cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined strabismus and lens surgery.

Background Simultaneous eye muscle and lens surgery in patients with strabismus and lens abnormalities offers the advantage of avoiding staged surgery. Methods Thirty-three combined strabismus and lens surgeries were performed on 30 patients who ranged in age from 22 months to 91 years. Fifteen of the strabismus procedures were performed for esotropia, 12 for exotropia, 4 for vertical deviations, and 2 for combined vertical-horizontal deviations. Surgical amounts often were reduced to lessen the risk of overcorrection, to minimize anesthetic requirements (when using topical rather than general anesthesia), or to avoiding additional surgery on the contralateral or ipsilateral eye. The intraocular surgeries included cataract extraction without or with posterior chamber intraocular lens, secondary intraocular lens implantation, and YAG laser posterior capsulotomy. In 28 cases, muscle and intraocular surgery was performed on the same eye, and in 5 cases the strabismus surgery was performed on the eye opposite the intraocular surgery. Results The average length of postoperative follow-up was 23.2 months (range, 1-94 months). Surgical, anesthetic, and postoperative complications, other than unsatisfactory ocular alignment, were limited to one retinal detachment in a patient with persistent fetal vasculature. Strabismic undercorrections (>12Δ of horizontal deviation or >5Δ of vertical deviation) occurred in 11 cases (37%). There were no overcorrections. A poor visual response ( Conclusions Simultaneous extraocular muscle and lens surgery is an option for patients with strabismus and lens abnormalities. Standard strabismus surgical amounts are recommended.
Delusions and Not-Quite-Beliefs

Bortolotti argues that the irrationality of many delusions is no different in kind from the irrationality that marks many non-pathological states typically treated as beliefs. She takes this to secure the doxastic status of those delusions. Bortolotti’s approach has many benefits. For example, it accounts for the fact that we can often make some sense of what deluded subjects are up to, and helps explain why some deluded subjects are helped by cognitive behavioral therapy. But there is an alternative approach that secures the same benefits as Bortolotti’s account while bringing additional benefits. The alternative approach treats both many delusions and many of the non-pathological states to which Bortolotti compares them as in-between states. Subjects in in-between states don’t fully believe the beliefs which it is sometimes convenient to ascribe to them. This alternative approach to belief and belief-ascription fits well with an independently attractive account of the varied purposes of our ordinary attitude ascriptions. It also makes it easier to make fine-grained distinctions between intentional attitudes of different kinds.
Review of the Churchill County, NV ALL cluster, 1997-2004.

Abstract Between 1997 and 2002, 16 cases of acute childhood leukemia were diagnosed in children who either lived in Churchill County, Nevada at the time of diagnosis or had lived in the county before their diagnosis. The cases were characterized as a cluster of like illnesses and the probability of having such a cluster occur by chance was estimated to be very small (approximately one in 2.33 × 108). This suggested that the cluster could be linked to one or more physical, limnological, chemical, or biological agents. This review discusses the setting in which the cluster took place, the epidemiological investigations carried out by the Nevada Bureau of Health Protection Services, the National Center for Environmental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and subsequent investigations supported by a special allocation of federal funds through the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Region IX office in San Francisco, CA. This review is meant as background for the papers in this special issue that report results from multi- and interdisciplinary research into environmental and biological factors potentially related to the Churchill County leukemia cluster.
Pure transvaginal removal of eroded mesh and retained foreign body in the bladder

We present a pure transvaginal approach to the removal of eroded mesh and a retained foreign body involving the bladder secondary to placement of transvaginal mesh for management of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) using a mesh kit. Transvaginal excision of mesh erosion involving the bladder after mesh placement using a prolapse kit was performed. A U-shaped incision was made in the anterior vaginal wall; mesh was identified, divided in the midline, and then dissected from the bladder. Additionally, a retained foreign body was removed from the bladder. The bladder was closed in three layers transvaginally. Removal of eroded mesh and foreign body within the bladder was completed with all operative steps performed transvaginally. Follow-up cystogram was normal. There were no postoperative complications. Transvaginal removal of mesh erosion and retained foreign body involving the bladder is feasible and allows for rapid return to normal function.
Observations on pulsating auroras

Infrasonic pulsations of optical auroral luminosity in 3914 A positive molecular nitrogen ion and 5577 A O I emission measurement by double photometer system
The Rhetoric of War: Training Day, the Militia, and the Military Sermon

Preface Introduction The Militia A Posture of Defense Training Day Military Sermons and Christian Warfare in the Seventeenth and Earlier Eighteenth Century Christian Soldiers Captain Edward Johnson Military Sermons Biblical Captains Pacifism/Just War Louisbourg, 1745 The Rhetoric of Resistance in the Third Quarter of the Later Eighteenth Century Christian Duty Pauline Resistance Classical Paradigms Selected Bibliography Index
Purification and properties of RNA polymerase II from mouse leukemia L1210 ascites cells

Abstract 1. 1. RNA polymerase II has been solubilized from mouse leukemia L1210 cells and resolved on CM-Sephadex, phosphocellulose, DEAE-cellulose, sucrose density gradient and DEAE-Sephadex. 2. 2. The enzyme activity was purified 570-fold over the initial F3 portion and was 99% sensitive to low concentrations of α-amanitin (1 μg/ml). 3. 3. The characteristics of the RNA polymerase II activity (salt and metal ion optima, template preference, sensitivity to a-amanitin) indicate that under the conditions utilized it is similar to other eukaryotic systems.
Resolution limits for Crosswell migration and travel-time tomography

I derive the formulas for the seismic response of a line scatterer for the crosswell migration and traveltime tomography operators. These formulas are used to estimate the limits of spatial resolution in reflectivity images obtained from migration and slowness images reconstructed from traveltime tomography. In particular, for a crosswell geometry with borehole length L, well offset 2xo, source wavelength (lambda) , and a centered line scatterer I show that: (1) The vertical resolution (Delta) zmig of the migration image is equal to 2(lambda) xo/L under the far-field approximation. (2) The horizontal resolution (Delta) xmig of the migration image is equal to 16(lambda) x2o/L2. The lateral resolution of the migrated image is worse than the vertical resolution by the factor 8xo/L (where xo/L > 1 under the far-field approximation). (3) For inverting traveltimes associated with a localized slowness perturbation midway between the wells, the vertical resolution (Delta) xtomo of the slowness tomogram is proportional to (root)(lambda) xo. This estimate agrees with that of a previous study. (4) The horizontal resolution of the slowness image in a traveltime tomogram is equal to [4xo/L](root)3xo(lambda) /4, a factor 4(root)3xo/L worse than the vertical resolution. (5) For Ns and Ng geophones, the dynamic range of the migrated image is proportional to NsNg. The dynamic range of the slowness tomogram is proportional to (root)NgNs.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
(−)-3β-Substituted Ecgonine Methyl Esters as Inhibitors for Cocaine Binding and Dopamine Uptake

Ten 3β-ecgonine analogues were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. The compounds were synthesized as (−)-stereoisomers from (−)-cocaine. These compounds were assessed for their ability to inhibit [3H]cocaine binding to rat striatal tissue and to inhibit [3H]DA uptake into rat striatal synaptosomes. In this series of compounds, the length of the spacer between the aryl group and the tropane skeleton ranged from 1 to 4 bond distances, and conformational flexibility of the linkage and orientation of the aryl ring system were controlled by various types of linkages. The most potent of the analogues was methyl-(1R-2-exo-3-exo)-8-methyl-3-(β-styrenyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-carboxylate. One of the less potent compounds was found to inhibit [3H]cocaine binding and [3H]DA uptake with significantly different IC50 values, in contrast to 14 other 3β-substituted analogues. Molecular modeling and CoMFA analysis were used to obtain a rigorous structure−function relationship...
Silver saga;: The story of Caribou, Colorado,

Revised and updated, Duane A Smiths classic study of this important silver mining town is back in print.
Multiple well lease decomposition and forecasting strategies

Abstract Oil and gas production in the United States is frequently reported on a lease or unit basis. Leases and units with more than one well pose special problems in forecasting because individual well profiles must be inferred based on well tests and the aggregate production of the lease or unit. The purpose of this paper is to develop and compare decomposition procedures for multi-well leases based on decline curve and fixed allocation techniques. Decline curve techniques use the production profile of the multi-well lease to decompose and separate the individual well profiles, while a fixed allocation method samples the lease production profile at specific points in time to allocate production between wells. Using three multi-well lease examples from Louisiana׳s Haynesville shale, we compare the decline curve and fixed allocation methods and demonstrate that the techniques yield broadly similar results in severance tax exemption computations and estimates of expected recovery volumes. Leases that require alternative decomposition techniques are depicted.
Dynamic analysis of the global metals flows and stocks in electricity generation technologies

The demand for energy and consequently the emissions from energy generation have been increasing in recent years at rapid rates, leading to an urgent need for cleaner technologies. Cleaner technologies, however, require scarce resources. This paper analyzes the future development of electricity generation technologies and the metals required for their components, using a multi level dynamic material flow model. The model includes ten electricity generation technologies and the most important factors determining the dynamics of their metals requirement. The analysis is carried out from 1980 through 2050, using two scenarios, termed Market First and Policy First, combined with specific scenarios for the technologies. The results show that no resource problems occur in production capacity or in the availability of resources for wind power technologies in either scenario. In contrast, each photovoltaic solar technology has a constraining metal supply in the Policy First scenario: silver for silicon based technologies, tellurium for cadmium telluride technology, indium for copper indium gallium diselenide, and germanium for amorphous silicon. The model results show that the most critical photovoltaic solar metal in terms of resource availability and production capacity is tellurium. The demand for the base metals aluminium, copper, chromium, nickel, lead, and iron needed for electricity generation technologies can be met in the two scenarios.
Linear programming and the inverse method of images

The inverse method of images is a relatively easy way to find approximate solutions to first-passage time problems. We extend the method in several ways: We use a linear program instead of a system of linear equations; we utilize asymptotic information in addition to values at finite points; and we use a larger palette of approximating functions. These techniques enhance the scope, flexibility and accuracy of the method.
IBM 3081 System Overview and Technology

The development of the IBM 3081 established the methodology for designinc and manufacturing a high-performance computer from an LSI chip technology. The high density packaging of the LSI chip is used to minimize interconnections and to support a fast machine cycle time. This paper will describe the methods used and will highlight some of the design problems that were solved, to offer an understanding of the challenges that LSI brings to the design cycle.
Upper tract transitional cell carcinoma following treatment of superficial bladder cancer with BCG

Abstract Eighty-two consecutive patients treated with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for recurrent superficial bladder tumors were evaluated for development of metachronous upper tract tumors (UTT). All patients had normal upper tract studies within three months of starting BCG treatment. With a median follow-up of sixty-two months (range 25 to 124), 11 patients (13.4%) were found to have UTT. The median interval between initiation of BCG therapy and diagnosis of the UTT occurrence was thirty-eight months (range 7 to 110). All patients were asymptomatic when the UTT was diagnosed. An abnormal surveillance intravenous or retrograde pyelogram was the method of diagnosis in 8 patients. Positive cytology alone directed diagnoses in 2 patients, and 1 patient was diagnosed in the workup of hematuria. Overall upper tract cytology was positive in 7 of 11 patients. Nephroureterectomy was performed in 9 patients and 2 had ureteroscopic biopsy and fulguration. Median follow-up after treatment of UTT was thirty-two months (range 3 to 80). UTT pathologic stage was Pa in 2 patients, P 1 in 1 patient, and P2 or higher in 8 patients. Distant metastasis developed in 7 patients, 2 patients have recurrent superficial bladder tumors, and 2 patients are free of disease. The reported incidence in the literature for UTT tumors in patients with previous superficial or muscle invasive tumors ranges from 1.6 percent to 8.5 percent. The 13.4 percent incidence of UTT in the present study demonstrates the increased risk for patients in this series who were selected for BCG therapy. These risk factors include high tumor grade, associated carcinoma in situ (CIS), multiple tumors, T1 tumors, and failure of prior intravesical therapy. The fact that all patients were asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis of UTT emphasizes the importance of long-term periodic surveillance with radiographic and cytologic studies of the upper tracts for patients with similar risk factors.
Metal-gas equilibrium in the niobium-nitrogen terminal solid solution

The pressure-temperature-composition equilibrium is studied in the metal-rich portion of the niobium-nitrogen system. In the terminal solid solution, Sieverts' Law is found to be obeyed for all compositions studied. ΔHN, the heat of solution of nitrogen in niobium is given as −46 kcal per g-atom of nitrogen; ΔSN°, the entropy of solution at 1 atom per cent solute is given as −14.7 E.U. per g-atom of nitrogen, in good agreement with the theoretical configurational entropy of solution. An empirical expression for the equilibrium concentration of nitrogen in solution is given as x = 6.2 × 10−4(pN2)12exp(46,000RT) where x is atom per cent nitrogen and pN2 is in mm of Hg. Nb2N is found to be the nitride in equilibrium with the solid solution. The standard enthalpy and entropy of formation of Nb2N above 1500°C are indicated as −67 kcal per g-atom of nitrogen and −22.3 E.U. per g-atom of nitrogen respectively. The terminal solubility of nitrogen in niobium with respect to Nb2N is measured from 300°C to 2230°C and found, with one exception, to be in general agreement with earlier studies. An expression for the terminal solubility above 1150°C is x = 720 exp (−20,000RT). It is concluded that nitrogen exhibits nearly ideal behavior as a solute in niobium.
Adrenergic effects on plasma lipoprotein metabolism: Speculation on mechanisms of action

Recently, the effects of alpha-adrenergic and beta-adrenergic antagonists on plasma lipoprotein concentrations have been reported. Evidence from diverse lines of research has been brought together that suggests three potential mechanisms by which these antihypertensive agents affect lipoprotein metabolism. First, the known alterations in plasma triglyceride levels caused by adrenergic antagonists may be mediated through the activity of lipoprotein lipase. This enzyme, located on the capillary endothelium of adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, catabolizes chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoproteins. Catecholamine-induced changes in precapillary sphincter tone could affect the delivery of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins to endothelial lipase, cause changes in capillary endothelial surface area for lipase-binding sites, and/or modulate the synthesis of lipoprotein lipase by adipocytes and myocytes. Since high-density lipoprotein levels increase by taking up components of chylomicrons released by lipoprotein lipase, these pathways might explain the adrenergic-induced changes in high-density lipoprotein that are reciprocal to those in plasma triglycerides. Second, hepatic production of very-low-density lipoproteins might be affected by adrenergic-induced changes in insulin release. Decreased insulin release may direct glucose metabolites from adipocytes to hepatocytes for lipogenesis. Catecholamines and other glucoregulatory hormones are known to alter hepatic cholesterol synthesis and secretion of very-low-density lipoproteins. These observations also suggest that dietary carbohydrate and fat might modulate adrenergic influences on lipoprotein metabolism by other than classic means. Third, as suggested by studies of cultured fibroblasts, alpha-adrenergic antagonists may increase receptor-mediated catabolism of low-density lipoprotein.
Hydrothermal Precipitation of Lead Zirconate Titanate Solid Solutions: Thermodynamic Modeling and Experimental Synthesis

A previously developed thermodynamic model of hydro-thermal synthesis of ceramic powders has been extended to include cases when solid solutions are formed. The model has been applied to the synthesis of a series of lead titanate zirconate solid solutions PbZrxTi1–xO3 (PZT, 0.46 < x≤ 0.75). It predicts the optimum conditions (i.e., reagent, concentration, pH, and temperature) for the precipitation of phase-pure homogeneous PZT, provided that the reactants are well mixed. The predictions have been experimentally corroborated using coprecipitated hydrous oxide ZrxTi1–xC2nH2O (0.46 < x≤ 0.75), as a precursor for Ti and Zr and water-soluble lead acetate or nitrate salts as a source for Pb. When mixtures of hydrous oxides ZrO2·nH2O and TiO2·nH2O were employed as Ti and Zr precursors, independent PbTiO3 and PbZrO3 precipitates rather than the PZT solid solutions formed. These results can be rationalized on the basis of reaction kinetics where thermodynamic modeling includes or excludes the possibility of solid-solution formation.
Fuzzy Grading System

The difficulties associated with translating a set of scores into letter-grades are discussed. A novel method for automating this process, the Fuzzy Grading System, is developed and compared to traditional practices. Letter-grades are recognized to be fuzzy descriptors of students' performance. Thus, operations aimed at defining letter-grade boundaries are naturally carried out in the context of fuzzy set theory and logic. The Fuzzy Grading System utilizes students' and instructor's performance measures in order to modify a set of collectively approved, a priori fuzzy grades, so as to produce a "fair" mark distribution. The validity of grades is increased by compensating for factors that are not directly accessible to simpler, traditional grading methods. >
Evidence-based medicine reports on obesity surgery: a critique

To evaluate evidence in recent authoritative ‘Evidence-Based Medicine’ (EBM) reports on surgery for severe obesity. Focused review of Index Medicus citations and authors' own databases of publications on surgery for obesity, 1978–2004. EBM criteria for assessment of strength of evidence requiring randomized controlled studies (RCTs) in these reports are inappropriate for evaluating invasive treatments such as surgery, which have robust physiological effects, are difficult to reverse and may have more serious side effects than the drug studies for which the criteria were promulgated. Flaws in these reports include omissions of important studies demonstrating improvements in comorbidity, factual errors in descriptions of operations and faulty analyses of outcomes of laparoscopic approaches. There are misinterpretations of cited papers, and inclusion of obsolete operations as well as a study generated during the ‘learning curve’ of an avowed complex procedure. EBM analyses of surgical modalities affecting access to care require relevant evaluation criteria, true peer review and expert consultation. Authors' claims of objectivity by invoking use of evidence-based criteria applicable to drug treatment and other easily reversible forms of therapy are questionable. Decisions based on flawed EBM reports may adversely affect access to care for millions of severely obese patients.
The ‘Hortus Palatinus’ at Heidelberg and the reformation of the World part II: culture as science

Abstract In the first part of this essay I attempted to present the iconography of the Hortus Palatinus 1 (figure 1), constructed by the architect and engineer, Salomon de Caus, for the Palatine Elector, Frederick V, during the period 1612 to 1620. This garden has attracted attention on account of its complexity and rarity as a German example of Renaissance gardening. In my description of its iconography I argued for something much more; namely for the existence of a programme which guided the whole composition. What this was I only hinted at, but in the process of doing so I mentioned both the importance of mechanics for its creator, particularly as derived from the ancient text of Hero, and the conviction that the demonstration of mechanical laws would be seen to underwrite belief in universal harmony. I touched upon the way that de Caus utilized mythological symbolism to portray moral questions in a mechanical-musical context. I alluded to the conceptual congruity underlying beliefs in the possibility ...
Consider tanning motivations and counsel accordingly

Joel Hillhouse, PhD; Rob Turrisi, PhD; Jerod Stapleton, BS; June Robinson, MDObjective: To evaluate the robustness of an appearance-focused intervention to prevent skin cancer in individuals reporting seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms and pathological tanning motives.Design: Randomized, controlled clinical trial.Setting: College campus.Participants: Four hundred thirty adult female indoor tanners (200 in the intervention group and 230 control participants).Intervention: A booklet discussing the history of tanning, current tanning norms, UV radiation's effects on skin, recommendations for indoor tanning use focusing on abstinence and harm reduction recommendations, and information on healthier, appearance-enhancing alternatives to tanning.Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported attitudes, intentions, and tanning behaviors; pathological tanning motives assessed by a questionnaire developed for this study; and SAD symptoms assessed by the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire.Results: Two of the 4 pathological tanning scales, opiatelike reactions to tanning and dissatisfaction with natural skin tone, were significant moderators demonstrating stronger treatment effects for individuals scoring higher on these scales. Treatment effects were equivalently positive (ie, no significant moderator effects) for all levels of SAD symptoms and all levels of the other 2 pathological tanning motive scales (ie, perceiving tanning as a problem and tolerance to the effects of tanning).Conclusions: The appearance-focused skin cancer prevention intervention is robust enough to reduce indoor tanning among tanners who exhibit SAD symptoms or pathological tanning motives. Tailored interventions may address individuals' motivations for tanning and their relation to maladaptive behavior, such as dissatisfaction with appearance or the need for relaxation because of anxiety.
Asymptotic robustness of standard errors in multilevel structural equation models

Data in social and behavioral sciences are often hierarchically organized. Multilevel statistical methodology was developed to analyze such data. Most of the procedures for analyzing multilevel data are derived from maximum likelihood based on the normal distribution assumption. Standard errors for parameter estimates in these procedures are obtained from the corresponding information matrix. Because practical data typically contain heterogeneous marginal skewnesses and kurtoses, this paper studies how nonnormally distributed data affect the standard errors of parameter estimates in a two-level structural equation model. Specifically, we study how skewness and kurtosis in one level affect standard errors of parameter estimates within its level and outside its level. We also show that, parallel to asymptotic robustness theory in conventional factor analysis, conditions exist for asymptotic robustness of standard errors in a multilevel factor analysis model.
Defect Structures of Tin-Doped Indium Oxide

Defect structures associated with tin doping of indium oxide, an optically transparent conductor, have been characterized by atomistic simulations and first-principles density functional calculations. A comprehensive survey of defect clusters containing up to three tin dopants in the first and second cationic coordination shells of an oxygen interstitial has been conducted. The analysis of energetically favorable defects gives insights into the role and nature of defect clusters in the material. In particular, the origins of the experimentally postulated b-site preference of tin dopants have been examined. Our results show that b-site preference occurs only in defect clusters with oxygen interstitials and is not intrinsic to dopants. In contrast, in nearest coordination to an interstitial, a strong d-site preference is found. Density functional calculations in the discrete variational-embedded cluster approximation have been conducted on selected defect structures to illuminate the effect of clustering on partial atomic charges, bond-orders, and 119 Sn Mossbauer parameters.
Direct comparison of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation and electrospray ionisation in the analysis of gangliosides by Fourier transform mass spectrometry

Both electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) coupled to a Fourier transform mass spectrometer (FTMS) are used to analyze gangliosides, providing a direct comparison of the two techniques using the same mass analyzer. Both MALDI/FTMS and ESI/FTMS gave better results in the negative ion mode. ESI/FTMS appears to be more gentle, with the majority of the ion staying intact. MALDI/FTMS leads to significantly more fragmentation. These results can be explained in terms of differences in internal energy caused by the ionization process and differences in translational energies acquired from the source, by analysis of the different trapping regimes needed in each technique. Positive ion mode ESI/FTMS gave very poor results with almost exclusive fragmentation to the asialoganglioside. Positive ion MALDI/FTMS gave good signal, but multiple metal coordination sometimes resulted. Fragmentation in ESI can be manipulated through the use of skimmer voltage differences and in MALDI through the use of alkali metal doping and laser intensity.
Agglutinins in Marine Algae for Human Erythrocytes

The cell sap of six brown marine algae collected near La Parguera, Puerto Rico, agglutinated human erythrocytes of blood groups O and A, as did the sap of one blue-green alga. One red alga agglutinated A cells only, while one green species and two brown were nonspecific. Others were negative.
Color and illuminant voting

A geometric-vision approach to color constancy and illuminant estimation is presented in this paper. We show a general framework, based on ideas from the generalized probabilistic Hough transform, to estimate the illuminant and reflectance of natural images. Each image pixel "votes" for possible illuminants and the estimation is based on cumulative votes. The framework is natural for the introduction of physical constraints in the color constancy problem. We show the relationship of this work to previous algorithms for color constancy and present examples.
A kinetic approach to the catalytic oxidation of mercury in flue gas

Four mercury oxidation catalysts were tested in a packed bed reactor in the presence of flue gas generated by the NETL 500 lb/h coal combustor. The four catalysts tested were Ir, Ir/HCl, Darco FGD activated carbon, and Thief/HCl. The Thief/HCl and Darco converted the highest percentage of the inlet mercury; however, the high conversion in these experiments was aided by larger catalyst loadings than in the Ir and Ir/HCl experiments. We propose a method for analyzing mercury oxidation catalyst results in a kinetic framework using the bulk reaction rate for oxidized mercury formation normalized by either the catalyst mass or surface area. Results reported for fractional mercury oxidation are strongly influenced by the specific experimental conditions and are therefore difficult to translate from experiment to experiment. The catalyst-normalized results allow for more quantitative analysis of mercury oxidation catalyst data and are the first step in creating a predictive model that will allow for efficient sc...
The Borrelia burgdorferi 37-Kilodalton Immunoblot Band (P37) Used in Serodiagnosis of Early Lyme Disease Is the flaA Gene Product

The 37-kDa protein (P37) of Borrelia burgdorferi is an antigen that elicits an early immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody response in Lyme disease patients. The P37 gene was cloned from a B. burgdorferi genomic library by screening with antibody from a Lyme disease patient who had developed a prominent humoral response to the P37 antigen. DNA sequence analysis of this clone revealed the identity of P37 to be FlaA, an outer sheath protein of the periplasmic flagella. Recombinant P37 expression was accomplished in Escherichia coli by using a gene construct with the leader peptide deleted and fused to a 38-kDa E. coli protein. The recombinant antigen was reactive in IgM immunoblots using serum samples from patients clinically diagnosed with early Lyme disease that had been scored positive for B. burgdorferi anti-P37 reactivity. Lyme disease patient samples serologically negative for the B. burgdorferi P37 protein did not react with the recombinant. Recombinant P37 may be a useful component of a set of defined antigens for the serodiagnosis of early Lyme disease. This protein can be utilized as a marker in diagnostic immunoblots, aiding in the standardization of the present generation of IgM serologic tests.
Adaptive probabilistic branch and bound for level set approximation

We present a probabilistic branch-and-bound (PBnB) method for locating a subset of the feasible region that contains solutions in a level set achieving a user-specified quantile. PBnB is designed for optimizing noisy (and deterministic) functions over continuous or finite domains, and provides more information than a single incumbent solution. It uses an order statistics based analysis to guide the branching and pruning procedures for a balanced allocation of computational effort. The statistical analysis also prescribes both the number of points to be sampled within a sub-region and the number of replications needed to estimate the true function value at each sample point. When the algorithm terminates, it returns a concentrated sub-region of solutions with a probability bound on their optimality gap and an estimate of the global optimal solution as a by-product. Numerical experiments on benchmark problems are presented.
Glutamate transport and renal function

Brush border γ-glutamyltransferase-glutaminase activity and the high-affinity glutamate transporter EAAC1 function as a unit in generating and transporting extracellular glutamate into proximal tubules as a signal that modulates intracellular glutamine/glutamate metabolism, paracellular permeability, and urinary acidification. The reported presence of a second glutamate transporter, GLT1, on the antiluminal tubule surface points to specific functional roles for each subtype in physiological and pathophysiological processes.
Photoperiodic Regulation of Compensatory Testicular Hypertrophy in Hamsters

In mammals, removal of one testis results in compensatory testicular hypertrophy (CTH) of the remaining gonad. Although CTH is ubiquitous among juveniles of many species, laboratory rats, laboratory mice, and humans unilaterally castrated in adulthood fail to display CTH. We documented CTH in pre- and postpubertally hemi-castrated Syrian and Siberian hamsters and tested whether day length affects CTH in juvenile and adult Siberian hamsters. Robust CTH was evident in long-day hemicastrates of both species and was preceded by increased serum FSH concentrations in juvenile Siberian hamsters. In sharp contrast, CTH was undetectable in short-day hemi-castrated Siberian hamsters for several months and only made its appearance with the development of neuroendocrine refractoriness to short day lengths; serum FSH concentrations of juveniles also did not increase above sham-castrate values until the onset of refractoriness. Long-day hemi-castrated Siberian hamsters with hypertrophied testes underwent complete gonadal regression after transfer to short days, albeit at a reduced rate for the first 3 weeks of treatment. Blood testosterone concentrations of adult hamsters did not differ between long-day hemicastrates and sham-castrates 9–12 weeks after surgery. We conclude that CTH is suppressed by short day lengths in Siberian hamsters at all ages and stages of reproductive development; in short day lengths, but not long day lengths, the remaining testis produces sufficient negative feedback inhibition to restrain FSH hypersecretion and prevent CTH. compensatory testicular hypertrophy, follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin, photoperiodism, reproductive axis, seasonal reproduction, testis, testosterone, unilateral castration
Design of strictly positive real, fixed-order dynamic compensators

The authors present sufficient conditions for the design of strictly positive real (SPR), fixed-order dynamic compensators. The primary motivation for designing SPR compensators is for application to positive real (PR) plants. When an SPR compensator is connected to a PR plant in a negative feedback configuration, the closed loop is guaranteed stable for arbitrary plant variations as long as the plant remains PR. Equations that are a modified form of the optimal projection equations, with the separation principle not holding in either the full- or reduced-order case, are given. A solution to the design equations is shown to exist when the plant is PR (or just stable). Finally, the closed-loop system consisting of a PR plant and an SPR compensator is shown to be S-structured Lyapunov stable. >
Multiple Surface Regions on the Niemann-Pick C2 Protein Facilitate Intracellular Cholesterol Transport

The cholesterol storage disorder Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is caused by defects in either of two late endosomal/lysosomal proteins, NPC1 and NPC2. NPC2 is a 16-kDa soluble protein that binds cholesterol in a 1:1 stoichiometry and can transfer cholesterol between membranes by a mechanism that involves protein-membrane interactions. To examine the structural basis of NPC2 function in cholesterol trafficking, a series of point mutations were generated across the surface of the protein. Several NPC2 mutants exhibited deficient sterol transport properties in a set of fluorescence-based assays. Notably, these mutants were also unable to promote egress of accumulated intracellular cholesterol from npc2−/− fibroblasts. The mutations mapped to several regions on the protein surface, suggesting that NPC2 can bind to more than one membrane simultaneously. Indeed, we have previously demonstrated that WT NPC2 promotes vesicle-vesicle interactions. These interactions were abrogated, however, by mutations causing defective sterol transfer properties. Molecular modeling shows that NPC2 is highly plastic, with several intense positively charged regions across the surface that could interact favorably with negatively charged membrane phospholipids. The point mutations generated in this study caused changes in NPC2 surface charge distribution with minimal conformational changes. The plasticity, coupled with membrane flexibility, probably allows for multiple cholesterol transfer routes. Thus, we hypothesize that, in part, NPC2 rapidly traffics cholesterol between closely appositioned membranes within the multilamellar interior of late endosomal/lysosomal proteins, ultimately effecting cholesterol egress from this compartment.
Formalization and the Meaning of “Theory” in the Inexact Biological Sciences

Exact sciences are described as sciences whose theories are formalized. These are contrasted to inexact sciences, whose theories are not formalized. Formalization is described as a broader category than mathematization, involving any form/content distinction allowing forms, e.g., as represented in theoretical models, to be studied independently of the empirical content of a subject-matter domain. Exactness is a practice depending on the use of theories to control subject-matter domains and to align theoretical with empirical models and not merely a state of a science. Inexact biological sciences tolerate a degree of “mismatch” between theoretical and empirical models and concepts. Three illustrations from biological sciences are discussed in which formalization is achieved by various means: Mendelism, Weismannism, and Darwinism. Frege’s idea of a “conceptual notation” is used to further characterize the notion of a form/content distinction.
Anticipatory guidance for the first two months of life.

Abstract The nurse-midwife is in an ideal position in her relationship with the expectant family to initiate anticipatory guidance regarding infant care. This article gives a brief summary of the state of the art from the pediatric viewpoint with respect to feeding, physical care, stimulation and developmental expectations, in the hope that it will provide a basis for teaching in the prenatal period.
Rapid potential rates of extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis in Arctic sediments

The extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis rates of three fluorescently-labeled polysaccharides (pullulan, laminarin, and xylan) were measured in the upper ∼11 cm of sediment cores collected near Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean. The three polysaccharides differ in molecular weight (200,000, ∼6,000, and ∼8,000 Da for pullulan, laminarin, and xylan, respectively), as well as in monomer composition, linkage position, and anomeric configuration, and are most probably hydrolyzed by distinctly different enzymes. Potential hydrolysis rates of pullulan and laminarin were rapid throughout the sediment cores (average rates of 52 cuts per nmol glucose cm−3 hr−1 for pullulan, 38 cuts per nmol glucose cm−3 hr−1 for laminarin) and were comparable to rates measured in sediment cores from more temperate sites. Xylan potential hydrolysis rates were considerably slower at all Svalbard stations (average of 3 cuts per nmol xylose cm−3 hr−1). Rapid microbial remineralization of particulate organic carbon requires high levels of extracellular enzyme activity; the high potential hydrolysis rates of tluorescently-labeled pullulan and laminarin in Svalbard sediments demonstrate that at least some types of extracellular enzymes can function rapidly in permanently cold environments.
Characterization of canopy physiology at BOREAS with SAR

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) is a multidisciplinary field and remote sensing study the goal of which is to obtain an improved understanding of the interactions between the boreal forest biome and the atmosphere in order to clarify their roles in global change. The two principal BOREAS field sites, both located within Canada, are located in the southern boreal ecotone, encompassing Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, and in the northern boreal ecotone near Thompson, Manitoba. This paper presents research carried out as part of BOREAS to characterize forest ecophysiological processes as observed by the JPL AIRSAR, SIR-C/X-SAR and the ERS-1 SAR. The authors have installed automated measurement systems in four different forest stands within the BOREAS field sites. The three stands instrumented in the southern region are dominated by trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), black spruce (Picea mariana), and jack pine (Pinus banksiana), respectively, while the one stand in the northern region is dominated by black spruce. These stands have each been instrumented with sensors that provide continuous in situ monitoring of tree xylem water flux and vegetation tissue and soil temperatures. Since their installation in the autumn of 1993 and winter of 1994, these sensors have provided a continuous record of vegetation hydrologic activity. In addition, since April 1994, three of these stands have been instrumented for continuous monitoring of dielectric constant within the hydroactive tissue of a single tree trunk. During the 1994 Spring Thaw Focused Field Campaign, the authors obtained additional in situ measurements including detailed dielectric profiles of the trunks from selected trees at each site, as well as diurnal water potential observations and porometry. Synthetic aperture radars (SARs) have been imaging these sites while in situ data collection has been underway. Imagery has been obtained by sensors including SIR-C/X-SAR, AIRSAR and ERS-1 SARs. The ground-based in situ observations are examined to establish the physiologic state of the forest canopies. SAR imagery is examined to determine the response of the radar backscatter to the observed canopy physiology. >
Individual variability in life-history traits drives population size stability

Understanding how population sizes vary over time is a key aspect of ecological research. Unfortunately, our under- standing of population dynamics has historically been based on an assumption that individuals are identical with homogenous life-history properties. This assumption is certainly false for most natural systems, raising the question of what role individual variation plays in the dynamics of populations. While there has been an increase of interest regarding the effects of within popula- tion variation on the dynamics of single populations, there has been little study of the effects of differences in within population variation on patterns observed across populations. We found that life-history differences (clutch size) among individuals ex- plained the majority of the variation observed in the degree to which population sizes of eastern fence lizards Sceloporus undula- tus fluctuated. This finding suggests that differences across populations cannot be understood without an examination of differ- ences at the level of a system rather than at the level of the individual (Current Zoology 58 (2): 358362, 2012).
Reflection as a Tool to Combat the Changing Practice of Law

The importance of reflection in the self-regulated learning cycle is clear. Yet, it is not common practice to require our students to engage in self-reflection as a discipline in law school. The need for self-reflection is important not only to law school success, but also to success in practice. Law students need to learn how to reflect to become more effective practitioners, and law school should provide and require students the opportunity to obtain the skills to reflect on their skills and practice.
The Life Cycle, Longevity, and Aging

Over a century ago, Ehrengerg (1838) came to the conclusion that the protozoa are potentially immortal. Later, Weismann (1891) stated that the protoplasm or cells of a metazoan animal could be classified into two groups, namely, the body or somatic protoplasm and the germinal protoplasm. He proposed the idea that the former is mortal but the germinal protoplasm is potentially immortal. Weismann contended that old age and natural death are penalties demanded of the metazoa, including man, because of their specialization and differentiation into somatic and germinal protoplasm, whereas the protozoa, without this protoplasmic specialization, are potentially immortal like the germ cells.
Viewing Complex, Dynamic Scenes "Through the Eyes" of Another Person: The Gaze-Replay Paradigm.

We present a novel “Gaze-Replay” paradigm that allows the experimenter to directly test how particular patterns of visual input—generated from people’s actual gaze patterns—influence the interpretation of the visual scene. Although this paradigm can potentially be applied across domains, here we applied it specifically to social comprehension. Participants viewed complex, dynamic scenes through a small window displaying only the foveal gaze pattern of a gaze “donor.” This was intended to simulate the donor’s visual selection, such that a participant could effectively view scenes “through the eyes” of another person. Throughout the presentation of scenes presented in this manner, participants completed a social comprehension task, assessing their abilities to recognize complex emotions. The primary aim of the study was to assess the viability of this novel approach by examining whether these Gaze-Replay windowed stimuli contain sufficient and meaningful social information for the viewer to complete this social perceptual and cognitive task. The results of the study suggested this to be the case; participants performed better in the Gaze-Replay condition compared to a temporally disrupted control condition, and compared to when they were provided with no visual input. This approach has great future potential for the exploration of experimental questions aiming to unpack the relationship between visual selection, perception, and cognition.
Identifying Seizure Onset Zone From the Causal Connectivity Inferred Using Directed Information

In this paper, we developed a model-based and a data-driven estimator for directed information (DI) to infer the causal connectivity graph between electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals recorded from brain and to identify the seizure onset zone (SOZ) in epileptic patients. DI, an information theoretic quantity, is a general metric to infer causal connectivity between time series and is not restricted to a particular class of models unlike the popular metrics based on Granger causality or transfer entropy. The proposed estimators are shown to be almost surely convergent. Causal connectivity between ECoG electrodes in five epileptic patients is inferred using the proposed DI estimators, after validating their performance on simulated data. We then proposed a model-based and a data-driven SOZ identification algorithm to identify SOZ from the causal connectivity inferre using the model-based and data-driven DI estimators, respectively. The data-driven SOZ identification outperforms the model-based SOZ identification algorithm when benchmarked against the visual analysis by neurologist, the current clinical gold standard. The causal connectivity analysis presented here is the first step toward developing novel nonsurgical treatments for epilepsy.