cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of nitrogen form and rate on appearance and cold acclimation of three container-grown woody ornamentals

Abstract Three woody ornamentals were fertilized with 6 nitrogen sources, each applied at 100, 200 and 400 mg/l N. Toxicity was evident from ammoniacal sources, especially at the high rates. Nitrate sources were not injurious, except on viburnum at the highest rate. Doublefile viburnum was severely injured by all ammoniacal sources, while forsythia showed minimal injury and spreading cotoneaster none. Freezing-studies showed that all plants, whether visually affected by the ammoniacal sources or not, showed more freezing-injury than plants grown with nitrate sources. Nitrogen rate did not affect the degree of freeze injury. The impairment of metabolic processes by excess ammonium nutrition predisposed the plants to greater freeze injury.
Definitive management of severe facial trauma utilizing free tissue transfer

Objective Severe ballistic or avulsion injuries to the face create complex, composite defects. We report the results of an aggressive management algorithm to optimize facial form and function: (1) the initial encounter, (2) definitive reconstruction with vascularized tissue, and (3) aesthetic and prosthetic refinement. Study design and setting Retrospective case series of 49 patients in 2 tertiary care institutions. Patients were evaluated for age, gender, mechanism of injury, anatomic subsites involved, surgical procedures, flaps utilized, complications, and functional outcomes. Results Forty defects were gunshot wounds, 9 resulted from major avulsive trauma. Involved sites included 13 oromandibular, 21 midface/upper face, and 15 combined sites; 54 free flaps were utilized, 21 were soft tissue and 33 contained bone. No flap failures occurred. Function and cosmesis were best in the oromandibular only group, and worst in the combined group with nasal and/or orbital tissue loss. Conclusion Treatment of severe facial trauma requires early tissue debridement with bony repair and/or stenting to minimize scar contracture. Free tissue transfer techniques allow simultaneous reconstruction of the bony framework and overlying tissues. Multiple secondary procedures are frequently required for optimal aesthetic restoration. EBM rating: C.
Ethanol blocks cytosolic Ca2+ responses triggered by activation of GABAA receptor/Cl− channels in cultured proliferating rat neuroepithelial cells

GABA(A) receptor/Cl- channels and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are believed to be important sites of ethanol action in the CNS. Acute exposure of ethanol potentiates GABA(A) receptor/Cl- channel activity and inhibits voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in a number of preparations, mostly post-mitotic neurons. The effects of ethanol on these channels in primary cultures of undifferentiated neural precursor cells remain unknown. To address this issue, we examined the effects of ethanol on GABA(A) agonist-activated elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ in an in vitro model of the cortical neuroepithelium derived from rat basic fibroblast growth factor-expanded neural precursor cells. We found a potent inhibition of GABA(A)-activated elevation of cytosolic Ca2+ by ethanol in actively proliferating cells. Since we had recently demonstrated that GABA(A) receptor activation depolarizes these cells and elevates their cytosolic Ca2+, we tested whether the effects of ethanol involved both GABA(A) receptors and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Both extracellular K+- and muscimol-induced cytosolic Ca2+ elevations were abolished by nitrendipine, indicating that both depolarizing stimuli triggered Ca2+ influx through L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Exposure of proliferating cells to different concentrations of ethanol revealed that the drug was more potent in blocking muscimol-induced compared to K+-evoked cytosolic Ca2+ elevations. These results raise the possibility that ethanol blocks GABAergic stimulation of cytosolic Ca2+ levels in proliferating precursors primarily by interacting with GABA(A) receptor/Cl- channels and secondarily with voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.
Effect of different levels of hexahomoserine on growth and hematopoiesis in rats.

SummaryYoung white rats were fed diets containing 2% DL-lysine HCl and different levels of DL-hexahomoserine for 28 days. When the diet contained 0.08-0.33% DL-hexahomoserine, the growth rate was reduced without simultaneous development of anemia. When the diet contained 1% DL-hexahomoserine, growth was almost completely inhibited and the majority of the animals showed definite symptoms of anemia.
High-fidelity electrocardiography: Effects of induced localized myocardial injury in the dog

Abstract Small intramural lesions were successfully produced in the myocardial wall in 6 of 9 dogs. In these 6 dogs, notching of the QRS was found to be maximal in the precordial leads directly over the damaged area of the myocardium. Therefore, one explanation for the derivation of notching in the QRS is the disruption of the usually smooth depolarization wave. This finding supports the explanations given for the cause of multiple notching found in the abnormal electrocardiograms of human patients.
Dedifferentiated chordoma: Response to aggressive chemotherapy in two cases

Background. Dedifferentiated chordoma is an unusual and aggressive variant of chordoma which is likely to metastasize. Few reports exist of treatment of these tumors with chemotherapy. Methods. In 1988, two patients with dedifferentiated sacral chordomas were seen at the University of Chicago Hospitals. Both developed metastatic disease less than a year after sacral resection and radiation therapy. These patients' diagnoses, courses, and treatments were reviewed along with the literature on chemotherapy in both conventional and dedifferentiated chordomas. Results. Both patients obtained complete remissions, one to a six-drug regimen and the other to ifosfamide. Conclusions. A trial of reasonably aggressive chemotherapy is warranted in patients with metastatic dedifferentiated chordoma. The optimum regimen is unclear, but agents active in high-grade sarcomas are logical choices.
Somatic hybridization in the gramineae: Pennisetum americanum (L.) K. Schum. (Pearl millet) +Panicum maximum Jacq. (Guinea grass)

Protoplasts from Pennisetum americanum resistant to S-2-amino-ethyl-l-cysteine (AEC) were fused with protoplasts of Panicum maximum utilizing polyethylene glycol-dimethylsulfoxide after inactivation of the Pennisetum protoplasts with 1 mM iodoacetic acid. The iodoacetate treatment prevented division of Pennisetum protoplasts; therefore, only Panicum protoplasts and heterokaryons potentially could give rise to colonies. A second level of selection was imposed by plating 3–4-week-old colonies on AEC medium. Putative somatic hybrid calli were analyzed for alcohol dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, aminopeptidase, and shikimate dehydrogenase isozymes. Three somatic hybrid cell lines (lines 2, 3, and 67) were identified which showed two bands of alcohol dehydrogenase activity representing homodimers of P. maximum and P. americanum as well as a novel intermediate band of activity where Panicum-Pennisetum heterodimers would be expected. Aminopeptidase and shikimate dehydrogenase were useful for identifying presumptive hybrid calli but the isozyme patterns were additive-evidence which would not preclude the selection of chimeric callus. A more complex isozyme pattern which varied among the somatic hybrids was observed for 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. In the hybrid calli, the presence of DNA sequences homologous to both P. maximum and P. americanum sequences was confirmed by hybridization of a maize ribosomal DNA probe to XbaI and EcoRI restriction fragments. Growth of hybrid lines on various concentrations of AEC was either similar to the AEC-resistant parent (hybrid line 2) or intermediate between the resistant and sensitive parents (hybrid lines 3, 67).
Promoting Healthy Choices: Information versus Convenience

Success in slowing obesity trends would benefit from policies aimed at reducing calorie consumption. In a field experiment at a fast-food sandwich chain, we address the effects ofproviding calorie information, mimicking recent legislation, and test an alternative approach that makes ordering healthier slightly more convenient. We find that calorie information reduces calorie intake. Providing a daily calorie target does as well, but only for non-overweight individuals. Making healthy choices convenient reduces intake when the intervention is strong. However, a milder implementation reduces sandwich calories, but does not reduce total calories due to compensatory effects on side orders and drinks.
Antistreptococcal Antibodies Found in Patients with Narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy with cataplexy typically occurs during adolescence and is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. Loss of hypocretin cells and a high association with HLADQB1*0602 and polymorphisms in the T-cell receptor-α (TCR) loci suggest an autoimmune disorder that may be a response to infection [1]. Environmental triggers have been suggested, including increased stress, decreased sleep, head trauma, and various other unusual triggers (eg, bee sting). However, findings may be coincidental and are likely confounded by bias recall. Increased smoking exposure in patients with narcolepsy suggests the effect is secondary to increased upper respiratory tract infections in secondary smoking [2]. More than 20 years ago, increased antistreptolysin O (ASO) and anti-DNAse B (ADB) titers were reported in a small number of patients with narcolepsy. However, a possible infectious trigger would not be detectable long after onset of narcolepsy, and if streptococcal infections were a trigger for narcolepsy onset, they would be best detected in newly identified patients with recent onset.
A two-equation turbulence model of turbulent bubbly flows

Abstract A two-fluid model of turbulent, adiabatic bubbly flow was implemented in the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) CFX4.2 program and validated. Turbulence in the dispersed (bubble) phase was neglected. Liquid turbulence was modeled through a two-phase extension of the single-phase standard k–e model. Conservation equations of turbulent scales contain single-phase and interfacial terms. A closure for the interfacial turbulence terms was proposed based on the assumption of low-bubble inertia and neglecting surface tension. The interfacial turbulence terms account for additional pseudoturbulence in liquid created by bubble-induced mixing. The proposed turbulence model contained the single empirical constant in the modeled dissipation rate balance. The model was implemented in the CFX4.2 commercial CFD solver. Comparing numerical predictions to the experimental data the value of the model constant was estimated. Model predictions were compared to other bubbly flows to prove the universality of the model constant. The comparison showed that the constant has a certain generality. A new, two-phase logarithmic wall law was also implemented and validated. The derivation of the new law was based on an assumption of the additional eddy diffusivity due to the bubble-induced stirring in the boundary layer. An improved wall friction prediction was achieved with the new wall law over conventional single-phase law. The improvement was especially noticeable for the low-liquid flow rates when bubble-induced pseudoturbulence plays a significant role. The ability of the model to account for bubble size effect was also studied.
Configuration and conformation of substituted azetidines

Studies of compounds such as 1-cyclohexyl-2-carbomethoxy-4-methylazetidine by H-1 nmr coupling constants, nuclear Overhauser effects, C-13 steric shifts, and N-15 nmr support the revised assignment of configuration for cis/trans isomers in a series of N-alkyl substituted azetidines. The trans isomer displayed spectral characteristics consistent with a planar or nearly planar ring. The cis isomer favors a puckered ring, with major substituents at C-2 and C-4 equatorial. Compounds lacking the C-4 methyl are also puckered. Puckering angles are estimated. In contrast, trans-1-cyclohexyl-2-carboxy-4-methylazetidine (a zwitterion) prefers a puckered ring, possibly implicating the time averaged effect of nitrogen inversion on ring shape. The N-15 spectra show a large difference in chemical shift between cis and trans isomers of the azetidines, although analogous aziridines show an even larger difference.
Brewing Wars of Attrition for Profit (and Concentration)

Although research on industry structure, conduct, and performance has been important there are concerns that empirical applications inappropriately pool data from different industries and ignore the contributions of game theory. We avoid these concerns by investigating a single industry, U.S. brewing, in a simultaneous system derived from a game theoretic model. In spite of rising concentration in brewing, profits remained low because of a continuing war of attrition. We develop a measure of the likelihood of “war” and find that the type of game being played, as well as structure and conduct variables, is an important determinant of industry performance.
Maoism in the Andes: The Communist Party of Peru-Shining Path and the Refusal of History

This article examines the history and ideology of the Communist Party of Peru-Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso). The rebels claim to embody a distinctively Peruvian Marxism. However, a close examination of the party betrays a conspicuous indifference to Peruvian culture and traditions. The distinctiveness of this largest and most diverse of the Andean nations disappears in the orthodoxy of a universal Marxism, in this respect placing the Shining Path within the long legacy of the imperial inscription of Latin American history into the preconceived categories and linear narratives of Western philosophy and science.
Phase selection of microcrystalline GaN synthesized in supercritical ammonia

Abstract Microcrystalline GaN was synthesized in supercritical ammonia with acidic, neutral, and basic mineralizers. For both acidic and neutral mineralizers, a mixture of wurtzite GaN and zinc-blende GaN was obtained, whereas wurtzite GaN was preferentially synthesized with basic mineralizers. Gibbs free energy for wurtzite GaN and zinc-blende GaN was calculated to investigate phase stability of GaN. The free energy of formation for wurtzite GaN was smaller than that for zinc-blende GaN by 720 J/mol (8 meV) at 600 K and 1310 J/mol (14 meV) at 800 K. Given this small energy difference, the selection of phase in ammonothermal synthesis turned to depend more on kinetics than on thermodynamics. Water-dissolving powder which was occasionally synthesized in basic conditions suggested that the reaction path in basic conditions is different from that in acidic and neutral conditions. The difference in the reaction path is thought to affect the phase selection.
Quantized Diameters in Self-assembled Cyundrical Aggregates of Chlorophylls

Neutron small-angle scattering measurements of several different chlorophylls hydrated in deuterated octane-toluene mixtures show that long, hollow cylinders of aggregated chlorophyll are formed. Clear secondary maxima are present in the scattering, and the cylinder diameters are well determined, but depend on the type of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll-a and Bacteriochlorophyll-a were particularly studied, and several samples of each have been measured. Other chlorophylls have also been studied. The results provide strong evidence that chlorophyll cylinders are only certain sizes, with diameters very nearly in the ratio of small integers. Thus, the cylinder diameters appear to be quantized. Neutron scattering results that further test this quantization property are presented here, together with a proposal for the stereochemical features of chlorophyll aggregation which account for the diameter quantization.
Work in progress - cognitive, affective and social factors contributing to the success in undergraduate computer science and engineering education

A three-year research project is proposed whose overall goal is to look at how cognitive, affective and social factors determine success for undergraduate students and how this varies across 1) major, 2) year of study, 3) campus culture (geographic location, size), 4) gender and 5) race. The proposed research will explore cognitive, affective and social factors that contribute to success in engineering education and computer science with one central question: How does the student's state of mind (mind-state) influence the physical process of learning which then can lead to academic success. Under investigation are the differences with mind-state in response to learning in engineering and computer science, and the relational images that explain the quality and quantity of bow the student respondents constructed success. Defining and implementing research measures for mind-state is a central part of this project. Quantitative, qualitative, medical, and projective methods will include samples that reflect variations in mind states reported by male and female participants, in mixed-sex and same sex environments, by race, by discipline and by major.
Improved Fertility Preservation Care for Male Patients With Cancer After Establishment of Formalized Oncofertility Program

Purpose: Survival to reproductive age among men with cancer has steadily increased and yet cancer therapy and cancer itself may carry the risk of infertility. Since 2006, we have used a formalized fertility preservation program with expedited fertility care at our institution. We assessed the impact of this program by comparing the frequency of sperm cryopreservation and patient characteristics before and after its implementation.Materials and Methods: Men 18 to 55 years old diagnosed with cancer at our institution from 2002 to 2010 were included in our study. We retrospectively reviewed patient charts to identify those who were offered and subsequently used fertility preservation services before and after program formalization.Results: From 2002 to 2010 at our institution 4,818 men 18 to 55 years old were diagnosed with cancer, of whom 411 were offered fertility preservation consultation and 249 underwent sperm cryopreservation. Since program implementation, the annual number of men receiving fertility p...
Duality between Sk and GL(n, ℂ)

Let V be a complex vector space, and let ⊗ k V = V ⊗ ··· ⊗ V be the k-fold tensor of V. (Unadorned ⊗ means ⊗ℂ.)
A low-power CMOS BFSK transceiver for health monitoring systems

A CMOS low-power transceiver for implantable and external health monitoring devices operating in the MICS band is presented. The LNA core has an integrated mixer in a folded configuration to reuse the bias current, allowing high linearity with a low power supply levels. The baseband strip consists of a pseudo differential MOS-C band-pass filter achieving demodulation of 150kHz-offset BFSK signals. An all digital frequency-locked loop is used for LO generation in the RX mode and for driving a class AB power amplifier in the TX mode. The MICS transceiver is designed and fabricated in a 0.18µm 1-poly, 6-metal CMOS process. The sensitivities of −70dBm and −98dBm were achieved with NF of 40dB and 11dB at the data rate of 100kb/s while consuming only 600µW and 1.5mW at 1.2V and 1.8V, respectively. The BERs are less than 10−3 at the input powers of −70dBm at 1.2V and −98dBm at 1.8V at the data rate of 100kb/s. Finally, the output power of the transmitter is 0dBm for a power consumption of 1.8mW.
Germination of Individual Bacillus subtilis Spores with Alterations in the GerD and SpoVA Proteins, Which Are Important in Spore Germination

Release of Ca(2+) with dipicolinic acid (CaDPA) was monitored by Raman spectroscopy and differential interference contrast microscopy during germination of individual spores of Bacillus subtilis strains with alterations in GerD and SpoVA proteins. Notable conclusions about germination after the addition of nutrient were as follows. (i) Following L-alanine addition, wild-type and gerD spores and spores with elevated SpoVA protein levels (↑SpoVA spores) slowly released ∼10% of their CaDPA during a variable (6- to 55-min) period ending at T(lag), the time when faster CaDPA release began. (ii) T(lag) times were lower for ↑SpoVA spores than for wild-type spores and were higher for gerD spores. (iii) The long T(lag) times of gerD spores were partially due to slow commitment to germinate. (iv) The intervals between the commitment to germinate and CaDPA release were similar for wild-type and ↑SpoVA spores but longer for gerD spores. (v) The times for rapid CaDPA release, ΔT(release) = T(release) - T(lag) (with T(release) being the time at which CaDPA release was complete), were similar for wild-type, gerD, and ↑SpoVA spores. (vi) Spores with either one of two point mutations in the spoVA operon (spoVA(1) and spoVA(2) spores) exhibited a more rapid rate of CaDPA release beginning immediately after L-alanine addition leading to ∼65% CaDPA release prior to T(lag). (vii) T(lag) times for spoVA(1) and spoVA(2) spores were longer than for wild-type spores. (viii) The intervals between spoVA(1) and spoVA(2) spores' commitment and CaDPA release were similar to those for wild-type spores, but commitment occurred later. In contrast to germination after the addition of nutrient, T(lag) and ΔT(release) times were relatively similar during dodecylamine germination of spores of the five strains. These findings suggest the following. (i) GerD plays no role in CaDPA release during spore germination. (ii) SpoVA proteins are involved in CaDPA release during germination with nutrients, and probably with dodecylamine. (iii) Spores release significant CaDPA before commitment. (iv) CaDPA release during T(lag) and ΔT(release) may signal subsequent germination events.
Polyedrische Methoden zur Lösung großer kombinatorischer Optimierungsprobleme

Modellierungen zur Losung anwendungsrelevanter Probleme in Informatik, Mathematik, Physik oder Operations Research fuhren haufig auf schwierige kombinatorische Optimierungsprobleme. Zwar ist nicht in allen Fallen die Berechnung von optimalen Losungen erforderlich, fast immer ist man aber an guten unteren oder oberen Schranken fur den Wert einer Optimallosung interessiert. Gesucht sind also Optimallosungen oder gute zulassige Losungen versehen mit einer Gutegarantie. Ziel dieses Vortrags ist es, den gegenwartig erfolgreichsten Ansatz sowohl zur exakten Losung schwieriger kombinatorischer Optimierungsprobleme als auch zur Bestimmung unterer Schranken vorzustellen. (Ohne Beschrankung der Allgemeinheit betrachten wir kombinatorische Probleme als Minimierungsprobleme.) Es sei hier angemerkt, das wir in der Darstellung bisweilen unprazise sein mussen und nur die prinzipiellen Ideen diskutieren konnen. Eine exakte Darstellung wurde uber den Rahmen dieses Vortrags hinausgehen. Wir verweisen an geeigneten Stellen auf weiterfuhrende Literatur.
Reply to M. Kumar et al

We would like to thank Kumar et al for their thoughtful reflection on the analysis we published in 2008. In that study, we reported a significant increase in the risk of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure by using a Cox regression multivariable analysis in men with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent less than 6 compared with 6 months of the antiandrogen therapy, flutamide, in addition to 6 months of a luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist and 70 Gy radiation therapy (RT) in a randomized study comparing that treatment to 70 Gy of RT alone. Two possible reasons exist for the difference in the results that Trans-Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) investigators found and ours. First, in the multivariable model, the TROG group included as covariates both months of flutamide and treatment (RT and 6 months of hormonal therapy [HT] versus RT only). By doing this, the information regarding HT is included twice; once in the continuous covariate, months of flutamide, and again in the categorical covariate, RT and 6 months of HT. This can lead to a loss of significance in one or both of these terms. Moreover, because these two terms are not independent, a single term—such as months of flutamide—should be considered, for which they could include men receiving RT only as the baseline group and then have RT and all 6 months of combined HT and RT and 6 months of the LHRH agonist but less then 6 months of flutamide in the model. Second, when comparing the TROG study to men in the U.S. study, the U.S. study enrolled men with less-advanced prostate cancer. Specifically, in the TROG 9601 study, approximately 75% of men had clinical category T2c to T4 disease, whereas these men were excluded from the U.S. study, in which only men with clinical category T1b to T2b disease were enrolled. The more advanced nature of the prostate cancers treated in the TROG study is additionally supported by a median PSA of approximately 15 ng/mL compared with approximately 11 ng/mL in the U.S. study. Given these differences in patient selection, a hypothesis to explain the discordant results in addition to the statistics could be that men with clinically localized compard with locally advanced prostate cancer are less likely to harbor hormone-refractory disease and, therefore, are more likely to benefit from more complete hormonal blockade. For now, however, this remains a conjecture. Therefore, we agree that our analysis as well as the post–random assignment analysis from the TROG 9601 study provided in their letter is hypothesis generating. Prospective validation of the association between the use of combined HT and a reduction in the risk of PSA recurrence in men with clinically localized prostate cancer is needed, as stated in the final sentence of our study.
Lateral sinus thrombosis associated with zoster sine herpete

Herpes zoster results from reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Zoster sine herpete (ZSH) is an uncommon manifestation of VZV infection and presents with similar symptoms but without the vesicular rash. We describe an unusual case of lateral sinus thrombosis (LST) that developed during the clinical course of ZSH in the C2 distribution. A 55-year-old woman presented with a 3-day history of left temporal and postauricular pain, nausea, vomiting, and mild photophobia. She denied otalgia, otorrhea, and hearing loss. Examination revealed hyperesthesia in the left C2 nerve root distribution without evidence of herpetic rash. A computed tomography scan showed minimal fluid in the left mastoid cavity (not mastoiditis) and thrombus within the left lateral and sigmoid dural sinus. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiogram confirmed these findings. Laboratory studies revealed elevated neurotrophic immunoglobulin G levels to VZV. Hypercoagulable studies were normal. She was subsequently treated with Neurontin, acyclovir, and anticoagulation. Her symptoms improved, and she was discharged 3 days later. LST is generally a complication of middle ear infection. Nonseptic LST, however, may result from dehydration, oral contraceptive use, coagulopathy, or thyroid disease. This unusual case raises the suspicion that thrombosis resulted from VZV associated thrombophlebitis in the ipsilateral cerebral venous sinuses along the second cervical nerve root distribution. A high index of suspicion is necessary in such cases so that a different treatment course can be identified and antiviral medication initiated promptly.
Ubiquity of soft glassy dynamics in polypropylene–clay nanocomposites

Abstract The rheology of polypropylene–clay nanocomposites was studied as a function of organoclay loading, degree of exfoliation, and presence of maleic anhydride functionalized polypropylene compatibilizer. Samples exhibit varying degrees of solid-like response in the terminal regime of small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS), certifying that differences in clay silicate delamination were achieved for fixed organoclay loading. Previous work has also demonstrated that mechanically percolated nanocomposites exhibit logarithmically increasing storage modulus with time at low frequency, behavior attributed to the continuous development of a mesoscale organoclay network akin to that observed for colloidal gels. Continuous low frequency SAOS experiments not only affirm such behavior but also reveal that it is ubiquitous to polypropylene–clay nanocomposites, including samples whose organoclay loading and extent of exfoliation place them below the ostensible mechanical percolation threshold. Similar experiments conducted on uncompatibilized samples support the analogy to soft glassy dynamics, whereby van der Waals attractions drive the formation of a heterogeneous, gel-like organoclay network. Intermolecular associations between pendant group functionalities on the compatibilizer have contributed to logarithmic increases in the storage modulus with time for pure maleated samples, but the reduced concentrations of maleated polypropylene present in the materials reported here are shown to not influence the solid-like rheology over time through network formation. Thus, we demonstrate that only organoclay network formation is responsible for the time-dependent rheology in polyolefin nanocomposites.
Achieving a “Broad View of Health”: Findings From the California Healthy Cities and Communities Evaluation

Promoting a "broad view of health" is an important objective of the healthy cities movement, including recognition of the powerful role that social relations and living conditions play in the health of community members. This article presents a quantitative approach to assessing consensus and change in ideas about health determinants among local coalition members. A ranking of five determinants of health in the form of paired comparisons was included in a survey of coalition members of 20 local healthy communities projects in California. Findings revealed conflicting views among members in the planning year, with some respondents emphasizing the role of social factors and living conditions and others emphasizing the role of health care and lifestyle decisions. Data collected at the end of the funded intervention showed movement toward a broader view of health, with greater consensus on this view in select communities.
The effect of rhodamine-123 on 3 prostate tumors from the rat.

AbstractPurpose: Rhodamine-123 (Rh-123) was found to have a specific attraction to the mitochondria of tumor cells. The destruction of rat prostate tumor cells by Rh-123 is described.Materials and Methods: Tissue was used from rat prostate studies of Rh-123 treatment of R3327-H, PA III prostate tumor of Pollard and the autochthonous tumor in Lobund-Wistar rats. All tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, paraffin embedded and sectioned at 1 to 3 micro. for good cellular detail.Results: Destructive processes were seen in all 3 rat prostate tumor models evaluated. The changes included acinar cell clumping, acinar destruction with scarring, cyst formation within acinar cells and increased stromal cells.Conclusions: Since all tumor models were found to respond to Rh-123 in a similar manner, any of them could be used for the evaluation of anticancer agents. These studies demonstrated that Rh-123 was effective in suppressing the growth of hormone sensitive and insensitive rat prostate tumor cells.
Effects of colony food shortage on behavioral development in honey bees

Three experiments were conducted to explore the effects of severe food shortage on the control of two important and interrelated aspects of temporal division of labor in colonies of the honey bee (Apis mellifera): the size and age distribution of a colony's foraging force. The experiments were conducted with single-cohort colonies, composed entirely of young bees, allowing us to quickly distinguish the development of new (precocious) foragers from increases in activity of bees already competent to forage. In experiment 1, colony food shortage caused an acceleration of behavioral development; a significantly greater proportion of bees from starved colonies than from fed colonies became precocious foragers, and at significantly younger ages. Temporal aspects of this starvation effect were further explored in experiment 2 by feeding colonies that we initially starved, and starving colonies that we initially fed. There was a significant decrease in the number of new foragers in starved colonies that were fed, detected 1 day after feeding. There also was a significant increase in the number of new foragers in fed colonies that were starved, but only after a 2-day lag. These results suggest that colony nutritional status does affect long-term behavioral development, rather than only modulate the activity of bees already competent to forage. In experiment 3, we uncoupled the nutritional status of a colony from that of the individual colony members. The behavior of fed individuals in starved colonies was indistinguishable from that of bees in fed colonies, but significantly different from that of bees in starved colonies, in terms of both the number and age distribution of foragers. These results demonstrate that effects of starvation on temporal polyethism are not mediated by the most obvious possible worker-nest interaction: a direct interaction with colony food stores. This is consistent with previous findings suggesting the importance of worker-worker interactions in the regulation of temporal polyethism in honey bees as well as other social insects.
Pen‐writable nanocarbon arrays fabricated using liquid‐crystalline materials for potential use in displays

— We have fabricated carbon nanotubes and nanofibers using liquid-crystalline materials. By using these materials, the orientation of graphene layers can be manipulated using surface-anchoring techniques common to liquid-crystal displays. The bulk material properties of the graphene can be controlled by the spatial arrangement of the layers due to their anisotropic nature. We have also demonstrated a method to pattern arrays of these nanoforms using an automated printing technique.
Stabilization of membranes in human platelets freeze-dried with trehalose.

Abstract Human blood platelets are normally stored in blood banks for 3–5 days, after which they are discarded. We have launched an effort at developing means for preserving the platelets for long term storage. In previous studies we have shown that trehalose can be used to preserve biological membranes and proteins during drying and have provided evidence concerning the mechanism. A myth has grown up about special properties of trehalose, which we discuss here and clarify some of what is fact and what is misconception. We have found a simple way of introducing this sugar into the cytoplasm of platelets and have successfully freeze-dried the trehalose-loaded platelets, with very promising results. We present evidence that membrane microdomains are maintained intact in the platelets freeze-dried with trehalose. Finally, we propose a possible mechanism by which the microdomains are preserved.
Outcomes of a Prospective Trial of Student-Athlete Drug Testing: The Student Athlete Testing Using Random Notification (SATURN) Study

Abstract Purpose To assess the effects of random drug and alcohol testing (DAT) among high school athletes. Methods This was a 2-year prospective randomized controlled study of a single cohort among five intervention high schools with a DAT policy and six schools with a deferred policy, serially assessed by voluntary, confidential questionnaires. DAT school athletes were at risk for random testing during the full academic year. Positive test results were reported to parents or guardians, with mandatory counseling. Indices of illicit drug use, with and without alcohol use, were assessed at the beginning and end of each school year for the past month and prior year. Potential mediating variables were evaluated. Results Student-athletes from intervention and control schools did not differ in past 1-month use of illicit drug or a combination of drug and alcohol use at any of the four follow-up periods. At the end of the initial school year and after 2 full school years, student-athletes at DAT schools reported less drug use during the past year ( p p p p p p p Conclusions No DAT deterrent effects were evident for past month use during any of four follow-up periods. Prior-year drug use was reduced in two of four follow-up self-reports, and a combination of drug and alcohol use was reduced at two assessments as well. Overall, drug testing was accompanied by an increase in some risk factors for future substance use. More research is needed before DAT is considered an effective deterrent for school-based athletes.
Orbital myositis as manifestation of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - a case report

A 38-year-old woman with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) was admitted with sudden onset of painful proptosis of her left eye (figure 1A). Examination revealed a markedly proptosed left eye with chemosis, ptosis and painful reduction of eye movements. Visual acuity was preserved. Apart from coryzal symptoms, there were no other systemic features of infection. A CT scan of the orbits revealed diffuse thickening of the left lateral rectus muscle (Solid arrows) with retro-orbital fat stranding (Broken arrow), compatible with focal myositis (figure 1B,C). There was no other intracranial space occupying lesion. Her creatine kinase levels and thyroid function were normal, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody was negative but erythrocyte …
Internal performance characteristics of vectored axisymmetric ejector nozzles

A series of vectoring axisymmetric ejector nozzles were designed and experimentally tested for internal performance and pumping characteristics at NASA-Langley Research Center. These ejector nozzles used convergent-divergent nozzles as the primary nozzles. The model geometric variables investigated were primary nozzle throat area, primary nozzle expansion ratio, effective ejector expansion ratio (ratio of shroud exit area to primary nozzle throat area), ratio of minimum ejector area to primary nozzle throat area, ratio of ejector upper slot height to lower slot height (measured on the vertical centerline), and thrust vector angle. The primary nozzle pressure ratio was varied from 2.0 to 10.0 depending upon primary nozzle throat area. The corrected ejector-to-primary nozzle weight-flow ratio was varied from 0 (no secondary flow) to approximately 0.21 (21 percent of primary weight-flow rate) depending on ejector nozzle configuration. In addition to the internal performance and pumping characteristics, static pressures were obtained on the shroud walls.
The Fireproof Building: Technology and Public Safety in the Nineteenth-Century City . By Sara Wermiel. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2000. Pp. viii, 301. $45.00.

Sara Wermiel's carefully crafted and informative The Fireproof Building explores the evolution of structural fire protection in the United States from its origins in the late eighteenth century through the nineteenth century with special emphasis on its role in the development of skyscrapers. Without the specialized technological developments described by the author, large public buildings, which are the centerpieces of most contemporary cities, would be impossible. Although many scholars have examined the engineering of tall buildings and their historic conquest of height in the modern city, Wermeil provides a compelling argument for the broad significance of fire-resistant methods in the development of the twentieth-century urban landscape.
LESSONS FROM EMOTION PSYCHOLOGY FOR THE DESIGN OF LIFELIKE CHARACTERS

ABSTRACT This special issue describes a number of applications that utilize lifelike characters that teach indirectly, by playing some role in a social interaction with a user. The design of such systems reflects a compromise between competing, sometimes unarticulated, demands: They must realistically exhibit the behaviors and characteristics of their role, they must facilitate the desired learning, and they must work within the limitations of current technology, and there is little theoretical or empirical guidance on the impact of these compromises on learning. Our perspective on this problem is shaped by our interest in the role of emotion and emotional behaviors in such forms of learning. In recent years, there has been an explosion of interest in the role of emotion in the design of virtual humans. The techniques and motivations underlying these various efforts can seem, from an outsider's perspective, as bewildering and multifaceted as the concept of emotion itself is generally accused of being. Dra...
Ionization–excitation of helium to He+(2p) magnetic sublevels following electron, proton, and molecular hydrogen (H2+ and H3+) impact

Experimental magnetic sublevel scattering-angle-integrated cross sections following ionization–excitation of He(1s2)1S to He+(2p)2Po in e− + He and Hm+ + He (m = 1–3) collision systems have been determined using a combination of total cross sections and polarization fraction measurements in the extreme ultraviolet range. The derived magnetic sublevel cross sections, σ0 and σ1, for ML = 0 +/- 1 have been studied over a wide range of velocities (2–8.5 au) for electron impact on helium. These results are compared with previous experimental proton cross sections (2–6 au) as well as new measured data for hydrogen molecular impact (1.4–4.0 au) for equi-velocity. In addition, our electron and proton measurements are compared with earlier theoretical predictions, our recent second-Born calculations fully including off-shell energy terms, and present predictions from a hybrid first-order and second-order distorted-wave plus R-matrix (close-coupling) model (DWB1 + RMPS and DWB2 + RMPS). Finally, we have extended our polarization measurements for H+ + He collisions and found excellent agreement between theory and experiment at nearly all impact energies. However, the present second-Born and DWB1 + RMPS results deviate slightly from the experimental electron data while the DWB2 + RMPS calculations tend toward the experimental data of Forand et al (1985 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Phys. 18 1409).
Perceived length across the physiological blind spot

Objects falling across the physiological blind spot appear "complete" despite the absence of photoreceptors. Completion of objects may occur across the blind spot because (1) the blind spot is filled in with the background (the associative explanation); (2) the opposite sides of the blind spot may be contiguously represented in the cortex (i.e. the blind spot is simply sewn up-the retinotopic explanation); or (3) the blind spot may be sewn up, with compensatory expansion occurring around the blind spot (the compensation explanation). These theories would predict no size distortions regardless of object size; constant size distortions regardless of object size; and distortions that depend on the size of the object, respectively. To evaluate these explanations, we measured size distortions at the blind spot. We measured length distortions at the blind spot using a criterion-free two-alternative forced-choice method with feedback. Observers compared the lengths of test bars presented across the blind spot with lengths of reference bars presented at the corresponding location in the fellow eye. Test bar lengths ranged from 7-14 deg. Reference bar lengths were in the range of +/- 3 deg of test bar length. From the observers' responses the perceived length of each bar at the blind spot was estimated. Estimates of the precision of length discrimination at the blind spot were also obtained. Our results were consistent with the associative explanation. In all seven observers, length distortions at the blind spot were smaller than 1 deg (< 20% of the vertical height of the blind spot) for all bar lengths tested. For bars that were presented across the blind spot, the precision with which observers could discriminate length was comparable to that of normal periphery (Weber fraction approximately 20%). Both the veridicality and precision of perceived length are preserved around the blind spot.
The Violence Prevention Community Meeting: A Multi-Site Study

Objective The Violence Prevention Community Meeting (VPCM) is a specialized form of community meeting in which avoiding violence and promoting non-violent problem solving and interpersonal civility are focal points. A nationwide study to assess the VPCM as an effective intervention to reduce workplace violence was undertaken.
Intuitionistic Fuzzy Finite Automata with Unique Membership Transitions

Intuitionistic fuzzy recognizers and intuitionistic fuzzy finite automata are discussed. The notions of intuitionistic fuzzy finite automata with unique transition on an input symbol is introduced. It is shown that for any intuitionistic fuzzy finite automaton (IFA) there exists an equivalent intuitionistic fuzzy finite automaton with unique membership transitions on an input symbol such that membership values for recognized strings are the same. The concepts are proved and illustrated with examples.
Negative Selection of Discrete Subgroups of T Helper Cells Restricted by Determinants Present on I-A and I-A/E Molecules

When T cells encounter antigen in vivo, the responding cells leave the recirculating lymphocyte pool, e.g., thoracic duct lymph (TDL), and become temporarily sequestered in regions of antigen localization, particularly the spleen (1). A similar sequence of events occurs if purified T cells are exposed to antigen [sheep erythrocytes (SRC)] after adoptive transfer into heavily irradiated mice (2). In this situation the SRC-specific donor T cells are not detectable in TDL of the host for 1–2 d post-transfer (negative selection) but thereafter enter the lymph in large numbers as activated T helper cells (positive selection).
Colloidal Quantum Dots for Cost-effective, Miniaturized, and Simple Spectrometers

According to a market report published by Transparency Market Research (1), the global spectrometry market was valued at $12.2 billion in 2013 and is estimated to reach $19.6 billion by 2020. The market can be divided into 3 categories: atomic spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and molecular spectrometry. As of 2013, molecular spectrometry reportedly had the highest market share of the 3 spectrometry techniques. Not surprisingly, there has been a large surge in interest for handheld and portable molecular spectrometers for consumers, food suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, and the military, with a vast range of applications. Handheld and miniaturized molecular spectrometers have primarily delivered capabilities for color measurement or spectrometry in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS),3 near infrared, or infrared (IR) ranges, but several factors can limit their performance. In particular, the resolution and spectral range of the spectrometer are highly dependent on the inherent design. To date, most spectrometers use interference filters and interferometric optics as the basis of operation. However, a recent paper in Nature Letters describes a miniaturized spectrometer that uses the absorption spectrum of colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) overlaid on a charge-coupled device (CCD) detector as an alternative to interferometric techniques (2). The CQD spectrometer exploits the absorption spectrum of 195 different types of quantum dots to cover a spectral range of 300 nm (390–690 nm). The performance of the CQD spectrometer was demonstrated through its ability to measure shifts in spectral peaks as small as 1 nm. The spectral resolving capability between 2 peaks in the ideal case (no measurement or instrument noise present in system) is 3.2 nm. The CQD materials comprised aliquots of CdS and CdSe preparations, which were converted into broadband wavelength filters by quenching the fluorescent emission of the CQDs through …