cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Onychotillomania: clinicopathologic correlations

Onychotillomania represents an unusual dermatosis affecting the nail unit. The term refers to 'neurotic picking at a nail until it is permanently altered'. It can be difficult for dermatologists to diagnose, as typically patients will deny the self-destructive behavior and the clinical features may mimic other inflammatory conditions affecting the nail unit. Aside from the difficulty in establishing the diagnosis clinically, the histopathologic features of onychotillomania are nonspecific. With this limited knowledge, dermatopathologists could have difficulty in correlating the clinical and histopathologic features and determining the correct diagnosis. Establishing the diagnosis is critical, as onychotillomania is sometimes associated with major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and can be a clue to uncovering these debilitating psychiatric disorders. Here we present two cases of onychotillomania and emphasize the clinical-pathological confrontation necessary to secure the diagnosis.
Firm‐Specific Determinants of Product Line Technology Strategies in High Technology Markets

In high technology industries, product line technology strategies are critical to firm success. However, the determinants of these product line strategies are still unclear. We suggest that a joint consideration of firm size, firm age, and pre-entry experience better explains the choice of a specific strategy. Results obtained from the personal computer industry reveal that larger firms and older firms were more likely to pursue broad product line technology strategies, whereas the oldest firms reverted to a narrow technology strategy after a particular age. Furthermore, the contingent relationships between firm size, firm age, and pre-entry experience also yielded interesting results. Copyright © 2013 Strategic Management Society.
Singularities and Instability

This chapter presents a brief introduction into the area of dynamics. There is a qualitative difference between linear and nonlinear series, most notably in their appreciative phenomenology. Traditionally, dynamics is presented as part of classical physical mechanics. However, this traditional presentation has assumed an underlying determinism. Certainly, all the systems considered in classical dynamics satisfy the Lipschitz condition that guarantees the uniqueness of the solutions subject to prescribed sets of initial conditions. A more subtle question involves the boundaries of these networks. For a neural system, this condition requires that all the derivatives exist and are bounded. It is important to note that each time the system escapes the terminal repeller; the solution splits into two symmetric branches, so that there are several possible scenarios of the oscillations with respect to the equilibrium. Classical dynamics cannot explain the emergence of new dynamical patterns in nature.
Origin(s), evolution, and systematics of Cucurbita pepo (Cucurbitaceae)

Numerical studies of morphological data and starch gel electrophoresis have provided a new perspective on important issues pertinent to the origin(s) and subsequent evolution of domesticatedCucurbita pepo. Wild C.texana and/orC. fraterna appear to be the most likely candidates for progenitor(s) of the domesticate. Populations of texana-like plants from beyond Texas share various attributes with Texas populations, suggesting that C. texana once had a more widespread distribution to the northeast. The possibility exists thatC. pepo was domesticated independently in eastern U.S., as well as in Mexico, which is in line with recent archeological findings. Multiple domestications are also supported by allozyme data indicating a substantial divergence within the species. A new classification consisting of C.pepo ssp.pepo (origins in Mexico),C. pepo ssp.ovifera var. ovifera (origins in eastern U.S.), and C.pepo ssp.ovifera var. texana (spontaneous populations in eastern U.S.) is proposed.
General relativity in a (2+1)-dimensional space-time

General relativity is formulated for a (2+1)-dimensional space-time. Solutions to the vacuum field equations are locally flat. There are no gravitational waves and no Newtonian attraction between masses. The geometry around a point mass is a cone (locally flat) where the angle deficit at the apex is proportional to the mass. A uniform density planet has a spherical cap interior and a conical exterior solution. A convex polyhedron represents a closed universe with point masses at its vertices and approximates a static spherical universe of uniform density dust.
A non-dispersive low energy pion spectrometer

Abstract A small, opposing dipole ( D D ) magnetic spectrometer has been constructed and successfully employed for detection of positive pions with kinetic energies in the range from 2 to 12 MeV and for measurement of laboratory differential cross sections as small as one nb/sr in the (p, π + ) reaction. The device is a non-dispersive, double-focusing instrument with 3.5 msr maximum solid angle and a large momentum acceptance.
Address decoding for randomly scattered memory segments of equal size

The authors explain two methods for obtaining the address decoding expressions for memory segments of equal size. The first method is based on Karnaugh map and is useful for short segment addresses. The second method is a tabular approach, useful for longer segment addresses. Examples are provided for both methods.
Secretion rates of cortisol and aldosterone precursors in various forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

ABSTRACT Using a previously described method for the simultaneous determination of the secretion rates of cortisol and aldosterone precursors, the specific enzyme deficiency in various form? of congenital adrenal hyperplasia was elucidated. Secretion rates of cortisol (F), 11-desoxycortisol (S), corticosterone (B), 11-desoxycorticosterone (DOC) and aldosterone (aldo) were determined in 10 normal subjects, 2 children with simple virilizing adrenal hyperplasia (21-hydroxylase defect) and 1 child with hypertensive virilizing adrenal hyperplasia (11-hydroxylase defect) under the following conditions: normal, low and high sodium (Na) diets, administration of metyrapone, dexamethasone and intravenous ACTH. The mean daily normal secretion rates were: F—7.5 mg/m2; S—0.26 mg/m2; B—2.2 mg/m2; DOC—0.055 mg/m2; aldo—0.13 mg/m2. Changes in dietary Na altered only aldo secretion. ACTH administration raised B and F secretion significantly. Metyrapone increased S and DOC secretion more than ACTH but decreased B, F and al...
A normal comparison inequality and its applications

Let $\xi=(\xi_i, 1 \leq i \leq n)$ and $\eta= (\eta_i, 1 \leq i \leq n)$ be standard normal random variables with covariance matrices $R^1=(r_{ij}^1)$ and $R^0=(r_{ij}^0)$, respectively. Slepian's lemma says that if $r_{ij}^1 \geq r_{ij}^0$ for $1 \leq i, j \leq n$, the lower bound $\P(\xi_i \leq u \mb{for} 1 \leq i \leq n ) /\P(\eta_i \leq u \mb{for} 1 \leq i \leq n ) $ is at least $1$. In this paper an upper bound is given. The usefulness of the upper bound is justified with three concrete applications: (i) the new law of the iterated logarithm of Erdős and Revesz, (ii) the probability that a random polynomial does not have a real zero and (iii) the random pursuit problem for fractional Brownian particles. In particular, a conjecture of Kesten (1992) on the random pursuit problem for Brownian particles is confirmed, which leads to estimates of principal eigenvalues.
Base catalyzed acylative decarboxylation. Part III. Acylation of homophthalic acid

Homophthalic acid (I) reacts with acetic anhydride in the presence of base to form the expected product, o-carboxyphenylacetone (III). Besides III, three other new products were formed, namely, 3-methyl-4-carboxyisocoumarin (II), 4-acetyl-3-methylisocoumarin (IV) and 8-acetyl-7-methylnaphtho[1,2-c]isocoumarin. A mechanism for the formation of these compounds is presented. The presence of 3-methyl-4-carboxyisocoumarin (II) supports an earlier suggestion (1) that acylation can occur prior to and without decarboxylation, which has been a point of concern in this reaction.
The endogenous skill bias of technical change and wage inequality in developing countries

ABSTRACTThis paper draws on existing empirical literature and an original theoretical model to argue that technical change does not have to be skill-biased in developing countries. Instead, the extent to which technology adoption in developing countries favors skilled workers depends on a number of factors. Free trade induces technology that favors skilled workers in skill-abundant developing countries and that favors unskilled workers in skill-scarce developing countries, and therefore amplifies the predicted wage effects of trade liberalization. Developing countries experience technical change that is skill-biased when imported skill-biased technologies become relatively cheaper. Increased skill supply further biases technical change in favor of skilled labor. These features aid our understanding of the observed rises in inequality within developing countries, the absence of a significant downward effect of expanded educational attainment on skill premia, and the differential effects of trade liberaliza...
Mechanical and biological properties of nanoporous carbon membranes

Implantable blood glucose sensors have inadequate membrane–tissue interfaces for long term use. Biofouling and inflammation processes restrict biosensor membrane stability. An ideal biosensor membrane material must prevent protein adsorption and exhibit cell compatibility. In addition, a membrane must exhibit high porosity and low thickness in order to allow the biosensor to respond to analyte fluctuations. In this study, the structural, mechanical and biological properties of nanoporous alumina membranes coated with diamond-like carbon thin films were examined using scanning probe microscopy, nanoindentation and MTT viability assay. We anticipate that this novel membrane material could find use in immunoisolation devices, kidney dialysis membranes and other medical devices encountering biocompatibility issues that limit in vivo function.
COOPERATIVE/COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES AND LOCUS OF CONTROL'

Summary.-In a sample of 54 students of economics, a stronger belief in an internal locus of control was associated with greater competitiveness, whde a stronger belief in external control by chance was associated with a greater desire to avoid success. To explore whether people's competitiveness is related to whether they have an internal versus an external locus of control, an anonymous questionnaire was given to students enrolled in two courses on economics. The questionnaire contained the 24-item cooperative/competitive scale of Simmons, Wehner, Tucker, and King (1988) and the locus of control scale of Levenson (1974), both in a Likert-type format. There were 41 men and 13 women whose mean age was 26.2 yr. (SD: 5.4). Mean scores (and SDs) were -4.4 (6.1) for control by powerful others, -9.9 (7.9) for control by chance, 14.1 (4.3) for internal control, 15.7 (7.6) for competitive strategies, 13.4 (5.5) for cooperative strategies, and -3.9 (6.7) for avoidance strategies. Belief in an internal locus of control scores were positively correlated with both the choice of competitive strategies (Pearson r= 0.33, one-tailed p = 0.007) and with cooperative strategies (r = 0.26, p = 0.03), and negatively with avoidance of success (r = -0.35, p = 0.005). Scores on belief in control by chance or fate scores were also correlated with choice of the three strategies, but in the opposite direction (respective rs = -0.26, -0.31, and 0.53). Scores on belief in control by powerful others were not significantly correlated with choices among the three strategies (rs = 0.11, -0.18, 0.19). There were no sex differences, and controls for age and undergraduate or graduate status by means of partial correlation coefficients did not change the pattern of results. The present findings indicate that students who have scores indicating stronger beliefs in an internal locus of control are more motivated to achieve success both by competitive and by cooperative strategies, while students with scores showing stronger beliefs in control by chance or fate are more motivated to avoid success.
Photodegradation of urethane model systems

The photo-oxidation products of ethyl N-phenyl-carbamate (EPC) were identified as ethyl o-aminobenzoate, ethyl p-aminobenzoate, aniline, water, carbon dioxide, azo compounds, and other colored material. The ethylaminobenzoates, formed by intramolecular rearrangement of EPC, were precursors of the azo and colored products. Diethyl 4,4′-azobenzenedicarboxylate was produced by the ultraviolet irradiation of the precursor, ethyl p-aminobenzoate, in the presence of oxygen. Benzophenone and anthraquinone, as the triplet donors, sensitized the photo-oxidation of EPC. Quantum yields of photolysis of EPC were measured. The photorearrangement reaction was inhibited by the polar solvent (ethanol). The presence of metal ions and phenyl isocyanate in EPC showed no effect on the oxygen consumption rate.
Hydrolysis rates of pyrrolizidine alkaloids derived from Senecio jacobaea

Many of the commonly studied pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are built upon the subgroup retronecine (RET), which is released from the parent molecule by either base catalyzed or enzymatic hydrolysis of the ester linkages. The rate of appearance of RET in a hydrolytic study would thus reflect the rate of hydrolysis for the PA being tested. We have developed a gas chromatographic (GC) method to measure the release of RET from incubations of PAs with the guinea pig carboxylesterase, GPH1. The PAs tested were the following: jacobine (JAB), jacozine (JAZ), retrorsine (RES), and seneciphylline (SNP). The Kms for SNP and JAZ were determined to be 64.9 and 349.2 μM, respectively. In addition, a qualitative assessment of hydrolytic activity toward a radiolabelled mixture of retrorsine/riddelliine (RES/RIL) was performed with HPLC and radiometric detection.
Effects of cytochrome P450 2E1 modulators on the pharmacokinetics of chlorzoxazone and 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone in rats.

A previously observed correlation between the rate of 6-hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone (CZX), a potent skeletal muscle relaxant, and cytochrome P450 2E1 activity in vitro led to the postulation that this drug may be used as a non-invasive probe for P450 2E1 activity in vivo. In this study, comparative pharmacokinetics of CZX and 6-hydroxychlorzoxazone (OH-CZX) were conducted in rats pretreated with an inhibitor or inducer of P450 2E1. After administration of CZX (150 mumol/kg, i.v.) to rats, blood samples were taken at different time points and the plasma concentrations of CZX and OH-CZX were determined by HPLC. The concentrations for CZX and OH-CZX over time were simultaneously fitted to a model of first-order elimination of CZX and first-order formation and elimination of OH-CZX using the computer program PCNONLIN to give pharmacokinetic parameters. Diallyl sulfide, a P450 2E1 inhibitor, at an oral dose of 50 or 200 mg/kg 12 hr prior to the CZX dose markedly inhibited the hydroxylation of CZX. Pretreatment with ethanol (15% in the drinking water for six days), a condition known to induce P450 2E1, slightly enhanced the formation of OH-CZX. To observe possible involvement of enzymes other than P450 2E1 in CZX metabolism, dexamethasone and phenobarbital were also used. Pretreatment with dexamethasone (50 mg/kg, i.p. daily for four days) did not cause changes in CZX and OH-CZX pharmacokinetics. Pretreatment with phenobarbital (75 mg/kg, i.p. daily for three days) enhanced CZX metabolism slightly. Our results suggest that P450 2E1 plays a major role in CZX hydroxylation in rats, but other factors may also be involved in the metabolism in vivo.
Medical delivery systems for the Vanderbilt free-electron laser

The Vanderbilt free electron laser (FEL) operates between 2.0 and 8.0 micrometers with high peak intensities and a pulsed structure. Both the tunability of the FEL and the unique pulse structure make this an attractive tool for surgery. To be used effectively in surgery, one must be concerned with the control and delivery of the laser light from the FEL wiggler to the operating room. Several innovative delivery and monitor systems are being developed in our computer assisted surgical techniques (CAST) program at the FEL. To use the fastest pulse repetition rates and maintain minimal lateral thermal damage, a computer controlled scanning system is used. In the surgical applications of lasers, it is often necessary to know when a laser has penetrated a bone. We are developing a method to detect when the bone has been penetrated by measuring the photo acoustic signal generated by a pulsed laser.
Localization and roles of cyclic nucleotide systems in retina

Abstract The distribution of cyclic GMP, cyclic AMP and related enzymes in the vertebrate retina, together with factors regulating their levels, are described. Photo-receptor cells in retinas from all species examined contain very high levels of cyclic GMP and high activities of both guanylate cyclase and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase. In more proximal regions of the retina, cyclic GMP is found at concentrations similar to that of brain. Guanylate kinase and GDP kinase, enzymes involved in GMP metabolism, also have increased activities in photoreceptor cell layers although their pattern of distribution does not exactly parallel that of cyclic GMP. The concentration of cyclic AMP is fairly uniform throughout the retina and at a level similar to that found in other areas of the CNS. However adenylate cyclase has an uneven distribution with particularly high activity in the inner plexiform layer. Cyclic nucleotide levels in retina may be modified by several factors. Light decreases both cyclic nucleotides in rod-dominant retinas, although we have not observed similar changes in cone-dominant retinas. Anoxia or ischemia elevates cyclic AMP and decreases cyclic GMP, similar to other areas of CNS, while incubation of retina in Ca ++ - free media markedly increases cyclic GMP levels, an effect opposite that seen in brain tissue. Depolarization of retina with high K + causes a modest elevation of cyclic AMP but has no effect on cyclic GMP, which is also significantly different from the response in brain. Cyclic AMP levels in retina however, can be elevated by dopamine which is an effect similar to that in striatum. These data indicate that there are probably multiple cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP systems in retina, some of which may be unique to this tissue.
Multi‐Tasking: Scale in Geography

Geographers are inherently focused on the integrated processes and systems that comprise the physical and social environment; however, to date, geographic research on scale has remained relatively isolated within subdisciplines. While scale has become an increasingly important research topic in the field of geography, little effort has been made to identify commonality between research themes. This article investigates scalar issues among five research themes within geography, which are physical geography, human geography, the modifiable areal unit problem, geographic information science, and nature and society. The thrust of this paper is threefold: (i) to review scalar issues among the five research themes; (ii) to discuss alternative theoretical frameworks to investigate scale; and (iii) to call for greater theoretical and methodological integration to help resolve scalar issues.
Mechanism of Cdc25B phosphatase with the small molecule substrate p-nitrophenyl phosphate from QM/MM-MFEP calculations.

Cdc25B is a dual-specificity phosphatase that catalyzes the dephosphorylation of the Cdk2/CycA protein complex. This enzyme is an important regulator of the human cell cycle and has been identified...
Incisor microwear, diet, and tooth use in three Amerindian populations

Incisor microwear patterns have been shown to reflect aspects of diet and ingestive behaviors in a wide range of nonhuman primates. While some studies have suggested that anterior dental microwear might be used to infer unusual front tooth use practices in archaeological populations, quantitative work on modern human incisors has thus far been limited. In this study we examined dental microwear on the maxillary central incisors of three groups of humans: Aleutian Islanders (n = 16), Arikara from the Mobridge Site in South Dakota (n = 15), and a Late Woodland Bluff sample from Jersey County, Illinois (n = 17). High-resolution replicas were prepared and examined by scanning electron microscopy following conventional procedures. Photomicrographs were taken at consistent locations on the labial surface, and microwear was quantified using Microware 3.0 (Ungar, 1997). Statistical test results revealed significant differences among the groups in microwear feature densities, sizes, and shapes. The Aleut, Arikara, and Illinois Bluff samples showed a gradient of increasing microwear density, increasing linearity in feature shape, and decreasing feature size. These differences evidently correspond to amount of meat consumption, and apparently to degree of use of the incisors in heavy loading. No differences were observed between groups in heterogeneity of feature orientations, and no sex-related differences were found. Associations between incisor microwear on the one hand and subsistence practice and anterior tooth use on the other likely have important implications for the study of hominid paleobiology.
Automated data capture techniques: A prerequisite for effective integrated manufacturing systems

Abstract As business environments become more and more information-intensive, an organization's approach to collecting, processing and disseminating information becomes a significant determinant of its productivity, delivery performance, quality, profitability, and overall competitiveness. Integrated Manufacturing Systems (IMS) of the 1990s and beyond will require a totally integrative management of the manufacturing enterprise. This focus on the integration of the entire enterprise rather than a narrow focus in just the manufacturing function places more stringent demands on data integrity in order to effectively coordinate the activities required to carry out the functions aimed at attaining the organizational mission. An overview is presented on the current body of knowledge on Automated Data Capture (ADC) technologies, including: bar coding, radio frequency identification, radio frequency communication, optical character recognition, voice recognition systems, machine vision, magnetic stripes, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and systems design and integration considerations. These technologies, collectively referred to as keyless data entry techniques, automated data capture, techniques, or Automatic Identification (Auto ID) technologies are critical to the success of automated manufacturing systems, distribution, inventory control and other computer facilitated activities related to enterprise integration.
Material growth investigation and high performance of InGaAs/InGaAsP/AlGaAs quantum well diode lasers (λ=0.98 μm)

In this work, we conduct a theoretical analysis of the design, fabrication, and performance measurement of high power and high brightness strained quantum well lasers emitting at 0.98 (mu) m. The material system of interest consists of an Al-free InGaAs/InGaAsP active region and AlGaAs cladding layers. The laser material is grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition and demonstrates high quality with low threshold current density, high internal quantum efficiency, and extremely low internal loss. High performance broad-area multi-mode and ridge- waveguide single mode laser devices are fabricated. For 100 (mu) m-wide stripe lasers having a cavity length of 800 (mu) m, a high slope efficiency of 1.08 W/A, a low vertical beam divergence of 340, a high output power of over 4.45 W, and a very high characteristic temperature coefficient of 250 K were achieved. Lifetime tests performed at 1.2-1.3 W (12-13 mW/(mu) m) demonstrates reliable performance. For 4 (mu) m-wide ridge waveguide single mode laser devices, a maximum output power of 394 mW and fundamental mode power up to 200 mW with slope efficiency of 0.91 mW/(mu) m are obtained.
Optimal shape control of adaptive structures for performance maximization

Shape control of deformable structures has been studied for various performance-enhancing adaptive structures. In this paper, a new optimal shape control methodology is proposed for performance maximization of deformable structures. Using finite element modeling, deformation caused by a set of actuators is expressed in terms of actuation values. Then, a cost function is defined based on a given performance metric of the structure, and necessary and sufficient conditions for the cost function to be minimized are derived. Using the necessary condition, an analytical solution for actuation values that produce the maximum performance is obtained, and the sufficient condition is used to verify that the solution actually leads to the minimum cost. As an example, application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated by using a simple longitudinally actuated one-dimensional bar. The same methodology is also applied to a mechanically deformable one-dimensional structure with an array of radiating elements. The results show that the optimal shape control methodology developed in this study can be applied to certain types of performance maximization problems for adaptive deformable structures.
A classification centric quantizer for efficient encoding of predictive feature errors

We design a joint compression and classification system that optimizes visual fidelity and classification accuracy under a bit rate constraint. We propose a classification centric quantizer (CCQ) whose parameters are learned from labeled training data. We apply and evaluate the CCQ on a scene classification problem and compare the results to previous work.
Minnesota's biotechnology portfolio

A well-diversified biotechnology portfolio, strong financial community, and excellence in technology transfer position Minnesota for continued expansion.
Acidification of surface waters in two areas of the Eastern United States

Acidification by precipitation of undisturbed, upland surface waters was examined in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. The pH and alkalinity of samples taken in the summer of 1979 were compared to those taken in North Carolina in the early 1960s and in New Hampshire in the late 1930s. These parameters had declined significantly over the sampling intervals. Results were confirmed by comparing recent measurements of Ca, Mg, Na, and K to those of bicarbonate alkalinity. This comparison confirmed the hypothesis that some acidification has occurred in both areas and that acidification was more pronounced in the New Hampshire waters.
Recent advances in the numerical analysis of heat pipes

Numerical simulation of heat pipes has progressed significantly in recent years. The state-of-the-art has been advanced in steady state, continuum transient, and frozen startup simulation for high, moderate, and low temperature heat pipes of conventional cylindrical and nonconventional geometries such as wing leading edges and spacecraft nosecaps. This review summarizes these advancements and discusses the important results.
A parallel implementation for parameter estimation with implicit models

Parameter estimation and data regression represent special classes of optimization problems. Often, nonlinear programming methods can be tailored to take advantage of the least squares, or more generally, the maximum likelihood, objective function. In previous studies we have developed large-scale nonlinear programming methods that are based on tailored quasi-Newton updating strategies and matrix decomposition of the process model. The resulting algorithms converge in a reduced space of the parameters while simultaneously converging the process model. Moreover, tailoring the method to least squares functions leads to significant improvements in the performance of the algorithm. These approaches can be very efficient for both explicit and implicit models (i.e. problems with small and large degrees of freedom, respectively). In the latter case, degrees of freedom are proportional to a potential large number of data sets. Applications of this case include errors-in-all-variables estimation, data reconciliation and identification of process parameters. To deal with this structure, we apply a decomposition approach that performs a quadratic programming factorization for each data set. Because these are small components of large problems, an efficient and reliable algorithm results. These methods have generally been implemented on standard von Neumann architectures and few studies exist that exploit the parallelism of nonlinear programming algorithms. It is therefore interesting to note that for implicit model parameter estimation and related process applications, this approach can be quite amenable to parallel computation, because the major cost occurs in matrix decompositions for each data set. Here we describe an implementation of this approach on the Alliant FX/8 parallel computer at the Advanced Computing Research Facility at Argone National Laboratory. Special attention is paid to the architecture of this machine and its effect on the performance of the algorithm. This approach is demonstrated on five small, undetermined regression problems as well as a larger process example for simultaneous data reconciliation and parameter estimation.
A computer program for planar seepage analysis in a zoned anisotropic medium by the boundary element method

Abstract A source listing of a computer program in FORTRAN IV for performing seepage analysis in a zoned anisotropic medium by the BEM (boundary element method) is presented. Only steady-state seepage problems in two-dimensional domains with general distribution of piecewise homogeneous material zones are considered. Some details of the ideas implemented in the computer program are included for completeness purposes. Sufficient user-oriented information is included to allow easy introduction and use of the computer program. A sample problem is presented to illustrate the use of the program and accuracy of the results obtained by its use.
Defective regulation of outwardly rectifying Cl− channels by protein kinase A corrected by insertion of CFTR

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal genetic disease resulting in a reduced Cl- permeability, increased mucous sulphation, increased Na+ absorption and defective acidification of lysosomal vesicles. The CF gene encodes a protein (the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR) that can function as a low-conductance Cl- channel with a linear current-voltage relationship whose regulation is defective in CF patients. Larger conductance, outwardly rectifying Cl- channels are also defective in CF and fail to activate when exposed either to cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase A or to protein kinase C. The role of the outwardly rectifying Cl- channel in CF has been questioned. We report here that expression of recombinant CF genes using adeno-associated virus vectors in CF bronchial epithelial cells corrects defective Cl- secretion, that it induces the appearance of small, linear conductance Cl- channels, and restores protein kinase A activation of outwardly rectifying Cl- channels. These results re-establish an involvement of outwardly rectifying Cl- channels in CF and suggest that CFTR regulates more than one conductance pathway in airway tissues.
Determination of amino acid isotope ratios by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

Abstract Electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry has been shown capable of measuring the isotope ratios in the amino acids, proline, leucine, and arginine with standard deviations of around 0.1%, obviating the need for derivatization and GC separation. The efficiency of electrospray ionization coupled with the sensitivity of the quadrupole mass filter and ion multiplier allows the isotope ratio to be measured with less than 50 nmol of amino acid. The resolution of a standard commercial quadrupole mass filter is capable of providing sufficient resolution such that there is minimal contribution of the primary molecular mass ion, [M + H]+, to either the isotopically important [M + H + 1]+or [M + H − 1]+peak. The isotope dilution curve between 0 and 25% is linear, with a correlation coefficient of 0.993. It is shown that the precision is great enough that the addition of 0.85 mol% of a singly13C-labeled isotopomer was easily detected and quantified.
Positive affect uniquely predicts lower risk of mortality in people with diabetes.

Objective To determine whether positive affect predicts mortality among people with diabetes and among a comparison group of people with no chronic health conditions. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Main outcome measure Mortality. Results Positive affect was significantly associated with lower risk of all-cause mortality in people with diabetes (N = 715). Enjoyed life was associated with lower risk of mortality over and above the effects of negative affect or other significant predictors of mortality. In a comparison sample without chronic illness (N = 2,673), positive affect was not associated with mortality. However, when the analysis was restricted to those over the age of 65, specific positive affects, in particular hopeful and enjoyed life were significantly associated with lower risk of mortality, again independent of negative affect. Enjoyed life remained significantly predictive of lower risk of mortality in the older sample when other predictors of mortality were statistically controlled. Positive affect was particularly protective among those over the age of 65 who reported higher levels of stress. Conclusion These findings are discussed in light of possible stress-buffering functions of positive affect.
Monitoring of blood pressure in overweight and obese children in Shandong, China

Background: Obesity and hypertension are common health problems in children and adolescents. Several studies have reported that obesity is associated with elevated blood pressure (BP) in both adults and children. However, there are few data of population-wide blood pressure monitoring in overweight and obese children and adolescents.Aim: The present study examined the prevalence of overweight, obesity and relative high BP among children and adolescents and compared the level of blood pressure among children and adolescents with different weight status in Shandong, China.Subjects and methods: A total of 8555 students (4325 boys and 4230 girls) aged 7–18 years participated in this study. Height, weight and BP of all subjects were measured, body mass index (BMI) of adolescents was calculated from their height and weight and prevalence of overweight and obesity were obtained according to the screening criteria for overweight and obesity in Chinese students using BMI.Results: The overall prevalence of overweig...
Aggregate Consumer Behaviour and the Measurement of Inequality

This paper presents an approach to inequality measurement based on an econometric model of aggregate consumer behaviour. The novel feature of this model is that systems of individual demand functions can be recovered uniquely from the system of aggregate demand functions. We present methods for evaluating social welfare based on an explicit social welfare function. This social welfare function incorporates measures of individual welfare based on indirect utility functions for all consumer units. We develop indexes of inequality based on actual and potential levels of social welfare.
Developing evaluation capacity through process use

Over time, intentional process use can have the practical effect of building the evaluation capacity of an organization. This chapter outlines possible steps that take purposeful advantage of the evaluation process.
Genetic control of the cell division cycle in yeast. IV. Genes controlling bud emergence and cytokinesis

Temperature-sensitive mutations in one gene (cdc1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae confer a defect in bud emergence. Asynchronous cultures of cells defective in cdc1 collect uniformly as unbudded cells (or cells with very tiny buds) following a shift from the permissive to the restrictive temperature. Studies with synchronous cultures demonstrate that the thermolabile product of cdc1 completes its function (the execution point) for bud emergence at the time of bud emergence (0.2 fractions of a cell cycle). When this function is not completed at the restrictive temperature. cells complete DNA replication but do not undergo nuclear division. Temperature-sensitive mutations in four genes (cdc3, 10, 11, and 12) result in a defect in cytokinesis. At the restrictive temperature these mutant strains develop multiple elongated buds that do not separate from the parent cell. An assay for cytokinesis in yeast was developed and the mutants were shown not to have completed this process. The mutants undergo several rounds of DNA replication and nuclear division at the restrictive temperature and hence become multinucleate. The execution points for these gene products were determined in synchrony experiments to be at approx. 0.08 (cdc11), 0.27 (cdc3) and 0.58 (cdc10) fractions of a cell cycle. Cytokinesis takes place at 0.9 fractions of a cell cycle. I conclude from these observations that bud emergence is not a necessary prerequisite for the completion of DNA replication but is apparently necessary for nuclear division. Cytokinesis and cell separation are not necessary prerequisites for bud emergence, DNA replication, or nuclear division.
p53 Gene Mutation Analysis and Antisense-Mediated Growth Inhibition of Human Ovarian Carcinoma Cell Lines

Targeting dysfunctional gene expression in the cancer cell with gene-specific therapeutics requires knowledge of the structure and expression of the designated gene. Because of the prevalence of p53 dysfunction in epithelial ovarian carcinoma, modulation of the expression of this tumor suppressor gene is an attractive target for gene therapy. We sequenced the p53 gene and analyzed its expression in 10 ovarian cancer cell lines. Only five cell line mutations were encountered, three associated with a loss of heterozygosity. Thus, neither p53 mutation nor allelic loss is required for ovarian carcinogenesis or propagation of ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro. SSCP screening, but not immunohistochemical staining, correlated with results of direct genomic sequencing. All p53 immunohistochemical-negative cell lines differed from that reported by another laboratory, underscoring the importance of the knowledge of target gene expression in a given cell line in a given laboratory. We designed pilot studies of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed against the p53 gene based on our sequence data. Differential growth inhibition of the A2780-CP-20 cell line (mutant p53 protein), but not of the OVCAR-3 cell line (wild-type p53 protein) confirmed the potential usefulness of this strategy.
Do Mass Media Affect Medicare Beneficiaries’ Use of Diabetes Services?

Background Appropriate secondary preventive care for people with diabetes can reduce complications and premature death, yet many people with diabetes do not get these services. Mass media may influence individual health behavior. Methods In 1999, the West Virginia Medical Institute (WVMI) began a long-term radio and television campaign to educate West Virginia Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes about the importance of foot exams, eye exams, HbA1c testing, and influenza and pneumonia immunizations using messages with an “Ask your doctor about…” formula. To assess campaign efficacy, WVMI commissioned a telephone survey of 1500 randomly selected beneficiaries likely to have diabetes in two groups of counties with differing exposure to the messages. The survey asked whether the beneficiary had heard the messages and responded to them, by message topic. Results Nearly everyone (90%) in both survey groups said they had seen or heard the diabetes ads. However, high-exposure group members were about 1.2 times more likely to recall hearing most messages than low-exposure group members, and were 1.2 to 1.8 times more likely to say that they did what the messages suggested. Conclusions Media campaigns with preventive health messages targeted to Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes can reach them and may induce appropriate responses.
Research Note: Some Empirical Regularities in Market Shares

We present some empirical regularities in the market shares of brands. Our cross-sectional data on market shares consists of 1,171 brands in 91 product categories of foods and sporting goods sold in the United States. One of our results is that the pattern of market shares for each of the categories (many of which are fundamentally dissimilar, such as breakfast cereals and rifles) is represented well by the power law. The power law also does better than an alternative model---namely, the exponential form---which has previously been studied in the literature but without having been compared to any alternative. These two models have sharply different implications; for example, the power law predicts that the ratio of market shares for two successively ranked brands becomes smaller as one progresses from higher-ranked to lower-ranked brands, whereas the exponential form predicts that this ratio is a constant. Our findings have several managerial and research implications, which we summarize.
Phase Transitions of Boron Carbide: Pair Interaction Model of High Carbon Limit

Abstract Boron Carbide exhibits a broad composition range, implying a degree of intrinsic substitutional disorder. While the observed phase has rhombohedral symmetry (space group R 3 ¯ m ), the enthalpy minimizing structure has lower, monoclinic, symmetry (space group Cm ). The crystallographic primitive cell consists of a 12-atom icosahedron placed at the vertex of a rhombohedral lattice, together with a 3-atom chain along the 3-fold axis. In the limit of high carbon content, approaching 20% carbon, the icosahedra are usually of type B 11 C p , where the p indicates the carbon resides on a polar site, while the chains are of type C–B–C. We establish an atomic interaction model for this composition limit, fit to density functional theory total energies, that allows us to investigate the substitutional disorder using Monte Carlo simulations augmented by multiple histogram analysis. We find that the low temperature monoclinic Cm structure disorders through a pair of phase transitions, first via a 3-state Potts-like transition to space group R 3 m , then via an Ising-like transition to the experimentally observed R 3 ¯ m symmetry. The R 3 m and Cm phases are electrically polarized, while the high temperature R 3 ¯ m phase is nonpolar.
The ideological construction of risk: An analysis of corporate health promotion programs in the 1980s

The nature of theoretical knowledge about health promotion and disease prevention programs at the worksite is examined in the context of knowledge as ideological construction. The emergence of the discourse about health promotion is linked to corporate attempts to reduce their share of medical expenditures and solve problems of productivity and absenteeism which plague the American workforce. Although not always evident, corporate managers choose selectively from a body of knowledge about medical costs and illness and disease in contemporary America. That knowledge reinforces the notion of risk: individual propensity to the risk of disease or the attempts of the firm to minimize risk. Three examples of ideological construction: (1) the corporate construction of the cost problem in terms of employee demand and overutilization; (2) the construction of disease etiology as individual risk; and (3) entrepreneurial activity in health promotion, all provide evidence for the dominance of the risk discourse.
Evaluation of Two Langmuir Models for Phosphorus Sorption of Phosphorus-Enriched Soils in New York for Environmental Applications

AbstractThe phosphorus (P) sorption isotherm experiment is a widely used tool in environmental applications for assessing soil's vulnerability to P loss to runoff or drainage. The sorbed legacy P (S0) (i.e., the P retained in soils from previous P applications) participates in sorption processes but
Broadband Coaxial Cable Image Viewing And Processing For Radiology

This paper discusses our implementation plan for a digital image processing and viewing network in a large radiology department. We have selected a broadband coaxial cable network as the transport medium with a partial decentralization of computing facilities. We will also be implementing the system in the department in a series of phases designed to provide a smooth transition from present methods to network utilizing ones. Our reasons for choice of transport medium and a rationale for the phases and their selection will be covered. Potential problems and contingency plans will also be discussed.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A 45-Year-Old Man With Slowly Progressive Shortness of Breath

A 45-year-old man was referred to our institution for further evaluation of slowly progressive dyspnea on exertion. His symptoms started 3 years prior to presentation, and consisted of episodes of shortness of breath related to exertion. He did not complain of cough, fever, hemoptysis, wheeze, or chest pain. He was initially treated with several antiasthmatic medications, including inhaled bronchodilators, inhaled steroids, and theophylline, without any relief of symptoms. Subsequently, the shortness of breath became progressively worse over time. Due to lack of improvement with empiric therapy, a comprehensive medical evaluation was performed by the primary physician. Findings on initial testing revealed arterial hypoxemia on arterial blood gas analysis, and a markedly reduced diffusing capacity on pulmonary function testing. Chest radiography, ventilation/perfusion scanning, lower-extremity Doppler ultrasound studies, and echocardiography were all normal. Following this evaluation, the patient was referred to our institution for further diagnostic evaluation. The medical history and review of systems were unremarkable. The patient was not taking any medications on a regular basis, and did not take any alternative therapies. His work involved manual labor as a lineman, and there was no history of exposure to any known occupational irritant. He was an ex-smoker with a 20-pack-year history of smoking. There was no history of IV drug use or alcohol abuse. Physical Examination
Single-step syntheses of no-carrier-added functionalized [18F]fluoroarenes as labeling synthons from diaryliodonium salts

Radiotracers labelled with short-lived fluorine-18 (t1/2 = 109.7 min) are keenly sought for biomedical imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). The radiotracers are mostly required at high specific radioactivities, necessitating their radiosyntheses from cyclotron-produced no-carrier-added [18F]fluoride ion. PET radiotracers encompass wide structural diversity and molecular weight. Hence, diverse 18F-labeling methodology is needed to accomplish the required radiosyntheses in a simple and rapid manner. A useful strategy is to introduce nucleophilic [18F]fluoride ion first into a labeling synthon that may then be applied to label the target radiotracer. Here, we show that various functionalized [18F]fluoroarenes may be rapidly synthesized as labeling synthons through single-step reactions of appropriate diaryliodonium salts with [18F]fluoride ion. Decay-corrected radiochemical yields (RCYs) varied with position of functional group, choice of electron-rich aryl ring in the diaryliodonium salt, and choice of anion. Under best conditions, 18F-labeled fluorobenzaldehydes, fluorobenzyl halides, fluorobenzoic acid esters and fluorophenyl ketones were obtained selectively in 40–73%, 20–55%, 46–89% and 81–98% RCYs, respectively. This versatile straightforward methodology will enhance the scope for producing structurally complex, yet useful, PET radiotracers.