cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Globalization of the Agricultural and Food Sector and Theories of the State

The paper investigates the theoretical dislocation between the domestic oriented character of theories of the State and the transnational character of theories of socio-economic development. Employing the case of the food and agricultural sector, it is argued that the literature in this area has emphasized the transnational dimension of capital accumulation and the process of by-passing State authority at the national level. This situaion mandates a re-evaluation of State theories in regard to the international dimension of current processes of capital accumulation. Furthermore, the present analysis suggests patterns of "contradictory convergence" in which expansion at the transnational level of State action is demanded by transnational corporations and subordinate classes alike. This demand, however, is contradictory, as it finds its limits in the transnational bourgeoisie's desire to avoid State action. Politically, as a result of this situation the locus of emancipatory social action should be increasingly transferred to the international arena. La globalizacion del sector agricola y alimentario y las teorias del estado ?Resumen Este articulo indaga en el desfase teorico existente entre las teorias del Estado, con un caracter orientado hacia lo nacional, y el caracter transnacional de las teorias del desarrollo socio-economico. Con base en el caso del sector agricola y alimentario, se afirma que la literatura en esta area ha enfatizado la dimension transnacional de la acumulacion de capital y la evasion de la autoridad del Estado en el ambito nacional. Esta situacion requiere revaluar las teorias del Estado en atencion a la dimension internacional del presente proceso de acumilacion de capital. Mas aun, este analisis sugiere patrones de "convergencia contradictoria" en la cual, la expansion de la accion del Estado a nivel transnacional es exigido tanto por las corporaciones transnacionales como por las clases subordinadas. Esta exigencia, sin embargo, es contradictoria ya que se encuentra limitada por el interes de la burguesia transnacional de evadir la accion del Estado. Desde el punto de vista politico, como resultado de esta situacion, el espacio de la accion social emancipadora debe trasladarse, cada vez mas, a la escena internacional.
Surgeon Level of Expertise in Adult Reconstruction: A Brief Communication Regarding the Need for Reporting the Level of Expertise

The purpose of the current brief communication is to establish a discussion regarding level of expertise (LOE) documentation in future arthroplasty clinical studies and to document the trend in adoption of LOE among arthroplasty publications to date. A review of Arthroplasty Today, Journal of Arthroplasty (JOA), Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), and International Orthopedics (IO) databases for original studies published between April 2016 and July 2020 was performed. A total of 105 articles were identified and evaluated in Arthroplasty Today, 1011 in JOA, 127 in JBJS, and 383 in IO. Of 1011 articles identified in JOA, only one manuscript (1/1011; 0.1%), by Uluyardimci et.al, included the LOE of the surgeon(s) involved in the study. No articles in Arthroplasty Today (0/125; 0%), JBJS (0/127; 0%), or IO (0/383; 0%) reported the LOE according to Tang's recommendations during the same period. Documenting LOE may provide readers with additional information for incorporation of novel techniques into their practices as well as identify procedures that require a baseline LOE for effective performance. Further evaluation of LOE criteria may improve the reliability of the numeric scale, while widespread adoption of this scale will allow future outcome analysis by LOE.
Strength evolution laws in curing of solvent-welded polymers

This paper reports the scaling laws to describe the time-evolution behavior of solvent-mediated strength at the interface between two identical thermoplastic polymers below the glass-transition temperature. Our results suggest that the evolution scales as sqrt[t], where t is the curing time. It depends on the time evolution of interfacial stiffness and toughness, each of which scales as sqrt[t]. Employing a combination of experiments and continuum scale simulations, we show that the evolution of strength, stiffness, and toughness is controlled by pure diffusion. It can therefore be treated as a Gaussian process. While the "saturation of strength," which describes the transition of strength evolution into a steady state, does not strictly follow any power-law type behavior, a simple exponential law accurately characterizes both evolution and saturation of strength. This suggests that the longer timescale nonlinear processes (that are overdetermined by the power-law type scaling laws) diminish rapidly in approaching a steady state. Furthermore, the kinetics of the evolution processes is well captured by the dissolution of polymer particles. While dissolution involves a different timescale, it strongly correlates with the solvent-welding process upon normalization. The correlation highlights the equivalence of the dissolution and solvent-joining processes and offers an easier route to determining strength at arbitrary curing times. Additionally, the dissolution rate of polymer particles is shape dependent and governed by the surface-to-volume ratio.
Enhancing the Antibacterial Efficacy of Aluminum Foil by Nanostructuring its Surface using Hot Water Treatment.

Bacterial biofilm has become one of the most frequent health problems as it contributes to persistent chronic infections. Therefore, it is vital to find alternatives to currently used bactericidal agents to prevent bacterial contamination on surfaces effectively and prevent the biofilms formation. Several metallic materials are well known for their antimicrobial activity; this includes copper, copper alloys, silver, gold, titanium, and zinc. On the other hand, some metals, such as aluminum, do not have noteworthy antimicrobial properties. In this study, we demonstrate that the antibacterial activity of household aluminum foil can be enhanced by nanostructuring the foil's surface by a simple hot water treatment (HWT) process. Cultures ofEscherichia coliandStaphylococcus aureuswere grown on nutrient agar while exposed to the samples of treated and untreated Al foils and left for 24 h. Our results indicate that treated Al foil can more effectively inhibit the bacteria growth compared to the regular untreated Al foil. This enhancement in antibacterial property might be due to a combination of chemical and morphological changes that the cell undergoes once it encounters nanofeatures of HWT-Al foil surface.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing in the Deep South: Obama's AFFH Rule Won't Make Rural America Less Segregated

2018 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the passage of the 1968 Fair Housing Act. The Act’s grand purpose was to make available to all Americans access to “open housing:” the opportunity to live in the community of their choosing without, or in despite of, structural and individual discrimination against them. Fifty years later, the Act’s goal remains largely unfulfilled as many small towns and rural areas in the United States are still racially divided. Through its grantmaking programs for housing and community development, HUD reaches into every corner of the United States. HUD thus possesses a relatively unfettered opportunity to use its grantmaking as a powerful incentive to encourage communities to achieve open housing. Historically, however, HUD has failed to rise to meet this opportunity. In 2015, during the Obama administration, HUD adopted the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule intended to revitalize the way in which HUD and its grantees ensure that they meet the open housing goals of the Fair Housing Act. The Trump administration has suspended the implementation of this regulation. Using Mississippi as a case study, the author argues that even with full implementation of the Obama-era regulation, small towns and rural areas in the Deep South will remain as segregated as ever. The full promise of the Fair Housing Act itself will remain unrealized in small towns and rural areas until HUD or Congress recognizes the urban bias in HUD’s regulations and corrects it.
What Microeconomic Fundamentals Drive Global Oil Prices During 1986-2020?

The global financial crisis of 2007-2009 caused major economic disturbances in the oil market. In this paper we consider five variables describing the microeconomics of supply of, and demand for oil and evaluate their importance before, during and after the global financial crisis. We consider five dissimilar regimes during the period of January 1986 to the end of 2020: two regimes prior to the global financial crisis, the regime during the crisis and two regimes after the crisis. The main hypothesis tested is that oil fundamentals of supply and demand remain important even as the five regimes are dissimilar. We build five boosted and over-fitted neural networks to capture the exact relationships between spot oil prices and oil data related to those prices. This analysis shows that, while the inputs into an accurate neural network can remain the same, the impact of each variable can change considerably during different regimes.
Dark Matter Searches for Monopoles and WIMPs

By the mid-1970’s, there had been several theoretical suggestions that the dark matter observed kinematically around galaxies and in clusters of galaxies could be made up primarily of an undiscovered elementary particle. Our group took this suggestion seriously and by early 1981 we had begun a search for GUT (grand unification theory) magnetic monopoles in the cosmic rays under the hypothesis that they make up the dominant mass of our galactic halo. We used superconductivity and cryogenic technologies to mount uniquely sensitive inductive detectors. In the first part of this paper we summarize a decade of experiments on three generations of detectors. By the mid-1980’s, there were strong theoretical reasons for extending the search to another type of elementary particle, broadly called weakly interacting massive particles or WIMPs of which the lightest supersymmetric particle or neutralino is the most studied possibility. The second part of the paper summarizes the new cryogenic technologies, also using superconductivity, which have been developed to search for WIMPs, and the status of the dark matter experiment now being installed in the Stanford Underground Facility (SUF) by a collaboration including UC Berkeley (CfPA), LBL, Stanford, UC Santa Barbara, and Baksan.
Occurrence of purple sulfur bacteria in a sewage treatment lagoon.

The ecology of purple sulfur bacteria in a sewage oxidation lagoon was investigated. Chemical changes in the lagoon were investigated by monitoring biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), sulfide, sulfate, phosphate, total carbohydrates, volatile acids, alkalinity, and pH. Lagoon water temperatures were observed daily. Microbial ecological relationships were deduced by enumerating coliforms, total bacteria other than anaerobes [Tryptone Glucose Extract (TGE) agar], methane formers such as Methanobacterium formicicum, sulfate reducers, purple sulfur bacteria, and algae. Finally, two strains of purple sulfur bacteria were characterized. Two populations, purple sulfur bacteria and total bacteria (TGE agar), reached maximal concentrations in the warmest part of the 1967 summer. Purple sulfur bacteria reached maximal numbers as concentrations of sulfide and volatile acids were depleted, whereas carbohydrates and alkalinity remained unchanged. Low sulfate levels, which were not limiting for sulfate reducers, may be attributable to storage of sulfur within purple sulfur bacteria. No biological, chemical, or physical agent was linked to the removal of coliforms. The increase of algae in the late summer of 1967 may have been related to the low organic content of the lagoon during this period. Although lagoon pH (7.7 to 8.2) was favorable for purple sulfur bacterial growth, temperatures and sulfides were not optimal in the lagoon for these organisms. Chromatium vinosum and Thiocapsa floridana (the predominant lagoon purple sulfur organism in 1967 and 1968) utilized certain carbohydrates, amino acids, volatile acids, and Krebs cycle intermediates. Also purple sulfur bacteria lowered BOD levels as demonstrated by the growth of T. floridana in sterilized sewage.
Timing jitter in dispersion-managed soliton communications

Summary form only given. We have developed a semi-analytical approach that allows us to calculate the soliton timing jitter for arbitrary pulse shapes in strongly dispersion-managed fibers. The advantage of our approach is that it avoids time-consuming Monte-Carlo simulations. There is nothing in our basic approach that is specific to solitons, and it is our view that this semi-analytical approach will ultimately be of use in studying return to zero and non-return to zero systems.
Elevations in skin temperature of the finger as an objective index of postmenopausal hot flashes: standardization of the technique.

Abstract The present study was designed to validate and standardize a technique of continuous recording of skin temperature of the finger as an objective index of hot flashes. Significant skin temperature rises (>1° C) were recorded in close temporal relationship to 69% of subjective hot flashes experienced by seven postmenopausal women. The temperature elevations occurred at an interval of 54 ± 10 minutes (mean ± standard error) and lasted an average of 31 minutes. The mean increase was 2.7° ± 0.2° C. The extent of the temperature elevations found in the postmenopausal subjects was significantly greater than in premenopausal control subjects (P
An authorization framework for metacomputing applications

To span administrative boundaries, metacomputing systems require the integration of strong authentication and authorization methods. The problem is complicated because different components of the system may have different security policies. This paper presents a distributed model for authorization that we have integrated with the Prospero Resource Manager, a metacomputing resource allocation system developed at USC. The integration of authorization with PRM was accomplished through the specification of a policy language and the use of a Generic Authorization and Access-control API (GAA API). The language supports the specification of diverse authorization policies including ACLs, capabilities and lattice-based access controls. The GAA API provides a uniform authorization service interface for facilitating access control decisions and requesting authorization information about a particular resource. We describe a prototype of our system.
Structure of LacY with an α-substituted galactoside: Connecting the binding site to the protonation site

The X-ray crystal structure of a conformationally constrained mutant of the Escherichia coli lactose permease (the LacY double-Trp mutant Gly-46→Trp/Gly-262→Trp) with bound p -nitrophenyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (α-NPG), a high-affinity lactose analog, is described. With the exception of Glu-126 (helix IV), side chains Trp-151 (helix V), Glu-269 (helix VIII), Arg-144 (helix V), His-322 (helix X), and Asn-272 (helix VIII) interact directly with the galactopyranosyl ring of α-NPG to provide specificity, as indicated by biochemical studies and shown directly by X-ray crystallography. In contrast, Phe-20, Met-23, and Phe-27 (helix I) are within van der Waals distance of the benzyl moiety of the analog and thereby increase binding affinity nonspecifically. Thus, the specificity of LacY for sugar is determined solely by side-chain interactions with the galactopyranosyl ring, whereas affinity is increased by nonspecific hydrophobic interactions with the anomeric substituent.
Comparative effectiveness of guidelines for the management of hyperlipidemia and hypertension for type 2 diabetes patients.

Background Several guidelines to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetes patients exist in North America, Europe, and Australia. Their ability to achieve this goal efficiently is unclear. Methods and Findings Decision analysis was used to compare the efficiency and effectiveness of international contemporary guidelines for the management of hypertension and hyperlipidemia for patients aged 40–80 with type 2 diabetes. Measures of comparative effectiveness included the expected probability of a coronary or stroke event, incremental medication costs per event, and number-needed-to-treat (NNT) to prevent an event. All guidelines are equally effective, but they differ significantly in their medication costs. The range of NNT to prevent an event was small across guidelines (6.5–7.6 for males and 6.5–7.5 for females); a larger range of differences were observed for expected cost per event avoided (ranges, $117,269–$157,186 for males and $115,999–$163,775 for females). Australian and U.S. guidelines result in the highest and lowest expected costs, respectively. Conclusions International guidelines based on the same evidence and seeking the same goal are similar in their effectiveness; however, there are large differences in expected medication costs.
Thermogenesis activated by central melanocortin signaling is dependent on neurons in the rostral raphe pallidus (rRPa) area

Abstract The central melanocortin system plays a critical role in regulation of energy balance, including thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Activation of the hypothalamic melanocortin signaling stimulates sympathetically-mediated interscapular BAT (IBAT) thermogenesis. The rostral raphe pallidus (rRPa) and adjacent area have been proposed as the location of sympathetic premotor neurons for the central nervous system (CNS) control of IBAT thermogenesis. To determine if neuronal activity in rRPa area is required for the central melanocortin-induced thermogenesis, we studied the effects of inhibition of the activity of neurons in the rRPa area on the sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to IBAT evoked by lateral ventricular injection of the melanocortin 3/4 receptor (MC3/4R) agonist, MTII, in urethane-chloralose-anesthetized rats and the effects on O2 consumption induced by third or fourth ventricular injection of MTII in conscious freely moving mice. Icv injection of MTII (1 nmol) significantly increased rat IBAT SNA (+ 741% of control). Both third and fourth ventricular injections of MTII (1 nmol) significantly increased O2 consumption in conscious C57BL/6J mice (45% higher than that of saline control for third ventricular injection and 44% higher than that of saline control for fourth ventricular injection). The increases in IBAT SNA and in O2 consumption were reversed by inhibition of neurons in the rRPa and adjacent area with microinjections of glycine or muscimol into rRPa. These results suggest that the neurons in the RPa and its immediate vicinity play an essential role in mediating the increase in IBAT thermogenesis induced by activation of central melanocortin signaling.
The cardiovascular hybrid room a key component for hybrid interventions and image guided surgery in the emerging specialty of cardiovascular hybrid surgery

The last few years has seen a paradigm shift in the treatment of cardiovascular related diseases from once traditional open surgical modalities to the entire cardiovascular tree being amenable to percutaneous interventions. The tremendous advances in transcatheter endovascular procedures currently being applied to the heart and the peripheral vasculature have resulted in a treatment paradigm shift in the care of the cardiovascular patient. These changing winds in the treatment of cardiovascular disease require that a new type of cardiovascular specialist, code-named the cardiovascular hybrid surgeon, be trained to perform and provide seamless care in providing both endovascular as well as open surgical procedures to this increasingly complex group of patients.
Optical potential ambiguities and fusion cross sections for heavy ions

Abstract We explore some of the effects of optical-potential ambiguities on the fusion cross sections for heavy-ion collisions, especially at energies below the top of the Coulomb barrier when the barrier-penetration model is used. Ambiguities of the Igo type in the real potential are found to have little effect except when the potential is very shallow. The cross sections are seen to be very sensitive to the imaginary potential adopted if this allows for some absorption within the barrier; both the magnitude and shape of the excitation function may be changed.
Flagellar motility requires the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of a heat-stable NP-40-soluble 56 kd protein, axokinin

Abstract Using NP-40-treated dog sperm as a model, the stimulatory effect of cAMP upon reactivated flagellar motility has been shown to be dependent upon the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of a heat-stable NP-40-soluble protein of 56 kd. Examination by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of NP-40 extract proteins phosphorylated with γ- 32 P- ATP revealed a major cAMP-dependent phosphopeptide at 56 kd. This is the only cAMP-dependent phosphoprotein common to NP-40 extracts of all tissues that show cAMP-dependent stimulation of flagellar motility. These cells and tissues include sea urchin, dog, and human sperm, as well as dog trachea and retina. Moreover, this phosphoprotein is absent in nonstimulatory extracts from tissues such as skeletal muscle, brain, and liver. We conclude that the cAMP-dependent phosphorylation of the 56 kd peptide represents a major regulatory component of not only sperm but other types of axonemal motility as well.
Vocational hypothesis testing: The role of occupational relevance and identity orientation

Abstract To investigate individual differences in vocational hypothesis testing, subjects previously categorized with regard to progress in identity development tested hypotheses about their suitability for one of three occupations: one that was relevant, one that was irrelevant, or one that was moderately relevant to their own career aspirations. Consistent with previous research, confirmation-biased hypothesis were generated when subjects evaluated occupations about which they held firm self-views. A more objective consideration of potentially disconfirming as well as confirming information was generated only when moderately relevant occupations were considered. As predicted, hypothesis-testing strategies varied as a function of identity orientation. Compared to more foreclosed or diffuse identity statuses, exploration-oriented individuals engaged in more balanced vocational hypothesis testing, at least when they were judging moderately relevant occupations. These and other findings are discussed in terms of a process view of self-theorizing and vocational decision-making.
Propagation of Radar Pulses from a Horizontal Dipole in Variable Dielectric Ground: A Numerical Approach

We numerically investigate the propagation of radar type short pulses from a horizontal dipole in the presence of some simple models of inhomogeneous ground with a flat surface. We use 3-dimensional (3-D) pseudospectral time domain (PSTD) and 2-D finite difference time domain forward modeling to determine the range and azimuth dependence of electric field components and to simulate events in a moveout profile. The models are: (i) a uniform half space with either high or low conductivity; (ii) a vertical dielectric wedge; (iii) a surface thin layer with a monocline wedge overlaid on the dielectric half space. Our homogeneous results agree with the analytical solutions, and more clearly show the significant vertical electric field component, which occurs for all models. The incorporation of an anomalous dielectric quadrant does not affect the air wave and only complicates ground wave propagation near the boundary. Modeling of a monocline dielectric wedge shows predictable subsurface reflections and refractions, some of which are highly dispersive events, depending on the direction of propagation. We present two field examples that appear to demonstrate some of our findings. We conclude that air waves make suitable references for moveout profiles regardless of dielectric complications, and that our results provide some insight into the interpretation of unique events seen in moveout profiles.
Construct validity of the incontinence severity index.

Aims To assess the construct validity of the incontinence severity index (ISI) by testing its correlation with two health-related quality of life measures, the short forms of the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and the Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7), in women with urodynamic stress incontinence. Materials and Methods A cohort of 170 women with the urodynamic stress incontinence who underwent corrective surgery completed the ISI, IIQ-7, and the UDI-6 both pre- and post-treatment. We correlated the pre- and post-treatment responses between the ISI, the IIQ-7, the UDI-6 and their subscales. We also assessed the sensitivity of the ISI to change by correlating the percent change in score between the three instruments. The results were analyzed using a non-parametric test of correlation, the Spearman's rho. Results The ISI scores were generally not well correlated with the pre-treatment IIQ-7 and UDI-6 scores (r 0.70, P < 0.001). The ISI was most highly correlated with the UDI-6 stress symptoms subscale and most poorly correlated with the UDI-6 obstructive/discomfort subscale. Conclusions This study provides valuable insight into the construct validity of the ISI. Evidence of its convergent validity is found in the high correlation with the stress symptoms subscales of the UDI-6, while the poorer correlation with the obstructive subscale provides evidence of its divergent validity. These data also suggest that the ISI is highly sensitive to change seen with treatment. Neurourol. Urodynam. 25:418–423, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The ultrastructure of cement glands in a rhabdocoel turbellarian Syndisyrinx sp.

The cement glands of a rhabdocoel turbellarian, Syndisyrinx sp., were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The glands appear as large, flattened secretory cells with a cell body and elongate, thin cytoplasmic processes that extend to the female antrum. Presecretory granules are released from the Golgi complex into “filling vesicles” until these vesicles are essentially full before being released into the female antrum.
POWER7™, a Highly Parallel, Scalable Multi-Core High End Server Processor

This paper gives an overview of the latest member of the POWER™ processor family, POWER7™. Eight quad-threaded cores, operating at frequencies up to 4.14 GHz, are integrated together with two memory controllers and high speed system links on a 567 mm die, employing 1.2B transistors in a 45 nm CMOS SOI technology with 11 layers of low-k copper wiring. The technology features deep trench capacitors which are used to build a 32 MB embedded DRAM L3 based on a 0.067 m DRAM cell. The functionally equivalent chip transistor count would have been over 2.7B if the L3 had been implemented with a conventional 6 transistor SRAM cell. (A detailed paper about the eDRAM implementation will be given in a separate paper of this Journal). Deep trench capacitors are also used to reduce on-chip voltage island supply noise. This paper describes the organization of the design and the features of the processor core, before moving on to discuss the circuits used for analog elements, clock generation and distribution, and I/O designs. The final section describes the details of the clocked storage elements, including special features for test, debug, and chip frequency tuning.
DNA methylation of the fragile X locus in somatic and germ cells during fetal development: Relevance to the fragile X syndrome and X inactivation

To obtain insights into mechanisms responsible for methylation of CpG islands on the inactive X chromosome of normal females, we examined methylation of the fragile X (FraX) locus in a variety of tissues from normal fetuses and adults, and from males with the FraX syndrome. We identified 20 CCGG sites (MspI-HpaII sites M1-M20) within a 12-kb BglII fragment that includes the CpG island. Sites M3-M18, within the 1.2-kb CpG island are unmethylated on the active X in normal males and females at all ages and in all tissues studied. In contrast, these sites are at least partially methylated on the inactive X chromosome in a variety of tissues from normal females by six weeks from conception. The exceptional tissues are chorionic villi and gonads, which are significantly undermethylated. In addition, fetal germ cells are unmethylated at site M3, which is methylated on the inactive X in other tissues; thus, the methylation imprint of the inactive X has been erased. Methylation of the locus on the fragile X chromosome is similar to that of the normal inactive X but is more extensive and less heterogeneous. This suggests that the expansion of the island and the greater number of CpGs that result from amplification of the CGG repeat enhance the methylatibility of the island. Additional studies show that the chromatin of the CpG island is nuclease hypersensitive on the active X but insensitive on both inactive and FraX.
Multiple Rigid-Body Reorientation Using Relative Motion with Constrained Final System Configuration

Moveable appendages in multibody spacecraft can augment or replace the attitude control actuators. In this work, motionsof the movable bodies relative to themain body areused to adjustthesystem’ s inertial attitude so as to approach or attain a desired target attitude. A control algorithm designed to generate the maneuver commands that cause the necessary relative motions is tested with several cases representing a variety of dynamic conditions. The control can accommodate many different system cone gurations and dynamic conditions such as nonzero system momentum, a problem that historically has proved dife cult to solve in a generalized, three-dimensional mode. Additionally, thecontrolcan return the system’ s geometric cone guration to itsinitial stateby the conclusion of thereorientation. Theresults indicatethat the control can accomplish nearly completereorientationsin all cases tested while meeting the system constraints.
Studies of premixed and non-premixed hydrogen flames

Abstract The hydrogen oxidation chemistry constitutes the foundation of the kinetics of all carbon- and hydrogen-containing fuels. The validation of rate constants of hydrogen-related reactions can be complicated by uncertainties associated with experimental data caused by the high reactivity and diffusivity of hydrogen. In the present investigation accurate experimental data on flame propagation and extinction were determined for premixed and non-premixed hydrogen flames at pressures between p = 1 and 7 atm. The experiments were designed to sensitize the three-body H + O 2 + M → HO 2 + M reaction, whose rate is subject to notable uncertainty. This was achieved by increasing the pressure and by adding to the reactants H 2 O and CO 2 whose collision efficiencies are high compared to other species. In the present study, directly measured flame properties were compared against computed ones, in order to eliminate uncertainties associated with extrapolations, as is the case for laminar flame speeds. The measured extinction strain rates exhibit both a positive and negative dependence on pressure with and without weighting with the density, and this non-monotonic behavior is caused by the competition between the H + O 2 → O + OH and H + O 2 + M → HO 2 + M reactions as well as HO 2 kinetic pathways as pressure increases. The various kinetic models considered in this investigation did not reproduce equally well the non-premixed flame extinction data with added H 2 O. On the other hand, the predicted extinction strain rates were consistent between the various models in the case of added CO 2 . Finally, it was shown that the formulation of binary diffusion coefficient pairs including H–N 2 and H 2 –N 2 has a first order effect on the prediction of extinction strain rates of non-premixed H 2 flames.
Contact-Lens-Associated Purpureocillium Keratitis: Risk Factors, Microbiologic Characteristics, Clinical Course, and Outcomes

ABSTRACTPurpose: To study the risk factors, microbiologic characteristics, clinical course, and outcomes of patients with Purpureocillium keratitis at a tertiary eye care center in south Florida. Materials and Methods: All medical records during a seven-year period starting January 1, 2007, were reviewed. Twenty-eight culture-proven Purpureocillium keratitis cases with complete medical records presenting to our institution were included in this retrospective, observational case series. Data collected included predisposing factors, therapeutic interventions, treatment duration, and visual outcomes. Results: Twenty patients (71.4%) had a history of soft contact lens use, with only two for therapeutic use. Other identified risk factors were trauma and immunosuppression. Fifteen patients (53.6%) received topical corticosteroid treatment prior to the diagnosis of fungal keratitis. Thirteen patients (46.4%) were on Natamycin treatment prior to Purpureocillium identification. As a group, the average best-correct...
Use of Herbs and Herbal Products by Hispanics in South Florida

ABSTRACT Objectives To provide insight into the use of herbs by Hispanic Americans, identify specific herbal products that health care professionals should inquire about in this population, and assess information sources and expenditures. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting South Florida. Participants Convenience sample of 200 Hispanic adults. Interventions Participants completed a descriptive, self-administered survey. Main Outcome Measures Specific herbs and herbal remedies use, monthly expenditures, sources of information, and attitudes and beliefs regarding herbs. Results Of the 200 surveys that were distributed, 142 were completed for a response rate of 71%. Of the respondents, 75% reported using at least one herb in the last 12 months. Women between 25 and 34 years of age were most likely to be herb users ( P = .001), while men in that age group were the least likely ( P = .013). Chamomile (58.5%) and aloe vera (45.3%) were used most frequently. Two frequently used herbs—linden (35.8%) and star anise (33.0%)—are ones that are generally not well known to health care professionals. Family tradition (36%) and safety (17%) were the major reasons for use of herb/herbal remedies. Participants most commonly reported spending $25 or less per month for herbs and herbal products. Conclusion Hispanics in South Florida reported using herbs and herbal products at a higher rate than that those reported previously for the general population of the United States. While money spent on herbs and herbal products was generally minimal, study participants had a disconcerting level of confidence in the safety and efficacy of herbal products.
A new analog of calcitriol, 19-nor-1,25-(OH)2D2, suppresses parathyroid hormone secretion in uremic rats in the absence of hypercalcemia.

The active metabolite of vitamin D, calcitriol (1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3), suppresses parathyroid hormone (PTH) gene transcription. Although 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 is effective in suppressing secondary hyperparathyroidism (SH) in uremic patients, the mandatory use of large amounts of calcium salts to control serum phosphorus may preclude, in some patients, the use of ideal therapeutic doses of 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 because of hypercalcemia. We have studied a new analog of calcitriol, 19-nor-1 alpha,25-(OH)2D2, that possesses low calcemic and phosphatemic activity. Uremic rats received vehicle, 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 (2.0, 4.0, or 8.0 ng/rat) or 19-nor-1,25-(OH)2D2 (8.0, 25 or 75 ng/rat) intraperitoneally (IP) every other day for a period of 8 days. Pretreatment and posttreatment values of intact PTH were measured. The normal values for rat intact-PTH were 22 +/- 4.2 pg/mL and for ionized calcium (ICa) 4.77 +/- .07 mg/dL. The only dose of 1 alpha,25-(OH)2D3 that achieved a significantly, suppressed PTH (P < 0.01) was the 8.0 ng/rat. PTH decreased from 202 +/- 31 to 90 +/- 20 pg/mL. However, ICa increased from 4.81 +/- 0.08 to 5.08 mg/dL from uremic control (P < 0.02). Conversely, all doses of 19-nor-1,25-(OH)2D2 were effective in suppressing PTH, and none produced an elevation in ICa that was significantly different from that of vehicle-treated uremic rats. The maximum effect was achieved with the 75 ng/rat dose, which decreased PTH from 193 +/- 49 to 53 +/- 16 pg/mL (a decrease in 72.5%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Estimation of Severity of Mitral Regurgitation by Digital Image Processing of Doppler Spectral Recordings

In order to test the hypothesis that the intensity of the regurgitant signal (RS) is indicative of severity of mitral regurgitation (MR), we digitized five well-defined MR envelopes in 19 patients and calculated the mean pixel intensity (MPI) of the MR envelope and that of the diastolic inflow signal (DIF) using an offline computer system. The mean age of the patients was 49 years (range 19–78 years). The intensity of the RS was expressed as a ratio of the MPI of DIF (RSI DIF). This ratio was compared to the severity of MR determined by left ventricular angiography (LV angio). The ratio of the RSI DIF correlated well with the angiographic severity of MR (r = 0.9). A ratio of < 0.6 identified patients with moderate to severe MR and a ratio of < 0.6 correlated with mild MR (grade I and II) by LV angio. Our data indicate that MR severity assessed by measurement of the intensity of the RS correlates well with the angiographic determination of MR.
Endoscopic Obliteration of Gastric Varices

Abstract Gastric varices are present in 5–33% of patients with portal hypertension and have a reported bleeding incidence of approximately 25% in 2 years. Gastric varices are more common in patients with noncirrhotic portal hypertension and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction. The risk of bleeding from gastric varices is lower than that of esophageal variceal bleeding but is generally more severe, and the associated mortality is significantly higher. The management of gastric varices remains a therapeutic challenge. Because there are few controlled clinical trials, the strength of the evidence underlying guidelines for management of gastric varices is weaker compared to their esophageal counterparts. Traditional endoscopic sclerotherapy is ineffective because gastric varices are usually associated with a gastrorenal shunt or a gastrocaval shunt resulting in outflow into the systemic circulation and high flow rate with a resultant rapid escape of sclerosant into the systemic circulation, delayed onset of local thrombosis, and a higher risk of distal serious complications. Obturation or obliteration is the term used for gastric varices treated with glue rather than eradication, as the varix itself can remain visible even when effectively treated, as will be demonstrated in the video. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.
Tests of significance from survival data.

Abstract The tests of significance usually applied to survival curves assume conditions which are frequently not satisfied. The permutation technique described in this paper allows the distribution of any statistic to be determined from and for the data at hand. Thus, the investigator need not be forced into making inappropriate assumptions about his data. A FORTRAN IV computer program has demonstrated the feasibility of the method.
An experimental study of supersonic jet shock-associated noise

A new method of screech tone reduction in underexpanded supersonic jets is utilized to determine if the amplitude of screech is related to the level of shock-associated broadband noise. Acoustic measurements show that as the screech tone is reduced, the broadband shock-associated noise may be increased by up to 4dB at some locations. Several experiments were conducted with disturbances put into the flow upstream of the final contraction. Results from these tests support the concept of linkage between the broadband shock noise and screech tones. Some interesting preliminary results were obtained with a disturbance of the flow at several locations downstream of the nozzle. These results are also discussed.
The demonstration of ventricular septal defect by means of right heart catheterization.

Abstract Observations made by means of right heart catheterization upon the hemodynamics of two subjects with congestive failure of obscure etiology are reported. In both subjects a large ventricular septal defect was demonstrated by the arterialization of the right ventricular blood.
Mechanical interactions between adjacent airways in the lung

The forces of mechanical interdependence between the airways and the parenchyma in the lung are powerful modulators of airways responsiveness. Little is known, however, about the extent to which ad...
Interaction of neuromodulatory systems in modulating memory storage.

Abstract An implicit assumption guiding many studies of neurochemical systems involved in learning and memory in animal subjects is that animal and human memory systems use the same or similar mechanisms. Because acquisition and retention performance can be influenced by many processes other than information storage, special effort is required to distinguish influences on memory processes from other factors influencing performance. This article reviews the findings of recent studies investigating the effects, on memory, of drugs affecting adrenergic, opioid peptidergic, GABAergic and cholinergic systems. The review focuses primarily on studies using posttraining treatments and tests for retention given no sooner than a day after the training. Extensive evidence suggests that such drugs interact within the amygdaloid complex and that projections from the amygdala influence memory storage in other brain regions. The assumption that comparable processes occur in animal and human subjects is supported by evidence that, in human subjects, emotionally influenced memory is blocked by a β-adrenergic blocker and by lesions of the amygdaloid complex.
Angiotensin II blockade decreases TGF-β1 and matrix proteins in cyclosporine nephropathy

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is implicated in fibrosis but the precise mechanism of this effect remains unclear. In a model of chronic cyclosporine (CsA) nephropathy, we previously showed that TGF-beta1 plays a role in CsA-induced tubulointerstitial fibrosis and arteriolopathy by stimulating extracellular matrix (ECM) protein synthesis and inhibiting ECM degradation through increasing the synthesis of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1. We hypothesized that Ang II contributes to fibrosis by inducing TGF-beta1. Salt-depleted rats were given placebo, CsA alone, CsA + nilvadipine, CsA + hydralazine/hydrochlorthiazide, CsA + losartan (AT1 receptor antagonist) or CsA + enalapril (Ang converting enzyme inhibitor) and were sacrificed at 7 and 28 days. All treated groups achieved similar blood pressures and glomerular filtration rates. The lesion of chronic CsA nephropathy was ameliorated by concomitant therapy with losartan or enalapril at 28 days, a phenomenon not observed in the other treatment groups. Similarly, Ang II blockade resulted in decreased expression of TGF-beta1 and PAI-1 by Northern and ELISA. Similarly, the expression of ECM proteins directly influenced by TGF-beta decreased with Ang II blockade. These results suggest that CsA-induced fibrosis in this model is independent of renal hemodynamics and is mediated, at least partly, through Ang II induction of TGF-beta1 expression.
Special Issue Article: A Look at Technology's Role in Professional Development of Mathematics Teachers at the Middle School Level

In last month's issue of School Science and Mathematics, Glenda Lappan addressed the dilemma of supporting teachers in continuing to grow professionally in four domains: Learning more mathematics content; improving their pedagogical skills; improving assessment skills; and addapting the curriculum to the needs of their students. Though it is clear that this kind of learning is best done in the context of what is going on in the classroom, teachers' schedules and other problems make it difficult to implement a coherent classroom based, professional development program. In this article, two more knowledge domains are added to this mix: the ability to (a) use technology and (b) teach with technology effectively. Since the process of learning and teaching is a dynamic one, the author describes his vision of the classroom as a laboratory where teachers get to practice and improve in these six areas and get feedback from an audience of their peers. Reflections are based on a current project in Paterson, New Jersey where the author helps middle school teachers use computer software to improve their mathematics teaching and learning.
DNA pairing and strand exchange by the Escherichia coli RecA and yeast Rad51 proteins without ATP hydrolysis: on the importance of not getting stuck.

The bacterial RecA protein and the homologous Rad51 protein in eukaryotes both bind to single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), align it with a homologous duplex, and promote an extensive strand exchange between them. Both reactions have properties, including a tolerance of base analog substitutions that tend to eliminate major groove hydrogen bonding potential, that suggest a common molecular process underlies the DNA strand exchange promoted by RecA and Rad51. However, optimal conditions for the DNA pairing and DNA strand exchange reactions promoted by the RecA and Rad51 proteins in vitroare substantially different. When conditions are optimized independently for both proteins, RecA promotes DNA pairing reactions with short oligonucleotides at a faster rate than Rad51. For both proteins, conditions that improve DNA pairing can inhibit extensive DNA strand exchange reactions in the absence of ATP hydrolysis. Extensive strand exchange requires a spooling of duplex DNA into a recombinase-ssDNA complex, a process that can be halted by any interaction elsewhere on the same duplex that restricts free rotation of the duplex and/or complex, I.e. the reaction can get stuck. Optimization of an extensive DNA strand exchange without ATP hydrolysis requires conditions that decrease nonproductive interactions of recombinase-ssDNA complexes with the duplex DNA substrate.
1177 MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONIAE (MPN) ETIOLOGY OF PHARYNGITIS USE OF ENZYME-MMUSDASSAY (EIA) FOR RAPID AND DIRECT DETECTION OF INFECTION

In a prospective study of pharyngitis among older adolescents we compared the clinical and microbiologic findings among 260 pts. with a major complaint of sore throat (ST). In addition a similar group of 297 pts. with non-respiratory complaints served as a control population. All pts. were seen at the SUSHC over a 3 month period and were cultured for MPN and beta-hemolytic streptococci (BBS). MPN were recovered from 88/260 (34%) of individuals with ST vs. 26/297 (9%) of the control population (p 7 days of erythromycin therapy prior to obtaining their throat swab specimens were EIA (+) and MPN culture (−). MPN appears to be an important cause of pharyngitis among older adolescents and can be rapidly diagnosed from throat swabs by EIA.