cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dipole-exchange spin-wave modes in very-thin-film antiferromagnets.

We study spin-wave modes in very-thin-film antiferromagnets in the wavelength region where both exchange and dipolar energies are important. Exchange boundary conditions appropriate to the (100) and (110) surfaces of a bcc crystal are derived and solved consistently with the equations of motion to yield the dispersions for spin-wave modes in various thin-film geometries. The effects of surface conditions are explored, illustrating the importance of free and pinned surface spins and also revealing a dramatic dependence on microscopic film surface geometry. In calculations for ${\mathrm{MnF}}_{2}$ we show how the dipole-exchange modes can be localized to one surface in certain film geometries without the presence of an applied field.
Human cerebrospinal fluid protein database: edition 1992.

Two-dimensional electrophoresis maps of human cerebrospinal fluid proteins are presented in the form of labeled images. 931 protein spots are identified in spinal fluid from a normal volunteer. Distinct spots that represent variants of the same protein, especially posttranslational modifications, are estimated to reduce the 931 different spots to 3.5 correlates with glycoproteins, enabling their identification simply by image analysis. Proteins that are not present on the normal map, but appear in spinal fluid in patients with schizophrenia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are illustrated on additional maps.
An improved Weizsacker Williams method and photoproduction of lepton pairs

Abstract An improved Weizsacker Williams method which properly handles the atomic and nuclear form factors is given. The method is applied to calculate the energy-angle distributionsof photoproduced lepton pairs: 1) An electron pair from an atom with screening effects; 2) a muon pair from a nucleus with an elastic form factor. The numerical results are compared with the exact calculation using the Born approximation, and the agreements are found to be better than a few percents. The numerical results of production of heavy leptons of masses m = 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 6 GeV from photons of energies 20, 40, 100 and 200 GeV are also given.
Hypernetted-chain solutions for the two-dimensional classical electron gas

The hypernetted-chain integral equation is solved numerically to yield the pair correlation function, equation of state, and free energy of a two-dimensional classical electron gas, for values of $\ensuremath{\Gamma}\ensuremath{\equiv}\frac{{(\ensuremath{\pi}n)}^{\frac{1}{2}}{e}^{2}}{{k}_{B}T}$ up to 100. The onset of short-range order in the gas is found to occur for $2.8l\ensuremath{\Gamma}l2.9$. In general, the results are qualitatively similar to those of the three-dimensional electron gas.
The evaluation of pulse wave velocity using Arteriograph and Complior apparatus across multiple cohorts of cardiovascular-related diseases.

Arteriograph (TensioMed Budapest Hungary, Ltd) was used in order to obtain the PWVa. An upper arm cuff was applied to the patient and after a first simple BP measurement, the cuff was over-inflated with 35- 40 mm Hg beyond the systolic BP. During systole, the blood volume having been ejected into the aorta generates pulse wave (early systolic peak). This pulse wave runs down and reflects from the bifurcation of aorta, creating a second wave (late systolic peak). Both early and late systolic peak were obtained and recorded on the computer as pulse waves. The difference in time between the beginning of the first wave and the beginning of the second (reflected wave) is related to the measured distance from the jugulum to the symphysis, resulting in the PWV in m/s. The software of Arteriograph decomposes the early, late systolic and diastolic waves and also determines the onset and peaks of the waves. For PWV analysis, the onsets of the waves are determined by using first and second derivatives.
Nonlinear-optic-polymer-based integrated optoelectronic modulators/switches

A new scheme for a nonlinear optical (NLO) polymer opto- electronic (OE) modulators/switch is presented that renders the potential to realize a device interaction length that is an order of magnitude shorter than conventional NLO polymer OE devices operating at TTL voltage levels. It utilizes available NLO polymer materials for the corelayer and conductive polymer materials for the cladding layers in order to realize an effective 1 micrometers separation between the electrodes. Using current NLO polymer materials with electro-optic coefficients of 20 pm/V, it is feasible to demonstrate < 2 mm interaction length OE devices operating at 5 volts. These lengths could lead to insertion within multichip modules. A 1 micrometers gap between electrodes also makes it possible to perform in-situ poling.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Application Of Pulse Compression And Shaping To The FEL Photoelectric Injector

We discuss the application of self-phase modulation and grating pulse compression to the generation of temporally trapezoidal optical pulses for controlling the electron beam emittance and energy spread in an FEL photoelectric injector. Pulse compression in a single-stage pulse compressor, with background reduction based on the nonlinear birefringence of the optical fiber, yields 3-ps, compressed pulses without background pedestals or sidelobes. Trapezoidal, flat-topped pulses with 20-ps FWHM and 4-ps risetime have been obtained through self-phase modulation and group-velocity dispersion of the 3-ps pulses in a second fiber. Pulse shaping through Fourier transform amplitude and phase masking in the frequency domain and the amplification of the trapezoidal pulses are also discussed.
Hull cell technique for evaluating zinc sulfate electrolytes

Abstract An electrochemical procedure has been developed to monitor active species present in a zinc sulphate electrolyte such as antimony, glue, and MnO 4 −. The technique employs a Hull cell for the electrolysis configuration to take advantage of the unique current density distribution. An expression called the stabilizing current density (SCD) is introduced to represent the results. An increase in the SCD means a higher current density is necessary to prevent a deterioration in the stability of zinc deposits or that hydrogen evolution is the preferred reaction. The results indicate that the SCD's correlate very well with the plating parameters, such as acid to zinc ratio and temperature. The SCD values increase with increasing antimony addition to an electrolyte. The effect of the antimony oxidation state (Sb +3 vs. Sb +5 ) on the SCD values has been investigated. The Sb +3 additions cause a relative increase in SCD values over those for Sb +5 at equivalent concentrations in the electrolyte. Glue decreases the SCD values for electrolytes containing Sb +3 and/or Sb +5 . The technique developed provides a simple, fast, and reliable method for the evaluation of zinc sulphate electrolytes, i.e., serves as an indirect measure of the current efficiency.
Open Source Political Community Development: A Five-Stage Adoption Process

ABSTRACT This article considers the emergence of large-scale “commons-based peer production” projects such as Wikipedia.org from an institutional development perspective. The argument it makes is threefold. First, that that the lowered transaction costs and information abundance found online transform a subset of public goods problems, essentially replacing free-ridership with mass coordination as the central challenge. Second, that the boundaries of this subset are defined by a “power-law topology” that leads to the emergence of online hub spaces and serves to resolve search problems endemic to the anti-geographic online landscape. These boundary conditions limit the overall impact of commons-based peer production for the political space. Third, that all such hubs move through a common five-stage institutional development process, directly related to standard models of the diffusion of innovation. Identification of the institutional development process behind Wikipedia leads in turn to the stipulation of...
Iron and zinc status of women and men who followed cholesterol-lowering diets.

Abstract Objective To determine if men and women taught the National Cholesterol Education Program step 2 diet experienced diminished iron or zinc status after 2 years of consuming the diet. Design Subjects attended 8 weeks of diet classes and follow-up counseling. Four-day food records, zinc protoporphyrin/heme (ZPP/H, a measure of iron stores), hematocrit, and plasma zinc values were collected at baseline, 1 year, and 2 years. Subjects Participants in a study of the efficacy of the step 2 diet (213 men and 151 women) who had low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels above the 75th percentile, and who were not taking lipid-altering medication. Statistical analyses Paired t tests to compare preintervention and postintervention test results. Two-sample t tests to compare gender, menopause status, and hormone-use groups. Analysis of variance was performed to compare plasma zinc levels among diet-adherence subgroups. Individual evaluation of outlying values and backward stepwise regression to determine the independent effects of variables were also completed. Results Mean dietary intake approached or exceeded step 2 guidelines. Density of iron intake increased. Density of zinc intake was unchanged, but mean intake was low. Mean ZPP/H and hematocrit did not change for premenopausal or postmenopausal women with or without supplemental hormones; men's values changed only slightly. Abnormal ZPP/H and hematocrit occurred sporadically. Mean plasma zinc levels did not differ from baseline for women, increased slightly for men, and did not differ by level of dietary adherence. No plasma zinc concentrations were below normal. Application In this large-scale, 2-year prospective study of women and men, no adverse effects on intake or plasma indicators of iron and zinc were detected as a result of subjects being taught the NCEP step 2 diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 1998;98:149-154.
Defining circular arcs on a round earth

Circular arcs are commonly used for modeling geospatial data in planar map projections. This paper proposes a definition of circular arcs in geodetic coordinates on ellipsoid earth models.
Minimally invasive surgical approaches to esophageal cancer.

Endoscopic resections, either laparoscopic or combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic, are possible and seem to offer decreased patient morbidity; this is an important consideration for most patients needing an esophagectomy. Their effectiveness as a curative procedure for cancer and the degree of recovery benefit over open resection remains to be documented. These procedures represent some of the technically most challenging cases for the laparoscopic surgeon and require both advanced skills in laparoscopy as well as a thorough knowledge of esophageal surgery.
Differential inhibition of human placental DNA polymerases δ and α by BuPdGTP and BuAdATP

Abstract The p-n-butylphenyl- and p-n-butylanilino- substituted analogs of dGTP and dATP, respectively, were tested as inhibitors of purified human placental DNA polymerases alpha and delta. It was observed that DNA polymerase alpha activity was potently inhibited by these analogs with I0.5 values as low as the nanomolar range, whereas DNA polymerase delta activity was poorly inhibited, with I0.5 values of ca. 100 micromolar. These results argue for a distinct identity of these two enzymes, and demonstrate the usefulness of these analogs as probes of DNA polymerase structures. In addition, these analogs provide a rapid method for the discrimination of the two enzyme activities and a means for the selective assay of DNA polymerase delta. Aphidicolin inhibited both DNA polymerases.
Recognition of the Hemphillian/Blancan boundary in Nevada

ABSTRACT The boundary between Hemphillian and Blancan North American Land Mammal Ages has been elusive and equivocal. Our work identifies that boundary at about 4.9 to 5.0 Ma, based on paleomagnetic and radioisotopic dating of strata producing Blancan and Hemphillian mammals in Meadow and Spring Valleys of Lincoln County, eastern Nevada, and in the Pine Nut Mountains of western Nevada. Magnetostratigraphic study of the Panaca Formation in Lincoln County yielded a composite section with six magnetozones. The Healdsburg Tephra was identified near the top of the section in Meadow Valley, thereby placing the Lincoln County composite section relative to the Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale (GPTS). The arvicolid rodent Mimomys, an indicator of the Blancan LMA, appears near the base of magnetic chron C3n.3r, about 4.98 Ma, in the Panaca Formation. Both Blancan and Hemphillian mammals have been reported from a stratigraphic sequence near Buckeye Creek in the Pine Nut Mountains of western Nevada. Magnetostratigraph...
A Robust Thiourea Synthon for Crystal Engineering

Crystallographic characterization of a series of bis-thiourea derivatives derived from N,N′-bis(3-aminopropyl)piperazine revealed a highly conserved intramolecular hydrogen bonding pattern, with intramolecular S(6) [or, in one case, S(8)] hydrogen bonding interactions between each heterocyclic nitrogen atom and one proton of the adjacent propylthioureido substituent. These intramolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions lend an overall spiral-like structure to the molecules, rather reminiscent of the form of a spiral galaxy. These monomeric units assemble into infinite chains via the formation of intermolecular R22(8) cyclic thiourea dimers, with the exception of a phenyl derivative, which crystallized as a monomeric bis(dimethyl sulfoxide) solvate. The S(6) intramolecular hydrogen bond motif was maintained in the phenylthioureido derivatives of both N-(3-aminopropyl)morpholine and 3,3′-diamino-N-methyl-dipropylamine. The robustness of the “spiral galaxy” motif and its apparent ability to direct intermolecul...
Integrating Safety Analysis With Functional Modeling

Functional modeling and safety analysis are two important aspects of safety-critical embedded systems. However, they are often conducted separately. In this paper, we present an approach for integrating fault-tree-based safety analysis into statechart-based functional modeling. The proposed approach uses systematic transformation steps that maintain the semantics of both the fault tree and the statechart. It also provides a set of conversion rules that transform the gates of fault trees into statechart notations. The resultant model shows how the system behaves when a failure condition occurs and acts as a basis model that ensures safety through requirement validation. Using the gas burner case study, we demonstrate the advantages of the integrated model over the use of separate models, such as the lack of ambiguities, separation of concerns, and taking the order of the occurrence of faults into consideration.
In pursuit (and discovery) of a genetic basis for congenital central hypoventilation syndrome

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) typically presents in the newborn period with a phenotype including alveolar hypoventilation, symptoms of autonomic nervous system dysregulation, and in a subset of cases Hirschsprung disease and later tumors of neural crest origin. Study of genes related to the autonomic dysregulation and the embryologic origin of the neural crest has led to identification of the genetic basis for CCHS, the mode of inheritance, and the presence of mosaicism in a subset of parents. Polyalanine expansion mutations in PHOX2B have been identified to be the disease-defining mutation in CCHS, with a small subset of patients having other mutations in PHOX2B. Further, the size of the polyalanine repeat mutation in PHOX2B is correlated with the severity of the phenotype in CCHS, and non-polyalanine repeat mutations appear to, in general, result in CCHS phenotypes at the severe end of the spectrum. These studies highlight the utility of PHOX2B genetic testing for confirmation of the CCHS diagnosis, for prenatal diagnosis, and for identification of previously undiagnosed adults with unexplained hypercarbia or control of breathing deficits. This diagnostic approach may be a consideration for other complex, seemingly undecipherable diseases that affect infants and children. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of current research into the genetic basis for CCHS, an explanation for how these studies evolved, recent studies that begin to explain the mechanisms through which mutations in PHOX2B exert their effects, and clinical application of the genetic testing.
Bilateral sequential lung transplantation: The procedure of choice for double-lung replacement

We recently described a technique for bilateral sequential lung transplantation that replaces the en bloc double-lung operation, a procedure that was accompanied by frequent problems with airway healing. Twenty-seven patients have undergone 28 bilateral sequential lung transplantations over the past 14 months. Eighteen patients had transplantation because of end-stage emphysema; 6, cystic fibrosis; and 1 each, obliterative bronchiolitis, usual interstitial pneumonitis with pulmonary fibrosis, and bronchiectasis. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used electively in the first 5 patients until it was recognized that the procedure could be done safely without it, and in only 3 additional recipients has it been employed. Mean ischemic time for the first lung was 276 +/- 43 minutes and for the second lung, 410 +/- 64 minutes. There have been five deaths, three in the postoperative period (11% operative mortality) and two late. The other patients are alive and well and do not require oxygen 2 to 15 months after transplantation. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second rose from 16% +/- 8% of predicted to 84% +/- 17% at 12 weeks. Six-minute walk values increased from a mean of 251 +/- 91 m to 666 +/- 42 m at 24 weeks. The excellent exposure afforded to both hemithoraces by the thoracosternotomy incision and the rare need of cardiopulmonary bypass have allowed us to offer the option of transplantation to patients who formerly would have been turned down because of previous pulmonary resection or pleurectomy. On four occasions, ventilator-dependent patients underwent successful transplantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Twelve considerations in choosing between Gaussian and trapezoidal membership functions in interval type-2 fuzzy logic controllers

Interval type-2 fuzzy logic controllers (IT2 FLCs) have been attracting great research interests recently. There are many decisions to be made in designing an IT2 FLC. One of them is to determine which membership function type to use, e.g., Gaussian or trapezoidal. There have not been comprehensive studies on this problem so far. In this paper we present 12 considerations in choosing between Gaussian and trapezoidal membership functions for an IT2 FLC, including representation, construction, optimization, adaptiveness, novelty, analytical structure, continuity, monotonicity, stability, robustness, computational cost, and control performance. It can help practitioners select the appropriate membership function type in IT2 FLC design, and researchers identify new research opportunities on IT2 FLCs. Our study shows that each MF type has its own advantages: Gaussian IT2 FLCs are simpler in design because they are easier to represent and optimize, always continuous, and faster for small rulebases, whereas trapezoidal IT2 FLCs are simpler in analysis.
Fluorescent thin-layer peptide mapping for protein identification and comparison in the subnanomole range.

Abstract Conditions and simple precautions are presented for carrying out highly reproducible and sensitive peptide mapping by thin-layer chromatography and subsequent electrophoresis of subnanomole amounts of tryptic digest on silica gel G or GHL plates. The fluorogenic reagent “fluorescamine” is employed for visualization under long-wavelength ultraviolet illumination. Permanent photorecording of high-contrast images, using readily available filters, is substituted for subjective hand scoring of plates. Contrast reversal is used to produce peptide maps suitable for half-tone reproduction.
Matter at Extreme Density and its Role in Neutron Stars and Supernova

We discuss observable aspects of neutron stars and supernova that are influenced by the properties of matter at extreme density. In particular, we explore the possible role phase transitions to quark matter phases at supra nuclear density. The competition between the strange quark mass and the pairing energy in quark matter, and show that it leads to a rich phase structure at densities of relevance to neutron stars. The equation of state and transport properties of quark matter is shown to be strongly influenced by pairing correlations at the Fermi surface.
Revision and Calibration of MK Luminosity Classes for Cool Giants by Hipparcos Parallaxes

The Hipparcos parallaxes of cool giants are utilized in two ways in this paper. First, a plot of reduced parallaxes of stars brighter than 6.5, as a function of spectral type, for the first time separates members of the clump from stars in the main giant ridge. A slight modification of the MK luminosity standards has been made so that luminosity class IIIb defines members of the clump, and nearly all of the class III stars fall within the main giant ridge. Second, a new calibration of MK luminosity classes III and IIIb in terms of visual absolute magnitudes has been made.
Harmonic semi-partitioned scheduling for fixed-priority real-time tasks on multi-core platform

This paper presents a new semi-partitioned approach to schedule sporadic tasks on multi-core platform based on the Rate Monotonic Scheduling (RMS) policy. Our approach exploits the well known fact that harmonic tasks have better schedulablility than non-harmonic ones on a single processor. The challenge for our approach, however, is how to take advantage of this fact to assign and split appropriate tasks on different processors in the semi-partitioned approach. We formally prove that our scheduling approach can successfully schedule any task sets with system utilizations bounded by the Liu&Layland's bound. Our extensive experiment results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can significantly improve the scheduling performance compared with the previous work.
Reprogramming a Broken Heart

Fibrosis resulting from cardiac injury presents a major challenge to restoring heart function after myocardial infarction. Two recent papers in Nature report successful in vivo reprogramming of fibroblasts to cardiomyocytes in injured mouse hearts (Qian et al., 2012; Song et al., 2012), resulting in improved cardiac function and reduced scar formation.
Should E8 SUSY Yang–Mills be reconsidered as a family unification model?

Abstract We review earlier proposals for E8 family unification, and discuss why recent work of Kovner and Shifman on condensates in supersymmetric Yang–Mills theories suggests the reconsideration of E8 supersymmetric Yang–Mills as a family unification theory.
Hydrogen sorption properties of bare and Rh-modified Pd nanofilms grown via surface limited redox replacement reactions

Abstract Pd nanofilms were grown using electrochemical atomic layer deposition (E-ALD) and used as a platform for investigations into changes in hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics as a function of the coverage of Rh. Surface limited redox replacement (SLRR) reactions were used to form Pd atomic layers. That is, Pd atomic layers were grown on polycrystalline Au by first depositing a sacrificial Cu atomic layer using underpotential deposition (UPD), and then exchanging it for PdCl 4 2− ions at open circuit potential (OCP). That cycle was then repeated 15 times to form one of the Pd nanofilms used in this study. Rh was deposited on the 15 cycle Pd films from a RhCl 6 3− solution at constant potential or using an E-ALD procedure, similar to that employed to form the Pd nanofilms. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the Pd films modified with various coverages of Rh were compared with unmodified Pd nanofilms. The resulting CVs indicated that the presence of Rh enhanced the rates of hydrogen absorption and desorption into and out of the underlying Pd nanofilm. Rh overlayers formed at 0 V for 60 s produced the greatest kinetic enhancement. Two possible explanations for the observed behavior are proposed and discussed.
Quantization of Evanescent Electromagnetic Waves

The problem of the quantization of evanescent waves, which appear in the angular spectrum representation of the electromagnetic field in a half-space, is discussed. Although evanescent waves are associated with material sources, scatterers, etc., we are able to treat the electromagnetic field, including the evanescent waves, effectively as a free field, by making use of the idea of the refractive index of a passive, macroscopically continuous medium. We consider a space which is filled with a homogeneous dielectric to the left of the plane $z=0$, and is empty to the right of the plane. Triplets of incident, reflected, and transmitted waves at the interface form the fundamental orthogonal modes of the space. By expanding the field in terms of these triplet modes, we show that the field Hamiltonian reduces to the sum of independent harmonic-oscillator Hamiltonians. The quantization is therefore straightforward. We introduce the creation and annihilation operators for the triplet wave modes, and encounter Fock states, coherent states, etc., for a field having evanescent wave components. The field commutator at two space-time points in the right half-space is shown to have an explicit contribution from evanescent waves, characterized by an exponential decay to the right and a propagation parallel to the interface. We also examine the problem of atomic excitation by quantized evanescent waves, and show that the results are of the form given by semiclassical treatments.
My brother's keeper: must a physician disclose another's medical error and potential negligence?

Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, San Diego, CA 92101, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Center for Patient Safety, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19072, USA
Disentangling the Effects of Bounding and Mobility on Reports of Criminal Victimization

Replacement respondents who move into NCVS households after the initial bounding interview can introduce measurement error since their reports of victimization may be influenced by their mobility (actual experiences) and by their unbounded interview status (response error). Which of these factors affects reporting is unknown and is the focus of this research. The availability of incoming respondent data from the NCVS School Crime Supplement and mobility status from the NCVS provides a unique opportunity to study these effects separately. Both bounding and mobility were found to influence reporting; however, this influence was not consistent. Unlike findings from past research, bounding only had significant effects on reports of property victimization. Conversely, moving only significantly affected reports of violent victimization. As this study is the first to disentangle the effect of unbounded interview status from mobility on reports of victimization, the findings emphasize the need for further research to better understand these issues.
Cell survival after transplantation of fresh meniscal allografts DNA probe analysis in a goat model

Fibrochondrocytes synthesize and maintain the extra cellular matrix responsible for the distinctive material and structural properties of a normal meniscus. Viable meniscal cells are believed to be necessary for the long- term maintenance of these properties in meniscal allo grafts. The purpose of this study was to determine if the donor cells (fibrochondrocytes) survive after a fresh meniscal allograft transplantation.A DNA probe technique was used to clearly distin guish the DNA patterns in donor cells from the host cells in the Spanish goat. No remaining donor DNA could be demonstrated at 4 weeks in transplanted meniscal tissue; it was all of host origin. The host DNA content at 4 weeks approached or exceeded the amount present in the contralateral control meniscus.Clinical significance: The results of this study dem onstrate that viable cells in medial meniscal allografts transplanted from one animal to another do not survive. Host cells rapidly repopulate the transplanted menis cus. There is no evide...
Protection in the failing heart

Myocardial protection for surgical procedures on the failing heart can be broken down into three areas. The first area involves selection of the appropriate patient with enough myocardial viability and contractile reserve to permit a substantial cross-clamp time. Secondly, there should be adequate targets to revascularize or adequate tissue for reparative surgery. Thirdly, and most importantly, antegrade and retrograde blood cardioplegia given in sufficient amounts to satisfy myocardial oxygen needs is of prime importance.
Factors affecting the binding capacity of human erythrocytes for I131-labeled 1-thyroxine and 1-triiodothyronine.

THE purpose of this paper is to present further studies on the binding or uptake of I131-labeled thyroid hormones by human erythrocytes. Previous studies from our laboratory (1, 2) have shown that the presence of human plasma markedly inhibits the uptake of l-thyroxine and to a lesser extent l-triiodothyronine. This inhibition was considered to be due to the binding of l-thyroxine by the “thyroxine-binding protein” of plasma. The “thyroxine-binding protein” has not been isolated, but it has been shown by several investigators (3–6) that at physiologic concentrations thyroxine is principally associated with a protein which at pH 8.6 displays an electrophoretic mobility intermediate between those of alpha1 and alpha2 globulins. Data will be presented to show that human serum albumin inhibits the uptake by the red cell of radioactive l-thyroxine and l-triiodothyronine, but to a lesser degree than by an equal amount of human plasma, and that human gamma globulin causes no significant decrease in the uptake of...
Corrosion considerations for thermochemical biomass liquefaction process systems in biofuel production

Thermochemical liquefaction processing of biomass to produce bio-derived fuels (e.g., gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, home heating oil, etc.) is of great recent interest as a renewable energy source. Approaches under investigation include direct liquefaction, hydrothermal liquefaction, hydropyrolysis, fast pyrolysis, etc., to produce energy dense liquids that can be utilized as produced or further processed to provide products of higher value. An issue with bio-oils is that they tend to contain significant concentrations of organic oxygenates, including acids, which make the bio-oil a potential source of corrosion issues in transport, storage, and use. Efforts devoted to modified/further processing of bio-oils to make them less corrosive are currently being widely pursued. Another issue that must also be addressed in bio-oil liquefaction is potential corrosion issues in the process equipment. Depending on the specific process, bio-oil liquefaction production temperatures are typically in the 300–600°C range, and the process environment can contain aggressive sulfur and halide species from both the biomass used and/or process additives. Detailed knowledge of the corrosion resistance of candidate process equipment alloys in these bio-oil production environments is currently lacking. This paper summarizes recent, ongoing efforts to assess the extent of corrosion of bio-oil process equipment, with the ultimate goal of providing a basis for the selection of the lowest cost alloy grades capable of providing the long-term corrosion resistance needed for future bio-oil production plants.
Bayesian estimation and inference for generalised partial linear models using shape-restricted splines

A Bayesian approach to generalised partial linear regression models is proposed, where regression functions are modelled nonparametrically using regression splines, with assumptions about shape and smoothness. The knots may be modelled as fixed or free, incorporating a reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm for the latter. The modelling framework along with vague prior distributions provides more flexibility compared with other Bayesian constrained smoothers; further, the method is simpler, more intuitive, easier to implement, and computationally faster. Inference concerning parametrically modelled covariates can be accomplished using approximate marginal distributions, with standard Bayes model selection methods for more general inference. Simulations show that the inference methods have desirable Bayesian and frequentist properties. In particular, these methods often perform similarly to standard parametric methods when the parametric assumptions are met and are superior when the assumptions...
A survey study to characterize use of Spice products (synthetic cannabinoids)

Abstract Background Synthetic cannabinoids are a rapidly emerging class of abused drugs. Synthetic cannabinoids are typically sold as “herbal blends” or “incense,” commonly referred to as Spice products. No controlled human experiments have been conducted on the effects of Spice products or the synthetic cannabinoids they often contain. Methods An internet-based survey study was conducted with adults reporting at least one lifetime use of a Spice product. Results Respondents were primarily male, Caucasian and ≥12 years of education. Use of other psychoactive drugs was common, though 21% identified Spice products as their preferred drug. Spice products were most frequently obtained from retail vendors and smoked, though other forms of ingestion were endorsed. Mean age of first use was 26 and mean frequency of use in the past year was 67 days (range 0–365). Primary reasons for use were curiosity, positive drug effect, relaxation, and to get high without having a positive drug test. Acute subjective effects were similar to known effects of cannabis, and a subset of users met DSM criteria for abuse and dependence on Spice products. Conclusions Participants exhibited a diverse profile of use patterns as is typical for other drugs of abuse. There was evidence that users continued to seek and use these drugs after being banned by local authorities. This study should be interpreted with caution due to methodological limitations. Controlled laboratory research is needed to further examine the behavioral pharmacology of individual synthetic cannabinoids found in Spice products.
INFLUENCE OF ASCRIBED AND ACHIEVED SOCIAL STATUSES, VALUES, AND REWARDS ON JOB SATISFACTION AMONG COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

Research on job satisfaction among community college faculty has been largely atheoretical. The present study examined the contribution of four sets of factors to explaining faculty job satisfactio...
Embryonic mesencephalic and striatal co-grafts: Development of grafted dopamine neurons and functional recovery

Abstract Previous neural grafting studies have shown that embryonic dopamine neurons survive transplantation into the parenchyma of the brain; however, fiber outgrowth from those cells is often limited to the immediate vicinity of the graft. More extensive outgrowth is desirable for promoting and maintaining functional recovery of damaged neural systems in animal models as well as human neurodegenerative disorders. The present study examined the possibility of stimulating fiber outgrowth of grafted neurons by simultaneously grafting dopamine neurons with their embryonic target cells. Subsequent functional recovery was evaluated in concert with morphological characteristics of these grafts. Co-grafts of embryonic mesencephalic and striatal cells were implanted into the DA-denervated striatum of rats previously given unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway. Two types of co-grafts were implanted into the DA-denervated striatum: mixed or separate cell suspensions. Tyrosine hydroxylase immunocytochemical analysis of brain sections containing co-grafts revealed extensive arborization of TH-positive neurons in both types of co-grafts. When mesencephalic and striatal nerve cells were implanted into separate sites, TH-positive neurons extended projections that appeared to preferentially reach regions occupied by embryonic striatal neurons. Moreover, the average size of TH-positive cell bodies found in mixed or separate co-grafts was significantly larger than the size of those found in single mesencephalic grafts. Amphetamine-induced rotational behavior was used to assess the degree of functional recovery. In the majority of co-grafted animals, rotational behavior was attenuated by 3 weeks and reversed (amphetamine-induced contralateral rotation) by 5 weeks. Taken together, these behavioral and morphological data indicate that embryonic striatal neurons may provide a trophic environment for the development and function of mesencephalic neurons when co-grafted into the parenchyma of the DA-denervated striatum.
A practical assessment algorithm for diagnosis of dizziness.

Abstract Objective: We sought to test a 3-parameter model for diagnosis of dizziness based on the type and temporal characteristics of the dizziness and on hearing status. Study Design and Setting: We conducted a prospective blinded study at a tertiary referral neurotology practice. Before examination, patients completed a questionnaire reporting type and timing of dizziness symptoms and hearing status. Clinical diagnoses were compared with questionnaire results. Results: Fifty-seven patients completed the questionnaire. We were able to correctly classify 21 (60%) of the 35 subjects who had a common otogenic cause of vertigo by the diagnostic algorithm. Conclusion: A simple classification of dizziness by type, timing, and hearing status can be self-reported by patients using a brief questionnaire. This classification scheme is as good as others of much greater complexity. Significance: The simple classification scheme reported here is based on history alone and facilitates triage of dizzy patients into diagnostic groups for work-up and management. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;128:54-9.)
Management of Fusiform Ascending Aortic Aneurysms

Thirteen patients had elective surgical treatment of fusiform ascending aortic aneurysms at Strong Memorial and Rochester General Hospitals from 1970 to 1978. There were 8 men and 5 women ranging in age from 51 to 78 years (mean, 61 years). Nine patients underwent composite tube graft and aortic valve replacement, 3 had aortic valve replacement plus supracoronary tube grafts, and 1 had aortic valve replacement plus aneurysmorrhaphy. Coronary reimplantation alone or combined with saphenous vein bypasses was fashioned in 10 patients. Potassium cardioplegia was considered a useful adjunct in 6 patients. Two early deaths accounted for an operative mortality of 15.4%. There were 3 late deaths. Eight patients are alive and well 2 to 109 months after operation.
Confinement and saddle-point configurations

Abstract We discuss a procedure we call extremisation, which evolves a lattice configuration towards a (not necessarily stable) solution of the lattice field equations. We apply extremization to thermalized 3-dimensional SU(2) lattices and find non-trivial solutions, smooth on the scale of a lattice spacing, to the lattice field equations. We compare the extremized lattices with cooled lattices and discuss the effects of extremization on the string tension.
Spiral propagation of two collapsing beams

We investigate spiral propagation of two beams intersecting with a small angle in Kerr media. Through the balance of attractive and centrifugal forces, we observe rotations up to 14° by operating at zero relative phase.
Flicking the switches: phosphorylation of serine/threonine protein phosphatases

Signal transduction involves protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. To produce both substantial and transient changes requires coordinated and reciprocal regulation of kinases and phosphatases. One mechanism to accomplish this is phosphorylation, and there are now reports of phosphorylation of all the major types of protein Ser/Thr phosphatases. Phosphorylation of type-1 and type-2A phosphatases occurs within characteristic C-terminal sequences and results in the loss of phosphatase activity. The phosphatases catalyse intramolecular dephosphorylation, with a restoration of activity. This property probably accounts for the apparent constitutive activity of phosphatases in cell and tissue extracts. Phosphorylation of phosphatases is a way to flick the activity off and on in cells during the growth cycle and in response to stimuli.
Letter: do interferon lambda 3 polymorphisms predict the outcome of interferon therapy in hepatitis B infection?

1. Moawad FJ, Schoepfer AM, Safroneeva E, et al. Eosinophilic oesophagitis and proton pump inhibitor-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia have similar clinical, endoscopic and histological findings. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2014; 39: 603–8. 2. Molina-Infante J, Dellon ES, Gisbert JP. Letter: distinguishing PPI-responsive oesophageal eosinophilia from eosinophilic oesophagitis – still a long way to go. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2014; 39: 1248–9. 3. Dellon ES, Speck O, Woodward K, et al. Clinical and Endoscopic Characteristics do Not Reliably Differentiate PPIResponsive Esophageal Eosinophilia and Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Patients Undergoing Upper Endoscopy: a Prospective Cohort Study. Am J Gastroenterol 2013; 108: 1854– 60. 4. Molina-Infanta J, Katzka DA, Gisbert JP. Review article: proton pump inhibitor therapy for suspected eosinophilic oesophagitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2013; 37: 1157–64. 5. Vazquez-Elizondo G, Ngamruengphong S, Khrisna M, Devault KR, Talley NJ, Achem SR. The outcome of patients with oesophageal eosinophilic infiltration after an eight-week trial of a proton pump inhibitor. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2013; 38: 1312– 9. 6. Moawad FJ, Veerappan GR, Dias JA, Baker TP, Maydonovitch CL, Wong RK. Randomized controlled trial comparing aerosolized swallowed fluticasone to esomeprazole for esophageal eosinophilia. Am J Gastroenterol 2013; 108: 366–72. 7. Cheng E, Zhang X, Huo X, et al. Omeprazole blocks eotaxin-3 expression by oesophageal squamous cells from patients with eosinophilic oesophagitis and GORD. Gut 2013; 62: 824–32. 8. Molina-Infante J, Rivas MD, Vinagre-Rodriguez G, et al. Remission in proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia correlates with downregulation of eotaxin-3 and TH2 cytokines, similarly to eosinophilic esophagitis after steroids. Gastroenterology 2013; 144(Suppl. 1): S–484.
Differences between smokers and nonsmokers with anxiety disorders

Epidemiological data suggest that early smoking increases the risk for emergence of certain anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)), and that presence of certain anxiety disorders (e.g., social anxiety) increases the risk for later development of nicotine dependence. Although some studies report a high prevalence of smoking among anxiety disorders, the extent to which smokers with anxiety disorders differ from their nonsmoking counterparts remains uncertain. Differences between smokers and nonsmokers with anxiety disorders (N=527) were examined with respect to multiple measures of theoretical and clinical interest. Compared to nonsmokers, smokers with anxiety disorders reported greater anxiety sensitivity, anxiety symptoms, agoraphobic avoidance, depressed mood, negative affect, stress and life interference; however, these differences were largely accounted for by panic disorder. No differences were found between smokers and nonsmokers regarding social anxiety, worry, obsessive-compulsive symptoms or positive affect. Differential patterns were observed when evaluating constructs within anxiety disorder diagnoses.
Classical Fluctuation-Relaxation Theorem

A general expression is derived for the average infinitesimal-impulse-response matrix of a conservative classical system in a canonical ensemble. The equations of motion are taken as ${\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{x}}_{n}={X}_{n}$, where the $X'\mathrm{s}$, as well as the energy $E$, are functions of the $x'\mathrm{s}$ but not of their time derivatives. The Liouville equation $\ensuremath{\Sigma}\frac{\ensuremath{\partial}{\stackrel{\ifmmode \dot{}\else \.{}\fi{}}{x}}_{n}}{\ensuremath{\partial}{x}_{n}}=0$ is assumed, but it is not required that the equations of motion be derivable from a Hamiltonian. If they are, the $x'\mathrm{s}$ are the canonical coordinates and momenta. The result found is ${g}_{\mathrm{mn}}(\ensuremath{\tau})=\frac{{\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{\mathrm{mn}}(\ensuremath{\tau})}{\mathrm{kT}}$, ($\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\ge}0$), where $\ensuremath{\epsilon}{g}_{\mathrm{mn}}(\ensuremath{\tau})$ is the average increment in ${x}_{m}$ at time $t$ resulting from an infinitesimal increment $\ensuremath{\epsilon}$ externally induced in ${x}_{n}$ at time $t\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\tau}$, ${\ensuremath{\Phi}}_{\mathrm{mn}}(\ensuremath{\tau})$ is the covariance $〈{x}_{m}(t){(\frac{\ensuremath{\partial}E}{\ensuremath{\partial}{x}_{n}})}^{\ensuremath{'}}〉$, where the prime denotes argument $t\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\tau}$, $k$ and $T$ are Boltzmann's constant and absolute temperature. This relation is derived as a direct consequence of the fact that two initially isolated systems in equilibrium at identical temperatures remain in equilibrium when weakly coupled to each other.
Efficacy and safety of lercanidipine/enalapril fixed combination in Lebanon: a prospective observational study.

AbstractObjective:The DUAL study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of the fixed-dose combination of lercanidipine and enalapril in a real-practice scenario; the effects of this combination on a number of markers of cardiovascular risk have been also investigated.Research design and methods:This was a 2 month, phase IV, open-label, single-group, prospective observational study. Adult patients with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure [BP] >140/90 mmHg) were eligible for this study. All patients received lercanidipine/enalapril, in a once-daily fixed combination (10 mg/10 mg).Main outcome measures:The patients were evaluated at baseline, at 1 month and at 2 months. The following parameters were evaluated at all time points: systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP); heart rate (HR). A number of laboratory parameters were measured at baseline and at 2 months. Safety considerations were performed.Results:In total, 188 patients were enrolled (104 males; mean age 58 ± 12 years). At baselin...