cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting landscape effects of Mississippi River diversions on soil organic carbon sequestration

Large Mississippi River (MR) diversions (peak water flow >1416 m3/s and sediment loads >165 kg/s) have been proposed as part of a suite of coastal restoration projects and are expected to rehabilitate and rebuild wetlands to alleviate the significant historic wetland loss in coastal Louisiana. These coastal wetlands are undergoing increasing eustatic sea-level rise, land subsidence, climate change, and anthropogenic disturbances. However, the effect of MR diversions on wetland soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in receiving basins remains unknown. The rate of SOC sequestration or carbon burial in wetlands is one of the variables used to assess the role of wetland soils in carbon cycling and also to construct wetland carbon budgets. In this study, we examined the effects of MR water and sediment diversions on landscape-scale SOC sequestration rates that were estimated from vertical accretion for the next 50 yr (2010–2060) under two environmental (moderate and less optimistic) scenarios. Our analyses were based on model simulations taken from the Wetland Morphology model developed for Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan. The master plan modeled a “future-without-action” scenario as well as eight individual MR diversion projects in two of the hydrologic basins (Barataria and Breton Sound). We examined the effects that discharge rates (peak flow) and locations of these individual diversion projects had on SOC sequestration rates. Modeling results indicate that large river diversions are capable of improving basin-wide SOC sequestration capacity (162–222 g C·m−2·yr−1) by up to 14% (30 g C·m−2·yr−1) in Louisiana deltaic wetlands compared to the future-without-action scenario, especially under the less optimistic scenario. When large river diversions are placed in the upper receiving basin, SOC sequestration rates are 3.7–10.5% higher (6–24 g C·m−2·yr−1) than when these structures are placed in the lower receiving basin. Modeling results also indicate that both diversion discharge and location have large effects on SOC sequestration in low-salinity (freshwater and intermediate marshes) as compared to high-salinity marshes (brackish and saline marshes).
Copper Loading of Preformed Nanoparticles for PET-Imaging Applications

Nanoparticles (NP) are promising contrast agents for positron emission tomography (PET) radionuclide imaging that can increase signal intensity by localizing clusters of PET radionuclides together. However, methods to load NPs with PET radionuclides suffer from harsh loading conditions or poor loading efficacies or result in NP surface modifications that alter targeting in vivo. We present the formation of water-dispersible, polyethylene glycol coated NPs that encapsulate phthalocyanines into NP cores at greater than 50 wt % loading, using the self-assembly technique Flash NanoPrecipitation. Particles from 70 to 160 nm are produced. Phthalocyanine NPs rapidly and spontaneously chelate metals under mild conditions and can act as sinks for PET radionuclides such as 64-Cu to produce PET-active NPs. NPs chelate copper(II) with characteristic rates of 1845 M–1 h–1 at pH 6 and 37 °C, which produced >90% radionuclide chelation within 1 h. NP physical properties, such as core composition, core fluidity, and size,...
Flexural properties of chemically stabilised subgrade in designing semi-rigid pavements

Although flexural fatigue cracking of chemically-stabilised subgrade (CSS) layers is a major distress in semi-rigid pavements, the fatigue model of the CSS layer in the Mechanistic-Empirical Paveme...
Management Strategies in Financing Parks and Recreation. Theodore R. Deppe

(1984). Management Strategies in Financing Parks and Recreation. Theodore R. Deppe. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 16, No. 1, pp. 90-92.
A Damped Ly α Survey at z < 1.65

We have used a new approach to study the evolutionary properties of damped Lyα systems at z ≈ 0.8 that is consistent with the trend at higher redshift as well as the number density at the current epoch. The data exhibit a trend established by three different observing techniques over three redshift regimes, providing important evidence that this trend actually traces the evolution of neutral gas in galaxies. Implications for the evolution of n dl ya(z) and the cosmological neutral hydrogen gas mass density,Ω hi(z), are discussed.
Detonation initiation from shock and material interface interactions in hydrogen-air mixtures

Abstract A numerical study was conducted to explore the mechanisms of detonation initiation in a stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixture resulting from the interaction between a Mach 2.8 shock and a perturbed material interface. The simulations used a high-order compressible numerical method for fluid dynamics with both detailed and simplified chemical-diffusive models. Three material interfaces were considered: no interface, a perturbed planar flame, and a perturbed helium interface. The case with no interface did not evolve into a detonation. The case with the flame produced a series of additional shock-flame and shock-shock interactions. The shock-shock interactions produced a series of contact surfaces and sliplines with increasing temperature. Hot spots eventually formed along these sliplines and a detonation was initiated shortly thereafter through a reactivity gradient mechanism. The overall process of detonation initiation was similar for both detailed and simplified chemical-diffusive models. Only the fine details, such as the precise time and location of the hot spots, were different. This indicates that simplified chemical-diffusive models are adequate to describe the initiation of detonations in the present configuration. The processes that ignited the detonation were also similar in the case where the flame was replaced with a helium interface. Helium has a similar acoustic impedance to the products and produced similar wave refraction patterns. Thus, the primary effect of the flame is to facilitate the shock-shock interactions that produce hot spots and initiate the detonation. The chemical energy released by the flame has a secondary influence.
Hodge Structures and Homological Methods

Our next goal is to make the Hodge decomposition functorial with respect to holomorphic maps. This is not immediate, since the pullback of a harmonic form along a holomorphic map is almost never harmonic. The trick is to state things in a way that depends only on the complex structure: a cohomology class is of type (p, q) if it can be represented by a form with p dzi’s and by a form with q \(d \bar{Z}j\)’s. Of course, just making a definition is not enough. There is something to be proved. The main ingredients are the previous Hodge decomposition for harmonic forms together with some homological algebra, which we develop here.
LAIR: location awareness information representation

Current location representations model only the geographical aspects of a place. While this is a necessary feature to capture, it is far from sufficient. As a result, many location-aware applications reason about space at the level of coordinates and containment relationships, but have no means to express the semantics that define how a particular space is used. The latter is particularly important in modeling location in the pervasive computing domain. We present LAIR, an ontology that addresses this problem by modeling both the geographical and topological relationships between spaces, as well as the functional purpose of a given space.
ON THE GEOMETRY OF STABLE POLYNOMIALS OF ONE AND TWO VARIABLES

This work is concerned with properties of monic polynomials with real coefficients, represented in the space of their coefficients. Employing tools from convex analysis, algebraic topology and linear algebra, we introduce a new stability criterion for polynomials with zeros in the interior of the unit circle in the complex plane. This criterion is computationally superior to comparable classical methods in addition to shedding new light on interesting geometrical properties of such polynomials and on connections to other disciplines of mathematics. Our investigation leads also to a computationally efficient method to affect the bilinear transformation.
Abstract 948: Preventing estrogen receptor alpha-positive breast cancer outgrowth with the use of hormone replacement therapy

Menopause occurs in all women, usually between the ages of 45 and 55. As a result of menopause, women often experience undesirable vasomotor symptoms, which can be alleviated by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The Women9s Health Initiative (WHI) trial concluded that PremPro, a HRT formulation that combines conjugated equine estrogens (CE) with medroxyprogesterone acetate, increases the risk of breast cancer. Over the years, the number of women taking HRT has dramatically decreased due to the perceived risk based largely on the results of the WHI trial. Follow-up sudies suggest that breast cancer cases from PremPro treatment were primarily due to the outgrowth of occult tumors, not the formation of new disease. Duavee, a more recent form of HRT that combines CE and bazedoxifene (BZA), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) and degrader (SERD), has been approved by the FDA for treatment of moderate to severe hot flashes and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. More importantly, this CE+BZA mixture not only relieves symptoms associated with menopause, but it also does not stimulate the breast or uterus. Several preclinical studies suggest that CE+BZA might be protective in the breast, however the mechanism of action of this new combination therapy is not known. Our goal, therefore, is to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms by which CE+BZA differentially affects estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) action in the mammary gland, using transcriptome and whole genome occupancy analysis in breast cancer cell lines. RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq studies suggest that CE+BZA decreases pathways related to S-phase entry, cell cycle regulation and BRCA1. We are also studying the effects of CE+BZA on early mammary cancer progression in the estrogen-sensitive polyoma middle T antigen (PyMT) transgenic mouse model and have observed that treatment with CE+BZA delayed the onset of tumors and decreased their rate of growth. Mice treated with CE+BZA also survived longer. In addition, CE+BZA was able to decrease the rate of tumor growth in an ERα-positive patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model. An improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of CE+BZA action in hormone sensitive breast cancer cell and animal models should have important implications for women considering HRT. Citation Format: Anna G. Dembo, Emily S. Aledort, Geoffrey L. Greene. Preventing estrogen receptor alpha-positive breast cancer outgrowth with the use of hormone replacement therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 948.
In Vitro Pulmonary Toxicity of Reduced Graphene Oxide-Nano Zero Valent Iron Nanohybrids and Comparison with Parent Nanomaterial Attributes

Conjugation of individual nanomaterials to form “nanohybrids” has been the recent focus of advanced material synthesis with the aim to achieve enhanced properties and synergistic functionalities. However, nanohybrids may induce uncertain and unknown biological interactions and toxicological responses that are likely to be unique and altered from their component nanomaterial attributes. In this study, reduced graphene oxide-nanoscale zerovalent iron (rGO-nZVI), a multifunctional nanohybrid with promise for environmental remediation, has been systematically evaluated for in vitro toxicity to human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). Careful synthesis of rGO-nZVI was performed by chemical coreduction of graphene oxide (GO) and iron salt precursors, followed by evaluation of their physicochemical properties and colloidal stability in the biological media. A comprehensive assessment of biological interactions and toxicological outcomes of rGO-nZVI and its parent materials, i.e., GO, rGO, and nZVI on BEAS-2B ...
Glycerol Monolaurate (GML) and a Nonaqueous Five-Percent GML Gel Kill Bacillus and Clostridium Spores.

ABSTRACT Glycerol monolaurate is a broadly antimicrobial fatty acid monoester, killing bacteria, fungi, and enveloped viruses. The compound kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis, suggesting that the molecule may kill spores. In this study, we examined the ability of glycerol monolaurate alone or solubilized in a nonaqueous gel to kill vegetative cells and spores of aerobic B. anthracis, B. subtilis, and B. cereus and anaerobic Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium (Clostridioides) difficile. Glycerol monolaurate alone was bactericidal for all five organisms tested. Glycerol monolaurate alone was effective in killing spores. When solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, the glycerol monolaurate gel was bactericidal for all spores tested. The data suggest that glycerol monolaurate nonaqueous gel could be effective in decontaminating environmental and body surfaces, such as skin. IMPORTANCEBacillus and Clostridium spores are known to be highly resistant to killing, persisting on environmental and human body surfaces for long periods of time. In favorable environments, these spores may germinate and cause human diseases. It is thus important to identify agents that can be used on both environmental and human skin and mucosal surfaces and that are effective in killing spores. We previously showed that the fatty acid monoester glycerol monolaurate (GML) kills stationary-phase cultures of Bacillus anthracis. Since such cultures are likely to contain spores, it is possible that GML and a human-use-approved GML nonaqueous gel would kill Bacillus and Clostridium spores. The significance of our studies is that we have identified GML, and, to a greater extent, GML solubilized in a nonaqueous gel, as effective in killing spores from both bacterial genera.
Incorporating LGBT Health in an Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Through the Construct of Social Determinants of Health

Introduction The AAMC has provided a resource to medical schools for implementing curricular change in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health education. However, studies have identif...
Safety Analysis of RCUT Intersection

The safety of intersections on a major corridor is always a concern because of the high-risk vehicle maneuvers intertwined with high operating speed. Significant number of crashes at such intersections is angled-collisions with a high percentage of fatalities and injuries. This is especially true at intersections with a two-way stop-sign control (TWSC) where vehicles on a low-speed, minor roadway must cross or merge into the path of high-speed vehicles on the major highway. The crashes often involve a vehicle entering the intersection from the stop approach and a vehicle travelling high speed on the main approach. While sign and pavement marking may have an impact, they are not considered as effective as eliminating the through and left-turn movement from the minor street. For a signalized four-leg (4SG) intersection, an exclusive left-turn signal phase does promote safety, but it often results in a lower intersection capacity and the excessive delay, particularly during rush hours.One relatively new countermeasure, called Restricted Crossing U-turn (RCUT) has gained significant interest. The RCUT is aimed to reduce the number of conflicting point (thus, reducing crashes and crash severity) and increase intersection capacity. Left-turning and crossing vehicles on the minor road are forced to turn right at the intersection and then making a U- turn a short distance away. Clearly, the RCUT is suitable for an intersection of a major arterial and a minor roadway with significantly smaller traffic volumeThis paper evaluates the safety benefit of six RCUTs in Louisiana. Unlike the previous studies, this investigation covers both the RCUT intersection only and RCUT system (consisting of the intersection, two U-turns and segments in between). The crash analysis shows a 100% reduction in fatalities, 41.5% in injuries and 22.3% in property damage only crash for the RCUT intersection only, and less impressive reductions for the RCUT system. The review of the original crash reports greatly benefits the investigation on why the crashes increased at few locations, thus, provides the valuable information on how to correct these crash problems through the detailed design and traffic control. The safety improvement plus the high ratio of benefit to cost strongly demonstrate that the RCUT is an effective and economically justified countermeasure on high-speed roadways in both rural and urban areas.
COVID toes or pernio

"COVID toes" are a new phenomenon of pernio-like lesions that has been associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. As dermatology practices reopen and increase patient volumes amid the waning of the coronavirus pandemic, it is important to consider the finding of pernio and pernio-like lesions in the context of both COVID-19 and its other possible etiologies. This contribution will discuss possible causes of pernio and pernio-like lesions and offer suggestions for appropriate diagnostic workup and management when indicated.
Mafalda and Women’s Rights: A Canvass of the Sixties

Comic strips have often been avenues of cultural, social, and political expression. A strip born in Argentina during the 1960s, Mafalda, became a worldwide phenomenon emblematic of the struggling urban middle classes and the challenges faced by women. Employing incongruity theory with a feminist lens, this paper analyzes Mafalda within its socio-political and cultural context. The analysis suggests the comic strip contained the following four prominent themes: women’s rights; patriarchy and education; mundane domesticity; and Argentine class system and the bourgeoisie. The study has theoretical implications for media scholars who study the use of humor as a persuasive strategy and the role of satire in political communication. It also has practical implications for feminists and social justice activists who seek new ways to engage potential sympathizers to their causes. Las tiras comicas a menudo han sido vias de expresion cultural, social y politica. Una tira nacida en Argentina en la decada del sesenta, Mafalda, se convirtio en un emblema mundial de las disminuidas clases medias urbanas y de los retos enfrentados por las mujeres. Con base en la teoria de la incongruencia considerada desde una perspectiva feminista, este estudio examina Mafalda dentro de su contexto sociopolitico y cultural. El planteamiento sugiere que la tira comica destaca cuatro temas: los derechos de la mujer, el patriarcado y la educacion, la domesticidad mundana y, por ultimo, el sistema argentino de clase y la burguesia. Este articulo tiene reflexiones teoricas para les investigadores de los medios que analizan el uso del humor como estrategia persuasiva y el papel de la satira en la comunicacion politica. Tambien tiene interes practico para les feministas y activistas que buscan nuevas maneras de ganar simpatizantes.
Zoster meningitis in an immunocompetent host with headache and atypical rash.

Headache is a frequent emergency department (ED) complaint. Secondary headache, due to infectious causes, must be carefully evaluated as a differential diagnosis. Red flag signs and classic physical examination findings are available to aid the diagnosis and evaluation of secondary headache. These findings, however, are limited by poor sensitivity and predictive value. We present a case of Herpes zoster (HZ) meningitis in a young healthy male adult with major presenting symptom of headache and new-onset rash to underscore the variation in atypical presentations of aseptic meningitis. HZ-associated aseptic meningitis often presents with characteristic, but at times atypical rash. We recommend skin lesions be thoroughly evaluated, along with classic signs of fever and nuchal rigidity, to assist in the diagnosis of meningitis.
Flight Controller Design Based on Sliding Mode Control for Quadcopter Waypoints Tracking

Flight control systems are widely used in modern aircraft; they help pilot in steering their aircrafts. The wind force applied on the aircraft quadcopter body causes large drift angles. To remedy this issue, an efficient flight controller based on nonlinear controller for both high-level and low-level regulators was designed. These tow controllers were developed based on the quadcopter dynamic model. This approach is validated through simulation to show its effectiveness.
Essential oil microemulsions inactivate antibiotic-resistant Salmonella Newport and spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus casei on Iceberg lettuce during 28-day storage at 4°C

Abstract The produce industry commonly uses chlorine to wash vegetables during post-harvest practices. However, chlorine has disadvantages because it is not sustainable to the environment, is not user-friendly, is corrosive to equipment, and loses efficacy in the presence of organic matter. Hence, alternatives to wash sanitizers are required to better meet the needs of the industry. Essential oil-based antimicrobial microemulsions in the wash water were evaluated for their efficacy against antibiotic-resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Newport and spoilage bacterium Lactobacillus casei on Iceberg lettuce. The microemulsions that were assessed included oregano oil, lemongrass oil, and cinnamon oil along with a plant-based emulsifier for improved solubility of the oil in water. Iceberg lettuce (10 g) was washed thoroughly and inoculated with Lactobacilli casei (6.0 log colony-forming units (CFU)/g) or Salmonella Newport (6.0 log CFU/g). The Iceberg leaves were separately treated with 0.1%, 0.3%, or 0.5% of the microemulsions, 50 ppm chlorine, and 3% hydrogen peroxide, stored at 4 °C, observed, and analyzed for surviving populations of both bacteria on days 0, 3, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. The efficacies of the antimicrobials were dependent on concentration and storage-time. The use of microemulsions resulted in a 2.3–4.37 log CFU/g reduction in the Salmonella population at various time points during days 0–28. They were also effective against Lactobacillus, resulting in 0.11–4.25 log CFU/g reduction during storage at days 0–28. The data on visual observation of treated leaves summarized in the tables and shown as figures indicated that the 0.1% oregano oil microemulsion had the best visual appeal in Iceberg leaves inoculated with S. Newport and the 0.5% lemongrass oil microemulsion showed improvement in reduced browning of the Iceberg leaves inoculated with Lactobacillus casei. This study demonstrates the potential of essential oil microemulsions to inactivate foodborne pathogenic and spoilage bacteria on Iceberg lettuce, thus providing effective produce decontamination strategies.
Estimation of Pavement Surface Freezing Indices

A rational and usable correlation between the freezing index values determined from air temperatures and from pavement surface temperatures has been developed. Data for the study were obtained by field measurement by means of thermocouples connected to a continuous recorder. Thirteen measurement sites were selected to include bituminous and concrete pavements within West Virginia. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each site to relate the air temperatures to the pavement temperatures, assuming that the air temperature varied in a sinusoidal fashion. The effects of solar and net longwave radiation were considered. An equation is developed for the estimation of pavement surface freezing index. This is easily adapted to computer solution to facilitate design use. It is demonstrated that the ratio of pavement surface freezing index to air temperature freezing index varies by geographic location and severity of winter.
VCSTC: Virtual Cyber Security Testing Capability --- An Application Oriented Paradigm for Network Infrastructure Protection

Network security devices are becoming more sophisticated and so are the testing processes. Traditional network testbeds face challenges in terms of fidelity, scalability and complexity of security features. In this paper we propose a new methodology of testing security devices using network virtualization techniques, and present an integrated solution, including network emulation, test case specification and automated test execution. Our hybrid network emulation scheme provides high fidelity by host virtualization and scalability by lightweight protocol stack emulation. We also develop an intermediate level test case description language that is suitable for security tests at various network protocol layers and that can be executed automatically on the emulated network. The methodology presented in this paper has been implemented and integrated into a security infrastructure testing system for US Department of Defense and we report the experimental results.
The multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase mediates Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase.

Abstract Stimulation of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells with ionophore A23187, carbachol, or high K+ medium, agents which increase intracellular Ca2+, results in the phosphorylation and activation of tyrosine hydroxylase (Nose, P., Griffith, L. C., and Schulman, H. (1985) J. Cell Biol. 101, 1182-1190). We have identified three major protein kinases in PC12 cells and investigated their roles in the Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase and other cytosolic proteins. A set of PC12 proteins were phosphorylated in response to both elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and to protein kinase C (Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase) activators. In addition, distinct sets of proteins responded to either one or the other stimulus. The three major regulatory kinases, the multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and protein kinase C all phosphorylate tyrosine hydroxylase in vitro. Neither the agents which increase Ca2+ nor the agents which directly activate kinase C (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate or 1-oleyl-2-acetylglycerol) increase cAMP or activate the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, thereby excluding this pathway as a mediator of these stimuli. The role of protein kinase C was assessed by long term treatment of PC12 cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate, which causes its "desensitization." In cells pretreated in this manner, agents which increase Ca2+ influx continue to stimulate tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation maximally, while protein kinase C activators are completely ineffective. Comparison of tryptic peptide maps of tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylated by the three protein kinases in vitro with phosphopeptide maps generated from tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylated in vivo indicates that phosphorylation by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase most closely mirrors the in vivo phosphorylation pattern. These results indicate that the multifunctional Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase mediates phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase by hormonal and electrical stimuli which elevate intracellular Ca2+ in PC12 cells.
Working Time Reforms in Times of Crisis

This working paper extends and complements the analysis of pre-2012 anticrisis measures published in the earlier ETUI Working Paper 'The crisis and national labour law reforms: a mapping exercise' which dealt with anti-crisis measures on working time taken before February 2012.Using a country-by-country analysis of reforms in the area of working time, the authors of this paper confirm that most of the working time reforms adopted by EU Member States during the crisis leveraged the crisis as a – false – excuse to legitimate the introduction of legislation detrimental to workers.
Healthcare management education settings in the United States

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a history of graduate healthcare management education in the USA with an emphasis on the comparison of business schools and health science settings. It seeks to explain why different organizational cultures exist and how this affects education.Design/methodology/approach – The approach relies on literature review and descriptive analysis using secondary data. Institutional economics helps provide perspective on different academic cultures and orientations.Findings – Healthcare management education originated in the early twentieth century. Business schools at the University of Chicago and Northwestern were early pioneers. By mid‐century, schools of public health and medicine entered and came to dominate with strong graduate programs at Berkeley, Michigan and other leading universities. More recently, business schools have differentiated away from the generic MBA and expanded into this market. Advocates of health science settings commonly see healthcare as different fro...
Increased lymphocyte replicative index following 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide exposure.

Objective: Evaluate peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation (replicative index:RI) and micronuclei frequency (MF) among 2,4–D herbicide applicators. Methods: Twelve applicators spraying only 2,4–D provided a blood and urine specimen upon enrollment, several urine samples during the spraying season, and a blood specimen at the study's end. Nine controls provided blood and urine specimens upon enrollment and at the study's end. Gas chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy determined urinary 2,4–D levels and standard in-vitro assays determined RI and MF scores. Applicator RI and MF were compared before and after spraying and with controls. Results: Applicators contributed 45 urine specimens with concentrations ranging from 1.0 to 1700 (μg 2,4–D/g creatinine/L urine) that logarithmically (ln) increased as spraying time increased. Applicator RI increased after spraying (p = 0.016), independent of tobacco and alcohol use, and demonstrated a weak dose-response with increasing urinary 2,4–D levels (p = 0.15). Among 2,4–D applicators, pre-exposure complete blood counts and lymphocyte immunophenotypes were not significantly different from post-exposure measurements. Conclusion: Urinary 2,4–D concentration, an exposure biomarker, may be associated with lymphocyte replicative index, a cell proliferation biomarker.
Intracranial Embolization Procedures

Intracranial embolization procedures are therapeutic endovascular occlusions of vessels involved in vascular lesions of the cerebral circulation. One can imagine more catchy phrases to describe the procedure such as “intentional cerebral embolism” (ICE), but common parlance uses the less colorful and more awkward “intracranial embolization procedure.” This chapter covers transarterial embolization in the intracranial circulation aside from intracranial aneurysm treatment, and is divided into four parts: Indications and contraindications, general devices and techniques for intracranial vascular access and embolization, techniques specific to particular disease processes, and complication avoidance and management.
New Molecular Markers for the Distal End of the T-Complex and Their Relationships to Mutations Affecting Mouse Development

Many mutations affecting mouse development have been mapped to the t-complex of mouse chromosome 17. We have obtained 17 cosmid clones as molecular markers for this region by screening a hamster-mouse chromosome 17 and 18 cell hybrid cosmid library with mouse-specific repetitive elements and mapping positive clones via t-haplotype vs. C3H restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Twelve of the clones mapping distal to Leh66B in t-haplotypes are described here. Using standard RFLP analysis or simple sequence length polymorphism between t-haplotypes, exceptional partial t-haplotypes and nested sets of inter-t-haplotype recombinants, five cosmids have been mapped in or around In(17)3 and seven in the most distal inversion In17(4). More precise mapping of four of the cosmids from In(17)4 shows that they will be useful in the molecular identification of some of the recessive lethals mapped to the t-complex: two cosmids map between H-2K and Crya-1, setting a distal limit in t-haplotypes for the position of the tw5 lethal, one is inseparable from the tw12 lethal, and one maps distal to tf near the t0(t6) lethal and cld.
Superior Orbital Fissure Syndrome Caused by Indolent Aspergillus Sphenoid Sinusitis

Aspergillus fumigatus is the most common fungal pathogen of the paranasal sinuses. Its clinical significance ranges from noninvasive colonization to fulminant invasion of the sinuses and surrounding structures. Immunocompromised individuals are at highest risk for invasive infection. While the maxillary sinus is most commonly affected, isolated sphenoid sinusitis is infrequent.1 Complications of sphenoid involvement result from extension into contiguous structures such as the orbit, cavernous sinus, or brain. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount to reducing morbidity and mortality.Superior orbital fissure syndrome includes ophthalmoplegia, ptosis, forehead hypesthesia, and retro-orbital pain. Any process that invades the superior orbital fissure may lead to this constellation of findings. We report a case of indolent Aspergillus sphenoid sinusitis presenting as a superior orbital fissure syndrome over a 6-week period. The unusual clinical and radiologic features of this report that led to a delay ...
Matrix diffusion rates in fractured volcanic rocks at the Nevada Test Site : Evidence for a dominant influence of effective fracture apertures

[1] Solute matrix diffusion in saturated, fractured volcanic rock at the Nevada Test Site was evaluated from field tracer tests conducted at two different locations and from laboratory-scale transport experiments using core samples from the two locations. The laboratory tests included 15 separate tracer transport experiments conducted in 8 fractured cores (4 from each location) and 17 diffusion cell experiments conducted in matrix material adjacent to the fractures. All of the experiments featured two nonsorbing tracers with free diffusion coefficients differing by a factor of approximately 3 to allow the effects of diffusion to be distinguished from the effects of advection, dispersion, and source-term tailing in the experiments. When considering all the laboratory and field transport experiments collectively, the lumped mass transfer parameter that characterizes matrix diffusion rates, (sec−1/2) (where ϕm is the matrix porosity, b is the effective fracture half-aperture, and Dm is the matrix diffusion coefficient), appears to decrease as time and length scales of observation increase. However, these decreasing trends largely disappear when the laboratory and field data are considered separately, and there is little difference in Dm values measured at different timescales in laboratory experiments using the same rocks. Also, the overall variability in ϕm and Dm in the laboratory experiments is not large enough to account for the order-of-magnitude smaller field-scale values of compared to lab-scale values. We conclude that experimentally observed trends of versus time or distance scale in saturated fractured rocks at the Nevada Test Site are dominated by differences in effective fracture apertures in the various experiments, with a tendency toward larger apertures in the field experiments. These results underscore the importance of acquiring a better understanding of the factors that control effective fracture apertures as a function of distance scale in fractured media if values of from laboratory and field tracer experiments are to be reliably extrapolated to time and distance scales in risk assessment models.
Evaluation of the effects of repeated fecal collection by manual stripping on the plasma cortisol levels, TNF-α gene expression, and digestibility and availability of nutrients from hydrolyzed poultry and egg meal by rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Abstract The determination of apparent nutrient digestibility and availability coefficients (ADC and AAC) of ingredients is an important process in the formulation of cost efficient diets for fish. Collection of feces by repeated manual stripping is commonly practiced. However, due to the stress and possible physical damage imposed on fish during repeated stripping, this practice may influence ADC and AAC values. Our study evaluates the effects of repeated stripping three times over a period of five days on the ADCs and AACs of nutrients from hydrolyzed whole poultry egg meal for rainbow trout. We also evaluated the effects of repeated stripping on the stress status (plasma cortisol), innate immune response ( tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α ) gene expression) and physical damage of the distal section of the digestive tract (histological examination) of rainbow trout (mean weight 308 g). Plasma cortisol levels were significantly elevated at the completion of each stripping event, indicating the procedure was stressful to rainbow trout. While the gene expression of TNF-α indicated a compounding chronic effect of the repeated stripping procedure on the innate immune response of rainbow trout. However, microscopic histological examination of the distal section of the digestive tract indicated no apparent sign of physical damage due to the repeated fecal stripping procedure. Dietary ADCs and AACs for dry matter, organic matter, protein, amino acids and energy were unaffected by repeated stripping. While ingredient ADCs and AACs for dry matter, organic matter, protein, amino acids and lipid were also unaffected by repeated stripping. However, dietary lipid and ingredient energy ADCs were significantly affected by repeated stripping. Additionally, the repeated stripping significantly ( P
Mood and anxiety disorders in females with the FMR1 premutation

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a model for studying the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to psychiatric disorders in mothers of children with disabilities. Here, we examine the frequency and predictors of mood and anxiety disorders in mothers with the FMR1 premutation. Ninety-three females with the FMR1 premutation were in the study and were compared to 2,159 women from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R) dataset. Mood and anxiety disorders were assessed using the SCID-I. Our data reflect elevated lifetime major depressive disorder (MDD), lifetime panic disorder without agoraphobia and current agoraphobia without panic disorder in the FMR1 premutation sample. Also, we found a low frequency of lifetime social phobia, specific phobia, and post-traumatic stress disorders and current specific phobia in the FMR1 premutation sample. The profile of MDD in the FMR1 premutation sample was not episodic or comorbid with an anxiety disorder, as in the NCS-R dataset. Never having been married and smaller CGG repeat length were associated with increased likelihood of MDD while increased children with FXS in the family and greater child problem behaviors were associated with increased likelihood of an anxiety disorder in the FMR 1 premutation group. Major depression in females with the FMR1 premutation may not be characterized as an episodically chronic recurrent disorder as it is in community samples and may have a genetic basis given the relationship with CGG repeat length and lack of association with all child and most demographic factors.
Searching for maintenance in exercise interventions for cancer survivors.

Purpose Translating evidence-based exercise interventions into practice is important for expanding the capacity to support cancer survivors. Using the reach, efficacy/effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and scoping study methodology, we addressed the research question, “What is known about the maintenance of exercise interventions for cancer survivors that would inform translation from research to practice and community settings?” Maintenance was investigated at the individual and setting level.
A survey of some problems in combinatorial designs— a matrix approach

Abstract In this survey paper matrix theoretic methods dealing with some aspects of the theory of combinatorial designs are discussed. In particular, questions dealing with incidence matrices, quasisymmetric designs, strongly regular graphs, block graphs, special partially balanced designs, partial geometric designs, t 1 2 designs, and resolutions are examined. Some recent work of Haemers on the interlacing of eigenvalues and Wilson on t -designs is also included.
A significant fraction of conserved noncoding DNA in human and mouse consists of predicted matrix attachment regions.

Abstract Noncoding DNA in the human–mouse orthologous intergenic regions contains ‘islands' of conserved sequences, the functions of which remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that some of these regions might be matrix–scaffold attachment regions, MARs (or S/MARs). MARs comprise one of the few classes of eukaryotic noncoding DNA with an experimentally characterized function, being involved in the attachment of chromatin to the nuclear matrix, chromatin remodeling and transcription regulation. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed the co-occurrence of predicted MARs with highly conserved noncoding DNA regions in human–mouse genomic alignments. We found that 11% of the conserved noncoding DNA consists of predicted MARs. Conversely, more than half of the predicted MARs co-occur with one or more independently identified conserved sequence blocks. An excess of conserved predicted MARs is seen in intergenic regions preceding 5′ ends of genes, suggesting that these MARs are primarily involved in transcriptional control.
Deprivation and Political Violence in Northern Ireland, 1922-1985 A Time-Series Analysis

Terrorist movements are discussed under the rubric of social movements that generate collective violence. Deprivation theory is tested with multivariate time-series regression models, with controls for security force levels and industrial production. Findings are: (1) although Northern Ireland suffers from high unemployment, increases in fatal violence are not related to rises in unemployment; (2) the violence has a tendency to perpetuate itself, independently of its stimuli; (3) the conflict is unrepresentative of clashes between state and insurgent forces in that most of the fatalities in it are not attributable to the security forces; and (4) further explanations should incorporate both political factors and mechanisms that contribute to the escalation process. Several possibilities are explored.
Fractionated martian atmosphere in the nakhlites

Considerable evidence points to a martian origin of the shergottite-nakhlite-chassignite (SNC) meteorites. Noble gas isotopic compositions have been measured in most SNC meteorites. The Xe-129/Xe-132 vs. Kr-84/Xe-132 ratios in Chassigny, most shergottites, and lithology C of EETA 79001 define a linear array. This array is thought to be a mixing line between martian mantle and martian atmosphere. One of the SNC meteorites, Nakhla, contains a leachable component that has an elevated Xe-129/Xe-132 ratio relative to its Kr-84/Xe-132 ratio when compared to this approximately linear array. The leachable component probably consists in part of iddingsite, an alteration product produced by interaction of olivine with aqueous fluid at temperatures lower than 150 C. The elevated Xe isotopic ratio may represent a distinct reservoir in the martian crust or mantle. More plausibly, it is elementally fractionated martian atmosphere. Formation of sediments fractionates the noble gases in the correct direction. The range of sediment/atmosphere fractionation factors is consistent with the elevated Xe-129/Xe-132 component in Nakhla being contained in iddingsite, a low temperature weathering product. The crystallization age of Nakhla is 1.3 Ga. Its low-shock state suggests that it was ejected from near the surface of Mars. As liquid water is required for the formation of iddingsite, these observations provide further evidence for the near surface existence of aqueous fluids on Mars more recently than 1.3 Ga.
Intrathecal baclofen management of poststroke spastic hypertonia: implications for function and quality of life.

Abstract Ivanhoe CB, Francisco GE, McGuire JR, Subramanian T, Grissom SP. Intrathecal baclofen management of poststroke spastic hypertonia: implications for function and quality of life. Objectives To evaluate the impact of intrathecal baclofen (ITB) on function and quality of life (QOL) and to obtain efficacy and safety data in poststroke spastic hypertonia. Design Prospective open-label multicenter trial with follow-up at 3 and 12 months. Setting Twenty-four stroke treatment centers in the United States. Participants Ninety-four stroke participants (age range, 24−82y) with spastic hypertonia. Seventy-four participants underwent ITB pump implantation. Intervention Participants were implanted with an ITB pump. Main Outcome Measures FIM instrument and QOL (Sickness Impact Profile [SIP]) changes, spastic hypertonia (Ashworth Scale), and safety. Results FIM scores improved overall in repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) ( P =.005) and by 3.00±7.69 ( P =.001) at 3 months and by 2.86±10.13 ( P =.017) at 12 months. Significant improvements in SIP scores were noted overall (repeated-measures ANOVA, P P =.003) and 12 months ( P P P P P =.321) or at either 3 ( P =.553) or 12 months ( P =.462). Minimal adverse events and device complications were reported. Conclusions There was significant improvement in function, QOL, and spastic hypertonia at 3 and 12 months after implant, without adversely affecting muscle strength of the unaffected limbs. Data suggest that ITB therapy is a safe and efficacious treatment for spastic hypertonia resulting from stroke.
Chronic bilateral stimulation of the anterior thalamus of kainate-treated rats increases seizure frequency.

Summary: Purpose: Electrical stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) is receiving increased attention as a novel means of controlling intractable epilepsy, and has entered human clinical trial. Animal data supporting the anticonvulsant benefit of ANT stimulation, however, has been obtained from acute chemoconvulsant models of epilepsy rather than models of chronic epilepsy with spontaneous seizures. It is unknown whether ANT stimulation is effective in models of chronic epilepsy. Methods: Bilateral ANT stimulation was evaluated in rats with chronic epilepsy following acute status epilepticus (SE) produced by systemic kainic acid (KA) administration. The evolution of epilepsy following KA SE and the effects of ANT stimulation were monitored by continuous video-EEG. Results: Following KA SE, most rats have 2–8 seizures per day, and the average seizure rate increases over time, doubling over the course of 14 weeks. Behavioral seizure severity, after the initial development of epilepsy, remains stable. Seizure frequency during ANT stimulation was 2.5 times the baseline seizure frequency. In some cases stimulation triggered seizures were observed. The effects of stimulation were specific to the ANT. Stimulation applied to electrodes placed outside the ANT did not significantly worsen seizure frequency. Conclusions: ANT stimulation exacerbated seizure frequency in rats with chronic epilepsy following kainate status epilepticus.
Retrospective assessment of the association between drinking and condom use.

Objective: Retrospective reports of the association between drinking and high-risk sexual behavior can be biased by implicit theories of the effects of drinking or may represent post hoc justifications instead of accurate reports of behavior. Using data from a daily diary study, we compared daily reports of condom use when drinking and not drinking with the same participants' reports of these behaviors from a retrospective questionnaire administered after diary collection was complete. Method: Participants included adolescents (n = 145), adult sexually transmitted disease clinic clients (n = 167), college students (n = 145), and men who have sex with men (n = 147). All participants reported their alcohol consumption and sexual activity daily for 8 weeks and then completed a retrospective questionnaire about their behavior over the diary period. Results: Participants' retrospective judgments about whether they used condoms more or less when drinking were not significantly related to their behavior as repor...