cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of heating on pulmonary veins: how to avoid pulmonary vein stenosis.

INTRODUCTION The success of radiofrequency energy catheter ablation for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal or chronic atrial fibrillation has been complicated by postablation development of pulmonary vein (PV) stenosis. The acute effect of heat on PV structure has not been well characterized. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of hyperthermic exposure on PVs and to determine the critical temperature at which PV stenosis would be observed. METHODS AND RESULTS The main PVs of acutely explanted canine hearts were identified, isolated, and dissected from the left atria. Measurements of the diameter of 3-mm PV rings were obtained at baseline and after hyperthermic exposure at 60 degrees C, 65 degrees C, 70 degrees C, and 80 degrees C. Mechanical behavior of PVs was studied by examining the stress-strain relationship of each PV specimen after heat exposure at different temperature settings. Twenty-eight PVs samples from 15 dogs (1-3 PVs/dog) were obtained and had a mean circumference of 8.7 +/- 2.3 mm at baseline. After heating to 60 degrees C, 65 degrees C, 70 degrees C, and 80 degrees C, the mean PV circumference was 9.2 +/- 2.3 mm (P = NS vs baseline), 6.8 +/- 2.3 mm (P < 0.0001), 4.2 +/- 1.5 mm (P < 0.0001), and 4.2 +/- 0.8 mm (P < 0.0001), respectively. The stress-strain curves of PV specimens were shifted to the left upon exposure to higher temperatures, indicating loss of compliance of PVs due to heat exposure. Histology showed loss of typical collagen matrix above 60 degrees C. CONCLUSION Significant acute heat-induced contraction of PVs at zero-tension state was observed between 60 degrees C and 65 degrees C. This change was associated with collagen denaturation.
Mineral soils as carriers for Rhizobium inoculants.

Mineral soil-based inoculants of Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium phaseoli survived better at 4°C than at higher temperatures, but ca. 15% of the cells were viable at 37°C after 27 days. Soil-based inoculants of R. meliloti, R. phaseoli, Rhizobium japonicum, and a cowpea Rhizobium sp. applied to seeds of their host legumes also survived better at low temperatures, but the percent survival of such inoculants was higher than peat-based inoculants at 35°C. Survival of R. phaseoli, R. japonicum, and cowpea rhizobia was not markedly improved when the cells were suspended in sugar solutions before drying them in soil. Nodulation was abundant on Phaseolus vulgaris derived from seeds that had been coated with a soil-based inoculant and stored for 165 days at 25°C. The increase in yield and nitrogen content of Phaseolus angularis grown in the greenhouse was the same with soil-and peat-based inoculants. We suggest that certain mineral soils can be useful and readily available carriers for legume inoculants containing desiccation-resistant Rhizobium strains.
Data management in sensor networks

This tutorial will cover recent topics in data management for sensor networks, focusing in particular on high-level systems and languages for querying stored and streaming data in such networks. We will begin with a survey of language proposals, including TinyDB, Cougar, Regions, and other more recent work, and will then examine a range of implementation issues that arise in such systems, including issues related to power efficiency, time synchronization, data collection and dissemination, fault-tolerance, and state management. After attending the tutorial, audience members should have a good understanding of the various systems in this space as well as an awareness of the technical issues that make building such systems difficult.
Entanglement-assisted quantum quasicyclic low-density parity-check codes

We investigate the construction of quantum low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes from classical quasicyclic (QC) LDPC codes with girth greater than or equal to 6. We have shown that the classical codes in the generalized Calderbank-Skor-Steane construction do not need to satisfy the dual-containing property as long as preshared entanglement is available to both sender and receiver. We can use this to avoid the many four cycles which typically arise in dual-containing LDPC codes. The advantage of such quantum codes comes from the use of efficient decoding algorithms such as sum-product algorithm (SPA). It is well known that in the SPA, cycles of length 4 make successive decoding iterations highly correlated and hence limit the decoding performance. We show the principle of constructing quantum QC-LDPC codes which require only small amounts of initial shared entanglement.
Mammary Carcinoma: A Specific Biochemical Defect in Autonomous Tumors

Rat mammary carcinoma (R3230AC) which does not regress after ovariectomy has a markedly reduced amount of cytoplasmic estradiol binding protein. Cytoplasm from the tumor fails to interact with estradiol sufficiently to permit estradiol binding to tumor chromatin. This defect can be corrected in vitro by substituting cytoplasm, containing the binding protein, from rat uterus, thus permitting estradiol binding to tumor chromatin. The results indicate that the hormonal autonomy of this carcinoma is due to a lack of estradiol binding protein and not to the inability of estradiol to interact with the cell genome.
William James and Emotion: Is a Century of Fame Worth a Century of Misunderstanding?

During his lifetime William James's complex ideas about emotion were oversimplified to the point of caricature, and for the next half century scientific research on emotion was driven by the oversimplified version—by the idea that emotions are merely the sensation of bodily changes. In fact, the interpretation of the stimulus was an essential feature of James's ideas, but one that seemed so obvious that it did not require explanation. Three damaging scientific consequences of the mischaracterization of James's views were (a) the nearly exclusive focus on bodily process, (b) the reification of emotions as entities rather than processes, and (c) the linear thinking produced by the concern with the sequence of affect, interpretation, and bodily response. Ask anyone about William James's theory of emotion and you will almost certainly hear about the bear. James wrote a great deal about emotion, reviewing the available evidence; puzzling over the role of situational appraisals, feelings, bodily sensations, and actions; modifying and refining his ideas; defending himself against his critics; expressing ambivalence about the value of emotions; occasionally seeming to contradict himself; and never fully resolving the thornier issues in his own mind.1 Yet almost from the first, it was the bear that was noticed, and a hundred years later it is the bear that is remembered. Read any account of James's theory of emotion and you will almost certainly read about the bear:
Mental health issues in HIV-affected women and children

As rates of HIV infection and AIDS increase in women of child bearing age, HIV/AIDS has evolved into a disease of families with children. This is reflected in increasing numbers of HIV-infected children as well as rapidly growing numbers of children and adolescents losing parents to AIDS. Each stage of HIV disease, including diagnosis of HIV infection, illness progression, late-stage illness, death, and family reconfiguration presents particular mental health challenges to infected parents and their affected children. Children who are themselves HIV-infected must also confront the psychological issues of adapting to a chronic, terminal illness as well as the effects of HIV progression on development and cognition. In the United States, HIV illness commonly strikes in families already struggling with substance abuse, psychiatric disorder, and multi-generational histories of victimization and trauma. Where present, these problems can complicate family adaptation to the stressors of HIV disease. Clinicians w...
A GIS based spatially explicit model of dispersal agent behavior

Spatial simulation models of seed dispersal have been constructed at the landscape level under the assumption of ubiquitous or uniform dispersibility. The anisotropic nature of vegetation distribution caused by different dispersal agents such as wind, gravity, water and animals were ignored. We propose a prototype of a GIS-based spatially explicit model of dispersal agent behavior (SEMODAR) to simulate the seed dispersal process by considering the unique behavioral characteristics of each seed dispersal agent. As a result, the influence of dispersal agent behavior on the species coexistence in competitive communities with and without habitat destruction could be explored. The model consists of four module components: dispersal rules, species competition, species colonization, and habitat destruction. An experimental simulation was conducted using three hypothetical species with differing competitive and migration abilities in both intact and disturbed conditions for 250 years. The findings of this study support the theoretical expectation that inferior competitors can coexist with superior competitors given that the inferior competitors have efficient colonization ability. The simulation also reveals the important role of agent behavior in the seed dispersal process and the biased impact of environment fragmentation on superior competitors that are not superior dispersers.
Invariance of Item Characteristic Functions With Variations in Instructional Coverage

An assumption of item response theory is that a person's score is a function of the item response parameters and the person's ability. In this paper, the effect of variations in instructional coverage on item characteristic functions is examined. Using data from the Second International Mathematics Study (1985), curriculum clusters were formed based on teachers’ ratings of their students’ opportunities to learn the items on a test. After forming curriculum clusters, item response curves were compared using signed and unsigned sum of squared differences. Some of the differences in the item response curves between curriculum clusters were found to be large, but better performance was not necessarily related to greater opportunity to learn. The item response curve differences were much larger than differences reported in prior studies based on comparisons of black and white students. Implications of the findings for applications of item response theory to educational achievement test data are discussed
Health insurance coverage of genetic services in Illinois.

Purpose: As a first step toward the improvement of health insurance coverage and reimbursement for genetic services, our study characterizes the current state of health insurance coverage for genetic services in Illinois. Methods: We used a combination of surveys, interviews, and policy review to obtain data from the largest health insurers in Illinois regarding their coverage of genetic services. Results: The health insurance companies in this study vary widely on coverage of and attitudes toward genetic services. Policies were most consistent across insurance companies when there was widespread professional agreement regarding genetic testing, as in the case of cystic fibrosis carrier screening. Other policies, including criteria for BRCA testing, were extremely variable across insurers and did not always reflect accurate medical information. We also found that health insurance companies in Illinois seem unlikely to reimburse for services billed directly by genetic counselors. Conclusions: These findings suggest several strategies for improving billing, reimbursement, and insurance coverage of genetic services, including (1) legislative amendments mandating coverage of genetic counselors' services; (2) creating consistent criteria for genetic testing; (3) increasing genetic professionals' involvement in the development of coverage policies; and (4) educating insurance companies about the value of genetic services.
Choosing your implant : Cemented, tricompartmental, and posterior stabilized

Abstract Cemented, posterior-stabilized, tricompartmental implants have yielded excellent relief of pain and are applicable to almost all clinical situations. The complications and revision rates after routine patellar resurfacing are less than those seen without such resurfacing. Cine fluoroscopic studies have shown that they restore a more normal kinematic pattern than do posterior cruciate ligament–retaining implants and have a low rate of radiographic and/or clinical loosening when followed up through 15 years after surgery. Latest posterior stabilized designs can allow a higher degree of flexion than seen in any other combination of implant designs. It is for all these reasons that the author feels that this method of performing a knee arthroplasty is the gold standard.
The Achievement Gap in Social Studies and Science Starts Early: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study

Data were extracted from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS), a national sample of more than 20,000 kindergartners and first-graders. Fifty-one social studies and science test items were combined into a General Knowledge Test. This test was individually administered to each child with no reading required. General Knowledge Test scores were analyzed at two points in time: fall of kindergarten and spring of first grade. Wide racial-ethnic and very small gender differences were observed. Special attention was given to the fact that black children scored significantly lower on the General Knowledge Test in the first two years of school as compared with other racial-ethnic groups. The Spearman correlation coefficient was .80 between scores in kindergarten and the end of the first grade, showing little change for low-, middle-, or high-achieving children. Starting from kindergarten, social studies and science achievement gaps are a serious problem.
Effective refractive index and first-order-mode cutoff conditions in InGaAsP/InP DH laser structures (&#955; = 1.2-1.6 &#181;m)

The virtual wavelength-invariance of the ratio between bandgap wavelength and the square root of the dielectric-constant step in InGaAsP/InP DH structures [i.e., ( \lambda_{g}/\sqrt{\Delta\epsilon}) = 0.95 \pm 0.03 for 1.2 μm m] and an analytical approximation for the transverse propagation constant b , allow the derivation of an accurate, closed-form expression for the effective refractive index N eff of InGaAsP/InP planar DH lasers emitting in the 1.2-1.6 \mu m range. Then, N eff is only a function of two readily measurable parameters: emission wavelength and active-layer thickness. Furthermore, the mode cutoff conditions for various lateral waveguides: buried-rectangular, buried-crescent, and ridge-guide, become wavelength-independent analytical expressions. First-order-mode cutoff conditions for these lateral waveguides are derived, plotted and compared to experimental data from mode-stabilized 1.3 and 1.55 μm DH lasers.
Hybrid controllers for tracking of impulsive reference state trajectories: a hybrid exosystem approach

We study the problem of designing controllers to track state trajectories for plants with jumps in the state that are given by constrained differential equations capturing the continuous dynamics and constrained difference equations (or inclusions) capturing the discrete dynamics. The reference trajectories consist of signals having intervals of flow and instantaneous jumps, and are generated via a known hybrid exosystem. The class of controllers considered are hybrid and are designed to guarantee that the jump times of the plant coincide with those of the given reference trajectories. By recasting the tracking problem as the stabilization of a set and using asymptotic stability tools for time invariant hybrid systems, we derive sufficient conditions for the closed-loop system that guarantee tracking of reference trajectories.
Fetal death: Diagnosis and management

Death of the fetus after 20 weeks of gestation complicates about 1% of pregnancies. Of various means of diagnosing fetal life and death, real-time ultrasound visualization of the fetal heart is the most accurate. Delivery of the dead fetus can be effected by various means, but in most instances, at least before 28 weeks and perhaps thereafter as well, the simplest and most effective method is with prostaglandin vaginal tablets. A variety of conditions are known to cause fetal death or increase the risk that it will happen, but these account for only about 50% of cases. Four special tests may identify a cause of the "unexplained stillbirth" in the other 50% of cases. These tests include karyotype, listerial culture, fetomaternal hemorrhage, and lupus anticoagulant.
Foreign lobbying and the political economy of protection

Abstract This paper presents an imperfectly competitive model of international trade, in which import competing domestic firms lobby for import protection and the foreign exporting firms lobby against such protection. The equilibrium levels of lobbying and the resulting trade policy are endogenously determined. It is shown, under alternative sets of assumptions, that an increase in costs of production by domestic firms may lead to a decline in protection received by them.
Evaluation of the genetic activity profiles of 65 pesticides

Abstract We have previously reported the qualitative results of a major study on 65 pesticides (Waters et al., 1982). Dose information from this investigation (either lowest effective or highest ineffective dose tested) has now been incorporated into a computerized data management system. This report focuses on the qualitative profiles of genetic activity produced by these pesticides and our efforts to classify them according to their genotoxic effects and chemical structures. Three main categories may be distinguished based on the qualitative results: Category 1 pesticides were active in most of the in vitro and in vivo assays employed. These 9 compounds include the structurally similar organophosphate insecticides, acephate, demeton, monocrotophos and trichlorfon; the phthalimide fungicide analogues, captan and folpet; and the thiocarbamate herbicide analogues, diallate, sulfallate and triallate. The 26 Category 2 compounds demonstrated fewer positive results and may be subdivided into two parts, one of which contains 12 halogenated aromatic or heterocyclic ring compounds, including the phenoxy herbicides, 2,4-D, 2,4-DB and 2,4,5-T. The remaining part of Category 2 (14 compounds) consists of structurally similar organophosphate insecticides, azinphos-methyl, crotoxyphos, disulfoton, methyl parathion; three similar ethylenebisdithiocarbamate fungicides, maneb, mancozeb, and zineb; three similar pyrethroid insecticides, allethrin, chrysanthemic acid, and ethyl chrysanthemate; and four structurally diverse compounds, cacodylic acid, dinoseb, sec. -butylamine and benomyl. The third category of 30 pesticides gave negative results in all tests and represents structurally diverse compounds. Using the computerized profile matching methodology, from 2080 possible pairwise chemical combinations of the 65 pesticides, 20 statistically significant pairs were selected. 6 groups of pesticides were identified which were substantially similar to groups of pesticides we had formed previously (Waters et al., 1982) based on genetic activity and chemical structure. The matches showed excellent qualitative and, in most cases, excellent quantitative agreement. Hence it appears that specific patterns of test results present in the genetic activity profiles are related directly to chemical structure. Conversely, the data suggests that certain groups of compounds may be recognized by a well defined series of concordant tests results. As additional data is added, comparison of test results for new chemicals with existing data for known genotoxicants should aid in the evaluation of potential genetic health hazards.
G.P.299

Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare but life-threatening polyneuropathy. We describe the novel use of eculizumab in a patient with this disorder. Case A previously well 13 year old boy presented with an acute onset of ascending paralysis and was diagnosed with GBS. Despite receiving intravenous immunoglobulins on Day 3 of presentation, he continued to deteriorate and required ventilatory support and a subsequent tracheostomy. He remained non-responsive to a further course of 2 g/kg intravenous immunoglobulin. His GBS was complicated by severe life-threatening autonomic instability so plasmapheresis was not felt to be a suitable option. A single dose of eculizumab was given, after which the patient showed signs of improvement. He continued to convalesce over the next 8 weeks, at which stage he was mobilising independently. Discussion GBS poses a mortality rate of 10% despite medical advances. Intravenous immunoglobulins and plasmapheresis have been shown to improve outcome but beyond these, management is mainly supportive at present. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody, is currently used in patients with other immunological disorders but not GBS. Recent animal studies suggest that complement activation may play a role in the development of paralysis in GBS. Complement inhibitors such as eculizumab have been shown to have promising benefits in murine models. Further research is necessary but we believe eculizumab may have a role in improving outcome, especially in those with severe GBS. As far as we are aware, this is the first case report in literature of eculizumab being used in a patient with GBS. Our case suggests potentially favourable outcomes and clinical trials are needed to assess this further.
Racial disparity and death sentences in Ohio

The use of the death penalty has resulted in a number of studies attempting to determine if its application is consistent with the guidelines established by the United States Supreme Court. In particular, many studies have assessed whether there are racial disparities in the imposition of death sentences. This study examined the imposition of death sentences in Ohio, a state largely ignored by previous research and that, until 1999, had not executed an inmate since 1963. Drawing from previous studies that have examined the issue in other states, this study assessed the likelihood that a particular homicide would result in a death sentence, controlling for race of defendant and victim and other relevant factors. Results indicated both legal and extralegal factors (including race of victim) were significant predictors of a death sentence, supporting many previous studies that concluded that race plays a role in the imposition of the death penalty.
Troubles for michael Smith's metaethical rationalism

Etude du rationalisme metaethique developpe par M. Smith dans son ouvrage intitule «The moral problem» (1994). Examinant la validite de l'analyse des raisons normatives chez Smith a la lumiere de la distinction entre rationalisme conceptuel et rationalisme substantif, l'A. montre que la theorie metaethique de Smith ne resout en rien le probleme moral qui consiste a reconcilier l'objectivite du discours moral avec la dimension pratique de la theorie humeenne de la motivation
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SINTERED POROUS METAL FILTERS

Abstract The particle penetration characteristics and solid volume fractions of 1.57 and 0.99 mm thick stainless steel porous metal filters with pore sizes from 100 to 2 μm were determined experimentally. The penetration measurements were performed with monodisperse NaCl and latex particles at face velocities of 3.0, 6.1, and 12.1 cm s−1. The penetration data were fitted by non-linear regression with a simple equation that takes into account the diffusion and impaction mechanisms. The effective fiber diameters for the filters based on the measured pressure drops were also calculated, and they agreed with the effective single-collector diameters obtained from the fitted equations. Loading of filters was studied by sampling indoor air for one and two months in the laboratory and in an apartment. The penetration characteristics with monodisperse NaCl particles and the pressure drops of these filters were also measured. Loading of particularly the small pore size filters was shown to decrease penetration significantly with longer sampling times. The increase in pressure drop during sampling is a good indicator of mass loading. The filters have been used in a portable diffusion battery and the increased pressure drop was used as a determinant of a filter change or the end of sampling. The porous metal filters are cleanable and reusable, and electrostatic effects, that may cause errors when sampling with membrane filters, are avoided.
A novel amperometric transducer design for needle‐type implantable biosensor applications

A novel transducer design is proposed based on a electrocatalyst for hydrogen peroxide oxidation (platinum black) electrodeposited on the inner wall of a stainless steel needle which serves as a working electrode, and an external Ag/AgCI reference/counter electrode. Electropolymerized 1,3-diaminobenezene (1,3-phenylenediamine) is employed as a protective layer for the platinum black as well as an interference eliminating layer. This configuration uses the Pt electrocatalyst in its most active dispersed form and ensures good mechanical ruggedness and protection of the catalytic and biological components. The design also provides the possibility to obtain high enzyme loading and hence an extended sensor life-time. Two types of glucose sensors were constructed based on this novel design concept. The enzyme (glucose oxidase) was immobilized either in a hydrophilic gel matrix inside the needle body (i) or cross-linked on the inner needle surface (ii). Cellulose triacetate, polycarbonate, and Nafior were used as external diffusion control layers, which extended the linear range of the sensor response to over 25 mM glucose. These biosensors demonstrated diminished response to interferences from oxidizable compounds present in body fluids and a life time of at least three months.
Yeasts in mound soil of the red imported fire ant

Soil yeast occurrence and abundance was studied in brood chambers within mounds of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta , and adjacent non-mound soil from Texas. Ten yeast species were isolated from fire ant brood chamber soil and 13 from non-mound soil. Relative frequencies of Candida parapsilosis and C. lipolytica were greater in brood chamber soil, and Cryptococcus terreus occurred more frequently in non-mound soil. Rhodoturula rubra, R. minuta , and Candida vini only occurred in non-mound soil. Mean cfu g −1 of soil was greater in brood chamber soil. Fire ants alter the community composition and relative abundance of yeasts within mounds due to creation of unique microhabitat patches.
A Sequential Monte Carlo framework for the system identification of jump Markov state space models

We propose a Maximum Likelihood-based method that combines the Expectation Maximization algorithm with Sequential Monte Carlo methods to estimate fixed parameters and transition probabilities for a general class of nonlinear jump Markov systems in state space form. This method is an extension to a previous method originally proposed by T. B. Schon, A. Wills, and B. Ninness for identifying the parameters of a class of nonlinear systems that are not dependent on a Markov chain. In this work, we detail an extension of this method to jump Markov systems and illustrate it through its application to identifying the parameters of the logistic map driven by white Gaussian noise with variance governed by a discrete Markov process.
Colonization of the thymic primordium by migratory lymphocytoblasts in amphibian embryos.

Abstract The concept that thymic lymphocytes originate directly from cells indigenous to the anlage of the thymus in amphibians is clearly indefensible. The lymphocytes of the anuran thymus owe their origin to migratory stem cells that invade the developing thymic primordium.
A trigger for the Fermilab E760 lead-glass calorimeter

Abstract The E760 #1 experiment at Fermi National Laboratory has been commissioned to study electromagnetic decay channels of charmonium states. A trigger has been built for the 1280-element lead-glass calorimeter to facilitate the study of all-neutral decay modes. The trigger has also proven to be extremely useful for charged electromagnetic final states. The trigger has been successfully deployed and has shown itself to be reliable and highly efficient. The design and performance of this trigger are described in detail.
Analyzing interpersonal communications in industrial marketing negotiations

Given the importance of analyzing interpersonal communications is marketing negotiations, a multidimensional content analytic coding system is presented. First, specific tests of the instrument’s validity and reliability are provided. Then, in an application of the scheme in a controlled environment, insights are provided regarding what types of interpersonal communication strategies and tactics are used by marketing negotiators.
An incremental learning algorithm for constructing boolean functions from positive and negative examples

This paper introduces an incremental algorithm for learning a Boolean function from examples. The functions are constructed in the disjunctive normal form (DNF) or the conjunctive normal form (CNF) and emphasis is placed in inferring functions with as few clauses as possible. This incremental algorithm can be combined with any existing algorithm that infers a Boolean function from examples. In this paper it is combined with the one clause at a time (OCAT) approach (Comput. Oper. Res. 21(2) (1994) 185) and (J. Global Optim. 5(1) (1994) 64) which is a non-incremental learning approach. An extensive computational study was undertaken to assess the performance characteristics of the new approach. As examples, we used binary vectors that represent text documents from different categories from the TIPSTER collection. The computational results indicate that the new algorithm is considerably more efficient and it derives more accurate Boolean functions. As it was anticipated, the Boolean functions (in DNF or CNF form) derived by the new algorithm are comprised by more clauses than the functions derived by the non-incremental approach.
A new class of automata networks

A new class of automata networks is defined. Their evolution rules are determined by a probability measure p on the set of all integers Z and an indicator function IA on the interval [0, 1]. It is shown that any cellular automaton rule can be represented by a (nonunique) rule formulated in terms of a pair (p, IA). This new class of automata networks contains discrete systems which are not cellular automata. For a given p, a metric can be defined on the space of all rules which induces a metric on the space of all cellular automata rules.
Neurotoxicity of MDMA (ecstasy): beyond metabolism

We read with interest the article by de la Torre and Farre, published recently in TiPS [1], that discussed the limitations of scaling from animals to humans when studying the neurotoxicity induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine [MDMA (ecstasy)]. Although the article gives an excellent overview of the differences between animal models and humans with respect to MDMA metabolism, and how these differences might contribute to the neurotoxic effects of MDMA, the authors focus almost exclusively on the hypothesis that a metabolite of MDMA causes its neurotoxicity.
Must the Scientific Realist be a Rationalist

Marc Alspector-Kelly claims that Bas van Fraassen’s primary challenge to the scientific realist is for the realist to find a way to justify the use of some mode of inference that takes him from the world of observables to knowledge of the world of unobservables without thereby abandoning empiricism. It is argued that any effort to justify such an “inferential wand” must appeal either to synthetic a priori or synthetic a posteriori knowledge. This disjunction turns into a dilemma for the empirically-minded realist as either disjunct leads to unwanted consequences. In this paper, I split the horns of this dilemma by arguing that the realist can justify one particular such mode of inference – abduction – without committing himself to rationalism. The realist may justify this mode of inference by appealing to the analytic a priori axioms of the probability calculus. I show that Peter Lipton’s tripartite defense of abduction constitutes such a method of justification.
Apparent chelation control in aldol reactions of chiral (Me2CHO)3Ti-enolates

Abstract Directed aldol reactions of chiral (Me2CHO)3Ti-enolates give the opposite diastereofacial selectivity compared with the corresponding boron enolates. This stereochemical reversal is best explained if the Ti reactions involve chelation (not possible with boron, and previously thought to be unfavorable with (Me2CHO)3Ti-enolates). Changing the solvent from THF to diethyl ether significantly enhances the hypothesized chelation effect. Use of Ti or boron thus permits convenient synthesis of either product enantiomer, starting from that one chiral auxiliary whose configuration is readily and inexpensively derived from natural sources.
Lubrication of Mo, W, and their Alloys with H2S gas admixtures to room temperature air

Abstract The in situ lubrication of molybdenum and tungsten using admixtures of hydrogen sulfide to room temperature and pressure air was achieved. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of molybdenum disulfide and tungsten disulfide solid lubricants on elemental molybdenum and tungsten specimens, respectively. Pin-on-disk experiments were conducted with elemental molybdenum, elemental tungsten, and alloys of molybdenum and tungsten in atmospheres containing hydrogen sulfide. Friction coefficients were continuously recorded and comparisons between the sliding friction coefficient in air and in the hydrogen sulfide atmospheres were evaluated. In general, hydrogen sulfide admixtures reduced the friction coefficient for all materials containing molybdenum or tungsten. Friction coefficients for self-mated elemental molybdenum and self-mated elemental tungsten were reduced to μ =0.15 with hydrogen sulfide admixtures to air of 5% and 15%, respectively. In some cases friction coefficients as low as μ =0.08 were recorded.
Adopted adults’ perception of their need to search: Implications for clinical practice

Abstract This paper extracts some common themes that have emerged from various studies of adoptees’ searches and reunions. It then considers the potential relevance of these themes in sharpening the diagnostic and therapeutic acumen of the dynamically‐oriented clinician treating the adopted client. Implied are modifications in treatment approaches that should be considered in working with the adoptee.
Neutrino Interactions: Results by Neutrino 2012 and Beyond

Abstract These proceedings will first explain why the fields of both particle and nuclear physics are demanding a better understanding of neutrino interactions. Then they will list the ingredients that go into an effective neutrino interaction program worldwide, and describe how the new and upcoming neutrino interaction experiments and related efforts help to provide those ingredients. In particular, the MINERνA experiment is a dedicated neutrino interaction experiment designed to study neutrino interactions on several different nuclear targets using a fine-grained scintillator detector and is currently taking data at the NuMI beamline at Fermilab. The T2K 280m Off Axis Near Detector at J-PARC, a fine-grained scintillator-based detector which is optimized for studying neutrino interactions on water and scintillator, is also currently taking data. The status of the upcoming NOνA Near Detector and MicroBooNE experiment will also be described. The proceedings will conclude with a brief discussion of a few ingredients that are not yet in the mix but would make for an even more complete program.
Must one learn the channel to communicate at capacity

We consider a large alphabet channel model with noiseless feedback in which the channel is not known to the encoder or the decoder, and we provide several results to the effect that universal communication at capacity is possible only if it is possible for the encoder and decoder to completely learn the channel prior to the end of transmission.
C- and L-type horizontal cells in the turtle retina

Abstract Three types of horizontal cell have been identified in the turtle retina by means of intracellular recording, procion-yellow intracellular dye injection and Golgi silver-chromate histological impregnation. (a) The L1-type has predominantly thick dendrites. Its cell body is in the inner nuclear layer. Its potential changes are of the luminosity type and the cell shows a large area effect. (b) The L2-type has 10 or more fine dendrites which are of uniform diameter from their origin in the soma. The cell body is located near the outer plexiform layer. Its potential changes are of the luminosity type and the cell shows a small area effect. (c) The C-type cell has about five dendrites that are relatively thick at their origin in the soma and become progressively finer. The cell body is in the inner nuclear layer. Its potential changes are of the chromaticity type and the cell shows a small area effect.
Melting in Argon at High Temperatures

Accurate measurements of the molar volume of argon in the fluid and solid phases along the melting curve have been made with a weighing technique and data obtained for melting temperatures and pressures up to 200\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K and 6.3 kbar. A simple model for melting, which agrees reasonably well with these experimental data, indicates the correspondence between the details of the intermolecular pair potential and the quanlitative features evident in the transition.
CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF LUNG-ENDOTHELIAL CELL ADHESION MOLECULE-1 SUGGEST IT IS AN ENDOTHELIAL CHLORIDE CHANNEL

Lung-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (Lu-ECAM-1) is an endothelial cell surface molecule that mediates adhesion of metastatic melanoma cells to lung endothelium. Here we analyze the organization of the Lu-ECAM-1 protein complex, report the sequence of Lu-ECAM-1 cDNAs, and reveal a novel function of the protein. Lu-ECAM-1 immunopurified from bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) consists of tightly associated glycoproteins of 90, 38, and 32 kDa, with minor components of 130 and 120 kDa. We present evidence that all of these protein species are encoded by a single open reading frame whose initial translation product is proteolytically processed to yield the other products. Correct processing in vitro was demonstrated by transfection of the longest cDNA into human embryonic kidney 293 cells; immunoblot analysis showed that the approximately 120-kDa precursor gave rise to 90- and 38-kDa products. RNA blots of BAEC mRNA detected messages in agreement with the sizes of the cDNA clones in addition to several of high molecular weight. DNA blot analysis showed that Lu-ECAM-1 is conserved throughout its length in all mammals tested, usually as a single or low copy gene. In the bovine, Lu-ECAM-1 protein is 88% identical to a calcium-dependent chloride channel described recently in tracheal epithelium, Ca-CC. Probes for Lu-ECAM-1 mRNA and protein confirmed the presence of a homolog in this tissue. We show that messages for both proteins are present in lung while only Ca-CC is present in trachea and only Lu-ECAM-1 is present in BAEC. These results suggest that endothelial cells express a chloride channel that is related to, but distinct from, that expressed in tracheal epithelium. They further suggest that an adhesion molecule can also be a chloride channel.
On the models for designing VLSI asynchronous digital systems

Abstract Designing asynchronous circuits in a large scale using the traditional approaches is impractical because it is difficult to control the relative delays of logic components. This problem is especially severe in VLSI circuits as one has even less control over the critical delays. We present two well-known traditional models for asynchronous circuits, namely, the Finite State Machines and Petri Nets, and discuss the reasons for their failure in VLSI applications. A new model for designing large asynchronous systems is briefly proposed and a practical design example is presented.
Validating expert systems

D.E. O'Leary (1987) noted the inappropriate nature of traditional software validation techniques for expert system validation and proposed a research methods approach. R.M. O'Keefe et al. (1987) established validation as an important concern in expert system research and development and presented general descriptive methodologies for qualitative and quantitative methods of formal validation. A specific formal paradigm for prototype validation that is consistent with O'Leary's as well as O'Keefe's general guidelines for expert system development is presented. The paradigm explicitly incorporates validation into the prototype development life cycle under constrained resources, primarily time and money. The validation approach is demonstrated and evaluated relative to an expert system prototype named Signal Control at Isolated Intersections. The paradigm's strengths and weaknesses as well as its potential use with other types of expert system development projects are examined. >
Hemodialysis-related amyloidosis of the sternoclavicular joint

Amyloid deposition is an important cause of morbidity in long-term hemodialysis patients, but it has rarely been reported in the sternoclavicular joint, where the clinical picture may be consistent with an infection. The imaging features of one case are discussed. Biopsy with specific staining for the β-2 microglobulin component of amyloid should be considered in the work up of a lesion of this joint in this clinical setting.
A Prospective Study of Dietary Fat and Risk of Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND The strong correlation between national consumption of fat and national rate of mortality from prostate cancer has raised the hypothesis that dietary fat increases the risk of this malignancy. Case-control and cohort studies have not consistently supported this hypothesis. PURPOSE We examined prospectively the relationship between prostate cancer and dietary fat, including specific fatty acids and dietary sources of fat. We examined the relationship of fat consumption to the incidence of advanced prostate cancer (stages C, D, or fatal cases) and to the total incidence of prostate cancer. METHODS We used data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, which is a prospective cohort of 51529 U.S. men, aged 40 through 75, who completed a validated food-frequency questionnaire in 1986. We sent follow-up questionnaires to the entire cohort in 1988 and 1990 to document new cases of a variety of diseases and to update exposure information. As of January 31, 1990, 300 new cases of prostate cancer, including 126 advanced cases, were documented in 47855 participants initially free of diagnosed cancer. The Mantel-Haenszel summary estimator was used to adjust for age and other potentially confounding variables. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate relative risks (RRs) when controlling simultaneously for more than two covariates. RESULTS Total fat consumption was directly related to risk of advanced prostate cancer (age- and energy-adjusted RR = 1.79, with 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04-3.07, for high versus low quintile of intake; P [trend] = .06). This association was due primarily to animal fat (RR = 1.63; 95% CI = 0.95-2.78; P [trend] = .08), but not vegetable fat. Red meat represented the food group with the strongest positive association with advanced cancer (RR = 2.64; 95% CI = 1.21-5.77; P = .02). Fat from dairy products (with the exception of butter) or fish was unrelated to risk. Saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and alpha-linolenic acid, but not linoleic acid, were associated with advanced prostate cancer risk; only the association with alpha-linolenic acid persisted when saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, linoleic acid, and alpha-linolenic acid were modeled simultaneously (multivariate RR = 3.43; 95% CI = 1.67-7.04; P [trend] = .002). CONCLUSION The results support the hypothesis that animal fat, especially fat from red meat, is associated with an elevated risk of advanced prostate cancer. IMPLICATIONS These findings support recommendations to lower intake of meat to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The potential roles of carcinogens formed in cooking animal fat and of alpha-linolenic acid in the progression of prostate cancer need to be explored.
Effect of carbon impurities on the density of states and the stability of hydrogenated amorphous silicon.

The effect of trace carbon impurities on the density of states in amorphous silicon has been studied. The deep-defect densities and mobility-gap electronic structure were characterized with electron-spin resonance, drive-level capacitance profiling, and transient photocurrent measurements. Good quantitative agreement in the defect densities deduced from these three methods has been found. This implies a ratio between charged and neutral dangling bonds of at most 2 to 1. Light-induced changes in the mobility-gap electronic structure were also investigated in these films. A small but significant increase in the density of light-induced defects was observed for samples with carbon impurities at the 1 at. % level. The time to saturation of the light-induced degradation for the carbon containing samples was also significantly increased. We discuss the interpretation of these results in terms of two possible mechanisms: either from the presence of carbon-related precursor sites, or by widening of the band gap with carbon alloying.
Incorporating International Competitiveness into the Demand for Labour Function: Some Issues of Specification and Interpretation*

This paper attempts to clarify the theoretical status and the empirical role of measures of "international competitiveness" that have been used in econometric demand for labor equations. Some currently popular alternatives are linked to a simple version of the Salter-Swan-Dornbusch (Australian) dependent economy model that is found to provide insufficient basis for choosing between alternative measures, which in the In explaining employment in Australia during the period 1971-83, the preferred competitiveness variable is found to play a marginal role only with estimated long-run elasticity similar to that for the real labor cost. Copyright 1988 by The Economic Society of Australia.
Leaning spleen: A new approach to laparoscopic splenectomy

Laparoscopic splenectomy was first described in 1992 (1-3). There have been many slightly differen t techniques described that can be placed into two general categories based on body position. The first group of techniques is per formed in the supine posi t ion, which allows early exposure of the splenic hilum, artery, and vein (4-6) . After the greater o m e n t u m is opened, the splenic artery and vein are in the horizontal position and the spleen naturally falls laterally. This is the easiest position from which to "preligate" the splenic artery and allows complete exploration of the lesser sac for accessory spleens. From this position, however, the pe r i toneum holding the spleen to the d iaphragm is beh ind the spleen and is less accessible without downward traction on the spleen. The second category of techniques requires the pat ient to be placed in the right lateral decubitus or semilateral position (7, 8). In this position, the spleen is held suspended by the peri toneal attachments to the diaphragm. This allows easy access to the posterior at tachments of the spleen, but the hi lum and short gastric vessels are less accessible as the spleen falls into the lesser sac. In this article, we describe a hybrid technique that uses the advantages of both positions.