cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic membranes in biotechnology: Realities and possibilities

Synthetic membrane processes are being increasingly integrated into existing reaction, isolation and recovery schemes for the production of valuable biological molecules. In many cases they are also replacing traditional unit processes. The properties of membrane systems which are most often exploited for both upstream and downstream processing are their high surface area per unit volume, their permselectivity, and their potential for controlling the level of contact and/or mixing between two separate phases. Advances in both membrane materials and module design/operation have led to better control of concentration polarization and membrane fouling. While this article begins by noting some of the recent advances in membrane technology such as new developments in membrane materials and fluid mechanics, followed by integration of membranes into both cellular and enzymatic reaction systems, the primary focus is a review of established and emerging membrane separation processes. Many examples referred to in this review underscore the potential for combining membranes and biological processes to good advantage. We believe that this marriage has only just begun and that improvements in membrane materials and a better understanding of the fluid mechanics in membrane modules and of metabolic processes for reaction systems will lead to an even stronger synergism in the future.
Probabilistic semantics for qualitative influences

What's in an influence link? To answer this foundational question, I propose a semantics for qualitative influences: a positively influences b if and only if the posterior distribution for b given a increases with a in the sense of first-order stochastic dominance. By requiring that this condition hold in all contexts, we gain the ability to perform inference across chains of qualitative influences. Under sets of basic desiderata, the proposed definition is necessary as well as sufficient for this desirable computational property.
Imaging in Orbital Differential Diagnosis

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are important modalities for refining the differential diagnosis of orbital lesions. Using these studies critically, however, requires training and experience. As with all radiographic studies, an orderly and evidence-based approach is paramount.
The roles of self-compassion, body surveillance, and body appreciation in predicting intrinsic motivation for physical activity: Cross-sectional associations, and prospective changes within a yoga context.

Abstract Engaging in physical activity for the immediate internal experiences it brings (e.g., pleasure, satisfaction) is critical for long-term exercise adherence. Investigations of how factors such as body image contribute to intrinsic motivation for physical activity are needed. The present study examined body surveillance and body appreciation as mediators of the relationship between self-compassion and intrinsic motivation for physical activity cross-sectionally and prospectively. One sample of college women completed measures of study variables at one time point (Sample 1; N = 269, Mage = 19.96) and a second sample did so during Weeks 1, 8, and 16 while participating in a 16-week yoga course (Sample 2; N = 323, Mage = 20.31). In Sample 1, latent variable structural equation modeling supported body appreciation as a mediator between self-compassion and intrinsic motivation for physical activity. In Sample 2, latent growth curve analyses revealed that change in self-compassion predicted changes in body surveillance and body appreciation in expected directions. Further, change in body appreciation positively predicted change in intrinsic motivation. Targeting self-compassion and body appreciation may help support women’s intrinsic motivation for physical activity.
Characteristics of the γ′ precipitates at high temperatures in Ni-base polycrystalline superalloy IN738LC

IN738LC is a Ni-base cast superalloy used in land-base gas turbinesand aerospace applications. As in other superalloys γ′ precipitates contribute to strengthening of this alloy at hightemperatures. In this study, the authors investigate thecharacteristics and mechanisms of precipitate dissolution into thematrix solid solution. The precipitates grow in cuboidal shape up to1130°C, above that a duplex-size precipitate microstructure sets inupon quenching from the temperature range 1140–1150°C. Theduplex-size precipitate microstructure consists of two very distinctsizes of precipitates (fine and coarse). Holding for longer times inthe temperature range 1140–1150°C does not coarsen the fineprecipitates of the duplex microstructure. The source for theformation of the fine precipitates in the duplex microstructure isthe dissolution of the newly grown smaller-sized precipitates whenthe agings start from fine size precipitates and the “corner dissolution” of coarse precipitates when the startingmicrostructure consists of the maximum-sized cuboidal precipitates.At and above 1160°C, the duplex as well as the coarse precipitatemicrostructures dissolve to form a single-size fine precipitatemicrostructure upon quenching from any temperature up to 1225°C. A single-phase solid solution with no precipitates is obtained onlyupon quenching from 1235°C or above. The dissolution of coarseprecipitates and formation of the fine ones are found to be very fastprocesses in the corresponding temperature ranges. The fineprecipitates are postulated to form during quenching from thetemperature range 1140–1225°C and are considered to be of the “cooling” type.
The effects of gluteal squeezes compared to bilateral bridges on gluteal strength, power, endurance, and girth.

Background Hip extension weakness is correlated with low back, hip, and knee pathology. Isometric gluteal squeezes have been shown to elicit high electromyographic gluteal activity. However, there is little research regarding the specific effects of isometric gluteal squeezes on hip strength and functional outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of gluteal squeezes on hip extension strength, vertical jump, broad jump, single-leg bridge endurance, and gluteal girth compared to bilateral gluteal bridging. Methods A total of 32 healthy university students (mean age 23.28 ± 2.15 years) were randomly assigned to perform either gluteal squeezes or bilateral bridges daily. Subjects were tested at baseline and after 8 weeks of training. Subjects' hip extension strength, vertical jump, broad jump, single-leg bridge endurance, and gluteal girth were tested. Results No statistically significant differences were found between the bridge and squeeze groups after 8 weeks of training. Both groups significantly improved hip extension strength bilaterally (p = 0.000-0.011). The squeeze group significantly increased gluteal girth at the level of the greater trochanter (p = 0.007), but no significant girth increase was seen in the bridge group (p = 0.742). Although increases were seen in both groups for the endurance and jump tasks, no statistically significant changes occurred for those outcomes. All outcome measurements demonstrated high reliability (ICC = 0.93-0.99). Conclusion Gluteal squeezes were as effective as bilateral bridges for increasing hip extension strength. Gluteal squeezes also significantly increased girth at the level of the greater trochanter. These results provide clinical and aesthetic reasons to perform gluteal squeezes.
Optimal sparse kernel learning for hyperspectral anomaly detection

In this paper, a novel framework of sparse kernel learning for Support Vector Data Description (SVDD) based anomaly detection is presented. In this work, optimal sparse feature selection for anomaly detection is first modeled as a Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) problem. Due to the prohibitively high computational complexity of the MIP, it is relaxed into a Quadratically Constrained Linear Programming (QCLP) problem. The QCLP problem can then be practically solved by using an iterative optimization method, in which multiple subsets of features are iteratively found as opposed to a single subset. The QCLP-based iterative optimization problem is solved in a finite space called the Empirical Kernel Feature Space (EKFS) instead of in the input space or Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Space (RKHS). This is possible because of the fact that the geometrical properties of the EKFS and the corresponding RKHS remain the same. Now, an explicit nonlinear exploitation of the data in a finite EKFS is achievable, which results in optimal feature ranking. Experimental results based on a hyperspectral image show that the proposed method can provide improved performance over the current state-of-the-art techniques.
Culture-Confirmed Staphylococcus aureus Infection after Elective Hysterectomy: Burden of Disease and Risk Factors

Background: Our study sought to describe the incidence of culture-confirmed postsurgical Staphylococcus aureus infection after elective hysterectomy and evaluate patient characteristics, risk facto...
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Single-Stranded RNAs and DNAs of CAAU and UCAAUC as Benchmarks for Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

RNA and DNA are rapidly emerging as targets for therapeutics and as potential frameworks for nanotechnology. Accurate methods for predicting and designing structures and dynamics of nucleic acids w...
Growth, nutrient retention, innate immune response, and intestinal morphology of juvenile, soy-naïve hybrid striped bass, Morone saxatilis x M. chrysops fed commercial-type, soy-based, ideal protein, fish meal replacement diets

Abstract To develop plant-based diets for hybrid striped bass (HSB), Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis, we evaluated six soy products in extruded, ideal protein, fish meal (FM) replacement diets fed to soy-naive juveniles (3.72 ± 0.01 g initial weight) for up to 5 months. The products included soy protein concentrate (SPC), a conventional soybean meal (SBM) from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), three non-genetically modified (non-GM) soybean varieties from the University of Arkansas (R05–1415, R05–1772, and R07–2001) with high protein and putatively reduced anti-nutritional factor (ANF) content, and Ozark soybeans, parent to the non-GM strains. The control diet included Special-Select® menhaden fish meal (MFM-S; Omega Protein) at 25.5% of diet and contained 40% digestible protein (DP) and 16% lipid. MFM-S was replaced by each soy product on a digestible protein basis and supplemented with Met, Lys, and Thr based on 40% HSB muscle AA profile. HSB sac fry were reared on soy-free diets to increase the likelihood of detecting any soy-induced performance issues when they were fed the test diets to satiation twice daily. Daily feed intake did not differ among treatments (2.2–2.5% of body weight/day). Fish fed the ADM diet were larger (58 g) and gained (1465%) more than those fed the control (51 g, 1251%); otherwise final weights (47-54 g) and weight gains (1153%–1355%) did not differ from the FM control. Gains in fish fed the SPC diet fell below those of fish fed the ADM, Ozark, and R0–1415 diets. Feed conversion ratios (FCR) were slightly poorer for fish fed the R05–1772 diet (1.09) compared to those fed the control (0.93); otherwise, FCR (0.97–1.01) did not differ among diets. The following responses also did not significantly differ among treatments: protein, energy, and AA retentions, whole body protein, moisture, and ash, muscle ratio, and hematological and innate immune parameters. There were slight differences among treatments in whole body lipid and energy, Glu and His content, and liver size. Challenge with Columnaris generally revealed no adverse effect of soy diet on time to death. In contrast to most fish studies, moderate inflammation was noted in proximal intestinal samples from soy-based diets after 73 days, whereas distal gut morphology did not differ among diets. However, no intestinal inflammation was found after a further 5 months of feeding test diets. Complete replacement of FM with various soybean varieties is possible in juvenile hybrid striped bass diets using ideal protein formulas with little impact on fish performance.
Computational study of the transition state for hydrogen addition to Vaska-type complexes (trans-Ir(L)2(CO)X): substituent effects on the energy barrier and the origin of the small hydrogen/deuterium kinetic isotope effect

Ab initio molecular orbital methods have been used to study transition state properties for the concerted addition reaction of H[sub 2] to Vaska-type complexes, trans-Ir(L)[sub 2](CO)X, 1 (L = PH[sub 3] and X = F, Cl, Br, I, CN, or H; L = NH[sub 3] and X = Cl). Stationary points on the reaction path retaining the trans-L[sub 2] arrangement were located at the Hartree-Fock level using relativistic effective core potentials and valence basis sets of double-[zeta] quality. The identities of the stationary points were confirmed by normal mode analysis. Activation energy barriers were calculated with electron correlation effects included via Moller-Plesset perturbation theory carried fully through fourth order, MP4(SDTQ). The more reactive complexes feature structurally earlier transition states and larger reaction exothermicities, in accord with the Hammond postulate. The experimentally observed increase in reactivity of Ir(PPh[sub 3])[sub 2](CO)X complexes toward H[sub 2] addition upon going from X = F to X = I is reproduced well by the calculations and is interpreted to be a consequence of diminished halide-to-Ir [pi]-donation by the heavier halogens. Computed activation barriers (L = PH[sub 3]) range from 6.1 kcal/mol (X = H) to 21.4 kcal/mol (X = F). Replacing PH[sub 3] by NH[submore » 3] when X = Cl increases the barrier from 14.1 to 19.9 kcal/mol. Using conventional transition state theory, the kinetic isotope effects for H[sub 2]/D[sub 2] addition are computed to lie between 1.1 and 1.7 with larger values corresponding to earlier transition states. Judging from the computational data presented here, tunneling appears to be unimportant for H[sub 2] addition to these iridium complexes. 51 refs., 4 tabs.« less
Implications of comparative ventral body wall histology on selection of abdominal surgical approach and closure in 12 species of fish

A ventral midline surgical approach for fish celiotomy is commonly performed in veterinary clinical medicine and research, although the relevant ventral body wall anatomy of many fish species is not well documented. Histological evaluation of tissue samples from the ventral body wall of 12 fish species was performed to provide a reference for surgical approach and closure decisions. The width between muscle bundles running parallel to the long axis and total thickness of tissue layers varied among species. An appreciable space between longitudinal muscles of the ventral body wall and a lack of muscle, vessels and nerves on midline in all species examined supports recommendations of ventral midline incisions to spare important structures. Dense connective tissue consistent with an aponeurosis between musculature along the ventral body wall was not observed in any species evaluated. Connective tissue was concentrated within the dermis of all species evaluated, with an additional layer of collagen along the coelomic membrane in Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, koi Cyprinus carpio, goldfish Carassius auratus, black drum Pogonias cromis, black seabass Centropristis striata, tomtate Haemulon aurolineatum and scup Stenotomus caprinus. A sufficiently wide space on ventral midline for practical targeting during the surgical approach is present in A. gueldenstaedtii, C. carpio, striped bass Morone saxatilis, H. aurolineatum, P. cromis, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta. Sand perch Diplectrum formosum, C. auratus, S. caprinus, grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus and black sea bass Centropristis striata have a negligible space between longitudinal muscles on midline. The variation in ventral body wall structure observed in this study helps inform surgical decision making for celiotomy incision and closure in these species.
Ton pied, Mon pied… Asso!: L’esthétique de l’hybridité linguistique dans l’écriture romanesque de Léonora Miano

Les oeuvres de Leonora Miano, Soulfood equatoriale, Blues pour Elise, Ces âmes chagrines, Ecrits pour la parole et La saison de l’ombre portent sur l’hybridite linguistique et socioculturelle des A...
A Case Series of Black and Hispanic COVID-19 Patients Treated with ECMO

Purpose Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has been utilized as salvage therapy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to COVID-19. We aim to present our experience with ECMO in a community hospital for minority patients with COVID-19. Methods This is a retrospective analysis of all SARS-CoV2 infected patients who developed ARDS and received ECMO at a tertiary cardiovascular care center between March and August 2020. Patient demographics, data pre- and on-ECMO, hemodynamics, and ventilation parameters were collected. Primary outcome of interest was mortality. Secondary outcomes were length of stay, bleeding requiring transfusion, coagulopathies, infections, and procedural-related complications. Results We identified 10 COVID-19 patients with ARDS treated with ECMO. The mean age was 45 years and 70% were male. The racial composition of the patients consisted of Blacks (30%) and Hispanics (70%). Comorbidities included hypertension (40%), diabetes mellitus (50%), and hyperlipidemia (20%). Eight patients were treated with VV-ECMO, and the remaining patients with VA-ECMO. Hospital-acquired infections including ventilator-associated pneumonia and bacteremia were reported in 50% and 30%, respectively. Hemorrhage requiring transfusion was reported in all 10 patients, with 60% of patients having bleeding from a gastrointestinal source. 70% of patients developed thrombocytopenia, and 20% developed a clot within the ECMO circuit. Coagulation disorders reported, included heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (20%), deep vein thrombosis (30%), and pulmonary embolism (20%). 90% of patients died, and 1 patient was discharged to a long-term acute care hospital (See Table 1 for outcomes). Conclusion Despite using ECMO as rescue therapy, mortality among COVID-19 patients who developed ARDS remained high in minority groups. Further studies are needed to investigate management of COVID-19 related complications.
Well-Differentiated Thyroid Cancer Invading the Trachea in a Pediatric Patient.

Abstract Objectives Pediatric thyroid cancer is rare. Most cases are well-differentiated thyroid cancers (WDTCs). However, gross laryngotracheal invasion of WDTCs is unusual. This report details the first case in English medical literature of a pediatric WDTC invading the trachea. Methods Thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, thyroglobulin, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, thyroglobulin antibody, chest magnetic resonance imaging, neck ultrasound, neck computed tomography, and fine needle aspiration were performed. Results A 9-year-old boy with moderate persistent asthma presented with increasing upper respiratory symptoms. Spirometry suggested a fixed upper airway obstruction. Chest x-ray revealed a left tracheal shift, and chest magnetic resonance imaging identified a right thyroid mass. Thyroglobulin level was 809 ng/mL (normal, ≤33 ng/mL). Results of thyroid stimulating hormone, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, and thyroglobulin antibody were normal. Neck ultrasound revealed 2 right thyroid lobe nodules. Neck computed tomography revealed tracheal compression. Fine needle aspiration of the largest nodule yielded atypia of undetermined significance. Bronchoscopy findings at his local hospital were concerning for tracheal invasion. He underwent total thyroidectomy, cricotracheal resection, reconstruction, and radioactive iodine therapy (220 mCi). Pathology demonstrated a well-differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma without solid or diffuse sclerosing subtype components. Tumor cytogenetic and single nucleotide polymorphism microarray studies showed normal findings. One year postoperatively, neck ultrasound demonstrated no recurrence, and thyroglobulin levels were undetectable while on levothyroxine therapy. Conclusion Pediatric WDTC invading the trachea has not been reported.
ESPRIT-based Calibration of Multiple Sonobuoys Using a Moving Source

Distributed sonar arrays that are coherently processed offer high gain over diffuse noise and target resolution but with minimal hardware. The low-cost and ad-hoc nature of these arrays make them flexible and easy to scale but it also brings additional calibration challenges. The positions of individual sub-arrays may only be known up to the accuracy of an on-board GPS device, which will in general be inadequate for beamforming. In this paper we present a distributed array position calibration method using a single, tonal moving source of opportunity. The distributed array is re-partitioned into uncalibrated sparse arrays, whose steering matrices are estimated using the ESPRIT algorithm. The source and sub-array positions are then jointly estimated with the aid of noisy AIS data. We show this method to be effective for a minimum of a single moving source consisting of just two tones.
The Relationship Between States' Staffing Regulations And Hospitalizations Of Assisted Living Residents.

Assisted living provides housing and long-term care services to more than 811,000 older adults in the United States daily and is regulated by the states. This article describes changes in the speci...
Human Capabilities as Guiding Lights for the Field of AI-HRI: Insights from Engineering Education.

Social Justice oriented Engineering Education frameworks have been developed to help guide engineering students' decisions about which projects will genuinely address human needs to create a better and more equitable society. In this paper, we explore the role such theories might play in the field of AI-HRI, consider the extent to which our community is (or is not) aligned with these recommendations, and envision a future in which our research community takes guidance from these theories. In particular, we analyze recent AI-HRI (through analysis of 2020 AI-HRI papers) and consider possible futures of AI-HRI (through a speculative ethics exercise). Both activities are guided through the lens of the Engineering for Social Justice (E4SJ) framework, which centers contextual listening and enhancement of human capabilities. Our analysis suggests that current AI-HRI research is not well aligned with the guiding principles of Engineering for Social Justice, and as such, does not obviously meet the needs of the communities we could be helping most. As such, we suggest that motivating future work through the E4SJ framework could help to ensure that we as researchers are developing technologies that will actually lead to a more equitable world.
Assembly and Application of Phospholipid Nanodiscs for the Study of P-Glycoprotein

As many as 40% of recurring cancers often develop multidrug resistance (MDR) to chemotherapeutic treatment due to over-expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a member of the ABC transporter protein f...
Interactions between the Structural Domains of the RNA Replication Proteins of Plant-Infecting RNA Viruses

Brome mosaic virus (BMV), a positive-strand RNA virus, encodes two replication proteins: the 2a protein, which contains polymerase-like sequences, and the 1a protein, with N-terminal putative capping and C-terminal helicase-like sequences. These two proteins are part of a multisubunit complex which is necessary for viral RNA replication. We have previously shown that the yeast two-hybrid assay consistently duplicated results obtained from in vivo RNA replication assays and biochemical assays of protein-protein interaction, thus permitting the identification of additional interacting domains. We now map an interaction found to take place between two 1a proteins. Using previously characterized 1a mutants, a perfect correlation was found between the in vivo phenotypes of these mutants and their abilities to interact with wild-type 1a (wt1a) and each other. Western blot analysis revealed that the stabilities of many of the noninteracting mutant proteins were similar to that of wt1a. Deletion analysis of 1a revealed that the N-terminal 515 residues of the 1a protein are required and sufficient for 1a-1a interaction. This intermolecular interaction between the putative capping domain and itself was detected in another tripartite RNA virus, cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), suggesting that the 1a-1a interaction is a feature necessary for the replication of tripartite RNA viruses. The boundaries for various activities are placed in the context of the predicted secondary structures of several 1a-like proteins of members of the alphavirus-like superfamily. Additionally, we found a novel interaction between the putative capping and helicase-like portions of the BMV and CMV 1a proteins. Our cumulative data suggest a working model for the assembly of the BMV RNA replicase.
Evolving Magnetic Structures and Their Relation to Coronal Mass Ejections

Solar activity regions are frequently concentrated into clusters which persist for many solar rotations. These activity complexes are associated with regions of weaker background magnetic fields which are most apparent after the activity itself has ceased. We call this combination of persistent activity and weaker background fields Evolving Magnetic Structures (EMS). Here we show examples of EMSs and describe the evolution of an EMS associated with major Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) and other solar and magnetospheric disturbances. We show that CMEs occurred in association with this EMS both when there were sunspots and when only the weaker background fields were present. We find that the time scale for important evolutionary changes in the EMS is about 3 to 6 weeks, i.e. about a half solar rotation or more. Thus studies of individual EMSs and their CMEs require that each EMS be observed continuously for several weeks, necessitating observations of both sides of the Sun.
Aperture synthesis imaging from the moon

Four candidate imaging aperture synthesis concepts are described for possible emplacement on the moon beginning in the next decade. These include an optical interferometer with 10 microarcsec resolution, a submillimeter array with 6 milliarcsec resolution, a moon-earth VLBI experiment, and a very low frequency interferometer in lunar orbit.
The Universal Declaration at Sixty: Is it Still Right for the United States?

Many scholars and human rights advocates have hailed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a triumph for the human rights movement. The occasion of its sixtieth anniversary in 2008 provides pause to appraise if in fact it has been a success and whether it still is of any value to the United States. To conduct such an appraisal, this article reviewed the contemporaneous records of negotiations leading to the adoption of the Declaration by the UN General Assembly. It also reviewed the decisions of U.S. federal and state courts, the International Court of Justice, and Australian courts that have referred to the Declaration. These data sets reveal a remarkably consistent trend to obfuscate the meaning and legal status of the Declaration. Beneath the rhetoric of universality, the framers of the Declaration each pursued their own foreign policy goals and special interests. To forge consensus among the UN member states, they designed the Declaration as a non-binding document that aspired to become authoritative through education, but which did not instruct decisionmakers on how to determine when provisions hardened into law and what the provisions meant. As a result of the congenital ambiguities of the Declaration, U.S., foreign and international courts have faced difficulty in determining the legal value of the Declaration and its meaning. This has resulted in inconsistent decisions and unjust results both within the United States and on a global scale. Nonetheless, the Declaration has advanced the human rights program in the United States. Rather than jettison it entirely from our jurisprudence, this Article proposes that judges and scholars focus their attentions on the proper interpretation and legal value of the Declaration in international law with a view to achieving greater consistency and just results.
Increased osteoblast functions among nanophase titania/poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) composites of the highest nanometer surface roughness

Currently, the scientific challenges for bone tissue engineering lie in the development of suitable scaffold materials that can improve bone cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. The design of nanophase titania/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) composites offers an exciting approach to combine the advantages of a degradable polymer with nanosize ceramic particles to optimize the physical and biological properties necessary for bone regeneration. Moreover, because of the presence of nanosized ceramics, such composites can be formulated to match the surface roughness of bone. For these reasons, the objective of the present in vitro study was to investigate osteoblast (bone-forming cell) adhesion and long-term functions on nanophase titania/PLGA composites that mimic the surface roughness of bone. Various sonication powers were applied in this study to manipulate titania dispersions in PLGA and consequently control their surface roughness. Most importantly, results correlated better osteoblast adhesion and long-term functions (such as collagen, alkaline phosphatase activity, and calcium-containing mineral deposition) among nanophase titania/PLGA composites that had surface roughness values closer to natural bone. In this manner, this present study demonstrated that the nanophase titania/PLGA composites sonicated to have nanometer surface roughness values can improve osteoblast functions necessary for enhanced bone tissue engineering applications.
Technical Note: Surgical Resection of Intrinsic, Focal Tumors of the Midbrain and Pons

A single surgeon's series of seven patients undergoing 12 surgical resections within the midbrain and pons for intrinsic low-grade astrocytoma. In six of seven children, local tumor control was achieved over a two to 13 year period with acceptable morbidity and no surgical mortality.
Attenuation in the upper mantle beneath Southern California: Physical state of the lithosphere and asthenosphere

[1] We invert phase and amplitude data of Rayleigh waves for attenuation (Q � 1 ) and shear wave velocities beneath southern California using teleseismic sources recorded by the TriNet/USArray network. Fundamental mode surface wave studies from 25 to 143 s period allow us to constrain the vertical variation of shear quality factor Qm in the upper mantle. We use 2-D sensitivity kernels for surface waves based on single-scattering (Born) approximation to account for the effects of scattering on amplitude. A onedimensional shear velocity model reveals a pronounced low velocity zone (LVZ) from � 80 km to � 200 km underlying a high velocity lid. Qm shows a similar pattern; large Qm at depths shallower than 80 km and much smaller Qm at depths greater than 100 km. Models that attribute the variations of attenuation and shear velocities with depth solely to temperature and pressure effects predict too low Qm values if they match the shear velocities. Alternative models considering the presence of partial melt can explain the observed very low Vs velocities in the asthenosphere. Partial melt in the asthenosphere could be generated due to decompression and the reduced solidus for damp mantle when the asthenosphere rose to fill the space left by the subducted Farallon plate.
Myocardial ischemia during isoflurane anesthesia: the effect of substituting halothane.

Chez un malade sans antecedent de cardiopathie coronaire. La substitution par l'halothane antagonise ces modifications ECG sans affecter les variables hemodynamiques
Comparison of anastomotic suturing techniques in the rat trachea.

Background Tracheal resection is the preferred treatment for primary tracheal tumors. Anastomotic tension can be a problem, even when various tension-relieving release maneuvers are employed. Excessive tension can cause anastomotic sutures to pull through the tracheal tissue, with resultant early tracheal anastomotic dehiscence. To test the hypothesis that interrupted horizontal mattress sutures would withstand the forces of tension better than interrupted simple sutures, an experimental study of rat tracheal anastomoses was done. Methods Twenty rats were killed and their tracheas excised. The tracheas were divided in the mid portion and end to end anastomoses were done using interrupted 7-0 polypropylene sutures. Ten tracheas had anastomoses done with interrupted simple sutures, and 10 had interrupted horizontal mattress suturing. Results Anastomotic breaking strength was 2.30 ± 0.57 N for the interrupted simple sutured anastomoses and 2.15 ± 0.48 N for the interrupted horizontal mattress group (P = 0.54). The difference was not significant. Conclusions In this animal study, interrupted simple and horizontal mattress suturing withstood the disruptive forces of anastomotic tension equally well. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Farm Panels as a Source of Farm Management Data: The Cornell Producer Panel

LTHOUGH panels have been used in consumer research for a number of years, the use of a panel of producers or farmers as a source of farm management data or for studying changes on farms over time is a more recent development. Basically, a producer or farm panel is a group of farmers questioned and revisited over a period of time to obtain various types of information. Studies using the panel technique were initiated at the University of Minnesota [9] and Cornell University [2] in 1959. These panels were directed to analyzing changes over time in the quantity and characteristics of resources associated with changes in milk production on dairy farms and to projecting future changes. At Ohio State, panels have been used as a technique for obtaining input-output data [8]. The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the Cornell Producer Panel. The sampling technique and cost of obtaining data are discussed. The usefulness of such a panel in determining rates of change in size and technology and in assessing farmer behavior is considered. The advantages of producer panels over other techniques and the future use of a panel of this type are indicated.
Scale-up of microfiltration systems: fouling phenomena and Vmax analysis☆

Abstract Proper sizing and scale-up of normal flow filtration devices requires an understanding of the effects of membrane fouling on system capacity. The V max test is often used to accelerate testing and reduce the required process volume, but the underlying assumption that fouling occurs by uniform constriction of cylindrical membrane pores is rarely met in practice. We have examined the validity of the V max model and have compared the results with predictions of a new model that accounts for fouling due to both pore blockage and cake formation. The V max analysis significantly over-estimates the system capacity for proteins like bovine serum albumin that foul primarily by pore blockage, but it under-estimates the capacity for lysozyme which fouls primarily by cake formation. In contrast, the pore blockage—cake filtration model provides a much better description of membrane fouling, leading to more accurate sizing and scale-up of normal flow filtration devices.
Toward Assessing Outcomes of Emergency Care

Abstract Establishing the efficacy of emergency care for patients—what should or should not be done in the emergency department—requires patients to come to an ED under close-to-ideal situations, and on leaving the ED to be treated under ideal circumstances. Randomized, controlled clinical trials are needed to answer the efficacy question. [Brook R: Toward assessing outcomes of emergency care. Ann Emerg Med March 1998;31:299-300.]
Endocrine parameters in amenorrheic and eumenorrheic adolescent female runners

The purpose of the present study was to compare endocrine parameters reflecting reproductive function and metabolism in ten amenorrheic (AR) and eumenorrheic (ER) adolescent female runners and seven untrained controls (SE). Additionally, responses to diagnostic criteria for eating disorders (DSM-III) were compared among groups. AR ran more miles/day and consumed fewer kcal/d to support energy expenditure compared to ER (p < 0.05). Mean levels of fasting plasma estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, free thyroxine and triiodothyronine were significantly lower in AR compared to ER and SE. AR indicated they were very concerned about their weight and were fearful of gaining fat mass. Female adolescents who participate in strenuous training exhibit alterations in hormone levels reflecting reproductive function and metabolism.
Fighting Corporate Swine

Much as developing countries have been saddled with unwanted incinerators, refineries, waste dumps, or dangerous assembly sectors in an era of global outsourcing, a great many U.S. rural communities have in the last decade and a half found themselves face-to-face with massive industrial livestock complexes. This article examines the alliances that emerged in opposition to corporate livestock complexes including farm and rural community associations and environmental organizations. This study of anti-factory farm campaigns in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri examines the circumstances under which broad-based coalitions opposing powerful corporate interests emerge, and what such alliances do and do not achieve under given institutional circumstances.
Down-regulation of gibberellic acid in poplar has negligible effects on host-plant suitability and insect pest response

Endogenous levels and signaling of gibberellin plant hormones such as gibberellic acid (GA) have been genetically down-regulated to create semi-dwarf varieties of poplar. The potential benefits of semi-dwarf stature include reduced risk of wind damage, improved stress tolerance, and improved wood quality. Despite these benefits, modification of growth traits may have consequences for nontarget traits that confer defense against insect herbivores. According to the growth-differentiation balance hypothesis, reductions in growth may shift allocation of carbon from growth to chemical resistance traits, thereby altering plant defense. To date, host-plant suitability and pest response have not been comprehensively evaluated in GA down-regulated plants. We quantified chemical resistance and nitrogen (an index of protein) in GA down-regulated and wild-type poplar (Populus alba × P. tremula) genotypes. We also evaluated the performance of both generalist (Lymantria dispar) and specialist (Chrysomela scripta) insect pests reared on these genotypes. Our evaluation of resistance traits in four GA down-regulated genotypes revealed increased phenolic glycosides in one modified genotype and reduced lignin in two modified genotypes relative to the non-transgenic wild type. Nitrogen levels did not vary significantly among the experimental genotypes. Generalists reared on the four GA down-regulated genotypes exhibited reduced performance on only one modified genotype relative to the wild type. Specialists, however, performed similarly across all genotypes. Results from this study indicate that although some nontarget traits varied among GA down-regulated genotypes, the differences in poplar pest susceptibility were modest and highly genotype-specific.
A Response to Jones and Smith: It's Not as Bad as It Seems; Or, Five Ways to Move Critical Terrorism Studies Forward

In their recent article “We're all terrorists now: critical or hypocritical studies on terrorism?” David Martin Jones and M. L. R. Smith strongly criticize Critical Terrorism Studies (CTS) for a se...
47.2: Visual Preference for ClearType Technology

ClearType filtering is a sub-pixel rendering method that improves the perceived image quality of text. The method renders text at subpixel resolution and then applies a one-dimensional filter to reduce color artifacts. We performed behavioral and computational experiments to analyze the effect of varying the linear filter parameters. Specifically, we systematically varied the values of a symmetric, mean-preserving, five-tap filter; such filters are described by a two-dimensional parameterization. We generated ClearType versions of the same letter from a large set of these filters and asked subjects to select the version that they preferred. Subjects' preferred renderings from a compact region in the two-dimensional parameter space. Computational analyses show that the preference data are predicted by the SCIELAB metric, a spatio-chromatic metric of human visual sensitivity.
35-kV GaAs subnanosecond photoconductive switches

High-voltage, fast-pulse generation using GaAs photoconductive switches is investigated. It is possible to generate 35-kV pulses with risetimes as short as 135 ps using 5-mm gap switches, and electric field hold-off of greater than 100 kV/cm is achieved. An approximately 500-ps FWHM on/off electrical pulse is generated with an amplitude of approximately 3 kV using neutron-irradiated GaAs having short carrier lifetimes. Experimental results are described, and fabrication of switches and the diagnostics used to measure these fast signals are discussed. Experience with the nonlinear lock-on and avalanche modes of operation observed in GaAs is also described. >
The Culture Concept and the Mission of the Roman Catholic Church

This essay examines how the Roman Catholic Church uses a version of the concept of culture in its evangelizing mission. The field of Christian evangelization is not commonly studied by anthropologists, but it represents a situation parallel to that of international and political development, which has similarly been informed by the anthropological concept of culture but translates that concept into action in ways that are not always consonant with anthropological theory. The great size and international reach of the Roman Catholic Church commend it to our attention insofar as it draws on a version of the anthropological perspective in its dealings with people in a multicultural society.
Kinetic simulation of the Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability in a finite sized jet

Two-dimensional hybrid simulations with particle ions and fluid electrons are used to calculate the kinetic evolution of the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability for a jet of material moving transverse to the magnetic field in the middle of a field reversal region. The instability shows two phases. This first phase is the development of a short scale length instability on the sides of the jet, which might be characterized as a local K-H instability. This instability saturates at low amplitude by modest broadening of the jet profile. Then a nonlocal K-H instability sets in where the jet exhibits a kinklike behavior which spreads and disrupts the jet in a dramatic fashion. The simulation results are discussed within the context of possible relevance to the magnetopause.
Early and Continued Participation in a Work-Site Health and Fitness Program

Abstract This study examines social-environmental, physical-behavioral, and psychological factors influencing early and continued participation in physical activity. Data for the study were collected during the first six months of operation of a work-site Health and Fitness Center. The following sources were used to collect data (N = 403): 1) printouts of frequency of employee visits to the Health and Fitness Center; 2) a questionnaire; and 3) fitness files. Data measuring early (month one) and continued (month six) participation were obtained from printouts of frequency of employee visits. A questionnaire measured estimation of physical ability, attraction to physical activity, self-motivation, attitudinal commitment to physical activity, youth participation, social support, and convenience of the Health and Fitness Center. Fitness files were used to obtain measures of cardiovascular fitness, percent body fat, and recent participation. Linear discriminant analysis was conducted to determine the practical...
Analysis and thermal stability of porcine thyroglobulin-binding lectins in the major Phaseolus vugaris L. G2/albumin groups

Porcine thyroglobulin (PTG)-binding lectins from cultivars representing the five major G2/albumin groups of Phaseolus vulgaris L. were quantified and assayed for thermal stability with PTG-Sepharose affinity chromatography and the Folin-Ciocalteau protein assay. Lectin concentrations of the five cultivars were 30, 25, 21, 21 and 15 mg g−1 dry flour, for Jamapa (MG2), ICA-Pijao (BG2), California Light Red Kidney (TG2), Black Turtle Soup (VG2) and Sanilac (SG2), respectively. Heat stabilities of the five major lectin-containing G2/ albumin groups were MG2= BG2<VG2<SG3<TG2. Thermally processing whole beans at 89°C for 60-130 min inactivated the lectins in all G2/albumin groups.
Visual Search for Features and Conjunctions Following Declines in the Useful Field of View

Background/Study Context: Typical measures for assessing the useful field (UFOV) of view involve many components of attention. The objective of the current experiment was to examine differences in visual search efficiency for older individuals with and without UFOV impairment. Methods: The authors used a computerized screening instrument to assess the useful field of view and to characterize participants as having an impaired or normal UFOV. Participants also performed two visual search tasks, a feature search (e.g., search for a green target among red distractors) or a conjunction search (e.g., a green target with a gap on its left or right side among red distractors with gaps on the left or right and green distractors with gaps on the top or bottom). Results: Visual search performance did not differ between UFOV impaired and unimpaired individuals when searching for a basic feature. However, search efficiency was lower for impaired individuals than unimpaired individuals when searching for a conjunction...
Toward ‘Wisely Managed’ Capitalism: Post-Keynesian Institutionalism and the Creative State

Post-Keynesian Institutionalism (PKI), a synthesis of post Keynesian and institutional economics, emerged in the USA as a strand of evolutionary economics in the early 1980s and has attracted increasing attention in recent years. This article examines milestones in the development of PKI, devoting particular attention to the tradition’s conception of the role of the state. The first section identifies antecedents to PKI in the writings of John R. Commons and John Maynard Keynes. The second describes how PKI emerged against the backdrop of increasing dissatisfaction with neoclassical Keynesianism in the era of stagflation. The third summarizes the subsequent contributions of Hyman P. Minsky, whose work was a model of PKI in the 1980s and 1990s. The final two sections outline PKI’s contemporary characteristics and identify elements of an agenda for future research. PKI has always been about achieving a more humane form of capitalism, which requires the state to play a creative role in shaping economic life.
Use of numerically inverted laplace transforms in time-dependent transport calculations☆

Abstract A time-dependent transport problem in which a monoenergetic point source emits a pulse of radiation into an infinite medium has been solved by Laplace transform techniques. Auxiliary information inferred from the physical nature of the problem is incorporated into the Laplace inversion procedure to eliminate the oscillatory solutions which usually result from attempts to numerically invert Laplace transforms. This simultaneous utilization of mathematical and physical information has made it possible to obtain credible time-dependent solutions for the transport problem under consideration.