cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New technology for transmission measurements in process pipes

Abstract Transmission measurements of radiation through process pipes provide a non-intrusive method of determining the amount of product present in the pipes. The product could be a liquid, a slurry, or a gas, which is the most challenging because of the low density. Traditionally, these techniques have used a radioactive source that has to be replaced periodically. We have developed a transmission technique based on an X-ray tube instead of a decaying source. A notch filter is used to provide a narrow transmission line, and a thin silicon transmission detector is used to monitor the X-ray tube output. The transmitted X-rays are measured with a high-throughput gamma spectrometer that consists of a NaI(Tl) detector and an MCA with precise dead time correction. This spectrometer provides stable transmission measurements with an accuracy of a fraction of a percent. The shielding and collimator are made of machinable tungsten for thermal mechanical stability, as well low-cost, low-weight tungsten powder in polymer castings. We describe two methods of measuring the pipe wall thickness without evacuating the pipe. Our particular application was for enrichment monitors for UF 6 in process pipes. Enrichment monitors that are independent of the plant data require two measurements: a transmission measurement to determine the total amount of uranium in the pipe and a measurement of the 186-keV gamma-ray line to determine the amount of 235 U present. The ratio of these values gives the enrichment. Previous designs used a decaying radioactive source such as 57 Co (122 keV, T ½ =272 days) or 109 Cd (22 keV, T ½ =1.2 years). A major effort was required to access and periodically replace these sources in operating plants. In this report, we describe the use of an X-ray tube, which eliminated the source problem, and other innovations. Then we present data from an enrichment monitor that incorporates these innovations.
Lipopolysaccharide-induced suppression of phagocytosis : Effects on the phagocytic machinery

We have shown previously that Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can suppress macrophage phagocytosis and that suppression was not mediated by the induction of cytokines (1). In this study we investigated the mechanisms by which LPS may be suppressing phagocytosis in thioglycolate-elicited murine peritoneal macrophages, by evaluating the effect of LPS on various components of the phagocytic machinery. LPS mediated suppression in vitro was not due to reduced Fc gamma receptor gene expression. LPS-treatment did result in a slight reduction in the number of Fc gamma RI receptors but this reduction could not account for the degree of suppression seen following LPS treatment. LPS treatment altered the distribution of microfilaments and microtubules and Mos with such alterations had reduced phagocytic activity, suggesting that LPS may be suppressing phagocytosis via its effects on the cytoskeletal network. LPS administration in vivo also resulted in reduced phagocytic activity.
Oral charcoal therapy of congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

Gunther's disease, or congenital erythropoietic porphyria, is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of heme biosynthesis characteristically associated with diminished uroporphyrinogen III cosynthetase activity. Disfiguring photomutilation starts in childhood. Avoidance of sunlight has been the only sure way to prevent or retard photosensitivity. The treatments that have been tried have had limited success. A partial benefit after splenectomy has been reported, but there is little evidence of specific, long-term improvement. Haining and colleagues first reported suppression of bone marrow release of porphyrins by induced polycythemia, supporting the notion that disease activity can be modulated by diminishing porphyrin overproduction at the source (i.e., the bone marrow). Recently, Piomelli et al. reported complete suppression of symptoms in a 10-year-old child treated from birth with transfusion therapy and with splenectomy. Another approach is the use of orally administered sorbents such as charcoal and cholestyramine, which bind porphyrins in vitro, to retard enteral absorption of endogenous porphyrins excreted into the gut lumen. Cholestyramine has been reported to reduce photocutaneous sensitivity in porphyria cutanea tarda and to reverse the hepatic lesion in protoporphyria. In this study, we compared different treatments for progressive photomutilation in a patient with congenital erythropoietic porphyria. The effects of short-term hypertransfusion were evaluated, as was the efficacy of long-term transfusion therapy over a two-year period. To test the potential usefulness of porphyrin-binding drugs, we estimated the enteral absorption of endogenous porphyrins in the proximal small bowel and monitored the effects on tissue and excreted porphyrins of short-term oral challenges with activated charcoal (ActaChar) and with cholestyramine. Charcoal therapy was more effective than cholestyramine and therefore was subsequently administered for a long period. The data collected allow comparison of long-term charcoal therapy and long-term blood-transfusion therapy. Treatment with charcoal for nine months lowered porphyrin levels in plasma and skin and resulted in a complete clinical remission during therapy. (A preliminary report on part of this work has appeared elsewhere).
Molecular mechanisms for apigenin-induced cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis of hormone refractory human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells.

Development of effective agents for treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer has become a national medical priority. We have reported recently that apigenin (4′,5,7-trihydroxyflavone), found in many common fruits and vegetables, has shown remarkable effects in inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis in many human prostate carcinoma cells. Here we demonstrate the molecular mechanism of inhibitory action of apigenin on androgen-refractory human prostate carcinoma DU145 cells that have mutations in the tumor suppressor gene p53 and pRb. Treatment of cells with apigenin resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of growth, colony formation, and G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle. This effect was associated with a marked decrease in the protein expression of cyclin D1, D2, and E and their activating partner, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)2, 4, and 6, with concomitant upregulation of WAF1/p21, KIP1/p27, INK4a/p16, and INK4c/p18. The induction of WAF1/p21 and its growth inhibitory effects by apigenin appears to be independent of p53 and pRb status of these cells. Apigenin treatment also resulted in alteration in Bax/Bcl2 ratio in favor of apoptosis, which was associated with the release of cytochrome c and induction of apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1). This effect was found to result in a significant increase in cleaved fragments of caspase-9, -3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Further, apigenin treatment resulted in downmodulation of the constitutive expression of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB)/p65 and NF-κB/p50 in the nuclear fraction that correlated with an increase in the expression of IkappaB-alpha (IκBα) in the cytosol. Taken together, we concluded that molecular mechanisms during apigenin-mediated growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis in DU145 cells was due to (1) modulation in cell-cycle machinery, (2) disruption of mitochondrial function, and (3) NF-κB inhibition. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Genetic identity of endangered massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus sp.) in Missouri

An important application of DNA-based genetic techniques in conservation genetics is to establish the taxonomic identity of individuals whose ancestry is uncertain, especially those from declining populations. Massasauga rattlesnakes (Sistrurus catenatus) in Missouri currently persist in three isolated populations and have been classified as eastern massasauga rattlesnakes (S. c. catenatus), which is a candidate for listing as a Federally Threatened or Endangered species. However, previous morphological evidence has suggested that these snakes are either hybrids between the eastern massasauga (S. c. catenatus) and the non-threatened western massasauga (S. c. tergeminus) or are pure S. c. tergeminus. Here, we analyze microsatellite DNA and mtDNA variation to assess the taxonomic identity of individuals from two of the three populations specifically those found in Holt and Linn Counties, Missouri. Population and phylogenetic analyses strongly support the conclusion that snakes in both populations are genetically most similar to reference S. c. tergeminus individuals from Kansas and are not related to S. c. catenatus individuals from Illinois and Ohio. These results argue that the current classification of these snakes as endangered S. c. catenatus is unwarranted and hence that the overall range-wide numbers of S. c. catenatus are less than previously estimated. Nonetheless the Missouri populations, while not part of the federally listed taxon, are strongly deserving of protected status at the state level because of their rarity within the state.
Local changes in uterine dimensions in the pregnant pig

Abstract Twenty gilts were used in a study to determine local utilization of space by fetuses in the uterus under crowded or roomy conditions. Between Days 2 and 4 after onset of estrus and mating, the uterus was ligated to leave one and one-half times as much space for embryos in one side of the uterus (roomy) as in the other (crowded). At a second surgery on Day 28, serosal sutures were placed to mark the placental boundaries and every third embryo in the crowded side was crushed. Gilts were slaughtered on Day 100 and measurements taken on the uterus and fetuses. Survival from Day 28 to Day 100 of fetuses that were not crushed was 57% in the roomy side of the uterus versus 40% in the crowded side ( P = 0.42). No differences were found between crowded and roomy sides for fetal crown rump length, weight or placental surface area. The length of segment occupied on Day 28 by fetuses surviving to Day 100 in both crowded and roomy sides was greater than the mean length occupied by all embryos present on Day 28. The length of segment occupied by surviving fetuses increased by 9.4 ± 1.4 cm from Day 28 to Day 100, and the length of segment on Day 28 occupied by a fetus that was crushed decreased by 2.0 ± 0.8 cm. The internal vascular area of the uterus associated with a surviving fetus on Day 100 did not extend beyond the suture placed in the serosa on Day 28, indicating that the surviving fetuses did not make use of space vacated by nonsurviving littermates.
A review of trends in attrition rates for surgical faculty: a case for a sustainable retention strategy to cope with demographic and economic realities.

Background Our aim was to compare trends in retention of academic surgeons by reviewing surgical faculty attrition rates (leaving academic surgery for any reason) of 3 cohorts at 5-year intervals between 1996 and 2011. Study Design The Association of American Medical Colleges' Faculty Administrative Management On-Line User System database was queried for a retention report of all tenure/clinical track full-time MD faculty within our academic medical center on July 1, 1996 (group 1), July 1, 2001 (group 2), and July 1, 2006 (group 3). Retention was tracked for 5 years post snapshot. The individual 5-year cohort attrition rates (observed frequencies) were compared with combined attrition rates for all 3 groups (expected frequencies). Results Overall, attrition trends for groups 2 (lower) and 3 (higher) were significantly different than the trends for all groups combined. Minorities and professors at the full or associate rank in group 3 contributed to this difference. Faculty in group 3 leaving our academic medical center were significantly more likely to transition into nonacademic practice compared with the other 2 groups. Conclusions Greater attrition in the last 5-year cohort, despite the increase in faculty positions, is worrisome. A continuous retention life cycle is critical if academic medical centers hope to compete for talent. Retention planning should include on-boarding programs for enculturation, monitoring of professional satisfaction, formalized mentoring of younger surgeons, retaining academic couples and a part-time workforce, leadership and talent management, exit interviews, and competitive financial packages.
Automatic Localization of the Anterior Commissure, Posterior Commissure, and Midsagittal Plane in MRI Scans using Regression Forests

Localizing the anterior and posterior commissures (AC/PC) and the midsagittal plane (MSP) is crucial in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, human brain mapping, and medical image processing. We present a learning-based method for automatic and efficient localization of these landmarks and the plane using regression forests. Given a point in an image, we first extract a set of multiscale long-range contextual features. We then build random forests models to learn a nonlinear relationship between these features and the probability of the point being a landmark or in the plane. Three-stage coarse-to-fine models are trained for the AC, PC, and MSP separately using downsampled by 4, downsampled by 2, and the original images. Localization is performed hierarchically, starting with a rough estimation that is progressively refined. We evaluate our method using a leave-one-out approach with 100 clinical T1-weighted images and compare it to state-of-the-art methods including an atlas-based approach with six nonrigid registration algorithms and a model-based approach for the AC and PC, and a global symmetry-based approach for the MSP. Our method results in an overall error of $0.55 \pm 0.30$ mm for AC, $0.56 \pm 0.28$ mm for PC, $1.08^{\circ} \pm 0.66$ in the plane's normal direction, and $1.22 \pm 0.73$ voxels in average distance for MSP; it performs significantly better than four registration algorithms and the model-based method for AC and PC, and the global symmetry-based method for MSP. We also evaluate the sensitivity of our method to image quality and parameter values. We show that it is robust to asymmetry, noise, and rotation. Computation time is 25 s.
Specialty drug spending trends among Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees, 2007-11.

Specialty pharmaceuticals include most injectable and biologic agents used to treat complex conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. We analyzed trends in specialty ...
Molecular mapping of soybean aphid resistance genes in PI 567541B

The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is an important pest of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] in North America since it was first reported in 2000. PI 567541B is a newly discovered aphid resistance germplasm with early maturity characteristics. The objectives of this study were to map and validate the aphid resistance genes in PI 567541B using molecular markers. A mapping population of 228 F3 derived lines was investigated for the aphid resistance in both field and greenhouse trials. Two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling the aphid resistance were found using the composite interval mapping method. These two QTLs were localized on linkage groups (LGs) F and M. PI 567541B conferred resistant alleles at both loci. An additive × additive interaction between these two QTLs was identified using the multiple interval mapping method. These two QTLs combined with their interaction explained most of the phenotypic variation in both field and greenhouse trials. In general, the QTL on LG F had less effect than the one on LG M, especially in the greenhouse trial. These two QTLs were further validated using an independent population. The effects of these two QTLs were also confirmed using 50 advanced breeding lines, which were all derived from PI 567541B and had various genetic backgrounds. Hence, these two QTLs identified and validated in this study could be useful in improving soybean aphid resistance by marker-assisted selection.
Life table analysis of pregnancy rates in women with moderate or severe endometriosis comparing danazol therapy after carbon dioxide laser laparoscopy plus electrocoagulation or laparotomy plus electrocoagulation versus danazol therapy only

Abstract Study Objective. To assess the effectiveness, in terms of pregnancy rates, of isotopic 13 CO 2 laser laparoscopy versus traditional laparoscopy or laparotomy in the treatment of infertile women with moderate or severe endometriosis. Design. Prospective 5-year study. Setting. Medical school-affiliated hospital. Patients. Three hundred nine infertile women with moderate to severe endometriosis. Interventions. The patients were treated with one of four options: operative laparoscopy with the 13 carbon dioxide ( 13 CO 2 ) laser vaporization and/or resection, operative laparoscopy with simple electrocoagulation and sharp dissection, laparotomy with electrocoagulation and sharp dissection, and medical treatment with danazol. Estimated cumulative pregnancy rates using life table analyses were indicators of treatment of success and compared among treatments. A subgroup of 192 women considered to have endometriosis as the only infertility factor was also evaluated. Measurements and Main Results. Pregnancy rates in the laparoscopy group were equal to or higher than those of the laparotomy group, for both the entire population and the endometriosis-only subset. When the CO 2 laser was used as an adjuvant option, the rates were better, especially in patients with advanced disease and with endometriosis as the only infertility factor. Conclusion. In women with endometriosis as the only infertility factor, laparoscopic surgery with the 13 CO 2 laser was more effective than nonlaser treatment.
Effect of interface on the effective mass approximation

Abstract The validity of the traditional usage of the effective mass approximation for electrons in bounded crystals such as the inversion layer of MOS is questioned because of a large discontinuity of the effective potential at the interface. A new scheme is developed by expanding the electron wave function in terms of eigenfunctions of the bound crystal satisfying the boundary conditions at the interface. Depending on the nature of scatterings by the interface, different effective mass equations are derived. The surface effect causes the lifting of valley degeneracy in an n-inversion layer of Si(100)/SiO 2 , ranging from 0.7 meV to a resonance of 25 meV depending on the position of the interface.
Topology and data

An important feature of modern science and engineering is that data of various kinds is being produced at an unprecedented rate. This is so in part because of new experimental methods, and in part because of the increase in the availability of high powered computing technology. It is also clear that the nature of the data we are obtaining is significantly different. For example, it is now often the case that we are given data in the form of very long vectors, where all but a few of the coordinates turn out to be irrelevant to the questions of interest, and further that we don’t necessarily know which coordinates are the interesting ones. A related fact is that the data is often very high-dimensional, which severely restricts our ability to visualize it. The data obtained is also often much noisier than in the past and has more missing information (missing data). This is particularly so in the case of biological data, particularly high throughput data from microarray or other sources. Our ability to analyze this data, both in terms of quantity and the nature of the data, is clearly not keeping pace with the data being produced. In this paper, we will discuss how geometry and topology can be applied to make useful contributions to the analysis of various kinds of data. Geometry and topology are very natural tools to apply in this direction, since geometry can be regarded as the study of distance functions, and what one often works with are distance functions on large finite sets of data. The mathematical formalism which has been developed for incorporating geometric and topological techniques deals with point clouds, i.e. finite sets of points equipped with a distance function. It then adapts tools from the various branches of geometry to the study of point clouds. The point clouds are intended to be thought of as finite samples taken from a geometric object, perhaps with noise. Here are some of the key points which come up when applying these geometric methods to data analysis. • Qualitative information is needed: One important goal of data analysis is to allow the user to obtain knowledge about the data, i.e. to understand how it is organized on a large scale. For example, if we imagine that we are looking at a data set constructed somehow from diabetes patients, it would be important to develop the understanding that there are two types of the disease, namely the juvenile and adult onset forms. Once that is established, one of course wants to develop quantitative methods for distinguishing them, but the first insight about the distinct forms of the disease is key.
Synthesis of (+)-Coronafacic Acid

An enantioselective synthesis of (+)-coronafacic acid has been achieved. Rhodium-catalyzed cyclization of an α-diazoester provided the intermediate cyclopentanone in high enantiomeric purity. Subsequent Fe-mediated cyclocarbonylation of a derived alkenyl cyclopropane gave a bicyclic enone that then was hydrogenated and carried on to the natural product.
Delayed resolution of Chiari I-associated hydromyelia after posterior fossa decompression: case report and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE The expected time interval for resolution of hydromyelia after Chiari I decompression is lacking in the literature. This case report highlights one instance of delayed resolution of Chiari-induced hydromyelia. CLINICAL PRESENTATION We report an adolescent girl with a Chiari I malformation and hydromyelia. INTERVENTION A suboccipital craniectomy and C1 laminectomy with intradural exploration and duraplasty were performed. Serial imaging at 1 and 2 years after posterior cranial fossa decompression with duraplasty demonstrated no change in the size of the hydromyelia. At 3 years after surgery and before reoperation for continued hydromyelia, repeat magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated significant diminution of the fluid cavity. If this hydromyelia did resolve as a result of surgery, the interval for radiological observation clearly needs to be reconsidered. CONCLUSION Unfortunately, this is an area in which the literature is lacking. With this case as a nidus, studies are now necessary to determine the range of time necessary for Chiari I malformation-related hydromyelia to resolve.
Challenges in language, culture, and modality: translating English measures into American sign language.

Background Few health-related questionnaires have been translated into American Sign Language (ASL), precluding Deaf adults from full participation in health-related research. Objectives To translate self-report measures (written English) into sign language and to evaluate the equivalence of the ASL versions to the original English versions of the measures. Methods A descriptive-comparative design with a derived etic (outsider) perspective was used to evaluate equivalency between the English version of the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices (SRAHP) and an ASL version. Both versions were administered to 24 bilingual (English and ASL) adults. Analysis included correlation between total scores and comparison of internal consistency of both versions; psychometric properties of the signed SRAHP were computed for 105 Deaf adults who participated in a study of the Deaf Heart Health Intervention (DHHI). Results The correlation between total scores on ASL and English versions was .92, item-to-total correlations ranged from .08 to .80 on the English version and from .33 to .80 on the ASL version. Cronbach's alpha was .91 for the English version and .90 for the ASL version. Mean scores on the ASL version were significantly lower for the all-Deaf DHHI sample (n = 105) than for the bilingual subjects (n = 24) although internal consistency remained high (Cronbach's alpha of .93 and item-to-total correlation of .38-.74) for the new ASL version. Discussion The use of an adapted translation model resulted in a sound ASL version of a health-related measure. Results support use of the derived etic strategy for translating measures from their original language into new languages. The approach is also appropriate for changing modalities from written form to other modalities, such as the visual-manual modality of ASL.
SU‐E‐T‐581: Effect of CT Number to the Dose Calculation in Heterogeneity Correction Algorithm

Purpose: To study the sensitivity of dose calculation to CT number in Hounsfield units (HU) in three heterogeneity dose correction algorithms. Methods: A set of 24×16×20 cm3 ellipse cylinder phantom was created with smooth HU distribution (HU range [−810, 1000]) in Eclipse treatment planning system. Three heterogeneity dose corrected algorithms, Modified Batho (MB), Batho Power Law (BPL) and Equivalent TAR (eTAR), were applied for dose calculation with 6MV and SAD setup. The dose difference was evaluated by comparing the dose calculated at HU=0 (water) phantom with other HU value phantoms which all had same setup and fixed 100 MU delivered to each one of them for 1) three algorithms, 2) different field size, and 3) different depth. A set of double straight lines, percentage_dose_correction = slope*HU, was calculated based on the least squares error method to best fit the percentage dose correction vs. HU in HU 0 ranges for every algorithm and parameter date set. Results and Conclusion: 1) A straight line fitted very well with every percentage dose correction vs. HU data set (the straight line coefficient of determination: r2>0.995). An over all average slope was −0.021 (standard deviation σ=0.0032) in HU 0 regions. The dose correction showed more sensitive to HU in HU 0 region. This was caused by the slope difference in HU to electron density conversion curve. 2) As irradiated field size increased, the sensitivity of dose correction to HU decreased in MB. 3) The dose correction sensitivity to HU was proportional to the calculated depth in MB. 4) BPL showed a least dose correction sensitivity to HU comparing with other two algorithms which was nearly 25% lower than MB and eTAB in HU 0 range.
An Investigation of Lean Combustion in a Natural Gas-Fueled Spark-Ignited Engine

Natural gas has been used extensively as an engine fuel in gas pipeline transmission applications and, more recently, as a fuel for transportation applications including both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. The objective of this work was to investigate the performance and emission characteristics of natural gas in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), light-duty, spark-ignited engine being operated in the lean fueling regime and compare the operation with gasoline fueling cases. Data were acquired for several operating conditions of speed, throttle position, air-fuel equivalence ratio, and spark timing for both fuels. Results showed that for stoichiometric fueling, with a naturally aspirated engine, a power loss of 10 to 15 percent can be expected for natural gas over gasoline fueling. For lean operation, however, power increases can be expected for equivalence ratios below about Φ = 0.80 with natural gas fueling as compared to gasoline. Higher brake thermal efficiencies can also be expected with natural gas fueling with maximum brake torque (MBT) timings over the range of equivalence ratios investigated in this work. Coefficient of variation (COV) data based on the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) demonstrated that the engine is much less sensitive to equivalence ratio leaning for natural gas fueling as compared to gasoline cases. The lean limit for a COV of 10 percent was about Φ = 0.72 for gasoline and Φ = 0.63 for natural gas. Lean fueling resulted in significantly reduced NO x levels where a lower plateau for NO x concentrations was reached at Φ near or below 0. 70, which corresponded to about 220 ppm. For natural gas fueling, this corresponded to about 1.21 gm/(kW-h). Finally, with MBT timings, relatively short heat release durations were obtained for lean fueling with natural gas compared to gasoline.
Studies on the binding of bacterial elongation factors EF Tu and EF G to ribosomes

Abstract When EF G 2 from Escherichia coli or Pseudomonas fluorescens is pre-bound to ribosomes in the presence of GMD, or GTP and fusidic acid, a differential effect is observed on the subsequent EF Tu-catalyzed binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to ribosomes. The EF G from E. coli nearly completely prevents the binding reaction, whereas the corresponding factor from P. fluorescens displays a significantly lower inhibitory effect. Both EF G factors form stable complexes with ribosomes and are equally efficient in the polymerization reaction. The difference in inhibitory properties between the two factors persists over a wide range of NH4Cl concentration.
Fresh water from salt water

This paper surveys the several proposals for refining sea water, including compression distillation, multiple-effect distillation, the electrolytic process, ionic exchange, freezing, solar distillation, and the thermal-difference power plant. Cost estimates and design information lead to the conclusion that none of the methods using fuel as a source of heat or power is feasible at the present time. Consideration of the use of waste heat from power plants for the distillation of sea water gives hope that such developments could be used to avoid drought conditions by supplementing existing water supplies.
Amae and acculturation among Japanese-American college students in Hawaii.

(1966). Amae and Acculturation among Japanese-American College Students in Hawaii. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 70, No. 2, pp. 171-180.
Retrospective Analyses of Additional Services for Methadone Maintenance Patients

We report on the 6-month outcome of a retrospective analysis of additional treatment services for patients entering a methadone maintenance program who transferred from community methadone treatment programs (n = 83) or entered off the street (n = 83) not currently on methadone. Patients were participating in a clinical treatment trial examining the effectiveness of Community Reinforcement Approach and Relapse Prevention. Patients in the methadone transfer group were using less heroin at intake than patients newly initiated onto methadone and both groups improved from additional treatment services in the following problem areas specifically: drug, alcohol, legal, employment, social, and in some measures of psychiatric distress. Therefore, both groups of patients in this study benefited from additional treatment services.
American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Consensus Conference on the Insulin Resistance Syndrome: 25–26 August 2002, Washington, DC

This is the first of two articles on the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) consensus conference on the insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), which was held in Washington, DC, on 25–26 August 2002. (See http://www.aace.com/pub/irscc/findings.php for summary.) Woody Kessel (Washington, DC), the Deputy Surgeon General, introduced the conference, by discussing “leading health indicators,” including physical activity, reduction of overeating, drug abuse, attention to sexual health, mental health, environmental health, injury prevention, and provision of access to care. The lifestyle factors underlying the metabolic syndrome are, he pointed out, highly prominent factors on this list. Earl S. Ford (Atlanta, GA) discussed public health aspects of the IRS. He characterized “public health” as engaging not only in the assessment and in monitoring of the health of communities, but also in the formulation of public policies and the assurance of access to health care. Addressing the question of whether the IRS is a public health problem, he pointed to its high prevalence and its association with increased morbidity and mortality. Persons with the IRS show higher all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The syndrome is likely to be very costly, with estimates that the related condition, obesity, leads to health costs in the U.S. of $100 billion yearly. Ford cited proposed AACE criteria defining persons as having the IRS if they do not have diabetes and if they meet two or more of the criteria of triglyceride ≥150 mg/dl, HDL <40 or 50 in men or women, respectively, blood pressure ≥130/85 mmHg or current use of antihypertensive medications, and 2-h glucose 140–199 mg/dl (with postload rather than fasting glucose chosen as being of greater sensitivity). He applied these criteria to data from the third National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES III) carried out in …
The intestinal environment of surgical injury transforms Pseudomonas aeruginosa into a discrete hypervirulent morphotype capable of causing lethal peritonitis

Background Secondary peritonitis continues to carry a high mortality rate despite the aggressive use of imaging, drainage, and antibiotics. Although host factors and microbial burden contribute to the outcome of peritonitis, we propose a role for bacterial virulence as a determinant of outcome from peritonitis. Bacterial virulence is an inducible trait that is activated in response to specific local “cues” that we have previously shown to be present in the mouse gut exposed to surgical stress and injury. Methods Pseudomonas aeruginosa was harvested after its intestinal inoculation into the cecum of mice subjected to surgical injury (30% hepatectomy) or sham surgery (controls). Harvested strains were then injected into the peritoneum of noninjured (naive) mice and mortality determined. Results P. aeruginosa harvested from the intestines of surgically injured mice caused 100% mortality, whereas strains harvested from control mice caused no mortality. Among recovered strains, a distinct P. aeruginosa morphotype (wrinkled shape) was shown to cause lethal peritonitis compared to smooth-shaped strains, which were nonlethal. Wrinkled strains were associated with a tendency to elicit a more proinflammatory response in mice compared to smooth-shaped strains. Conclusion Surgical injury transforms the morphotype of intestinal P. aeruginosa to express a hypervirulent response in the peritoneum of mice. Enhanced virulence of intestinal pathogens in response to surgical injury may play an important role in predicting the outcome of peritonitis.
Observations of Martian Tides Over Two Annual Cycles

The first four diurnal surface pressure harmonics have been analyzed over major portions of two Martian annual cycles (Mars years) at the two Viking lander sites. The diurnal harmonics of surface wind have also been analyzed at one of the sites. Since the atmospheric tides have previously been shown to provide a good indication of Martian global dust storms, these results provide a basis for comparing dust storm activity in the two years. Two global dust storms occurred during the first year. During the second year, there was only one major storm, and it closely followed the pattern of the first storm of the first year. A significant feature of the results is the brief, but nearly complete, vanishing of the diurnal pressure tide at the onset of one of the global dust storms. It is proposed that this may have been due to interference between the normal westward-propagating diurnal tide and a topographically forced eastward propagating tide, and that the latter may have helped initiate the global storm.
Arrested Catalysis: Controlling Kumada Coupling Activity via a Redox-Active N-Heterocyclic Carbene

Optimized syntheses for 1,3-dimesitylnaphthoquinimidazolium chloride [1H][Cl] and the corresponding silver−NHC complex [AgCl(1)] (2) were developed, enabling access to this versatile reagent in near-quantitative yield. Transmetalation from 2 to [NiCl2(PPh3)2], trans-[PdCl2(PhCN)2], or trans-[PtCl2(PhCN)2] afforded the Group 10 complexes trans-[MCl2(1)2] (3a−c, M = Ni, Pd, and Pt, respectively) in excellent overall yield (>95%) after three steps from commercially available starting materials. Electrochemical measurements indicated that the E1/2 and ΔE1/2 values for the quinone reduction couples were independent of the identity of the bridging transition metal in these complexes. Whereas attempts to isolate the reduced complexes were unsuccessful, UV/vis spectroelectrochemical analysis confirmed that electrochemical reduction of 3a−c in situ afforded optical difference spectra consistent with the formation of the expected reduced species. Complex 3a was found to catalyze the Kumada cross-coupling reaction b...
Polymerization of Nonfilamentous Actin into Microfilaments Is an Important Process for Porcine Oocyte Maturation and Early Embryo Development

Actin is one of the major proteins in mammalian oocytes. Most developmental events are dependent on the normal distribution of filamentous (F-) actin. Polymerization of nonfilamentous (G-) actin into F-actin is important for both meiosis and mitosis. This study examined G- and F-actin distribution in pig oocytes and embryos by immunocytochemical staining and confocal microscopy. Actin protein was quantified by electrophoresis and immunoblotting. G-Actin was distributed in the whole cytoplasm of oocytes and embryos irrespective of their stages. F-Actin was distributed at the cortex of oocytes and embryos at all stages, at the joint of blastomeres in the embryos, in the cytoplasm around the germinal vesicle (GV), and in the perinuclear area of 2- to 4-cell-stage embryos. No differences in the amount of actin protein were found among oocytes and embryos. Oocytes cultured in medium with cytochalasin D (CD), an inhibitor of microfilament polymerization, underwent GV breakdown and reached metaphase I but did not proceed to metaphase II. Two- to 4-cell-stage embryos cultured in medium with CD did not develop to blastocysts. When GV-stage oocytes or 2- to 4-cell-stage embryos treated with CD for 6 h were re-cultured in media without CD, oocytes or embryos re-assembled actin filaments and underwent a meiotic maturation or blastocyst formation similar to that of controls. These results indicate that it is the polymerization of G-actin into F-actin, not actin protein synthesis, that is important for both meiosis and mitosis in pig oocytes and embryos.
Response of red drum to various dietary levels of menhaden oil

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of feeding, varying levels of menhaden oil on weight gain, feed conversion, and whole-body proximate and fatty acid composition of red drum. The experiment was conducted utilizing a brackishwater (5–6 ppt) recirculating system which supplied water to a series of 40-l aquaria. Fish (1.8g) were stocked at a rate of 12 fish per aquarium (48 fish/treatment) and fed the appropriate diet twice a day for a period of 6 weeks. All diets contained 40% protein and an estimated digestible energy value of 15.4 kJ/g of diet. Dietary lipid levels ranged from 1.7 to 18.8%. Weight gain, feed conversion, and survival were best at dietary lipid levels of 7.4 and 11.2%. Fish fed the diet containing 18.8% lipid had lower weight gains and higher feed conversion ratios than fish fed lower levels of lipid. Whole-body lipid concentrations increased as dietary lipid increased up to 7.4% then decreased when dietary levels were elevated to 15% or greater. Whole-body fatty acids generally reflected dietary lipid, particularly in respect to the n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
PROTEAN LITERACY: EXTENDING THE DISCOURSE ON EMPOWERMENT. Concha Delgado-Gaitan. London: Falmer Press, 1996. Pp. viii + 151. $74.95 cloth.

This book is an ethnographic study of literacy in the social, cultural, and political context of the Latino community in Carpinteria, California. Much of the book is written as a narrative about the community, its history, and its struggles with the schools. The book is also filled with the voices of the community members in Spanish (translated into English).
Hemodynamic effect of unequal anterior cerebral artery flow rates on the anterior communicating artery bifurcation: a computational fluid dynamics study

Computational fluid dynamics techniques were used to investigate the hemodynamic effect of unequal anterior cerebral artery flow rates on the anterior cerebral and anterior communicating artery (ACA-ACOM) bifurcation. Hemodynamics have long been implicated as a major factor in cerebrovascular disease. Using an idealized 2D symmetric model of the ACA-ACOM geometry, the flow field and wall shear stress (WSS) at the bifurcation regions are assessed for pulsatile inflows with left to right flow ratios of 1 : 1, 2 : 1, 3 : 1, and 4 : 1. Unequal flow rates through the ACA parent arteries result in bifurcation of the higher flow parent stream and a shifting of the impingement points along the A2-ACOM adjoining wall toward the contralateral ACA. Cross-flow through the ACOM is generally unstable and results in increased WSS at the impingement region from the higher flow parent artery and a double amplitude peak in the WSS at the contralateral bifurcation region from local recirculation effects. These results suggest that asymmetry in ACA flow rates result in increased hemodynamic stresses at the ACA-ACOM bifurcation regions and suggest a possible factor for vessel weakening and aneurysm formation.
National status report: Home energy rating systems and energy-efficient mortgages

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 included several provisions promoting the use of HERS and EEMs, which strengthened efforts to develop a national infrastructure for HERS and to promote the use of EEMs. This report documents HERS and EEMs activities since 1992 by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, mortgage lenders, and other organizations. Though the process of establishing HERS has faced some barriers, this report shows that, as of November 1999, home energy ratings were available in 47 states and the District of Columbia, which represents a significant increase from 1993 when home energy ratings were available in 17 states. Both national and state organizations have developed HERS and related residential energy-efficiency programs. The availability and use of EEMs has also increased significantly. The number of EEMs supported by the Federal Housing Administration has increased more than eight times in the last three years. More than $2.5 billion in federally supported EEMs have been issued to date. Several national lenders offer EEMs, and six states have state-specific EEM or loan programs. EEMs have been used to finance energy-efficient homes in every state.
Quantized Control Design for Coupled Dynamic Networks with Communication Constraints

This paper is concerned with the quantized synchronization control problem of coupled dynamic networks (CDNs) with communication constraints. The networked-induced delay, data packet dropouts, and signal quantization effects are simultaneously considered in the synchronization controller design. A new closed-loop coupled dynamic system is constructed, where both the interval time-varying delays and quantized parameters are taken into account. By using Kronecker product technique and the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional approach, a stability criterion is obtained for the closed-loop CDNs, which also guarantees that the CDNs are synchronized. Then, both the networked controller and the quantized parameters can be designed. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Hourglass Deformity after Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection

Background.—Complications, such as eyelid ptosis, have been attributed to botulinum toxin type A. An “hourglass” deformity, which is the consequence of temporalis muscle atrophy, has not been reported previously. Objective.—To report a transient muscle deformity of the temporalis muscle caused by botulinum toxin type A. Methods.—Patients who underwent injection of 25 units of botulinum toxin type A into the temporal muscle, in a fan-shaped fashion, during an ongoing study for treatment of migraine were noted to develop temporary depression of the temples. Preinjection and postinjection photographs were taken. Patients were also sent questionnaires to verify the observed information. Results.—Only 26 of 92 patients who underwent injection of botulinum toxin type A into the temporalis muscle subsequently reported depression of the muscle. When examined, all 92 patients exhibited this deformity ranging from minimal to significant. Patients who seemed to have less deformity were those who had excessive soft tissue overlying the muscle due to excess weight. Conclusion.—A newly recognized deformity is reported subsequent to the injection of botulinum toxin type A into the temporalis muscle. Informing patients of this transient deformity may minimize concern following treatment.
Actinomycin D in vivo: paradoxical and nonspecific effects on adrenal cortex.

Previous, apparently contradictory reports of the effects of actinomycin D on adrenal corticosteroid production encouraged the present investigation of the consequences in vivo of a single administration to guinea pigs of a small dose (10–15 μg/100 g body weight). Within 2 days, base line plasma cortisol levels and urinary corticoids rose, and the effect of exogenous ACTH was curtailed. In the next several days, as base line values fell, the influence of ACTH on plasma cortisol was potentiated. The effect of the antibiotic on RNA synthesis was also biphasic: Synthesis was depressed for 36 hr but then rapidly recovered, so much so that both 32P incorporation into cytoplasmic RNA and the net amount of adrenal RNA rebounded significantly above control levels. These results cannot be regarded as consequences of the inhibition of RNA synthesis by actinomycin, for they were accompanied by net losses of protein and DNA and by histological evidence of cytotoxicity in the adrenal cortex. A review of many of the ef...
Shape memory alloy post buckled precompressed (SMAPBP) actuator concepts and theory

This paper discusses the modeling, design and performance of SMA actuated Post-Buckled Precompressed (PBP) plates. The paper begins with an outline of past approaches to PBP actuation and control which have mostly been centered on piezoelectric actuators. To skirt problems associated with tensile failure on convex faces of PBP actuators, SMA filaments are used. Because SMA's are far less sensitive to tensile failure, far greater deflections and work outputs are both predicted and experimentally measured. Unlike conventional SMA actuated plates, the total moment generation capability and deflections can be simultaneously amplified, indicating a substantial increase in total work output. Experiments showed that the SMA actuators are capable of tip deflection of up to 45° and that the Post-Buckled Precompressed Mechanism improves tip rotation up to 40% compared to conventional antagonistically actuated SMA plates.