cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of irrigation and phosphorus fertilization on physiology, growth, and nitrogen-accumulation of Scotch broom ( Cytisus scoparius )

We tested the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilization and soil water on the growth, physiology, and total nitrogen (N) accumulation in N-fixing Scotch broom in Olympia, WA. We manipulated soil water and P availability via irrigation and fertilization, respectively, in a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial on potted one-year old Scotch broom seedlings (n = 20) in an N-deficient sand. There was substantial evidence that increased-irrigation and P-fertilization had similar positive effects on N accumulation in Scotch broom approximately equally. High-irrigation rates were more often associated with positive physiological and growth responses in Scotch broom than fertilization, however. Although the irrigation × fertilization interaction was not significant, there were additive effects of high-irrigation and fertilization on biomass and N content as both were 50% greater in the fertilized-and-high-irrigation treatment relative to the respective fertilized and high-irrigation treatments. We noted an accumulation of N and P in the plant tissues. Analyses indicated a pattern of decreasing function and growth with increasing N and P concentrations in Scotch broom biomass, suggesting plant growth and physiology were limited by some other resource. Total plant N content values ranged from 7.0 ± 1.1 g plant−1 in the control and 23.4 g ± 9.0 plant−1 in the fertilized-and-high-irrigation treatment. Extrapolated to typical densities of comparably sized Scotch broom plants on invaded sites in the western Pacific Northwest, these findings suggest that, at least, 12–65 kg N ha−1 would be found in Scotch broom plants in the field.
Lengthy complex lumbar fusion surgery in high-risk elderly patient under spinal anesthesia: A case report

Abstract Introduction Spinal Anesthesia (SA) continues to be an emerging technique for lumbar fusion surgery in the elderly population. SA is an appealing option in the high-risk geriatric population for several reasons, including the potential for reduced systematic stress, reduced blood loss, and reduced post-operative delirium. The safe limits of spine surgery under SA remain undetermined. Presentation of case The following case-study describes an elderly high-risk patient (ASA III) with severe spinal stenosis and degenerative scoliosis who presented with lower back and right leg pain and underwent a 3-level lumbar fusion surgery with spinal anesthesia. The procedure lasted 3 h and 44 min with sufficient anesthesia maintained throughout. The patient experienced minor post-operative complications, but had an excellent clinical outcome at 3-month follow-up. Discussion Further research should be conducted to define the temporal limits of SA in elderly patients and the etiology of post-operative complications following lumbar fusion surgery under spinal anesthesia in the geriatric population. Conclusion The case reported, herein, demonstrates the feasibility of SA in elderly patients undergoing lengthy complex lumbar surgeries who have been designated “high-risk” patients (ASA > II) and provides support for future investigation into surgical and anesthesia treatment options for geriatric high-risk patients presenting with complex lumbar spine pathologies.
Influences of Hillslope Biogeochemistry on Anaerobic Soil Organic Matter Decomposition in a Tundra Watershed

Author(s): Philben, M; Tas, N; Chen, H; Wullschleger, SD; Kholodov, A; Graham, DE; Gu, B | Abstract: We investigated rates and controls on greenhouse gas (CO2 and CH4) production in two contrasting water-saturated tundra soils within a permafrost-affected watershed near Nome, Alaska, United States. Three years of field sample analysis have shown that soil from a fen-like area in the toeslope of the watershed had higher pH and higher porewater ion concentrations than soil collected from a bog-like peat plateau at the top of the hillslope. The influence of these contrasting geochemical and topographic environments on CO2 and CH4 production was tested in soil microcosms by incubating both the organic- and mineral-layer soils anaerobically for 55ndays. Nitrogen (as NH4Cl) was added to half of the microcosms to test potential effects of N limitation on microbial greenhouse gas production. We found that the organic toeslope soils produced more CO2 and CH4, fueled by higher pH and higher concentrations of water-extractable organic C (WEOC). Our results also indicate N limitation on CO2 production in the peat plateau soils but not the toeslope soils. Together these results suggest that the weathering and leaching of ions and nutrients from tundra hillslopes can increase the rate of anaerobic soil organic matter decomposition in downslope soils by (1) increasing the pH of soil porewater; (2) providing bioavailable WEOC and fermentation products such as acetate; and (3) relieving microbial N limitation through nutrient runoff. We conclude that the soil geochemistry as mediated by landscape position is an important factor influencing the rate and magnitude of greenhouse gas production in tundra soils.
Energy policy and public opinion: patterns, trends and future directions

This article analyzes patterns and trends in U.S public opinion about energy pol- icy to understand which types of policy approaches Americans support and the individual-level determinants that are associated with those preferences. Specifi- cally, we study data from three long-running surveys series – the National Surveys on Energy and Environment, the Climate Change in the American Mind survey, and the Gallup Poll Social Series – which collectively provide a vast array of questions on energy policy, ranging from limits on extraction to promotion of clean energy to restrictions on fossil fuel use to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our analysis finds strong and temporally stable support for policies that promote renewable energy technologies, as well as policies that prioritize environmental protection over energy extraction. We additionally find that partisanship is the most important determi- nant of Americans' energy policy preferences, and that there is an increasing divide between Democrats and Republicans on energy policy. Our analysis does not show that Americans prefer particular policy instruments, but we do find that support declines for policies when their costs are made explicit, and that these declines in support are similar in magnitude for Democrats and Republicans. We conclude the paper with directions for future research.
Compound natural and human disasters: Managing drought and COVID-19 to sustain global agriculture and food sectors

Individually, both droughts and pandemics cause disruptions to global food supply chains. The 21st century has seen the frequent occurrence of both natural and human disasters, including droughts and pandemics. Together their impacts can be compounded, leading to severe economic stress and malnutrition, particularly in developing countries. Understanding how droughts and pandemics interact, and identifying appropriate policies to address them together and separately, is important for maintaining a robust global food supply. Herein we assess the impacts of each of these disasters in the context of food and agriculture, and then discuss their compounded effect. We discuss the implications for policy, and suggest opportunities for future research.
Inventive Languages: Walter Benjamin, Ernst Jandl, and the Possibility of Back-Translation

Theories of translation that rely on Walter Benjamin's famous essay ‘The Task of the Translator’ have tended to view the specific direction of translation as one that only reaches forward, according to a gesture of ‘prolepsis’ (‘Vorgriff’, as Benjamin says). As Jacques Derrida and others have pointed out, Benjamin explicitly disqualifies other kinds of direction, including a translation ‘backward’, from the realm of translation proper. This essay argues for a renewed understanding of translation's directionality and offers a fresh take on Benjamin's essay by juxtaposing it with the poetics of Austrian writer Ernst Jandl. Jandl's poem ‘chanson’, for instance, recognizes translatability as its inventive principle, and it performs the process of translation as one that both proleptically reaches forward and periodically flows back.
Revealing the nature of electron correlation in transition metal complexes with symmetry breaking and chemical intuition.

In this work, we provide a nuanced view of electron correlation in the context of transition metal complexes, reconciling computational characterization via spin and spatial symmetry breaking in single-reference methods with qualitative concepts from ligand-field and molecular orbital theories. These insights provide the tools to reliably diagnose the multi-reference character, and our analysis reveals that while strong (i.e., static) correlation can be found in linear molecules (e.g., diatomics) and weakly bound and antiferromagnetically coupled (monometal-noninnocent ligand or multi-metal) complexes, it is rarely found in the ground-states of mono-transition-metal complexes. This leads to a picture of static correlation that is no more complex for transition metals than it is, e.g., for organic biradicaloids. In contrast, the ability of organometallic species to form more complex interactions, involving both ligand-to-metal σ-donation and metal-to-ligand π-backdonation, places a larger burden on a theory’s treatment of dynamic correlation. We hypothesize that chemical bonds in which inter-electron pair correlation is non-negligible cannot be adequately described by theories using MP2 correlation energies and indeed find large errors vs experiment for carbonyl-dissociation energies from double-hybrid density functionals. A theory’s description of dynamic correlation (and to a less important extent, delocalization error), which affects relative spin-state energetics and thus spin symmetry breaking, is found to govern the efficacy of its use to diagnose static correlation.
Treatment of Micronutrient Deficiencies Pre and Post Bariatric Surgery

The goal of this article is to review micronutrient deficiencies in patients with obesity. We will describe the absorption of micronutrients and highlight the risk factors that may exist pre- and post-surgery that contribute to the development of micronutrient deficiency states. Furthermore, we will discuss the process involved in detecting, preventing, and treating micronutrient deficiencies. Pre-bariatric surgery micronutrient deficiencies are commonly due to intake of a high energy, but low micronutrient diet. Deficiencies frequently include vitamin D, folate, vitamin B12, and iron. Post-bariatric surgery micronutrient deficiencies are commonly related to altered absorption in the setting of non-compliance with or intolerance of recommended diets, and frequently include abovementioned deficiencies as well as vitamin A, copper, and zinc deficiencies. All patients should have routine daily supplementation as well as close monitoring for the development of deficiency post-surgery. It is important to understand a patient’s unique risk factors for developing a micronutrient deficiency, and to perform a complete nutritional evaluation to further assess, intervene on, and monitor a patient’s nutritional status throughout their pre- and post-operative course. Treatment of these deficiencies will require a multidisciplinary and multimodal approach involving risk factor modification and supplementation that depends on the severity and duration of the identified deficiency.
‘IF YOU TROUBLE A HUNGRY SNAKE, YOU WILL FORCE IT TO BITE YOU’: RETHINKING POSTCOLONIAL AFRICAN ARCHIVAL PESSIMISM, WORKER DISCONTENT, AND PETITION WRITING IN GHANA, 1957–66

My aim is twofold. Highlighting the value and importance of African archives in the construction of postcolonial African histories, I first reject what I call ‘postcolonial African archival pessimism’: the argument that postcolonial African archives are too disorganized or ill-kept to be of much, if any, value in configuring postcolonial African histories. Second, primarily through petition and complaint letters, I examine how Ghanaian workers protested racist and abusive workplace environments, government malfeasance, stagnating wages, and unfair dismissals in Kwame Nkrumah's Ghana. These archival gems illuminate how workers made claims to and performances of citizenship and reminded the state of their importance, politically and practically, to building the Ghanaian project. From Ghanaian and British archives, I seek to complement histories that highlight the centrality of African workers — through their letters and feet — in articulating the contradictions and aspirations of postcolonial African states.
UHRF1 upregulation mediates exosome release and tumor progression in osteosarcoma

ABSTRACT Loss of function mutations at the retinoblastoma (RB1) gene are associated with increased mortality, metastasis and poor therapeutic outcome in several cancers, including osteosarcoma (OS). However, the mechanism(s) through which RB1 loss worsens clinical outcome remain to be elucidated. Ubiquitin-like with PHD and Ring Finger domains 1 (UHRF1) has been identified as a critical downstream effector of the RB/E2F signaling pathway that is overexpressed in various cancers. Here, we show that UHRF1 upregulation is critical in rendering OS cells more aggressive. Using novel OS genetically engineered mouse models, we determined that knocking-out Uhrf1 considerably reverses the poorer survival associated with Rb1 loss. We also found that high UHRF1 expression correlates with increased clinical presentation of metastatic disease. Based on gain- and loss-of-function assays, we found that UHRF1 promotes cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. UHRF1-mediated cell mobility results as a consequence of altered extracellular vesicles and their cargo, including urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Our work presents a new mechanistic insight into RB1 loss-associated poor prognosis and a novel oncogenic role of UHRF1 through regulation of exosome secretion that is critical for OS metastasis. This study provides substantial support for targeting UHRF1 or its downstream effectors as novel therapeutic options to improve current treatment for OS.
A study of the accuracy of testing milk for butterfat using samples with and without chemical preservatives

The accuracy of various sampling methods in raw whole milk received at a milk processing plant from dairy farms was compared. Milk samples were collected daily during four 30-day periods representing approximately the four seasons of the year. The Babcock test for butterfat was applied to the following: daily samples, 6-day composite samples without added preservative, seven and 15-day preserved composite samples and periodic samples taken three, four and five times per month. The preservatives, Milkeep and mercuric chloride, were compared in the seven and 15-day composite sample. The daily test, recognized for its accuracy, was used in statistical comparison with the test results from the other samples. When the tests from each sampling method were averaged for the four seasons, no significant differences were found. Tests from the 6-day composite samples and the periodic samples taken five times per month were identical to the daily test. Tests from composite samples preserved with Milkeep averaged clos...
Instability and Spacing of Cooling or Shrinkage Cracks

When a system of parallel equidistant cooling crack propagates into halfspace, it reaches at a certain depth a critical state at which the growth of every other crack is arrested. Later these cracks reach a second critical state at which they close. The intermediate cracks, at doubled spacing, open about twice as wide and advance further as cooling penetrates deeper. Determination of the critical states requires calculation of the derivatives of the stress intensity factors with regard to crack lengths, which is here accomplished by finite element method. It is found that the crack depth-to-spacing ratio at which the critical state is reached is extremely sensitive to the temperature profile. This ratio greatly increases as the cooling front becomes steeper. The effect of transverse isotropy of the material upon the location of critical states is found to be relatively mild. The results are of interest for one recently proposed geothermal energy scheme for hot dry rock, as well as for shrinkage cracks in concrete.
Doctors and Antitrust Law: a Marketing and Public Policy Perspective

Increasingly, people are turning to managed care networks for their healthcare. The term, "managed care", refers to healthcare that is coordinated and monitored. It provides patients with a limited choice of physicians and hospitals with limits on tests, procedures, admissions, and length of stay. The trend toward managed care is driving medical costs down and reshaping the healthcare industry.
What is âThe Energy-Water Nexusâ?

The U.S. is a nation rich in energy, water, and other natural resources and it has aggressively harnessed many of these resources, both within our country and abroad. We have utilized these resources to become one of the wealthiest societies on earth. Our energy and water resources are essential to our economic and social wellbeing and to our national and economic security. As the U.S. population continues to increase and to migrate into more remote and extreme areas there will be ever-increasing demands for energy and water.
Adaptive autobalancing boundary control for a flexible rotor

We design a control strategy for a spinning rotor with an unbalanced disk attached to its free end. The control strategy is composed of a boundary torque applied to the clamped end, and two boundary forces and two boundary torques applied to the free-end. At the clamped-end, the boundary torque ensures that the rotor tracks a desired angular velocity trajectory, while at the free-end, the boundary forces and torques ensure that the rotor displacement is regulated at every point along the length of the rotor. Under the assumption of exact model knowledge, we first develop a model-based control law which exponentially achieves the control objectives. We then illustrate how the model-based control law can be redesigned as an adaptive controller which asymptotically achieves the same control objectives while compensating for parametric uncertainty associated with unbalanced operation.
Cbl-b deficiency results in abnormalities in both T cell sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 function and response to the multiple sclerosis therapeutic agent, FTY720 (THER3P.881)

FTY720 is a sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P1) modulator used to treat Multiple Sclerosis (MS). While FTY720 is postulated to mediate its effect by enhancing T cell S1P1 internalization and degradation, the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of FTY720 in MS are not fully understood. To further clarify the functional effects of FTY720 we utilized Cbl-b-deficient (Cbl-b-/-) mice. Cbl-b is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that regulates the PI3K-Akt pathway in T cells and its absence leads to resistance to regulatory T cells (Tregs) and multi-organ autoimmunity in mice. Given that MS has been associated with both SNPs in the CBLB gene and resistance to Tregs, Cbl-b-/- mice represent an important model for studying MS. We now report that Cbl-b-/- T cells demonstrate multiple functional abnormalities in S1P1. These include significantly less lymphopenia induced by the S1P lyase inhibitor, THI, (Cbl-b-/- blood CD4+ T cells decreased 19% vs 59% in wild type (WT) at 48 hrs), suggesting abnormal regulation of Cbl-b-/- T cell S1P1 in response to the endogenous ligand S1P. Paradoxically, Cbl-b-/- T cells demonstrate enhanced lymphopenia induced by the therapeutic agent FTY720 (Cbl-b-/- blood CD4+ T cells decreased 51% vs 26% in WT at 120 hrs). These results for the first time identify a complex role for Cbl-b in regulating expression and turnover of T cell S1P1 and suggest that SNPs in the CBLB gene may associate with a differential response to FTY720 in MS patients.
Mechanism of gastric hyperemia induced by intragastric hypertonic saline in rats

Abstract Background: Intragastric hypertonic (2 mol/L) saline produces injury in the gastric mucosa and a significant increase in gastric blood flow (hyperemia) in anesthetized rats. We studied the mechanism of this hyperemia. Methods: Rats were treated with intravenous boluses of N G -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (3 mg/kg) to block synthesis of endogenous nitric oxide, pyrilamine (1 mg/kg) to inhibit H 1 receptors, or indomethacin (5 mg/kg) to block synthesis of endogenous prostaglandins during blood flow studies or with subcutaneous capsaicin (125 mg/kg) 10–14 days before blood flow studies to ablate capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves. Gastric mucosal blood flow was measured by hydrogen gas clearance before and during intragastric administration of 2 mol/L saline. Results: The gastric hyperemia induced by intragastric 2 mol/L saline was completely blocked only by indomethacin. The associated gastric mucosal damage was increased significantly. Conclusions: In the rat stomach, the gastric hyperemia induced by intragastric 2 mol/L saline is mediated by endogenous prostaglandins and plays a protective role. Endogenous nitric oxide, H 1 receptors, and capsaicin-sensitive afferent nerves are not involved in this protective hyperemia.
Liver endothelial cell dysfunction occurs early following hemorrhagic shock and persists despite crystalloid resuscitation.

Although hepatocellular function is depressed early following hemorrhage, it remains unknown whether liver endothelial cell function is also compromised under such conditions. The aim of this study, however, was to determine if liver endothelial cell function is depressed during hemorrhage and persists following crystalloid resuscitation. To study this, rats underwent a 5-cm laparotomy (i.e., trauma induced) and were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial pressure of 40 mm Hg until 40% of maximal bleedout volume was returned in the form of Ringer's lactate. The animals were then resuscitated with 4 times the volume of maximal bleedout volume with Ringer's lactate. Arterial blood was taken before and during hemorrhage and after resuscitation. Plasma hyaluronic acid (HA) levels were determined using a Pharmacia assay kit. To determine whether the elevated HA is due to a decrease in its removal, HA clearance was assessed at 0 and 24 hr after resuscitation by injecting 30 μg/100 g body wt HA intravenously. The results indicate that plasma HA levels increased significantly at the time of maximal bleedout, which persisted even 24 hr after the completion of resuscitation. Hyaluronic acid clearance decreased significantly at 0 and 24 hr after resuscitation, suggesting that the decreased HA clearance plays a major role in producing the elevated plasma HA levels. Since circulating HA is cleared exclusively by liver endothelial cells, these results, taken together, indicate that liver endothelial cell dysfunction (i.e., the increased plasma HA levels and decreased HA clearance) occurs early during hemorrhage (i.e., ∼44 min after the onset of the insult) and persists despite resuscitation. Thus, the depressed liver endothelial cell function may directly or indirectly contribute to hepatocellular dysfunction observed under such conditions.
A modified oxidation procedure for ion-implanted silicon carbide devices annealed at low temperatures

Abstract There is recent evidence that the temperature at which implants in SiC are activated plays a determining role in the performance of some devices. One example is the dependence of the channel mobility of SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) on the annealing temperature needed to activate source and drain implants. Another example is the dependence of surface roughness on anneal temperature. In both cases, there are definite advantages in using low processing temperatures for implant activation anneals. This paper considers low-temperature ion implantation processing of SiC electronic materials, and modifications to the gate oxidation step for SiC MOSFETs that may be required by the use of low-temperature activation annealing. The term ‘low-temperature’ is used to indicate annealing temperatures well below 1500 °C which are typically used for donor implant activation in SiC. The substitution of phosphorus for nitrogen in the fabrication of MOSFETs, while enabling low-temperature activation annealing, leads to excessive gate leakage currents. The cause of oxide leakage is discussed speculatively in terms of excess carbon on the SiC prior to gate oxidation. These assumptions form the premise for SiC MOSFET experiments fabricated with phosphorus-implanted source and drain regions, and a modified oxidation procedure. MOSFETs built using phosphorus implants annealed at 1200 °C and the modified oxidation procedure exhibit ID/IG current ratios greater than 104, and channel mobilities in excess of 10 cm2/V s. The device yield is greater than 90%.
Effects of Fluctuating Soil Temperature and Water Potential on Sclerotia Germination and Apothecial Production of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

ABSTRACT The effects of fluctuating soil temperature and water potential on sclerotial germination and apothecial production by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum were investigated in growth chamber experiments. In the temperature experiments, temperature fluctuations of 4, 8, 12, and 16°C around a median of 20°C, and a constant of 20°C, were tested. Daily temperature fluctuations of 8°C resulted in highest levels of sclerotial germination and apothecial production. The earliest appearance of apothecia occurred in the 8°C fluctuation treatment, 24 days after the start of the experiment. Sclerotia in the 12°C fluctuation treatment germinated last; its first sclerotium germinated 44 days after experiment initiation. For the soil water potential experiments, constant saturation (approximately –0.001 MPa) and three levels of soil water potential fluctuation from saturation—“low” (–0.03 to –0.04 MPa), “medium” (–0.06 to –0.07 MPa), and “high” (–0.09 to –0.1 MPa)—were tested. Constant saturation yielded the highest numbe...
Research on Device of Hydraulic Pushing

The new device of hydraulic pushing device achieves enclasping of clamping device and steel rail locking effect by the wedge clamping on the both side of the steel rail, so as to provide thrust and pulling force action point for the cylinder of hydraulic equipment. Compare with other devices, the new type of device has more advantages like : simple structure, reliable clamp, easy erection and high efficiency. To further optimize the mechanical clamping device, the pressure and the friction coefficient of the wedge. the shell and the rail were analyzed emphatically. Combining experimental data and the reasonable angle of wedge and optimizing design direction was applied.
Importance of the carboxy-terminus of the CXCR2 for signal transduction.

Abstract The CXCR2 is phosphorylated at the C-terminal intracytoplasmic portion within 15 sec following the addition of IL-8 or MGSA. Cells transfected with a truncated form of the receptor missing the last 12 amino acids (T3) showed normal binding affinity, but were no longer phosphorylated; individual alanine replacement indicated that Ser346 and 348 were the primary sites of phosphorylation. In studies of the importance of phosphorylation in CXCR2 desensitization, cells expressing wild type CXCR2 lost GTPγS binding above basal rate after the first exposure to IL-8, while cells with the T3 mutant retained 60% of their capacity to induce GTPγS exchange upon a second exposure to IL-8. In contrast, receptor internalization was not affected by the loss of phosphorylation of the T3 mutant. Further receptor truncation led to decreasing binding affinities for IL-8 and MGSA and a decreased rate of GTPγS exchange following addition of excess ligand which suggests involvement of this region in G-protein coupling.
ATOMIC PARITY NONCONSERVATION EXPERIMENTS

Abstract A comprehensive review of theoretical and experimental studies of parity nonconservation in atoms is presented. We describe measurements in bismuth, lead, cesium, and thallium which collectively provide confirmation of the Weinberg-Salam-Glashow “standard model” of electroweak unification. Ongoing experiments in hydrogen are discussed as well. We examine the unique role of all atomic experiments in distinguishing alternative versions of the standard theory. Finally, we include some discussion of experiments which search for permanent atomic electric dipole moments as potential evidence of time-reversal violation in particle interaction.
Coping with daily work problems. Contributions of problem content, appraisals, and person factors

Abstract This paper presents the result of an analysis of coping with daily work-related problems reported by a community sample of working adults. The methodology used differs from that employed elsewhere not only in its intensive longitudinal approach but also in its technique for measing coping Coping with work and non-work problems was compared. It is argued that the results provide strong support for the transactional model of stress, appraisal and coping, but also point up the importance of nonspecific (and unmeasured) person factors in predicting coping.
Scaling issues for ultra-high-speed HEMTs

This paper describes the scaling of High-Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) for ultra-high-speed operations. We predict that, with proper device scaling, an extrinsic switching speed in excess of 300 GHz will be achieved in the near future for state-of-the-art HEMTs.
A new syndrome of bile acid deficiency—a possible synthetic defect

A 3-month-old infant with chronic diarrhea, failure to thrive, and severe malabsorption of fat (50 per cent) was found to have low concentrations of bile acids in the duodenal fluid, with poor micellar incorporation of fatty acids. The deficiency of intraluminal bile acids was not due to (1) liver disease, (2) deconjugation of bile acids associated with bacterial overgrowth, (3) failure of intestinal reabsorption of bile acids, (4) failure of release of cholecystokinin, or (5) an excretion defect of bile acids. A trial of oral administration of bile acids produced increases in weight gain, absorption of fat, intraluminal micellar incorporation, and concentrations of intestinal bile acids. All of these returned to pretreatment values within a few days after discontinuance of administration of bile acids. A defect in the biosynthesis of bile acids, not secondary to liver disease, is suggested.
Microstructural and microhardness evaluations in ion nitrided titanium

Abstract Pure titanium and Ti-6242S alloy were ion nitrided in the temperature range 800–1080°C in a pure nitrogen plasma at 5 Torr. using microhardness depth profiles and with the aid of calculated nitrogen concentration profiles, an empirical relationship between the nitrogen concentration and microhardness in the α-Ti was obtained. Nitriding of pure titanium resulted in a layered structure consisting of TiN (δ), Ti 2 N(ϵ) and α-Ti. Similarly, ion nitriding of Ti-6242S alloy resulted in surface hardening by the formation of a thin TiN layer and a nitrogen solid solution hardened case. Transmission electron micrographs indicated precipitation of Ti 2 N in the nitrided case of both pure and alloyed titanium. The distribution and morphology of these precipitates, however, were functions of nitrogen concentration as well as the distribution of alloying element.
Chondroblastoma of bone. A clinicopathologic and electron microscopic study.

Twenty-five patients with benign chondroblastoma of bone were treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, from 1920 to 1970. The 15 male and 10 female patients, with an age range of 9 to 51 years, were treated by amputation, block excision, curettage, cryosurgery, and irradiation. The follow-up period ranged up to 35 years with extremely slow gradual healing as demonstrated by sequential roentgenograms. No malignant transformation had occurred; however, one case exhibited soft tissue implantation. The lesion was characterized by a high recurrence rate of 38%. In 24% of all cases, aneurysmal bone cyst was engrafted on the tumor, resulting in a significantly higher recurrence rate. In 2 cases, electron microscopic examination revealed multiple small Golgi complexes, numerous electron-lucent mitochondria, dilated segments of rough endoplasmic reticulum, and small bundles of cytoplasmic filaments, in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells. Patches of glycogen were also seen in some of the chondroblasts. The nuclei were irregularly shaped, and some were also multilobulated. A fibrous lamina was closely applied to the inner surface of the nuclear envelope of the chondroblasts.
The Use of Two Mixture Fractions to Treat Coal Combustion Products in Turbulent Pulverized-Coal Flames

Abstract Previous coal combustion models using assumed-shape PDF's to treat turbulence-chemistry interactions have used only one progress variable to treat products from coal reactions. This assumes that the products of all coal reactions have the same composition. However, the composition of the combustion products of coal particles is known to vary with burnout, especially between devolatilization and char oxidation. In this work, two progress variables were implemented which distinguish between the products of devolatilization and those of char oxidation. This new approach requires as input the specified volatile content and elemental release during devolatilization. The values for these parameters were estimated based on elemental release data obtained in flat-flame burners. Predictions of the new and the old approaches for the major variables of the field were not appreciably different. However, NO pollutant predictions of the new method were, in general, better than those of the old method, particul...
Putting odor maps in sync

Dual recordings of projection neurons in the moth antennal lobe suggest a key role for synchrony resulting from interglomerular interactions in coding odor representations.
Observation of the 1S0-3P0 transition in atomic ytterbium for optical clocks and qubit arrays.

We report an observation of the weak 6S01–6P03 transition in Yb171,173 as an important step to establishing Yb as a primary candidate for future optical frequency standards, and to open up a new approach for qubits using the S01 and P03 states of Yb atoms in an optical lattice.
Matrix-model description of N=2 gauge theories with non-hyperelliptic Seiberg-Witten curves

Abstract Using matrix-model methods we study three different N =2 models: U(N)×U(N) with matter in the bifundamental representation, U(N) with matter in the symmetric representation, and U(N) with matter in the antisymmetric representation. We find that the (singular) cubic Seiberg–Witten curves (and associated Seiberg–Witten differentials) implied by the matrix models, although of a different form from the ones previously proposed using M-theory, can be transformed into the latter and are thus physically equivalent. We also calculate the one-instanton corrections to the gauge-coupling matrix using the perturbative expansion of the matrix model. For the U(N) theories with symmetric or antisymmetric matter we use the modified matrix-model prescription for the gauge-coupling matrix discussed in our paper: Cubic curves from matrix models and generalized Konishi anomalies ( hep-th/0303268 ). Moreover, in the matrix model for the U(N) theory with antisymmetric matter, one is required to expand around a different vacuum than one would naively have anticipated. With these modifications of the matrix-model prescription, the results of this paper are in complete agreement with those of Seiberg–Witten theory obtained using M-theory methods.
Vector Analysis to Detect Hepatotoxicity Signals in Drug Development

Hepatotoxicity is a leading cause of discontinuing drugs in development and withdrawing drugs from clinical use. Most withdrawals are due to idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity which usually escapes detection in clinical trials because of its rarity. We investigated the potential of vector analysis of liver function tests to detect an early signal of idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity in clinical trials using data with an obvious drug-induced liver response. Serum samples collected serially during randomized, placebo-controlled trials of a compound that was subsequently discontinued because of hepatotoxicity were analyzed for alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotrans-ferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and alkaline phosphatase. Vectors for combinations of tests were computed and displayed in two or three dimensions over the 6-week course of the trials. At baseline, short vectors were clustered within the normal range in the active- and placebo-treatment groups. By the third week, several vectors in the active-treatment group had elongated inside of the normal range and moved outside in the fourth week. Thereafter, the vectors began to return to the baseline range. These results suggest that vector analysis may be useful in detecting earlier or clinically obscure signals of hepatotoxicity in clinical trials.
Ethnic Identity and Self-Esteem: Contrasting Cuban and Nicaraguan Young Adults

A growing literature suggests that stronger ethnic identity is associated with higher levels of self-esteem among Hispanic Americans. However, most studies employ a panethnic “Hispanic” category or...
Seeking a Variable Standard of Individual Moral Responsibility in Organizations

Relatively few authors attempt to assess individuals’ moral responsibility for collective action within organizations. I draw on fairly technical recent work by Seamus Miller, Christopher Kutz, and Tracy Isaacs in the field of collective responsibility to see what normative lessons can be prepared for people considering entry into large hierarchical, compartmentalized organizations like businesses or the military. I will defend a view shared by Isaacs that group members’ responsibility for collective action depends on intentions to contribute to particular collective actions, against Miller and Kutz’s more inculpating standards. Miller and Kutz fail to achieve their goal of articulating a variable standard for measuring individual responsibility within organizations, for reasons suggesting we might not be able to do better with their theoretical commitments than a threshold warning for all potential entrants to be wary of the groups they enter. Isaacs sketches an approach that is more successful at creating a variable standard for assessing high echelon actors; I build on and refine her theory to argue that organization members can be held responsible for their unique interpretations of the organization mission and unique contributions to their role duties. High echelon actors may share personal responsibility for their subordinates’ behavior when they have created the conditions for those actions through their unique orders.
Toward Freer Trade in Canada-U.S. Agricultural Products: Discussion

Menzie and Prentice have presented a very thorough paper describing the various restrictions to trade in agricultural products between the United States and Canada, both the "formal" and "informal" barriers. Warley's excellent paper looks at how progress in the bilateral negotiations (BTN), which precede the multilateral negotiations (MTN) in the GATT, might affect the multilaterals. In particular, Warley has focused on some of the problems that are likely to arise in both sets of negotiations, should real attempts be made to reduce agricultural subsidies. Rather than reexamining and critiquing these two very good papers, we will look first at two groupings of the trade barriers-those that could be removed or lowered in a BTN without adversely affecting (and possibly helping) the MTN and those that cannot be dealt with bilaterally but, if dealt with at all, must be part of a multilateral negotiating package. A third group, which we will not dwell on here, could include such things as exchange rates, which do affect trade flows and at times create "barriers" but which presumably are not part of the U.S. negotiating proposal at this time. We then look at what will be needed before either
Feasibility of In Vivo Intravascular Ultrasound Tissue Characterization in the Detection of Early Vascular Transplant Rejection

Background—Unprocessed ultrasound radiofrequency (RF) signal analysis has been shown to distinguish different tissue structures more reliably than gray-scale interpretation of conventional ultrasound images. Methods and Results—The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of in vivo intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) RF signal analysis in an animal model of allograft rejection. Six cynomolgus monkeys underwent transplantation of 3-cm aortic allograft segments distal to the renal arteries from immunologically mismatched donors. IVUS imaging with a 30-MHz system was performed 84 to 105 days after the operation. RF signals were acquired from cross sections of the recipient and the allograft aortas in real time with a digitizer at 500 MHz with 8-bit resolution. Sixty-five cross sections and 68 regions of interest (31 in host aorta and 37 in allograft) were analyzed in the adventitial layer with a total number of 8568 vectors processed. For each region of interest, a weighted-average attenuation was ca...
Endovascular Treatment of Complicated Aortic Aneurysms in Patients with Underlying Arteriopathies

Patients with arteriopathies including giant cell arteritis, Marfan syndrome, and Takayasu’s disease are at risk for aneurysmal degeneration of the aorta. Aortic repair has been recommended for these patients to prevent rupture. The purpose of this study was to examine outcomes following endovascular stent graft (EVSG) repair of aortic aneurysms in this patient population. Over an 8-year period, 11 patients (six men, five women) with arteriopathies underwent endovascular aortic repair. The mean age was 50 (range 15-81). Diseases included Marfan syndrome (n = 6), Takayasu’s disease (n = 3), and giant cell arteritis (n = 2). Success of EVSG repair was evaluated per the reporting standards of the Society for Vascular Surgery/American Association for Vascular Surgery. Follow-up was a mean of 28.9 months (range 3-68). Six patients underwent EVSG repair of the thoracic aorta, four underwent EVSG repair of the abdominal aorta, and one underwent a staged repair of the thoracic and subsequently the abdominal aorta. Six true aneurysms and six pseudoaneurysms were repaired. Eight patients had previous aortic surgery, including four with multiple aortic operations. For the 12 aneurysms treated, technical success was achieved in 11 (91.7%). One technical failure occurred due to a small iliac access vessel, requiring an eventual iliac conduit for insertion. Early complications (<30 days) occurred in three patients. Type I or III endoleak developed following two repairs (16.7%). Aneurysm expansion occurred following one repair (8.3%). No aneurysm-related deaths occurred during follow-up. EVSG repair of aortic aneurysms is feasible and can be safely performed in patients with arteriopathies. Long-term durability in this younger group of patients who carry an ongoing risk of arterial degeneration remains to be determined.
BIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF RUBELLA VIRUS AS ASSAYED IN A HUMAN AMNION CULTURE SYSTEM.

We have briefly reviewed observations stemming from the finding that rubella virus may be grown in cultures of human amnion cells with the production of specific cytopathic changes. Rubella research is now in a phase of rapid development. While it is hoped that the information accumulated to date will not in the future be proven erroneous, it can be confidently predicted that the somewhat laborious and poorly standardized methodology now available for the investigation of rubella virus will undergo rapid refinement and simplification. Rubella will then move from the province of the research bench to the routine diagnostic laboratory.
Inhibition of prolactin secretion by a direct effect of methysergide on the pituitary lactotrophs in the rat

Abstract Methysergide administered i.p. caused a dose dependent decrease of serum prolactin levels in rats of both sexes bearing large bilateral electrolytic lesions in the median eminence. This prolactin release inhibiting action of methysergide was prevented by pretreatment of the animals with dopamine receptor blockers pimozide or spiroperidol, which by themselves had no effect on serum prolactin levels. Similar results were observed when the dopamine receptor agonist piribedil was used instead of methysergide. It is concluded that methysergide is capable of inhibiting prolactin secretion by activation of dopamine receptors of the pituitary lactotrophs.
Particle Image Velocimetry Assessment of Stent Design Influence on Intra-Aneurysmal Flow

Endovascular stenting appears to be an appealing treatment modality to selected complex intracranial aneurysms. However, stents currently used for endovascular treatment are not specifically designed for the cerebrovasculature. Stent parameters, such as porosity and filament size, have to be carefully optimized for long-term successful treatment. We investigated the influence of the stent filament size on the intra-aneurysmal flow dynamics in a sidewall aneurysm model in vitro. Three helical stents with 76% porosity but different filament sizes of 178, 153, and 127 μm were studied using particle image velocimetry. Twenty-four pulsatile flow conditions were investigated. The results show that stenting significantly reduces intra-aneurysmal vorticity and the mean circulation inside the aneurysm is reduced to less than 3% of its value before stenting. For constant porosity, a further reduction of the mean circulation, up to 30% can be obtained by reducing the filament diameter. For a constant Womersley number, this further reduction is accentuated with increase in the peak Reynolds number. Further reduction in the mean circulation inside the aneurysm was not achieved for the 127 μm stent. With further reduction in filament diameter, the helical stent filaments positioned against the aneurysm neck started wavering with the flow transferring added momentum into the aneurysm. For stents of smaller filament diameter, a supporting ultrastructure is required. © 2002 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Hydrophilic polymers containing chiral nucleic acid base pendants as polynucleotide analogs

A survey of our recent work on synthetic polynucleotide analogs is given. Propionic acid and 3-methyl butyric acid derivatives substituted in the 2-position with nucleic acid bases have been used as chiral pendants for attachment to hydrophilic polyamine backbones. Hindered rotation about the amide bonds formed promotes a base-stacked structure as shown by ultraviolet hypochromic effects versus model compounds. If the pendant has been resolved, an optically active polymer results which may be studied by circular dichroism (CD). Thus, poly(ethylenimine) containing the (−)-2-(thymin-1-yl)-propionyl group as the grafted pendant showed exciton coupling of the B2u transition of the base chromophores in the CD, as observed in polynucleotides. This implies at least a local helical order in the stacking. The biological activity of such structures is briefly discussed.
Image Guided Percutaneous Probe Ablation for Renal Tumors in 65 Solitary Kidneys: Functional and Oncological Outcomes

Purpose: We evaluated the oncological and functional outcomes of computerized tomography guided percutaneous cryotherapy or radio frequency ablation of kidney tumors in patients with a solitary kidney.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the medical charts of patients with a solitary kidney who underwent percutaneous probe ablation for renal masses at our institution from April 2002 through March 2010. Followup consisted of computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging 1 day postoperatively, at 3, 6 and 12 months, and annually thereafter. Serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate were used to measure renal function. The cryotherapy and radio frequency ablation groups were compared for demographics, the 2-year actuarial survival rate and renal function.Results: Overall 65 patients were included in this retrospective analysis, of whom 29 (44.6%) underwent cryotherapy and 36 (55.4%) underwent radio frequency ablation. Median followup was 15.1 (IQR 4.4 to 32.9) and 38.8 months (13.8 to 5...