cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Affecting Multiphase Benzene Breakthrough into Drainage Concrete Pipe in the Unsaturated Subsurface Profile

AbstractAnalyses presented herein explore transport aspects related to benzene breakthrough into gasketed subsurface concrete pipe embedded in an unsaturated soil profile. A series of three-dimensi...
10 minutes with Dr. Brian Anderson, Chief Digital Health Physician at the MITRE Corporation, Massachusetts, USA

### Biography Dr. Brian Anderson is the Chief Digital Health Physician at the MITRE Corporation. After completing his undergraduate degree in Social Anthropology at Harvard College, he received his medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School and continued his medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has served on several national health information technology committees in partnership with the Office of the National Coordinator, and previously was an Informatics Department Head at athenahealth. He is passionate about working at the intersection of technology, evidence-based medicine, predictive analytics. ![Graphic][1] During the pandemic, Dr. Anderson has served as the Strategic Manager of the COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition, as well as an Executive Steering Committee Member for The Fight Is In Us coalition. The COVID-19 Healthcare Coalition is a private-sector led response to the pandemic, co-chaired by MITRE and the Mayo Clinic, driven to preserve the US healthcare delivery system during the pandemic by bringing together over a thousand healthcare organisations, technology firms, non-profits, academia and startups. The Fight Is In Us coalition similarly represents a united effort against COVID-19, bringing together business, non-profit, government and community leaders who are motivated to raise awareness for and facilitate the fair and equitable distribution of convalescent plasma. The key message is that what we can do when we collaborate in non-traditional, public–private–community partnerships can be profound. Barney Frank, a former congressman from Massachusetts, once said that ‘government is simply the name we give to the things we choose to do together’. A public–private–community partnership in some ways blurs the line between what exactly is government and what is people just coming together to do the right thing. Having stakeholders from all three of those categories is the purest sense and truest expression of collaboration. In this pandemic, I have seen what we can do when those groups come together and … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Artemisia annua L. hot-water extracts show potent activity in vitro against Covid-19 variants including delta

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance For millennia, Artemisia annua L. was used in Southeast Asia to treat “fever”. This medicinal plant is effective against multiple pathogens and is used by many global communities as a source of artemisinin derivatives that are first-line drugs to treat malaria caused by Plasmodium parasites. Aim of the study The SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) global pandemic has killed millions and evolved numerous variants, with delta being the most transmissible to date and causing break-through infections of vaccinated individuals. We further queried the efficacy of A. annua cultivars against new variants. Materials and methods Using Vero E6 cells, we measured anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of dried-leaf hot-water A. annua L. extracts of four cultivars, A3, BUR, MED, and SAM, to determine their efficacy against five infectious variants of the virus: alpha (B.1.1.7), beta (B.1.351), gamma (P.1), delta (B.1.617.2), and kappa (B.1.617.1). Results In addition to being effective against the original wild type (WT) WA1, A. annua cultivars A3, BUR, MED, and SAM were also potent against all five variants. IC50 and IC90 values based on measured artemisinin content ranged from 0.3 to 8.4 μM and 1.4–25.0 μM, respectively. The IC50 and IC90 values based on dried leaf weight (DW) used to make the tea infusions ranged from 11.0 to 67.7 μg DW and 59.5–160.6 μg DW, respectively. Cell toxicity was insignificant at a leaf dry weight of ≤50 μg in the extract of any cultivar. Conclusions Results suggest that oral consumption of A. annua hot-water extracts (tea infusions) could potentially provide a cost-effective therapy to help stave off the rapid global spread of these variants, buying time for broader implementation of vaccines.
Continuum Mechanics: Constitutive Modeling Of Structural And Biological Materials

1. Mathematics 2. Kinematics 3. The stress tensor 4. Introduction to material modeling 5. Ideal gas 6. Fluids 7. Elastic material models 8. Continuum mixture theory 9. Growth models 10. Parameter estimation and curve fitting 11. Finite element method 12. Appendix.
Physical Laws for Mechanobiology

Higher-level physical laws applicable to biological tissues are presented that will permit the modeling of metabolic activity at the cellular level, including variations in the mass of a tissue. Here the tissue is represented as a fluid/solid mixture, wherein molecular solutes transport within the fluid, and cells can migrate throughout the porous solid. Variations in mass can arise via exchanges in mass between the constituent phases within a control volume such that mass is conserved in the tissue overall. The governing balance laws for mass, momentum, energy, and entropy are a special case of those describing a chemically reacting mixture with diffusion. Thermodynamic constraints on the constitutive structure are addressed. Biophysics; Biomechanics; Brownian motion; Cell migration; Mixture theory; Thermodynamic laws; Tissue mechanics
Predicting the Peak in World Oil Production

The US Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently predicted that world oil production could continue to increase for more than three decades, based on the recent US Geological Survey (USGS) evaluation of world oil resources and a simple, transparent model. However, it can be shown that this model is not consistent with actual oil production records in many different regions, particularly that of the US, from which it was derived. A more careful application of the EIA model, using the same resource estimates, indicates that at best non-OPEC oil production can increase for less than two decades, and should begin to decline at the latest sometime between 2015 and 2020. OPEC at this point will completely control the world oil market and will need to meet increased demand as well as compensate for declining production of non-OPEC producers. OPEC could control the market even sooner than this, given its larger share of proven oil reserves, probable difficulties in transforming non-OPEC undiscovered reserves into proven reserves, and the converging interests of all oil producers as reserves are depleted. This has significant implications for the world economy and for US national security.
Gastrointestinal manifestations of malignant lymphoma.

Summary A review was made of 323 patients with lymphoma who came to autopsy at Memorial and James Ewing Hospitals during the 5-year period from 1960 through 1964. Of these 323 cases, 203 had pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. The clinical course and the findings at autopsy in this group were evaluated in detail. The cases were divided into reticulum cell sarcoma, lymphosarcoma, and Hodgkin's disease on the basis of the final histological diagnosis. Each subgroup was then evaluated with respect to gastrointestinal manifestations, both tumor nontumor, and average survival times, with particular reference to the effect of various complications on survival. Upper gastrointestinal bleeding was most often of nontumor origin particularly when there was no evidence of tumor in the stomach. Perforation was found to be more commonly due to the tumor itself rather than to therapy. Obstructions were found only in patients with reticulum cell sarcoma, and 60% of these were in the jejunum or ileum. Ileocecal intussusception was found in 5 children or young adults. Obstructive jaundice was a complication in 14 cases, a slightly higher incidence than in previous series.
Model Based Analysis of Performance-Cost Tradeoffs for Engine Manifold Surface Finishing

The link between manufacturing process and product performance is studied in order to construct analytical, quantifiable criteria for the introduction of new engine technologies and processes. Cost associated with a new process must be balanced against increases in engine performance and thus demand for the particular vehicle. In this work, the effect of the Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) technique on surface roughness is characterized through measurements of specimens, and a predictive engine simulation is used to quantify performance gains due to the new surface finish. Subsequently, economic cost-benefit analysis is used to evaluate manufacturing decisions based on their impact on firm's profitability. A demonstration study examines the use of AFM for finishing the inner surfaces of intake manifolds for two engines, one installed in a compact car and the other in an SUV.
Experimental and Computational Investigation of Viscoelasticity of Native and Engineered Ligament and Tendon

The important mechanisms by which soft collagenous tissues such as ligament and tendon respond to mechanical deformation include non-linear elasticity, viscoelasticity and poroelasticity. These contributions to the mechanical response are modulated by the content and morphology of structural proteins such as type I collagen and elastin, other molecules such as glycosaminoglycans, and fluid. Our ligament and tendon constructs, engineered from either primary cells or bone marrow stromal cells and their autogenous matricies, exhibit histological and mechanical characteristics of native tissues of different levels of maturity. In order to establish whether the constructs have optimal mechanical function for implantation and utility for regenerative medicine, constitutive relationships for the constructs and native tissues at different developmental levels must be established. A micromechanical model incorporating viscoelastic collagen and non-linear elastic elastin is used to describe the non-linear viscoelastic response of our homogeneous engineered constructs in vitro. This model is incorporated within a finite element framework to examine the heterogeneity of the mechanical responses of native ligament and tendon.
Occult metastases in node-negative breast cancer: A Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-based analysis.

Introduction The role of immunohistochemistry (IHC) for detecting occult lymph node disease in patients initially found to be node-negative by routine pathology is controversial. In this study, we evaluated trends associated with overall survival in node-negative breast cancer patients staged by IHC. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for all patients with invasive breast adenocarcinoma and negative lymph nodes on routine pathology between 2004 and 2011 who underwent IHC to evaluate for occult nodal disease. Overall survival stratified by N-stage was compared with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results Overall, 93,070 patients were identified, including 4,657 patients with isolated tumor cells ( Conclusion Patients with occult micrometastases in axillary lymph nodes found via IHC demonstrated a significant overall survival difference, but isolated tumor cells have no prognostic significance.
Performance Prediction For Night Photography

Photographers have long been striving for high performance, low f/number lenses to get that special picture under extremely poor lighting conditions without the aid of flood lights or flash. The image intensifiers heveloped at Ft. Belvoiris Night Vision Laboratory for the infiltration problems of the Vietnam War have the potential of giving the photographer low-light-level capability without imposing unreasonable lens size requirements. This paper is directed toward discussing the photographic systems that can be built around such intensifiers, their advantages and the fundamental limitations encountered.
A GPU-based preconditioned Newton-Krylov solver for flexible multibody dynamics

Summary This paper describes an approach to numerically approximate the time evolution of multibody systems with flexible (compliant) components. Its salient attribute is that at each time step, both the formulation of the system equations of motion and their numerical solution are carried out using parallel computing on graphics processing unit cards. The equations of motion are obtained using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation, yet any other multibody dynamics formalism would fit equally well the overall solution strategy outlined herein. The implicit numerical integration method adopted relies on a Newton–Krylov methodology and a parallel direct sparse solver to precondition the underlying linear system. The proposed approach, implemented in a software infrastructure available under an open-source BSD-3 license, leads to improvements in overall simulation times of up to one order of magnitude when compared with matrix-free parallel solution approaches that do not use preconditioning. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New graft for low friction tunneling in vascular access surgery.

PurposeProsthetic accesses of the upper extremity have been in use for more than 25 years. Many different conduits have been employed; investigators have continually searched for a graft with super...
Generalized Cutaneous Reaction Associated with the Intratumor Injection of BCG

BCG was injected into multiple intracutaneous tumor nodules in a patient with malignant melanoma. The melanoma nodules completely regressed, and the patient has remained in remission. Following repeated systemic and intratumor injections of BCG, she developed a marked generalized cutaneous reaction with subcutaneous granulomas. These responded to steroid and isoniazid therapy. The pathophysiology of this reaction and guidelines for immunotherapy with BCG are discussed.
Integrated molecular targeting of IGF1R and HER2 surface receptors and destruction of breast cancer cells using single wall carbon nanotubes

Molecular targeting and photodynamic therapy have shown great potential for selective cancer therapy. We hypothesized that monoclonal antibodies that are specific to the IGF1 receptor and HER2 cell surface antigens could be bound to single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) in order to concentrate SWCNT on breast cancer cells for specific near-infrared phototherapy. SWCNT functionalized with HER2 and IGF1R specific antibodies showed selective attachment to breast cancer cells compared to SWCNT functionalized with non-specific antibodies. After the complexes were attached to specific cancer cells, SWCNT were excited by ~808?nm infrared photons at ~800?mW?cm?2 for 3?min. Viability after phototherapy was determined by Trypan blue exclusion. Cells incubated with SWCNT/non-specific antibody hybrids were still alive after photo-thermal treatment due to the lack of SWNT binding to the cell membrane. All cancerous cells treated with IGF1R and HER2 specific antibody/SWCNT hybrids and receiving infrared photons showed cell death after the laser excitation. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that all the cells treated with SWCNT/IGF1R and HER2 specific antibody complex were completely destroyed, while more than 80% of the cells with SWCNT/non-specific antibody hybrids remained alive. Following multi-component targeting of IGF1R and HER2 surface receptors, integrated photo-thermal therapy in breast cancer cells led to the complete destruction of cancer cells. Functionalizing SWCNT with antibodies in combination with their intrinsic optical properties can therefore lead to a new class of molecular delivery and cancer therapeutic systems.
Haptic feedback for virtual assembly

Assembly operations require high speed and precision with low cost. The manufacturing industry has recently turned attenuation to the possibility of investigating assembly procedures using graphical display of CAD parts. For these tasks, some sort of feedback to the person is invaluable in providing a real sense of interaction with virtual parts. This research develops the use of a commercial assembly robot as the haptic display in such tasks. For demonstration, a peg-hole insertion task is studied. Kane's Method is employed to derive the dynamics of the peg and the contact motions between the peg and the hole. A handle modeled as a cylindrical peg is attached to the end effector of a PUMA 560 robotic arm. The arm is handle modeled as a cylindrical peg is attached to the end effector of a PUMA 560 robotic arm. The arm is equipped with a six axis force/torque transducer. The use grabs the handle and the user-applied forces are recorded. A 300 MHz Pentium computer is used to simulate the dynamics of the virtual peg and its interactions as it is inserted in the virtual hole. The computed torque control is then employed to exert the full dynamics of the task to the user hand. Visual feedback is also incorporated to help the user in the process of inserting the peg into the hole. Experimental results are presented to show several contact configurations for this virtually simulated task.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A novel double-metal structure for voltage-programmable links

A novel metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure has been developed for use in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) as a voltage-programmable link (VPL). The present structure relies on a combination of a refractory metal and aluminum as the lower electrode, and aluminum alone as the top electrode. The insulator, prepared by means of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, comprises a sandwich of nearly stoichiometric silicon dioxide interposed between two layers of silicon-rich silicon nitride. This MIM structure has displayed characteristics desirable for use in the emerging FPGA technology. >
Fabrication of silicon microring resonators with narrow coupling gaps

We demonstrate fabrication of silicon microring resonators with narrow coupling gaps using electron-beam lithography followed by lift-off process. Microring resonators of different diameters and 58 nm coupling gaps are fabricated in a silicon-on-insulator water. These devices are then characterized using a tunable laser source. For the microring resonator with a diameter of 7.5 µm, the measured maximum transmission is 88%, the free spectra range is 25 nm, the finesse is 28, and the Q factor is 1715.
Elderly veterans receiving care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center while enrolled in Medicare-financed HMOs. Is the taxpayer paying twice?

Elderly veterans who visit our Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center primary care clinic often mention they are enrolled in HMOs. Approximately 20% of patients hospitalized at our facility report health insurance coverage. Of 1,000 hospitalizations during a 6-month period in which veterans reported insurance coverage, 337 involved elderly veterans. Of these 337 hospitalizations, 218 (65%) were for 174 veterans who stated they were enrolled in a Medicare-financed HMO. The VA’s Medical Care Cost Recovery Program deemed only 46 (21%) of the hospitalizations billable and received reimbursement for 20 (9%). Thus, the VA is providing costly services already paid for by the Health Care Financing Administration under prepaid capitation contracts, and recovers minimal reimbursement from the HMOs.
Rapid climatic change in coastal southern California inferred from pollen analysis of San Joaquin Marsh

Pollen analysis and five radiocarbon dates of a 687-cm core provide a detailed chronology of environmental change in a marsh at the head of Newport Bay, Orange County, California. Sediment deposition kept pace with sea-level rise during the early history of the marsh. From ca. 7000 to 4500 yr B.P. the site was a freshwater marsh, trees were more abundant than today, and grassland was the regional vegetation. As sea level rose, salt marsh gradually invaded the site. Brief periods of freshwater marsh 3800, 2800, 2300, and after 560 yr B.P. correlate with episodes of global cooling during the Neoglacial. The historic period is marked by the appearance of exotic species (particularly Erodium cf. cicutarium and Eucalyptus) and the spores of fungi (Sporormiella and Thecaphora). Peak influx of pollen, spores, and charcoal probably reflect greater frequency of flooding and erosion ca. 5000 yr B.P. and during the last 1000 yr.
Sleep cine magnetic resonance imaging—A dynamic evaluation of the airway

It has become more apparent in recent years that increasing numbers of children continue to have obstructive sleep apnea despite previous removal of the tonsils and adenoids. This occurs not only in children in “at-risk” populations, such as those with Down syndrome and obesity, but also in otherwise “normal” children. Sleep cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a high-resolution examination of the airway during sleep without ionizing radiation exposure and allows for identification of site or sites of residual airway obstruction. This technique is particularly helpful since the diagnostic examination performed in awake adults for sleep apnea is not often possible in the pediatric population. The technique of sleep cine MRI and examples of its use are presented. Sample patient scenarios are used to illustrate how it can assist with treatment planning. Anesthesia use during the cine MRI is discussed.
Variable prostate-specific antigen management patterns by nonurologist providers at a tertiary care medical center.

Objectives To determine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) management patterns of nonurologist providers. Urologists are involved in the management of men's prostate health. In practice, nonurology providers are more likely to see patients in the screening setting. Methods Survey questions were designed to evaluate a nonurologist's approach to PSA screening. The survey instrument was distributed to physicians and physician extenders in fields of internal medicine and family practice at a tertiary-care medical center. Results Of 116 nonurologist providers, 86 (74%) completed the survey. There was variability with respect to the age at which to screen the index patient (asymptomatic white man without a prostate cancer family history): 16% initiated screening at 41-50 years of age and 77% at 51-60 years. Additionally, heterogeneity was found with regard to categorizing an elevated PSA level, with 62% of providers using an absolute PSA cutoff of >4 ng/mL and only 27% citing age-specific criteria. When diagnosing an asymptomatic man with an elevated PSA level, most providers will recheck PSA in 3-6 months (38%) or initiate a trial of empiric antibiotics (30%). Only a smaller fraction will refer the patient to a urologist (21%) or repeat PSA test immediately within 2-4 weeks (11%). Conclusions We noted variability in PSA management patterns by nonurologists. Only 27% of providers used age-specific criteria, and almost 70% managed an elevated value by rechecking at a delayed interval or initiating a trial of antibiotics. This suggests that education might be necessary to create uniformity in PSA screening amongst nonurologists.
The Charisma Factor: How to Develop Your Natural Leadership Ability

Book Review If there is one challenge that thousands of companies, organizations, political campaigns, and social causes often seem to share it is the consistent stimulation of excitement, enthusiasm, and dedication in those whose responsibility it is to get the job done.... Regardless of the incentives and motivational techniques employed, the art of generating personal commitment in others has seemed to be, at best, a nebulous process. The exception, of course, has been a certain kind of leader, one who possesses what we have come to call charisma. Charismatic leaders seem almost magically to draw people in and create hard-driving teams that are focused, dedicated, and anxious to commit to their absolute best.
Decreased swimming performance as a necessary component of the smolt migration in salmon in the Columbia River

Abstract Comparison of typical water velocities in the Columbia River system with observed migration rates for salmon and steelhead smolts previously has been interpreted as evidence for passive migration during part of each night. Recent research, however, has shown that coho salmon experience reduced swimming proficiency and fatigue levels during smolting, particularly when smolts are transferred directly into seawater. Reexamining the migration times in light of the new swimming proficiency data suggests that smolts may swim mostly head first upstream during outmigration thus drifting downstream tailfirst.
Phthalonitrile‐glass fabric composites

Phthalonitrile polymers, under development at the Naval Research Laboratory, offer promise as high temperature, high performance composite matrix materials. A fully cured resin shows outstanding thermal stability with no evidence of a glass transition temperature or T g up to 450°C, good mechanical properties, and is easily processed into void-free components. Phthalonitrile/glass fabric composite panels have been successfully fabricated by conventional consolidation of prepregged glass and by a more recently developed simplified process, resin infusion molding. Both processes can be used to produce panels with comparable mechanical properties. More important, flammability performance of these composites, evaluated in terms of specific optical density, combustion gases, heat release, and ignitability, excels over other state-of-the-art polymer/glass composites. This finding is significant given that overcoming flammability obstacles has been the main limiting factor for use of composites in marine applications.
Statistical thermodynamics of the glass transition: 1. Effect of pressure and diluent concentration

Abstract A statistical thermodynamic theory is presented with a new approach to account for the mixing of polymers, small molecules, and holes, which are different in size. The criterion for glass transition is taken to be the vanishing of entropy pertaining to the non-local movements of polymer segments rather than the total mixing entropy of the system. The theory adequately models the pressure-dependence of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of polymers as well as the dependence of Tg on plasticizer concentration. A molecular interpretation has also been given to the Tg of different pure polymers and to the efficiency of Tg reduction due to plasticizers in terms of several model parameters including intermolecular interaction, segmental volume, co-ordination number for the unplasticized polymer, polymer-plasticizer interaction, and plasticizer close-packed volume for the plasticized polymer.
Perinatal origin of adult disease.

(2001). Perinatal Origin of Adult Disease. Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 178-185.
BMI and Health‐Related Quality of Life in Adults 65 Years and Older

Objective: To examine relationships of BMI with health-related quality of life in adults 65 years and older. Research Methods and Procedures: In 1996, a health survey was mailed to all surviving participants ≥ 65 years old from the Chicago Heart Association Detection Project in Industry Study (1967 to 1973). The response rate was 60%, and the sample included 3981 male and 3099 female respondents. BMI (kilograms per meter squared) was classified into four groups: underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5 to 24.9), overweight (25.0 to 29.9), and obese (≥30.0). Main outcome measures were Health Status Questionnaire-12 scores (ranging from 0 to 100) assessing eight domains: health perception, physical functioning, role limitations-physical, bodily pain, energy/fatigue, social functioning, role limitations-mental, and mental health. The higher the score, the better the outcome. Results: With adjustment for age, race, education, smoking, and alcohol intake, obesity was associated with lower health perception and poorer physical and social functioning (women only) but not impaired mental health. Overweight was associated with impaired physical well-being among women only. Both underweight men and women reported impairment in physical, social, and mental well-being. For example, multivariable-adjusted health perception domain scores for women were 50.8 (underweight), 62.7 (normal weight), 60.5 (overweight), and 52.1 (obese), respectively. Associations weakened but remained significant with further adjustment for comorbidities. Discussion: Compared with normal-weight people, both underweight and obese older adults reported impaired quality of life, particularly worse physical functioning and physical well-being. These results reinforce the importance of normal body weight in older age.
Two Distinct Modes of Strand Unlinking during θ-Type DNA Replication

DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV (Topo IV) are type II bacterial DNA topoisomerases that show a high degree of similarity to each other yet appear to have different functions during DNA replication. We show here that the torsional stress generated during θ-type DNA replication in vitro can take the form of either positive supercoils ahead of the replication fork or catenane-like right-handed windings (precatenanes) of the two partially replicated duplexes behind the fork. Gyrase prefers to act on the former, whereas Topo IV prefers the latter. Removal of either form of positive winding can support nascent chain elongation, but only precatenane removal can support the final stages of DNA replication: processing of the late intermediate and daughter chromosome decatenation.
Longitudinal Changes in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Brain Volumes in Abstinent and Relapsed Alcoholics

Chronic alcoholism is associated with smaller volumes of cortical gray matter and white matter and a complementary increase in brain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes, relative to age norms. This longitudinal study quantified the extent of brain volume changes associated with abstinence and drinking at three time points in chronic alcoholics. We obtained magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on 58 alcoholic men after an average of 12 days (MRI-1) and 32 days (MRI-2) of sobriety. In addition, 58 healthy control subjects were scanned at a comparable interval. At MRI-3, 11 controls and 39 alcoholics were rescanned, 2-12 months after MRI-2; 19 alcoholics had abstained, and 20 had resumed drinking. Axial MRI slices were segmented into cortical gray matter, white matter, and CSF and summed over seven slices; lateral and third ventricular volumes were also estimated. MRI volume changes were corrected using an estimate of interscan measurement error caused by head positioning differences, and then divided by the interval to yield rates of change (slopes). From MRI-1 to MRI-2, the alcoholic group showed declines in CSF volumes of the lateral ventricles and posterior cortical sulci, and a trend toward an increase in anterior cortical gray matter volume relative to the control group. From MRI-2 to MRI-3, third ventricular volumes decreased in the abstainers relative to the relapsers and controls; cortical white matter volume decreased in the relapsers. In the relapsers, lifetime consumption of alcohol (as of MRI-1) predicted later vulnerability to white matter volume decline and third ventricular enlargement with resumption of drinking. These data suggest that improvement in cortical gray matter, sulcal, and lateral ventricular volumes occur early in the course of abstinence, and that improvement in third ventricular volume appears later with continued abstinence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Electrical fusion for optimal formation of protoplast heterokaryons in Nicotiana.

The electrical fusion of protoplasts has been studied in order to maximize the formation of heterokaryons for culture. Heterokaryons of Nicotiana tabacum L. mesophyll protoplasts and N. plumbaginifolia Viviani supension-cell protoplasts were identified in fixed and stained as well as living material; a quantitative fusion index was thereby developed. With this index the efficiencies of various electric fields and fusion-chamber designs have been determined. Optimal fusion was obtained with an alternating-current (AC) field of 150 V/cm and direct-current (DC) square-wave pulses of 1000 V/cm. A new, simple-to-use, largescale fusion chamber is described in which batches of up to 5·105 protoplasts (0.5 ml of cells at 106/ml) can be fused in 5–7 min with efficiencies approaching 40%. Half of the fusion products are heterokaryons, thus fusion is random. Of the fusion products, 60% are bi- or trinucleate. Using fusion procedures similar to those described here Bates and C. Hasenkampf (1985, Theor. Appl. Genet., in press) have recovered viable somatic hybrids which have been regenerated.
Internet Use, Abuse, and Dependence Among Students at a Southeastern Regional University

Objective: To assess Internet use, abuse, and dependence. Participants: 411 undergraduate students. Results: Ninety percent of participants reported daily Internet use. Approximately half of the sample met criteria for Internet abuse, and one-quarter met criteria for Internet dependence. Men and women did not differ on the mean amount of time accessing the Internet each day; however, the reasons for accessing the Internet differed between the 2 groups. Depression was correlated with more frequent use of the Internet to meet people, socially experiment, and participate in chat rooms, and with less frequent face-to-face socialization. In addition, individuals meeting criteria for Internet abuse and dependence endorsed more depressive symptoms, more time online, and less face-to-face socialization than did those not meeting the criteria. Conclusions: Mental health and student affairs professionals should be alert to the problems associated with Internet overuse, especially as computers become an integral par...
Cortical magnetic resonance imaging findings in familial pediatric bipolar disorder.

Background Morphometric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of pediatric bipolar disorder (BD) have not reported on gray matter volumes but have reported increased lateral ventricular size and presence of white matter hyperintensities (WMH). We studied gray matter volume, ventricular-to-brain ratios (VBR), and number of WMH in patients with familial, pediatric BD compared with control subjects. Methods Twenty subjects with BD (aged 14.6 ± 2.8 years; 4 female) according to the Washington University in St. Louis Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, each with a parent with BD, and 20 age-, gender-, and intelligence quotient-matched healthy control subjects (aged 14.1 ± 2.8 years; 4 female) were scanned at 3 T. Most subjects were taking psychotropic medications. A high-resolution T1-weighted spoiled gradient echo three-dimensional MRI sequence was analyzed by BrainImage for volumetric measurements, and T2-weighted images were read by a neuroradiologist to determine presence of WMH. Results After covarying for age and total brain volume, there were no significant differences between subjects with BD and control subjects in volume of cerebral ( p = .09) or prefrontal gray matter ( p = .34). Subjects with BD did not have elevated numbers of WMH or greater VBR when compared with control subjects. Conclusions Children and adolescents with familial BD do not seem to have decreased cerebral grey matter or increased numbers of WMH, dissimilar to findings in adults with BD. Gray matter decreases and development of WMH might be later sequelae of BD or unique to adult-onset BD.
Properties of the major gene index for three-allele and two-locus models.

Abstract The expected value of the MGI(2) statistic was evaluated for several three-allele and two-locus models for which we have specified dominance relationships among phenotype classes based on heterozygote and homozygote genotype groupings. In a parallel simulation study we investigated the nature of MGI(α) for α = 1 2 , 1, 2 under more elaborate continuous trait expressions incurred from superposition of a background distribution upon each of the phenotypic mean effects.
Class of axisymmetric mirrors with uniform flux concentration properties along their axes

The shape of axisymmetric mirrors capable of producing a constant concentrated flux density along a coaxial cylindrical surface is determined via both a series solution and a phase plane analysis of the governing second-order nonlinear differential equation. It is shown that there exists a class of such concentrators and that they all have a characteristic bell shape with two finite principal radii of curvature. Mirrors of this type may find application in processes requiring concentrated uniform illumination over extended areas such as in photovoltaic energy conversion.
Applying Computer Technology to Substance Abuse Prevention Science: Results of a Preliminary Examination

ABSTRACT This manuscript reports on the development and evaluation of a computer-based substance abuse prevention program for middle school-aged adolescents, called HeadOn: Substance Abuse Prevention for Grades 6–8™. This self-guided program was designed to deliver effective drug abuse prevention science to youth via computer-based educational technologies that effectively promote learning of key skills and information. Results of a controlled, school-based evaluation demonstrated that the HeadOn substance abuse prevention program promoted significantly higher levels of accuracy in objective knowledge about drug abuse prevention relative to the demonstrably effective Life Skills Training Program. Participants in the HeadOn and Life Skills groups also generally achieved comparable, positive outcomes after completing their substance abuse prevention intervention in actual self-reported rates of substance use, intentions to use substances, attitudes toward substances, beliefs about prevalence of substance us...
Polymer electrolyte membranes from fluorinated polyisoprene-block-sulfonated polystyrene: Membrane structure and transport properties

Abstract With a view to optimizing morphology and ultimately properties, membranes have been cast from relatively inexpensive block copolymer ionomers of fluorinated polyisoprene -block- sulfonated polystyrene (FISS) with various sulfonation levels, in both the acid form and the cesium neutralized form. The morphology of these membranes was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering, as well as water uptake, proton conductivity and methanol permeability within the temperature range from 20 to 60 °C. Random phase separated morphologies were obtained for all samples except the cesium sample with 50 mol% sulfonation. The transport properties increased with increasing degree of sulfonation and temperature for all samples. The acid form samples absorbed more water than the cesium samples with a maximum swelling of 595% recorded at 60 °C for the acid sample having 50 mol% sulfonation. Methanol permeability for the latter sample was more than an order of magnitude less than for Nafion 112 but so was the proton conductivity within the plane of the membrane at 20 °C. Across the plane of the membrane this sample had half the conductivity of Nafion 112 at 60 °C.
Designing practice: A review of prescriptions and recommendations from instructional design theories

Most instructional theories offer some unique and valuable suggestions related to the design of practice activities. However, no single theory or model is available which provides instructional designers with answers to many basic questions related to designing practice activities. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the strategies and suggestions offered by various prominent instructional theories and thereby provide a useful guide for designing the practice component of instruction.
An Overview of Some Studies of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia: Biological-Clinical Observations and Viewing the Disease as a Chaotic System

While much is known about CML at both the clinical and molecular biological levels, the precise relationship between the disease at these two levels is unclear. The appearance of the fusion gene bcr-abl and disorders in the regulation of the myc gene, and perhaps other oncogenes which code for nucleoproteins, appear to play integral roles in the genesis of the chronic and blastic phases of the disease. The resistance of this disease to cytotoxic therapy appears to reflect both “classical” drug resistance and the ability of those cells which survive cytotoxic therapy to rapidly replace the killed cells thereby offsetting the effects of chemotherapy (“regrowth resistance”).The clinical evolution of the disease is compatible with two fundamentally different processes: one compatible with a deterministic chaotic model and the other involves two basically independent linear phenomena which overlap and intersect as the blastic phase appears and replaces the chronic phase.
ECG Changes in Global LV Ischemia Simulating Wide Complex Tachycardia

W ide complex tachycardia is often a serious, lifethreatening arrhythmia. Various clinical and electrocardiographic clues can be used to differentiate ventricular from supraventricular origins.’ Ventricular tachycardia is a recognized complication of acute myocardial infarction. In the setting of myocardial ischemia and/or injury, alterations in the ST segments in certain leads may mimic widening ofthe QRS complex. Usually, a 12-lead ECG reveals the rhythm to be sinus. We present a patient with global ST segment changes simulating wide complex tachycardia. Extensive literature search of the English language failed to reveal a similar case.
The effect of prestaining prior to immunoreaction during electrophoretic blotting of proteins

We have used six different monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, four different antigen preparations and two different detection systems to compare Western blotting with Coomassie Blue prestained gels (Jackson and Thompson, Electrophoresis, 1984, 5, 35–42) to blotting of unstained gels with Amido Black or Fast Green post-transfer staining of the nitrocellulose. Contrary to a recent report (Harper et al., Anal. Biochem., 1986, 157, 270–274), in which post-staining with Coomassie Blue was determined to severely inhibit immunoreactivity, we find using prestained Coomassie Blue gels to be extremely useful in most cases, although, rarely, inhibition of the immune reaction may take place. Post-staining with Amido Black or Fast Green may also prove useful, but is not recommended since similar inhibition occurs, and there are the added disadvantages of not being able to “pre-view” the gel pattern and not being able to use stored gels. Further studies indicated that the rare loss of immunoreactivity seen with Coomassie Blue prestained gels is most likely due to the necessary fixation step, and not the stain itself (as has been suggested), since the protein-dye complex is dissociated during transfer.
Accurate energy levels for singly ionized platinum (Pt II)

New observations of the spectrum of Pt II have been made with hollow-cathode lamps. The region from 1032 to 4101 A was observed photographically with a 10.7-m normal-incidence spectrograph. The region from 2245 to 5223 A was observed with a Fourier-transform spectrometer. Wavelength measurements were made for 558 lines. The uncertainties vary from 0.0005 to 0.004 A. From these measurements and three parity-forbidden transitions in the infrared, accurate values were determined for 28 even and 72 odd energy levels of Pt II.
Experimental Model for Cartilage Tissue Engineering to Regenerate the Zonal Organization of Articular Cartilage

Abstract Objective: Regeneration of the zonal organization of articular cartilage may be an important advancement for cartilage tissue engineering. The first goal of this study was to validate our surgical technique as a method to selectively isolate chondrocytes from different zones of bovine articular cartilage. The second goal was to confirm that chondrocytes from different zones would have different proliferative and metabolic activities in two-dimensional (2-D) and 3-D cultures. Finally, to regenerate the zonal organization, we sought to make multi-layered constructs by encapsulating chondrocytes from different zones of articular cartilage. Design: Cartilage slices were removed from three (upper, middle, and lower) zones of articular cartilage of young bovine legs. Histology and biochemical composition of the cartilage slices were analyzed to confirm that they had been obtained from the proper zone. Growth kinetics and gene expression in monolayer culture and matrix formation in photopolymerizing hydrogels were evaluated. Multi-layered photopolymerizing hydrogels were constructed with chondrocytes from each zone of native cartilage encapsulated. Cell viability and maintenance of the cells in the respective layer were evaluated using the Live/Dead Viability kit and cell tracking protocols, respectively. After 3 weeks, the multi-layered constructs were harvested for histologic examination including immunohistochemistry for type II collagen. Results: Analysis of histology and biochemical composition confirmed that the cartilage slices had been obtained from the specific zone. Chondrocytes from different zones differed in growth kinetics and gene expression in monolayer and in matrix synthesis in 3-D culture. Cells encapsulated in each of the three layers of the hydrogel remained viable and remained in the respective layer in which they were encapsulated. After 3-week culture, each zone of multi-layered constructs had similar histologic findings to that of native articular cartilage. Conclusion: We present this as an experimental model to regenerate zonal organization of articular cartilage by encapsulating chondrocytes from different layers in multi-layered photopolymerizing gels.
Cleopatra's Cocktail

Pliny the Elder's account of Cleopatra consuming a cocktail of vinegar and a pearl in order to win a bet with Antony was considered credible in the ancient world, but many modern scholars have relegated the anecdote to the realm of fantasy. This paper identifies possible reasons for this skepticism, including the visual tradition of the story and the belief that increasing concentration always increases reaction rate. Experiments reveal that, in the case of acetic acid and pearls, the concentration found in vinegar made from wine is ideal.
Derivation and analysis of a least mean square filter

This paper derives a 3-D (spatio-temporal) filter designed to detect a known signal in an unknown but smoothly varying background. When the background is assumed to be correlated Gaussian, a multivariate statistical formulation of the filter is presented. The probability of false alarm for the filter operating in such a background is derived.