cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporating Marginal Citizens and Voters The Conditional Electoral Effects of Targeted Social Assistance in Latin America

In this article, we study how social assistance shapes election results across Latin America. Case studies in several countries have found electoral effects, yet it remains unclear whether and how effects vary cross-nationally, and whether electoral effects are due to mobilization or persuasion. We theorize that programs mobilize non-voters and convert the opposition simultaneously, but that the effects vary based on country-level political and programmatic differences. Using 2012 AmericasBarometer data, we develop a unified cross-national model that confirms that public assistance makes recipients more likely to turn out and, once at the polls, to vote for the incumbent. Compulsory voting laws and program politicization magnify the electoral effects of social assistance, but effects do not vary by presidential ideology or program conditionalities. These findings are consistent with the perspective that Latin American voters are boundedly rational, retrospective agents whose behavioral choices depend on t...
Modification of the amino-acid efflux during the osmotic adjustment of isolated axons ofCallinectes sapidus

Au cours du choc hypoosmotique, le volume d'un axone isole d'une patte de crabe euryhalinCallinectes sapidus est rapidement regularise. En meme temps, on observe une augmentation du flux sortant de l'alanine marquee. Cette augmentation parait etre due a une modification de la membrane axonale, produite par la variation de la pression osmotique dans le milieu d'incubation.
A biosensor system for chlorophenols using chloroperoxidase and a glucose oxidase based amperometric electrode

A combined electrocatalytic approach using chloroperoxidase and a glucose oxidase electrode has been developed for the measurement of chlorophenol (CP) congeners. Chloroperoxidase possessed a capability to generate a significant or detectable amount of electroactive species from the oxidation of 4-CP, 2,3-dichlorophenol (DCP), 2,4-DCP, 2,5-DCP, 3,4-DCP, 3,5-DCP, 2,3,4-trichlorophenol (TCP), 2,3,5-TCP, 2,3,6-TCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, and 2,3,4,6-tetraCP. The optimal oxidation conditions were established as 33 μM chlorophenol, 33 U/mL chloroperoxidase and 1.33 mM hydrogen peroxide for 15 min at ambient temperature. The chlorophenol oxidation products have also been characterized using UV-vis spectrophotometry and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Together with glucose oxidase immobilized on a working glassy carbon electrode (+0.45 V vs. Ag/AgCl), chlorinated oxidation products have been demonstrated as efficient mediators in a glucose oxidase/glucose system. However, the oxidation products from the enzymatic reaction with 2-CP, 3-CP, 2,6-DCP, 3,4,5-TCP, 2,3,5,6-tetraCP and pentachlorophenol were not electroactive or capable of recycling reduced glucose oxidase to its reactive state.
Endocranial hyperostosis in Sangiran 2, Gibraltar 1, and Shanidar 5

Sangiran hominid 2 (S-2), Gibraltar hominid 1 (G-1), and Shanidar hominid 5 (SH-5) exhibit previously undescribed bilateral, paramedian hyperostosis of the endocranial frontal squama that spares the frontal crest, sagittal sinus, and ectocranial surface. The hyperostosis is localized to the frontal (usually the middle third) and parietal and is consistent with a diagnosis of hyperostosis calvariae interna (HCI), inclusive of hyperostosis frontalis interna. The hyperostosis in these specimens is compared to fossil hominids from Indonesia and Europe and to modern human cases of HCI. The three cases of HCI reported here document the existence and frequency of HCI in fossil hominids and push the antiquity of the disease back to nearly 1.5 millin years. The relatively great incidence of HCI in fossil hominids adds another confounding factor to the problematical issue of the taxonomic significance of cranial vault thickness. Am J Phys Anthropol 102:111–122. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Regional secular strain fields in southern Nevada

Abstract Data from a network of six strainmeters in southern Nevada were analyzed to determine how much of the observed strain at each station was common to the entire region. Using a least-square technique, a regional strain field was detected in data covering a two-month time interval. Several changes in the field occurred, one of which, beginning on January 18, 1971, appeared to be a major change in the rate of strain accumulation. The regional field grows and decays, with maximum variation of 10 over the two months studied. The principal axes show northwest extension, and their directions remain fixed as the magnitude of the field varies.
A pixel unit-cell targeting 16ns resolution and radiation hardness in a column read-out particle vertex detector☆

Abstract A pixel unit cell (PUC) circuit architecture , optimized for a column read out architecture, is reported. Each PUC contains an integrator, active filter, comparator, and optional analog store. The time-over-threshold (TOT) discriminator allows an all-digital interface to the array periphery readout while passing an analog measure of collected charge. Use of (existing) radiation hard processes, to build a detector bump-bonded to a pixel readout array, is targeted. Here emphasis is on a qualitative explanation of how the unique circuit implementation benefits operation for Super Collider (SSC) detector application.
Do Partners Agree about the Occurrence of Intimate Partner Violence?: A Review of the Current Literature

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health concern, and thus it is necessary to obtain accurate estimates of IPV. National surveys use two main methods of data collection: the proxy method and/or a method that obtains information from both members of the couple. There is controversy as to whether couples agree about the occurrence of IPV. Determining the extent to which partners agree about this is essential for gaining accurate prevalence rates. This article reviews literature on agreement within this field. The authors surveyed the major studies that have reported couple-level data. Agreement between the couples has been assessed in all of the reviewed research, with varying results. The majority of studies under consideration suggest that there is disagreement between partners about IPV. The authors propose that agreement levels should be high (indicated by several indexes) if the proxy method is to be used to assess prevalence rates.
PATHOGENESIS OF PNEUMOCOCCUS INFECTIONS IN MICE

Unprepared mice given intranasal inoculations of certain strains of pneumococci develop pneumonia. The proportion of inoculated mice which will show the pneumonia at autopsy is dependent upon the strain and type of organism and the breed of mice used. It has been shown that, with the technique employed, the pneumococci reach the lower respiratory tract and alveoli almost immediately; moreover, that an invasion of the blood stream occurs very rapidly and can be demonstrated in a third of mice during the first 10 minutes. There is some evidence that invasion of the tissues and the blood stream may occur both through the upper respiratory tract, probably the nasal mucosa, and through the alveolar walls. It is uncertain which route of invasion, if either, is of the most importance. It has been possible to produce pneumonia by direct intravenous inoculation of pneumococci. It may be that the pneumonia is favored by a reaction at the point of invasion through the alveolar walls in the intranasally inoculated mice, but the results of the intravenous inoculation make it clear that such a local lesion is unnecessary for the production of pneumonia in mice.
Separation and identification of 14C-labeled glucogenic compounds by paper chromatography.

Abstract Two different two-dimensional decending paper chromatographic systems are presented which permit the simultaneous separation of the following: alanine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, glutamic, glucose, fructose, pyruvic, lactic, malic, fumaric, succinic, α-ketoglutaric, 3-phosphoglyceric, hexose phosphate, and phosphoenolpyruvic. Fructose diphosphate and 2-phosphoglyceric migrate together but can be well separated from the others. Carbon-14 labeled standards were used and localization accomplished by radioautography. The chromatography described can be applied usefully to deproteinated subcellular or tissue extracts from experiments in which isotopically labeled precursors were metabolized by the pathways of glycolysis, respiration, gluconeogenesis, or the biosynthesis and degradation of some amino acids. This is so chiefly because the discrete isolations obtained with permit the accurate determination of specific activities.
SU‐E‐T‐294: A Method for Dosimetric Verification of Exit Dose Using Deconvolution of Integrated Cone Beam CT Images to Obtain Incident Fluence for Dose Reconstruction

Purpose: To create a method of determining in vivo patient dosimetry from exit EPIDimages by iterative determination of scatter and primary components of exit patient fluence. Methods: Exit fluence was simulated using a monoenergetic photon beam on an existent machine model in the BEAMnrc monte carlo computation engine. The exit fluence was used as input to a program designed to accept a CT dataset (e.g. from treatment cone beam CT) and exit fluence (e.g. output of an EPID after deconvolving the detector function) and return the fluence at entrance to the phantom. The program uses a superposition convolution algorithm to predict, and iteratively remove, the patient scatter component of the fluence at the detector. The result is then back‐projected through the phantom to generate an input phantom fluence. After suitable variance reduction in subsequent runs, the computed input fluence is accepted as the true fluence and used to compute dose to the phantom. Results: Initial results indicate that the algorithm described is capable of determining the dose to the patient by using exit simulated fluence. Conclusions: It has been demonstrated by others that EPIDimages may be deconvolved from the detector function to create a map of machine fluence at the plane of the detector. It has also been demonstrated by other researchers that a superposition‐convolution algorithm, when used with computed fluence, may be used to compute accurate dosimetry in a patient phantom (e.g. the CCC algorithm). This work demonstrates that combining these two algorithms and an iterative deconvolution approach can provide a method of determining in vivo dosimetry using only an EPID and a treatment time cone beam CT.
The role of molecular analyses in the era of personalized therapy for advanced NSCLC

Platinum-based doublet chemotherapy is the traditional treatment of choice for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the efficacy of these regimens has reached a plateau. Increasing evidence demonstrates that patients with sensitizing mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) experience improved progression-free survival and response rates with first-line gefitinib or erlotinib therapy relative to traditional platinum-based chemotherapy, while patients with EGFR-mutation negative tumors gain greater benefit from platinum-based chemotherapy. These results highlight the importance of molecular testing prior to the initiation of first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC. Routine molecular testing of tumor samples represents an important paradigm shift in NSCLC therapy and would allow for individualized therapy in specific subsets of patients. As these and other advances in personalized treatment are integrated into everyday clinical practice, pulmonologists will play a vital role in ensuring that tumor samples of adequate quality and quantity are collected in order to perform appropriate molecular analyses to guide treatment decisions. This article provides an overview of clinical trial data supporting molecular analysis of NSCLC, describes specimen acquisition and testing methods currently in use, and discusses future directions of personalized therapy for patients with NSCLC.
Ethical Consistency in Managerial Decisions

Managers often encounter situations that require them to make decisions with ethical implications that affect the organization as well as the managers themselves. The issue we address in this study concerns whether the ethical consistency of managerial decisions is situation dependent. That is, are the decisions managers make ethically consistent when they are faced with different ethical situations? We hypothesize that managerial decisions will vary depending on the type of ethical situation they encounter. We also hypothesize that gender plays a role in determining the ethical consistency of managerial decisions. Results of statistical analyses support our hypotheses.
Effects of aerobic and strength conditioning on pregnancy outcomes.

This study evaluated the effects of a physical conditioning program on pregnancy outcomes and the subjective pregnancy experience. Pregnancy outcomes included length of labor, mode of delivery, length of hospitalization, and gestational age, birth weight, and Apgar scores of newborn infants. Subjective data included level of tension, general physical comfort, and self-image. The 845 subjects in the study were divided into a control group (n = 393) and into groups of low, medium, and high levels of exercise (n = 82, 309, and 61, respectively). Exercise sessions consisted of treadmill or bicycle warm-up, individually prescribed exercises on weight-lifting equipment for arms, legs, abdomen, and back, and 1- to 2-mile workout on bicycle ergometer. Pregnancy outcomes were more favorable in the exercise groups, particularly the high-exercise group. Significant data included length of hospitalization, incidence of cesarean section, and Apgar scores. All patients reported positive subjective responses to the conditioning program. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1987;157:1199-203.)
An exaggerated inflammatory response after CLP correlates with a negative outcome.

Background Sepsis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the surgical intensive care unit. We postulate that the variable clinical profile of septic patients is the product of multiple factors, including initiating insult, environment, and genetic make-up. This hypothesis was tested by changing the severity of the insult and the genetic background in an experimental murine model of sepsis. Materials and methods Eight-week-old, male A/J and C57BL/6J (B6) mice underwent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The cecum was ligated just below the ileocecal valve (>1-cm ligation) or 1 cm from the end of the cecum (1-cm ligation) and single punctured using a 16- or 25-gauge needle (CLP16 or CLP25) or double punctured with a 25-gauge needle (CLP25 × 2). Cytokines were measured in plasma samples by ELISA at different time points after CLP. Results Elevated TNF-α and IL-6 plasma levels were observed in A/J as compared to B6 mice at 10 and 20 h after CLP16 (1-cm ligation). In contrast, IL-10 levels were decreased in A/J versus B6 mice at 6 h but increased at 10 h. After CLP25 and CLP25 × 2 (1-cm ligation), TNF-α was significantly increased at 10 h, but there was no difference in IL-10 and IL-6. CLP with >1-cm ligation resulted in increased cytokine expression after CLP25, CLP25 × 2, and CLP16 versus 1-cm ligation. Mortality after CLP16 was significantly higher in B6 mice with >1-cm versus 1-cm ligation. A/J mortality did not differ between the two procedures. Conclusion Mortality rate and cytokine profiles after CLP vary depending on the insult severity and the genetic make-up.
Discontinuous lung sounds and hysteresis in control and Tween 20-rinsed excised rat lungs

Abstract In the past, the relationship between pulmonary hysteresis and a model of the recruitment–derecruitment of lung units has been explored (Cheng, W., DeLong, D.S., Franz, G.N., Petsonk, E.L., Frazer, D.G., 1995, Resp. Physiol. 102, 205–215). The recruitment process is characterized by a sequence of events which represents discrete configurational changes in lung structure. It is assumed that energy released during the opening of lung units is associated with the formation of discontinuous lung sounds. The goal of this study was to record tracheal sounds for lungs inflated from different end-expiratory pressures and to relate the sound power to the normalized hysteresis of individual pressure–volume (P l –V l ) loops. P l –V l curves and lung sounds were recorded for control lungs and lungs rinsed with Tween 20 in order to estimate the role of alveolar surfactant on the recruitment–derecruitment process. Results indicate that there may be two populations of lung units, one which is altered by Tween 20 and another which is not. The population not affected by Tween 20 appears to be responsible for producing discrete lung sounds and may represent the opening of larger conducting airways. The second population, possibly within the respiratory zone, is affected by alterations in surface tension and contributes to pulmonary hysteresis, but, apparently, does not contribute significantly to lung sound power measured at the trachea.
Drug delivery: Stealth particles give mucus the slip.

Mucus presents a formidable barrier to nanoparticle drug-delivery systems, but adding a coating of polymer molecules helps them sneak through the net.
Operational Events Noted for Power Uprated Plants and Potential Safety Implications

During the past several decades the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has reviewed and approved in excess of 50 licensee requests for power uprates, most of which have been in the range of 1–6% increase. More recently the agency has received License Amendment Requests (LARs) for significant power increases, in the range of 15–20%, which are under current review. Although each uprate request is evaluated to assure that current regulatory requirements are satisfied, concerns have developed regarding the safety implications of power uprates of this magnitude for the aging population of US-LWR plants. Such concerns stem from operational events noted for plants having received power uprates, including failure to fully-insert control rods in high-power/high-burnup PWR fuel assemblies, piping failures, and reactivity anomalies. Of particular concern is the potential for synergistic/compounding effects, for example higher core power when combined with system/component degradation via plant aging for plant license renewal, or higher power in conjunction with fuel life extensions to elevated burnup. This paper examines a number of operational events for uprated plants and potential safety implications of such events.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
WiMAX: Forecasting by integrating scenario planning and Bass model methodologies

The primary objective of this paper is to develop a forecast for mobile WiMAX as an emerging technology using Scenario Planning and Bass Model methodologies. To understand why these methods were applied in assessing a forecast for the adoption of WiMAX, the paper will discuss the technologiy's evolution, functionality, and market competition. Literature review on the methodology and applications of forecasting in the mobile communications industry will be considered to help provide examples of technology forecasting estimations. The results obtained for each scenario will then be compared and analyzed to the behavior of WiMAXs subscribers in both the United States and Korea. The paper intends to discuss the differences in the United States and Korea models. Significant consumer interest variations, price, and population patterns are presented. The key to forecasting WiMAXs adoption technology rates is to understand the difference in consumer reactions that exists within countries. The analysis will conclude that WiMAX will diffuse in Korea at a faster rate due to high response from imitators. With big market potential and a clear vision of subscriber needs, the next major evolution is expected to occur in the area of personal broadband services. The WIMAX standard promises to deliver high speed, cost-effective and high quality services with long distance broad coverage.
Solid-state NMR studies of bacterial lipoteichoic acid adsorption on different surfaces.

Abstract Teichoic acids are important to bacteria for surface adhesion, metal ion coordination, and other biological processes crucial to bacterial survival. In particular, the surface adhesion of teichoic acids plays a crucial role in the formation of Gram-positive biofilms. Biofilms have been implicated as the major cause of various chronic infections. Biofilm formation is essentially a four-step process beginning with the adhesion of bacteria to a surface, followed by the excretion of an extracellular polymeric substance (slime), development and maturation of the biofilm architecture, and finally biofilm spreading through bacterial release. Currently, there is very little molecular level information available for the initial adhesion of bacteria to solid surfaces. Solid-state NMR is ideally suited for the study of these samples, thus we use 31 P solid-state NMR experiments to study the initial adhesion of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) to various surfaces. 31 P CP-MAS spectra and T 1 ρ data demonstrate that the structure of LTA changes when adhered to cellulose, cell wall peptidoglycan (PGN), or TiO 2 . However, when LTA is simultaneously adhered to PGN and TiO 2 the observed structure is dependent on the amount of retained water. For LTA on TiO 2 , we suggest that the alanine and glucosamine groups interact with the surface. However, during simultaneous adhesion to TiO 2 and PGN, the glucosamine groups bind to the PGN while the alanine groups bind to the surface. This arrangement traps water between the PGN and TiO 2 surface.
Instructional Events and Comprehension: Generalization across Passages.

Sixth graders read one of sixteen randomly selected cause-effect passages after receiving one of six communications from an adult: (1) read carefully, (2) try to form an image of the material being read, (3) read for a specific detail, (4) read for the general causal relationship, (5) read to see how the passage is like a familiar example described by the adult, and (6) background information. Students who were told to read for a specific detail remembered that detail better following reading. General comprehension, as measured by the quantity and quality of free recall, was better for students told to form an image, given a familiar example, or given background information, than for students reading the same passages with instructions to read carefully. It was concluded that instructions that encourage the reader to relate old and new information are most effective in enhancing comprehension. The uniqueness of the study in randomly sampling from a population of passages was noted.
Suspended Solids in and Turbidity of Runoff from Green Roofs

Green roof technology is used to reduce the quantity of stormwater runoff, but questions remain regarding its impact on quality. This study analyzed the total suspended solids (TSS) in and the turbidity of runoff from green roof growth media mixed with composted pine bark in an indoor pot study. The results showed that there were elevated levels of TSS and turbidity in the runoff that decreased over time for all growth media. Both TSS and turbidity are affected by the type of growth media. Lava and haydite had higher mean TSS and mean turbidity than arkalyte and bottom ash. Vegetation reduced the mean turbidity and mean TSS of the first flush by an average of 53% and 63%, respectively, but generally had no statistically significant effect thereafter. The results indicate that the media, rather than the vegetation, has a greater effect on TSS and turbidity in the runoff. In areas with stringent water quality regulations for stormwater runoff from developed sites, media selection may be an important conside...
New Source Performance Standards for Coal-Fired Electric Power Plants

The background of the 1979 New Source Performance Standard (NSPS) regulations is outlined, and the environmentalists' objections to the sulfur dioxide standards are examined. Environmentalists argue that the adopted non-uniform standard, which imposes different reduction standards for different types of coal, is impermissible and too lenient. They argue that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should reopen the comment period and reconsider the rule because improper communications were received after the original comment period ended. Although the adopted standard requires less reduction in emissions from new plants than is technically feasible, total emissions can be minimized with strict limits that discourage the continued use of existing, dirty plants. 119 references.
Cocaine potentiates defensive behaviors related to fear and anxiety.

Cocaine use has been associated with a number of psychiatric disturbances, and an emerging literature attests to its ability to enhance anxiety-like behaviors in animal models. Ethoexperimental analyses of defensive behaviors, and tests designed specifically to provide individual measures of these behaviors, have been shown to respond very selectively and appropriately to anxiolytic and panicogenic or panicolytic drugs, suggesting that these tests, and this approach, might provide a more detailed and comprehensive description of the emotionality effects of cocaine than is currently available. In a Mouse Defense Test Battery (MDTB) using mouse subjects and an anesthetized rat as the threat stimulus, cocaine consistently enhanced flight and escape, with effects seen at 10-30 mg/kg (i.p.) dose levels. The effect was so potent that a lack of cocaine effect on other behaviors may have been due to response competition, or to early distancing of cocaine-dosed subjects from the threat stimulus. In a Rat Runway Test (RRT) similar to the MDTB but with rat subjects, 4 mg/kg cocaine, i.v. produced an explosive, but well directed, flight response. Flight was still elevated, although of lesser magnitude than originally, 30 min. after the i.v. cocaine, and defensive threat/attack to the oncoming threat stimulus were also reliably increased. Cocaine enhancement of defense was also seen in tests of sniffing "stereotypy" in rats. Sniffing after 30 mg/kg cocaine, i.p. was found to be appropriately oriented toward the direction of incoming air flow, suggesting that it may be part of a defensive risk assessment pattern. In undosed rats, risk assessment is suppressed by the presence of high-magnitude threat stimuli such as a cat, and the same, durable, phenomenon was obtained after 30 mg/kg (i.p.) cocaine. Toy cat exposure initially suppressed sniffing in cocaine-dosed rats, but this suppression was removed and sniffing increased, over repeated dose/toy cat exposures. Crouching in the same animals over these testing regimes supported a "sniffing-suppression" interpretation of these changes and also provided data suggesting that cocaine may enhance crouching. These data, indicating that cocaine enhances a number of defensive behaviors--some more strikingly than others--have implications for the involvement of cocaine in defense-linked psychopathologies; and for the involvement of defense in both conditioning and "sensitization" phenomena associated with cocaine. These effects raise the issue of the relationship between the defense-enhancing and the reinforcing consequences of cocaine.
Cold flow measurement of transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS)

Abstract Cold flow, the movement of adhesive beyond the edge of a transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) or between the release liner slit, can affect the quality of the drug product and result in patient use issues such as difficulty in removal from packaging and unintentional removal of the product during wear due to increased tackiness on the edge and backing of the TDDS. In this study, different techniques for measuring cold flow of United States marketed transdermal drug delivery systems are assessed including a wiping method with various ways of calculating cold flow, a macroscopic rating method and a microscope evaluation. The amount of cold flow measured from the wiping method was dependent upon the calculation method. Assessment of cold flow may be a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Appearance criteria can assess potential use issues caused by cold flow if TDDS are difficult to remove from pouches and if release liners detach from the adhesive matrix during attempted removal due to cold flow adhering the backing to the pouch. A quantitative cold flow method captures the degree to which cold flow extends beyond the perimeter of the backing and through the release liner slit. The method(s) selected by a TDDS manufacturer to measure cold flow should be applicable to the individual product and scientifically justified.
Anatomic landmarks in the sleeve gastrectomy.

Background and objectives The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a common bariatric procedure. The operation is relatively standard, but there are still variations among surgeons. The two main variations are bougie size and extent of distal resection. Some surgeons will start the gastric resection at 2 cm proximal to the pylorus, whereas others start at 6 cm. Our hypothesis is that there are anatomic landmarks that are constant and can be used to help standardize the procedure. Methods Twenty-eight morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic bariatric surgery (gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy) had the distance from the pylorus to the second branch of the right gastroepiploic artery on the inferior border of the greater curvature of the stomach measured. Body mass index, height, weight, age, and sex were also analyzed. Results The study comprised 22 women and 6 men with a mean age of 46.2 years (range, 22-68 years). The mean body mass index was 43.2 kg/m(2) (range, 37.2-62.4 kg/m(2)). The mean distance from the pylorus to the second branch of the right gastroepiploic vessel was 4.52 cm (range, 3.5-5.5 cm). Conclusion The second branch of the right gastroepiploic artery can be used as a constant anatomic landmark. It is found about 4.5 cm from the pylorus. This can be safely used as a landmark for marking the distal extent of resection during a vertical sleeve gastrectomy and obviates the need to formally measure the distance from the pylorus.
Doppler Ultrasonography in Assessment of Fetal Well-being

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the calculations used to measure fetal systemic and placental vascular impedance in the umbilical artery via Doppler ultrasonography. 2. Delineate the two primary uses of measurement of middle cerebral artery flow velocity. 3. List the fetal conditions in which Doppler flow velocity has been studied. The Doppler principle, discovered by Johann Christian Andreas Doppler in 1842, (1) was used initially in astronomy and later in the military, in various branches of industry, and more recently in medicine. Doppler shift is based on the perceived change in frequency of an energy waveform as the source and the receiver move toward or away from each other. The Doppler shift principle applies to light waves as well as sound waves. In biology, Doppler ultrasonography is used noninvasively, primarily to measure flow velocity in blood vessels. Flow velocity depends on the volume and speed of effluent relative to the diameter of the vessel. Estimating fetal vascular resistance through study of Doppler flow velocity provides a means to assess, albeit indirectly, fetal physiology and pathology. Johnson and colleagues (2) in 1965, made the earliest mention of the use of Doppler effect in obstetrics. The use of Doppler ultrasonography to investigate the pattern of waveforms in the umbilical artery during pregnancy initially was reported in 1977 by Fitzgerald and Drumm. (3) Subsequently, Wladimiroff and associates (4) reported on Doppler assessment of cerebral blood flow in the human fetus. The addition of color mapping has enhanced the utility of the Doppler effect in sonographic assessment of the fetus. The fetal umbilical artery (UA) and middle cerebral artery (MCA) have evolved as the primary targets of fetal Doppler studies (Figs. 1 and 2). Figure 1. Color Doppler view of circle of Willis. Arrows show anterior (ACA), middle (MCA), and posterior cerebral …
Six new species of Acomoptera from North America (Diptera, Mycetophilidae)

Six new species are described, raising the number of North American Acomoptera species to seven and the genus total to ten, and nearly doubling the number of species within the putative clade containing Acomoptera, Drepanocercus, and Paratinia. These novel species forms have implications for the concept of Acomoptera that in turn, may impact our understanding of its generic relationships and the evolution and composition of Gnoristinae and Sciophilinae. The new species, Acomoptera crispa, Acomoptera digitata, Acomoptera echinosa, Acomoptera forculata, Acomoptera nelsoni,and Acomoptera vockerothi, are compared with the type species of the genus, Acomoptera plexipus (Garrett), whose diagnostic features are imaged and illustrated for the first time. The European species, Acomoptera difficilis (Dziedzicki) is also illustrated and compared. Acomoptera spinistyla (Soli) comb. n. is transferred from Drepanocercus. A key to species is provided. Future work will seek to incorporate this knowledge into a systematic phylogenetic study of relationships between these species and their sister taxa.
Sites for arsine adsorption on GaAs(001)

Abstract Arsine adsorption on c(2 × 8) and (1 × 6) GaAs(001) at 303–573 K has been studied by internal-reflection infrared spectroscopy. We have discovered that arsine adsorbs onto two sites: second-layer Ga atoms and Ga dimers. On the c(2 × 8), arsine dissociatively adsorbs on second-layer Ga atoms, forming arsenic monohydrides and transferring two H atoms each to nearby As dimers. On the (1 × 6), arsine dissociatively adsorbs on Ga dimers, and also transfers H atoms to As sites. The saturation coverage of arsine at 303 K on the (1 × 6) is twice that on the c(2 × 8). Also, more As-H infrared bands are observed, indicating that several AsH x s are formed. Dosing the surfaces with arsine at successively higher temperatures from 303 to 473 K leads to the loss of adsorbed AsH x species. At 573 K, no change in the c(2 × 8) occurs upon extended exposure to arsine. However, on the (1 × 6), the Ga dime are replaced by As dimers during arsine dosing, and at 573 K, 1800 L of AsH 3 is sufficient to convert the (1 × 6) into the c(2 × 8) reconstruction. We conclude that during vapor-phase epitaxy of GaAs with trimethylgallium and arsine, AsH 3 decomposes on second-layer Ga atoms and Ga dimers. However, on the latter sites the arsenic is more likely to incorporate into the crystal, instead of desorbing as As 2 or As 4 .
The Epidemiology of Root Surface Caries

Although a secular decline is being seen in coronal caries in children in industrialized countries, there appears to be a relatively high prevalence of root caries, with chronologically older adults exhibiting the highest prevalences. This paper reviews the descriptive and analytical epidemiology of root caries as found in recent national, regional, and local studies.A review of the variety of study designs, populations surveyed, and epidemiologic criteria for root caries comprising recent studies is presented as a background for comparison of prevalence rates which range from 7.3% to 69.7% of the population with root decay. In the few incidence studies reported, attack rates range from 1.6 surfaces per 100 surfaces at risk to 6.3 per 1000 surface-months at risk.Risk indicators for root caries are also reviewed with studies applying multivariate techniques implicating age, fluoride, educational level, use of dental services, coronal caries, loss of attachment, and number of teeth as possible risk factors....
Flood Frequency of Unregulated Streams of Tennessee Using Regional-Regression Equations and the Region-of-Influence Method

Up-to-date flood-frequency prediction methods for unregulated, ungaged rivers and streams of Tennessee have been developed. Prediction methods include regional-regression equations and the newer region-of-influence method. The prediction methods were developed using streamgage records from unregulated streams draining basins having from 1 percent to about 30 percent total impervious area. However, these methods should not be used in heavily developed or storm-sewered basins with hydraulically-effective impervious areas greater than 10 percent. The methods can be used to estimate 2-, 5-, 10-, 25-, 50-, 100-, and 500-year recurrence-interval floods of most unregulated rural streams in Tennessee. A computer application was developed that automates the calculation of flood frequency for unregulated, ungaged streams of Tennessee. Regional-regression methods were derived by using both single-variable and multivariable regression analysis. Contributing drainage area is the explanatory variable used in the single- variable equations. Contributing drainage area, main-channel slope, and a climate factor are the explanatory variables used in the multivariable equations. Average deleted-residual prediction errors for the single-variable equations ranged from 32 to 65 percent. Average deleted-residual prediction errors for the multivariable equations ranged from 31 to 63 percent. These equations are included in the computer application to allow easy comparison of results produced by the different methods.
Evolution, Altruism and “Internal Reward” Explanations

The debate between altruists and egoists concerns the nature of our ultimate desires. Egoists argue that all of our ultimate desires are self-directed. Altruists deny this, claiming that some of our ultimate desires are other-directed and benevolent. In Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior, Elliot Sober and David Sloan Wilson examine this debate. They argue that social psychology has been unable to prove the altruist’s case because an “internal reward” explanation can always be invented to explain apparently altruistic behavior in other terms. Internal rewards are the psychological benefits one receives by performing certain other-regarding actions. Internal rewards include such benefits as the avoidance of guilt, the avoidance of painful memories, and the attainment of warm, fuzzy feelings. Despite the limitations of social psychology, Sober and Wilson believe that evolutionary theory can show that it is more likely for benevolent other-regarding motivational mechanisms to have evolved, thereby supporting the altruist’s claim. Here, I will argue for two related theses. First, if internal reward explanations pose a problem for social psychology, then they also pose a problem for evolutionary theory. Second, there is no need to think that internal reward explanations pose a problem for altruists because these explanations either do not inform us about what our ultimate motives really are or they unreasonably define out of existence the possibility of altruism. The first thesis concerns the implications of internal reward explanations for scientific attempts to tackle the egoism-altruism
Shared gaze in remote spoken HRI during distributed military operations

Collaboration between distributed human and robot partners during military operations is becoming more necessary. In order to enable efficient real-time communication, it is important to develop user interfaces that support robust spoken language understanding capabilities. As a step toward achieving this objective, this work examines the role of shared gaze between a human and robot during remote spoken collaboration engaged in a distributed military operations. Preliminary results have shown that an interface that supports shared gaze between a human and robot for a remote collaborative HRI search task has potential to improve automated language understanding as well as task efficiency.
Nitrogen fertilization decreases forest soil fungal and bacterial biomass in three long-term experiments

We examined the effects of N fertilization on forest soil fungal and bacterial biomass at three long-term experiments in New England (Harvard Forest, MA; Mt. Ascutney, VT; Bear Brook, ME). At Harvard Forest, chronic N fertilization has decreased organic soil microbial biomass C (MBC) by an average of 54% and substrate induced respiration (SIR) was decreased by an average of 45% in hardwood stands. In the pine stand, organic soil MBC was decreased by 40% and SIR decreased by an average of 35%. The fungal:bacterial activity ratio was also decreased in the hardwood stands from an average of 1.5 in the control plot to 1.0 in the High-N plot, and in the pine stands from 1.9 in control plot to 1.0 in the High-N stand. At Mt. Ascutney, MBC was reduced by an average of 59% and SIR by 52% in the High N plots relative to the unfertilized plots, and the fungal:bacterial activity ratio was only slightly decreased. The Bear Brook watershed is in an earlier stage of N saturation (Stage 0–1) and did not exhibit significant fertilization effects on microbial biomass. Across all three sites, MBC and SIR had negative relationships with total N inputs in both mineral soils and organic soils, though the effect was much stronger in organic soils. Both MBC and SIR were positively correlated with dissolved organic C, total soil C, and bulk soil C:N ratios. These results are consistent with the N saturation hypothesis, but do not indicate a strong role for microbial N immobilization in preventing N loss. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The natural history of cutaneous reactions to imported fire ant stings in children

Abstract Rationale We set out to determine the natural history of cutaneous reactions to IFA stings in children not treated with immunotherapy by reviewing records from our venom clinic over the past 19 years. Methods Patients were selected for the study if they were less than 16 years of age at the time of their reaction, had only cutaneous symptoms (generalized cutaneous or large local), and were not started on immunotherapy. The patient and/or family members were interviewed and asked to recall if patient had experienced any further sting or reaction to a sting since last evaluated in our clinic. Results Fifty patients met inclusion criteria. We were able to contact 24 of 50 patients evaluated from 1984-2003. Of the 24 patients contacted, fifteen reported that they had not developed more severe reactions with subsequent stings. Reactions remained cutaneous only. Nine patients had not been stung again since the original evaluation. Five of these patients had moved out of the IFA endemic region. None of the previously evaluated patients reported subsequent life threatening anaphylaxis from IFA stings. Conclusion Our data for IFA supports the existing flying Hymenoptera literature that immunotherapy is unnecessary for children whose reactions to IFA stings are cutaneous only.
Environmental impacts of urban growth from an integrated dynamic perspective: A case study of Shenzhen, South China

Abstract China is home to one-fifth of the world's population and that population is increasingly urban. The landscape is also urbanizing. Although there are studies that focus on specific elements of urban growth, there is very little empirical work that incorporates feedbacks and linkages to assess the interactions between the dynamics of urban growth and their environmental impacts. In this study, we develop a system dynamics simulation model of the drivers and environmental impacts of urban growth, using Shenzhen, South China, as a case study. We identify three phases of urban growth and develop scenarios to evaluate the impact of urban growth on several environmental indicators: land use, air quality, and demand for water and energy. The results show that all developable land will be urban by 2020 and the increase in the number of vehicles will be a major source of air pollution. Demand for water and electricity will rise, and the city will become increasingly vulnerable to shortages of either. The scenarios also show that there will be improvements in local environmental quality as a result of increasing affluence and economic growth. However, the environmental impacts outside of Shenzhen may increase as demands for natural resources increase and Shenzhen pushes its manufacturing industries out of the municipality. The findings may also portend to changes other cities in China and elsewhere in the developing world may experience as they continue to industrialize.
Pubertal supplementation of lipotropes in female rats reduces mammary cancer risk by suppressing histone deacetylase 1

Purpose The time from puberty to the first pregnancy is known to be important for a woman’s life-time breast cancer risk. Recent studies suggest that epigenetic mechanisms may involve pubertal maturation processes, which can affect the risk of breast cancer in later life. Epigenetic alterations are related to lipotropes (methionine, choline, folate, and vitamin B12), which are methyl donors and cofactors. However, the effects of pubertal supplementation of lipotropes in breast cancer remain largely unknown.
Perioperative myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery—II: Incidence and severity during the 1st week after surgery☆

Abstract Because of the importance of postoperative myocardial ischemia and because substantial physiologic changes can occur for prolonged periods postoperatively, the incidence, severity and temporal course of myocardial ischemia were studied in 100 high risk patients during the 1st week after major noncardiac surgery. Electrocardiographic (ECG) changea consistent with ischemia were continuously monitored using ambulatory solid state ECG in the 100 patients with or at risk for coronary artery disease. Ischemic episodes were defined as reversible ST segment depression ≥1 mm or elevation ≥2 mm above the baseline value, with the baseline adjusted for respiratory and positional variation and temporal drift. All ischemic episodes were confirmed by three independent blinded investigators using hard-copy recordings. Total ECG monitoring time was 10,445 h. Twenty-seven patients (27%) developed 437 episodes of ischemia during the 1st week after surgery. The total duration of ischemia was 18,658 min, or 1.8 min of ischemia/h monitored. Ischemia was most severe during the early (days 0 to 3) versus late (days 4 to 7) postoperative period: 284 versus 153 episodes; 2.2 versus 1.2 min of ischemia/h. The greatest severity occurred on postoperative day 3: 109, episodes, 3.4 min of ischemia/h monitored, 1.5 mm mean ST change and 130 min mean duration. However, in 8% of patients, severe episodes also occurred late: postoperative day 6 = 44 episodes, 1.7 min of ischemia/h monitored, 1.3 mm mean ST change (59% ≥ 2 mm) and 92 min mean duration. Most ischemic episodes (57%) were associated with tachycardia. Eighty-four percent of episodes were silent, unaccompanied by symptoms of angina, pulmonary congestion or syncope. All five severe adverse cardiac outcomes (unstable angina, myocardial infarction or cardiac death) were preceded by postoperative ischemia occurring ≥1 day before the outcome. It is concluded that in at-risk patients undergoing noncardiac surgery; 1) postoperative ECG ST changes consistent with myocardial ischemia are most common during the 1st 3 days after surgery, with changes persisting for ≥1 week; 2) postoperative ischemia is clinically silent throughout the entire period and therefore difficult to detect; 3) postoperative ischemia may be related to the persistently elevated heart rate during the 1st week after surgery; and 4) an association between both early and late postoperative ischemia and severe cardiac outcomes is suggested.