cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stimulation of apoptosis by sulindac and piroxicam

1. Sulindac, cis-5-fluoro-2-methyl-1-(p-methylsulphinylbenzylidene)indene-3-acetic acid, inhibits growth of colon polyps and cancers. This eect has been attributed to inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis but more recent observations indicate that, in vitro, cells that do not have cyclooxygenase nor RNA for synthesis of such enzymes are aected by sulindac. Therefore the presumptive eect is probably not correct. 2. It has also been found that sulindac stimulates apoptosis. It is herein postulated that in tumour cells such eects may be due to interaction of the anionic form of the drug with protons in the intermembrane space of mitochondria to disrupt the potential across the inner mitochondrial membrane and thereby initiate apoptosis. Normal cells are not aected.
Outlining a strategic vision for terrestrial geodetic imaging

Charting the Future of Terrestrial Laser Scanning in the Earth Sciences and Related Fields; Boulder, Colorado, 17–19 October 2011 A workshop hosted by UNAVCO and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) brought together 80 participants representing a spectrum of research fields with the objective of outlining a strategic vision for the future of terrestrial geodetic imaging as applied to a broad range of research activities at all levels of the community. Earth science investigations increasingly require accurate representation of the Earth surface using three-dimensional data capture, display, and analysis at a centimeter scale to quantitatively characterize and model complex processes. Recognizing this community need, researchers at several universities and UNAVCO established the NSF-funded Interdisciplinary Alliance for Digital Field Data Acquisition and Exploration (INTERFACE) project to support a terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) instrument pool and data collection expertise now based at UNAVCO
Protection of an Aerowindow, One Scheme to Enhance the Cavity Efficiency of a Solid Particle Solar Receiver

The existing open aperture of a Solid Particle Solar Receiver (SPSR) lowers the cavity efficiency by convection heat transfer. Aerowindows have the potential of increasing the efficiency of an SPSR. Aerodynamic windows consist of a transparent gas stream, which is injected from an air jet, across the receiver aperture to isolate its interior from the surrounding atmosphere. In the present paper, the influences of an aerowindow are investigated numerically on the cavity efficiency, particle exit temperature, and particle distribution of an SPSR. Different injection velocities, injection temperatures and injection directions of an air jet have been studied in order to form an efficient aerowindow. The numerical results provide a reference idea to enhance the performance in the conceptual design of an SPSR.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Systemic uptake, albumin and hemoglobin binding of [(14)C]2,3-butanedione administered by intratracheal instillation in male Harlan Sprague Dawley rats and oropharyngeal aspiration in male B6C3F1/N mice.

Abstract 2,3-Butanedione (BD) is a reactive diketone in artificial butter flavors that is thought to cause bronchiolitis obliterans in workers in microwave popcorn manufacturing. Bronchiolitis obliterans is generally not diagnosed until irreversible damage has occurred; therefore a biomarker of early exposure is needed. The potential systemic uptake of BD from inhalation exposure has not been evaluated. The objective here was to evaluate the systemic exposure of BD and binding to hemoglobin and albumin. [ 14 C]BD was administered to male Harlan Sprague Dawley rats (100 mg/kg, intratracheal instillation) and B6C3F 1/N mice (157 mg/kg, oropharyngeal aspiration). Blood and plasma was collected 24 h after administration and analyzed for 14 C content. At 24 h, 0.88 ± 0.07% of the administered dose was in rat blood, 0.66 ± 0.06% in rat plasma, 0.38 ± 0.13% in mouse blood and 0.17 ± 0.05% in mouse plasma. Albumin binding in rats was 269 ± 24.2 ng equiv./mg, which accounts for 38% of the radioactivity in plasma. In mice, binding was 85.0 ± 22.3 ng equiv./mg albumin, which accounts for 51% of the radioactivity in plasma. The binding to hemoglobin in rats was 38.2 ± 17.6 ng equiv./mg, and to globin was 29.1 ± 3.96 ng equiv./mg. In mice, the binding to hemoglobin was 16.2 ± 9.0 ng equiv./mg. The site(s) of adduction on hemoglobin and albumin was investigated by mass spectrometry. In rat globin, arginine adducts were detected at R-30 and R-104 of the beta chain in vitro and in vivo. In rat albumin, adducts were detected in vitro on R-219/221, R-360, and R-368, and in vivo on a variety of arginine residues. This study demonstrated that BD enters the systemic circulation and reacts with arginine on hemoglobin and albumin. These results indicate that hemoglobin and albumin adducts may be useful as biomarkers of BD exposure in humans.
Formal analysis of fault-tolerant group key management using ZooKeeper

Security-as-a-Service (SecaaS) is gaining popularity, with cloud-based anti-spam and anti-virus leading the way. In this work we look at key management as a security service and focus on group key management with a central group key manager. Specifically, we analyze a rewriting logic model of a ZooKeeper-based group key management service specified in Maude and study its tolerance to faults and performance as it scales to service larger groups using the PVeStA statistical model checking tool.
Catalytic Performance and in Situ Surface Chemistry of Pure α-MnO2 Nanorods in Selective Reduction of NO and N2O with CO

Search of catalysts made of nonprecious metal for reduction of nitric oxide is important for having a sustainable environment. Catalytic performances of α-MnO2 nanorods in reduction of nitric oxide and nitrous oxide by carbon monoxide were investigated. Surface chemistry of α-MnO2 catalyst during catalysis was tracked with ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Correlation between catalytic performance and the corresponding in situ surface chemistry during catalysis revealed that Mn3+ ions and oxygen vacancies are active catalytic sites. Bulk phase of α-MnO2 nanorods below the catalyst surface is restructured to Mn3O4 in catalysis. Kinetics studies suggested that the reduction of nitric oxide with CO is performed through the formation of the intermediate N2O with a followed dissociation to N2. This study suggested restructuring of transition metal oxides can tune catalytic performance and even develop catalysts.
Elastic properties of amorphous Si and derived Debye temperatures and Grüneisen parameters: Model calculation.

Calculations, based on the Stillinger-Weber (SW) interatomic-potential model and the method of long waves, are presented for the elastic properties of amorphous Si ({ital a}-Si) and for pressure derivatives of the elastic constants of crystalline Si. Several models of {ital a}-Si, relaxed on the basis of the SW potential, are considered, and the external stresses that are associated with these models are evaluated using the Born-Huang relations. The elastic constants appear to obey the isotropy conditions to within a reasonable accuracy and are also consistent with other predictions based on the SW potential at finite temperature obtained by Kluge and Ray. Estimates of the pressure dependence of the elastic constants, Debye temperature, and Grueeisen parameter for {ital a}-Si are also provided on the basis of these calculations.
Deviation of Atrial Septum Primum in Association with Normal Left Atrioventricular Valve Size

Deviation of atrial septum primum (DASP) is an unusual anatomic finding in patients with normal left atrioventricular valve size. To better describe this anomaly, we reviewed our echocardiographic database from January 1987 to May 1999. Twenty-four patients had DASP and a normal-sized left atrioventricular valve. Six had inferior DASP with common atrioventricular canal. Of these, 3 had evidence of left atrial outlet obstruction. Five survived surgical intervention with follow-up of 24 +/- 14 months. Seventeen patients had superoposterior deviation with the right pulmonary veins draining anomalously to the right atrium. Only 8 of 17 underwent surgical resection; none of the 17 have evidence for late development of obstruction. One patient had both inferior deviation and superoposterior DASP and underwent early successful repair. DASP occurs in patients with normal left atrioventricular valve size. Inferior DASP can result in left atrial outlet obstruction and requires surgical intervention. Superoposterior DASP carries less physiologic consequence. Echocardiography can distinguish this anomaly from other forms of left atrial obstruction.
Optimization of fractal-like branching microchannel heat sinks for single-phase flows

Abstract Fractal-like branching flow networks in disk-shaped heat sinks are numerically optimized to minimize pressure drop and flow power. Optimization was performed using a direct numerical search, gradient-based optimization, and genetic algorithm. A previously validated one-dimensional pressure drop and heat transfer model, with water as the working fluid, is employed as the objective function. Geometric constraints based on fabrication limitations are considered, and the optimization methodology is compared with results from a direct numerical search and a genetic algorithm. The geometric parameters that define an optimal flow network include the length scale ratio, width scale ratio, and terminal channel width. Along with disk radius, these parameters influence the number of branch levels and number of channels attached to the inlet plenum. The geometric characteristics of the optimized flow networks are studied as a function of disk radius, applied heat flux, and maximum allowable wall temperature. A maximum inlet plenum radius, minimum interior channel spacing, and ranges of terminal channel widths and periphery channel spacing are specified geometric constraints. In general, all geometric constraints and the heat flux have a significant influence on the design of an optimal flow network. Results from a purely geometrically derived network design are shown to perform within 15% of the direct search and gradient-based optimized configurations.
Rate Constants for the Gas-Phase Reactions of a Series of Alkylnaphthalenes with the Nitrate Radical

Naphthalene and its C1- and C2-alkyl derivatives are semivolatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons expected to be in the gas phase in ambient atmospheres and subject to degradation by gas-phase reactions with the hydroxyl (OH) radical. Using a relative rate method, rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with a series of alkylnaphthalenes have been measured at 298 +/- 2 K and at atmospheric pressure of air. The compounds studied include naphthalene, 1- and 2-methylnaphthalene (1-, 2-MN), 1- and 2-ethylnaphthalene (1-, 2-EN), and the 10 dimethylnaphthalene isomers (1,2-; 1,3-; 1,4-; 1,5-; 1,6-; 1,7-; 1,8-; 2,3-; 2,6-; and 2,7-DMN). Using 1,2,3-and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene as reference compounds, the rate constant obtained for the OH radical reaction of naphthalene was (2.39 +/- 0.09) x 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1). Relative to naphthalene, the rate constants measured for the alkylnaphthalenes were (in units of 10(-11) cm3 molecule(-1) s(-1), where the errors given are two standard deviations and include the above uncertainty in the naphthalene rate constant) 1-MN, 4.09 +/- 0.20; 2-MN, 4.86 +/- 0.25; 1-EN, 3.64 +/- 0.41; 2-EN, 4.02 +/- 0.55; 1,2-DMN, 5.96 +/- 0.55; 1,3-DMN, 7.49 +/- 0.39; 1,4-DMN, 5.79 +/- 0.36; 1,5-DMN, 6.01 +/- 0.35; 1,6-DMN, 6.34 +/- 0.36; 1,7-DMN, 6.79 +/- 0.45; 1,8-DMN, 6.27 +/- 0.43; 2,3-DMN, 6.15 +/- 0.47; 2,6-DMN, 6.65 +/- 0.35; 2,7-DMN, 6.87 +/- 0.43. These data show that, under atmospheric conditions, the DMN isomers react most rapidly with the OH radical with calculated lifetimes of 1.9-2.4 h, followed by the MNs and ENs with lifetimes of 2.9-3.8 h and naphthalene with a lifetime of 5.8 h. These differences in reactivity were confirmed by the nighttime/daytime concentration ratios of the alkylnaphthalenes measured in ambient Riverside, CA, samples.
An integrated stereo visual odometry for robotic navigation

In this paper, we propose a novel method to accurately estimate the arbitrary motion of a calibrated stereo rig from a noisy sequence. In the proposed method, a projective camera model is used which is appropriate for scenes where the objects are close to the camera or where there is depth variation in the scene. We propose a feature-based method that estimates large 3D translation and rotation motion of a moving rig. The translational velocity and acceleration and angular velocity of the rig are then estimated using a recursive method. In addition, we account for different motion types such as pure rotation and pure translation in different directions. In our studies, we assume that the rig motion is noisy, i.e., the acceleration and velocity of the camera are not perfectly constant. Our experimental results show that we obtain accurate estimates of rotation matrix and translation vector parameters across different test-cases with large and small baselines. For long sequences, the estimated motion parameters are within +/-0.2 mm.
Image rendering for digital fax

Conventional halftoning methods such as error diffusion and ordered dithering are poorly suited to the compression of halftone images using the baseline fax compression schemes CCITT G3 and G4. This paper proposes an efficient and flexible solution for binary representation of mixed content documents using CCITT G3/G4 compression. The solution includes two variations which we refer to as FastFax and ReadableFax. FastFax performs edge detection and text detection by applying locally adaptive binary thresholding and combines the two detection results together. The FastFax algorithm produces an accurate representation of binary mixed document content with high compressibility using CCITT G3/G4 compression. ReadableFax is based on FastFax and applies clustered dot screening to background and halftone regions to enhance graphic content. Both methods provide accurate representation of image content while allowing for substantial compressibility, and provide a tradeoff between representation quality and bit rate.
The magnitude of sinus cycle length change during ventricular tachycardia is predictive of successful antitachycardia pacing.

Background: Despite the wide use of antitachycardia pacing (ATP) in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), predictors of ATP success remain poorly understood. We hypothesize that the degree of sympathoexcitation, as measured by the sinus cycle length (SCL) shortening during ventricular tachycardia (VT), is a predictor of ATP success. Methods and Results: The charts of 462 patients with dual-chamber ICDs were reviewed. A total of 88 events in 26 patients met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The mean SCL during the 4 seconds preceding the VT onset (SCL-baseline), and during the 4 seconds prior to ATP delivery (SCL-VT) was measured. The percent shortening in SCL was calculated as ((SCL-baseline) – (SCL-VT))/(SCL-baseline) × 100. Patients were classified into the ATP-success and ATP-failure groups depending on the VT(s) response to ATP. Using a t-test analogue for clustered data, patients in the ATP-success group exhibited a greater shortening in SCL when compared with the ATP-Failure group (5.8% compared to 4.7%, P = 0.007). The successful ATP events displayed an average SCL shortening of 6.0% compared to 1.8% in the unsuccessful ATP events (P = 0.029). When the events were analyzed, the sensitivity and specificity of a shortening in SCL of >10% in predicting ATP success were 0.29 and 1. Conclusion: We have shown that the SCL change during VT, a marker of the autonomic changes that accompany a tachycardia, is useful in predicting ATP success. Our findings suggest that analysis of the SCL during VT might play a role in future programming of ATP in patients with ICDs.
Successful treatment of early postoperative aortic graft infection by percutaneous catheter drainage

Successful treatment by percutaneous catheter drainage of an acute aortic graft infection with an associated pancreatic fistula is reported. Percutaneous catheter drainage can be considered in selected patients when the risk of reoperation is deemed unacceptable or when other reasonable treatment options do not exist.
A generalized least square algorithm to process infrared data taken in non-destructive readout mode

We present a general algorithm to perform the linear fit of non-destructive ramps, the most common readout mode of IR detectors in Astronomy. The algorithm is based on the Generalized Least Square Method, appropriate when the data are heteroscedastic and correlated, and uses a covariance matrix accounting for readout noise, correlated Poisson noise of the integrated signal, group-averages, and digitization noise. The basic algorithm is expanded to allow for detection and removal of cosmic rays within the ramp on solid statistical ground. The procedure returns a statistically accurate estimate of the ramp’s slope, intercept and of the intensity of possible cosmic rays together with their associated uncertainties and correlation terms. An example of implementation exploiting IDL’s matrix operators is provided in the Appendix.
Design of a circular plate on an elastic halfspace for minimum differential settlement

A circular plate resting on an elastic halfspace is considered. The plate is deflected downward by a uniform load and sometimes additional edge loads and moments. Translational and rotational supports at the edge are included in some cases. The interface between the plate and the halfspace is assumed to be frictionless. The plate has piecewise-constant thickness, and the segment thicknesses and radii are allowed to vary. For given total volume of the plate, the difference between the maximum deflection (which occurs at the centre) and minimum deflection (which occurs at the edge) is minimized. Optimal solutions depend on the relative stiffness between the plate and the halfspace. The results can be applied to the bottom plate of a ground-supported liquid storage tank.
Stepping Up to the Plate

For someone coming from the outside to take a position with the federal government, one of the biggest challenges is understanding your mission and how it fits into the grand scheme of things. But coming to the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program, the task is made quite a bit simpler because the prime directive has been clearly set by Congress. Along with its three partners in the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP), USGS shares a congressional mandate to develop “effective measures for earthquake hazards reduction”, promote their adoption, and “improve the understanding of earthquakes and their effects on communities, buildings, structures, and lifelines.” The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program is specifically tasked with providing earthquake monitoring and notifications, assessing seismic hazards, and conducting research needed to reduce the risk from earthquake hazards nationwide. The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program is a program that does not, and cannot, go it alone. In addition to close collaboration with the other NEHRP partners—the Federal Emergency Management Agency (now within the Department of Homeland Security), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Science Foundation (NSF)—fully a quarter of the program's funding supports directed research and earthquake monitoring activities by universities, state and local governments, and the private sector. This is a program that does not, and cannot, go it alone. In seeking to understand the capabilities that the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program can bring to bear and the challenges and opportunities that it faces, a good place to start is the USGS response to the 22 December 2003 San Simeon earthquake. In January of this year, the San Luis Obispo County (California) Board of Supervisors wrote a letter to USGS Director Chip Groat expressing appreciation for the Survey's assistance following the magnitude 6.5 San Simeon event, which killed two people …
Robust Control and Model Uncertainty

The following sections are included:IntroductionA Benchmark Resource Allocation ProblemModel MisspecificationTwo Robust Control ProblemsRecursivity of the Multiplier FormulationTwo Preference OrderingsRecursivity of the Preference OrderingsConcluding Remarks
Investigating the Low-Temperature Impedance Increase of Lithium-Ion Cells

Low-temperature performance loss is a significant barrier to commercialization of lithium-ion cells in hybrid electric vehicles. Increased impedance, especially at temperatures below 0 C, reduces the cell pulse power performance required for cold engine starts, quick acceleration, or regenerative braking. Here we detail electrochemical impedance spectroscopy data on binder- and carbon-free layered-oxide and spinel-oxide electrodes, obtained over the +30 to ?30 C temperature range, in coin cells containing a lithium-preloaded Li{sub 4/3}Ti{sub 5/3}O{sub 4} composite (LTOc) counter electrode and a LiPF{sub 6}-bearing ethylene carbonate/ethyl methyl carbonate electrolyte. For all electrodes studied, the impedance increased with decreasing cell temperature; the increases observed in the midfrequency arc dwarfed the increases in ohmic resistance and diffusional impedance. Our data suggest that the movement of lithium ions across the electrochemical interface on the active material may have been increasingly hindered at lower temperatures, especially below 0 C. Low-temperature performance may be improved by modifying the electrolyte-active material interface (for example, through electrolyte composition changes). Increasing surface area of active particles (for example, through nanoparticle use) can lower the initial electrode impedance and lead to lower cell impedances at -30 C.
Magnesium sulfate attack on portland cement paste-I. Microstructural analysis

Abstract The mechanism of magnesium sulfate attack in portland cement and portland cement with silica fume paste was studied by investigating the microstructure and composition of specimens immersed for one year in magnesium sulfate solution. Results are presented in two parts. Part I, presents the microstructure of the pastes. Part II, presents the chemical and mineralogical variations across the specimen together with a proposed mechanism of magnesium sulfate attack. The magnesium sulfate attack resulted in the formation of the “surface double-layer” which was composed of brucite and gypsum layers. In addition, there was a sequential formation of inner gypsum layers resembling the occurence of lisegang bands found in rocks. The surface double-layer was composed of brucite, about 40 to 120 μm thick, and followed by a contiguous layer of gypsum, about 20 to 70 μm thick. Subsequently, up to four internal gypsum layers were deposited at depths of up to 1200 μm from the surface. These layers were parallel to the beam surfaces ranging in thicknesses from 15 to 60 μm. In portland cement with silica fume paste there were almost no inner gypsum layers, instead, massive deposition of dispersed gypsum crystals appeared up to at a distance of about 800 μm from the surface. The attack had apparently influenced the local degree of hydration of the cement constituents; near the surface only residual ferrite and belite crystals were observed, but in the middle, unreacted alite and belite were predominant.
Degradation and stabilization of E8,E10-dodecadienol, the major component of the sex pheromone of the codling moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Exposure of E 8, E 10-dodecadienol, the major component of codling moth pheromone, to sunlight and air resulted in extensive degradation, primarily to nonvolatile oligomers and polymers. Contents and surface residues of new and field-aged pheromone dispensers used in codling moth mating disruption were also analyzed. The tacky film on the surface of field-aged dispensers was primarily nonvolatile decomposition products, and the pheromone remaining in the reservoir of field-aged dispensers degraded significantly. Carbon black, which physically blocks light, and 2 phenylenediamine antioxidants were effective stabilizers that hindered pheromone degradation.
RESTORE--from deduction to leap of faith.

In a recent study in JACC by the RESTORE Investigators, the researchers equate postoperative elevation in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (29.6% to 39.5%) and decrease in left ventricular end-systolic index (LVESI) (80 ml to 56 ml) to improved LV function. However, an increase in LVEF and
An Evaluation of the Ability of Priscoline, Regitine, and Roniacol to Overcome Vasospasm in Normal Man Estimation of the Probable Clinical Efficacy of these Drugs in Vasospastic Peripheral Vascular Disease

This paper is a study of the comparative efficacy of Priscoline, Regitine, and Roniacol in relaxing vasospasm in the extremities of normal human subjects. A total of 60 studies were performed on 14 subjects. Severe cutaneous vasospasm was induced by exposure of the lightly clad subject to an environmental temperature of 20 C. for one hour or more. In half the tests the severe vasospasm was reduced to moderate vasospasm by application of heat to the torso of the chilled subjects. The effectiveness of the drugs was tested by giving them by intravenous infusion after the appropriate state of vasospasm had been obtained. The degree of relaxation of vasospasm was estimated from the resulting changes in cutaneous temperature recorded with thermocouples.
A method for micro-spectrography of metals.

Qualitative spectrographic analyses of metallic areas of less than 0.05 mm in diameter can be obtained by means of the equipment and methods described. The apparatus consists of (1) a device for holding a counter electrode and the specimen to be analyzed, (2) an electronic spark generator, and (3) a medium quartz spectrograph. Minute areas such as inclusions, segregations, crystalline phases, surface contaminations, metallic platings, and the extent of metallic diffusion have been successfully analyzed.
Mouse brain distribution of a carbon-11 labeled vesamicol derivative : presynaptic marker of cholinergic neurons

The regional mouse brain distribution of a new carbon-11 labeled derivative of vesamicol, [11C]-5-(N-methylamino)benzovesamicol [( 11C]MABV) is reported. Radiotracer concentrations in vivo are in the rank order of striatum greater than cortex greater than hippocampus greater than hypothalamus greater than cerebellum, consistent with reported distributions of other presynaptic cholinergic neuronal markers. In time course studies, striatum/cerebellum and cortex/cerebellum ratios for (-)-[11C]MABV continue to increase to values of 13 and 5, respectively, 75 min after i.v. injection of [11C]MABV. The specific binding in striatum and cortex is lowered by pretreatment with (+/-)-vesamicol, and shows stereoselectivity with lower uptake and lower ratios for the (+)-enantiomer. (-)-enantiomer. (-)-[11C]MABV is proposed as a positron-emitting radioligand for the in vivo study of presynaptic cholinergic neurons.
Particle Sizing With A Laser Interferometer For Spheres Having Sizes Of Several Wavelengths

Particle sizing based on the phase Doppler technique is investigated for spheres having sizes of several light wavelengths by using a laser interferometer(a laser Doppler velocimeter) that has the receiving optics composed of paired optical fibers. The phase dependence on the particle size is calculated by means of multipole expansion of electro-magnetic fields and the calculated results are compared with those obtained from geometrical optics. Experiments using silicon resin particles have been conducted on the basis of oscillatory part of the phase curve.
Immunochemical Heterogeneity of Calcitonin in Renal Failure

Calcitonin was studied by radioimmunoassayin patients with renal disease. Hormone measurements were made in the plasma of 25 patients with chronic renal failure before and after hemodialysis and sequentially in one patient with resolving acute renal failure. Calcitonin was also measured after chromatography on Bio Gel P-10 in some samples. Basal concentrations of hormone were significantly increased above normal in all subjects with a mean (±SE) basal concentration of 185 (±16) pg/ml. In the patients with chronic renal disease, the predominant form of calcitonin eluted at the void volume of the chromatography column and there was little calcitonin monomer. Dialysis resulted in a 42% mean increase in plasma calcitonin but the effect on the chromatographic pattern of the hormone was variable. There was no striking correlation between plasma calcitonin an other biochemical parameters in these patient: However, in the patient with acute renal failun the concentration of calcitonin paralleled th clinical cours...
Character of wave depolarization by a perfectly conducting rough surface and its application to Earth and Moon experiments

Abstract A theory based on Fourier transformation and small perturbation is developed for both the polarized and the depolarized scattering from a perfectly conducting slightly rough surface. It is shown that both the quasi-specular scattering and the multiple scattering are responsible for the polarized return, while multiple scattering alone is responsible for depolarization. Frequency and angular filtering effects are shown to be present which dictate the relative importance of the various portions of the roughness density spectrum of a given surface. These effects are particularly important for the depolarized scattering. Their presence leads to a weak dependence of the depolarized return on the shape of the roughness density spectrum of the surface. Comparison with various existing experiments on depolarization of electromagnetic waves seems to confirm this theory.
Changes in non-histone chromatin proteins during the storage of chromatin.

We have described here the changes in stored chicken reticulocyte chromatin which take place among non-histone protein fractions based on SDS-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis and hybridization of globin cDNA with RNAs transcribed on native and reconstitited chromatin templates.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALGORITHM FOR THE COMPILATION OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS AND RELATED SYSTEMS OF STATISTICS

The present article includes a proposal for a national accounts algorithm to be applied in the computerization of the national accounts compilation process. While aiming at the estimation and reconciliation of data from different statistical sources, it is based on the application of a linear programming technique applied to a system of identities and inequalities that define the accounting and analytical relations between the data categories of a national accounting framework. The technique is flexible in the sense that it can be used with any configuration of available statistical sources and data requirements of the national accounts. The algorithm is illustrated graphically with help of a simple example and thereafter applied to an extended but still simple national accounting scheme for Suriname with data for 1965 that was compiled by the author many years ago. As the present study is only a first step in the development of the algorithm, more work is needed to make it operational and the last section of the article includes suggestions about the direction of that further work.
Sleep and the endocrine system: new associations to old diseases.

Sleep and sleep disorders play a prominent role in hormone regulation. Given that sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) are thought to result from obesity, it has been assumed that when the two coexist, the diabetes was caused by the obesity. However, new data has shed light on the effects that SDB, sleep deprivation, and snoring have on glucose regulation. It now appears that in addition to causing daytime drowsiness, cardiovascular disease, mood and memory disturbances, impotence, and car wrecks, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) also promotes insulin resistance. Though data is still sketchy on the optimum management of coexisting DM and OSA, large-scale studies will most likely prove that homeostatic glucose control in patients with sleep apnea will require aggressive treatment of their SDB.
Microbial diversity and potential for arsenic and iron biogeochemical cycling at an arsenic rich, shallow-sea hydrothermal vent (Tutum Bay, Papua New Guinea)

The shallow submarine hydrothermal systems of Tutum Bay, Papua New Guinea, are an ideal opportunity to study the influence of arsenic on a marine ecosystem. Previous reports have demonstrated that the hydrothermal vents in Tutum Bay release arsenic in reduced hydrothermal fluids into the marine environment at the rate of 1.5 kg of arsenic/day. Aqueous arsenite is oxidized and adsorbed onto hydrous ferric oxides [HFOs] surrounding the venting area. We demonstrate here that microorganisms are key in both the oxidation of Fe^(II) and As^(III) in the areas immediately surrounding the vent source. Surveys of community diversity in biofilms and in vent fluid indicate the presence of zeta-Proteobacteria, alpha-Proteobacteria, Persephonella, and close relatives of the archaeon Nitrosocaldus. The iron oxidizing zeta-Proteobacteria are among the first colonizers of solid substrates near the vents, where they appear to be involved in the precipitation of the hydrous ferric oxides (HFOs). Further, the biofilm communities possess the genetic capacity for the oxidation of arsenite. The resulting arsenate is adsorbed onto the HFOs, potentially removing the arsenic from the immediate marine system. No evidence was found for dissimilatory arsenate reduction, but the arsenate may be remobilized by detoxification mechanisms. This is the first demonstration of the genetic capacity for arsenic cycling in high temperature, shallow-sea vent communities, supporting recent culture-based findings in similar systems in Greece (Handley et al., 2010). These reports extend the deep-sea habitat of the zeta-Proteobacteria to shallow submarine hydrothermal systems, and together implicate biological oxidation of both iron and arsenite as primary biogeochemical processes in these systems, providing a mechanism for the partial removal of aqueous arsenic from the marine environment surrounding the vents.
Global inequality, water pollution, and infant mortality

Recently, Burns, Kentor, and Jorgenson [Crises and resistance in the 21st century world-system, Greenwood Press, 2003] empirically identified the effects of export commodity dependence on organic water pollution, which has disastrous effects on infant mortality rates in peripheral and semiperipheral countries. In this paper I build upon this recent study, while addressing three limitations in its analyses. First, instead of using per capita GNP as a measure of world-system position, I employ an indicator that captures the economic and political/military dimensions of position in the core/periphery hierarchy. Second, instead of excluding OECD countries from the study, I include all countries that data are available for. Third, I include a critical indicator neglected in Burns et al.’s analyses: agricultural production as a percentage of a country’s total gross domestic product. Results of the quantitative cross-national analyses provide additional support for the previous key findings of Burns et al. (2003). Moreover, agriculture production proves to be a significant predictor of both organic water pollution and infant mortality rates, a finding that enhances our overall analytical and empirical accuracy in explaining environmental degradation and disastrous social domestic conditions, particularly in non-core, export commodity dependent societies.
Aged Bodies and Kinship Matters: The Ethical Field of Kidney Transplant

The number of kidneys transplanted to people over age 70, both from living and cadaver donors, has increased steadily in the past two decades in the United States. Live kidney donation, on the rise for all age groups, opens up new dimensions of intergenerational relationship and medical responsibility when the transfer of organs is from younger to older people. There is little public knowledge or discussion of this phenomenon, in which the site of ethical judgment and activism about longevity and mortality is one’s regard for the body of another and the substance of the body itself is ground for moral consideration about how kinship is “done.” The clinic, patient, and patient’s family together shape a bond between biological identity and human worth, a demand for an old age marked by somatic pliability and renewability, and a claim of responsibility that merges the “right to live” and “making live.” Live kidney transplantation joins genetic, reproductive, and pharmacological forms of social participation as one more technique linking ethics to intervention and the understanding of the arc of human life to clinical opportunity and consumption. Significant in this example is the medicocultural scripting of transplant choice that becomes a high-stakes obligation in which the long-term impacts on generational relations cannot be foreseen.
FACTORS INFLUENCING EMPLOYEES' PROPENSITY TO USE AN EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Using data collected from 1,987 employees at several locations of a large firm, this study investigates relationships between these employees' cognitive and attitudinal perceptions of an employee assistance program (EAP) and their propensity to use it. Familiarity with the program, perceived accessibility of it, and perceived managerial support for it are hypothesized to affect both employees' confidence in the program and their propensity to use it, and confidence in the EAP is further hypothesized to affect propensity to use. LISREL analysis supported the overall model, but the direct paths from the cognitive variables to propensity to use were not supported and confidence in the program was therefore indicated to be an essential mediating variable. Propensity to use an EAP is argued to be an important indicator of effective EAP implementation and suggestions are offered to management for promoting employee confidence in an EAP and ultimately their propensity to use it.
Tell Me a Story: A Review of Narrative Assessments for Preschoolers

The use of narrative assessments in mental health research with young children has increased significantly over the last 15 years. This article reviews 13 empirically validated narrative assessments for preschool populations. The reviewed instruments assess children’s attachment relationships, moral values, separation anxiety, pro-social behavior, object relations and depression, among other constructs. The authors present an analysis of each instrument including a discussion of its methodological rigor, and point to needed directions in the field. These narrative assessment instruments provide researchers and clinicians with insight into the internal worlds of young children, offering windows into a difficult-to-assess population.
Motor Neurons that Multitask

Animals use a form of sensory feedback termed proprioception to monitor their body position and modify the motor programs that control movement. In this issue of Neuron, Wen et al. (2012) provide evidence that a subset of motor neurons function as proprioceptors in C. elegans, where B-type motor neurons sense body curvature to control the bending movements that drive forward locomotion.
Short- and long-term exposure to low levels of pesticide and flavonoid mixtures modify endogenous antioxidants in tissues of rats.

The objective of this study was to determine if interaction between phytochemical mixtures and low level exposure to pesticides would modify tissue endogenous antioxidants in rats. Two experiments were conducted using dietary flavonoid (F) and oral pesticide (P) mixtures (FM, PM) on changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione concentrations (GSH) in male Sprague Dawley rats (150–175 g) fed for 2 or 4 weeks the AIN 93M diet with or without equal amounts of quercetin, rutin, catechin (FM) at 1.0 mM or 5 mM/kg diet, and with/without PM fed orally at 0.1 mL/d/5d/wk (PM = chlorpyrifos, endosulfan, thiram at 25% LD50 in oil). Our data indicate that (compared to corresponding Control groups): (i) While, 2 weeks of feeding reduced liver and small intestinal mucosal (IM) SOD activity in the PFM1 (PM+FM1) group, 4 weeks of feeding increased only liver SOD activity in PM, FM1, FM5 and PFM1 and PFM5 groups; (ii) Liver and IM GSH levels increased in PFM groups ...
Measuring surface area of airborne titanium dioxide powder agglomerates: relationships between gas adsorption, diffusion and mobility-based methods

Inhalation toxicology studies generally use the Brunauer, Emmett, and Teller (BET) gas adsorption method to measure total surface area of particles whereas occupational exposures are more readily measured by real-time mobility-based surface areas or active surface area measured with diffusion charger-based instruments. Three surface area measurement methods were studied: filter-based inert gas adsorption (BET method), diffusion charging, and mobility-based methods. The goal of the project was to investigate and develop a correlation between the measurement methods. The experimental design consisted of measuring surface area in a series of five trials for each of two powder types, fine and ultrafine titanium dioxide with primary particle sizes of 440 and 20 nm, respectively, and two aerosol concentrations. Diffusion charger instruments tended to underestimate the total particle surface area measured by the BET, but were well correlated with mobility-based surface areas obtained from a scanning mobility particle sizer. Filter-based gas adsorption methods and diffusion charging methods provide different but valuable information on total and active surface areas of particles, respectively. Results indicate they should not be used as predictors of one another.
Age differences in hypothesis testing and frequency processing in concept learning

Two types of processes, controlled hypothesis testing and automatic frequency processing, have been posited to explain concept learning. The present study employed a concept-identification task to compare fifth-graders, college students, and elderly adults in their ability to test hypotheses and compile feature frequency information. College students proved superior in both their efficiency of selecting the correct hypothesis and their accuracy of recalling sampled hypotheses, and fifth-graders and elderly adults performed about the same on these measures of hypothesis-testing ability. Ability to estimate feature frequencies followed the same developmental pattern. The results support the view that hypothesis testing is an effortful, controlled process, but they contradict the assumption that frequency processing is automatic.
When the Past is Not Prologue: The Wagner Act Debates and the Limits of American Political Science

The debates over the Wagner Act could have represented a key moment in the ongoing development of the discipline of American Political Science, as neo-Marxist and related class analyses of American politics began to be taken seriously. Instead the debates have been forgotten, and neo-Marxism remains as marginalized as ever. This article examines how one influential scholar, Theda Skocpol, successfully characterized neo-Marxism as hopelessly reductionist and functionalist. Despite successful rebuttals to Skocpol's arguments by Michael Goldfield in particular, the discipline proved more than willing to continue to ignore what neo-Marxism had to offer.
Cryogenic PCBN turning of ceramic (Si3N4)

This paper presents a technique for machining advanced ceramics with liquid nitrogen (LN) cooled polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tool. A LN circulation system has been designed to control the cutting tool temperature. The tool wear of PCBN50 during the machining of the reaction bonded silicon nitride (Si3N4) reduced significantly with LN cooling. The surface roughness due to LN cooling assisted cutting was about six times better than normal cutting.
Success of nonoperative treatment for congenital muscular torticollis is dependent on early therapy

Congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) begins in infancy, and exercise treatment is often recommended. There is controversy about the type, length, and effectiveness of conservative treatment. We have used a standard technique of passive stretching exercises (PSE) in 126 children with CMT seen over 30 years. We reviewed the results and compared the rate of surgical treatment with the age at which PSE began. In 88 infants who began PSE prior to 3 months of age, outcome was excellent or good in 92%, with none needing surgery. In comparison, 45% of older children required sternomastoid myotomy (P <.005). The likelihood of surgery was directly related to the age at initiation of PSE. We conclude that PSE are effective for early CMT, and should be continued until a full passive range of neck motion is achieved and maintained. Success is dependent on frequent follow-up and parental encouragement.
Increased 5′ nucleotidase activity in plasma membranes from rat liver following ingestion of fish oil

Abstract The effect of n-3 fatty acid enriched diets on the membrane compositions of rat liver was studied. Sprague Dawley rats maintained on 10% menhaden oil enriched diet showed two to four fold increase in n-3 fatty acid levels and a 35% decrease in arachidonic acid in liver plasma membrane phospholipids. The specific activity of 5′-nucleotidase enzyme in n-3 fatty acid enriched membranes was two times higher than in liver membranes from control rats. These studies indicate that dietary n-3 fatty acids are incorporated into membrane lipids and influences the membrane associated enzyme activity.
Space Charge in Plane Magnetron

The space charge equation for the plane magnetron is solved, the current is obtained as a function of the magnetic field, and the effect of the magnetic field on the distribution of potential and charge is discussed.
Introduction of a Neurotrophin-3 Transgene into Muscle Selectively Rescues Proprioceptive Neurons in Mice Lacking Endogenous Neurotrophin-3

Abstract To clarify the role of muscle-derived neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) in the development of sensory neurons, we generated transgenic mice selectively overexpressing NT-3 in skeletal muscles under the control of a myogenin promoter ( myo-NT-3 mice). The myo-NT-3 transgene was then bred into an NT-3 null mutant (−/−) line to generate myo-NT-3 , NT-3 −/− mice in which NT-3 was expressed in muscles, but not elsewhere. Transient overexpression of NT-3 in developing muscles increased the number of proprioceptive neurons as well as the density of both their central and peripheral projections, resulting in more Ia afferents in spinal cord and more spindles (end organs of Ia afferents) in muscles. NT-3 expression restricted to muscles was sufficient to secure the development of proprioceptive neurons and their central and peripheral projections in myo-NT-3 , NT-3 −/− mice. The loss of nonproprioceptive neurons observed in NT-3 −/− mice was not reversed by the transgene, suggesting that these neurons are regulated by NT-3 from sources other than muscle. We conclude that target-derived rather than intraganglionic NT-3 is preeminent in supporting the development of proprioceptive neurons. The level of NT-3 in developing muscles may be the principal factor determining the number of proprioceptive neurons in dorsal root ganglions and spindles in skeletal muscles of adults.