cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of vehicles on topical delivery of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) by 1-acyl-5FU prodrugs

Abstract The solubilities of selected 1-alkylcarbonyl prodrugs of 5-FU and of 5-FU in isopropyl myristate (IPM), miglyol-812 (MG), tributyrin (TB) and triacetin (TA) were determined. The solubilities were correlated with the solubility parameters of the prodrugs, δ i , and the vehicles, δ v . The stabilities of the prodrugs in the vehicles in contact with hydrated skin were also determined. The rates of delivery of 5-FU through hairless mouse skin (transdermal delivery) by suspensions of 5FU and the prodrugs, and the accumulation of 5-FU in the skins (dermal delivery) were determined. In addition, the damage done to the skins by the application of 5-FU or its prodrugs in the vehicles was estimated from the rates of delivery ( J j ) of a standard solute (theophylline) from a nondamaging vehicle (propylene glycol-PG) subsequent to the application of 5-FU or its prodrugs. 5-FU and its prodrugs were less soluble in the more lipophilic vehicles: S IPM MG TB TA . On the other hand, the hydrolytically unstable prodrugs were more stable in the more highly hydrophobic vehicle, IPM. The prodrugs delivered more 5-FU through ( J i ) and accumulated more 5-FU in the skins from the more lipophilic vehicles in which they were less soluble. However, more damage was also done to the skins by the more lipophilic vehicles: IPM>MG>TB>TA. Thus, the greater delivery of 5-FU by the prodrugs from the more lipophilic vehicles was predominantly due to greater damage done to the skins by the more lipophilic vehicles. On the other hand, the ratios of delivery of 5-FU to damage ( J i / J j ) were greater for 1-acetyl-5FU ( 1 ) and 1-hexanoyl-5FU ( 2 ) from IPM than those from MG and TB, and 1 and 2 were less soluble in IPM than in MG and TB, so that an apparent inverse relationship between rates of delivery and solubility exists for those solute/vehicle combinations.
Testing the importance of search frictions and matching through a randomized experiment in Jordan

We test the role of search and matching frictions in explaining the high unemployment of tertiary-educated youth in Jordan through a randomized experiment. Firms and job candidates were provided with a job-matching service based on educational backgrounds and psychometric assessments. Although more than 1,000 matches were made, youth rejected the opportunity of an interview in 28 percent of cases, and when a job offer was received, they rejected this offer or quickly quit the job 83 percent of the time. The results suggest voluntary unemployment in this context arises from preferences over non-wage job attributes.
Single dose metyrapone test: 11 beta-hydroxylase inhibition by metyrapone and reduced metyrapone assayed by radioimmunoassay.

To assess the effects of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone on 11β-hydroxylase inhibition, the plasma levels of cortisol, 11-deoxycortisol, and the inhibitors were measured by radioimmunoassays in 34 normal subjects 8 h after they received a single oral dose of metyrapone at midnight. The ratio of 11-deoxycortisol to cortisol, as an index of 11β-hydroxylase inhibition, was compared to plasmalevels of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone. One subject received an infusion of metyraponeditartrate in order to study the sequential conversion of metyrapone to reduced metyrapone. A new radioimmunoassay was developed for measurement of plasma concentrations of metyrapone and reduced metyrapone. Following intravenous administration of metyrapone, it is rapidly converted to an active metabolite, reduced metyrapone. At 8 h after a dose was given, the average reduced metyrapone level was 1.5 times higher than the average metyrapone level. Following oral administration of the drug, we found a high correlation when plasma ...
Some properties of amplitudes at multiboson thresholds in spontaneously broken scalar theory.

It is shown that in a λΦ 4 theory of one real scalar field with spontaneous breaking of symmetry a calculation of the amplitudes of production by a virtual field Φ of n on-mass-shell bosons all being exactly at rest is equivalent in any order of the loop expansion to a Euclidean-space calculation of the mean field of a kink-type configuration. Using this equivalence it is found that all the 1 → n amplitudes have no absorptive part at the thresholds to any order of perturbation theory. This implies nontrivial relations between multiboson threshold production amplitudes. In particular, the on-mass-shell amplitude of the process 2 → 3 should vanish at the threshold in all loops. It is also shown that the factor n! in the 1 → n amplitudes at the threshold is not eliminated by loop effects
A technique of quantitatively monitoring both respiratory and nonrespiratory motion in patients using external body markers

The purpose of this study was to develop a technique that could quantitatively monitor the nonrespiratory motion of a patient during stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Multiple infrared external markers were placed on the patient's chest and abdominal surface to obtain patient motion signals. These motion signals contained both respiratory and nonrespiratory motion information. The respiratory motion usually has much larger amplitude on the abdominal surface than on the chest surface. Assuming that the nonrespiratory motion is a rigid body translation, we have developed a computer algorithm to derive both the respiratory and nonrespiratory motion signals instantly from two sets of motion signals. In first-order approximation, the respiratory motion was represented by the motion signal on the abdominal surface, and the nonrespiratory motion was represented by the motion signal on the chest surface subtracting its respiratory component. The algorithm was retrospectively tested on 24 patients whose motion signals were recorded during a gated-CT simulation procedure. The result showed that the respiratory noise in the nonrespiratory motion signal was reduced to less than 1 mm for almost all patients, demonstrating that the technique was able to detect nonrespiratory motion with a sensitivity of about 1 mm. It also showed that 50% of the patients had > or =2 mm, and 2 patients had > or =3 mm slow drift during the 15-25 min simulation procedure, suggesting that nonrespiratory motion could exist during prolonged treatment. This technique can potentially be used to control the nonrespiratory motion during SBRT. However, further validation is required for its clinical use.
Organozinc Derivatives of Deltahedral Zintl Ions: Synthesis and Characterization of closo-[E9Zn(C6H5)]3- (E = Si, Ge, Sn, Pb)

Reactions of group 14 deltahedral Zintl ions E94- (E = Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) with diphenylzinc yielded the organically functionalized heteroatomic closo-clusters [E9Zn-Ph]3- (E = Si (1), Ge (2), Sn (3), Pb (4)). All four clusters exhibit the same bicapped square antiprismatic geometry in which one of the capping positions is occupied by the ZnPh organometallic fragment. Three filled molecular orbitals of the cluster overlap with three empty orbitals at the ZnPh fragment, and the cluster acts as a six-electron ligand analogous to cyclopentadienyl and benzene ligands. The species were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in [K(2,2,2-crypt)]3[Si9Zn(C6H5)]·2py, [K(2,2,2-crypt)]3[Ge9Zn(C6H5)]·2en·tol, [K(2,2,2-crypt)]3[Sn9Zn(C6H5)]·tol, and [K(2,2,2-crypt)]6[Pb9Zn(C6H5)]2·2en·tol. The presence of these clusters in solution was confirmed by electrospray mass spectrometry and 13C{1H} NMR experiments.
Adaptation to long-term stretch in the passive discharge of muscle spindles

Abstract The effect of long-term stretch on the discharge of muscle spindles was studied by placing a cast on one hindlimb of cats so as to keep the calf region under moderate extension and after 2 to 6 weeks comparing responses of gastrocnemius afferents on casted and unrestrained sides to step wise extension of the muscle. The mean slope of the frequency-length relationship for populations of afferent fibers from immobilized limbs showed mixed effects. The slope was less in three animals, greater in three, and not significantly different in four. Three cats in which the calf region had been under stretch for only 3 to 5 days also demonstrated reduced sensitivity. In contrast, all cats in an earlier series in which the leg had been casted for 2 to 7 weeks with the calf muscles at resting length, showed greater stretch sensitivity. It is concluded that the spindle receptor adapts to long-term stretch of the muscle with a decrease in stretch sensitivity.
Hydrogen sorption in polymers for membrane applications

Abstract Hydrogen sorption between −20 °C and 70 °C and at pressures up to 60 bara was determined for a polyimide and corresponding thermally rearranged (TR) polymers prepared from 3,3′-dihydroxy-4,4′-diamino-biphenyl (HAB) and 2,2′-bis-(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA). Hydrogen sorption increased by a factor of approximately 2.6 between the polyimide precursor and the most highly converted TR polymer. This relative increase in sorption was similar to that observed for other non-polar light gases such as N 2 , O 2 , and CH 4 , but less than that observed for CO 2 . Additionally, H 2 sorption was measured for other polymers commonly studied in the membrane literature, including AF 2400, Matrimid ® , polysulfone, and poly(dimethylsiloxane). Among the glassy polymers tested, polysulfone had the lowest H 2 sorption, and the HAB-6FDA TR polymer had the highest H 2 sorption. A slight dual-mode curvature was observed for H 2 sorption in several of the glassy materials, and it was most pronounced at low temperatures and for the TR polymers. Enthalpies of sorption were also determined. The most exothermic enthalpy of sorption occurred in Matrimid ® , and a slightly endothermic enthalpy of sorption was observed in rubbery poly(dimethylsiloxane). Comparisons between gravimetric and volumetric sorption showed similar results.
IMF program compliance: Aggregate index versus policy specific research strategies

Consensus has grown that the economic reform programs of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have failed to promote economic development. There is little consensus about how IMF programs should be reformed, however, because we do not understand why IMF programs have failed. Some critics contend that the IMF’s austere policy conditions are inappropriate for most program-countries and cause economic crises to deepen. Other critics argue that the policy conditions are actually ignored, and the IMF program loan ends up subsidizing the bad policies that caused the economic crises in the first place. This debate begs the compliance question. Unfortunately, the study of IMF compliance is not straightforward. IMF agreements span many dimensions, and the dimensions vary from agreement to agreement. Even along one dimension, governments are not held to the same standard. Rather than look at aggregate measures of compliance, this article proposes a return to studying specific conditions as was done in the earliest studies on IMF compliance.
Intensity dependence of two-photon absorption in CdS measured by photoluminescence excited by femtosecond laser pulses

Two-photon absorption is evoked in a CdS crystal by laser excitation up to almost 200 GW/cm 2 at 804 nm. Pulses with duration of 200 fs are used to achieve this high intensity. By means of a z-scan technique, the nonlinear absorption coefficient () is measured and the constant value of b56.9 cm/GW was found. Simultaneously, the two- photon excited emission is recorded. Examination of the photolumines- cence data reveals that b is not constant but decreases from 6.9 to 2.9 cm/GW with increasing excitation. The crossover between the b values takes place at approximately 70% of the maximum intensity. The result shows that the two-photon excited photoluminescence is a very sensitive method to show saturation and intensity dependence of the nonlinear absorption coefficient. © 2002 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
Double Windings for Turbine Alternators

Large turbine alternators with two similar independent armature windings have recently been proposed, to permit the electrical segregation of bus sections in large stations without loss of synchronizing power. Several such generators have been installed, or are under construction, and it now seems that they will become of paramount importance in very large future stations. This paper explains the theory, and design limitations of these double winding generators, and describes their application in systems having different types of bus connections.
A research perspective on computer-assisted office work

The integrated office system of the future that relies upon computerized applications for most routine work will have to be a friendly system that can be used by individuals with a minimum of training and no previous computing experience. A discussion of the computer-assisted aids to office work that have evolved at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center provides a preview of the possibilities for future office systems based on computers. We describe tasks that have been computerized, the environment in which automated office applications are used, and the reactions of people who use the computer for routine office work.
Principles of open-architecture manufacturing

General principles of computer-integrated manufacturing are discussed in the context of specific technologies that create flexible factory systems, rapid part realization, and inprocess quality assurance. Manufacturing languages, common data structures, compatible operating systems, and common bus structures for machine tools and other processing agents in the factory are seen to be key elements of success. The ability to rapidly convert design ideas to precision mechanical parts is presented as a rapid prototyping case study that highlights the various principles involved in open-architecture, computer-integrated manufacturing.
The world is random: a cognitive perspective on perceived disorder.

Research on the consequences of perceiving disorder is largely sociological and concerns broken windows theory, which states that signs of social disorder cause further social disorder. The predominant psychological explanations for this phenomena are primarily social. In contrast, I propose a parsimonious cognitive model (“world-is-random” model; WIR), which basically proposes that disorder primes randomness-related concepts, which results in a reduction in and threat to the sense of personal control, which has diverse affective, judgmental, and behavioral consequences. I review recent developments on the psychological consequences of perceiving disorder and argue that WIR can explain all of these findings. I also cover select correlational studies from the sociological literature and explain how WIR can at least partly explain for their diverse findings. In a general discussion, I consider possible alternative psychological models and argue that they do not adequately explain the most recent psychological research on disorder. I then propose future directions which include determining whether perceiving disorder causes a “unique psychology” and delimiting boundary conditions.
Photonic crystals as templates and active devices for cellular and molecular interactions

Photonic crystals are emerging as an important class of engineered nanophotonic devices that possess unique optical properties and which can also provide textured surfaces for the study and control of cellular and molecular interactions. From among the many types of photonic crystal structures, two-dimensional (2D) and planar (slab) photonic crystals are the most attractive because of their ability to support guided-wave and active optical devices in semiconductor and polymer materials, serve as templates for device replication, and interface with colloidal and nanoparticle systems. This paper reports on the results of modeling and design efforts that show how 2d and slab silicon photonic crystals, based on their in-plane optical waveguiding and out-of-plane radiation properties, might be used to probe surface-bound cells and molecules or perform localized spectroscopy. The results of a parametric analysis show that photonic crystals comprised of high-index contrast materials (e.g. Si, air) are sensitive to geometric and material factors, potentially making them an effective medium to study molecular and cellular interactions critical to a number of biotechnological applications
Climate dynamics of a hard snowball Earth

[1] The problem of deglaciating a globally ice-covered (“hard snowball”) Earth is examined using a series of general circulation model simulations. The aim is to determine the amount of CO2 that must be accumulated in the atmosphere in order to trigger deglaciation. Prior treatments of this problem have been limited to energy balance models, which are incapable of treating certain crucial physical processes that turn out to strongly affect the conditions under which deglaciation can occur. CO2 concentrations up to .2 bars are considered in the general circulation model simulations, and even at such high CO2 content the model radiation code is found to perform well in comparison with codes explicitly designed for high CO2. In contrast to prevailing expectations, the hard snowball Earth is found to be nearly 30 K short of deglaciation, even at .2 bars. The very cold climates arise from a combination of the extreme seasonal and diurnal cycle, lapse rate effects, snow cover, and weak cloud effects. Several aspects of the atmospheric dynamics are examined in detail. The simulations indicate that the standard scenario, wherein snowball termination occurs after a few tenths of a bar of CO2 has built up following cessation of weathering, is problematic. However, the climate was found to be sensitive to details of a number of parameterized physical processes, notably clouds and heat transfer through the stable boundary layer. It is not out of the question that other parameterization suites might permit deglaciation. The results should not be construed as meaning that the hard snowball state could not have occurred, but only that deglaciation requires the operation of as-yet undiscovered processes that would enhance the climate sensitivity. A brief survey of some of the possibilities is provided.
Effects of Key Size and Spacing on the Completion Time and Accuracy of Input Tasks on Soft Keypads Using Trackball and Touch Input

Simulated keyboards on touch screens are becoming the norm for data entry on mobile and kiosk systems. Since onscreen keyboards compete with other user interface elements for limited screen space, ...
A role for cytochalasin-sensitive proteins in the regulation of calcium transport in activated human lymphocytes

Summary Acute cytochalasin (B, A, and E) effects on 45Ca++ uptake in purified human lymphocytes were studied. By themselves the cytochalasins failed to alter 45Ca++ uptake. However, they produced a 1.5–4.0 fold augmentation of the early increase in Ca++ transport in response to PHA, con A or periodate. Ca++ uptake responses to Hg++ and Zn++ were unaffected. The enhancement of lectin stimulated 45Ca++ uptake was very rapid (within 2 minutes) and was seen over a broad range of lectin and cytochalasin concentrations. Taken together with the recent demonstration that cytochalasin B potentiates lectin induced mitogenesis these results suggest that actomyosinlike proteins help modulate lymphocyte responses to mitogens.
Transdermal drug delivery by localized intervention

Both field-confined skin electroporation and microscissioning offer minimally invasive methods for delivering drugs across skin and nail with minimal sensation. Both methods create high permeability pathways in a pain-free manner. These openings are similar in dimension to commonly experienced scratches and nicks on the skin. These localized openings provide pathways for sustained delivery of drugs either passively using a patch or actively using pressure or iontophoresis.
Research on the Law of Disaster Caused by Transmission Line Galloping

Galloping is one of the gravely natural disasters witch put a significant threat to Grid security and stability. In this paper, a comprehensive, systematic research and analysis about transmission line galloping in China in recent years was done. Laws and characteristics of galloping disaster was analyzed in many aspects, including time and place that the galloping occurred, name of transmission line, voltage and structural parameters of line, meteorological data (air temperature, wind speed, ice, etc. ),the topography information where the transmission line located , the duration of galloping, and the destruction forms coursed by galloping. This work provides an important research reference not only for anti-galloping methods but enhancing the ability of withstanding natural disasters in Grid.
A comparison of bond strengths among chairside hard reline materials

Several chairside hard resin reline materials have been introduced to improve the fit and function of existing denture bases. However, it is not known whether the bond strengths among the various chairside reline and denture base materials are significantly affected by their differences in chemical composition. This study evaluated the bond strengths of five chairside hard reline materials (Extoral VLC, Flexacryl Hard, Kooliner, Light Liner, and Triad Hi-Flow VLC reline material) to two different denture base resins (Lucitone 199 and Triad VLC) by use of a three-point transverse flexural test. The reline resins are representative of autopolymerizing, light- and dual-cured materials. The results indicate that Triad VLC reline resin with bonding agent gave the highest bond strengths to Triad VLC denture base resin. Light Liner reline resin gave the highest repair bond strengths to Lucitone 199 denture base resin.
Where is it heading? Single-particle tracking of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Single-particle tracking of individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using their near-infrared band gap fluorescence is a powerful tool for understanding how these Brownian rods diffuse and interact with various molecular force potentials, including living systems. Pioneered by the Weisman laboratory at Rice University, the method is one of the only available to study single SWNT molecules in solution over extended periods since SWNTs have no apparent irreversible photobleaching threshold at moderate fluence and no intrinsic blinking mechanism. Recent progress by Tsyboulski et al. shows how real-time measurement of rotational and transitional diffusivities can provide information about rod length and mechanical properties. Recently, Jin et al. used single-particle tracking to map the trajectories of SWNTs as they are incorporated into and expelled from NIH-3T3 cells in real time. The technique has provided the first evidence of nanoparticle exocytosis in this case and demonstrates an expulsion ra...
A study of phantoms after amputation of the breast

Abstract A detailed inquiry among seventy-seven post-mastectomy patients revealed that the phantom breast following breast amputation is a much less vivid, perceptually less articulated experience than is the phantom limb that arises upon loss of an arm or leg. The single most typical reply of the women queried was: “It feels no different from before the operation”, or, “there is no difference in the feeling of the two sides (of the upper torso)”. Under optimal conditions, when the patient's attention is maximally focused on breast sensations, this reply was obtained from 95 per cent of the subjects. Thus, loss of the breast results in a breast phantom just about as predictably as amputation of an extremity results in a phantom limb. However, to the extent that the phantom breast is a less articulate perceptual experience than the phantom limb, the post-mastectomy patient remains relatively unaware of the breast phantom, and is not surprised and puzzled by the apparent contradiction between what she feels and what she knows to be the real state of affairs. Forty per cent of the patients gave more explicit and detailed descriptions of phantom breast sensations. These latter patients were generally somewhat younger than the remainder of the group, somewhat more intelligent, somewhat more attuned to their own reactions and to those of their environment. Individual differences in pre-operative sensory histories, e.g. of lactation, nursing, pain etc. were unrelated to reports of phantom sensations. Though the findings are relatively unspectacular, they throw some additional light on the schema underlying the phantom, and on the particular role of those sensory experience which make up that schema.
Resolution of optical isomers by chiral high-performance liquid chromatography: separation of dihydrodiols and tetrahydrodiols of benzo[a]pyrene and benz[a]anthracene.

Abstract Enantiomers of several underivatized dihydrodiols and tetrahydrodiols of benzo[ a ]pyrene and benz[ a ]anthracene have been resolved with high-performance liquid chromatography using a commercially available column packed with a d -3,5-dinitrobenzoylphenylglycine derivative of aminopropyl silica gel. Separation of optical isomers was confirmed by ultraviolet-visible absorption and circular dichroism spectral analyses. This simple method has been applied to the determination of optical purity of two dihydrodiol metabolites formed from the in vitro incubation of 11-methylbenz[ a ]anthracene by rat liver microsomes.
Investigations of crack-dislocation interactions ahead of mode-III crack

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy was employed to investigate the configuration of dislocations emitted by a sharp crack in Al 1100 and Ni base superalloy in part to understand the role of different stacking fault energies. A dislocation free zone and a plastic zone were observed ahead of the cracks in both cases with different dislocation configurations. The experimentally measured values of these zones are in reasonably good agreement with models of crack-dislocation configuration based on a continuum distribution of dislocations ahead of the crack. However, these models fail to predict the total number of emitted dislocations in both cases, underlying the need for better analytical models.
Specificity of induced resistance in the tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum

Specificity in the induced responses of tomato foliage to arthropod herbivores was investigated. We distinguished between two aspects of specificity: specificity of effect (the range of organisms affected by a given induced response), and specificity of elicitation (ability of the plant to generate distinct chemical responses to different damage types). Specificity of effect was investigated by examining the effect of restricted feeding by Helicoverpa zea on the resistance of tomato plants to an aphid species (Macrosiphum euphorbiae), a mite species (Tetranychus urticae), a noctuid species (Spodoptera exigua), and to a phytopathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Prior H. zea feeding was found to increase the resistance of tomato plants to all four organisms. Specificity in elicitation was investigated by examining the effect of aphid feeding on the activities of four defense-related proteins and on the suitability of foliage for S. exigua. Aphid feeding was found to induce peroxidase and lipoxygenase activities but not polyphenol oxidase and proteinase inhibitor activities; this response is distinct from the response to H. zea feeding, which induces polyphenol oxidase and proteinase inhibitors but not peroxidase. Leaflets which had been fed upon by aphids were better sources of food for S. exigua than were leaflets which had not been fed upon by aphids. Studies of both these aspects of specificity are needed to understand the way in which plants coordinate and integrate induced responses against insects with other physiological processes.
Torsion and bending of nucleic acids studied by subnanosecond time-resolved fluorescence depolarization of intercalated dyes

Subnanosecond time‐resolved fluorescence depolarization has been used to monitor the reorientation of ethidium bromide intercalated in native DNA, synthetic polynucleotide complexes, and in supercoiled plasmid DNA. The fluorescence polarization anisotropy was successfully analyzed with an elastic model of DNA dynamics, including both torsion and bending, which yielded an accurate value for the torsional rigidity of the different DNA samples. The dependence of the torsional rigidity on the base sequence, helical structure, and tertiary structure was experimentally observed. The magnitude of the polyelectrolyte contribution to the torsional rigidity of DNA was measured over a wide range of ionic strength, and compared with polyelectrolyte theories for the persistence length. We also observed a rapid initial reorientation of the intercalated ethidium which had a much smaller amplitude in RNA than in DNA.
On Thermo-mechanical Coupling and Heat Transfer in the High-strain-rate Extension of Continuous Filament Yarns

The effect of thermo-mechanical coupling arising from fiber plasticity on the load–extension behavior of continuous filament yarns extended at high-strain rates is investigated using an analytical approach. The plastic deformation behavior of the fibers is assumed to follow a simple constitutive relation incorporating linear thermal softening and linear strain hardening. A micromechanical model for fiber-to-fiber heat conduction is developed and used lo analyze heat transfer within the yarn. Fiber-to-fiber heat conduction is shown to be quite sensitive to the size of the fiber contact region. Results are presented for the temperature rise and tension in a single 0.72 tex nylon fiber and a simulated 195 tex nylon yarn during extension at a variety of strain rates. The nylon yarn exhibits a significant thermal softening effect when extended at strain rates of 0.1s−1 and higher. Fiber temperatures are seen to vary significantly from the interior to the surface of the yarn at a strain rate of 0.1s−1, but at h...
Copper-catalyzed direct preparation of phenols from aryl halides

Abstract A method for direct preparation of phenols from aryl halides using microwave heating is reported. A catalyst system comprising a simple copper salt and a diamine ligand is used, together with tripotassium phosphate as base and water as the solvent. Heating at 180 °C for 30 min allows for the conversion of a range of aryl bromides and iodides to the corresponding phenols. Aryl chlorides prove less reactive.
Morton Effect Induced Synchronous Instability in Mid-Span Rotor-Bearing Systems: Part 1—Mechanism Study

The Morton Effect in the rotor–bearing systems may lead to an unstable operation. In Part 1, the mechanism of the Morton Effect induced thermal instability in the mid-span rotor systems has been studied. First, the equivalent thermal induced imbalance is introduced and its magnitude and directions are assumed, to represent the viscous thermal effect on the rotor systems. Then, the simplified rotor and bearing models are adopted for the derivation of analytical expressions. The results show that there exists a threshold of instability due to the Morton Effect in the mid-span rotors. Based on the assumptions of linear isotopic bearing supports, this threshold speed takes a simple form, which is determined by the support stiffness and the introduced equivalent coefficient of thermal effect, for the rigid or elastic systems with the thermal imbalance acting in the same direction as the response displacement. The threshold of instability has also been obtained for the system with the thermal imbalance acting perpendicular to the direction of response displacement, where the supporting damping plays a role. For a perspective view of the system stability, a stability map for the damped rigid mid-span rotors with the thermal imbalance having arbitrary phase difference has been generated. It shows that the stable operating regions of the system are bounded by two curves of threshold of instability, named the first and second threshold speeds of instability, respectively. The Morton Effect induced instability thresholds are actually affected by both the magnitude and relative phase of the thermal imbalance. The mechanism of the Morton Effect induced thermal instability of mid-span rotors supported by linear isotropic bearings can be explained through the fact that the Morton Effect introduces either negative stiffness or negative cross-coupled stiffness. In addition, the Morton Effect also has a comprehensive impact on both the amplitude and phase lag of the steady-state unbalance response. It may shift both curves in a manner dependent on the relative magnitude and direction of the thermal imbalance.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The Future of Law in a Global Economy

In this paper I challenge the notion that an emerging global legal culture modeled on US legal practices will necessarily come to dominate global legal practices in the economic sphere. Rather, I argue that the ascendance of Asian economic power will have significant implications for the sorts of legal as well as business institutions that are likely to dominate in the next century. Specifically, I argue that Chinese busi ness culture, with its emphasis on informal relationships and flexible organization, has a strong affinity for the new forms of flexible production that characterize an important and growing portion of the world economy. Drawing on world-systems theory, research on Chinese business organization and culture, and my own field- work, I argue that the 'legal convergence' hypothesis may well be premature: that the rise of the East Asian economies, linked together through the Chinese business diaspora, may well herald not only the decline of North American and European global economic dominanc...
Studying the effect of iris mechanics on the pupillary light reflex using brimonidine-induced anisocoria.

PURPOSE To study and correct for the limiting effect of iris mechanics on the amplitude of light-evoked pupil contractions in order to derive a more clinically accurate assessment of afferent input to the visual system. METHODS Transient pupil responses were recorded to a series of 1-second red Ganzfeld light stimuli with a stepwise increase in stimulus intensity using a binocular infrared computerized pupillometer. One eye of eight healthy subjects was treated with 0.2% brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution to induce pupil size reduction. The amount of pupil contraction as a function of stimulus intensity was compared between the brimonidine-treated, miotic eye and the untreated eye. RESULTS BRIMONIDINE TREATMENT PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN PUPIL SIZE IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS (MEAN REDUCTION IN PUPIL SIZE: 1.78 ± 0.35 mm, P < 0.05). For increasing light intensity, the treated pupil started to show reduced pupil contractions compared with the contralateral untreated pupil when the peak of pupil contraction reached an average pupil size of 3.25 ± 0.61 mm (range, 2.38-4.44 mm). When measured by percent pupil contraction (contraction amplitude/baseline pupil diameter), the pupil response as a function of stimulus intensity in the treated, miotic eye did not differ from that in the untreated eye. CONCLUSIONS Iris mechanics limits the amount of pupil contraction and can act to reduce the assessed neuronal integration of the pupil light reflex. Pupil response assessed by using percent contraction amplitude is least affected by mechanical effects and provides a more accurate approximation of afferent input.
Controlled molecular weight cresol-formaldehyde oligomers

Abstract Controlled molecular weight, linear, ortho- and para-cresol novolac oligomers have been synthesized by using calculated amounts of a monofunctional 2,6-dimethylphenol endcapping reagent. It was found that an excess of formaldehyde was needed to achieve the targeted molecular weights, thus suggesting that a dynamic equilibrium exists in these reactions whereby formaldehyde adds and eliminates from the cresol rings. Reaction progression was monitored by both 13C NMR and GPC. Number average molecular weights of these oligomers were confirmed using 13C NMR spectra and were found to be comparable to the targeted molecular weights. The glass transitions and viscosities of both the ortho- and para-cresol novolacs were compared at equivalent number average molecular weights. The Tgs increased as the molecular weights increased, but there were no observable differences between the Tgs of ortho- and para-cresol novolacs with similar molecular weights. The melt viscosities of ortho- and para-cresol novolcas with similar molecular weights were almost identical.
Some aspects of redundant states in nucleon-nucleus scattering solutions with antisymmetrization

Abstract Redundant states are known to appear as solutions to the scattering equation when an incident particle is antisymmetrized with respect to a target nucleus represented by a Slater determinant. Using criteria which have been found to characterize a potential which produces a continuum bound state (CBS), we demonstrate that a redundant solution can be identified as a CBS which appears at every positive energy. This identification provides a procedure for isolating and removing that portion of the potential responsible for redundant states. The remaining portion of the potential generates solutions to the original scattering equation which we demonstrate to be orthogonal to the redundant states which have been eliminated.
Influence of pore structure in green compacts on the densification of SiCAl2O3Y2O3

Abstract Pore size, pore size distribution (PSD), and the resultant densification behavior of α-SiC granular compacts, which were shaped under the uniaxial compaction pressure of 6.8–154 MPa, were investigated. Three kinds of SiC granules were used, namely Powder R (as-received spray-dried granules), Powder C (after classification of the Powder R), and Powder G (after grinding of the Powder R). Experimental results showed that at low compaction pressures, the green compacts derived from Powder R and Powder C exhibit a bimodal PSD, which is primarily caused by the presence of intergranular porosity. At relatively high compaction pressures, all of the green compacts display a roughly similarly unimodal PSD and exhibit a similar densification behaviour regardless of the starting granule characteristics. The green compacts with a narrow and unimodal PSD can be easily densified to a high-density sintered body and this behaviour was particularly pronounced for the green compacts derived from the ground granules even when the applied compaction pressure is relatively low.
Automatic discovery of parallelism: a tool and an experiment (extended abstract)

This paper reports preliminary results from applying advanced techniques to the parallelization of sequential programs. Such techniques include interprocedural analysis and the identification of nested parallelism. These techniques have been proposed for exploiting the greater concurrency offered by multiprocessors as compared with vector architectures. The effectiveness of these techniques as applied to some popular numerical Fortran programs is examined. Although extrapolation is difficult, these preliminary results are encouraging indicators of the success of these techniques.
Bi-link-failure-free Routing and Wavelength Assignment for torus-based avionic WDM LANs

In this paper, we focus on exploring the fault tolerance potential of the torus topology in designing the next-generation avionic onboard backbone communication systems that apply optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technologies. The exemplifying study is specifically given to a 4×4 torus structure in which all backbone node pairs' communications are enabled in a simultaneous fashion. We propose an optimal Spare Routing and Wavelength Assignment (SRWA) scheme, which makes the network able to tolerate an arbitrary bidirectional link (bilink) failure without loss of connections. This SRWA scheme is at a cost of spare wavelengths equivalent to 25% of wavelengths required for working lightpaths, which results from an optimal Working lightpaths Routing and Wavelength Assignment (WRWA) scheme. In addition, for the purpose of maximizing spare resource utilization, an enhanced 4-way protection scheme is introduced to further improve the protection of connections beyond the first bilink failure via exploiting the remaining capacity in the set of spare resources. The simulation results validate the proposed SRWA design and also show evident reliability benefits from applying the enhanced 4-way protection scheme.
Capital Punishment for Murderous Theorists

Book reviewed in this article: The Killing of History: How Literary Critics and Social Theorists areMurdering our Past, by Keith Windschuttle
Expectations About Initial Interaction An Examination of the Effects of Global Uncertainty

This inquiry extended uncertainty reduction theory to include actors’ uncertainty about acquaintanceship in general (global uncertainty). Study 1 involved examination of the self-reports of 139 female and 85 male participants. Results of the analysis showed that participants high in global uncertainty define initial interaction in comparatively negative ways, more frequently attempt to avoid conversations with unfamiliar targets, perform less effectively when meeting others for the first time, and develop less satisfactory long-term relationships than persons low in global uncertainty. Global uncertainty also combined with participants’ sense of the self-assuredness-awkwardness of first encounters to predict initial interaction performance. Study 2 examined the conversational performance of 48 females and 28 males who had participated in the first investigation. This analysis revealed that, during the first minute of interaction, persons high in global uncertainty engaged in comparatively low levels of question asking but relatively high levels of disclosure. High globally uncertain participants were also rated less competent by their partners than were persons low in global uncertainty. Study 3 explored the relationship between global uncertainty, communication competence, and communication apprehension. Examination of the self-reports of 63 females and 49 males showed that persons high in global uncertainty are apprehensive when meeting strangers and enact acquaintanceship episodes relatively inexpertly, although the magnitude of correlations between the constructs provide strong evidence that global uncertainty is distinguishable from both competence and apprehension. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Surface plasmon lasers

Surface Plasmon Polariton (SPP) modes have attracted many minds for over 100 years. Confining light to dimensions smaller than its propagating wavelength, point towards technological possibilities, such as optical circuitry within ultra small computer processors or, small biochemical sensors. As for other lasers, surface plasmon lasers (SPL) require gain and feedback. Yet, quenching of the fluorescence and induced current losses by the metal interface almost proved SPL to be unattainable. Such impediments were circumvented by a periodic design on the nano scale, which reduced the losses and maintained gain of a few ten thousands per cm.
Risk of cytomegalovirus disease in high-risk liver transplant recipients on valganciclovir prophylaxis: A systematic review and meta-Analysis

Valganciclovir (VGC) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 as cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis except for liver transplant recipients because of their high incidence of CMV disease with this drug. However, surveys have shown its common off-label use for CMV prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients. We aimed to evaluate the risk of CMV disease with VGC prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients. All studies that evaluated liver transplant recipients and used VGC (900 or 450 mg daily) for the prevention of CMV disease were included. Five controlled studies (n = 483) were pooled with a random effects model; five single-arm studies (n = 380) were pooled for the prevalence rate of CMV disease. The risk of CMV disease with VGC versus ganciclovir was 1.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00-3.29, P = 0.05, I(2) = 0%]. For high-risk (donor-positive/recipient-negative) patients, the risk of CMV disease was 1.96 (95% CI = 1.05-3.67, P = 0.035, I(2) = 0%). The risk of CMV disease remained significant with 900 mg of VGC daily (P = 0.04) but not with 450 mg of VGC daily (P = 0.76). The risk of leukopenia with VGC was 1.87 (95% CI = 1.03-3.37, P = 0.04, I(2) = 0%). In single-arm trials, the overall CMV disease rate was 12% (95% CI = 9%-16%, P < 0.001), and the rate for high-risk patients was 20% (95% CI = 10%-38%, P = 0.002). In conclusion, 900 mg of VGC daily may not be safe as CMV prophylaxis in high-risk liver transplant recipients because of the significant 2-fold increase in the risk of CMV disease and the 1.9-fold increase in the risk of leukopenia. Alternative CMV prophylaxis should be used for liver transplant recipients.
Changes in neuronal activation with increasing attention demand in healthy volunteers: an fMRI study.

Several lines of evidence suggest that structures involved in mediating attention differentially respond to increasing processing demand. Investigation of differences in neuronal activation, however, has been complicated by methodological inconsistencies and concomitant discrepancies in degree of difficulty and subject effort between disparate tasks. In this study, we utilized fMRI to compare neural activation patterns associated with two related attention tasks associated with different degrees of processing load while controlling for degree of performance difficulty. Healthy volunteers performed two continuous performance tasks, utilizing an identical pairs paradigm (CPT-IP) and a matched simple number recognition paradigm with degraded stimuli (CPT-DS) during a single fMRI scan. Degree of stimulus resolution degradation in the latter CPT was designed to equalize degree of performance difficulty between the two tasks. CPT-IP and CPT-DS were both associated with activation of frontal, limbic, subcortical, and sensory integratory structures. CPT-IP administration was associated with significantly greater activation of left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, bilateral posterior temporal cortex, bilateral putamen, and thalamus. This study demonstrates both that differing attention tasks are associated with a high degree of functional overlap and that increasing processing demand is associated with increased activation of specific portions of attentional networks. Synapse 42:266–272, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Decade of Excellent Outcomes after Surgical Intervention in 538 Patients with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Background Our aim was to evaluate the outcomes of patients who underwent first rib resection (FRR) for all 3 forms of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) during a period of 10 years. Study Design Patients treated with FRR from August 2003 through July 2013 were retrospectively reviewed using a prospectively maintained database. Results Five hundred and thirty-eight patients underwent 594 FRRs for indications of neurogenic (n = 308 [52%]), venous (n = 261 [44%]), and arterial (n = 25 [4%]) TOS. Fifty-six (9.4%) patients had bilateral FRR. Fifty-two (8.8%) patients had cervical ribs. Three hundred and ninety-eight (67%) FRRs were performed on female patients, with a mean age of 33 years (range 10 to 71 years). Three hundred and forty (57%) were right-sided procedures. Seventy-five children (aged 18 years or younger) underwent FRRs; 25 during the first 5 years and 50 during the second 5 years. When comparing the second 5-year period with the first 5-year period, more patients had venous TOS (48% vs 37%; p Conclusions Excellent results were seen in this surgical series of neurogenic, venous, and arterial TOS due to appropriate selection of neurogenic patients, use of a standard protocol for venous patients, and expedient intervention in arterial patients. There is an increasing role for surgical intervention in children.