cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Responses of Selected Thysanoptera to Colored Surfaces

The color preferences of 3 thrips populations were determined by placing 7.5×12.7-cm painted cards coated with Stickem® on 1.3 m stakes in a rye field. Sericothrips variabilis Beach was most attracted to yellow, Anaphothrips obscurus Muller and Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) to yellow and white, and F. tritici (Fitch) to yellow and low ultraviolet remitting white surfaces. In the greenhouse, the thrips Taeniothrips simplex (Morison) was most attracted to orange. Only F. tritici , a general flower inhabitant, clearly distinguished between low and high UV remitting white surfaces. Dilutions of paints with zinc white (a low UV remitter) revealed a consistent linear relationship between the catch of F. tritici and the percentage zinc white in the mixtures within the upper and lower limits of response. In a black-zinc white dilution series, the catch of F. tritici increased at a near linear rate with the logarithm of the increase in the mean percent remission from 400 to 660 nm. Dilutions of red or black with lead white (a high UV remitter) produced no distinctive responses; however, certain dilutions of yellow with lead white caught more F. tritici than the corresponding zinc white dilutions. Responses to color glass filters placed over various white or metallic surfaces indicated a high preference of F. tritici for surfaces which remit only the near UV, the visible spectrum above 500 nm or which have a strong peak remission in the blue-violet region. It was also confirmed that elimination of the near UV remission by lead white and by aluminum foil increased their attractiveness to the level of zinc white. Lead white borders (28 cm2) greatly reduced the catch of all thrips species on 7 cm2 yellow center cards, and a white paper border greatly reduced the catch of F. tritici on all 5 colors tested.
Aerosol charging and capture in the nanoparticle size range (6-15 nm) by direct photoionization and diffusion mechanisms

Aerosol charging in the 6–15nm size range by photoionization and diffusion mechanisms was studied numerically and experimentally. By comparing the charging rate of both mechanisms, their relative importance was determined as a function of nanoparticle size and charge. A photoionization expression derived from the Fowler-Nordheim equation was used and found to be applicable not only for metal particles (silver), but also for organic particles (sucrose). Photoemission yield enhancement from small nanoparticles was validated and the size dependent photoemission constant in the Fowler-Nordheim equation was determined by comparing numerical results to experimental data. For both silver and sucrose nanoparticles, the photoemission constant increased by a factor of 2 as the particle diameter decreased from 15to6nm, consistent with theoretical results reported in the literature. The enhancement of the photoemission constant with decreasing particle size increases the relative importance of photocharging compared ...
The covalent binding of acetaminophen to protein. Evidence for cysteine residues as major sites of arylation in vitro

Covalent binding of the reactive metabolite of acetaminophen has been investigated in hepatic microsomal preparations from phenobarbital-pretreated mice. Low molecular weight thiols (cysteine and glutathione) were found to inhibit this binding, whereas several other amino acids which were tested did not. Bovine serum albumin (BSA), which contains a single free sulfhydryl group per molecule and which thus represents a macromolecular thiol compound, inhibited covalent binding of the reactive acetaminophen metabolite to microsomal protein in a concentration-dependent manner. The acetaminophen metabolite also became irreversibly bound to BSA in these experiments, although this binding was reduced by approx. 47% when the thiol function of BSA was selectively blocked prior to incubation. Covalent binding of the acetaminophen metabolite to bovine alpha s1-casein, a soluble protein which does not contain any cysteine residues, was found to occur to an extent of 37% of that which became bound to native BSA. These results were taken to indicate that protein thiol groups are major sites of covalent binding of the reactive metabolite of acetaminophen in vitro. The covalent binding characteristics of synthetic N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine (NAPQI), the putative electrophilic intermediate produced during oxidative metabolism of acetaminophen, paralleled closely those of the reactive species generated metabolically. These findings support the contention that NAPQI is indeed the reactive arylating metabolite of acetaminophen which binds irreversibly to protein.
PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVE SOFTWARE QUALITY MEASUREMENT: MAKING A SCIENCE OF RISK ASSESSMENT

Software quality assessment is a field that is coming into greater focus as the global drive for systemic quality assurance continues to gather momentum. Many forces are at play, from the pressures of consolidations, mergers, and downsizing, to the emergence of new technologies which are sparking renewed looks at re-engineering in business and government, particularly the advances in user interface capabilities endemic to the PC and distributed processing economic explosions. These developments and forces have led to our creation of a quality assessment methodology which harnesses the results of program analysis techniques to generate a timely analysis that can be productively used to focus management attention on the fundamental quality issues within their software systems. This approach has been used successfully for more than 75 system evaluations as part of source selection or project management studies.
New Intramolecular Fluorescence Probes That Monitor Photoinduced Radical and Cationic Cross-Linking

The fluorescence probes trans,trans-1,4-bis[2-(2‘,5‘-dimethoxy)phenylethenyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (1) and trans,trans-1,4-bis[2-(3‘,4‘,5‘-trimethoxy)phenylethenyl)-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (2) show solvatochromic behavior yielding slopes in the Lippert−Mataga equation of −13 300 and −13 700 cm-1, respectively. 1 sensitively probes progress in both photoinduced radical and cationic cross-linking. Both 1 and 2 show minor tendencies for trans−cis photoisomerization. Substituted stilbenes such as trans-2-(2‘,5‘-dimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzene (1r) and trans-2-(3‘,4‘,5‘-trimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzene (2r) are less solvatochromic in fluorescence but evidence enhanced tendency toward photoisomerization.
Effects of the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi on blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) behavior and predation

Abstract Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) living in high salinity regions along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States are subject to infection by the parasitic dinoflagellate Hematodinium perezi with a prevalence that can exceed 50%. Infections are usually lethal, thus H. perezi infection represents a significant cause of mortality in many crab populations. Most studies of this host-parasite interaction have focused on epidemiology, host-pathogen dynamics, and pathogen transmission; little is known about the impact of the parasite on host behavior and population dynamics. We examined the effects of H. perezi on blue crab mortality from predation, activity patterns, and habitat use. Infected crabs suffered significantly higher predation than uninfected crabs when tethered in the field. Similarly, infected juvenile crabs were preyed upon significantly more often than uninfected conspecifics when exposed to a predatory adult crab in laboratory experiments. Laboratory experiments also revealed that the behavior of infected and uninfected crabs differed in ways that affected their risk of predation. Compared to infected crabs, uninfected juvenile crabs buried more frequently, moved less, and used oyster shell substrate more often when a predator was present. These differences do not appear to be driven by olfactory cues because chemosensory assays show that H. perezi infections do not affect detection of juvenile crabs by adult crabs, nor infected juvenile crab chemosensory responses to adult crabs. Our results indicate that H. perezi infection alters crab behavior in ways that enhance predatory culling of infected crabs, and this in turn may limit the spread of the parasite.
"Occult" hepatitis B virus as source of infection in liver transplant recipients

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection almost always recurs after liver transplantation in patients who were surface antigen (HBsAg) positive before surgery but apparent de novo acquisition of infection in a transplant setting has not previously been reported. We have used sensitive techniques to elucidate the origin of such infections in patients in a California transplantation programme. We tested post-transplant serum from 207 patients who had been HBsAg negative and found 20 to be HBsAg positive. The origin of infection was identified in 7 patients, being occult pre-transplant infection in 5 and occult infection in the donor in 2. No pre-transplant patient nor donor with demonstrable HBV DNA had serological markers of hepatitis B. Post-transplant HBV DNA was present in serum from 19 patients. Analysis of the variable pre-S region of HBV demonstrated 100% sequence homology between recipient liver and post-transplant serum (2 patients) and between donor serum and recipient post-transplant serum (2). There was only 84% homology between the 2 different patients infected with subtype adw. 19 patients are alive, 9 without histological evidence of hepatitis (mean follow-up 33 months), and survival was significantly greater than that of a group with recurrent HBV infection. Apparent acquisition of HBV infection with liver transplantation is not rare, and may be due to occult pre-transplant infection or occult infection in the donor. The post-transplant outcome of this infection tends to be benign but our findings do underscore the clinical relevance of HBV infection in the absence of serological markers.
Evidence against a gateway from smokeless tobacco use to smoking.

Introduction It has been suggested that smokeless tobacco (ST) use by young people induces them to become smokers, but direct evidence is lacking. Methods Information in the 2003, 2005, and 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health was used to determine the prevalence of smoking among White men (aged 18+ years) and boys (aged 16-17 years) who had started tobacco use with ST, cigarettes, or with both products. Results Among White men, the majority (82.2%, CI = 81.3-83.1) of ever-smokers were cigarette initiators, while 10.7% (CI = 10.0-11.4) were ST initiators and 7.1% (CI = 6.6-7.7) were dual initiators. The prevalence of current smoking among cigarette initiators was 34.7% (CI = 33.7-35.7). The prevalence among dual initiators was 10% higher (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.10, CI = 1.04 - 1.16), while the prevalence among ST initiators was significantly lower (PR = 0.80, CI = 0.77 - 0.84). Among White boys, almost 92% were either cigarette or dual initiators. The prevalence of current smoking among cigarette initiators was 42.8% (CI = 40.5-45.2). In comparison, the prevalence among ST initiators was less than half (PR = 0.43, CI = 0.36-0.52). Conclusions ST use has played virtually no role in smoking initiation among White men and boys, the demographic groups among which ST use is most prevalent. There is evidence that, compared with cigarette initiators, ST initiators are significantly less likely to smoke. This suggests that ST may play a protective role.
Neurotoxicity of cholesterol oxides on cultured cerebellar granule cells

Abstract Cultured rat cerebellar granule cells were used to determine the potential neurotoxicity of cholesterol oxides. The cholesterol oxides tested included: 7-β-OH-, 7-keto-, 19-OH-, 22(R)-OH-, 22(S)-OH- and 25-OH- and 7-keto-cholesterol were the most efficacious in causing neuronal death such that 20 μg/ml (50 μM) of these agents killed more than 80% of cells in 2 days. 7-β-OH-cholesterol at this concentration killed 50% of cells in approximately 7 h. A number of pharmacological agents were tested for their abilities to prevent neuronal death induced by cholesterol oxides. Among them, auritricarboxylic acid, vitamin E and methyl-β-cyclodextrin were able to prevent cholesterol oxide-induced neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggests that, in addition to causing pathological changes in cells directly involved in atherosclerosis, cholesterol oxides may induce toxicity in neurons of the central nervous system.
Electrophysiology of the atrio-AV nodal inputs and exits in the normal dog heart: radiofrequency ablation using an epicardial approach.

Ablation of Atrionodal Connections. Introduction: We studied the effects of selective and combined ablation of the fast (FP) and slow pathway (SP) on AV and VA conduction in the normal dog heart using a novel epicardial ablation technique. Methods and Results: For FP ablation, radiofrequency current (RFC) was applied to a catheter tip that was held epicardially against the base of the right atrial wall. SP ablation was performed epicardially at the crux of the heart. Twenty-three dogs were assigned to two ablation protocols: FP/SP ablation group (n = 17) and SP/FP ablation group (n = 6). In 12 of 17 dogs, FP ablation prolonged the PR interval (97 ± 10 to 149 ± 22 msec. P < 0.005) with no significant change in anterograde Wenckebach cycle length (WBCL), Subsequent SP ablation performed in 8 dogs further prolonged tbe PR interval and the anterograde WBCL (117 ± 22 to 193 ± 27, P < O.(M)5). Complete AV block was seen in I of 8 dogs, whereas complete or high-grade VA block was seen in 6 of 8 dogs. In the SP/FP ablation group, SP ablation significantly increased WBCL with no PR changes. Combined SP/FP ablation in A dogs prolonged the PR interval significantly, but no instance of complete AV block was seen. VA block was found in 50% of these cases. Histologic studies revealed that RFC ablation affected the anterior and posterior atrium adjacent to the undamaged AV node and His bundle. Conclusion: Using an epicardial approach, combined ablation of tbe FP and SP AV nodal inputs can be achieved with an unexpectedly low incidence of complete A V block, although retrograde VA conduction was significantly compromised.
Nitrogen deposition decreases acid buffering capacity of alpine soils in the southern Rocky Mountains

Abstract Deposition of anthropogenic N can potentially alter biogeochemistry of ecosystems, acidifying soils and surface waters, lowering availability of some nutrient cations, and increasing concentrations of toxic metals. Remote regions in western North America are exhibiting symptoms of ecological change due to N deposition. We used an existing N addition experiment to empirically estimate the thresholds for the loss of acid buffering capacity and nutrient base cations, decreases in pH, as well as increases in toxic metals in response to N deposition in alpine soils of Niwot Ridge in the southern Rocky Mountains. Soil acid buffering capacity was evaluated using laboratory acid titration, and concentrations of extractable cations and soil pH were evaluated in field-collected soils from plots at ambient deposition (8 kg N ha − 1 yr − 1 ), and plots with N added at 20, 40, and 60 kg per hectare per year above the ambient level. Soil acid buffering capacity decreased with increasing N inputs (40% decrease at highest input), and was associated with a decrease in pH, loss of extractable magnesium and increases in aluminum and manganese. The threshold at which acidification occurred was around 28 kg N ha − 1 yr − 1 . Significant variation in soil acid buffering capacity, base cation concentrations, and pH was noted among experimental blocks, independent of treatment effects, possibly reflecting variation in the amount of winter snow cover and its influence on inputs of anthropogenic N, and differences in local dust deposition. The results of this study indicate granitic-derived alpine soils of the southern Rocky Mountains are susceptible to acidification at relatively modest levels of N deposition.
Lightning-strike Injury

Although lightning-strike injury is uncommon, it is the cause of death in more people in the United States annu ally than any other natural disaster. Consequently, the emergency medicine specialist...
1678 PRESSURE PLUS TIME: REQUISITES FOR INFLATION OF IMMATURE LUNGS

Functional anatomy of 0.87 gestation (immature) rabbit fetal lungs was studied by direct stereomicroscopic observation as the first air volume-pressure (VP) diagrams were recorded. Lungs were airless, but contained normal volume of fetal pulmonary fluid (FPF) prior to air-inflation. Volume was recorded 0, 15 and 120 sec after stepwise changes of 5 cm H2O pressure. Inflation pressures up to 25 cm H2O (P25) produced large, time-dependent, volume changes in which the conducting airways were distended and FPF moved to the periphery of the parent airway before lateral branches were inflated. Characteristically, there was no saccular aeration below P25. At pressures greater than P25, but below Pmax, subpleural saccules were the first to aerate; repeated inflation-deflation cycles in this pressure range produced preferential aeration of the same saccules, which thereby became vulnerable to rupture. As pressure was raised from ~P25to Pmax(i.e., P35-P40), saccules were recruited by both time- and pressure-dependent processes and recruitment continued, but at a slower rate, during early deflation. Time-dependent changes predominated at high pressures and were related to FPF flow through terminal ducts, formation of transient labile bubbles, and progressive enlargement of saccules. During deflation from P25, derecruitment of saccules was largely time-dependent and air-trapping by FPF locks in the airways accounted for most of the residual air at PO. We conclude that time can be as significant a factor as pressure in the initial inflations of immature lungs.
Positron-annihilation study of voids in a-Si and a-Si:H.

Angular correlation of positron-electron annihilation radiation (ACAR) experiments and positron-lifetime measurements have been performed in a-Si and a-Si:H films as a function of temperature. Positronium formation in microvoids is observed in a-Si:H, but not in a-Si. From the width of the narrow positronium ACAR components we estimate the average diameter of the microvoids to be \ensuremath{\sim}20 A\r{}. A complex temperature dependence of the positron and positronium lifetimes is obtained and is discussed in terms of temperature-dependent positron trapping in various sites and in terms of hydrogen detrapping from dangling bonds.
Oriented transformation of grunerite to clinoferrosilite at 775° C and 500 bars Argon pressure

A member of the grunerite series (Fe6.685Mn0.142Ca0.110Mg0.096) (Si7.968Al0.016)O22(OH)2, has been transformed to clinoferrosilite, amorphous silica and water at 775° C and 500 bars Argon pressure. Single crystal photographs of an oriented intergrowth of the amphibole and pyroxene show that the clinoferrosilite retains the cristallographic a, b and c axes of the original grunerite in the I2/m orientation and has the cell dimensions: a=9.77, b=9.08, c=5.30 A, β=109.5°; space group P21/c. Mossbauer resonance spectroscopy confirmed the identity of the olinoferrosilite. A transformation mechanism requires a minimum of ionic movements in an acceptor region (7/8 of the total crystal), where pyroxene is formed by expulsion of protons and acceptance of Fe2+ ions; simultaneous destruction of donor regions provide the Fe2+ ions, the residue being silica and water. The formation of metastable clinoferrosilite rather than fayalite and quartz indicates the strong structural control imposed by the host grunerite structure on the nature of the transformation products.
Enteric absorption of ciprofloxacin during tube feeding in the critically ill.

To determine the pharmacokinetic properties of ciprofloxacin in the critically ill, we studied seven mechanically ventilated patients with pneumonia during enteral feedings. Subjects received ciprofloxacin 750 mg every 12 h via nasogastric tube and serial serum drug concentrations were measured after the first and fourth dose. After the initial dose, the maximum serum concentration ranged from 1.24-3.06 mg/L, and the area under the time curve from 0-12 h ranged from 3.2-19.65 mg.h/L. Similar levels were noted after dose four. Gastrointestinal absorption of ciprofloxacin in tube fed critically ill patients was decreased, but well above MIC values for many pathogenic bacteria.
Gayle Rogers. Modernism and the New Spain. Oxford/New York: Oxford UP, 2012. xvi + 283 pp.

Review of Gayle Rogers. Modernism and the New Spain. Oxford/New York: Oxford UP, 2012. xvi + 283 pp.
Convergent Replication of Mouse Synthetic Prion Strains

Prion diseases are neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the aberrant folding of endogenous proteins into self-propagating pathogenic conformers. Prion disease can be initiated in animal models by inoculation with amyloid fibrils formed from bacterially derived recombinant prion protein. The synthetic prions that accumulated in infected organisms are structurally distinct from the amyloid preparations used to initiate their formation and change conformationally on repeated passage. To investigate the nature of synthetic prion transformation, we infected mice with a conformationally diverse set of amyloids and serially passaged the resulting prion strains. At each passage, we monitored changes in the biochemical and biological properties of the adapting strain. The physicochemical properties of each synthetic prion strain gradually changed on serial propagation until attaining a common adapted state with shared physicochemical characteristics. These results indicate that synthetic prions can assume multiple intermediate conformations before converging into one conformation optimized for in vivo propagation.
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor enhances bone tumor growth in mice in an osteoclast-dependent manner

Inhibition of osteoclast (OC) activity has been associated with decreased tumor growth in bone in animal models. Increased recognition of factors that promote osteoclastic bone resorption in cancer patients led us to investigate whether increased OC activation could enhance tumor growth in bone. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is used to treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, but is also associated with increased markers of OC activity and decreased bone mineral density (BMD). We used G-CSF as a tool to investigate the impact of increased OC activity on tumor growth in 2 murine osteolytic tumor models. An 8-day course of G-CSF alone (without chemotherapy) significantly decreased BMD and increased OC perimeter along bone in mice. Mice administered G-CSF alone demonstrated significantly increased tumor growth in bone as quantitated by in vivo bioluminescence imaging and histologic bone marrow tumor analysis. Short-term administration of AMD3100, a CXCR4 inhibitor that mobilizes neutrophils with little effect on bone resorption, did not lead to increased tumor burden. However, OC-defective osteoprotegerin transgenic (OPGTg) mice and bisphosphonate-treated mice were resistant to the effects of G-CSF administration upon bone tumor growth. These data demonstrate a G-CSF–induced stimulation of tumor growth in bone that is OC dependent.
The Effects of Various Surface Forces on Low-Density Particle Motion

A new equation of motion is applied to bubbles and sand particles injected near the wall in a direct numerical simulation of a turbulent boundary layer of water. The surface-forces are considered systematically to assess their effect on particle motion, concentration, diffusion rates, and Lagrangian statistics. The results show that strong lift forces can be obtained when the particle’s terminal velocity is aligned with the freestream direction but only small effects are obtained if the terminal velocity is directed away from the wall. While finite Reynolds number effects are found to be small for the quasi-steady drag force, the choice of history force model is quite sensitive—an effect attributed to the long “memory” of the creeping flow expression. In general, the Lagrangian statistics were found to be the most sensitive output, sometimes varying largely between choice of surface-forces.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Career Paths of Department Chairs: A National Perspective.

Department chairs in 101 Carnegie Council Research I and II and Doctorate-Granting I and II institutions were surveyed to describe their career movements prior to becoming chair, and the length of tenure as chair and the movement from the chair position that their two predecessors in the position of chair had made. Additional variables addressed were discipline, department size, chair's age and gender, the nature of departmental hiring practices, and whether chairs had previous administrative experience. The Biglan model of discipline classification was used to differentiate among disciplines. Sixty-five percent of chairs return to faculty status after their tenure as chair. However, gender, departmental hiring practices, and discipline all have significant effects on the likelihood that a chair will return to faculty status or go on to further administrative service.
Area-to-point Kriging with inequality-type data

In practical applications of area-to-point spatial interpolation, inequality constraints, such as non-negativity or more general constraints on the maximum and/or minimum attribute value, should be taken into account. The geostatistical framework proposed in this paper deals with the spatial interpolation problem of downscaling areal data under such constraints, while: (1) explicitly accounting for support differences between sample data and unknown values, (2) guaranteeing coherent (mass-preserving) predictions, and (3) providing a measure of reliability (uncertainty) for the resulting predictions. The formal equivalence between Kriging and spline interpolation allows solving constrained area-to-point interpolation problems via quadratic programming (QP) algorithms, after accounting for the support differences between various constraints involved in the problem formulation. In addition, if inequality constraints are enforced on the entire set of points discretizing the study domain, the numerical algorithms for QP problems are applied only to selected locations where the corresponding predictions violate such constraints. The application of the proposed method of area-to-point spatial interpolation with inequality constraints in one and two dimension is demonstrated using realistically simulated data.
Echocardiographic automatic boundary detection to measure left atrial function after the maze procedure

Automatic boundary detection (ABD) is a new echocardiographic modality providing continuous on-line measurements of cavitary area throughout the cardiac cycle. The maze procedure is a new surgical intervention designed to restore sinus rhythm and mechanical atrial contraction as a definitive treatment for patients with atrial fibrillations for whom medical therapy has failed. To evaluate whether ABD may define left atrial function in patients after the maze procedure, we obtained pulsed Doppler recordings of mitral inflow velocity and echocardiographic ABD in 25 patients, 6 +/- 2 months after the maze procedure. We measured the left atrial end-systolic cavitary area, mid-diastolic area before atrial contraction, and end-diastolic area (in square centimeters). Left atrial contraction by Doppler was compared with that derived by ABD in patients who underwent the maze procedure and control subjects (n = 13), both qualitatively and quantitatively (atrial filling fraction vs active atrial contraction [ABD] where atrial contraction (in percent) = (mid-diastolic area - end-diastolic area) x 100/(end-systolic area - end-diastolic area in percent]). Restoration of atrial contraction after the maze procedure was detected by Doppler in 19 patients (76%) and by ABD in 21 patients (84%). The atrial filling fraction was 19 +/- 4% in patients compared with values of 34% +/- 8% in control subjects (p < 0.001). By ABD atrial contraction was 20% +/- 6% in patients whereas control subjects exhibited values of 41% +/- 14% p < 0.001). The Doppler-derived atrial filling fraction and ABD-derived atrial contraction were closely correlated (r = 0.91; p < 0.001; y = 0.59x + 8.6). Thus Doppler techniques complemented by ABD provide direct quantitative indexes of left atrial function throughout the cardiac cycle. Although left atrial contraction and filling are reduced after the maze procedure, left atrial function is restored in most patients with a history of atrial fibrillation, and echocardiographic ABD is a sensitive technique for its detection.
Layer of Protection Analysis

Abstract A process hazard analysis (PHA), such as a Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP), is a useful tool in identifying potential hazard scenarios; however, a PHA can only give a qualitative indication of whether sufficient safeguards exist to mitigate the hazards. Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) is a risk management technique commonly used in the chemical process industry that can provide a more detailed, semi-quantitative assessment of the risks and layers of protection associated with hazard scenarios. LOPA allows the safety review team an opportunity to discover weaknesses and strengths in the safety systems used to protect employees, the plant, and the public. LOPA is a means to identify the scenarios that present the most significant risk and determine if the consequences could be reduced by the application of inherently safer design principles. LOPA can also be used to identify the need for safety instrumented systems (SIS) or other protection layers to improve process safety. This paper provides a brief overview of the technique and is intended for a novice interested in the basic principles involved.
99mTc MIBI SPECT Findings in Parathyromatosis—A Rare Entity Causing Recurrent Hyperparathyroidism

Parathyromatosis is a rare clinical condition resulting in recurrent hyperparathyroidism that often poses challenges in its diagnosis and complete surgical cure. We report the (99m)Tc MIBI SPECT findings in a patient with recurrent hyperparathyroidism requiring multiple parathyroid explorations. MIBI SPECT helped localize the areas of these "recurrent parathyroid lesions" that were often found outside of the expected locations within the neck.
Laser Excitation Spectra and Franck–Condon Factors for Bi2X1Σ+g→A(0+u)

Laser excitation spectra of the lowest vibrational levels, v" = 2-5 and v' = 0-4, for the Bi2 X1Sigma+g --> A(0(+)u) system have been recorded for a wide range of rotational levels, 0 < J < 211, at Doppler-limited resolution of 0.013 cm-1. New rotational term values and spectroscopic constants are reported, improving the accuracy of predicted line positions for high rotational levels by as much as 0.8 cm-1. In addition, Franck-Condon factors are computed and compared with experimental observations from CW laser-induced fluorescence spectra.
Effects of soya bean flakes and liquorice root extract on enzyme induction and toxicity in B6C3F1 mice

Both soya bean flakes (SBF) and liquorice root extract (LRE) have previously been reported to have anticarcinogenic properties, which have been thought to be related to an increased activity of specific enzymes responsible for the detoxification of chemical carcinogens. 30- and 90-day studies were conducted in male B6C3F1 mice to determine which, if any, of several detoxification enzymes are induced by SBF or LRE. Mice fed 8 and 25% LRE showed a variety of adverse clinical signs, poor weight gain and 30% mortality. Significant increases in liver:body weight ratios were observed in both the SBF and LRE groups. No significant treatment-related gross autopsy findings were observed in any of the SBF groups. A number of abnormalities were observed in the LRE groups, including lesions of the kidney, liver, spleen and thymus. Liver samples from the 90-day study were analysed for 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase (7-ECOD), benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase (BPH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and UDP-glucuronyl transferase (UDPGT) at 90 days, and at an interim 30-day autopsy. No treatment-related increases were observed for BPH or SOD. Both SBF and LRE induced modest increases in UDPGT activity. SBF induced modest increases in GST activity, but LRE decreased this activity. 7-ECOD activity was significantly increased by LRE and decreased by SBF. Samples from a 30-day study in which both LRE and SBF were administered at various dose levels were examined for UDPGT activity; all dose groups showed decreases in UDPGT activity relative to controls. The results suggest that both SBF and LRE may alter the activities of specific enzymes involved in the detoxification of chemical carcinogens; however, the combination of these two foodstuffs may not produce an additive effect in B6C3F1 mice.
Variations in Terrigenous Input into the Deep Equatorial Atlantic During the Past 24,000 Years

Estimates of terrigenous fluxes at three different water depths at two sites in the equatorial Atlantic by normalization against excess (230)Th flux indicate that the flux of terrigenous material to the seafloor was significantly higher during the last glacial period than it is today. Fluxes started to decrease during deglaciation and reached minimal values in the middle of the Holocene. From 15,000 to 5,000 years ago, there was a substantial increase in flux with increasing water depth below 2,800 meters; this increase may reflect resuspension and lateral transport of slope and rise sediment, possibly because of intensification of deepwater circulation during that period.
Long‐Term Change and Stability in House Voting Decisions: The Case of the Minimum Wage

Although members of Congress exhibit considerable stability in their voting decisions on similar, recurring issues, members' long-term voting histories reveal evidence of systematic instability as well. I argue that members reverse positions in predictable ways when the vote history loses value as a decision cue, and I present empirical evidence for this behavior in the context of the highly salient and regularly repeated House decisions on increasing the federal minimum wage. The empirical findings suggest that reversals of member positions are related to institutional, electoral, and constituency factors. I conclude by discussing the importance of these findings to understanding congressional decision making and representation.
The detection of bursts in UHE and VHE gamma ray data

Abstract We describe the application of the CUSUM technique to detect bursts in UHE and VHE gamma ray data. Probability distributions have been determined both by means of Monte Carlo methods and through an analytical computation based on a Markov chain approach to the problem of sporadic emission. The CUSUM method retains time information and is the preferred method to test for sporadic emission in ground-based gamma ray astronomy. We have applied the CUSUM algorithm to the data set recorded by the South Pole Air Shower Experiment, SPASE. No conclusive evidence for sporadic emission was obtained for the period 1988–1991.
Biomechanical analysis of knee flexion and extension

Abstract For the knee, mathematical analyses for the sagittal plane were performed on data obtained from roentgenograms and a load cell incorporated in a specially constructed force table. Normal knees from 26 subjects were examined. Some of the results were: (1) the axis of rotation for the knee displaced 3·2 cm through a 90° range and is located at the level of the lateral femoral epicondyle, (2) the moment arm is greater for knee extensors than the flexors, (3) the maximum average torque values of nearly 1200 kg-cm result from eccentric (lengthening) and isometric (static) muscle contractions while the isometric (static) flexor contraction near complete extension produced a maximum average torque of 636 kg-cm. and (4) during muscular efforts against external load the contact forces at the patello-femoral and tibialfemoral joints varied from 0·38 to 3·40 times body weight.
Doing Comparable Worth: Gender, Class and Pay Equity

Joan Acker. 1989 Doing Comparable Worth: Gender, Class and Pay Equity. Temple University Press.
Inhibition of ACH release by prostaglandin E1 in the rabbit superior cervical ganglion.

Abstract Superfusion of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in low concentrations (0.01–0.5 μM) to the neurons of isolated rabbit superior cervical ganglia reversibly depressed the amplitude of the fast excitatory postsynaptic potential (f-epsp) evoked by preganglionic nerve stimulation without changing the resting membrane potential or the membrane resistance. In concentrations higher than 1 μM, PGE1 elicited a slow membrane depolarization accompanied by a reduction in membrane resistance. PGE1 in concentrations that did not alter the membrane potential reduced significantly the f-epsp without affecting the acetylcholine (ACh) potential induced by iontophoretic application of ACh to the ganglion cells. The results suggest that the primary action of PGE1 in the sympathetic ganglia is to depress synaptic transmission by reducing the amount of ACh liberated from preganglionic fibers.
Effect of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 3 Genotype on N -Acetylaspartate Measures in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Objective: This study was carried out to confirm prior evidence of an effect of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the metabotropic glutamate receptor 3 (GRM3) gene (a putative risk factor for schizophrenia) on measures of N -acetylaspartate in healthy comparison subjects. Method: Fifty-four carefully screened healthy volunteers genotyped at SNP rs6465084 underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) at 3 T and selected neuropsychological testing. Results: The A/A genotype group exhibited a significant reduction of N -acetylaspartate/creatine levels in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to the G carriers. A tendency in the same direction was seen in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and in the white matter adjacent to the prefrontal cortex. Conclusions: These findings provide further evidence that GRM3 affects prefrontal function and that variation in GRM3, monitored by SNP rs6465084, affects GRM3 function.
Formulas for stopped diffusion processes with stopping times based on drawdowns and drawups

This paper studies drawdown and drawup processes in a general diffusion model. The main result is a formula for the joint distribution of the running minimum and the running maximum of the process stopped at the time of the first drop of size a. As a consequence, we obtain the probabilities that a drawdown of size a precedes a drawup of size b and vice versa. The results are applied to several examples of diffusion processes, such as drifted Brownian motion, Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck process, and Cox‐Ingersoll‐Ross process. c 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. MSC: primary 91B28; secondary 60G44
Most probable number methodology for quantifying dilute concentrations and fluxes of Salmonella in surface waters

Aims: To better understand and manage the fate and transport of Salmonella in agricultural watersheds, we developed a culture-based, five tube‐four dilution most probable number (MPN) method for enumerating dilute densities of Salmonella in environmental waters. Methods and Results: The MPN method was a combination of a filtration technique for large sample volumes of environmental water, standard selective media for Salmonella and a TaqMan confirmation step. This method has determined the density of Salmonella in 20-l samples of pond inflow and outflow streams as low as 0AE1 MPN l )1 and a low 95% confidence level 0AE015 MPN l )1 . Salmonella densities ranged from not detectable to 0AE55 MPN l )1 for pond inflow samples and from not detectable to 3AE4 MPN l )1 for pond outflow samples. Salmonella densities of pond inflow samples were associated with densities of Escherichia coli and faecal enterococci that indicated stream contamination with faeces and with nondetectable pond outflow densities of the faecal indicator bacteria. The MPN methodology was extended to flux determinations by integrating with volumetric measurements of pond inflow (mean flux of 2AE 5ls )1 ) and outflow (mean flux of 5AE 6ls )1 ). Fluxes of Salmonella ranged from 100 to greater than 10 4 MPN h )1 . Conclusions: This is a culture-based method that can detect small numbers of Salmonella in environmental waters of watersheds containing animal husbandry and wildlife. Significance and Impact of the Study: Applying this method to environmental waters will improve our understanding of the transport and fate of Salmonella in agricultural watersheds, and can be the basis of valuable collections of environmental Salmonella.
Ischaemic outcomes assessment survey: A pilot study in patients with peripheral arterial disease

Background P atients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are at increased risk for stroke, myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiovascular death. Prior studies have focused on the prevalence of PAD, but the rate of ischaemic outcomes among a diverse group of patients with PAD has received less attention. In addition, the assessment of ischaemic outcomes with the use of a survey in place of casenote review, to our knowledge, has not been defined. The purpose of this pilot study was to develop an ischaemic outcomes survey that could be used in place of the labour-intensive casenote review, for data collection as part of a large epidemiological study. Methods A data abstraction form was used as a guide in blinded casenote reviews to compare the patient’s reported medical history to casenote documented ischaemic events. The proportion agreement and Cohen’s kappa were used to measure the agreement and the statistical significance of this agreement between the questionnaire and casenote review items. Fifty-one patients with a history of PAD were consented and interviewed using a 23-item questionnaire that focused on the ischaemic events of unstable angina, MI, cerebral vascular accident, transient ischaemic attacks, lower extremity revascularisation, or lower extremity amputation.
The Impact of Vaccination on Influenza-Related Respiratory Failure and Mortality in Hospitalized Elderly Patients Over the 2013-2014 Season

Background: Seasonal Influenza ("the flu") is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Yearly influenza vaccination is considered to be protective against illness and/or severity of illness and is recommended by CDC for all individuals > 6 months of age. However, the effectiveness of influenza vaccine in older individuals has come under question. Objectives: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients admitted to an academic tertiary care Veterans Administration hospital with influenza during the 2013-2014 influenza season and determine the impact, if any, of prior influenza vaccination upon patient outcomes. Methods: Medical electronic records were searched for all patients admitted to the Little Rock Veterans Administration Hospital with proven influenza during the 2013-2014 influenza season. Cohorts of vaccinated and non-vaccinated patients were then compared to determine the impact of prior influenza vaccination upon respiratory-failure and mortality. Results: Seventy patients met selection criteria. Mean age was 66 years. Sixty-four (91%) patients had at least one underlying co-morbid condition; these conditions included COPD, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and cancer. 60/70 (85%) tested positive for Influenza A, and 43 tested positive for H1N1. Oseltamivir was initiated in 55 (78%) patients. Forty-four percent of the patients had been vaccinated. When separated by vaccination status, those who had been vaccinated had higher rates of ICU admission, need for mechanical or non-invasive ventilation, and mortality. All but mortality reached statistical significance. Conclusion: The data suggest that there was no protective effect from prior vaccination in preventing hospital admission, respiratory failure, and mortality in this population of older men admitted to the hospital with influenza.
p16INK4a Status and Response to Induction Low-Dose Fractionated Radiation in Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Objective:To evaluate the impact of p16INK4a (p16) expression on clinical efficacy of induction low-dose fractionated radiation therapy (LDFRT) with concurrent chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN).Study Design:Historical cohort study.Setting:Tertiary medical center.Methods:A total of 66 Patients with locally advanced SCCHN were enrolled in 2 clinical trials using paclitaxel, carboplatin, and concurrent LDFRT induction therapy. Patients were evaluated for response to induction by a multidisciplinary team and then were given definitive treatment. Adequate tissue samples from the pretreatment biopsies of 42 individuals were identified and analyzed for p16 expression. Expression was correlated with clinical outcomes.Results:Of 42 tumors, 15 (35.7%) were positive for p16. Patients with p16-positive tumors had improved response to induction, but this was not statistically significant (P = .06). Five-year overall survival was 80% in p16-positive pati...
Comparison of different signal processing methods for reducing artifacts from photoplethysmograph signal

Measurement of photoplethysmograph signal plays an important role in medical applications. PPG is measured by an equipment named pulse oximeter which gives the oxygen saturation of arterial blood. The PPG signal measured by the pulse oximeter sensor is likely to be corrupted by motion artifacts created by hand movement or any other type of movement in the body. Movement artifacts become a major obstacle when measuring the oxygen saturation (SpO2) level. In recent years, many methods have been developed to reduce motion artifacts from PPG signal. This paper gives a comparison of five different signal processing methods implemented towards motion artifact reduction which include Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC), Wavelet Transform (WT), Independent Component Analysis (ICA), Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) and Cycle by Cycle Fourier Series Analysis (FSA). The results obtained after implementing the five methods revealed that SVD and FSA methods have given better results in terms of artifact reduction and also signal restoration. Performances of the five methods have been evaluated in terms of heart rate (HR) estimation error, mean ±standard deviation of peak to peak values of the enhanced PPG signal obtained after implementing all the five different methods.
Impacts of water development on aquatic macroinvertebrates, amphibians, and plants in wetlands of a semi-arid landscape

We compared the macroinvertebrate and amphibian communities of 12 excavated and 12 natural wetlands in western North Dakota, USA, to assess the effects of artificially lengthened hydroperiods on the biotic communities ofwetlands in this semi-arid region. Excavatedwetlandswere much deeper and captured greater volumes ofwater than natural wetlands. Most excavated wetlands maintained water throughout the study period (May to October 1999), whereas most of the natural wetlands were dry by June. Excavated wetlands were largely unvegetated or contained submergent and deep-marsh plant species. The natural wetlands had two well-defined vegetative zones populated by plant species typical of wet meadows and shallow marshes. Excavated wetlands had a richer aquatic macroinvertebrate community that included several predatory taxa not found in natural wetlands. Taxa adapted to the short hydroperiods of seasonal wetlands were largely absent from excavated wetlands. The amphibian community of natural and excavated wetlan...