cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nondestructive Characterization of FRP Composites with Applications for Highway Structures

As composite components age, the ability to detect progressive failure events becomes a critical reliability issue. This study investigates the nondestructive characterization of fiber-reinforced-polymeric (FRP) materials that are being subjected to accelerated load tests as part of a program to determine the long-term behavior of these materials for potential use in highway structures. The application of these materials to large scale highway systems will be radically different from those in other industries. FRP materials are subjected to a variety of mechanical loads (such as creep, impact, and fatigue) in different environmental conditions. Nondestructive evaluation techniques are used to establish material base-lines and are used to monitor damage progression. The fundamental goal of this study is to develop models that can predict the long term behavior of FRP materials and structures.
Chapter 19 - Mechanisms of analgesia produced by hypnosis and placebo suggestions

Studies of hypnotic and placebo analgesia have labored under a double burden. Both the independent variables of hypnotic and placebo treatments and the multiple components of pain experience, which are the dependent variables, are subjective phenomena. Partly as a consequence, precise measurement of subjective independent and dependent variables of hypnotic and placebo analgesia experiments may be considered to lack the precise control, which is present in physiological or pharmacological studies. This chapter describes an alternative view of the possibility of precise analysis and measurement of both the independent and dependent variables associated with placebo and hypnotic analgesia. In the context of providing this alternative view, a general explanation of the neural and psychological mechanisms that may underlie these forms of analgesia will be presented. An understanding of these mechanisms has implications for the treatment and management of pain. The factors that evoke pain reduction extend from psychosocial, including interactions between therapist and patient, to neurophysiological factors that influence the actual transmission of pain signals within the patient. The discussion in this chapter considers: 1. the demand characteristics of the hypnotic analgesia situation; 2. the role of hypnotic state and the possible interactions between hypnotic state and incorporation of hypnotic suggestions, and 3. psychological, and neural mechanisms that help explain hypnotic analgesia. This discussion includes a consideration of how hypnotic interventions influence the multiple dimensions of pain, and at least in a general sense, the neural processing of pain.
Automated On-Demand Titration of Organometallic Reagents in Continuous Flow

The use of strong organometallic bases and nucleophiles is commonplace in modern organic synthesis. That they react with a wide range of functional groups requires accurate and precise stoichiometry in reactions that utilize them. For best results, these bases are titrated prior to use, and such titrations can be time-consuming and variable due to human error near the end point. Herein, we describe an automated method for titrations of multiple commercial organometallic reagents enabled by continuous flow. Through utilizations of continuous monitoring via UV–vis spectroscopy and a feedback loop developed within LabVIEW, titrations with enhanced reproducibility were provided over current batch procedures.
Relaxation of the cosmological constant

We present a model that naturally tunes a large positive cosmological constant to a small cosmological constant. A slowly rolling scalar field decreases the cosmological constant to a small negative value, causing the universe to contract, thus reheating it. An expanding universe with a small positive cosmological constant can be obtained, respectively, by coupling this solution to any model of a cosmological bounce and coupling the scalar field to a sector that undergoes a technically natural phase transition at the meV scale. A robust prediction of this model is a rolling scalar field today with some coupling to the standard model. This can potentially be experimentally probed in a variety of cosmological and terrestrial experiments, such as probes of the equation of state of dark energy, birefringence in the cosmic microwave background and terrestrial tests of Lorentz violation.
Exploratory Study on Breast Volume and Bra Cup Design

Due to a lack of understanding in breast and bra size, there have been chronic complaints from many bra consumers about the difficulties in deciding which bra size and style will provide the best fit. Despite several attempts from diverse disciplines, the issues remain unresolved and there are a lot of uncertainties regarding how to estimate breast and bra cup size. Aiming at a revelatory insight into a more accurate and scientific size measurement of the breast and bra, the current research takes an exploratory approach to investigate breast volume and bra cup size, and demonstrates the effect of bra cup design on the bra cup size. A participant with a bra size of 32D was recruited for an in-depth case study. After producing a series of bra prototypes for the participant, the bra cup volume was measured and compared with the breast volume. Pressure measurement were obtained to support the findings. An approximate bra cup volume was estimated to be 50 to 70% of the breast volume for 32D, and bra cup volume changed up to 13-17% when seamlines were altered. However, the conflicting results were found depending on the methods used to measure the volume. Bra pressure was influenced by the different cup designs. The pressure data corresponded better with the cup volume measured by the direct method, where a smaller pressure was observed with the larger cup volume. The research findings suggest the necessity to develop a standard method to measure the volume of breast and bra cup to advance the research and development in bra design.
Planning Smart(er) Cities: The Promise of Civic Technology

Civic technology is an emerging field that typically leverages open data—and sometimes open source software—to address challenges that may be invisible to or neglected by government in a collaborat...
PARTNERSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS: Building faculty-librarian partnerships to prepare students for information fluency: The time for sharing information expertise is now

PARTNERSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS: Building faculty-librarian partnerships to prepare students for information fluency: The time for sharing information expertise is now
A Systematic Review of Human Trials Using Stem Cell Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction.

Abstract Introduction Novel therapeutic modalities have been proposed for the treatment and management of erectile dysfunction (ED). Stem cell therapy (SCT) is the injection of mesenchymal stem cells or stromal vascular fractions from adipose and other tissue sources. Although SCT has been studied and reported in multiple rodent trials, few human clinical trials exist. Aim The aim of this study was to provide a systematic review of SCT for the treatment of ED with an emphasis on data from peer-reviewed human studies. Methods A systematic review was performed evaluating SCT for ED in human studies using PubMed-Medline and Scopus databases. Literature search was conducted using key words such as “Clinical Trials of SCT for ED,” “Stromal Vascular Fraction Treatment for ED,” and “SCT for ED.” Systematic review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Main Outcome Measure The main outcomes measure was the safety and efficacy of SCT for ED in humans. Results 5 studies specific to SCT for ED treatment were included. A total of 61 patients were included in these phase I and II clinical trials and follow-up periods ranged from 6−62 months. End points of the studies included safety, tolerability, and efficacy of SCT for ED. The majority of the studies demonstrated improvement in erectile function due to SCT in patients, including improvements in penile vascular flow, International Index of Erectile Function-15 items, and Erectile Hardness Scale scores. All of the studies reported that there were no serious adverse events for patients. Limitations of the studies included small cohort sizes, and only 1 contained a sham arm. Conclusion The 5 completed human clinical trials show promise for SCT as a restorative therapy for the treatment of ED. However, although promising, there still exists very limited data for the use of SCT for ED in humans. With the expansion of clinics offering SCT for ED, it is imperative that SCT is investigated further for safety, efficacy, and standardization. Lokeshwar SD, Patel P, Shah SM, et al. A Systematic Review of Human Trials using Stem Cell Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction. Sex Med Rev 2020;8:122–130.
The Insistent (and Unrelenting) Challenges of Protecting Biodiversity in Brazil: Finding

Brazil's environmental laws - beginning with a robust section of the 1988 Constitution - are comprehensive and well thought through, models of the form. At the same time, however, many of them exist on paper only, and suffer from weak enforcement. This article examines that dilemma through the lens of Law 9,985 of 2000 law creating the National System of Conservation Units, or "SNUC" in its Portuguese acronym. The article both describes SNUC and its legislative history for non-Portuguese speakers and then critically examines the law, suggesting that a less comprehensive and less detailed law might be easier to enforce and thus to serve its long-term goals.
The seemingly 'protective' effect of internalised racism on overall health among 780 Black/African Americans: the serial mediation of stigma consciousness and locus of control.

Internalised racism (IR) is associated with better and worse health outcomes among racial/ethnic minorities. However, the underlying mechanisms associating IR with either positive or negative healt...
Troubling the Essentialist Discourse of Brown in Education: The Anti-Black Sociopolitical and Sociohistorical Etymology of Latinxs as a Brown Monolith:

US-based scholars often colloquially employ Brown as a monolithic reference to Latinidad in education research without attention to its racialized and anti-Black underpinnings. In this conceptual e...
Early intervention in asymptomatic chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Of the estimated 21,000 patients who will receive a new diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) this year in the United States, approximately 80% will have early-stage disease. Patients with early-stage disease do not meet the criteria in the 2018 International Workshop on CLL guidelines for the initiation of therapy, and therefore they are not routinely offered treatment. The current management of these patients follows a "watch-and-wait" paradigm, which entails a regular follow-up every 3 to 6 months that includes a physical examination and relevant laboratory testing to evaluate for disease progression. These recommendations are based on decades of careful observations showing that treatment in early-stage CLL does not improve overall survival. With the advent of better prognostic tools to identify patients at high risk, in addition to the recent approval of several novel oral agents with impressive efficacy, the time is ripe to re-examine this question. This review (1) summarizes the results of studies of early intervention in CLL that led to the current consensus for "watch and wait" in early-stage CLL, (2) discusses the role of contemporary risk stratification in early-stage CLL, (3) describes the adverse clinical complications of untreated CLL, and (4) presents the results of ongoing clinical trials of novel agents used in patients with early-stage CLL.
Integrating Family-Based Treatment Principles in the Acute Inpatient Treatment of Adolescents with Restrictive Eating Disorders

Eating disorders (ED) are serious psychiatric illnesses with one of the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder. The health sequelae of eating disorders are one of the most common causes of medical hospitalizations at freestanding pediatric hospitals in the United States. The economic impact of EDs on health systems and families is substantial. The Society for Adolescent Medicine (SAHM) recommends family-based treatment (FBT) as the first-line approach for adolescents with restrictive eating disorders due to a large body of evidence demonstrating the treatment's efficacy and cost effectiveness. Although FBT was originally developed as an outpatient treatment, the tenets and principles of the treatment have also been used in higher levels of care. This brief report discusses how components of FBT were adapted for a medical inpatient unit at a pediatric hospital in order to integrate empirically based treatment.
Safety of Contemporary Resorbable Fixation Systems for Craniofacial Reconstruction in Pediatric Patients.

BACKGROUND Resorbable hardware allows adequate strength for maintaining the relative position of the craniofacial skeleton during osseous healing, and allowing subsequent growth in pediatric patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the complication profile of the latest copolymer of resorbable plates for craniofacial reconstruction in pediatric patients. METHODS Retrospective query of the operative billing record was performed for use of the DePuy Synthes Rapidsorb Fixation System at the authors' tertiary children's hospital from 2015 to 2019. Three hundred twenty-five patients were randomly selected for analysis of complications within the first postoperative year. RESULTS Median age at craniofacial reconstruction was 3.0 years, with 127 procedures (39.9 percent) performed for an intracranial mass and 141 procedures (44.3 percent) performed for craniosynostosis. Overall, 7.9 percent patients had a postoperative wound complication. The most common complications were dehiscence (3.8 percent), hematoma/seroma (3.5 percent), and infection (2.5 percent). There were no instances of extrusion, plate fracture, or screw loosening. Hardware complications in the temporoparietal region were more likely to occur at incision sites (p = 0.001), whereas wound complications at the frontal region were more likely to occur away from incision sites (p < 0.001). There were no differences in complications between plates secured with resorbable screws or with the resorbable injectable polymer system (p ≥ 0.161 for all). Radiotherapy was significantly implicated in development of clinical infection (p = 0.001), culture-positive infection (p < 0.001), readmission (p = 0.007), reoperation (p = 0.003), and plate removal (p = 0.007). CONCLUSION Resorbable cranial hardware has an overall favorable complication profile for craniofacial reconstruction in pediatric patients undergoing surgical intervention for craniosynostosis or intracranial mass resection.
A Lattice Framework

Nonlinear Black-Scholes models for worst-case scenarios require two kinds of algorithmic techniques: 1. Finite difference methods combined with dynamic programming are used to solve individual PDEs of type (4.9). 2. A collection of PDEs needs to be solved in the right order if exotic options with barrier or American features are involved. Solutions of subordinate PDEs serve as boundary data for PDEs higher up in the hierarchy. (There is only one PDE if the portfolio under consideration contains only vanilla options.)
Integrable Nonlinear Equations

Publisher Summary In this chapter, appropriate linear eigenvalue problems are used to solve several physically significant initial (and initial-boundary) value problems. The main mathematical tools used are the Riemann–Hilbert (RH) problem for equations in 1 + 1 and the nonlocal Riemann–Hilbert problem for some equations in 2 + 1. The Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KPI) equation is used to illustrate the dressing method. Korteweg–de Vries (KdV), the N-wave interaction equations in 2 + 1, and the KPII is used to illustrate the inverse scattering transform (IST) method for solving Cauchy problems with decaying initial data for equations in 1 + 1 (KdV), 2 + 1 of the nonlocal RH type (N-wave interactions), and in 2 + 1 of the 8 type (KPII). The discussion in the chapter is limited to methods of solution of nonlinear evolution equations in 1 + 1 (i.e. one temporal and one spatial dimensions) and in 2 + 1 (i.e. one temporal and two spatial dimensions). Regarding methods of solution, there exist two different approaches. The first involves finding ways of generating large classes of solutions of integrable equations, without caring about what initial or boundary conditions these solutions satisfy. Among such methods, the most well known are the use of Lie-point symmetries; the use of Backlund transformations; the bilinear approach of Hirota; and the dressing method of Zakharov–Shabat. The second approach involves developing ways of solving initial value problems. The most well known initial value problems solved are regarding initial data that are decaying at infinity; are periodic in the spatial variable; and are self similar.
On Cybernetics, Information Processing, and Thinking

Publisher Summary It is the purpose of this chapter to examine the origins, development, and present status of those key cybernetic notions that provide an information-flow framework within which to attack one aspect of the question of how a person thinks — that is,.the question of the information mechanisms and processes that underlie and are correlated with thinking. After an introductory survey of the scope and ramifications of the information sciences, the cybernetic way of looking at the information processing in the nervous system is examined, so as to see in what sense it provides new and sharp tools of analysis for the neurophysiologist. With this as background, the problem of artificial intelligence is considered and with that the logical and linguistic difficulties in talking about the relationship between thinking and brain activity. An information-flow model of an artificial brain mechanism is described whose activity; it is argued is the correlate to activity, such as perceiving, learning, thinking, knowing, etc. This leads finally to a consideration of the impact of these notions on theoretical neurophysiology and its attempt to frame suitable hypotheses and on epistemology that is concerned with the logical analysis of measures, methods, and techniques, which can justify the activity of knowing.
Modification of lysine 501 in Na,K-ATPase reveals coupling between cation occupancy and changes in the ATP binding domain.

Treatment of the canine renal Na,K-ATPase with N-(2-nitro-4-isothiocyanophenyl)-imidazole (NIPI) results in irreversible loss of enzymatic activity. The reactivity of the protein toward the probe is about 10-fold greater in the E1.Na or sodium-bound form than when it is in the E2.K or potassium-bound form. Fully inactivated enzyme does not bind ATP but binds sodium and potassium and undergoes the major enzyme conformational transitions (Ellis-Davies, G. C. R., and Kaplan, J. H. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 20570-20576). Labeling of the sodium pump protein with [3H]NIPI in either the E1.Na or E2.K conformations results in the covalent incorporation of one molecule of probe per alpha-subunit of ATPase. Trypsin treatment of purified alpha-subunit, and separation of the digest using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography, yields five major radioactive fragments in each case. Amino acid sequencing indicates that only one residue, lysine 501, is labeled by NIPI. This suggests that the integrity of the domain containing Lys501 is essential for both high and low affinity binding of ATP by the Na,K-ATPase. Furthermore, the spatial organization of the protein close to lysine 501 is changed in the E1.Na and E2.K form of the enzyme. This change is reflected in the greater reactivity of lysine 501 in the E1.Na conformation and indicates that the binding of either sodium or potassium ions to their sites on the sodium pump has differential effects on the nucleotide binding domain containing lysine 501.
Local Optimization for Simulation of Natural Motion

Reinforcement Learning is a theoretical framework for optimizing the behavior of artificial agents. The notion that behavior in the natural world is in some sense optimal is explored by areas such as biomechanics and physical anthropology. These fields propose a variety of candidate optimality criteria as possible formulations of the principles underlying natural motion. Recent developments in computational biomechanics allow us to create articulated models of living creatures with a significant degree of biological realism. I aim to bring these elements together in my research by using Reinforcement Learning to generate optimized behavior in biomechanical simulations. Such a generative approach will allow us to examine critically postulated optimality criteria and investigate hypotheses that cannot be easily studied in the real world.
What constitutes adequate oxygenation

In an attempt to avoid the substantial risks of pulmonary injury associated with the use of high ventilator pressures and high oxygen concentrations, physicians often ask such questions as "What is the optimal Pao2?" and "What treatment should be used to achieve an optimal Pao2?" Although the intent to minimize secondary, ventilator-induced lung injury is laudable, any attempt to provide a fixed numeric response to this query is misguided not only because the oxygen requirements and clinical circumstances of our patients vary, but because the Pao2 is a particularly poor indicator of these needs. An example is the large full-term neonate admitted to a newborn intensive care unit from the delivery room with obvious tachypnea and an arterial Po2 of 60 mm Hg in room air. Is this Pao2 acceptable? A more appropriate question may be whether the infant9s "oxygenation" is adequate. But what is "oxygenation"? If by this vaguely applied term we mean the partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood, and if we define the acceptable limits for this parameter as being between 50 and 80 mm Hg, as is often done, then the answer must clearly be in the affirmative. If, on the other hand, we take oxygenation to mean the balance between the rate of oxygen delivery to the tissues and their rate of oxygen consumption, then we must admit that we cannot know on the basis of the information provided by the Pao2 alone. Oxygen delivery is determined by the concentration o hemoglobin in the blood, its oxygen saturation, the rate at which this blood is circulated to the tissues (generally, the cardiac output), and the efficiency with which the oxygen is "unloaded" from hemoglobin to the tissues.
Teaching Comparative Theology from an Institution's Mission

Although comparative theology is a continuously growing method in the study of religion, it is still relatively new and not widely accepted in either confessional or secular institutions. Scholars may face difficulty when seeking their institutions' acceptance for a comparative theology course. One way of generating interest and approval for such a course is by designing it from the center of the institution's mission. Professors can look to the institution's mission as a resource for teaching comparatively. We offer four examples from Catholic institutions of how this might be done. Reid Locklin offers further insights in his response to our explorations.
Making heroes: The construction of courage, competence and virtue

People use the term hero frequently in our culture, and most people can easily name several heroes. Our research explores how people think about heroes as well as the determinants of heroic behavior. People's heroes may be real-world figures or fictional characters. They are thought to be competent enough to achieve at a high level, moral enough to do the right thing in difficult situations, or both. People's conceptions of heroes reflect both schemas about what heroes are like and narrative structures about how they act. We consider the possibility that images of heroes and common hero narratives reflect evolutionarily based archetypes. Given that typical conceptions of heroes include high levels of competence and morality, we consider aspects of self, including self-efficacy, self-affirmation, self-theories of intelligence, self-guides, and self-control that enable people to achieve at high levels and to act morally, even when doing so is difficult. We discuss research showing that people's needs for heroes prepare them to perceive struggle and to root for underdogs. Work on a death positivity bias and admiration for martyrs illustrates the centrality of self-sacrifice in hero schemas and the perceptions of heroes. Finally, we propose a taxonomy of heroes based on various dimensions of influence such as strength, duration, direction, exposure, and origins. The subtypes of heroes in our taxonomy are Transforming, Transfigured, Traditional, Transparent, Transposed, Tragic, Transitional, Transitory, and Trending. In addition, we consider a Transcendent Hero category, referring to heroes who affect their admirers in ways that combine the influences of other types.
Misregulation Of Person To Person Lending

Amid a financial crisis and credit crunch, retail investors are lending a billion dollars over the Internet, on an unsecured basis, to total strangers. Technological and financial innovation allows person-to-person (“P2P”) lending to connect lenders and borrowers in ways never before imagined. However, all is not well with P2P lending. The SEC threatens the entire industry by asserting jurisdiction with a fundamental misunderstanding of P2P lending. This Article illustrates how the SEC has transformed this industry, making P2P lending less safe and more costly than ever, threatening its very existence. The SEC’s misregulation of P2P lending provides an opportunity to theorize about regulation in a rapidly disintermediating world. The Article then proposes a preferable regulatory scheme designed to preserve and discipline P2P lending’s innovative mix of social finance, microlending, and disintermediation. This proposal consists of regulation by the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Imaging of Fluid in Cancer Patients Treated With Systemic Therapy: Chemotherapy, Molecular Targeted Therapy, and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the imaging features of various systemic treatment–related causes of fluid accumulation in cancer patients. CONCLUSION. Systemic treatment–related fluid accumulation can occur with chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Imaging findings such as new ascites, pleural and pericardial effusions, and subcutaneous edema should be interpreted with caution on restaging studies.
Comparative analysis of nonverbal interpersonal communication of schizophrenics and normals.

The nonverbal communications of schizophrenics and normals in dyadic interactions were analyzed and compared. Twelve purposively selected women were videotaped in normal-normal, normal-schizophrenic, and schizophrenic-schizophrenic communication acts for 30 minutes. Using a PLATO IV computer program and a modified Kendon Kinesic Notation System, a priori sets of nonverbal behaviors were recorded at 1-second intervals. Frequency and duration scores for the sets of nonverbal behaviors with corresponding communication meanings were totaled. A nested analysis of variance showed that the three groups differed significantly (p less than .05) in engagement and defensiveness and that the normal interactors were the least imitative of the three groups. An analysis and description of the patterns of nonverbal communication also revealed differences, lending support to the theory of dysjunctive schizophrenic communication.
Local volume potentials for actinide metals

We have generated preliminary local volume potentials with a self-looping fitting procedure for the actinide metals thorium and plutonium based on the available experimental data of their cohesions and lattice constants and estimates of elastic constants and vacancy energies. This effort is an attempt to model the mechanical and transport properties and the stability of phases of these actinide metals under various pressures and temperatures. The successes and deficiencies will be discussed.
Factors affecting the market penetration of biomass-derived liquid transportation fuels

The market for liquid transportation fuels in the United States is about 610×109 L (160×109 gal) annually, with gasoline accounting for about 420×109 L (110×109 gal). Presently, about 3.4×109 L (0.9×109 gal) of ethanol are utilized in ethanol-gasoline blends. The barriers to greater use of ethanol in the transportation sector are economic as well as structural and institutional. Areas to consider are feedstock production, feedstock conversion to ethanol, fueling infrastructure, vehicle stocks, consumer acceptance, and regulations. Of these areas, regulation is probably the most important.
Human Anti-Factor VIII Antibodies: Epitope Localization and Inhibitory Function

Recombinant polypeptides derived from coagulation factor VIII (fVIII) have been used to determine the epitopes and characteristics of human pathologic anti-fVIII antibodies. The results of immunoprecipitation assays indicate that 70% of patient plasmas contain antibodies to the A2 as well as the C2 domains of the fVIII protein. The same polypeptides were used for inhibitor neutralization assays to demonstrate that about 60% of plasmas contain 2 or 3 different antibodies which collectively make up the inhibitor titer. The results of neutralization assays indicate that there is a third important inhibitor epitope within the light chain outside C2. Anti-A2 antibodies prevent normal function of the factor Xase complex of the intrinsic pathway of blood coagulation. Anti-C2 antibodies prevent the binding of fVIII to phospholipid and to von Willebrand factor, both of which are important for normal fVIII function.
Hydrophobic residue contributions to sequence-specific DNA binding by the bovine papillomavirus helicase E1.

Abstract Previously, mutational analyses of the DNA binding domain of the bovine papillomavirus E1 protein (E1DBD) identified several hydrophobic residues that are critical for DNA binding activity (M. West, D. Flanery, K. Woytek, D. Rangasamy, and V. G. Wilson, 2001, J. Virol. 75, 11948–11960). Hydrophobic interactions of nonpolar amino acid side chains can contribute to the function of DNA binding proteins through both conformational effects and direct interaction with nucleotides. To further investigate the role of hydrophobic residues in E1DBD function, a more extensive site-directed mutational analysis of hydrophobic amino acids was conducted. Alanine substitutions were made at residues V196, F197, F217, F, 237, V246, L249, and F276, and the mutants were tested for DNA binding activity in vitro and in vivo. The E1 F237A and F276A mutants were completely defective for site-specific DNA binding, while the other mutants retained partial to full wild-type binding activity. Consistent with their DNA binding defect, the F237A and F276A mutants were severely impaired for the ability to support transient in vivo replication of an origin plasmid. Combined with our previous study, five critical hydrophobic residues have been identified: F175, V193, F237, V246, and F276. These five residues localize to two internal clusters in the E1DBD structure designated hydrophobic clusters A (HCA; includes F175, V193, and F276) and B (HCB; includes F237 and V246). Amino acid side chains from residues in HCA and HCB have little surface accessibility and it is unlikely that they are involved in direct contact with DNA. HCA is distal to the DNA binding surface and presumably contributes to global conformational organization of the E1DBD. HCB is positioned beneath the DNA contact surface and we propose that it serves as an anchor or platform device to stabilize the DNA-binding element. A comparable hydrophobic cluster is present in the corresponding position in the T antigen DBD and likely serves a similar function.
Early Hormonal and Surgical Treatment of Cryptorchidism

AbstractPurpose: We investigated the efficacy of early gonadotropin treatment of cryptorchidism for promoting testicular descent and ameliorating testicular histology.Materials and Methods: We treated 319 cryptorchid testes in 281 boys 4 months to 3 years old with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin sequential therapy. Surgery was done on the 207 testes that did not respond to medical treatment. Microscopic biopsies were performed in 134 of these 207 testes. Histological findings were compared to those of 30 cryptorchid testes in boys younger than 1 year who underwent surgery without previous hormonal treatment.Results: Combined luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone and human chorionic gonadotropin treatment induced scrotal descent of a percentage of cryptorchid testes depending on clinical position. Therapeutic success was greater when testes were in a lower position and results were not age dependent. Hormonal treatment of cryptorchidism during the first year of life s...
Assessment and Treatment of Hypovolemic States

Hypovolemia and hypoperfusion are common life-threatening problems in animals presented to the emergency veterinarian. Assessment of physical findings and rapid recognition and treatment of abnormal tissue perfusion are crucial in optimizing outcome. The clinician should be familiar with the disease being treated and the types of fluids that are available. Development of a fluid therapy plan to correct life-threatening abnormalities and patient monitoring during treatment play an important role in patient outcome.
Carbon and nitrogen geochemistry of sediments in the Central American convergent margin: Insights regarding subduction input fluxes, diagenesis, and paleoproductivity

[1] Carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations and isotopic compositions were determined for sediments from Ocean Drilling Program legs 170 and 205 offshore of Costa Rica, in an attempt to characterize C-N flux into the Central America (CA) convergent margin and identify signatures of diagenesis and changing productivity in this sediment section. Samples from sites 1039 and 1253 (outboard of the trench) contain 62 to 2382 ppm total nitrogen (TN) with δ15NAir values of +2.4 to +8.5‰, 0.04–2.65 wt% total organic carbon (TOC) with δ13CVPDB values of −25.4 to −20.8‰, and 1.1–87.3 wt% carbonate with δ13C values of +0.1 to +3.2‰ and δ18OVSMOW values of +21.3 to +34.2‰. Total organic C and TN concentrations strongly depend on lithology, with carbonate-rich samples containing smaller amounts of both. Total organic C and TN concentrations and isotopic compositions also vary systematically within single units, perhaps reflecting small degrees of diagenetic alteration but mostly significant increase in productivity since the early Pliocene. Sediment subduction feeds 1.3 × 1010 g yr−1 N (mean δ15N = +5.7‰), 1.4 × 1011 g yr−1 TOC (mean δ13C = −22.0‰) and 1.5 × 1012 g yr−1 oxidized C (mean δ13C = +1.9‰) into the 1100 km CA convergent margin. Incorporating possible inputs in altered oceanic crust (AOC) and by tectonic erosion, the C-N inputs appear to be far larger than the arc outputs. A small part of this excess C and N is probably returning toward the surface by devolatilization, along structural heterogeneities in the forearc, and the remaining inventory is likely recycling into the deeper mantle.
Dylux: an instant image photographic material suitable for UV laser beam diagnostics.

Dylux-a DuPont Corp. Photo Products Department instant image dry process photographic proofing material developed for the graphic arts industry has been found useful UV laser beam diagnostics and quantitative beam profile measurements. (AIP)
Lipopolysaccharide found in aseptic loosening of patients with inflammatory arthritis

Aseptic loosening of orthopaedic implants occurs in the absence of clinical signs of infection. Nevertheless, bacterial endotoxins derived from subclinical infections, systemic sources, or the implant manufacturing process may contribute to aseptic loosening. Also, the rate of implant infection is greater in patients with inflammatory arthritis than in patients with osteoarthritis. We hypothesized that lipopolysaccharide, the classic endotoxin derived from gram-negative bacteria, is more prevalent in periprosthetic tissue surrounding aseptically loose implants in patients with inflammatory arthritis than in patients with osteoarthritis. To test this, we used a modified Limulus amebocyte assay not affected by beta-glucan-like molecules in mammalian tissues. Lipopolysaccharide rarely was detected in periprosthetic tissue from patients with osteoarthritis and aseptic loosening (one of six patients). In contrast, lipopolysaccharide was detected despite the absence of any clinical signs of infection in peri-prosthetic tissue from all four patients with inflammatory arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic lupus erythematosus). Lipopolysaccharide also was detected in two patients with gram-negative infections, who were included as positive control subjects. Endotoxins derived from low-grade or systemic bacteremia may be important contributors to aseptic loosening particularly in patients with autoimmune conditions such as inflammatory arthritis.
Soil profile nitrate response to nitrogen fertilization of winter triticale

Growing triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) as a winter crop has the potential to utilize residual NO 3 -N from previous crops, thus reducing its availability for leaching. Our objectives were to quantify N capture and changes in soil NO 3 -N levels in response to N fertilization of triticale grown following either silage corn (Zea mays L.) or soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Field studies were conducted in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 near Ames and Lewis, IA. Soil samples to a depth of 120 cm were collected after the corn and soybean were harvested and again after growing triticale with four rates of N fertilizer (0, 33, 66, and 99 kg N ha -1 ). Partial N budgets were computed using profile NO 3 -N before triticale planting, N fertilizer applications, plant uptake, and profile NO 3 -N after triticale harvest. Nitrogen capture by triticale at physiological maturity was 44 to 93 kg N ha -1 when no N was applied and was as high as 164 kg N ha -1 with addition of 99 kg N ha -1 . Growing winter triticale reduced profile NO 3 -N by an average of 33 to 53 kg ha -1 at Ames and 46 to 53 kg ha -1 at Lewis. Winter triticale dry matter and grain yields were maximized while simultaneously capturing and efficiently utilizing soil N left from previous silage corn and soybean crops.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for systemic gas embolism after hydrogen peroxide ingestion.

Abstract Background Hydrogen peroxide is a commonly available product and its ingestion has been demonstrated to produce in vivo gas bubbles, which can embolize to devastating effect. Objective We report two cases of hydrogen peroxide ingestion with resultant gas embolization, one to the portal system and one cerebral embolus, which were successfully treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO), and review the literature. Case Report Two individuals presented to our center after unintentional ingestion of concentrated hydrogen peroxide solutions. Symptoms were consistent with portal gas emboli (Patient A) and cerebral gas emboli (Patient B), which were demonstrated on imaging. They were successfully treated with HBO and recovered without event. Conclusions As demonstrated by both our experience as well as the current literature, HBO has been used to successfully treat gas emboli associated with hydrogen peroxide ingestion. We recommend consideration of HBO in any cases of significant hydrogen peroxide ingestion with a clinical picture compatible with gas emboli.
The OTA story: The agency perspective

Abstract The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) was established by statute in 1972. This action built on a long history in this country of interest in examining the wider societal implications of science and technology. More specifically, it followed a decade of work by (what are now called) the Science Committee of the House of Representatives and the Labor and Human Resources Committee of the Senate with the help of the private academic and industrial sectors, in particular the National Academy of Sciences. During the ensuing 23 years, under the guidance of an equally bipartisan congressional Board, OTA evolved a structure and a process which provided analysis, information, and options to Congress and a reputation for nonpartisan, accurate and complete reporting. Importantly, OTA also provided, through the intense use as advisers of experts and stakeholders from the nongovernmental sector, an open interface between many American communities and Congress. The description of the justification, history, structure, and procedures of OTA affords a perspective on the abrupt abolishment of the agency in the first session of the 104th Congress. A number of explanatory factors rather than a single one were likely responsible for OTA's elimination and are noted. The implications of abolishing OTA are also discussed.
Estimating wounding of lake trout by sea lamprey in the upper Great Lakes: Allowing for changing size-specific patterns

Abstract A primary fishery concern in the Laurentian Great Lakes is mitigating the persistent negative impact of parasitic sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ) on native lake trout ( Salvelinus namaycush ). Wounds observed on surviving lake trout are commonly used by managers to assess damages associated with sea lamprey predation. We estimated the relationship between wounding rates and lake trout size, and how this varied spatially and temporally. We built upon previously published work by fitting wound rates as a logistic function of lake trout size. By using longer time series and data from three Great Lakes, our analysis harnessed substantially more contrast in host populations than previous work, and we also employed software advances for nonlinear mixed-effect models. Candidate models allowed logistic function parameters to be constant or to vary spatially, temporally, or both. Temporal effects were modeled as random walk processes. We also considered models that assumed either Poisson or negative binomial distributions for the number of wounds per fish at a given length. Models that allowed for both spatial and temporal effects in the shaping parameters and assumed a negative binomial wound distribution resulted in the best fit as indicated by Akaike's Information Criterion. Wounding rate estimates from models selected for each lake in this analysis are contrasted with those of wounding rate models currently used as components of lake trout population assessments. Although model fit was improved substantially, differences in wounding rates estimates are modest and estimates follow very similar temporal trends. However, as time series of wound data continue to grow, models that incorporate temporal variability in parameter estimation are expected to be increasingly favored. This research provides managers with an updated tool to obtain more reliable estimates of sea lamprey wounding.
Controlled Firing of Reaction‐Bonded Aluminum Oxide (RBAO) Ceramics: Part II, Experimental Results

The reaction-bonded aluminum oxide (RBAO) process is an attractive alternative to conventional processing of ceramics, because of advantages such as lower costs, enhanced green machinability, near-net-shape forming, and broad microstructural variability. However, various problems are still encountered in the production of RBAO ceramics. Part I of the paper presented model predictions that may allow for the controlled firing of RBAO ceramics. The current work investigates the reaction behavior of RBAO ceramics under the model-predicted conditions (i.e., for varying oxygen content, heat loss, heating cycles, and scale) via thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and analysis of samples that have been fired in a box furnace. By controlling the reaction, one can produce large, crack-free RBAO ceramics.
Identification of a Protein That Interacts with Tubulin Dimers and Increases the Catastrophe Rate of Microtubules

Using a polymerization inhibition assay, we have purified a small, heat stable protein that physically interacts with tubulin dimers and increases the catastrophe rate of microtubules. Sequence analysis identified this protein as oncoprotein 18 (Op18)/stathmin, a conserved phosphoprotein that is highly expressed in leukemia cells. Immunodepletion experiments in Xenopus egg extracts showed that Op18/stathmin is involved in physiological regulation of mitotic microtubule dynamics. Op18/stathmin is a microtubule regulator that preferentially interacts with unpolymerized subunits. It is a candidate for increasing the microtubule catastrophe rate in mitosis and might also regulate microtubule dynamics in response to external signals.
Species specific agglutination of eggs by bindin isolated from sea urchin sperm

SPERMATOZOA adhere to eggs during sea urchin fertilisation1,2. The adhesion is between the acrosome process of the sperm and the vitelline layer covering of the egg3. During the sperm acrosome reaction, the membrane of the extending acrosome process becomes coated with protein derived from the sperm acrosome vesicle3,6. We believe4,5, like others3,6, that the acrosome vesicle protein binds the sperm to the egg by interacting with glycoprotein receptors on the egg vitelline layer4,5,7,8. We have isolated the insoluble contents of the acrosome vesicle and have shown it to be composed of a single protein of molecular weight 30,500 which we have named bindin4. In most interspecies inseminations sea urchin sperm fail to adhere to the vitelline layers of foreign eggs and fertilisation does not occur, even though sperm undergo the acrosome reaction in the presence of the foreign eggs9. Presumably this failure of gamete adhesion occurs because bindin, on the sperm acrosome process, does not bind to the glycoprotein receptors on the vitelline layers of eggs of another species. We report here the species specific agglutination of unfertilised eggs by isolated bindin. This demonstrates the preservation of the species specific recognition event between the isolated protein and its receptor which should facilitate the in vitro reconstruction and analysis of the molecular mechanism of gamete adhesion.
Effects of light quantity and quality during development on the morphology and stomatal physiology of Commelina communis.

The effects on plant growth and stomatal physiology of alterations in light quantity and quality during development were investigated in the C3 monocot, Commelina communis. Reduction in light intensity resulted in decreased branching and stem elongation, with effects more severe under “neutral shade” (R:FR≥1.0) than under “leaf shade” (R:FR≤0.4) conditions. Shade treatments had no effect on the leaf area or stomatal density of newly expanded leaves. Gas exchange measurements on leaves that had expanded under the different treatments indicated that a reduction in light intensity decreased the magnitude and slowed the kinetics of stomatal responses to pulses of blue light, particularly in plants from the neutral shade treatment. These results indicate that the specific stomatal response to blue light is plastic, and is modulated by the light environment prevailing during leaf development.