cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Char- and Aerosol-associated Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds from Coal Pyrolysis: Relationship Between Particle Size and Surface Composition

In order to investigate the relationship between solid size and polycyclic aromatic compound (PAC) amount and composition, we have pyrolyzed 45–53-μm particles of a high-volatility bituminous coal at 1100–1500 K in a laminar flow, drop-tube furnace. Aerodynamically separated in a cascade impactor, three size cuts of the solid products have been collected for determination of PAC and solid carbon mass yields. We have also examined differences in PAC composition of the three size cuts by employing a liquid chromatographic technique that separates PAC according to their number of fused aromatic rings. Soot yields are found to increase with increasing temperature; char and PAC yields decrease. Yields of the most volatile PAC decay particularly rapidly with increasing temperature. For all pyrolysis conditions investigated, > 90% of the PAC is associated with the soot (the smaller two size cuts), but the proportion associated with the larger particles grows as the total amount of PAC lessens. For all experiment...
Effects of ethanol on calcium binding and calcium uptake by cardiac microsomes

Abstract Calcium uptake and Ca binding by cardiac microsomes enriched in fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum were inhibited by ethanol. After 5 min of incubation, half-maximal inhibition of the former was seen at approximately 1.3 M ethanol, that of the latter was seen at approximately 1.9 M ethanol. Neither Ca uptake nor Ca binding was stimulated at lower concentrations of ethanol; Prolonged exposure of the microsomes to ethanol increased the extent of inhibition of both Ca uptake and Ca binding. These inhibitory effects were almost completely reversed when microsomes were washed after exposure to ethanol. Inclusion of 0.12 M Na+ instead of 0.12 M K+ increased the inhibitory effect of ethanol on Ca uptake, but did not significantly change the sensitivity of Ca binding to ethanol. These inhibitory effects of ethanol were seen at concentrations that generally stabilize membrane structures and are associated with an anesthetic action. Even though the concentrations of ethanol needed to inhibit Ca uptake and Ca binding exceeded those found in the blood of chronic alcoholic patients, the time dependence of these effects raises the possibility that prolonged exposure to concentrations of ethanol might contribute to the myocardial weakness of chronic alcoholics by interfering with the retention of Ca2+ within the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.
The role of chemistry and pH of solid surfaces for specific adsorption of biomolecules in solution--accurate computational models and experiment.

Adsorption of biomolecules and polymers to inorganic nanostructures plays a major role in the design of novel materials and therapeutics. The behavior of flexible molecules on solid surfaces at a scale of 1–1000 nm remains difficult and expensive to monitor using current laboratory techniques, while playing a critical role in energy conversion and composite materials as well as in understanding the origin of diseases. Approaches to implement key surface features and pH in molecular models of solids are explained, and distinct mechanisms of peptide recognition on metal nanostructures, silica and apatite surfaces in solution are described as illustrative examples. The influence of surface energies, specific surface features and protonation states on the structure of aqueous interfaces and selective biomolecular adsorption is found to be critical, comparable to the well-known influence of the charge state and pH of proteins and surfactants on their conformations and assembly. The representation of such details in molecular models according to experimental data and available chemical knowledge enables accurate simulations of unknown complex interfaces in atomic resolution in quantitative agreement with independent experimental measurements. In this context, the benefits of a uniform force field for all material classes and of a mineral surface structure database are discussed.
Present mortality in Parkinson's disease: the ratio of observed to expected deaths with a method to calculate expected deaths

Excess mortality,i.e. more deaths than expected in a similar normal population, has been reduced in Parkinson's disease by levodopa. A California series and a large collaborative study throughout the United States show the ratio of observed to expected deaths to be normal. In contrast, a New York study with similar patients and a Montreal group of much more severely disabled patients show greater mortality. The reasons for these differences are unclear, but some variation in results may be attributed to different methods of calculating expected deaths to derive the ratio of observed to expected deaths.
On the structure and logic of typical material flow systems

Abstract A queueing network technique (Solberg's CAN-Q) and a flow control simulator (SINDECS) are applied to investigate general, fundamental performance properties of material flow systems (MFS). The effects of a system's structure and flow logic on performance are compared for three typical flow systems: transfer line, recirculating conveyor loop, and job shop. The concepts of Most Economical MFS for a given performance level, Iso-Performance MTS combinations, and Overall MFS Configuration Measures are introduced.
A fine-grained Ethernet performance model

We have developed a novel analytical Ethernet performance model that contains a complete formulation of system response time from the initiation of user requests for service to the delivery of the service to the user. The estimated response time includes simultaneous input bus delay (requests for service from multiple users), simultaneous output delay (responses to requests from multiple servers), considering time lost to collisions and subsequent backoff time, time lost to deferring transmission due to a busy channel, and transmission time. In addition, we include server disk input and output queueing times and server and user disk access times. By modeling all epochs of collision, backoff, and transmission events, we have developed a way of providing a level of detail and accuracy that other analytic models of Ethernet performance do not provide. In addition to using the model for estimating response time as a function of number of users and servers, the model is used to determine the number of servers that would be appropriate for a given range of number of users.
Microwave detection of the molecular transient methyleneimine (CH2=NH)

Abstract The molecular transient methyleneimine (CH2=NH) has been identified in the gas phase from its microwave spectrum. Preliminary analysis of the rotational spectrum of 12CH2=14NH shows the molecule to be planar with rotational constants (in MHz) of A = 196 211, B = 34 642, and C = 29 352. Estimates of the nuclear quadrupole coupling constants and electric dipole moment for the molecule are given. The half-life of this transient molecule is estimated to be less than 0.1 sec under the conditions used in the experiment under discussion.
Nuclear Electric Field Gradient and Mean Square Displacement of the Iron Sites in Sodium Nitroprusside

Both the electric-field-gradient (EFG) and mean square displacement (MSD) tensor parameters at the Fe sites in sodium nitroprusside at 23\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C have been determined with a high precision by the M\"ossbauer technique. The EFG asymmetry parameter is $\ensuremath{\eta}=0.01\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$. The principal axes of the two tensors do not coincide. Taking proper account of saturation effects was essential, even though the absorbers were only \ensuremath{\sim}0.2 mm thick. For the MSD, proper consideration of polarization effects was also important. A total of 34 runs on an absolutely calibrated mechanical drive gave for the quadrupole splitting $\ensuremath{\Delta}{E}_{Q}=1.7048\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0025$ mm/sec.
Craniofacial dysmorphogenesis following hypervitaminosis A in mice

Malformations of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), zygomatic arch, middle ear ossicles, and mandibular musculature following hypervitaminosis A were described in fetal mice. Pregnant mice (Mus musculus) were each given a 0.2-ml solution of corn oil containing 10,000 IU of retinol palmitate by gavage on day 8.7. Thirty-eight fetal heads were collected and hemisected. The left hemiheads were serially sectioned, stained, and examined histologically. Right halves were cleared and double-stained with alizarin red and alcian blue. The craniofacial morphologies of the test mice were found to vary from normal to maximally involved (feature unidentifiable) even among littermates. Both inter- and intralitter variation were discussed. Errors in chondrogenesis were determined to have produced the variety of dysmorphologies observed. Changes in Meckel's cartilage affected both the TMJ and ossicles; the presence of ectopic cartilages affected the zygomatic arch; and the musculature was affected secondary to skeletal system changes. Several modes of vitamin A interference leading to craniofacial dysmorphogenesis have been proposed in the literature. It was determined that proposals implicating altered cellular differentiation were the most compatible with the in vivo data recorded here and elsewhere.
First Principles Calculations of Interfaces in Ultra High Temperature Ceramics

This work focuses on understanding the influence of temperature on correlations between thermal conduction and mechanical strength in material interfaces including a high temperature material interface. Analyses examine single crystal ZrB2, single crystal SiC, and a - ZrB2-SiC interface using a framework based on Car Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) ab-initio simulation method from 500 K to 2500 K. Analyses indicate that the strength reduction with increase in temperature is strongly correlated to phonon and electron thermal diffusivity change. With increase in temperature, phonon thermal diffusivity increases in the case of ZrB2 and reduces in the cases of SiC as well as the interface. Electron contribution to thermal diffusivity increases with temperature increase in the case of interface. Examination of change in thermal properties at different mechanical strain levels reveals that the mechanisms of strength and thermal property change with increase in temperature may be similar to the mechanisms responsible for property change with change in applied strain.
Biodistribution studies of anti-Thy 1.2 IgM immunoconjugates: implications for radioimmunotherapy.

Abstract We have prepared 111 In radioimmunoconjugates (RICs) of the IgM isotype with specificity for the murine T cell/neuroectgdermal surface antigen, Thy 1.2. Using gamma camera immunoscintigraphy, we have analyzed the biodistribution patterns of the RICs after intravenous and intraperitoneal injection into normal Thy 1.2+ and Thy 1.2− mice. Both routes of administration show antigen-specific uptake by the splenic T lymphocyte population. A high degree of nonspecific uptake by the reticuloendothelial system is also observed. Analysis of the specific activity of various segments of spleens from RIC-injected animals shows inhomogeneous uptake of the RIC not readily apparent by immunoscintigraphy. Animals injected with the RIC and then given high dose total body irradiation showed rapid shifts in radionuclide distribution away from the target cell population and into the general reticuloendothelial system, suggesting that death of the target cell can alter RIC biodistribution. Analyses of RIC biodistribution patterns will contribute to optimization of treatment by radioimmunotherapy.
Multiple testing of response rates with a control: a Bayesian stepwise approach

The problem of simultaneous testing of multiple null hypotheses comparing different treatments with a control in terms of binary response rates is often encountered in pharmaceutical research. While the problem has been addressed from a frequentist perspective, no Bayesian approach is yet available in the literature. Sarkar and Chen (A Bayesian approach to stepwise simultaneous testing, 2002, submitted) has recently proposed a Bayesian step-down approach to a general multiple testing problem. The main objective of this paper is to use that approach in the present problem.
Affect Regulation in Pediatric Bipolar Disorder

Increasingly, clinicians and researchers alike are describing children presenting with emotional and behavioral problems as suffering from deficits of "affect regulation." The present article reviews the current understanding of affect regulation. The authors also discuss recent findings implicating affect dysregulation in children and adolescents with bipolar disorder.
Elevated endothelin-1 in tubular epithelium is associated with renal allograft rejection.

Abstract Vascular endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels are elevated in patients with renal allograft rejection, and the mitogenic and pressor actions of ET-1 might contribute to transplant vasculopathy, posttransplantation hypertension, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. In contrast, relatively little is known about tubular expression of ET-1 in acute or chronic rejection of renal allografts. We sought to determine whether tubular ET-1 levels were altered in patients with acute or chronic renal allograft rejection. Immunohistochemical analysis of tubular ET-1 was performed in renal biopsy specimens from 18 patients with acute rejection, 7 patients with chronic rejection, and 5 normal kidneys excised for localized neoplasm. The diagnosis of acute or chronic rejection in each patient was verified and graded using the Banff schema. Renal tubular epithelium from patients with allograft rejection had markedly elevated staining for ET-1 compared with normal kidneys. Tubular ET-1 levels were elevated in 18 of 18 patients with acute rejection and 5 of 7 patients with chronic rejection. Tubular ET-1 staining was graded from 0 to +3 as follows: normal kidneys, 1.2 ± 0.2; acute rejection, 2.3 ± 0.4 ( P P c-fos immediate early gene promoter in proximal tubular cells transfected with a c-fos luciferase reporter. We conclude that elevated tubular ET-1 levels are associated with acute and chronic rejection of renal allografts. Our results also suggest distinct pathophysiological roles for the tubular and vascular ET-1 systems in renal allograft rejection.
Life‐cycles of lotic populations of Spongilla lacustris and Eunapius fragilis (Porifera: Spongillidae)

SUMMARY. The life-cycles of green and white morphs of the freshwater sponge Spongilla lacustris were examined in the light of past evidence that zoochlorellae may augment their sponge host's nutrition. Field collections from a lotic population of S. lacustris were supplemented by laboratory experiments on gemmule hatching and gemmule size. Both white and green S. lacustris produced sperm for a 6-week period in 1976 starting in the middle of May. Out of thirty white and thirty green sponges examined during this period, twenty white and ten green sponges contained sperm. Sperm production in both morphs was limited primarily to the basal 3.18mm of sponge tissue, and the density of sperm packets in the two morphs was the same. Out of 180 white and green sponges examined in 1976, only four eggs, no embryos, and no larvae were observed. White sponges gemmulated a week or two earlier, and produced smaller gemmules which were more uniform in size than those of green sponges. White and green gemmules hatched synchronously in the spring. In 1977 one female and numerous male specimens of S. lacustris, and numerous females but no males of another sponge, Eunapius fragilis, were found. The life-cycles are discussed in the light of other recent studies on freshwater sponges.
W/C multilayer monochromator for radiation biology and materials science applications

A double mirror multilayer monochromator was constructed for the purpose of irradiating live cell cultures at the Synchrotron Radiation Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison. The monochromator is designed for the soft x-ray region with photon energies between 273 eV and 2400 eV. Multilayer mirrors with 55 bilayers of W/C and a bilayer spacing of d equals 3.0 nm are sputter deposited on Si substrates. By proper masking of the sputtering sources, variation in the bilayer spacing over the area of the mirror is minimized. The use of suitable filters with a Si(Li) detector allows determination of the spectral output of the monochromator. The output power of the monochromator between 273 eV and 900 eV is measured. Application of the monochromator to radiation biology and materials science are discussed.
Effects of Commercial Food Grade Enzymes on Proteolysis and Textural Changes in Granular Cheddar Cheese

Effects of some commercial food grade enzymes on the proteolysis and textural changes in granular cheese were studied. A neutral protease and lipase/protease combination-treated cheese samples showed significantly higher proteolysis than control samples at two ripening temperatures. However, lipase treatment alone had little effect on proteolysis. Cheese with a culture/enzyme mixture showed faster production of total free amino acids, with gross proteolysis similar to that of controls. Various non-linear correlations were observed between total amino acid production and gross proteolysis. Statistical analysis indicated that gross proteolysis measurements may directly reflect texture development as well as levels of proteolysis, whereas the total free amino acids relates less to the texture development. Multiple regression equations were developed for the relationship.
Direct measures of the retinal image.

Direct measurement of acuity target images as formed by excised steer and cat eyes indicates the blur of the retinal image to be much greater than theoretically expected. For example, a 3-sec black line produces a retinal image of maximum contrast 0.5%. The author believes the discrepancy between theory and measurement to be due to the neglect, in theoretical calculations, of entoptic stray light. The measured characteristics of the image are discussed in relation to existing data on entoptic stray light, glare, and acuity.
The parallel approach

A class of two-terminal passive circuit elements that can also act as memories could be the building blocks of a form of massively parallel computation known as memcomputing.
Graphical Determination of Hexagonal and Tetragonal Crystal Structures from X-Ray Data

Graphic Method for Interpreting X-Ray Patterns of Powders.---For each type of lattice the logarithms of the theoretical spacings of the different planes are plotted as functions of the axial ratio. Six such plots are reproduced, three for the hexagonal and three for the tetragonal system. By plotting the logarithms of the observed spacings on the edge of a strip of paper, this may be fitted by trial to the theoretical plot; the axial ratio and type of lattice being thus found in a few minutes.Crystal Structure of Zn, Cd, In.---As examples three complete analyses are given. Zinc is shown to be a hexagonal close packed assemblage of prolate spheroids. The axial ratio is 1.860 and the side of the unit triangle 2.760 \AA{}. Cadmium shows a structure like that of Zn, with axial ratio 1.89 and elementary triangle 2.980 \AA{}. Indium shows a structure nearly like Al (cubic close-packed), viz., a tetragonal close packed arrangement of prolate spheroids, with axial ratio 1.06 and a unit square of 4.58 \AA{}.
Effects of additives on the formation of organochlorine compounds during the combustion of a chlorine-containing polymer

Abstract A plastic film (largely polyvinylidene chloride) was thermally decomposed by heating in air in the presence and absence of alkaline radical scavengers (K2CO3, KOH, CaO, and Ca(OH)2) at 500°C. Addition of KOH in a 1:2 stoichiometric ratio (based on chlorine) diminished the total output of chlorinated compounds by 51%.
Inhibition of PPARγ prevents type I diabetic bone marrow adiposity but not bone loss

Diabetes type I is associated with bone loss and increased bone adiposity. Osteoblasts and adipocytes are both derived from mesenchymal stem cells located in the bone marrow, therefore we hypothesized that if we could block adipocyte differentiation we might prevent bone loss in diabetic mice. Control and insulin-deficient diabetic BALB/c mice were chronically treated with a peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) antagonist, bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether (BADGE), to block adipocyte differentiation. Effects on bone density, adiposity, and gene expression were measured. BADGE treatment did not prevent diabetes-associated hyperglycemia or weight loss, but did prevent diabetes-induced hyperlipidemia and effectively blocked diabetes type I-induced bone adiposity. Despite this, BADGE treatment did not prevent diabetes type I suppression of osteoblast markers (runx2 and osteocalcin) and bone loss (as determined by micro-computed tomography). BADGE did not suppress osteoblast gene expression or bone mineral density in control mice, however, chronic (but not acute) BADGE treatment did suppress osteocalcin expression in osteoblasts in vitro. Taken together, our findings suggest that BADGE treatment is an effective approach to reduce serum triglyceride and free fatty acid levels as well as bone adiposity associated with type I diabetes. The inability of BADGE treatment to prevent bone loss in diabetic mice suggests that marrow adiposity is not linked to bone density status in type I diabetes, but we cannot exclude the possibility of additional BADGE effects on osteoblasts or other bone cells, which could contribute to preventing the rescue of the bone phenotype.
In vivo quantification of the Achilles tendon moment arm

The Achilles' tendon moment arm (ATma) is a critical quantity in that it defines the triceps surea's ability to generate a moment on the calcaneus, which is then transferred to the foot. In the past this measure has been primarily acquired statistically, in 2D, without muscle activation, and in small populations. Thus, the primary purpose of this study was to establish the first in vivo three-dimensional measures of the ATma, measured non-invasively and in vivo during dynamic activity in a large normative population (n = 19) using a dynamic MRI technique. The ATma was defined as the shortest distance between the finite helical axis (FHA) of the calcaneal-tibial joint and the AT line of action.
An experimental inquiry into the central source of preganglionic fibers to the chick ciliary ganglion.

Degenerative changes in the entire third nerve nucleus were studied following selective removal of the ciliary ganglion, usually of the right side, in day-old chicks. The operated animals were allowed to survive three, six, nine, and twelve days after ciliary ganglionectomy. Retrograde degenerative changes proceed rapidly between three and nine days post-operatively, and are strictly limited to the ipsilateral accessory oculomotor nucleus. The changes are at first observed in the medial division of the accessory oculomotor nucleus, followed by the lateral divisions of the accessory oculomotor nucleus. By nine days following the operation, both the divisions of the accessory oculomotor nucleus are virtually depleted of almost all neurons. The other components of the oculomotor complex were not affected at any stage by ciliary ganglionectomy. These observations provide conclusive evidence that the accessory oculomotor nucleus is indeed the avian homologue of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus.
On the application of a neural network in the design of cascaded gratings

This article presents a study of the ARTMAP neural network in designing cascaded gratings. A neural network can be trained to keep changing the dimensions of the metallic strips, their distance of separation, their width, the number of layers required in a multilayer structure, and the angle of wave incidence until the frequency response of the structure matches the desired one. In the past, the back-propagation (back-prop) learning algorithm was used in conjunction with an inversion algorithm for the design of frequency-selective surfaces. Unfortunately, both the back-prop algorithm and the inversion procedure are slow to converge. In this work the Fuzzy ARTMAP neural network is utilized. The fuzzy ARTMAP is faster to train than the back-prop, and it does not require an inversion algorithm. Several results (frequency responses) from cascaded gratings for various angles of wave incidence, layer separation, width strips, and interstrip separation are presented and discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons. Inc.
Recovery of fortified (2 ppb) EPA method 525.1 analytes from Chesapeake Bay water via solid phase deposition followed by supercritical fluid elution

Application of solid phase deposition/supercitical fluid (SPD/SF) elution to real, brackish water samples, obtained from the Chesapeake Bay, has been investigated. The fortified (2ppb) brackish water samples contained suspended sediment, dissolved organic matter and salt. The sediment made post-deposition drying of the SPE disk difficult and the residual water interfered with analyte recovery. Attempts to dry the disk included increasing the vacuum drying time, use of a higher percent of modifier, and desiccation. The best results were obtained by first drying the disk for 10 min under a stream of nitrogen, followed by overnight desiccation, and finally, SF elution. The SF method required a 3 step, 42 min extraction which reduced organic solvent use by 60% compared to traditional elution. All but five analytes met EPA criteria when fresh desiccant was used to dry the disk; four of the unacceptable recoveries were presumably due to plasticizer contamination.
Dynamics of penetrating flux fronts in high-Tc superconductors

Abstract In type II superconductors in the mixed state the vortex line system is spatially positioned at the interface between the magnetic flux fronts and the vortex-free Meissner regions. A model is proposed to explain the dynamics of the penetrating flux fronts between these two regions in high- T c superconducting thin film YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x . The theoretical explanation to the observed effects is based on the solution of a non-linear diffusion equation of propagating flux lines. The vortex correlation length was found to be different from the lattice correlation lengths which depend on the strength of the random pinning sites. These differences are attributed to the existence of spatial and temporal disorders in the system. Furthermore, different scaling regimes with different sets of scaling exponents were calculated. At small length scales at least of the order of the intervortex spacing the system is dominated by static disorder due to the relatively small temporal noise. At larger length scales the system shows self-organization due to averaging effects of random pinning potentials over distances which are much larger than the typical correlation lengths of the vortex lattice. The results of the simulation are in excellent agreement with the recently reported experimental measurements on YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x compound.
Desensitization of the EGF receptor alters its ability to undergo EGF-induced dimerization.

Abstract Treatment of A431 cells with EGF has been shown to induce the formation of EGF receptor dimers. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation as well as surface radio-iodination followed by crosslinking were used to study further the properties of EGP receptor monomers and dimers as well as the regulation of dimer formation. We have shown previously that treatment of A431 cells with high doses of EGF at 37°C leads to the desensitization of the EGF receptor without a singificant loss of cell surface 125I-EGF binding [Kuppuswamy and Pike (1989) J. biol. Chem.264, 3357–3363; Cunningham et al. (1989) J. biol. Chem.264, 15351–15356]. Desensitization of the EGF receptor led to a decrease in the ability of receptor monomers to be induced to form dimers by EGF both in vitro and in vitro. These data suggest that the sensitivity of a cell to EGF may be modulated by altering the capacity of the EGF receptor to form oligomers.
Rotational fluoroscopy assists in detection of intra-articular screw penetration during volar plating of the distal radius.

Purpose Intra-articular screw penetration is one complication of volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures. This study was designed to determine the most commonly used imaging techniques and views during volar plating of distal radius fractures and to evaluate surgeons' ability to detect intra-articular screw placement on static fluoroscopic images and rotational fluoroscopy. Methods Active members of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand were polled regarding preferred imaging techniques (fluoroscopic vs cassette radiographs) and views (rotational fluoroscopy or static orthogonal/anatomic tilt/semipronated imaging) during volar plating of distal radius fractures. After the survey, volar locking plates were applied to 30 cadaveric distal radiuses. We intentionally penetrated a single screw into the radiocarpal joint in half of the specimens (15 arms) and intentionally did not penetrate the radiocarpal joint in the other half. Imaging (standard posteroanterior [PA] and lateral views, 11° tilt PA and 22° tilt lateral views, and two 360° fluoroscopy movies) was performed using a custom jig. Five surgeons blinded to results reviewed randomized image sets evaluating for intra-articular screw placement. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to compare the reliability of each fluoroscopic projection or movie. Results Among 696 survey respondents, 606 exclusively used fluoroscopic imaging (without cassette radiographs) and over 450 preferred either tilt images or rotational fluoroscopy to detect intra-articular screw penetration. In our cadaveric model, rotational fluoroscopy provided the highest sensitivity (93%) and specificity (96%) for the detection of intra-articular screw penetration. Rotational fluoroscopy was significantly more reliable (p Conclusions Rotational fluoroscopy improves the surgeon's ability to detect intra-articular screw penetration during volar plating of the distal radius. No combination of imaging allowed detection of all intra-articular screws. A high level of suspicion for intra-articular screw penetration should be maintained during volar plating of distal radial fractures.
A biomechanical assessment of plate fixation, with insufficient bony support.

The use of an internal fixation plate in the presence of a bone defect was studied using a theoretical model of an idealized long bone having a circular cross section and loaded using a combination of axial and bending loads. The analysis showed that the “bending-open” loading mode does not occur if, in the normal unplated bone, the line of action of the resultant axial load passes within the outer cortex at the location where the plate is to be applied. In this situation the fracture will deform in a “bending-closed” mode regardless of whether the plate is attached to the tension or the compression side. If bony contact cannot be achieved, lower plate stress is always encountered when the plate is attached to the compression side instead of the tension side. In vivo verification of the model was addressed in a pilot experiment using instrumented metal plates applied bilaterally to the femora of one dog. Bilateral bone defects were created in the midfemoral canine diaphysis. On one leg the plate was applied to the lateral aspect (“tension” side), and on the other leg the plate was applied to the medial aspect (“compression” side). The plate attached to the lateral aspect deformed plastically in the bending-closed mode. The contralateral plate that was attached to the medial aspect (compression side) of the femur did not show signs of plastic deformation. Furthermore, the plate strains were lower in the plate attached to the medial aspect than those in the plate attached to the lateral aspect. The results and analysis of this study suggest that when applying plates to diaphyseal fractures where bony stability cannot be achieved, it may be acceptable or even desirable to attach the plate to the compression side of the bone.
Mapping behavioral traits by use of genome-tagged mice.

Objective Complex trait mapping has been widely used to analyze the genetics of behavior. However, the approach has some disadvantages, including poor gene localization and low replicability. Genome-tagged mice (GTMs) are sets of congenic mouse strains that span the entire mouse genome and are a promising reagent for localization of genes contributing to behavior. Methods In order to map behavioral loci of interest, a GTM was investigated in which the middle region of Chromosome 1 from DBA/2J was introgressed onto a C57BL/6J background. The GTM was analyzed for behaviors related to sensorimotor gating, anxiety, depression, pain sensitivity, and learning and memory. Results The GTM was found to harbor a locus contributing to learning and memory, replicating results from complex trait analysis. Conclusions The GTMs should be a valuable resource for mapping and confirmation of loci contributing to complex behavioral traits in the mouse, with ultimate implications for human genomic-based research, as well.
Worst Case Bioethics: Death, Disaster, and Public Health. George J. Annas (Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 2010), 335 pages, $39.95.

“Worst case bioethics” is a term with many possible meanings, some of which may overlap. I use the term to refer to two separate situations. 1 First, it can involve some real, horrendous incidents ...
A population-based study of the incidence of burning mouth syndrome

Abstract Objective To calculate the incidence of burning mouth syndrome (BMS) in Olmsted County, Minnesota, from 2000 through 2010. Patients and Methods By using the medical record linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we identified newly diagnosed cases of BMS from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2010. Diagnoses were confirmed through the presence of burning pain symptoms of the oral mucosa with normal oral examination findings and no associated clinical signs. Incidence was estimated using decennial census data for Olmsted County. Results In total, 169 incident cases were identified, representing an annual age- and sex-adjusted incidence of BMS of 11.4 per 100,000 person-years. Age-adjusted incidence was significantly higher in women than in men (18.8 [95% CI, 16.4-22.9] per 100,000 person-years vs 3.7 [95% CI, 2.6-5.7] per 100,000 person-years; P P =.02). Study participants residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota, were predominantly white, which is a study limitation. In addition, diagnostic criteria for identifying BMS in the present study may not apply for all situations because no diagnostic criteria are universally recognized for identifying BMS. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first population-based incidence study of BMS reported to date. The data reveal that BMS is an uncommon disease highly associated with female sex and advancing age.
Colorstruck: Skin Color Stratification in the Lives of African American Women

This paper examines the stratification among African American women by skin color on indices such as education, income, and spousal status. How racial and colonial ideologies situate whiteness and blackness as symbolic representations in relation to one another and the subsequent systems of discrimination that develop from those ideologies is the crux of the theoretical argument in this paper. Infusing the concept of constructed notions of beauty into this racial paradigm further elaborates this process for African American women. I hypothesized that light-skinned women would have higher educational attainment, higher personal incomes, and would be more likely to marry high-status husbands than would darker-skinned women. Even when controlling for background variables, all three of the hypotheses are confirmed and the significance of skin color, particularly the privileging of lightness, is demonstrated.
Using high-resolution, multispectral imagery to assess the effect of soil properties on vegetation reflectance at an abandoned feedlot

Remotely sensed multispectral imagery, soils and graminoid samples from an abandoned cattle feedlot and adjacent wetlands were used to characterize plant vigour and soil nutrient distribution and evaluate the relationship between soil properties and vegetation reflectance. The feedlot lies on a sandy beach ridge, which likely mitigates the mobility of soil phosphorus. Soil phosphorus remains concentrated directly beneath the feedlot pens, where vegetation indices are low. In contrast, nitrate is transported through preferential pathways into the wetlands, where vegetation indices and plant vigour are high. Although spectral vegetation indices did not show any significant relationship with plant tissue nutrient concentration, the indices showed statistically significant relationships to some soil properties. Results of this study indicate that the abundance of nutrients in the soil does not necessarily enhance plant growth. This can limit the extent that remotely sensed vegetation indices can be used to ev...
Kallikrein-kininogen system activation and bradykinin (B2) receptors in indomethacin induced enterocolitis in genetically susceptible Lewis rats

Background —The plasma kallikrein-kinin (K-K) system is activated in acute and chronic relapsing intestinal inflammation induced in Lewis rats by intramural injection of exogenous bacterial components. Aims —To determine whether this effect is model specific, K-K system activation was investigated in a modified indomethacin induced enterocolitis model, as well as bradykinin 2 (B2) receptor distribution in the normal and acutely inflamed intestine. Methods —Lewis rats injected with daily sublethal doses of indomethacin for two days developed acute (two days) and chronic (14 days) intestinal inflammation. Plasma prekallikrein (amidolytic), high molecular weight kininogen (HK, coagulant) and cleavage of HK (western blot) were assayed to detect K-K activation. Results —Liver and spleen weights were significantly higher, and body weights and haematocrit values were significantly lower in the indomethacin group than in the control group. During both acute and chronic phases, rats displayed K-K system activation manifested by a significant decrease in plasma prekallikrein and HK functional levels, and by HK cleavage. Plasma T kininogen (a major acute phase protein) was significantly elevated. B2 receptors were identified in both normal and inflammatory intestine with more prominent specific immunohistochemical staining in the acutely inflamed tissue. Conclusions —K-K system activation occurs in association with both acute and chronic phases of intestinal injury, regardless of the triggering agent, suggesting that activation of this system is integrally involved in intestinal inflammation in genetically susceptible hosts. Localisation of B2 receptors across intestinal layers provides a structural basis for the kinin function in the intestine.
WASTAGE OF PHARMACEUTICALS

Abstract Wastage of pharmaceuticals was studied for three months at a 520-bed hospital in Suffolk. Drugs worth £1104 were brought to the pharmacy for destruction. Only £40 worth could be put back into stock. It is suggested that the use of blister-packing together with conservative prescribing, supply, and suitable storage of medicines could lead to important savings of drugs discarded each year in English hospitals, which from this study were estimated to cost in excess of £1 million.
Effects of pramipexole on the acquisition of responding with opioid-conditioned reinforcement in the rat

Rationale Dopamine D3 receptor-preferring ligands may be able to modify the conditioned reinforcing effects of drug-associated stimuli. In evaluating the effects of these compounds, it is important to clarify the extent to which responding depends on (1) conditioned reinforcement vs. other behavioral mechanisms and (2) dopamine D3 vs. D2 receptor activity.
Effect of 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin on rat prolactin secretion

8-OH-DPAT (8-hydroxy-2-[di-n-propylamino] tetralin) is a novel aminotetralin derivative which has been proposed to be a serotonin (5-HT) agonist devoid of dopamine agonist effects. We now report that the administration of 8-OH-DPAT, like known 5-HT agonists, produced a rapid elevation of serum prolactin concentrations in male rats. The prolactin response to 8-OH-DPAT, like that induced by other 5-HT agonists, was greatly potentiated in animals pretreated with the tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor, para-chlorophenylalanine. However, the 8-OH-DPAT-induced elevation of serum prolactin cocentrations in untreated rats was not dose-dependent and was modest in magnitude compared to that produced by known 5-HT agonists. In contrast to the stimulatory effects of 8-OH-DPAT on prolactin secretionin vivo 8-OH-DPAT suppressed the secretion of prolactin from anterior pituitary tissuein vitro, and this effect was blocked by haloperidol. The results of the present study are supportive of the view that 8-OH-DPAT has dopamine agonist, as well as 5-HT agonist, properties.
Mode-Locking and Chaos in a Jeffcott Rotor With Bearing Clearances

A complex mode-locking (or entrainment) structure underlying the nonlinear whirling phenomenon of a horizontal Jeffcott rotor with a discontinuous nonlinearity (bearing clearance) was identified. A winding number is introduced as a measure of the ratio between two frequencies involved in the aperiodic whirling motions of the rotor system considered. Utilizing the winding number map, it was revealed that the alternating periodic and quasi-periodic responses take place according to the Farey number tree. The winding number varies in the form of the so-called “Devil’s staircase” as a certain system parameter varies. From the mode-locking pattern in the parameter space of the forcing amplitude and frequency, it was observed that as the forcing amplitude increases, the size of each locking interval increases so that its growth takes place in the form of “Arnol’d tongues,” where the winding number remains a rational number. Moreover, inside each locking zone, i.e., each “Arnol’d tongue,” there exist many smaller tongues similar to the main tongue, in which a sequence of period-doubling bifurcations leading to chaos occurred. The boundaries of each locking zone was obtained using a fixed-point algorithm along with the Floquet theory for checking the stability of the periodic solutions. The winding numbers were estimated utilizing a fixed-point algorithm modified to obtain quasi-periodic responses. A jump phenomenon was also observed by tracking multiple periodic solutions for several parameters of the rotor system.
USER'S GUIDE FOR SCORIGHT (VERSION 3.0): A COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR SCORING TESTS BUILT OF TESTLETS INCLUDING A MODULE FOR COVARIATE ANALYSIS

SCORIGHT is a very general computer program for scoring tests. It models tests that are made up of dichotomously or polytomously rated items or any kind of combination of the two through the use of a generalized item response theory (IRT) formulation. The items can be presented independently or grouped into clumps of allied items (testlets) or in any combination of the two. When there are testlets, the program assesses the degree of local dependence and adjusts the estimates accordingly. The estimation is accomplished within a fully Bayesian framework using Markov chain Monte Carlo procedures, which allows the easy calculation of many important characteristics of the scores that are not available with other methods. The current version of SCORIGHT, version 3.0, includes a new module that allows the user to include covariates in the analysis.
Pre-B cells in agammaglobulinemia: Evidence for disease heterogeneity among affected boys

Six immunodeficient boys were found to have agammaglobulinemia and lack circulating B cells. These patients could be divided into two groups based on bone marrow findings and clinical course. In one group, pre-B cells and lymphocytes were present at normal frequencies and in normal absolute numbers. Recurrent serious infections were documented in the first few months of life in these patients, and this consequently led to early diagnosis. In the second group, pre-B cells were virtually undetectable. Patients in this group did not present with recurrent infections until the second year and were thus diagnosed later than were those in the first group. Childhood agammaglobulinemia with deficiency of both pre-B and B lymphocytes appears to be a different disease from X-linked infantile agammaglobulinemia. This disease may involve an arrest of B-lineage cell development at an earlier stage than that responsible for X-linked agammaglobulinemia.
Control of flow separation over a forward-facing step by model reduction

Abstract Design and implementation of reduced-order optimal controller for flow separation are investigated. The reduced-order controller design is based on proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and Galerkin projection. Detailed finite element simulations are performed, and POD is applied to the resulting data to extract the most energetic eigenmodes. These global eigenmodes are then used in conjunction with the Galerkin projection to obtain a reduced-order (low-dimensional) model. Reduced-order models are not only attractive for real-time control computation but also crucial for detailed stability and bifurcation analysis. We investigate the design of optimal controller for flow separation in a channel with this model where actuation is performed on a small part of the boundary. Two different types of surface actuation are considered––tangential blowing and suction through a single slot. Best locations for actuation and adaptive procedure for reduced-order model are explored. The proposed approaches are evaluated by investigating the control of flow separation over a forward-facing step channel. Our methods are found to be efficient and fast, and our methods demonstrate a significant reduction in computational time and feasibility. Dramatic separation delays are observed on all cases. It is found that the tangential blowing is more efficient in mitigating flow separation and reducing wake spread.
Is there VDAC in cell compartments other than the mitochondria

Higher eukaryotes, including mammals and plants, express a family of VDAC proteins each encoded by a distinct gene. Two human genes encoding VDAC isoforms (HVDAC1 and HVDAC2) have been characterized in greatest detail. These genes generate three proteins that differ primarily by the addition of distinct N terminal extensions in HVDAC2 and HVDAC2′, a splice variant of HVDAC2, relative to HVDAC1. Since N terminal sequences have been demonstrated to target many proteins to appropriate subcellular compartments, this observation raises the possibility that the N terminal differences found in HVDAC isoforms may lead to targeting of each protein to different cellular locations. Consistent with this hypothesis, a large number of reports have provided evidence consistent with the notion that HVDAC1 and its homolog in related mammalian species may specifically be present in the plasma membrane or other nonmitochondrial cellular compartments. Here, we review this information and conclude that if VDAC molecules are present at nonmitochondrial locations in mammalian cells, these are unlikely to be the known products of the HVDAC1 or HVDAC2 genes.
Hydrocarbon on Carbon: Coherent Vibrational Spectroscopy of Toluene on Graphite

The ability to study the interactions of hydrocarbons on carbon surfaces is an integral step toward gaining a molecular level understanding of the chemical reactions and physical properties occurring on them. Here, we apply vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) to determine the tilt angle of toluene, a common organic solvent, on millimeter-thick highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The combination of a time-delay technique, which results in the successful suppression of the nonresonant SFG response, and a null angle method is shown to overcome the "strong optical absorber" problem posed by macroscopically thick carbon samples and yields a molecular tilt angle of toluene in the range of 37° to 42° from the surface normal. The implications of this approach for determining the orientation of organic species adsorbed on carbon interfaces, which are important for energy-relevant processes, are discussed.