cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Perceptions of the coordinating center: Foreword☆

Abstract The relationships between the coordinating center of a clinical trial and its participants are discussed from the viewpoint of the principal investigator, the clinic coordinator, the project officer, the advisory board and the external site visitor. These perceptions of the coordinating center stress the need for cooperation, proper management of the clinical trial by the coordinating center, proper internal management of the coordinating center, and external monitoring of coordinating center operations.
Growth and microstructure of columnar Y-doped SrZrO3 films deposited on Pt-coated MgO by pulsed laser deposition

Direct integration of proton conductor films on Pt-coated substrates opens the way to film-based proton transport devices. Columnar SrZr0.95Y0.05O3−δ (SZY) films with dense microstructure were deposited on Pt-coated MgO(100) substrates at 830 °C by pulsed laser deposition. The optimal window of ambient O2 pressure for good crystallinity of SZY films is from 400 to 600 mTorr. The ambient O2 compresses the plasma plume of SZY and increases the deposition rate. The 10 nm thick Ti adhesion layer on MgO(100) greatly affects the orientation of the sputtered Pt layers. Pt deposited directly on MgO shows a highly (111)-preferred orientation and leads to preferentially oriented SZY films while the addition of a Ti adhesion layer makes Pt show a less preferential orientation that leads to randomly oriented SZY films. The RMS surface roughness of preferentially oriented SZY films is larger than that of randomly oriented SZY films deposited under the same ambient O2 pressure. As the O2 pressure increased, the RMS sur...
Unique dose-dependent effects of the human pregnancy hormone estriol on the ratio of blood IgM to IgG in female mice

The present study aimed to investigate the dose-dependent modulating effect of estriol (E3), an estrogen predominantly produced during human pregnancy, on antigen‑induced production of specific antibodies in female BALB/c mice. The animals were immunized either with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or the pneumococcal polysaccharide serotype-14 (PPS-14), and the levels of specific serum antibodies were determined using ELISA kits. E3 was found to have very different effects on antigen-induced production of specific antibodies in animals immunized with these two antigens. While E3 stimulated the production of PPS-14-specific antibodies, it suppressed the production of BSA-specific antibodies. The results also demonstrated that the modulating effect of E3 on the production of antigen‑specific antibodies depends on the dose of E3 used. For BSA‑induced antibody production, E3 had a dose‑dependent inhibitory effect, whereas for PPS‑14‑specific antibody (Ab) production, E3 exerted the strongest stimulation at a lower dose, and produced less stimulation at higher doses. E3 caused thymus atrophy in animals immunized with either PPS‑14 or BSA, but only induced spleen atrophy in BSA‑injected mice. These observations suggest that E3 increases the ability of a pregnant female to avoid bacterial infections while decreasing the incidence of autoimmune responses against circulating components from either the fetus or pregnant female.
Is statin use associated with prostate cancer aggressiveness

OBJECTIVE To further examine the association between statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) and pathological features in a large group of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), as epidemiological studies have suggested that statins, in addition to their beneficial cardiovascular effects, might reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS From 2003 to 2009, 1351 men with data on preoperative statin use had RP by one surgeon. The clinical and pathological tumour features were compared between 504 users of statins and 847 who were not users. RESULTS Statin users were significantly older and had a higher mean body mass index than non-users. The preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen levels, tumour volume and percentage of cancer in the RP specimen were significantly lower in patients taking statins. Overall, statin users had a proportionately lower rate of adverse tumour pathology features, including a significantly lower risk of positive (cancerous) surgical margins. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the use of statins might be associated with more favourable pathological features at RP. The long-term disease-specific outcomes and the underlying link between statins and prostate cancer require further investigation.
Hand-off performance of the integrated cellular and ad hoc relaying (iCAR) system

In this paper, we study the hand-off performance of a wireless system with heterogeneous technologies called iCAR (Integrated Cellular and Ad hoc Relaying). In iCAR, hand-offs can occur not only from a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) to another BTS, but also from a BTS to a so-called Ad hoc Relaying Station (ARS) in the form of relaying, as well as from an ARS back to a BTS. The latter two types of tland-offs effectively increase the hand-off buffer time and thus reduce the call dropping probability. We develop an analytical model for the hand-off performance in iCAR. In addition, we verify the analytical model via simulations and quantify the hand-off performance benefits of the iCAR system over conventional cellular systems. It is anticipated that the analytical and simulation models reported in this paper will serve as a guideline to other researches on the inter-system hand-off involving heterogenous wireless technologies.
Socio-demographic and behavioral correlates for HIV and syphilis infections among migrant men who have sex with men in Beijing, China

Migrant men who have sex with men (MSM) may be particularly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV. This study examines the rates of HIV and syphilis infections and associated socio-demographic and behavioral factors among migrant MSM in China. Data from 307 migrant MSM were collected in Beijing, China. Blood specimens were collected to test for HIV and syphilis infections. HIV and syphilis rates were 5.9% and 20.2%, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that having ever been married, living a longer period in Beijing, having more sexual partners, and having a foreign MSM friend were significantly associated with HIV infection. Migrating from a rural area, experiencing one's sexual debut at an older age, having a male as first sexual partner, having more sexual partners, and being recruited from peer outreach and social network were associated with syphilis infection. Migrant MSM in China are at high risk for HIV and syphilis infections. HIV prevention programs targeting rural migrant MSM who have been married are needed.
Management Recommendations for Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the United States

Soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is the primary pest of soybean, Glycine max L., in the north central region. After more than a decade of research and extension efforts to manage this pest, several consensus management recommendations have been developed for sustainable and profitable soybean production. A summary of integrated pest management (IPM) tactics for soybean aphid are discussed, including cultural, genetic, economic, and chemical controls. To date, sampling and timely foliar insecticides are routinely recommended to protect yield and delay genetic resistance to insecticides. Host plant resistance is a new tool that can regulate populations and reduce the reliance of insecticides to control soybean aphid. A combination of these management tools also will reduce overall production costs and minimize negative environmental effects such as human exposure, and mortality of beneficial insects and other animals.
Al/SiOx/Al single and multiband metamaterial absorbers for terahertz sensor applications

To increase the sensitivity of uncooled thermal sensors in the terahertz (THz) spectral range (1 to 10 THz), we investigated thin metamaterial layers exhibiting resonant absorption in this region. These metamaterial films are comprised of periodic arrays of aluminum (Al) squares and an Al ground plane separated by a thin silicon-rich silicon oxide (SiOx) dielectric film. These standard MEMS materials are also suitable for fabrication of bi-material and microbolometer thermal sensors. Using SiOx instead of SiO2 reduced the residual stress of the metamaterial film. Finite element simulations were performed to establish the design criteria for very thin films with high absorption and spectral tunability. Single-band structures with varying SiOx thicknesses, square size, and periodicity were fabricated and found to absorb nearly 100% at the designed frequencies between three and eight THz. Multiband absorbing structures were fabricated with two or three distinct peaks or a single-broad absorption band. Experimental results indicate that is possible to design very efficient thin THz absorbing films to match specific applications.
The auscultatory and phonocardiographic findings in mitral regurgitation.

Abstract The auscultatory and phonocardiographic findings in pure mitral regurgitation are reviewed. They may be summarized as follows: 1. 1. The first sound is normal or decreased in intensity. 2. 2. The second sound is commonly split due to early closure of the aortic valve, but marked accentuation of the pulmonic second sound is rarely observed. 3. 3. An apical third sound is a frequent finding. 4. 4. A mitral opening snap is never heard. 5. 5. The systolic murmur is pansystolic. Late systolic accentuation of the murmur and a late systolic click occassionally are observed. 6. 6. There may be an early diastolic murmur not caused by semilunar valve incompetence. 7. 7. A short mid-diastolic rumble following a third sound (Carey Coombs murmur) may occur and does not signify mitral stenosis. Differentiation of this lesion must be made from other conditions associated with a systolic murmur, including functional murmurs, ventricular septal defect, tricuspid regurgitation and aortic stenosis.
VS10P DOES THE IRAD SCORE PREDICT IN‐HOSPITAL MORTALITY AFTER SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ACUTE TYPE A AORTIC DISSECTION?

Purpose: A risk model for predicting in-hospital mortality after surgical repair of acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) was recently developed from data from the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD). We sought to determine whether the IRAD risk model would accurately predict in-hospital mortality in our series of patients with AAAD. Methodology: We retrospectively reviewed peri-operative data from 88 patients who underwent AAAD repair on our service between 2003 and 2008. Data were collected for each of the variables in the proposed IRAD risk model for predicting in-hospital mortality; the IRAD model was fit to these data. The IRAD risk score was calculated for each patient, and then patients were stratified into 8 groups according to their score. We compared the observed and predicted mortalities and used the likelihood ratio chi-square test to evaluate model fit. Results: The observed in-hospital mortality was 18% (n = 16). The variables used in the IRAD model were not significantly associated with mortality in our patients. Furthermore, in groups 2 through 8, agreement was poor between predicted and observed mortality rates: respectively, 5% vs. 10% for group 2, 10% vs. 21% for group 3, 15% vs. 33% for group 4, 25% vs. 17% for group 5, 35% vs. 50% for group 6, 45% vs. 29% for group 7, and 60% vs. 33% for group 8. The likelihood ratio chi-square test confirmed that the IRAD model fit our data poorly (chi-square = 10.68; degrees of freedom, 7; p = 0.15). Conclusion: The IRAD risk model did not accurately predict in-hospital mortality in our AAAD patients. Prospective validation studies are needed before the IRAD score can be considered for adoption as a tool for making clinical decisions.
Population Ecology and European interest Groups Over Time: A Data Set

Studying interest groups in the European Union (EU) over time has proven difficult because of the lack of the critical data necessary for studying changes in interest group population dynamics and behaviour. In this article, I explain how data has been gathered, coded, and combined to create a data set worthy of population ecology studies vis-a-vis interest groups in the EU. I provide details of both the data-mining experience and some of the theoretical bases for coding decisions. In addition, I explain what new contributions this data set makes to the established data sets in the field and offer ways in which it enhances the potential for more valid research in the future while also discussing its shortcomings and possible methods of improvement.
Hard and soft acids and bases: small molecules.

The operational chemical hardness has been determined for the hydride, chloride, and fluoride derivatives of the anionic atomic bases of the second period. Of interest is the identification of the ...
The changing face of organization development: Views of a manager-turned-academic

OD no longer has to be a bad word to managers; improvements in process and terminology have been made. "~t /l[" y purpose here LVl is to describe some of the key ways in which organization development (OD) has changed and, for the most part, improved over the past 15 years. In particular, I hope that managers and executives who read this article will see that, more than ever before, OD represents a rather pragmatic approach to organizational improvement. For those who may not know exactly what OD is, I will define it as "the use of behavioral science ideas to improve both organizational effectiveness and employee well-being." Behavioral science knowledge used in OD includes such practical ideas as how to lead, how to resolve conflict, and how to develop effective work groups. I first encountered OD in 1974 during my doctoral program in business at Michigan State University. Since I had earlier been in supervisory and management positions at two U.S. companies--General Motors and Unisys--I found organization development to be a rather unique approach to organizational change. Indeed, I was quite surprised to discover how long OD had been evolving. I held my first supervisory position in 1963, several years after this phenomenon was first called "organization development." Before I proceed further, I should explain my role in organization development and why I am concerned about its problems and evolution. I have never actually consulted in the OD field; my only consulting experience has been in the more traditional areas of career planning, management development, and performance appraisal. However, I have had the opportunity to read extensively about OD, for I was literally forced into teaching the subject in my first full-time teaching position. I have continued to read about and teach OD on a rather continuous basis for the past 14 years. Although I cannot claim to be an experienced OD consultant, I do claim to have extensive knowledge about the field. Perhaps most important for this article, my managerial experience provides me with a perspective on OD that many of my teaching colleagues do not have. This perspective allows me to bridge fairly well the gap between OD teaching and research and the organizational challenges faced in today's world. The problems with OD when I first began teaching the topic in 1977 might have been of concern to any manager in organizational life. However, my early investigations convinced me that many academics (including OD consultants) also recognized some of these shortcomings. The key problems included: • Too much emphasis on employee satisfaction and not enough on employee and organizational performance; • A lack of concern for organizational polit ics--a reality that must be addressed;
Search for acoustic signals from ultrahigh energy neutrinos in 1500 km{sup 3} of sea water

An underwater acoustic sensor array spanning {approx}1500 km{sup 3} is used to search for cosmic-ray neutrinos of ultrahigh energies ( E{sub {nu}>}10{sup 18} eV). Approximately 328 million triggers accumulated over an integrated 130 days of data taking are analyzed. The sensitivity of the experiment is determined from a Monte Carlo simulation of the array using recorded noise conditions and expected waveforms. Two events are found to have properties compatible with showers in the energy range 10{sup 24} eV<E{sub sh}<5x10{sup 24} eV and 10{sup 22} eV<E{sub sh}<5x10{sup 22} eV. Since the understanding of impulsive backgrounds is limited, a flux upper limit is set providing the most sensitive limit on ultrahigh energy neutrinos using the acoustic technique.
Acoustic correlates of individuality in the cries of human infants.

The acoustic features that differentiate the cries of individual human infants were examined in this study. A recognition task, performed by 400 nonparent adults, was used to classify twenty 30-day-old infants as easy or difficult to recognize on the sole basis of their tape recorded cries. The cries of easy- vs difficult-to-recognize infants were then compared on measures of duration, fundamental frequency, peak frequency in the spectrum, signal-to-noise ratios, and energy in selected frequency bands. The results indicated that each of these measures differentiated the cries of easy- vs difficult-to-recognize infants. Such redundancy should make the cry robust to degradations of selected acoustic parameters, thus enhancing its ability to carry information about individual identity across distances.
Maximum entropy interpretation of decision bound and context models of categorization

Abstract Maximum entropy inference is a method for inferring an unknown probability distribution from a set of moments of that distribution in such a way that all information contained in the set is maximally utilized. This article presents a maximum entropy interpretation of the decision bound models and the context model of categorization. For the decision bound models it is shown that several forms of decision bound can be derived as maximum entropy solutions based on relatively limited information on category structure. For the context model it is shown that a maximum entropy inference model is asymptotically equivalent to the context model under some restrictive conditions on the category exemplar distribution and similarity parameters of the model. The maximum entropy inference model, however, does not require the storage of exemplars in memory as does the context model. Maximum entropy inference also provides a theoretical justification for similarity rules of the context model, namely, the multiplicative similarity rule for binary features and the Gaussian-Euclidean- and the Exponential-city-block-similarity rules for continuous features.
Gas-phase anions containing B and N

Mixed clusters of B and N have been produced by sputtering BN with Cs or Rb. The atom ordering in assumed linear species has been deduced from measurements of the mass distribution of both the positive and negative products from the fragmentation of the anionic clusters in a gas target. The existence of the anions BBN, BNN, BBBN, BBBBN, BBNN, and BBBNN has been demonstrated. The structural isomer with the largest electron affinity is usually the dominant species produced in the sputter source.
Adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate waves in Dictyostelium discoideum: a demonstration by isotope dilution--fluorography

The distribution of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) in fields of aggregating amoebae of Dictyostelium discoideum was examined by a novel isotope dilution-fluorographic technique. Cellular cyclic AMP was visualized by its competition with exogenous 3H-labeled cyclic AMP for high-affinity binding sites on protein kinase immobilized on a Millipore filter used to blot the monolayer. The cyclic AMP was distributed in spiral or concentric circular wave patterns which centered on the foci of the aggregations. These patterns were correlated with those of cell shape change that propagate through the monolayers: cells in regions of high concentrations of cyclic AMP were elongated (presumably moving up a cyclic AMP gradient), whereas those in regions of low cyclic AMP concentrations were randomly directed. The highest cyclic AMP concentrations were about 10(-6)M. The widths of the regions of elevated cyclic AMP were about 0.3 to 1 millimeter which, assuming a wave velocity of 300 micrometers per minute, suggests that a cell signals for about 1 to 3 minutes. These observations support the hypothesis that the aggregation process in Dictyostelium is mediated by the periodic relay of cyclic AMP signals and suggest a simple scheme for the dynamics of the aggregation process.
Tribes and the Print Trade: Notes from the Margins of Literate Culture in Jordan

In Jordan, Bedouin tribesmen are adapting their oral histories to print. They describe this project as a struggle to nationalize and modernize tribal identities. Yet oral histories are not easily incorporated in Jordan's popular media. By exploring the difficulties tribal historians encounter as they embrace « print capitalims », the A. invites us to rethink the ways in which modernity, literate historicity, and national identity are (and are not) changing as they become truly global in scope
A "virtual gland" method for quantifying epithelial fluid secretion.

We developed a new apparatus, the virtual gland (VG), for measuring the rate of fluid secretion (Jv), its composition, and the transepithelial potential (TEP) in cultured epithelial cells under ope...
Does aspirin prolong bleeding from gastric biopsies in man

Aspirin prolongs skin bleeding time in man by inducing abnormal platelet function. Prolongation of gastric bleeding time has been postulated as a mechanism for gastric hemorrhage after aspirin in man. To determine whether endoscopic gastric biopsy is safe in patients taking aspirin, we studied the effects of acute and chronic aspirin use on gastric bleeding time in four groups of subjects. Gastric bleeding time was assessed directly following endoscopic biopsy. Skin bleeding time was done by the Mielke method. Control subjects (group I) were studied twice at one-week intervals to determine reproducibility of the gastric bleeding time technique. The effect of aspirin on gastric and skin bleeding time when given to normal volunteers for 24hours (group II) and for two weeks (group III) and to rheumatic disease patients on a chronic basis (group IV) was also studied. In normal volunteers given aspirin for 24hours or two weeks, gastric bleeding time was not affected in spite of skin bleeding time being significantly prolonged over baseline. Gastric bleeding time was less than skin bleeding time in all groups including patients with rheumatoid arthritis (p
Recognition memory for presuppositions of relative clause sentences

The form of certain relative clause sentences is affected by the pragmatic presuppositions the speaker makes concerning his listener's state of knowledge. The role of such presuppositions in memory was investigated by testing subjects' recognition for minor wording changes that either did or did not affect presupposition. Recognition for wording changes affecting presupposition was superior to recognition for changes not affecting presupposition. The same results were obtained for filler items having presuppositional properties similar to those of relative clause sentences. These results indicate that models of sentence representation based on syntactic deep structure are too restricted in scope.
Perception and production of brief durations: Beat-based versus interval-based timing

Two experiments examined whether timing of short intervals is beat- or interval-based. In Experiment 1, subjects heard a sequence of standard tones followed by 2 test tones; they compared the interval between test tones to the interval between the standards. If optimal precision required beat-based timing, performance should be best in blocks in which the interval between standard and test reliably matched the standard interval. No such effect was observed. In Experiment 2, subjects heard 2 test tones and reproduced the intertone interval by producing 2 keypress responses. Entrainment to the beat was apparent: First-response latency clustered around the standard interval and was positively correlated with the produced interval. However, responses occurring on or near the beat showed no better temporal fidelity than off-beat responses. One plausible interpretation of these findings is that the brain always times brief intervals with an interval timer; however, this timer can be used in a cyclic fashion to trigger rhythmic responses.
The acceleration of a neutron in a static electric field

Abstract We show that when a non-relativistic neutron travels in a static electric field, the acceleration vector operator is perpendicular to the velocity operator. Kinetic energy is conserved. A spin-dependent field term in the canonical momentum gives rise to a non-dispersive contribution to the quantum mechanical (Aharonov–Casher) phase. This motion differs from that in a static magnetic field which has no field term in the canonical momentum and no conservation of kinetic energy. For the geometry of the Aharonov–Casher effect, there is no acceleration, while in Mott–Schwinger scattering, the acceleration causes a spin-dependent change in neutron direction.
Global Gene Profiling in Human Endometrium during the Window of Implantation

Implantation in humans is a complex process that is temporally and spatially restricted. Over the past decade, using a one-by-one approach, several genes and gene products that may participate in this process have been identified in secretory phase endometrium. Herein, we have investigated global gene expression during the window of implantation (peak E2 and progesterone levels) in well characterized human endometrial biopsies timed to the LH surge, compared with the late proliferative phase (peak E2 level) of the menstrual cycle. Tissues were processed for poly(A+) RNA and hybridization of chemically fragmented, biotinylated cRNAs on high density oligonucleotide microarrays, screening for 12,686 genes and expressed sequence tags. After data normalization, mean values were obtained for gene readouts and fold ratios were derived comparing genes up- and down-regulated in the window of implantation vs. the late proliferative phase. Nonparametric testing revealed 156 significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated gene...
Rounding with Multiplier Methods: An Efficient Algorithm and Applications in Statistics

Ordinary rounding does not always satisfy a summation restriction on the rounding results. This can be resolved by applying multiplier methods, for which we present an easy-to-implement algorithm complemented by remarks on special families of multiplier methods, the arithmetic-mean and power-mean method, and a previously unaddressed family, the geometric-mean methods. Finally, several applications in statistics are pointed out, i.e. rounding percentages in descriptive statistics, rounding optimal designs of experiments, and rounding optimal sample allocations.
Isolation of human neutrophil plasma membranes employing neutrophil cytoplasts and changes in the cell-surface proteins upon cell activation.

Abstract A plasma membrane fraction, highly enriched in 5′-nucleotidase activity, was prepared from human neutrophils by disruption of previously formed neutrophil cytoplasts (enucleated neutrophils), which were devoid of intracellular organelles. This plasma membrane fraction shows an extremely low contamination by specific and azurophilic granule markers as compared to previous reported preparations. Nevertheless, a novel tertiary granule (Mollinedo, F. and Schneider, D.L. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 7143–7150), unlike specific and azurophilic granules, fuses partially with the cell surface under the experimental conditions used for cytoplast preparation. Comparison between the external cell-surface proteins in resting neutrophils and neutrophil cytoplasts by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination showed some differences both in deletion and in addition of proteins. In resting cells, iodine was incorporated into at least 13 proteins ranging in size from over 200 to 30 kDa. A 140 kDa polypeptide, representing the major labeled surface component in resting neutrophils, was absent from cytoplasts. Furthermore, high-molecular-weight proteins (110 and over 160 kDa were more exposed to iodination after cytoplast preparation. Activation of human neutrophils by N -formylmethionylleucylphenylalanine induced some alterations in the pattern of labeled cell-surface proteins, which correlated to a certain degree with those observed during cytoplast preparation.
Effect of non-exponential and multi-exponential decay behavior on the performance of the direct exponential curve resolution algorithm (DECRA) in NMR investigations

The effect of non-exponential and multi-exponential decay or relaxation behavior on the performance of the direct exponential curve resolution algorithm (DECRA) is investigated through a series of numerical simulations. Three different combinations of decay or relaxation behavior were investigated through DECRA analysis of simulated pulse gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR diffusion spectra that contained the combination of two individual components. The diffusion decay behavior of one component was described by a single-exponential decay, while the second component was described by either (1) a multi-exponential decay, (2) a decay behavior described by the empirical Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) relation or (3) a multi-exponential decay behavior correlated with variations in the NMR spectral line shape. The magnitudes and types of errors produced during the DECRA analysis of spectral data with deviations from a pure single-exponential decay behavior are presented. It is demonstrated that the deviation from single-exponential decay impacts the resulting calculated line shapes, the calculated relative concentrations and the quantitative estimation of the decay or relaxation time constants of both components present in the NMR spectra. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the development of psychoneuroimmunology

Psychoneuroimmunology, the study of interactions among behavioral, neural and endocrine, and immune processes, coalesced as an interdisciplinary field of study in the late 1970s. Some of the early research that was critical in establishing neuroanatomical, neurochemical and neuroendocrine pathways and functional relationships between the brain and the immune system is outlined here. These and subsequent studies have led to the general acknowledgment that the nervous and immune systems are components of an integrated system of adaptive processes, and that immunoregulatory processes can no longer be studied as the independent activity of an autonomous immune system. This paradigm shift in the study of immunoregulatory processes and the elaboration of the mechanisms underlying behaviorally induced alterations of immune function promise a better understanding and a new appreciation of the multi-determined etiology of pathophysiological states.
Unitary implementation of automorphism groups on von Neumann algebras

A necessary and sufficient continuity condition is obtained in order that a topological group of automorphisms of a semi-finite von Neumann algebra in standard form is unitarily implemented. The methods used are extended to the study of unitary implementation for a general von Neumann algebra of those automorphism groups that commute with the one-parameter modular automorphism group.
The case for managed care: reappraising medical and socio-political ideals

The arguments against managed care can be divided into two general clusters. One cluster concerns the way managed care undermines the ethical ideals of medical professionalism. Since those ideals largely focus on the physician-patient relation, the first cluster comes under the rubric of micro-ethics; namely, the ethics of individual-individual relations. The second cluster of criticisms focuses on macro-ethical issues, primarily on issues of justice and policy. By reviewing these arguments, it becomes clear that managed care does not easily fit within traditional modes of ethical analysis. It poses a radical challenge to current medical and socio-political norms, and even resists the distinction between micro- and macro-ethical domains, a distinction that reflects the private/public distinction. Managed care organizations call for a third way, an inter-ethic for middle level organizations. The essays in this Journal provide a first step in this radical reassessment, laying the foundation for an organizational ethic that is responsive to the realities and promise of managed care.
Isomers of alpha-tocopheryl acetate and their biological activity

α-Tocopheryl acetate, an ester of the naturally occurring form of vitamin E, has a biopotency of 1.66 IU/mg as determined by bioassays based on biological function. On a similar basis, 2l-α-tocopheryl acetate, the 2-epimer of α-tocopheryl acetate, has a biopotency of 0.35 IU/mg. Results of hemolysis bioassays indicate relative activities of 1.53 and 0.56 for α- and 2l-α-tocopheryl acetates, respectively, compared with 2dl- or all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate. Responses to plasma and liver storage tests average 1.35 for α-tocopheryl acetate compared with all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate. The configuration at C-2 is most important but the configurations at C-4’ and C-8’ may also be important in determining biopotency. There is no evidence of synergism between α-tocopheryl acetate and 2l-α-tocopheryl acetate. Since the two isomers comprising 2dl-α-tocopheryl acetate, the former International Standard, have different rates of absorption, tissue storage, metabolism and excretion, a better standard for vitamin E is needed. α-Tocopheryl acetate has both the chemical and biological properties required for a new International Standard for vitamin E. Redefinition of an International Unit in terms of 1 IU=0.60 mg of α-tocopheryl acetate would give a precise reference for future research and a reasonable correlation with data collected in the past.
Ineffective deception in conformity research: Some causes and consequences

Suspiciousness of deception threatens the internal validity of the conformity experiment, and analyses suggest it is becoming more widespread. After being led to believe their own ability in a visual judgment task was higher, lower, or the same as the ability of the other group members, 65 undergraduate women made visual and informational judgments in the Crutchfield apparatus. Major findings include treatment effects on suspiciousness, less conformity by suspicious Ss, and ‘significant’ treatment effects on conformity only when suspicious Ss were removed from the analyses. Measures of self-confidence and confidence in others were significantly related to and likely determinants of suspiciousness. Implications for improving deception in conformity research are discussed.
Professional Development within Collaborative Teacher Study Groups: Pitfalls and Promises

Teacher study groups are often thought to be effective professional development structures. Such teacher communities may foster teacher learning through a collaborative culture and the codification of group members' collective knowledge. However, not all study groups are effective professional development. This article is a discussion of factors that may contribute to the success or failure of collaborative teacher study. Recommendations for practice are provided, with a focus on music teacher study groups.
Compressive mobile sensing for robotic mapping

Compressive sensing is an emerging research field based on the fact that a small number of linear measurements can recover a sparse signal under an orthogonal basis without losing any useful information. Using this approach, the signal can be recovered by a rate that is much lower than the requirement from the well-known Shannon sampling theory. In this paper, we propose a novel approach named compressive mobile sensing, which implements compressive sensing technique on a mobile sensor. This approach employs one mobile sensor or multiple sensors to reconstruct the sensing fields in an efficient way. Moreover, a special measurement process has been built under the constraint of the mobile sensors. It is also presented the simulation and experimental results of a robotic mapping problem using compressive mobile sensing.
Quantum Monte Carlo applied to solids

We apply diffusion quantum Monte Carlo to a broad set of solids, benchmarking the method by comparing bulk structural properties (equilibrium volume and bulk modulus) to experiment and density functional theory (DFT) based theories. The test set includes materials with many different types of binding including ionic, metallic, covalent, and van der Waals. We show that, on average, the accuracy is comparable to or better than that of DFT when using the new generation of functionals, including one hybrid functional and two dispersion corrected functionals. The excellent performance of quantum Monte Carlo on solids is promising for its application to heterogeneous systems and high-pressure/high-density conditions. Important to the results here is the application of a consistent procedure with regards to the several approximations that are made, such as finite-size corrections and pseudopotential approximations. This test set allows for any improvements in these methods to be judged in a systematic way.
Laser flash photolysis of tert-butyl aroylperbenzoates: kinetics of the singlet and triplet states and the aroylphenyl radicals.

tert-Butyl aroylperbenzoates (1−4) were studied by laser flash photolysis (LFP). LFP (380 nm, pulse width ∼350 fs) of 2 and 3 allowed direct observation of their singlet states, which showed broad absorption (λmax ∼ 625 nm; τ ∼ 20 and ∼7.9 ps, respectively). The triplet state of each (λmax ∼ 530−560 nm) rapidly dissociates by O−O cleavage as indicated by the short triplet lifetimes (e.g., triplet lifetime of 3 ∼0.74 ns). The ∼550 nm absorption obtained from the 355 nm LFP (pulse width ∼7 ns) of 1, 2, and 4 has been assigned to the corresponding aroylphenyl radicals. Two representative radicals (4-benzoylphenyl 5 and 3-(4‘-methylbenzoyl)phenyl 6) investigated in detail showed solvent-dependent lifetimes. Absolute bimolecular rate constants of reactions of these radicals with various quenchers including double-bond-containing monomers have been observed to range from 7.56 × 107 to 1.68 × 109 M-1 s-1 in CCl4 at room temperature. A possible structure of the aroylphenyl radicals and the transition responsible ...
Temperature-programmed synthesis of micron-sized multi-responsive microgels

A new synthetic protocol for the synthesis of large diameter (2.5 to 5 μm), temperature-, and pH-responsive microgels via aqueous surfactant-free radical precipitation copolymerization is presented. We have found that in this size range, which is not typically attainable using traditional dispersion polymerization approaches, excellent monodispersity and size control are achieved when the synthesis employs a programmed temperature ramp from 45 to 65 °C during the nucleation stage of the polymerization. A combined kinetic and thermodynamic hypothesis for large particle formation under these conditions is described. Particle sizes, volume phase transition temperatures, and pH responsivity were characterized by particle tracking and photon correlation spectroscopy to illustrate their similar behavior to particles made via more traditional routes. These particles have been enabling for various studies in our group where microscopic visualization of the particles is required.
Neonatal hypoxia suppresses oligodendrocyte Nogo-A and increases axonal sprouting in a rodent model for human prematurity

Premature human infants frequently suffer from periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) characterized by the loss of central myelinated tracts in the brain [Neuropathology, 22 (2002) 193]. Rodent chronic sublethal hypoxia (CSH) from P3 to 33 (postnatal day 3-33) provides a model for PVL characterized by cerebral ventriculomegaly and reductions in cerebral white matter volume [Brain Res. Dev. Brain Res. 111 (1998) 197; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100 (2003) 11718]. Here, we demonstrate that mice exposed to CSH from P3 to P33 followed by normoxia from P33 to P75 continue to exhibit a locomotor hyperactivity that resembles behavioral changes observed in some human children with very low birth weights. Because periventricular white matter is specifically lost in PVL, we examined the expression of oligodendrocyte proteins. Hypoxic rearing dramatically decreases the level of the axon outgrowth inhibitor Nogo-A in oligodendrocytes of CNS white matter at P12. The Nogo-A decrease exceeds the moderate decrease in another myelin protein, myelin associated glycoprotein (MAG). Although myelin protein expression returns to normal by maturity (P75), persistent abnormalities in axonal trajectories are detectable. Anterograde axonal tracing from motor cortex demonstrates ectopic corticofugal fibers in the corticospinal tract (CST), corpus callosum, and caudate nucleus of adult animals reared in CSH. Thus, hypoxia-induced reduction in myelin-derived axon outgrowth inhibitors appears to contribute axonal misconnection to the pathology of very low birth weight infants.
What Drives Membrane Protein Folding

Understanding the forces that drive protein folding is essential for many of the central quests of structural biology including structure prediction, design and deciphering evolution. Nevertheless, we still have a rudimentary understanding of membrane protein folding energetics. I will describe tools we have developed for studying the factors that stabilize membrane proteins. Application of these methods suggests that packing forces, rather than hydrogen bonding, dominate membrane protein stabilization. Given the importance of dispersion forces, it is possible that membrane proteins might utilize packing more effectively than soluble proteins. We find that membrane proteins are not necessarily more efficiently packed, but manage to bury more surface area than soluble proteins. The results have implications for membrane protein evolution and their susceptibility to disease-causing mutations.
Neonatal Lymphatic (Chylous) Disorders

Lymphatic (chylous) disorders are rare in neonates, and most clinicians will only experience a handful of cases during their careers. Chylous effusions of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium, and lymphedema are not diagnoses but rather symptoms of an underlying disease of the lymphatics. Although it is relatively easy to establish whether an effusion is of chylous origin or not, expertise in different imaging techniques of the lymphatic system does not appear to be universally available. This makes it difficult to determine the cause of the effusion and thereby arrive at a prognosis, and whether and when to recommend surgical treatment. The goal of current medical management is to treat symptoms by reducing overall lymphatic flow and to allow enough time to resolve the lymphatic leakage (whatever the underlying cause) without simultaneously risking infectious complications. Most current therapies are not evidence-based. A prospective registry of patients who have chylous effusions and a multicenter randomized controlled trial to evaluate different treatment options are needed.
On the integral representation formula for a two-component elastic composite

The aim of this paper is to derive, in the Hilbert space setting, an integral representation formula for the effective elasticity tensor for a two-component composite of elastic materials, not necessarily well-ordered. This integral representation formula implies a relation which links the effective elastic moduli to the N-point correlation functions of the microstructure. Such relation not only facilitates a powerful scheme for systematic incorporation of microstructural information into bounds on the effective elastic moduli but also provides a theoretical foundation for inverse-homogenization. The analysis presented in this paper can be generalized to an n-component composite of elastic materials. The relations developed here can be applied to the inverse-homogenization for a special class of linear viscoelastic composites. The results will be presented in another paper. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of age and diet on the secretion of pregastric esterase in calves.

Summary The effects of age and diet on the quantity of pregastric esterase secreted during the nursing of milk were studied in six Holstein calves. During the first 180 days of life, there was no appreciable change in enzyme secretion. Limited observations on two calves suggest that this trend continues through at least 1 yr. of age. Calves sustained on a diet of hay and grain secreted, when nursing milk, approximately the same quantity of pregastric esterase as did those animals restricted to a diet of milk. The output of enzyme during the actual consumption of hay and grain, however, appeared to be considerably less than that stimulated by the nursing process. There was no correlation between the total volume of saliva secreted and the output of pregastric esterase.
Erratum to: Systematics, Taxonomy, and the New Flora of the Bahamian Archipelago

The following errors were inadvertently overlooked: Page 2, paragraph 4: remove the word “up” in the second line “2. 1920 to 1984 and the publication of up the Correll & Correll flora; and” Page 4, last line of first paragraph: “Buxelles” should be “Bruxelles” Page 5, second paragraph, second line: (1864)—the opening parenthesis, which is italic, should be roman Page 6, last paragraph, ninth line from bottom: “in 1890” needs a space between “in” and “1890” Table 1, which was typeset incorrectly, is reproduced here. Note the new nomenclatural combination in Footnote C. Bot. Rev. (2014) 80:262–264 DOI 10.1007/s12229-014-9145-z
Varietal susceptibility to internal brown spot of potatoes

Incidence of internal brown spot associated with various potato varieties grown on Long Island from one to four years was reported. Some varieties, such as Pontiac, Kennebec, Katahdin and Mohawk, were relatively resistant to brown spot each year. Ashworth was quite consistently susceptible. Other varieties, such as Essex, Sebago and Ontario, fluctuated considerably from year to year.
Trajectory design, feedforward, and feedback stabilization of tethered spacecraft retrieval

This paper focuses on the final 2 km of retrieval of a tethered subsatellite (TSS) to the Space Shuttle. From each initial condition a nominal retrieval trajectory is determined, which is implemented with the tether reel and requires nominally zero thrusting. The retrieval dynamics of the TSS are unstable, and open loop retrieval by itself is not practical. Consequently, a loop structure is designed that combines feedforward information with thruster actuated feedback stabilization. The tether-normal thrusters mounted on the subsatellite are used to stabilize the in-plane and out-of-plane dynamics along the precomputed trajectory. A Kalman filter is used to estimate pitch and pitch rate from a noisy pitch sensor. This whole design yields fast retrievals, limited primarily by constraints on docking speed and tether tension. Thruster fuel use is driven by sensor noise, rather than by the need to remove system angular momentum. Numerical results clearly indicate that, to limit fuel use, system pitch attitude must be measured with a resolution much better than the 2 deg currently planned.