cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMR STUDY OF THE ANTIFERROMAGNETIC TO SUPERCONDUCTOR PHASE TRANSITION IN (TMTSF)2PF6

The pressure-tuned quantum phase transition from spin-density wave (SDW) to Fermi Liquid (FL) ground states is studied in (TMTSF)2PF6 by NMR relaxation and spectroscopy. As for recent transport measurements, we find evidence in the distribution of local hyperfine fields for phase segregation, from which we conclude the transition between normal and SDW phases is discontinuous. A tricritical point (TCP) is identified. A crossover to FL behavior identified by spin-lattice relaxation measurements intersects the normal to SDW phase boundary very close to the TCP.
Gendering Humanoid Robots: Robo-Sexism in Japan

In humans, gender is both a concept and performance embodied by females and males, a corporeal technology that is produced dialectically. The process of gendering robots makes especially clear that...
The battered child: A study of the role of services in 25 cases of child abuse in The Netherlands

With the help of a questionnaire and the study of 25 cases of child abuse from 1973 to 1976, the course of assistance given by various services and social workers involved was followed and the extent of the coordination between them was assessed. The starting point was the fact that when child abuse has reached the crisis stage many different bodies give immediate assistance to both the child and his parents. Later on, however, as help continues, it is not clear which of the persons or bodies concerned is really in charge of the case. The following conclusions were drawn: Abused children came from multiproblem families who often already have had contact with care or welfare services though no steps had been taken to intervene before ill-treatment was verified. Many parents confessed to ill-treatment of their child and desired help. Abused children were subjected to longer than usual hospital stays due to lack of reception facilities outside the hospital. Most ill-treated children abused enough to be hospitalized, were placed away from home although half of the parents did not agree with that decision. Of those later returned to their parents, over half had to be removed later for renewed ill-treatment and neglect. The need for one body to coordinate and be responsible for execution of plans for treatment was stressed.
Characteristics of Cold-Electrode Emitter Materials for Pulsed Hollow Cathode Discharges

Hollow cathode discharges have long been used for many applications such as light sources for spectroscopic studies, pumping sources for gas lasers and high-power plasma switching applications. For plasma switches, the initiation of the plasma is critical and this is usually achieved by a "trigger" scheme. This work presents the initial studies on the role of cold-cathode material to be used as the "trigger electrode" to initiate the ionization processes. Once the candidate materials are identified, the experimental setup will consist of a simple hollow-cathode / hollow-anode geometry with a trigger electrode placed behind the cathode to provide the initial seed electrons to initiate the hollow cathode discharge. The primary objective of this work is to find possible materials with higher cold-electron emission characteristics in higher pressure rages than the traditional operating pressures of pseudospark switches. The SEM and electron emission characteristics of two trigger electrode materials namely carbon nano-tubes and zinc oxide are presented.
Terascale turbulence computation using the FLASH3 application framework on the IBM Blue Gene/L system

Understanding the nature of turbulent flows remains one of the outstanding questions in classical physics. Significant progress has been recently made using computer simulation as an aid to our understanding of the rich physics of turbulence. Here, we present both the computer science and the scientific features of a unique terascale simulation of a weakly compressible turbulent flow that includes tracer particles. (Terascale refers to performance and dataset storage use in excess of a teraflop and terabyte, respectively.) The simulation was performed on the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory IBM Blue Gene/L™ system, using version 3 of the FLASH application framework. FLASH3 is a modular, publicly available code designed primarily for astrophysical simulations, which scales well to massively parallel environments. We discuss issues related to the analysis and visualization of such a massive simulation and present initial scientific results. We, also discuss challenges related to making the database available for public release. We suggest that widespread adoption ofan open dataset model of high-performance computing is likely to result in significant advantages for the scientific computing community, in much the same way that the widespread adoption of open-source software has produced similar gains over the last 10 years.
Examination of glass transitions in CO2-processed, peracetylated sugars using sum frequency generation spectroscopy

The present study utilizes vibrational sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy to study changes in the surface crystallinity of various peracetylated sugars, a class of materials that have a high affinity for carbon dioxide (CO2). Studies of the solid−air interface of acetylated β-cyclodextrin (Ac-β-CD) and sucrose octaacetate (SOA) show that diffuse reflectance SFG spectroscopy is sensitive to changes in crystallinity from processing with either heat or solvation in CO2, due to the loss of signal after glassification occurs. β-d-Glucose pentaacetate (Ac-β-GLC) was used as a control for this experiment due to the fact that it does not undergo a crystalline phase transition, regardless of processing conditions. The crystalline to amorpohous transitions of these bulk materials were verified using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a function of thermal and CO2 processing. In addition, preliminary results suggest that the SFG technique is sensitive in detecting the degree of crystallinity at the ...
Designing a Thermostable Switch-Based Biosensor

There is a critical need for developing new diagnostic chemical reporter tools that are stable, cost effective, and capable of sensitive detection. Fluorescent protein biosensors relay changes in fluorescence based on the physical interaction between a protein and the ligand. The thermostable arginine binding protein (ArgBP) from the Gram-negative, hyperthermophilic bacterium, Thermotoga maritima, has been modified to create a reagentless fluorescent biosensor. Typically, single Cys mutants are constructed and covalently modified with environmentally-sensitive fluorescent probes. However, no theoretical framework exists to accurately model placement of the probe to the protein sensor. In this work, site-directed mutations were engineered whereby a significant fluorescence quenching (>80%) is observed based on a photo-induced electron transfer (PET) mechanism, which occurs after TmArgBP binds with increasing concentrations of arginine. This method gave significantly better fluorescence response to arginine and responded in a predictable distance-dependent manner when compared with construction of single Cys mutants of TmArgBP. Using the PET method, a dissociation constant of 0.86 microMolar was determined to be consistent with previously published data for this protein. Time-resolved fluorescence lifetime measurements indicated that fluorescence deactivation of the TmArgBP biosensor is a result of static quenching, which is consistent with the formation of ground state complexes between the fluorescent probe and an internal quencher. In addition to the development of a thermostable fluorescent protein sensor, this investigation provides a generalizable spectroscopic tool for the study of conformational movements within a single polypeptide chain.
Surgical Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma beyond Milan Criteria. Results of Liver Resection, Salvage Transplantation, and Primary Liver Transplantation

There is no clear consensus regarding the best treatment strategy for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with cirrhosis and HCC beyond Milan who had undergone liver resection (LR) or primary orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) between November 1995 and December 2005 were included in this study. Pathological tumor staging was based on the American Liver Tumor Study Group modified Tumor-Node-Metastasis classification. A total of 23 HCC patients were primarily treated by means of LR, 5 of whom eventually underwent salvage OLT. An additional 32 patients underwent primary OLT. The overall actuarial survival rates at 3 and 5 years were 35% after LR, and 69% and 60%, respectively, after primary OLT. Recurrence-free survival at 5 years was significantly higher after OLT (65%) than after LR (26%). Of the patients who underwent LR, 11 (48%) experienced HCC recurrence only in the liver; 6 of these 11 presented with advanced HCC recurrence, poor medical status, or short disease-free intervals and were not considered for transplantation. Salvage OLT was performed in 5 patients with early stage recurrence (45% of patients with hepatic recurrence after LR and 22% of all patients who underwent LR). At a median of 18 months after salvage OLT, all 5 patients are alive, 4 are free of disease, and 1 developed HCC recurrence 16 months after salvage OLT. For patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria, multimodality treatment—including LR, salvage OLT, and primary OLT—results in long-term survival in half of the patients. When indicated, LR can optimize the use of scarce donor organs by leaving OLT as a reserve option for early stage HCC recurrence.
Maternal obesity up-regulates inflammatory signaling pathways and enhances cytokine expression in the mid-gestation sheep placenta

Obesity in pregnant women is a growing public health concern. The placenta is a source of cytokines which can induce maternal gestational insulin resistance and alter nutrient transport to the fetus. Obesity induces placental inflammation at term, but the impact of obesity on placental inflammation earlier in pregnancy has not been defined. Using sheep as an experimental model, we hypothesized that maternal obesity (MO) would induce inflammation in the cotyledonary (COT) tissue of the placentome by mid-gestation. Nonpregnant ewes were randomly assigned to a control (C, 100% of NRC recommendations) or obese (OB, 150% of NRC) group from 60 days before conception to 75 day of gestation (dG), when ewes were necropsied and placental COT tissue collected for analyses. Free fatty acids content, triglyceride and cholesterol content were higher (P < 0.05) in the fetal plasma of OB compared to C ewes on day 75. MO increased mRNA levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 (P < 0.05) and TLR4 (P = 0.06), macrophage markers cluster of differentiation (CD)11b (P = 0.06), CD14 and CD68 (P < 0.05), and proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)alpha (P < 0.01), interleukin (IL)-6 (P < 0.05), IL-8(P < 0.01) and IL-18 (P = 0.06), in COT tissue. Inflammatory c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappaB) signaling pathways were up-regulated (P < 0.05) in COT of OB ewes. In conclusion, MO enhanced the placental inflammatory response in OB ewes at mid-gestation, possibly as a result of increased TLR4 and free fatty acids.
Adenylate cyclase in the hindgut of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae (F.)

Abstract An adenylate cyclase from the hindgut of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae (F.), has been investigated. Several properties of the enzyme, including subcellular distribution, pH optimum, stimulation by NaF, effect of ATP and Mg 2+ , effect of divalent cations and effect of hindgut-stimulating neurohormone (HSN) were determined. Studies with isolated hindguts revealed that cyclic AMP potentiated the effect of HSN fourfold. However, HSN had no effect on basal- or fluoride-stimulated activities of adenylate cyclase in vitro . These observations are discussed with reference to the mode of action of HSN.
Technical note : Heterogeneity dose calculation accuracy in IMRT: Study of five commercial treatment planning systems using an anthropomorphic thorax phantom

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of five commonly used intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning systems (TPSs), 3 using convolution superposition algorithms or the analytical anisotropic algorithm (CSA/AAAs) and 2 using pencil beam algorithms (PBAs), in calculating the absorbed dose within a low-density, heterogeneous region when compared with measurements made in an anthropomorphic thorax phantom. The dose predicted in the target center met the test criteria (5% of the dose normalization point or 3 mm distance to agreement) for all TPSs tested; however, at the tumor-lung interface and at the peripheral lung in the vicinity of the tumor, the CSA/AAAs performed better than the PBAs (85% and 50%, respectively, of pixels meeting the 5%/3-mm test criteria), and thus should be used to determine dose in heterogeneous regions.
Determinants of Bilateral Operations of Canadian and US Commercial Banks

The size of parent bank has been found to be the chief determinant of commercial banks' foreign operations. A framework is developed for explaining this, as well as other aspects of the source, nature, host country, and subnational location of foreign-owned and foreign-affiliated bank offices. In the Canada-US context, the posited relationships are complicated by the two economies' proximity and intensive interaction, and by regulatory changes within and between the countries. The paper refers to published data and personal interviews to note the influence that proximity, ultimate ownership, and market segmentation have on banks' decisions to engage in correspondent relationships versus agencies, branches, or subsidiaries across the border. From the interviews and by using the hypothesized framework, the author also explores relationships between existing bank strengths and changes resulting from the bilateral Free Trade Agreement.
Evaluation of technology for wastes and soils contaminated with dioxins, furans, and related substances

Abstract The objectives of the U.S. EPA Dioxin-Engineering program are: (a) to conduct basic/ applied research on the behavior of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in contaminated soils, applying this knowledge to methods useful for the in-situ stabilization of such soils and investigating the viability of special organisms or chemical reagents for the destruction of this artifact and related toxic chemicals; and (b) to develop and evaluate, both in the laboratory and in the field, technologies for the detoxification, destruction, or control of PCDD-contaminated liquids and soils. Resource levels for the program amount to $3.3 million for 1984–1986 with an additional $7.2 million from the Superfund to accelerate this program and provide quality assurance/control support to the data gathering and certification efforts. In approximately one and one-half years, significant contributions have been made in the following areas: • Sorption/desorption characteristics of 2,3,7,8–TCDD in contaminated soils have been investigated. • In-situ stabilization techniques for soils are being evaluated. • Phanerochaete chrysosporium, a white rot fungus, has shown the ability to degrade 2,3,7,8-TCDD in laboratory experiments. • Shallow mines for contaminated soils have been evaluated and the concept appears technically and environmentally feasible. • Field testing of the EPA Mobile Incineration System in Missouri is continuing. Destruction and removal efficiencies of > 99.9999% were achieved; ash and scrubber water were delisted. • Alkali polyethelene glycolate reagents are being studied and results are encouraging.
Postoperative oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid reduces inflammatory complications following extraction of impacted mandibular third molars

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Efficacy of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid in preventing infectious and inflammatory complications following impacted mandibular third molar extraction. Arteagoitia I, Diez A, et al. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 2005;100(1):e11-8. Level of Evidence 1b Purpose/Question The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of postoperative oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid on inflammatory complications following removal of mandibular third molars. Source of Funding Funded by the Spain's Health Research Fund FIS/GRAN dossier no 00/0585 Type of Study/Design Prospective randomized controlled trial
Improved Magneto-Cumulative Generator Performance by Using Variable Bitter Coil-Type Stator Windings

The authors present a conceptual approach to improve the yield, efficiency, and pulse shape characteristics from an explosively-driven magneto-cumulative generator (MCG). We propose that a Bitter coil with tailored and configurable electromagnet windings and insulation be used for the MCG stator. Several features of Bitter coil construction lend themselves as design solutions for a number of inherent MCG problems. Standard Bitter coils have been used for decades to conduct high currents and produce correspondingly high magnetic fields. The Bitter coil is a series of conducting annular disks of considerable conducting cross-section. An azimuthal sector of conductor is removed from each annulus, which permits a break point for an axial "jumper" to connect each turn to its neighbor. The disks are stacked with interleaved insulation. For MCG application, the windings of the Bitter coil can in principle be modified, turn-by-turn, to change each winding's inner and outer radius and thickness, as well as the material, size, shape, and spacing of the interleaving insulation. This design variability seems to solve a number of performance problems of conventional MCGs. The authors have searched the open available technical literature and have not found any MCG research using this approach. Fabricating a Bitter coil-type stator may have been previously impractical, but with the advent of computer-numerical-controlled shop machines the lack of ease to fabricate such a stator may no longer be a hurdle for its use.
Semiconducting ferroelectric SbSI quantum dots in organically modified TiO2 matrix

Semiconducting ferro electric antimony sulphoiodide (SbSI) microcrystallite doped organically modified TiO2 thin film and bulk solids are successfully fabricated by the sol- gel process. Ferro electric SbSI crystallites have some attractive properties, including high dielectric permittivity, high electro-optical coefficient and high photoconductivity. SbSI is also an intrinsic semiconductor with a relatively narrow energy gap. If the crystal size is near its Bohr radius and the microcrystallites are dispersed in a suitable matrix, a dramatic improvement of the third order non linearity will be achieved due to the quantum confinement effect. It is clear that the SbSI quantum dot composites are good candidates for electro-optical devices. Glycidoxypropyltrimetroxysilane modified TiO2 is used as the matrix and SbSI is synthesized in situ by using SbI3 SC9NH2)2 and H2S gas. The size is controlled by the heat-treatment conditions and is characterized by the XRD and HRTEM measurements. The optical absorption spectrum gives evidence of the quantum confinement effect. The third order susceptibility of the SbSI quantum dot is measured by the degenerate four wave mixing method.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A comparative study of Vitamin E TPGS/HPMC supersaturated system and other solubilizer/polymer combinations to enhance the permeability of a poorly soluble drug through the skin

In transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS), it is a challenge to achieve stable and prolonged high permeation rates across skin, because the concentration of the drug dissolved in the matrix has to be high in order to maintain zero order release kinetics of the drug. In case of poorly soluble drugs, due to thermodynamic challenges, there is a high tendency for the drug to nucleate immediately after formulating or even during storage. The present study focuses on the efficiency of vitamin E TPGS/HPMC supersaturated solution and other solubilizer/polymer systems to improve the solubility of the drug and inhibit crystal growth in the transdermal formulation. Effect of several solubilizers, for example, Pluronic F-127, vitamin E TPGS and co-solvent, for example, propylene glycol (PG) were studied on the supersaturated systems of ibuprofen as model drug. Various stabilizers such as hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC 3 cps) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) were examined to evaluate their crystal inhibitor...
Upper GI symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

TO THE EDITOR: I read with interest the article by Talley et al., entitled "Overlapping Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients with Constipation or Diarrhea" that was published in the November 2003 volume of TheAmerican Journal of Gastroenterology (1). Out of 121 patients with a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 76 had constipation as their primary bowel symptom (IBS-C) and 45 had diarrhea as their primary bowel symptom (IBS-D). The authors found that upper GI symptoms such as early satiety, indigestion, and bloating were more common in IBS-C patients compared to IBS-D patients. The authors should be congratulated for making an effort to characterize and further evaluate the problem of upper GI symptoms in IBS-C patients. It is known that patients even with simple constipation (not IBS-C) have nonspecific upper GI symptoms such as nausea, bloating, and early satiety. We have reported (2) that patients with chronic constipation have prolonged orocecal time as measured by lactulose H2 breath test. The symptom of bloating in IBS-C patients can be explained on the basis of prolonged small bowel transit time. Talley et al. suggest that exaggerated "cologastric brake" may partially explain upper abdominal symptoms in IBS-C patients. In this respect it should be noted that colonic distention in patients with chronic constipation causes tachygastria as evaluated by surface electrogastrogram (3); this may be the mechanism for the symptom of nausea in IBS-C patients. Rectal distention in patients with constipation causes enteric hypotonia (4) probably mediated by inhibitory coloenteric reflex. In addition to exaggerated "cologastric brake," exaggerated "coloenteric brake" may also play some role in the pathogenesis of upper GI symptoms in IBS-C patients.
An in vitro comparison of nonvital bleaching techniques in the discolored tooth

In this study, teeth were stained in vitro to compare and evaluate the results of three commonly used nonvital bleaching techniques: the thermocatalytic, the “walking bleach,” and the combination. The three techniques were equally effective in bleaching crowns in which pulpal hemorrhage was the primary cause of discoloration. The rapidity of the walking bleach technique in respect to a decrease of operator time was highly significant ( P
Primary and Solvent Kinetic Isotope Effects in the Water-Assisted Tautomerization of Formamidine: An ab Initio Direct Dynamics Study

We present an ab initio direct dynamics study of the primary and solvent kinetic isotopes effects (KIEs) for the water-assisted tautomerization in the formamidine-water complex. These calculations are based on a variational transition state theory plus multidimensional semiclassical tunneling corrections with potential energy information calculated at the MP2 level of theory using the 6-31G(d,p) basis set. We found that both the primary and solvent KIEs are large at low temperatures and are due not only to tunneling but also to quantum effects in vibrational motions. The primary KIEs were larger than the solvent KIEs. This results from differences due to the effect of deuteration on vibrational modes. Bending modes show significant inverse KIEs, while those of the reactive OH and NH vibrations show both inverse and normal effects. Such effects can be explained by examining changes in the zero-point energies of these modes. The adherence of the HH/HD/DD rates to the rule of the geometric mean is also examined.
Manufacturing productivity education data control by a general database system

Abstract This paper describes a database system which is in use by a National Science Foundation funded education project. The major thrust of the project is to develop and distribute modularized learning units which are concerned with topics in manufacturing productivity. The database, which utilizes the FORTRAN-based GPLAN/DMS3 system, stores and controls the selective input and output of data concerned with manufacturing productivity education. The database logic and structure are described and examples of input and outout are presented.
ROLE OF RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM (RES) MACROPHAGES IN HOST RESISTANCE TO VIRAL INFECTIONS

Although phagocytic cells of the RES have been identified as a critical determinant of host resistance in certain viral diseases, the mechanism remains only partially defined. We utilized an in vitro experimental model system to better define the capacity of macrophages to control a virus infection in the absence of other components of the host's defense mechanism. Progression of a vaccinia virus infection in cultures of mouse embryo fibroblasts was partially controlled, as evidenced by decreased (1) foci of cell destruction (CPE) and (2) extracellular virus, in cultures receiving mouse peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes. This protective effect was shown to be predominantly mediated by the macrophages after separation on a Ficoll density gradient. Nonspeclfically activated macrophages (from BCG immunized mice) had a significantly enhanced capacity to control virus replication. Interferon could not be detected and the suppression of virus replication occurred in the absence of significant virus uptake by the macrophages. These data support the concept that (1) RES cells contribute to host resistance in certain virus infections and (2) suggest that macrophages may directly interact with virus-infected cells and block production or release of progeny virus.
Polygenetic Quaternary volcanism at Crater Flat, Nevada

Abstract Alkali basalts erupted during the Quaternary at Crater Flat, Nevada, record a complex history of polycyclic and polygenetic volcanism. Magmas from the two main centers (Black Cone and Red Cone) are petrographically and geochemically similar, although field evidence suggests a number of separate eruptive events. High incompatible element concentrations, low Nb/La and high Zr/Y indicate that the magmas were derived by small degrees of partial melting from the lithospheric mantle. At Red Cone, a significant range of Sr, La, Ce, Ba and Th concentrations is observed with time (e.g., Sr range 1308–1848 ppm): the youngest samples having the more elevated values. However, there is only limited variation in the compatible trace elements (e.g., Sc and Ni). The array of compositions at Red Cone could not have been produced by changes in the degree of partial melting, or by fractional crystallization. Rather, a model of magma mixing is proposed between relatively enriched and depleted end-members. The cluster of Black Cone data falls consistently at the least-enriched end of the Red Cone sample arrays, suggesting that the Black Cone magma represents one of the mixing end-members. The modeling indicates that the magmatic plumbing systems of the two centers were linked, at least during the early stages of volcanism. Moreover, volcanic activity may have occurred at a number of sites along the length of the magmatic feeder zone during a single eruptive phase. This could have significant implications for volcanic hazard assessment in the region around Yucca Mountain, and the proposed nuclear waste repository.
Defining Intraseasonal Rainfall Variability within the North American Monsoon

Abstract This study provides an empirical description of intraseasonal rainfall variability within the North American monsoon (NAM) region. Applying particular definitions to historical daily rainfall observations, it demonstrates that distinct intraseasonal rainfall modes exist and that these modes differ considerably from the monsoon core region in northwest Sonora (SON), California, to its northward extension in southeast Arizona (AZ). To characterize intraseasonal rainfall variability (ISV), separate P-mode principal component (PC) analyses were performed for SON and AZ. The results indicate that in each area, much of the ISV in rainfall can be described by three orthogonal modes. The correlations between ISV modes and total seasonal rainfall reinforce the notion of differing behaviors between the monsoon’s core and extension. For SON all three ISV modes exhibit significant correlation with seasonal rainfall, with the strongest relationship in evidence for the ISV mode, which is related to rainfall in...
Ethrel studies on Petunia hybrida Vilm.

Abstract The ethylene releasing growth regulator ethrel (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid, in liquid and 5% granulated dry slow-release forms, was applied to petunias cultivars ‘Royal Cascade’, ‘Chiffon Cascade’, ‘White Cascade’ and ‘Pink Cascade’ as foliar spray, soil drenches or mixed in the soil medium. Granular and liquid forms of ethrel were effective as growth retardants and branch-including agents. Plant height and diameter were reduced and up to 300% increase in basal branches occurred, compared with control plants. The most effective and consistent results were observed with ethrel used as a soil drench. Best treatments for height control without phytotoxic symptoms were 250–500 p.p.m. as soil drenches, 500 p.p.m. foliar sprays and 0.1–0.4 g/pot soil incorporated granulated ethrel formulation. Branches forced by ethrel treatment remained functional. Flowers were delayed by ethrel treatments, but treated plants transplanted outdoors produced more flowers during the growing-season.
Value of Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging of the labyrinth in patients with sudden hearing loss

Recent reports describe labyrinthine enhancement on MRI as a highly specific sign of labyrinthine disease. This paper reports 44 patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and laboratory evidence of cochlear damage investigated with Gd-enhanced MR imaging. Enhancement of the cochlea was observed in only one patient with a lesion at the fundus of the internal auditory canal (IAC) that extended into the cochlea after Gd-DTPA administration. In one more patient, MR imaging demonstrated large vestibular aqueducts as underlying cause for his hearing loss, but no enhancement of the labyrinth was observed. No abnormal signal intensity on precontrast MR scans nor pathologic enhancement of the membranous labyrinth were identified in the other 42 patients. Gd-enhanced MR imaging appears to be insensitive in demonstrating labyrinthine disease and normal examination findings in a patient with sudden SNHL cannot exclude damage at the cochlear level.
Inventory allocation and transportation scheduling for logistics of network-centric military operations

This paper describes a prototype inventory-placement and transportation-scheduling solution developed in support of the emerging military doctrine of Network-Centric Operations (NCO). NCO refers to an unprecedented ability to share information among cooperating forces, enabled by modern communications and computing technology. The objective of the Network-Centric concept is to collect, disseminate, and react to real-time information in order to improve the performance of the U.S. Army as a fighting force. One problem that arises in the logistics domain involves the maintenance of combat vehicles. We seek to determine the improvement, if any, made possible by exploiting accurate information on the status of available repair parts inventory, the current locations of mobile supply points, and the demand for parts. We describe logistics algorithms for maximizing the operational availability of combat vehicles by producing, flexible, optimized inventory and delivery plans that decrease replenishment times and prioritize parts allocations and repairs. Our algorithms are designed to leverage real-time information available from modern communications and inventory tracking technology by employing state-of-the-art mathematical optimization models. Our simulations indicate that Network-Centric Logistics (NCL) can significantly improve combat vehicle availability in comparison with current practice.
Hemorrhagic Transformation: A Review of the Rate of Hemorrhage in the Major Clinical Trials of Acute Ischemic Stroke

Acute ischemic stroke is a devastating disease that is often complicated by hemorrhagic transformation. While significant advances have been made over the past two decades with regard to emergent treatment of AIS, many of the therapeutic options are limited by an increased risk of hemorrhage. Here, we sought to review the rates of hemorrhagic transformation in the major clinical trials of AIS intervention. Since the reviewed clinical trials vary significantly in terms of study design, eligibility criteria, stroke severity, and baseline demographic data, direct comparisons between the various trials is not valid. Nevertheless, this review is intended to consolidate the pertinent data on hemorrhagic transformation in order to call attention to any patterns that may warrant further investigation.
Nonvisible Perception of Segments of a Hand-Held Object and the Attitude Spinor

Abstract When a rod is grasped at a place intermediate between its ends, the nonvisible perception of length by wielding can be directed to either side of the hand. The selective perception of the lengths of rod segments relative to the hand is hypothesized to depend jointly on the rod's inertia tensor about a fixed rotation point and on the 2-valued attitude spinor connecting the rod's reference frame to the hand's. That hypothesis was tested in 3 experiments m which 8-10 subjects participated; asymmetry in the rod's mass distribution relative to the hand was induced either by the addition of a metal ring to one end or by grasping the rod at a place other than its midpoint. Planes of wielding, style of wielding, and object size were varied across the experiments. The results conformed to expectation: For a given asymmetric rod configuration, perceived length for attending to one direction from the hand (e g., above or left) differed from perceived length for attending to the other direction (below or rig...
Adenocarcinoma and adenoma of the middle ear

Primary middle ear glandular tumors of the adenocarcinoma and adenoma types are rare. The terminology used in describing them is quite varied. Some investigators presume that a distinct recognizable group of these tumors are benign, but because of the rarity of the lesions, such conclusions have been difficult to verify. We review the literature of these lesions and report 11 additional cases. The course was documented in 25 cases in the literature; 20 of these were reported to be benign over periods of follow-up from 1 month to 10 years, and 5 were fatal. Among our patients, 5 had a benign course, 3 died of causes related to the tumor, and 3 had persistence of their lesion and substantial consequent morbidity. We emphasize the slow growth and elusive nature of these lesions. Histologic evidence of mitoses, roentgenologic evidence of bony destruction, and cranial nerve involvement were factors consistent with a poor prognosis. The origin of these tumors may vary. A similarity to paragangliomas is noted. The ultimate course of these tumors cannot always be predicted from the histologic appearance. Early surgical removal appears to be the most successful therapy. Three of the 4 types of glandular tumors of the external ear canal described by Wetli, et al, can be found in the middle ear: adenoma, adenocarcinoma, and adenoid cystic carcinoma. In addition, several other types of glandular lesions can occur in the middle ear — the “choristomas,” mucoepidermoid carcinomas, and what we believe to be a variant of paragangliomas. The adenoid cystic tumors are well described in the literature2 and will not be discussed here. We reviewed cases of the adenoma and adenocarcinoma types, some of which bore a resemblance to the paragangliomas.
Use of specific IgE in assessing the relevance of fungal and dust mite allergens to atopic dermatitis: a comparison with asthmatic and nonasthmatic control subjects.

Abstract Background: Although allergens have been implicated as aggravating factors in atopic dermatitis (AD), there is little epidemiologic data on the significance of specific IgE. Objective: We sought to compare sensitization to dust mite and fungi between patients with AD and asthmatic and nonasthmatic control subjects. Methods: Total IgE and specific IgE to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus , Alternaria alternata , Aspergillus fumigatus , Candida albicans , Malassezia furfur, and Trichophyton rubrum were measured in 73 patients with moderate to severe AD. Total IgE and IgE specific for D pteronyssinus , A alternata , and M furfur were also measured in sera from 156 asthmatic and 212 nonasthmatic control subjects. Results: Positive correlations were found between total IgE and IgE antibodies specific for each of the antigens. IgE specific for M furfur was observed more frequently in adults compared with children with AD ( P D pteronyssinus (95% vs 42% and 17% for subjects with AD, asthmatic subjects, and nonasthmatic subjects, respectively), M furfur (53% vs 1% and 0.5%), and A alternata (49% vs 29% and 18%). Among the sera from subjects allergic to mites, the contribution of IgE specific for D pteronyssinus to the total IgE levels was similar regardless of the clinical status. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that moderate-to-severe AD is strongly associated with sensitization to dust mite and M furfur (odds ratios, 45.6 and 132 vs pooled control sera). These results suggest that both environmental allergens and colonizing fungi contribute to the severity of disease, which is consistent with the view that mite avoidance and antifungal treatment can be beneficial in the treatment of these patients. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;104:1273-9.)
In vitro effects of progesterone and estradiol on uterine prostaglandin production in the pregnant rat.

Uterine prostaglandin (PG) levels increase markedly at the end of pregnancy in the rat and steroid hormones appear to be Important regulators of this augmentation. The purpose of the present study was to examine the in vitro effects of progesterone (P) and estradiol (E,) on uterine PGE and PGF production in the pregnant rat. Uterine tissue was removed at Days 19 and 21 of pregnancy and incubated with P or B2 (0.1, 1, 10, 100, and 1 000 ng/ml) for 48 h In Ham’s F-lO medium at 37C. P signIficantly (p 0.05) at either day of pregnancy. In a second study, P was found to Inhibit uterine PGE production at Days 15 and 19, but not at Day 21 or at delivery. A third study determined that the levels of P were greatly reduced in media containing uterine tissue from delivery when compared to media containing tissue from day 15 of pregnancy (p < 0.05). In a fourth experiment, no difference in tritium-labeled P uptake was detected between media containing uterine tissue from Day 15 of pregnancy and media containing uterine tissue removed at delivery. This observation in association with data from the literature suggests that the disappearance of P from the media in experiment 3 might be due to enhanced P metabolism rather than to differential uptake of P by the tissue. In summary, P is a potent in vitro inhibitor of uterine PG production at Days 15 and 19 of pregnancy, but not at Day 21 or delivery in the pregnant rat. The results suggest that the loss of the inhibitory effect of P on uterine PG production at the end of pregnancy may be partially due to enhanced P metabolism by the uterus. In contrast to P, B, had no direct in vitro effect on uterine PG production at Days 19 or 21 of pregnancy.
Amino Acid Residues Within the Sequence Region α55–74 of Torpedo Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Interacting with Antibodies to the Main Immunogenic Region and with Snake α-Neurotoxins

AbstractThe sequence region 55–74 of the α-subunit of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) from Torpedo californica electroplax comprises the amino-terminal end of a sequence segment—residues α67–76—forming the main immunogenic region (MIR), which is most frequently recognized by anti-AChR autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis. The synthetic sequence α55–74 of Torpedo AChR binds α-bungarotoxin (αBTX), suggesting that amino acid residues within this sequence region may contribute to formation of an αBTX binding site.Using single-residue substituted synthetic analogues of the sequence α55–74 of Torpedo AChR, in which each residue was sequentially substituted by either glycine or alanine, we sought identification of the amino acids involved in interaction with α-neurotoxins and with three different anti-MIR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs 6, 22, and 198). Substitution of Arg55, Arg57, Trp60, Arg64, Leu65, Arg66, Trp67, or Asn68 strongly inhibited α-toxin binding, whereas substitutions of Ile61, Val63, Pro69, Ala70, A...
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy affecting the knee

Thirty-six patients with reflex sympathetic dystrophy primarily affecting the knee were reviewed. Injuries or operation about the patellofemoral joint triggered its onset in 64% of patients. Co-existent mechanical derangement of the knee was present in 64% of patients. Those patients who underwent sympathetic blockade or sympathectomy within one year of onset of symptoms had significantly better pain and function scores than those in whom intervention was later. Early diagnosis remains the key to successful management. Surgery for co-existent mechanical derangement in the affected knee should not be performed until the syndrome is controlled.
Can a Country Be a Donor and a Recipient of Aid

India has now crossed the threshold into Middle Income Status. It is a nuclear power and has a space program. It has announced the formation of an agency to coordinate its aid donor activities. And yet India is the recipient of international aid as well. Can this configuration, on the face of it absurd, nevertheless make sense? This paper explores frameworks in which a Middle Income Country might go on receiving aid despite having crossed a poverty threshold on average. It begins with a discussion of “Global Rawlsianism” and its critics, most prominently Rawls himself, and assesses the moral salience of national level averages in determining global responsibility towards the poor in a country. The next section takes the perspective of Global Utilitarianism and discusses the allocation of global aid with the objective of poverty alleviation, and whether in this context it might make sense for a country to be a donor and a recipient of aid. Finally, the paper takes an operational perspective and discusses some of the key issues facing the international community in the next few years, including the nature of the replenishment of IDA, the World Bank’s concessional assistance window.
The IBM VHDL Design System

This paper presents the IBM VHDL Design System. This set of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) design tools, built around the VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and developed for IBM internal use, along with other design automation tools, is used by IBM design engineers to develop computer hardware. The function and operation of each piece of the system is described. IBM usage and some of the problems encountered are also discussed.
Energy Metabolism of Spermatozoa. VII. Interactions Between Lactate, Pyruvate and Malate as Oxidative Substrates for Rabbit Sperm Mitochondria

Rabbit spermatozoa, like other mammalian spermatozoa, have part of their lactate dehydrogenase in the mitochondrial matrix. This enables lactate to be utilized directly as a NAD-linked oxidizable substrate by the mitochondria, but it also enables pyruvate to act as an oxidant of intramitochondrial NADH which should inhibit 02 uptake. These reactions have been investigated in hypotonically treated rabbit epididymal sperm (HTRES) by means of 0, uptake rate determinations and fluorimetric measurements of the reduction level of intramitochondrial NAD. Pyruvate is a potent inhibitor of lactate oxidation; the inhibition is overcome by malate. Pyruvate alone is oxidized slowly but is oxidized rapidly when malate is present. Lactate alone is oxidized rapidly but malate is required for maximal 02 uptake. Fluorimetric measurements show a high reduction level for intramitochondrial NAD with lactate as substrate; this level is increased by malate. Pyruvate reoxidizes intramitochondrial NAD reduced by lactate and inhibits 0, uptake; reversal of this inhibition by malate partially restores the NAD reduction level. Malate plus pyruvate maintain a NAD reduction level sufficient for rapid 02 uptake. We conclude that malate is essential to pyruvate and lactate oxidation by rabbit sperm mitochondria and functions by 2 mechanisms: a) The NADH generated from malate dehydrogenase does not have access to LDH and is made directly available to the respiratory chain. b) The oxaloacetate from malate oxidation stimulates pyruvate dehydrogenase by reaction with the product acetyl C0A. These mechanisms appear to act in concert to prevent inhibition of respiration by pyruvate oxidation of intramitochondrial NADH catalyzed by LDH.
How stable are diurnal cortisol activity indices in healthy individuals? Evidence from three multi-wave studies

Summary Background Indices of cortisol activity, including the cortisol awakening response (CAR), diurnal slope, and cortisol output across the day (total daily output), are often studied as mechanistic indicators that could link stress with health. Yet there is a paucity of data speaking to their temporal features, particularly whether they behave in a more state- or trait-like manner across time. Methods To address this issue, data from 3 studies were used to assess CAR, diurnal slope and total daily output stability over different age groups and time spans: 130 healthy children and adolescents collected salivary cortisol samples 5 times/day (1, 4, 9 and 11 h after wake) over 2 days at 5 visits spaced 6 months apart (Study 1); 147 adolescent girls collected saliva 6 times/day (wake, 1, 4, 9 and 14 h after wake) for 2 days at 3 visits, each a year apart (Study 2); and 47 healthy, primarily middle age adults collected saliva 6 times/day (wake, 1, 4, 9 and 14 h after wake) for 3 days at 4 visits spaced 2–3 months apart (Study 3). Stability was estimated by multilevel model-derived intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results Across studies, approximately 50% of the variance in cortisol indices was attributable to day-to-day fluctuations, suggesting state-like properties. Of the indices, total daily output emerged as the most stable over time, followed by diurnal slope and CAR, but stability estimates were generally quite modest regardless of index and sample. Over time spans of >1 year, ICCs were ≤ .13. Conclusions Most of the variance in CAR, diurnal slope and total daily output reflects day-to-day fluctuation; there was little evidence for more stable trait-like influences. These findings suggest that future research should focus on short-term fluctuations in stress, cortisol and health, as opposed to lengthy disease processes.
Efficient swing-up of the acrobot using continuous torque and impulsive braking

An efficient swing-up algorithm for the acrobot is proposed. The algorithm is based on using a combination of continuous torque and impulsive braking torque. The continuous torque is derived from a positive definite Lyapunovlike function, proposed earlier in the literature. The impulsive braking torques are applied at specific instants of time which result in discrete jumps in certain states of the system and a discrete reduction in the value of the Lyapunov-like function. We prove asymptotic stability of the closed-loop impulsive dynamical system and use simulation results to show that the proposed algorithm is more efficient than the algorithms using only continuous torques derived from the same Lyapunov-like function.