cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental study of air bubbles in a simulated cardiopulmonary bypass system with flow constriction

Abstract An experimental study is performed to examine the breaking of an air bubble in the flow passage of a simulated cardiopulmonary bypass system by means of a flow constriction. The purpose of the study is to discover a geometry of the flow constriction which is efficient in breaking air bubbles while providing the least resistance to the flow of blood, i.e. to develop a new device for the oxygenation of the blood in extracorporeal circulation. Both plasma and water are used in the study. The use of plasma is to simulate the principal transport properties of the human blood and enable direct visualization of bubbles. Water is used for comparison with plasma to determine the influence of fluid properties on the breaking of bubbles. Several different shapes of flow constriction are tested. It is observed that as a result of rapid changes in the liquid pressure and bubble shape, an air bubble breaks into many bubbles at downstream from the flow constriction. The results are quantatively expressed by the number of baby bubbles vs. the flow rate. It is disclosed that the flask-shape constriction is efficient in breaking air bubbles while providing ideal passage for the flow of blood. The number of baby bubbles is found to increase with an increase in the fluid viscosity.
Concentrations of selenium, mercury, and lead in blood of emperor geese in western Alaska

We found up to 10 ppm wet weight of selenium in blood samples collected from emperor geese (Chen canagica) on their breeding grounds on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta in western Alaska, USA. Incubating adult females captured in late May through mid-June 1997 had significantly higher concentrations of selenium in their blood (mean = 5.60 ppm) than adult females captured during wing molt in late July 1996 (mean = 2.78 ppm). Females that nested early or were in good body condition had higher concentrations of selenium in their blood than did other nesting females. Blood samples from 4 of 29 goslings had detectable levels of selenium (mean = 0.14 ppm). Our findings suggest that emperor geese are exposed to more selenium in the marine environment of their wintering and staging areas on the Alaska Peninsula than on the breeding grounds. The highest concentration of mercury found in the blood of emperor geese was 0.24 ppm. One bird had a blood lead concentration of 0.67 ppm, but 82% had no detectable lead in their blood, suggesting that lead exposure from the ingestion of lead shot poses little threat for emperor geese in western Alaska, contrary to findings reported for sympatric spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri).
Pulse waveform analysis of arterial compliance: relation to other techniques, age, and metabolic variables.

Abstract T o assess the physiologic and clinical relevance of newer noninvasive measures of vascular compliance, computerized arterial pulse waveform analysis (CAPWA) of the radial pulse was used to calculate two components of compliance, C1 (capacitive) and C2 (oscillatory or reflective), in 87 normotensive (NlBP, n = 20), untreated hypertensive (HiBP, n = 21), and treated hypertensive (HiBP-Rx, n = 46) subjects. These values were compared with two other indices of compliance, the ratio of stroke volume to pulse pressure (SV/PP) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)–based aortic distensibility; and were also correlated with demographic and biochemical values. The HiBP subjects displayed lower C1 (1.34 ± 0.09 v 1.70 ± 0.11 mL/mm Hg, significance [sig] = .05) and C2 (0.031 ± 0.003 v 0.073 ± 0.02 mL/mm Hg, sig = .005) than NlBP subjects. This was not true for C1 (1.64 ± 0.08 mL/mm Hg) and C2 (0.052 ± 0.005 mL/mm Hg) values in HiBP-Rx subjects. The C1 (r = 0.917, P Among other factors measured, age exerted a strong negative influence on both C1 (r = −0.696, P Altogether, the close correspondence between CAPWA, other compliance techniques, and known cardiovascular risk factors suggests the clinical relevance of CAPWA in the assessment of altered vascular function in hypertension.
UM-X7.1 myopathic hamster heart shows altered calcimedin protein levels

Abstract Cardiac tissue isolated from the UM-X7.1 myopathic hamster shows decreasing levels of the calcimedin proteins relative to calmodulin. Liver, an unaffected tissue, does not show this decrease. The ratio of the 67K-calcimedin to calmodulin for several ages of heart tissue clearly indicates a progressive loss of the calcimedins which correlates with the cardiomyopathy progression. The loss of the calcimedins may be related to the development of the muscle myopathy.
Does it or Doesn't it? Geographic Differences and the Costs of Living

Abstract The relative cost of living in rural areas has long been of interest to rural sociologists. Today, the popular perception is that rural prices are lower. This study examines geographic differences in the costs of living in Kentucky. The results indicate that, contrary to the popular perception, when prices of the same products and services were compared, there was no consistent pattern of lower prices in the rural counties. Furthermore, differences in the material conditions of rural living meant that there were additional costs that price comparisons alone did not capture.
Autonomous quality assurance and troubleshooting

ABSTRACT To improve operational availability (the proportion of time that a telescope is able to accomplish what a visiting observer wants at the time the observation is scheduled), response time to faults must be minimized. One way this can be accomplished is by characterizing the relationships and interdependencies between components in a control system, developing algorithms to identify the root cause of a problem, and capturing expert knowledge of a system to simplify the process of troubleshooting. Results from a prototype development are explained, along with deployment issues. Implications for the future, such as effective knowledge representation and management, and learning processes which integrate autonomous and interactive components, are discussed. Keywords: expert systems, data quality, troubleshooting, rules engine, autonomous (autonomic) computing 1. INTRODUCTION Efficient operation of a complex, dynamic system like a radio telescope requires rapid identification of and recovery from system failures and an efficient means of evaluating th e quality of data from observations. Each hour of observing on a radio telescope costs thousands of dollars, therefore it is important to ensure that the hardware and software are in good shape for observations. However, the nature of research presents a major challenge to this goal. Research pushes the limits of the telescope, making it very difficult to monitor the ongoing health of the system and the quality of its data. The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) in Green Bank, W.Va., is a highly dynamic system. An observer can configure the GBT in thousands of different modes, and the telescope continuously receives new system s and features. The emerging quality pr ogram in Green Bank seeks to assure that, regardless of how the GBT is configured , the telescope has proper fitness for use,
Relative Survival Rates after Alternative Therapies for Uveal Melanoma

Abstract Survival in a group of 556 patients with uveal melanoma treated by proton beam irradiation with a median follow-up of 5.3 years was compared with that of 238 patients enucleated during the same 10-year period as irradiated patients (July 1975 to December 1984) with a median follow-up of 8.8 years, and 257 patients enucleated during the preceding 10 years (January 1965 to June 1975) with a median follow-up of 17.0 years. Adjustments were made for known prognostic factors including age, tumor location, tumor height, and clinical estimate of tumor diameter (for enucleated patients this was estimated in a regression equation relating histologic to clinical measurement). The overall rate ratio for all cause mortality was 1.2 (95% confidence interval, 0.9-1.6) for the concurrent enucleation series versus proton beam, and 1.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.1) for the earlier enucleation series versus proton beam. Relative rates of metastatic death, cancer death, and all cause mortality comparing alternative treatments were found to vary with time after treatment. Intervalspecific rate ratios were evaluated using proportional hazards models fitted to separate time intervals after treatment. For all three outcomes, rate ratios were over two and statistically significant for the first 2 years after treatment and closer to one and nonsignificant after year 6 comparing the two enucleation groups with proton beam. Results suggest that treatment choice has little overall influence on survival in patients with uveal melanoma.
Heart-rate reactivity to reminder treatment predicts test performance in rats given ECS following training

Two experiments compared the capacity of reminder treatments to modify retention performance in rats either strongly trained and given ECS or weakly trained and given no ECS. Heart rate was monitored during the reminder sessions. In Experiment 1, the factorial combinations of stimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation (MRF) (present, absent) followed by the presentation of the cue originally paired with footshock in training, a tone (present, absent), were evaluated as reminder stimuli. Results indicated that both groups showed decreased heart rate to the presentation of the tone in the reminder session. However, in the retention test, ECS animals given tone reminder showed increased retention, whereas weakly trained animals showed decreased retention. Experiment 2 used a shorter interval to onset of the tone in the reminder session. Heart rate to the reminder tone again decreased in weakly trained animals, but no change was obtained in ECS animals. No change in test performance as a result of reminder was noted in either group. These results support the notion that ECS following training influences memory retrieval systems and suggest that heart-rate reactivity may be used to predict the behavioral effects of reminder treatment in ECS animals.
Immunological studies of the luteinizing hormone. IV. Characterization of the cross-reactions with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin.

Antigenic components in PMSG serologically demonstrable in cross-reaction with tissue absorbed antiserum to ovine LH were studied by treatment of the hormone with urea. The FSH contaminant of PMSG was found to be resistant, while PMSG-specific components were not. The ability of PMSG to deplete ovarian ascorbic acid was most sensitive to urea treatment followed by the precipitating capacity, while the combining power remained even after prolonged exposure. The nonprecipitating PMSG formed a soluble combination with cross-reactingreacting antibodies in antiserum to ovine LH and blocked the latter from forming the usual visible precipitate with untreated PMSG. Antiserum ovine LH absorbed with ovine FSH and combined with urea-treated PMSG lost its ability neutralize the biological activity of PMSG. On the other hand, the loss of LH neutralization titer of the treated serum was minimal. It was concluded that the antiserum to ovine LH contained separate and distinct antibodies responsible for the neutralizatio...
Comonotone approximation of twice differentiable periodic functions

In the case where a 2π-periodic function f is twice continuously differentiable on the real axis ℝ and changes its monotonicity at different fixed points y i ∈ [− π, π), i = 1,…, 2s, s ∈ ℕ (i.e., on ℝ, there exists a set Y := {y i } i∈ℤ of points y i = y i+2s + 2π such that the function f does not decrease on [y i , y i−1] if i is odd and does not increase if i is even), for any natural k and n, n ≥ N(Y, k) = const, we construct a trigonometric polynomial T n of order ≤n that changes its monotonicity at the same points y i ∈ Y as f and is such that $$ \begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\left\| {f - {T_n}} \right\| \leq \frac{{c\left( {k,s} \right)}}{{{n^2}}}{{{\upomega }}_k}\left( {f'',{1 \mathord{\left/{\vphantom {1 n}} \right.} n}} \right)} \\ {\left( {\left\| {f - {T_n}} \right\| \leq \frac{{c\left( {r + k,s} \right)}}{{{n^r}}}{{{\upomega }}_k}\left( {{f^{(r)}},{1 \mathord{\left/{\vphantom {1 n}} \right.} n}} \right),\quad f \in {C^{(r)}},\quad r \geq 2} \right),} \\ \end{array} $$ where N(Y, k) depends only on Y and k, c(k, s) is a constant depending only on k and s, ω k (f, ⋅) is the modulus of smoothness of order k for the function f, and ‖⋅‖ is the max-norm.
Archaeology and Teleology in Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost

Critics have observed that Anil Tissera, the forensic pathologist in Michael Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost, adopts an aerial view of the war in Sri Lanka, but they have noted less frequently the novel's emphasis on excavation, and together the motifs make for a dialectical logic that opens up possibilities for healing both the nation and the self. Her Western ways are not necessarily repudiated by the text, especially since they reflect a devotion to individual freedom as much as they do to scientific objectivity.
Abnormal uptake in the shoulder joint area on bone scan.

ESPITE THE application of radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sonography, and scintigraphy, the cause of shoulder pain can still pose a diagnostic dilemma. Although MRI has become the most frequently used technique for shoulder imaging, 1 99myc methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy is often the first imaging modality to reveal an abnormality of the shoulder joint or to explain the nature of this abnormality. In nuclear medicine practice we often see unilateral abnormal uptake of radiotracer in the shoulder area due to various causes, including inflammation, trauma, and malignancy. The differential diagnosis can include conditions such as early solitary metastasis to the humeral head, unilateral degenerative changes involving the shoulder and handedness, or such rare entity as neuropathic arthropathy. We present 3 cases of unilateral abnormal uptake in the shoulder. In all of them differential diagnosis included possible malignancy involving the shoulder joint. The cause of abnormal uptake was elucidated by subsequent scintigrams, by biopsy, or by correlation with MRI.
A Dynamic Model of Cotton Emergence Based on the Thermal Dependence of Malate Synthase

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) is frequently planted when temperatures are not optimal for germination and emergence. Delayed emergence, a common contributor to diminished plant performance later in the season, is often related to nonoptimal temperatures. Improvement of cotton performance requires knowledge of the source, pattern, and magnitude of thermal limitations on seedling metabolism. In this study the thermal dependence of malate synthase, an enzyme involved in cotton seedling lipid metabolism, was used to define the pattern and magnitude of thermal limitations and as the basis of a metabolic model to predict emergence under variable temperatures in the field. Soil temperature at seed depth was monitored over the cotton-planting season of 2005 and characterized as optimal, suboptimal, and supraoptimal. Suboptimal temperatures were common and supraoptimal temperatures were less frequent. A metabolic model to predict emergence was developed and the predicted emergence was in agreement with a widely used degree-day based model. Metabolic indicators of thermal optimality may prove useful in studies of seedling responses to thermal variation.
Serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 in subjects with osteoarthritis of the knee: Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Objective. To examine the relationship between serum levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Methods. Serum IGF-1 levels were compared in 162 male and 101 female subjects age ≥20 stratified by presence of radiographic changes of OA of the knee. Results. Mean serum IGF-1 levels were significantly lower in subjects with knee OA; however, after adjustment for age-related changes in IGF-1 levels, these differences were no longer significant. Conclusion. These data fail to support the hypothesis that serum IGF-1 levels are reduced in subjects with OA of the knee independent of the known age-related changes in these levels.
Dual-mode wide dynamic range CMOS active pixel sensor

A new dual-mode wide dynamic range CMOS image sensor is designed, which is capable of two different operating modes: logarithmic and floating point mode. The proposed sensor can choose the operating mode manually or adaptively. A prototype pixel is designed and tested with standard 0.5 μm CMOS process.
Microwave active cold/warm noise source for calibration of radiometer sensors

For most radiometers, periodic calibration is essential to ensure sensor measurement accuracy. This paper describes the application of a unique active microwave circuit that simulates known radiated thermal temperatures over a stepped range of less than 105 K to over 300 K. The device, when connected or switched to the input of a receiver, can be incrementally stepped via a bias voltage from the coldest to the warmest temperature. It offers the potential to replace more complex and expensive external and internal calibration techniques. In addition to calibration, the device also serves to test the receiver linearity and measure receiver noise figure. The paper will identify significant advances in the area of modeling, design, development, and test of the stepped 'cold/warm' noise source. Several prototype FET circuits, using 150 and 300 micrometer InP devices, have been built and demonstrated at K-band frequencies of 18 - 22 GHz. Work is in progress to build and test the next device at 37 GHz. Tests have been conducted at Raytheon Systems, the University of South Florida (USF), and the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST). The results illustrate good agreement between simulation and measurements. Block diagrams are included to show the method of calibrating radiometers, testing receiver linearity, and measuring receiver noise figure.
Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents in the Liver and Biliary Tract

This article presents an overview of liver and biliary contrast agents including their mechanisms of action, dosage and elimination, current clinical indications, and potential future uses.
Obscenity, Libertarian Values, and Decision Making in the Supreme Court

The degree to which the Supreme Court has been willing to support the libertarian claims of obscenity litigation has varied substantially since the High Tribunal first addressed the issue. By the admission of the justices themselves, the law of obscenity has proven to be problematic, at best. In this analysis, a model is developed that accounts for the voting behavior of the justices in obscenity cases. The results suggest that the High Court is especially sensitive to the states' aim of eradicating obscene materials. Although the increased conservatism of the bench has made the justices less prone to vote against the government, there is evidence of support for the liberal position, particularly when the argument is made by some organized interest. The justices, although not necessarily protective of those against whom the government acts, recognize the need to balance the necessity of serving legitimate governmental interests against the potential threat to free expression.
Sexual size dimorphism in species with asymptotic growth after maturity

If animals mature at small sizes and then grow to larger asymptotic sizes, many factors can affect male and female size distributions. Standard growth equations can be used to study the processes affecting sexual size dimorphism in species with asymptotic growth after maturity. This paper first outlines the effects of sex differences in growth and maturation patterns on the direction and degree of sexual dimorphism. The next section considers the effects of variation in age structure or growth rates on adult body sizes and sexual size dimorphism. Field data from a crustacean, fish, lizard and mammal show how information on a species' growth and maturation patterns can be used to predict the relationships between male size, female size and sexual size dimorphism expected if a series of samples from the same population simply differed with respect to their ages or growth rates. The last section considers ecological or behavioural factors with different effects on the growth, maturation, survival or movement patterns of the two sexes. This study supports earlier suggestions that information on growth and maturation patterns may be useful, if not essential, for comparative studies of sexual size dimorphism in taxa with asymptotic growth after maturity.
Prejudice in Schools: Promotion of an Inclusive Culture and Climate

Public schools represent the pluralism of American society. Unfortunately, many children experience their public school environment as unwelcoming or even violent. Prejudicial attitudes contribute to problematic intergroup relations in public school settings. Furthermore, teachers are often unprepared to work with the diversity of class, linguistic groups, sexual orientation, and other sociocultural backgrounds that make up the student body in their classrooms. This article discusses theories of prejudice and how they inform an understanding of bullying, conflict, and violence in schools. Evidence-based prejudice reduction approaches are presented that teachers and school administrators can use to improve school culture and climate.
One School, Many Differences: An Assessment Tool for School Counselors and Multicultural Counseling

Multicultural counseling competencies (MCCs) have typically been measured with instruments designed for and normed on mental health professionals – for example, MCCTS-R; Holcomb-McCoy (Professional School Counseling 4:195–208, 2001); MCI; Sodowsky et al. (Journal of Counseling and Development 41:137–148, 1994); D’Andrea et al. (Journal of Counseling & Development 70:143–150, 1991). One published instrument specifically assesses school counselor MCCs – MCCTS-R; Holcomb-McCoy (Professional School Counseling 4:195–208, 2001) – but it does not conform to ASCA standards (2010, E.2). Following a set of validation procedures, an instrument designed to specifically assess school counselors’ multicultural counseling competencies was created that conforms to American School Counselor Association and Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development standards. Its creation is detailed here and the resulting instrument is presented for examination and consideration.
Utility of multiple chemical techniques in archaeological residential mobility studies: Case studies from Tiwanaku‐ and Chiribaya‐affiliated sites in the Andes

In the south central Andes, archaeologists have long debated the extent of Tiwanaku colonization during the Middle Horizon (AD 500-1000). We tested the hypotheses regarding the nature of Tiwanaku influence using strontium isotope, trace element concentration, and oxygen isotope data from archaeological human tooth enamel and bone from Tiwanaku- and Chiribaya-affiliated sites in the south central Andes. Strontium isotope analysis of 25 individuals buried at the Tiwanaku-affiliated Moquegua Valley site of Chen Chen demonstrates that it was likely a Tiwanaku colony. In contrast, no immigrants from the Lake Titicaca Basin were present in 27 individuals analyzed from the San Pedro de Atacama cemeteries of Coyo Oriental, Coyo-3, and Solcor-3; it is likely that these sites represent economic and religious alliances, but not colonies. However, strontium isotope analysis alone cannot distinguish movement between the Tiwanaku- and Chiribaya-affiliated sites in the Moquegua and Ilo Valleys of southern Peru. Analyzing oxygen isotope and trace element concentration data and comparing it with strontium isotope data from the same individuals provides a more detailed picture of residential mobility in the Tiwanaku and Chiribaya polities. In addition to monitoring diagenetic contamination, trace element concentration data identified movement during adulthood for certain individuals. However, these data could not distinguish movement between the Moquegua and Ilo Valleys. While oxygen isotope data could clearly distinguish the high-altitude sites from others, more data is needed to characterize the local oxygen isotope ratios of these regions. These data demonstrate the potential for archaeological reconstruction of residential mobility through multiple lines of evidence.
Instrumental line width of a bent crystal spectrometer and measurement of the Kβ X-ray width

Abstract The instrumental line width and the widths of the K β X-ray lines of ceveral medium heavy elements have been measured using radioactive sources and a transmission bent-crystal spectrometer in the DuMond geometry. The instrumental response on obtained by studying the profiles of gamma lines emitted by each sample and the dependence of the instrumental response on energy for energies from 31 keV to 177 keV was investigated. The instrumental line width in wave lenght units is found to be independent of energy for E ⩾80 keV and increases slightly with decreasing energy below that value. A Lorentzian X-ray line shape and a Gaussian instrumental response were folded and computer fitted to the experimental data points. The present results are compared with the calculated values including radiative, Auger, and Coster-Kronig widths.
Quantitative study of surface roughness evolution during low-cycle fatigue of 316L stainless steel using Scanning Whitelight Interferometric (SWLI) Microscopy

Abstract This paper describes the preliminary study on the evolution of the surface roughness in polycrystalline 316L austenitic stainless steel during low-cycle fatigue using an optical interferometric surface profiling technique. The arithmetic mean surface roughness of four regions with different stress levels was measured at incremental fatigue cycles until the fracture of the specimen. We discovered that there are two different mechanisms contributing to the surface roughness increases in the fatigued specimen. At the initial fatigue stages, the surface roughness increases were dominated by the development of the slip bands. However, the heights of the slip bands stopped growing at certain fatigue cycles. At later fatigue cycles, after the slip band height is saturated, the surface roughness increases are mainly contributed by the out-of-plane grain displacement. Both the slip band development and out-of-plane displacements are correlated to the local stress levels. Local permanent plastic strains were measured from the micrographic images. Analysis on the plastic strains along the loading direction and the transverse direction indicated that the out-of-plane grain displacement is likely to be contributed by the strain differences among individual strains.
Expedited suppression signal in ocular go/no-go decision

When scrutinizing the visual world, complex and unexpected stimuli often lead to prolonged eye fixations to enhance cognitive processing, likely by temporarily suppressing a planned saccade. The present study examined whether the suppression signal is tightly linked to a specific planned saccade and if it conforms to the viewer's intention. A novel Go/No-go task was devised where participants made consecutive saccades to fixate a stimulus appearing across the screen horizontal meridian in 4° steps. At times, the features of the stimulus (colour and/or shape) were altered when it reappeared at a new location. Participants had to suppress the saccade that would otherwise leave the stimulus if its features matched instructed criteria. Saccade suppression was determined by the reduced probability for saccades towards and away from a target stimulus. Results show both correct suppression to saccades leaving the target and erroneous suppression to saccades towards it. The erroneous suppression was initially obs...
Significant Bias against the ACA Triplet in the tmRNA Sequence of Escherichia coli K-12

The toxin MazF in Escherichia coli cleaves single-stranded RNAs specifically at ACA sequences. MazF overexpression virtually eliminates all cellular mRNAs to completely block protein synthesis. However, protein synthesis can continue on an mRNA that is devoid of ACA triplets. The finding that ribosomal RNAs remain intact in the face of complete translation arrest suggested a purpose for such preservation. We therefore examined the sequences of all transcribed RNAs to determine if there was any statistically significant bias against ACA. While ACA motifs are absent from tmRNA, 4.5S RNA, and seven of the eight 5S rRNAs, statistical analysis revealed that only for tmRNA was the absence nonrandom. The introduction of single-strand ACAs makes tmRNA highly susceptible to MazF cleavage. Furthermore, analysis of tmRNA sequences from 442 bacteria showed that the discrimination against ACA in tmRNAs was seen mostly in enterobacteria. We propose that the unusual bias against ACA in tmRNA may have coevolved with the acquisition of MazF.
Process zone of polycrystalline alumina

The fracture process zone of two polycrystalline alumina fracture specimens were analyzed by a hybrid experimental-numerical procedure involving a phase-shifting moire interferometry and a finite element analysis. The dissipated energy, which was obtained through numerical analysis, in the fracture process zone was found to be the major energy dissipation mechanism in the brittle alumina.
Toxicity of Progesterone in the New-Born Mouse.∗

Summary and ConclusionsThe new-born mouse is highly susceptible to the toxic and lethal action of progesterone but, within 2 to 3 days, resistance develops rapidly, and by the 7th day the mouse can tolerate about 100 times as much progesterone as when one day old. Closely related steroids, at equivalent and even higher doses, do not cause the acute lethal action of progesterone in the new-born mouse. The report that progesterone given during the last third of gestation will cause fetal death has been confirmed, and it is suggested that this is due to a direct toxic effect of progesterone on the fetus. The rapid development of resistance to progesterone within a few days after birth suggests that a system or mechanism has appeared which is capable of detoxifying, catabolizing, counterbalancing or accelerating the excretion of progesterone.
Individual versus group piece rates under team technologies

We consider pay schemes under technologies where it is efficient for each worker to help other workers. Depending upon worker behavior assumptions, we find that individual piece rates may cause inefficient undercooperation, while group piece rates may cause inefficient overcooperation. J. Japan Int. Econ., March 1988, 2(1), pp. 1–10. Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201; Department of Economics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge Louisiana 70803-6306.
National Culture and Strategic Change in Belief Formation

This paper studies strategy related beliefs in five organizations in Hungary with substantial foreign participation. We find that one of the strongest determinants of similarity of beliefs was being a member of the functional area favored by the strategic change. The effect of being in the favored area was greater than the effect of all other individual characteristics, including nationality.
Green Net Regional Product for the San Luis Basin, Colorado: An economic measure of regional sustainability

Abstract This paper presents the data sources and methodology used to estimate Green Net Regional Product (GNRP), a green accounting approach, for the San Luis Basin (SLB). We measured the movement away from sustainability by examining the change in GNRP over time. Any attempt at green accounting requires both economic and natural capital data. However, limited data for the Basin requires a number of simplifying assumptions and requires transforming economic data at the national, state, and county levels to the level of the SLB. Given the contribution of agribusiness to the SLB, we included the depletion of both groundwater and soil as components in the depreciation of natural capital. We also captured the effect of the consumption of energy on climate change for future generations through carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions. In order to estimate the depreciation of natural capital, the shadow price of water for agriculture, the economic damages from soil erosion due to wind, and the social cost of carbon emissions were obtained from the literature and applied to the SLB using benefit transfer. We used Colorado's total factor productivity for agriculture to estimate the value of time (i.e., to include the effects of exogenous technological progress). We aggregated the economic data and the depreciation of natural capital for the SLB from 1980 to 2005. The results suggest that GNRP had a slight upward trend through most of this time period, despite temporary negative trends, the longest of which occurred during the period 1985–86 to 1987–88. However, given the upward trend in GNRP and the possibility of business cycles causing the temporary declines, there is no definitive evidence of moving away from sustainability.
Transfection-mediated cell-cycle signaling: considerations for transient transfection-based cell-cycle studies.

Transient transfection of recombinant genes into cells is a commonly used approach for analyzing cell-cycle- and/or apoptotic-related activities of cell-cycle control proteins. In this approach, information regarding the functional consequence of expressing a recombinant protein transiently is garnered by comparing against results obtained from cells which are transfected with either a control expression plasmid and/or with mutant expression plasmids. In general however, little attention is paid to whether the transfection procedure itself influences these experiments. Using the calcium phosphate transfection method, we show that the introduction of DNA into cells induces signaling of the cell-cycle control machinery. In Hela cells, a transient increase in G0/G1 cells is observed 8 h after transfection. Furthermore, the introduction of DNA into several cell lines induces apoptosis. Transfection-mediated apoptosis can be elicited through a p53-independent mechanism, suggesting the possible extrapolation to many tumor cell lines. Last, we show that due to a likely cell-cycle-specific entry of marker genes into the nucleus, a highly biased cell-cycle distribution is observed in successfully transfected cells at early times following transfection. The importance of these issues in the interpretation as well as the design of transient transfection-based cell-cycle experiments is discussed.
Large IT projects as interventions in digital ecosystems

Large IT projects, such as the US Government's Internal Revenue Service Business Modernization Effort, can take a decade or more and consume billions of dollars. Traditional approaches to the study of such projects emphasize concerns such as monitoring requirements and tracking progress. We propose an alternative approach guided by a digital ecosystems view instead of a hierarchical, decision-oriented view. We argue that a digital ecosystem perspective is more suited to understand how such projects evolve and cause changes in the underlying digital ecosystem characterized by not only the IT infrastructure but also the transactional relationships among stakeholders. We illustrate our arguments by drawing on an archaeological case study of the IRS effort, and discuss implications of the digital ecosystem perspective for the study of large IT projects.
A role for amylase and peroxidase-linked polymerization in phenolic antioxidant mobilization in dark-germinated soybean and implications for health

Consumption of soybeans has been linked a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and the development of certain cancers. Soybeans are a rich source of phenolic antioxidants, the majority of which occur naturally bound to carbohydrates. Free phenolic antioxidants have higher antioxidant activity than their carbohydrate-bound forms. Hypothesizing that increasing the phenolic aglycone content in soybean may increase its nutritional functionality, we investigated whether carbohydrate-cleaving enzymes have a role in phenolic mobilization in sprouted soybean. Total phenolic content, glucosidase, amylase and glucuronidase activities were measured in extracts of a dark-germinated soybean. Additionally, antioxidant activity and peroxidase activity were measured. Phenolic content and antioxidant activity correlated to amylase and glucuronidase activities, but not to glucosidase activity. Peroxidase activity suggested possible utilization of amylase-mobilized phenolics. Optimization of phenolic antioxidant content based on this metabolic understanding could have benefits for increasing the nutritional functionality of soybean for improving carbohydrate metabolism-linked overall health and wellness.
Oswestry Disability Index: a psychometric analysis with 1,610 patients

Abstract Background One-fourth of the adult US population has or will experience back pain and has undergone one of a myriad of treatments. Understanding the outcomes of these many treatments from pharmacologic to surgical, from manipulation to modality, allows for a better understanding and value-driven decision making. Patient-reported outcome measures are the current standard and include general and disease-specific measures. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is the most commonly used disease-specific patient-reported outcome tool to measure functional disability related to back pain. Few studies have evaluated its psychometric properties in a large patient sample using a modern tool such as the Rasch analysis model. This study aims to identify the benefits and deficiencies of the ODI as an outcome tool for assessing patients with back pain. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties, performance, and applicability of the ODI in patients with back pain who visited a university-based outpatient clinic. Study Design This study used a secondary analysis—assessment of diagnostic tool on consecutive patients. Patient Sample The sample comprised 1,610 patients visiting an academic spine center. Outcome Measures The ODI was the outcome measure. Methods Detailed Rasch analysis of the ODI was performed. Standard descriptive statistics were also assessed. Results The ODI performed well overall. It demonstrated suboptimal unidimensionality (ie, unexplained variance after accounting for the first dimension) of 8.3%. Person reliability was good, at 0.85, and item reliability was excellent, at 1.00. The overall item fit for the ODI was good with an outfit mean square of 1.02. The ODI had a floor effect of 29.9% and ceiling effect of 3.9%. The raw score to measure correlation of the ODI was excellent, at 0.944. Conclusions The ODI performed relatively well overall, with some problematic findings. It had good person and item reliability, although it did not demonstrate strong evidence of unidimensionality. The ODI has moderately poor coverage, with a very large floor effect and small ceiling effect, which could present a challenge in interpreting results of scores at the end of the spectrum.
Nerve regeneration model and trophic factors in vivo

The proximal stump of a transected rat sciatic nerve has been observed to regenerate through a cylindrical silicone chamber across a 10 mm gap to the distal stump. The fluid filling such in vivo chambers contains trophic factors that ensure in vitro survival and growth of at least sensory neurons from rodent dorsal root ganglia--as already demonstrated for fluid generated in vitro from Schwann and other cell cultures.
Analysis of MHC-presented peptides: applications in autoimmunity and vaccine development

T cells recognize antigenic peptides presented on the cell surface by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules. Here, Roman Chicz and Robert Urban describe the features of peptides bound to MHC molecules and the mechanism by which these surface proteins bind diverse peptide ligands with high affinity. In addition, they discuss the application of new technologies to the identification of MHC-associated peptides.
Viral inhibition of MHC class II antigen presentation

T cells by at leasttwo mechanisms. First, and perhaps foremost, virusesinhibit induction of the expression of MHC class II genesby blocking interferon-g(IFN-g) signal transduction andexpression of the MHC class II transactivator (CIITA).Second, viruses inhibit the MHC class II antigen pre-sentation pathway by affecting the stability or intra-cellular sorting of class II proteins. It appears that thisviral inhibition is designed to prevent presentation ofendogenous viral antigens in virus-infected host cells,rather than presentation of exogenous antigens in‘professional’ antigen-presenting cells.Increasing evidence suggests that viral proteins normallyfound in the cytoplasm and exocytic compartments can beefﬁciently presented by MHC class II proteins. Thisapparently occurs in cells where viruses replicate, andsome viruses prevent recognition of infected cells by CD4
All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations of β-Hairpins Stabilized by a Tight Turn: Pronounced Heterogeneous Folding Pathways

Formation of β-hairpins for a series of peptides having the same general sequence, RYVEV-XG-KKILQ-NH2, where the i + 1th residue, X, at the β-turn is varied (Aib or B in BG12, DPro or DP in DPG12, LPro or P in PG12, and Asn or N in NG12) was studied by means of all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. Trajectories of the tryptophan zipper β-hairpin peptide, TZ2 (SWTWE-NG-KWTWK), were also run under similar conditions to provide a comparison with results for a like-sized peptide with a different characteristic folding mechanism. Four-residue peptides with a sequence, X-BG-K-NH2 (where X is a V or DV) were further simulated, particularly focusing on the mirror turn propensity in these hairpins. Microscopic bases for several previous experimental observations are clearly indicated in our MD trajectories. Our results suggest that the two Gellman hairpins, BG12 and DPG12, have stabilities with a pronounced contribution from the tight turn and a moderate contribution from the cross-strand interactions, res...
On the μ̄ invariant of rational surface singularities

We show that for rational surface singularities with odd deter- minant the μ invariant defined by W. Neumann is an obstruction for the link of the singularity to bound a rational homology 4–ball. We identify the μ invariant with the corresponding correction term in Heegaard Floer theory.
Migrated herniated disc mimicking a neoplasm

Disc sequestration is defined as migration of a herniated disc fragment into the epidural space such that it is completely separated from the parent disc. We report a case of a migrated herniated disc that was initially pathologically diagnosed as a cartilage neoplasm. In addition to confounding morphological features, this interpretation may have been influenced by an initial radiological interpretation that did not include herniated disc in the differential diagnosis of a spinal lesion with prominent peripheral contrast enhancement. MR imaging is most helpful in considering other lesions in the differential diagnosis including abscess, hematoma, and primary or metastatic neoplasms. Pathologically, degenerative changes in herniated discs, including clustering of chondrocytes and neovascularization, may be severe resulting in a pseudoneoplastic appearance. Increased awareness of the radiological and pathological features of migrated herniated disc should limit confusion with other tumors.
Differential aging of the human striatum: a prospective MR imaging study.

Background and purpose Advancing age is associated with declines in motor function; understanding age-related changes in the basal ganglia, therefore, is imperative for comprehension of such functional changes. The purpose of this study was to examine the age, sex, and hemispheric differences in volume of the caudate nucleus, the putamen, and the globus pallidus. Methods In a sample of 148 healthy right-handed adults (18-77 years old) with no evidence of age-related motor disorders, we estimated the volume of the head of the caudate nucleus, the putamen, and the globus pallidus from MR images. Results The analyses revealed bilateral age-related shrinkage of the head of the caudate nucleus and the putamen in both sexes. In men, the age-related shrinkage of the caudate was stronger on the left, whereas, in women, the opposite trend was evident. In both sexes, age-related shrinkage of the right putamen was greater than of its left counterpart. The mild bilateral age-related shrinkage of the globus pallidus was observed only in men. In both sexes, we observed significant rightward asymmetry in the putamen, significant leftward asymmetry in the caudate, and no asymmetry in the globus pallidus. Conclusions Bilateral age-related shrinkage of the neostriatum is found in healthy adults. The shrinkage of the globus pallidus is less pronounced and may be restricted to men only.
The impact of the WWW on engineering education

The rapid growth of the World Wide Web (WWW) is changing the way students learn and the way that they demonstrate their learning. Engineering educators are beginning to use the Web as a vehicle for the presentation of both basic and supplemental materials for the instruction process. In addition, a wide range of engineering resources is available to students through searches on the Internet. Many students are being asked to use the Internet as a means of presenting their engineering designs and assignments. The graphical and nonlinear format of the Internet provides many new ways of presenting and organizing data that could not easily be accomplished with conventional methods. A big problem that students and faculty are facing is that the ease of publishing on the Web is creating data overload. No longer does one need to go through the process of finding a publisher and sending a book or article through a review process before publication. Students must address the issue of evaluating the worth of material that they find in their searches and must also consider the value of what they have produced for public dissemination. We have sought to assess the effect that publishing on the Web has on the student's ability to critically interpret the materials that they gather from the Web.
Dynamics of TNF Capture Within Hemoadsorption Beads Used to Treat Sepsis

Sepsis is a serious medical condition characterized by systemic inflammation caused by infection, and affects more than 750,000 individuals per year in the US, with a mortality rate of approximately 30% [1]. The pathophysiology of sepsis is complex and not entirely understood, but is believed to be related to the dysfunction of multiple interdependent humoral mediator pathways, including redundant release of inflammatory cytokines [2]. Removal of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines from the circulating blood is believed to be a promising therapy for severe sepsis [3]. We are developing an extracorporeal hemoadsorption device to remove cytokines from the blood using a novel, biocompatible, sorbent bead technology. A simple model was developed to characterize cytokine adsorption within hemoadsorption beads [4]. Despite rapid clearance of cytokines with hemoadsorption in an ex vivo murine sepsis model [5], our model analysis predicted that only the outer 20μm of each sorbent bead (avg diam = 450μm) adsorbed cytokine. In this work, we used in vitro column capture experiments and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) to examine cytokine adsorption dynamics within hemoadsorption beads.Copyright © 2009 by ASME