cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling Cyclical Patterns in Daily College Drinking Data with Many Zeroes

Daily college drinking data often have highly skewed distributions with many zeroes and a rising and falling pattern of use across the week. Alcohol researchers have typically relied on statistical models with dummy variables for either the weekend or all days of the week to handle weekly patterns of use. However, weekend versus weekday categorizations may be too simplistic and saturated dummy variable models too unwieldy, particularly when covariates of weekly patterns are included. In the present study we evaluate the feasibility of cyclical (sine and cosine) covariates in a multilevel hurdle count model for evaluating daily college alcohol use data. Results showed that the cyclical parameterization provided a more parsimonious approach than multiple dummy variables. The number of drinks when drinking had a smoothly rising and falling pattern that was reasonably approximated by cyclical terms, but a saturated set of dummy variables was a better model for the probability of any drinking. Combining cyclical terms and multilevel hurdle models is a useful addition to the data analyst toolkit when modeling longitudinal drinking with high zero counts. However, drinking patterns were not perfectly sinusoidal in the current application, highlighting the need to consider multiple models and carefully evaluate model fit.
The cost of uncertainty for nitrogen fertilizer management: A sensitivity analysis

Abstract Uncertainties in soil nitrogen (N) supply and crop N demand present a challenge to farmers deciding on N fertilizer rates. While field studies have documented the improvements in N use efficiency possible with site-specific N management approaches that address these uncertainties, a general understanding of the importance of uncertainty across a wide range of cropping systems is yet to emerge. Here a general model of N rate decision-making is presented which computes the optimal N rate that maximizes expected profit given uncertainties in N supply and demand. The cost of uncertainty is measured as the difference in N rate when soil N supply and crop N demand are unknown versus known perfectly. Eliminating uncertainty in soil N supply (but not crop demand) would reduce average N rates by ∼5–15% in typical irrigated rice systems, 10–30% in wheat, and 20–40% in maize. Perfect knowledge of potential crop N demand (but not soil supply) would reduce rates by ∼3–10% in all systems. Simultaneous knowledge of both factors reduced N rates by significantly more than the sum of their individual effects, reflecting important interactions between supply and demand uncertainties. This indicates that the value of information for one factor is inversely related to the level of uncertainty in the other. Studies that separately consider information on soil N supply or crop N demand may therefore underestimate the total benefit of management approaches that address both these uncertainties. Site-specific N management could lead to substantial reductions of N rates without yield loss in a wide range of cropping systems, thereby improving profitability and environmental quality.
The molecular structures of cis- and trans-1,2-dichloroethene: a real-time gas electron diffraction and ab initio study

Abstract The molecular structures of cis- and trans -1,2-dichloroethene have been studied in the gas phase by electron diffraction, using our new real-time data acquisition tecnique. For cis -dichloroethene the structural parameters are ( r a distances(A) and angles (deg.), with 3σ in parentheses): CCl 1.717(2); CC1.337(4); ClCC 124.0(2); HCC 120(3). For trans -dichloroethene: CCl 1.725(2); CC 1.332(8); ClCC 120.8(6); and HC 124(3). The experimental work was augemented by ab initio gradient geometry refinements of the two compounds and of cis- and trans -dichloroethene. The 4–21 G, 5–31 G ** , and 3-3-21G basis sets were used in various series of calculations. Without any exception, the calculated structural trends for the cis- and trans -configurations are in excellent agreement with the experiments.
Lymphoproliferative Neoplasms of the Lung: A Review

Context.—Diagnosis and classification of lymphomas are based on the morphologic, immunologic, and genetic features that the lesional cells share with their normal B and T lymphocyte counterparts. Primary pulmonary lymphomas account for 0.3% of primary lung neoplasms and less than 0.5% of all lymphomas. Objective.—To describe and summarize the clinical and histopathologic features of the primary pulmonary lymphoma and secondary involvement of the lung by lymphoma. Data Sources.—Peer-reviewed published literature and personal experience. Conclusions.—Diagnosis of clonal lymphoid proliferations in the lung has evolved owing to the greater utility of molecular and flow cytometric analysis of tissue. Further studies are needed to best define the clinical and prognostic features, as well as search for targeted therapy for these patients with rare neoplasms.
Dissection of Amyloid-β Precursor Protein-dependent Transcriptional Transactivation

Amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) forms a transcriptionally active complex with the adaptor protein Fe65 and the histone acetyltransferase Tip60, but the mechanism of transcriptional activation that is mediated by APP and Fe65 remains unclear. APP is cleaved by γ-secretase similar to Notch, whose intracellular domain activates transcription by interacting with nuclear transcription factors. To test whether the APP intracellular domain (AICD) functions analogously, we investigated how APP and Fe65 transactivate a Gal4 fusion protein of Tip60. Consistent with the Notch paradigm, we observe that γ-cleavage of APP and nuclear translocation of Fe65 are required for transactivation. Surprisingly, however, we find that nuclear translocation of the AICD may be dispensable and that only membrane-tethered AICD (i.e. AICD coupled to a transmembrane region) and not free AICD (i.e. soluble AICD) is a potent transactivator of transcription. Membrane-tethered AICD recruits Fe65 and mediates the activation of bound Fe65 that is then released for nuclear translocation by γ-cleavage together with the AICD. Our data suggest that transcriptional transactivation by APP and Notch may involve distinct mechanisms; whereas the Notch intracellular domain directly functions in the nucleus, the AICD acts indirectly by activating Fe65.
Anaerobic irradiation of alcohol dehydrogenase, aldolase and ribonuclease

Abstract Alcohol dehydrogenase, aldolase, and ribonuclease have been irradiated under anaerobic conditions, and the inactivation rates, sulfhydryl losses, effect of sulfhydryl reductants, and ionic yields are reported. On the basis of these experiments it would appear that anaerobic irradiation inactivation of enzymes results from a nonspecific protein denaturation. Complete enzymic inactivation is closely associated with the formation of characteristic irradiation odors.
The Evolving Practice of Developmental Care in the Neonatal Unit: A Systematic Review

Many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are experiencing changes in their approaches to preterm infant care as they consider and incorporate the philosophy of individualized developmental care. The aim of this systematic review is to research current literature documenting the short-term effects of developmental care and the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). The following databases were reviewed: PubMED, CINAHL, and PsychINFO by using the keywords developmental care, individualized care, preterm infant, early intervention, and NIDCAP. Fifty-four articles were found with a total of 15 matching the selection criteria. All 15 articles were assessed using a research design developed by the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM). Twelve of the 15 articles contained strong Levels of Evidence (I or II). Our findings suggest evidence supporting developmental care and NIDCAP, however, further research documenting outcomes for preterm infants receiving developmental care and/or NIDCAP is needed.
The effect of septal lesions in rats on performance of a free-operant avoidance task

Abstract Twenty female hooded rats of the Long-Evans strain served in a study of the effects of septal lesions on free-operant avoidance performance. Although there was no statistically significant difference between septal damaged and normal rats on responses emitted or shocks received, it was shown that normal animals emitted more responses than septal preparations in four second intervals following shock. Results are interpreted as demonstrating that shock is more disruptive to the bar-press response for septal damaged animals, and that this factor could partially account for the prevously reported different IRT distributions generated by septal damaged and normal animals on similar free operant avoidance tasks.
Ab initio molecular dynamics: Analytically continued energy functionals and insights into iterative solutions.

We present a new method for performing finite-temperature ab initio total-energy calculations at long length scales, which we demonstrate with a dynamics calculation of 50 \AA{}-long phonon modes in silicon. The method involves both a prescription for the analytic continuation of tradional fermionic energy functionals into the space of nonorthonormal single-particle orbitals (speeding convergence to the minimum) and insights into the common computational physics problem of solving by iterative refinement for the state of a complex system as a function of a continuous external parameter.
Command and control of the Voyager spacecraft

The Voyager Mission was designed to be conducted using reprogrammable onboard computers. This decision was based on the need for highly reliable semi-autonomous operations of the spacecraft and the lengthy two-way communication times envisioned during the mission. Command and control of the spacecraft is effected by the process through which the programs for these computers are developed. While this results in a relatively passive real-time command and control function, provisions exist for intervention to occur in order to modify or augment the programs or respond to spacecraft anomalies.
Airline Crew Scheduling: A New Formulation and Decomposition Algorithm

Airline crew scheduling is concerned with finding a minimum cost assignment of flight crews to a given flight schedule while satisfying restrictions dictated by collective bargaining agreements and the Federal Aviation Administration. Traditionally, the problem has been modeled as a set partitioning problem. In this paper, we present a new model based on breaking the decision process into two stages. In the first stage we select a set of duty periods that cover the flights in the schedule. Then, in the second stage, we attempt to build pairings using those duty periods. We suggest a decomposition approach for solving the model and present computational results for test problems provided by a major carrier. Our formulation provides a tighter linear programming bound than that of the conventional set partitioning formulation but is more difficult to solve.
Consuming contradiction: media, masculinity and (hetero) sexual identity

Using collective memory work, this study explored the development of masculinity and sexual identity through the media memories and experiences of five self-identified straight men. Implicit to collective memory work is the recognition that identity is the negotiation of social norms, such as heteronormativity, within the context of an individual's daily lived experience. Five straight men wrote about, discussed and analyzed positive and negative memories of masculinity and heterosexual identity as portrayed in media. Participants' analyses of their stories yielded a hierarchical schema of masculinities that were dubbed the alpha male, the beta male and the coward, and which manifested through characters' relations to one another. After identifying these general types, participants began to associate particular behaviours with different masculine types. Through this process of association, participants constructed their own conceptual tool to characterize masculine behaviour: the Man Card.
Generalized quadrangles having a prime parameter

Generalized quadrangles Open image in new window are studied in whichs ort is prime and Aut Open image in new window has rank 3 on points.
On the Convergence of Successive Substitution Sampling

Abstract The problem of finding marginal distributions of multidimensional random quantities has many applications in probability and statistics. Many of the solutions currently in use are very computationally intensive. For example, in a Bayesian inference problem with a hierarchical prior distribution, one is often driven to multidimensional numerical integration to obtain marginal posterior distributions of the model parameters of interest. Recently, however, a group of Monte Carlo integration techniques that fall under the general banner of successive substitution sampling (SSS) have proven to be powerful tools for obtaining approximate answers in a very wide variety of Bayesian modeling situations. Answers may also be obtained at low cost, both in terms of computer power and user sophistication. Important special cases of SSS include the “Gibbs sampler” described by Gelfand and Smith and the “IP algorithm” described by Tanner and Wong. The major problem plaguing users of SSS is the difficulty in asce...
Wigglism: A Philosophoid Entity Turns Ten

The author describes The Wigglism Manifesto, a work authored amidst the fury of early exchange on the World Wide Web. The term Wigglism refers to a quality shared by biological and artificial life forms alike. The manifesto has taken an open-source approach to its cultivation, allowing numerous voices to nurture the entity into being. This collective approach to truth cultivation embodied by the manifesto was inspired, in part, by the author's experiences with community-based media rituals in the North Brooklyn community before it gentrified in the mid-1990s. The project has affirmed its initiator's sense that cultivating a living system can be a vital alternative to traditional creative practices more aligned with manufacturing and commerce.
Biodegradation of Bicyclic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Anaerobic Enrichments

Although many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be biodegraded under aerobic conditions, most contaminated sediments are anaerobic. With recent results demonstrating that some bicyclics and PAHs can be degraded without oxygen, information on specific biodegradation rates and electron acceptor stoichiometry is lacking. A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) enrichment approach was used to enrich for bacteria from creosote-contaminated marine sediments with nitrate or sulfate as the sole potential terminal electron acceptors and with naphthalene, biphenyl, dibenzofuran, and phenanthrene as the sole source of carbon and energy. Influent and effluent analysis showed removal of naphthalene, biphenyl, and phenanthrene in the FBRs but not dibenzofuran after 100−200 days. Batch incubations of FBR cells, using strict anaerobic techniques, confirmed the transformation of naphthalene, biphenyl, and phenanthrene with stoichiometric removal of nitrate by the nitrate FBR enrichment. Similarly, phenanthrene, b...
Intensive Parenting: Does it Have the Desired Impact on Child Outcomes?

Although parental involvement is generally thought to be beneficial for children, it is unclear whether the intensive level of parenting that has become commonplace results in improved child outcomes. Intensive parenting may involve the desire to anticipate and solve children’s problems as well as to enroll them in numerous, structured activities that might enhance their physical, cognitive, and social abilities. We surveyed 241 parents to assess intensive parenting beliefs, anticipatory problem solving (APS), enrollment in structured activities, and developmental outcomes of their children ages 2–5. Using structural equation modeling, we found that intensive parenting beliefs predicted more APS, which predicted greater enrollment in creative and physical activities. However, enrollment in structured activities did not predict children’s developmental outcomes. Although parents may believe that expensive and time-consuming activities are the keys to ensuring their children’s health, happiness, and success, this study does not support this assumption.
Sterols synthesized by cultured trichomycetes

Desmosterol was synthesized by all but 2 of 14 isolates of the fungal genus Smittium (Harpellales) obtained from the hindguts of various Diptera larvae and grown axenically on a sterol-free medium. Also detected in some isolates of Smittium were cholesterol and ergosterol, and another, unidentified sterol with an apparent molecular ion of 470. Sterol content based on dry weight of fungal tissue was as high as 0.34%, but it was shown in one isolate that sterols vary both quantitatively and qualitatively during growth of the fungus. Two axenic cultures of the trichomycete Amoebidium parasiticum (Amoebidiales) isolated from the exoskeleton of a Cladocera contained cholesterol and ergosterol, but no desmosterol. Two soil fungi with possible phylogenetic affinities to Smittium, Linderina pennispora and Dipsacomyces acuminosporus (Kickxellales), produced cholesterol alone. The possible influence of the gut fungi on arthropod growth and development is discussed.
Fundamental matter and SDLCQ

Abstract We consider a bound state problem for a family of supersymmetric gauge theories with fundamental matter. These theories can be obtained by a dimensional reduction from three dimension to 1 + 1 of supersymmetric QCD and subsequent truncation of some of the fields. We find that the models without adjoint scalar converge to well-defined continuum limits. We also find the critical value of coupling at which an additional massless state is observed. By contrast, the models containing adjoint scalars, seem to have a continuous mass spectrum in the limit of infinite volume.
A Collaborative Geospatial Shoreline Inventory Tool to Guide Coastal Development and Habitat Conservation

We are developing a geospatial inventory tool that will guide habitat conservation, restoration and coastal development and benefit several stakeholders who seek mitigation and adaptation strategies to shoreline changes resulting from erosion and sea level rise. The ESRI Geoportal Server, which is a type of web portal used to find and access geospatial information in a central repository, is customized by adding a Geoinventory tool capability that allows any shoreline related data to be searched, displayed and analyzed on a map viewer. Users will be able to select sections of the shoreline and generate statistical reports in the map viewer to allow for comparisons. The tool will also facilitate map-based discussion forums and creation of user groups to encourage citizen participation in decisions regarding shoreline stabilization and restoration, thereby promoting sustainable coastal development.
New examples of μ-η2:η2-disulfido dicopper(II,II) complexes with bis(tetramethylguanidine) ligands

Abstract The new ligand N,N′-(2-methyl-2-(2-pyridyl)propan-1,3-diyl)bis(tetramethylguanidine) (L) and its four-coordinate, distorted square-planar copper(II) complex [CuLCl2] (1) were synthesized and structurally characterized. Similarly, bis(μ-OH)dicopper(II,II) complex [Cu2L2(OH)2](OTf)2 (2) was synthesized and structurally characterized. The pyridyl group in L does not coordinate in either 1 or 2. New examples of μ-η2:η2-disulfido dicopper(II,II) complexes were synthesized by treating a copper(I) complex of either L or L′ [L′ = 2′,2′-(propane-1,3-diyl)bis(1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine)] with elemental sulfur. [Cu2L2(S2)](PF6)2 (3) and [Cu2 L 2 ′ (S2)](PF6)2 (4) were both structurally characterized, and both structures have two copper(II) ions bridged by a disulfido ligand in a μ-η2:η2-manner. The ligands L and L′ coordinate in a bidentate fashion (like 1 and 2, the pyridyl ring does not coordinate in 3), and the geometry around the copper ions in 3 and 4 is distorted square planar. The metrical parameters of 3 and 4 were found to be similar to other μ-η2:η2-disulfido dicopper(II,II) complexes, and the Cu–S and Cu···Cu distances are among the shortest reported for this class of copper disulfide dimers.
Solvation and Ionization of Hydroxyl Groups in Water-Ice Layers on Silver(110).

The solvation and ionization of hydroxyl groups on Ag(110) were examined with isotope exchange experiments involving OD and 18OD and temperature programmed desorption ( TPD). Water adsorption onto oxygen-covered Ag(110) gives rise to the well known a, b, c and d peaks in TPD. The a-state represents multilayer water, the c state an (OH ) 2 ·H 2 O complex, and the d-state OH groups. Surface solvation of OH groups involves as many as 14±3 water molecules (b and c) in the limit of zero OH coverage and decreases linearly to five water molecules for 0.15 monolayer (ML) of OH. The solvating molecules are essentially all b-state molecules as the c-state contains only 0.5 water molecules per OH group. The maximum coverage of solvating water molecules and OH groups is 1.04 ML in good agreement with a perfect bilayer coverage of 1.18 ML on Ag(110). From this we identify the b-state as an extended surface bilayer structure. Isotope exchange experiments demonstrated proton mobility in the OD/H 2 O adlayer at temperatures of 150 K as well as migration of 18OD groups from the surface and into a-state, multilayer water molecules. This constitutes desorption of hydroxide ion into the water‐ice multilayers and subsequent solvation. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Devitrified Barium Titanate Dielectrics

Pure barium titanate was made into a glass by flame-spraying and after sufficient comminution was processed into specimens and fired. During this firing the glass devitrified to tetragonal barium titanate and contained crystals of sizes from 0.5 to below 0.2μ. The small crystals exhibit Curie temperatures from 120° to above 185°C. The dielectric Curie temperature of the devitrified ceramic is 150° to 155°C.
Atherosclerotic changes of extracoronary arteries are associated with the extent of coronary atherosclerosis

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between carotid and femoral artery intima media thickness (IMT) and the extent and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as the effects of traditional vascular risk factors on the atherosclerotic changes in the carotid and femoral arteries. Two hundred twenty-four patients who underwent coronary angiography for suspected CAD were evaluated by B-mode ultrasound imaging of the common carotid, internal carotid, carotid bifurcation, and femoral artery for measurement of IMT; traditional vascular risk factors were also evaluated in these patients. CAD extent was evaluated by the number of diseased vessels and by Gensini score. Age, male gender, and diabetes were common risk factors for higher CAD extent and higher carotid and femoral IMT. Insulin levels were correlated with femoral IMT and CAD extent, whereas blood lipids were correlated predominantly with carotid IMT. IMT from carotid and femoral arteries increased significantly with an increase in CAD extent. Using multiple stepwise regression analysis, the following parameters were found to be independent predictors of CAD extent: male gender (p<0.0001), common femoral artery IMT (p = 0.0028), common carotid artery IMT (p = 0.015), age (p = 0.02), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.035), and carotid artery bulb IMT (p = 0.04). Common femoral IMT was the only independent parameter for predicting Gensini score (p<0.0001). In conclusion, there are territorial differences in the various arterial beds regarding their response to risk factors. Femoral artery and carotid bulb are independent predictors of CAD extent and the inclusion of these measurements would add information to that provided by the common carotid artery.
Influence of an Antagonist of Slow-Reacting Substance of Anaphylaxis on the Cardiovascular Manifestations of Hypoxia in Piglets

Leukotrienes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in adult animals and in persistent pulmonary hypertension with accompanying hypoxemia in the neonate. In order to elucidate the role of leukotrienes in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in a young animal model, the effects of a leukotriene antagonist, FPL 57231, were evaluated in anesthetized piglets. Cardiac output and vascular pressures were measured and pulmonary and systemic vascular resistances calculated prior to and during hypoxia. These measurements were compared during continued hypoxia between a control and treatment group which received FPL 57231. FPL 57231 infusion resulted in significant decreases in mean pulmonary artery pressure (p less than 0.04), pulmonary vascular resistance (p less than 0.01) and the ratio of pulmonary/systemic vascular resistance (p less than 0.01). Systemic vascular resistance fell approximately 25% from hypoxic baseline (p less than 0.01) while PVR decreased 54%. There were no differences between groups in mean systemic arterial pressure, cardiac output, pH, or PaCO2. In addition, pretreatment with FPL 57231 attenuated the hemodynamic response to hypoxia. These data suggest that leukotrienes may, in part, mediate hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in piglets.
Developing an Effective Platform for Introducing Mechanical Engineering in a Large Public University

In conjunction with a shift from an academic calendar based on ten–week quarters to one based on semesters, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University has completely re–designed the mechanical engineering curriculum. As a part of this re–design, the MAE department has added a new course for sophomores entering the department that will emphasize hands–on skills in machining and electronics while simultaneously giving students a broad introduction to the kinds of problems that mechanical engineers typically confront in industrial practice.This paper describes the evolution of our thinking as we created the teaching platform that is the heart of the course, a multi–cylinder compressed air motor. Lectures are structured to provide ‘just in time’ information to the students as they build and test this platform in the laboratory. It was crucial to create a device that would be complex enough to challenge the students and provide an opportunity to explore the widest possible range of mechanical engineering concepts. After a review of similar courses in other programs, we decided to employ a multi–cylinder compressed air motor, controlled by a commercially available microprocessor, as the teaching platform.Because the course will be required of all students entering the major, an overriding constraint on the design is that the device is simple enough for three hundred students a year, working in teams, to construct and test it. At the same time, the air motors must also be complex enough to support the learning objectives of this course and subsequent courses in the curriculum. Our final design is a direct–injection six–cylinder radial compressed air motor that is controlled by an Arduino© microprocessor. Students will spend five weeks machining and assembling the motors in the machine shop, another four weeks learning to program the Arduino© to control the motor, and the remainder of the term testing and analyzing the performance of the motors.The air motors allow us to introduce students to machine design, engine design, thermodynamics, fluid flow, vibrations, electronics, and controls. We have pilot tested this course twice, and find that the students quickly take ownership of the motors, and are quite interested in optimizing the design to improve performance.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Influence of strain rate and temperature on necking transition in a polydomain smectic main chain elastomer

Smectic main-chain liquid crystalline elastomers (MCLCE) with polydomain morphology are rare examples of elastomers that can form a neck and undergo cold drawing under tension. However, not all previous studies of the mechanical behavior of smectic MCLCE reported neck formation. The mechanical response of a polydomain smectic MCLCE has therefore been characterized by elongation at varying strain rates and temperatures to identify factors favoring mechanical instability. Yielding and neck formation are increasingly favored as the strain rate increases at constant temperature, or as the temperature decreases toward Tg. As cold drawing proceeds, significant creep occurs continuously within the neck, in contrast to the behavior of certain linear polymers that exhibit a “natural” draw ratio. Thermal imaging during elongation indicates that viscous heating is not a prerequisite for neck formation. Rather, inherent softening of the material during yielding due to morphological changes leads to an enhanced rate of deformation and contraction at the neck. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011
Corruption on the Court: The Causes and Social Consequences of Point-Shaving in NCAA Basketball

This paper is concerned with the economic incentives of crime among agents within a private organization. Specifically, we present a contest model of a college basketball game to identify the winners, losers, and social welfare consequences of point-shaving corruption in mens NCAA basketball as an example of participation in illicit activities. It is shown that, under reasonable conditions, such activities lower the level of social welfare derived from college basketball play by reducing aggregate efforts in a game and distorting relative efforts across teams. We then examine the economic incentives of a player to point-shave and discuss player-types that are at a relatively high risk of engaging in point-shaving corruption. Private and public mechanisms to minimize corruption are compared in terms of efficiency, and a differential honesty premium is derived and discussed as an efficient way for the NCAA to decrease the incidence of player corruption.
Ultraharmonic myocardial contrast imaging : In vivo experimental and clinical data from a novel technique

Myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with high-mechanical-index (MI), triggered harmonic imaging is the best-established technique to date for the assessment of myocardial perfusion. A high signal-to-noise ratio, which is significantly influenced by precontrast tissue signals, is an important prerequisite. Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of ultraharmonic MCE, a technique that rejects tissue signals by receiving signals beyond the second but below the third harmonic. Imaging was performed in 6 closed-chest dogs and in 15 healthy volunteers (11 of whom also had dipyridamole stress). Analyses of videointensity (VI) confirmed uniformly low precontrast tissue VI, a significant increase of postcontrast VI (before and after dipyridamole), and a significant decrease in VI after microbubble destruction. We conclude that ultraharmonic MCE produces low precontrast tissue signals, thus optimizing postcontrast myocardial opacification, and exhibits efficient microbubble destruction with use of multiple-frame triggering. Thus this new technique opens up a new possibility of further optimizing coronary microcirculation imaging with microbubbles.
Purchase specifications for biomedical materials. I. Sheet or film of polytetrafluoroethylene plastic.

The critical need for purchase specifications for implantable biomedical materials is the focus of this contribution. The elements in development of such specifications are presented with specific reference to a widely used high polymer, polytetrafluoroethylene. A specification for sheet or film of this plastic, as instituted by a major urban hospital, is presented in detail.
Chloroplast Genetic Engineering: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Chloroplast genetic engineering offers a number of unique advantages, including a high-level of transgene expression, multi-gene engineering in a single transformation event, transgene containment via maternal inheritance, lack of gene silencing, position and pleiotropic effects, and undesirable foreign DNA. Thus far, over forty transgenes have been stably integrated and expressed via the tobacco chloroplast genome to confer important agronomic traits, as well as express industrially valuable biomaterials and therapeutic proteins. The hyperexpression of recombinant proteins within plastid engineered systems offers a cost effective solution for using plants as bioreactors. Additionally, the presence of chaperones and enzymes within the chloroplast help to assemble complex multi-subunit proteins and correctly fold proteins containing disulfide bonds, thereby drastically reducing the costs of in vitro processing. Oral delivery of vaccine antigens against cholera, tetanus, anthrax, plague, and canine parvovir...
Analysis of Heat Transfer Characteristits of Fabrics in an Open Flame Exposure

Experiments measured the transfer of heat through protective fabrics when the exposure is to a convective source (open flame). An instrumented calorimeter located on the opposite side of the fabric measured the heat transferred. Heat flux data were used to compute a burn protective index based on data on the tolerance of human tissue, developed by Stoll. Among the materials analyzed were fabrics made with flame-resistant cotton, rayon, and wool; fabrics from glass and ceramic fibers; and fabrics from polyaramids, novoloids, modacrylic, polybenzimidazole and stabilized acrylic fibers.
Calculation and simulation of chemical-diffusion coefficients: The inadequacy of the mean-field theory

The article originally appeared in Physical Review Letters 64, 487 (1990) and may also be found at http://prl.aps.org/abstract/PRL/v65/i23/p2889_1
Mutational analysis of the Escherichia coli serB promoter region reveals transcriptional linkage to a downstream gene.

Genes encoding proteins with unrelated functions can be cotranscribed, and this may be used by cells to coordinate different metabolic pathways during growth. We describe a gene, designated sms , which is downstream from the serine biosynthetic gene serB in Escherichia coli but does not appear to be involved in amino acid (aa) biosynthesis. The sms gene is 1380 bp long. The Sms product migrates at 55 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-polyacrylamide gels and has a M r of 49472 (460 aa residues) calculated from the nucleotide sequence. The deduced Sms aa sequence shares regions of similarity with two ATP-dependent proteases, Lon and RecA, and contains two motifs: a C-x(2)-C-x(n)-C-x(2)-C motif, which is found in some nucleic acid binding proteins, and an ATP/GTP binding site motif. Insertional inactivation of sms led to increased sensitivity to the alkylating agent methylmethane sulfonate, but not to a requirement for serine or other metabolites. Several promoter mutations were isolated and characterized, which suggest that serB has a typical promoter recognized by σ 70 . After the serB coding sequence there is a 48-bp region with no obvious promoter sequence preceding the sms translation start codon. Analyses using sms'-lacZ fusions cloned downstream from wild-type and mutant serB promoters showed that sms is cotranscribed with serB .
Asymptotic behavior of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with rapidly varying, mean-zero dispersion

Abstract In this paper we consider the nonlinear Schrodinger equation with an oscillatory, mean-zero dispersion, which has recently been proposed as an alternative method of dispersion for pulse transmission in optical fibers. Under the assumption that the time scale on which the dispersion changes is short in comparison with the dispersion and nonlinearity time scales, we are able to factor out the leading order contribution of the dispersion which leads to an effective equation for the pulse dynamics. This effective equation is a nonlinear diffusion equation, which is shown by an amplitude-phase decomposition to reduce to the well-known porous medium equation for the amplitude dynamics and a linear, nonconstant coefficient diffusion equation for the phase which is driven by the amplitude.
Application issues in the use of depth from (de)focus analysis methods

Recovering 3D object information through analyzing image focus (or defocus) has been shown to be a potential tool in situations where only a single viewing point is possible. Precise modeling and manipulation of imaging system parameters, e.g. depth of field, modulation transfer function and sensor characteristics, as well as lighting condition and object surface characteristics are critical for effectiveness of such methods. Sub-optimal performance is achieved when one or more of these parameters are dictated by other factors. In this paper, we will discuss the implicit requirements imposed by most common depth from focus/defocus (DFF/DFD) analysis methods and offer related application considerations. We also describe how a priori information about the objects of interest can be used to improve performance in realistic applications of this technology.
UFOs and the Scientific Method

The article “Panel says some UFO reports worthy of study” by David Kestenbaum (News of the Week, 3 July, [p. 21][1]) describes one critic who “worries that the report will unjustly legitimize UFO research” and notes that some scientists “have a record of enthusiasm for these exotic topics.” Is it the topic under investigation that determines whether or not research is legitimate? Does a researcher's passion for his subject makes its legitimacy suspect? At a time when media attention and public interest in anomalous phenomena seem to be at a peak, should we not demonstrate that science is legitimized by its methodology, not the subject matter it investigates? And do we really expect to attract potential scientists to the calling with the message that they must be dispassionate? If lack of passion is the criterion by which a researcher's work is to be validated, how much research qualifies? It is, of course, appropriate to make personal judgments about how fruitful UFO research is likely to be, or to decide (as a physicist cited in the article concludes) that UFO research may be “just a total waste of time.” But such conclusions should be based on an examination of the evidence itself. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.281.5373.21a
Minority Education in China: From State's preferential policies to dislocated Tibetan schools

This article analytically describes how the state of mainland China addresses the 'periphery syndrome' of education in its 'peripheral areas' of national minorities. It discusses the rationales, policies, implementations and results for the development of minority basic education. The examination of the 9-year compulsory schooling and the boarding school system for minority pupils suggests contradictions and mismatches between state policies and implementations. The article reveals educational, as well as geographical displacement of minority schooling, particularly the internationally little-known Tibetan Schools and Classes that have been radically developed in the metropolises of Han majority. The dislocation of reform for minority basic education, especially the lack of cultural sensitivity, is further compounded by the ubiquitous practices of pupil tracking and school differentiation in the education system. The author concludes that the policy components of cultural responsiveness should be integrat...
Transcatheter ablation of posteroseptal accessory pathways using a venous approach and radiofrequency energy.

BACKGROUNDThe efficacy of transcatheter ablation of atrioventricular (AV) accessory pathways (APs) located in the posteroseptal region using a right atrial approach and radiofrequency energy was evaluated.METHODS AND RESULTSFifty consecutive patients with APs in the posteroseptal region underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation. Manifest preexcitation was present in 36 patients and a concealed AP in 14. In 18 patients (group 1), the ventriculoatrial (VA) interval during orthodromic tachycardia was prolonged by 21 +/- 7 milliseconds (range, 10 to 30 milliseconds) with functional left bundle-branch block. In 16 patients (group 2), functional left bundle-branch block caused no VA interval prolongation. The remaining 16 patients (group 3) had no inducible left bundle-branch block during orthodromic tachycardia. Functional right bundle-branch block was induced in 30 patients with no effect on the VA interval. In group 1, of 14 patients with manifest preexcitation during sinus rhythm, 10 patients had a positiv...
Runt Homology Domain Proteins in Osteoblast Differentiation: AML3/CBFA1 Is a Major Component of a Bone-Specific Complex

The AML/CBFA family of runt homology domain (rhd) transcription factors regulates expression of mammalian genes of the hematopoietic lineage. AML1, AML2 and AML3 are the three AML genes identified to date which influence myeloid cell growth and differentiation. Recently AML-related proteins were identified in an osteoblast-specific promoter binding complex that functionally modulates bone-restricted transcription of the osteocalcin gene. In the present study we demonstrate that in primary rat osteoblasts AML-3 is the AML family member present in the osteoblast-specific complex. Antibody specific for AML-3 completely supershifts this complex, in contrast to antibodies with specificity for AML-1 or AML-2, AML-3 is present as a single 5.4 kb transcript in bone tissues. To establish the functional involvement of AML factors in osteoblast differentiation, we pursued antisense strategies to alter expression of rhd genes. Treatment of osteoblast cultures with rhd antisense oligonucleotides significantly decreased three parameters which are linked to differentiation of normal diploid osteoblasts: the representation of alkaline phosphatase-positive cells, osteocalcin production, and the formation of mineralized nodules. Our findings indicate that AML-3 is a key transcription factor in bone cells and that the activity of rhd proteins is required for completion of osteoblast differentiation.
A comparison of 17β-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase type 1 and type 2 activity of cytosol and microsomes from human term placenta, ovarian stroma and granulosa-luteal cells

A large body of evidence suggests multiple forms of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase (17-HOR) regulate estrogen and androgen levels within gonadal and peripheral tissues. Two kinetically-differing 17-HOR activities have been detected in placental homogenates. 17-HOR type 1, found mainly in the cytosol, is highly reactive with estradiol-17 beta (E2) and estrone (E1) but not testosterone (T) (high E2/T activity ratio). Microsomal 17-HOR type 2 is reactive with both E2 and T (low E2/T activity ratio). In this study, 17-HOR activity of cytosol and microsomes from term placenta, ovarian stroma and granulosa-luteal cells was assayed under conditions which specifically differentiate between the two forms of the enzyme. Placenta had the highest activity with either E2 or T in both cytosol and microsomes and stroma the lowest. The highest specific activity with E2 and E1 was cytosolic in all samples. The highest specific activity with T was microsomal in placenta and ovarian stroma. E2/E1 activity ratios were comparable for cytosol and microsomes while E2/T activity ratios were comparable for placenta and stroma, but markedly elevated in granulosa-luteal (G-L) cell cytosol and microsomes. The results indicate trophoblast and ovarian stroma have more 17-HOR type 2 relative to type 1. G-L cells, in contrast, are relatively enriched in 17-HOR type 1 and thus have a greater capacity for net conversion of E1 to E2 under physiologic conditions. These differences may contribute to increasing serum and follicular fluid E2/E1 ratios during development of the dominant follicle.
Computer science projects with music

One important way to teach Computer Science is by getting students involved in projects that interest them. In order to demonstrate the value of music related computer projects, this paper describes some of the projects that I have advised and discusses my experience with them. These experiences show that students are very enthusiastic about music projects, enjoy working hard at them and learn a lot in the process.This paper also serves as a brief introduction to MIDI, the standard interface for electronic music.
Disruptive Technologies and the Tax Law

AbstractRecent studies of the innovation process within firms draw a distinction between “sustaining” and “disruptive” technological change. Government incentives designed to encourage research and development (R&D) activities may interact with the organizational structure of firms developing disruptive technologies. This study finds evidence from companies involved with design and manufacture of microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) that practical concerns in raising capital may supersede utilizing tax incentives. This finding raises the policy issue of aligning R&D incentives with the most common organizational structures.
Effect of curing method and freeze-thawing on subsequent growth of Listeria monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon.

The presence of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon is a major concern for the seafood industry. Understanding processing and postprocessing handling factors that affect the ability of this pathogen to grow on cold-smoked salmon is critical for developing effective control strategies. In this study, we investigated the effect of curing method and freeze-thawing of cold-smoked salmon on (i) physicochemical properties and (ii) subsequent growth of genetically diverse strains of L. monocytogenes (inoculated after freeze-thawing) and endogenous lactic acid bacteria. The majority of the measured physicochemical properties were unaffected by freezing and thawing. Overall, wet-cured cold-smoked salmon had higher pH, water activity, and moisture, as well as lower fat, water-phase salt, and phenolic content compared with dry-cured cold-smoked salmon. The curing method and freeze-thawing did not affect growth of endogenous lactic acid bacteria. Freeze-thawing cold-smoked salmon prior...
X-Ray Detection of SN 1994W in NGC 4041?

Optical spectra of SN 1994W in NGC 4041 revealed the presence of a dense (Ne > 108 cm-3) circumstellar shell. An observation with the ROSAT High-Resolution Imager detected a source, with a luminosity of ~8 × 1039 ergs s-1, coincident with the position of SN 1994W to within 14. The positional coincidence plus the optical evidence for a dense circumstellar shell support the identification of the X-ray source as SN 1994W.
Inflammation and its Resolution as Determinants of Acute Coronary Syndromes

Inflammation contributes to many of the characteristics of plaques implicated in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes. Moreover, inflammatory pathways not only regulate the properties of plaques that precipitate acute coronary syndromes but also modulate the clinical consequences of the thrombotic complications of atherosclerosis. This synthesis will provide an update on the fundamental mechanisms of inflammatory responses that govern acute coronary syndromes and also highlight the ongoing balance between proinflammatory mechanisms and endogenous pathways that can promote the resolution of inflammation. An appreciation of the countervailing mechanisms that modulate inflammation in relation to acute coronary syndromes enriches our fundamental understanding of the pathophysiology of this important manifestation of atherosclerosis. In addition, these insights provide glimpses into potential novel therapeutic interventions to forestall this ultimate complication of the disease.