cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phytoplankton Composition and Biomass in the Offshore Waters of Lake Erie: Pre- and Post-Dreissena Introduction (1983–1993)

Phytoplankton was collected in all basins of Lake Erie during 42 cruises during the spring and summer from 1983 to 1993—a period that spans the Dreissena mussel invasion. Two potential impacts of Dreissena on the phytoplankton community of the western, central, and eastern basins of Lake Erie were evaluated: Was selective feeding occurring as observed in Saginaw Bay and were reductions in biomass evident in the offshore regions of the three basins of Lake Erie? In the western basin, significant summer decreases in Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanobacteria, and total phytoplankton biomass were observed after Dreissena introduction. Similarly in the spring, Bacillariophyta and total phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll a concentrations decreased significantly. Since several divisions of phytoplankton did not decrease in phytoplankton biomass in the western basin, and spring Cyanobacteria biomass increased significantly while other divisions decreased in biomass, selective feeding on the phytoplankton community was suggested. Where significant reductions in biomass were observed in the offshore waters of the western basin, they were approximately 50% of the reduction observed at the nearshore sites in Lake Erie by other workers. Dreissena impact on the phytoplankton community of the pelagic waters of the central and eastern basin appeared to be minimal. Pre- and post-Dreissena total phytoplankton biomass and chlorophyll a concentrations were not significantly different or increased significantly after the Dreissena invasion. Biomass of several divisions of phytoplankton significantly increased after Dreissena introduction in the central and eastern basins. These included Bacillariophyta (central basin), Cyanobacteria (central and eastern basin), Chrysophyta (eastern basin), Chlorophyta biomass (eastern basin) and phytoplankton biomass (central basin) and chlorophyll a (central basin) in the spring, and Chrysophyta (eastern basin) and Cryptophyta biomass (central basin) in the summer. Generally, a reduction in phytoplankton biomass would be expected as a result of Dreissena grazing, not an increase in biomass. Dreissena-mediated changes in phytoplankton have generally occurred in shallow, well-mixed lakes, ponds, and embayments, not in deeper waters such as the central and eastern basins of Lake Erie.
Accounting education for MBA students: A survey

Abstract This paper summarizes the results of a questionnaire survey of MBA Directors and accounting faculty at AACSB accredited institutions to (1) determine accounting course requirements, prerequisites and electives for MBA programs, (2) discover policies regarding exemptions from foundation courses, (3) determine topical coverage in required, foundation and elective courses, (4) uncover opinions regarding the extent of coverage of financial and managerial accounting in the curriculum, (5) report on course methodology used by accounting faculty and (6) provide an opportunity for administrators and teachers to offer suggestions regarding the teaching of accounting for MBA students.
Reading and writing mathematics: the MAVIS project

One of the greatest challenges to the visually impaired student in science and mathematics disciplines is the reading and writing of complex mathematical equations or have convenient access to information based tools such as the world wide web. In research currently underway at New Mexico State University, tools are being built using logic programming to facilitate access to complex information in a variety of formats. On top of the logic based tools, new interfaces are being designed to permit more convenient access to information by our visually impaired students.
The preparation and characterization of antibodies with specificity for the carbohydrate units of gum arabic and gum mesquite

Abstract Antibodies directed against terminal carbohydrate units of gum arabic and gum mesquite were deteced in sera of rabbits immunized intramuscularly with solutions of the gums and Freund's complete adjuvant. The antibodies were isolated by affinity chromatography on adsorbents of AH-Sepharose 4B containing ligands of the appropriate gum. From the sera of animals immunized with gum arabic, two sets of anti-carbohydrate antibodies were isolated and these were shown to have specificity for different disaccharide units at the non-reducing ends of the gum molecule. From the sera of animals immunized with gum mesquite only one set of anti-carbohydrate antibodies with specificity for a terminal disaccharide unit was obtained. Isoelectric focusing coupled with agar diffusion of the purified antibodies showed that all of the sets of antibodies were composed of isomeric proteins with each isomer exhibiting antibody activity. The antibodies of a set are appropriately termed isoantibodies and it is likely that each isomer is synthesized by a different immunocyte of the host. Hapten inhibition studies with oligosaccharides isolated from the gums showed that gum arabic possesses two different immunodeterminants with the structure α- l -arabinofuranosyl-(1→4)- d -glucuronic acid and β- d -glucuronosyl-(1→6)- d -galactose while gum mesquite possessed only one determinant with the structure 4-methyl-β- d -glucuronosyl-(1→6)- d -galactose.
Ultrastructure of dormant and germinated sporangiospores of Rhizopus arrhizus.

Ultrastructural investigations of dormant and germinated sporangiospores ofRhizopus arrhizus were conducted by the use of thin sectioning and freeze-etching procedures. Dormant spores contained deep furrows and prominent ridges with swellings along the sides of the ridges. The furrows and ridges almost disappeared as spores swelled during germination. The plasma membranes contained protuberances or depressions (approximately 50 nm diam) depending upon the nature of the fracture. Mitochondria in dormant spores were spherical and contained few cristae compared to mitochondria of germinated spores which were larger, more diverse in shape and contained abundant cristae. Treatments of spores with 20–25% glycerol prior to freeze-etching or thin sectioning resulted in the production of artifacts between the cell wall and the plasma membrane. Vesicles were rarely observed at the apices of young germ tubes, but were present in abundance in growing hyphal tips. Surface views of young germ tubes revealed the presence of microfibrils.
Associations of Future Expectations, Negative Friends, and Academic Achievement in High-Achieving African American Adolescents.

The relations of future expectations (general and academic) to academic outcomes were examined in a sample of 129 African American high-achieving adolescents (majority female participants, n = 92)....
An algorithm for real-time tomography of gas concentrations, using prior information about spatial derivatives

We present a new computed tomography method, the low third derivative (LTD) method, that is particularly suited for reconstructing the spatial distribution of gas concentrations from path-integral data for a small number of optical paths. The method finds a spatial distribution of gas concentrations that (1) has path integrals that agree with measured path integrals, and (2) has a low third spatial derivative in each direction, at every point. The trade-off between (1) and (2) is controlled by an adjustable parameter, which can be set based on analysis of the path-integral data. The method produces a set of linear equations, which can be solved with a single matrix multiplication if the constraint that all concentrations must be positive is ignored; the method is therefore extremely rapid. Analysis of experimental data from thousands of concentration distributions shows that the method works nearly as well as smooth basis function minimization (the best method previously available), yet is about 100 times faster.
Base sequence-dependent bends in site-specific benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide-modified oligonucleotide duplexes

A metabolite of the pollutant benzopyrene r7,t8-dihydroxy-t9,10-epoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzopyrene (racemic plus and minus anti-BPDE), has been shown to be mutagenic. In order to elucidate the structural features of adduct derived from the binding of anti-BPDE to nucleic acids, the site specifically modified oligonucleotides 5{prime}-d(TCCTCCTG{sub 1}G{sub 2}CCTCTC) (I) and 5{prime}-d(CTATG{sub 1})(CTATG{sub 1}G{sub 2}G{sub 3} TATC)(II) were synthesized with single modified guanine residues at positions G{sub 1}, G{sub 2}, or G{sub 3}. In denaturing 20% polyacrylamide gels, the electrophoretic mobilities of the (+)-anti-BPDE-modified oligonucleotides I and II are slower than the mobilities of the respective unmodified oligonucleotides and independent of the positions of the BPDE-modified guanines. However, in the double-stranded forms in native 8% polyacrylamide gels, the electrophoretic mobilities of the duplexes with lesions at G{sub 2} or G{sub 3} are remarkably slower (reductions in mobilities up to {approx}40%) than to duplexes with lesions at G{sub 1} and are attributed to physical bends or flexible hinge joints at the sites of the BPDE lesions. These sequence-dependent mobility effects occur whenever the BPDE-modified guanine residues with (+)-trans-stereochemistry are flanked by unmodified G`s on the 5{prime}-side. These retarded electrophoretic mobilities are attributed to bending induced by steric hindrance effects involving the bulky 5{prime}-flanking guanines and themore » pyrenyl residues that are known to point into the 5{prime}-direction relative to the modified G. These anomalous electrophoretic mobility effects are not observed in the case of (-)-anti-BPDE-modified sequences I with trans-(-)-anti-BPDE-N{sup 2}dG adduct stereochemistry. 51 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less
Resonance Raman study of solvent effects on a series of triarylmethane dyes

Resonance Raman spectroscopy was used to address questions concerning the influence of the solvent on the structure and aggregation state of a series of triarylmethane dyes. These molecules are of interest owing to the dramatic solvent effects exhibited in their optical absorption spectra, which have recently been interpreted in terms of intermolecular interactions which perturb the D3 symmetry of the cationic dyes. Raman spectra of parafuchsin, malachite green, crystal violet and ethyl violet were compared in various solvents, in order to explore changes in the vibrational modes brought about by aggregation (in water), ion-pair formation (in non-polar solvents) and ion–dipole interactions (in polar solution). In triply amino-substituted dyes, the data point to the possibility that a resonance structure exists having a positive charge on one of the three nitrogens. It is discussed how the resulting reduction in the expected D3 symmetry of the cation affects the resonance Raman spectrum.
GEOCHEM-EZ: a chemical speciation program with greater power and flexibility

GEOCHEM-EZ is a multi-functional chemical speciation program, designed to replace GEOCHEM-PC, which can only be used on DOS consoles. Chemical speciation programs, such as GEOCHEM and GEOCHEM-PC, have been excellent tools for scientists designing appropriate solutions for their experiments. GEOCHEM-PC is widely used in plant nutrition and soil and environmental chemistry research to perform equilibrium speciation computations, allowing the user to estimate solution ion activities and to consider simple complexes and solid phases. As helpful as GEOCHEM-PC has been to scientists, the consensus was that the program was not very user friendly, was difficult to learn and to troubleshoot, and suffered from several functional weaknesses. To enhance the usability and to address the problems found in GEOCHEM-PC, we upgraded the program with a Java graphical interface, added Help files, and improved its power and function, allowing it to run on any computer that supports Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7.
Pulmonary inflammation induced by office dust and the relation to 1 → 3-β-glucan using different extraction techniques

It is observed that 1 → 3-β-glucan, a major cell wall component of fungi, induces pulmonary inflammation. There is inconsistency in determining the correlation between the levels of glucan measured by current extraction methods and the respiratory inflammation observed in individuals or lab animals exposed to environmental dust samples. The glucan-specific limulus amebocyte lysate (G-LAL) method was used after extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to analyze the glucan content of office dust samples collected from a water-damaged building. C3HeB/FeJ mice, an endotoxin-sensitive strain, were treated with different dust samples (2.5 mg kg−1 body weight) or saline (vehicle control) by pharyngeal aspiration. At 1 day after aspiration, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and lung inflammation and injury were assessed by measuring: (1) neutrophil (PMN) infiltration, (2) inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL12-p70) levels, and (3) albumin and lacta...
The biogeochemical cycling of elemental mercury: Anthropogenic influences☆

Abstract A review of the available information on global Hg cycling shows that the atmosphere and surface ocean are in rapid equilibrium; the evasion of Hg0 from the oceans is balanced by the total oceanic deposition of Hg(II) from the atmosphere. The mechanisms whereby reactive Hg species are reduced to volatile Hg0 in the oceans are poorly known, but reduction appears to be chiefly biological. The rapid equilibrium of the surface oceans and the atmosphere, coupled with the small Hg sedimentation in the oceans makes deposition on land the dominant sink for atmospheric Hg. About half of the anthropogenic emissions appear to enter the global atmospheric cycle while the other half is deposited locally, presumably due to the presence of reactive Hg in flue gases. We estimate that over the last century anthropogenic emissions have tripled the concentrations of Hg in the atmosphere and in the surface ocean. Thus, two-thirds of the present Hg fluxes (such are deposition on land and on the ocean) are directly or indirectly of anthropogenic origin. Elimination of the anthropogenic load in the ocean and atmosphere would take fifteen to twenty years after termination of all anthropogenic emissions.
Instability of high-drag planetary entry vehicles at subsonic speeds.

Dynamic instability of rolling high drag planetary entry vehicles at subsonic speeds, noting angle of attack divergence in computerized entry simulation
Prevention of ischemic brain injury by adenosine receptor activation

The abilities of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor, oxypurinol, and the adenosine deaminase inhibitor, deoxycoformycin, to alleviate cerebral ischemic damage were evaluated in gerbil and rat models. Cerebral ischaemia of 5 min duration was induced in unanesthetized Mongolian gerbils by bilateral occlusion of the carotid arteries. Cerebral damage was assessed behaviorally by the elevation of motor activity and by histological assesment of neuronal degeneration in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. Oxypurinol (40 mg/kg) administered either prior to or 30 min after and ischaemic episode significantly reduced both the hypermotility and hippocampal damage observed in saline-treated control ischemic gerbils. Deoxycoformycin (500 μg/kg) was effective only when administered prior to ischemia. Rats with a focal ischaemic lesion (unilateral occlusion of a middle cerebral artery combined with tandem occlusion of the ipsilateral common carotid artery) were used to model strokes. The degree of ischaemic damage was evaluated by measuring the contralateral neurological deficits at 24 and 48 h post infarction and by calculating the volume of infarcted tissue after brain slices had been stained with 2,3,5-triphenyl, 2H-tetrazolium chloride (TTC) solution. Oxypurinol (40 mg/kg) administered 30 min prior to or 1h after the onset of focal ischaemia significantly reduced the infarct size, brain swelling, and neurological deficits. Deoxycoformycin (500 μg/kg) was effective only when administered preischemia. These findings suggest that oxypurinol and deoxycoformycin may be useful for the prevention and treatment of ischaemic brain injuries. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Sequences 5' of the basement membrane laminin β1 chain gene (LAMB1) direct the expression of β-galactosidase during development of the mouse testis and ovary

Abstract The murine LAMB1 gene encoding laminin β1 is expressed in the developing male and female gonads and mesonephros. To identify the cis-acting elements regulating the expression of LAMB1, murine transgenic lines were generated by fusing regions of the LAMB1 gene to the Eschericia coli lacZ gene. The p3.9LAMβgal construct contained approximately 4 kb of 5′ flanking sequence and directed β-galactosidase expression in many different organs including the kidney, mammary gland, and the male and female genital systems, the focus of this report. In male embryos, between gestational ages E 14.5 and birth β-galactosidase was transiently expressed in the prospermatogonia cells of the testis and in the differentiating epithelial cells in the ductus deferens, ductus epididymis, and seminal vesicles. In female embryos, β-galactosidase was not detected in the ovary until about 1 week after birth; at this time, β-galactosidase was expressed by oocytes of primary and secondary follicles. In contrast, transgenic mice carrying the first 0.7 kb of LAMB1 fused to the lacZ gene expressed β-galactosidase only in the prospermatogonia cells of the testis. Thus, the cis-acting element(s) necessary for the expression of the LAMB1 gene in prospermatogonia cells are located in the first 0.7 kb of LAMB1 5′ flanking sequence; element(s) required for expression of the LAMB1 gene in oocytes and epithelial cells of the mesonephric ducts, mesonephric tubules, the ductus deferens, ductus epididymis, and seminal vesicles are located within 4 kb 5′ of the transcription initiation site.
Implications of Executive Hedge Markets for Firm Value Maximization

This paper analyzes the incentive implications of executive hedge markets. The manager can promise the return from his shares to third parties in exchange for a fixed payment—swap contracts—and/or he can trade a customized security correlated with his firm-specific risk. The customized security improves incentives by diversifying the manager's firm-specific risk. However, unless they are exclusive, swap contracts lead to a complete unraveling of incentives. When security customization is sufficiently high, the manager only trades the customized security—but not any nonexclusive swap contracts, and incentives improve. Access to highly customized hedge securities and/or exclusive swap contracts increases the manager's pay-performance sensitivity.
PETRO.CALC.PLOT, Microsoft Excel macros to aid petrologic interpretation

Abstract PETRO.CALC.PLOT is a package of macros which normalizes whole-rock oxide data to 100%, calculates the cation percentages and molecular proportions used for normative mineral calculations, computes the apices for ternary diagrams, determines sums and ratios of specific elements of petrologic interest, and plots 33 X-Y graphs and five ternary diagrams. PETRO.CALC.PLOT also may be used to create other diagrams as desired by the user. The macros run in Microsoft Excel 3.0 and 4.0 for Macintosh computers and in Microsoft Excel 3.0 and 4.0 for Windows. Macros provided in PETRO.CALC.PLOT minimize repetition and time required to recalculate and plot whole-rock oxide data for petrologic analysis.
A prototype for JDEM science data processing

Fermilab is developing a prototype science data processing and data quality monitoring system for dark energy science. The purpose of the prototype is to demonstrate distributed data processing capabilities for astrophysics applications, and to evaluate candidate technologies for trade-off studies. We present the architecture and technical aspects of the prototype, including an open source scientific execution and application development framework, distributed data processing, and publish/subscribe message passing for quality control.
Determination of Myocardial Viability with ECG-Gated Fluorodeoxyglucose F-18 Positron Emission Tomography.

Abstract Objective: We hypothesize that ECG-gated positron emission tomography (PET) using Fluorodeoxyglucose F-18 (FDG) alone can determine myocardial viability by identifying dysfunctional myocardium with preserved glucose metabolism. We compared the contraction-metabolism pattern of gated FDG PET with the perfusion-metabolism pattern of conventional PET using N-13 ammonia (NH 3 ) as a perfusion agent and FDG as a glucose metabolism agent in 21 consecutive patients with chronic coronary artery disease with left ventricular dysfunction (mean ejection fraction 23.6 ± 7.7%). Methods: The left ventricle was divided into 17 segments. Uptakes of NH 3 and FDG were scored from absent (0) to normal (4), and wall motion was scored from dyskinesia (−1) to normal (3). Scores were determined by the visual interpretation of the majority of 3 blinded expert readers. Viable myocardium was defined by normal or mildly reduced uptakes of both NH 3 and FDG, perfusion-metabolism mismatch on NH 3 -FDG PET, or normal to mildly reduced uptake of FDG with regional dysfunction on gated FDG PET. Results: Gated FDG PET identified 184 segments as viable, all of which were determined as viable by NH 3 -FDG PET. Among 125 segments identified as nonviable by NH 3 -FDG PET, 76 segments were determined as nonviable by NH 3 -FDG PET. The results provided a positive and negative predictive value of gated FDG PET for the determination of myocardial viability to be 100% and 60.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Gated FDG PET has a high positive predictive value (100%) for the identification of viable myocardium.
Adding ascorbic acid to arsenic trioxide produces limited benefit in patients with acute myeloid leukemia excluding acute promyelocytic leukemia

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is highly effective in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), but despite its multiple mechanism of action, it has no activity in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that excludes APL (non-APL AML). Ascorbic acid (AA) and ATO induces apoptosis in AML cell lines by depleting intracellular glutathione and generation of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we evaluated the effect of ATO plus AA in patients with non-APL AML. The study enrolled patient aged 18 or older with relapsed or refractory AML (non-APL) after conventional chemotherapy or previously untreated patients 55 years or older who were unfit for standard induction chemotherapy for AML. Intravenous ATO (0.25 mg/kg/day over 1–4 h) was given with intravenous AA (1 g/day over 30 min after ATO) for 5 days a week for 5 weeks (25 doses). Eleven AML patients were enrolled, including six previously untreated elderly patients aged 66–84 years in whom five had antecedent hematological disorder (ADH). Among 10 evaluable patients, one achieved a CR one a CRi and 4 patients had disappearance of blasts from peripheral blood and bone marrow. Five of the six responders were seen in previously untreated elderly patients. ATO related toxicity was mild. The combination of ATO and AA has limited clinical meaningful antileukemia activity in patients with non-APL AML.
Vertical velocity in the central tropical Pacific: a circulation model perspective for JGOFS

Abstract Results from a variety of experiments with a primitive equation ocean general circulation model are examined to provide insight about variations in vertical velocity ( W ) that may have occurred during the JGOFS Equatorial Pacific field program. Measurements of W during this period are not available, so a model offers the only plausible, dynamically consistent way to obtain this information. Variability associated with four different aspects of the tropical Pacific circulation is discussed: the seasonal average; the tropical instability waves (TIW); the interannual variability in strong and modest ENSO events; and the Kelvin response associated with remote forcing from westerly wind events in the western Pacific. Results from 140°W are presented. According to the model, TIW provide the greatest source of W variability. Near and somewhat north of the equator W can range from about 1500 cm day −1 upward to 1000 cm day −1 downward over a typical 30-day period, with significant structure in both the zonal and meridional directions. Remotely forced response can be very large on the day-to-day timescale, but diminishes typically to, at most, a few hundred cm day −1 up or down when averaged over 10 days. Interannual variation associated with a major ENSO event can involve complete disruption of the seasonal cycle, the disappearance of TIWs and great diminution or disappearance of the normal equatorial upwelling. The seasonal cycle variations are of the smallest amplitude; the maximum variation is perhaps 100 cm day −1 near the equator and somewhat more just north of the equatorial waveguide in the downwelling part of the seasonal circulation. The field program period was studied using the different available wind analyses to force the model over the 1991–1992 period. Because the wind analyses have substantial differences, they force substantially different W fields in the ocean model. Unfortunately, no wind analysis can be shown to be substantially superior to any other during this period. Thus, estimates of the net vertical transport of any quantity of JGOFS interest must take into account the wide range of possible W values.
ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction after Pharmacologic Persantine Stress Test in a Patient with Wellens’ Syndrome

Wellens’ syndrome, also known as LAD coronary T-wave inversion syndrome, is a characteristic ECG pattern that highly suggests critical stenosis of the proximal left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery. 75% of patients with this finding go on to develop acute anterior wall myocardial infarction within one week unless prevented by early intervention on the culprit lesion. Most instances of ST-elevation occurring during cardiac stress testing have been observed with exercise, with only seven cases reported in the literature with pharmacologic stress. We present a case of a patient with no known cardiac disease who presented with chest pain and an ECG consistent with Wellens’ syndrome that developed an acute anterior wall ST-elevation myocardial infarction after pharmacologic stress test.
Object association across PTZ cameras using logistic MIL

We propose a novel approach to associate objects across multiple PTZ cameras that can be used to perform camera handoff in wide-area surveillance scenarios. While previous approaches relied on geometric, appearance, or correlation-based information for establishing correspondences between static cameras, they each have well-known limitations and are not extendable to wide-area settings with PTZ cameras. In our approach, the slave camera only passively follows the target (by loose registration with the master) and bootstraps itself from its own incoming imagery, thus effectively circumventing the problems faced by previous approaches and avoiding the need to perform any model transfer. Towards this goal, we also propose a novel Multiple Instance Learning (MIL) formulation for the problem based on the logistic softmax function of covariance-based region features within a MAP estimation framework. We demonstrate our approach with multiple PTZ camera sequences in typical outdoor surveillance settings and show a comparison with state-of-the-art approaches.
The fourth dimension in cellular signaling.

A key question in cell biology is how signaling specificity is achieved. The authors of two Perspectives ([1][1], [2][2]) reflected on the difficulties of relaying information from a staggering number of extracellular receptors through a small number of intracellular signaling molecules. A classic
Monkeys Show an Oblique Effect

Monkeys aligned a cursor bar with high-contrast square-wave gratings presented in a variety of orientations. Alignment time increased with increasing spatial frequency from 6 to 24 cycles deg−1 regardless of the orientation of the grating. At higher spatial frequencies, alignment tasks took longer for obliquely oriented gratings than for horizontal and vertical ones. Reducing grating contrast by blurring the image of the 24 cycle deg−1 grating also produced longer alignment times for the obliques. These data indicate that monkeys have an oblique effect similar to that found in humans, implying that the monkey is a useful animal model for investigating the development of meridional anisotropies.
Traumatic brain injury in pediatric patients: evidence for the effectiveness of decompressive surgery

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the current leading cause of death in children over 1 year of age. Adequate management and care of pediatric patients is critical to ensure the best functional outcome in this population. In their controversial trial, Cooper et al. concluded that decompressive craniectomy following TBI did not improve clinical outcome of the analyzed adult population. While the study did not target pediatric populations, the results do raise important and timely clinical questions regarding the effectiveness of decompressive surgery in pediatric patients. There is still a paucity of evidence regarding the effectiveness of this therapy in a pediatric population, and there is an especially noticeable knowledge gap surrounding age-stratified interventions in pediatric trauma. The purposes of this review are to first explore the anatomical variations between pediatric and adult populations in the setting of TBI. Second, the authors assess how these differences between adult and pediatric popula...
A Mechanical-Scan-Free Single-Fiber Probe for Simultaneous Microscopy and High-Precision Laser Microsurgery

We demonstrate an endoscope-compatible single-fiber probe that performs simultaneous confocal microscopy and high-precision laser microsurgery without any mechanical movement of the probe or the sample by mapping two-dimensional sample coordinates onto the optical spectrum.
Plant competition for light analyzed with a multispecies canopy model. III: Influence of canopy structure in mixtures and monocultures of wheat and wild oat

A multispecies canopy photosynthesis simulation model was used to examine the importance of canopy structure in influencing light interception and carbon gain in mixed and pure stands of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and wild oat (Avena fatua L.), a common weedy competitor of wheat. In the mixtures, the fraction of the simulated canopy photosynthesis contributed by wheat was found to decline during the growing season and this decline was closely related to reductions in the amount of leaf area in upper canopy layers. For both species in mixture and in monoculture, simulated photosynthesis was greatest in the middle or upper-middle canopy layers and sensitivity analyses revealed that canopy photosynthesis was most sensitive to changes in leaf area and leaf inclination in these layers. Changes in LAI and leaf inclination affected canopy carbon gain differently for mixtures and monocultures, but the responses were not the same for the two species. Results from simulations where the structural characteristics of the two species were substituted indicated that species differences in leaf inclination, sheath area and the fraction of leaf area alive were of minor consequence compared with the differences in total leaf area in influencing relative canopy carbon gain in mixtures. Competition for light in these species mixtures appears to be influenced most by differences in the positioning of leaf area in upper canopy layers which determines, to a great extent, the amount of light intercepted.
Self-medication with alcohol and drugs by persons with severe mental illness

Abstract People with serious mental illnesses are disproportionately likely to experience problems with substance abuse. Attempts to self-medicate symptoms of illness and uncomfortable adverse effects of psychiatric medications are widely assumed to be one of the factors contributing to the high rate of psychiatric illness and substance abuse comorbidity. In this article, biological and psychological theories about self-medication in people with serious mental illness are reviewed, and data from a recent study of recovering “dual diagnosis” patients are used to illustrate aspects of self-medication. Recommendations for nursing include assessing the immediate and long-term effects of substance use on psychiatric symptoms, assisting clients to find the most effective psychotropic medication regime, educating clients about drug/medication interactions, and screening for additional comorbid conditions.
Carl McDaniels: A Life of Transitions

Carl McDaniels has made contributions to professional counseling for nearly 40 years. He is well known for practical applications of career development theory such as the Virginia Tech Employee Career Development Program and the Virginia Career Information Delivery System, and for his theoretical formula “Career = Work + Leisure.” In this interview, he reflects on transitions in his career as a counselor and a counselor educator.
Fluoride in precipitation—I. Methodology with the Fluoride-selective Electrode

Abstract The reliability of the combination fluoride ion-specific electrode is carefully examined at several fluoride concentrations from 100 ppb to 1 ppb for the direct determination of fluoride in precipitation samples without preconcentration. Time response characteristics were monitored and precision and detection limit are reported for steady-state potentials. Direct reference to a standard curve rather than slope tracings is made and the precision on precipitation samples at less than 20 ppb is reported. Suggestions for improvement are also made.
Characterization of Rash with Indinavir in a National Patient Cohort

OBJECTIVE:To characterize indinavir-associated rash using systematic data collection through postmarketing surveillance in a sample of HIV/AIDS patients.DESIGN:HIV-infected patients identified through a medication counseling line who reported onset of a rash following initiation of indinavir therapy were included in this case series analysis. Pertinent information regarding onset, description, and management of rash; other medications initiated within two weeks of indinavir or rash onset; and medication allergy history was obtained through follow-up telephone contact. Patients were contacted weekly until the rash resolved or indinavir was discontinued.SETTING:Stadtlanders Drug Distribution Company, located in Pittsburgh, PA.RESULTS:Of the 110 patients identified and followed, 67% reported rash onset within two weeks of initiating indinavir therapy. The rash was initially localized in all 110 patients and subsequently spread to other areas of the body in 77% of the patients. The rash spread to the full bod...
Conducting research in the Middle East's conflict zones

In many people's minds, the Middle East stands out as the world's most dangerous place. I often remark to my colleagues and friends, however, that I feel safer doing field research in most Middle Eastern countries than I would in much of Africa or Latin America. To begin with, few parts of the Middle East suffer from high rates of random crime. Rather, the region's violence is mostly political in nature, and, with the right approach, a researcher can take several steps to minimize risks. I have conducted research in the Kurdish regions of Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Iraq (before and after the 2003 war), in Lebanon, and in Israel-Palestine during the first Intifadah. In this article, I discuss various strategies and issues one faces while “in the field” in regions such as these.The author would like to acknowledge research support provided by the Canadian Department of National Defence, the Inter-University Consortium for Arab and Middle East Studies (ICAMES), and the University of Montreal's Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches Internationales.
Managing polymer surface structure using surface active block copolymers in block copolymer mixtures

Surface coatings were prepared from semifluorinated monodendron surface-active block copolymers (SABC) and a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) [poly(styrene-b-ethylene butylene-b-styrene)] by either spin-casting a bilayer structure or by blending. The surface of these coatings was characterized by contact angle measurements, scanning force microscopy (SFM) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) methods. Both bilayers and blends resulted in very low energy surfaces under the right processing conditions and the liquid crystallinity of the semifluorinated monodendrons gave rise to temporally stable, non-reconstructing surfaces in water. However for small thicknesses of the SABC top layer or for low SABC content blends, SFM shows islands of the fluorinated block of the SABC and incomplete surface coverage of the TPE, an observation confirmed by NEXAFS analysis. Very high water contact angles were produced by even modest amounts of SABC in either case but to achieve low contact angle hysteresis, it was necessary to produce uniform surface coverage by the SABC. Such uniform coverage can be accomplished by spin casting a top layer of SABC as thin as 60 nm in the bilayer case but at least 10 wt% SABC in TPE combined with drop casting of a hot solutions is needed for the blends to achieve equivalent surface structure and properties.
The Kenics Static Mixer : a Three-dimensional Chaotic Flow

Abstract The Kenics static mixer was investigated numerically using Lagrangian methods to characterize mixer performance for low Reynolds number flows. Particle tracking simulations were used to compute residence time distributions, striation evolution, and variation coefficient as a function of the number of mixer elements. The mixing measures calculated from the numerical simulation agree closely with reported experimental results from the literature. Stretching of material elements in the mixer flow was also computed. The average stretching of material elements increased exponentially with the number of periodic mixer segments (a signature of chaotic flows). The probability density function of the logarithm of stretching values, H n (log 10 λ ), had a Gaussian distribution over the central spectrum of stretching intensities, with no deviations from the Gaussian profile at low stretching intensities, suggesting a globally chaotic flow. A significant tail of high stretching intensities was found. The spatial locations of points with the highest stretching values corresponded to the manifolds of two period-1 hyperbolic points present in the flow.
Restricted diffusion in liquids within fine pores

The effect on the liquid-phase effective diffusivity in fine pores of the ratio of solute molecular diameter to pore diameter and of preferential solute adsorption was studied by measurements on homogeneous silicaalumina bead catalyst (pore diameter = 3.2 nm). A proposed empirical correlation is based on the investigation of a variety of binary systems of paraffins and aromatic hydrocarbons and of aqueous solutions of sugars.
1/f Noise Measurements of Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon-Carbon Alloys

Measurements of the optical, electronic and 1/f noise properties for a series of n-type doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide thin films with varying gas phase concentrations of CH4 are described. The increase in the optical absorption edge of the n-type a-SiCx:H films with the addition of carbon is slower than in p-type films. Studies of the variation in the non-Gaussian statistics which characterize the 1/f noise indicate that the disorder at the mobility edge is greater for films with higher carbon concentrations.
Cocaine discrimination is attenuated by isradipine and CGS 10746B.

Abstract The discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine are thought to be mediated by dopaminergic mechanisms that may be modulated by calcium ion influx and/or interact with 5-hydroxytryptamine 3 (5-HT 3 ) receptors. To test these possibilities, rats were trained to discriminate between the stimulus properties of 10.0 mg/kg cocaine and its vehicle in a two-lever, food-motivated operant task. Once trained, rats showed a dose-related decrease in discriminative performance when tested with lower cocaine doses. An analysis of the dose-response curve indicated an ED 50 value of 3.04 mg/kg. Pretreatment with the presynaptic dopamine release-inhibiting agent CGS 10746B (20–40 mg/kg) resulted in a dose-related decrease in cocaine discrimination with the highest dose significantly attenuating cocaine discrimination. Pretreatment with 10–30 mg/kg isradipine, a calcium channel blocker, also resulted in a dose-related decrease in cocaine discriminative performance. In contrast to these positive results, pretreatment with the 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist MDL 72222 (3.5–7.0 mg/kg), or the same doses of ibogaine, did not significantly affect cocaine discrimination. The results suggest that cocaine controls differential responding in a discriminative stimulus task by mechanisms that involve presynaptic release of dopamine, which may be regulated by neuronal calcium influx through L-type calcium channels.
Nanowire Thin-Film Transistors: A New Avenue to High-Performance Macroelectronics

The recent efforts in exploiting semiconductor nanowires (NWs) for high-performance macroelectronics are reviewed. In brief, a new concept of NW thin-film transistors (NW-TFTs) has been proposed and demonstrated from oriented semiconductor NW thin films. In NW-TFTs, the source and drain electrodes are bridged by multiple single-crystal NWs in parallel. Therefore, charges travel from source to drain within single crystals, ensuring high carrier mobility. Recent studies have shown that high-performance NW-TFTs and high-frequency circuits can be produced from silicon NWs on a variety of substrates, including glass and plastics, using a solution assembly process. The device performance of these NW-TFTs not only greatly surpasses that of solution-processed organic TFTs but is also significantly better than that of conventional amorphous or polycrystalline silicon TFTs, approaching single-crystal silicon-based devices. Furthermore, with a similar framework, group III-V or II-VI NW or nanoribbon materials of high intrinsic carrier mobility or optical functionality can be assembled into thin films on flexible substrates to enable new multifunctional electronics/optoelectronics that are not possible with traditional macroelectronics. This approach thus opens a new avenue to high-performance flexible macroelectronics and will not only impact existing applications but also enable a whole new generation of flexible, wearable, or disposable electronics for computing, storage, and wireless communication.
Early growth response-1 transcription factor is essential for ethanol-induced fatty liver injury in mice.

Background & Aims: Early growth response-1 (Egr-1), an immediate early gene/zinc-finger transcription factor, is required for maximal stimulation of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) transcription in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Because chronic ethanol exposure sensitizes macrophages to LPS-stimulated TNF-α expression, we have investigated the role of Egr-1 in mediating increased LPS-stimulated TNF-α expression after chronic ethanol feeding. Furthermore, because TNF-α contributes to alcoholic liver injury, we tested the hypothesis that Egr-1 is required for the development of ethanol-induced fatty liver injury in wild type and egr-1 −/− mice. Methods: Wild-type and egr-1 −/− mice were fed ethanol-containing diets or pair-fed control diets for 6 weeks. Results: Wild-type mice fed the ethanol diet developed hepatic steatosis characterized by micro- and macrovesicular lipid accumulation. However, egr-1 −/− mice did not develop steatosis after ethanol feeding. Alanine transferase and TNF-α concentrations in serum were increased after ethanol feeding in wild-type but not egr-1 −/− mice. In wild-type mice, challenge with LPS increased Egr-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and DNA binding activity in liver; this response to LPS was enhanced after chronic ethanol feeding. LPS challenge also increased hepatic TNF-α mRNA and serum TNF-α to a greater extent after ethanol feeding compared with pair-fed wild-type mice. However, chronic ethanol feeding did not enhance LPS-stimulated TNF-α mRNA or serum TNF-α in egr-1 −/− mice. Conclusions: These data show that Egr-1 contributes to increased LPS-mediated TNF-α expression after chronic ethanol and that the absence of Egr-1 prevents chronic ethanol-induced fatty liver, as well as increased sensitivity to LPS.
The Personal Web: smart internet for me

This position paper proposes the Personal Web as the next instantiation of the Smart Internet Research Initiative. Zooming in the problem scope of Smart Internet, the Personal Web focuses on the person ME as the center of gravity of web integration. The objective of the Personal Web is to empower ME, as a common internet user of generally limited technical skills, the autonomy and ease of control in assembling and aggregating integrateable web elements across the web for a particular sphere of context of my concern. This should be so simple to do that becomes frequent everyday tasks. Typical integrate-able web elements are made available as extensions to current web sites by web domains' software programmers, to enable end users to drive and operate web integration by themselves. This user-sovereign web integration results in the generation of dynamic and high degree of personalized web artifacts for visualizations and interactions, synthesized together in a manner that is cognitively supportive; melding silos of web domains into a unified web platform to support the individual user's situational and/or persisted and repeated need for contextually relevant data and services without any programming requirement. Currently, the most popular solution towards such goal is mashups of various nuances which focuses on web sites, information and services web integration. The Personal Web proposes a people-centric integration of information, services and web content as a significantly different approach of web integration. This position paper asserts that this approach offers much better potential to realize the set goals of the Personal Web than the currently prominent mashups approach. The Personal Web is fundamentally built upon Resource Description Framework (RDF) based Linked Data of the semantic web by Tim Berners-Lee, with several significant adaptations and extensions of linked data proposed in the paper to resolve the current technical and practical limitations of mashups, in order to realize the Personal Web goals and objectives. Adaptations and extensions discussed in this paper include personal linked data; linked services and linked services scoped into personal linked services. In addition, a three-layer meta-model of the Personal Web is also proposed in order to enable more opportunities for the inference and discovery of semantic relationships between the user's sphere of context and the participating integrate-able web elements. With a defined meta-model of the Personal Web, simple user operations for web integrations can be defined and made available to users to control web integration for themselves without additional tools and widgets. I believe that the strategy set by the Personal Web will bring forth a significant step to improve users' lives by putting control in their hands in pulling together data, services and web content feeds from around the internet.