cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inter-Hemispheric Coupling During Northern Polar Summer Periods of 2002-2010 using TIMED/SABER Measurements

It has been found that for more than one polar summer season between 2002-2010, the northern polar mesospheric region near and above about 80 km was warmer than normal. The strongest warming effect of this type was observed to occur during northern summer 2002. Theoretical studies have implied that these "anomalies" were preceded by unusual dynamical processes in the southern hemisphere. We have analyzed temperature distributions measured by the SABER limb scanning infrared radiometer aboard the NASA TIMED satellite between 2002-2010 at altitudes from 15 to 110 km and for latitudes between 83 S to 83 N. We describe the approach to trace the inter-hemispheric temperature correlations demonstrating the global features that were unique for the "anomalous" northern polar summers. From our analysis of SABER data from 2002-2010, the anomalous heating for the northern mesopause region during northern summer was accompanied by stratospheric heating in the equatorial region. In the winter hemisphere it is accompanied by heating in the lower stratosphere and mesopause region, and cooling in the stratopause region. Also, all the elements of the temperature anomaly structure appear to develop and fade away nearly simultaneously, thereby suggesting either a global influence or a rapid exchange.
CD200 is induced by ERK and is a potential therapeutic target in melanoma

Immune-mediated antitumor responses occur in patients with metastatic melanoma (MM), and therapies designed to augment such responses are clinically beneficial. Despite the immunogenicity of melanoma, immunomodulatory therapies fail in the majority of patients with MM. An inability of DCs to sufficiently activate effector cells may, in part, underlie this failure of the antitumor response seen in most patients. In this work, we show that mutation of N-RAS or B-RAF, signature genetic lesions present in most MMs, potently induced the expression of cell-surface CD200, a repressor of DC function. Employing 2 independent, genome-wide microarray analyses, we identified CD200 as a highly dynamic, downstream target of RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK activation in melanoma. CD200 protein was similarly overexpressed in human melanoma cell lines and primary tumors. CD200 mRNA expression correlated with progression and was higher in melanoma than in other solid tumors or acute leukemia. Melanoma cell lines expressing endogenous CD200 repressed primary T cell activation by DCs, while knockdown of CD200 by shRNA abrogated this immunosuppressive effect. These data indicate that in addition to its effects on growth, survival, and motility, ERK activation in MM attenuates a host antitumor immune response, implicating CD200 and its interaction with the CD200 receptor as a potential therapeutic target for MM.
The disturbance in iodine metabolism produced by thiocyanate; the mechanism of its goitrogenic action with radioactive iodine as indicator.

FROM OBSERVATIONS made in this laboratory (Franklin, Chaikoff and Lerner, 1944) it was concluded that thiocyanate inhibits the iodine concentrating capacity of thyroid tissue in vitro. This conclusion was based on experiments in which surviving slices of thyroid tissue were suspended in a Ringer medium containing radioactive inorganic iodide (I131) as a labeling agent. More recently the goitrogenic action of thiocyanate in vivo has been investigated by Rawson, Tannheimer and Peacock (1944). These workers measured the uptake of radioactive iodine by rat thyroids that had been made hyperplastic by the administration of thiocyanate Average values of 56 and 87 per cent of the injected radioactivity were recovered in the thyroid gland of the control and thiocyanatetreated animals respectively. In view of the apparent discrepancy between the in vitro and in vivo effects of thiocyanate, the action of this goitrogen on iodine metabolism has been reinvestigated.
The aqueous extract, not organic extracts, of Terminalia arjuna bark exerts cardiotonic effect on adult ventricular myocytes

The bark of Terminalia arjuna (TA) has been used for centuries in ayurvedic medicine as cardiotonics for treatment of cardiac disorders. It became recently available as over-the-counter supplements marketed for maintaining a healthy heart. However, the cellular mechanism of its cardiotonic effect remains undefined. The present study was designed to investigate the physicochemical property and inotropic effect of the aqueous extract of TA bark (TA(AqE)) on adult rat ventricular myocytes in comparison with extracts prepared sequentially with organic solvents (organic extracts). The kinetics of myocyte contraction and caffeine-induced contraction were analyzed to assess the effect of TA(AqE) on sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) function. The inotropic effect of TA(AqE) was also compared with that of known cardiotonics, isoproterenol (ISO) and ouabain (Ouab). We found that TA(AqE) decoctions exerted positive inotropy, accelerated myocyte relaxation and increased caffeine-induced contraction concentration-dependently. In contrast, TA organic extracts caused interruption of excitability and arrhythmias without consistent inotropic action. In conclusion, TA(AqE)-induced cardiotonic action via enhancing SR function, a unique action minimizing the occurrence of arrhythmias, makes TA(AqE) a promising and relatively safe cardiotonic beneficial to the healthy heart and the treatment for chronic heart disease. The cardiotonic effect of TA(AqE) is consistent with the therapeutic property of TA bark used in ayurvedic medicine. The method of administration and/or selective omission of hydrophobic components from bark powder could be crucial to the efficacy and safety of TA bark in cardiac therapy and uses as over-the-counter supplements.
Chemische Untersuchungen von Silicaten. XV. Die Konstitution der wasserhaltigen Natriumsilicate

Hydrolyse der Natriumsilicathydrate mit feuchtem Alkohol fuhrt zur Bildung der bisher nicht bekannten Verbindung Na[H3SiO4]. Aus diesem Befund und dem kryoskopischen Verhalten der Natriumsilicathydrate in geschmolzenem Glaubersalz wird abgeleitet, das die bisher fur diese Verbindungen verwendeten Formeln Na2SiO3 · 9,6,5 H2O und Na6Si2O7 · 11 H2O unrichtig sind. Die Natriumsilicathydrate sind als saure Salze der Monokieselsaure bzw. deren Hydrate Na3[HSiO4] · 5 H2O Na2[H2SiO4]·8,5,4 H2O Na[H3SiO4] aufzufassen.
Consumption experience, customer value, and subjective personal introspection: An illustrative photographic essay

Abstract This study illustrates the applicability of subjective personal introspection via a photographic essay that draws on written memoirs as a path to insights concerning the role of customer value in the consumption experience. Extending earlier work in this direction, the present research explores a set of sixty-year-old Kodachrome slides taken by the author's grandfather to develop interpretations bolstered and corroborated by the narrative accounts in this late gentleman's logbook. Arguably, this approach taps aspects of the Three Fs (fantasies, feelings, and fun) as they contribute to customer value in ways not accessible to methods of modeling the consumer as a rational economic decision maker nor to advanced techniques for studying the consumption experience by means of laboratory experiments, quantitative surveys, and multivariate statistics.
Students’ Perceptions of Teachers: Implications for Classroom Practices for Supporting Students’ Success

Positive psychology represents a conceptual framework that emphasizes the need to capitalize on individuals’ strengths in order to facilitate optimal functioning. As applied to the educational setting, these concepts have primarily been investigated via teaching life skills to students that encourage overall wellness. School-based strategies for supporting student wellness have primarily been focused on attempts to identify and remediate problems as opposed to also viewing student functioning from the positive psychology lens of “what is right with people.” In this article, the authors review the literature that highlights what is right, specifically within the context of teacher–student relationships. A particular focus on what is right about these relationships from the perspectives of students is emphasized.
Breast and cervical carcinoma screening practices among women in rural and nonrural areas of the United States, 1998–1999

BACKGROUND Prior studies have suggested that women living in rural areas may be less likely than women living in urban areas to have had a recent mammogram and Papanicolau (Pap) test and that rural women may face substantial barriers to receiving preventive health care services. METHODS The authors examined both breast and cervical carcinoma screening practices of women living in rural and nonrural areas of the United States from 1998 through 1999 using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The authors limited their analyses of screening mammography and clinical breast examination to women aged 40 years or older (n = 108,326). In addition, they limited their analyses of Pap testing to women aged 18 years or older who did not have a history of hysterectomy (n = 131,813). They divided the geographic areas of residence into rural areas and small towns, suburban areas and smaller metropolitan areas, and larger metropolitan areas. RESULTS Approximately 66.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 65.8% to 67.6%) of women aged 40 years or older who resided in rural areas had received a mammogram in the past 2 years, compared with 75.4% of women living in larger metropolitan areas (95% CI = 74.9% to 75.9%). About 73.0% (95% CI = 72.2% to 73.9%) of women aged 40 years or older who resided in rural areas had received a clinical breast examination in the past 2 years, compared with 78.2% of women living in larger metropolitan areas (95% CI = 77.8% to 78.7%). About 81.3% (95% CI = 80.6% to 82.0%) of 131,813 rural women aged 18 years or older who had not undergone a hysterectomy had received a Pap test in the past 3 years, compared with 84.5% of women living in larger metropolitan areas (95% CI = 84.1% to 84.9%). The differences in screening across rural and nonrural areas persisted in multivariate analysis (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS These results underscore the need for continued efforts to provide breast and cervical carcinoma screening to women living in rural areas of the United States. Cancer 2002; 94:2801–12. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10577
Estimation of response function in a dynamic regression model

Este articulo consta de tres partes: La estimacion de la funcion impusorespuesta en un tiempo invariante, sistema lineal del input en un intervalo de tiempo finito y observacion del output en puntos de tiempo continuo se discuten en este trabajo. El criterio de optimacion usado es el del error cuadratico minimo. Para el modelo de tiempo discreto, el “tiempo muerto” entre el input y el output y las replicaciones de las observaciones se discuten tambien.
Inositol Phosphate Content of Selected Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils, Raw and Cooked

Abstract Fourteen varieties of dry legumes available in local supermarkets were analyzed for inositol phosphate profile in the raw state and after cooking. Inositol tris-, tetrakis-, pentakis-, and hexakisphosphate (IP 3 –IP 6 ) were determined by a HPLC procedure. The concentration of inositol phosphates in raw dry legumes did not differ significantly among three different brands. Phytic acid (IP 6 ) concentration (per kg dry basis) ranged from 6.0 mmol in chickpeas to 14.2 mmol in black beans. Phytic acid was the predominate inositol phosphate of the total inositol phosphates determined in raw dry legumes, ranging from 77% in chickpeas and pigeon peas to 88% in black beans. The remainder of the inositol phosphates in raw, dry legumes were IP 4 and IP 5 , except lentils contained, in addition, a detectable amount of IP 3 . The cooked legumes all contained detectable amounts of IP 3 , increased amounts of both IP 4 and IP 5 , but lower amounts of IP 6 in comparison to the raw dry legume (differences between uncooked and cooked were statistically significant, P 6 in the cooked legumes averaged 83%, ranging from 68% in red kidney beans to 86% in chickpeas, of the concentrations in the raw dry legumes. Phytic acid remained the predominate inositol phosphate in cooked legumes, averaging 68% of the total and ranging from 60% in pigeon peas to 78% in yellow split peas. Quick soak vs overnight soak of beans before cooking resulted in no difference in inositol phosphate concentration or profile of cooked beans. Although the total inositol phosphates did not differ significantly between raw and cooked dry legumes ( P > 0.1), the IP 6 and IP 5 + IP 6 represented a smaller percentage of the total in the cooked legumes, suggesting that cooking decreases the potential adverse impact of inositol phosphates on mineral utilization when legumes are included in the diet.
A class of optimum importance sampling strategies

Abstract The problem of estimating expectations of functionals of random vectors via simulation is investigated. As an alternative to simple averaging, an efficient form of Monte Carlo simulations known as Importance Sampling can be employed to produce arbitrarily accurate estimates of the expectation of interest. The fundamental problem in Importance Sampling is to determine the appropriate statistics under which to conduct the simulation. These statistics are typically determined from a constraint class by minimizing the variance of the Importance Sampling estimator over the class of admissible statistics. In previous work, the authors showed that minimizing the Importance Sampling variance is equivalent to finding the distribution which is closest to the unconstrained optimal distribution with respect to a specific Information-Theoretic f -divergence or Ali-Silvey distance. In this work, the authors determine the optimal biasing density from a constraint class whose controlling parameter is fundamental in the performance analysis of Importance Sampling. In addition, it is shown that the constrained optimal distribution from this class minimizes every statistical distance measure to the global optimal distribution and as a consequence is optimal with respect to a large family of nonlinear cost functions. Salient features of this distribution are: (1) unlike the unconstrained optimal solution, this distribution can be made independent of the parameter to be estimated and thus can admit to implementation, and (2) this distribution renders performance gains which can be made arbitrarily close to the optimal gains. Applications to estimating probabilities of rare events (e.g., error rates in communication systems) will be presented. Further analysis will show that in this case, the savings over Monte Carlo simulations become unbounded as the probability of the rare event diminishes.
A study of post-exposure baking effect for CAR process in photomask fabrication

As the requirement of specification on photomask continues to be tightening with advanced logic and memory devices, the combined process of chemically amplified resist (CAR) and high acceleration voltage e-beam writing tool is widely used to meet the resolution and throughput for advance photomask fabrication. It is well known that the post exposure baking (PEB) condition makes serious effect on the characteristic of CAR due to its de-protection reaction with thermal acid catalyzation. In this paper, we present the PEB temperature effect on pattern resolution such as line edge roughness (LER) and proximity effect correction (PEC) latitude that is practical limitation in the combined process of 50 kV writng tool and CAR resist. Our results show that LER and PEC lattitude are strongly dependent on PEB temperature due to resist contrast variation. At higher PEB temperature, increasing the contrast value can reduce the LER and it can increase the optimum PEC latitude.
Impact of radiation technique upon the outcome of treatment for medulloblastoma.

Abstract Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is an essential component of the therapy of medulloblastoma. Because medulloblastoma disseminates via the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), CSI technique involves the irradiation of all CSF-bearing areas which are at risk for tumor seeding. Underdosing with radiation because of inadequacies in CSI technique will produce dose “cold spots” which have the potential of serving as a nidus for tumor recurrence. A simple mathematic model of subclinical disease in medulloblastoma based on the available data concerning the radiosensitivity of medulloblastoma cell lines as well as the known clinical dose-response relationships support the hypothesis that for most cases of medulloblastoma, the radiotherapist is working in a range of doses arrayed on the steep portion of the tumor control probability curve. Underdosing of CSF-bearing areas because of technical problems at the junction of the cranial and spinal fields of irradiation, placement of shielding blocks in the cribiform plate-subfrontal region, and/or anatomic errors in the design of the caudal end of the CSI fields may lead to significant risks of tumor relapse. One may debate the necessity of a posterior fossa boost encompassing the entire anatomic posterior fossa rather than the primary tumor volume with a margin. This review critically evaluates the potential impact of CSI technique upon the outcome of treatment for medulloblastoma, and suggests future areas of inquiry.
Cryptococcal osteomyelitis and meningitis in a patient with non-hodgkin’s lymphoma treated with PEP-C

The authors present the first case report of a patient with lymphoma who developed disseminated cryptococcal osteomyelitis and meningitis while being treated with the PEP-C (prednisone, etoposide, procarbazine and cyclophosphamide) chemotherapy regimen. During investigation of fever and new bony lesions, fungal culture from a rib biopsy revealed that the patient had cryptococcal osteomyelitis. Further evaluation demonstrated concurrent cryptococcal meningitis. The patient’s disseminated cryptococcal infections completely resolved after a full course of antifungal treatment. Cryptococcal osteomyelitis is itself an extremely rare diagnosis, and the unique presentation with concurrent cryptococcal meningitis in our patient with lymphoma was likely due to his PEP-C treatment. It is well recognised that prolonged intensive chemotherapeutic regimens place patients at risk for atypical infections; yet physicians should recognise that even chronic low-dose therapies can put patients at risk for fungal infections. Physicians should consider fungal infections as part of the infectious investigation of a lymphopaenic patient on PEP-C.
The Role of Physician Opinion in Human Enhancement

Hotze and colleagues (2011) provide a comprehensive account of physicians’ attitudes toward human enhancement through the use of a survey they administered to a random sample of physicians in the U...
No-fault medical liability in Virginia and Florida. A preliminary evaluation.

State governments are experimenting with a variety of innovative approaches to the current tort system for medical malpractice liability. One such approach is to apply the concept of no-fault liability to medical practice. States such as Virginia and Florida have already adopted a limited version of such a concept. This article examines the problems of the current tort system, different types of no-fault medical insurance alternatives and their advantages, and the experiences of the states of Virginia and Florida with their limited no-fault malpractice insurance systems. The author concludes that the concept of no-fault compensation for medical malpractice is a promising remedy. However, it is a medicine that will require more testing before it can be pronounced a cureforthe disease that plagues the current system.
Teachers' Perceptions of Students: A Link between Classrooms, School Cultures, and the Social Order

In lowerand regular-track classes at two high schools, curriculum differentiation is neither a neutral and equitable response to individual students' diverse interests and talents nor a predictably discriminatory response by a weak institution in an inequitable society. Instead, as described in this interpretive study, curriculum differentiation is a complex sociocultural and political process. The meanings of the roles of lower-track student and teacher and of the lower-track curriculum are negotiated in classrooms. However, the classroom negotiations also translate principles of membership and differentiation from the wider contexts of the school and community.
An adaptive high-order hybrid scheme for compressive, viscous flows with detailed chemistry

A hybrid weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO)/centered-difference numerical method, with low numerical dissipation, high-order shock-capturing, and structured adaptive mesh refinement (SAMR), has been developed for the direct numerical simulation of the multicomponent, compressible, reactive Navier–Stokes equations. The method enables accurate resolution of diffusive processes within reaction zones. The approach combines time-split reactive source terms with a high-order, shock-capturing scheme specifically designed for diffusive flows. A description of the order-optimized, symmetric, finite difference, flux-based, hybrid WENO/centered-difference scheme is given, along with its implementation in a high-order SAMR framework. The implementation of new techniques for discontinuity flagging, scheme-switching, and high-order prolongation and restriction is described. In particular, the refined methodology does not require upwinded WENO at grid refinement interfaces for stability, allowing high-order prolongation and thereby eliminating a significant source of numerical diffusion within the overall code performance. A series of one-and two-dimensional test problems is used to verify the implementation, specifically the high-order accuracy of the diffusion terms. One-dimensional benchmarks include a viscous shock wave and a laminar flame. In two-space dimensions, a Lamb–Oseen vortex and an unstable diffusive detonation are considered, for which quantitative convergence is demonstrated. Further, a two-dimensional high-resolution simulation of a reactive Mach reflection phenomenon with diffusive multi-species mixing is presented.
Wearing a Pith Helmet at a Sly Angle: Or, Can Writing Researchers Do Ethnography in a Postmodern Era?.

The entry of ethnography and ethnographic methods into writing research, particularly during the 1980s, has been highly productive. However, this research continues to ignore many of the doubts concerning ethnography that anthropologists themselves have been raising for a number of years. This article (a) outlines more than a decade of civil war among anthropologists, (b) considers the relevance of that debate to writing researchers working ethnographically, (c) argues for more experimental ethnographic texts in contrast to the entrenched models that currently rule the field and despite the institutional resistance that experimental texts are bound to generate, and (d) suggests in cursory fashion the fate of “postmodernist” discourse in the context of the more normative discourse of institutional life. Along the way, the article analyzes some of the rhetoric of the ethnographic work of writing researchers, including Heath's Ways With Words.
Linking numeracy and asthma-related quality of life

Objective To examine the correlation of numerical skills used in patients’ self-management of asthma with asthma-related quality of life (AQOL).
Refereed paper: Protecting databases from inference attacks

This paper presents a model of database inference and a taxonomy of inference detection approaches. The Merlin inference detection system is presented as an example of an automated inference analysis tool that can assess inference vulnerabilities using the schema of a relational database. A manual inference penetration approach is then offered as a means of detecting inferences that involve instances of data or characteristics of groups of instances. These two approaches are offered as practical approaches that can be applied today to address the database inference problem. The final section discusses future directions in database inference research.
UV disinfection of Giardia lamblia cysts in water.

The human and animal pathogen Giardia lamblia is a waterborne risk to public health because the cysts are ubiquitous and persistent in water and wastewater, not completely removed by physical-chemical treatment processes, and relatively resistant to chemical disinfection. Given the recently recognized efficacy of UV irradiation against Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts, the inactivation of G. lamblia cysts in buffered saline water at pH 7.3 and room temperature by near monochromatic (254 nm) UV irradiation from low-pressure mercury vapor lamps was determined using a “collimated beam” exposure system. Reduction of G. lamblia infectivity for gerbils was very rapid and extensive, reaching a detection limit of >4 log within a dose of 10 JM-2. The ability of UV-irradiated G. lamblia cysts to repair UV-induced damage following typical drinking water and wastewater doses of 160 and 400 JM-2 was also investigated using experimental protocols typical for bacterial and eucaryotic DNA repair under both light and dark c...
The strength of great apes and the speed of humans.

Cliff Jolly developed a causal model of human origins in his paper “The Seed‐Eaters,” published in 1970. He was one of the first to attempt this, and the paper has since become a classic. I do not have such grand goals; instead, I seek to understand a major difference between the living great apes and humans. More than 50 years ago, Maynard Smith and Savage (1956) showed that the musculoskeletal systems of mammals can be adapted for strength at one extreme and speed at the other but not both. Great apes are adapted for strength—chimpanzees have been shown to be about four times as strong as fit young humans when normalized for body size. The corresponding speed that human limb systems gain at the expense of power is critical for effective human activities such as running, throwing, and manipulation, including tool making. The fossil record can shed light on when the change from power to speed occurred. I outline a hypothesis that suggests that the difference in muscular performance between the two species...
Support of Structures in Expansive Shale Using Recycled Plastic Piles

Expansive soil formations can be found throughout the United States. When subjected to wetting, these formations have the potential to swell and exert large uplift forces on buildings and foundations. Lightly loaded structures, such as single family residences founded in areas of expansive soils, can be significantly damaged due to uplift movement from swelling actions. Designing an economical deep foundation that can resist uplift forces is critical to prevent damage to these structures. The current solutions to control uplift due to swelling soils, such as over-excavation and replacement of the expansive material or the use of drilled shafts can be costly. Piles made from recycled polymer materials could provide a solution. Due to a lower coefficient of friction along the interface of the soil-pile interface compared to traditional pile materials, solid recycled plastic piles can allow expansive soils to move nearly independently from the pile when wetted. This results in a much smaller magnitude of uplift force being transferred to the structure, which minimizes the risk of significant structural damage from excessive movements. This paper presents the results of research conducted on the use of recycled plastic piles in an expansive shale environment. The preliminary phase of the project involved the installation of six recycled plastic piles at a test site on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology campus. Two of the piles were subjected to a full-scale compression load test in order to determine ultimate capacity. The remaining four piles were subjected to long-term monitoring of uplift movement during the course of the project. A concrete anchor was also installed at the test site for uplift monitoring. Data gathered during the field and laboratory testing was utilized in a non-linear soilstructure interaction model to predict the displacement behavior and internal stresses within a plastic pile and concrete anchor subjected to uplift forces from the swelling shale. While more research is needed to further understand the application for recycled plastic piles, the results from this research indicate that their use is a viable alternative for support of lightly loaded structures in expansive soil environments.
TWO SEROLOGICAL TYPES OF GROUP B HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI WITH RELATED, BUT NOT IDENTICAL, TYPE-SPECIFIC SUBSTANCES

1. Among group B hemolytic streptococci one serological type previously described as homogeneous has been shown, instead, to contain two closely related types, distinguishable by reciprocal absorption experiments. These streptococci are designated Types Ia and Ib. 2. Homologous organisms in each case absorb all antibodies from their respective antisera, while organisms of the heterologous related type absorb only the antibody responsible for the cross reactions. Group B streptococci of other types do not absorb the antibodies responsible for the cross reactions between these two related types. The precipitin reaction and passive protection tests in mice were employed in this analysis. 3. The type-specific substance of Type Ia is a polysaccharide. Preliminary study indicates that this is also true of Type Ib. While no data are available concerning the chemical relationships of these substances, it seems probable that the two types elaborate polysaccharides, related chemically as well as serologically.
Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction in adult rat hepatocytes in primary culture by several chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin.

Abstract The induction of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) by Aroclor 1254, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD) and other polychlorinated organic compounds was examined in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes isolated by a collagenase perfusion technique. Following exposure of fresh hepatocyte cultures to 1 μg/ml Aroclor 1254, AHH induction was undetected for 48 hr and then increased dramatically up to 96 hr. Cultures maintained in control medium for either 24, 48, or 72 hr prior to a 24-hr exposure to Aroclor 1254 displayed significant inducible AHH which was sustained to 96 hr. AHH induction was extremely sensitive to two planar polyaromatic hydrocarbons, 2,3,7,8-TCDD and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, and the PCB congener 3,4,3′,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl, but insensitive to 2,6-dichlorodibenzofuran, 2,5,2′,5′-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 2,4,5,2′,4′,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl, and hexachlorobenzene. The induction of AHH activity in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes may represent a useful bioassay for screening extracts of foodstuffs, biological fluids, or environmental samples for dioxin-like activity.
Palliative Care in Children With Cancer: Which Child and When?

At a time of increasing interest in palliative care in pediatrics, pediatric oncology programs may be failing to deliver adequate palliation to children with cancer. In a recent study, parents of children who died on a pediatric oncology service reported that despite treatment at the end of life, their children's suffering was not adequately relieved and that parents were more likely than caregivers to recognize their children's suffering. Why do pediatric oncologists fail? First, death in children from cancer is a rare event. Second, few prospective trials in the field of pediatric palliative care describe and quantify symptoms during cure-directed care or at the end of life. This leads to a lack of evidence-based practice and forces the clinician to use personal experience and trial-by-error medical care. Third, pediatric oncologists and those charged with developing pediatric palliative care programs must deal with the different physiologic and developmental stages encountered while caring for infants, children, and adolescents. Fourth, education is needed for pediatric oncology caregivers in many areas of palliative care. Finally, reimbursement issues surround the palliative care field and are a major hindrance in developing effective integrated palliative care teams. These factors have also made it difficult to perform palliative care research in children. When discussing palliative care in children with cancer, where few die but many suffer, a paradigm shift must occur that does not equate palliative care with end-of-life care. A model on how we might make the transition from symptom control that we should offer to every patient to end-of-life care is discussed.
The effect of interleukin-11 on the progression of ligature-induced periodontal disease in the beagle dog.

Background: The rate of progression of periodontal disease is dependent on the complex regulatory interactions between bacteria and the immune modulators of the host response. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if recombinant human interleukin-11 (rhIL-11), known to downregulate several inflammatory modulators, has the ability in subcutaneous administration to reduce the rate and/or extent of periodontal attachment loss and radiographic bone loss in a ligature-induced periodontal disease beagle dog model. Methods: Twenty 18-month-old female beagle dogs were brought to optimal periodontal health over a 2-week period. Periodontal disease was induced by placing 2.0 silk ligatures around the mandibular first molar and premolar teeth. The dogs were divided into 3 treatment groups and one control group. The 3 treatment groups received subcutaneous injections of either 15, 30, or 80 µg/kg of rhIL-11 in saline buffer twice a week. The placebo group received buffer only subcutaneously twice a week....
Evidence of transmission of Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia multivorans and Burkholderia dolosa among persons with cystic fibrosis

Previous studies have identified specific Burkholderia cepacia complex strains that are common to multiple persons with cystic fibrosis (CF). Such so-called epidemic strains have an apparent enhanced capacity for inter-patient spread and reside primarily in Burkholderia cenocepacia (formerly B. cepacia complex genomovar III). We sought to identify strains from B. cepacia complex species other than B. cenocepacia that are similarly shared by multiple CF patients. We performed genotype analysis of 360 recent sputum culture isolates from 360 persons residing in 29 cities by using repetitive extragenic palendromic polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis. The results indicate that sharing of a common Burkholderia multivorans strain occurs relatively infrequently; however, several small clusters of patients infected with the same strain were identified. A cluster of seven patients infected with the same B. cepacia (genomovar I) strain was found. We also identified a large group of 28 patients receiving care in the same treatment center and infected with the same Burkholderia dolosa strain. These observations suggest that B. cepacia complex strains in species other than B. cenocepacia may be spread among CF patients.
SYNTHETIC AND DIVISION RATES OF EUGLENA GRACILIS GROWN IN BATCH CULTURES.

Abstract Cultures of a colorless strain of Euglena gracilis var. bacillaris were grown on media containing acetate, succinate or ethanol as the sole carbon sources for growth. The cells were sampled during the exponential growth phase and their dry weight, protein, carbohydrate, RNA and DNA contents were determined. All the cellular materials except DNA progressively declined on a per cell basis during exponential growth. However, this was not due to any change in their synthetic rates during this time interval. The cellular contents were replicated at rates which were log-linear and unchanging when expressed on a per culture basis. However, these rates were slower than the rates of cell division in every case except the synthesis of DNA, and this lack of a correspondence between the synthetic and the division rates of Euglena apparently leads to the decline in the cellular constituents during exponential growth.
Bridging physical and virtual worlds with electronic tags

The role of computers in the modern office has divided our activities between virtual interactions in the realm of the computer and physical interactions with real objects within the traditional office infrastructure. This paper extends previous work that has attempted to bridge this gap, to connect physical objects with virtual representations or computational functionality, via various types of tags. We discuss a variety of scenarios we have implemented using a novel combination of inexpensive, unobtrusive and easy to use RFID tags, tag readers, portable computers and wireless networking. This novel combination demonstrates the utility of invisibly, seamlessly and portably linking physical objects to networked electronic services and actions that are naturally associated with their form.
New Observations of the [HCO+]/[HOC+] Ratio in Dense Molecular Clouds

New measurements of the millimeter-wave transitions of HOCtoward dense molecular clouds have been carried out using the NRAO 12 m telescope. The J \ 1 ) 0 transition of HOCat 89 GHz has been detected for the -rst time toward DR21 (OH), W51M, W3 (OH), NGC 7538, Orion (3N, 1E), NGC 2024, and G34.3. The J \ 2 ) 1 and J \ 3 ) 2 lines at 179 GHz and 268 GHz have also been observed in W51 and Orion KL. In conjunction with past observations of HOCtoward Orion KL and SgrB2 (OH) by Ziurys & Apponi, these data con-rm the presence of this ion in the interstellar medium. The column densities of HOCwere found to be cm~2, which correspond to N tot D (7 ) 1010)E(3 ) 1012) fractional abundances of fD(2 ) 10~13)E(3 ) 10~12) relative to Observations of the J \ 1 ) 0 tran- H 2 . sition of HC18Oat 85 GHz have also been carried out, resulting in (HCO`)/(HOC`) ratios of 360E 6000. These values are in good agreement with recent modeling by Herbst & Woon and con-rm that the reaction of HOCwith indeed has a substantial barrier at low (T \ 50 K) temperatures. The wide- H 2 spread abundance of HOCadditionally suggests that there is not a strong preference for synthesis of this ion in photon-dominated regions, although there may be a small enhancement toward such gas. Finally, con-rmation of interstellar HOChas been accomplished through observations of weak emis- sion mK) at 179 GHz, proving that measurements near the atmospheric water line at 183 GHz (T R ( 50 are not as difficult as previously thought. Subject headings: ISM: abundances E ISM: clouds E ISM: molecules E radio lines: ISM
Getting Organized: Political and Economic Dilemmas for Maya Handicrafts Vendors

For decades, Maya handicrafts vendors have been in conflict with the municipal government and the police of Antigua Guatemala over rights to sell in the city. This struggle is part of daily life for street vendors and those selling in the Compaiiia de Jesus marketplace. Over time, they have employed various strategies in order to stay in Antigua despite pressure from government officials and local businesspeople. Such conflicts are not unique; throughout the world, street vendors, especially, have clashed with local governments over the right to sell particular goods and to sell in particular locations (Castaieda, 1996; 1997; Clark, 1988; Cross, 1998a; 1998b; Dannhaeuser, 1989; Stoller, 2002). However, for handicrafts vendors in Guatemala and elsewhere in Latin America (Castafieda, 1996; Chibnik, 2003; Colloredo-Mansfeld, 1999; Grimes and Milgram, 2000; Nash, 1993a; Wood, 2000a; 2000b) the intensification of global economic and political processes is transforming the ways in which artisans and vendors make a living, construct their households, and organize politically. The political strategies that Maya vendors employ are a product of the intersection of handicrafts vending with globalization and especially international tourism. Vendors' economic connections with international tourists (averaging hundreds but amounting to thousands during Holy Week), the
Young Adults’ Autobiographical Memories of Frightening News Stories Seen During Childhood

This study explored long-term memories for childhood exposure to disturbing televised news reports in order to uncover possible mechanisms through which children experience the emotion of fear. In an online survey, 328 undergraduates at a Midwestern university were questioned about their long-term memories for a disturbing news report seen during childhood. Results revealed that 50% of participants could remember a specific news event that frightened them during childhood, a majority of which were seen accidentally. Participants were most likely to remember news stories about terrorist attacks, murders, and kidnappings. They were more frightened when news events were rated as personally relevant, when they continued to think about the news event after it had ended, and when the news events elicited feelings of shock and surprise.
Material Development Challenges in High Density Pakaging of Advanced VLSI Memory Devices

Advances in semiconductor memory storage technology are making possible the development of high density memory cards for hand held and portable product applications. This in turn is driving development of ever denser, ultra-thin component packages. Both materials and package design must be more robust in order for next generation packages to withstand surface mount reflow soldering stresses. Trade-offs among ercapsulant properties may be possible in view of new interconnect, die surface protection and leadframe design technologies which are being adopted for high density packaging. Materials and packaging engineers are challenged to capitalize on opportunities offered by these changes in order to optimize strength and moisture resistarnce in developing encapsulating materials for the new generation of packages.
A multi-Scale Material Model for Predicting the Multi-Decade Behavior of Concrete Structures

A challenge to the current progress towards sustainability of built environment is to quantitatively predict the long-term behavior of the critical concrete structures, e.g., large-span prestressed box girders, super-tall buildings, nuclear reactor containments, and radioactive waste repositories. An accurate prediction of multi-decade performance requires realistic approximation of the unique porous microstructure of concrete, which transforms with its hygrothermal evolution. To minimize the phenomenological formulation in constitutive modeling and ameliorate the computational burden in numerical simulation, a multi-scale model of concrete, with a focus pinned on mesoscale, is proposed in this study to break down the long-term behavior of concrete to the time dependent mechanics of its different phases. In this model, concrete microstructure is represented by three material phases: coarse aggregate, mortar matrix, and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between the first two. In the framework of the classic continuum micromechanics, a Mori-Tanaka type homogenization scheme, enriched by continuous retardation spectrum method based on Laplace transform and Widder's approximation, is first formulated to capture the aging viscoelasticity of the representative unit cell of concrete which includes one aggregate only. The stress concentration in the ITZ, where micro- cracking will initiate and accumulate, is calculated by exterior point Eshelby solution, and then the corresponding damage strain in ITZ is taken into account as a smeared effective strain on the aggregate. The proposed multi-scale material model is incorporated into ABAQUS, and good results are obtained in simulations of some benchmark matrix-inclusion problems. Its effectiveness to realistically approximate the concrete long-term performance is also illustrated in a structural analysis of a prestressed concrete member.
Tending Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Regulate Dalbulus quinquenotatus (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) Population Dynamics

Population dynamics of colonies of the mymecophilous leafhopper Dalbulus quin- quenotatus DeLong & Nault were recorded in the laboratory in the presence and absence of the tending ant, Formica fusca (L.). These experiments used colonies of leafhoppers started with five male and five female adults on a single Tripsacum dactyloides L. plant. The first experiment consisted of eight leafhopper colonies, four with tending ants and four without. The second experiment used 16 leafhopper colonies, eight with tending ants and eight without, with four of each of these ant treatments also with Nabis americoferus Carayon predators. The numbers of young nymphs, older nymphs, and adult leafhoppers, along with host plant condition were recorded every 2—3 d for 62 d for both experiments. Nontended leafhopper colonies exploded and overwhelmed their host plants, killing them in an average of 39.0 d, resulting in the extirpation of those leafhopper colonies. Ants maintained leafhopper colonies by regulating population dynamics, with colonies of leafhoppers tended by ants being significantly smaller (P , 0.02) and developing from egg to adult significantly slower (P , 0.001) than colonies of nontended leafhoppers. Ant-tended leafhopper colonies did not overwhelm their host plants during either experiment, as the ants removed excess honeydew and leafhopper exuvia, thus maintaining a constant supply of honeydew. Ants were observed protecting leafhoppers from nabid predators, although this protection did not significantly influence leafhopper population size or length of egg to adult development.
Tennis and Interventional Cardiology

The great game of tennis has origins that date back to 1,000 bc when French monks played ceremonial “je de paume,” or game of the hand. Initial tennis balls were wooden, and the first wooden racket used was laced with sheep gut. It was not until the invention of rubber and the bouncier tennis
Implications of the Increase in Alfalfa Leaf Area for the Biological Control of Insects

Biological control of economically important insect pests of crop plants has a long history (Clausen 1956) during which releases of insect parasites have played a dominant role. The method has been particularly used in attempts to control such alfalfa insect pests as the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) (Brunson and Coles 1968), the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, H. brunneipennis Boheman (Clancy 1969), and the spotted alfalfa aphid, Therioaphis maculata (Buckton) (Van den Bosch et al. 1959). However, in all such work, the parasites were released in relatively small numbers, and control was not anticipated until after a sufficient period of natural buildup. Thus when Knipling (1966) suggested inundation of insect populations by mass production and sustained release of parasites and predators as a means of suppressing insect populations, Ridgway and Jones (1969) attempted to control the bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and the tobacco budworm, H. virescens (F.), on cotton by making inundative releases of eggs of a lacewing, Chrysopa carnea Stephens. Knipling and McGuire (1968) indicated the importance of the plant-growth factor on limiting the efficiency of Trichogramma . Fye and Larson (1969) made preliminary evaluations of T. minutum Riley as a released regulator of lepidopteran pests of cotton, and Surber (1970)3 subsequently pointed out that these releases of Trichogramma sp. on cotton were apparently ineffective, because the 10,000 wasps/ week that were released could not completely search the area of the host plant which had increased 7.6–fold in 8 weeks. The increase in leaf area may therefore be an important consideration in use of inundative releases of insects for immediate control of harmful insect populations. Also, this increase is important in determining optimum rates of insecticides to insure maximum control of the target insect while minimizing costs, effect on nontarget species, residues, and environmental pollution. We therefore investigated the possibility of producing accurate estimates of the daily increase in the area of alfalfa leaves in relation to temperature in southern Arizona.