 mutants classified as multilocus deletions result from the inactivation of a series of loci in the ad-3 and immediately adjacent regions of Linkage Group I, whereas multiple-locus mutations result from combinations of gene/point mutations and multilocus deletions. Analysis of the induction kinetics of these 3 different classes, after completion of the genetic characterization of all mutants (de Serres, 1990b) demonstrated that gene/point mutations increase linearly with X-ray dose, whereas multilocus deletions and multiple-site mutations increase as the square of X-ray dose. Further analysis of allelic complementation among the gene/point mutations at the ad-3B locus (de Serres, 1990c), demonstrated that the spectrum of complementation patterns was dose-dependent: complementing mutants with nonpolarized patterns decreased and noncomplementing mutants increased with increasing X-ray dose. There was little or no change with dose in the frequency of mutants with polarized patterns. In the present report, data from studies published previously have been utilized, along with additional data from the original X-ray experiments (12-5, 12-6, 12-7, and 12-10; see Webber and de Serres, 1965) to develop composite complementation maps of the X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 and immediately adjacent regions as a function of X-ray dose. This analysis of the overall spectrum of X-ray-induced specific-locus mutations in the ad-3 region demonstrated marked dose-dependence and provides an explanation for the discrepancies in the literature with regard to specific-locus studies in different experimental organisms.
Visions of (In)Security and American Strategic Style

This essay was stimulated (provoked) by discussions in three separate venues: (1) a U.S. Naval War College conference on “Alternative Futures in War and Conflict: Implications for U.S. National Security,” held in late 1999; (2) several recent widely circulated “blue-ribbon” reports on the subject; and (3) recent papers emerging from the U.S. defense bureaucracy speculating on strategic visions of the next ten to twenty years. My contention is that the prevailing official and quasi-official debate exhibits excessive and overly definitive emphases on: (1) particular facets of insecurity; (2) attributions to the U.S. of benign intent and capacity; and (3) assumptions that most others share that interpretation of our words and deeds. There also tends to be unwarranted neglect of representation and standing issues which discriminate for and against different policy perspectives and forms of program expertise. A plea is offered for an alternative approach based on what we know about how persons, organizations, and communities can best position themselves for (in)security futures.
Analysis of monoamine accumulations in the neuronal tissues of Mytilus edulis (bivalvia)—II: Pharmacological alteration of pedal ganglia monoamine uptake

Abstract 1. Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed the presence of two uptake mechanisms for serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. The high affinity uptake processes were found to have Km1 values of 0.281, 2.68 and 3.17 × 10−6 M and Vmax1 values of 0.154, 1.048 and 0.165 nmol/g/min for serotonin, dopamine and norepinerphine, respectively. 2. At low biogenic amine concentrations uptake1 contributes more than uptake2 to the total amount of amine accumulated, as determined by the Michaelis-Menten equation, whereas at higher concentrations the reverse is true. 3. 3-Chlorimiprimine was the most potent and select agent found for inhibiting serotonin uptake (ID50 value 0.5 × 10−6 M). The same is true of benztropine for inhibiting dopamine uptake (ID50 value 0.2 × 10−6 M). 4. DALA ( D -ala2-met-enkephalinamide) and morphine were found to be inhibitors of monoamine uptake within the concentration range 100–140 μM. 5. The high affinity uptake mechanisms were found to be highly sensitive to Na+ omissions from the incubation medium. 6. The monoamines were found to affect each other's uptake. These results suggest the existence of intraganglionic regulatory mechanisms involving neurotransmitter interrelationships.
Diminishing Returns?: The Costs and Benefits of Improving Health

In this paper, we develop and apply an economic framework for valuing improvements in health, based on Murphy and Topel (2002). Past improvements in health and longevity have had enormous social value. By our estimation, the contributions to the economic well-being of longer lifetimes have been worth about dollar 73 trillion since 1970, or about dollar 2.6 trillion per year. The average 50-year-old man gained additional life-years worth roughly dollar 350,000, while a 50-year-old woman gained about dollar 180,000. Looking ahead, prospective benefits from further progress are also large: a 10 percent reduction in mortality from heart disease would be worth over dollar 4 trillion, and even a 1 percent reduction in cancer deaths would be worth over dollar 400 billion. These values suggest that public investments in basic medical research may yield huge social returns, but distortions in the allocation of medical care and in research incentives may yield future benefits that are smaller than the costs of achieving them. While the average net health benefits of increased medical expenditures are large, costs may have greatly exceeded benefits in certain periods and age groups.
Human immune system mice: current potential and limitations for translational research on human antibody responses

It has recently become possible to generate chimeric mice durably engrafted with many components of the human immune system (HIS mice). We have characterized the maturation and function of the B cell compartment of HIS mice. The antibody response of HIS mice to T cell-dependent B cell antigens is limited, and contributing factors may be the general immaturity of the B cell compartment, infrequent helper T cells selected on human MHC class II antigens, and incomplete reconstitution of secondary lymphoid organs and their microenvironments. In contrast, HIS mice generate protective antibody responses to the bacterium Borrelia hermsii, which acts as a T cell-independent antigen in mice, but do not respond to purified polysaccharide antigens (PPS). We speculate that the anti-B. hermsii response of HIS mice is derived from an abundant B cell subset that may be analogous to B1 B cells in mice. We suggest that failure of HIS mice to respond to PPS is due to the lack of a B cell subset that may originate from adult bone marrow and is highly dependent on human interleukin-7 for development.
Bidding strategy for FTR obligations in transmission markets

In electricity markets, the financial transmission right (FTR) is an important tool for hedging congestion charges. A risk-constrained FTR bidding model is proposed for transmission auction markets. Based on the forecast differential LMP between sink and source points of certain FTRs, bidders try to maximise their expected pay-offs by taking into account the associated risks. Supposing the forecasted distribution of differential LMPs and bidders' risk preferences are known among all bidders, the problem is modelled as a bilevel optimisation with the upper subproblem representing bidders and the lower subproblem representing the solution to the ISO's FTR market clearing problem for maximising the revenues collected from the FTR auction. The bilevel optimisation problem is solved by developing the sensitivity of a bidder's expected utility with respect to its bidding strategies. A three-bus system with four bidders is considered to illustrate the proposed method. The results show the impact of forecasted differential LMP and bidders' preferred risk level on FTR bidding.
Some theoretical aspects of the group-IIIA-ion atomic clocks: Intercombination transition probabilities

The main focus of this paper is the theoretical study of the {sup 3}{ital P}{sub 1}{r arrow}{sup 1}{ital S}{sub 0} intercombination transition probabilities of the group-IIIA ions that are excellent candidates for high-accuracy atomic clocks. The importance of relativistic effects on the intercombination transition probabilities is made apparent by comparing their calculated values with those of the allowed {sup 1}{ital P}{sub 1}{r arrow}{sup 1}{ital S}{sub 0} transition probabilities. In striking contrast to the allowed transition probabilities, the intercombination transition probabilities exhibit a strong {ital Z} dependence.
An X-Ray Thickness Gauge for Hot-Strip Rolling Mills

The application of X rays to the gauging of hot strip steel has been accomplished using one X-ray tube and two photoelectric tube detectors. The gauge also has other promising uses.
Isotopic study of oxygen diffusion in silicon dioxide thin films

Abstract Diffusion of oxygen in thin films of silicon dioxide has been studied using oxygen isotopically enriched in oxygen of atomic mass 18 ( 18 O). This subject is of interest because thin films of dielectrics such as SiO 2 are proposed for use as protective coatings for solar mirrors in low earth orbit, which is a strongly oxidizing environment. Films of this material were prepared with a d.c. magnetron using reactive sputtering techniques. To produce 18 O-enriched SiO 2 , a standard silicon wafer 3.5 in in diameter was reactively sputtered using 18 O-enriched (95%) molecular oxygen as the plasma feed gas. The films were characterized using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) to establish stoichiometry and purity. Subsequently, the films were exposed to an air-derived oxygen plasma in a standard laboratory plasma reactor for durations of up to 10 h. The concentration of 16 O as a function of depth was determined using SIMS profiling and compared with a baseline non-plasma-exposed sample. A value for the diffusivity of oxygen near the surface of these films was obtained and found to be about 10 −15 cm 2 s −1 at 50°C.
Evidence for functional domains on the reovirus type 3 hemagglutinin.

Abstract The reovirus σ1 protein (HA) is the polypeptide responsible for specific cell surface binding and hemagglutination. In order to define the biochemical basis of these properties, we have isolated a number of hybridomas secreting monoclonal antibodies directed against the serotype 1 and 3 HA proteins. Using neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) testing, we have been able to define at least four distinct antigenic regions (epitopes) on the type 3 HA. One class of antibodies had exclusively neutralizing activity; a second class had only HI activity. One antibody had neutralizing and HI activity and the fourth class of monoclonal antibodies had no detectable neutralization or HI activity. Thus there appears to be marked functional specialization within regions of the reovirus type 3 HA.
Is There an Easy, Effective, Efficient, and Inexpensive Technique to Reduce Pain of Arterial Punctures?

This issue of Respiratory Care features a well-written paper by Haynes[1][1] on the use of cryoanalgesia, specifically by application of an ice bag, to reduce pain associated with arterial puncture. Arterial puncture for blood gas (ABG) analysis is a common procedure in a variety of clinical