cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DETERMINATION OF DIFFERENCES IN TRIBOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR AND SURFACE MORPHOLOGY BETWEEN ELECTRODEPOSITED AND TRADITIONAL PHOSPHATE COATINGS

Abstract Traditional phosphate coatings are formed by submersing iron or steel in an aqueous solution of phosphoric acid and other chemicals without applying an axternal voltage. In contrast, the newly developed electrocoated iron phosphate films described in this paper are deposited electrochemically from an oil containing mixed organic phosphates. The friction characteristics and surface morphology of the electrodeposited iron phosphate films on piston ring specimens were compared with those of traditional phosphate coatings. The electrodeposited film consists of an amorphous structure and provides lower friction than does either traditional crystalline manganese or iron phosphate coatings. These results indicate that surface morphology has a strong influence on friction-reducing film formation mechanisms.
Impact of subdermal norgestrel on hepatic acyl-coenzyme A :cholesterol-acyltransferase (ACAT) activity : Possible antiatherogenic effect

The impact of subdermally placed ethinyl estradiol, norgestrel, and the combination of the two on cholesterol metabolism as measured by hepatic acyl:cholesterol-acyltransferase (ACAT) activity was examined in the rat model. A total of 48 rats were assigned to one of 6 groups, receiving either 0.1 mg or 1.0 mg of ethinyl estradiol daily, 1.0 or 10 mg of norgestrel daily, and combinations of either 0.1 mg ethinyl estradiol/1.0 mg norgestrel or 1.0 mg ethinyl estradiol/10 mg norgestrel daily. All drugs were administered through subdermally placed time release capsules. The administration of norgestrel only in either 1.0 mg or 10 mg resulted in significantly lower rates of ACAT activity (0.77 +/- 0.566 and 0.91 +/- 0.239 pmol/mg/min, respectively). The combination of 1.0 ethinyl estradiol and 10 mg norgestrel resulted in a significant increase in ACAT activity to 2.17 +/- 0.873. This combination also resulted in significantly greater weight loss at the conclusion of treatment [247.83 +/- 6.2 g (pre) vs. 205.50 +/- 10.6 (post)]. There were no other differences in ACAT activity between groups and no other differences in weight, both between groups and pre- and post-treatment within groups. In summary, subdermally placed norgestrel resulted in a significant lowering of ACAT activity not seen with either administration of ethinyl estradiol alone or the combination of ethinyl estradiol and norgestrel in doses ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 mg of ethinyl estradiol and 1.0 to 10.0 mg of norgestrel. Significantly increased ACAT activity for the combination of 1.0 ethinyl estradiol and 10 mg norgestrel over either ethinyl estradiol or norgestrel alone or a lower dose combination suggests a dose-related threshold and drug-drug interaction for this effect. These results suggest that subdermally placed norgestrel may result in significantly lower ACAT activity and may have a potential role as an antiatherogenic treatment.
NPCs and Chatterbots with Personality and Emotional Response

Chatterbots are computer programs that simulate intelligent conversation. They are situated between games and toys, as their aim is mostly to be entertaining, but the user doesn't have to follow precise rules when playing with the program. Currently business and educational applications have started to emerge as a further development of the idea of intelligent dialog. For the game industry, they come close to the concept of NPC, or Non-Player Character, and they may become part of making such virtual beings more believable and life-like in the future. In this paper we present application introducing an emotional component designed to enhance the realism of the conversation.
Incentives and income taxation: the implementation of individual revenue requirement functions

Abstract Consider an economy where a fixed amount of revenue is to be raised, perhaps to finance a public good, by a tax on income. The only two goods in the economy are labour (or capital) and a consumption good, and workers are differentiated by only one parameter. A map describing ability to pay, from the agent types to tax liability, is given. Under what conditions on preferences can such a map be implemented by an income tax, in the sense that each agent pays exactly what is desired, after all behavioural adjustments? We find sufficient conditions on preferences and the map, as well as necessary conditions. The only restriction on tax functions is that they be measurable; bunching and gaps are allowed. Applications to both normative and positive public finance are discussed.
Odd parity and line nodes in heavy-fermion superconductors

Group theory arguments have demonstrated that a general odd-parity order parameter cannot have line nodes in the presence of spin-orbit coupling. In this paper, it is shown that these arguments do not hold on the ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{z}}$=\ensuremath{\pi}/c zone face of a hexagonal close-packed lattice. In particular, three of the six odd-parity representations vanish identically on this face. This has potential relevance to the heavy fermion superconductor ${\mathrm{UPt}}_{3}$.
Free choice, effort, and wanting more

Abstract This paper examines the libertarian account of free choice advanced by Robert Kane in his recent book, The Significance of Free Will. First a rather simple libertarian view is considered, and an objection is raised against it the view fails to provide for any greater degree of agent‐control than what could be available in a deterministic world. The basic differences between this simple view and Kane's account are the requirements, on the latter, of efforts of will and of an agent's wanting more to do a certain thing than he wants to do anything else. It is argued here that neither of these features yields any improvement over the simple libertarian view; neither helps to meet the objection that was raised against the simple view. Finally, it is suggested that a modest defense of that view might be available.
In vitro release modulation of hemoglobin from a ternary polymeric delivery vehicle

The release of hemoglobin from hydrogel matrices of polyethylene glycol (PEG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and crosslinked polyacrylamide (PAM) was investigated in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4) as a release medium. The hemoglobin was loaded onto hyrogels by swelling them in hemoglobin solution and the effect of composition of the hydrogel on the amount of hemoglobin loaded was observed. The effects of experimental parameters such as varying concentrations of PEG, PVA, PAM, and crosslinking agent in the feed mixture, pH of the release medium, and the presence of salts were investigated on the release dynamics of the hemoglobin. The release results were analyzed on the basis of the kinetic data, and the kinetic parameters such as the diffusional exponent (n) and diffusion constant (D) were evaluated. From the kinetic parameters data an attempt was made to explore the nature of the mechanism of the hemoglobin release process. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 104–113, 2002
Rhythm and Semiotic Structures of Long-Term Ambivalence in the Dialogical Self: Eating Disorder and Recovery Voices

Ambivalence in the dialogical self is conceptualized as resistance to change. The cyclic processes that characterize ambivalence are seen to maintain a balance between opposing voices, producing dynamic stability in the self-system. What has not been incorporated in the study of ambivalence so far is consideration of structural levels from which the opposing voices are speaking. This prompted the present case study of long-term eating disorder ambivalence, which joins a consideration of semiotic system structure with process. In interviews with a young woman conducted over a three-year period, cyclic processes of eating disorder and recovery voices were pervasive, yet structural analysis of the subsystems and their transactions suggested that change was actually occurring in this presumably change-resistant system, pointing to a need for reconceptualizing ambivalent systems in relation to development.
Wall Roughness Effects on Stagnation-Point Heat Transfer Beneath an Impinging Liquid Jet

Jet impingement cooling applications often involve rough surfaces, yet few studies have examined the role of wall roughness. Surface protrusions can pierce the thermal sublayer in the stagnation region and increase the heat transfer. The effect of surface roughness on the stagnation-point heat transfer of an impinging unsubmerged liquid jet is investigated. Experiments were performed in which a fully developed turbulent water jet struck a uniformly heated rough surface. Heat transfer measurements were made for jets of diameters 4.4-9.0 mm over a Reynolds number range of 70,000-84,000. The Prandtl number was held nearly constant at 8.7-9.1. Results are presented for nine well-characterized rough surfaces with root-mean-square average roughness heights ranging from 4.7 to 28.2 μm
Type 3 Adenoviral Pneumonia Occurring in a Respiratory Intensive Care Unit

A patient developed a life-threatening type 3 adenoviral pneumonia while hospitalized in a respiratory intensive care unit. Diagnosis was made by open lung biopsy, with confirmation by viral culture and characteristic serologic and histologic findings. To our knowledge, this is the first report of serologically, histologically, and culturally documented type 3 adenoviral pneumonia occurring in an adult in a nonmilitary setting. Positive throat cultures for type 3 adenovirus in symptomatic medical staff working in the intensive care unit suggested the possibility for nosocomial transmission of this infection.
Role of neocortex in binaural hearing in the cat. I. Contralateral masking

Abstract Cats with earphones were trained with a shock avoidance procedure to detect the occurrence of 1 kHz tone pulses at one ear while continuous noise pulses were simultaneously presented to the opposite ear. For normal cats the presence of the noise produced a mean increase of 5.4 dB in the thresholds for detection of tones at the opposite ears. After large unilateral auditory cortex ablations the same cats exhibited an asymmetry between the ears in the size of the contralateral masking effect. There was a mean increase of 10.9 dB in the detection thresholds for tones at the ear contralateral to the damaged hemisphere when noise was presented to the ear opposite the intact hemisphere. Noise of the same physical intensity when presented to the ear contralateral to the damaged cortex produced no significant changes from the pre-operative masking levels. Subsequent ablation of the auditory cortex of the opposite hemisphere resulted in a cancellation of the unilateral lesion effect; the cats exhibited interaurally symmetrical masking levels of the same magnitude as those observed prior to the first operation. Additional control tests indicate that the unilateral lesion effect is a central nervous system phenomenon and is specific to lesions of auditory cortex.
Brain atrophy and cognitive impairment in survivors of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Primary objectives: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by severe acute lung injury, hypoxemia and is associated with neurological and cognitive impairments. This study assessed quantitative brain and ventricular volumes in survivors of ARDS with brain computed tomography (CT) scans compared to normal controls. It also compared the medical and cognitive outcome data of patients with ARDS with and without CT scans.Research design: Observational cohort study.Methods: Sixty-six consecutive acute respiratory distress patients, of which 15 patients with ARDS underwent brain CT and 51 patients had no brain imaging. Brain CT scans from 15 survivors of ARDS were compared to age- and sex-matched normal controls. Clinical radiological findings and ventricular volumes, brain volume and generalized brain atrophy.Results: The patients with ARDS and brain imaging had cognitive impairments, significant brain atrophy, ventricular enlargement and 53% had atrophy or lesions by radiological report.Co...
Knight Shifts of C 13 in the Carbides of Uranium and Thorium

The ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$ nuclear magnetic resonance has been observed in the unenriched carbides of thorium and uranium ThC, Th${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$, UC, ${\mathrm{U}}_{2}$${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$, and U${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$. In contrast to nearly all nonmagnetic metals and semimetallic compounds, the Knight shift in the semimetallic thorium carbides is negative. On the other hand, the Knight shifts in all of the uranium carbides are positive, which is consistent with the ${\mathrm{P}}^{31}$ shift in UP and PrP. The ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$ Knight shift in all of the carbides except ${\mathrm{U}}_{2}$${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$ was temperature-independent. On the basis of magnetic susceptibility evidence, it is found that the uranium carbides are similar to other semimetallic uranium compounds in that their magnetic properties are best explained at higher temperatures with a localized $f$-electron model large crystal-field splitting. The ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$ Knight shift in the uranium carbides is interpreted in terms of an effective hyperfine field resulting from the presence of two $5f$ electrons in UC and U${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$ and three in ${\mathrm{U}}_{2}$${\mathrm{C}}_{3}$. Only the lowest crystal-field level of the $^{3}H_{4}$ configuration (the nonmagnetic level ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{1}$ in the case of UC) is appreciably populated in UC and U${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$. A comparison of hyperfine fields in a variety of lanthanide and actinide compounds suggests that the fields in semimetallic compounds and insulators have similar origins and that the differences are associated largely with structure, covalency, and overlap, and not with the presence or absence of conduction electrons.
Art therapy applied to an adolescent with Asperger's syndrome

Abstract Asperger's syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Adolescents with Asperger's syndrome have developed a compromised self-regulatory system, which leads to difficulty in many areas of functioning. Some of these areas include social, behavioral, emotional, and an increase in anxiety. Art therapy is an important activity based intervention that allows those with Asperger's syndrome to receive and learn information in a non-conventional, nonverbal, comprehensive, and expressive language. Over a 7-month period of creating art, Emma became increasingly more communicative and comfortable in areas of functioning, especially social interactions. The incorporation of visual creativity allowed her to express herself and be heard on a new level of communication. Through her artwork she was able to move from having difficulty in functioning to learning, growing, challenging herself, and making post-secondary education plans.
The dawn of statistical asr and mt

I am very grateful for the award you have bestowed on me. To understand your generosity I have to assume that you are honoring the leadership of three innovative groups that I headed in the last 47 years: at Cornell, IBM, and now at Johns Hopkins. You know my co-workers in the last two teams. The Cornell group was in Information Theory and included Toby Berger, Terrence Fine, and Neil J. A. Sloane (earlier my Ph.D. student), all of whom earned their own laurels. I was told that I should give an acceptance speech and was furnished with example texts by previous recipients. They wrote about the development and impact of their ideas. So I will tell you about my beginnings and motivations and then focus on the contributions of my IBM team. In this way the text will have some historical value and may clear up certain widely held misconceptions.
An in-scene method for atmospheric compensation of thermal hyperspectral data

[1] Interpretation of surface radiation characteristics by overhead hyperspectral imagery often requires a compensation of the measured radiance data for the absorption and emission effects of the intervening atmosphere. We describe a procedure that accounts for these effects by direct use of the hyperspectral radiance data without recourse to ancillary meteorological data or atmospheric modeling. This in-scene atmospheric compensation (ISAC) procedure is applicable to a broad class of problems. The present work concerns terrestrial surface characterization by remote sensing in the 8–13 μm atmospheric window band. A complete ISAC analysis is carried out in two steps. In the first step, unscaled atmospheric compensation spectra (transmittance and upwelling radiance) are extracted from the data. The step is carried out by application of a specially designed, line-fitting procedure to a scatterplot constructed from the hyperspectral data. The compensation spectra are defined in terms of the slope and intercept parameters of the line. In the second step, these unscaled compensation spectra are scaled to quantitative compensation spectra. Here, this step is carried out using the strength of absorption in the 11.7-μm water band. The compensation procedure is demonstrated by application to hyperspectral imagery obtained with the Aerospace Corporation's Spatially Enhanced Broadband Array Spectrograph System (SEBASS) hyperspectral imaging sensor at the Department of Energy's (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) facility. Example applications demonstrate the ability of the method to remove atmospheric spectral structure from the observed data and reveal the spectral structure intrinsic to the underlying surface. This removal is demonstrated both for near-blackbody surfaces composed of grass and for surfaces containing limestone gravel and Red Clay soil.
Three scale thermomechanical theory for swelling biopolymeric systems

A three-scale theory for the swelling polymeric/biopolymeric media is developed via the hybrid mixture theory. At the microscale, the solid polymeric matrix interacts with the solvent through surface contact. At the mesoscale, the homogeneous mixture of vicinal fluid and solid polymers exchanges thermodynamic properties with two bulk fluids, one of which is of the same type as the vicinal fluid. The relaxation processes within the polymeric matrix are incorporated by modeling the solid phase as viscoelastic and the solvent phases as viscous at the macroscale. We obtain novel equations for the total stress tensor, chemical potential of the solid phase, heat flux and Darcy's law all at the macroscale. Viscoelastic stress components in Darcy's law make it applicable for both Fickian and non-Fickian fluid transport. The form of the generalized Fick's law is similar to that obtained in earlier works involving colloids. Thermoviscoelastic and thermoviscous effects are incorporated by coupling thermal gradients with strain-rate tensors for the solid phase and the deformation-rate tensors for the liquid phases.
Drug Delivery Matrix Containing Native Protein Precipitates Suspended in a Poloxamer Gel

Abstract Sustained delivery systems can achieve more constant blood levels of protein therapeutics than those obtained with bolus doses, leading to improved drug efficacy and fewer adverse side effects. Several different polymeric delivery systems have been studied, including poloxamers, which are unique because they can be prepared in aqueous buffers that are compatible with proteins. Poloxamers are nontoxic block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide). Certain poloxamers exhibit reversible thermal gelation. Thus, a solution of protein and poloxamer prepared at low temperatures and injected extravascularly will form a gel as it warms to body temperature. Subsequently, the protein is released slowly from the gel. To date, however, poloxamer gel delivery systems have been limited to relatively low protein concentrations (i.e., e 0.4 mg/mL) that produce a completely soluble protein and an optically clear gel. Much higher concentrations of other protein drugs might be needed to obtain an efficacious sustained dose. In the current in vitro study we found that a poloxamer 407 (22% wt/wt) matrix could be prepared containing tens of milligrams/milliliter of the model proteins α-chymotrypsin and lactate dehydrogenase. Under these conditions the protein forms a homogeneous suspension. warming through the poloxamer 407 transition temperature (ca. 18 °C) results in a gel that retains a homogenous distribution of protein precipitates for several days at 37 °C. Infrared spectroscopy documented that the precipitated proteins in the suspension have native secondary structure. Furthermore, the fully active protein can be recovered completely when the gel is dissolved in excess buffer. Finally, at the higher protein concentrations used to form the suspensions in poloxamer 407, protein stability during incubation at 37 °C was greatly improved over that seen at lower protein concentrations.
Photocontrol of beta-amyloid peptide (1-40) fibril growth in the presence of a photosurfactant.

The effect of an azobenzene-based photoresponsive surfactant on fibril formation of β-amyloid (1−40) (Aβ40) has been studied using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), atomic force microscopy (AF...
Sargasso sea reference curves for salinity, potential temperature, oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate as functions of sigma-theta

Abstract Empirical relationships of salinity, potential temperature, oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, and silicate as functions of σθ have been obtained for a set of Sargasso Sea stations sampled during 1977. The relationships were determined by fitting the data with a cubic-spline function using the minimum number of knots (intervals) that would adequately describe the data. Salinity, potential temperature, and oxygen functions were derived from continuous CTD data over the σθ range 26.00 to 27.88. The cubic-spline functions for nitrate, phosphate, and silicate cover the smaller range 26.32 to 27.91, due to the sparsity of the discrete bottle data at lower σθ values. Property anomalies vs σθ were obtained for several Gulf Stream and Slope Water stations by subtracting the Sargasso Sea cubic-spline functions from observed profiles. The salinity, potential temperature, and oxygen anomaly plots show features characteristic of each of the two areas. The nutrient anomaly plots for the Gulf Stream and Slope Water show only small variations relative to the Sargasso Sea Water reference curves.
Cutting out the middleman: DNA biosensors based on electrochemical oxidation

There is considerable enthusiasm over electrochemical techniques in biotechnology, including the development of electrochemical biosensors for DNA hybridisation. The development of assay techniques that have the convenience of solid-phase hybridisation and are rapid, sensitive and readily multiplexed will have a significant impact on diagnostics and genomics. Because electrochemistry requires a solid electrode, there is a natural marriage between electrode detection and surface hybridisation. Modern electrochemical approaches include the detection of hybridisation at electrode surfaces using duplex-specific indicators and the shuttling of electrons from surface-bound nucleic acids to solid electrodes using soluble mediators with polentials matched to that of guanine.
Characterization of Complex, Co-Adapted Skeletal Biomechanics Phenotypes: A Needed Paradigm Shift in the Genetics of Bone Structure and Function

The genetic architecture of skeletal biomechanical performance has tremendous potential to advance our knowledge of the biological mechanisms that drive variation in skeletal fragility and osteoporosis risk. Research using traditional approaches that focus on specific gene pathways is increasing our understanding of how and to what degree those pathways may affect population-level variation in fracture susceptibility, and shows that known pathways may affect bone fragility through unsuspected mechanisms. Non-traditional approaches that incorporate a new appreciation for the degree to which bone traits co-adapt to functional loading environments, using a wide variety of redundant compensatory mechanisms to meet both physiological and mechanical demands, represent a radical departure from the dominant reductionist paradigm and have the potential to rapidly advance our understanding of bone fragility and identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention.
Time- and dose-dependent effects of protein kinase C on proximal bicarbonate transport

Activation of protein kinase C has been shown to cause both stimulation and inhibition of transport processes in the brush-border membrane and renal tubule. This study was designed to examine the dose-response nature and time-dependent effect of 4 beta-phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) on the rates of bicarbonate absorption (JHCO3) and fluid absorption (Jv) in the proximal convoluted tubule (PCT) of rat kidney. Bicarbonate flux was determined by total CO2 changes between the collected fluid and the original perfusate as analyzed by microcalorimetry. Luminal perfusion of PMA (10(-10) approximately 10(-5) M) within 10 min caused a significant increase of JHCO3 and Jv. A peaked curve of the dose response was observed with maximal effect at 10(-8) M PMA on both bicarbonate and fluid reabsorption, which could be blocked completely by amiloride (10(3) M) and EIPA (10(-5) M). On the other hand, with an increase of perfusion time beyond 15 min. PMA (10(-8) and 10(-6) M) could inhibit JHCO3 and Jv. Amiloride (10(-3) M) or EIPA (10(-5) M) significantly inhibits JHCO3 and Jv, while there is no additive effect of PMA and amiloride or EIPA on PCT transport. An inactive phorbol-ester, 4 alpha-phorbol, that does not activate protein kinase C, had no effects on JHCO3 and Jv. Capillary perfusion of PMA (10(-8) M) significantly stimulate both JHCO3 and Jv; however, PMA did not affect glucose transport from either the luminal side or basolateral side of the PCT. These results indicate that activation of endogenous protein kinase C by PMA could either stimulate or inhibit both bicarbonate and fluid reabsorption in the PCT dependent on time and dose, and these effects are through the modulation of Na+/H+ exchange mechanism.
Explicit Extrapolation of 3-D Wavefield On the T3-D Massively Parallel Processors

A procedure of designing the optimal finite-aperture extrapolators and performing the explicit 3D wavefield downward extrapolation by 2D spatial convolution of the wavefield with the extrapolator is proposed. The linear least square fitting of the 20 Fourier transform of the extrapolator with the desired 3D migration operator in the frequency-wavenumber(F-K) leads to a large-scale overdetermined complex linear system. The construction of the optimal operators are realized through the QR factorization and direct solving of the system. The procedure is unconditionally stable and can be applied recursively for depth extrapolation in a laterally varying media. No slight evidence of azimuthal distortion has been shown on the computational results. A global table consisting of all possible 2D extrapolators versus varying frequency and velocity ratio is precalculated and tabulated. The algorithm was designed to accommodate the hardware architecture, such that all frequency slices of the 3D wavefield are processed simultaneously on individual processing elements(PEs). The scheme has exactly equal number of floating point operations on each PE and the computation is thus perfectly balanced over the MPP. We have taken into account all macroarchitecture characteristics of the MPP systems to minimize communication overhead and maximize sustained computational rates. The timings of method running on the Cray T3D MPP are presented. As the long extrapolator is required for the imaging of steep reflectors, the influences of aperture size of the operators on the timing and numerical results of the 3D extrapolation process are analyzed. 1 I N T R O D U C T I O N The 3-D wavefield extrapolation in the frequency and wave-number domain can be implemented with forward and reverse propagation of wave along the depth axis as the multiplication of the wavefield with the extrapolator:
Laboratory and on-farm studies on the bioaccumulation and elimination of dioxins from a contaminated mineral supplement fed to dairy cows.

A dioxin-contaminated mineral supplement was used to study the bioaccumulation and elimination of dioxins in two dairy cows. The supplement was mixed into the total maintenance ration and fed to the cows for 40 days after which unfortified diets were fed for 40 additional days. Dioxins and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured twice a week in the milk and in selected tissues of the cows, one at death (day 10 of withdrawal) and one at slaughter (day 40 of withdrawal). The dioxins and PCBs were readily transferred into the milk, and at steady state, total toxic equivalents were concentrated 6-fold into the milk fat from the diet. Bioaccumulation was inversely related to chlorination number. The elimination of dioxins and PCBs in milk was biphasic. With the exception of 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-heptachlorodioxin and both octachlorinated congeners, dioxin and furan half-lives in milk were approximately 3−5 days for the α-phase and 35−50 days for the β-phase. PCB-169 had a longer half-life: 11 (α) and ...
Four-Color Flow Cytometry Shows Strong Concordance With Bone Marrow Morphology and Cytogenetics in the Evaluation for Myelodysplasia

The ability of 4-color flow cytometry (FC) to help identify myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) was evaluated in 124 bone marrow aspirates from unselected patients with unexplained cytopenias and/or monocytosis. The morphologic features of bone marrow aspirate smears were correlated with FC and cytogenetic findings blindly, and patterns of antigen expression were compared with patterns seen in nonneoplastic and normal marrow specimens. Of 124 cases, 58 (46.7%) had definitive FC abnormalities ("flow-abnormal"), 19 cases (15.3%) had mild FC abnormalities of indeterminate significance, and 47 cases (37.9%) had essentially normal FC. Highly significant differences were identified between the flow-abnormal group and other groups in mean myeloid blast percentages and numbers of abnormal antigens expressed, even when the analysis was limited to cases with fewer than 5% myeloid blasts. Strikingly, flow-abnormal cases constituted 50 (89%) of the 56 morphologically abnormal cases and 31 (94%) of the 33 cytogenetically abnormal cases, demonstrating the strong concordance of FC-identified antigenic abnormalities with morphologic features and cytogenetics in the evaluation of patients with unexplained cytopenias.
Probabilistic models of fatigue crack growth—II

Abstract The history dependence of the statistical evolution of fatigue crack growth is demonstrated for one set of data. A generalized B-model which includes this dependence is presented whose parameters are estimated via first and second moments including covariance. Implications of any dependence of modeling of fatigue crack growth are discussed, motivated by application to problems in reliability and maintainability.
On the stability of pulse-width-modulated feedback systems

The objective of this paper is to present a frequency-domain stability criterion for pulse-width-modulated feedback systems. The criterion states that 1) if the Nyquist locus of the pulse transfer function of the linear plant does not intersect or encircle a certain disk in the complex plane, then the system is l 2 bounded input-bounded output stable, and 2) if the impulse response of the linear plant is zero at t = 0 , then the radius of the disk approaches zero as the ratio of the linear-plant bandwidth to the pulse-width-modulator frequency approaches zero. It is shown that the result in 2) implies that the criterion in 1) essentially becomes the well-known Nyquist criterion for sample-data systems when the pulse-width-modulator frequency is sufficiently large. This result permits the use of the standard design techniques for linear sample-data systems in a wide class of pulse-width-modulated systems. Consequently the design of these systems can be greatly simplified.
Electrokinetic transport of a spherical gel-layer model particle: Inclusion of charge regulation and application to polystyrene sulfonate

Abstract An electrokinetic gel-layer model of a spherical, highly charged colloid particle developed previously [S. Allison, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 277 (2004) 248], is extended in several ways. The charge of the particle is assumed to arise from deprotonation of acidic groups that are present, in uniform concentration, over a portion (or all) of the gel layer. Free energy considerations coupled with Poisson–Boltzmann theory are used to estimate how the local electrostatic environment of a charged gel layer alters the local p K a of the acidic groups. This modulation of the charge of the colloidal particle, or “charge regulation,” can be significant even for colloidal particles with strongly acidic groups at moderate pH if the ambient salt concentration is low. The methodology is applied to the viscosity and electrophoretic mobility data of a particular polystyrene sulfonate latex over a broad range of monovalent salt (NaCl) concentration [M.J. Garcia-Salinas, F.J. de las Nieves, Langmuir 16 (2000) 715]. The experimental data can be accounted for by a gel layer model that decreases in thickness, but does not vanish, as the salt concentration is increased. Viscosity data provides valuable information about the degree of solvation of the colloidal particle and the thickness of the gel layer. The mobility data is best explained by a model in which only the outermost portion of the gel layer is charged. Charge regulation is significant at a monovalent salt concentration of 3 × 10 −3 mol / l and increases as the salt concentration decreases.
Winds, Upwelling and Fog at Cape Cod Canal, Massachusetts

Abstract New observations confirm the formation of advective fogs over the western approaches to the Cape Cod Canal. The large air-water temperature differences required for the formation of these fogs are shown to occur when the colder Cape Cod Bay waters enter the canal, apparently in response to wind effects in producing upwelling. A simple means of anticipating the formation of these fogs is suggested.
Long-term outcome of patients on continuous-flow left ventricular assist device support

Objectives Recent advances in technology and improved patient management have enabled the use of mechanical circulatory support for unexpected long-term periods. Improved long-term outcomes may facilitate the use of device therapy as an alternative to heart transplantation. However, there are scarce data about the long-term outcomes of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices. This study sought to evaluate the long-term outcomes in patients receiving continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices. Methods Between March 2004 and June 2010, 140 patients underwent continuous-flow left ventricular assist device insertion as a bridge to transplantation or a destination therapy. These patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed. Results The initial strategy for continuous-flow left ventricular assist device therapy was bridge to transplantation in 115 patients (82%) and destination therapy in 25 patients (18%). Of those, 24 (17%) died on left ventricular assist device support, 94 (67%) were successfully bridged to transplantation, and 1 (0.71%) showed native heart recovery. Twenty-four patients (17%) had been on continuous-flow left ventricular assist device support for more than 3 years (mean, 3.9 years; range, 3.0-7.5 years). Estimated on-device survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 83%, 75%, and 61%, respectively. Rehospitalizations due to bleeding, cardiac events, and device-related issues were common. The freedom from rehospitalization rates at 1 and 3 years was 31% and 6.9%, respectively. A total of 14 patients (10%) required device exchange. Conclusions Current continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices can provide satisfactory long-term survival. However, rehospitalization is frequently required.
Prophylaxis for Occupational Exposure to HIV

Effective prophylaxis for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is important for health care providers at risk for exposure to infected blood. The average risk from percutaneous exposure is approximately 0.3%, but exposures involving a high titer of HIV or a large volume of infections material are apt to be much riskier. A convergence of indirect evidence strongly suggests that chemoprophylaxis with zidovudine after exposure to HIV may be efficacious. Treatment with zidovudine after percutaneous exposure appears to reduce the odds of infection by almost 80%. Zidovudine prophylaxis effectively prevents perinatal HIV transmission, and treatment during acute retroviral infection may attenuate HIV disease. Reports of "aborted" HIV infection among health care providers who have been stuck with contaminated needles suggest that antiretroviral treatment in the window of opportunity after exposure to HIV could prevent virus propagation and allow local cutaneous host defenses to clear the infection. Although efficacy has not been shown in controlled clinical trials, these data support a potential benefit from treatment after exposure. It is difficult to define the optimal regiment that should be used for prophyaxis, given the emergence of antiretroviral resistance among source patients. Current recommendations favor the use of zidovudine plus lamivudine for 4 weeks. Use of indinavir or other protease inhibitors is advised when the source patient is likely to harbor resistant virus or when exposure is especially hazardous.
Capturing spontaneous partitioning of peripheral proteins using a biphasic membrane-mimetic model.

Membrane binding of peripheral proteins, mediated by specialized anchoring domains, is a crucial step for their biological function. Computational studies of membrane insertion, however, have proven challenging and largely inaccessible, due to the time scales required for the complete description of the process, mainly caused by the slow diffusion of the lipid molecules composing the membrane. Furthermore, in many cases, the nature of the membrane "anchor", i.e., the part of the protein that inserts into the membrane, is also unknown. Here, we address some of these issues by developing and employing a simplified representation of the membrane by a biphasic solvent model which we demonstrate can be used efficiently to capture and describe the process of hydrophobic insertion of membrane anchoring domains in all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Applying the model, we have studied the insertion of the anchoring domain of a coagulation protein (the GLA domain of human protein C), starting from multiple initial configurations varying with regard to the initial orientation and height of the protein with respect to the membrane. In addition to efficiently and consistently identifying the "keel" region as the hydrophobic membrane anchor, within a few nanoseconds each configuration simulated showed a convergent height (2.20 ± 1.04 A) and angle with respect to the interface normal (23.37 ± 12.48°). We demonstrate that the model can produce the same results as those obtained from a full representation of a membrane, in terms of both the depth of penetration and the orientation of the protein in the final membrane-bound form with an order of magnitude decrease in the required computational time compared to previous models, allowing for a more exhaustive search for the correct membrane-bound configuration.
Research Note Interferences due to Ozone-Scavenging Reagents in the GC-ECD Determination of Aldehydes and Ketones as the (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, -Pentafluorobenzyl) oximes

Abstract In order to study ozonation byproduct (OBP) formation as a function of time, it is necessary to quench ozone and thereby fix the concentrations of the byproducts. Reagents chosen for this purpose must not react with the OBPs or otherwise adversely impact the analysis. Six potential ozone-scavenging reagents were tested for possible interference in the GC-ECD determination of aldehydes and ketones after derivatization with O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)oxylamine (PFBOA). All six—sodium nitrite, sodium cyanide, sodium methanoate (formate), indigo-5,5′-disulfonate disodium (Indigo Carmine), indigo-5,5′,7-trisulfonate tripotassium, and tin(II) chloride—were found to interfere in the analysis.
Digital family portraits: supporting peace of mind for extended family members

A growing social problem in the U.S., and elsewhere, is supporting older adults who want to continue living independently, as opposed to moving to an institutional care setting. One key part of this complex problem is providing awareness of senior adults day-to-day activities, promoting peace of mind for extended family members. In this paper, we introduce the concept of a digital family portrait that provides qualitative visualizations of a family members daily life. Leveraging a familiar household object, the picture frame, our design populates the frame with iconic imagery summarizing 28 days. In a final implementation, the digital family portrait would gather information from sensors in the home.
Treatment of phenylketonuria during pregnancy

A woman with apparently classic phenylketonuria (PKU) was treated from the sixth week of her pregnancy with a diet restricted in phenylalanine and supplemented with tyrosine. Serum phenylalanine levels were monitored weekly and documented good patient compliance. A female infant was born who was examined at age 8.5 months. Physical examination was notable for a heart murmur suggestive of patent ductus arteriosus. Developmental quotient was normal. It is important to continue to monitor the outcome of pregnancies in women with PKU whose diet is restricted in phenylalanine in an effort to better define risks and to optimize treatment.
Beverage emulsions: Recent developments in formulation, production, and applications

Abstract Soft drinks are one of the most widely consumed and profitable beverages in the world. This review article focuses on the utilization of emulsion science and technology for the fabrication of soft drinks by the beverage industry. A brief overview of the various high and low energy methods available for preparing this type of beverage emulsions is given, as well as a discussion of the functional ingredients used to formulate these systems, including oil phases, emulsifiers, weighting agents, ripening inhibitors, and thickening agents. The influence of droplet characteristics on the physicochemical and sensory properties of beverage emulsions is reviewed, with special focus on their influence on product stability. Finally, we discuss recent developments in the soft drinks area, including fortification with vitamins, reduced calorie beverages, and “all-natural” products.
ATTITUDES TOWARD FEMALE PROFESSORS SCALE

Recently development of a Likert-type scale measuring attitudes coward women university professors was described (I), including data on reliability, validity, scale development, and individual differences. To facilitate research with this device, the items and their part-whole correlations are presented below. The items are administered utilizing the usual five response choices: 1 = Disagree Strongly, 2 = Disagree, 3 = No Opinion, 4 = Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree. The total scale score is derived from the sum of response values; values must be reversed for those items with negative correlations noted below. Higher scale scores indicate more favorable attitudes toward female professors.
Degradation of Mancozeb and Ethylenethiourea in Apples Due to Postharvest Treatments and Processing

ABSTRACT: Apples sprayed with product label rates of mancozeb in the orchard were used to determine the effectiveness of various wash treatments on the removal of the mancozeb and ethylenethiourea (ETU) on and in fresh and processed apples. Reduction in residual mancozeb and ETU was significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by the effect of various wash treatments as compared to the unwashed samples. There was significantly higher residue in the water-washed apples than apples processed with chlorine, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxyacetic acid, and ozone washes. We found that certain procedures, such as peeling or steaming, play an important role in reducing pesticide residue levels in processed apples.
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma arising in a previous fracture site: a case report

A 16-year-old boy with severe cerebropathy sustained a midshaft fracture in his right femur. He was treated by application of a Wagner external fixator. Complete healing of the fracture was obtained 14 weeks later. Ten months later, the patient complained of a swelling on his right thigh; it was warm and painful. The pain referred to the same site of the previous healed fracture. The boy was investigated by radiography, computed tomography and biopsy. The final diagnosis was malignant fibrous histiocytoma. The boy had a resection of his right lower limb and several cycles of chemotherapy, but he died 1 year later.
Identification and structural characterization of an inhibitor of catecholamine-induced free fatty acid mobilization from the calf midbrain.

Abstract A substance which inhibits norepinephrine-induced free fatty acid mobilization has been isolated from the calf midbrain. A preparation of the inhibitor, considered to be highly purified, was resolved into two distinct components by paper chromatography. Both components (designated Fractions I and II) inhibited free fatty acid mobilization in adipose tissue fragments in the presence of norepinephrine. One component (Fraction II) was identical chromatographically to an inhibitor of free fatty acid mobilization prepared from the dog hypothalamus. Fraction II has a molecular weight of 136, and appears to have the structure of a pyridylacetic acid.
Adenosine A3 pretreatment before cardioplegic arrest attenuates postischemic cardiac dysfunction

Abstract Background . The cardioprotective effects of the adenosine A 3 receptor in a cardioplegia model have not been described. We tested the hypothesis that infusion of the A 3 receptor agonist, Cl-IB-MECA (100 nM), as a pretreatment (PTx) and/or as a cardioplegic (CP) additive reduces postischemic myocardial injury. Methods . Isolated perfused rat hearts underwent 30 minutes of normothermic ischemia, 60 minutes of intermittent hypothermic cardioplegia (10°C), followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. Hearts were divided into four groups: (1) no pretreatment (PTx) and unsupplemented cardioplegia (CP) (control), (2) Cl-IB-MECA PTx and unsupplemented CP (A 3 -PTx), (3) no PTx and Cl-IB-MECA CP (A 3 -CP), or (4) Cl-IB-MECA PTx and Cl-IB-MECA CP (A 3 -[PTx+CP]). Results . Coronary flow was not increased after A 3 pretreatment when compared to baseline values. After 2 hours of reperfusion, left ventricular developed pressure in control and A 3 -CP groups was depressed to 43% ± 3% and 47% ± 2% of baseline; while A 3 -PTx and A 3 -[PTx+CP] significantly increased left ventricular developed pressure (65% ± 3% and 61% ± 5%) from baseline relative to control and A 3 -CP. Effluent creatine kinase activity was significantly decreased by A 3 -PTx (1520 ± 32 IU/L), A 3 -[PTx+CP] (1481 ± 41 IU/L) from control (1734 ± 54 IU/L) and A 3 -CP (1750 ± 43 IU/L). Myocardial edema (% tissue water) was significantly less in A 3 -PTx (78 ± 0.6%) and A 3 -[PTx+CP] (76% ± 2%) compared with control (85% ± 0.4%) and A 3 -CP (83% ± 2%). Conclusions . Adenosine A 3 receptor stimulation as a pretreatment attenuates postischemic cardiodynamic dysfunction and creatine kinase release but has no cardioprotection as an adjunct to cold cardioplegia.