cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demographic, HIV risk behavior, and health status characteristics of “crack” cocaine injectors compared to other injection drug users in three New England cities

Objectives: To compare demographic, HIV risk behaviors, and health status characteristics of injection drug users (IDUs) who have injected “crack” cocaine with IDUs who have not. Methods: Nine hundred and eighty-nine IDUs were recruited in New Haven, CT, Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA from January 2000 to May 2002. Participants were administered a modified version of the National Institute on Drug Abuse Risk Behavior Assessment Questionnaire. Results: Nine percent (n = 89) of participants reported “ever” injecting crack cocaine and 4.2% (n = 42) reported injecting crack in the past 30 days. Lifetime and current crack injectors did not differ significantly on any demographic characteristics. Lifetime and current crack injectors did not differ on gender, age or marital status from IDUs who have never injected crack. Significant differences were found on race, education, employment and residence, with crack injectors more likely to be white, employed, better educated and living in New Haven than IDUs who have never injected crack. After adjusting for current (past 30 day) speedball and powder cocaine injection, crack injectors reported higher rates of risky drug use behaviors and female crack injectors reported higher rates of risky sexual behaviors. Crack injectors reported higher rates of abscesses, mental illness and Hepatitis C infection, but not Hepatitis B or HIV infection. Conclusions: The emergence of crack cocaine injection requires urgent attention, as this new drug use behavior is associated with elevated rates of high risk behaviors. © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
SU‐FF‐T‐184: Automated Dose Determination On the Midsagittal Plane Based On Skin Measurements During TBI

Purpose: To determine the patient dose in the midsagittal plane based on a series of MOSFET measurements on the patient's skin during total body irradiation (TBI). Method and Materials: The patient is in the sitting position with her midsagittal plane perpendicular to the photon beam and covered with water‐equivalent rice bags on the beam side during TBI. The rice bags simulate a box of water surrounding the patient. A plastic plate rests against the patient and the rice bags on the beam side (irradiated from both left and right). Eight to ten MOSFET dosimeters are placed under bolus pieces on the patient's skin on both sides of her body during each beam irradiation. Conversion of the MOSFET readings to midsagittal dose is necessary for the MU adjustments, if necessary. The reasons this is non‐trivial and needs to be done quickly are, (a) the imitated box is not complete on the exit side of the beam, (b) the summation of both the entrance and exit beams need to be considered for dosimetry, (c) some irradiation sites such as the neck and legs have different thicknesses than that of the torso, and (d) MU adjustments need to be determined promptly, since a TBI patient is under tremendous stress. Results: The midsagittal dose can differ from the skin dose by as much as −25% to 40% depending on the irradiation, measurement, and anatomical geometry. The automated code uses the pre‐measured PDD for the TBI setup. The variables are the thickness of the torso, the thickness of the anatomical site (e.g. pelvis or neck), and the distance between the dosimeter and the plastic plate. Conclusion: The automated code designed for TBI dosimetry is robust, accurate, fast, and displays the parallel‐opposed beam geometry that is different for every patient and dosimeter placement.
Setting Aside the Course Reader: The Legal, Economic, and Pedagogical Reasons

In this article we examine the changing status of the course reader as an instructional technology in higher education. We assess the advantages of simply providing students bibliographic entries for assigned readings instead of readers, and we evaluate this alternative in regards to intellectual property and fair use issues focusing on Cambridge University Press v. Becker (2012). A study of 110 course readers showed that 45 % of the readings are freely available either through the university library or open access sources. Finally, we review a number of pedagogical benefits to having students work directly with scholarship within a dynamically hyperlinked environment.
Preference for reward and nonreward odor trails as a function of reinforcement history

Two hundred and twenty-five rats were tested for preference of reward, nonreward, and neutral odor trails. Rats which had previously received partial or varied reward training showed no preference for reward odor trails, while rats which had previously received continuous reward training preferred reward odor trails. The results were seen to have both methodological and theoretical implications for past and future instrumental conditioning experiments.
Chemoproteomic Discovery of AADACL1 as a Regulator of Human Platelet Activation

A comprehensive knowledge of the platelet proteome is necessary for understanding thrombosis and for envisioning antiplatelet therapies. To discover other biochemical pathways in human platelets, we screened platelets with a carbamate library designed to interrogate the serine hydrolase subproteome and used competitive activity-based protein profiling to map the targets of active carbamates. We identified an inhibitor that targets arylacetamide deacetylase-like 1 (AADACL1), a lipid deacetylase originally identified in invasive cancers. Using this compound, along with highly selective second-generation inhibitors of AADACL1, metabolomics, and RNA interference, we show that AADACL1 regulates platelet aggregation, thrombus growth, RAP1 and PKC activation, lipid metabolism, and fibrinogen binding to platelets and megakaryocytes. These data provide evidence that AADACL1 regulates platelet and megakaryocyte activation and highlight the value of this chemoproteomic strategy for target discovery in platelets.
The Care of HIV-Infected Adults in the United States

Background and Methods In order to elucidate the medical care of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States, we randomly sampled HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the contiguous United States at a facility other than a military, prison, or emergency department facility during the first two months of 1996. We interviewed 76 percent of 4042 patients selected from among the patients receiving care from 145 providers in 28 metropolitan areas and 51 providers in 25 rural areas. Results During the first two months of 1996, an estimated 231,400 HIV-infected adults (95 percent confidence interval, 162,800 to 300,000) received care. Fifty-nine percent had the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome according to the case definition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 91 percent had CD4+ cell counts of less than 500 per cubic millimeter. Eleven percent were 50 years of age or older, 23 percent were women, 33 percent were black, and 49 percent were men wh...
Myelodysplasia: the good, the fair and the ugly.

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematopoietic disorders. The molecular pathogenesis of the disease is poorly understood and a large number of fundamental biologic questions remain. This heterogeneity presents challenges in selecting therapy for individual patients as well as for evaluating response to treatment. Only a small number of randomized clinical trials have been conducted, although three new drugs (azacitidine, lenalidomide, and decitabine) have been approved for use in the last few years. Response to most therapies occurs slowly, and sometimes months elapse before response can be evaluated. The response rates for most drugs used or studied for MDS range from
Detection of Antagonistic and Symbiotic Relationships Among Bacteria by Diffusion Chamber Procedure

Abstract Repulsion of lactic acid and adsorption of acetoin by Nuclepore membranes (pore size .4 μ m) were neutralized by addition of surfactants (Tween 80 or Triton DN-65) to aqueous solutions or by broth media. The nonspecific hindrance sites on the membrane were neutralized immediately upon contact with surfactant. Slower diffusion of lactic acid in skim milk, as the concentration of lactic acid was increased, was attributed to increases in viscosity of the skim milk. The diffusion chamber procedure was tested in studies of the diffusion of lactic acid produced by lactic streptococci and antibiotic produced by Streptococcus diacetilactis DRCI. At 30C, the pH of Elliker broth in the receiving chamber lagged 3 to 4h behind the pH of the medium in which lactic acid was being produced. Diffusion of the antibiotic was slower in skim milk than in Elliker broth. In Elliker broth at 20 and 30C, respectively, inhibition of Streptococcus lactis C2 in the receiving chamber became apparent at pH 6.05 (8h) and 5.85 (4h).
Curricular Interventions for Teaching Higher Order Thinking to All Students: Introduction to the Special Series

Editor's Comment: The articles in this special series on curriculum make significant contributions, first, by proposing that the curriculum employed for all students, including those with learning disabilities, should emphasize thinking, problem solving, and reasoning, a point few would disagree with, given the complexities of life in this postindustrial-information age. The authors also provide some evidence that students with learning disabilities can learn and apply sophisticated concepts, rules, and strategies. Furthermore, the authors describe one instructional process that emphasizes higher order thinking, that is, "sameness analysis." This process facilitates the integration of concepts, rules, strategies, schema, systems, heuristics, and algorithms. The authors believe that sameness analysis fosters a holistic understanding of a content area. Over the last several years this journal has contained numerous articles that cogently argued for a more holistic approach to education. Sameness analysis is...
The Political Consequences of Spatial Policies: How Interstate Highways Facilitated Geographic Polarization

In the postwar era, Democratic voters have become increasingly more likely than Republican voters to live in urban counties. Public policies that shape geographic space have been a major contributor to this geographic polarization. This article examines the effect of the Interstate Highway System, the largest public works project in American history, on this phenomenon. Drawing on a database of US highway construction since the passage of 1956 highway legislation, it shows that suburban Interstate highways made suburban counties less Democratic, especially in the South and where highways were built earlier. Metropolitan areas with denser Interstate networks also became more polarized. Analysis of the Youth-Parent Socialization Panel Study (1965–97) reveals individual-level mechanisms underlying these changes: Interstates drew more white and affluent residents, who tended to be Republican, to the suburbs.
Dietary protein restriction and glomerular permselectivity in nephrotoxic serum nephritis.

Dietary protein restriction and glomerular permselectivity in nephrotoxic serum nephritis. We have previously demonstrated that long-term dietary protein restriction ameliorates proteinuria and limits glomerular structural injury in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis. In the present study, we examined the influence of short-term dietary protein restriction on glomerular permselectivity. As compared to nephritic rats maintained on a normal protein diet, whole kidney and single nephron hemodynamics were lower in nephritic rats subjected to dietary protein restriction of three days duration (glomerular filtration rate: 0.79 ± 0.10 vs. 1.46 ± 0.11 ml/min, P -5 , NS. In nephritic rats maintained on 24% protein, fractional clearances were elevated above control values for neutral dextrans with molecular radii exceeding 50 A but were depressed for those with molecular radii below 30 A (P 50 A (P
Neuronal differentiation rescued by implantation of weaver granule cell precursors into wild-type cerebellar cortex

The migration of postmitotic neurons away from compact, germinal zones is a critical step in neuronal differentiation in the developing brain. To study the molecular signals necessary for cerebellar granule cell migration in situ, precursor cells from the neurological mutant mouse weaver, an animal with phenotypic defects in migration, were implanted into the external germinal layer (EGL) of wild-type cerebellar cortex. In this region, labeled weaver precursor cells of the EGL progressed through all stages of granule neuron differentiation, including the extension of parallel fibers, migration through the molecular and Purkinje cell layers, positioning in the internal granule cell layer, and extension of dendrites. Thus, the weaver gene acts nonautonomously in vivo, and local cell interactions may induce early steps in neuronal differentiation that are required for granule cell migration.
Determination of Shape, Gravity, and Rotational State of Asteroid 433 Eros

Abstract Prior to the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission, little was known about Eros except for its orbit, spin rate, and pole orientation, which could be determined from ground-based telescope observations. Radar bounce data provided a rough estimate of the shape of Eros. On December 23, 1998, after an engine misfire, the NEAR-Shoemaker spacecraft flew by Eros on a high-velocity trajectory that provided a brief glimpse of Eros and allowed for an estimate of the asteroid's pole, prime meridian, and mass. This new information, when combined with the ground-based observations, provided good a priori estimates for processing data in the orbit phase. After a one-year delay, NEAR orbit operations began when the spacecraft was successfully inserted into a 320×360 km orbit about Eros on February 14, 2000. Since that time, the NEAR spacecraft was in many different types of orbits where radiometric tracking data, optical images, and NEAR laser rangefinder (NLR) data allowed a determination of the shape, gravity, and rotational state of Eros. The NLR data, collected predominantly from the 50-km orbit, together with landmark tracking from the optical data, have been processed to determine a 24th degree and order shape model. Radiometric tracking data and optical landmark data were used in a separate orbit determination process. As part of this latter process, the spherical harmonic gravity field of Eros was primarily determined from the 10 days in the 35-km orbit. Estimates for the gravity field of Eros were made as high as degree and order 15, but the coefficients are determined relative to their uncertainty only up to degree and order 10. The differences between the measured gravity field and one determined from a constant density shape model are detected relative to their uncertainty only to degree and order 6. The offset between the center of figure and the center of mass is only about 30 m, indicating that Eros has a very uniform density (1% variation) on a large scale (35 km). Variations to degree and order 6 (about 6 km) may be partly explained by the existence of a 100-m, regolith or by small internal density variations. The best estimates for the J2000 right ascension and declination of the pole of Eros are α=11.3692±0.003° and δ=17.2273±0.006°. The rotation rate of Eros is 1639.38922±0.00015°/day, which gives a rotation period of 5.27025547 h. No wobble greater than 0.02° has been detected. Solar gravity gradient torques would introduce a wobble of at most 0.001°.
A mycosis caused by Lagenidium sp. in laboratory-reared larvae of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, and possible chemical treatments

Abstract A mycosis in larvae of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister, was observed about 48 hr after they had molted to second-stage zoeae in the laboratory during a chronic bioassay. The fungus was of the genus Lagenidium and caused about 40% mortality of larvae before the test was terminated. Hyphal development and subsequent sporulation of the fungus was observed over a range of 0–32‰ salinity, with an optimum around 16‰. Bioassays of eight fungicides and the herbicide trifluralin, using the larvae and fungus in separate tests, were performed to explore means of chemical treatment. Trifluralin was the most satisfactory of the chemicals screened, with captan, Cu2+, and benomyl also giving good results for certain treatment intervals of up to 96 hr. Malachite green was toxic to larvae at concentrations inhibiting the fungus.
PTTG acts as a STAT3 target gene for colorectal cancer cell growth and motility

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene (PTTG), the index mammalian securin, is abundantly expressed in several tumors and regulates tumor growth and progression. Molecular mechanisms elucidating PTTG regulation and actions remain elusive. Here, we provide evidence that PTTG acts as a signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 (STAT3) target gene. Total STAT3 and Tyr705 phosphorylated STAT3 were concordantly expressed with PTTG in human colorectal tumors (n=97 and n=95, respectively, P 85%). Impairing PTTG expression by siRNA also strongly suppressed STAT3-faciliated cell migration and invasion by up to 90%. Knocking out PTTG in STAT3-C HCT116 stable transfectants strongly decreased tumor metastases in nude mice, indicating the requirement of PTTG for STAT3-promoted metastasis. These results elucidate a mechanism for tumor cell PTTG regulation, whereby STAT3 induces PTTG expression to facilitate tumor growth and metastasis, and further support the rationale for targeting PTTG to abrogate colorectal cancer growth.
Development of a point-of-care medical device to measure head impact in contact sports

This paper presents a prototype of a wireless, point-of-care medical device to measure head impacts in contact or collision sports. The device is currently capable of measuring linear acceleration, time, and the duration of impact. The location of the impact can also be recorded by scaling the prototype design to multiple devices. An experimental apparatus was built to simulate head impacts and to verify the data from the device. Preliminary results show that the biomechanical measures from the device are sufficiently accurate.
Switching and amplification in WDM systems

In this paper we discuss several intriguing issues pertaining to wavelength-division-multiplexed optical systems. An indepth treatment is made of topics which include wavelength routing, packet contention resolution, and incorporating Erbium-doped fiber-optic amplifiers.
Electrochemical activation of acyl ligands in organometals. ESR studies of acetyl- and benzoyliron(III) complexes

Abstract The anodic oxidation of two series of acyliron(II) complexes, the neutral CpFe(CO) 2 COR(I) and the anionic CpFe(CO)(CN)COR − (II) where R = CH 3 and C 6 H 5 , are examined in acetonitrile solutions. The cyclic voltammograms of II are reversible, whereas those of I are irreversible even at sweep rates as high as 10 V s −1 . The neutral CpFe III (CO)(CN)COCH 3 radical is sufficiently stable at 20°C to examine its ESR spectrum, as well as the kinetics and mechanism of thermal decomposition to afford acetone in high yields. However the cation-radical CpFe III (CO) 2 COCH + 3 from I is too reactive to observe directly, and it undergoes rapid solvolytic substitution in the presence of ethanol to afford ethyl acetate. The distinction between neutral and cationic acyliron(III) radicals is discussed in the context of acyl activation of organometals by electrochemical methods.
The effect of training on the results of the isoinertial 6-foot incremental lift strength test

Abstract A study was designed to determine whether training has an affect on the results of the isoinertial 6-foot incremental lift strength test. The study involved having five male and five female subjects participate in a two week training program in which the subjects trained on the isoinertial 6-foot incremental weight machine. The results of the study showed that the training protocol used in this study increased the mean of the results of the test by approximately 14% for male subjects and 23% for female subjects. These findings were statistically significant at the α = 0.05 level.
Electrical conductivity and vapor-sensing properties of ω-(3-thienyl)alkanethiol-protected gold nanoparticle films

Gold nanoparticles protected with thiophene-terminated alkanethiols having different alkane chain lengths have been synthesized, and vapor-sensing properties of their spin-coated films have been investigated. Transmission electron microscopy and measurement of the sulfur and gold peak areas of the films by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicate gold core diameters in the 3−5-nm range. Exposure of the films to chloroform, toluene, hexane, and ethanol vapors results in significant and selective increases in electrical resistance, with the response to the vapors having the following order: toluene > chloroform > hexane ≫ ethanol. The magnitude of the maximum resistance change correlates well with solubility properties of the protected gold nanoparticles, as determined by optical absorbance spectroscopy and the energy of the gold plasmon. The detection sensitivity of the films increases with increasing alkanethiol chain length. These data are consistent with a sensing mechanism in which organic vapors cau...
Woodstock of physics revisited

Ten years have passed since the now famous American Physical Society meeting that heard the first breathless accounts of high-temperature superconductivity. Now, in calmer times, practical applications are emerging.
An Application of Logic to Combinatorial Geometry: How Many Tetrahedra are Equidecomposable with a Cube?

It is known (see Rapp [9]) that elementary geometry with the additional quantifier “there exist uncountably many” is decidable. We show that this decidability helps in solving the following problem from combinatorial geometry: does there exist an uncountable family of pairwise non-congruent tetrahedra that are n-equidecomposable with a cube? Mathematics Subject Classification: 03B25, 03C80, 51M04, 52B05, 52B10.
Integration of spatial maps in pigeons

The integration of spatial maps in pigeons was investigated using a spatial analog to sensory preconditioning. The pigeons were tested in an open-field arena in which they had to locate hidden food among a 4x4 grid of gravel-filled cups. In phase 1, the pigeons were exposed to a consistent spatial relationship (vector) between landmark L (a red L-shaped block of wood), landmark T (a blue T-shaped block of wood) and the hidden food goal. In phase 2, the pigeons were then exposed to landmark T with a different spatial vector to the hidden food goal. Following phase 2, pigeons were tested with trials on which they were presented with only landmark L to examine the potential integration of the phase 1 and 2 vectors via their shared common elements. When these test trials were preceded by phase 1 and phase 2 reminder trials, pigeons searched for the goal most often at a location consistent with their integration of the L-->T phase 1 and T-->phase 2 goal vectors. This result indicates that integration of spatial vectors acquired during phases 1 and 2 allowed the pigeons to compute a novel L-->goal vector. This suggests that spatial maps may be enlarged by successively integrating additional spatial information through the linkage of common elements.
New ionization techniques in mass spectrometry

Abstract This paper provides a brief introduction to multiphoton ionization and a general overview of the ionization techniques for nonvolatile polar organic molecules. Included in this latter category are desorption CI, field desorption (FD), thermospray, ion evaporation, 252Cf plasma desorption, heavy ion induced desorption (HIID), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), fast atom bombardment (FAB), and laser desorption (LD). Mechanisms for desorption/ionization and parameters influencing the performance of each of these methods are discussed.
The influence of dietary calcium reduction on aluminum absorption and kinetics in the rabbit.

There is considerable evidence of an aluminum (Al)-calcium (Ca) interaction, including potentiation of Al accumulation and toxicity by Ca deficiency. To elucidate the influence of dietary Ca on Al absorption, rabbits were maintained on a low-Ca (0.024%) or a Ca-replete (0.83%) diet for 2 wk prior to testing. Once weekly, Al hydroxide, nitrate, citrate, or lactate or sucralfate was given orally, or Al lactate was given intravenously (iv). Oral Al bioavailability was determined by comparison of the area under the Al concentration-time curve to that obtained after iv Al. Neither oral Al bioavailability nor the pharmacokinetic parameters of iv Al lactate was significantly affected by dietary Ca concentration. When measured before the weekly Al treatments, total serum Ca of rabbits fed the low-Ca diet averaged 88% of rabbits fed the Ca-replete diet. Total serum Ca 1–72 h after Al treatment decreased from 1% (Al hydroxide) to 15% (Al citrate) below pretreatment concentrations.
Pathobiology of articular cartilage in trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis. II. Surface ultrastructure by scanning electron microscopy

Regional variation in the surface ultrastructure of hyaline cartilage in the osteoarthritic trapeziometacarpal joint was studied by means of scanning electron microscopy. Articular surface degeneration on intact osteochondral specimens was analyzed and correlated with known patterns of gross, histologic, and biochemical disease. The earliest changes were observed in the tangential surface lamina and occurred in areas of chondromalacia in the palmar contact area of the joint. Progressive disruption of this superficial fibrillar layer of the articular cartilage was followed by disorganization of the underlying chondrocytes and matrix. In palmar regions with more advanced chondromalacia and loss of eosinophilic staining, free cellular elements and craters 20-30 microns in diameter, resembling empty chondrocyte lacunae, appeared in conjunction with the absence of any tangential surface meshwork. Eburnated areas demonstrated no fibrillar or cellular elements. Disruption of the protective surface lamina of trapeziometacarpal articular cartilage occurs in a geographic pattern corresponding to joint contact areas and regions of selective biochemical decomposition of proteoglycan matrix. These observations support an interdependent relationship between mechanically induced abrasive surface wear and biochemical matrix degradation in the production of the cartilage lesion of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis.
Men Sexually Interested in Transwomen (MSTW): Gendered Embodiment and the Construction of Sexual Desire

This article extends research on transgenderism by providing a sociological study of men who are sexually interested in transwomen (MSTW; viz., genetic males who use estrogen to feminize their body but retain their penis). We conducted fieldwork in a bar catering to transwomen and the men who were sexually interested in them, and did on-the-spot interviews with the MSTW. We initially examined the nature of MSTW's sexual attraction to transwomen, followed by how this related to their sexual orientation identity. Using a sexual fields approach (Green, 2008), we first found how the ambience of the bar helped to create an erotic environment through a heightened sense of gender. Then, focusing on the theory of embodiment (Jackson & Scott, 2007), we saw how the MSTW constructed a unique sexual desire according to the sexual orientation identity they brought to the situation. Those who identified as “straight” tended to gloss that the transwoman had a penis, while the bisexually identified men were more likely t...
A common component involved in the induction of hepatic tyrosine transaminase by hydrocortisone and glucagon.

Abstract As shown earlier for the corticosteroid-mediated induction, the initial induction of hepatic tyrosine transaminase by glucagon or cyclic AMP, although sensitive to actinomycin D or cordycepin, is not significantly inhibited by 5-azacytidine, which promotes the synthesis of defective mRNA. However, once induced by glucagon or cyclic AMP, the subsequent corticosteroid-mediated induction of the enzyme occurs only after a prolonged lag and is now sensitive to inhibition by 5-azacytidine. Similarly, following initial induction by glucagon or cyclic AMP, there is also a lag of 8 h before the induction response elicited by a second dose of glucagon or cyclic AMP again becomes maximal. These correlations and apparent interdependence of the inductions by glucagon (cyclic AMP) and hydrocortisone strongly suggest that a common component is involved at some stage of the induction by these two hormones, despite other obvious differences in their mechanisms of induction.
A simple example of a classical gauge transformation

Attention is given to the manner in which the interaction of a gravitational field with a diffusing gas is induced by a gauge transformation. Since the gas can be thought of as a field, the diffusion process may be represented by a Lagrangian density with the symmetry property of invariance under translation. While this property is lost when the field interacts with a static gravitational field, it is formally restored when an appropriate gauge transformation is performed. This ascription of field properties to a gas offers an illuminating illustration of the coupling of matter to a gauge field within the context of classical mechanics.
LIGHT QUENCHING OF FLUORESCENCE: A NEW METHOD TO CONTROL THE EXCITED STATE LIFETIME AND ORIENTATION OF FLUOROPHORES

Experimental studies have recently demonstrated that fluorescence emission can be quenched by laser light pulses from modern high-repetition rate lasers, a phenomenon we call "light quenching." In this overview article, we describe the possible effects of light quenching on the steady-state and time-resolved intensity and anisotropy of fluorophores. One can imagine two classes of experiments. Light quenching can occur within the single excitation pulse, or light quenching can be accomplished with a second time-delayed quenching pulse. The extent of light quenching depends on the amplitude of the emission spectrum at the quenching wavelength. Different effects are expected for light quenching by a single laser beam (within a single laser pulse) or for a time-delayed quenching pulse. Depending upon the polarization of the light quenching beam, light quenching can decrease or increase the anisotropy. Remarkably, the light quenching can break the usual z-axis symmetry of the excited state population, and the measured anisotropy (or polarization) depends upon whether the observation axis is parallel or perpendicular to the propagation direction of the light quenching beam. The polarization can increase to unity under selected conditions. Quenching with time-delayed light pulses can result in step changes in the intensity or anisotropy, which is predicted to result in oscillations in the frequency-domain intensity and anisotropy decays. These predicted effects of light quenching, including oscillations in the frequency-domain data, were demonstrated to occur using selected fluorophores. The increasing availability and use of pulsed laser sources requires consideration of the possible effects of light quenching and offers the opportunity for a new class of two-pulse or multiple-pulse time-resolved experiments where the sample is prepared by the excitation pulse and subsequent quenching pulses to modify the excited state population, followed by time- or frequency-domain measurement of the optically prepared excited fluorophores.
Dynamic Selection of Persistence and Transport Layer Protocols in Challenged Networks

This work applies a distributed algorithm utilizing Markov Random Fields (MRFs) to the problem of dynamically selecting Session and Transport layer protocols in challenged networks such as mobile ad-hoc networks. It motivates the problem by identifying the primary network properties which affect Message Delivery Ratio (MDR) in networks with varying degrees of connectivity and traffic load. Using this information, local and remote observations are used to select a set of protocols which should perform the best. Analysis shows that dynamically selecting a set of protocols can deliver up to 50% more messages in challenged environments, and never under-performs statically choosing protocols.
Survival impact of nodal disease in hard palate and maxillary alveolus cancer.

Objective: Evaluate the impact of primary site stage and cervical metastasis on the survival of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the hard palate or maxillary alveolus. Study Design: Cross-sectional population analysis of prospectively maintained database. Methods: Cases of hard palate and maxillary alveolus SCC from 1988–2004 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Demographic data and extent of disease were extracted for each case, and T-stage, and N-stage were computed. Survival differences according to T-stage and N-stage were determined with the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Results: Four hundred eleven cases of maxillary alveolus and 314 cases of hard palate SCC were identified, for a total of 725 cases (53.9% female, mean age: 70.9 years). The prevalence of cervical metastasis was not significantly different according to primary site (P = .181); advanced N-stage significantly correlated with more advanced T-stage (P < .001). Of the 725 cases, 4.1% of T1 tumors, 14.9% of T2 tumors, 10.3% of T3 tumors, and 24.7% of T4 tumors had cervical nodal metastases. The mean overall survivals were 96.5, 69.1, 67.8, and 49.3 months for T1–T4 tumors, respectively (P < .001). With regard to N-stage, the mean survivals were 73.7, 69.7, 29.8, and 5.5 months for N0–N3 lesions, respectively (P < .001). Nodal metastasis effect on survival remained significant (P < .039) in stratified survival analysis except for T3 lesions (P = .205). Conclusions: Survival in patients with SCC of either the hard palate or maxillary alveolus is significantly influenced by T-stage and a nonnegligible rate of cervical nodal metastases. Laryngoscope, 119:312–315, 2009
Data driven modeling of human welder intelligence: A neuro-fuzzy approach

Modeling of skilled human welder's response to 3D weld pool surface can help develop next generation intelligent robotic welding systems and train welders faster. In this paper, neuro-fuzzy based data driven modeling of human welder intelligence is conducted. An innovative vision system is utilized to real-time measure the specular 3D weld pool surface under strong arc interference. Experiments are designed to produce random changes in the welding speed and voltage resulting in fluctuations in the weld pool surface. Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System is proposed to correlate skilled human welder response to the fluctuating 3D weld pool surface. It is found that the proposed neuro-fuzzy model can model the human welder intelligence with good accuracy. Comparison of the novice and skilled human welder also reveals detailed adjustments made by the skilled human welder and help train the novice welder. A foundation is thus established to explore the mechanism and transformation of human welder's intelligence into robotic welding system.
High-frequency extraterrestrial noise investigations

Studies are currently being made of the high-frequency noise caused by extraterrestrial radiations. A program of investigation is discussed and the design and construction of equipment used to study these noise phenomena are described
Thermographic measurement of sexual arousal: a discriminant validity analysis

Thermographic measurement was discovered to be a valid method for assessing human sexual arousal, in that it achieved adequate discriminant validity and that it covaried with self-reports of sexual arousal. The advantages of this procedure over other physiological methods are that it provides a thermogram indicating flow rate and transfer of heat, allows for cross-gender comparisons, and is a more ecologically valid method of assessing sexual arousal.
Epidemiologic study of cadmium and lead in the hair of ceramists and dental personnel.

Ceramists may be exposed to heavy metal‐containing dusts and vapors, especially when working with colored glazes. Because cadmium‐ and lead‐containing glazes are commonly used, an epidemiologic study of the hair content of these metals among 70 ceramists in central New York was conducted. A comparably aged group of 75 dentists and orthodontists in the same geographic area was used as the control cohort. The median levels of both metals in the hair of the ceramists were significantly higher than those among the dental personnel. Most variables, including work habits and elements of the occupational setting, showed no significant effects on the concentrations of cadmium and lead in ceramists’ hair. However, those ceramists whose studios were ventilated showed significantly lower levels of both metals in their hair. The use of protective masks or respirators was associated with significantly higher levels of cadmium in the hair of ceramists. A review of the literature on the subject is presented and the heal...
Electrophysiological and morphological investigation of bupivacaine-induced myopathy and terminal sprouting in the rat.

Abstract The effects of various concentrations of bupivacaine on the extensor muscles of rats were studied. The drug was applied to the muscles either in situ or in a bath through perfusion. Bupivacaine produced a concentration- and temperature-dependent depolarization of surface fibers which could not be antagonized by blockers of sodium and potassium conductance or by altering the concentrations of sodium, calcium, or chloride ions. Concentrations of bupivacaine above 50 μ m blocked nerve-evoked muscle action potentials. The blockade of nerve conduction recovered within 12 h of drug application in vivo. When bath-applied, 50 to 100 μ m bupivacaine increased miniature end-plate potential frequency two- to threefold, decreased the amplitude, and shortened the decay phase of the transient potential. When applied to the muscle in vivo, and studied at periods beyond 24 h, concentrations of bupivacaine to 1 m m had no effect on the membrane potential or spontaneous and evoked transmitter release. Additionally, no signs of denervation appeared when the extensor muscle was studied at 24-h or longer intervals. Muscles exposed to 5 m m bupivacaine were significantly depolarized by day 3 but at that time had miniature end-plate potentials of normal amplitude and time course. The synaptic apparatus remained intact throughout the period of degeneration and subsequent regeneration of muscle fibers as confirmed by light microscopy. At 50 μ m bupivacaine, no fiber degeneration was observed, yet as early as 12 h after its application a significant degree of terminal sprouting was seen in all muscles. As many as 35% of the end-plates showed terminal sprouts at day 10 with 5 m m bupivacaine and a significant number of those sprouts made neuromuscular contacts at distances greater than 800 μ m from an end-plate. A low-profile extrajunctional acetylcholine sensitivity was recorded at 3 and 10 days after application of bupivacaine (5 m m ) in vivo. The results ruled out muscle inactivity and degeneration per se as possible stimuli for terminal sprouting. Induction of terminal sprouting by bupivacaine in the absence of degeneration of the muscle fiber and in the presence of an apparently intact neuromuscular apparatus was the most significant finding.
David Solomons (1912–1995)—An Appreciation

David Solomons had a major impact on policy deliberations, and often on policy itself, in standard-setting, financial reporting and in educational preparation for the profession, on both sides of the Atlantic. At the same time, he made many admirable and important contributions to the research and professional literature, and he headed associations of accounting academics in two countries. He had the remarkable ability to translate complex notions into simple, understandable terms, accessible to a wide audience. In 1955, he was appointed the first professor of accounting at the University of Bristol, and in 1958 he served as chairman of the Association of University Teachers of Accounting (AUTA). Solomons’ 1956 and 1961 articles signalled the end of a long era of unquestioned reliance on the system of articles for the education and training of English chartered accountants. In the early 1970s, Solomons added standard-setting to his previous interests in accounting history, cost accounting, financial accounting theory and accounting education.
A crossflow model of dispersion in packed bed reactors

A three-parameter model of axial and radial dispersion in a packed tubular reactor is proposed as an alternative to the Fickian dispersion model. Though it is formulated in terms of differential equations, it requires no exit boundary condition, so it is mathematically more convenient than the Fickian model. Examples of its application to chemical reactors are given.
Sustainability of light water reactor fuel cycles

Abstract This paper compares the sustainability of two light water reactor, LWR, fuel cycles: the once-through UOX (low-enriched uranium oxide) cycle and the twice-through MOX (Mixed Uranium-Plutonium Oxide) cycle (increasing the input efficiency of available uranium) by assessing their probable long-term competitiveness. With the retirement of diffusion enrichment facilities, enrichment prices have declined by one-third since 2009 and are likely to remain below $100-kgSWU for the foreseeable future. Here, initial uranium prices are set at $90/kgU and reprocessing costs at $2500 per kilogram of heavy-metal throughput, representative of “new-build” costs for reprocessing facilities. Substantial reprocessing cost reductions must be achieved if MOX is to be competitive, i.e., if it is to improve the sustainability of the LWR. However, results indicate that preserving the MOX alternative for spent fuel management later in this century has a large present value under several sets of assumptions regarding uranium price increases and reprocessing cost decreases.
The amplitude and angle of saccades to double-step target displacements.

Abstract Two experiments examined the magnitude and direction of the initial saccade to a target that underwent two displacements within 200 msec. When the amplitude of the two target displacements was held constant at 10 deg but the angle of the displacements differed by 45 deg, a small but significant number of intermediate-angle saccades occurred. These intermediate-angle saccades were directed to locations between the two targets, thereby generating an angle transition function, and their amplitude was 10–20% less than the amplitude on single-step displacements. These intermediate-angle saccades were not simply the result of programming an oblique saccade because amplitude transition functions virtually identical to those reported by Becker and Ju¨rgens [Vision Res.19, 967–983 (1979)] for horizontal saccades were obtained for double-step target displacements limited to oblique saccades. Finally, when both target amplitude and target angle were varied in double-step displacements, it became clear that the timing of the amplitude transition function and the angle transition function was not coincident. Across conditions, the angle transition function occurred at a consistent time prior to the initial saccade, whereas the amplitude transition function occurred at a variable time prior to the initial saccade. Because these amplitude and angle transition functions appeared to be dissociated, a modified model of the saccadic programming system for double-step displacements was proposed.
The development of stimulus control in a three-member chained schedule

Following VI training to peck a “blank” key, two groups of 10 pigeons each were trained for 20 days with a chained schedule (chain VI 40 sec, VI 40 sec, VI 40 sec). For Group 1 the stimulus sequence was: (S3) blank key, (S2) white line, and (S1) a 555mu light, which was reinforced. For Group 2, S2 and S1 were reversed.
Prophylactic and therapeutic effect of para-aminobenzoic acid and sodium salicylate on experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Summary and Conclusions1. Progressive acute disseminated encephalomyelitis was produced in 90% of a group of guinea pigs by the subcutaneous injection of water in oil emulsions of homologous brain tissue plus adjuvants.2. While prophylaxis and treatment with moderate dosages of either para-aminobenzoic acid or sodium salicylate alone provided no protection of guinea pigs against experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, the use of larger dosages of salicylate as well as combined salicylate and para-aminobenzoic acid therapy were effective in preventing this disease.3. Effective prophylaxis was demonstrated only when the medication was started before or shortly after the sensitizing injection of brain tissue was given.4. No therapeutic effect of sodium salicylate alone or combination of para-aminobenzoic acid with sodium salicylate could be shown.
Epigenetic regulation of hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways in the ethanol-fed cystathionine beta synthase-deficient mouse.

We tested the hypothesis that the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver injury is mediated by epigenetic changes in regulatory genes that result from the induction of aberrant methionine metabolism by ethanol feeding. Five-month-old cystathionine beta synthase heterozygous and wild-type C57BL/6J littermate mice were fed liquid control or ethanol diets by intragastric infusion for 4 weeks. Both ethanol-fed groups showed typical histopathology of alcoholic steatohepatitis, with reduction in liver S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), elevation in liver S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and reduction in the SAM/SAH ratio with interactions of ethanol and genotype effects. Hepatic endoplasmic reticulum stress signals including glucose-regulated protein-78 (GRP78), activating transcription factor 4, growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible gene 153 (GADD153), caspase 12, and transcription factor sterol response element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) were up-regulated in ethanol-fed mice with genotype interactions and negative correlations with the SAM/SAH ratio. Immunohistochemical staining showed reduction in trimethylated histone H3 lysine-9 (3meH3K9) protein levels in centrilobular regions in both ethanol groups, with no changes in trimethylated histone H3 lysine-4 levels. The chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed a decrease in levels of suppressor chromatin marker 3meH3K9 in the promoter regions of GRP78, SREBP-1c, and GADD153 in ethanol-treated heterozygous cystathionine beta synthase mice. The messenger RNA expression of the histone H3K9 methyltransferase EHMT2 (G9a) was selectively decreased in ethanol-fed mice. Conclusion: The pathogenesis of alcoholic steatohepatitis is mediated in part through the effects of altered methionine metabolism on epigenetic regulation of pathways of endoplasmic reticulum stress relating to apoptosis and lipogenesis. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
A Search for a Distant Companion to the Sun with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

I have used multi-epoch astrometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer to perform a search for a distant companion to the Sun via its parallactic motion. I have not found an object of this kind down to W2 = 14.5. This limit corresponds to analogs of Saturn and Jupiter at 28,000 and 82,000 AU, respectively, according to models of the Jovian planets by Fortney and coworkers. Models of brown dwarfs by Burrows and coworkers predict fainter fluxes at a given mass for the age of the solar system, producing a closer distance limit of 26,000 AU for a Jupiter-mass brown dwarf. These constraints exclude most combinations of mass and separation at which a solar companion has been suggested to exist by various studies over the years.