cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Global Structure on Search

Population-based methods are often considered superior on multimodal functions because they tend to explore more of the fitness landscape before they converge. We show that the effectiveness of this strategy is highly dependent on a function's global structure. When the local optima are not structured in a predictable way, exploration can misguide search into sub-optimal regions. Limiting exploration can result in a better non-intuitive global search strategy.
A User-Orientated Model of the Soil Water Balance in Wheat

In many regions of the world where agriculture is important, the season for growing crops is often characterized by large variations in water supply. These variations occur both spatially and from year to year. This uncertainty in water supply, along with other important weather variations, creates a risky environment for farmers. Models that consider the dynamics of the soil water balance as related to weather, plant and soil parameters have been proposed as a means of assisting farmers in minimizing their risks.
Aqueous powder coating methods for preparation of grain boundary engineered ceramics

Abstract Coated powders provide a mechanism for uniform incorporation of inorganic dopants into ceramics, resulting in improved control of microstructures, grain boundary phases and properties. Incorporation of inorganic dopants into polymeric additive systems is a novel method of coating powders in aqueous suspension. Controlled adsorption of polymer–cation complexes can be used to coat powder surfaces in a suspension, which can be subsequently spray-dried without dopant segregation. This method streamlines the coating process, making it economical for large scale manufacturing. Two alumina formulations with controlled grain boundary chemistry were used as model systems to develop these methods. Alumina with 2.5% magnesium aluminosilicate glass grain boundary phase was prepared and sintered. The conventional mixed powder method was compared with sol–gel coated powder prepared in an alcohol–water solvent, and powder spray-dried from a suspension containing silicone emulsion with added magnesium stearate. The sol–gel coated powder densified at a temperature 100°C below that required for the conventional mixed oxide powder system. Poor mixedness from the emulsion method hindered microstructure development. High purity alumina with Mg-rich grain boundaries was prepared by coating particles with a Mg–polyacrylic acid chelate adsorbed from aqueous solution. Uniform distribution of magnesium at grain boundaries resulted in microstructure with uniform grain size for MgO additions as low as 100 ppm, while 400 ppm MgO was required to obtain similar microstructure using the mixed powder method.
A simple method for designing structural models with closely spaced modes of vibration

A simple method for designing a mathematical model with closely spaced vibration modes is described. The design process begins with a reference model having specified geometry, continuous inertia and stiffness distributions, and degrees of freedom, all of which remain unchanged. Two natural frequencies of this model are then forced together by means of systematic perturbation of the model's discrete inertia and stiffness parameters. There is only one eigenvalue solution per design cycle, and the gradient vector is calculated directly from the resulting modal quantities. The minimization procedure employed is unconstrained. As applications, a cantilevered plane grid model with five degrees of freedom and a bending-torsion-oscillator with eleven degrees of freedom are treated.
SU‐FF‐T‐561: Measuring Extracranial Dose with the Leksell Gamma Knife Model 4C Using Gafchromic EBT Film

Purpose: Measure scatter and leakage dose in critical, extracranial organs for patients undergoing Leksell Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.Method and Materials: A stereotactic frame was attached to the head of an anthropomorphic Rando phantom. Using a fiducial box to determine the coordinates of the target (center of the Rando head), a CT scan was taken and registered in the GammaPlan treatment planning system where a dose prescription of 25Gy to the 50% isodose line was applied to the target site. The plan was generated for the 18 mm collimator size helmet with a single shot run using the automatic positioning system (APS). Multiple (2 to 5) 2″×2″ Gafchromic EBT films were placed between each slice of the Rando body phantom, from the neck to pelvic region (phantom slice 8 to 31), and analysis was done using a Vidar VXR‐16 scanner with the RIT113 Version5.1 analysis software. An HD dose will also decrease with increasing distance from the focal point. The doses are low but may be considered for younger patients with longer life expectancy.
The Effects of Type of Information and Method of Dissemination on the Reporting of a Shoplifter

The present study demonstrated increased reporting rates of a staged shoplifting in a university bookstore. Two methods of information presentation (lecture format, mass-media campaign) succeeded in producing these effects. The type of information given to 72 male and 99 female students was also varied and included: (1) how and why to report shoplifting, (2) the social-psychological factors which inhibit reporting, and (3) a combination of these. All types of information increased the reporting rates compared to the control groups. The lecture format increased reporting rates above that of the mass-media groups. No sex differences were found. The findings have implications for the way factual knowledge and attitudes interact in influencing behavior.
Does reactivity testing in the laboratory reflect blood pressure changes elsewhere

Abstract This study examines whether reactivity testing in a laboratory setting might identify individuals whose blood pressure (BP) fluctuates excessively outside of the laboratory. Eighty-eight normotensive and untreated hypertensive patients were studied. Patients' BPs were obtained repeatedly on two separate screening occasions. They were subsequently admitted to a research ward, and 4 days later their BPs were measured at resting baseline and in response to a series of stressful tasks. Blood pressure declined by 14/11 mm Hg ± 1.2/1.1 mm Hg ( SE ) from screening to the in-patient resting baseline. The four stressful tasks all led to increase in BP over the in-patient resting baseline level. Individuals with increased amounts of task-induced reactivity in the laboratory were also more likely to be those whose BP declined the most from out-patient screening to hospitalized baseline. The average correlation between the drop in BP associated with hospitalization and the BP reactivity to each stressor task was r=0.33 for systolic BP (p
Using shape analysis to reduce finite-state models of concurrent Java programs

Finite-state verification (e.g., model checking) provides a powerful means to detect concurrency errors, which are often subtle and difficult to reproduce. Nevertheless, widespread use of this technology by developers is unlikely until tools provide automated support for extracting the required finite-state models directly from program source. Unfortunately, the dynamic features of modern languages such as Java complicate the construction of compact finite-state models for verification. In this article, we show how shape analysis, which has traditionally been used for computing alias information in optimizers, can be used to greatly reduce the size of finite-state models of concurrent Java programs by determining which heap-allocated variables are accessible only by a single thread, and which shared variables are protected by locks. We also provide several other state-space reductions based on the semantics of Java monitors. A prototype of the reductions demonstrates their effectiveness.
Compositional dependence of single-crystal PMN-xPT phase transformations

Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals produce extraordinary strain levels in response to electric field, but the response is highly dependent on temperature and bias stress. This behavior must be well characterized for the successful development of actuation and sensor applications. This paper presents the results of experimental characterization of oriented single crystal PMN-xPT ( x = 0.27 and 0.29) is presented for combined electrical and mechanical loading at various temperatures. These data are contrasted with previously reported constitutive behavior of single crystal PMN- x PT with different compositions. The effects of composition on the phase transformation behavior and linear material properties are compared and discussed.
Distorted wave analysis of reactions leading to the singlet deuteron state

Abstract Some (p, pn) reactions have been studied within the distorted wave Born approximation. The singlet and triplet state of the final pn system are analysed separately, and it is shown that the contribution from the singlet state is dominating for small relative energies. The cross section is compared with the (p, d) cross section. Fair agreement with experiment is found.
MUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL PLANNING, HOUSING, AND URBAN RENEWAL IN GREATER STOCKHOLM

The Kingdom of Sweden is the largest of the Scandinavian countries, with a sparsely distributed population of 8.5 million inhabitants. Stockholm, which was founded in 1252 and became Sweden's capital and administrative centre in 1523, has 670,000 inhabitants in the city itself and about 830,000 in the metropolitan area. Built on 14 islands linked together by 50 or so bridges and situated between the fresh water of Lake Malaren and the salt water of the Baltic Sea, Stockholm has a strategic location which accounts for its also having become the dominant municipality in central Scandinavia. Significant migration to Stockholm from Sweden's rural areas did not begin, however, until the second half of the 19th century when the Industrial Revolution finally reached the country, the city's population mushrooming to 300,000 by 1900 and peaking at 810,000 in 1960. Today, Greater Stockholm has more than 1.5 million residents, who constitute about 18 percent of Sweden's total population. Fifty‐one percent of Stockholm's households consist of one person and, 30 percent, of two persons. Moreover, only 16 percent have children under age 16, which helps to explain the fact that 22 percent of Stockholm's population is over 65 years of age. Thus, it is not surprising that only 11 percent (41,110) of Stockholm's 380,000 dwellings are one‐ and two‐family houses; 89 percent are apartments (City of Stockholm 1989).
Anions of the hydrogen-bonded guanine-cytosine dimer - Theoretical study

Abstract The quantum mechanical calculations performed in this work revealed an interesting nature of the stationary states of an excess electron in the guanine–cytosine (G–C) anion. The electron can form either a dipole-bound (DB) state or a covalent state. The coexistence of the two states may enhance the ability of the G–C dimer to capture an excess electron.
Free-jet spectra and structure of o-, m- and p-dihydroxybenzenes

Abstract Analysis of the free-jet spectra of hydroquinone (para), catechol (ortho) and resorcinol (meta) shows the presence of multiple origins in each molecular spectrum which are interpreted as belonging to separate structural isomers.
Cytosolic pH Gradients Associated with Tip Growth

The presence of a cytosolic pH gradient and its relation to polar tip growth was investigated in rhizoid cells of Pelvetia embryos with the use of pH-sensitive microelectrodes and by ratio imaging. Growing rhizoid cells generated a longitudinal pH gradient in which the apical cytosol was 0.3 to 0.5 units more acidic than the cytosol at the base of the cell. Treatment with a membrane-permeant weak acid, propionic acid, dissipated the cytosolic pH gradient and inhibited growth. The magnitude of the pH gradient correlated well with the rate of tip elongation. The pH gradient spatially superimposed on the cytosolic calcium gradient, and inhibition of calcium fluxes by treatment with lanthanum abolished the pH gradient and inhibited growth.
Should All Inflow Stenoses Be Treated in Failing Autogenous Hemodialysis Fistulae

Abstract Purpose To determine whether angioplasty of inflow stenosis in malfunctioning but patent autogenous hemodialysis fistulae has an impact on postintervention primary patency in patients without a clinical indicator of inflow-related access malfunction. Materials and Methods Medical records for 76 procedures in 62 patients with inflow stenoses undergoing fistulography in nonthrombosed mature autogenous fistulae without an inflow-related indication of access malfunction over a 5-year period were reviewed retrospectively. Control and treatment arms were defined as patients with untreated (26 procedures in 23 patients) and treated (50 procedures in 39 patients) inflow stenoses, respectively. All patients in both arms of the study had concurrent intrafistula and/or venous outflow stenosis, which were treated successfully with angioplasty. The clinical endpoint was defined as return for a failing or thrombosed access (ie, primary patency). A two-tailed unpaired Student t test was performed to compare primary patency and percent inflow stenosis in treatment (angioplasty) and control (untreated inflow stenoses) groups, with significance defined at P Results There was no significant difference in percent inflow stenosis between control and treatment arms ( P = .95). There was no significant difference in access patency between the two groups (139 and 124 d for control and treated groups, respectively; P = .95). No procedural complications occurred in either arm of the study. Conclusions Angioplasty of inflow stenosis in failing autogenous fistulae without an appropriate clinical indicator of an inflow pathologic process does not improve postintervention primary patency.
Pharmacology of agents used in bone marrow transplant conditioning regimens

Abstract Disease state, donor histocompatibility, effective immunosuppression, antineoplastic activity and creation of physiological hematopoietic space are all key determinants of succesful bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Preparative BMT regimens have evolved from the use of single fraction total body irradiation (TBI) to elaborate combinations of multidrugs and fractionated TBI regimens. Many of these newly developed conditioning regiments have increased engraftment rates and curative potential. The purpose of this review is to critically examine the pharmacologic behavior of the most commonly used agents in bone marrow transplantation conditioning regimens. The known immunosuppressive, antihematopoietic and antineoplastic properties of each agent are discussed. In addition, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity profiles are evaluated. A thorough understanding of the pharmacology of agents used in BMT may aid in the design of patient specific conditioning regimens.
Mechanical unfolding of two DIS RNA kissing complexes from HIV-1.

Abstract An RNA kissing complex formed by the dimerization initiation site plays a critical role in the survival and infectivity of human immunodeficiency virus. Two dimerization initiation site kissing sequences, Mal and Lai, have been found in most human immunodeficiency virus 1 variants. Formation and stability of these RNA kissing complexes depend crucially on cationic conditions, particularly Mg 2+ . Using optical tweezers, we investigated the mechanical unfolding of single RNA molecules with either Mal-type (GUGCAC) or Lai-type (GCGCGC) kissing complexes under various ionic conditions. The force required to disrupt the kissing interaction of the two structures, the rip force, is sensitive to concentrations of KCl and MgCl 2 ; addition of 3 mM MgCl 2 to 100 mM KCl changes the rip force of Mal from 21 ± 4 to 46 ± 3 pN. From the rip force distribution, the kinetics of breaking the kissing interaction is calculated as a function of force and cation concentration. The two kissing complexes have distinct unfolding transition states, as shown by different values of Δ X ‡ , which is the distance from the folded structure to the unfolding transition state. The Δ X ‡ of Mal is ∼ 0.6 nm smaller than that of Lai, suggesting that fewer kissing base pairs are broken at the transition state of the former, consistent with observations that the Lai-type kissing complex is more stable and requires significantly more force to unfold than the Mal type. More importantly, neither K + nor Mg 2+ significantly changes the position of the transition state along the reaction coordinate. However, increasing concentrations of cations increase the kinetic barrier. We derived a cation-specific parameter, m , to describe how the height of the kinetic barrier depends on the concentration of cations. Our results suggest that Mg 2+ greatly slows down the unfolding of the kissing complex but has moderate effects on the formation kinetics of the structure.
Functional Renormalization-Group Study of the Pairing Symmetry and Pairing Mechanism of the FeAs-Based High-Temperature Superconductor

We apply the fermion functional renormalization-group method to determine the pairing symmetry and pairing mechanism of the FeAs-Based materials. Within a five band model with pure repulsive interactions, we find an electronic-driven superconducting pairing instability. For the doping and interaction parameters we have examined, extended s wave, whose order parameter takes on opposite sign on the electron and hole pockets, is always the most favorable pairing symmetry. The pairing mechanism is the inter-Fermi-surface Josephson scattering generated by the antiferromagnetic correlation.
Experimental and Analytical Investigation of the Mechanical Behavior of High-Burnup Zircaloy-4 Fuel Cladding

Sufficient mechanical ductility of high-burnup Zircaloy-4 fuel cladding is important to prevent large-opening ruptures and significant fuel dispersal during postulated in-reactor and spent-fuel processing accidents. The effect of irradiation, oxidation, and hydriding at high fuel burnup may degrade cladding ductility to the extent that such large ruptures are possible under severe loadings. To understand this susceptibility to failure, this study focused on mechanical testing coupled with detailed finite-element modeling and analyses. Under ring-compression-type loading at room temperature, tensile cracks form within the corrosion-induced oxide layer under elastic loading. The oxide crack then propagates into the cladding wall under additional loading with little to no measurable plastic strain, as confirmed by both experiment and analyses of plastic hoop strain in the ring. For cladding with the oxide removed prior to testing at ≤1 %/s, cracking of the underlying hydride rim comprised of circumferentially oriented hydrides occurs at low plastic hoop strain (≤3 %), whereas the finite-element analysis suggests that the base alloy with a relatively small amount of hydrides appears to fail at higher strain (>8 %). At even higher strain rates (≈400 %/s), cracking within the hydride rim occurs at near-zero ductility, but the base alloy continues to remain highly ductile. These room-temperature results indicate that the hydride rim is sensitive to strain rate, whereas the base alloy is relatively not. With the precipitation of ≈100 % radially oriented hydrides, the cladding exhibits near-zero ductility at room temperature and ≈0.1 %/s. This study suggests that the ring-compression test coupled with finite-element modeling and analysis may be used to estimate crack-initiation strains in irradiated cladding materials with susceptible microstructures and under various deformation rates.
Communication interface in a physical simulator for robotic palletization

Abstract This paper addresses the issues relating to the communication channels in a physical simulator for flexible automation of a palletization task. The simulator used in our work involves an IBM-7545 robot, a personal computer and an Allen-Bradley Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The communications relating to the Robot/PC interface and the PLC/PC interface are discussed. The palletization station design requires that decisions on pallet pattern are made dynamically by a program running on the personal computer. The Robot/PC communication interface is necessary to transmit these decisions to the robot controller for execution. This communication is to be achieved using BASIC language and AML 4.1 as the software platforms. The PLC has the task of controlling the transport of the boxes coming to the palletization station. The program for deciding the pallet pattern, running on the personal computer, needs real-time information on the counts of boxes of different sizes that are arriving for palletization. The PLC/PC interface serves to provide this information.
Low Catalyst Loadings in Olefin Metathesis: Synthesis of Nitrogen Heterocycles by Ring-Closing Metathesis

A series of ruthenium catalysts have been screened under ring-closing metathesis (RCM) conditions to produce five-, six-, and seven-membered carbamate-protected cyclic amines. Many of these catalysts demonstrated excellent RCM activity and yields with as low as 500 ppm catalyst loadings. RCM of the five-membered carbamate series could be run neat, the six-membered carbamate series could be run at 1.0 M, and the seven-membered carbamate series worked best at 0.2−0.05 M.
Urethral stricture associated with malacoplakia: a case report and review of the literature

A 68-year-old man presented with obstructive and irritative lower urinary tract symptoms and microscopic hematuria. Cystourethroscopy showed a circumferential stricture in the bulbar urethra that bled easily on contact. Biopsy revealed malacoplakia. There was also focal nonspecific cystitis. The patient improved symptomatically, but the microscopic hematuria persisted. Follow-up biopsies showed persistent urethral malacoplakia and stricture. Malacoplakia of the male urethra is exceptionally rare, this being the second reported case.
Electron-impact ionization of H+2 using a time-dependent close-coupling method

The first application of the time-dependent close-coupling method to electron–molecule scattering is used to calculate electron-impact ionization cross sections for H+2. The time-dependent Schrodinger equation for the six-dimensional wavefunction is reduced to a set of close-coupled equations on a four-dimensional numerical lattice in (r1, θ1, r2, θ2) centre-of-mass spherical polar coordinates. When the non-perturbative close-coupling results for low lM angular momenta are combined with perturbative distorted-wave results for high lM angular momenta, the resulting ab initio ionization cross sections are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental measurements in the intermediate energy range.
Optimization of High Tc Superconducting Microwave Planar Structures

This paper compares the characteristics of superconducting microstrip lines to those of inverted microstrip line with the aim of obtaining the optimal structure that suits certain applications. Characteristics of two high Tc superconducting planar structures on LaA103 are evaluated using a two-dimensional numerical code based on the two fluid model and the TMz mode solution. The losses in the superconducting strip as well as the dielectric losses are taken into consideration. Three structures of the same characteristic impedance are considered. It is shown that the inverted microstrip line has a more uniform current and magnetic flux-density distributions, and lower dielectric and conductor losses, which makes it well suited for high current transmission. Although the microstrip line has more dielectric and conductor losses, it has a higher Q factor due to the large energy stored in the dielectric substrate.
Clinical relevance of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for the detection of axillary lymph node metastases in breast cancer.

Background:The mammary sentinel lymph node procedure can increase the detection of axillary metastases by 45% compared with standard axillary dissection. Some investigators have reported that reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) increases metastasis detection even more, but it is uncertain whether a positive RT-PCR test in the face of a negative histological evaluation is clinically meaningful. Methods:RT-PCR for epithelial glycoprotein 2 and cytokeratin 19 was performed on sentinel and pooled nonsentinel axillary lymph nodes from 108 women with clinical stage I or II breast cancer who were followed up for a median of 40 months. Results:Axillary metastases were detected on standard tissue sections in 26% and by RT-PCR in 30%. Results for the two tests were concordant for 80% of the cases. RT-PCR upstaged 16%. Tumors from women whose lymph nodes were positive only by RT-PCR were phenotypically similar to those from women with no metastases detected by any method. Moreover, 4-year actuarial distant disease-free survival was 100% for women with metastases detected by RT-PCR only, as compared with 74% for those with metastases detected by routine histology (P = .03) and 93% for those with no metastases detected by either method (P = .04). Conclusions:Analysis of sentinel lymph nodes by RT-PCR for epithelial glycoprotein 2 and cytokeratin 19 is unlikely to provide clinically useful information.
Low-energy measurement problems in cathodic protection

Some elementary methods of obtaining metal-to-soil potential measurements are analyzed for the purpose of developing rugged yet sufficiently accurate field measuring equipment. These potentials often must be known for cathodic protection work.
Shape-based interpolation of nD gray scenes

Shape-based interpolation as applied to binary images causes the interpolation process to be influenced by the shape of the object. It accomplishes this by first applying a distance transform to the data. This results in the creation of a gray-level data set in which the value at each point represents the minimum distance from that point to the surface of the object. (By convention, points inside the object are assigned positive values; points outside are assigned negative values.) This distance transformed data set is then interpolated using linear or higher order interpolation and is then thresholded at a distance value of 0 to produce the interpolated binary data set. In this paper, we describe a new method that extends shape-based interpolation to gray-level input data sets. This generalization consist of first lifting the n-dimensional image data to represent it as a surface, or equivalently as a binary image, in an (n plus 1)- dimensional space. The binary shape-based method is then applied to this image to create an (n plus 1)-dimensional binary interpolated image. Finally, this image is collapsed (inverse of lifting) to create the n-dimensional interpolated gray-level data set. We have conducted several evaluation studies involving patient CT and MR data as well mathematical phantoms. They all indicate that the new method produces more accurate results than conventional gray-level interpolation methods, although at the cost of increased computation.
Synergistic induction of neurite outgrowth by nerve growth factor or epidermal growth factor and interleukin-6 in PC12 cells.

Native PC12 cells respond differentially to nerve growth factor (NGF) but not interleukin-6 (IL-6); PC12-E2 cells, a stable variant, respond to both stimuli (and more rapidly to NGF). Neither responds to epidermal growth factor (EGF). NGF primarily induces the RAS/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and IL-6 activates a JAK (Janus tyrosine kinase)/STAT (signal transducers and activators of transcription) response. EGF also stimulates RAS/ERK but in a transient manner. When either cell type is treated with combinations of NGF, EGF, and IL-6, at concentrations that produce modest or no response, a substantial augmentation of neurite outgrowth is observed. With PC12-E2 cells, a subthreshold concentration of IL-6 increases NGF response by ~2-3-fold after 1-2 days; the increase with EGF is more pronounced. Native PC12 cells show even greater synergistic effects with NGF and IL-6. The most dramatic effect was observed with low levels of EGF, where IL-6 increased the percentage of responsive cells from zero to ~60% after 3 days. In addition, two neural-specific transcripts, GAP-43 and SCG-10, are synergistically increased by the combinations of growth factors. Importantly, IL-6 does not enhance ERK phosphorylation in the presence of either NGF or EGF. In contrast, NGF and EGF, in the presence or absence of IL-6, cause mobility shifts of Stat3 that are consistent with serine phosphorylations. Although these modifications do not lead to activation and translocation by themselves, in the presence of the tyrosine phosphorylation induced by IL-6, they may play a role in the synergistic responses. These observations suggest a differentially regulated two-stage mechanism for the differentiative response of PC12 cells to NGF.
Relationship of cervical spine disorders to dysphagia

Extrinsic esophageal compression by cervical osteophytes as a cause of dysphagia was first reported by Zahn in 1905. Yet, despite the high incidence of osteophytes of the cervical spine, dysphagia secondary to degenerative disease of the cervical spine is very uncommon. In a review of 116 cases of degenerative arthritis of the cervical spine requiring therapy, dysphagia was documented in only 7 (Saffouri and Ward 1974). In a review of 1,200 patients with dysphagia, none demonstrated dysphagia due to cervical spine disease (Leroux 1962). The attribution of dysphagia to a cervical spine abnormality should therefore be made with extreme caution. Objective evidence of impairment of pharyngeal function by the cervical abnormality should always be sought. Critical evaluation of dynamic studies of swallow by motion recording radiographic techniques can provide such evidence. This report presents our findings in a series of patients with cervical spine disorders evaluated in the Johns Hopkins Swallowing Center over a 2 year period.
The Guangzhou Treatment

This paper describes, in a humourous way, some of the frustrations, joys, pleasures and pains of a European psychologist working in a hospital in the People's Republic of China. It tells tales of families from distant fields in the remote hinterland and from the more urban communities and shows how these compare and contrast with similar situations in the U.K. Parents love their children whether in Guangzhou or Glasgow and this paper illustrates these cross-cultural connections.
FINANCING: AN IMPEDIMENT TO EXPORTING BY SMALL AND MEDIUM FIRMS

The purpose of this study, based on a survey of 354 Florida companies, was to identify and assess the importance of factors that limit exports, with particular focus on the different types of export financing that were the most difficult to obtain. Statistical analysis was used to determine the significance of responses given by different sized firms. Four of the top five factors that limited the ability to export were related either to the unavailability of export financing or the lack of available information on export opportunities. Foreign buyer credit and various unsecured loans were the most difficult to obtain. Public and private policymakers should reevaluate their export promotion programs and make the changes necessary to eliminate the various obstacles to exporting.
Plant community responses to harvesting and post-harvest manipulations in a Picea-Larix-Pinus wetland with a mineral substrate

Forested wetlands in the Northern Great Lakes Region are becoming increasingly used as a timber resource. Yet, limited information is available on the effects of harvesting and post-harvest manipulations (site preparation and fertilization) on tree and ground vegetation in these wetland communities. The objective of this study was to examine production changes and species diversity in the vascular plant community four years after a forested, mineral wetland in Northern Michigan was whole-tree harvested, site prepared (bedded or trenched), and fertilized (N, P, N + P). The wetland had an original overstory of black spruce (Picea mariana), tamarack (Larix laricina), and jack pine (Pinus banksiana), with a significant cover ofSphagnum and Ericaceous shrubs. Site preparation techniques were done immediately after harvesting. The site was then planted with jack pine seedlings (1–0 stock). Fertilization occurred four years after harvesting and site preparation. Results indicate that trees in bedded areas with N fertilizer applied had significantly greater total seedling height, basal diameter, and height increment when compared with those from harvest-only or trenched areas. On harvest-only areas, seedling production was greater with P and N + P fertilizers than with N fertilizer alone. Fertilizer responses were attributed to which type of site preparation (bedding versus trenching) was used and the degree of organic matter andSphagnum incorporated into the mineral soil. Only site-preparation treatments (not fertilization treatments) had significant effects on numbers and cover of vascular plant groups (woody, herbaceous, and grass/sedge). Number of species and total cover of all vascular plants were significantly greater on the harvest-only areas than on trenched, bedded, or uncut areas. As expected, relative cover of the grass/sedge group increased with increasing site disturbance (bedded and trenched), mainly due to disturbance and lack of the thickSphagnum mat. When compared to the adjacent uncut area, relative cover of herbaceous species was significantly reduced on treated areas. In future years, if the significant effects of manipulation treatments on tree productivity and vascular plants continue, the resulting community may be different than the successional sequence witnessed by the original forest. This will, however, depend on the rate of crown closure and the invasion of bryophyte species.
EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF VALRUBICIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN REFRACTORY CARCINOMA IN SITU OF THE BLADDER

Purpose: We assess the efficacy and safety of intravesical valrubicin for the treatment of carcinoma in situ in patients with failure or recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and who othe...
Root and rhizome distribution as an indicator of upper salt marsh wetland limits

Four wetland plant species, Deschampsia cespitosa, Distichlis spicata, Grindelia integrifolia, and Salicornia virginica, were tested to determine the effect of soil moisture on the vertical distribution of roots and rhizomes. In an 8-month greenhouse experiment involving plants grown from seeds and rhizomes the occurrence of more than 65% of the root and rhizome mass in the upper 10 cm of soil was indicative of saturated conditions. Roots and rhizomes were more evenly distributed under field capacity and low moisture conditions. The percent of total root and rhizome biomass in the upper 10 cm of a 35 cm core may be useful in determining whether or not a plant is experiencing saturated soil conditions, a criterion often used for defining wetlands. Limited field studies support the conclusion of the greenhouse study.
Implementations of optical vias in high-density photonic crystal optical networks

We propose novel designs of optical vias to be used in high-density photonic integrated circuits (HDPICs), where photonic crystal (PhC) optical networks are used for spatial optical signal distribution and routing through multiple planes and in different directions. These optically conducting networks with their ability to guide light are an optical analogy to electrical circuits, in particular printed circuits boards (PCBs), which transport electrons through electrical networks. Different techniques for in- and out-of-plane broadband as well as narrow-band coupling between various PhC devices and layers are discussed. Numerical analyses were performed using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method with appropriate boundary conditions.
Role of somatostatin in the modulation of hypophysial growth hormone production by gonadal steroids.

Growth hormone-release-inhibiting hormone (somatostatin) has been localized in several central nervous system sites, but the contribution of somatostatin in these various loci to the control of growth hormone (GH) production is unclear. In the present study, the efficacy of castration, alone, or with subsequent gonadal steroid administration, in modulating hypophysial GH production was examined, and the response of somatostatin-containing nerve endings in the median eminence and the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT) was evaluated by means of immunocytochemistry. Orchidectomy reduced the size and number of immunoreactive GH-cells, and testosterone administration prevented this change. Ovariectomy appeared to stimulate the somatotropes, but this effect was neither as dramatic nor as consistent as the effect of castration in the male. Administration of estradiol, however, resulted in a marked reduction in the number, size, and GH content of somatotropes in all animals examined. Somatostatin was localized in the external lamina of the median eminence and in nerve endings surrounding the core of capillaries in the OVLT. Only the median eminence responded to steroid manipulations with a visible change in the immunoreactive pool of somatostatin, with a decrease following orchidectomy, which was reversible by testosterone treatment, and an increase following ovariectomy, which was reversible by estradiol treatment. However, as in the GH responses to steroid manipulations, the somatostatin responses were more variable in females than in males. These results suggest that: (1) testosterone promotes and estradiol, at least at high doses, inhibits storage of GH in the anterior pituitary; (2) these changes in GH production may be regulated, in part, by altered somatostatin release from the median eminence into the hypophysial portal blood; and (3) somatostatin in the OVLT may not be involved in the steroid-induced modulation of GH production.
Mapping the locations of estradiol and potent neuroprotective analogues in phospholipid bilayers by REDOR

Estrogens are potent antioxidants and neuroprotectants. They have become the focus of drug development efforts aimed at treating and preventing neuronal damage in stroke-related brain damage, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. 13C{31P} and 13C{19F} rotational-echo double-resonance NMR have been used to map the locations of 17β-estradiol (estradiol), 17β-estradiol 17-benzoate (estradiol benzoate), and 17β-2-(1-adamantyl)estradiol (adamantyl estradiol) in 19F-labeled DPPC phospholipid multilamellar vesicles. Placement of the estrogen molecules in lipid bilayers is correlated with the differences in their neuroprotective potency. Drug Dev. Res. 66:99–102, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
ORAL HYDRATION IN ROTAVIRUS DIARRHŒA: A DOUBLE BLIND COMPARISON OF SUCROSE WITH GLUCOSE ELECTROLYTE SOLUTION

Of 57 male children, aged 5 months to 2 1/2 years with rotavirus diarrhoea, 28 were given oral therapy with sucrose electrolyte solution and 29 were given glucose electrolyte solution in a randomised double-blind trial. All were rehydrated and remained so on oral therapy alone. These patients were compared with 44 children, also with rotavirus, who were treated only with intravenous hydration. The oral therapy and intravenous therapy groups did not differ clinically in the rate of rehydration or the rate of purging. Vomiting did not prevent the giving of oral therapy during hospital admission. Bangladeshi children with rotavirus diarrhoea have a defect of carbohydrate digestion but this defect does not prevent the use of a sugar electrolyte solution for oral hydration.
An approach to the d-ring of baccatin III (taxol, cephalomannine).

Abstract We report a sequence of reactions applicable to the construction of the oxetane (D-Ring)/tertiary acetate grouping of Baccatin III (Taxol, Cephalomannine).
Using a life-cycle-cost criterion for multi-disciplinary design studies for the Manned Space Station

A life-cycle-cost measure for the Manned Space Station is suggested which considers the mass, initial cost, aerodynamic drag, electrical power, moment, required ground support, and expected life of subsystems or components. It is proposed that this life-cycle-cost measure be considered as a criterion for design trade-off studies involving controls and structures. Calculating the related sensitivities in the optimization process is discussed and then applied to specific examples. In the first example, the reaction control system is analyzed with regard to the design of its supporting structure and selection of rocket type. Values of support beam length, structural material selection, and rocket propellant selection are determined which minimize life-cycle-cost. In the second example, the alignment of solar arrays are analyzed for efficiency with regard to generating power, their drag, and their aerodynamic moment. Alignment angles are determined which again minimize life cycle cost. It seems clear from these and other examples that the proposed criterion has value for multi-disciplinary design studies for the Manned Space Station.
Experimental bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus infection in California black-tailed deer.

Four adult black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemioneus columbianus) and five fawns were inoculated with bluetongue virus (BTV) and one adult deer was inoculated with epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) virus to produce clinical signs and lesions of hemorrhagic disease. Serologic response was monitored using the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test and the competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (C-ELISA). Embryonating chicken eggs and vero cells were used to detect viremia. No animal exhibited clinical or pathologic signs of hemorrhagic disease. Bluetongue viremia was detected as early as 2 days post-inoculation (DPI-2) and in some animals, persisted until at least DPI-12. The earliest detection of BTV antibodies using the AGID was DPI-8. Two adult deer remained seropositive for BTV antibodies for >9 mo and 1 yr, respectively, using both the AGID and C-ELISA tests. We observed cross reactions between BT and EHD antibodies using the AGID tests. Also, the AGID test did not consistently detect exposure to ...
Atomic-scale study of nucleation of dislocations from fcc-bcc interfaces

Abstract Using atomistic simulations, we reveal the role of the atomic interface structure on the nucleation of glissile dislocations from a low-energy, atomically flat, incoherent face-centered cubic–body-centered cubic interface with a Kurdjumov–Sachs orientation relationship. Several loading states are simulated to systematically probe the selection of slip systems. Contrary to conventional expectation, the preferred nucleation sites are not always associated with pre-existing misfit dislocations, and the preferred slip systems are not determined solely by the Schmid factor. Amongst the two or more systems that may be geometrically favored, the activated slip system depends on the structure of the nucleation site. The system–site combination is such that the dislocation deposited in the interface after the nucleation event lowers the interfacial energy and has a relatively low self-energy. The fundamental correlations established here apply to interfaces of other orientation relationships that are also flat and have spatially non-uniform shear resistance.
NEW SPECIES OF SKRJABINODON (NEMATODA: PHARYNGODONIDAE) IN URACENTRON FLAVICEPS (SQUAMATA: IGUANIDAE) FROM ECUADOR AND PERU

Skrjabinodon dixoni n. sp. from the large intestine of Uracentron flaviceps (Squamata: Iguanidae) from Peru is described and illustrated. It is also reported in the same host from Ecuador. Skrjabinodon dixoni n. sp. differs from other species assigned to Skrjabinodon by morphology of tail filament and number of tail filament spines.
Quality of Life and Ethical Concerns in the Elderly Thoracic Surgery Patient

The diversity of older patients presents a challenge when deciding whether to recommend thoracic surgery to an individual. Comparable postoperative morbidity and mortality between younger and older patient groups indicate that surgeons are skilled in determining which older patients are most fit for surgery on the basis of comorbidities, performance status, and QOL. Criteria for the inclusion of older patients in thoracic surgical trials have not been described, however. As newer, minimally invasive techniques and limited resections are incorporated into elderly patients' care, criteria for inclusion must be evaluated prospectively in trials designed to establish risk factors for morbidity and mortality in elderly patients traditionally excluded from surgery. In addition, QOL needs to be evaluated specifically in the elderly, and meaningful comparisons need to be made with other elderly patients who do not undergo surgery. Finally, to inform better the ethical debate about whether thoracic surgery benefits a patient of advanced age, longer-term QOL and functional outcomes need to be evaluated. The ethical challenge is finding a delicate balance: on the one hand, avoiding ageism and providing a therapy to older patients that offers the only meaningful chance for improved survival, especially in early-stage disease, and on the other hand, avoiding overzealously providing a therapy with significant morbidity and mortality to older persons who are already at greater risk for functional loss and death.
Epidemiology and molecular genetics of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is among the most common cancers affecting the western world. By the age of 70 yr, at least 50% of the Western population will develop some form of colorectal tumor, spanning the spectrum from an early benign polyp to an invasive adenocarcinoma. It is estimated that approximately 10% of the benign polypoid lesions will progress to invasive carcinoma. The concept that serial genetic changes are responsible for the transition from benign to neoplastic disease is not new. The description of hereditary cancers and the demonstration of carcinogenic substances inducing DNA damage have provided the foundation for the field of molecular oncology. During the past three decades, our understanding of how genetic alterations culminate in cancer has progressed rapidly, though the complete process has not been fully defined. The research to date has spanned many oncologic diseases, but has been especially well defined in colorectal cancer. The knowledge of the genetic alterations that result in colorectal cancer has important ramifications for future prevention, detection, and treatment of this disease.
Uptake and binding of labeled corticosterone by the salt gland of the duck (Anas platyrhynchos).

Abstract Tritiated corticosterone was injected ip into young mallard ducks and the birds were sacrificed at various time intervals thereafter up to 3 hr. There were no differences in rate of change in the concentration of tritium in the blood and salt glands of these animals. Following perfusion, however, the rate of change in the glands was much slower than that of the blood, indicating that the glands take up and retain significant amounts of labeled material and that true uptake and retention probably cannot be demonstrated in salt glands without removal of the radioactivity in the blood. Pretreatment with dexamethasone did not significantly inhibit the in vivo uptake of radioactivity by salt glands of birds maintained on a freshwater regimen, but did inhibit isotope retention by 72% in ducks previously adapted to hypertonic saline in their drinking water. In addition, cytosols from salt glands bound over 12 and 33 times more radioactivity in vitro than did the hippocampus and hypothalamus, respectively. These studies indicate that the salt glands of euryhaline birds take up, retain, and appear to selectively bind labeled material after injection of tritiated corticosterone. The data suggest that the salt gland is most likely a glucocorticoid target organ and that exposure to a salt water environment probably stimulates enhanced synthesis of steroid receptors in salt glands.