cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On total stability of competitive equilibrium

Abstract Despite the fact that the demand and supply characteristics of n competitive market are inherently non-stationary, stability properties of time-varying models of multiple markets have remained largely unexplored. The purpose of this work is to introduce a time-dependent non-linear formulation of the excess demand function, and consider time-varying effects on stability of the competitive equilibrium caused by structural changes in the interactions among individual markets. It will be shown that the classical Hicks conditions are sufficient (and sometimes necessary) for stability of a large class of non-linear non-stationary models of multiple market systems.
Cancer mortality in a higher-income black population in New York State. Comparison with rates in the United States as a whole.

In the 1980 Census the median family income among blacks in Suffolk County, New York (i.e., $19,604) was much higher than that for American blacks as a whole (i.e., $12,618) and 94.1% of that for American whites (i.e., $20,840), but the proportion below the poverty level was still higher for Suffolk County blacks than for American whites. Observed numbers of deaths from 1979 to 1985 for total cancers and most cancer sites in Suffolk County black men and women were not lower than expected on the basis of age-specific and gender-specific death rates for blacks in the US. Although numbers of deaths from cervical cancer and prostate cancer were slightly lower than expected in Suffolk County blacks versus American blacks, these numbers were still significantly greater than expected on the basis of death rates among American whites. Age-specific death rates for age groups 25 to 44 years to 55 to 64 years tended to be lower in Suffolk County for lung cancers in black men but not for breast cancer in black women. Specific cancer sites, which differ in the direction of the association between incidence and socioeconomic status, age, and gender must be considered in comparisons of cancer mortality by race and socioeconomic level. Implications of the comparisons were discussed with regard to the goal of reducing racial differences in cancer death rates.
Ratio of antiproton annihilations on neutrons and protons in carbon for low-energy and stopped antiprotons

The ratio $\frac{N(\overline{p}n)}{N(\overline{p}p)}$ is measured for stopping $\overline{p}$ in propane and is found to be 0.63\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06, in good agreement with Bugg et al. Comparison of this number with the same ratio obtained in deuterium (0.763\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.019) suggests resonant structure of the $\overline{p}N$ system near threshold. $\frac{N(\overline{p}n)}{N(\overline{p}p)}$ is measured for inflight carbon annihilations; the results are consistent with a $\overline{p}N$ resonance near 1932 MeV seen earlier by Carroll et al. and also identify the resonance as being an $I=1$ state.
Inhibition of selected plant systems by stereoisomers of chloramphenicol

Abstract The stereospecificity of chloramphenicol isomers on the inhibition of several plant systems was investigated. l - Threo , d - erythro , l - erythro and the antibiotic d - threo -chloramphenicol were effective inhibitors of auxin-induced elongation, 14 C-leucine uptake and 14 C-leucine incorporation into the protein fraction of coleoptiles from Avena sativa and Triticum vulgare . The isomers also inhibited Avena coleoptile uptake of 14 C-α-aminoisobutyric acid and the de novo synthesis of α-amylase by aleurone layers from Hordeum vulgare seeds. All four compounds inhibited these processes to about the same extent and over a similar high concentration range (5 × 10 −4 to 5 × 10 −3 M). Bioassay of extracts from Avena coleoptiles treated with the non-antibiotic isomers revealed no tissue conversion into d - threo -chloramphenicol.
Ultrafast WDM logic

Ultrafast all-optical logic gates that accept optical inputs in which wavelength designates bit position within the overall byte are proposed and demonstrated. Four-wave mixing is shown to provide a conditional test function that can be used to construct any multi-input logic gate. Polarization provides the logic state for each bit. Implementations that use semiconductor optical amplifiers as the four-wave mixing medium can be monolithic and compact.
Testosterone loss and estradiol administration modify memory in men.

Purpose: Little is known about the effect of androgen deprivation therapy on the brain despite the fact that sex steroid receptors are abundant in cortical brain regions that mediate memory and other cognitive functions. We characterized the impact of androgen deprivation and of subsequent estradiol therapy on the long-term and working memory of patients with prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: Long-term memory (immediate and delayed paragraph recall tests), working memory (SOP and Trails tests) and Profile of Mood States were assessed at baseline and 4 weeks later in 18 patients with androgen independent prostate cancer beginning second line hormonal therapy with transdermal estradiol 0.6 mg/24 hours. The same assessments were performed in 2 age matched control groups of 18 patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation continuing on hormonal therapy and 17 community dwelling healthy men.Results: Immediate and delayed verbal memory were significantly worse in patients with prostate canc...
External fixation of the femur: Basic concepts

SummaryThis article discusses the application of femoral external fixators, with emphasis on the cross sectional anatomy, mechanical considerations, and fixator configurations. Safe, unsafe, and hazardous corridors are described, with recommendations for optimal and ideal pin placement. Fixator conf
Inelastic Dynamic Behavior of Hybrid Coupled Walls

This paper presents an investigation of the seismic behavior of hybrid coupled wall systems, in which steel beams are used to couple reinforced concrete shear walls. System response is studied using transient finite element analyses that account for the effect of concrete cracking, crushing, and steel yielding. Shear stresses in the concrete constitutive model are handled separately from normal stresses, which allows concrete to undergo high shear deformations without causing premature concrete crushing in the model. The developed finite element models are validated through comparisons with more refined models and test data. Suites of analyses are conducted to investigate pertinent parameters including hazard level, earthquake record scaling, dynamic base shear magnification, interstory drift, shear distortion, coupling beam plastic rotation, and wall rotation. The analyses show that hybrid coupled walls are particularly well suited for use in regions of high seismic risk.
Nonparametric indexes for sensitivity and bias: computing formulas.

Computing formulas are derived for two nonparametric indexes of sensitivity and bias that have been suggested for signal detectability studies. A relationship is shown between the sensitivity index and P(I), a statistic whose sampling variability is known. An additional index of bias is proposed, which is free of certain inconveniences, yet yields identical isobias contours. Use of the new indexes is illustrated with several sets of data. Development of the theory of signal detectability has lead to a renewed interest in the possible processes involved in perception, psychophysics, and recognition memory. To a considerable extent both theory and research in these areas have rested on specific assumptions about the underlying distributions (as in the various threshold theories versus normality). But even without explicit assumption about the distributions, data are often judged by how close they lie to operating characteristic curves derived from normal distributions, and different experimental conditions are characterized by their value of d'. Recently there has been a growing interest in various "nonparametric" analyses of detection/ recognition experiments, where specific underlying distributions are not assumed. Following one line of development, Green (1964) has shown that for experiments using the yes-no procedure, the area under the (theoretical) operating characteristic curve can be interpreted as the percentage correct on an equivalent unbiased forced-choice test, and that this is true for any continuous underlying distributions. The sampling variability of this area measure has been determined by Pollack and Hsieh (1969). A similar proof for ratingscale experiments is due to Green and Moses (1966). However, using data to estimate the area under a curve of unknown theoretical shape presents difficulties. One expedient has been to connect the points and use the trapezoidal rule (Green & Moses, 1966; Pollack, Norman, & Galanter, 1964). If the true func
An experimental study of the liquid water saturation level in the cathode gas diffusion layer of a PEM fuel cell

Abstract A proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell with a flow field that can be switched between the serpentine and the interdigitated flow modes was used to measure the liquid water saturation level in the gas diffusion layer (GDL) of the cathode and the effect of the liquid water saturation level on the fuel cell performance. Using correlations between the liquid water saturation level and gas relative permeability obtained by neutron imaging, the liquid water saturation level in the GDL under serpentine flow mode was determined by the gas pressure drop across the GDL right after the flow field was switched from the serpentine mode to interdigitated mode. The results showed that the saturation levels in the cathode GDL during the interdigitated mode was much lower than that during the serpentine mode leading to better oxygen gas access to the cathode catalyst layer and consequently better fuel cell performance, especially at high current densities and low oxygen stoichiometric flow rate. In most cases, the fuel cell became unstable when the average liquid water saturation level exceeded 20%.
Distributed coaxial cable crack sensors for crack mapping in RC

New type of distributed coaxial cable sensors for health monitoring of large-scale civil infrastructure was recently proposed and developed by the authors. This paper shows the results and performance of such sensors mounted on near surface of two flexural beams and a large scale reinforced concrete box girder that was subjected to twenty cycles of combined shear and torsion. The main objectives of this health monitoring study was to correlate the sensor's response to strain in the member, and show that magnitude of the signal's reflection coefficient is related to increases in applied load, repeated cycles, cracking, crack mapping, and yielding. The effect of multiple adjacent cracks, and signal loss was also investigated.
CONTINUOUSLY EQUIVALENT NETWORKS AND THEIR APPLICATION

Abstract : An extension of the Cauer formulation of the equivalent network theory problem is discussed which applies the transformations directly to the element parameter matrices, thereby placing the elements of the transformed network directly in evidence. The method of steepest descent is applied to choose the arbitrary parameters of the transformation in order to derive optimal networks, that is, networks with minimum number of elements and/or minimum element distribution.
Further characterization of boar sperm plasma membrane proteins with affinity for the porcine zona pellucida

Boar sperm plasma membrane proteins (PMPs) with affinity for the zona pellucida were partially purified from columns of dextran sulfate using a linear salt gradient and a buffered detergent that retained their ability to block directly the binding of uncapacitated and capacitated sperm to isolated porcine oocytes. PMPs that bound most strongly to dextran sulfate (fraction IV) were also most effective in blocking sperm binding to porcine oocytes. These tightly bound proteins also bound to isolated zonae to a greater extent than other fractions. Monovalent antibodies to fraction IV PMPs completely blocked sperm binding to isolated eggs. Fraction IV PMPs lost the ability to inhibit directly the binding to eggs when treated with chaotropic agents and trypsin; the fraction also displayed a tendency to aggregate in the absence of high salt. This property and the affinity of proteins in this fraction for sulfated polysaccharides indicate that specific hydrophilic interactions may play a significant role in sperm-zona attachments.
Distribution of current among the filaments of a multifilamentary superconductor close-to the input leads

Abstract The distribution of current among the filaments of a multifilamentary superconductor is calculated as a function of distance along the conductor from the input lead. Also calculated is the voltage drop per unit length along the surface of the conductor as a function of distance from the input lead. Knowledge of the voltage drop is helpful in determining how close to input leads to place voltage taps, especially in conductors with a large matrix resistivity, eg Nb 3 Sn in CuSn. The theory is compared with experiment with satisfactory results.
Current approaches to the evaluation of sexual desire disorders

In recent years disorders of sexual desire have come to occupy center stage in the field of sex therapy. In this article, we first review the current conceptual models of desire and consider key difficulties in the formulation and treatment of desire problems. The role of biological and other determinants of desire are briefly reviewed, and the clinical approaches of other researchers are compared and contrasted. Overall, we have observed a trend toward a more comprehensive and far‐reaching evaluation process in these cases and an increasing awareness of the clinical complexities involved. Then we review in depth a number of specific areas for clinical evaluation and present case examples of each. In particular, recommendations are made for the evaluation of developmental and health factors and the effects of sexual trauma, depression, intrapsychic conflicts, and interpersonal issues. Finally, approaches to treatment are briefly noted.
Automobile intersection collisions—An analytical and experimental investigation of the crash phase

In this study an investigation is made into the crash phase of automobile intersection collisions in which the predominant force is due to the impact; and the external forces on the vehicle, such as tire friction, may be neglected. Analytical as well as experimental methods were used to show that the automobile crash phenomena may be explained macroscopically by rigid body impact theory. Analysis of experimental results indicated the numerical range of the coefficient of friction between the colliding vehicles and the coefficient of restitution necessary to explain the crushing characteristics of the automobile structures and the final socities at the end of the crash phase for different modes of intersection collisions.
Dilatational and shear waves induced by the frictional sliding of two elastic half-spaces

The nominally steady-state frictional sliding of two flat elastic half-spaces is investigated. It is shown that steady sliding is compatible with the formation of a pair of body waves (dilatational and shear) in each body radiated away from the sliding interface. Each wave propagates at a different angle such that the trace velocities along the interface are equal. The angles of propagation are determined by the material properties and by the coefficient of sliding friction. The wave amplitudes are subject only to the restriction that the perturbations in interface contact pressure and relative tangential velocity satisfy the inequality constraints for unilateral sliding contact. Furthermore these waves are shown to exist for a variety of frictional sliding laws, including speed-dependent and speed-independent friction. Finally it is shown that a slip pulse can exist which allows the two bodies to undergo relative tangential motion with a ratio of applied shear to normal stress which is less than the friction coefficient.
Examination of posttraining supervision of peer counselors in a motivational enhancement intervention to reduce drinking in a sample of heavy-drinking college students

Importance of peer counselor posttraining supervision on motivational interviewing (MI) microskills and postintervention drinking outcomes were evaluated in a sample of heavy-drinking undergraduate students completing Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (BASICS; L.A. Dimeff, J.S. Baer, D.R. Kivlahan, & G.A. Marlatt, 1999). Two peer counselor groups were trained using identical protocols. Posttraining, one group was randomized to receive supervision, whereas the other received no supervision. Groups were subsequently compared on MI microskills. College students (n = 122) were randomly assigned to either assessment-only control, supervision, or no supervision groups and completed a BASICS intervention. Postintervention drinking outcomes were examined. Results suggested supervision aided peer counselors in reducing use of closed-ended questions. Both treatment groups reduced total drinks per week and heavy-drinking behaviors compared to control. No differences on peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or alcohol-related consequences were observed. Differences in supervision did not influence drinking outcomes; however, posttraining supervision for peer counselors deficient in MI microskills may be needed to improve BASICS fidelity.
Does adding conjoint therapy to individually focused alcoholism treatment lead to better family functioning

This report examines functioning in the families of alcoholics undergoing outpatient treatment. Alcoholic patients were randomly assigned to two social-learning-based alcoholism treatments, one of which contained a conjoint therapy component. Patients (Pts) and significant others (SOs) provided ratings of family functioning before treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. According to the perceptions of both Pts and SOs, there were significant improvements in family functioning in a number of areas at posttreatment. Contrary to what was expected, however, the improvements were not greater in the conjoint condition. The usefulness of alcoholics' level of autonomy as a matching variable also was explored. According to the perceptions of both Pts and SOs, posttreatment family functioning was better when low-autonomy alcoholics were treated without other family members. There also was evidence that conjoint treatment was more effective with high-autonomy alcoholics and their families, although it was less convincing and limited to the SOs' perceptions. Implications for alcoholism treatment and the limitations of the findings are discussed.
Role of IL-1 on Aggrecanase and COX-2 Gene Expression of Meniscal Explants Following Dynamic Compression

The menisci within the knee likely respond to adverse loading conditions, leading to aggravated cartilage damage and fissuring [1]. Upregulation of catabolic molecules such as interleukin-1α (IL-1α), metalloproteinases (MMPs), aggrecanases (ADAMTS-4 and -5), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as well as release of proteoglycans [2], have been shown in vitro for meniscal explants following dynamic loading [3]. A crucial event in matrix degradation is the loss of aggrecan, caused by the ADAMTS family [4]. In osteoarthritic cartilage, IL-1 has been shown to influence COX-2 activity, leading to increased synthesis of prostaglandin E2 and subsequent proteinase activity [5].Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Purification and characterization of an ascidian larval acerylcholinesterase

Larval acetylcholinesterase (acetylcholine acetylhydrolase, EC 3.1.1.7) of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis (L.) was purified by a two-step affinity chromatography procedure. Concavanalin A-Sepharose chromatography in batches provided the initial purification and was followed by chromatography on columns to which competitive inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase had been attached. The most efficient of these used m-carboxyphenylmethylammonium iodide coupled to Sepharose 4B via a hydrophobic 6-carbon spacer. In combination with the concanavalin A-Sepharose step, this affinity resin yielded recoveries of 30-39% with specific activities ranging from 580-730 units/mg protein, a total purification of 5000-7000-fold. Analysis of this product by polycrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of SDS and beta-mercaptoethanol revealed a single major polypeptide of M(r) 65 000-70 000. This protein was identified as the basic catalytic subunit of acetylcholinesterase by its coelectrophoresis with [(3)H]diisopropyl fluorophosphate-labeled enzyme. Sucrose density gradient studies demonstrated that the purified enzyme consisted of three distinct species that appeared to be qualitatively the same as those seen in crude extracts. The largest species (11 S) is possibly a tetramer of the basic catalytic subunit and the two smaller forms, the monomer and dimer. Purified enzyme was also used to produce anti-acetylcholinesterase antibody in rabbits. IgG prepared from the sera of immunized rabbits was shown to react completely (greater than 98%) with acetylcholinesterase from crude larval homogenates. This result also supports the conclusions that no qualitative selection occurred during the purification procedure and that the basic catalytic subunit is a fundamental component of all the larval acetylcholinesterases.
Effect of food on lidocaine kinetics: mechanism of food-related alteration in high intrinsic clearance drug elimination

The effect of high-protein meal on the hepatic clearance (ClH) of intravenous lidocaine, because of its conceptual importance in understanding first-pass metabolic phenomena, was evaluated in nine healthy males. Our randomized crossover study demonstrated that mean ClH rose from 1245 to 1477 ml/min (P less than 0.03) as a result of the meal (i.e., mean area under the blood concentration-time curve decreased 20%). The magnitude of the change in clearance correlated weakly with fasting ClH (r = 0.54; slope = -0.037% per ml/min; intercept = 67.2%; P less than 0.15). In a separate study, it was observed that the meal did not influence lidocaine serum protein binding; the free fraction of lidocaine in samples drawn from the subjects in the fasting state averaged 0.305 +/- 0.027 while that from subjects who had eaten was 0.321 +/- 0.042. These data suggest that the mean clearance of lidocaine is increased by stimulation of hepatic blood flow rate. Furthermore, the magnitude of this increase is consistent with expectations based on a simple physiologic model. Thus, these data provide experimental support for the hypothesis that transient increases in splanchnic blood flow rate observed after a high-protein meal may explain apparent improvement of the oral bioavailability of model high intrinsic clearance drugs.
COOPERATIVE EFFECTS IN CONE EMISSION FROM LASER-PUMPED TWO-LEVEL ATOMS

The cone emission obtained from pumped two-level atoms is related, by a perturbation theory, to time-dependent terms in the macroscopic Bloch equations. It is described as a cooperative superfluorescence radiation from collections of spatially distributed atoms, including in the theory the far-zone dipole-dipole interactions, in the presence of the strong monochromatic field. The distribution of the cone emission as a function of frequencies and cone angles is analyzed. A phase-matching condition is obtained for the wave vectors of the pump and conical beams that is similar to the Cherenkov condition. The frequency shift for the maximum of the cone light is found to be equal to the generalized Rabi frequency. The broadening of the cone emission is related to inhomogeneity in Rabi frequencies and decoherence effects. An approximate result is obtained for the ratio of intensities of the blue-shifted cone relative to the red-shifted cone so that the blue-shifted cone can appear only for extremely strong laser intensities.
Selective inhibition of vagal afferent nerve pathways regulating cough using Nav 1.7 shRNA silencing in guinea pig nodose ganglia

Adeno-associated virus delivery systems and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) were used to selectively silence the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV 1.7 in the nodose ganglia of guinea pigs. The cough reflex in these animals was subsequently assessed. NaV 1.7 shRNA was delivered to the majority of nodose ganglia neurons [50–60% transfection rate determined by green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene cotransfection] and action potential conduction in the nodose vagal nerve fibers, as evaluated using an extracellular recording technique, was markedly and significantly reduced. By contrast, <5% of neurons in the jugular vagal ganglia neurons were transfected, and action potential conduction in the jugular vagal nerve fibers was unchanged. The control virus (with GFP expression) was without effect on action potential discharge and conduction in either ganglia. In vivo, NaV 1.7 silencing in the nodose ganglia nearly abolished cough evoked by mechanically probing the tracheal mucosa in anesthetized guinea pigs. Stimuli such as capsaicin and bradykinin that are known to stimulate both nodose and jugular C-fibers evoked coughing in conscious animals was unaffected by NaV 1.7 silencing in the nodose ganglia. Nodose C-fiber selective stimuli including adenosine, 2-methyl-5-HT, and ATP all failed to evoke coughing upon aerosol challenge. These results indicate that cough is independently regulated by two vagal afferent nerve subtypes in guinea pigs, with nodose Aδ fibers regulating cough evoked mechanically from the trachea and bradykinin- and capsaicin-evoked cough regulated by C-fibers arising from the jugular ganglia.
Numerical study of a relaxed variational problem from optimal design

Abstract We revisit a well-known problem of optimal design, the placement of two elastic materials in the cross-section of a rod for maximum torsional rigidity. Another interpretation is the arrangement of two viscous fluids in a pipe for maximum flux under Poiseuille flow. The existence theory allows mixing on a microscopic scale, producing composite materials, and solving a relaxed version of the original design problem. This paper demonstrates that relaxation is as important for calculation as it is for existence. We minimize a discretized version of the relaxed problem using Newton's method; each quadratic approximation is solved by a multigrid method. This allows for greater resolution than previously published calculations, which were based on gradient flow.
Dissolution, Agglomerate Morphology, and Stability Limits of Protein-Coated Silver Nanoparticles

Little is understood regarding the impact that molecular coatings have on nanoparticle dissolution kinetics and agglomerate formation in a dilute nanoparticle dispersion. Dissolution and agglomeration processes compete in removing isolated nanoparticles from the dispersion, making quantitative time-dependent measurements of the mechanisms of nanoparticle loss particularly challenging. In this article, we present in situ ultra-small-angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) results, simultaneously quantifying dissolution, agglomeration, and stability limits of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. When the BSA corona is disrupted, we find that the loss of silver from the nanoparticle core is well matched by a second-order kinetic rate reaction, arising from the oxidative dissolution of silver. Dissolution and agglomeration are quantified, and morphological transitions throughout the process are qualified. By probing the BSA-AgNP suspension around its stability limits, we provide...
Health‐related quality of life for rural American Indians in New Mexico

Abstract Objectives. To determine health‐related quality of life for rural American Indians using an economical telephone surveillance system. Design. We interviewed 618 American Indians by telephone about health‐related quality of life using an adaptation of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaire. Results. A smaller proportion of rural New Mexico American Indians (50.7%) reported their general health as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ compared to the overall New Mexico (58.2%) and US populations (57.9%). American Indians reported a mental health limitation more frequently than the New Mexico and the US populations. However, 13% fewer rural New Mexico American Indians reported a limitation in usual activities. Most limitations were due to musculoskeletal conditions or diabetes mellitus. Survey respondents were found to be representative of the rural American Indian population as reported by the 1990 US Census Bureau by tribal group affiliation and age, but were not representative by incom...
LIF of C2 (A 1Πu) via the Freymark band (E1Σ6+ ← A 1Πu)

Abstract C2 (A 1 Π u ) produced from multi-photon dissociation of C2H2 at 193 nm was probed via the Δν = −2 sequence of the Freymark band system (EΣg+ ← A1πu) using laser induced fluorescence. The (ν′ = 0, ν″ = 2), (νv′ = 1, ν″ = 3) and a few lines of the (ν′ = 2, ν″ = 4) vibrational progressions were observed under nascent conditions. The intensity of the (ν′ = 0, ν″ = 2) and (ν′ = 1, ν″ = 3) bands are comparable but the (ν′ = 2, ν″ = 4) band is much weaker, implying that the vibrational population of the ν″ = 2 and 3 levels are approximately equal while that of ν″ = 4 is much smaller.
Spectral-product methods for electronic structure calculations

Progress is reported in development, implementation, and application of a spectral method for ab initio studies of the electronic structure of matter. In this approach, antisymmetry restrictions are enforced subsequent to construction of the many-electron Hamiltonian matrix in a complete orthonormal spectral-product basis. Transformation to a permutation-symmetry representation obtained from the eigenstates of the aggregate electron antisymmetrizer is seen to enforce the requirements of the Pauli principle ex post facto, and to eliminate the unphysical (non-Pauli) states spanned by the product representation. Results identical with conventional use of prior antisymmetrization of configurational state functions are obtained in applications to many-electron atoms. The development provides certain advantages over conventional methods for polyatomic molecules, and, in particular, facilitates incorporation of fragment information in the form of Hermitian matrix representatives of atomic and diatomic operators which include the non-local effects of overall electron antisymmetry. An exact atomic-pair expression is obtained in this way for polyatomic Hamiltonian matrices which avoids the ambiguities of previously described semi-empirical fragment-based methods for electronic structure calculations. Illustrative applications to the well-known low-lying doublet states of the H3 molecule in a minimal-basis-set demonstrate that the eigensurfaces of the antisymmetrizer can anticipate the structures of the more familiar energy surfaces, including the seams of intersection common in high-symmetry molecular geometries. The calculated H3 energy surfaces are found to be in good agreement with corresponding valence-bond results which include all three-center terms, and are in general accord with accurate values obtained employing conventional high-level computational-chemistry procedures. By avoiding the repeated evaluations of the many-centered one- and two-electron integrals required in construction of polyatomic Hamiltonian matrices in the antisymmetric basis states commonly employed in conventional calculations, and by performing the required atomic and atomic-pair calculations once and for all, the spectral-product approach may provide an alternative potentially efficient ab initio formalism suitable for computational studies of adiabatic potential energy surfaces more generally.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO PSYCHOHISTORY: XX. ETHNOCENTRICITY IN THE RECENT HISTORY-OF-PSYCHOLOGY LITERATURE

Summary.-Literature in the history of psychology that had been published from 1975 through 1986 was identified in Psychological Abstracts (1975-1988). From each of the 1478 publications idormation was obtained on the historical setting of the narrative and the geographical location of the (first) author. Austria, Germany, and the United States were the most often chosen settings, and these three accounted for 43% of the settings chosen. Scholars in Mexico, Japan, and the USSR were the most likely to choose their own country as the historical setting (i.e., "ethnocentric"), and those in Canada were the least ethnocentric. In the present study, we regard ethnocentricity as a quality of scholarly practices that embody selective investigation of topics particular to an investigator's country of residence and professional training. Ethnocentric practices may result from limitations of information (Broiek & Hoskovec, 1992; Broiek & Siegler, 1991) or skds (particularly linguistic), or from professional-institutional arrangements that simply promote interests that are specific to a familiar locale. In many ways, ethnocentric psychology is the opposite of international psychology (Ardila, 1982). Ethnocentric practices may involve beliefs regarding the comparative worth, importance, or validity of the intellectual products of other cultures (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 1980), but our use of this term is narrower, more descriptive, and does not intend pejorative appraisal of ethnocentric practices. The purpose of the present article was to describe the ethnocentricity of historical settings of narratives in the history of psychology published from 1975 through 1986. We were also interested in which historical settings have been chosen most frequently for historical examination (apart from the contribution ethnocentricity makes to the frequencies). Finally, given that the United States produces the most research in the hstory of psychology (Coleman, Cola, & Webster, 1992), we compared the frequency of selection of historical settings by scholars in the United States and in all other countries. METHOD
Properties of the iodine molecule relevant to laser-induced fluorescence experiments in gas flows

Laser-induced fluorescence of iodine seed molecules can be used for both flow visualization and accurate measurements of gasdynamic properties. This paper gives an introductory review of the use of iodine in experimental fluid mechanics, including basic formulas for saturated and non-saturated fluorescence (excited with narrowband or broadband lasers), line shape, line strength and quenching behavior. Techniques for the seeding of the molecules into the gas flow and the safe handling of the gas are discussed. Finally, a simple numerical example is given for the calculation of absorption and fluorescence signals with discussion of the measurement of gasdynamic properties.
ASGARD: an open-access database of annotated transcriptomes for emerging model arthropod species

The increased throughput and decreased cost of next-generation sequencing (NGS) have shifted the bottleneck genomic research from sequencing to annotation, analysis and accessibility. This is particularly challenging for research communities working on organisms that lack the basic infrastructure of a sequenced genome, or an efficient way to utilize whatever sequence data may be available. Here we present a new database, the Assembled Searchable Giant Arthropod Read Database (ASGARD). This database is a repository and search engine for transcriptomic data from arthropods that are of high interest to multiple research communities but currently lack sequenced genomes. We demonstrate the functionality and utility of ASGARD using de novo assembled transcriptomes from the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus, the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus and the amphipod crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis. We have annotated these transcriptomes to assign putative orthology, coding region determination, protein domain identification and Gene Ontology (GO) term annotation to all possible assembly products. ASGARD allows users to search all assemblies by orthology annotation, GO term annotation or Basic Local Alignment Search Tool. User-friendly features of ASGARD include search term auto-completion suggestions based on database content, the ability to download assembly product sequences in FASTA format, direct links to NCBI data for predicted orthologs and graphical representation of the location of protein domains and matches to similar sequences from the NCBI non-redundant database. ASGARD will be a useful repository for transcriptome data from future NGS studies on these and other emerging model arthropods, regardless of sequencing platform, assembly or annotation status. This database thus provides easy, one-stop access to multi-species annotated transcriptome information. We anticipate that this database will be useful for members of multiple research communities, including developmental biology, physiology, evolutionary biology, ecology, comparative genomics and phylogenomics. Database URL: asgard.rc.fas.harvard.edu.
Incidence and predictors of periprocedural cerebrovascular accident in patients undergoing catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) is a serious complication of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). The incidence and clinical predictors of periprocedural CVA in patients undergoing AF ablation are not fully understood. Methods: This study included 721 cases (age 57 ± 11 years; 23% female; 345 persistent AF) in 579 consecutive patients referred for AF ablation. Periprocedural CVA was defined as onset of a new neurologic deficit that occurred anytime between the start of the procedure and 30 days after the AF ablation, and was confirmed by a neurologist. Cranial imaging with CT and/or MRI was performed in each case. Patients were anticoagulated with warfarin for at least 4 weeks pre- and immediately postprocedure and were bridged with enoxaparin. Transesophageal echocardiography was performed within 24 hours prior to ablation in all cases. Results: Periprocedural CVA occurred in 10 of 721 cases (1.4%). The risk of periprocedural CVA did not vary significantly during the course of the study. Among these 10 patients (age 62 ± 11 years; 1 female; 5 persistent AF), 6 manifested neurological deficits within 24 hours, 3 after 24–48 hours, and 1 patient had a CVA 6 days following AF ablation despite a therapeutic INR level. All CVAs were ischemic. Five patients had residual deficits after 30 days. Four of 43 patients (9.3%) with a prior history of CVA had periprocedural CVA. Periprocedural CVA occurred in 0.3%, 1.0%, and 4.7% of patients with CHADS2 scores of 0, 1, and ≥ 2 (P < 0.001). In 2 separate multivariate analyses, a CHADS2 score ≥ 2 (OR 7.1, P = 0.02) and history of CVA (OR 9.5, P < 0.01) remained independent predictors of periprocedural CVA. Conclusions: Despite periprocedural anticoagulation and transesophageal echocardiography, we found a 1.4% incidence of periprocedural CVA in AF ablation patients. A CHADS2 score ≥ 2 and a history of CVA are independent predictors of CVA after AF ablation. The CVA risk is low in patients with CHADS2 score of 0.
The Relationship of Lumbar Flexion to Disability in Patients With Low Back Pain

Background and Purpose. Physical therapists routinely assess spinal active range of motion (AROM) in patients with low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to use 2 approaches to examine the relationship between impairment of lumbar spine flexion AROM and disability. One approach relied on the use of normative data to determine when an impairment in flexion AROM was present. The other approach required therapists to make judgments of whether the flexion AROM impairment was relevant to the patient's disability. Subjects. Fifteen physical therapists and 81 patients with LBP completed in the study. Methods. Patients completed the Roland-Morris Back Pain Questionnaire (RMQ), and the therapists assessed lumbar spine flexion AROM using a dual-inclinometer technique at the initial visit and again at discharge. Results. Correlations between the lumbar flexion AROM measure and disability were low and did not vary appreciably for the 2 approaches tested. Conclusion and Discussion. Measures of lumbar flexion AROM should not be used as surrogate measures of disability. Lumbar spine flexion AROM and disability are weakly correlated, suggesting that flexion AROM measures should not be used as treatment goals.
Cell proliferation in the growing human heart: MIB-1 immunostaining in preterm and term infants at autopsy

Abstract Few studies of human cardiac myocyte proliferation in the perinatal period have been conducted. We measured the proliferative activity of left ventricular myocytes in tissue obtained at autopsy in three surgically induced abortuses, 20 preterm infants with gestational ages ranging from 12 to 35 weeks, eight term infants with ages ranging from 1 day to 11 months, and five adults. The preterm infants lived less than 24 h, thus simulating the in utero condition of developing hearts. To assess the proliferative activity of the myocytes, we measured immunoreactivity using the monoclonal antibody MIB-1 against the recombinant Ki-67 nuclear antigen. Immunostained sections were examined by light microscopy, and the results expressed as a staining index (SI) of 0–3, according to the percentage of positively stained myocyte nuclei. Myocyte proliferative activity remained constant during the early preterm period and decreased in the late preterm and early postterm periods. Adult myocytes, regardless of cardiac weight, did not reveal proliferative activity as assessed by immunostaining. This proliferation pattern is consistent with findings in most earlier studies in animal models.
Heterogeneous seismic anisotropy in the transition zone and uppermost lower mantle: evidence from South America, Izu-Bonin and Japan

SUMMARY Measurements of seismic anisotropy are commonly used to constrain deformation in the upper mantle. Observations of anisotropy at mid-mantle depths are, however, relatively sparse. In this study we probe the anisotropic structure of the mid-mantle (transition zone and uppermost lower mantle) beneath the Japan, Izu-Bonin, and South America subduction systems. We present source-side shear wave splitting measurements for direct teleseismic S phases from earthquakes deeper than 300km that have been corrected for the effects of upper mantle anisotropy beneath the receiver. In each region, we observe consistent splitting with delay times as large as 1 s, indicating the presence of anisotropy at mid-mantle depths. Clear splitting of phases originating from depths as great as ∼600km argues for a contribution from anisotropy in the uppermost lower mantle as well as the transition zone. Beneath Japan, fast splitting directions are perpendicular or oblique to the slab strike and do not appear to depend on the propagation direction of the waves. Beneath South America and Izu-Bonin, splitting directions vary from trench-parallel to trench-perpendicular and have an azimuthal dependence, indicating lateral heterogeneity. Our results provide evidence for the presence of laterally variable anisotropy and are indicative of variable deformation and dynamics at mid-mantle depths in the vicinity of subducting slabs.
Fetal Response Time to Transplacental Digoxin Therapy for Supraventricular Tachyarrhythmia: A Meta-Analysis

We performed a meta-analysis of all published cases of fetal supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) treated with maternally administered oral digoxin. The purpose of the study was to determine the expected therapeutic response time and thereby facilitate clinical management of fetal SVT. A statistically significant association was found between the duration of therapy and the probability of therapeutic success. Sixty percent of fetuses responded within 10 days of initiating oral digoxin and 80% within 17 days. We have constructed a graph of the expected fetal response rate over time. Our findings also suggest that cases that have been reported as treatment failures were in fact treated for a significantly shorter duration than fetuses in whom SVT was controlled. Ninety-two percent of failures were treated for 7 days or less. No other significant differences could be detected between the groups. Our findings elucidate the expected response rate of fetal SVT to oral digoxin therapy and suggest that many cas...
An empirical study on the utility of BRDF model parameters and topographic parameters for mapping vegetation in a semi-arid region with MISR imagery

In this study we show that multiangle remote sensing is useful for increasing the accuracy of vegetation community type mapping in desert regions. Using images from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), we compared roles played by Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) model parameters with those played by topographic parameters in improving vegetation community type classifications for the Jornada Experimental Range and the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico, USA. The BRDF models used were the Rahman-Pinty-Verstraete (RPV) model and the RossThin-LiSparseReciprocal (RTnLS) model. MISR nadir multispectral reflectance was considered as baseline because nadir observation is the most basic remote sensing observation. The BRDF model parameters and the topographic parameters were considered as additional data. The BRDF model parameters were obtained by inversion of the RPV model and the RTnLS model against the MISR multiangle reflectance data. The results of 32 classification experiments show that the BRDF model parameters are useful for vegetation mapping; they can be used to raise classification accuracies by providing information that is not available in the spectral-nadir domain, or from ancillary topographic parameters. This study suggests that the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and MISR BRDF model parameter data products have great potential to be used as additional information for vegetation mapping.
Orbital replacement unit changeout experiments with a telerobot testbed system

Orbital replacement unit (ORU) changeout experiments were performed with the JPL/NASA telerobot testbed system for three different control modes: force reflecting teleoperation (FR), shared compliant control (SCC), and autonomous control (AC). In FR, the operator was provided with kinesthetic force feedback, feeling contact forces through a force-reflecting hand controller. In SCC, the operator controlled a compliant robot, where the robot compliance was implemented by an autonomous compliant control force feedback. In AC, telemanipulation tasks were performed autonomously by using a sequence of macros. Experimental results indicate that SCC greatly reduces the magnitudes and durations of contact forces as compared to FR. AC took the least time to complete the ORU changeout task and, with appropriate operator intervention capabilities, it could be very pleasant to use in some applications with well-structured task environments. >
Intramolecular metaldouble bond interactions : V. 1H NMR investigation of group II metalalkene compounds

Abstract 1H NMR data are presented for a series of terminal alkenes and their respective halogen and Group II metal derivatives. The NMR parameters of the olefin functionality, with the exception of di-4-pentenylzinc, generally vary with the electron-donating or -attracting ability of the terminal substituent. The NMR parameters of di-4-pentenylzinc are interpreted in terms of an internal metaldouble bond interaction. This direct interaction leads to intramolecular cyclization in the di-5-hexenylmagnesium and -zinc derivatives.
Defining Chronic Mental Illness: A Concept Paper

Three criteria--diagnosis, duration, and disability--are gaining currency in efforts throughout the United States to define the concept of chronic mental illness in a precise manner. However, there is presently no consensus on the specific character or relative importance of these criteria. Nor is there consensus on the nature of the interrelationships among these elements. These conceptual concerns must be resolved if uniformity in service planning and research on the chronic mentally ill is to be achieved.