cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radionuclide Production and Radioactive Decay

Radionuclide production and radioactive decay are two important factors for the development and use of radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine imaging and radiotherapy applications. Sufficient quantities of the radionuclides used in medicine must be available on a routine basis at a reasonable cost. The radioactive ingredient must be sufficiently pure (both radiochemical and radionuclidic) and have enough activity to provide the therapeutic activity or the image information. The selection of a particular radionuclide for a specific application is determined by the radioactive decay properties (half-lives, particle emission(s), particle energies, photon emissions, photon energies) and the behavior of the radionuclide in the body. Imaging applications require emission of penetrating radiations (gamma or positron annihilation photons), whereas radiotherapy applications require emission of short- range, high linear energy transfer (LET) radiations (alpha, beta, Auger electrons). Therapeutic radionuclides should not have significant emissions of penetrating radiations (gamma or positron annihilation photons), however, low abundance gamma emissions allow tracking of the in vivo therapeutic dose and dosimetry calculations. The factors of radioactive decay and radionuclide production are discussed, with examples and emphasis being on those radionuclides with applications to nuclear medicine. Keywords: radioactive decay; radionuclide production; radioactive decay rates; nuclear medicine; diagnostic imaging; radiotherapy; radionuclide generators; radioactive emissions
Food security governance. Empowering communities, regulating corporations

Nora McKeon has written a book for our times. It is a book that is almost entirely present and future oriented. It follows the theme of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science, Knowled...
A strategy to develop robust capabilities for wireless aerospace expeditionary force (AEF) C/sup 3/I requirements

21/sup st/ Century national security requires a better ability to adapt/exploit existing and future, satellite and terrestrial communications systems to meet national objectives. Shortfalls in current communications systems require solutions to support a US global presence that is still required in many environments. Satellite communications (satcom) integrated to existing, emerging, developing terrestrial communications and strategies-to-task to cost-effectively develop these capabilities are needed for AEF requirements. Command and control information systems are explained as legacies of Vietnam-era systems. Current restructured/realigned capabilities still require external command and control. Architecture management, with improvements applying cost-effective new radio frequency (RF) technologies, will aid fielding and employment of future capability. To solve associated problems, investigations using integrated concurrent engineering techniques could foster the next generation of production capabilities and lead to further experimental enhancements.
Rocket engine test facilities a Stennis Space Center

Ground testing of rocket engines and rocket engine components has played an essential role in the development of flight-rated propulsion systems. The government has built many unique facilities to perform this function. Outlined in this paper are the ground testing capabilities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) John C. Stennis Space Center (SSC), ranging from the component level to fully-integrated, multi-engine stage testing.
Supplier innovativeness, organizational learning styles and manufacturer performance: An empirical assessment

Abstract Suppliers have become an increasingly important source of product and process innovation. While case studies have documented how supplier innovation can benefit a manufacturer, this relationship has not been empirically validated, nor have contingencies been explored. Using organizational learning theory we posit that the link between supplier innovativeness and manufacturer performance is moderated by the “fit” between the learning styles of the manufacturer and supplier. We empirically test our hypotheses using hierarchical linear modeling of survey responses from 148 manufacturers concerning 592 suppliers. Results indicate that supplier innovativeness has positive impacts on multiple dimensions of manufacturer performance. Results show that when the outsourced activity involves low levels of design responsibility by the supplier, it is more beneficial for the two partners to have contrasting learning styles. However, when the outsourced activity is design-intensive, it is more beneficial to have a supplier with an explorative learning style.
Niemann-pick disease type C: implications for sedation and anesthesia for diagnostic procedures.

Niemann-Pick disease type C, an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder, can present with severe visceral and neurologic involvement and is associated with a significant decrease in life expectancy. As little is known about anesthetic considerations of this disease, we examined the perianesthetic course of patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C. Thirty-two patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C, median age 6.9 years (1.8–33 years), underwent 64 general anesthetics for diagnostic procedures. Perianesthetic morbidity included need for tracheal reintubation, pneumonitis, hypothermia, and seizure. Therefore, Niemann-Pick disease type C–associated neurologic and visceral involvement might have anesthetic implications that neurologists and pediatricians should be aware of and consider discussing with parents, guardians, and the patient’s care team when procedures requiring anesthesia are planned. Furthermore, it is important for delivery of safe anesthesia that there is communication among care team members so that all involved understand the disease manifestation spectrum.
New Determinant for the CaVβ2 Subunit Modulation of the CaV1.2 Calcium Channel

Cavβ subunits support voltage gating of Cav1.2 calcium channels and play important role in excitation-contraction coupling. The common central membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) region of Cavβ binds to the α-interaction domain (AID) and the IQ motif of the pore-forming α1C subunit, but these two interactions do not explain why the cardiac Cavβ2 subunit splice variants differentially modulate inactivation of Ca2+ currents (ICa). Previously we described β2Δg, a functionally active splice variant of human Cavβ2 lacking MAGUK. By deletion analysis of β2Δg, we have now identified a 41-amino acid C-terminal essential determinant (β2CED) that stimulates ICa in the absence of Cavβ subunits and conveys a +20-mV shift in the peak of the ICa-voltage relationship. The β2CED is targeted by α1C to the plasma membrane, forms a complex with α1C but does not bind to AID. Electrophysiology and binding studies point to the calmodulin-interacting LA/IQ region in the α1C subunit C terminus as a functionally relevant β2CED binding site. The β2CED interacts with LA/IQ in a Ca2+- and calmodulin-independent manner and need LA, but not IQ, to activate the channel. Deletion/mutation analyses indicated that each of the three Cavβ2/α1C interactions is sufficient to support ICa. However, β2CED does not support Ca2+-dependent inactivation, suggesting that interactions of MAGUK with AID and IQ are crucial for Ca2+-induced inactivation. The β2CED is conserved only in Cavβ2 subunits. Thus, β2CED constitutes a previously unknown integrative part of the multifactorial mechanism of Cavβ2-subunit differential modulation of the Cav1.2 calcium channel that in β2Δg occurs without MAGUK.
Glucagon effects on the human small intestine.

In healthy volunteers, the effects of intravenously administered glucagon on small intestinal function was investigated. Bolus doses resulting in plasma glucagon concentrations of >800 pg/ml (5 min after injection) abolished jejunal contractions for 4.4±0.4 (sem) min after a latency period of 49±4 sec. During continuous intravenous glucagon infusion, jejunal dilatation and increase in mean transit time (MTT) occurred at plasma levels >720 pg/ml, while inhibition of water and electrolyte absorption was observed only with plasma glucagon concentrations of 1760±114 pg/ml. Under these conditions, the propulsion of fasting intestinal contents was slowed without change in flow rate. The observed effects cannot be attributed to the simultaneously occurring rise in plasma insulin and glucose concentrations. Short-term increases in circulating glucagon concentration inhibit intestinal tone, contractions, and propulsion with only a minor effect on water and electrolyte absorption limited to a narrow concentration range of plasma glucagon. Neither effect occurs at glucagon levels likely to occur under physiologic concentrations. The latency period preceding the abolition of jejunal contractions suggests that glucagon does not act directly on intestinal smooth muscle cells.
Patterns of Family Conflict and Their Relation to College Student Adjustment

The current study explored whether college students' reported participation in one of four theoretically distinct family alignments was differentially related to their scores on a multidimensional measure of college adjustment. Students were classified into one of four family alignment groups (noncoalition, mother-coalition, father-coalition, and triangulation) on the basis of their comparative levels of conflictual independence from each parent. Results suggest that students' academic and personal adjustment are differentially affected by the nature of the parent-student conflictual alignment. Results also support the consideration of a family perspective when evaluating the student's adaptation to the college environment.
Simplified pulse-coupled neural network

Recently, the Pulse-Coupled Neural Network (PCNN) was introduced. This network provides a general purpose processor that has the ability to extract edges, segments, and texture from images. These extractions are quite useful for image recognition engines. This paper will introduce a more efficient means of producing results similar to the original PCNN.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Activation of microglial cells by the CD40 pathway: relevance to multiple sclerosis

Abstract It is well known that microglial cells perform a key role in mediating inflammatory processes, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). In this study, we report that CD40 expression on microglia is greatly enhanced by a low dose (10 U/ml) of IFN-γ. We also find that ligation of microglial CD40 by CD40L triggers a significant production of TNF-α. Activation of microglia by ligation of CD40 in the presence of IFN-γ results in cultured cortical neuronal injury, which is markedly attenuated by blockade of the CD40 pathway or neutralization of TNF-α. Finally, we find significant levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α in the medium of co-cultured activated CD4+ T cells and microglial cells, showing that microglia can supply the CD40 receptor to activated CD4+ T cells and suggesting that this cellular interaction is a key event in MS pathophysiology.
Autonomic characteristics of agoraphobia with panic attacks

Abstract We compared electrodermal and heart rale measures of autonomic activation between patients meeting DSM-III criteria for agoraphobia with panic attacks and controls in terms of tonic level, reactivity to various types of stimuli, recovery, habituation, and spontaneous variability. The most striking differences between groups in the laboratory were higher tonic levels of skin conductance and heart rate among patients. Patients' heart rates were also tonically elevated in a test situation outside the laboratory. Certain measures of habituation and spontaneous variability also differed between groups, but there were only weak and inconsistent differences in reactivity to, or recovery from, stimuli with diverse qualities of novelty, startlingness, intensity, or phobicity. The elevated activation levels may be signs of a chronic state or may be phobic responses to the testing situations. A minority of patients failed to show these elevated levels.
Transport of 22:6n-3 in the Plasma and Uptake into Retinal Pigment Epithelium and Retina

Vertebrate retina is highly enriched in 22-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), which is supplied by the plasma. To study the transport and uptake of 22:6n-3 into the retina, young Long Evans rats were fasted overnight and given an oral dose of palm oil containing [4,5-3H] 22:6n-3 and [9,10-3H] 18:1n-9 (oleic acid). At 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hr postgavage, blood, liver, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retina were collected, and plasma lipoprotein fractions were obtained by density-gradient ultracentrifugation. The distribution of radioactivity among the different lipoproteins (dpm%) showed that both fatty acids were mainly associated with VLDL 1 hr after gavage. For 22:6n-3, the majority of radioactivity was associated with LDL at 6 hr postgavage. By 12 hr post administration, the majority of radioactivity was in HDL2 which retained around 40% until the 48-hr time point. For 18:1n-9, a different profile was observed. By 6 hr postgavage, approximately 30% of the radioactivity was found in HDL2, but the percentage of radioactivity decreased to approximately 20% thereafter. The half-life of 22:6n-3 was significantly longer than for 18:1n-9 (P < 0.0005) in plasma, liver, and the lipoprotein fractions. The specific activities of 22:6n-3 and 18:1n-9 in the plasma continuously declined from 1 hr to 48 hr postgavage, while liver showed a peak of specific activity at 6 hr, then gradually declined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fluctuating hyperfine interactions: computational implementation

A library of computational routines has been created to assist in the analysis of stochastic models of hyperfine interactions. We call this library the stochastic hyperfine interactions modeling library (SHIML). It provides routines written in the C programming language that (1) read a text description of a model for fluctuating hyperfine fields, (2) set up the Blume matrix, upon which the evolution operator of the system depends, and (3) find the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the Blume matrix so that theoretical spectra of experimental hyperfine interaction measurements can be calculated. Example model calculations are included in the SHIML package to illustrate its use and to generate perturbed angular correlation spectra for the special case of polycrystalline samples when anisotropy terms of higher order than A22 can be neglected.
Bottom Pressure Tides Along a Line in the Southeast Atlantic Ocean and Comparisons with Satellite Altimetry

Seafloor pressure records, collected at 11 stations aligned along a single ground track of the Topex/Poseidon and Jason satellites, are analyzed for their tidal content. With very low background noise levels and approximately 27 months of high-quality records, tidal constituents can be estimated with unusually high precision. This includes many high-frequency lines up through the seventh-diurnal band. The station deployment provides a unique opportunity to compare with tides estimated from satellite altimetry, point by point along the satellite track, in a region of moderately high mesoscale variability. That variability can significantly corrupt altimeter-based tide estimates, even with 17 years of data. A method to improve the along-track altimeter estimates by correcting the data for non-tidal variability is found to yield much better agreement with the bottom-pressure data. The technique should prove useful in certain demanding applications, such as altimetric studies of internal tides.
Impact of the troponin standard on the prevalence of acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Background Recent recommendations are that troponin should replace creatine kinase (CK)-MB as the diagnostic standard for myocardial infarction (MI). The impact of this change has not been well described. Our objective was to determine the impact of a troponin standard on the prevalence of acute non-ST–elevation MI. Methods The current study was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients without ST-segment elevation admitted for exclusion of myocardial ischemia to an inner city urban tertiary care center. All patients underwent serial marker sampling (CK, CK-MB, and cardiac troponin I [cTnI]). Patients with ST elevation consistent with acute MI (n = 130) or who did not have an 8 hour cTnI (n = 124) were excluded. The impact of 3 different cTnI diagnostic values were examined in 2181 patients: the lower limit of detectability (LLD); an optimal diagnostic value (OPT), chosen using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis; and the manufacturer's suggested upper reference level (URL), when compared to a gold standard CK-MB MI definition. In addition, MI prevalence was assessed using different CK-MB MI definitions and evaluated in patients with ischemic changes only. Results The prevalence CK-MB MI was 7.8%. Using the various cTnI diagnostic values, the incidence of MI increased the prevalence by 28% to 195%. Using the optimal diagnostic value for cTnI, patients with cTnI elevations not meeting CK-MB MI criteria had an intermediate 30-day mortality (5.4%) compared to those with CK-MB MI (7.1%). Grouping the cTnI positive, CK-MB MI negative patients with the CK-MB MI patients rather than the non-CK–MB MI patients reduced mortality for both the MI (to 5.9%) and non-MI groups (from 1.9% to 1.6%). Conclusions Changing to a troponin standard will have a substantial impact on the number of patients diagnosed with MI. The revised definition for MI will have important clinical and health care implications.
Online Museums, Exhibits, and Archives of American Disability History

The Public Historian, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 91–100 (Spring 2005). ISSN: 0272-3433, electronic ISSN 1533-8576. © 2005 by The Regents of the University of California and the National Council on Public History. All rights reserved. Please direct all requests for permission to photocopy or reproduce article content through the University of California Press’s Rights and Permissions website: www.ucpress.edu/journals/rights.htm.
Using optical absorption to measure the state of charge of lead-acid batteries

Proposed here is a method of measuring the state of charge of lead-acid batteries based on the assumption that the addition of sulfuric acid to water will reduce the optical absorption at certain absorption peaks of pure water. This reduction is expected to result from the accompanying drop in the concentration of water molecules. Measurements of the absorption in the vicinity of 0.97, 1.20, and 1.45 ?m indicate that this is indeed the case, although deviations from a linear dependence on water concentration are noted. Two ways of implementing this phenomenon in a lead-acid battery are presented; one involves an absorption cell in a flooded battery, while the second involves an optical fiber woven into an absorbed-glass-mat battery. In the second case, the absorptive electrolyte serves as the cladding of the optical fiber and introduces attenuated total internal reflection into what would otherwise be perfectly guided modes.
Intellectuals, Public Opinion, and Economic Development

Economic development in the West proceeded, until the latter part of the nineteenth century, without the aid of the intellectuals. Neither the innovators in technology nor the enterprisers and managers of industrial firms were highly educated, nor did they interest themselves in intellectual matters. The world of finance contained a few exceptions to this proposition, such as David Ricardo, Samuel Rogers, and George Grote, but it, too, moved without the aid of economists or other professional or avocational intellectuals. The graduates of universities stood aloof from the practical work of commerce and industry in their countries; they went into scholarship, into theology and the church, into administration (first in Germany and then gradually in the rest of the countries of Europe), into medicine and the law, but they did not enter into the central stream of the economic life of their countries.
Further results on focus forecasting vs. exponential smoothing

In an earlier paper, we found that damped-trend, seasonal exponential smoothing was more accurate than a simple version of Focus Forecasting, based on Flores and Whybark [Production and Inventory Management Journal, (1986), 14, 339–366]. This note tests Demand Solutions, a more sophisticated version of Focus Forecasting. As in the earlier paper, we used five time series of cookware demand from a production planning application and 91 time series from the M-Competition study of forecast accuracy. Results are much the same as in our earlier paper. Exponential smoothing is substantially more accurate than Demand Solutions. This is perhaps not surprising in that Demand Solutions’ forecasting rules are arbitrary, with no statistical rationale. Users of Focus Forecasting have much to gain by adopting statistical forecasting methods.
Improvement in model reduction schemes using the system equivalent reduction expansion process

The SEREP produces an exact reduced model. However, this method requires knowledge of the full system eigenvectors. An extension of this method was presented that uses only the mode shapes of a reduced system. The reduced system mode shapes can be obtained from any reduction procedure, including Guyan, for example. Results from a simulation of a cantilevered Euler Bernoulli beam validated the technique. It was shown that the method improved upon the Guyan and the IRS reduction methods provided that a proper set of master DOF were chosen
Identification of structurally altered estrogen receptors in human breast cancer by site-directed monoclonal antibodies.

Abstract We have developed and characterized site-directed monoclonal (MAb) and polyclonal antibodies to a specific domain in the N-terminal A B region in order to assess estrogen receptor (ER) structural integrity in human breast tumor samples. The antibodies (Abs) reacted specifically with the native (undenatured) ER from various species. The synthetic peptides competed effectively for ER binding to the Abs, suggesting site-specificity. The Abs recognized the activated (4S) and transformed (5S) but not the unactivated, untransformed, molybdate-stabilized (8S) ER, suggesting that the epitope is inaccessible in the 8S form. Some of these Abs reacted with ER bound to its responsive elements, as determined by gel mobility shift assay. To evaluate the structural integrity of ER in breast cancer, we have utilized a) ligand binding analysis for the hormone binding domain; b) site-directed MAb to the DNA-binding domain; and c) site-directed MAb to the N-terminal transactivation domain. Analysis of ER from 29 human breast tumors revealed that 10 out of 29 tumors (35%) contained ER with intact hormone-, DNA-, and N-terminal domains. Thirteen out of 29 tumors (∼45%) contained ER with intact hormone binding and N-terminal domains but were defective only in the DNA-binding domain. Three out of 29 tumors (∼10%) contained ER defective only in the N-terminal domain. Another subgroup of tumors ( 3 29 ; ∼10%) had ER with normal hormone binding domain but were defective in both the DNA-binding and the N-terminal activation domains. These observations suggest the potential usefulness of site-directed MAb to ER in identification of structurally defective ER in human breast tumors.
Polymorphonuclear neutrophils adherence, superoxide anion (O2−) production and HBA1 level in diabetic patients

Abstract It was established that metabolic disturbances accompanying the impairment of diabetes control induced polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) activation. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of diabetes control, measured as HbA 1 , level on superoxide anions production and neutrophils adherence to foreign surface. Twenty patients with insulin-dependent or non-insulin-dependent diabetes being in different state of metabolic control were studied. It was revealed that PMN from diabetics demonstrated significantly increased unstimulated superoxide anion production (11.07 ± 1.25 vs. 4.15 ± 1.24 nmol O 2 − /10 6 PMN/10 min). Stimulated O 2 − production did not reach the same levels as controls (21.80 ± 1.34 vs. 23.67 ± 4.36 nmol O 2 − /10 6 PMN/10 min). There were highly significant correlations between unstimulated O 2 − production and HbA 1 , levels ( r = 0.86). Adherence of diabetic PMN suspended in autologous plasma was significantly increased in comparison to controls (12.76 ± 1.20 vs. 6.04 ± 1.99 cells/mm 2 ). However, these data did not correlate with HbA 1 level ( r = 0.06). In conclusion our results seems to indicate that metabolic control of diabetes influence PMN function.
Snow Reflectance from LANDSAT-4 Thematic Mapper

In California 75 percent of the agricultural water supply comes from the melting Sierra Nevada snowpack. Basin-wide spectral albedo measurements from the Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) could be used to better forecast the timing of the spring runoff, because these data can be combined with solar radiation calculations to estimate the net radiation balance. The TM is better-suited for this prupose than the Multispectral Scanner because of its larger dynamic range. Saturation still occurs in bands 1-4, but is severe only in TM1 (0.45-0.52, ?m). Snow reflectance in TM2 (0.43-0.61 ?m) is typical of the visible wavelength region, where reflectance is almost insensitive to crystal size but sensitive to contamination. TM4 (0.78-0.90 ?m) allows estimation of effective optical grain size and thereby spectral extension throughout the near-infrared. TM5 (1.57-1.78 ?m) can discriminate clouds from snow.
Simultaneous partial reflection and meteor radar wind observations at Urbana, Illinois, during the winter of 1974-1975

A program of observation was undertaken during the winter of 1974-1975 utilizing the meteor winds radar and partial reflection system at Urbana, Illinois. The north-south component of the prevailing wind representative of 80-100 km altitude was deduced for four 24-h observational periods during which partial reflection measurements of D-region electron density were made. These observations indicate southward mean motion during periods of higher electron density and northward mean motion during periods of lower electron density. This is consistent with the idea that increases in the transport of nitric oxide from the auroral zone is a cause of winter increases in D-region electron density at midlatitudes.
Propagation and confinement of energetic electrons in solar flares

The propagation, cofinement and total energy of energetic (>25 keV) electrons in solar flares are examined through a brief review of the following hard X-ray measurements: (1) spatially resolved observations obtained by imaging instruments; (2) stereoscopic observations of partially occulted sources providing radial (vertical) spatial resolution; and (3) directivity of the emission measured through stereoscopic observations and the center-to-limb variation of the occurrence frequency of hard X-ray flares. The characteristics of the energetic electrons are found to be quite distinct in impulsive and gradual hard X-ray flares. In impulsive flares the non-thermal electron spectrum seems to extend down to ∼2 keV indicating that the total energy of non-thermal electrons is much larger than that assumed in the past.
Familial positional downbeat nystagmus and cerebellar ataxia: clinical and pathologic findings.

: A family with progressive cerebellar ataxia is reported. The earlier signs of cerebellar dysfunction was positional downbeat nystagmus (PDBN). An autopsy of one member with PDBN, who died early in the disease of unrelated causes, showed loss of Purkinje cells primarily in the nodulus.
An approach to pediatric liver MRI.

OBJECTIVE. This article illustrates an approach to MRI for hepatobiliary imaging in children. The indications, patient preparation, protocols, pulse sequences, and contrast agents will be highlighted.CONCLUSION. Significant advances in hepatobiliary MRI have allowed reliable, high quality imaging in a pediatric population.
Individual Variation and Family-Community Ties: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis of the Intergenerational Closure in the Lives of Adolescents

Intergenerational closure refers to parents’ knowing the parents of their adolescents’ friends. This study treated intergenerational closure—as reported by the parents of adolescent twins—as the dependent variable in a behavioral genetic analysis. The sample consisted of identical and fraternal twin pairs in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Models that were fit to twin covariance matrices estimated that additive genetic influences accounted for 44% of the variance in intergenerational closure and shared environmental influences for 44%. These findings provide evidence that the heritable characteristics of adolescents influence the connections between their families and their extrafamilial social networks.
A Pathway to Linking Risk and Sustainability Assessments

The US National Research Council recently released a report promoting sustainability assessment as the future of environmental regulation. Thirty years earlier, this organization (under the same senior author) had issued a similar report promoting risk assessment as a new method for improving the science behind regulatory decisions. Tools for risk assessment were subsequently developed and adopted in state and federal agencies throughout the US. Since then, limitations of the traditional forms of risk assessment have prompted some dramatic modifications toward cumulative assessments that combine multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors in community settings. At present, however, there is little momentum within the risk assessment community for abandoning this evolved system in favor of a new sustainability-based one. The key question is, how best to proceed? Should sustainability principles be incorporated into current risk assessment procedures, or vice versa? Widespread recognition of the importance of sustainability offers no clear guidance for the risk assessment community, especially in light of institutional commitments to sustainability tools and definitions that appear to have little in common with cumulative risk notions. The purpose of this paper is to reframe the sustainability challenge for risk assessors by offering analytical guidance to chart a way out. We adopt a decision analysis framework to overcome some conceptual barriers separating these two forms of assessment, and thereby, both escape the either/or choice and accept the inevitability of sustainability as a central regulatory concern in the U.S.
Grandparents and Intergenerational Relationships.

Grandparents deserve access to classes that can help them adjust to their changing role and build satisfying family relationships. Previous research resulted in the nation's first educational curriculum for this purpose, entitled “Becoming A Better Grandparent.” This study was conducted to determine the benefits of the program. Self‐selected grandparents, drawn from randomly paired sites within religions, reflected the national proportion of people over age 50 who classify themselves as Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish. A control group of 185 members were denied instruction but completed the same assessment schedule as their peers. Twelve weekly classes were provided for 210 experimental grandparents. Each subject chose one son or daughter and one grandchild to help evaluate changes in grandparent attitudes and behavior. All three generations completed separate versions of the Grandparent Strengths and Needs Inventory before classes began, at the end of intervention, and three months later. Posttest result...
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance of Gd 155 and Gd 157 in the Cubic Ferromagnet GdN

The preparation of the host lattice GdN with rock salt structure is described. The line shapes and NMR frequencies are discussed. (R.E.U.)
Exports and economic growth: The African case

Abstract Previous studies have found that export growth favorably affects the rate of economic growth in less developed countries (LDCs). This paper examines the extent to which this hypothesis holds true for African countries as a subgroup, especially since export contents and transmission mechanisms may differ between African and other LDCs. GDP growth of 28 African LDCs is analyzed using a pooled cross-sectional cum time-series estimation of 1960–1970 and 1970–1980 average annual growth rates. Based upon the usual augmented production function specification that includes labor, capital formation, and exports, export growth is observed to exert a positive and significant impact on economic growth. While this export effect is somewhat smaller than that for non-African LDCs, the difference is not statistically significant.
Motor proteins at the microtubule plus-end

The plus-end of the microtubule has a central role in the interactions that occur between the microtubule and actin cytoskeletons. The recent identification of a family of proteins that congregate at the plus-end is enabling an increased mechanistic understanding of how this cross talk is accomplished. These proteins, termed plus-end tracking proteins because they appear to associate with the plus-end as it grows, have already been shown to regulate microtubule dynamics and to facilitate the formation of connections between the plus-end and the actin-rich cortex. Several motor proteins, including an actin-based motor, microtubule-based motors that move towards either end of the microtubule and microtubule motors that depolymerize microtubule ends, can now be added to the list of plus-end tracking proteins. Here, we discuss how the presence of these motors at the plus-end seems to drive several fundamental cellular processes involving force generation at the interface between microtubule ends and the cortex, vesicle translocation following search and capture, microtubule disassembly and the delivery of signals to the cortex that govern actin assembly and cell polarity.
Not as Selfless as we Thought? Power as a Motive for Organizational Citizenship Behavior

Research on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has primarily focused on the belief that these extra-role activities are performed by selfless employees that do so despite likely being neithe...
The MDM2–p53 pathway: multiple roles in kidney development

The molecular basis of nephron progenitor cell renewal and differentiation into nascent epithelial nephrons is an area of intense investigation. Defects in these early stages of nephrogenesis lead to renal hypoplasia, and eventually hypertension and chronic kidney disease. Terminal nephron differentiation, the process by which renal epithelial precursor cells exit the cell cycle and acquire physiological functions is equally important. Failure of terminal epithelial cell differentiation results in renal dysplasia and cystogenesis. Thus, a better understanding of the transcriptional frameworks that regulate early and late renal cell differentiation is of great clinical significance. In this review, we will discuss evidence implicating the MDM2–p53 pathway in cell fate determination during development. The emerging central theme from loss- and gain-of-function studies is that tight regulation of p53 levels and transcriptional activity is absolutely required for nephrogenesis. We will also discuss how post-translational modifications of p53 (e.g., acetylation and phosphorylation) alter the spatiotemporal and functional properties of p53 and thus cell fate during kidney development. Mutations and polymorphisms in the MDM2–p53 pathway are present in more than 50 % of cancers in humans. This raises the question of whether sequence variants in the MDM2–-p53 pathway increase the susceptibility to renal dysgenesis, hypertension or chronic kidney disease. With the advent of whole exome sequencing and other high throughput technologies, this hypothesis is testable in cohorts of children with renal dysgenesis.
Gary Dean Best. The Critical Press and the New Deal: The Press Versus Presidential Power, 1933-1938. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Press, 1993. 216 pp. Cloth, $49.95.

(1994). Gary Dean Best. The Critical Press and the New Deal: The Press Versus Presidential Power, 1933-1938. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Press, 1993. 216 pp. Cloth, $49.95. American Journalism: Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 177-178.
Auditory asymmetry and strength of manual preference reexamined.

Strong left- and right-handers, and moderate left- and right-handers administered a dichotic listening words test exhibited right ear advantages in direct proportion to their utilization of the right hand on 11 unimanual tasks. Strong left-handers exhibited a left ear advantage, and moderate left-handers failed to show laterality. Strong right-handers showed the largest right ear advantage. A brief review of the literature demonstrates that this trend is a consistent finding. One discrepant but often cited report (Dee, 1971) must be regarded with skepticism.
Making the transition from microsurgery to endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary neurosurgery

This article reviews the published experience of others and introduces the authors' insights into the development of an endoscopic pituitary program. While initially challenging, this transition to endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery can yield rewards in the form of superior visualization and potentially more complete tumor resections. With increasing cumulative experience with the endoscopic transsphenoidal technique for pituitary surgery, the improved visualization and less steep learning curve will facilitate more widespread acceptance of endoscopic pituitary surgery as a valid alternative to the trans-septal trans-sphenoidal microscopic approach to pituitary tumors. If not a complete alternative, endoscopic-assisted pituitary surgery will also become more widespread, as endoscopy can easily supplement standard microscopic approaches to pituitary tumors. As transnasal endoscopic approaches to the skull base are increasingly refined in technology and skill, additional applications of this technology may permit skull base approaches through the planum sphenoidale and tuberculum sellae for the removal of giant suprasellar macroadenomas that may otherwise require an open craniotomy for surgical management. The collaboration between otolaryngologists and neurosurgeons is important for further developing successful endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery and improving care for patients. Objective evidence is needed to validate whether the improved visualization results in superior patient outcomes and reduced clinical complications, and if this technique can be reasonably taught in a controlled, supervised setting in residency training programs. Additional outcomes data are needed to evaluate long-term outcomes and define the boundaries of endoscopic trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery.
Transverse excitations of ultracold matter waves upon propagation past abrupt waveguide changes

The propagation of ultracold atomic gases through abruptly changing waveguide potentials is examined in the limit of noninteracting atoms. Time-independent scattering calculations of microstructured waveguides with discontinuous changes in the transverse harmonic binding potentials are used to mimic waveguide perturbations and imperfections. Three basic configurations are examined: steplike, barrierlike, and well-like with waves incident in the ground mode. At low energies, the spectra rapidly depart from single moded, with significant transmission and reflection of excited modes. The high-energy limit sees 100% transmission, with the distribution of the transmitted modes determined simply by the overlap of the mode wave functions and interference.
Depolymerization of Styrene−Butadiene Copolymer in Near-Critical and Supercritical Water

Many conventional solvents do not sufficiently dissolve cross-linked polymers such as styrene−butadiene rubber (SBR) to allow efficient depolymerization. Supercritical and near-critical water provi...
Head-mounted photometric stereo for performance capture

Head-mounted cameras are an increasingly important tool for capturing an actor's facial performance. Such cameras provide a fixed, unoccluded view of the face. The resulting imagery is useful for observing motion capture dots or as input to existing video analysis techniques. Unfortunately current systems are typically affected by ambient light and generally fail to record subtle 3D shape changes between expressions Artistic interventions is often required to cleanup and map the captured performance onto a virtual character. We have developed a system that augments a head-mounted camera with LED-based photometric stereo. The system allows observation of the face independent of the ambient light and records per-pixel surface normal. Our data can be used to generate dynamic 3D geometry, for facial relighting, or as input of machine learning algorithms to accurately control an animated face.
45Ca2+ uptake and phospholipid methylation in isolated rat liver microsomes.

Abstract The effects of glucagon, epinephrine and insulin on hepatic phospholipid methylation were studied. Glucagon, either injected into rats or added to perfused livers, stimulated methylation in subsequently isolated microsomes. Epinephrine also increased phospholipid methylation. Insulin by itself did not influence the rate of the reaction, but, when administered prior to glucagon, it blocked the effect of the latter. The possibility that the observed stimulation of phospholipid methylation might be causally linked to the reported stimulation by glucagon of 45 Ca 2+ uptake in subsequently isolated liver microsomes was examined. Both the substrate and the competitive inhibitor of the methylation reaction, S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine, had profound effect on the rate of phospholipid methylation, without having comparable effects on Ca 2+ uptake. S-adenosylmethionine in increasing concentration stimulated methylation four-fold, while no significant changes in 45 Ca 2+ uptake were seen. S-adenosylhomocysteine did not inhibit 45 Ca 2+ uptake even at levels causing more than 95% decrease in methylation. In conclusion, while both phospholipid methylation and 45 Ca 2+ uptake seem to be hormonally controlled, the correlation between these two processes was not sufficient to support the notion that the changes in 45 Ca 2+ uptake are caused by the changes in phospholipid methylation.
Modeling of crack growth through particulate clusters in brittle matrix by symmetric-Galerkin boundary element method.

The interaction of a crack with perfectly bonded rigid isolated inclusions and clusters of inclusions in a brittle matrix is investigated using numerical simulations. Of particular interest is the role inclusions play on crack paths, stress intensity factors (SIFs) and the energy release rates with potential implications to the fracture behavior of particulate composites. The effects of particle size and eccentricity relative to the initial crack orientation are examined first as a precursor to the study of particle clusters. Simulations are accomplished using a new quasi-static crack-growth prediction tool based on the symmetric-Galerkin boundary element method, a modified quarter-point crack-tip element, the displacement correlation technique for evaluating SIFs, and the maximum principal stress criterion for crack-growth direction prediction. The numerical simulations demonstrate a complex interplay of crack-tip shielding and amplification mechanisms leading to significant toughening of the material.
Technology in Foreign Language Teaching

(" DON'T advocate the use of machines... Give me a small class and plenty of resources. Let the lab be for 1984 and Big Brother ... Godpreserveusfrom the machine!" This defiant rejection is a school teacher's response to a questionnaire on the advisability of installing a language laboratory. Although its violence is not typical, such an attitude reveals a pervasive problem; the humanist's distrust of "machinery." Bookish by nature, training and experience, he tends to regard instructional equipment as a kind of profanation of the classroom.
Transmission of chronic idiopathic vitritis in mice by inoculation of human vitreous containing leucocyte phagolysosomal bacteria-like bodies.

Abstract Vitreous humour from chronic idiopathic vitritis (CIV) patients containing 0·5-0·7 μm diameter bacteria-like bodies (BLB) in polymorphonuclear leucocytes was inoculated into the eyelids of 100 mice. 200 control mice received either eye-bank vitreous or saline. After 12 months, 53 mice that received CIV vitreous, but none of the controls, had clinical signs of ocular inflammation (p
Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Absorbable Collagen Sponge Enhances Bone Healing of Tibial Osteotomies in Dogs

Objective— To compare the efficacy of 2 doses of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) on tibial osteotomy healing in dogs. Study Design— Experimental, randomized complete block (n=7). Animals— Adult female dogs (n=21). Methods— Right midshaft tibial osteotomies were created and stabilized with a 1-mm gap using type I external fixators. Seven dogs were untreated controls and 14 with osteotomies were treated with either 0.05 or 0.2 mg/mL rhBMP-2 delivered in an absorbable collagen sponge (ACS). At 8 weeks, dogs were euthanatized and bones were mechanically tested and examined by microscopy. Results— Bone healing based on radiographic scoring, was significantly improved in dogs treated with 0.2 mg/mL of rhBMP-2 compared with the other groups; these tibiae were also significantly stronger and stiffer than 0.05 mg/mL rhBMP-2 and control osteotomized tibiae. Histologic scores were significantly better for 0.2 mg/mL rhBMP-2 group than 0.05 mg/mL rhBMP-2 group, but neither was significantly different from control. Conclusions— rhBMP-2 in ACS at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL improves healing of tibial osteotomies in dogs compared with untreated controls and 0.05 mg/mL rhBMP-2 based on force plate analysis and radiographic evaluation. This was not confirmed histologically but treated bones had improved mechanical properties at 8 weeks. Clinical Relevance— After a long bone fracture, dogs may face a long recovery period before full return of limb function. rhBMP-2, in association with good fracture fixation principles, may enhance bone healing in dogs with diaphyseal fractures.
Molecular weight determination for colloidal iron by Taguchi optimized validated gel permeation chromatography

Method development of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is a time-consuming task, since finding appropriate operating conditions has traditionally been a trial-and-error process. A novel approach in the field of GPC using experimental design called Taguchi is presented. This experimental design was used to compare the net effects of various conditions which were both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Quantitative factors included mobile phase pH, flow rate, temperature of column and detector, and injection volume. The qualitative factors were treated as noise which included enclosure of GPC system and position of waste container with respect to refractive index detector. The method was efficient as opposed to a one-factor-at-a-time approach. Taguchi optimized conditions included pH of 7.2, flow rate of 0.4 mL/min, temperature of 35 degrees C for column and detector, as well as injection volume of 10 microL. The optimized factors yielded acceptable results in terms of weight average molecular weight (m.w.), standard deviation and signal-to-noise ratio. Standard curves were constructed using dextran m.w. standards (12,000-270,000 Da) over the analytical range. The method was validated according to ICH guidelines. Log-linear function was used for m.w. standard curve and weight average m.w. was calculated utilizing trapezoidal approach. A correlation coefficient of >0.99 was obtained for both intra-day and inter-day standard calibration curves. Inter-day accuracy ranged from 91 to 108% and precision was <2.0%.