cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
"Increased" sensory stimulation leads to changes in energy-related enzymes in the brain.

The facial whiskers of mice project through several synapses to anatomically distinct structures called barrels in the contralateral cerebral cortex. With appropriate illumination, individual barrels can be recognized and dissected from unfixed, freeze-dried tissue sections taken parallel to the plane of layer IV. The tissue then can be analyzed using quantitative microhistochemical techniques to determine the level of various substances of biological importance (W.D. Dietrich, D. Durham, O. H. Lowry, and T. A. Woolsey (1981) J. Neurosci. 1: 929–935). The present paper describes results obtained in this way from adult mice subjected to a chronic “sensory deprivation” by repeatedly clipping all of the whisker hairs on one side of the face and during the recovery from this deprivation in which the whisker hairs were allowed to grow back. Sensory deprivation for 60 days leads to significant changes in the levels of the three energy-related enzymes studied--citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, and glycogen phosphorylase. surprisingly, during clipping, the enzyme levels in the barrels of the contralateral cortex are essentially normal, whereas enzyme levels in the barrels of the ipsilateral cortex are increased significantly. Specifically, activities expressed as a percentage of levels in normal animals were: citrate synthase, 135%; malate dehydrogenase, 130%; and glycogen phosphorylase, 170%. Forty-five days after the deprivation is reversed, the levels return to normal. These significant changes occurred in adult mice several synapses away from the sensory periphery. The data are in contrast to our earlier results in which damage to the primary afferents reduced the levels of the enzymes citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase contralateral to the manipulation. A possible explanation for the enzymatic changes observed in the cortex ipsilateral to the clipped whiskers is an increased utilization of the intact sensory periphery by the animals; this has some behavioral support.
Development of the Solar Tower Atmospheric Cherenkov Effect Experiment (STACEE)

STACEE is a proposed atmospheric Cherenkov telescope for ground-based gamma-ray astrophysics between 25 and 500 GeV. The telescope will make use of the large solar mirrors (heliostats) available at a solar research facility to achieve an energy threshold lower than any existing ground-based instrument. This paper describes the development of STACEE, including an overview of the complete instrument design and a discussion of results from recent prototype tests at the large solar heliostat field of Sandia National Laboratories.
Multilingual knowledge management

Although there has been substantial research in knowledge management, there has been limited work in the area of multilingual knowledge management. The purpose of this chapter is to review and summarize some of the existing and supporting literature surrounding the emerging field of multilingual knowledge management. It does that by reviewing recent applications from multiple fields and the presentation of multilingual information. The chapter uses a theory about knowledge management and also examines supporting literature in translation, collaboration, ontologies and search.
Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) grating couplers

One-dimensional grating couplers and waveguides are fabricated in 500 nm X-cut Lithium Niobate thin film making use of the Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) platform. Single coupler exhibit −12 dB peak insertion loss.
Note: Radiochemical measurement of fuel and ablator areal densities in cryogenic implosions at the National Ignition Facility

A new radiochemical method for determining deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel and plastic ablator (CH) areal densities (ρR) in high-convergence, cryogenic inertial confinement fusion implosions at the National Ignition Facility is described. It is based on measuring the 198Au/196Au activation ratio using the collected post-shot debris of the Au hohlraum. The Au ratio combined with the independently measured neutron down scatter ratio uniquely determines the areal densities ρR(DT) and ρR(CH) during burn in the context of a simple 1-dimensional capsule model. The results show larger than expected ρR(CH) values, hinting at the presence of cold fuel-ablator mix.
Standing in Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms: Using Economic Injury as a Basis for Standing When Environmental Harm is Difficult to Prove

Many of the Supreme Court’s important standing cases have involved environmental disputes. Most recently, in 2010, the Court again addressed standing in an environmental dispute, Monsanto Co. v. Geertson Seed Farms. In Monsanto, the Court did not announce a new standing doctrine. Nevertheless, the Court recognized that an environmental plaintiff may sue without proof of actual environmental harm if it can demonstrate that he or she may suffer economic losses from testing and mitigation measures related to a threatened harm. During the oral argument in Monsanto, Justice Scalia expressed skepticism that the plaintiffs could prove that the petitioners’ sale of genetically modified alfalfa seed would cross-contaminate the plaintiffs’ farms, which used conventional alfalfa seed. Yet he ultimately joined the majority opinion with, among others, Justice Ginsburg, with whom he had disagreed in previous environmental standing decisions. Plaintiffs can raise both claims of environmental harm and property losses as separate grounds to establish a personal injury sufficient for standing. In some cases, as will be discussed below regarding Monsanto, a plaintiff’s claim that a defendant’s actions have caused him or her economic harm may be easier to prove than establishing an environmental injury. For example, although he has often demanded greater proof of environmental harm to establish standing than other members of the Court, Justice Scalia in his dissenting opinion in Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. Laidlaw Environmental Services (TOC), Inc. (Laidlaw) was willing to consider the possibility that an environmental plaintiff could establish standing without proof of environmental injury if he or she could show property loss from a threatened environmental injury. By contrast, his dissenting opinion in Laidlaw had rejected the plaintiffs’ “reasonable concerns” about a threatened environmental injury as insufficient for standing. Based on his dissenting opinion in Laidlaw, the most plausible explanation for Justice Scalia’s joining the majority opinion in Monsanto is that he concluded that the plaintiffs-respondents’ claims of indirect economic harms were plausible even if he remained skeptical regarding their claims of potential environmental harms from the possibility of cross-contamination of seeds. In future cases, the Monsanto decision may be cited as precedent for standing by environmental plaintiffs who can make a plausible showing of economic injury even in cases where it may be difficult to prove an actual environmental harm to the plaintiffs.
Lost in Translation: Examining Translation Errors Associated With Mathematical Representations

Translation errors and conceptual misunderstandings made by students translating among graphical, tabular, and symbolic representations of linear functions were examined. The study situated student errors in the context of the “Translation-Verification Model” developed specifically for the purpose of explaining student behavior during the process of translating relationships from one mathematical representation to another. Three distinct error types were identified to explain student performance. An examination of the error types revealed that specific translation errors tend to occur at different stages of the translation process. Translation errors are also related to “attribute density,” the amount of information inherently encoded in a given representation. The findings of the study have implications for teaching linear relationships—student weaknesses and strengths are identified.
Two-dimensional framework for science textbook and journal publishing

Authors review the types of books used in the science learning process and argue that due to the nature of conventional media, important relationships existing among the science books are lost as each book is published as a separate linear entity. Textbooks lack the ability to present the material in a simplified or in depth manner, and monographs usually lack the ability to supply the supporting material for a given concept. A two dimensional framework is proposed for implementation in the electronic media. The framework is represented by a two dimensional lattice of nodes connected via bidirectional links. For illustration purposes each node can be viewed as a chapter of a science textbook or monograph. Traversing the two dimensional structure horizontally left to right is similar to sequentially reading chapters of a textbook. The relationship between the adjacent horizontal layers is similar to the relationship between a high school and college textbooks on a given subject, or between a college level textbook and a graduate level research oriented textbook. It is argued that while in the conventional publishing media the above relationships are weak, the proposed two dimensional framework captures them by the means of the vertical links. Vertical links connect the corresponding chapters of the adjacent horizontal layers. Traversing the proposed two dimensional structure vertically top to bottom is equivalent to reading sequentially through a monograph on a given subject. Examples of constructing the two dimensional framework for several scientific disciplines are given.
Should β-Blockers Be Used in Patients With Heart Failure and Atrial Fibrillation?

Abstract Purpose There is overwhelming evidence that β-blockers reduce cardiovascular hospitalizations and mortality in patients with heart failure and a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction provide they are in sinus rhythm. However, a recent meta-analysis of individual patient data provides compelling evidence that β-blockers are not effective in patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation, although neither did they increase risk. The purpose of this article is to review the evidence, seek possible explanations for this observation, and make recommendations based on the limited evidence available. Methods Review and critical analysis of recent publications and meta-analyses on the use of β-blockers and other heart rate–slowing medicines in heart failure. Findings The reasons for the lack of effect of β-blockers in patients with heart failure are uncertain. There is a substantial body of evidence to suggest that patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation who have less stringent ventricular rate control have a better outcome. The most plausible explanation for these findings, in our view, is that β-blockers exert similar benefits through similar mechanisms regardless of intrinsic heart rhythm but that the benefits of β-blockers are neutralized in patients with atrial fibrillation due to the induction of pauses that may impair cardiac function leading to worsening heart failure or cause arrhythmias resulting in death. Implications Smaller doses of β-blockers and other rate lowering agents to achieve a resting clinic heart rate in the range of 75-89beats/min might improve outcome. Preventing pauses by pacing or pulmonary vein ablation of atrial fibrillation are strategies that should be researched.
Beyond Blueprints: Questioning the Replication Model in Education Philanthropy

Major new foundations, such as the Gates Foundation, Broad Foundation, and Walton Family Foundation, developed strategies for education philanthropy that drew on lessons from the Annenberg Challenge in the 1990s. Rather than funding locally initiated plans for reform, these new funders share a similar set of strategies, such as charter school expansion and teacher evaluation, and promote these strategies for national replication. Foundation dollars have played a role in enabling significant transformations of some urban districts, such as Los Angeles, Newark, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. Based on analysis of foundation grant distribution to urban districts since 2000 and the political consequences of these grants, I argue that the pendulum of philanthropic strategy may have moved too far in response to the Annenberg Challenge. Where funders saw too much adaptation to local circumstances with Annenberg, they have responded with an overemphasis on national models. Where funders saw too much geographic dispersion of resources with Annenberg, they have responded with significant coordinated investments in certain districts where Blacks and Latinos find themselves disempowered by outside interests. Where funders saw too many attempts to cooperate and collaborate with traditional school districts, they have responded with a strategy that financially weakens some urban districts. In the conclusion, I highlight new lessons for foundations based on weaknesses in the national replication strategy.
Book Review - Magical Marxism: Subversive Politics and the Imagination

Review of: Magical Marxism: Subversive Politics and the Imagination Author: Andy Merrifield Publisher: London and New York: Pluto Press, 2011; 189 pp.
UL34, the target of the herpes simplex virus U(S)3 protein kinase, is a membrane protein which in its unphosphorylated state associates with novel phosphoproteins.

Abstract Previous studies (F. C. Purves, D. Spector, and B. Roizman, J. Virol. 65:5757-5764, 1991) have shown that the protein kinase encoded by the U(S)3 gene mediates posttranslational modification of a viral phosphoprotein with an apparent M(r) of 30,000 encoded by the UL34 gene. Here we report the following. (i) UL34 protein is not phosphorylated in cells infected with recombinant viruses deleted in the U(S)3 gene. (ii) Several new phosphoproteins (apparent M(r)s, 25,000 to 35,000) are present in cells infected with recombinant viruses deleted in the U(S)3 gene or with viruses carrying a mutation in the UL34 gene that precluded phosphorylation of the UL34 gene product by the U(S)3 protein kinase, but not in cells infected under conditions which permit phosphorylation of the UL34 protein. These proteins are genetically unrelated to the product of the UL34 gene. (iii) Polyclonal rabbit anti-UL34 protein serum precipitated not only the UL34 protein but also the other (25,000- to 35,000-M(r)) phosphoproteins from lysates of cells infected with U(S)3- virus. (iv) The UL34 gene product is a membrane protein inasmuch as the polyclonal anti-UL34 serum reacted with surfaces of intact, unfixed, infected cells and the antigen-antibody complex formed in this reaction contained the UL34 protein. (v) Small amounts of the UL34 protein were present in virions of infected cells. We conclude that the UL34 gene product is a membrane protein exclusively phosphorylated by the U(S)3 protein kinase which can either directly or indirectly form complexes with several other phosphoproteins. Experiments done thus far suggest that these phosphoproteins are present only under conditions in which the UL34 protein is not phosphorylated.
A screening library for peptide activated G-protein coupled receptors. 1. The test set.

One subset of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) superfamily is that which is activated by a peptide carrying an obligatory positively charged residue (GPCR−PA+). This subclass is exemplified by receptors for melanocortins, GnRH, galanin, MCH, orexin, and some chemokine receptors variously involved in eating disorders, reproductive disorders, pain, narcolepsy, obesity, and inflammation. Using the methods described in this study, a region of chemical property space enriched in GPCR ligands was identified. This information was used to design and synthesize a “test” library of 2025 single, pure compounds to sample portions of this property space associated with GPCR−PA+ ligands. The library was evaluated by high-throughput screening against three different receptors, rMCH, hMC4, and hGnRH, and found to be highly enriched in active ligands (4.5−61-fold) compared to a control set of 2024 randomly selected compounds. In addition, the analysis suggested that about 7000 compounds will be necessary to complete ...
Inertial Neck Injuries in Children Involved in Frontal Collisions: Sled Testing Using the 6-Year-Old ATD

Sled tests were conducted using a 6-year-old anthropomorphic test device (ATD) to investigate the effect of restraint type and crash severity on the risk of pediatric inertial neck injury. Tests were conducted at three severities, using three restraint configurations: properly restrained, misused restraint, and an age-inappropriate restraint. ATD injury measurements increased with increased crash severity. Head accelerations, head injury criteria, and neck loads, with the exception of neck flexion, were relatively independent of restraint configuration at a given crash severity. The data show that children are at risk of inertial neck injuries at high frontal crash severities.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Risk factors for osteoradionecrosis in elderly patients with oral and pharyngeal cancer

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is a serious complication of radiation therapy used in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and pharynx. The incidences reported in clinical series have varied significantly. In this study, we estimate the incidence of ORN and evaluate the variables associated with developing ORN using the SEER-Medicare database. Our analysis was limited to patients who were ≥66 years of age. ORN was identified using Medicare billing records. We estimated the incidence of ORN in the presence of mortality as a competing risk using the cumulative incidence function, controlling for available patient, disease, and treatment characteristics. Risk factors for ORN were identified using the competing risks regression model of Fine and Gray. Two hundred and twenty one of the 5,390 patients developed ORN, representing a crude incidence rate of 4.1 % (95 % CI, 3.6 to 4.7 %). At 1, 2, 5, and 10 years, the incidence of ORN was 1.4, 2.4, 4.1, and 5.9 %. Oral cavity primary (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.67, p < 0.001), multimodality treatment (HR = 1.39, p = 0.04), decreased age (HR = 0.59, p < 0.001), female gender (HR = 0.61, p < 0.001), and stage (HR = 0.43, p = 0.008) were associated with the development of ORN, but only oral cavity primary was not associated with a decreased risk of mortality, showing that mortality is a strong competing risk for ORN. The incidence of ORN continues to increase steadily up to 10 years from the time of diagnosis. Patients with oral cavity primaries are at highest risk in this population. Future research should be directed toward identifying factors that can reduce the incidence of ORN.
Real-time studies of mark formation processes in phase-change and magneto-optical media using a two-laser tester

We have equipped a commercial polarized-light microscope with two laser diodes operating at 643 nm and 680 nm. The two laser beams are focused simultaneously and coincidentally on the sample through the microscope objective lens. We use one of the lasers in the pulsed mode to write marks on the sample, and the other laser in a low-power cw mode to monitor the changes in reflectivity and/or the state of polarization upon reflection from the sample. The system has a liquid crystal wave-plate for adjusting the optical phase-shifts, an electro-magnet, a hot plate, a computerized XY-stage, two polarizing beam-splitters, and both single-ended and differential detection modules for each of the laser wavelengths.The dynamics of phase-transition (i.e., melting, crystallization, and amorphization upon rapid cooling from melt in the case of PC media, and ferrimagnetic-to-paramagnetic in the case of MO media) are readily observed in the 160 MHz-bandwidth signal picked up by the detectors. Similarly, changes in the magnetic state of the MO media under a focused spot (whether due to the change of temperature or caused by magnetization reversal), are monitored in real-time.We describe the dynamics of phase transformation in PC media as well as the observed behavior of magnetization of the MO media within the region of the hot spot. These observations are made over periods ranging from 30 ns up to several microseconds, with a resolution of only a few nanoseconds. We also outline the methods of extracting from the observed data the physical parameters of the media such as the specific heat, thermal conductivity, temperature-dependence of the optical constants, and the probabilities of nucleation and growth.
Enhanced competitiveness of a Bradyrhizobium japonicum mutant strain improved for nodulation and nitrogen fixation

Bradyrhizobium japonicum strain TA-11NOD+, with altered indole biosynthesis, exhibited enhanced nodulation and nitrogen fixation on soybean in previous greenhouse studies. In this study, field experiments were conducted at Upper Marlboro, Maryland, in the summers of 1988 and 1993. In 1988, the site used was essentially free of soybean-nodulating bacteria and seed yield in plots inoculated with either I-110ARS or TA-11NOD+ was significantly higher by 12 or 20%, respectively, than that of the uninoculated controls. The 1993 site had an indigenous soil population (about 104 cells g-1) of symbiotically ineffective soybean-nodulating bacteria. Nevertheless, six-week-old ‘Morgan’ soybean plants inoculated with strain TA-11NOD+ had 44% more nodules and exhibited 50% more nitrogen fixation by acetylene reduction when compared with plants that received the parental strain I-110ARS. Nodule occupancy, as determined using genetic markers for rifampicin and streptomycin resistance, was significantly higher for strain TA-11NOD+ than for strain I-110ARS. Overall, for the two years and the two soybean genotypes, the yield obtained with TA-11NOD+ was 6% higher than that obtained with I-110ARS. Competition experiments were conducted in the greenhouse and strain TA-11NOD+ was significantly more competitive than strain I-110ARS in competition with strains USDA 6 or USDA 438.
Model of Ionization Response of Weak Polyacids in a Layered Polyelectrolyte Self-Assembly

We present a simple, quantitative model that predicts the ionization behavior of a weak polyacid as strong polyelectrolyte layers are deposited. The theory treats such layered self-assemblies akin to one-dimensional, ionic solids via electrostatics but, importantly, includes local pH response of solution via buffer capacity. The model reduces to a nonlinear, iterative map having a single free parameter and agrees well with experiment. The map shows that steady-state is determined by the polyacid's initial ionization and that polyelectrolyte charges self-adjust.
Scale Space Technique To Finding Primitives In Images With Application To Road Following1

In this paper, we present an approach to find primitives in images using scale space. There are two parts of our scheme. First, the hypothesis framing algorithm is utilized to get qualitative support for the presence of primitive by verifying its behavior at various scale. During this phase we also eliminate the noisy contours. Next, the optimization algorithm is applied to fit the model of primitive to the edge points in the scale space. Through, fitting we get a kind of quantitative support and estimate the unknown parameters in the model of a primitive. In this paper, we only consider a pulse primitive, but our approach is valid for other primitives. We have also used a pulse function to model a road. There are two discontinuities in the pulse mode/ one corresponding to the left edge of the road and the other corresponding to right edge of the road. We present a new algorithm to identify road edges using scale space. Attraction of our approach is that it reduces two dimensional analysis to only single dimension.
Analysis of plastic deformation in nanoscale metallic multilayers with coherent and incoherent interfaces

Abstract Nanoscale metallic multilayered (NMM) composites possess ultra high strength (order of GPa) and high ductility, and exhibit high fatigue resistance. Their mechanical behavior is governed mainly by interface properties (coherent and/or incoherent interfaces), dislocation mechanisms in small volume, and dislocation–interface interaction. In this work, we investigate these effects within a dislocation dynamics (DD) framework and analyze the mechanical behavior of two systems: (1) a bi-material system (CuNi) with coherent interface and (2) a newly developed tri-material system (CuNiNb) composed of both coherent and incoherent interfaces. For the bi-material case we analyze the influence of networks of interfacial dislocations whose nature and distribution are commensurate with the level of relaxation and loading of the structure. Misfit and pre-deposited interfacial dislocation arrays, as well as combinations of both, are studied and the dependence of strength on layer thickness is reported, along with observed dislocation mechanisms. It is shown that interfacial defect configurations significantly alter the strength and mechanical behavior of the material. Furthermore, it is shown that the implementation of penetrable interfaces in DD captures the strength dependence at layer thicknesses on the order of 3–7 nm. For the tri-material case we analyze the effects of coherent and incoherent interfaces in large-scale simulations. The results show that these materials have strong strength-size dependence but are limited by the strength of the incoherent (CuNb) interface which is weak in shear. The weak interface acts as a dislocation sink. This in turn induces an internal shear stress field that activates cross-slip in the adjacent CuNi interlace and thus causing softening. Moreover, it is shown that the yield stress of the CuNiNb system is controlled by the volume fraction of the Nb. Because Nb is the most compliant of the three materials, an increase in volume fraction of Nb decreases the overall yield strength of the material.
Detection of respiratory viruses with a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay (MultiCode-PLx Respiratory Virus Panel) in patients with hematologic malignancies

Respiratory viral pathogens are a common cause of morbidity in patients with hematologic malignancies. Sensitive molecular assays have increased the detection of common respiratory viruses and expanded the panel of detectable viruses. Both a rapid viral culture with direct fluorescence antibody (DFA) staining and a PCR-based assay (MultiCode-PLx Respiratory Virus Panel) were performed on patients with hematologic malignancies, who underwent collection of a nasopharyngeal swab or bronchoalveolar lavage from October 2006 to April 2007. Eighty-two samples from 70 patients were obtained; all patients had upper respiratory tract symptoms. Respiratory viruses were detected in 10 samples (12%) by conventional virological methods and in 31 samples (38%) by the MultiCode-PLx assay. This increased diagnostic yield resulted from better sensitivity for those viruses detectable by both methods and detection of viruses not covered by the antigen detection/rapid culture method (human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses and rhinoviruses). The MultiCode-PLx assay frequently identified respiratory viral infections which are not detected by rapid viral culture/DFA; 40% of these patients had pneumonia in addition to the upper respiratory tract symptoms. Improved diagnostics for respiratory viruses may lead to more effective management and better outcomes in this patient population.
Topology preserving data simplification with error bounds

Abstract Many approaches to simplification of triangulated terrains and surfaces have been proposed which permit bounds on the error introduced. A few algorithms additionally bound errors in auxiliary functions defined over the triangulation. We present an approach to simplification of scalar fields over unstructured grids which preserves the topology of functions defined over the triangulation, in addition to bounding of the errors. The topology of a 2D scalar field is defined by critical points (local maxima, local minima, saddle points), in addition to integral curves between them, which together segment the field into regions which vary monotonically. By preserving this shape description, we guarantee that isocontours of the scalar function maintain the correct topology in the simplified model. Methods for topology preserving simplification by both point-insertion (refinement) and point-deletion (coarsening) are presented and compared.
Infanticide in Mountain Gorillas: New Cases and a Reconsideration of the Evidence

Data on six cases of infanticide, one infanticide attempt, and one suspected infanticide in mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) are presented here for the first time. These and previously reported cases in the same population are analyzed in order to assess the circumstances and consequences of infanticide. Most infanticides occur when infants' mothers are not accompanied by their group's mature male (usually because he has died). Infants in this situation are almost certain to be killed by unfamiliar males unless they are nearly weaned. Active defense of infants by females is ineffective, and females cannot avoid unfamiliar males for prolonged periods. In contrast, infanticide is rare — yet has been observed — in encounters between mature males. It is not associated with group takeovers and male eviction by extra-group males, unlike the case in many other mammals. Demographic constraints and reproductive competition limit the occurrence of defensive coalitions between males. These factors, plus the high risks associated with male/male aggression, inhibit the occurrence of group takeovers by male coalitions. Infanticide shortens interbirth intervals and results in a high probability that a female will mate with the infanticidal male. These findings support the sexual-selection hypothesis for the evolution of infanticide and strongly support the argument that intersexual mutualism and intraspecific aggression have been central factors in gorillas' social evolution.
Excess enthalpies at 323.15, 348.15, and 373.15 K, and (liquid+liquid) equilibria for (cyclohexane+acetonitrile) at 0.4 and 15 MPa

Abstract Excess enthalpies HmE are reported for {xc-C6H12 + (1 − x)CH3CN} at 323.15, 348.15, and 373.15 K and at pressures of 0.4 and 15 MPa. The HmE against x curves at 323.15 K and 0.4 MPa, and at 323.15 and 348.15 K at 15 MPa, have a linear region due to (liquid + liquid) phase separation. The (liquid + liquid) phase diagram at ambient pressure is reported. The (liquid + liquid) values obtained from the discontinuity in the HmE curve at 323.15 K and 0.4 MPa are in excellent agreement with the direct experimental measurements.
Effects of viscosity on the continuous growth of dendritic silicon crystal ribbon

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of viscosity on the thermal stresses developed in a silicon ribbon during its continuous growth. Kelvin models are used to study the viscous behavior of silicon. A specialization of the general three dimensional model for the plane stress conditions is presented. Results of the numerical studies, based on the assumed constants of the Kelvin models, indicate that the viscosity of silicon reduces peak elastic thermal stresses and does notcause any residual stress in the ribbon. The instability of the numerical solution process is also studied and various alternatives are proposed to avoid divergence of the numerical solution.
Loss of RhoB expression enhances the myelodysplastic phenotype of mammalian diaphanous-related Formin mDia1 knockout mice.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and hyperplastic bone marrow. Complete loss or interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 5 occur frequently in MDS. One candidate tumor suppressor on 5q is the mammalian Diaphanous (mDia)-related formin mDia1, encoded by DIAPH1 (5q31.3). mDia-family formins act as effectors for Rho-family small GTP-binding proteins including RhoB, which has also been shown to possess tumor suppressor activity. Mice lacking the Drf1 gene that encodes mDia1 develop age-dependent myelodysplastic features. We crossed mDia1 and RhoB knockout mice to test whether the additional loss of RhoB expression would compound the myelodysplastic phenotype. Drf1−/−RhoB−/− mice are fertile and develop normally. Relative to age-matched Drf1−/−RhoB+/− mice, the age of myelodysplasia onset was earlier in Drf1−/−RhoB−/− animals—including abnormally shaped erythrocytes, splenomegaly, and extramedullary hematopoiesis. In addition, we observed a statistically significant increase in the number of activated monocytes/macrophages in both the spleen and bone marrow of Drf1−/−RhoB−/− mice relative to Drf1−/−RhoB+/− mice. These data suggest a role for RhoB-regulated mDia1 in the regulation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.
Targeting NF-κB in infantile hemangioma-derived stem cells reduces VEGF-A expression

Background Infantile hemangioma (IH) is a most common tumor of infancy. Using infantile hemangioma-derived stem cells (HemSCs), we recently demonstrated that corticosteroids suppress the expression of VEGF-A, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), and interleukin-6 (IL-6); each of these are known targets of the transcription factor nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). In the present study, we examined the expression of these NF-κB target genes in IH tissue specimens and the effect of NF-κB regulation on the expression of pro-angiogenic cytokines, and in particular VEGF-A, in HemSCs.
Automatic discrimination of fine roots in minirhizotron images.

Summary • Minirhizotrons provide detailed information on the production, life history and mortality of fine roots. However, manual processing of minirhizotron images is time-consuming, limiting the number and size of experiments that can reasonably be analysed. Previously, an algorithm was developed to automatically detect and measure individual roots in minirhizotron images. Here, species-specific root classifiers were developed to discriminate detected roots from bright background artifacts. • Classifiers were developed from training images of peach (Prunus persica), freeman maple (Acer × freemanii) and sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) using the Adaboost algorithm. True- and false-positive rates for classifiers were estimated using receiver operating characteristic curves. • Classifiers gave true positive rates of 89–94% and false positive rates of 3–7% when applied to nontraining images of the species for which they were developed. The application of a classifier trained on one species to images from another species resulted in little or no reduction in accuracy. • These results suggest that a single root classifier can be used to distinguish roots from background objects across multiple minirhizotron experiments. By incorporating root detection and discrimination algorithms into an open-source minirhizotron image analysis application, many analysis tasks that are currently performed by hand can be automated.
Low-dose radiotherapy for multicystic benign lymphoepithelial lesions of the parotid gland in HIV-positive patients: long-term results.

Background. Multicystic benign lymphoepithelial lesions of the parotid gland (BLL) seen in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can produce considerable cosmetic deformity as well as physical discomfort. We previously reported our preliminary results with low-dose radiotherapy in this disease, and all 8 patients were satisfied with the initial improvement in their appearance. We now report the long-term follow-up of those patients and additional patients. Methods. Twelve HIV-positive patients with BLL were treated with 8–10 Gy of external radiation using 2-Gy daily fractions. Objective responses and subjective duration of patient-defined cosmetic control were recorded. Results. All 12 patients (100%) had at least a 50% decrease in the size of their parotid masses. Five of 12 (42%) had a complete response and 7 (58%) had a partial response. Persisting complete response was achieved in only 1 patient, however, with relapse in the other 11 patients. Cosmetic palliation, as judged by the patients, was achieved for a median of 9.5 months. Eight patients were subsequently retreated with doses of 6–16 Gy (median and mode: 10 Gy). None (0%) of the 8 patients retreated achieved local control. Conclusions. Very low-dose radiation (8–10 Gy) provides reliable but temporary cosmetic palliation for BLL. Retreatment was unsatisfactory, and we are now investigating higher initial doses of radiation to prolong palliation and eliminate recurrences. © 1995 Jons Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The impact of the Soviet Union upon the U.S. feed/livestock sector— An assessment

Abstract In this article, the impact of volatile Soviet Union corn imports on the U.S. feed/livestock sector is analyzed using an econometric model. The model's attention to supply response when feed price changes enables it to determine the nature of the effect of exogenous shocks across feed and livestock sectors. The model is used in historical simulation to demonstrate the effects of actual and alternative paths of variable Soviet import demand and to explore the difficulties of deriving a stabilizatior policy for these linked sectors.
Hat1: the emerging cellular roles of a type B histone acetyltransferase

Hat1 is the sole known example of a type B histone acetyltransferase. While it has long been presumed that type B histone acetyltransferases participate in the acetylation of newly synthesized histones during the process of chromatin assembly, definitive evidence linking these enzymes to this process has been scarce. This review will discuss recent results that have begun to shed light on the roles of Hat1 and also address several outstanding questions relating to the cellular function of this enzyme.
A Design for a Modular, Generic Soil Simulator to Interface with Plant Models

The various linkages in agricultural systems are so complex that research questions are often studied via simulation modeling. The development and upgrading of detailed models requires a large investment of time and resources ; therefore, it is necessary to simplify the process of building the model and incorporating modifications as research finds new information to include. The goal of this study was to develop the framework for a generic soil simulator that could easily be modified and incorporated into crop models. Soil and root processes are represented by modules that interact on the spatial-temporal grid covering the soil profile and the simulated time interval. Data were divided into public and private components, to minimize information passing between modules. This modular structure and information hiding simplifies replacement or addition of modules and promotes code reuse. The classes of modules include (i) control modules that oversee interactions between processes, (ii) water, solute, heat, and gas transport modules, (iii) interphase chemical transformation modules, (iv) biochemical transformation modules, and (v) root growth and uptake modules. A representative simulator, 2DSOIL, was assembled according to the proposed design. Examples include the incorporation into a simple crop model and the expansion of 2DSOIL with a management module to simulate chemical application.
Financial Analysis of Cardiovascular Wellness Program Provided to Self-Insured Company from Pharmaceutical Care Provider's Perspective

ABSTRACT Objectives To perform a retrospective financial analysis on the implementation of a self-insured company's wellness program from the pharmaceutical care provider's perspective and conduct sensitivity analyses to estimate costs versus revenues for pharmacies without resident pharmacists, program implementation for a second employer, the second year of the program, and a range of pharmacist wages. Design Cost–benefit and sensitivity analyses. Setting Self-insured employer with headquarters in Canton, N.C. Patients 36 employees at facility in Clinton, Iowa. Interventions Pharmacist-provided cardiovascular wellness program. Main Outcome Measures Costs and revenues collected from pharmacy records, including pharmacy purchasing records, billing records, and pharmacists' time estimates. Methods All costs and revenues were calculated for the development and first year of the intervention program. Costs included initial and follow-up screening supplies, office supplies, screening/group presentation time, service provision time, documentation/preparation time, travel expenses, claims submission time, and administrative fees. Revenues included initial screening revenues, follow-up screening revenues, group session revenues, and Heart Smart program revenues. Results For the development and first year of Heart Smart, net benefit to the pharmacy (revenues minus costs) amounted to $2,413. All sensitivity analyses showed a net benefit. For pharmacies without a resident pharmacist, the net benefit was $106; for Heart Smart in a second employer, the net benefit was $6,024; for the second year, the projected net benefit was $6,844; factoring in a lower pharmacist salary, the net benefit was $2,905; and for a higher pharmacist salary, the net benefit was $1,265. Conclusion For the development and first year of Heart Smart, the revenues of the wellness program in a self-insured company outweighed the costs.
Spontaneous Pregnancy and Partial Recovery of Pituitary Function in a Patient with Sheehan's Syndrome

Sheehan's syndrome is caused by pregnancy-related hemorrhage leading to ischemic necrosis of the anterior pituitary gland and hypopituitarism. Spontaneous pregnancy in Sheehan's syndrome is very rare. We report the case of a patient with Sheehan's syndrome who suffered from anterior pituitary insufficiency, but with sparing of gonadotropic function. The patient became pregnant spontaneously and, after her second delivery, thyrotropic function recovered. However, the patient's growth hormone and cortisol levels remained unresponsive to an insulin-tolerance test. This case demonstrates that pituitary function may recover from less extensive pituitary ischemia. We emphasize the importance of early identification of pregnancy in such cases. It is crucial to institute adequate hormone-replacement therapy during pregnancy, since hypopituitarism is associated with high fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality.
Impacts on the Earth and Moon

ALTHOUGH nine out of ten of the average meteorites are stoney, the larger objects which collide with the Earth may be predominantly iron. This reversal in characteristics is suggested by the different size law for stone and iron meteorites. The number of impacts on the Earth's surface, N (km−2 year−1), with initial mass greater than m∞ (kg), is at the present time: These equations can be derived from existing meteorite data1,2 by assuming that 90 per cent of a stone and 80 per cent of an iron are ablated.
Explaining Institutional Change in Tough Cases of Collaboration: “Ideas” in the Blackfoot Watershed

Current theories of community-based collaborative governance arrangements rely on the presence (or absence) of certain antecedent community conditions as well as incentives for institutional change deriving from the sociopolitical and economic environment. The combination of antecedent conditions and incentives is helpful in understanding why collaboratives emerge and succeed in “easy” cases (strong incentives, conducive antecedent conditions). Yet the combination is of little help in understanding the institutional change puzzle for collaboratives in “tough” cases (strong incentives, poor antecedent conditions). Examination of a “tough” case in the Blackfoot watershed (Montana), which eventually blossomed into a successful collaborative, shows the importance of a particular set of new ideas, or shared norms, around which participants coalesced. These new ideas for understanding public problems, the community itself, and the relationships among stakeholders, became a broad conceptual framework for guiding stakeholder interaction as they attempted to manage the many public problems facing the watershed.
Effects of MDMA on complex brain function in laboratory animals.

This review surveys experiments that have examined the effects of acute and chronic MDMA exposure on schedule-controlled operant behaviors thought to engender responses that reflect the expression of complex brain functions. Such functions include time estimation, short-term memory, learning, motivation, and color and position discrimination. Recent experiments conducted in the Behavioral Toxicology Laboratory at the National Center for Toxicological Research concerning MDMA's acute and long-term effects on rhesus monkey performance in an operant test battery are compared to previous studies involving the effects of MDMA on operant behaviors. Results of these experiments suggest that when given acutely, MDMA disrupts complex brain functions associated with learning and time estimation more than those associated with short-term memory and visual discrimination, and that behavioral tasks requiring relatively high rates of responding are particularly sensitive to the disruptive effects of MDMA. Repeated exposure to doses of MDMA sufficient to produce long-lasting changes in brain neurotransmitter systems results in residual effects (e.g. tolerance, sensitivity) on behavioral task performance when subjects are subsequently challenged with acute MDMA, whereas baseline (non-challenged) performance of these tasks after such exposure generally remains unchanged. Although the experiments described herein were conducted on a relatively small number of non-human subjects, they raise the possibility that long-term effects on cognitive processes may also occur in humans exposed to repeated or acute high doses of MDMA.
Implementing Relationship Education for Emerging Adult College Students: Insights from the Field

With federal and state Healthy Marriage Initiatives, greater attention is on education aimed at helping couples form and maintain healthy relationships. Emerging adults attending college are one population of focus for these efforts. Here we briefly describe a relationship education intervention for this population and provide participant feedback from a recent year of the project. Overall findings were that participants perceived the program and the facilitators positively. When asked what was helpful, they identified curriculum delivery (e.g., use of movie clips) and the teaching of skills among other things. Their assessment of the intervention differed by facilitator's gender and years of experience. Implications for relationship education for emerging adults and college instructors are discussed.
TANF participation rates: Do community conditions matter?

A general criticism of the 1996 Welfare Reform Act is that it is primarily the result of an urban political agenda, and it may hurt rather than help the rural poor. Under the new welfare system, the rural poor that are most likely to be affected are those who live in socially, economically, and spatially disadvantaged communities. More residents in these communities are likely to need TANF, clients in these communities are least likely to leave TANF by finding employment, and community organizations are likely to have more limited resources to help TANF recipients. The objective of this study is to examine the extent to which variations in community conditions account for differences in TANF participation rates. Using 1997 TANF data from the Mississippi Department of Human Services, we estimated OLS regression models of local TANF participation rates across 100 communities in nonmetro counties. The results indicate that TANF participation rates tend to be higher in communities with high concentrations of African Americans, less faith-based activeness, more employment in retail trade, spatial concentration of the poor, and located in the Delta.