cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Wittgenstein and the naming relation

The thesis of this paper is that the Tractatus and the Investigations can be related as follows. Wittgenstein attempted in the Tractatus to avoid the conceptual realism of Frege and Russell with respect to propositions. He solved his problem by developing the picture‐theory of language. This solution assumed that the units of language are words which arc names of simple objects. Because of this assumption the solution has the undesirable consequence that examples oi genuine names, atomic facts and atomic propositions cannot be given although their existence is logically required by the solution. Wittgenstein had, therefore, eventually to examine the idea of a name. Thus the Philosophical Investigations in which this examination is conducted.
Back to the future: carbon dioxide chemoreceptors in the mammalian brain

Neurons that increase breathing in response to increased CO2 have long been sought along the ventral medullary surface, but not found, until now. Exquisitely CO2-sensitive neurons identified near this site may be the long-lost central chemoreceptors.
Book and film review

Magical Curing A film by William E. Mitchell; Editors: James Blouin, Anthony Frost, William E. Mitchell, and Philip Robinson. 1988, black‐and‐white, 25 minutes, 1/2" video. English narration. Sale Price: $29.95. Distributor: Waveland Press, P.O. Box 400, Prospect Heights, IL 60070, USA, (708–634–0081). The Bamboo Fire: Field Work with the New Guinea Wape By William E. Mitchell. Second edition, 1987, 271 pages, $9.50 paper. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press.
Ultrastructural comparisons of paired cisternae in leukemic and mesenchymal cells during mitosis.

Paired membranous lamellae were observed in tumor cells from chloroleukemic rats and human embryonic mesenchyme during mitosis. These structures are morphologically identical. Their role during karyokinesis and their relationship to the nuclear envelope is discussed. In addition, it is suggested that at least two mechanisms for breakdown and restoration of nuclear envelope exist during mitosis: (1) vesiculation and (2) lamellation (the formation of membranous lamellae).
Memory impairments and hippocampal modifications in adult rats with neonatal isolation stress experience

Abstract Early life events have profound consequences. Our research demonstrates that the early life stress of neonatal isolation (1-h individual isolation on postnatal days 2–9) in rats has immediate and enduring neural and behavioral effects. Recently, we showed neonatal isolation impaired hippocampal-dependent context conditioned fear in adult rats. We now expand upon this finding to test whether neonatal isolation impairs performance in inhibitory avoidance and in the non-aversive, hippocampal-dependent object recognition task. In addition to assessments of hippocampal-dependent memory, we examined if neonatal isolation results in cellular alterations in the adult hippocampus. This was measured with antibodies that selectively label calpain-mediated spectrin breakdown product (BDP), a marker of cytoskeletal modification that can have neuronal consequences. Neonatally isolated male and female rats showed impaired performance in both memory tasks as well as elevated BDP levels in hippocampal immunoblot samples. In tissue sections stained for BDP, the cytoskeletal fragmentation was localized to pyramidal neurons and their proximal dendrites. Interestingly, the hippocampal samples also exhibited reduced staining for the postsynaptic marker, GluR1. Neonatal isolation may render those neurons involved in memory encoding to be vulnerable to calpain deregulation and synaptic compromise as shown previously with brain injury. Together with our prior research showing enhanced striatal-dependent learning and neurochemical responsivity, these results indicate that the early experience of neonatal isolation causes enduring yet opposing region-specific neural and behavioral alterations.
Functional Asymmetry in the Motor Performances of Women: Neuropsychological Effects of Depression

The influence of depression on the cerebral hemispheric motor functioning of 40 right-handed women, half of whom had been classified as depressed, the other half as nondepressed, was examined. The depressed women were also characterized by elevated state and trait anxiety, suggestive of an anxious-depressive state with heightened arousal. A hand dynamometer was used as a standardized measure of hemispheric motor functioning such as hand-grip strength, perseveration, and fatigue. Primary findings indicated that depressed women displayed significantly less perseveration at the left hand than did nondepressed women, but a nonsignificant trend only was noted for less perseveration at the right hand. These results suggest possible differential arousal of the left and right cerebral hemispheres in this sample of anxious-depressed women and are discussed in terms of arousal theory.
RECURRENT INTRAORAL HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS INFECTION.

Abstract Four cases of intraoral recurrent herpes simplex virus disease have been presented. The cause of the lesions was verified by routine cytologic and fluorescent antibody techniques.
The accuracy of Nimbus 7 LIMS temperatures in the mesosphere

Zonal-mean temperatures from the Nimbus 7 Limb Infrared Monitor of the Stratosphere (LIMS) experiment are compared with a temperature 'climatology' derived from 4 years of Rayleigh backscatter lidar measurements at 44 N and for the months of March, April, and May, when wave activity and thus atmospheric variability is very weak. The mean difference between the two data sets is less than 3.5 K between 37 and 64 km and is consistent with the theoretical estimates of accuracy reported for the LIMS data. The effects of longitudinal and year-to-year variaiations in this comparison were considered, but they do not change the conclusions significantly. These validation results extend the altitude range of accurate LIMS temperatures in the mesosphere some 10 km higher than previously reported. It also means the LIMS ozone and NO2 retrievals in the lower mesosphere should be free of any major temperature bias error effects.
Optical excitations in small hydrogenated silicon clusters: comparison of theory and experiment

Excitation energies and absorption spectra of small hydrogenated silicon clusters are calculated within the framework of time-dependent density-functional response theory. The calculations employ several different approximations for the exchange-correlation kernel, including the local density approximation as well as asymptotically correct Leeuwen-Baerends and Casida-Salahub potentials. The structures of the theoretical spectra are analyzed in detail and the positions of the absorption peaks obtained with different exchange-correlation kernels are matched to the available experimental data based on the oscillator strength and symmetry of electronic transitions. The calculated absorption gaps are compared to the experimental values and discussed in terms of the applicability of common theoretical and experimental definitions for optical gaps to small clusters.
Activity of arsenic in copper

Values have been reported in the literature for the Henrian activity coefficient for arsenic in molten copper ranging from 1.45 × 10-4 to 5 × 10-7 at temperatures between 1273 and 1573 K. In this study, that data was reexamined and was found to be in closer agreement than originally reported. The Henrian activity coefficient was found to range from 2.2 × 10-3 at 1273 K to 5.6 × 10-3 at 1373 K. The experimental data indicate that at 0.21 < NAs < 0.30 the activity coefficient γAs can be determined from the following equations: log γAs = -5.58 NCu2+ 1.65(T = 1273 K) log γas = -6.22 NCu/2+ 2.25(T = 1373 K) This study also examined the extent of the disassociation of tetratomic arsenic vapor as As, As2 and As3. The results of the analysis indicate that As2 is the predominant species when arsenic vapor, equilibrated with metallic arsenic at temperatures below 873 K, is heated to temperatures above 1273 K.
Dermatitis from cashew nuts

Between April 4 and May 10, 1982, fifty-four individuals developed a poison ivy-like dermatitis 1 to 8 days after eating imported cashew nuts. The patients had a very pruritic, erythematous, maculopapular eruption that was accentuated in the flexural areas of the body. Three had blistering of the mouth and four had rectal itching. Nineteen volunteers (eleven ill and eight well) were patch-tested with 2.5 gg of poison ivy urushiol and an acetone extract of cashew nut shells. Patch testing did not predict illness since positive tests to both materials occurred in those who had been ill as well as in those who had been well. Absence of cashew nut shells from two thirds of the bags probably accounted for the lack of correlation between patch testing and illness. All nine who reacted to the cashew extract also reacted to poison ivy urushiol. The three who were not sensitive to poison ivy had no reaction to cashew extract. Mass spectrometry of the cashew shell extract suggested the presence of cardol, one of the allergens in cashew shell oil. (J AM ACAD DERMATOI. 10:627–631, 1984.)
Sender or receiver: who should pay to exchange an electronic message?

We examine the pricing implications of call externalities, the benefits enjoyed by the recipient of a message sent by another user. We show that, with or without a network-profitability constraint, efficient pricing requires consideration of demands, as well as costs. We present conditions under which equal charges for sending and receiving calls maximize welfare and profits. We also present conditions under which the receiving party’s subsidizing the sender maximizes welfare and profits. Finally, we show that menus of pricing options can increase welfare and profits. None of these findings holds in the absence of call externalities.
Unified Fracture Design for very low permeability reservoirs

Abstract Unified Fracture Design (UFD) is a methodology for the design of optimal hydraulic fracturing treatments to maximize well performance. Many successful applications of UFD have been demonstrated for reservoirs with low to high permeability. However, UFD has not been systematically applied to reservoirs with very low (nanodarcy) permeability, such as shales. For such reservoirs, massive hydraulic fracturing combined with horizontal drilling has enabled the production of significant amounts of hydrocarbons in recent years. Yet a method for the design of optimal hydraulic fracture treatments for these reservoirs is currently lacking, with present practice relying mainly on rules of thumb and trial and error. This paper fills this gap by developing a design methodology through extension of UFD that addresses two important elements: (a) nanodarcy permeability reservoirs, and (b) fractures with highly elongated drainage areas, that are necessary because of the extremely small reservoir permeability. Simple explicit functions are developed that can be used for efficient computation of optimal fracture dimensions and the productivity index for large values of Proppant Number and highly elongated drainage area around each fracture. A case study is presented to demonstrate how the developed UFD extension can be used in practice and to illustrate the qualitative differences between standard UFD and the developed extension.
Scheduling to minimize the total resource consumption with a constraint on the sum of completion times

Abstract We consider the problem of scheduling a set of jobs on a single machine where the release time of a job is related to the amount of resource consumed. The objective is to minimize the total amount of resource consumed subject to a constraint on the sum of completion times of the jobs. We show that the problem is NP-hard in general and can be solved efficiently when the resource consumption function is linear. The parallel machine case is also discussed.
Regulation of ABCC6 trafficking and stability by a conserved C-terminal PDZ-like sequence

Mutations in the ABCC6 ABC-transporter are causative of pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). The loss of functional ABCC6 protein in the basolateral membrane of the kidney and liver is putatively associated with altered secretion of a circulatory factor. As a result, systemic changes in elastic tissues are caused by progressive mineralization and degradation of elastic fibers. Premature arteriosclerosis, loss of skin and vascular tone, and a progressive loss of vision result from this ectopic mineralization. However, the identity of the circulatory factor and the specific role of ABCC6 in disease pathophysiology are not known. Though recessive loss-of-function alleles are associated with alterations in ABCC6 expression and function, the molecular pathologies associated with the majority of PXE-causing mutations are also not known. Sequence analysis of orthologous ABCC6 proteins indicates the C-terminal sequences are highly conserved and share high similarity to the PDZ sequences found in other ABCC subfamily members. Genetic testing of PXE patients suggests that at least one disease-causing mutation is located in a PDZ-like sequence at the extreme C-terminus of the ABCC6 protein. To evaluate the role of this C-terminal sequence in the biosynthesis and trafficking of ABCC6, a series of mutations were utilized to probe changes in ABCC6 biosynthesis, membrane stability and turnover. Removal of this PDZ-like sequence resulted in decreased steady-state ABCC6 levels, decreased cell surface expression and stability, and mislocalization of the ABCC6 protein in polarized cells. These data suggest that the conserved, PDZ-like sequence promotes the proper biosynthesis and trafficking of the ABCC6 protein.
Water relations of drought-resistant and drought-sensitive wheat cultivars sprinkled with saline water

Water potential, osmotic potential, turgor potential, and stomatal resistance were measured on leaves of a drought-sensitive (‘Ponca’) and a drought-resistant (‘KanKing’) cultivar of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) treated with foliar applications of NaCl to determine the effect of salt on the water status of two cultivars varying in drought resistance. Plants were grown under controlled conditions in soil, which was watered or allowed to dry. Water potential of the soil was determined. Given an ample water supply, water potential and osmotic potential of leaves of both cultivars with NaCl were lower, and stomatal resistance was higher, than without NaCl. The combination of salt and drought killed both cultivars, but the turgor potential of the drought-sensitive cultivar with the two stresses reached zero before that of the drought-resistant cultivar. Under limited water supply, both cultivars with foliar applications of salt extracted more water from soil than they did with no salt, and the drought-resistant cultivar took up more water than did the drought-sensitive cultivar. The drought-resistant cultivar with foliar NaCl maintained a higher turgor potential and extracted more water from the drying soil than did the drought-sensitive cultivar with foliar NaCl, suggesting that the drought-resistant cultivar was also more salt tolerant.
The Art of Commissioning: A Cost Benefit Analysis of 23 Large-scale Federal Facilities

ABSTRACTEnergy is being wasted, possibly unrecognizably, on a daily basis when commissioning is not performed. This results in a reduction in profit, equipment lifespan and overall sustainability. Common misconceptions can be that operating systems are already efficient since they work, making commissioning unnecessary, and that there is not much benefit from periodically commissioning a building throughout its lifespan.This research details pre-commissioning energy consumption versus post-commissioning as well as commissioning costs of three different test groups of facilities which have undertaken various commissioning projects. This article will be a logical argument to motivate building owners to consider commissioning.
Electronic effects on the regio- and enantioselectivity of the asymmetric aminohydroxylation of O-substituted 4-hydroxy-2-butenoates.

Regio- and enantioselectivity in the asymmetric aminohydroxylation (AA) reaction of O-substituted 4-hydroxy-2-butenoates as well as the mechanism of the reaction were studied. When the electronic properties of the phenyl group in a substrate were altered by using different substituents, two conflicting trends were observed: The O-benzoyl substrates showed greater regio- and enantioselectivity when an electron-donating substituent was attached at the C-4 position of the phenyl group, while the O-benzyl substrates exhibited better regio- and enantioselectivity with an electron-withdrawing substituent at the C-4 position of the phenyl moiety. Thus, these results have disclosed hitherto unknown remarkable electronic effects in the AA reaction. Detailed analysis of possible electronic interactions in the chiral catalyst-substrate complex has revealed the importance of dipolar aromatic-aromatic interactions between the aromatic substituent of the substrate and the nitrogen heteroaromatic moiety of the chiral ligand for effective regiocontrol as well as enantioface selection in the AA reaction. A plausible model of the key intermediate in the AA reaction of O-substituted 4-hydroxy-2-butenoates is proposed.
Self-perceptions of age among 292 chemotherapy-treated cancer patients: Exploring associations with symptoms and survival

Abstract Objective A growing literature suggests that older individuals who report feeling younger than their actual chronological age enjoy better health and survival. The purpose of this study was to explore similar associations in patients with cancer. Methods Chemotherapy-treated cancer patients completed a previously-validated questionnaire item on their self-perception of age. Concurrent patient-reported number of symptoms and pain severity were recorded. In addition, baseline and longitudinal data captured demographics and vital status, respectively. Results Among 292 patients, 185 (63%) reported that they perceived themselves as younger than their actual age, 45 as older (15%), and 56 (19%) as the same age (unable to be determined in 6). The mean actual chronological age (standard deviation) among those who perceived themselves as younger, older, or the same age was 63 years (11), 54 (12), and 60 (10); (p Conclusion A substantial percentage of patients with cancer – particularly older ones – report feeling younger than their actual age; this perception appears to have no relevance to symptoms or survival.
Midbrain raphe 5-HT1A receptor activation alters the effects of ghrelin on appetite and performance in the elevated plus maze

Prior research suggests that midbrain serotonergic signaling and hypothalamic ghrelinergic signaling both play critical roles in appetitive and emotional behaviors. In the present study, we investigated the effects of median raphe nucleus (MRN) somatodentritic 5-HT1A receptor activation on the feeding-stimulant and anxiogenic action of paraventricular nucleus (PVN) ghrelin. In an initial experiment, adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with either ghrelin (200-800 pmol) into the PVN or 8-OH-DPAT (2.5-10 nmol), a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, into the MRN. Performance on the elevated plus maze (EPM) was then assessed. In separate rats, MRN 8-OH-DPAT (2.5-5 nmol) was administered 5 min prior to PVN injection of ghrelin (400 pmol) followed by EPM testing. The orexigenic effects of MRN 8-OH-DPAT (0.1-1.6 nmol) paired with PVN ghrelin (50 pmol) were also examined. When administered alone into the PVN, ghrelin significantly decreased the number of entries and time spent in the open arms of the EPM. This anxiogenic effect was blocked if rats were allowed to eat immediately after ghrelin administration and then tested in the plus maze. MRN injections of 8-OH-DPAT were anxiolytic, and when rats were pretreated with 8-OH-DPAT prior to ghrelin, the anxiogenic action of the peptide was attenuated. In contrast, MRN administration of 8-OH-DPAT potentiated the eating-stimulant effect of PVN ghrelin. Overall, our findings demonstrate that ghrelinergic and serotonergic circuits interact in the neural control of eating and anxiety-like behaviors, with 5-HT1A receptor mechanisms potentiating the orexigenic action of ghrelin while inhibiting ghrelin-induced anxiogenesis as measured via the EPM.
Expression of the neuronal cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator p35Nck5a in human monocytic cells is associated with differentiation.

Although cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is widely expressed in human tissues, its activator p35Nck5a is generally considered to be neuron specific. In addition to neuronal cells, active Cdk5 complexes have been reported in developing tissues, such as the embryonic muscle and ocular lens, and in human leukemia HL60 cells induced to differentiate by an exposure to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3; however, its activator in these cells has not been demonstrated. The results of this study indicate that p35Nck5a is associated with Cdk5 in monocytic differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Specifically, p35Nck5a is expressed in normal human monocytes and in leukemic cells induced to differentiate toward the monocytic lineage, but not in lymphocytes or cells induced to granulocytic differentiation by retinoic acid. It is present in a complex with Cdk5 that has protein kinase activity, and when ectopically expressed together with Cdk5 in undifferentiated HL60 cells, it induces the expression of CD14 and “nonspecific” esterase, markers of monocytic phenotype. These observations not only indicate a functional relationship between Cdk5 and p35Nck5a, but also support a role for this complex in monocytic differentiation.
Validating Enterprise Management Engineering Through the Use of Knowledge Capital Assessments

This is the first in a series of studies intended to validate the efficacy of the Enterprise Management Engineering© (EME) approach, a more flexible variation of the usual systems engineering (SE) approach, to KM systems implementation. The study used large US publicly-traded non-financial firms due to the need for public financial data. Subject organisations were assessed using a measure of intangible valuation developed by Professor Baruch Lev of NYU called Knowledge Capital Earnings© (KCE). These organisations were surveyed on the 18 points of the EME approach, and the EME results were then compared against each other and against each organisation's KC scores. The data show that companies with high KCE also implement most if not all of the 18 steps within the EME construct and demonstrate that a quantifiable correlation exists between the EME approach and successful KM implementation. Now that there is a correlation, work can begin on investigating causative factors (which factors in the systems development produce MORE value for a company — and which ones have we overlooked altogether?) and on modifying the model to address the results of the survey. This in turn should contribute to the slim body of objective knowledge on the design, deployment, and measurement of KM systems.
Response of Aluminum Solubility to Elevated Nitrification in Soil of a Red Spruce Stand in Eastern Maine

Elevated concentrations of soluble Al can impair tree growth and be toxic to aquatic biota, but effects of acidic deposition on Al solubility in forest soils are only partially understood because of complex interactions with H + and organic matter. We therefore evaluated Al solubility in two red spruce stands in eastern Maine, one of which received dry (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 at a rate of 1800 equiv ha -1 yr -1 during 1989-1995. Samples of soil (Spodosol Oa and Bh horizons) and soil solution were collected on five dates from 1992 to 1995. The treatment elevated nitrification, causing an increase in acid input that led to inorganic Al concentrations of greater than 60 μmol L -1 in both the Oa and Bh horizons. Solubility of Al was also lower in the Bh horizon of the treated stand than in the reference stand, a response related to higher DOC concentrations in the treated stand. Concentrations of CuCl 2 and pyrophosphate-extractable Al were higher in the Oa horizon of the treated watershed than the reference stand, a result of accelerated weathering of mineral particles caused by lower solution pH in the treated stand (3.47) than in the reference stand (3.69). Dissolved Al concentrations in these soils are the result of complex mechanisms through which mineral matter, organic matter, and pH interactto control Al solubility; mechanisms that are not incorporated in current Al solubility models.
Occupational stress, attitudes, and health problems in the information systems professional

This study examines occupational stress among information systems personnel. A self-report stress and health behavior instrument was completed by 580 respondents in 18 large corporations in the midwestern and southwestern sections of the United States. The data indicate that various job factors are perceived as stressful by respondents. However, the stress levels reported by respondents are not as excessive as have been found in studies of other occupational groups.
Ferrocene-containing cationic lipids: influence of redox state on cell transfection.

A ferrocene-containing, redox-active cationic lipid that can be transformed using electrochemical methods yields large differences in cell transfection depending on the oxidation state of the lipid. Expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein and firefly luciferase occurs at very high levels when DNA lipoplexes are formulated using the lipid in the reduced state. In contrast, transfection is negligible when oxidized lipid is used. These observations suggest the basis of a general method that could be used to transform inactive lipoplex formulations to an active form through the application of externally applied electrical potentials. The ability to activate lipoplexes toward transfection electrochemically and “on demand” could create new opportunities to deliver DNA in vitro and in vivo with both spatial and temporal control.
Integrated hybrid silicon triplexer.

We demonstrate a triplexer with an integrated wavelength splitter, two photodetectors and a transmit laser. The measured 3dB bandwidth of the integrated laser and photodetectors are 2GHz and 16GHz, respectively.
Work in progress — Transforming entrepreneurship and innovation instruction in Fluid Mechanics

Case studies, a valuable tool in business education, are used to permit students access to situations and environments which are not accessible in a classroom. One element of a business case study differentiating it from a simple company history is that the tone and content is often designed with an ulterior objective or to achieve a certain state of mind before a discussion point: they are engineered learning environments. Within an engineering classroom, the business case study approach can be manipulated to introduce students to concepts of entrepreneurship and innovation and to facilitate an understanding of how classroom content can be employed in practice. A series of limited-scope case studies have been introduced in a junior-level Fluid Mechanics class which align entrepreneurship and innovation objectives with course content by introducing subject-specific analysis, sample application and reflection to the case studies. Two elements of a three-activity sequence are presented beginning with an introduction to entrepreneurship and the “painstorming” concept through a case study of a foam-reducing keg tap. The concept of social entrepreneurship is then introduced using a system implemented by a South African social entrepreneur to provide drinking water for rural communities using playground equipment as a pump.
Factorial equations for tests of attention

Tests designed to measure what was conceived to be attention were found by factor analysis to involve a factor which is independent of the factors of rote memory, visual-space, number, or perception. To a large extent, at least, this attention factor is independent of content and of mode of presentation of test material. The tests in which the variance is mainly dependent upon this factor are those involving a high degree of sustained or relatively continuous mental effort.
Regulation of γ-aminobutyric acid synthesis in the vertebrate nervous system

The regulation of glutamic decarboxylase (GAD) activity is undoubtedly the key to the control of the steady-state concentrations of 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the central nervous system. Those factors that might influence GAD activity are reviewed. They include repression and induction of GAD synthesis; the interconversion of the holo- and apo-form of GAD; the availability of substrate and cofactor; the competitive inhibition of GAD by endogenous substances, including GABA; and the involvement of calcium ions in whole-cell preparations. Where possible mechanisms of action are described, and the likelihood that each is of physiological importance is discussed. Experiments are suggested that would help clarify (1) the role of GABA in GAD repression; (2) the possible phosphorylation of GAD; and (3) the existence of multiple forms of the enzyme. In addition, a kinetic mechanism is proposed to explain the possible regulation of GAD by the interconversion of the holo- and apo-forms of the enzyme. It is concluded that the overriding factors responsible for GAD regulation are not yet understood. However, a possible mechanism relying on the direct feedback action of GABA on GAD activity has many attractive features.
High pressure polymerization of ethylene and rheological behavior of polyethylene product

A mathematical model of the high pressure polymerization of ethylene in tubular reactors was tested with experimental data obtained from an industrial size tubular reactor. Series of experiments involving changes in operating conditions were carried out, and process data and polyethylene samples were collected. The collected samples were characterized for their molecular weight distributions and various rheological material functions involving shear and extensional flows. The findings of the model were compared against the generated process data and the molecular weight distributions of the samples. The determined rheological behavior exhibited strong dependence on the primary characteristics of the resins. Overall, this study should introduce a better understanding of the interactions between high pressure reaction conditions and the primary properties of polyethylene, including moments of molecular weight distribution and extent of branching on one hand and the interrelationships between primary properties and the rheological behavior of the high pressure polyethylene product on the other hand.
Moisture- and water-induced crack growth in optical materials

A number of optically important materials such as ZnS, SiO2, SiO2-TiO2, GaAs, and heavy metal fluoride (e.g., ZBLAN) glasses are subject to moisture- and/or liquid water-induced crack growth. A notable exception to this behavior appears to be Si. Such environmentally enhanced crack growth can lead to ultimate failure in service at stresses well below those expected from normal strength tests. The sensitivity of a material to water can be obtained by determining a crack growth parameter, N. This parameter can be combined with other easily obtainable fracture information which include measures of the strength and strength distribution to create a lifetime design diagram using fracture mechanics concepts. Methods for determining these fracture parameters including direct crack growth measurements and dynamic fatigue are reviewed, and the influence of environmental water on the materials is discussed. Crack growth mechanisms including physical (dielectric) and chemical reaction mechanisms are discussed, and lifetime design diagrams which can be used to determine stress levels in service are presented.
Readiness for independence: Comparison of foster care, kinship care, and non-foster care adolescents

Abstract Data from Los Angeles County are used to compare 63 non-foster care adolescents with 42 adolescents placed in kinship care and 69 adolescents in non-relative foster family care in their readiness for independent living. Bivariate analysis revealed that foster care and non-foster care adolescents are not significantly different in perceptions of independent living skill levels, type of employment they held, and perceived overall preparation for independent living. Non-relative foster care adolescents, however, were more likely than the other two groups to believe particular skills were self-taught, work full-time, work more than 40 hours a week, and not expect to live with a relative after emancipation/high school. These differences remained even after ethnicity and gender were controlled. Foster care adolescents, in general, were more likely to worry about their future and expect to support themselves after emancipation/high school. Implications for service delivery and social policy are drawn from these findings.
Tracking ‘Snowbirds’ in Australia: Winter Sun Seekers in Far North Queensland

Seasonal migration is gaining acceptance as a retirement form among Canadians and Americans. These so-called snowbirds spend their winters in the U.S. Sunbelt as residents of seasonal recreational communities. The three defining qualities of life in snowbird communities are very high levels of recreation activity, social interaction and geographic mobility. This paper explores ‘snowbirding’ in Australia and draws comparisons with North America. The focus is on retirees staying in caravan parks in far north Queensland during the winter of 1995 when 306 couples were interviewed. As expected, many similarities exist between North American and Australian ‘snowbirding’. However, Australian levels of social interaction are appreciably lower, while levels of geographical mobility are higher.
Path Analyses of Yield and Yield-Related Traits of Fifteen Diverse Rice Genotypes

Literature on the path analyses of grain yield and at least 14 yield-related traits in a path diagram that is organized with at least second-order variables has been lacking. The objectives of this study were to obtain and interpret information on the nature of interrelationships between first-, second-, and third-order yield-related traits and rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain yield. Fifteen rice genotypes were used in this study to represent the combinations of low and high levels of four traits that were identified as important yield determinants - maximum number of tillers, grain size, panicle node number, and panicle size. 'Lemont' and'Teqing' were two of these genotypes. The remaining genotypes were F 9 lines from a Lemont × Teqing cross. Field experiments were conducted during the 1994 and 1995 cropping seasons at the Texas AM r 2 = 0.93) was used to predict the 1995 grain yield (r 2 = 0.90). Based on a path analysis of the combined 1994 and 1995 data, the following traits had positive path coefficients on grain yield: panicle weight (p = 0.84), number of filled grains per panicle (p = 0.67), panicle density (p = 0.52), maximum tiller density (p = 0.34), number of spikelets per panicle (p = 0.34), and 100-grain weight (p = 0.23). The panicle node number has a negative path coefficient on grain yield (p = -0.23). These results may be useful to rice breeders for the indirect selection of grain yield during the early segregating generations when yield tests are not yet being conducted.
Observations of biofilm growth on human dentin and potential destruction after exposure to antibiotics.

Objectives This study was performed to observe biofilm formation on dentin and to then observe effects of clinically achievable antimicrobial drug concentrations on these biofilms. Study design Wild-strain endodontic bacteria were anaerobically cultured from necrotic pulps of extracted human teeth and used to grow biofilms on sterilized dentin slices in an anaerobic chamber for 12 days. Then these biofilms were exposed to ampicillin, doxycycline, clindamycin, azithromycin, or metronidazole. Each day for 8 days, specimens were fixed using 2% glutaraldehyde and examined with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results The SEM images revealed the presence of a mature biofilm after 8 days of growth and that none of the antibiotics tested was effective in eliminating the biofilm even after 8 days of exposure. Conclusion Biofilms are formed in a few days and are resistant to antimicrobial drugs.
Local density approximation for systems with pairing correlations

This paper presents a formulation of a local density approximation for fermion systems with pairing correlations based on a rapidly converging renormalization scheme for the pairing field.
Physical Activity, Falls, and Fractures Among Older Adults: A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

OBJECTIVES: Assess the relationship between physical activity and risk for falls and osteoporotic fractures among older adults. DESIGN: Review and synthesis of published literature. MEASUREMENTS: We searched the literature using MEDLINE, Current Contents, and the bibliographies of articles identified. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT) of the effects of physical activity on the incidence of falls and case-control and prospective cohort studies of the association of physical activity with osteoporotic fracture risk. We also summarized mechanisms whereby physical activity may influence risk for falls and fractures. RESULTS: Observational epidemiologic studies and randomized clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of physical activity programs to prevent falls have been inconclusive. However, many studies have lacked adequate statistical power, and recent trials suggest that exercise, particularly involving balance and lower extremity strength training, may reduce risk of falling. There is consistent evidence from prospective and case-control studies that physical activity is associated with a 20–40% reduced risk of hip fracture relative to sedentary individuals. The few studies that have examined the association between physical activity and risk of other common osteoporotic fractures, such as vertebral and wrist fractures, have not found physical activity to be protective. CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiologic studies suggest that higher levels of leisure time physical activity prevent hip fractures and RCTs suggest certain exercise programs may reduce risk of falls. Future research needs to evaluate the types and quantity of physical activity needed for optimal protection from falls and identify which populations will benefit most from exercise. J Am Geriatr Soc 48:883–893, 2000.
Dietary Myoinositol Results in Lower Urine Glucose and in Lower Postprandial Plasma Glucose in Obese Insulin Resistant Rhesus Monkeys.

In a previous study, D-chiroinositol added to a meal (0.5 g/kg) resulted in significantly lower postprandial plasma glucose concentrations without an increase in insulin concentrations in obese insulin-resistant monkeys. The present report describes the effects of another isomer of inositol, myoinositol, on postprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations and on urine glucose concentrations in 6 similarly insulin-resistant monkeys. The three 5 day study periods included a control period (liquid diet ad libitum) and 2 experimental periods (liquid diet ad libitum with either 1.5 g/kg/day myoinositol or D-chiroinositol added). Twenty-four hour urine samples were collected during each 5 day period. On the sixth day of each period the monkeys were anesthetized 110 min after completing either the control meal (15 ml/kg) or the experimental meals (1.5 g/kg myoinositol or D-chiroinositol) and plasma samples were obtained at 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270 and 300 min. The plasma glucose concentration was lower after the meal with myoinositol compared to the control meal at 120, 150 and 180 min (p's < 0.05). The plasma insulin concentration was lower after the meal with myoinositol compared to the control meal at 150 and 180 min (p's < 0.05). In addition, 24 hour urine glucose concentrations were lower during the myoinositol diet compared to the control diet (p < 0.001). The plasma glucose concentration was lower after the meal with D-chiroinositol compared to the control meal at 150, 240, 270 and 300 min (p's < or = 0.05). In obese insulin-resistant monkeys, myoinositol added to the diet lowers urine glucose concentrations and both myoinositol and D-chiroinositol added to a meal lower postprandial plasma glucose concentrations without increasing postprandial insulin concentrations. Therefore, myoinositol, like D-chiroinositol, may be a useful agent for reducing meal-induced hyperglycemia without inducing hyperinsulinemia in insulin-resistant subjects.
New x-ray diffraction method of additions for crystalline silica

Abstract A new method of additions is described for x-ray diffraction determination of trace crystalline silica. The method is derived from Klug and Alexander, X-ray Diffraction Procedure (Wiley, 1974, p. 536, Eqn. 7−14) and is expressed as x = sRx(1−Rs)/(Rs−Rx) where x and s are the concentrations of analyte and spike, and Rx and Rs are the relative intensities of analyte and spike. The method is particularly attractive because the mass absorption coefficient of the matrix can be very different from silica, and large spikes can be used which minimize homogenization errors. In addition, non-zero intercepts are avoided. Trace determination of quartz at the
Reduced product yield in chemical processes by second law effects

An analysis of second law effects in chemical processes, where product yield is explicitly related to the individual irreversibilities within the process to indicate a maximum theoretical yield, is presented. Examples are given that indicate differences between first and second law approaches toward process efficiency and process yield. This analysis also expresses production capacity in terms of the heating value of a product. As a result, it is particularly convenient in analyzing fuel conversion plants and their potential for improvement. Relationships are also given for the effects of irreversibilities on requirements for process heat and for feedstocks.
On tests for qualitative interactions

Abstract Qualitative interactions are present when therapy is beneficial to some groups of subjects but toxic to other groups. This note discusses the invariance problem and describes the maximum attainable local power at the origin for unbiased tests. We numerically construct a test with these properties for the problem with two groups.
Imaging Brain Amyloid of Alzheimer Disease in Vivo in Transgenic Mice with an Aβ Peptide Radiopharmaceutical

Aβ1–40 is a potential peptide radiopharmaceutical that could be used to image the brain Aβ amyloid of Alzheimer disease in vivo, should this peptide be made transportable through the blood–brain ba...
Flushing bacteria out of the bladder

A drug that elevates host cAMP levels forces pathogenic bacteria out of bladder epithelial cells. This process may make urinary tract infections more amenable to treatment with antibiotics ( pages 625–630 ).
Development of the formalin-inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, VAQTATM from the live attenuated virus strain CR326F

The development of the formalin-inactivated hepatitis A vaccine, VAQTA TM , culminates nearly two decades of the basic science studies of VAQTA TM in hepatitis A virology at the MRL. The master seed virus for production of VAQTA TM is derived from the F′(P18) variant of the strain CR326F which has been studied in human clinical trials and shown to the highly attenuated. The antigen is highly purified to make possible the consistency and thoroughness of its inactivation by formalin. Phase I clinical studies of VAQTA TM were initiated in 1989 and have progressed since that time to the recent Phase III clinical trials which demonstrated efficacy of a single dose of the vaccine in preventing clinical hepatitis A disease in pediatric populations in Monroe, NY.
Mechanism reduction via principal component analysis

Principal component analysis, an advanced technique of sensitivity analysis, has been used to determine reduced mechanisms that can model species and temperature profiles in Plug Flow Reactors (PFR), Premixed Laminar Flames (PLF), and Perfectly Stirred Reactors (PSR) for two H2/air and two CH4/air mechanisms over a range of input parameters including initial temperature, equivalence ratio, and residence time. The results show that principal component analysis can be used effectively to reduce a comprehensive mechanism that contains unimportant reactions to a reduced mechanism that contains necessary and sufficient reactions. The accuracy of a reduced mechanism determined from principal component analysis can be easily controlled by carefully selecting reduction criteria. For the conditions chosen here, namely the requirement that radical profiles computed with reduced and comprehensive mechanisms agree to within 5%, substantial reductions were not achieved. Principal component analysis is able to resolve the influence of stoichiometry, combustor type, and mechanism on mechanism reduction. The two H2/air mechanisms were each reduced to mechanisms that can model all the cases considered, and the extent of reduction in each was very similar and modest. For H2/air chemistry, equivalence ratio had little effect on reduction. Combustor type was slightly more influential with the number of required reactions decreasing from PFR to PLF to PSR combustion. Relative to the H2/air system, principal component analysis of the CH4/air system is more difficult because of mechanism size. For CH4/air combustion, if we consider all equivalence ratios, PLFs require the most reactions, if individual equivalence ratios are examined, PFRs require the greatest number of reactions. Combustor type influences mechanism reduction substantially because of the different couplings between the fluid mechanics and chemistry. In H2/air combustion rich combustion required the fewest reactions and in CH4/air, it required the most. Reduction must be achieved by considering the entire mechanism since reactions interact in concert, for example, reactions unimportant in one CH4 mechanism are often important in the other. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 29: 393–414, 1997.
Pre- and post-transcriptional regulation of the Menkes disease gene

Menkes disease is testament to a copper (Cu)-ATPase (ATP7A) playing a dominant role in the absorption and homeostasis of Cu. Significantly, the proximal promoter region of the Menkes disease gene (MNK) has cis-active elements that relate to binding sites for transcription factors which in yeast are known to be activated by a low Cu status. A response to low Cu has not been rationalized into the control of Menkes gene expression, but seems important in light of recent Cu absorption studies in humans. The ATP7A gene gives rises to alternative transcripts, one of which has an insert at the 5′ end with sequence information for a protein with a structural domain similar to a Golgi tethering protein. This has opened speculation that one alternative transcript product may have an important biological function in regulating the entrance of ATP7A laded vesicles into the secretory pathway. This paper presents evidence supporting promoter activation and alternative splicing, pre- and post-transcription events respectively, in the control of Menkes disease gene expression. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 16:181–189, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency: Let your eyes do the talking

Every screening evaluation for primary immunodeficiency must include a physical examination of the patient because the powers of observation should direct the evaluation for several types of primary immunodeficiency. For example, simple inspection of the patient for growth, lymphoid tissue (X-linked agammaglobulenemia), telangiectasias (ataxia-telangiectasia), abnormal facies (DiGeorge syndrome), chronic eczema (WiskottAldrich syndrome, hyper-IgE syndrome, and immune dysregulation polyendocrinopathy enteropathy X-linked syndrome), pale skin and photophobia (Chediak-Higashi syndrome), or severe gingivostomatitis (leukocyte adhesion defect) allow for proper direction toward making the diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency.