cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Context-aware media retrieval

In this paper we propose a representation framework for dynamic multi-sensory knowledge and user context, and its application in media retrieval. We provide a definition of context, the relationship between context and knowledge and the importance of communication both as a means for the building of context as well as the end achieved by the context. We then propose a model of user context and demonstrate its application in a photo retrieval application. Our experiments demonstrate the advantages of the context-aware media retrieval over other media retrieval approaches especially relevance feedback.
KINEMATIC ANALYSIS OF BACKHOES/EXCAVATORS FOR CLOSED-LOOP COORDINATED CONTROL

Abstract Backhoes and excavators are an application for robotic technology. This can be done in two ways: autonomous excavation and coordinated motion control and/or haptic feedback. This analysis is motivated by haptic coordinated control of the bucket using position and velocity signals from a dissimilar master device. One issue that must be addressed is the effect of joint constraints imposed by the hydraulic cylinders. The result of this not being addressed is demonstrated. Two solutions are presented: a closed form graphically derived method based on the position of the bucket's wrist and a more general numerical optimization approach that also penalizes bucket angle error.
Systematic creativity: a methodology for integrating user, market and engineering requirements for product definition, design and usability testing

The rate of emerging technological innovations has exceeded the rate at which individuals can assimilate new technologies into their lives. Yet, businesses continue a breakneck pace for the development of new technologies resulting in the creation of products based on a particular type of technology, i.e., technocentric product development, rather than on its utility and usability, i.e., user centric product development. One reason for this misplaced focus on technology rather than on the intended users, may be that few methodologies exist to genuinely incorporate the user in the product development cycle, which would otherwise more tightly link users’ requirements to product design and usability testing. This is especially the case for software user interface development. This paper identifies a framework of a discrete number of specific data classes fundamental to incorporating the user into product development.
Embedded Multiconductor Transmission Line Characterization

This paper presents a measurement method that characterizes lossy printed multiconductor transmission lines embedded in transitions, connectors, or packages with significant electrical parasitics. we test the method on a pair of lossy coupled asymmetric microstrip lines and compare to previous results.
Evaluating the relationship between the sorption of PAHs to bacterial biomass and biodegradation

Abstract Petroleum refinery wastewater containing polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are typically treated by biological processes in the United States. PAHs are recalcitrant, hydrophobic compounds and sorption to biological solids may be a significant mechanism for the removal of PAHs from refinery wastewater. The goal of this research was to investigate PAH sorption by bacterial biomass and examine the relationship between PAH biosorption and biodegradation. In this study, phenanthrene was used as a model PAH for biosorption studies and pyrene and fluoranthene were used as model compounds in biodegradation studies. It was found that phenanthrene biosorption varied with bacterial genus and species. Bacteria with the highest sorption capacity ( K p ) belong to the Nocardioforms, organisms that often cause solids separation problems in activated sludge plants. Consequently, blooms of these difficult to settle organisms in refinery treatment plants could exasperate PAH releases to the environment. The measured sorption capacities were reproducible and appeared to represent surface sorption, based on the apparent competition between naphthalene and phenanthrene for sorption sites. Based on a comparison of K p values, pure bacterial cultures can serve as valid models of biosorption by activated sludge MLSS. Finally it was found that PAH sequestration by high K p , non-degraders has a significant impact on PAH biodegradation. The results of this study suggest that although biosorption can decrease the rate of PAH biodegradation in the short term, it can also result in the removal of PAHs from the wastewater and PAH retention in the treatment system where it may be ultimately biodegraded. This research improves our understanding of processes contributing to PAH degradation in petroleum refinery wastewater treatment plants.
Unintended "incidental" durotomy during surgery of the lumbar spine: medicolegal implications.

Abstract A review of 146 medical malpractice cases involving surgery of the lumbar spine disclosed that unintended “incidental” durotomy (23 cases) was the second most frequently named occurrence. In each instance there was an associated alleged complication or sequelae. There appears to be a subset of patients in whom an unintended “incidental” durotomy is associated with perioperative morbidity and long-term sequelae. Considering the frequency with which a dural tear is listed as one of the complaints in medical malpractice cases involving surgery of the lumbar spine, it cannot be considered an entirely “benign event.”
Molecular beacon–enabled purification of living cells by targeting cell type–specific mRNAs

Molecular beacons (MBs) are dual-labeled oligonucleotides that fluoresce only in the presence of complementary mRNA. The use of MBs to target specific mRNAs allows sorting of specific cells from a mixed cell population. In contrast to existing approaches that are limited by available surface markers or selectable metabolic characteristics, the MB-based method enables the isolation of a wide variety of cells. For example, the ability to purify specific cell types derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) is important for basic research and therapeutics. In addition to providing a general protocol for MB design, validation and nucleofection into cells, we describe how to isolate a specific cell population from differentiating PSCs. By using this protocol, we have successfully isolated cardiomyocytes differentiated from mouse or human PSCs (hPSCs) with ∼ 97% purity, as confirmed by electrophysiology and immunocytochemistry. After designing MBs, their ordering and validation requires 2 weeks, and the isolation process requires 3 h.
Solute-atom segregation to 〈110〉 symmetric tilt grain boundaries

Abstract Segregation of substitutional, oversized solute atoms to both equilibrium and metastable structures of twenty-one 〈110〉 symmetric tilt grain boundaries (GBs) in an f.c.c. binary alloy is investigated with atomistic simulations. The Monte Carlo technique is employed to determine the interfacial excess and the solute distribution in GB structures for a bulk solute concentration of 4 at.%. Results from these simulations are used to demonstrate the shortcomings of simple geometric GB parameters for predicting variations in the interfacial excess from GB to GB. The interfacial excess is also found to vary from one structure to another for the same GB. An example of a segregation-induced congruent GB phase transition is also presented. Accurate segregation free energies for individual sites in GBs are calculated with the overlapping distributions Monte Carlo technique. Segregation entropies are determined and are found to be a linear function of the segregation internal energies for the same GB sites.
Analysis of a chemical model system leading to chiral symmetry breaking: Implications for the evolution of homochirality

Explaining the evolution of a predominantly homochiral environment on the early Earth remains an outstanding challenge in chemistry. We explore here the mathematical features of a simple chemical model system that simulates chiral symmetry breaking and amplification towards homochirality. The model simulates the reaction of a prochiral molecule to yield enantiomers via interaction with an achiral surface. Kinetically, the reactions and rate constants are chosen so as to treat the two enantiomeric forms symmetrically. The system, however, incorporates a mechanism whereby a random event might trigger chiral symmetry breaking and the formation of a dominant enantiomer; the non-linear dynamics of the chemical system are such that small perturbations may be amplified to near homochirality. Mathematical analysis of the behavior of the chemical system is verified by both deterministic and stochastic numerical simulations. Kinetic description of the model system will facilitate exploration of experimental validation. Our model system also supports the notion that one dominant enantiomeric structure might be a template for other critical molecules.
Metal d-Orbital Occupation-Dependent Images in the Scanning Tunneling Microscopy of Metal Phthalocyanines

A strong d-orbital dependence in the scanning tunneling microscopy image of metal phthalocyanines is demonstrated. Unlike copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) wherein the central metal appears as a hole in the molecular image, the cobalt atom in CoPc is the highest point (about 0.3 nm) in the molecular image. On the other hand, the benzene ring regions of CoPc and CuPc appear to have the same height. These data are consistent with theoretical calculations that predict a large contribution of cobalt d-orbitals near the Fermi energy. An intriguing aspect of this work is that it may be possible to chemically identify the different metal phthalocyanines simply by their appearance. This is demonstrated for the case of a mixed monolayer of CuPc and CoPc on Au(111).
Infant smiling at five and nine months: Analysis of heartrate and movement

Forty infants at five months and forty infants at nine months of age were approached by a stranger in a standard experimental sequence which was monitored by motion pictures and cardiotachometer recording. Evidence supported a hypothesized relationship of cardiac acceleration during smiling but was equivocal for a hypothesized relationship of an increase in motoric activity during smiling. A third hypothesis of a cardiac-somatic coupling relationship did not receive support. Thus, it cannot be assumed that defensiveness and distress are the only elicitors of cardiac accelerations in infancy. Additional evidence is presented which suggests a “J”-shaped relationship between magnitude of heartrate (HR) change and ratings of intensity of facial expression, with the steep limb of the “J” being found in the distress part of a facial expression scale.
A heuristic for a hybrid FLEET model

Abstract The maximal covering location problem (MCLP), the facility location equipment emplacement technique (FLEET) and the maximal expected coverage location problem (MEXCLP) have been used in the location analysis of public service facilities. The multiple-cover one-type of equipment FLEET (MOFLEET) model is an extended FLEET and MEXCLP model that involves simultaneously locating stations and allocating equipment with the objective of maximizing expected coverage. Optimal integer programming solutions to MOFLEET have demonstrated that high levels of coverage can be maintained with a given amount of equipment while reducing the number of stations. Solving the MOFLEET model utilizing linear programming with branch and bound can involve thousands of branches and hundreds of thousands of pivots resulting in relatively large computation times. A heuristic solution approach to MOFLEET is presented and computational experience on two test data sets is reported including one of Austin, Texas. Heuristic results indicate that optimal and near-optimal solutions can be generated in a fraction of the time required to find optimal integer programming solutions.
Model-driven multisite workflow scheduling

Workflows continue to play an important role in expressing and deploying scientific applications. In recent years, a wide variety of computational sites have emerged with shared access to users. A user may not be able to complete a complex workflow at a single site. It is thus beneficial to run different tasks of a workflow on different sites. For such cases, judicious scheduling strategy is required in order to map tasks in the workflow to resources at multiple sites so that the workload is balanced among sites and the overhead is minimized in data transfer. The key challenge is that the data transfer rate among sites varies based on the network capacity and load. We propose a workflow scheduling technique that tackles the multi-site task distribution challenge by using data movement performance modeling. We applied this technique to schedule an earth observation science workflow over three sites. Executed via the Swift parallel scripting paradigm, we augmented its default schedule and improved the time-to-completion by up to 52%.
Effect of Coal Combustion By-products on Phosphorus Runoff from a Coastal Plain Soil

Coal combustion by-products can lower soil phosphorus (P) solubility, but few studies have assessed their effect on runoff P. A soil with elevated P content was amended with fluidized bed combustion ash, flue gas desulfurization gypsum, and anthracite refuse ash at rates of 0–40 g kg−1 soil, and runoff from small plots was monitored over 3 years. In the first year, by-products lowered dissolved P in runoff by up to 47% below the untreated control; however, effects did not persist into the remaining years of the study. Total P losses were not significantly affected by coal combustion by-products, likely because of elevated particulate P losses. Water-extractable P was up to 40% less in treated soils than in untreated soils across the 3 years. Results demonstrate that although coal combustion by-products readily lower P solubility in soils, their impact on P losses in runoff can be undermined by erosional processes.
Effects of cigarette smoking on pulmonary function in asymptomatic asbestos workers with normal chest radiograms.

A comprehensive health screening program consisting of standardized health and occupational history questionnaire, blood chemistry profile, complete blood count, urinalysis, chest radiograph, and pulmonary function testing was organized for the Asbestos Workers Union Local Number 1 in St. Louis, Missouri. The program was available on a voluntary basis to all the workers in the Union. One hundred and thirty-five male caucasian workers or 44% of the membership volunteered to participate and all the data were used in this study. All blood chemistry profiles and urinalysis results were within normal limits. Twenty-two of the asbestos workers had radiologic pulmonary abnormalities as well as severe pulmonary function impairment. The remaining 113 workers were divided into subgroups based on the number of years of exposure to asbestos and their smoking history. Although asymptomatic, workers with more than 20 years exposure to asbestos had significantly decreased pulmonary functions compared to those with less ...
Chemokine receptor expression on BAL lymphocytes isolated from lung transplant recipients

group received a 28-day course of ZVAD-fmk (1 mg/kg/day) via subcutaneous mini-osmotic pumps, starting at the time of transplantation. For the apoptosis time course, allografts were harvested on post-op days 1, 3, 4, 7, 14, 21 and 28. Fas knockout and ZVAD-treated allografts were harvested on day 28. Histological, morphometric and in-situ TUNEL analyses were performed in a blinded fashion. Results: From days 1-7, allograft airway epithelial cells appear to be undergoing apoptosis. On day 28, the mean airway obliteration in both the Fas knockout group (65.63% /20.90 (mean /S.D.), p 0.004) and the ZVAD group (70.83% /14.71, p 0.011) were significantly reduced compared to controls (97.92% /4.07 and 98.98% /0.82, respectively). The airway epithelium was not preserved in Fas knockout allografts or controls. Conclusion: While apoptosis of airway epithelial cells does occur in the setting of allograft airway transplantation, inhibition of apoptosis, through broad-spectrum caspase inhibition or Fas pathway blockade, only partially prevents airway obliteration.
The effect of pituitary and thyroid hormones on bile acid metabolism in the rat

Abstract Bile acid synthesis and bile acid pool turnover rates and sizes were determined in normal (N), thiouracil-treated (TU), hypophysectomized (H), and thyroidtreated hypophysectomized (TH) female albino rats. Thiouracil treatment lowered the rate somewhat: N, 3.4 mg./day; TU, 2.2 mg./day. Hypophysectomy reduced the rate to less than one-third of normal: H, 0.96 mg./day. Five mg./day desiccated thyroid increased bile acid synthesis of hypophysectomized rats to 1.2 mg./day—still far below normal. Since bile acid pool sizes per 100 Gm. body weight were similar in the groups (N, 9.66 mg.; TU, 6.80; H, 9.39; TH, 9.59), these changes in synthesis were due largely to changes in pool half-life (N, 3.7 day; TU, 4.0; H, 8.8; TH, 6.5). It was concluded that hypophysectomy retards bile acid metabolism by decreasing end-product turnover rates. The effects of hypophysectomy differ from those of thiouracil-hypothyroidism, and moderate thyroid treatment does not restore steroid turnover or synthesis rates to normal. Thus other factors than lack of thyroid seem to cause the changes in steroid metabolism effected by hypophysectomy.
Exploring shared memory and cache to improve GPU performance and energy efficiency

Graphic Processing Units(GPU) use multiple, multithreaded, SIMD cores to exploit data parallelism to boost performance. State-of-the-art GPUs use configurable shared memory and cache to improve performance for applications with different access patterns. Unlike CPU programs, GPU programs usually exhibit different access patterns, whose performance may not be heavily dependent on the cache access latencies. On the other hand, the shared memory capacity and other execution resources may become limiting factors to the parallelism, which can significantly affect performance. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of different shared memory and cache configurations on both the performance and energy consumption, which can provide useful insights for GPU programmers to use the configurable shared memory and cache more effectively.
Partial and Complete Rupture of the Indo-Andaman Plate Boundary 1847-2004

We review seismicity along the Nicobar-Andaman plate boundary prior to the Mw 9 earthquake of 26 December 2004, with particular attention to reverse slip in the central and northern parts of the rupture zone 600-1,300 km north from the epicenter. Slip is partitioned between convergence and strike-slip motion, which in the northern Andamans is assisted by back-arc spreading. Subduction-zone earthquakes prior to the rupture occurred largely to the east and at greater depths than the area ruptured in the shallow 2004 megathrust. Large thrust earthquakes in 1847 ( Mw > 7.5), 1881 ( Mw 7.9), and 1941 ( Mw 7.7) appear to have occurred on intermediate regions of the down-dip boundary, areas that have been surrounded and probably incorporated into the 2004 rupture. Preliminary reports of 1-4 m of subsidence of the Nicobar Islands and 1-2 m uplift of western shorelines of the Andaman Islands are consistent with a down-dip fault width of 150-180 km and a slip of 7-23 m. Based on preliminary reports from the Port Blair tide gauge, the most significant slip event in the Andaman Islands, 800 km north of the epicenter, appears to have started no sooner than 36 minutes after the mainshock, some 30 minutes after the primary mainshock rupture is inferred to have arrived from the epicenter, but consistent with large aftershocks occurring in this region 85 minutes after the mainshock and suggestive of slow slip. The delayed slip was not accompanied by shaking except that from aftershocks. GPS measurements in the Andaman Islands prior to the earthquake indicate a plate convergence rate of 14 mm/year, suggesting that great earthquakes with similar slip to the 2004 event cannot occur more frequently than once every 1,000 years. A shorter recurrence interval of 400 years is calculated for the epicentral region where convergence rates …
Immune complex formation enhances the binding of staphylococcal protein A to immunoglobulin G

Abstract Staphylococcal protein A binds efficiently to the Fc region of goat immunoglobulin G antibodies only after they are immune complexed to immobilized, but not fluid-phase, polyvalent antigen (human myeloma immunoglobulin E protein) or monovalent hapten (methotrexate). Compared to fluid-phase or immobilized free immunoglobulin G, the reactivity of anti-immunoglobulin antibodies bound to solid-phase antigen was enhanced at least 300-fold. Results with immobilized methotrexate indicated that two molecules of immunoglobulin G must be bound in proximity to bind one molecule of protein A. Thus, aggregation appears to be a necessary condition for protein A binding.
Technical note: Rapid calculation of genomic evaluations for new animals

A method was developed to calculate preliminary genomic evaluations daily or weekly before the release of official monthly evaluations by processing only newly genotyped animals using estimates of single nucleotide polymorphism effects from the previous official evaluation. To minimize computing time, reliabilities and genomic inbreeding are not calculated, and fixed weights are used to combine genomic and traditional information. Correlations of preliminary and September official monthly evaluations for animals with genotypes that became usable after the extraction of genotypes for August 2014 evaluations were >0.99 for most Holstein traits. Correlations were lower for breeds with smaller population size. Earlier access to genomic evaluations benefits producers by enabling earlier culling decisions and genotyping laboratories by making workloads more uniform across the month.
Progressive Policy Making in a Conservative Age? Civil Rights and the Politics of Federal Education Standards, Testing, and Accountability

Recent research on the politics of contemporary policymaking has centered the contributions of diverse conservative forces. Conservatives are viewed as the chief proponents of marketizing reforms featuring retrenchment of social programs, privatization of social services, deregulation, and tax reduction, as well as of disciplining policies that impose more stringent behavioral requirements on beneficiaries, employ testing and reporting to monitor recipient performance, and impose sanctions for non-compliance. These developments are often viewed as fostering a less egalitarian politics, especially for historically disadvantaged groups. I examine the rise of standards, testing, accountability, and limited school choice policies in federal education policymaking, which are widely viewed as embodying the same conservative interests and ideologies that have shaped policymaking in other areas. Contrary to this conventional wisdom, I show that certain civil rights organizations, not conservative forces, provided much of the impetus for federal standards, testing, and accountability reforms, which they viewed as measures for raising the achievement of disadvantaged students. Tracing the origins and consequences of these policies, my research reveals that entrepreneurial progressives can achieve significant legislative successes that they believe will accomplish progressive objectives. However, these policy victories have yielded mixed substantive results, and they have also unleashed complex and unanticipated consequences.
ON THE RADIATIVE CORRECTIONS TO THE MUON POLARIZATION FROM PION DECAY

It is noted that the polarization of muons (or electrons) from pion (or kaon) decay, π(K) → μ(e)+ν, is not complete when radiative corrections are taken into account. It is shown that the correction is very small.
Increase in numbers of gonadotropin receptors on granulosa cells during follicle maturation.

The binding of both human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and human luteinizing hormone (hLH) to a homogeneous population of isolated intact granulosa cells from increasingly mature porcine ovarian follicles has been studied. The number of receptor sites per granulosa cell increases 35-fold as the follicle enlarges, although cell size remains constant. This may explain the increased biologic responsiveness to gonadotropin of mature cells from large follicles. The affinity for both hormones, as determined by equilibrium dissociation constants, is high, and does not appear to change significantly as the cells mature. Comparison of dissociation constants, numbers of binding sites, and competitive inhibition between hCG and hLH, indicates that these two hormones probably interact with the same receptor on the granulosa cells.
Skeletal muscle Sirt3 expression and mitochondrial respiration are regulated by a prenatal low-protein diet

Malnutrition during the fetal growth period increases risk for later obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We have shown that a prenatal low-protein (8% protein; LP) diet followed by postnatal high-fat (45% fat; HF) diet results in offspring propensity for adipose tissue catch-up growth, obesity and T2DM in Sprague-Dawley rats. Skeletal muscle is the major tissue for insulin-mediated glucose uptake. Dysfunctional skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, particularly reduction in expression of mitochondrial protein sirtuin protein 3 (Sirt3) contributes to development of T2DM by reducing mitochondrial respiration. Therefore, we hypothesized that maternal LP and postnatal HF diets would increase T2DM risk due to Sirt3 dysfunction within skeletal muscle mitochondria. Using our maternal LP and postnatal HF diet model, we showed that skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate was decreased by maternal LP diet. Mitochondria copy number, mitochondrial thermogenesis (UCP-1) expression and mitochondrial biogenic factors including nuclear respiratory factor 1 and cytochrome c oxidases 1 and 4 were unaffected by maternal LP and postnatal HF diets. Skeletal muscle Sirt3 mRNA decreased with maternal LP diet. A mitochondrial substrate of Sirt3, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), is regulated by Sirt3 via lysine residue acetylation status of SDH. Acetylated SDH protein (inactive form) levels were moderately decreased by maternal LP diet. Taken together, these data suggest that maternal LP and postnatal HF diets may increase the risk for T2D by decreasing skeletal muscle oxidative respiration via increased Sirt3 and possibly by decreased amounts of the active form of SDH enzyme.
Sharp line absorption in silica near 3400 cm-1.

Sharp absorption lines have been observed at temperatures near 4°K in samples of fused silica and crystal quartz. The strongest lines are near 3365 cm−1 and 3472 cm−1 and have widths at half height of less than 2.5 cm−1. With increasing temperature the absorption lines are shifted to higher frequencies; in addition, the lines are broadened and the peak absorption is decreased.
Multiple Positive Solutions for a Class of Semipositone Neumann Two Point Boundary Value Problems

Abstract We consider the two point Neumann boundary value problem −u″ = (x) = λƒ(u(x)); x ∈ (0, 1) u′(0) = 0 = u′(l) where λ is a positive parameter, ƒ ∈ C2[0, ∞), ƒ′(u) > 0 for u > 0, and for some β > 0, ƒ(u) 0 for u > β. We discuss existence and multiplicity results for positive solutions. In particular, we prove that if the set S = (π2n2/ƒ′(β), θ2/−2F(β)), where n ∈ N, F(u) = ∫u0ƒ(s) ds and θ is the unique positive zero of F, is nonempty, then there exist at least 2n + 1 positive solutions for each λ ∈ S. Furthermore, if ƒ″ > 0 on [0, β) and ƒ″
GENE THERAPY AND VASCULAR DISEASE : POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS IN VASCULAR SURGERY

Advances in molecular biology have generated methods that are used to enhance diagnosis and treatment of a variety of human diseases. More recently, modification of gene expression in cells by gene transfer has been introduced as a new therapeutic modality. The targeting of vascular cells with this method is appealing not only for anatomical reasons, but also because endovascular techniques provide access to the vasculature and makes site-specific delivery possible. Over the past few years, gene transfer has been widely used to explore the pathophysiology of vascular diseases in experimental models and available data suggests that this method may eventually become a therapeutic alternative for vascular disorders such as restenosis, graft failure, and critical ischaemia. In the following, we discuss the methodology of gene transfer, its tentative use in vascular diseases related to vascular surgery, and the problems associated with this new technology.
Aliphatic amines in the Murchison meteorite.

The paper reports on the determination of aliphatic amines in water extracts of the Murchison meteorite. The amines were analyzed by gas chromatography both as the free amines and as 2,4-dinitrophenyl (DNP) derivatives. The results give evidence for the presence of all of the possible primary aliphatic monoamines (eight) with fewer than five carbon atoms. Two of the seven possible secondary or tertiary aliphatic monoamines were identified. The identified primary amines total 80 nmol per g meteorite, and seem to be chemically or physically trapped in the meteorite. Similarities between the water-extractable amines and amino acids suggest that (1) a simple carbon compound, methane, for example, is the precursor of meteorite amines and amino acids, and (2) both amines and amino acids are extracted from the meteorite both as such and in the form of acid-hydrolyzable derivative or precursor species.
Scleredema Adultorum of Buschke: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Objectives To present a case of scleredema adultorum of Buschke associated with hypergammaglobulinemia and review the literature pertaining to this disease. Methods Search of MEDLINE (PubMed) was performed using the words "Scleredema Adultorum." Only cases in the English language, with pertinent clinical information for analysis, were included. Results We present a case of scleredema associated with hypergammaglobulinemia. The skin findings had been progressive for 2 years before he was diagnosed with scleredema. Our patient was found to have a B-cell lymphoma before being diagnosed with scleredema. The progression of skin thickening halted with no apparent correlation to immunosuppressive therapies or chemotherapeutic agents. A total of 165 cases of scleredema adultorum are described in the literature. There are 3 types of scleredema adultorum. Type 1 is usually preceded by a febrile episode and resolves spontaneously. Type 2 is associated with developing paraproteinemias including multiple myeloma. Type 3 is associated with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions Scleredema adultorum of Buschke is a rare disorder which is sometimes associated with hypergammaglobulinemia; our patient had a B-cell lymphoma. Physicians should suspect scleredema in any patient with diffuse skin thickening where the hands and feet are spared, particularly if diabetes or a preceding febrile episode were present. Once the diagnosis of scleredema is made, evidence for the presence of hypergammaglobulinemia should be sought.
Medical misinformation: Communication between outport Newfoundland women and their physicians

Abstract A middle-aged woman in a Newfoundland outport fishing village visits the doctor at a local medical clinic and complains of a case of bad nerves. Because he neither adequately understands the subtleties of the village concept of nerves nor the local etiquette of disease disclosure, the physician misinterprets the women's complaint and treats her for an ailment she does not have. The incident discourages the woman and other villagers from seeking medical care in the future. Any outport doctor should be familiar with the character of nerves as effectors of temperment, as conversation capital, and as female status enhancers and also with the role that ‘women the worrier’ plays in the local fishery. Features of village life which the physician, in this case study, fails to understand include: the complex patterns of social interaction behind the woman's decision to seek medical aid, the outporter's reluctance to ask for help or become obligated to others, and the local fear of persons in positions of authority. Most importantly the doctor is ignorant of the local view of the physician as a kind of moral adjudicator with the power to undermine the patient's reputation as a good woman in the community.
Note on the ab initio PUHF treatment of open-shell systems

Ab initio projected-unrestricted Hartree-Fock calculations have been carried out on a number of excited and ionic states of the water molecule. Results have been compared with large-scale CI calculations, with IVO calculations, and with those of Mrozek and Golebiewski obtained by the 2 × 2 rotation method applied to orbitals. It is concluded that the PUHF method may provide the most useful alternative to large-scale CI for calculating properties of open-shell systems. But it will not be generally useful for calculating spectral transition energies.
Sperm, inositol trisphosphate, and thimerosal-induced intracellular Ca2+ elevations in rabbit eggs

Abstract Fertilization-induced calcium (Ca2+) changes were examined in in vivo fertilized rabbit eggs, using the fluorescent Ca2+ indicator fura-2 dextran. Twenty-four of 48 fertilized eggs exhibited repetitive Ca2+ rises with intervals or 13 ± 1 min (means ± SEM) during the recording period of 45 min. None of the unfertilized eggs showed Ca2+ rises (6/6). The mean peak Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) was 466 ± 30 nM and the average duration was 100 ± 3 sec. The amplitude of the Ca2+ rises decreased and the duration increased as the stage of fertilization progressed from recently fertilized to pronuclear apposition (P In unfertilized eggs, Ca2+ release was elicited by injection of inositol 1,4,5 trisphosphate (InsP3; 5 μM in the injection pipette) with a mean peak [Ca2+]i of 764 ± 88 nM and a duration of 28 ± 1 sec (n = 9). Injection of InsP3S3 (500 μM), a nonmetabolizable analogue of InsP3, induced repetitive Ca2+ rises different from sperm-induced rises in periodicity and duration. Exposure to 400 μM thimerosal caused spontaneous Ca2+ rises (1.4 ± 0.1 Ca2+ rises in 45 min of measurements) with an amplitude of 1200 ± 54 nM and duration of 114 ± 8 sec. Heparin injection (100 mg/ml), an InsP3 receptor antagonist, blocked both InsP3 and thimerosal-induced spontaneous Ca2+ rises. Successive application of InsP3 and thimerosal in Ca2+-free medium showed that either InsP3 or thimerosal produced smaller Ca2+ rise(s) when preceded by Ca2+ rise(s) induced by the other agonist. The results of this study indicate that rabbit eggs, like other mammalian eggs, exhibit repetitive Ca2+ rises during fertilization. InsP3 and thimerosal stimulate intracellular Ca2+ release most likely from a common large intracellular pool by activating the InsP3 receptor.
On the number of positions in chess without promotion

The number of different legal positions in chess is usually estimated to be between \(10^{40}\) and \(10^{50}\). Within this range, the best upper bound \(10^{46}\) is some orders of magnitude bigger than the estimate \(5 \times 10^{42}\) made by Claude Shannon in his seminal 1950 paper, which is usually considered by computer scientists to be a better approximation. We improve Shannon’s estimate and show that the number of positions where any number of chessmen may have been captured but no promotion has occured is bounded from above by \(2 \times 10^{40}\). The actual number should be quite a bit smaller than that and outline possible ways towards improving our result.
Effects of denervation on the production of an experimental myopathy.

Abstract The organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitor Paraoxon produces a progressive myopathy in rat skeletal muscle characterized by the appearance of central nuclei and fiber splitting with the eventual loss of fiber architecture. When the hemidiaphragm preparation was denervated 2 weeks prior to Paraoxon administration, the myopathy was prevented in the denervated muscle and necrosis was enhanced in the contralateral innervated muscle. Cholinesterase present in the denervated hemidiaphragm was found to be less susceptible to inhibition by Paraoxon than that in the contralateral innervated hemidiaphragm. In addition, enzyme recovery from Paraoxon inhibition was greater in 6- to 11-day denervated preparations than recovery in short-term (1- to 4-day) denervated or innervated muscle. Choline acetyltransferase activity decreased to 40% of control values after denervation and was not significantly affected by Paraoxon in either denervated or innervated hemidiaphragm. It is concluded that the effects of denervation in preventing the Paraoxon-induced myopathy are related to changes in both muscle contractile activity and cholinesterase activity.
DESIGN COMPLETION-TIME FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

Summary.-Design completion-times and total-test completion-time for the 9 designs of the Bender-Gestalt are presented. It is suggested that completiontime may well be irrelevant in performance on the Bender of these 64 7-yr.-old children. Koppitz (1975) has suggested that the time required by a child to complete the Bender-Gestalt is important as a diagnostic consideration. However, before time can seriously be considered within a diagnostic framework some normative information should be established for comparative purposes. There ate some relatively recent studies suggesting that approximately 6% min. are needed by most elementary school children to complete the test and certain learning-disordered children require less time (Ackerman, Peters, & Dykman, 1971; Dykman, Peters, & Ackerman, 1973). These studies have used mean time required for total test-completion by a group of children. Such an approach may be misleading as it neglects the wide range of performances of different children who complete the Bender in approximately the same time. In this study for the individual designs as well as for the total test, mean and quartile completion-times, optimal completion-time, and the general relationships between completion-times and errors ate noted. Specifically the general objective of this study is to establish preliminary normative data for the Bender designs, completion-time, and accuracy as determined by the Koppitz (1975) scoring method for 7-yr.-old children. These data were based on the simultaneous consideration of speed and accuracy of reproduction with 7-yr.-old children through the determination of an optimal completion-time for each of the nine Bender designs where optimal completiontime is operationally defined for any design as the mean time required to reprduce the design by those children who demonstrate no Koppitz errors on that design. METHOD S-le In the sample were 64 elementaty school children from a parod~ial school of a latge mid-western city. The ratio of females to males in the sample was approximately two to one, 41 females and 23 males. The children were all of 'We wish to acknowledge the support provided for this study by the Dean of the Graduate School and Research of Miami University. Requests for reprints should be sent to Richard J. Hofmann, 201 McGuffey Hall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056.
Interferon-gamma and B cell stimulatory factor-1 reciprocally regulate Ig isotype production

Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and B cell stimulatory factor-1 (BSF-1), also known as interleukin-4, are T cell-derived lymphokines that have potent effects on B cell proliferation and differentiation. They are often secreted by distinct T cell clones. It is now shown that IFN-gamma stimulates the expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) of the IgG2a isotype and inhibits the production of IgG3, IgG1, IgG2b, and IgE. By contrast, BSF-1 has powerful effects in promoting switching to the expression of IgG1 and IgE but markedly inhibits IgM, IgG3, IgG2a, and IgG2b. These results indicate that BSF-1 and IFN-gamma as well as the T cells that produce them may act as reciprocal regulatory agents in the determination of Ig isotype responses. The effects of IFN-gamma and BSF-1 on isotype expression are independent.
Modification of Glutamine Synthetase in Streptomyces griseus by ADP-Ribosylation and Adenylylation

Addition of NH+4 to Streptomyces griseus 2682 cells grown in NO−3 containing medium resulted in a rapid decline in glutamine synthetase activity due to covalent modification of the enzyme. The NH+4 promoted inactivation of the enzyme was inhibited by the ADP-ribosyltransferase inhibitor 3-methoxybenzamide. In the presence of ADP-ribosyltransferase activity the purified glutamine synthetase was also inhibited by NAD+ in a concentration-dependent manner. ADP-ribosylation of glutamine synthetase was demonstrated in vitro by showing the incorporation of labeled ADP-ribose from [α-32P]NAD+ into glutamine synthetase subunits. Beside ADP-ribosylation, adenylylation of glutamine synthetase was also shown in S. griseus since phosphodiesterase I treatment reactivated the enzyme in crude extracts of NH+4-shocked cells. Glutamine synthetase was also inhibited and modified by ATP in crude cellular extracts. These results suggest that in S. griseus 2682 ADP-ribosylation of glutamine synthetase could be an alternative modification to adenylylation to regulate glutamine synthetase activity.
Probabilistic, context-sensitive, and goal-oriented service selection

In this paper we propose a novel approach and a platform for dynamic service selection in composite Web services. The problem we try to solve is that of selecting, for each composite service execution and for each step in the execution, the service that maximizes the probability of reaching a user-defined goal. We first underline the limitations of a priori approaches based on having each service provider declare non-functional parameters and on trying to select services based on some utility functions over these parameters. Then, we propose an approach that overcomes these limitations by tackling the problem a posteriori: we analyze past executions of the composite service and build, using data mining techniques, a set of context-sensitive service selection models to be applied at each stage in the composite service execution. We show the architecture of a prototype that implements this approach and we discuss its benefits over the a priori approach.
SINGLE FERTILIZATION IN MAIZE

Single fertilization events were detected in seven maize lines (Zea mays L.) of different genetic background. Detection of single fertilization was achieved by a dual pollination method, that is, pollen parent 1 (y1/y1, white endosperm) was pollinated onto the silks of Oh43 (Y1/Y1, yellow endosperm) and 24 h later the same silks were pollinated with pollen of X18G (R1-scm2/R1-scm2, purple aleurone and purple embryo). Seventy-nine kernels with purple aleurone and white scutellum (Pw) were observed in 29,999 examined kernels. Determination of chromosome numbers and progeny tests revealed that 31 plants were maternal haploid, 4 were monosomics between Oh43 and X18G, 36 originated from single fertilization events by pollen parent 1 (0.4%), and 5 triploids are thought to have originated from single fertilization by a diploid sperm cell of pollen parent 1. At least one-fifth of heterofertilization events in maize can be the result of single fertilization.
A study of the electric field in an open magnetospheric model

The qualitative properties of an open magnetosphere and its electric field are examined and compared to a simple model of a dipole in a constant field and to actual observations. Many of these properties are found to depend on the separatrix, a curve connecting neutral points and separating different field-line regimes. In the simple model, the electric field in the central polar cap tends to point from dawn to dusk for a wide choice of external fields. Near the boundary of the polar cap electric equipotentials curve and become crescent-shaped, which may explain the correlation of polar magnetic variations with the azimuthal component of the interplanetary magnetic field, reported by Svalgaard. Modifications expected to occur in the actual magnetosphere are also investigated: in particular, it appears that bending of equipotentials may be reduced by cross-field flow during the merging of field lines and that open field lines connected to the polar caps emerge from a long and narrow slot extending along the tail.
FINDING TYPE SETS IS NP-HARD

It is shown that determining the type set of the variety generated by a finite algebra is a P-Space-hard problem. This is done by interpreting into it the P-Space-complete problem of determining if a given function is a composition of a set of unary functions on a set. Specifically, the given function is a composition of the others just when the type 3 is not in the type set of the variety generated by the algebra that is constructed. A lemma that restricts the types that are possible in the variety generated by a given algebra is also given.
We Covered Death Today.

Abstract Death education is passing over the invisible threshold to social acceptance. This “success,” however, brings a new set of risks. Focus in this article is upon the possibility that death education might be manipulated to serve as a more sophisticated form of denial rather than an open and disciplined inquiry into our relationship with mortality. Trends toward narrowing and neutralizing the subject can already be seen. The full scope of death-related issues is often reduced to selected aspects of the dying process. This makes it easier to retain the illusion of control which, in turn, reduces anxiety. The neutralizing process can be seen in the assimilation of death as just one more fact of life. We accept those connotations of death that support the personal and social status quo, but continue to ignore or deny death's most unique implications. It is recommended that the death educator be aware of the social pressures and expectations to deliver a comforting “product” rather than a searching enco...
Nitrogen cycling in microbial mats: rates and patterns of denitrification and nitrogen fixation

Spatial and temporal variations in nitrogen fixation and denitrification rates were examined between July 1991 and September 1992 in the intertidal regions of Tomales Bay (California, USA). Microbial mat communities inhabited exposed mudflat and vegetated marsh surface sediments. Mudflat and marsh sediments exhibited comparable rates of nitrogen fixation. Denitrification rates were higher in marsh sediments. Nitrogen fixation rates were lowest during January at both sites, whereas highest rates occurred during summer and fall. Denitrification rates were highest during fall and winter months in marsh sediments, while rates in mudflat sediments were highest during summer and fall. In mudflat sediments, nitrogen fixation and denitrification rates, integrated over 24 h, ranged from 6 to 79 mg N m-1 d-1 and 1 to 10 mg N m-2 d-1, respectively. Rates of denitrification represented between 6 and 20% of nitrogen fixation rates during the day, but exceeded or were equivalent to nitrogen fixation rates at night. The highest integrated rates of both nitrogen fixation and denitrification occurred during July, whereas, the highest percent loss occurred during spring when denitrification rates amounted to 20% of nitrogen fixation rates during the day. Over an annual cycle, inputs of fixed N to mudflat communities occurred exclusively during daylight. These results underscore the importance of determining integrated diel rates of both nitrogen fixation and denitrification when constructing N budgets. Using this approach, it was shown that microbial denitrification can represent a significant loss of combined nitrogen from mats on daily as well as monthly time scales.
Lie algebras: bases and formulas

Resume Nous allons essayer de comparer l'efficacite de plusieurs methodes permettant les calculs dans les algebres de Lie. Il existe plusieurs facons de construire une base d'une algebre de Lie libre engendree par un ensemble fini. Nous utiliserons, a travers des algorithmes, deux d'entre elles (les bases de Hall et les bases de Lyndon) pour calculer, entre autres, quelques formules de Campbell-Haussdorf. Diverses implementations ont ete realisees en Lisp ainsi qu'en Scratchpad II plus recemment.