cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
System-level solar module optimization

Concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems achieve the highest level of solar conversion efficiency of all photovoltaic (PV) technologies by combining solar concentration, sun tracking, and high-efficiency multi-junction PV cells. Although these design features increase the overall efficiency of the device, they also dramatically increase the cost and physical volume of the system and make the system fragile and unwieldy. In this paper, we present recent progress towards the development of a robust, reduced form-factor CPV system. The CPV system is designed for portable applications and utilizes a series of low profile optical and optomechanical components to concentrate the solar spectrum, enhance energy absorption, and track the sun throughout the diurnal cycle. Based on commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) single-junction PV cells, the system exploits the efficiency gains associated with tuning the wavelength of the incoming light to the band-gap of a PV material. This is accomplished by spectrally splitting the concentrated incident beam into multiple wavelength bands via a series of custom optical elements. Additional energy is harvested by the system through the use of scavenger PV cells, thermoelectric generators, and biologically inspired anti-reflective materials. The system’s compact, low-profile active solar tracking module minimizes the effects of wind-induced loads and reduces the overall size of the system, thus enabling future ruggedization of the system for defense applications. Designed from a systems engineering approach, the CPV system has been optimized to maximize efficiency while reducing system size and cost per kilowatt-hour. Results from system tests will be presented and design trade-offs will be discussed.
Dissection of a flavoenzyme active site: the reaction catalyzed by cholesterol oxidase.

Cholesterol oxidase is a member of the glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductase family that is characterized by a conserved topology. We review our investigations into the reactivity of the Streptomyces cholesterol oxidase cofactor, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), and the role of active-site residues. All of our mutagenesis, enzyme inhibition, and kinetic data demonstrate that the cofactor catalyzes oxidation of alcohols to ketones, but not oxygenation of carbon. Cholesterol oxidase catalyzes two reactions, oxidation and isomerization, in one active site, presumably because of the susceptibility of the reaction intermediate cholest-5-en-3-one to radical oxidation. This bifunctionality is not a shared characteristic with other GMC oxidoreductase family members. Furthermore, we have characterized the unusual inactivation of FAD by electrophilic substitution at C6 of the isoalloxazine ring upon ring opening of a cyclopropyl steroid. Another member of the GMC oxidoreductase family, methanol oxidase, i...
Acute stroke therapy: beyond i.v. tPA.

Although intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (i.v. tPA) has been approved for treating acute ischemic stroke, it must be given within 3 hours of stroke onset and only after ruling out hemorrhagic stroke by computed tomography. Several medical centers are turning to angiography to guide intra-arterial infusion of thrombolytic agents and mechanical endovascular interventions.
A note on control polygons and derivatives

Abstract It is well known that the sequence of control polygons for a B-spline curve generated by refining the knot sequence for the curve converges to the curve if the norm of the refinements converges to 0 [Cohen & Schumaker '85, Farin '77, Lane & Riesenfeld '80, Prautzsch '83]. Recently Cohen and Schumaker ['85] have given a proof of this fact using Schoenberg's variation diminishing approximation [Schoenberg '59]. In this paper we extend the arguments of [Cohen & Schumaker '85] to prove that under the same conditions the piecewise constant function obtained from the slopes of the control polygons converges to the derivative of the B-spline curve.
Tellurium - Should it be isotopically anomalous in the Allende meteorite

Isotopically anomalous Te is a by-product of the nuclear processes in zones of supernovae that have been proposed as sources for isotopically anomalous Xe. The calculated composition of the anomalous Te is roughly consistent with the disputed measurements made by Ballad et at. (1979) and Oliver et al. (1979) of samples of the Allende meteorite, with the exception that the large Te-123 overabundance reported by Oliver et al. (1979) is not predicted by the theory.
Appendicular robusticity and the paleobiology of modern human emergence

The emergence of modern humans in the Late Pleistocene, whatever its phylogenetic history, was characterized by a series of behaviorally important shifts reflected in aspects of human hard tissue biology and the archeological record. To elucidate these shifts further, diaphyseal cross-sectional morphology was analyzed by using cross-sectional areas and second moments of area of the mid-distal humerus and midshaft femur. The humeral diaphysis indicates a gradual reduction in habitual load levels from Eurasian late archaic, to Early Upper Paleolithic early modern, to Middle Upper Paleolithic early modern hominids, with the Levantine Middle Paleolithic early modern humans being a gracile anomalous outlier. The femoral diaphysis, once variation in ecogeographically patterned body proportions is taken into account, indicates no changes across the pre-30,000 years B.P. samples in habitual locomotor load levels, followed by a modest decrease through the Middle Upper Paleolithic.
Passage of cerebrospinal fluid into cranial venous sinuses in normal and experimental hydrocephalic cats

Abstract The passage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into both the sagittal and straight sinuses was studied in normal cats and cats with experimental chronic obstructive hydrocephalus. This was performed by perfusing the CSF system with mock CSF containing labeled albumin with simultaneous measurements of radioactivity in the blood from the two sources. In the normal cats the tracer was found almost exclusively to pass into the sagittal sinus. In the hydrocephalic animals. however, blood from the straight sinus alone or from both sinuses contained the tracer. The calculated amounts of tracer transferred by both routes could be correlated with the total amount recovered from the blood. The results are regarded as further evidence of transventricular absorption and the presence of alternate pathways for absorption of CSF in hydrocephalus.
An Eulerian shell formulation for fluid-structure interaction

Abstract Coupled Eulerian—Lagrangian formulations are currently used to analyze fluid—structure interactions. Extending these formulations to handle large structureal deformations, structural failure, and perforation is challenging. An Eulerian structural formulation is attractive because it permits arbitrarily large deformations and permits the new surfaces associated with perforation to evolve without specialized algorithms. The theoretical basis for an Eulerian formulation for shells is developed and, in particular, the choice of a formulation for the rotations is discussed. Example calculations with large deformations, shell thinning, and weld failure are presented.
Properties of Alfvén Solitons in a Finite-Beta Plasma J. Plasma Phys. vol. 27, 1982, p. 193

In the aforementioned paper we obtained an equation for non-linear Alfven waves in a finite-β plasma, and investigated envelope soliton solutions thereof. The purpose of this note is to point out an error in the derivation of the soliton envelopes, and present corrected expressions for these solitons. The error arises from our assumption of translational invariance of both the envelope and phase of an envelope soliton expressed in equations (16) and (17). Rather, the phase is related to the amplitude by where y ≡ x — V E t is a comoving co-ordinate, and all other quantities are defined in the above paper.
Self-Assembled DNA Crystals: The Impact on Resolution of 5′-Phosphates and the DNA Source

Designed self-assembled DNA crystals consist of rigid DNA motifs that are held together by cohesive sticky-ended interactions. A prominent application of such systems is that they might be able to act as macromolecular hosts for macromolecular guests, thereby alleviating the crystallization problem of structural biology. We have recently demonstrated that it is indeed possible to design and construct such crystals and to determine their structures by X-ray diffraction procedures. To act as useful hosts that organize biological macromolecules for crystallographic purposes, maximizing the resolution of the crystals will maximize the utility of the approach. The structures reported so far have diffracted only to about 4 A, so we have examined two factors that might have impact on the resolution. We find no difference in the resolution whether the DNA is synthetic or PCR-generated. However, we find that the presence of a phosphate on the 5′-end of the strands improves the resolution of the crystals markedly.
Very sparse stable random projections for dimension reduction in lα (0

The method of stable random projections is a useful tool for efficiently computing the lα (0
Dissipative structure: an explanation and an ecological example.

Abstract A physical explanation is given of the fact that diffusion, usually a stabilizing influence which acts with increasing intensity on perturbations of shorter wavelengths, can bring about a finite wavelength instability of a spatially uniform interaction involving two constituents. Such instabilities have been regarded as of importance in biochemical contexts. By presenting an example of their occurrence when cooperating prey interact with predators, this study suggests that diffusive instabilities should also be sought in ecological interactions.
Phased array spatial-velocity imaging with FM-CW signaling

A method for spatial-velocity imaging of nonrigid moving targets, such as the human heart, which utilizes a quasi-monostatic phased array or a bistatic phased array that illuminates the target scene with a continuous-wave large-bandwidth signal and simultaneously records the Doppler-shifted echoed signals is presented. The imaging system utilizes an inverse solution for phased array imaging that incorporates the spectral distribution of an element's radiation pattern and it does not put any restrictions on the irradiating signal and the target scene. The system is applicable in near field as well as far field imaging problems of diagnostic medicine involving the human cardiovascular system.
Isolation and characterization of the human tRNA-(N1G37) methyltransferase (TRM5) and comparison to the Escherichia coli TrmD protein.

A human TRM5 cDNA has been cloned and recombinant tRNA-N1G37 methyltransferase was produced. The recombinant enzyme methylates the N1 position of guanosine 37 (G37) in selected tRNA transcripts utilizing S-adenosyl methionine. The effects of RNA sequence and structure on the methylation reaction in comparison between the Escherichia coli TrmD and human TRM5 recombinant enzymes are presented. G37-methylation by TRM5 occurs regardless of the nature of the nucleotide at position 36. TRM5 also methylates inosine at position 37 unlike TrmD, which recognizes the G36pG37 motif preferentially and does not methylate inosine. New evidence is presented concerning TrmD showing that with some tRNA species, A at position 36 is also recognized. The TRM5 enzyme is sensitive to subtle changes in the tRNA−protein tertiary interaction leading to loss of activity. The TrmD enzyme is more tolerant of alterations in tRNA−protein tertiary interactions as long as the core tRNA structure and the G36pG37 are present. The TRM5 enzy...
The Relationship between Seats and Votes in Two-Party Systems*

An enduring fact of life in democratic electoral systems is that the party winning the largest share of the votes almost always receives a still larger share of the seats. This paper tests three models describing the inflation of the legislative power of the victorious party and then develops explanations of the observed differences in the swing ratio and the partisan bias of an electoral system. The “cube law” is rejected as a description, since it assumes uniformity (which is not observed in the data) across electoral systems. Explanations for differences in swing ratio and bias are found in variations in turnout over districts, the extent of the “nationalization” of politics, and, most importantly, in who does the districting or reapportionment. The measures of swing ratio and partisan bias appear useful for the judicial evaluation of redistricting schemes and may contribute to the reduction of partisan and incumbent gerrymandering.
Frequency dependence of the lifetime of a surface micromachined microengine driving a load

Abstract Experiments have been performed on surface micromachined microengines driving load gears to determine the rotational frequency dependence on median cycles to failure. A sample of 272 microengines, each driving a load, was stressed at eight different frequencies. Frequency dependence was observed and a model was developed based on fundamental wear mechanisms and forces exhibited in resonant mechanical systems. Stressing loaded microengines caused observable wear in the rotating joints and in a few instances led to fracture of the pin joint in the drive gear.
The synthesis of 2,2 and 5,5 -bi(1,10-phenanthroline)

The well-known chelating ability of 1,10-phenanthroline and its derivatives for Fe(II) and Cu(I) have prompted the synthesis of 5, 5′-bi(1, 10-phenanthroline) (I) and 2, 2′-bi(1, 10-phenanthroline (II).
Numerical Magnitude Estimation of Loudness Post-Stapedectomy

This is a report on the use of the method of numerical magnitude estimation for the measurement of loudness function under clinical conditions. An attempt was made to derive monaural loudness funct...
Effect of patient age on increasing morbidity and mortality following urogynecologic surgery.

Objective The purpose of this study was to estimate the effect of age on the risk of in-hospital mortality and morbidity following urogynecologic surgery and to compare risks associated with obliterative versus reconstructive procedures for prolapse in elderly women. Study design We conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing data from 1998 to 2002 from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to obtain odds ratios estimating the effect of age on risk of death and complications, adjusting for comorbidities and demographic factors. Results There were 264,340 women in our study population. Increasing age was associated with higher mortality risks per 1000 women ( P P P Conclusion Although the absolute risk of death is low, elderly women have a higher risk of mortality and morbidity following urogynecologic surgery.
81. A cognitive, perceptual, and motor study of hemispheric asymmetry in the major psychoses

Studies have demonstrated asymmetric hemispheric dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, few studies have compared directly the dysfunction in schizophrenia to that of bipolar disorder, and few have studied hemispheric asymmetries across modalities, which could address regional specificity of lateralized hemispheric dysfunction. We assembled a battery of assessments designed to measure lateralized hemispheric function of the following modalities: sensory information processing and arousal (dichotic listening, chair identification, consonant-vowel-consonant test), memory (Warrington recognition memory test), and motor (hand force instability, velocity scaling, reaction time). To date, 19 right-handed male patients with schizophrenia (N 5 11) and bipolar disorder (N 5 8) have been assessed to determine whether differences in lateralized performance appear across multiple modalities. Effect sizes between diagnostic groups were large for L-R (left minus right) scores for chair identification and velocity scaling and medium for hand force instability. In measures purported to reflect dopaminergic tone (velocity scaling and hand force instability), schizophrenia patients showed diminished right hemispheric function relative to the left, whereas bipolar patients showed diminished left hemispheric function relative to the right. In a measure purported to reflect hemispheric arousal (chair identification), the reverse was true: schizophrenia patients showed diminished left hemispheric function relative to the right, whereas bipolar patients showed diminished right hemispheric function relative to the left. These findings support the literature demonstrating a hemispheric imbalance in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They also suggest the possibility that the hemispheric dysfunction in psychosis is complex and may be related to either increased activity in one hemisphere or decreased activity in the other hemisphere. They also indicate that there may exist different mechanisms of hemispheric control, one responsible for motor activity and another for arousal.
PHASE DISTRIBUTION AND MIXING IN A JET BUBBLE COLUMN

This paper describes the results of an experimental study to evaluate phase holdups and RTD for a jet bubble column. The experimental data were obtained in a 61 cm diameter jet bubble column with a conical inlet. Air and water were used as a two-phase system. The ranges of gas and liquid velocities examined were 0 to 9 cm/sec and 0 to 0·6 cm/sec respectively, both based on the cylinder diameter. The experimental data indicate that in the conical section of the column, the gas holdup first decreases with an increase in distance away from the cone inlet, achieves a minimum and then increases until it reaches a somewhat constant value within the cylinder. Gas holdup varies radially with the maximum at the center and the minimum near the wall. Radially-averaged gas holdup increased with gas velocity and remained essentially unchanged with liquid velocity. The RTD measurements were correlated by a two-dimensional dispersion model. The axial dispersion coefficient increased linearly from the cone inlet to the c...
Transport of viral RNA in kb cells infected with adenovirus type 2.

Messenger RNA transport was studied in KB cells infected with the nuclear DNA virus adenovirus type 2. Addition of 0.04 µg/ml of actinomycin completes the inhibition of ribosome synthesis normally observed late after infection and apparently does not alter the pattern of viral RNA synthesis: Hybridization-inhibition experiments indicate that similar viral RNA sequences are transcribed in cells treated or untreated with actinomycin. The polysomal RNA synthesized during a 2 hr labeling period in the presence of actinomycin is at least 60% viral specific. Viral messenger RNA transport can occur in the absence of ribosome synthesis. When uridine-3H is added to a late-infected culture pretreated with actinomycin, viral RNA appears in the cytoplasm at 10 min, but the polysomes do not receive viral RNA-3H until 30 min have elapsed. Only 25% of the cytoplasmic viral RNA is in polyribosomes even when infected cells have been labeled for 150 min. The nonpolysomal viral RNA in cytoplasmic extracts sediments as a broad distribution from 10S to 80S and does not include a peak cosedimenting with 45S ribosome subunits. The newly formed messenger RNA that is ribosome associated is not equally distributed among the ribosomes; by comparison to polyribosomes, 74S ribosomes are deficient at least fivefold in receipt of new messenger RNA molecules.
Infrared characterization of conformational differences in the lamellar phases of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-2-phosphocholine.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the lamellar phases of 1,3-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-2-phosphocholine (1,3-DPPC), a positional isomer of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (1,2-DPPC). The molecule exists in three distinct phases over the temperature interval 0–70°C. In the low-temperature (Lc) phase, the spectra are indicative of acyl chains packed in an orthorhombic subcell, while the carbonyl groups and phosphate ester at the head group show evidence of only partial hydration. The transition from the low-temperature (Lc) phase to the intermediate-temperature (Lβ) phase at 25°C corresponds to a temperature-induced head-group hydration in which the hydration of the phosphate and carbonyl ester groups results in the reorganization of the hydrocarbon chain-packing subcell from orthorhombic to hexagonal. The transition from the intermediate (Lβ) to the high-temperature (Lα) phase at 37°C is a gel-to-liquid-crystalline phase transition analogous to the 41.5°C transition of 1,2-DPPC. The spectra of the acyl-chain carbonyl groups show evidence of significant differences in molecular conformation at the carbonyl esters in the Lc phase. In the Lβ and Lα phases, the carbonyl band contour becomes much more symmetric. However, two components are clearly present in the spectra indicating that the sn-1 and sn-3 carbonyls experience slightly different environments. The observed differences are likely due to a preferred conformation of the phosphocholine group relative to the glycerol backbone. Indications from the infrared spectra of differences in the structure of the CO groups provide a possible explanation for the selection of the sn-1 chain of 1,3-DPPC by phospholipase A2 on the basis of a preferred head group conformation.
ENZYMATIC CONVERSION OF INDOLE ACETALDEHYDE AND NAPHTHALENE ACETALDEHYDE TO AUXINS.

A neutral substance, convertible to an acid auxin, is present in various plant extracts (5, 9) and chemical preparations (9). As indicated by a number of biological tests, the neutral substance is in all likelihood 3-indole acetaldehyde and will for convenience be designated by this name in the present paper. In a previous paper (11) it was shown that 3-indole acetaldehyde is rapidly converted to indoleacetic acid in excised Avena coleoptiles and in fresh, but not in boiled, coleoptile juice. It was concluded that the conversion is caused by an enzyme system present in the coleoptiles. The indole acetaldehyde used in those experiments was prepared from tryptophan and isatin using a method described previously (9, p. 85). Gordon and Nieva (5, 6), using indole acetaldehyde extracted from pineapple leaves and purified via the bisulphite addition-product, demonstrated the presence of an enzyme system, capable of converting indole acetaldehyde to indoleacetic acid, in breis and protein preparations obtained from pineapple leaf bases. Wildman et al. (17) failed to obtain any conversion of indole acetaldehyde to indoleacetic acid by enzyme preparations from spinach leaves, although such preparations produced indoleacetic acid readily from tryptophan. As already pointed out by Gordon and Nieva (6), however, the synthetic preparation of indole acetaldehyde used by Wildman et al. (17) probably contained very little, if any, of the desired aldehyde. Since indole acetaldehyde seems to be the immediate precursor of indoleacetic acid in the biosynthesis of this auxin, a method for the determination of indole acetaldehyde in plant extracts would be highly desirable. This aldehyde, however, has not yet been prepared in the chemically pure state ; so we are unable to construct a standard activity curve, relating biological effect, such as curvature in the Avena test, to actual concentration of indole acetaldehyde. Amounts of indole acetaldehyde have been expressed in terms of amounts of indoleacetic acid obtained after treatment of the preparation or extract with soil (5, 6, 9, 10, 15). Owing to losses occurring during the treatment this procedure is unsatisfactory. Since indole acetaldehyde does produce curvatures in the Avena test these curvatures can be compared with curvatures produced by pure indoleacetic acid. As an arbitrary, biological unit of indole acetaldehyde was proposed the y-"equiva-
Maximal medical therapy and palliative care can work together: when are advanced care measures appropriate?

Resuscitation status and patient wishes in terms of advanced cardiopulmonary support must be addressed during inpatient hospital admissions. However, the lack of clarity of the patients’ wishes and the variability in physicians’ comfort addressing these issues often leads to ambiguity in an emergency setting. This may result in inappropriately aggressive management, and conversely, it may also lead to withholding potentially lifesaving therapy due to ‘‘Do Not Resuscitate’’ (DNR) designation. We report a case of hemodynamic instability due to acute supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in a patient with a DNR designation. He was successfully treated according to the advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocol for SVT. We also discuss some of the ethical challenges of providing potential life-sustaining interventions in palliative medicine, as well as the dilemma of whether or not to provide such interventions to patients who have DNR status.
Pulling Back the “Veil Which Now Covers Our Schools”: The Catholic Educational Exhibit, 1892–1893

This article examines the American Catholic Church’s effort to refashion its institutional identity through the creation of the Catholic Educational Exhibit (CEE) in the late nineteenth century. After several decades of non-Catholic animosity towards parochial education, the religious hierarchy saw the occasion of the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1892 and 1893 as an opportune moment to correct false understandings of how the Catholic educational system functioned. First, the materials strategically gathered and displayed offered tangible manifestations of the mechanisms of Catholic schools. The CEE contained the “proofs” of Catholic education from schools around the country, a cornucopia of work produced by students and teachers from a variety of institutions. These “proofs” were organized and displayed in a manner that drew upon late nineteenth-century trends in collecting and museum construction. Possessing objects believed to hold both knowledge and meaning, organizers hoped the CEE would further legitimize and convey the truth about the Catholic system of education. Second, it provided a public space to clearly articulate the philosophy guiding Catholic education. The philosophy highlighted the harmonious relationship between a religious and secular education, which produced good citizens and nurtured the national ideals of democracy and freedom. The exhibit purposefully offered a positive and transparent image of Catholic educational institutions. In short, the CEE provided a vehicle for the religious and lay members of the American Catholic Church to cooperatively craft an institutional identity that complemented, rather than conflicted with American social and political values at the turn of the twentieth century.
Discriminator amplitude walk correction in gamma-ray coincidence experiments using list-mode time-stamping data acquisition

Abstract When pulse amplitude and time stamp are recorded in list-mode time-stamping data acquisition, it is possible to correct for the system amplitude walk, typically observed as the time pickoff dependence on pulse amplitude. In this study, a method of correcting for amplitude walk during post-acquisition analysis of such list mode data is developed and demonstrated. The method is demonstrated using a simple two-channel system and a photon source capable of producing coincidence events (22Na). Two leading-edge discriminators, vulnerable to the amplitude walk, were used to produce the time pickoffs. The resulting corrected data show an amplitude walk less than the detector timing resolution. The method developed can be used in list-mode data acquisition systems such as medical imaging scanners or Compton scatter cameras.
trans-2-Nonenal, the cucumber odor of mushrooms.

trans-2-Nonenal was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis as the cucumber odor in the cucumber/farinaceous subgroup of mushrooms with farinaceous odors. trans-2-Nonenal was no...
THEORY OF THE MOTT INSULATORS NiO AND CoO

Mott insulators are identified with ordinary magnetic insulators in which local moments and an insulating gap persist above T/sub N/ or T/sub c/. The main features of Mott insulators can be understood within the framework of the Hartree--Fock approximation. NiO and CoO are considered as examples. (DLC)
A quantitative metabolic inhibition test for the measurement of injury to cultured cells

A method is described for determining toxicities of compounds to miniaturized cell cultures. By visually estimating pH changes of the culture medium, injury is rapidly assessed on a time- and concentration-related basis. Combined with a morphologic index of injury, the method yields reliable, quantifiable results with a high degree of uniformity.
Synthesis and Properties of Soy Hull-reinforced Biocomposites from Conjugated Soybean Oil

The tensile and flexural properties of new thermosetting composites made by the free radical polymerization of a conjugated soybean oil (CSO)-based resin reinforced with soy hulls have been determined for various resin compositions. The effects of reinforcement particle size and filler/resin ratio have been assessed. The thermal stability of the new materials has been determined by thermogravimetric analysis and the wt % of oil incorporation has been calculated after Soxhlet extraction (the extracts have been identified by 1H-NMR spectroscopy). The resin consists initially of 50 wt % CSO and varying amounts of divinylbenzene (DVB; 5–15 wt %), dicyclopentadiene (DCPD; 0–10 wt %), and n-butyl methacrylate (BMA; 25–35 wt %). Two soy hull particle sizes have been tested (<177 and <425 μm) and two different filler/resin ratios have been compared (50 : 50 and 60 : 40). An appropriate cure sequence has been established by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The results show a decrease in the properties whenever DVB or BMA is substituted by DCPD. Also, larger particle sizes and higher filler/resin ratios are found to have a negative effect on the tensile properties of the new materials. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009
Choledochal cysts in adults: A report of two cases and review of the literature

A choledocal cyst is a dilation of some component of the biliary tract that may include both intra- and extrahepatic sites. They are classified into six types, all of which are relatively rare. Previously, choledochal cysts were treated with biliary-enteric bypass procedures. The current recommendation is to attempt complete excision to minimize the known risk of malignancy and the development of recurrent cholangitis or pancreatitis that may occur in patients with these cystic lesions. Two cases are discussed in which type I choledochal cysts presented. One was removed from a 31-yr-old man who presented with vague abdominal complaints the other from a 32-yr-old man who presented with pancreatitis. The epidemiology, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and risk of cancer in choledochal cysts is described.
Effects of Surface Finish and Loading Conditions on the Low Cycle Fatigue Behavior of Austenitic Stainless Steel in PWR Environment for Various Strain Amplitude Levels

In February/March 2007, The NRC issued Regulatory Guide “RG1.207” and Argonne National Laboratory issued NUREG/CR-6909 that is now applicable in the US for evaluations of PWR environmental effects in fatigue analyses of new reactor components. In order to assess the conservativeness of the application of this NUREG report, Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) tests were performed by AREVA NP on austenitic stainless steel specimens in a PWR environment. The selected material exhibits in air environment a fatigue behavior consistent with the ANL reference “air” mean curve, as published in NUREG/CR-6909. LCF tests in a PWR environment were performed at various strain amplitude levels (± 0.6% or ± 0.3%) for two loading conditions corresponding to a simple or to a complex strain rate history. The simple loading condition is a fully reverse triangle signal (for comparison purposes with tests performed by other laboratories with the same loading conditions) and the complex signal simulates the strain variation for an actual typical PWR thermal transient. In addition, two various surface finish conditions were tested: polished and ground. This paper presents the comparisons of penalty factors, as observed experimentally, with penalty factors evaluated using ANL formulations (considering the strain integral method for complex loading), and on the other, the comparison of the actual fatigue life of the specimen with the fatigue life predicted through the NUREG report application. For the two strain amplitudes of ± 0.6% and ± 0.3%, LCF tests results obtained on austenitic stainless steel specimens in PWR environment with triangle waveforms at constant low strain rates give “Fen ” penalty factors close to those estimated using the ANL formulation (NUREG/6909). However, for the lower strain amplitude level and a triangle loading signal, the ANL formulation is pessimistic compared to the AREVA NP test results obtained for polished specimens. Finally, it was observed that constant amplitude LCF test results obtained on ground specimens under complex loading simulating an actual sequence of a cold and hot thermal shock exhibits lower combined environmental and surface finish effects when compared to the penalty factors estimated on the basis of the ANL formulations. It appears that the application of the NUREG/CR-6909 in conjunction with the Fen model proposed by ANL for austenitic stainless steel provides excessive margins, whereas the current ASME approach seems sufficient to cover significant environmental effects for representative loadings and surface finish conditions of reactor components.© 2009 ASME
Conformational changes associated with proximal seal zone failure in abdominal aortic endografts.

Abstract Objective: Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has become a popular treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This study examines conformational changes in the infrarenal aortas of patients in whom proximal seal zone failures (PSF) developed after EVAR. Methods: All 189 patients with aortic endograft underwent routine post-EVAR computed tomographic scan surveillance. Patients identified with proximal type I endoleaks, type III endoleaks, or proximal component separation without demonstrable endoleak underwent three-dimensional reconstruction of the computed tomographic scans from which measurements of the migration, length, volume, and angulation of the infrarenal aorta were made. Results: Five patients (3%) had PSF develop, four of whom had aortic extender cuffs. Although changes in the AAA volume and aortic neck angle were slight or variable, the mean AAA length increased 34 mm and the mean aortic body angulation increased 17 degrees ( P =.03 and.01, respectively). Lengthening and migration caused proximal component separation in four patients, with concomitant migration in two patients. Two patients underwent endovascular repair, two patients needed explantation of the endograft, and one patient awaits endovascular repair. Proximal component separation and type III endoleak recurred in one patient and were repaired with a custom-fitted graft. Conclusion: PSF of aortic endografts is associated with proximal angulation and lengthening of the infrarenal aorta. These findings reinforce the importance of proper initial deployment to minimize the need for aortic extender cuffs, which pose a risk of late endoleak development. (J Vasc Surg 2003;37:106-11.)
SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR TOXOPLASMA GONDII IN GRIZZLY BEARS FROM ALASKA

Blood samples were collected from 892 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in Alaska (USA) from 1973 to 1987. Sera were tested for evidence of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii by means of the modified agglutination test. Two hundred twenty sera (25%) had titers ≥25, the minimum threshold titer. Six hundred seventy-two sera (75%) had titers <25. Antibody prevalence ranged from 9% (18 positive of 196 tested) in southern areas to 37% (162 of 433 tested) in northern areas. There was no readily apparent explanation for these discrepancies in location-specific prevalence.
The free amino acids in the whole bodies of culicid mosquitoes

Abstract 1. 1. Deproteinized whole body extracts of Culex stigmatosoma, Culex tarsalis, Culiseta incidens, and Aedes varipalpus and the deproteinized haemolymph of five non-culicid insects were analyzed by means of paper chromatography to determine the free amino acids. 2. 2. The following acids were found in all four culicids: alanine, arginine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, leucine and/or isoleucine, methionine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, valine, α-amino-n-butyric acid and glutamine. Aspartic acid, β-alanine, cysteic acid, lysine, and taurine were found in many but not in all mosquitoes. Asparagine and hydroxyproline were consistently absent. 3. 3. The hemolymph of the non-culicid insects contained consistently the following amino acids: alanine, arginine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, and/or leucine, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine. Aspartic acid, cysteic acid, hydroxyproline, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, tryptophan, β-alanine, and taurine were present in one or more of the species but not in all of them. 4. 4. Chromatographic analysis indicates that the amino acid picture differs between as well as within the various families of insects, and that lesser differences may occur between species.
The CD4+ Lymphopenic Sarcoidosis Phenotype Is Highly Responsive to Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Therapy

The treatment options for patients with sarcoidosis are presently limited, and it is unclear which treatments are most effective for any given patient. We have identified a sarcoidosis phenotype characterized by CD4 + lymphopenia and resistance to conventional immunosuppressants, such as corticosteroids and methotrexate. Based on recent reports linking tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α to regulatory T-cell (Treg) dysfunction, we hypothesized that sarcoidosis-associated CD4 + lymphopenia would resolve with anti-TNFα treatment. Five consecutive patients with CD4 + lymphopenia were treated with a chimeric anti-TNFα antibody (infliximab). Clinical disease manifestations and peripheral blood T-cell subsets were assessed before and after infliximab treatment. All patients experienced significant increases in absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte and CD4 + T-cell counts and demonstrated improvement in clinical disease manifestations in response to infliximab. No change in the distribution of T-cell subsets was noted. The presence of CD4 + lymphopenia identifies a distinct sarcoidosis phenotype that is particularly responsive to anti-TNFα therapy.
TEACHER EVALUATION AND THE ‘HAND OF HISTORY’

Using content analysis, the authors examine the purposes of teacher evaluation in relation to the content items on which teachers are assessed and engage in a comparative analysis of teacher evaluation practices in the U.S.A. from three points in time. The overall findings suggest a disparity between the philosophy of teacher evaluation as a mechanism for improving teaching and the practice of teacher evaluation as a tool for administrative decision making, a disparity heavily weighted in favour of the latter. The authors provide evidence that this disparity is historically rooted and likely to endure.
The separation of penicillins by partition chromatography

Penicillin K was successfully determined in a mixture of penicillins by means of partition chromatography in which silicic acid is the adsorbent, a buffer solaion the immobile solvent, chloroform and ether the mobile solvents. There was sufficient resolution of the other penicillins to permit the isolation and purification of a penicillin F.
The Lessons of Survivor Literature in Communicating Decisions to Downsize

Many companies have entered a new era of human resources management—one based on transaction cost economics and one in which downsizing has become a permanent part of the corporate landscape. But their insistence on communicating decisions to downsize solely in economic terms is creating serious problems among employees who survive the layoffs. Disloyalty, disaffection, increased absenteeism, and even acts of sabotage are growing among workers who view downsizing as a social, not economic, issue. This article discusses the new era of human resources management and reviews survivor literature in an effort to provide guidance to companies about how to communicate downsizing, specifically, and how to communicate with the postdownsized workforce, generally.
Structure‐chromogenic activity relationship of phenolic compounds with ehrlich reagent

Over 100 phenolic compounds have been hitherto tested for their chromogenic ability with a modified Ehrlich reagent. A simple paper spotting technique has been utilized for this study. Mono-, di-, and trihydroxyphenols have been tested, and the possible relationship of color and structure has been investigated. Color tests were observed in the case of many compounds, with resorcinol, phloroglucinol, and several of their derivatives yielding relatively sensitive chromogenic reactions. The chromogenic effect of the alkyl substituent, etherification, and esterification of phenolic hydroxyl group (s) of resorcinols has been studied. The color reactions of three types of carbonyl-substituted resorcinols previously reported were investigated further by examining the effect of electron-donating groups in mitigating the adverse effect of the carbonyl group. Several naturally occurring phenolic compounds were also tested by the same technique. The modified Ehrlich reagent is a useful phenolic chromogen and may be applicable as a differentiating reagent for some of these compounds.
Quality of life in patients undergoing ileal pouch-anal anastomosis at the University of Cincinnati.

Abstract Background: In 1978, Drs. Fischer and Martin were among the first to preserve anorectal continence and create a pelvic reservoir in adult patients, in what has become the ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). Methods: Here we review our institutions’ experience with 379 of these procedures from 1978 to present. To assess the specific health concerns of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and determine the effects of IPAA on health-related quality of life, we evaluated patients with the SF-36, the Rating Form of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patient Concerns (RFIPC), time trade-off questions, and a gamble question. Results: IPAA patients did not differ from the general population in seven of eight general health categories assessed by the SF-36. When compared with the UC population as a whole using the RFIPC they had reduced concerns in almost all areas. In addition, time trade-off and gamble questions indicated that these patients, as a group, are willing to accept a significant risk of dying in order to achieve their results of the IPAA. Conclusions: This high level of satisfaction has led to the referral of patients who would not have otherwise considered a procedure requiring permanent ileostomy.
Differential sensitivity to acute administration of cocaine, GBR 12909, and fluoxetine in mice selectively bred for hyperactive wheel-running behavior.

Rationale: To study the neural basis of genet- ic hyperactivity, we measured acute drug responses of mice (Mus domesticus) from four replicate lines that had been selectively bred (23-24 generations) for increased running-wheel activity. Objectives: We tested the hy- pothesis that the high-running lines would respond dif- ferently to cocaine, GBR 12909, and fluoxetine (Prozac) compared with four replicate, random-bred, control lines. We also tested the hypothesis that the high-run- ning lines would display hyperactivity in cages without wheels. Methods: Drug trials were conducted at night, during peak activity, after animals were habituated (3 weeks) to their cages with attached wheels. Revolu- tions on wheels 10-40 min post-injection were used to quantify drug responses. In a separate study, total photo- beam breaks (produced on the first and second 24-h pe- riod of exposure) were used to quantify basal activity in animals deprived of wheels. Results: Cocaine and GBR 12909 decreased wheel running in selected lines by re- ducing the average speed but not the duration of run- ning, but these drugs had little effect in control lines. Fluoxetine reduced running speed and duration in both selected and control animals, and the magnitude of the reduction was proportional to baseline activity. Basal activity in animals deprived of wheels (quantified using photobeam breaks) was significantly higher in selec- ted than control lines on the second day of testing. Conclusions: These results suggest an association be- tween genetically determined hyperactive wheel-run- ning behavior and dysfunction in the dopaminergic neu- romodulatory system. Our selected lines may prove to be a useful genetic model for attention deficit hyperac- tivity disorder.
The Ruthenostannylene Complex [Cp*(IXy)H2Ru‐Sn‐Trip]: Providing Access to Unusual Ru‐Sn Bonded Stanna‐imine, Stannene, and Ketenylstannyl Complexes

Reactivity studies of the thermally stable ruthenostannylene complex [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 Ru-Sn-Trip] (1; IXy=1,3-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene; Cp*=η(5) -C5 Me5 ; Trip=2,4,6-iPr3 C6 H2 ) with a variety of organic substrates are described. Complex 1 reacts with benzoin and an α,β-unsaturated ketone to undergo [1+4] cycloaddition reactions and afford [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 RuSn(κ(2) -O,O-OCPhCPhO)Trip] (2) and [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 RuSn(κ(2) -O,C-OCPhCHCHPh)Trip] (3), respectively. The reaction of 1 with ethyl diazoacetate resulted in a tin-substituted ketene complex [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 RuSn(OC2 H5 )(CHCO)Trip] (4), which is most likely a decomposition product from the putative ruthenium-substituted stannene complex. The isolation of a ruthenium-substituted stannene [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 RuSn(=Flu)Trip] (5) and stanna-imine [Cp*(IXy)(H)2 RuSn(κ(2) -N,O-NSO2 C6 H4 Me)Trip] (6) complexes was achieved by treatment of 1 with 9-diazofluorene and tosyl azide, respectively.
CO-LIMITATION OF FIRST YEAR FREMONT COTTONWOOD SEEDLINGS BY NITROGEN AND WATER

Nutrient availability strongly affects the species composition and productivity of most upland ecosystems, but the importance of nutrient availability is largely undefined for riparian ecosystems in semiarid regions of the western United States. The establishment and persistence of riparian cottonwood (Populus spp.) seedlings depends largely on water availability, but this does not preclude an important role for nutrient availability. To investigate how nitrogen availability may influence the composition and productivity of riparian communities, we tested the hypothesis that the growth and survival of first-year Fremont cottonwood seedlings is limited by the availability of both water and nitrogen. Plots of naturally germinated cottonwood seedlings along the Yampa River in Northwest Colorado were randomly assigned one of four treatments: control, water, nitrogen, or water plus nitrogen. Additions of nitrogen or water doubled total (root plus shoot) seedling and shoot length. Water additions did not increase root growth, while N addition doubled the root extension of first-year cottonwood seedlings. The water-plus-nitrogen treatment doubled total seedling and root length, and tripled shoot length. Additions of water or nitrogen also more then doubled cottonwood seedling survival through the first growing season. This co-limitation of cottonwood germinants by both water and nitrogen suggests that the productivity and species composition of riparian vegetation may need to be examined in relation to supplies of resources other than water.