cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety and efficacy of 70-150 μm and 100-300 μm drug-eluting bead transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To compare the safety and efficacy of using 70–150 μm drug-eluting beads (DEBs) (LC Bead M1 ; Biocompatibles UK Ltd, Farnham, Surrey, United Kingdom) in addition to 100–300 μm DEBs with 100–300 μm DEBs alone in transarterial chemoembolization for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods A cohort of patients with HCC who underwent transarterial chemoembolization with two vials of 100–300 μm DEBs (group 1, 55 procedures among 42 patients, 33 men, average Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 10 ± 0.6, 67% Child-Pugh A, 33% Child-Pugh B) was retrospectively compared with a cohort of patients who underwent transarterial chemoembolization with one vial of 70–150 μm DEBs followed by one vial of 100–300 μm DEBs (group 2, 51 procedures among 42 patients, 29 men, average Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 9 ± 0.6, 73% Child-Pugh A, 27% Child-Pugh B) in regard to adverse events and response on 1-month follow-up imaging using modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors criteria. Results There was no difference in 1-month imaging response ( P = .3). Patients in group 2 were readmitted more often within 1 month for hepatobiliary adverse events (group 2, 25%; group 1, 9%; P Conclusions Despite similar efficacy based on short-term follow-up imaging, transarterial chemoembolization with smaller DEBs (70–150 μm) followed by larger DEBs (100–300 μm) may cause more hepatobiliary adverse events.
On the Buckling of a Circular Plate on an Elastic Foundation

The buckling of circular plate on an elastic foundation is studied analytically. The buckling mode may not be axisymmetric as previously assumed.
Numerical tests of the Landé subtraction method for the Coulomb potential in momentum space.

The Land\'e subtraction method is a technique for removing the singularity which arises when one solves the Schr\"odinger equation in momentum space for the Coulomb potential. Using this technique, numerical solutions for eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are presented and compared to exact results. Approximately 50 eigenvalues can be calculated very accurately for various values of the angular momentum. Numerous eigenfunctions can also be found very accurately. In addition, it is shown how to implement the Land\'e subtraction method for potentials which are a linear combination of the Coulomb potential and some other potential. Using a basis-function expansion technique, it is shown how to obtain solutions in those cases where the momentum integrals must be evaluated explicitly.
Using modeled runoff to study DOC dynamics in stream and river flow: A case study of an urban watershed southeast of Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract The origin, function, and fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in stream flow are not well-understood. This study explores the environmental factors controlling the spatial and temporal variation of DOC in terrestrial ecosystems of a watershed southeast of Boston, Massachusetts. Our hypothesis is that environmental factors: stream flow, land cover type, vegetation density, and drainage area are significant in estimating DOC export from an urban watershed. The hypothesized environmental factors were statistically correlated to the variation of the sampled in-stream DOC concentrations at annual, seasonal, and daily scales. For the purpose of scaling up to a large watershed that lacks dense gauged hydrological data or for projection of future scenarios, we examined the effectiveness of using simulated stream flow for studying terrestrial DOC dynamics. Our results demonstrated that all hypothesized environmental factors except vegetation density were particularly strong predictors in watersheds with a large proportion of developed (urban) area. The resulting linear model is able to explain about 76% ( R 2 = 0.76) and 64% ( R 2 = 0.64) of the variance of in-stream DOC concentrations at seasonal and annual scales respectively. Results suggest that more frequent DOC sampling than once each month is required to establish the quantitative relationship between simulated stream flows from a Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and in-stream DOC concentrations at daily scale. Using a hydrological model is effective for studying the impacts of climate and human activities on DOC export to aquatic ecosystems at appropriate scales.
Long term evolution of the Lageos Orbit

Since LAGEOS was launched in May 1976, precise laser observations of the satellite have been used to estimate relative station positions, polar motion and the earth's gravitational constant. This work was accomplished with a model of the orbit dynamics that was adequate to compute trajectories of meter level accuracy for periods of 30 days in length. Knowledge of the long-term evolution of the LAGEOS orbit has now been improved by an analysis of the ranging data collected during the first two years and eight months of the mission. Revisions to the originally adopted force model suggested by this work are presented in the form of the time histories of individual Keplerian elements. Some unexpected variations in LAGEOS orbital period are observed and clear signatures in the inclination history of this satellite, which are predominantly caused by earth and ocean tidal effects, are also described. The motion of the ascending node of the orbit suggests short-term precisions of 1 or 2 hundredths of an arcsecond, equivalent to about a millisecond in Universal Time.
High Resolution Beam Profile Measurements Using Phosphorescence

Commercially available thermoluminescent material, CaSO4: Mn incorporated in Teflon tape, is used in a phosphoresecence decay mode to measure beam profiles. The light image resulting from radiation exposure is scanned by a microscope-photomultiplier system having a spatial resolution of 0.25 mm. Several applications to various types of accelerator beams are presented.
Direct detection of extra-solar planetary systems from the ground and space

This paper discusses recent work in the development of instrumentation used for the direct detection of planetary systems from ground-based and space-based observatories. Direct methods such as CCD coronagraphic imaging of nearby stars must overcome the large contrast differences between parent star and the circumstellar material. However, these methods have the advantage over indirect methods in that more advanced space-based direct detection instrumentation can lead to a significantly greater science return.
Semen collection and evaluation.

Conformation showing and a variety of dog sports are increasingly popular. Propagation of an excellent dog requires normal fertility. Semen collection and evaluation are essential skills for small animal practitioners who work with breeders and dog-sport enthusiasts. Semen collection can be performed on most dogs in the clinic setting with minimal standard equipment. Preparation of the collection room and presence of a teaser bitch increase the success of sample collection. Semen evaluation consists of several components. First, gross characteristics and sample volume are recorded. Percentage and quality of motility are evaluated immediately. The concentration of spermatozoa in the sample is determined and multiplied by the total sample volume to determine the total number of sperm in the ejaculate. Morphology of ≥100 spermatozoa is evaluated and recorded to determine the percent normal spermatozoa Total normal sperm per ejaculate is then calculated. Additional tests are often performed. These include cytology of the second and third fractions, culture of the semen, and measurement of semen alkaline phosphatase. Knowledge of normal parameters for canine semen enables the practitioner to evaluate the results of these tests with confidence.
Grain-boundary corrosion of Type 304 stainless steel by cesium oxides.

When austenitic stainless steel (300 series) is exposed to cesium oxides in the tempera-ture range from 450° to 700°C the grain boundaries are attacked preferentially. The penetration of cesium oxides into the grain boundaries of AISI Type 304 stainless steel has been studied as a function of time and temperature. These investigations have established that the penetration kinetics are linear in time, the activation energy for the process is 19 kcal/mole, and the rate of penetration is fairly insensitive to carbide precipitation and precipitate composition and morphology. The kinetics of the process are approximately an order of magnitude faster than those observed for some reactor (U, Pu) oxide fuel elements clad with Type 304 stainless steel under fast-flux irradiations, and the results are discussed qualitatively.
Cardiac glycogen fractions in the ventricles of fasted and non-fasted, exercised rats

Vergleich von Glykogenfraktionen aus Ventrikeln mannlicher Albinoratten, die 24 h gefuttert wurden, mit Nichgefutterten. Letztere verbrauchten meistens TCA (ungebundenes Glykogen) nach Bewegung, wahrend gefutterte Ratten sowohl Rest-Glykogen (gebundenes) wie auch TCA Glykogen verbrauchten. Die Glykogenabnahme war im linken Ventrikel nach Bewegung grosser als im rechten.
A new variant of the partitioning shortest path algorithm

Abstract This paper proposes a new variant of a label correcting polynomially bounded and computationally efficient shortest path algorithm, called the partitioning shortest path (PSP) algorithm. This variant, called the Extended PSP algorithm, provides a new rule for selecting scan eligible nodes to scan which has promising computational properties, particularly when shortest path algorithms are employed in relaxation strategies. In addition, results are established for this variant which provide a percent of optimality solution procedure.
Anomalously intense Raman scattering at the solid-electrolyte interface

Abstract The enhanced Raman effect is used to characterize cyanide on silver at the interface with 0.1 M Na 2 SO 4 + 0.01 M KCN solution. We conclude the bond is polarized with considerable backbonding. The scattering intensity dependence on electrode voltage supports enhancement models which involve wavefunction overlap between the metal and the adsorbate.
Fluid viscosity and mass flow sensor using forward light scattering

A novel technique of measuring liquid viscosity and air mass flow using forward light scattering from an optical fiber is being presented. The sensing principle is based on the fact that the frequency response of a partially submerged vibrating fiber probe is sensitive to viscosity and mass flow of the fluid. The viscosity and mass flow are determined by measuring the vibration of a sinusoidally excited taunted optical fiber under different flow conditions. The sensor is found to exhibit an excellent sensitivity for measuring other viscosity (liquid approximately 0.1 cP) and flow (air approximately 0.1 m/s). The sensor is also found to exhibit a high S/N ratio (> 50 dB) and stability without having any signal amplification or feedback in the system.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparison of computing properties of derivative and derivative-free algorithms in variance-component estimation by REML.

SUMMARY Computing properties of better derivative and derivative-free algorithms were compared both theoretically and practically. Assuming that the log-likelihood function is approximately quadratic, in a t-trait analysis the number of steps to achieve convergence increases as t(2) in 'better' derivative-free algorithms and is independent of that number in 'better' derivative algorithms. The cost of one step increases as t(3) . Consequently, both classes of algorithms have a similar computational cost for single-trait models. In multiple traits, the computing costs increase as t(3) and t(5) , respectively. The derivative-free algorithms have worse numerical properties. Four programs were used to obtain one-, two-, and three-trait REML estimates from field data. Compared to single-trait analyses, the cost of one run for derivative-free algorithms increased by 27-40 times for two traits and 152-686 times for three traits. A similar increase in rounds of iteration for a derivative algorithm reached 5 and 21, and 1.8 and 2.2 in canonical transformation. Convergence and estimates of derivative algorithms were more predictable and, unlike derivative-free algorithms, were much less dependent on the choice of priors. Well-implemented derivative REML algorithms are less expensive and more reliable in multiple traits than derivative-free ones. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Vergleich von Rechen (Computing) merkmalen von abgeleiteten und ableitungsfreien Algorithmen zur Varianzkomponentenschatzung mittels REML Rechenmerkmale von verbesserten ableitungsfreien und Algorithmen, die Ableitung benutzen, werden theoretisch und praktisch verglichen. Unter der Annahme einer ungefahr quadratischen log-likelihood Funktion, nimmt in der Analyse von t Merkmalen die Zahl der Rechenschritte bis zu Konvergenz mit t(2) in 'besseren' ableitungsfreien Algorithmen zu und ist davon unabhangig von dieser Zahl in der 'besseren' Ableitung. Die Kosten je Schritt steigen mit t(3) . Daher haben beide Berechnungsarten fur Einzelmerkmale ahnliche Rechenkosten. Bei mehreren Merkmalen steigen die Kosten mit t(3) bzw. t(5) und ableitungsfreie Algorithmen haben schlechtere numerische Eigenschagten. Vier Programme haben fur ein-, zwei- und drei-Merkmale REML Schatzungen von Felddaten erzeugt. Im Vergleich zu Ein-Merkmal Analysen stiegen Kosten fur einen Lauf bei ableitungsfreien Algorithmen um das 27-40 fache bei zwei- und um das 152-686 fache bei drei-Merkmalen. Die Steigerungen je Lauf bei auf Ableitung beruhenden Algorithmen waren 5-21 fach und 1.8 und 2.2 fach bei kanonischer Transformation. Konvergenz und Schatzwerte von Algorithmen mit Ableitung waren besser vorhersagbar und weniger von der Wahl der priors beeinflust. Gut ausgestattete REML Methoden, die Ableitungen benutzen, sind okonomischer und verlaslicher bei Mehrmerkmalsproblemen als ableitungsfreie.
Ion-irradiation induced chemical ordering of FePt and FePtAu nanoparticles

Abstract We have studied the effect of ion-beam irradiation on reducing the ordering temperature of FePt and FePtAu nanoparticles. FePt and FePt(Au14%) 4 nm particles dispersed on a Si-substrate were irradiated by 300 keV Al-ions with a dose of 1 × 1016 ions/cm2 at 43 °C using a water-cooled flange in order to minimize the vacancy migration and voids formation within the collision cascades. Partial chemical ordering has been observed in as-irradiated particles with coercivity of 60–130 Oe. Post-irradiation annealing at 220 °C enhanced chemical ordering in FePt nanoparticles with coercivity of 3500 Oe, magnetic anisotropy of 1.5 × 107 erg/cc, and thermal stability factor of 130. A much higher 375 °C post-irradiation annealing was required in FePtAu, presumably because Au atoms were trapped at Fe/Pt lattice sites at lower temperatures. As the annealing temperature increased, anomalous features in the magnetization reversal curves were observed that disappeared at higher annealing temperatures.
Photo-Fries rearrangements of 1-naphthyl (R)-2-phenylpropanoate in poly(vinyl acetate) and ethyl acetate: influence of medium polarity and polymer relaxation on motions of singlet radical pairs

Both the regio- and stereo-chemistries of the photoreactions of 1-naphthyl (R)-2-phenylpropanoate have been investigated in poly(vinyl acetate) films in their glassy (at 5oC) and melted (at 50oC) states and in ethyl acetate. These results are compared with those from irradiations in polyethylene films and in n-hexane. The regioselectivity of the intermediate 1-naphthoxy/(R)-2-phenylpropanoyl radical pair combinations is much higher in both the melt and glassy states of poly(vinyl acetate) films than that in the melt state of completely amorphous polyethylene films, but the stereoselectivity of intermediate prochiral 1-naphthoxy/1-phenylethyl radical pair combinations is much lower in poly(vinyl acetate). The results emphasize the need to control the ratio between the rates of radical tumbling and translation, as well as the ratio between the rates of in-cage motions and cage-escape, if high stereo- and regio-selectivities of combination products are to be achieved. A mechanistic picture of how the radicals of the intermediate pairs are affected by and interact with the various media is advanced.
e+e- HADRON PRODUCTION CROSS SECTIONS AT BELLE

A number of production cross sections for electron-positron annihilation to a hadronic final state have been measured using the Belle dataset, which is possible given the general purpose design of the Belle detector and its large solid-angle coverage. The cross section measurements predominantly fall above 3 GeV, which still leaves the opportunity for using the dataset to systematically measure cross sections below 3 GeV. These low-energy cross sections are important for improving the precision of the Standard Model prediction for the muon anomalous magnetic moment.
Characterization of proteins binding to the ZII element in the Epstein-Barr virus BZLF1 promoter: transactivation by ATF1

Previous studies have shown that the ZII element in the BZLF1 promoter (P1) is responsive to TPA and anti-immunoglobulin induction. In this report, we have studied the DNA/protein complexes formed when ZII is used as a binding site. Twelve distinct DNA/protein complexes were seen in mobility shift experiments using Akata cell nuclear extracts and radiolabeled ZII. Eleven of these complexes were also formed when either BJAB or Raji cell nuclear extracts were used in the binding reaction. Six DNA/protein complexes were affected by mutations in the core TGACATCA motif of ZII which abolish responsiveness to TPA, anti-immunoglobulin treatment, and HHV6 transactivation. The relative sizes of the proteins in the DNA/protein complexes were determined by UV crosslinking. Four distinct specific binding proteins affected by core mutations in ZII were identified as ATFa, ATF1, ATF2, and c-jun. Overexpression of ATF1 in cotransfection experiments caused transactivation of the wild-type P1 promoter but had no effect on a promoter containing a mutant ZII element. An ATF1 mutant with a deleted DNA binding domain failed to transactivate P1. Overexpression of c-jun, ATFa, or ATF2 had no effect on the wild-type or mutant P1 promoter. Our results suggest that ATF1 interacts with the ZII element and may be involved in Epstein-Barr virus reactivation.
Habitat assortment of sexes and water balance in a dioecious grass.

For a dioecious plant species in which males are associated with more xeric habitats and females with more mesic ones, (a) the xeric-mesic habitat difference was confirmed by measuring plant water potential, (b) and males and females had similar water balances and seemed to have no different adaptations to drought. There are slight differences in water potential between the sexes of dioecious plant species, but water balance can be more favorable in either the male or the female. On this account, we reject the “disruptive selection” hypothesis of Freeman et al. (1975) as an explanation for habitat assortment of sexes in dioecious plants. Alternative explanations, based upon parental determination of offspring sex ratios, or environmentally determined sex change, seem more likely.
High-spin diimine complexes of iron(II) reject binding of carbon monoxide: theoretical analysis of thermodynamic factors inhibiting or favoring spin-crossover.

A new series of Fe(II) complexes, FeCl2{N(R)C(Me)C(Me)N(R)}, containing diimine ligands with hemilabile sidearms R (R = CH2(CH2)2NMe2, 1, CH2(CH2)2OMe, 2, CH2(CH2)2SMe), 3) were synthesized. The crystal structure of 1 showed 6-coordination where both amine arms were attached, whereas 2 was a 5-coordinate 16e species with one methoxy arm dangling free. Extensive attempts were made to bind CO to these species to synthesize precursors for dihydrogen complexes but were unsuccessful. Reaction of 1 with 1 or 2 equiv of AgOTf under CO atmosphere resulted in isolation of only a 6-coordinate bis(triflate)-containing product [Fe{N(R)C(Me)C(Me)N(R)}(OTf)2] (R = CH2(CH2)2NMe2), 5. Reaction of 5-coordinate 2 with AgSbF6 under CO did not give a CO adduct but afforded instead a dicationic dinuclear complex [Fe{N(R)C(Me)C(Me)N(R)}(μ-Cl)]2[SbF6]2 (R = CH2(CH2)2OMe), 4, containing a weakly bound SbF6. Thus coordination of hard-donor anions to iron was favored over CO binding. The unexpected rejection of binding of CO is ra...
Truncation of the amino terminus of branching enzyme changes its chain transfer pattern.

Previous work has reported the production of an Escherichia coli branching enzyme with a 112-residue deletion at the amino terminal by limited proteolysis. Here, we study the chain transfer pattern of this enzyme. Gel-permeation chromatography of in vitro branched amylose shows that the truncated branching enzyme transfers fewer short chains (degree of polymerization [d.p.] <20) and a greater proportion of intermediate size chains (d.p. 30-90) than the native enzyme. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) of the branching limited alpha-glucan product indicates that the truncated branching enzyme transfers a smaller proportion of chains with d.p. 4-11 and more chains longer than d.p. 12. Also, the genes encoding native or truncated branching enzyme were individually expressed in a branching enzyme-deficient mutant, AC71 (glgB(-)). By HPAEC analysis of the purified alpha-glucans we find that truncated branching enzyme transfers fewer chains of d.p. 5-11 and more chains longer than d.p. 12 relative to the full-length enzyme. These observations allow us to conclude that truncation of the amino-terminal domain has altered the branching pattern of the enzyme. Our results are consistent with the construction of hybrid branching enzymes from the maize isoforms.
Identity Management of the Dead: Contests in the Construction of Murdered Children

Presenting data gathered from fieldwork and ethnographic interviews with families of homicide victims, this study explores “postmortem identity-contests” faced by families who have experienced the homicide of a child or other family member. Interview data from families on their interaction with police, funeral home directors, and other institutional officials suggest that the construction of postmortem identities is commonly a process of contestation filled with competing identity-claims. The findings reveal that as families resist “oppressive othering” by the state and other institutional actors, they develop various accounts and strategies in “selfing” and sanctifying the identity of the dead.
Experience report: issues in comparing gene function annotation in text

Annotating function of genes accurately is one of the most important tasks in molecular biology and medical sciences. The new sequencing technology, called the next generation sequencing technology, made sequencing the whole genomes possible with a fraction of cost of sequencing by using the traditional sequencing technology. As a result, the amount of sequence data has been growing very rapidly, but the computational method for gene function annotation is yet to be fully developed. Thus annotation of gene function is a serious bottleneck to achieving the high-throughput genome projects. The most commonly used gene annotation technique is to transfer annotation of genes based on the sequence similarity; annotation of top-ranked genes in terms of sequence similarity is simply transferred to the function of a target gene. However, this sequence-similarity based gene function annotation is often incorrect. As a result, genome projects still rely on expensive, error-prone, labor-intensive, manual process. Combining annotation and sequence similarity can improve the accuracy of gene function annotation significantly. We have been developing a computational method for comparing gene annotation in text. In this paper, we will discuss issues in comparing genome annotation in a text format. To compute textual similarity, we used cosine similarity. Since cosine similarity is effective only after preprocessing with textual variations, we used commonly used text preprocessing techniques such as removing stop words and stemming as well as gene annotation specific preprocessing such as handling synonyms and gene symbols using databases of biology terminologies such as BioThesaurus and MeSH. In experiments with annotations of a number of bacterial genomes, our method was able to handle many difficult cases (syntactically different but semantically equivalent gene function annotations) correctly.
Sedimentary reservoir oxidation during geologic CO2 sequestration

Abstract Injection of carbon dioxide into subsurface geologic reservoirs during geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) introduces an oxidizing supercritical CO2 phase into a subsurface geologic environment that is typically reducing. The resulting redox disequilibrium provides the chemical potential for the reduction of CO2 to lower free energy organic species. However, redox reactions involving carbon typically require the presence of a catalyst. Iron oxide minerals, including magnetite, are known to catalyze oxidation and reduction reactions of C-bearing species. If the redox conditions in the reservoir are modified by redox transformations involving CO2, such changes could also affect mineral stability, leading to dissolution and precipitation reactions and alteration of the long-term fate of CO2 in GCS reservoirs. We present experimental evidence that reservoirs with reducing redox conditions are favorable environments for the relatively rapid abiotic reduction of CO2 to organic molecules. In these experiments, an aqueous suspension of magnetite nanoparticles was reacted with supercritical CO2 under pressure and temperature conditions relevant to GCS in sedimentary reservoirs (95–210 °C and ∼100 bars of CO2). Hydrogen production was observed in several experiments, likely caused by Fe(II) oxidation either at the surface of magnetite or in the aqueous phase. Heating of the Fe(II)-rich system resulted in elevated P H 2 and conditions favorable for the reduction of CO2 to acetic acid. Implications of these results for the long-term fate of CO2 in field-scale systems were explored using reaction path modeling of CO2 injection into reservoirs containing Fe(II)-bearing primary silicate minerals, with kinetic parameters for CO2 reduction obtained experimentally. The results of these calculations suggest that the reaction of CO2 with reservoir constituents will occur in two primary stages (1) equilibration of CO2 with organic acids resulting in mineral–fluid disequilibrium, and (2) gradual dissolution of primary minerals promoting significant CO2 reduction through the release of Fe(II). The reduction of CO2 is identified as a new trapping mechanism that could significantly enhance the long-term stability of GCS reservoirs. Identification of reservoir characteristics that promote CO2 redox transformations could be used as an additional factor in screening geologic reservoirs for GCS.
A Molecular Target for Viral Killer Toxin: TOK1 Potassium Channels

Killer strains of S. cerevisiae harbor double-stranded RNA viruses and secrete protein toxins that kill virus-free cells. The K1 killer toxin acts on sensitive yeast cells to perturb potassium homeostasis and cause cell death. Here, the toxin is shown to activate the plasma membrane potassium channel of S. cerevisiae, TOK1. Genetic deletion of TOK1 confers toxin resistance; overexpression increases susceptibility. Cells expressing TOK1 exhibit toxin-induced potassium flux; those without the gene do not. K1 toxin acts in the absence of other viral or yeast products: toxin synthesized from a cDNA increases open probability of single TOK1 channels (via reversible destabilization of closed states) whether channels are studied in yeast cells or X. laevis oocytes.
Analyzing Mix Parameters in ASR Concrete using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effect of some critical concrete mix parameters on the ASR expansion and engineering properties by employing response surface methodology. Box–Behnken experimental design was utilized. Three independent variables (i.e., alkali content, water–cementitious ratio, ground clay brick percentage) were evaluated in three levels—minimum, maximum and midpoint of the experimental domain. The chosen ranges for alkali content, water–cementitious ratio and ground clay brick content were 2–8 kg/m3, 0.40–0.55 and 5–25%, respectively. 15 concrete mixes were prepared. Four responses (i.e., ASR expansion, compressive strength, flexural strength and modulus of elasticity) were measured in duplicates. The regression analysis showed the fitted model explains over 85% of the variations for all four responses. The plotted response surfaces showed that (a) ASR expansion decreases with ground clay brick quantity and increases with alkali content, and increases with increasing water–cementitious ratio at high alkali levels; (b) ground clay brick has positive effect on compressive strength at high alkali levels; (c) flexural strength increases with decreasing water–cementitious ratio and with increasing ground clay brick content; (d) modulus of elasticity increases with increasing ground clay brick and decreases with increasing alkali content, moreover, modulus of elasticity increases with decreasing water–cementitious ratio when brick content is high or alkali level is low, in other words, when ASR is low.
A rapid method for quantitative separation of urea cycle intermediates

Abstract To our knowledge, there exists no single rapid technique for the quantitative separation of the amino acid intermediates of the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. In this cycle, ammonia is converted to urea by a series of reaction beginning with the condensation of l -ornithine with carbamyl phosphate and proceeds sequentially through citrulline, argininosuccinic acid, and, finally, arginine, which is the cleaved to form urea with regeneration of ornithine. This communication describes chromatographic methods which have been found to give satisfactory separation of these compounds in a variety of mixtures. The time required for the separations is slightly over 2 hr which compares favorably with the 12–18 hr needed for papar chromatography or the time required for separations by automatic amino acid analyzers.
Three-dimensional paper-based microfluidic device for assays of protein and glucose in urine.

The first step in curing a disease is being able to detect the disease effectively. Paper-based microfluidic devices are biodegradable and can make diagnosing diseases cost-effective and easy in almost all environments. We created a three-dimesnional (3D) paper device using wax printing fabrication technique and basic principles of origami. This design allows for a versatile fabrication technique over previously reported patterning of SU-8 photoresist on chromatography paper by employing a readily available wax printer. The design also utilizes multiple colorimetric assays that can accommodate one or more analytes including urine, blood, and saliva. In this case to demonstrate the functionality of the 3D paper-based microfluidic system, a urinalysis of protein and glucose assays is conducted. The amounts of glucose and protein introduced to the device are found to be proportional to the color change of each assay. This color change was quantified by use of Adobe Photoshop. Urine samples from participants ...
Venom as an interspecific sex pheromone, and species recognition by a cuticular pheromone in Paper Wasps (Polistes, Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

. The venoms of Polistes fuscatus (subspecies fuscatus) (F.) and P. exclamans Viereck from sympatric populations in North Carolina, U.S.A., contain a pheromone which attracts males and stimulates sexual behaviour in both conspecific and heterospecific males. Males of P. fuscatus (subspecies variatus Cresson), a subspecies from Wisconsin, respond to venom of P. fuscatus fuscatus, P. exclamans, and Vespula maculifrons (Buysson) from North Carolina, although the levels of response to P. exclamans and V. maculifrons venom are less than that to P. fuscatus variatus venom. Caged Wisconsin P. fuscafus males do not attempt to mate with P. exclamans females, but will attempt to mate with conspecifics. A series of bioassays indicates that males discriminate between females of P. fuscatus and P. exclamans on the basis of chemical, rather than behavioural or visual cues. The venom apparently is not important in species recognition. Instead, the results of two sets of bioassays suggest that species recognition is mediated by a surface pheromone on the cuticle of females.
Role of humoral presensitization in human renal transplant rejection

Role of humoral presensitization in human renal transplant rejection. A prospective study of 31 cadaveric renal allograft recipients was performed to determine the significance of pre-transplant presensitization undetected by the conventional microlymphocytotoxicity crossmatch. Donor-specific humoral presensitization revealed by the antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity assay (ADCC) was associated with a high incidence of early graft rejection. Six-month graft survival was 20% in recipients with positive pretransplant ADCC and 75% in ADCC-negative recipients (P 51 Cr-CDC) was also highly correlated with accelerated rejection (P 51 Cr-CDC as routine adjunctive crossmatch procedures may contribute to improvement in renal transplant survival rates. Role de la presensibilisation humorale dans le rejet du rein humain transplante. Une etude prospective de 31 receveurs de reins de cadavres a ete realisee pour determiner la signification de la presensibilisation anterieure a la transplantation, non detectee par la technique habituelle de microlymphocytotoxicite. La presensibilisation humorale specifique du donneur revelee par la mesure de cytotoxicite a mediation cellulaire dependante de l'anticorps (ADCC) a ete associee a une incidence elevee de rejet precoce. La survie de la greffe a six mois etait de 20% chez les receveurs ayant une ADCC positive et de 75% chez les receveurs negatifs (P
Flashed stimuli and the suppression of flicker response from long-wavelength-sensitive cones: integrating two separate approaches.

The selective suppression of flicker response from LWS cones has been investigated with two approaches. One approach has emphasized the use of light-adaptation conditions, and the other has emphasized the use of dark-adaptation conditions. In both cases, stimuli are arranged to restrict or exceed the ability of adaptation processes to maintain an afferent flicker response, and long-wavelength stimuli are used to overload spectrally opponent processes. By integrating these two approaches, this study shows that diverse manifestations of flicker response suppression can be closely related mechanistically. For instance, the steep flicker TVI slopes that resulted from superimposing temporally modulated (100% contrast) test stimuli on flashed backgrounds corresponded to the disappearance of flicker that resulted from increasing the time-averaged illuminance of temporally modulated stimuli (contrast x<100%) that were flashed alone in an otherwise dark field. For the stimulus parameters of this study, flicker response suppression was more evident for small (19′ diameter) than for large (1° diameter) stimuli. However, flicker response suppression was elicited reliably for both sizes by adding a spatially coincident short-wavelength stimulus to the interstimulus interval between presentations of the long-wavelength stimuli. By showing that temporal contrast can be treated as an independent variable for an important set of test/background stimulus combinations, the results of this study make it possible to investigate the means by which changes of contrast gain help to maintain flicker response as assessed in a conventional flicker TVI paradigm. The reduced degree of suppression for relatively large stimuli probably is related to the increased action of spatially extensive contrast gain-control processes. These contrast gain-control processes might not act independently of spectrally opponent processes.
A peculiar population: the nutrition, health, and mortality of American slaves from childhood to maturity.

The author examines the nutrition health and mortality of the American slave population in the first half of the nineteenth century using data from ships manifests. "Height and mortality data...indicate that the greatest systematic variation in health and nutrition occurred by age. Nourishment was exceedingly poor for slave children but workers were remarkably well fed. The unusual growth-by-age profile for slaves has implications for views on the postwar economic fortunes of blacks the interpretation of findings of other height studies and conceptions of slaveowner decision making the slave family and the slave personality." (EXCERPT)
Documenting plant domestication: The consilience of biological and archaeological approaches

For more than a million years our distant ancestors were hunter–gatherers, relying exclusively on the gathering of wild plants and the hunting of wild animals for their food. Then, between 10,000 and 5,000 years ago, dramatic changes took place in this longstanding way of life, as human societies in more than a half dozen regions of the world, including Mexico, independently domesticated a variety of different plants and animals (1, 2). These early domesticates, and the agricultural economies subsequently based on them, marked a major turning point in the history of the earth and our species, in that they formed the lever with which humans have relentlessly transformed the earth and its terrestrial ecosystems. Not surprisingly, this “Neolithic Revolution” has attracted increasing attention from both biologists and archaeologists in the more than five decades that have passed since the pioneering field research on agricultural origins by Vavilov, Braidwood, and MacNeish (1). No longer open to easy and universal explanation as a rapid and straightforward transition between adaptational steady states, the developmental shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture has in the past several decades blossomed out into a set of long-unfolding and fascinatingly complex, regional scale developmental puzzles. The most dramatic recent advances in understanding these diverse and extended regional transformations center on documenting the domestication of individual species and involve a consilience and cross-illumination of biological and archaeological approaches. In this issue of PNAS, two articles provide a welcome new addition in this area of research, while also underscoring how much is still to be learned about the initial domestication of maize, and more generally, about agricultural origins in Mexico. Piperno and Flannery (3) report on the oldest maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) cobs yet recovered from Mexico, describing their archaeological context and reporting direct accelerator mass spectrometer …
A correlated histochemical and quantitative study on cerebral glycogen after brain injury in the rat.

Abstract Cerebral injury results in accumulation of glycogen in astrocytes. A quantitative micromethod for glycogen is needed to permit precise investigations of changes in amount, as well as distribution, of glycogen. In the present investigation a highly specific, microchemical, enzymatic assay was employed. Quantitative recovery of glycogen could be obtained from paraffin sections of brain that had been perfused with 4% phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde, provided that the fixed brain was not washed in water or dehydrated in low grades of alcohol. The fixation and special dehydration procedures used also gave excellent histochemical demonstration of glycogen. Six hours after making a stab wound lesion in the rat cerebrum, a pericapillary accumulation of glycogen was noted in the vicinity of the lesion. Between 24 and 96 hours postoperatively glycogen deposition was observed in the astrocyte cell bodies and processes. Although these histochemical changes were evident only in the immediate vicinity of the lesion, the quantitative assays revealed increased glycogen throughout the ipsilateral hemisphere. This increase was observed at 6, 24, and 96 hours postoperatively. During the subsequent 2 weeks the glycogen values returned toward normal. These observations emphasize the value of correlated histochemical and quantitative studies on adjacent tissue sections because, if applied independently, the histochemical techniques reveal only gross increases in glycogen and the more sensitive quantitative methods are unable to give any information regarding the distribution of the changes.
The 1999 Flood of the Century in Eastern North Carolina: Extraordinary Hydro-Meteorological Event or Human-Induced Catastrophe?

The 1999 "flood of the century" in eastern North Carolina was to date the most costly disaster in the state's history. Arguments put forth that the magnitude of the flood was increased to catastrophic proportions by development in the region's water-sheds are evaluated by examining historical trends in several streamflow variables and the magnitude-frequency characteristics of the storm. Analysis of streamflow data in the Tar, Neuse, and Cape Fear river basins indicates that there have been no significant trends in the region that would signal an anthropogenic effect. Given the extreme nature of the precipitation, therefore, it is unlikely that human activities made this flood more severe than it otherwise would have been.
Convergent-beam electron diffraction study of strain modulation in GaAs/InGaAs superlattices grown by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition

Abstract Convergent-beam electron diffraction has been used to study strain modulation in GaAs/InGaAs superlattices (6% In and 2% In) in plan-view. Reflections from planes inclined to the interface of the superlattice are split with sidebands, the angular separation of which is related to the modulation periodicity. It is inferred from higher-order Laue zone lines that inclined planes on opposite sides of an interface in GaAs and InGaAs layers are rotated towards and away from the interface as a result of distortion due to coherent matching and local relaxation in regions where the GaAs substrate and buffer layer have been ion-milled away.
Individual Branch and Path Necessary Conditions for Saddle-Node Bifurcation Voltage Collapse

This paper explores the relation between saddle-node bifurcation voltage collapse and complex flow limits of individual transmission elements. Two necessary conditions for power system voltage collapse are presented. First, when a transfer of power takes place in a power system, at least one line must reach its static transfer stability limit (STSL) at or before the point of voltage collapse. Second, for a point-to-point transfer, a path from the source to the sink, formed by lines all of which have reached their STSL limits, must be formed in the network before the point of collapse is reached. We present numerical examples confirming these two necessary conditions.
The hormonal induction of alkyl glycerol, wax and alkyl acetate synthesis in the preputial gland of the mouse.

Abstract The preputial gland of the mature male mouse produces wax, alkyl glycerols, alkyl acetates and triglycerides. Triglycerides and sterol esters are the principal components of the gland of the immature mouse. Analyses of the gland lipids from various animals showed that variations in the time of appearance and amounts of the different lipid classes could be correlated with the age and sex of the mice from which the preputial glands were obtained. Administration of testosterone propionate to female mice, immature male mice or to mature male mice castrated at 2–3 weeks of age caused marked synthesis and accumulation of lipids containing fatty alcohol moieties, i.e . alkyl glycerols, waxes and alkyl acetates in the preputial glands. Incorporation of label from [6- 14 C]glucose into all lipid fractions of the glands increased after testosterone administration; however, the incorporation was markedly enhanced in the wax and alkyl glyceryl phosphatidyl ethanolamine fractions.
Is motion extrapolation employed in multiple object tracking? Tracking as a low-level, non-predictive function

In a series of five experiments, we investigated whether visual tracking mechanisms utilize prediction when recovering multiple reappearing objects. When all objects abruptly disappeared and reappeared mid-trajectory, it was found that (a) subjects tracked better when objects reappeared at their loci of disappearance than when they reappeared in their extrapolated trajectories, (b) disappearance episodes ranging from 150 to 900 ms had virtually no differential effect on performance, (c) tracking deteriorated monotonically as a function of displacement magnitude during disappearance, and (d) tracking did not depend on whether objects moved in predictable paths. Even objects that reappeared backward in their trajectories were tracked dramatically better than objects that reappeared in their extrapolated trajectories. When all objects disappeared and reappeared in ways that implicated the presence of an occluder (i.e., with occlusion and disocclusion cues along fixed contours), tracking again was not predictive, and performance deteriorated with increased displacement. When objects reappeared predictably in 75% of trials, they were still tracked better when they reappeared at their points of disappearance. Theoretical implications of a non-predictive multiple object tracking mechanism are discussed.
A Microfluidic System for Controlling Reaction Networks in Time

Millisecond mixing and transport with no dispersion are achieved by unsteady flows induced in droplets of about 60 pL that travel through winding microfluidic channels (top). Fluorescence can be used to monitor mixing (bottom) or measure reaction rates. In principle, arbitrarily complex reaction networks can be created by combining and splitting streams of such droplets.
First year comparative evaluation of the Texas A&M freshman integrated engineering program

The paper documents the first year process and product evaluation of the NSF-sponsored Foundation Coalition (FC) project at Texas AM all qualified women and minorities who applied were accepted, and others were accepted on a waiting list in order of application. Entry characteristics indicated that the students did not differ from the freshman class. FC student achievement in physics and calculus and attitudes toward coalition engineering goals were assessed both fall and spring. Separate comparison groups were selected fall and spring. Results indicated that the FC group scored almost identically to the comparison group on the initial testing. For the spring testing the FC group outscored the comparison group statistically on the physics and calculus tests, and all scales of the California Critical Thinking Test except Analysis (no difference). Student attitudes improved for the value of homework, lifelong learning, and decreased in their overall evaluation of engineering.