cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Space charge generated by wind tunnel fires

Abstract Plume clouds resulting from wildland fires (pyrocumulus) sometimes produce lightning discharges to ground. These discharges were found to carry positive charge to ground exclusively in several cases. Emission of space charge was observed from woody materials burned in the presence of an external electric field. Measurements done in a large wind tunnel for this study confirm and extend measurements made in open air. The net charge given up by the fire in the wind tunnel has sign appropriate to reduce an applied electric field (negative for the earth's fair weather field), and magnitude directly proportional to the magnitude of the applied electric field and the fuel consumption: Q =0.034+0.0015 E , where Q is the net charge liberated in nC g −1 , and E is the applied electric field in V m −1 (positive upward). There is a weak dependence of the net charge on wind speed, probably due to wind tunnel airflow characteristics. The net charge in the smoke is a small difference between large amounts of charged ions of both signs liberated by the fire. For fires burning under fair-weather electric fields, the amount and sign of charge released by the mechanism studied cannot be the direct cause of anomalous lightning from pyrocumulus.
Rebel Without a (Conscious) Cause: Priming a Nonconscious Goal for Psychological Reactance

Psychological Reactance is typically studied using conscious manipulations and individual-difference measures. We hypothesized that, similar to other goals, a reactance motive can be primed nonconsciously. In this experiment, participants were given an explicit expectation that a pill would improve their performance on an accuracy task, or they were not given this expectation. Participants also received a reactance or neutral prime. On a subsequent accuracy task, participants given both the reactance prime and the explicit accuracy expectation committed the most errors. The findings suggest that reactance can be nonconsciously primed, generating behavioral effects. Evidence supporting the goal-priming interpretation is also presented.
An Analysis of the Differences in Self-Concept of Male and Female Monozygotic Twins.

Differences in the self-concept of male and female monozygotic twins were compared as measured by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Forty sets of monozygotic twins (20 male, 20 female) were randomly selected for the study. Their responses were scored and the concept to assess differences in female and male scores. The results indicated that female monozygotic twins were more Student t test was computed for each of 11 categories of self-satisfied with their "total" self-concepts including the self-concept categories of identity, behavior, moral-ethical, personal, family and number of deviant scores, when compared with male monozygotic twins.
A comparative study on chemical characteristics of tropical soils from volcanic material under forest and agriculture 1

Abstract An investigation was conducted to compare differences in chemical characteristics of Costa Rica soils under continuous cultivation and under forest vegetation. Inceptisols from young volcanic material under forest, sugar cane, coffee and pasture, respectively, were sampled in the San Carlos region of Costa Rica, and analysed for pH, organic matter, N, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Al, Fe, Zn and Mn contents. Indications were obtained that continuous cropping for 1 to 22 years with sugar cane resulted in a decrease in Ca and Mg content and an increase in acid extractable Al concentrations, compared to amounts found in forest soils. In soils under coffee the only significant changes were a reduction in soil organic matter, N and Al contents. Exchangeable bases decreased slightly during the first two years, but in fields 15 years under coffee, the content of exchangeable bases was affected slightly, except for a relatively marked decrease in amounts of Mg. Conversion into pasture maintained soil fertility at a lev...
Empire and Order: The Gospel and Same-Gender Relationships

The handful of New Testament passages addressing homoeroticism need to be read within the wider contexts of conquest, dominance and submission that characterized the world of the Roman empire. In p...
Spatial analysis of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) canopy responses to irrigation in a moderately humid area

Accurate irrigation scheduling is important to ensure maximum yield and optimal water use in irrigated cotton. This study hypothesizes that cotton water stress in relatively humid areas can be detected from crop stress indices derived from canopy reflectance or temperature. Field experiments were conducted in the 2003 and 2004 crop seasons with three irrigation treatments and multiple cultivars to study cotton response to water stress. The experiment plots were monitored for soil water potential (SWP), canopy reflectance and canopy temperature. Four crop stress indices namely normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), green NDVI (GNDVI), stress time (ST) index and crop water stress index (CWSI) were evaluated for their ability to indicate water stress. These indices were analyzed with classic mixed regression models and spatial regression models for split-plot design. Rainfall was plentiful in both seasons, providing conditions representative of irrigated agriculture in relatively wet regions. Under such wet weather conditions, excessive irrigation decreased lint yield, indicating the necessity for accurate irrigation scheduling. The four crop stress indices showed significant responses to irrigation treatments and strong correlation to SWP at shallow (0.2 m) depth. Spatial regression models were able to accurately explain the effect of irrigation treatment, while classic split-plot ANOVA models were confounded by collinearity in data across space and time. The results also verified that extreme humidity can mask canopy temperature differences with respect to ambient temperature, adding errors to canopy temperature-based stress indicators.
Specificity of human and rat orthologs of the concentrative nucleoside transporter, SPNT

To understand the roles that nucleoside transporters play in the in vivo distribution of clinically important nucleoside analogs, the substrate specificity of each transporter isoform should be det...
Quick Assembly of 1,4-Diphenyltriazoles as Probes Targeting β-Amyloid Aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease

Accumulation of β-amyloid aggregates (Aβ) in the brain is linked to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We report a novel approach for producing 1,4-diphenyltriazoles as probes for targeting Aβ aggregates in the brain. The imaging probes, a series of substituted tricyclic 1,4-diphenyltriazoles showing excellent binding affinities to Aβ aggregates (Ki = 4−30 nM), were conveniently assembled by “click chemistry.” Two radioiodinated probes, [125I]10a and [125I]10b, and two radiofluorinated probes, [18F]17a and [18F]17b, exhibited moderate lipophilicities and showed excellent initial brain penetrations and fast washouts from the normal mouse brain. In vitro autoradiography of postmortem AD brain sections and homogenates showed that these triazoles were binding to Aβ plaques. Preliminary results strongly suggest that use of click chemistry, which led to a 1,4-diphenyltriazole-based core, is a highly convenient and flexible approach for assembling novel imaging agents for targeting Aβ aggregates in se...
Sequence analysis of fibrolase, a fibrinolytic metalloproteinase from Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix

Fibrolase is a small (203 amino acids), nonhemorrhagic, fibrinolytic enzyme from the venom of Agkistrodon contortrix contortrix (southern copperhead). While the chemical and physical properties of the protein have been extensively studied, its overall globular structure is unknown. By comparison with homologous metalloproteinases and snake toxins, the catalytic zinc binding site of fibrolase has been identified, as well as a potential binding site for calcium, which has not been recognized before. The positions of the major secondary structural features are predicted, and found to be similar to other structurally characterized metalloproteinases, while the positions of the three intramolecular disulfide bonds are also postulated. Finally, fibrolase is reported to be nonhemorrhagic and earlier work on hemorrhagic enzymes from snake venoms identified six amino acids which might be responsible for hemorrhagic activity. It is shown here that most of these residues occur in fibrolase, and yet it is nonhemorrhagic in its activity. Altogether, this work demonstrates the utility of sequence analysis methods in the characterization of the structure of venom-derived proteins.
The State of Standards in Genomic Sciences

On July 20, 2009, we began the public phase of an experiment in open access publishing with the first issue of Standards in Genomic Sciences (SIGS) [1]. The rational for the journal was to fulfill a perceived need in the community for the continued publication of “genome papers”, the once familiar companion articles that accompanied the public release of genome sequencing projects. Those papers served not only as a formal record of the accomplishment of the individuals involved in the sequencing and annotation efforts, but also provided the initial (and often the only) description of the sequence itself [2]. However, by 2007, Liolios et al. [3] had already pointed out that the publication of such papers significantly lagged behind the release of new genome sequences, leaving a gap in the public research record. Beyond genome reports, there was also a growing demand for other types of articles to meet the needs of a growing ‘omics community including detailed standard operating procedures that provide sufficient detail to not only understand the methods by which sequences were generated and annotated, but to also reproduce those results. Also needed was a reliable venue for publication of white papers and the proceedings of meetings of standards-setting bodies, such as the Genomic Standards Consortium (GSC) [4]. SIGS was conceived to fill these needs. As 2011 draws to an end and we close out the final issue of Volume 5 of SIGS, we thought it appropriate to provide our authors, reviewers and readers with a brief update on the “state of the journal”, to examine the evidence that supports our original idea for the need for a journal such as SIGS, and to briefly outline key plans for the future.
Experience with irinotecan for the treatment of malignant glioma

Malignant glioma is the most commonly occurring primary malignant brain tumor. It is difficult to treat and is usually associated with an inexorable, rapidly fatal clinical course. Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical excision are core components in the management of malignant glioma. However, chemotherapy, even with the most active regimens currently available, achieves only modest improvement in overall survival. Novel agents and new approaches to therapy are required to improve clinical outcomes. Irinotecan, a first-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer and an agent with high activity against solid tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, is an inhibitor of topoisomerase I, a critical enzyme needed for DNA transcription. Irinotecan crosses the blood-brain barrier and, in preclinical investigations, has demonstrated cytotoxic activity against central nervous system tumor xenografts. Its antitumor activity has also been demonstrated against glioblastoma cells with multidrug resistance. Studies in adult and pediatric patients with recurrent, intractable malignant glioma have evaluated irinotecan as monotherapy and in combination with other agents, including temozolomide, carmustine, thalidomide, and bevacizumab. Studies of irinotecan in combination with other medications, particularly temozolomide and bevacizumab, have yielded promising results. Irinotecan monotherapy has demonstrated efficacy; however, its efficacy appears to be enhanced when used in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents. When administered concurrently with enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs, the dosage must be increased to compensate for enhanced cytochrome CY3A4/5 enzyme activity. Toxicities associated with irinotecan have been manageable; the most important dose-limiting toxicities are neutropenia and diarrhea. Irinotecan-based chemotherapy of malignant glioma merits further study.
Sustainability of intensive loblolly pine plantation management in the South Carolina Coastal Plain, USA

Abstract There is concern that repeated rotations of intensive loblolly pine plantation silviculture may degrade site fertility and thus not be sustainable. This study was conducted to estimate biomass, N, and P pools in two loblolly pine plantations before harvest and 10 growing seasons after plantation re-establishment. The soil, litter layer, herb layer, and planted loblolly pine trees were sampled then clear-cut harvested and a second rotation plantation established by chemical and mechanical site preparation. These same components were sampled after the tenth growing season, which is 50% of the first rotation for one plantation and 59% for the other. Second rotation soil N pools ranged from 3134 to 5148 kg ha −1 , soil P pools ranged from 578 to 767 kg ha −1 , and these were equal to or significantly greater than those of the first rotation. Litter layer N and P pools in the second rotation were the same as or significantly less than those of the first. In one plantation the litter layer N pools were 21–35% of the first rotation and 67–82% in the other stand. The greatest change was in the herb layer with one second-rotation plantation developing an herb layer biomass 6–32 times that of the first rotation. The other plantation had up to an eight-fold increase in the second rotation herb layer biomass compared to the herb layer of the first rotation plantation. Tree biomass accumulation was not proportional to age; it was less. However, the tree N and P pools were equal to or greater than those predicted by age. In one plantation, the tree N pool was 109–223 and 71–207 kg ha −1 in the other plantation. I propose that the best indicator of sustainability is the conservation of site nutrients, in this case, N and P. Both plantations accumulated N and P faster than predicted by age, indicating that these forest management practices not only conserved site nutrients, but also allowed accumulation. These practices are sustainable by this measure.
Studying the “I” in our Teaching and Learning: Influences of identity on pedagogy for faculty of color at a rural university

We report how the cultural identities of three Black professors influence their pedagogy at a rural, predominantly white, university in the USA. Two critical friends seek clarification prior to the analysis, critique the primary researchers' narratives, and add their voices to the discourse. The primary participants' narratives reveal how values shaped by religion, family, ethnicity, and society intersect in their personal and professional selves to influence their educational philosophy, praxis and student-centered pedagogy. The benefits of collaborative self-study in building community among and between minority and other faculty are explored.
Using multiaxial testing to determine the effects of temperature on high density polyethylene geomembrane liners

Geomembranes (GMs) are increasingly being used to line containment facilities for both hazardous and municipal wastes. The most common GM in the USA is high density polyethylene (HDPE), a tough polymer showing good chemical resistance, thereby helping to protect the environment from leachate emissions from landfills. The work presented here uses a form of multiaxial testing, called the comprehensive test system (CTS), for geomembranes to perform testing in a manner reflective of the field application. The key mechanical testing distinction of the CTS is that of applying load to the sample with granular media. Liners are exposed to a wide range of temperatures from pre- to postconstruction, and under a wide range of seasonal and latitudinal conditions. This work evaluated the effect of temperature on GMs using the CTS approach. The test time required to elicit changes in the material properties as a function of elevated temperature was considerably reduced by comparison with the US Environmental Protection...
Comparison of Enteral Nutrition and Drug Treatment in Active Crohn's Disease: Results of the European Cooperative Crohn's Disease Study IV H. LOCHS, H. J. STEINHARDT, B. KLAUS-WENTZ, ET AL Gastroenterology 101:881-888, 1991

This study compares the effect of drug treatment for Crohn's disease with that of enteral nutrition alone as a therapeutic modality for this disease. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: One group (n = 52) was treated with 6-methylprednisolone (48 mg/day, subsequently tapered) and sulfasalazine (3 g/day). The second group (n = 55) was treated with enteral nutrition consisting of an oligopeptide diet. The two groups were matched for severity of illness and demographic characteristics. Remission was defined as a decrease in Crohn's Disease Activity Index by 40% (or at least 100 points). Significantly more (p < .01, χ 2) patients in the drug treatment group (41 of 52) achieved remission, compared with the dietary treatment group (29 of 55). The median time to remission for the drug treatment group was 8.2 days compared with 30.7 days for the dietary treatment group (p < .01; Mantel Cox). Further data analysis was carried out to determine whether certain subgroups within the dietary group might hav...
Ubiquitination-mediated internalization and degradation of the astroglial glutamate transporter, GLT-1

Abstract Sodium-dependent glutamate uptake is essential for limiting excitotoxicity, and dysregulation of this process has been implicated in a wide array of neurological disorders. The majority of forebrain glutamate uptake is mediated by the astroglial glutamate transporter, GLT-1. We and others have shown that this transporter undergoes endocytosis and degradation in response to activation of protein kinase C (PKC), however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In the current study, transfected C6 glioma cells or primary cortical cultures were used to show that PKC activation results in incorporation of ubiquitin into GLT-1 immunoprecipitates. Mutation of all 11 lysine residues in the amino and carboxyl-terminal domains to arginine (11R) abolished this signal. Selective mutation of the seven lysine residues in the carboxyl terminus (C7K–R) did not eliminate ubiquitination, but it completely blocked PKC-dependent internalization and degradation. Two families of variants of GLT-1 were prepared with various lysine residues mutated to arginine. Analyses of these constructs indicated that redundant lysine residues in the carboxyl terminus were sufficient for the appearance of ubiquitinated product and degradation of GLT-1. Together these data define a novel mechanism by which the predominant forebrain glutamate transporter can be rapidly targeted for degradation.
Globalisation, Privatisation and Restructuring of Ports

The continuous process of change in international transport management in the last 10 years, from a segmented modal approach towards a much more integrated transport concept tailored to better meet the pressing needs of customer industries, is resulting in an increasing pressure on ports to adapt their role and function to this more demanding operational environment. This entails the rethinking of national port development strategies, as well as far-reaching reforms in the legislative, regulatory, and managerial environment within which commercial ports have to operate. In particular, the need to define new partnerships between the public and private sectors in port operations, investment financing and asset management leads to a review of the respective roles of public and private actors, and specifically calls for a clarification of the mandate of the public sector, and simultaneously of the missions it would be well placed to undertake. These missions are likely to be more of a catalyst and facilitator, together with a stress on assistance to public statutory duties, with a particular attention devoted to transport safety and environmental protection. New labour practices are also calling for a changing role for port workers' unions and a new style of dialogue between labour and public and private entities on the waterfront. Simultaneously, efficiency of inland transport to serve an increasing, and most often disputed hinterland has become a critical factor of the ports potential future, as well as of overall trade growth prospects. Today's global logistics organisation makes it mandatory for shippers worldwide to be able to rely on seamless transport chains, of which the port is a prominent node. Smooth interaction between the port and the city often surrounding it, in terms of transport networks requirements, environmental protection, and overall safety, therefore appears a prerequisite for effective delivery of integrated logistics services. Port authorities are likely to have a major role to play in fostering the development of an effective cooperation between interested public and private players, which will be required to make it possible to achieve the expected benefits of integrated transport and logistic operations. Finally, the institutional context, as well as the assets ownership and managerial framework, must be conducive to an optimal cost-effective utilisation of port facilities. This supposes openness to competition in provision of port services, and establishment of appropriate regulation arrangements where market conditions make it necessary. Physical and regulatory integration of transport networks, as well as comprehensive strategies for addressing development planning, environmental and social issues, will also be required to allow national port systems to provide local and regional economies with the services they need.
Dose calculation errors due to inaccurate representation of heterogeneity correction obtained from computerized tomography

Computerized tomography (CT) is used routinely in evaluating radiation therapy isodose plans. With the introduction of 3D algorithms such as the voxel raytrace, which determines inhomogeneity corrections from actual CT Hounsfield numbers, caution must be used when evaluating isodose calculations. Artifacts from contrast media and dental work, radiopaque markers placed by the treatment planner, and changing bowel and rectal air patterns all have the potential to introduce error into the calculation due to inaccurate assessment of high or low density. Radiopaque makers such as x-spot BB's or solder wire are placed externally on the patient. Barium contrast media introduced at the time of simulation may be necessary to visualize specific anatomical structures on the CT images. While these localization and visualization tools may be necessary, it is important to understand the effects they may introduce in the planning process. Other problems encountered are patient specific and out of the control of the treatment planner. These include high- and low-density streaking caused by dental work, which produce computational errors due to overestimation, and small bowel and rectal air, the patterns of which change on a daily basis and may result in underestimation of structure density. It is important for each treatment planner to have an understanding of how this potentially tainted CT information may be applied in dose calculations and the possible effects they may have. At our institution, the voxel raytrace calculation is automatically forced any time couch angle is introduced. Errors in the calculation from the above mentioned situations may be introduced if a heterogeneity correction is applied. Examples of potential calculation errors and the magnitude of each will be discussed. The methods used to minimize these errors and the possible solutions will also be evaluated.
Mesostructured Lamellar Phases Containing Six-Membered Vanadium Borophosphate Cluster Anions

A series of compounds with the general formula (NH4)x(CnH2n+1NH3)y[(NH4)⊃V2P2BO12]6·zH2O (7 ≤ n ≤ 18, x + y = 17) was prepared by reaction of n-alkylamines with ammonium vanadium borophosphate, (NH4)17[(NH4)⊃V2P2BO12]6·14H2O (NH4-VBPO). The alkylammonium vanadium borophosphates (alkylammonium-VBPOs) were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, TEM analysis, thermogravimetric measurements, and elemental analysis. The results show that the structures of the alkylammonium-VBPO phases are composed of H-bonded layers of vanadium borophosphate cluster anions. Within the layers, NH4 cations and H2O molecules are H-bonded either to the oxygen atoms of the cluster anions or to each other. The alkylammonium cations occupy the interlayer space and form either a bilayer with a chain orientation of ∼47° (7 ≤ n ≤ 12) or an interdigitated arrangement with a chain orientation of ∼90° (13 ≤ n ≤ 18).
Sulphur segregation-induced changes in the near-surface composition of a NiCu(100) single crystal surface

Abstract We report observations on the thermally activated segregation of impurity sulphur to an annealed NiCu(100) single crystal surface with an initial Ni near-surface concentration ≲ 50%. A correlated increase in the S and Ni near-surface concentrations is noted. S surface segregation proceeds till a surface similar to c(2×2)S/Ni(100) is formed.
Novel therapeutic approaches to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disorder characterized by the progressive growth of renal cysts that, over time, destroy the architecture of the renal parenchyma and typically lead to kidney failure by the sixth decade of life. ADPKD is common and represents a leading cause of renal failure worldwide. Currently, there are no Food and Drug Administration–approved treatments for the disease, and the existing standard of care is primarily supportive in nature. However, significant advances in the understanding of the molecular biology of the disease have inspired investigation into potential new therapies. Several drugs designed to slow or arrest the progression of ADPKD have shown promise in preclinical models and clinical trials, including vasopressin receptor antagonists and somatostatin analogs. This article examines the literature underlying the rationale for molecular therapies for ADPKD and reviews the existing clinical evidence for their indication for human patients with the disease.
Microscopic model study of nucleon elastic scattering from $sup 16$O

The compound resonances and the bound states observed in the $^{16}\mathrm{O}$+nucleon system are studied using the continuum shell model. The method of solution involves a division of configuration space as in the $R$-matrix theory. Shell model basis states which are eigenfunctions of the spherical harmonic oscillator potential are employed in the construction of trial wave functions for the internal region. The basis states contain active $1{p}_{\frac{1}{2}}$, $1{d}_{\frac{5}{2}}$, and $2{s}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ orbits as well as higher orbits into which at most a single nucleon is placed. Excitations of up to four particles from the spherical closed core are included. The two-body interaction used in our model was taken from a shell model calculation for $^{18}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{18}\mathrm{F}$ by Zuker, supplemented by a two-body central Gaussian interaction from True and a one-body interaction of Woods-Saxon form. Calculated neutron total cross sections, neutron and proton phase shifts as well as differential cross sections and polarizations are presented and compared with experiment. Calculated spectroscopic factors of $^{17}\mathrm{O}$ states are also given. The results show excellent qualitative and fair quantitative agreement with experiment. An investigation of the discrepancies between calculated and experimental resonance widths point to our lack of knowledge of the effective interaction.
Carcass composition of market weight pigs subjected to heat stress in utero and during finishing

Objectives were to investigate the effects of prolonged gestational and/or postnatal heat stress on performance and carcass composition of market weight pigs. Pregnant gilts were exposed to gestational heat stress (GHS, 28°C to 34°C, diurnal) or thermal neutral (18°C to 22°C, diurnal) conditions during the entire gestation or during the first or second half of gestation. At 14 wk of age (58 ± 5 kg), barrows were housed in heat stress (32°C, HS) or thermal neutral (21°C, TN) conditions. Feed intake and BW were recorded weekly, and body temperature parameters were monitored twice weekly until slaughter (109 ± 5 kg). Organs were removed and weighed, and loin eye area (LEA) and back fat thickness (BF) were measured after carcass chilling. Carcass sides were separated into lean, separable fat, bone, and skin components and were weighed. Moisture, lipid, and protein content were determined in the LM at the 10th rib. Data were analyzed using a split plot with random effect of dam nested within gestational treatment. Carcass measurements included HCW as a covariate to control for weight. Planned orthogonal contrast statements were used to evaluate the overall effect of GHS in the first half, second half, or any part of gestation. Gestational heat stress did not alter postnatal performance or most body temperature parameters (P > 0.10). However, ADFI in the finishing period was increased (P < 0.05) in response to GHS, particularly in pigs receiving GHS in the first half of gestation. Gestational heat stress during the first half of gestation decreased head weight as a percent of BW (P = 0.02), whereas GHS in the second half of gestation decreased bone weight as a percent of BW (P = 0.02). Heat stress reduced ADG, BW, and HCW (P < 0.0001). Lean tissue was increased in HS pigs on both a weight and percentage basis (P < 0.0001), but LEA was similar to TN carcasses (P = 0.38). Carcasses from HS barrows also had less carcass separable fat (P < 0.01) and tended to have less BF (P = 0.06) compared with those from TN barrows, even after controlling for HCW. However, percent intramuscular fat did not differ between treatments (P = 0.48). The LM from HS carcasses had a greater moisture to protein ratio (P = 0.04). HS barrows also had decreased heart (P < 0.001) and kidney (P < 0.0001) as a percent of BW compared with TN pigs. In summary, GHS may affect head and bone development, subsequently affecting carcass composition. Chronic HS during finishing results in longer times to reach market weight and a leaner carcass once market weight is achieved.
Trends toward less invasive treatment of female stress urinary incontinence

Recent improvements in our understanding of the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women have led to the development of innovative new surgical methods. Many are less invasive than previous techniques and appear to offer improved safety and shorter hospital stays, while maintaining the efficacy of traditional open incontinence surgery. Procedures using injectable periurethral bulking agents, laparoscopic colposuspension, and insertion of tension-free vaginal tape characterize this current trend toward less invasive surgical treatments. The increasing range of available procedures allows surgical treatment of SUI to be individualized for the patient. Women of diverse ages and levels of medical fitness can increasingly be offered a choice of safe, effective treatment for SUI.
Characterization of prostacyclin synthesis in cultured human arterial smooth muscle cells, venous endothelial cells and skin fibroblasts.

Abstract The interaction of human platelets with one another and with the blood vessel wall is thought to be regulated in part by a balance between two arachidonic acid metabolites: thromboxane A 2 , synthesized by platelets, and prostacyclin (PGI 2 ), synthesized by the vessel wall. We have studied the ability of cultured human vascular cells to synthesize PGI 2 from arachidonic acid. Four strains of human arterial smooth muscle cells synthesized a mean of 1.36 ng PGI 2 per 10 5 cells, with a range of 0.2–5.3 ng PGI 2 per 10 5 cells among the different strains. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells synthesized a mean of 7.16 ng PGI 2 per 10 5 cells with a range of 2.3–14.0 ng per 10 5 cells. In contrast, cultured human diploid skin fibroblasts synthesized only 0.27 ng PGI 2 per 10 5 cells with a range of 0.05–0.6 ng per 10 5 cells. When cultured cells were mixed with platelets, PGI 2 synthesis from added arachidonate was reduced rather than stimulated. Thus the major precursor cyclic endoperoxides utilized for PGI 2 synthesis are formed within the cells and not from endoperoxides synthesized by platelet cyclooxygenase. Aspirin has been proposed as an anti-thrombotic agent. Aspirin could be ineffective, however, if it inhibited not only platelet cyclooxygenase but that of vessel wall cells as well. Measurement of the rate constant or potency for aspirin inhibition of PGI 2 synthesis in cultured cells indicates that the cyclooxygenase in both cell types of the blood vessel wall is 14–44 fold less sensitive to aspirin inactivation than that in platelets, and appropriate levels of aspirin can selectively block human platelet thromboxane A 2 synthesis without compromising the capacity of the vasculature to produce PGI 2 .
A cranial nail for fetal shunting

A small number of human fetal hydrocephalics have been treated by ventriculoamniotic shunts of silastic tubing [2, 5, 7, 8, 10, 22]. The Colorado device appears to be the one most commonly used [2]. The original experimental device tested on a primate model resembled a hollow shingle nail. This was designed by Michedja and Hodgen, contained a spring valve, measured approximately 32×4 mm and was placed by hysterotomy [16]. An attractive feature of this design was its fixation by impaction in the skull, preventing displacement by fetal activity, a reported disadvantage with the silastic devices [2, 10]. To our knowledge, no one has used this nail-like design and tailored it to transuterine percutaneous placement in a human case.
Probabilistic Estimate of a Threshold for Eutrophication

Regime shifts, or massive changes in ecosystems, are often associated with thresholds in drivers such as climate, land-use change, nutrient fluxes, or other factors. A frequently studied example is eutrophication, which is a serious environmental problem of lakes and reservoirs associated with phosphorus (P) enrichment above a threshold. We estimated probability distributions of thresholds for eutrophication of Lake Mendota, Wisconsin, USA using 30 years of annual P budgets. Although thresholds were likely to influence eutrophication of the lake (probability 96.6%), the probability distributions of thresholds spanned a wide range of P loading rates. Management recommendations are consistent with simpler models that recommend P load targets near or below the lowest P loads observed in the past 30 years. If loads increase, there is considerable risk of crossing a threshold to sustained eutrophication with high in-lake P concentrations and poor water quality. On the other hand, if loads decrease there is a chance of crossing a mitigation threshold, causing substantial reductions in P concentrations and improvements in water quality. Consideration of these risks will increase estimates of the net economic benefits of lower P loading. Our analysis illustrates a process for estimating probability distributions for thresholds of ecosystem regime shifts. Even though threshold probability distributions may be wide with thick tails, they provide crucial information about potential consequences of alternative policy choices.
Optimal stability for trapezoidal–backward difference split-steps

The marginal stability of the trapezoidal method makes it dangerous to use for highly non-linear oscillations. Damping is provided by backward differences. The split-step combination (α Δt trapezoidal, (1 ― α) Δt for BDF2) retains second-order accuracy. The 'magic choice' α = 2 — V2 allows the same Jacobian for both steps, when Newton's method solves these implicit difference equations. That choice is known to give the smallest error constant, and we prove that α = 2 - V2 also gives the largest region of linearized stability.
Practical Design Calculations for Groundwater and Soil Remediation

"This new edition has updates throughout the text, and it presents all new material on air sparging, dual phase extraction, chemical oxidation, and vacuum pumps, as well as several new practical examples. It illustrates the engineering calculations needed during site assessment and remedial investigations. It also shows readers how to estimate the rates of groundwater movement and plume migration. This book provides important design calculations for vadose zone soil remediation as well as groundwater remediation"--
Optimum quantization of a class of non-bandlimited signals

We consider the quantization of a special class of non-bandlimited signals, namely the class of discrete time signals that can be recovered from their decimated version. Similar to sigma-delta modulation ideas, we show that we can obtain a great reduction in the quantization noise variance due to the oversampled nature of these signals. We then consider noise shaping by optimizing a pre- and post-filter around the quantizer and develop a closed form expression for the coding gain of the scheme under study. The use of an orthonormal filter bank as a sophisticated quantizer is investigated and several examples are provided.
Indoor-outdoor image classification

We show how high-level scene properties can be inferred from classification of low-level image features, specifically for the indoor-outdoor scene retrieval problem. We systematically studied the features of: histograms in the Ohta color space; multiresolution, simultaneous autoregressive model parameters; and coefficients of a shift-invariant DCT. We demonstrate that performance is improved by computing features on subblocks, classifying these subblocks, and then combining these results in a way reminiscent of stacking. State of the art single-feature methods are shown to result in about 75-86% performance, while the new method results in 90.3% correct classification, when evaluated on a diverse database of over 1300 consumer images provided by Kodak.
Team task allocation and routing in risky environments under human guidance

In this paper we design coordination policies for unmanned vehicles that select and perform tasks in uncertain environments where vehicles may fail. We develop algorithms that accept different levels of human guidance, from simple allocation of priorities through the use of task values to more complex task partitioning and load balancing techniques. The goal is to maximize expected value completed under human guidance. We develop alternative algorithms based on approximate dynamic programming versions appropriate for each level of guidance, and compare the resulting performance using simulation results.
Reply to Dr. Derakhshan

REPLY: In his letter to the editor, Dr. Derakhshan has provided an alternative view to the sensory-modality– based hypothesis of handedness proposed in Goble and Brown (2008b): that of the one-way callosal traffic model. However, this latter model of motor laterality— based primarily on a series of seemingly complementary clinical findings— cannot be fully reconciled with the results of the present study in question. Dr. Derakhshan has compared the target-matching task used by Goble and Brown (2008b) to that of drawing lines of a particular length based on a memory template. In this case, he suggests that the “faster” dominant arm will be prone to overshoot errors (i.e., make wider excursions) than the nondominant arm regardless of whether the movement is carried out in an on-line/feedbackbased fashion or using a memory-based template. Based on the constant-error findings of Goble and Brown (2008b), there is indeed a tendency toward greater overshooting by the dominant (preferred) arm in the contralateral remembered proprioceptive matching task (Fig. 4). However, in contrast to what is predicted by Derakhshan’s model, this asymmetry is not due to arm differences in movement speed because the two arms moved at similar peak speeds and with the same movement duration (see movement kinematics in RESULTS section and Fig. 6). Further, interhemispheric transfer cannot explain the asymmetry, given that the dominant arm showed undershooting during the analogous contralateral remembered visual targetmatching task and during ipsilateral remembered visual and proprioceptive matching. In light of these discrepancies, it is our opinion that the sensory-modality– based hypothesis of handedness still presents the most cogent explanation of the data presented in Goble and Brown (2008b). This hypothesis has been formulated on the basis of numerous studies of upper limb sensorimotor asymmetries over the past century (for review see Goble and Brown 2008a) and extends robust findings over the past quarter century, implicating a nonpreferred arm/hemisphere advantage for proprioceptive positionmatching tasks (Colley 1984; Goble and Brown 2007; Goble et al. 2005, 2006; Riolo-Quinn 1991; Roy and MacKenzie 1978). REFERENCES Colley A. Spatial location judgements by right and left-handers. Cortex 20: 47–53, 1984.
The extended finite element method for boundary layer problems in biofilm growth

In this paper, we use the eXtended Finite Element Method (X-FEM), with customized enrichment functions determined by asymptotic analysis, to study boundary layer behavior in elliptic equations with discontinuous coecien ts. In particular, we look at equations where the coecien ts are discontinuous across a boundary internal to the domain. We also show how to implement this method for Dirichlet conditions at an interface. The method requires neither the mesh to conform to the internal boundary, nor the mesh to have additional renemen t near the interface, making this an ideal method for moving interface type problems. We then apply this method to equations for linearized biolm growth to study the eects of biolm geometry on the availability of substrate and the eect of tip-splitting in biolm growth.
Millimeter Wave Generation by Cerenkov Radiation

As a part of the Columbia University Radiation Laboratory program for the generation of millimeter waves the Cerenkov effect is being used to produce microwave radiation. The frequency range of interest in this project is in the submillimeter region in as much as the longer wavelengths can be generated by conventional methods. I shall first describe briefly the properties of Cerenkov radiation and then report on results obtained to date and on the program planned for the immediate future.
Binary combinatorial coding

Summary form only given. A novel binary entropy code, called combinatorial coding (CC), is presented. The theoretical basis for CC has been described previously under the context of universal coding, enumerative coding, and minimum description length. The code described in these references works as follows: assume the source data are binary of length M, memoryless, and generated with an unknown parameter /spl theta/ (the probability that a "1" occurs). The compression efficiency, and encoding and decoding speed of CC against Huffman and arithmetic coding were tested. Over the entire test, CC achieved the compression efficiency of arithmetic coding, together with the coding speed of Huffman coding.
School-Based Health Centers Are Critical In Addressing Health Disparities And Unmet Health Needs Of Oregon Adolescents

METHODS Encounter data collected at each clinic visit by adolescents attending Oregon SBHC during the 2001-2002 service year were analyzed using SPSS 15.0. There were a total of 17,700 patients aged 1119 years accounting for a total of 78,148 visits. Data included in these analyses were race/ ethnicity, age, gender, insurance status at fi rst visit, rural vs. urban location and primary ICD9 code for each of fi rst 10 visits. ICD-9 codes were grouped into the following diagnostic categories: Asthma Diabetes Health care maintenance Mental health Reproductive health Multivariate analyses were done using stepwise methods for both linear and logistic regression. Variables included in the multivariate equations were those statistically associated in univariate analyses. •
Reprogramming homing endonuclease specificity through computational design and directed evolution

Homing endonucleases (HEs) can be used to induce targeted genome modification to reduce the fitness of pathogen vectors such as the malaria-transmitting Anopheles gambiae and to correct deleterious mutations in genetic diseases. We describe the creation of an extensive set of HE variants with novel DNA cleavage specificities using an integrated experimental and computational approach. Using computational modeling and an improved selection strategy, which optimizes specificity in addition to activity, we engineered an endonuclease to cleave in a gene associated with Anopheles sterility and another to cleave near a mutation that causes pyruvate kinase deficiency. In the course of this work we observed unanticipated context-dependence between bases which will need to be mechanistically understood for reprogramming of specificity to succeed more generally.
Effects of selenium accumulation on reproductive functions in Brassica juncea and Stanleya pinnata

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient for many organisms, but is also a toxin and environmental pollutant at elevated levels. Due to its chemical similarity to sulphur, most plants readily take up and assimilate Se. Se accumulators such as Brassica juncea can accumulate Se between 0.01% and 0.1% of dry weight (DW), and Se hyperaccumulators such as Stanleya pinnata (Brassicaeae) contain between 0.1% and 1.5% DW of Se. While Se accumulation offers the plant a variety of ecological benefits, particularly protection from herbivory, its potential costs are still unexplored. This study examines the effects of plant Se levels on reproductive functions. In B. juncea, Se concentrations >0.05‐0.1% caused decreases in biomass, pollen germination, individual seed and total seed weight, number of seeds produced, and seed germination. In S. pinnata there was no negative effect of increased Se concentration on pollen germination. In cross-pollination of B. juncea plants with different Se levels, both the maternal and paternal Se level affected reproduction, but the maternal Se concentration had the most pronounced effect. Interestingly, high-Se maternal plants were most efficiently pollinated by Se-treated paternal plants. These data provide novel insights into the potential reproductive costs of Se accumulation, interactive effects of Se in pollen grains and in the pistil, and the apparent evolution of physiological tolerance mechanisms in hyperaccumulators to avoid reproductive repercussions.
Speaking the Truth in Maritime Risk Assessment

Several major risk studies have been performed in recent years in the maritime transportation domain. These studies have had significant impact on management practices in the industry. The first, the Prince William Sound risk assessment, was reviewed by the National Research Council and found to be promising but incomplete, as the uncertainty in its results was not assessed. The difficulty in assessing this uncertainty is the different techniques that need to be used to model risk in this dynamic and data-scarce application area. In previous articles, we have developed the two pieces of methodology necessary to assess uncertainty in maritime risk assessment, a Bayesian simulation of the occurrence of situations with accident potential and a Bayesian multivariate regression analysis of the relationship between factors describing these situations and expert judgments of accident risk. In this article, we combine the methods to perform a full-scale assessment of risk and uncertainty for two case studies. The first is an assessment of the effects of proposed ferry service expansions in San Francisco Bay. The second is an assessment of risk for the Washington State Ferries, the largest ferry system in the United States.