cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New Directions in Proteomics

When we ask ourselves what we care about most in analytical proteomics work, two things spring to mind: sensitivity and throughput. Sensitivity is important because proteomics demands analysis of proteins at their natural abundance. In many cases, this forces us to analyze proteins that are present at very low levels. Throughput is important because, to really analyze proteomes (as opposed to proteins), we must be able to perform many analyses as rapidly as possible. Not surprisingly, proteomics technology is evolving toward both improved sensitivity and improved throughput.
CURRENT CONCEPTS ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF OSTEONECROSIS OF THE FEMORAL HEAD

Treatment of atraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head is presently based not on disease prevention, but instead on the end-stage changes of bone associated with the necrotic lesion. Current diagnostic modalities are limited, by both cost and efficacy, in their ability to diagnose early-stage osteonecrosis. While many studies have assumed the cause of osteonecrosis is vascular occlusion, recent work suggests that alternate processes are primarily involved in the pathogenesis. By examining these concepts, a better understanding of osteonecrosis of the femoral head may lead to earlier diagnostic modalities and treatment protocols to prevent this devastating process from developing.
Effect of prespecified therapy escalation on plasma NT-proBNP concentrations in dogs with stable congestive heart failure due to myxomatous mitral valve disease.

BACKGROUND Treatment targeted to achieve reduction in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) improves outcomes in human congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. HYPOTHESIS A pre-specified therapeutic algorithm that increased diuretic or pimobendan usage will reduce plasma NT-proBNP concentrations in dogs with CHF secondary to myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD). ANIMALS Twenty-six dogs with clinically stable CHF secondary to MMVD. METHODS Prospective, controlled before-and-after study. Dogs were examined up to 3 times over 21 days. Treatment was prescribed based on NT-proBNP as follows: <1500 pmol/L at baseline, no treatment adjustment at any point during the study (group 1); ≥1500 pmol/L and creatinine ≤3.0 mg/dL at baseline or SC visits, treatment escalated according to the algorithm (group 2); ≥1500 pmol/L at baseline, no treatment adjustment (group 3). RESULTS N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide decreased significantly in group 2 (mean change = -1736 pmol/L (95% CI, -804 to -2668), P < .001) but not in groups 1 or 3 (623 pmol/L [-631 to 1877 pmol/L], P = .14 and 685 pmol/L [-304 to 1068 pmol/L], P = .46, respectively). Serum BUN and creatinine did not change significantly between visit 0 and visit 2 in group 1 (median = 23 mg/dL [range 13-32] versus 19 mg/dL [12-38], P = .72 and 1.15 mg/dL [0.70-1.40] versus 0.95 mg/dL [0.70-1.10], P = .10, respectively) or group 2 (28 mg/dL [18-87] versus 43.5 mg/dL [21-160], P = .092 and 1.10 mg/dL [0.90-2.50] versus 1.55 mg/dL [0.90-3.30], P = .062, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Use of this treatment escalation algorithm allows effective targeting of treatment for CHF in dogs against an objective criterion.
Effect of toll roads on travel time reliability within its vicinity: a case study from the state of North Carolina

This research is carried out to evaluate the efficacy of toll roads in reducing travel time and improving travel time reliability on links within its vicinity, using data for the Triangle Expresswa...
GENERALIZED ACCELERATED RECURRENCE TIME MODEL IN THE PRESENCE OF A DEPENDENT TERMINAL EVENT

Recurrent events are commonly encountered in longitudinal studies. The observation of recurrent events is often stopped by a dependent terminal event in practice. For this data scenario, we propose two sensible adaptations of the generalized accelerated recurrence time (GART) model (J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 111 (2016) 145–156) to provide useful alternative analyses that can offer physical interpretations while rendering extra flexibility beyond the existing work based on the accelerated failure time model. Our modeling strategies align with the rationale underlying the use of the survivors’ rate function or the adjusted rate function to account for the presence of the dependent terminal event. For the proposed models, we identify and develop estimation and inference procedures which can be readily implemented based on existing software. We establish the asymptotic properties of the new estimator. Simulation studies demonstrate good finite-sample performance of the proposed methods. An application to a dataset from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR) illustrates the practical utility of the new methods.
Oxidation of Gallium-based Liquid Metal Alloys by Water

Gallium alloys with other low melting point metals, such as indium or tin, to form room-temperature liquid eutectic systems. The gallium in the alloys rapidly forms a thin surface oxide when exposed to ambient oxygen. This surface oxide has been previously exploited for self-stabilization of liquid metal nanoparticles, retention of metastable shapes, and imparting stimuli-responsive behavior to the alloy surface. In this work, we study the effect of water as an oxidant and its role in defining the alloy surface chemistry. We identify several pathways that can lead to the formation of gallium oxide hydroxide (GaOOH) crystallites, which may be undesirable in many applications. Furthermore, we find that some crystallite formation pathways can be reinforced by typical top-down particle synthesis techniques like sonication. This improved understanding of interfacial interactions provides critical insight for process design and implementation of advanced devices that utilize the unique coupling of flexibility and conductivity offered by these gallium-based liquid metal alloys.
‘Creating the community I want to be part of’: Affinity-based organising in a small, progressive rustbelt city:

This article explores a small city’s response to the inauguration of Donald Trump in January 2017. Love, Resilience, Action Ypsilanti (LRAY) focused on community-building and the social justice his...
Slovenia, Country Risk and FDI - Three Levels of Analysis. Mixed Methodologies Offer Fresh Insights

Slovenia is the first of the recent Accession countries to the EU to adopt the Euro as its currency. Its location at the top of the Balkan line and just under Austria and Italy makes it psychologically advantageous as a bridge for commercial and financial entry to other Balkan nations. Advances in Slovenia’s steps to integration with the EU and other international organizations can be a model for further EU expansion and other current Accession countries in the process of adopting EU policies.
'It brings light to what you really put into your body': a focus group study of reactions to messages about nicotine reduction in cigarettes.

Objective In 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed regulation to lower nicotine in cigarettes to minimally addictive levels to help smokers quit. We sought to explore effective message strategies communicating about nicotine reduction in cigarettes across the different key audiences that the regulation is most likely to influence. Methods We designed four types of messages: efficacy messages, risk messages, a message about alternative sources of nicotine and a compensation message. Sixteen virtual focus groups were conducted in Atlanta and San Francisco in April–May 2020. Data were analysed in NVivo 12.0 using a thematic analysis approach. Findings Exclusive smokers were receptive to both efficacy messages and risk messages. Dual users were the only group that was open to resorting to alternative sources of nicotine. Former smokers were critical of these messages as promoting the new kinds of cigarettes and potentially encouraging initiation and relapse of smoking. Non-smokers felt that efficacy messages downplayed the risks of smoking and did not scare people away from smoking. Presenting information that very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNCs) still contain harmful chemicals made smokers question continued smoking in the absence of nicotine and view VLNCs as harmful. Conclusions Messages communicating about nicotine reduction in cigarettes might help to motivate smokers to quit and can correct the misperceptions that VLNCs are less harmful. The FDA should consider specific target audiences and use different messages that complement each other in communicating about this regulation.
Pilot Study of Endovascular Delivery of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in the Aortic Wall in a Pig Model

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) have a high mortality. In small-animal models, multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have shown benefits in attenuating aneurysm formation. However, an opti...
Heparin MicroIslands for Spontaneous Gradient Formation and Improved Diabetic Wound Healing Outcomes

A powerful tool to improve tissue integration with biomaterial scaffolds for the regeneration of damaged tissues is to promote cell migration using chemotactic gradients of growth factors. This approach has been realized by the exogenous delivery of growth factors, which unfortunately also limits the scaffold9s ability to meet each wound9s unique spatial and temporal regenerative needs. To address this limitation, we present a new approach to gradient generation by incorporating heparin microislands, which are spatially isolated heparin-containing microparticles that create chemotactic microgradients through reorganization of endogenous local growth factors. We incorporated heparin microislands within microporous annealed particle (MAP) scaffolds, which allows us to tune their incorporation ratiometrically to create a heterogenous microenvironment. In this manuscript, we demonstrate the ability of heparin microislands to organize uniform growth factors into spontaneous microgradients and control downstream cell migration in vitro. Further, we present their ability to significantly improve wound healing outcomes (epidermal regeneration and vascularization) in a diabetic wound model relative to two clinically relevant controls.
Advanced care planning, code status and end-of-life care in patients with bullous pemphigoid.

Advance care planning (ACP) and code status (CS) discussions may enhance outcomes among patients with serious illness.1 Despite growing evidence for the benefits of ACP and CS, utilization patterns remain under-evaluated for dermatoses associated with increased mortality, such as bullous pemphigoid (BP).2 To address this gap, we assessed change over time in ACP and CS among a cohort of newly-diagnosed BP patients, additionally characterizing survival outcomes and intensity of end-of-life care.
A systematic review on the use of ultrasound enhancing agents with transesophageal echocardiography to assess the left atrial appendage prior to cardioversion

Background Assessment of the left atrium and atrial appendage (LAA) for thrombus by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) may be suboptimal due to difficult imaging windows and ultrasound artifacts. The present study analyzed the benefit of using ultrasound enhancing agents (UEAs) with TEE to improve diagnostic accuracy and image quality. Methods A systematic review of studies published through December 2020 was performed, and included investigations comparing the number of cases deemed indeterminate for visualization of LAA thrombi on TEE pre- versus post-UEAs prior to cardioversion for atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF). Study results were pooled where the number of indeterminate cases by conventional TEE were re-classified as thrombus present, indeterminate, or thrombus excluded following administration of UEAs. Results Three studies with a total of 399 patients were identified. Of these, 83 (26%) participants met the inclusion criteria. The mean age of the study population from the three studies was 66 ± 12 years, 29% were female, and prevalence of congestive heart failure or neurologic events was 22% and 5%, respectively. Use of UEAs with TEE re-classified 66% (55/83) of cases initially deemed to be indeterminate for LAA thrombus on conventional TEE. Thrombus was present in 13% (11/83) and excluded in 53% (44/83) of cases; 34% (28/83) of cases remained indeterminate on TEE post-UEAs. There were no complications reported with the administration of UEAs. Conclusion Adjunctive use of UEAs with TEE can facilitate the diagnosis or exclusion of LAA thrombus, and improve the procedural confidence and cost-efficiency of cardioversion for AF.
Optimum bias conditions for linear broadband InGaP/GaAs HBT power amplifiers

A design strategy for a linear broadband InGaP/GaAs HBT power amplifier is presented. This design takes advantage of the bias dependence of the nonlinear base-collector charge, expressed by the C/sub BC/ vs V/sub CE/ and /spl tau//sub c/ vs I/sub c/ characteristics of the device. Using this technique, it is shown that the second and third order distortions have separate optimum bias conditions, and furthermore, there is an inherent tradeoff in optimizing the second and third order distortions. This strong bias dependence of the nonlinear base-collector charge and the tradeoff between the different orders of distortion are verified on a 24 dBm 0.5-11 GHz distributed power amplifier. To minimize high frequency distortion in HBT amplifiers across a wide range of bias, it is imperative to linearize the base-collector charge, where flat C/sub BC/ vs V/sub CE/ and f/sub t/ vs I/sub c/ characteristics are ideally desired.
Can intergenerational equity be operationalized

A long Utilitarian tradition has the ideal of equal regard for all individuals, both those now living and those yet to be born. The literature formalizes this ideal as asking for a preference relation on the space of infinite utility streams that is complete, transitive, invariant to finite permutations, and respects the Pareto ordering; an ethical preference relation, for short. This paper argues that operationalizing this ideal is problematic. Most simply, every ethical preference relation has the property that almost all (in the sense of outer measure) pairs of utility streams are indifferent. Even if we abandon completeness and respect for the Pareto ordering, every irreflexive preference relation that is invariant to finite permutationshasthepropertythatalmostallpairsofutilitystreamsareincomparable (not strictly ranked). Moreover, no ethical preference relation is measurable. As a consequence, the existence of an ethical preference relation is independent of the axioms used in almost all of formal economics and all of classical analysis. Finally, even if an ethical preference relation exists, it cannot be “explicitly described.” These results have implications for game theory, for macroeconomics, and for economic development.
Interactive simulator for optical systems with semiconductor lasers

An illustration of the OSS capabilities by showing some of the results obtained for a few optical systems is presented. This study also demonstrates how one can use OSS to simulate and analyze the experimental methods, such as the Hakki-Paoli and Cassady methods for gain measurement in semiconductor lasers. Hence, this study not only shows how simulations can provide better insight into various effects that determine accuracy of a given measurement but also demonstrates the unique capabilities of this simulation engine in the regime where accurate capturing of broad-band dynamics is necessary.
The New Temperance Movement

A long-term rise in drinking by Americans slowed in the 1970s and then reversed; several interest-groups pressed for higher taxes on alcohol, server-liability, severe penalities for drunk-drivers, a higher purchase-age, and many other legislative and regulatory restrictions. Several similar changes are occurring in other countries. A quasi-scientific rationale for reducing alcohol consumption links quantity directly to a wide range of social and individual problems, although the correlation often varies, both crossculturally and over time in the U.S. The new temperance movement holds out the false promise of a quick and easy solution to drinking problems and provides a socially acceptable oulet that allows people to blame alcohol and wrongdoers in a Neo-Victorian complacency.
Transverse bulk wave reflection at a piezoelectric crystal-viscous conductive liquid interface (RBW sensors)

The reflection of obliquely incident shear horizontal (SH) waves at the interface of a piezoelectric crystal and a viscous conductive liquid is investigated theoretically. In addition to viscous entrainment and mass loading effects, it is shown that the presence of a reflection-generated external electric field offers the possibility of acoustoelectric interaction with charged particles in the solution, which, in turn, could be exploited for liquid chemical analysis and biosensor applications. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the reflection coefficients (amplitude and energy) and phase shift upon reflection in terms of the angle of incidence, wave frequency, crystal parameters and liquid properties. It is shown that the sensitivity of such reflected-bulk-wave detectors could be tailored by properly choosing the interdigital-transducer periodicity, separation, crystal thickness, and the number of bounces. >
Randomization in substance abuse clinical trials.

Background A well designed randomized clinical trial rates as the highest level of evidence for a particular intervention's efficacy. Randomization, a fundamental feature of clinical trials design, is a process invoking the use of probability to assign treatment interventions to patients. In general, randomization techniques pursue the goal of providing objectivity to the assignment of treatments, while at the same time balancing for treatment assignment totals and covariate distributions. Numerous randomization techniques, each with varying properties of randomness and balance, are suggested in the statistical literature. This paper reviews common randomization techniques often used in substance abuse research and an application from a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded clinical trial in substance abuse is used to illustrate several choices an investigator faces when designing a clinical trial.
Programmatic perspectives with technical examples for THz materials characterization

THz technology has a rich history of use in the field of interstellar molecule identification where a variety of molecule specific vibrational and rotational spectroscopic signatures exist and has been aggressively investigated for use in advanced radar applications because of the immediate improvement in object resolution obtained at higher frequencies. Traditionally, high power THz systems have relied upon millimeter wave sources and frequency multiplication techniques to achieve acceptable output power levels, while lower power, table top spectroscopic systems, have relied on broadband incoherent light sources. With the advent of high power lasers, advances in non-linear optics, and new material systems, a number of promising techniques for the generation, detection and manipulation of THz radiation are currently under development and are considered the enabling technologies behind a variety of advanced THz applications. This work presents a programmatic overview of current trends in THz technology of interest to a variety of government organizations. It focuses on those techniques currently under investigation for the generation and detection of THz fields motivated, for example, by such diverse applications as metamaterial spectroscopy, TH imaging, long standoff chem/bio detection and THz communications. Examples of these new techniques will be presented which in turn will motivate the need for the characterization of application specific active and passive THz components.
Surface analyses of pyrolysed rice husk using scanning force microscopy

Abstract Scanning force microscopy (SFM), also referred to as atomic force microscopy (AFM), has been used for the surface characterization of untreated and pyrolysed rice husk samples. This technique, unlike scanning electron microscopy, provides both qualitative and quantitative measurements. The principles of SFM and sample preparation are discussed. Quantitative data in the form of surface roughness, void and fractal dimension are presented. The rice husks were pyrolysed in air at 573, 673 and 773 K for 30 min in a muffle furnace. The surfaces of the rice husk pyrolysed at 773 K showed voids due to the decomposition of the organic matter. Quantitative analysis of these samples indicated that the surface roughness parameters decreased with increasing temperature owing to the increased decomposition of the organic matter. In addition, the number of voids and their z dimensions increased with increasing temperature. The fractal dimension increased from 2.12 to 2.31 with increasing temperature, indicating that the voids were becoming rougher. Furthermore, the decomposition of the materials followed a fractal geometry.
Variation in spinal load and trunk dynamics during repeated lifting exertions.

Objectives. To quantify the variability in lifting motions, trunk moments, and spinal loads associated with repeated lifting exertions and to identify workplace factors that influence the biomechanical variability. Design. Measurement of trunk dynamics, moments and muscle activities were used as inputs into EMG assisted model of spinal loading. Background. Traditional biomechanical models assume repeated performance of a lifting task produces little variability in spinal load because the assessments overlook variability in lifting dynamics and muscle coactivity. Methods. Five experienced and seven inexperienced manual materials handlers performed 10 repeated lifts at each combination of load weight, task asymmetry and lifting velocity. Results. Box weight, task asymmetry and job experience influenced the magnitude and variability of spinal load during repeated lifting exertions. Surprisingly, experienced subjects demonstrated significantly greater spinal loads and within-subject variability in spinal load than inexperienced subjects. Trial-to-trial variability accounted for 14% of the total variation in compression overall and 32% in lateral shear load. Although the mean spinal load was safely below the NIOSH recommended limit; due to variability about the mean, more than 20% of the lifts exceeded the recommended limit. Conclusion. Spinal load changed markedly from one exertion to the next despite identical task requirements. Trial-to-trial variability in kinematics, kinetics, and spinal load were influenced by workplace factors, and may play a role in the risk of low-back pain. Relevance
Building expert critics for ethical issue testing

Abstract An expert critic (or an expert critiquing system) is a computer program that critiques human-generated solutions. So far, ethics has not been incorporated in critiquing systems. We investigate the important issue of incorporating ethical issue testing into expert critic systems. To illustrate the need for such a study, our discussion consists of ethical issue testing in physicians' treatment plans for cancer patients. Three ethical issues are identified, and one of them, namely, the Guinea pig treatment ethics, is discussed in detail. An experimental prototype system (ETHICS 1) has been developed for this purpose. The structure of this system along with its implementation is described. We compare our study with existing expert critiquing systems and point out some implications of building critics for ethical issue testing.
Divisors of modular forms on Γ0(4)

Abstract There is a relationship between the values of a sequence of modular functions at points in the divisor of a meromorphic modular form and the exponents of its infinite product expansion. We make this relationship explicit for the case of modular forms on the congruence subgroup Γ 0 ( 4 ) . We also consider some applications to classical number theoretic functions such as the number of representations of an integer as a sum of squares.
The structure of post-industrial economies

Abstract A realistic model of modern socio-economic—environmental systems must include a great diversity of variables, phenomena and causal pathways. This paper presents a methodology for ensuring that nothing important and relevant is left out of the structure of such a model, thus eliminating an important class of pitfalls in this type of modeling. When this methodology is used to create a comprehensive structural model of post-industrial economies, it is apparent that the structure has a number of properties that would seem counterintuitive to most people. Several of these properties result because high and rising wages, in conjunction with low energy prices, trigger a number of causal pathways which have received inadequate attention. A variety of surprising causal connections can be identified, as between energy prices, unemployment and crime rates, land use and the rate of economic growth. Inflation is partly the product of transportation system characteristics. Also, the structure of the system implies several mechanisms which can generate instability and long-wave fluctuations. The stability of the system could be improved with a combination of price deregulation for energy, innovative, sophisticated long-term planning and some policy innovations.
Fiscal policy, Keynesian economics and the mobilization of savings in developing countries

Abstract This paper argues that the uncritical transplanting of the basic Keynesian framework — which was developed for other situations and other institutions — to the developing countries has provided support and/or justification for policies which may have retarded the development of these countries. It is argued that the model implicit in those policies has been too aggregative, too simple, politically naive, and too oblivious to important interrelationships among macro variables. It is concluded that classical economics can still provide a useful framework for determining desirable policies in developing countries.
GROWTH OF CLOSTRIDIUM THERMOACETICUM ON H2/CO2 OR CO AS ENERGY SOURCE

The type strain Fontaine ofClostridium thermoaceticum proliferated on H2/CO2 as energy source and was culturally adapted to grow on 100% CO in the headspace. The doubling times at 55°C on CO or H2/CO2 were 16 and 18 h, respectively. Under these conditions, the substrate-product transformation stoichiometries observed were: 4H2+2.1CO2→0.9 acetate and 4CO→2CO2+1.1 acetate. It is concluded thatC. thermoaceticum has a single carbon growth physiology.
Immunohistochemical expression of SMAD4, CK19, and CA19-9 in fine needle aspiration samples of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Utility and potential role

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma comprises 85% of all cases of pancreatic malignancies. From a diagnostic standpoint, these tumors are readily diagnosed by fine needle aspiration, with an accuracy of greater than 90%; however it is often difficult to ascertain whether these are primary or metastatic in nature. This study was undertaken to see the usefulness of CK19, CA19-9 and a newly described marker, SMAD4 in confirming the pancreatic origin of these tumors. Briefly, SMAD4 (DPC4) is a tumor-suppressor gene located on chromosome 18q which has been shown to mediate the downstream effects of TGF-β superfamily signaling, resulting in growth inhibition. The loss of SMAD4, which as been reported to occur in 55% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas may lead to up regulation of cell cycle proteins and hence increase cellular proliferation. In addition, SMAD4 has been suggested to possibly have prognostic potential, with the presence of SMAD4, indicating shorter survival after resection.
Mars Orbiter mission ending

After circling Mars for more than 4 years—taking pictures and making measurements—NASA's Viking Orbiter 1 has almost reached the end of its mission. The orbiter has used nearly all the attitude control gas that keeps its solar panels pointed to the sun and its antenna aimed at the earth. When the gas is exhausted controllers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, will send radio commands to the spacecraft, ordering it to cease operating, thus ending its long and productive mission. It was originally expected that the gas would be exhausted by July 23±1 week; however, as of August 1 the spacecraft was still in orbit. NASA plans to terminate the mission August 15, even if the orbiter is still functioning at that time. Meanwhile, on the surface of Mars, Viking Lander 1 is programed to operate unattended through 1990, perhaps to be extended to 1994.
The Peritoneum Sonographic Evaluation of Peritoneal Carcinoma With Carcinomatosis Dissemination

A number of primary cancers have been implicated to originate from molecular sources within the mesothelial and germinal epithelial cell tissue layers of the serous lining of the peritoneum. The ep...
Equilibrium and stability properties of intense non-neutral electron flow

Non-neutral plasmas, like electrically neutral plasmas, exhibit a broad range of collective properties, such as plasma waves and instabilities, and the ability to support long-lived, large-amplitude coherent structures. This paper reviews the equilibrium and stability properties of intense non-neutral electron flow in crossed electric and magnetic fields. Following a description of equilibrium properties for magnetically insulated electron flow in planar geometry, extraordinary-mode stability properties are investigated for relativistic non-neutral electron flow between planar conductors. Particular emphasis is placed on the magnetron and diocotron instabilities, and detailed stability behavior is shown to exhibit a sensitive dependence on the self field intensity (as measured by the dimensionless parameter ${s}_{e}=\frac{{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{e}^{0}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\mathrm{pe}}^{2}}{{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{\mathrm{ce}}^{2}}$) as well as on the shape of the equilibrium profiles. The influence of cylindrical effects (such as the centrifugal and Coriolis accelerations of an electron fluid element) on stability behavior is then investigated for rotating electron flow in cylindrical geometry. Finally, the properties of large-amplitude coherent structures in non-neutral plasmas with circulating electron flow are investigated. Topics covered in this area include particle-in-cell computer simulations of dense (${s}_{e}\ensuremath{\sim}1$) electron flow in relativistic magnetrons which show large-amplitude spoke formation in the circulating electron density, and application of a cold-fluid guiding-center model to investigate large-amplitude vortex structures in low-density (${s}_{e}\ensuremath{\ll}1$) non-neutral plasma. The accessibility and stability of such stationary structures (in the rotating frame) remain important topics for future investigation.
Cloning and characterization of a gene encoding extracellular metalloprotease from Streptomyces lividans.

Abstract The prt gene, encoding a protease (Prt) from Streptomyces lividans TK24, was cloned and sequenced. An S. lividans host with plasmid-borne prt secreted 200 μg/ml of a 22-kDa Prt into the culture medium. Prt is classified as a metalloprotease since its activity is significantly inhibited by 1,10-phenanthroline or EDTA. The region upstream from prt codes for an incomplete open reading frame (ORF) oriented opposite to prt. This ORF has a strong similarity to a gene family (lysR) whose members regulate the transcription of structural genes required for either biosynthesis or degradation.
After the Public Interest Prevails: The Political Sustainability of Policy Reform

The prevailing political science wisdom is that narrow interests regularly triumph over the general public. Yet the stunning passage of broad-based policy reforms in the face of intense clientele opposition suggests that the U.S. political system has a greater capacity to serve diffuse interests than has often been thought. Some of the most provocative policy-oriented political-science research during the 1980s and 1990s examined how these surprising reform victories occurred. Unfortunately, general-interest reforms do not always stick; reforms may be corrupted or reversed after their enactment. The long-term sustainability of any given policy reform hinges on the successful reworking of political institutions and on the generation of positive policy-feedback effects, especially the empowerment of social groups with a stake in the reform&s maintenance. This paper explores the postenactment dynamics of three canonical instances of general-interest reform legislation: tax reform, agricultural subsidy reform, and airline deregulation. Only in the airline-deregulation case has the self-reinforcing dynamic required for political sustainability been unmistakably evident. For analysts and advocates of general-interest reform measures alike, the clear lesson is to attend far more closely to what happens after reforms become law.
Five-strand hamstring autograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Four-strand hamstring autograft is a common choice for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A potential disadvantage of hamstring autograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction is the inherent variability in graft diameter. Multiple studies have shown increased revision rates when using an undersized hamstring graft. Using an EndoButton (Smith & Nephew, Andover, MA) for femoral tunnel fixation, we convert a standard quadrupled hamstring graft into a 5-strand graft by creating 3 equal strands of the typically larger semitendinosus combined with a double-stranded gracilis. This technique may help alleviate some surgeon reluctance to use a hamstring graft by providing an intraoperative “bailout” option for an unexpectedly small tendon. On the basis of current data, increasing the diameter of the graft in these situations may decrease revision rates.
Product Choice Strategy for Online Retailers

An important strategic issue for managers planning to set up online stores is the choice of product categories to retail. While the â€œrightâ€ product category would depend on a number of factors, here we focus on the following two factors: compatibility of the product with the online channel, and the competition between the traditional brick and mortar channel and the online channel. This is to acknowledge two well-known facts: Certain products are more suitable for selling through the Web than through other channels; and an online retailer competes with not only other online retailers, but also traditional brick and mortar retailers. To determine the right product category, we develop a game theoretical model that allows for competition between the retailers. We study both Stackelberg and Bertrand competition models, as these two models capture the essence of different types of competition on the Web. Based on our results, we propose that, under all types of competition, the optimal product is one that is only moderately compatible with the Internet.
Three-dimensional variable-density flow simulation of a coastal aquifer in southern Oahu, Hawaii, USA

Three-dimensional modeling of groundwater flow and solute transport in the Pearl Harbor aquifer, southern Oahu, Hawaii, shows that the readjustment of the freshwater–saltwater transition zone takes a long time following changes in pumping, irrigation, or recharge in the aquifer system. It takes about 50 years for the transition zone to move 90% of the distance to its new steady position. Further, the Ghyben–Herzberg estimate of the freshwater/saltwater interface depth occurred between the 10 and 50% simulated seawater concentration contours in a complex manner during 100 years of the pumping history of the aquifer. Thus, it is not a good predictor of the depth of potable water. Pre-development recharge was used to simulate the 1880 freshwater-lens configuration. Historical pumpage and recharge distributions were used and the resulting freshwater-lens size and position were simulated through 1980. Simulations show that the transition zone moved upward and landward during the period simulated. Previous groundwater flow models for Oahu have been limited to areal models that simulate a sharp interface between freshwater and saltwater or solute-transport models that simulate a vertical aquifer section. The present model is based on the US Geological Survey’s three-dimensional solute transport (3D SUTRA) computer code. Using several new tools for pre- and post-processing of model input and results have allowed easy model construction and unprecedented visualization of the freshwater lens and underlying transition zone in Hawaii’s most developed aquifer.
Information resource management in Florida: A primer

This article presents a brief history of the development of information resource management (IRM) in Florida. The principal organizations involved in IRM oversight described in this article guide the management of critical information technologies such as computers and telecommunications equipment. Entering the next century, state agencies must maintain their leadership given the current projected growth in the state's population and service demand. Effective IRM key to their continued success.
Precision Measurement of the Mass of the τ Lepton at BESIII

An energy scan near the τ pair production threshold has been performed using the BESIII detector. About 24 pb−1 of data, distributed over four scan points, was collected. This analysis is based on τ pair decays to ee, eμ, eh, μμ, μh, hh, eρ, μρ and πρ final states, where h denotes a charged π or K. The mass of the τ lepton is measured from a maximum likelihood fit to the τ pair production cross section data to be mτ=(1776.91±0.12−0.13+0.10) MeV/c2, which is currently the most precise value in a single measurement.
Interfragment effect in the predissociative excitation of linear triatomic molecules

Abstract A collinear model is used to estimate the vibrational interfragment effect for the predissociation of CO 2 and COS leading to the formation of CO(A), in comparison with the results from the predissociative excitation processes of CS 2 and N 2 O. From the systematic trends observed, the interfragment effect was found to depend primarily on the change of bond length in the diatomic oscillator and on the strength of the dissociating bond.
Postpartum Estrus in Norway Rats. I. Behavior

Female rats in the wild appear to mate and conceive during a brief period of postpartum estrus, usually within the first 24 h following parturition. This shortens the interval between successive litters and can thereby greatly increase the female’s overall reproductive output. This study presents a quantitative analysis of the time of onset, duration, and quality of the receptive behavior of females during this time. Females were tested for receptivity every 3 h following the delivery of the first pup. The percentage of females displaying lordosis rose rapidly from 30% at 6 h to 100% at 9 h and at 12 h. Receptivity declined steadily after 12 h, with 20% showing lordosis at 21 h. The quality of lordosis followed a similar curve. The postpartum estrus appeared to depend more upon the onset of parturition than it did upon the ambient photoperiod.
Convergence of the Time-Invariant Riccati Differential Equation towards Its Strong Solution for Stabilizable Systems

Abstract We prove a necessary and sufficient condition for the solution of the time-invariant Riccati differential equation to converge towards the strong solution of the corresponding algebraic Riccati equation, when the system is stabilizable, without assuming that the Hamiltonian matrix has no eigenvalues on the imaginary axis (or equivalently that there are no critical unobservable modes). The condition is a generalization of an earlier one established by Callier and Willems. Our proof revises an earlier one by Faurre, Clerget, and Germain, leading to additional information of what can be assumed without loss of generality in our context. It is also shown that the convergence is not always exponential and that the presence of critical unobservable modes may slow down but does not prevent the convergence of the solution of the Riccati differential equation. The impact of the condition on linear-quadratic optimal control is briefly discussed.
Level of abstraction structured text

Computer users' negative reactions to printed computer documentation are attributed to the linear nature of the print medium, coupled with the varied information needs of different classes of users. A document system, called LAST (level of abstraction structured text), that meets the requirements of nonlinear traversal and automatic adjustment to users' requirements for type of information and level of detail is described. This system is a series of internally consistent text frames, organized by level of abstraction. It is shown that LAST system users made significantly fewer errors on task performance measures such as number of typing mistakes, correctly set margins and tabs, and correctly formatted text body. LAST users' subjective acceptance ratings of the documentation system were found to be higher than those given to the printed documentation. >
Management of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in EDs

Emergency department (ED) physicians are critical in the accurate diagnosis, efficient management, and treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. The initial reperfusion strategy involves the choice between mechanical reperfusion using primary percutaneous coronary intervention and pharmacologic treatment with fibrinolytics. The benefits of these approaches are time dependent, and practices vary according to institutional resources and local guidelines. Nevertheless, the need for early intervention and the use of certain therapies are well recognized. Therefore, ED physicians must be aware of all treatment options available, including the use of adjunctive therapies. Initial treatment should include β-blockers, aspirin (or clopidogrel if aspirin is contraindicated), nitroglycerin, and analgesia, regardless of reperfusion strategy. Clopidogrel is now approved as an adjunctive therapy for patients undergoing fibrinolysis as their reperfusion therapy. Both unfractionated heparin and low-molecular-weight heparin are feasible adjunctives in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing reperfusion therapy. In addition, multiple new antithrombin agents are being investigated. The choice adjunctive treatments should be based on specific patient populations and on the initial reperfusion strategy.
Detailed observational study of a weak Echo region

High resolution 3-cm weather radar was used to observe the three dimensional structure of a weak echo region of a severe convective storm in northern Minnesota, U.S.A. Observations show that a seemingly steady-state updraft in the lower portion of the storm broke into an unsteady structure in the upper levels. This is interpreted as indicating that precipitation loading gradually decelerated the upper reaches of the updraft, resulting in periodic breakout of a new updraft core on the inflow side. This periodic behavior of the updraft may be related to hailstreaks and what has been termed the multi-celled storm.
Ethanol sensitivity of heteromeric NMDA receptors : effects of subunit assembly, glycine and NMDAR1 Mg2+-insensitive mutants

Abstract In the current study, dimeric and trimeric combinations of N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and their sensitivity to ethanol was examined using conventional two electrode voltage clamp methods. In oocytes expressing the NR1/2A subunits, ethanol (25, 50 and 100 mM) inhibited NMDA (100 μM)/glycine (10 μM) induced currents by 21, 31 and 47%; respectively. NMDA-stimulated currents in oocytes expressing NR1/2B currents were inhibited by 13, 25 and 45% while NR1/NR2C currents were inhibited by 6, 11 and 24%. Ethanol inhibition of NMDA-stimulated currents in oocytes injected with NR1/2A/2B or NR1/2A/2C was not significantly different from that observed in NR1/2B or NR1/2C injected oocytes, respectively. With all receptor combinations, ethanol inhibition was rapid, reversible and not altered by pre-incubation. In the absence of ethanol, glycine enhanced NMDA-induced currents with an EC50 of 1.42 μM for the NR1/NR2A combination and 0.51 μM for the NR1/NR2C combination. Ethanol inhibited NMDA-induced currents at all glycine concentrations tested (1–100-μM) and did not significantly alter the EC50 value for glycine suggesting that ethanol does not compete for the glycine site on the NMDA receptor. Finally, three NR1 mutants which have been previously shown by others to possess either decreased Mg2+ sensitivity and Ca2+ permeability (N616Q and N616R) or reduced current amplitude (F609L) were tested for their ethanol sensitivity when expressed in combination with the NR2A subunit. Substitution of the wild-type NR1 with F609L did not alter the sensitivity of the receptor to ethanol. However NR1(N616Q)/NR2A and NR1 (N616R)/NR2A injected oocytes showed a reduced sensitivity to ethanol suggesting that alterations in the ion permeation characteristics of recombinant NMDA receptors may influence their sensitivity to ethanol.
WAITING TIMES IN PHYSICIANS' OFFICES: AN INFORMAL LOOK

Toward filling this void, an informal viewing of patient waiting time for six doctors, practicing separately in a large urban area in the northeast, was made over a 10-yr. period ( 1975 through 1984). The patients were established customers. The medical specialities of the physicians were internal medicine (3), neurology (2), and urology (1). All were in solo or dual fee-for-service businesses and, based on their licensing date, arere at about mid-career. While there were some changes in the office support staff, the setting of the practices and the established work schedules mere generally constant. Using convenience sampling, approximately 780 observations were made: internists (540), neurologists ( 120), and urologists ( 120). The results show yearly average waiting times for the group ranging from a low of 17 rnin. to a high of 29 min., with an over-all 10-yr. average of about 24 min. Consistently, the neurologists had the longest waiting times, a 10-yr. average of about 37 min., with the urologist the shortest, 11 min. There were no zero (on time) or negative (early start) observations. Present results suggest that, when viewed over time, office waits tend to clusrer about a value somewhat higher than the approximately 20 min. reported in previous works. Further, they suggest some lack of support of Wolinsky and Marder's (1983) finding that generally medical specialry is a poor predictor of the time patients spend in the waiting room. With most studies showing that patients experience waits in physicians' offices, it is interesting to ponder the total monetary value of this time. Based on an estimate of 720 million office visits per year (Bureau of the Census, 1984), and a dollar value of an hour of time at the present Federal minimum wage of $3.35 (Fair Labor Standards Act, 1977 Amendment) there is probably an associated cost to society somewhere in the order of 2.41 billion dollars.