cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The population projection as a matrix operator

El metodo de “componentes” para proyecciones de poblacion, uno de los metodos demograficos mas valiosos, ha sido tratado casi enteramente como metoda empirico, desprovisto de una teoria basica 0 una esiruciura matematica. Este articulo considera la proyeccion como una matriz, con valores de supervivencia en la diagonal principal y en la primera fila una funcion que expresa la probabilidad de que las mujeressupervivientes de cada edad den a luz un descendiente de sexoespecificado que sobrevive hasta el final del ciclo de la proyeccion. Mediante multiplicaciones sucesivas de la matriz por si misma (elevando la matriz a exponentes mayores podemos reconstruir la distribucion por edades en anos subsecuentes). (Por razones que todavia no se entienden con claridad, no es posible estimar una poblacion para anos anteriores, mediante la multiplicacion de la matriz inversa.) Una ventajadeeste procedimiento es quesepara totalmente las operaciones de la proyeccion de la composicion por edades dela poblacion inicial a la coolse aplico, lo quepermite una comparacum de resultados si la proyeccion se aplica a otra poblacion. El metoda permite estimar, paracoolquier epoca futura, el efecto de las fluctuaciones en el numero de nacimientos 0 de madres sobre la estructura por edades y el tamano de la poblacion.
Photoabsorption K edge of shock compressed aluminum.

The K-edge shift and the absorption profile of aluminum along the shock Hugoniot have been calculated using density functional methods taking account of finite temperature effects, lattice melting, and liquid structure. Our first principles calculation is in good accord with available experiments.
Specific control of peptide assembly with combined hydrophilic and hydrophobic interfaces.

Designed coiled-coil heterotrimers are described whose assembly is governed by both hydrophobic and hydrophilic forces. Sterically matched hydrophobic core side-chain packing of alanine and cyclohexylalanine has been shown to promote formation of a 1:1:1 heterotrimer. Manipulation of hydrophilic glutamic acid (Glu)/lysine (Lys) pairs at each of three helical contact interfaces provides a secondary recognition mechanism. Peptides with matched cores and hydrophilic contacts form stable heterotrimers (ΔGunf at 25 °C = 17.93 kcal/mol; MWapp = 11362 vs 11563 calcd for trimer), as do those with a single Lys/Lys (but not Glu/Glu) interface. The additional specificity engendered by simultaneous operation of two interfaces was used to design a system in which six different peptides are mixed to form three specific and independent heterotrimers in the same solution.
Real-Time Salmonella Detection Using Lead Zirconate Titanate-Titanium Microcantilevers

Current methods for analysis of unknown powders in suspicious packages involve sending samples to laboratory facilities where a variety of time-consuming tests are performed. We have developed and investigated the use of a lead zirconate titanate - titanium (PZT-Ti) microcantilever for in situ detection of the common food- and water-born pathogen, Salmonella typhimurium. Using a bifunctional linking molecule to immobilize antibody on the titanium surface of the microcantilever, we can directly detect salmonella cells in suspensions of differing concentration. This novel surface functionalization technique along with the sub-nanogram sensitivity of the cantilever has allowed for direct quantification of S. typhimurium cells in suspension.
The preparation β-ketoaldehydes☆

Abstract β-Ketoaldehydes(7) were prepared by the addition of bromophenylthiotrimethylsilylmethane(6) to trimethylsilyl enol ethers(3) followed by a sila-Pummerer rearrangement and hydrolysis.
Effects of metamorphosis on blood respiratory properties and erythrocyte adenosine triphosphate level of the salamander Dicamptodon ensatus (Eschscholtz).

Abstract Hemoglobin properties, erythrocyte ATP concentration and blood lespiratory properties were investigated in larval and adult forms of the urodele, Dicamptodon ensatus . The hemoglobin of both forms eluted as a single peak on Sephadex G-75 (app mol wt = 66000) and was heterogeneous electrophoretically. The major fraction migrated anodal to Hb A in larvae and cathodal to Hb A in adults. After metamorphosis there were significant increases in hematocrit (20.9 to 24.2 %) and hemoglobin concentration (3.8 to 4.4 g%) but no change in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (18.3%). There was no significant change in the Bohr factor (−0.131 to−0.139) or temperature factor ( Δ log P 50 / Δ T = −0.032 to −0.029). Buffer capacity increased slightly from 8.0 to 9.3 ΔmM HCO 3 − /L/Δ pH. The oxygen affinity of purified (phosphate free) larval and adult hemoglobin solutions was similar and, in both cases, was decreased by the addition of ATP. The erythrocyte ATP concentration of adult blood was significantly higher than that of larval blood (39 μM/g Hb compared with 21 μM/g Hb) and there was a corresponding significant difference in oxygen affinity (P 50 at pH 7.8 and 15°C = 21.9 mm Hg for larval and 31.6 mm Hg for adult blood). This is the first evidence for organic phosphate regulation of oxygen affinity in ectothermic vertebrates. The results are discussed with respect to the increased metabolic rate and the transition from aquatic to aerial respiration accompanying metamorphosis.
The role of apoptosis in acute lung injury.

ObjectiveTo discuss current aspects of our understanding of the role of apoptosis in lung injury.Data SourcesReview of English language literature.Data SummaryApoptosis is a process that produces timely death in senescent cells. Apoptosis is important in developmental biology and in remodeling of ti
Regional sensitivity and coupling of BOLD and CBV changes during stimulation of rat brain

Functional MRI of rat brain was performed at 2 Tesla following intravenous injection of cocaine in order to 1) determine if changes in CBV and changes in BOLD signal were regionally coupled in brain parenchyma, and 2) compare the sensitivities of these imaging methods across different brain structures. Percent changes in CBV and BOLD relaxation rate were spatially and temporally coupled during this graded brain activation. The use of contrast agent increased functional sensitivity in all parenchymal brain structures, with a strong but predictable dependence on the resting-state blood volume fraction. Magn Reson Med 45:443‐ 447, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. After injection of a large dose of a paramagnetic intravascular contrast agent with a long blood halflife, the contrast of functional MRI (fMRI) reflects the cerebral blood volume (CBV) rather than the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal. Previous studies employing these contrast agents have demonstrated a marked increase in the sensitivity for detecting cortical activation by sensory stimulation in the rat (1‐3). Moreover, simple NMR physics suggests that the CBV method should provide roughly uniform sensitivity across parenchymal brain regions, providing an appropriate amount of contrast agent is used (4), whereas BOLD signal changes are strongly weighted by the local blood volume fraction. As a consequence, the apparent foci of BOLD cortical activation are shifted to outer cortical layers (4), and activation of many subcortical structures should be more difficult to detect than cortical activation using the BOLD method; this last prediction has not been verified experimentally. Beyond the practical issue of sensitivity is the related question of whether changes in BOLD signal and CBV are independent indices of the neurovascular response or are regionally coupled throughout the brain. Although the temporal dynamics of BOLD signal and CBV differ during rapid transitions in blood flow (1,5), these methods may provide roughly equivalent temporal and spatial information for slowly-evolving activation as induced by a pharmacological challenge. In this study, we administered a behaviorally relevant dose of cocaine in order to produce widespread but regionally graded brain activation as measured by fMRI (6). BOLD and CBV-weighted signal changes were compared across whole brain in order to address two related questions: Are the sensitivities of the two techniques regionally variant, and are changes in CBV and changes in BOLD signal regionally coupled in brain parenchyma at the spatial resolutions typically used in fMRI studies?
Influence of lipid composition on physical properties and peg-mediated fusion of curved and uncurved model membrane vesicles: "nature's own" fusogenic lipid bilayer.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-mediated fusion of phosphatidylcholine model membranes has been shown to mimic the protein-mediated biomembrane process [Lee, J., and Lentz, B. R. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95, 9274−9279]. Unlike the simple model membranes used in this earlier study, the lipid composition of fusogenic biomembranes is quite complex. The purpose of this paper was to examine PEG-mediated fusion of highly curved (SUV) and largely uncurved (LUV) membrane vesicles composed of different lipids in order to identify lipid compositions that produce highly fusogenic membranes. Starting with liposomes composed of five lipids with different physical properties, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS), bovine brain sphingomyelin (SM), and cholesterol (CH), we systematically varied the composition and tested for the extent of PEG-mediated fusion after 5 min of treatment. We found that a vesicle system composed of four lipids, DO...
Treatment of acromioclavicular separations A retrospective study

A retrospective study of 134 patients with Types I, II, and III acromioclavicular separations was carried out. The average followup was 6.3 years, with the longest being 19 years, and the shortest being 1 year. The mechanism of injury was a direct blow in 92% of the patients. The average age of the patients was 30.1 years, with a range from 13 to 68 years. All patients were evaluated using a standard rating system for the shoulder and humerus, the total for perfect recovery being 100. Twenty- four patients with Type I separations were immobilized 19.5 days, with a disability period of 6 weeks, and rated 94 points. Twenty-five patients with Type II separations were immobilized 27 days for the conservative groups, had a disability period of 6 weeks, and rated 90 points. Eighty-five patients with Type III acromioclavicular separations were followed. Seven patients had conservative treatment, were immobilized an average of 22 days, with a disability period of 13 weeks, and rated 82. Of those patients who unde...
Singing in Relation To Social Dominance and Testosterone in White-Throated Sparrows

Singing by white-throated sparrows Zonotrichia albicollis during the winter in natural situations occurred most frequently among birds with high rank in a dominance hierarchy. Genetic morph, age and sex had no significant influence on singing during winter. Among testosterone-implanted birds in small groups in large aviaries, dominance rank strongly influenced singing. Testosterone-treated birds with top rank sang most frequently, those with second rank less, and those with lower rank never. As a testosterone-treated bird's rank changed in the course of regroupings with new opponents, its frequency of singing also changed. Dominance in a group thus interacted with testosterone to promote singing. In addition, grouped birds in May before treatment with testosterone did not sing. As a consequence, it seems likely that the normal seasonal development of territorial behavior and singing involves cascading interactions of endocrine states and social circumstances.
The effectiveness of inpatient and outpatient treatment for alcohol abuse: the need to focus on mediators and moderators of setting effects

Previous reviews have concluded that there was no evidence for the superiority of inpatient over outpatient treatment of alcohol abuse, although particular types of patients might be more effectively treated in inpatient settings. In this review, we first consider the conceptual rationales that have been offered to support inpatient and outpatient treatment. Following that, the results of the relevant research on setting effects are presented. Five studies had significant setting effects favoring inpatient treatment, two studies found day hospital to be significantly more effective than inpatient treatment, and seven studies yielded no significant differences on drinking-related outcome variables. In all but one instance in which a significant effect emerged, patients in the 'superior' setting received more intensive treatment and patients were not 'preselected' for their willingness to accept random assignment to treatment in either setting. Studies finding significant setting effects also conducted more treatment contrasts (18.6 vs. 4.9), on average, and had a mean statistical power level of 0.71 (median 0.79) to detect a medium-sized effect, whereas studies with no significant findings had an average power level of 0.55 (median 0.57). When inpatient treatment was found to be more effective, outpatients did not receive a respite in the form of inpatient detoxification and the studies were slightly less likely to have social stability inclusion criteria and to use random assignment to treatment settings. We consider the implications of our findings for future research, especially the need to examine the conceptual rationales put forward by proponents of inpatient and outpatient treatment, i.e. mediators and moderators of setting effects.
EXPLORATION OF AN AUTOMATED EDITING TASK AS A GRE® WRITING MEASURE1

Two editing tasks were developed and programmed for the computer to explore the possibility that such tasks might be useful as measures of writing skill. An informal data collection was then conducted with 52 prospective graduate students. These students completed the editing tasks with no time limit, as well as a writing experience questionnaire. Scores obtained on the two editing tasks were correlated with variables developed from the questionnaire. The total score for the two editing tasks correlated .52 with student self-assessments of their writing ability, .46 with grade-point average (GPA) based on courses requiring at least some writing, and .30 with writing accomplishments. The correlation with GPA, however, was only .14. The reliability of the total editing score was estimated at .84.
Inhibition of Hepatitis C Virus NS2/3 Processing by NS4A Peptides IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL OF VIRAL PROCESSING

The NS2/3 protease of hepatitis C virus is responsible for a single cleavage in the viral polyprotein between the nonstructural proteins NS2 and NS3. The minimal protein region necessary to catalyze this cleavage includes most of NS2 and the N-terminal one-third of NS3. Autocleavage reactions using NS2/3 protein translated in vitro are used here to investigate the inhibitory potential of peptides likely to affect the reaction. Peptides representing the cleaved sequence have no effect upon reaction rates, and the reaction rate is insensitive to dilution. Both results are consistent with prior suggestions that the NS2/3 cleavage is an intramolecular reaction. Surprisingly, peptides containing the 12-amino acid region of NS4A responsible for binding to NS3 inhibit the NS2/3 reaction with K(i) values as low as 3 microM. Unrelated peptide sequences of similar composition are not inhibitory, and neither are peptides containing incomplete segments of the NS4A region that binds to NS3. Inhibition of NS2/3 by NS4A peptides can be rationalized from the organizing effect of NS4A on the N terminus of NS3 (the NS2/3 cleavage point) as suggested by the known three-dimensional structure of the NS3 protease domain (Yan, Y., Li, Y., Munshi, S., Sardana, V., Cole, J. L., Sardana, M., Steinkuhler, C., Tomei, L., De Francesco, R., Kuo, L. C., and Chen, Z. (1998) Protein Sci. 7, 837-847). These findings may imply a sequential order to proteolytic maturation events in hepatitis C virus.
Methods for effective real-time RT-PCR analysis of virus-induced gene silencing

Abstract We applied real-time RT-PCR to the analysis of Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the phytoene desaturase (PDS) gene in Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato. Using a combination of direct measurement and mathematical assessment, we evaluated three plant genes, ubiquitin (ubi3), elongation factor-1 α (EF-1), and actin, for use as internal reference transcripts and found that EF-1 and ubi3 were least variable under our experimental conditions. Primer sets designed to amplify the 5′ or 3′ regions of endogenous PDS transcripts in tomato yielded similar reductions in transcript levels indicating a uniform VIGS-mediated degradation of target RNA. By measuring the ratio of the abundance of the PDS insert transcript to the TRV coat protein RNA, we established that the PDS insert within TRV was stable in both hosts. VIGS in N. benthamiana resulted in complete photo-bleaching of all foliar tissue compared to chimeric bleaching in tomato. PDS transcript levels were decreased eleven- and seven-fold in photobleached leaves of N. benthamiana and tomato, respectively, while sampling tomato leaflets on the basis of age rather than visible bleaching resulted in only a 17% reduction in PDS coupled with a large leaf-to-leaf variation. There was a significant inverse relationship (r2 = 76%, P = 0.01) between the relative abundance of CP RNA and the amount of PDS transcript in rTRV::tPDS-infected tomato suggesting that virus spread and accumulation are required precursors for successful VIGS in this host.
Multiband signal reconstruction from finite samples

Abstract The minimum mean-squared error (MMSE) estimator has been used to reconstruct a band-limited signal from its finite samples in a bounded interval and shown to have many nice properties. In this research, we consider a special class of band-limited 1-D and 2-D signals which have a multiband structure in the frequency domain, and propose a new reconstruction algorithm to exploit the multiband feature of the underlying signals. The concept of the critical value and region is introduced to measure the performance of a reconstruction algorithm. We show analytically that the new algorithm performs better than the MMSE estimator for band-limited/multiband signals in terms of the critical value and region measure. Finally, numerical examples of 1-D and 2-D signal reconstruction are given for performance comparison of various methods.
Structure-Activity Relationships in the Carcinogenicity of Anticancer Agents

(1984). Structure-Activity Relationships in the Carcinogenicity of Anticancer Agents. Drug Metabolism Reviews: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 619-646.
Genetic polymorphism of enzymes of alcohol metabolism and susceptibility to alcoholic liver disease

Differences in the pharmacokinetics of alcohol absorption and elimination are, in part, genetically determined. There are polymorphic variants of the two main enzymes responsible for ethanol oxidation in liver, alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. The frequency of occurrence of these variants, which have been shown to display strikingly different catalytic properties, differs among different racial populations. Since the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase in liver is a rate-limiting factor for ethanol metabolism in experimental animals, it is likely that the type and content of the polymorphic isoenzyme subunit encoded at ADH2, beta-subunit, and at ADH3, the gamma-subunit, are contributing factors to the genetic variability in ethanol elimination rate. The recent development of methods for genotyping individuals at these loci using white cell DNA will allow us to test this hypothesis as well as any relationship between ADH genotype and the susceptibility to alcoholism or alcohol-related pathology. A polymorphic variant of human liver mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase, ADLH2, which has little or no acetaldehyde oxidizing activity has been identified. Individuals with the deficient ALDH2 phenotype do not have altered ethanol elimination rates but they do exhibit high blood acetaldehyde levels and dysphoric symptoms such as facial flushing, nausea and tachycardia, after drinking alcohol. Because acetaldehyde is so reactive, it binds to free amino groups of proteins including a 37 kilodalton hepatic protein-acetaldehyde adduct and may elicit an antibody response. We would predict that individuals who have low ALDH2 activity because of liver disease or because they have the inactive ALDH2 variant isoenzyme might form more protein-acetaldehyde adducts and elicit a greater immune response. These adducts may represent good biological markers of alcohol abuse and may also play a role in liver injury due to chronic alcohol consumption.
Global-scale hybrid simulation of cusp precipitating ions associated with magnetopause reconnection under southward IMF

[1] With a 3-D global-scale hybrid simulation model, we investigate the energy spectra of cusp precipitating ions and issues associated with magnetopause reconnection under a southward IMF. Both the spatial and temporal energy spectra of cusp precipitating ions are computed by tracing trajectories of the transmitted magnetosheath ions. The spatial spectrum shows a dispersive feature consistent with satellite observations, with higher energy particles at lower latitudes and lower energy particles at higher latitudes. The simulation reveals (1) how and where particles are transmitted from the solar wind into the magnetosphere via direct magnetic reconnection on the dayside; (2) how the features of the spectra are related to ongoing magnetic FTEs; and (3) how the motion of the cusp, particularly the latitudinal variation of the open/closed field line boundary, is correlated with the dayside reconnection and reflected in the energy flux spectra of the precipitating ions as a function of time.
Environmentalism: spiritual, ethical, political

The normative foundations of the environmental movement can be thought of in a range of different ways. The present paper is a commentary on very interesting papers by Thomas Dunlap, Thomas Hill and Kimberly Smith, who take up the spiritual, ethical and political perspectives respectively. Their accounts are described and evaluated.
The healthy toddlers curriculum.

The Healthy Toddlers (HT) curriculum, a series of 8 weekly lessons available in English and Spanish, was designed to promote the development of healthy eating habits at an early age through effective nutrition and parenting education. Curriculum content was based on topics of interest to parents and research indicating that although most mothers knew that it was important to feed their children healthy food, they needed strategies and skills to help them accomplish this goal. Healthy Toddlers used a learner-centered approach, based on the Social Cognitive Theory, which addresses both cognitive and environmental influences on behavior. The curriculumwas developed and field tested with 628 families over 3 years in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The data gathered are in the process of being analyzed. The HT curriculum emphasized the roles of mothers and toddlers during feeding; that is, mothers determine what the toddler is offered to eat and where and when he eats, and the toddler decides whether and how much he eats. Key concepts in lessons
Ocular Lyme disease

Lyme disease is reported from all over the United States. Transmitted by deer ticks, mosquitoes, and deer flies, it affects numerous organ systems. All age groups are vulnerable to this disease and must be educated about early signs and symptoms to speed diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
Quaternary acid magma in New Zealand

The voluminous Pleistocene—Recent Taupo rhyolites typically contain phenocrysts of plagioclase (oligoclase-labradorite), quartz, titanomagnetite, ilmenite, and ferromagnesian silicates. Ferromagnesian assemblages correlate with well defined Fe-Ti oxide equilibration temperature ranges and allow the rhyolites to be subdivided as follows: (1) Cummingtonite (c)—calcic hornblende (hb)—orthopyroxene (opx); 725–755°C, (2) Hb-opx, 750–825°C, (3) Biotite-hb-(c-opx), 720–765°C, (4) Opx-clinopyroxene (cpx), 860–915°C, (5) Fe olivine-opx-cpx, one sample with temperature of 900°C. Plagioclase and orthopyroxene phenocryst compositions typically exhibit a range of composition up to ∼20 mol.%. Calculated average phenocryst equilibration pressures (P total) range between 0.5–4.9 kb, and average 2.2 kb (∼7–8 km depth), indicating upper crustal crystallization. These calculations are very sensitive to variations in phenocryst composition. Calculated $$/_{{\text{H}}_2 {\text{O}}} $$ for the amphibole and biotite-bearing rhyolites indicate phenocryst equilibration under $$P_{{\text{H}}_2 {\text{O}}} \simeq P_{{\text{total}}} $$ , with $$X_{{\text{H}}_2 {\text{O}}} $$ ∼0.17–0.24 (5–8 wt. %). The precipitation of cummingtonite is thus temperature dependent, the upper limit being close to 760°C. Eruptive mechanisms of the lavas, pumices, and ash-flow deposits are evidently not primarily controlled by temperature, P total, $$P_{{\text{H}}_2 {\text{O}}} $$ , or crystal content of the magmas, and explanations must lie in kinetic and fluid dynamic behavior of the magmas. For the Taupo rhyolites, it is suggested that the critical size of a magma body (i.e. Rayleigh number) is a controlling factor in that it will influence the convective regime; fully turbulent convection is deduced to have occurred within the larger magma bodies. One consequence is intense vesiculation, prior to eruption, within the uppermost zones of these magma chambers, and the voluminous pumice deposits are believed to emanate from such chambers. Oscillatory compositional zoning within pyroxene phenocrysts is consistent with magma convection.
Does Suicidal Intent Mean the Same in Completed Suicides as it Does in Attempted Suicides

A measure of objective suicidal intent was found to have different correlates in a sample of 235 completed suicides and a sample of 208 attempted suicides, suggesting that the scale measures differ...
An efficient distributed token-based mutual exclusion algorithm with central coordinator

A new distributed mutual exclusion algorithm is proposed in this paper. This algorithm is a centralized token-based algorithm. An improvement of the synchronization delay for centralized mutual exclusion in distributed systems is achieved by modifying the standard algorithm for centralized mutual exclusion by a forwarding mechanism that allows tokens to be passed directly between requesters instead of always going through a centralized coordinator. Performance metrics such as synchronization delay, messages per request, and response time under light and heavy loads, are presented. Analysis shows that this algorithm outperforms existing algorithms and its performance is close to the lower bounds of these metrics.
Coding, counting and cultural cartography

Richard Biernacki has, through painstaking attempts to replicate the codings of formal analyses of culture, concluded that such efforts to bring rigor into cultural analysis are futile. Coding does intrinsic violence to the nature of the material, and imposes interpretations as opposed to drawing them out in such a way that they can be made subject to critique. Here we argue that Biernacki’s claims as to the intrinsic problems with coding are valid, but they do not necessarily imply that the only form of defensible analysis of cultural materials is a conventional humanistic one. Instead, they may just as well be taken to imply that we need to move further in the direction of formalism. Formal techniques that do not involve imposition of interpretation before the analysis, but rather condense information to facilitate an intersubjectively valid interpretation, do not suffer from the problems identified by Biernacki, and offer a path for a distinctly sociological contribution to cultural analysis. Further, although such techniques simplify their source works, they do so in the way a map simplifies – they make patterns accessible for joint exploration.
MHD stability properties of bean-shaped tokamaks

A study of the MHD stability properties of bean-shaped tokamak plasmas is presented. For ballooning modes, while increased indentation gives larger stable-beta configurations, the existence and accessibility of the second stable region are sensitive to the pressure and safety factor profiles. The second stable region appears at lower beta values for large aspect ratio and moderately high q-values. Finite-Larmor-radius kinetic effects can significantly improve the stability properties. For low-q ( 1) operation, long-wavelength (n ~ 2, 3) internal-pressure-driven modes occur at modest βp values and accessibility to higher beta operation is unlikely. Indentation modifies the nature of the usually vertical axisymmetric instability, but the mode can be passively stabilized by placing highly conducting plates near the tips of the plasma bean. At constant q, indentation has a stabilizing effect on tearing modes.
Detection of Heart Murmurs Using Wavelet Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks

This paper presents the algorithm and technical aspects of an intelligent diagnostic system for the detection of heart murmurs. The purpose of this research is to address the lack of effectively accurate cardiac auscultation present at the primary care physician office by development of an algorithm capable of operating within the hectic environment of the primary care office. The proposed algorithm consists of three main stages. First; denoising of input data (digital recordings of heart sounds), via Wavelet Packet Analysis. Second; input vector preparation through the use of Principal Component Analysis and block processing. Third; classification of the heart sound using an Artificial Neural Network. Initial testing revealed the intelligent diagnostic system can differentiate between normal healthy heart sounds and abnormal heart sounds (e.g., murmurs), with a specificity of 70.5% and a sensitivity of 64.7%.
Quantitative study of shrinkage and warpage behavior for microcellular and conventional injection molding

This research investigated the effects of processing conditions on the shrinkage and warpage (S&W) behavior of a box-shaped, polypropylene part using conventional and microcellular injection molding. Two sets of 26-1 fractional factorial design of experiments (DOE) were employed to perform the experiments and proper statistical theory was used to analyze the data. After the injection molding process reached steady state, molded samples were collected and measured using an optical coordinate measuring machine (OCMM), which had been evaluated using a proper R&R (repeatability and reproducibility) measurement study. By analyzing the statistically significant main and two-factor interaction effects, the results show that the supercritical fluid (SCF) content (nitrogen in this case, in terms of SCF dosage time) and the injection speed affect the S&W of microcellular injection molded parts the most, whereas pack/hold pressure and pack/hold time have the most significant effect on the S&W of conventional injection molded parts. Also, this study quantitatively showed that, within the processing range studied, a reduction in the S&W could be achieved with the microcellular injection molding process. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 45:1408–1418, 2005. © 2005 Society of Plastics Engineers
The resolution of Saffari's phase problem

Abstract We prove a conjecture of Saffari on the distribution of the angular speed of ultraflat sequences of unimodular polynomials.
Polynomially bounded multisequences and analytic continuation

Given a polynomially bounded multisequence { f m }, where m = ( m 1 , …, m k ) ∈ ℤ k , we will consider 2 k power series in exp( iz 1 ), …, exp( iz k ), each representing a holomorphic function within its domain of convergence. We will consider this same multisequence as a linear functional on a class of functions defined on the k -dimensional torus by a Fourier series, , with the proper convergence criteria. We shall discuss the relationships that exist between the linear functional properties of the multisequence and the analytic continuation of the holomorphic functions. With this approach we show that a necessary and sufficient condition that the multisequence be given by a polynomial is that each of the power series represents, up to a unit factor, the same function that is entire in the variables
Catalytic Activity of Type II Iodothyronine 5′-Deiodinase Polypeptide Is Dependent upon a Cyclic AMP Activation Factor

Abstract Type II iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase is an ∼200-kDa multimeric enzyme in the brain that catalyzes the deiodination of thyroxine (T4) to its active metabolite, 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine. In astrocytes, cAMP stimulation is required to express catalytically active type II iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase. The affinity ligand N-bromoacetyl-L-T4 specifically labels the 29-kDa substrate-binding subunit (p29) of this enzyme in cAMP-stimulated astrocytes. To determine the requirements for cAMP-induced activation of this enzyme, we optimized N-bromoacetyl-L-T4 labeling of p29 in astrocytes lacking type II iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase activity and examined the effects of cAMP on the hydrodynamic properties and subcellular location of the enzyme. We show that the p29 subunit is expressed in unstimulated astrocytes and requires 10-fold higher concentrations of N-bromoacetyl-L-T4 to achieve incorporation levels equal to those of p29 in cAMP-stimulated cells. Gel filtration showed that p29 was part of a multimeric membrane-associated complex in both cAMP-stimulated and unstimulated astrocytes and that cAMP stimulation led to an increase of ∼60 kDa in the mass of the holoenzyme. In unstimulated astrocytes, p29 resides in the perinuclear space. Cyclic AMP stimulation leads to the translocation of p29 to the plasma membrane coincident with the appearance of deiodinating activity. These data show that cAMP-dependent activation of type II iodothyronine 5′-deiodinase activity results from the synthesis of additional activating factor(s) that associates with inactive enzyme and leads to the translocation of enzyme polypeptide(s) from the perinuclear space to the plasma membrane.
Vasomotor Effects of Progesterone

Several years ago during an investigation1 of the urinary excretion of sodium pregnanediol glucuronide following intramuscular injection of progesterone in sesame oil into volunteer members of a group of males, one of us (D. V. H.), experienced some subjective symptoms which were related theoretically to vasomotor effects of this hormone. In view of the fact that experimental studies upon laboratory animals have indicated that progesterone may influence the vasomotor system, and despite the fact that our clinical observations concern only one individual, it seemed advisable to report these findings. During the course of daily intramuscular injections of 30 mg. of progesterone in sesame oil* (10 mg. to i cc. of oil) for 4 days, D. V. H. experienced a sudden onset of an acute depression, with psychomotor retardation and associated feelings of impending calamity. These symptoms lasted throughout the 4-day period of treatment and for about a days thereafter.
Considering The Social Context in Gender Research: The Impact of College Students' Life Stage

Although a large body of research has investigated the possibility of motivational or attitudinal differences in women and men that would explain observable differences in levels of achievement, much of this research has failed to produce the expected results. It is proposed that the failure of researchers to consider the personal and contextual characteristics of their college student samples may have contributed to this lack of results. Some of the relevant variables include those provided by the (lack of) context of the typical laboratory experiment. Other context cues emerge from an analysis of the life stage of the typical research study participant. Predictions about achievement differences across the early adult years are outlined. This same life stage analysis is also briefly applied to other areas of gender research.
Analysis of mercury cadmium telluride by energy dispersive analysis

An electron microprobe analysis technique using energy dispersive spectrometry has been developed for rapid quantitative analysis of mercury cadmium telluride at high spatial resolution. The results can demonstrate a difference of x in Hgl-xCdxTe of 0.002 between two locations as close as 5μm, the accuracy in x being dependent on how well determined are the composition of the standards employed. Damage to the sample is limited by the low (lOkeV) excitation potential and low current used. The method is applicable to bulk crystals and LPE grown material.
Effects of Na + and He + pickup ions on the lunar-like plasma environment: 3D hybrid modeling

Abstract In this report we discuss the self-consistent dynamics of pickup ions in the solar wind flow around the lunar-like object. In our model the solar wind and pickup ions are considered as a particles, whereas the electrons are described as a fluid. Inhomogeneous photoionization, electron-impact ionization and charge exchange are included in our model. The Moon will be chosen as a basic object for our modeling. The current modeling shows that mass loading by pickup ions Na + and He + may be very important in the global dynamics of the solar wind around the Moon. In our hybrid modeling we use exponential profiles for the exospheric components. The Moon is considered as a weakly conducting body. Special attention will be paid to comparing the modeling pickup ion velocity distribution with ARTEMIS observations. Our modeling shows an asymmetry of the Mach cone due to mass loading, the upstream flow density distribution and the magnetic field. The pickup ions form an asymmetrical plasma tails that may disturb the lunar plasma wake.
Regulation of the neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor by SRC family tyrosine kinases

Src family kinases (SFKs) are abundant in chromaffin cells that reside in the adrenal medulla and respond to cholinergic stimulation by secreting catecholamines. Our previous work indicated that SFKs regulate acetylcholine- or nicotine-induced secretion, but the site of modulatory action was unclear. Using whole cell recordings, we found that inhibition of SFK tyrosine kinase activity by PP2 (4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine) treatment or expression of a kinase-defective c-Src reduced the peak amplitude of nicotine-induced currents in chromaffin cells or in human embryonic kidney cells ectopically expressing functional neuronal alpha3beta4alpha5 acetylcholine receptors (AChRs). Conversely, the phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, sodium vanadate, or expression of mutationally activated c-Src resulted in enhanced current amplitudes. These results suggest that SFKs and putative phosphotyrosine phosphatases regulate the activity of AChRs by opposing actions. This proposed model was supported further by the findings that SFKs physically associate with the receptor and that the AChR is tyrosine-phosphorylated.
Catalytic effect of GSSG on reduction of cytochrome c by GSH-possible model for facilitation of electron transfer and energy conservation by sulfonium ion formation☆

Abstract The reduction of cytochrome c by GSH can occur by two reactions. One is metal catalyzed, prevented by EDTA, and is greatly inhibited by the ionic strength of isotonic solutions. The other is GSSG catalyzed and is completely insensitive to ionic strength. It is suggested that a complex between GSSG and GSH, possibly involving a ring of the three sulfur atoms, facilitates the electron donating activity of GS− and stabilizes the first and second oxidation products, GS· and GS+. The stabilized sulfonium ion might represent a type reaction involved in energy conservation in oxidative phosphorylation.
Early Identification of Stable Transformation Events by Combined Use of Antibiotic Selection and Vital Detection of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) in Carrot (Daucus carota L.) Callus

Genetic transformation is a useful technique to complement conventional breeding in crop improvement. Although carrot has been a model organism for in vitro embryogenesis study, genetic transformation of carrot is still lengthy and labor intensive. An efficient transformation and detection system is desirable. Direct infection of Agrobacterium to carrot calli has provided an easy way for carrot genetic transformation. To improve the efficiency of antibiotic selection in this method, we report the combined use of an improved green-fluorescent protein, referred to as smGFP, to establish a versatile selection method for carrot callus transformation system. By combining antibiotic selection with the bright fluorescence observed in the callus tissue, we were able to easily identify stable transformants in early stage of the transformation process. In addition to the GFP expression of the callus cells, the transgenic nature of callus cells was confirmed with Southern and Western analysis. We found we can link the simplicity of carrot-callus-cell transformation, early detection of stable transformants with antibiotic selection, visualization of GFP fluorescence, and molecular analysis (Southern and Western) of callus tissue (non-photosynthetic tissue) to provide a more efficient way in identifying stable transformants at early stage of carrot transformation.
Fostering client connections with Alcoholics Anonymous: a framework for social workers in various practice settings.

Alcohol abuse is common among clients in human service agencies, but most never seek help for their drinking problems, either in professional treatment or self-help (mutual aid) groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.). A.A. is a widely-available resource, but it is not always introduced to clients in a manner that fosters acceptance of A.A. Social workers in various practice settings can facilitate A.A. affiliation by working collaboratively with clients, seeking a goodness-of-fit between client needs and the resources available within A.A. This article offers a pragmatic approach to initial A.A. involvement, intended to help professionals utilize barriers to affiliation as opportunities for furthering both counseling goals and the connection to A.A.
Treatment of acute ischemic stroke: selecting the right treatment for the right patient.

At present, thrombolytic therapy is the only therapy approved for the treatment of acute brain injury among patients with ischemic stroke. While recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) is efficacious, its usefulness is limited, largely because of the very limited time window for its administration. Other medications that have potential neuroprotective actions or that affect coagulation or flow have not been established as efficacious or have not been approved by regulatory authorities. Additional therapies are needed to reduce the neurological consequences of ischemic stroke. Although the number of options to treat the stroke itself is limited, physicians should remember that management is multifaceted. Even if a patient cannot be treated with rt-PA, there is much that can be done to improve outcomes. Therapies of proven value are available to prevent or control complications, to augment recovery and to forestall recurrent stroke. The choice of treatment will continue to be made on a case-by-case basis and will be influenced by a number of variables. The most important factors are the time interval from stroke, the severity of the neurological impairments, the results of the baseline brain imaging and the cause of stroke.
Ectomycorrhizal Fungi of Tsuga Heterophylla

Fifty fungi have been demonstrated to form ectomycorrhizae in pure culture synthesis with western hemlock. More than a hundred additional fungi are reported to be probable mycorrhiza formers with v...
Treatment of the pruritus of cholestasis: From unbearable lightness to substance

Background & Aims To assess the efficacy and safety of naltrexone for the short and long term treatment of pruritus of cholestasis. Methods Twenty patients with pruritus and cholestasis were included. A baseline pruritus score was obtained over 1 week. Patients were then randomized to receive 50 mg/day of naltrexone or placebo for 2 weeks. Subsequently, a 1-week washout period ensued and patients were crossed over to the other therapy for 2 additional weeks. Pruritus was assessed daily with a visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 10. Patients whose pruritus decreased >50% of basal with naltrexone received naltrexone 50 mg/day for 2 additional months. Results Mean basal VAS was similar in both groups. VAS showed greater and more significant changes with naltrexone than with placebo (P 50% compared to basal value, including five whose pruritus disappeared completely. No significant changes were observed in serum biochemistry. Most of the adverse events that occurred during the first 48 h of naltrexone therapy were consistent with opioid withdrawal-like phenomena and spontaneously disappeared 2 days after starting treatment. Conclusions Naltrexone can be considered as an alternative option to treat pruritus of cholestasis. In the current study, side effects were transient and did not require specific medication. Controlled trials have suggested that opiate antagonist therapy may be effective for the treatment of the symptoms of cholestasis. The oral opiate antagonist naltrexone in particular has started to enter into routine clinical use for amelioration of cholestatic itch. Attention regarding the side effects of opiate antagonist therapy has, to date, largely focused on an opiate withdrawal–type reaction (which can be controlled effectively by titrated therapy introduction regimens). Here we describe three cases of a further clinically important side effect: loss of control of pain resulting from other pathologies, which in each case necessitated the withdrawal of hitherto clinically effective opiate antagonist therapy. Of the 14 patients treated by our unit with opiate antagonist agents for the control of cholestatic symptoms, 13 (93%) showed resolution of or significant improvement in symptoms. Of the 13 patients showing a clinical response, seven (54%) subsequently had to discontinue therapy because of side effects (including the three patients with uncontrolled pain). It is our experience that in the routine clinical setting, opiate antagonists are highly effective for the treatment of cholestatic symptoms. In practice, however, their usefulness is limited by their side effect profile.
Tomographic imaging of oxygen by phosphorescence lifetime

Imaging of oxygen in tissue in three dimensions can be accomplished by using the phosphorescence quenching method in combination with diffuse optical tomography. We experimentally demonstrate the feasibility of tomographic imaging of oxygen by phosphorescence lifetime. Hypoxic phantoms were immersed in a cylinder with scattering solution equilibrated with air. The phantoms and the medium inside the cylinder contained near-infrared phosphorescent probe(s). Phosphorescence at multiple boundary sites was registered in the time domain at different delays (td) following the excitation pulse. The duration of the excitation pulse (tp) was regulated to optimize the contrast in the images. The reconstructed integral intensity images, corresponding to delays td, were fitted exponentially to give the phosphorescence lifetime image, which was converted into the three-dimensional image of oxygen concentrations in the volume. The time-independent diffusion equation and the finite element method were used to model the light transport in the medium. The inverse problem was solved by the recursive maximum entropy method. We provide what we believe to be the first example of oxygen imaging in three dimensions using long-lived phosphorescent probes and establish the potential of these probes for diffuse optical tomography.