cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fiber optics for the Space Station Freedom DMS network

The Space Station Freedom data management system uses a fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) backbone, which provides counter rotating rings with a data bandwidth of 100 Mbps. This data rate allows a potential for system growth not practical with a copper solution. Fiber's growth potential, coupled with obvious advantages in weight and EMI, perfectly matches the needs and requirements of the Space Station environment. The Space Station environment also provides some unique problems not normally encountered in a FDDI design. The hardware must perform in a vacuum and at nearly full military temperature range. Also, the assembly process of the Space Station causes a much larger than normal signal loss between stations. Finally, the system requires data integrity much higher than the normal FDDI specification demands. These problems are solved by deviating from the FDDI standard on several points. Custom fiber optic receiver and transmitter hybrids have been developed for the program. The result of these hybrids is a much higher sensitivity and larger dynamic range than an ordinary FDDI network would need. Another change from normal systems is the use of specially designed ring concentrator. This allows easier servicing of the units while in orbit, as well as facilitating system reconfiguration for future growth.
WE‐C‐M100F‐03: Underestimation Of Low‐Dose Radiation in Conventional Treatment Planning of Intensity‐Modulated Radiation Therapy

Purpose: In radiation therapy of thoracic cancers (e.g. lungcancers), a high volume of low‐dose radiation may lead to severe and fatal pulmonary complications. The purpose of this work is to investigate dosimetric accuracy in low‐dose regions from commercial treatment planning systems (TPS) and consequent clinical implications for using IMRT in treatinglung and thoracic cancers.Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed thoracic‐cancer patients treated with IMRT at our institution and for whom high‐grade lung complications occurred. These IMRT plans were evaluated and were recomputed using a Monte‐Carlo‐based (MC)treatment planning system (TPS) that explicitly accounts for modeling of the machine head and MLCs.Dose calculations from 2 commercial TPSs (Pinnacle and Corvus systems) were compared with those obtained from the MC system and measurements. Various factors that could contribute to the difference in IMRTdose calculations were analyzed, including tissue heterogeneity effect, MLCmodeling, and beam modeling.Results: Significant dosimetric errors (∼25%) were found in the low‐dose regions below 5 Gy in the commercial TPSs. Accuracy of dose calculations in the high‐dose tumor regions was acceptable (< 5%). In regions < 5 Gy of IMRT plans, MLC transmission, leakage, and scattering were found to be important contributors to the dose. These factors were also spatially variant and field‐size dependent. Without explicit modeling of the MLCs, severe underestimation of the low‐dose volume could occur in commercial TPS. The degree of low‐dose error was particularly greater in IMRT plans with larger target volumes and higher degrees of beam modulation. Conclusions:Treatment planners should be aware of potentially significant underestimation of low doses in IMRTtreatment plans for thoracic and other cancer sites. More accurate modeling of MLCs and low‐dose calculation may be achieved by using a Monte‐Carlo‐based planning system.
Peritoneal Coccidioidomycosis:a potential CT mimic of peritoneal malignancy

Peritoneal involvement is a rare extrapulmonary manifestation of coccidioidomycosis. We report a patient with meningeal coccidioidomycosis who was found to have multiple, globular, peripherally enhancing deposits in the peritoneal cavity at abdominal computed tomography, raising the consideration of peritoneal malignancy. Aspiration biopsy demonstrated peritoneal coccidioidomycosis. The particular computed tomographic findings of peritoneal coccidioidomycosis seen in this patient have not been previously described.
The poor accessory cell function of macrophages in the rat may reflect their inability to form clusters with T cells

Abstract The accessory cell functions of Ia+ alveolar and peritoneal macrophages were compared to those of splenic cells in the rat. Whereas splenic mononuclear cells and dendritic cells were excellent supporters of both MHC-restricted and nonrestricted T-cell mitogenic responses, Ia+ macrophages were inefficient antigen-presenting cells and poor supporters of lectin mitogenic responses. Binding of antigen-primed T-cell blasts by splenic cells in the presence of Con A or antigen occurred within 30 min and subsequently led to the formation of nonadherent clusters of “dendritic-like cells” and proliferating T-cell blasts. Unstimulated Ia− macrophages failed to bind T cells during 30 min of coculture but formed conjugates with T-cell blasts within 24 hr. Delayed binding did not require the presence of antigen or lectin, or the expression of Ia antigens by the macrophage, and did not lead to T-cell proliferation. Antigen-specific binding and antigen presentation, but not lectin mitogenesis, were enhanced by treating antigen-pulsed Ia+ macrophages with neuraminidase for 30 min at 37°C. Neuraminidase did not augment splenic accessory cell function. Antigen-specific binding of T cells to Ia+ macrophages and accessory cell function may be enhanced by desialation of glycoproteins on the cell surface membrane.
Chemical Shift Anisotropy as a Mechanism for Modulating Apparent JTl-H and JTl-C Coupling Constants in Tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborato Thallium Complexes

Nuclear relaxation due to chemical shift anisotropy provides an efficient mechanism for modulating apparent JTl-H and JTl-C coupling constants in tris(pyrazolyl)hydroborato complexes, Tl[TpRR‘]. Specifically, thallium relaxation via chemical shift anisotropy results in apparent coupling constants to thallium being dramatically reduced at (i) higher applied magnetic field strengths and (ii) lower temperatures. As a result of this phenomenon, the absence of observable JTl-H and JTl-C coupling constants, per se, should not be taken as definitive evidence that either (i) the structure is static with a coupling constant of zero or (ii) dissociation of Tl is rapid on the NMR time scale, thereby resulting in an observed loss of coupling.
A synthesis of biological and physical processes affecting the feeding environment of larval walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) in the eastern Bering Sea

Biological and physical phenomena that affect conditions for larval survival and eventual recruitment differ in the oceanic and shelf regions. In the oceanic region, eddies are a common feature. While their genesis is not well known, eddies have unique biophysical characteristics and occur with such regularity that they likely affect larval survival. High concentrations of larval pollock often are associated with eddies. Some eddies are transported onto the shelf, thereby providing larvae to the Outer Shelf Domain. Advection, rather than local production, dominated the observed springtime increase in chlorophyll (often a correlate of larval food) in the oceanic region. Over two-thirds of the south-eastern shelf, eddies are absent and other phenomena are important. Sea ice is a feature of the shelf region: its interannual variability (time of arrival, persistence, and areal extent) affects developmental rate of larvae, timing of the phytoplankton bloom (and potentially the match/mismatch of larvae and prey), and abundance and distribution of juvenile pollock. In the oceanic region, interannual variation in food for first-feeding pollock larvae is determined by advection; in the shelf region, it is the coupled dynamics of the atmosphere‐ice‐ocean system.
Do children infected with HIV receiving HAART need to be revaccinated

No official recommendations have been made on whether children infected with HIV on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) should be revaccinated. We reviewed published work to establish whether these children have protective immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases and to assess short-term and long-term immune responses to vaccination of children given HAART. In general, children on HAART had low levels of immunity to vaccines given before treatment. Most children on HAART, however, responded to revaccination, although immune reconstitution was not sufficient to ensure long-term immunity for some children. These results suggest that children on HAART would benefit from revaccination, but levels of protective immunity might need to be monitored and some children might need additional vaccine doses to maintain protective immunity. Vaccination policies and strategies for children infected with HIV on HAART should be developed in regions of high HIV prevalence to ensure adequate individual and population immunity.
Free Trade Agreements and the Neo-Liberal Economic Paradigm: Economic, Ecological, and Moral Consequences

Since signing and implementing the North American Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the early 1990s, the United States has pursued other free trade agreements with nations in Latin America and Asia. The premise undergirding FTAs is that trade liberalization within the neo-liberal global economy produces economic growth and development among all parties, and reduces poverty in poor nations. We examine arguments of proponents of free trade and the neo-liberal economy— particularly those of Martin Wolf, author of Why Globalization Works— to test these claims. We explore alternatives that center on norms of ecological sustainability and social justice, holding these two as inseparable. The central moral question of how to achieve needed socioeconomic development in the Global South in ways that are both ecologically sustainable and socially just frames our analysis. We conclude by proposing five principles for an alternative, more sustainable and equitable economic paradigm.
Abdominal aortic injury in blunt abdominal trauma

Injury to the abdominal aorta secondary to blunt abdominal trauma is rare; less than 50 cases have been reported in the literature. This patient failed to demonstrate any of the classic acute signs or symptoms specific to the aortic injury, thus emphasizing the importance of a high index of suspicion in patients with the appropriate mechanism and location of injury and associated signs and symptoms.
Solid-Liquid-vapor phase equilibria of the mixture carbon dioxide + n-hexane + n-hexatrlacontanet☆

Abstract Solid-liquid-vapor (SLV) phase equilibria for the ternary mixture C0 2 + n -hexane + n -hexatriacontane ( n -C 36 H 74 ) are measured at temperatures below the SLV locus of C0 2 + n -hexatriacontane using a stoichiometric (visual cell) technique. Conjugate runs are performed so that the compositions and molar volumes of both the fluid phases in the presence of the solid phase can be determined. These data can be useful for evaluating the equation-of-state parameters of the n-hexatriacontane as a fluid component at temperatures below its melting point.
Characterizing and resolving unobservability in run-to-run control of high mix semiconductor manufacturing

Run to run control is a major tool used in semiconductor manufacturing to keep the unit processes within the required manufacturing constraints. Typically, the difference, or bias, between the desired and actual result of processing a particular wafer is affected by not only the particular product being produced, but the prior processing path, which can complicate the control. Previously, several authors have discussed a method of describing the bias for a particular wafer as a linear combination of fundamental bias causes and then using a Kalman Filter to estimate these biases. One known complication of this method is a system structure that can cause the bias states to be unobservable. In this paper we address a second form of unobservability that can be caused by the production process, (i.e. which products are sent to which tools.) We then analyze two methods for adjusting the estimation process to mitigate this unobservability, one of which is new. The performance of this novel method then will be shown using the simulations.
Stability in the Social Support Networks of Homeless Families in Shelter: Findings From a Study of Families in a Faith-Based Shelter Program

The following article outlines a longitudinal study tracking changes of the social support networks of 28 homeless families in shelter. Weekly changes in support networks of homeless mothers were tracked including 482 dyadic ties between mothers and supportive persons. Findings suggested that informal social support and persons who provided emotional support were significantly more stable forms of support in the mothers' lives throughout their shelter stay. Time was found to be a significant predictor of financial well-being and housing stability at shelter exit, but characteristics of the supportive ties were not. Implications for family social work and research practice are presented.
Algorithms and Guidelines for Interpretation of DNA Variants

With the increasing amount of molecular genetic testing offered for clinical diagnosis in recent years, there is a rapid growth in the detection of novel or unclassified variants of unknown clinical significance. To determine whether a sequence change is a disease-causing pathogenic mutation or a non-causative variant becomes increasingly important in translational medicine. Interpretation of the clinical significance of an unclassified variant in the mitochondrial genome is even more complicated due to the highly polymorphic feature of the mitochondrial DNA and the unique characteristics of heteroplasmy. The degree of mutant mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy varies among different tissues; in general, it correlates with the disease severity in affected tissues. In this chapter, we provide updated procedures of evaluating unclassified variants in both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes by using various databases, computational tools, and structural analysis methods to assist in clinical interpretation.
Food security in the context of energy and resource depletion: Sustainable agriculture in developing countries

Food insecurity remains high in most of sub-Saharan African. That insecurity is made even more acute by the increasing scarcity and degradation of natural resources. Low soil fertility is a consistent problem faced by agriculturalists and herders. The dominant international thrust to increase food production has been to stimulate trade, enhanced by technology and its transfer. While international bodies acknowledge the importance of small farmers, they operate as if improving the technologies, trade regimes and value chains that are characteristic of industrial agriculture will have the same results in local ecosystems in developing countries. Price volatility makes access to purchased inputs more risky for smallholders and the governments that subsidize those inputs. The diverse local contexts that serve as the base of African agriculture are thus assumed to be overridden by technology. In contrast, a systems approach that focuses on sustainability of the local ecosystem, social and cultural relationships and economic security can be as, or more productive than industrial agriculture and have a much better opportunity to increase food security in developing countries. Such a systems-based shift in practices, such as the application of conservation agriculture and integrated systemic approaches in Millennium Villages, have potential of addressing household livelihood strategies and production issues in a sustainable, farmer-based way. Resource-conserving agriculture has been shown to increase yields in developing countries. Priority should be given to developing technologies that follow the systems principles of sustainable agriculture, integrating biological and ecological processes (such as nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, soil regeneration and biodiversity) into the production processes; minimizing use of non-renewable inputs that cause harm to the environment or to the health of farmers and consumers; and making productive use of the knowledge and skills of farmers and their collective capacities to work together to solve common problems. A variety of models are on the ground in Africa, and there is political will in the African Union to increase investment in agriculture. What sort of investments, policy interventions and capacity building are more effective in increasing productivity and the well-being of agricultural producers? Are strategies aimed at reducing the number of people involved in farming and herding viable in the context of a stagnant world economy?
Parallel discrete event simulation using shared memory

With traditional event-list techniques, evaluating a detailed discrete event simulation-model can often require hours or even days of computation time. By eliminating the event list and maintaining only sufficient synchronization to ensure causality, parallel simulation can potentially provide speedups that are linear in the numbers of processors. A set of shared-memory experiments using the Chandy-Misra distributed simulation algorithm, to simulate networks of queues is presented. Parameters of the study include queueing network topology and routing probabilities, number of processors, and assignment of network nodes to processors. These experiments show that Chandy-Misra distributed simulation is a questionable alternative to sequential simulation of most queuing network models. >
Joint Source and Channel Coding for MIMO Systems: Is it Better to be Robust or Quick?

A framework is developed for optimizing the tradeoff between diversity, multiplexing, and delay in multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems to minimize end-to-end distortion. The goal is to find the optimal balance between the increased data rate provided by antenna multiplexing, the reduction in transmission errors provided by antenna diversity and automatic repeat request (ARQ), and the delay introduced by ARQ. First, closed-form analytical results are developed to minimize end-to-end distortion of a vector quantizer concatenated with a space-time MIMO channel code in the high SNR regime. The minimization determines the optimal point on the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff curve. For large but finite SNR this optimal point is found via convex optimization, which is illustrated with an example of a practical joint source-channel code design. It is then shown that for MIMO systems with ARQ retransmission, sources without a delay constraint have distortion minimized by maximizing the ARQ window size. This results in a new multiplexing-diversity tradeoff region enhanced by ARQ. However, under a source delay constraint the problem formulation changes to account for delay distortion associated with random message arrival and random ARQ completion times. In this case, the simplifications associated with a high SNR assumption break down, and a dynamic programming formulation is required to capture the channel diversity-multiplexing tradeoff as well as the random arrival and retransmission dynamics. Results based on this formulation show that a delay-sensitive system obtains significant performance gains by adapting its operating point on the diversity-multiplexing-delay region to system dynamics.
Crystallization kinetics of syndiotactic polypropylene

Melting-point and spherulite growth rate measurements for a sample of syndiotactic polypropylene (S = 0.716 and η = 0.356) were analyzed for the parameters characterizing crystal formation and growth: Tm = 159 ± 2°C, σe = 47 erg cm −2, σ = 4.4 erg cm−2, and q = 5.6 kcal per mole of folds. The q and σe values place syndiotactic polypropylene in the group of “unhindered” polymers. Failure of the isotactic-polypropylene spherulite growth rate data to follow current theories of crystal growth precluded a comparison of crystal parameters of the two stereoisomers. At comparable degrees of supercooling, the absolute growth rates for the two forms are of the same order of magnitude and exhibit one or more crossover(s) in relative position.
What Determines Human Sodium Intake: Policy or Physiology?

Past and current U.S. sodium and health policy focused on population-wide reductions in sodium intake. Underlying that policy are a number of assumptions that recent scientific publications challenged. The assumptions include the following: 1) that current intakes are excessive; 2) that the “healthy range” must be below current intakes; 3) that sodium intake can be substantially reduced by public policy; 4) that human intake is dictated by the sodium content of the food supply; and 5) that, unlike all other essential nutrients in which a healthy range is defined by a Gaussian distribution, lower sodium intake is always better. Drawing on the most current published evidence, this review addresses each of these long-standing assumptions. Based on worldwide surveys that assessed sodium intake by 24-h urinary sodium measurements, it is now evident that, across 45 societies and 5 decades, humans consume a reproducible, narrow range of sodium: ∼2600–4800 mg/d. This range is independent of the food supply, verifiable in randomized controlled trials, consistent with the physiologic regulators of sodium intake and is not modifiable by public policy interventions. These findings indicate that human sodium intake is controlled by physiology and cannot be modified by public health policies.
Neurosarcoid Presents Differently in Children Than in Adults

Background. Neurosarcoid is seldom recognized in children. In the absence of any large pediatric series, it has been assumed that the presenting signs and symptoms are identical in adults and children. Objective. To test the hypothesis that childhood neurosarcoid differs in presenting signs and symptoms from neurosarcoid in adults. Methods. We tabulated the initial neurologic signs and symptoms in all reported cases of childhood sarcoid with evidence of central nervous system involvement. These data then were compared with published studies of adult neurosarcoid. Results. Twenty-nine cases (from the English, French, and German literature) had descriptions of presenting signs and symptoms. Ages were 3 months to 18 years; 48% (14 of 29) presented before 13 years. Seizures were the most common presenting symptom (38%, 11 of 29), and 73% of these children (8 of 11) were <13 years old at presentation. Twenty-one percent (6 of 29) had cranial nerve involvement at presentation, and all were ≥12 years old. Twenty-one percent (6 of 29) had hypothalamic dysfunction. Five children presented with headache, 4 with motor signs, and 3 with papilledema. Twenty-four percent (7 of 29) had mass lesions on imaging. Conclusions. Children with neurosarcoid present differently than do adults. Children are more likely to have seizures, less likely to have cranial nerve palsies, and perhaps more likely to have a space-occupying lesion. Our analysis of the cases available for review in the published literature suggests that children evolve to an adult pattern as they progress through adolescence.
Shedding Light on Sight Seeing Human Brain Function

New imaging techniques — PET and fMRI— enable researchers to unlock the heretofore mysterious functions of the human brain.
A Structure-Function Analysis of Serine/Threonine Phosphorylation of the Thrombopoietin Receptor, c-Mpl

Thrombopoietin (TPO), the critical regulator of platelet production, acts by binding to its cell surface receptor, c-Mpl. Numerous studies have shown that TPO binding leads to JAK2 kinase activation and Tyr phosphorylation of c-Mpl and several intracellular signaling intermediates, events vital for the biological activity of the hormone. In contrast, virtually nothing is known of the role of Ser or Thr phosphorylation of c-Mpl. By using phosphoamino acid analysis we found that Ser residues of c-Mpl were constitutively phosphorylated in receptor-bearing cells, levels that were increased following exposure of cells to TPO. To identify which residues were modified, and to determine the functional consequences of their phosphorylation, we generated a series of Ser to Ala mutations of a truncated c-Mpl receptor (T69) capable of supporting TPO-induced cell growth. Of the eight Ser within T69 we found that at least four are phosphorylated in TPO-stimulated cells. The mutation of each of these residues alone had minimal effects on TPO-induced proliferation, but substitution of all of the phosphoserine residues with Ala reduced the capacity of the receptor to support cell growth by over 50%. Additionally, the Ser at cytoplasmic position 18 is not detectably phosphorylated. However, the mutation of Ser-18 to Ala nearly abrogates TPO-induced proliferation and co-precipitation of JAK2 with Mpl. This study provides the first systematic analysis of the role of Ser residues in c-Mpl signaling.
Data fusion algorithms in cluster-based wireless sensor networks using fuzzy logic theory

Data Fusion in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can improve the performance of a network by eliminating redundancy and power consumption, ensuring fault-tolerance between sensors, and managing effectively the available communication bandwidth between network components. In this paper, we develop a data fusion algorithm that combines the cluster-based design of WSNs using fuzzy logic methods. Our results show that the algorithm eliminates redundant sensor reports.
High flow velocity through congenital cardiac lesions predicts preoperative platelet dysfunction.

Background Platelet dysfunction resulting from abnormal fluid shear stress has been reported in adults with aortic stenosis. Blood flowing through a congenital heart defect at greater than normal velocity is subjected to increased shear stress. The primary aim was to determine whether peak flow velocity through congenital cardiac lesions predicts preoperative platelet dysfunction. Methods The charts of 402 patients who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass and had preoperative platelet function analysis were evaluated. Platelet dysfunction was measured as a prolonged closure time (CT) in seconds with a platelet function analyzer. Echocardiography was used to determine peak velocity. The relationship between peak velocity and CT was analyzed using linear regression and Kaplan-Meier estimation. Results The distribution of peak velocity was bimodal. The mean velocity of the lower group was 1.9 m/second and the higher group was 4.2 m/second. Univariate analysis showed age, weight, peak velocity, hematocrit, and Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery score to be associated with prolonged CT. Using multivariable analysis, prolonged CT was significantly associated with peak velocity ( p p p = 0.04). Conclusions Platelet dysfunction is associated with high blood flow velocity through congenital cardiac lesions. Lower preoperative hematocrit was associated with prolonged CT, which may suggest subclinical bleeding secondary to platelet dysfunction.
Cognitive modulation of midbrain function: task-induced reduction of the pupillary light reflex

The activation of processing resources has widespread effects in the nervous system. A model of pupillary control systems (Steinhauer S.R. , Hakerem G., 1992. The pupillary response in cognitive psychophysiology and schizophrenia. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 658, 182-204) had predicted that ongoing cognitive activation should result in inhibition of the light reaction at the level of the oculomotor nucleus, n. III, in the midbrain. In this study, modification of parameters of the pupillary reaction to light were examined during varying task demands. The averaged light reaction was recorded from 33 male and female healthy volunteers during the performance of a serial 7 subtraction task and compared to a 'no task' condition. For 13 subjects, an additional verbalization task with little processing demand (add 1) also was presented. Two types of effects were observed. Firstly, the tonic pupil diameter increased from the no task to the easy (add 1) task, and increased further in the more demanding condition (subtract 7). Secondly, the extent of the phasic light reaction was significantly reduced and the latency at the end of the contraction was significantly decreased in the 'subtract 7' condition compared to both the no task and easy conditions (which did not differ from each other). The locus of interference with the light reaction was the Edinger-Westphal complex of the oculomotor nucleus, which is the motor center for the pupillary sphincter muscles. Descending cortical influences inhibited the activity of the Edinger-Westphal complex. Thus, increasing activation had a tonic inhibitory effect on this center, while higher levels of processing complexity produced a separate component of inhibition that interacted with dynamic activation at this midbrain site. It was suggested that the variation in the light reaction is quantitatively responsive to varying processing loads, and may be utilized as a sensitive metric for a wide variety of cognitive operations.
Paranoid Personality Disorder

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is currently included in DSM-IV's "odd cluster" or "cluster A." In the present article, the authors review available information pertaining to the psychometric properties of PPD, as derived from the relevant literature and from databases of personality disorder study groups. There is comparatively little published evidence for the reliability and validity of PPD, and researchers by and large have tended not to study the disorder, either because of investigators' difficulty recruiting individuals with PPD into research studies, or (as seems more likely) because the trait-paranoia from which many psychiatric patients suffer has seemed better explained by other DSM-IV disorders on Axis I and/or Axis II than by PPD. Given the scant empirical evidence on PPD, it seems reasonable to remove it as an independent diagnosis from the next edition of DSM, and instead to encourage clinicians to code trait-paranoia using a dimensional approach.
An SPC model for short production runs: minimizing expected cost

In some manufacturing situations, the assumption of a long production run may not be appropriate. For example, job shops typically will not have the benefit of large production runs. Much of the literature on the economic design of control charts, however, assumes an effectively infinite production run. A finite-horizon or short-production-run version of an economic-process-control model of Bather and Box and Jenkins is considered here. An algorithm is derived that allows implementation of this model and adjustment strategy for the short-production-run case. The solution to the control problem is consistent with traditional statistical process control philosophy in that process adjustment is called for only when the process mean is substantially off target. The control or adjustment limits for this model are time-varying and depend on the break-even points between quadratic cost for being off target and fixed adjustment cost. It is shown that the length of the production run can greatly influence the cont...
Dynamic shear behavior of poly(γ‐benzyl L‐glutamate), poly(D,L‐propylene oxide), and poly(ethyl vinyl ether)

The dynamic mechanical properties in shear have been studied for poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate), poly(D,L-propylene oxide), and poly(ethyl vinyl ether) in the 95–100° to 240–340°K. region by use of a torsional pendulum in free decay at frequencies of 0.05–1 cycles/sec. Poly (γ-benzyl L-glutamate) exhibits a prominent loss maximum at 288°K. (0.18 cycles/sec.) attributed to reorientational motions principally of the side chains. For poly(D,L-propylene oxide) two loss peaks are found at ∼120°K. (0.59 cycles/sec.) and 211°K. (0.37 cycle/sec.), being attributed to motion in the amorphous regions of a small (3–4) and large number of segments, respectively. In the case of poly(ethyl vinyl ether) the principal dispersion region is found at ≳230°K., while a secondary loss maximum is located at ∼100°K. This behavior is similar to that reported for polypentene-1 and polybutene-1, except that the two motional processes are shifted to lower temperatures.
Large‐scale penetration of Gulf Stream water onto the Continental Shelf north of Cape Hatteras

The presence of Gulf Stream water on the continental shelf as much as 60 km north of Cape Hatteras was observed during a hydrographic cruise in the summer of 1990. Gulf Stream water was concentrated at mid-depth between 10 and 30 m and penetrated the shelfbreak front which normally separates the shelf water from slope water and Gulf Stream water. Velocities of Gulf Stream water in the upper 110 m of the water column along the 1000 m isobath indicated a flow of 18 to 25 cm/s directed towards the northwest. Gulf Stream water on the shelf is considered to be associated with low values of fluorescence, transmissivity, and nutrient concentrations relative to adjacent shelf water.
Prepregnancy weight, inappropriate gestational weight gain, and smoking: Relationships to birth weight.

This study was designed to test predictors of infant birth weight based on categories of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain, and smoking. Data were collected retrospectively from records of 233 mother-infant pairs enrolled in the Siouxland Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program in Sioux City, Iowa. Prepregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain were coded according to Institute of Medicine guidelines. Smoking behavior was coded based on reported smoking during the last 3 months of pregnancy. Multiple regression analysis was used to test predictors of infant birth weight. Forty-two percent of women gained more weight than recommended, and 16% gained less than recommended. Based on prepregnancy BMI, women were classified as underweight (12%), overweight (16%), or obese (31%). Twenty-four percent of mothers reported smoking late in gestation. Higher birth weight was predicted by prepregnancy obesity (+144 g). Lower infant birth weight was predicted by lower (−162 g) and higher (−153 g) than recommended weight gain, and by lower (−299 g) and higher (−168 g) levels of smoking. Depression of birth weight among women who gained excess weight may relate to inadequate early weight gain or pregnancy complications. More research is needed regarding physiological consequences of these maternal factors and their associated demographic risk factors.Am. J. Hum. Biol. 19:305–310, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Vitamin D-inducible calcium transport and gene expression in three Caco-2 cell lines.

The parental cell line (P) of Caco-2 cells and two clones, BBe and TC7, were studied at 11 days postconfluence to test the facilitated diffusion model of vitamin D-mediated intestinal calcium absor...
The Shape and Arrangement of the Cholinergic Neurons in the Rabbit Retina

The acetylcholine-synthesizing neurons of the rabbit retina were selectively stained by intraocular injection of the fluorescent dye 4, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAP1). Retinas were then isolated from the eye, fixed for 10-30 min with 4% paraformaldehyde, and mounted flat on the stage of a fluorescence microscope. The acetylcholine-synthesizing cells were penetrated under visual control by microelectrodes filled with lucifer yellow CH. When the dye was electrophoretically injected into the cells, complete filling of their dendrites often occurred. Cells were successfully injected as long as one month after fixation of the tissue. Complete or nearly complete filling of 281 cells was accomplished, at retinal locations systematically covering the retinal surface. The cells stained with DAPI were found to form a single morphological population. They have two to seven primary dendrites, which branch repeatedly within a narrow plane and form a round or slightly oval dendritic tree. The branching becomes very fine for the distal one third of the dendritic tree, and the dendrites there are studded with small swellings. The distal dendritic tree lies mainly within one of the two thin strata of the inner plexiform layer where acetylcholine is present. The shape and size of the dendritic tree are continuously graded across the retina ; the dendritic tree is narrower and the branching denser in the central retina, wider and sparser in the periphery. From knowledge of the population density and the shape of the neurons, one can reconstruct the array of dendrites that exists within the inner plexiform layer. The overlap of the dendritic fields is an order of magnitude greater than of any other retinal neuron previously described. Because the cells not only overlap widely but branch quite profusely, a very dense plexus of cholinergic dendrites is created.
14C analyses quantify time lag between coca leaf harvest and street-level seizure of cocaine

Abstract Measurements were made on the natural abundance 14 C content (Δ 14 C) of cocaine specimens seized between 2003 and 2009. The objective of this study was to determine the extent to which Δ 14 C analyses could quantify the “age” of recent cocaine seizures. Here “age” of a seized cocaine specimen is defined as the time period between when a coca leaf was harvested in South America and its seizure as cocaine at either the international or domestic street levels. Based on Δ 14 C analyses of seizure specimens, there were no statistically significant differences in the ages of domestic cocaine HCl and cocaine base specimens seized on the streets in different locations across the United States. Between 2007 and 2009, the average age of a street-level cocaine seizure in the United States was 24.6 ± 1.1 months. Cocaine shipment seizures that were in excess of 150 kg during this time period had an average age of 18.2 ± 1.4 months, whereas smaller shipment seizures were significantly older with an average age of 22.3 ± 0.6 months. Analyses of the largest cocaine shipment seizures suggested that these seizures were composed of specimens with different ages, possibly representing accumulations over as much as a 31-month period.
Economic Analysis of the Cross-Reactivity of Johne’s Disease Vaccination with Tuberculosis in Dairy Cattle

We formulate a model that determines the net benefit of Johne’s disease vaccination within a tuberculosis-accredited region given the extra costs associated with the vaccine-related cross-reactivity with tuberculosis test results and the probability of a tuberculosis outbreak. We apply the model to Minnesota and Michigan, where tuberculosis has recently become endemic. The expected benefit of Johne’s vaccination of $53.03 per cow exceeds the cost of Johne’s cross-reactivity of $32.72 and $32.42 per cow within each of the two Minnesota tuberculosis regions, as well as $31.99 and $30.78 per cow within each of the two Michigan tuberculosis regions.
Severe obstructive sleep apnoea secondary to pressure garments used in the treatment of hypertrophic burn scars

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) secondary to pressure garments used to treat hypertrophic scarring of burns has never been reported. The present study describes two children who presented with OSA following introduction of such garments for management of hypertrophic scars following severe facial and upper body burns. Complex sleep polysomnography confirmed severe OSA with desaturations sufficient to result in physiological dysfunction that significantly improved on removal of the garments. As there is little evidence to suggest that the use of such garments alters the end result, the potentially serious side effect of obstructive sleep apnoea should be considered before their use is advised.
Leakage fields from planar semi-infinite transmission lines

The leakage fields radiated by planar semi-infinite transmission-line currents are studied for two canonical structures: the air-gap stripline and the planar strip of current in free space. The first structure represents a general class of printed-circuit structures where leakage occurs into a substrate mode. The second structure is representative of structures for which leakage occurs primarily into space. It is found that the transverse behavior of the leakage fields for a semi-infinite line differs in significant ways from that expected from an infinite line, a result that is at first surprising, but is understandable on physical grounds, and which is explained by the analysis presented here. The exact leakage fields are compared with two asymptotic approximations: a stationary-phase [geometrical optics (GO)] evaluation, and a uniform asymptotic expansion (UAE). The UAE solution is the more accurate one, and accounts for diffraction-like effects that arise due to the semi-infinite nature of the line. One conclusion is that the observation distance must be very large for the true leakage fields to closely resemble the GO fields, although a quasi-GO behavior may still be evident at shorter distances, depending on the value of the leakage angle. Another conclusion is that the transverse behavior of the GO leakage field of the printed-circuit structure is an exponentially increasing field within the leakage region, as expected from a simple ray-optics picture, while it is not for the strip in free space.
INTERLEUKIN-8 INDUCES MOTILE BEHAVIOR AND LOSS OF FOCAL ADHESIONS IN PRIMARY FIBROBLASTS

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a proinflammatory cytokine that promotes neutrophil migration. Although fibroblasts are known to secrete IL-8, the actions of this cytokine on fibroblasts have not been previously reported. We have found that in subconfluent populations of cultured primary fibroblasts, IL-8 causes an increase in the percentage of cells lacking focal adhesions. Most of the IL-8-stimulated cells not only exhibit a lack of focal adhesions but also have a migratory phenotype that includes a protrusive leading edge and trailing tail. In addition, IL-8 was found to promote primary fibroblast chemotaxis in modified Boyden chambers as well as chemokinesis on serum-coated coverslips. Human primary fibroblasts were also found to specifically bind to IL-8 with high affinity. We have previously shown that a lack of focal structures in primary fibroblasts can be used as an index of chemokinetic locomotion and have fully characterized this system using newborn rat heart conditioned medium. The main stimulus in heart conditioned medium that is responsible for the lack of focal adhesions in the majority of cells can be immunoprecipitated using a polyclonal antibody against recombinant human IL-8. Additionally, video microscopy assays using heart conditioned medium depleted with the IL-8 antibody show an increase in the percentage of stationary cells, a consequent decrease in the percentage of migrating cells, and a twofold increase in the mitotic rate. Interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which are early inflammatory cytokines, have been previously shown to stimulate IL-8 production in macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial and epithelial cells. Our findings indicate that these two cytokines also cause an increase in the percentage of fibroblasts without focal adhesions. Additionally, this increase in cells lacking focal structures can be largely attributed to the production and subsequent autocrine action of a factor immunoprecipitated with an IL-8 antibody. Conversely, GRO-alpha, which has a high homology with IL-8, does not cause a similar increase in the percentage of cells lacking focal adhesions, but was not antagonistic to the effects of IL-8.
Digital defenders: Computer security literacy via game-based learning

Within the field of computer and information security, there has been a relatively recent surge of interest on a multitude of topics. However, this body of research typically focuses on the implementation or theory of security controls and mechanisms at the application, operating system, network, and physical layers. The user layer, long recognized as the weakest link in the security chain, has had little to no attention paid to it by comparison, especially from a sociotechnical perspective which is fairly new to engineering. With the introduction of new technologies putting modern society in an almost constant state of flux, familiarity with technology is no longer simply a luxury, but almost a necessity. To that end, we propose the development of an educational game to help instill vital engineering skills as well as practical and relevant computer security practices to users who might not necessarily have a technical background. This approach would take advantage of the relatively recent explosion in the popularity of video games and digital distribution platforms such as Steam to reach a wider potential audience base. In addition, we would assess the effectiveness of this approach utilizing the evaluation of training programs as proposed by Kirkpatrick.
Generation of vasoactive substances in trout and rat plasma by trypsin and kallikrein

In the preceding study we demonstrated kallikrein-like enzymatic activity in trout tissues and showed that kallikrein incubated with trout plasma (T60K) produces a vasopressor substance(s). The present study further examines the effects of T60K in fish and mammals in vitro and in vivo. T60K produced a dose-dependent pressor response in both trout and rats, whereas kallikrein-activated rat plasma (R60K) was pressor in trout and depressor in rats. Captopril did not affect the response of rats to T60K or R60K. Phenoxybenzamine attenuated the T60K response in trout but not in rats, thus T60K effects in trout are partially mediated through catecholamines. Blockade of angiotensin II (ANG II) receptors in rats with [Sar1,Ala8]-ANG II abolished the pressor effects of T60K. T60K produced dose-dependent contractions in isolated trout and rabbit arteries; ANG II was ineffective in trout arteries. T60K-contracted trout arteries were relaxed by atrial natriuretic peptide and forskolin, whereas diltiazem and sodium nitroprusside were without effect. [Sar1,Ala8]ANG II inhibited T60K-induced contractions of rabbit arteries and relaxed rings previously contracted with T60K. The active component of T60K has a molecular weight less than 10,000, is heat stable, and is inactivated by peptidases. It is immunologically different than mammalian angiotensins but binds to and displaces radiolabeled ANG II from ANG II receptors. These results suggest that kallikrein forms a vasoactive substance(s) in trout plasma that is neither bradykinin nor ANG II but is similar to the latter in its pharmacological effects.
Status of warble-tone in audiometers.

The purpose of the questionnaire survey was to ascertain the current status of warble-tone in audiometers. Of 29 audiometer manufacturers, 24 replied (82.7%) representing 9 different countries.The questionnaire was divided into 3 sections. In part I information was requested concerning the current status of warble-tone. The results showed that only 6 manufacturers (25.0%) currently offer the warble-tone stimulus.In part II specific information was sought from those currently offering warble-tone or contemplating its inclusion in the near future. The replies of the respondents indicated that the frequency deviation varies from approximately +0.2% above the base frequency to as high as ±10% around the base frequency. The modulation rate ranges from 2/sec to as high as 10/sc. Audiometer manufacturers accomplish the warble-tone in essentially two different ways; either by modulating around the base frequency or above the base frequency, with the wave form of the warbled signal either sinusoidal or rectangular...
Ecología-economía, medio ambiente y desarrollo

The assay summarize the presentation by the author at “The 2nd Latin American Seminar of Research and Extension in Farming Systems” held in Bogota, last year. The relationship between economy and ecology is analyzed and, integrative mechanisms are explored. In addition, the concept of sustainability is operationally defined, and a set of changes necessary to put an economy on the road to sustainable development is identified. Guidelines for formulating policies and projects for sustainable development are included.