cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inconsistencies in design code rules for fatigue in the presence of weld flaws—A case study

Abstract A failure in a fuel delivery piping system revealed some inconsistencies in existing design rules for fatigue. It was discovered that piping manufactured to one set of standards combined with design to a seemingly compatible design code contains a deficiency whereby weld flaws can be formed, remain undetected by hydrotesting and NDE, but still be large enough to propagate in service to the point of leaking. A brief description of this failure is given as well as a more general discussion of welded piping systems containing weld flaws.
N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors are implicated in hyperresponsiveness following naloxone reversal of alfentanil in isolated rat spinal cord

Abstract In isolated neonatal rat spinal cord, naloxone administered after an opioid increases a nociceptive-related slow ventral root potential (sVRP) to levels above pre-drug controls. We studied the role of N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors in this phenomenon, which may be related to acute tolerance and to hyperalgesia on antagonist-precipitated withdrawal. Naloxone (200 nM) alone produced no significant effect on sVRP area, while naloxone (560 nM) increased area to 121 ± 17.5% of control (mean ± SD). Following 200 nM alfentanil, naloxone (200 nM) was associated with a significant rebound in sVRP area to 138 ± 18.0% of pre-drug contro. Hyper-responsiveness developed within 7 min of initial alfentanil exposure. The non-competitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 (20 nM) had no effect on sVRP area when applied alone; higher concentrations produced irreversible depression. MK-801 (20 nM) co-applied with 200 nM alfentanil blocked the rebound increase in sVRP area following naloxone 200 nM and also the increase following naloxone alone (560 nM). The results suggest that alfentanil induces a rapid NMDA receptor-dependent change in spinal cord neuronal excitability.
Outcomes of Locoregional Tumor Therapy for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunts.

Locoregional therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be challenging in patients with a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). This study compares safety and imaging response of ablation, chemoembolization, radioembolization, and supportive care in patients with both TIPS and HCC. This retrospective study included 48 patients who had both a TIPS and a diagnosis of HCC. Twenty-nine of 48 (60 %) underwent treatment for HCC, and 19/48 (40 %) received best supportive care (i.e., symptomatic management only). While etiology of cirrhosis and indication for TIPS were similar between the two groups, treated patients had better baseline liver function (34 vs. 67 % Child-Pugh class C). Tumor characteristics were similar between the two groups. A total of 39 ablations, 17 chemoembolizations, and 10 yttrium-90 radioembolizations were performed on 29 patients. Ablation procedures resulted in low rates of hepatotoxicity and clinical toxicity. Post-embolization/ablation syndrome occurred more frequently in patients undergoing chemoembolization than ablation (47 vs. 15 %). Significant hepatic dysfunction occurred more frequently in the chemoembolization group than the ablation group. Follow-up imaging response showed objective response in 100 % of ablation procedures, 67 % of radioembolization procedures, and 50 % of chemoembolization procedures (p = 0.001). When censored for OLT, patients undergoing treatment survived longer than patients receiving supportive care (2273 v. 439 days, p = 0.001). Ablation appears to be safe and efficacious for HCC in patients with TIPS. Catheter-based approaches are associated with potential increased toxicity in this patient population. Chemoembolization appears to be associated with increased toxicity compared to radioembolization.
Endobronchial colorectal metastasis versus primary lung cancer: a tale of two sleeve right upper lobectomies

Endobronchial metastasis from colorectal carcinoma is relatively uncommon whereas primary bronchogenic carcinoma is more common. These two disease entities can both appear to be similar clinically and radiographically. Palliative treatment rather than a curative-intent anatomic resection is typically employed in the setting of endobronchial metastatic disease. We compare two cases of patients with a history of colorectal carcinoma with endobronchial lesions of which one was truly a metastatic lesion.
A rapidly labeled ribonucleoprotein in HeLa cell nuclei.

Abstract Analyses by gradient centrifugation and geon column electrophoresis have provided evidence that heavy RNA (a precursor of ribosomal RNA) existed in HeLa cell nuclei in the form of ribonucleoprotein possibly associating with newly synthesized protein. A possible role of this material in ribosome formation in HeLa cells was discussed.
Methodological Review: Symmetry and asymmetry analysis and its implications to computer-aided diagnosis: A review of the literature

Although clinicians have long sought to integrate computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems into routine clinical practice, it has proven to be extremely difficult to perform fully automated algorithmic analyses on lesions, based solely on the information contained in images. To increase the utility of computerized tools, it would be intuitive to incorporate anatomical and pathological knowledge and heuristics to help the system draw diagnostic inferences. In neuro-imaging applications, for example, one way to perform this knowledge integration is to uncover symmetry/asymmetry information from the corresponding regions of the head and to explore its implication to positive clinical findings. To correctly quantify asymmetric patterns in brain images, however, the symmetry axis, or the symmetry plane, needs to be appropriately oriented in space; i.e., the symmetry plane needs to be correctly identified either manually or using computerized methods. This review will provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of both symmetry axis/plane detection, and asymmetry quantification in neuro-images.
Testing of an Irati oil shale in a multi-stage fluidized bed retorting process

Abstract A Permian Irati oil shale from Brazil was tested in a 7.6cm diameter prototype of the Kentort II process which is a multi-stage fluidized bed retort containing pyrolysis, gasification and combustion zones. To facilitate comparisons, test conditions were maintained similar to those from a recent study utilizing a Devonian shale (Cleveland Member of the Ohio Shale) from Kentucky. The Irati shale was processed with all three zones of the process in operation and solid recirculation was used to transfer heat throughout the reactor. Generally, the Irati shale performed well in the process, but generation of fines was more prevalent. Oil yields averaged 112% of the modified Fischer assay despite the use of recycled solids to transfer heat to the pyrolyser. Due to the more aliphatic nature of the kerogen, carbon conversion to oil was significantly greater for the Irati shale compared to the Cleveland shale. Otherwise, gasification and combustion kinetics and hydrocarbon gas production were similar for the two shales.
The public health context for PM 2.5 and ozone air quality trends

Tropospheric ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM2.5) are associated with adverse health effects, including premature mortality. Regulation of these pollutants by the US Environmental Protection Agency has resulted in significant improvements in air quality over the last decade, as demonstrated by a national network of air quality monitors. However, ambient trends provide limited information regarding either the change in population exposure to these pollutants or how fluctuations in the levels of these pollutants might affect public health. We leverage the spatially and temporally extensive monitoring network in the US to estimate the improvements to public health associated with monitored air quality changes over a 7-year period. We estimate the impacts of monitored changes in ozone and PM2.5 on premature mortality using health impact functions based on short-term relative risk estimates for O3 and long-term relative risk estimates for PM2.5. We spatially interpolate the O3 and PM2.5 data and utilize ozone air quality data that are adjusted for meteorological variability. We estimate that reductions in monitored PM2.5 and ozone from 2000 to 2007 are associated with 22,000–60,000 PM2.5 and 880–4,100 ozone net avoided premature mortalities. The change in estimated premature mortality can be highly variable from 1 year to the next, sometimes by thousands of deaths. The estimate of avoided ozone-related mortalities is sensitive to the use of meteorologically-adjusted air quality inputs. Certain locations, including Los Angeles and Houston see an opposing trend between mortality impacts attributable to ozone and PM2.5.We find that improving air quality over the past 7 years has reduced premature mortality significantly.
Identification and cloning of an aspartyl proteinase from Coccidioides immitis

Abstract A 45 kDa protein was isolated from a soluble vaccine prepared from formaldehyde-killed spherules of Coccidioides immitis . From the N-terminal amino acid sequence, the protein yielded a 17-amino-acid peptide that was homologous to sequences of other fungal aspartyl proteinases. The coccidioidal cDNA encoding the proteinase was amplified using oligonucleotide primers designed from the 45 kDa N-terminal amino acid sequence and a fungal aspartyl proteinase consensus amino acid sequence. The PCR product was cloned and sequenced, and the remaining 5′ upstream and 3′ downstream cDNA was amplified, cloned, and sequenced. The cDNA encoding the coccidioidal aspartyl proteinase open reading frame was cloned and the fusion protein containing a C-terminal His-tag expressed in E. coli . The recombinant aspartyl proteinase was purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. This recombinant protein will be used for further studies to evaluate its antigenicity, including protective immunogenicity.
Function Based Risk Assessment and Failure Prediction for Unmanned Space Missions

A strong need has emerged in the aerospace industry for a well-founded and effective failure prevention technique or process that can be employed during the conceptual design of high-risk aerospace systems. In this paper, we describe a methodology to support risk assessment and failure prevention during the earliest stages of spacecraft design and mission planning. The three-step procedure, an extension of the Function-Failure Design method, utilizes detailed information from existing subsystems and systematically abstracts this information to a level that can be used during conceptual design. During this process, we address the issue concerning the level at which systems containing a combination of electrical and mechanical components should be functionally modeled. The complete method is described in general before being applied to two major unmanned spacecraft subsystems.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
SU‐E‐I‐56: Computational Internal Dosimetry Methods as Applied to the UF Series of Hybrid Phantoms

Purpose: To compute specific absorbed fractions for monoenergetic photons and electrons for all UF hybrid ICRP‐reference phantoms. Ultimately, radionuclide S values will be calculated for all radionuclides of interest in nuclear medicine. Methods: Voxelized versions of the UF newborn hybrid computational phantoms were used in conjunction with the radiation transport code MCNPX v2.6 to determine the absorbed fraction of energy per unit mass (SAF) for a variety of source‐target organ combinations for 21 photon and electron energies. A method known as a fluence‐to‐dose response function was used, for the first time in a model of the newborn child, to determine the absorbed dose to active marrow and total shallow marrow, the radiosensitive tissues of the skeleton. A novel method for minimizing the poor statistics associated with electron transport was also introduced. First, a simulation was completed which only tracked primary electrons, giving the dose contribution solely attributed to collisional energy losses. Next, a simulation was completed which recorded the initial energy of any photons produced by the primary electrons. Monoenergetic photon SAFs, determined previously, were then weighted according to each monoenergetic electron bremsstrahlung energy spectrum so as to procure low uncertainty photon dose from the primary electrons. Results: The novel method for electron dosimetry was benchmarked and found to be an accurate and effective way of reducing the uncertainty associated with electron cross‐dose. S values were generated for Tc‐99m and compared to estimates provided by OLINDA/EXM 1.0. Noticeable differences were seen for both self‐dose and cross‐dose scenarios. Conclusion: The work performed represents a state‐of‐the‐art internal dosimetry model, and once dosimetry has been performed on the entire UF series of phantoms, the results will be incorporated into an online accessible software package which can be of use in imaging and dose optimization for pediatric nuclear medicine patients.
Management of Anaerobic Infections

Successful management of anaerobic infection first requires an accurate diagnosis. Cytologic examination of wound exudates and inspection for characteristic clinical clues greatly facilitates an accurate initial diagnosis of anaerobic infection. Knowledge of antimicrobial activity against specific anaerobic pathogens is essential, since antibiotic susceptibility information is not routinely available. Whenever possible, antimicrobial and surgical therapy should be combined in managing anaerobic infections. Chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and metronidazole provide the most consistently reliable activity against pathogenic anaerobes, including Bacteroides. Penicillins are also generally effective, except for treatment of infections caused by penicillinase-producing strains of Bacteroides. Cephalosporins are not considered drugs of choice for anaerobic infections, although cefoxitin may in some instances be useful as monotherapy of mixed infections containing obligate anaerobes and coliform bacteria. Aminoglycosides and sulfonamides are ineffective and should be avoided for treatment of anaerobic infection.
Oxidation of Gaseous Elemental Mercury to Gaseous Divalent Mercury during 2003 Polar Sunrise at Ny-Alesund

The springtime phenomenon, termed as the mercury depletion event (MDE), during which elemental gaseous mercury (Hg0) may be converted to a reactive form that accumulates in polar ecosystems, first noted in the Arctic, has now been observed at both poles and results in an important removal pathway for atmospheric mercury. An intensive international springtime mercury experiment was performed at Ny-Alesund, Spitsbergen, from 19 April to 13 May 2003 to study the atmospheric mercury chemistry in the Arctic environment and, in particular, the MDEs which occurred in the arctic boundary layer after polar sunrise. Automated ambient measurements of Hg0, divalent reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and fine particulate mercury (<2.5 μm) (Hg(p)) were made at the Zeppelin Mountain Station (ZMS). During the experiment mercury concentrations in the lower atmosphere varied in synchrony with ozone levels throughout the Spring. Hg0 concentrations ranged from background levels (∼1.6 ng m-3) to undetectable values (<0.1 ng m-3) ...
NADPH Oxidases in Lung Health and Disease

Abstract Significance: The evolution of the lungs and circulatory systems in vertebrates ensured the availability of molecular oxygen (O2; dioxygen) for aerobic cellular metabolism of internal organs in large animals. O2 serves as the physiologic terminal acceptor of mitochondrial electron transfer and of the NADPH oxidase (Nox) family of oxidoreductases to generate primarily water and reactive oxygen species (ROS), respectively. Recent advances: The purposeful generation of ROS by Nox family enzymes suggests important roles in normal physiology and adaptation, most notably in host defense against invading pathogens and in cellular signaling. Critical issues: However, there is emerging evidence that, in the context of chronic stress and/or aging, Nox enzymes contribute to the pathogenesis of a number of lung diseases. Future Directions: Here, we review evolving functions of Nox enzymes in normal lung physiology and emerging pathophysiologic roles in lung disease. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 20, 2838–2853.
Synthesis, Structure, and Physical Properties for a Series of Trigonal Bipyramidal MII–Cl Complexes with Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonds

A series of transition metal chloro complexes with the tetradentate tripodal tris(2-amino-oxazoline)amine ligand (TAO) have been synthesized and characterized. X-Ray structural analyses of these compounds demonstrate the formation of the mononuclear complexes [M(II)(TAO)(Cl)](+), where M(II) = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn. These complexes exhibit distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry, coordinating the metal through an apical tertiary amine, three equatorial imino nitrogen atoms, and an axial chloride anion. All the complexes possess an intramolecular hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) network within the cavity occupied by the metal-bound chloride ion. The metal-chloride bond distances are atypically long, which is attributed to the effects of the H-bonding network. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of the Zn complex suggests that the solid-state structures are representative of that observed in solution, and that the H-bonding interactions persist as well. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to probe the electronic structures of the complexes.
Wave functions and other properties of spin-reversed quasiparticles at ν=1/m Landau-level occupation

A family of wave functions appropriate for arbitrary-spin quasiparticles of the fully polarized, \ensuremath{\nu}=1/m incompressible fluid is constructed. The spectrum with spin degrees of freedom included, becomes more complex, and in particular, is shown to be massively degenerate (no Zeeman energy). As a result, for finite systems in the absence of Zeeman energy the absolute ground states for two sectors differing by one flux quantum are spin singlet and maximally polarized. I study the spectrum with two reversed spins near \ensuremath{\nu}=1 for up to 160 electrons and find the signature of this trend to persist in the thermodynamic limit. I also find that for all experimentally accessible magnetic field values, the single spin-reversed quasiparticle at \ensuremath{\nu}=1 is irrelevant and is preempted by quasiparticles having additional reversed spins.
Root infection pattern, infection efficiency, and infection density-disease incidence relationships of Cylindrocladium crotalariae on peanut in field soil

(1983). Root infection pattern, infection efficiency, and infection density-disease incidence relationships of Cylindrocladium crotalariae on peanut in field soil. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology: Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 81-88.
Auditory Contrast versus Compensation for Coarticulation: Data from Japanese and English Listeners

English listeners categorize more of a [k-t] continuum as “t” after [ʃ] than [s] (Mann & Repp, 1981). This bias could be due to compensation for coarticulation (Mann & Repp, 1981) or auditory contrast between the fricatives and the stops (Lotto & Kluender, 1998). In Japanese, surface [ʃk, ʃt, sk, st] clusters arise via palatalization and vowel devoicing from /sik, sit, suk, sut/, and acoustic vestiges of the devoiced vowels remain in the fricative. On the one hand, compensation for coarticulation with the devoiced vowel would cancel out compensation for coarticulation with the fricative, and listeners would not show any response bias. On the other hand, if the stop contrasts spectrally with the fricative, listeners should respond “t” more often after [ʃi] than [su]. Experiment 1 establishes that [k] and [t] coarticulate with preceding voiced [i, u], voiceless [i, u], and [ʃ, s]. Experiment 2 shows that both Japanese and English listeners respond “t” more often after [ʃi] than [su], as predicted by a...
Ground motion amplification at flange level of bushings mounted on electric substation transformers

A study was conducted to quantify the ground motion amplification that takes place at the base of bushings mounted on electric substation transformers as a result of the flexibility of the transformer tank and turrets to which they are connected. This study was undertaken to assess the adequacy of the amplification factor of 2.0 specified by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in Standard IEEE 693-1997 for the seismic qualification of transformer bushings. The study included field tests of typical 500-kV transformers to obtain experimentally their natural frequencies and damping ratios, the development of simple analytical models that closely matched the experimental data, and the calculation of the transformers' dynamic response under different earthquake excitations using these analytical models. Amplification factors were then computed for each of the excitations considered, defining these amplification factors as the peak shear force at the base of the bushings over the corresponding shear force obtained when the bushings are assumed mounted directly on the ground. It is found that the amplification factors for the 500-kV bushings are within the amplification factor of 2.0 specified by Standard IEEE 693, but not those for the 230-kV bushings, which exceed the IEEE 693 amplification factor by almost a factor of two. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Finite-element analysis of dielectric scatterers using the absorbing boundary condition

When open-region scattering problems are solved by the finite-element method (FEM), the infinite region exterior to the scatterer must be truncated by an artificial outer boundary in order to permit practical implementation on a digital computer. It is shown how an absorbing boundary condition (ABC) can be enforced at this boundary to truncate the mesh at distances close to the surface of the scatterer, so that the ABC not only simulates the outward propagating nature of the scattered field but also ensures the well-posedness of the problem. It is found that if the finite-element problem is formulated using the scattered field as the primary unknown, the solution agrees well with the method-of-moments solution. However, the FEM solution is found to have significant errors if the problem is formulated using the total field. >
An equilibrium and calorimetric investigation of the hydrolysis of L-tryptophan to (indole + pyruvate + ammonia)

Apparent equilibrium constants and calorimetric enthalpies of reaction have been measured for the reaction L-tryptophan(aq) + H2O(l) = indole(aq) + pyruvate(aq) + ammonia(aq) which is catalyzed by L-tryptophanase. High-pressure liquid-chromatography and microcalorimetery were used to perform these measurements. The equilibrium measurements were performed as a function of pH, temperature, and ionic strength. The results have been interpreted with a chemical equilibrium model to obtain thermodynamic quantities for the reference reaction: L-tryptophan(aq) + H2O(l) = indole(aq) + pyruvate−(aq) + NH 4 + (aq). At T=25°C and Im=O the results for this reaction are: Ko=(1.05±0.13)×10−4, ΔΓ G°=(22.71±0.33) kJ-mol−1, ΔΓ H°=(62.0±2.3) kJ-mol−1, and ΔΓ S°=(132±8) J-K−1-mol−1. These results have been used together with thermodynamic results from the literature to calculate standard Gibbs energies of formation, standard enthalpies of formation, standard molar entropies, standard molar heat capacities, and standard transformed formation properties for the substances participating in this reaction.
Retention of estrogen receptors in vitro requires limited estradiol exposure in vivo.

Abstract Maintenance of functional estrogen receptors in culture has been accomplished in chick oviduct cells by manipulating the estrogen exposure before tissue dissociation. Tissue from chicks pre-treated with daily 17-β-estradiol injections for 2 weeks or with 2 weekly diethylstilbestrol implants can be established in culture using a variety of enzymes. Tissue from animals with chronic estrogen stimulation must be withdrawn from hormone in culture at least 4 days before the digestion procedure. When tissue is digested using collagenase and pancreatin buffered by bovine serum albumin (Fraction V), large quantities of virtually fibroblast-free cultures can be established. The estrogen and progesterone receptors remain intact at normal levels using this procedure. The receptors have maintained biological function as evidenced by two hormone-dependent measurements. The first was an increase in the amount of ovalbumin mRNA transcribed in response to estrogen supplementation of the cultures compared to cultures with no estrogen. The second function was an increase in ovalbumin protein secreted into the medium upon estrogen stimulation. The protein increment demonstrated that the hormone-induced levels of mRNA were functional and capable of being translated.
A survey of stereotactic body radiotherapy use in the United States.

BACKGROUND Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a technique used to deliver high, ablative doses of radiation in a limited number of fractions to one or more extracranial target(s). The prevalence of SBRT use among radiation oncologists in the United States is unknown.
Modeling tsunami damage in Aceh: a reply

In reply to the critique of Baird and Kerr, we emphasize that our model is a generalized vulnerability model, built from easily acquired data from anywhere in the world, to identify areas with probable susceptibility to large tsunamis—and discuss their other criticisms in detail. We also show that a rejection of the role of trees in helping protect vulnerable areas is not justified in light of existing evidence.
Tracking of Nanoparticles Using Evanescent Wave Microscopy

A novel three-dimensional tracking technique of nanoparticles in nanometer spatial resolution using a Ratiometric Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (R-TIRFM) is presented. Evanescent waves from the total internal reflection of an argon-ion laser (488 nm) are used to generate a thin sliced illumination field with its effective visualization range of 544-nm, equivalent to twice of the penetration depth of the evanescent wave field. Fluorescence-coated polystyrene spheres of 500-nm diameter (SG = 1.05) are used as tracers subjected to the Brownian diffusive motions. A ratiometric analysis of the fluorescence particle images together with a neural network particle-pair identification algorithm is used to track the tracer particle locations across multiple image frames in full three-dimensional ways. The techniques are used to examine the Brownian diffusive motion of nanoparticles as they approach the very near-wall region within a few hundred nanometers of a glass-water interface. The experimental results show that the measured Brownian diffusion coefficient is in good agreement with the theoretical hindered diffusion coefficient near a wall.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Migrations of the Apachean Dineh

There has been considerable controversy as to when the Apachean Dineh first entered the Greater Southwest. Using a lexicostatistic method, glottochronology, for determining the divergence of Dineh languages, a reassessment of a number of archaeological and anthropological papers, and an appraisal of the genetic affinities among speakers of different language phyla, a good case can be made for a very early entry of the Apachean Dineh into the Greater Southwest. This equates to about A.D. 200 for the Intermontane region of Utah, Idaho, Nevada and parts of California and Arizona and to about A.D. 575 in the Greater Southwest region of New Mexico and Arizona and parts of Utah and Colorado.
Antihypertensive actions of moderate hyperbilirubinemia: role of superoxide inhibition.

Bilirubin in the serum is derived from the breakdown of red blood cells in the spleen. Heme, which is a breakdown product of red blood cells, is metabolized to iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin by heme oxygenase enzymes in the spleen. Biliverdin is then converted to bilirubin by the enzyme biliverdin reductase. Bilirubin is then bound to albumin and transported in the blood to hepatocytes of the liver to be conjugated for elimination in the bile. In the liver, UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) is the enzyme responsible for the conjugation of bilirubin, which is transported in the bile for elimination. Alterations in UGT1A1 that decrease the conjugation result in increased levels of unconjugated bilirubin in the serum and are responsible for Gilbert’s syndrome. Several large population studies have established that moderate increases in serum bilirubin levels (approximately 2-fold) are negatively associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.1,2 The same relationship was also found in patients with Gilbert’s syndrome.3,4 We have previously reported that similar moderate increases in plasma bilirubin achieved by antagonism of UGT1A1 with indinavir or knockdown of UGT1A1 protein with antisense (AS) morpholinos can attenuate the increase in blood pressure and decrease in renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate in angiotensin II (Ang II)–dependent hypertension in mice.5,6 Bilirubin is one of the most potent endogenous antioxidants in the body.7,8 It is hypothesized that the antioxidant actions of bilirubin may be responsible for the protective actions against cardiovascular disease in patients with Gilbert’s syndrome.9 Induction of moderate hyperbilirubinemia in our mouse model was associated with a decrease in Ang II–dependent superoxide production in the aorta.5 Bilirubin can not only act as a scavenger but can also inhibit NADPH oxidase enzymes to directly decrease the formation of superoxide anion.10 Because NADPH-mediated superoxide production has been previously demonstrated to play a critical role in the development and maintenance of Ang II–dependent hypertension,11,12 we wanted to test the hypothesis that attenuation of superoxide production mediates the antihypertensive actions of moderate hyperbilirubinemia in Ang II–dependent hypertension. In order to accomplish this, we determined the effect of moderate hyperbilirubinemia on Ang II–dependent hypertension in mice in which NADPH oxidase activity was decreased using the NADPH oxidase inhibitor apocynin.
Contribuições da sociolinguística ao ensino do português em comunidades bilíngues do norte do Uruguai

This article is aimed at discussing sociolinguistic factors that are relevant to the teaching of Portuguese in the Spanish-Portuguese bilingual communities of northern Uruguay. It explores two of the main characteristics of these communities' linguistic repertoire: bilingualism and its consequences on the contact varieties, such as code-switching and grammatical convergence and patterns of internal linguistic variation, both in Portuguese and in Spanish. After contributing with a description of these communities' bilingual and multidialectal repertoires and arguing against the idea of monolingual and monostylistic speakers, the text brings a discussion on some premises that should be considered in the teaching of Portuguese in these communities, borrowing some pedagogical suggestions from the fields of first- and heritage-language teaching. Its final objective is to contribute to the development of a set of pedagogical principles that take students' sociolinguistic and cultural differences into account.
Isolation of Radiolabeled Isoflavones from Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) Root Cultures

Isoflavones have potential for preventing and treating several chronic health conditions, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In this study, radiolabeled isoflavones were recovered from kudzu (Pueraria lobata) root cultures after incubation with uniformly labeled (14)C-sucrose in the culture medium for 21 days. Approximately 19% of administered label was recovered in the isoflavone-rich dried extracts of kudzu root cultures (90.2 microCi/g or 3.3 MBq/g extract). HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the predominant isoflavones isolated from kudzu root cultures to be puerarin, daidzin, and malonyl-daidzin. The average concentration of the major isoflavone puerarin in kudzu root cultures was 33.6 mg/g extract, with a specific activity of 63.5 microCi/g (2.3 MBq/g). The isolated isoflavones were sufficiently (14)C-labeled to permit utilization for subsequent in vivo metabolic tracking studies.
Some perpendicular arrays for arbitrarily large t

Abstract We show that perpendicular arrays exist for arbitrarily large t and with λ = 1. In particular, if d devides ( t +1) then there is a PA 1 (t, t+1, t+( f(t+1) d )) . If υ ≡ 1 or 2 (mod 3) then there is a PA λ (3, 4, υ ) for any λ. If 3 divides λ then there is a PA λ (3, 4, υ ) for any v . If n ⩾2 there is a PA 1 (4, 5, 2 n +1). Using recursive constructions we exhibit several infinite families of perpendicular arrays with t ⩾3 and relatively small λ. We finally discuss methods of constructing perpendicular arrays based on automorphism groups. These methods allow the construction of PA's with ( k − t )>1.
Advanced Developments in Hard Space Suit Technology

Hard space suit for use on planetary surfaces and extravehicular activity, discussing design, fabrication and mobility
Bacteriophage Mu integration: on the orientation of the prophage

Abstract A number of independent K12 lysogens were examined, in which a Mu prophage was integrated into a host gene proximal to the BP′ end of a resident λ prophage. From the independent Mu lysogens, two types of λ defective particles were isolated which carried a portion of the adjacent Mu prophage. Type I carried only markers linked to the immunity end of the Mu prophage, whereas type II included markers linked only to the opposite end. This finding suggests that Mu randomly inserts into a give host gene, in either of two orientations, relative to the fixed polarity of that gene.
TU‐G‐110‐02: Contrast‐Enhanced Dual‐Energy Cone‐Beam CT for Musculoskeletal Radiology

Purpose: Dual‐energy (DE) imaging has the potential to transcend contrast limitations of conventional CT. We investigate DE imaging in cone‐beam CT(CBCT), including exogenous iodine and gadolinium (the latter relatively novel in CT but with promise in cartilage imaging) and simultaneous imaging of multiple contrast agents. Methods: Experiments used a test‐bench emulating a prototype extremities CBCTscanner. Nominal single‐energy technique was 90 kVp + 0.3 mm Cu (∼0.15 mSv). DE‐CBCT involved a double‐scan at low (60 kVp + 2 mm Al) and high energy ( 100–120 kVp + 0.5 mm Ag) (∼0.6 mSv total). Projection‐based and reconstruction‐based decomposition were performed. Initial studies included a 16 cm cylindrical phantom (simulated soft tissue, bone, and various concentrations of iodine and Gd) and a cadaveric wrist for DE‐CBCT arthrography. Results: DE‐CBCT improved discrimination of exogenous contrast from bone, facilitating detection of articular abnormalities. Results demonstrate intravascular and/or intraarticular Gd as a viable agent for CBCT and DE‐CBCT, providing significant enhancement over water at low concentrations (down to 0.78 mg/mL) and low radiation dose (∼0.15 mSv). Excellent linearity of DE‐CBCT voxel values was achieved but demonstrated the need for high‐quality scatter correction. Simultaneous DE‐CBCT of iodine and Gd yielded clear discrimination of exogenous contrast in bone‐cancelled images down to 16.7 mg I/mL and 7.8 mg Gd/mL, supporting feasibility in imaging cartilage degeneration and bone marrow edema in rheumatoid applications. Conclusions: Results prove the feasibility of contrast‐enhanced DE‐CBCT, including simultaneous I/Gd discrimination in 3D arthrography. The work supports translation of DE‐CBCT to clinical CTscanners as well as a dedicated CBCT for extremity imaging. Primary limitations include false enhancement from image artifacts and long scan times (20 s) on the current scanner prototype. The work suggests new opportunites for DE‐CBCT in areas conventionally reserved for MRI and ultrasound — e.g., imaging of synovitis and cartilage degeneration. The research was supported by academic‐industry partnership with Carestream Health Inc. (Rochester NY), and by NIH R01 Grant No. 112163‐04.
Attributions of Agency and the Construction of Moral Order: Dementia, Death, and Dignity in Nursing-home Care

Using evidence gathered during 18 months of participant-observation in 2 nursing homes and 65 interviews with staff, this article examines how nursing-home staff use agency as a rhetorical resource to construct a dignified workplace. Staff attribute agency to dying residents, saying they choose the timing and conditions of their death. Staff equally insist that aggressive residents do not have agency. These two sets of attributions are used as counterpoints. Both go well beyond the available facts of the situation and reflect unspoken assumptions and interests of nursing-care workers. Through these attributions, the staff achieves a situated moral order in which compassionate care is provided to deserving residents in caring nursing homes. Staff attributions of agency are collectively shaped by professional philosophies, training and education, and regulatory guidelines. Finally, this article shows how it is analytically and theoretically productive to recast agency as a cultural object, whose use is subject to empirical investigation, rather than as a theoretical construct.
Regulation of adenylate cyclase by adenosine.

Adenosine may well be as important in the regulation of adenylate cyclase as hormones. Sattin and Rall first demonstrated in 1970 that adenosine was a potent stimulator of adenylate cyclase in the brain. However, adenosine is an equally potent inhibitor of adenylate cyclase in other cells such as adipocytes. The concentration of adenosine required for this regulation of adenylate cyclase is in the nanomolar range (10 to 100 nm). Both the inhibitory and stimulatory effects of low concentrations of adenosine on adenylate cyclase are antagonized by methylxanthines. This antagonism of adenosine action may account for all or part of the effects of methyl xanthines on cyclic AMP levels in many tissues. Adenosine appears to be a particularly important endogenous regulator of adenylate cyclase in brain, smooth muscle and fat cells. Under conditions in which intracellular AMP rises, adenosine formation and release is accelerated. In addition to its direct effects on adenylate cyclase, adenosine (at higher concentrations approaching millimolar) exerts multiple effects on cellular metabolism as a result of its intracellular metabolism and especially conversion to nucleotides.
Archaeologist as anthropologist: Much ado about something after all?

It has been said that “archaeology is anthropology or it is nothing.” And so archaeologists have become conversant in and contributors to cultural theory. Other archaeologists have undertaken ethnoarchaeological studies on material culture when ethnographers have not supplied the data needed. Yet archaeologists might undertake more traditional participant-observation fieldwork to help nuance the cultural questions we ask and to render our tales of the past more convincing, in particular, when we purport to speak of the sensuous and meaningful experience of the “prehistoric other.” This article discusses the venturing of one archaeologist in Madagascar tracking aspects of the classic problem of state origins across archaeology, oral history, ethnoarchaeology, and ethnography.
The tetraspanin superfamily member NET-6 is a new tumor suppressor gene.

Purpose NET-6 is a largely uncharacterized member of the tetraspanin superfamily. We have recently shown that its expression level was lowest in breast carcinomas with aggressive characteristics. We now describe the phenotypic and molecular changes induced in MDA-MB-231 breast carcinoma cells by ectopic NET-6 expression.
Neither chronic exposure to ethanol nor aging affects type I or type II corticosteroid receptors in rat hippocampus.

Abstract Both chronic exposure to ethanol and aging are reported to result in a loss of hippocampal pyramidal neurons and an elevation in plasma corticosteroid concentration. Aging has also been reported to result in a reduction in corticosterone receptors and corticosterone-concentrating cells in the hippocampus. Since these aging-associated effects have been hypothesized to be due to the cumulative exposure to corticosteroids over the life span, in the present studies, we investigated the hypothesis that corticosteroids play a similar role in the loss of hippocampal neurons during chronic ethanol ingestion. In contrast to our expectations, when a liquid diet containing either ethanol or sucrose was administered to male Long-Evans rats for 20–24 weeks, a period of treatment found previously to result in hippocampal neuronal loss, there were no ethanol-associated effects on the specific binding of [ 3 H]-aldosterone to Type I or of [ 3 H]dexamethasone to Type II receptors in cytosol derived from either whole hippocampus or dorsal versus ventral hippocampus. Allowing the rats to withdraw from the chronic ethanol exposure for 12 weeks also failed to reveal any ethanol-associated effects on corticosteroid receptor concentrations in the hippocampus. The basal morning concentrations of corticosterone in blood plasma were not affected by any of these treatments. In view of these null findings we next investigated the effects of aging on hippocampal corticosteroid receptors in male Long-Evans and Fischer 344 rats. Again we were surprised to find no aging-associated reductions in [ 3 H]aldosterone-Type I, [ 3 H]corticosterone-Type I or [ 3 H]dexamethasone-Type II receptor concentrations in whole hippocampal cytosol, despite the fact that plasma concentrations of CORT were clearly elevated in the aged Long-Evans rats. Our results, therefore, do not support the hypothesis that corticosteroids play a significant role in the loss of hippocampal neurons associated with chronic ethanol ingestion or aging.
The 2001 National Household Travel Survey: a look into the travel patterns of older Americans.

Abstract Introduction: The main objective of this paper is to highlight travel patterns of older adults living in the United States as depicted in the 2001 National Household Travel Survey (NHTS). The NHTS is a national data collection program sponsored by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics and the Federal Highway Administration. It is the first national comprehensive household survey of both daily and long-distance travel, allowing for analysis of the full continuum of personal travel by Americans. To better understand the transportation needs of older Americans, it is useful to examine how travel patterns differ across age groups. The intent is to present basic travel characteristics of older adults (age 65+) and allow for comparisons with younger adults (ages 19–64). Travel-related characteristics of older adults in the United States: Results of the 2001 survey showed that older Americans travel extensively and rely on personal vehicles as heavily as their younger counterparts. Older Americans conduct 89% of their travel in personal vehicles. Characteristics of daily trips taken by older adults: Older adults tend to be less mobile in that they take fewer trips, travel shorter distances, and have shorter travel times. This pattern is even more pronounced among older women. They are also more likely to suffer from self-reported medical conditions that further limit their travel. Characteristics of long-distance travel by older adults: Older men and women take long-distance trips at about the same rates and show a strong preference for using personal vehicles. And, while men and women take an equal percentage of their trips by air, older women show a strong preference for bus travel. Conclusions: Although older Americans travel extensively, they are less mobile than their younger counterparts. This pattern is more pronounced among older women and among those with self-reported medical conditions that affect their ability to travel outside their home. Older women consistently take the least number of trips per day, have the lowest driving rates, travel the shortest distances, and are more likely to report medical conditions that limit their travel. For men and women who have to give up driving, alternative means of transportation becomes a necessity. Yet, use of alternative transportation is relatively low; excluding personal vehicle and walking, all other means of transportation account for about 2% of daily travel. Further, of those with medical conditions that affect their travel, only about 12% use special transportation services such as dial-a-ride.
Overview: The Third Grover Conference on the Pulmonary Circulation The Control of Cellular Proliferation in the Pulmonary Circulation

Introduction This conference on the control of vascular cell proliferation in the pulmonary circulation has as its subtitles pulmonary hypertension and vascular injury. It signals acceptance of the concept that, even at its onset, pulmonary hypertension is a restrictive, not a constrictive, disease (1). The metaphor of a jigsaw puzzleapplies to the plan followedin these days of discussion. The first papers examined aspects of control like pieces of the jigsaw in isolation, each with a message that fitted some word or aspect of the topic. On the last day, welooked at the lid ofthe box and gained some idea of the clinical picture into which the various pieces must fit. These last papers moved from the cell or vessel in vitro to patterns of disease and models in the living subject. This does not detract from the validity of the results presented earlier, but it raises the question: which of these phenomena are likely to be background detail and which a foreground subject relevant to the clinical story. In these final comments, the structural and functional aspects of the whole pulmonary circulation, normal or injured, are emphasized since these serve as a touchstone to test the significance of in vitro findings.
Understanding the Energy Implications of Phase-Change Materials in Concrete Walls through Finite-Element Analysis

AbstractDwindling energy resources and associated environmental costs have resulted in a serious need to design and construct energy-efficient buildings. One of the strategies to develop energy eff...
Pediatric multiple sclerosis.

Background:It is becoming ever more recognized that multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs in children and adolescents. Although early-onset MS is a variant in the spectrum of MS phenotypes, the diagnosis and management of MS in children poses a unique set of challenges for the clinician. Moreover, it is in
Distribution losses for Weibull and lognormal clutter types

The calculation of the clutter-limited sensitivity of a surveillance radar relies on the power probability distribution of the clutter. With Weibull and lognormal clutter types, the power distributions take on a number forms via parameter settings relating to the prevailing environmental conditions. In order to maintain a constant rate of false target detections with a clutter background, the detection threshold must be adjusted to account for these particulars of the clutter distribution. The required change from a noise-based threshold to a clutter-based threshold may be expressed with the aid of a distribution loss for purposes of assessing the radar sensitivity. This paper provides a compact form for the distribution loss whenever the Weibull or lognormal distributions represent the clutter variation about the mean. While the form is an approximation, the efficiency it lends to sensitivity prediction may make it a desirable method of analysis.