cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenomenology of Large N_c QCD

These lectures are designed to introduce the methods and results of large N_c QCD in a presentation intended for nuclear and particle physicists alike. Beginning with definitions and motivations of the approach, we demonstrate that all quark and gluon Feynman diagrams are organized into classes based on powers of 1/N_c. We then show that this result can be translated into definite statements about mesons and baryons containing arbitrary numbers of constituents. In the mesons, numerous well-known phenomenological properties follow as immediate consequences of simply counting powers of N_c, while for the baryons, quantitative large N_c analyses of masses and other properties are seen to agree with experiment, even when ``large'' N_c is set equal to its observed value of 3. Large N_c reasoning is also used to explain some simple features of nuclear interactions.
The propagation of single-cycle THz pulses in random media

Summary form only given. We report the first measurements of the transmission of single-cycle THz pulses through a random medium. A model random medium can be constructed using commercially available polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, teflon) spheres (n = 1.43). The spheres are contained in a teflon sample cell, with windows a fixed distance apart. In order to perform length-dependent studies, we fabricated fifty such cells. The experiment setup is pictured.
Wage Theft, Economic Conditions, and Market Power: The Case of H-1B Workers

This study explores what determines employers’ violations of the wage contracts of workers on H-1B temporary work visas, which occur when firms pay those workers below the promised prevailing or “market” wage. A theoretical framework is proposed that predicts more violations during economic downturns, fewer violations when firms have more labor-market power, and more violations by subcontractor firms. Empirical analysis is based on a firm-level matched dataset of wage and hour violations and the firms that sponsor H-1Bs. Higher labor market power, measured by the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, is associated with fewer violations. Higher unemployment rates and subcontractor firms are associated with more violations. The effects of the unemployment rate and labor market power are amplified in subcontractor firms.
A cross-sectional analysis of racial differences in accelerated aging and cognitive function among patients with atrial fibrillation: The SAGE-AF study: Forrester, Accelerated aging and cognitive function.

Abstract Background Non-Whites are more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment and complications of atrial fibrillation (AF) than Whites, though Whites are more likely to be diagnosed with AF. We examined whether non-Whites with AF are biologically older than Whites with AF and whether accelerated biological aging is associated with cognitive functioning. Methods We used baseline data from the ongoing Systematic Assessment of Geriatric Elements in Atrial Fibrillation prospective cohort study, collected 2016–2020 across ambulatory care practices in Massachusetts and Georgia. Of 1244 enrolled, 974 participants with full biological data were included in the present analysis. Accelerated aging (AccA) was calculated based on a combination of biomarkers associated with age and physiological “wear and tear.” Findings The main outcome was score on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Non-Whites had 2.9 years more AccA than Whites and higher AccA was associated with a lower MoCA score among both Whites (-0.06, 95% CI: -0.10, -0.03) and non-Whites (-0.14, 95% CI: -0.27, 0.02). This association was significantly greater among non-whites (-0.11, 95% CI: -0.20, -0.01). Interpretation Non-White AF patients are functionally “older” than their White counterparts and experience a stronger deleterious association between AccA and cognition. These findings underscore the importance of taking functional age into account when treating patients with AF, particularly non-White patients, to enhance treatment and improve AF outcomes. Funding The SAGE-AF study is supported by Grant R01HL126911 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
Do Steroids Matter? A Retrospective Review of Premedication for Taxane Chemotherapy and Hypersensitivity Reactions.

PURPOSEDespite the widespread use of the taxanes paclitaxel and docetaxel for a variety of cancers and their well-known association with hypersensitivity reactions (HSRs), there is still significan...
Understanding and Predicting Customer Choices

Your customers are confronted with multiple options for where they can dine and where they will stay for the night. The choices they make among the many lodging and dining options are based on criteria that are not always clear—certainly not to you, and often not to them. Your guests may have chosen your hotel because of its favorable room rate, its brand name, its quality rating, its features and amenities, reviews posted by past guests on social media sites, or simply because they were ready to stop for the night and there it was. Similarly, in the case of a restaurant, a customer’s choice may be influenced by the cuisine, menu, decor, price, and reputation. The more you can learn about what factors your guests take into account when they decide whether to book your hotel or a competitor’s property, the better you are able to meet those decision criteria and boost occupancy and rate. In this chapter, I explain two ways to find out those criteria: simply ask, or set up discrete choice experiments. The reason for the experiments is that when you simply ask, you might not get an accurate or complete answer. The problem with the experiments is that the procedure can be complicated, even though the information itself is most useful.
International Trade, Factor-Market Distortions, and the Optimal Dynamic Subsidy: Reply

International trade theorists have long favored free trade, arguing that the only proper basis for a tariff is in response to some monopoly power in international trade. Pragmatic politicians, on the other hand, wary of the wrath of their constituents, have often resorted to the use of tariffs, arguing that the protection afforded by tariffs was necessary to prevent unemployment...
Characterization of a Tetrameric Inositol Monophosphatase from the Hyperthermophilic Bacterium Thermotoga maritima

Inositol monophosphatase (I-1-Pase) catalyzes the dephosphorylation step in the de novo biosynthetic pathway of inositol and is crucial for all inositol-dependent processes. An extremely heat-stable tetrameric form of I-1-Pase from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. In addition to its different quaternary structure (all other known I-1-Pases are dimers), this enzyme displayed a 20-fold higher rate of hydrolysis of D-inositol 1-phosphate than of the L isomer. The homogeneous recombinant T. maritima I-1-Pase (containing 256 amino acids with a subunit molecular mass of 28 kDa) possessed an unusually high Vmax (442 mmol min 21 mg 21 ) that was much higher than the Vmax of the same enzyme from another hyperthermophile, Methanococcus jannaschii. Although T. maritima is a eubacterium, its I-1-Pase is more similar to archaeal I-1-Pases than to the other known bacterial or mammalian I-1-Pases with respect to substrate specificity, Li 1 inhibition, inhibition by high Mg 21 concentrations, metal ion activation, heat stability, and activation energy. Possible reasons for the observed kinetic differences are discussed based on an active site sequence alignment of the human and T. maritima I-1-Pases.
Corporate Real Estate Site Selection: A Community-Specific Information Framework

A key decision corporations must make is site selection. Such decisions have been receiving increasing attention, as companies begin to appreciate how site location can affect the bottom line and future prospects for a firm. The article presents the major factors and individual items that should enter such decisions. Finally, the article concludes with a typology of community-specific studies that are generated to support site selection decisions. These studies are presented from two perspectives: that of the company making the location decision and that of the community determining what package to present to existing and potential companies.
Homologous desensitization to prostaglandins in rabbit ileum

Prostaglandins (PG's) increase short-circuit current (Isc), inhibit NaCl absorption, and stimulate Cl secretion in rabbit ileum. These changes occur with the following PGs; E2, E1, nitrilo-I2 and, to a lesser extent, with A2, D2, and F2 alpha. Arachidonic acid (AA) also stimulates secretion. The PG- or AA-stimulated Isc does not persist, however, and on prolonged exposure tachyphylaxis develops. Resensitization of the Isc response to PGE2 is rapid, being essentially complete in 15 min after the PG is removed. Desensitization to AA is not reflected by diminished PG generation. PGE2 release from the mucosa after AA addition is constant, although the AA-stimulated Isc decreases. Isc measurements indicate that PGE2 at slightly below its EC50 partially desensitizes and a near-maximal concentration completely desensitizes to PGE2 but does not, however, inhibit the subsequent change in Isc caused by theophylline or vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) measurements suggest that desensitization applies to cAMP production. PGE2 (10(-5) M) increases mucosal cAMP three- to sevenfold, but this elevation is transient; a second challenge dose, which fails to elicit a Isc change, also fails to increase mucosal cAMP. Adenylate cyclase measurements from untreated and PGE2-treated enterocytes demonstrate a decrease in stimulation by PGE2 but not in stimulation by VIP, fluoride, or 5-guanylylimidodiphosphate.
Streakiness in Home Run Hitting

4 Sports fans are fascinated with patterns of hot and cold behavior among athletes and teams. One of the greatest hitting accomplishments in baseball is Joe DiMaggio’s “Great Streak” of getting a hit in 56 consecutive games in the 1941 season. The Oakland Athletics’ winning streak of 20 consecutive games during the 2002 baseball season was partly the inspiration for the book and movie Moneyball. Indeed, streaky patterns of performance have been featured in a number of Streakiness in Home Run Hitting
GNAT: a global network of astronomical telescopes.

New generation small telescopes can and should be very complementary facilities for the new large telescopes and for space astronomy. With CCD imaging detectors as part of their instrumentation package, they are most efficient research tools for many research programs. In addition, linking a number of them together into a "global network of astronomical telescopes" appears to make a good deal of sense. A new non-profit organization, GNAT, Inc., has been established to be the catalyst for such a network.
Developments regarding the Bragg rule for stopping power and critical examination of its application to water

Abstract A critical comparison is made of various experimental findings regarding the Bragg additivity rule for stopping power. It appears that deviations from the Bragg additivity rule reported a long time ago and ascribed to chemical binding effects and phase effects are real, despite even recent statements to the contrary. nevertheless, when the Bragg rule is applied to water, critical examination of very recent experimental results for the stopping power in the gaseous state of water, hydrogen and oxygen in this work suggest that the reported deviations from the Bragg additivity rule for the stopping power of gaseous water may be the result of experimental error.
Synthesis of Radiolabeled 1,1-Bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2-nitropropane

Radiolabeled 1,1-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2-nitropropane was synthesized, and its purity was established by TLC. Autoradiograms of labeled and unlabeled products were compared for authenticity. The specific activity was determined.
Blind deconvolution of coloured signals based on higher-order cepstra and data fusion

A new nonparametric blind deconvolution algorithm for coloured non-Gaussian signals is presented. The goal of blind deconvolution is the reconstruction of the input of an unknown linear time-invariant (LTI) mixed-phase system based only on the system output. The existing deconvolution schemes that require the least amount of knowledge about the input signal and the LTI system were developed for white input signals, or rely on parametric modelling of both the system and the input. To develop nonparametric algorithms for the deconvolution of coloured processes of unknown statistics, we are forced to consider a two-channel approach. The proposed algorithm utilises the data collected by two different receivers, each being the output of a different system due to the same input. The two systems are then reconstructed combining higherorder statistics of the measured signals and the theory of signal reconstruction from the higherorder spectral phase only.
Dispersion Relations for Bloch Functions

It is shown that the Floquet factor ${e}^{\mathrm{ik}(E)a}$ is analytic in the upper half complex energy plane, thus enabling a set of four dispersion relations to be derived from this expression as a direct result of the application of Cauchy's theorem. These relations are characterized by their ability to relate the wave number $k$ at one energy to the wave number at all others. In particular, the imaginary part of the wave number ${k}_{i}$ in the forbidden gap may be equated to an integral of a function of the real part of the wave number ${k}_{r}$ over allowed energies. As an application of these dispersion relations a theorem regarding the location of the branch points has been established.
Subpopulations of B lymphocytes in germinal centers, II. A germinal center B cell subpopulation expresses sIgD and CD23

Abstract To understand B cell development in germinal centers, it is important to delineate the expression of surface antigens among germinal center cells. Because it is unclear whether germinal center cells express common antigens such as sIgD and CD23, we studied their expression among tonsillar lymphocytes with flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and in vitro stimulation. Upon studying a large number of tonsils with flow cytometry, we found that occasional tonsils have a very large number of sIgD + and PNA + cells also have many CD23 + cells among their PNA + cells. Tonsil sections stained immuno-histochemically revealed germinal centers containing sIgD + cells. In addition, PNA − and sIgD + cells can be induced to express PNA binding sites in vitro without losing the expression of sIgD. Taking these findings together, we conclude that a subpopulation of germinal center B cells coexpresses sIgD and CD23.
Role of Biofilms in Sorptive Removal of Steroidal Hormones and 4-Nonylphenol Compounds from Streams

Stream biofilms play an important role in geochemical processing of organic matter and nutrients, however, the significance of this matrix in sorbing trace organic contaminants is less understood. This study focused on the role of stream biofilms in sorbing steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds from surface waters using biofilms colonized in situ on artificial substrata and subsequently transferred to the laboratory for controlled batch sorption experiments. Steroidal hormones and 4-nonylphenol compounds readily sorb to stream biofilms as indicated by organic matter partition coefficients (Kom, L kg–1) for 17β-estradiol (102.5–2.8 L kg–1), 17α-ethynylestradiol (102.5–2.9 L kg–1), 4-nonylphenol (103.4–4.6 L kg–1), 4-nonylphenolmonoethoxylate (103.5–4.0 L kg–1), and 4-nonylphenoldiethoxylate (103.9–4.3 L kg–1). Experiments using water quality differences to induce changes in the relative composition of periphyton and heterotrophic bacteria in the stream biofilm did not significantly affect the sorp...
Weakly relativistic dispersion of Bernstein waves

Weakly relativistic effects on the dispersion of Bernstein waves are investigated for waves propagating nearly perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field in a Maxwellian plasma. Attention is focused on those large‐wave‐vector branches that are either weakly damped or join continuously onto weakly damped branches since these are the modes of most interest in applications. The transition between dispersion at perpendicular and oblique propagation is examined and major weakly relativistic effects on dispersion at perpendicular propagation are found to persist at other angles; these effects can dominate even in low‐temperature plasmas. A number of simple analytic criteria are obtained which delimit the ranges of harmonic number and propagation angle within which various types of weakly damped Bernstein modes can exist.
Layout patterning check for DFM

Design rules and the design rule check (DRC) utility are conventional approaches to design for manufacturability (DFM). The DRC utility is based on unsophisticated rules to check the design layout in a simple environment. As the design dimension shrinks drastically, the introduction of a more powerful DFM utility with model-based layout patterning check (LPC) becomes mandatory for designers to filter process weak-points before taping out layouts. In this paper, a system of integrated hotspot scores consisting of three lithography sensitive indexes is proposed to assist designers to circumvent risky layout patterns in lithography. With the hotspot fixing guideline and the hotspot severity classification deduced from the scoring system provided in this paper, designers can deliver much more manufacturable designs.
Implementation of an Associative Flow Rule Including Hydrostatic Stress Effects Into the High Strain Rate Deformation Analysis of Polymer Matrix Composites

A previously developed analytical formulation has been modified in order to more accurately account for the effects of hydrostatic stresses on the nonlinear, strain rate dependent deformation of polymer matrix composites. State variable constitutive equations originally developed for metals have been modified in order to model the nonlinear, strain rate dependent deformation of polymeric materials. To account for the effects of hydrostatic stresses, which are significant in polymers, the classical J2 plasticity theory definitions of effective stress and effective inelastic strain, along with the equations used to compute the components of the inelastic strain rate tensor, are appropriately modified. To verify the revised formulation, the shear and tensile deformation of two representative polymers are computed across a wide range of strain rates. Results computed using the developed constitutive equations correlate well with experimental data. The polymer constitutive equations are implemented within a strength of materials based micromechanics method to predict the nonlinear, strain rate dependent deformation of polymer matrix composites. The composite mechanics are verified by analyzing the deformation of a representative polymer matrix composite for several fiber orientation angles across a variety of strain rates. The computed values compare well to experimentally obtained results.
Structure-dependent reactivity of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes with benzenediazonium salts.

The addition of diazonium salts to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in aqueous surfactant suspensions quenches the intrinsic near-infrared fluorescence of semiconducting SWCNTs through sidewall chemical reactions. Spectrally resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of mixed SWCNT samples has been used to measure structure-dependent relative reactivities in the initial stages of these reactions. For several 4-substituted benzenediazonium salts, Ar−R (Ar = N2+−C6H4 and R = Cl, NO2, OMe), reactivities at pH 10 were found to be greatest for SWCNTs having the largest band gaps. The magnitude of this band gap dependence varies according to the R-group of the salt, with R = OMe showing the strongest variation. For R = OH, acidification of the sample to pH 5.5 results in reversal of the structural trend, as smaller band gap SWCNTs show slightly greater reactivities. The derivatization reactions observed here proceed concurrently, although at different rates, for semiconducting and metallic SWCNT species. These r...
Calibration of an estuarine sediment transport model to sediment fluxes as an intermediate step for simulation of geomorphic evolution

Abstract Modeling geomorphic evolution in estuaries is necessary to model the fate of legacy contaminants in the bed sediment and the effect of climate change, watershed alterations, sea level rise, construction projects, and restoration efforts. Coupled hydrodynamic and sediment transport models used for this purpose typically are calibrated to water level, currents, and/or suspended-sediment concentrations. However, small errors in these tidal-timescale models can accumulate to cause major errors in geomorphic evolution, which may not be obvious. Here we present an intermediate step towards simulating decadal-timescale geomorphic change: calibration to estimated sediment fluxes (mass/time) at two cross-sections within an estuary. Accurate representation of sediment fluxes gives confidence in representation of sediment supply to and from the estuary during those periods. Several years of sediment flux data are available for the landward and seaward boundaries of Suisun Bay, California, the landward-most embayment of San Francisco Bay. Sediment flux observations suggest that episodic freshwater flows export sediment from Suisun Bay, while gravitational circulation during the dry season imports sediment from seaward sources. The Regional Oceanic Modeling System (ROMS), a three-dimensional coupled hydrodynamic/sediment transport model, was adapted for Suisun Bay, for the purposes of hindcasting 19th and 20th century bathymetric change, and simulating geomorphic response to sea level rise and climatic variability in the 21st century. The sediment transport parameters were calibrated using the sediment flux data from 1997 (a relatively wet year) and 2004 (a relatively dry year). The remaining years of data (1998, 2002, 2003) were used for validation. The model represents the inter-annual and annual sediment flux variability, while net sediment import/export is accurately modeled for three of the five years. The use of sediment flux data for calibrating an estuarine geomorphic model guarantees that modeled geomorphic evolution will not exceed the actual supply of sediment from the watershed and seaward sources during the calibration period. Decadal trends in sediment supply (and therefore fluxes) can accumulate to alter decadal geomorphic change. Therefore, simulations of future geomorphic evolution are bolstered by this intermediate calibration step.
Diabetes Mellitus and Cardiovascular Disease in Women

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women in the United States. Although CHD is less common in premenopausal women than in men, this difference begins to disappear after the onset of menopause, presumably related to reduced levels of female sex hormones. Results An association between both a postmenopausal increase in blood pressure and CHD that coincide with loss of ovarian function suggests that estrogen and/or progesterone may be protective against hypertension and CHD. Diabetes removes the normal sex difference in the prevalence of CHD. Increased mortality in women with CHD and diabetes compared with women without diabetes has been observed in epidemiological studies. Conclusions Diabetes appears to obviate the protective effects of female sex hormones. Possible reasons for this catastrophic effect of diabetes in women are discussed.
Role of radical prostatectomy in the treatment of high-risk prostate cancer.

Controversy remains regarding the preferred therapy for high-risk, clinically localized prostate cancer. High-risk prostate cancer represents a diverse disease entity for which accurate risk assessment is critical to informed counseling and clinical decision making. For men with high-risk features, electing surgery as a local definitive therapy should be based on the best available evidence rather than a surgeon’s bias and experience. Patients classified with high-risk prostate cancer by common definitions do not have a uniformly poor prognosis after radical prostatectomy. Many cancers that are clinically categorized as high risk are actually pathologically confined to the prostate, and most of these men do not require additional long-term therapy after surgery. For some high-risk patients, an integrated approach combining local and systemic therapy may be advantageous. Available studies using adjuvant and neoadjuvant strategies have their individual strengths and weaknesses; unfortunately, none has provided persuasive evidence to dictate the standard of care in the high-risk setting. Therefore, results are eagerly anticipated from ongoing randomized trials exploring the merits of perioperative chemohormonal therapy in high-risk patients. This review discusses current limitations and challenges in accurately identifying high-risk patients and focuses on radical prostatectomy alone or as part of multimodal therapy for men with high-risk prostate cancer.
Model systems for understanding DNA base pairing

The fact that nucleic acid bases recognize each other to form pairs is a canonical part of the dogma of biology. However, they do not recognize each other well enough in water to account for the selectivity and efficiency that is needed in the transmission of biological information through a cell. Thus proteins assist in this recognition in multiple ways, and recent data suggest that these mechanisms of recognition can vary widely with context. To probe how the chemical differences of the four nucleobases are defined in various biological contexts, chemists and biochemists have developed modified versions that differ in their polarity, shape, size, and functional groups. This brief review covers recent advances in this field of research.
Directed self-placement questionnaire design: Practices, problems, possibilities

Abstract Over the last fifteen years, directed self-placement (DSP) has become a widespread approach to writing placement in US postsecondary settings. However, to date, the theoretical underpinnings of DSP instruments have received little scholarly attention. Drawing on survey design principles, this study analyzes a corpus of thirty DSP questionnaires to identify the range of theoretical concepts underlying DSP questions, as well as the dimensions used to measure those concepts. Arguing that the validity of DSP in local contexts depends to a great extent on the initial theoretical and empirical basis of the instruments used to structure DSP processes, the researchers discuss the problems as well as the possibilities of the concepts and dimensions currently used in DSP questionnaires. Finally, they offer the example of one of their own universities' DSP questionnaires, which is grounded in rhetorical genre theory, as a case study for how attending to questionnaire concepts and dimensions can contribute to the thoughtful design of locally situated DSP instruments.
The in situ determination of iron and of copper in wine

Abstract The improved determination of both iron and copper in red and white wines has been developed which avoids the preliminary process of ashing the sample before processing the ash for the actual evaluation of these two troublesome impurities. The new procedure employs bathocuproine and bathophcnanthroline as completing ligands with spectrophotometric determination of the Cu and the Fe in situ. The new method is economical in required analysis time, manipulative details and in quantity of sample involved. It has been shown that the new method is comparable in accuracy to previous published procedures, and as control analyses substitute wet ashing technique, the HNO3-HCIO4 destruction of organic matter, was applied.
Energy Research Opportunities for Agricultural Economists

intensified, high-yield, mechanized agriculture has been well publicized [3, 5, 6, 7, 10]. We estimate that fuel use in U. S. food production is at the annual rate of 1,050 trillion BTU's per year. That is equivalent to 8.742 billion gallons of diesel fuel. When energy use in processing, storing, transporting, and preparing this food is added, it amounts to the equivalent of 69.936 billion gallons of diesel fuel. In 1973 Hirst estimated that energy use throughout the food chain (production to consumption) accounts for nearly 12 percent of total energy consumption in the United States [5]. Hirst, Pimentel, and Whittlesey have shown that food production alone accounts for a relatively small portion of the total energy used in supplying food to the consumer [5, 7, 11]. The energy used to supply a year's worth of food to one person is in the area of 40 million BTU's or about 8 BTU of energy used per BTU of food energy consumed. Moreover the energy intensity of our agriculture has been increasing for several decades, and currently there are few prospects for reversing the trend. This intensive, hydrocarbon-powered food system is a long, long way from the simple man, mule, and manure powered, self-sufficient agriculture of our own frontier days. Our agriculture is also worlds apart from those remaining primitive systems that rely mostly on solar-powered photosynthesis for their energy input. In the past we routinely and confidently encouraged such countries to follow our advanced technology. Lately we have begun to wonder about the desirability of doing so. Pointing with pride to our high ratio of "persons-supplied-by-onefarmer" has been replaced by viewing-withalarm our very high ratio of "calories of energy used to produce one calorie of food." We did not get where we are by accident, and it did not happen overnight. Our reliance on stored energy to fuel our agriculture has been growing steadily since the beginning of this century. Machine powered production, fertilizer, chemicals, specialization, transportation, and increased processing all have required substantial increases in the use of energy. All these changes were made for the best of economic reasons-to
The empirical and conceptual value of the spiritual transcendence and religious involvement scales for personality research.

Despite their wide usage, the constructs of spirituality and religiosity have no universally accepted definitions, and very little research has examined how these numinous constructs relate both to one another and to established personality dimensions. Two studies are presented that examined the factor structure of a motivationally based measure of spirituality, the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS) and a behaviorally based measure of religiosity, the Religious Involvement Scale (RIS). Three causal models examining their relationships to one another and to psychological measures of growth and maturity, as well as their incremental validity in predicting a wide array of psychosocial outcomes over the influence of the Five-Factor Model domains were examined. Employing self and observer ratings and American and Filipino samples, the results demonstrated that these robust, cross-culturally generalizable scales provided insights into people not contained by traditional personality variables. The conceptual implications of these results were discussed.
Prenylation inhibitors to treat proliferative renal disease.

Sir—Arif Khwaja and colleagues (Feb 26, p 741) postulate that prenylation inhibitors could be used to treat proliferative renal diseases. These investigators also discuss pravastatin’s ability to decrease acute and chronic rejection in organ transplantation and suggest that these effects “are due to inhibition of Ras and Rho prenylation with subsequent inhibition of the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle, which is an essential histological feature of chronic rejection”. Indeed, the ability of status to inhibit vascular smooth muscle proliferation (at high concentrations) may contribute to its chronic-rejection prevention properties. Also, statins and other prenylation inhibitors may inhibit acute and chronic rejection by suppressing T-cell activation and function. We have shown that pravastatin inhibits T-cell proliferation in vitro and that this effect is abrogated by addition of farensyl pyrophosphate but not cholesterol. This finding confirms our hypothesis that prenylation inhibitors suppress T-cell activation and function by interfering with protein isoprenylation. We have also shown that perillyl alcohol, a naturally occurring prenylation inhibitor, inhibits acute rejection, Th1 cytokine expression, and alloantibody production in a rat cardiac transplant model. Perillyl alcohol also interfered with T-cell activation, motility, and normal polarity. Furthermore, we showed that perillyl alcohol preferentially induced apoptosis in activated T cells. Our findings, along with the well-documented roles of Ras GTPases in T-cell activation and function confirm our hypothesis that isoprenylation inhibitors (the Ras inhibitors), are effective antirejection agents. Hence, given our experience with isoprenylation inhibitors in allograft rejection and the disordered cellular proliferation caused in part by an imbalance of the normal cytokine profile that is central to the pathophysiology of many proliferative kidney diseases, we feel that the hypothesis put forth by Arif Khwaja and colleagues deserves further experimental and clinical testing.
Coronary artery fistulas: how to manage them.

Coronary artery fistulas are rare persisting vascular connections from a coronary artery to a cardiac chamber or major central blood vessel. The true incidence is difficult to discern because at least 75% may be asymptomatic and clinically undetectable until an echocardiogram or coronary arteriogram is performed. Small coronary artery fistulas that are not clinically detectable are not clearly associated with significant long term complications. Medium or large fistulas are associated with significant long term problems including angina, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, endocarditis, and progressive dilation. Treatment options include surgical and catheter approaches to significant fistulas. The long term outlook after fistula closure is not well defined and deserves further study. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Optimally-reduced kinetic models: reaction elimination in large-scale kinetic mechanisms

Abstract A new optimization-based approach to kinetic model reduction is presented. The reaction-elimination problem is formulated as a linear integer program which can be solved to guaranteed global optimality. This formulation ensures that the solution to the integer program is the smallest possible reduced model consistent with the user-set tolerances. The method is applied to generate optimally-reduced models for isobaric, adiabatic homogeneous combustion. The computational cost and accuracy of the reduced models are compared to those of the full mechanism. Results are shown for GRImech 3.0 and the Lawrence Livermore n-heptane combustion mechanism. The accuracy of the integer programming approach is compared to existing reaction elimination methods. The method is also applied to generate a library of reduced kinetic models for an adaptive chemistry simulation of a 2-D laminar, partially-premixed methane burner flame. Preliminary results are presented comparing the computational cost of the full GRImech 3.0 chemistry to that of the reduced model library.
Natural vibrations and waves in pretwisted rods

Abstract A finite element method is presented for studying natural vibrations and waves in pretwisted rods. The analysis is based on three-dimensional elasticity using a coordinate system that rotates with the cross-section. Finite element modeling occurs over the cross-section, so that arbitrary geometry and inhomogeneous, anisotropic material properties can be accommodated. The variationally derived equations of motions are partial differential equations in terms of the axial coordinate and time. Specifying the solution as a harmonic wave form leads to an algebraic eigensystem from which the natural frequencies and corresponding modal patterns of vibration can be extracted. Because of the pretwist, the harmonic wave forms for extension/torsion waves and flexural waves must be expressed separately. Two examples, a homogeneous, isotropic bar and a two-layer ±30° angle-ply composite bar where both have the same rectangular cross-sectional shape, are given to illustrate the method of analysis and the physical behavior of these two members.
Determination of minimum clamping forces for dynamically stable fixturing

Abstract This paper presents a model-based framework for determining the minimum required clamping forces that ensure the dynamic stability of a fixtured workpiece during machining. The framework consists of a dynamic model for simulating the vibratory behavior of the fixtured workpiece subjected to time- and space-varying machining loads, a geometric model for capturing the continuously changing geometry and inertia of the fixture–workpiece system during machining, a static model for determining the localized fixture–workpiece contact deformations due to clamping, a model for checking the dynamic stability of the fixtured workpiece, and a model for determining the optimal set of clamping forces that satisfies the stability criteria for a given machining operation. The clamping force optimization problem is formulated as a bilevel nonlinear programming problem and solved using the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique featuring computational intelligence. A simulation example solved using the developed approach reveals that the minimum required clamping forces for dynamically stable fixturing are significantly affected by the fixture–workpiece system dynamics and its continuous change during machining due to the material removal effect.
Acute Humoral Rejection

y Dis. 2003;41(1):E31-E32 Fig 1. New evidence has led to re-organization of classification of transplant rejection from a classic, morphological based classification to a mechanistic based classification. Antibodymediated rejection was previously loosely, but not definitely, correlated with the presence of acute glomerulitis, that is the infiltration of the glomerulus by numerous mononuclear cells, as illustrated here (Jones’ silver stain, 3400).
Desktop Publishing - Some Systems Issues

Recently, a major new area of application has emerged for personal computers. This application area isdesktop publishing or DTP. This market is expected to be one of the most rapidlygrowing and lucratrative of all personal computerapplications. It is possiblethataf all personal computer applicationstodate, DTP requiresthe mostsophisticated interconnection of hardware and software. Top rated sofware for DTP like Pagemaker by Aldus and Ventura Publisher by Xerox import files and images that can be created on other machines by software beyond the control of the DTP package. Xerox Ventura Publisher Version 1.1,forexample, can importfromten(10)differenttextformats, nine (9)different line-art formats and three (3) image formats. Users who are willing to conform to one of these acceptable formats can have their software output integrated intothe printed page. Additionally, many DTP systems employ an input scanner for scanning pictures or diagrams etc. Whatwe will examine are some of the systems issues relating to the whole DTP system.
Patination of Ceramic Objects, Modern and Prehistoric: A Case from West Mexico

In many cases objects lacking specific provenience are deemed inappropriate for archaeological or art historical studies. The application of analytical techniques such as thermoluminescence or carbon-14 dating have been used in conjunction with stylistic information to strengthen arguments for provenience. In the case of late-Formative figurines from West Mexico, careful study of the dark patina using morphological and chemical criteria provides a means of assessing provenience of the figurine. Comparison of modern patinas to provenienced patinas has been carried out at several levels -- visual/stylistic, morphological and chemical.
Vibrational spectra of crystalline Li2ZrF6 and Cs2ZrF6

Abstract The infrared and Raman spectra of Li2ZrF6 and Cs2ZrF6 have been measured and all active internal vibrational modes, except for the ν6 (Eu) component of Li2ZrF6, were observed and assigned. Single crystal Raman measurements on Li2ZrF6 have enabled the identification individual components arising from the internal degenerate modes of ZrF62− ion having Oh point symmetry. The splittings of these degenerate modes were compared for Li2ZrF6 and Cs2ZrF6. Splitting in the Raman arises principally from short-range forces whereas in the infrared it is attributed mainly to long-range dipolar effects. A normal coordinate analysis of the Oh modes of the ZrF62− has been performed to verify the assignments.
Serine and Glycine Metabolism in Hepatocytes from Mid Gestation Fetal Lambs

Using stable isotopes of serine, glycine, and glutamine, the metabolism of serine and glycine was investigated in primary hepatocytes from six mid-gestation fetal lambs (mean gestational age = 81 ± 6 d, normal gestation = 145 d). Serine production was 6.84 ± 1.22 μmol/24 h/mg of DNA and exceeded serine utilization (3.76 ± 1.44 μmol/24 h/mg of DNA) with a resultant net increase in medium serine of 2.58 ± 1.70μmol/24 h/mg of DNA. In contrast, glycine production (6.84 ± 1.16μmol/24 h/mg of DNA) was less than glycine utilization (12.10 ± 1.78μmol/24 h/mg of DNA) with a net decline in medium glycine of -5.44 ± 2.03 μmol/24 h/mg of DNA. Of the serine produced, 50.4 ± 4.3% was derived from glycine via the action of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) and the glycine cleavage enzyme complex (GCS). Increasing the medium serine concentration resulted in an increase in serine utilization and sparing of the utilization of other amino acids. Biosynthesis of glycine from serine accounts for only 18.1 ± 5.6% of glycine production, and this percentage is not affected by changes in medium serine concentration. Using 2,5-[15N2]glutamine as the tracer, an estimated 18 ± 7% of serine production was derived from transamination reactions. The specific activity of both cytosolic and mitochondrial SHMT was constant for the duration of the cultures. We conclude that, in mid-gestation fetal ovine hepatocytes, there is net production of serine (with glycine as the primary metabolic source of this serine biosynthesis) and net glycine utilization. These data suggest that flux through SHMT and GCS accounts for 50% of serine biosynthesis in mid-gestation fetal ovine hepatocytes. The sparing of the utilization of other amino acids by serine suggests that serine a conditionally essential amino acid for the mid-gestation fetal liver.
Defective stromal cell function in a mouse model of infusion-induced bone marrow failure.

Objective To study bone marrow (BM) stromal damage in a mouse model of infusion-induced BM failure. Materials and Methods Sublethally irradiated CByB6F1 mice were infused with 5 × 10 6 C57BL/6 (B6) lymph node (LN) cells. Recipient BM cells were taken at 3, 7, 10, and 14 days following LN infusion and were cultured in vitro in α-modified Eagle media for 2–3 weeks. Peripheral blood and was analyzed by complete blood counts while BM lymphocyte infiltration/expansion was analyzed by flow cytometry. Marrow cells from affected and control mice were mixed and cultured in vitro to test nonspecific stromal damage. Results Donor lymphocytes infiltrated host BM within 3–7 days and expanded significantly between 7 and 10 days, concurrent with the development of leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and marrow hypoplasia. BM cells from mice at 7, 10, and 14 days after B6-LN cell infusion were progressively defective in forming stromal feeder layers. A 1:1 mixture of BM cells from affected CByB6F1 mice and normal B6 mice failed to form an effective stromal feeder layer that could support cobblestone colony formation, indicating that lymphocytes in the BM of affected CByB6F1 mice were able to damage stromal cells in the normal B6 BM. Conclusion Activated lymphocytes destroy both hematopoietic and stromal cells as innocent bystanders in the infusion-induced BM failure model.
Effect of hydrostatic pressure on the Fermi surface of Be

Abstract The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the Fermi surface of Be has been determined using both solid and fluid He techniques. A comparison is made with the results of recent studies of the oscillatory magnetostriction.
Chokepoint: Regulating US student mobility through biometrics

Abstract Many US public schools, struggling with perceived issues of safety and security, have installed a host of different biometric devices – vein scanners, automated fingerprint identification systems, iris scanners, GPS-enabled identification badges, and facial recognition software. Schools turn to these devices in hopes of securing school space by sorting and tracking students, visitors, and school staff based on their pre-determined risk profiles. As such, this article proposes that tracing these new forms of school security provides insight into how the politics and practices of biometric technologies are fundamentally geographical in nature. That is, biometric devices not only verify identity according to risk assessments, they also work to manage mobility by regulating where school bodies can go, when, and for what purposes. Moreover, this article analyzes how these risk profiling tactics, widely adopted by schools across the United States, necessarily borrow from the strategies used in sites of colonial occupation. Looking at schools in this way can help us plot how biometric bordering and resultant security decisions unfold at other sites of mobility beyond state (smart) borders, highways, toll booths, and ports of entry in order to formulate new “spaces of enclosure” (Amoore, Marmura, & Salter, 2008) and “dividing practices” (Nevins, 2002), thus bringing students into “closer proximity” to military relations of force through these “war-like architectures” (Amoore, 2009).