cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oocytes for research: reevaluating risks and compensation.

In “Risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome in Egg Donation,” Ellison and Meliker (2011) argue that the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)—a sometimes lethal reaction to ovulation-i...
Field comparison of air sampling methods for monomeric and polymeric 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate.

This study was to critically compared 13 different air samplers for their ability to monitor air exposures to monomeric and polymeric 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in the automotive refinishing industry. Using both fast- and slow-drying clearcoat, we tested the following types of samplers: single- and dual-stage 37-mm polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) samplers (open- and closed-face), IOM (with plastic and stainless steel inserts), OSHA42, IsoChek, and WA-DOSH samplers. Midget impingers with frit were used as reference samplers. We observed the PP, PS, and IOM samplers to measure greater levels of HDI monomer and biuret when a fast-drying clearcoat was applied compared with a slow-drying clearcoat. When a slow-drying clearcoat was applied, the open-face PP and PS samplers measured significantly more monomeric and polymeric HDI (2-fold; p < 0.003) than the closed-face PP and PS samplers. We determined that significantly more monomeric and polymeric HDI were measured by impingers (1.3–1.9-fold)...
Treatment of Zero Frequency Modes in Perturbation Expansion About Classical Field Configurations

Abstract A new treatment of zero-frequency modes is given and the derivation of Feynman rules for perturbation expansion about classical field configurations is presented. A detailed comparison with other approaches, especially with the collective coordinate method is made. As an example we also discuss the four-dimensional Yang-Mills pseudoparticle solution.
Hidden costs of data storage

Companies can no longer afford to view data storage with a “save-it-all” mentality. The cost is prohibitive. And companies also can no longer haphazardly deal with data storage by simply doing what they have always done—because the regulatory and business environment has changed. But can firms recognize and control the critical hidden costs? © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ice penetration tests

Abstract Exploratory tests of ice penetration were made by driving small blunt cylinders into semi-infinite ice at normal incidence. Three types of laboratory tests were made: (1) drop-weight impact (impact speed 1.4–3.1 m/s), (2) high-speed ballistic penetration (impact speed 83–434 m/s), (3) deep penetration at low speed (0.42–4.23 m/s). Penetration by indenters and projectiles could be characterized by the energetics of the process, with little variation of specific energy as penetration speed changed by orders of magnitude. For blunt penetrators entering ice at −5°C, specific energy was typically in the range 1.5–15 MJ/m 3 . Low speed tests provided data on penetration force (and energy) as a function of displacement. The test results were compared with other published laboratory data, and with field test results for bigger projectiles.
Factors affecting competition between type I and type II methanotrophs in two-organism, continuous-flow reactors

Competition experiments were performed in a continuous-flow reactor using Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b, a type II methanotroph, and Methylomonas albus BG8, a type I methanotroph. The experiments were designed to establish conditions under which type II methanotrophs, which have significant cometabolic potential, prevail over type I strains. The primary determinants of species selection were dissolved methane, copper, and nitrate concentrations. Dissolved oxygen and methanol concentrations played secondary roles. M. trichosporium OB3b proved dominant under copper and nitratelimited conditions. The ratio of M. trichosporium to M. albus in the reactor increased ten-fold in less than 100 hours following the removal of copper from the reactor feed. Numbers of M. albus declined to levels that were below detection limits (<106/ml) under nitrogen-limited conditions. In the latter experiment, the competitive success of M. trichosporiumdepended on the maintenance of an ambient dissolved oxygen level below about 7.5 × 10(-5) M, or 30% of saturation with air. The ability of M. trichosporium to express soluble methane monooxygenase under copper limitation and nitrogenase under nitrate limitation was very significant. M. albus predominated under methane-limited conditions, especially when low levels of methanol were simultaneously added with methane to the reactor. The results imply that nitrogen limitation can be used to select for type II strains such as M. trichosporium OB3b.
Closed Range Composition Operators on Besov Type Spaces

Let $$\varphi $$ be a holomorphic self-map of the unit disk $$\mathbb D $$ . Necessary and sufficient conditions for a closed range composition operator $$C_\varphi $$ on Besov spaces $$B_p$$ and more generally on Besov type spaces $$B_{p, \alpha }$$ are given. An important ingredient is a reverse type Carleson condition due to Luecking.
Effects of rumination and distraction on naturally occurring depressed mood

Abstract Mildly-to-moderately depressed and nondepressed subjects were randomly assigned to spend 8 minutes focusing their attention on their current feeling states and personal characteristics (rumination condition) or on descriptions of geographic locations and objects (distraction condition). Depressed subjects in the rumination condition became significantly more depressed, whereas depressed subjects in the distraction condition became significantly less depressed. Rumination and distraction did not affect the moods of nondepressed subjects. These results support the hypothesis that ruminative responses to depressed mood exacerbate and prolong depressed mood. whereas distracting response shorten depressed mood.
FIBER MANUFACTURING - PRESENT AND FUTURE

Manufacturing of optical fibers has changed dramatically over the past several years as the industry has progressed from the R/D stage to full-scale production. In addition to a rapid increase in market demand, there have been significant improvements in optical performance. This increased volume, accompanied by improved performance, has necessitated the "industrialization" of manufacturing processes which can be routinely operated by plant production personnel. The equipment and processes are highly automated, resulting in reliable, reproducible products. The processes now used by Corning in the production of optical fibers will be discussed. Some recent improvements in the OVD process will be used to illustrate the flexibility of this process.
A cell simulator platform: the cell collective.

Diseases are often a result of multiple malfunctions in complex, nonlinear biological/biochemical networks. As such, these processes are far more complicated to understand because they tend to give rise to functions that are emergent in nature, i.e., higher-level (mal)functions that are more than the sum of their parts. Systems biology provides a new approach to understanding biological systems and diseases from a holistic perspective. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2013); 93 5, 393–395. doi:10.1038/clpt.2013.41
Oxidation Rates of Commercial Elemental Sulfur Products Applied to an Alkaline Silt Loam from Arkansas

Knowledge of elemental sulfur (S 0 ) oxidation kinetics for commercial S 0 sources is required before they can be recommended for use as an S fertilizer source or soil acidulent. A wide number of S 0 products are manufactured and differ in physical traits that influence oxidation rate and their relative effectiveness to supply S or acidify the soil. The objectives of this research were to determine the oxidation rate of four commercial S 0 sources and to measure soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) changes due to S 0 oxidation in an alkaline Hillemann (fine-silty, mixed, thermic Albic Glossic Natraqualf) silt loam. Water-extractable SO 4 2- -S, soil pH, and EC were measured at five sample dates after S 0 application in three laboratory incubation studies. Products evaluated included wettable S (WS90), Tiger 90 (T90), Disper-Sul90 (DS90), and the experimental product S92. The proportion of SO 4 2- -S recovered was regressed over the 90- or 94-d incubation time using a straight-line model to determine oxidation rate constants (k). An individual k explained oxidation of each product, except WS90, which required two k values to model WS90 oxidation. The first k (0.0589 mg SO 4 2- -S mg S -1 d -1 ) for WS90 represented a rapid oxidation phase between application and the first sample date at 10 d. The second k (0.01359 mg SO 4 2- -S mg S -1 d -1 ) described the slower oxidation rate observed for the remainder of the study. Of the four products tested, WS90 had the highest k. Oxidation of S92 (0.00063 mg SO 4 2- -S mg S -1 ) tended to be more rapid than DS90 (0.00021 mg SO 4 2- -S mg S -1 ) or T90 (0.00032 mg SO 4 2- -S mg S -1 ), which were not different. Only WS90 resulted in agronomically significant reductions in soil pH. Compared with the control, soil pH was reduced from 8.1 to 6.7 by application of 1000 kg S ha -1 '. Oxidation of S° followed zero-order kinetics. For each individual product, k was similar among application rates. These results suggest that commercial S 0 products have different rates of oxidation. Knowledge of the oxidation kinetics of the different commercial S° sources will aid in developing use recommendations to growers for acidification of alkaline soils.
Numerical modeling of flows in simulated brush seal configurations

The two-dimensional flow field in a linear brush seal configuration is modeled and the flow field determined numerically using an FEM model consisting of a matrix of 6 x 6 uniformly spaced circular bristles with a uniform flow field upstream of the simulated brush element. Results from the numerical model are compared to earlier work for a circular seal of similar configuration. Temporal disturbance of the upstream flow field is studied to elucidate system dynamics; however, only the local velocity field is investigated. The effect of tangential flow at the upstream boundary is also studied. Tangential flow produces changes in the pressure applied to the bristle but has little effect on the axial flow rates.
Effect on germination and post-germination development of Colletotrichum dematium var circinans due to light and dark incubation and coverslip placement

Light regime was not a major factor in germination of spores of Colletotrichum dematium var circinans. Number of germ-tubes and appressoria formed were affected by incubation regime and coverslip placement. Most germ-tubes and appressoria were produced on spores under shimmed coverslips. Light incubation favored germ-tube production and dark incubation favored appressoria production. Predicted time to 100% germination was affected by treatments. Shortest times were predicted for light incubated spores under shimmed coverslips. Longest times were predicted for non-coverslipped spores. A significant number of appressoria were produced sessile on spores. Most sessile appressoria were produced on dark incubated spores. Approximately 56 % of all spores germinated, and approximately 60% of all germ-tubes and appressoria were produced on these spores which were situated closest to coverslip or droplet edges. Placement of germ-tubes on spores was not affected by treatments. However, percentages of germ-tubes, initiated from various areas of spores, were significantly different. This variation appears to be due to factors internal to spores.
Thermodynamics and kinetics of interstitial diffusion in a two-component system

Diffusion theory is developed for a two-component system in which only the interstitial element is mobile. A thermodynamic formalism is used in direct parallel with a kinetic theory to construct a mechanism-independent relationship between tracer- and chemical-diffusion coefficients. It is found that D/sup I/=(D-italic*/f)(1+partialln..gamma../partiallnC). D/sup I/ is the intrinsic- or chemical-diffusion coefficient for the interstitial, D* is the tracer-diffusion coefficient, f is the correlation factor, and ..gamma.. is the activity coefficient. This expression accounts for site exclusion, correlation, and drift effects that occur as the interstitial content changes. Generalized phenomenological coefficients that are determined in this analysis can be used for standard representations of diffusion in electric fields and temperature gradients. Moreover, the forms that the phenomenological coefficients take for the interstitial system are the same as those previously derived for vacancy diffusion. A test of this predicted relationship between tracer- and chemical-diffusion coefficients is developed using a comparison between theory and experiment for carbon diffusion in fcc iron.
Reduced precision redundancy for low-power digital filtering

We propose a low-power digital filtering technique based on voltage overscaling (VOS) and a novel algorithmic noise-tolerant (ANT) technique referred to as reduced precision redundancy (RPR). VOS implies scaling of the supply voltage beyond the critical voltage required for correct operation. RPR involves having a reduced precision replica whose output can be employed as the final output in case the original filter computes erroneously. In addition, an LSB estimator is also employed to compensate for information loss in the LSBs. For frequency selective filtering, it is shown that the proposed technique provides 30% energy savings over an optimally scaled (i.e., the supply voltage equals the critical voltage) present day system. Energy savings of up to 65% can be achieved if a SNR loss of 1.5 dB is tolerated.
Effect of magnetic field on g-jitter induced convection and solute striation during solidification in space

Abstract A 2-D finite element model is presented for the melt growth of single crystals in a microgravity environment with a superimposed DC magnetic field. The model is developed using deforming finite element methodology and predicts steady and transient convective flows, heat transfer, solute distribution, and solidification interface morphology associated with the melt growth of single crystals in microgravity with and without an applied magnetic field. Numerical simulations were carried out for a wide range of parameters including idealized microgravity condition, synthesized g-jitter and real g-jitter data taken by on-board accelerometers during space flights. The results reveal that the time varying g-jitter disturbances, although small in magnitude, cause an appreciable convective flow in the liquid pool, which in turn produces detrimental effects during the space processing of single crystal growth. An applied magnetic field of appropriate strength, superimposed on the microgravity, can be very effective in suppressing the deleterious effects resulting from g-jitter disturbances.
Abstract PL01-01: Advances in functional cancer genomics

Recent advances in genomics now make it possible to consider enumerating all of the genetic lesions in specific cancers. While these approaches will yield critical information regarding the identify, number, and types of alterations found in human tumors, a complementary approach to decipher the molecular basis of malignant transformation depends upon the application of genome scale tools to annotate the function of genes involved in cancer initiation and progression. Over the past several years, we have developed genome scale RNAi libraries and open reading frame expression libraries that permit a systematic evaluation of genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance. Using these libraries, we have now performed screens in a panel of human cancer cell lines to systematically identify cancer vulnerabilities. By combining these functional approaches with information derived from mapping the structural abnormalities present in cancer genomes, we have identified several new oncogenes that contribute to cancer development. The ability to systematically manipulate gene expression at genome scale now provides opportunities to investigate the function of genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance, which will provide a framework for therapeutic and prevention strategies. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):PL01-01.
Dynamic characterization and microprocessor control of the NASA/UVA proof mass actuator

The self-contained electromagnetic-reaction-type force-actuator system developed by NASA/UVA for the verification of spacecraft-structure vibration-control laws is characterized and demonstrated. The device is controlled by a dedicated microprocessor and has dynamic characteristics determined by Fourier analysis. Test data on a cantilevered beam are shown.
Service Isolation vs. Consolidation: Implications for IaaS Cloud Application Deployment

Service isolation, achieved by deploying components of multi-tier applications using separate virtual machines (VMs), is a common "best" practice. Various advantages cited include simpler deployment architectures, easier resource scalability for supporting dynamic application throughput requirements, and support for component-level fault tolerance. This paper presents results from an empirical study which investigates the performance implications of component placement for deployments of multi-tier applications to Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) clouds. Relationships between performance and resource utilization (CPU, disk, network) are investigated to better understand the implications which result from how applications are deployed. All possible deployments for two variants of a multi-tier application were tested, one computationally bound by the model, the other bound by a geospatial database. The best performing deployments required as few as 2 VMs, half the number required for service isolation, demonstrating potential cost savings with service consolidation. Resource use (CPU time, disk I/O, and network I/O) varied based on component placement and VM memory allocation. Using separate VMs to host each application component resulted in performance overhead of ~1-2%. Relationships between resource utilization and performance were harnessed to build a multiple linear regression model to predict performance of component deployments. CPU time, disk sector reads, and disk sector writes are identified as the most powerful performance predictors for component deployments.
Investing in financial markets of east and Central Europe

Abstract The emerging financial markets in East and Central Europe have developed rapidly in the last five years particularly in Poland, Hungary, and the former Czechoslovakia (the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic). Marek Lorinc, a Slovak native, gives an overview of the current status and latest information on the stock, bond, money and over-the-counter equity markets in these countries with the interests of potential investors in mind.
Ozone sensitivity of plants in natural communities

Abstract Field fumigation studies conducted in grassland, oak, aspen, and conifer, communities established the injury threshold of prevalent plant species to ozone. Several important species, including Bromus tectorum, Quercus gambelii , and Populus tremuloides , were injured by a single 2-hours exposure to 15 pphm ozone. Over half the perennial forbs and woody species studied were visibly injured at concentrations of 30 pphm ozone or less. It is postulated that lower concentrations at prolonged or repeated exposures to ozone may impair growth and affect community vigour and stability. Continued exposure of natural plant communities to ozone is expected to initiate major shifts in the plant composition of communities.
Visualization tools for bioengineering education

New visualization tools for bioenginering education are becoming available which have been made possible by the recent dramatic decreases in cost and increases in performance of computers and display systems. Computational systems with capability to present high resolution color displays were once restricted to research environments, but are now often part of normal clinical procedures. Currently available systems can generate computed images in close to real time as well as simply display them. The availability of desktop systems makes it feasible to develop computer assisted tutorial systems for bioengineering education. Such systems can supplement and enrich traditional educational delivery systems from the early undergraduate courses to the much more specialized advanced graduate courses. In addition, such systems can also contribute to continuing education eforts and provide expanded exposure to unusual cases or experiences which are rarely seen except at selected research centers. Two currently available systems and their preliminary evaluations are presented.
Suppression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by inhaled nitric oxide attenuates the adverse effects of hyperoxia in a rat model of acute lung injury

Abstract Introduction Locally increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in acute lung injury (ALI) is largely responsible for fibrin deposition in the alveolae and lung microvasculature. In vitro, nitric oxide (NO) effectively suppresses the ischemic induction of PAI-1. We aimed to investigate the effects of inhaled NO on PAI-1 expression in ALI in a rat model with and without hyperoxia. Materials and Methods Healthy adult rats were primed with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) via an intraperitoneal challenge followed by a second dose of LPS given intratracheally to induce ALI (LPS group), whereas the control groups were given sterile saline. All groups were allocated to subgroups according to gas exposure: NO (20 parts per million, NO), 95% oxygen (O), both (ONO), or room air (A). At 4 h, 24 h, 48 h (after 4 h or 24 h exposure to the various gases, 24 h gas intervention and then observation until 48 h), the rat lungs were processed and PAI-1 protein and mRNA expression, histopathological lung injury scores and fibrin deposition were evaluated. Results At 4 and 24 h, inhaled NO caused the PAI-1 mRNA levels in the LPS-NO and LPS-ONO subgroups to decrease compared with the untreated LPS subgroups. At 48 h, higher PAI-1 mRNA levels than those of the corresponding control subgroup were only observed in the LPS-O subgroup, and these values were lower in the LPS-ONO subgroup than in the LPS-O subgroup. The trends of the PAI-1 protein levels mirrored those of PAI-1 mRNA. At 48 h, PAI-1 protein levels in the LPS-NO and LPS-ONO subgroups were decreased compared with those in the untreated LPS subgroups. The histopathological lung injury scores and fibrin deposition in LPS subgroups that inhaled NO showed a decreasing trend compared with the untreated LPS subgroups. Conclusions Inhaled NO can suppress elevated PAI-1 expression in rats with ALI induced by endotoxin. Although exposure to high-concentration oxygen prolongs the duration of PAI-1 mRNA overexpression in ALI, inhaled NO can reduce this effect and alleviate both fibrin deposition and lung injury.
Characteristics of adsorbed CO and CH3OH oxidation reactions for complex Pt/Ru catalyst systems

Abstract Pt/Ru powder catalysts of the same nominal Pt to Ru composition were prepared using a range of methods resulting in different catalyst properties. Two PtRu alloy catalysts were prepared, one of which has essentially the same surface and bulk Pt to Ru composition, while the second catalyst is surface enriched with Ru. Two powders consisting of non-alloyed Pt phases and surfaces enriched with Ru were also prepared. The oxidation state of the surface Ru of the latter two catalysts is mainly metallic Ru or Ru-oxides. The catalyst consisting of Ru-oxides was formed at 500 °C. Part of this catalyst was then reduced in a H 2 atmosphere under “mild” conditions, thus catalyst properties such as particle size are not changed, as they are locked in during previous high temperature treatment. The oxidation kinetics of adsorbed CO (CO ads ) and solution CH 3 OH were studied and compared to the Ru ad-metal state and Pt to Ru site distribution of the as-prepared catalysts. The kinetics of the CO ads oxidation reaction were observed to be slower for the catalyst containing Ru-oxides as opposed to mainly Ru metal. The CH 3 OH oxidation activities measured per Pt surface area, i.e., the catalytic activities are better (by ca. seven times) for the alloy catalysts than the non-alloyed Pt/Ru catalysts. The latter two catalysts showed essentially the same catalytic CH 3 OH oxidation activities, i.e., independent of the Ru ad-metal oxidation state of the as-prepared catalysts. Furthermore, it is shown that CO ads oxidation experiments can be used to extract characteristics that allow the comparison of catalytic activities for the CO ads oxidation reaction and Pt to Ru site distribution for complex catalyst systems.
An electrostatic micro-collection interface for aerosol collection. Automated ion Chromatographic analysis of aerosols.

Abstract A miniature aerosol collector based on electrostatic precipitation is described. The sampled aerosol is charged in the device by positive corona discharge and electrostatically collected. The device is operated as a collection interface for aerosol analysis, the collection surfaces can be washed in situ and the effluent subjected to Chromatographic analysis on-line, all in a fully automated manner. At a sampling rate of 0.5 1 min −1 , near unity collection efficiencies are obtained for aerosols of 1 μ m and lower size, the size class of greatest environmental interest. Atmospheric aerosol constituents such as sulfate can be measured at the ng m −3 level. The disadvantage of the present system is that some artifact nitrate is generated (due to NO x production in the corona) and reliable values of ambient nitrate aerosol cannot therefore be obtained.
Little Difference is Found Between Surgical and Nonsurgical Approaches for Treatment of Periradicular Lesions Following Endodontic Therapy

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Surgical Versus Non-Surgical Endodontic Re-Treatment for Periradicular Lesions Del Fabbro M, Taschieri S, Testori T, Francetti L, Weinstein RL. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2007;(3):CD005511 Level of Evidence 1A Strength of Recommendation Grade B ∗ ∗Newman MG, Weyant R, Hujoel P. JEBDP Improves Grading System and Adopts Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy Grading (SORT) for Guidelines and Systematic Reviews. J Evid Base Dent Pract 2007;7:147-150. Purpose To assess the effects of surgical versus nonsurgical endodontic therapy for the retreatment of teeth with periapical pathosis. Source of Funding None noted Type of Study/Design Systematic Review
Neuroanatomical Changes due to Hearing Loss and Chronic Tinnitus: A Combined VBM and DTI Study

Subjective tinnitus is the perception of sound in the absence of an external source. Tinnitus is often accompanied by hearing loss but not everyone with hearing loss experiences tinnitus. We examined neuroanatomical alterations associated with hearing loss and tinnitus in three groups of subjects: those with hearing loss with tinnitus, those with hearing loss without tinnitus and normal hearing controls without tinnitus. To examine changes in gray matter we used structural MRI scans and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and to identify changes in white matter tract orientation we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). A major finding of our study was that there were both gray and white matter changes in the vicinity of the auditory cortex for subjects with hearing loss alone relative to those with tinnitus and those with normal hearing. We did not find significant changes in gray or white matter in subjects with tinnitus and hearing loss compared to normal hearing controls. VBM analysis revealed that individuals with hearing loss without tinnitus had gray matter decreases in anterior cingulate and superior and medial frontal gyri relative to those with hearing loss and tinnitus. Region-of-interest analysis revealed additional decreases in superior temporal gyrus for the hearing loss group compared to the tinnitus group. Investigating effects of hearing loss alone, we found gray matter decreases in superior and medial frontal gyri in participants with hearing loss compared to normal hearing controls. DTI analysis showed decreases in fractional anisotropy values in the right superior and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, corticospinal tract, inferior fronto-occipital tract, superior occipital fasciculus, and anterior thalamic radiation for the hearing loss group relative to normal hearing controls. In attempting to dissociate the effect of tinnitus from hearing loss, we observed that hearing loss rather than tinnitus had the greatest influence on gray and white matter alterations.
Radical perineal prostatectomy for treatment of localized prostate cancer in obese and nonobese patients: A matched control study

Abstract Objectives To compare the perioperative outcomes of severely obese and nonobese patients undergoing radical perineal prostatectomy (RPP). Methods A cohort of 71 severely obese patients, as defined by a body mass index of 35 kg/m 2 or more, who underwent RPP between 1992 and 2003 was retrospectively identified. These patients were matched by age, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and year of surgery to a cohort of 71 nonobese patients (body mass index less than 25 kg/m 2 ). Statistical testing was performed to compare the estimated blood loss, transfusion requirements, and complication rates (primary endpoints), as well as the length of surgery, intraoperative anesthesia requirements, postoperative hematocrit level, length of stay, and surgical margin status (secondary endpoints). Results The mean body mass index ± standard deviation of patients in the obese and nonobese group was 38.9 ± 4.7 and 22.9 ± 1.6 kg/m 2 ( P = 0.001), respectively. Patients were similar with regard to baseline characteristics. Obese and nonobese patients did not demonstrate significant differences in mean estimated blood loss (571 ± 391 and 494 ± 317 mL, respectively; P = 0.06), transfusion rates (2.8% and 7.0%, respectively; P = 0.45), or positive surgical margin rates (14.1% and 9.9%, respectively; P = 0.22). The overall complication rates were significantly different at 16.9% and 7.0% ( P = 0.03). Conclusions Severely obese patients undergoing RPP had blood transfusion rates similar to those of the nonobese patients. Obese RPP patients were at increased risk of surgical and anesthesia-related perioperative complications, many of which might be avoidable. Specifically, efforts should be directed toward preventing the development of lower extremity neurapraxia by minimizing the operative time and optimizing patient positioning.
Amylase Activity in Banana Fruit: Properties and Changes in Activity with Ripening

Following subcellular fractionation and centrifugation, the amylase activity was located in the cytosol fraction of banana fruit. Over 80% of the observed activity (15—20 units per mg of protein) was attributed to α-amylase. The activity of β-amylase was tenfold lower and starch phosphorylase activity was low (17 μg inorganic phosphorus released per mg protein per 24 hr.). The activity of amylase in crude preparations was stimulated 40% by calcium ions. The amylase preparation, which was very stable at 4°C, hydrolyzed soluble potato starch and banana starch at similar rates. Maximum activity was observed between pH 6—7. The energy of activation of hydrolysis was 9.74 Kcal/mole. Amylase was quite active up to 62°C but rapidly lost activity above this temperature. There was an approximate twofold increase in amylase during the initial phase of ripening.
Comment on ''Properties of lower hybrid solitary structures: A comparison between space observations, a laboratory experiment, and the cold homogeneous plasma dispersion relation'' by Schuck et al.

[1] Laboratory experiments involving the interaction of lower hybrid waves and density cavities with full width at half maximums ranging from 1 ≅ κ⟂δ ≤ 4, where δ = is the collisionless skin depth, were performed several years ago at the University of California, Los Angeles. The results were published in the Journal of Geophysical Research in December 2001 [Rosenberg and Gekelman, 2001]. These experiments are relevant to scaled parameters in the auroral ionosphere. This is a comment to the paper of Schuck et al. [2003], regarding the laboratory experiment on lower hybrid (LH) waves in the presence of a density striation. The main point Schuck et al. [2003] wish to make is that density striations in the auroral ionosphere are narrower than δ and that κ⟂δ ≈ 10 there. They argue that if this condition is not strictly satisfied in laboratory experiment then they are inappropriate to model the physics occurring in the ionosphere. In our experiments an incoming short perpendicular wavelength lower hybrid wave impinges upon a density striation which is many parallel (to B0) LH wavelengths long. A striking transformation occurs in which a cavity mode confined to the density gradient of the striation is excited. The mode localization does not depend on the ratio of the cavity diameter with respect to δ. We discuss the properties of lower hybrid waves, the experimental results as well as differences in the rocket and laboratory experiments.
Transfer assessments and efficiency in quota regulated markets

In order to fund production/marketing quota redistributions or reduce the amount of quota outstanding, regulators often tax quota asset market trades. This assessment is shown to impede the transfer of quota to more efficient producers if rental markets are prohibited. Inefficient producers will produce too much, and the magnitude of cost inefficiencies will increase with the size of the assessment tax. Possible remedies to the problem are also discussed. Pour financer la distribution des quotas de production/marketing ou pour reduire la quantite de quotas, les organismes de controle taxent souvent les echanges mercantiles de produits soumis aux quotas. Il a ete demontre que, si les marches de location sont interdits, cette taxe empeche le transfert de quotas a des producteurs plus efficaces. Les producteurs peu efficaces produiront trop et l'ampleur de l'inefficacite-cout augmentera avec celle de la taxe sur les transferts. Les remedes possibles a ce proble me sont aussi etudies dans cet article.
Igbo professional migratory orders, hometown associations and ethnicity in the USA

In this article I examine ethnographically the discursive means by which Igbo speakers in hometown associations in the USA are crafting lives and communities abroad to express a territory-bound sense of ethnic group membership. I contend that Igbo speakers living abroad are undergoing a process of ethnic formation or ethnification that is structured by increased rates of immigration and recent historical and political change in Nigeria. In response to these events, shifting representations of self and group identity incur an essentialist quality from abroad. Such essentialism is a paradoxical earmark of globalization for the brain-drain Igbo professional.
Electron impact excitation of potassium at 6.7, 16 and 60 eV

Normalized momentum-transfer cross sections and differential and integral cross sections for elastic scattering and for the excitation of the 4p2P3/2,1/2 and the (5s2S1/2 + 3d2D5/2,3/2) levels in potassium are reported. There is considerable disagreement between the present experimental results and previous optical excitation measurements and theoretical results. Autoionization features associated with the 3p inner-shell excitations, some of which have been observed previously in optical absorption and ejected-electron spectra, have been detected in the electron impact energy-loss spectrum.
Association of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin d concentrations and pathogenic oral bacteria in postmenopausal females.

Background: Previous findings of an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and periodontal disease may be partially explained by the antimicrobial properties of vitamin D. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has investigated the association between 25(OH)D and pathogenic oral bacteria, a putative cause of periodontal disease.Methods: The association between plasma 25(OH)D concentrations and pathogenic oral bacteria was examined among postmenopausal females in the Buffalo Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease Study (1997 to 2000), an ancillary study of the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. Subgingival plaque samples were assessed using immunofluorescence for the presence of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedia, and Campylobacter rectus. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prevalent bacteria by quintile (Q) of 25(OH)D concentrations, adjus...
Patient treatment preferences in localized prostate carcinoma: The influence of emotion, misconception, and anecdote.

BACKGROUND. Multiple therapeutic options exist for localized prostate carcinoma, without conclusive evidence to guide the choice of treatment. Thus, treatment should reflect trade-offs between the probability of curing disease and the desire to avoid treatment-associated side effects. Factors that actually influence patient treatment preferences are poorly understood. METHODS. We reviewed medical records and carried out in-depth, semistructured interviews of 20 men with newly-diagnosed, clinically-localized prostate carcinoma in a Veterans Affairs Hospital following their first consultations with urologists and before treatments were initiated. Six to eight months after treatment, we carried out follow-up interviews. Interviews explored beliefs and attitudes about prostate cancer and treatment options, emotional reactions to the diagnosis, treatment preferences, information sources, and perceptions of interactions with urologists. RESULTS. Patient treatment preferences were not based on careful assessments of numerical risks for various clinical outcomes. Instead, feelings of fear and uncertainty contributed to a desire for rapid treatment, and specific preferences were profoundly influenced by misconceptions, especially about prostatectomy, and by anecdotes about the experiences of others with cancer. Few patients wanted to seek second opinions. Most patients received treatments that matched their initial preferences. Afterwards, they justified their choices in terms of the same misconceptions and anecdotal influences invoked during treatment deliberation. CONCLUSIONS. For men with localized prostate carcinoma, the treatment decision-making process would benefit from interventions that moderate feelings of fear and a desire for rapid treatment, dispel common and powerful misconceptions about prostate cancer and its therapies, and help patients avoid over-reliance on anecdotes. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Selected parameters of the Fort Collins, Colorado, dog population, 1979–1980

Abstract Data on spatial and temporal activity patterns, restraint, ownership and packing were obtained from the dog population in Fort Collins, Colorado, a city of 72 000 residents including 17 000 college students. Observational data were gathered from 4 automobile routes which transected different demographic areas. A total of 432 h of sampling made during 8 months (1979–1980) resulted in 3696 observations of 1361 different dogs. Most observations (2852) were of dogs at home, and 76% of them were restrained in some way. Approximately 80% of the observations were of dogs which showed definite evidence of being owned. We believe that most of the other 20% were also owned, since only 7 dogs showed active avoidance of humans. The routes through the more rural areas had more and larger packs of dogs, although only 17% of the unrestrained dogs were observed in packs (2–5 individuals). The average number of dogs observed per month fluctuated throughout the year, with lows in May and August and the high in July. The number of observations closely paralleled the number of dogs impounded per month; however, neither figure showed a significant change following the college students leaving Fort Collins for summer vacation. The average number of observations of dogs was greatest from noon to 13.00 h for the winter months, but occurred in late afternoon during the spring and summer months.
The Standard Addition Technique in Flame Spectrometry

The standard addition—logarithmic extrapolation technique has been successfully applied to flame spectrometric analyses. The use of this method makes possible the determination of trace metals in samples without extensive calibration or in standards which have undefined matrices. The mathematical theory of the method has been extended to allow the calculation of the optimum addition sizes and the magnitude of the extrapolation errors. Normally three additions which are equal to, twice, and four times the original amount are optimum. Under these conditions the relative error caused by extrapolation is approximately seven times the relative error in the original intensity measurements. Thus, if the errors in the intensity measurements are ±0.5%, the error in the analysis will be of the order of 4% The utility of the method has been demonstrated in the difficult determination of calcium in the presence of phosphate and the determination of calcium and sodium in a highly viscous organic liquid.
Plea bargaining and the decision to go to trial: The application of a rational choice model

What factors determine the plea bargain which prosecutors will offer defendants? What factors determine whether or not a defendant will demand a trial? The former question is relevant to our assessment of the fairness of plea bargaining; the latter question is relevant to prosecution management. Landes provides an economic model of the criminal courts which suggests answers to these questions. While several researchers have provided empirical analysis at least consistent with the Landes model, there has been no test of the model's power for predicting individual case decisions. After providing a derivation of a rational choice model similar to that of Landes but incorporating organizational considerations, the empirical validity of the model is tested using individual case data. Major predictions, including the structural form of the plea bargain offer equation, are validated. Other findings, which do not validate the model's predictions, are discussed in terms of the organizational incentive structure facing assistant prosecutors. A discussion of the application of the model to aid in prosecution management is presented, including an indication of the importance of looking at the distribution of prediction errors as well as the overall rate of prediction error. Finally, comments are made concerning the use of econometrics in an organizational context.
Host EBV communication

A paper by Kis and colleagues demonstrates that B cells latently infected with EBV can modulate their transcription program in response to host-derived signals as the cells transit the germinal center (GC) into memory. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with important human cancers and is
Molecular characteristics and interactions of the intermediate filament protein synemin. Interactions with alpha-actinin may anchor synemin-containing heterofilaments.

Synemin is a cytoskeletal protein originally identified as an intermediate filament (IF)-associated protein because of its colocalization and copurification with the IF proteins desmin and vimentin in muscle cells. Our sequencing studies have shown that synemin is an unusually large member (1,604 residues, 182,187 Da) of the IF protein superfamily, with the majority of the molecule consisting of a long C-terminal tail domain. Molecular interaction studies demonstrate that purified synemin interacts with desmin, the major IF protein in mature muscle cells, and with α-actinin, an integral myofibrillar Z-line protein. Furthermore, expressed synemin rod and tail domains interact, respectively, with desmin and α-actinin. Analysis of endogenous protein expression in SW13 clonal lines reveals that synemin is coexpressed and colocalized with vimentin IFs in SW13.C1 vim+ cells but is absent in SW13.C2 vim− cells. Transfection studies indicate that synemin requires the presence of another IF protein, such as vimentin, in order to assemble into IFs. Taken in toto, our results suggest synemin functions as a component of heteropolymeric IFs and plays an important cytoskeletal cross-linking role by linking these IFs to other components of the cytoskeleton. Synemin in striated muscle cells may enable these heterofilaments to help link Z-lines of adjacent myofibrils and, thereby, play an important role in cytoskeletal integrity.
Early restriction of tactile stimulation and visual functioning in the kitten

Twelve kittens with vibrissae clipped on the 1st day of life were compared to matched controls for the development of a preferential behavior in a visual cliff situation in an effort to examine the developmental relationship between sense systems. The kittens with reduced tactile input (vibrissae-clipped) were found to discriminate between the “shallow” and “Sdeep” sides of the visual cliff at younger ages and with greater consistency than controls. The results for which there are alternative explanations available support the hypothesis that reduction of input in one modality reduces competition between sense systems, thereby resulting in the precocial use of another sense system.
Asymptotic approach of generalized orthogonal functional expansions to Wiener kernels.

Wiener-like orthogonal functional expansions may be constructed with respect to test ensembles that are non-Gaussian, nonwhite, or both. Although the original Wiener expansion has particularly advantageous analytical properties, orthogonal expansions constructed with respect to other ensembles have practical advantages for laboratory implementation. We show how functional expansions based on two classes of input ensembles — white but non-Gaussian discrete noises and the sum of sinusoids-converge to the standard Wiener kernels. For discrete noises, the disparity between the standard and nonstandard kernels of a linear-static nonlinear transducer is proportional to the kurtosis of the input signal and inversely proportional to the ratio of the integration time of the linear filter to the time discretization. For the sum of sinusoids, the disparity is inversely proportional to the effective number of sinusoids passed by the initial linear stage.
Chaotic Behavior in a Dynamic System Related to the Stationary Path of the Path-Integral for a Brownian Particle in a Double-Well Potential

Considering the path-integral approach to the Brownian motion of a particle in a double-well potential, the joint probability for a possible trajectory (path) is a positive definite functional of the path. In the practically important low temperature or low friction regime, the probability functional is found to comprise dominant contributions from the stationary paths. The corresponding dynamics behaves chaotically, exhibiting intermittency as well as sensitivity to the initial conditions. The first Lyapunov exponent is found to be positive and the attractor in the phase space to be of fractal structure.