cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Historical Narratives as a Rhetoric of Resistance in Apartheid South Africa: The History Workshop and The New Nation

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the history lessons produced by the History Workshop that were published in the Learning Nation section of The New Nation newspaper between 1986 and 1990. Specifically, I examine the rhetorical dimensions of these historical narratives, which not only provided readers with factual information about the past, but also offered black South Africans a new framework, a new 'conception of reality', to that provided within the Department of Education and Training (DET) schools of the apartheid era. This new framework provided by these historical narratives was significant for two reasons. First, it offered black South Africans alternative ways of understanding and analysing conditions in apartheid South Africa. Second, by examining the heroic acts of resistance by everyday people and prominent leaders in the past, these narratives also sought to provide inspiration and encourage continued acts of resistance during a very violent and fraught period in the anti-apartheid struggle.
Hormonal treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: Pros and cons

The recognition that dihydrotestosterone is a "major player" in the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) provided an impetus for the development of a 5a-reductase inhibitor, finasteride. During the past 5 years, a number of publications have noted that alpha blockers appear more efficacious than finasteride. This article reviews the role of hormones (particularly finasteride) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by BPH. These observations indicate that finasteride has a role in the management of larger prostates. Long-term use reduces the development of urinary retention and need for invasive procedures such as transurethral prostatectomy. The major adverse impact of finasteride is its effect on the patient's libido and sexual function. This is a less morbid problem for the elderly than the potential syncope associated with the use of alpha blockers. A greater understanding of the interaction of hormones on prostate receptors will provide newer tools for the treatment of BPH.
Myocardial infarction following acute occlusion and reperfusion of the septal coronary artery.

It has been demonstrated that temporary occlusion of major epicardial arterics of the dogs produces a nontransmural myocardial infarction (MI) whose size is reduced by early reperfusion. This study was undertaken to determine the location and extent of MI following acute occlusion and reperfusion of the septal artery (SA). The SA was occluded for four hours in group I (7 dogs). Occlusion time for group II (6 dogs) was 2 hours and for group III (6 dogs) was 1 hour, followed by 2 and 3 hours of reperfusion, respectively. The hearts were then removed and cut into transverse slices from base to apex. The triphenyl tetrazolium chloride technique identified the areas of infarction, which were quantitated with a microcomputer-based graphics system. To determine the extent of necrosis across the interventricular septum (IVS), the IVS was divided into 5 transverse segments of equal depth and the amount of MI was determined for each. In group I, MI involved 3.42±0.9% (mean±SEM) of the left ventricle (LV) and 13.49±3.4% of the IVS. In group II, 6.11±1.3% of the LV and 25.00±5.5% of the IVS were infarcted. In group III, 5.63±1.3% of the LV and 31.9±14.3 % of the septum were infarcted. MI was larger on the left side of the IVS than on the right in all groups, and the extent of MI did not differ significantly between the three groups. This study showed that early reperfusion of the SA did not reduce MI as reported for other coronary beds.
Radiation dose in computed tomography of the heart.

Currently, computed tomographic (CT) imaging of the heart is mainly used for the quantification of coronary artery calcification as an indirect measure of coronary plaque burden1,2 and, less frequently, for minimally invasive coronary angiography.3 CT imaging of the heart and coronary arteries without unsharpness due to motion artifact first became possible with the introduction of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) in 1983.4 More recently, so-called multislice spiral computed tomographic (MSCT) scanners with gantry rotation speeds fast enough to produce diagnostic images of the heart under certain conditions have become widely available.5 As a consequence, cardiac CT imaging, most often performed for the purpose of calcium scoring,2 is increasingly applied to the general public. In many centers, patients have access to such studies without physician referral. This has created concerns for public health because of the radiation dose associated with CT imaging.6–8 Many clinicians and researchers working with patients with cardiovascular diseases may yet be unfamiliar with the radiation doses that are received during various cardiac CT imaging protocols and how they differ between the various scanner types that are currently used. To further complicate matters, radiation dose estimates can be expressed in various ways. For these reasons, the doses reported in previous publications on cardiac CT have varied widely, and it is not always clear what parameters were being reported.3,9–11 The purpose of this article is to discuss the current concepts of radiation dose measurement and estimation in CT imaging and to provide comparative estimates for radiation doses received during cardiac examinations with use of EBCT or MSCT. This information may be helpful to physicians who perform calcium scoring, counsel patients contemplating cardiac calcium scoring, or are considering referring their patients for such studies. EBCT scanners acquire 1 scan at a time, using …
Some Observations On the Lair Dwelling Behavior of Dogs1)

The defecation records of several dogs and litters in the laboratory colony of the Roscoe B. Jackson Memorial Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine, were studied for periods varying from 12 to 47 days. The position of the fecal deposits in each cage was recorded daily. The results were examined in terms of regularity of area selected, the restriction of area, etc. Factors of importance seemed to be: (1) age and development of the subjects, (2) access to other areas for defecation, and (3) cage conditions. Several variables for further study were indicated.
Magnetic-probe diagnostics for railgun plasma armatures

The author assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the various magnetic-probe techniques currently in use and provides recommendations for future improvements in magnetic probe diagnostics for plasma-armature railguns. Analytic approximations for the dependence of the probe signal on probe location and railgun geometry are presented. Rail current and armature current probes are compared and contrasted with respect to resolution and accuracy. Further improvements in measurement accuracy are predicted for close-spaced magnetic-probe arrays. >
Computation for Science and Engineering

Computation for Science and Engineering is an introductory computer science course for students majoring in fields other than computer science. This course, which was previously taught as a traditional introductory course focusing on syntax of C, will be offered with its new curriculum in Spring 2010. The new curriculum defocuses syntax and involves students in analyzing dynamic systems, which are frequently not deeply understood by students attending science and engineering courses. This course aims at attracting more non-computer science majors into computing disciplines and providing students with a deeper understanding of dynamism of real-life situations.
Reisolation of immunoreactive radioiodinated antigens using glutaraldehyde-insolubilized antibody preparations

Radioiodination of antigens for use in radioimmunoassay can result in substantial losses of antigenic reactivity with the corresponding antibody and antisera preparations. We describe a method whereby antigens iodinated with the chloramine-T procedure are bound to and eluted from glutaraldehyde-insolubilized antibody. Unfractionated antisera, an ammonium sulfate precipitated fraction or the IgG fraction of antisera may be used as insolubilized immunoadsorbents. The method has been applied for the reisolation of a radioiodinated peptide, a low molecular weight protein and the fibronectin molecule. The total binding of 125I-antigens to antibody in radioimmunoassays can be increased from such low amounts before reisolation that the assay is not feasible, to 85% above background binding, after adsorption and elution from the insolubilized antibody preparations.
Adsorption of NO on the TiO2(110) Surface: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

The chemisorption properties of NO on the oxidized TiO2(110) surface have been investigated using both experimental and theoretical methods. The results of temperature-programmed desorption measurements indicate that for NO exposures less than 1.1 × 1014 molecules/cm2 NO adsorbs weakly and desorbs at ∼127 K. The thermal desorption kinetics are almost independent of the coverage of adsorbed NO molecules. The experimental activation energy for NO desorption from the nondefective TiO2(110) surface is 8.4 kcal/mol in the limit of zero coverage. Above a critical NO surface exposure of 5.5 × 1014 molecules/cm2, partial conversion of NO to N2O is observed yielding N2O desorption processes at ∼169 and ∼250 K. The weak interaction between the NO molecule and the TiO2(110) surface has been also revealed from first-principles calculations based on density functional theory and the pseudopotential method in which NO molecules are adsorbed at the in-plane Ti cation sites. These calculations employ slab geometry and pe...
Let your online databank save you time and money

That there has been an unprecedented growth in accumulated knowledge, and a corresponding growth in the size of library collections has been recognized as a truism in library literature for at least the past 20 years. Today we continue to see the emergence of new fields and subfields, with each contributing to the exponential growth of the amount of material published. Librarians find their time sliced thinner and thinner as more and more demands are placed upon them due to growing job responsibilities as well as the need to keep current both in their subject specialities and with the technical developments in librarianship. Newer interdisciplinary fields create an even greater problem because of the broader range of expertise required by the various disciplines that comprise these fields.
Indicators and causes of size advantages in industry

Relationships among indicators and causes of size advantages in industry are analysed here using Joreskog and Goldberger's multiple indicator and multiple cause model. This approach is thought to be particularly appropriate for the study of size advantages in industry since only imperfect indicators of this important economic variable are typically available. An important objective of the analysis is to learn whether or not size advantages tend to be more effectively exploited in instances of high concentration. Estimation results suggest that this is indeed the case, and imply a direction of causation from concentration to realized size advantages much as earlier studies have found that concentration causes reductions in production costs and suboptimal capacity. This finding is important from a theoretical point of view since it suggests that further studies on the subject should consider the possibility that the degree to which size advantages in industry are exploited is endogenously determined. In addition, these findings imply that antitrust policies intending to reduce the relative sizes of leading firms must be sensitive to the potential for at least some losses in operating efficiency.
Democratizing Computer Science Knowledge: Transforming the Face of Computer Science through Public High School Education

Despite the fact that computer science (CS) is the driver of technological innovations across all disciplines and aspects of our lives, including participatory media, high school CS too commonly fails to incorporate the perspectives and concerns of low-income students of color. This article describes a partnership program – Exploring Computer Science (ECS) – that directly counters this problem in our nation's second largest school district. With a mission of democratizing CS learning, we argue that despite the constraints of working within public schools, it is imperative to do so. We discuss the ECS program based on inquiry, culturally relevant curriculum, and equity-oriented pedagogy. We describe two ECS-affiliated projects that highlight the importance of authorship, purpose, and agency for student learning and engagement: DietSens using mobile technology to study community health, and a project in which students create video games about social issues. Our work offers a counter-narrative to those who h...
A computational inverse problem approach for the design of morphing processes in thermally activated smart structural materials

Shape memory polymers (SMP) are attracting increasing attention as a class of smart structural materials due to their light weight, ability to exhibit variable stiffness and undergo large deformations without damage, and, of course, their shape memory effect. SMP have the clear potential to be used to develop a variety of structures that are intrinsically morphable. In theory, a structure composed completely of SMP could have limitless shape-changing functionality, provided sufficient activation and mechanical actuation. Towards the utilization of this potential functionality, this work presents a computational framework to design the optimal activation and actuation to morph a structure composed of a smart material into a predefined shape or set of shapes. A numerical study is shown for the example of thermally activated smart materials in which the objective is to identify the applied boundary heat and traction to deform and lock a given structure into a predefined shape with minimal total energy and without damaging the material. The finite element method is used to analyze the response of the structure given a set of design parameters, and a nonlinear optimization algorithm is applied to identify the ideal activation and actuation to achieve the desired deformation. Through an example problem based on thermally activated SMP, the approach is shown to provide a generalized means to optimally design and/or control smart material structures. The key challenges of this approach are addressed, and the foundation is laid for further exploration into computational approaches for the solution of similar coupled multi-physics inverse problems.
The saturated fatty acids of Japan wax

Myristic and behenic acids, hitherto not reported therein, have been shown to be components of the glycerides of Japan “wax” in contrast to the nonexistence of an alleged heneicosanoic acid. Esterfractionation analysis revealed the following composition: myristic acid 1.9 per cent, palmitic acid 67.5 per cent, stearic acid 11.6 per cent, arachidic acid 0.04 per cent, behenic acid 0.01 per cent, unsaturated acids 13.6 per cent, and dicarboxylic acids 5.3 per cent. A preliminary investigation of the latter resulted in the isolation of an acid which by virtue of its melting point and molecular weight has been tentatively characterized as heneicosane dicarboxylic acid (C23). However, final proof of identity must rest upon subsequent synthesis of this acid.
Hygrothermal Microstresses in a Unidirectional Composite Exhibiting Inelastic Material Behavior

A finite element numerical analysis is presented which models the influ ences of temperature variations and dilatations due to moisture absorption on the local stress state in a unidirectionally-re...
Feasibility of multivariate density estimates

SUMMARY The 'curse of dimensionality' has been interpreted as suggesting that kernel methods have limited applicability in more than several dimensions. In this note, qualitative and quantitative performance measures for multivariate density estimates are examined. Optimal pointwise and global window widths for mean absolute and mean squared errors are compared for multivariate data. One result is that the optimal pointwise absolute and squared error window widths are nearly equal for all dimensions. We also show that sample size requirements predicted by absolute rather than squared error criterion are substantially less. Further reductions are realized by using a coefficient of variation criterion. Finally, an example of a 10-dimensional kernel density estimate is given. It is suggested that the true nature of the curse of dimensionality is as much the lack of full rank as sparseness of the data.
USC-HN2, A NEW MODEL CELL LINE FOR RECURRENT ORAL CAVITY SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA WITH IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE CHARACTERISTICS

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are common and aggressive tumors that have not seen an improvement in survival rates in decades. These tumors are believed to evade the immune system through a variety of mechanisms and are therefore highly immune modulatory. In order to elucidate their interaction with the immune system and develop new therapies targeting immune escape, new pre-clinical models are needed. A novel human cell line, USC-HN2, was established from a patient biopsy specimen of invasive, recurrent buccal HNSCC and characterized by morphology, heterotransplantation, cytogenetics, phenotype, gene expression, and immune modulation studies and compared to a similar HNSCC cell line; SCCL-MT1. Characterization studies confirmed the HNSCC origin of USC-HN2 and demonstrated a phenotype similar to the original tumor and typical of aggressive oral cavity HNSCC (EGFR(+)CD44v6(+)FABP5(+)Keratin(+) and HPV(-)). Gene and protein expression studies revealed USC-HN2 to have highly immune-modulatory cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF, and VEGF) and strong regulatory T and myeloid derived suppressor cell (MDSC) induction capacity in vitro. Of note, both USC-HN2 and SCCL-MT1 were found to have a more robust cytokine profile and MDSC induction capacity when compared to seven previously established HNSCC cell lines. Additionally, microarray gene expression profiling of both cell lines demonstrate up-regulation of antigen presenting genes. Because USC-HN2 is therefore highly immunogenic, it also induces strong immune suppression to evade immunologic destruction. Based upon these results, both cell lines provide an excellent model for the development of new suppressor cell-targeted immunotherapies.
Liver endoplasmic reticulum polypeptides resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Abstract Several modifications of the two-dimensional electrophoretic technique of P. H. O'Farrell (i.e., first-dimensional isoelectric focusing followed by second-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis: 1975, J. Biol. Chem. 250 , 4007) were required for maximum resolution of rat liver smooth microsomal polypeptides without significant artifact. All substantial changes were in isoelectric focusing which gave ∼55 bands with 130 μg of microsomal protein; subsequent electrophoresis in the second dimension yielded ∼230 polypeptide spots. Mild deoxycholate treatment to lyse microsomes suggested that ∼170 spots represent integral membrane proteins. Comparisons of two-dimensional polypeptide patterns for liver microsomes from phenobarbital-induced, 3-methylcholanthrene-induced, and noninduced rats revealed differences mainly in putative cytochrome P -450 polypeptides.
The Role of Familism in Explaining the Hispanic-White College Application Gap

Compared to other ethnic and racial groups, Hispanic youth are worse off in every available measure of educational achievement and attainment at the primary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Using data from the Texas Higher Education Opportunity Project, we explore the degree to which students' preferences to stay home for college can help explain the low college application rates of Hispanic students. Among high school seniors, we find that (1) Hispanics are the most likely to report it is important to live at home during college, even those with college-educated parents; (2) net of other factors, students who indicate it is important to stay home are significantly less likely to apply to college, especially to selective institutions; and (3) taking account of the preference to stay home significantly reduces the Hispanic-white gap in applying to any college and a four-year college, and it makes the gap in applying to a selective college disappear.
Greedy approach to replicated content placement using graph coloring

Connectivity within ad-hoc and peer-to-peer networks undergoes constant change. One approach to reducing the cost of finding information within these networks is to replicate the information among multiple points within the network. A desirable replication approach should cache copies of all pieces of information as close to each node as possible without exceeding the storage resources of the nodes within the network. In addition, the approach should require minimum communication overhead among participating nodes and should adjust the locations of stored content as connectivity within the network changes. Here, we formulate this caching problem as a graph coloring problem, where the color of the node determines the content that the node should store. We present a distributed algorithm where each node chooses its color in a greedy manner, minimizing its own distance to the color furthest from it. We demonstrate convergence of this algorithm and evaluate its performance in the context of its ability to place information near all nodes in the network.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Seasonal dynamics of microbial community composition and function in oak canopy and open grassland soils

Soil microbial communities are closely associated with aboveground plant communities, with multiple potential drivers of this relationship. Plants can affect available soil carbon, temperature, and water content, which each have the potential to affect microbial community composition and function. These same variables change seasonally, and thus plant control on microbial community composition may be modulated or overshadowed by annual climatic patterns. We examined microbial community composition, C cycling processes, and environmental data in California annual grassland soils from beneath oak canopies and in open grassland areas to distinguish factors controlling microbial community composition and function seasonally and in association with the two plant overstory communities. Every 3 months for up to 2 years, we monitored microbial community composition using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, microbial biomass, respiration rates, microbial enzyme activities, and the activity of microbial groups using isotope labeling of PLFA biomarkers (13C-PLFA). Distinct microbial communities were associated with oak canopy soils and open grassland soils and microbial communities displayed seasonal patterns from year to year. The effects of plant species and seasonal climate on microbial community composition were similar in magnitude. In this Mediterranean ecosystem, plant control of microbial community composition was primarily due to effects on soil water content, whereas the changes in microbial community composition seasonally appeared to be due, in large part, to soil temperature. Available soil carbon was not a significant control on microbial community composition. Microbial community composition (PLFA) and 13C-PLFA ordination values were strongly related to intra-annual variability in soil enzyme activities and soil respiration, but microbial biomass was not. In this Mediterranean climate, soil microclimate appeared to be the master variable controlling microbial community composition and function.
Measuring physical activity with the behavioral risk factor surveillance system

Purpose and methods Because regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death and disability, accurate methods of population-based measurement are important for public health surveillance efforts such as those based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The present study: 1) briefly reviews and compares currently available methods to measure physical activity using BRFSS data, 2) describes physical activity patterns in the United States using these state-aggregated measures, and 3) provides suggestions on future directions for practitioners and researchers. Using a random-digit dialing, telephone survey, we collected data for noninstitutionalized adults aged 18 yr and older. We analyzed BRFSS data for 1996 from 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (N = 124,085). Based on recent literature and public health priorities, we developed eight different physical activity indices (one vigorous and seven moderate). These varied in their threshold for duration, kcal expenditure, and in frequency and intensity of activity. Results Using different algorithms, the population prevalence of moderate physical activity ranged from about 20% to 38%. Only 20% of adults met the Healthy People 2000 definition for regular, sustained activity (> or =30 min of moderate activity per day for at least 5 d x wk(-1)). Conclusions Considerable progress is needed if the United States is to reach the current public health goal for regular physical activity. Standardized approaches to analyzing and collecting physical activity data are essential for public health surveillance, policy making, and communication to the public.
Detection of a common polypeptide chain in I--A and I--E sub-region immunoprecipitates.

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of I-A and I-E sub-region antigens has indicated that all Ia antigen immunoprecipitates contain three distinct polypeptide chains. Two of these molecules show haplotype-specific differences in electrophoretic mobility, while the mobility of the third chain (mol. wt 31,000 daltons) is the same as for I-A or I-E sub-region precipitates from all six H-2 haplotypes tested. The mobility of this invariant la-associated chain (provisionally called Ii) is also not affected by different genetic backgrounds. Ii is found uniquely in Ia antigen immunoprecipitates; its lack of detectable polymorphism suggest that it is precipitated because it binds specifically to the polymorphic I-region products. Ii does not label with 125I using lactoperoxidase, and it is not yet known whether Ii is part of the native Ia molecule on the cell surface, or whether it binds to Ia antigens during extraction.
Response availability and extinction of conditioned suppression

After 7 days’ VI training for water reinforcement, 14 rats were given six (three per day) noise-shock pairings with lever retracted. Following a recovery day, Ss received two daily noise/no-shock presentations for 6 days with lever initially present only for control Ss. After 3 days, lever was returned for experimental Ss who displayed reliably more suppression on Extinction Days 4–6.
Immunologic Reactions of the Sea Cucumber, Holothuria cinerascens, to Serum from the Milkfish, Chanos chanos

The sea cucumber, Holothuria cinerascens, considered in an echinoderm class close to the vertebrate evolutionary line, was tested for immunologic responses against the serum of the milkfish, Chanos chanos. A naturally occurring precipitin in coelomic fluid was evident; and a tissue-binding transferable sensitizing substance(s), remindful of vertebrate IgE (immunoglobulin E), was demonstrated. There was no evidence of an induced circulating precipitin as might have occurred in a vertebrate or of any pathological effect.
Hypertrophic bursopathy of the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis: Sonographic appearance

Hypertrophic bursopathy is a term used to describe the massive synovial proliferation occasionally seen in the bursae of patients with arthritis. Involvement of the subacromial-subdeltoid (SA-SD) bursa in adults in uncommon, and it is still rarer in children. It may simulate synovial proliferation or fluid within the adjacent shoulder joint. Sonography clearly shows the location and nature of the soft-tissue swelling. Two cases of this entity in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are described, one with a uniquely severe sonographic picture.
Readability Formulas One More Time

The legitimacy and methodology of using statistical measures to assess the readability of documents has been widely debated in the business and management communication literature. This article ide...
Feasibility of infrared Earth tracking for deep-space optical communications

Infrared (IR) Earth thermal tracking is a viable option for optical communications to distant planet and outer-planetary missions. However, blurring due to finite receiver aperture size distorts IR Earth images in the presence of Earth’s nonuniform thermal emission and limits its applicability. We demonstrate a deconvolution algorithm that can overcome this limitation and reduce the error from blurring to a negligible level. The algorithm is applied successfully to Earth thermal images taken by the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. With the solution to this critical issue, IR Earth tracking is established as a viable means for distant planet and outer-planetary optical communications.
Post-appendectomy thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura : A case report and review of the literature

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a syndrome characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia with varying degrees of renal dysfunction, neurologic signs and symptoms, and fever. Evidence has supported that a large proportion of cases of acquired TTP are due to the accumulation of ultralarge von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimers due to an acquired deficiency in the vWF cleaving protease, ADAMTS-13. TTP is rare in the post-surgical setting but is best described after cardiothoracic and vascular surgeries. We present a case of postoperative TTP first presenting with microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia 9 days after emergent appendectomy for a ruptured appendix. ADAMTS-13 and factor H levels returned normal and an ADAMTS-13 inhibitor was not identified. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of postoperative TTP after an appendectomy and the first report with correlative ADAMTS-13 data. Plasma exchange with fresh frozen plasma followed by cryopoor plasma, along with steroids resulted in eventual remission of TTP in our patient. Early postoperative diagnosis and aggressive management with consideration of initiation of plasma exchange is imperative to decrease the morbidity and morality associated with TTP.
The Theoretical Analysis of Uniform FBG Local Transverse Force Characteristics

In this paper,the transveral force on uniform FBG is specially analyzed according to the couple-mode theory and the corresponding mathematical model is established. Studies show that when the FBG under local transverse force, the length of pressure has no effect on the reflection spectrum. The wavelength of the reflection spectrum splitting point and lateral force possessed a direct proportional linear correlation, and has periodicity at the same time. The split point reflectivity and the force position approximately have hyperbolic tangent relationship.
Percutaneous absorption and dermal dose-cholinesterase response studies with parathion and carbaryl in the rat.

Dermal dose-ChE response (toxicity) and percutaneous absorption of parathion and carbaryl were studied in the rat. Parathion was as toxic to young animals as it was to adults of the same sex and more toxic to adult females than to adult males. Carbaryl was nontoxic at administered dosages. In each percutaneous absorption study, [14C]parathion or [14C]carbaryl was applied to back skin (12.5–13.8 cm2) at 43.5 to 48 μg/cm2. Thirty-six rats were treated and three were killed at time intervals between 0.5 and 168 hr. The area of the skin which had been treated, plasma, heart, liver, kidneys, urine, feces, and the remaining carcass were analyzed for 14C. Recovery studies indicated that adult male and female rats, respectively, absorbed 59.2 and 57.0% of the applied parathion, while adult males absorbed 57.7% of the applied carbaryl. Parathion was lost from skin (t12, 28.6 hr) more rapidly than carbaryl (t12, 40.6 hr). Approximately 1.4 and 5.8%, respectively, of the applied parathion and carbaryl penetrated the skin within 1 hr and was available for absorption. Parathion was absorbed through skin of adult male and female rats, respectively, at rates of 0.33 and 0.49 μg hr−1 cm−2. Carbaryl was absorbed by male rats at the rate of 0.18 μg hr−1 cm−2. The half-lives for absorption of parathion by blood ranged between 0.38 and 2.1 hr, while elimination half-lives ranged between 28.6 and 39.5 hr. Carbaryl absorption and elimination half-lives were 1.26 and 67 hr, respectively.
On the stability of network relations under stress

Abstract This paper addresses possible sources of instability in network relations. Four distinct sources of observed low auto-correlation (unreliability of measurement, inherent instability, systemic change (from endogenous sources), and external change (from non-system sources)) are discussed and a preliminary mathematical model is developed. Illustrations are provided from current family research and suggestions are made for sorting out possible sources of instability. Even without a complete endogenous model we demonstrate differential impacts of the distinct sources of variability.
Improving between‐day kinematic reliability using a marker placement device

3D motion analysis is commonly used to measure clinical outcomes, involving repeated measures over time. However, the day-to-day reliability of these measurements has been questioned and few attempts have been made to improve this reliability. Our purpose was to determine if a marker placement device (MPD) could improve day-to-day kinematic reliability as compared to manual marker placement. Ten healthy runners participated. Day-to-day comparisons of peak angles were made between manual marker placement and the use of an MPD. Reliability of each method was determined with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and standard errors of measurement (SEM). The ICC and SEM values improved with the MPD. With the MPD, 7 out of 9 ICC values were >0.9 compared to only 3 when using manual marker placement. Additionally, the largest reduction in SEM values was in the transverse plane. Use of the MPD increases the power to detect smaller differences in studies of where gait is assessed over time. © 2010 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 28:1405–1410, 2010
The Enforcement of Traditional Vegetable Marketing Contracts in the Eastern and Central Parts of Ethiopia

This study investigates the enforcement of traditional vegetable marketing contracts between producers and traders in Ethiopia using the general conceptual framework of contract enforcement extended to capture the payment at risk. Empirical results show that despite its imperfections, compliance with contractual obligations is mainly due to mutual trust and brokers’ mediation. Moreover, results demonstrate the necessity of contractual arrangements that guarantee flexibility without exposing trading partners to the risks of opportunism. A separate analysis of contract enforceability through brokers reveals that farmer's age, whether a buyer is a trader, information access and trader-specific investment have a significant positive impact while family size, frequency of transactions, dependency on the trader, duration of the relationship and distance to the trader have a significant negative impact on contract enforceability through brokers. Furthermore, pooled multinomial Logit regression analysis show that traders’ non-compliance to contractual obligations are mainly due to the risks related to perishability, seasonality, illiteracy and his type. An effective enforcement of vegetable marketing contracts in the study areas may be achieved through governmental and/or private institutions interventions that target market information access, development of cooperatives and associated support programmes.
A yang-mills type minimal coupling theory for materials with dislocations and disclinations

Abstract Noting that the group S0(3) ▷ T(3) may be viewed as a 6-parameter gauge group that leaves the Lagrangian of elasticity theory invariant, the Yang-Mills universal gauge theory construction is used to erect a complete continuum theory of material bodies with dislocation and disclination fields. Breaking of the homogeneity of the action of S0(3) is shown to give rise to disclinations and rotational dislocations while homogeneity breaking of T(3) gives rise to translational dislocations. A rigorous justification for replacing displacement gradients by the components of the distortion tensor and Newtonian kinematic velocity by distortional velocity is obtained. Exact determinations are made of the elastic excess forces, the forces on dislocations and the forces on disclinations, and these forces are shown to be totally equilibrating in all instances. Implications of the theory are given and an analysis is made of the field equations and associated dispersion relations that obtain in a disclination free material in the linear elasticity approximation.
60 Hz electric field parameters associated with the perturbation of a Eukaryotic cell system

Roots ofPisum sativum were exposed for seven days to 60 Hz electric fields ranging from 70–430 V/m in an aqueous medium whose conductivity was approximately 0.07 mho/m. (Corresponding current densities in the exposure medium associated with these field strengths ranged from 0.5–3.0 mA/cm2). Control and exposed roots were grown concomitantly in the same tank whose growth medium was continuously circulated. Temperature in the exposure medium was held at a constant 19° C. All experiments were conducted “double blind.” Root growth rates were determined daily. No perturbations in root growth were observed with electric fields of 150 V/m; there was a slight effect at 360 V/m, and a pronounced decrease in growth rate occurred at 430 V/m. Root conductivities are comparable to that of the growth medium. Under conditions in which growth inhibition occurs, it is estimated that induced 60 Hz cell membrane potentials would be of the order of 3–8 mV.
Hemodynamically unstable: accidental atenolol toxicity?

Abstract Background Antihypertensive medications, including β-blockers, are widely used in patients with chronic kidney disease. Unlike most β-blockers, atenolol is excreted primarily by the kidney, and its clearance by peritoneal dialysis is poor. These pharmacokinetic factors may predispose patients to gradual accumulation of the drug over time. Objectives To review the management of a diagnostic dilemma, the role of glucagon therapy, and the clinical implications of atenolol clearance. Case Report A young woman with end-stage renal disease requiring peritoneal dialysis presented with sudden onset of abdominal pain and hemodynamic instability with hypotension and relative bradycardia. The patient reported that she took her regular four antihypertensive agents, including atenolol, with no excess ingestion or recent dose changes. After resuscitation and consideration of a broad differential diagnosis, the most likely cause of the patient’s illness was determined to be unintentional atenolol toxicity, with secondary mesenteric ischemia due to a low-flow state that caused her abdominal pain. Glucagon therapy led to rapid correction of the patient’s hemodynamic instability and pain. Conclusion The unique pharmacokinetics of long-term medications must be considered in patients with impaired clearance, such as this patient with end-stage renal disease treated by peritoneal dialysis. Medications may gradually accumulate to supratherapeutic levels, which over time may lead to symptoms of significant toxicity.
Bioinformatics and expression analyses of the Ixodes scapularis tick cystatin family.

The cystatins are inhibitors of papain- and legumain-like cysteine proteinases, classified in MEROPS subfamilies I25A-I25C. This study shows that 84 % (42/50) of tick cystatins are putatively extracellular in subfamily I25B and the rest are putatively intracellular in subfamily I25A. On the neighbor joining phylogeny guide tree, subfamily I25A members cluster together, while subfamily I25B cystatins segregate among prostriata or metastriata ticks. Two Ixodes scapularis cystatins, AAY66864 and ISCW011771 that show 50–71 % amino acid identity to metastriata tick cystatins may be linked to pathways that are common to all ticks, while ISCW000447 100 % conserved in I. ricinus is important among prostriata ticks. Likewise metastriata tick cystatins, Dermacentor variabilis-ACF35512, Rhipicephalus microplus-ACX53850, A. americanum-AEO36092, R. sanguineus-ACX53922, D. variabilis-ACF35514, R. sanguineus-ACX54033 and A. maculatum-AEO35155 that show 73–86 % amino acid identity may be essential to metastriata tick physiology. RT-PCR expression analyses revealed that I. scapularis cystatins were constitutively expressed in the salivary glands, midguts and other tissues of unfed ticks and ticks that were fed for 24–120 h, except for ISCW017861 that are restricted to the 24 h feeding time point. On the basis of mRNA expression patterns, I. scapularis cystatins, ISCW017861, ISCW011771, ISCW002215 and ISCW0024528 that are highly expressed at 24 h are likely involved in regulating early stage tick feeding events such as tick attachment onto host skin and creation of the feeding lesion. Similarly, ISCW018602, ISCW018603 and ISCW000447 that show 2–3 fold transcript increase by 120 h of feeding are likely associated with blood meal up take, while those that maintain steady state expression levels (ISCW018600, ISCW018601 and ISCW018604) during feeding may not be associated with tick feeding regulation. We discuss our findings in the context of advancing our knowledge of tick molecular biology.
Blood Groups of the Angami Nagas

REFERENCE has been made in NATURE1 to the report of the British Association Research Committee on Blood Groups among Primitive Peoples. The blood group percentages of the Angami Nagas, based on 96 tests, are given as follows: These differ greatly from those on the same people published by Capt. Mitra2, which are as follow:
Recreation Specialization Among ATV Users and Its Relationship to Environmental Attitudes and Management Preferences on the Island of Newfoundland

The purpose of this study was to identify and document the attitudes, perceptions, and resource management preferences of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) users through the recreation specialization framework. Data were collected on the Burin Peninsula on the south coast of the island portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Variables were operationalized using a quantitative survey which generated an 8-item specialization index based on behavioral, cognitive, and affective measures of involvement in ATV riding. Three distinct subgroups of ATV users were identified through K-means cluster analysis. One-way ANOVA tests revealed significant differences across specialization groups. Results document the spectrum of attitudes and management preferences and provide recommendations for outdoor recreation policies that reflect the needs of a wide variety of ATV users.
A fluorescence assay suitable for histone solutions.

Abstract The dye 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid reacts with whole calf thymus histone to form a fluorescent complex having an excitation maximum at 375 mμ and an emission maximum at 500 mμ. The degree of reaction, and hence fluorescence, is enhanced at low pH values. At pH 2, maximum fluorescence is obtained in the region of 1.5 μg dye to 1.0 μg histone. Dye concentrations in excess of 250 μg/ml result in serious self-extinction. Dye-to-protein ratios considerably lower than 1.5:1 result in incomplete saturation of protein-binding sites, resulting in lowered fluorescence intensity. When the proper ratio is maintained, fluorescence intensity shows a linear relationship to protein concentration over the range of 1–300 μg histone/ml of sample. The fluorescence assay may be used for quantitation purposes within this range and for qualitative purposes with higher protein concentrations.
Managing Risks of Neoplasia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been linked with a variety of intestinal and extraintestinal cancers. This review summarizes the latest literature with regard to which cancers are truly linked with IBD and which are not, the absolute and relative risks of these cancers, how medications commonly prescribed for IBD affect this risk, and finally strategies for managing these risks. Physicians and health professionals may find this information useful for counseling and educating patients as well as for improving patient care.
Electron Acceleration in Solar Flares by Fast-Mode Waves: Coulomb Collisions

We consider solar-flare electron acceleration from thermal to hard X-ray-producing energies by MHD fast-mode waves. Fast-mode waves are an efficient acceleration agent when isotropizing pitch-angle scattering is present. Pitch-angle scattering increases the acceleration efficiency, since fast-mode waves affect only the parallel (with respect to the ambient magnetic field) electron energy and produce a parallel energization rate that is proportional to the square of the magnetic moment. We remove the isotropy condition and consider specifically the pitch-angle scattering that results from electron-electron Coulomb collisions in an impulsive solar flare environment. We compare results for the case of (1) no Coulomb collisions, (2) energy redistribution by Coulomb collisions in the parallel direction only, and (3) Coulomb pitch-angle scattering with energy loss. We find that Coulomb pitch-angle scattering strongly enhances the efficiency of fast-mode wave acceleration and produces bulk energization of the ambient electrons.
The Innovation of Community Policing and the COPS Office: Does Diffusion of Innovation Theory Hold in a Manipulated Environment?

Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory provides prescribed stages for an innovation to traverse, in order to obtain field adoption. This study utilised DOI theory to demonstrate the impact a manipula...
Daxx deletion mutant (amino acids 501-625)-induced apoptosis occurs through the JNK/p38-Bax-dependent mitochondrial pathway.

Death-associated protein (Daxx) deletion mutant (aa 501–625) has been known to be an inducer of apoptosis. In this study, we observed that the Bax-dependent mitochondrial death signaling pathway plays an important role in Daxx501–625-induced apoptosis. Daxx fragment-induced activation of caspase-9 and -3 was mediated through the apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)–MEK–c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK)/p38–Bax pathway. By overexpressing JNK-binding domain (JBD) of JIP1, a JNK-inhibitory protein, and treatment with SB203580, a specific p38 inhibitor, DU-145 cells were made resistant to Daxx501–625-induced apoptosis. Capase-3 deficiency, Bax deficiency, or overexpression of a dominant-negative caspase-9 mutant prevented apoptosis, even though the Daxx501–625 fragment still activated the ASK1–MEK–MAPK pathway. Interestingly, Daxx501–625-induced Bcl-2 interacting domain (Bid) cleavage was suppressed in the dominant-negative caspase-9 mutant cells, whereas Bim was still phosphorylated in these cells. These results suggest that cleavage of Bid occurs downstream of caspase-9 activation. In contrast, phosphorylation of Bim is upstream of caspase-9 activation. Taken together, our results suggest that Daxx501–625-induced apoptosis is mediated through the ASK1–MEK–JNK/p38–Bim–Bax-dependent caspase pathway. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.