cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonlinear propagation, optical limiting and stimulated scattering in liquid crystalline fibers

Summary form only given. Liquid crystals in their various ordered and disordered phases have been shown to possess large optical nonlinearities over a wide temporal [CW to picosecond] and spectral [visible to infrared] ranges. Consequently, a whole range of nonlinear optical phenomena has been observed in liquid crystalline systems. In this paper, we report our recent successful fabrication of liquid crystalline cored optical fibers, and the observations of several nonlinear optical phenomena with greatly lowered threshold powers. >
How should we assess the value of innovative drugs in oncology? Lessons from cost-effectiveness analyses.

To the editor: Although the high price of cancer drugs and their marginal benefits (often only weeks to months) have been increasingly criticized, cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) often reach favorable conclusions regarding these agents. Recently, Saret and colleagues, using data from the Tufts
Mediated generalization: Replicated and reinterpreted

Wickerts & Briggs (1951) showed that response transfer found in human preconditioning studies could be due to mediation through a common response. The present study replicated their experiment with two additional control conditions. In one condition, Ss made different responses to stimuli during preconditioning. In the other, Ss received no preconditioning. Following operant avoidance conditioning to one stimulus, the other was presented to test for transfer. Wickens and Briggs’ results replicated. However, both control groups demonstrated as much transfer as the mediational groups. The mediation interpretation thus appears inadequate.
Temperature distribution in a bi-material body with a line of cracks under uniform heat flow

The temperature distribution in a bi-material body with a line of cracks at the interface under uniform heat flow is solved. The boundary value problem is reduced to the solution of a singular integral equation of Cauchy type whose solution is given by Muskhelishvili. Temperature distributions for the case of a single crack, and for the case of two collinear cracks are given.
Personal and impersonal values in bioethical decision making

A distinction is drawn between values that motivate individual action and values that arise in an interpersonal context from the making of an agreement in which two arguments are made. It is argued that since every individual is motivated by different values, the first type of value cannot serve as the basis for harmonious interaction. Whereas, if the second type of value does not serve as the basis of interaction there is no basis for agreement, therefore, no basis for harmonious interaction.
Comparative study of micronucleus assay and chromosomal aberration analysis in V79 cells exposed to ethylene oxide.

Micronucleus formation and chromosomal aberration (CA) in V79 cells were compared for their sensitivity in response to ethylene oxide (EtO) treatment. The results indicate that EtO exposure for 30 min induced CAs in V79 cells at the concentration of 3,500 ppm or higher. A statistically significant difference (P<0.01) was found between treated and control groups at all concentrations tested based on percent aberrant cells. The increase was dose-dependent with a correlation coefficient of 0.88. The aberrations found include chromatid and isochromatid breaks, fragments, minutes, and exchanges. Results of the micronucleus assay both in mononucleated and binucleated cells showed a slight but not statistically significant increase in micronuclei with doses between 457 to 4115 ppm. At the highest concentration tested (12344 ppm) EtO caused a significant increase in the micronucleus frequency (P<0.05). © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Revisiting a Pattern for Processing Combinatorial Objects in Parallel

The unrank pattern to process combinatorial objects in parallel is revisited. The pattern is applied to find, in parallel, solutions to a restricted version of the community finding problem on small graphs. Performance results obtained on a shared memory machine, a cluster of workstations and a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) are included.
Occurrence of mammalian sex steroids in the free-living nematode, Turbatrix aceti.

Abstract 1. 1. Mammalian sex steroids and cholesterol were isolated from the lipid extract of the free-living nematode, Turbatrix aceti . 2. 2. The mammalian steroid sex hormones, progesterone, testosterone and estrone, were detected and isolated from the mixture. 3. 3. The steroids were analysed by thin-layer, gas-liquid and high-performance liquid chromatography and their structures confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy.
Measurement Issues in Child Maltreatment and Family Violence Prevention Programs

In this article, the authors provide an overview of measurement issues relevant to monitoring and evaluation of child maltreatment and family violence prevention programs. This review originally was developed for use in a family violence prevention program in a military setting but can be adapted to similar programs, such as early intervention and family support efforts, that seek to prevent maltreatment and enhance family well-being. The multiple purposes of measurement, including use as screening, clinical assessment, or outcome tools, are discussed. Guidelines for selecting appropriate domains for evaluation are discussed, and specific information on a sampling of instruments is provided, including standardized measures of family and child well-being, parenting, stress and coping, and family violence. Suggestions for measures of key individual and family constructs are included. Language: en
Prey Size Selection under Simultaneous Choice by the Broad-Headed Skink (Eumeces laticeps)

Diet selection among several prey types present in a dense aggregation, permitting a predator to become satiated without changing patches, may be important for predators that can eat many small prey items in a single bout. Choice in this scenario differs from that in optimal foraging models for sequential diet choice model and simultaneous choice models when travel time between patches is needed. Furthermore, satiation and depletion effects may be important in dense prey aggregations. We predicted that in dense prey aggregations, predators should eat the most profitable prey first, switching to smaller prey as larger ones become depleted and predators become satiated, and that prey below some minimum profitability should be rejected. When large numbers of prey of varying sizes were presented simultaneously, broad-headed skinks (Eumeces laticeps) preferentially consumed large crickets, ate some medium-sized crickets late in ingestion sequences, but ate no small crickets. Prey depletion, with selection of the currently most profitable prey type, appears to account for much of observed prey switching, and satiation may contribute. When four crickets of each of four sizes were presented, lizards ate largest first, then medium-sized. Some then ate small crickets, but none ate very small crickets. These observations and exclusion of small crickets from the diet by many lizards when larger ones were unavailable support the predictions. In tests with three sizes of juvenile mice presented singly, the smallest were attacked at shortest latency and eaten, medium-sized mice were attacked at greater latency but could not be subdued, and large mice were not attacked. These data suggest that as prey become too large to subdue and eat readily, profitability declines until they are excluded from the diet. Unsuccessful attacks on medium-sized mice suggest that lizards had to learn their own capabilities with respect to a novel prey type.
Ethnic group and serum pepsinogen

Abstract Serum pepsinogen levels did not differ, either in mean value or in variability, among 133 middle-aged men of Irish descent, 196 men of Italian descent, and 64 Jews. A previous report of elevated levels among young men of Irish origin was not confirmed.
Water managers' perceptions of the science-policy interface in Phoenix, Arizona: Implications for an emerging boundary organization

A potential water supply crisis has sparked concern among policymakers, water managers, and academic scientists in Phoenix, AZ. The availability of water resources is linked to population growth, increasing demand, static supply, land use change, and uncertainty. This article examines the perceptions of water managers working at the science–policy interface in Phoenix and discusses the implications of their experiences for the development of an emerging boundary organization: the Decision Center for a Desert City. Qualitative analysis of data generated through in-depth interviews with water managers uncovers two understandings of the intersection of science and policy: One perspective is a traditional, linear model with sharp conceptual distinctions between the two spheres, and the other is a recursive model recognizing fluid boundaries. Managers describe uncertainty as inescapable, but manageable. A prescriptive model for the science–policy interface for Phoenix water management is presented.
Optimizing Service Parts Inventory in a Multiechelon, Multi-Item Supply Chain with Time-Based Customer Service-Level Agreements

In the realm of service parts management, customer relationships are often established through service agreements that extend over months or years. These agreements typically apply to a piece of equipment that the customer has purchased, and they specify the type and timing of service that will be provided. If a customer operates in multiple locations, service agreements may cover several pieces of equipment at several locations. In this paper, we describe a continuous-review inventory model for a multi-item, multiechelon service parts distribution system in which time-based service-level requirements exist. Our goal is to determine base-stock levels for all items at all locations so that the service-level requirements are met at minimum investment. We derive exact time-based fill-rate expressions for each item within its distribution channel, as well as approximate expressions for the gradients of these fill-rate functions. Using these results, we develop an intelligent greedy algorithm that can be used to find near-optimal solutions to large-scale problems quickly, as well as a Lagrangian-based approach that provides both near-optimal solutions and good lower bounds with increased computational effort. We demonstrate the effectiveness and scalability of these algorithms on three example problems.
Mechanisms of disease: Inflammatory mediators and cancer prevention.

Discovery of molecular pathways critical to carcinogenesis is revolutionizing the treatment and prevention of cancer. This review discusses recent advances in colorectal cancer chemoprevention and the development of novel anti-inflammatory agents that target signaling pathways important in tumor formation and metastasis, such as those involving cyclooxygenase (COX1 and COX2) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Discovery of molecular pathways critical to carcinogenesis is revolutionizing the treatment and prevention of cancer. Traditional chemotherapeutic approaches usually cause 'global' cytotoxicity to both normal and carcinoma cells. Over the past decade, however, investigators have developed compounds that inhibit tumor formation more selectively by targeting specific signaling pathways, including those involving the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2). COX2-derived bioactive lipids, including prostaglandin E2, are potent inflammatory mediators that promote tumor growth and metastasis through stimulation of cell proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis. Recent work has demonstrated significant crosstalk between the COX2 and EGFR pathways, while preclinical data demonstrates a synergistic effect when both pathways are targeted simultaneously. Combination therapy, a common strategy in cancer treatment, is likely to improve outcomes in cancer prevention as well. Ongoing clinical trials designed to assess whether low doses of COX2 and EGFR inhibitors used in combination could prove more effective and result in reduced toxicity than either agent alone may provide new options for cancer prevention and treatment. We discuss advances in cancer prevention by focusing on mechanisms by which bioactive lipids contribute to tumor formation. While cancer chemoprevention is a relatively young field, we argue that this approach to malignant disease bears significant potential.
A facile synthesis of 1-acyl ethylene glycol-2-phosphoryl-cholines

Abstract A facile synthesis of ethylene glycol analogs of lecithins is described. The procedure involves direct acylation of ethylene glycol phosphorylcholine, prepared from sn -glycero-3-phosphorylcholine by periodate oxidation followed by reduction with NaBH 4 . The pure glycol lecithins are isolated in high yield after chromatography on silicic acid. The utility of the procedure is illustrated by the preparation of glycol lecithins with the following acyl chains: acetyl, butyryl, hexanoyl, octanoyl, and oleoyl. The availability of methods for the preparation of synthetic lecithins 1, 2 make feasible studies of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lecithins to an extent heretofore impractical. In many instances a comparison of the properties of the ethylene glycol analogs, which contain only one fatty acyl chain, may provide additional information and insights into the properties of lecithins. However, the methods available for the synthesis of ethylene glycol analogs require total synthesis based on well established procedures for the total synthesis of lecithins 3–5 . While these methods are capable of yielding the desired products in a high degree of purity, they require several steps and are not readily adapted for the synthesis of analogs with short chain fatty acyl residues. We report here a generally applicable procedure involving the acylation of ethylene glycol phosphorylcholine, which is readily prepared from sn - glycero -3- phosphorylcholine .
Effects of ethylating agents on DNA synthesis in vitro : implications for the mechanism of carcinogenesis

A highly carcinogenic ethylating agent, ethylnitrosourea (ENU), and a weakly carcinogenic one, diethylsulfate (DES) react with DNA to roughly the same extent but DES produces about 6 times as many unstable ethylated bases, which are gradually lost spontaneously under physiological conditions. The different rates of loss for the different DNA bases have been studied using polydeoxyribonucleotides. Spontaneous strand breakage following base loss is slow, lagging more than a week behind base loss at 37 degrees C; ultimately, DES results in much more spontaneous strand breakage than ENU. In DNA synthesis in vitro, using avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) polymerase, no nucleotides are incorporated opposite missing bases in the template; when the template contains ethylated bases that are impaired in their ability to form specific hydrogen bonds, purine-pyrimidine mispairing can occur and mismatched nucleotides are incorporated into the daughter strand. ENU ethylates somewhat more sites leading to mispairing potential than DES. ENU also produces approximately 7.5 times more ethyl phosphotriesters than DES.
Penetration of Cefamandole into Spinal Fluid

Abstract Twelve patients, aged 6 months to 62 years, with proven bacterial meningitis, were given a single intravenous dose of cefamandole (33 mg/kg) 75 to 140 min before a routine lumbar puncture. Infecting organisms included Haemophilus influenzae (eight cases), Streptococcus pneumoniae (two cases), and Neisseria meningitidis and β-hemolytic streptococcus (one each). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was analyzed by microbiological assay for cefamandole. The median concentration was 0.60 μg/ml, ranging from undetectable to 7.4 μg/ml. CSF cefamandole concentrations correlated with CSF protein: in six patients with CSF protein less than 100 μg/dl, the range of drug concentration was 0 to 0.62 μg/ml; and in six patients with CSF protein above 100 mg/dl, the range was 0.57 to 7.4 μg/ml. No significant correlation was noted between severity of illness, type of organism involved, or patient age and concentration of drug achieved.
Gene transfer into rat airway epithelial cells using retroviral vectors

Primary cultures of epithelial cells from adult rat tracheas were maintained in vitro on collagen matrices and were exposed to a murine retrovirus vector expressing the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene. Infection was carried out on cells grown as monolayers under medium and on cells grown on raised platforms. Cells maintained at an air-medium interface were highly susceptible to infection with the vector, showing an efficiency of infection of 20-25%, compared with an efficiency of less than 1% for cells grown under medium. Infected beta-galactosidase-expressing cells were seeded into denuded tracheas and were capable of partially repopulating the denuded tracheas grafted subcutaneously into host rats. The susceptibility of these cells to retroviral infection suggests an approach to the treatment of some pulmonary genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.
Dynamic Assessment of Abnormalities in Central Pain Transmission and Modulation in Tension-type Headache Sufferers

Objective.—To examine and compare central pain processing and modulation in young tension-type headache sufferers with that of matched healthy controls using an induced headache “challenge” paradigm. Background.—Recent research has suggested that abnormalities in central pain processing and descending pain modulation may contribute to chronic tension-type headache. These abnormalities, if they contribute to headache pathogenesis, should be present in young adult tension-type headache sufferers. Recent research using static measures of physiological variables, such as muscle tenderness and exteroceptive suppression, has identified chronic muscle tenderness as a characteristic of young tension-type headache sufferers, but other central nervous system functional abnormalities may require a dynamic “challenge” to be observed. Methods.—Twenty-four young women meeting the International Headache Society diagnostic criteria for tension-type headache (headache-prone) and a matched group of 24 healthy women who reported fewer than 10 problem headaches per year (control) participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Subjects completed jaw clenching and a placebo condition on different days in counterbalanced order. Pericranial muscle tenderness, pressure-pain thresholds on the temporalis, and exteroceptive suppression periods were assessed before and after each procedure. Head pain was recorded for 12 to16 hours following each condition. Results.—Headache-prone subjects were more likely than controls to experience headaches after both the jaw clenching and placebo procedures, but neither group was significantly more likely to experience headaches following jaw clenching than placebo. In pretreatment measurements, headache-prone subjects exhibited greater muscle tenderness than controls, but pressure-pain detection thresholds and exteroceptive suppression periods did not differ in the two groups. Control subjects showed increases in muscle tenderness and exteroceptive suppression periods following both the clenching and placebo procedures, whereas headache-prone subjects exhibited no significant changes in any of the physiological measures following either experimental manipulation. Conclusions.—These results confirm previous findings indicating abnormally high pericranial muscle tenderness in young tension headache sufferers even in the headache-free state. In addition, the results suggest that the development of headaches following noxious stimulation is more strongly related to headache proneness and associated abnormalities in central pain transmission or modulation (indexed by pericranial muscle tenderness and exteroceptive suppression responses) than muscle strain induced by jaw clenching.
Cargo Vehicle Productivity

This paper develops a model of the operation of any size or type of cargo vehicle. Twenty-eight operating and design characteristics are represented permitting their impact on steady state productivity to be estimated. This tool enables one to make a quick but detailed comparison of competing vehicles by manual means. It reduces the need of employing a computer, and should be of use to management concerned with new methods of cargo movement and with vehicle procurement.
Conditional Expression of the TVA Receptor Allows Clonal Analysis of Descendents from Cre-expressing Progenitor Cells

An understanding of the number and types of progeny produced by progenitor cells during development provides a foundation for studies of when and where cell fate determination takes place. Lineal relationships can be revealed by the identification of descendents of cells that express a recombinase, such as Cre or Flp. This method provides data concerning gene expression history, but does not provide clonal resolution among the descendents. An alternative method employs retroviral labeling, which permits the identification of clones, but does not allow for the tracking of gene expression history. Here we report a combination of these methods to circumvent each method's limitations. By employing the specificity of Cre expression, and by selecting only a subset of cells with a Cre history for retroviral infection, clones with a gene expression history can be labeled. The method utilizes a conditional allele of the avian tumor virus receptor A (TVA), which allows infection of mouse cells following Cre activity, with mammalian retroviral vectors pseudotyped with the ASLV-A envelope glycoprotein (EnvA). We quantified the efficiency and specificity of this system in vivo and in vitro. We also generated a series of retroviral vectors encoding a variety of histochemical and fluorescent reporter genes that enable the tracking of mixtures of clones, thus enabling better resolution of clonal boundaries. This method and new vectors can be used to further our understanding of the gene expression patterns of progenitor cells that make particular daughter cells, as well as provide a platform for manipulating identified subsets of developing cells.
Integral-equation perturbation theory for polar fluids

(1976). Integral-equation perturbation theory for polar fluids. Molecular Physics: Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 1923-1928.
Musculoskeletal complications of systemic lupus erythematosus in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort: an update.

Objective. To determine the frequency of musculoskeletal system damage among patients in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort, over time, and to determine predictors of musculoskeletal damage [including avascular necrosis of bone, osteoporosis, and fracture] in the same cohort. Methods. Evaluation of the cohort visit database [from 1989 or at the time of entry into the cohort if later than 1989] for the 407 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. Musculoskeletal damage was measured by the SLICC/ACR Damage Index. Results. Total damage and musculoskeletal damage accumulated from the time of diagnosis of SLE, and musculoskeletal damage continued over time, with avascular necrosis of bone being the most common form. African-Americans and SLE patients of lower socioeconomic status were more likely to experience musculoskeletal damage. Use of corticosteroids was a major risk factor for both avascular necrosis of bone and osteoporosis. Conclusio. Musculoskeletal damage remains one of the major sequela of SLE. Reduction of the modifiable risk factors [especially prednisone dose] is the key to both primary and secondary prevention efforts.
Negative regulation of axis formation and Wnt signaling in Xenopus embryos by the F-box/WD40 protein βTrCP

Abstract Screening a maternal Xenopus expression library for activities that synergize with low levels of injected β -catenin, we have isolated a clone encoding the C-terminal end of x- β TrCP-2, a highly conserved protein belonging to the F-box/WD40 family of ubiquitin-ligase specificity factors. We show that x- β TrCP-2 expression reduces dorsal axis formation in Xenopus embryos. A dominant negative mutant lacking the F-box triggers the opposite effect, inducing secondary axes and activating the expression of Wnt responsive genes in ectodermal explants. In light of the existence of β TrCP transcripts associated with the vegetal cortex, we propose that β TrCP plays a fundamental role in the establishment of the dorsal determinants during cortical rotation in Xenopus .
Computational Studies of Texas Red―1,2―Dihexadecanoyl―sn―glycero―3―phosphoethanolamine―Model Building and Applications

Texas Red-1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (TR-DHPE) is a frequently used experimental tool in the study of lipid membranes by fluorescence microscopy techniques. Although it is usually incorporated at low concentration, several experimental studies suggest that fluorescent labels could alter the membrane's behavior. To investigate this possibility, we developed and validated a molecular dynamics model for TR-DHPE. The model was used to simulate TR-DHPE in 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayers of 127 lipids and 511 lipids. We also simulated a pure 128 DPPC bilayer under the same conditions and found that the results compared well with other simulations and experiments. Texas Red was found to reside in the upper acyl chain region of the bilayer. Coinciding with its position in the bilayer, we found that Texas Red decreased the upper acyl carbon order parameters of neighboring lipids. We analyzed area per lipid at varying distances from the Texas Red and discovered finite size effects in the 1:127 system. In both systems, the Texas Red bound to a DPPC lipid. The model we have developed should also be useful for other biomolecular simulations which try to mimic experimental systems.
An interview with John H. Holland

John Holland began his academic career as a graduate student at the University of Michigan studying with Arthur Burks, a designer of early programmable computers and colleague of John von Neumann. Under Burks' supervision, in 1959 Holland received what may have been the first Ph.D. in the world in the emerging field of computer science. He was subsequently hired as one of the first professors in the new department of Computer and Communication Science at the University of Michigan.As the inventor of genetic algorithms, John established himself as one of the early pioneers in understanding the foundations of adaptation, learning, and modeling in both natural and artificial systems. His extensions of the genetic algorithm, first to a cognitive architecture called classifier systems and later to an ecological architecture known as Echo, have increased the reach of his ideas well beyond computer science. John Holland's imaginative, interdisciplinary approach to thinking about adaptation, emergence and complexity has made him one of the world's acknowledged leaders in the field of complex adaptive systems. In addition to his many intellectual achievements, John Holland has also been a valued mentor and friend for those of us who have had the privilege to be his students.Holland is currently a Professor of Psychology and Professor of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science at the University of Michigan. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees and an External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute. Holland was made a MacArthur Fellow in 1992 and is a Fellow of the World Economic Forum.
Empathic communities: balancing emotional and factual communication

Abstract The Web empowers a diverse population of users and this is reflected in both the demography and interests of today’s on-line communities. Many of these communities provide an essential social function by enabling people with medical or personal problems to discuss their concerns with others. Physicians can provide the facts, but other patients can tell you what it really feels like and what to expect next, in a way that only someone with personal experience can. A study of the messages from an on-line medical support group shows that empathy is an essential ingredient in participants’ discussions. Better tools are needed to empower patients to help themselves by finding information and contacting other patients in bulletin board communities. Suggestions about the nature of these tools are discussed. In particular, supporting a balance between empathic and factual communication is stressed.
Effect of turnover rate on the change of concentration of an unstable compound in a dip coating bath

The effect of turnover rate on the change of concentration of unstable (degradable) compounds in a dip coating bath during a continuous coating process was theoretically calculated as a function of the degradation rate of the compound. It is assumed that the bath is replenished by the same coating material as that in the original bath to maintain the volume of the material in the bath constant.
Last Gasp Patriarchy: Women And Men In Conservative American Protestantism

L'A. commence par des exemples vecus de l'attitude du protestantisme americain conservateur a l'egard des femmes et du feminisme. Elle en arrive a employer le terme «fondamentalisme» pour la designer, puisque ce mot servait, au debut du XXe siecle, pour identifier tous ceux qui s'opposaient au «modernisme» et qui retenaient la seule autorite des Ecritures telles qu'ils les interpretaient. Elle montre que ce qu'on nomme «fondamentalisme» aux Etats-Unis aujourd'hui est quelquechose de tres complexe qu'il ne faut pas rejeter avec mepris, car il revele beaucoup sur la difficulte de vivre dans le monde que la modernite a apporte.
Sidewall functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes by addition of dichlorocarbene.

We report the sidewall functionalization of soluble HiPco single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) by addition of dichlorocarbene. The dichlorocarbene-functionalized SWNTs [(s-SWNT)CCl2] retain their solubility in organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran and dichlorobenzene. The degree of dichlorocarbene functionalization was varied between 12% and 23% by using different amounts of the dichlorocarbene precursor. Because the addition of dichlorocarbene saturates the carbon atoms on the sidewall of the SWNTs and effectively replaces the delocalized partial double bonds with a cyclopropane functionality, the optical spectra of the SWNTs change dramatically. We estimate that the saturation of 25% of the π-network electronic structure of the SWNTs is sufficient to remove all vestiges of the interband transitions in the infrared spectrum. The transitions at the Fermi level in the metallic SWNTs that appear in the far-infrared (FIR) region of the spectrum show a dramatic decrease of intensity on dichlorocarbene fu...
Simplified Valuation of Single-Payoff Financial Instruments

Cheung and Chung (1996) presented a set of four basic components that can be used to reconstruct piecewise linear payoff diagrams associated with single-payoff instruments. Arbitrage arguments indicate that this provides a method to value complex financial instruments as the sum of the values of their underlying basic components. We present a modified scheme using two hybrid components which were constructed so that each piecewise linear segment can be replicated independently. This leads to a simple algorithm that is amenable to quick computer implementation.
Brain surface temperature under a craniotomy.

Many neuroscientists access surface brain structures via a small cranial window, opened in the bone above the brain region of interest. Unfortunately this methodology has the potential to perturb t...
Ethical Climate Typology and Questionnaire: A Discussion of Instrument Modifications

The Ethical Climate Typology (ECT) and Ethical Climate Questionnaire (ECQ) are instruments traditionally used to examine the ethical work climate in organizations. The instruments were modified to correct shortcomings acknowledged in the literature and tested on a sample of libraries. Data analysis suggested that some modifications improved the instruments' integrity.
Theoretical investigation of a water‐gas‐shift catalytic membrane for diesel reformate purification

The novel application of a catalytic water-gas-shift membrane reactor for selective removal of CO from H2-rich reformate mixtures for achieving gas purification solely via manipulation of reaction and diffusion phenomena, assuming Knudsen diffusion regime and the absence of hydrogen permselective materials, is described. An isothermal, two-dimensional model is developed to describe a tube-and-shell membrane reactor supplied with a typical reformate mixture (9% CO, 3% CO2, 28% H2, and 15% H2O) to the retentate volume and steam supplied to the permeate volume such that the overall H2O:CO ratio within the system is 9:1. Simulations indicate that apparent CO:H2 selectivities of 90:1 to >200:1 at H2 recoveries of 20% to upwards of 40% may be achieved through appropriate design of the catalytic membrane and selection of operating conditions. Under these conditions, simulations predict an apparent hydrogen permeability of 2.3 × 10−10 mol m−1 Pa, which compares favorably against that of competing hydrogen-permselective membranes. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 4334–4345, 2013
Culture of organized cell communities.

Abstract Cells cultured in vitro will tend to retain their differentiated phenotype under conditions that resemble their natural in vivo environment, for example, when cultured on polymer scaffolds in tissue culture bioreactors. In this chapter, we define organized cell communities as three-dimensional in vitro grown cell–polymer constructs that display important structural and functional features of the natural tissue. We review representative studies in which the research goal was to culture organized cell communities resembling cartilage, bone, skeletal muscle or cardiac-like tissue. These constructs can potentially serve as tissue equivalents for in vivo transplantation or as a model system for the in vitro testing of cell and tissue-level responses to molecular, mechanical or genetic manipulations.
Two quick estimates of the HIV prevalence in homosexual men in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco

Two rough methods are given to estimate the combined HIV prevalence in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in homosexual men. Both methods are related to the back calculation technique, and use AIDS surveillance data and information obtained from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Both methods suggest that the combined HIV prevalence is approximately 100,000, with a possible range of 80,000-140,000.
Measurement of respiratory rate in the unrestrained rat.

A method is presented for recording breathing rate in the unrestrained rat. A thermocouple is implanted in the nose and the leads are externalized through a terminal implanted on the skull. The difference in temperature between inspired and expired air is taken as the measure of breathing. Techniques for construction and implantation of the thermocouple unit are presented.
True substrates for alkaline phosphatase.

Abstract In the enzymic hydrolysis of β-glycerophosphate, the species on which the alkaline phosphatase acts is the un-ionized acid. Supporting evidence for this includes: (a) 32P specific activity of the hydrolysis product corresponding to the specific activity of the un-ionized acid in the reaction medium; (b) an increase in reactivity with enzyme dilution which disappears with lower pH; and (c) experimental data from the literature.
Drinking in the Age of the Great Recession

The United States has been experiencing the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression. This article presents the Life Change Consequences of the Great Recession (LCCGR), an instrument depicting work and personal life-related stressors reflecting the enduring effects of the Great Recession. A national sample of 663 respondents completed a mail survey including this instrument and measures of drinking outcomes. Multiple regression analyses addressed the links between the LCCGR and drinking. Economy-related stressors manifested significant effects on both male and female consumptions patterns, but most LCCGR subscales were more clearly related to problematic drinking patterns in men compared with women.
The Life History and Ecological Relationships of the Alewife (Pomolobus Pseudoharengus - Wilson) in Seneca Lake, New York

(1934). The Life History and Ecological Relationships of the Alewife (Pomolobus Pseudoharengus - Wilson) in Seneca Lake, New York. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society: Vol. 64, No. 1, pp. 118-126.
ST-segment elevation: a common finding in severe hypercalcemia.

We read with interest the report by Nishi et al in which they describe a patient who presented with ST-segment elevation mimicking acute myocardial infarction due to severe hypercalcemia. As the authors pointed out, very few similar cases have been previously published in the literature. In our experience, however, ST-segment elevation is not a rare curiosity, but in fact, it may be the least welldocumented but most consistent electrocardiographic (ECG) finding in patients with hypercalcemia. Over the last 14 years at our large tertiary care center teaching institution, we collected 16 cases of hypercalcemia in which the electrocardiogram demonstrated ST-segment elevation that mimicked acute myocardial injury. Most electrocardiograms were recorded by a GE-Marquette system using the 12SL interpretation software. The pertinent
Sexual Violence and the MDGs

ABSTRACT Sexual violence is multi-faceted. Three (overlapping) categories can be distinguished: violence that is sexual in nature, gender-based violence, and sexuality-based violence. The latter refers to violence against persons because of their sexuality and/or their (presumed) sexual behavior. Being female, young, poor, and living in a sexually conservative culture and/or in conflict areas appear to be important risk factors for sexual violence. Sexual violence is widespread (one in five girls worldwide are sexually abused in childhood and up to three-quarters of women in some countries have been victimized by a partner), but prevalence figures around the globe are hard to compare. Both the individual and society suffer from sexual violence. The eradication of sexual violence is directly relevant to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to infant and maternal health and mortality, and combating HIV/AIDS. And certainly no less important, it is very closely linked to the MDGs related ...
Heparin Stimulates Elastogenesis: Application to Silk-Based Vascular Grafts

With over 500,000 coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) performed annually in the United States alone, there is a significant clinical need for a small diameter tissue engineered vascular graft. A principle goal in tissue engineering is to develop materials and growth conditions that encourage appropriate recellularization and extracellular matrix formation in vivo. A particular challenge in vascular engineering results from the inability of adult cells to produce elastin, as its expression is developmentally limited. We investigated factors to stimulate elastogenesis in vitro, and found that heparin treatment of adult human vascular smooth muscle cells promoted the formation of elastic fibers. This effect was heparin-specific, and dependent on cell density and growth state. We then applied this information to a silk-based construct, and found that immobilized heparin showed essentially identical biological effects to that of soluble heparin. These findings indicate that heparinized vascular grafts may promote elastin formation and regulate restenosis, in addition to heparin's well-established antithrombotic properties. Given the increase in elastin mRNA level and the increase in extracellular elastin present, our data suggests that there may be multiple levels of elastin regulation that are mediated by heparin treatment.
Ocean drilling ship chosen

The Sedco/BP 471, owned jointly by Sedco, Inc., of Dallas, Tex., and British Petroleum, has been selected as the drill ship for the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP). The contract, with a specified initial term of 4 years with 10 1-year options after that, is expected to be signed by mid March by Texas AM the first scientific cruise is scheduled for next January. One year ago, the commercial drilling market sagged, opening up the option for leasing a commercial drill ship (Eos, February 22, 1983, p. 73). Previously, the ship of choice had been the Glomar Explorer; rehabilitating the former CIA salvage ship would have been extremely expensive, however.
Clinical utility of transthoracic two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography☆

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to determine the value of contemporary echocardiography for patient diagnosis and management in clinical practice. Background. Although the use of echocardiography is growing rapidly, there is little information about its clinical utility. Methods. A prospective observational study was performed at a community-based, tertiary care teaching hospital. Physicians were interviewed before and after learning the result of their patients' echocardiographic examination. Chart reviews were performed to confirm reports of new diagnoses and treatments that resulted from echocardiography. Results. Physician interviews were successfully completed for 244 (49%) of 497 inpatients and 101 (30%) of 336 outpatients. Among, patients with moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, the diagnosis of “clinically significant” mitral regurgitation was unsuspected in 5 (31%) of 16 outpatients and 28 (60%) of 47 inpatients. Among the patients with left ventricular wall motion abnormalities, the result was unsuspected in 7 (50%) of 14 outpatients and 18 (22%) of 81 inpatients. As assessed by chart review, echocardiography produced a definite new diagnosis in 25 inpatients (10%) and 5 outpatients (5%) and was responsible for changes in pharmacologic treatment in at least 16 inpatients (7%) and 2 outpatients (2%). Conclusions. The echocardiogram commonly provided information that was unexpected. This information provided a definite new diagnosis or treatment in a smaller proportion of the patients. Further research is necessary to define the appropriate yield that would warrant echocardiography on the basis of both clinical and cost-effectiveness criteria.
Kin selection theory: A review and selective bibliography

Abstract A bibliography of 334 references on kin selection theory and kinship behavior is presented. Citations are grouped into sections on theory ("Kinship Theory," "Inbreeding and Kinship Effects," and "Kinship Effects Within the Family") and empirical studies ("Kinship Effects in Insects and Other Ectotherms." "Kinship Effects in Birds," "Kinship Effects in Nonprimate Mammals," "Kinship Effects in Nonhuman Primates," and "Kinship Effects in Humans"). In the introductory section, many of the papers are reviewed in order to further organize the literature on kin selection theory. It is hoped that researchers in the biological and social sciences, as well as beginning students, will find this annotated bibliography a useful overview of one of the major areas of research in sociobiology, behavioral ecology, and ethology.
Phase reviews versus fast product development: a business case

Business enterprises are always seeking robust and innovative approaches for new product development as part of their competitive strategy. Today many businesses use product development processes that include phase reviews. A number of researchers offer up a different view of product development. They suggest that phase reviews can slow down product development, and the critical path should be focused on. However, the PACE® process is a phase review process that has several advantages over a critical path focus. ACME SC is an example of a company that decided to manage its product development pipeline using a process based on PACE®. There are reviews between each of the six phases where management can approve the schedule and budget for the next phase, order more work before approval, put the project on hold, or cancel the project. The paper discusses the advantages offered by ACME SC’s PACE® product development process, the disadvantages mentioned in the literature and recommendations on how this or any ...
Thinking and acting beyond the positive: the role of the cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia

Since currently available antipsychotic medications predominantly treat hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts and behavior, and related agitation/aggression, attention has traditionally been focused on managing positive symptoms. However, prominent negative symptoms and clinically relevant cognitive impairment affect approximately 40% and 80% of people with schizophrenia, respectively. Moreover, negative and cognitive symptoms are closely related to functional outcomes, and contribute substantially to the overall illness burden. Therefore, approaches to describe, measure, and manage these symptom domains are relevant. This article summarizes the phenomenology, prevalence, assessment, and treatment of negative and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management strategies that can be used in clinical care now, as well as pharmacologic approaches that are being tested. Currently, no approved treatments targeting negative or cognitive symptomatology in schizophrenia are available. It is hoped that progress in the understanding of the neurobiology of these important symptom domains of schizophrenia will help develop effective treatment strategies in the future. However, until this goal is achieved, clinicians should avoid therapeutic nihilism. Rather, the severity and impact of negative and cognitive symptoms should be determined, quantified, and monitored. Further, psychosocial treatments have shown therapeutic benefits. Thus, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive remediation, social skills training, and computer-assisted training programs should be offered in conjunction with antipsychotic treatment. Several non-antipsychotic augmentation strategies can be tried off-label. Treatment plans that incorporate currently available management options for negative and cognitive symptomatology in patients with schizophrenia should be adapted over time and based on the individual's needs, with the aim to enhance overall outcomes.
Planning sensing actions for UAVs in urban domains

We illustrate an approach for planning UAV sensing actions in urban or constrained domains. We plan and optimize a collection strategy for a target of interest using Design Sheet, a numeric/symbolic algebraic constraint propagation package. Once a set of sensing plans have been developed, we use a probabilistic roadmap planning algorithm to plan a route for a fixed wing UAV through urban terrain to collect that information. This planner has several novel features to improve performance for urban domains.
Highly Ordered Thin Films of Octasubstituted Phthalocyanines

Phthalocyanines (Pc) modified at eight positions with benzyloxyethoxy groups (CuPc(OC2OBz)8 and H2Pc(OC2OBz)8) form discotic mesophases in the bulk and self-assemble into cofacial rodlike aggregates in monolayers. These Pc aggregates form close packed arrays which are simple to process into highly coherent multilayer thin films. When these self-organizing molecular systems are compressed on the surface of an LB trough, the Pc columns align parallel to the compression barriers and form a rigid bilayer film (ca. 5.6 nm thick). Sections of these bilayer films can be mechanically removed from the trough surface with complete retention of integrity of the remaining film. This unprecedented behavior appears to arise from the multiple π−π interactions between adjacent Pcs, resulting in unusually strong noncovalent interactions. AFM and STM studies of monolayer and bilayer films show that they consist of Pc columns which are coherent over distances of 50−100 nm. Thin films consisting of up to 15 bilayers (ca. 84 ...