cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis and N-[3H]acetylaspartylglutamate binding in rat brain: selective inhibition of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by 2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate.

Abstract The activation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by ibotenate (IBO) in brain slices and the binding of N-[3H]acetylaspartyl-L-glutamate (NAAG) to brain membranes are biochemical parameters previously shown to be selectively inhibited by 2-amino-4-phosphonobutyrate (AP4). We have examined whether the binding of [3H]NAAG and stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by IBO are indexing the same or different populations of AP4-sensitive excitatory amino acid sites in brain. L-AP4 and D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (D,L-AP3) were found to be about equipotent inhibitors of IBO-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. L-AP4 and D,L-AP3 did not inhibit stimulation of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by the cholinoceptor agonist carbachol. The L-isomers of serine-O-phosphate and alpha-aminoadipate were selective inhibitors of IBO-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis, but were less potent than L-AP4 or D,L-AP3. When these compounds were examined for their ability to inhibit [3H]NAAG binding to membranes of rat forebrain, the relative order of potency was L-alpha-aminoadipate = D-alpha-aminoadipate greater than L-AP4 greater than L-serine-O-phosphate greater than D-AP4 much greater than D,L-AP3. Concentrations of NAAG up to 10(-2) M did not stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Thus, although both assays are sensitive to L-AP4 inhibition, they appear to represent disparate excitatory amino acid sites in brain. Furthermore, D,L-AP3 appears to be a more selective inhibitor of excitatory amino acid-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis than L-AP4, and might be a more useful pharmacological tool to define the function of these receptor sites in brain.
Dobson Ozone Spectrometer Modification

Abstract Several antiquated electronic design features of the Dobson ozone spectrophotometers have been replaced with revised circuitry, resulting in instruments with improved performance characteristics.
An efficient representation for permutations

We give a representation for permutations and we compare it with other representations. On average, our representation has lower entropy and it could be used to efficiently compress permutations. The comparison of the methods used for encoding permutations is done taking into account randomly generated permutations of order n, therefore the method would give good performance when every permutation is equally likely to be used as input for the compression (encoding) algorithm. For smaller values of n, we were able to draw the same conclusion for all permutations of order n: our representation gives better (lower) average entropy than other representations.
Quantifying the predictive uncertainty of complex numerical models

The overall uncertainty of a model prediction is a combination of the uncertainty of the input parameters and the uncertainty of the model assumptions. The former is referred to as parameter uncertainty; the latter model uncertainty. A method for quantifying model uncertainty is proposed for complicated numerical models that are not amenable to more traditional approaches. The method is based solely on comparisons of model predictions with experimental measurements, with the difference reported in terms of only two metrics, a bias factor and a relative standard deviation. The simplicity of the approach makes it ideal for models used for regulatory compliance because approving authorities often lack detailed training in modelling and uncertainty analysis.
Intrinsic (111) surface states of Ge, GaAs, and ZnSe

The intrinsic (111) surface states of Ge, GaAs, and ZnSe are studied using the tight-binding method. The local density of states of atoms on different layers are calculated and the various types of surface states are discussed. The effects of relaxation on the surface states are examined for Ge.
P3 Inhaled hydrogen sulfide protects mice against Gal/LPS-induced acute liver failure

Introduction Acute liver failure is a fatal syndrome attributed to massive hepatocyte apoptosis that is resistant to conventional medical therapies.Consequently, liver transplantation is required in many cases.An experimental liver failure model induced by galactosamine (Gal) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mimics clinical fulminant hepatitis.In this model, LPS stimulates macrophages to release TNF α , which induces apoptosis in Gal-sensitized hepatocytes, resulting in liver failure.Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which is an endogeneously-produced gaseous signaling molecule, has anti-apoptotic as well as anti-inflammatory properties.Previously, we reported that H 2 S attenuates liver dysfunction arising from LPS-induced systemic inflammation.It has also been reported that H 2 S reduces hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibition of apoptosis in the liver.However, whether H 2 S exerts hepatoprotective effects against acute liver failure, in which both inflammatory responses and apoptosis play pivotal roles, remains unknown.Here, we examined the impact of inhaled H 2 S on acute liver failure in mice induced by Gal and LPS. Methods Mice were challenged with saline or combination of Gal (700 mg/kg) and LPS (10 μg/kg) intraperitoneally and thereafter randomized to breathe either air alone or air supplemented with H 2 S (80 ppm) for 6 h. Results Mice that breathed air after Gal/LPS challenge showed poor survival rate (13%) and marked increase of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in plasma.In contrast, H 2 S inhalation for 6 h after challenge markedly improved survival (60%, p 2 S suppressed TNF α in plasma at 1 h after Gal/LPS challenge.Mice that breathed air after Gal/LPS challenge exhibited activation of caspase 3, 8, and 9 in the liver, whereas H 2 S breathing inhibited activation of caspase 3, 8, and 9, suggesting inhaled H 2 S after Gal/LPS challenge suppressed both extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of caspase-dependent apoptosis in the liver ( Fig.1 ).Gal/LPS challenge increased phosphorylated STAT3 transcription factor.H 2 S inhalation after Gal/LPS challenge further augmented phosphorylation of STAT3 compared to air alone ( Fig.2 ).The protective effects of H 2 S inhalation after Gal/LPS challenge were associated with upregulation of gene expression of anti-inflammatory IL-10, which stimulates STAT3 phosphorylation, in the liver.These results suggest that inhaled H 2 S contributes to survival of mice in acute liver failure at least in part through activation of IL-10/STAT3 pathway. Conclusion These results suggest that H 2 S protects mice from acute liver failure at least in part by inhibition of caspase activation and by augmentation of IL-10/STAT3 signaling pathway in the liver.
Galaxy Pairs in Deep HST Images: Evidence for Evolution in the Galaxy Merger Rate

We use four deep serendipitous fields observed with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide-Field Camera to constrain the rate of galaxy merging between the current epoch and z approximately equals 0.7. Since most mergers occur between members of bound pairs, the merger rate is given to a good approximation by (half) the rate of disappearance of galaxies in pairs. An objective criterion for pair membership shows that 34% +/- 9% of our HST galaxies with I = 18-22 belong to pairs, compared to 7% locally. This means that about 13% of the galaxy population has disappeared due to merging in the cosmic epoch corresponding to this magnitude interval (or 0.1 approximately less than z approximately less than 0.7). Our pair fraction is a lower limit: correction for pair members falling below our detection threshold might raise the fraction to approximately 50%. Since we address only two-galaxy merging, these values do not include physical systems of higher multiplicity. Incorporating I-band field-galaxy redshift distributions, the pair fraction grows with redshift as alpha(1 + z)(exp 3.5 +/- 0.5) and the merger rate as (1 + z)(exp 2.5 +/- 0.5). This may have significant implications for the interpretation of galaxy counts (disappearance of faint blue galaxies), the cosmological evolution of faint radio sources and quasars (which evolve approximately as (1 + z)(exp 3), the similarity in the power law is necessary but not sufficient evidence for a causal relation), statistics of QSO companions, the galaxy content in distant clusters, and the merging history of a 'typical' galaxy.
Ruptured congenital aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva.

Abstract 1. 1. Report is made of a case of congenital aneurysm of the right coronary sinus of Valsalva with rupture into the outflow tract of the right ventricle, and death as a complication of aortography. 2. 2. Cardiac catheterization data are presented. 3. 3. Differential diagnosis and embryology are discussed. 4. 4. A review of the probable mechanism of death is presented.
Reliability modeling of RAID storage systems with latent errors

The reliability of disk storage systems is adversely affected by the presence of latent sector errors. Disk scrubbing and intradisk redundancy are two schemes proposed to cope with unrecoverable or latent media errors and enhance the reliability of RAID storage systems. Two recent studies have investigated the effectiveness of these schemes, but they have reached opposing conclusions. These studies were conducted using two different modeling approaches. We present a detailed investigation which reveals that this discrepancy originates from the difference in the approach adopted, and the level of detail incorporated by the two models. We show that, as a consequence, these models provide reliability results which may differ by orders of magnitude therefore leading to contradicting conclusions. We develop a common analytical framework within which we investigate the details, merits, weaknesses, and applicability of each model. We resolve this discrepancy by deriving enhanced models that incorporate inherent characteristics of the latent-error process and provide realistic reliability results that are in good agreement. We subsequently reassess the reliability results and conclusions presented in previous studies regarding the disk scrubbing and the intradisk redundancy scheme.
The effects of polyethyleneglycol (PEG)-derived lipid on the activity of target-sensitive immunoliposome

In this study, serum stability and target-sensitivity of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) immunoliposomes prepared with dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), HYB-241 monoclonal antibody that targets p-glycoproteins, and various levels of polyethyleneglycol 2000 dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (PEG(2000)-DOPE) were determined. Incubation of calcein-laden pegylated immunoliposomes prepared with different levels of PEG(2000)-DOPE (0.3, 0.5 and 1.0 mol%) with p-glycoprotein rich bovine brain microvessel endothelial cells in 10% serum cell culture medium, all resulted in time-dependent release of calcein from the liposomes. The release of calcein was greatest for immunoliposomes prepared with 0.3 mol% PEG(2000)-DOPE (66% in 1 h). Contrarily, the release of calcein from the other two immunoliposomes reached only approximately 10-3% after same period of incubation. When serum-induced leakage of calcein was investigated for the above liposome preparations, liposomes prepared with 0.3 and 0.5 mol% PEG(2000)-DOPE had the highest leakage level (10% in 1 h). Contrarily, the release of calcein from liposomes prepared with 1.0 mol% PEG(2000)-DOPE reached only 3% after same period of incubation. Together, it would appear that release of calcein from the immunoliposomes prepared with 0.3 mol% PEG(2000)-DOPE is a result of both serum-induced and target-induced destabilization of liposomes. The net release of calcein due to target-induced destabilization of liposomes is calculated to be at approximately 56%. In contrast, there is no target-induced leakage of calcein from immunoliposomes prepared with either 0.5 or 1.0 mol% PEG(2000)-DOPE.
Integrated preoperative irradiation and radical cystectomy.

Abstract Thirty patients with stage B 2 -C-D 1 and/or grade II–IV transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were entered into a pilot study of integrated surgery and radiotherapy. Staging laparotomy with formation of an Real loop preceded the delivery of 4000–5000 rad in 4–5 weeks to the pelvis; cystectomy was accomplished in 26 patients 4–8 weeks after completion of irradiation. The program was accomplished without undue difficulty and resulted in a lowering of the clinical stage in 22 of 26 patients; no residual invasive cancer was seen histologically in 8 patients. Although it was formidable, the morbidity rate was not significantly different than it was after cystectomy without preoperative irradiation. The short term survival rate, in conjunction with an analysis of sites of failure, suggests that a prospective study be accomplished to document the validity of this therapeutic approach to bladder cancer; patient selection, surgical technique, and time-dose-volume radiation factors should also be considered.
Leading contributing institutions to the elite finance journals: affiliation on publication versus current institutional affiliation

This study examines the ranking by institutional affiliation of authors appearing in the six leading finance journals (Financial Management, Journal of Banking and Finance, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis and Review of Financial Studies) over the past 25 years (1984–2008). Unlike previous studies that rank schools' appearances in finance journals, this study compares the rankings of schools that appear on the articles at the time of publication versus the ranking of schools based on authors' current institutional affiliation. In a mobile academic marketplace, the schools with faculty appearing most frequently in the leading journals may change over time.
Minimal strings in a regular language with respect to a partial order on the alphabet

Abstract Let L be a regular language and “⩽” a partial order on its alphabet Σ; the partial order “⩽” may be extended to Σ∗ by defining a1a2⋯ak⩽b1b2⋯bm if k⩽m and aj⩽bj for 1⩽j⩽k. We show that L ={x: x is a minimal string in L} is a regular language. A similar property does not hold, however, for the context-free languages. We construct a finite-state machine for the language L by showing that a certain type of “marked” finite-state machines are equivalent to the standard finite-state machines. Interestingly, the number of states N in the minimum deterministic finite-state machine for L may be as large as O(N2), where N is the number of states in the minimum deterministic finite-state machine for L. The motivation for considering the minimal string problem is that it has important applications in “common sense reasoning” of temporal events in artificial intelligence.
Nonlinear Dynamics of a Diffusing Interface

Excitation of two miscible-viscous liquids inside a bounded enclosure in a microgravity environment has shown the evolution of quasi-stationary waves of various modes for a range of parameters. We examine computationally the nonlinear dynamics of the system as the interface breakup and bifurcates to resonance structures typified by the Rayleigh-Taylor instability mechanism. Results show that when the mean steady field is much smaller than the amplitude of the sinusoidal excitation, the system behaves linearly, and growth of quasi-stationary waves occurs through the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability mechanism. However, as the amplitude of excitation increases, nonlinearity occurs through subharmonic bifurcation prior to broadband chaos.
Temporal Stability of Defibrillation Thresholds with an Active Pectoral Lead System

Stability of Defibrillation Thresholds. Introduction: Monophasic defibrillation thresholds rise over time with a variety of lead systems. These chronic changes are attenuated or eliminated by biphasic waveforms, although the effect appears dependent upon the lead system. With the downsizing of pulse generator size to allow for routine pectoral implantation, active can lead systems have now become standard. However, the temporal stability of such lead systems has not been evaluated previously. Methods and Results: This study was a prospective assessment of the changes of active pectoral defibrillation thresholds over time. Thresholds were measured at implant, predischarge, and at a mean follow-up of 50 days in 46 patients with a uniform testing protocol and shock polarity. The lead system was a dual-coil Endotak DSP lead with an active pectoral pulse generator. Defibrillation thresholds were 9.9 ± 5.5 J at implantation, 8.5 ± 6.0 J predischarge, and 7.6 ± 5.5 J at follow-up (ANOVA, P = 0.007). Moreover, only two patients developed an increased threshold > 5 J, and no patient had an inadequate safety margin at follow-up. Conclusion: These results indicate that active pectoral defibirillation thresholds are stable over the first 2 months postimplantation and question the need for routine serial defibrillation threshold testing.
Projection methods in flexible multibody dynamics. Part II: Dynamics and recursive projection methods

In Part I of this paper the kinematic relationships between the absolute, elastic and joint accelerations are developed. In this paper, these kinematic equations are used with the generalized Newton-Euler equations and the relationship between the actual and generalized reaction forces to develop a recursive projection algorithm for the dynamic analysis of open-loop mechanical systems consisting of a set of interconnected rigid and deformable bodies. Optimal matrix permutation, partitioning and projection methods are used to eliminate the elastic accelerations while maintaining the inertia coupling between the rigid body motion and the elastic deformation. Recursive projection methods are then applied in order to project the inertia of the leaf bodies onto their parent bodies. This leads to an optimal symbolic factorization which recursively yields the absolute and joint accelerations, and the joint reaction forces. The method presented in this paper avoids the use of Newton-Raphson algorithms in the numerical solution of the constrained dynamic equations of open-loop kinematic chains since the joint accelerations are readily available from the solution of the resulting reduced system of equations. Furthermore, the method requires only the inversion or decomposition of relatively small matrices and the numerical integration of a minimum number of co-ordinates. Open-loop multibody robotic manipulator systems are used to compare the results and efficiency of the recursive methods with that of the augmented formulations that employ Newton-Raphson algorithms.
Effects of Hemodialysis Therapy on Sit-to-Walk Characteristics in End Stage Renal Disease Patients

Patients with end stage renal diseases (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have high morbidity and mortality due to multiple causes; one of which is dramatically higher fall rates than the general population. In spite of the multiple efforts aiming to decrease the high mortality and improve quality of life in ESRD patients, limited success has been achieved. If adequate interventions for fall prevention are to be achieved, the functional and mobility mechanisms consistent with falls in this population must be understood. Human movements such as sit-to-walk (STW) tasks are clinically significant, and analysis of these movements provides a meaningful evaluation of postural and locomotor performance in elderly patients with functional limitations indicative of fall risks. In order to assess the effects of HD therapy on fall risks, 22 sessions of both pre- and post-HD measurements were obtained in six ESRD patients utilizing customized inertial measurement units (IMU). IMU signals were denoised using ensemble empirical mode decomposition and Savistky-Golay filtering methods to detect relevant events for identification of STW phases. The results indicated that patients were slower to get out of the chair (as measured by trunk flexion angular accelerations, time to peak trunk flexion, and overall STW completion time) following the dialysis therapy session. STW is a frequent movement in activities of daily living, and HD therapy may influence the postural and locomotor control of these movements. The analysis of STW movement may assist in not only assessing a patient's physical status, but in identifying HD-related fall risk as well. This preliminary study presents a non-invasive method of kinematic measurement for early detection of increased fall risk in ESRD patients using portable inertial sensors for out-patient monitoring. This can be helpful in understanding the pathogenesis better, and improve awareness in health care providers in targeting interventions to identify individuals at risk for fall.
Ultrasensitive identification of localization variants of modified peptides using ion mobility spectrometry.

Localization of the modification sites on peptides is challenging, particularly when multiple modifications or mixtures of localization isomers (variants) are involved. Such variants commonly coelute in liquid chromatography and may be undistinguishable in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) for lack of unique fragments. Here, we have resolved the variants of singly and doubly phosphorylated peptides employing drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Even with a moderate IMS resolving power of ∼80–100, substantial separation was achieved for both 2+ and 3+ ions normally generated by electrospray ionization, including for the variants indistinguishable by MS/MS. Variants often exhibit a distribution of 3-D conformers, which can be adjusted for optimum IMS separation by prior field heating of ions in a funnel trap. The peak assignments were confirmed using MS/MS after IMS separation, but known species could be identified using just the ion mobility “tag”. Avoiding...
Stable isotope gradients in modern benthic foraminifera of the Vema Channel, South Atlantic

Abstract Oxygen and carbon isotopic analyses of benthic foraminifera from core top sediment samples were made to determine the extent to which the benthic foraminiferal species, Planulina wuellerstorfi, accurately records the isotopic signatures of the water masses in the Vema Channel—Rio Grande Rise region. The δ18O of P. wuellerstorfi to parallel the present day vertical δ18O gradient within the channel. The δ 13C of P. wuellerstorfi appears to accurately reflect the present δ 13 C gradient of total dissolved CO2 in the channel and thereby provides a potential monitor of past changes in thermohaline circulation processes.
Multidetector CT appearance of leiomyosarcoma of the splenic vein.

Leiomyosarcomas that arise from the walls of blood vessels are rare tumours. They are five-times as likely to originate from veins rather than arteries. Approximately 75% of reported cases arise from the inferior vena cava (IVC).1e4 Leiomyosarcomas of splanchnic venous origin are particularly rare; there are six previous reports in the literature, none of which are in the radiological literature.5e10 In this report, we present the second reported case of a leiomyosarcoma of the splenic vein, and, to the authors’ knowledge, the first in the English literature demonstrating the cross-sectional imaging appearances.
Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale

Although there is a wide array of outcome tools for assessing patients with symptomatic ankle arthritis, no disease-specific instrument for ankle arthritis has been shown to be reliable and valid. The purpose of this study was to develop a simple, reliable, and validated outcome measure for the clinical assessment of ankle osteoarthritis. We modified the Foot Function Index, a visual analog-based scale used to assess rheumatoid foot problems, to measure patient symptoms and functional limitations stemming from osteoarthritis of the ankle joint. Test-retest reliability and criterion and construct validity were determined for the overall Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale and its two subscales (pain and disability). Overall reliability (r=0.97; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.99), pain subscale reliability (r=0.95; 95% CI, 0.90-0.98), and disability subscale reliability (r=0.94; 95% CI, 0.88-0.97) were excellent. Criterion validity testing of the instrument with the WOMAC (a disease-specific scale for osteoarthritis) and the SF-36 (a general health survey) showed a high degree of concordance for related subscales. Construct validity using a physical measure of ankle function demonstrated sensitivity of the instrument to the degree of joint dysfunction. Normative data were obtained from 562 individuals who were not patients (264 men and 298 women). The responses were analyzed for trends in gender, body mass index, presence of arthritis, history of fracture in relation to the response levels, and age. A small but statistically significant main effect for gender was found, with women consistently reporting higher pain, disability, and total index scores. Body mass index and arthritis were also found to correlate with response answers across the subscale and total index scores; however, these factors only accounted for 12% of the variation. The Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale is a reliable and valid self-assessment instrument that specifically measures patient symptoms and disabilities related to ankle arthritis.
Perceived conduct and professional ethics among marketing faculty

This paper describes the results of a mail survey to the educator membership of the American Marketing Association. Data were collected regarding beliefs about both the frequency of occurrence and severity of 59 ethical issues facing marketing faculty. The research questions examined include: What unethical practices are believed to most commonly occur? What practices are most severe? How do these beliefs vary by faculty rank and size and type of school? Implications for both the improvement of marketing education and for future research are provided.
Pairwise symmetry conditions for voting equilibria

Necessary conditions are established for a point contained in the interior or boundary of a convex feasible subset of Euclidean space to be quasi-undominated in an anonymous simple game. Most of the conditions are behaviorally intuitive and imply pariwise symmetries among utility gradients.
Phase Studies on Binary Systems of Cholesteryl Esters A. Two Aliphatic Ester Pairs

Abstract Binary blends for two pairs of esters of cholesterol, the myristate plus acetate and the myristate plus the nonanoate have been characterized to determine the equilibrium phase conditions for the isotropic liquid, the cholesteric and smectic mesophases, and the stable crystals. The phase diagrams were determined using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC-1B), which also provided the heats of transition. For the more complicated acetate system, morphology was also studied with a polarizing microscope puls hot stage and structure determinations were made using X-ray diffraction. Results indicate that both ester pairs form a single eutectic mixture. The crystal melting points of the pure components in both pairs follow the van't Hoff equation for melting point depression due to impurity over most of the composition range. A homogeneous cholesteric mesophase was formed in both pairs. The temperatures and heats of the smectic-cholesteric transition for the acetate blend decrease as the concentrati...
Continuous-wave cavity ringdown spectroscopy of the N2+ Meinel system (2, 1) band

Abstract The A 2 Π u – X 2 Σ g + system of N 2 + was first observed in auroral emissions by Meinel in 1950. Although the N 2 + band system has been reinvestigated since this first spectral study, no laboratory spectrum of the (2, 1) vibronic band has been obtained. We have recently built a continuous-wave cavity ringdown spectrometer, and as a first test of this spectrometer we observed the (2, 1) band of N 2 + in a positive column discharge cell. Many lines of the first positive band system of N 2 ∗ were also identified during the process of assigning this spectrum. The relative intensities of the N 2 ∗ and N 2 + bands were found to change with discharge cell pressure, and so each spectral region was observed at two pressures to aid in distinguishing the spectra of the two species. We have assigned 125 N 2 + lines and determined the molecular parameters for the (2, 1) band from these assignments. The analysis of the N 2 ∗ spectrum is ongoing and will be presented in a follow-up paper. The N 2 + (2, 1) band transition frequencies predicted from available literature values vary significantly from our assignments. The observed deviations indicate correlation of other parameters with the spin-rotation parameter and the quartic centrifugal distortion constants. These results indicate that rovibronic predictions for new N 2 + bands based on the parameters derived from individual band assignments are likely to be unreliable, and further investigation of the Meinel system may require a global analysis that accounts for this correlation.
Modeling of Solidification of Metal-Matrix Particulate Composites with Convection

A multiphase model for the alloy solidification of metal-matrix particulate composites with convection is developed. Macroscopic transport equations are written for each phase, with unknown parameters modeled through supplementary relations pertinent to the solidification of a binary alloy matrix containing a stationary solid phase and generally nonstationary spherical particles. The model is applied to various one- and two-dimensional systems containing an Al-7 wt pct Si/SiC composite. One-dimensional sedimentation results in nonclustering and clustering particle systems show good agreement with experiments. One-dimensional composite solidification results illustrate the effect of particle clustering and cooling direction on the final macroscopic particle distribution. Two-dimensional results in various unreinforced and reinforced systems illustrate macroscopic particle segregation and its effect on buoyancy-driven melt convection and species macrosegregation. Results indicate a nearly uniform particle distribution for relatively small particles due to negligible particle settling prior to entrapment. For relatively large particles, significant particle settling prior to entrapment results in large denuded and packed zones in the casting. Fluid flow and macrosegregation during solidification are substantially reduced in the presence of particles, due to the relatively large interfacial drag exerted on the liquid by the stationary mush and particle phases.
The Influence of Mouthing on Infant Vocalization

Although vocalization and mouthing are behaviors frequently performed by infants, little is known about the characteristics of vocalizations that occur with objects, hands, or fingers in infants' mouths. The purpose of this research was to investigate characteristics of vocalizations associated with mouthing in 6- to 9-month-old infants during play with a primary caregiver. Results suggest that mouthing may influence the phonetic characteristics of vocalizations by introducing vocal tract closure and variation in consonant production.
Deficiency of α-L-Fucosidase

A new form of α- L -fucosidase deficiency has been found in a 20-year-old severely retarded male. Additional signs include angiokeratoma corporis diffusum and anhydrosis. The skin lesion is due to an accumulation of residual bodies, presumably containing oligosaccharides and glycoproteins, in endothelial cells and fibrocytes. The enzyme activity in blood relatives indicates that the disease is inherited as a simple autosomal recessive trait that segregates according to Mendelian principles. Because the enzyme activity in the heterozygotes was consistently below that of normal controls, the carriers of the trait in this family could be ascertained.
COMPARISON OF TWO MATHEMATICAL MODELS OF SURFACE RUNOFF / Comparaison de deux modèles mathématiques du ruissellement de surface

Abstract A comparative assessment of two mathematical models of surface runoff is made by applying them to 21 terraced and unterraced natural agricultural basins located in two geographically different regions. The models include a nonlinear kinematic wave model based on the converging section geometry (CONV) and Nash's linear model (NASH). The criteria for comparison include prediction of (a) hydrograph peak, (b) hydrograph peak time and (c) the entire hydrograph, and some elementary statistical tests. It is shown that CONV has a tendency to overpredict both peak discharge and its time of occurrence; while NASH has a tendency to underpredict them. It is also shown that because of its nonlinear character CONV is more sensitive to errors in the input than NASH. Furthermore, one model cannot be uniformly better than the other. The choice of a particular model much depends on the criterion of comparison.
A framework and taxonomy for comparison of electronic voting schemes

Electronic voting is an emerging social application of cryptographic protocols. A vast amount of literature on electronic voting has been developed over the last two decades. In this paper, we provide a framework that classifies these approaches and defines a set of metrics under which their properties can be compared. Such a methodology reveals important differences in security properties between the classes and allows for selection and future design of voting schemes, based on application requirements. We illustrate the use of our framework by analyzing some of the existing electronic voting schemes.
Evidence for a β1 Integrin Fibronectin Receptor in Candida tropicalis

The binding of Candida tropicalis to fibronectin (FN) was studied in order to characterize the FN receptor in this species. FN binding was saturable at a concentration of 1.8 x 10(-9) M and exhibited a Kd of 2.3 x 10(-9) M and a receptor density of 854 receptors per cell. Extracts of C. tropicalis cell membrane at dilutions of 1:100-1:1000 significantly inhibited the binding of 3H-labeled FN to C. tropicalis cells (P < .03). Purified FN, antibodies to the integrin alpha 5 beta 1 (FN receptor on human placenta), and antibodies specific for the integrin beta 1 subunit recognized a C. tropicalis membrane protein of 125 +/- 25 kDa on immunoblots. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled proteins from C. tropicalis with purified human FN yielded a protein of 105 +/- 15 kDa. Thus, C. tropicalis expresses a protein with antigenic and functional similarity to the vertebrate beta 1 integrin FN receptor.
Strand Transfer Mediated by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Reverse Transcriptase in Vitro Is Promoted by Pausing and Results in Misincorporation

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) is able to recombine by transfer of the growing DNA strand from internal regions of one genome to another. The strand transfer reaction, catalyzed by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), was conducted in vitro between donor and acceptor RNA templates that were derived from natural HIV-1 nef genes. The donor and acceptor templates shared a nearly homologous region where strand transfer could occur, differing only in that the acceptor had a 36-nucleotide insertion and 6 widely spaced base substitutions compared with the donor. We sequenced elongated primers that underwent transfer. The position of transfer was revealed by the change of sequence from that of the donor to that of the acceptor. Results showed a positive correlation between positions where the RT paused during synthesis and enhancement of strand transfer. Elimination of a pause site, with a minimal change in sequence, decreased the frequency of strand transfer in the immediate area. Analysis of the sequence of DNA products resulting from transfer at a frequently used site showed that mutations had been introduced into the DNA at about the point of transfer. Remarkably, approximately 30% of the products contained mutations. Base substitutions, short additions and deletions were observed. Mutations did not appear in DNA products extended on the donor template without transfer. The identity of the mutations suggests that they were caused by a combination of slippage and non-template-directed nucleotide addition. These results indicated that the detected mutations were related to the process of strand transfer.
Genetic Variations in UDP-Glucuronosyl Transferase 2B17: Implications for Testosterone Excretion Profiling and Doping Control Programs

The use of drugs and ergogenic substances to augment athletic performance, commonly referred to as doping, has evolved along with sporting events. Ancient Olympic athletes consumed mushrooms, plants, and herbs in an attempt to gain a competitive edge. The modern Olympic Games made their debut in 1896, and mixtures of cocaine, ephedrine, and strychnine were used to enhance performance. Anabolic androgenic steroids (substances similar to the hormone testosterone) were used after World War II by Soviet athletes to increase muscle mass and power in weightlifting and bodybuilding events. Anabolic androgenic steroids rapidly spread to athletes in other sporting events and are still a problem in today’s sports world. To deal with the problem of doping in sports, the International Olympic Committee established a Medical Commission. The first list of prohibited substances was created in 1967; drug testing was implemented at Olympic Games the following year. In 1999, an independent international organization, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), was created to combat doping in sports and provide unified standards for doping control. Anabolic androgenic steroids are the most abused class of prohibited substances, with testosterone accounting for many positive cases. Testosterone abuse is problematic because synthetic testosterone is indistinguishable from endogenous testosterone by routine screening methods such as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. In the 1980s, it was discovered that testosterone use alters the ratio of testosterone glucuronide to epitestosterone glucuronide (T/E ratio)1 in urine. Epitestosterone is a naturally occurring biologically inactive epimer of testosterone that remains relatively constant in urine. A population-based T/E ratio cutoff of 6.0 was initially used to indicate synthetic testosterone use; the T/E ratio cutoff was lowered to 4.0 in 2005. Based on data from several laboratories, the average T/E ratio ranges from 0.9 to 1.6 for healthy male adolescents and men. At the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, …
Three-dimensional reconstruction of curves from pairs of projection views in the presence of error. II. Analysis of error

We have previously described an approach to 3D intracerebral vascular reconstruction that uses an MRA as a reconstruction base. Additional vessels seen only by angiography are added by segmenting 2D curves from projection angiograms and reconstructing these curves into 3D, building upon the MRA. This paper is the second of two that discuss the specific problem of reconstructing a 3D curve from a given pair of 2D curves in the presence of error. The method presented is capable of detecting and handling many errors produced by misregistration, image distortion, or misdefinition of 2D curves. The first paper gives an algorithm. The current paper discusses factors affecting the accuracy of a reconstructed curve, with emphasis upon registration error. We analyze the spatial accuracy of a reconstructed point in terms of the relationships between pixel size, relative viewing angle, 3D point location, and registration error. We provide a theoretical framework that, given the known error properties of a registration algorithm, allows optimization of the viewing geometry so as to produce the highest precision of point reconstruction. A major focus is the effect of registration error upon the reconstruction of a curve. We subdivide registration error into two types, one of which produces smoothly continuous point placement errors and the other of which produces pixel pairing errors. We test our ability to reconstruct a 3D curve in the presence of both. Finally, we summarize approaches to other sources of error. We conclude with a list of recommendations to optimize reconstruction accuracy. When projection points are associated by the rules of epipolar geometry, viewplane point displacements should not exceed 1.5–2 mm along the axis perpendicular to epipolar planes.
The Production of Inequality: The Gender Division of Labor Across the Transition to Parenthood

Using longitudinal time diary and survey data from a community sample of dual-earner couples across the transition to parenthood, the authors examined change in divisions of paid and unpaid work and assessed the accuracy of survey data for time use measurement. Mothers, according to the time diaries, shouldered the majority of child care and did not decrease their paid work hours. Furthermore, the gender gap was not present prebirth but emerged postbirth with women doing more than 2 hours of additional work per day compared to an additional 40 minutes for men. Moreover, the birth of a child magnified parents' overestimations of work in the survey data, and had the authors relied only on survey data, gender work inequalities would not have been apparent. The findings have important implications for (a) the state of the gender revolution among couples well positioned to obtained balanced workloads and (b) the utility of survey data to measure parents' division of labor.
Methods for Measuring Static Strains in Automobile Tires

Two methods for measuring strains in an automobile tire by means of x-rays are described and significant results are discussed.The first method was designed to measure tire cord strains resulting from tire ex pansion, inflation, and deflection hy studying the dimensional changes of metat-shadowed cord. The second method was developed to provide a measure of tire carcass strains by following the movement of steel balls located between fahric plies. These techniques provide means for studying cord and tire behavior during tire manufacture as well as during tire inflation and deflection.Both series of strain measurements (with shadowed cord and with steel balls) have shown quantitatively significant extensions and contractions in the cord and carcass of an automobile tire as a consequence of curing, expansion, inflation, and deflection.Specifically, it was found that after inflation nonuniform strains existed along the cords within the same ply from crown to head of a tire. Cord strains from ply to ply were ...
System for indexing multi-spectral satellite images for efficient content-based retrieval

Current feature-based image databases can typically perform efficient and effective searches on scalar feature information. However, many important features, such as graphs, histograms, and probability density functions, have more complex structure. Mechanisms to manipulate complex feature data are not currently well understood and must be further developed. The work we discuss in this paper explores techniques for the exploitation of spectral distribution information in a feature-based image database. A six band image was segmented into regions and spectral information for each region was maintained. A similarity measure for the spectral information is proposed and experiments are conducted to test its effectiveness. The objective of our current work is to determine if these techniques are effective and efficient at managing this type of image feature data.
Fluoroscopically Assisted Thromboembolectomy: An Improved Method for Treating Acute Arterial Occlusions

We performed bilateral femoral artery dissections in a single 50 kg mongrel dog. Digital fluoroscopic arteriograms documented the luminal diameter of the left iliac and right superficial femoral arteries. Balloon thrombectomy catheter passage was performed through hemostatic sheaths by 12 surgeons. Embolectomy balloons were filled with radiographic contrast material and the balloon catheter diameter was compared with the underlying vessel diameter. The percentage of overdistention of the embolectomy balloon relative to the arterial wall was 23%±5% in the iliac artery and 40%±13% in the femoral artery. Over a 25-month period, we used fluoroscopically assisted thromboembolectomy to treat 21 patients with acute arterial or graft occlusions. As the balloon was gently withdrawn to extract intravascular thrombus, deformities of the compliant balloon profile caused by underlying arterial lesions were identified fluoroscopically and their locations recorded to facilitate further treatment. After initial clot removal in these 21 patients, 15 residual lesions were documented. Repeat thrombectomy (n=8), balloon angioplasty (n=3), and placement of intravascular stents (n=4) eliminated all 15 lesions. Luminal continuity was successfully restored in all 21 of these patients, 10 of whom required distal open vascular reconstruction to correct existing outflow artery disease. Fluoroscopically assisted thromboembolectomy is a simple and safe method for treating acute arterial or graft occlusions in patients with diffuse arteriosclerosis. It minimizes arterial damage and blood loss during balloon thrombectomy and reduces the need for intravascular contrast agents. It also has the potential to facilitate accurate identification, localization, and treatment of significant underlying arterial lesions.
Eroding and Eliding, Breaking and Building: Reworking the Landscape in Audre Lorde's ZAMI

The composing of a biomythography ostensibly involves a synthesizing of different genres—and an awareness of their differences—to create something new. It is this breaking down into parts, and buil...
Correlation, price discovery and co-movement of asset-backed securities and equity

Asset-backed securitisation has become a viable and increasingly attractive risk management and refinancing method either as a stand-alone form of structured finance or as securitised debt in collateralised debt obligations (CDO). The absence of industry standardisation, however, has prevented rising investment demand from translating into market liquidity comparable with traditional fixed income instruments, in all but a few selected market segments. In particular, low financial transparency and complex security designs inhibit profound analysis of secondary market pricing and how it relates to established forms of external finance. This paper represents the first attempt to measure the intertemporal, bivariate causal relationship between matched price series of equity and ABS issued by the same entity. In a two-dimensional linear system of simultaneous equations, it investigates the short-term dynamics and long-term consistency of daily secondary market data from the UK sterling asset-backed securities (ABS)/mortgage backed securities (MBS) market and exchange traded shares between 1998 and 2004 with and without the presence of cointegration. The causality framework delivers compelling empirical support for a strong co-movement between matched price series of ABS-equity pairs, where ABS markets seem to contribute more to price discovery over the long run. Controlling for cointegration, risk-free interest and average market risk of corporate debt hardly alters the results. Once the magnitude and direction of price discovery on various security characteristics, such as the ABS asset class, are qualified, however, it is found that ABS-equity pairs with large-scale commercial MBS/residential MBS and credit card/student loan ABS reveal stronger lead-lag relationships and joint price dynamics than whole business ABS.
Attraction of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to pyridine.

Abstract 1. 1. The nematode C. elegans is attracted to pyridine. 2. 2. The threshold is about 0·1 mM. 3. 3. At concentrations above 1 mM the response weakens. 4. 4. No indication of avoidance of high concentrations could be found.