cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of animals on soil

Abstract Soil is defined here in terms of arbitrary boundaries rather than of functions of a soil body. Soil animals are defined in relation to their effects on the soil body. Animals living in the soil body and intimately related to it are indeed part of the soil. Animals living above the soil make contributions to it. Many animals are amphihabitant, that is, they live for a time in the soil and then in environments outside the soil. Exopedonic (outside the soil) and endopedonic (inside the soil) animals are considered with respect to twelve activities: mounding, mixing, forming voids, back-filling voids, forming and destroying peds, regulating soil erosion, regulating movement of water and air in soil, regulating plant litter, regulating nutrient cycling, regulating biota, and producing special constituents. Animals participate in numerous processes of soil formation and effect the usefulness of soils.
Complications of surgery for vertigo

Surgery for the treatment of vertigo carries significant risk for complications, as do all surgical procedures. Some of the risks are inherent to any mastoid surgery, including facial paralysis and hearing loss. Procedure-specific complications, such as sequelae inherent to the intracranial procedures, are rare. Proper attention to surgical technique will minimize, but cannot eliminate, the risks of surgery. The majority of patients who undergo surgery to relieve vertigo greatly benefit from the surgery and would undergo the procedure again.
Propagation of singularities for rough metrics

We use a wave packet transform and weighted norm estimates in phase space to establish propagation of singularities for solutions to time-dependent scalar hyperbolic equations that have coefficients of limited regularity. It is assumed that the second order derivatives of the principal coefficients belong to Lt1Lx∞, and that u is a solution to the homogeneous equation of global Sobolev regularity s0=0 or 1. It is then proven that the Hs0+1 wavefront set of u is a union of maximally extended null bicharacteristic curves.
Nonlinear analysis of a SWCNT over a bundle of nanotubes

The deformation of a single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) interacting with a curved bundle of nanotubes is analyzed. The SWCNT is modeled as a straight elastic inextensible beam based on small deformation. The bundle of nanotubes is assumed rigid and the interaction is due to the van der Waals forces. An analytical solution is obtained using a bilinear approximation to the van der Waals forces. The analytical results are in good agreement with the results of two numerical methods. The results indicate that the SWCNT remains near the curved bundle provided that its curvature is below a critical value. For curvatures above this critical value the SWCNT breaks contact with the curved bundle and nearly returns to its straight position. A parameter study shows that the critical curvature depends on the stiffness of the SWCNT and the absolute minimum energy associated with the van der Waals forces but it is independent of the SWCNT's length in general. An analytical estimate of the critical curvature is developed. The results of this study may be applicable to composites of nanotubes where separation phenomena are suspected to occur.
The millimeter wave spectrum of methyl cyanide and the l-type doubling☆

Abstract The millimeter wave spectrum of methyl cyanide corresponding to the transitions J = 4 → 5 to J = 11 → 12 from 90 kMc/sec to 225 kMc/sec has been studied. Transitions corresponding to the molecules in the ground vibrational state as well as in the excited states v8 = 1 and v8 = 2 are observed. The B0, DJ, and DJK obtained for the ground vibrational state are 9198.899 Mc/sec, 3.81 kc, and 176.9 kc, respectively, and for the excited state v8 = 1, 9226.444 Mc/sec, 3.9 kc, and 177.7 kc, respectively. The pattern for the excited state v8 = 1 is qualitatively as expected according to Nielsen's theory, but it has been found that the theory is inadequate to give a quantitative fit.
The talk of women friends

Abstract The talk of women friends has, for a variety of reasons, received little serious attention. We review (1) the sources of prejudice against this topic, (2) the dimensions of social context that shape women's friendships, and (3) the major differences between male friendships and female friendships. On the basis of prior research and an interview study, we propose that talk is central to close friendships between women. Our interview data reveal a broad range of conversational topics among women friends. The women we interviewed report that talk with their close friends creates a mosaic of noncritical listening, mutual support, enhancement of self-worth, relationship exclusiveness, and personal growth and self-discovery. We conclude by addressing issues pertaining to research methodology, to cross-cultural and sub-cultural differences, and to the politics of female friendship.
TRANSOESOPHAGEAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF HAEMODYNAMIC FUNCTION DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

We have measured cardiovascular changes associated with insufflation of carbon dioxide and the reverse Trendelenburg position during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, using transoesophageal echocardiography in 13 healthy patients. End-tidal carbon dioxide values increased after insufflation of carbon dioxide, with values significantly (P < 0.05) increased after lateral tilt positioning. Creation of a pneumoperitoneum was associated with increases (P < 0.05) in left ventricular end-systolic wall stress, concomitant with increases (P < 0.01) in peak airway pressure and systemic arterial pressure. In addition, left ventricular end-diastolic area decreased (P < 0.05) after reverse Trendelenburg positioning. Left ventricular ejection fraction was maintained throughout the study.
9/11 and Presidential Support in the 107th Congress

Immediately following the tragic events of 9/11, President George W. Bush's approval rating shot from 51% to 86%; a record 35-point rally effect according to the Gallup Poll. President Bush set another record on September 24th, 2001, as 90% of Americans approved of his performance. If public support is indeed an important president's legislative resource, President Bush should have been his most influential during his record rally. To get a sense for President Bush's support in Congress following 9/11, I examine how members of Congress (MCs) voted on issues in which President Bush took a position in the 107th Congress. I analyze 83 votes identified by the Congressional Quarterly to determine the effect of 9/11 on presidential support in Congress. I find that MCs’ support for President Bush did in fact increase immediately following 9/11. But the unequivocal support did not last long. Despite still high approval ratings, President Bush's congressional support returned to pre-9/11 levels in 2002. These find...
Space flight, microgravity, stress, and immune responses.

Exposure of animals and humans to space flight conditions has resulted in numerous alterations in immunological parameters. Decreases in lymphocyte blastogenesis, cytokine production, and natural killer cell activity have all been reported after space flight. Alterations in leukocyte subset distribution have also been reported after flight of humans and animals in space. The relative contribution of microgravity conditions and stress to the observed results has not been established. Antiorthostatic, hypokinetic, hypodynamic, suspension of rodents and chronic head-down tilt bed-rest of humans have been used to model effects of microgravity on immune responses. After use of these models, some effects of space flight on immune responses, such as decreases in cytokine function, were observed, but others, such as alterations in leukocyte subset distribution, were not observed. These results suggest that stresses that occur during space flight could combine with microgravity conditions in inducing the changes seen in immune responses after space flight. The biological/biomedical significance of space flight induced changes in immune parameters remains to be established. Grant Numbers: NCC2-859, NAG2-933.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of a low-fat diet in the prevention of breast and ovarian cancer.

Abstract Background Results of the Women's Health Initiative Randomized Controlled Dietary Modification Trial (WHI-DM) suggest that a low-fat diet may be associated with beneficial health outcomes for specific groups of women. Objective The objective is to assess how cost-effective the WHI-DM would be if implemented as a public health intervention and under the sponsorship of private health insurers and Medicare. Breast and ovarian cancers are the health outcomes of interest. Participants Two groups of WHI-DM participants form the target population for this analysis: participants consuming >36.8% of energy from fat at baseline, and participants at high risk for breast cancer with 32% or more of energy from fat at baseline. Methods This study uses Markov cohort modeling, following societal and health care payer perspectives, with Monte Carlo simulations and one-way sensitivity analyses. WHI-DM records, nationally representative prices, and published estimates of medical care costs were the sources of cost information. Simulations were performed for hypothetical cohorts of women aged 50, 55, 60, 65, or 70 years at the beginning of the intervention. Effectiveness was estimated by quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and the main outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results Following the societal perspective, the ICERs for the 50-year old cohort are $13,773/QALY (95% confidence interval $7,482 to $20,916) for women consuming >36.8% of energy from fat at baseline and $10,544/QALY ($2,096 to $23,673) for women at high risk for breast cancer. The comparable ICER from a private health care payer perspective is $66,059/QALY ($30,155 to $121,087) and from a Medicare perspective, it is $15,051/QALY ($6,565 to $25,105). Conclusions The WHI-DM is a cost-effective strategy for the prevention of breast and ovarian cancers in the target population, from both societal and Medicare perspectives. Private health care payers have a relative short timeframe to realize a return on investment, since after age 65 years the financial benefits associated with the prevention program would accrue to Medicare. For this reason, the intervention is not cost-effective from a private health care payer perspective.
Brain Abnormalities in HIV and Stimulant Users: Interventions and Prevention.

Abstract The session, “HIV and other Infectious Diseases,” was chaired by Dr. Jacques Normand, Director of the AIDS Research Program of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. The two presenters (and their presentation topics) were: Dr. Linda Chang (“Neural Correlates of Cognitive Deficits and Training Effects on Brain Function in HIV-infected Individuals”) and Dr. Steven Shoptaw (“HIV Prevention in Substance Users”).
Inhomogeneity-induced anomalous critical fields in metastable three-dimensional alloys.

With low current densities (\ensuremath{\sim}2 A /${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$), measurements of upper critical fields ${H}_{c2}$(T) in amorphous thorium-based alloys exhibit narrow transitions (\ensuremath{\lesssim}3 kG). The shape of ${H}_{c2}$(T) deviates significantly above from the Maki curve (theoretical limit) and resembles those observed in some three-dimensional amorphous thin films. Increase in the current density by an order of magnitude, however, reveals increasingly broadened transitions (up to \ensuremath{\sim}10 kG) and an additional transition but only at lower temperatures. Similar deviations, but to a lesser degree, are also observed in the coexistence region of the \ensuremath{\alpha} and \ensuremath{\beta} phases in Hf and Zr alloys. Our results are explained in terms of inhomogeneous regions in metastable alloys. The present findings have important implications on the interpretation of superconducting properties in thin films.
Experimental evidence for two-step nucleation in colloidal crystallization.

We investigated the freezing of colloidal spheres in two dimensions with single-particle resolution. Using micron-size, charge-stabilized polystyrene spheres with a temperature-dependent depletion attraction induced by surfactant micelles, we supercooled an initially amorphous (gaslike) system. Particle motions were monitored as crystallization proceeded. At low concentrations, freezing occurred in a single step in a manner consistent with classical nucleation theory. In other samples two-step nucleation was found, in which amorphous clusters grew to $\ensuremath{\approx}30$ particles, then rapidly crystallized. Measured free energies show the role of metastable gas-liquid coexistence, which also enhanced the rate of nucleation following deeper quenches.
Protection from Streptococcus pneumoniae keratitis by passive immunization with pneumolysin antiserum.

Pneumolysin (PLY) is a pore-forming, toxin produced by Streptococcus pneumoniae a common cause of bacterial keratitis, conjunctivitis, and endophthalmitis.1–3 This toxin causes both direct cellular damage by forming pores in host cell membranes and immune-derived damage by activating complement and inducing inflammation. It has also been found that PLY reduces the opsonic activity for S. pneumoniae, which could allow for more bacterial replication and more toxin release from the bacteria.4,5 The inflammation induced by PLY in pneumococcal keratitis is a significant problem because the dense infiltration of leukocytes can result in corneal opacity and loss of vision. Prior studies have been undertaken to investigate the effects that purified recombinant PLY has on rabbit corneal tissue.6–8 The reduced ability of PLY-negative mutant strains of S. pneumoniae to cause corneal tissue damage and extensive polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) recruitment when compared with wild-type strains confirms that PLY plays a major role in the pathogenicity of pneumococcal keratitis.9 Several factors have been identified as to why PLY is such a destructive virulence factor in ocular infections. Leukocyte-deficient rabbits showed significantly less corneal epithelial damage when challenged with wild-type pneumococcal bacteria, further suggesting that the recruitment of leukocytes and other immune cells is responsible for corneal opacity.6 Findings also show that even at concentrations too low to cause lysis, PLY retains chemotactic activity while reducing PMN viability.10,11 Antibiotics, if effective, can kill the bacteria present, but cannot eliminate the PLY that has already been produced. Pneumococcal pneumonia has primarily been the focus of immunization strategies against S. pneumoniae. Although antibody to the capsule has been the main focus of vaccine development, several studies have been devoted to developing antibodies to PLY to elicit protection against this well-known virulence factor of S. pneumoniae.12–14 Anti-PLY antibodies have been predominantly used to help protect against nonocular pneumococcal infections, more commonly pneumonia.12,13 Despite the information from studies using PLY as an immunogenic substance to protect against a wide range of pneumococcal infections, no attention has been given to immunization with PLY to prevent or treat pneumococcal keratitis. Adjunct therapies to neutralize the toxic and inflammatory effects of PLY would be beneficial in treating S. pneumoniae ocular infections. In this study, we focused on the role that passively administered antiserum to PLY plays in reducing corneal epithelial tissue damage and massive recruitment of specific host immune defenses that are characteristic of pneumococcal keratitis.
Polymer Films Possessing Nanoreinforcements via Organically Modified Layered Silicate

UV-curable polymer films were prepared containing a commercially available, organically modified montmorillonite (MMT). It is believed that nanoclay-containing UV-curable polymers can find wide ranging applications in future microelectronic materials. Polymer films containing the commercially available MMT clay (Nanomer) exhibited enhancements in properties. The polymer films were studied with various microanalytical techniques including XRD, TEM, and SEM to determine their micromorphology. Physical properties and curing kinetics were examined using FTIR and thermal analysis. It was found that the incorporation of clay reduced cure time. Tensile modulus, strength, and glass transition temperature all increased with clay content. Dimensional stability improved with addition of clay. Adhesion between the UV-curable film and polysulfone substrate also dramatically improved. The presence of commercially modified MMT clay, however, rendered the polymers more susceptible to thermal degradation.
Cardiovascular Risks of Hormonal Contraceptives

In 2012, new information about arterial thrombosis (thrombotic stroke and myocardial infarction) and venous thromboembolism in users of hormonal contraceptives was published. A Danish study representing the experience of more than 1.6 million women reported only small, and statistically indistinguishable, differences in the relative risks of thrombotic stroke and acute myocardial infarction between current users of combined estrogen/progestin oral hormonal contraceptives containing different progestins and low (30–40 microgram) or very low (20–40 micrograms) doses of ethinyl estradiol. A United States study also found no differences in the risks of arterial thrombosis between users of low estrogen dose oral contraceptives containing levonorgestrel, norethrindrone, or norgestimate and formulations that deliver hormones transdermally or vaginally. The United States study provided further evidence about the risk of venous thromboembolism in users drosperinone-containing oral contraceptives and the norelgestromin—containing transdermal patch compared with other low estrogen hormonal contraceptives, although the aggregate of data remains inconclusive.
Benthic infauna and maintenance dredging: A case study

Abstract Monitoring studies of a small maintenance dredging operation in Coos Bay, Oregon, showed that significant decreases of benthic infaunal abundance immediately after dredging extended at least 100 m from the site of actual dredging. The infauna re-adjusted to pre-dredging conditions within 28 days in the dredged area and within 14 days in the adjacent areas. At the spoil site a similar decrease was followed by a 2-week recovery period. The authors suggest that an area subjected to maintenance dredging is also subjected to frequent disturbances from ship movements and other harbor activities and that the infauna is well adapted to this. Thus, maintenance dredging is a relatively normal event and should not be expected to have catastrophic effects.
A human neoplasm with a unique chromosome constitution

Abstract Cytogenetic analyses were performed on nine multiple body fluid biopsies (1 untreated sample, 8 treated samples) from a patient with a poorly differentiated neoplasm. The presence of a highly abnormal karyotypic pattern was consistent from all nine samples. The extensively rearranged karyotype contained two large marker chromosomes among 70–80 smaller chromosomes (including centric and acentric fragments). The chromosome constitution was not a result of chemotherapy.
Shear-thickening in aqueous surfactant-associative thickener mixtures

Associative thickeners represent an important class of rheology modifiers used in waterborne coatings. Understanding molecular level interactions between associative thickeners and surfactants has been the subject of a number of prior studies. Our recent studies focused on the behavior of a hydrophobically modified, aminoplast ether (HEAT) associative thickener and a highly hydrophobic ethoxylated octylphenol surfactant in aqueous solution. Aqueous blends of these two materials exhibit shear-thinning, as well as rarely reported, transient, shear-induced thickening behavior. In addition, the same compositions exhibit both thixotropy and antithixotropy. The shear-induced thickening is shown to be the result of transient aggregated structures formed under shear. Addition of a third component, β-cyclodextrin—a molecule known to disrupt hydrophobic associations—to the mixture helped us advance the understanding of the nature of associative thickener–surfactant interactions that cause the transient shear-thickening behavior. Results indicate that, while overall viscosity of the HEAT/surfactant mixtures is decreased by β-cyclodextrin, the shear-induced thickening is unaffected. An intermolecular interaction model to describe the transient thickening mechanism is presented.
Asymptotic Expansions of Transition Densities for Hybrid Jump-diffusions

A class of hybrid jump diffusions modulated by a Markov chain is considered in this work. The motivation stems from insurance risk models, and emerging applications in production planning and wireless communications. The models are hybrid in that they involve both continuous dynamics and discrete events. Under suitable conditions, asymptotic expansions of the transition densities for the underlying processes are developed. The formal expansions are validated and the error bounds obtained.
Analysis of blood and urine samples from Macaca mulata for pyronaridine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Abstract We describe a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection for quantifying pyronaridine in rhesus monkey (Macaca mulata) blood and urine samples. The detection limit is 20 ng/ml at a signal-to-noise ratio of 4 in 0.5-ml samples of blood or urine. Blood analysis includes a liquid-liquid extraction and a subsequent solid-phase extraction that removes an interferent present in blood. For urine, a back-extraction is substituted for the solid-phase extraction step. The method uses an analogue of amodiaquine as internal standard, a 10-μm rigid macroporous styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer column and a mobile phase of 1% (v/v) triethylamin in methanol-water (34:66, v/v). The method was applied to samples of blood and urine from a monkey after a single intramuscular dose of pyronaridine tetraphosphate ( 160 mg as base ).
The Buddhist Refusal of Theism

Early Buddhism was not interested in questions about existence and the nature of God, considering these unimportant in relation to the question of the release from earthly suffering which is at the heart of Buddhist soteriology. Later Buddhist thought considered theism incompatible with Buddhist doctrine, but at the same time Buddhism developed a dimension of devotion that resembled theistic faith. Conscious of their different religious heritage, Buddhist thinkers in more recent times have nevertheless embraced dialogue with monotheistic religions, emphasizing their common ethical preoccupations, while retaining the non-theistic viewpoint of traditional Buddhism.
Crack tip shielding by asperity contact as determined by acoustic measurements

Abstract Asperity contact along the fracture surface of a crack is one of the mechanisms of crack closure. This contact shields the crack tip, in part, from the externally applied driving force. We have now succeeded in using information from acoustic transmission and diffraction experiments, obtained under plane strain conditions, to determine the size and density of the contacting asperities in the closure region. We have also succeeded in estimating values for the static stress across a partially closed crack as well as the stress intensity factor,KI (local), which shields the crack tip below the stress intensity factor KIclosure at which the first contact during unloading occurs. It is suggested that when crack closure has an important influence on crack propagation, the shielding stress intensity factor provides information that can be used to estimate the fatigue crack propagation rate.
Adolf Stoecker: Anti-Semite with a Christian mission

All histories of German anti-Semitism stand in the shadow of an unavoidable telos: Hitler and the Nazi Holocaust. One cannot treat individual leaders of the German anti-Semitic movement without considering their influence (or lack thereof) on the Nazi movement. Historians study nineteenth-century German anti-Semitism with an eye to its similarities to and differences from the anti Semitism of the Third Reich. Historians of anti-Semitism thus treat the German anti-Semitic movement as developmental: the German anti-Semitic movement is said to have evolved from cultural or Christian Judeophobia to cultural anti Semitism and finally to racial, "v?lkisch" anti-Semitism. Since the church leader and politician, Adolf Stoecker, repeatedly denounced racial anti-Semites and always preached anti-Semitism in the context of a more general call for the revival of German Christianity, historians have generally considered Stoecker's anti-Semitism to have been non-racist and relatively benign.
Genetics of α-amylase in Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Abstract Crossing experiments with geographic strains of Sitophilus oryzae (L.) that differ in α-amylase isozyme composition were used to determine the gene system for coding these enzymes in this species. Savannah strain is monomorphic and has two isozymes designated RW-1 and RW-2. Japan and Tanzania-90 strains are also monomorphic but both lack RW-1. All F1 progeny of reciprocal crosses of Savannah with either Japan or Tanzania-90 have both isozymes. Two phenotypes were found in F2 progeny from mass F1 self crosses. Depending on the cross, there is a 3:1 ratio of Savannah phenotype (RW-1 + RW-2) to either the Japan or Tanzania-90 phenotype (RW-2). Overall results suggest that two structural genes control synthesis of the two amylase isozymes in this weevil. The gene RW-2 (hereafter referred to as Amy-2) is found in all three strains whereas the gene RW-1 (hereafter referred to as Amy-1) has an active allele (Amy-1A) expressed in Savannah and a null allel (Amy-10) in Japan and Tanzania-90.
Latissimus dorsi muscle transfer for restoration of elbow flexion after brachial plexus disruption

Five patients between 10 and 46 years old were reviewed after a latissimus dorsi muscle transfer to restore elbow flexion. Loss of elbow flexion resulted from traumatic brachial plexus paralysis in all five patients. All had some weakness in other muscle groups in the upper extremity. The follow-up period was from 25 to 68 months (average = 39.4 months). A range of motion of 0Â°/ 115Â°, 10Â°/100Â°, 0Â°/110Â°, 0Â°/65Â°, and 0Â°/70Â° was obtained. After the transfer, three patients could supinate the forearm, and supination of 90Â°, 15Â°, and 10Â° was measured. Two patients could lift 4 lb, while two others could lift 1 and 1.5 lb, respectively. Evaluation of activities of daily living by a standardized test revealed disappointing results. The two patients with
Determination of total organic emissions from hazardous waste combustors.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency risk assessment guidance currently under development for evaluation of permitting information from hazardous waste combustors requires a quantity referred to as “total organic carbon”. The risk guidance does not define this term precisely, nor does it explain how it should be determined. This paper discusses basic principles of sampling and analysis of stack emissions for “total organics”, best currently available technology, and the status of two ongoing projects designed to provide guidance and to improve analysis procedures. Determination of total organics from stack emissions is much more complicated than might be expected, and more published guidance is badly needed. The best scheme available for analysis of stack emissions for total organics to be used in material balance style “bookkeeping” includes determination of organics content in three boiling point ranges: 300 °C. Total organic carbon is not a useful quantity, since it includ...
Black Women Writers and the Trouble with Ethos: Harriet Jacobs, Billie Holiday, and Sister Souljah

The assumption that black women lack a positive and respectable ethos is a historical and contemporary problem. To address the problem with ethos, I turn to Aristotle's Rhetoric to foreground an analysis of ethos. Then I examine Harriet Jacobs's slave narrative and the autobiography of Billie Holiday and Sister Souljah, respectively, to illustrate the difficulty they faced as they attempted to redefine an ethos of immorality to an ethos of respectability in their narratives. As each text demonstrates, acquiring a positive ethos becomes problematic given that a classical model such as Aristotle's excludes their lived realities and experiences as black women living in a slave and post-slavery society.
An experimental expert system for genetics

Abstract An experimental knowledge-based expert system for genetics, called GENETICS-I, has been developed. The system works on a simple genetic model in which only one phenotype character trait is considered. The phenotype is determined by a gene-pair, each gene havirfg a value of 0 or 1 (two alleles). A global data structure for the entire family is represented by a complete binary tree with the siblings for each tree node kept as a linked list using pointers. A local data structure is defined for each person in the family tree representing the phenotypes and genotypes for the individual and the parents. A knowledge base is established as a collection of production rules, such as “one of the two genes of each individual comes from the mother, the other from the father”. These rules are repeatedly applied on the database defined above to deduce new information. Although GENETICS-I is a simple model, it includes basic concepts for possible structures of the database, knowledge base, and inference mechanisms for more general genetic systems. Several possible extensions of the model are discussed.
SU‐E‐T‐137: Evaluating How the Sample‐Volume Dependence of Well‐Type Chambers Affects the Current Clinical Determination of Y‐90 Microsphere Activity

Purpose: To evaluate how the sample‐volume dependence of well‐type chambers affects the current clinical determination of Y‐90 microsphere activity.Methods: A Y‐90 standard activity solution from the NIST SRM program was used for all measurements.Ionization current measurements were made in a Standard Imaging IVB1000 well chamber and a Capintec 12‐atm dose calibrator with Sirtex Medical's glass shipping vial and plastic v‐vial for volume levels from 1mL to 5mL in 1mL increments. A calibration coefficient was calculated for each volume level and the percent difference from the 5mL calibration coefficient was calculated. To evaluate how the differences in calibration coefficients between the volume levels affect the delivered activity, a theoretical prescription level of 2.4GBq was assumed. Using the appropriate calibration coefficients and the source measurement methods suggested by Sirtex Medical, the actual activity that would be delivered and percent difference from 2.4GBq were calculated.Results: The largest variation in calibration coefficient for each chamber and vialconfiguration was between the 5mL and 1mL volume levels. The largest difference of 45% was seen in the IVB1000 well chamber with the shipping vial and the smallest difference of 1.3% was seen in the 12‐atm dose calibrator with the v‐vial. These differences translated into 11.3% and 0.3% differences, respectively, from the theoretical 2.4GBq prescription. A 2.6% difference from the 2.4GBq prescription was found for the Capintec 12‐atm with the shipping vial held in the dipper holder, which represents the current clinical measurement geometry Conclusions: Based on the results, the IVB1000 would not be recommended for the current activity determination methods as proposed by Sirtex Medical for microspheres. The 2.6% difference determined for the currently used measurement geometry may be resolved with calibration and measurement with the v‐vial.
Signaling in Channel/Enzyme Multimers: ATPase Transitions in SUR Module Gate ATP-Sensitive K+ Conductance

Abstract ATP-sensitive potassium (K ATP ) channels are bifunctional multimers assembled by an ion conductor and a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) ATPase. Sensitive to ATP/ADP, K ATP channels are vital metabolic sensors. However, channel regulation by competitive ATP/ADP binding would require oscillations in intracellular nucleotides incompatible with cell survival. We found that channel behavior is determined by the ATPase-driven engagement of SUR into discrete conformations. Capture of the SUR catalytic cycle in prehydrolytic states facilitated pore closure, while recruitment of posthydrolytic intermediates translated in pore opening. In the cell, channel openers stabilized posthydrolytic states promoting K ATP channel activation. Nucleotide exchange between intrinsic ATPase and ATP/ADP-scavenging systems defined the lifetimes of specific SUR conformations gating K ATP channels. Signal transduction through the catalytic module provides a paradigm for channel/enzyme operation and integrates membrane excitability with metabolic cascades.
Magnetoelastic interaction in magnetostrictive spring-magnet multilayers

Local re-orientation of magnetization and stress which occurs during changes of global magnetization in magnetostrictive multilayers is quite complicated. However, if the local magnetic state is known and if the multilayer is deposited on a typical substrate, the local stresses can be calculated. A general method for stress calculations is given and is illustrated for spring-magnet-type multilayers whose layers exhibit no magnetocrystalline anisotropy or are amorphous. When the substrate is isotropic, the stored elastic energy is the same for all magnetic domains. Consideration of other energies such as magnetoelastic, potential magnetic energy, and domain wall energy indicates that the domain structure must depend on entropy. As the applied magnetic field is varied, a variation in the local magnetoelastic anisotropy occurs for each region in the material.
Geochemical impact of aquifer storage and recovery operation on fate and transport of sediment phosphorus in a large shallow lake

In response to the impact of climate change, the US Army Corps of Engineers proposed a large-scale implementation plan for an aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project in the Kissimmee River Basin, Florida, in 2009. It is envisaged that the routine operation of the ASR will deliver recovered water from ASR wells into Lake Okeechobee with inherently different water quality parameters. However, the addition of ASR well water into such a large, shallow lake has raised concerns about sediment phosphorus stability, which could lead to increased eutrophication in Lake Okeechobee. This paper presents a geochemical assessment to explore possible impacts of the addition of ASR well water on lake sediment in terms of phosphorus adsorption, desorption, and diffusion processes via laboratory-scale batch and column tests. Based on five different mixing ratios of ASR well water and lake water, estimated isotherms, and piston velocity calculations, a mechanistic modeling analysis provided a better understanding of the fate of sediment phosphorus and its transport processes. A final multicriteria decision analysis suggests that the mixing ratio of 1:10 between ASR well water and lake water is deemed more applicable than others based on the given composition of ASR well water, which might buffer more external phosphorus loading in the long run.
STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF MATHEMATICAL PROGRAMMING MODELS OF STOCHASTIC NETWORK EQUILIBRIUM

. Boyce et al. (1981, 1983) have proposed and implementd the use of observed entropy levels to estimate the travel-cost coefficient in mathematical programming models of network equilibrium which involve logit route-choice probabilities. This so-called “dispersion-constrained” model is shown to give severely biased and statistically inefficient underestimates. A natural counterpart, the entropy-maximizing model, is proposed here and overestimates the travel-cost coefficient with much lower bias and much higher statistical efficiency. Even though the two models are mathematically homeomorphic in some respects, they have vastly different statistical properties. It follows that the use of observed entropy levels is undesirable and should be avoided, since maximizing entropy provides an unambiguously superior alternative.
No Win ... Facing the Ethical Perils of Welfare Reform

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996, or “welfare reform,” is highly controversial public policy. In every state the ‘devolution’ of federal entitlements has created intense debate and new legislation, either presaging the national changes or in response to them. In addition to being a source of deep political conflict, welfare reform has also created immediate and continuing dilemmas for the people who try to work within the new rules and for those struggling to change them. The author reviews the context for understanding welfare reform as an ethical problem for the whole society, and uses examples drawn from her work as a teacher and welfare rights activist to illustrate the day-to-day problems that welfare reform forces upon women who use the system and workers whose job it is to help them. Finally, possibilities for responding at different levels are presented.
Pectin supplemented Enteral feedings in the treatment of short bowel syndrome in two infants

Abstract Nutrition management following small bowel resection in neonates often involves prolonged periods of parenteral nutrition (PN) support with slow advancement of enteral feedings requiring a semi-elemental formula. While these formulas nurture the enterocytes of the proximal intestine, they provide little stimulation to the cells of the distal ileum and colon necessary to prevent malabsorption. The beneficial effects of short chained fatty acids (SCFA) on intestinal morphology and function in animals suggests potential for use of fermentable fiber in treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS) in humans. We added 1–3% Certo g liquid fruit pectin to the semi-elemental feeding of two former premature infants who had difficulty establishing enteral feeding tolerance following small bowel resection. Changes in absorption were directly measured by stool reducing substances and fecal fat content. Feeding tolerance, stool frequency, anthropometrics and serum electrolytes were also monitored. In the first patient we observed improvement in stool reducing substances from 3% to 0%, fecal fat loss from 21% to 10%, and resolution of metabolic acidosis within two weeks of adding pectin to the enteral formula. Feeding tolerance improved in both patients allowing for more rapid advancement of enteral support than previously attained and subsequent weaning of PN. Both patients maintained age appropriate growth velocity during this transitional phase. No deleterious effects associated with fiber supplementation such as tube occlusion, gastrointestinal obstruction or altered mineral absorption were observed. In summary, we found pectin supplementation to be safe and potentially beneficial in the enteral support of these two selected neonates with SBS.
An embedded wireless system for remote monitoring of bridges

This paper describes an autonomous embedded system for remote monitoring of bridges. Salient features of the system include ultra-low power consumption, wireless communication of data and alerts, and incorporation of embedded sensors that monitor various indicators of the structural health of a bridge, while capturing the state of its surrounding environment. Examples include water level, temperature, vibration, and acoustic emissions. Ease of installation, physical robustness, remote maintenance and calibration, and autonomous data communication make the device a self-contained solution for remote monitoring of structural health. The system addresses shortcomings present in centralized structural health monitoring systems, particularly their reliance on a laptop or handheld computer. The system has been field-tested to verify the accuracy of the collected data and dependability of communication. The sheer volume of data collected, and the regularity of its collection can enable accurate and precise assessment of the health of a bridge, guiding maintenance efforts and providing early warning of potentially dangerous events. In this paper, we present a detailed breakdown of the system's power requirements and the results of the initial field test.
Tissue Tropism of Avian Leukosis Viruses: Analyses for Viral DNA and Proteins

Analyses of six tissues from Rous-associated virus type 1-infected chickens have revealed a number of tissue-specific differences in virus synthesis and distribution. Chicks were infected at 1 day of age. Tissue (bursa, thymus, liver, kidney, muscle, and brain) were harvested 1 month later. Each of the tissues contained an average of 1.8 to 4 copies of viral DNA per cell. Most of this DNA was integrated. In brain, about one-third of the total viral DNA was in an unintegrated, linear form. Bursa, thymus, liver, and kidney expressed both Gag and Env proteins. In contrast, muscle expressed more Gag than Env, and brain expressed neither Gag nor Env. Tissues that were producing both Gag and Env contained higher levels of mature virus particles than tissues that were not producing both of these proteins.
Arrangements of kinetochores in mouse cells during meiosis and spermiogenesis

Antibodies from the serum of patients with the autoimmune disease scleroderma CREST were used to investigate the association and distribution of kinetochores in mouse cells during meiosis and spermiogenesis. The pattern of indirect immunofluorescent staining in pachytene nuclei indicated that each autosomal bivalent contains one fluorescent spot. Throughout pachytene, the kinetochores were arranged non-randomly into several clusters and distributed around the periphery of the nucleus. In subsequent stages of meiotic prophase I, distribution was random and the number of fluorescent spots increased from 21 to 40 corresponding to the diploid chromosome number and the number of halfbivalents oriented to the spindle poles at the metaphase I. Twenty pairs of kinetochores were observed at metaphase II. During spermiogenesis, the number of kinetochores correlated with the haploid chromosome number in early spermatids but tandem association of centromeres and clustering into a conspicuous chromocenter corresponded to a significant reduction in the number of fluorescent foci in mid-spermatid nuclei. The number of stained sites per nucleus continued to decrease during sperm maturation and total absence of staining was apparent in mature spermatozoa. Immunoblotting of proteins extracted from mature sperm however, indicated that a kinetochore antigen of Mr 80,000 was still present. Therefore, the absence of kinetochore staining in mature spermatozoa is probably due to the blockage of epitopes during chromatin condensation.
Targeting the Large Subunit of Human Ribonucleotide Reductase for Cancer Chemotherapy.

Ribonucleotide reductase (RR) is a crucial enzyme in de novo DNA synthesis, where it catalyses the rate determining step of dNTP synthesis. RRs consist of a large subunit called RR1 (α), that contains two allosteric sites and one catalytic site, and a small subunit called RR2 (β), which houses a tyrosyl free radical essential for initiating catalysis. The active form of mammalian RR is an αnβm hetero oligomer. RR inhibitors are cytotoxic to proliferating cancer cells. In this brief review we will discuss the three classes of RR, the catalytic mechanism of RR, the regulation of the dNTP pool, the substrate selection, the allosteric activation, inactivation by ATP and dATP, and the nucleoside drugs that target RR. We will also discuss possible strategies for developing a new class of drugs that disrupts the RR assembly.
Reduction of organ motion by combined cardiac gating and respiratory gating.

Purpose: To investigate whether the effect of organ motion can be further reduced with the application of a cardiac gating technique, together with respiratory gating. Methods and Materials: Axial and coronal images through the heart and liver were continuously scanned with fast cine magnetic resonance imaging scans at three different gating settings: (1) without respiratory and cardiac gating; (2) with respiratory gating, but without cardiac gating; and (3) with both respiratory and cardiac gating. The effect of motion for either the heart or liver was analyzed with probability maps. Results: With the application of respiratory gating only, the marginal region on the probability map was reduced by 10.0% in the axial slice and 19.8% in the coronal slice for the heart. It was reduced by 5.2% in the axial slice and 20.8% in the coronal slice for the liver. With the application of cardiac gating together with respiratory gating, the marginal region on the probability map was reduced further. The reduction was 8.0% in the axial slice and 13.6% in the coronal slice for the heart and 5.9% in the axial slice and 7.0% in the coronal slice for the liver. Conclusion: The effect of organ motion can be further reduced with the application of cardiac gating together with respiratory gating. The potential application to treatment planning merits further investigation.
Hypercalcaemia in adolescent tetraplegic patients: case report and review

The paper presents the case history of a 15-year-old boy with traumatic tetraplegia who developed hypercalcaemia within 6 weeks of injury. The condition was initially controlled by the infusion of intravenous fluids in large amounts and by the administration of calcitonin. After 3 weeks, calcitonin became ineffective. Eventually the hypercalcaemia responded to cortisone administered in low dosage. The endocrinologic implications of this observation are discussed.
Arsenicals in maternal and fetal mouse tissues after gestational exposure to arsenite

Exposure of pregnant C3H/HeNCR mice to 42.5- or 85-ppm of arsenic as sodium arsenite in drinking water between days 8 and 18 of gestation markedly increases tumor incidence in their offspring. In the work reported here, distribution of inorganic arsenic and its metabolites, methyl arsenic and dimethyl arsenic, were determined in maternal and fetal tissues collected on gestational day 18 of these exposure regimens. Tissues were collected from three females and from associated fetuses exposed to each dosage level. Concentrations of total speciated arsenic (sum of inorganic, methyl, and dimethyl arsenic) were higher in maternal tissues than in placenta and fetal tissues; total speciated arsenic concentration in placenta exceeded those in fetal tissues. Significant dosage-dependent (42.5 ppm versus 85 ppm of arsenite in drinking water) differences were found in total speciated arsenic concentrations in maternal lung (p < 0.01) and liver (p < 0.001). Total speciated arsenic concentrations did not differ significantly between dosage levels for maternal blood or for fetal lung, liver, and blood, or for placenta. Percentages of inorganic, methyl, or dimethyl arsenic in maternal or fetal tissues were not dosage-dependent. Over the range of total speciated arsenic concentrations in most maternal and fetal tissues, dimethyl arsenic was the most abundant arsenical. However, in maternal liver at the highest total speciated arsenic concentration, inorganic arsenic was the most abundant arsenical, suggesting that a high tissue burden of arsenic affected formation or retention of methylated species in this organ. Tissue concentration-dependent processes could affect kinetics of transfer of inorganic arsenic or its metabolites from mother to fetus.