cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A mathematical model for skin burn injury induced by radiation heating

Abstract We modify the Pennes model by taking into account the thermal relaxation time of biological tissue. Specifically, we employ the Maxwell–Cattaneo thermal flux law, in conjunction with the fourth power law, to model the effects of high thermal radiation on such skin. The skin is considered to be a 3D triple-layered structure with embedded dendritic countercurrent multi-level blood vessels, artery and vein, where the dimensions and blood flow of the multi-level blood vessels are determined based on the constructal theory of multi-scale tree-shaped heat exchangers. The method is illustrated by a numerical example.
Geomorphic controls on salmon nesting patterns described by a new, narrow‐beam terrestrial–aquatic lidar

Riverine aquatic biodiversity is rapidly being lost worldwide, but preservation efforts are hampered, in part because studies of these dynamic environments are limited by cost and logistics to small local surveys. Full understanding of stream ecosystems requires precise, high-resolution mapping of entire stream networks and adjacent landforms. We use a narrow-beam, water-penetrating, green lidar system to continuously map 10 km of a mountain stream channel, including its floodplain topography, and wavelet analyses to investigate spatial patterns of channel morphology and salmon spawning. Results suggest the broadest fluvial domains are a legacy of approximately 15 000 years of post-glacial valley evolution and that local pool–riffle channel topography is controlled by contemporary hydraulics operating on this broad template. Salmon spawning patterns closely reflect these hierarchical physical domains, demonstrating how geomorphic history can influence modern distributions of aquatic habitat and organisms. The new terrestrial–aquatic lidar could catalyze rapid advances in understanding, managing, and monitoring of valuable aquatic ecosystems through unprecedented mapping and attendant analyses.
Cure kinetics of aqueous phenol-formaldehyde resins used for oriented strandboard manufacturing: Effect of wood flour

The effect of wood flour on the cure kinetics of commercial phenol-formaldehyde resins used as oriented strandboard face and core adhesives was studied using differential scanning calorimetry. The wood flour did not change the cure mechanism of the face resin, but lowered its cure temperature and activation energy and increased its cure reaction order. For the core resin (CR), the wood flour lowered the onset cure temperature, and caused separation of the addition and condensation reac- tions involved in curing of CR. Compared with neat CR, the addition reaction of CR/wood mixture also followed an nth-order reaction mechanism but with a lower reaction order, while the condensation was changed from an auto- catalytic reaction to an nth-order one. The addition reac- tion happened at temperatures lower than 908C, and the condensation reaction was dominant at temperatures higher than 1108C. The proposed models fitted the experimental data well. Relationships among cure reaction conversion (cure degree), cure temperature, and cure time were pre- dicted. 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 3774-3781, 2006
Increased angiotensin II receptor binding with age in isolated rat glomeruli.

Increased angiotensin II receptor binding with age in isolated rat glomeruli. The current investigation was performed to determine whether there are changes in the renin-angiotensin system with increasing age in rats. Experiments were performed on male Sprague-Dawley rats (50 to 165 days old). There were no changes in plasma renin activity or angiotensin II concentrations, but the number of angiotensin II binding sites in isolated glomeruli increased with increasing age (r = 0.87, P 2 ). To test the hypothesis that the apparent increase in glomerular angiotensin II receptor sites with increasing age was due to the shape of the glomerulus, additional binding studies were performed On membranes prepared from isolated glomeruli. There were no differences in the number of angiotensin II receptors in membranes from 63 and 112 day-old rats (888 ± 115 vs. 925 ± 128 fmol/mg). In additional experiments the effects of increasing age on angiotensin modulation of renal function were studied. The infusion of a non-pressor dose of angiotensin II (6.25 ng/kg/min) caused an identical fall in renal blood flow and rise in filtration fraction in younger and older rats. We conclude that the number of angiotensin II receptors in isolated glomeruli varies with glomerular surface area. However, renal responses to angiotensin II are unaltered with increasing age. The apparent increase in the number of glomerular angiotensin II receptors with advancing age is due to the three-dimensional structure of glomeruli.
Low-angle grain boundary migration in the presence of extrinsic dislocations

We investigated the migration of a symmetric tilt, low-angle grain boundary (LAGB) under applied shear stress in the presence of extrinsic dislocations. The results demonstrate that there is a threshold stress for the LAGB to depin from extrinsic dislocations. Below the threshold stress, the LAGB remains immobile at zero dislocation climb mobility, while for finite climb mobilities, it migrates at a velocity that is directly proportional to the applied stress, with a proportionality factor that is a function of misorientation, dislocation climb mobility and extrinsic dislocation density. We derive analytical expressions for the LAGB mobility and threshold stress for depinning from extrinsic dislocations. The analytical prediction of the LAGB mobility is in excellent agreement with the simulation as well as experimental results. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding the migration of general grain boundaries.
On the mechanics of adhesion testing of flexible films

Abstract The peel test is a simple mechanical test used by microelectronics industries to measure the adhesion of thin films bonded on dielectric substrates. When the film deforms elastically during peeling, the peel force is a direct measure of the adhesive fracture energy. However, when inelastic deformation takes place, the interpretation of the experimental data is not as straightforward. A general formulation of the problem of peeling is given and solutions for metallic and polymeric films are presented. The results of the analysis reveal the effects of several parameters of the peel test, such as the mechanical properties and the thickness of the film, and provide a systematic way for the determination of the adhesive fracture energy from an experimentally measured peel force.
Making information matter: Symmetrically appealing layouts promote issue relevance, which facilitates action and attention to argument quality

Abstract What makes information relevant? We hypothesized that text displayed in a symmetrical, rather than asymmetrical, layout would be more appealing to people, and that appeal would then be used to infer that the topic is personally relevant. Relevance, in turn, should increase the degree to which people engage with the information presented in the message. In three experiments, respondents read text arranged symmetrically or asymmetrically. As predicted, symmetry influences relevance indirectly through appeal, such that symmetrical articles were more appealing than asymmetrical articles, and appeal predicted relevance. Relevance, then, predicted the desire to acquire and act on the information in the article (Experiment 2) and increased attention to argument quality, for participants were more influenced by strong, rather than weak, arguments (Experiment 3). Perceptions of reading difficulty and trustworthiness did not account for the findings, indicating that it is the appeal of symmetry which promoted issue relevance.
Elastic constants of α ’ -phase PdH x over the temperature range 4 – 300 K

The elastic constants of \ensuremath{\alpha}'-phase ${\mathrm{PdH}}_{\mathrm{x}}$ have been determined from ultrasonic velocity measurements for x up to 0.76 over the temperature range 4\char21{}300 K. For pure Pd and ${\mathrm{PdH}}_{0.67}$ the results are in good agreement with earlier measurements. The ${\mathrm{PdH}}_{0.76}$ data are for a higher hydrogen concentration than has previously been reported. The low-temperature concentration dependences of the Debye temperature and bulk modulus are given.
Manipulating the host to study bacterial virulence

Abstract The ability to manipulate animal hosts as well as bacterial pathogens greatly expands the utility of in vivo models of infection. For example, the construction of mice that harbor human tissues or express specific transgenes can provide ligand–receptor interactions that are essential for pathogenesis. Interactions between virulence factors and specific host defenses can sometimes be resolved by challenging selectively immunodeficient mice with bacteria containing virulence gene mutations. Transgenic animals expressing inducible reporters can be used to conveniently identify cells in which specific response pathways have been activated during infection. These and other approaches promise to improve the quality of information obtainable from in vivo assessments of pathogenesis.
The pyruvate cycle in adipose tissue.

Abstract A model of adipose tissue metabolism was tested that involved an interaction of the Krebs cycle and the pyruvate cycle. The ratio of the specific yield in 14CO2 from succinate-1,4-14C to that from succinate-2,3-14C agreed well with the ratio predicted by the model. However, the ratio of the specific yield in 14CO2 from acetate-1-14C to that from acetate-2-14C was considerably lower than this ratio. Degradation of the lactate produced in incubations of adipose tissue slices with glucose-6-14C yielded a pattern that agreed with a model in which oxalacetate, malate, and fumarate were assumed to be nearly in isotopic equilibrium.
Optimal matched wavelet construction and its application to image pattern recognition

Wavelet transforms applied to multiresolution analyses of images produce outputs similar in theory to those of matched filters. In order to maximize the output at the location and scale of a signal of interest, it is necessary for the wavelet used in the multiresolution analysis to `match' the signal of interest. Current techniques match a signal to one of several predefined wavelets in a library, which requires wavelets to be designed in advance. Here, we present an alternative by developing a technique for deriving the wavelet directly from the desired signal spectrum in such a way that the mean squared error between their spectra is a minimum. Furthermore, the matched wavelet is designed such that its associated scaling function generates an orthonormal multiresolution analysis. The technique includes an algorithm for finding the scaling function from an orthonormal wavelet, and algorithms for finding the optimal wavelet magnitude and phase from a given input signal. Several examples are shown to demonstrate the performance of the technique for both known orthonormal wavelets and arbitrary signals.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Strongly hopfian manifolds as codimension-2 fibrators

Abstract If a closed n-manifold N has a 2−1 covering, we consider the covering space N of N corresponding to H, where H is the intersection of all subgroups Hi of index 2 in π1(N), i.e., H = ∩iϵI Hi with [π1(N) : Hi] = 2 for i ϵ I. We will show that if π1(N) is residually finite, χ(N) ≠ 0, and N is hopfian, then N is a codimension-2 fibrator. And then, we will also get several results about codimension-2 fibrators as its corollaries.
A cost-effectiveness analysis of coagulation testing prior to tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children.

Background The American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology recommends pre-operative coagulation testing only when indicated by history or physical exam. Nevertheless, many surgeons test all children scheduled for tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy (T&A). Studies of pre-operative screening have had conflicting results. A decision analysis model was constructed to address the costs and health outcome states of pre-operative screening strategies in children. Procedure A 14-day Markov model evaluated three strategies: (1) test all children for coagulation disorders; (2) test only those children with a pertinent history; and (3) perform no pre-operative testing. A literature search and a review of national databases estimated probabilities, costs, and utility data. Parameters then were varied widely in sensitivity analyses. Using a societal perspective and a cycle length of 1 day, we compared the strategies based on total costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Results Total costs for the strategies were $3,200 for testing all children, $3,083 for testing only those with a history finding, and $3,077 for not testing. Total utilities were 0.02579, 0.02654, and 0.02659 QALYs, respectively. Cost-effectiveness ratios were most sensitive to variation in the cost of post-operative care and the probability of post-operative bleeding. The strategy of not testing was dominant in all sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that not performing preoperative testing is the most cost-effective strategy. This was persistent in sensitivity analyses, indicating that the model was robust. These data may be helpful to institutions and organizations to formulate policies regarding pre-operative coagulation for children without previous diagnoses of bleeding disorders. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:1153–1159. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Robot vision tracking system

A system designed to test a tracking theory for finding the position of an object in a scene, even when it is entering or exiting, is described. The design of a servo system used to move the camera while tracking the object is proposed. The technique involves the fundamental frequency of the Fourier transform of the vertical and horizontal projections of the image. This technique will work with stationary or moving objects as well as with a stationary or moving camera. The objective is to apply this technique to find the line between the camera and the object, such that the robot arm could follow that line until it encountered the object, and then seize it. This technique may also be useful in performing camera calibration. >
Negative thermal expansion ceramics: A review

Abstract The literature was searched to identify ceramics which were reported to have negative coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs). Even though the CTE is an inherent thermophysical property of a material, the observed CTEs were found to depend on the sample preparation techniques, and the experimental data showed hysteresis and scatter. Microcracking, grain boundary separation, plastic deformation and sluggish phase transformations have been suggested to be responsible for the observed hysteresis. Many published results therefore are not reproducible and are even suspect. It is suggested accordingly that care should be exercised in using the published data.
The impact of unionization and other factors on undocumented immigrant settlement patterns in the US

In this study, we seek to add to the literature on undocumented immigrants by (1) identifying key determinants of the settlement patterns of undocumented immigrants and (2) testing a new hypothesis, what is referred to here as the ‘union-aversion hypothesis’. This hypothesis is elaborated upon in Section II of this study, but ultimately it argues that undocumented workers prefer to settle in states where the percentage of the labour force that is unionized is lower. Our findings suggest that the state-level settlement pattern of undocumented immigrants in the US is an increasing function of a state’s median family income level, the mean January temperature in a state and the relative size of the documented Hispanic population in the state, while being a decreasing function of the overall cost of living in the state. In addition, strong empirical support for the union-aversion hypothesis is obtained, namely the settlement pattern of undocumented immigrants is a decreasing function of the percentage of a st...
Attentional bias to emotional stimuli is altered during moderate- but not high-intensity exercise.

Little is known regarding how attention to emotional stimuli is affected during simultaneously performed exercise. Attentional biases to emotional face stimuli were assessed in 34 college students (17 women) using the dot-probe task during counterbalanced conditions of moderate- (heart rate at 45% peak oxygen consumption) and high-intensity exercise (heart rate at 80% peak oxygen consumption) compared with seated rest. The dot-probe task consisted of 1 emotional face (pleasant or unpleasant) paired with a neutral face for 1,000 ms; 256 trials (128 trials for each valence) were presented during each condition. Each condition lasted approximately 10 min. Participants were instructed to perform each trial of the dot-probe task as quickly and accurately as possible during the exercise and rest conditions. During moderate-intensity exercise, participants exhibited significantly greater attentional bias scores to pleasant compared with unpleasant faces (p .05). In addition, the attentional bias to unpleasant faces was significantly reduced during moderate-intensity exercise compared with that during rest (p < .05). These results provide behavioral evidence that during exercise at a moderate intensity, there is a shift in attention allocation toward pleasant emotional stimuli and away from unpleasant emotional stimuli. Future work is needed to determine whether acute exercise may be an effective treatment approach to reduce negative bias or enhance positive bias in individuals diagnosed with mood or anxiety disorders, or whether attentional bias during exercise predicts adherence to exercise.
L-arginine and Tetrahydrobiopterin Inhibit Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore by Preventing ROS Formation by Mitochondrial Nitric Oxide Synthase

Background: The functional role of mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS) in heart has remained a matter of debate. Methods: We used laser scanning confocal microscopy in combination with fluorescent dyes to characterize mitochondrial NO and ROS production and the permeability transition pore (PTP) activity in permeabilized cat ventricular myocytes. Results: Stimulation of mitochondrial calcium uptake resulted in a dose-dependent increase in mitochondrial NO production when L-arginine, a substrate for mtNOS, was present. The potential contribution of the caveolae-located eNOS and SR-targeted nNOS was ruled out based on the fact that disruption of caveolae with methyl-βeτα-cyclodextrin or prevention of SR uptake with thapsigargin did not affect calcium-induced NO production. Collapsing the mitochondrial membrane potential, blocking the mitochondrial calcium uniporter and respiratory chain abolished mitochondrial NO production. In the absence of L-arginine, calcium-induced NO production was significantly decreased; however an increased ROS production was observed. Inhibition of mitochondrial arginase (which limits L-arginine availiability) resulted in 50% inhibition of calcium-induced ROS production. Both mitochondrial NO and ROS production were blocked by the nNOS inhibitor (4S)-N-(4-amino-5[aminoethyl]aminopentyl]-N′-nitroguanidine and the calmodulin antagonist W-7, while the eNOS inhibitor L-NIO or the iNOS inhibitor 1400W had no effect. The superoxide dismutase mimetic MnTBAP abolished calcium-induced ROS generation and increased NO production threefold. In the absence of L-arginine, mitochondrial calcium uptake induced opening of the mitochondrial PTP, which was blocked by cyclosporin A, MnTBAP and reversed by L-arginine. The essential mtNOS co-factor tetrahydrobiopterin also inhibited mitochondrial ROS generation and PTP opening at a concentration of 100 μM, while 10 μM tetrahydrobiopterin had no effect. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the importance of L-arginine and tetrahydrobiopterin for the regulation of mitochondrial oxidative stress and modulation of PTP opening by mtNOS.
Collaborative and cooperative approaches to online group work: The impact of task type

One purpose of online group projects is to encourage collaborative dialogue for new knowledge construction. During such projects students have a dual objective: learn through constructing new knowl...
The outcomes utility index: will outcomes data tell us what we want to know?

Purpose. To propose an approach to the evaluation of the utility of an outcome measure for use in making comparisons among health plans, hospitals, networks, or other accountable entities. Method. Seven components are recommended for evaluation: whether the outcome is a health outcome; the extent to which expectations for performance can be defined; the role medical care plays in achieving the outcome; the relative complexity of events that produce the outcome; the degree to which attribution can reasonably be made; the suitability of risk adjustment for limiting external sources of variation; and the likelihood that the measure provides perverse behavioral incentives. Results. Illustrative examples are given in each area for scoring the performance of measures on the component. Conclusion. Outcomes measurement is of great interest to a variety of potential users. The approach proposed here is intended to provoke discussion and more rigorous development of tools that will help to identify the measures that are likely to produce the most useful information for making comparisons among accountable entities in the health system.
Fire evacuation skills: Cognitive-behavioral versus computer-mediated instruction

Fifty-six fourth-grade children participated in this study to assess three training procedures for relative effectiveness in acquiring fire emergency skills and attaining knowledge. The first training approach was behavioral, the second used animated graphics, and the third used still graphics. Each of the training groups was compared to a control group that received no treatment. Performance on dependent measures was assessed before and immediately after training. It was hypothesized that the behavioral and animated-graphics conditions would produce the greatest level of skill and knowledge acquisition. Results demonstrated a significantly higher level of fire emergency skill acquisition and knowledge attainment for both the behavioral and animated-graphics groups relative to the still-graphics group and the control group, which had no training. The value of using computer-mediated strategies for fire-safety skills training was demonstrated.
An Expert System Approach to ISO 9000 Requirements for Foundry Operations

ISO 9000 certification is becoming an important competitive factor for foundries. Considerable organizational effort and expertise are needed to achieve this certification, which may be too time-consuming and expensive for many small to medium-sized companies. This paper will present the development of an object-oriented system to support the ISO certification process, with particular emphasis on clause 4.20 (use of statistical techniques). Recommendations for the design and implementation of each statistical tool are provided by the system, as well as training examples of suitable process monitoring and improvement procedures. The system runs on a microcomputer platform and was constructed utilizing Visual BASIC.
One-step purification of murine IgM and human α2-macroglobulin by affinity chromatography on immobilized snowdrop bulb lectin

A new mannose-specific plant lectin (GNA) isolated from the snowdrop bulb was immobilized on Sepharose 4B and employed for the purification of certain glycoproteins with high-mannose type glycan chains. Murine IgM bound tightly to this column and was eluted with 0.1 M methyl cY-D-mannoside whereas bovine and murine IgG were not bound. When a murine hybridoma serum containing IgM monoclonal antibody was applied to this column, highly purified IgM antibody was obtained after elution with methyl a-D-mannoside. On the contrary, human IgM was not bound by this column despite reports that it contains high-mannose type glycan chains. crz-Macroglobulin was the sole glycoprotein present in human serum which was bound by the immobilized snowdrop lectin column. It appears that only glycoproteins containing multiple Man(c-r1,3)Man units are bound to the immobilized lectin. o 1988Academic POW, IN.
Anticoagulation and inhibition of nitric oxide synthase influence hepatic hypoxia after monocrotaline exposure

Monocrotaline (MCT) is a pyrrolizidine alkaloid plant toxin that produces hepatotoxicity in humans and animals. Administration of MCT to rats causes rapid sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) injury, hemorrhage, pooling of blood and fibrin deposition in centrilobular regions of liver. These events precede hepatic parenchymal cell (HPC) injury and produce marked changes in the microvasculature of the liver, which could interrupt blood flow and produce hypoxia in affected regions. To test the hypothesis that hypoxia occurs in liver after MCT exposure, rats were treated with 300mgMCT/kg, and hypoxia was detected immunohistochemically. MCT produced significant hypoxia in centrilobular regions of livers by 8h after treatment. Inasmuch as fibrin deposition can impair oxygen delivery by reducing blood flow, the effect of anticoagulant treatment on MCT-induced hypoxia was determined. Administration of warfarin to MCT-treated rats reduced hypoxia in the liver by approximately 70%, suggesting that fibrin deposition plays a causal role in the development of hypoxia in the liver. Conversely, administration of l-NAME, a nonspecific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), enhanced MCT-induced hypoxia and HPC injury. l-NAME did not, however, affect SEC injury or coagulation system activation. Results from these studies show that hypoxia occurs in the liver after MCT exposure. Furthermore, hypoxia precedes HPC injury, and manipulations that modify hypoxia also modulate HPC injury.
Infrared behavior of non-Abelian gauge theories. II

We continue and extend our earlier work on infrared singularities of non-Abelian gauge theories (exemplified by quantum chromodynamics, or QCD), emphasizing the nature of these singularities in space-time rather than in momentum space. The leading logarithms of non-Abelian gauge theories sum to an eikonal (semiclassical) form for processes involving massive particles. This form is like the corresponding Abelian (QED) form, except that the coupling constant $g$ is replaced by the invariant coupling $\overline{g}(t)$ which depends on the momentum transfer $t$ to the gluon. It is not known whether the nonleading logarithms exactly cancel order by order, but there are strong cancellations which are governed by Ward identities. Besides four-dimensional QCD, two analogous theories which show confinement are studied: Two-dimensional QCD is developed in the light-cone gauge without recourse to the large-$N$ approximation of 't Hooft and is shown to have infrared singularities like those of a string theory with longitudinal modes. Three-dimensional QED is briefly discussed, and it is argued that confinement is revealed in the anomalous infrared behavior of the fermion propagator which is an entire function (of momentum) with no pole. Some speculations to this effect are made for four-dimensional QCD.
Does deep soil N availability sustain long-term ecosystem responses to elevated CO2?

A scrub-oak woodland has maintained higher aboveground biomass accumulation after 11 years of atmospheric CO 2 enrichment (ambient + 350 μmol CO 2 mol ―1 ), despite the expectation of strong nitrogen (N) limitation at the site. We hypothesized that changes in plant available N and exploitation of deep sources of inorganic N in soils have sustained greater growth at elevated CO 2 . We employed a suite of assays performed in the sixth and 11th year of a CO 2 enrichment experiment designed to assess soil N dynamics and N availability in the entire soil profile. In the 11th year, we found no differences in gross N flux, but significantly greater microbial respiration (P≤0.01) at elevated CO 2 . Elevated CO 2 lowered extractable inorganic N concentrations (P = 0.096) considering the whole soil profile (0―190 cm). Conversely, potential net N mineralization, although not significant in considering the entire profile (P = 0.460), tended to be greater at elevated CO 2 . Ion-exchange resins placed in the soil profile for approximately 1 year revealed that potential N availability at the water table was almost 3 x greater than found elsewhere in the profile, and we found direct evidence using a 15 N tracer study that plants took up N from the water table. Increased microbial respiration and shorter mean residence times of inorganic N at shallower depths suggests that enhanced SOM decomposition may promote a sustained supply of inorganic N at elevated CO 2 . Deep soil N availability at the water table is considerable, and provides a readily available source of N for plant uptake. Increased plant growth at elevated CO 2 in this ecosystem may be sustained through greater inorganic N supply from shallow soils and N uptake from deep soil.
SECOND-ORDER COULOMB EXCITATION VIA THE GIANT DIPOLE RESONANCE

The contributions to the Coulomb excitation probability due to virtual electric dipole transitions into the giant resonance have been studied. Use has been made of the fact that the second-order transition amplitude can be related to the photonuclear absorption cross section which is known experimentally. Two examples are discussed in some detail: (1) The Coulomb excitation of a first-excited ${0}^{+}$ level from a ${0}^{+}$ ground state; (2) second-order corrections to a ${0}^{+}$ \ensuremath{\rightarrow} ${2}^{+}$ transition. In the latter case, the corrections are of the same order of magnitude as those due to the reorientation effect which has been proposed as a means to measure the quadrupole moment of excited states.
Cultural inheritance as a mechanism for population sex-ratio bias in reptiles.

Although natural populations of most species exhibit a 1:1 sex ratio, biased sex ratios are known to be associated with non-Mendelian inheritance, as in sex-linked meiotic drive and cytoplasmic inheritance (Charnov 1982; Hurst 1993). We show how cultural inheritance, another type of non-Mendelian inheritance, can favor skewed primary sex ratios and propose that it may explain the female-biased sex ratios commonly observed in reptiles with environ- mental sex determination (ESD). Like cytoplasmic elements, cultural traits can be inherited through one sex. This, in turn, favors skewing the primary sex allocation in favor of the transmitting sex. Female nest-site philopatry is a sex- specific, culturally inherited trait in many reptiles with ESD and highly female-biased sex ratios. We propose that the association of nest-site selection with ESD facilitates the maternal manipulation of offspring sex ratios toward females.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is comprised of a heterogeneous group of several disease subtypes that are characterized by the onset of arthritis before the age of 16 years and has symptoms lasting at least 6 weeks. The previous classification of JIA included seven different categories, whereas its current classification was compiled by the International League of the Association for Rheumatology, and replaced the previous terms of "juvenile chronic arthritis" and "juvenile rheumatoid arthritis," which were used in Europe or North America, respectively, with the single nomenclature of JIA. As mentioned above, JIA is defined as arthritis of unknown etiology that manifests itself before the age of 16 years and persists for at least 6 weeks, while excluding other known conditions. The clinical symptoms of JIA can be quite variable. Several symptoms that are characteristic of arthritis are not necessarily diagnostic of JIA and may have multiple etiologies that can be differentiated with careful examination of patient history. The disease may develop over days or sometimes weeks, thereby making the diagnosis difficult at the time of presentation. To make a clinical diagnosis of JIA, the first step is to exclude arthritis with known etiologies. Of note, late treatment due to excessive delay of diagnosis can cause severe damage to joints and other organs and impair skeletal maturation. Therefore, early detection of JIA is critical to ensure prompt treatment and to prevent long-term complications including the likelihood of disability in childhood.
Doping of Polyaniline in the Solid State with Photogenerated Triflic Acid

The objective of this study was to adjust work function of polyaniline (PANI) in the solid state by precisely dosed UV irradiation. For this purpose triphenylsulfonium triflate salt was used as a photo acid generator. The structure of PANI before and after irradiation was characterized by UV−vis and FTIR spectroscopy. It has been observed that the appearance of the 1143-cm-1 band, corresponding to the polaron stretching mode, correlates with the changes of the Fermi level. This observation indicates that electrons in the proton-doped PANI are delocalized, leading to a change in the electronic structure of PANI. The changes result in lowering of the work function of PANI as measured by the field-effect transistor. Nondecomposed triflate salt can be removed by dipping the irradiated film into methanol to prevent further UV light sensitivity and further postexposure acid doping.
Characterization of silicate sealers on concrete

Sealing concrete with soluble sodium silicate may improve surface properties such as hardness, permeability, chemical durability, and abrasion resistance. Previously, such treated surfaces had not been characterized sufficiently to provide a complete understanding of how silicate improves concrete properties. Therefore, it is the object of this work to contribute to the understanding of how the application of soluble silicate alters the surface of concrete by verifying its effects on absorption, abrasion resistance, chloride permeability, chloride penetration, and surface composition.
The persuasive and social force of logography in ancient Greece

The term “logography” has long been synonymous with the practice of speech composition in fifth and fourth century B.C. Greece. The philological genesis of this practice, however, indicates that logography was a strong persuasive and social force in Hellenic culture centuries before sophists popularized the concept. This study examines the nature of early logography, and particularly the later impact of the Isocratean school of rhetoric. The author concludes from this study that the uses and abuses of rhetoric dictated both the quality and impact of logography as a persuasive and social force.
Analysis of a class of communicating finite state machines

Thereachability, deadlok detection andunboundedness detection problems are considered for the class ofcyclic one-type message networks of communicating finite state machines. We show that all the three problems are effectively solvable by (a) constructing canonical execution event sequences which belong to a context-free language, and (b) showing that the reachability sets are semilinear. Our algorithms have polynomial complexity in terms of size of a global structure of a network, called theshuffle-product. The relationships between general Petri nets and the class of communicating finite state machines considered here are also explored.
Physical properties of trifluoro-acetonitrile

Abstract The vapour pressure has been determined from 42°C to 38°C, and correlated by an equation. The critical temperature and the critical pressure were also measured. Densities of liquid and saturated vapour were determined between - 80°C and the critical temperature. Using this information, the rectilinear diameter line and the heats of vaporization have been computed.
A low-cost automated trap to measure bubbling gas fluxes

We describe a trap that can be used for automated, high temporal resolution measurement of ebullition fluxes in aquatic environments. The trap comprises a submerged cone connected to a transparent PVC pipe that serves as a collection chamber. A differential pressure sensor at the top of the pipe measures the pressure caused by gas accumulation in the chamber. The sensor circuit consists of low-power electronics and can function for longer than 6 months on two high-capacity AA lithium batteries. The circuit, batteries, and a commercial data logger that records the measurements are enclosed in a custom-made, 10-cm diameter waterproof housing. The trap is designed to be fabricated economically and easily so that many units can be deployed for greater spatial coverage. We have used several of these automated traps to measure bubbling fluxes at a lake, and have collected data continuously at a resolution of 5 or 10 min over 6 months.
Cultural Capital and Home-School Connections in Early Childhood.

This qualitative study was an exploration of mothers' perspectives on home-school connections to better understand the variable ways families engage with schools in early childhood. The study was conducted in the USA, and included 47 mothers with preschool-aged children who participated in semi-structured interviews concerning their children's school preparation. Using a sociological framework and thematic analysis of interviews, the authors identified four themes of home-school connections: the backpack connection, school as a resource, ongoing dialogue with teachers, and a space to advocate. Study findings suggest that practices and attitudes related to home-school connections begin prior to entering kindergarten and may be influenced by a family's forms of cultural capital and habitus. This study offers an alternative viewpoint to the traditional home-school discourse by exploring the family perspective rather than the school perspective. Implications are offered for early childhood educators and famil...
Subareolar breast cancer: Long-term results with conservative surgery and radiation therapy

Purpose : It has been suggested that patients presenting with breast cancers within 2 cm of the nipple areolar complex represent a relative contraindication to conservative management due to either a compromised cosmetic result associated with sacrifice of the nipple areolar complex, reluctance to include the entire nipple areolar complex in the conedown field, or increased risk of multicentricity. We have reviewed our experience of conservatively treated patients with specific reference to the subset of patients presenting with tumors within 2 cm of the nipple areolar complex. Methods and Materials : Between January 1970 and December 1989, 1014 patients with early stage breast cancer were treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital by excisional biopsy with or without axillary lymph node dissection. Of the 1014 charts reviewed, a total of 98 patients fulfilled the criteria of having a central/subareolar breast cancer. Reexcision was performed on only 16 patients. Following conservative surgery, patients were treated with radiation therapy to the intact breast to a total median dose of 48 Gy with conedown to a total of 64 Gy. Adjuvant systemic therapy and regional nodal irradiation were administered as clinically indicated. Results : As of December 1993, the median follow-up for the 98 patients in this study was 9.03 years. The majority of patients had presented with either a palpable mass or a mammographically detected lesion. Three patients presented with Paget's disease, five with nipple discharge, and seven with nipple inversion. Ten of the 98 patients had the nipple areolar complex sacrificed at the time of surgery, while the remaining 88 patients had the entire nipple areolar complex included in the conedown field. Four of these 88 patients had the nipple partially blocked during the electron conedown. There were no significant complications associated with including the entire nipple areolar complex within the conedown field to a median dose of 64 Gy. Six of the 98 patients experienced a local recurrence, three experienced a regional recurrence, and nine experienced distant metastasis. The actuarial 10-year survival (0.79 ± 0.06), distant disease-free survival (0.88 ± 0.04) and breast recurrence-free survival (0.84 ± 0.07) were not significantly different from those patients who presented with cancers in other parts of the breast. Conclusions : Patients presenting with subareolar breast cancers within 2 cm of the nipple areolar complex are suitable candidates for conservative surgery and radiation therapy. In the majority of patients in this study, the nipple areolar complex did not need to be sacrificed and could be safely included in the electron conedown field with acceptable complications and cosmesis. A subareolar breast cancer does not represent a relative contraindication to conservative management in patients with early stage breast cancer.
Guidelines for the Diagnosis of pediatric Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: things parents need to know

AbstractIn this volume, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in children and adolescents is specifically addressed. It is a topic long overdue. It is my sincere hope that the criteria presented here will begin a process of rigorous clinical testing and refinement so that pediatricians and other medical providers will come to have a reliable and accepted way of making the diagnosis of ME/CFS in a person under 18 years of age.This short review is meant for parents and other caregivers as a brief summary of the guidelines that may be of value. The primary role of these guidelines is to present a strict and rigorous definition that can be tried and tested. This summary is to make the process of diagnosis somewhat easier for parents and caregivers alike until the testing process is completed. Therefore, for more detailed symptom description and exclusionary illness description, I would refer the reader to the primary article.Professional caregivers and clinicians may make this article available to inform parents wit...
The influence of support and stress on maternal attitudes

OBJECTIVES: This study examines an expanded version of Belsky's (1984) multi-dimensional process model of parenting to determine whether changes in stress and support influence maternal attitudes during the first year of a child's life. METHOD: Data were collected from mothers of newborns eligible for Hawaii's Healthy Start program who had been randomly assigned to home visitation (n=108) or control (n=104) status. Multiple regression analyses were used to test hypotheses regarding the influence of change in contextual sources of support and stress on parenting attitudes as measured by the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) Abuse Scale. A post hoc analysis of variance was conducted to explore interactions among the predictor variables and home visitation. RESULTS: Stress in the form of change in public assistance status led to more punitive parenting attitudes while increased support from the partner and from close associates emerged as significant predictors of less punitive parental attitudes. The exploratory analyses suggest that home visitation may moderate the impacts of stress and support on maternal attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: In line with Belsky's (1984) process model of parenting, increased stress adversely impacted maternal attitudes regarding physical punishment while increased support exerted favorable effects. The results also support further elaboration of Belsky's model including the expansion of marital support to include unmarried partners and the need to consider the impact of formal support sources on parenting. Language: en
Potent and Selective Inhibition of Human Cytomegalovirus Replication by 1263W94, a Benzimidazole l-Riboside with a Unique Mode of Action

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus that causes a benign infection in an estimated 40 to 100% of populations in the United States (reviewed by Sia and Patel [23]). In most cases, HCMV infection is not associated with disease; however, in patients with an immature or compromised immune system, HCMV infection can be a serious or even life-threatening disease. Four drugs—ganciclovir (GCV), its prodrug valganciclovir, cidofovir, and foscarnet—are currently used for the treatment of systemic HCMV infection; however, there are a number of disadvantages associated with each of these therapies. Cidofovir and foscarnet are available only as intravenous formulations, whereas GCV is given intravenously for initial treatment of systemic disease. With all anti-HCMV drugs currently available, there can be serious side effects associated with prolonged treatment. In addition, the drugs have similar mechanisms of action, all ultimately targeting the HCMV polymerase; therefore, selection of cross-resistant HCMV mutants can occur. Thus, there is a need for other therapeutic agents that are safe, potent, and orally bioavailable, with a novel mechanism of action. As part of an ongoing program to develop novel anti-HCMV compounds that could potentially yield new therapeutic agents for treatment of HCMV, a series of benzimidazole compounds have been evaluated and shown to be potent inhibitors of HCMV replication in vitro (8, 26, 30). One compound, 1H-β-d-ribofuranoside-2-bromo-5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole(BDCRB) (Fig. ​(Fig.1),1), was shown to be highly selective against HCMV in vitro and relatively nontoxic both to laboratory cell lines and to primary human bone marrow progenitor cells (21, 26). In addition, BDCRB was shown to inhibit HCMV replication by a novel mechanism: unlike GCV, BDCRB did not inhibit HCMV DNA synthesis but instead blocked the maturational cleavage of high-molecular-weight DNA, a step mediated by the products of the UL89 and UL56 genes (17, 27). However, pharmacokinetic studies in rats and monkeys revealed that the glycosidic bond of BDCRB was rapidly cleaved in a first-pass metabolic process, liberating the inactive and significantly more toxic aglycone (2-bromo-5,6-dichloro benzimidazole) (8). FIG. 1. Chemical structures of 1263W94 and BDCRB. In an attempt to circumvent the metabolic instability of BDCRB, we designed additional compounds that were analogues of BDCRB. We replaced the 2′-halogen with an isopropylamine moiety to create 1H-β-d-ribofuranoside-2-isopropylamino-5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole (3322W93), and we synthesized the biologically unnatural l-sugars corresponding to both BDCRB and 3322W93. The antiviral properties of these compounds were assessed by standard assays. Compared to the parent compound, BDCRB, one of these derivatives, 1H-β-l-ribofuranoside-2-isopropylamino-5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole (1263W94; Fig. ​Fig.1),1), showed significantly increased potency in vitro, similarly low cytotoxicity, and a unique mechanism of action.
Chromosomal abnormality at 6p25.1–25.3 identifies a susceptibility locus for hypothalamic hamartoma associated with epilepsy

The pathogenesis of hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) associated with epilepsy is unknown. We have identified an individual with HH and refractory epilepsy exhibiting subtle dysmorphic features. High-resolution karyotype identified a duplication of the terminal end of 6p (6p25.1-25.3), confirmed by fluorescent in situ-hybridization (FISH). Copy number analysis with high-density (250K) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping microarrays characterized the abnormality as a series of amplified regions between 1.4 Mb and 10.2 Mb, with a small tandem deletion from 8.8 Mb to 9.7 Mb. There are 38 RefSeq genes within the duplicated regions, and no known coding sequences within the deletion. This unique patient helps identify 6p25.1-25.3 as a possible susceptibility locus for sporadic HH.