cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Innovative application of directional boring procedures for replacing failed inductive loop detectors

Abstract Actuated traffic signal controllers typically depend on inductive loop detectors to determine demand for a particular signal phase. The basic philosophy of these controllers is to only provide a green indication to a particular lane group when there is a vehicle waiting. If an inductive loop detector fails, it must be put in recall mode so that the lane group with the corresponding failed detector is serviced every cycle. When actuated controllers operate in this mode, the performance of the signalized intersection degenerates. Since the vast majority of actuated intersections operate with inductive loop detectors it is useful to have maintenance procedures that can be used to replace loop detectors that have failed due to pavement distress. This paper describes a procedure that has been developed using directional boring equipment to install a micro loop below the surface of the pavement where it is not subject to pavement distress. The authors believe this procedure will provide a cost effective method of restoring actuated control on approaches or lanes groups where the pavement condition makes it unfeasible to install or re-install a traditional saw cut loop detector.
The inflammatory response of the cockroach Leucophaea maderae to injections of normal and abnormal tissues

Abstract In order to test for the existence of an infectious factor in insect tumorlike lesions, groups of the Madeira cockroach, Leucophaea maderae , were injected intraspecifically with a variety of extracts prepared from animals harboring tumorlike lesions. Such lesions were subsequently found in the injected roaches but not at incidences significantly higher than in control groups. However, lesions classed as “pigmented masses” did occur in large numbers in some of the injected groups at statistically significant incidences. Since these lesions also occurred at a similar incidence in roaches injected with an extract prepared from normal roaches, and since they were essentially encapsulation reactions, there was no evidence to support the existence of an infectious factor. It appears that the lesions resulted simply from the hemocytic encapsulation of proteinaceous particles from the donor tissue, the incidence being related to the quantity of tissue material injected.
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Is a Common Echocardiographic Abnormality in Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Reverses With Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Study objectives To determine cardiac structural abnormalities by echocardiography in subjects with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and to determine the long-term effects of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on such abnormalities. Design Polysomnography was conducted on oximetry-screened patients who showed a desaturation index > 40/h and ≥ 20% cumulative time spent below 90%. From these, 25 patients with severe OSA but without daytime hypoxemia underwent echocardiography prior to, then 1 month and 6 months following initiation of CPAP treatment. Setting Outpatient sleep disorders center. Results Of the 25 patients, 13 patients (52%) had hypertension by history or on physical examination. Baseline echocardiograms showed that severe OSA was associated with numerous cardiovascular abnormalities, including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) [88%], left atrial enlargement (LAE) [64%], right atrial enlargement (RAE) [48%], and right ventricular hypertrophy (16%). In all patients (intent to treat) as well as those patients compliant with CPAP therapy (84% > 3 h nightly), there was a significant reduction in LVH after 6 months of CPAP therapy as measured by interventricular septal distance (baseline diastolic mean, 13.0 mm; 6-month mean after CPAP, 12.3 mm; p Conclusions LVH was present in high frequency in subjects with severe OSA and regressed after 6 months of nasal CPAP therapy.
A High-Flux Solar Furnace for Undergraduate Engineering Education and High-Temperature Thermochemistry Research

The optical design and engineering features of a 10 kW solar furnace now operational at Valparaiso University are described. The solar furnace is anticipated to achieve a mean concentration ratio of 3000 suns over a 6 cm diameter focus. It will support high-temperature solar chemistry research and undergraduate engineering pedagogy. Many of the components of the solar furnace were designed and constructed by undergraduate engineering students. Some of these students cite their participation in the solar furnace project as the motivating factor for continuing to work in the area of energy science in industry or graduate school.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Epidermal growth factor inhibits radioiodine uptake but stimulates deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in newborn rat thyroids grown in nude mice.

We have studied the effect of altering the level of circulating epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the function and growth of newborn rat thyroids transplanted into nude mice. Preliminary studies confirmed that sialoadenectomy reduced circulating EGF levels in nude mice (from 0.17 ± 0.02 to 0.09 ± 0.02 ng/ml), and that ip injection of 5 μg EGF raised EGF levels (the peak level of 91.7 ± 3.3 μg/ml was achieved at 30 min, with a subsequent half-life of about 1 h). The radioiodine uptake by newborn rat thyroid transplants in the sialoadenectomized and sham-operated animals correlated inversely with the circulating EGF levels determined when the mice were killed (r = –0.99). Low-dose TSH treatment (0.1 μU/day) generally stimulated the radioiodine uptake, but high-dose TSH groups (100 μU/day) were not significantly different from the control group. The 5- day nuclear [3H]thymidine labeling index was 6.8 ± 0.5% in newborn rat thyroid transplants grown in sialoadenectomized animals, 13.1 ± 0.3% in sham-operated an...
Effect of mobile phase anionic additives on selectivity, efficiency, and sample loading capacity of cationic drugs in reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

Abstract In the present work, we study the effect of mobile phase anionic additive type and concentration on the selectivity, efficiency, and sample loading capacity of cationic drugs in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The type and concentration of an anionic additive are known to have a strong effect on the absolute retention of cations in RPLC; in contrast they have only a small effect on the selectivity of one cation relative to a second as seen here. This is mainly due to the similarity of the ion pair formation constants between the selected cations. The limiting retention factors of cations (i.e. the retention factor of the fully ion-paired analyte at very high additive concentration) are roughly proportional to their inherent hydrophobicities (i.e. the retention factor of the analyte in the absence of the anionic additive). With a given anion, differences in ion pairing strength between the solutes are required for effective selectivity adjustment. Based on the Wade–Lucy–Carr (W–L–C) kinetic model of overload peaks, the approach we developed in our previous work was used to study the effect of mobile phase anionic additives type and concentration on the limiting plate count ( N 0 ) and sample loading capacity ( ω 0.5 ) of various cationic drugs. Under linear chromatographic conditions, where the analyte exhibits its smallest peak width and thus maximum apparent plate count, the type and concentration of anionic additives have almost no effect on peak width. In comparison to neutral analytes the sorption isotherms of cationic species are very easily overloaded even when many fewer moles of cations as compared to neutrals are injected. We showed that different anionic additives profoundly affect the cations’ “overload profiles” (i.e. plots of plate count versus amount injected) by changing the sample loading capacities. The increase in sample loading capacities with different anions show the same order as the extent of ion pairing between the anions and the basic analytes. The detrimental effect of sample overloading on peak width can be greatly diminished by using either a stronger ion pairing agent or a higher concentration of a given ion pairing agent. Both effects operate by increasing the sample loading capacity, thereby allowing more solute to be injected. We believe that the increase in sample loading capacity described above is due in part to the increase in the number of ion-exchange sites as more anions sorb to the stationary phase. At the same time, the formation of a neutral ion-paired analyte also increases the amount of cation which can be loaded onto the stationary phase by allowing a greater fraction of the analyte to be present in the stationary phase as an electrically neutral (i.e. ion-paired) species.
The international traffic in pesticides

Abstract The general problem of environmental equity is examined in terms of the flow of pesticides from the developed countries (DCs) to the less developed countries (LDCs). Five facets of the problem are examined. The nature and scope of the international pesticide flow is first examined. Political-economic forces characterizing relations between (and within) DCs and LDCs that have increased the pesticide flow to the LDCs are discussed. The extent to which this stream has contributed to health, environmental, and other risks in LDCs is discussed. Major policies that have been proposed and enacted as solutions to the problem are critically reviewed. The article concludes with the argument that the adoption of sustainable techniques of pest control is the best means for dealing with the problem.
Utility of Interseeded Winter Cereal Rye in Organic Soybean Production Systems

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] growers using organic production systems have predominately been limited to mechanical cultivation for weed control. Interseeded cover crops such as winter cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) have been used in conventional soybean production systems in conjunction with herbicides to reduce tillage and cultivation operations. The objective of this study was to determine if high soybean planting populations in drill-planted (19-cm row) systems or a single mechanical cultivation in row-planted (76-cm row) systems could facilitate the use of interseeded rye in organic soybean production systems. Interseeded winter cereal rye decreased soybean grain yield in 2 of 3 yr in the drill-planted system by 22 and 17%, respectively, and in all 3 yr of the row-planted system by 23, 27, and 23%, respectively. Moisture stress from the interseeded rye was a predominate factor in soybean grain yield reduction. In 2000, the soybean planting population was inversely correlated with late-season biomass of interseeded rye. However, during the drier years of 2001 and 2002, increasing soybean planting density did not significantly reduce late-season biomass of interseeded rye. The interseeded rye reduced late-season weed biomass in both the drill-planted and row systems in 2001. Removal of the interseeded rye with mechanical cultivation in the row system when the soybean was at the V4 growth stage was ineffective in 2000 but increased soybean grain yield by 1142 and 746 kg ha -1 , respectively, in 2001 and 2002. These results suggest that some means of controlling winter cereal rye growth is necessary for effective management across a range of precipitation levels.
No oxygen isotope exchange between water and APS-sulfate at surface temperature: Evidence from quantum chemical modeling and triple-oxygen isotope experiments

In both laboratory experiments and natural environments where microbial dissimilatory sulfate reduction (MDSR) occurs in a closed system, the δ34SSO4 ((34S/32S)sample/(34S/32S)standard − 1) for dissolved SO42− has been found to follow a typical Rayleigh-Distillation path. In contrast, the corresponding δ18OSO4 ((18O/16O)sample/(18O/16O)standard) − 1) is seen to plateau with an apparent enrichment of between 23‰ and 29‰ relative to that of ambient water under surface conditions. This apparent steady-state in the observed difference between δ18OSO4 and δ18OH2O can be attributed to any of these three steps: (1) the formation of adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate (APS) from ATP and SO42−, (2) oxygen exchange between sulfite (or other downstream sulfoxy-anions) and water later in the MDSR reaction chain and its back reaction to APS and sulfate, and (3) the re-oxidation of produced H2S or precursor sulfoxy-anions to sulfate in environments containing Fe(III) or O2. This study examines the first step as a potential pathway for water oxygen incorporation into sulfate. We examined the structures and process of APS formation using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) hybrid density functional theory, implemented in the Gaussian-03 program suite, to predict the potential for oxygen exchange. We conducted a set of in vitro, enzyme-catalyzed, APS formation experiments (with no further reduction to sulfite) to determine the degree of oxygen isotope exchange between the APS–sulfate and water. Triple-oxygen-isotope labeled water was used in the reactor solutions to monitor oxygen isotope exchange between water and APS sulfate. The formation and hydrolysis of APS were identified as potential steps for oxygen exchange with water to occur. Quantum chemical modeling indicates that the combination of sulfate with ATP has effects on bond strength and symmetry of the sulfate. However, these small effects impart little influence on the integrity of the SO42− tetrahedron due to the high activation energy required for hydrolysis of SO42− (48.94 kcal/mol). Modeling also indicates that APS dissociation via hydrolysis is achieved through cleavage of the P–O bond instead of S–O bond, further supporting the lack of APS–H2O–oxygen exchange. The formation of APS in our in vitro experiments was verified by HPLC fluorescence spectroscopy, and triple-oxygen isotope data of the APS–sulfate indicate no oxygen isotope exchange occurred between APS–sulfate and water at 30 °C for an experimental duration ranging from 2 to 120 h. The study excludes APS formation as one of the causes for sulfate–oxygen isotope exchange with water during MDSR.
An analytic method for randomized trials with informative censoring: Part II

Consider a randomized trial in which time to the occurrence of a particular disease, say pneumocystic pneumonia in an AIDS trial or breast cancer in a mammographic screening trial, is the failure time of primary interest. Suppose that time to disease is subject to informative censoring by the minimum of time to death, loss to and end of follow-up. In such a trial, the potential censoring time is observed for all study subjects, including failures. In the presence of informative censoring, it is not possible to consistently estimate the effect of treatment on time to disease without imposing additional non-identifiable assumptions. Robins (1995) specified two non-identifiable assumptions that allow one to test for and estimate an effect of treatment on time to disease in the presence of informative censoring. The goal of this paper is to provide a class of consistent and reasonably efficient semiparametric tests and estimators for the treatment effect under these assumptions. The tests in our class, like standard weighted-log-rank tests, are asymptotically distribution-free α-level tests under the null hypothesis of no causal effect of treatment on time to disease whenever the censoring and failure distributions are conditionally independent given treatment arm. However, our tests remain asymptotically distribution-free α-level tests in the presence of informative censoring provided either of our assumptions are true. In contrast, a weighted log-rank test will be an α-level test in the presence of informative censoring only if (1) one of our two non-identifiable assumptions hold, and (2) the distribution of time to censoring is the same in the two treatment arms. We also study the estimation, in the presence of informative censoring, of the effect of treatment on the evolution over time of the mean of repeated measures outcome such as CD4 count.
Synthesis and Reactivity of η5-Silolyl, η5-Germolyl, and η5-Germole Dianion Complexes of Zirconium and Hafnium

Reaction of 2 equiv of Li[C4Me4GeSiMe3] with Cp*HfMe2Cl produced the first transition metal complex of a germole dianion, [Cp*(η5-C4Me4Ge)HfMe2Li(THF)]2 (1), via the apparent elimination of Me3SiCl, along with C4Me4Ge(SiMe3)2 as the final Me3Si-containing product. Compound 1 adopts a dimeric structure in which one Li atom is sandwiched in an η5-fashion between two germole rings, while the other Li atom is coordinated by both germanium atoms. Reaction of 1 with an excess of Me3SiCl resulted in loss of the germole ligand as C4Me4Ge(SiMe3)2, while 2 equiv of Me3SiOSO2CF3 reacted with 1 to give the new germolyl complex Cp*[η5-C4Me4GeSiMe3]HfMe2 (2). Yet a different process results from treatment of 1 with CH3CH2OSO2CF3, involving migration of a methyl group from hafnium to germanium to produce Cp*(η4-C4Me4GeMeEt)HfMe (3). Reaction of 2 with H2 gave CH4 and Me3SiH as the result of σ-bond metathesis involving the germole-bound trimethylsilyl group and (presumably) an intermediate hafnium hydride species. Simila...
PPPS-2013: Optical emission spectroscopy of initial plasma formation in a heavy gas theta pinch coil

Summary form only given. Pulsed inductive plasma devices such as the common theta-pinch have become a standard high energy plasma source in research and industry. Recent pulsed inductive plasmas currently being investigated by the fusion and space propulsion communities utilize deuterium and xenon, respectively, and have provided promising new results. However, little has been done to better understand the energy conversion processes during early plasma formation times (i.e., during the initial inductive coupling). The broad efforts of this research are to elucidate the electric-to-particle energy conversion processes during initial plasma formation over time scales of 10-8 to 10-6 seconds. In this work an analysis of spectral emission data is performed on a theta pinch test article intended for use in field reversed configuration (FRC) studies. Testing is performed on a pulsed xenon plasma at energies of around 80 joules, neutral back-fill pressures of 10-2 Torr, and an RLC discharge frequency of 500 kHz. Efforts are paralleled by magnetic field studies (B-dot probes, flux loops) of the same experiment. Using a collisional-radiative model previously developed for analysis on xenon Hall effect thrusters, line emission intensity ratios are used to approximate electron temperatures independent of plasma density. A Princeton Instruments SP2300i spectrometer with PI-MAX 1024×1024 pixel iCCD camera is used with gate times of 10-9 to 10-8 seconds and variable delay to allow for time-resolved spectral data.
The Nation-State, Past and Present

(1996). The Nation‐state, past and present. The European Legacy: Vol. 1, Fourth International Conference of the International Society for the study of European Ideas, pp. 689-695.
A random-jet-stirred turbulence tank

We report measurements of the flow above a planar array of synthetic jets, firing upwards in a spatiotemporally random pattern to create turbulence at an air–water interface. The flow generated by this randomly actuated synthetic jet array (RASJA) is turbulent, with a large Reynolds number and a weak secondary (mean) flow. The turbulence is homogeneous over a large region and has similar isotropy characteristics to those of grid turbulence. These properties make the RASJA an ideal facility for studying the behaviour of turbulence at boundaries, which we do by measuring one-point statistics approaching the air–water interface (via particle image velocimetry). We explore the effects of different spatiotemporally random driving patterns, highlighting design conditions relevant to all randomly forced facilities. We find that the number of jets firing at a given instant, and the distribution of the duration for which each jet fires, greatly affect the resulting flow. We identify and study the driving pattern that is optimal given our tank geometry. In this optimal configuration, the flow is statistically highly repeatable and rapidly reaches steady state. With increasing distance from the jets, there is a jet merging region followed by a planar homogeneous region with a power-law decay of turbulent kinetic energy. In this homogeneous region, we find a Reynolds number of 314 based on the Taylor microscale. We measure all components of mean flow velocity to be less than 10% of the turbulent velocity fluctuation magnitude. The tank width includes roughly 10 integral length scales, and because wall effects persist for one to two integral length scales, there is sizable core region in which turbulent flow is unaffected by the walls. We determine the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy via three methods, the most robust using the velocity structure function. Having a precise value of dissipation and low mean flow allows us to measure the empirical constant in an existing model of the Eulerian velocity power spectrum. This model provides a method for determining the dissipation rate from velocity time series recorded at a single point, even when Taylor's frozen turbulence hypothesis does not hold. Because the jet array offers a high degree of flow control, we can quantify the effects of the mean flow in stirred tanks by intentionally forcing a mean flow and varying its strength. We demonstrate this technique with measurements of gas transfer across the free surface, and find a threshold below which mean flow no longer contributes significantly to the gas transfer velocity.
Ultra-high-frequency InP-based HEMTs for millimeter wave applications

InP-based (AlInAs/GaInAs) high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have demonstrated a substantial performance improvement over GaAs-based devices. HEMTs with extrinsic f(T) over 200 GHz, fmax over 300 GHz, and amplifiers with extremely low noise figures and high associated gain have been achieved. A review of the status of this device technology and projections for high performance microwave and millimeter-wave applications will be discussed.
Dosimetry of therapeutic photon beams using an extended dose range film

For intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) dose distribution verification, multidimensional measurements are required to quantify the steep dose-gradient regions. High resolution, two-dimensional dose distributions can be measured using radiographic film. However, the photon energy response of film is known to be a function of depth, field size, and photon beam energy, potentially reducing the accuracy of dose distribution measurements. The dosimetric properties of the recently developed Kodak EDR2 film were investigated and compared to those of Kodak XV film. The dose responses of both film types to 6 MV and 18 MV photon beams were investigated for depths of 5 cm, 10 cm, and 15 cm and field sizes of 4x4 cm2 and 15x15 cm2. This analysis involved the determination of sensitometric curves for XV and EDR2 films, the determination of dose profiles from exposed XV and EDR2 films, and comparison of the film-generated dose profiles to ionization chamber measurements. For the combinations of photon beam energy, depth, and field size investigated here, our results indicate that the sensitometric curves are nearly independent of field size and depth of calibration. For a field size of 4x4 cm2, a single sensitometric curve for either EDR2 and XV film can be used for the determination of relative dose profiles. For the larger field size, the sensitometric curve for EDR2 film is superior to XV film in regions where the dose falls below 20% of the central axis dose, due to the effects that the increased low energy scattered photon contributions have on film response. The limited field size and depth dependence of sensitometric data measured using EDR2 film, along with the inherently wide linear dose-response range of EDR2 film, makes it better suited to the verification of IMRT dose distributions.
Comments on a simple cellular automaton in spin representation

Abstract A few properties of a simple cellular automation, studied in depth by Martin, Odlyzko and Wolfram, are presented in spin representation.
The Travel and Travail of Negro Showpeople

African American performers have always been essential cultural commodities for audiences who demand "authenticity." But to meet the demand in the segregated South, how were they to get there? Autobiographies of Negro showpeople located in northern cultural centers before desegregation of public accommodations illustrate the power of storytelling to reveal an important—but largely unexplored—dimension of the African American experience: travel.
A comparative qualitative analysis of receptivity in two military clinics: a natural experiment

Abstract Objective: This study explored the differences in receptivity (R) (comfort and caring behaviors) between two clinics (Ob/Gyn and Family Practice) at a large military health care facility. Methods: The two clinics constitute a natural experiment in that beyond obvious differences in age range, gender of patients, and immediate and local leadership, all other significant cultural conditions concerning patients and staff are constant. Findings from an initial exploratory site visit focused observations of the second data collection visit on stated and modeled clinic leader philosophies and staff behavior toward patients. Results: The finding of strong positive R in the Family Practice (FP) clinic and notably negative R in the Ob/Gyn clinic was associated with leadership philosophies of warmth and caring for FP and an ‘us versus them‘ approach for Ob/Gyn. FP staff showed a lack of distinctions of moral value and worth between themselves and patients, whereas Ob/Gyn staff emphasized control of patients and minimization of work. Conclusions: The way in which the work of the clinic is understood and produced by the people who work there has significant implications for its receptivity as both event and process. Such recognition creates the possibility of a new category of intervention at the level of the clinic which would approach questions of poor obstetrical outcome by focusing on upgrading the receptivity of the people who work in the clinic. This approach departs from blaming the individual.
Validation of a clinical practice ability instrument for surgical training

Abstract Objective To develop and validate an instrument to measure the progression of clinical practice ability among surgical trainees. Study Design Prospective validation study. Setting Three academic training institutions: Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard School of Public Health. Subjects and Methods A clinical practice instrument (CPI) was created and prospectively validated in otolaryngology trainees at three institutional sites. The instrument is completed during an oral examination of a trainee who is presented with a patient scenario; the scenario yields one clinical diagnosis, one therapeutic intervention, and one interventional complication. On the basis of the trainee's responses, 21 item scores are calculated focusing on key areas within the diagnostic and management paradigm. Internal consistency, reproducibility, inter-rater reliability, discriminant and criterion validity, and responsiveness to change over time were evaluated. Results There were 87 administrations of the instrument over a period of 22 months. The subjects (n = 32) spanned the range of training from medical student to clinical fellow. There was strong internal consistency within each domain (Cronbach's alpha 0.85-0.94, one-sided 95% confidence interval > 0.81). Inter-rater reliability was high (kappa 0.66, absolute agreement 72%). Reproducibility of item scores was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] final summary score 0.78, global item score 0.83). Discriminant validity ( P P = 0.03), and responsiveness to change ( P = 0.0055) were also established. Conclusion The CPI serves as a reliable, reproducible, and valid means to measure the progression of clinical practice ability in trainees as they transition from “novice” to “attending equivalent” surgeons.
Experiments in Fatal Electric Shock

In the experiments reported here the authors have studied the relations involved in the maximal efect of electric shock, which is death. These experiments were conducted on rats; the relations of duration, current intensity, and frequency were studied. The results afford an explanation of the common observation that death from high voltage usually is cardiac in origin, and from low voltage respiratory in origin.
Evaluation of Surgical Scrub Methods for Large Animal Surgeons

Objective—The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 5–minute surgical scrub using either a one-brush or a two-brush technique in clean and dirty surgical procedures, and to compare the efficacy of povidone iodine with chlorhexidine as surgical scrub solutions. Study Design—Prospective clinical trial. Methods—Nine veterinarians scrubbed their hands on eight separate occasions using either povidone iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate. A 5-minute scrub and either a one-brush or two-brush technique used in both clean and dirty operations were evaluated by taking glove juice samples before scrubbing, immediately after scrubbing, and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after scrubbing. Glove juice samples were cultured and the colonies were counted. Percent reductions of bacterial forming units were calculated for all eight scrub procedures. Results—All scrub procedures provided an adequate percent reduction in colony forming units (CFU) during the 2–hour sampling period. The number of CFU immediately after scrubbing were significantly lower than prescrub. At 120 minutes, there were significantly fewer CFUs than presecrub, but there were more than immediately after scrubbing. No significant difference in reduction in CFUs were detected between one-brush and two-brush techniques. Both chlorhexidine and povidone iodine scrub solutions adequately reduced bacterial colony counts for 120 minutes after scrubbing regardless of the amount of contamination before skin preparation. Conclusions—Bacterial counts after a hand scrub procedure using a one-brush technique were not significantly different than after a procedure that used a two-brush technique. Povidone iodine and chlorhexidine are equally effectively in decreasing bacterial numbers on the skin, given a variety of contamination levels present before the scrub procedure. Clinical Relevance—Surgeons may use either chlorhexidine or povidone iodine for antiseptic preparation of their hands before surgery. A two-brush technique is not necessary.
Isotopic Age Study of the Metamorphic History of the Manhattan and Reading Prongs

Potassium-argon and rubidium-strontium age measurements have been made on mica separated from many rock types of the Manhattan Prong and New Jersey-New York Highlands (Reading Prong). Most of the rocks from the Manhattan Prong were dated within experimental error at 360 m.y. (million years). Since this age is identical with those obtained by the U-Pb method by other workers on intrusive pegmatites, it probably represents the last major metamorphic event in the area. The isotopic age of mica in the Highlands at least 10 miles from the zone where complete re-crystallization took place 360 m.y. ago is about 840 m.y. Apparent ages of mica in a transition zone range between these two. The ages in the transition zone are determined by the extent of re-crystallization which in turn is strongly dependent on the local structure. If the 1150-m.y. zircon age obtained by Tilton and others (1960) in the Highlands is the primary age of the basement in this region, major metamorphic events took place at 1150, 840, and 360 m.y. Relict ages as old as 480 m.y. in the Manhattan Prong suggest a fourth event if the rocks of the Prong were deposited in the Cambrian or later. This study illustrates both the difficulties and the effectiveness of isotopic geochronometry in areas of complex metamorphic history.
Determination of total mercury in seafood by cold vapor-atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS) after microwave decomposition

Abstract A method was developed for determination of total Hg in seafood using 10% w/v SnCl2 · 2H2O and continuous flow CVAAS after microwave decomposition in closed vessels. Seafoods were decomposed with 5 mL HNO3 and 1 mL 1% w/v NaCl at 200 °C, transferred to polypropylene tubes containing 3.5 mL HCl, and diluted to 50 mL with H2O. Standards were prepared in diluent containing 10% v/v HNO3, 7% v/v HCl, and 0.02% w/v NaCl. Potential interference by 22 elements was evaluated. Interference by Se and Au was observed. Stability of standard solutions in HNO3, HCl and NaCl was evaluated. Stabilizing effect of chloride was demonstrated. Results for six reference materials containing 0.0371–1.59 mg/kg Hg were 86–106% of certificate values. Concentrations in 11 varieties of seafood were 0.015–1.78 mg/kg. Average recoveries of inorganic and organic Hg added to seafood were 102% and 99%, respectively; average recoveries from fortified method blanks were 100% and 97%, respectively. The limits of quantitation were 0.0022 and 0.011 mg/kg in seafoods and reference materials, respectively.
Implementation of an iterative headway-based bus holding strategy with real-time information

In high frequency bus service lines buses often come irregularly at the stops, often in bunches, due to the uncertainty of the passenger demand and behavior and unexpected conditions on the roads. Vehicle holding is a commonly used strategy among a variety of control strategies in transit operation in order to reduce bus bunching and regulate bus headways. This paper investigates a control strategy of holding a group of buses at a single or multiple control point(s). By incorporating any passenger boarding activities during holding, a single control point problem is developed and extended to multiple control points to reduce the variance of headways for the downstream stops. The problem is a non-convex optimization problem with linear constraints that minimizes the total passenger waiting time both on-board and at stops. A heuristic is then developed that is easy and fast to implement, which makes it suitable for real-time implementation. The model is evaluated with a simulation case study by using the real-time bus operation data (i.e., Automatic Vehicle Location and Automatic Passenger Count Data) from the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The simulation results show that considering the boarding activities in the total waiting time, our model mitigates the error propagation and maintains steady performance, compared to the common models in the literature, which do not consider boarding while holding.
Down syndrome with pure partial trisomy 21q22 due to a paternal insertion (4;21) uncovered by uncultured amniotic fluid interphase FISH.

Objective: To emphasize the usefulness and reliability of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on uncultured amniotic fluid cells in the prenatal diagnosis of common chromosomal aneuploidies. Methods: FISH analyses utilizing centromeric, locus-specific or whole chromosome paint DNA probes specific for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18, 21, and 4 were performed on uncultured amniotic fluid cells or the peripheral blood specimen from the father. Routine chromosome analysis was carried out as well. Results: A prenatal case with partial trisomy 21 due to a paternal cryptic insertion (4;21) was ascertained by a rapid overnight FISH on uncultured amniotic fluid cells. The fetus was delivered at term and had classical features of Down syndrome. Conclusion: Our results stress the importance of FISH on uncultured amniotic fluid cells to supplement routine cytogenetics, especially in cases with abnormal ultrasound findings. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The use of multimedia support materials in engineering education

Abstract This paper describes the use of multimedia lectures in an engineering economy course that is attended by 200 sophomore engineering students at Virginia Tech. The purpose of this paper is to examine the important issue of applying innovative information technology to support the effective dissemination of learning materials and to report on an experiment in which the benefits of multimedia-based support materials are assessed. Our hypothesis is that students exposed to a series of multimedia-based lectures will exhibit greater interest in the subject matter and will eventually perform better or as well as students in the traditional teaching environment. In addition, we hope to establish that students tend to become more involved (participate actively) in a multimedia-based teaching environment to the extent of actually making positive suggestions for improvement to the computer presentations. Just as important, we will support and encourage such contributions made by cross-disciplinary groups of students in the hope of cultivating student's interest in the subject matter throughout the course.
Influence of Age and Prior Experience on Territorial Behavior and the Costs of Defense in Male Collared Lizards

In polygynous species where males maintain strong interseasonal phil- opatry to the same breeding territories, older individuals have prior experience defending their areas, whereas younger individuals are defending a territory for the first time. Theoretical and empirical studies predict that under such conditions the cumulative costs of defense may be lower for older experienced males as a consequence of familiarity with environmental and/or social conditions in their particular local habitats. We used quantitative data from focal observational studies and introduction experiments to test the hypothesis that older collared lizard males (Crotaphytus collaris) with prior territorial experience (3 yr+ males) acquire larger territories allowing them to court more, different females, with greater frequency without incurring higher defense costs. Consis- tent with this hypothesis, 3 yr+ males controlled significantly larger ter- ritories and courted more females, without having significantly higher rates of territory patrol, frequencies of advertisement display, or aggres- sive interactions with same-sex competitors. Moreover, the intensity of responses to size- and age/experience-matched tethered intruders by 3 yr+ males was lower than that by 2 yr males in their first season of territory defense. Our results support the hypothesis that age/prior occu- pancy of territories lowers defense costs allowing males to defend larger areas and increase opportunities to court females, perhaps increasing mating opportunities. By contrast, 2 yr males may need to respond more aggressively to intruders because their ownership of territories is tenu- ous as a consequence of shorter territory occupancy.
Carcinoma of the esophagus developing in progressive systemic sclerosis.

A patient with a prolonged course of progressive systemic sclerosis (scleroderma), marked by esophageal and bowel complications, developed carcinoma of the esophagus 26 years after the first symptom of dysphagia. It is postulated that the carcinoma resulted from long standing stasis, irritation, and scarring rather than being directly related to the sclerotic process itself. The scarcity of such reports may be due to the relatively short life span of persons so afflicted.
Implementation of transcendental functions on a numerics processor

Abstract The Intel 8087 is a numerical processor that delivers unprecendented functionality and performance for a single VLSI chip. One of its key features is the performance of the transcendental (logarithmic and trigonometric) instructions that compute with very high precision and fast execution times. The above was achieved by making three major engineering decisions: 1. (a) The selection of an instruction set which is minimal enough to be implemented in firmware, and still covers the primitives for all desired transcendentals; 2. (b) The selection of the CORDIC algorithms for implementation of those primitives; 3. (c) The selection of minimal hardware extensions to the architecture that enable efficient execution.
Measurements of the downward longwave radiation spectrum over the Antarctic Plateau and comparisons with a line‐by‐line radiative transfer model for clear skies

A 1-year field program was conducted at South Pole Station in 1992 to measure the downward infrared radiance spectrum at a resolution of 1/ cm over the spectral range 550-1667 cm-'. The atmosphere over the Antarctic Plateau is the coldest and driest on Earth, where in winter, surface temperatures average about -60 C, the total column water vapor is as low as 300 pm of precipitable water, and the clear-sky downward longwave flux is usually less than 80 W/sq m. Three clear-sky test cases are selected, one each for summer, winter, and spring, for which high- quality radiance data are available.as well as ancillary data to construct model atmospheres from radiosondes, ozonesondes, and other measurements. The model atmospheres are used in conjunction with the line-by-line radiative transfer model (LBLRTM) to compare model calculations with the spectral radiance measurements. The high-resolution calculations of LBLRTM (approx. = 0.001/ cm) are matched to the lower-resolution measurements (1/ cm) by adjusting their spectral resolution and by applying a correction for the finite field of view of the interferometer. In summer the uncertainties in temperature and water vapor profiles dominate the radiance error in the LBLRTM calculations. In winter the uncertainty in viewing zenith angle becomes important as well as the choice of atmospheric levels in the strong near-surface temperature inversion. The spectral radiance calculated for each of the three test cases generally agrees with that measured, to within twice the total estimated radiance error, thus validating LBLRTM to this level of accuracy for Antarctic conditions. However, the discrepancy exceeds twice the estimated error in the gaps between spectral lines in the region 1250-1500/ cm, where emission is dominated by the foreign-broadened water vapor continuum.
Long-term longitudinal assessment of postoperative outcomes after congenital cataract surgery in children with congenital rubella syndrome.

Purpose To assess the intraoperative and long-term longitudinal postoperative outcomes of cataract surgery in children with congenital rubella syndrome. Setting Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India. Design Prospective observational clinical study. Methods Children with congenital rubella syndrome who had cataract surgery were enrolled. All microphthalmic eyes were left aphakic. A 1-piece hydrophobic acrylic intraocular lens was implanted in the capsular bag in eyes without microphthalmos. The postoperative observations included complications and visual assessments up to 5 years. Results The mean age of the 21 children (37 eyes) was 3.97 months ± 2.1 (SD). Intraocular lens implantation was performed in 12 eyes (32.4%), while 25 eyes (67.6%) were left aphakic. Postoperatively, the median follow-up was 60.79 months. Posterior synechiae were observed in 22 eyes (59.5%) and visual axis opacification in 9 eyes (24.3%). Secondary glaucoma was observed in 16 eyes (43.2%), of which 14 were aphakic and 1 was pseudophakic. Nine eyes required trabeculectomy. Age at surgery and ocular comorbidities were statistically significantly associated with secondary glaucoma ( P 2 test and Kendall τB criteria P Conclusions The long-term results suggest good visual outcomes can be obtained with congenital cataract associated with congenital rubella syndrome after early surgical intervention. The rate of serious postoperative complications was acceptable. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Book and Media Review: Asian American Communities and Health: Context, Research, Policy, and Action

This commentary provides an in-depth and comprehensive contextual understanding of key issues influencing health in Asian American communities. It is a valuable resource addressing health disparities through ecological lenses and multilevel analyses and is congruent with the current movement toward a better understanding of the social determinants of health. The chapters are groundbreaking work of more than 40 leading researchers and community advocates. The book’s emphasis on understanding the social, cultural, and political context of the health of Asian Americans is relevant for a wide range of health professionals, social scientists, community advocates, and policy makers. It is also an excellent resource for faculty members and students interested not only in Asian American—related issues but also broader issues in vulnerable populations, public health, and social justice.
Photoinactivation of solid dye-enzyme system: requirement of water molecules.

Photoinactivation of dye-sensitized lysozyme was investigated in solid state under various environmental conditions including vacuum, air, atmospheric high humidity and O2 flushing. The results indicated that water molecules were indispensable for the enzyme to be inactivated. This was generally true for four kinds of sensicizing dyes, MB. AO, Eosin Y and FMN. Potential importance of the role of water molecules in dye-sensitized inactivation of biological function was emphasized in view of a similar finding previously made on dye sensitized nucleic acid.
The Validity of Petzoldt's Energy Mile Theory

The purpose of this study was to measure the energy cost of walking one mile on the flat to quantify the number of calories in an â€œEnergy Mileâ€, and to test Petzoldt's Energy Mile Theory. Petzoldt defined one energy mile as the energy required to walk a one mile on the flat. He recommended adding two energy miles for every 1,000 feet elevation gain. To determine the validity of Petzoldt's theory, this study measured the energy cost and perceived exertion for walking on the flat, with and without a 44.5 pound backpack, and up an elevation gain of 1,000 feet, with and without a 44.5 pound backpack. From the data, a 1.6 mile equivalent for 1,000 feet was revealed. Differences between females and males ranged from 1.32 to 2.02. Further research using heavier expedition packs at higher altitudes could reveal changes in energy cost.
Informed consent for prostate-specific antigen screening.

P antigen (PSA), the first circulating tumor marker to be mass marketed by commercial interests and to gain widespread acceptance by physicians and the public,1 is now in general use as a screening test for the detection of asymptomatic prostate cancer. It is estimated that approximately 30% of men in the Medicare population undergo PSA screening regularly.2 Much of this testing—perhaps 30%3—occurs without patient knowledge when blood chemistry panels are ordered as part of routine health evaluations. Recognizing that PSA screening is inexorably linked to invasive testing (prostate biopsy) and/or prostate cancer treatment (ie, radiotherapy or surgery), if PSA elevations or prostate cancer is discovered, should informed consent be obtained before PSA screening? The reasonable person standard of informed consent holds that physicians should disclose the information that a reasonable person needs to know to make an informed decision.4 For a controversial screening test such as PSA, the information to be disclosed before PSA screening has not been defined and will differ depending on the expertise of the physician and the perspective of the patient.5 Given the uncertainty surrounding PSA screening, there is a strong rationale for communicating (verbally and/or by pamphlets, video, etc.) the nature of the test and the risks and benefits before obtaining the test. This is a concept endorsed by the American Urological Association,6 the American Cancer Society,7 the American College of Physicians, and the American Society of Internal Medicine,8 although no guidelines regarding what information should be communicated to patients are available. So what should men know? I believe the information that men should know before PSA screening can be broken down into information about prostate cancer, the PSA test, and the possible downstream outcomes after PSA screening.