cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the inhibitory effects of retinoids on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-promoted tumor formation in CD-1 and Sencar mice.

Linear regression analysis of the dose levels of retinoids required to inhibit the formation of papillomas by 50% in mouse dorsal epidermis topically treated with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) (200 nmol) and then promoted 2 weeks later with twice-weekly applications of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) (8.5 nmol) indicated that there was a good correlation (r = 0.9095, P < 0.02) between retinoid inhibitory activities in the CD-1 mouse at 20 weeks after the start of promotion and in the Sencar mouse after 12 weeks of promotion. The ID50 values (nmol) determined were as follows: all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) (3.5, CD-1; 17, Sencar); 4-[2-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)-1 E-propen-1-yl]benzoic acid (0.14, CD-1; 0.71, Sencar); 4-[1-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,5,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthalenyl)- 1E-propen-2-yl]benzoic acid (0.54, CD-1; 1.9, Sencar); 6-[1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1E-propen-2-yl]-3,4- dihydro-4,4-dimethyl-2H-1-benzothiopyran (3.0 CD-1; 11, Sencar); 7-[1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1E-propen-2-yl)-3,4-dihydro- 4,4-dimethyl-2H-1-benzothiopyran (1.5, CD-1; 0.4, Sencar); 2-[1-(4-carboxyphenyl)-1E-propen-2-yl]- 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-4,4-dimethyl-benzo[b]thiophene (0.30, CD-1; 2.3, Sencar).
Magnon contribution to the magnetic specific heat of the spin-glass Cd 0.5 Mn 0.5 Te: 0.5 K ≤ T ≤ 4.5 K

We calculate the magnon contribution to the magnetic specific heat of the spin-glass ${\mathrm{Cd}}_{0.5}$${\mathrm{Mn}}_{0.5}$Te. Good agreement is obtained with the measured values in the interval $0.5\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}4.5$ K with the interactions ${J}_{\mathrm{NN}}=10{J}_{\mathrm{NNN}}=\ensuremath{-}12$ K and an anisotropy gap $\ensuremath{\approx}2\ensuremath{-}4$ K. The theoretical results are obtained from a numerical calculation of the energies of the magnon modes in finite arrays of spins with ground-state configurations found by minimizing the energy of the corresponding classical Heisenberg Hamiltonian. The values chosen for the exchange integrals also account for the inelastic neutron scattering at $Q=(1,0,0)$, $T=1.8$ K.
Purification and characterization of membrane-associated CooC protein and its functional role in the insertion of nickel into carbon monoxide dehydrogenase from Rhodospirillum rubrum.

Abstract The accessory protein CooC, which contains a nucleotide-binding domain (P-loop) near the N terminus, participates in the maturation of the nickel center of carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH). In this study, CooC was purified from the chromatophore membranes of Rhodospirillum rubrum with a 3,464-fold purification and a 0.8% recovery, and its biochemical properties were characterized. CooC is a homodimer with a molecular mass of 61–63 kDa, contains less than 0.1 atom of Ni2+ or Fe2+ per dimer, and has a λmax at 277.5 nm (e277.5 32.1 mm −1cm−1) with no absorption peaks at the visible region. CooC catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP and GTP with K mvalues of 24.4 and 26.0 μm andV max values of 58.7 and 3.7 nmol/min/mg protein for ATP and GTP hydrolysis, respectively. The P-loop mutated form of K13Q CooC was generated by site-specific replacement of lysine by glutamine and was purified according to the protocol for wild-type CooC purification. The K13Q CooC was inactive both in ATP hydrolysis andin vivo nickel insertion. In vitro nickel activation of apoCODH in the cell extracts from UR2 (wild type) and UR871 (K13Q CooC) showed that activation of nickel-deficient CODH was enhanced by CooC and dependent upon ATP hydrolysis. The overall results suggest that CooC couples ATP hydrolysis with nickel insertion into apoCODH. On the basis of our results and models for analogous systems, the functional roles of CooC in nickel processing into the active site of CODH are presented.
Love + Sex With Robots: The Evolution of Human-Robot Relationships (Levy, D.; 2007) [Book Review]

The reviewer feels this book is a provocative and engaging romp through the prediction that by the middle of this century, robots will have joined the extended human family that now includes dogs, cats, horses, and their virtual counterparts, and will have taken on the characteristics that, in the old feminist joke, induced God to create men: She realized that vibrators couldn?t dance. When robots dance, make eye contact, smile, make jokes, and simulate love for us, the reviewer finds it entirely plausible that some of us will love them in return. It is argued that while Levy is clearly a technological visionary, his predictions cannot simply be dismissed as preposterous. Levy points to philosophical issues that deserve thought and debate as we move closer to having true android robots in our lives. There is much to ponder in this book, for example, about the very issues raised repeatedly in Star Trek episodes: does an android have rights? Can it have its own self-defined sexuality and reproduce if it wants to? Are virtual emotions "real"? Levy?s answers direct our attention to the Turing test: if we experience these future robot characteristics as human, in the same way that we currently project human emotions onto animals, then nothing further will be necessary to make robots attractive as partners.
Retrofitting Active Control into Well Designed Passive Vibration Isolation Systems

Active vibration control uses sensing and power actuators to attenuate vibrational energy due to external disturbances. Many of these systems are retrofitted into already existing passive ones. As a result allowable relative motions are prescribed, and this influences the performance of the active system. This paper exposes these limitations and shows realistic expectations for two excellent control strategies.
The study of urbanization.

Seven years’ work of the Committee on Urbanization of the Social Science Research Council has produced The Study of Urbanization. Although the book is an excellent series of documentations of trends in specific fields, it lacks any attempt to unify the contributions to a concise definition of urbanization. Most contributors view urbanization as a process of aggregation, but this is no more than a rough indicator of the fundamental processes at work, and each discipline explores only the matter confined to its assigned segment of the process. Thus, for example, the city is viewed as a sub-division of localized space; as a complex of markets for land, labor, housing, and goods and services; or as a set of market-social units. From what is offered in this volume, then, one is led to think that sociology cannot find a comprehensive approach to fashioning a general model of urbanization. While three papers come close to defining urbanization as substance and process and are an orderly account of at least the salient features of urbanization through early, transitional, and late phases, urbanization as a process in different areas and cultures is a subject which is treated casually. While the very concept of urbanization implies the recurrence of common features, a set of criteria for avoiding preoccupation with the exotic and inconsequential in different cultures is still needed. We need to study the significance of the fact that peoples of various parts of the world have entered urbanization at different points in industrial, institutional, and administrative technology. Here, organization, the most commonly agreed upon variable in this book, is not a sufficient explanation. In sum, the subject is too broad for close agreement, but the failure of the book to achieve its objective is counterbalanced by the individual quality of the contributions.
Non-Thermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Promotes Vascularization Through Reactive Oxygen Species

Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from existing vessels, plays a key role in growth, and wound healing. Insufficient vascularization contributes to impaired wound healing in diabetic patients and the elderly. Tissue engineering is limited by the inability to adequately vascularize constructs to provide nutrients to the tissue core, thus limiting the size of engineered organs.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The response of stratospheric ozone to volcanic eruptions : sensitivity to atmospheric chlorine loading

Model calculations suggest that the ozone decrease observed a few years after the eruptions of Mt. Pinatubo and El Chichon may have been unique in the Earth's history, and is directly linked to the emission in the atmosphere of industrially manufactured chlorofluorocarbons. For chlorine loadings typical of the pre-1980 period, the ozone column abundance should have increased after a large volcanic eruption. After 1980, as a result of growth in chlorine loading, the response of ozone became negative in winter at mid- and high latitudes. In the future, the response of ozone is expected to become positive again, if the production of chlorofluorocarbons is sufficiently reduced. The calculations also show that, under low chlorine loadings, the response of ozone is insensitive to the magnitude of the eruption, while, under present conditions (high chlorine loading), the ozone depletion increases with the amount of SO2 injected in the stratosphere by the volcano.
NMR, DSC and electrical conductivity studies of MEEP complexed with NaCF3SO3

Abstract 23 Na NMR, electrical conductivity, and DSC studies have been carried out on MEEP complexed with NaCF 3 SO 3 . All results are similar to those for other amorphous ion conducting polymers. Specifically, the NMR spectrum associated with mobile Na + ions exhibits motional narrowing above the glass transition temperature, and activation energies deduced from both T 1 and linewidth measurements reflect localized motion of the actions. The electrical conductivity exhibits the usual non-Arrhenius behavior. However, using previous data for PDMS-EO complexes, it is shown that the VTF or WLF equations are only approximate as the parameters depend upon the temperature range. This sheds light on several discrepancies in the literature.
Significance of early aminotransferase elevation after liver transplantation

Background. We retrospectively reviewed 213 consecutive patients who received their first liver allograft between January 1 and December 31, 1993, in order to study the impact of ischemia/preservation/reperfusion injury (IPRI) on patient and graft outcome. Methods. The extent of IPRI was assessed by the peak value of aspartate aminotransferase (ASTmax) observed within the first 72 hr after transplant. For the purpose of univariate analysis, categorical classification of recipients was done based upon ASTmax as follows: group 1, ASTmax 2000-5000 U/L (n=50), and group 4, ASTmax>5000 U/L (n=17). For multivariate analysis, stepwise Cox regression was performed with age, ASTmax, and United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) status as covariates. Results. Groups were comparable with respect to age, UNOS status at the time of transplantation, and diagnostic case mix. Median follow-up was 644 days. The overall incidence of primary graft nonfunction (PNF) was 7.6%. PNF incidence was significantly correlated with the severity of IPRI (0%, 4%, 10%, and 41% for groups 1 to 4, respectively, P Conclusions. We conclude that: (1) patient survival is influenced by IPRI only when it is extreme (ASTmax>5000 U/L), provided parameters of graft function are used in conjunction with aminotransferase values to assess the need for prompt retransplantation; (2) short-term graft survival is proportional to the extent of IPRI, but grafts that are not lost to PNF have equivalent 1- and 2-year survival irrespective of the magnitude of IPRI; (3) 40% of grafts with extreme IPRI are lost to PNF, but the same proportion also provide long-term function; and (4) for surviving grafts, long-term biochemical function as well as the incidence of biliary complications and of chronic rejection are unrelated to the extent of IPRI.
Coupling of mantle temperature anomalies and the flow pattern in the core: interpretation based on simple convection calculations

Abstract The association of some relatively stationary features of the magnetic field at the core-mantle boundary (CMB) with temperature anomalies in the deep mantle inferred from seismic tomography has led to the speculation that flow in the core is locked to thermal anomalies in the mantle, with downwellings (upwellings) in the core lying below cold (hot) anomalies in the lower mantle (Bloxham and Gubbins). The relatively large temperature anomalies in the mantle act to control the heat flux out of the core, with high heat flux into colder than average mantle and low (perhaps negative) heat flux into regions of hotter than average mantle. We use a simple two-dimensional, internally heated convection model in a Cartesian geometry with varying thermal boundary conditions to investigate this problem. The relationship between upwellings (downwellings) and maxima (minima) in surface heat flux depends upon the thermal boundary condition, with maximum heat flux sometimes associated with upwellings, sometimes downwellings, and sometimes neither. However, for moderate Rayleigh numbers, large aspect ratio geometries and large variations in heat flux, the Bloxham and Gubbins hypothesis is supported.
Absorption Spectra of Chlorophylls a and b at Room and Liquid Nitrogen Temperatures

THE absorption spectra of ether solutions of chlorophylls a and b, prepared by the method described earlier1, were photographed at the temperature of liquid nitrogen. A Steinheil spectrograph and panchromatic plates were used for the spectral region 4100–6700 A. Pyrex glass absorption cells with internal thickness of 1 mm. contained the solutions. Four plane quartz windows in the walls of the Dewar vessel permitted parallel light to pass from the Mazda source through the liquid nitrogen bath and the solid solution of chlorophyll in ether, to the spectrograph slit. The slit width was 0.02 mm. The photographs were taken as soon as possible after freezing the solutions because the development of cracks in the solid ether solution caused it to become rather opaque in two hours.
The zinc-chlorine battery: half-cell overpotential measurements

The voltaic performance of the zinc-chlorine battery was investigated by measuring the individual potentials of the Zn and Cl2 electrodes versus a reference electrode. The overpotential at the Zn electrode is very small for both the charging and the discharging processes, and the use of a flow-through porous Cl2 electrode is advantageous. Energy efficiency in the region of 65% has been achieved for a complete cycle. Tafel polarization data for both the zinc and the Cl2/graphite electrodes was obtained using rotating zinc hemisphere and graphite disc electrodes. Exchange current densities and Tafel slopes are reported.
The quagmire of hCG and hCG testing in gynecologic oncology

Few molecules have created so much confusion as the hCG series of molecules. Here we present a comprehensive review of hCG as a tumor marker, of hCG and cancer and modern perspectives on the multiplicity of hCG, and its appropriate use in the management of gynecological malignancies and gestational trophoblastic diseases. The complexity of hCG is better understood. There is regular hCG produced by syncytiotrophoblast cells in pregnancy and by hydatidiform moles. This hormone functions to advance uterine angiogenesis and promote progesterone production by corpus luteal cells. Hyperglycosylated hCG is an independent molecule to regular hCG, it varies significantly from hCG in structure and is produced by cytotrophoblast cells. It is an autocrine or cytokine which functions to promote growth, invasion and malignancy. It is an absolute marker of invasive mole and invasive choriocarcinoma. Hyperglycosylated hCG is invaluable in the diagnosis and management of gestational trophoblastic diseases. The free beta-subunit of hCG is also an autocrine or cytokine and is produced in most gynecologic malignancies. Serum free beta-subunit or its urinary degradation product beta-core fragment is produced by 68% of ovarian, 51% of endometrial and 46% of cervical malignancies. Free beta-subunit enhances growth and invasion in all these malignancies leading to poor prognosis. Free beta-subunit and beta-core fragment are good tumor markers for these malignancies. There are few circumstances that create more confusion than the patient presenting with persistent low positive hCG results in the absence of pregnancy and absence of obvious malignancies. The series of hCG molecules as tumor markers will be reviewed to help the clinician best diagnose these often difficult clinical problems.
Evaluation of overhead spray-applied sanitizers for the reduction of Salmonella on tomato surfaces.

: Efficacy of sanitizers in an overhead spray and brush roller system was examined for reducing Salmonella on unwaxed, mature green tomatoes. Surface inoculated tomatoes were treated in the overhead spray system for 5, 15, 30, and 60 s. A sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) study tested NaOCl (25, 50, and 100 mg/L) against a water control. A sanitizer study examined NaOCl (100 mg/L), chlorine dioxide (ClO2; 5 mg/L), peroxyacetic acid (PAA; 80 mg/L), and water. The overhead spray system was also compared to a scale-model flume. All NaOCl concentrations were significantly more effective at removing Salmonella than water and achieved at least a 3-log10 CFU/mL reduction at different treatment times (P < 0.05). NaOCl (100 mg/L) achieved a 4 ± 1.8 log10 CFU/mL reduction at 15 s. In the sanitizer study, NaOCl, ClO2, and PAA achieved at least a 3-log10 CFU/mL reduction at 15 s and between 3.9 and 5.5 log10 CFU/mL reductions at 30 to 60 s. NaOCl (100 mg/L) in the overhead spray system significantly reduced more Salmonella than in the flume at 15 to 60 s. NaOCl flume treatment only reached a 1.3 ± 1.1 log10 CFU/mL reduction at 15 s. Results of this study demonstrate the ability of sanitizers in the laboratory model overhead spray system to reduce Salmonella on tomato surfaces. An overhead spray system could be implemented instead of flumes to achieve higher pathogen reduction with less water and sanitizer use, thereby lowering packing costs. Practical Application: The use of a non-recirculating, overhead spray brush roller system could offer a cost effective and efficacious way of washing tomatoes. The use large communal dump tanks in tomato processing has been suspected as a source of contamination in the tomato processing process. If effective, the brush roller system could augment or possible replace currently used dump tanks.
Structure of the N terminus of cadherin 23 reveals a new adhesion mechanism for a subset of cadherin superfamily members

The cadherin superfamily encodes more than 100 receptors with diverse functions in tissue development and homeostasis. Classical cadherins mediate adhesion by binding interactions that depend on their N-terminal extracellular cadherin (EC) domains, which swap N-terminal β-strands. Sequence alignments suggest that the strand-swap binding mode is not commonly used by functionally divergent cadherins. Here, we have determined the structure of the EC1–EC2 domains of cadherin 23 (CDH23), which binds to protocadherin 15 (PCDH15) to form tip links of mechanosensory hair cells. Unlike classical cadherins, the CDH23 N terminus contains polar amino acids that bind Ca2+. The N terminus of PCDH15 also contains polar amino acids. Mutations in polar amino acids within EC1 of CDH23 and PCDH15 abolish interaction between the two cadherins. PCDH21 and PCDH24 contain similarly charged N termini, suggesting that a subset of cadherins share a common interaction mechanism that differs from the strand-swap binding mode of classical cadherins.
Three-dimensional void growth before a blunting crack tip

Abstract L arge deformation finite element analysis has been used to study the growth of initially spherical voids directly ahead of a blunting mode I plane strain crack tip. Conditions of small scale yielding were assumed, and the three-dimensional numerical method accounted fully for the interaction between the voids and the crack tip. The near tip stress and deformation fields were obtained for different void-size-to-spacing ratios, and for perfectly plastic and strain hardening materials. The calculations show that the holes spread towards the crack tip and towards each other at a faster rate than they elongate in the tensile direction. The computed void growth rates are compared with previous models for void growth. Finally, several hole coalescence criteria were used to predict fracture initiation from the numerical data. The estimates agree quite well with experimental data for materials containing loosely bonded spherical inclusions.
Thermal annealing of nuclear tracks in polycarbonate plastic

Abstract Thermal annealing, or fading, of latent tracks in a polycarbonate plastic nuclear track detector is investigated. An empirical expression for fading of tracks of relativistic uranium ions is determined, and its form is physically interpreted.
Criteria for the delamination of thermal barrier coatings: with application to thermal gradients

Abstract A mechanism for the delamination of thermal barrier systems has been described and analyzed. It is based on the observations that, under some circumstances, vertical separations develop in the coating, creating an ‘internal’ edge. The associated gaps, width w , allow the coating to displace in the presence of a strain misfit with the substrate. In turn, the displacements induce an energy release rate, G. Delaminations develop from the base of the vertical separations when G exceeds the mode II toughness of the coating. The analysis reveals that, when the gaps are narrow (small w ), they close before the full misfit strain can be accommodated. Once they close, the energy release rate decreases, causing the cracks to be stable. That is, the size of the delaminations is controlled explicitly by the gap width. Beyond a critical w , the cracks become unstable and spall the entire coating. One of the mechanisms for forming the vertical separations and widening them has been proposed and analyzed. The mechanism is directly connected to the constraint on the thickening of the thermally grown oxide (TGO) that forms near ridges on the bond coat surface. Since such growth cannot be accommodated, stresses are induced that form and widen the gap. The gap width increases in proportion with the thickness of the TGO. This phenomenon connects delamination failure to the thermal history.
Analysis of genomic differences among Clostridium botulinum type A1 strains

Type A1 Clostridium botulinum strains are a group of Gram-positive, spore-forming anaerobic bacteria that produce a genetically, biochemically, and biophysically indistinguishable 150 kD protein that causes botulism. The genomes of three type A1 C. botulinum strains have been sequenced and show a high degree of synteny. The purpose of this study was to characterize differences among these genomes and compare these differentiating features with two additional unsequenced strains used in previous studies. Several strategies were deployed in this report. First, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth laboratory Hall strain (UMASS strain) neurotoxin gene was amplified by PCR and sequenced; its sequence was aligned with the published ATCC 3502 Sanger Institute Hall strain and Allergan Hall strain neurotoxin gene regions. Sequence alignment showed that there was a synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the region encoding the heavy chain between Allergan strain and ATCC 3502 and UMASS strains. Second, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) demonstrated that the UMASS strain and a strain expected to be derived from ATCC 3502 in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory (ATCC 3502*) differed in gene content compared to the ATCC 3502 genome sequence published by the Sanger Institute. Third, alignment of the three sequenced C. botulinum type A1 strain genomes revealed the presence of four comparable blocks. Strains ATCC 3502 and ATCC 19397 share the same genome organization, while the organization of the blocks in strain Hall were switched. Lastly, PCR was designed to identify UMASS and ATCC 3502* strain genome organizations. The PCR results indicated that UMASS strain belonged to Hall type and ATCC 3502* strain was identical to ATCC 3502 (Sanger Institute) type. Taken together, C. botulinum type A1 strains including Sanger Institute ATCC 3502, ATCC 3502*, ATCC 19397, Hall, Allergan, and UMASS strains demonstrate differences at the level of the neurotoxin gene sequence, in gene content, and in genome arrangement.
Dissimilatory bacterial reduction of Al-substituted goethite in subsurface sediments

The microbiologic reduction of a 0.2 to 2.0 μm size fraction of an Atlantic coastal plain sediment (Eatontown) was investigated using a dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducing bacterium (Shewanella putrefaciens, strain CN32) to evaluate mineralogic controls on the rate and extent of Fe(III) reduction and the resulting distribution of biogenic Fe(II). Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to show that the sedimentary Fe(III) oxide was Al-substituted goethite (13–17% Al) that existed as 1- to 5-μm aggregates of indistinct morphology. Bioreduction experiments were performed in two buffers [HCO3−; 1,4-piperazinediethansulfonic acid (PIPES)] both without and with 2,6-anthraquinone disulfonate (AQDS) as an electron shuttle. The production of biogenic Fe(II) and the distribution of Al (aqueous and sorbed) were followed over time, as was the formation of Fe(II) biominerals and physical/chemical changes to the goethite. The extent of reduction was comparable in both buffers. The reducibility (rate and extent) was enhanced by AQDS; 9% of dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate (DCB) extractable Fe(III) was reduced without AQDS whereas 15% was reduced in the presence of AQDS. XRD and Mossbauer spectroscopy were used to monitor the disposition of biogenic Fe(II) and changes to the Al-goethite. Fe(II) biomineralization was not evident by XRD. Biomineralization was observed by Mossbauer when sorbed Fe(II) concentrations exceeded a threshold value. The biomineralization products displayed Mossbauer spectra consistent with siderite FeCO3 (HCO3− buffer only) and green rust [Fe(6-x)IIFexIII(OH)12]x+[(A2−)x/2.yH2O]x−. Adsorption of biogenic Fe(II) to accessory mineral phases (e.g., kaolinite) and bacterial surfaces appeared to limit biomineralization. Al evolved during reduction was sorbed, and extractable Al increased with reduction. XRD analysis indicated that neither crystallite size or the Al content of the goethite was affected by bacterial reduction, i.e., Al release was congruent with Fe(II).
Two distinct central serotonin receptors with different physiological functions

Two distinct serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) receptors designated serotonin 1 and serotonin 2 bind tritium-labeled serotonin and tritium-labeled spiroperidol, respectively. Drug potencies at serotonin 2 sites, but not at serotonin 1 sites, predict their effects on the "serotonin behavioral syndrome," indicating that serotonin 2 sites mediate these behaviors. The limited correlation of drug effects with regulation by guanine nucleotides suggests that serotonin 1 sites might be linked to adenylate cyclase. Drug specificities of serotonin-elicited synaptic inhibition and excitation may reflect serotonin 1 and serotonin 2 receptor interactions, respectively.
Cultivating the next generation of tobacco endgame advocates

Long-term success for any tobacco endgame is contingent not only on acquiring political will, but also on sustaining it over a long period of time, perhaps even for decades. Future cohorts of public health professionals with knowledge of tobacco issues are therefore needed to carry on with the endgame strategy (should early attempts fail) and to keep tobacco control salient after an endgame strategy has initially been implemented. The endgame itself offers a unique pedagogical opportunity that could revive interest in tobacco control at schools of public health—an important first step in cultivating the future advocacy base for a tobacco endgame.
Falling through the cracks: contradictions and barriers to care in a prenatal clinic.

Prenatal care is often cited as a major factor in the prevention of poor birth outcomes. Yet, the social environment of care has been little studied. This paper illustrates how contradictory features in the structure of the health care system create barriers that weaken effective health care delivery. Social relations in a large urban public outpatient clinic are described and analyzed regarding their impact on clinic procedures. The paper focuses on: 1) the division of labor in which work is compartmentalized and power is diffused; 2) the asymmetrical doctor‐patient relationship magnified by social class differences; and 3) the training of resident physicians who provide primary prenatal care. Improvements in the quality of care in public clinics cannot come about without an understanding of the effects that contributing factors have on the way care is organized.
Cause of Death Within 30 Days of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in an Era of Mandatory Outcome Reporting

Objectives This study sought to ascertain causes of death and the incidence of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-related mortality within 30 days. Background Public reporting of 30-day mortality after PCI without clearly identifying the cause may result in operator risk avoidance and affect hospital reputation and reimbursements. Death certificates, utilized by previous reports, have poor correlation with actual cause of death and may be inadequate for public reporting. Methods All patients who died within 30 days of a PCI from January 2009 to April 2011 at a tertiary care center were included. Causes of death were identified through detailed chart review using Academic Research Consortium consensus guidelines and compared with reported death certificates. The causes of death were divided into cardiac and noncardiac and PCI and non–PCI-related categories. Results Of the 4,078 PCI, 81 deaths (2%) occurred within 30 days. Of these, 58% died of cardiac and 42% of noncardiac causes. However, only 42% of 30-day deaths were attributed to PCI-related complications. Patients with non–PCI-related, compared with PCI-related, death presented with a higher incidence of cardiogenic shock (15 of 47 [32%] vs. 2 of 34 [6%]; p Conclusions Less than one-half of 30-day deaths are attributed to a PCI-related complication. Death certificates are inaccurate and do not report PCI-related deaths, which may represent a better marker of PCI quality.
The Impact of Nonbusiness Majors in a Business Core Course

Most four‐year business degree programs have a common body of knowledge (CBK) or “business core,” composed of courses from all the major disciplines in the business curriculum. All business majors, regardless of specialization or area of concentration, are required to take these courses, or their equivalent, as a part of their degree programs. On many campuses, non‐business majors are also enrolled in these courses. Some of these non‐business students are required by their curriculum programs to take specific business courses; others take them as electives. The result is a mixture of students with varying backgrounds and interests in some CBK classes. This mix of business and non‐business majors in the same course raises several questions, three of which were examined in this study. In a mixed course, is there any difference between business and non‐business majors’ attitudes about the course? Is there any significant difference in performance between business and nonbusiness majors in the same course? Wh...
Exploring parameter constraints on quintessential dark energy: The exponential model

We present an analysis of a scalar field model of dark energy with an exponential potential using the Dark Energy Task Force (DETF) simulated data models. Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling techniques we examine the ability of each simulated data set to constrain the parameter space of the exponential potential for data sets based on a cosmological constant and a specific exponential scalar field model. We compare our results with the constraining power calculated by the DETF using their 'w{sub 0}-w{sub a}' parametrization of the dark energy. We find that respective increases in constraining power from one stage to the next produced by our analysis give results consistent with DETF results. To further investigate the potential impact of future experiments, we also generate simulated data for an exponential model background cosmology which cannot be distinguished from a cosmological constant at DETF 'Stage 2', and show that for this cosmology good DETF Stage 4 data would exclude a cosmological constant by better than 3{sigma}.
Kenneth Burke's discovery of dramatism

Burke's short article, “Twelve Propositions by Kenneth Burke on the Relation Between Economics and Psychology,” compresses the ideas presented in Attitudes Toward History, generates a new synthesis of Marx and Freud, and adumbrates the system of Dramatism. Burke's conception of the self, the community, and communication come together here for the first time in a serious argument for drama as a model of human relations.
Interactions between Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar), Populus fremontii (cottonwood), and mycorrhizal fungi: Effects on seedling growth and plant species coexistence

Little is known about the composition and function of the mycorrhizal fungal community in riparian areas, or its importance in competitive interactions between Populus fremontii, a dominant tree in southwestern United States riparian forests which forms arbuscular and ectomycorrhizas, and Tamarix ramosissima, an introduced tree species that has spread into riparian areas. The objectives of this study were to determine the mycorrhizal status of Tamarixand to evaluate the effect of mycorrhizal fungal inoculation on Tamarix growth and on the coexistence between Tamarix and Populus.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization of Tamarix was very low in both field and greenhouse grown roots, but levels of colonization by dark septate endophytes were high. Fungal inoculation had little effect on Tamarix seedling growth in monoculture. When Populus and Tamarix were grown together in a greenhouse pot experiment, fungal inoculation reduced the height and biomass of Tamarix but had no effect on Populus. Fungal inoculation shifted coexistence ratios. When Tamarix and Populuswere grown together, Tamarixplants averaged 20 of pot biomass in the uninoculated control but only 5 of pot biomass in the inoculated treatment. These results indicate that Tamarix is non-mycotrophic and that in this greenhouse experiment inoculation altered patterns of coexistence between Populus and Tamarix.
Economic feasibility study of variable irrigation of corn production in southeast coastal plain

ABSTRACT This paper evaluates the economic feasibility of variable rate applications (VRA) of irrigation water in corn production. The data were obtained from an experiment conducted at the site-specific center pivot irrigation facility at Florence, SC, INTERNAT, during the 1999-2001 seasons. The field was divided into 396 plots and a water production function was estimated for each plot to determine the optimal amount of irrigation water for each plot. Net returns from VRA applications were compared with uniform applications. The results indicate that the VRA applications yielded larger net returns than the uniform applications. However, the VRT applications require additional equipment and control. The benefits of reduced irrigation water costs plus the value of increased yields must be greater than the additional costs associated with the VRT application. Because the VRT system used in this experiment was built for experimental research purpose, the costs were much higher than those that would have bee...
The measurement and mismeasurement of monopoly power

Since Joe Bain’s seminal 1951 article appeared, the profession has been deluged by studies measuring various aspects of the market-structure/market-power relationship. New data, new time periods, new countries and new variables all have allowed researchers to generate additional studies. This literature has grown so voluminous that it is virtually impossible to keep track of it all, and the availability of the relatively new line of business data threatens to open the floodgate once again. Most of the early studies used profit rates based on equity or assets. More recently, the price-cost margin has become a popular choice, and I have previously discussed the many problems involved when this measure of profit rate is chosen.’ Profit as a percentage of sales also apparently is enjoying a new vigor as a theoretical and empirical construct as summarized by Long and Ravenscraft?
Hyperfiltration. XXI. Dynamically formed hydrous Zr(IV) oxide-polyacrylate membranes

Summary Membranes consisting of a layer of polyacrylic acid on hydrous Zr(IV) oxide appear promising for hyperfiltration (reverse osmosis) of low-salinity waters. These membranes are formed dynamically by exposing a hydrous oxide membrane, also dynamically formed, to an acidic solution containing polyacrylic acid, and then raising the pH. The effects of variables during membrane formation and during subsequent operation on membrane properties are discussed.
Conditioned inhibition in feature negative discrimination learning with pigeons

Discrimination performance was investigated with pigeons using feature negative (FN) discrimination procedures which differed in the temporal arrangement of the stimuli on S− trials. In both procedures, a single common element was presented on reinforced (S+) trials. In thesimultaneous FN procedure, a distinguishing element was presented simultaneously with the common element of S− trials. In thesequential FN procedure, the distinguishing element preceded onset of the common element on S− trials. In two experiments, the sequential FN procedure yielded better discrimination performance. In Experiment 1, a summation test designed to separate learning and performance variables indicated that sequential FN subjects had learned the negative relationship between the distinguishing element and reinforcement while simultaneous FN subjects had not. In Experiment 2, summation and acquisition tests indicated that the distinguishing element developed inhibitory properties in the sequential FN procedure but not in the simultaneous FN procedure.
Both soluble and colloidal iron phases control dissolved iron variability in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean

The size partitioning of dissolved iron (dFe, <0.4 μm) into soluble (sFe, <0.02 μm) and colloidal (0.02 μm < cFe < 0.4 μm) phases was investigated at seven stations in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean, and the results are compared to the dFe size fractionation study of Bergquist et al. (2007) in the same region. Downwind of the North African dust plumes, cFe comprised 80 ± 7% of the surface dFe pool at six stations, supporting the hypothesis that atmospherically-derived Fe is maintained in the colloidal size fraction. At the deep chlorophyll maximum, colloidal Fe had minimum concentrations or was completely absent, suggesting that cFe was either preferentially taken up by microbes and/or scavenged/aggregated at these depths. At remineralization depths, sFe was the dominant fraction both in the subtropical gyre-like stations (76% sFe; [sFe] = 0.42 ± 0.03 nmol/kg) and in the oxygen minimum zone (56% sFe; [sFe] = 0.65 ± 0.03 nmol/kg). Only at remineralization depths of stations with intermediate oxygen concentrations (100–110 μmol/kg) did colloidal Fe dominate (contributing 58% of dFe) , indicating that cFe may be serving as a conduit of dFe loss during mixing of high-Fe OMZ and low-Fe gyre waters. North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) had a typical sFe concentration of 0.34 ± 0.05 nmol/kg. In the deepest samples composed of a NADW/Antarctic Bottom Water mixture where the bottom water may have attained a ∼0.1 nmol/kg hydrothermal Fe input during transit past the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, sFe did not increase coincidentally with dFe, indicating that any potential hydrothermal Fe contribution was colloidal. In general, the results of this study counter the previous hypothesis of Bergquist et al. (2007) that the colloidal Fe fraction predominately controls dFe variability, instead suggesting that both soluble and colloidal Fe are variable, and both contribute to the observed dFe variability throughout the North Atlantic. The nearly 50–50% dFe partitioning into soluble and colloidal phases below the DCM suggest one of two partitioning mechanisms persists: (1) soluble and colloidal Fe exchange rates reach a “steady state,” over which regional, uniquely-partitioned Fe sources can be overlain, or (2) the partitioning of Fe-binding ligands between the two size fractions is variable in the open ocean and directly controls dFe partitioning.
Patterns of vegetation surrounding springs in Goshen Bay, Utah County, Utah U.S.A.

Saline meadows in Goshen Bay, Utah County, Utah, USA, occur interspersed among large areas of salt playa. Springs irrigate these meadows which show concentric vegetational zones surrounding each spring. Each vegetational zone demonstrates its own unique dominant vascular plant species. The central zone is dominated primarily by Scirpus americanus, the middle zone by Eleocharis palustris and the outer zone by Juncus balticus, Distichlis spicata and Muhlenbergia asperifolia. As distance increases from the springs, pH and soluble salt concentration increase, while percent organic matter, percent moisture and phosphorus decrease. With the increase in salt levels and decrease in water levels, halophytic plant species generally increase with distance from the springs.
Multiphasic models of survival: Analysis of mortality rate change regions and the issue of finite species lifespan

Abstract Recent large-scale experimental population studies have allowed us to probe the dynamics of survival in the “oldest old” of a small number of biological species. The results of these studies add strong support to the validity of a multiphasic survival/mortality model for population survival as has been previously proposed by a number of investigators. In this paper we briefly review some of the problems with the Gompertz survival model, and the issue of locating the region in which the mortality rate might change. We derive some rigorous formulae for bounding the mortality rate change regions and compare the predictions to the available experimental data. We demonstrate that the mortality cut point parameter appears to be directly related to topological properties of the species survival curve, in particular, the inflection time. We conclude by addressing some of the pitfalls of using a mortality cut point model and propose an alternative formulation for a mortality model involving multiphasic mortality dynamics and incorporating a nonspecified upperbound on species lifespan.
Neurotensin analog NT69L induces rapid and prolonged hypothermia after hypoxic ischemia.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the neurotensin analog NT69L, administered systemically, could induce mild brain hypothermia after asphyxial cardiac arrest (ACA) in rats. METHODS The study design was experimental, blinded, randomized, and approved by the animal use committee. All rats had continuous monitoring of brain temperature and sustained 8 minutes of ACA, resuscitation, and either saline or NT69L intravenously after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Rats surviving 14 days after ACA had a neurological deficit score (NDS) and a Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. RESULTS Seven of eight rats in each group survived 14 days. Brain temperature was less than 35 degrees C 13.1 +/- 3 minutes (mean +/- standard deviation) after NT69L vs controls that remained 37.5 degrees C at the same ambient temperature (p < 0.05 ANOVA). The NT69L group remained below 35 degrees C for 300 +/- 100 minutes while the controls remained at 37.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C. The NDS in the NT69L rats was 3 +/- 3% vs controls 26 +/- 8% (p < 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis, 0% = normal, 100% = brain dead). The NT69L rats performed better on the MWM vs the controls (22 +/- 8 sec vs 45 +/- 26 sec, respectively, p < 0.05 ANOVA). CONCLUSIONS NT69L induced rapid and prolonged mild brain hypothermia after ACA in this rat model and reduced neurological deficits.
A broader picture of Rutherford’s geophysicists

In his interesting article “Rutherford’s Geophysicists” (PHYSICS TODAY, July 2010, page 42), Greg Good says, “Rutherford and others believed that the heat given off by radioactive elements derailed the arguments that Lord Kelvin had used to support a youthful Earth and to critique Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection.” Given that this belief undoubtedly influenced the development of geophysics, I find it interesting that the primary error in Kelvin’s estimate was not his neglect of a heat source but rather his neglect of any means other than conduction for getting heat out of Earth. Indeed, if Earth had zero radio genic heat sources, it would very likely convect, slowly eliminating the great heat produced from gravity when the planet formed. Kelvin’s tens of millions of years—roughly the typical age of the ocean floor—would still be a reasonable estimate for the conductive diffusion time of heat through the thermal boundary layer. This is not something related to Earth’s total age, because the mantle has overturned many times in Earth history. At the time Kelvin proposed his argument, the fact that much of Earth is solid had not yet been well established. Therefore, the idea that Earth’s deep interior convected was not unreasonable, and later arguments about the ability of solids to flow would not have been a problem. He could have obtained a roughly correct answer for Earth’s age by merely dividing the planet’s total heat content by its total heat output; that calculation yields around 10 billion years for current estimates of the input numbers, and it would have been a perfectly reasonable thing to do for the understanding of cosmogony at that time. Of course, Kelvin had the misfortune to get a similar answer for the Sun’s age as he obtained for Earth; the method he used roughly works for Earth but fails badly for the Sun because he was understandably unaware of fusion. Another great scientist, Harold Urey, is responsible for posing the question of how much of Earth’s heat flow comes from radiogenic heat production rather than secular cooling. The current estimate for the fraction derived from radiogenic heating is around one-half; the reason for that value is still hotly debated. David Stevenson (djs@gps.caltech.edu) California Institute of Technology Pasadena
Effectively Estimating In situ Porosity of Pervious Concrete from Cores

Pervious concrete is an alternative pavement material which may help reduce nonpoint source pollution problems. The porosity of pervious concrete is an important parameter used for both pavement and environmental design and is dependent on field placement techniques. It is recommended that porosity be tested on field-placed specimens. It has been noted that some of the concrete is knocked out while coring from field-placed samples which may affect the porosity. This paper researches a methodology for estimating the in situ porosity of pervious concrete from the porosities of cores taken from the field based on aggregate size, core size and porosity.