cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Apparent PO ratio and chemical energy balance in frog sartorius muscle in vitro

Abstract We tested the hypothesis that there is a constant relation between the amount of chemical energy used during a single tetanus and the extent of subsequent aerobic recovery metabolism. Breakdown of high energy compounds (Δ ∼ P) during contraction was measured by rapid freezing techniques using isometric contractions of unpoisoned frog sartorius muscles at 0 °C. A stable and sensitive method was designed to study recovery O 2 consumption of similar contractions. In some cases, initial chemical changes and recovery O 2 consumption were measured in the same muscle. The ratio of these chemical changes yields a value for the P/O ratio of whole muscle. This ratio was found to be 2 and was constant for the range of contraction durations studied (5–20 s). Splitting of phosphorylcreatine or ATP after mechanical relaxation and glycolytic resynthesis of ATP could not be detected. Thus, the tested hypothesis is valid; but there is no ready explanation why this estimate of the P/O ratio of whole muscle differs from the ratio measured in isolated mitochondria. Because of this constancy and the observed stoichiometry unknown energy yielding reactions, postulated to occur either early or late in a maintained tetanus, are excluded by these experiments.
FACTORS IN LEARNING STEREOMETRIC DISCRIMINATIONS IN CHILDREN

Several snidies have found that young children form discriminations more rapidly with stereometric (3-D) objects than with pattern (2-D) stimuli. Interpretation of this finding is difficult, since the studies differ both in methodology and S characteristics. DeHaan and Wischner ( 1963), using a 2-choice form discrimination task with retardates, and Dornbush and Winnick (1966), using a 2-choice size discrimination with normals, obtained evidence that superior performance with 3-D stimuli results from availability of depth cues, while Falk (1968), testing normals on a 3-choice size discrimination, found that haptic cues were critical. In an attempt to clarify matters, 30 retarded (Msrr = 5.4; Mca = 12.5) and 30 normal (Mara = 6.0; Mca = 6.0) children were given a 2-choice size-discrimination task using 2-D stimuli which were two squares of black paper and 3-D stimuli which were two black wooden cubes weighing 3 and 6 oz. respectively. The sides of the squares (and of the cubes) were 2% or 2% in. Stimuli were presented in a modified WGTA. Delivery of candy followed a correct choice. Forty Ss, half trained on the 2-D pair (Group 2-D) and half on the 3-D pair (Group 3-D, L), indicated their choices by lifting the stimulus. The remaining 20 Ss (Group 3-D, P) were trained on the 3-D pair but were required only to point at their choices, thus receiving depth cues but not haptic ones. Each group contained 10 normals and 10 retardates. Criterion was 10 consecutive correct responses. Training was terminated after 60 trials. An analysis of variance, based on number of correct responses per block of 15 trials, yielded a significant Trials main effect (p < .001), with all groups improving from Block 1 (M = 10.4) to Block 4 (M = 12.5). A significant Treatment X Trials interaction (p < .01) indicated that no treatment differences existed initially, but that by Block 4, Groups 3-D, P and 3-D, L were performing better than Group 2-D (M = 13.2, 13.2, and 11 .O, respectively). Failure to find reliable differences between the performance of Groups 3-D, P and 3D, L supports the importance of depth cues in the mastery of 3-D discriminations, at least for 2-choice problems, noted in the studies by DeHaan and Wischner (1963) and Dornbush and Winnick (1966). It may be that on the more difficult 3-choice task (e.g., Falk, 1968) depth cues alone do not provide sufficient information to facilitate 3-D discriminations.
Effect of varying microkeratome parameters on laser in situ keratomileusis interface surfaces.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of altering microkeratome parameters (oscillation rates and head-advance speeds) and repeated blade use on human and porcine laser in situ keratomileusis interface surface quality and to evaluate correlations between human and porcine interface surface quality. Setting Emory Vision, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Methods Corneal flaps were created in porcine eyes and human cadaver eyes with an Amadeus I microkeratome using varying head-advance speeds and oscillation rates. Microkeratome blades were used once in 18 porcine eyes, twice in 18 human eyes (simulating clinical use), and 5 times in 15 porcine eyes. The interface surface was imaged with electron microscopy, with overall bed quality and surface smoothness graded from 1 to 5 (smoothest to roughest) by 5 masked corneal specialists using the same grading criteria for porcine eyes and human eyes. Results Neither oscillation rates nor head-advance speeds consistently influenced bed smoothness in any group. There were no differences in bed quality between first cuts and second cuts in human eyes or between porcine eyes with multiple blade use. Porcine eyes had statistically significantly smoother stromal beds than human eyes (P Conclusions Neither alterations in microkeratome parameters nor repeated blade use consistently influenced stromal bed quality in human or porcine eyes. No subjective correlation existed between stromal bed qualities of porcine corneas and human corneas; therefore, future studies evaluating corneal stromal bed quality should be performed in human corneas only. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Results from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study suggest that low serum magnesium is associated with incident kidney disease

Low serum magnesium has been associated with kidney function decline in persons with diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease in the general population. As the association of serum magnesium with incident kidney disease in the general population is unknown, we assessed this in 13,226 participants (aged 45–65) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate of at least 60ml/min per 1.73m 2 in years 1987–89 and followed through 2010. The risks for incident chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) associated with baseline total serum magnesium levels were evaluated using Cox regression. There were 1965 CKD and 208 ESRD events during a median follow-up of 21 years. In adjusted analysis, low serum magnesium levels (0.7mmol/l or less) had significant associations with incident CKD and ESRD compared with the highest quartile with adjusted hazard ratio of 1.58 (95% CI: 1.35–1.87) for CKD and 2.39 (95% CI: 1.61–3.56) for ESRD. These associations remained significant after excluding users of diuretics and across subgroups stratified by hypertension, diabetes, and self-reported race. Thus, in a large sample of middle-aged adults, low total serum magnesium was independently associated with incident CKD and ESRD. Further studies are needed to determine whether modification of serum magnesium levels might alter subsequent incident kidney disease rates.
Measurements of the spin polarization of electrons tunneling from ferromagnetic alloys of the 3d metals

Abstract Recent measurements are presented of the electron-spin polarization P as measured by tunneling for alloys of Ni with Ti, Mn or Cu. The results for Ni-Cu extend previous results for Ni-Fe alloys and show a functional dependence of P on electron concentration very similar to that of the saturation magnetic moment μ of the Slater-Pauling curve. In fact, all measurements to date on alloys of 3d ferromagnetic metals show an approximate proportionality between P and μ.
Effects of aluminum on brain lipid peroxidation.

Abstract Excessive dietary aluminum (Al) has been proposed to be a factor contributing to several neurological disorders in humans. Six 8-week-old female Swiss Webster mice were fed for 10 weeks purified diets containing 100 (control, 100 Al), 500 (500 Al) or 1000 (1000 Al) μg Al/g diet. Brain and liver lipid peroxidation was determined by evaluating the production of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in brain and liver homogenates in the presence or absence of 50 μM ferrous iron. TBARS production in the absence of iron in brain homogenates from mice fed the 1000 Al diet was higher (30%) than that in the 100 Al control group (3.1 vs. 2.4 nmol TBARS/mg protein). The addition of ferrous iron increased TBARS production in brain homogenates from all 3 dietary groups. The iron-induced TBARS production was 26% higher in the 1000 Al brain homogenates than in the 100 Al group (4.9 vs. 3.9 nmol TBARS/mg protein). Brain TBARS production in the presence and absence of iron was similar between the 100 and 500 Al groups. TBARS production in liver homogenates measured either with or without iron was similar for the 3 groups. These results show that, in mice, dietary Al intoxication leads to increased brain TBARS production, suggesting that enhanced lipid peroxidation may be one possible mechanism underlying the neurological damage associated with increased tissue Al.
Bringing the larynx into view: A piece of the puzzle

Orotracheal intubation has been around for a long time. Avicenna described (c. 980 to 1037 AD) the placement of a “golden or silver...tubus” into the neck some 1,000 years ago.1 Macewen employed orotracheal intubation in his practice of surgical anesthesia in the late 1870s, and Chevalier Jackson popularized laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in the early 1900s.2 However, it wasn’t until the mid-1950s, with the widespread introduction of curare into anesthesia practice, that the spectre of “difficult laryngoscopy and intubation” gained notoriety and attention in the anesthesia literature with the publication of the landmark article by Cass et al.3 Up until that point in time, anesthetized patients, for the most part, breathed spontaneously. Endotracheal intubation might be electively used to optimize airway patency, provide an element of airway protection, and permit assisted ventilation if required. The use of paralytic agents such as curare drove an increased frequency of endotracheal intubation and manual ventilation. Suddenly, it became important to attempt to predict when it might be difficult or impossible to achieve tracheal placement of the tube, in which case the decision to intubate using inhalation induction and spontaneous ventilation was recommended. Thus the dictum: Don’t take anything away from the patient that you can’t replace. A I R W A Y / E D I T O R I A L
War of words: the impact of Russian state television on the Russian Internet

How effective is Russian state television in framing the conflict in Ukraine that began with the Euromaidan protests and what is its impact on Russian Internet users? We carried out a content analysis of Dmitrii Kiselev's “News of the Week” show, which allowed us to identify the two key frames he used to explain the conflict – World War II-era fascism and anti-Americanism. Since Kiselev often reduces these frames to buzzwords, we were able to track the impact of these words on Internet users by examining search query histories on Yandex and Google and by developing quantitative data to complement our qualitative analysis. Our findings show that much of what state media produces is not effective, but that the “fascist” and anti-American frames have had lasting impacts on Russian Internet users. We argue that it does not make sense to speak of competition between a “television party” and an “Internet party” in Russia since state television has a strong impact in setting the agenda for the Internet and socie...
Technical trading rules in the spot foreign exchange markets of developing countries

Abstract To the extent that intervention induces technical trading profitability, trading rules may generate profit opportunities in the spot foreign exchange markets of developing countries. The vast majority of the developing countries examined generate statistically significant out-of-sample returns, assuming transaction costs are 0.50%. Break-even transaction costs range from 0.36 to 22.27%. There is some evidence that the profitability of trading rules is related to the potential for intervention. The risk-adjusted performance measures indicate that trading rules do not outperform a simple short-selling strategy or risk-free strategy, and the trading rules are found to significantly underperform a risk-free strategy for Brazil.
Effect of transformation induced plasticity on the mechanical behavior of porous SMAs

The fabrication of porous NiTi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) from elemental Ni and Ti powders using Hot Isostatic Press (HIP) is presented in this work. Porous NiTi alloys with different porosity levels and different mechanical properties are obtained and analyzed. Their behavior under compressive mechanical loading is modeled using a micromechanical averaging model. The model treats the porous NiTi alloy as a two-phase composite: dense SMA matrix and pores. The behavior of the fully dense SMA matrix is modeled using a thermomechanical model with internal state variables. The development of transformation and plastic strains during the martensitic phase transformation is taken into account. The results from the model are compared with the experimental data.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Amino acid contribution to protein solubility: Asp, Glu, and Ser contribute more favorably than the other hydrophilic amino acids in RNase Sa

Poor protein solubility is a common problem in high-resolution structural studies, formulation of protein pharmaceuticals, and biochemical characterization of proteins. One popular strategy to improve protein solubility is to use site-directed mutagenesis to make hydrophobic to hydrophilic mutations on the protein surface. However, a systematic investigation of the relative contributions of all 20 amino acids to protein solubility has not been done. Here, 20 variants at the completely solvent-exposed position 76 of ribonuclease (RNase) Sa are made to compare the contributions of each amino acid. Stability measurements were also made for these variants, which occur at the i+1 position of a type II beta-turn. Solubility measurements in ammonium sulfate solutions were made at high positive net charge, low net charge, and high negative net charge. Surprisingly, there was a wide range of contributions to protein solubility even among the hydrophilic amino acids. The results suggest that aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and serine contribute significantly more favorably than the other hydrophilic amino acids especially at high net charge. Therefore, to increase protein solubility, asparagine, glutamine, or threonine should be replaced with aspartic acid, glutamic acid or serine.
Sol–gel MnO2 as an electrode material for electrochemical capacitors

Abstract MnO2 was synthesized by the sol–gel method. Two forms of MnO2, namely xerogel and ambigel, were prepared by reduction of NaMnO4 and KMnO4 with sodium fumarate. The synthesized products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and chemical analysis. Electrochemical characterization was carried out using cyclic voltammetry by a three electrode system consisting of saturated calomel electrode as reference electrode, platinum mesh as a counter electrode, and sol–gel prepared MnO2 mounted on Ti mesh used as working electrode. Aqueous NaCl, KCl, Na2SO4 and LiCl solutions were used as electrolytes. The ambigel form of MnO2 showed high capacitance compared to that of the xerogel form of MnO2. Maximum capacitance of 130 F/g was obtained at a scan rate of 5 mV/s for the ambigel form of MnO2 in a 2 M NaCl solution. Effect of NaCl concentration on the capacitance of MnO2 was studied. Stability of MnO2 was studied up to 800 cycles.
Fast semantic Attribute-Role-Based Access Control (ARBAC) in a collaborative environment

This paper is an early report of our continuing effort to provide a platform-independent framework so that information originators and security administrators can specify access rights to information consistently and completely, and that this specification is then rigorously enforced. To accomplish this objective it is necessary to link a security policy model to a policy language with sufficient expressive power to ensure logical consistency. For the purposes of this research we are using a modified Attribute-Role-Based Access Control (ARBAC) security model and the Web Ontology Language (OWL) with additional rules in a logic programming framework to express access policy, going beyond the limitations of previous attempts in this vein. In addition we are developing a mechanism using knowledge compilation techniques that allows access policy constraint checking to be implemented in real-time, via a bit-vector encoding that can be used for rapid run-time reasoning.
Guardians Against Spousal Violence? A Case for Considering Motive

The current study examines the applicability of the routine activity factor, of guardianship, to intimate partner violence. In so doing, it expands the range of routine activity theory to better accommodate different types of crime and challenges the original theoretical notion of simply “assuming” motivated offenders (Cohen and Felson, American Sociological Review, 44, 588–604 1979). Findings from the National Violence and Threats of Violence Against Women & Men in the U.S., 1994–1996 (Tjaden and Thoennes 1998) survey indicate routine activity principles such as guardianship may be useful in understanding the risk of intimate violence, but that the effects of guardianship depend on the motive for the violence. Implications for research and theory are discussed.
Numerical Prediction of Welded Joint Performance—Relative Criticality of Weld Defect and Remote Deformation

Structural integrity problems which deal with welded sections are common in the pressure vessel and piping industry. The current work uses continuum fracture toughness concepts to determine the structural integrity of a butt-welded plate with a lack of penetration defect in the weld material. The difference in weld and base metal properties are explicitly included in the computational simulation. The analysis technique presented does not require the analyst to assume a failure location. The critical strain energy density associated with fracture of a material at the continuum scale is used as the failure criterion.
Genetic Self Knowledge and the Future of Epidemiologic Confounding

Prior work has considered how our genetic knowledge might allow for personalized medicine. This commentary explores the reverse question of what personalized genetic medicine might do to our research process, not only in genetics, but in epidemiology more generally.
MITH-Dyn: A multi V th dynamic logic design style using mixed mode FinFETs

In FinFETs, the back-gate of the transistor can be biased to control its V th , thereby reducing leakage power at the expense of performance. This paper proposes a novel multi V th dynamic logic design style (MITH-Dyn) which reduces the leakage power without degrading performance. MITH-Dyn has been tested on dynamic circuits of varying design complexity in both domino logic and np zipper logic. We report leakage savings of 90.83%, 89.14% and total power savings of 36.7%, 32.2% for domino circuits and np zipper circuits respectively. MITH-Dyn has also been extended to C2FinFET based latches and registers and also to NORA (No Race) FinFET based pipeline circuits. Total power savings of 27.98% and 36.16% was obtained for 2-stage and 4-stage NORA pipeline circuits respectively. We have used the 45nm FinFET model cards from PTM [1] for all the results reported in this paper.
New vanadium-based magnetic resonance imaging probes: clinical potential for early detection of cancer

We have developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for improved detection of cancer with a new class of cancer-specific contrast agents, containing vanadyl (VO2+)-chelated organic ligands, specifically bis(acetylacetonato)oxovanadium(IV) [VO(acac)2]. Vanadyl compounds have been found to accumulate within cells, where they interact with intracellular glycolytic enzymes. Aggressive cancers are metabolically active and highly glycolytic; an MRI contrast agent that enters cells with high glycolytic activity could provide high-resolution functional images of tumor boundaries and internal structure, which cannot be achieved by conventional contrast agents. The present work demonstrates properties of VO(acac)2 that may give it excellent specificity for cancer detection. A high dose of VO(acac)2 did not cause any acute or short-term adverse reactions in murine subjects. Calorimetry and spectrofluorometric methods demonstrate that VO(acac)2 is a blood pool agent that binds to serum albumin with a dissociation constant Kd ~ 2.5 ± 0.7 × 10−7 M and a binding stoichiometry n = 1.03 ± 0.04. Owing to its prolonged blood half-life and selective leakage from hyperpermeable tumor vasculature, a low dose of VO(acac)2 (0.15 mmol/kg) selectively enhanced in vivo magnetic resonance images of tumors, providing high-resolution images of their interior structure. The kinetics of uptake and washout are consistent with the hypothesis that VO(acac)2 preferentially accumulates in cancer cells. Although VO(acac)2 has a lower relaxivity than gadolinium-based MRI contrast agents, its specificity for highly glycolytic cells may lead to an innovative approach to cancer detection since it has the potential to produce MRI contrast agents that are nontoxic and highly sensitive to cancer metabolism.
Full-Core Test Method for Experimental Determination of Convective Boiling Heat Transfer Coefficients in Tubes of Crossflow Compact Evaporators

Abstract An experimental methodology is proposed in which localized convective boiling heat transfer coefficients inside the tubes of compact evaporators are determined by testing of full evaporator cores. The proposed technique makes use of a special test system having two main flow circuits. One of these flow loops is a conventional vapor compression system, which provides a steady, low-quality, two-phase flow of refrigerant to the tube side of the evaporator. The second primary flow loop provides a steady flow of the vapor of a second working fluid, which condenses on the finned side of the evaporator. Measured data from this system are analyzed using an iterative scheme. Trends in the variation of the refrigerant-side heat transfer coefficient determined by this method throughout a typical evaporator core are described, and the differences and similarities relative to previously published results for single round tubes are discussed.
Characterization of dietary phosphorus-dependent duodenal calcium uptake in vitamin D-deficient chicks

The effect of dietary phosphorus on intestinal calcium uptake was examined in duodenal cells isolated from vitamin D-deficient chicks. Cells from chicks on a high phosphorus diet accumulated calcium at a rate 38% higher than cells from animals on a normal phosphorus diet. Diet high in calcium did not affect calcium absorption in duodenal cells. The dietary phosphorus effect on calcium absorption was specific. Uptake of alpha-methyl glucose was not altered. Increase in calcium absorption by a high phosphorus diet was not due to a change in cellular energy metabolism nor to the content of phosphorus in cells. Kinetically, a high phosphorus diet increased the Vmax of calcium uptake; the affinity for calcium was unaffected. The effectiveness of dietary phosphorus to enhance the intestinal calcium uptake could also be demonstrated in brush border membrane vesicles. The increase in calcium uptake was not due to an alteration in membrane binding capacity nor to calcium efflux from vesicles. To test the hypothesis that a high phosphorus diet may affect membrane transport by altering phospholipid metabolism in duodenal cells, we examined the phospholipid content in isolated brush border membranes. The content of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylethanolamine was not altered by the high phosphorus diet. These findings suggest that the vitamin D-independent and dietary phosphorus-dependent effect on intestinal calcium absorption was primarily due to a change in the calcium flux at the luminal side of the cells. However, the precise mechanism is still not clear.
Perceived benefits of marathon running in males and females

The differences in both perceived benefits and attitudes toward running between male and female runners, and between runners who classified themselves as competitive runners (CR) or recreational runners (RR), was the focus of this study. Four-hundred and two runners completed the Ten-Minute Survey for Runners within two weeks of completing a marathon. RR, more so than CR, perceived greater benefits from running. However, CR expressed a more positive attitude toward running and its role in their lives than did RR. Men perceived running to be more beneficial to them than women. However, women, more so than men, felt running had a positive effect on self-image and their lives were richer because of running. Future research concerns on the effects of competition on the lives of women are explored.
Geo-political genetics: Claiming the commons through species mapping

Genetic techniques are increasingly employed in the field of conservation biology; our understanding of sea turtle biology, and particularly of sea turtle migrations and population structures, has increased through genetic analyses that ‘match’ turtles found in various and often widely distributed habitats (e.g. nesting beaches, foraging grounds, migratory corridors). This relatively recent technological development has implications for how sea turtles are conceived, both as resources and as objects of conservation. Traditionally, sea turtle populations have been identified with nesting beaches, and most conservation efforts have been focused on these discrete geographic locations and undertaken by the state. The more complete understanding of relationships among turtles found in geographically disparate areas, achieved via genetic analysis, can take conservation beyond the beaches and territorial waters of individual states; foraging populations can now be linked to nesting populations sometimes hundreds of kilometers distant. In this paper, we explore the implications of genetic analysis for sea turtle conservation, the scale at which it is undertaken, and the variety of actors with competing interests in it. We focus on the case of hawksbill sea turtles in the Caribbean, where genetic data are invoked in conservation conflicts. We are particularly interested in the way genetic data can support the scaling-up of sea turtle conservation, creating new ‘conservation territories,’ and we draw on political ecology and common pool resource theory to explore the implications thereof.
Combined Fractures of the Scaphoid and Distal Radius: A Revised Treatment Rationale Using Percutaneous and Arthroscopic Techniques

Revision of the treatment rationale for combined fractures of the scaphoid and distal radius is based on evolution of treatment goals. The trend toward early recovery of hand function requires rigid fixation of both fractures before the start ofa hand therapy program. It is clear that prolonged immobilization of the scaphoid fracture jeopardizes early motion protocols for the distal radius. The fixation of unstable distal radius fractures with volar locking plates appears to offer the most stable construct to permit early motion. Evaluation, reduction, and fixation should be accomplished without disruption of the uninjured ligaments required for stable motion or the soft tissue envelope required for healing. Minimally invasive or percutaneous techniques are the meth-ods required. The tools needed are a clear understanding of anatomy, minifluoroscopic imaging units, and small-joint arthroscopy instruments. Many investigators advocate these techniques for scaphoid and distal radius fractures. It is only natural that these techniques should be used for these combined injuries. The key to success is a three-step process: (1)percutaneous reduction of the scaphoid fracture and provisional stabilization with a guide wire placed along its central axis, (2) percutaneous/arthroscopic reduction and rigid fixation of the distal radius fracture to permit early motion, and(3) fixation of the scaphoid fracture. This final step is accomplished by dorsal percutaneous implantation of a cannulated headless compression screw along the central scaphoid axis. Dorsal percutaneous fixation of scaphoid fractures with headless compression screws and rigid fixation of unstable distal radius fractures with a volar lock-ing plate system offer the most secure fixation. This small series suggests that the goals of early recovery of hand function can be accomplished using percutaneous/miniopen techniques for fracture reduction with rigid fixation and minimal risks.
Hypnosis treatment for smoking: An evaluative review

Abstract 17 studies of hypnosis for treatment of smoking published since 1970 were reviewed. Abstinence after 6 months posttreatment ranged from 4% to 88%. Effectiveness of treatment outcome was examined in terms of: S population, individual versus group treatment, standardized versus individualized suggestions, use of self-hypnosis, number of treatment sessions and time span covered by the treatment, and use of ad-junctive treatment. At 6 months follow-up, more than 50% of smokers remained abstinent in programs in which there were several hours of treatment, intense interpersonal interaction (e.g., individual sessions, marathon hypnosis, mutual group hypnosis), suggestions capitalizing on specific motivations of individual patients, and adjunctive or follow-up contact. The 17 studies are presented in sufficient detail to permit clinicians to follow the published procedures, and recommendations are made for future research.
Linear transformations on nonnegative matrices

Abstract It is shown that if a linear transformation T on the space of n × n complex matrices maps nonnegative matrices into nonnegative matrices and preserves the spectrum of each nonnegative matrix, then T ( A ) = P −1 AP or T ( A ) = P −1 A T P for all matrices A and a fixed nonnegative generalized permutation matrix P .
Quantitation of lidocaine and its deethylated metabolites in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass fragmentography

A sensitive, precise and accurate method for simultaneous quantitation of lidocaine and its deethylated metabolites by gas chromatography-mass fragmentography has been developed. Propyl derivatives of the deethylated metabolites are formed directly in either plasma or urine by treatment with propionaldehyde and sodium cyanoborohydride. The propyl derivatives and unchanged lidocaine are extracted, separated by gas chromatography and quantitated by mass fragmentography using mepivacaine as the internal standard. Quantitation of these compounds to levels as low as 50 ng/ml body fluid has been achieved with coefficients of variation less than 10%.
Physiologic Osteoscierosis Versus Osteopetrosis of the Newborn

P hysiologic osteosclerosis of the newborn is characterized by transient, generalized increase in bone density that usually resolves in 2 to 3 months.' Since it is rare, it may be confused with other conditions causing increased bone density, including infantile osteopetrosis. We report two infants who presented at 2 weeks of age with unrelated clinical conditions and in whom a diagnosis of infantile osteopetrosis
Switchable Holographic Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Reflection Gratings Based on Thiol−Ene Photopolymerization

Holographic reflection gratings in polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLCs) were formed by thiol−ene photopolymerization. Using UV laser light and a single prism, electrically switchable reflection gratings in blue, green, yellow, and red colors were fabricated. Results indicate that thiol−ene polymers function as better hosts for H-PDLC than multifunctional acrylate as matrixes. These differences are the result of a much different temporal structure development caused by fundamental differences in the polymerization propagation mechanism: a step-growth addition mechanism for the thiol−ene system compared to a chain-growth addition mechanism in multifunctional acrylates. Morphology studies by TEM support these conclusions, as striking differences in droplet shape and uniformity are observed. Discrete nematic droplets with a nearly spherical shape were seen. Thiol−ene polymers offer lower switching fields, higher diffraction efficiencies, better optical properties, and higher thermal stabilities. The r...
Infrared emissions from turbofans with high aspect ratio nozzles

A mixed flow turbofan is analyzed from the point of view of i.r. emission characteristics. A simple absorption coefficient model of the core flow gas displays the potential effectiveness of high aspect ratio nozzles as a variable in the design of aircraft engine installations for low i.r. signature. The simplicity of the model described and the limited view perspectives used to assess the signature restrict the usefulness of the results to that of guiding preliminary design. In general, more precise solutions are complex and depend on specification of a relatively large number of independent variables to describe the source—seeker geometry, weather, etc. The level of effort to carry out more accurate analysis may be inconsistent with the preliminary design process where simple criteria such as those described here may be sufficient to select the best of several candidate designs. The influence of cycle parameters is assessed using an /zth power dependence of radiation on temperature and a simple mixing model to estimate the core length. The analysis shows that cycle parameters which improve cycle efficiency and thus fuel consumption also reduce i.r. emissions. Bypass ratio near unity gives low i.r. signature for both optically thin and thick spectral regions.
Cultural Conversions: Unexpected Consequences of Christian Missionary Encounters in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Religion and Politics. Edited by Heather J. Sharkey. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 2013. xiv + 328 pp. $39.95 cloth.

(ProQuest: ... denotes non-US-ASCII text omitted.)Cultural Conversions: Unexpected Consequences of Christian Missionary Encounters in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia . Religion and Politics. Edited by Heather J. Sharkey . Syracuse, N.Y. : Syracuse University Press , 2013. xiv + 328 pp. $39.95 cloth.Book Reviews and NotesProfessor Heather Sharkey presents here a selection of essays drawn from a conference on "Christian Missions and National Identities," held at her home institution, the University of Pennsylvania. They represent critical thought and research in a field she has done much to help advance: the social history of Christian missions. As colonial and post-colonial studies develop and mature, at least some of their practitioners are discovering the dynamic roles that religious agents and institutions played in these dramas. And the more one investigates the role of Christian missions, the more complex and interesting the questions become. Who is a missionary? What does it mean to be converted? What kinds of social, economic and political changes did missions set in motion? What happens to the religious ecology of a region when a new religion is introduced? Where does one look for sources to answer these questions?The essays in this book amply illustrate the richness of this field of inquiry. Chandra Mallampalli focuses on a court case in India in the 1860s, in which relatives contested the estate of an Indian businessman who was a convert to Christianity. The case hinged on whether this convert and the larger community of Christians practiced a western, Christian form of family life and customs of inheritance, or whether Hindu norms and patterns persisted. One could not ask for a more exhaustive examination of what it meant, in daily practice, to be an Indian Christian than what Mallampalli found in the court transcripts and in the public press.What forces were set loose by the presence of Christianity and Christian agencies in places where it did not exist before? Here too we have some intriguing glimpses, notably one provided by Stephen Berkwitz, who presents several Buddhist polemical and practical responses to Christian missions in Sri Lanka. With a religious and social competitor in town, Buddhist leaders scrambled to respond, both via some contemptuous critiques of the new religion and with a reformist movement that introduced some novel, "Protestantizing" features, such as new preaching on moral self-restraint and new agencies to serve the poor. …
The superplastic forming of bulk metallic glasses

Superplastic forming (SPF) is introduced in this article as a net-shape processing method for bulk metallic glasses (BMGs), commercially known as Liquidmetal® alloys. This method decouples fast cooling and forming of the BMG. Forming takes place in the supercooled liquid region, where the BMG exists as a highly viscous liquid and increases its fluidity with increasing temperature. The SPF method is very similar to techniques used for processing thermoplastics. In this work, a simple flow law is used to quantify the forming ability and to estimate both the potential and the limitations of the SPF method. This process is especially well suited to replicate small features and thin sections with high aspect ratios, which makes this process appropriate for microelectromechanical systems, nano- and microtechnology, jewelry, medical and optical applications, and data storage.
Genomic organization of human TCF12 gene and spliced mRNA variants producing isoforms of transcription factor HTF4.

The human TCF12 gene, mapping to 15q21, encodes the helix-loop-helix transcription factor 4 (HTF4). A detailed analysis of this genomic region established the organization of the TCF12 gene. The gene includes 21 exons and is significantly larger than an average human gene. Preceding the second exon, two alternative acceptor sites for mRNA splicing yield two distinguishable transcripts (HTF4a and HTF4b) which differ in their 5' untranslated region but share identical coding sequences. Differential utilization of exon 15 in the TCF12 gene may reflect a mechanism producing a cell-type-specific protein (HTF4c). In addition, intron 5 in the TCF12 gene corresponds to the region involved in a translocation, t(9;15)(q22;q21), that results in a form of extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma.
Do federal spending and tax policies build cities or promote sprawl

Abstract Scholars have long debated the impact of federal spending on metropolitan form. This paper presents a broad study of the extent and influence of recent federal subsidies on suburban land absorption in one major urbanized area, Chicago. The federal government spends considerably more per capita on city residents than on suburbanites. However, the centripetal force generated by this spending pattern is far outweighed by the centrifugal forces resulting from federal housing subsidies. Although much smaller than transfers, federal housing subsidies substantially reduce the price of land in the outer suburbs and hence play a major role in encouraging land absorption.
Laboratory diffusion testing for waste disposal — A review

Abstract This paper reviews the state-of-the-art for the measurement in the laboratory of diffusion coefficients of chemical waste constituents in fine-grained soils. The purpose of the review is to present the experimental and analytical methods for determining liquid-phase diffusion coefficients which can be used in practice for the design and evaluation of waste containment barriers. After the appropriate equations describing mass transport in soil are presented, the practical significance of diffusion coefficients in soil (known as “effective diffusion coefficients”) are described. Appropriate analytical solutions required to calculate the effective diffusion coefficient ( D ∗ ) from the measured laboratory data also are presented for several different initial and boundary conditions. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are noted. A summary of effective diffusion coefficients from the literature suggests that the major physical factor affecting the value of the measured diffusion coefficient is the degree of saturation of the soil, with D ∗ - values for nonreactive and reactive solutes in saturated soils being as much as 10–20 times higher than the corresponding values in unsaturated soils. Most of the other physical factors only become important in soils which are highly unsaturated. In addition, the diffusive transport rates of reactive solutes subject to reversible sorption reactions can be as much as 5000 times lower than those of nonreactive solutes in saturated soils and from 20 to 630,000 times lower in unsaturated soils.
A study of the interrelationships of maternal and fetal adrenal glands of rats.

DURING pregnancy in the human (Venning, 1946; Tobian, 1949; Devis and Devis-Vanden Eeckhoudt, 1949; Jailer and Knowlton, 1950; Lloyd et al., 1952) or in the experimental animals, (Anderson and Sperry, 1937) secretory activity of the adrenal cortex of the mother appears to be high. Little is known about the activity of the fetal adrenal cortex and the interrelationships of maternal and fetal adrenals have not been widely studied. Firor and Grollman (1933) observed that adrenalectomized pregnant albino rats survived twice as long as nonpregnant controls. Ingle and Fisher (1938) found an increase in weight of the fetal adrenals if the maternal adrenals had been removed during the pregnancy. Adrenalectomized pregnant rats delivered their litters normally, but did not lactate sufficiently to raise them unless treated with cortical hormones (Tobin, 1939). Walaas and Walaas (1944) confirmed the findings of Ingle and Fisher and showed that fetal adrenal weight increased 33% if maternal adrenals were removed on th...
Interfacial Delamination of a Layered Composite Under Anti-Plane Strain

The debonding failure of a laminar composite is modeled by the problem of a number of bonded layers of different materials con taining a finite crack along one interface. The proposed model con sis...
Evolution of structure order and complexity in biological systems part iii of a general theory

In this, Part III of a general theory, the large-scale features of evolution of structure, order, and complexity are considered as characteristic features of the biological state of matter. This starts with a rigorous formal definition of structure, classes of structural order, complexity, measures of complexity, and how these arise through evolution by a cumulative process of storing information in memory systems. Three such memory systems have evolved: the genetic memory, the immune memory, and the memories of the nervous system. The evolution, characteristic parameters and the limitations of these memory systems are explored. From these considerations emerge the large-scale features of the evolutionary pathways of biological structure, function, and complexity.
Effects of Botox and Neuronox on muscle force generation in mice.

The current study determined the dose-response relationship for inhibition of muscle force of two commercially available botulinum neurotoxin type-A (BoNTA) preparations (Botox 1 and Neuronox 1 ) in a murine model and characterized the time course of recovery from the toxin-induced muscle paralysis. The effect of freezing reconstituted toxin on toxin potency was also determined. The gastrocnemius muscles in male CD-1 mice were injected with either saline or BoNTA (0.3- 3.0 U/kg), and muscle force generation was examined following stimulation of the tibial nerve (single twitch and 15-200 Hz tetany). Botox and Neuronox produced nearly equivalent decrements in muscle force (30%-90%) at 4 days after toxin injection. At 28 days after injection (1 U/kg), muscle force had recovered from the effects of both toxin preparations. Maintaining reconstituted toxin at � 808C for up to 5 months did not result in significant loss of toxin activity. The results of this study suggest that Botox and Neuronox produce equivalent responses in a murine model, and, in contrast to other models, muscle recovery is rapid with doses of toxin that produce less than maximal decrements in muscle force. 2007 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 25:1658-1664, 2007
Solution processed OTFT circuits on plastic substrates

Solution-processed organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) may allow high volume, low cost manufacturing approaches such as ink-jet printing and roll-to-roll processing. Poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) based solution-processed 5-stage ring oscillators with frequency of several kHz and 7-stage ring oscillators using soluble rubrene with frequency of 1.5 kHz (for Vdd=-45 V) have been reported. We report here 7-stage and 15-stage ring oscillators using spin cast fluorinated 5,11-Bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene (F-TES ADT) on plastic substrates with maximum oscillation frequency of more than 22 kHz and minimum propagation delay less than 3.3 mus/stage (for 7-stage ring oscillators for Vdd=-80 V). These circuits also oscillate with supply voltage as low as -3 V and have stable operation at Vdd=-5 V with oscillation frequency of ~2.8 kHz.
Demonstration of Electroluminescence from Strained Ge Membrane LED

We demonstrate electroluminescence (EL) from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on highly strained germanium (Ge) membranes. Electrical measurements show an on-off ratio increase of one order of magnitude in membrane LEDs compared to bulk. The EL spectrum from the 0.76% strained Ge LED shows a 100nm redshift of the center wavelength. We also discuss the implications for highly efficient Ge lasers.