cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platelet Aggregation in Blood Donors

One hundred eighteen consecutive volunteer donors to a Red Cross Mobile Collecting Center were questioned about ingestion of medication prior to blood donation. Blood samples were collected from each donor and platelet aggregation measured. Forty-three (36%) gave a history of having taken a drug known to affect platelet function, the most common of which was acetylsalicylic acid. Of these, 88 per cent had abnormal platelet aggregation. A total of 59 per cent of the blood donors were found to have abnormal aggregation. When 50 control subjects were asked one week prior to testing not to take any medication, only one had abnormal aggregation. This study indicates that in our area the majority of blood donors have abnormal platelet aggregation due to ingestion of medication.
Equality Since Rawls: Objective Philosophers, Subjective Citizens, and Rational Choice

Since the publication of John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice in 1971, the presumably controversial notion that under ordinary circumstances no person should possess more useful goods than any other person has been more freely propagated, and more respectfully received, than ever before. Yet except in the one restrictive context of American race relations, the literature of equality seems barely to have made contact with political and social possibility in the late twentieth century. Explicit egalitarian proposals, such as for wage supplements (Jencks et al., 1972) or “fair shares” (Ryan, 1981), enter the realm of policy devoid of serious philosophical justification, whereas philosophical justifications of equality enter that same realm devoid of any apparent application. To paraphrase an earlier egalitarian, I cannot make this separation between theory and policy legitimate; but I think I can explain how it came about.
Climate science: Uncertain temperature trend

Global mean surface temperatures have not risen much over the past 15 years, despite continuing greenhouse gas emissions. An attempt to explain the warming slow-down with Arctic data gaps is only a small step towards reconciling observed and expected warming.
Power Structure and Personal Competence.

Summary This study tested the following hypotheses: persons located in central exchange network positions will, through the bargaining process, come to perceive themselves to be (a) more powerful, and (b) more competent (capable) than will persons located in peripheral exchange network positions. A total of 76 Ss between the ages of 19—21 participated in this experiment. They were male students at a large, urban university in the northwestern United States. Approximately 80% of the Ss were white Anglo-Saxons and 20% were drawn from minority ethnic and racial groups. The Ss were randomly assigned to positions in 19 four-person social exchange networks, where they engaged in a 2 1/2 hour period of interpersonal bargaining. A manipulation of the centrality of the exchange network position occupied produced significant (<.01) differences in two semantic differential measures: (a) self-perceptions of power, and (b) self-perceptions of competence (capability).
A comparison of two recent approaches to machine parameterization for mathematical software

Recently, there have been published two different proposals for expressing the dependence of numerical software on the environment. One proposal, which is essentially described in two papers [1,2]** characterizes the dependence of the software on the machine architecture essentially in terms of the representation of floating point entities in the machine. The second, more recent proposal, described in [3] characterizes the dependence of the software on the environment in terms of models both the floating point numbers and of the behavior of the arithmetic unit of the machine.The purpose of this paper is to expose and clarify the differences and similarities between these two approaches. It is the author's opinion that the two approaches interpreted in their strictest sense serve two distinct purposes. When each is interpreted imprecisely, their roles overlap.In order that the comparisons briefly discussed below are fully understood, we need to briefly summarize the separate approaches. Since our interest here is in the parameterization of the numerical aspects of the environment, the non-numerical parameters discussed in [1] and the considerations of implementation discussed in [2,3] will not be considered here.
Magnification's Effect on Endodontic Fine Motor Skills

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study was to quantitatively investigate the effect of magnification on fine motor skills used in endodontics. Methods This study used a novel manual dexterity test that was performed with and without magnification. An 8× operating microscope and 2.5× dental loupes were used for the magnification tests. Forty subjects, 20 with microscope experience and 20 without, participated in the study. Performance on the test was evaluated by using an accuracy scoring system, and the time needed to complete the test was recorded for each subject. Results A significant increase in accuracy score with each level of magnification was demonstrated (P ≤ .05). In addition, the use of operating microscope significantly increased the time needed to complete the test among subjects with less than 3 years of microscope experience. Conclusions The use of magnification to enhance fine motor skills was supported in all age groups and experience levels.
Supplemental security income, labor supply, and migration

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program in the USA creates incentives for potential aged recipients to reduce labor supply prior to becoming eligible, and past research finds evidence of such behavior for older men. There may be a migration response to across-state variation in SSI benefits, which is of interest in its own right and can bias estimates of the effects of SSI benefits on labor supply. We fail to find evidence that older individuals migrate in response to SSI benefits, or that the labor supply disincentive effects of SSI are spurious and instead reflect migration behavior.
Coral disease outbreak at Navassa, a remote Caribbean island

In November 2004, a high prevalence of coral disease was observed at several sites around Navassa, an uninhabited Caribbean island between Haiti and Jamaica. At least fifteen mounding and foliaceous scleractinian species were affected with ‘white disease’ signs. Coral disease incidence was observed to be absent in quantitative surveys in 2002, but in 2004 average prevalence (i.e., % of colonies) of active disease ranged up to 15% and an additional 19% prevalence of colonies with patterns of recent mortality consistent with disease. Large and/or Montastraea spp. colonies were disproportionately affected and the anticipated loss of these large, reef-building colonies will impact coral community structure. One or more potential factors may influence the initiation and persistence of disease outbreak conditions at Navassa including recent hurricane disturbance, regional patterns of increasing disease impact in deep or remote Caribbean reefs, or vectoring of disease by the corallivorous worm, Hermodice carunculata.
1 V input sampling circuit with improved linearity

A highly linear low-voltage sampling circuit is proposed. Operation under 1 V power supply is possible without compromising linearity. Performance limiting nonlinear MOS switch resistance characteristics are suppressed by a combination of three novel design techniques.
Proton exchange and base pair opening in a DNA triple helix.

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used to characterize opening reactions and stabilities of individual base pairs in two related DNA structures. The first is the triplex structure formed by the DNA 31-mer 5‘-AGAGAGAACCCCTTCTCTCTTTTTCTCTCTT-3‘. The structure belongs to the YRY (or parallel) family of triple helices. The second structure is the hairpin double helix formed by the DNA 20-mer 5‘-AGAGAGAACCCCTTCTCTCT-3‘ and corresponds to the duplex part of the YRY triplex. The rates of exchange of imino protons with solvent in the two structures have been measured by magnetization transfer from water and by real-time exchange at 10 °C in 100 mM NaCl and 5 mM MgCl2 at pH 5.5 and in the presence of two exchange catalysts. The results indicate that the exchange of imino protons in protonated cytosines is most likely limited by the opening of Hoogsteen C+G base pairs. The base pair opening parameters estimated from imino proton exchange rates suggest that the stability of individual Hoogsteen base p...
Hal Is a Bacillus anthracis Heme Acquisition Protein

ABSTRACT The metal iron is a limiting nutrient for bacteria during infection. Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax and a potential weapon of bioterrorism, grows rapidly in mammalian hosts, which suggests that it efficiently attains iron during infection. Recent studies have uncovered both heme ( isd ) and siderophore-mediated ( asb ) iron transport pathways in this pathogen. Whereas deletion of the asb genes results in reduced virulence, the loss of three surface components from isd had no effect, thereby leaving open the question of what additional factors in B. anthracis are responsible for iron uptake from the most abundant iron source for mammals, heme. Here, we describe the first functional characterization of bas0520 , a gene recently implicated in anthrax disease progression. bas0520 encodes a single near-iron transporter (NEAT) domain and several leucine-rich repeats. The NEAT domain binds heme, despite lacking a stabilizing tyrosine common to the NEAT superfamily of hemoproteins. The NEAT domain also binds hemoglobin and can acquire heme from hemoglobin in solution. Finally, deletion of bas0520 resulted in bacilli unable to grow efficiently on heme or hemoglobin as an iron source and yielded the most significant phenotype relative to that for other putative heme uptake systems, a result that suggests that this protein plays a prominent role in the replication of B. anthracis in hematogenous environments. Thus, we have assigned the name of Hal (heme-acquisition leucine-rich repeat protein) to BAS0520. These studies advance our understanding of heme acquisition by this dangerous pathogen and justify efforts to determine the mechanistic function of this novel protein for vaccine or inhibitor development.
A stochastic probing algorithm for global optimization

Recently, simulated annealing methods have proven to be a valuable tool for global optimization. We propose a new stochastic method for locating the global optimum of a function. The proposed method begins with the subjective specification of a probing distribution. The objective function is evaluated at a few points sampled from this distribution, which is then updated using the collected information. The updating mechanism is based on the entropy of a move selecting distribution and is loosely connected to some notions in statistical thermodynamics. Examples of the use of the proposed method are presented. These indicate its superior performance as compared with simulated annealing. Preliminary considerations in applying the method to discrete problems are discussed.
Labor market choices and teacher reform: Policy options for the public schools of the twenty-first century

Abstract Case studies of the teacher labor market in the United States reveal that “first wave” teacher reforms of the 1980s will have little positive impact on the career choices of teachers and former teachers as well on the talented college students whom policymakers wish to attract to teaching. While “second wave” reforms offer much promise in solving present teacher quality problems, these reforms may go for naught if policymakers ignore the anachronistic teacher selection processes presently used by public schools. New policies not only must address the motivations and actions of labor market decisionmakers, but also must address the underlying tension between the first and second waves of teacher reform.
The Cabinet Secretariat in France

Despite the rapid rate of cabinet changes in the course of the first four years of the Fourth French Republic and the dire predictions about its future,' there are many indications that constructive reforms are being carried out for the purpose of strengthening the Cabinet and providing the Prime Minister with instruments of leadership, policy-making, and planning. These reforms are not necessarily to be found in the Constitution of the Fourth Republic or in the "organic" laws passed in the last four years.2 In some cases they were introduced by simple executive order even before the Constitution of October 27, 1946, was established. They came to life quietly, without the fanfare of constitutional proclamations, and appear to have become permanent parts of the political institutions of the Fourth Republic. One of the most significant reforms of this kind is the organization and development of the "General Secretariat of the Government," which was first established by General de Gaulle's Provisional Government in Algiers and has been retained ever since. It has filled a serious gap in the structural organization of the Office of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet by performing for the first time functions analogous to those performed by the British Secretariat ever since 1916.3 There is general agreement that one of the most defective institutional developments of the Third Republic was the progressive weakening of the executive and the corresponding increase in the powers of the two legislative assemblies. For reasons into which we need not enter here, executive-legislative relations in France followed a development diametrically opposite to that of Great Britain. In the latter country the Cabinet has grown practically into an independent in-
Potentiation of morphine antinociception by monoamine reuptake inhibitors in the rat spinal cord

Abstract Potentiation of the antinociceptive effects of morphine by the tricyclic antidepressants was assayed in awake restrained rats using the tail-flick test. Intrathecally administered amitriptyline, desipramine or sertraline at doses that had no effect themselves (25–30 μg) potentiated a subthreshold parenteral dose of morphine (0.5 mg/kg). The morphine potentiating effect of amitriptyline was prevented by prior administration of parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA). This effect of PCPA was not restored by 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) but was restored when the animals were left for 14 days to replete. The morphine potentiating effects of amitriptyline, desipramine and sertraline were blocked by intrathecal administration of low doses of the serotonin antagonist methysergide and the α-adrenergic antagonists yohimbine and phentolamine but not by the β-adrenergic antagonist propranolol. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the potentiation of morphine's antinociceptive effect by tricyclic antidepressants depends on activation of both spinopetal serotonin and adrenergic neurons.
Negative Ion Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry for the Analysis of 3,5,6‐Trichloro‐2‐pyridinol in Saliva of Rats Exposed to Chlorpyrifos

Abstract Organophosphorus (OP) insecticides (e.g. chlorpyrifos) are widely used in a variety of applications, and the potential exists for significant occupational and environmental exposures. They have been associated with more occupational poisoning cases than any other class of insecticides. One of the best approaches for accurately assessing human dosimetry and determining risk from both occupational and environmental exposure is biomonitoring. Biological matrices such as blood and urine have been routinely used for biomonitoring; however, other matrices such as saliva represent a simple and readily obtainable fluid. As a result, saliva has been suggested as an alternative biological matrix for the evaluation of a broad range of biomarkers such as environmental contaminants, drugs of abuse, hormones, chemotherapeutics, heavy metals, and pesticides. Chlorpyrifos (CPF), and its major metabolite, 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol (TCP), have been quantified in urine and blood as a biomarker for exposure to OP ...
HOLE TUNNELING THROUGH THE EMITTER-BASE JUNCTION OF A HETEROJUNCTION BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR

Starting with the $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4$ Luttinger-Kohn Hamiltonian, we develop a scattering-matrix approach to study coherent hole transport through the valence-band energy profile across the emitter-base junction of typical abrupt and graded $\mathrm{Pnp}$ heterojunction bipolar transistors. The tunneling and reflection coefficients of heavy and light holes are calculated for the upper and lower $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}2$ Hamiltonians obtained through a unitary transform of the $4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}4$ Luttinger-Kohn Hamiltonian. The probability for a transition from heavy (light) to light (heavy) hole while tunneling across the emitter-base junction is calculated as a function of the value of the wave vector parallel to the emitter-base heterointerface for both abrupt and graded heterojunctions. For holes injected from the emitter into the base, the probability of heavy- to light-hole conversion is shown to be quite different when calculated with the upper and lower Hamiltonians. On the other hand, the probability of light- to heavy-hole conversion is nearly the same for the upper and lower Hamiltonians. The energy dependence of the heavy- and light-hole tunneling coefficients is shown to be quite different from those calculated using a parabolic-band model, in which the effects of mixing and anisotropy in the valence band are neglected.
Factors affecting the morphology of isocitrate lyase crystals

Isocitrate lyase crystals have been grown by the hanging drop vapor equilibration method in both 1-g and microgravity and by vapor equilibrium in small capillaries. The crystal morphologies obtained have ranged from dendritic to 'octagonal' prisms. Theoretical evaporation models have been applied to these growth regimes. The results of these analyses along with other experimental results, indicate the factors which must be controlled to produce good growth morphologies.
Composition determination for complex and transmitting samples in x-ray quantitative analysis

In this work, quantitative analysis of x-ray fluorescence measurements of transmitting samples with complex chemical composition is considered. A method is presented for analytical solution of sample composition including matrix effects, independent of sample thickness and requiring no standards. The method uses fundamental parameters and measured fluorescence signal intensities, and is applicable to transmission geometry measurements for which standard analyses are not applicable. Limitations of the analysis presented here are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NSF Geosciences Advisory Committee soliciting input

The Geosciences Advisory Committee of the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting the views and concerns of the geosciences community in advance of a meeting of the committee scheduled for 6–8 November at NSF headquarters in Arlington,Virginia. At this meeting, the committee will consider inter alia, current and future geosciences plans and programs, facilities, interactions with other NSF directorates, and other issues of concern to the community The draft agenda is available at the Web site here.
Differential Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) 1, ERK2, p38, and c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinase Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases by Bacterial Peptidoglycan

Soluble staphylococcal peptidoglycan (sPGN) is an inducer of cytokine secretion and may activate macrophages through the CD14 lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor. To elucidate sPGN-activated signal transduction pathways, stimulation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases by sPGN was studied in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages. sPGN strongly activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and ERK2, moderately activated c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase (JNK), and weakly activated p38 MAP kinase, in contrast to LPS, which strongly activated all of these kinases, and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB), which strongly activated ERK1 and ERK2 but did not activate p38 or JNK. sPGN- and LPS-induced activation of ERK1 and ERK2, unlike PDB-induced activation, was sensitive to inhibition by herbimycin A and insensitive to inhibition by increased intracellular cAMP. These results demonstrate differential activation of MAP kinases by sPGN, similar but not identical activation of signal transduction pathways by sPGN and LPS, and different mechanisms of MAP kinase activation by bacterial stimulants and phorbol esters.
The Hawaii hydrogen from renewable energy program

Abstract Hydrogen and renewable energy are an ideal combination that can help satisfy mankind's future energy needs. The abundance of Hawaii's natural energy resources makes the state a model laboratory for developing strategies using hydrogen and renewable energy to achieve greater independence from imported oil. This paper discusses opportunities for hydrogen use in the near- to long-term future. Three categories of hydrogen utilization exist in Hawaii: chemical (methanol and ammonia), electrical (storage and generation), and transportational (space, aircraft, and ground). Hydrogen can be a bridge transporting energy from an energy-abundant island to an energy-deficient island. In time, it may even provide Hawaii with the means to export energy.
Intramuscular lipoma: infiltrating vs. well-circumscribed variant

Intramuscular lipoma is uncommon clinical entity. It may affect any muscle in the body. There are certain imaging characteristics which may suggest the benign nature of the lesion. Intramuscular lipoma can appear as an infiltrating, well-circumscribed and mixed subtype. In this letter to the editor the author discusses some characteristics on intramuscular lipomas and comment on a recently published article in the Pan African Medical Journal.
Reducing Euphorbia esula with a combination of sheep grazing and imazapic

Abstract Field studies were conducted in Idaho from 2002 to 2004 to determine whether summer grazing of sheep for 1 or 2 years before an autumn application of imazapic would enhance control of Euphorbia esula. E. esula , a perennial plant native to parts of Europe and Asia, has invaded the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains after its introduction into North America in the early 1880s and caused significant reductions in native plant biomass. Experiments were conducted to determine the impacts of 1 or 2 years of sheep grazing with or without a fall application of imazapic on E. esula and native plant populations. Sheep grazing was designed to remove reproductive parts from E. esula within a 10 d grazing period. Imazapic was applied at 210 g ae ha −1 with 1.25% (v/v) methylated seed oil. One year of sheep grazing did not alter measured vegetation components, but it did result in an increase of grass seed in the soil. Two years of sheep grazing increased the forb and grass cover component, increased the grass seed in the soil, and kept the E. esula seed bank from increasing. Application of imazapic reduced E. esula stem densities and cover and increased native forb cover. The combination of 1 or 2 years of sheep grazing and imazapic did not enhance the control of E. esula . However, 2 years of carefully timed sheep grazing followed with an imazapic application resulted in sustained productivity of plant biomass in the pasture. Because 2 years of sheep grazing prevented an increase in the E. esula seed bank, managers may have a better opportunity to establish desired vegetation in sagebrush steppe ecosystems after removing E. esula with imazapic.
Moderating our expectations on livelihoods in ICM: experiences from Thailand, Nicaragua, and Tanzania.

Livelihood development is often integrated into coastal management projects as a strategy for increasing project success. This strategy is taken because it is known that livelihood development increases the interest, support, and trust of the community in coastal and marine ecosystem conservation. The research described in this article explores what factors contribute to enterprise success and whether livelihood interventions lead to other benefits in addition to employment and income generation. A learning portfolio approach was used that draws on the field sites and projects supported by the USAID-funded Sustainable Coastal Communities and Ecosystem (SUCCESS) Program. Our experience suggests that key factors that influence livelihood enterprise success (revenue generation) include: the type of enterprise supported, the form of extension support provided, community context, and enterprise ownership (i.e., group or individual). The results also confirm the idea that there are important benefits from livel...
Detection of the number of image regions by minimum bias/variance criterion

Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore CountyBaltimore, Maryland 21228tDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland at BaltimoreBaltimore, Maryland 21201ABSTRACTAn unsupervised stochastic model-based image analysis technique requires the model parameters to be estimateddirectly from the observed image. A new approach is presented to the problem of detecting the number of statisti-cally distinct regions in an image, based on the application of a new information theoretic criterion called minimumbias/variance criterion (MBVC). Different from the conventional approximation and coding based approaches in-troduced by Akaike (AIC) and by Rissanen (MDL), the new criterion is to reformulate the problem explicitly as aproblem of model bias and variance balancing in which the number of image regions is obtained merely by minimiz-ing the MBVC value. Simulation results that illustrate the performance of the new method for the detection of thenumber of regions in an image are presented with both synthetic and medical images.Keywords: image analysis, model selection, finite mixture, information theory, signal detection and estimation.1. INTRODUCTIONAn unsupervised stochastic model-based image analysis technique includes model parameter estimation andimage context segmentation which can be performed simultaneously, sequentially, or in a combination fashion. Inmany practical applications, it is desirable to estimate model parameters directly from the observed data before
Should I stay or should I go? An experimental study of health and economic government policies following a severe biological agent release

Extensive research has explored policy chal- lenges associated with preparing and responding to a large- scale biological release. A key component in recovery strategy development that has received less attention is the understanding of government policy influence on the impacted populations' migratory decisions. This study experimentally manipulates health and economic govern- ment policies during response and recovery to assess the extent to which public migration is contingent on the level of government intervention. Set immediately following a large- scale anthrax release in San Francisco, we use a five episode video scenario to describe details about the environmental impacts of the disaster, emergency response procedures, and clean-up operations. Within these video segments, the extent of government involvement in economic and health risk policies is manipulated. Using these manipulations as pre- dictors, we track how varying levels of government risk signals influence migration behavior at three distinct decision points during disaster recovery. In addition, two belief scales and two scales of emotion (affect) are included as predictors to explore the potential for their mediating role in explaining intentions to migrate. We find that the decision to migrate is highly context-sensitive, with each decision point showing a unique combination of significant predictors influencing decision making. At 19 days following the anthrax release, the health risk policy manipulation has both a direct and indirect effect on migration behavior. At 3 months, the influence of the health risk policy manipulation is mediated by beliefs, and at 1 year, only indirect effects associated with affect and beliefs influence migration.
A comparative study of EPR spin trapping and cytochrome c reduction techniques for the measurement of superoxide anions.

Superoxide anions (O2.−) generated by the reaction of xanthine with xanthine oxidase were measured by the reduction of cytochrome c and by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using the spin trap 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). Studies were performed to determine the relative sensitivities of these two techniques for the measurement of O2.−. Mixtures of xanthine, xanthine oxidase, DMPO generated two adducts, a transient DMPO-OOH and a smaller but longer-lived DMPO-OH. Both adducts were inhibited by superoxide dismutase (SOD), demonstrating they originated from O2.−, and were also significantly decreased when the experiments were performed using unchelated buffers, suggesting that metal ion impurities in unchelated buffers alter the formation or degradation of DMPO-adducts. O2.−, generated by concentrations of xanthine as low as 0.05 μM, were detectable using EPR spin trapping. In contrast, mixtures of xanthine, xanthine oxidase, and cytochrome c measured spectrophotometrically at 550 nm demonstrated that concentrations of xanthine above 1 μM were required to produce measurable levels of reduced cytochrome c. These studies demonstrate that spin trapping using DMPO was at least 20-fold more sensitive than the reduction of cytochrome c for the measurement of superoxide anions. However, at levels of superoxide generation where cytochrome c provides a linear measurement of production, EPR spin trapping may underestimate radical production, probably due to degradation of DMPO radical adducts.
FRO 2014: VEGF-Trap as a novel antifibrotic strategy to prevent filtration failure after glaucoma surgery

To explore the combined inhibition of VEGF and PlGF, by the use of VEGF-Trap, as a new therapeutic strategy to prevent filtration failure: 1) To investigate the most optimal administration route for VEGF-Trap 2) To compare the effects of VEGF-Trap to those of the gold standard in clinical practice, mitomycin-C (MMC) 3) To investigate the potential complementary effects of VEGF-Trap and MMC 4) To compare the efficacy of VEGF-Trap to bevacizumab (known to be effective in improving surgical outcome in a prospective randomized clinical trial)
Adverse selection with endogenous information in insurance markets

Abstract Models of adverse selection assume that risk type is known to the consumer but not to the insurer. Many analyses suggest that information has zero social value and negative prior value. Why then would consumers become informed? What is the incentive to gather information and why does adverse selection arise? We show that the private value of information is non-negative only if insurers cannot observe consumers' information status, or if consumers can conceal their informational status. We examine the existence and characterization of equilibria under different configurations of information costs and benefits. Finally, we examine some welfare implications of the endogenous information model for public policy regarding genetic testing and for state regulations concerning HIV testing.
Determination of critical micelle concentration of surfactants using a near-infrared hydrophobicity probe

Abstract A near-infrared (NIR) dye has been used for the determination of critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of surfactants. This NIR dye displays significant changes in its absorption spectra dependent on the hydrophobicity of the microenvironment around the dye molecule. The absorption spectra of this NIR dye show two distinct maxima which can be used in determining hydrophobicity. The NIR hydrophobicity probe detects the changes in the microenvironment hydrophobicity accompanying micelle formation. The determined CMC values are in good agreement with values obtained using other techniques. The major advantage of this NIR method lies in the inherently low interference of the NIR spectral region.
Circulatory and Pulmonary Effects of Acute Central Vascular Engorgement in Normal Subjects

SUMMARY 1. Brief, acute central vascular and pulmonary engorgement has been produced in normal subjects by inflation of an aviator's g-suit and by submersion in water while breathing against atmospheric pressure. 2. G-suit inflation (2 psi) produced an increase in central venous pressure of 26.8-7.8 cm H 2 O and a decrease in pulmonary compliance from .217-.048 to .093-.136 L per cm H 2 O. A similar compliance change occurred with submersion. [SEE CHART III IN SOURCE PDF] 3. On maintaining g-suit pressure or submersion for two minutes, central venous pressure and compliance showed a progressive but incomplete return toward control levels. 4. Infusion of norepinephrine or immersion of an arm in ice water during g-suit inflation prevented the return of central venous pressure and pulmonary compliance toward control levels. 5. It is suggested that the compliance changes induced by these procedures depend partially on the degree of central vascular engorgement and that under the experimental conditions this in turn is partially dependent on peripheral venous tone.
A decision analysis model predicts the optimal treatment pathway for patients with colorectal cancer and resectable synchronous liver metastases

Abstract Background The estimated 2400 Americans who annually present with colorectal cancer and simultaneous resectable liver metastases encounter a wide array of surgical and medical treatment options. Because of the large number of possible treatment sequences and the absence of clinical trials comparing these various pathways, there is no consensus on the optimal therapeutic strategy. Materials and Methods To address this issue, a decision-making model was developed incorporating all possible combinations of the following treatments: colorectal resection, hepatic resection, simultaneous colohepatic resection, and systemic chemotherapy. Transition probabilities associated with each treatment were determined by systematic review of the literature. Variations in complication rates based on the extent of hepatectomy (minor: 1-2 segments vs. major: > 2 segments) were factored into the model. Sensitivity analyses were performed to identify threshold values for study variables that altered the optimal treatment pathway. Results After 10,000 simulated patient trials with no bias toward any one initial treatment (ie, current practice conditions), the global calculated 5-year survival rate was 21%. For simulated patients with moderate hepatic tumor burden, only treatment sequences that placed systemic therapy before major hepatectomy resulted in improved 5-year survival projections (38% vs. 29%; P = .001; odds ratio, 1.82). Initial treatment with simultaneous colohepatic resection was only favored when the operative mortality rate was adjusted to Conclusion This detailed decision-making analysis predicts that the optimal treatment pathway for most patients with colorectal cancer and simultaneous resectable liver metastases is preoperative systemic therapy followed by colohepatectomy or 2-stage resection. In the era of improved systemic therapies, major hepatic resection should be deferred until local and systemic disease can been addressed.
The isothermal compressibility of the liquid mixtures neopentane + n-hexane and n-hexane + n-decane at low pressures and 298.15 K: experiment and theory

Abstract The isothermal compressibilities of binary mixtures of n -hexane + n -decane and n -hexane + neopentane were measured at 298.5 K and at low pressures. The results were fitted to the Tait equation. A theoretical equation for the isothermal compressibility of mixtures, generated from analysis of the grand canonical ensemble by Munster, is presented. The theory is evaluated analytically for the case of a binary mixture of hard spheres using Lebowitz's solution of the Percus-Yevick equation, and the predictions are compared with experiment. The theory is in qualitative, but not quantitative, agreement with the excess isothermal compressibilities of the hydrocarbon mixtures studied.
SU-FF-T-142: Error Analysis of An Independent MU Calculation Program for IMRT Fields

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy of an independent monitor unit calculation program for dose‐per‐MU verification of IMRT fields. The MU calculation program runs on a PC and is based on a scatter‐factor‐based empirical model to determine D/MU. This algorithm provides a head‐scatter model for IMRT fields. Method and Materials: The D/MU of IMRT fields at the same point (mostly the isocenter) was compared between treatment planning system and the independent MU calculation program. Here MU for an IMRT field refers to the total MU. The fractional MU of each segment of an IMRT field, defined as the MU for the segment per total MU, was assumed to be the same. The commercial treatment planning system is based on a pencil‐beam convolution algorithm with headscatter modeling. D/MU of a subset of IMRT fields, which is delivered to an IMRT phantom, was compared among the treatment planning system calculations, the independent MU calculations, and measurements. Results: Among 24 patients examined, the difference of D/MU for all IMRT fields delivered to a point agreed to within 7% for 91% (22/24) of patients, the same acceptance criteria using measurement, with the maximum error of 8.4%. This error is slightly worse then the measurement, where 100% of patients are within 7% limit. When each individual IMRT field is examined, 21% (33/160) of the fields have a discrepancy larger than 7%. Most of those fields (78.8%) lie in the valley region of an IMRT field. Conclusion: The independent MU calculation program can effectively verify the dose calculation accuracy for most IMRT fields. Only in few instances (9%), which invariably involves the calculation point to be in very low dose region, actual measurements are needed to further verify the accuracy of dose calculation for IMRT field.
Seasonal Variability in Abundance and Diversity of Soil Gymnamoebae Along a Short Transect in Southeastern USA

The abundance and diversity of gymnamoebae in three subsoils varying in compaction and water retention along a 1.2 m transect were documented as the local climatic conditions changed from late summer 1999 through mid-summer 2000. The mean density of gymnamoebae for the loose soil (1,655/g) was greater than either the most compact (1,468/g) or moderately compact soil (851/g). Minimum densities occurred in middle and late summer for all soils while significant (F = 38.803, < or = 0.0002) density peaks at 3.212/g occurred in early summer in the most compact soil, 2.928/g in the least compact, and 2,209/g in the moderately compact soil. Limax non-eruptive gymnamoebae (mt 2) correlated (r = 0.49, p < or = 0.016) with moisture while eruptive limax gymnamoebae ( 3) correlated with temperature (r = 0.07, p < or = 0.024), moisture (r = 0.58, p < or = 0.001) and precipitation (r = 0.46, p < or = 0.029). Flattened or discoid amoebae (mt 4) dominated throughout most of the survey, and the two limax groups showed inverse relationships. Chi-square analyses showed significant differences in the numbers of limax eruptive gymnamoebae compared to all other morphotypes on all but one sampling period.
Molecular and Biological Determinants of the Cytotoxic Actions of Camptothecins: Perspective for the Development of New Topoisomerase I Inhibitors

: Camptothecin, originally discovered in 1957 as an antitumor activity in plant extracts, has recently become one of the most promising leads to new anticancer drugs. After lingering for many years, interest in camptothecin was revitalized in 1985 upon discovery of its specific action on topoisomerase I. Detailed elucidation of action mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and pharmacologic levels has made camptothecin and its congeners perhaps the best understood among clinical anticancer drugs. Promising chemical variants of camptothecin, and recently other chemical categories of topoisomerase I-targeted drugs, provide unusually rich opportunities for rational drug selection and design. This is made possible by current concepts based, for the most part, on a sound experimental foundation, which points the way towards optimally effective therapy.
Dissecting aneurysm of the abdominal aorta

Abstract A case of aneurysm of the abdominal aorta, diagnosed ante mortem, is reported; this is the thirty-fifth dissecting aneurysm, and the second beginning in the abdominal aorta, on record.
Rapid reanalysis of the generalized eigenvalue problem of locally modified linear dynamical systems

Abstract A computationally efficient method for the reanalysis of the damped generalized eigenvalue problems associated with linear dynamical systems with local damping and stiffness modifications is developed. No restrictions are imposed on the damping of the system and the modifications in the damping and the stiffness can be independent of each other. The application of the developed method to the undamped generalized eigenvalue problem with mass and stiffness modifications is also discussed. The proposed method achieves up to three orders of magnitude gains in computational efficiency compared to the conventional solution procedures.
Lymphoid lineage fate decision of hematopoietic stem cells

To understand the mechanism in lymphoid development, it is critical to identify developmental intermediates downstream of hematopoietic stem cells, including cells responsible for seeding the thymus. Although early studies showed that hematopoietic stem cells choose either the myeloid-erythroid or the lymphoid pathway, recent data suggest that myelo-lymphoid precursors lacking erythroid potential exist in early hematopoiesis before cells are fully committed to the lymphoid lineage. We here summarize the phenotype and functional properties of such progenitors and the current developmental map for the lymphoid lineage.
Synthetic concanavalin A receptors and erythrocyte agglutination

THERE is considerable evidence to suggest the involvement of cell surface carbohydrates in cell-cell recognition and adhesion in, for example, muscle cell fusion1 and the adherence of bacteria to cells2. It is not yet clear whether the selectivity of the recognition process is a consequence of the structure and sequence of the saccharide chain and/or the topographical distribution of the saccharide unit(s) in the membrane. Further insight into the relationship between cellular specificity and carbohydrate structure and distribution may be gained if it were possible to introduce saccharide molecules on to specific portions of the cell surface. We show here that bovine erythrocytes, which are not normally agglutinated by the plant lectin concanavalin A (con A) (refs 3, 4), can be rendered agglutinable by the chemical introduction on to the cell surface of α-D-mannose residues, which are thought to be the primary specificity determinant for this lectin. The lectin-induced agglutination of cells can be taken as a model for the investigation of the general problem of the role of sugars in cell–cell recognition.
In vivo study of nmda-sensitive glutamate receptor by fluorothienylcycloexylpiperidine, a possible ligand for positron emission tomography

As a preliminary to positron emission tomography (PET) studies of excitatory amino acid neurotransmission, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-sensitive glutamate receptors of mice and rats were labelled in vivo with [3H]fluorothienylcycloexylpiperidine (FTCP), which binds to the phencyclidine site of the NMDA receptor. After intravenous injection, the half-life of clearance of authentic FTCP from blood was 4.2 min in mice, 12 min in rats and 45 min in a rhesus monkey. In rodent brain, the specific binding of [3H]FTCP, 10 min after intravenous injection, was 10–20% of the total binding and no regional differences were observed. However, if animals were treated with NMDA intraperitoneally (0.68 mmol/kg), 10 min before injection of [3H]FTCP, a three- to five-fold increase in specific binding was observed in hippocampus, cerebral cortex and striatum but not in cerebellum. Thus, specific binding of [3H]FTCP in vivo revealed the physiological status of the NMDA receptor: in fact, preliminary PET studies with [18F]FTCP in monkeys indicated increased binding after activation of NMDA receptors. These data suggest that PET with [18F]FTCP can be a tool to evaluate physiological or pathological modifications of the function of NMDA receptors.
A comparative study of bidirectional ring and crossbar interconnection networks

Abstract For distributed shared memory multiprocessors, the choice and the design of interconnection networks have a significant impact on their performance. Bidirectional ring networks are considered to be physically fast due to their simple structure, but topologically slow since their communication latency grows proportionally to the number of nodes. In this paper, we will present a quantitative measure to the question of how physically fast a bidirectional ring has to be to overcome its topologically slow communication latency by comparing it to the crossbar, an interconnection network that has opposite characteristics to the ring network. A hybrid method, in which workload parameters extracted from memory traces are given to an analytical model is used for performance evaluation. Our study shows for 16 nodes configuration, the performance of two networks are similar. For 32 and 64 nodes configurations, the bidirectional ring outperforms the crossbar by 21% and 61% respectively, on the average of four parallel applications.
The Role of Timing in Motor Program Representation

A motor program is the representation in memory that controls the sequential structure of a motor skill. The present research was an attempt to determine the degree to which the timing and sequenci...
Preparative soft and reactive landing of gas-phase ions on plasma-treated metal surfaces.

Soft landing of singly charged gas-phase ions on dry metal surfaces that were pretreated in situ by oxygen plasma results in 0.1−2% total yields of recovered intact compounds. Lysine, peptides, cry...
Mass digitization and its impact on interlending and document supply

Purpose – The amount of library material available online is staggering, but still at very early stages in terms of discovery tools. Without a centralized source to search digitized collections from these projects, it is important to understand their goals and distinctions between the services they provide. This paper aims to describe the complex landscape of mass digitization projects and their impact on interlending and document supply.Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyzes the history, goals and achievements of the mass digitization projects. It also looks at the sites that aggregate digitized materials from these projects and their interfaces for providing access.Findings – The number of library collections now digitized has reached numbers unimaginable even just a few years ago. The impact on interlending and document supply will likely be limited in the near term, since much of interlibrary borrowing is for materials published in the past decade, and much of the digitized content from this...