cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards scalable modular checking of user-defined properties

Theorem-prover based modular checkers have the potential to perform scalable and precise checking of user-defined properties by combining path-sensitive intraprocedural reasoning with user-defined procedure abstractions. However, such tools have seldom been deployed on large software applications of industrial relevance due to the annotation burden required to provide the procedure abstractions. In this work, we present two case studies of applying a modular checker HAVOC to check properties on large modules in the Microsoft Windows operating system. The first detailed case study describes checking the synchronization protocol of a core Microsoft Windows component with more than 300 thousand lines of code and 1500 procedures. The effort found 45 serious bugs in the component with modest annotation effort and low false alarms; most of these bugs have since been fixed by the developers of the module. The second case study reports preliminary user experience in using the tool for checking security related properties in several Windows components. We describe our experience in using a modular checker to create various property checkers for finding errors in a well-tested applications of this scale, and our design decisions to find them with low false alarms, modest annotation burden and high coverage.
The circadian rhythm of temperature in humans during a 26-hr sleep-wake schedule

The effect of non-24-hr zeitgebers on human circadian rhythms is usually studied in temporal isolation units. In this study, subjects tried to adhere to a 26-hr sleep-wake schedule while living at home exposed to the conflicting natural 24-hr zeitgebers. Temperature was continuously measured with a rectal probe. Daily sleep logs provided subjective estimates of sleep and wake times. After a baseline period on a 24-hr schedule, the subjects followed the 26-hr schedule for 12-13 consecutive days. The circadian rhythm of temperature appeared entrained to the 26-hr schedule for two of the subjects (the adapters), but was definitely not entrained for the other two subjects (the non-adapters). For the non-adapters a 24-hr component persisted in the temperature rhythm. Sleep time conformed more closely to the planned schedule for the adapters than for the non-adapters. These results show that a 26-hr sleep-wake schedule can be a more powerful zeitgeber than the natural 24-hr zeitgebers. Factors that might determine whether an individual will entrain to the 26-hr schedule are discussed.
Reversible operations in the balance scale task

Abstract The development of two types of reversible operations was examined in three tasks involving a two-armed balance scale. The first type of reversible operation, compensation between dimensions, was shown to undergo considerable development between eighth grade and college. Even eighth graders were inconsistent in applying compensation to those versions of the balance scale task that required it. Some subjects, primarily preschoolers, used the given information in a way that was the opposite of that required for correct answers, a result that has been reported for other tasks requiring compensation. A second type of reversible operation, termed “correspondence of patterns”, was also tested and it was tentatively concluded that the responses of the modal college student are not fully reversible in this sense. This finding is also similar to results obtained in judgments of time, speed, and distance and in social judgment studies with college students.
Existence theorems of random solutions to stochastic functional integral equations

Abstract Some general stochastic functional integral equations are studied. General conditions for compactness, existence and uniqueness of solutions to stochastic functional integral equations are obtained.
Complications associated with posterior chamber lenses.

Different types of posterior chamber lenses and their complications are discussed and compared with complications of anterior chamber lenses, pupilsupported lenses, and capsular-fixated lenses. Special emphasis is placed on the Shearing intraocular lens.
Archaea in Black Sea water column particulate matter and sediments—evidence from ether lipid derivatives

Abstract Phytane and long-chain, C40, head-to-head acyclic (C40:0cy) and cyclic isoprenoids with 1–3 cyclopentyl rings (C40:1cy, C40:2cy, and C40:3cy) derived from archaeal core lipids are present in Black Sea particulate matter from both the oxic and anoxic zones and in sediment cores from the central basin and the western continental margin. The occurrence of these ether-linked isoprenoids throughout the water column and sediments suggests that Archaea are widely distributed in the Black Sea. Methanogens are the probable source of ether-linked phytane and some of the acyclic C40 compounds while psychrophilic archaea related to hyperthermophiles are the likely sources of the cyclic isoprenoids.
Gravity Currents in a Deep Anelastic Atmosphere

Abstract This study presents analytic results for steady gravity currents in a channel using the deep anelastic equations. Results are cast in terms of a nondimensional parameter H/H0 that relates the channel depth H to a scale depth H0 (the depth at which density goes to zero in an isentropic atmosphere). The classic results based on the incompressible equations correspond to H/H0 = 0. For cold gravity currents (at the bottom of a channel), assuming energy-conserving flow, the nondimensional current depth h/H is much smaller, and nondimensional propagation speed C/(gH)1/2 is slightly smaller as H/H0 increases. For flows with energy dissipation, C/(gH)1/2 decreases as H/H0 increases, even for fixed h/H. The authors conclude that as H/H0 increases the normalized hydrostatic pressure rise in the cold pool increases near the bottom of the channel, whereas drag decreases near the top of the channel; these changes require gravity currents to propagate slower for steady flow to be maintained. From these results...
Factorial Structure of Individualism-Collectivism in Sri Lanka

This study investigated the dimensionality of a 21-item questionnaire measure of idiocentrism-allocentrism (the within-culture measure of individualism-collectivism) within the context of Sri Lankan culture. A survey of 438 Sri Lankan respondents, sampled from a wide variety of demographic contexts, provided data. Factor analysis indicated that idiocentrism and allocentrism are two independent, unipolar factors, rather than opposite poles of a single, bipolar dimension. The implications are discussed in the context of existing and future cross-cultural (etic) and within-cultural (emic) research on individualism-collectivism.
Engendering Church: Women, Power, and the AME Church

Part 2 Introduction: Past Is Prologue Chapter 3 1 Formation of a Religious Organization Chapter 4 2 Building a Critical Mass Chapter 5 3 Organizing for Effectiveness Chapter 6 4 Indispensable Resources Chapter 7 5 Using Power: Keeping Church Chapter 8 6 Gendered Spaces: The Intentionality of Power Chapter 9 7 A Pinnacle of Power to Close the Century: Sara Hatcher Duncan Part 11 Bibliography Part 12 Index
Representing complex knowledge in an intelligent machine tutor

Knowledge representation remains a serious issue for researchers of intelligent tutoring systems. Two areas of knowledge representation that are particularly difficult are domain and teaching knowledge. This article discusses and gives example solutions to these knowledge engineering issues and also addresses issues that relate to up-scaling existing intelligent tutoring technology to practical levels so that tutoring systems can be brought into the real world. La representation de connaissances pose toujours des problemes seieux aux chercheurs travaillant sur les systemes tuteurs intelligents. Deux domaines dc representation de connaissances particulierement difficiles sont ceux lies a la connaissance du domaine et a la connaissance pedagogique. Cet article discute ces problemes de genie cognitif en apportant quelques exemples de solutions. II s'interesse enfin aux problemes a resoudre pour amener la technologie des systemestuteurs intelligents a un niveau pratique suffisant pour qu'ils sortent du laboratoire.
A theoretical study of injection tuning of optical parametric oscillators

The time dynamics of injection tuning of optical parametric oscillators (OPO's) are studied. A mathematical model is used which can account for all modes which are under the gain profile of the oscillator. The model also accounts for pump depletion, cavity- Q factors, nonlinear coupling constants, and the (external) pump-laser field strength (distinct from the pump-mode amplitude internal to the oscillator cavity). The multimode model shows that the injected mode and the fastest growing mode are the main participants in the time dynamics of (pulsed) injection tuning of OPO's. A set of prescriptive criteria is developed for successful injection tuning. These are given in terms of the parameters over which the designer has some control, such as pump strength, (OPO) cavity Q , and the parametric gain profile. A set of approximate analytical expressions is given for the dynamic time intervals of the injection tuning, including the time interval of injection-tuned output, the duration of which is used to define "successful" injection tuning. The criteria, by focusing on the coupling constant of the injected mode, relative to that of the fastest growing mode, are interpretable directly into the frequency range of tuning for a given pump-power level. It is also observed that a sharply rising pump pulse may improve the spectral range of injection tuning.
Analysis of residual stress relief mechanisms in post-weld heat treatment

Abstract This paper presents a recent study on weld residual stress relief mechanisms associated with furnace-based uniform post-weld heat treatment (PWHT). Both finite element and analytical methods are used to quantitatively examine how plastic deformation and creep relaxation contribute to residual stress relief process at different stages of PWHT process. The key contribution of this work to an improved understanding of furnace based uniform PWHT can be summarized as follows: (1) Plastic deformation induced stress relief during PWHT can be analytically expressed by the change in material elastic deformation capacity (or elastic deformation limit) measured in terms of material yield strength to Young's modulus ratio, which has a rather limited role in overall residual stress relief during furnace based uniform PWHT. (2) The most dominant stress relief mechanism is creep strain induced stress relaxation, as expected. However, a rapid creep strain development accompanied by a rapid residual stress reduction during heating stage before reaching PWHT temperature is shown to contribute to most of the stress relief seen in overall PWHT process, suggesting PWHT hold time can be significantly reduced as far as residual stress relief is concerned. (3) A simple engineering scheme for estimating residual stress reduction is proposed based on this study by relating material type, PWHT temperature, and component wall thickness.
SDF-1 directs megakaryocyte relocation.

In this issue of Blood, Niswander et al answer the questions: (1) Does stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) direct megakaryocyte spatial distribution in the bone marrow? and (2) What effect does local SDF-1 concentration have on platelet output?1 If Jose Arcadio Buendia in One Hundred Years of Solitude2 had followed SDF-1, as megakaryocytes do, perhaps he would not have wandered the jungle for so long before founding Macondo at the riverside. Although we may never know what drew Jose Buendia to his city at the water9s edge, megakaryocytes (parent cells to circulating blood platelets) appear to follow a chemotactic SDF-1 gradient as they migrate through the bone marrow endosteum to rest adjacent to sinusoidal blood vessels. There, they extend and sequentially release platelets, and larger preplatelet/proplatelet intermediates into the circulating blood. Although the physiological triggers governing platelet production from megakaryocytes are still being resolved, it is certain that without direct access to the bloodstream, megakaryocytes cannot produce the roughly 1000 to 2000 individual platelets that are so critical to clot formation and blood vessel repair.
Regulation of Invasion of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Transforming Growth Factor-β

Abstract Objective. The metastatic process in epithelial ovarian cancer is thought to involve surface shedding and subsequent dissemination of ovarian cancer cells, facilitated by localized proteolysis at the interface between ovarian cancer cells and peritoneal surfaces. The factors regulating the metastatic process, however, are not well understood. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a multifunctional peptide that elicits numerous cellular effects pertinent to the metastatic process. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the regulatory role of TGF-β on metastasis in ovarian cancer. Methods. We evaluated the effect of TGF-β on the metastatic characteristics (adhesion, invasion, motility, proteolysis) of five ovarian cancer cell lines (DOV-13 and OVCA 420, 429, 432, and 433), two short-term primary ovarian cancer cell cultures (OVCA 10 and OVCA 208), and five normal ovarian surface epithelial (NOSE) cell cultures (OSE 133, 185, 186, 188, and 189). The effect of TGF-β on invasion and proteolysis was quantified using a modified Boyden chamber invasion assay, zymography, a coupled colorimetric activity assay, and an HPLC-based quantitation of synthetic substrate cleavage. Results. TGF-β significantly increased invasion in five of seven ovarian cancer cell lines in amounts ranging from 2- to 20-fold. In contrast, TGF-β significantly decreased invasion in two of five NOSE isolates by 50 to 80% and had no significant effect on invasion in three. TGF-β treatment increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression in OVCA 420 and 433 and DOV-13, resulting in MMP-dependent collagen cleavage and invasive activity. Addition of the MMP inhibitor GI12947 neutralized the enhancing effect of TGF-β on invasion. TGF-β had no effect on ovarian cancer cell motility and only increased adhesion in DOV-13. Conclusions. These data suggest that TGF-β may enhance the invasiveness of ovarian cancers through induction of MMP activity.
Chalcopyrite/Si Heterojunctions for Photovoltaic Applications

Films of CuInSe2 (CIS) and CuGaSe2 (CGS) were deposited on (100) Si by radiofrequency (RF) magnetron sputtering from stoichiometric CIS and CGS targets. Rutherford backscattering (RBS) analysis yielded a composition of Cu0.8In1.1Se1.9 for CuInSe2, which indicates that these films were Cu and Se poor. A composition of Cu0.3Ga1.5Se2.0 for CuGaSe2 shows Ga-rich and Cu-poor layers. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of cross-sectional samples established that the films were polycrystalline in nature and free of pinhole defects that normally short-circuit devices fabricated on glass with submicron absorber layers. From the electron and x-ray diffraction patterns, tetragonal chalcopyrite phases of the material were identified. Circular diodes, with a diameter between 100 μm and 400 μm, were fabricated on the grown films with a common Au back-contact. Diodes on both CIS and CGS films exhibited rectifying characteristics. From the polarity corresponding to the high and low currents, it was inferred that the grown films were p-type. These diodes exhibited photovoltaic response, and the forward-bias current increased by as much as two orders of magnitude when illuminated by a 75-W halogen lamp. The open-circuit voltages (VOC) for these devices are expected to approach the turn-on voltage of the diodes, 0.5 V and 0.7 V, for the CGS/Si and the CIS/Si heterojunctions, respectively. Shunting caused by degenerate phases present in the CGS film is believed to have resulted in the observed lower turn-on voltage for the CGS/n-Si heterojunction diode.
Random random walks on ℤ 2 d

We consider random walks on classes of graphs defined on the d-dimensional binary cube ℤ2 d by placing edges on n randomly chosen parallel classes of vectors. The mixing time of a graph is the number of steps of a random walk before the walk forgets where it started, and reaches a random location. In this paper we resolve a question of Diaconis by finding exact expressions for this mixing time that hold for all n>d and almost all choices of vector classes. This result improves a number of previous bounds. Our method, which has application to similar problems on other Abelian groups, uses the concept of a universal hash function, from computer science.
Electrophoresis of histones and histone fractions on polyacrylamide gels

Abstract Zone electrophoresis of histones in polyacrylamide gels provides resolution of components which is superior to that obtained with starch gels, and the reproducibility of the method is excellent. The method has been applied to a comparison of unfractionated calf thymus histones with various fractions obtained by the methods of Ui and Johns and Butler. The very lysine-rich histone fraction yielded 1 mobile band in starch gel and 9 bands in polyacrylamide gel. Crystalline pancreatic RNase yielded 2 major and 6 minor bands on electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel, and the mobilities were comparable to those of some of the histone components. A method is described for estimation of relative amounts of electrophoretically separated components by determination of bound dye.
Dietary aspartame with protein on plasma and brain amino acids, brain monoamines and behavior in rats

Aspartame (APM; L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester), was investigated for its ability to alter levels of the large neutral amino acids and monoamines in overnight fasted rats allowed to consume meals with or without protein for two hours. Additionally, the possible long term behavioral consequences of APM in 25% casein diets with or without 10% sucrose were determined. Acute APM ingestion increased both plasma and brain phenylalanine and tyrosine levels, but brain tryptophan levels were not altered regardless of dietary protein. Brain norepinephrine and dopamine levels were unaltered by any of the diet while serotonin levels were slightly increased when a protein-free diet was consumed. But APM and/or protein ingestion minimized this increase of brain serotonin levels as much as controls. Chronic APM ingestion failed to influence diurnal feeding patterns, meal size distributions, or diurnal patterns of spontaneous motor activity. The chronic ingestion of abuse doses of APM produced no significant chemical changes in brain capable of altering behavioral parameters believed to be controlled by monoamines in rats.
The intercultural reentry: Conceptualization and directions for future research

Abstract While there has been extensive research on the cultural adjustment of sojourners to a foreign culture, there has been a dearth of literature examining the adjustment of returning sojourners to their home culture (reentry). In order to further understanding of this phenomenon, this article discusses the reentry process as one type of cultural adjustment. First, reentry is defined and described. Secondly, research investigating the two processes of adjustment to a foreign culture and readjustment to the home culture is reviewed, and the two processes are compared and contrasted. Finally, suggestions are made concerning future research.
Interlaboratory assessment of measurement precision and bias in the coulometric Karl Fischer determination of water.

The precision and bias of the coulometric Karl Fischer ASTM method D1533–00 have been assessed in a collaborative ASTM round robin program for a group of 34 laboratories. The test materials used in this study included water saturated 1-octanol (WSO), water saturated 1-butanol (WSB), and a series of new and used transformer oil samples. Fundamental systematic biases have been demonstrated in the accuracy of the measurement of water in the WSO, WSB, and transformer oil samples. The systematic bias in the measurement of the WSO and WSB standards indicates that for some laboratories either the instruments were not accurate or the quantity of the standard was not measured accurately. A second type of systematic bias consisted of measurement errors associated with the selection of the Karl Fischer solvent that was used with each instrument, and this was superimposed upon the error in the measurement of the water in the standards. Using the statistical calculation method ASTM D 6300 the repeatability and reproducibility for water in transformer oil were found to be 7 mg/kg and 14 mg/kg respectively. The method detection limit of water was 8 mg/kg oil. The method bias was estimated based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material (SRM) 2890, WSO, since no suitable reference material for water in transformer oil was available for this study.
Simple algorithms for determining parameters of circuit models for charging/discharging batteries

Abstract This paper derives simple algorithms for determining parameters of two circuit models for charging/discharging batteries. The problems of identifying parameters for the circuit models are converted into algebraic problems of solving systems of polynomial equations of special structures. A recent algebraic tool is applied to obtain analytical solutions to these polynomial equations and simple algorithms for extracting model parameters from experimental responses. Computational results are obtained for 3 types of batteries: Li-polymer, lead-acid and NiMH.
Evaluation of different representations of the particle-size distribution to predict soil water retention

Abstract Detailed particle-size distribution (PSD) data or parameters derived from it are used in almost all pedotransfer functions (PTFs) to estimate soil hydraulic properties. Most commonly, the PSD is represented by the sand, silt and clay content of a soil. However, a number of standards exist and are in use internationally to describe PSD and particle-size classes. Additionally, some authors use derived particle-size information, such as the geometric mean diameter and its standard deviation as input to their predictive equations. We compared the usefulness of some of the most common representations of the PSD in estimating water retention at − 33 and − 1500 kPa, using Group Method of Data Handling and data of three databases. The cutoff limit between silt and sand content has been simulated to be at 20, 50 and at 63 μm, as used in various countries. We also used the geometric mean diameter and its standard deviation as predictors. We examined the effect of using the wrong cutoff limit in the PSD curve while applying a PTF. Overall, we could not point out one particular representation of the PSD that would clearly provide better results in estimating the selected soil hydraulic properties. Using geometric mean diameter and its standard deviation to represent the entire PSD curve with two parameters did not result in significantly different estimates of the examined soil hydraulic properties, than models that use distinct particle-size classes as input. We found no evidence suggesting that using interpolated data would reduce the accuracy of the estimation of these soil hydraulic properties. It is not straightforward to pre-determine if using the wrong definition of the silt/sand boundary in the PSD data will result in significant loss of estimation accuracy or not; therefore, using such data should be avoided. Our study suggests that using interpolated data–which of course carries a certain magnitude of interpolation error–poses fewer risks while using a PTF than using measured data with the wrong silt/sand boundary.
An overload protection circuit for current-feedback dc electrometers

Abstract A simple and inexpensive input protection circuit for current-feedback electrometers has been developed utilizing complementary bipolar transistors. The circuit will effectively clamp the input voltage of the electrometer at ± 0.6 V when an overload condition occurs. Under normal non-conductive operation the equivalent leakage current of the protection circuit is less than 1 × 10 −14 A.
Truncation Error Probability in Viterbi Decoding

An upper bound on the bit error probability due to truncation of the path length in Viterbi decoding is obtained for any given convolutional code. This bound is then used to determine the path length at which the additional error probability due to truncation becomes negligible compared to the maximum likelihood decoding error probability. These results are tested by simulation using several short constraint length codes.
Clinical applications of palifermin: Amelioration of oral mucositis and other potential indications

Mucositis is one of the most significant toxicities in cancer patients undergoing cytotoxic treatment. It can have a negative impact on both quality of life and health economics. Severe oral mucositis can contribute to hospitalization, need for narcotic analgesics, total parentral nutrition, suboptimal delivery of anti-neoplastic treatment, and morbidity and mortality. Palifermin, a recombinant derivative of human keratinocyte growth factor, is the first active agent approved by the FDA for the prevention of severe oral mucositis in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Several studies have also shown significant reduction in the incidence, severity and/or duration of oral mucositis in other high-risk settings such as concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CT/RT) for patients with head and neck cancer, and use of mucotoxic chemotherapeutic agents such as doxorubicin in sarcoma and fluorouracil for the treatment of colorectal cancer. The reduction in mucositis has translated into amelioration of symptoms and improvement in daily functioning as measured by patient-reported outcome in multiple studies. The clinical response to palifermin appears to be related in part to epithelial proliferation and mucosal thickening. Palifermin also has other potential clinical applications including the acceleration of immune reconstitution and inhibition of graft-versus-host disease in patients undergoing HSCT, and mitigation of dysphagia in lung cancer patients treated with concurrent CT/RT. Palifermin is generally well tolerated with mild-to-moderate skin and oral adverse events. Future studies may expand the use of palifermin into other areas that would benefit from its cytoprotective and regenerative effects.
Ending Payout as We Know It: A Conceptual and Comparative Perspective on the Payout Requirement for Foundations

The payout requirement that the Tax Reform Act of 1969 imposed on foundations has come up for debate again over the past few years and a tightening of the requirement was proposed in Congress in 2003. Hypothetically applying corresponding German rules to Ford Foundation data, this article suggests that U.S. regulation of foundation spending policies is already stricter than elsewhere and that much of the current policy debate has little to do with the original intentions of the requirement. Reevaluating the underlying rationale of the policy, the article concludes with a proposal to introduce time limits to the payout requirement
First Prize: Isoprostane: Quantitation of Renal Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury After Renal Artery Clamping in an Animal Model

Abstract Background and Purpose: Laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy involves temporary clamping of the renal artery, making the kidney susceptible to ischemic damage. Isoprostane represents one potential marker of oxidative injury. The objective was to determine if renal interstitial isoprostane levels can quantitate renal damage secondary to warm ischemia. A second goal is to investigate allopurinol for renoprotective abilities using this model. We chose to investigate potential renoprotection of allopurinol because previous studies have demonstrated transplant kidneys pretreated with allopurinol to have less damage from ischemia. Materials and Methods: A microdialysis probe was inserted into the renal parenchyma of rats to allow continuous dialysis and collection of the effluent for isoprostane levels. After clamping of the renal vessels for predefined intervals of ischemia, the interstitial effluent from the probe was collected and subsequently analyzed for isoprostane levels with and without...
Special Section: Competitive Strategy, Economics, and Information Systems

(2009). Special Section: Competitive Strategy, Economics, and Information Systems. Journal of Management Information Systems: Vol. 26, No. 2, pp. 7-13.
Multivariable Multi-model-based magnetic control system for the current ramp-up phase in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX)

By leveraging the availability of real time EFIT, we propose a robust, multi-model-based, multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) magnetic controller to provide current regulation, position stabilization, and shape control of the plasma during the current ramp-up phase in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). During the ramp-up phase of the tokamak discharge, the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium continually evolves. As a consequence, the plasma response model obtained via linearization around the changing MHD equilibrium evolves as well. A robust controller is designed to stabilize this family of plasma models, which are reformulated into a nominal model with uncertainty. The proposed controller is composed of three loops: the first loop is devoted to plasma current regulation, the second loop is dedicated to plasma radial and vertical position stabilization, and the third loop is used to control the plasma shape and X-point location. A singular value decomposition (SVD) of the nominal plasma model is carried out to decouple and identify the most relevant control channels. The DK-iteration method, combining H ∞ synthesis and μ analysis, is applied to synthesize a closed-loop controller that minimizes the tracking errors and optimizes input efforts. Computer simulations illustrate the performance of the robust, multi-model-based, shape controller, showing potential for improving the performance of present non-model-based controllers.
Dendritic NLO chromophore with fluorinated dendrons for improving poling efficiency in electro-optic devices

Encapsulated by highly-fluorinated dendrons, a nonlinear optical chromophore core, which is based on the phenyl-tetracyanobutadienyl (Ph-TCBD) thiophene-stilbene-based NLO chromophore, exhibits a large ~30-40 nm blue shift of the charge-transfer absorption maximum, 20 oC higher decomposition temperature, and most impressively, three times higher E-O coefficient. The combination of these appreciable improvements makes the molecular design of dendritic modification as a very promising molecular-engineering for next generation of E-O materials.
Initial Evaluation of Robotic Technology for Microsurgical Vasovasostomy

ABSTRACTPurpose: Conventional microscope assisted vasovasostomy (MAVV) is a technically difficult procedure that is most successful in the hands of well-trained microsurgeons. Robotics may help surgeons overcome the microsurgical challenges of tremor, limited dexterity, miniaturized instrumentation and use of fine suture. We determine the feasibility of a robotic assisted vasovasostomy (RAVV) and compare performance measures with those of conventional MAVV.Materials and Methods: One surgeon performed 10 vasovasostomies with a modified 1-layer technique and 9-zero suture on fresh human vas specimens using the robot in 5 RAVV cases and standard microsurgical instrumentation in 5 MAVV cases. Pre-specified performance measures and adverse haptic events (broken sutures, bent needles or loose stitches) were recorded. Patency was evaluated by instilling saline through the anastomoses.Results: Mean operating time and number of adverse haptic events were higher for RAVV than for MAVV (84 vs 38 minutes, p = 0.01; 2...
A Group Rule-Utilitarian Approach to Voter Turnout: Theory and Evidence

This paper explores a group rule–utilitarian approach to understanding voter turnout, inspired by the theoretical work of John C. Harsanyi (1980) and Timothy J. Feddersen and Alvaro Sandroni (2002). It develops a model based on this approach and studies its performance in explaining turnout in Texas liquor referenda. The results are encouraging: the comparative static predictions of the model are broadly consistent with the data, and a structurally estimated version of the model yields reasonable coefficient estimates and fits the data well. The structurally estimated model also outperforms a simple expressive voting model.
Advances in pesticide metabolite identification through the use of plant tissue cultures

Plant tissue cultures are powerful tools for metabolism studies. Culture conditions can be selected which mimic conditions of whole plants or conditions can be employed to mass-produce selected metabolites such as aglycons or conjugates. Culture variables that affect metabolism are medium composition, age of tissue cultures, concentration of test chemical, and the source of plant tissue. The type of culture, such as suspension cultures, callus tissue cultures, differentiated tissue or organ cultures will also influence the type of metabolites obtained. Ease of standardizing conditions makes tissue culture suitable to comparatively examine metabolism in different plant species and strains and in different plant parts such as tissues derived from leaves and roots. Recent advances with plant tissue cultures involve studies of the mechanism of action or selectivity of growth regulators and herbicides, and the use of resistant strains to investigate mechanisms of biological detoxification.
Temperature dependent properties of an anisotropic Mn‐Al‐C permanent magnet

The anisotropy field, coercivity and saturation magnetization in a Mn‐Al‐C permanent magnet were measured as a function of temperature from 4.2K to 300K. The coercivities in both the easy and hard directions were found to decrease linearly with temperature with slightly different slopes. The coercivities measured with the applied field along the hard direction were found to exceed those obtained when the field was aligned with the easy axis. A model for the mechanism producing this effect is discussed. The anisotropy field is found to decrease linearly with temperature while the reduced saturation magnetization follows a −T3/2 law.
Inhibition of interferon production in human fibroblasts by a tumor promoting phorbol ester

The effect of 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) on the induction of interferon in cultures of human fibroblasts was examined. TPA was found to inhibit polyinosinate-polycytidylate [poly(I) · poly(C)]-induced interferon production when added either before or with the inducer. A 3-hour pretreatment of FS-4 cells with TPA produced the greatest inhibitory effect. Partially inhibitory treatments with TPA caused a delay in interferon production. On the other hand, interferon yields were slightly enhanced by TPA added at 1 1/2 or 3 hours post-induction. No gross metabolic perturbations (e.g., inhibition of cellular protein or RNA synthesis) were detected which would explain the phenomenon. The inhibition of interferon production was a stereospecific event: biologically inactive derivatives of TPA (4-0-methyl TPA, 4-α-phorbol-12, 13-didecanoate and phorbol-12, 13-diacetate) had no effect on interferon production. Cellular proteases or nucleases did not appear to be involved in this process. The binding of labeled poly(I) · poly(C) to FS-4 cells was unaltered in TPA-treated cultures. In super-induced cultures (i.e., after enhancement of interferon yields by actinomycin D and cycloheximide), interferon production was generally less inhibited by TPA than after simple induction. Newcastle disease virus (NDV)-induced interferon synthesis in GM-258 cells was also inhibited by the phorbol ester. Both α (leukocyte) and β (fibroblast) interferon production was inhibited to a similar degree in TPA-treated cells inoculated with 0.1 or 1 plaque forming unit (PFU) of NDV per cell. Increasing the multiplicity of infection with NDV to 10 PFU per cell overcame the inhibitory action of TPA. We conclude that the site of TPA action is either the triggering (generation of the hypothetical inducing signal) or transcription of the interferon mRNA.
Marketing strategy, vertical structure, and performance in the lodging industry: a contingency approach

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine, from a contingency perspective, marketing strategy, structure, and performance in the lodging industry. Specifically, the extent to which a hotel's business activities are vertically structured was posited to depend upon the fit between its strategy and the degree of dynamism in its task environment. In addition, a hotel's efficiency was believed to be affected by the match among its vertical structure, its strategy, and the volatility in its task environment. The empirical results indicated that a hotel's vertical structure was indeed significantly related to the interaction between its strategy and its task environment dynamism. The contingency approach, however, produced much less striking results in attempting to account for variation in a hotel's efficiency.
The Pathogenesis of Barrett’s Esophagus: Secondary Bile Acids Upregulate Intestinal Differentiation Factor CDX2 Expression in Esophageal Cells

Introduction Clinical evidence strongly suggests that bile acids are important in the development of Barrett’s esophagus, although the mechanism remains unknown. Caudal-related homeobox 2 (CDX2) is a transcription factor recently implicated in early differentiation and maintenance of normal intestinal epithelium and is suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of intestinal metaplasia in Barrett’s esophagus.
Histological localization of nervous-system antigens in the cerebellum by immunoperoxidase labeling.

Abstract The indirect immunoperoxidase method was used to localize histologically on sagittal sections of mouse cerebellum antigenic determinants detected by the following antisera: anti-NS-2, anti-NS-3, anti-NS-4, rabbit anti-bovine corpus callosum, rabbit anti-mouse brain, rabbit anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein, and rabbit anti-neurofilament protein. Anti-α-bungarotoxin serum and normal rabbit serum were used as negative controls. The various sera showed similarities in staining pattern as well as differences. Anti-NS-2 antiserum labeled the somata of interneurons in the molecular layer, granule cell bodies, glial cells in the white matter, and along the surfaces of blood vessels. A similar pattern of staining is produced by the anti-NS-3 antiserum except that glial cells are less prominent in the white matter and the blood vessels are not visible at all. Anti-NS-4 antiserum does not label interneurons but does label glomeruli and, less intensely, granule cell bodies in the granular layer. Rabbit anti-mouse brain antiserum is similar to anti-NS-4 antiserum except that fiber tracts in the white matter are stained more intensely. Rabbit anti-bovine corpus callosum labels only white matter. Antisera to neurofilament and glial fibrillary acidic proteins label Bergmann glia and fibrous astrocytes.
Collective efficacy and obesity: The potential influence of social factors on health

Social determinants have been identified as a fundamental cause of health and disease in most industrialized countries. However, much less is known about which characteristics of communities may lead to disparities in health outcomes. Collective efficacy--the willingness of community members to look out for each other and intervene when trouble arises--is a social factor shown to be associated with outcomes related to obesity, including premature mortality and cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study is to determine whether neighborhood collective efficacy is associated with individual measures of body mass index (BMI) in adolescents. We use a multi-level, cross-sectional survey in Los Angeles County, involving 807 adolescents in 684 households in 65 neighborhoods in addition to a sample of 3000 adult respondents. The main outcomes measures are BMI, at risk of overweight, and overweight status. Using a two-level model, we find significant relationships between collective efficacy and all three outcomes, net of levels of neighborhood disadvantage. The associations between BMI and collective efficacy could potentially be explained by several factors, including a metabolic pathway, neighborhood differences in the physical and social environments, or a combination of these two. If group-level collective efficacy is indeed important in the regulation of individual-level net energy balance, it suggests that future interventions to control weight by addressing the social environment at the community level may be promising.
Polarization and Readout of Coupled Single Spins in Diamond

We study the coupling of a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond to a nearby single nitrogen defect at room temperature. The magnetic dipolar coupling leads to a splitting in the electron spin resonance frequency of the nitrogen-vacancy center, allowing readout of the state of a single nitrogen electron spin. At magnetic fields where the spin splitting of the two centers is the same, we observe a strong polarization of the nitrogen electron spin. The amount of polarization can be controlled by the optical excitation power. We combine the polarization and the readout in time-resolved pump-probe measurements to determine the spin relaxation time of a single nitrogen electron spin. Finally, we discuss indications for hyperfine-induced polarization of the nitrogen nuclear spin.
The IGF‐II receptor system: A G protein‐linked mechanism

Based on the finding that stimulation of the IGF-II, receptor (IGF-IIR) is capable of activating Gi2 and calcium channels in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts, it was found that purified IGF-IIR can couple directly to purified Gi2 in phospholipid vesicles. IGF-IIR–Gi2 coupling can be characterized as follows. IGF-IIR directly couples to Gi2 in response to IGF-II in a stoichiometrical manner, suggesting that IGF-IIR works as a transmembrane signaling molecule and that the seven-transmembrane structure is not essential for receptor-G protein coupling. The mode of IGF-IIR–Gi2 interaction is similar to that of conventional receptor–G protein coupling, suggesting that a common G protein recognition mechanism is shared by IGF-IIR and conventional G-coupled receptors. The action of IGF-IIR is specific on Gi2 among various G proteins. Finally, the activity of IGF-IIR on Gi2 is similarly potent across the species of the proteins. These characteristics led to the discovery of a 14-amino-acid region in IGF-IIR that can directly interact with and activate Gi2, and is located at residues 2410–2423 of the human receptor. Subsequent work has indicated that this region is responsible for Gi-coupling function of intact IGF-IIR. The most important extensions of this discovery are the following: (1) The structure–function relationship for the Gi-activating function of this 14-amino-acid sequence, (2) the prediction of G protein-coupled functions of receptors based on the results obtained from 1), and (3) clarification of the detailed mechanism whereby ligand–receptor complex recognizes G proteins. This paper reviews what we have learned from IGF-IIR in terms of receptor–G protein interfaces and discusses future prospects. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In Vitro Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Phaseolin, the Major Storage Protein of Phaseolus Vulgaris L.

Susceptibility of the major storage protein, phaseolin, to different commercially available proteinases was studied in vitro for 17 varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. using electrophoretic techniques. Among serine proteinases, trypsin, subtilisin and pronase E readily hydrolyzed the native phaseolin. while chymotrypsin was less effective. Native phaseolin was markedly resistant to a carboxyl proteinase (pepsin) and somewhat resistant to a thio proteinase (papain). Major breakdown products of native phaseolin subunits were of a similar size irrespective of the enzyme used. and had an approximate MW of 22–25 kilodaltons. SDS-PAGE indicated that heated phaseolin from all the varieties investigated was effectively hydrolyzed by subtilisin, pronase E. pepsin and papain within 30 min, while chymotrypsin and trypsin exhibiting restricted specificity were slightly less effective.
Therapeutic interventions for enhancing collateral development by administration of growth factors: basic principles, early results and potential hazards

The importance of spontaneously developing collateral vessels to supplement perfusion of tissue rendered ischemic by vascular obstruction was recognized many years ago. However, it was not until potent angiogenesis factors were identified, purified, and produced in sufficient quantities, that the field began its rapid development. In the early 1990s it was first shown that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins could actually stimulate collateral flow. However, additional studies also demonstrated that the duration of exposure of the vessels to angiogenesis factors was critical, and that the administration of proteins, with their relatively brief half-lives, may pose important practical limitations. The demonstration that gene therapy can improve collateral function presents one of the solutions to the conundrum, since gene therapy can be considered a sophisticated form of a sustained delivery system. The results of several clinical trials have been reported. All involve administration of single angiogenesis agents, and most are Phase I trials. The two studies rising to Phase II status demonstrated no treatment effect on the primary end-point. It may therefore be relevant to consider that the molecular mechanisms responsible for angiogenesis are extraordinarily complex, and an optimal angiogenesis intervention may require a 'multiple factor' strategy. It is important to note that no serious side-effects ascribable to an angiogenesis agent were recognized in these trials. However, angiogenesis agents are potent molecules with multiple activities. It is therefore possible that they might occasionally cause side-effects, some serious. Among these, based on their biologic activities, are neovascularization of non-targeted tissues, expansion and induction of instability of atherogenic plaque, and growth of tumors. In summary, there is ample experimental evidence justifying an optimistic outlook relating to our eventually being successful in enhancing collateral flow to ischemic tissue in a clinical setting. However, we are not there yet, and identification of the optimal angiogenesis strategy is still unclear. Additional experimental work, in parallel with large, carefully controlled clinical trials are needed to continue the exciting advances of the last decade, and to achieve the goal of providing patients with alternative potent therapies to improve collateral flow, and thereby to alleviate their symptoms and perhaps to prolong their lives.
Purification, physical properties and kinetics of peroxidases from freshwater crayfish (genus Orconectes)

Abstract 1. 1. Soluble peroxidases were purified from freshwater crayfish hepatopancreas, 593-fold purification was achieved. 2. 2. Molecular weights of 33,000, 76,000 and 147,000 were determined for the peroxidases by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration. 3. 3. Isoelectric points between 3.5 and 8.5 were determined for six isoperoxidases. 4. 4. Halogenation of tyrosine was observed, mechanism for guaiacol oxidation and iodide peroxidation is discussed.