cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To predict or not to predict: age-related differences in the use of sentential context.

Older adults (as a group) are less likely than younger adults to engage in an anticipatory mode of language comprehension, failing to successfully pre-activate information about upcoming likely (predictable) words during online processing. To assess (within one set of materials) age-related changes in the use of sentential context to affect processing of predictable words and in the consequences of violating predictions, event-related brain potentials were recorded while older adults read sentences that varied in sentence-level constraint and expectancy of sentence-final words. Strongly constraining sentences were completed by their most expected, predictable words and weakly constraining sentences were completed by their most expected, less predictable words. Both types of sentences also were completed by unexpected (but plausible) words. Older adults showed reduced and delayed effects of sentential context on processing predictable words. Whereas younger adults elicit an enhanced positive ERP (starting around 500 ms post-stimulus onset, largest over prefrontal electrode sites), specifically for unexpected words that violate strong expectancies for a different word, older adults as a group did not exhibit this neural consequence of disconfirmed predictions. Older adults were instead more likely to show a left-lateralized frontal negativity for predictable items. This ERP response has been attributed to processes needed to revisit contextual material in forming an interpretation of message-level meaning, which may be more likely when anticipatory modes of comprehension are not engaged. Taken together, the results suggest that normal aging can affect allocation of resources to different cognitive and neural pathways in achieving comprehension outcomes.
Contractive Korovkin approximations

Abstract Our results are related to L 1 -shadows in L p -spaces. For p = 1 we will complete the characterization of L 1 -shadows and L 1,1 -shadows. For 1 p L 1 -shadow of a set in L p is the range of a contractive projection. We will show that the corresponding theorem is not true for all reflexive spaces, but is true for locally uniformly convex reflexive spaces.
Cluster-and-sheet pattern of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the superior colliculus of the cat

Abstract The distribution of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in the superior colliculus has been studied in the cat with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Two striking patterns of immunoreactivity were observed. In the superficial layers there is a thin, dense horizontal band of immunoreactivity in the neuropil of the most dorsal tier of the superficial gray layer (sublamina 1). Because this sublayer corresponds to the zone of densest contralateral retinotectal projection, an intraocular injection of horseradish peroxidase was made in one cat to allow direct comparison of the distributions of opiate-like immunoreactivity and transported tracer in the contralateral superior colliculus. There was a detailed similarity between the two, including the presence of a gap in both at the presumptive site of the optic disc representation. The presence of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in neural perikarya in and near sublamina I of the superficial gray layer, however, raised the possibility that the immunoreactive band is part of an intrinsic opiate system. Deeper in the superficial gray layer there was appreciable but weaker immunoreactivity in the neuropil and fewer immunoreactive neurons. In the intermediate gray layer and, especially medially, even deeper in the superior colliculus, enkephalin-like immunoreactivity was organized into small (100–300 μm wide) patches. In the intermediate gray layer these tended to be arranged periodically, five seven patches being spaced at 200–600 μm intervals in caudal transverse sections. In some sections adjoining patches appeared to be fused. The patches were absent or difficult to detect in rostral sections. Caudally, they sometimes were adjacent to blood vessels penetrating the intermediate gray layer, but other times were not. Serial section reconstructions suggested that the patches observed in individual sections are part of larger arrays which have the form of anastomotic bands running in longitudinal directions somewhat oblique to the sagittal plane. It is concluded that an opiate mechanism may play a part in controlling the effects of incoming retinal information in the superficial gray layer, directly or indirectly, and that opiate peptides may also act in modulating one or more afferent or efferent systems of the deep collicular layers. Accordingly, from the functional standpoint, enkephalin-like peptides may influence both visual and sensory motor processing in the superior colliculus.
Motif-specific sampling of phosphoproteomes.

Phosphoproteomics, the targeted study of a subfraction of the proteome which is modified by phosphorylation, has become an indispensable tool to study cell signaling dynamics. We described a method...
Heterotopic Brain Tissue of Middle Ear Associated With Cholesteatoma

ABSTRACT Heterotopic brain tissue reportedly occurs occasionally in various sites, including rare occurrences in the middle ear. Association with cholesteatoma in middle ear cases, however, has not been reported yet. In this article, the authors describe three cases of heterotopic brain tissue in the middle ear associated with cholesteatoma: a 3-year-old boy with recurrent meningitis resulting in right acute otitis media and bony dehiscence of the right attic; a 36-year-old man with chronic right ear infections, right radical mastoidectomy 2 years previously, and brain herniation through the tegmen tympani; and a 65-year-old man with chronic otitis for many years, right ear surgery 25 years previously, and extensive involvement of right middle ear ossicles and mastoid antrum by cholesteatoma. The heterotopic brain tissue in each of these cases was diagnosed by histologic examination, and its glial component was confirmed by immunohisto-chemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein. After a microscopic review of 40 additional surgical pathology cases of cholesteatoma, no evidence of heterotopic brain tissue was found. With these findings, it is suggested that the unusual occurrence of heterotopic brain tissue in the middle ear associated with cholesteatoma may result from local destruction of bone secondary to the cholesteatoma, otitis media, meningitis, or previous surgery.
SEAS: A System for Undersea Storage of Thermal Energy

Methods of storing medium grade (200 to 275\deg C) thermal energy are of great economic interest for electric generation and process heat. Storage of water heated by land based energy sources and pumped to ocean or lake depths great enough that the ambient hydrostatic pressure equals the saturation pressure appears to be a low cost, safe, and technically feasible method for storing large volumes of hot water.
Biological activities of selenium compounds

The properties of selenites, selenates, and organic selenium compounds are discussed. Enzyme inhibition by selenium and substances which are antagonistic to selenium (among them, sulfur and arsenic compounds) are detailed. Absorption and metabolic demand for selenium compounds are reviewed. The biosynthesis of organic selenium compounds is discussed. 102 references, 1 table.
Injectable collagens : Lost but not forgotten-A review of products, indications, and injection techniques

Soft-tissue augmentation and three-dimensional volume replacement remain a cornerstone of facial rejuvenation. There has been an exponential increase in interest in dermal fillers. Science and technology have kept pace with this demand, and currently there is a wide range of options from which to choose. This is especially well illustrated by the recent introduction of an entirely new class of agents--the hyaluronans. The temporary fillers (the collagens and the Zyderm and CosmoDerm families), however, remain an excellent alternative, as they have a well-documented safety record, there are multiple formulations that make them very versatile, and the admixture of local anesthetic decreases the discomfort of injection.
Amino acid sequence of an inducible cysteine proteinase inhibitor (cystatin) from submandibular glands of isoproterenol-treated rats

We have previously reported the purification of an inducible cysteine proteinase inhibitor from submandibular glands of isoproterenol-treated rats by sequential gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography [G. S. Bedi (1989) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 270, 335-343]. This inhibitor is not detected in normal rat tissues but is induced in submandibular glands following beta-adrenergic stimulation of rats. In this study the complete amino acid sequence and the position of disulfide bridges of the purified protein were determined by automated Edman degradation of the protein and its tryptic, chymotryptic, and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease peptides and were as follows: (sequence; see text) Computer analysis revealed the presence of 40-50% sequence identity between inducible cysteine proteinase inhibitor and cystatins from human saliva, human cystatin C, bovine cystatins, and chicken cystatins, all members of Family 2 cystatins. The inhibitor has little sequence similarity with rat liver and epidermal cysteine proteinase inhibitors, which belong to Family 1 cystatins.
Survival of patients with stage IA malignant melanoma

There is ongoing clinical research on prognostic parameters relevant to stage IA melanoma. The object is to identify those factors associated with an increased risk of recurrence. The charts of 197 patients first treated at our Institute between 1980 and 1992 along with 62 patients referred for follow-up or treatment of recurrent disease, all having been initially diagnosed with stage IA disease, were reviewed. Only one patient (0.5%) of those first treated at our Institute manifested recurrence and this was a local recurrence. No statistically significant differences were found between patients who relapsed and those who did not with regard to lesion thickness, level of invasion, evidence of ulceration, location of the primary lesion, gender, or age. Generally, stage IA melanomas have excellent prognosis. However, there are patients who experience recurrent and metastatic disease. At the present time, there are no reliable indicators available for use in predicting which patients are at risk.
Intractable Diplopia After Strabismus Surgery in Adults

Objectives To investigate the incidence of persistent intractable diplopia in adults undergoing surgery for long-standing, constant strabismus and to define tests that may be useful for identifying patients at risk for developing this complication. Methods A retrospective medical record review of adults without diplopia undergoing surgery for constant strabismus. Results Medical records of 424 adult patients undergoing strabismus surgery were studied. Of these patients, 143 (34%) experienced diplopia when tested preoperatively with prisms to simulate the desired surgical outcome. Only 40 patients (9%) had temporary diplopia after surgery, which resolved in all cases by 6 weeks postoperatively. Three patients (0.8%) developed persistent intractable diplopia. Experiencing diplopia with preoperative prism testing was significantly more likely to result in postoperative diplopia than if diplopia was not present preoperatively (P Conclusions Intractable diplopia after strabismus surgery in adults without previous diplopia is very rare. The diagnostic use of prisms prior to surgery may identify some patients who have little or no risk of postoperative diplopia, as well as a group of patients with a small but definite risk of intractable postoperative diplopia.
Exaggerated natriuresis after selective AT1 receptor blockade in Dahl salt-sensitive rats.

Salt-sensitive individuals are susceptible to develop hypertension when exposed to high salt-diet. Such a phenomenon is considered to be due to a genetic impairment in the renal excretion of sodium. In the present studies extent of endogenous angiotensin-II (Ang-II) mediated antinatriuresis was comparatively evaluated in Dahl salt-sensitive (SS) and salt-resistant (SR) rats, using a selective AT1 receptor antagonist, candesartan. In addition, differences in plasma renin activity and characteristics of Ang-II receptors in the renal cortical tubular membranes were also examined. Under INACTIN® anesthesia AT1 receptor blockade resulted in significant increases in renal sodium excretion, which was several-fold greater in SS rats than that observed in SR rats. These observations suggest that antinatriuretic function of endogenous angiotensin-II is exaggerated in SS rats. This functional overexpression appears to be related to an increase in the affinity of Ang-II receptors in renal cortical tubular membranes b...
Cell cycle-dependent modifications in activities of pRb-related tumor suppressors and proliferation-specific CDP/cut homeodomain factors in murine hematopoietic progenitor cells

The histone H4 gene promoter provides a paradigm for defining transcriptional control operative at the G1/S phase transition point in the cell cycle. Transcription of the cell cycle-dependent histone H4 gene is upregulated at the onset of S phase, and the cell cycle control element that mediates this activation has been functionally mapped to a proximal promoter domain designated Site II. Activity of Site II is regulated by an E2F-independent mechanism involving binding of the oncoprotein IRF2 and the multisubunit protein HiNF-D, which contains the homeodomain CDP/cut, CDC2, cyclin A, and the tumor suppressor pRb. To address mechanisms that define interactions of Site II regulatory factors with this cell cycle control element, we have investigated these determinants of transcriptional regulation at the G1/S phase transition in FDC-P1 hematopoietic progenitor cells. The representation and activities of histone gene regulatory factors were examined as a function of FDC-P1 growth stimulation. We find striking differences in expression of the pRb-related growth regulatory proteins (pRb/p105, pRb2/p130, and p107) following the onset of proliferation. pRb2/p130 is present at elevated levels in quiescent cells and declines following growth stimulation. By contrast, pRb and p107 are minimally represented in quiescent FDC-P1 cells but are upregulated at the G1/S phase transition point. We also observe a dramatic upregulation of the cellular levels of pRb2/p130-associated protein kinase activity when S phase is initiated. Selective interactions of pRb and p107 with CDP/cut are observed during the FDC-P1 cell cycle and suggest functional linkage to competency for DNA binding and/or transcriptional activity. These results are particularly significant in the context of hematopoietic differentiation where stringent control of the cell cycle program is requisite for expanding the stem cell population during development and tissue renewal. J. Cell. Biochem. 66:512–523, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Measuring the Dyspnea of Decompensated Heart Failure With a Visual Analog Scale: How Much Improvement Is Meaningful?

Patients presenting to the emergency department with heart failure are evaluated based on the subjective sensation of dyspnea. In this study, the authors sought to determine the change in dyspnea, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), which is associated with a meaningful change in the patient's perception and the effect of dyspnea severity on the VAS. In this prospective, observational study the authors defined a meaningful change in VAS dyspnea as the difference between VAS scores when patients reported "a little less difficulty breathing" or "a little more difficulty breathing." Seventy-four patients were evaluated, and the mean for a meaningful change in VAS was 21.1 mm (95% confidence interval, 12.3-29.9 mm). Patients that recorded higher index VAS scores had a significantly greater change in VAS. VAS scores and the changes with treatment provide the treating physician with another means to assess the effects of their interventions.
m-Step Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient Methods

This paper discusses preconditioners for the conjugate gradient method which are based on several iterations of stationary iterative methods. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the applicability of these preconditioners to symmetric and positive definite systems of linear equations. Efficient computer implementations of these methods are discussed and results on the CYBER 203 and the Finite Element Machine under construction at NASA Langley Research Center are included.
Benjamin, Agamben, and the Paradox of Translation

In his paper, "Benjamin, Agamben, and the Paradox of Translation," Paolo Bartoloni offers a theoretical discourse on translation that goes beyond the traditional precincts of linguistics and literary theory as well as the disciplines of cultural studies and postcolonial theory. Bartoloni argues that more recently, the discourse on translation has begun to incorporate epistemological concerns, dealing not only with language but also with subjectivity and ethics. At the root of this theoretical articulation of translation are the essays "The Task of the Translator" ("Die Aufgabe des Ubersetzers") by Walter Benjamin and other reflections on translation by Martin Heidegger, especially in "Anaximander's Saying" ("Der Spruch des Anaximander") and the Heraclitus Seminar. Bartoloni interrogates Benjamin's reflection on translation by exposing the paradox and the philosophical conundrum of Benjamin's discussion, whose significance, and not only for the reception of translation, remains to be thoroughly conceptualized. Bartoloni provides an interpretation of Benjamin's notion of "pure language" by connecting and contrasting it with Giorgio Agamben's discussion of "voice" and with the Heideggerian notion of language as the "ringing stillness." The result is the sketching of an epistemological and philosophical function for translating that, although including linguistic and literary preoccupations, responds directly and specifically to key ontological and metaphysical issues. Paolo Bartoloni, "Benjamin, Agamben, and the Paradox of Translation" page 2 of 9 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 6.2 (2004):
Uniqueness in a diffusion model of population biology

(1983). Uniqueness in a diffusion model of population biology. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 8, No. 15, pp. 1605-1620.
A simple method for characterizing the RF properties of high-temperature superconductive materials

A simple method using a resonant strip in a rectangular waveguide has been devised for superconductive material characterization. The method has the advantages of simplicity; and it requires only a small piece of the superconductive material. The resonant frequency of the superconductive strip can be predicted theoretically.
A family study of lithium-responsive psychosis.

Psychiatric life histories of 487 first-degree family members of 24 lithium-responsive (mood-incongruent) psychotics, 54 lithium-nonresponsive (mood-incongruent) psychotics, and 18 lithium-responsive patients with bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder were contrasted. While the morbid risk of schizophrenic-spectrum was 11.1% in relatives of lithium-nonresponsive probands, the morbid risk for such disorders was only 2.4% in relatives of lithium-responsive (mood-incongruent) psychotics (P < 0.05). This lithium-responsive illness appears to be familially, and perhaps genetically, distinct from the bulk of the schizophrenias.
Structural Mechanism for Alteration of Collagen Gel Mechanics by Glutaraldehyde Crosslinking

Cross-linking of fibrous collagenous tissues occurs during late-stage wound healing and during aging. The attendant changes in micro-scale kinematics and macro-scale mechanics are not well understood. In this study we used glutaraldehyde as a model cross-linking agent, and in vitro reconstituted collagen gel as a model collagenous tissue. Collagen gels are in vitro assembled hydrated networks of collagen fibrils. Glutaraldehyde is a commonly used cross-linking agent for bioprosthetic tissues and is chemically well-characterized. Glutaraldehyde cross-linking is known to decrease the deformability of arterial valves, but the micro-scale mechanism of its action is not known. In this study, collagen gels with anisotropic fibril orientation were subjected to increasing cross-link density, and the concurrent change in biaxial mechanical properties was monitored. The extent of cross-linking is determined by biochemical analysis. Structural modeling of the biaxial mechanics of a fibrous microstructure was performed for three potential cross-link mechanisms. The trends in the simulated mechanics for increasing cross-link density were compared against that of the experimental data.© 2007 ASME
MUTATION ACCUMULATION AND THE EXTINCTION OF SMALL POPULATIONS

Although extensive work has been done on the relationship between population size and the risk of extinction due to demographic and environmental stochasticity, the role of genetic deterioration in the extinction process is poorly understood. We develop a general theoretical approach for evaluating the risk of small populations to extinction via the accumulation of mildly deleterious mutations, and we support this with extensive computer simulations. Unlike previous attempts to model the genetic consequences of small population size, our approach is genetically explicit and fully accounts for the mutations inherited by a founder population as well as those introduced by subsequent mutation. Application of empirical estimates of the properties of spontaneous deleterious mutations leads to the conclusion that populations with effective sizes smaller than 100 (and actual sizes smaller than 1,000) are highly vulnerable to extinction via a mutational meltdown on timescales of approximately 100 generations. We ...
Nitrate Removal in Sulfur: Limestone Pond Reactors

The feasibility of using sulfur:limestone autotrophic denitrification (SLAD) pond reactors to treat nitrate-contained water or wastewater after secondary treatment was investigated with four lab-scale continuously fed SLAD ponds. The start-up period, temperature effects, and effects of different feed solutions were evaluated. With an influent concentration of 30 mg NO\d3\u-–N/L at an HRT of 30 days, the pond reactors had an overall nitrate removal efficiency of 85–100%. Effluent nitrite concentrations were <0.2 mg N/L in all tests. Aerobic conditions could result in a decrease of the SLAD pH of the pond by 2 to 3 units and a large increase in sulfate production (~ 1600–1800 mg-SO\d4\U2-\N/L). Under unmixed (anoxic) conditions, the pH and sulfate produced were maintained at approximately 5.5 to 5.6 and 400–600 mg-SO\d4\U2-\N/L, respectively, in all SLAD ponds. Temperature affected the pond reactors adversely. By assuming that a first-order reaction occurred in a SLAD pond reactor, the temperature-activity coefficient, θ was found to be 1.068. Treatment of nitrate-contaminated surface water and wastewater using SLAD pond systems is feasible only if (1) the chemical oxygen demand (COD)/nitrate–N (COD/N) ratio is low (<1.2 with an initial NO\d3\u- concentration of 30 mg-N/L), (2) sulfur:limestone granules are not covered by sediment, and (3) sulfur-utilizing but nondenitrifying bacteria (SUNDB) are greatly inhibited due to the lack of DO in the pond systems. The SLAD ponds are not feasible for the treatment of raw wastewater or surface water if they contain high concentrations of organic matters due to the possible inhibition of sulfur-based autotrophic denitrifiers by heterotrophs (including heterotrophic denitrifiers). In addition, a high sulfate and low DO concentration as well as a low pH in the SLAD effluent of the pond (even when the pond is operated in an unmixed mode) also will limit the application of SLAD pond processes.
Effects of separate offering of forage and concentrate on feed intake and growth of Alpine doelings

Abstract Forty-four weaned Alpine doelings (16±0.19 kg initial BW) were used in a 16 week experiment to determine how separate free-choice offering of concentrate and forage (wheat hay, 14.2 CP and 62% NDF) affects performance compared with consumption of mixed diets of different proportions of concentrate and forage. Treatments were A-25C: 25% concentrate mixed diet consumed ad libitum; A-50C: 50% concentrate mixed diet consumed ad libitum; A-75C: 75% concentrate mixed diet consumed ad libitum; AC-AF: ad libitum consumption of concentrate and forage, offered separately; and LC-AF: restricted intake of concentrate (approximately 2% BW) and ad libitum intake of forage. Concentrate was 72.8% ground corn, 15.2% soybean meal, 6% fish meal and 6% dried molasses product. Orts averaged 6.7±0.58% of diet offered. Intake of DM was similar among treatments (625, 641, 623, 704 and 653 gram per day; S.E.=38.6), and dietary concentrate was 26, 53, 80, 84 and 61% of DM intake for A-25C, A-50C, A-75C, AC:AF and LC:AF, respectively; S.E.=1.51). ADG was greatest (P
The asymptotic normality of a rank correlation statistic based on rises

Abstract A martingale approach is used to establish the asymptotic normality of a simple new measure of rank correlation.
An easy and rapid method for the measurement of [gamma-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts obtained from in vitro rat heart preparations labeled with 32Pi.

Abstract A rapid method for the measurement of [γ-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in tissue extracts containing other 32P-labeled compounds is described. The neutralized acid extract is incubated with cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, cyclic AMP and casein. The incorporation of 32P into casein from [γ-32P]ATP is measured by perchloric acid precipitation of the protein on filter paper. 32P-Casein formation is linearly related to the specific radioactivity of the [γ-32P]ATP. Separation of ATP from other 32P-labeled compounds is not required for the assay. Application of this method in the evaluation of [γ-32P]ATP specific radioactivity in two rat cardiac muscle preparations exposed to 32Pi is demonstrated.
Shoot regeneration from petioles and leaves of Vitis X labruscana 'Catawba'.

Shoot regeneration and normal plants were obtained from leaf and petiole explants derived from in vitro grown shoots of Vitis X labruscana ‘Catawba’. Regeneration was induced in the presence of both 6-benzylaminopurine and indole-3-butyric acid; combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or 2-naphthoxyacetic acid with 6-benzylaminopurine did not permit regeneration from leaf explants. Up to 15% of leaf and 70% of petiole explants regenerated shoots on media with 5.0–10.0 μM BA and 0.1–0.5 μM IBA. Incubation in the dark was required to obtain regeneration. About 50% of shoots developed normally following transfer to light. An average of one shoot regenerated from leaf explants and 3.3 shoots regenerated per petiole explant. Regeneration from petioles and leaves was always from the basipetal end. The interaction of 6-benzylaminopurine with indole-3-butyric acid was also examined.
Toward a Healthy Public: Models, Messages, and Meaning

The leading causes of preventable disease, disability, and premature death are primarily associated with lifestyle and behaviors. Future advances in health are likely to come from the social and be...
The allegedly suicidal patient in a general hospital.

Of 50 emergency room admissions of patients believed to need protection against imminent suicide, the admission decision was, in 74% of the cases, solely on the patient's allegation (i.e., assertion without proof) that he was suicidal. Over half of the allegedly suicidal patients were chronic schizophrenic, and 20% were individuals with substance abuse problems. Only those allegers with affective disorders manifested any behavior or thinking after admission that could cause staff concern about suicide. Assuming that the suicidal thoughts and impulses described were products of intense, although transient, feeling and were in no instance feigned, extended hospital care did not appear indicated. Concern about possibility of suicide, if not based upon consideration of risk factors, diagnosis, and clinical judgment, may distract from attention to the patient's needs for long-term outpatient rehabilitation or psychotherapy, and may encourage episodic rather than continuous care for the chronically ill.
A Lower Bound on the Complexity of Arbitrary Switching Function Realizers

In this note, arbitrary switching function realizers and their complexity are defined. Then, a lower bound on the complexity is derived in terms of the number of such switching function realizers required to realize all Boolean functions of n variables.
Separating the effects of scatter and absorption using the representative layer

The physical interpretation of the absorbance observed in a non-scattering sample is straightforward; it is a simple function of the concentration of the analyte(s) and its (their) ability to absorb light. In a scattering sample, the phenomena of absorption and scattering affect each other. Consequently, the measured “absorbance” is more difficult to interpret and is not suitable for direct comparison to an “absorbance” obtained from a non-scattering sample. This paper describes a strategy for separating the effects of scatter and absorption. The amount of light absorbed by a sample can be determined by measuring both the amount of light remitted and the amount transmitted by the sample. Using the mathematics of plane parallel layers, it is possible to model the sample as a series of “layers” of any thickness and calculate the absorption, remission and transmission for each of these hypothetical layers. The absorption computed for a layer having a thickness of one particle, which we term the “representative layer”, can be used to benchmark the absorbance that would be observed from the sample in the absence of scatter.
Structural characterization of the zinc site in Escherichia coliL-threonine dehydrogenase using extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Escherichia coliL-threonine dehydrogenase (TDH) is a homotetrameric protein which contains one Zn2+ ion per subunit and is a member of the medium chain, Zn2+-containing alcohol/polyol dehydrogenase family. TDH was subjected to extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopic analyses to explore what residues might bind the Zn2+; the EXAFS data are consistent with a tetrathiolate ligation sphere for the zinc atom. As a test of this proposed model, the oxidation state of the six cysteine residues in the enzyme was evaluated. Under typical storage conditions (4°C with intermittent exposure to air; 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.4; 5 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, 2-ME) the TDH cysteine residues undergo air-dependent oxidation to form one disulfide bond/subunit with no change in enzymatic activity. Measurements of the free thiol and disulfide levels during storage support this proposal. No disulfide bond forms in TDH when it is stored for up to 100 days at 4°C under argon either with or without 5 mM 2-ME. The previously reported selective reactivity of Cys38 in native TDH towards either iodoacetate or Woodward's reagent K suggests that this residue is not involved in disulfide bond formation. The EXAFS data reported here and the thiol/disulfide levels determined for TDH, together with the homology of TDH to horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase, suggest that the one Zn2+/subunit of TDH is non-catalytic and is probably bound by cysteine residues 93, 96, 99, and 107 in a structural zinc-binding loop of the protein.
Lessons from the Past and Prospects for the Future

I must first of all point out that I am here under somewhat false pretenses, being a truly linear physicist who has not done serious work on any of the problems discussed this week. In fact, when I was a graduate student of Julian Schwinger’s, we were firmly taught that all soluble problems could be reduced to the harmonic oscillator, the quintessential linear problem. [Of course, he was very skilled at transforming all sorts of problems, such as the hydrogen atom and angular momentum, to the harmonic oscillator.] I will thus not treat the subject on a state-by-state basis, diving into the various controversies we have heard, but only give an incomplete “statistical” thermodynamic overview of the meeting, trying to convey my impressions of how the conference answered its implicit assignment: what are the lessons from the past and prospects for the future?
Coefficients of friction of YBCO-YBCO and YBCO-Ag ball-on-flat couples

The coefficient of friction of polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7 − x(YBCO) on YBCO and YBCO on Ag was measured versus temperature and humidity in a ball-on-flat linear reciprocating experiment. The coefficient of friction as a function of strokes has initial and steady state values. In laboratory air, the average coefficients of friction of the YBCO-YBCO couple in the steady-state show a maximum of 0.90 at 100°C, while those for YBCO-Ag show a minimum of 0.26 at 400°C. The coefficient of friction of the YBCO-YBCO couple at 100 and 200°C exhibits a transition as the humidity increases. This transition is associated with cylindrical wear debris.
A liquid drop: A windowless optical cell and a reactor without walls for flow injection analysis

Abstract The design and characteristics of a dynamically growing and falling liquid drop based optical detection system are described for use with flow injection analysis (FIA). Several aspects of the analytical potential of a liquid drop as an optical cell are demonstrated by the detection of sulfate through the precipitation reaction between barium ion and sulfate ion in an FIA system. Deposition of precipitate on the windows of a conventional flow cell usually constitutes a vexing problem; this is avoided due to the windowless nature of the drop based cell. Gradient dilution techniques are conveniently implemented without precise external timing: with small drops, a single FIA peak is spread over a multitude of drops. Each individual drop represents a different dilution ratio and the dynamic range of measurement can be greatly increased based on the choice of the specific drop used for quantitation. Both absorbance/turbidimetric detection and nephelometric detection can be made on a single drop using a single optical fiber for light collection. Different configurations for mixing and reaction of the sample and reagents in a drop based system has been studied.
Magnetic neutron diffraction study of Ba(Fe 1-x Co x ) 2 As 2 critical exponents through the tricritical doping

We present temperature dependent magnetic neutron diffraction measurements on Ba(Fe${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$Co${}_{x}$)${}_{2}$As${}_{2}$ for $x=0.039$, 0.022, and 0.021 as-grown single crystals. Our investigations probe the behavior near the magnetic tricritical point in the $(x,T)$ plane, ${x}_{\text{tr}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.022$, as well as systematically exploring the character of the magnetic phase transition across a range of doping values. All samples show long-range antiferromagnetic order that may be described near the transition by simple power laws, with $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.306\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.060$ for $x=0.039$, $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.208\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005$ for $x=0.022$, and $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.198\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.009$ for $x=0.021$. For the $x=0.039$ sample, the data are reasonably well described by the order parameter exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.326$ expected for a three-dimensional Ising model while the $x=0.022$ and $x=0.021$ samples are near the $\ensuremath{\beta}=0.25$ value for a tricritical system in the mean-field approximation. These results are discussed in the context of existing experimental work and theoretical predictions.
An Interpretation of the Yoder-Griffis-Crooker Observations of Sustained-Load Cracking in Ti-6Al-4V

Their recent NRL report documents a substantial degradation in load carrying capability of partially cracked specimens of annealed Ti--6Al--4V plate in a room air environment. The effect is analyzed as a special case of tensile ligament instability model, set up to permit integration of crack growth rate over the path to K/sub Ic/. Results show that the time dependence and magnitude of the load carrying capability and of the sustained load crack growth SLC are predictable from plastic flow characteristics, including the transient stress relaxation rate, and from a slight environmental effect. A simplified diagram for engineering assessment of SLC is presented. Importance is attached to the persistence of stress relaxation, as much as to its rate, in inducing SLC. Little effect is expected from the level of fracture toughness to the extent that it is controlled by the process zone size d/sub T/. (auth)
Effectiveness Evaluation Services for Small to Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprise

Small to Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises (SMEs) are considered to be the supplier base for domestic manufacturing in all industrialized nations. The SME has reliably demonstrated the ability to innovate and bring to the market new technologies in manufacturing. As businesses are moving in the direction of globalization, SMEs confront a new challenge in competing in the competitive global market. Therefore, the question investigated in this research is, given the globalization of manufacturing, how can SMEs reposition themselves for competitive advantage? Answer to this question obviously relies on a solid model of evaluating the effectiveness of SMEs? current business practices. An integrated model by combining the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is developed, aimed at linking both qualitative and quantitative factors of multiple manufacturing input/output to accurately assess the operations and performance of SMEs. The analytical results hence can be used to help SMEs better understand the problems and opportunities confronting their operations. This study is validated using the data collection of over 1500 SMEs.
Using genetic algorithms and an indifference-zone ranking and selection procedure under common random numbers for simulation optimisation

Genetic algorithms (GAs) are one of the many optimisation methodologies that have been used in conjunction with simulation modelling. The most critical step with a GA is the assignment of the selective probabilities to the alternatives. Selective probabilities are assigned based on the alternatives’ estimated performances which are obtained using simulation. An accurate estimate should be obtained to reduce the number of cases in which the search is oriented towards the wrong direction. Furthermores, it is important to obtain this estimate without many replications. This study proposes a simulation optimisation methodology that combines the GA and an indifference-zone (IZ) ranking and selection procedure under common random numbers (CRN). By using an IZ procedure, a statistical guarantee can be made about the direction in which the search should progress as well as a statistical guarantee about the results from the search. Furthermore, using CRN significantly reduces the required number of replications.
Site of action of anorectic drugs: Glucoprivic- versus food deprivation-induced feeding

Abstract Feeding induced by 2-deoxyglucose was compared with feeding induced by food deprivation in terms of antagonism by anorectic drugs and of anatomical site of action. Glucoprivic feeding was completely blocked by microinjection of amphetamine, fenfluramine, and mazindol into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Deprivation-induced feeding was not blocked by amphetamine, fenfluramine, or mazindol microinjected into the PVN. Neither the feeding induced by 2-deoxyglucose nor its reversal by amphetamine were blocked by pretreatment with the β-adrenergic antagonist, propranolol. Amphetamine and fenfluramine blocked both glucoprivic- and deprivation-induced feeding when microinjected into the perifornical region of the lateral hypothalamus. These data suggest that food consumption induced by 2-deoxyglucose treatment can be antagonized by anorectic drugs acting at recognition sites present in several hypothalamic nuclei, while deprivation-induced feeding acts through different receptor mechanisms which may be specific to the perifornical region of the lateral hypothalamus.
Effects of Na+ impurities on the linewidth of intersubband resonances in Si MOS structures

Abstract A far infrared (FIR) optical study has been carried out at 4.2°K on large gate area (100) Si-MOSFETs whose oxides were purposely contaminated with mobile Na + ions (“impurities”) during processing. At high inversion layer densities the intersubband resonance linewidths as a function of positive oxide charge density are found to be correlated with the corresponding scattering rates determined from the effective mobilities. These results are in good agreement with a calculation for short range scatterers.
Use of Electrodialysis to Improve the Protein Stability of Frozen Skim Milks and Milk Concentrates

Removal of calcium from skim milk by electrodialysis was logarithmically related to the extent of demineralization (log% calcium removed = 0.18% ash removed + 0.53). This removal of calcium caused a logarithmic dissociation of micellar to serum (sub-micellar) casein (log% total casein in serum = 0.020% calcium removed + 0.70). Increases in protein stability for skim milk and concentrated skim milk were related to this dissociation of micellar casein, and the initial degree of dissociation persisted throughout frozen storage. Protein stability was > 53 wk at –8°C when 80% of the casein in unconcentrated skim milk was dissociated. Concentrated skim milk was stable for > 30 wk at –8°C when 45% of the casein was dissociated. Control samples (7–9% casein dissociated) were stable for only 4–8 wk at –8°C.
Alumina‐catalyzed condensation of 2‐methylquinoline with methanol

The alumina-catalyzed reaction of 2-methylquinoline with excess methanol at 500° produced a mixture of 2-ethyl-, 2-isopropyl-, and 2-isopropenylquinolines in yields of 10%, 7%, and 2%, respectively. A mechanistic interpretation of this reaction is presented.
Political Microcultures: Linking Civic Life and Democratic Discourse

At the core of democratic citizenship is deliberation: citizens' tendency and capacity for debating issues of common importance. This study considers civic organizations – often found to be political mobilizers – as political microcultures: environments for political discourse that structure participants' understanding of the practice of citizenship. The study consists of 20 focus groups, each composed of members of one of five kinds of civic organizations. The transcripts are analyzed using bivariate and hierarchical linear modeling techniques. The group context in which political discussions take place is found to have a significant impact on the structure and logic of those discussions, even after accounting for individual-level variations in the demographic characteristics and civic experiences of group participants. A significant portion of civic life and its contribution to democratic citizenship is in social environments that vary in the richness of their political discourse. Elements of political microcultures may explain part of the often-observed differences among civic organizations' degree and type of political mobilization.
Monte Carlo Simulations of Binary Mixtures of Nitrotoluene Isomers with n-Decane†

Previous experimental studies [Sliwinska-Bartkowiak et al., Chem. Phys. Lett. 1983, 94, 609] indicate that o-nitrotoluene/n-decane and m-nitrotoluene/n-decane mixtures are of particular interest because they exhibit anomalous behavior in the nonlinear dielectric effect near the upper critical solution point, and it has been surmised that these effects are due to an increase in cluster formation as each mixture approaches its critical point. In this work, Monte Carlo simulations are performed using the TraPPE force field at multiple temperatures, concentrations, and electric field strengths to examine the structural microheterogeneity of these mixtures and determine the dielectric constants and nonlinear dielectric effect. At low field strength, the simulations indicate substantial structural microheterogeneities, but these persist over a wide range of conditions. At high field strength (an order of magnitude higher than in the experimental work), the simulations indicate a field-induced segregation.
Disentangling Self-Control from Its Elements: A Bifactor Analysis

Disentangle self-control from its elements and provide several new insights into the self-control dimensionality debate including: the proportion explained variance in scale items attributed to self-control and its elements, the viability of using total and individual scores to measure self-control and its elements in observed variable analyses, and the unique effects of general (self-control) and specific (elements) latent factors on crime and victimization. The current study utilizes bifactor measurement and structural equation models to address the research objectives. The sample consists of Florida jail inmates and self-control and its elements are measured with the Grasmick et al. scale. Results indicate the elements exist above and beyond the general factor of self-control, and that these specific factors collectively account for nearly one-third of the total proportion explained variance in the scale items. Findings from omega reliability analyses provide evidence supporting the use of a total score to measure self-control, but discouraging the use of subscales to measure the individual elements, when measurement error is not taken into account. Results from a bifactor structural equation model predicting crime and victimization reveal that the effects of three latent specific factors (temper, risk-seeking, and self-centeredness) are substantially larger than the effects of the general factor (self-control). Bifactor methods placed self-control and the elements on equal conceptual footing and found both to explain variation in Grasmick et al. item responses and both to influence crime and victimization. Future work should examine the origins and stability of self-control vis-a-vis the individual elements.
Application of automated design migration to alternating phase shift mask design

The use of phase shifted mask (PSM) has been demonstrated to be a powerful resolution enhancement technique (RET) for the printing of features at dimensions below the exposure wavelength in deep submicron technologies. Its implementation in physical design has introduced non-conventional design ground rules, which impact the traditional layout migration process and designers productivity. In this panel discussion paper, we propose a solution to extend the traditional constraint-based layout migration and legalization approach. The solution has been demonstrated to be very effective in practice.
Time structure of postmidnight energetic electron precipitation and the limit of stable trapping

The paper examines the detailed time structure of high-energy (over 30 keV) electron precipitation along the morningside and dayside of the auroral zone. To this end, available high time resolution data from the Ogo 6 energetic electron experiment are analyzed. The relationship between trapped flux levels and degree of precipitation observed is studied from an observational standpoint and compared with the critical flux levels estimated by Kennel and Petschek (1966). A possible explanation within the general framework of the Kennel-Petschek theory of the observed burstlike precipitation episodes is presented, and the implications of these features for the average lifetime of electrons in drifting clouds are discussed.