cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Highly parallel structured adaptive mesh refinement using parallel language-based approaches

Abstract Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) calculations carried out on structured meshes play an exceedingly important role in several areas of science and engineering. This is so not just because AMR techniques allow us to carry out calculations very efficiently but also because they model very precisely the multi-scale fashion in which nature itself works. Many AMR applications are also amongst the most computationally intensive calculations undertaken making it necessary to use parallel supercomputers for their solution. While class library-based approaches are being attempted for parallel AMR we point out here that recent advances in the Fortran 90/95 standard and the OpenMP standard now make it possible to carry out highly parallel AMR calculations using language-based approaches. The language-based approaches offer several advantages over library-based approaches, the two principal ones being portability across parallel platforms and the best possible utilization of Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) hardware on machines that have such hardware. They also free up the applications scientist from being constrained by the static features of a class library. The choice of Fortran also ensures maximal reuse of pre-existing Fortran 77 applications and full Fortran 77-based processing efficiency on each computational node. Our implementation of the ideas presented here in the first author's RIEMANN framework essentially permits any serial, uniform grid, stencil-based Fortran code to be turned into a parallel AMR code. In this paper we first describe our strategy for using Fortran 90 in an object-oriented fashion. This permits AMR applications to be expressed in terms of familiar abstractions that are natural to the process of solving AMR hierarchies. We then describe the OpenMP features that are useful for parallel processing of AMR hierarchies in a load balanced fashion on multiprocessors. The automatic, parallel regridding of AMR hierarchies is also described. We then present a very efficient load balancer and show how it is to be used for load balanced solution of AMR hierarchies. Our load balancer is extremely general and should also see use in other disciplines. We follow this up with the application of the parallel AMR techniques developed here to the solution of elliptic and hyperbolic problems. For our elliptic problem we choose parallel, self-adaptive multigrid as an example. For our hyperbolic problem we choose time-dependent MHD as an example. In either case illustrative information is given about the adaptive processing of these systems. We also provide detailed scalability studies for both the above-mentioned problems which show that our methods scale extremely well up to several hundreds of processors.
Reproductive behavior of the Asian-American population in the United States of America.

The primary purpose of this study was to examine and test the "minority-status" hypothesis for interpreting inter-ethnic and inter-racial fertility differences in the United States. It was also emphasized that fertility differentials be regarded as resulting from the interplay between structural and cultural assimilation, on the one hand, and the history and traditions of particular groups, on the other. While considering the minority status hypothesis, this study also examines the assimilationist perspective, which argues that ethnic groups differ in fertility because they differ in the values they attribute to various fertility-related variables, and that once they are assimilated socially and culturally, the fertility differentials will disappear. Data source is the 1980 Public Use Microdata obtained from the US Bureau of the Census and the units of analysis are married couples, where the women are of 14-45 years of age. The dependent variable is the number of children ever born to a married woman, and the independent variables are present age of woman, age of woman at first marriage, employment status of woman, education of both spouses, number of marriages, the place of residence, speaking English at home, and U.S. citizenship status. Using the regression decomposition model developed by Coleman and associates (1972), the test results of the "minority-status" perspective have been presented in this study.
Nanoparticle-coated separators for lithium-ion batteries with advanced electrochemical performance

This material is based on work supported as part of the Energy Materials Center at Cornell, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0001086. This publication is based on work supported in part by Award No. KUS-C1-018-02,made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The authors acknowledge financial support from the Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Republic of China and the assistance from the Materials and Chemical Research Laboratories of the Industrial Technology Research Institute. The authors thank Mr Fred Humiston, Celgard LCC for kindly supplying the separator.
Eliminating Constraint Drift in the Numerical Simulation of Constrained Dynamical Systems

By means of the Udwadia-Kalaba approach we propose an explicit equation of constrained motion developed to simulate constrained dynamical systems without error accumulation due to constraint drift. The basic idea is to embed a small virtual force and a small virtual impulse to the equation of motion, in order to avoid the drift typically experienced in constrained multibody simulations. The embedded correction terms are selected to minimally alter the dynamics in an acceleration and kinetic energy norm sense. The formulation allows one to use a standard ODE solver, avoiding the need for iterative constraint stabilization. The equation is based on the pseudoinverse of a constraint matrix such that it can be used under redundant constraints and kinematic singularities. The proposed method takes into account the finite word-length of the computational environment, and also accommodates possibly inconsistent initial conditions.
Greater sexual reproduction contributes to differences in demography of invasive plants and their noninvasive relatives

An understanding of the demographic processes contributing to invasions would improve our mechanistic understanding of the invasion process and improve the efficiency of prevention and control efforts. However, field comparisons of the demography of invasive and noninvasive species have not previously been conducted. We compared the in situ demography of 17 introduced plant species in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, to contrast the demographic patterns of invasive species with their less invasive relatives across a broad sample of angiosperms. Using herbarium records to estimate spread rates, we found higher maximum spread rates in the landscape for species classified a priori as invasive than for noninvasive introduced species, suggesting that expert classifications are an accurate reflection of invasion rate. Across 17 species, projected population growth was not significantly greater in invasive than in noninvasive introduced species. Among five taxonomic pairs of close relatives, however, four of the invasive species had higher projected population growth rates compared with their noninvasive relative. A Life Table Response Experiment suggested that the greater projected population growth rate of some invasive species relative to their noninvasive relatives was primarily a result of sexual reproduction. The greater sexual reproduction of invasive species is consistent with invaders having a life history strategy more reliant on fecundity than survival and is consistent with a large role of propagule pressure in invasion. Sexual reproduction is a key demographic correlate of invasiveness, suggesting that local processes influencing sexual reproduction, such as enemy escape, might be of general importance. However, the weak correlation of projected population growth with spread rates in the landscape suggests that regional processes, such as dispersal, may be equally important in determining invasion rate.
The Magnetic Field in the Vicinity of Parallel and Twisted Three-Wire Cable Carrying Balanced Three-Phased Current

An analysis of the low-frequency magnetic field in the vicinity of three-wire cable carrying three-phase current is presented. Parallel wire systems and twisted wire systems are considered. Radial and tangential components for the parallel wire system are obtained as a function of the position of the observation point in a polar coordinate system. The magnitude of both components approach equality at large distances and at these distances become invariant with angle around the cable. At positions close to the cable the tangential component is maximum opposite to each wire but the radial component has a mimum at different angular positions at different distances. The twisted cable analysis extends earlier work with two-wire single-phase systems. The results show that the behavior at large distance is very similar for the two- and three-wire systems, the only difference being that the latter has a constant multiplier of 0.75. Detailed curves of fields for the parallel wire case are presented. A combined curve for tangential field for parallel wire cable at small distances and the asymptotic field for twisted wire cable at large distances is also presented.
Gravity wave refraction by islands

The refractive influence on tsunami run-up of the offshore bottom topography of islands is analyzed. Shallow water theory is used to treat problems in which the geometry resembles that of individual Hawaiian islands and in which the incident wave is plane and monochromatic.Mathematically, the differential equation for long-wave propagation is converted into an integral equation to which numerical methods are applied. Results of practical importance include the run-up on island coastal areas. The results are used in conjunction with earlier one-dimensional analyses to estimate the total tsunami run-up.
The role of external carotid revascularization in the treatment of ocular ischemia.

Abstract During the past 13 years, 16 patients with visual disturbances, ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion, and external carotid artery (ECA) stenosis have had ECA reconstruction. Indications for operation included amaurosis fugax (AF) in five patients, AF and transient ischemic attacks in four patients, ischemic optic neuropathy in two patients, retinal artery occlusion in one patient, and blurry vision and scotomata in four patients. In 12 cases (75%), there were hemodynamically significant contralateral ICA lesions, including four contralateral ICA occlusions. EC endarterectomies were performed in 15 patients, whereas one patient was treated with a bypass graft. One transient neurologic event occurred in the perioperative period (6%). There were no deaths nor permanent neurologic deficits. Patients were followed up for periods of 1 to 60 months (mean 18.4 months). Two patients had AF postoperatively; in one instance, AF was associated with ECA thrombosis 53 months after operation. One patient had a transient ischemic attack when the ECA thrombosed 24 months after operation. This study demonstrates that visual symptoms can occur despite ipsilateral ICA occlusion. ECA revascularization is effective and can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:280-2.)
Coherent Acoustic Phonon Generation in Exciton Self-Trapping: Dependence on Coupling Strength

The dynamics of self-trapped exciton formation are studied in quasi-one-dimensional systems using femtosecond impulsive excitation techniques. Low temperature measurements reveal the generation of coherent acoustic waves associated with the formation of the localized lattice deformation.
Serum prolactin levels in active multiple sclerosis and during cyclosporin treatment.

Abstract Prolactin is essential for immune function. Excess prolactin augments some immune reactions, whereas low serum levels of prolactin inhibit immune function and prevent experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). Activated lymphocytes, characteristic of MS, release prolactin. In this study, serum prolactin levels were normal in 35 patients with chronic progressive MS and 19 patients with acute exacerbations. These results suggest it is unlikely that prolactin contributes to the enhanced immune reactivity characteristic of MS. Acute cyclosporin A (CsA) administration increases circulating prolactin levels in animals and might paradoxically augment some immune reactions. We find that chronic CsA therapy for MS does not cause elevations in serum prolactin and should not reverse any therapeutic effect of CsA. Disturbances of prolactin regulation are not characteristic of MS.
Computer Generated Cardiac Model For Nuclear Medicine

John F. Hills, Tom R. MillerThe Edward Mallinckrodt Institute of RadiologyWashington University School of Medicine, 510 S. Kingshighway, St. Louis, Missouri 63110AbstractA computer generated mathematical model of a thallium -201 myocardial image is describedwhich is based on realistic geometric and physiological assumptions. The left ventricle isrepresented by an ellipsoid truncated by aortic and mitral valve planes. Initially, animage of a motionless left ventricle is calculated with the location, size, and relativeactivity of perfusion defects selected by the designer. The calculation includes correc-tions for photon attenuation by overlying structures and the relative distribution of activ-ity within the tissues. Motion of the ventricular walls is simulated either by a weightedsum of images at different stages in the cardiac cycle or by a blurring function whosewidth varies with position. Camera and collimator blurring are estimated by the MTF of thesystem measured at a representative depth in a phantom. Statistical noise is added using aPoisson random number generator.The usefulness of this model is due to two factors: the a priori characterization oflocation and extent of perfusion defects and the strong visual similarity of the images toactual clinical studies. These properties should permit systematic evaluation of imageprocessing algorithms using this model.The principles employed in developing this cardiac image model can readily be appliedto the simulation of other nuclear medicine studies and to other medical imaging modalitiesincluding computed tomography, ultrasound, and digital radiography.IntroductionThe increasing use of computers in nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and computed tomog-raphy has generated a need for mathematical models that simulate the images obtained indiagnostic studies. The models should accurately portray the physiological processes in theimaged organs, and they should be flexible enough to realistically reproduce a variety ofpathological conditions. In addition, the models should take into account characteristicsof the imaging system and produce images that bear close resemblance to actual clinical
Utilization of synchrotron radiation for the measurement of fast fluorescence lifetimes of ions in solids

Abstract Synchrotron radiation from an electron storage ring has been used to measure the lifetime of the very short lived uv fluorescence of LaF 3 :Ce 3+ . The value obtained was 20 nsec. Several considerations which could improve and extend the experimental method are discussed.
Mixed methods and flexibility approaches for nonlinear frame analysis

Abstract The principle of virtual forces has long been an attractive tool for linear matrix structural analysis because it provides a means to compute the exact flexibility matrix for a linear, elastic, non-prismatic Bernoulli–Euler beam element while the classical stiffness method, based on the principle of virtual displacements, does not. Nonlinear flexibility methods have recently appeared in the literature as a means of improving the accuracy of frame analysis when the curvature fields are more complex than the moment fields (e.g., when inelastic response is important). This paper surveys the basic methods of formulating nonlinear Bernoulli–Euler beam elements based on classical and mixed variational principles. We show that the variational structure provided by the Hellinger–Reissner and Hu–Washizu functionals gives a framework that reaps the benefits of the so-called nonlinear flexibility methods while allowing a standard treatment of non-linear problems by Newton's method.
Induced Saturation Number

Abstract In this paper, we discuss a generalization of the notion of saturation in graphs in order to deal with induced structures. In particular, we define indsat ( n , H ) , which is the fewest number of gray edges in a trigraph so that no realization of that trigraph has an induced copy of H , but changing any white or black edge to gray results in some realization that does have an induced copy of H . We give some general and basic results and then prove that indsat ( n , P 4 ) = ⌈ ( n + 1 ) / 3 ⌉ for n ≥ 4 where P 4 is the path on 4 vertices. We also show how induced saturation in this setting extends to a natural notion of saturation in the context of general Boolean formulas.
Further evidence of in vitro production of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in urine samples.

Abstract This study was designed to supplement previous studies that documented in vitro production of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in urine samples. Urine samples were provided by subjects who reported that they had never used GHB ( n = 31). The specimens were stored under standard conditions of refrigeration (5 °C) without any preservatives added. All specimens were repeatedly analyzed for the presence of endogenous GHB over a 6-month period using a previously reported headspace GC–MS method. Significant elevations in GHB were observed in many of the urine samples as storage time increased. As a result, the in vitro production of GHB may increase the apparent GHB concentrations in urine during storage. This potential for an artificial increase in GHB concentration must be appreciated when establishing the threshold between endogenous and exogenous concentrations of GHB.
Transaction-Centric Reconciliation in Disconnected Client–Server Databases

As mobile computing devices become more and more common, mobile databases are becoming popular. An important feature of these database systems is their ability to allow optimistic replication of data by providing disconnected mobile devices the ability to perform local updates. The key problem to this approach is the reconciliation problem, i.e. the problem of serializing potentially conflicting updates from disconnected clients on all replicas of the database. Reconciliation of conflicting updates is especially critical for disconnected databases where disconnected updates are allowed. We examine some choices for providing solutions to the reconciliation problem. We then present an algorithm that combines multiversion concurrency control schemes on a server with reconciliation of updates from disconnected clients. We also describe a simple but illustrative sample application. Finally we present our conclusions.
Update on upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Basing treatment decisions on patients' risk level.

PREVIEWUpper gastrointestinal bleeding usually requires hospitalization and expensive treatment measures. However, recent clinical data show that some patients who are at low risk for recurrence and severe complications may be treated on an outpatient basis. In this article, Dr Terdiman discusses a new approach to management of this potentially life-threatening condition and presents treatment guidelines now in use at his institution.
Crack nucleation from a notch in a ductile material under shear dominant loading

We examine the nucleation of a crack from a notch under a dominant shear loading in Al 6061-T6. The specimen is loaded in nominally pure shear over the gage section in an Arcan specimen configuration. The evolution of deformation is monitored using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Quantitative measurements of strain are made using the 2nd phase particles as Lagrangian markers which enable identification of the true (logarithmic) strains to levels in the range of two. Electron microscopy reveals further that the 2nd phase particles do not act as nucleation sites for damage in the regions of pure shear deformation. The initial notch is shown to “straighten out”, forming a new, sharper notch and triggering failure at the newly formed notch. Numerical simulations of the experiment, using the conventional Johnson–Cook model and a modified version based on grain level calibration of the failure strains, reveal that it is necessary to account for large local strain levels prior to the nucleation of a crack in order to capture the large deformations observed in the experiment.
Promoting self-testing for HIV in developing countries: potential benefits and pitfalls

The prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in developing countries is a growing problem. By 2003 an estimated 38 million people worldwide were infected with HIV with approximately 14 000 new infections occurring each day. Some 2.3 million children worldwide are infected with HIV and they account for 18% of all deaths related to the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). I should like to add to the discussion on preventive measures for reducing the prevalence and incidence of HIV by weighing the potential benefits of promoting self-testing for HIV in developing countries and the concerns that need to be raised. Research reveals two common reasons why people do not attend HIV counseling: limited HIV testing services and social stigma and discrimination associated with HIV infection. Both these factors play a prominent role in the lack of HIV awareness among people in developing countries and may lead to errors in HIV reporting. People living in remote areas remain unscreened if local testing services are not available because they cannot afford the time involved to go to far-off facilities and the consequent loss of pay. Other concerns such as lack of privacy overworked clinics and physicians reluctance to test are cofactors in low screening rates. Self-testing will help overcome these objections and is a convenient option compared with the conventional methods of testing. (excerpt)
Gene profiling reveals a role for stress hormones in the molecular and behavioral response to food restriction.

Background Food restriction is known to enhance learning and motivation. The neural mechanisms underlying these responses likely involve alterations in gene expression in brain regions mediating the motivation to feed. Methods Analysis of gene expression profiles in male C57BL/6J mice using whole-genome microarrays was completed in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and the hypothalamus following a 5-day food restriction. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to validate these findings and determine the time course of expression changes. Plasma levels of the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression changes were measured in adrenalectomized animals that underwent food restriction, as well as in animals receiving daily injections of CORT. Progressive ratio responding for food, a measure of motivated behavior, was assessed after CORT treatment in restricted and fed animals. Results Brief food restriction results in an upregulation of peripheral stress responsive genes in the mammalian brain. Time-course analysis demonstrated rapid and persistent expression changes in all four brain regions under study. Administration of CORT to nonrestricted animals was sufficient to induce a subset of the genes, and alterations in gene expression after food restriction were dependent on intact adrenal glands. CORT can increase the motivation to work for food only in the restricted state. Conclusions These data demonstrate a central role for CORT in mediating both molecular and behavioral responses to food restriction. The stress hormone-induced alterations in gene expression described here may be relevant for both adaptive and pathological responses to stress.
Preoperative imaging for early-stage cutaneous melanoma: predictors, usage, and utility at a single institution

Abstract Background Preoperative imaging for early-stage cutaneous melanoma is not recommended by current guidelines. Our goal was to investigate our institutional usage and utility. Methods Patients with clinically node-negative cutaneous melanoma undergoing surgery with sentinel lymph node biopsy were identified retrospectively. Any melanoma-related imaging after diagnosis and before surgery was considered a staging study. Results Five hundred fifteen studies were performed in 409 of 546 (75%) patients. Chest x-rays was performed in 70% and advanced imaging in 14% (computed tomography imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, and positron-emission computed tomography imaging). No metastatic lesions were identified. A Breslow thickness greater than 4 mm (odds ratio = 6.46 vs Conclusions Preoperative imaging was performed in the majority of patients with node-negative melanoma, with 14% undergoing advanced studies. No metastatic lesions were identified, confirming the limited utility in this setting.
Trajectories and orbits from the NASA-NMSU Meteor Observatory. II

Reduced trajectory data and orbital elements are reported for 20 double-station meteors photographed at the NASA-NMSU meteor observatory during the winter of 1974/75. The objects photographed include 10 sporadic meteors and 10 members of the Geminid shower. The data for the sporadic meteors indicate that their magnitudes range from 0 to -4, all have eccentricities greater than 0.4, all but three are in direct orbits, and one is probably a member of the Coma Berenicid shower. The elements for the Geminids are obtained using times of appearance chosen by adopting 34.6 km/s as the heliocentric velocity of the shower. The results are compared with previous orbital determinations, and it is concluded that there is no evidence for significant evolution of the Geminid-stream orbit over a period of several decades.
Propulsion-free separation and rendezvous of small shuttle free-flyers using controlled differential drag

A natural successor in the Shuttle era to many sounding rocket flights is the free-flyer mode of operation, in which the Shuttle Orbiter releases a subsatellite (with payloads), effects a desired separation, and approaches and retrieves the free-layer. The propulsive maneuvers required of the Orbiter by equivalent relative motions obtained through controlled differential drag (via changes in free-layer effective area and/or Orbiter attitude changes) are replaced. Simplified analytical techniques are developed and feasibility is verified.
PCM picture transmission

The transmission of pictures by pulse code modulation (PCM) has been investigated by various researchers1, 2 for more than a decade. Recently, interest has reached a new high, partly because of the possible military and space applications. The purpose of the present article is to describe briefly some of the research work being carried on in Pcm picture transmission at the Cognitive Information Processing Group (CIPG) of the Research Laboratory of Electronics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Many other groups, notably the Bell Telephone Laboratories researchers, are also working extensively in this area.
Adenine, hypoxanthine and guanine metabolism in fibroblasts from normal individuals and from patients with hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency.

Abstract The metabolism of adenine, hypoxanthine, and guanine was studied in normal fibroblasts and in fibroblasts from patients with the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, deficient in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase activity. The cells were incubated with a radioactive purine base and the incorporation of radioactivity into all major purine nucleotides, nucleosides and bases, as well as nucleic acids, was determined. All three bases were avidly taken up and converted to nucleotides by normal cells. In the mutant cells, nucleotide synthesis from hypoxanthine and guanine was less than 2 % of normal, whereas, adenine was metabolized normally. At higher concentrations of hypoxanthine and guanine, increased utilization was demonstrated in both normal and mutant fibroblasts by direct ribosylation, probably catalyzed by nucleoside phosphorylase. The conversion of total adenine nucleotide radioactivity to guanine nucleotides was less than 2 % in the normal and less than 5 % in the mutant cells, when [ 14 C]adenine was used as the substrate. Less than 10 % of total utilization of adenine and hypoxanthine was found in nucleic acids after a 6-h incubation in cells grown to confluency. The conversion of guanine to adenine nucleotides was either undetectable or below 1 % of total guanine nucleotide radioactivity. IMP was channeled mainly to adenine nucleotide synthesis. No free adenine was formed from hypoxanthine or guanine. Xanthine oxidase activity was not present in either type of cell, and inosine kinase could not be demonstrated in hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient fibroblasts.
Simulation of charged systems in heterogeneous dielectric media via a true energy functional

For charged systems in heterogeneous dielectric media, a key obstacle for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations is the need to solve the Poisson equation in the media. This obstacle can be bypassed using MD methods that treat the local polarization charge density as a dynamic variable, but such approaches require access to a true free energy functional, one that evaluates to the equilibrium electrostatic energy at its minimum. In this Letter, we derive the needed functional. As an application, we develop a Car-Parrinello MD method for the simulation of free charges present near a spherical emulsion droplet separating two immiscible liquids with different dielectric constants. Our results show the presence of nonmonotonic ionic profiles in the dielectric with a lower dielectric constant.
Evolutionary Differences in Glycosaminoglycan Fine Structure Detected by Quantitative Glycan Reductive Isotope Labeling

To facilitate qualitative and quantitative analysis of glycosaminoglycans, we tagged the reducing end of lyase-generated disaccharides with aniline-containing stable isotopes (12C6 and 13C6). Because different isotope tags have no effect on chromatographic retention times but can be discriminated by a mass detector, differentially isotope-tagged samples can be compared simultaneously by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and quantified by admixture with known amounts of standards. The technique is adaptable to all types of glycosaminoglycans, and its sensitivity is only limited by the type of mass spectrometer available. We validated the method using commercial heparin and keratan sulfate as well as heparan sulfate isolated from mutant and wild-type Chinese hamster ovary cells, and select tissues from mutant and wild-type mice. This new method provides more robust, reliable, and sensitive means of quantitative evaluation of glycosaminoglycan disaccharide compositions than existing techniques allowing us to compare the chondroitin and heparan sulfate compositions of Hydra vulgaris, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, and mammalian cells. Our results demonstrate significant differences in glycosaminoglycan structure among these organisms that might represent evolutionarily distinct functional motifs.
The use of family theory in clinical practice.

Summary Presented here is a family theory of emotional illness and its component system of family psychotherapy, which is one of several different theoretical approaches to the family, and one of many different kinds of “family therapy” that have come on the psychiatric scene in little more than one decade. A brief review of the family movement attempts to put this system into a kind of perspective with the overall family movement. Since this system places maximum emphasis on “family” as a theoretical system, the theory has been presented in some detail. The shorter section of family psychotherapy presents both broad principles and specific details about the usefulness of family concepts in clinical practice.
On quantity algebra and rationalization

An analysis of the fundamental concepts of the quantity calculus is attempted in order to answer the controversial question whether rationalization of electromagnetic equations is to be understood as a change of units or of quantities. It reveals that, from any point of view, the question can be answered only in the first sense.
(p, xn) Reactions of 56Fe, 57Fe and 58Fe at 370 MeV

Abstract The ( p , xn ) cross-sections of 56 Fe, 57 Fe and 58 Fe producing 55 Co, 56 Co, 57 Co were measured at 370 MeV by crossed bombardments of iron targets of different isotopic abundances. The 56 Fe( p , pn ) 55 Fe and 57 Fe( p , p 2 n ) 55 Fe reactions were found to have cross-sections at 370 MeV of 58 4 ± 1·0 and 24·7 ± 2·3 mb, respectively. The ( p , n ) and ( p , 2 n ) cross-sections are compared with others in the mass region A = 44 and A = 96.
Modulation of α1-adrenergic contractility in isolated vascular tissues by heptanol: A functional demonstration of the potential importance of intercellular communication to vascular response generation

After years of intensive investigation, the mechanism(s) underlying syncytial vascular smooth muscle responses both in vitro and in vivo is still poorly understood. Neither perivascular innervation nor regenerative electrical events appear sufficient to coordinate responses among vascular smooth muscle cells in many blood vessels. The implication of these observations is that another mechanism is required for organizing syncytial vascular responses. Although gap junctions are ubiquitously distributed among vascular wall cells throughout the vascular tree, their contribution to the modulation of vasomotor tone is still considered controversial. Resolution of the long standing debate awaits a clear demonstration that gap junctions modulate contraction or relaxation responses to vascular smooth muscle. Despite the absence of specific gap junctional uncoupling agents, it has still been possible to identify reasonable experimental conditions under which the contribution of gap junctions to contractile responses in isolated vascular tissues could be evaluated. Studies in isolated preparations known to contain gap junctions have indicated that alpha 1-adrenergic receptor-mediated contractile responses of diverse isolated vascular tissues, are significantly modulated by selective disruption of intercellular communication with the well studied lipophilic uncoupling agent heptanol. Interpretation of these pharmacological studies is explicitly dependent on the selectivity of the uncoupling actions of heptanol. Considerable experimental evidence suggests that, at the concentrations used, in the preparations thus far examined, heptanol does indeed have selective uncoupling actions. In fact, recent experiments provide empirical support for an operational definition of the selectivity of heptanol, and a functional role for gap junctions in modulating contractile responses in isolated vascular tissues. The operational definition states only that there exists a narrow, albeit identifiable, concentration range over which it is reasonable to assume that the effects of heptanol are primarily related to its uncoupling actions on gap junctions. The functional role for gap junctions is defined by their requisite contribution to tension development during contraction of isolated tissues. Experimentally, this can be visualized as a significant diminution in the contractile responses of isolated vascular tissues in the presence of selective uncoupling heptanol concentrations. Thus, a cogent interpretation of available data is that they provide compelling indirect evidence for a principle role of gap junctions in modulating the alpha 1-adrenergic contractility of isolated vascular tissues.
Brain and plasma exposure profiling in early drug discovery using cassette administration and fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Abstract A method using reverse phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and cassette administration was developed for in vivo brain and plasma exposure profiling to assist early CNS drug discovery programs. Three to four compounds were grouped in cassettes for dosing and analysis. Compounds in the cassettes were selected to minimize possible analytical interference from each other, as well as from their potential metabolites. In order to improve the confidence of cassette administration, an analogue of the study compounds, with well-established brain penetration data, was included in each cassette as a “biological internal standard”. Compounds were administered to rats by intraperitoneal injection and extracted from plasma or brain homogenate by simple protein precipitation. Fast chromatographic separation was achieved by using a short narrow-bore column at a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min with a fast gradient. The brain penetration of the compounds was evaluated by comparing their C max and AUC values in brain and plasma. This approach rapidly provided early brain penetration and plasma exposure information, thus making more of this data available to teams. Comparing the brain exposures to the EC 50 values (i.e. in vitro potency) of series compounds in the same discovery program provided another dimension of information to select lead compounds for future in vivo assessment. The method described here has been used for providing early brain penetration information in several CNS exploratory and discovery programs.
How Can eHealth Technology Address Challenges Related to Multimorbidity? Perspectives from Patients with Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Background Patient eHealth technology offers potential support for disease self-management, but the value of existing applications for patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) is unclear.
Inability of tolerant males to sire tolerant progeny.

Recent data of Gorczynski and Steele suggested that male mice made tolerant of an allogeneic strain by the neonatal injection of hybrid lymphomyeloid cells may, by a presumably genetic mechanism, pass on this operationally similar form of hyporesponsiveness to their progeny1,2—the progeny have inherited an acquired characteristic. Their theory, proposed to account for the inheritance of an acquired characteristic, uses a RNA tumour virus that transfers to the spermatogenic germinal epithelium DNA coding for the gene products of the foreign alloantigens. This is possible because the tolerant mouse is chimaeric and contains small numbers of foreign lymphomyeloid cells. Thus, the virus transfers genetic information for transplantation antigens from the chimaeric foreign cells to the germinal epithelium of the host. The progeny of the tolerant male are themselves tolerant because they have received DNA coding for the foreign antigens from paternal sperm. The progeny are tolerant because foreign is now ‘self’. I have now repeated these experiments in a strain combination of rats, DA tolerant of PVG, and found no hyporesponsiveness to the PVG strain in the progeny of tolerant DA males.
A comparative study of attitudes toward child sexual abuse among social work and judicial system professionals

To meet the needs of mutual clients, perpetrators and victims, social service and judicial system professionals share an obligation to collaborate in cases of child sexual abuse. Unknown is the extent to which individuals in counter professions share common beliefs about perpetrators and victims of child sexual abuse. This paper reports an inquiry into the attitudes of five professional groups within an urban criminal justice system specific to victim credibility, victim culpability, offender culpability, and the crime and punishment of child sexual abuse. As predicted, statistically significant differences in attitudes were found among child welfare social workers, police officers, district attorneys, public defenders, and judges. In particular, groups differed in their beliefs about victim credibility and punishment of offenders, suggesting conflict in addressing two fundamental questions in these cases: (1) Can a child be believed when he or she reports sexual abuse? and (2) How should the system deal with offenders? Both questions beg the continuing attention of all professionals invested in these cases, ultimately benefiting victims and offenders. Both quantitative and qualitative findings are provided in this report.
Design and development of grating-coupled optical biosensor to detect animal pathogen

We propose a waveguide based surface plasmon resonance optical biosensor for portable applications. Numerical results show that direct integration of a wire-grid polarizer is not only difficult, but also has poor polarization filtering performance. Our initial efforts focus on a waveguide based structure with prism coupling and the use of baculovirus as model pathogen.
Optimization of overdrive signoff

In modern SOC implementations, multi-mode design is commonly used to achieve better circuit performance and power across voltage-scaling, “turbo” and other operating modes. Although there are many tools for multi-mode circuit implementation, to our knowledge there is no available systematic analysis or methodology for the selection of associated signoff modes. We observe that the selection of signoff modes has significant impact on circuit area, power and performance. For example, incorrect choice of signoff voltages for required overdrive frequencies can result in a netlist with 15% suboptimality in power or 21% in area. In this paper, we propose a concept of mode dominance which can be used as a guideline for signoff mode selection. Further, we also propose efficient circuit implementation flows to optimize the selection of signoff modes within several distinct use cases. Our results show that our proposed methodology provides 5-7% improvement in performance compared to the traditional “signoff and scale” method. The signoff modes determined by our methods result in only 0.6% overhead in performance and 8% overhead in power after implementation, compared to the optimal signoff modes.
Ostertagia ostertagi: excretory secretory chemotactic substance from infective larvae as cause of eosinophil locomotion.

Abstract The infective (third stage) larva of Ostertagia ostertagi produced an excretory secretory substance that is chemotactic for bovine eosinophils. The eosinophil chemotactic substance was present in supernatants of larval cultures within 6 hr of incubation in Eagle's Minimum Essential Medium containing 25m M N -2-hydroxyethylpiperazine- N′ -2-ethanesulfonic acid. The substance responsible for eosinophil chemotaxis has activity in small amounts, a molecular weight (MW) greater than 2000, and is heat labile at 100 C. Bovine eosinophils appeared to have a receptor for the chemotactic excretory secretory substance which is either identical or structurally similar to the previously described eosinophil chemotactic substance present in soluble third stage larval extracts. The larval substance may cause eosinophil accumulation in the abomasal tissue of cattle with ostertagiasis.
Normal and abnormal temporomandibular joints: Quantitative evaluation of inferior joint space arthrography

Arthrography has been shown to provide important diagnostic information in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction. In this study, 60 arthrograms on totally asymptomatic patients and 64 arthrograms on symptomatic patients were evaluated. Quantitative evaluation of inferior joint space arthrography was performed with the help of a computer digitizing morphometry program. Results indicate a significant difference in the areas of the anterior and posterior recesses between normal and abnormal joints in the closed-mouth position. Differences between the 2 groups also exist in linear measurements of the anterior recess. This data further defines important diagnostic criteria in the arthrographic evaluation of both the normal and abnormal TMJ.
Statistical inference for the risk ratio in 2 x 2 binomial trials with structural zero

In some statistical analyses, researchers may encounter the problem of analyzing a correlated 2x2 table with a structural zero in one of the off diagonal cells. Structural zeros arise in situation where it is theoretically impossible for a particular cell to be observed. For instance, Agresti [2002. Categorical Data Analysis, 2nd ed. Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey] provided an example involving a sample of 156 calves born in Okeechobee County, Florida. Calves are first classified according to whether they get a pneumonia infection within certain time. They are then classified again according to whether they get a secondary infection within a period after the first infection clears up. Because subjects cannot, by definition, have a secondary infection without first having a primary infection, a structural void in the cell of the summary table that corresponds with no primary infection and has secondary infection is introduced. For discussion of this phenomenon, see Tang and Tang [2002. Exact unconditional inference for risk ratio in a correlated 2x2 table with structural zero. Biometrics 58, 972-980], and Lui [1998. Interval estimation of the risk ratio between a secondary infection, given a primary infection, and the primary infection. Biometrics 54, 706-711]. The risk ratio (RR) between the secondary infection, given the primary infection, and the primary infection may be a useful measure of change in the pneumonia infection rates of the primary infection and the secondary infection. In this paper, we first develop and evaluate the large sample confidence intervals of RR. In addition to the three confidence intervals in the literatures, we propose a confidence interval based on Rao's score test. The performance of these confidence intervals is studied by means of extensive simulation studies. We also investigate the tests of hypothesis for the RR and the power of these tests. Simulation studies are carried out to examine the performance of these tests in terms of their power. An example, from the literature, is also provided to illustrate these procedures. Finally, the four confidence intervals were compared with those obtained by corrected version of Tang et al. [2004. Confidence interval for rate ratio in a 2x2 table with structural zero: an application in assessing false-negative rate ratio when combining two diagnostic tests. Biometrics 60, 550-555; 2006. Sample size determination for 2-step studies with dichotomous response. Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference 136, 1166-1180].
Elucidation of Fragmentation Pathways for the Collision-Induced Dissociation of the Binary Ag(I) Complex with Phenylalanine

During our ongoing investigation of the formation and reactivity of gas-phase complex ions composed of Ag(I) and various α-amino acids, we discovered that the mass-to-charge ratio for the major collision-induced dissociation (CID) product generated from a binary Ag+ complex with phenylalanine was consistent with the formation of an Ag+ complex with an aldehyde. In this study we investigated and compared the fragmentation pathways for complexes of Ag+ with phenylalanine, phenylalanine with exchangeable protium replaced with deuterium, phenylalanine with the carboxylic acid group labeled with 13C, and phenylalanine with the benzylic group labeled with deuterium. The reaction pathways were determined using multidimensional dissociation steps in an ion-trap mass spectrometer. The dissociation experiments provide clear evidence for the formation of several novel product species, including the Ag+ complex with phenylacetaldehyde, as well as the formation of an Ag+ complex with either a benzyl carbene or styrene...