cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to papers on Kleinian groups, their fractal limit sets, and IFS: history, recollections, and acknowledgments

IN HISTORICAL SEQUENCE, Kleinian groups came before the Fatou-Julia theory, and I explored those topics in the same sequence. But in this book, I inverted history and have put forward my best foot, or at least the best known one. This introduction will also explain the mysterious initials IFS. As in Chapter C2, some names are first printed in bold italics when it seems useful.
Electrochemical Characterization of a Nickel-Phosphorus Coating on Diamond Grits

Machining tools electroplated with coated diamond abrasives are widely used because of their high wear resistance. However, the inconsistent quality caused by coating failure has hindered tools’ performances and service lives. In the present work, experimental investigation through electrochemical approach was conducted on a coating electrolessly plated on diamond grits. A newly designed working electrode with nickel-phosphorus alloy coating was fabricated. Subsequently, immersion test, potentiodynamic polarization, and linear polarization resistance (LPR) and open circuit potential (OCP) monitoring were performed on this electrode, in order to reveal insight from the failure mechanisms of coatings. Morphological characterization was carried out before and after both the potentiodynamic polarization experiments and immersion test. The results showed that, in a low-concentration (60 g/L nickel sulfamate) bath, the coating cracked and stripped off because of the current assisted breakthrough of pinholes, while the coating has less damage in the high-concentration (300 g/L nickel sulfamate) bath because of an extra passivation stage at lower potential (−0.30 V versus OCP). The increase in OCP and decrease in corrosion rate over time indicated the continuous coating cracking and exposure of the nobler diamond substrate. LPR and OCP monitoring is an effective approach to evaluate the coating durability before the coated diamond grits are actually used in wire saw manufacturing. The electrochemical characterization methods used in this work can be applied to other core-shell systems with metal coatings and particulate substrates.
Bladder and ureteral injuries during benign hysterectomy: an observational cohort analysis in New York State.

Hysterectomy (Hys) is the most common non-urologic surgery associated with iatrogenic genitourinary (GU) injury. We present the largest known population-based evaluation of GU injury related to benign Hys. The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) was queried by ICD-9 and CPT codes. SPARCS for women from 1995 to 2014, who underwent laparoscopic or robotic Hys (minimally invasive surgery = MIS), abdominal Hys (AH), and vaginal Hys (VH) for benign diagnoses. Bladder and ureteral repairs were captured based on the procedure codes. Codes for ureteroneocystotomy (UNC) were compared to any other ureteral repairs, to elucidate injury patterns. Statistical analysis was conducted using Chi squared test, ANOVA, Mann–Whitney test and Poisson Regression and multivariable analysis were performed. 516,340 women underwent Hys for a benign etiology. 69% were AH, 25% VH, and 6% were MIS. 7490 patients (1.45%) had a concomitant GU injury. Compared to VH, MIS and AH were associated with greater odds of bladder and ureteral injury (p < 0.001). MIS and AH, compared to VH, were associated with reduced odds of UNC compared to complex reconstruction (OR 0.27, p < 0.001 and OR 0.12, p < 0.00, respectively). The injured cohort had higher total mean charges ($29,889 vs $15,808) and length of hospitalization (6.32 vs 3.56 days) (p < 0.001). Bladder and ureteral injuries during hysterectomy are uncommon in contemporary practice and are lower than historical rates. GU injury increases hospitalization cost. VH is associated with the lowest rate of GU injury, and thus appears to be a valuable approach, when feasible.
Trauma among children and legal implications

Trauma is a public health crisis that is increasingly growing and spreading into every facet of our communities, including our school systems, prison systems, and medical systems. When children exp...
Plant Parasitic Nematodes of Tennessee and Kentucky

With similar topographies and soils, Kentucky and Tennessee grow many of the same row and field crops, although differences do occur. Tennessee is a significant cotton production state, whereas Kentucky’s production is small. Kentucky has an enormous production of hay and alfalfa, largely in support of its horse industry. Tennessee is a much larger producer of commercial vegetables, especially fresh tomatoes and snap beans. Significant early research efforts on nematodes occurred in both states. The major nematode problems are similar, although both states need up-to-date surveys. Soybean cyst nematode is a major pathogen and root-knot nematodes are particularly important in vegetable production. Reniform nematode is a growing problem in Tennessee on cotton but has not yet reached Kentucky. Lesion nematodes are diverse and abundant in both states, but estimating pathogenicity has been a challenge. Recently recognized nematode pests, such as the cyst nematode Vittatidera zeaphila, probably are underestimated as future problems. Climate change likely will make these states hotter and drier, resulting in new challenges to major crop and forage production.
Modifications to the MELCOR-TMAP code to simultaneously treat multiple fusion coolants

Abstract This paper describes recent progress at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in developing the MELCOR-TMAP computer code for fusion. The MELCOR-TMAP for fusion computer code is being developed by INL’s Fusion Safety Program (FSP) by modifying the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC’s) MELCOR computer code for fission reactor severe accident analyses. Recently the INL FSP completed the process of merging INL’s Tritium Migration Analysis Program (TMAP) with MELCOR to provide the US fusion community with a more comprehensive tool for analyzing accidents in future fusion reactors. However, prior to the present modifications, a MELCOR-TMAP user could only substitute one of a number of available fusion coolants for MELCOR’s default coolant of water. This new capability corrects this modeling gap needed for safety assessments of fusion reactors that contain more than a single coolant. In this article, we discuss the present code modifications, benchmark MELCOR-TMAP against predictions from previous versions of the MELCOR code, illustrate the application of the code to analysis of an accident in a multiple fluids reactor concept, and describe future plans for the MELCOR-TMAP code.
Isolated cardiac tamponade following blunt trauma in an infant

Abstract This is a case of a 6-month old female with no prior medical history who presented to the emergency department following a high-speed motor collision with ejection of an improperly installed car seat. The patient was hemodynamically unstable with tachycardia, poor perfusion, and marks from the car seat. A focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) ultrasound exam revealed no intraabdominal fluid, but evidence of cardiac tamponade which was confirmed by chest CT angiography. No cardiac or great vessel injury was present. A pericardial window was performed using a subxiphoid approach and 150 mLs of blood was drained resulting in immediate hemodynamic stabilization. The patient continued to improve from a cardiac stand point but her hospital course was complicated by iatrogenic right arm ischemia due to arterial line attempt. The patient was discharged after a 12-day hospital stay.
Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR): Initiation and Surgical Technique in the Pediatric Population.

Surgical outcomes in the field of congenital heart surgery have dramatically improved over the last several decades. This success has led to sicker and more complex children presenting for major corrective surgery. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) in form of mechanical circulatory support that has become an integral service of most congenital heart programs; the concept of ECPR is essentially the rapid and effective initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), usually at the bedside and often on an infant who has just undergone repair of a complex congenital heart defect. The financial resources and personnel that must be dedicated to an ECPR program exceed those of routine ECMO programs and must be justified relative to the surgical complexity that a particular institution chooses to offer its patients. With the appropriate dedication of resources and personnel, ECPR has been shown to improve postoperative survival as compared to outcomes when this service is not available.
Video-Based Education in Lung Cancer Screening.

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the USA; the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates upwards of 220,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year. Recently, the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) agreed to cover LC screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT) for patients; however, CMS requires prior documentation of a shared decision-making (SDM) visit between the patient and the referring clinician to inform them about risks of screening. LC screening programs have begun to use YouTube for patient recruitment, education, and marketing of screening. The objective of this study is to shed light on the role of YouTube in lung cancer screening in terms of guidelines, screening options, target population, steps after screening, and risks and benefits of screening. We searched YouTube.com ™ to identify videos dealing with lung screening using the keywords: lung cancer screening. Videos without sound, uploaded before 2009, longer than 20 min, duplicate videos, and videos in a language other than English were excluded. This method yielded 123 videos that fit criteria. Videos were coded for inclusion of LC screening process, risks and benefits of screening, screening guidelines, risk factors for LC, and treatment options after LC diagnosis. One hundred twenty-three videos had a cumulative 261,261 views across all videos. A total of 38.7% of the videos included no mention of United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) or CMS guidelines for LC screening. Only 30% included any mention of the risks associated with screening: 14% mentioned false positives, 12% radiation, and 4% anxiety associated with screening. Ninety-two percent of all videos sampled were intended for patients, and the majority of videos were created by medical institutions (66%) and news channels (17%). Lung cancer screening videos on YouTube’s platform have garnered a substantial amount of views. While all videos sampled highlighted the benefits of LC screening, the majority fail to discuss the risks associated with the screening process. Most videos were produced for marketing purposes rather than educational and therefore should not be used as a substitute for SDM visits.
Implant-based Breast Reconstruction Outcomes Comparing Freeze-dried Aseptic Alloderm and Sterile Ready-to-use Alloderm.

The use of acellular dermal matrix has revolutionized implant-based breast reconstruction in the 21st century. There have been a number of different dermal matrices introduced to clinical use and their equivalence has been debated. The purpose of this study is to examine a sequential series of acellular dermal matrix assisted implant-based breast reconstructions by a single surgeon and to compare the outcomes between a freeze-dried (FD) Alloderm cohort and a sterile ready to use Alloderm cohort. Methods After institutional review board approval, all consecutive implant-based breast reconstructions of a single surgeon (D.S.W.) from January 2009 to June 2016 were examined. Two hundred thirty-six patients received either FD Alloderm in the first 151 breasts reconstructed or sterile ready-to-use Alloderm in the last 227 breasts. Results The FD Alloderm patients had more tissue expander reconstructions performed and were all subpectoral placement. The ready-to-use Alloderm patients had more direct-to-implant procedures and some prepectoral placements. The complication rates were similar for seroma, hematoma, skin necrosis, and dehiscence. There were more infections, implant losses, and unexpected reoperations in the FD Alloderm group. Conclusion The rate of infection, explantation, and unexpected reoperation was lower in the sterile ready-to-use Alloderm group versus the FD Alloderm group.
miR-22 inhibition reduces hepatic steatosis via FGF21 and FGFR1 induction

Background & Aims Metabolism supports cell proliferation and growth. Surprisingly, the tumor suppressor miR-22 is induced by metabolic stimulators like bile acids. Thus, this study examines whether miR-22 could be a metabolic silencer. Methods The relationship between miR-22 and the expression of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and its receptor FGFR1 was studied in cells and fatty livers obtained from patients and mouse models. We evaluated the effect of an miR-22 inhibitor alone and in combination with obeticholic acid (OCA) for the treatment of steatosis. Results The levels of miR-22 were inversely correlated with those of FGF21, FGFR1, and PGC1α in human and mouse fatty livers, suggesting that hepatic miR-22 acts as a metabolic silencer. Indeed, miR-22 reduced FGFR1 by direct targeting and decreased FGF21 by reducing the recruitment of PPARα and PGC1α to their binding motifs. In contrast, an miR-22 inhibitor increases hepatic FGF21 and FGFR1, leading to AMPK and ERK1/2 activation, which was effective in treating alcoholic steatosis in mouse models. The farnesoid x receptor-agonist OCA induced FGF21 and FGFR1, as well as their inhibitor miR-22. An miR-22 inhibitor and OCA were effective in treating diet-induced steatosis, both alone and in combination. The combined treatment was the most effective at improving insulin sensitivity, releasing glucagon-like peptide 1, and reducing hepatic triglyceride in obese mice. Conclusion The simultaneous induction of miR-22, FGF21 and FGFR1 by metabolic stimulators may maintain FGF21 homeostasis and restrict ERK1/2 activation. Reducing miR-22 enhances hepatic FGF21 and activates AMPK, which could be a novel approach to treat steatosis and insulin resistance. Lay summary This study examines the metabolic role of a tumor suppressor, miR-22, that can be induced by metabolic stimulators such as bile acids. Our novel data revealed that the metabolic silencing effect of miR-22 occurs as a result of reductions in metabolic stimulators, which likely contribute to the development of fatty liver. Consistent with this finding, an miR-22 inhibitor effectively reversed both alcohol- and diet-induced fatty liver; miR-22 inhibition is a promising therapeutic option which could be used in combination with obeticholic acid.
Coming of Age on the Edge of Town: Perspectives in Growing up in a Rural Trailer Park

The study of the transition to adulthood has emerged as a hot topic research area as an increasing amount of scholarship considers pathways experienced by young people as they come of age. While much of this research has focused on urban and suburban populations, we have seen little attention paid of the experiences of rural youth. This analysis makes use of ethnographic data collected over the course of two decades in rural mobile home park. These data provide a unique opportunity to examine how that developmental context is experienced by young people as they transition to adulthood using a long range rather than point in time view of development.
Supergravity duals of gauge theories from F(4) gauged supergravity in six dimensions

We construct supergravity solutions dual to twisted field theories that are the worldvolume theories of D4-branes wrapped on 2, 3-cycles, and NS-fivebranes on 3-cycles. We first obtain the solutions for the Romans' six-dimensional gauged supergravity theories and then up-lift them to ten dimensions. In particular, we find solutions for field configurations with either non-Abelian fields or B-fields being excited. One of these solutions, in the massless case, is up-lifted to the massless type IIA string theory. This is the first example of such a kind. The cases studied provide new examples of the AdS/CFT duality involving twisted field theories.
An Optimized Control Approach for HIFU Tissue Ablation Using PDE Constrained Optimization Method

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a widely used technique capable of providing noninvasive heating and ablation for a wide range of applications. However, the major challenges lie in the determination of the position and the amount of heat deposition over a target area. In order to assure that the thermal area is confined to tumor locations, an optimization method should be employed. Sequential quadratic programming and steepest gradient method with closed-form solution have been previously used to solve this kind of problem. However, these methods are complex and computationally inefficient. The goal of this article is to solve and control the solution of inverse problems with partial differential equation (PDE) constraints. Therefore, a distinguishing challenge of this technique is the handling of large numbers of optimization variables in combination with the complexities of discretized PDEs. In our method, the objective function is formulated as the square difference between the actual thermal dose and the desired one. At each iteration of the optimization procedure, we need to develop and solve the variation problem, the adjoint problem, and the gradient of the objective function. The analytical formula for the gradient is derived and calculated based on the solution of the adjoint problem. Several factors have been taken into consideration to demonstrate the robustness and efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The simulation results for all cases indicate the robustness and the computational efficiency of our proposed method compared to the steepest gradient descent method with the closed-form solution.
Relations of Memories to Other Entities and GME Solutions for the Linear Chain

Relations of the memory function (GME) theory of exciton transport to other theories and entities in statistical mechanics and condensed matter, as well as solutions of the GME theory for a specific system of special interest to experiments, the linear chain, were the content of this chapter. Our theory is built as a generalization of the theories of Forster as well as Dexter but looks quite different from those developed by Haken and Reineker, and by Grover and Silbey. It was shown that the approaches can be unified by establishing relations among them by inspecting them all in terms of memory functions. Their conceptual differences from the GME theory were also analyzed. It was argued that each method has its own particular purpose and use, separate from the others. The connection between memory functions in probability equations and correlation functions encountered more usually in statistical mechanics within the framework of linear response was analyzed. The two examples selected for this comparison were velocity correlation functions used in mobility or conductivity theory, (Kubo 1957), and scattering functions used in neutron diffraction (Van Hove 1954b). Respectively, they find application in charge mobility physics and in the study of the movement of hydrogen atoms and other interstitials in metals. The next content of the chapter was explicit solutions of the GME extended to have the simple Wigner-Weisskopf incorporation of incoherence in them. These solutions will be useful in subsequent chapters where the effect of coherence is studied on transient grating, Ronchi ruling, and sensitized luminescence observations. Solutions for the full SLE case (with hopping terms added) were also provided. Finally in this chapter, partially nonlocal memories and transfer rates were shown to arise from strong intersite coupling. This chapter thus connects memory functions, primary to the book, to more familiar entities in statistical mechanics and condensed matter physics.
Feeling responsible: Emotion and practical ethics in conflict journalism:

This article examines the role of emotion in the practices of journalists reporting on conflict and its effects in South Sudan, based on a thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews and ethnog...
Classifying Reasonability in Retellings of Personal Events Shared on Social Media: A Preliminary Case Study with /r/AmITheAsshole.

People regularly share retellings of their personal events through social media websites to elicit feedback about the reasonability of their actions in the event's context. In this paper, we explore how learning approaches can be used toward the goal of classifying reasonability in personal retellings of events shared on social media. We collect 13,748 community-labeled posts from /r/AmITheAsshole, a subreddit in which Reddit users share retellings of personal events which are voted upon by community members. We build and evaluate a total of 21 machine learning models across seven types of models and three distinct feature sets. We find that our best-performing model can predict the reasonability of a post with an F1 score of .76. Our findings suggest that features derived from the post and author metadata were more predictive than simple linguistic features like the post sentiment and types of words used. We conclude with a discussion on the implications of our findings as they relate to sharing retellings of personal events on social media and beyond.
Children and Adolescents on Hemodialysis and Transplantation Programs

I try not to sound like Woody Allen when I say this, because while the point is made more tolerable by humor, we tend to forget the pain of it also. The thesis is that we forget the universal fact of death, we who are pledged to treat illness; we forget and repress the pain of death and the psychological demands that death makes upon us as an inevitable fact of our lives. We tend to do this more with children and adolescents than with adults, because a child’s death strikes us as untimely and cruel, a life cut short, an event worse than tragic because children and adolescents are innocent and we, as adults, partake of their spotlessness and assumed longevity. In treating children and adolescents, therefore, we must attend not only to their growth, habilitation, and promise in life, but also to our capacities to remember and tolerate untimely death, loss, or grief.
Systemes de prestations de soins prioritaires dans les pays de l'est: Le cas de l'union Sovietique

Abstract The Soviet Union has been selected as a case for the study of medical priorities in Eastern socialist societies. Contrary to Marx's prediction, socialist revolutions did not take place in economically advanced societies, but in underdeveloped ones. The Soviet Union was such a society in 1917. This kind of society is characterized by the existence of a ruling body (the Communist Party) with quasi- absolute powers of policy and decision-enforcement in practically all spheres. The concern of the Party has been, almost from the beginning, the economic development of Soviet society for defensive purposes and to build an economic base that would eventually ensure the material abundance implied in the Communist promise. In the light of limited trained human and material resources, the Party has run Soviet society with definite programs and short-term goals, and has husbanded these resources to accomplish these goals. Because of its importance in maintaining the health and the productive capacity of the population, the health system has received fairly constant attention from the regime almost from the beginning. But in order to enforce its scheme of priorities the regime has seen to it that health personnel all become state employees and that all health facilities become property of the state. This has allowed a degree of control over the health system consistent with the goals of the regime, with competing other sectors of the society, and available resources. The priority formula for the health system are the minimum resources compatible with a certain level of functioning on the part of the population. In general, the Soviet health system is characterized by its bureaucratic centralization, its labor rather than capital intensiveness, the very high percentage of women in medicine and other health occupations, and the relative neglect of the rural population. It is a national health service and not a national insurance scheme. The relevance of the Soviet pattern and priorities for other under-developed societies is limited by the fact that this system is a product of the Soviet political system, and implies certain structures of total control that other societies might be reluctant to adopt. There are, however, other features of that system that present an interest to those concerned with providing a modicum of health care in under-developed societies.
The glycine-rich region of Escherichia coli D-serine dehydratase. Altered interactions with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate produced by substitution of aspartic acid for glycine.

Replacement of glycine by aspartic acid at either of two sites in a conserved, glycine-rich region inactivates the pyridoxal 5′-phosphate-dependent enzyme D-serine dehydratase (DSD) from Escherichia coli. To investigate why aspartic acid at position 279 or 281 causes a loss of activity, we measured the affinity of the G—-D variants for pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and a cofactor:substrate analog complex and compared the UV, CD, and fluorescence properties of wild-type D-serine dehydratase and the inactive variants. The two G—-D variants DSD(G279D) and DSD (G281D) displayed marked differences from wild-type D-serine dehydratase and from each other with respect to their affinity for pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and for a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate:glycine Schiff base. Compared to the wild-type enzyme, the cofactor affinity of DSD(G279D) and DSD(G281D) was decreased 225- and 50-fold, respectively, and the ability to retain a cofactor:glycine complex was decreased 765- and 1970-fold. The spectral properties of the inactive variants suggest that they form a Schiff base linkage with pyridoxal 5′-phosphate but do not hold the cofactor in a catalytically competent orientation. Moreover, the amount of cofactor aldamine in equilibrium with cofactor Schiff base is increased in DSD(G279D) and DSD(G281D) relative to that in wild-type DSD. Collectively, our findings indicate that introduction of a carboxymethyl side chain at G-279 or G-281 directly or indirectly disrupts catalytically essential protein-cofactor and protein-substrate interactions and thereby prevents processing of the enzyme bound cofactor:substrate complex. The conserved glycine-rich region is thus either an integral part of the D-serine dehydratase active site or conformationally linked to it.
Initiation of Protein Synthesis by Folate-sufficient and Folate-deficient Streptococcus faecalis R BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METHIONINE TRANSFER RIBONUCLEIC ACID

Abstract The initiation of protein synthesis by Streptococcus faecalis grown in folate-free culture occurs without N-formylation or N-acylation of methionyl-tRNAfMet. The biochemical and biophysical properties of the tRNAMet from wild type S. faecalis grown under normal cultural conditions in the presence of folate (plus folate) were determined and compared with the properties of the tRNAMet from wild type cells grown in the absence of folate (minus-folate). Two methionine tRNA species, tRNAfMet and tRNAmMet, were isolated from both the plus- and minus-folate cells by chromatography on BD-cellulose. The tRNAfMet from minus-folate cells could be distinguished from the tRNAfMet from plus-folate cells with the BD-cellulose, reversed-phase chromatography (RPC)-3, and RPC-5 chromatographic systems; however, the tRNAmMet species derived from minus- or plus-folate cells were indistinguishable in all of the systems tested. The unformylated methionyl-tRNAfMet from minus-folate S. faecalis binds more efficiently to salt-washed ribosomes in response to initiation factors and poly(A,G,U) than methionyl-tRNAfMet from plus-folate cells. No ribothymidylic acid is detectable in the enzymic nucleotide hydrolysate of purified minus-folate tRNAfMet derived from minus-folate S. faecalis cells, although this minor nucleotide is present in the tRNAfMet derived from plus-folate S. faecalis and Escherichia coli cells. The Tm values of both plus-folate and minus-folate S. faecalis tRNAfMet resemble those of rat liver and yeast tRNAfMet more closely than either E. coli or Clostridium pasteurianum tRNAfMet. The per cent hyperchromicity is about 30% for all six initiator tRNAs tested. The circular dichroism spectra of the plus- and minus-folate tRNAfMet species, as well as the other procaryotic and the eucaryotic tRNAfMet species, were very similar, but not identical. Methionyl-tRNA synthetase of S. faecalis, Escherichia coli, bakers' yeast, and rat liver are all capable of catalyzing the aminoacylation of plus- and minus-folate S. faecalis tRNAfMet to a comparable extent. The procaryotic, but not the eucaryotic, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are capable of catalyzing the aminoacylation of S. faecalis tRNAmMet derived from plus- or minus-folate cells. These results establish that the absence of folate in the growth medium of wild type S. faecalis mediates a structural alteration in the tRNAfMet, and suggest that the ability of wild type minus-folate S. faecalis to initiate protein synthesis without formylation of the tRNAfMet is directly related to the structural modification of the initiator tRNA.
Dentin dysplasia Type I: Clinical, morphologic, and genetic studies of a case

Abstract Dentin dysplasia Type I is a rare hereditary disturbance in dentin formation characterized by teeth with short blunted roots, complete pulpal obliteration, periapical abscesses or cysts without an obvious causative factor, and spontaneous exfoliation. This report describes the clinical, radiographic, histologic, ultrastructural, and genetic features of dentin dysplasia Type I in a 17-year-old boy and discusses the features which separate it from dentin dysplasia Type II and dentinogenesis imperfecta.
Higher-order terms in theV-A theory of the weak interactions and leptonic scattering processes at high energies

In this paper an attempt is made to evaluate higher-order corrections for theV-A theory of the weak interactions. Instead of the customary cut-off method, a perturbative expansion at the second order inGμ is employed. Then we compute the second-order Feynman diagrams introducing indetermined subtraction constants to make the matrix elements finite. This analysis is applied to the leptonic scattering process at high energies. It is shown that their cross-sections can be parametrized in terms of one unknown constantb1, under the assumption thatb1≫1. Ifb1 is sufficiently large,i.e. b1≅104, the second-order corrections to the first-order leptonic processes and the cross-sections of the second-order processes are sizable and could be detected at NAL. Finally the consequences of the lack of the diagonal interaction in theV-A leptonic Lagrangian are discussed.
Climate effects on inter-annual variation in growth of the freshwater mussel (Anodonta beringiana) in an Alaskan lake

Summary 1. Warming trends are evident in many parts of the globe but are especially marked at higher latitudes, with complex effects on the biota that include direct effects on growth potential and indirect effects through food webs. 2. Air temperatures have been increasing over the past 50 years in southwestern Alaska, affecting the growth and population dynamics of many organisms, including a variety of aquatic species such as the freshwater mussel Anodonta beringiana. 3. We collected freshwater mussels from Iliamna Lake, in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, and measured their shells to examine climatic effects on growth patterns. 4. Linear mixed effects models and ordinary least square linear regressions revealed strong positive correlations between local air temperatures (especially in May, October and the summer months) and inter-annual variation in mussel growth. Slower mussel growth was also significantly correlated with later date of ice break-up, which was linked to air temperatures in late spring.
Antioxidant Nutrients and Cancer Incidence and Mortality: An Epidemiologic Perspective

Publisher Summary Patterns of cancer vary regionally, with a preponderance of cancers of the lung, breast, large bowel, uterine corpus, and prostate in developed countries, contrasted by a preponderance of cervical, mouth/pharynx, esophageal, and liver cancers in the developing world. Smoking exposes lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids in the lungs and upper aerodigestive tract to oxidants. Lung tissue is exposed to a relatively high concentration of oxygen by virtue of its role in oxygenation of the body. Thus, oxidative stress is important in the etiology of tobacco-related cancers and lung cancer. However, all cells are exposed to oxidative stress, and thus oxidation, and free radicals, may be important in carcinogenesis at multiple tumor sites. Evidence suggests that free radicals may play a role in the initiation of carcinogenesis. Free radical metabolites of many known carcinogens may initiate carcinogenesis by direct DNA damage. Also, by-products of lipid peroxidation, including malondialdehyde and lipid peroxides, are mutagenic and may be carcinogenic. Lipid peroxidation compromises cellular membranes, which may affect the activity of membrane-bound enzymes, many of which are involved in the activation and detoxification of carcinogens. Because our antioxidant defense systems are not completely efficient, it has been proposed that increasing dietary antioxidants may be important in diminishing the cumulative effects of oxidative damage over the long human life span. Considered are the nutrients β -carotene, vitamins C and E, and selenium. There is overview of epidemiologic studies of antioxidant nutrients and cancer. On antioxidant nutrients and cancer prevention, mentioned are observational studies and intervention trials on colon/rectum, oral cavity, lung, esophagus/stomach, bladder, uterine cervix, and skin. The chapter delves into the issue of the effects of antioxidant nutrients and other dietary factors on survival in cancer patients, and emphasis is put on seeking explanation for the apparently discordant findings of observational studies versus intervention trials.
A cadaveric simulation of distal femoral traction shows safety in magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of a distal femoral traction pin subjected to a 1.5-T magnetic resonance image (MRI) with regard to pin migration and implant heating in a cadaveric model. Methods: Deflection angles of various traction pins as well as a Bohler-style Steinmann Pin Tractor Bow (tractor bow) and a Kirschner wire bow subjected to a 1.5-T clinical MRI were measured. Tractions pins were placed into a cadaveric femur and the tractor bow was attached to the most distal pin to simulate distal femoral traction. Temperature and migration were measured after subjecting the cadaveric leg to a "worst-case scenario" MRI sequence for 30 minutes. Results: All traction pins and bows showed deflection. The Kirschner wire bow showed a hazardous level of deflection and was immediately removed from further testing. The pin temperature changes were not significantly different than the changes in the MRI room temperature and a conduction loop was not seen in the combination pin and tractor bow. There was no significant migration of any pin nor was there objective loosening from pin vibration. Conclusions: Implant-quality stainless steel traction pins show no signs of adverse heating or pin migration when subjected to 1.5-T MRI clinical scanning. Kirschner bows are highly ferromagnetic and should not be used unless individually tested for safety. Steinmann Pin Tractor Bows that show weak ferromagnetism preliminarily appear safe to use during a 1.5-T MRI and do not produce a conduction loop with excessive heating in a cadaveric model, although further testing is indicated.
Health risk assessment of chemical mixtures from a research perspective.

Human exposures to chemicals in the environment and workplace typically involve chemical mixtures. One of the key risk assessment issues for mixtures is that of extrapolation from high to low dose. Observation of an interaction among chemicals in a mixture at high concentrations in animals does not necessarily mean that the same effect, in type or magnitude, will be significant in humans exposed to lower concentrations of the mixture. Physiologically based toxicokinetic (PBTK) models can be used to assist in the extrapolation from high to low dose. Mechanisms observed in animals such as competitive inhibition of xenobiotic metabolism (e.g., butadiene and styrene or benzene and toluene) can be incorporated into PBTK models. The models can then be used to predict the magnitude of the interactive effects at high and low exposure concentrations. The most relevant predictions can then be tested using selected experiments. A research strategy involving hypothesis generation through quantitative modeling and testing through laboratory-based experiments may be the most effective strategy for addressing the complex issue of human health risks from exposures to chemical mixtures.
The Grief Process as a Social Construct

The grief process was observed as a social construct during a 1981–82 field study of three widows support groups in Phoenix, Arizona. The grief process was accepted by widows and professionals as a...
Ecosystem structure, nutrient dynamics, and hydrologic relationships in tree islands of the southern Everglades, Florida, USA

Abstract Tree islands are an important structural component of many graminoid-dominated wetlands because they increase ecological complexity in the landscape. Tree island area has been drastically reduced with hydrologic modifications within the Everglades ecosystem, yet still little is known about the ecosystem ecology of Everglades tree islands. As part of an ongoing study to investigate the effects of hydrologic restoration on short hydroperiod marshes of the southern Everglades, we report an ecosystem characterization of seasonally flooded tree islands relative to locations described by variation in freshwater flow (i.e. locally enhanced freshwater flow by levee removal). We quantified: (1) forest structure, litterfall production, nutrient utilization, soil dynamics, and hydrologic properties of six tree islands and (2) soil and surface water physico-chemical properties of adjacent marshes. Tree islands efficiently utilized both phosphorus and nitrogen, but indices of nutrient-use efficiency indicated stronger P than N limitation. Tree islands were distinct in structure and biogeochemical properties from the surrounding marsh, maintaining higher organically bound P and N, but lower inorganic N. Annual variation resulting in increased hydroperiod and lower wet season water levels not only increased nitrogen use by tree species and decreased N:P values of the dominant plant species (Chrysobalanus icaco), but also increased soil pH and decreased soil temperature. When compared with other forested wetlands, these Everglades tree islands were among the most nutrient efficient, likely a function of nutrient immobilization in soils and the calcium carbonate bedrock. Tree islands of our study area are defined by: (1) unique biogeochemical properties when compared with adjacent short hydroperiod marshes and other forested wetlands and (2) an intricate relationship with marsh hydrology. As such, they may play an important and disproportionate role in nutrient and carbon cycling in Everglades wetlands. With the loss of tree islands that has occurred with the degradation of the Everglades system, these landscape processes may have been altered. With this baseline dataset, we have established a long-term ecosystem-scale experiment to follow the ecosystem trajectory of seasonally flooded tree islands in response to hydrologic restoration of the southern Everglades.
Activation of fibrinolytic pathways is associated with duration of supraceliac aortic cross-clamping.

Abstract Purpose The cause of the coagulopathy seen with supraceliac aortic cross-clamping (SC AXC) is unclear. SC AXC for 30 minutes results in both clotting factor consumption and activation of fibrinolytic pathways. This study was undertaken to define the hemostatic alterations that occur with longer intervals of SC AXC. Methods Seven pigs underwent SC AXC for 60 minutes. Five pigs that underwent infrarenal aortic cross-clamping (IR AXC) for 60 minutes and 11 pigs that underwent SC AXC for 30 minutes served as controls. No heparin was used. Blood samples were drawn at baseline, 5 minutes before release of the aortic clamp, and 5, 30, and 60 minutes after unclamping. Prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, platelet count, and fibrinogen concentration were measured as basic tests of hemostatic function. Thrombin-antithrombin complexes were used to detect the presence of intravascular thrombosis. Fibrinolytic pathway activation was assessed with levels of tissue plasminogen activator antigen and tissue plasminogen activator activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 activity, and α2-antiplasmin activity. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student t test and repeated measures of analysis of variance. Results Prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and platelet count did not differ between groups at any time. Fibrinogen concentration decreased 5 minutes ( P = .005) and 30 minutes ( P = .006) after unclamping in both SC AXC groups, but did not change in the IR AXC group. Thrombin-antithrombin complexes increased in both SC AXC groups, but were not significantly greater than in the IR AXC group. SC AXC for both 30 and 60 minutes produced a significant increase in tissue plasminogen activator antigen during clamping and 5 minutes after clamping. This increase persisted for 30 and 60 minutes after clamp release in the 60-minute SC AXC group. Tissue plasminogen activator activity, however, increased only in the 60-min SC AXC group during clamping ( P = .02), and 5 minutes ( P = .05) and 30 minutes ( P = .06) after unclamping, compared with both control groups. Conclusions Thirty and 60 minutes of SC AXC results in similar degrees of intravascular thrombosis and fibrinogen depletion. Although SC AXC for both 30 and 60 minutes leads to activation of fibrinolytic pathways, only 60 minutes of SC AXC actually induces a fibrinolytic state. Fibrinolysis appears to be an important component of the coagulopathy associated with SC AXC, and is related to the duration of aortic clamping.
Why do patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma experience distant metastases: can they be prevented?

Purpose of review This article will examine recent publications that enhance our understanding of this process, and current areas of investigation for therapeutic intervention in preventing and treating metastatic disease. Recent findings Recent investigations have led to insights into the mechanisms of cellular adhesion, invasion, and angiogenesis. E-cadherin, integrins, and selectins are all pivotal in cell-cell adhesion and communication. Recent advances in the area of tumor angiogenesis have led to our discovery of endostatin, an anti-angiogenic peptide that has potential in treating metastatic head and neck cancer. Current trials looking at sentinel node mapping may allow us to evaluate the nodal status of early head and neck cancer and identify a subset of patients at risk for distant metastasis. Summary As our understanding of metastatic disease increases, so will our ability to intervene in the various pathways involved in metastatic evolution. Metastatic cells are likely to respond differently to chemotherapeutic agents. Agents inhibiting specific aspects of invasion, adhesion, and angiogenesis will need to be combined to intervene at these key steps. Continued investigation into the biology of the epidermal growth factor receptor has led to an increased understanding of the mechanisms of abrogation of apoptosis, increased cellular motility, and metastasis. Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway with the monoclonal antibody C-255 has been shown to inhibit these processes and will likely be effective in reducing the development of distant metastasis.
A coupled multi-block solution procedure for spray combustion in complex geometries

Turbulent spray-combusting flow in complex geometries is presently treated by a coupled implicit procedure that employs finite-rate chemistry and real gas properties for combustion, as well as the stochastic separated model for spray and a multiblock treatment for complex geometries. Illustrative numerical tests conducted encompass a steady-state nonreacting backward-facing step flow, a premixed single-phase combustion flow, and spray combustion flow in a gas turbine combustor.
Further Studies on Pale Western Cutworm Control in Kansas, 1968–69

Three field tests were conducted on winter wheat in Kansas during 1968 and 1969 using 11 insecticides against Agrotis orthogonia Morrison. All, except disulfoton at 0.75 lb Al/acre and Bux® Insecticide ( m -(1-ethylpropyl) phenyl methylcarbamate mixture (1–4) with m -(1-methylbutyl) phenyl methylcarbamate) at 1 lb Al/acre, significantly reduced larval populations below the untreated check. However, only CL-47031 (cyclic ethylene (diethoxyphosphinyl) dithioimidocarbonate) at 0.75 and 0.375 lb Al/acre and monocrotophos at 0.3 and 0.6 lb Al/acre were superior to the endrin standard. None of the treatments increased seed yields in irrigated wheat. In dryland wheat, however, monocrotophos, endosulfan, and Lannate® ( S -methyl N -[(methylcarbamoyl) oxy]thioacetimidate) significantly increased seed yields.
Tunable THz detector based on a grating gated field-effect transistor

A split-grating-gate detector design has been implemented in an effort to combine the tunability of the basic grating-gate detector with the high responsivity observed in these detectors when approaching the pinchoff regime. The redesign of the gates by itself offers several orders of magnitude improvement in resonant responsivity. Further improvements are gained by placing the detector element on a thermally isolating membrane in order to increase the effects of lattice heating on the device response.
First-principles local-orbital density-functional study of Al clusters.

We report ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations of small aluminum clusters, ${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{n}}$ of n=2--6 and 12, 13, 55, and 147, using the density-functional, local-orbital method of Sankey. Equilibrium structures and total energies were calculated and compared with experiment and the predictions of other calculations. The minimum energy structure of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{13}$ and ${\mathrm{Al}}_{55}$ are found to be distorted icosahedrons, whereas that of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{147}$ appears to be a slightly distorted cubo-octahedron. The vibrational density of states was calculated for most of these clusters. We also performed embedded-atom method calculations for ${\mathrm{Al}}_{13}$, ${\mathrm{Al}}_{55}$, and ${\mathrm{Al}}_{147}$ and compared these calculations to the ab initio calculations.