cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-order and tunable balanced bandpass filters using mixed technology resonators

This paper reports on high-order balanced bandpass filters (BPFs) that are continuously tunable in terms of frequency and bandwidth and can be intrinsically switched-off. They use a hybrid integration scheme based on two different types of capacitively loaded resonators—ceramic coaxial and microstrip—that reduce the filter size, enhance its out-of-band selectivity and common-mode suppression, and allow for multiple levels of transfer function tuning. High selectivity is obtained in the differential mode due to the high number of poles and transmission zeros present. The common mode is highly suppressed through the introduction of additional transmission zeros and resistively loaded resonators. Furthermore, the use of ceramic coaxial resonators results in supplementary transmission zeros that are used to lower the out-of-band transmission in the differential mode. Multiple levels of tuning are obtained by reconfiguring only the frequency of the BPF's resonators. For experimental validation, a tunable mixed-technology microstrip prototype was manufactured and measured at S-band. It exhibited frequency tuning between 2.22 and 2.94 GHz, bandwidth tuning between 104 and 268 MHz, and an intrinsically switched-off mode with isolation >50 dB in the differential mode. For all states, the common mode was suppressed by at least 35 dB at the center frequency and within a wide range.
A new approach to transfer characteristic slope estimation

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have found a wide range of uses due to their attractive properties. A great deal of effort has been expended on boosting their mobilities, which tend to be low. Given this, accurate estimation of the mobility is crucial. We have developed a web application that automates or simplifies several of the steps required to estimate the mobility from experimental data. The app can be accessed at ofetanalysisapp.shinyapps.io/ofetanalysisapp. The app takes as inputs a file with the data and pieces of information like the number of OFETs and their channel lengths. The app has features that enable the user to mark OFETs as outliers, which are excluded from subsequent calculations. It fits nonlinear regression models to compute estimates of the mobility as well as the threshold voltage. The app provides several visualizations that give the user insight into the nature of the data. The estimates computed by the app can be downloaded in an Excel file so the user can perform further analysis. The use of the app is illustrated with a dataset from one of our OFET experiments.
Traumatic Suprahepatic inferior vena cava injury survival of a rare case.

Abstract Traumatic supra-hepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) injury is rare and nearly universally fatal. We report an excellent outcome from a case involving severe injury of the suprahepatic and intra-pericardial IVC utilizing emergency cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The goal of this case report is to outline key factors that facilitated the patient's survival of extensive IVC injury. We conclude that aggressive prehospital fluid resuscitation, facile transfer to the operating room, early detection of anatomy and pathology of the injury, an early decision to call for perfusion and cardiothoracic surgery, and prompt blood transfusion were the key factors that allowed for the patient to survive without deficits.
Use of anti-spike monoclonal antibodies in kidney transplant recipients with COVID-19: Efficacy, ethnic and racial disparities.

Organ transplant recipients may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 infection and therefore may benefit greatly from passive immunization with anti-spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which have been shown to decrease hospitalization rates in the general outpatient population. We evaluated the efficacy of mAb therapy in decreasing hospitalizations or emergency room (ER) visits among kidney transplant recipients (KTR) with COVID-19. We identified KTR with COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021. Patients were excluded if they had multi-organ transplant or hospital-acquired COVID-19. We studied 95 KTR; 20 received mAb. mAb administration was associated with a significant decrease in hospitalizations or ER visits (15% vs. 76%, p < 0.001). This association remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders, and analysis of mAb administration as a time-dependent variable, with day of symptom onset as day 1 (adjusted HR 0.216, p = 0.04). Black or Hispanic patients were less likely to receive mAb and more likely to be admitted to the hospital or visit the ER. In our KTR population, mAb therapy for COVID-19 may have helped decrease hospitalizations and ER visits. Healthcare inequities, including access to investigational treatments, have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Antiviral mAbs are a promising therapeutic modality, especially for immunocompromised patients.
Perceptions of Florida school library media specialists relative to the saliency of collaboration, leadership, and technology tasks outlined in “Information Power”: Changes since 1996

In 1988 Information Power: Guidelines for School Library Media Programs (IP1) was published. Ten years later an updated version, Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (IP2) was released. The purpose of this study was to determine if school library media specialists’ perceptions had changed since 1996 and if respondents’ familiarity with IP2 was a factor in the development of those perceptions. Further, 37 items that were clustered based on the three primary threads of collaboration, leadership and technology developed in IP2 were used to assess changes in perceptions. An electronic survey was developed and disseminated to the population of school library media specialists in Florida. A total of 454 completed surveys were received; representing a 17% return rate. The results of the current survey were then compared to a 1996 job task analysis study. Analysis of the results showed that 60% of the respondents had never attended an in-service on IP2. Statistically significant changes in perceptions about the importance of those 37 job tasks resurveyed were also identified. Changes were identified in 10 of the 14 collaboration items, 12 of the 13 leadership items and 9 of the 10 technology items.
Law, Medicine, and Religion: Towards a Dialogue and a Partnership in Biomedical Technology and Decision Making

Faith, religion, spirituality, and prayer have a current focused outreach and easy parlance in the market places and public squares of the nation. News stories and court cases abound with dramatic challenges to the placement of monuments to the Ten Commandments in public buildings and grounds, the use of God's name in school pledges of allegiance, the teaching of Darwinian or evolutionary science in public education, the role of faith and religion in health care healing, and even the value of affirmations of religious faith on the political hustings. The purpose of this article is to explore the conjunctive and disjunctive influences that religion has in one specific field of current sociopolitical debate; namely, biomedical technology and ethical decision making. More specifically, the role of religion as an equal or - as the case may prove to be - limited partner with law and medical science in assessing the dimensions and patterns of application of new biotechnologies. Central to this inquiry will be a consideration of the legitimacy of, in the first instance, evolutionary science and its acceptance in public education, for it is this science from which the whole study of genetics and eugenics arises and which in turn directs and validates the very framework for the new biomedicine. From this analysis it will be seen that, far from being antagonistic to law and medicine, religion and religious principles can stabilize the field of biomedicine and serve additionally as vectors in shaping both ethical and moral constructs for decision making. In turn, each of these three disciplines complements and strengthens what should be the ultimate goal of the state: to secure the happiness, spiritual tranquility, and well-being of its citizens. This purpose is, in turn, advanced and enhanced by safeguarding the genetic well-being and general health of its citizens. Working toward this goal will have the effect of minimizing human suffering and maximizing the social good that derives from the rational and humane actions taken to displace man's genetic weaknesses from the line of inheritance.
SPRIM: structure-preserving reduced-order interconnect macromodeling

In recent years, order-reduction techniques based on Krylov subspaces have become the methods of choice for generating macromodels of large multi-port RLC circuits. A widely-used method of this type is PRIMA. Its main features are provably passive reduced-order models and a moment-matching property. On the other hand, PRIMA does not preserve other structures, such as reciprocity or the block structure of the circuit matrices, inherent to RLC circuits, which makes it harder to synthesize the PRIMA models as actual circuits. Moreover, the PRIMA models match only half as many moments as optimal, but non-passive, moment-matching techniques such as SyMPVL. In this paper, we propose the reduction technique SPRIM that overcomes these disadvantages of PRIMA. In particular, SPRIM generates provably passive and reciprocal macromodels of multi-port RLC circuits, and the SPRIM models match twice as many moments as the corresponding PRIMA models obtained with identical computational work. Numerical results are reported that illustrate the higher accuracy of SPRIM vs. PRIMA.
Bioregionalism and Global Education: Exploring the Connections

In response to the internationalization of industry, media, transportation, and information technology, global education has emerged as a socially responsive educational reform that addresses the adjustment needs of living in an interdependent global village. At the same time, many concerned educators influenced by bioregionalism, have made concerted efforts to incorporate “place-based knowledge” into the formal curriculum. At first glance, bioregion-based education and global education appear to be incompatible or even incommensurable. After all, global education aims at fostering an awareness of our living “in a cocoon of culture whose circumference equals the circumference of the globe,” as suggested by Lee Anderson. In contrast, bioregion-based education stresses the need to preserve local ecological systems and to establish the bond between members of a local community and their “place.”
Purification and Properties of Inosinic Acid Dehydrogenase from Escherichia coli

Abstract Inosinic acid dehydrogenase was prepared from a derepressed mutant of Escherichia coli. Although the reaction catalyzed formally resembles those catalyzed by chicken liver xanthine dehydrogenase and related enzymes, this enzyme is devoid of any flavin, iron complex, or molybdenum component, and the kinetics indicate necessity for concomitant binding of substrate and DPN. The enzyme is absolutely dependent on K+ or NH4+, which are competitive with the inhibitor Mg++. A series of purine nucleotides inhibits competitively with substrate with no evidence of cooperative interactions. The enzyme is quite unstable and can be separated into several distinct but enzymatically equivalent fractions by centrifugation or electrophoresis.
An improved procedure for gene selection from microarray experiments using false discovery rate criterion

A large number of genes usually show differential expressions in a microarray experiment with two types of tissues, and the p-values of a proper statistical test are often used to quantify the significance of these differences. The genes with small p-values are then picked as the genes responsible for the differences in the tissue RNA expressions. One key question is what should be the threshold to consider the p-values small. There is always a trade off between this threshold and the rate of false claims. Recent statistical literature shows that the false discovery rate (FDR) criterion is a powerful and reasonable criterion to pick those genes with differential expression. Moreover, the power of detection can be increased by knowing the number of non-differential expression genes. While this number is unknown in practice, there are methods to estimate it from data. The purpose of this paper is to present a new method of estimating this number and use it for the FDR procedure construction. A combination of test functions is used to estimate the number of differentially expressed genes. Simulation study shows that the proposed method has a higher power to detect these genes than other existing methods, while still keeping the FDR under control. The improvement can be substantial if the proportion of true differentially expressed genes is large. This procedure has also been tested with good results using a real dataset. For a given expected FDR, the method proposed in this paper has better power to pick genes that show differentiation in their expression than two other well known methods.
The Byzantine conquest of Crete (961 AD), Prokopios' Vandal War, and the Continuator of the Chronicle of Symeon

Historians reconstruct the Byzantine conquest of Crete in 960‒961 based largely on the History of Leo the Deacon and two variants of the continuation of the Chronicle of Symeon the Logothete. However, the account in the continuation is modelled closely, in narrative structure, imagery, vocabulary and ideology, on Prokopios' account of the conquest of North Africa by Belisarios in 533‒534. This challenges our knowledge of the campaign but sheds interesting new light on the sophisticated use of classical texts that Byzantine ‘chroniclers’ could make.
Mismatch Repair by Efficient Nick-Directed, and Less Efficient Mismatch-Specific, Mechanisms in Homologous Recombination Intermediates in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells

Repair of single-base mismatches formed in recombination intermediates in vivo was investigated in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Extrachromosomal recombination was stimulated by double-strand breaks (DSBs) introduced into regions of shared homology in pairs of plasmid substrates heteroallelic at 11 phenotypically silent mutations. Recombination was expected to occur primarily by single-strand annealing, yielding predicted heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) regions with three to nine mismatches. Product spectra were consistent with hDNA only occurring between DSBs. Nicks were predicted on opposite strands flanking hDNA at positions corresponding to original DSB sites. Most products had continuous marker patterns, and observed conversion gradients closely matched predicted gradients for repair initiated at nicks, consistent with an efficient nick-directed, excision-based mismatch repair system. Discontinuous patterns, seen in ~10% of products, and deviations from predicted gradients provided evidence for less efficient mismatch-specific repair, including G-A -> G-C specific repair that may reflect processing by a homologue of Escherichia coli MutY. Mismatch repair was >80% efficient, which is higher than seen previously with covalently closed, artificial hDNA substrates. Products were found in which all mismatches were repaired in a single tract initiated from one or the other nick. We also observed products resulting from two tracts of intermediate length initiated from two nicks.
New marine biological reference materials for trace metals

A list of reference materials and certified reference materials (CRM's) useful to the marine analytical chemist for validation of trace element determinations is given. The preparation and certification for the trace element content of two new marine biological reference materials, dogfish flesh (DORM-1) and dogfish liver (DOLT-1), is described.
Codes of online sexuality: Celebrity, gender and marketing on the web

Marketers use the combination of sex and celebrity to sell movies, music, and more. this qualitative project uses content analysis to track sexualized images on the official Web sites and fan sites of 41 celebrities. An official Web site may construct a celebrity’s sexuality as part of overall marketing, with all images as tightly controlled as trademarked images. Over time, these celebrity images become a public sexual iconography. While such images have been studied in other mass media, few studies have scrutinized sexuality on mainstream Web sites. This analysis finds that female musicians are more likely than other celebrities to be represented by sexualized images, and that all types of female celebrities are sexualized more than males. In general, a female celebrity who uses sexuality to promote her public image wears this sexuality like a uniform on both official and fan Web sites.
Nonlinear feedback control for operating a nonisothermal CSTR near an unstable steady state

Application of relay feedback controllers to maintain process states near unstable steady states is extended to a second order system, the CSTR with an irreversible, exothermic reaction. The control scheme is successful provided the bandwith (the reactor temperature deviation which causes relay switching) is not chosen too large relative to the drive levels (the deviation in coolant temperature caused by relay switching). In this context Tsypkin's analytical methods for approximate solution of this and higher order problems are elaborated and tested. Tsypkin's technique proves superior to Describing Function analysis in accuracy and in bounds on the maximum permissible bandwidth.
Rapid changes in the phospholipid composition of gill membranes during thermal acclimation of the rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri.

The phospholipid composition of gill tissue was determined in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) undergoing thermal acclimation between 5°C and 20°C for a period of up to 28 days. Proportions of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and cardiolipin (CL) increased during cold acclimation and decreased during warm acclimation; proportions of phosphatidylcholine (PC) changed in the opposite direction (i.e., decreased during cold acclimation). In contrast, levels of phosphatidylserine,-inositol, and sphingomyelin did not vary significantly. Thermal modulation of headgroup composition occurred rapidly as reflected by changes in the ratio of PC-to-PE, which rose significantly from 2.40±0.09 to 2.92±0.09 within 72 h of transfer from 5 to 20°C; adaptation to 5°C was equally rapid. Proportions of PE changed more rapidly than those of PC during cold adaptation, whereas the opposite was true during warm acclimation. Both the time course and the direction of the observed changes in phospholipid composition suggest that such adjustments may contribute to the homeoviscous regulation of membrane properties, particularly during the initial stages of thermal adaptation.
SU‐GG‐J‐175: Target Registration Error Analysis Via KV Imaging and Conebeam CT in Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Purpose: In accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI), accurate localization of the lumpectomy cavity is important. We are investigating daily localization of the lumpectomy cavity in patients with implanted surgical clips by kV imaging followed by conebeam CT(CBCT). Initial data based on 2 patients are presented here. Target registration error (TRE) analysis was performed to assess the accuracy of available image‐guidance techniques for target localization during APBI. Method and Materials: APBI patients were positioned to the treatment isocenter initially by laser alignment to skin tattoos, followed by orthogonal kV radiographs to visualize bony anatomy and surgical clips and then by CBCT (once daily) to visualize both surgical clips and soft tissue architecture. Couch shifts were performed based on matching surgical clip position and lumpectomy cavity architecture (when visible) to the planned setup. The lumpectomy cavity position was assumed to be represented by the surgical clips. The TRE is defined as the residual setup error following isocenter alignment. Surface topologyanalysis on the serial CBCT datasets was performed post‐treatment by co‐registering the breast surfaces, as defined by CBCT, and then measuring the clip misalignment. Results: The average laser setup TREs (determined by kV imaging) for patients 1 (breast volume = 1335.5cc) and 2 (breast volume = 404.7cc) were 3.7mm and 6.1mm, respectively. The average kV imaging TREs (determined by CBCT, post‐kV imaging shifts) for patients 1 and 2 were 4.9mm and 1.4mm, respectively. The average surface topology TREs for patients 1 and 2 were 4.9mm and 1.6mm, respectively. Conclusion: Even after kV imaging, TREs around 0.5cm were detected using CBCT in the larger breast volume. Therefore, CBCT may improve targeting in APBI for patients with large breast volumes. Surface alignment may be more suitable for patients with small breast volumes and is currently under further investigation.
POS-SPRITE — an extensible calculation of positron and electron implantation in metals

Abstract Accurately modeling the behavior of a beam of positrons incident upon a solid is of crucial importance for depth-profiling and data analysis in slow positron experiments. We describe a suite of Fortran programs to perform a Monte Carlo calculation of positron implantation in amorphous metals and small bandgap semiconductors. This provides statistical information about penetration (stopping profiles, thermalization time, etc.), energy loss and reemission (backscattering, thin film transmission, etc.). The calculation is implemented using a user-friendly Monte Carlo transport “engine”, which is capable of treating particle transport in infinite, semi-infinite, and multilayer systems. A contingent of elastic (up to 10 keV) and inelastic (down to 30 eV) scattering mechanisms is included, but different mechanisms can be added via external data files or code modification. As a consequence of the scattering theory involved, this calculation is amenable to electron implantation and scattering.
The synthesis of quantum chromodynamics and nuclear physics

Abstract The asymptotic freedom behavior of quantum chromodynamics allows the rigorous calculation of hadronic and nuclear amplitudes at short distances using perturbative methods. The implications of QCD for large momentum transfer nuclear form factors and scattering processes, as well as for the structure of nuclear wavefunctions and nuclear interactions at short distances are discussed. The necessity for color-polarized internal nuclear states is also discussed.
Force measurements of a magnetic micro actuator proposed for a microvalve array

Low-cost, easily-fabricated and power-efficient microvalves are necessary for many microfluidic lab-on-a-chip applications. In this study, we present a simple, low-power, scalable, CMOS-compatible magnetic actuator for microvalve applications composed of a paramagnetic bead as the ball valve over a picoliter reaction well etched into a silicon substrate. The paramagnetic bead, composed of either pure FeSi or magnetite in a SiO2 matrix, is actuated by the local magnetic field gradient generated by a microcoil in an aqueous environment, and the reaction well is situated at the microcoil center. A permanent magnet beneath the microvalve device provides an external magnetic biasing field that magnetizes the bead, enabling bidirectional actuation and reducing the current required to actuate the bead to a level below 10 mA. The vertical and radial magnetic forces exerted on the bead by the microcoil were measured for both pure FeSi and composite beads and agree well with the predictions of 2D axisymmetric finite element method models. Vertical forces were within a range of 13–80 nN, and radial forces were 11–60 nN depending on the bead type. The threshold current required to initiate bead actuation was measured as a function of bead diameter and is found to scale inversely with volume for small beads, as expected based on the magnetic force model. To provide an estimate of the stiction force acting between the bead and the passivation layer on the substrate, repeated actuation trials were used to study the bead throw distance for substrates coated with silicon dioxide, Parylene-C, and photoresist. The stiction observed was lowest for a photoresist-coated substrate, while silicon dioxide and Parylene-C coated substrates exhibited similar levels of stiction.
The intrinsic and extrinsic effects of N-linked glycans on glycoproteostasis

Proteins that traffic through the eukaryotic secretory pathway are commonly modified with N-linked carbohydrates. These bulky amphipathic modifications at asparagines intrinsically enhance solubility and folding energetics through carbohydrate-protein interactions. N-linked glycans can also extrinsically enhance glycoprotein folding by using the glycoprotein homeostasis or 'glycoproteostasis' network, which comprises numerous glycan binding and/or modification enzymes or proteins that synthesize, transfer, sculpt and use N-linked glycans to direct folding and trafficking versus degradation and trafficking of nascent N-glycoproteins through the cellular secretory pathway. If protein maturation is perturbed by misfolding, aggregation or both, stress pathways are often activated that result in transcriptional remodeling of the secretory pathway in an attempt to alleviate the insult (or insults). The inability to achieve glycoproteostasis is linked to several pathologies, including amyloidoses, cystic fibrosis and lysosomal storage diseases. Recent progress on genetic and pharmacologic adaptation of the glycoproteostasis network provides hope that drugs of this mechanistic class can be developed for these maladies in the near future.
Dynamic Modeling in Health Research as a framework for developing statistical applications free of misuse of statistics

We introduce a novel framework for developing statistical applications in health research, based on dynamic modeling of the investigated processes. We formulate the principles of dynamic modeling in health research, which are coherent to those in other fields of research. Dynamic models explicitly describe causal relations which are to be adequately accounted in statistical methods, making them free of misuse of statistics and statistical fallacy. We propose the Dynamic Model of Population Health describing temporal changes in health indicators, having nature of state variables. The Dynamic Regression Method was developed as statistical method for the identification of the model. This method evaluates cohort trends for state variables at each age and calendar year. The method is illustrated by evaluating cohort trends for the Body Mass Index for men, using survey data collected in the years 1982, 1987, 1992, in North Karelia, Finland.
Helium and deuterium implantation in tungsten at elevated temperatures

Abstract High temperature helium and deuterium implantation on tungsten has been studied using the University of Wisconsin inertial electrostatic confinement device. Helium or deuterium ions from a plasma source were driven into polished tungsten powder metallurgy samples. Deuterium implantation did not damage the surface of the specimens at elevated temperatures (∼1200 °C). Helium implantation resulted in a porous surface structure above 700 °C. A helium fluence scan, ion energy scan, and temperature scan were all completed. With 30 keV ions, the pore formation started just below 4 × 1016 He+/cm2. The pore size increased and the pore density decreased with increasing fluence and temperature. The energy scan from 20 to 80 keV showed no consistent trend.
A two-year review of pain control during laser therapy using the flashlamp pulsed dye laser

Laser therapy is now accepted as the treatment of choice for port wine stains. Patient reaction to laser light exposure and methods used to control pain during 1357 treatment sessions for 350 medium to large port wine stains using the SPTL-1 laser (Candela Laser Corporation) are reported. In the majority of cases (86%) it was necessary to use either general anaesthesia or some other form of local pain control.
Pure Nuclear Quadrupole Spectra of Chlorine and Antimony Isotopes in Solids

Experimental measurements on nuclear quadrupole resonances of chlorine and antimony isotopes in solids have been made to an accuracy of about 0.001 percent. The results are compared in detail with theoretical results for (1) nuclear quadrupole interaction, (2) interaction between quadrupole coupling and thermal vibrations, and (3) effects of a nuclear hexadecapole. The ratio $\frac{{(\mathrm{eQq})}_{{\mathrm{Cl}}^{35}}}{{(\mathrm{eQq})}_{{\mathrm{Cl}}^{37}}}$ varies between 1.268736 and 1.268973 while $\frac{{(\mathrm{eQq})}_{{\mathrm{Sb}}^{123}}}{{(\mathrm{eQq})}_{{\mathrm{Sb}}^{121}}}$ varies from 1.274714 to 1.274770. These variations may be attributed to zero-point vibrations and to thermal vibrations, so that no clear evidence is found for nuclear polarization by surrounding electric fields. For $p$-dichlorobenzene, the temperature coefficient of the coupling constant of Cl and the variation of isotopic coupling ratio with temperature are shown to be in fair quantitative agreement with the extension of Bayer's theory of vibrational effects. Relaxation times, Zeeman effects, and certain effects due to crystal structure are examined. Small discrepancies in the measured ratios of frequencies of transitions in ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{121}$ and ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{123}$, which can be attributed to nuclear hexadecapole interactions are found. These indicate a hexadecapole coupling constant in ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{123}$ of 24 kc/sec and a ratio of the ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{123}$ hexadecapole coupling to that of ${\mathrm{Sb}}^{121}$ of 0.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3. A convenient high-sensitivity circuit for observation of nuclear resonances in solids has been developed and is discussed.
The metabolic effects of progesterone in man.

INTRODUCTION INTEREST in the metabolic effects of progesterone has heretofore centered primarily about its role in the reproductive functions of the female organism, where its restricted growth-promoting influence on the uterus and breast have been well documented (1, 2). Its more general metabolic properties have not been so extensively explored. In this category progesterone has been shown to be life-preserving and salt-retaining in adrenalectomized rats, ferrets and dogs (3–6) and salt-retaining in normal dogs when administered in 10–20 mg. doses per day (5, 6). It failed, however, to support the work capacity of adrenalectomized rats (7), and in a man with Addison's disease who was maintained with added salt, 30 mg. of progesterone per day had no influence on urinary chloride excretion (8). Recently it has been demonstrated that progesterone induces growth in the sebaceous glands of rats (9). In contrast to this report of an anabolic effect and similar influence on the uterus and breast is the report ...
On the possibility of critical radius measurements in the homogeneous crystal nucleation of glass

The potential of determining the liquid-crystal surface tension during crystal nucleation in inorganic glasses without measuring the nucleation rate is examined analytically. Attention is focused on the feasibility of measuring the critical radius of the crystal nuclei as a function of temperature in order to obtain the surface tension values. Two approximate expressions are defined for the upper and lower bounds of the bulk free energy of crystallization per unit volume. The expressions, when used for a validated approximation for the critical radius, show that the critical radius is a function of the undercooling and the molar volume. The minimum undercooling necessary for detecting homogeneous crystal nucleation is then calculated, which yields an upper limit to the critical radius in the range 10-15 A. Since the size range is too small for detection, the critical radius is not a useful measure for crystal nucleation studies.
Multiphoton dissociative ionization of molecular deuterium

The kinetic energy spectra of deuterium ions produced from ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ arising from collision-free subpicosecond irradiation at 248 nm with intensities spanning the ${10}^{13}$\char21{}${10}^{16}$-W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ range have been measured by time-of-flight analysis. The behaviors of the kinetic energy distributions of the fragments and the relative abundances of atomic (${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$) and molecular (${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$) ions reveal the presence of two mechanisms of multiphoton dissociative ionization. Calibration of the energy scale for ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ is facilitated by comparison with ${\mathrm{He}}^{2+}$. For intensities in the ${10}^{13}$\char21{}${10}^{15}$-W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ region, intermediate three-photon resonances and the optical Stark shift play important roles. At an intensity \ensuremath{\sim}${10}^{16}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, a direct transition from the molecular ground state to the dissociative ionic level appears as a significant channel. No evidence of direct double ionization was observed.
Balanced Budget Rules in Europe: A Comparative Institutional Analysis

One of the main economic problems of our time is that of reducing budget deficits. In Europe the “Stability and Growth Pact” should reduce deficit spending and government debts. But EU core countries such as France, Germany and Italy have been in violation of the Pact consistently for a lot of years. In contrast some countries at the European periphery are very successful in reducing their deficit. Others are able to prevent their budgets from being unbalanced. For instance Denmark - a long term member of the European Union and typical welfare state - has recorded a surplus in its national budget since 1997. Ireland - sometimes the poorest member of the Union and nowadays one of the richest ones - reduced its debts from more than 80% of GDB to less than 40%. The new EU-member Estonia has been successful in keeping the budget deficit low since independence in 1992.In this paper the different balanced budget rules in Denmark, Ireland and Estonia are analyzed in brief and compared. As can be shown balanced b...
Differences in Receptor Binding of LDL Subfractions

Differences in low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-binding affinity among LDL particles of different size were examined in competitive binding assays in human skin fibroblasts and LDL (d = 1.020 to 1.050 g/mL) from subjects with a predominance of large (> or = 272 A), medium (259 to 271 A), and small ( or = 160 mg/dL. Differences in LDL receptor-binding affinity were further investigated by using LDL density subfractions (I, d = 1.026 to 1.032 g/mL; II, d = 1.032 to 1.038 g/mL; and III, d = 1.038 to 1.050 g/mL) from three subjects with predominantly large (pattern A) and small (pattern B) LDL particles. The binding affinity (Kd) of LDL-II was similar for patterns A and B (9.2 +/- 1.4 and 9.4 +/- 0.7, respectively) and 30% lower in LDL-III from both groups (P < .05). The binding affinity of LDL-I in pattern A (12.6 +/- 1.5 micrograms/mg) was lower (P < .05) than that in LDL-II and LDL-I from pattern B (8.0 +/- 2.4 micrograms/mg). After incubation with a monoclonal antibody that specifically blocked the LDL receptor-binding domain of apoE, LDL-I from two pattern B subjects showed substantially lower binding affinity (Kd = 20.0 and 19.2 micrograms/mg) than in pattern A (Kd = 13.2 and 14.2 micrograms/mg), a result consistent with our finding of a higher apoE content in pattern B LDL-I (P < .001). Thus, factors associated with variations in particle size and apoE content in LDL subclasses in normolipidemic subjects contribute to the differences in LDL receptor binding that may result in differing metabolic behavior in vivo.
Enhancing interactive television news

A prototype system for interactive television news is described. It supports the full production cycle for interactive news, including assembly of clips into stories and stories into newscasts. A variety of interactive techniques are offered to the viewer. These include expressing likes and dislikes of headlines, skipping out of stories, requesting additional content and selection of stories from a menu. This system was deployed into homes for two weeks using fresh television content. User control events were logged and evaluated to understand interactive viewing behavior.
The Tenth Justice? Consequences of Politicization in the Solicitor General's Office

Previous scholarly accounts of the solicitor general's (S.G.) influence on the U.S. Supreme Court emphasize either the office's role as an ideological advocate for the executive branch or its reputation as a resource for credible legal information. Yet existing empirical analyses do not fully examine the potential that political advocacy of executive policy might undermine the S.G.’s influence. I propose a theory investigating the degree to which perceptual political bias jeopardizes the solicitor general's credibility as a trustworthy informational source. I argue that the Court should discount the S.G.’s arguments when the office exhibits excessive politicization. I test my assertion using individual-level data spanning the 1961–2003 Court terms. The data reveal that excessive politicization jeopardizes success on the merits, thereby demonstrating a systematic, negative impact on the office's legal influence.
Decision support model for incentives/disincentives time–cost tradeoff

Abstract Offering contractors a monetary incentive for early project completion provides agencies with an innovative means to expedite construction. To be effective, the incentive amount should exceed the contractor's additional cost (CAC) for completing the project early. Yet, estimating CAC poses a major challenge to agencies largely because of contractors' reluctance to disclose information about their profits. This study introduces a predictive, quantitative model that estimates realistic CACs by combining an existing schedule simulation technique with a regression method. An innovative, reliable tool called Construction Analysis for Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies (CA4PRS) was used for the simulation. Using CA4PRS, a set of contractors' time–cost tradeoff data was created and a linear regression analysis based on a second degree polynomial equation was performed to predict CAC growth rate by analyzing how the CAC interacts with the agency's specified schedule goal. The robustness of the proposed model was then validated through two case studies. This model can assist decision-makers in estimating better optimal incentive amounts.
Parameters involved in the conversion of real-time PCR assays from the ABI prism 7700 to the Cepheid SmartCycler II.

Abstract Objective: We examined several critical parameters that must be optimized when converting between the ABI Prism 7700 real-time PCR platform and the Cepheid SmartCycler® II while using the same primer and probe sequences. Design and methods: A lyophilized master mix, MgCl 2 concentration, PCR cycling conditions, and ramp times were evaluated. Results: Optimization of each parameter, including use of the OmniMix™ HS-lyophilized beads, 6 mM MgCl 2 concentration, changes in PCR cycling parameters, and increased ramp time were necessary to convert this real time PCR assay to a new platform. Conclusion: We conclude that careful consideration of several analytical parameters can result in a smooth transition of assays between real time PCR platforms.
Experimental studies of bacterial cholecystitis

Abstract 1. 1. Animal experimentation conducted on 36 dogs indicates that an increase either in the number or the virulence of bacteria in gall-bladder bile using a non-traumatizing technique, seldomly produces a reaction in the gall-bladder wall. A severe infection of the wall was obtained in 3 dogs, which had been injected with one particular strain of Streptococcus hemolyticus. The gall-bladder wall remained practically unchanged, however, upon the injection of three other strains of Streptococcus hemolyticus, as well as Bacillus coli, Streptococcus viridans, Staphylococcus aureus and albus, and Bacillus Welchii. 2. 2. In many cases the same organisms injected directly through the gall-bladder wall, or with an accompanying ligation of the common or cystic duct, produce severe or even fatal cholecystitis.
GLYCOSYL TRANSFERASE ACTIVITY IN NORMAL AND SCRAPIE‐AFFECTED MOUSE BRAIN

—The conditions required for the optimal activity of several glycosyl transferases were determined in normal and scrapie-affected mouse brain. Particulate preparations were analysed for fucosyl, galactosyl, mannosyl and N-acetyl glucosaminyl transferase activity using endogenous acceptors. Solubilized preparations were analysed for fucosyl, galactosyl and sialyl transferase activity using defined exogenous acceptors. The activity of each of these enzymes was followed at intervals throughout the development of scrapie in the mouse. In the endogenous system no change was found in the fucosyl and mannosyl transferase activities of the scrapie material, but the levels of galactosyl and N-acetyl glucosaminyl transferase began to rise as clinical signs of scrapie developed i.e. at 15–16 weeks post-inoculation. In the exogenous system the levels of galactosyl and fucosyl transferase began to rise in the scrapie material at 11–12 weeks post-inoculation, rising to twice the normal value at 18–20 weeks. Sialyl transferase showed no change in activity.
Development of a Wear Test Apparatus for Screening Bearing-Flange Materials in Computer Tape Drives

An accelerated-wear test apparatus was developed to screen bearing-flange materials. During the test, tape edges rub against two flat test specimens (which are easy to fabricate). The clamping arrangement of the specimens provides the same contact with the tape during repeated tests. The tape is loaded against the sample by deadweight loading, which ensures constant loading, irrespective of tape guiding. Acceleration in wear is obtained by increasing the load at the interface of the tape and the test specimen. Wear tests were conducted on several metals, ceramics and cermets, coatings, and surface treatments. We find that ceramics and cermets have the lowest wear. Presented at the 41st Annual Meeting in Toronto, Ontario, Canada May 12–15, 1986
Integration and eclecticism in counselling and psychotherapy: Cautionary notes

Abstract Obstacles on the path to integration and eclecticism are illustrated in three realms of endeavour: the therapeutic relationship, the constitution of knowledge, and visions of reality. The strands of three major systems of psychotherapy - the psychoanalytic, the behavioural and the humanistic - are examined as to the desired nature of the therapist-client relationship, their sources and understanding of data, and the worldviews they encompass from among the romantic, ironic, tragic and comic. Differences among these theories of psychotherapy are seen to limit the possibilities for integration and eclecticism. This conclusion is tempered, however, by a recognition of the value of each approach assimilating some views of the others in a considered way.
Laboratory study of gas permeability changes in rock salt during deformation

Abstract Gas permeability and porosity measurements have been made during hydrostatic and triaxial quasi-static, stress-rate controlled compression tests. The permeability and porosity of the as-received samples decrease significantly as a result of hydrostatic loading. These changes are largely irreversible, and are believed to “heal” or return the rock to a condition comparable to its undisturbed state. The permeability can increase more than 5 orders of magnitude over the initial (healed) state as the samples are deformed during deviatoric loading. The gas permeability and porosity changes are consistent with a flow model based on the equivalent channel concept. A model of microcrack initiation and growth based on the frictional sliding crack suggests the flow paths initially develop along grain boundaries and then along axial intragranular tensile cracks. Post-test visual observations support the model predictions.
Personal Value Systems of American Managers

The personal value systems of 1072 American managers are studied for their contribution to the understanding of managers and their behavior. A theoretical model for analyzing the impact of values o...
Cryoprotection--permeant vs nonpermeant additives.

Abstract Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) were preserved at low temperatures with permeating and nonpermeating solutes. By making use of the temperature dependence of the diffusion of glycerol into cells it was possible to use this compared as either one or the other of these 2 classes of cryoprotectant. It was found that cell recovery could be obtained after cooling to, and storage at subzero temperatures ranging from −30 to −196 °C, but whereas both types of cryoprotectant provided some protection at the lowest temperature, only permeant compounds were useful at the higher temperatures.
Emerging Role of Nanomaterials in Circulating Tumor Cell Isolation and Analysis

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are low frequency cells found in the bloodstream after having been shed from a primary tumor. These cells are research targets because of the information they may potentially provide about both an individual cancer as well as the mechanisms through which cancer spreads in the process of metastasis. Established technologies exist for CTC isolation, but the recent progress and future of this field lie in nanomaterials. In this review, we provide perspective into historical CTC capture as well as current research being conducted, emphasizing the significance of the materials being used to fabricate these devices. The modern investigation into CTCs initially featured techniques that have since been commercialized. A major innovation in the field was the development of a microfluidic capture device, first fabricated in silicon and followed up with glass and thermopolymer devices. We then specifically highlight the technologies incorporating magnetic nanoparticles, carbon nanotube...
Crosstolerance between butorphanol and morphine in rats

To investigate the antinociceptive effects of morphine and U-50,488 after continuous administration with butorphanol, rats were intracerebroventricularly (ICV) infused with butorphanol (26 nmol/microliters/h) through osmotic minipumps for 3 days. Six hours after termination of infusion, the rats were challenged with different doses of morphine or U-50,488. Antinociceptive effects, as assessed by tail-flick and acetic acid writing tests, were measured 15 min after challenge. Development of crosstolerance to morphine was evident in butorphanol-infused animals. The study also revealed that crosstolerance to butorphanol developed in continuously ICV morphine-infused animals. Continuous ICV infusion with butorphanol produced a marked rightward shift of the antinociceptive dose-response curve resulting from U-50,488 challenge. These results showed that there is an antinociceptive crosstolerance between butorphanol and morphine, and crosstolerance to U-50,488 developed in continuously butorphanol-infused animals. The present data suggested that chronic ICV treatment with high doses of butorphanol can lead to desensitization of the antinociceptive systems mediated through the central kappa as well as mu receptors in rats.