cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thallium imaging for brain tumors with results measured by a semiquantitative index and correlated with histopathology

Background. The optimal management of patients with brain tumors requires knowledge of the tumor characteristics upon presentation and the discovery of recurrence after therapy. Thallium-201 (Tl-201) chloride has shown varying uptake in tumors, depending on their viability and the type and degree of malignancy. This study explores the diagnostic potential of thallium imaging in patients with brain tumors. Methods. Forty-three TI-201 single photon emission computed tomographic scintigrams were performed on 40 patients with intracranial neoplasms, nearly equally divided between patients with no prior treatment and patients who had prior treatment and were suspected to have recurrent tumor and/or radiation necrosis. A thallium tumor index was calculated as the ratio of counts for a region of interest drawn in the lesion area and its mirror image in normal brain tissue. A two-tailed Student's t test was performed to compare the thallium index and histopathologic findings. Results. A value of 1.5 for the thallium tumor index allowed for the best correlation between the prediction of malignancy and the histopathologic results. In the pretreatment group, a thallium tumor index greater than 1.5 correlated with high grade malignancy, and less than 1.5 correlated with either a well differentiated astrocytoma or benign cyst. In the posttreatment group, a thallium tumor index greater than 1.5 correlated with recurrent and/or residual malignant tumor. Conclusions. For those patients undergoing initial evaluation, the thallium study can help in the differential diagnosis of an intracranial mass lesion and offers confirmation of results of biopsy. For those patients who already have received treatment, the study can be used to detect recurrent or residual tumor.
DNA rearrangements associated with a transposable element in yeast

Abstract The his4-912 mutation results from insertion of a 6200 bp transposable element into the his4 gene of yeast. In order to clone the his4-912 mutation, the plasmid pBR322 was integrated into the his4 gene by means of yeast transformation, and then the vector sequences and the his4-912 insertion element were excised as a single restriction fragment. The his4-912 insertion element is homologous to Ty1, a family of repetitive yeast DNA sequences. His + revertants derived from the his4-912 mutant carry a number of chromosomal aberrations including deletions, translocations, a transposition and an inversion. The majority of His + revertants result from deletions which have both endpoints within the element and which leave behind only 300 bp of the insertion element. Other derivatives of the his4-912 mutant carry deletions which have one endpoint in the insertion element and one end-point in the his4 coding sequence. In two His + revertants carrying reciprocal translocations, the chromosome III translocation breakpoints occur within the his4-912 insertion element. A His + revertant carrying an inversion of most of the left arm of chromosome III may be an intermediate in transposition of the his4-912 insertion element to a new site on chromosome III.
Effect of endothelial differentiated adipose-derived stem cells on vascularity and osteogenesis in poly(D,L-lactide) scaffolds in vivo.

Abstract : Prevascularization of engineered bony constructs can potentially improve in vivo viability. However, the effect of endothelial cells on osteogenesis is unknown when placed in poly(D,L lactide) (PLA) scaffolds alone. Adipose derived stem cells (ASCs) have the ability to differentiate into both osteoblasts and endothelial cells by culture in specific media. We hypothesized that ASC derived endothelial cells would improve vascularity with minimal contribution to bone formation when placed in scaffold alone. ASCs were successfully differentiated into endothelial cells (ASC Endo) and osteoblasts (ASC Osteo) using media supplemented with vascular endothelial growth factor and bone morphogenic protein 2, respectively. Tissue engineered constructs were created with PLA ma trices containing no cells (control), undifferentiated ASCs (ASCs), osteogenic differentiated ASCs (ASC Osteo), or endothelial differentiated ASCs (ASC Endo), and these constructs were evaluated in critical size Lewis rat calvarial defect model (n 34). Eight weeks after implantation, the bone volume and microvessel population of bony constructs were evaluated by micro computed tomography analysis and histologic staining. Bone volumes for ASCs and ASC Osteo constructs, 0.7 and 0.91 mm3, respectively, were statistically greater than that for ASC Endo, 0.28 mm3 (P G 0.05). There was no statistical difference between the PLA control (0.5 mm3) and ASC Endo (0.28 mm3) constructs in bone formation. The percent area of microvessels within constructs was highest in the ASC Endo group, although it did not reach statistical significance (0.065). Prevascularization of PLA scaffold with ASC Endo cells will not increase bone formation by itself but may be used as a cell source for improving vascularization and potentially improving existing osteoblast function.
Super learning to hedge against incorrect inference from arbitrary parametric assumptions in marginal structural modeling

Abstract Objective Clinical trials are unlikely to ever be launched for many comparative effectiveness research (CER) questions. Inferences from hypothetical randomized trials may however be emulated with marginal structural modeling (MSM) using observational data, but success in adjusting for time-dependent confounding and selection bias typically relies on parametric modeling assumptions. If these assumptions are violated, inferences from MSM may be inaccurate. In this article, we motivate the application of a data-adaptive estimation approach called super learning (SL) to avoid reliance on arbitrary parametric assumptions in CER. Study Design and Setting Using the electronic health records data from adults with new-onset type 2 diabetes, we implemented MSM with inverse probability weighting (IPW) estimation to evaluate the effect of three oral antidiabetic therapies on the worsening of glomerular filtration rate. Results Inferences from IPW estimation were noticeably sensitive to the parametric assumptions about the associations between both the exposure and censoring processes and the main suspected source of confounding, that is, time-dependent measurements of hemoglobin A1c. SL was successfully implemented to harness flexible confounding and selection bias adjustment from existing machine learning algorithms. Conclusion Erroneous IPW inference about clinical effectiveness because of arbitrary and incorrect modeling decisions may be avoided with SL.
Electrochemiluminescence immunosorbent assay of ricin in ground beef: biotinylated capture antibodies and matrix effects

Ricin is a highly toxic protein present in the seeds of castor (Ricinus communis), grown principally as a source of high quality industrial lubricant. Because of the past use of ricin for intentional poisoning, there is a need for analytical methodology to detect ricin in food matrices. Ground beef and other fatty, solid matrices present challenges for extraction and detection of protein constituents. This study focused on the use of streptavidin-coated assay plates, with biotinylated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) immobilised as capture reagents. It explored matrix effects on immunosorbent analyses of ricin in enzyme-linked and electrochemiluminescent detection systems. A variety of mAb pairs enabled assays with predetermined specificity for ricin vs. the related protein, Ricinus communis agglutinin-1 (RCA-1). Extraction of samples at low dilution (1:5) and inclusion of 100 mM galactose in the extraction medium produced excellent quantification of ricin in the 1–20 ng/g range in ground beef.
Analytic modeling of detection latency in mobile sensor networks

An envisioned usage of sensor networks is in surveillance systems for detecting a target or monitoring a physical phenomenon in a region. Traditionally, stationary sensor networks are deployed to carry out the sensing operations. In many applications, if the monitored region is relatively large compared to the sensing range of a node, a large number of nodes are required in the region to achieve high coverage. Using mobile nodes in such situations can be an attractive alternative. Mobility of sensor nodes has been studied in sensor networks for many purposes such as power saving, data collection, and packet delivery. However, nearly all research literature for the target detection problem has focused on stationary sensor networks. This paper investigates the problem of detecting the presence/absence of a target using mobile sensor networks. It presents an analytic method to evaluate the detection latency based on a collaborative sensing approach using nodes with uncoordinated mobility. We verify the analytic model through simulations. The analytic method provides a simple way of analyzing the tradeoff between number of nodes and detection latency in a mobile sensor network. The analysis is also used to compare the performance of mobile and stationary sensor networks with respect to these measures. Results show that if the target is present at the worst possible location in a given deployment, then detection latency of mobile sensor networks is considerably less as compared to that of stationary networks with the same number of nodes.
Updating Yin and Yang

Ethicists haven’t paid much attention recently to the Chinese complementarity of yin and yang. That complementarity can be updated to take into account and also form the basis for some of our contemporary ethical thinking. In my From Enlightenment to Receptivity, I argue that Western thought has overemphasized rational control/autonomy at the expense of the countervailing virtue of receptivity, and it turns out that the yin/yang complementarity can be profitably viewed as anticipating and clarifying a complementarity between receptivity and rational control that recent developments in Western philosophical thought point us toward. But just as Western philosophy has overemphasized rational autonomy, Chinese thinking hasn’t sufficiently appreciated its importance. Both Chinese and Western thought need to seek a more even balance between autonomy/control and receptivity, but the idea of such balance comes more from yin and yang than from anything in previous Western philosophy.
Applications of pulsed ultrafiltration-mass spectrometry

Pulsed ultrafiltration-mass spectrometry (PUF-MS) is a method with a variety of uses for the discovery and development of biologically active small molecules, including the screening of combinatorial libraries and natural product extracts for biologically active compounds, investigation of thermodynamic and kinetic ligand-receptor binding parameters, high-throughput metabolic screening, and the screening of combinatorial libraries and botanical extracts for electrophilic metabolites. Solution-phase ligand-screening assays that use pulsed ultrafiltration-mass spectrometry are useful for "reverse pharmacology" studies in which a macromolecular receptor of interest has been isolated, but ligands for the receptor are needed. Protein-binding studies that involve pulsed ultrafiltration can be used to rapidly determine classical binding parameters for interactions between a macromolecular receptor and a compound of interest. Metabolic screening assays can identify substrates for cytochromes p450, and should be capable of characterizing phase I metabolites with a throughput of at least 60 compounds/hr. Pulsed ultrafiltration can also be used in conjunction with LC-MS-MS to screen mixtures for compounds that might be activated metabolically to electrophilic quinoid and epoxide metabolites by cytochrome p450; that screening can provide early warning of compounds likely to be toxic when administered in large doses. The combination of pulsed-ultrafiltration extraction and mass spectrometric detection provides the sensitivity and selectivity necessary to characterize compounds present at low concentrations in complex chemical mixtures, and is applicable to the analysis of biologically active compounds from combinatorial libraries and botanical extracts.
40Ar/39Ar technique of KAr dating: a comparison with the conventional technique

Abstract K-Ar ages have been determined by the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar total fusion technique on 19 terrestrial samples whose conventional K-Ar ages range from 3.4 my to nearly 1700 my. Sample materials included biotite, muscovite, sanidine, adularia, plagioclase, hornblende, actinolite, alunite, dacite, and basalt. For 18 samples there are no significant differences at the 95% confidence level between the K Ar ages obtained by these two techniques; for one sample the difference is 4.3% and is statistically significant. For the neutron doses used in these experiments (≈4 × 10 18 nvt) it appears that corrections for interfering Ca- and K-derived Ar isotopes can be made without significant loss of precision for samples with K/Ca > 1 as young as about 5 × 10 5 yr, and for samples with K/Ca 7 yr. For younger samples the combination of large atmospheric Ar corrections and large corrections for Ca- and K-derived Ar may make the precision of the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar technique less than that of the conventional technique unless the irradiation parameters are adjusted to minimize these corrections.
Effects of cellulose phosphate and sodium phosphate on formation product and activity product of brushite in urine

Abstract The crystal nidus of brushite (nidus of renal stones containing calcium) cannot form when the activity product (state of saturation) of brushite in urine is less than the formation product (the lowest state of supersaturation supporting nucleation). Treatment measures should therefore be directed at reducing the activity product or increasing the formation product. The response to treatment with cellulose phosphate and with sodium phosphate was evaluated according to this criterion. Cellulose phosphate decreased the activity product while slightly increasing or not significantly affecting the formation product. Sodium phosphate increased both the activity product and the formation product of brushite. The formation product increased largely as the result of the increase in urinary pyrophosphate. In most patients, the increase in the activity product during treatment with sodium phosphate was fully compensated by the increase in the formation product.
Surface Conditioning of Synchrotron Radiation Source to Improve Beam Lifetime

Surface cleanliness is of prime importance to achieve the desirable vacuum condition for long beam lifetime in all synchrotron radiation sources. The Photon Factory at KEK resolved the severe gas load from synchrotron radiation by in-situ Ar glow discharging the whole storage ring. Sufficient experience had been gained in the past two years operation on the synchrotron radiation source, especially on the VUV ring of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), to allow us to decide to glow discharge the VUV ring. In hoping to obtain higher circulating current and to reveal the cause of lifetime limitation, a better understanding of the beam loss mechanism is needed. Photo desorption is the major gas load in all existing electron (positron) storage rings. It is generally believed that these photodesorbed species (neutral and charged) provide the major loss mechanism to lessen the beam lifetime. The interaction of these species to the beam give rise to the various loss mechanisms such as multiple Coulomb scattering, single scattering, bremsstrahlung and ion trapping. All these mechanisms have been under intense study at NSLS. This report only describes the result of surface condition and beam lifetime.
Prediction of Residue−Residue Pair Frequencies in Proteins

Knowledge of how frequently different types of residues are found near each other in protein structures has been widely used in threading and in simulating protein folding. In this paper we show that the residue−residue pair frequencies can be reproduced by a simple, physical model. The central component is the nonpolar in−charge out character. This character was captured by obtaining for each type of residue the relative density at a given distance from the protein's center of geometry. These densities were conveniently fitted to exponential or linear functions of the radial distance and used to generate atomic positions. To account for chain connectivity, distances between residue pairs were constrained by independent Gaussian functions, which have increasing means and deviations for increasing sequence separations. Interactions between nonpolar residues and between charged residues were found to extend up to a distance of ∼7.5 A and the interaction potentials extracted appear to be an intrinsic propert...
Mania, glutamate/glutamine and risperidone in pediatric bipolar disorder: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of the anterior cingulate cortex.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) glutamate/glutamine (Glx) to creatine ratio (Glx/Cr) in two groups of children with Bipolar Disorder (BPD): those exhibiting manic symptoms requiring treatment and those being stably treated with the atypical antipsychotic risperidone. Atypical antipsychotics have been shown to increase serum glutamate levels and ACC Glx/Cr in subjects with schizophrenia. In this study, we hypothesized that the children with BPD in need of treatment would have lower Glx/Cr compared with the children with BPD being stably treated with risperidone. Methods Proton MR spectra were acquired, at 1.5 T, from the ACC of eighteen subjects with a DSM-IV diagnosis of BPD: ten (11.10 ± 3.48 years; five female) were manic and not medicated with any antipsychotic and eight (10.88 ± 2.99 years; one female) were medicated with the atypical antipsychotic risperidone. Results Children with BPD exhibiting manic symptoms requiring treatment had lower Glx/Cr than children with BPD being stably treated with the atypical antipsychotic risperidone. The children treated with risperidone also had significantly lower YMRS and CGI-Mania scores than the children not treated with risperidone. Both YMRS and CGI-Mania scores correlated negatively with ACC Glx/Cr levels. Limitations The cross-sectional design, small sample size, the use of Glx rather than glutamate or glutamine and the use of Cr ratios rather than absolute concentrations are limitations of this study. Conclusions Children with mania have lower Glx/Cr levels than children with BPD being stably treated with the atypical antipsychotic risperidone. Mania may be associated with reduced glutamate/glutamine levels in the ACC: other imaging studies have shown mania associated with hypometabolism in the ACC. These reductions in glutamate/glutamine may be increased following successful treatment with glutamatergic agents.
Theranostic Nanoplatforms for MRSA Detection and Destruction from Whole Blood

Bloodstream infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other drug-resistant bacteria kill several million people in the world every year. Detection of drug-resistant bacteria in the blood stream is clinically important to save lives. Driven by this need, multifunctional theranostic nanoplatforms have been developed for simultaneous targeted imaging and multimodal photodestruction of MRSA in a whole-blood sample. Experimental data for the whole-blood sample spiked with MRSA show that the theranostic nanoplatform can be used for fluorescence imaging after magnetic separation even in a 10−5:1 ratio. A targeted photodynamic and photothermal combined treatment shows that the multimodal treatment regime can dramatically enhance the possibility of destroying MRSA in vitro. Therefore, our developed theranostic nanoplatform have a great potential as a fluorescent marker and as a light absorber for combined therapy in clinical settings. The possible mechanisms and operating principles are discussed for targeted imaging and combined therapeutic actions using theranostic nanoplatform.
Particle Segregation in Vibrofluidized Beds Due to Buoyant Forces

We utilize two-dimensional discrete element computer simulations to investigate the equilibrium position of an impurity in a vibrofluidized bed of otherwise homogeneous particles. The steady state equilibrium height of the impurity increases with increasing vibration velocity amplitude and decreases with the impurity to the surrounding particle density ratio. A simple model whereby the impurity weight is balanced by a "buoyant" force due to the surrounding particle impacts makes a good prediction of the impurity position.
Petunia hybrida anthocyanins acylated with caffeic acid

Abstract It has been reported that the acylated anthocyanins found within Petunia are exclusively 3- p -coumaroyl-rutinoside-5-glucosides. However, in this report we show the wide occurrence of 3-rutinoside-5-glucosides acylated with caffeic acid in these plants.
Genomics data curation roles, skills and perception of data quality

Abstract Compared to a decade ago, genomics scientists, driven by technical changes and availability of massive genomics data, are performing a wider plurality of curation roles, including end user, curator, and dual-role user. Scientists with different curation roles (including that of end user) may focus on different data quality aspects and skill requirements in a community curation environment. This study examines how genomics scientists' perceived priorities for data quality and data quality skills differ when assuming different roles played in genomics data curation work. The analysis of survey data collected from 147 genomics scientists found that curators of genomics data valued quality criteria that can be assessed through direct examination of the data more highly, while end users placed a high value on the quality criteria that can be assessed indirectly, such as believability. With regard to data quality skills, curators appeared to care more about understanding user's requirements and specific data management skills than end users, while end users valued the skills needed to deal with information overload more highly — those needed to identify useful, relevant information from large amounts of data. Scientists with different curation roles, given common curation tasks with the same skill requirements, prioritized different data quality criteria. The data quality, skill priorities, and tradeoffs identified by this study can inform the development of effective data curation mandates and policies, data quality assurance planning and training, and the design of curation role specific tool dashboards and visualization interfaces for genomics data.
RELEVANCE OF COMMUNITY STRUCTURE IN ASSESSING INDETERMINACY OF ECOLOGICAL PREDICTIONS

The community matrix is potentially a powerful tool for community ecology. While it details direct interactions between community members, it can also be used to quantify all indirect effects that occur in a community, and thereby to make predictions regarding population response to experimental treatments or natural disturbances. These predictions are essentially hypotheses of system behavior that can be rigorously evaluated. Use of the community matrix, however, has been hindered by indeterminacy and ambiguity in response predictions. In this study, we reveal a theoretical source of the problem that arises as a consequence of community structure. Using a qualitative analysis of the community matrix, we detail the complementary feedback cycles that contribute to the response of a population following a sustained or press perturbation. Complementary feedback is the sum of all direct and indirect effects that can contribute to a response. We develop a "weighted-predictions matrix" that assigns a probability scale to sign determinacy of predicted responses. This matrix is formed by the quotient of the net sum of complementary feedback cycles and the absolute number of complementary feedback cycles. A qualitative analysis of system structure provides a theoretical benchmark for under- standing a spectrum of behavior in biological systems, and for framing and prioritizing management interventions for whole communities. This advance clarifies much of the uncertainty and ambiguity found in predicting the behavior of large and complex systems. We validate these tools by analyzing published studies of community response.
1356 THE EFFECT OF PHENOBARBITAL (PB) ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW VELOCITY (CBFV) FOLLOWING ENDOTRACHEAL UZ3U SUCTION (ETS)

1356 THE EFFECT OF PHENOBARBITAL (PB) ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW VELOCITY (CBFV) FOLLOWING ENDOTRACHEAL UZ3U SUCTION (ETS)
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston: Origins and Beginnings

THOSE entering the east end of Galveston Island on the free ferry from Bolivar Peninsula soon encounter a large white water tower inscribed "Galveston Island—Home of UTMB." A quick glance reveals a cluster of tall buildings, some of the 70 structures that make up the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). If arriving at night, they see a huge white-and-green—lit sign adorning one building: UTMB Galveston/John Sealy Hospital. How, some surely wonder, did this large health sciences center get established on this rather unlikely spot, a sandy barrier island in the northern Gulf of Mexico? QUEEN CITY OF THE GULF After Texas became a state in 1845, its population grew from around 200 000 in 1850 to more than 600 000 by 1860. 1 A hub of migrant and commercial bustle with more than 20 000 citizens, Galveston became the state's largest, wealthiest city by the mid-1870s. 2
No evidence that selection has been less effective at removing deleterious mutations in Europeans than in Africans

Non-African populations have experienced size reductions in the time since their split from West Africans, leading to the hypothesis that natural selection to remove weakly deleterious mutations has been less effective in the history of non-Africans. To test this hypothesis, we measured the per-genome accumulation of nonsynonymous substitutions across diverse pairs of populations. We find no evidence for a higher load of deleterious mutations in non-Africans. However, we detect significant differences among more divergent populations, as archaic Denisovans have accumulated nonsynonymous mutations faster than either modern humans or Neanderthals. To reconcile these findings with patterns that have been interpreted as evidence of the less effective removal of deleterious mutations in non-Africans than in West Africans, we use simulations to show that the observed patterns are not likely to reflect changes in the effectiveness of selection after the populations split but are instead likely to be driven by other population genetic factors.
Personal Mastery Buffers the Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Women’s Health and Family Functioning

Personal mastery has been associated with many positive outcomes and may attenuate negative responses to life stressors. Our research extends prior work by examining whether personal mastery can buffer women from long-term outcomes associated with childhood sexual abuse (CSA). We expected that: (1) women with CSA histories would report more depressive symptoms, poorer family functioning, and more physical health problems compared to women without such histories; (2) personal mastery would be associated with better outcomes in these domains; and (3) personal mastery would attenuate the effects of CSA on women’s outcomes. Data were obtained from a larger study of parenting among women with and without CSA histories. Our predictions were fully supported for depressive symptoms and family dysfunction, and partially supported for physical health. The current findings contribute to knowledge about the long-term effects of CSA and identify a protective factor that may buffer the negative sequelae of traumatic events.
Reexamining the Effects of Solo Status for Women and Men

This article explores the outcomes of solo status and the processes by which solos are evaluated within a group decision-making context. Six-person groups of varying gender composition were given a task to solve individually and as a group. Following group discussion, participants evaluated themselves and their groupmates on task-oriented and social-oriented skills. Unlike previous research, solo women were evaluated positively by their groupmates, and they suffered no performance decrements resulting from solo status. Furthermore, the evaluations solo women received accurately reflected their contributions to the group, although men's favorable evaluations in their groups were not similarly explained. Results are discussed in terms of a model in which social reality mediates the relationship between women's solo status and outcome, whereas perceiver stereotyping may contribute to favorable evaluations of men.
Incorporation of Phosphorus-32 into Urinary Concretions forming on Zinc Implants in Rat Bladders

IT has been proposed that labelling with radio -isotopes might be useful in studying the rate of formation of urinary calculi in experimental animals as a function of environmental conditions. The proposal was based on the fact that in siliceous urinary stones of bovine origin, which contain traces of phosphorus and calcium, diffusion and subsequent exchange of phosphorus-32 and calcium-45 with the non-radioactive counterparts of the stone material do not readily occur across the mucoprotein laminations1. It was felt that if stone formation occurs layer by layer, short-term massive administration of phosphorus-32 to an experimental animal forming a laminated calculus would result in incorporation of the radionuclide into a single or limited number of laminations, and that subsequent exchange into other laminations would be negligible. Further, if administration of phosphorus-32 were then stopped, and exchange from other parts of the body did not cause significant levels of phosphorus-32 in urine, subsequent laminations would be relatively free of label. Therefore periods of exposure to various environmental conditions could be alternated with periods of administration of isotope, and the amount of material deposited between the laminations containing the isotope would serve as a measure of the effect of environment. The results reported here are from preliminary experiments designed to assess certain aspects of the usefulness of this technique in studying calculi formation.
Comparative Absorption and Bioaccumulation of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers following Ingestion via Dust and Oil in Male Rats

Household dust has been implicated as a major source of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) exposure in humans. This finding has important implications for young children, who tend to ingest more dust than adults and may be more susceptible to some of the putative developmental effects of PBDEs. Absorption parameters of PBDEs from ingested dust are unknown; therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine and to compare the uptake of PBDEs from either household dust (NIST Standard Reference Material 2585) or a corn oil solution. Male rats were administered dust or corn oil doses at 1 or 6 µg of PBDEs kg−1 body wt in the diet for 21 days (n = 4 rats per group). The concentrations of 15 PBDEs were measured in adipose tissue and liver from each treatment group and showed that bioconcentration was congener dependent, but for the majority of congeners, the concentrations did not differ with either dose level or dose vehicle. Hepatic Cyp2b1 and 2b2 mRNA expression increased in rats receiving the highe...
Invariant analogical image representation and pattern recognition

We describe an image representation that uniquely encodes the information in a gray-scale image, decouples the effects of illumination, reflectance, and angle of incidence, and is invariant, within a linear shift, to perspective, position, orientation, and size of arbitrary planar forms. Then we provide a theoretical basis for applying this representation to achieve invariant form recognition.
What Is Everyone Saying About Teacher Evaluation? Framing the Intended and Inadvertent Causes and Consequences of Race to the Top

The purpose of this study was to understand how contributors to national media, education publications, and arts education publications interpret aspects of teacher evaluation enacted in response to Race to the Top. Using Stone's (1989) policy framework, researchers coded articles for intended and inadvertent causes. Analysis indicated that although the authors of Race to the Top explained that in order to win funds, states must take student growth into account, authors for both national media and journals aimed at teachers defined consequences directly resulting from such actions as unintended. Arts educators might hold policymakers accountable for intending or at least foreseeing many of the consequences from Race to the Top as well as consider their own potential role as policy creators and challengers.
Pseudopotential-based multiband k

The electronic structure of quantum wells, wires, and dots is conventionally described by the envelope-function eight-band k\ensuremath{\cdot}p method (the ``standard k\ensuremath{\cdot}p model'') whereby coupling with bands other than the highest valence and lowest conduction bands is neglected. There is now accumulated evidence that coupling with other bands and a correct description of far-from-\ensuremath{\Gamma} bulk states is crucial for quantitative modeling of nanostructure. While multiband generalization of the k\ensuremath{\cdot}p exists for bulk solids, such approaches for nanostructures are rare. Starting with a pseudopotential plane-wave representation, we develop an efficient method for electronic-structure calculations of nanostructures in which (i) multiband coupling is included throughout the Brillouin zone and (ii) the underlying bulk band structure is described correctly even for far-from-\ensuremath{\Gamma} states. A previously neglected interband overlap matrix now appears in the k\ensuremath{\cdot}p formalism, permitting correct intervalley couplings. The method can be applied either using self-consistent potentials taken from ab initio calculations on prototype small systems or from the empirical pseudopotential method. Application to both short- and long-period (GaAs${)}_{\mathit{p}}$/(AlAs${)}_{\mathit{p}}$ superlattices (SL) recovers (i) the bending down (``deconfinement'') of the \ensuremath{\Gamma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}(\ensuremath{\Gamma}) energy level of (001) SL at small periods p; (ii) the type-II--type-I crossover at p\ensuremath{\approxeq}8 SL, and (iii) the even-odd oscillation of the energies of the R\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}/X\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}(L) state of (001) SL and \ensuremath{\Gamma}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}(L) state of (111) SL. Introducing a few justified approximations, this method can be used to calculate the eigenstates of physical interest for large nanostructures. Application to spherical GaAs quantum dots embedded in an AlAs barrier (with \ensuremath{\sim}250 000 atoms) shows a type-II--type-I crossover for a dot diameter of 70 \AA{}, with an almost zero \ensuremath{\Gamma}-X repulsion at the crossing point. Such a calculation takes less than 30 min on an IBM/6000 workstation model 590. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Television's role in tomorrow's world

In this discussion, which was originally presented at the Fifth International Television Symposium, the author, in his role as prophet, suggests at the outset that the concept of such a meeting may be doomed for obsolescence; a more apt name for the next symposium might well be the First International Information Conference. He points out that a unified system of electronic communications media, combined with a data processing system built around the computer, may well be the principal information source of the future. Viewed in such a context, tomorrow's television techniques promise many benefits, both for the industry and for the consumer.
Time dependent changes in duration of ventricular repolarization after AV node ablation: insights into the possible mechanism of postprocedural sudden death.

DIZON, J., et al.: Time Dependent Changes in Duration of Ventricular Repolarization After AV Node Ablation: Insights into the Possible Mechanism of Postprocedural Sudden Death. Although effective, there is a disturbing incidence of sudden death after AV node ablation. The mechanism may be related to proarrhythmia associated with prolongation in ventricular repolarization from the sudden decrease in heart rate. To examine this issue, we studied 15 patients undergoing complete radiofrequency ablation of the AV node for rapid atrial arrhythmias. Twelve-lead ECGs of paced rhythms at rates of 60, 80, 100, and 120 beats/min were recorded at time points of 30 minutes, 24 hours, 1 week, and 1 month after ablation. The QT interval was measured in the limb and precordial leads with the best T wave offset. The change in the QT interval (ΔQT) relative to the measurement at 30-minute postablation was calculated. For comparison, a similar procedure was performed on patients receiving pacemakers for primary bradycardia (n = 5). The mean QT interval at 60 beats/min, 30-minutes postablation was significantly longer than at time points thereafter (482 ± 39 vs 446 ± 28 ms at 1 month, limb leads, for example, P < 0.05). Analysis of ΔQT revealed a significant shortening of the QT interval at nearly every paced rate at every time point relative to the value at 30-minute postablation. The QT intervals shortened and stabilized after 24 hours. Neither the QT interval nor ΔQT changed significantly in patients paced for primary bradycardia. We conclude that there is a relative increase in the duration of ventricular repolarization after AV node ablation, which then decreases and stabilizes after 24 hours. Such changes are not seen in patients being paced for primary bradycardia. This data is consistent with the hypothesis that sudden death after AV node ablation may be related to proarrhythmia from prolonged ventricular repolarization.
Novel polypropylene-based microporous membranes via spherulitic deformation

Abstract A novel method for creating a microporous membrane via spherulitic deformation is illustrated. The microporous structure was generated by the combination of intra-spherulitic and inter-spherulitic deformations. Polypropylene was selected due to its unique cross-hatched lamellar morphology facilitating inter-spherulitic deformation. A precursor film with a spherulitic structure was made under low-stress melt processing condition. A tangential lamellae-rich spherulite was created and identified with a positive birefringence sign. A sequential annealing process improved the crystalline structure, and in particular the thickness of the tangential lamellae. The annealing process proved to be critical for initiating the inter-spherulitic deformation. A WAXS examination provides a quick characterization method for the inter-spherulitic deformation. A highly interconnected solvent-resistant porous polypropylene membrane having a pore size in the range of 50–100 nm and a porosity of about 0.18 was thereby developed in this study. This concept can be further expanded by using an α-nucleating agent to reduce spherulite sizes. A highly methanol permeable membrane with an estimated porosity of 0.29 was produced with the nucleated polypropylene samples.
The Structure-Directing Properties of [VOF5]2-

All of the Group 5 anions [MOF5]2- (M = V, Nb, Ta) show the metal distorted from the center of the octahedron to the corner defined by the oxide ion. While [NbOF5]2- and [TaOF5]2- direct coordinati...
Are there dynamic gains from a poor-area development program?

Poor-area development programs- in which the government transfers extra resources to unusually poor areas -have been widely used to fight poverty. There has been some research on such programs, but little is known about their impact on household living standards over time. The authors address the issue for a sizable poor-area development program in rural China. China's program had a significant impact on rural living standards in the targeted areas of the sample. The consumption-growth model suggests that households living in the targeted areas had a higher rate of consumption growth than one would have otherwise expected. Nonetheless the authors found that while the gains in growth were enough to prevent an absolute decline in average living standards, they were not enough to reverse the strong underlying divergent tendencies in the rural economy.
On the optimal release time of jobs with random processing times, with extensions to other criteria

Abstract We treat the problem of the optimal release time of a set of n jobs en masse to satisfy individual due dates and confidence levels under various objective functions. We propose a dynamic programming approach that has general applicability to single and multiple processors. We provide some dominance relations that should alleviate the computing burden which, in the worst case, is of time complexity O(n2n). Three special cases (same confidence level for all jobs; same due date for all jobs; and the ‘hierarchical case’) are immediate consequences of our general model.
Dynamics of an atmospheric blocking as deduced from its local energetics

This paper reports an analysis of the roles of temporal scale interactions (seasonal, intraseasonal and high-frequency components) in the generation and maintenance of a pronounced block over the North Atlantic that lasted for three weeks in February 1983. This blocking disturbance had a distinct dipole structure initially oriented in an east-west direction downstream from a strongly diffluent south-west-north-east oriented seasonal jet. Although it has an equivalent barotropic structure, there is a well-defined vertical velocity field with ascending (descending) motion on its western (eastern) flank. As it develops, matures and decays, it rotates systematically in a clockwise direction. The contributions from the various temporal scale interactions to the episodal average local energetics of this block are evaluated. There are five comparably important processes controlling the intensity, configuration, and evolution of the block. The synoptic eddy-straining mechanism proposed by Shutts is manifested in three energetics terms, of which one is found to be particularly large. The blocking disturbance also barotropically extracts kinetic energy at a significant rate from the seasonal diffluent jet under the influence of the latter's strong deformation field. The pressure work process, the baroclinic conversion process, and above all, the nonlinear dynamics of the blocking disturbance itself are quantitatively important in redistributing the energy within the blocking region. The effects of the diabatic and subgridscale processes are found, as residues, to be substantially dissipative on the block.
Compactional Features in Cambro-Ordovician Carbonates of Central Appalachians and Their Significance: ABSTRACT

Compactional features are well known from siliciclastic rocks, but it is generally believed that carbonates have undergone little burial compaction. However, in the 3.5-km thick Cambrian-Ordovician carbonates of the Central Appalachians, many small-scale compaction features have been recognized. Evidence for differential compaction is: (1) wrapping of thin beds around meter-scale early-cemented algal bioherms and (2) sedimentary boudinage and pinch-and-swell features in interlayered thin beds of carbonate grainstone and mudstone. The grainstone layers have deformed in a brittle manner (cracking or yielding boudins), whereas mudstone layers behave ductily (flowing and bending around boudins), indicating that at the time of burial, grainstone layers were lithified but mudst ne layers were unlithified. Burrows and shells in sandy layers are preserved, but burrows are deformed and shells broken in muddy layers. Pervasive, rather than differential, compaction in muddy carbonates is evidence by flattened burrows, rotation of platy allochems parallel with End_Page 257------------------------------ bedding, telescoping of mudcracks, and anastomosing wispy argillaceous seams. Pervasive compaction in peloidal grainstone is evidenced by warping and cracking of internal layers that are outlined by wispy seams. Ooid and skeletal grainstones and algal bioherms do not show these compaction features. Time lines in these Cambrian-Ordovician carbonates converge across depositional strike from east to west, and this coincides with a change in facies from shelf-margin algal bioherms and grainstones showing little compaction to lagoon-peritidal mudstones with abundant compaction features. Volume reduction by compaction is clearly facies controlled and also has influenced the geometry of the time lines. End_of_Article - Last_Page 258------------
The action of intestinal enzymes upon cellulose acetate phthalate and butyl stearate enteric-coated tablets.

In considering the disintegration of enteric coatings of tablets it is essential to differentiate between intestinal contents and intestinal secretions. Enteric-coated tablets disintegrate in the intestinal contents which are seldom, if ever, alkaline. The disintegration of cellulose acetate phthalate and butyl stearate is due to the hydrolytic effect of the intestinal esterases and not, as is commonly believed, upon the alkalinity of the intestines.
A positive behavioural intervention for toddlers: parent–child attunement therapy

Parent–child attunement therapy (PCAT) is a promising intervention for toddlers (aged 12–30 months) who have experienced maltreatment. PCAT has two overall purposes: (1) to strengthen caregivers' relationship with their children; and (2) to facilitate caregivers' learning of appropriate child management techniques. PCAT represents an adaptation of parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT), which has been empirically documented in preschool and early elementary schoolchildren to improve behavioural adjustment and engender a stronger bond between caregiver and child. There is, however, a noted paucity of intervention research for toddlers, specifically maltreated toddlers. As toddlerhood represents a critical period for enhancing the relationship between caregivers and children and is a stage when youngsters are at increased risk for maltreatment, the objectives of PCAT become even more salient during the toddler years. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to introduce PCAT and then examine its effectiveness through a single case study of a 23-month-old maltreated toddler and his biological mother. Pre- and post-assessment measures included the Parenting Stress Index, the Dyadic Parent–Child Interaction Coding System (DPICS), the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), the Emotional Availability (EA) Scales and the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI). The results of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of PCAT in increasing the number of positive caregiver–toddler interactions and enhancing the overall quality of the caregiver–toddler relationship. Practitioners will be able to use the techniques described in this manuscript to improve the parent–toddler relationship and ameliorate many commonly experienced behavioural difficulties found among maltreatment-prone parent–toddler dyads. Therapeutic progress is easily charted so that effectiveness may be documented and termination of therapy may be easily discerned. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.