cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ambient Air Pollutant Measurement Error: Characterization and Impacts in a Time-Series Epidemiologic Study in Atlanta

In time-series studies of ambient air pollution and health in large urban areas, measurement errors associated with instrument precision and spatial variability vary widely across pollutants. In this paper, we characterize these errors for selected air pollutants and estimate their impacts on epidemiologic results from an ongoing study of air pollution and emergency department visits in Atlanta. Error was modeled for daily measures of 12 air pollutants using collocated monitor data to characterize instrument precision and data from multiple study area monitors to estimate population-weighted spatial variance. Time-series simulations of instrument and spatial error were generated for each pollutant, added to a reference pollutant time-series, and used in a Poisson generalized linear model of air pollution and cardiovascular emergency department visits. Reductions in risk ratio due to instrument precision error were less than 6%. Error due to spatial variability resulted in average risk ratio reductions of ...
Biochemical effects of denervation on normal and dystrophic muscle: acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase.

Abstract The activities of AChE and ChAc in homogenates from normal, dystrophic and denervated (3–46 days) mouse gastrocnemii have been reported. When the results are expressed per muscle, AChE activity in normal muscle was 4-fold higher than dystrophic muscle. After denervation the decrease in AChE activity in the normal series paralleled the loss of muscle weight; in the dystrophic series the loss of activity was greater than loss of muscle weight. ChAc activity was approximately 2-fold higher in normal muscle than in dystrophic muscle. After denervation ChAc activity decreased more than 90% in both normal and dystrophic muscle. In both types of muscle a return of enzyme activity was observed after 28 days of denervation.
Water use, crop coefficients, and irrigation management criteria for camelina production in arid regions

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is an oilseed crop touted as being suitable for production in the arid southwestern USA. However, because any significant development of the crop has been limited to cooler, rain-fed climate-areas, information and guidance for managing irrigated-camelina are lacking. This study measured the crop water use of a November-through-April camelina crop in Arizona using frequent measurements of soil water contents. The crop was grown under surface irrigation using five treatment levels of soil water depletion. The seed yields of treatments averaged 1,142 kg ha−1 (8.0% seed moisture) and were generally comparable with camelina yields reported in other parts of the USA. Varying total irrigation water amounts to treatments (295–330 mm) did not significantly affect yield, whereas total crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was increased for the most frequently irrigated treatment. However, total ETc for the camelina treatments (332–371 mm) was markedly less than that typically needed by grain and vegetable crops (600–655 mm), which are commonly grown during the same timeframe in Arizona. The camelina water-use data were used to develop crop coefficients based on days past planting, growing degree days, and canopy spectral reflectance. The crop coefficient curves, along with information presented on camelina soil water depletion and root zone water extraction characteristics will provide camelina growers in arid regions with practical tools for managing irrigations.
Examining the link between institutional and community violence: Toward a new cultural paradigm

New explanations of cultural processes are sought, in part, because existing hypotheses are at odds with new wave contemporary empirical findings. Namely, a growing body of scholarship calls into question the "racial invariance" hypothesis proposed by Sampson and Wilson (1995), particularly as it applies to Latinos. Based on these findings, it stands to reason that culture, in addition to structure, may be a property of communities that helps to explain racial/ethnic involvement in crime. This article explores the link between institutional and community violence, and then compares traditional perspectives on the influence of culture on violence (e.g. Wolfgang and Ferracuti's subculture of violence) with newer, more dynamic conceptualizations of the cultural influence of violence in both institutional and community settings (e.g. Sampson and Bean's relational theory of culture). The authors consider how both institutional and community violence may be explained using a new cultural paradigm, which moves beyond traditional views of "culture as values" to a new relational theory of "culture in action". They present a model for understanding, and researching, culture that is based on the notion that value systems in institutions and neighborhoods influence one another. Offering examples from recent research on prison culture, they examine the key dimensions of this new cultural paradigm, which describes culture as "intersubjective, performative, cognitive, relational, and world-making". The authors conclude that further examination of the reciprocal relationship between institutional and community culture is needed before we can begin to consider the policy implications of the "culture in action" paradigm.
Chemical and physical studies of type 3 chondrites—I: Metamorphism related studies of Antarctic and other type 3 ordinary chondrites

New thermoluminescence (TL) sensitivity measurements on 17 finds and one fall are presented, and petrologic assignments are made on the basis of TL sensitivity and silicate heterogeneity. The correlation that exists between TL sensitivity and glow curve shape is discussed, with the difference in the glow curve shapes of meteorite types 3.4 and less and type 3.5 and greater being tentatively attributed to an order-disorder transition in plagioclase, the TL phosphor. A correlation between TL sensitivity and heteogeneity of the silicate composition is found, but it tends to break down in the most heterogeneous meteorites. For Antarctic meteorites, the TL data show a much more restricted range in TL sensitivity than in silicate heterogeneity. The Quinyambie meteorite is the only one not consistent with the observed trend. Several explanations are offered, none of them totally satisfactory.
Outcome Studies of Social, Behavioral, and Educational Interventions: Emerging Issues and Challenges.

This article describes the core features of outcome research and then explores issues confronting researchers who engage in outcome studies. Using an intervention research perspective, descriptive and explanatory methods are distinguished. Emphasis is placed on the counterfactual causal perspective, designing programs that fit culture and context, and developing nuanced explanations for program outcomes. Five emerging challenges are discussed: (a) adapting interventions to the contexts and cultures in which programs are to be implemented, (b) avoiding potentially false attributions of program failure due to differential implementation, (c) making causal inferences from observational data with propensity score analysis (PSA), (d) examining person-centered outcomes in program evaluation, and (e) adjusting for rater effects in longitudinal research.
Observation of new satellites in the Cs-Ar system using resonance ionization spectroscopy

The absorption line shape of Cs-Ar system is recorded using two-photon ionization of the system with $\mathrm{Cs}(7P)$ as an intermediate state. New satellite structures in the wings of $\mathrm{Cs}(7P)$ are observed which were not resolved in previous absorption measurements. Also the absolute absorption cross section in the blue wing is measured.
Yeast phenylalanine ammonia-lyase. Properties of the enzyme from Sporobolomyces pararoseus and its catalytic site.

l-Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from the yeast Sporobolomyces pararoseus was purified to near homogeneity as judged by disk gel electrophoresis. It has a molecular weight of approximately 275,000–300,000. The enzyme is inactivated by carbonyl-, amino- and sulfhydryl-attacking reagents. Dehydroalanine was shown to be present and essential for catalysis. Protection by substrate analogs against enzyme inactivation revealed the possible association of the essential dehydroalanyl and amino groups with the aliphatic portion of bound substrate.
Characterization of oscillation and a period‐doubling transition to chaos reflecting dynamic instability in a simplified model of tropospheric chemistry

A simplified box model extracted from tropospheric photochemistry is investigated as the influx of NO (FNO) is increased. A subcritical Hopf bifurcation is encountered as FNO is increased, beyond which the steady state is unstable, and the system evolves to an oscillatory state resulting from alternate dominance of two radical chain processes. The first is an O3-consuming process of net stoichiometry, CO + O3 → {CO2} + {O2}, occurring at high [CO] and [O3] and very low [NOx], but leading to increased [NOx] via FNO as CO and O3 are depleted. As [NOx] thus grows, passes through a maximum, and then declines, the second, an O3-producing process of net stoichiometry, CO + 2{O2} + hν → {CO2} + O3, is dominant. It remains so as O3 and CO accumulate (CO via its influx, FCO) until [NOx] again reaches very low values at high [O3] and [CO] as a result of the removal of NO2 by HO photochemically generated from the increasing [O3]. This alternation occurs because each process affects [NOx] and [HOx] so as to lead to dominance of the other. A period-doubling transition to chaotic oscillation occurs as FNO is increased further. The embedding dimension of the chaos is estimated to be four, and the original six-variable model can be reduced to a four-variable (CO, O3, [NO + NO2] and [HO + HO2]) system that behaves nearly identically to the full six-variable model. While the oscillatory and chaotic periods seem too long (at least weeks) to be observed in real atmospheres, the model displays the nonlinear nature and dynamic instability of tropospheric photochemistry and offers insight into the behavior of and transitions between higher and lower [NOx] states, which may be observable. The importance of the ratios [CO]/[NO2] and [O3]/[NO] to net O3 change is illustrated. The appearance of this instability suggests that predictions based upon the temporal evolution of this or even more complex models of tropospheric chemistry sometimes may be very sensitive to the exact initial conditions of [CO]/[NO2] and [O3]/[NO] prevailing.
Effects of contact resistance and film thickness on current crowding and the critical product of electromigration in Blech structures

In using Blech structures to study electromigration, the current density has been assumed to be the same in similar sets of short strips deposited on an underlayer. But this is not true owing to the existence of contact resistance between the strips and the underlayer. The contact resistivity may change due to different methods of sample preparation. High contact resistivity reduces the maximum current in the strip. Also, it diffuses the currents at the strip/underlayer interface from a narrow crowding to a wide spreading. In this work, we simulate these phenomena of current reduction and spreading in terms of contact resistivity and film thickness. We explore their effects on back stress and incubation time of void formation in short strips. We demonstrate these effects by the discrepancy in the critical product measurements found in experiments using similar Blech structures.
The Electronic Charge e

PROF. A. S. EDDINGTON has recently (Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 122, 358; Jan. 1929) deduced a theoretical value of 136 for the well-known ratio hc/2πe2. The reciprocal of this ratio is usually denoted ‘the fine-structure constant a.’ Without presuming in any way to judge the theory on which this value is derived, I should like to make a few remarks as to the numerical result. The value of the velocity of light c is known with great accuracy (c = 2.99796 ± 0.00004). On the other hand, the value of the Planck constant h depends primarily upon the value of the electronic charge e, and the probable error in h is almost entirely due to the probable error in e. Every method for evaluating h involves e to a positive power varying from unity to two. The average power depends upon the adopted relative weighting of the different methods. These facts regarding the connexion of e and h I discussed some years ago (Phys. Rev., 14, 361; 1919).
Calcined kaolinite–bentonite clay blends as supplementary cementitious materials

Abstract In an effort to limit the environmental impact of concrete materials, there is increasing interest in the development and use of a wider range of minerals as acceptable supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). This study investigated calcined blended clays of kaolinite and bentonite, with impurities, to assess their feasibility as SCMs. The combined use of Rietveld quantitative x-ray diffraction (RQXRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques proved useful in initially gauging amorphous content post-calcination, lending insight into the relationship between calcination temperature and pozzolanic reactivity. The results demonstrated that for the calcined blended clays, as the amorphous content increased, the SCM consumed more portlandite and the compressive strength of cement-SCM mortars increased. Blends of kaolinite–bentonite clays, containing initially 35 wt.% crystalline kaolinite prior to calcination, achieved roughly 10% increase in compressive strength over samples containing 100 wt.% cement, at 90 days. Blended kaolinite SCMs may offer significant advantages as a low-cost alternative binder or cement replacement material, with the ability to maintain or enhance mechanical strength.
Guidance of Latino High School Students in Mathematics and Career Identity Development

Latino high school students are at risk for low achievement in mathematics, which in turn restricts their opportunity for college and careers that require mathematical backgrounds. This study examines two models of guidance—the assisted performance model, derived from sociocultural theory, and the individuation model—in relation to students’ math achievement and career identity development. One hundred fifteen Latino high school students completed a questionnaire assessing their experiences with assisted performance, individuation, mathematics, and career identity development. As predicted, higher assisted performance was related to higher math grades for those in the college-prep track, but contrary to predictions, assisted performance was related to lower math grades for students in the remedial track. Also as predicted, higher individuation was related to higher identity achievement. Overall, although students’ experiences of assisted performance were positively related to their experiences of individu...
Grounded Neural Networking: Modeling Complex Quantitative Data

The latest advances in artificial intelligence software (neural networking) have finally made it possible for qualitative researchers to apply the grounded theory method to the study of complex quantitative databases in a manner consistent with the postpositivistic, neopragmatic assumptions of most symbolic interactionists. The strength of neural networking for the study of quantitative data is twofold: it blurs the boundaries between qualitative and quantitative analysis, and it allows grounded theorists to embrace the complexity of quantitative data. The specific technique most useful to grounded theory is the Self-Organizing Map (SOM). To demonstrate the utility of the SOM we (1) provide a brief review of grounded theory, focusing on how it was originally intended as a comparative method applicable to both quantitative and qualitative data; (2) examine how the SOM is compatible with the traditional techniques of grounded theory; and (3) demonstrate how the SOM assists grounded theory by applying it to an example based on our research.
Globalisation, Identity, and Nation: Australian and American Undergraduates Abroad

In this essay, I explore how two groups of undergraduates — Americans and Australians — participate in the reformulation of the “global imagination” through their experiences of studying abroad. Specifically, I question the assumption that the global imagination constitutes one shared, common experience that is the same across nations. In contrast, I demonstrate that though American and Australian students are certainly among the elite in global terms, their shared economic position does not necessarily correspond to a common global imagination. Instead, they have markedly different notions of both national and global identities. American students’ strong national identity often prevents them from exploring the possibilities of global affiliation. Australian students’ relatively weak national identity allows for a robust global sense of place, but is sometimes constrained by a limited tolerance for racial and ethnic diversity. In conclusion, I argue that the global imagination has not one, but numerous manifestations, which have the potential to both enable and constrain the enhancement of justice and democracy in a global context.
Amino-acids in Nectar and their Evolutionary Significance

IT has been known since ancient times that nectar, usually secreted from specialized glands within flowers, is utilized by anthophilous (flower-visiting) animals for the energy-providing sugars that it contains. It is usually assumed that protein-making materials will be obtained elsewhere, from larval feeding (Lepidoptera), from pollen (Hymenoptera—Apioideae) or (by vertebrates) from insects. However, some butterflies are known to be attracted to decaying flesh, faeces, urine and stagnant water1 and well as sweat2, while many take phloem-sap from a wound or honey-dew excreted by aphids1. Moths are known to drink fruit juices, sweat, secretions from the eyes of animals, and even mammalian blood3. Unusual feeding-behaviour is shown by butterflies of the genus Heliconius which collect pollen, steep it in nectar, and subsequently ingest the amino-acids that diffuse from the grains4.
OFDM in deep water acoustic channels with extremely long delay spread

Deep water horizontal channels usually have very long delay spreads relative to shallow water channels. The delay spread can be several hundreds of milliseconds, which covers several blocks of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) transmissions, leading to severe inter-block-interference (IBI). There are usually two significant well-separated clusters, one from direct paths and the other from surface reflections. Viewing the signals arrived along the two clusters as from two virtual users, we develop a multiuser based OFDM receiver to address IBI, where both channel estimation and data detection algorithms are presented. This receiver can effectively combine signals from multiple senors with different delay spread structures, where each block is decoded in the presence of interference from multiple different blocks. Experimental data from the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) environment are used to validate the performance of the proposed receiver.
The Role of Project Management in a Small Business IT Firm: A Case Study

Small businesses have found project management to be a powerful approach since it encourages them to focus on results and also demands effective leadership. It also provides them with a single point of management contact which, among other factors, fosters a synergistic atmosphere encouraging the team to focus on achieving a common goal within a specific time frame and resource constraints. Despite applying the best practices, projects fail primarily for two reasons. First, although most firms do abide by the best practices to some degree, they do not perform them rigorously. Most intelligent software development organizations are still immature. According to the Standish group, fewer than 31% of IT projects succeed, nearly 20% are cancelled before completion, and the remaining 53% are challenged by being seriously late, over budget, or lacking expected features (Marchewka, 2003). Furthermore, on average, 70% of all information technology- (IT) related projects fail to meet their objectives (Lewis, 2003). This case examines the role of the project management life cycle in a small IT firm ABC that implements competitive intelligent systems for their clients in the health care industry. The research question designed for this article is: how does the project management life cycle facilitate the development of IT solutions? We describe the impact of IT in the ABC firm and its role in the project management life cycle. We then discuss the challenges and lessons learned by the firm, thereby contributing to factors that would benefit practitioners and researchers.
The Safety of Triptan Use for Migraines in the Elderly (P04.233)

Objective: To determine whether the risk of death, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic heart disease (IHD) and ischemic stroke is increased in elderly migraineurs treated with triptans. Background Because case reports have reported an association between triptans (the first choice treatment for migraines) and stroke, MI, and IHD, healthcare providers are particularly concerned about the safety of these drugs in the elderly. Design/Methods: We developed and validated an electronic algorithm to identify migraineurs, triptan use, cardiovascular risk factors, all-cause mortality and incident cases of MI, IHD, and ischemic stroke from the comprehensive electronic medical records of the Kaiser Permanente Southern California membership over age 65 between 2007 and 2010. Non-migraine controls were matched 4:1 to elderly migraineurs on age, gender and KPSC membership characteristics. Risk estimates were obtained using logistic regression adjusted for age, gender and other cardiovascular risk factors. Results: We identified 27,059 migraineurs over the age of 65 of whom 3726 (13.8%) used triptans. There was no association between triptan use and risk of death (OR=0.73, 95%CI=0.53-1.02), MI (OR=0.86, 95%CI=0.59-1.26), ischemic stroke (OR=1.15, 95%CI=0.84-1.59) or other outcomes studied compared with non-migraine controls. Non-triptan-treated migraineurs had an elevated risk of ischemic stroke (OR=1.41, 95%CI=1.29-1.56) and IHD (OR=1.26, 95%CI=1.17-1.37) but not MI or all-cause mortality (OR=0.98, 95%CI=0.89-1.08) compared with non-migraine controls. Triptan-users had fewer cardiovascular risk factors including less hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, prior stroke, MI or IHD and lower risks of death (OR=0.64, 95%CI=0.50-0.81) and MI (OR=0.69, 95%CI=0.48-0.98) and less so ischemic stroke (OR=0.76, 95%CI=0.57- 1.02) compared with non-triptan-treated migraineurs. Conclusions: Triptan use in the elderly was not associated with an increased risk of death, MI, IHD or ischemic strokes. However, triptan-users had fewer cardiovascular risk factors, thus it remains unclear whether triptan use is safe in elderly patients with significant cardiovascular risk factors. Additional stratified, and propensity score-adjusted analyses will be presented. Disclosure: Dr. Salem has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Potrebic has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burchette has nothing to disclose. Dr. Langer-Gould has nothing to disclose.
Conservation biology and law: only a start.

From the beginning conservation biology has been a goal-driven enterprise, motivated by an urge to protect all species. The guiding hope is that scientific information about biodiversity can find its way into land-use plans and otherwise aid rare species. In modest ways this has happened: overtly in endangered species acts (federal and state) and erratically and incompletely in land-use schemes crafted by land-owning agencies. But the overall assessment is not good. The law views conservation biology as a specialty field of trivial importance. Only in a few settings have its principles diverted the march of free-market capitalism and modern liberalism. A start has been made, but little more. Why is this so, and what can be done about it? For starters, it is important to note that conservation biology displays the strengths and weaknesses of all science. It has compiled a body of knowledge on nature and features tools for gaining more knowledge. Morality motivates the work, but the morality stands apart from the science, as do the many prudential considerations that are also relevant in deciding how we should live on the land. Many steps are needed to move from the facts of science to overall goals that guide our interactions with nature (Freyfogle & Newton 2002). In deciding what kinds of land uses are good, a long list of factors having to do with human utility (broadly defined), ethics, religious sentiments, and the limits on our knowledge and reason is relevant (Freyfogle 2006). Conservation biology can inform the work of setting land-use goals. It can also help formulate plans to achieve the chosen goals. But conservation biology standing alone does not tell us how we ought to use nature. Conservation biologists may assume that their field has little influence today because it is immature and that its influence will grow as its body of knowledge grows and its theories become sturdier. But there is little basis for this belief. Conservation biology has little influence, not because it knows too little, but because its knowledge is not considered useful. And this knowledge is not considered
Feeding Mistiming Decreases Reproductive Fitness in Flies

The diurnally active fruit flies prefer a major meal in the morning. Feeding the flies in the evening uncouples their metabolic cycle from circadian activity rhythms. A paper by Xu et al. in this issue of Cell Metabolism found that such uncoupled rhythms reduce egg laying.
Yield Learning Through Physically Aware Diagnosis of IC-Failure Populations

A variety of yield-learning techniques are essential since no single approach can effectively find every manufacturing perturbation that can lead to yield loss. Test structures, for example, can range from being simple in nature (combs and serpentine structures for measuring defect-density and size distributions) to more complex, active structures that include transistors, ring oscillators, and SRAMs. Test structures are designed to provide seamless access to a given failure type: its size, its location, and possibly other pertinent characteristics.
Chemoenzymatic Method for Producing Stearidonic Acid Concentrates from Stearidonic Acid Soybean Oil

The aim of this study was to produce stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3) omega-3 concentrates from 25 % SDA soybean oil (SDASO) by enzymatic acidolysis. Substrates were prepared by chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis of SDASO. A 62 % SDA free fatty acid mixture (SDA-FFA) was obtained by low temperature crystallization of the chemical hydrolyzate while partial hydrolysis of SDASO by non-immobilized lipase AY 30 (Candida rugosa) yielded a 51 % SDA acylglycerol mixture (SDA-GLY). Reaction conditions for acidolysis between SDA-FFA and SDA-GLY were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM). Incorporation of SDA into SDA-GLY by immobilized Lipozyme RM IM (Rhizomucor miehei) and non-immobilized Lipomod 34P-LO34P (C. cylindracea [rugosa]) lipases were modeled under varying levels of the substrate molar ratio (S r ), temperature (T), and time (t). Optimal conditions for production of a 60 % SDA concentrate were predicted to be S r = 4.8, T = 65 °C and t = 8 h for Lipozyme RM IM and S r = 5.0, T = 43 °C and t = 48 h for Lipomod 34P-L034P. The model was verified experimentally by gram scale synthesis under optimal conditions which resulted in the production of 59.98 and 58.98 % SDA concentrates (≥96 % triacylglycerols) by Lipozyme RM IM and Lipomod 34P-L034P, respectively.
The Maxwell, Yang-Mills and Einstein equations and closed path parallel propagation

Abstract Two linear partial differential equations (and several non-linear generalizations) for a function H, defined on the unit sphere, will be described and their relationship to gauge fields discussed. The two equations are ∂H + ∂ A = 0 and ∂ H + [H, A ] + ∂ A = 0 , where the differential operators ∂ and ∂ are given by either ∂ A = −sinθ ∂ ∂θ + i sinθ ∂ ∂φ ( A /sinθ) , ∂ H = −sinθ ∂ ∂θ + i sinθ ∂ ∂φ ( H /sinθ) , or (using complex stereographic coordinates (ζ, ζ ) given by ζ = eiφcotθ/2) ∂ A = 2P 2 ∂ ∂ζ ( A /P) , ∂ H = 2P 2 ∂ ∂ζ ( H /P) with P = 1 2 (1 + ζ ζ ) . The function A is to be considered as (essentially) an arbitrary function of three variables u, θ, φ (or u, ζ, ζ ) where u is a particular given function of (θ, φ) and four parameters xa, (a = 0, 1, 2, 3), i.e. A has the form A (u(θ, φ, xa), θ, φ). In eq. (1), H and A are scalar valued while in eq. (2) they are matrix (or Lie algebra) valued. The claim now is that eq. (1) is equivalent to the vacuum Maxwell equations and eq. (2) is equivalent to the anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equations. The xa, which only appear as parameters in the equation, represent the Minkowski space-time points. In both equations the function H(xa, θ, φ) has a simple geometric interpretation as an infinitesimal holonomy operator (or parallel propagator) associated with a particular family of paths, while the function A (u, φ, θ) is the free characteristic data for the respective fields. In both cases the fields Fab and vector potential γa are easily determined from knowledge of H. Eqs. (1) and (2) have been generalized to the following cases; 1. a) the full vacuum Yang-Mills equations on Minkowski space; 2. b) the Maxwell and Yang-Mills equations on a given asymptotically flat space-time; 3. c) the asymptotically flat vacuum solutions of the Einstein equations, with the self or anti-self-dual fields as a simple special case. Only in the maxwell and self-dual Yang-Mills case are the equations linear. In each of the succeeding cases the interactions between H and its complex conjugate H gets more complicated. Moreover the equations become integro-differential equations which is a manifestation of the non-Huygens nature of the propagation.
Low-dose carbon monoxide reduces airway hyperresponsiveness in mice.

Carbon monoxide (CO) in expired gas has been shown to be elevated with asthma; however, its function is not known, and there is some potential that it may serve a bronchoprotective role to decrease...
Alpha-methyltyrosine attenuates and reserpine increases methamphetamine-induced neuronal changes

The repeated administration of methamphetamine to rats has been shown to cause a long-lasting depletion of dopamine in various brain regions. In the first study, the effects of pretreatment with alphamethyltyrosine (AMT) or reserpine on the long-lasting methamphetamine-induced dopamine depletion were examined. In the second study, the effects of AMT and reserpine on central dopamine levels were measured in rats previously treated with methamphetamine. Pretreatment with AMT attenuated the long-lasting dopamine depletion induced by methamphetamine, whereas, pretreatment with reserpine increased the depletion. The acute effects of AMT and reserpine on brain dopamine were not altered when administered two weeks after the last methamphetamine injection.
Towards regional assimilation of Lagrangian data: the Lagrangian form of the shallow water model and its inverse

Abstract Variational data assimilation for Lagrangian geophysical fluid dynamics is introduced. Lagrangian coordinates add numerical difficulties into an already difficult subject, but also offer certain distinct advantages over Eulerian coordinates. First, float position and depth are defined by linear measurement functionals. Second, Lagrangian or ‘comoving’ open domains are conveniently expressed in Lagrangian coordinates. The attraction of such open domains is that they lead to well-posed prediction problems Bennett and Chua (J. Comp. Phys. 153 (1999) 418–436) and hence efficient inversion algorithms. Eulerian and Lagrangian solutions of the inviscid forward problem in a doubly periodic domain, with North Atlantic mesoscales, are compared and found to be in satisfactory agreement for about 1 day. Viscous stresses vastly extend the interval of agreement at the cost of considerable complexity, so in this first study the machinery of variational assimilation is developed and tested for inviscid dynamics, simulated data and short assimilation intervals. It was found that the intricate machinery could be consistently developed, managed, and satisfactorily tested at least within the confines of the chosen parameters.
Multidimensional scaling with nonrepeating random paths

Triadic comparisons can be used to create similarity or dissimilarity matrices for multi-dimensional scaling. The number of judgments to be performed grows rapidly with increasing numbers of input items or stimuli. Balanced incomplete block designs have been used to specify the number of times a given pair of items occurs in order to reduce the overall number of judgments. This paper proposes using a set of non-repeating random paths to sample a given set of samples. This sampling scheme can be used to efficiently distribute the total number of dissimilarity judgments among a large number of observers. This paper applies the non-repeating random path sampling, a special form of random walks sampling to a web-based color name similarity experiment. The results are then compared to a parallel laboratory study using a complete set of triads and a smaller number of observers.
Use of intrinsic protein fluorescence to study DNA-protein binding.

When a polypeptide binds to DNA, the rotational mobility of a chromophore on the polypeptide is reduced. This simple fact makes it feasible to use polarization of fluorescence methods to study polypeptide-nucleic acid interaction. Previous (l-3) polarization of fluorescence studies of polypeptide-DNA binding have relied upon dye labeling to obtain a fluorescent probe. For polylysine binding, a dye label is needed simply to provide an emitter; for proteins, dye labels are used for their high quantum yield. However a problem exists when dye labels are employed: The dye may itself change the binding parameters, In specific instances (2,3), dye labelling has been shown to affect the binding very little, but the general problem remains. In this paper we demonstrate that the intrinsic emission from the protein may be used to study DNA-protein binding, thereby circumventing the dye labelling problem in a direct manner. To develop and test the method, we have used the interaction of pancreatic ribonuclease A with DNA (46), but we also present results on the salt dissociation of histone IV-DNA complexes.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the uvula: An analysis of factors affecting survival

Objectives/Hypothesis: Uvular squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is usually considered with soft palate tumors as an oropharyngeal cancer subsite. This investigation aims to determine whether the uvula itself is a high-risk subsite in the oropharynx for primary squamous cell carcinomas. Study Design: Retrospective analysis of a large population database. Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified patients with T1 and T2 SCC of the oropharynx. Patients were categorized into two groups based on primary site: 1) uvula; and 2) oropharynx not otherwise specified. Clinicopathologic characteristics and disease-specific survival (DSS) were compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 9,833 patients we identified, 129 (1.3%) had primary uvular tumors. Primary tumors of the uvula were more likely to be smaller lesions at diagnosis (P < .001) and to present at a lower anatomical stage (P < .001). They also presented with less concurrent nodal metastasis (P < .001) and lower histological grade (P < .001). There was no evidence that size of uvular SCC lesion had any effect on nodal disease (P = .54), and survival was the same for T1 and T2 uvular SCC patients (P = .14). DSS was similar between the two groups as well (P = .7629). Conclusions: Our data indicate that primary SCC of the uvula does not have a worse prognosis, and tends to be recognized earlier and treated more definitively than SCC found in other oropharyngeal regions. However, survival being equivalent between two distinctive groups is perplexing, and may indicate an underlying aggressiveness to uvular cancers.
Shock wave lithotripsy success for renal stones based on patient and stone computed tomography characteristics.

Objectives To determine the patient and noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) stone characteristics that predict either of 2 extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) outcomes: stone-free (SF) status or ESWL success. Methods The records of 200 consecutive patients with nephrolithiasis treated with ESWL were reviewed. Patient age, sex, stone laterality, body surface area, body mass index, maximal stone dimension, mean stone Hounsfield units (HU), stone Hounsfield density, skin-to-stone distance (SSD), and intrarenal stone location were studied as potential predictors. Patients with no calcifications on postoperative kidneys, ureters, and bladder (KUB) at 6 weeks were defined as SF. ESWL success was defined as SF or remaining stone fragments less than 4 mm. Results Intrarenal stone location was found to be the only predictor of SF status. Renal pelvic/ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) stones cleared better than calyceal stones, and upper/middle calyceal stones cleared better than lower calyceal stones. Stone size, mean HU, and location predicted ESWL fragmentation success. Smaller stones and stones with lower mean HU levels were more successfully fragmented. Higher SF and ESWL success rates were found with a shorter SSD among calyceal stones when renal pelvic/UPJ stones were excluded from analysis. Conclusions Stone location is the most important factor in achieving SF status after ESWL. NCCT stone characteristics such as stone size, mean HU, and intrarenal location are important predictors of ESWL success.
A Topologically Segregated One-Bead-One-Compound Combinatorial Glycopeptide Library for Identification of Lectin Ligands

A glycopeptide library containing more than 500 000 compounds has been constructed from a combination of Asn-linked carbohydrates using one-bead-one-compound combinatorial methodologies. The library was encoded with peptide markers that were topologically segregated on the interior of the solid support to negate interference with carbohydrate/protein recognition during lectin screening. Both the peptide backbone and carbohydrate components were randomized, but the glycosamine was limited to position 3 at the center of the pentapeptide to evaluate the influence of the peptide backbone in lectin recognition. Of the four lectins that were evaluated, remarkable selectivity was observed with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), which recognizes N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc). From more than 80 000 possible combinations, only six ligands were identified, all possessing GlcNAc. These compounds were independently synthesized, characterized, and evaluated in solution. All six of the glycopeptides showed higher affinity for...
Enzyme activities associated with arabitol and mannitol biosynthesis and catabolism in Schizophyllum commune.

Enzymes of polyol metabolism were studied in basidiospore germination of Schizophyllum commune during periods of in vivo arabitol and mannitol pool depletion (growth on glucose-asparagine) and during their subsequent synthesis (growth on acetate-NH4+). Optimal conditions for assays were established and specific activities of enzymes employing d-arabitol, d-mannitol, d-ribulose, d-fructose and d-xylulose as substrates were traced. Inquiries into the products formed during these reactions showed that d-ribulose generated arabitol while d-fructose produced mannitol with d-xylulose giving rise to xylitol. The dehydrogenase reactions were further investigated using polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. Here was revealed the existence of at least two separate enzymatic activities pertaining to the catabolism of arabitol and mannitol. Also noted were the electrophoretic patterns when d-sorbitol, ribitol, xylitol and ethanol were used as substrates.
Prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behavior among stroke survivors in the United States.

AbstractBackground: The risk of stroke is greatest among adults who have experienced a previous stroke, transient ischemic attack, or myocardial infarction. Physical activity may reduce the secondary risk of stroke through mediating effects on blood pressure, vasoconstriction, and circulating lipid concentrations; however, little is known about the prevalence of physical activity and sedentary behavior among stroke survivors in the United States. Methods: Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), we describe self-reported and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior among adults with a self-reported history of stroke. We also contrast physical activity among stroke survivors with that of adults without stroke (unexposed) to illustrate expected behavior in the absence of disease. Results: Fewer participants with stroke met weekly physical activity guidelines as outlined in the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans when compared with unexpo...
Nutrition and disease progression pre–highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and post-HAART: can good nutrition delay time to HAART and affect response to HAART?

Several studies have investigated a variety of nutritional supplementation interventions in adults with HIV. In this narrative review, we summarize the evidence from 31 clinical trials that explore clinical benefits of macronutrient and micronutrient supplementation in this population while attempting to answer the question of whether good nutrition can delay the time to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation and response. We focused on trials published in English between 1990 and 2010 that reported on CD4 count, viral load, and disease progression or survival. Among 9 macronutrient and 22 micronutrient trials, we found that evidence for improved CD4 count and HIV viral load with nutritional supplementation was limited; only 11.1% and 36.8% of macronutrient and micronutrient supplementation trials, respectively, reported improved CD4 count; and 33.3% and 12.5% of macronutrient and micronutrient trials, respectively, reported decreased viral load. Given their utility as surrogate markers of HIV disease progression, this suggests limited evidence for nutritional interventions having an impact on delaying HAART initiation or on improving HAART response. However, there are challenges in evaluating the effects of nutritional supplementation on clinical disease in that comparisons are difficult due to heterogeneity in study design, patient population, nutrient doses and combinations, baseline levels of deficiency, and study endpoints, including lack of clarity in defining and reporting HAART status. Future studies need to adopt a more rigorous standard design with adequate power and follow-up and require a consensus on composition and dose of nutrient interventions to be tested to more specifically answer the question on the impact of nutritional interventions on HIV disease progression and HAART response.
Frequency dependence of compliance in the evaluation of patients with unexplained respiratory symptoms.

Abstract Frequency dependence of compliance (FDC) reflects non-homogeneous ventilatory distribution and, in the presence of a normal measured airway resistance, suggests peripheral airways dysfunction. This study evaluated peripheral airway function and bronchial reactivity in irritant exposed or non-exposed individuals with normal routine pulmonary function tests (PFTs) who had persistent unexplained lower respiratory symptoms. Twenty-two patients were identified with persistent respiratory symptoms and with normal chest X-ray and PFTs. Twenty were non-smokers; two had stopped smoking more than 10 years before evaluation. Twelve patients had been exposed to irritants in their workplaces or at home. Non-specific bronchial hyper-reactivity (nsBHR) and FDC, pre- and post-bronchodilator, were measured in all patients. Studies were repeated in 6/12 irritant-exposed subjects after exposure removal and inhaled corticosteroid treatment. Whereas 12/22 patients had nsBHR, all 22 subjects demonstrated FDC [dynamic lung compliance/static lung compliance C dyn,1 / C st,1 at respiratory frequency 60 min −1 (f60), mean 46%, range 27–67%]. After bronchodilator administration, a 15% improvement C dyn,1 was observed most consistently at f60 (mean% improvement 26%, 95% CI 14–38%) and in subjects without nsBHR. However, C dyn,1 at f60 did not return to normal after inhaled bronchodilator. Irritant-exposed and unexposed individuals appeared similar in results of testing for FDC and nsBHR. FDC and its response to bronchodilators provide objective physiological measures of an airway abnormality which may provide a basis for clinical symptoms in patients with normal routine pulmonary function studies. The presence of persistently abnormal FDC after bronchodilator (BD) and on follow up studies may reflect chronic inflammatory and/or structural changes in the airways in addition to bronchoconstriction.
The pressure profile in a long outgassing vacuum tube

Abstract As a simple extension of the long tube formula, an analysis is given whereby the pressure profile may be determined along a uniformly outgassing pipe pumped at both ends. The theoretical analysis is extended to include nonuniform outgassing situations such as occur in particle storage rings. These findings are used to determine the optimum vacuum system configuration for various vacuum system parameters, while affording minimum vacuum system cost. Calculations were checked experimentally using a stainless steel tubing with a 5.7 cm inside diameter, and a length of ∼50 m.
Immediate and Remote Prognostic Significance of Fascicular Block during Acute Myocardial Infarction

The electrocardiograms of 538 patients with acute myocardial infarction were searched to identify all instances of atrioventricular (A-V) and intraventricular (I-V) conduction disturbances. Data concerning mode of therapy and clinical complications were obtained by review of the record. These variables were then analyzed for significance in relation to the development of type II A-V block acutely and syncope or sudden death during the first year of follow-up. The most accurate predictor for both these events was the status of A-V conduction in combination with the status of I-V conduction. At highest risk (50%) for type II progression were patients with acute adjacent fascicular block plus P-R prolongation, i.e., left anterior hemiblock plus right bundle-branch block (RBBB), or left bundle-branch block (LBBB), or patients with acute nonadjacent fascicular block, i.e., RBBB plus left posterior hemiblock or alternating bundle-branch block. The nonpaced survivors from this same group, plus any other patients with transient type II progression, were also at high risk (45%) for syncope or sudden death in follow-up. No syncope or sudden death has occurred in seven patients with type II progression discharged with a pacemaker. All other patients were at lower risk for these acute and chronic complications. Thus, the electrocardiogram in acute myocardial infarction can identify a high-risk group for acute type II progression in whom prophylactic pacer insertion may be beneficial. Similarly, the electrocardiogram can identify a high-risk group for syncope or sudden death in follow-up and implicates progression to higher degrees of A-V block as an important pathophysiologic mechanism.The possible role of permanent pacemaker therapy in preventing syncope or sudden death in this high-risk group is also suggested.