cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spironolactone Depletes the XPB Protein and Inhibits DNA Damage Responses in UVB-Irradiated Human Skin

UVB wavelengths of light induce the formation of photoproducts in genomic DNA that are potentially mutagenic and detrimental to epidermal cell function. The mineralocorticoid and androgen receptor antagonist spironolactone (SP) was recently identified as an inhibitor of UV photoproduct removal in human cancer cells in vitro via its ability to promote the rapid proteolytic degradation of the DNA repair protein XPB. Using normal human keratinocytes in vitro and skin explants ex vivo, we found that SP rapidly depleted XPB protein in both systems and abrogated two major responses to UVB-induced DNA damage, including the removal of UV photoproducts from genomic DNA and the activation of ATR/ATM DNA damage kinase signaling. These effects were also correlated with both mutagenesis and a predisposition to UVB-induced cell death but were unique to SP, because neither the SP metabolites canrenone and 7α-thiomethylspironolactone nor the more specific mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist eplerenone affected XPB protein levels or the UVB response. Our findings provide an approach for studying XPB and its roles in the UVB DNA damage response in human skin ex vivo and indicate that SP may increase UVB mutagenesis and skin cancer risk in certain individuals.
FREEZING POINT VALUES AND MILK SOLIDS-NOT-FAT CONTENT OF RETAIL MILK1

Observed freezing point and milk solids-not-fat values were determined for approximately 400 retail samples. Most of these samples were systematically collected at monthly intervals over a calendar...
Information Flow Theory (IFT) of Biologic and Machine Consciousness: Implications for Artificial General Intelligence and the Technological Singularity.

The subjective experience of consciousness is at once familiar and yet deeply mysterious. Strategies exploring the top-down mechanisms of conscious thought within the human brain have been unable to produce a generalized explanatory theory that scales through evolution and can be applied to artificial systems. Information Flow Theory (IFT) provides a novel framework for understanding both the development and nature of consciousness in any system capable of processing information. In prioritizing the direction of information flow over information computation, IFT produces a range of unexpected predictions. The purpose of this manuscript is to introduce the basic concepts of IFT and explore the manifold implications regarding artificial intelligence, superhuman consciousness, and our basic perception of reality.
Gender Affirming Surgery Experience and Exposure among Reconstructive Urologists

AbstractIntroduction:There is a paucity of data on contemporary practice patterns regarding gender affirming surgery among reconstructive urologists.Methods:We surveyed members of GURS (Society of ...
Electrochemical and Microbiological Characterization of Bioanode Communities Exhibiting Variable Levels of Startup Activity

Microbial electrochemical technologies require the establishment of anode biofilms to generate electrical current. The factors driving bioanode formation and their variability during startup remain unclear, leading to a lack of effective strategies to initiate larger-scale systems. Accordingly, our objective was to characterize the electrochemical properties and microbial community structure of a large set of replicate bioanodes during their first cycle of current generation. To do this, we operated eight bioanode replicates at each of two fixed electrode potentials (−0.15 V and +0.15 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) for one fed-batch cycle. We found that startup time decreased and maximum current generation increased at +0.15 V compared to −0.15 V, but at both potentials the bioanode replicates clustered into three distinct activity levels based on when they initiated current. Despite a large variation in current generation across the eight +0.15 V bioanodes, bioanode resistance and abundance of Geobacter species remained quite similar, differing by only 10% and 12%, respectively. At −0.15 V, current production strongly followed Geobacter species abundance and bioanode resistance, wherein the largest abundance of Geobacter was associated with the lowest charge transfer resistance. Our findings show that startup variability occurs at both applied potentials, but the underlying electrochemical and microbial factors driving variability are dependent on the applied potential.
Non-periodic Metasurface Beam Splitter for Dual Polarizations

In this work, we propose a microwave beam splitter based on non-periodic metasurface. This metasurface can scatter the oblique TE and TM incidence wave into two beams with equal power. The surface is first discretized into basic elements characterized by phase response. The scattered pattern is constructed by 2D array model with optimized element phases. The TE/TM beam splitting patterns are verified by both full wave simulation and measurement at 10 GHz. This design requires easy and low cost fabrication, and can be readily scaled to higher frequencies like THz and optics.
White paper: New opportunities for BME/CE health IT education

Abstract Current US health policy through the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) of health information technology (Health IT) of the Department of Health and Human Services ( http://www.healthit.gov/ ) indicates that the standard practice for biomedical engineering (BME) roles in health care will include managing and dealing with comprehensive medical device interoperability with electronic health records. A recent workforce forecast from the US Department of Labor predicts that the United States will have a workforce of 25,000 biomedical engineers by 2022, and another 60,000 technicians and 100,000 related IT staff. This White Paper addresses the limited amount of appropriate curriculum and hands-on laboratory resources among the 87 US university-based BME programs to prepare the field to manage medical device interoperability and fully engage our current workforce for the transitions occurring today. We conclude that the field is not ready for this challenge, but some leading universities have begun this transition. We are ready to assist in this development.
Measuring and modeling quasicontinuous wave operation of quantum cascade lasers for enhanced average brightness

Quasicontinuous wave operation of midinfrared quantum cascade lasers are shown to have increased average output power with good beam quality. The ability to enhance average power by a significant fraction of CW power motivates the development of a model to estimate and project performance at varying duty cycles based on a previously developed continuous wave power projection model. The model takes into account pulse to pulse changes in temperature profile to project a transient steady-state temperature distribution. This temperature distribution is used to project both peak and average power in agreement with measurements. Preliminary model projections suggest that high average brightness may be achieved using a reduced number of stages and a greater scaling of core width than would be permissible for CW lasing.
Why does a phosphonium-phosphinate ionic liquid protect the contact surfaces from wear and micropitting but increase vibration when used as an additive in rolling-sliding lubrication?

Abstract A phosphonium-phosphinate ionic liquid (IL) was studied as a lubricant additive for rolling-sliding contacts. The bench-scale test was designed to simulate automotive rear axle operation during cold start, highway towing, and overload conditions. Adding such an IL (2%) into a base oil significantly reduced wear loss and rolling contact fatigue, e.g., microcracking and micropitting, but made the vibrational noise notably higher under a low (−1.5%) sliding roll ratio (SRR). Worn surface characterization revealed an interesting texture pattern with alternating smoother plateaus and rougher valleys, which is believed to cause the high vibration. No increased vibration was observed at a high (−30%) SRR, possibly because the more aggressive sliding abrasion prevented such a surface texture from forming.
Poorer Muscle Quality and Quantity With ART Initiation Is Associated With Greater Inflammation and Immune Activation.

BACKGROUND We have previously shown that the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with a decrease in skeletal muscle density (greater fat accumulation), suggesting that gains in lean body mass seen in many ART studies may reflect gains in low quality, fatty muscle. Here, we explore whether skeletal muscle density and area are associated with markers of inflammation and immune activation. METHODS ART-naive people with HIV were randomized to raltegravir or ritonavir-boosted atazanavir or darunavir, each with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine. Abdominal computed tomography scans from baseline and week 96 were reanalyzed for psoas density and area and correlations explored with inflammation [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein] and immune activation [soluble CD14 (sCD14), soluble CD163 (sCD163), and %CD38+HLADR+ on CD4+ or CD8+ T cells]. RESULTS Two hundred twenty-two participants had available inflammation/immune activation markers and paired computed tomography scans. At baseline, lower psoas density (greater fat) correlated with higher IL-6 (r = -0.26, P < 0.001) and sCD163 (r -0.15, P = 0.03) and lower lean psoas area correlated with higher IL-6, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, sCD14, sCD163, and %CD38+HLADR+ on CD4+ T cells (r = -0.30-0.13; all P ≤ 0.05). From baseline to week 96, greater percent decrease in total psoas density (more fat) correlated with greater increase in IL-6 (r = -0.14; P = 0.04); greater % decrease in lean psoas area correlated greater increases in IL-6, sCD14, sCD163, and %CD38+HLADR+ on CD8+ T cells (r = -0.15 to -0.18; all P < 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Greater fat infiltration within the psoas muscle (lower density) and greater loss in lean psoas muscle area were associated with higher inflammation and immune activation, which may portend important effects on muscle function and cardiometabolic risk.
Chapter 14. Antineoplastic Agents

Publisher Summary Antineoplastic agents highlight the nature of the cancer cell. The alkylating agents or certain quinone derivatives have proved useful in cancer therapy. The structural modification of alkylating agents is based increasingly on the information concerning their metabolic activation. Thus, because the antitumor effect of cyclophosphamide is dependent on its enzymatic oxidation in the liver, a Fenton oxidation product, 4-peroxycyclophosphamide, was evaluated and found markedly active against H. Ep. #2 cells in vitro and leukemia L-1210 in vivo. Further , agents that interfere with the availability or cellular utilization of amino acids continue to hold interest in cancer chemotherapy. Human lymphoblastic leukemia cells in culture demonstrate an absolute requirement for L-cysteine, whereas normal human lymphoid cells in culture do not, “cysteine scavenging” was suggested as a possible selective anti-tumor approach. Therefore, α-methylenebutyrolactone derivative is potentially capable of combining with intra cellular or extra cellular cysteines were synthesized. Among cyclic nucleotides, 9- (β- D -arabinofuranosy1) guanine cyclic 3',5'-phosphate proved to be markedly cytotoxic to various tumor cell lines in vitro. Numerous new antibiotics with activity against various experimental tumors have been isolated. Among these are vermiculine, a nine-membered lactone, produced by P. vermiculatum , two antibiotics produced by P. stipitatum and an azamino acid found in cultures of S. candidus .
Design of Hybrid Mobile Communication Networks for Planetary Exploration

The mobile exploration system project (MEX) at NASA Ames Research Center has been conducting studies into hybrid communication networks for future planetary missions. These networks consist of space-based communication assets connected to ground-based Internets and planetary surface-based mobile wireless networks. These hybrid mobile networks have been deployed in rugged field locations in the American desert and the Canadian arctic for support of science and simulation activities on at least six occasions. This work has been conducted over the past five years resulting in evolving architectural complexity, improved component characteristics and better analysis and test methods. A rich set of data and techniques have resulted from the development and field testing of the communication network during field expeditions such as the Haughton Mars project and NASA mobile agents project. This paper defines design, analysis and test methods for hybrid mobile communication networks, identifying the key issues and constraints that affect performance in both the radio frequency (RF) and network engineering disciplines. Previous work by the MEX team has addressed the architecture and detailed analysis of wireless networks including the results of field tests. We continue the analysis using a new 802.11b backbone utilizing two repeaters that significantly increase range and coverage but greatly increase latency, which reduces overall network throughput. The addition of a satellite link can result in significant additional throughput loss due to light-speed delays in the space segment interacting with variable latencies in the multi-hop wireless network. The paper analyzes and presents RF domain field test results combined with network performance metrics which describe a comprehensive approach for designing and optimizing future hybrid mobile networks.
Preparations for deuterium-tritium operations at TFTR

The TFTR research program is preparing to commence the first high fusion power experiments using deuterium-tritium fuel in the U.S. Fusion Program. TFTR project personnel are completing upgrades to TFTR's engineered and administrative systems to support a safe and efficient transition from the earlier deuterium-deuterium (DD) operations to deuterium-tritium (DT) operations. This paper discusses the preparations that have been completed and those that are currently underway to achieve the project goal of high-powered deuterium-tritium plasmas.
Happy New Year to You! A Read-Aloud Book for Memory Challenged Adults, by Lydia Burdick

Happy New Year To You! A Read-Aloud Book for Memory Challenged Adults is the second book in the Two-Lap Book series. It follows The Sunshine on My Face previously reviewed (see Activities, Adaptati...
The characteristics of coaxial ZnO thin-film BAW transducers on optical fibers

ZnO thin-film bulk acoustic wave (BAW) transducers, deposited in a coaxial configuration in an optical fiber, have been used to produce acoustooptic phase shifts of single mode guided optical waves. The thin-film transducers and associated electrodes are fabricated by rotating the fiber during the deposition process. Depending on the ZnO deposition parameters and the rotation rate of the fiber, longitudinal or shear bulk acoustic wave generation into the fiber was dominant. The combination of ZnO film and optical fiber forms a resonant structure in which standing-wave conditions periodically occur for the longitudinal and shear waves. Acoustic parameters of the ZnO film and the optical fiber were calculated by measuring the electrical properties of the transducer and its resonant modes. These parameters were examined over the frequency range from 100 MHz to 1.0 GHz for 80- and 125- mu m-diameter fibers. >
Fiscal and monetary policy rules revisited

Abstract Why have automatic procedures designed to limit or eliminate the discretion of policy-makers become popular in recent years? The first part of the paper addresses fiscal policy rules by analyzing their political appeal as restrainers, symbols, partisan weapons, and ideological statements. The second part of the paper considers monetary policy rules and their rationales, and critiques them. We argue that fiscal and monetary policy rules may not be as efficacious as their supporters claim, and they raise new problems stemming from their biases, rigidity, and antidemocratic implications.
The Effect of Depo Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (DMPA) on Cerebral Food Motivation Centers: A Pilot Study using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract Objective The primary objective is to examine activation of food motivation centers in the brain before and 8 weeks after depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) administration. Study design This prospective experimental pilot study examined the effects of DMPA on food motivation centers utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in eight nonobese, ovulatory subjects. fMRI blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal was measured using a 3-Tesla Scanner while participants viewed images of high-calorie foods, low-calorie foods and nonfood objects. fMRI scans were performed at baseline and 8 weeks after participants received one intramuscular dose of DMPA 150 mg. fMRI data were analyzed using the FMRIB Software Library. Changes in adiposity and circulating leptin and ghrelin levels were also measured. Results There was a greater BOLD signal response to food cues in brain regions associated with food motivation (anterior cingulate gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex) 8 weeks after DMPA administration compared to baseline (z > 2.3, p Conclusion Analysis of differences in food motivation may guide the development of interventions to prevent weight gain in DMPA users. Implications These data support a neural origin as one of the mechanisms underlying weight gain in DMPA users and may guide future research examining weight gain and contraception.
E-Book Cataloging (NCSU Libraries)

Technical services are at the forefront of the changes that are taking place today in libraries. In this issue, our reviewers will introduce you to useful resources you may not be familiar with that can help you incorporate non-traditional metadata into your cataloging operations, take advantage of social media tools like blogs and crowdsourcing, and gain a better understanding of data-driven assessment.Do you have websites or applications of your own you would like to share with your colleagues in technical services? Our column WELCOMES new reviewers. Send comments and suggestions to the column editor: Marta Mestrovic Deyrup at marta.deyrup@shu.edu
βA3/A1-crystallin is required for proper astrocyte template formation and vascular remodeling in the retina

Nuc1 is a spontaneous rat mutant resulting from a mutation in the Cryba1 gene, coding for βA3/A1-crystallin. Our earlier studies with Nuc1 provided novel evidence that astrocytes, which express βA3/A1-crystallin, have a pivotal role in retinal remodeling. The role of astrocytes in the retina is only beginning to be explored. One of the limitations in the field is the lack of appropriate animal models to better investigate the function of astrocytes in retinal health and disease. We have now established transgenic mice that overexpress the Nuc1 mutant form of Cryba1, specifically in astrocytes. Astrocytes in wild type mice show normal compact stellate structure, producing a honeycomb-like network. In contrast, in transgenics over-expressing the mutant (Nuc1) Cryba1 in astrocytes, bundle-like structures with abnormal patterns and morphology were observed. In the nerve fiber layer of the transgenic mice, an additional layer of astrocytes adjacent to the vitreous is evident. This abnormal organization of astrocytes affects both the superficial and deep retinal vascular density and remodeling. Fluorescein angiography showed increased venous dilation and tortuosity of branches in the transgenic retina, as compared to wild type. Moreover, there appear to be fewer interactions between astrocytes and endothelial cells in the transgenic retina than in normal mouse retina. Further, astrocytes overexpressing the mutant βA3/A1-crystallin migrate into the vitreous, and ensheath the hyaloid artery, in a manner similar to that seen in the Nuc1 rat. Together, these data demonstrate that developmental abnormalities of astrocytes can affect the normal remodeling process of both fetal and retinal vessels of the eye and that βA3/A1-crystallin is essential for normal astrocyte function in the retina.
Population size and the social welfare functions of Bentham and Mill.

Abstract The consequences of the social welfare function of Bentham and Mill (B–M) for optimal population size are explored when individuals' utility is a function of own consumption, the number of progeny, and the welfare of those children.
Effects of heat-shock inhibition of papilla formation on compatible host penetration by two obligate parasites

Abstract This paper presents definitive information concerning a postulated role of host papillae in one of two parasite-host systems examined. To determine whether papillae are responsible for fungal penetration failures, we heat-shocked kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea) roots and barley (Hordeum vulgare) coleoptiles and then inoculated shocked and unshocked cells with Olpidium brassicae zoospores and Erysiphe graminis hordei conidia, respectively. All data were based on interference contrast light microscopy and were analyzed for statistical significance. Although the heat-shock strongly inhibited host cyclosis and papilla formation during penetration, the affected host cells soon recovered cyclosis and supported normal parasite development. With the Olpidium-Brassica system, penetration efficiency and the number of unsuccessful cysts with penetration tubes were similar on shocked and unshocked host cells, which clearly demonstrated that the kohlrabi papillae did not affect penetration of root hairs by O. brassicae. With the Erysiphe-Hordeum system, penetration efficiency was similar on shocked and unshocked host cells, and 11 penetration pegs failed to produce haustoria in shocked cells for reasons unrelated to papilla formation. Whether other appressoria, which failed to form pegs or haustoria in shocked cells, would have done so on unshocked cells could not be determined. Thus further studies must be made to fully evaluate the role, in resistance, of papillae in the Erysiphe-Hordeum system.
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor δ Agonist, HPP593, Prevents Renal Necrosis under Chronic Ischemia

The Goldblatt’s 2 kidney 1 clip (2K1C) rat animal model of renovascular hypertension is characterized by ischemic nephropathy of the clipped kidney. 2K1C rats were treated with a specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) agonist, HPP593. Clipped kidneys from untreated rats developed tubular and glomerular necrosis and massive interstitial, periglomerular and perivascular fibrosis. HPP593 kidneys did not exhibit any histochemical features of necrosis; fibrotic lesions were present only in perivascular areas. Necrosis in the untreated clipped kidneys was associated with an increased oxidative stress, up regulation and mitochondrial translocation of the pro-death protein BNIP3 specifically in tubules. In the kidneys of HPP593-treated rats oxidative stress was attenuated and BNIP3 protein decreased notably in the mitochondrial fraction when compared to untreated animals. In untreated clipped kidneys, mitochondria were dysfunctional as revealed by perturbations in the levels of MCAD, COXIV, TFAM, and Parkin proteins and AMPK activation, while in HPP593-treated rats these proteins remained at the physiological levels. Nuclear amounts of oxidative stress-responsive proteins, NRF1 and NRF2 were below physiological levels in treated kidneys. Mitochondrial biogenesis and autophagy were inhibited similarly in both treated and untreated 2K1C kidneys as indicated by a decrease in PGC1-α and deficiency of the autophagy-essential proteins LC3-II and ATG5. However, HPP593 treatment resulted in increased accumulation of p62 protein, an autophagic substrate and an enhancer of NRF2 activity. Therefore, inhibition of BNIP3 activation by the preservation of mitochondrial function and control of oxidative stress by PPARδ is the most likely mechanism to account for the prevention of necrotic death in the kidney under conditions of persistent ischemia.
Er-Doped Y2O3 Nanoparticles: A Comparison of Different Synthesis Methods

Nanoparticles of erbium-doped yttria (Er:Y2O3) are important precursors to transparent ceramics for high-power solid-state lasers systems. As structure influences properties and, subsequently, performance the purpose of this work is to compare the morphological and chemical nature of the nanoparticles synthesized using two common methods: solution precipitation and combustion synthesis. A thorough characterization of as-prepared and calcined powders was performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer–Emmet–Teller methods. Solution precipitation was found to lead to two different precursor compositions (yttrium carbonate or yttrium hydroxide) depending on the precipitating reagent whereas combustion synthesis yielded only phase-pure, cubic Er:Y2O3. The hydroxide precipitation and combustion synthesis methods exhibited agglomerated particles with low surface area after calcining the precursors at 900°C. The addition of a small amount of ammonium sulfate during combustion synthesis was found to reduce the level of agglomeration, resultant particle size, and degree of crystallinity of the calcined Er:Y2O3 nanoparticles. The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) on the surface of the Er:Y2O3 powders is dependent on the powder surface area, however, increasing levels of gas absorption on the particle surfaces do not have a detrimental effect on the sinterability. The sintered density increases with increasing surface area and decreasing agglomeration.
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Alter Hepatic Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Enzyme Kinetics in Male Wistar Rats: Implications for Lipid and Glucose Metabolism

Xenobiotics such as phenobarbital, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, and Aroclor 1254 significantly suppress the activity of a key gluconeogenic and glyceroneogenic enzyme, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), suggesting that xenobiotics disrupt hepatic glucose and fat metabolism. The effects of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), a family of synthetic flame-retardant chemicals, on PEPCK activity is unknown. This study investigated the effect of DE-71, a commercial PBDE mixture, on PEPCK enzyme kinetics. Forty-eight 1-mo-old male Wistar rats were gavaged daily with either corn oil or corn oil containing 14 mg/kg DE-71 for 3, 14, or 28 d (n = 8/group). At each time point, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were measured and hepatic PEPCK activity, lipid content, and three cytochrome P-450 enzymes (CYP1A, -2B, and -3A) were assayed. PBDE treatment for 28 d significantly decreased PEPCK Vmax (μmol/min/g liver weight) by 43% and increased liver lipid by 20%, compared to control. CYP1A,...
A new criterion in the assessment of bentiromide as a test of exocrine pancreatic function in alcoholics

Bentiromide (N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid; Bz-Tyr-PABA) is a useful agent in the assessment of exocrine pancreatic function. Bz-Tyr-PABA is hydrolyzed by chymotrypsin in the intestine with liberation of PABA and its metabolic products, arylamines. This study was undertaken to determine the normal values for absorption and excretion of arylamines in normal volunteers and in alcoholics without detectable disorders of the pancreas, liver, or small intestine. After an overnight fast, basal blood and urine samples for baseline arylamine levels were collected, followed by oral administration of 500 mg of bentiromide. A 6-h urine collection was instituted, and 90- and 120-min plasma samples were obtained. The results were analyzed comparing normals and alcoholics: The mean concentration of arylamines was significantly higher in alcoholics than nonalcoholic subjects in baseline urine and in plasma at 90 and 120 min; no significant difference was found between alcoholics and nonalcoholics when comparing mean arylamine levels in 6-h urines. In summary, cumulative 6-h urine arylamine levels are more reliable as a criterion than 90- and 120-min plasma levels in the assessment of exocrine pancreatic function in alcoholics.
Transportation, stress, and community psychology

Conditions of transportation were investigated as sources of psychological stress as they affect the physiology, task performance, and mood of commuters. Participants in the study were 100 employees of industrial firms. Traffic congestion was construed as a behavioral constraint in terms of the concept of impedance which is defined by the parameters of distance and time. It was expected that the effects of impedance would be mediated by personality factors, such as locus of control. Multivariate tests of the internal validity of the impedance factor were significant. However, significant main effects for impedance were obtained only for mood and residential adaptation. The predicted interactions of impedance with locus of control were obtained across task performance indices. In multiple regression analyses, the distance and speed of the commute to work were found to account for significant proportions of variation in blood pressure, while several indices of personal control had significant regression effects on the task measures. The implications of the results for research in community psychology are discussed. Language: en
Increasing bandwidth density in future optical interconnects

Future challenges to bandwidth scaling within computing systems are considered, including the current unsustainable increase in the number of fibers per system. Several approaches to increase the bandwidth per fiber in future systems are outlined.
Chemical history at $z \ge 2.0$: first results from the Magellan+Keck survey of Lyman limit systems

We present a measurement of $\left[\rm{O}/\rm{Fe}\right]$ versus $\left[\rm{Fe}/\rm{H}\right]$ in the $z>2$ IGM derived from a sample of 23 Lyman Limit systems whose column density lies in the range $19.0\le\log N_{HI}\le 20.2$ cm $^{-2}$ . The systems span a metallicity range of $-2.70 \le \left[\rm{Fe}/\rm{H}\right]\le -0.50$ , allowing for a direct comparison with similar studies of stars within the Milky Way. Although the Lyman Limit systems can be highly ionised, the effects of ionisation on the determination of $\left[\rm{O}/\rm{Fe}\right]$ is minor for most of the systems in the sample. The data appear to show a decrease in $\left[\rm{O}/\rm{Fe}\right]$ with increasing metallicity with an approximate slope of $m\simeq-0.55$ . We also determine a best fit power law slope of $\alpha=-1.86 \pm 0.2$ to the column density distribution $f_{HI}(N)$ for $19.0 \le\log N_{HI}\le 20.2$ cm $^{-2}$ .
Trace Type Functional Differential Equations and the Identification of Hydraulic Properties of Porous Media

The authors give four examples of inverse problems related to fluid flow in a porous media. These are the problems of identifying am unknown source term, and unknown diffusivity, an unknown porosity, and both an unknown diffusivity and porosity. The authors show how these problems can be recast, into problems whose equations are well-defined differential equations with trace type functional coefficients. The authors conclude with a discussion of the reformulated problems.
Thermochemical and kinetic analysis of the thermal decomposition of monomethylhydrazine: an elementary reaction mechanism.

The reaction kinetics for the thermal decomposition of monomethylhydrazine (MMH) was studied with quantum Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (QRRK) theory and a master equation analysis for pressure falloff. Thermochemical properties were determined by ab initio and density functional calculations. The entropies, S degrees (298.15 K), and heat capacities, Cp degrees (T) (0 < or = T/K < or = 1500), from vibrational, translational, and external rotational contributions were calculated using statistical mechanics based on the vibrational frequencies and structures obtained from the density functional study. Potential barriers for internal rotations were calculated at the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) level, and hindered rotational contributions to S degrees (298.15 K) and Cp degrees (T) were calculated by solving the Schrodinger equation with free rotor wave functions, and the partition coefficients were treated by direct integration over energy levels of the internal rotation potentials. Enthalpies of formation, DeltafH degrees (298.15 K), for the parent MMH (CH3NHNH2) and its corresponding radicals CH3N*NH2, CH3NHN*H, and C*H2NHNH2 were determined to be 21.6, 48.5, 51.1, and 62.8 kcal mol(-1) by use of isodesmic reaction analysis and various ab initio methods. The kinetic analysis of the thermal decomposition, abstraction, and substitution reactions of MMH was performed at the CBS-QB3 level, with those of N-N and C-N bond scissions determined by high level CCSD(T)/6-311++G(3df,2p)//MPWB1K/6-31+G(d,p) calculations. Rate constants of thermally activated MMH to dissociation products were calculated as functions of pressure and temperature. An elementary reaction mechanism based on the calculated rate constants, thermochemical properties, and literature data was developed to model the experimental data on the overall MMH thermal decomposition rate. The reactions of N-N and C-N bond scission were found to be the major reaction paths for the modeling of MMH homogeneous decomposition at atmospheric conditions.
Responses of complex cells in the visual cortex of the cat as a function of the length of moving slits.

Abstract (1) As a step towards specifying the spatial selectivity characteristics of complex cells with spatially periodic substructures, we have studied single cell responses to narrow slits of variable length moved across the receptive field in the preferred direction. In general, the length-response curves were linear over a considerable and sometimes full range until an optimal slit length was reached. (2) In those cells in which the rate of rise of the slit length-response functions decrease before the optimal length was reached, at least 3 factors contribute to the shape of the curve. First, the receptive field shapes of some complex cells are more ovoid or rounded than rectangular, and the summation of responses from excitatory zones of varying optimal lengths itself results in a nonlinear slit length-response function at long slit lengths. Second, central regions may contribute more to cell response than do more lateral regions along length dimension. Third, a nonlinearity in the slit length-response curve may occur in the upper range of slit lengths as a saturation effect because discharge rates may reach 600/sec, which appears to be close to a limiting firing rate. (3) Some cells believed to be complex during preliminary receptive field testing showed weak inhibitory regions beyond the region of the optimal slit length. Many of these cells also displayed periodic average response histograms to moving slits. The extent and magnitude of the inhibition were variable from cell to cell. In terms of receptive field properties, these cells and ‘regular’ complex cells seem part of a continuum.
Preliminary report on the North Atlantic deep‐sea cores taken by the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution

A series, of 11 cores from the North Atlantic sea-bottom between the Newfoundland Banks and the banks off the Irish Coast have been studied by a group of geologists of the United States Geological Survey. These cores were taken by Dr. C. S. Piggot of the Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory from the cable ship Lord Kelvin with the explosive type of sounding-apparatus, which he designed (C. S. Piggot, Apparatus to secure core-samples from the oceanbottom, Bull. Geol. Soc. Amer., v. 47, pp. 675–684, 1936). This preliminary report is based largely on the results obtained by M. N. Bramlette, who studied the lithology, and Jos. A. Cushman, who studied the forarainifera. The geographic position, the depth of water at each station, and the length of core obtained are given in Table 1.
More rapid polar ozone depletion through the reaction of HOCl with HCl on polar stratospheric clouds

The direct reaction of HOCl with HCl is shown here to play a critical part in polar ozone loss. Observations of high levels of OClO and ClO in the springtime Antarctic stratosphere confirm that most of the available chlorine is in the form of ClO(x). But current photochemical models have difficulty converting HCl to ClO(x) rapidly enough in early spring to account fully for the observations. Here, a chemical model is used to show that the direct reaction of HOCl with HCl provides the missing mechanism. As alternative sources of nitrogen-containing oxidants have been converted in the late autumn to inactive HNO3 by known reactions on the sulfate layer aerosols, the reaction of HOCl with HCl on polar stratospheric clouds becomes the most important pathway for releasing that stratospheric chlorine which goes into polar night as HCl.
Ultrafast Primary Processes in Photosystem I of the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Abstract Ultrafast primary processes in the trimeric photosystem I core antenna-reaction center complex of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 have been examined in pump-probe experiments with ∼100fs resolution. A global analysis of two-color profiles, excited at 660nm and probed at 5nm intervals from 650 to 730nm, reveals 430fs kinetics for spectral equilibration among bulk antenna chlorophylls. At least two lifetime components (2.0 and 6.5ps in our analysis) are required to describe equilibration of bulk chlorophylls with far red-absorbing chlorophylls (>700nm). Trapping at P700 occurs with 24-ps kinetics. The multiphasic bulk ↔ red equilibration kinetics are intriguing, because prior steady-state spectral studies have suggested that the core antenna in Synechocystis sp. contains only one red-absorbing chlorophyll species (C708). The disperse kinetics may arise from inhomogeneous broadening in C708. The one-color optical anisotropy at 680nm (near the red edge of the bulk antenna) decays with 590fs kinetics; the corresponding anisotropy at 710nm shows ∼3.1ps kinetics. The latter may signal equilibration among symmetry-equivalent red chlorophylls, bound to different monomers within trimeric photosystem I.
Torsion of prismatic shells

Abstract The paper presents a matrix method of analysis of prismatic shells with a box-type cross-section with two axes of symmetry. Such a prismatic shell is approximated by a suitable design model allowing for the warping and distortion of the cross section. The problem is solved using Vlasov's variational method in conjunction with the transfer matrices. The procedure is illustrated by two examples, one of which indicates that the diaphragms stiffening the cross-section may not be beneficial in a global sense.
WISER and REMM: Resources for Disaster Response

This article examines two disaster and emergency response electronic resources for mobile devices, Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) and Radiation Event Medical Management (REMM). Both, developed and maintained by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), are designed primarily for responding to mass casualty incidents. While both resources utilize similar technology and run on similar platforms (both standalone and Web-based), each has a different purpose and serves a different audience. This paper discusses and evaluates the available versions for each application.
Effects of Zonal Flows on Equatorially Trapped Waves

Abstract Linear shallow water equations are employed to study the effects of basic zonal flows on equatorially trapped waves. Analytical solutions are obtained for constant basic zonal flows. It is shown that changes in the wave structures due to the non-Doppler effect of the basic zonal flow are considerable for the Rossby wave, moderate for the westward propagating mixed Rossby–gravity wave, but negligible for the other equatorial waves. The Rossby wave and the westward propagating mixed Rossby–gravity wave possess greater eigenfrequencies and are less trapped in westerlies than in easterlies. The dependence of the Rossby wave structure upon the basic zonal flow is interpreted in terms of potential vorticity conservation. In basic zonal flows with meridional shears, the eigenfrequencies are found to be larger in equatorial easterlies than in equatorial westerlies for the westward propagating waves but smaller for the eastward propagating waves. While the meridional structures of the eastward propagating...
Assessing Physician and Nurse Satisfaction with an Ambulatory Care EMR: One Facility’s Approach

Evaluating clinician satisfaction with an electronic medical record (EMR) system is an important dimension to overall acceptance and use, yet project managers often lack the time and resources to formally assess user satisfaction and solicit feedback. This article describes the methods used to assess clinician satisfaction with an EMR and identify opportunities for improving its use at a 300-physician academic practice setting. We administered an online survey to physicians and nurses; 244 (44%) responded. We compared physician and nurse mean ratings across 5 domains, and found physiciansâ€™ satisfactions scores were statistically lower than nurses in several areas (p
Case Studies on Negotiation and Mediation for Coastal Zone Conflicts

The cases detailed in this paper provide insight into the application of negotiation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve heated disputes over the use of coastal resources. Three examples are provided to demonstrate the possible outcomes when ADR techniques are applied to resolve increasingly common coastal disputes. The first case between Chevron and the Surfrider Foundation is described to provide an example of how negotiation can result in unique innovative solutions that are unlikely to come out of normal legal proceedings. The second case involves the mediation of the disagreement between nature conservationists and the Dyke Associations in Jade Bay, Germany. This case provides an example of how a mediator can help disclose each party’s interests to transform an ongoing stalemated dispute into a unanimous agreement. The third case details the quarrel between the Surfrider Foundation and a coastal developer in Rincon, Puerto Rico, where the case was successfully negotiate...
Predictors of IMRT and Conformal Radiotherapy Use in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A SEER-Medicare Analysis

Purpose The extent to which new techniques for the delivery of radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have diffused into clinical practice is unclear, including the use of 3-dimensional conformal RT (3D-RT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Methods and Materials Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database, we identified 2,495 Medicare patients with Stage I–IVB HNSCC diagnosed at age 65 years or older between 2000 and 2005 and treated with either definitive (80%) or adjuvant (20%) radiotherapy. Our primary aim was to analyze the trends and predictors of IMRT use over this time, and the secondary aim was a similar description of the trends and predictors of conformal radiotherapy (CRT) use, defined as treatment with either 3D-RT or IMRT. Results Three hundred sixty-four (15%) patients were treated with IMRT, and 1,190 patients (48%) were treated with 3D-RT. Claims for IMRT and CRT rose from 0% to 33% and 39% to 86%, respectively, between 2000 and 2005. On multivariable analysis, IMRT use was associated with SEER region (West 18%; Northeast 11%; South 12%; Midwest 13%), advanced stage (advanced, 21%; early, 9%), non-larynx site (non-larynx, 23%; larynx, 7%), higher median census tract income (highest vs. lowest quartile, 18% vs. 10%), treatment year (2003–2005, 31%; 2000–2002, 6%), use of chemotherapy (26% with; 9% without), and higher radiation oncologist treatment volume (highest vs. lowest tertile, 23% vs. 8%). With CRT as the outcome, only SEER region, treatment year, use of chemotherapy, and increasing radiation oncologist HNSCC volume were significant on multivariable analysis. Conclusions The use of IMRT and CRT by Medicare beneficiaries with HNSCC rose significantly between 2000 and 2005 and was associated with both clinical and non-clinical factors, with treatment era and radiation oncologist HNSCC treatment volume serving as the strongest predictors of IMRT use.
Influence of Hydrogen Ion Concentration on Oxygen Consumption in Bovine Dental Pulp

Oxygen consumption rates in bovine dental pulp were measured by the Warburg method under varied conditions of hydrogen ion concentration. The pH of the suspending fluid ranged from 5.0 to 8.6. The rate of oxygen consumption was not impaired when the pH remained between 6.2 and 7.5. The rate was higher between pH 6.4 and 7.0 and it was greatest at pH 6.6 and 6.8. Respiration was stopped at pH 5.0 and 8.6.
Maternal Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice as Predictors of Diarrhoeal Disease in Young Children

The focus on diarrhoeal disease as a world wide health problem as demonstrated by recent efforts of international agencies has raised the question of the importance of social factors such as maternal knowledge and attitudes in explaining differential prevalence. Using data from an experimental outreach health delivery programme in Cali, Colombia, this article examines 583 randomly selected women with children 0-4 years of age representing a total population of approximately 70 000. With perceived diarrhoea as the outcome question mothers were questioned on 11 attitude indicators of maternal knowledge and practice about diarrhoeal disease, four indicators of individual socioeconomic status, three indicators of crowding, three of housing quality and two of family sanitary conditions. Results indicate significant elevated prevalence (chi 2 analysis) with 11 variables including knowledge of cause of diarrhoea, where to and how to treat diarrhoea, housing quality, mother's age, education and civil status, type of water service, and where parents were born. Logistic regression performed on variables with significant and near significant prevalence findings indicated that mother's perception of malnutrition in child, age of mother, house appearance, birthplace of mother and mother's general knowledge of diarrhoea were the most important predictive variables in descending order. Authors indicate that these conclusions suggest the importance of social and attitudinal variables in explaining differential diarrhoeal disease among a homogeneous, poor urban population and as such deserve more careful study.
Annual Forcing of Baroclinic Long Waves in the Tropical North Pacific Ocean

Abstract From an analysis of the bathythermograph (BT) data files for the entire tropical North Pacific Ocean, the annual vertical displacement in the main thermocline from 10°−20°N is observed to propagate Westward as baroclinc long waves, with a phase speed and wavelength twice that of baroclinc Rossby waves, the latter emanating from the coast of Central America. For a closer investigation into the behavior of these long waves, a unique set of data is considered, consisting of BT observations taken monthly for 16 months in a rectangular grid from 11°−18°N, 148°−157°@. In this data set the vertical displacement in the main thermocline of the North Equatorial Current also displays a westward propagating annual signal; the annual signal (with an rms vertical displacement of 34 m) did-not appear in phase everywhere over the grid, but rather indicated a wave propagating through the observational BT network toward the northwest, with an average wavelength of about 2700 km and an average speed of 8 cm s−1. Th...