cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fundamental processes in gaseous tube rectifiers

The theory involved in the phenomena occurring in gas-filled rectifier tubes is discussed here. It is shown how the two basic laws of electronics, the Richardson-Laue-Dushman equation of thermionic emission and the Child-Langmuir space-charge law, affect the behavior of these tubes.
Thermal properties of zirconia co-doped with trivalent and pentavalent oxides

Zirconia doped with 6-8 wt% (3.2-4.2 mol%) yttria (6-8YSZ), the most common thermal barrier coating material, relies mostly on oxygen vacancies to provide the phonon scattering necessary for low thermal conductivity. The present study examines whether specific substitutional defects—in addition to, or instead of, oxygen vacancies—can provide similar or greater reductions in conductivity. To this end a series of zirconia samples co-doped with varying levels of yttrium (trivalent) and tantalum/niobium (pentavalent) oxides were synthesized, thereby allowing oxygen vacancy and substitutional atom concentration to be varied independently. The results show that Nb-Y and Ta-Y co-doped zirconia samples containing only substi- tutional defects produce stable single-phase tetragonal materials with thermal conductivities very close to that of the conventional 6-8YSZ. In these samples, Nb 51 and Td 51 are similarly effective in lowering thermal conductivity, in contradiction to phonon scattering theories that consider primarily mass effects and thereby predict significantly greater conductivity reduction due to Ta 51 doping than Nb 51 doping. Finally, Nb 51 /Ta 51 - Y 31 doped samples, which contain both oxygen vacancies and substitutional defects, are found not to be stable in single-phase form; however, the thermal conductivities of the two-phase tetragonal 1 cubic mixtures are again as low as that of the conventional 6-8YSZ. © 2001 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Endogenous Thioredoxin Is Required for Redox Cycling of Anthracyclines and p53-dependent Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

Apoptosis is a major mechanism of cancer cell destruction by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The anthracycline class of antitumor drugs undergoes redox cycling in living cells producing increased amounts of reactive oxygen species and semiquinone radical, both of which can cause DNA damage, and consequently trigger apoptotic death of cancer cells. We show here that MCF-7 cells overexpressing thioredoxin (Trx) were more apoptotic in response to daunomycin. Trx overexpression in MCF-7 cells increased the generation of superoxide anion (O2*-) in anthracycline-treated cell extracts. Enhanced generation of O2- in response to daunomycin inTrx-overexpressing MCF-7 cells was inhibited by diphenyleneiodonium chloride, a general NADPH reductase inhibitor, demonstrating that Trx provides reducing equivalents to a bioreductive enzyme for redox cycling of daunomycin. Additionally Trx increased p53-DNA binding and expression in response to anthracyclines. MCF-7 cells expressing mutant redox-inactive Trx showed decreased superoxide generation, apoptosis, and p53 protein and DNA binding. In addition, down-regulation of endogenous Trx expression by small interfering RNA resulted in decreased expression of caspase-7 and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase expression in response to daunomycin. These results suggest that endogenous Trx is required for anthracycline-mediated apoptosis of breast cancer cells. Taken together, our data demonstrate a novel pro-oxidant and proapoptotic role of Trx in anthracycline-mediated apoptosis in anthracycline chemotherapy.
A vanishing theorem for the tangential de Rham cohomology of a foliation with amenable fundamental groupoid

For a space X carrying a foliation \({\mathcal{F}}\), the authors study the cohomology of the complex of differential forms which are smooth along the leaves and transversally locally L∞. It is shown that, if the leaves are nonpositively curved manifolds of rank at least r in a suitable uniform sense and the fundamental groupoid of the foliation is amenable, then the cohomology vanishes in degrees above r. This result is inspired by some of Gromov's results on bounded cohomology.
Effects of psychic stress on atherosclerosis in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).

SummaryTwo groups of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were subjected to intermittent stress of different types (restraint alone and restraint combined with conditioned avoidance) for a period of 25 months. The following statistically significant differences were observed between the test groups and a control group of monkeys confined to cages for the same period of time: (1) The mean serum cholesterol was higher following the periods of stress; (2) excretion of urinary 17-ketosteroids was increased; and (3) coronary artery atherosclerosis was more marked. Although no significant differences were observed in the weight of the adrenal glands, the adrenals from all except one of the test monkeys showed changes observable grossly and histologically. Electrocardiographic changes, present in 4 of the test monkeys, were not seen in any monkeys in the control group. The effects of stress-liberated catecholamines are discussed briefly.
Automated exploration of the design space for register transfer (RT) systems

A Design Automation System for the RT level of design is described. The System explores the design space by finding alternative implementations for a user given behavioral specification. The alternative solutions are obtained by transformations on a graph model. These transformations effect trade-offs between the cost of the hardware and the speed of the algorithm. Heuristic routines are used to reduce the design space by exploring only those alternatives whose characteristics approach a user given set of goals.
Evidence-Based Pharmacological Treatment of Geriatric Bipolar Disorder

Elderly individuals who have bipolar (BP) disorder present a particular challenge to clinicians, health care services, and caregivers. They are a complex and heterogeneous group of patients who frequently have comorbidities and poor outcomes, including a high mortality rate. BP elders represent 5% to 19% of patients presenting for acute treatment at geriatric psychiatry services [1,2]. They use health services heavily [3,4]. The psychopathology associated with their illness episodes (ie, mania, mixed mania, hypomania, and depression) can be severe; their signs and symptoms resemble those in younger patients [5]. Elderly BP patients who are treated for manic and mixed episodes often have incomplete response [6,7], further episodes [8–10], and high mortality rate [8,9]. Beyond recognition and careful diagnostic assessment, pharmacotherapy is the cornerstone of their management. This article addresses the current evidence regarding drug treatment of BP disorder in old age. In particular:
Physicians’ initial forensic impressions of hypothetical cases of pediatric traumatic brain injury

Abstract Objective To describe physicians’ initial forensic impressions of hypothetical cases of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to compare the responses of pathologists and pediatricians. Method A survey was administered to physicians who attended workshops on pediatric TBI; were members of two national internet list serves; and were members of the Section on Child Abuse and Neglect of the American Academy of Pediatrics (N = 522) and the National Association of Medical Examiners (N = 815). The survey included 16 hypothetical case scenarios depicting a pediatric TBI. Participants were asked to categorize their initial forensic impressions of each scenario on a seven-point scale from definitive unintentional to definitive inflicted injury. Results A total of 570 surveys were completed, including 465 of 1337 surveys (35%) distributed through the regular mail. In 8 of 16 hypothetical cases, a majority of respondents (range, 60–98%) and a majority of the more experienced respondents (range, 59–97%) categorized the hypothetical TBI as either unintentional or inflicted. Pathologists were less likely than the pediatric participants to view these scenarios as inflicted TBI. Conclusion Certain features of TBI cases result in a majority of clinicians categorizing them as inflicted or intentional. In the absence of a confession of inflicted injury, witnessed or verifiable events, severe injuries without explanation or injuries that can be linked clearly to a perinatal period, clinicians were unable to agree on the etiology of the injury. Our results will be helpful to other researchers so that consistent, validated research definitions are used to classify pediatric TBI for research purposes.
Improving software concurrency with hardware-assisted memory snapshot

We propose a hardware-assisted memory snapshot to improve software concurrency. It is built on top of the hardware resources for transactional memory and allows for easy development of system software modules such as concurrent garbage collector and dynamic profiler.
Protection of Retinal Cells from Ischemia by a Novel Gap Junction Inhibitor

Retinal cells which become ischemic will pass apoptotic signal to adjacent cells, resulting in the spread of damage. This occurs through open gap junctions. A class of novel drugs, based on primaquine (PQ), was tested for binding to connexin 43 using simulated docking studies. A novel drug has been synthesized and tested for inhibition of gap junction activity using R28 neuro-retinal cells in culture. Four drugs were initially compared to mefloquine, a known gap junction inhibitor. The drug with optimal inhibitory activity, PQ1, was tested for inhibition and was found to inhibit dye transfer by 70% at 10 microM. Retinal ischemia was produced in R28 cells using cobalt chloride as a chemical agent. This resulted in activation of caspase-3 which was prevented by PQ1, the gap junction inhibitor. Results demonstrate that novel gap junction inhibitors may provide a means to prevent retinal damage during ischemia.
Oxygen supersaturation in ice-covered Antarctic lakes: biological versus physical contributions.

Lake Hoare is one of a number of ice-covered polar lakes in the Dry Valley Region of southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Analysis of N2, O2, and Ar in bubbles from this lake's ice indicates that while O2 is about 2.4 times supersaturated in the water below the ice, only 11 percent of the O2 input to this lake is due to biological activity and the balance is derived from meltwater inflow. In Lake Hoare, as much as 70 percent of total gas loss may occur by advection through the ice cover; the remaining gas fractions are removed by respiration at the lower boundary in the case of O2, and by molecular exchange with the atmosphere in the peripheral summer moat around the ice.
Family Size and Mother-Child Relations in Later Life,

What effect does family size have on mother-child relationships in later life? From the child's perspective, does sibsize affect the level of interaction and quality of the relationship? From the mother's perspective, does family size affect the amount of contact with and support received from children? These questions are examined using data from the National Survey of Families and Households conducted in 1987-88. The findings show that family size does make a difference, both for adult children and for older mothers.
Adding procalcitonin-guided therapy to standard care did not reduce mortality in critically ill patients

Source Citation Jensen JU, Hein L, Lundgren B, et al; The Procalcitonin And Survival Study (PASS) Group. Procalcitonin-guided interventions against infections to increase early appropriate antibiot...
State Agent or Citizen Agent: Two Narratives of Discretion

This article is based on the first two chapters of the authors' forthcoming book, Citizen-Agents: Stories from the Front-lines of Governing. The research
The COOH-terminal domain of agrin signals via a synaptic receptor in central nervous system neurons

Agrin is a motor neuron–derived factor that directs formation of the postsynaptic apparatus of the neuromuscular junction. Agrin is also expressed in the brain, raising the possibility that it might serve a related function at neuron–neuron synapses. Previously, we identified an agrin signaling pathway in central nervous system (CNS) neurons, establishing the existence of a neural receptor that mediates responses to agrin. As a step toward identifying this agrin receptor, we have characterized the minimal domains in agrin that bind and activate it. Structures required for agrin signaling in CNS neurons are contained within a 20-kD COOH-terminal fragment of the protein. Agrin signaling is independent of alternative splicing at the z site, but requires sequences that flank it because their deletion results in a 15-kD fragment that acts as an agrin antagonist. Thus, distinct regions within agrin are responsible for receptor binding and activation. Using the minimal agrin fragments as affinity probes, we also studied the expression of the agrin receptor on CNS neurons. Our results show that both agrin and its receptor are concentrated at neuron–neuron synapses. These data support the hypothesis that agrin plays a role in formation and/or function of CNS synapses.
Free Radical Theory of Aging: Effect of Dietary Fat on Central Nervous System Function*

Free radical reactions have been implicated in aging. A rise in the level of random free radical reactions in a biologic system might have a greater effect on the central nervous system (CNS) than elsewhere, partly because of the presence of glial cells and the unique connections between neurons. To evaluate this possibility, some animal experiments were conducted. The initial experiment involved old male Sprague-Dawley rats fed (since shortly after weaning) with semisynthetic diets characterized by fat differing in amount or degree of unsaturation. The number of errors made in a Hebb-Williams maze was determined and found to be higher as the amount or degree of unsaturation of the fat was increased. Likewise rats aged 6 and 9 months, fed semisynthetic diets containing 20 percent by weight of lard, oleinate, or safflower oil +alpha-tocopherol performed significantly better in a discrimination learning situation (Skinner box) than did rats fed a diet containing 20 percent by weight of safflower oil. The diets employed in these studies did not have a significant effect on the mortality rates. These results are compatible with the possibility that enhancing the level of lipid peroxidation has an adverse effect on the CNS, out of proportion to the effect on the body as a whole, as measured by the mortality rate.
Rate-determining factors for ethanol metabolism in fasted and castrated male rats

Abstract The effects of castration and fasting upon the alcohol elimination rate, liver alcohol dehydrogenase (LADH) maximum activity (Vmax), and hepatic concentrations of ethanol, acetaldehyde, and free NADH during ethanol oxidation were examined in male Wistar rats. Castration increased the Vmax of LADH and, to a lesser extent, the alcohol elimination rate in vivo. On the other hand, fasting reduced the Vmax of LADH and the alcohol elimination rate in sham-operated and castrated rats but it did not nullify the effect of castration. Castration produced small but significant changes in the hepatic concentrations of ethanol, acetyldehyde and free NADH in fed rats during ethanol oxidation. Fasting also caused significant increases in the concentration of free NADH during alcohol oxidation in both the sham-operated and castrated groups. The ratio of the steady-state velocities of LADH in situ to the maximum velocities of LADH ( ν V max ) under the different experimental conditions was calculated by using the steady-state rate equation for the enzyme mechanism of rat LADH and its kinetic constants. The calculated ν V max ratios were 50–62%, indicating that LADH activity was limited to about the same extent by its substrates and products under these conditions and that the changes in alcohol elimination rates produced by fasting and castration mainly reflected changes in the Vmax of LADH. The calculated steady-state velocities in situ (ν) were 14–28% lower than the measured rates of alcohol elimination in vivo. The extent of agreement is probably acceptable in view of the assumptions needed to determine the free NADH concentration in liver and the existence of non-LADH-related processes for alcohol elimination in vivo.
Effects of Electrostatic and van der Waals Interactions on the Adhesion of Spherical 7 µm Particles

ABSTRACT The force needed to detach spherical particles having a number average diameter of 7.1 μm from a polymeric, photoconducting substrate was determined by ultracentrifugation. In the absence of any release agents applied to the substrate, it was found that only a small fraction of the particles could be removed from the substrate even at the highest centripetal accelerations (354,000 g). However, when the substrate was coated with a thin layer of a release aid (zinc stearate), the force needed to separate the particles from the substrate was greatly reduced, thereby allowing the detachment force to be determined. Under these conditions, it was found that the release force varied with the square of the particle charge-to-mass ratio. Moreover, it was also found by extrapolation that the detachment force at zero charge, corresponding to the residual van der Waals interactions, was finite. These results suggest that both van der Waals and electrostatic interactions affect the adhesion of particles and, ...
Minor planet observations and the fundamental reference system

A 15 year project to establish a dynamical reference system utilizing ground-based and Space Telescope observations of 34 minor planets is being undertaken. The orbits of these minor planets will be knit into a common system through the use of “crossing point” observations. The system of orbits thus established can be used to measure long arcs in the sky (similar to the function of a transit circle) and can be used to detect individual star errors as well as residual periodic effects in the fundamental reference system. The minor planet dynamical reference system will also provide an independent method to establish the zero point and the solid-body rotation of the HIPPARCOS reference system.
Study on Control Technology of VSC-HVDC in AC System Fault Mode

VSC-HVDC is usually associated with the AC system, which will be inevitably affected by AC system.VSC-HVDC mostly operates in the environment of strong current and high voltage, which will lead some parts of internal device to be interfered or damaged.This paper studies the control technology of VSC-HVDC in AC system fault mode to ensure that the device itself is not only perfect but timely rescue the AC system when it is necessary.
DO PRODUCER SERVICES INDUCE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Goods production and services have become increasingly integrated within a flexible, information-oriented system of production organization. In this context, it is argued here that producer services–carried out both within manufacturing firms and by “independent” enterprises–play a pivotal role in expanding the division of labor, productivity, and per capita income. This proposition is supported by results of an empirical analysis of metropolitan areas in major U.S. regions and in the nation as a whole.
Structural Determinants for Affinity Enhancement of a Dual Antagonist Peptide Entry Inhibitor of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1

Structure–activity correlations were investigated for substituted peptide conjugates that function as dual receptor site antagonists of HIV-1 gp120. A series of peptide conjugates were constructed via click reaction of both aryl and alkyl acetylenes with an internally incorporated azidoproline 6 derived from the parent peptide 1 (12p1, RINNIPWSEAMM). Compared to 1, many of these conjugates were found to exhibit several orders of magnitude increase in both affinity for HIV-1 gp120 and inhibition potencies at both the CD4 and coreceptor binding sites of gp120. We sought to determine structural factors in the added triazole grouping responsible for the increased binding affinity and antiviral activity of the dual inhibitor conjugates. We measured peptide conjugate potencies in both kinetic and cell infection assays. High affinity was sterically specific, being exhibited by the cis- but not the trans-triazole. The results demonstrate that aromatic, hydrophobic, and steric features in the residue 6 side-chain ...
Effect of ketamine enantiomers on sound-induced convulsions in epilepsy prone rats

Summary Epilepsy prone rats ( Jobe et al, 1982 ) which had previously been determined to experience relatively mild seizures in response to a sound stimulus were used in this study in order to provide a model which would reveal either proconvulsant or anticonvulsant drug activity. Animals were administered dextrorotatory (+), levorotatory (−), or racemic (±) ketamine hydrochloride by intravenous (tail vein) injection and subsequently challenged with a 120 db broad spectrum sound stimulus. Evaluation of drug effect was based on presence/absence of seizure, seizure severity, and convulsive latency (time from onset of stimulus to onset of convulsive episode). Potencies relative to protection against seizure susceptibility were: (+) > (±) > (−), with the ratio of activity of the (+) and (−) isomers comparing to the ratio of activity found by other investigators relative to other effects produced by the isomers. Of all animals which were not fully protected, there were no instances of decrement of seizure severity. At low doses, there was a slight decrease in convulsive latency, which was the only indication of a proconvulsant effect. This effect is probably prevented at the higher doses by the anticonvulsant tendency of the drug.
Evaluation of the control of glucagon secretion by the parasympathetic nervous system in man.

Abstract To evaluate the influence of the parasympathetic nervous system on human glucagon secretion, we have measured the plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) levels after the administration of edrophonium, bethanechol chloride, and 2-deoxy-glucose, and have compared the IRG responses to hypoglycemia in normal, atropinized, and vagotomized man. Edrophonium administered i.v. and bethanechol chloride administered s.c. did not affect IRG levels. Two-deoxy-glucose resulted in symptomatic neuroglucopenia with resultant vagal discharge, as evidenced by increased gastric acid secretion; but no changes in IRG concentrations were observed. The IRG response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in normal subjects was not influenced by the administration of atropine. In seven subjects with a truncal vagotomy and no increased gastric acid secretion during insulin-induced hypoglycemia, IRG increases were indistinguishable from those of control subjects in terms of timing, peak level obtained, or total glucagon response. We conclude that the cholinergic system is unlikely to play an important role in modulating glucagon secretion in man.
Sensitive detection of 5-methylcytosine and quantitation of the 5-methylcytosine/cytosine ratio in DNA by gas chromatography--mass spectrometry using multiple specific ion monitoring.

Abstract A method combining gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with multiple specific ion monitoring has been developed for the detection of 5-methylcytosine and the quantitation of the ratio of methyleytosine to cytosine in DNA. The trimethylsilyl derivatives of cytosine and 5-methylcytosine obtained from DNA hydrolysates are separated by isothermal elution on an OV-225 column and detected by specific ion monitoring in a DuPont 321 mass spectrometer. As little as 1.6 pmol of 5-methylcytosine in Φ χ 174 DNA can be detected, corresponding to a tenfold improvement in sensitivity over that obtained by conventional techniques. The ratio of 5-methylcytosine to cytosine of DNA from φ χ 174, calf thymus, salmon sperm, and several mouse tissues has also been determined. The results agree well with those obtained by other methods.
A Mesh-Connected Area-Time Optimal VLSI Multiplier of Large Integers

This paper describes a VLSI network for the multiplication of two N-bit integers, for very large N. The network, with its area 0(N) and operation time 0(√N), matches, within a constant factor, the known theoretical Ω(N2) lower bound to the area × (time)2measure of complexity in the VLSI model of computation. The network, which is based on the discrete Fourier transform, has an extremely regular mesh structure, and thus all wires have approximately the same length.
A mutational hot spot in the incompatibility gene incC of mini-F plasmid.

The incC incompatibility locus of the mini-F plasmid is also a replication control locus. We have selected and sequenced six independent incC mutations. Each mutation causes a partial loss of incompatibility. All mutations are GC → AT transitions. Five of six mutations occur in the same base pair located at coordinate 46.070 kb; the sixth mutation occurs in an adjacent base pair at 46.069 kb. Both mutational sites are in a hexanucleotide sequence common to several origins of replication.
Of Rodents and Men: Species-Specific Glucose Regulation and Type 2 Diabetes Research

Summary Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has reached epidemic proportions worldwide and animal models mimicking human T2DM are widely used to study mechanisms of disease and to develop pharmacotherapeutics. Over the last three decades, rodent models of T2DM have yielded more than 50 publications per month; however, many details of human T2DM pathogenesis remain unclear, and means of preventing disease progression remain elusive. This review investigates the reasons for this translational discrepancy by analyzing the experimental evidence from rodent models of T2DM. The analysis reveals significant species-specific differences at every level of glucose regulation, from gene/protein expression, cellular signaling, tissue and organ to whole organism level, when compared with data acquired using human cells, tissues, organs, and populations. Given the extensive species-specific barrier that creates an immutable translational gap, there is an urgent need to further employ and develop human-based research strategies to make significant strides against the current T2DM epidemic.
Extra dimensions and the muon anomalous magnetic moment

It has been proposed recently that the scale of strong gravity can be very close to the weak scale. Dimensions of sizes anywhere from $\ensuremath{\sim}\mathrm{mm}$ to $\ensuremath{\sim}{\mathrm{TeV}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ can be populated by bulk gravitons, vector bosons and fermions. In this paper the one-loop correction of these bulk particles to the muon magnetic moment (MMM) is investigated. In all the scenarios considered here it is found that the natural value for the MMM is ${O(10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}).$ One main result is that the contribution of each Kaluza-Klein graviton to the MMM is remarkably finite. The bulk graviton loop implies a limit of $\ensuremath{\sim}400\mathrm{GeV}$ on the scale of strong gravity. This could be pushed up to $\ensuremath{\sim}1\ensuremath{-}2\mathrm{TeV},$ even in the case of six extra dimensions, if the BNL E821 experiment reaches an expected sensitivity of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}.$ Limits on a bulk $B\ensuremath{-}L$ gauge boson are interesting, but still allow for forces ${10}^{6}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{7}$ times stronger than gravity at ${\mathrm{mm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ distances. The correction of a bulk right-handed neutrino to the MMM in one recent proposal for generating small Dirac neutrino masses is considered in the context of a two Higgs doublet model, and is found to be close to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}9}.$ The contributions of all these bulk particles to the MMM are (roughly) independent of both the total number of extra dimensions and the dimension of the subspace occupied by the bulk states. Finally, limits on the size of ``small'' compact dimensions gotten from the MMM and atomic parity violation are determined and compared.
Examination of Candidate Exonic Variants for Association to Alzheimer Disease in the Amish

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. As with many complex diseases, the identified variants do not explain the total expected genetic risk that is based on heritability estimates for AD. Isolated founder populations, such as the Amish, are advantageous for genetic studies as they overcome heterogeneity limitations associated with complex population studies. We determined that Amish AD cases harbored a significantly higher burden of the known risk alleles compared to Amish cognitively normal controls, but a significantly lower burden when compared to cases from a dataset of unrelated individuals. Whole-exome sequencing of a selected subset of the overall study population was used as a screening tool to identify variants located in the regions of the genome that are most likely to contribute risk. By then genotyping the top candidate variants from the known AD genes and from linkage regions implicated previous studies in the full dataset, new associations could be confirmed. The most significant result (p = 0.0012) was for rs73938538, a synonymous variant in LAMA1 within the previously identified linkage peak on chromosome 18. However, this association is specific to the Amish and did not generalize when tested in a dataset of unrelated individuals. These results suggest that additional risk variation in the Amish remains to be identified and likely resides outside of the classical protein coding gene regions.
An implicit wave equation model for the shallow water equations

In this paper an implicit numerical solution procedure for the shallow water equations is presented. It achieves efficiency through replacement of decompositions of a time-varying matrix by back substitutions for the solution of the equation system.
Demonstration of a Reversible Helical Electromagnetic Launcher and Its Use as an Electronically Programmable Mechanical Shock Tester

A reversible helical electromagnetic launcher (R-HEML) that is able to accelerate and decelerate a projectile is presented and discussed. The R-HEML in this paper has a hollow-projectile geometry and has a barrel length of 750 mm and a bore diameter of 40 mm. The R-HEML is powered by a three-module sequentially fired capacitive pulse-forming network that has a total energy storage of 1 MJ. The projectile mass is typically on the order of 700 g. The largest measured acceleration is 8000 m/s 2 , and the largest measured deceleration is 15 000 m/s 2 . Pulselengths for the acceleration and deceleration pulses varied from 5 to 14.5 ms. A modified version of the R-HEML is constructed and used in an industrial setting to generate high-g shock and vibration pulses to characterize materials and devices. Utilization of the R-HEML in this manner is one of the first industrial applications of an electromagnetic launcher.
Acting and Reacting Work/Life Accommodation and Blue-Collar Workers

The authors examined blue-collar employees’ experiences with work/life. More specifically, the strategies used by skilled and unskilled employees when making work/life accommodation requests are un...
Chromatographic studies of the structures of amorphous phosphates: a review

Abstract The technique of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been used to investigate the distribution of phosphate anions in a variety of amorphous phosphate solids. In many cases, HPLC can be used to quantitatively measure the type and distribution of phosphate tetrahedral chains and rings in the solid that are between 1 and 10 nm in size. The experimental details of the HPLC technique are presented and the strengths and limitations of the technique are reviewed. The structural information obtained using HPLC is compared with structural information obtained using solid state techniques such as NMR and XPS. Several specific examples that illustrate the power and sensitivity of the HPLC technique are reviewed.
IMP response: An indicator of metabolic stress in working muscle

An in vitro system for the combined biochemical and physiologic analysis of striated muscle has been developed. It is hoped that its eventual application will be to the evaluation of human muscle disease. To test the method's usefulness in evaluating metabolic defects, we used iodoacetate to induce a glycolytic defect in animal muscle. This produced the expected effects of precipitous fatigue on repetitive stimulation, increased inosine monophosphate (IMP) and decreased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine; in addition, the severity of the glycolytic block was directly related to the amount of IMP produced per gram twitch tension.
Membrane pathways for drug/ion channel interactions: Molecular basis for pharmacokinetic properties

This review focuses on the interactions of certain classes of drugs that are known to bind to membrane-bound ion channel/receptors. The concepts described here have broad applications to various ion channels as well as membrane bound receptors that are not ion channels such as the superfamily of G protein coupled receptors. Since data spanning from the molecular to the clinical field currently exists for drugs that bind to the voltage gated calcium channel, this review will highlight this rather narrow scope. It is to be appreciated that the concepts, as described, may have applicability to other membrane-bound receptors. The focus will be on the calcium channel antagonist drugs of the 1,4 dihydropyridine type that bind to the L type calcium channel. Clearly an evolution in their molecular design has been brought to a point where these molecules are not only amphiphilic but increasingly lipophilic. Simply stated, this means that these drugs can readily transport across cell membranes accessing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic environments, although they have also become more soluble in the membrane bilayer. From an equilibrium point of view these molecules prefer to reside in the lipid bilayer hydrocarbon core; from a kinetic point of view they spend more time, on average, solvated within membranes than outside membranes, but their rates of entry into and exit from membranes do not appear to be related solely to their intramembranal equilibrium concentration. This biophysical understanding appears not only to define the molecular pathways for drug binding to the calcium channel receptor, but also to explain differences in the overall clinical pharmacokinetics observed for different drugs in this class. The potency of calcium antagonists is primarily related to their binding affinity to the calcium channel with a variable degree of dependency on the solvation of the drug in the membrane. The pharmacokinetic profile of calcium antagonists, although influenced to some degree by interactions with the target receptor, appears to be largely dictated by their interactions with the cell membranes at the molecular level. These interactions are distinctly different for each calcium antagonist but they can be classified into a few subgroups to explain drug onset and duration of action. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Normative ranges by curve fitting to raw data.

This study proposes a technique for finding the frequency distributions (FDs) of the median motor distal latencies (MMDL) of healthy and of disease subjects by mathematically analyzing the combined frequency distribution (CFD) of all the subjects that were recorded in an EMG Lab, from the numbers themselves, without any reference to clinical data. The CFD is the algebraic summation of the healthy-group FD and the disease-group FD. Although it is impossible to visually detect these FDs within the CFD numerical values or graphic representation, the hypothesis is that it can be done analytically. Three analytical ways were tested and showed satisfactory results. Also, this study shows the statistics of the overlap between health and disease, i.e. the prediction value of each MMDL, statistics that are of utmost importance, and can not be generated in any other way.
Cholestasis of sepsis

Abstract Cholestasis of sepsis is a form of hepatocellular cholestasis that occurs as a result of sepsis. Usually, prior to the development of cholestasis, the manifestations of sepsis dominate the clinical picture. The occurrence of cholestasis is without direct bacterial involvement of the biliary system and appears to be mediated systemically by pro-inflammatory cytokines. These cytokines are released in response to the vigorous inflammatory reaction mediated by endotoxinaemia and bacterial wall lipopolysaccharides. The principal cytokines involved are the pro-inflammatory tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL) 1-β and IL-6. Interplay between these cytokines and a series of hepatocyte membrane transporters appears to result in the cholestasis. Management principles focus upon the control of sepsis.
An evolutionary perspective on synonymous codon usage in unicellular organisms

Observed patterns of synonymous codon usage are explained in terms of the joint effects of mutation, selection, and random drift. Examination of the codon usage in 165Escherichia coli genes reveals a consistent trend of increasing bias with increasing gene expression level. Selection on codon usage appears to be unidirectional, so that the pattern seen in lowly expressed genes is best explained in terms of an absence of strong selection. A measure of directional synonymous-codon usage bias, the Codon Adaptation Index, has been developed. In enterobacteria, rates of synonymous substitution are seen to vary greatly among genes, and genes with a high codon bias evolve more slowly. A theoretical study shows that the patterns of extreme codon bias observed for someE. coli (and yeast) genes can be generated by rather small selective differences. The relative plausibilities of various theoretical models for explaining nonrandom codon usage are discussed.
Japan's software industry: a failure of institutions?

Abstract This article argues that the key cause of the current weakness of Japan's software industry is the institutional arrangements of Japan's system of catch-up capitalism. These include industrial policy; the keiretsu industrial groups; a centralized, bank-centered financial system; lack of enforcement of the antimonopoly law; a weak intellectual property regime; and education and employment systems that emphasize conformity, loyalty, and stability. Key to success in other industries, these arrangements are found to be the source of its weakness in software. The case thus exposes some of the costs and limitations of the catch-up system.
Scale economies in hedging foreign exchange cash flow exposures

Abstract This study finds that a sample of U.S.-based multinational corporations (MNCs) with heavy involvement in Europe is less frequently exposed to European currency risk than to non-European currency risk. Furthermore, 60% of the time, the MNCs without European exposure are found to have non-European exposure. These results are likely due to scale economies in foreign exchange exposure hedging that recently has been suggested in the literature. To the extent that economies of scale in hedging exist, it is likely that MNCs can achieve these economies in areas where they conduct substantial business activities, thus are more able to justify the necessary hedging programs.
A Technique of Aortic Annulus Enlargement With a Freestyle Stentless Bioprosthesis

We describe our surgical technique to manage a small aortic annulus during aortic valve replacement. Starting with the posterior annular enlargement incision described by Manouguian, a stentless porcine aortic root, with excision of the left and right porcine coronary segments and conservation of the mural wall (Freestyle MS design, Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN ), was used. The Freestyle bioprosthesis enlarges the aortic annulus using a direct suture of the valve on the enlarged annulus, and the aorta is closed by a direct suture of the mural wall of the bioprosthesis. Therefore, the aortic annulus enlargement is made only using the aortic bioprosthesis, without other material.
Treatment of small cell lung cancer: progress, potential and problems.

Abstract Important advances have been made in the treatment of small cell anaplastic bronchogenic carcinoma during the last decade. Long duration disease-free survival is currently achieved in 5–10% of treated patients throughout the world. Ambulatory, asymptomatic patients with disease confined to the chest and regional lymph nodes have the best survival prospects. Further survival improvement, for these patients and for individuals with more disseminated disease, may result from therapeutic techniques currently under study. This presentation reviews treatment advances made to-date and indicates problem areas for future trials. The need for well designed, sharply focused clinical trials that will answer specific treatment related questions is evident. Such trials may overcome present barriers to improved therapeutic results.
Domestic Violence, Emotional Competence, and Child Adjustment

This article examined emotion competence in children exposed to domestic violence (DV). It also examined the hypothesis that children’s emotional competence mediates relations between DV and children’s later difficulties with peers and behavioral adjustment. DV was assessed when children were at the age of five, emotional competence was assessed at the age of 9.5, and peer quality and behavioral adjustment were obtained at the age of 11. Children from homes with greater DV were less aware of their own emotions and more emotionally dysregulated at the age of 9.5. Emotional awareness mediated the relationship between DV at the age of five and children’s friendship closeness and internalizing problems at the age of 11. Emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between DV at the age of five and children’s negative peer group interactions, social problems, and internalizing and externalizing problems at the age of 11. Results are discussed in terms of the impact of DV on children’s emotional development and the role that different aspects of emotional competence play in children’s socio-emotional adjustment.
On minimizing the response of structures to dynamic loading

Eine obere Schranke wird angegeben fur die Ausschlage eines elastischen Balkens unter allgemeiner dynamischer Belastung. Die Bemessung, fur welche diese Schranke einen Kleinstwert annimmt, wird bestimmt und mit der Bemessung fur kleinste statische Durchbiegung verglichen.
Energy and Angular Distribution of Electrons Ejected from Hydrogen and Helium Gas by Protons

Differential cross sections for ejection of secondary electrons of various energies at various angles were measured for hydrogen gas bombarded by 100-keV protons and for helium gas bombarded by 50-, 100-, and 150-keV protons. The range of angles investigated was 10\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 160\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and the range of electron energies was 1 to 500 eV. A unique fixed-port, double-walled scattering chamber was used. Electrons were counted by an electron multiplier after passing through a 127\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} electrostatic analyzer. The efficiency of the detector was determined by replacing the analyzer and multiplier by a Faraday cup and making absolute measurements of cross sections differential only in angle. Comparison with the integral of the differential cross sections over all electron energies gave a value of about 78% for the efficiency. As a function of electron energy the cross sections decrease monotonically above about 2.5 eV and are uncertain below this value. All cross sections decrease monotonically with an increase in angle but are relatively constant above about 110\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The differential cross sections have been integrated in various ways to obtain distributions over electron energy and angle, total cross sections for ionization, average energies of the ejected electrons, and the stopping cross sections due to ionization. Comparisons are made with other experimental results and with theoretical treatments by the Born approximation and the Gryzinski classical theory.
Desorption of positive ions and plume formation from laser irradiation of ionic crystals

In applications of high intensity lasers to materials processing, the formation of an ablation plume is of high importance. For wide bandgap insulators (e.g., oxides, halides, nitrides, carbides) irradiated with sub bandgap photon energies, the route to plume formation is not well understood. For example, contrary to metals and semiconductors, inverse bremsstrahlung (IB) is not possible for a wide range of laser intensities on these materials due to insufficient photon and electron densities. We present an alternative path to plume formation on nominally transparent materials. In this paper, we first review the interaction of photo- and thermally-emitted particles from exposure to pulsed laser irradiation of surfaces which include photoelectrons, energetic positive ions, and neutral metal atoms. We establish experimentally that there is overlap in space and time of significant portions of the distributions of these particles in the near surface region. We then present a model for the collected motion of these particles and show that as laser fluence is increased we achieve sufficient densities, overlap, and kinetic energies to result in the onset of plume fluorescence and eventually ionization at fluences far below any IB or catastrophic breakdown process.
Diffraction gratings for the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region

Abstract A technique has been developed to measure the efficiency of diffraction gratings in the vacuum ultraviolet spectral region at any angle of incidence which will be discussed briefly. The measurements show that concave gratings do not have a uniform efficiency over their surfaces, primarily because of the change in blaze angle across the surface. Examples will be shown of results obtained using both conventionally ruled, and holographically recorded, gratings. A short discussion of stray light will be given, followed by a description of the conical diffraction mounting that promises to be useful in synchroton radiation monochromators.
An evaluation of the nature of marijuana use and its motives among young adult active users.

The present investigation examined marijuana use, abuse, and dependence in relation to self-reported marijuana use behaviors and motives, as well as concurrent cigarette and problematic alcohol use among a sample of young adult current marijuana users (n = 200; 44.5% women; Mage = 21.48, SD = 6.54). Preliminary results broadly indicated that more severe forms of marijuana use (eg, dependence) were associated with a more problematic pattern of marijuana use behavior, polysubstance use, and greater motivation to use marijuana for multiple reasons. Results are discussed in relation to better understanding the underlying nature of marijuana use and its disorders among young adults.