cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polycystic ovary syndrome in adolescence: impaired glucose tolerance occurs across the spectrum of BMI.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a chronic condition clinically characterized by irregular menses and hyperandrogenism. It affects approximately 7% of reproductive age women (1, 2). While PCOS is highly prevalent, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed until infertility prompts evaluation in adulthood. A history of PCOS is associated with an increased risk for future type 2 diabetes (3, 4). Although most complications of PCOS occur in adulthood, the clinical manifestations of PCOS may begin at the time of gonadarche, when the ovaries begin to synthesize sex steroids and support follicular development. Remarkably, PCOS remains under-evaluated during adolescence because the overlapping symptoms of physiologic puberty are deemed to obscure the clinical picture. Few studies have sought to examine the diagnosis of PCOS and presence of metabolic risk in adolescents with symptoms of irregular menses. In particular, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), the most prevalent (31–35%) glucose abnormality in women with PCOS (4, 5), has not been examined systematically in adolescents. Most studies involving adolescents have been either limited in size or lacked comprehensive metabolic evaluation. One study reported that 9 of 27 (33%) PCOS adolescents had IGT (6). However, this analysis predominantly included very obese (OB) subjects [mean body mass index (BMI), 38.4 kg/m2 ± 8.8]. In another report characterizing 70 adolescents with PCOS, glucose tolerance testing was only performed on those subjects with additional diabetes risk factors, such as obesity or a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Of the 33 adolescents tested, IGT was present in two (6%) subjects (7). However, in adult women with PCOS, IGT occurs independently of excess body weight (8). In addition, metabolic risk and future T2DM is insufficiently captured by fasting markers of impaired glucose metabolism in adults with PCOS (4–6, 9). We herein report the largest number of adolescents with PCOS examined for impaired glucose metabolism, irrespective of traditional risk factors for T2DM. Over a 2-yr period we evaluated and performed metabolic testing for 100 adolescents referred to our monthly PCOS program to document the clinical presentation and early metabolic abnormalities in girls with irregular menstrual patterns, hirsutism, and abnormal ovarian morphology.
The Choice Between Spin-offs and Sell-offs

Spin-offs and sell-offs are alternative methods for divesting assets, but the effects on the parent firm differ substantially. We examine firms' characteristics that may influence the asset divestiture choice between a spin-off and sell-off. Results of the analysis indicate that the primary factors influencing the choice of divestiture type are financial distress, number of directors on the board, whether the CEO is also the Board Chair, and the size of the unit divested.
Back to the science of stem cell research - CHI's 2nd Annual Meeting.

The Back to the Science of Stem Cell Research meeting covered a broad array of approaches for the creation of cell and tissue models. These models can be employed in a variety of applications ranging from in vitro screening to in vivo tissue repair. Biomaterials, identified through either rational design or HTS, provide a central technology for the generation of 3-D tissue that is composed of multiple cell types. The presentations at the meeting highlighted the successes and current questions in the field of tissue engineering, and emphasized that many challenges remain in translating technical successes into commercial successes. Commercial benefit will depend not only on technical achievements, but also on more practical considerations that are associated with identifying the best opportunities for stem cell research and navigating the regulatory and insurance environment related to stem cell technologies.
Fertility of man.

Fecundity is the innate potential for reproduction of an individual whereas fertility is the actual total reproduction of that individual. Both fecundity and fertility are affected by various factors biological social and demographic. In a noncontracepting population the age of a woman at marriage is 1 of the most important determinants of total fertility. The observed differentials among groups according to place of residence socioeconomic status and religion are actually due to differential use of contraception. Another factor which influences total fertility is the duration of lactation and of lactation amenorrhea a highly variable phenomenon. There is some natural infertility within any population. Taking into account all the various factors which can affect fertility 1 study calculated the average interval between pregnancies to be 19 months for nonlactating women and 24 months for lactating women. Various studies are cited and tables of the results presented.
Surface Finishing Using Soft Abrasives

In an effort to produce scratch- and damage-free flat surfaces, two non-conventional polishing techniques, mechano-chemical and float, were recently introduced by Yasunaga et al. and Namba and Tsuwa, respectively. The emphasis in both these techniques is on employing an abrasive whose hardness is less than that of the workpiece. This paper describes the results of our efforts to apply these techniques to tape-cast alumina, hot-pressed Si 3 N 4 , sapphire and single crystals of silicon and gallium arsenide. Samples of polished ma erials were observed to be scratch free, and in the case of single crystals, very smooth with a peak-to-peak roughness of < 40A. The polished surfaces have been characterized using several techniques, including reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), interferometry, profilometry, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis and Auger electron spectroscopy.
The biceps tendon: from proximal to distal: AAOS exhibit selection.

The function of the long head of the biceps tendon (LHB) in shoulder glenohumeral biomechanics is unclear. However, there is agreement that the biceps can develop tendinopathy resulting in pain over the anterior aspect of the shoulder, specifically in the bicipital groove1,2. With recent advancements in arthroscopy and more detailed imaging, selection of appropriate management for proximal biceps disorders is important. Compared with this proximal component, the anatomy, epidemiology, and underlying pathophysiology of the distal component of the biceps tendon are less well understood. Although distal biceps rupture has a low annual incidence, approximately 1.2 per 100,000 persons3, it can lead to substantial morbidity. The emerging understanding of the clinical importance of distal biceps ruptures and the effectiveness of distal biceps repair are the focal points for the increased attention to this topic. Patients are unique individuals who may be best suited for a specific treatment depending on their age, activity level, and goals. The ideal repair would be one that is anatomic, permits early motion, and has low surgical morbidity and minimal complications. Our review provides an overview of the anatomic, biomechanical, and clinical literature that fully encompasses the biceps brachii from origin to insertion with an emphasis on treatment indications, surgical approaches, fixation techniques, and clinical outcomes. ### Anatomy The LHB arises from the superior glenoid labrum and supraglenoid tubercle. This proximal, intra-articular portion of the biceps tendon has an asymmetric network of sensory sympathetic nerve fibers, predominantly near its origin, and is a primary pain generator in the anterior aspect of the shoulder4. The reflection pulley—composed of fibers from the superior glenohumeral ligament, coracohumeral ligament, and superior aspect of the subscapularis tendon—functions to stabilize the biceps tendon as it advances through the bicipital groove5 (Fig. 1). As the LHB enters …
Confronting the Mystery of Urban Hierarchy

The size distribution of cities in the United States is startlingly well described by a simpler power law: the number of cities whose population exceedsSis proportional to 1/S. This simple regularity is puzzling; even more puzzling is the fact that it has apparently remained true for at least the past century. Standard models of urban systems offer no explanation of the power law. A random growth model proposed by Herbert Simon 40 years ago is the best try to date—but while it can explain a power law, it cannot reproduce one with the right exponent. At this point we are in the frustrating postion of having a striking empirical regularity with no good theory to account for it.J. Japan. Int. Econ., December 1996,10(4), pp. 399–418. Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-6072
Signification and Logic: Scotus on Universals from a Logical Point of View

The is traditional often two-pronged. nominalist By attack means on of the the philosophy so-called Ockham's of Duns Scotus razor is often two-pronged. By mea s of the so-called O ham's razor (one of Aristotle's objections to Platonic forms and found with disarming frequency in Scotus' own works),1 Duns Scotus has been accused of confusing linguistic signs and the various modes of signification, thereby ontologizing the latter into a realist's world of common natures and real relations.2 In keeping with traditional reputations Scotus has been pictured as a metaphysician defending realism from the nominalism or terminism of logicians such as Ockham was to become.3 Though responsible scholars qualify such charges of realism and nominalism, research into the writings of Duns Scotus, even for such qualifications, has centered around Scotus' metaphysically-oriented works.4
Multiple fibroelastomas: a case report and review of the literature

Cardiac papillary fibroelastoma is a rare primary cardiac tumor that usually involves the heart valves. Multiple fibroelastomas found in a single patient is an even more rare occurrence. We describe the case of a 41-year-old woman who presented with an acute cerebrovascular accident, and was found to have 4 separate fibroelastoma tumors involving the aortic and mitral valves. The role of echocardiography in the diagnosis of this unusual tumor and its therapy is discussed.
Molecular Machines: putting the pieces together.

The use of EM and image analysis techniques, particularly the single particle methodology, has opened the door to the structural characterization of large protein complexes in the megadalton range. This review covers the basic principles of single particle EM and recent examples of its application
Inhibition of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides by urea, guanidine and methyl derivatives of urea☆

Abstract A purified preparation of δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (EC 4.2.1.24) of R. spheroides is inhibited by low concentrations of urea, guanidine, and methyl derivatives of urea. The inhibition by urea and guanidine has been found to be competitive in nature—a fact that has been supported by mixed inhibition study indicating the competition for the same site as that of the substrate. The dissociation of the enzyme by urea into subunits and its prevention from dissociation by the substrate point to their opposing effects on the protein conformation rather than their competition for identical sites of action.
The Bush Administration Record in Latin America: Sins of Omission and Commission

The conventional wisdom among analysts and scholars is that at least since September 11, 2001, the United States has tended to neglect its relations with Latin America. As a result of that inattention, other countries from outside the region have been able to make inroads, and there has generally been a regional drift in the direction of election and policy outcomes that do not favor US interests. While this article assumes that conventional understanding of the outcomes in the region, the central argument here is that it is not neglect (or “sins of omission”) that best explains those developments. Rather, it is the actual US policies that have been pursued (“sins of commission”), as well as the effective strategies pursued by Latin American leaders and organizations, which are largely responsible for the situation that confronts President Obama in Latin America. The article focuses on Venezuela, Cuba, and Bolivia, the three countries that have sometimes been described as the Latin American “axis of evil.”
The utility of basal cell-specific anti-cytokeratin antibody (34βE12) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer: A review of 228 cases

Basal cell-specific anti-cytokeratin antibody (34 beta E12) decorates the basal cells of benign prostatic epithelium by standard immunohistochemical techniques, whereas adenocarcinoma of the prostate lacks immunoreactivity with this antibody. We reviewed our experience with this antibody to determine its utility in the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the prostate as well as its pattern of usage at a tertiary medical center. In all, 7,242 prostate specimens from 5,262 men were seen at Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1/89 and 4/93. Immunostaining for basal cell-specific cytokeratin (34 beta E12) was originally used for diagnostic purposes in 289 questionable area from 228 cases; 45% of these cases were seen in consultation. The distribution of cases using 34 beta E12 was 52% needle biopsies, 32% transurethral prostatic resections (TURPs). 13% radical prostatectomies, and 3% open enucleations. These procedures constituted 2.8% of all needle biopsies, 7.2% of all TURPs, 1.7% of all radical prostatectomies, and 3.5% of all enucleations seen during this time period. For this study the hematoxylin and eosin stain was reviewed without knowledge of the original diagnosis, a diagnosis was favored, the 34 beta E12 stain was examined, and a final diagnosis was determined. The 34 beta E12 stain established (14%), confirmed (58%), or changed (2%) our favored diagnoses, while 18% remained or became equivocal. The 34 beta E12 stain was of no use in 8% of the cases, yet we felt we were still able to render a final diagnosis even without the help of the stain. The differential diagnoses in the questionable foci using 34 beta E12 were cancer versus focus of atypical glands (44%), adenosis (39%), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) (8%), basal cell hyperplasia (5%), and atrophy (4%). However, 34 beta E12 was used in only 15-20% of all cases of adenosis and basal cell hyperplasia and in < 2% of PIN and atrophy cases seen during this time. Reasons for equivocal results were loss of suspicious glands on cut downs used for staining (49%), too few glands to rely on negative staining (23%), technical problems (15%), limited number of positive staining glands in a small focus (7%), and cautery artifact (6%). Although equivocal cases tended to have fewer negative stained glands than cases diagnosed with cancer, there was no minimum number of negative stained glands required to establish a diagnosis of cancer. From these data we conclude that 34 beta E12 staining is a useful tool in confirming, establishing, or changing the diagnosis in questionable foci seen in the everyday practice of surgical pathology.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Turning up the heat: the effects of thermal acclimation on the kinetics of hsp70 gene expression in the eurythermal goby, Gillichthys mirabilis.

Most organisms respond to temperature fluctuations by altering the expression of an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins known as heat shock proteins (Hsps). Studies have shown Hsp expression and the activation of HSF1, one of the primary regulators of Hsp transcription, are highly malleable, varying with the recent thermal history of the organism; however, the mechanisms that confer plasticity to the regulation of this ubiquitous response are not well-understood. This study furthers our knowledge in this area by characterizing the activation kinetics of HSF1 and the corresponding transcription of hsp70 in the liver of the eurythermal goby, Gillichthys mirabilis, following a month-long acclimation at 13, 21 or 28 °C. Our data revealed HSF1 DNA-binding kinetics varied as a function of acclimation temperature and magnitude/duration of exposure, with gobies acclimated at 21 °C exhibiting the most robust response. Hsp70 mRNA followed a similar pattern with induction first occurring in the 13 and 21 °C fish, and then most robustly in the 28 °C group at 36 °C. The hsp70 mRNA induction pattern was corroborated by levels of HSF1 DNA-binding activity in each group and may have been lowest in the 28 °C group due to the 2-fold greater levels of hsp70 protein prior to thermal exposure. This study illustrates the integral role of HSF1 as a key regulator of Hsp induction and helps explain the plasticity of this response in ectothermic organisms.
Bazaar Politics: The Fate of Marketplaces in Kazakhstan

Bazaars thrive and close based more on the whims of powerful political and economic elites than the activities of vendors and buyers.
A review of stimulated Brillouin scattering excited with a broad-band pump laser

Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) excited by a pump laser with a bandwidth large compared to the Brillouin linewidth is reviewed. SBS amplifier results show that either for low gain or for short pulses, the broad-band SBS gain is substantially lower than the steady-state gain. In the high gain limit, however, the fast phase fluctuations that are typical of a broad-band pump have a small effect on amplifier gain. Results for SBS that grows from noise show that fast pump phase fluctuations affect the gain only under two conditions. The first is when the coherence length of the pump is shorter than the gain length in the SBS medium. The second is when the pump is made up of two or more temporal modes separated by more than the SBS linewidth and aberrated with independent spatial profiles. In this case, the quality of wavefront inversion may be badly degraded as well. Areas for further work, including competing nonlinearities, are discussed.
Oxidations in Acetobacter suboxydans.

Abstract 1. 1. Cell-free extracts have been prepared from A. suboxydans , which are capable of catalyzing the following reactions: 1.1. ethanol → acetaldehyde 1.2. glycerol → dihydroxyacetone → a new carbonyl-type compound and other unknown products 1.3. glucose → unknown products 1.4. pyruvate → acetaldehyde 1.5. acetaldehyde → acetate 2. 2. Ethanol dehydrogenase has been prepared in highly purified form (14,000 Racker units per mg). It is DPN-dependent. 3. 3. The cell-free extracts (as well as intact resting cells) were unable to appreciably dissimilate acetate or intermediates of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Glycolysis intermediates were also inert, and it is concluded that neither glycolysis nor the TCA cyclic oxidation pathway is operative to any significant degree in this organism. 4. 4. A non-enzymatic interaction between dihydroxyacetone and DPN is described. The product shows the sam absorption behavior as reduced DPN, although it cannot be reoxidized by acetaldehyde.
Early cortical histogenesis in the primary olfactory cortex of the mouse

Abstract The primary olfactory cortex of mouse embryos varying in age from the 13th to the 15th day of gestation is investigated with the aid of several techniques: Nissl and Golgi preparations, autoradiography and electron microscopy. It is observed that the earliest cells to complete their migrations are diffusely scattered at all levels of the emerging cortical plate. The dendrites of these cells are predominantly tangentially aligned. Subsequently these early formed cells are subdivided into two groups. One group remains superficial in close relation to the lateral olfactory tract while the second is displaced to the deepest level of the cortex. The dendrites of many cells which remain at superficial cortical levels become realigned in a radially upward direction. “Maculae adherens diminutae” are abundant at points of apposition of membranes of cells of all classes at superficial cortical levels. It is suggested that these serve to stabilize cell position and that the upward dendritic realignment is an expression of radially directed stresses. Synapses appear relatively late and probably play no role as determinants of cell position.
A new nanostructured material for regenerative vascular treatments: Magnetic bacterial nanocellulose (MBNC)

Engineered 3D constructs with multifunctional properties are in great demand for tissue engineering applications. The aim of this research is to develop a unique hydrogel made of bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) that has been magnetically functionalized and rendered biocompatible for the purpose of rapid cellular localization and proliferation. Magnetic hydrogels integrated on intracranial stents is a new method for the treatment of brain aneurysms by accelerating the endothelialization process and reducing the healing time. Some authors [1] have postulated that a stent used as a tissue scaffold with a magnetic face directed at the aneurysmal neck would be the most efficient strategy. Moreover, authors like Dalby et al. [2] have shown that stem cell adhesion, differentiation, proliferation and gene expression can be enhanced by nanostructured biomaterials. Main results of both magnetizing and cells behaviour are in well agreement with above mentioned references.
Education is not enough: A systems failure in protecting battered women

A retrospective study of female trauma patients presenting in an emergency department during 1976 and 1977 demonstrated that the introduction of a protocol designed to detect injuries caused by battering increased the identification of battered women from 5.6% of female trauma patients to 30%. An eight-year follow-up study in the same ED demonstrated that only 7.7% of female trauma patients were diagnosed as having injuries secondary to battering. This study suggests that without institutional policies and procedures for detecting and treating victims of domestic violence, many abused women will pass through EDs unidentified and, hence, untreated.
When is a compliment not a compliment? Evaluating expressions of positive stereotypes ☆

Abstract Unlike negative stereotypes, positive stereotypes are often perceived as admirable qualities, and expressions of such beliefs may be intended as compliments toward group members. Two experiments were conducted to examine how the targets of positive stereotypes evaluate others who express such stereotypic “compliments.” In Study 1, Black participants evaluated a White student who praised the athletic ability of African Americans more negatively than a control condition. In Study 2, Black and White participants watched an interracial interaction that involved the White actor expressing positive stereotypes or a control interaction with no stereotypes. In the positive stereotype condition, Black participants evaluated the White actor and the interaction as a whole more negatively than did White participants, but there were no differences in the control condition. The implications for the perpetuation of interracial distrust and avoidance are discussed.
S-estimation of nonlinear regression models with dependent and heterogeneous observations

In time series regression, where a single outlier can appear in the regressor vector multiple times due to the presence of lagged variables, resistance of an estimator to outliers is of serious concern. We show that the high resistance of S-estimators in cross section regression carries over to time series. We investigate the large sample properties of S-estimators in nonlinear regression with dependent, heterogeneous data and conduct Monte Carlo simulations to examine the performance of S-estimators and assess the accuracy of our asymptotic approximations. Finally, we offer a simple empirical example applying S-estimators to a financial time series.
Equations of State on Demand: Application for Surrogate Fuel Development

The NIST ThermoData Engine (TDE) is a large electronic database containing experimental data with detailed descriptions of relevant metadata and uncertainties that incorporates expert-system software to automatically generate dynamically evaluated data and on-demand equations of state. In this study, we demonstrate how the concept of dynamic data evaluation within the NIST TDE can be used to generate equations of state (EOS) on demand, and give an example where the resulting EOS formulations for pure chemical compounds are used to develop a surrogate mixture model to represent the volatility behavior, as expressed by the distillation curve, of a synthetic paraffinic aviation fuel derived from biomass.
Transition of acousto-optics into EC systems

A need for very high probability of detection in modern passive Electronic Combat (EC) systems has stimulated development of ever-wider receiver bandwidths. As the receiver bandwidths increase, some portions of the RF spectrum will begin to have a probability of signal overlap approaching unity. Wideband receivers, when operating in these environments with increasing signal threat densities and new modern modulation techniques, must incorporate computationally intensive algorithms within the receiver architecture to ensure reliable performance. Acousto-optic processing subsystems offer a real-time solution to several of the computationally intensive signal processing functions required in wideband EW systems. Two such acousto-optic subsystems that are being developed by DARPA through the Naval Research Laboratory will be discussed in this paper: Channelization and Direction Finding.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimal Power Market Participation of Plug-In Electric Vehicles Pooled by Distribution Feeder

Electric-vehicle grid integration has the potential to stress distribution network equipment and increase peak consumption, unless properly managed. In this paper, we use dynamic programming to develop a decision support algorithm and market participation policy for a load aggregator (LA) managing the charging of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) connecting at the same distribution network feeder. The LA submits inflexible and flexible bids to a liberalized hour-ahead power market, while monitoring localized feeder and PEV rate constraints. Flexible bids, which include a bid price or utility, can be cleared as regulation service, cleared as energy, or rejected by the market operator. These market events are probabilistically included within the modeling framework. A case study, based on New York independent system operator data, found that the market participation policy may reduce daily electricity costs for PEVs significantly more than is expected through forecasted electricity-price-based scheduling.
Metabolic imaging by positron emission tomography early after myocardial infarction as a predictor of recovery of myocardial function after reperfusion.

Myocardial ischemia leads to alterations in myocardial substrate metabolism that have been shown to reflect severity of ischemic injury. The purpose of this study was to correlate oxidative metabolism with recovery of contractile function in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Regional blood flow and oxidative metabolism were assessed by dynamic positron emission tomography early after myocardial infarction treated with thrombolytic therapy in 18 patients. The extent of myocardial perfusion abnormality (carbon 11-labeled acetate uptake; relative amplitude ≤50%) was inversely correlated with the ejection fraction obtained within 8 hours of the onset of chest pain (r=0.81;p=0.01) but not clearly with that at follow-up 1 week later (r=0.64;p=0.09). Oxidative metabolism (carbon 11-labeled acetate; monoexponential clearance) was higher in periinfarct territories with early or late recovery of contractile function than in those without, but there was a large overlap in absolute values limiting the predictive power of a single measurement. Relatively preserved oxidative metabolism compared with perfusion in low-flow areas was predictive of early (day 1 to 1 week) and delayed (week 1 to beyond 1 month) recovery. Normal resting perfusion with regionally decreased oxidative metabolism predicted early recovery of contractile function. Thus in patients studied with positron emission tomography early after myocardial infarction, comparison of regional perfusion and oxidative metabolism was more predictive of recovery in contractile function than was assessment of either one alone.
Bayesian learning, growth, and pollution

Abstract Environmental problems, such as climate change, have great uncertainties. Current expectations are that uncertainties about climate change will be resolved quickly. We examine this hypothesis theoretically and computationally. We consider Bayesian learning about the relationship between greenhouse gas levels and global mean temperature changes, a key uncertainty. Learning is non-trivial because of a stochastic shock to the realized temperature. We find theoretically the expected learning time, which is related to the variance of the shock and the emissions policy, implying a tradeoff between the benefits of controlling emissions and information. We imbed the learning model into an optimal growth model with a climate sector and solve the resulting dynamic program. We find computationally that learning takes on average over 90 yr, far longer than currently believed.
Cognitive Radio technology for dynamic spectrum access: Spectrum sensing, waveform design and implementation

Spectrum Congestion is a concern to both military and commercial applications. Recent studies have suggested that spectrum congestion is mainly due to the inefficient use of spectrum rather than its unavailability. Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) and Cognitive Radio (CR) are two terminologies which are used in the context of improved spectrum efficiency and usage. The advent of CR has created a paradigm shift in wireless communications and instigated a change in FCC policy towards spectrum regulations. Cognitive Radio is a cross-cutting multi disciplinary technology requiring concepts such as: Signal processing, Wireless Communications, Antenna theory, Network protocols, Pattern recognition and Machine learning, to name a few. Even though CR technology's main objective is to identify unused spectrum and improve spectrum efficiency, it indirectly translates to unrealized monetary gain resulting from new applications and users. This has resulted in interest from not only technologists (engineers) but also from policy makers (attorneys) and corporate business.
Leveraging Internet Background Radiation for Opportunistic Network Analysis

For more than a decade, unsolicited traffic sent to unused regions of the address space has provided valuable insight into malicious Internet activities. In this paper, we explore the utility of this traffic, known as Internet Background Radiation (IBR), for a different purpose: as a data source of Internet-wide measurements. We collect and analyze IBR from two large darknets, carefully deconstructing its various components and characterizing them along dimensions applicable to Internet-wide measurements. Intuitively, IBR can provide insight into network properties when traffic from that network contains relevant information and is of sufficient volume. We turn this intuition into a scientific investigation, examining which networks send IBR, identifying components of IBR that enable opportunistic network inferences, and characterizing the frequency and granularity of traffic sources. We also consider the influences of time of collection and position in the address space on our results. We leverage IBR properties in three case studies to show that IBR can supplement existing techniques by improving coverage and/or diversity of analyzable networks while reducing measurement overhead. Our main contribution is a new framework for understanding the circumstances and properties for which unsolicited traffic is an appropriate data source for inference of macroscopic Internet properties, which can help other researchers assess its utility for a given study.
A Construct Validity Study of Commitment and Perceived Support Variables A Multifoci Approach across Different Team Environments

Social exchange theory suggests that employees feel commitment toward both their employing organizations and their work teams, while also experiencing varying levels of support from these same entities. Unfortunately, previous work has neither fully explored this possibility nor tested the capacity of currently available instruments to adequately measure the distinctiveness of the associated constructs. To address this need, we collected data from 902 employees in four diverse organizations. As predicted, respondents distinguished among organizational commitment, team commitment, organizational support, and team support. Furthermore, as predicted, perceived support from an entity predicted commitment to that same entity.
Methods for Prediction of Refractive Index in Glasses for the Infrared

It is often useful to obtain custom glasses that meet particular requirements of refractive index and dispersion for highend optical design and applications. In the case of infrared glasses, limited experimental data are available due to difficulties in processing of these glasses and also measuring refractive indices accurately. This paper proposes methods to estimate refractive index and dispersion as a function of composition for selected infrared-transmitting glasses. Methods for refractive index determination are reviewed and evaluated, including Gladstone-Dale, Wemple- DiDomenico single oscillator, Optical basicity, and Lorentz-Lorenz total polarizability. Various estimates for a set of PbO-Bi2O3-Ga2O3 (heavy metal oxide) and As-S (chalcogenide) glasses will be compared with measured values of index and dispersion.
Natural Convection Flow in Liquid-Metal Mobile-Fuel Nuclear Reactors

No directly applicable theoretical or experimental results are available for natural convection in vertical liquidmetal filled ligaments encountered in mobile-fuel fast power reactor concepts. However, it is possible to delineate the general nature of behavior expected with respect to temperature, velocity, and wall heat flux profiles from limiting analyses and available experiments. It is shown that natural convection may be of importance from the viewpoints of perturbation of wall heat flux distribution (a limiting design condition), and motivation of velocities importent as a possible mechanism for mass transport, and hence is also an influence on fission gas disposition. It does not appear that natural convection will substantially affect temperature differentials in the cases of interest. These can be estimated assuming pure conduction. (auth)
Chemical properties of three strains of Southern bean mosaic virus.

Abstract A comparative study of some of the chemical properties of three strains of the Southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV) was made using purified whole virus or the isolated protein or RNA components. All three strains showed the same content and hypochromicity of the RNA. The cowpea strain contained slightly less adenylic acid and more cytidylic acid than the type or Mexican strains, which were very similar in base composition. The protein of the three strains differed in amino acid composition, especially in the content of serine, proline, alanine, isoleucine, leucine, and lysine. Amino acid analyses and tryptic peptide maps confirmed the results of Tremaine (1966) ; they indicated a protein subunit with a molecular weight of 29,000, a value that corresponds to twice the minimal chemical molecular weight. Hydrazinolysis of the protein from each strain indicated that all three possess serine as the C-terminal amino acid.
Learning to Say No

Public and private expenditures on health care rose from 5 to 11 per cent of the gross national product between 1960 and 1983. Although there is no magic formula for determining a precise limit on ...
Constant division algorithms

There exist many types of special-purpose applications which require rapid and repeated division by a set of known constant divisors including scaling for normalization and exponent alignment in non-binary bases; conversion between bases; address mapping in bit-addressable, or interleaved, memory schemes; element location in multi-dimensional lists; and the solution of mathematical equations in many algorithms.
Ranolazine for the treatment of refractory angina in a veterans population.

Abstract Background Pivotal ranolazine trials did not require optimization of conventional medical therapy including coronary revascularization and antianginal drug therapy prior to ranolazine use. This case series describes the use of ranolazine for the treatment of chronic stable angina refractory to maximal medical treatment in a veterans population. Results A total of 18 patients with a median age of 66 years were identified. All patients had prior percutaneous coronary intervention and/or coronary artery bypass graft surgery; 83% had three-vessel coronary artery disease, with left main disease present in 39% of patients. Prior to initiating ranolazine, antianginal use consisted of beta blockers (94%), long-acting nitrates (83%) and calcium channel blockers (61%). Median blood pressure (116.2/61.8 mmHg) and pulse (65 beats per min) were controlled. Median preranolazine angina episodes and sublingual nitroglycerin (SLNTG) doses per week were 14 and 10, respectively, with a Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina grade of III–IV in 67% of patients. After initiation of ranolazine, median angina episodes per week and SLNTG doses used per week decreased to 0.7 and 0, respectively, with CCS grade of III–IV declining to 17%. Of the 18 subjects enrolled, 44% had complete resolution of angina episodes. Conclusion The addition of ranolazine to maximally tolerated conventional antianginal drug therapy post coronary revascularization was associated with decreases in angina episodes and SLNTG utilization and improvement in CCS angina grades. Ranolazine may provide an effective treatment option for revascularized patients with refractory angina.
Hawiyah Gas Plant New Thermal Oxidiser Combustion Control Philosophy

Hawiyah Gas Plant at Saudi Aramco recently commissioned a thermal oxidizer. The thermal oxidizer unit has two main functions that shall be achieved. The first function is to oxidize and destroy the Acid gas which has minute quantities of BTX. The BTX shall be fully destroyed at a temperature above 1800 deg F. The second main function of the unit is to provide heating media for the hot water which is used in the re-boiler of the DGA stripper in sweet gas treating unit. The hot water temperature controller has a set point of 350 Deg F thus providing constant water temperatures to the gas treat process. Hawiyah gas plant will share through this paper the internal effort to rectify the original control philosophy design problems submitted by the equipment vendor of the thermal oxidizer that fail to accommodate both functions at the same time. The paper will shed the light on all of the new innovative major advance control loops configured to achieve the appropriate hot water temperature, combustion chamber temperature in addition to the Oxygen trimming advance control. The new control scheme helps the plant to achieve more reliable system to any process changes, it helps to maintain the targeted process parameters set points and optimize the fuel consumption. Hawiyah Gas Plant will present the actual reduced figures in the fuel consumption after the modification and shows the improved in the equipment reliability. In the first part of the paper, brief description of HGP process will be shown. And In this introduction, the role and function of the Gas Treating unit 6 and its thermal oxidizer units will be discussed.
American Pediatric Society John Howland Award 1998: Acceptance

Previous recipients of this award have noted that it is the highest honor that they have received. That is certainly true of me today. I am deeply honored and moved by this award, and I thank you very much.
Gender and Administration Mode Effects when Pencil-And-Paper Personality Tests are Computerized:

This study investigated whether gender and administration mode (computer vs. pencil and paper) influenced mean scores on four noncognitive psychological instruments (Equity Sensitivity Instrument, Rosenberg's Measure of Self-Esteem, Mach V Scale, and Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding). Undergraduate participants (N = 874) with previous computer experience voluntarily completed the instruments in either a computer or pencil-and-paper administration. Results indicated no statistically significant interaction effect between gender and administration mode, although statistically significant main effects for both gender and administration mode were found. These results offer promise that with respondents who have computer experience, gender does not appear to interact with administration mode to be a source of unaccounted-for variance when computers are used as an integral part of data collection.
Globalization standards: A comparison of U.S. and non-U.S. social studies curricula

Abstract As political and economic systems of the world become increasingly globalized, education systems in developed nations have established standardized curriculum. Meanwhile, opposing interpretations of globalization, neoliberalism and progressivism, have inspired the growth of different paradigmatic models for global education. Grounded in neoliberalism, the human capital model views education as a means for preparing a skilled workforce; derived from progressivism, the world systems model focuses on educating individuals for global citizenship and civic participation. The purpose of this document analysis is two-fold: (1) to examine the social studies content standards of the U.S. and other developed countries to determine how globalization is presented in state-mandated curricula, and (2) to evaluate whether the depiction of globalization in each set of standards reflects a human capital or world systems model. Our findings indicate that U.S. state content standards heavily emphasize the economics of globalization; non-U.S. standards present a more holistic picture of globalization. Consequently, U.S. standards are more aligned with a human capital model of education whereas non-U.S. standards reflect a world systems interpretation. These findings suggest that students in the U.S. are prepared differently than their counterparts in other developed countries, which has implications for international relations.
In vitro evaluation of a p53-expressing adenovirus as an anti-cancer drug

Deficiency in p53-mediated cell death is common in human cancer, contributing to both tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. In an attempt to restore p53, we evaluated in vitro infectivity and cytotoxicity of a wild type (w.t.) p53-expressing adenovirus (Ad-p53) toward a panel of human cancer cell lines (n = 19). At a multiplicity of infection of 30, both Ad-p53 and adenovirus expressing β-galactosidase (Ad-LacZ) infected greater than 99% of cells derived from brain, lung, breast, ovarian, colon, and prostate cancer, but failed to infect leukemia or lymphoma cells. Ad-p53, but not Ad-LacZ, infection of cancer cells was followed by nuclear accumulation of the CDK inhibitor p21WAF1/CIP1, cell cycle arrest and loss of viability. Ad-p53 induced apoptotic death in cancer cells that express mutant p53, including multi-drug resistant cells, but fewer deaths were observed in some w.t. p53 expressing cells. Ad-p53-infected SKBr3 breast cancer cells were more sensitive to cytotoxicity of the DNA damaging drugs mitomycin C or Adriamycin, but not the M-phase specific drug vincristine. Our results suggest that Ad-p53 is capable of infecting and killing cancer cells of diverse tissue origins (including multi-drug resistant cancer cells), that p21WAF1/CIP1 may be a useful marker of p53 infectivity and that there may be synergy between Ad-p53 and either mitomycin C or Adriamycin induced cell death in tumors with p53 mutations. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Long-term adaptations differ for shortening and lengthening contractions

The purpose of this study was to determine whether practice of a sinusoidal task induces different neural adaptations for shortening and lengthening contractions performed within a task. Fourteen young adults were instructed to accurately match a sinusoidal target by lifting and lowering a light load (15% of 1 repetition maximum; 1-RM) with their index finger for 35 s. Each subject performed a total of 50 practice trials during the practice session. After 48 h, subjects performed five trials with the same sinusoidal target at each of three loading conditions: 15% (retention/savings), 7.5% (transfer to a lighter load), and 30% (transfer to a heavier load) of 1-RM. Movement error was quantified as the root mean square error of the movement trace from the target, while movement variability was quantified as the standard deviation of the acceleration of the index finger. First dorsal interosseus muscle activation was recorded using surface electromyography (EMG). The frequency structure of the acceleration and EMG signals were obtained using wavelets. Subjects were able to retain the trained task for both shortening and lengthening contractions; however, they exhibited better savings for the shortening contractions. Additionally, for the lowering segments of the task subjects exhibited better transfer to the lighter load. Short-term adaptation and transfer results may be related to changes in the agonist muscle neural activation. Finally, we found greater movement variability during lengthening contractions which was related to both the frequency structure of the acceleration and EMG signals.
Effect of single aging on microstructure and impact property of INCONEL X-750

The microstructural changes and grain boundary chemistry of high strength, age hardenable Ni-Cr-Fe alloy, INCONEL * X-750, have been studied using electron and Auger microscopy following a sequence of thermal treatments in the carbide precipitation temperature zone of 704 ‡C to 871 ‡C. The thermal treatment consisted of a solution anneal and quench from 1075 ‡C followed by aging up to 200 hours in this temperature region. An attempt has been made to correlate the microstructural data with Charpy impact test results, hardness values, and modified Huey Corrosion Test results (ASTM G28-72). Aging was conducted in a vacuum and in air from which the specimens were cooled at different rates. Aging at 871 ‡C for 50 to 100 hours under both air and vacuum furnace cooling conditions resulted in increased mechanical strength and corrosion resistance compared with aging at 704 ‡C or 760 ‡C, in which temperature range both apparent fracture toughness and corrosion rate deteriorate. The reprecipitation of secondary carbides along with a possible 17 phase precipitation upon aging at 871 ‡C for 200 hours under vacuum furnace cooling resulted in poor corrosion resistance and inferior impact properties.
Some remarks on semantic systems

WRITING in this journal,' Professor Pap has censured the work of Tarski and Carnap on the semantic concept of truth and indicated his own preference for the absolute concept. This note will attempt to show (a) that Pap's criticisms turn out to be baseless when the techniques used by Tarski and Carnap to construct semantic systems are taken into account, and (b) that acceptable formulations of the absolute concept of truth have consequences which are damaging to Pap's appraisal of its significance. Although Pap directs his charges against the criterion of adequacy adopted in Introduction to Semantics, he avoids stating it in the precise form given by Carnap (after Tarski), namely: