cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of nitrate on VOC removal in trickle-bed biofilters

Abstract In response to the growing concern over volatile organic compounds (VOCs), biofiltration is becoming an established economical air pollution control technology for removing VOCs from waste air streams. Current research efforts are concentrating on improving control over key parameters that affect the performance of gas phase biofilters. This study utilized diethyl ether as a substrate, nitrate as the sole nutrient nitrogen source within two co-currently operated trickle-bed biofilters, for over 200 days. The two pelletized medium biofilters were operated at a low empty bed contact time of 25 s, inlet gas flow rates of 8.64 m 3 /day, nutrient liquid flow rates of 1 liter/day, and COD loading rates of 1.8 and 3.6 kg/m 3 per day, respectively. Operational parameters including contaminant concentration in the gas phase, nutrient nitrate concentration in the aqueous phase, and the frequency of biomass removal were considered. Special attention was given to the effect and the role of nitrate on VOC removal. Throughout the experiment, nitrate persisted in the liquid effluent and the ether removal efficiencies improved with increasing influent nitrate concentration, which suggest that the nitrate diffusion into the biofilms is rate determining. By increasing the concentration of oxygen in the feed to this biofilter from 21% (ambient air) to 50 and 100%, while maintaining an influent ether concentration of 133 ppmv and a feed nitrate concentration of 67 mg-N/liter, the performance of the biofilter was not significantly affected. These results suggest that nitrogen was rate limiting as a growth nutrient rather than as an electron acceptor for the respiration of ether. The results also indicated that removal of excess biomass is necessary to maintain long-term performance. However, the required frequency of biomass removal depends on operating parameters such as loading.
The Cardiovascular Effects of Ethanol and Acetaldehyde in Exercising Dogs

The cardiovascular effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde were investigated in five dogs chronically instrumented to record heart rate, left ventricular peak systolic pressure, dP/dt max, left circumflex coronary artery blood flow, coronary sinus oxygen saturation, and myocardial oxygen consumption during a regulated exercise treadmill test.
BeO-Al2O3-SiO2 system: Structural relationships of crystalline, glassy, and molten beryl

Physical property measurements are reported for beryl glass and for three 60 mole % SiO2 melts (including beryl) at temperatures above 1600° C. Electron micrographic evidence shows that beryl glass has undergone a two-liquid phase separation. Density measurements of this glass and its melt can be interpreted in terms of the dissociation of Si6O18 −12 rings as beryl melts incongruently. The presence of discrete BeO4 tetrahedra and AlO6 octahedra in molten beryl is suggested by the electrical conductance and viscosity data for these melts.
A Comparison of Laparoscopic and Belt‐Loop Gastropexy in Dogs

A simplified technique for laparoscopic gastropexy (group 1) was compared to belt-loop gastropexy (group 2) in eight adult male dogs randomly divided into two groups of four dogs each. Our hypothesis was that a satisfactory laparoscopic gastropexy would approximate the strength and operative time required for belt-loop gastropexy. Operative time, surgical complications, postoperative morbidity, gross and histological appearance, radiographic microvascularization, and maximal tensile strength were measured and compared between the two groups. All dogs recovered from surgery. No morbidity was associated with either procedure. The mean (+/- SD) duration of surgery was 69.75 +/- 7.23 minutes for group 1 and 58.75 +/- 7.63 minutes for group 2. Fifty days after surgery, the microvascular appearance of the gastropexy site was similar for both groups. Blood vessels were observed within each seromuscular flap but vascular ingrowth to the abdominal musculature was observed in only two dogs, one from each group. The maximum tensile strength at 50 days was 76.55 +/- 22.78 for group 1 and 109.21 +/- 22.29 N for group 2. Differences between surgical duration and maximum tensile strength were not statistically significant (P > .05). Histologically, all gastropexies consisted of an adhesion composed of dense fibrous connective tissue. The results of this study indicate that laparoscopic gastropexy provides a minimally invasive alternative to open abdominal prophylactic gastropexy in dogs.
Biotypes of Potato Wart in Newfoundland

THE existence of biotypes of the causal fungus of potato wart, Synchytrium endobioticum (Schilb.) Perc., which differ in their ability to attack potato varieties in Europe has been documented by Ullrich1. Up to 1962, eight, and possibly ten, biotypes had been distinguished2.
Commentary and criticism on scientific positivism

In scientific research, we are "re-searching" our current understanding of a particular field of science. Each day we engage in research using what we currently construct about the system, and we ask questions based on what we have learned and what we have a hunch we may find that fits our current model. We decide how to address the questions by designing, executing and interpreting experiments that relate to the question at hand. These experiments can be done either physically (in the laboratory or the field) or mentally (in the case of theoretical or modeling work). At the end of the day, we may have a new interpretation based on our experiments. That interpretation will most likely change with time as we gather more data and as we learn through communication with others (through the literature, oral communication, e-mail, seminars, posters, etc.) Most scientists would agree with what I have said above, yet many scientists, including Seymour J. Garte, the author of the accompanying paper, "Guidelines for Training in the Ethical Conduct of Scientific Research,'2 get caught in the positivism trap that we, as scientists, can find "truth". By positivism, I mean a system of philosophy which holds that the source of positive knowledge is facts, as elaborated and verified using the methods of the empirical sciences. Garte stated, "Truth is an important goal in many other fields of work, but only in science is the complete, unmodified and total truth the sole necessary and sufficient yardstick of achievement." I do not think we ever achieve total truth. Who defines the truth anyway? Different scientists may well interpret the information determined in different ways based on what they know of the world. People with different cultures, different gender, different world views may well understand the data differently, but again it is just a construction that will change in the light of new information. A belief that the methods of the natural sciences can be used successfully in the pursuit of knowledge in all fields, including the humanities, philosophy, and the social sciences is called scientism. William Coburn (1994) in a comment and criticism paper that deals with the problem of scientism states that, "through recognizing the tentative nature of all scientific knowledge, scientism imbues scientific knowledge with Laplacian certainty denied all other disciplines, thus giving science an a priori status in the intellectual world." He continues that we construct knowledge and that "of critical Ed. Note: In keeping with the editors' policy to encourage the presentation of different viewpoints, this invited comment piece should be read in conjunction with the preceding paper by S. J. Garte, pp. 59-70.
Orientation for the reference desk

The Need for Reference Desk Orientation. The literature on training in libraries is concerned for the most part with educating paraprofessionals to perform professional tasks, training student workers to perform basic functions, and updating librarians' skills with the advent of new technologies. Very little has been published on the process of initiating newly hired or reassigned librarians into the rigors of formal reference desk service. The need for training geared specifically to reference desk work has been documented. Evidently such training must be taking place. But the specific details of what comprises such training apparently remain as in‐house publications.
Performance of ultra-wideband communications in the presence of interference

We analyze the performance of ultra-wideband (UWB) communications in the presence of interference. Closed-form expressions are provided for the jam resistance of UWB with binary pulse position modulation utilizing rectangular pulses. A simple approximation is obtained for the special case of tone interference. The jam resistance analysis is extended to more practical UWB waveforms such as Gaussian and Rayleigh monocycles. A comparison between the interference suppression capabilities of UWB and direct-sequence spread-spectrum (DS-SS) is carried out under conditions similar to both systems. It is shown that in most cases, the jam suppression of UWB is superior to that of DS-SS.
The effect of secreted heparin-binding proteins on heparin binding to platelets.

Abstract Heparin is known to bind to activated platelets at two classes of sites. However, the true affinities of these sites for heparin have been uncertain because the measurements have been made in the presence of heparin-binding proteins secreted by the platelets. Of these proteins platelet factor-4 (PF4) has the greatest affinity for heparin and is present in relatively high concentrations. Furthermore, a portion of the secreted PF4 binds to the platelet surface. Nevertheless, by gel-filtering platelets in the presence of 5 μg/ml heparin, we prepared platelets that were virtually free of PF4. The high and low affinities of these cells for heparin were respectively ten-and two-fold greater than the apparent affinities measured in the presence of the secreted platelet proteins. In contrast, neither the high-nor the low-affinity heparin binding capacity of these cells was altered, indicating that PF4, even though it binds to both heparin and platelets, appears not to link heparin to platelets.
A study of patients with the sick sinus syndrome with long-term survival

Abstract Seven of 167 patients (4.2%) with a Sick Sinus Syndrome were observed for a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 35 yr after the onset of their sinoatrial disorder. Five of the seven had no discernible cardiac disease, one had mitral stenosis and one had repair of an atrial septal defect. All had normal heart size and no evidence of intrinsic myocardial desease. Five of the seven patients had cerebral symptoms and required cardiac pacing. The remaining two had palpitations associated with a tachyarrhythmia but the bradyarrhythmias were asymptomatic and did not need pacing. No patient had congestive heart failure or angina. Initially only two patients had both tachycardias and bradycardias. Subsequently six of the seven were found to have the tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome. The long survival of the seven patients is attributed to the presence of good myocardial function and the absence of serious myocardial disease. Neither cerebral symptoms nor associated tachyarrhythmias appeared to influence survival.
Silicon and silicon-dioxide processing for high-frequency MESFET preparation

Silicon wafer processing is described which provides submicrometer epitaxial layer on top of high-resistivity silicon substrates for fabrication of high-frequency metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors. Silicon-dioxide underetching at the border of an oxide window, performed in hydrogen at elevated temperatures, is one methodof realizing 1-micrometer device structures.
Dynamic control of robotic welding - On-going research

Two major challenges exist for the development of dynamic control systems: first, the control system must be resourceful enough to provide problem-solving capabilities in unforeseen circumstances; second, it must be rapid enough to respond to dynamic environments. Most conventional control systems do not have the ability to 'step back' and problem-solve, especially in environments with incomplete and uncertain models and data. Orthogonally, commercially available AI systems usually do not respond at the rates required to support 'real-time' control. Hence, control systems are not available that respond to complex dynamic environments within appropriate time constraints. This paper describes work on an AI-based control system designed to address these challenges. A prototype system has been used, in a simulated environment, to control the robotic welding of aerospace components. This AI-based control system has demonstrated the ability to flexibly control a complex process within required time constraints by incorporating higher level reasoning and the ability to deal with uncertainty. Further work is in progress to expand the system's problem-solving capabilities.
The retention and removal behavior of perchloroethylene and dichloromethane in polyester fabric

Polyester fabric was exposed to solvent at different bath temperatures. The retention of solvent by the fabric was determined. The removal of the retained solvent from the fabric was determined as a function of time and also as a function of temperature. The retention of perchloroethylene varied from >9% at 121°C to 5%) at its boiling point and had similar slow removal rates as were found for perchloroethylene. Retention and removal rate data for both solvents as a function of time and temperature are presented.
To Innovate or Imitate? Entry Strategy and the Role of Market Research

Abstract A firm planning market entry can attempt to develop a product that is either similar to the incumbent's existing offering (imitation) or entirely novel (innovation). The authors establish that when the incumbent is more aggressive in research and development (R&D), this negatively affects the entrant's marginal return on R&D. Thus, if greater profits produce a strong (weak) desire for the incumbent to increase its R&D level, the entrant will respond by sharply decreasing (increasing) its R&D level. As a result, the incumbent's likelihood of retaining the lead position will exhibit an inverse U-shaped pattern as a function of monopoly and duopoly profits. The authors then examine the impact of uncertainty about the rewards from new products and allow firms to conduct market research to resolve the uncertainty. They characterize the conditions for the entrant's innovation versus imitation decision to reveal information about future rewards to the incumbent. When duopoly profits are uncertain and ca...
Modeling complexity in simulating pesticide fate in a rice paddy.

Abstract Modeling approaches for pesticide regulation are required to provide generic and conservative evaluations on pesticide fate and exposure based on limited data. This study investigates the modeling approach for pesticide simulation in a rice paddy, by developing a component-based modeling system and characterizing the dependence of pesticide concentrations on individual fate processes. The developed system covers the modeling complexity from a “base model” which considers only the essential processes of water management, water–sediment exchange, and aquatic dissipation, to a “full model” for all commonly simulated processes. Model capability and performance were demonstrated by case studies with 5 pesticides in 13 rice fields of the California's Sacramento Valley. With registrant-submitted dissipation half-lives, the base model conservatively estimated dissolved pesticide concentrations within one order of magnitude of measured data. The full model simulations were calibrated to characterize the key model parameters and processes varying with chemical properties and field conditions. Metabolism in water was identified as an important process in predicting pesticide fate in all tested rice fields. Relative contributions of metabolism, hydrolysis, direct aquatic photolysis, and volatilization to the overall pesticide dissipation were significantly correlated to the model sensitivities to the corresponding physicochemical properties and half-lives. While modeling results were sensitive to metabolism half-lives in water for all fields, significances of metabolism in sediment and water–sediment exchange were only observed for pesticides with pre-flooding applications or with rapid dissipation in sediment. Results suggest that, in addition to the development of regional modeling scenarios for rice production, the registrant-submitted maximum values for the aquatic dissipation half-lives could be used for evaluating pesticide for regulatory purposes.
Impact of Japanese investment in U.S. automobile production

Abstract The transfer of automobile production by Japanese firms to the United States represents a giant direct foreign investment. Using the disaggregated NIRA U.S.-Japan model in the framework of Project LINK, this article evaluates the impact of these investments on the U.S. and Japanese economies. The benefit in terms of auto production, capacity, employment, activity in supplier industries, and aggregate GNP in the United States is readily apparent. Japanese industry has incentives to move production into the United States to avoid protectionism and to guard against adverse movements of the exchange rate and production costs, but there is some loss in output and related variables in Japan.
Predicting Low Back Functional Performance Recovery

This was a prospective study where patients were enrolled within the first month of their low back pain symptoms and evaluated for three months. Thirty-two patients with low back pain symptoms were recruited for the study. Initial conditions included symptoms, psychological measures, physical and psychosocial workplace measures, and functional performance measures. The outcome measure of functional performance probability was measured every two weeks for three months. A regression model was constructed using the initial conditions to predict functional performance probability of recovery. The r2 value of the regression model was 0.87. Two functional performance patterns of recovery were found including a steady improvement and a large jump improvement. A discriminant function model identified the pattern of recovery in 91% of cases given initial conditions.
Enzyme immunoassay for ceruloplasmin: application to cancer patient serum

Ceruloplasmin (Cp), a glycoprotein of molecular weight 132 000 contains most of the copper found in human serum [I]. Cp has been proposed to act as a copper transport agent and to carry out enzymatic functions [2]. Serum or plasma copper concentrations rise during many disease states such as cancer [3], arthritis [4] and infection [3,5] as well as during nonpathological stresses such as pregnancy [5], lactation [7] and chronic exercise [8]. Generally, increases in serum or plasma copper have been found to correspond to elevated levels of Cp oxidase activity toward one of several substrates [3-81. In the case of cancer, Cp oxidase reaches highest levels during the most severe stage of the disease [3]. On the other hand, one study found that successful treatment of several types of cancer was accompanied by a return of Cp oxidase activity concentrations toward normal [9]. Despite these various studies, no functional or diagnostic significance has been firmly established for stress-induced elevations in serum or plasma copper and Cp oxidase activity. It is very possible that the mechanisms regulating activity levels as well as the functional consequences of changes may vary for different stress conditions. Further characterization of the different stress-induced increases in serum copper and Cp oxidase activity levels requires comparison of these parameters with immunoreactive Cp levels. Recently, work in this laboratory [lo] showed that lactation raised immunoreactive Cp concentrations to a greater extent than serum copper or Cp oxidase activity. Immunoreactive Cp levels were measured using commercially available radial immunodiffusion (RID) plates (Calbiochem-Behring Diagnostics). The present paper describes an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbant assay (ELISA) for ceruloplasmin. The ELISA is cheaper and faster than the RID approach and utilizes commercially available antibodies. No conjugation synthesis is required of the user. The ELISA was applied to serum from cancer patients and controls but should be sensitive enough for application to appropriate cell cultures.
A law of interference of electromagnetic beams of any state of coherence and polarization and the Fresnel-Arago interference laws

A new general interference law is derived for the superposition of two random electromagnetic beams of any state of coherence and of any state of polarization when the beams are transmitted through polarizers and rotators. It includes, as special cases, a variety of interference laws that apply to particular situations. Some of them have a close bearing on the classic interference experiments of Fresnel and Arago that have played a basic role in elucidating the concept of polarization of light.
A phenomenological theory of transient creep

Abstract A new creep theory is proposed which takes into account the strain generated during the annihilation of dislocations. This contribution is found to be very significant when recovery is appreciable, and is mainly responsible for the decreasing creep rate associated with the normal primary creep of class II materials. The theory provides excellent semiquantitative rationalization for the types of creep curves presented in the preceding paper. In particular, the theory predicts a change in the shape of the primary creep curve from normal to inverted as recovery becomes less important, i.e. as the applied stress and/or temperature decrease(s). It also predicts a minimum creep rate under certain circumstances, hence pseudo- tertiary behaviour. These different types of creep curves are predicted even though the net dislocation density decreases monotonically with time in all cases. Qualitative rationalization is presented for the inverted transient which always follows a stress drop in class II materia...
Angiosarcoma of the heart. A case study.

Angiosarcomas of the heart generally present complex and perplexing diagnostic problems for the physician. For the most part, this is because of their rarity. Angiosarcomas comprise 5% to 13% of all cardiac tumors, themselves an uncommon event.1.2Of help to the physician are the surprisingly similar clinical manifestations of patients with angiosarcoma. Characteristically, there is right-sided congestive heart failure and pericardial tamponade with a hemorrhagic fluid.3This paper describes a patient with an angiosarcoma that defied diagnosis before autopsy, despite cardiac catheterization, pericardiectomy, thoracotomy, and other diagnostic maneuvers. Recent literature on angiosarcoma of the heart is reviewed. PATIENT SUMMARY Six weeks prior to admission, a 58-year-old man noted shortness of breath on his daily mile run. His family physician found cardiomegaly on chest roentgenogram and treated the patient with furosemide and digoxin. Because of the development of ascites and left pleural effusion, the patient was transferred to the
Stark Broadening of Isolated Ion Lines in a Plasma

Stark-broadened isolated ion line agreement between theory and experiment obtained by Griem theory or by impact approximation of GBKO theory
Acute and maintenance treatments for bipolar depression.

Abstract Patients with bipolar disorder are symptomatic about half of the time, experiencing depression more often than mania/hypomania. Because patients usually seek treatment during a depressive episode (rather than a manic episode), bipolar depression is commonly misdiagnosed as unipolar depression. Providing an accurate and timely bipolar depression diagnosis is critical for the proper treatment of the patient. Some FDA-approved treatments are helpful during acute and maintenance phases of therapy, but there is a significant unmet need for effective bipolar depression treatments with favorable side-effect profiles. Newer agents offer the promise of improvements in tolerability, but additional research is needed to actualize this promise into better treatments for patients struggling with bipolar depression.
Surfactant Protein-C in Ventilated Premature Lamb Lung

Although surfactants containing only lipids and surfactant protein C (SP-C) or SP-C analogs can be effective for the treatment of surfactant deficiency in animal models, there is no information concerning the alveolar or lung clearance of SP-C. Because the other lipid and protein components of surfactant are cleared very slowly from the preterm lung, we hypothesized that SP-C also would be cleared slowly. Therefore, we compared the losses of iodinated native SP-C (nSP-C) and a recombinant SP-C analog (rSP-C, phenylalanines in positions 4 and 5 and isoleucine in position 32 of the human sequence) to [14C]dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) after airway administration at birth of trace or treatment doses of surfactant given to preterm lambs. In preterm lambs given trace doses at 134-136 d gestation, alveolar [14C]DPPC and [125I]rSP-C decreased to 14.7% recovery for DPPC and 8.3% recovery for rSP-C after 2 h ventilation. There was no loss of [14C]DPPC from the total lungs (alveolar wash + lung tissue), and approximately 20% of the [125I]rSP-C was lost from the lungs. For 128 d gestational age lambs treated with 100-mg/kg doses of surfactants containing nSP-C or 2% rSP-C, the alveolar and total lung recoveries for [125I]nSP-C or [125I]rSP-C were equivalent to that of [14C]DPPC after 5 h ventilation. These results demonstrate that nSP-C and rSP-C have alveolar clearances and accumulations into preterm lung tissue that are similar to those of DPPC.
Proprioceptive influences on inferior olivary neurons during phasic reflex movement in the cat

Abstract The origin of the climbing fiber system from the inferior olive, and its precise synaptic relation with the cerebellar Purkinje cells suggests that the spinoolivocerebellar pathway may contribute to the mechanism of a phasic reflex movement. Intracellular recordings of inferior olivary cells were obtained using glass capillary electrodes in nonanesthesized decerebrate cats during spontaneous clonus of the right gastrocnemius-soleus muscle. Inferior olivary cells were identified as responding to proprioceptive input from the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle by their activation to electrical stimulation and manual stretch of the tendon. Simultaneous records of the inferior olivary cell and the gastrocnemius-soleus myogram and EMG were obtained. Impaled inferior olivary cells were iontophoretically injected with fast green dye and identified histologically by Nissl counterstaining. Impaled inferior olivary cells activated during spontaneous clonus were recorded firing during the contraction phase of the phasic reflex. These results suggest a supraspinal influence on phasic reflex movement via the climbing fiber system based on the established inhibitory output of the Purkinje cells and the spinal inhibitory influence of the Golgi tendon organs during the contraction phase of the phasic reflex. It is suggested that the inhibitory supraspinal influence may combine with the spinal inhibitory influence to assist in inactivating the contraction phase of the phasic reflex.
Mechanisms of attachment and internalization of Cryptosporidium parvum to biliary and intestinal epithelial cells

Background & Aims: Although infection of the intestinal and biliary tracts by Cryptosporidium parvum is a major problem in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, the specific microbial and host molecules involved in C. parvum infection are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that lectin-carbohydrate interactions and cytoskeleton reorganization are involved in the infection of biliary and intestinal epithelia by C. parvum. Methods: In vitro models of cryptosporidial infection using human biliary and intestinal epithelial cell lines were used to assay C. parvum attachment and invasion. Results: Exposure of C. parvum sporozoites to the sugar, galactose-N-acetylgalactosamine (Gal/GalNAc), and to bovine mucin reduced C. parvum attachment to biliary and intestinal epithelia up to 70%. Preincubation of cell monolayers with either lectins specific to Gal/GalNAc, or glycosidases that specifically release Gal/GalNAc oligosaccharides from glycoproteins, decreased attachment up to 80%. Cytochalasin B and cytochalasin D, but not nocodazole, decreased invasion of cells by C. parvum up to 70% without affecting attachment. During cell invasion (but not attachment), confocal microscopy showed recruitment of actin (but not tubulin) in biliary and intestinal epithelia directly adjacent to C. parvum. Conclusions: Gal/GalNAc epitopes of glycoproteins on the epithelial apical membrane and Gal/GalNAc-specific sporozoite surface lectins are involved in the mechanism(s) of C. parvum attachment to intestinal and biliary epithelial cells, and actin remodeling in host cells is required for C. parvum invasion.
Speciation of size-resolved individual ultrafine particles in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

[1] Approximately 236,000 single particle mass spectra were collected throughout the duration of the Pittsburgh Supersite experiment using the third-generation rapid single particle mass spectrometer (RSMS-3). The instrument was operated semicontinuously for 306 days, sampling particles with aerodynamic diameters in the range of 30–1100 nm and collecting both positive and negative ion spectra, particle size, and time of detection for each particle measured. The entire data set has been fully processed and analyzed. Spectra have been clustered into 20 distinct particle classes on the basis of the distribution of their positive ion mass peaks. Negative ion spectra were classified independently within each positive ion class. Frequency of occurrence versus particle size, month of the year, and wind direction has also been calculated for the full data set, as well as within each class. Results indicate a rich array of multicomponent ultrafine particles composed primarily of carbon and ammonium nitrate. Approximately 54% of all the particles measured fell into the carbonaceous ammonium nitrate (CAN) class. These particles were observed in all size bins and from most wind directions for the entirety of this study. Ubiquitous sources throughout the area, including vehicular emissions and secondary organic aerosol formation, are considered to be responsible for a larger fraction of these particles. In terms of particle number, metal containing aerosol dominated the remainder of the particle classes identified. These particles were rich in K+, Na+, Fe+, and Pb+ and to a lesser extent, Ga+ and Zn+. They tended to be smaller in size and were highly correlated with specific wind directions, facilitating the isolation of specific sources.
ACTIONS OF BETAINE, CARNITINE AND CHOLINE ON THE PATTERN OF HEPATIC LIPOSIS IN MICE FED A HIGH-FAT, LOW-PROTEIN DIET.

Four stocks (C, C-57 Bl, DBA and Swiss albino) of mice were fed a high-fat (28%), low-protein (8%), hypolipotropic diet for 3–480 days. Lipotropic activities of supplements of betaine and carnitine were evaluated. There were no strain-limited hepatic responses to the diet or to the action of the lipotropes. Without lipotropic supplements, parenchymal liposis (sudanophilia of frozen sections) was progressively incremental in all lobular zones for approximately 90 days. Subsquently, lobular liposis decreased and the remaining fat was concentrated in the middle zone within cords of fat-laden cells radiating in a stellate pattern. With choline supplemention, liposis was limited to small amounts of fat within cells that composed the stellate pattern. Betaine displayed a level of lipotropic activity approximating one-half to three-fourths that of choline. The lipotropic activity of carnitine was marginal and inconsistent. The combination of betaine and carnitine demonstrated some synergistic action. No parenchymal hyperplasia was observed. The intralobular reticulum increased in some livers, primarily around the central and intercalated veins, but no lobular distortion resulted.
Effects of daytime and nighttime stress on Fos-like immunoreactivity in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, the habenula, and the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus ☆

Circadian effects on basal and stress-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity (IR) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), the habenula (Hab) and the posterior paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVN-Thal) were examined. Stress induced a significant increase in the number of Fos-like IR cells within all 3 brain regions. In the Hab, expression was localized specifically to the medial region of the lateral Hab. No differences between the effects of daytime vs nighttime stress on numbers of Fos-like IR cells in the PVN and PVP-Thal were observed. Significantly fewer Fos-like IR cells were observed, however, in the lateral habenula of nighttime vs daytime non-stressed controls, resulting in a significantly greater percentage increase in Fos-like IR in the lateral habenula following nighttime vs daytime stress.
Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1996

A summary of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season is given, and the individual tropical storms and hurricanes are described. This was the second active year in a row with a large number of intense hurricanes. Hurricane Fran, which hit the coast of North Carolina, was the strongest system to make landfall, and also the most destructive.
Vestigial pit membrane remnants in perforation plates and helical thickenings in vessels of Ericaceae

Perforation plates from 15 species of 10 genera with scalarifom perforation plates, representing three subfamilies of woody Ericaceae (Rhododendroideae, Arbutoideae, Vaccinioideae) were studied with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In most of them, pit membrane remnants were present, but these remnants were less extensive than in the ericalean families Clethraceae, Cyrillaceae, and Sarraceniaceae. Pit membrane remnants in perforations of vessels of Ericaceae are characteristically found at lateral ends of the perforations and in perforations (which may alternatively be called pits) transitional to lateral wall pitting. Pit membrane remnants were most extensive in Enkianthus. Phylogenetic and physiological factors for vestigial membrane presence in the perforations are discussed. Helical thickenings on vessel walls as seen with SEM are figured and described for Leucothoe and Pieris, and their significance is assessed.
Peculiar properties of a charged dilatonic black hole in AdS 5

We study a charged dilatonic black hole in ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{5}$, derived from a Lagrangian involving a gauge field whose kinetic term is modified by the exponential of a neutral scalar. This black hole has two properties which one might reasonably demand of the dual of a Fermi liquid: Its entropy is proportional to temperature at low temperature, and its extremal limit supports normal modes of massless, charged bulk fermions. The black hole we study has a simple analytic form because it can be embedded in type IIB string theory as the near-horizon limit of D3-branes with equal spins in two of the three independent transverse planes. Two further properties can be deduced from this embedding: There is a thermodynamic instability, reminiscent of ferromagnetism, at low temperatures; and there is an ${\mathrm{AdS}}_{3}$ factor in the extremal near-horizon geometry which accounts for the linear dependence of entropy on temperature. Altogether, it is plausible that the dilatonic black hole we study, or a relative of it with similar behavior in the infrared, is the dual of a Fermi liquid; however, the particular embedding in string theory that we consider is unlikely to have such a dual description, unless through some unexpected boson-fermion equivalence at large $N$.
Logistics support for JIT implementation

SUMMARY It is generally believed that to maximize the full potential of ‘just-in-time’ (JIT), it must be fully integrated, system-wide. To achieve such integration, a common understanding of and appreciation for JIT is needed within various functional areas. Therefore, manufacturers and logistics executives were surveyed to determine their attitudes and understanding about JIT. The primary objective was to identify how different or similar their opinions were regarding JIT adoption and implementation. The manufacturer respondents indicated a much broader view of JIT as a management philosophy whose goal is to eliminate waste throughout an organization. In contrast, the logistics respondents were more likely to view JIT as largely an inventory reduction policy. In general, there appears to be an opportunity for logistics managers to more fully utilize aspects of JIT to achieve overall performance improvements.
Many Roles of CCL20: Emphasis on Breast Cancer

CCL20 or MIP3α is a small ~8 kDa protein primarily expressed in the liver, colon, prostate, cervix, and skin. The cellular receptor for CCL20 is CCR6. CCl20 unlike many other cytokines only binds CCR6, making the CCL20/CCR6 pathway an attractive drug target. Since the initial discovery of CCL20 in the early 1990's, there has been an increase in the evidence implicating the chemokine and its receptor in a number of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and human immunodeficiency virus infection. CCL20 has also been linked to malignancies such as ovarian, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. CCL20 can also attract tumor-promoting immune-suppressive cells to the tumor microenvironment, which may contribute to the immune evasive potential of the tumor and tumor progression.
Gait Characteristics as Risk Factors for Falling From Trips Induced in Older Adults

Background. Falls are a significant source of morbidity and mortality in older adults, with up to 53% of these falls due to tripping. To aid in preventing trip-related falls, the factors that increase an individual's risk of falling following a trip must be identified. This study investigated whether an older adult's gait influences their risk of falling following a trip.Methods. Trips were induced during gait in 79 healthy, safety-harnessed, community-dwelling older adults using a concealed, mechanical obstacle. Associations between selected gait kinematic characteristics, recorded during normal walking, and the likelihood of falling following the trip were determined using logistic regression.Results. Older adults who walked faster, took more rapid steps, or took longer steps relative to their body height had a significantly increased likelihood of falling following the trip. Step width, average trunk flexion during gait, and the phase of gait in which the trip occurred did not affect the likelihood of falling. A multivariable logistic regression model correctly classified 89.8% of trip outcomes based on two gait characteristics: step time and step length. As predicted from their gait characteristics, the subjects, as a group, had a low likelihood of falling following a trip, but selected individuals had a high likelihood of falling.Conclusions. The incidence of trip-related falls in healthy older adults is determined primarily by the frequency of tripping and not the ability to recover from a trip. Older adults can reduce their likelihood of falling following a trip by not hurrying while walking.
An Empirical Study of the I Test for Exact Data Dependence

Parallelizing Compilers rely upon subscript analysis to detect data dependences between pairs of array references inside loop nests. The most widely used approximate subscript analysis tests are the GCD test and the Banerjee test. In an earlier work we proposed the I test, an improved subscript analysis test. The I test extends the accuracy of a combination of the GCD test and the Banerjee test. It is also able to provide exact data dependence information at no additional computation cost. In the present work we perform an empirical study on the Perfect Club benchmarks to demonstrate the effectiveness and practical importance of the I Test. We compare its performance with that of the GCD test and the Banerjee test. We show that the I test is always an exact test in practice.
Anthocyanin indexes, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentration in leaves and fruit of Abutilon theophrasti Medik. genetic resources

Anthocyanin indexes, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin may provide industry with potential new medicines or nutraceuticals. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik) leaves from 42 plant introductions (PI) were analyzed for anthocyanin indexes while both leaves and fruit were used for quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentration analysis by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Leaf anthocyanin indexes ranged from 6.15 to 11.25 among PI. Leaf quercetin and kaempferol concentrations ranged from 1.50 to 4.79 mg/g and 0.43 to 2.17 mg/g, respectively. Fruit quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentrations ranged from 0.061 to 0.266 mg/g, 0.054 to 0.734 mg/g, and 0 to 35.87 μg/g, respectively. Significant differences in leaf weight were also observed. Significant correlations were found between several traits. This information regarding anthocyanin indexes, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentrations will be useful for velvetleaf cultivar development. Breeders and other scientists could use this germplasm that contains high concentrations of anthocyanins, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin to develop new medicines or nutraceuticals from an extremely useful weedy species.
A hexagonal pyramid data structure for image processing

A data structure for image processing is presented that is conceptually a pyramid of hexagonal levels, each level composed of equilateral triangles. Physically, it is implemented as a two-dimensional array. First, the mapping from conceptual to physical data structures is shown, and then several accessing algorithms for the data structure are presented. Finally, a simple edge detection process that has been implemented for a demonstration program is explained; the explanations are accompanied by edge detection results.
Leveraging domain information to restructure biological prediction

It is commonly believed that including domain knowledge in a prediction model is desirable. However, representing and incorporating domain information in the learning process is, in general, a challenging problem. In this research, we consider domain information encoded by discrete or categorical attributes. A discrete or categorical attribute provides a natural partition of the problem domain, and hence divides the original problem into several non-overlapping sub-problems. In this sense, the domain information is useful if the partition simplifies the learning task. The goal of this research is to develop an algorithm to identify discrete or categorical attributes that maximally simplify the learning task. We consider restructuring a supervised learning problem via a partition of the problem space using a discrete or categorical attribute. A naive approach exhaustively searches all the possible restructured problems. It is computationally prohibitive when the number of discrete or categorical attributes is large. We propose a metric to rank attributes according to their potential to reduce the uncertainty of a classification task. It is quantified as a conditional entropy achieved using a set of optimal classifiers, each of which is built for a sub-problem defined by the attribute under consideration. To avoid high computational cost, we approximate the solution by the expected minimum conditional entropy with respect to random projections. This approach is tested on three artificial data sets, three cheminformatics data sets, and two leukemia gene expression data sets. Empirical results demonstrate that our method is capable of selecting a proper discrete or categorical attribute to simplify the problem, i.e., the performance of the classifier built for the restructured problem always beats that of the original problem. The proposed conditional entropy based metric is effective in identifying good partitions of a classification problem, hence enhancing the prediction performance.
Ideologies of English in Japan

A number of educators in recent years have argued that the dominance of English has created structural and cultural inequalities between developed and developing countries. Although they tend to dismiss ideological issues regarding teaching English in affluent countries in the Expanding Circle such as Japan, there is a growing concern and critique in Japan on ideologies of English. Critics argue that the dominance of English influences the Japanese language and people’s views of language, culture, race, ethnicity and identity which are affected by the world view of native English speakers, and that teaching English creates cultural and linguistic stereotypes not only of English but also of Japanese people. Recent discourses of nihonjinron and kokusaika provide a broader context for understanding such ideologies. These discourses represent both resistance and accommodation to the hegemony of the West with a promotion of nationalistic values and learning a Western mode of communication; i.e., English. Among several proposals offered by critics, raising critical awareness of English domination parallels the philosophy of critical pedagogy. This paper suggests that both critical consciousness and practical skills in English along with inclusion of varieties of English in the curriculum are necessary for Japanese learners to appropriate English for social transformation.
linc-HOXA1 is a noncoding RNA that represses Hoxa1 transcription in cis

Recently, researchers have uncovered the presence of many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in embryonic stem cells and believe they are important regulators of the differentiation process. However, there are only a few examples explicitly linking lncRNA activity to transcriptional regulation. Here, we used transcript counting and spatial localization to characterize a lncRNA (dubbed linc-HOXA1) located ∼50 kb from the Hoxa gene cluster in mouse embryonic stem cells. Single-cell transcript counting revealed that linc-HOXA1 and Hoxa1 RNA are highly variable at the single-cell level and that whenever linc-HOXA1 RNA abundance was high, Hoxa1 mRNA abundance was low and vice versa. Knockdown analysis revealed that depletion of linc-HOXA1 RNA at its site of transcription increased transcription of the Hoxa1 gene cis to the chromosome and that exposure of cells to retinoic acid can disrupt this interaction. We further showed that linc-HOXA1 RNA represses Hoxa1 by recruiting the protein PURB as a transcriptional cofactor. Our results highlight the power of transcript visualization to characterize lncRNA function and also suggest that PURB can facilitate lncRNA-mediated transcriptional regulation.
Comparison of Experimental and Computational Values of Flame Radiation

Procedures for making bandpass-filtered total radiometer measurements are described, and comparisons of the readings are made with soot and gas-band models of a spray-atomized flame. Three flames with different soot contents were examined. Liquid fuels used were an iso-octane-tetralin mixture, a Suntech-3 aircraft fuel blend, and petroleum JP-4. These were sprayed by a Parker-Hannifin twin-fluid 60-deg hollow-cone nozzle into swirling combustion air and dilution air flowing in an 80-mm-diam duct at atmospheric pressure. Bandpassfiltered radiometric observations at an axial location of x/R = 4.75 are reported. The readings are compared to predictions made using the exponential wideband model for gas radiation with added provision for the presence of soot at its own temperature. The comparisons show that the discrepancy between the experimental readings and the model predictions is within 3%. A B c D h I k K L n n q r R t T U x X
Electronic Spectroscopy of Highly-Polar Aromatics. XII. Luminescence of Aminoacetophenones

The aminoacetophenones belong to the class of highly-polar molecules denoted D-φ-A, where D is an electron donor substituent, φ is a disubstituted benzene ring and A is an electron acceptor substit...
The postconcussion syndrome and whiplash injuries: a question-and-answer review for primary care physicians.

This article reviews postconcussion syndrome and whiplash injuries, two of the most common types of neurologic trauma seen by primary care physicians. As in other articles in this issue, the question-and-answer format is used.