cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical order in mixed-cation silicate glasses and melts

Cation ordering in covalent oxide glasses and melts profoundly affects the macroscopic properties, such as viscosity, diffusivity, and thermodynamic potentials. It is commonly assumed that in glasses and melts nonframework cations such as ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+},$ ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{2+},$ and ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{2+}$ distribute randomly around nonbridging oxygen (NBO). Several macroscopic studies on the melting of silicates and thermodynamic data have suggested that a possible nonrandomness may exist among cations around NBO in mixed-cation silicate glasses. Here, we report unambiguous experimental evidence of chemical ordering of nonframework cations and demonstrate a clear preference for certain types of cation-NBO complexes in mixed-cation silicate glasses using ${}^{17}\mathrm{O}$ magic angle spinning (MAS) and multiple quantum MAS NMR. Particularly, complete bonding preference and cation ordering occurs in Ba-Mg silicate glasses $({\mathrm{BaMgSi}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{6})$ glass in such a way that nonbridging oxygen either only has ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{2+}$ as a nearest neighbor (Ba-NBO) or exists as a complex containing one ${\mathrm{Ba}}^{+}$ and two ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{2+}$ as nearest neighbors while no detectable fraction of Mg-NBO is observed. Ba-Na silicate glasses, on the other hand, show a wide distribution of configurations for two types of cations around NBO, forming Ba- and Na-NBO as well as substantial intensity of mixed NBO peaks, which indicates a prevalence of dissimilar pairs around NBO or a stronger preference to $\mathrm{Ba}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{O}{\ensuremath{-}}^{[4]}\mathrm{Si}$ over $\mathrm{Na}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{O}{\ensuremath{-}}^{[4]}\mathrm{Si}.$ The present results, combined with the previous results on Na-Ca silicate glasses, highlight the tendency for chemical ordering upon cation mixing in oxide glasses and may provide an atomistic explanation for diffusivity anomalies as well as activity-composition relationship of silicate melts.
High pregnancy weight gain and risk of excessive fetal growth

Objective The purpose of this study was too assess whether prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) modifies the relationship between pregnancy weight gain and large for gestational age (LGA; > 90% of birthweight for gestational age) or macrosomia (≥ 4500 g). Study Design This was a population-based cohort study of 104,980 singleton, term births from 2000-2005. Results Prepregnancy BMI modified the relationship between weight gain and LGA. Lean women had higher odds of LGA than overweight or obese women for weight gain ≥ 36 lb. For macrosomia, prepregnancy BMI did not modify the association. Compared with women who gained 15-25 lb, the aOR for a gain of 26-35 lb was 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.9), for a gain of 36-45 lb was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.7-2.7), and for a gain of ≥ 46 lb was 3.9 (95% CI, 3.0-5.0). Conclusion Current pregnancy weight gain recommendations include weight gain ranges that are associated with increased risk of LGA and macrosomia.
Rekindling Desire: A Step-By-Step Program to Help Low-Sex and No-Sex Marriages

In Rekindling Desire: A Step-by-Step Program to Help Low-Sex and No-Sex Marriages, Barry and Emily McCarthy offer a practical self-help guide for couples struggling with low sexual desire in their ...
Contextualized approaches to introductory computer science: the key to making computer science relevant or simply bait and switch?

America's youth perceive Computer Science to be difficult, tedious, boring, irrelevant and asocial. Unfortunately, many traditional introductory Computer Science classes and textbooks do little to improve that image. In contrast, contextualized approaches to teaching introductory Computer Science are very attractive. Instead of writing a leap year program, students can learn about conditional statements by programming a robot to follow a light, or by creating an animation to tell a story, or even by modifying a picture of the college president so that she is wearing a neon orange jacket instead of a navy blue one. The arguments in favor of contextualized approaches to attract non-Computer-Science-majors to our classes are very persuasive. But what about students who then choose to major or minor in Computer Science? Of course we want to offer them interesting and engaging first courses in Computer Science, and indeed this may help with our efforts to attract more students to our programs. But what happens in subsequent semesters? The purpose of this paper is to initiate a general discussion on the use of any sort of "cool" new approach into both undergraduate and K-12 Computer Science education. These approaches successfully attract students to study subjects that we ourselves are deeply engaged in. But we need to discuss as a community what happens to students who do choose to major or minor in Computer Science when our individual classes conclude and the rest of their studies commence.
Magnetic field configurations associated with fast solar wind

In this paper, we consider the implications of the observed inverse correlation between solar wind speed at Earth and the expansion rate of the Sun-Earth flux tube as it passes through the corona. We find that the coronal expansion rate depends critically on the large-scale photospheric field distribution around the footpoint of the flux tube, with the smallest expansions occurring in tubes that are rooted near a local minimum in the field. This suggests that the fastest wind streams originate from regions where large coronal holes are about to break apart and from the facing edges of adjacent like-polarity holes, whose field lines converge as they transit the corona. These ideas lead to the following predictions: (1) Weak holes and fragmentary holes can be sources of very fast wind. (2) Fast wind with steep latitudinal gradients may be generated where the field lines from the polar hole and a lower-latitude hole of like polarity converge to form a mid-latitude ‘apex’. (3) The fastest polar wind should occur shortly after sunspot maximum, when trailing-polarity flux converges onto the poles and begins to establish the new polar fields.
Application of a microbial model to biologic calcification

Abstract The purpose of this research was to examine the role of proteolipid in biologic calcification. Calcification of the oral microorganism, Bacterionema matruchotii , has been shown to be proteolipid dependent. Studies with a B. matruchotii strain with impaired ability to calcify suggest that the amount of membrane surface may be a factor in calcification of that species. Actinomyces naeslundii , a noncalcifying microorganism, contains a proteolipid capable of calcification in vitro . However, this microorganism has a significantly lower percentage of proteolipid than does B. matruchotii . Concentration of ions at the membrane surface is also a factor in microbial calcification. Using techniques adapted from those used in this study of microbiologic calcification a proteolipid was isolated from membrane-bound cartilage matrix vesicles. This proteolipid constituted 1–2 percent of the matrix vesicle organic material.
The cross-reactivity of IgE antibodies with pollen allergens. I. Analyses of various species of grass pollens.

Abstract Atopic patients with histories of grass pollen allergy often are sensitive to a variety of species of grasses. Using a serum pool from patients sensitive to June grass, we analyzed the reactivity of IgE antibodies to seven grasses by the radioallergosorbent test. Extracts were analyzed for their inhibitory activities with solid-phase allergens prepared from all of the grass pollens. Also samples of serum were exhaustively absorbed with solid-phase allergens and the supernatants tested to determine the reactivity of the remaining IgE antibodies. Three patterns of reactivity were observed: (1) June, orchard, meadow fescue, and perennial rye grasses displayed similar reactivity in both inhibition and absorption studies; (2) sweet vernal and Bermuda grasses were considerably less reactive with the serum pool, indicating that they lacked antigenic determinants possessed by the other grasses; and (3) timothy grass possessed unique antigenic determinants. Knowledge of these patterns of cross-allergenicity is of importance for diagnosis and treatment of sensitive patients as well as for in vitro standardization of extracts.
The Effect of Long-Term Ovarian Hormone Deficiency on Transforming Growth Factor β and Bone Matrix Protein mRNA Expression in Rat Femora

Abstract Estrogen deficiency results in increased bone turnover and osteopenia. Decreased transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) has been implicated as having a role in ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss; however the decrease in TGF-β mRNA may simply be due to the reduction in cancellous bone volume that occurs following OVX. This investigation characterized the effect of long-term OVX (11.5 months) on mRNA levels for TGF-β, osteocalcin (OC), and type I collagen (TYPE I) and expressed these data relative to the amount of cancellous bone surface. Additionally, the short-term effect of estrogen administration on TGF-β, OC, and TYPE I mRNA was evaluated. OVX resulted in a 56% loss of bone surface. At the tissue level, TGF-β was reduced, OC was increased, and TYPE I was unchanged. Expressed relative to bone surface, TGF-β was unchanged and OC and TYPE I were significantly elevated. Four hours after estrogen administration, TGF-β mRNA was unchanged compared to vehicle-treated controls. The data suggest that bone turnover is elevated after long-term OVX, but do not suggest a direct role of TGF-β in OVX-induced bone loss.
Tumor vascular permeability to a nanoprobe correlates to tumor-specific expression levels of angiogenic markers.

© 2009 Karathanasis et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Infant mortality in a Mexican-American community: Laredo, Texas, 1950-1977.

Abstract Published infant mortality rates (IMR's) for Mexican‐American populations frequently are lower than expected given the socioeconomic status (SES) of these populations. It has been speculated that this is due to bias or incompleteness in Mexican‐American vital statistics. In this paper an extensive genealogical data base constructed from Catholic church records and civil records for the border city of Laredo, Texas is used to study this problem. The infant mortality probabilities (IMP's) since 1950 are compared to conventional IMR's, both based strictly on the population at risk defined by baptisms, in which the deaths are a proper subset of the denominator, and these are compared with IMR's calculated in the usual way from aggregate civil records of births and infant deaths for Laredo. We find that when these data are used, the IMR's for the most recent years are about twice the conventional rates computed from registered vital statistics.
Effects of anoxia and low pH on organic ion transport and electrolyte distribution in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) kidney slices

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of anoxia and/or low pH on active organic ion transport and tissue water and electrolyte distribution in freshly prepared cortical slices from harbor seal and rat kidneys.p-Aminohippurate (PAH) and tetraethylammonium (TEA) were used as a representative organic anion and cation, respectively. The slice uptake of PAH was not influenced by the incubation medium pH over a range of 5.0–7.5 in the harbor seal while it was very sensitive to the medium pH in the rat, decreasing significantly with reductions in pH (Fig. 1). Although the TEA uptake decreased in anoxia in both species, it decreased considerably less in the harbor seal than in the rat (40% vs 74%) (Fig. 2). However, in contrast to the PAH transport system, the TEA uptake decreased significantly at low pH in both species. The magnitudes of increase in intracellular Na and of decrease in intracellular K in anoxia were consistently less in the harbor seal than in the rat, especially at low pH (Fig. 3). However, the pH dependence of Na−K-ATPase activity of the crude renal cortical homogenate was not different between the two species (Fig. 4). These results, together with the previous finding on the anoxic tolerance of the renal organic anion transport system, indicate that (1) the overall anoxic tolerance of active renal transport systems for both organic anions and cations is greater in the harbor seal than in the rat, and (2) the renal organic anion (but not cation) transport system is resistant to low pH in the harbor seal.
A comparison between lumped and distributed filter models in wavelength-division multiplexed soliton systems

The effects of lumped and distributed filtering on soliton interactions are considered in a dispersion-managed transmission link when the dispersion steps approximate the loss/amplification profile. A detailed comparison of the collision-induced timing shifts and corresponding timing jitter for both lumped and distributed filtering models is carried out. In particular, we show that: (i) there are some differences between the predictions obtained by the two models; however, (ii) in all cases of practical interest (i.e., non-negligible bit error rates) the estimates originating from the distributed model represent a good approximation to the results obtained with the lumped model.
Respiratory activity and metabolic rate of burros, Equus asinus: Effect of age

Abstract 1. 1. Under laboratory conditions the respiratory parameters of pulmonary ventilation rate, tidal volume, respiratory frequency and oxygen consumption were measured in burros weighing between 40–221 kg. 2. 2. Linear increases were seen in pulmonary ventilation rate, tidal volume and rate of oxygen consumption (metabolic rate) when compared to body weight and correlation coefficients ranged from 0.6 – 0.9. 3. 3. Diurnal rhythm was demonstrated in the 4 young burros weighing between 40–79 kg and significant (P
Genome-wide association study of Fusarium ear rot disease in the U.S.A. maize inbred line collection

Resistance to Fusarium ear rot of maize is a quantitative and complex trait. Marker-trait associations to date have had small additive effects and were inconsistent between previous studies, likely due to the combined effects of genetic heterogeneity and low power of detection of many small effect variants. The complexity of inheritance of resistance hinders the use marker-assisted selection for ear rot resistance. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for Fusarium ear rot resistance in a panel of 1687 diverse inbred lines from the USDA maize gene bank with 200,978 SNPs while controlling for background genetic relationships with a mixed model and identified seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in six genes associated with disease resistance in either the complete inbred panel (1687 lines with highly unbalanced phenotype data) or in a filtered inbred panel (734 lines with balanced phenotype data). Different sets of SNPs were detected as associated in the two different data sets. The alleles conferring greater disease resistance at all seven SNPs were rare overall (below 16%) and always higher in allele frequency in tropical maize than in temperate dent maize. Resampling analysis of the complete data set identified one robust SNP association detected as significant at a stringent p-value in 94% of data sets, each representing a random sample of 80% of the lines. All associated SNPs were in exons, but none of the genes had predicted functions with an obvious relationship to resistance to fungal infection. GWAS in a very diverse maize collection identified seven SNP variants each associated with between 1% and 3% of trait variation. Because of their small effects, the value of selection on these SNPs for improving resistance to Fusarium ear rot is limited. Selection to combine these resistance alleles combined with genomic selection to improve the polygenic background resistance might be fruitful. The genes associated with resistance provide candidate gene targets for further study of the biological pathways involved in this complex disease resistance.
CO2-assisted polymer processing: A new alternative for intractable polymers

CO2-assisted polymer processing is proposed as an alternative route for intractable and high molecular weight polymers based on the plasticization effects of CO2 and its direct effect on the melting behavior of semicrystalline polymers. A modified processing system was used to process a variety of polymers in the presence of high-pressure CO2. The system includes an extruder that was modified to allow for high pressures created by the injection of CO2. The new design includes a modified feed section that allows a given mass of polymer to interact with CO2 before and during the extrusion process. The inherent shear mixing and the presence of CO2 allow for a specific control over the extrudate morphology. Results suggest that this alternative design provides a new and easy route to melt process high melt viscosity polymers of commercial importance, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP), and syndiotactic polystyrene (s-PS). The increased processability of these systems in CO2 is related to the plasticization effect of CO2 that was quantified through a depression in the glass-transition temperature according to the Chow model. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 1501–1511, 2004
Confirmation of a Four-Factor Structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire among Undergraduate Students

Abstract Objective Although several exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses have supported the initially proposed factor structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in which its nine subscales are grouped into cognitive–perceptual, interpersonal, and disorganized domains, others have revealed different latent structures. This study determined the best-fitting factor structure from among five models that have been proposed in the literature, as well as five additional hierarchically related models. Methods Undergraduate college students (n = 825) completed the SPQ as well as the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS) and the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (SAS). Confirmatory factor analyses involving the nine SPQ subscales were conducted using the Linear Structural Relations Program (LISREL 8.72). Results The best fitting model was a previously described 4-factor model including cognitive–perceptual, paranoid, negative, and disorganized domains. Correlations between the derived SPQ domains and the PAS score ranged r = .26–.39, and correlations between the SPQ domains and the SAS ranged r = .07–.41. Conclusions The present findings support a 4-factor model over the standard 3-factor model that is typically used to derive SPQ subscale scores. The four derived domains are minimally to moderately correlated with other measures of psychosis-proneness.
Topological description of the Stone-Wales defect formation energy in carbon nanotubes and graphene

We develop a topological continuum framework to compute the formation energies of Stone-Wales defects in graphene and carbon nanotubes. Our approach makes no a priori assumptions about the analytical form of the dislocation strain fields while explicitly accounting for boundary conditions and defect-defect interactions. The continuum formalism reproduces trends observed in the atomistic simulations remarkably well and demonstrates the necessity of considering long-ranged effects to accurately describe defect energetics in graphene-based systems.
The Health Teaching Self-Efficacy Scale.

Abstract Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory was tested in a group of 31 school health teachers attending a summer institute in a major medical center. The Health Teaching Self-Efficacy (HTSE) Scale was devised to measure perceived deficits in ability at pretest and changes in self-efficacy in response to intervention. The 35-item measure proved to have hightest-retestreliability (r = .82) and high internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha = .96). The measure was determined to be unidimensional using factor analysis. HTSE scores were significantly higher at pretest for health teachers having five or more years of experience, those who taught health as a separate class, and those who devoted at least 80 percent of their time to teaching health. HTSE scores were highly correlated with concurrent self-reports of Health Teaching Strategies used in the classroom (r = .75). Strategies derived from Social Cognitive Theory were perceived to be more difficult than traditional teaching methods. Health teachers were mor...
Ion‐beam‐induced atomic mixing

Calculations based on the diffusion model are presented of atomic mixing by ion bombardment. This mixing is assumed to have its basis, as does sputtering, in the collision cascades generated by the primary beam. Sharp interfaces within a target are seen to be smoothed by ion bombardment. Mixing may place fundamental limits on the resolution of ion microprobes.
Hormone therapy: Physiological complexity belies therapeutic simplicity

The results of the Women's Health Initiative, a study anticipated to provide definitive answers about health benefits and risks of postmenopausal hormone therapy, have generated debate and confusion among clinicians, researchers, and the lay public. The ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone, which decline at menopause, normally elicit complex tissue-specific responses throughout the body. Major advances are providing a detailed molecular definition of how that differential action is achieved. Here we review estrogen and progestin actions, discuss how effectively knowledge of steroid hormone endocrinology has been incorporated into clinical studies, and consider the impact on modern hormone therapy protocols and pharmaceutical development.
Spectrotemporal Dynamics of Auditory Cortical Synaptic Receptive Field Plasticity

The nervous system must dynamically represent sensory information in order for animals to perceive and operate within a complex, changing environment. Receptive field plasticity in the auditory cortex allows cortical networks to organize around salient features of the sensory environment during postnatal development, and then subsequently refine these representations depending on behavioral context later in life. Here we review the major features of auditory cortical receptive field plasticity in young and adult animals, focusing on modifications to frequency tuning of synaptic inputs. Alteration in the patterns of acoustic input, including sensory deprivation and tonal exposure, leads to rapid adjustments of excitatory and inhibitory strengths that collectively determine the suprathreshold tuning curves of cortical neurons. Long-term cortical plasticity also requires co-activation of subcortical neuromodulatory control nuclei such as the cholinergic nucleus basalis, particularly in adults. Regardless of developmental stage, regulation of inhibition seems to be a general mechanism by which changes in sensory experience and neuromodulatory state can remodel cortical receptive fields. We discuss recent findings suggesting that the microdynamics of synaptic receptive field plasticity unfold as a multi-phase set of distinct phenomena, initiated by disrupting the balance between excitation and inhibition, and eventually leading to wide-scale changes to many synapses throughout the cortex. These changes are coordinated to enhance the representations of newly-significant stimuli, possibly for improved signal processing and language learning in humans.
Indomethacin sensitive suppressor-cell activity in head and neck cancer patients: The role of the adherent mononuclear cell

Head and neck cancer (HN the effect of adherent cell depletion also was determined. The study population included 45 patients with localized or locoregional squamous CA of the HN (2) incubation with indomethacin produced bivalent effects in both controls and CA patients, depending on the concentration of indomethacin and lymphocyte stimulant; incubation with optimum concentrations of indomethacin generally produced augmented responses in both study groups whereas high concentrations of indomethacin were suppressive; (3) the immune potentiating effects were not observed in older patients with advanced disease; and (4) removal of adherent leukocytes (mainly monocytes) also restored depressed lymphocyte responses. Although other factors also are operative, our data suggest that PGE2-secreting monocytes-macrophages may have a major role in the immune depression of H&N CA patients. Age and host effects of the cancer and the malnutrition common to these patients probably are involved also, although their singular contribution has not been measured. This depression is largely reversible by a PGE2 synthesis inhibitor, indomethacin, which suggests the potential value of in vivo administration of indomethacin to H&N CA patients as an adjunct.
Competition Among Regulators

This paper shows that competition among regulators reduces regulatory standards relative to a centralized solution. It suggests that a central regulator is more likely to emerge for homogeneous and financially integrated countries. The paper proves these results in a model where regulators concerned with their banking system`s stability and efficiency and with their banks` profitability set their regulatory policy non-cooperatively. Externalities in bank regulation make the independent solution collectively inefficient. These externalities and the benefits of centralized regulation increase with financial integration, while the costs associated with the loss of independence decrease with the homogeneity of the countries involved.
Exact and approximate algorithms for part-machine clustering based on a relationship between interval graphs and Robinson matrices

An important manufacturing cell formation problem requires permutations of the rows (parts) and columns (machines) of a part-machine incidence matrix such that the reordered matrix exhibits a block-diagonal form. Numerous objective criteria and algorithms have been proposed for this problem. In this paper, a new perspective is offered that is based on the relationship between the consecutive ones property associated with interval graphs and Robinson structure within symmetric matrices. This perspective enables the cell formation problem to be decomposed into two permutation subproblems (one for rows and one for columns) that can be solved optimally using dynamic programming or a branch-and-bound algorithm for matrices of nontrivial size. A simulated annealing heuristic is offered for larger problem instances. Results pertaining to the application of the proposed methods for a number of problems from the literature are presented.
Linear multifrequency-grey acceleration recast for preconditioned Krylov iterations

The linear multifrequency-grey acceleration (LMFGA) technique is used to accelerate the iterative convergence of multigroup thermal radiation diffusion calculations in high energy density simulations. Although it is effective and efficient in one-dimensional calculations, the LMFGA method has recently been observed to significantly degrade under certain conditions in multidimensional calculations with large discontinuities in material properties. To address this deficiency, we recast the LMFGA method in terms of a preconditioned system that is solved with a Krylov method (LMFGK). Results are presented demonstrating that the new LMFGK method always requires fewer iterations than the original LMFGA method. The reduction in iteration count increases with both the size of the time step and the inhomogeneity of the problem. However, for reasons later explained, the LMFGK method can cost more per iteration than the LMFGA method, resulting in lower but comparable efficiency in problems with small time steps and weak inhomogeneities. In problems with large time steps and strong inhomogeneities, the LMFGK method is significantly more efficient than the LMFGA method.
A review of the amyloidoses that infiltrate the heart

Primary amyloidosis, systemic senile amyloidosis, isolated atrial amyloidosis, and transthyretin isoleucine 122 amyloidosis frequently involve the heart. Amyloid fibrils infiltrate the myocardium, impairing ventricular contraction and relaxation. The clinical manifestations of cardiac infiltration in these disorders are protean, though congestive heart failure and arrhythmias are most common. Treatment of cardiac amyloidosis is directed at the underlying cause and at relief of symptoms. Heart transplantation is not a viable treatment option for patients with primary amyloidosis; its role in the other amyloidoses has not been established. The prognosis of patients with cardiac amyloidosis varies and is largely determined by the underlying disorder responsible for amyloid infiltration.
Research on the Na and Academic Integrity

■ Through the critique of the theoretical claims and research approaches of Cai Hua, a French-trained Chinese anthropologist, this article discusses issues regarding studies of the Na and academic integrity in China. It questions the legitimacy of Cai's scholarly work, criticizes his plagiarism in a broader context of China's struggle against academic fraud and points out that in order to build a healthy and prosperous academic environment, scholars must subject themselves to the standards of academic integrity.
Incentives for Charter Schools: Building School Capacity Through Cross-Sectoral Alliances

In this exploratory study, the authors examine the recent emergence of cross-sectoral alliances—organizations voluntarily working together to solve issues of mutual concern—in kindergarten through 12th-grade education. The article utilizes an economic approach to interagency collaboration and focuses on alliances in charter schools. The authors seek to (a) analyze the extent to which charter school legislation encourages or discourages alliances, (b) examine the types of organizations that form alliances with charter schools and the range of contributions they provide, and (c) assess the various incentives that lead charter schools and other organizations to form alliances. Implications of the findings for educational practice and policy as well as future research are discussed.
The Effects of Taxes and Advertising Restrictions on the Market Structure of the U.S. Cigarette Market

A dynamic oligopoly model of the cigarette industry is developed to study the effects of anti-smoking policies on the market structure of the U.S. cigarette industry. Firms are modeled as competing in price and advertising in a dynamic game. Two commonly used anti-smoking policies – advertising restrictions and tobacco tax increases – are evaluated using calibrated parameters. The simulation results show that in the long run both advertising restrictions and tax increases can successfully reduce the smoking rate. However, advertising restrictions reduce the smoking rate mainly in an indirect way through their impact on the concentration of the market, while tax increases reduce the smoking rate directly and have little effect on the concentration of the market. In addition, in the short run, advertising restrictions have a much smaller effect on reducing the smoking rate than tax increases.
Hemolysis and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome following Five-fold N-Acetylcysteine Overdose

Context. Intravenous acetylcysteine (Acetadote™ in the US) is the treatment of choice for acute acetaminophen poisoning in most of the world. However, the complicated dosing regimen is prone to errors in preparation and administration. Case report. A 21 year-old woman (70 kg) took an overdose of acetaminophen and ethanol. Her serum acetaminophen concentration was > 200 mg/L. Acetylcysteine infusion was ordered. Due to misreading of the columns in the table in the Acetadote™ package insert, she received a five-fold overdose of 52.5 g of acetylcysteine in 500 mL over 1 h and then 17.5 g of acetylcysteine in 500 mL to run over 4 h. The dose error was detected 20 min into the second infusion. Her acetaminophen concentration fell quickly, and her highest transaminase concentrations occurred day 2. Her hemoglobin and hematocrit quickly dropped from 14.8 g/dL and 44.0% on admission to 6.2 g/dL and 17.3% on day 7. Subsequently she developed hematuria and a rapidly rising serum creatinine. She was transferred to a...
Saturated, unsaturated, and trans-fatty acids modulate oxidative burst induced by high dextrose in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Abstract Objective We determined whether hyperglycemia-induced oxidative burst is augmented in the presence of saturated, unsaturated, and trans -fatty acids (FAs). Methods The time course of superoxide (O 2 − ) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells treated with 5.5 mM (D100) or 27.5 mM (D500) of dextrose and select FAs were measured using the hydroethidene fluorescence method. Results The rate of O 2 − production in cells treated with D500 was significantly higher (55% to125% increase) than the rate observed in control cells treated with D100 ( P 2 − production (mean ± standard deviation, in arbitrary units) was increased when cells were treated with 250, 500, and 1000 μM of myristic acid (C14; 0.189 ± 0.04, 0.240 ± 0.04, 0.234 ± 0.02, respectively; P > 0.1, P P P > 0.1, P P P 2 − production, whereas stearic acid caused a significant further increase in O 2 − production. The cis unsaturated FA (oleic, C18:1; linoleic, C18:2; or linolenic acid, C18:3) stimulated O 2 − production significantly more than did saturated FA or trans -unsaturated FA such as elaidic, linolelaidic, or linolenelaidic acid. Conclusions Fatty acids have the ability to modulate oxidative load in hyperglycemia and this effect may be related to the length, saturation, and possibly cis / trans orientation of the FA.
On the use of non-cylindrical specimens in a split-Hopkinson pressure bar

Despite the practice of using cylindrical specimens in a split-Hopkinson pressure bar (Kolsky bar) experiment, the use of non-cylindrical prismatic specimens is not uncommon. This is convenient when testing extra-soft materials like brain tissues, muscles, or samples that are brittle and cannot be machined to an exact cylindrical shape (like bone-samples). The use of a non-cylindrical sample with a flat surface also renders the specimen amenable to a two-dimensional image correlation algorithm. This research aims to show the feasibility of using non-cylindrical specimens in a Kolsky bar. For this, experiments were conducted with a model material for different model cross-sections at a nearly constant strain rate in the split-Hopkinson pressure bar. The findings suggest the use of a suitable characteristic cross-section dimension of the specimen to determine the critical slenderness ratio while selecting a non-cylindrical prismatic specimen. It has been shown that if the specimen design is governed by the ...
The effect of teenage maternal obesity on perinatal outcomes.

Objective To estimate the effect of obesity on perinatal outcomes among inner-city teenage pregnant women. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we reviewed all nulliparous teenaged (aged 18 years and younger) deliveries at the Washington Hospital Center between 2000 and 2004. Overweight and obese teenagers (body mass index at or above 25.0 kg/m) were compared with normal-weight (body mass index less than 25.0 kg/m) teenagers. Frequencies and odds ratios for adverse maternal-fetal outcomes were calculated. Results Of the 10,322 deliveries that occurred during the study period, 712 (7%) were to teenagers. Among the 458 nulliparous teenaged mothers, 274 (60%) were normal weight and 184 (40%) were overweight/obese. Compared with normal-weight teens (n=274), obese teens (n=78) were at higher risk for cesarean delivery (adjusted odds ration [OR] 4.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-7.6) and gestational diabetes (adjusted OR 4.2, 95% CI 1.5-12.1). Overweight teens (n=106) had lower risk for preterm birth at less than 37 and less than 34 weeks of gestation (adjusted OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.10-0.77 and adjusted OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-0.80, respectively). Conclusion Overweight and obese teenage mothers are at increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes. Research on optimal weight for pregnant teens and weight control interventions is needed. Level of evidence II.
Some influences of storage fungi, temperatures and relative humidity on the germinability of grass seeds

Abstract Seeds of Poa pratensis, Festuca rubra, F. arundinacea, and Lolium multiflorum were stored at 10, 20, 30, or 35°C, and at 35, 55, 75, or 95 per cent r.h. for up to 12 months. Samples stored at 30°C and 95 per cent r.h. and 35°C and 75 or 95 per cent r.h. decreased in germinability after 2 months of storage. At 20°C and either 75 or 95 per cent r.h., seeds decreased more slowly in germinative ability than at the higher temperatures but this decrease was appreciable. Seeds stored at 10°C and at 35, 55, 75, or 95 per cent r.h. germinated well after 12 months. Equilibrium moisture content of the seeds after storage at 35 to 75 per cent r.h. for 2, 4, and 8 months varied little among the four species at each relative humidity level and was not affected by temperature in the range of 10–35°C. Fungi of the Aspergillus glaucus group could not always be isolated from large numbers of seeds in lots that had declined in germinability. Seeds of all four grasses apparently carried superficially-borne species of the A. glaucus group (primarily A. amstelodami) in a ‘dormant’ state at harvest. Members of this group were isolated from substantial numbers of seeds that had been stored for 3 months at 30°C and 75 per cent r.h. These fungi were not isolated from seeds stored for the same length of time at 30°C and 35 per cent r.h.; however, field fungi grew from many of these seeds.
Home care, medical care and the new competitive environment

Health-care organization and financing is rapidly changing in the USA due to competitive pressures. Parallel changes are occurring in other countries. These changes are affecting, and will affect, home care services. Watching these changes, and building on social models, leads one to focus on important developments. These developments include: point of service plans, disease management, outcomes measurement, price and quality competition. These changes will make measured outcomes and demonstrated value essential in home care.
Outcomes of invasive zygomycosis infections in renal transplant recipients

: Zygomycosis is an infrequent and difficult-to-treat fungal infection that is found in patients with underlying immunocompromised states. The advent of the lipid amphotericin B products has allowed for treatment with higher doses of therapy and less systemic toxicity. We reviewed the outcomes of 6 renal transplant recipients diagnosed with biopsy-proven invasive zygomycosis who received amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC) in doses greater than 5 mg/kg between 2000 and 2004. All 6 patients had baseline diabetes mellitus, were receiving immunosuppressive agents, and subsequently underwent concomitant surgery. Three of the 6 patients that survived had undergone significant surgical debridement, reduction of their immunosuppression to minimal prednisone, and received prolonged course of ABLC at 10 mg/kg/day. All survivors lost graft function during the course of their therapy. The 3 patients who died all had delays in diagnosis of their disease and subsequent surgical and appropriate medical therapy. Therefore, in renal transplant recipients the early diagnosis of invasive zygomycosis is imperative along with early therapy with surgical debridement, reduced immunosuppression, and the use of high doses of ABLC.
Procoagulant Activity of Platelets in Recalcified Plasma

High-spun platelet-poor plasma (HSPPP) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), prepared with minimal contact activation and pH shifts, were recalcified with little dilution in the presence of phospholipid prepared from chloroform-extracted, acetone-dried brain tissue. The clotting times of HSPPP and PRP were the same whether or not the platelets in PRP were first incubated or aggregated with ADP or with collagen. This suggests that platelet procoagulant activity in normal recalcified plasma derives only from provision of platelet phospholipid.
Automated Wing Twist and Bending Measurements Under Aerodynamic Load

An automated system to measure the change in wing twist and bending under aerodynamic load in a wind tunnel is described. The basic instrumentation consists of a single CCD video camera and a frame grabber interfaced to a computer. The technique is based upon a single view photogrammetric determination of two dimensional coordinates of wing targets with a fixed (and known) third dimensional coordinate, namely the spanwise location. The measurement technique has been used successfully at the National Transonic Facility, the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel, and the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. The advantages and limitations (including targeting) of the technique are discussed. A major consideration in the development was that use of the technique must not appreciably reduce wind tunnel productivity.
Cause-Related Marketing Ads in the Light of Negative News

This experimental study tested Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) ads in the context of Benoit's Image Restoration Theory. The effects of three kinds of ads on the image of a brand and a nonprofit organization (NPO) after the release of an unfavorable news story were compared: brand ads, PSAs, and CRM ads. CRM ads produced more favorable responses than brand ads prior to scandal, but lost their advantage in the light of negative news.
Ionic liquid stationary phases for gas chromatography

This article provides a summary of the development of ionic liquids as stationary phases for gas chromatography beginning with early work on packed columns that established details of the retention mechanism and established working methods to characterize selectivity differences compared with molecular stationary phases through the modern development of multi-centered cation and cross-linked ionic liquids for high-temperature applications in capillary gas chromatography. Since there are many reviews on ionic liquids dealing with all aspects of their chemical and physical properties, the emphasis in this article is placed on the role of gas chromatography played in the design of ionic liquids of low melting point, high thermal stability, high viscosity, and variable selectivity for separations. Ionic liquids provide unprecedented opportunities for extending the selectivity range and temperature-operating range of columns for gas chromatography, an area of separation science that has otherwise been almost stagnant for over a decade.
DETERMINING PECKY RICE KERNELS USING VISIBLE AND NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

ABSTRACT Peck caused by stink-bug is an important quality factor for rice grading, marketing, and end-use. The current visual method of separating pecky rice kernels from sound kernels is time consuming, tedious, and subject to error. The objective of this research was to develop an objective method for classifying pecky rice kernels and sound rice kernels using visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. A diode-array NIR spectrometer, which measured absorbance spectra (log(1/R)) from 400 to 1700 nm, was used to differentiate pecky rice kernels and sound rice kernels individually. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models with three wavelength regions (400–750, 400–1700, and 750–1700 nm) and two-wavelength models were developed. Results showed that both PLS models and two-wavelength models can be used to classify pecky rice kernels. For PLS models, the NIR wavelength region of 750–1,700 nm gave the highest percentage of correct classification for both calibration and validation (100%). For two-wave...
Myofascial Structural Integration: A Promising Complementary Therapy for Young Children With Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Increasing evidence suggests that structural changes within muscle and surrounding tissues are associated with creating and/or increasing muscle stiffness and resistance to stretch in spastic cereb...
In Vivo Role of Dendritic Cells in a Murine Model of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis

Dendritic cells (DC) have been shown to phagocytose and kill Cryptococcus neoformans in vitro and are believed to be important for inducing protective immunity against this organism. Exposure to C. neoformans occurs mainly by inhalation, and in this study we examined the in vivo interactions of C. neoformans with DC in the lung. Fluorescently labeled live C. neoformans and heat-killed C. neoformans were administered intranasally to C57BL/6 mice. At specific times postinoculation, mice were sacrificed, and lungs were removed. Single-cell suspensions of lung cells were prepared, stained, and analyzed by microscopy and flow cytometry. Within 2 h postinoculation, fluorescently labeled C. neoformans had been internalized by DC, macrophages, and neutrophils in the mouse lung. Additionally, lung DC from mice infected for 7 days showed increased expression of the maturation markers CD80, CD86, and major histocompatibility complex class II. Finally, ex vivo incubation of lung DC from infected mice with Cryptococcus-specific T cells resulted in increased interleukin-2 production compared to the production by DC from naive mice, suggesting that there was antigen-specific T-cell activation. This study demonstrated that DC in the lung are capable of phagocytosing Cryptococcus in vivo and presenting antigen to C. neoformans-specific T cells ex vivo, suggesting that these cells have roles in innate and adaptive pulmonary defenses against cryptococcosis.
Impact of Graduates from an Online Program in Their Work Environment

Online distance education programs are populated by adult learners who try to continue or complete their education without having to leave their jobs or places of residence. Their work environment becomes not just their working place, but also the lab where they apply new knowledge. The general expectation is that after graduation they will make an impact in their work environment through their job and through interacting with peers and supervisors. This study explored the influence that K-12 teachers had in their work environment as they pursued and graduated from an online Master's program in Education. The study shows the impact that the participants had and how they became agents of change in their immediate workplace.
Leukoaraiosis Predicts Cortical Infarct Volume After Distal Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Background and Purpose—Leukoaraiosis (LA) predominantly affects the subcortical white matter, but mounting evidence suggests an association with cortical microvascular dysfunction and potentially decreased cortical ischemic tolerance. Thus, we sought to assess whether preexisting LA is predictive of the cortical infarct volume after middle cerebral artery branch occlusion and whether it relates to a worse outcome. Methods—We analyzed data from 117 consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery branch occlusion as documented by admission computed tomography angiography. Baseline clinical, laboratory, and outcome data, as well as final cortical infarct volumes, were retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively collected database. LA severity was assessed on admission computed tomography using the van Swieten scale grading the supratentorial white matter hypoattenuation. Infarct volume predicting a favorable 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ≤2) was determined by receiver operating characteristi...