cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption of selected toxic metals by modified peanut shells

The objective of this study was to modify peanut shells to enhance their adsorptive properties toward the metal ions cadmium (Cd2+), copper (Cu2+), nickel (Ni2+), lead (Pb2+) and zinc (Zn2+). Milled peanut shells were initially washed with water or 0.1 N NaOH or left unwashed. Following these treatments or lack of treatment, the shells were either left unmodified or modified by a heat treatment in the presence of either 1.0 M phosphoric acid or 0.6 M citric acid. Modified peanut shells were evaluated either for adsorption efficiency or for adsorption capacity using the five metal ions listed above. Adsorption efficiencies and capacities were compared with efficiencies and/or capacities for the commercial chelating or cation exchange resins Amberlite 200, Amberlite IRC-718, Duolite GT-73, and carboxymethylcellulose. For the adsorption efficiencies of individual metal ions, modified peanut shells met or exceeded the adsorption values for cadmium, copper, nickel or zinc ions compared with the commercial resins Duolite GT-73 and carboxymethylcellulose. In a solution containing all five metal ions, modified peanut shells met or exceeded the adsorption efficiencies for cadmium, copper and lead ions compared with Duolite GT-73, Amberlite IRC-718 and carboxymethylcellulose. Adsorption capacities of modified peanut shells met or exceeded the adsorption capacity of Duolite GT-73 for lead ions only. Citric or phosphoric acid-modified peanut shells showed a preference for Cu2+ and Pb2+ and appear promising as potentially inexpensive adsorbents for selected metal ions. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry
Dietary energy regulation during gestation on subsequent lactational response to soybean meal or dried brewers grains.

Abstract Forty-two Holstein cows were paired by body condition and mature equivalent milk production and fed either a high or low energy diet for the last 16 to 18 wk of lactation. Cows fed the high energy diet produced more milk (21.6 versus 17.6 kg/d), gained more body condition, and were heavier after calving (641 versus 591kg) than cows fed the low energy diet. Beginning wk 3 postpartum, half the cows in each prepartum energy group were fed supplemental dried brewers grains or soybean meal. During wk 1 to 15 of lactation, cows from the high energy group produced more 3.5% fat-corrected milk (33.8 versus 31.3 kg/d), consumed less dry matter (23.2 versus 24.4 kg/d), and lost more body weight (−2.7 versus .9 kg/wk) compared with cows from the low energy group. Milk production, feed intake, and body weight change were not affected by protein source. The high amount of bound nitrogen in dried brewers grains resulting in decreased intestinal digestibility of escape protein may have been responsible for the lack of production response to this protein source.
Hydrodynamics of erosion of heat exchanger tubes in fluidized bed combustors

The hydrodynamics of fluidization for two thin ''two-dimensional'' fluidized beds, one containing a centrally located rectangular obstacle and the other containing three square tubes roughly approximating a portion of a fluidized bed combustor (FBC), was solved using the FLUFIX/MOD2 computer program. The monolayer energy dissipation erosion model extended to include solids viscous stress was compared with the Finnie erosion model. Hydrodynamic and erosion convergence studies were performed for the first bed. Computed erosion rates from the monolayer energy dissipation erosion model compare more favorably for both beds with available erosion data than those from the Finnie erosion model. 27 refs., 15 figs.
Physiological and psychological factors in impotence

Abstract Most authors who have written about impotence state that at least 90% of all cases are psychogenic in origin even though few data have been presented to support this belief. In this study the relationship between physiological and psychological factors in impotence was examined in 102 impotent men, ages 23–78. A significantly higher proportion of impotent men, compared to potent men, had organic disease, 72.5% and 11.9% respectively. The majority of impotent men, 78.4%, had only mild to moderate psychological distress; 21.6% had serious psychiatric disorder. In a group of 83 men who participated in therapy with their wives, the improvement rate in men with organic disease was significantly higher for changes in the interaction between the patient and his partner than for long‐term changes in sexual functioning. In contrast, in impotent men without organic disease, improvement rates were high for both interaction and sexual functioning. The degree of psychological distress was not found to be rela...
Possible mechanism of efferent arteriole (Ef-Art) tubuloglomerular feedback

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is liberated from macula densa cells in response to increased tubular NaCl delivery. However, it is not known whether ATP from the macula densa is broken down to adenosine, or whether this adenosine mediates efferent arteriole (Ef-Art) tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF). We hypothesized that increased macula densa Ca(2+), release of ATP and degradation of ATP to adenosine are necessary for Ef-Art TGF. Rabbit Ef-Arts and adherent tubular segments (with the macula densa) were simultaneously microperfused in vitro while changing the NaCl concentration at the macula densa. The Ef-Art was perfused orthograde through the end of the afferent arteriole (Af-Art). In Ef-Arts preconstricted with norepinephrine (NE), increasing NaCl concentration from 10 to 80 mM at the macula densa dilated Ef-Arts from 7.5+/-0.7 to 11.1+/-0.3 microm. Buffering increases in macula densa Ca(2+) with the cell-permeant Ca(2+) chelator BAPTA-AM diminished Ef-Art TGF from 3.1+/-0.3 to 0.1+/-0.2 microm. Blocking adenosine formation by adding alpha-beta-methyleneadenosine 5'-diphosphate (MADP) blocked Ef-Art TGF from 2.9+/-0.5 to 0.1+/-0.2 microm. Increasing luminal NaCl at the macula densa from 10 to 45 mM caused a moderate Ef-Art TGF response, 1.3+/-0.1 microm. It was potentiated to 4.0+/-0.3 microm by adding hexokinase, which enhances conversion of ATP into adenosine. Our data show that in vitro changes in macula densa Ca(2+) and ATP release are necessary for Ef-Art TGF. ATP is broken down to form adenosine, which mediates signal transmission of Ef-Art TGF.
Breathing pattern and metabolic rate responses of rats exposed to ozone.

Abstract Breathing pattern (frequency and tidal volume), minute ventilation (V e ), oxygen consumption (Ṁ O 2 ), and rectal temperature (T r ) were measured from rats exposed to 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, and 0.2 ppm O 3 to determine the relation between breathing pattern responses to O 3 and metabolic rate. In 0.8 ppm O 3 , rapid-shallow breathing began at 60 min exposure while V e and Ṁ O 2 declined beginning at 40 min. In comparison to clean air exposed animals, rats (n = 8) during the third hour of 0.8 ppm O 3 exposure had a 27% increase in frequency, 35% decline in tidal volume, 20% decrease in V e ,24% decrease in Ṁ O 2 , and 1.3 °C decrease in T R . At lower O 3 concentrations, responses were diminished in magnitude, and in rats exposed to 0.2 ppm O 3 , only Ṁ O 2 was significantly decreased. irritant-induced depression of V e did not imply a state of hypoventilation or hypoxia because ventilation equivalent for O 2 (V e /Ṁ O 2 ) did not decline during O 3 exposures. Body temperature and metabolic rate depression have not been observed during the development of rapid-shallow breathing in dogs or humans exposed to these low levels of O 3 , and the present observations in rats may reflect a more labile thermoregulatory physiology among rodents. Ventilatory and metabolic rate depression in response to irritant inhalation can be an effective pulmonary defense in rodents and other heterothermic mammals.
THIN REGIONS IN DIFFUSION THEORY CALCULATIONS

A method for determining effective cross sections for geometrically thin absorbing regions in multigroup calculations is described. The effective absorption cross section in multigroup calculations...
NOAA Satellite Programs

A description is given of current National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs involving Landsat as well as the METSAT polar-orbiting and geostationary satellites. These include the use of NOAA satellites as data collection platforms and the use of NOAA satellite radiometers in monitoring meteorologic, oceanographic, hydrologic, and agricultural phenomena. Configuration of the next generation of NOAA satellite sensors and spacecraft is included along with a final section on research directions and results.
Thiazolidinediones and the preservation of β‐cell function, cellular proliferation and apoptosis

The thiazolidinediones (TZDs) or glitazones are pharmaceutical agents that have profound effects on energy expenditure and conservation. They also exert significant anti-inflammatory effects and influence cell proliferation and cell death. The drugs are primarily used in clinical practice in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disorder of insulin resistance that occurs when the pancreatic beta-cells are unable to produce adequate amounts of insulin to maintain euglycaemia. Loss of pancreatic beta-cell function in type 2 diabetes is progressive and often precedes overt diabetes by 10 years or more, as was shown by the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study. Any therapeutic or preventive approach that would limit or reverse loss of beta-cell function in diabetes would have profound effects on the morbidity associated with this widespread disease. Evidence suggesting a potential role of TZDs in preserving beta-cell function in type 2 diabetes as well as the ability of these agents to exert anti-inflammatory and proapoptotic anticancer effects, and their ability to promote cellular proliferation in various organs is reviewed.
Alice and robotics in introductory CS courses

Statistics for underrepresented minority groups and women continue to show low numbers in enrollment and rates of retention in academic computer science programs. A new approach to increase student interest in computer science in a first year program is introduced.Laboratory modules for an introductory programming course have been developed at the University of Alabama with the goal to increase student motivation and understanding of fundamental programming concepts. The course utilizes robots and Alice, a 3D graphical programming environment. The drag and drop interface of Alice allows students to program real robots using instructions that correspond to statements of programming languages such as Java, C++, and C#. Students gain programming experience that is transferable to upper level courses by engaging in a stimulating and less frustrating environment using Alice interfaced with robots.
Stability of sessile and pendant liquid drops

The solution space of axisymmetric liquid drops attached to a horizontal plane is investigated, and the stability of hydrostatic shapes is assessed by a novel numerical linear stability analysis involving discrete perturbations. For a given contact angle and Bond number, multiple interfacial shapes exist with compact, lightbulb, hourglass, and more convoluted pearly shapes. It is found that more than one solution branch can be stable, and that negative curvature at the contact line of a pendant drop is not a prerequisite for instability. Numerical simulations based on the boundary-integral method for Stokes flow illustrate the process of unstable drop detachment. Unstable drops transform into elongated threads with a spherical head whose volume is determined by a Bond number expressing the significance of surface tension. A complementary investigation of the shape and stability of two-dimensional drops attached to a horizontal or inclined plane reveals that hydrostatic shapes are least stable in the inclined configuration and most stable in the pendant or sessile configuration.
Idiopathic Giant-Cell Granulomatous Hypophysitis Mimicking Acute Meningitis

ABSTRACT A 32-year-old woman presented with severe headache, photophobia, fever, nausea, vomiting, and worsening vision. She had also noted several months of amenorrhea. She was febrile to 38.9°C. Laboratory evaluation revealed a markedly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Lumbar puncture revealed a cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytic pleocytosis and an elevated protein level. Endocrine studies revealed evidence of panhypopituitarism without diabetes insipidus. A magnetic resonance imaging study showed a 2-cm pituitary mass with optic chiasmal compression. The patient had a trans-sphenoidal resection of the mass. Pathology revealed multinucleated giant cells in necrotic debris, but no evidence of pituitary tumor. Studies looking for evidence of systemic granulomatous disease were negative. The patient was considered to have idiopathic giant-cell granulomatous hypophysitis. After surgery, the patient’s vision improved and hormone replacement therapy was initiated. This case illustrates that idiopathic giant-cell granulomatous hypophysitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with a pituitary mass, hypopituitarism, and meningitis-like symptoms.
Kerr effect of CN- molecules in KCl crystals

Abstract The electric field alignment of substitutional CN - molecules in KCl crystals was studied by measurements of the field-induced optical birefringence (Kerr-effect). The electric field, temperature, wavelength and concentration dependence of the Kerr-effect and its pronounced anisotropy is found in quantitative agreement with a paraelectric alignment model for 〈111〉 oriented CN - molecules, which have electronic absorption transitions hidden under the fundamental crystal absorption, and are characterized by an anisotropic polarizability of α ‖ − α ⊥ = 1.60 A 3 .
Provider attitudes toward public-private collaboration to improve immunization reminder/recall: a mixed-methods study.

Abstract Objective To assess primary care providers' current reminder/recall practices, preferences for collaboration with health departments in reminder/recall efforts, attitudes toward practice-based and population-based reminder/recall, and experiences with a population-based reminder/recall intervention. Methods Providers responsible for making decisions about immunization delivery at all primary care practices that participate in the Colorado Immunization Information System were surveyed. Data collection was preceded by an intervention in which half of 14 counties received a population-based reminder/recall intervention conducted by the health department. Practice staff involved in immunization activities were then selected for semistructured telephone interviews that were based on the location of their practice within specified strata, including whether they were in the intervention counties, urban/rural location, and practice type. Results A total of 282 (73.6%) of 383 of providers responded to the survey, and 253 who administered vaccines to children 19 to 35 months were retained; 82 staff members at 36 practices were interviewed. Providers' preferences for who should conduct reminder/recall were almost evenly split, with slightly more indicating that it should be conducted by the health department. Cost and feasibility issues were perceived barriers to conducting practice-based recall, particularly among urban practices. Support for population-based reminder/recall was highest among rural practices. Concern about perceived inaccuracies in immunization registry data was the major barrier to conducting population-based reminder/recall. The population-based intervention did not create an undue burden on practices. Conclusions A collaborative approach to reminder/recall involving both providers and health departments is preferable for many providers and may be a viable solution to the barriers of practice-based reminder/recall.
Characterization of the human class Mu glutathione S-transferase gene cluster and the GSTM1 deletion.

A partial physical map has been constructed of the human class Mu glutathione S-transferase genes on chromosome 1p13.3. The glutathione S-transferase genes in this cluster are spaced about 20 kilobase pairs (kb) apart, and arranged as 5′-GSTM4–GSTM2–GSTM1–GSTM5-3′. This map has been used to localize the end points of the polymorphicGSTM1 deletion. The left repeated region is 5 kb downstream from the 3′-end of the GSTM2 gene and 5 kb upstream from the beginning of the GSTM1 gene; the right repeated region is 5 kb downstream from the 3′-end of the GSTM1 and 10 kb upstream from the 5′-end of the GSTM5 gene. TheGSTM1-0 deletion produces a novel 7.4-kbHindIII fragment with the loss of 10.3- and 11.4-kbHindIII fragments. The same novel fragment was seen in 13 unrelated individuals (20 null alleles), suggesting that mostGSTM1-0 deletions involve recombinations between the same two regions. We have cloned and sequenced the deletion junction that is produced at the GSTM1-null locus; the 5′- and 3′-flanking regions are more than 99% identical to each other and to the deletion junction sequence over 2.3 kb. Because of the high sequence identity between the left repeat, right repeat, and deletion junction regions, the crossing over cannot be localized within the 2.3-kb region. The 2.3-kb repeated region contains a reverse class IV Alu repetitive element near one end of the repeat.
FABRIC EFFECTS ON THE YIELD BEHAVIOR OF SOILS

The critical state soil mechanics framework has been extended to include the effects of structure in natural soils. The porosity of these soils is considered to be a directional measure and its distribution is characterized by a functional form which is determined experimentally. The plastic energy dissipation formulations of the family of critical state soil models have been modified to account for fabric. New expressions for the state boundary surface and the yield locus of natural soils have been derived. The applicability of the concepts to model the yield of natural soils is illustrated. The collapse of the solid skeleton is evident prior to the initiation of strain-softening behavior for certain soils. It is shown that the behavior subsequent to collapse may be highly unstable depending on several factors including the rate of loading, the collapsiveness of solid skeleton, and drainage conditions.
System Observation of Blocking, Non-blocking, and Cascading Events for Runtime Monitoring of Real-Time Systems

The complexity of multitasked applications in real-time embedded systems presents key challenges in reliability of task execution. Interactions between periodic and aperiodic tasks can incur unpredictable deviations from ideal execution times. Runtime observations can provide visibility for analyzing real-time execution behavior of vulnerable tasks and detect when such deviations may lead to system failure -- potentially allowing correction or failsafe mechanism to be utilized. However, such runtime observation must be non-intrusive as even small perturbations to the system execution can significantly impact the system. This paper presents a system observation framework for monitoring and analyzing rapidly occurring software events at runtime. The system observation framework provides runtime support for defining and controlling software events with using blocking, non-blocking, and cascading event probes.
Measurement of colliding beam parameters with wide angle beamstrahlung

A complete method for the measurement of beam-beam overlap in ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ collisions is presented. The method uses large angle beamstrahlung to disentangle complex beam-beam topologies in the transverse plane.
Structural Details of Proteinase Entrapment by Human α2-Macroglobulin Emerge from Three-dimensional Reconstructions of Fab labeled Native, Half-transformed, and Transformed Molecules

Three-dimensional electron microscopy reconstructions of native, half-transformed, and transformed alpha2-macroglobulins (alpha2Ms) labeled with a monoclonal Fab Fab offer new insight into the mechanism of its proteinase entrapment. Each alpha2M binds four Fabs, two at either end of its dimeric protomers approximately 145 A apart. In the native structure, the epitopes are near the base of its two chisel-like features, laterally separated by 120 A, whereas in the methylamine-transformed alpha2M, the epitopes are at the base of its four arms, laterally separated by 160 A. Upon thiol ester cleavage, the chisels on the native alpha2M appear to split with a separation and rotation to give the four arm-like extensions on transformed alpha2M. Thus, the receptor binding domains previously enclosed within the chisels are exposed. The labeled structures further indicate that the two protomeric strands that constitute the native and transformed molecules are related and reside one on each side of the major axes of these structures. The half-transformed structure shows that the two Fabs at one end of the molecule have an arrangement similar to those on the native alpha2M, whereas on its transformed end, they have rotated. The rotation is associated with a partial untwisting of the strands and an enlargement of the openings to the cavity. We propose that the enlarged openings permit the entrance of the proteinase. Then cleavage of the remaining bait domains by a second proteinase occurs with its entrance into the cavity. This is followed by a retwisting of the strands to encapsulate the proteinases and expose the receptor binding domains associated with the transformed alpha2M.
Adherence to scheduled appointments among HIV-infected female youth in five U.S. cities.

Objective Identify factors associated with appointment-keeping among HIV-infected adolescents and young adults.
Riparian Habitat Dissimilarities in Restored and Reference Streams are Associated with Differences in Turtle Communities in the Southeastern Piedmont

Few studies have assessed whether restored streams and riparian floodplains support reference communities of certain groups of freshwater organisms, such as turtles. This exploratory study compared turtle assemblages in six reference and six restored streams in the North Carolina Piedmont, which were assessed using standard trapping practices with baited hoop nets. We also quantified turtle-relevant habitat characteristics (structure, water quality, vegetation) through reach-scale surveys to assess potential differences in turtle composition. Turtle abundance at restored sites was more than twice that of references sites and trends existed in the distribution of turtle species, but neither abundance nor composition was found to be statistically different. Habitat characteristics that affect turtle communities were not equivalent between sites, with reference streams having higher canopy cover, and lower total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen and total suspended solids than restored streams. Mantel’s test and non-metric multidimensional scaling plots indicated that turtle composition was significantly correlated with habitat and vegetation, and that turtle communities were generally separated between restored and reference streams. These findings suggest a pattern that restored streams with riparian wetlands may provide more suitable habitat than reference streams for most southeastern Piedmont turtle species, but further studies are required to fully examine these patterns.
Functional role of Bradyrhizobium japonicum trehalose biosynthesis and metabolism genes during physiological stress and nodulation.

Trehalose, a disaccharide accumulated by many microorganisms, acts as a protectant during periods of physiological stress, such as salinity and desiccation. Previous studies reported that the trehalose biosynthetic genes (otsA, treS, and treY) in Bradyrhizobium japonicum were induced by salinity and desiccation stresses. Functional mutational analyses indicated that disruption of otsA decreased trehalose accumulation in cells and that an otsA treY double mutant accumulated an extremely low level of trehalose. In contrast, trehalose accumulated to a greater extent in a treS mutant, and maltose levels decreased relative to that seen with the wild-type strain. Mutant strains lacking the OtsA pathway, including the single, double, and triple ΔotsA, ΔotsA ΔtreS and ΔotsA ΔtreY, and ΔotsA ΔtreS ΔtreY mutants, were inhibited for growth on 60 mM NaCl. While mutants lacking functional OtsAB and TreYZ pathways failed to grow on complex medium containing 60 mM NaCl, there was no difference in the viability of the double mutant strain when cells were grown under conditions of desiccation stress. In contrast, mutants lacking a functional TreS pathway were less tolerant of desiccation stress than the wild-type strain. Soybean plants inoculated with mutants lacking the OtsAB and TreYZ pathways produced fewer mature nodules and a greater number of immature nodules relative to those produced by the wild-type strain. Taken together, results of these studies indicate that stress-induced trehalose biosynthesis in B. japonicum is due mainly to the OtsAB pathway and that the TreS pathway is likely involved in the degradation of trehalose to maltose. Trehalose accumulation in B. japonicum enhances survival under conditions of salinity stress and plays a role in the development of symbiotic nitrogen-fixing root nodules on soybean plants.
Selection and modification of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria for wine fermentation

Abstract Historically, the fermentation of grape juice to wine has been carried out by indigenous yeasts found on the berry. However, in newer wine regions, e.g. the USA, inoculation with selected wine yeast strains is employed. Grape juice is high in nutritional factors and difficulties in fermentation usually arise from the inhibitory effects of the high concentration of sugar initially present and the ethanol produced. A secondary fermentation, brought about by indigenous or added lactic acid bacteria, converts malic acid to lactic acid and carbon dioxide and often occurs. This ‘malolactic’ fermentation is usually slow. For both yeast and bacterial fermentations strain selection is based more on fermentation performance than on sensory characteristics of the wine, with increased tolerance of the yeast to ethanol and of the bacteria to low pH being emphasized. Attempts to increase the malolactic fermentation rate have been made by cloning and transferring the malolactic gene from Lactobacillus to wine yeast. In early attempts to produce wines with enhanced or novel sensory characteristics a leucine-less mutant of a homothallic wine yeast has been obtained which does not produce isoamyl alcohol.
Subwavelength interferometry using path entanglement and photon-number resolving detectors

We demonstrate subwavelength interference fringes using two methods. The first preselects path entangled states from parametric downconversion, and the second uses multi-photon detection of classical light.
How to probe for an extreme value

In several systems applications, parameters such as load are known only with some associated uncertainty, which is specified, or modeled, as a distribution over values. The performance of the system optimization and monitoring schemes can be improved by spending resources such as time or bandwidth in observing or resolving the values of these parameters. In a resource-constrained situation, deciding which parameters to observe in order to best optimize the expected system performance (or in general, optimize the expected value of a certain objective function) itself becomes an interesting optimization problem.In this article, we initiate the study of such problems that we term “model-driven optimization”. In particular, we study the problem of optimizing the minimum value in the presence of observable distributions. We show that this problem is NP-Hard, and present greedy algorithms with good performance bounds. The proof of the performance bounds are via novel sub-modularity arguments and connections to covering integer programs.
Planning the size and duration of a clinical trial studying the time to some critical event.

Abstract This paper considers the dual problem of planning the size (i.e. the required number of patients) and the required duration of trial for a fixed sample size clinical trial comparing the length of time to some critical event (such as death or relapse) in two treatment regimens (‘treatment’ and ‘control’). The required number of patients is derived from the exact distribution of the usual test statistic and a comparison is made with two normal approximations. The required duration of the trial is derived assuming that the patient entry into the study is a process in continuous time, and that the time to failure is exponential. This approach may be considered to be a generalization of the approach in [4]. The principal results may be summarized as follows: 1. (1) The required number of patients (2d), based on the exact distribution of the test statistic, is uniformly lower than the required number, based on the approach which assumes that the difference in means is approximately normal. However, the approximation d = [ 2(k α + k β ) 2 ( ln Δ) 2 ] , based on the logarithmic transformation is, found to be quite accurate. 2. (2) A solution to the problem of finding the minimum required duration of study is found by expressing the accumulated number of patient-years in the time interval (0, t) as a filtered Poisson process and may be considered to be the analogue of the discrete patient entry model in [4]. For a given formulation, the required duration of study is found by solving a non-linear equation by iterative techniques. However, a very good lower bound is T ≈ 2d a , the expected number of years necessary to enter the required 2d patients. 3. (3) The implicit assumption in [4] that the optimal duration of study requires no follow-up time is given a theoretical justification by proving that it follows directly from the approach adopted in this paper. 4. (4) One table is given from which the required number of patients may be read and another table is given, which illustrates the results obtained for the required duration of study. Computer programs that compute these quantities for any given specification are available. 5. (5) Although perhaps preferable on theoretical grounds, the required duration of study T, as determined by the methods of this paper, is quite similar to the T determined by the methods in [4]. However, in several instances, the T determined in [4] is even less than the expected time necessary to enter the required 2d patients. Also, every T in [4] that satisfied the lower bound for the required T derived in this paper was larger than necessary to achieve the desired power.
A Comparison of Three Methods to Collect Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in a Shallow Lake

Two boat-based and one in-water sampling method have been used to collect submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) as part of a long-term monitoring program in Lake Okeechobee, Florida, USA. The boat-based methods consisted of collecting SAV with a ponar dredge, used only to collect Chara, and an oyster tongs-like rake apparatus, used to collect all SAV. The in-water method involved use of a 0.5 m2 PVC quadrat frame deployed by a diver. During summer 2002, SAV biomass samples were collected using all three methods at various sites in the lake to compare between-methods sampling precision. Sites used for these comparisons were selected based on plant type, plant density and sediment type. Statistical comparisons indicated that there were significant (p ≤ 0.05) biomass differences in 8 of 15 possible pairwise comparisons between sampling method biomass means. In four of the eight comparisons, significantly higher biomass mean values were obtained using the quadrat frame. In three of the remaining four comparisons, significantly higher biomass mean values were obtained with the rake apparatus. For the fourth comparison, a significantly higher biomass mean value was obtained with the ponar dredge. Three of the four relationships between SAV biomass collected by the rake and the quadrat and the rake and the quadrat/ponar dredge were statistically significant, linear and explained between 67 and 78% of the biomass variability. There were no significant differences between regression coefficients or elevations for these relationships, therefore these regressions estimated the same population regression. The population regression coefficient was 0.95, suggesting that the quadrat and ponar over-sampled relative to the rake, but the amount of this over-sampling was very small. Since there was no consistent pattern in the sampling method which yielded the significantly different biomass values and there were no significant differences in sampling precision across a range of plant species, plant densities and two sediment types, the boat-based rake method appears to be a suitable replacement for the previously used ponar dredge and quadrat methods, when in-lake measurements are not practical.
Social vulnerability and migration in the wake of disaster: the case of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

This study explores the relationship between place-based social vulnerability and post-disaster migration in the U.S. Gulf Coast region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Using county-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we develop a regional index of social vulnerability and examine how its various dimensions are related to migration patterns in the wake of the storms. Our results show that places characterized by greater proportions of disadvantaged populations, housing damage, and, to a lesser degree, more densely built environments were significantly more likely to experience outmigration following the hurricanes. Our results also show that these relationships were not spatially random, but rather exhibited significant geographic clustering. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for future research and public policy.
Surface reconstruction from stereo images using B-spline parameterization

This paper presents a stereo matching algorithm which combines a dense B-spline representation and an adaptive regularization technique to produce a detailed and stable depth field. We demonstrate that splines may fail in representing some regions in a disparity map due to occlusions. To address this problem, we propose to perform spline representation in object space and directly carry out surface reconstruction from stereo images. The effectiveness of this algorithm has been demonstrated by experimental results on real images.
A model for the transcriptional regulation of MHC class II genes

The analysis of la antigens has focused primarily on their structure and function. However, the quantitative differences in immune response gene expression are equally important, since variation of cell surface la influences immunoregulation and the expression of immunologically mediated disease. Here, Kate Sullivan and her colleagues review the current knowledge of and propose a model for the transcriptional regulation of immune response gene expression.
Characteristics of a spoiled 6-MV beam from a dual-energy linear accelerator.

A beam spoiler for a 6‐MV x‐ray beam was designed and spoiled beam dosimetry performed. The spoiled beam quality was similar to that of the unspoiled beam. The percentage depth doses at 5 mm were at least 90% for all field sizes except 4×4 cm, while the surface dose at 0 mm varied from 22.5% for a 4×4‐cm field to 85.8% for a 22×22‐cm field. The spoiled beam showed degraded beam flatness for small field size at superficial depths; the beam flatness at 6 mm for a 4×4‐cm field was ±9.0%. The beam flatness improved as the field size increased, e.g., at same depth, the beam flatness was ±2.5% for a 22×22‐cm field. The penumbra width (90%−10%) of the spoiled beam was greater than that of the unspoiled beam for all field sizes and at all depths; e.g., at 0‐mm depth, for a 22×22‐cm field, the penumbra width was 3.8 cm for the unspoiled beam and 7.2 cm for the spoiled beam. Beyond d max the difference in the penumbra widths between the spoiled and unspoiled beam was about 3–4 mm for all field sizes and at all depths. The peripheral dose was larger for the spoiled beam.
Penetrating Keratoplasty in Mooren's Ulcer

Two patients had bilateral, simultaneous Mooren's ulcers that progressed to almost total loss of the corneal stroma in all eyes. The conjunctival epithelium eventually healed over these thinned corneas and the eyes were free of pain and inflammation. Three of the four eyes had combined 7.5-mm penetrating corneal transplants and cataract extractions performed at least four months after disease activity had subsided. All transplants have remained transparent from one to three years postoperatively and there has been no evidence of recurrence of Mooren's ulcers.
Large-scale integration of small molecule-induced genome-wide transcriptional responses, Kinome-wide binding affinities and cell-growth inhibition profiles reveal global trends characterizing systems-level drug action

The Library of Integrated Network-based Cellular Signatures (LINCS) project is a large-scale coordinated effort to build a comprehensive systems biology reference resource. The goals of the program include the generation of a very large multidimensional data matrix and informatics and computational tools to integrate, analyze, and make the data readily accessible. LINCS data include genome-wide transcriptional signatures, biochemical protein binding profiles, cellular phenotypic response profiles and various other datasets for a wide range of cell model systems and molecular and genetic perturbations. Here we present a partial survey of this data facilitated by data standards and in particular a robust compound standardization workflow; we integrated several types of LINCS signatures and analyzed the results with a focus on mechanism of action (MoA) and chemical compounds. We illustrate how kinase targets can be related to disease models and relevant drugs. We identified some fundamental trends that appear to link Kinome binding profiles and transcriptional signatures to chemical information and biochemical binding profiles to transcriptional responses independent of chemical similarity. To fill gaps in the datasets we developed and applied predictive models. The results can be interpreted at the systems level as demonstrated based on a large number of signaling pathways. We can identify clear global relationships, suggesting robustness of cellular responses to chemical perturbation. Overall, the results suggest that chemical similarity is a useful measure at the systems level, which would support phenotypic drug optimization efforts. With this study we demonstrate the potential of such integrated analysis approaches and suggest prioritizing further experiments to fill the gaps in the current data.
Distribution of rare alkali metals in chamber pegmatites as criterion in prospecting for optical fluorite and piezoquartz

The distribution of rubidium and cesium in microcline-perthite was studied in five topaz- and fluorite-bearing zoned pegmatites. Determinations of mineral paragenesis aided in the interpretation of the results of the rare alkali metal determinations. The study lead to the following conclusions: 1) The Rb content in zoned fluorite and topaz pegmatites increases by a factor of 2.4–3.0 from the contact zone toward the core. Cs in microcline-perthite varies systematically with position in some pegmatites, but not in others. 2) Biotite from fluorite-bearing pegmatites shows a much higher content of F, Rb, Cs and Li than biotite from fluorite-free pegmatites. This criterion (plus a higher Rb content in the block microcline-perthite near the pegmatite core) is considered as exploration aid for fluorite and piezoquartz pegmatites. — R.D. DeRudder.
Astrophysics: An explosion of sound

Astrophysicists have proposed that sound waves could drive some of the largest explosions in the Universe. The emerging field of gravitational-wave astronomy might provide a means to listen in.
Simple ion milling preparation of 〈111〉 tungsten tips

Ion milling of single‐crystal tungsten 〈111〉 wire results in a steady‐state faceted tip which is sharp on a near‐atomic scale. The self‐limiting nature of the process makes preparation particularly simple and therefore useful for applications such as scanning tunneling microscope tips, focused ion beam sources, etc.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic imaging identifies early biochemical markers of tissue damage

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic imaging can allow for the rapid imaging of tissue biochemistry in a label-free and non-perturbing fashion. With the rapid adoption of new minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technologies over the last 20 years, adequate skill to safely and effectively use these technologies may not be achieved and risk of undue physical pressure being placed on tissues is a concern. Previous work has demonstrated that a number of histological stains can detect tissue damage, however, this process requires the initiation and progression of a signaling cascade that results in the epitope of interest being expressed. We proposed to identify the early biochemical markers associated with physical tissue damage from applied forces, thus not requiring transcriptional and translational protein synthesis as traditional immunohistochemistry does. To demonstrate that FT-IR can measure biochemical changes in tissues that have undergone physical force, we took ex-vivo lamb’s liver that had been freshly excised and applied varying levels of physical pressure (0kPa to 30kPa). Tissues were then formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, and sectioned on to glass for H and E staining to identify damage and on to an IR slide for FT-IR imaging. Regions of interest containing hepatocytes were identified and average FT-IR spectra were extracted from the damaged and undamaged livers. FT-IR spectra showed clear biochemical changes associated with tissue damage. In addition, chemical changes could be observed proceeding histological changes observed when using conventional staining approaches.
Multiscale decision-making: Bridging organizational scales in systems with distributed decision-makers

Decision-making in organizations is complex due to interdependencies among decision-makers (agents) within and across organizational hierarchies. We propose a multiscale decision-making model that captures and analyzes multiscale agent interactions in large, distributed decision-making systems. In general, multiscale systems exhibit phenomena that are coupled through various temporal, spatial and organizational scales. Our model focuses on the organizational scale and provides analytic, closed-form solutions which enable agents across all organizational scales to select a best course of action. By setting an optimal intensity level for agent interactions, an organizational designer can align the choices of self-interested agents with the overall goals of the organization. Moreover, our results demonstrate when local and aggregate information exchange is sufficient for system-wide optimal decision-making. We motivate the model and illustrate its capabilities using a manufacturing enterprise example.
Garcia and the Political Safeguards of Federalism: Is There a Better Solution to the Conundrum of the Tenth Amendment?

In Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority (1985), Justice Harry Blackmun held that the Tenth Amendment does not prevent the Congressfrom subjecting state and local governments to the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, concluding that the "political safeguards offederalism " are generally adequate to protect state interests on the national scene. This article examines the intellectual foundations of the "political safeguards offederalism " andfinds them inadequate. It then surveys the post-Garcia scholarship to ascertain whether an alternative theory ofthe Tenth Amendment has emerged Concluding that it has not, the author suggests the needfor afresh approach in view of the hints contained in Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's opinion in Gregory v. Ashcroft (1991) thatfive justices may be ready to reexamine the central thesis of Garcia.
Are Students Telling Us the Truth? A Critical Look at the Student Evaluation of Teaching

Over 99 percent of business schools use student evaluation of instruction to measure teaching and classroom performance. The resultant measures are utilized in judgments of merit pay, tenure, and promotion. In such an environment, an inspection of exceptions to their assumed validity is justified. This paper investigates one such issue that is rarely reported. Simply put: to what extent are students telling us the truth when they evaluate instruction? A literature review indicates that students (1) ignore or falsify answers in light of variables considered more important, (2) give subjective impressions in response to objective questions, and (3) at times give purposefully misleading and false responses. A survey of students found that a majority knew of respondents who had falsified evaluations and that an estimated 30 percent of evaluations contain answers the students knew were not true. In light of these findings, the validity of student evaluation of teaching to improve individual instructor performa...
Probative Value of Absolute and Relative Judgments in Eyewitness Identification

It is well-accepted that eyewitness identification decisions based on relative judgments are less accurate than identification decisions based on absolute judgments. However, the theoretical foundation for this view has not been established. In this study relative and absolute judgments were compared through simulations of the WITNESS model (Clark, Appl Cogn Psychol 17:629–654, 2003) to address the question: Do suspect identifications based on absolute judgments have higher probative value than suspect identifications based on relative judgments? Simulations of the WITNESS model showed a consistent advantage for absolute judgments over relative judgments for suspect-matched lineups. However, simulations of same-foils lineups showed a complex interaction based on the accuracy of memory and the similarity relationships among lineup members.
Regional changes in cardiac and stellate ganglion norepinephrine transporter in DOCA-salt hypertension.

Abstract Uptake of norepinephrine via the neuronal norepinephrine transporter is reduced in the heart during deoxycorticosterone (DOCA)–salt hypertension. We hypothesized that this was due to reduced norepinephrine transporter mRNA and/or protein expression in the stellate ganglia and heart. After 4 weeks of DOCA–salt treatment there was no change in norepinephrine transporter mRNA in either the right or the left stellate ganglia from hypertensive rats (n = 5–7, p > 0.05). Norepinephrine transporter immunoreactivity in the left stellate ganglion was significantly increased (n = 4, p 0.05). Whole heart norepinephrine content was significantly reduced in DOCA rats consistent with reduced uptake function; however, when norepinephrine was assessed by chamber, a significant decrease was noted only in the right atrium and right ventricle (n = 6, p 0.05). Therefore, 1) contrary to our hypothesis reduced reuptake in the hypertensive heart is not exclusively due to an overall reduction in norepinephrine transporter mRNA or protein in the stellate ganglion or heart, and 2) norepinephrine transporter regulation occurs regionally in the heart and stellate ganglion in the hypertensive rat heart.
Community Stakeholder Responses to Advocacy Advertising

Focus group research was used to examine how community stakeholders, a group with local industry experience, responded to coal industry advocacy messages. The stakeholders expressed beliefs about both the advertiser and the coal industry, and while their knowledge led to critical consideration of the industry campaign, they also expressed a desire to identify with positive messages about their community. Applying a postpositivist research perspective, a new model is introduced to integrate these beliefs in terms of advertiser trust and industry accountability under the existing theoretical framework of persuasion knowledge. Agent and topic knowledge are combined in this model based on responses to the industry advocacy campaign. In doing so, this study integrates a priori theory within a new context, extending the current theoretical framework to include an understanding of how community stakeholders—a common target for marketplace advocacy—interpret industry messages.