cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pool boiler reflux solar receiver for Stirling dish-electric systems

The feasibility of obtaining competitive modular bulk electric power from the Sun, which can be greatly enhanced by the use of a reflux heat pipe receiver to combine a heat engine such as Stirling with a paraboloidal dish concentrator, is discussed. Laboratory-scale experiments have been performed. Initial tests confirmed that boiling is unstable in a baseline boiler. Boiling stability was established after the addition of artificial cavities to the heated surface, and successful boiling of sodium was demonstrated for 100 h. Other stabilizing influences that may have been present are discussed. The flux and geometry closely simulated a real receiver. The results of these tests are presented, along with the design of a full-scale receiver for on-Sun testing and considerations for long-term operation. >
Beer Bottles an Bar Signs: Brewing Identity in Postsocialist Poland

Since 1990, Poland's industrial sector has been gradually transforming from a socialist to a market-based system through all extended period of industrial privatization. This dramatic changc in economic orientation fundamentally altered the nature of the relationship between management and labor. causing corresponding changes in the organizational structures of Poland's manufacturing industries. The problem for these industrial organizations was literally how to survive this change, as relationships that were once predetermined by nearly fifty years oftradition and governmental control became economically impractical. The survival of an individual industrial organization, particularly in the context of the broader European economy, required an extensive organizational adaptation, an adaptation that precipitated the reinvention of both institutional and individual identities. Within contemporary Polish society, the redefinition of social identities is profoundly influenced by the history of socialism and the juxtaposition of capitalist and socialist ideologies, making the conceptualization of identity a product of renegotiating the reality of the past with a vision of the future.
Canine Detection of Metastatic Thyroid Cancer

Abstract Introduction: Current diagnostic procedures for thyroid cancer often yield uncertain results, leading to recurrent clinical procedures and often unwarranted surgery. Scent-trained dogs have been trained to find and alert on small concentrations of human fluids and tissues. We tested the hypothesis that a scent-trained dog could reliably detect metastatic thyroid cancer in patient urine and blood samples. Materials and Methods: The UAMS IRB and IACUC committees approved the protocol. Urine and blood samples were collected from patients after total thyroidectomy and treatment of papillary cancer. Metastatic cancer was clinically significant (≥1.0 cm) and documented by imaging and/or elevated thyroglobulin levels (1742±656 ng/mL [SE] without antibodies; range 2.2 to >5000). All cancer patients were treated after surgery with radioactive iodine ablation. Thyroidectomy patients without thyroid cancer were identified by the pathologic absence of cancer. Our dog (male, mixed breed rescue) was imprinted ...
Two views of employee behavior

Niven, Paul R. 2002. Balanced Scorecard, Step-by-Step (New York: John Wiley and Sons). Pickett, K. H. Spencer, and Jennifer M. Pickett. 2002. Financial Crime Investigation and Control (New York: John Wiley and Sons).
Establishing an algorithm for molecular genetic diagnostics in 127 families with juvenile nephronophthisis.

Establishing an algorithm for molecular genetic diagnostics in 127 families with juvenile nephronophthisis. Background Juvenile nephronophthisis (NPH1), an autosomal recessive cystic disease of the kidney, represents the most common genetic cause of end-stage renal disease in the first two decades of life. On the basis of identification of the gene ( NPHP1 ) defective in NPH1 and the presence of homozygous deletions of NPHP1 in the majority of NPH1 patients, molecular genetic diagnosis for NPH1 is now possible. Molecular genetic testing offers the only method for definite diagnosis of NPH1 and avoids invasive diagnostic measures like renal biopsy. Methods We examined 127 families (204 patients) with the presumed diagnosis of NPH using molecular genetic diagnostic techniques. In 68 families, renal biopsy was performed and was consistent with NPH, and in 61 families, there was more than one affected child ("multiplex families"). Results In 74 families (115 patients), there was proof of the diagnosis of NPH1 by detection of a homozygous deletion of the NPHP1 gene, and in 5 families a heterozygous deletion in combination with a point mutation in NPHP1 was demonstrated. Furthermore, for 16 families, NPH1 was excluded with high likelihood by linkage analysis, and for 20 families by detection of heterozygosity for two newly identified polymorphic markers within the deletion region. In 5 of the remaining 12 families, which were noninformative for these markers, fluorescence in situ hybridization did not detect any further heterozygous deletions. Conclusions The diagnosis of NPH1 was proven by molecular genetic techniques in 62% of families with one or more children with the presumed diagnosis of NPH. We present evidence that there is a fourth locus for NPH, since only 6 of the 26 multiplex families in whom the diagnosis of NPH1 was excluded were compatible with linkage to other loci for NPH. On the basis of the presented data, we propose an algorithm for molecular genetic diagnostics in NPH.
Structural and Functional Evidence for the Role of the TLR2 DD Loop in TLR1/TLR2 Heterodimerization and Signaling

The Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain of the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) plays an important role in innate host defense signaling. The TIR-TIR platform formed by the dimerization of two TLRs promotes homotypic protein-protein interactions with additional cytoplasmic adapter molecules to form an active signaling complex resulting in the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes. To generate a better understanding of the functional domains of TLR2 we performed a random mutagenesis analysis of the human TLR2 TIR domain and screened for TLR2/1 signaling-deficient mutants. Based upon the random mutagenesis results, we performed an alanine scanning mutagenesis of the TLR2 DD loop and part of the αD region. This resulted in the identification of four residues crucial for TLR2/1 signaling: Arg-748, Phe-749, Leu-752, and Arg-753. Computer-assisted energy minimization and docking studies indicated three regions of interaction in the TLR2/1 TIR-docked heterodimer. In Region I, residues Arg-748 and Phe-749 in TLR2 DD loop were involved in close contacts with Gly-676 in the TLR1 BB loop. Because this model suggested that steric hindrance would significantly alter the binding interactions between DD loop of TLR2 and BB loop of TLR1, Gly-676 in TLR1 was rationally mutated to Ala and Leu. As expected, in vitro functional studies involving TLR1 G676A and TLR1 G676L resulted in reduced PAM3CSK4 mediated NF-κB activation lending support to the computerized predictions. Additionally, mutation of an amino acid residue (TLR2 Asp-730) in Region II also resulted in decreased activity in agreement with our model, providing new insights into the structure-function relationship of TLR2/1 TIR domains.
Probing cochlear tuning and tonotopy in the tiger using otoacoustic emissions

Otoacoustic emissions (sound emitted from the ear) allow cochlear function to be probed noninvasively. The emissions evoked by pure tones, known as stimulus-frequency emissions (SFOAEs), have been shown to provide reliable estimates of peripheral frequency tuning in a variety of mammalian and non-mammalian species. Here, we apply the same methodology to explore peripheral auditory function in the largest member of the cat family, the tiger (Panthera tigris). We measured SFOAEs in 9 unique ears of 5 anesthetized tigers. The tigers, housed at the Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, NE), were of both sexes and ranged in age from 3 to 10 years. SFOAE phase-gradient delays are significantly longer in tigers—by approximately a factor of two above 2 kHz and even more at lower frequencies—than in domestic cats (Felis catus), a species commonly used in auditory studies. Based on correlations between tuning and delay established in other species, our results imply that cochlear tuning in the tiger is significantly sharper than in domestic cat and appears comparable to that of humans. Furthermore, the SFOAE data indicate that tigers have a larger tonotopic mapping constant (mm/octave) than domestic cats. A larger mapping constant in tiger is consistent both with auditory brainstem response thresholds (that suggest a lower upper frequency limit of hearing for the tiger than domestic cat) and with measurements of basilar-membrane length (about 1.5 times longer in the tiger than domestic cat).
k-Version Least Squares Finite Element Processes for 2-D Generalized Newtonian Fluid Flows

In this paper, a mathematical and computational framework based on h, p, k and variationally consistent (VC) integral form is utilized to present a finite element computational process for two dimensional steady, isothermal as well as non-isothermal fluid flows for power law and Carreau models of viscosity. Strong form of the governing differential equations is presented and utilized in dependent variables P, u, v and T. Since the differential operator is non-linear, Galerkin method, Petrov Galerkin method, method of weighted residuals and Galerkin method with weak forms yield integral form that are variationally inconsistent (VIC). Least Squares Processes on the other hand, yield integral forms that are VC. Computational processes based on VC integral forms are unconditionally stable and non-degenerate and hence do not require the use of problem dependent upwinding methods. The parameter k controlling global differentiability of the approximation permits higher order global approximations, which are nece...
A new method for isolation of cardiac myocytes by percutaneous endomyocardial biopsy.

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of isolating viable canine cardiac myocytes from percutaneous right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimens. Although histologic data can be obtained from percutaneous endomyocardial biopsies, this approach has not been used as a source of viable cells for evaluating pathological conditions. Study of isolated viable myocytes may provide insight into the electrical, biochemical, and physiologic functions of the heart. Using a standard 8F sheath, a 5F bioptome was introduced via the right femoral vein and advanced to the right ventricle, where 85 biopsies were obtained from 8 mongrel dogs. An average of six biopsy specimens were pooled for processing to provide adequate tissue substrate. This resulted in 14 groups of specimens which were then processed to isolate individual myocytes. Viable myocytes were striated, rod-shaped, and excluded trypan blue dye. Nonviable myocytes were rounded, had no cross-striations, and did stain with trypan blue. Partially-injured myocytes contracted spontaneously and had a region of loss of cross-striations. The average number of viable cells recovered per group of pooled specimens was 1.8 × 104 (1.8 × 103 cells/mg of tissue). The greatest yield of viable myocytes recovered was 8.0 × 104, which represented a viability of 90% by trypan blue dye exclusion and morphological criteria. Percutaneous right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy is a novel method for obtaining viable cardiac myocytes. Its feasibility and utility in humans warrant further investigation. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A sylvester theorem for conic sections

If S is a finite set of points in the plane and no conic contains all points of S, then S determines a conic which contains exactly five points ofS.
Herbs in Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

1. Paula Gardiner, MS IV* 2. Kathi J. Kemper, MD, MPH† 1. 2. *Tufts University School of Medicine and Research Assistant, Center for Holistic Pediatric Education and Research, Boston, MA. 3. 4. †Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School and Director, Center for Holistic Pediatric Education and Research, Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA. Increasing numbers of children and adolescents turn to complementary and alternative medical therapies to promote health, prevent illness, and treat acute and chronic conditions. Herbs are among the most commonly used of these therapies. In 1998, herbs and other dietary supplements were a $3.5 billion dollar industry in the United States. Among teenagers who use complementary and alternative therapies, nearly 75% use herbs. Herbs and medications share a common history. Many of our most well-known medications—from aspirin and atropine to vinca alkaloids—were derived from herbs. Although many physicians would say that they are unfamiliar with herbal remedies, the vast majority rely on at least one herbal import …
A global study of meridional winds in the thermosphere

Abstract We present neutral meridional winds derived from existing ground-based measurements of the height of the F2-layer maximum electron density (hmax). The method of calculation uses an ionospheric model to determine the relationship between hmax and the neutral wind along a magnetic meridian. The meridional wind is derived from a comparison of the modeled layer height with the measured height. This method is used in the global mapping of thermospheric winds using radar and ionosonde measurements from the Global Thermospheric Mapping Study at the summer and winter solstices. The diurnal behavior of the meridional wind is calculated for the two seasons from Millstone Hill radar measurements and from several ionosonde stations. The major features of the winds calculated from Millstone Hill radar data are a 200 m/s southward wind between 0200 and 0400 hours local time at the summer solstice and a northward daytime wind in winter. A sampling of winds derived from ionosonde data shows the diurnal pattern to vary with geographic latitude and longitude. Nighttime equatorward winds are found to be larger in Europe than at other locations of similar latitude.
Personality characteristics and state mood influence individual deck selections on the Iowa Gambling Task

Abstract The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is commonly used to assess risky decision making in clinical and non-clinical populations, and negative mood and various personality characteristics have been shown to affect the number of advantageous and disadvantageous selections on this task. Recent research has suggested that IGT data should be analyzed at the individual deck level due to differences in frequency and magnitude of losses, and the present study examined how personality characteristics and state mood may affect deck level selections on this task. Participants were 91 undergraduate students (38 male) who completed measures of impulsivity and sensation seeking, behavioral activation and inhibition, state mood, and the computerized IGT. Results indicated that negative mood, drive, impulsivity, and sensation seeking were all positively correlated with Deck B selections, but negatively correlated with Deck D selections. No differences emerged in correlations between Decks A and B or Decks A and D. Results indicate that mood and personality characteristics differentially relate to selections from the individual decks on the IGT. Results have implications for the assessment of decision making, as personality and fluctuations in state-dependent mood could mimic pathological risk-taking if analysis is conducted on the combined decks.
Two-protrusion STM on an anisotropic superconductor

The differential conductance of an STM with two atomically sharp protrusions separated by at least several atomic spacings depends on the electronic transport in the sample between those protrusions. This allows direct probing of any gap anisotropy experienced by propagating quasiparticles.
Resistance of CCRF-CEM cloned sublines to 5-fluorodeoxyuridine associated with enhanced phosphatase activities

Resistance of human CCRF-CEM leukemic cells in tissue culture to 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (FdUrd) has been examined following a single drug exposure (FS sublines). In two FS sublines generated by soft agar cloning of FdUrd sensitive cells in the presence of 10 nM FdUrd, the level of drug resistance was maintained at 22- to 30-fold following 1 month growth in the absence of FdUrd. Characteristic of the FS sublines was a decreased accumulation and retention of free intracellular 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine-5'-monophosphate (FdUMP) averaging 3% of FdUrd sensitive cells, a more rapid rate of disappearance of free FdUMP and FdUMP-bound thymidylate synthase (EC 2.1.1.45, 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate:dUMP C-methyltransferase), and enhanced alkaline and acid phosphatase activities. There was no significant difference in the number of nucleoside transport sites per cell among the FS sublines and FdUrd-sensitive cells, indicating that the decreased accumulation of FdUMP in the resistant sublines was not the result of impaired FdUrd transport across the plasma membrane. The more rapid turnover of FdUMP-bound TMP synthase observed in the FS sublines was neither accompanied by a decreased stability of the TMP synthase-FdUMP-5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate ternary complex, nor an enhanced rate of degradation of FdUrd to the less potent agent, 5-fluorouracil. In addition, the growth rates of the two FS sublines were similar to that of FdUrd sensitive cells in medium containing hypoxanthine, methotrexate, and thymidine, indicating that there was no depletion of thymidine kinase (EC 2.7.1.21, ATP : thymidine-5'-phosphotransferase) in the FS sublines. Therefore, we propose that enhanced activities of acid and alkaline phosphatases, which influence the intracellular accumulation and retention of FdUMP, are important determinants of stable FdUrd resistance in CCRF-CEM cells.
Growth Hormone and Insulin Levels in Weanling Rats with Ventromedial Hypothalamic Lesions

The effects of bilateral stereotactic electrolytic lesions limited to the ventromedial nucleus (VMN) in weanling female rats were studied with respect to growth, pituitary and plasma growth hormone levels, nutrition and plasma levels of glucose and insulin. The following were observed as a result of VMN lesions: 1) a marked decrease in linear growth with less pronounced changes in body weight, 2) an increase in carcass fat despite no increase in food intake, 3) decreased pituitary growth hormone content and plasma growth hormone levels as measured by radioimmunoassay, 4) increased plasma insulin levels and visible lipemia despite minimal changes in plasma glucose, 5) incomplete suppression of the hyperinsulinemia toward control levels by fasting. It is suggested that the ventromedial nucleus exerts a significant control over growth hormone secretion, presumably through a growth hormone releasing factor, and that its destruction results in growth impairment secondary to a deficiency in growth hormone secre...
Requesting information about and obtaining reversal after tubal sterilization: findings from the U.S. Collaborative Review of Sterilization.

Abstract Objective: To determine the cumulative probabilities over 14 y of requesting information on sterilization reversal and of obtaining a reversal and to identify risk factors observable at sterilization for both measures of regret. Design: The U.S. Collaborative Review of Sterilization, a prospective cohort study. Setting: Fifteen medical centers in 9 cities. Patient(s): 11,232 women. Main Outcome Measure(s): Cumulative probabilities of requesting information on reversal and undergoing reversal. Result(s): The 14-y cumulative probability of requesting reversal information was 14.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 12.4%–16.3%). Among women aged 18 to 24 y at sterilization, the cumulative probability was 40.4% (95% CI, 31.6%–49.2%). Women aged 18 to 24 y were almost 4 times as likely to request reversal information as were women ≥30 years of age (adjusted rate ratio [RR], 3.5; 95% CI, 2.8–4.4). Number of living children was not associated with requesting reversal information. The overall cumulative probability of obtaining reversal was 1.1% (95% CI, 0.5–1.6). Younger women (18 to 30 y) were more likely to obtain reversal (RR, 7.6; 95% CI, 3.2–18.3). Conclusion(s): Women who were sterilized at a young age had a high chance of later requesting information about reversal, regardless of their number of living children.
Endogenous regime switching in speculative markets

Abstract This paper examines a nonlinear disequilibrium model of price formation in speculative markets with two groups of speculators, fundamentalists and chartists. The behavior of the fundamentalists is stabilizing, whereas that of the chartists is destabilizing; a sufficiently high share of wealth in the hands of the latter group can cause attracting periodic orbits to arise. If information about fundamentals is costly to obtain, then chartists obtain higher pay-offs in a stable regime, while fundamentalists perform better in an unstable regime. This gives rise to endogenous regime switching: the market alternates between periods of stability and instability, with the transition from one regime to another determined endogenously through the evolution of wealth shares.
The politics of funding abortion: state responses to the political environment.

This research examines the politics of funding abortions for low-income women in the American states. State policies on abortion funding reflected the relative strength of citizen groups on both sides of the issue and an array of partisan forces. After policy adoption, the number of abortions funded was determined by public policy and the relative demand for abortion services.
Validation of transport measurements in skeletal muscle with N-13 amino acids using a rabbit isolated hindlimb model.

We are studying the transport of C-11 and N-13 labeled amino acids in tumor-bearing rabbits to determine the role of amino acid transport in the pathogenesis of muscle wasting in cancer. To validate a new, in vivo, method for measuring transport in skeletal muscle with these compounds, an isolated hindlimb model was developed in rabbits. The limb was perfused with a non-recirculating, normothermic, constant pressure system and a cell-free perfusate. Hemodynamic and metabolic parameters were measured during the first 75 min. of perfusion and found to remain normal and stable. Flow varied directly with perfusion pressure over the normal range of resting flows in the intact rabbit hindlimb. Time-activity curves (TAC's) were recorded from the medial thigh following bolus co-injection of L-[amide N-13] glutamine or N-13 L-glutamate with Tc-99m human serum albumin (HSA) into the femoral artery. Regional plasma flow was determined from the Tc-99m data. The N-13 TAC's consistently manifested a three-phased washout with half times of approximately 30 sec., 5 min. and 2 hr. Capillary and cellular transport parameters were computed from the N-13 data using a double barrier, single capillary model of capillary and cellular transport and assuming that the three washout components result, respectively, from tracer throughput, extraction into the interstitial space and extraction into the intracellular space. This interpretation was validated and the sensitivity of the technique to transport processes demonstrated by examining the effects on the N-13 TAC's and computed transport parameters of several factors known to influence cellular transport of amino acids, viz., the insulin concentration, amino acid concentration and pH of the perfusate. Time-activity curves and transport parameters for N-13 L-glutamine in the isolated limb were very similar to those observed in the intact rabbit hindlimb, suggesting that studies in the perfused model are indicative of amino acid transport in vivo. The methodology described here is especially well suited for studying the specific effects on transport of factors which influence amino acid metabolism in skeletal muscle (e.g., hormones and monokines).
Serotonin and anxiety revisited.

Serotonin (5hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) was first discovered in 1948 in blood platelets and a few years later in the brain. Since then, investigations of 5-HT involvement in mental disorders have contributed to major advances in psychiatry. 5-m distances were initially linked to the p~ogenesis of depression. A subgroup of depressed patients was noted to have decreased 5-HT metabolism in the central nervous system (CNS) (van Praag and Korf 1971). Further studies indicated that lowered 5-HT metabolism correlated with particular dimensions of psychopathology that may occur within depressive disorders but likewise within other syndromes. One of these dimensions is dyscontrol of aggression, leading to suicide or to outwardly directed aggression (van Praag 1986). A second psychopathological dimension appears to be related to anxiety. Evidence relevant to this latter conclusion will be summarized in this article. Most data on the relationship of 5-HT to anxiety are derived from animal studies. Research using human subjects has only recently begun. We think that the substanti~ body of animal findings and the exciting new human data warrant a reexamination of the role of 5-HT in the pathogenesis of anxiety. We will propose a 5-HT hypothesis of anxiety that takes into account 5-HT availability as well as receptor sensitivity. H-IT Systems in the Brain The raphe nuclei in the brain stem, encompassing the dorsal raphe and medial raphe nuclei, contain the cell bodies of 5-HT-producing neurons. From there, six major projections ascend to the forebrain, two tracts within the median forebrain bundle and four outside of it. Cortex, hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia, substantia nigra, caudate, putamen, amygdala, hippocampus, septum, tegmentum, and mamillary bodies are all innervated by 5-HT neurons (Azmitia and Segal 1978). Two major subcategories of 5HT receptors have been identified in the CNS, labeled 5-HTr (Perot&a 1984) and 5-HT2 (Leysen et al. 1984). 5-HTr receptors are further su~Iassifi~ as 5-HTr,, 5-HTu,, 5HTr,, and 5-HTrd receptors. 5-HT,, receptors display a very high affinity for 8-hydroxyNJV-dipropyl-2-aminotetralin (80HDAP) and are found in the human frontal cortex and
The Use of Living Cases in Teaching Business Policy

This article discusses the use of "living cases" as a means of increasing the excitement and relevance of business policy courses. With living cases, students are teamed with business owner/managers for an entire course. The business owner/managers attend and participate in all classes with the students. Students report that the business owner/managers provide a reality base that increases their understanding of course concepts, and owner/managers report that they benefit from seeing their firms from a fresh perspective. Implementation issues are also discussed.
Pulsar average wave forms and hollow-cone beam models

An analysis of pulsar average waveforms at radio frequencies from 40 MHz to 15 GHz is presented. The analysis is based on the hypothesis that the observer sees one cut of a hollow-cone beam pattern and that stationary properties of the emission vary over the cone. The distributions of apparent cone widths for different observed forms of the average pulse profiles (single, double/unresolved, double/resolved, triple and multiple) are in modest agreement with a model of a circular hollow-cone beam with random observer-spin axis orientation, a random cone axis-spin axis alignment, and a small range of physical hollow-cone parameters for all objects.
Evaluation of the spatial resolution characteristics of a cone-beam breast CT scanner

The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial resolution of a prototype pendant-geometry cone-beam breast computed tomography (CT) system. Modulation transfer functions (MTFs) of the reconstructed image in the coronal (x and y) plane were computed as a function of the cone angle, the radial distance from the axis of rotation, the size of the reconstruction matrix, the back-projection filter used, and the number of projections acquired for the reconstruction. The results show that the cone angle and size of the reconstruction matrix have minimal impact on the MTF, while the MTF degraded radially from the axis of rotation (from 0.76 at 2.6 mm from axis of rotation down to 0.37 at 76.9 mm from axis of rotation at f=0.5 mm(-1)). The Ramp reconstruction filter increases the MTF near the axis of rotation relative to the Shepp-Logan filter, while an increase in the number of projections from 500 to 1000 increased the MTF near the periphery of the reconstructed image. The MTF in the z direction (anterior-posterior direction) was also evaluated. The z-direction MTF values tend to be higher when compared to the coronal MTF (0.85 at f =0.5 mm(-1)), and tend to be very constant throughout the coronal plane direction. The results suggest that an increase in the MTF for the prototype breast CT system is possible by optimizing various scanning and reconstruction parameters.
Inorganic Compounds in Biomass Feedstocks. 1. Effect on the Quality of Fast Pyrolysis Oils

Inorganic compoundsespecially potassium, calcium, sodium, silicon, phosphorus, and chlorineare the main constituents of the ash in biomass feedstocks. The concentrations of ash range from less than 1% in softwoods to 15% in herbaceous biomass and agricultural residues. During biomass pyrolysis, these inorganics, especially potassium and calcium, catalyze biomass decomposition and char-forming reactions. Chars formed during these reactions invariably end up in the biomass pyrolysis oils (biocrude oils) as suspended submicron particles. The presence of high concentrations of submicron char particles in biocrude oils will make them problematic for combustion in steam boilers, diesel engines, and turbine operations because of the potential release of the ash and alkali metals during combustion. We experimented with sequential cold filtering of biocrude oils using filters of varying pore size and this revealed that most of the ash and alkali metals detected in biocrude oils are trapped in the chars. Leaching s...
Rayleigh–Brillouin scattering to determine one-dimensional temperature and number density profiles of a gas flow field

Rayleigh-Brillouin spectra for heated nitrogen gas were measured by imaging the output of a Fabry-Perot interferometer onto a CCD array. The spectra were compared with the theoretical 6-moment model of Rayleigh-Brillouin scattering convolved with the Fabry-Perot instrument function. Estimates of the temperature and a dimensionless parameter proportional to the number density of the gas as functions of position in the laser beam were calculated by least-squares deviation fits between theory and experiment.
High resolution study of the reactions 54, 56, 58Fe(16O, 12C)58, 60, 62Ni and a comparison with (6Li, d) α-transfer spectroscopy

Abstract Spectra and angular distributions for the reactions 54, 56, 58 Fe( 16 O, 12 C) 58, 60, 62 Ni ( E x = 0.0–4.5 MeV) have been measured at 50 MeV with an energy resolution of 45–80 keV using a Q3D spectrograph. The selectivity of the ( 16 O, 12 C) reaction is found to be very similar to the ( 6 Li, d) reaction. The close correspondence recently noted between the ( 6 Li, d) spectra and levels strongly excited in (t, p) and ( 3 He, n) two-nucleon transfer reactions is also observed to be present for the ( 16 O, 12 C) reaction. Relative α spectroscopic factors for ( 16 O, 12 C) and ( 6 Li, d) obtained in a DWBA analysis assuming direct one-step α-cluster transfer are in very good quantitative agreement. Unnatural parity states, whose excitation is forbidden in the DWBA α-cluster approximation, are observed to be very weakly populated. These results, together with previous work on s-d shell and Ni targets, strongly suggest that the spectroscopic information provided by the ( 16 O, 12 C) and ( 6 Li, d) reactions is essentially the same and that this information may be reliably extracted by DWBA analysis.
Neurogenic influence on the atrial repolarization (P–Tp) segment

Shifts in the level of the atrial repolarization (P–T p ) segment caused by autonomic neural stimulation or by direct perfusion of either acetylcholine or norepinephrine into the sinus node artery were studied in 29 dogs. Direct perfusion of the atrioventricular (A–V) junction with acetylcholine (0.1 μg/ml), or vagal stimulation after direct perfusion of the sinus node with atropine (10 μg/ml), were the two methods utilized to produce transient complete A–V block without altering the sinus rate. In this fashion not only could the isolated P waves and P–T segments be examined, but also their influence on QRS complexes and S–T segments during normal conduction could be assessed in the same dog. Both cholinergic and adrenergic stimuli caused shifts of the P–T p segment, but these shifts were more pronounced and consistent with use of either acetylcholine or stimulation of the vagus nerve. The right and left vagus nerves had opposite effects on the direction of shift of the P–T p segment, thus indicating that asymmetry of vagal neural influence is a determinant of the magnitude of shift observed in any record of the P–T p segment. From a comparison of tracings recorded both with and without A–V conduction, it is shown that an altered P–T p segment may significantly distort both the QRS complex and the S–T segment, especially during A–V junctional rhythm. Since neural control of the heart is important in the pathogenesis of angina pectoris, arrhythmias and conduction disturbances, neurogenic influence on the P–T p segment must be considered in evaluating the electrocardiographic changes in these conditions.
Autosomal dominant inheritance of Barber-Say syndrome.

We report on a mother-to-son transmission of the Barber-Say syndrome, a finding that strongly supports dominant inheritance of this rare disorder. The characteristic facial changes, small ears, hirsutism, and redundant skin of our patients are consistent with the findings of five reported cases. The mother also had cleft palate and mild conductive hearing loss. Her son had a shawl scrotum, primary hypospadias, and mild hearing loss by report. The inheritance of this rare disorder has not been established. The parent-to-child transmission in this family suggests X-linked or autosomal dominant inheritance. The parents of the patient reported by Santana et al. [1993: Am. J. Med. Genet. 47:20-23] were consanguineous, suggesting autosomal recessive inheritance in other cases.
Taser Use in Restraint-Related Deaths

Objective. The Taser is an electric weapon capable of releasing significant amounts of electricity in rapid pulses, causing uncontrollable muscle contraction. Use of this weapon has dramatically in...
The AGE inhibitor pyridoxamine inhibits lipemia and development of renal and vascular disease in Zucker obese rats

The AGE inhibitor pyridoxamine inhibits lipemia and development of vascular and renal disease in Zucker obese rats. Background In previous studies, pyridoxamine (PM) limited the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and development of nephropathy in streptozotocin-diabetic rats without affecting glycemic control. However, the lipid-lowering effects of PM and the correlation of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides with AGEs in skin collagen suggested that lipids might be an important source of AGEs in the diabetic rat. This study addresses the effects of hyperlipidemia on formation of advanced glycation and lipoxidation end products (AGE/ALEs) and the effects of PM on hyperlipidemia, hypertension, AGE/ALE formation, and development of nephropathy in the nondiabetic, Zucker obese rat. Methods Three groups of Zucker rats were studied: lean (Fa/ fa ), untreated fatty ( fa/fa ), and fa/fa treated with PM (2 g/L drinking water). Blood pressure, plasma lipids and creatinine, and urinary albumin were measured monthly. AGE/ALEs were measured in skin collagen by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Changes in wall thickness of the aorta and renal arterioles were evaluated by light microscopy. Results AGE/ALEs formation was increased two- to threefold in skin collagen of obese versus lean rats. PM inhibited the increases in AGE/ALEs in collagen, and significantly decreased the rise in plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, and creatinine, corrected hypertension and thickening of the vascular wall, and nearly normalized urinary protein and albumin excretion in Zucker fa/fa rats. Conclusion Lipids are an important source of chemical modification of tissue proteins, even in the absence of hyperglycemia. PM inhibited AGE/ALE formation and hyperlipidemia and protected against renal and vascular pathology in a nondiabetic model.
Fastest-Path Planning for Direction-Dependent Speed Functions

We discuss path planning in a direction-dependent environment illustrated by the fastest-path problem with anisotropic speed function. The difficulty of optimal-path finding in a direction-dependent medium comes from the fact that our travel-time function is asymmetric and, in general, violates the triangle inequality. We present an analytical form solution for the fastest-path finding problem in an obstacle-free domain without making any assumptions on the structure of the speed function. Subsequently, we merge these results with visibility graph search methods to develop an obstacle-avoiding fastest-path finding algorithm for an anisotropic speed function. Optimal routing of a vessel in a stationary random seaway is discussed throughout the paper to motivate and demonstrate applications of our work.
A model for role administration using organization structure

Role-based access control (RBAC) is recognized as an excellent model for access control in an enterprise environment. In large enterprises, effective RBAC administration is a major issue. ARBAC97 is a well-known solution for decentralized RBAC administration. ARBAC97 authorizes administrative roles by means of role ranges' and prerequisite conditions'. Although attractive and elegant in their own right, we will see that these mechanisms have significant shortcomings.We propose an improved role administration model named ARBAC02 to overcome the weaknesses of ARBAC97. ARBAC02 adopts the organization unit for new user and permission pools independent of role or role hierarchy. It uses a refined prerequisite condition. In addition, we present a bottom-up approach to permission-role administration in contrast to the top-down approach of ARBAC97.
Concentration and flux of solutes from snow and forest floor during snowmelt in the West-Central Adirondack region of New York

Decreases in pH and increases in the concentration of Al and NO 3 − have been observed in surface waters draining acid-sensitive regions in the northeastern U.S. during spring snowmelt. To assess the source of this acidity, we evaluated solute concentrations in snowpack, and in meltwater collected from snow and forest floor lysimeters in the west-central Adirondack Mountains of New York during the spring snowmelt period, 29 March through 15 April 1984. During the initial phase of snowmelt, ions were preferentially leached from the snowpack resulting in elevated concentrations in snowmelt water (e.g. H+ = 140 μeq.l−1; NO 4 2− = 123 μeq.l−1; SO 3 − = 160 μeq.l−1). Solute concentrations decreased dramatically within a few days of the initial melt (< 50 μeq.l−1). The concentrations of SO 4 2− and NO 3 − in snowpack and snowmelt water were similar, whereas NO− 3 in the forest floor leachate was at least two times the concentration of SO 4 2− . Study results suggest that the forest floor was a sink for snowmelt inputs of alkalinity, and a net source of H+, NO 3 − , dissolved organic carbon, K+ and Al inputs to the mineral soil. The forest floor was relatively conservative with respect to snowmelt inputs of Ca2+, SO 4 2− and Cl−. These results indicate that mineralization of N, followed by nitrification in the forest floor may be an important process contributing to elevated concentrations of H+ and NO 3 − in streams during the snowmelt period.
High-performance Ka-band monolithic low-noise amplifiers using 0.2-/spl mu/m dry-recessed GaAs PHEMTs

Ka-band ultra-low-noise amplifiers fabricated with a manufacturable dry-recess process are presented. Low-damage selective dry etching was used for gate recess to achieve uniform threshold voltage (Vth) and saturation current (I/sub dss/). Threefold improvement in Vth uniformity was achieved in comparison with the wet recess process. Fabricated PHEMT low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) employing 0.2-/spl mu/m mushroom gates showed an average noise figure of 2.2 dB from 31-36 GHz with an associated gain of 22.5 dB. At the design frequency of 35 GHz, the noise figure was less than 2 dB. This is among the best results ever reported for Ka-band LNA's.
Usefulness and Limitations of Assessment of Internal Shortening Velocity by Ultrasound in Man

Measurement of circumferential shortening velocity offers an attractive method for assessing left ventricular performance during ejection since both the extent of shortening and the time factor ( i e , the rate of shortening) are considered. Initially, a complex angiographic approach utilizing frame-byframe analysis of the left ventricular cavity silhouette was employed.' It was postulated that at the time of maximum wall stress during ejection, the rate of series elastic extension should-be zero, and therefore the instantaneous shortening velocity at peak wall tension should be equal to contractile element velocity ( Vce ) . Since intraventricular pressure, chamber radius and wall thickness can be measured throughout systole, instantaneous velocity for any given wall stress can be derived. In each instance, velocity was "normalized by dividing the corresponding instantaneous circumference so that chambers of different size could be compared. This method proved fruitful and it was possible to separate patients with normal from those with impaired left ventricular performance. Mirsky andhis colleagues2 have provided a mathematical rationale for the normalized velocitv concept. The behavior of heart muscle can be described using exponential stress-strain characteristics
Synergistic effect of platelet-activating factor and tumor necrosis factor-alpha on corneal myofibroblast apoptosis.

PURPOSE Elimination of myofibroblasts after repair of corneal injury is essential for the maintenance of corneal transparency. In the current study, the role of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in combination with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in corneal myofibroblast apoptosis was explored. METHODS Porcine corneal myofibroblasts (PCMs) were obtained from subcultured fibroblasts plated at a low density (5 cells/mm2). Mouse anti-alpha-smooth muscle actin antibody was used to identify the cell phenotype. Immunofluorescence was performed to localize PAF and TNF-alpha receptors in those cells. The reactivity of the antibodies was characterized by Western blot analysis. To induce myofibroblast apoptosis, PCMs were treated for 24 to 72 hours with methylcarbamyl-PAF (cPAF, 300 nM), a nonhydrolyzable PAF analogue, TNF-alpha (20 ng/mL), and TNF-alpha+cPAF, with or without LAU-0901 (150 nM), a novel PAF antagonist. Apoptosis was assayed by Hoechst 33258 and TUNEL staining and DNA laddering. 6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) was used for nuclear counterstaining. Images were recorded by fluorescence microscope. RESULTS Immunofluorescence with a PAF-receptor (N terminus) polyclonal antibody showed that the receptor was expressed in both plasma and nuclear membranes of myofibroblasts. TNF-alpha receptor II (TNF-RII) was localized in the cytoplasm, whereas TNF-receptor I (TNF-RI) was found in both cytoplasm and plasma membrane. Treatment with TNF-alpha for 24, 48, and 72 hours induced apoptosis in 18%, 24%, and 32%, respectively, of the myofibroblasts. Western blot analysis showed expression of single bands corresponding to the molecular weights of the receptors. Treatment with cPAF induced apoptosis in 10%, 18%, and 26% of the cells, respectively. However, treatment with both cytokines induced apoptosis in 42%, 78%, and 86%, respectively, of the cells, demonstrating a synergistic action between PAF and TNF-alpha. Blocking the PAF receptor with LAU-0901 inhibited the synergistic effect induced by PAF. CONCLUSIONS Corneal myofibroblasts express a PAF receptor in the nuclear membrane, and they also express TNF-RI and RII. The synergistic effect on myofibroblast apoptosis by PAF and TNF-alpha suggests that during corneal stromal wound healing, PAF acting in conjunction with other cytokines could play an important role in eliminating these cells.
The ear craves the familiar: Pragmatic repetition in left and right cerebral damage

Background: Repetition occurs plentifully in normal conversation, but empirical studies of the pragmatic use of repetition are rare and pragmatic repetition, defined as verbal repetition in conversational use, in disordered language has not been systematically investigated. Applying a method of analysis that was piloted utilising normal discourse, discourse samples from persons with left and right brain damaged were examined for incidence and charcteristics of repetition.Aims: The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine verbal repetition following cerebral hemispheric damage. From previous studies of hemispheric influences on communicative competence, it was hypothesised that unilateral damage would affect verbal repetition differently. Following earlier results for hemispheric effects on proportion of formulaic expressions, overall more verbal repetition was predicted in persons with left hemisphere damage than those with right hemisphere damage or healthy speakers. Furthermore, previous studies...
Platelet-rich plasma alone is not sufficient to enhance suture repair of the ACL in skeletally immature animals: an in vivo study

In this study, we hypothesize that supplementation of suture repair of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) will improve the biomechanics of the repair. Six 30-kg pigs underwent bilateral suture repair of the ACL. One side was treated with suture repair alone, while the contralateral side was treated with suture repair augmented with PRP. After 14 weeks in vivo, anterior-posterior (AP) knee laxity and the tensile properties of the repaired ligament were measured. The addition of PRP to the suture repairs did not improve AP knee laxity at 30 degrees (p = 0.73) or 60 degrees (p = 0.65). It also did not improve the maximum tensile load (p = 0.64) or linear stiffness (p = 0.42) of the ACL repairs after 14 weeks in vivo. The model had 80% power to detect a 30% improvement of biomechanical properties with PRP; thus, we are confident that a clinically meaningful effect as a result of adding PRP is unlikely. Use of PRP alone to supplement suture repair of the ACL is ineffective in this animal model.
The organization and repair of DNA in the mammalian chromosome. II. A gradient-shape-induced speed dependence affecting DNAs larger than T4 DNA

The addition of a lytic layer to a preformed linear sucrose gradient induces a temporary (up to half a day) initial gradient of considerable steepness which retards the sedimentation of large (>T4) DNAs. Centrifugation at sufficiently slow angular velocities permits the temporary initial gradient to disappear and therefore the sedimentation distance increases, yielding a rotor speed dependent effect on sedimentation distance. Gradients which are free of this effect are described and shown to permit mouse leukemia cell DNA to sediment independently of rotor speed (5–30 krpm).
An example of the Langlands correspondence for irregular rank two connections on P1

Abstract Special kinds of rank 2 vector bundles with (possibly irregular) connections on P 1 are considered. We construct an equivalence between the derived category of quasi-coherent sheaves on the moduli stack of such bundles and the derived category of modules over a TDO ring on certain non-separated curve. We identify this curve with the coarse moduli space of some parabolic bundles on P 1 . Then our equivalence becomes an example of the categorical Langlands correspondence.