cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cerebellar allografts survive and transiently alleviate ataxia in a transgenic model of spinocerebellar ataxia type-1.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA-1) is one of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease, spinobulbar muscular atrophy, dentatorubral-pallidoluysian atrophy, and SCA-2, SCA-3, SCA-6, and SCA-7, each caused by an expanded number of CAG repeats in the coding region of their respective genes. The mechanism by which the resulting proteins are pathogenic is unknown. Clinical trials of neural transplants in Huntington's disease patients are under way. While initial reports are encouraging, definitive evidence of graft survival in patients despite the ongoing disease process is not possible with current imaging techniques. Transplants in primates have shown long-term survival of striatal grafts and recovery of function, but have used lesioning to model Huntington's phenotypically. Studies of striatal grafts in a transgenic mouse model of Huntington's have not yet shown a behavioral benefit. We describe a behavioral benefit of cerebellar grafts in a transgenic model of SCA-1 in which the ataxic phenotype results from expression of an expanded ataxin-1 protein. Mice were transplanted at an age when their ataxic phenotype is just becoming evident. Compared with sham-operated littermates, grafted mice showed better performance on multiple behavioral tests of cerebellar function. Differences persisted for 10 to 12 weeks posttransplant, after which there was a progressive decline in motor performance. At 20 weeks postsurgery, donor Purkinje cell survival was evident in 9 of 12 graft recipients. These results indicate that transplants can have behavioral benefits and grafts can survive long-term despite the ongoing pathological process in a brain actively expressing an expanded polyglutamine protein.
Hydrozirconation: A New Transition Metal Reagent for Organic Synthesis

Hydrozirconation has recently been developed as a procedure for functionalizing alkenes, alkynes, and 1,3-dienes via organozirconium(IV) intermediates. These intermediates react with a variety of electrophilic reagents to give organic products in high yield. Mechanisms of reactions involved in these sequences are discussed.
A numerical study of hurricane erin (2001). Part II : Shear and the organization of eyewall vertical motion

A high-resolution numerical simulation of Hurricane Erin (2001) is used to examine the organization of vertical motion in the eyewall and how that organization responds to a large and rapid increase in the environmental vertical wind shear and subsequent decrease in shear. During the early intensification period, prior to the onset of significant shear, the upward motion in the eyewall was concentrated in small-scale convective updrafts that formed in association with regions of concentrated vorticity (herein termed mesovortices) with no preferred formation region around the eyewall. Asymmetric flow within the eye was weak. As the shear increased, an azimuthal wavenumber-1 asymmetry in storm structure developed with updrafts tending to occur on the downshear to downshear-left side of the eyewall. Continued intensification of the shear led to increasing wavenumber-1 asymmetry, large vortex tilt, and a change in eyewall structure and vertical motion organization. During this time, the eyewall structure was dominated by a vortex couplet with a cyclonic (anticyclonic) vortex on the downtilt-left (downtilt-right) side of the eyewall and strong asymmetric flow across the eye that led to strong mixing of eyewall vorticity into the eye. Upward motion was concentrated over an azimuthally broader region on the downtilt side of the eyewall, upstream of the cyclonic vortex, where low-level environmental inflow converged with the asymmetric outflow from the eye. As the shear diminished, the vortex tilt and wavenumber-1 asymmetry decreased, while the organization of updrafts trended back toward that seen during the weak shear period. Based upon the results for the Erin case, as well as that for a similar simulation of Hurricane Bonnie (1998), a conceptual model is developed for the organization of vertical motion in the eyewall as a function of the strength of the vertical wind shear. In weak to moderate shear, higher wavenumber asymmetries associated with eyewall mesovortices dominate the wavenumber-1 asymmetry associated with the shear so that convective-scale updrafts form when the mesovortices move into the downtilt side of the eyewall and dissipate on the uptilt side. Under strong shear conditions, the wavenumber-1 asymmetry, characterized by a prominent vortex couplet in the eyewall, dominates the vertical motion organization so that mesoscale ascent (with embedded convection) occurs over an azimuthally broader region on the downtilt side of the eyewall. Further research is needed to determine if these results apply more generally.
Experimental induction of systemic lupus erythematosus by recognition of foreign Ia.

A chronic GVH reaction induced in normal mice results in a syndrome that closely resembles SLE. In this study, we compared the autoimmune GVH syndrome induced in parent (C57BL6Kh [B6] and B6.C-H-2bm12 [bm12]) and F1 ([B6 × bm12]F1) mice by transfer of parental spleen cells. A majority of the mice in all groups developed autoantibodies to chromatin and erythrocytes, and some of the mice also produced anti-dsDNA antibodies. The predominant isotype of the anti-chromatin autoantibodies was found to be IgG2a, although high levels of IgG2b antibodies were also present. Autoantibody production was in general more intense and more prevalent in parent → F1 hybrid combinations, compared to parent → parent infusions. No influence of host or graft gender was observed. These studies show that a chronic GVH reaction can be induced by both parent → parent and parent → hybrid combinations.
Consumer willingness to purchase and to pay more for potential benefits of irradiated fresh food products

A national household survey was conducted to evaluate consumer willingness to accept irradiated fresh food products. For those consumers willing to purchase irradiated food, analyses were conducted relative to their willingness to pay a price premium for proposed benefits of food irradiation. A low level of awareness of food irradiation exists. Fifty-four percent of households were not willing to purchase irradiated food. Education, income, and sex were significant in some analyses but were not successful in predicting or classifying consumer willingness to purchase or pay more for irradiated food. Measurement of consumer beliefs and values affecting food safety concerns may improve levels of prediction and classification.
Becoming Violent: Evaluating the Mediating Effect of Hopelessness on the Code of the Street Thesis

This article uses the Mobile Youth Survey (MYS) to quantitatively evaluate Elijah Anderson's seminal theory of African-American youth in Philadelphia, the Code of the Street. Using longitudinal data and Structural Equation Modeling, we identify characteristics that lead underclass youth to adopt or to reject a “street code” mentality. Like other studies of Anderson's Code of the Streets, we examine family and peer relationships, neighborhood control and stability, victimization and negative emotional reactions as predictors of adolescents' street code orientation. At the same time, we introduce for the first time, hopelessness, defined as a state of mind in which individuals have a negative perception of their future, into the intellectual and social equation. Results show that hopelessness plays an instrumental role in adopting street code beliefs. Specifically, adolescents reporting greater hopelessness in 2004 were more likely to identify with the street code in 2005; by extension, adolescents who iden...
Induced defense in Nicotiana attenuata (Solanaceae) fruit and flowers

Plants protect themselves against herbivory using a continuum of strategies, ranging from constitutive defenses to intermittent induced responses. Induced defenses may not provide immediate and maximum protection, but could be advantageous when continuous defense is either energetically or ecologically costly. As such, induced defenses in flowers could help defend relatively valuable tissue while keeping reproductive structures accessible and attractive to pollinators. Thus far, no one has demonstrated the efficacy of induced defenses against floral herbivores (florivores) in the field. Here we show that mechanical leaf damage in wild tobacco, Nicotiana attenuata (Solanaceae), reduced both flower and fruit herbivory in the field and that exogenous application of methyl jasmonate, a potent elicitor of induced responses, reduced both leaf and floral damage in natural populations. This result is consistent with a survey of damage in the field, which showed a negative relationship between leaf damage and flower and fruit damage. Although optimal defense theory predicts that induced defenses should be rare in reproductive tissues, owing to their high fitness value, our results suggest otherwise. Induced defenses in leaves and reproductive tissues may allow plants to respond effectively to the concomitant pressures of defending against herbivory and attracting pollinators.
A SURVEY OF CHEMILUMINESCENCE IN BASE-CATALYZED AUTOXIDATION REACTIONS

— Relatively bright chemiluminescence has been observed in autoxidation reactions in basic, aprotic, ionizing media for selected acyloins, vinyl carbonyls, vinyl nitriles and polynuclear aromatic compounds. The indoles approach the brightness of the most efficient chemiluminescent compounds. The intensity of acyloin emission correlates qualitatively with the resonance stabilization of the intermediate radical anion. It is suggested that Chandross' oxidative excitation mechanism may be applicable to the acyloins and hydrocarbons.
A note on “An approximation algorithm for the load-balanced semi-matching problem in weighted bipartite graphs”

We point out an error in the algorithm for the Load Balanced Semi-Matching Problem presented by C.P. Low [C.P. Low, An approximation algorithm for the load-balanced semi-matching problem in weighted bipartite graphs, Information Processing Letters 100 (2006) 154-161]. This problem is equivalent to a parallel machine scheduling problem subject to eligibility constraints, in which each job has a pre-determined set of machines capable of processing the job.
Entrainment by an Extracellular AC Stimulus in a Computational Model of Cardiac Tissue

Sinusoidal Stimulation of Cardiac Sheet.Introduction: Cardiac tissue can be entrained when subjected to sinusoidal stimuli, often responding with action potentials sustained for the duration of the stimulus. To investigate mechanisms responsible for both entrainment and extended action potential duration, computer simulations of a two-dimensional grid of cardiac cells subjected to sinusoidal extracellular stimulation were performed. Methods and Results: The tissue is represented as a bidomain with unequal anisotropy ratios. Cardiac membrane dynamics are governed by a modified Beeler-Reuter model. The stimulus, delivered by a bipolar electrode, has a duration of 750 to 1,000 msec, an amplitude range of 800 to 3,200 μA/cm, and a frequency range of 10 to 60 Hz. The applied stimuli create virtual electrode polarization (VEP) throughout the sheet. The simulations demonstrate that periodic extracellular stimulation results in entrainment of the tissue. This phase-locking of the membrane potential to the stimulus is dependent on the location in the sheet and the magnitude of the stimulus. Near the electrodes, the oscillations are 1:1 or 1:2 phase-locked; at the middle of the sheet, the oscillations are 1:2 or 1:4 phase-locked and occur on the extended plateau of an action potential. The 1:2 behavior near the electrodes is due to periodic change in the voltage gradient between VEP of opposite polarity; at the middle of the sheet, it is due to spread of electrotonic current following the collision of a propagating wave with refractory tissue. Conclusion: The simulations suggest that formation of VEP in cardiac tissue subjected to periodic extracellular stimulation is of paramount importance to tissue entrainment and formation of an extended oscillatory action potential plateau.
Fast Three-Dimensional Simulation of Buried EUV Mask Defect Interaction with Absorber Features

To simulate the interaction of buried defects and absorber features in EUV masks, a full three-dimensional, fast, integrated, simulator based on ray tracing and a thin mask model is presented. This simulator allows rapid assessment of the effects of buried defects on EUV printing. This new simulator, RADICAL (Rapid Absorber Defect Interaction Computation for Advanced Lithography), gives a 450X speed increase compared to FDTD, and matches FDTD within 1.5nm for predicting CD change due to a buried defect. RADICAL consists of three sequential steps: the propagation of the mask illumination down through the absorber pattern, the reflection off the defective multilayer, and the propagation back up through the absorber. A propagated thin mask model is used to model the down/up propagation through the absorber pattern and a ray tracing simulator is used for the multilayer reflection. These simulators are linked together using a Fourier transform to convert the near field output of one simulator step into a set of plane wave inputs for the next.
Selection of tobacco cell lines resistant to selenoamino acids

Abstract Tobacco cell lines have been selected for resistance to selenocystine and selenomethionine. Three variants were obtained from 7 × 107 cells. Two of the variants are resistant to selenocystine and to selenate, but are sensitive to selenomethionine. The third variant is resistant to the combination of selenocystine and selenomethionine, and is hypersensitive to selenate. These variants are presumed to have alterations in sulfur metabolism.
Chemolithotrophy in the continental deep subsurface: Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF), USA.

The deep subsurface is an enormous repository of microbial life. However, the metabolic capabilities of these microorganisms and the degree to which they are dependent on surface processes are largely unknown. Due to the logistical difficulty of sampling and inherent heterogeneity, the microbial populations of the terrestrial subsurface are poorly characterized. In an effort to better understand the biogeochemistry of deep terrestrial habitats, we evaluate the energetic yield of chemolithotrophic metabolisms and microbial diversity in the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in the former Homestake Gold Mine, SD, USA. Geochemical data, energetic modeling, and DNA sequencing were combined with principle component analysis to describe this deep (down to 8100 ft below surface), terrestrial environment. SURF provides access into an iron-rich Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary deposit that contains deeply circulating groundwater. Geochemical analyses of subsurface fluids reveal enormous geochemical diversity ranging widely in salinity, oxidation state (ORP 330 to -328 mV), and concentrations of redox sensitive species (e.g., Fe2+ from near 0 to 6.2 mg/L and ΣS2- from 7 to 2778 μg/L). As a direct result of this compositional buffet, Gibbs energy calculations reveal an abundance of energy for microorganisms from the oxidation of sulfur, iron, nitrogen, methane, and manganese. Pyrotag DNA sequencing reveals diverse communities of chemolithoautotrophs, thermophiles, aerobic and anaerobic heterotrophs, and numerous uncultivated clades. Extrapolated across the mine footprint, these data suggest a complex spatial mosaic of subsurface primary productivity that is in good agreement with predicted energy yields. Notably, we report Gibbs energy normalized both per mole of reaction and per kg fluid (energy density) and find the later to be more consistent with observed physiologies and environmental conditions. Further application of this approach will significantly expand our
X-ray examination of diffused films

Abstract X-ray diffraction has been used to provide a non-destructive measurement of composition profiles in diffused films, as well as simultaneous measurements of those structural changes associated with diffusion processes. Two methods are discussed which are capable of giving composition profiles in thick diffused films. The first makes use of differences in X-ray path lengths for two orders of reflection from planes of the same composition, while the second makes use of computer simulations of X-ray intensity bands using known solutions of the diffusion equation. The ease of data collection and reduction varies considerably with the texture of the material under study. Single-crystal substrates greatly simplify the overall X-ray approach. Considerable broadening is observed within the X-ray bands, which may be analyzed for both subgrain tilt and size. The results suggest that for those cases examined the diffusion-induced damage is comparable with that of highly deformed metals. Since the broadening is time dependent and diffusion is structure sensitive, one would expect to find a time dependence associated with diffusion coefficients.
From Emergency Management to Managing Emergence: A Genealogy of Disaster Management in Jamaica

The common narrative in disaster studies positions the field's paradigm shift from postevent response to preevent mitigation as a progressive development in knowledge on how to reduce disasters' impacts on public safety, human welfare, and development. Although the incorporation of participatory methods and vulnerability analysis has undoubtedly made valuable contributions to reducing human suffering, these techniques continue the biopolitics of disaster management that early critiques of hazards studies identified three decades ago. This article adopts an analytics of assemblage to analyze the topological transformations in disaster management that sustain its will to truth even as the elements comprising disaster management—for example, bodies, institutions, techniques, strategies, and rationalities—are reconfigured into assemblages of disaster mitigation. Through a genealogy of Jamaican disaster management, I show how participatory and mitigation techniques were deterritorialized from marginalized expe...
Parental values in the decision about cochlear implantation

Parents of children who are deaf are required to make decisions shortly after diagnosis that will affect the child's method of communication and educational placement. This study examines the role of parental values and preferences in this decision making process. Twenty families with a deaf child participated in this study. Parents from 19 of these families completed a multi-attribute preference study, which assesses their preference for different outcomes in four domains, i.e. academic achievement, social life, communication, and emotional well being. In ten of these families, the child had received a cochlear implant. Results indicate wide variability in parental preferences, which do not appear to correlate with the parents' decisions to choose cochlear implantation. Interview data from the study provides some insight into the parents' motivations. The small size of the study limits further analysis of factors that influence parents' choices and suggests further study with larger numbers of families.
Transport properties of the A phase of superfluid 3He at low temperatures

Abstract The results of a calculation of transport properties of the A phase of superfluid 3 He are reported. The temperature dependence of the normal fluid density, viscosity, thermal conductivity, and nuclear spin relaxation time are given.
Botulinum A toxin for the treatment of spasmodic torticollis: dysphagia and regional toxin spread.

Chemodenervation of cervical muscles with botulinum A toxin, although useful in treating spasmodic torticollis, has been associated with dysphagia. Retrospective analysis of dose and injection site (sternomastoid vs. posterior cervical muscle groups) in 26 patients (49 injections) suggested that dysphagia was related to the quantity of toxin injected into the sternomastoid muscle: dysphagia, median 150 IU (7 injections); and no dysphagia, median 100 IU (42 injections; p = 0.026 Wilcoxon test). In a prospective study (31 injections to 24 patients), limiting the dose administered to the sternomastoid to 100 IU, substantially reduced the incidence of dysphagia (0 of 31, p = 0.27, Fisher's exact test). Denervation of human orbicularis muscle fibers, 5 weeks to 4 months after injection of botulinum A toxin for the treatment of blepharospasm, was successfully demonstrated by intense, diffuse acetycholinesterase staining. A weight-adjusted dose similar to that given for torticollis was injected into longissimus dorsi muscle in 6 albino rabbits. Using the acetylcholinesterase stain as a marker, a diffusion gradient was noted over a distance of 30 to 45 mm from the point of injection and in contralateral muscle 15 to 25 mm from this point. Thus, denervation was demonstrated to occur within a definable area which crossed anatomic barriers, such as fascia and bone. These clinical and laboratory data suggest that dysphagia following botulinum toxin therapy results from toxin spread to pharyngeal musculature from the sternocleidomastoid injection site. Limiting of the injection dose to 100 IU or less to the sternomastoid substantially decreases the incidence of this complication.
CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION IN WILMS' TUMOR BY THE USE OF PROPRANOLOL

Hypertension with elevated plasma renin activity has been frequently associated with Wilms' tumor. A 1 year old male infant with severe hypertension (BP 190/110) and a Wilms' tumor had a plasma renin level of 32 ng/ml/hr. Parenteral reserpine reduced the BP to 160/96 but induced diarrhea. Propranolol (2 mg/kg/6 hrs) induced a fall in BP to a range of 120-160/60-100. Omission of a single propranolol dose induced hypertension. Reinstitution of the drug caused a return of normotension. Following 2 days of vincristine and actinomycin D, the BP began to increase. Propranolol was increased to a maximum dose of 6 mg/kg/6 hrs. Plasma renin activity 14 days after propranolol therapy and 10 days after chemotherapy was 1.6 ng/ml/hr. Propranolol was discontinued after 25 days when the blood pressure had returned to normal. This drug appears to be indicated in hypertension associated with Wilms' tumor. Periodic plasma renin values appear to be useful in detecting metastases in patients with Wilms' tumor. (Supported in part by the Thomas Wilson Foundation.)
The determinants of the willingness to donate an organ among young adults: Evidence from the United States and the European Union

The total value of life lost due to death because of waiting for an organ transplant was close to $5 billion in 2006 in the United States, and the excess demand for organs has been increasing over time. To shed light on the factors that impact the willingness to donate an organ, we analyze individual-level data from the United States and the European Union collected in 2001-2002. The rate of willingness to donate an organ is 38% among young adults in the US, and it is 42% in Europe. Interesting similarities emerge between the US and Europe regarding the impact of gender, political views and education on the willingness to donate an organ. In the US, Blacks, Hispanics and Catholics are less likely to donate. In Europe, individuals who reveal that they are familiar with the rules and regulations governing the donation and transplantation of human organs are more likely to donate. In both data sets, individuals who had some encounter with the health care sector-either through a recent emergency room visit (in the US), or perhaps because of a long-standing illness (in the EU), are more likely to become organ donors. Mother's education has a separate positive impact. These results point to some avenues through which organ donation propensities can be enhanced and organ shortages can be alleviated.
Evidence for nifU and nifS Participation in the Biosynthesis of the Iron-Molybdenum Cofactor of Nitrogenase *

The nifU and nifS genes encode the components of a cellular machinery dedicated to the assembly of [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters required for growth under nitrogen-fixing conditions. The NifU and NifS proteins are involved in the production of active forms of the nitrogenase component proteins, NifH and NifDK. Although NifH contains a [4Fe-4S] cluster, the NifDK component carries two complex metalloclusters, the iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co) and the [8Fe-7S] P-cluster. FeMo-co, located at the active site of NifDK, is composed of 7 iron, 9 sulfur, 1 molybdenum, 1 homocitrate, and 1 unidentified light atom. To investigate whether NifUS are required for FeMo-co biosynthesis and to understand at what level(s) they might participate in this process, we analyzed the effect of nifU and nifS mutations on the formation of active NifB protein and on the accumulation of NifB-co, an isolatable intermediate of the FeMo-co biosynthetic pathway synthesized by the product of the nifB gene. The nifU and nifS genes were required to accumulate NifB-co in a nifN mutant background. This result clearly demonstrates the participation of NifUS in NifB-co synthesis and suggests a specific role of NifUS as the major provider of [Fe-S] clusters that serve as metabolic substrates for the biosynthesis of FeMo-co. Surprisingly, although nifB expression was attenuated in nifUS mutants, the assembly of the [Fe-S] clusters of NifB was compensated by other non-nif machinery for the assembly of [Fe-S] clusters, indicating that NifUS are not essential to synthesize active NifB.
The impact of parental controls on delinquency

Previous studies have argued that not only indirect controls but also direct controls lessen delinquency. Through a self-report survey of high school youths, the current study attempts to assess this thesis. Supportive of previous studies, the data revealed that even with a range of theoretically salient variables controlled, direct control was inversely related to delinquent involvement. This relationship, however, was stronger and more consistent for males than females.
Molybdenum hydroxylases in Drosophila. III. Further characterization of the low xanthine dehydrogenase gene

The biochemical effects of several newly induced low xanthine dehydrogenase (lxd) mutations in Drosophila melanogaster were investigated. When homozygous, all lxd alleles simultaneously interrupt each of the molybdoenzyme activities to approximately the same levels: xanthine dehydrogenase, 25%; aldehyde oxidase, 12%; pyridoxal oxidase, 0%; and sulfite oxidase, 2% as compared to the wild type. In order to evaluate potentially small complementation or dosage effects, mutant stains were made coisogenic for 3R. These enzymes require a molybdenum cofactor, and lxd cofactor levels are also reduced to less than 10% of the wild type. These low levels of molybdoenzyme activities and cofactor activity are maintained throughout development from late larval to adult stages. The lxd alleles exhibit a dosage-dependent effect on molybdoenzyme activities, indicating that these mutants are leaky for wild-type function. In addition, cofactor activity is dependent upon the number of lxd + genes present. The lxd mutation results in the production of more thermolabile XDH and AO enzyme activities, but this thermolability is not transferred with the cofactor to a reconstituted Neurospora molybdoenzyme. The lxd gene is localized to salivary region 68 A4-9, 0.1 map unit distal to the superoxide dismutase (Sod) gene.
Justifying the Art Critique: Clement Greenberg, Michael Kimmelman, and Orders of Worth in Art Criticism

Art critics straddle the boundaries between art worlds and the public. To legitimate and maintain this role, critics must be able to justify their standing as judges of the creation and display of art. This article draws on Boltanski’s and Thevenot’s work on the sorts of justifications which arise when joint action is interrupted. Specifically, we look at the justifications embedded in two seemingly disparate critiques – one from Clement Greenberg dating from the 1950s and another by Michael Kimmelman from the 2000s. An investigation of the justifications used within these critiques – separated by over five decades – reveals how boundaries between art and its public have been generated and maintained over the years.
Graduate student initiated calculus reform — part II

ABSTRACT An overview is given of an on-going calculus reform initiative at Cornell, which the author helped start as a graduate student. The reformed calculus sections employ cooperative learning, oral presentations, and long-term student projects. A notable feature of this initiative is that a small group of graduate students came up with the original proposal and eventually carried it to successful fruition. Student feedback and evaluations have been positive, often enthusiastic. Among the issues with which we struggled were: enticing students to try something different; using external materials versus home-grown ones; assessing the results of the reforms; and innovating while keeping the workload manageable for instructors. References to additional, web-based documentation and resource materials are supplied.
The Emergence of a Root Metaphor in Modern Physics: Max Planck's ‘Quantum’ Metaphor:

The two purposes of this article are: 1) to use metaphorical analysis to determine whether or not Max Planck invented the quantum postulate and 2) to demonstrate how metaphorical analysis can be used to analyze the rhetoric of revolutionary texts in science. Metaphors often serve as the basis of invention for scientific theories. When we identify these metaphors in Planck's original 1900 quantum paper, it is clear that Planck did consider the quantum postulate to be important. However, we also see that he does not consider the quantum postulate to be revolutionary.
Relaxor-based single-crystal materials for ultrasonic transducer applications

Relaxor ferroelectric single crystals of Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZN), Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PMN) and their solid solutions with normal ferroelectric PbTiO3 (PT) were investigated for ultrasonic transducer applications. Crystals offer adjustable properties not only by compositional tailoring but also by domain state engineering associated with different crystallographic orientation, which is not achievable in polycrystalline materials. Longitudinal coupling coefficients (k33) as high as 94% and dielectric constants (K3T) in the range of 3500 - 6000 were achieved with low dielectric loss (less than 1%) using oriented rhombohedral crystals of (1-x)PZN-xPT and (1-y)PMN-yPT, where x less than 0.09 and y less than 0.35. Dicing direction as well as poling direction were critical for high coupling under laterally clamped condition. Dicing parallel to the (001) yields 90% of laterally clamped coupling (kbar) out of 94% longitudinal coupling (k33) for PZN-8%PT. On the other hand, samples diced parallel to (110) exhibited no dominant mode present. Thickness coupling (kT) as high as 64% and low dielectric constant (K3T) less than 600 with low loss (less than 1%) could be achieved using tetragonal crystals of (1-x)PZN-xPT and (1-y)PMN-yPT, where x greater than 0.1 and y greater than 0.4. The performance gains associated with these ultra-high coupling coefficients and range of dielectric constants are evident in relation to broader bandwidth and electrical impedance matching. Specifically, rhombohedral crystals offer the possibility of extremely broad bandwidth devices for transducer arrays and tetragonal crystals for single element transducers. Transducer simulation was performed using the KLM model. The pulse/echo response simulated a 124% bandwidth subdiced array element with a center frequency of 10 MHz. An optimized array design of the same geometry constructed of PZT 5H displays an 87% bandwidth.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Central nervous system vasculitis secondary to systemic sclerosis

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma is a connective tissue disease with a diverse array of clinical manifestations secondary to underlying fibrosis and autoimmunity. Central nervous system (CNS) impairment is uncommon in SSc. Here we report the fourth known patient with CNS vasculitis caused by SSc. In each previous report, the patient was a middle-aged to elderly female. Our patient was 24 years old at the time of presentation, significantly younger than the other reported patients. Importantly, our patient's rapidly progressive clinical course and poor response to immunosuppression have not been reported in patients with CNS vasculitis secondary to scleroderma. Although CNS vasculitis is extremely rare in SSc, our report suggests that clinicians should consider this diagnosis in the differential of SSc patients with neurologic impairment.
Computational Study of the Unimolecular Decomposition Pathways of Phenylperoxy Radical

The potential energy surface for the unimolecular decomposition of phenylperoxy radical has been explored using the B3LYP method. Several pathways were considered including the initial formation of the phenoxy, dioxiranyl, 1,2-dioxetanyl, 1,3-peroxy, and p-phenylquinone radicals. Transition states for all pathways on the potential energy surface are presented. At all temperatures studied (T ≤ 1250 K), the energetically most favored pathway is the dioxiranyl pathway which leads to the formation of cyclopentadienyl radical and CO2, pyranyl radical and CO, or an acyclic C6H5O2 radical structure as products. The ring-opening reactions are very competitive with formation of CO and CO2 as products.
Acoustic Analysis of Accurate Word Stress Patterning in Patients with Apraxia of Speech and Broca's Aphasia

Stress-marking strategies employed by subjects with apraxia of speech were compared to those of matched normal controls, for real disyllabic words produced in isolation and in sentences, across aco...
Effects of diphenylhydantoin on anxiety and hostility in institutionalized prisoners.

Abstract 1. (1) In a double-blind, drug-placebo study, a group of 42 emotionally disturbed, male criminals incarcerated at a treatment center with an average age of 25 ± 6 and an average educational level of 8 ± 2, were randomly assigned for a 6-month period to 300 mg of diphenylhydantoin daily by mouth or to a placebo in the form of 24 mg of diphenylhydantoin daily. 2. (2) Five-minute tape-recorded speech samples, elicited by standardized instructions to “talk about any interesting or dramatic life experiences,” were obtained before drug administration and for a 6-month period postdrug. The typescripts of these speech samples were blindly scored, by content analysis technicians unfamiliar with the purpose or nature of this study, for anxiety, total hostility outward, overt hostility outward, covert hostility outward, hostility inward, and ambivalent hostility according to the method of Gottschalk (Gottschalk and Gleser, 1969; Gottschalk et al., 1969). 3. (3) There were no significant differences between the drug and placebo groups in the magnitude of these anxiety or hostility scores over the 6-month period, as assessed by comparison of the slopes for all the affect scores overtime. 4. (4) These findings confirm the observations of several other investigators that diphenylhydantoin has a weak effect, if any, as an antianxiety or antihostility agent, even when administered over a 6-month period of time of a group of aggressive, antisocial, criminal offenders. 5. (5) The relationship and relevance of scores of psychological states derived from the content analysis of speech to manifest behavior is dicussed.
Policing and group cohesion when resources vary

The transition from competing individuals to cooperative groups has occurred several times in evolutionary history. The puzzle is why selfish individuals did not subvert cohesive group behaviour by taking resources without contributing to the group's overall success. Kin selection and reciprocal altruism are the two standard explanations for group cohesion. But many groups have evolved into cooperative units when relatedness was low and opportunities were limited for the strategic alliances required for reciprocity. A new theory was recently proposed in which individuals invest some of their resources into repressing competition between group members. Such policing increases the fair distribution of resources in the group and enhances group cohesion. The surprising aspect of this theory is that low relatedness is more conducive to the spread of policing traits than is high relatedness. Here a new explanation is developed of the biological processes that favour policing. The model is then extended in two ways. First, more realism is added to the theory by accounting for the full range of costs and benefits associated with competitive and cooperative traits within groups. Second, another surprising result is introduced about cooperative evolution. Small variations in individual vigour or resources can lead to large variations in individual contributions to policing the group. Stronger individuals often invest all of their excess resources into policing, but weaker individuals do not contribute to group cohesion. ? 1996 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
A New Perspective on Planned Obsolescence

Automobile manufacturers have long had a policy of introducing annual style changes into their new model cars. Textbook publishers have a policy of periodically bringing out revised editions of their popular books. Recently, IBM changed the operating system used in its personal computers causing a reduction in the compatibility between its old and new machines. If one were to ask the typical man in the street to explain what is happening in these markets, he would not hesitate before giving the following answer. In economists' terminology, he would say that for the above firms the incentive to introduce new products that make old units obsolete is "too high"; i.e., the firms have an incentive to practice planned obsolescence. Of course, just as is true for the man in the street, economists have also long observed and commented on the speed with which new products are introduced. For example, Galbraith [1958] suggests that the annual model changes of automobile manufacturers are socially wasteful, while Fisher, Griliches, and Kaysen [1962] provide empirical estimates of the costs of these changes. There have also been numerous theoretical attempts to model the idea of planned obsolescence (or the related idea of killing off the market for secondhand goods), but most of these models have in fact considered the choice a monopolist faces concerning how much durability to build initially into his product, rather than the monopolist's incentive to introduce new versions of his product over time.1 In this paper I consider planned obsolescence from the standpoint of a firm that can change the nature of what it sells, and show that the man in the street is in fact correct. In many settings the incentive for a durable goods monopolist to introduce new products that make old units obsolete will be above that which is socially optimal.
Varenicline and nicotine enhance GABAergic synaptic transmission in rat CA1 hippocampal and medial septum/diagonal band neurons

article i nfo Aims: The FDA approved smoking cessation aid varenicline can effectively attenuate nicotine-stimulated do- pamine release. Varenicline may also exert important actions on other transmitter systems that also influ- ence nicotine reinforcement or contribute to the drug's cognitive and affective side effects. In this study, we determined if varenicline, like nicotine, can stimulate presynaptic GABA release. Main methods: Using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques, we measured GABAAR-mediated asynchronous, spontaneous miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in acute brain slices from two brain regions important for learning and memory, the hippocampus and basal forebrain. Key findings: Both varenicline (10 μM) and nicotine (10 μM) applications alone resulted in small but signifi- cant increases in amplitude, as well as robustly enhanced frequency of mIPSCs in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons and medial septum/diagonal band (MS/DB) neurons. A unique subpopulation of MS/DB neurons showed decreases in frequency. In the presence of nicotine, varenicline effectively attenuated the expected enhancement of hippocampal mIPSC frequency like a competitive antagonist. However, in the MS/DB, varenicline only partially attenuated nicotine's effects. Reversing the order of drug application by adding nic- otine to varenicline-exposed slices had little effect. Significance: Varenicline, like nicotine, stimulates presynaptic GABA release, and also exerts a partial agonist action by attenuating nicotine-stimulated release in both the hippocampus and basal forebrain. These effects could potentially affect cognitive functions.
Region-based wavelet compression for very low bit rate video coding

We present a region-based wavelet compression method for encoding video sequences at very low bit rates suitable for videophone applications. By selectively coding texture information in the regions of interest, we avoid spending bits in the unimportant regions and improve video quality. The embedded zerotree wavelet algorithm is extended to efficiently represent the wavelet coefficients within the regions of interest while exploiting redundancy between subbands. The locations of the regions of interest are selected during the motion estimation process and are transmitted as part of the macroblock type. This technique can provide better quality compared to the new H.263 videophone compression standard. This technique was also incorporated in a more general object-based compression scheme which obtained high scores during the recent MPEG-4 subjective quality evaluations.
Early Modern Experimentation on Live Animals

Starting from the works by Aselli (De lactibus sive lacteis venis, 1627) on the milky veins and Harvey (1628, translated in 1993) on the motion of the heart and the circulation of the blood, the practice of vivisection witnessed a resurgence in the early modern period. I discuss some of the most notable cases in the century spanning from Aselli's work to the investigations of fluid pressure in plants and animals by Stephen Hales (Vegetable Staticks, 1727). Key figures in my study include Johannes Walaeus, Jean Pecquet, Marcello Malpighi, Reinier de Graaf, Richard Lower, Anton Nuck, and Anton de Heide. Although vivisection dates from antiquity, early modern experimenters expanded the range of practices and epistemic motivations associated with it, displaying considerable technical skills and methodological awareness about the problems associated with the animals being alive and the issue of generalizing results to humans. Many practitioners expressed great discomfort at the suffering of the animals; however, many remained convinced that their investigations were not only indispensable from an epistemic standpoint but also had potential medical applications. Early modern vivisection experiments were both extensive and sophisticated and cannot be ignored in the literature of early modern experimentation or of experimentation on living organisms across time.
Extraction of recoverable and permanent trapped charge resulting from negative bias temperature instability

We have studied defect charging and discharging resulting from negative bias temperature instability in nitrided SiO2 gate insulator field effect transistors. Using pseudo-DC and pulsed stressing methods, we are able to extract at least three individual components associated with a) interface states at the semiconductor/insulator boundary, b) dynamically recoverable positive charging in the “bulk” of the insulator, and c) positive charge in the insulator which can be “eliminated” by application of a positive electric field across the insulator. It is argued that the charge variation in c) in fact arises via a charge neutralization process involving electron capture at switching traps and that this process can be simply reversed using a small negative field. The important role played by neutral oxygen vacancies (O3≡Si-Si≡O3) and/or their variants involving partial N substitutions is emphasized. (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
A hidden Markov model for predicting protein interfaces.

Protein–protein interactions play a defining role in protein function. Identifying the sites of interaction in a protein is a critical problem for understanding its functional mechanisms, as well as for drug design. To predict sites within a protein chain that participate in protein complexes, we have developed a novel method based on the Hidden Markov Model, which combines several biological characteristics of the sequences neighboring a target residue: structural information, accessible surface area, and transition probability among amino acids. We have evaluated the method using 5-fold cross-validation on 139 unique proteins and demonstrated precision of 66% and recall of 61% in identifying interfaces. These results are better than those achieved by other methods used for identification of interfaces.
Pseudomonas Biofilm Formation after Haemophilus Infection

Objectives. Tympanostomy tube (TT) biofilm formation may lead to refractory otorrhea and occlusion. Biofilms are com- monly composed of multiple microbial species. One species may promote or inhibit biofilm formation by other species. The aim of this study was to determine if Haemophilus influ- enzae (HI) promotes the development of Pseudomonas aerugi- nosa (PA) biofilm on TTs. Study Design. Controlled, in vitro. Setting. Academic research laboratory. Subjects and Methods. Fluoroplastic TTs (20 per group) were exposed to plasma, allowed to dry, and cultured with HI for 7 days. TTs were either gas sterilized or treated for 24 hours with 10 or 3000 µg/mL ciprofloxacin. Half of the TTs from each treatment group underwent bacterial counts or scan- ning electron microscopy. The remainder, as well as TTs not exposed to HI, were cultured with PA for 4 days and treated with gentamicin to kill planktonic PA. Biofilm formation was quantified with bacterial counts. Results. TTs treated with ciprofloxacin 3000 µg/mL had lower HI counts than TTs treated with 10 µg/mL (P = .0001), but viable HI persisted. PA biofilm formation on TTs with prior HI biofilm and treated with ciprofloxacin 10 µg/mL or gas sterilization was not different than TTs without HI. Less PA biofilm formed on TTs with HI treated with 3 mg/mL cipro- floxacin (P = .002).
Coordinate control of prostaglandin E2 synthesis and uptake by hyperosmolarity in renal medullary interstitial cells.

During water deprivation, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), formed by renal medullary interstitial cells (RMICs), feedback inhibits the actions of antidiuretic hormone. Interstitial PGE2 concentrations repr...
The Paradox of China's Post-Mao Reforms . Edited by Merle Goldman and Roderick MacFarquhar. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1999. viii, 454 pp. $55.00 (cloth); $24.95 (paper).

Preface I. Introduction 1. Dynamic Economy, Declining Party-State Merle Goldman & Roderick MacFarquhar 2. China's Transition in Economic Perspective Barry Naughton II. Limited Political Reforms 3. Elite Politics Joseph Fewsmith 4. Party-Military Relations Paul H. B. Godwin 5. The National People's Congress Murray Scot Tanner 6. The Struggle over Village Elections Lianjiang Li & Kevin J. 0 'Brien 7. Mass Political Behavior in Beijing Tianjian Shi III. Fragmenting Society 8. The Changing Role of Workers Martin King Whyte 9. Farmer Discontent and Regime Responses Thomas P. Bernstein 10. China's Floating Population Dorothy J. Solinger 11. The New Middle Class David S. G. Goodman 12. The Rise of Private Business Interests Kitten Paths 13. The Emergence of Politically Independent Intellectuals Merle Goldman 14. Crime, Corruption, and Contention Elizabeth J. Perry Conclusion 15. The "State of the State" Richard Baum & Alexei Shevchenko Notes Contributors