cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rabbiteye Blueberry Response to Five Herbicides

ABSTRACT Rooted ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberry cuttings (Vaccinium ashei Reade) grown in sand or sand plus peatmoss media were treated with high and low recommended rates of five herbicides commonly used on blueberries. Terbacilat 1.4 or 2.8 kg a.i. ha-1 (1.3 or 2.5 lb/acre) killed 72% of the plants, while 1.8 or 3.6 kg a.i. ha ] (1.6 or 3.2 lb/acre) application of norflurazon caused a 53% mortality overall. Plants treated with oryzalin and simazine also showed reduced root volumes, root or top dry weight, or leaf chlorophyll concentrations in some treatments. Simazine at 1.8 kg a.i. ha (1.6 lb/acre) and napro-pramide at 3.6 kg a.i. ha (3.2 lb/acre) appeared to be good herbicide choices for young plants. Chemical names used: 2-(naphtoxy)-N, N-diethyl-propionarnide (napropamide); 2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylaine>i-triaine (simazine); 3-te/T-butyl-5-cWoro-6-inethyluracil (terbacil); 4-chlon>5-(methyla-mino>2(3-trifluorornethyl)phenyl-3(2H) plyridazinone (norflurazon); 4-(dylamino>34-dinitrobenzene sulfonamide (ory...
Water or ice in the Martian regolith?: Clues from rampart craters seen at very high resolution

Viking Orbiter images of Martian rampart-crater interiors and ejecta blankets, obtained at resolution 8-17 m/pixel, are presented and analyzed, with a focus on evidence for the action of ice or liquid water as the fluidizing medium for the ejecta. Previous global observations and the criteria applied to assess the degree of fluidization of ejecta flows are discussed, and the present high-resolution images are characterized in detail. Although most of the craters are found to show no signs of ice/water action, there are notable exceptions, including two apparently ice-rich eroded ejecta blankets in Shiaparelli Basin and signs of surface flow in Cerulli Crater. It is concluded that atmospheric effects alone cannot account for all of the morphological features observed.
Equipment for thoracoscopy

The combining of miniaturized video technology with thoracoscopy now allows surgeons to perform a variety of thoracic procedures percutaneously. Both rigid and flexible video thoracoscopes are available. The rigid endoscope has a camera located proximally at the eye-piece and is capable of excellent resolution. However, visualization of the entire pleural cavity is difficult because of the rigid chest wall. Placing the video camera at the distal end of a flexible thoracoscope, as in the electronic video thoracoscope (EVE-L; Fujinon, Wayne, NJ), yields better visualization of these relatively inaccessible areas. However, disadvantages of the flexible thoracoscope include increased expense and complexity, reduced resolution as compared to rigid systems, and the need for a strobed light source, thus making video-assisted surgery more difficult. Thoracoscopic wedge excisions of the lung are now possible because of the adaptation of gastrointestinal staplers for percutaneous use. The initial design consisted of a reloadable 30-mm disposable stapler. Newer models, however, have a longer staple line and some are reusable. Future refinements may allow the head of the instrument to articulate, thus permitting it to be applied to the lung at various angles. Thoracoscopic ports that provide an air-tight seal are available but are not essential; therefore, standard thoracotomy instruments can be utilized through small open incisions. Specialized disposable thoracoscopic instruments are also available, including scissors, dissectors, and fan retractors. It is hoped that the future will bring improved optics, better staplers, and refined percutaneous instrumentation.
Mechanisms of force failure during repetitive maximal efforts in a human upper airway muscle

The upper airway respiratory muscles play an important role in the regulation of airway resistance, but surprisingly little is known about their contractile properties and endurance performance. We developed a technique that allows measurement of force and the electromyogram (EMG) of human nasal dilator muscles (NDMs). Endurance performance was quantified by measuring NDM “flaring” force and EMG activity as healthy human subjects performed 10 s maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs), separated by 10 s rest, until the area under the force curve fell to 50% MVC (the time limit of the fatigue task, Tlim), which was reached in 34.2 ± 3.1 contractions (685.0 ± 62.3 s). EMG activity was unchanged except at Tlim, where it averaged 78.7 ± 3.6% of pretest activity (P < 0.01). M-wave amplitude did not change, suggesting that neuromuscular propagation was not impaired. MVC force increased to 80% of the pretest level within 10 min of recovery but twitch force failed to recover, suggesting low-frequency fatigue. The data suggest that a failure of the nervous system to excite muscle could explain at most only a small fraction of the NDM force loss during an intermittent fatigue task, and then only at Tlim. Thus, the majority of the force failure during this task is due to impairment of mechanisms that reside within the muscle fibers. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Muscle Nerve 26: 94–100, 2002
Politics, Ideology and Theories of Gentrification1

Gentrification—the movement of middle income households into low income neighborhoods, subsequently displacing existing residents and upgrading the housing stock—is a relatively insignificant phenomenon when assessed against its overall contribution to housing choice and neighborhood change in the United States. Despite this, it has received a great deal of media attention, been touted by elected officials and scrutinized by academics. The discrepancy can be explained by the historical emergence of gentrification during a period when older central cities were experiencing major and seemingly irresistible decline. Gentrification promised to save those cities, and fit prevailing ideologies. Gentrification became an ideological event whose importance exceeded its socio-economic consequences.
The effect of the dorsal region in reversed orientation on the development of the embryonic chick wing

Dorsal right wing myogenic mesoderm, with or without ectoderm, that had been labeled with tritiated thymidine, was grafted into the dorsal right wing myogenic region in reversed proximal-distal and cranial-caudal orientation. When a graft of ectoderm and mesoderm was in reversed orientation, the graft increased in length, width, and thickness. A similar graft in normal orientation increased only on the axis of the humerus. A graft of mesoderm alone in reversed orientation increased in length and thickness, like a graft in normal orientation, but increased in width like a graft of ectoderm and mesoderm in reversed orientation. During normal wing development, a groove develops at the base of the wing ventral to the ninteenth somite due to the ventral movement of the lateral body wall proximal to the base of the wing. A graft in normal orientation participated in the formation of the groove if placed in a position where it was appropriate to do so. A graft in reversed orientation did not participate in the formation of the groove, although it did not block the ventral movement of the lateral body wall proximal to the base of the wing. When the groove did not form, the humerus did not separate from the lateral body wall and the humerus was short. Increase in size of the graft in inappropriate directions caused grafted myogenic cells to be present in inappropriate amounts and locations. Ectopic cartilage differentiated from the grafted cells present in inappropriate locations.
First-principles simulated-annealing study of phase transitions and short-range order in transition-metal and semiconductor alloys

Total-energy local-density calculations on approximately 20 periodic crystal structures of a given AB compound are used to define a long-range Ising Hamiltonian which correctly represents atomic relaxations. This allows us to accurately calculate structural energies of relaxed substitutional ${\mathit{A}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathit{B}}_{\mathit{x}}$ systems containing thousands of transition-metal atoms, simply by adding up spin products in the Ising Hamiltonian. The computational cost is thus size independent. We then apply Monte Carlo and simulated-annealing techniques to this Ising Hamiltonian, finding (i) the T=0 ground-state structures, (ii) the order-disorder transition temperatures ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, and (iii) the Tg${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ short-range-order parameters. The method is illustrated for a transition-metal alloy (${\mathrm{Cu}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{\mathit{x}}$) and a semiconductor alloy (${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{In}}_{\mathit{x}}$P). It extends the applicability of the local-density method to finite temperatures and to huge substitutional supercells. We find for ${\mathrm{Cu}}_{0.75}$${\mathrm{Pd}}_{0.25}$ a characteristic fourfold splitting of the diffuse scattering intensity due to short-range order as observed experimentally.
Morphological diversity of immunocytochemically identified GABA neurons in the monkey sensory-motor cortex

GABAergic neurons have been identified in monkey sensory-motor cerebral cortex by light microscopic, immunocytochemical localization of the GABA synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). All GAD-positive neurons are non-pyramidal cells. Their somata are present in all layers and are evenly distributed across layers II-VI of the motor cortex (area 4), but are found in greater concentrations in layers II, IV and VI of all areas of first somatic sensory cortex (SI; areas 3a, 3b and 1–2). GAD-positive puncta (putative axon terminals) are present throughout the sensory-motor cortex, and they are found immediately adjacent to the somata, dendrites and presumptive axon initial segments of GAD-negative pyramidal cells. In addition, they are observed in close approximation to the somata of both large and small GAD-positive neurons. In area 4, the density of puncta is highest in the superficial cortical layers (layers I-III) and gradually declines throughout the deeper layers. In SI, the highest densities of puncta are present in layer IV, while moderately high densities are found in layers I-III and VI. In areas 3a and 3b, the puncta in layers IV and VI are particularly numerous and form foci that exhibit greater density than adjacent regions. GAD-positive neurons withlarge somata, 15–33 μ in diameter, are present in layers IIIB-VI of all areas. Such cells have many primary dendrites that radiate in all directions. In addition they have axons that ascend either from the superficial aspect of the somata or from primary dendrites, and that exhibit horizontal collateral branches. These neurons closely resemble the large basket cells (Marin-Padilla, 1969; Jones, 1975), and they may give rise to many of the GAD-positive endings surrounding the somata and proximal dendrites of pyramidal cells in layers III-VI. In addition,small GAD-positive somata are present in all layers, but they are most numerous in layers II and IIIA of all areas and in layer IV of SI. The somata and proximal dendrites of these cells vary from a multipolar shape with small, beaded dendrites, found primarily in layer IV, to bitufted and multipolar shapes with larger, smooth dendrites. The diversity of somal sizes and locations, the variety of dendritic patterns, and the different distributions of GAD-positive puncta, all combine to suggest that several different morphological classes of intrinsic comprise the GABA neurons of monkey cerebral cortex.
Split Ends Masculinity, Sexuality and Emotional Intimacy Among HIV-positive Heterosexual Men

Examining the narratives of eighteen heterosexual drug-injecting men living with HIV, this study seeks to understand how HIV-positive men negotiate issues of masculinity, sexuality, and emotional intimacy. It focuses specifically on strategies HIV-positive men use to manage emotional vulnerability in sexual encounters. We identify a core theme of “splitting,” in which men compartmentalize the domains of sexuality and emotional intimacy. We examine how this aspect of masculinity is at times exacerbated as a strategy to minimize emotional investment in sexual partners. By splitting the emotional and sexual domains, the men are able to perform sexually with casual sex partners while minimizing both the risk of infecting intimate partners and a fear of rejection from those they care about or desire most. However, the tensions created by splitting the emotional and sexual domains may disintegrate intimate interpersonal relationships that serve as a base of much-needed emotional support.
Nondiabetics with mildly elevated fasting GTT: Are they at higher risk for adverse perinatal outcomes?

RISK FOR ADVERSE PERINATAL OUTCOMES? YVONNE W. CHENG (F), G. BLAKE MCLAUGHLIN, TANIA F. ESAKOFF, INGRID BLOCK-KURBISCH, SHERRI SHAFER, AARON B. CAUGHEY, University of California, San Francisco, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, San Francisco, California OBJECTIVE: To determine whether perinatal outcomes differ depending on fasting serum glucose values in patients ruled out for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by 100g-load 3-hour glucose tolerance test (GTT). STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of women with singleton pregnancies who were ruled out for GDM by Carpenter/Coustan criteria. The fasting serum glucose component of the GTT was stratified into 4 subgroups (!80, 80-89, 90-99, and O100 mg/dL) to examine associated maternal outcomes (mode of delivery, induction of labor) and neonatal outcomes (5-minute Apgar score !7, neonatal hypoglycemia, jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), birthweight O4000g, and shoulder dystocia). Chi-square test was used to examine categorical outcomes and potential confounding factors were adjusted for by multivariate logistic regression analysis, with p!0.05 indicating statistical significance. RESULTS: Of the 1,770 women who met study criteria, women with high fasting serum glucose, particularly those R100 mg/dL were more likely to experience induction of labor and having neonatal birthweight O4000g, as well as other undesirable perinatal outcomes (see Table). CONCLUSION: For women who did not receive a diagnosis of GDM based on Carpenter/Coustan criteria, they may still be at risk for undesirable perinatal outcomes, particularly those with fasting serum glucose R100 mg/dL.
What Does It Mean to Be an American? Patriotism, Nationalism, and American Identity After 9/11

The period of heightened nationalism in the United States that followed the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 provided unusual conditions for investigating issues surrounding the distinction between patriotism and nationalism and the relationship between national identification and pluralistic values. In a survey of national identity and social attitudes conducted in late September 2001, two different definitions of national unity were inserted in the introduction to the questionnaire in an attempt to prime activation of different conceptualizations of nationality. Results demonstrated that the priming conditions did have an effect on the pattern of interrelationships among measures of patriotism, nationalism, and tolerance for cultural diversity.
Letters to the editor: A protection model and its implementation in a dataflow system

A protection model is presented for a general purpose computing system based on tags attached as seals and signatures to values exchanged among processes. A tag attached to a value as a seal does not prevent that value from being propagated to any place within the system; rather, it guarantees that the value and any information derived from it cannot leave the system unless a matching tag is presented. A tag attached to a value as a signature is used by a process to verify the origin of the received data. Solutions to problems from the areas of interprocess communication and proprietary services are given.
Regulation of PKR By Viral RNAS

PKR is an interferon-induced kinase that plays a key role in the innate immunity response to viral infection. Upon binding dsRNA, PKR undergoes autophosphorylation reactions that activate the kinase. We have investigated the mechanism of PKR activation by two viral RNAs that regulate PKR. HIV-I TAR is a 23 bp RNA hairpin with three bulges that is known to dimerize. A single PKR binds with moderate affinity to TAR monomer whereas dimers bind two PKRs. TAR dimers activate PKR whereas monomers do not. The secondary structure defects in the TAR RNA stem function as antideterminants to PKR binding and activation. Our results support a model where dimerization of the TAR RNA hairpin facilitates sequential binding of two PKR monomers, leading to protein dimerization and subsequent activation. Adenovirus VAI is a 160 nt highly structured RNA that inhibits activation of PKR by dsRNA. The stoichiometry and affinity of PKR binding to VAI are regulated by Mg2+. In the presence of 5 mM Mg2+, PKR binds similarly to VAI and to a truncation mutant lacking the terminal stem, indicating that this region of VAI is dispensable for regulation of PKR activation.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
On the existence of phase IV of solid methane

Abstract Definite evidence is presented for the existence of phase IV of solid methane. Changes in a Raman-activc librational mode suggest that the III-IV phase transition involves the rcorientation of some molecules.
A framework for evaluating multimodal integration by humans and a role for embodied conversational agents

One of the implicit assumptions of multi-modal interfaces is that human-computer interaction is significantly facilitated by providing multiple input and output modalities. Surprisingly, however, there is very little theoretical and empirical research testing this assumption in terms of the presentation of multimodal displays to the user. The goal of this paper is provide both a theoretical and empirical framework for addressing this important issue. Two contrasting models of human information processing are formulated and contrasted in experimental tests. According to integration models, multiple sensory influences are continuously combined during categorization, leading to perceptual experience and action. The Fuzzy Logical Model of Perception (FLMP) assumes that processing occurs in three successive but overlapping stages: evaluation, integration, and decision (Massaro, 1998). According to nonintegration models, any perceptual experience and action results from only a single sensory influence. These models are tested in expanded factorial designs in which two input modalities are varied independently of one another in a factorial design and each modality is also presented alone. Results from a variety of experiments on speech, emotion, and gesture support the predictions of the FLMP. Baldi, an embodied conversational agent, is described and implications for applications of multimodal interfaces are discussed.
Characteristics of a lipid-rich NADH dehydrogenase-containing particulate fraction obtained from Micrococcus lysodeikticus membranes

Abstract A fraction of homogenous particle size, enriched in lipid and NADH dehydrogenase has been obtained from Micrococcus lysodeikticus membrane by treatment with EDTA. Lipid activation of NADH dehydrogenase activity of a n -butanolextracted EDTA wash has been demonstrated. The relationship of this fraction to other fractions obtained by mild procedures from this organism is discussed and a possible structure for the membrane is proposed.
Systemic allergic reaction following ingestion of undeclared peanut flour in a peanut-sensitive woman

Background Although peanuts and peanut butter are well recognized as food allergens, few reports describe allergic reactions associated with eating peanut flour. Objective To describe an allergic reaction that occurred in a peanut-sensitive woman who ate undeclared peanut flour that was part of a flavor ingredient contained in a dry soup mixture, and to estimate the amount of peanut protein the patient ingested. Methods The patient was interviewed, medical records from her emergency room visit were reviewed, and the manufacturer of the soup mix was investigated to ascertain the proportion of the soup mix constituted by the undeclared peanut flour. Results Minutes after ingesting the soup, a 33-year-old woman experienced a systemic allergic reaction. She was treated successfully in the emergency room with intravenous fluids, corticosteroids, and diphenhydramine. Investigation of the soup manufacturer revealed that undeclared peanut flour was a component of a flavoring ingredient in the soup. Based on the concentration of peanut flour in the flavoring, we estimated the patient ate approximately 45 mg of peanut protein. Conclusions Inadvertent ingestion of peanut flour by peanut-sensitive individuals may lead to systemic allergic reactions.
Voices of Construction: On Susan Howe's Poetry and Poetics (A Citational Ghost Story)

My purpose here is to give a fairly comprehensive account of Susan Howe's work, particularly from the standpoint of her later writings, principally The _Midnight (2003) but also with reference to the more recent Souls of the Labadie Tract (2007). My general thesis is that Howe's work is a project of self-formation through the appropria tion of the writing (and therefore the subjectivity) of others. This self-formation is not just metaphorical but is meant to be taken liter ally, because for Howe the texts that she reads and cites are pneu matic?inhabited by the ghosts of their authors. I take this to be a deeply Yeatsian dimension of her poetry, which becomes increas ingly pronounced as her work develops. In My Emily Dickinson (1985), for example, Howe writes, "My voice formed in my life belongs to no one else" (13). To all appearances, this is a straightfor ward statement, but "voice" and "life" turn out to be terms of con siderable complexity, as we are reminded by one of Howe's statements (in her "personal narrative" introducing Souls of the Labadie Tract) in which she recalls her reading of George Sheldon's A History ofDeerfield, Massachusetts (1895), one of the source texts for her "Articulation of Sound Forms in Time" (1987), and the text in which she encounters (and embraces) one of her alter egos, the Puritan minister (and outcast) Hope Atherton: "I vividly remember the sense of energy and change that came over me one midwinter
Synthesis and characterization of new radioligands for the mammalian melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor.

AbstractMelanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) is a neuropeptide present in the brain of all vertebrates. For the characterization of MCH receptors, a monoiodinated [Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH radioligand analogue was developed. The high susceptibility of [125I]-[Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH to oxidative damage and its very lipophilic nature made it necessary to develop new MCH radioligands. To increase the stability, native methionines were replaced by non-sulphur containing amino acid residues. In one analogue, the L-enantiomer of the phenylalanine residue at position 13 was substituted by the D-enantiomer, which increased the relative affinity of the ensuing [125I]-[D-Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH about 7-fold. The different analogues were iodinated by an enzymatic reaction and used for binding studies with mouse melanoma cells. [125I]-[Met(O)4,8, Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH and [125I]-[Hse4,8, Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH showed only about 19% of total binding and [125I]-[Ser4,8, Phe13, Tyr19]-MCH displayed about 44% of total binding when compared with [12...
Foucault and Dr. Ruth

This essay is an expansion of Foucault's genealogy of the modern subject and morals, particularly as found in The History of Sexuality. It focuses on the contemporary sex therapist Dr. Ruth. The phenomenon of Dr. Ruth is located within the matrix of power/knowledge and the political technology of the body, especially its specific apparatus of sexuality. Dr. Ruth is displayed as one who perpetuates the “repressive hypothesis” which ironically spreads biotechnical power and domination in the name of liberating individuals. Particular attention is given to the technology of confession, the techniques of self, and the ways in which the medium of television extends the purview of biopower.
Characterization of odor-active compounds in Californian chardonnay wines using GC-olfactometry and GC-mass spectrometry

Nineteen commercial Californian Chardonnay wines were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Freon extracts of wines were separated by silica gel chromatography into three fractions. Volatiles were quantified by GC analysis of each fraction using internal standards added to the wine prior to Freon extraction. Twelve of the 19 wines were evaluated by GC-Olfactometry (GC-O). Of the 81 compounds shown to be odor-active (OA) by GC/O, 74 were quantified and 61 were tentatively identified, all of which had been previously reported in grapes or wines. Overall concentrations of compounds with floral or oak-related aromas were higher in wines shown by descriptive analysis to be high in intensity of either floral or oak notes, respectively. The relationship between sensory intensity ratings from a previous descriptive analysis of the wines and 74 OA compounds was modeled by partial least-squares regression (PLS) analysis. This PLS model only explained 17% of the variation in the OA variables, whe...
Match and mismatch : Identifying the neuronal determinants of pain

Despite the increased intensity and sophistication of research on pain mechanisms in the past three decades, serious uncertainties remain about the neuronal origin of pain, especially in painful cl...
A computational method for the solution of time-optimal control problems by Newton's method

In this paper we apply Newton's method for the solution of time-optimal control problems. The free-terminal time problem is converted into a fixed-terminal time problem, and the inequality constraints on the control variables are suitably approximated. It is an integral part of the algorithm to determine the minimum time. Several algorithms are proposed. Two examples are given to illustrate the method.
Use of Standardized Tests in Teacher Evaluation for Career Ladder Systems

In most current teacher evaluation systems, tests are typically used for all teachers or for none. Peterson describes how three Utah school districts employed tests, specifically National Teachers Examinations, as one line of optional evidence for use along with a selection of other evidence in the promotion of eligible teachers. The author indicates that the optional use of test scores both answers many objections to the testing of veteran teachers and allows the test results of teachers choosing to submit them to inform promotion decisions.
The effects of neoliberal structural adjustment on women's relative employment in Latin America

Neoliberal structural adjustment policies (SAPS) have been criticized as having negative effects on women's employment. An analysis of several Latin American countries in the 1980s and 1990s suggests that differences in SAP contribute to differences in the growth of women's relative employment. Countries with less orthodox adjustment policies appear to have had greater growth in women's relative employment than countries with more orthodox policies. This pattern is illustrated with reference to specific countries and is tested for generality using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, incorporating data from all Latin American countries from which suitable data are available.
Prolonged and recurrent fevers in children

Some children referred for prolonged fever are actually not having elevated temperatures; the approach here requires dissection of the history and correction of health misperceptions. Others have well-documented fevers associated with clinical, laboratory, or epidemiologic findings that should point to a specific diagnosis. "Fever-of-Unknown-Origin" (FUO) is the clinical scenario of daily fever for ≥ 14 days that defies explanation after a careful history, physical examination, and basic laboratory tests. The diagnostic approach requires a meticulous fever diary, serial clinical and laboratory evaluations, vigilance for the appearance of new signs and symptoms, and targeted investigations; the pace of the work-up is determined by the severity of the illness. Approximately half of children with FUO will have a self-limited illness and will never have a specific diagnosis made; the other half will ultimately be found to have, in order, infectious, inflammatory, or neoplastic conditions. Irregular, intermittent, recurrent fevers in the well-appearing child are likely to be sequential viral illnesses. Monogenic autoinflammatory diseases should be considered in those who do not fit the picture of recurrent infections and who do not have hallmarks of immune deficiency. Stereotypical febrile illnesses that recur with clockwork periodicity should raise the possibilities of cyclic neutropenia, if the cycle is approximately 21 days, or periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome, the most common periodic fever in childhood.
Radar Climatology of Tornadic and Nontornadic Vortices in High-Shear, Low-CAPE Environments in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States

AbstractTornadoes occurring in environments characterized by strong vertical wind shear [0–6-km bulk wind difference ≥35 knots (kt; 1 kt = 0.51 m s−1) (18 m s−1)] but low CAPE (<500 J kg−1) are an important challenge for forecasters, especially in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern United States. In this study, 95 tornadic and 135 nontornadic vortices were tracked in high-shear, low-CAPE (HSLC) environments. Values of azimuthal shear were recorded along the vortex tracks, and operationally relevant radar reflectivity signatures were also manually identified in association with these vortices. Statistically significant differences in azimuthal shear were found between tornadic and nontornadic vortices within 60 km of the radar, particularly near the surface. Although there were significant differences between tornadic and nontornadic vortices from nonsupercells (primarily quasi-linear convective systems), this was not the case for supercellular vortices. Beyond 60 km from the radar, no statistically signifi...
Mortality benefits and the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

The automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is highly effective in reducing sudden death rates in patients with life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. However, the magnitude of the ability of the ICD to improve overall survival is less certain. Data supporting the contention that the ICD prolongs survival are reviewed. It is evident that the mortality benefit consequent to the marked reduction in sudden death varies widely across subpopulations in a predictable manner. This observation reflects the powerful influence of other clinical factors that constrain survival in typical ICD patients. The implications for future studies on the ICD are discussed.
Ethics consultation masking psychiatric issues in medicine.

PHYSICIANSoften have turned to psychiatric consultants for "help and guidance with morally troublesome cases," in which the consultant may be "expected to fill a mediating role, often... to persuade the patient or family to act in a certain way." The result may be that the "psychiatric consultation mask[s the] moral dilemmas" so that the ethical dimensions of the case are overlooked by both the primary physician and the psychiatrist. 1 In the last decade, ethics consultation programs in hospitals have proliferated. 2 The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations now requires that accredited hospitals in the United States have "a functioning process to address ethical issues." 3 Perhaps for these reasons there is now a tendency for ethics consultations to mask psychiatric questions. Three examples will illustrate this problem. All three cases arose within a single week at a single institution, a tertiary care teaching hospital in
Emerging Role of Aurora Kinase Inhibitors in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Abstract Resistance to imatinib and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors is an ongoing problem most frequently mediated through mutations of the Bcr-Abl kinase domain. One mutation that affects responsiveness to all current available agents is T315I. Aurora proteins belong to a small family of serine/threonine kinases that are essential for proliferating cells and have been identified as key regulators of different steps in mitosis and meiosis, ranging from the formation of the mitotic spindle up to cytokinesis. Unexpectedly, Aurora kinase inhibitors have been found to have activity against the T315I bcr-abl mutation, and some of them might rise as important therapeutic options. The common mechanism of action for protein kinase inhibition is competition with adenosine triphosphate for the active site-binding pocket, which is very similar among the protein kinases, and this could explain the cross-reactivity. Herein, we discuss the basics of imatinib resistance development and Aurora kinase biology, and describe a selected group of Aurora kinase inhibitors with potential activity in this patient population.
Seismic pressure surges in liquid-filled pipelines

Observed damage and analytic studies indicate that earthquakes may cause destructive pressure surges in liquid-filled piping. Most studies have concerned buried piping that could be assumed to move with the ground. However, pressure surges also would be expected in above-ground piping, where they would affect the displacement response and, hence, the amplitude of flexural stress in the piping. Current aseismic design practice is to simplify this effect by treating the contained liquid as incompressible mass. This paper describes a technique for computing pressure and relative displacement that incorporates elasticity of both the piping and the liquid. Seismic responses of an example pipeline are predicted. It was found that assuming the piping to be rigid produced an upper-bound estimate of pressure, but assuming the liquid to be incompressible resulted in underestimating displacement of the piping.
Difficulty of V ( e ) V ( q ) + A ( e ) A ( q ) neutral currents in SU(2) × U(1) × U(1) theory

It is shown that the condition of no Adler-Bell-Jackiw anomalies in the SU(2) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} U(1) \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} U(1)\ensuremath{'} gauge theory having vector-type ${C}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ coupling and the right-handed fermions all in the singlet representations excludes the possibility that the neutral-current interaction of the leptons and hadrons is of the form $VV+AA$.
An Interview with Frank Miller about the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory

Frank Miller is a renowned addictions assessment authority who jointly initiated the updated Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory versions and helped establish the inventories in the addictions assessment mainstream. Miller participated in the following interview on February 22, 2005.
Modeling the Lake Nyos gas disaster

Abstract Post-accident studies have revealed that a carbon dioxide gas cloud released from Lake Nyos, Cameroon, was responsible for the asphyxiation of humans and animals at distances of several kilometers from the lake. The spreading and dispersive properties of such a cloud, as calculated from the dense gas cloud model of Fay and Zemba ( Atmospheric Environment 19 , 1257–1261, 1985), are consistent with the observed effects.
Dibromoethane effects on the induction of ?-glutamyl-transpeptidase positive foci in rat liver

The initiating and promoting activities of 1,2-dibromoethane in rat liver were investigated using the enzyme-altered foci bioassay. The incidence of γ-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT)-positive foci was used as an early histochemical marker for hepatocarcinogenesis. To determine the initiating activity of 1,2-dibromoethane, the halogenated hydrocarbon was administered orally in corn oil as single or multiple doses (60 or 120 mg/kg) either before or after partial hepatectomy. The animals were then given a promoting regimen of 500 ppm phenobarbital in their drinking water. No increase in the incidence of GGT-positive foci was observed in any of the 1,2-dibromoethane initiation groups. The tumor promoting activity of 1,2-dibromoethane was determined in partially hepatectomized rats which were initiated with N-nitrosodiethylamine (30 mg/kg; po), and one week later were administered 1,2-dibromoethane (10 or 30 mg/kg) orally in corn oil five times weekly for 8 weeks. Control groups receiving sham hepatectomy or no initiator were also treated with the halogenated hydrocarbon five times weekly. Only in those animals which received partial hepatectomy, N-nitrosodiethylamine initiation, and 1,2-dibromoethane was the incidence of GGT-positive foci significantly increased. These results do not support significant initiator activity of 1,2-dibromoethane in rat liver, but do indicate that 1,2-dibromoethane possesses promoter activity which may contribute to its carcinogenic activity.
Reliability of Cyclically Actuated Silicon Microcantilevers in Liquid Environments

Microstructures are exposed to a variety of liquid environments in applications such as biosensors, BioMEMS, and microfluidic devices. Environmental interactions between the liquids and microstructures can undermine the reliability of MEMS in liquid environments. In this paper, reliability of silicon microcantilevers is investigated in two common liquids, de-ionized water and saline solution, and contrasted with results in air. These single crystal silicon microcantilevers have a magnetic Permalloy tip and are magnetically actuated. The microcantilevers are subjected to long-term cyclic actuation (108 -109 cycles) in a liquid filled enclosure. Reliability of the microcantilevers is evaluated by periodically monitoring changes in resonance frequency. The microcantilevers are subjected to peak stresses of ~5 MPa, which is typical for MEMS applications in liquids, e.g. AFM tips and biosensors. Since the tensile strength of silicon (1-3 GPa) is much higher than the applied stresses, structural fatigue failures were neither expected nor observed in air, water or saline. Changes in resonance frequencies of microcantilevers tested in air and water were insignificant to within the limits of experimental accuracy. However, environmental interactions influenced the reliability of microcantilevers tested in saline as indicated by a gradual decrease in resonance frequency. This decrease in resonance frequency is attributed to gradual mass adsorption of ionic species on the microcantilevers from the saline solution as indicated by scanning electron microscope imaging and electron dispersive spectroscopy.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Codependency and related health variables.

Codependency is a controversial concept especially for feminist scholars who are concerned about pathologizing traditional female roles. This study's purpose was to determine: (1) the prevalence of codependency in a sample of older women who because of age may ascribe to traditional roles; (2) how the Hughes-Hammer/Martsolf theoretical model of codependency relates to other health variables; and (3) whether previous findings about the relationship between codependency and depression replicate. Survey design was used with a sample of 238 women (ages 65 to 91) attending a flu shot clinic. Subjects completed the Codependency Assessment Tool, Beck Depression Inventory, Quality of Life Scale, Perceived Health Report, Measurement of Patient Functional Abilities, and Illness Prevention Screening Behaviors Checklist. Of these women, 99% had low codependency scores. Statistically significant correlations existed between codependency and perceived health ( p p r = .446, p = .0001). Using analysis of variance, 3 codependency subscales had significant positive effect on depression: Low Self-Worth, Medical Problems, and Hiding Self. Further studies should examine the degree of ascribing to traditional female roles in women dealing with codependency issues.
The Effect of Multiple Exchange Transfusions on Bilirubin Binding

Three bilirubin binding tests (hydroxybenzene-azobenzoic acid dye binding method, the estimation of unbound bilirubin by horseradish peroxidase assay and the saturation of albumin by the salicylate saturation index) were performed on pre-exchange samples of blood and repeated 24 hours after the procedure. No significant improvement in bilirubin binding was found even in infants receiving as many as four exchange transfusions. Based on these bilirubin binding tests, we find no evidence that the criteria for subsequent exchange transfusions should be different from the first exchange transfusion.
Higher serum TSH in thyroid cancer patients occurs independent of age and correlates with extrathyroidal extension.

Summary Background It has previously been shown that higher serum TSH is associated with increased thyroid cancer incidence and advanced-stage disease. In the healthy adult population, mean TSH increases with age. As age over 45 years is a known prognostic indicator for thyroid cancer, it is important to know whether higher TSH in patients with thyroid cancer occurs independent of age. Objective To determine the relationship between higher TSH, cancer and age. Design A retrospective cohort study. Patients and methods A total of 1361 patients underwent thyroid surgery between May 1994 and December 2007 at a single institution. Of these patients, 954 had pathological data, preoperative TSH and complete surgical history available. Data were analysed in relation to age and TSH. Results Mean TSH was significantly higher in cancer patients regardless of age 4 cm, and distant metastases. Conclusion Independent of age, thyroid cancer incidence correlates with higher TSH. Higher TSH is associated with extrathyroidal extension of disease.
Data synchronization via random network coding

We investigate the problem of efficient data synchronization for a large number of nodes with disparate data. The synchronization problem arises naturally in many large scale systems, including Peer-to-Peer networks, data centers, and distributed storage systems with asynchronous updates. It is intimately related to the index coding problem in network coding, and can be described abstractly as follows. There are a number of nodes (receivers) who share a broadcast channel. Each node keeps a random fraction of a given file in terms of a number of packets. In addition, there is a broadcast node who has the entire file, and can broadcast a packet in a time slot to every node. The goal is to find a broadcast scheme that minimizes the number of time slots until all the nodes receive the entire file. In this paper, we propose and analyze a number of random network coding algorithms and verify their performances via theoretical analysis and simulations.
Audio-Visual Communication Research

(1956). Audio-Visual Communication Research. The Journal of Educational Research: Vol. 49, No. 5, pp. 321-330.
Randomized controlled studies and the treatment of middle-ear effusions and tonsillar pharyngitis: how random are the studies and what are their limitations?

Objective To determine the applicability and external validity of randomized control studies (RCTs) in the light of patient susceptibilities and vulnerabilities to the sequelae of otitis media with effusion (OME) and tonsillar pharyngitis (TA 25 percent of the OME and 13 percent of the T&A enrolled subjects were either withdrawn or placed into a different experimental group. On the average, with data available, it took 4.6 years to recruit the OME sample and 5.5 years to recruit the T&A sample. Conclusion The results of RCTs for these conditions are only applicable to narrowly defined and highly circumscribed populations. They cannot be generalized to the entire patient population because of their limited external validity. Future RCT protocols should be designed to control for the intrinsic and extrinsic susceptibilities that result in a propensity to acquire the disease and/or an exacerbation of the disease's sequelae. These studies would determine the most effective strategies for preventing disorders and/or their deleterious sequelae.
An oncology case study demonstrating the use of Rogers's Science of Unitary Human Beings and standardized nursing languages.

PURPOSE. The purpose of this paper is to present an oncology case study focusing on a woman's journey through breast cancer treatment and survivorship and a nurse's journey to provide wholistic care using standardized nursing languages and Rogers's Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB). DATA SOURCES. Published literature, experience, and expertise of the author were used as data sources. DATA SYNTHESIS. The data were clustered to formulate oncology nursing care based on the standardized nursing languages of NANDA International, Nursing Outcomes Classification, and Nursing Interventions Classification (NNN) from the theoretical foundation of Rogers's SUHB. CONCLUSIONS. The use of Rogers's SUHB, NNN, and the extant literature provided a theoretical, evidence-based, and practical approach to providing holistic care for a woman journeying through breast cancer treatment and survivorship. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE. Nurses can use standardized nursing languages and Rogers's SUHB to facilitate personal well-being and quality of life for breast cancer survivors.
PLASMA DOPAMINE-BETA-HYDROXYLASE IN IDENTICAL TWINS DISCORDANT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) in identical twins discordant for schizophrenia. The schizophrenic index twins had all been hospitalized on one or more occasions with the diagnosis of schizophrenia. DBH activity was measured by a coupled enzyme assay as described elsewhere but with a modified pH of 5.5. Thirty-four normal blood donors were matched for age, and served as controls. The DBH activity was 498 ± 78 units for the 34 controls. The mean values of the index twins and of the nonschizophrenic twins were almost identical, and both were slightly, but not significantly, elevated when compared with controls. There was a highly significant correlation between enzyme activities in schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic cotwins. Neither a relationship between the severity of impairment, and the levels of the enzyme activity nor an effect of the phenothiazines could be demonstrated. No pathophysiological relationship between plasma DBH activity and schizophrenia has been demonstrated.
Development of a clinical assay to evaluate Toll-like receptor function

ABSTRACT Toll-like receptors (TLRS) recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns to enable innate immune responses. A number of genetic defects influencing the function of these receptors have been identified and are associated with recurrent and/or severe infection. Our goal was to develop a reproducible assay of TLR function in order to evaluate patients with recurrent infection who would be suspected of having a genetic defect affecting TLR signaling. We chose to study peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCS) to avoid potential influences of soluble factors contained in whole blood, and we utilized ligands for TLRS 1/2, 2/6, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production in PBMC supernatants was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after TLR ligand stimulation and was dependent on gene transcription and NF-κB activation. Some variables affecting the assay were assessed, including the effects of: blood anticoagulant, serum-containing media, incubation time, ligand storage, blood storage time, and cell cryopreservation. By using optimized assay conditions, effective concentrations of individual ligands and mean responses to those ligands were established for healthy control donors. Finally, three patients with a mutation in the IKBKG gene, encoding the NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) protein, were evaluated as disease controls and were almost uniformly below the standard deviation of healthy donors for all ligands tested. Although a number of variables influence TLR ligand-induced TNF responses, this assay can be optimized for potential clinical use to screen patients with primary immunodeficiencies affecting TLR function.