cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting informed decision making when clinical evidence and conventional wisdom collide: papers developed from the Eisenberg Center Conference Series 2012.

AHRQ involvement in exploring issues that impact clinical decision making The AHRQ Effective Health Care (EHC) Program was created in 2003 under the legislative provisions of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act (MMA). The EHC Program supports individual researchers, research centers, and academic organizations working together with AHRQ to produce effectiveness and comparative effectiveness research for various audiences (http://www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov). The EHC Program does this through: 1) reviewing and synthesizing published and unpublished scientific evidence; 2) generating new scientific evidence and analytic tools; and 3) compiling research findings that are synthesized and/or generated and translating these materials into useful formats for clinicians, consumers, and policymakers. Much of the work focusing on translation and dissemination of research findings is done through the John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science (the Eisenberg Center), a specialized Center within the EHC Program charged with working in concert with other EHC Program components to organize research results into summaries and other tools that are useful to clinicians, healthcare policy makers, and patients. An important function of the Eisenberg Center involves planning and implementing the Eisenberg Conference Series. This series brings together experts in health communication, health literacy, shared decisionmaking, and related fields to produce white papers (and stakeholder commentaries) that explore developments and advances in the fields of clinical decisionmaking and health communication. The papers from the 2012 Conference Series are assembled here as a supplement in BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making.
Rapid Determination of Nitroguanidine and nitrate ion in the spent sulfuric acid

A rapid method for simultaneous determinations of nitroguanidine and nitrate ion in the spent sulfuric acid has been developed. This method consists of merely diluting an aliquot of sample with water and measuring the absorbances of nitroguanidine and nitrate ion at 265 nm and 203 nm, respectively. In the concentration ranges studied, average accuracies of better than 1% and 2% were obtained for nitroguanidine and nitrate ion, respectively. The precision was better than 1% in both cases.
Stereoselective synthesis, in vitro, and initial in vivo evaluation of 1-methylpiperidin-4-yl α-hydroxy-α-(1-iodo-1-propen-3-yl)-α-phenylacetate (IPIP): a novel radioiodinated molecular probe with high affinity for the muscarinic receptor

1-Methylpiperidin-4-yl alpha-hydroxy-alpha-(1-iodo-1-propen-3-yl)-alpha-phenylacetate (IPIP, Fig. 1) was investigated as a potential radioiodinated molecular probe targeted to the muscarinic receptor complex. The IPIP stereoisomers were synthesized via a chiral intermediate in >95% enantiomeric excess. The R-isomers demonstrated a M(1) to M(2) subtype selectivity of approximately 3 to 1 and the S-isomers demonstrated non-subtype selective binding in vitro. IPIP was radiolabeled with iodide-125 with an average radiochemical yield of 74.4% (+/-14.8, n = 5), specific activities >800 mCi/micromol, and radiochemical purities >97%. In vivo the Z-isomers demonstrated high uniform cerebral uptake suggesting non-subtype selective binding. In contrast, E-R-IPIP, after allowing a low uptake in M(2) rich areas to clear, demonstrated a retention of activity in M(1) and M(4) rich cerebral regions. In addition, the cerebral uptake of E-R-IPIP and Z-S-IPIP were inhibited by 70-90% via pretreatment with R-QNB, an established muscarinic antagonist. An ex vivo metabolism study demonstrated Z-S-IPIP was stable at the receptor site with an absence of radiolabeled metabolites.
Laser-induced fluorescence measurements of xenon ion velocity distributions near ceramic surfaces

Studying the interaction of plasma and materials is very important in many plasma systems including those used in material processing applications, electric propulsion thrusters, or (bio-) surface treatment systems. For example, in the electric propulsion field, plasma-wall interactions influence thruster lifetime due to ion beam sputtering of the channel, and secondary electron emission can affect the sheath potential structure and plasma discharge conditions1. A better understanding of plasma-wall interactions will aid many practical plasma applications.
Smoothed Profile Method for Particulate Two-Phase Flow

We re-formulate and demonstrate a new method for particulate flows, the so-called “Smoothed Profile” method (SPM) first proposed in [1]. The method uses a fixed computational mesh, which does not conform to the geometry of the particles. The particles are represented by certain smoothed indicator profiles to construct a smooth body force density term added into the Navier-Stokes equations. The SPM imposes accurately and efficiently the rigid-body constraint inside the particles. In particular, while the original method employs a fully-explicit time-integration scheme, we develop a high-order semi-implicit splitting scheme, which we implement in the context of spectral/hp element discretization. We show that the modeling error of SPM has a non-monotonic dependence on the time step size Δt. The optimum time step size balances the thickness of the Stokes layer and that of the profile interface. Subsequently, we present several numerical simulations, including flow past three-dimensional complex-shaped particles and two interacting microspheres, which are compared against full direct numerical simulations and the force coupling method (FCM).Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Optimal temperature control of jacket-cooled fermentation reactors

For systems such as jacketed vessels with significant dead time, cooling jacket dynamics and unpredictable but measurable load disturbances, advanced control concepts need to be used in order to achieve quality regulatory control. In the current work, optimal regulatory control theory has been applied to this problem. An optimal control algorithm is used to effectively control a batch fermentation reactor. The algorithm is easily implementable and very effective. It is capable of responding to both measurable and unmeasurable process disturbances
Ethanol pharmacokinetics in white women: nonlinear model fitting versus zero-order elimination analyses.

BACKGROUND Studies have shown repeatedly that ethanol pharmacokinetics are not linear, yet most researchers still determine ethanol elimination by linear, zero-order kinetics. The goals of the present work were to: (1) fit four nonlinear pharmacokinetic models to mean breath alcohol concentration (BrAC)-time data of 27 women and determine the best-fit model; (2) fit the determined best-fit model to individual BrAC data and estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters; and (3) compare the method of nonlinear model fitting with the classical zero-order elimination method and determine in which cases the classical approach is justified. METHODS Twenty-seven healthy white women ingested four drinks (total of 0.67 g x kg(-1)) of ethanol on two test days. Approximately 24 breath ethanol samples (for pharmacokinetic analyses) and one blood sample (for hormonal markers) were taken per day. Pharmacokinetic model evaluation was based on the coefficient of variation, the weighted residual sum of squares, and the sequence of the weighted residuals. Because hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle did not significantly influence ethanol pharmacokinetics, data from the two test days were pooled. RESULTS The best-fit model was a one-compartment open model with first-order absorption and sequential first-order elimination, followed by Michaelis-Menten elimination kinetics. Fitting this model to the individual BrAC data yielded mean ka = 0.062 hr(-1), Vd = 0.457 L x kg(-1), ke = 0.011 hr(-1), Vmax = 0.136 g x L(-1) x hr(-1), and Km = 0.096 g x L(-1). For the classical analyses, mean time to peak BrAC = 1.83 hr, disappearance rate = 0.179 g x L(-1) x hr(-1), and area under the blood ethanol-time curve (AUC) = 2.884 g x L(-1) x hr. Correlational analyses showed that more frequent drinkers eliminated ethanol significantly faster and reached significantly lower AUC than less frequent drinkers. CONCLUSIONS After multiple dose ingestion in white women, classical zero-order elimination analyses can be applied only to a limited portion of the descending BrAC-time curve. They seem justified and practical from 0.5 hr after peak BrAC until BrAC reaches 0.2 g x L(-1). To describe ethanol pharmacokinetics across the entire BrAC-time curve, however, sophisticated nonlinear model fitting is required.
Autochthonous death assemblages from chemoautotrophic communities at petroleum seeps: Palaeoproduction, energy flow, and implications for the fossil record

Death assemblages produced by chemoautotrophic communities at cold seeps represent a type of autochthonous accumulation that is difficult to differentiate from other heterotrophic autochthonous communities using taphonomic characteristics. We test the hypothesis that cold‐seep assemblages can be discriminated by unique biological or community attributes rather than taphonomic attributes. To test this hypothesis, we compared several cold seeps on the Louisiana upper continental slope to heterotrophic sites on the Louisiana slope and to a putative seep site in the middle‐late Campanian Pierre Shale near Pueblo, Colorado. Seep assemblages are characterized by a unique tier and guild structure, size‐frequency composition, and animal density that together identify the palaeoenergetics structure of these communities and distinguish them from the other assemblages of the shelf and slope. All seep assemblages were dominated by primary consumers, whereas the heterotrophic assemblage was dominated by carnivores. Ca...
Effects of SiC reinforcement and aging treatment on fatigue crack growth in an AlSiC composite

The effects of SiC reinforcement and matrix aging treatment on fatigue crack growth behavior in a powder metallurgy aluminum 2124 alloy-SiC whisker composite were investigated. The microstructures were designed such that the matrix of the composite material and the unreinforced control aluminum alloy 2124 with an identical processing history had similar hardness and precipitation characteristics. The threshold stress intensity factor range ΔK0 for tensile fatigue crack growth was obtained using a procedure whereby mode I precracks were initiated in uniaxial cyclic compression prior to tension fatigue. The composite exhibits a ΔK0 value which is about twice that of the control alloy. However, ΔK0 is relatively insensitive to variations in both the aging treatment and the mean stress of the fatigue cycle in both the composite and the control alloy. Possible mechanisms underlying this trend are discussed.
Effects of excimer laser exposure on the degradation of silica glasses and fibers

Ultraviolet laser radiation induces a myriad of effects in silica glasses and fibers. This study deals with the absorption and luminescence characteristics of silica manufactured by different methods, containing varying amounts of water -- broadly grouped into the ultra dry, moderately wet, and very wet types. The effect of 248 nm (KrF) excimer laser radiation on these characteristics is examined. The effects seen in the bulk form are contrasted with those seen in drawn fibers, in particular, with regards to the luminescence behavior.
Use of Scoring Models in Evaluating Research Programs

This paper reports a comprehensive examination of the total research program at the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station. It focuses particularly on the application of a set of numerical models for ranking recommended resource reallocations.1 The immediate goal of this exercise has been to determine which research problem areas (RPAs), as defined in the Current Research Information System classification (USDA Science and Education Staff), should be given greater emphasis at the station in the next five years.
A comparison of three techniques to date stand-replacing fires in lodgepole pine forests

Abstract We examined the effectiveness of three sampling techniques and five sample sizes to date stand-replacing fires in lodgepole pine forests in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Transects (5 m×250 m) were established in a relatively young (120 yrs old), nearly pure lodgepole pine forest (`road' transect) and an uneven-aged, older, mixed-species subalpine forest (`forest' transect). The forest transect was divided into an upper and lower forest transect at a fire boundary. All trees were mapped, and age, species, and dbh were recorded for trees>5 cm dbh. Fire scars were collected to verify stand-origin dates. Random sampling, dbh-based, and spatial systematic sampling were performed using sample sizes of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 trees. Random sampling resulted in a higher estimate of mean maximum age, but always lower than the actual maximum, as sample size increased. Sampling based on dbh located the oldest tree for sample sizes of 10, 15, 20, and 25 trees for the road transect, 15, 20, and 25 for the upper forest, and all sample sizes for the lower forest. The spatial systematic technique obtained the oldest tree in the road transect for sample sizes of 15, 20, and 25. Spatial systematic sampling did not find the oldest tree for the lower forest. Our results indicate the most effective method to find the oldest tree in a stand to estimate fire dates is to use sample sizes of at least 10 trees in young forests and 15 trees in older forests, based on the largest trees in a stand. The identification of possible survivors of fire is also important to determine fire history. Fire scars alone are insufficient to understand lodgepole pine landscape history.
Induction of cell death in neuroblastoma by inhibition of cathepsins B and L

A specific irreversible inhibitor of both cathepsins B and L, Fmoc-Tyr-Ala-CHN2 (FYAD) induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells but not other tumor cells. Cysteine protease inhibitors that were not efficient inhibitors of both proteases did not cause death of any cell line tested. Apoptosis was preceded by accumulation of large electron dense vesicles and multivesicular bodies in the cytoplasm. Exposure of cells to the cathepsin D inhibitor, pepstatin, failed to rescue cells from FYAD-induced death. These results indicate that inhibition of cathepsins B and L may provide a unique mechanism for selectively inducing death of neuroblastoma with limited toxicity to normal cells and tissues.
Effect of 1.33 Mev gamma radiation and 0.5 Mev electrons on the mechanical properties of graphite fiber composites

Epoxy/graphite fiber, polyimide/graphite fiber, and polysulfone/graphite fiber composites were exposed to 1.33 Mev gamma irradiation and 0.5 Mev electron bombardment for varying periods of time. The effects of the irradiation treatments on the breaking stress and Young's modulus were studied by a three point bending test. Effects were small; both electron radiation up to 5000 Mrad and gamma radiation up to 350 Mrad resulted in slight increases in both stress and modulus.
Architecture of a lymphomyeloid developmental switch controlled by PU.1, Notch and Gata3

Hematopoiesis is a classic system with which to study developmental potentials and to investigate gene regulatory networks that control choices among alternate lineages. T-cell progenitors seeding the thymus retain several lineage potentials. The transcription factor PU.1 is involved in the decision to become a T cell or a myeloid cell, and the developmental outcome of expressing PU.1 is dependent on exposure to Notch signaling. PU.1-expressing T-cell progenitors without Notch signaling often adopt a myeloid program, whereas those exposed to Notch signals remain in a T-lineage pathway. Here, we show that Notch signaling does not alter PU.1 transcriptional activity by degradation/alteration of PU.1 protein. Instead, Notch signaling protects against the downregulation of T-cell factors so that a T-cell transcriptional network is maintained. Using an early T-cell line, we describe two branches of this network. The first involves inhibition of E-proteins by PU.1 and the resulting inhibition of Notch signaling target genes. Effects of E-protein inhibition can be reversed by exposure to Notch signaling. The second network is dependent on the ability of PU.1 to inhibit important T-cell transcription factor genes such as Myb, Tcf7 and Gata3 in the absence of Notch signaling. We show that maintenance of Gata3 protein levels by Myb and Notch signaling is linked to the ability to retain T-cell identity in response to PU.1.
Constrained estimates of multipath covariance

When multipath propagation occurs, the covariance among signals traveling along rays emanating from a common source is expected to be larger than the covariance between signals generated by independent sources. Several data adaptive constrained estimates of the covariance are derived by the author as bilinear forms and some simulations are presented. The ability of a bilinear form to distinguish a 0-dB (relative to uncorrelated noise) correlated arrival pair from a 0-dB independent source is studied using an expected narrowband cross-spectral matrix corresponding to a simulated acoustic field with a 32-element line array at Nyquist spacing. An adaptive set of filter vectors obtained from the classical minimum variance problem are found to minimize sidelobe interference to 2 dB above the background noise level at the cost of reduced peaks having an 18-dB output above the uncorrelated background. >
Determination of the reaction order and activation energy for desorption kinetics using TPD spectra: Application to D2 desorption from Ag(111)

Abstract For desorption kinetics which follow the Polanyi-Wigner rate expression, plots of [In( −dθ dt ) − nIn(θ)] versus ( 1 T ) from TPD spectra can be used to determine both the reaction order and the desorption activation energy for the desorption kinetics of molecules from surfaces. We present a mathematical justification for this method and apply this method to a wide variety of simulated TPD spectra. The plots are linear for all temperatures when the correct value of the reaction order, n, is chosen. When n is incorrectly chosen, the direction of curvature of the plots yields information which can be used in determining the correct reaction order. Compared to the true value of n, the plots curve upward at high temperature when the trial n is too large, and downward when the trial n is too small. This method of determining the reaction order is most sensitive to the choice of n in the region near the desorption peak maximum. We show that the plots are approximately linear for all choices of n at low temperatures and caution others to discontinue using this method over this range of data. We also point out the importance of comparing the measured TPD spectra with computer simulations of TPD spectra using the parameters determined from any analysis method in order to validate the determination of these parameters. In order to illustrate the application of these methods, we reexamine recent TPD data for the desorption of D2 from Ag(111) [X.-L. Zhou, J.M. White and B.E. Koel, Surface Sci. 218 (1989) 201]. The desorption of D2 from D adatoms chemisorbed on Ag(111) is found to follow second order kinetics, with a desorption activation energy of 10.5 kcal/mol at low D coverage.
Feeding and Management Effects on Herd Differences in Milk Yield

Feeding and management data in 741 Illinois Holstein Dairy Herd Improvement herds were obtained by questionnaires. Feeding and management practices were associated with each other. Confounding of housing system with feeding system, of amount of grain fed in first lactation with that in second lactation, and of roughage feeding system with grain feeding system was almost complete. Twenty factors plus interactions of amount of grain fed to lactating cows with sources of summer and winter roughage were studied. The factors affecting milk yield of herds were: 1) Source of summer roughage for lactating cows; 2) interaction of source of summer roughage with grain fed to lactating cows yielding 11 to 23 kg milk per day; 3) amount of grain fed to heifers between 12 and 18 mo of age and during 2 mo before calving; 4) ideal weight for breeding heifers. Herds accounted for 37% of total variance of milk yield. Herd variance of milk yield was reduced by 24% by considering the 20 factors plus interactions with 102 degrees of freedom. Factors and interactions significant at .10 or .05 with 40 degrees of freedom reduced the herd variance by 12%. Other feeding and management practices may explain the large portion of herd variance in milk yield that remains unaccounted for.
An analysis of computational workloads for the ORNL Jaguar system

This study presents an analysis of science application workloads for the Jaguar Cray XT5 system during its tenure as a 2.3 petaflop supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Jaguar was the first petascale system to be deployed for open science and has been one of the world's top three supercomputers for six releases of the TOP500 list. Its workload is investigated here as a representative of the growing worldwide install base of petascale systems and also as a foreshadowing of science workloads to be expected for future systems. The study considers characteristics of the Jaguar workload such as resource utilization, typical job characteristics, most heavily used applications, application scaling and application usage patterns. Implications of these findings are considered for current petascale workflows and for exascale systems to be deployed later this decade.
Partial melt processing of solid-solution Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ thick-film conductors with nanophase Al2O3 additions

Partial-melt processing of Bi2+xSr2-x-yCa1+yCu2O8+δ (Bi-2212) thick-film conductors with additions of nanophase Al2O3 was studied for dual purposes of increasing flux pinning and inhibiting Sr—Ca—Cu—O phase defect formation. Nanophase Al2O3 (<50% mole fraction) was added to Bi:Sr:Ca:Cu:O powders with four different compositions: three with Bi:Cu approximately 2:2 and one (Bi2Sr2.38Ca1.15Cu2.92O9.7+δ) closer to the ideal Bi-2223 composition. The effect of Al2O3 addition on film microstructural and superconducting properties was studied for a range of partial-melt temperatures (865 to 900 °C). Results were compared to Al2O3-free films with compositions lying within the single-phase solid-solution 2212 region. Nanophase Al2O3 reacted with 2212-type precursors to form a composite of micron size or smaller particles of solid-solution (Sr,Ca)3Al2O6 in a solid-solution 2212 superconducting matrix. The Ca content of the (Sr,Ca)3Al2O6 particles formed approximated that of the 2212 precursor (≤6% mole fraction difference). Addition of 6–25% volume fraction of (Sr,Ca)3Al2O6 to Bi-2212 (by reaction between Al2O3 and Bi-2212) only slightly reduced superconducting transition temperatures and c-axis texturing; however this addition improved film quality by reducing Sr—Ca—Cu—O defect volume fraction by factors of 2 to 6 and significantly increased the critical current density by over one order of magnitude for 0 to 2 T applied fields at 20 to 30 K.
The Economic Impacts of Agriculture-to-Urban Water Transfers on the Area of Origin: A Case Study of the Arkansas River Valley in Colorado

The development of new water supplies has grown increasingly costly, both in financial and environmental terms. Public values related to instream flows, preservation of natural areas, and wildlife have increased sharply relative to the values of traditional water uses. In such a setting, reallocation of existing supplies becomes increasingly attractive, and water transfers have been hailed as the solution to western U.S. water shortages (e.g., Anderson, Saliba and Bush, Howe et al). A major U.S. Geological Survey-funded study (MacDonnell et al) has found frequent water transfers in several western states (Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah) but infrequent transfers in other states (e.g., California and Wyoming), the frequency being strongly affected by the institutional structure for effecting transfers and the pressure on water supplies. A glance at water use data (U.S. Geological Survey) shows that 80% of all water diversions and nearly 90% of all water consumption in the western United States occur in irrigated agriculture, strongly suggesting that small percentage reallocations from agricultural to nonagricultural uses could satisfy growing nonagricultural water demands for decades.
Stream function and stream-function-coordinate (SFC) formulation for inviscid flow field calculations

Abstract Three-dimensional, steady, inviscid, compressible, isoenergetic, rotational flows can be completely described by two families of stream functions. In the present study, explicit forms of the governing equations for these two stream functions of baratropic fluid flows are derived. With the assumptions of two-dimensional or axisymmetric, incompressible and/or irrotational flows, this formulation can be reduced to the familiar special cases. The concept of stream-function-coordinate (SFC) is introduced along with some relevant examples. Exact gas dynamic equations using stream functions as independent variables are also presented. Applications and difficulties involved with the SFC concept are clearly exposed, and several possible ways to resolve these problems are discussed.
High-Resolution Ultraviolet Observations of the Highly Ionized Interstellar Gas toward Radio Loops I and IV*

We present new Goddard High-Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) echelle observations of the high ionization lines of Si IV, C IV, and N V toward HD 119608, a halo star at d = 4.1 kpc behind the Loop I and IV supernova remnants. Absorption along the path to HD 119608 makes it possible to study energetic processes that may result in the flow of gas into the Galactic halo. The data have a resolution (FWHM) of ≈ 3.5 km s-1 and S/N ratios of 30:1-50:1. The integrated high ion column densities log N = 13.57 ± 0.02, 14.48 ± 0.06, and 13.45 ± 0.07 for Si IV, C IV, and N V, respectively, imply a factor of 2-4 enhancement in the amount of highly ionized gas compared to average sight lines through the Galactic disk and halo. The integrated high ion column density ratios, N(C IV)/N(Si IV) = 8.1 ± 1.1 and N(C IV)/N(N V) = 10.7 ± 2.1, are also several times larger than normal. These high ion results suggest the absorption is influenced by passage of the sight line through the center of Loop IV. The HD 119608 C IV absorption profile has a bimodal velocity structure indicative of an expanding shell; we tentatively derive an expansion velocity of 16 km s-1 for Radio Loop IV. A detailed analysis of the high ion profile structure indicates that multiple types of highly ionized gas with a range of properties exist along this sight line. We also reexamine the high ionization properties of the QSO 3C 273 sight line using new intermediate-resolution (FWHM ≈ 20 km s-1) GHRS data. We obtain log N = 14.49 ± 0.03 and 13.87 ± 0.06 for C IV and N V, respectively. The C IV column density, which is 0.12 dex smaller than earlier estimates, leads to somewhat smaller ionic ratios than previously determined. We find N(C IV)/N(Si IV) = 5.1 ± 0.6 and N(C IV)/N(N V) = 4.2 ± 0.6. However, as for HD 119608, the high ion column densities toward 3C 273 are larger than normal by factors of 2-4. The 3C 273 high ion absorption profiles are much broader than those seen toward HD 119608 and other sight lines near the center of Loop IV. The larger line widths may result because the sight line passes through the turbulent edge of Loop IV as well as the X-ray and radio continuum emission regions of the North Polar Spur. We have compiled a list of the highest quality IUE and GHRS high ion measurements available for interstellar sight lines through the disk and halo and find the following median averaged results: N(C IV)/N(Si IV) = 3.8 ± 1.9 and N(C IV)/N(N V) = 4.0 ± 2.4. These ratios are lower than those found for four Loop IV sight lines. We suggest a model for the production of highly ionized gas in Loop IV in which the contributions from turbulent mixing layers and conductive interfaces/SNR bubbles to the total high ion column densities are approximately equal. Much of the high ion absorption toward HD 119608 and 3C 273 may occur within a highly fragmented medium within the remnant or the outer cavity walls of the remnant.
Recovery of bulk DNA from soil by a rapid, small-scale extraction method

We describe an extraction method that yields up to 25 µg of DNA from 1 gram of soil. Samples are processed within 48 h. The purified DNA is 20–25 kb in size and can be digested by restriction enzymes. The soil is vortex-mixed with 6 mL mixing buffer in an Oakridge tube. Polyvinyl polypyrrolidone is added to adsorb the humic compounds that interfere with restriction enzyme activity. The entire soil homogenate is treated with lysozyme and Novozym, followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate to lyse the cells. The crude DNA extract is separated from the soil debris by low-speed centrifugation. Finally, the DNA is purified by CsCl gradient centrifugation and extracted with Geneclean.
A GaAs integrated hall sensor/amplifier

GaAs Hall sensor, amplifiers, comparator, and a TTL compatible output buffer were integerated into a three-terminal device. yields of 34 percent have been demonstrated for magnetic thresholds of +/- 450 G or less. Circuits are operable between -30 and +200°C.
High-performance capillary electrophoresis of sialylated oligosaccharides of human milk.

Abstract Oligosaccharides in human milk inhibit enteric pathogens in vitro and in vivo. Neutral milk oligosaccharides vary among individuals and over the course of lactation. To study such variation in the acidic milk oligosaccharides, a sensitive, convenient, quantitative method is needed. High-performance capillary electrophoresis of underivatized acidic oligosaccharides with detection by UV absorbance at 205 nm proved to be sensitive to the femtomole level. Eleven standard oligosaccharides ranging from tri- to nonasaccharide (3′-sialyllactose, 6′-sialyllactose, 3′-sialyllactosamine, 6′-sialyllactosamine, disialyltetraose, 3′-sialyl-3-fucosyllactose, sialyllacto- N -tetraose-a, sialyllacto- N -tetraose-b, sialyllacto- N -neotetraose-c, disialyllacto- N -tetraose, and disialomonofucosyllacto- N -neohexaose) were resolved; baseline resolutions of 3′-sialyllactose, 6′-sialyllactose, and other structural isomers were achieved. Peak areas were linear from 30 to 2000 pg and were reproducible with a coefficient of variation between 4 and 9%. There was no evidence of quantitative interference of one oligosaccharide with another. In studies using pooled human milk, addition of increasing amounts of authentic standard oligosaccharides produced the expected positive increments in detected values, indicating quantitative recovery without interference by other milk components. The identities of the major sialylated acidic oligosaccharides of pooled human milk agreed with the results of previous studies employing other analytical methods. Comparison of oligosaccharide profiles of milk samples from different donors revealed extensive variation, especially in the structural isomers of sialyllacto- N -tetraose. This sensitive, highly reproducible method requires only simple sample workup and is useful in defining variations in human milk acidic oligosaccharides and investigating their possible relationship with diseases of infants.
The Influence of Message Framing on Intentions to Perform Health Behaviors

Abstract Prospect Theory proposes that people prefer taking risks to options that are certain when considering losses and prefer certainty to risk when considering gains (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979). As a result, individuals are expected to be persuaded to take risks when exposed to negatively framed messages. For instance, Meyerowitz and Chaiken (1987) demonstrated that exposure to negatively framed information promotes breast self-examination. However, the influence of message framing on other health behaviors has been inconsistent. Two studies examined the moderating effect of involvement with the health issue and type of target behavior on the influence of message framing on intentions to perform health behaviors relevant to preventing or detecting skin cancer. In our samples, women as compared to men were more concerned about sun tanning and skin cancer and therefore were considered to be more involved with this health issue. In Experiment 1, exposure to negatively framed versus positively framed messages differentially influenced the intentions of female (high involvement) and male (low involvement) subjects to obtain a skin cancer detection examination. In Experiment 2, women who read positively framed pamphlets were more likely than those who read negatively framed pamphlets to request sunscreen with an appropriate sun protection factor (a prevention behavior).
Framework for estimating system reliability from full system and subsystem tests with dependence on dynamic inputs

This paper develops a framework for estimating the reliability—with confidence regions—of a complex system based on a combination of full system and subsystem (and/or component or other) tests where some of the subsystems are dependent on dynamic inputs (independent predictor variables). It is assumed that the system is composed of multiple processes (e.g., the subsystems and/or components within subsystems), where the subsystems may be arranged in series, parallel (i.e., redundant), combination series/parallel, or other mode. The method of maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) is used to estimate subsystem and full system reliability. The MLE approach is well suited to providing asymptotic confidence bound through the Fisher information. As such, the Fisher information is derived for the general maximum likelihood estimator presented in the paper. A simple numerical study illustrates that the MLE recovers the reliability parameters of a system (plus some statistical uncertainty) when applied to a set of dynamic inputs and full system/subsystem output test data.
The crystal structure of heptyl 1-thio-α-d-mannopyranoside, a liquid-crystal precursor

Abstract Heptyl 1-thio-α- d -mannopyranoside, C 13 H 26 O 5 S, is orthorhombic, P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with cell dimensions, at 123 K [20°C], of a = 6.600(3) [6.611(2)], b = 7.624(5) [7.759(4)], c = 30.24(1) [30.47(1)] A, V = 1520.9 [1563.0] A 3 , Z = 4, D x = 1.286 [1.252] g.cm -3 , D m = [1.245] g.cm -3 . The intensities of 2320 symmetry-independent reflections with I > 2σ(I) were measured at 123 K with graphite-monochromated, MoKα radiation (λ = 0.7107 A). The structure was solved by the direct method, and refined by full-matrix least-squares, to give agreement factors R = 0.030, R w = 0.033, S = 1.61. The pyranoid conformation is 4 C 1 . The ring, C—O bond-lengths are significantly different, C-1O-5 = 1.433(2), C-5O-5 = 1.448(2) A, but the CS bondlengths, 1.819(2), 1.824(2) A, are not. The molecules pack in a bilayer arrangement, with the hexyl chains parallel, and head-to-tail in adjacent molecules. The hydrogen bonding of the pyranoside moieties consists of infinite chains cross-linked through bifurcated bonds to the ring-oxygen atoms. The compound has a liquid-crystal phase lying between 64°C and the melting point at 151–152°C, with a periodicity of 21 A.
Electrochemical Assay for the Signal-on Detection of Human DNA Methyltransferase Activity

Strategies to detect human DNA methyltransferases are needed, given that aberrant methylation by these enzymes is associated with cancer initiation and progression. Here we describe a nonradioactive, antibody-free, electrochemical assay in which methyltransferase activity on DNA-modified electrodes confers protection from restriction for signal-on detection. We implement this assay with a multiplexed chip platform and show robust detection of both bacterial (SssI) and human (Dnmt1) methyltransferase activity. Essential to work with human methyltransferases, our unique assay design allows activity measurements on both unmethylated and hemimethylated DNA substrates. We validate this assay by comparison with a conventional radioactive method. The advantages of electrochemistry over radioactivity and fluorescence make this assay an accessible and promising new approach for the sensitive, label-free detection of human methyltransferase activity.
Allopurinol-induced granulomatous hepatitis

A 55-year-old female developed myalgias, arthralgias, fever, and abnormal liver function four weeks following intake of allopurinol. Granulomas were found in the liver. Withdrawal of allopurinol resulted in gradual improvement of clinical, biochemical, and histological lesions in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the second case report of granulomatous hepatitis following intake of allopurinol.
Influence of dislocations on gold diffusion into thin silicon slices

Abstract Gold diffusion at 1000°C into thin slices of float zoned and lopex silicon has been investigated. The diffusion process was found to be only minimally affected by the grown-in dislocation density, from which it was assumed that the process was more likely to be reaction rate limited rather than vacancy generation rate limited. sity, from which it was assumed that the process was more likely to be reaction rate limited rather than vacancy generation rate limited. interstitial-substitutional conversion rate to such an extent that the diffusion process became interstitial diffusion rate limited.
Otto Rank on Emotional Intelligence, Unlearning and Self-Leadership

Propelled from the inner circle after publishing The Trauma of Birth (1924), Otto Rank jettisoned Freud ’s science of knowing because it denied the intelligence of the emotions. Transforming therapy from knowing to being-in-relationship, Rank invented modern object relations theory, which advocates continual learning, unlearning and relearning: that is, cutting the chains that bind us to the past. Separating, no matter how anxiety-provoking, from outworn phases of life, including previously taken-for-granted ideologies and internalized others, is essential for self-leadership. In 1926, Rank coined the terms “ here-and-now” and “pre-Oedipal.” By 1926, Rank had formulated a model of “creative willing ” — self-leadership infused with the intelligence of the emotions — as the optimal way of being-in-relationship with others.
Investigating Hologram-Based Route Planning

It is often assumed that three-dimensional topographic maps provide more effective route planning, navigation, orientation, and way-finding results than traditional two-dimensional representations. The research reported here investigates whether three-dimensional spatial mappings provide better support for route planning than two-dimensional representations. In a set of experiments performed as part of this research, human subjects were randomly shown either a two- or three-dimensional hologram of San Francisco and were asked to plan a bicycling route between an origin and a destination point. In a second task, participants used these holograms to identify the highest elevation point in the displayed area. The eye-movements of the participants, throughout the process of looking at the geospatial holograms and executing the tasks, were recorded. The eye-tracking metrics analysis indicates with a high statistical level of confidence that three-dimensional holographic maps enable more efficient route planning. In addition, the research group is developing a new algorithm to analyze the differences between participant-selected routes and a set of “good routes.” The algorithm employs techniques used to represent the boundary of objects and methods for assessing the difference between objects in modern digital image recognition, image registration, and image alignment applications. The overall goal is to create a theoretical framework for investigating and quantifying route planning effectiveness.
Factors affecting the activity vitro of the tryptophan- and phenylalanine-hydroxylating systems

Abstract Although phenylalanine 4-hydroxylase (EC 1.99.1.2) and tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (EC 1.99.1.4) appear to be the same enzyme, various factors have markedly different effects upon the activities in vitro of the two hydroxylases. “Induction” or suppression of one hydroxylase in vivo produces an equal change in the same direction in the other hydroxylase. The addition in vitro of ascorbic acid and/or Fe 2+ increased the tryptophan hydroxylase activity and EDTA decreased this activity. None of these additions had any effect on phenylalanine hydroxylation. Cupric ion inhibited both reactions, but the tryptophan reaction was more severely inhibited. TPN + could replace DPN + in both reactions. The possible physiological importance of the tryptophan-hydroxylating system is also discussed.
Stability and bactericidal activity of chlorine solutions.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the stability of sodium hypochlorite (diluted household bleach) when stored for 30 days in various types of containers and to determine the efficacy of low concentrations of free available chlorine to inactivate test bacteria. DESIGN: Laboratory-based study. Solutions of standard household bleach were prepared using tap water or sterile distilled water at dilutions of 1:100, 1:50, and 1:5. Chlorine concentrations were measured, and then the solutions were placed into five polyethylene containers and left at room temperature (20°C) under various conditions (translucent containers with light exposure and with or without air; brown opaque container without light or air exposure). Samples for chlorine and pH determinations were taken at time 0 and on days 7, 14, 21, 30, and 40. Bactericidal activity of chlorine solutions was assessed using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists Use-Dilution Method. Test bacteria included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella choleraesuis. RESULTS: Chlorine concentrations at 30 days varied from the 40% to 50% range for 1:50 or 1:100 dilutions stored in containers other than closed brown containers to 83% to 85% for the 1:5 dilution stored in closed but non-opaque containers to 97% to 100% for 1:50 or 1:5 solutions stored in closed brown containers. The lowest concentration of sodium hypochlorite solution that reliably inactivated all the test organisms was 100 ppm. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that chlorine solutions do not need to be prepared fresh daily, as is recommended currently, and the lowest concentration of chlorine that reliably inactivates S aureus, S choleraesuis, and P aeruginosa is 100 ppm
Effects of pore fluid chemistry on stable sliding of Berea sandstone

Single-cycle and multiple-cycle frictional-sliding experiments were employed to evaluate the effects of pore fluid environments on yield strength, frictional-sliding dynamics, and gouge production and morphology. Circular right cylinders cored from Berea sandstone sawcut at 35° to the axes were saturated in water, an inorganic brine, and various anionic, cationic, and nonionic aqueous surface-active agents. Samples were deformed under an effective confining pressure of 50 MPa and an axial strain rate of 6×10−5 sec−1 until a 2% axial strain beyond yield (defined as the onset of sliding) was achieved. All samples were displaced by stable sliding. In the single-cycle tests the unsaturated and water-saturated samples displayed small stress peaks at yield. During stable sliding samples saturated with DTAB and SDS displayed slight increases in differential stress and statistically significant higher frictional coefficients than other environments (including water) but were very similar in behavior to dry, unsaturated samples. In the multiple-cycle tests, samples were loaded to 2% strain beyond yield and unloaded to a differential stress of approximately 5–10 MPa a total of four times. These results further suggest that DTAB exerts a ‘strengthening’ effect on the sandstone relative to water which, to a limiting value, increased with displacement. The DTAB and SDS environments also produced a coarser grain-size distribution in the gouge relative to gouge produced in the other environments. Investigation of the gouge by scanning electron microscope revealed that these larger ‘grains’ were composed of dense, apparently cemented aggregates of ultrafine, platy quartz particles.
A study of the use of atmospheric‐electric measurements in fog forecasting

A statistical study of atmospheric-electric and pertinent meteorological data collected in Argentia, Newfoundland, from January through September 1955, shows that fogs produce a decrease in the electrical conductivity with a concurrent increase in potential gradient. A quantitative analysis of the data shows that during fog (horizontal visibility less than ½ mile, ceiling less than 200 ft) the average conductivity was less than 0.65 times the monthly mean 92 pct of the time and the average potential gradient was more than 2.0 times the monthly mean 87 pct of the time. From one to two hours preceding the onset of fog the conductivity decreased and the potential gradient increased in about 70 pct of the events. One hour prior to dissipation of fog conductivity increased and potential gradient decreased in 75 pct of the events. Similar studies should be made in additional areas to determine whether the Newfoundland results are unique or may be encountered more generally.
Quality changes in beef complexus, serratus ventralis, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and longissimus dorsi muscles enhanced prior to aging.

: Beef complexus (chuck), serratus ventralis (chuck), vastus lateralis (round), vatsus medialis (round), and longissimus dorsi (loin) muscles were enhanced (0.3% salt, 0.4% phosphate), vacuum packaged, and aged for 7 or 14 d. Enhancement increased positive sensory attributes (tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor, saltiness) and decreased negative attributes (off-flavors) of all muscles but had greater effects on some than on others. It increased the oily mouthfeel (10%) and saltiness (40%) and decreased the L* value and chroma of the complexus (chuck). It increased tenderness, juiciness, and beef flavor and decreased off-flavors, visual red and brown colors, shear value, and cook loss of the serratus ventrali (chuck), vastus lateralis (round), vastus medialis (round), and longissiumus dorsi (loin). Aging slightly decreased rancid and liver off-flavor scores, visual brown color, and shear value and increased the hue angle and L* and b* values.
Part Lactations. I. Age-Correction Factors for Monthly Milk Fat Yields

Summary Age-correction factors are developed for monthly milk fat yields of dairy cows in New Zealand. The first test month of the lactation is taken into account, because in any calendar month cows are at different stages of lactation as well as at different ages. The factors obtained decrease as lactation progresses, indicating that in the later part of lactation the production of young cows is very similar to that of mature ones. This is probably due to the poor environment at this time of year masking the age differences. The factors for 2-yr.-olds differ greatly according to the first test month, but this effect is not apparent in the 3- and 4-yr.-olds, which vary little and are close to the factors for lactation production. Factors are also presented for correcting for age and first test month simultaneously, so that monthly records of cows calving in different months can be grouped together. The means of records corrected by these factors show that longer-milking cows give greater yields not only because of being milked longer but also because they produced more each month. Cows starting lactation at a high level had, on average, longer lactations than those starting at a low level of production.