cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SURVIVORS OF BREAST CANCER : ILLNESS UNCERTAINTY, POSITIVE REAPPRAISAL, AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

Purpose/objectives To explore variables associated with illness uncertainty and emotional distress for disease-free survivors of breast cancer. Design Cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational. Setting Regional cancer center in the southeastern United States. Sample 109 women one to six years post-treatment for stage I-III nonmetastatic breast cancer. Methods Face-to-face data gathering using five questionnaires with established reliability. Main research variables Symptom distress, concurrent illness, fear of recurrence, illness uncertainty, positive reappraisal, and emotional distress. Findings The antecedent variables symptom distress, fear of recurrence, and concurrent illness problems were positively related to illness uncertainty. Illness uncertainty and the antecedent variables were positively related to emotional distress. The antecedent variables explained 40% of the variance in uncertainty. Uncertainty, its antecedents, and positive reappraisal collectively explained 51% of the variance in emotional distress. Conclusions Illness uncertainty related to symptoms and fear of recurrence was linked with emotional distress for some women, even years after treatment. Positive reappraisal may help to reduce this distress. Implications for nursing practice Nurses need to identify, monitor, and assist women who are at risk for illness uncertainty and emotional distress after breast cancer treatment. They also should explore with women positive, growth-promoting aspects of breast cancer, as well as aspects of the disease that are threatening.
Role of a Uterine Endopeptidase in the Implantation Process of the Rat

The genital tract fluids of mammalian species provide the milieu in which oocyte maturation, fertilization, early development of cleaving embryos, and blastocyst implantation take place. Proteins secreted into the lumen of the female genital tract, especially those regulated by reproductive hormones, may participate crucially in these reproductive events. Studies on the uterine lumenal proteins of mice (Gore-Langton and Surani, 1976) and rats (Surani, 1975, 1976) suggested a hormone-controlled sequence of protein changes that coincide with the time of implantation. Joshi et al. (1970) have isolated and characterized an endopeptidase from estrous fluid obtained from proestrous rats and from immature or overiectomized rats treated with estradiol. The uterine peptidase demonstrated strong affinity to sperm membrane and zona pellucida. Immunological studies (Joshi and Murray, 1976) showed that the enzyme was unique to uterus and oviduct and was not detected in serum. Appearance of the enzyme on Day 5 of pregnancy (Joshi and Murray, 1976) suggested a role for this protein in the implantation process (Rosenfeld and Joshi, 1977).
Civil Subversion: Making “Quiet Revolution” with the Rhode Island Food Policy Council

This qualitative case study of the equity-oriented RI Food Policy Council (FPC) situates alternative food movement (AFM) practice within the food, social movement, and public policy literatures. I suggest radically-inclined food justice critics highlight valid concerns with reformist AFM activities, yet remain unsympathetic to the practical realities of policy making. Drawing primarily from civic engagement and community organizing scholarship, this paper explores the RIFPC’s capacity to achieve food justice in light of its participatory, democratic potential. I build upon McClintock’s (2013) call to embrace the AFM’s internal contradictions, further arguing that FPCs can serve an essential function in bringing radical and reformist camps together. After investigating three key themes—professionalization, implicit bias, and engagement ecology—I offer concrete recommendations for FPC practitioners moving forward. While exclusionary practices and locally-bound actions will limit FPCs’ transformative potential, I posit that, at their best, FPCs create a space for the inclusive, genuine participation that a well-functioning democracy requires, as well as the direct political connections for such civic engagement to produce material outcomes.
Military influence in foreign policy-making: changing dynamics in North African regimes

The strong political position armed forces enjoy in authoritarian states and the high priority military elites assign to foreign affairs would lead one to believe that in North Africa – a region ma...
Fabrication of 12 µm pixel-pitch 1280 × 1024 extended short wavelength infrared focal plane array using heterojunction type-II superlattice-based photodetectors

We present an intial demonstration of a 1280 × 1024 extended short-wavelength infrared focal plane array (FPA) imager with 12 μm pixel-pitch based on type–II InAs/AlSb/GaSb superlattice heterojunction photodetectors, with a novel bandstructure-engineered photo-generated carrier extractor as the window layer in the hetero structure to efficiently extract the photo-generated carriers. This heterostructure with a larger bandgap top window/contact layer leads to the device having lower dark current density compared to conventional pn junction devices. The large format FPA was fabricated with 12 μm pixel-pitch using a developed fabrication process. Test pixels fabricated separately exhibit 100% cut–off wavelengths of ~2.22, ~2.34 μm, and ~2.45 μm at 150, 200 K, and 300 K. The test devices achieve saturated quantum efficiency values under zero bias of 54.3% and 68.4% at 150 and 300 K, under back-side illumination and without any anti-reflection coating. At 150 K, these photodetectors exhibit dark current density of 1.63 × 10−7 A cm−2 under −20 mV applied bias providing a specific detectivity of 1.01 × 1011 cm Hz1/2/W at 1.9 μm.
Enzymatic basis for C-lignin monomer biosynthesis in the seed coat of Cleome hassleriana.

C-lignin is a linear polymer of caffeyl alcohol, found in the seed coats of several exotic plant species, with promising properties for generation of carbon fibers and high value chemicals. In the ornamental plant Cleome hassleriana, guaiacyl (G) lignin is deposited in the seed coat for the first 6-12 days after pollination, after which G-lignin deposition ceases and C-lignin accumulates, providing an excellent model system to study C-lignin biosynthesis. We performed RNA sequencing of seed coats harvested at 2-day intervals throughout development. Bioinformatic analysis identified a complete set of lignin biosynthesis genes for Cleome. Transcript analysis coupled with kinetic analysis of recombinant enzymes in Escherichia coli revealed that the switch to C-lignin formation was accompanied by down-regulation of transcripts encoding functional caffeoyl CoA- and caffeic acid 3-O-methyltransferases (CCoAOMT and COMT) and a form of cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (ChCAD4) with preference for coniferaldehyde as substrate, and up-regulation of a form of CAD (ChCAD5) with preference for caffealdehyde. Based on these analyses, blockage of lignin monomer methylation by down-regulation of both O-methyltransferases (OMTs) and methionine synthase (for provision of C1 units) appears to be the major factor in diversion of flux to C-lignin in the Cleome seed coat, although the change in CAD specificity also contributes based on the reduction of C-lignin levels in transgenic Cleome with down-regulation of ChCAD5. Structure modeling and mutational analysis identified amino acid residues important for the preference of ChCAD5 for caffealdehyde.
Assessment of Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Fibrosis after Renal Ischemia Protocols in Cats

In an attempt to identify a feline model of acute or chronic kidney disease, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of 15 or 30 min of bilateral renal ischemia (RI) and 60 min of unilateral RI with delayed contralateral nephrectomy as models of acute kidney injury and chronic interstitial fibrosis in cats. Adult, purpose-bred, USDA Class A cats (n = 14) were randomly assigned to receive bilateral RI for 15 min (n = 3) or 30 min (n = 3), unilateral RI for 60 min with a delayed (2 wk) contralateral nephrectomy (n = 5), or sham unilateral RI with a delayed contralateral nephrectomy (n = 3). Serum creatinine concentration, urine specific gravity, and plasma clearance of iohexol were assessed at several time points throughout the study. Renal interstitial inflammatory cell counts and descriptive histopathology were acquired in all cats. Histomorphometry was used to quantify renal interstitial fibrosis and collagen at 120 d after RI in cats undergoing unilateral RI. Renal histopathology was evaluated at 21 and 120 d after bilateral and unilateral RI, respectively. Neither duration of bilateral RI resulted in appreciable histologic renal damage at 21 d after ischemia. At 120 d after ischemia, variable amounts of renal fibrosis were noted after 60 min of unilateral RI with delayed contralateral nephrectomy. Neither of the tested methods is a suitable model of consistent renal interstitial fibrosis in cats. Healthy cats appear able to sustain bilateral RI for as long as 30 min with no apparent effects on renal morphology or function at 21 d after ischemia.
Accounting for Tropical Cyclones in Extreme Rainfall Distributions in Florida

AbstractThis study investigates the contribution of tropical cyclones to the statistics of extreme rainfall events in Florida for durations ranging between 15 min and 7 days. It is shown that, at m...
Bayesian uncertainty quantification for micro-swimmers with fully resolved hydrodynamics.

Due to the computational complexity of micro-swimmer models with fully resolved hydrodynamics, parameter estimation has been prohibitively expensive. Here, we describe a Bayesian uncertainty quantification framework that is highly parallelizable, making parameter estimation for complex forward models tractable. Using noisy in-silico data for swimmers, we demonstrate the methodology's robustness in estimating the fluid and elastic swimmer parameters. Our proposed methodology allows for analysis of real data and demonstrates potential for parameter estimation for various types of micro-swimmers. Better understanding the movement of elastic micro-structures in a viscous fluid could aid in developing artificial micro-swimmers for bio-medical applications as well as gain a fundamental understanding of the range of parameters that allow for certain motility patterns.
Mexico's Drug "War": Drawing a Line Between Rhetoric and Reality

II. UNDERSTANDING MEXICO’S “WAR” 470 A. The History of Mexico’s Drug Cartels 470 B. The Adoption of a Militarized Approach 471 C. The Rhetoric of Mexico at War 474
Measurement of induced currents in radio frequency magnetic fields based on near field antenna perturbations

A measurement system is developed utilizing electromagnetic compatibility test equipment for the study of induced current in conductive materials subjected to radio frequency (RF) magnetic field strengths similar to the 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) B1 magnetic field at ∼65 MHz. The intent of developing such a system was to produce μT range RF magnetic fields in the laboratory to facilitate characterization of induction in conductive materials with modified surface electromagnetic properties to address unintended eddy current issues like Joule heating caused by implanted devices during MRI. A Helmholtz coil (HHC) is used as the RF magnetic field source, and the radiated field is monitored using a receiving loop antenna positioned coaxially outside the HHC. The measurement system operates in continuous wave and pulsed wave modes. Analytical models of the system were derived, which calculate the spatial distribution of RF magnetic flux and the induced current within a coaxially located sample in the transmission path between the HHC and receiving (R/C) loop from output voltage measurements at a single coaxial position. Induced currents were evaluated at multiple flux densities and at different frequencies, showing direct proportionality over the flux densities tested. Induced current results recorded in samples of different sizes and electrical conductivities (ranging from 0.1 to 5.8 × 107 (Ω m)−1 produced changes, matching trends predicted by conductive, closed-loop antenna theory. Induced currents were also used with simultaneous temperature rise measurements to characterize the effective surface conductivity for wire with non-uniform properties at 65 MHz.
Critical consciousness in late adolescence: Understanding if, how, and why youth act

Abstract Through critical consciousness, adolescents can alter oppressive social and political systems and experience liberation ( Watts, Diemer, & Voight, 2011 ). More research is needed to understand how adolescents experience this process so that programming can better support them. We analyzed semi-structured interviews (N = 50; Mage = 16.85; 56% female) and quantitative questionnaire data (N = 1578; Mage = 16.87; 51% female) to explore how adolescents engage in critical consciousness in their daily lives. Qualitatively, we identified what instigated adolescents' awareness of inequalities, how they responded to inequalities, and what informed their responses. Quantitative results indicated that discrimination was positively associated with action, but higher critical reflection did not mediate this association. Research and programming could better support adolescents' critical consciousness development by attending to the diverse ways that they conceptualize and respond to inequalities and by targeting personal and contextual factors that inform this process.
A Mechanistic Exploration of Natural Organic Matter Aggregation and Surface Complexation in Smectite Mesopores.

Soil minerals and organic matter play critical roles in nutrient cycling and other life-essential biogeochemical processes, yet the structural and dynamical details of natural organic matter (NOM) film formation on smectites are not fully understood on the molecular scale. XRD of Suwannee River NOM-hectorite (a smectite clay) complexes shows that the humic and fulvic components of NOM bind predominantly at the external surfaces of packets of smectite platelets rather than in the interlayer slit pores, suggesting that the key behavior governing smectite-NOM interactions takes place in mesopores between smectite particles. New molecular dynamics modeling of a ∼110 A H2O-saturated smectite mesopore at near-neutral pH shows that model NOM molecules initially form small clusters of 2-3 NOM molecules near the center of the pore fluid. Formation of these clusters is driven by the hydrophobic mechanism, where aromatic/aliphatic regions associate with one another to minimize their interactions with H2O, and charge-balancing cations associated with the deprotonated carboxylate sites are located only at the outer surface of these clusters. Despite hydrophobicity driving the initial clustering, NOM clusters are formed more quickly when high-charge-density cations like Ca2+ are present vs low-charge-density cations like Cs+, as the former cations more effectively minimize the electrostatic repulsions between the negatively charged NOM molecules. Once the small hydrophobicity-driven NOM clusters form, the simulations show that Ca2+ promotes the aggregation of NOM clusters through tetradentate Ca2+ bridges involving carboxylate groups on two different NOM clusters. Importantly, our studies indicate that Ca2+ plays a crucial role in binding the NOM clusters to the smectite surface, which occurs through multiple quaternary complexes (Ob)-H2O-Ca2+-COO-NOM. In contrast, Cs+ never forms any coordination or acts like bridges between NOM molecules nor as ion bridges to the smectite surface. Additionally, we observe the formation of a metastable superaggregate involving all 16 NOM molecules several times in a Ca2+-bearing mesopore fluid. Superaggregates are never observed in the simulations involving Cs+. The modeling results are fully consistent with helium ion microscope images of NOM-hectorite complexes suggesting that NOM surface films develop when preformed NOM clusters interact with smectite surfaces. Overall, the binding of NOM clusters to the outer surfaces of smectite particles and the formation of large NOM aggregates at neutral pH occur through cation bridging, and cation bridging only occurs when high-charge-density cations like Ca2+ are present.
The Role of Internal Audit in Government Financial Management

The internal audit function has received increasing attention as an important component of government financial management and a tool for improving the performance of the government sector. Recently, a consensus has been reached on what audit standards governments should meet. This paper reviews these standards from an international perspective, noting that a large number of countries would face severe problems of meeting such standards. It is argued that internationally there are many different models for internal audit, and it may be necessary to take into account different audit traditions and different institutional capacities when introducing measures to strengthen internal audit in developing and transitional countries. The paper then discusses the main issues to be addressed in developing the internal audit in such countries, and offers a framework for introducing much needed reforms in this area.
Development and validation of a novel image quality rating scale for echocardiography during cardiac arrest.

Abstract Objective Research into echocardiography (echo) during cardiac arrest has suffered from methodological flaws that limit aggregation of findings. We developed and validated a novel image rating scale for qualitative analysis of echo images obtained during resuscitation. Methods A novel 5-point ordinal rating scale was developed and validated using recorded echo images from 145 consecutive cardiac arrest patients. Recorded echo images were reviewed in a blinded fashion by investigators experienced in cardiac arrest echo, and image quality was rated using this scale. Cardiac activity was subsequently classified as no activity, disorganized activity and organized activity. The primary outcome was inter-rater agreement using the image quality rating scale. Secondary outcome was the qualitative evaluation of the type of cardiac activity. Results A total of 235 ultrasounds were analyzed by study investigators using the image quality rating scale. The overall image quality agreement between reviewers using the scale was good with a weighted kappa of 0.65. Agreement for image quality in subxyphoid images was greater than in parasternal images (0.65–0.52). Echo analysis of cardiac activity showed no activity (33%), disorganized activity (18%), and organized activity (49%). Agreement was great for presence or absence of “cardiac activity” and “organized cardiac activity” with a kappa of 0.84 and 0.78. Conclusions A novel image quality rating scale for echo during cardiac arrest demonstrates substantial agreement between reviewers. Agreement regarding the presence or absence, as well as the organization of cardiac activity was substantial.
A machine learning-based interaction force model for non-spherical and irregular particles in low Reynolds number incompressible flows

Abstract In this study, interaction force of non-spherical particles in low Reynolds number gas-solid flow is investigated by neural network approaches. An artificial neural network (ANN) model is developed to correlate the non-spherical particle shape and the flow conditions with the interaction force. To define the particle shape, spherical harmonic expansion is applied. Furthermore, variational autoencoder model is then used to extract latent geometric features. The latent vector is utilized as an input with the Reynolds number for the ANN. The interaction force data, which is used as output data of the ANN, is obtained by particle resolved direct numerical simulation for 5200 non-spherical particles. The proposed model enables unsupervised extraction for non-spherical particle shapes and accurate predictions on the interaction force without heavy computation. This study provides the model that can explain complicated shapes of particles and be applied to a large scale, computational fluid dynamics simulation.
Lagged Weighted Quantile Sum Regression

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aim to develop a method for identifying critical exposure windows relating exposure to environmental mixtures and health outcomes that may differ by subject characteristics (...
Combining blood glucose testing with analysis of a classic paper in an endocrine physiology lab activity

Endocrine physiology lab activities can be challenging to do with limited resources, due to the complex nature of hormone regulation and the expense of measuring serum hormone levels. Simulated lab...
Transparently-motivated metaphor generation

This paper introduces the phenomena of transparently-motivated metaphor. It makes a case for its prevalence, and reports analysis of some of the textual goals that such metaphor can achieve. General principles that can explain many of the uses of metaphor are discussed. Our analysis of metaphors and the resulting principles have led to preliminary developments of a methodology for generating transparently-motivated metaphors that can account for metaphor generation from general principles. This methodology allows for novel metaphor generation, an account of the conceptual structures behind such expressions, as well as an account of the effects of the metaphors.
General Biochemical Characterization of Thermostable Pullulanase and Glucoamylase from Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum.

Cell extracts of Clostridium thermohydrosulfuricum, an anaerobic bacterium which ferments starch into ethanol at 65°C, contained both pullulanase and glucoamylase activities. The general physiochemical and catalytic properties of these enzyme activities were compared. Pullulanase and glucoamylase activities were stable and optimally active at 85 and 75°C, respectively. The pH optima for activity and pH stability ranges were, respectively, 5.5 to 6 and 4.5 to 5.5 for pullulanase and 4 to 6 and 5 to 6 for glucoamylase. The apparent [S]0.5v and Vmax for pullulanase activity on pullulan were 0.33 mg/ml and 2.6 U/mg of protein. The apparent [S]0.5v and Vmax for glucoamylase activity on starch were of 0.41 mg/ml and 0.31 U/mg of protein. These enzymes were active and stable in the presence of air or 10% (vol/vol) ethanol. These enzyme activities allowed the organism to actively degrade raw starch into glucose in the absence of significant α-amylase activity.
A Metric Approach to Building Decision Trees Based on Goodman-Kruskal Association Index

We introduce a numerical measure on sets of partitions of finite sets that is linked to the Goodman-Kruskal association index commonly used in statistics. This measure allows us to define a metric on such partions used for constructing decision trees. Experimental results suggest that by replacing the usual splitting criterion used in C4.5 by a metric criterion based on the Goodman-Kruskal coefficient it is possible, in most cases, to obtain smaller decision trees without sacrificing accuracy.
Tissue Segmentation in MRI as an Informative Indicator of Disease Activity in the Brain

The presented tissue segmentation technique is based on a multispectral analysis approach. The input data were derived from high resolution MR images. Usually, only two inputs, proton density (PD) and T2-weighted images, are utilized to calculate the 2D feature map. In our method, we introduced a third input, T1-weighted MR image, for segmentation based on 3D feature map. k-Nearest Neighborhood segmentation algorithm was utilized. Tissue segmentation was performed in phantoms, normal humans and those with brain tumors and MS. Our technique utilizing all three inputs provided the best segmentation (p<0.001). The inclusion of T1 based images into segmentation produced dramatic improvement in tissue identification. Using our method, we identified the two distinctly different classes of tissue within the same MS plaque. We presume that these tissues represent the different stages involved in the evolution of the MS lesions. Further, our methodology for measuring MS lesion burden was also used to obtain its regional distribution as well as to follow its changes over time. The segmentation results were in full accord with neuropsychological findings.
[18] Polymerase chain reaction-based techniques for utilizing retroviruses as cell lineage markers

Publisher Summary This chapter describes polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based techniques for utilizing retroviruses as cell lineage markers. “Lineage” refers to the patterns of cell division and differentiation that lead from single cells to complex tissues. To understand the molecular mechanisms that direct cellular development, precise information about intercellular interactions is indispensable. The advent of PCR allows the direct determination of retrovirally visualized clonal relationships without making assumptions about cell behavior. The chapter presents two techniques that broaden the applicability of retroviral vectors as lineage tracers. In the first method, the insertion site of retroviruses can be directly amplified and sequenced using a modification of PCR called “inverse PCR.” In the second method, retroviral vectors are modified to contain short DNA sequences that serve as DNA tags; these tags can then be amplified from single retrovirally labeled cells to allow determination of clonal relationships. Although the two techniques have been developed in the context of retrovirally mediated lineage analysis, both have broader applicability. The inverse PCR technique is a rapid and convenient method for amplifying and cloning unknown DNA sequences adjacent to known sequences. The technique starts with genomic DNA isolated from a large clone of cells carrying a single retroviral integration site.
Adaptive speech modification by spectral warping

Experimental results are reported in the area of speech modification for the purpose of correcting vocal tract resonance disorders. The linear predictive coding (LPC) coefficients and residual corresponding to an input speech signal are calculated, and a combination of nonlinear frequency warping and amplitude scaling is applied to produce modified LPC coefficients and then synthesize an output speech signal from these modified coefficients and the residual signal. The spectral envelope modification parameters are designed to adapt to the first two formant frequencies of the input speech. Cubic polynomial warping functions and amplitude scaling factors are found at vowel formant locations and are interpolated from these points over F1, F2 space. The results are compared with those obtained from frame-by-frame nonlinear spectral warping using a dynamic programming algorithm. >
Impact of filter concatenation on the performance of metropolitan area optical networks utilizing directly modulated lasers

In this work we study experimentally (using a re-circulating loop) and theoretically (using Q-factor calculations) the impact of the different chirp characteristics of 2.5Gb/s directly modulated lasers on the filter concatenation effects in transparent metropolitan area optical networks.
Design considerations and dynamic modeling of turbo-alternators using PSpice for Windows

This paper discusses design equations and dynamic models for three-phase alternators using the graphical user interface provided by the Design Center 3, Release 6.1, environment on a PC running MS-Windows. The Design Center 3 includes the well known PSpice code for electric circuit analysis. The examples given here run on the evaluation version of the software which can be distributed free of charge. Models for 3-phase, cylindrical rotor machines are presented. The paper shows results of dynamic behavior including voltage, current and torque traces. Along with the design equations, some typical values for the circuit parameters used in the model are given in normalized form. In addition some empirical equations, together with some typical time constants, are presented.
Functional heterogeneity in the CD4+ T cell response to murine γ-herpesvirus 68.

CD4+ T cells are critical for the control of virus infections, T cell memory, and immune surveillance. We studied the differentiation and function of murine γ-herpesvirus 68 (MHV-68)–specific CD4+ T cells using gp150-specific TCR-transgenic mice. This allowed a more detailed study of the characteristics of the CD4+ T cell response than did previously available approaches for this virus. Most gp150-specific CD4+ T cells expressed T-bet and produced IFN-γ, indicating that MHV-68 infection triggered differentiation of CD4+ T cells largely into the Th1 subset, whereas some became follicular Th cells and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. These CD4+ T cells were protective against MHV-68 infection in the absence of CD8+ T cells and B cells, and protection depended on IFN-γ secretion. Marked heterogeneity was observed in the CD4+ T cells, based on lymphocyte Ag 6C (Ly6C) expression. Ly6C expression positively correlated with IFN-γ, TNF-α, and granzyme B production; T-bet and KLRG1 expression; proliferation; and CD4+ T cell–mediated cytotoxicity. Ly6C expression inversely correlated with survival, CCR7 expression, and secondary expansion potential. Ly6C+ and Ly6C− gp150-specific CD4+ T cells were able to interconvert in a bidirectional manner upon secondary Ag exposure in vivo. These results indicate that Ly6C expression is closely associated with antiviral activity in effector CD4+ T cells but is inversely correlated with memory potential. Interconversion between Ly6C+ and Ly6C− cells may maintain a balance between the two Ag-specific CD4+ T cell populations during MHV-68 infection. These findings have significant implications for Ly6C as a surface marker to distinguish functionally distinct CD4+ T cells during persistent virus infection.
Lithium isotopes as a probe of weathering processes: Orinoco River

Abstract Lithium isotopes have the potential to be effective tracers of weathering processes due to their large relative mass difference and therefore fractionation. In this study an attempt is made to fill a major gap in the knowledge of Li isotope fractionation during continental weathering and of the mechanisms involved. Finally the relationship between the suspended and dissolved material is made on a basin-wide scale. The Orinoco basin provides a clear contrast in reaction-limited and transport-limited weathering regimes that has already been documented by a comprehensive study on its fluvial geochemistry (Edmond et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 60 (1996) 2949–2976; Edmond et al., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 59 (1995) 3301–3325). Conspicuous in our new results is the difference in δ6Li of the dissolved load between the Andean (−30 to −22‰) and Shield (−22 to −7‰) tributaries, while the δ6Li of the suspended load is similar between the two. To a first approximation, during superficial weathering in high-relief, tectonically active terrains the dissolved load is high in Li and isotopically heavy (more negative δ6Li), whereas in stable Shield regions the concentrations are low and isotopically light in proportion to the increasing degree of weathering.
A one-dimensional theory of flow in a vertical standpipe

Abstract A one-dimensional theory is given for the flows of gas and particles in a vertical standpipe fed from a conical mass flow hopper. The theory is based on a direct integration of the equations of continuity and momentum balance for the two phases, with simplifying assumptions to generate a one-dimensional problem. The result is a performance diagram which relates the discharge rate of solid material to the overall pressure rise and the control valve opening, for a pipe of given configuration and a particulate material of given properties. The theory also identifies the flow regime corresponding to each set of conditions on such a diagram, and permits detailed profiles of gas pressure and particle phase stress in the pipe to be determined.
Specific heat and dispersion curve for helium II

The dispersion curve for elementary excitations in He II at low temperatures and at the vapor pressure is evaluated using inelastic neutron scattering data. It is found that this dispersion curve is consistent with recent specific heat measurements of high resolution. We represent the dispersion curve by means of cubic splines, and emphasize the need for further neutron scattering studies at low momentum transfer.
A Tenuous Carbon Dioxide Atmosphere on Jupiter's Moon Callisto

An off-limb scan of Callisto was conducted by the Galileo near-infrared mapping spectrometer to search for a carbon dioxide atmosphere. Airglow in the carbon dioxide nu3 band was observed up to 100 kilometers above the surface and indicates the presence of a tenuous carbon dioxide atmosphere with surface pressure of 7.5 x 10(-12) bar and a temperature of about 150 kelvin, close to the surface temperature. A lifetime on the order of 4 years is suggested, based on photoionization and magnetospheric sweeping. Either the atmosphere is transient and was formed recently or some process is currently supplying carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
The case for a biologically based classification of prostate cancer

It is axiomatic that integrated multidisciplinary therapy based on the understanding of malignancy is required for the cure of adult cancer. In successful examples, agents (chemotherapy, biologics) and other modalities (radiation, surgery) are applied on the basis of clinical biology. The understanding of the clinical biology and the development of a classification based on relevant clinical and biological features is central to therapy development.
An Overview of Laser Chemical Processing

A overview of the recent developments in laser chemical processing is provided. The review covers advances in understanding fundamental process physics, the development of new techniques, and the implementation of applications.
Effect of CO and CO2 impurities on performance of direct hydrogen polymer-electrolyte fuel cells

Abstract Mechanisms by which trace amounts of CO and CO2 impurities in fuel may affect the performance of direct hydrogen polymer-electrolyte fuel cell stacks have been investigated. It is found that the available data on CO-related polarization losses for Pt electrodes could be explained on the basis of CO adsorption on bridge sites, if the CO concentration is less than about 100 ppm, together with electrochemical oxidation of adsorbed CO at high overpotentials. The literature data on voltage degradation due to CO2 is consistent with CO production by the reverse water–gas shift reaction between the gas phase CO2 and the H2 adsorbed on active Pt sites. The effect of oxygen crossover and air bleed in “cleaning” of poisoned sites could be modeled by considering competitive oxidation of adsorbed CO and H by gas phase O2. A model has been developed to determine the buildup of CO and CO2 impurities due to anode gas recycle. It indicates that depending on H2 utilization, oxygen crossover and current density, anode gas recycle can enrich the recirculating gas with CO impurity but recycle always leads to buildup of CO2 in the anode channels. The buildup of CO and CO2 impurities can be controlled by purging a fraction of the spent anode gas. There is an optimum purge fraction at which the degradation in the stack efficiency is the smallest. At a purge rate higher than the optimum, the stack efficiency is reduced due to excessive loss of H2 in purge gas. At a purge rate lower than the optimum, the stack efficiency is reduced due to the decrease in cell voltage caused by the excessive buildup of CO and CO2. It is shown that the poisoning model can be used to determine the limits of CO and CO2 impurities in fuel H2 for a specified maximum acceptable degradation in cell voltage and stack efficiency. The impurity limits are functions of operating conditions, such as pressure and temperature, and stack design parameters, such as catalyst loading and membrane thickness.
Parietal lobe mechanisms of spatial attention: Modality-specific or supramodal?

Is the spatial attention system divided into separate, modality-specific subsystems, or is there a supramodal spatial attention system? More specifically, does the role of the parietal lobe in spatial attention involve modality-specific or supramodal mechanisms? We addressed this question using a variant of Posner's spatial cuing task. Parietal-lesioned patients performed a simple reaction time task to lateralized visual target stimuli, preceded on each trial by either non-predictive lateralized visual cue stimuli or non-predictive lateralized auditory cue stimuli. With both types of cues, we found disproportionate slowness in responding to invalidly cued contralesional targets, indicative of an impairment in disengaging attention from the ipsilesional to the contralesional side of space. The finding of an attentional disengagement impairment for visual targets with auditory cues implies that the parietal lobe's attentional mechanism operates on a representation of space in which both visual and auditory stimuli are represented, in other words, a supramodal representation of space.
Maternal Hyponatremia: Prevention and Assessment Are Key for Managing This Rare but Potentially Devastating Condition

Although hyponatremia is a common metabolic disorder in hospitalized patients, it occurs very rarely during pregnancy and childbirth. When hyponatremia occurs in childbearing women, it can produce devastating results, such as seizures, permanent brain damage, and even death. Recognizing hyponatremia during labor can be difficult, and once recognized, expert management of this imbalance is needed to prevent serious outcomes. Thus, it's far better to prevent this unfortunate condition than to deal with it once it has developed. Nurses need to have the latest information regarding the potential for dilutional hyponatremia in women undergoing labor.
Phase II Radiation Therapy Oncology Group trial of conventional radiation therapy followed by treatment with recombinant interferon-β for supratentorial glioblastoma: Results of RTOG 9710

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether recombinant human interferon β-1a (rhIFN-β), when given after radiation therapy, improves survival in glioblastoma. Methods and Materials: After surgery, 109 patients with newly diagnosed supratentorial glioblastoma were enrolled and treated with radiation therapy (60 Gy). A total of 55 patients remained stable after radiation and were treated with rhIFN-β (6 MU/day i.m., 3 times/week). Outcomes were compared with the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group glioma historical database. Results: RhIFN-β was well tolerated, with 1 Grade 4 toxicity and 8 other patients experiencing Grade 3 toxicity. Median survival time (MST) of the 55 rhIFN-β–treated patients was 13.4 months. MST for the 34 rhIFN-β–treated in RPA Classes III and IV was 16.9 vs. 12.4 months for historical controls (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89–1.81). There was also a trend toward improved survival across all RPA Classes comparing the 55 rhIFN-β treated patients and 1,658 historical controls (HR = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.94–1.63). The high rate of early failures (54/109) after radiation and before initiation of rhIFN-β was likely caused by stricter interpretation of early radiographic changes in the current study. Matched-pair and intent-to-treat analyses performed to try to address this bias showed no difference in survival between study patients and controls. Conclusion: RhIFN-β given after conventional radiation therapy was well tolerated, with a trend toward survival benefit in patients who remained stable after radiation therapy. These data suggest that rhIFN-β warrants further evaluation in additional studies, possibly in combination with current temozolomide-based regimens.
Calmodulin Regulates Ca2+-sensing Receptor-mediated Ca2+ Signaling and Its Cell Surface Expression

The Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) is a member of family C of the GPCRs responsible for sensing extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) levels, maintaining extracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, and transducing Ca2+ signaling from the extracellular milieu to the intracellular environment. In the present study, we have demonstrated a Ca2+-dependent, stoichiometric interaction between CaM and a CaM-binding domain (CaMBD) located within the C terminus of CaSR (residues 871–898). Our studies suggest a wrapping around 1–14-like mode of interaction that involves global conformational changes in both lobes of CaM with concomitant formation of a helical structure in the CaMBD. More importantly, the Ca2+-dependent association between CaM and the C terminus of CaSR is critical for maintaining proper responsiveness of intracellular Ca2+ responses to changes in extracellular Ca2+ and regulating cell surface expression of the receptor.
Biomagnification of Perfluoroalkyl Compounds in the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Food Web

The environmental distribution and the biomagnification of a suite of perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs), including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and C8 to C14 perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs), was investigated in the food web of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Surficial seawater and sediment samples, as well as zooplankton, fish, and bottlenose dolphin tissue samples, were collected at two U.S. locations: Sarasota Bay, FL and Charleston Harbor, SC. Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents were also collected from the Charleston area (n = 4). A solid-phase extraction was used for seawater and effluent samples and an ion-pairing method was used for sediment and biotic samples. PFCs were detected in seawater (range <1−12 ng/L), sediment (range <0.01−0.4 ng/g wet weight (ww)), and zooplankton (range 0.06−0.3 ng/g ww). The highest PFC concentrations were detected in WWTP effluents, whole fish, and dolphin plasma and tissue samples in which PFOS, C8 and C10-PFCAs predominated in most matric...
High-Pressure Optical Cell for Hydrate Measurements Using Raman Spectroscopy

: A high-pressure optical cell was designed and fabricated for the measurement of hydrate phase equilibria. These measurements were carried out using Raman spectroscopy, which provided molecular microscopic evidence of hydrate dissociation, along with macroscopic temperature and pressure evidence. Initial measurements were made of hydrates formed from methane (CH4) dissolved in deionized water. Distinct signatures of CH4 in different phases (aqueous and sI hydrate) were the basis for this study. Time resolved Raman spectra monitored the dissociation of hydrate as cell temperature was increased. The spectra depicted the transition of CH4 in the two cavities of sI hydrate to CH4 dissolved in water. A pressure trace of the experiment indicated a slight jump in pressure of about 30 psi (0.2 MPa) at the hydrate dissociation point, which agreed with the Raman spectroscopic data. Experimental data obtained using this method agreed well with literature data for the simple methane system. The technique demonstrated that the optical cell is suitable for Raman measurements of hydrate phase equilibria at high pressures. Ultimately, this procedure will be used to measure thermodynamic conditions for more complex systems.
Laser helmet-mounted sight

A laser diode measurement concept is described that can be effectively used in a helmet mounted sight system; it offers a factor of 5 resolution improvement over conventional optical sensing techniques. It also has no moving parts and eliminates the compensation problems associated with helmet mounted metal in magnetic approaches. In the laser helmet mounted sight approach, the feedback from a helmet mounted reflector interacts with an airframe mounted diode to form a 3 mirror laser cavity; this semi-conductor laser cavity technique is used to provide 20 micrometers range resolution for the triangulation of fixed reflection points on the helmet. Geometric and radiometric models have been developed that show the feasibility of this approach. Geometric models include a discussion of resolution requirements. Radiometric models include a discussion of the laser cavity conceptual approach and a performance analysis of resolution and detectability.
Magnetic Manipulation of Copper−Tin Nanowires Capped with Nickel Ends

CuSn alloy nanowires capped with Ni were prepared using sequential electrodeposition of nickel and a copper/tin bronze alloy into nanoporous alumina templates. The liberated nanowires were suspended in solvents and their behavior monitored using optical microscopy. The nanowires were oriented and spun in circles as “nano stirbars” using applied magnetic fields. These segmented nanowires were also trapped between magnetized Ni stripes, demonstrating that nonmagnetic metallic nanowires can be manipulated and positioned by capping them with magnetic ends.
Influence of Hydraulic Conditions on Separation Efficiency of Optiflow

The influence of gas and liquid phase flow on the separation efficiency of Optiflow has been extensively studied. The tests were performed in a 1 m diameter distillation column with chloro-/ethyl-benzene as test mixture operated at total reflux. Packing heights varied between 3.8 and 6.4 m. The top pressures ranged from 25 to 960 mbar. From the experimental data a new method to determine the efficiency of Optiflow has been developed that accounts for the influence of liquid and gas flow independent of each other. The method is demonstrated for an industrial separation of aromatics.
Search-Based Content Analysis System on Online Collaborative Platform for Film Production

This paper uses retrieval technology to create a video content analysis system for collaborative film production. Present film production handles all contents as digital files and demands the collaboration of remote locations. This process requires contents transfer among locations and also collaboration tools like comment-based communication. For more creative collaboration, automatic content analysis that supports editing is very effective. We propose an online collaborative platform based on retrieval technologies for film production. Our system bases automatic content analysis on content retrieval techniques for both video and audio clips. A GUI-based interface connects this function to the online collaborative system, and the total system enables efficient and secure collaboration among remote locations. In particular, our search function yields more precise detection through accurate timing, system scalability, and memory savings. Experiments on real film materials show that our search function has enough retrieval accuracy to ease the editing tasks in film production.
The cauchy mean value property for M-estimates

Abstract M-estimators possessing the Cauchy Mean Value (CMV) property are characterized in terms of their ψ-functions. The results complement the work of Leurgans (1981) on the CMV property for L-estimators.
Cognitive Deficits and Psychopathology in Elderly Schizophrenic Patients

The authors investigated the syndromal and cognitive profiles of 25 DSM-III-R older schizophrenic inpatients with continuous acute psychotic symptoms and compared them with 20 younger schizophrenic patients by means of a multidimensional assessment battery. Subjects were medically well and without neurological comorbidity and were comparable in length of current hospitalization and medication regimens. There were no significant differences between the two groups on various symptom rating scores or on neurological variables. The older group's mean scores for various cognitive measures did not reach the value for senile dementia. They also scored significantly better on a memory test and on formal cognitive functions. These findings support the notion of a stable encephalopathy, rather than a dementia-like process, underlying the course of the illness. Authors discussed limitations and implications of these findings.
Organizational climate and job satisfaction among child care teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between measures of organizational climate and job satisfaction. Ninety-four child care teachers from 27 licensed child care centers were surveyed. The results suggested that organizational climate, when operationalized as aggregate center climate, and job satisfaction may be dynamically related, yet provide distinct sources of information about the work environment.