cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECT OF CORONARY PERFUSION OF HEPTANOL ON CONDUCTION AND VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIAS IN INFARCTED CANINE MYOCARDIUM

Effect of Heptanol in Healed Infarction. Introduction: Abnormal cellular coupling is a major constituent of the slow, dissociated conduction that supports ventricular tachycardia (VT) following myocardial infarction. Agents that modulate cellular coupling may exert either proarrhythmic or antiarrhythmic effects. Methods and Results: The effects of modulating cellular coupling on conduction and susceptibility to inducible VT were studied in 11 dogs with healed left anterior descending (LAD) infarction. The LAD circulation was isolated and supplied with arterial blood via a constant-flow bypass system. Localized intracoronary infusion of heptanol, an agent with relatively specific effects on intracellular coupling, was performed using this bypass system. Heptanol produced dose-dependent changes in cardiac conduction, assessed by delayed local activation times in sinus rhythm (0.5 mM: 11.9%± 11.0% change, P = 0.005; 1.0 mM: 45.8%± 25.5% change, P = 0.0004) and slowed conduction velocity both transverse and longitudinal to fiber orientation. Sustained VT was not induced in any of the control animals. During infusion of 0.5 mM heptanol, uniform sustained VT was inducible in 4 of 11 animals (P = 0.027). During infusion of 1.0 mM heptanol, sustained VT was induced in only 1 of 9 animals. Concltisions: In the canine model of healed myocardial infarction, heptanol had a bimodal effect on susceptibility to inducible VT. Low-dose heptanol facilitated the induction of sustained VT, and high-dose heptanol had an antiarrhythmic effect. This suggests that agents that modulate coupling may significantly modify susceptibility to VT following myocardial infarction.
Lactate in Sepsis

A 67-year-old man with a medical history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and cirrhosis presented to the emergency department reporting 5 days of cough, fever, anorexia, and malaise. He was found to be tachycardic, hypotensive, in severe respiratory distress, and oliguric, and he had peripheral cyanosis and a lactate level of 3.1 mmol/L (reference range, 0.6-1.7 mmol/L) (27.9 mg/dL; reference range, 5.0-15 mg/dL). He was intubated, given empirical antibiotics for suspected community-acquired pneumonia, resuscitated with 3 L of Ringer lactate solution, and admitted to the intensive care unit. Following admission, the patient’s lactate level decreased to 1.2 mmol/L (10.8 mg/dL). However, blood pressure declined progressively through the night despite further fluid resuscitation and the addition of vasopressors (norepinephrine, vasopressin, and epinephrine) and hydrocortisone. The following morning, his central venous pressure was 13, stroke volume variation was 7%, and lactate was 3.0 mmol/L (27.0 mg/dL). Mean arterial pressure of 60 to 65 mm Hg was achieved but lactate continued to increase to 4.2 mmol/L (37.8 mg/dL).
Changing course: the gender gap in college selectivity and opportunities to learn in the high school curriculum

Gender gaps in learning and education outcomes have changed dramatically over the last few years. However, researchers have not adequately assessed how the high school learning environment differentially affects boys and girls. An important component of the learning environment in US secondary school is the opportunity to learn in an Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum, which allows high school students to do college-level work. Using the US National Education Longitudinal Study 1988–2000, we explain how high school AP curriculum interacts with gender to predict the selectivity of colleges that students attend. The results show that girls and boys who attend high schools with a larger percentage of students in AP curriculum attend more selective colleges (that require higher standardised scores for admissions); yet the positive effect of the opportunity to learn in an AP curriculum is greater for girls than for boys. This research furthers the debate about the effects of school structure on gender stratifi...
Lipid Contribution to the Affinity of Antigen Association with Specific Antibodies Conjugated to Liposomes

Immunoliposomes, directed to clinically relevant cell-surface molecules with antibodies, antibody fragments or peptides, are used for site-specific diagnostic evaluation or delivery of therapeutic agents. We have developed intrinsically echogenic liposomes (ELIP) covalently linked to fibrin(ogen)-specific antibodies and Fab fragments for ultrasonic imaging of atherosclerotic plaques. In order to determine the effect of liposomal conjugation on the molecular dynamics of fibrinogen binding, we studied the thermodynamic characteristics of unconjugated and ELIP-conjugated antibody molecules. Utilizing radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay protocols, binding affinities were derived from data obtained at three temperatures. The thermodynamic functions ΔH°, ΔG° and ΔS° were determined from van't Hoff plots and equations of state. The resultant functions indicated that both specific and nonspecific associations of antibody molecules with fibrinogen occurred through a variety of molecular interactions, including hydrophophic, ionic and hydrogen bonding mechanisms. ELIP conjugation of antibodies and Fab fragments introduced a characteristic change in both ΔH° and ΔS° of association, which corresponded to a variable contribution to binding by phospholipid gel-liquid crystal phase transitions. These observations suggest that a reciprocal energy transduction, affecting the strength of antibody-antigen binding, may be a singular characteristic of immunoliposomes, having utility for optimization and further development of the technology.
Characterizing reverberation chambers by measurements of the enhanced backscatter coefficient

Reverberation chambers (RC) are becoming a popular alternative testing facility for a wide range of electromagnetic applications. In order for these tests to have any meaning, we need to ensure that the RC is performing in a desired manner. One common approach for characterizing the RC is based on a measurement of field uniformity in the chamber. In this paper, we present an alternative technique for characterizing a RC, based on the enhanced backscatter coefficient (a quantity analogous to the enhanced backscatter that has been derived for scattering by a random medium) measured in the chamber.
Oxidation rates of alternately irradiated and annealed graphite

Abstract Oxidation rates and activation energies between 350° C and 500° C were obtained for pile grade graphite after seventeen cycles of neutron reirradiations and 350° C anneals. Although considerable radiation damage was retained after this treatment, neither the oxidation rates nor the activation energy could be distinguished from unirradiated control stock. The defects responsible for the enhancement in oxidation after the first irradiation appear to be removed when the graphite is subjected to alternate reirradiations and low temperature anneals. It is assumed that the only vacancy species in both the continuously irradiated and the cycled graphites is the monovacancy. It is therefore concluded that specific interstitial clusters cause the enhancement in oxidation observed after the first neutron irradiation.
The effect of phenyl substitution on the structure of benzylic anions

Abstract The structures of 9-sodio-9-phenyl-and-9-sodio-9-(4′-cyanophenyl)-9,10-dihydroanthracene are examined by 13 C NMR, and by AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital calculations on the corresponding anions. Evidence is presented for a aryl substituent coplanar with the anionic center in the p-cyano case.
Boundary and obstacle processing in a vectorized model of lattice gas hydrodynamics

Abstract This paper describes a vectorized supercomputer implementation of a cellular automaton model for lattice gas hydrodynamics. A detailed description of the algorithm is given along with a careful complexity analysis and performance evaluation of it. Particular attention is paid to boundary and obstacle processing. Two applications of the program are described: an acoustic wave model and an obstructed flow through a pipe. The results of executing these models are displayed with density maps and flow diagrams.
Avoiding the pediatrician's error: how neuroscientists can help educators (and themselves).

to support a considerably more moderate recommendation. The best response a concerned scientist might make is to point out the pediatrician’s faulty logic. The pediatrician erred in drawing conclusions about functional change from data on structural change without considering whether or how the two phenomena are related. Before enacting the pediatrician’s recommendation, we would like to know considerably more about how changes in height and weight, or factors influencing them, are related to muscle development, motor skill acquisition and enhanced ath
Processing Demands and the Effects of Prior Impressions on Subsequent Judgments: Clarifying the Assimilation/Contrast Debate

Abstract The present research had two purposes. First, to investigate the effects of observational demands in relation to the impact that prior impressions have on the encoding and storage of subsequent performance. Second, the extent to which these encoded and stored behaviors are used to modify existing impressions. Specifically, level of observational processing demands and ratee prior performance information were manipulated in a 3 × 3 factorial design. Results indicated that prior impressions either had no effect or biased processing toward impression-inconsistent behaviors and that as observational demands increased, judgments were biased toward prior impressions. These results were discussed both in relation to the debate over assimilation and contrast effects and to the more basic issue of modifying existing impressions.
Nanophotonics: Remote On-Chip Coupling

Scientists have demonstrated strongly coupled photon states between two distant high-Q photonic crystal cavities connected by a photonic crystal waveguide. Remote dynamic control over the coupled states could aid the development of delay lines, optical buffers and qubit operations in both classical and quantum information processing.
What are the age differences in visual sensory memory

The present investigation examined age differences in visual persistence using a direct measurement technique of Haber and Standing (1969). Young and old adult subjects were compared as to the apparent continuity of a circle when it was alternated cyclically with a second blank interstimulus field of variable duration. Contrary to a previous study, old subjects demonstrated significantly greater levels of persistence. Contrast relationship of the target stimulus and its background did not interact with age. Although the data were consistent with a hypothesis of increased persistence of stimuli in the senescent nervous system, alternatively they suggest problems in the direct measurement technique.
Hepatic mast cells in rats infected with Taenia taeniaeformis

Abstract Mast cells appeared in the liver around metacestodes of Taenia taeniaeformis by 13 days after infection (DAI) of rats. The cells often occurred in clusters. The population increased until 28 DAI, then gradually declined. These hepatic mast cells (HMC) were compared to intestinal mucosal mast cells (MMC) and connective tissue mast cells (CTMC) histochemically, morphologically and in their response in vivo to Compound (built|48/80) and dexamethasone. Hepatic mast cells were similar to MMC in that they stained strongly blue with Astra blue at pH 1·0, could not be demonstrated with 0·005% toluidine blue, disappeared after treatment with dexamethasone, and were unaffected by 48/80. Immunoglobulin-containing cells in the liver were characterized by immunofluorescence. Immunoglobulin E-positive, and to a lesser extent IgG2a-, and IgG2c-positive cells surround the parasites in increasing numbers until 28 DAI, then declined. Many IgE-positive cells were HMC, and the IgE was frequently located intracytoplasmically. These cells were clearly distinguishable from eosinophils which stained characteristically with Giemsa and did not react with the anti-IgE probe. The results suggest that mast cell progenitors may be induced to localize and proliferate at the host-parasite interface in the Taenia-infected livers, giving rise to a cell population comparable to the MMC often seen at parasitized mucosal surfaces.
Disappearance of allergic reaction to cromolyn (cromoglycate) by avoidance and then reintroduction.

Cromolyn or cromoglycate sodium (DSCG) is a primary therapy of asthma. A most important aspect of DSCG use is that significant adverse events are rare. DSCG is also available in the United States in forms for nasal, ocular, and gastrointestinal administration. There are three formulations of DSCG for treating asthma, nebulizer solution, metered dose inhaler, and powder for the spinhaler. The availability of these additional uses and forms, has increased exposure to DSCG. There has been no corresponding increase in reports of adverse reactions.
Ionization of xenon Rydberg atoms at surfaces

Measurements of the ionization of the extreme red and blue states in high-lying Xe(n) Stark manifolds at a metal surface are reported. The data show that, despite their very different initial spatial characteristics, the extreme members of a given Stark manifold ionize at similar atom/surface separations. This is attributed to energy level shifts induced by the presence of the surface which lead to avoided crossings between states in adjacent n manifolds prior to ionization. These energy level shifts are examined using hydrogenic complex scaling theory.
EFFECTS OF DATA QUALITY ON ANALYSIS OF ECOLOGICAL PATTERN USING THE K(d) STATISTICAL FUNCTION

The K(d) function is a summary statistic of all plant–plant distances in a mapped area. It offers the potential for detecting both different types and scales of patterns in a single map. Two types of errors occur in maps of individual plants. Data management errors, caused by transcription errors or other mishandling, are large errors and apply to small numbers of plants. Measurement errors, caused by the mapping techniques and equipment, are small errors that apply to all plants. Simulation of known spatial patterns combined with increasing levels of both types of error showed that: (1) data management errors cause the spatial patterns identified by the statistical function K(d) to become less significant but do not cause a shift in scale of the identified patterns; and (2) measurement errors caused the spatial patterns identified by K(d) to become less significant and to shift to larger scales. The effects of measurement errors are inversely proportional to the scale of interaction between plants on the map. Detection of inhibition between points is more sensitive to measurement error than detection of clustering; detection of small clusters is more sensitive than detection of large clusters; and measurement error tends to cause an overestimation of clumping size. For patterns with inhibition, estimating minimum establishment distance is more sensitive to error than the maximum distance at which inhibition affects survival probability. Two examples of tree spatial distributions from the Wind River Canopy Crane Research Facility stem map data set were analyzed using the K(d) function. Clusters of Thuja plicata were detected and were much larger than levels of mapping error identified in the data. Significant inhibition occurs between large (dbh ≥20 cm) trees of all species at a scale much greater than the level of mapping error. However, the minimum distance of significant inhibition (i.e., the distance within which neighbors are never found) was on the order of the mapping error. Accurate identification of inhibition may not be possible using K(d).
Nanometer-scale magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) images the three-dimensional spatial distribution of resonant spins by mechanical force detection. Image reconstruction in MRFM is challenging because the resonance occurs in a strongly curved shell that extends beyond the scan range. In contrast with conventional magnetic resonance imaging, where Fourier techniques work well, the curved-shell resonant geometry inherent to MRFM requires novel reconstruction methods. Here, we show the application of iterative reconstruction in an electron spin resonance imaging experiment with 80 nm voxels. The reconstructed image has a total scan volume of 0.5 cubic micrometers, and was generated by a magnetic resonant shell with a curvature radius of 2.3 μm. The imaged object was a paramagnetically doped solid with an obliquely tilted surface. The reconstructed image correctly identified the location and orientation of the surface, and mapped the spin distribution within the solid. Applications of MRFM include three-dimensional nanometer-scale mapping of dopant distributions in semiconductors, studies of magnetism of thin films, and spin diffusion physics. An ultimate goal of MRFM is the direct observation of molecular structure at the atomic scale.
The Many Pathways of Academic Coordination.

Faculties, departments, chairs and other operating segments of academic systems are organized around a large number of disparate specialties. The parts are weakly interdependent, since the task structure generates systems in which operations are loosely coupled. “Coordination” then becomes an unusual problem. Order may be more emergent than planned, and stabilized by emotional and symbolic bonds as much as by administrative structure. Various groups and processes not normally studied as a part of deliberate coordination are involved in the ordering of academic activities and actions. This paper details four major pathways of coordination: by bureaucracy, profession, politics, and the market. All four are involved in all national academic systems, but in widely varying strengths and combinations. The bureaucratic means are well-known, reflected in the formal administrative structures of institutions and systems. Professional coordination is rooted in subject expertise and in the group relations and devices that allow professors to rule at various levels. Political coordination has many sub-forms, with the struggle of interest groups expressed particularly in the actions of regular officials of regimes and parties, the corporatist relations of external groups to government, and the organized efforts of strata within academic systems to act politically. Market coordination also has a variety of sub-forms, operating particularly by means of a consumer market, a labor market, and an institutional market. Various compounds of these four major types are evident, including the linkage of such opposites as bureaucracy and market. The many tasks and interests inherent in academic systems are reflected increasingly in the struggle of corresponding ministries, departments, bureaus, and divisions against one another within government itself. This struggle, too, is a form of coordination. Since each of the major pathways of coordination performs needed functions, policy becomes a matter of balance and mutual adjustment among the many ways by which academic activities are concerted.
Local and Global Folding in a 58mer RNA Revealed by 2-Aminopurine Substitutions and Specific NMR Labels

The ability of RNA to sample multiple conformations allows it to fulfill a myriad of biological roles. The folding pathways that RNA takes to achieve these conformations are not intuitive, and there is a pressing need to predictively model this folding behavior. The GTPase center (GAC) of the large subunit of the prokaryotic ribosome, is a well-studied 58mer that exhibits ion-dependent tertiary folding. By substituting the fluorescent base analog 2-aminopurine (2AP), 15N labeled bases, or 13C labeled bases in to specific loop and bulge regions we are able to monitor local changes that occur during Mg2+ induced tertiary folding. Being able to contrast the results from stopped flow kinetics, NMR dynamics and structural studies, we can see how local interactions make up tertiary folding. This work was funded by the NIH R01-GM098102 to KBH. Labeled RNA molecules were contributed by Agilent and NMR studies were supported by Agilent.
Generating mechanism of the tidal residual current due to the coastal boundary layer

The tidal residual current is produced by a non-linear effect caused by flow separation of the tidal current due to a complicated coastline. This paper shows that the similar non-linear effect is produced also by the coastal boundary layer with a theoretical model having a simple coastline. It is found that the shear of the tidal oscillatory current produces the non-linear effect and its longitudinal gradient generates the tidal residual current flowing from the bay head to the bay mouth inside the boundary layer or shear region. The velocity of the residual current is proportional to the square of tidal current amplitude. Consideration of the generating mechanism suggests that the tidal residual current is generated by the change in depth of the bay.
INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-II INDUCES HYPERTROPHY OF ADULT CARDIOMYOCYTES VIA TWO ALTERNATIVE PATHWAYS

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-II is known to induce hypertrophy of isolated adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes cultured in the absence of serum. However, it is not known how the growth factor exerts this hypertrophic effect. We show here that IGF-II induces hypertrophy of the cultured cardiomyocytes via two alternative pathways: (1) an IGF-I receptor-dependent pathway, or (2) a lysosome-dependent pathway when the IGF-I receptor-dependent pathway is blocked.
Representations of Immigrant Language Minorities in US Higher Education

Abstract This article explores representations of language minority student identity in US post‐secondary education. Arguing that representations of attributes such as ethnicity are locally constituted and manifested in curricula, institutional organization, and teacher beliefs and practices, the study explores how dominant representations of diversity in higher education settings normalize and perpetuate images of deficits in ethnically diverse students even as they provide support and advocacy. Employing case studies of four immigrant first year US college students, the study examines student experience in two different academic assistance programs in US higher education, Educational Opportunity Programs and English to Speakers of Other Languages. By comparing divergent representations of same immigrant students’ backgrounds and experiences across these two settings, it is shown how different traits and deficits are ascribed to the same individuals depending on context.
The psychiatric management of patients with alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence is a chronic, relapsing biobehavioral disease mediated by various parts of the brain, including reward systems, memory circuits, and the prefrontal cortex. It is characterized by loss of the ability to drink alcohol in moderation and continued drinking despite negative consequences. The alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a common but not universal diagnostic feature of alcohol dependence. Benzodiazepine detoxification of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome prevents the development of withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens, and makes patients more comfortable, which promotes engagement in treatment. Symptom-triggered dosing, based on a withdrawal rating scale such as the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale, Revised, is optimal for minimizing the total benzodiazepine dosage. Use of a long-acting benzodiazepine (eg, chlordiazepoxide) is preferred in uncomplicated patients. Thiamine should be administered routinely before the administration of intravenous fluids to prevent the development of Wernicke's encephalopathy and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. In combination with psychosocial treatment, disulfiram, naltrexone, and acamprosate can reduce the frequency of relapse. Naltrexone may be more effective for reduction of loss of control with the first drink and cue-related craving, and acamprosate may be more effective for stabilizing the physiology of post-acute withdrawal. Disulfiram, an aversive deterrent, can be useful if administration can be monitored and tied to meaningful contingencies or when used prophylactically for situations anticipated to carry high risk of relapse. Psychiatric comorbidity, especially depression, is common and is best addressed concurrently, although definitive diagnosis may have to await a period of prolonged sobriety. Prescription of addictive substances, including benzodiazepines beyond the period of acute detoxification, should be avoided, and if necessary should be closely monitored (eg, by frequent visits with small prescriptions, clinic-administered disulfiram, and/or urine or breath alcohol screenings). Abstinence from alcohol is recommended for persons with alcohol dependence. Psychosocial treatment and participation in Alcoholics Anonymous can help patients achieve and maintain abstinence.
Redundant Protective Barriers: Minimizing Operator Occupational Risk

Background: The ubiquitous use of less invasive therapeutic angiographic procedures has created the milieu for long-term occupational risk of cancer and genetic defects. This study set out to determine the relative effectiveness of redundant radiation protective barriers and their impact on operator total-body-ionizing radiation exposure in the catheterization suite. Methods: Thermolucent dosimeter x-irradiation was measured inside and outside personal and movable protective barriers used concurrently during 50 consecutive procedures by a single operator. Additionally, the entrance/exit doses were recorded on the back and chest for all patients to provide insight into radiation scatter patterns. Results: The x-ray beam had an average 90.8% decrement in energy traversing the patient's chest when entrance and exit doses were compared, suggesting a 3.3-fold greater operator scatter radiation exposure below the table compared with that above the table. All 0.5-mm lead equivalent personal barriers reduced operator exposure by 72–95%, whereas the 1.0-mm leaded personal barrier (overlapping gown) reduced exposure by 96%. The 0.75-mm leaded glasses reduced exposure to the left eye by 67%. A leaded left-hand glove reduced exposure by only 20%. The effective calculated operator radiation exposure risk reduction provided by the use of personal and movable barriers reduced the theoretical risk of fatal or nonfatal cancer by 22-fold while decreasing potential severe genetic effect by 25-fold in comparison to movable barriers alone. Conclusions: The optimal use of combined personal and movable (redundant) lead barriers results in a significant reduction in total-body operator radiation exposure in the catheterization laboratory. The use of redundant barriers in the catheterization suite is associated with a dramatic theoretical long-term occupational risk reduction and should be encouraged.
DHEA-S levels and depressive symptoms in a cohort of African American and Caucasian women in the late reproductive years.

Abstract Background: The objective of this study was to elucidate the associations of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels and depressive symptoms in African American and Caucasian women in the late reproductive years, a transitional age zone preceding the perimenopause, in which ovarian aging and associated endocrine changes begin. We had hypothesized that lower levels of DHEA-S would be associated with depressive symptoms and that, because DHEA-S levels decline with increasing age, older women would have an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a population-based urban sample recruited through random digit telephone dialing. The sample was 338 women between the ages of 35 and 47 years with regular menses. Half the sample was African American and half was Caucasian. Results: Higher DHEA-S levels were associated with depressive symptoms in women in the younger half of this cohort. Lower DHEA-S levels were associated with depressive symptoms in the women in the older half of this cohort. The direction of the relationship of DHEA-S and depressive symptoms changes with age, being a positive relationship in younger women and an inverse relationship in the older women in this cohort. This change in the direction of the relationship appears to occur at a younger age in African American women. Conclusions: Our hypothesis of a relationship between low DHEA-S levels and elevated depressive symptoms was supported only in the older women in this cohort. Unexpectedly, younger women in this cohort demonstrated a positive association between DHEA-S levels and depressive symptoms. Changes in DHEA-S levels, depressive symptoms, and the relationship of other hormones in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis need to be better understood in premenopausal women approaching perimenopause.
Sixty Years of Queueing Theory

Queueing Theory has been attacked on two fronts. Some theoreticians say that Queueing Theory is closed. Some practitioners feel that there is very little in it for use. In view of this, it seems that after six decades of development it is time for stock taking. It is hoped that a discussion of the problems, achievements and the shortcomings of Queueing Theory will be helpful for both theorists and practitioners by putting things in proper perspective. This paper reviews some of the major strides taken by Queueing Theory with respect to its three constituent problems: i Behavioral, ii Statistical, and iii Operational. If one looks at the general picture of the developments in these areas it is hard not to conclude that, in spite of the practitioners' accusations, the systems studied have become more and more realistic over the years. This review makes an attempt to bring this out. An extensive bibliography which is directive in nature rather than exhaustive should be helpful to an interested researcher or a practitioner in identifying the articles of his interest. A discussion of the future of Queueing Theory concludes the paper.
Power Dissipation in Microelectronic Transmission Circuits

The interrelationship of power dissipation, gain, stability, terminal impedance values, dynamic range and efficiency is investigated for small-signal amplifiers in the middle range of frequencies. Utilizing a novel circuit-design theory which treats a transistor along with its biasing resistors as a single entity, amplifier designs are derived which combine optimum ac performance and minimum dc power dissipation. The product of ac power gain and dc-to-ac efficiency is found to be a useful figure of merit for microelectronic transmission circuits.
The supramolecular structure of vitamin D3 in water

Vitamin D3 forms aggregates with organizational similarities to micelles in aqueous media at 20°C. Light scattering studies indicated that the aggregates have a weight-average molecular weight of 5.6 × 107 and a radius of gyration of 5.3 × 10−5 cm, and suggest that the aggregates are cylindrical with a radius of 39 A, i.e., the length of the vitamin D3 in the extended, transoid form. Gel permeation chromatography studies of the aggregates are in agreement with these conclusions. Critical aggregation concentration (CAC) was estimated from the concentration dependency of the surface pressure of solutions of vitamin D3 to be 1.3 × 10−8 M; at concentrations above the CAC, surface pressure was 0.25 dyn/cm. When the adsorbed monolayer was compressed rapidly, surface pressures above 0.25 dyn/cm were generated; when the compression was stopped, the vitamin D3 rapidly, but not instantaneously desorbed from the surface. The surface isotherm obtained from rapid compression of the adsorbed vitamin D3 monolayer was that of a two-dimensional ideal gas. The desorption of vitamin D3 from this compressed monolayer followed first-order kinetics, with a rate constant of 1.35 × 10−2 sec−1. When vitamin D3 is spread from benzene onto an air-water interface, the resulting monolayer is distinct from the gaseous adsorbed monolayer, and has an isotherm characteristic of liquid monolayers. In order to measure the CAC by a second, independent method, we used an enzymatic probe of the micelle structure. Cholesterol oxidase can utilize vitamin D3 as a substrate, and analysis of the kinetics of this reaction indicates that this enzyme reacts with pseudo-first-order kinetics with both vitamin D3 monomers and vitamin D3 aggregates when the concentration of vitamin D3 is in the range 4.8 × 10−10 to 1.002 × 10−7 M. When the concentration of the enzyme is 1.15 units/ml, the apparent first-order rate constants for the aggregated and monomeric vitamin D3 were 4.07 × 10−5 and 7.75 × 10−6 sec−1, respectively; i.e., the enzyme reacts with the aggregated vitamin D3 at a rate approximately five times that for the monomeric vitamin D3. From the kinetics of this reaction, we estimate CAC = 0.9 × 10−8 M, in agreement with the value obtained from the surface pressure measurements. Our results suggest that the physical state, especially the state of aggregation, of vitamin D and its metabolites will be critical in understanding the enzymes which modify vitamin D biologically.
Multiscale modeling of electronic excitations in branched conjugated molecules using an exciton scattering approach.

The exciton scattering (ES) approach attributes excited electronic states in quasi-1D branched polymer molecules to standing waves of quantum quasiparticles (excitons) scattered at the molecular vertices. We extract their dispersion and frequency-dependent scattering matrices at termini, ortho, and meta joints for � -conjugated phenylacetylene-based molecules from atomistic time-dependent density-functional theory (TD DFT) calculations. This allows electronic spectra for any structure of arbitrary size within the considered molecular family to be obtained with negligible numerical effort. The agreement is within 10 – 20 meV for all test cases, when comparing the ES results with the reference TD DFT calculations.
Some Effects of Stratification on Long Trench Waves

Abstract The characteristics of long, gravest mode trench waves in the presence of realistic stratification are investigated. Two examples are computed, representing cases with widely differing importance of baroclinic effects. In both cases the wave-related alongshore velocity structure becomes noticeably bottom intensified, but much less so for the high latitude (smaller internal Rossby radius of deformation) Aleutian trench example than for the low latitude (larger Rossby radius) Peru trench example. Some consequences of the bottom trapping are then discussed.
Growth and structural characterization of Fe3O4 and NiO thin films and superlattices grown by oxygen-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy.

Oriented single-crystalline thin films of NiO and ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$, and ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$/NiO superlattices have been grown on cleaved and polished substrates of MgO(001), using oxygen-plasma-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. We report the growth mode and structural characterization of the grown films using in situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and ex situ scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The (001) surface of MgO provides an excellent template for the pseudomorphic growth of these thin films and superlattices, for it has a very small lattice mismatch (0.3--0.9 %) to the cubic rocksalt structure of NiO and to the half unit-cell dimension of the spinel structure of ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$. Superlattices consisting of alternating layers of NiO and ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ have been grown with a repeat wavelength down to 20 \AA{} (approximately one ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ unit cell plus two NiO unit cells) thick. These superlattices exhibit strong crystalline ordering and sharp interface formation. RHEED pattern evolution in situ during growth indicates formation of the rocksalt NiO crystalline symmetry and then the spinel ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{4}$ crystalline symmetry in a periodic sequence as each material is being deposited. Our data indicate single-phase crystal growth in registry with the substrate, with films of overall cubic symmetry. Strain in the grown films exhibits interesting effects that clearly do not follow a simple elastic model.
Laser Radar Experiment Using a Signal With Three Sparse, Linearly Chirped Frequencies

Experiments using three tunable and separate laser lines that are linearly frequency modulated are compared to numerical modeling. Our modeling predicts an increase in the effective bandwidth, which improves the range resolution.
Histological analyses of lethal yellow mouse embryos (Ay/Ay) at 90 and 132 h post coitum.

Strain C57BL/6J-Ay/Ayembryos are developmentally retarded in utero at 90 hpc and are resorbed by 132 hpc. The Ay/Aydevelopmental delay previously observed in vitro has now been confirmed in vivo. Apparently Ayis involved in some aspect of cleavage stage metabolism.
A Rapid and Accurate Method of Correcting Measurements with Emanation Electroscopes for Ordinary Changes in Temperature and Pressure

Errors due to these variations are usually neglected though they may amount to three or four per cent in measurements claimed to be accurate to within one per cent. Assuming that an electroscope has been standardized at a given pressure and temperature, it is shown that the necessary calculations can be made once for all. From these calculations a chart is constructed by means of which the constant of the electroscope, corresponding to other values of the temperature and pressure, can be obtained graphically by a single reading.
Sources of variation in spanish verb construction usage: The active, the dative, and the reflexive passive

Abstract A study of grammatical case usage in Costa Rican Spanish confirms the hypothesis that non-active constructions, specifically the dative and the reflexive passive, are used for the purpose of avoiding the attribution of blame to persons involved in adverse situations. In addition to choice of case, mentioning of agent, choice of lexical item, and discourse strategies such as qualifying expressions are shown to accomplish the attribution of responsibility. Linguistic universals in blame avoidance are suggested.
Treatment of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a symptom associated with ongoing physical or mental illness or a combination of both that may not have a clear, identifiable pathophysiology. Assessment of chronic pain varies in the clinical presentation related to age, gender, racial, and cultural differences. Headache, low back pain, musculoskeletal pain, and neuropathic pain are the most common types of chronic pain complaints by patients. Pharmacologic therapy is based on best practice standards, published clinical trials, and guidelines by professional organizations. Current medications reviewed include opioids, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, clonidine, local anesthetics, muscle relaxants, N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Solution to Ginzburg-landau equations for inhomogeneous superconductors by nonlinear optimization

A modified steepest-descents optimization method is applied to solve the Ginzburg-Landau equations for inhomogeneous superconductors. The method is based on an approximate analytical solution to (fictitious) time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations. Calculations are performed of the condensation energy as a function of temperature for a Pb-Sn multilayer system in the absence of a magnetic field and the critical field as a function of temperature for a Nb-Ta multilayer system with parallel magnetic field. Rapid convergence of the residuals is achieved in both cases. Comparison is made with experimental results. These calculations are viewed as a step towards building a capability to study more complex systems, such as the mixed state in a layered material.
BRACHMANN-DE LANGE SYNDROME: A report of four cases

SYNOPSIS This uncommon syndrome is characterized by severe physical and mental retardation associated with a typical appearance. Four patients, considered to be examples of this syndrome, are described, and information from 5 autopsies in the literature, together with the autopsy findings in one of the authors' cases, provide a basis for discussion of the abnormalities in this syndrome.
Avoiding Missed Opportunities in Managerial Life: Analogical Training More Powerful Than Individual Case Training

Abstract We examined the ability of Masters of Management students to transfer knowledge gained from case studies to face-to-face negotiation tasks. During a study phase, students either read two cases and gave advice to the protagonist in each case (“Advice” condition) or derived an overall principle by comparing two cases (“Comparison” condition). Management students in the Comparison condition were nearly three times more likely to transfer the principle in an actual, face-to-face bargaining situation than those in the Advice condition. Further, content analysis of students' open-ended responses revealed that the quality of the advice given in the Advice condition did not predict subsequent behavior, whereas the quality of the principles given in the Comparison condition did predict successful transfer to the negotiation situation. Perhaps most striking is the fact that not a single person in the Advice condition drew a parallel between the two cases, even though they were presented on the same page. We conclude that the value of examples is far greater if analogical comparisons among examples are encouraged. We propose that this simple and cost-effective method can substantially improve the benefits of professional training and education.
Relative fitness components measured with competitive PCR

In mating systems with sperm competition, paternity is frequently established with modern DNA techniques. These methods are often expensive and cumbersome, and can be especially difficult for highly fecund species. An additional objective of many paternity studies is to discover the relationship between sperm number and paternity. We present here a competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol, coupled with the use of an automated sequencer, that has two functions: (i) to measure directly relative sperm output of males in sperm competition; and (ii) to estimate paternity distributions of large numbers of offspring simultaneously. Our technique was calibrated using a microsatellite locus of the bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum, with the result that product ratio after competitive PCR accurately reflected the initial template proportions of known mixtures of DNA. When we applied our technique to multiple larvae of separate mating events we found that paternity distributions estimated with the competitive PCR technique closely matched the estimates derived from the traditional method of pooling paternity data from individual larvae. Finally, we compared paternity of these spawns with relative sperm contribution estimates. This comparison suggests that ejaculate size alone does not predict a male’s proportion of paternity within the group.
Coriolis intensity perturbations of the ν4 band of SF6

$^{1}$K. G. Kim, W. B. Person, D. Seitz, and B. J. Krohn, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 76, 322-340 (1979). $^{2}$A. G. Robiette and I. M. Mills, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 77, 48-56 (1979). $^{3}$H. D. Downing, B. J. Krohn, and R. H. Hunt, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 55, 66-80 (1975).
Spreading depression sends microglia on Lévy flights.

Spreading depression (SD) is thought to cause migraine aura, and perhaps migraine, and includes a transient loss of synaptic activity preceded and followed by increased neuronal excitability. Activated microglia influence neuronal activity and play an important role in homeostatic synaptic scaling via release of cytokines. Furthermore, enhanced neuronal function activates microglia to not only secrete cytokines but also to increase the motility of their branches, with somata remaining stationary. While SD also increases the release of cytokines from microglia, the effects on microglial movement from its synaptic activity fluctuations are unknown. Accordingly, we used time-lapse imaging of rat hippocampal slice cultures to probe for microglial movement associated with SD. We observed that in uninjured brain whole microglial cells moved. The movements were well described by the type of Levy flight known to be associated with an optimal search pattern. Hours after SD, when synaptic activity rose, microglial cell movement was significantly increased. To test how synaptic activity influenced microglial movement, we enhanced neuronal activity with chemical long-term potentiation or LPS and abolished it with TTX. We found that microglial movement was significantly decreased by enhanced neuronal activity and significantly increased by activity blockade. Finally, application of glutamate and ATP to mimic restoration of synaptic activity in the presence of TTX stopped microglial movement that was otherwise seen with TTX. Thus, synaptic activity retains microglial cells in place and an absence of synaptic activity sends them off to influence wider expanses of brain. Perhaps increased microglial movements after SD are a long-lasting, and thus maladaptive, response in which these cells increase neuronal activity via contact or paracrine signaling, which results in increased susceptibility of larger brain areas to SD. If true, then targeting mechanisms that retard activity-dependent microglial Levy flights may be a novel means to reduce susceptibility to migraine.
In vitro temperature map of cardiac ablation demonstrates the effect of flow on lesion development.

This paper presents an in vitro temperature mapping study of bovine cardiac tissue during radiofrequency ablation. The objectives were to: (i) develop a technique for measuring the spatial and temporal temperature distribution in the tissue and in the blood during ablation, and (ii) use the temperature measurements to characterize the effects of fluid flow on lesion dimensions, ablation efficiency, and temperature distributions. In vitro ablation (20 W, 60 s) of bovine cardiac tissue was performed. The tissue was placed in a saline–dextrose solution maintained at 37±0.5° The solution also irrigated the tissue surface and simulated blood flow velocities of (i) 30, (ii) 55, and (iii) 85 mm/s. Thermocouple measurements were recorded from 25 and 2 locations in the tissue and in the fluid, respectively. The lowest flow resulted in the largest lesion, the maximum tissue, fluid, and electrode temperature increases, and the highest ablation efficiency. The lesions were 5.8±0.81, 4.8±0.84, and 4.4±1.25 mm deep, and 9.3±1.07, 7.9±1.48 and 7.8±1.27 wide for flows (i)–(iii), respectively. The blood and tissue temperature distributions were asymmetric around the ablating electrode axis with higher temperatures on the outflow than on the inflow side. The experimental measurements were used to validate a numeric model of ablation in an accompanying paper. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society. PAC00: 8754Br, 8719Hh, 8719Uv, 8750Jk
Variation with time of a Sun-weather effect

The reported influence (Wilcox et al., 1976) of the solar and interplanetary magnetic sector structure on terrestrial atmospheric vorticity at the 500 mbar level during the winters of 1963-1973 has been disputed by Williams and Gerety (1978). The present analysis indicates, however, that the response has been remarkably constant, if an apparent increase during the past few years in the intensity of tropospheric circulation is properly accounted for.
The efficiency of monopolistically competitive equilibria in large economies: Commodity differentiation with gross substitutes☆

Abstract A general model of commodity differentiation is developed using two different approaches to the theory of demand. It is shown that a local version of Bertrand's argument holds under reasonable conditions. If all commodities are sustitutes and sunk costs are small, there is never too little commodity differentiation relative to the optimum. Under the same conditions, monopolistically competitive equilibria are approximately perfectly competitive if the optimal collection of commodities is sufficiently rich.