cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prefiltration to suppress protein fouling of microfiltration membranes

Abstract The effect of prefiltration using membranes with pore sizes of 1.0, 0.45 and 0.22 μm on the permeate flux during direct flow (dead end) filtration using 0.45 μm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coated PTFE membranes has been investigated. Feed solutions consisted of lysozyme, β-lactoglobulin, ovalbumin and hemoglobin. Prefiltration with a 1.0 μm pore size membrane led to a stable permeate flux for the lysozyme containing feed stream but was ineffective at preventing severe permeate flux decline for hemoglobin containing feed streams for both membranes. For β-lactoglobulin and ovalbumin, prefiltration with a 1.0 μm pore size membrane led to stable permeate flux for the PTFE membrane but was ineffective at preventing severe permeate flux decline for the more hydrophilic PVA coated PTFE membrane probably due to the smaller effective pore diameter of this membrane following coating. However, prefiltration with a 0.45 or 0.22 μm pore size membrane led to stable permeate flux for all proteins and both membranes. The results indicate the importance of prefiltration to maximize permeate flux, suggesting that flux decline is due to adsorption and deposition of aggregated proteins on the membrane surface. Analysis of FESEM images and ATR-FTIR spectra of virgin and fouled membranes support the flux data and highlights the value of these techniques when investigating mechanisms of flux decline. The results obtained here support earlier work that indicates it is the interplay among membrane properties, protein properties and operating conditions that determines the extent of fouling and flux decline.
Installation of the Jolliet Field TLWP

The paper presents an overview of the installation of the Jolliet TLWP including the drilling template, foundation template, tendons and TLWP itself. Novel installation techniques were used and some of these are described. Attention is focused on not only what went well but also some of the problems encountered and the solutions achieved. The paper also describes some of the very intensive planning, installation engineering and testing that was performed in preparation for the work. Specialised installation equipment and procedures are described.
GenomePixelizer - A visualization program for comparative genomics within and between species

GenomePixelizer is a visualization tool that generates custom images of the physical or genetic positions of specified sets of genes in whole genomes or parts of genomes. Multiple sets of genes can be shown simultaneously with user-defined characteristics displayed. It allows the analysis of duplication events within and between species based on sequence similarities. The program is written in Tcl/Tk and works on any platform that supports the Tcl/Tk toolkit. GenomePixelizer generates HTML ImageMap tags for each gene in the image allowing links to databases. Images can be saved and presented on web pages.
Canoe Travel in the Truk Area: Technology and Its Psychological Correlates

SLTHOUGH canoe travel in the open ocean between islands has been characteristic of all cultures in Oceania, and indeed was necessary for the population of the islands, only in Micronesia were long voyages made in sailing canoes. In Polynesia, for example, such trips required large crews of paddlers; the wind was used only to help the craft along when it blew in an appropriate direction. Long journeys were therefore feasibly organized only by persons able to command the services of a substantial number of people. In Micronesia, in contrast, four or five men could readily man a sailing canoe and travel where or when they wished. At the present time, sailing canoes suitable for long trips remain in use only in the small islands of the Caroline group scattered widely over the ocean from Truk westward. The language and culture found on these islands relate them clearly to Truk, whereas most of them fell historically under the hegemony of Yap to the west-a tie which Lessa (1956) has demonstrated is by no means completely extinct. Both Truk and Yap possess volcanic soils which can support crops impossible of cultivation on the sandy coral islets which lie between. Trade therefore provided the impetus for travel to and from the high islands, and there was in addition considerable social visiting back and forth between all the islands. Some voyages, apparently of exploration, have also been recorded extending over hundreds of miles to Guam and even remoter islands. Trips of up to 200 miles or so are still made, although with reduced frequency. Canoes are also used on a few islands other than those mentioned above for interisland, but essentially local, travel to Truk and Ponape. It is my intention here to discuss briefly the combination of factors, none of them unique in themselves, without which this type of travel would probably not be possible. We shall consider canoe design, navigation, personality structure, and social organization. It is my thesis that we cannot fully understand the development of this or probably many other forms of travel without taking into account the combined effect of all of these aspects of the problem. For sailing across the open ocean a small craft must possess two crucial design characteristics. First, it must have a minimum, and predictable, tendency to slip or drift sideways with the wind; in other words, it must be inherently capable of countering the sideways push of the wind by a counterpressure generated by the travel of the hull through the water. Otherwise it would only sail a straight course when the wind happened to be astern. This counter-pressure generated by the hull must also increase automatically when the wind pressure increases, so that the helmsman does not have to guess at a
Technique for mounting SiC fibers for cross-sectional microscopic examination

Silicon carbide (SiC) fibers are commonly used in many composite and other material applications. It is often of interest to examine cross sections of such fibers microscopically, prior to composite manufacturing processes, to ensure diameter consistency. However, SiC fibers are difficult materials to metallographically mount and polish, because the fibers are harder than most epoxy mounting materials. The difference in hardness between the SiC and the mounting epoxy usually causes rounding of the fibers during final polishing. It is also difficult to position a large group of fibers for cross-sectioning, because a group of closely spaced fibers will have poor bonding to the epoxy. The following technique was developed to improve the preparation of cross-sectional samples of SiC fibers. In this study, fibers of SiC plated with electroless nickel were used to demonstrate the technique. The following outline describes the steps that were taken in preparing a cross-sectional specimen of the plated fibers.
A brief and improper geography of queerspaces and sexpublics in Austin, Texas

This article offers ethnographic and autoethnographic vignettes from my research on cultures of public sex in Austin, Texas. It also tracks some of the ways my own racialization as a black queer man shaped the research project. My approach, which includes an experimental – ‘reparative’ – textual style, offers several interlocking registers of analysis. I bring together my informants' nostalgic remembrances of public sex in Austin; the legal and media circulation of queer sex in general, and public sex in particular, as specifically ‘public’ problems requiring surveillance, administration, and management; the impacts of HIV/AIDS; and the rise of the Internet as a means to connect. In this way, I not only aim to archive sites of desire and their transformation, but to also archive the everyday and intimate affects that animate, make sense of, and give meaning to queerspaces and sexpublics in Austin as elsewhere. In its eclectic mixes of voices and styles, as well as reality and fiction, my ethnography does ...
Chlorinated Biphenyl Quinones and Phenyl-2,5-benzoquinone Differentially Modify the Catalytic Activity of Human Hydroxysteroid Sulfotransferase hSULT2A1

Human hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase (hSULT2A1) catalyzes the sulfation of a broad range of environmental chemicals, drugs, and other xenobiotics in addition to endogenous compounds that include hydroxysteroids and bile acids. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are persistent environmental contaminants, and oxidized metabolites of PCBs may play significant roles in the etiology of their adverse health effects. Quinones derived from the oxidative metabolism of PCBs (PCB-quinones) react with nucleophilic sites in proteins and also undergo redox cycling to generate reactive oxygen species. This, along with the sensitivity of hSULT2A1 to oxidative modification at cysteine residues, led us to hypothesize that electrophilic PCB-quinones react with hSULT2A1 to alter its catalytic function. Thus, we examined the effects of four phenylbenzoquinones on the ability of hSULT2A1 to catalyze the sulfation of the endogenous substrate, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The quinones studied were 2′-chlorophenyl-2,5-benzoquino...
The measurement of lightscattering intensities according to Brice

Abstract A number of technical details of the measurement of lightscattering intensities is discussed. The use of a quarter wave plate instead of an opal glass depolarizer in photoelectric measurements is proposed. A study is made of some lightscattering characteristics of the colloidal silica, “Ludox.” This system is shown to have negligible scattering dis-symmetry and low depolarization (as far as not caused by secondary scattering). Turbidity values have been determined by scattering measurements according to Brice et al. , and by transmittance measurements. The values obtained by these two measurements are in agreement. The validity of the Brice system of scattering measurements has hereby been confirmed.
Re-evaluation of cellular radiosensitization by 5-fluorouracil: high-dose, pulsed administration is effective and preferable to conventional low-dose, chronic administration.

AbstractPurpose: It is widely believed that the anticancer drug 5- fluorouracil (5-FU) must be administered chronically and in low doses to maximize radiosensitization during chemoradiotherapy. The rationale is based upon cell experiments that assumed identical mechanisms of 5-FU action between low-dose chronic (LDC) and high-dose pulsed (HDP) exposures. Here we challenge the paradigm and demonstrate the effectiveness of HDP 5-FU as a radiosensitizer and the wide range of dose/time schedules that can be used to synergize with radiation as compared to the relatively restrictive protocols prescribed for current LDC administrations.Materials and methods: Clonogenic survival of human glioblastoma and colon cancer cell lines, U87MG-VIII and HCT-116, respectively, was used to assess temporal and dose effects of 5-FU on radiosensitivity and in split-dose experiments to characterize changes in sublethal damage repair.Results: We show that HDP 5-FU administration does indeed radiosensitize both the highly radiores...
Identification of Polymorphisms in the p53 Gene by Denaturing Gradient Gel Blots

Polymorphisms in the tumor suppressor gene p53 were identified by Southern blots of denaturing gradient gels (melting polymorphisms). Five polymorphisms were identified in white blood cell DNA, with the frequency of heterozygotes varying from 4 to 27%. The strategy of hybridizing the same blots with different probes suggests that two of the polymorphisms are located in the region of exons 5-6 and one is in the region of exons 7-9. This study illustrates the use of this method for analysis of tumor suppressor genes and suggests future applications, such as for the assay of loss of heterozygosity. That assay is used to detect gene deletions in tumors, an important event in human tumorigenesis.
Separation Of Fuchsin Analogs Using Thin Layer Chromatography

The four analogs comprising basic fuchsin have been separated using thin layer chromatography (TLC). Mixtures spotted on reverse phase TLC plates were developed with a solution of 25% methanol, 10% ammonium hydroxide, and 65% distilled water. The Rf values of the analogs were for pararosaniline, 0.54; rosaniline, 0.41; magenta II, 0.31; new fuchsin, 0.19.
Two-phase regression with nonhomogeneous errors

Likelihood ratio tests for a change in simple linear regression with unequal variances are studied. We first derive the likelihood ratio statistics assuming nonhomogeneous error variance. (We call such statistics the weighted likelihood ratio statistics.) We obtain analytic approximations for the p-values of these weighted tests, and assess the accuracy of the approximations via simulation. Using numerical examples, we also study the robustness to heteroscedasticity of the unweighted likelihood ratio tests considered in Kim and Siegmund (1989).
Weight updating floating-gate synapse

A novel floating-gate synapse circuit is designed to update the weight in spike time dependent plasticity (STDP) system. The update of the weight is implemented through tunnelling and injection mechanisms using floating-gate metal–oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors. The importance of this circuit is for obtaining a storage mechanism for synaptic strength to implement the learning signal processing application on silicon. A novel floating-gate synapse circuit and a new integrate-and-fire neuron model are described to implement weight updating in a STDP system.
Theophylline Analysis by Direct Application of Serum to Thin Layer Chromatograms

The direct application of 20 microliters of serum to thin layer chromatograms was a rapid and sensitive method for the determination of theophylline. Ten common drugs were shown not to interfere. A comparison with the enzyme immunoassay values obtained in an independent laboratory showed the utility of the method.
Localization of “lost” Norplant capsules using compression film screen mammography

Background : The complications of Norplant removal relate primarily to the length of time and amount of dissection required for removal of the capsules. Complications include swelling and pain at the removal site and, at times, capsule fracture. The inability to locate one or more of the capsules is a rare complication. Recommended methods for locating the capsules include plain film radiography and ultrasound imaging. However, in circumstances where neither of these techniques succeeds, no specific recommendations exist to enhance visibility of the capsules. Case : We used compression film screen mammographic techniques of the soft tissue at the site of insertion to locate a “lost” Norplant capsule after both plain films and ultrasound images failed to reveal the location of the capsule. Conclusion : Film screen mammographic techniques may help locate "lost" Norplant capsules that are not visualized with either plain film radiography or ultrasound imaging of the insertion site.
Experimental Investigation on Rolling/Sliding Contact Fatigue Crack Initiation with Artificial Defects

Rolling/sliding contact fatigue tests were carried out on a two-disc machine. Transverse and longitudinal furrows and conical and spherical dents were made on each specimen surface to trigger surface or near surface crack initiation. The experiment results show that the size of the defect did not have a strong influence on crack initiation, but the height of the edge buildup was the dominant parameter on surface crack initiation. Variables, such as surface roughness, hardness and temperature, were investigated to determine their influence on crack initiation. In the cases presented, surface cracks were easily found for film thickness parameters less than 0.3. When film thickness was greater than 0.5, cracks on the parts of the surface which were far away from the defects were difficult to find. It was noted that for the higher hardness specimen, the crack initiation life was longer. The reason for a crack being initiated on the specimen near the leading edge of the defects was explained by the micro-EHL a...
A mesoporous metal-organic framework with permanent porosity.

A mesoporous metal−organic framework possessing permanent porosity has been synthesized and characterized for the first time.
Speech perception by students with cochlear implants using sound-field systems in classrooms.

Cochlear implants support deaf students' language development through the improved use of audition in the classroom. Unfortunately, the acoustics of typical classrooms greatly reduce auditory speec...
Induction of benign prostatic hyperplasia in intact dogs by near-physiological levels of 5α-dihydrotestosterone and 17β-estradiol

Benign prostatic hyperplasia was induced in mongrel dogs treated for 60 days with one silastic implant containing 17 beta-estradiol and four containing 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone. The condition was characterized by (1) a marked increase of the stromal elements, particularly the stromal septa between the individual glands, (2) a slight increase in prostatic volume, and (3) a morphology that resembled spontaneous complex benign prostatic hyperplasia in the dog. Other groups of animals that remained untreated or received only 17 beta-estradiol or only 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone did not develop this condition. Prostate volumes decreased by 14% in the estrogen-treated dogs, whereas they increased in the androgen-treated animals by 6% compared to pretreatment prostate volumes. The morphology of the epithelium of the prostates of androgen-treated animals was not different from that of controls despite the increase in prostate volume. The serum 17 beta-estradiol and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone concentrations were increased from 25 +/- 2 (mean +/- SEM) and 256 +/- 42 pg/mL, respectively, in control dogs to 52 +/- 37 and 562 +/- 37 pg/mL, respectively, in the dogs treated with the hormone combination. Thus, hormone concentrations were two- to three-fold higher than control values, and the ratio of estradiol-17 beta to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone was increased by up to 19%. These data demonstrate that treatment of dogs with low levels of estrogen and androgen may be an excellent model for the study of spontaneous complex benign prostatic hyperplasia in aging men.
'Woyyi céet': Senegalese women's oral discourses on marriage and womanhood

In the area of African oral literature, the voices of women continue to be muted. The image of the oral artist is often masculinized, and in the Sahel region especially, female verbal artists continue to be undermined. This essay intends to centralize the feminine voice in oral performance by exploring texts composed and performed by women for women. Its aim is to look at marriage songs in Senegal as literary sites that allow Wolof women to negotiate voice and power. Within that framework, women, such as griottes who are considered illiterate, can be seen as having theorized about gender for a long time. Yet their voices have been arbitrarily subsumed by the so-called intellectuals whose discourses are privileged because they are written.
Ornithine decarboxylase and thymidine kinase activities and polyamine levels from selected organs of adult miniature swine receiving three concentrations of dietary menhaden oil

Abstract Mature, female swine were randomly assigned to one of seven dietary groups. Swine in groups 1–3 were fed a cholesterol-rich diet for 55 days while the remaining groups remained on a basal swine diet. At the end of the cholesterol(Chol)-preloading period the swine in groups 1–7 were placed on menhaden oil (MO) and/or corn oil (CO) as follows: groups 1 and 4, 15% CO (control); groups 2 and 5, 0.75% MO+14.25% CO; groups 3 and 7, 15% MO; and group 6, 7.5% MO+7.5% CO. Animals were killed at the end of the approximately 6-month feeding period and portions of liver, pancreas and colon mucosa were analyzed for both ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and thymidine kinase (TK) activity while polyamine levels were measured in the liver and pancreas. Statistical analyses were carried out by one-way and two-way ANOVA and by trend analysis. In the pancreas, the highest MO group (group 7) had significantly higher ODC levels when compared with the CO control (group 4) and the next to highest MO group (group 6) (one-way ANOVA)–all non-cholesterol preloaded groups. Using a two-way ANOVA (Chol-by-MO), liver ODC was significantly lower in the CO control when compared with the lowest and highest MO groups (groups 5 and 7, respectively), again in the non-cholesterol-preloaded animals. In the colon, the swine in the Chol-low MO group (group 2) had significantly lower TK activity than the Chol/CO control group (group 1) and Chol/Hi MO group (group 3) (one-way ANOVA) and also had significantly lower activity than all groups except the CO control (group 4) (two-way ANOVA). Liver acetylputrescine in the lowest and highest MO groups (groups 5 and 7, respectively) was significantly higher than in the CO group (group 4). Liver spermidine in the Chol-Hi MO group (group 3) was significantly higher than the Chol-Lo MO group (group 2), while the highest MO group (group 7) had a statistically higher level than the other non-cholesterol groups (groups 4–6) (one-way ANOVA). Liver spermine was significantly higher in the Chol-Hi MO group (group 3) when compared to the CO control (group 1) and the Chol-Lo MO group (group 2) (one-way ANOVA). Pancreatic putrescine in the CO control (group 4) was significantly higher than all other groups (two-way ANOVA) while spermine from the 2 Chol-MO groups (groups 2 and 3) was higher than the Chol-CO control (group 1) (one-way ANOVA). Using trend analysis, liver TK, putrescine and spermidine increased in the non-cholesterol preloaded groups with increasing dietary MO, similar to the increase seen in ODC. Thus, of the three organs studied, only liver responded to menhaden oil with changes in both ODC itself or some of its metabolic engendered products and thymidine kinase; at least for one of the parameters, ODC, change associated with dietary MO was dependent on whether the swine were preloaded with cholesterol.
Wide-field fluorescent microscopy on a cell-phone

We demonstrate wide-field fluorescent imaging on a cell-phone, using compact and cost-effective optical components that are mechanically attached to the existing camera unit of the cell-phone. Battery powered light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are used to side-pump the sample of interest using butt-coupling. The pump light is guided within the sample cuvette to excite the specimen uniformly. The fluorescent emission from the sample is then imaged with an additional lens that is put in front of the existing lens of the cell-phone camera. Because the excitation occurs through guided waves that propagate perpendicular to the detection path, an inexpensive plastic color filter is sufficient to create the dark-field background needed for fluorescent imaging. The imaging performance of this light-weight platform (∼28 grams) is characterized with red and green fluorescent microbeads, achieving an imaging field-of-view of ∼81 mm2 and a spatial resolution of ∼10 μm, which is enhanced through digital processing of the captured cell-phone images using compressive sampling based sparse signal recovery. We demonstrate the performance of this cell-phone fluorescent microscope by imaging labeled white-blood cells separated from whole blood samples as well as water-borne pathogenic protozoan parasites such as Giardia Lamblia cysts.
Inhibitor of Vascular Endothelial Cell Growth in the Lens

Because diabetic eyes with proliferative retinopathy show an increased incidence of iris neovascularization after removal of the lens, we studied the effect of extracts of human and bovine lenses on one of the key events in the neovascular process, endothelial cell proliferation. Both human and bovine lens extracts demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of bovine aorta endothelial cell proliferation that was greatest in extracts with molecular weight of less than 100,000. This inhibition was reversible and the extracts did not significantly inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation. Considerable endothelial cell inhibitory activity was present in bovine lens capsule extracts. These data suggested that the lens may play an active role in the prevention of iris neovascularization.
Major shell centroids in the symplectic collective model

Abstract analytic expressions are given for the major shell centroids of the collective potential V (β,γ) and the shape observable β 2 in the Sp(3, R ) symplectic model. The tools of statistical spectroscopy are shown to be useful, firstly, in translating a requirement that the underlying shell structure be preserved into constraints on the parameters of the collective potential and, secondly, in giving a reasonable estimate for a truncation of the infinite dimensional symplectic model space from experimental B (E2) transition strengths. Results based on the centroid information are shown to compare favorably with results from exact calculations in the case of 20 Ne.
The S/H thermal-neutron absorption cross-section ratio

Abstract Measurements have been made of the S/H, 2200 m s−1 cross-section ratio using a modified Mn bath method. A value of 1.621±0.033 was obtained for this ratio. Taking the H 2200 m s−1 cross section as 332.55±0.69 mbarn, this ratio gives a value of 539±11 mbarn for the 2200 m s−1 neutron cross section of S.
Whatever happened to the KGB

(1998). Whatever happened to the KGB? International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence: Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 26-56.
Comparing the efficacy of prophylactic metoclopramide, ondansetron, and placebo in cesarean section patients given epidural anesthesia.

Abstract Study Objective: To compare the relative efficacy of prophylactic metoclopramide, ondansetron, and placebo in nonemergent cesarean section patients given epidural anesthesia intraoperatively and for the first 24-hour period after delivery. Design: Randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study. Setting: Inpatient obstetric unit at a university hospital center. Patients: 164 nonemergent cesarean section patients given epidural anesthesia. Intervention: At time of umbilical cord clamp, patients received intravenously (IV) either 4 mg ondansetron (Group O) or 10 mg metoclopramide (Group M) or 10 mL normal saline (Group P). Measurements and main results: Episodes and severity of nausea and vomiting, rescue antiemetic requirement, patient satisfaction, and side effects were recorded. The frequency of intraoperative nausea were 24%, 43%, and 57% for Group O, Group M, and Group P, respectively ( p 0.03). The frequency of nausea for the 24-hour study period were 26%, 51% and 71% for Groups O, M, and P respectively ( p 0.03). The frequency of intraoperative and postoperative vomiting were similar between Group O and Group M, but significantly higher in Group P ( p 0.05). Overall patient satisfaction was highest in Group O compared with Groups P and M ( p 0.05). Maximum analog sedation score was higher in Group M compared to Groups O and P ( p 0.05). Conclusions: In cesarean section patients given epidural anesthesia, prophylactic ondansetron, 4 mg IV, is more efficacious and has a higher patient satisfaction than that with metoclopramide, 10 mg IV, or placebo in preventing nausea and achieving complete responses during intraoperative period and the first 24-hour postdelivery period. However, there is no difference between ondansetron and metoclopramide in reducing frequency of vomiting. Prophylactic ondansetron 4 mg IV is more effective in preventing nausea than vomiting.
Flow Direction Determination of Lava Flows

The flow direction technique, previously applied to ash-flow sheets, can be used to determine direction of movement and locate eruptive centers for lava flows. The method provides statistically stronger and more consistent flow direction data for lava than ash-flow tuff. The accuracy and reliability of the technique was established on the porphyritic basaltic andesite of Mount Taylor, New Mexico, which erupted from a known center, the Mount Taylor Amphitheater. The technique was then applied to volcanic units with unknown sources: the John Kerr Peak Quartz Latite and mid-Tertiary andesite flows in the Mogollon Mountains, both in southwestern New Mexico. The flow direction technique indicated flow patterns and suggested source areas for each rock unit. In the Mogollon Mountains flow direction measurements were supported by independent directional criteria such as dips of cross beds, stratigraphic thickening, facies changes, and megascopic textures.-
Complex rotatory dispersion of proteins in the near ultraviolet range.

Abstract The optical rotatory dispersion of scrum albumin, ovalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, α-amylase, β-amylase, α-chymotrypsin, trypsin, and several other globular proteins was studied using visible and ultraviolet light down to a wavelength of 296.7 mμ. It was found that all proteins possessing a dispersion constant ( λ c ) of 240 mμ or less showed simple dispersion in this spectral range, whereas proteins with high λ r exhibited complex dispersion below the wavelength of 365 mμ. Serum albumin was studied at various pH values, and it was found that it showed complex dispersion in the pH range 2.7–11.6. At pH 1.9 the dispersion of the albumin was simple. Serum albumin partially digested at its C-terminal with carboxypeptidase exhibited simple dispersion at pH 2.5, but this albumin returned to its native state when it was neutralized. The results are briefly discussed with respect to the conformation of the proteins.
Sex, ethnicity, age and education effects on the trail making test in A sample of cocaine abusers

Sex, ethnicity, age and education effects on the Trail Making test (TMT), a test often used to for screen for cognitive impairment, were examined in a sample of cocaine abusers in drug abuse treatment programs. A mixed race sample of 5116 males and 2614 females was drawn from electronic files of data from the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS). The DATOS was a naturalistic, prospective cohort study that collected data from 1991-1993 in 96 programs in 11 cities in the United States. The number of cocaine/crack abuser scores available for analysis was 4306. Data were analyzed to determine the effects of sex, ethnicity, age and education variables on the two parts of the TMT in this large treatment sample of cocaine abusers. The variables of sex age, ethnicity and education were statistically significant for both parts A and B of the TMT. In addition, R-Square values for overall models were quite weak (A = .08, B = .11) suggesting that sex, ethnicity, age and education effects on the TMT, while clearly present, account for relatively little overall variance in terms of cocaine users TMT performance. These results are consistent with earlier research using a more heterogenous drug abuse treatment sample.
An analysis of part II of the national board of medical examiners test with regard to questions in emergency medicine

We conducted a study to determine the number of items and successful response rate to questions specific to emergency medicine on the National Board of Medical Examiners Test, Part II (NBME-II). The 1979 and 1983 NBME-II examinations were reviewed by a subcommittee of the Society of Teachers of Emergency Medicine. Items pertaining directly to the core content knowledge base were selected and classified by core content topic and NBME subspecialty. Overall, 14.7% of the 892 items on the 1983 examination pertained to emergency medicine. The successful response rate was 73.3% for the emergency medicine questions. When looked at by sub-specialty categories, the percentage of items pertaining to emergency medicine varied from 1.3% in obstetrics/gynecology to 27.2% of the items in surgery. On the 1979 examination, 13.8% of the questions pertained to emergency medicine, with a successful response rate of 67.1%. Analysis of the data by core content topic showed that some areas (orientation to emergency medicine, ophthalmologic diseases, environmental emergencies, and behavioral emergencies) had two items or fewer on both examinations. Other topics, such as trauma, showed a consistent pattern of questions on both examinations. Our study emphasizes the difficulty of attempting to test competency in the clinical knowledge base of medicine within the artificiality of knowledge base departmental boundaries.
Statistical ensemble approach to stress transmission in granular packings

In this emerging-area review article, I discuss the application of entropic principles to understanding stress fluctuations in dry granular matter close to jamming. The paper reviews recent work that clarifies the conditions necessary for the definition of intensive variables such as compactivity and angoricity of granular packings, and tests of the canonical ensembles resulting from these definitions. The stress ensemble, in which the compactivity is infinite and fluctuations are controlled only by the angoricity, has been used to calculate spatial and temporal correlation functions of stress, and these are discussed in detail. The review closes with an outlook for the future.
Intracellular Targeting Signals Contribute to Localization of Coronavirus Spike Proteins near the Virus Assembly Site

Coronavirus budding at the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) requires accumulation of the viral envelope proteins at this point in the secretory pathway. Here we demonstrate that the spike (S) protein from the group 3 coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) contains a canonical dilysine endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal (-KKXX-COOH) in its cytoplasmic tail. This signal can retain a chimeric reporter protein in the ERGIC and when mutated allows transport of the full-length S protein as well as the chimera to the plasma membrane. Interestingly, the IBV S protein also contains a tyrosine-based endocytosis signal in its cytoplasmic tail, suggesting that any S protein that escapes the ERGIC will be rapidly endocytosed when it reaches the plasma membrane. We also identified a novel dibasic motif (-KXHXX-COOH) in the cytoplasmic tails of S proteins from group 1 coronaviruses and from the newly identified coronavirus implicated in severe acute respiratory syndrome. This dibasic motif also retained a reporter protein in the ERGIC, similar to the dilysine motif in IBV S. The cytoplasmic tails of S proteins from group 2 coronaviruses lack an intracellular localization signal. The inherent differences in S-protein trafficking could point to interesting variations in pathogenesis of coronaviruses, since increased levels of surface S protein could promote syncytium formation and direct cell-to-cell spread of the infection.
Inhibitory effects of pyridoxal phosphate, ascorbate and aminoguanidine on nonenzymatic glycosylation.

Abstract Nonenzymatic glycosylation of serum albumin was studied in the presence of naturally occuring metabolites, pyridoxal, pyridoxal phosphate and ascorbate/dehydroascorbate, and a hydrazine compound, aminoguanidine. Pyridoxal, pyridoxal phosphate, ascorbate and dehydroascorbate, at concentrations of 0.1 mM or greater, significantly inhibited the nonenzymatic glycosylation of albumin. Aminoguanidine was the most potent inhibitor of nonenzymatic glycosylation and 54% or 85% inhibition occurred when 5 or 50 mM aminoguanidine, respectively, was present in the incubation mixture containing 20 mM glucose. A major effect of aminoguanidine was to lower the free glucose concentration in the incubation mixture by a direct reaction with glucose as judged by thin layer chromatography. The present studies suggests that vital metabolites such as pyridoxal phosphate and ascorbate may be potentially important in controlling glucose-induced nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins. Pyridoxal phosphate forms a Schiff base with proteins as does glucose and therefore may be a preferable drug, over aminoguanidine which is a hydrazine, for inhibiting the effects of glucose-induced nonenzymatic glycosylation.
Performance of IEEE 802.11 under Jamming

We study the performance of the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol under a range of jammers that covers both channel-oblivious and channel-aware jamming. We consider two channel-oblivious jammers: a periodic jammer that jams deterministically at a specified rate, and a memoryless jammer whose interfering signals arrive according to a Poisson process. We also develop new models for channel-aware jamming, including a reactive jammer that only jams non-colliding transmissions and an omniscient jammer that optimally adjusts its strategy according to current states of the participating nodes. Our study comprises of a theoretical analysis of the saturation throughput of 802.11 under jamming, an extensive simulation study, and a testbed to conduct real world experimentation of jamming IEEE 802.11 using a software defined radio (GNU Radio combined with USRP boards). In our theoretical analysis, we use a discrete-time Markov chain analysis to derive formula for the saturation throughput of 802.11 under memoryless, reactive and omniscient jamming. One of our key results is a characterization of optimal omniscient jamming that establishes a lower bound on the saturation throughput of 802.11 under arbitrary jammer attacks. We validate the theoretical analysis by means of Qualnet simulations. Finally, we measure the real-world performance of periodic, memoryless and reactive jammers using our GNURadio/ USRP aided experimentation testbed.
Improving the signal-to-noise ratio of a Schlieren system for characterizing ultrasonic transducers

The acousto-optical schlieren method for the measurement of ultrasonic transducer field characteristics has been established as a fast way to veil the beam pattern and directivity of such devices. At the Pennsylvania State University, an Optison schlieren System made by Intec Research is used to analyze transducer beam profiles in both continuous wave and pulsed modes. The schlieren system works by suspending a transducer in a tank of water and sending a pulsed beam of coherent monochromatic light transverse to the beam path. The light received through the tank is focused on a CCD camera. The pressure of the water in the beam path changes the optical index of refraction of the water which in turn results in an image caused by Raman-Nath scattering which can be seen by the camera. Minor fluctuations in the temperature of the water, small bubbles, and particles present in the water (even after filtering the water) can cause noise in the image seen by the camera. In this paper the results of using multiple frame filtering techniques and particle perturbation are analyzed for delivering improved images. This allows better dynamic range and better spatial resolution of actual beam information. Since multiple frames are used, no blurring or other false artifacts are introduce to the images or the reconstructed beam information.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Use of Wall stent to exclude a thrombosed inferior vena cava filter.

The use of inferior vena cava (IVC) filters has increased dramatically over the last two decades. Thrombosis of the IVC is a potentially catastrophic complication of caval filter placement, and its reported incidence ranges 3.6-11.2%, depending on filter type. We present a 69-year-old female with a history of deep vein thrombosis of the right leg. Prior to a planned spinal operation, a Gunther Tulip filter was placed (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN). Postoperatively, the patient developed bilateral iliofemoral thrombosis that extended into the IVC filter. Several weeks passed, and after unsuccessful attempts at recanalization in the community setting, the patient was referred to our group for treatment. After an unsuccessful attempt at balloon angioplasty, two 10 x 60mm Protege GPS stents (EV3, Plymouth, MN) were deployed in the common femoral, external, and internal iliac veins bilaterally. After an unsuccessful attempt at retrieval, the Tulip filter was excluded from the IVC using a 16 x 60mm Wall Stent (Boston Scientific, Natick, MA). Unobstructed flow was now noted from the femoral system all the way through the superior vena cava. The patient experienced immediate relief of her symptoms.
Nonlinear source–filter coupling in phonation: Theory

A theory of interaction between the source of sound in phonation and the vocal tract filter is developed. The degree of interaction is controlled by the cross-sectional area of the laryngeal vestibule (epilarynx tube), which raises the inertive reactance of the supraglottal vocal tract. Both subglottal and supraglottal reactances can enhance the driving pressures of the vocal folds and the glottal flow, thereby increasing the energy level at the source. The theory predicts that instabilities in vibration modes may occur when harmonics pass through formants during pitch or vowel changes. Unlike in most musical instruments (e.g., woodwinds and brasses), a stable harmonic source spectrum is not obtained by tuning harmonics to vocal tract resonances, but rather by placing harmonics into favorable reactance regions. This allows for positive reinforcement of the harmonics by supraglottal inertive reactance (and to a lesser degree by subglottal compliant reactance) without the risk of instability. The traditional linear source–filter theory is encumbered with possible inconsistencies in the glottal flow spectrum, which is shown to be influenced by interaction. In addition, the linear theory does not predict bifurcations in the dynamical behavior of vocal fold vibration due to acoustic loading by the vocal tract.
BiPbSbSrCaCuO superconducting thin films deposited on Ni-based alloy with yttria-stabilized zirconia intermediate layers

Abstract BiPbSbSrCaCuO superconducting thin films were grown as deposited using pulsed laser deposition on polycrystalline metallic alloy substrates with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) intermediate layers. YSZ intermediate layers have ( 111 ) direction perpendicular to alloy surface as determined by X-ray diffraction measurements. X-ray diffraction data show that the BiPbSb SrCaCuO films are c -axis oriented and contain primarily the 2212 phase with minor 2201 and CuO phases. Following an onset of superconducting transition above 90 K, the reproducible zero resistance temperature of these films is 62 K with J c of approximately 620 A/cm 2 at 30 K.
Diagnosis and treatment of group A streptococcal pharyngitis

Although clinical and epidemiological findings suggest group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS) as the cause of an episode of acute pharyngitis, the diagnosis must rely on bacteriologic confirmation (either a throat culture or rapid antigen detection test). Penicillin is the drug of choice for the treatment of pharyngitis caused by GABHS; erythromycin is indicated for those who are allergic to penicillin. Many of the newer cephalosporins and macrolides have been shown to be effective in the treatment of pharyngitis caused by GABHS, but their superiority to penicillin has not been clearly established. Compared with penicillin, these agents have a much broader spectrum of antimicrobial activity and are considerably more expensive; thus, they cannot be recommended for routine use for this infection. For patients who are having multiple episodes of pharyngitis associated with positive throat cultures (for GABHS) or rapid antigen detection tests, the physician must distinguish between those who are streptococcal carriers and those who are having recurrent acute episodes of streptococcal pharyngitis.
Effect of glucose and insulin on small intestinal brush border enzymes in fasted rats.

Fasting reduced small intestinal length. It also decreased mud weight, DNA and protein content, and concentrations of enterokinase, maltase, and sucrase in both duodenal and jejunal segments. In contrast, the concentrations of lactase and leucine aminopeptidase were not affected. Concomitantly, serum insulin levels dropped to one-fifth of the control levels while serum glucose concentrations showed a lesser degree of reduction. Glucose supplementation alone raised the serum insulin level, prevented the decrease in DNA content, and showed a protective effect on mud protein, mud weight, mud thickness, and villus height. Glucose also protected the sucrase and maltase concentrations; more significantly for maltase in the jejunal segment. Insulin alone, although it increased the serum insulin level to that found with glucose supplementation alone, had no protective effect on the loss in protein, DNA, and most enzymes except for maltase concentration in the jejunal segment. Addition of insulin to glucose did not modify the glucose effect on the contents of DNA, protein, and concentrations of sucrase and maltase. These results suggest that the glucose effect on the mum is not mediated by insulin. In addition, the retention of both maltase and sucrase activities through only glucose supple- mentation suggests the loss of maltase and sucrase in fasting is due to nutrient rather than specific substrate restriction.
Urachal carcinoma: clinicopathologic features and long-term outcomes of an aggressive malignancy.

BACKGROUND. Urachal carcinoma (UrC) is a rare malignancy, and patients with this disease have a poor prognosis. In this article, the authors report 50 years of experience with this tumor at the Mayo Clinic. METHODS. A urachal mass was described in 130 patients, and 66 of those masses were malignant. The authors identified multivariate predictors of malignancy in clinically diagnosed urachal masses and predictors of UrC-specific survival. This report presents a novel 4-category staging system for UrC along with the treatment history of this tumor and the results of salvage therapy. RESULTS. Twenty women and 46 men were identified with UrC. The strongest predictors of malignancy in a urachal mass were hematuria and age older than 55 years. The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate was 49%. The new Mayo staging system was less complicated than the Sheldon system, although both systems predicted cancer-specific mortality equally well. Positive surgical margins (hazard ratio [HR], 4.7), high tumor grade (HR, 3.6), positive local lymph nodes (HR, 5.1), metastases at diagnosis (HR, 3.3), advanced tumor stage (HR, 4.8), failure to perform umbilectomy (HR, 3.0), and primary radiation therapy (HR, 2.9) were all univariately associated with death (P < .05). Only grade and margins were significant in the multivariate analysis. No survival benefit was noted for lymphadenectomy or adjuvant therapy. Salvage surgery resulted in a long-term cure for 50% of patients who had local recurrences. No effective treatment was identified for patients with metastatic UrC. CONCLUSIONS. Early and complete extended partial cystectomy, including umbilectomy, is critical to the survival of patients with UrC. The authors recommend using the Mayo staging system in future studies because of its simplicity. The current results indicated that the most important predictors of prognosis were tumor grade and surgical margin status. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
¡Politicemos siempre! o, la cultura como la política-qua-cultura

La interpretacion politica de lo cultural sigue siendo una tarea problematica. El problema reside en las distintas y enfrentadas interpretaciones de lo cultural que maneja el discurso critico. Este articulo explica los dos usos principales del termino —ya sea que se refiera a las artes y la vida intelectual, o a un estilo de vida especifico, segun Raymond Williams— y demuestra como estas dos formas de cultura son, cada cual a su manera, politicas, es decir, constitutivas de la organizacion social jerarquica. El argumento, en consecuencia, no es que lo cultural pueda ser entendido politicamente, sino que tiene que ser entendido e interpretado como tal, que la cultura es, de hecho, la politica–qua–la cultura.