cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RENAL BLOOD FLOW AND GLOMERULAR PERFUSION DURING URETERAL OCCLUSION

Although previous studies suggested that decreased cortical perfusion occurred in obstructive nephropathy, technical limitations had prevented the measurement of renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular perfusion during complete ureteral occlusion in the rat. Using a recent modification of the radioactive microsphere technique for the determination of RBF and Damadlan's method for the determination of glomerular counts, both of these parameters were measured after 24 hrs of bilateral ureteral occlusion and after sham operation. In sham operated control animals (n=10), RBF was 5.468±0.241 ml/min/100gmBW (Mean±SEM), and glomerular perfusion in the superficial cortex (SNGP) was 225.8±9.7 nl/min; while in the deep cortex, glomerular perfusion (DNGP) was 199.7±10.0 nl/min. After 24 hrs of ureteral occlusion (n=9), RBF had fallen 57% to 3.120±0.274 ml/min/100gmBW (P<0.001). SNGP was only 85.1±6.7 nl/min and DNGP was 112.7±8.2 nl/min, 38% and 56% of control values, respectively, (P<0.001 for both). These data demonstrate that after 24 hrs of ureteral occlusion a) total renal blood flow is markedly reduced, b) glomerular perfusion in the superficial cortex is even more strikingly diminished, and c) the glomeruli in the deep cortex are comparatively better perfused than those in the superficial cortex. These findings would support the hypothesis that cortical ischemia and glomerular hypoperfusion contribute to the renal injury in obstructive nephropathy.
IDEAS approach to the synthesis of globally optimal separation networks: application to chromium recovery from wastewater

Abstract In this work, we present an optimal separation network synthesis methodology within the novel Infinite DimEnsionAl State-space (IDEAS) framework. The resulting network synthesis problem is formulated as an infinite dimensional convex (linear) optimization, where the objective function is a weighted combination of the cost of utilities associated with the network operation and the capital cost of the separation units employed. The IDEAS methodology is illustrated on a chromium recycling case study. The globally optimal cost is identified and compared with that of a conventional (tree) design. The IDEAS design is less than half as expensive as the conventional tree design, exhibits no need for waste disposal, and employs a smaller number of units.
Thiosemicarbazide‐induced osteolathyrism in metamorphosing Xenopus laevis

Exposure of Xenopus laevis tadpoles to thiosemicarbazide (TSC), at concentrations from 10 to 75 mg/liter, causes an inhibition of metamorphosis and produces the classic manifestations of the experimental disease, osteolathyrism. Concentration-dependent effects of TSC exposure are observed in growth rate and in the severity of the osteolathyrogenic effect. Concentrations allowing the most rapid growth produce the more extreme osteolathyrogenic defects. Osteolathyrism in these animals is identical in characteristics to the condition described in a wide variety of vertebrate species. In Xenopus, osteolathyrism is expressed morphologically as anomalies in bone development, skeletal conformation, and abnormal connective tissue organization in the aorta wall. The underlying defect responsible for these observations is apparently a perturbation of collagen fiber formation and maturation, as evidenced ultrastructurally by aberrant distribution and packing of collagen fibers. It is suspected that TSC produces this effect by altering the availability of copper ion, a cofactor to lysyl oxidase, an essential enzyme for intermolecular cross-linking of procollagen. This step in collagen metabolism has been consistently implicated as the site of action of several osteolathyrogenic agents. Xenopus tadpoles present a classic response to this known osteolathyrogen and demonstrate a high degree of uniformity of response within the experimental groups. In view of the developmentally significant events accessible with this system and inherent logistic and economical advantages, the metamorphosing tadpole of Xenopus holds considerable potential for the experimental analysis of teratogenic agents and events.
Amiodarone versus sotalol for the treatment of atrial fibrillation after open heart surgery: the Reduction in Postoperative Cardiovascular Arrhythmic Events (REDUCE) trial.

Abstract Objectives This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study compared the efficacy and safety of amiodarone and sotalol in the prevention of atrial fibrillation (AF) following open heart surgery. Background The incidence of supraventricular arrhythmias following open heart surgery ranges from 20% to 40%, with AF being the most common. Both amiodarone and sotalol have been shown to be effective in reducing postoperative arrhythmias, but no direct comparison of these agents has been conducted. Methods A total of 160 patients were randomized, of whom 134 underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) alone, 17 underwent CABG and concomitant aortic valve replacement surgery (AVR), 9 underwent AVR only, and 1 patient's surgery was canceled. Patients with signs or symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF), ejection fraction ≤30%, estimated creatinine clearance Results AF occurred in 17% of patients randomized to amiodarone and 25% of the patients randomized to sotalol ( P = .21). However, the duration of AF was significantly shorter in amiodarone-treated patients (169 ± 224 min) compared to sotalol treated patients (487 ± 505 min; P = .04). In a subgroup analysis, the incidence of AF in patients undergoing AVR or CABG with AVR was significantly less with amiodarone (1/15, 7%) compared to sotalol (9/11, 82%) ( P P = .035). Conclusions Amiodarone and sotalol share similar efficacy and safety in reducing postoperative AF. Hemodynamic effects were similar between both drugs at 24 hours, with the exception that stroke volume was lower in sotalol-treated patients. In patients undergoing more complex surgery, postoperative AF occurred more frequently with sotalol than with amiodarone.
The impacts of an early mathematics curriculum on oral language and literacy

Abstract Competence in early mathematics is crucial for later school success. Although research indicates that early mathematics curricula improve children's mathematics skill, such curricula's impacts on oral language and early literacy skills are not known. This project is the first to investigate the effects of an intensive pre-kindergarten mathematics curriculum, Building Blocks, on the oral language and letter recognition of children participating in a large-scale cluster randomized trial project. Results showed no evidence that children who were taught mathematics using the curriculum performed differently than control children who received the typical district mathematics instruction on measures of letter recognition, and on two of the oral language (story retell) subtests, sentence length and inferential reasoning (emotive content). However, children in the Building Blocks group outperformed children in the control group on four oral language subtests: ability to recall key words, use of complex utterances, willingness to reproduce narratives independently, and inferential reasoning (practical content).
Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor-alpha-activated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-1 is critical for PDGF-induced p21WAF1/CIP1 promoter activity independent of p53

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen for mesenchymal cells. PDGF AA functions as a "competent factor" that stimulates cell cycle entry but requires additional (progression) factors in serum to transit the cell cycle beyond the G1/S checkpoint. Unlike PDGF AA, PDGF B-chain (c-sis) homodimer (PDGF BB) and its viral counterpart v-sis can serve as both competent and progression factors. PDGF BB activates alpha- and beta-receptor subunits (alpha-PDGFR and beta-PDGFR) and induces phenotypic transformation in NIH 3T3 cells, whereas PDGF AA activates alpha-PDGFR only and fails to induce transformation. We showed previously that alpha-PDGFR antagonizes beta-PDGFR-mediated transformation through activation of stress-activated protein kinase-1/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase-1, whereas both alpha-PDGFR and beta-PDGFR induce mitogenic signals. These studies revealed a striking feature of PDGF signaling; the specificity and the strength of the PDGF growth signal is modulated by alpha-PDGFR-mediated simultaneous activation of growth stimulatory and inhibitory signals, whereas beta-PDGFR mainly induces a growth-promoting signal. Here we demonstrate that PDGF BB activation of beta-PDGFR alone results in more efficient cell cycle transition from G1 to S phase than PDGF BB activation of both alpha-PDGFR and beta-PDGFR. PDGF AA activation of alpha-PDGFR or PDGF BB activation of both alpha- and beta-PDGFRs up-regulates expression of p21WAF1/CIP1, an inhibitor of cell cycle-dependent kinases and a downstream mediator of the tumor suppressor gene product p53. However, beta-PDGFR activation alone fails to induce p21WAF1/CIP1 expression. We also demonstrate that alpha-PDGFR-activated JNK-1 is a critical signaling component for PDGF induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 promoter activity. The ability of PDGF/JNK-1 to induce p21WAF1/CIP1 promoter activity is independent of p53, although the overall p21WAF1/CIP1 promoter activities are greatly reduced in the absence of p53. These results provide a molecular basis for differential regulation of the cell cycle and transformation by alpha- and beta-PDGFRs.
Thickness and birefringence of healthy retinal nerve fiber layer tissue measured with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE. Thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer and changes in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) birefringence may both precede clinically detectable glaucomatous vision loss. Early detection of RNFL changes may enable treatment to prevent permanent loss of vision. Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) can provide objective information on RNFL thickness and birefringence. METHODS. PS-OCT scans around the optic nerve head (ONH) of two healthy young volunteers were made using 10 concentric circles of increasing radius. Both the mean RNFL thickness and mean retinal nerve fiber birefringence for each of 48 sectors on a circle were determined with data analysis. RESULTS. Both the RNFL thickness and birefringence varied as a function of sector around the ONH. The RNFL became thinner with increasing distance from the ONH. In contrast, the birefringence did not vary significantly as a function of radius. CONCLUSIONS. Birefringence of healthy RNFL is constant as a function of scan radius but varies as a function of position around the ONH, with higher thickness values occurring superior and inferior to the ONH. Measured double-pass phase retardation per unit depth around the ONH ranged between 0.10 and 0.35 deg/m, equivalent to birefringences of 1.2 10 4 and 4.1 10 4 respectively, measured at a wavelength of 840 nm. Consequently, when a spatially constant birefringence around the ONH is assumed, the conversion of scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) phase-retardation measurements to RNFL thickness may yield incorrect values. The data do not invalidate the clinical value of a phase-retardation measurement, but affect the conversion of phase retardation to RNFL thickness. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004;45:2606 ‐2612) DOI:
1/f noise in n+-p-n microwave transistors

Abstract 1/ f noise measurements in the base current and the collector current of NEC 57807 n + - p - n microwave transistors show that the noise is not of the mobility fluctuation type, since the current dependence of S I R ( f ) and S I C ( f ) differs from the theoretical predictions. The low collector current 1/ f noise makes it doubtful whether the mobility fluctuation concept is applicable in this case.
Histopathology and Pathogenesis of Experimental Infection with Edwardsiella tarda in Channel Catfish

Abstract The histopathology and pathogenesis of Edwardsiella tarda-induced edwardsiellosis in juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus were characterized. The lateral body surfaces of fish were scraped before infection by immersion in a bath of E. tarda for 30 min. Scattered cutaneous petechiae and ulcerations were seen on the mouth, operculum, isthmus, abdomen, and lateral body after infection. Injured skin developed focal ulcerative necrotizing dermatitis, increased mucus, and irregular areas of skin depigmentation scattered over the entire body. Internal organs were congested, and livers showed patchy discoloration and petechiae. Histologically, the liver, head kidney, trunk kidney, and spleen had severe multifocal necrotizing inflammation. Scraped controls did not show gross or microscopic lesions except for mild dermatitis of injured skin at the scraping site. Bacteria in hepatic lesions were specifically identified by immunohistochemistry that used rabbit anti-E. tarda serum. Colony-forming unit...
A subspace iteration for eigenvector derivatives

An iterative procedure for calculating eigenvector derivatives has been developed based on the subspace iteration concept. The basic formulation is derived directly from the first variation of the resulting equations of subspace iteration for solving eigenvalue problems. Since the basic formulation conserves the convergence properties of the original subspace iteration for eigen-problems, an overrelaxation scheme similar to Bathe's approach is employed to accelerate the subspace iteration process for calculating eigenvector derivatives.
Monitoring erythrocytes in a microchip channel that narrows uniformly: towards an improved microfluidic-based mimic of the microcirculation.

Abstract The release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from red blood cells (RBCs) flowing through PDMS microchannels has been determined as a function of channel cross-sectional area using a design containing a channel that narrows uniformly. ATP, released from the RBCs in response to the mechanical deformation of their cell membranes, increased as the channel cross-section decreased. One sample of rabbit RBCs released 1.16 ± 0.11, 1.92 ± 0.14 and 2.09 ± 0.10 μM ATP as the median cross-sectional area decreased from 4314 to 3192 to 2052 μm 2 , respectively. Numerous samples ( n = 6) displayed the same trend. Incubating a sample of RBCs with diamide, a substance known to stiffen cell membranes without harming the cell cytosol, provided evidence that no cell lysis occurred in the microchip device. This novel use of lab-on-a-chip technology allows for channel designs that enable an in vitro study of physiological events that occur in the microcirculation.
Molecular species of phosphatidylcholine from rat gastric mucosa

Phosphatidylcholine of rat gastric mucosa were found to constitute about half of the total phospholipids. The composition of 20 molecular species accounting for approx. 90% of the total phosphatidylcholine was determined by specific enzymic hydrolyses and AgNO3 thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography. Disaturated (dipalmitoyl) phosphatidylcholine made up about 31% of the total phosphatidylcholines. Other species which occurred in significant concentrations included 16:0/18:1, 18:0/18:1, 16:0/18:2, 18:0/18:2, 16:0/18:3, 18:0/18:3, 16:0/20:4, and 18:0/20:4. These results indicate that rat gastric mucosa is similar to lung in that both contain elevated amounts of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine. Other similarities between these two tissues are discussed.
Thermal management aspects of all-electric ships

This paper summarizes our current efforts on thermal management aspects of all-electric ships, including the analysis of incorporating combined cycle power plants, a study of thermal management strategies for the reduction of weight, the use of thermal anticipation strategies to handle dynamic loads, the thermal modeling and characterization of power electronic building blocks, and the system-level transient simulation of ship thermal loads.
Spectral emissivities and integrated intensities of the 2·7μ H2O band between 530° and 2200°K

Abstract Spectral emissivities between 2800 cm -1 and 4200 cm -1 have been obtained for water vapor at 530°, 1000°, 1200°, 1500°, 1800° and 2200°K. The heated H 2 O test gas was produced at the exit of a small supersonic burner which used gaseous H 2 and O 2 propellants. The emission measurements were made at the immediate exit of the burner where the composition, total pressure and temperature can be defined. The spectral emissivities or absorptivities were determined from a calibrated emission spectrum and an accurate spectroscopic determination of the temperature of the test gas. The composition of H 2 O was evaluated from a semi-empirical fit to a thermochemical flow calculation. The hot H 2 O samples were observed at a total pressure of one atmosphere in the optically thin region where the spectral emissivities are on the average approximately 0·05. The variation of the spectral emissivities of H 2 O in the 2·7 μ region as a function of temperature are given for a constant amount of H 2 O in the optical path. A good estimate of the integrated intensity of the 2·7 μ H 2 O band between 300° and 2200°K has been made from the high temperature data.
Racial differences in rates of type 2 diabetes in American women: how much is due to differences in overall adiposity?

Background. Although the rates of type 2 diabetes attibutable to obesity have been documented by numerous studies, little attention has been paid to an important question of, "what fraction of the differences in rates of diabetes between high-risk and low-risk women is due to their differences in prevalence of obesity? This study aimed, therefore, to determine how much of the relative difference in the rates of type 2 diabetes between high-risk non-Hispanic Black and low-risk non-Hispanic White American women can be attributed to differences in overall adiposity. Methods. Data (n = 1,222) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-94) was used in this investigation. Obesity was defined as body mass index of 30 kg/m 2 or more. Estimates of population attributable risks and relative attributable risks were derived using multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for age, smoking and alcohol intake. Results. There were within and between population differences in the impact of ...
Retroactive inhibition of serial lists as a function of the presence or absence of positional cues

Summary The experimental design consisted of two control and two RI work groups which differed in terms of method of serial presentation. Under one condition (C) the responses were presented in a constant serial order throughout the course of learning; under the other condition (V) the starting position on successive trials was varied, while the serial chain was kept intact. Following the interpolated task (second-list learning or rest activity) an unpaced recall test was given in which S attempted to write down the responses from either one or two lists. List-1 learning was superior under Cond. C than under Cond. V, but these differences were eliminated in List-2 learning. These results were taken as evidence for the importance of the serial-position cue for the traditional serial task (Cond. C), but also indicate that other serial cues, e.g., chaining, may become as efficient as position cues for serial learning. Significant RI was obtained for Cond. C, but not for Cond. V. These differences were interpreted in terms of an unlearning theory of interference.
Three-dimensional stress functions

Abstract Four types of stress functions are known for solving elasticity problems: the components of the displacement vector, the components of the Galerkin vector, the Maxwell stress functions, and the Morera stress functions. For problems with stress type boundary conditions, the Maxwell stress functions are, in many respects, the simplest to use, but they lack the simple transformation properties of vectors. It was shown by C. Weber (1) 2 that the Maxwell and Morera functions supplement each other, and that together they are the components of a second order symmetric Cartesian tensor. In this paper, the compatibility equations for an isotropic Hookean body that is subjected to boundary stresses and temperature gradients are developed in terms of the Maxwell stress functions, and their general solution is presented for steady temperature fields.It is shown that, when the complementary energy of a homogeneous body with arbitrary elastic properties is expressed in terms of the components of the Maxwell-Morera tensor, the Euler equations for the integral of the complementary energy density are the complete set of compatibility equations in terms of the stress components. The Maxwell-Morera tensor is generalized, so that it represents the general solution of the equilibrium equations in any curvilinear coordinates. As an application, the general solution of the equilibrium equations in cylindrical coordinates is derived.
Synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetism of Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3 and V4O(OH)2(PO4)3: Chains of M2O9 dimers connected by hydroxyl groups

Abstract The new compounds Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3 and V4O(OH)2(PO4)3 are prepared hydrothermally by reaction of Fe2O3 and V2O3 with aqueous H3PO4 solutions. X-ray powder diffraction shows that the two compounds have the same monoclinic structure. Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3 crystallizes with unit cell parameters a = 19.555(2), b = 7.376(1), c = 7.429(1) A, and β = 102.26(1)° in the space group C2 c with Z = 4. Dimers of face-sharing (nonequivalent) FeO6 octahedra are interconnected by OH groups to form a double-chain of dimers extended along the c axis. Double chains are linked to one another by PO4 tetrahedra that share corners with the octahedra. The Mossbauer spectrum of Fe4(OH)3(PO4)3 at 293 K exhibits two narrow width quadrupole doublets of equal intensity, with nearly identical isomer shifts and different quadrupole splittings: δ1 = 0.407 mm/sec, δ2 = 0.403 mm/sec, ΔE1 = 0.657 mm/sec, ΔE2 = 0.294 mm/sec. Low-temperature spectra indicate magnetic hyperfine splitting and three-dimensional magnetic order among the dimers at 86.7 ± 0.2 K. Below the ordering temperature, the spectrum consists of two equal intensity sextets with saturation hyperfine fields (4.2 K) of 52.9 and 49.1 T, respectively. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility confirms that ordering occurs at 87 ± 0.5 K with an abrupt rise to a high-moment ferromagnetic state. Above the ordering temperature, the susceptibility data exhibits a broad maximum at about 125 K characteristic of antiferromagnetically coupled dimers. The moment vs temperature behavior of V4O(OH)2(PO4)3 also shows antiferromagnetic exchange that is likely pairwise in nature, analogous to the iron compound, in view of the broad maximum in the susceptibility data at ∼150 K.
Improved Survival of En Bloc Renal Allografts from Pediatric Donors

AbstractPurpose: We developed a technical and immunological protocol to increase survival of renal transplants from pediatric donors.Materials and Methods: En bloc kidneys (22) were procured from donors weighing 2 to 14 kg. (1 to 60 months old) and transplanted into adult recipients. In group 1 (12 patients) sequential therapy was used for kidneys with more than 35 hours of cold storage and immediate triple therapy (cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisone) was used for those with less than 35 hours of cold storage. In group 2 (10 patients) OKT3 induction therapy was used. Mean followup was 4.7 years.Results: Mean blood pressure at 1 and 4 years was not significantly different between the groups. Mean serum creatinine was not significantly different between the groups at 1 year but it was significantly less in group 2 at 4 years (1.9 +/− versus 1.2 +/− 0.24 mg./dl., p <0.05). At 1 year of followup the complication rate was 75% in 9 of 12 patients in group 1, including 4 infections or leaks (2 lost), 6 re...
The loop C region of the murine 5-HT3A receptor contributes to the differential actions of 5-hydroxytryptamine and m-chlorophenylbiguanide.

Sequence and predicted structural similarities between members of the Cys loop superfamily of ligand-gated ion channel receptors and the acetylcholine binding protein (AChBP) suggest that the ligand-binding site is formed by six loops that intersect at subunit interfaces. We employed site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the role of amino acids from the loop C region of the murine 5-HT3ASR in interacting with two structurally different agonists, serotonin (5-HT) and m-chlorophenylbiguanide (mCPBG). Mutant receptors were evaluated using radioligand binding, two-electrode voltage clamp, and immunofluorescence studies. Electrophysiological assays were employed to identify changes in response characteristics and relative efficacies of mCPBG and the partial agonist, 2-methyl 5-HT (2-Me5-HT). We have also constructed novel 5-HT and mCPBG docked models of the receptor binding site based on homology models of the AChBP. Both ligand-docked models correlate well with results from mutagenesis and electrophysiolog...
The steep red spectrum of 1992 AD: An asteroid covered with organic material?

The CCD spectrometer reflection spectrum of 1992 AD is characterized by a very steep and constant red slope between 0.5 and 1.0 micron, without absorption or emission features; this slope is steeper than any currently known solar-system object, and cannot be readily matched with conventional silicate or meteoritic materials. Mixtures of tholins, or residues of organic molecules' bombardment by energetic radiation, are suggested as a match for this spectrum.
Cystoscopic confirmation of inadvertent ureteral catheterization during cystometry.

A patient in whom the right ureter was inadvertently catheterized at the time of cystometry is described. Upon filling, the patient immediately developed severe colicky right flank pain and the vesical pressure of 150 cmH2O triggered the pump’s automatic shut-off mechanism. Cystoscopy was performed and confirmed the inadvertent placement of the microtip catheter in the right ureteral orifice. After the catheter was repositioned, symptoms resolved and the remainder of the examination was performed routinely, with normal vesical and urethral pressures.
Glaucoma consultation by computer.

Abstract This paper describes a computer-based system for consultation in the diagnosis and therapy of glaucoma. The reasoning procedures interpret the findings of a particular patient in terms of a causal-associational network (CASNET) model that characterizes the pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical course of treated and untreated diseases. The major new features of this program are: (a) generation of complex interpretations from a qualitative model of a disease process; (b) reasoning about detailed follow-up management of a patient; (c) incorporation of alternative expert opinions about subjects under debate; and (d) its testing and updating by a collaborative computer-based network of glaucoma researchers.
Ponderomotive ratchet in a uniform magnetic field

We show how a ratchet effect, generally used in systems with periodic potentials, can also be practiced on charged particles by an ac field alone, in a background magnetic field near the cyclotron resonance. The effect relies entirely on the spatial inhomogeneity of the high-frequency drive, which produces a deterministic asymmetric ponderomotive barrier for undamped particles. Such a barrier can reflect particles incident from one side while transmitting those incident from the opposite side, hence acting somewhat like a Maxwell demon. The necessary fields are perhaps most easily realized in a plasma, though the effect is more general.
Effects of toxic doses of methamphetamine (METH) on dopamine D1 receptors in the mouse brain.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a drug of abuse that causes marked DA depletion in the mammalian dopaminergic systems. These are characterized by marked decreases in presynaptic markers including dopamine (DA) levels and DA transporters. Very little research has been carried out to evaluate possible postsynaptic effects of this drug. In the present study, we assessed the status of METH on striatal DA D1 receptors labeled with [3H]SCH23390 after toxic doses of METH that were shown to cause marked depletion of various markers of presynaptic DA systems in mice [J. Neurochem. 69 (1997) 780]. Our results show that these doses of METH caused 30% decrease in striatal DA D1 receptors. In contrast, p53 knockout mice that show protection against the toxic effects of METH show no significant decreases in DA D1 receptors. These results suggest that toxic doses of METH that cause loss of presynaptic DA markers might also affect postsynaptic elements. We discuss the possibility that these changes might be secondary to toxic effects of METH on intrinsic striatal cell bodies.
Art as an Avenue to Science Literacy: Teaching Nanotechnology through Stained Glass

Nanoscale science and engineering (NSE) and nanotechnology are emerging fields that have captured the attention of scientists and engineers, as well as mainstream media. However, the general public is relatively unaware of NSE, and schools (both K−12 and undergraduate institutions) rarely include nanotechnology as part of their curriculum. To help fill this gap in public and student understanding and to engage a broad base of learners, a suite of interdisciplinary activities connecting nanotechnology and stained glass artistry was created. The suite of activities has been successfully adapted for use in a wide range of educational settings (e.g., museums, K−12 classrooms, outreach events) for diverse audiences (e.g., children, high school students, members of the general public) to achieve a range of learning objectives.
The U.S. leadership role in world trade: Past, present, and future

(1992). The U.S. leadership role in world trade: Past, present, and future. The Washington Quarterly: Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 79-91.
The use of kinetic energy distributions to determine the relative contributions of gas-phase and surface fragmentation in kiloelectronvolt ion sputtering of a quaternary ammonium salt

Abstract Kinetic energy distributions have been used to evaluate the extent to which gas-phase decompositions contribute to the production of fragment ions in organic secondary ion mass spectra of a quaternary ammonium salt. Molecular kinetic energy distributions demonstrate that many fragment ions have a prominent gas-phase component which may account for as much as 50% of the observed fragment ion signal obtained in a double focussing mass spectrometer.
Synergy between tumor immunotherapy and antiangiogenic therapy

This study tested the hypothesis that combination of antiangiogenic therapy and tumor immunotherapy of cancer is synergistic. To inhibit angiogenesis, mice were immunized with dendritic cells (DCs) transfected with mRNA that encode products that are preferentially expressed during neoangiogenesis: vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and Tie2 expressed in proliferating endothelial cells, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expressed in the angiogenic stroma as well as the tumor cells used in this study. Immunization of mice against VEGF or VEGFR-2 stimulated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and led to partial inhibition of angiogenesis. Antiangiogenic immunity was not associated with morbidity or mortality except for a transient impact on fertility seen in mice immunized against VEGFR-2, but not VEGF. Tumor growth was significantly inhibited in mice immunized against VEGF, VEGFR-2, and Tie2, either before tumor challenge or in the setting of pre-existing disease in murine B16/F10.9 melanoma and MBT-2 bladder tumor models. Coimmunization of mice against VEGFR-2 or Tie2 and total tumor RNA exhibited a synergistic antitumor effect. Synergism was also observed when mice were coimmunized with various combinations of defined tumor-expressed antigens, telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) or TRP-2, and VEGF or VEGFR-2. This study shows that coimmunizing mice against angiogenesis-associated and tumor-expressed antigens can deliver 2 compatible and synergistic cancer treatment modalities via a common treatment, namely immunization.
COMPARISON AMONG VARIOUS NUMERICAL MODELS DESIGNED FOR COMPUTING INFRARED COOLING

Abstract The scheme of computing the temperature change due to long wave radiation, developed by Manabe and Strickler and incorporated into the general circulation models developed at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory of ESSA, is compared with a group of other numerical schemes for computing radiative temperature change (e.g., the scheme of Rodgers and Walshaw). It is concluded that the GFDL radiation model has the accuracy comparable with other numerical models despite various assumptions adopted.
Parents and professionals in early childhood settings

Parents and professionals in early childhood settings, by Mac Naughton, Glenda andHughes, Patrick, Maidenhead, Open University Press, 2011, 185 pp., £19.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-033524373-0 The cha...
Dynamic elastic stiffness with service generated inhomogeneity for fibrous composites

Abstract Following the work on the determination of dynamic elastic constants for the state of affairs around a single inhomogeneous ellipsoid, this work considers a fibrous composite whose inhomogeneity is increased on account of change in porosity or moisture content after the composite has been in service for some time. The added inhomogeneous phase, measured in terms of volume fraction of uniformly suspended particles in composite, is related to velocity measurement(s). The analysis is useful when the volume fraction of one type of inclusion phase is not known a priori.
Security and Smart Power

Reconciling values and interests is a long-standing problem in American foreign policy. Amitai Etzioni's Security First is a welcome corrective to the truncated Wilsonianism of recent neo-conservative doctrines. His proposed combination of hard and soft power deals primarily with two of the major challenges that America faces: nuclear spread and Islamist extremism. His approach says less about one traditional challenge—the rise of China—and two new ones—an energy crisis or an ecological breakdown (such as pandemics or dramatic climate change). And even in regard to the first two issues, some argue that the doctrine of containment remains a viable alternative.
Additive factors and stages of mental processes in task networks

Abstract To perform a task a subject executes mental processes. An experimental manipulation, such as a change in stimulus intensity, is said to selectively influence a process if it changes the duration of that process leaving other process durations unchanged. For random process durations a definition of a factor selectively influencing a process by increments is given in terms of stochastic dominance (also called “the usual stochastic order”). A technique for analyzing reaction times, Sternberg’s Additive Factor Method, assumes all the processes are in series. When all processes are in series, each process is called a stage. With the Additive Factor Method, if two experimental factors selectively influence two different stages by increments, the factors will have additive effects on reaction time. An assumption of the Additive Factor Method is that if two experimental factors interact, then they influence the same stage. We consider sets of processes in which some pairs of processes are sequential and some are concurrent (i.e., the processes are partially ordered). We propose a natural definition of a stage for such sets of processes. For partially ordered processes, with our definition of a stage, if two experimental factors selectively influence two different processes by increments, each within a different stage, then the factors have additive effects. If each process selectively influenced by increments is in the same stage, then an interaction is possible, although not inevitable.
Physiological validation of cell health upon probing with carbon nanotube endoscope and its benefit for single-cell interrogation

Abstract New-generation nanoscale devices for single-cell study are intensively being developed. As has been shown, nanodevices are minimally invasive because of their order-of-magnitude smaller size in comparison to conventional glass pipettes. However, in most studies the evaluation of the nanodevice impact on cell health has not extended to their effects on cell metabolic integrity. In this work we evaluated the degree to which the insertion of a carbon-based nanotube endoscope into a cell induces mechanical and biochemical stress, and affects cellular key metabolic systems. The effects of insertion of the nanotube endoscope on cell morphological and physiological modulations were monitored and compared to those of glass micropipettes. We report that nanotube endoscope insertion does not significantly modulate the plasma membrane and actin network. The cell metabolic mechanisms such as energy production and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate–dependent calcium signaling remain preserved for prolonged endoscope presence within a cell. From the Clinical Editor In this basic science study, the effects of insertion of carbon nanotube endoscope on cell morphological and physiological modulations were monitored and compared to those of glass micropipettes. Nanotube endoscope insertion is truly minimally invasive: it does not significantly modulate the plasma membrane and actin network; the energy production and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate–dependent calcium signaling also remain preserved during prolonged endoscope presence within a cell.
Real-Time Ultrasonic Characterization of Fluids and Slurries: Process Techniques Applicable in the Offshore Environment

In the harsh environment of the world’s oceans instrumentation must be robust and able to operate unattended for long periods of time. Ultrasonic sensors developed and deployed to characterize physical properties of radioactive waste slurries provide a unique robust method for non-invasively characterizing multiphase pipe flows, such as crude oil extracted in the ocean environment and transported via pipeline to tankers or to shore. Transducers mounted in spool pieces, or for large tanks and vessels mounted on the wall or suspended in the fluid, can be used to measure fluid or slurry density, solids concentration, rheology, viscosity, detect changes in particle size and detect interfaces, such as those between air and oil and oil and water.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Abnormal diurnal variation of plasma cortisol in patients with renovascular hypertension.

ABSTRACT Variation of diurnal plasma cortisol concentration has been studied in a group of patients with hypertension resulting from renal artery obstruction, a process known to cause release of increased amounts of renin. Twelve of 16 patients had grossly abnormal diurnal variation of plasma cortisol concentration with high late evening concentration and low-normal to normal morning concentration. Excretion of 17-hydroxycorticoids was elevated in only 3 of 12 patients, while aldosterone excretion was normal in all of 13 patients studied. The data suggest that angiotensin at low concentrations affects smooth muscle in peripheral arterioles and has no effect on the adrenal cortex. The effect on the adrenal in man, as in experimental animals, is apparently diffuse rather than specific.
Results of Scripps long range profiles in the Pacific

Abstract During 1976 the first installment of a long range seismic profile was conducted in the North Pacific to a range of 600 km using shots to two tons in size. The line was shot to a closely-spaced array of Scripps ocean bottom seismographs and was parallel to magnetic anomaly 32 at an age of approximately 70 · 106 yr. The line extended between the Clarion and Molokai Fracture Zones and did not cross any major topographic features. Linearized and extremal travel-time inversions were conducted to provide bounds on the compressional velocity as a function of depth. The velocity does not exceed 8.4 km s−1 to a depth of 60 km at which point the data no longer provide any resolution. The constraints on the acceptable models were improved by using array processing methods to measure phase velocity and synthetic seismogram techniques to model phase and amplitude information. The oceanic crust is composed of a series of gradients with no first order discontinuities. The “Moho” is smeared out over a depth of 1.5–2.0 km even though “wide-angle reflections” from the Moho, the phase PMP, are clearly seen in the data. The upper lithosphere is characterized by a general tendency for the velocity to decrease with depth and the tendency is occasionally overwhelmed (at about 27 and 52 km depth) by rapid velocity changes perhaps associated with phase or compositional changes.
Revisiting reliability of quantified perineal ultrasound: Bland and Altman analysis of a new protocol for the rectangular coordinate method

Aims This study tested the reliability of a new protocol for the rectangular coordinate method of quantifying perineal ultrasound. Methods Representative scans of healthy primiparous females were quantified by positioning a pubic bone template, drawn onto an acetate sheet containing x–y axes, over scans, by aligning the x-axis with the pubic bone central axis. Values for x (Dx) and y (Dy) located the urethrovesical junction (UVJ) at Rest, and at maximal Valsalva and Kegel. Range of motion (V–K) was calculated. Bland and Altman analysis, correlations, and t-tests determined intra- and inter-rater reliability, and variance due to designation of the pubic bone central axis (template control). Results Correlations averaged 0.72, 0.70, and 0.92 for intra-rater, inter-rater, and template control experiments. Dx Rest, Dx Kegel, and V–K were reliable in all experiments. First and second measures for inter-rater Dy Rest and Dy Kegel, and template control Dy Valsalva were significantly different. Bland and Altman analysis showed Dy Rest, Dy Kegel, and Dx and Dy Valsalva for both reliability experiments to have limits of agreement (LOA's) large enough to explain ≥50% of the actual value ranges. Template control LOA's explained ≤30% of the actual value ranges. Conclusions The reliability of this protocol varied according to the conditions analyzed; accurate reliability assessment of all conditions required Bland and Altman analysis; and the designation of the pubic bone central axis remained a source of variance between investigators. Our results suggest Bland and Altman analysis be used with each study that quantifies perineal ultrasound. Neurourol. Urodynam. 25:731–738, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Renewal of a Conditioned Taste Aversion upon Return to the Conditioning Context after Extinction in Another One

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test whether a renewal effect known to occur after extinction in many conditioning preparations can also be found in the conditioned taste aversion paradigm. Experiment 1 found that a taste aversion extinguished in a context different from the conditioning context was partially renewed when the taste was returned to the conditioning context. Extinction of the aversion proceeded similarly regardless of whether it occurred in the conditioning context or in a second context, suggesting that context–illness or context–taste associations that might have developed during conditioning did not influence performance, and that the flavor was perceived as the same stimulus in the two contexts. Experiment 2 examined the effects of the same context manipulations on flavors that had been explicitly unpaired with illness; no effects on flavor consumption were found. Taken together, the results suggest that the context might play the same modulatory role in taste aversion learning that it does in other conditioning procedures.
Fatigue Design and Performance Verification of Deepwater Risers

With the advent of the development of deepwater projects, ExxonMobil developed and successfully implemented a fatigue design and verification protocol for fracture-critical components, such as risers and tendons, to ensure design performance and reliability. This protocol has now become an industry practice. This paper discusses the analytical, fabrication, and testing aspects of the design process. The linkage among actual weld performance, welding procedures and inspection reliability is addressed. From the design implementation standpoint, reliability of the fabrication inspection is the key issue. Practical methodologies were developed to conduct and interpret the fatigue tests. In particular, specimen design, instrumentation, testing protocols, and postmortem examination are discussed. Data generated by testing 56 full-scale risers of various sizes and welded by different procedures are also presented. These data, including tests past 100 million cycles, show that (1) actual riser fatigue performance can be substantially better than that recommended by codes, (2) failures can occur in the long-life regime, and (3) fatigue performance varies with riser size and thickness. However, as a matter of practice, analyses, fabrication and testing are required for particular designs.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
On the importance of chain reptation in models of dissolution of glassy polymers

Polymer dissolution was described by chain reptation incorporated into penetrant transport. The penetrant concentration field was divided into three regimes which delineate three different transport processes. Solvent penetration through the polymer was modeled to occur as a consequence of a diffusional flux and an osmotic pressure contribution. Species momentum balances were written that coupled the polymer viscoelastic behavior with the transport mechanism. Transport in the second penetrant concentration regime was modeled to occur in a diffusion boundary layer adjacent to the rubbery-solvent interface, where a Smoluchowski type diffusion equation was obtained. The disentanglement rate of the polymer is given by the ratio between the radius of gyration of the polymer and the reptation time. This rate was used to write the mass balance at the rubbery-solvent interface. Scaling law expressions for the disentanglement rate were derived. The model equations were numerically solved, and the effect of the polymer molecular weight and the diffusion boundary layer thickness on the dissolution mechanism was investigated for polystyrene dissolution in methyl ethyl ketone. The results showed that upon increasing the polymer molecular weight, the dissolution became disentanglement-controlled. Decrease in the diffusion boundary layer thickness led to a shift in the dissolution mechanism from disentanglement control to diffusion control.
Defeating authoritarian leaders in postcommunist countries, by Valerie Bunce and Sharon Wolchik, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2011, xi + 373 pp., $95.00 (hardback), ISBN 978-1-10700-685-0

In their book Defeating Authoritarian Leaders in Postcommunist Countries Valerie Bunce and Sharon Wolchik offer what may perhaps be characterized as the most comprehensive and up-to-date account of...
Split decisions: oesophageal progenitor cell behaviour.

Science advance online publication July192012; doi:10.1126/science.1218835 The maintenance and regeneration of continually shedding epithelial tissues that make up the linings and barriers of our bodies requires rapid and continual input of proliferative progenitor cells for tissue homeostasis. The mechanisms by which epithelial progenitors cells maintain tissues remain controversial. In a recent Science paper, Doupe et al (2012) demonstrate that a population of equivalent progenitor cells support tissue homeostasis of the oesophagus without the need for slow cycling cells as described in other rapidly dividing epithelia.