cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking of Ni-Base Alloys

This chapter provides an overview of the corrosion and stress corrosion cracking properties of the nickel-base alloys that are used in the nuclear power industry. The power industry is concerned about the occurrence of such failure phenomena because of their effect on the safety and availability of equipment. The chapter begins with a discussion of the various alloys that have been used and why they were chosen. The general corrosion characteristics of these alloys are then presented, followed by a discussion of the most important age-related phenomenon affecting light water reactors: stress corrosion cracking. Each of the main factors, such as environmental conditions, flow rates, crevices, material susceptibility factors, stress, and irradiation, that contribute to stress corrosion cracking, is discussed in detail. Finally, an overview of potential mitigation techniques evaluated by the industry is presented along with the future outlook for the use of these materials in the next generation of light water reactors.
Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities After Carotid Procedures.

BACKGROUND Race has been associated with inferior outcomes after multiple procedures, but the association of socioeconomic status with procedures for cerebrovascular disease is not well established. MATERIALS AND METHODS Elective carotid artery stenting (CAS) and carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedures were identified in the National Inpatient Sample, 2012 to 2014. Median household income was estimated from patient ZIP codes. Chi-square and multivariable logistic regression analysis evaluated outcomes, accounting for age, race, gender, comorbidities, procedure, income, insurance, and hospital characteristics. RESULTS We identified 234 825 carotid procedures (205 835 CEA and 28 990 CAS). Blacks and Hispanics were more likely to be among the lowest quartile income patients (LQIPs) compared to whites (53.5% and 38.7% vs 27.0%, respectively; P < .0002). Compared to highest income quartile patients, LQIP had lower rates of private insurance (16.3% vs 22.0%) and higher Medicaid use (4.7% vs 2.0%; all P < .0002). Lowest quartile income patients were more likely to receive CAS (odds ratio [OR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27-1.37), as were blacks and Hispanics (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.26; OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.24-1.40, respectively). In multivariable regression, postoperative stroke was associated with LQIP, black race, and Hispanic ethnicity (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06-1.28; OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.33-1.73; OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.24-1.64, respectively). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that whites also had higher odds of stroke in the lower income quartile (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.4). Mortality was associated with LQIP (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.1), black race (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.4-2.5), and CAS (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1-1.6). Length of stay in the lowest income quartile was longer than in patients with the highest income ( P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS Race was associated with increased hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and overall complications after carotid procedures. Lower income was significantly associated with increased stroke and mortality irrespective of race. Disparate utilization and outcomes for carotid procedures are multifactorial. Efforts to reduce disparities will need to focus on race and other socioeconomic factors.
Microstructure-property relationship for AISI 304/308L stainless steel laser weldment

Abstract Laser welding is attractive for numerous applications requiring materials joining, due to its low energy input. However, it is unknown how the laser welding process influences the microstructure-property relationship across the weldment. The objective of this study is to determine the strengthening mechanisms in the weld metal, base metal, and heat affected zone (HAZ) of an AISI 304/308L stainless steel (SS) laser weldment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to evaluate the microstructure, and static nanoindentation was used to evaluate strength across the weldment. Although the HAZ has a finer dendritic grain structure, its higher hardness compared to the base and weld metal cannot be explained by the Hall-Petch relationship. Therefore, a new strengthening model for weldments that considers the evolution in grain boundary size and orientation angle, as well as dislocation density, precipitation, and solid solution is proposed. Notably, core-shell Ti-C-N precipitation, which provides Orowan dislocation bypass strengthening, is found to be a major contributor to strengthening in the HAZ. The proposed model predictions fall within 10% of experimentally measured properties for all three regions of the analyzed weldment.
Reflections on an accidental discovery

In the spring of 1968, my small research group on the Berkeley campus of the University of California was abuzz. Nearly two years had passed since my arrival as an assistant professor of chemistry. The country in general, and Berkeley in particular, was under the dark shadow of the Vietnam War. There were frequent demonstrations on campus, and once the campus was teargassed by a helicopter. For weeks a “stink bomb” left a repugnant smell in our elevator, and one day a band of demonstrators snaked through the chemistry buildings to look for “military lasers” that never existed. One of my graduate students, who had published with me a year earlier the first report on the formation of DNA catenanes (Wang and Schwartz, 1967), was quitting science to do something he considered more relevant. A second graduate student was having a tough time in his work on a DNA sequencing strategy. He and I were trying to take advantage of a report five years earlier that the enzyme E. coli DNA polymerase I could incorporate a ribonucleotide into its product under certain conditions. This misincorporation of a ribo- rather the normal deoxyribonucleotide, I reasoned, might be exploited to generate a set of four copies of a particular DNA template, each with an occasional ribonucleotide substitution rA, rU, rG, or rC at a random position in the DNA chain. Because the presence of a ribonucleotide in a DNA strand would make the backbone sensitive to alkali hydrolysis at that point, alkali treatment of the set of four products would be expected to yield four sets of DNA chains, each ending in a particular nucleotide—a nice set for determining how the four corresponding DNA nucleotides were arranged in the original DNA template.
Executive function and dietary intake in youth: A systematic review of the literature.

Abstract Despite increasing evidence that childhood obesity may be related to impairments in executive function, the evidence supporting the relation between executive function (EF) and dietary intake, a key factor linked to obesity, is mixed. Although research from the obesity literature often interprets EF as a factor that may influence dietary intake, there is also evidence that dietary intake may influence EF. Drawing on a developmental perspective, this systematic review examines the literature on the link between executive function (i.e., inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility) and dietary intake in youth through the inclusion of cross-sectional, longitudinal, and intervention studies aimed at altering either dietary intake or EF as a way to influence the other. In total, 5650 studies were screened for eligibility. Twenty-six studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Results indicated that the relation between executive function and dietary intake is equivocal. Although there is some support for a cross-sectional relation between executive function and dietary intake, the lack of longitudinal studies makes it difficult to make conclusions about directionality. Findings from intervention studies do not support the effectiveness of short-term manipulations on dietary intake to change subsequent EF, and few intervention studies exist that explicitly aim to “train” EF to change subsequent dietary intake. Furthermore, the wide variety of measures used to assess EF and dietary intake, and the lack of consideration of the role that weight status may play in the relation between EF and dietary intake, make overall interpretation of the literature more difficult. In sum, there is a need for more prospective research examining a variety of ages, domains of EF, and weight statuses, taking into account developmental factors.
Corrigendum to “Degenerate Sklyanin algebras and generalized twisted homogeneous coordinate rings” [J. Algebra 322 (7) (2009) 2508–2527]

Abstract There is an error in the computation of the truncated point schemes V d of the degenerate Sklyanin algebra S ( 1 , 1 , 1 ) . We are grateful to S. Paul Smith for pointing out that V d is larger than was claimed in Proposition 3.13. All 2 or 3 digit references are to the above paper, while 1 digit references are to the results in this corrigendum. We provide a description of the correct V d in Proposition 5 below. Results about the corresponding point parameter ring B associated to the schemes { V d } d ⩾ 1 are given afterward.
Comparative Persistence of Methotrexate and Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Objective The role of methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of spondyloarthritis (SpA) remains uncertain. Aims were to compare MTX and tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) persistence in spondyloarthritis versus rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine whether concomitant conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (csDMARD) use is associated with improved TNFi persistence in SpA. Methods This retrospective cohort study using Optum’s deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database 2000–2014 identified patients with RA, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) without prior biologic use who were initiating MTX or a TNFi. Cox proportional hazards models compared time to medication discontinuation over the next 2 years between patients with RA, PsA, or AS, adjusting for potential confounders. In similar analyses stratified by disease, Cox models were used to assess whether concomitant use of csDMARD was associated with TNFi persistence. Results We identified 31,527 MTX initiators (26,708 RA, 2939 PsA, 1880 AS) and 34,651 TNFi initiators (24,134 RA, 6705 PsA, 3812 AS). MTX was discontinued sooner in patients with PsA [adjusted HR (aHR) 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.16] and AS (aHR 1.23, 1.16–1.31) versus RA, while TNFi were discontinued at similar rates in RA and AS and discontinued later in PsA (aHR 0.93, 0.89–0.97). Concomitant use of MTX (compared to no csDMARD) was associated with lower rates of TNFi discontinuation in RA (aHR 0.85, 0.80–0.89), PsA (aHR 0.81, 0.74–0.89), and AS (aHR 0.79, 0.67–0.93). Conclusion MTX discontinuation occurs sooner in patients with PsA and AS versus RA. Concomitant use of MTX with a TNFi, however, is associated with improved TNFi persistence in all 3 diseases.
CNOT gate operation on a photogenerated molecular electron spin-qubit pair

Implementation of the two-qubit controlled-NOT (CNOT) gate is necessary to develop a complete set of universal gates for quantum computing. Here, we demonstrate that a photogenerated radical (spin qubit) pair within a covalent donor-chromophore-acceptor molecule can be used to successfully execute a CNOT gate with high fidelity. The donor is tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), the chromophore is 8-aminonaphthalene-1,8-dicarboximide (ANI), and the acceptor is pyromellitimide (PI). Selective photoexcitation of ANI with a 416 nm laser pulse results in subnanosecond formation of the TTF•+-ANI-PI•- radical (spin qubit) pair at 85 K having a 1.8 µs phase memory time. This is sufficiently long to execute a CNOT gate using a sequence of five microwave pulses followed by a sequence of two pulses that read out all the elements of the density matrix. Comparing these data to a simulation of the data that assumes ideal conditions results in a fidelity of 0.97 for the execution of the CNOT gate. These results show that photogenerated molecular spin qubit pairs can be used to execute this essential quantum gate at modest temperatures, which affords the possibility that chemical synthesis can be used to develop structures to execute more complex quantum logic operations using electron spins.
Understanding the lateral movement of particles adsorbed at a solid–liquid interface

Abstract In this paper we study the phenomenon of lateral movement of particles that are electrostatically adsorbed at a solid–liquid interface. The experimental system involves negatively charged silica particles of two different sizes (65 nm and 90 nm) that are exposed to the positively charged solid surface (silane coated silicon wafer) in sequential steps. The particle-adsorbed wafers are analyzed under a scanning electron microscope and the images are processed to determine the pair-correlation function for the particles adsorbed in the first step. From the pair correlation data and the particle surface coverage data we show that the adsorbed particles are mobile at the solid–liquid interface. In specific, we show that the adsorbed particles are mobile at the solid–liquid interface when there is a driving force for the adsorbed particles to move. The driving force in the scheme of experiments discussed in this paper is the reduction in the free energy of the system.
4 – Biodiesel Production

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of biodiesel production. Four methods to reduce the high viscosity of vegetable oils to enable their use in common diesel engines without operational problems, such as engine deposits have been investigated: blending with petrodiesel, pyrolysis, microemulsification (cosolvent blending), and transesterification. Transesterification is by far the most common method and only the transesterification reaction leads to the products commonly known as biodiesel, i.e., alkyl esters of oils and fats. The chapter presents the basics of this reaction. Growth of production volumes in the biodiesel industry put stresses on conventional feedstock supplies and also stimulated a search for superior catalysts and technologies for biodiesel production. The chapter examines some of the major initiatives in these areas and discusses alternate feedstocks and technologies for biodiesel production. It also discusses the new sources of lipids for biodiesel production. The chapter further reviews both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for the esterification of fatty acids with methanol to produce biodiesel and also for the transesterification of triglycerides with methanol to produce biodiesel.
Effect analysis on the comprehensive measures for rabies control and prevention programs in Fujian province

我国属于狂犬病严重流行的国家之一[1].福建省狂犬病发病数从2000年的4例,持继上升到2007年的43例,自2008年以来全省实施了狂犬病防治国家项目方案,报告发病率逐年下降,取得显著成效.本文分析2000 - 2007年福建省综合防治措施控制狂犬病疫情的效果. 关键词：狂犬病;预防控制;效果分析
Bostock v. Clayton County and the Problem of Bisexual Erasure

The Supreme Court’s Bostock v. Clayton County opinion, affirming that Title VII’s sex discrimination protections extend to “gay and transgender” employees, is an opinion emphatically grounded in a textualism-based analysis. It is also an opinion that does not once mention bisexuals in its text. The bisexual erasure in the opinion is not unusual; in the nearly quarter century leading up to Bostock, the Supreme Court has repeatedly failed to explicitly acknowledge the existence or equal rights of bisexuals. While bi erasure in Supreme Court cases is not new, in the case of Bostock, the problematic nature of omitting bisexuals from the text of the opinion takes on an additional and ironic dimension: Those seeking to apply Bostock’s holding to bisexuals must contend with a unique tension between the majority opinion’s textualism emphasis and the need to read beyond the literal text of the holding’s limited “gay and transgender” language to ensure that it applies to bisexuals as well. Along with calling for greater bi inclusivity, this Essay offers an interpretive guide to ensuring Bostock’s precedent, textualist emphasis notwithstanding, is extended to bisexuals. While resolving such tensions, the Essay also describes how systemic bi erasure in LGBTQ rights cases beyond Bostock remains a significant problem. In doing so, it explains the reciprocal benefits of being bi-inclusive, including the role bisexuals can play in illustrating that sexual orientation discrimination is a form of sex discrimination.
Immersive VR for Organic Chemistry: Impacts on Performance and Grades for First-Generation and Continuing-Generation University Students

Rapid advances in the quality and accessibility of immersive virtual reality (IVR) have brought about intense interest in applications of the technology within higher education, including STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) teaching and learning. However, evidence is mixed on the effectiveness of IVR for STEM teaching and learning, and there are currently few models of how best to incorporate these activities into typical STEM courses. We created a sequence of IVR activities for teaching concepts in organic chemistry and carried out an experimental investigation on the impacts of these on student performance, with special focus on student characteristics including first-generation college student status, gender, and ethnicity. Two sections of Organic Chemistry were compared; in one randomly assigned section, students had the option of completing these IVR activities, and in the other, they did not. Results showed a trend towards improved course grades and final exam scores in the section offered IVR activities, particularly for first-generation college students. These findings suggest that IVR can be a practical and effective way to reinforce learning and student success in realistic university STEM settings, especially for certain demographic subgroups.
Rapid development of renal resistance to low doses of synthetic bovine parathyroid hormone fragment 1-34. Dissociation of urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate, phosphaturic, and calciuric responses.

Abstract The designing of parathyroid hormone (PTH)-renal dose-response studies in human beings is complicated by the possibility of rapid homologous receptor down-regulation, a phenomenon that is clearly shown to occur in vitro. Large amounts of PTH given to human subjects as serial injections or prolonged infusions cause decreased urinary 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responses to subsequent PTH doses, but it is uncertain whether lower doses given over shorter periods similarly cause renal tachyphylaxis to PTH action. Thus, in seven water-loaded adults, we infused in ascending order 10, 30, 75, 150, and 300 U of synthetic bovine PTH fragment 1-34 (bPTH 1-34) per 70 kg body wt over 15 min on widely separated days ("separate day administration"). On another day, each subject received all five 15-min doses in ascending order at 75-min intervals ("single day administration"). Urine collection intervals were control, 0-30 min (including the PTH infusion), and 30-60 min. Peak nephrogenous cAMP (NcAMP, nmol/100 ml glomerular filtrate) response was linearly related to the dose of PTH (separate day study, r = 0.94, P less than 0.001; single day study, r = 0.88, P less than 0.001). However, the slope of NcAMP responses plotted against PTH dose for the single day study was only 36% of that derived from separate day administration of the same PTH doses (P less than 0.001). After only 40 U (10 + 30) of bPTH 1-34/70 kg, the NcAMP response to 75 U was reduced 44%, and the effect of 300 U/70 kg, when given as the last of the sequential single day infusions, was 64% less than the response to 300 U of bPTH 1-34 given alone (P less than 0.001). The phosphaturic response (fractional excretion of phosphorus, FEP [percent]) was also linearly related to bPTH 1-34 dose, but combined administration of the PTH infusions on one day increased FEP at each dose identically with the effects of separate day administration. A transient, dose-related, early hypercalciuric response to bPTH 1-34 also occurred, and was of equal magnitude in both protocols. These studies demonstrate that significant blunting of the NcAMP response to bPTH 1-34 occurs rapidly and follows brief exposure to relatively low doses of hormone. In contrast, there is no effect of recent PTH administration on the phosphaturic and early hypercalciuric actions of bPTH 1-34. This seeming dissociation of PTH effects makes unclear the physiologic importance of PTH-induced cAMP tachyphylaxis in the regulation of final PTH actions. In any case, studies of NcAMP responses in which the occurrence of tachyphylaxis would be undesirable should be designed to avoid prolonged or closely spaced administrations of the hormone.
Secretory Hormones of Entamoeba histolytica

La relation entre les substances neurohumorales qui agissent par le calcium, et les prostaglandines probablement synthetisees dans la muqueuse intestinale ne sont pas connues
Predictors of Sexual Bother in a Population of Male North American Medical Students

Introduction The prevalence and associations of sexual bother in male medical students has not been extensively studied.
Computations of electromagnetic wave scattering from anisotropic and inhomogeneous objects using volume integral equation methods

Electromagnetic modeling of inhomogeneous and anisotropic structures requires solution of volume integral equations using moment method. Given the application of inhomogeneous and anisotropic structures in different application areas, it is of critical importance to develop accurate and efficient modeling methods. In this work, we investigate the solutions of the volume integral equation (VIE) methods for solving inhomogeneous and anisotropic structures with arbitrary shapes. Various numerical examples are shown to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the algorithms.
The Privacy-Utility Tradeoff for Remotely Teleoperated Robots

Though teleoperated robots have become common for more extreme tasks such as bomb diffusion, search-and-rescue, and space exploration, they are not commonly used in human-populated environments for more ordinary tasks such as house cleaning or cooking. This presents near-term opportunities for teleoperated robots in the home. However, a teleoperator’s remote presence in a consumer’s home presents serious security and privacy risks, and the concerns of end-users about these risks may hinder the adoption of such in-home robots. In this paper, we define and explore the privacy-utility tradeoff for remotely teleoperated robots: as we reduce the quantity or fidelity of visual information received by the teleoperator to preserve the end-user’s privacy, we must balance this against the teleoperator’s need for sufficient information to successfully carry out tasks. We explore this tradeoff with two surveys that provide a framework for understanding the privacy attitudes of end-users, and with a user study that empirically examines the effect of different filters of visual information on the ability of a teleoperator to carry out a task. Our findings include that respondents do desire privacy protective measures from teleoperators, that respondents prefer certain visual filters from a privacy perspective, and that, for the studied task, we can identify a filter that balances privacy with utility. We make recommendations for in-home teleoperation based on these findings. Categories and Subject Descriptors H.1.2 [Models and Principles]: User/Machine Systems— human factors, software psychology General Terms Design; Human Factors
Teleradiology in rural Arizona: user's perspective

The goal of this project was to evaluate the overall use and effectiveness of a teleradiology system linking the Department of Radiology at the University of Arizona with a rural site 100 miles away. Workstations were installed at the referring and consulting sites with connections to al major imaging modalities. 83 percent of the time the correct type and number of images were sent to reach a diagnosis; 17 percent needed more images or had technical problems. Image quality was judged to be adequate for 85 percent of the cases. The consulting radiologists were every or somewhat confident in their decisions 88 percent of the time. Low confidence was directly related to judged image quality or number of images available. Consultation sessions lasted 7.73 min on average and 95 percent were judged to occur in a timely manner. 95 percent of the sessions were judged to be successful overall in terms of speed and diagnostic accuracy. The current teleradiology system provides a much needed service to a rural population of patients. Overall, both the consulting and referring radiologists are satisfied with the performance of the system and with their own diagnostic performance.
Direct peritoneal resuscitation as adjunct to conventional resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock: a better outcome.

Background Conventional resuscitation (CR) from hemorrhagic shock often culminates in multisystem organ failure and death, commonly attributed to a progressive splanchnic vasoconstriction and hypoperfusion, a gut-derived systemic inflammatory response (SIR), and fluid sequestration. Direct peritoneal resuscitation (DPR) produces a sustained state of tissue hyperperfusion in splanchnic and distant organs. In this study we evaluated the therapeutic potential of DPR on the SIR and fluid sequestration as parameters of treatment outcome. Methods Anesthetized nonheparinized rats continuously monitored for hemodynamics were bled to 40% of mean arterial pressure for 60 minutes. Animals were randomized for CR or CR plus DPR under aseptic conditions. Sham nonhemorrhaged rats served as control. Qualitatively, animals were blindly observed for body weight, illness score, or death for 72 hours. Tissues were harvested from survivors, and SIR was measured by interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor–α, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and fluid sequestration was measured by dry weight/wet weight ratio (DW/WW). Results Adjunct DPR caused a marked increase (P > .01 by analysis of variance) in the immunoregulator IL-10 in the liver (10,990 ± 1,470 pg/g) and gut (1815 ± 640 pg/g), compared to CR rats (6450 ± 1000 pg/g and 1555 ± 590, respectively), which is associated with down-regulation of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor–α in liver and gut, from 57 ± 4 and 20 ± 3 pg/g, respectively, to 42 ± 4 and 9 ± 2 pg/g in DPR-treated animals. CR animals had a lower DW/WW ratio in liver (−36%), spleen (−22%), and lung (−24%) compared to DPR (P Conclusions This study demonstrates that DPR as adjunct to CR has beneficial effects on the pathophysiology of resuscitated hemorrhagic shock. In addition to restoration of tissue perfusion, DPR has immunomodulation and anti-fluid sequestration effects. These modulations result in improved outcome.
Nutrient cycling in forests of Walker Branch Watershed, Tennessee : roles of uptake and leaching in causing soil changes

Previous studies showed that subsoil exchangeable Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ decreased over the period 1971 to 1982 in several plots on Walker Branch Watershed. It was hypothesized that wood accumulation (i.e., uptake and sequestering in both living and dead tree biomass) was the dominant cause of the exchangeable Ca 2+ decreases, whereas atmospheric deposition-induced leaching was the dominant cause of the exchangeable Mg 2+ decreases
Arabidopsis thaliana. A robust model system for studying plant-pathogen interactions.

Although plants are continuously exposed to a variety of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, successful infections are rare. Plants utilize a diverse array of defense mechanisms to prevent microbial infections. Some of these defense strategies involve constitutively expressed physical and chemical barriers that provide a first line of defense against potential pathogens (Mansfield 1983). Other defense mechanisms are specifically induced upon attempted infection. These induced defense responses include the synthesis of polyphenolic lignins and hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins which are incorporated into plant cell walls, causing the walls to be more resistant to microbial invasion? the synthesis of the hydrolases (β-1,3- glucanase and chitinase, which may inhibit fungi by degrading their cell walls; and the synthesis and accumulation of antimicrobial compounds called phytoalexins (Bell 1981, Collinge and Slusarenko 1987, Darvill and Albersheim 1984, Hahlbrock and Scheel 1987).
Decomposition of nitroaromatic anion radicals. The ambient behavior of the thiocyanate substituent

Abstract The electrochemical reduction of p -nitrophenyl thiocyanate in acetonitrle has been shown to be initially a one-electron process which gives the corresponding anion radical. The anion radical is unstable and decomposes slowly (0.23 s −1 ) with loss of cyanide ion to form the electroactive radical, p -O 2 NC 6 H 4 S. The neutral radical is immediately reduced, either chemically or electrochemically, to give p -nitrothiophenoxide ion as the product. At slightly more negative potentials, p -nitrophenyl thiocyanate is reduced further in a second one-electron step to form the di-anion which rapidly decomposes to give p -nitrothiophenoxide and cyanide ions. The anion radical formed by the one-electron reduction of p -nitrobenzyl thiocyanate is also unstable, and decomposes with loss of thiocyanate ion to give p -nitrobenzyl radical. The rate constant for the loss of thiocyanate ion is estimated from cyclic voltammetric reduction potential data to be 2 × 10 4 s −1 . The principal pathway for reaction of p -nitrobenzyl radical is dimerization, although a significant fraction of p -nitrotoluene (0.1–0.2) is also formed by abstraction of hydrogen atom by the radical. No evidence could be found to suggest the intermediacy of the carbanion p -O 2 NC 6 H 4 CH − 2 in the reduction process.
Systemic therapy for advanced adrenal cancer.

The systemic management of advanced adrenal cancer remains a major therapeutic dilemma as it is both highly resistant to systemic agents and very rare epithelial neoplasm making clinical investigation a significant challenge. The role of mitotane, systemic chemotherapy and novel targeted agents are reviewed. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:643–646. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Multitemperature Nonequilibrium on Compressible Homogeneous Turbulence

We study the effects of the rotational-translational energy exchange on the compressible decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) in three dimensions through direct numerical simulations. We use the gas-kinetic scheme coupled with multitemperature nonequilibrium based on the Jeans-Landau-Teller model. We investigate the effects of the relaxation time of rotational temperature, ${Z}_{R}$, and the initial ratio of the rotational and translational temperatures, ${T}_{R0}/{T}_{L0}$, on the dynamics of various turbulence statistics including the kinetic energy $K(t)$, the dissipation rate $\ensuremath{\epsilon}(t)$, the energy spectrum $E(k,t)$, the root mean square of the velocity divergence ${\ensuremath{\theta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}(t)$, the skewness ${S}_{u}(t)$ and the flatness ${F}_{u}(t)$ of the velocity derivatives, and the probability distribution functions of the local Mach number Ma and the shocklet strength $\ensuremath{\chi}$. The larger the ${Z}_{R}$ is, the faster the compressibility decays after an initial time. Similarly, with a fixed ${T}_{L0}$, the higher the initial energy ratio ${T}_{R0}/{T}_{L0}$, the weaker is the compressibility in the flow. It is also observed that the effect of ${T}_{R0}/{T}_{L0}$ is strong in all times in the decay, while the effect of ${Z}_{R}$ is severe only in the later times passing through the stage with strong nonlinearity. We also observe that the multitemperature model does not affect the self-similarities obeyed by the probability distribution functions of Ma and $\ensuremath{\chi}$, which appear to be a robust feature of the compressible DHIT.
GRAVITATIONAL LOADING OF A SIMULATED LAUNCH ALTERS MRNA EXPRESSION IN OSTEOBLASTS

Serum-deprived mouse osteoblastic cells (MC3T3-E1a) were centrifuged under a regime designed to simulate a space shuttle launch (maximum of 3g). Messenger RNA levels for eight genes involved in bone growth and maintenance were determined using RT-PCR. Following 30 min of centrifugation, mRNA level for early response gene c-fos was significantly increased 89% (P < 0.05). The c-fos induction was transient and returned to control levels after 3 h. The mRNA level for the mineralization marker gene osteocalcin was significantly decreased to 44% of control level (P < 0.005) 3 h after centrifugation. No changes in mRNA levels were detected for c-myc, TGFbeta1, TGFbeta2, cyclophilin A, or actin. No basal mRNA level for TGFbeta3 was detected. In addition, no change in the steady-state synthesis of prostaglandin E2 was detected, possibly due to lack of lipid substrates in serum-deprived cells, suggesting that the increase in c-fos mRNA in response to gravitational loading is a result of mechanical stimulation. These results indicate that a small magnitude mechanical loading, such as that experienced during a shuttle launch, can alter mRNA levels in quiescent osteoblastic cells.
Before Turannoi Were Tyrants: Rethinking a Chapter of Early Greek History

Abstract According to classical and postclassical sources, the early Greek turannoi were, by definition, illegitimate rulers who overturned existing political arrangements and installed rogue monarchic regimes in their place. And on this one fundamental point at least, modern observers of archaic turannides seem to have little quarrel with their ancient informants. To this day, it remains axiomatic that Cypselus, Peisistratus, and the rest were autocrats who gained power by usurpation. Whatever their individual accomplishments, they were still, in a word, "tyrants." Relying mostly on evidence from the contemporary literary and material records, my paper aims to challenge this time-honored conventional wisdom and restore the first turannoi to the political mainstream.
Toward operationalizing a psychoeducational definition of learning disabilities

An operational definition of “learning disabilities” is presented from the standpoint that classificatory psychoeducational definitions must ultimately relate to educational processes. Thus the condition should be described in terms of abilities crucial to educational achievement, and noneducational criteria should not be employed. It is pointed out that the most generally accepted current definition — which identifies children as “learning-disabled” on the basis of behavioral criteria, while excluding others because of etiological and other nonbehavioral factors — overlooks functional similarities among such groups as educable mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed children. These similarities warrant the inclusion under the rubric of “learning-disabled” of some children who may also be grouped within other diagnostic categories. Consequently, the profferred definition is based on a primary concern with day-to-day learning and management issues. Concepts subtended by the definition are operationally defined, and its relationship to programming is discussed.
Langerhans' cell histiocytosis involving the pituitary, thyroid, lung, and liver.

Objective: To report the development, in an adult patient, of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis (LCH) involving the thyroid and most probably the pituitary gland, lungs, and liver. Methods: We present...
Factors affecting the distribution of trace elements in aquatic plants Waterhyacinth

Abstract Those factors that affect the uptake and distribution of trace metals in aquatic plants are considered and include solubility, utilization and alteration of solubility by naturally occurring chelating agents. The waterhyacinth, which infests waterways in considerable sections of the world, has been used as a model system and the distribution of selected trace metals in three different parts (leaves, stems and roots) of the plant has been determined. Relative concentrations of five metals in the three segments have been related to the solubility (as log K sp of the metal carbonate. Inorganic carbon is likely to be a dominant species in natural waters, though the correlation was tested with solubilities of the sulfates, hydroxides and phosphates, and none correlated as well as a group. The correlation of relative distribuion of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and manganese in plant segments was valid for plants taken from two different rivers at three different times. The correlation did not apply to cobalt(II), and solubility data for cobalt(III) carbonate were not available.
The physiology of induced molting

The initiation of seasonal feather molting in wild avian species frequently coincides with incubation of eggs and brooding of offspring. A period of natural inappetence or anorexia usually accompanies this molt. This is particularly true of the jungle fowl, the wild ancestor of the domestic chicken. Brooding of eggs by the jungle fowl is accompanied by spontaneous anorexia, with little food or water consumed throughout the period of egg incubation. During this time, the reproductive tract regresses, and feather molting is initiated. Selective breeding for a high rate of egg production has blunted the response of the commercial laying hen to exogenous environmental cues and reduced or eliminated the endogenous biological cues that coordinate initiation of seasonal molting. However, commercial layers retain in their physiological repertoire the ability to tolerate prolonged fasting and to undergo a spontaneous regression of the reproductive tract and feather molting. Induction of a coordinated molt, by manipulation of environmental and nutritional cues, or endocrine manipulation, can be used in domestic hens to regress and regenerate the reproductive tract. This improves subsequent egg production and eggshell quality. This process also induces temporary recrudescence of lymphoid tissues and may alter immune function in hens. The process of molting, and the subsequent recovery from the molt, may be viewed as a complex physiological constellation, induced by environmental and nutritional cues, involving endocrine systems, reproductive tissue structure and function, lymphoid structure, and immune function.
Correlation effects in the parity-nonconserving 6s→7s transition in cesium

The amplitude of the parity-nonconserving (PNC) electric-dipole transition 6s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}7s in cesium is calculated to third order in many-body perturbation theory. Inclusion of the corresponding corrections in calculations of parity-conserving transition amplitudes and atomic hyperfine constants leads to agreement with experiment at a level under 5%. We obtain a value of 0.951${\mathrm{iea}}_{0}$\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}11}$${Q}_{W}$/-N with an estimated error of 5% for the PNC amplitude. A determination of the Weinberg angle is made by combining the present calculation with recent measurements of the PNC amplitude: the result is ${\mathrm{sin}}^{2}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\theta}}}_{\mathrm{W}}$=0.229 ${(24)}_{\mathrm{expt}}$ ${(16)}_{\mathrm{theor}}$. Issues involved in improving the accuracy of the calculations of atomic properties of cesium are discussed.
The Influence of a Statewide Green School Initiative on Student Achievement in K–12 Classrooms

This study investigates the influence of Green School designation on students’ achievement in state-mandated standardized tests. Data were gathered 3 years pre- and post-Green schools designation, from test pass rates in reading and mathematics for Grade 5 and Grade 8 students, and from mathematics, English language arts, and biology scores for secondary students. Analysis indicated that Green School designation was positively correlated with standardized test pass rates in many schools and across subjects. Future work should investigate the mitigating impact of variables such as student socioeconomic status and level of teacher certification on student achievement in Green Schools.
On conjugate points for second order systems

Abstract We study the existence of first conjugate points relative to second order systems of differential equations. We also prove a result on the relation between positivity of certain solutions of the adjoint systems and conjugate points.
Measurement of human factor IXa activity in an isolated factor X activation system

To determine the functional properties of factor IX isolated from the plasma of CRM+ hemophilia B patients, an assay system using proteins isolated from human plasma had to be developed which would be amenable to kinetic studies under a variety of experimental conditions. The present study describes the activation of factor X by factor IXa, isolated from normal human plasma, in an assay system which allows manipulation of calcium, phospholipid and factor VIIIa concentrations. Initial rate measurements with factor VIIIa present in the system were made by incubating factor VIII with factor Xa immediately before factor IXa assay. With this approach, the initial rate of factor X activation was constant, with little evidence for a lag period. Within the framework of the assay system described in the present study, it should be possible to examine not only genetic variants of factor IX, but also variants of factor VIII, as well as providing a means of routine factor IXa and factor VIII(a) assays.
Constrained‐Film Sintering of a Borosilicate Glass: In Situ Measurement of Film Stresses

The authors have measured in-plane stresses developed in a borosilicate glass (BSG) film during its constrained sintering on a rigid substrate. Samples were prepared by casting BSG slurries on a silicon substrate and sintered inside a hot stage at 715 C just above the glass-softening temperature. In-plane stresses from the constrained-film sintering were determined by wafer-curvature measurements using an optical system. The measured stresses were tensile and rose rapidly from zero to a maximum level of 20 kPa during the initial stage of sintering and gradually decreased to zero at the final stage; these stresses were considerably smaller than those calculated from available microstructural models. They also measured the densification profiles of the free and constrained films. The stresses had no apparent effect on the densification profile of the constrained film up to 90% relative density; but beyond that, the densification kinetics were reduced in the constrained film. The authors believe that the stresses could have prevented a few large pores from shrinking during the initial stage of sintering, which then leads to an overall lower density and larger pores in the constrained film.
Neuroblastoma cell culture: membrane changes during cyclic AMP-induced morphological differentiation.

SummaryMouse neuroblastoma cells agglutinated in the presence of glycoprotein of plant origin (Con A and wheat germ agglutinin), whereas morphologically differentiated cells induced by 4-(3-butoxy-4-meth oxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidinone (inhibitor of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase) did not. WGA agglutinability is lost earlier than Con A during morphological differentiation of neuroblastoma cells. Trypsin treatment unmasked only a portion of Con A agglutinin receptor sites but did not unmask WGA receptor sites at all. The differentiated cells for the most part did not renew cell division after being treated with trypsin. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP or prostaglandin E1-induced differentiated cells showed agglutination in the presence of Con A and WGA. Thus, it was concluded that changes in the agglutinin sites are not necessarily linked with the morphological differentiation or the growth of neuroblastoma cells in culture.
A Multigroup Method for Radiation with Scattering in Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Simulations

Substantial approximations in the treatment of radiation are still necessary in three-dimensional simulations in order to avoid extremely large computational costs. Solar radiation hydrodynamic simulations in three dimensions have previously assumed local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE); an assumption that works well in the deep photosphere. This work aims at bringing these simulations a step further by including scattered radiation, with the goal of modeling chromospheres in three dimensions. We allow for coherent isotropic scattering, which alters the thermal structure and wave amplitudes in the chromosphere. Group mean opacity coefficients are used in group mean source functions that contain approximate scattering terms and exact contributions from thermal emissivity. The resulting three-dimensional scattering problem allows for a computationally efficient solution by a new iteration method. We have compared exact wavelength-integrated monochromatic solutions with the corresponding approximate solutions for solar conditions. We find that the total flux divergence obtained from the groups deviates less than 10% from the exact solution. When using these groups rather than the full monochromatic solution, the CPU time is reduced by a factor of about 100 in a test case for solar conditions.
Check-Sum Aided MAP Detection of Relay Misbehavior in Wireless Network Coding

We propose check-sum aided maximum a posteriori (MAP) approach in detecting the misbehaving relay that injects false data, drops valid data, and/or adds channel errors into the network encoder in noisy multiple access relay networks. The MAP detection is optimal in the sense of minimizing the probability of incorrect detection (false alarm and misdetection), while requiring no transmission overhead. The accuracy of misbehavior detection is improved by having a check node to overhear a set of source nodes and send a check-sum of overheard data to the detector. We derive the probability of false alarm and misdetection in Rayleigh fading noisy channels, and analyze the improvement of detection as a function of transmission overhead (rate) and signal-to-noise ratio.
An analysis of forecasts of livestock prices

Abstract The paper studies forecasts of U.S. hog and cattle prices provided by both a commodity expert and organized futures markets. Some have argued that futures prices should be efficient forecasts of actual cash prices. We show that cattle futures prices are outperformed by the expert; for hogs, futures prices and the expert are about equal. Analysis of a vector autoregression of the expert's forecasts, the futures prices, and actual cash prices, supports the finding that cattle futures prices are not an efficient forecast of actual cash prices. Differing supply dynamics may account for the difference.
Photoexcitations in La2CuO4: 2-eV energy gap and long-lived defect states.

We report the photoinduced optical-absorption spectrum of ${\mathrm{La}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CuO}}_{4}$. Two photoinduced absorptions are observed, peaking at 0.5 and at 1.4 eV, with a crossover to photoinduced bleaching above 2.0 eV. These data, together with observed luminescence at \ensuremath{\sim}2 eV, confirm the presence of an energy gap at or above this energy, as well as the existence of long-lived stable electronic defect states in this system.