cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of nitric oxide-related agents on alcohol narcosis.

To examine whether nitric oxide (NO) affects alcohol (ethanol) narcosis, adult male rats were pretreated with a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, NG-nitro-i-arginine methyl ester (NAME); a NOS substrate, I-arginine methyl ester (AME); or a NO donor, isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN); then treated with anesthetic doses (3–5 g/kg, ip) of alcohol. Pretreatment with NAME (30–100 mg/kg, sc) 40 min before alcohol treatment delayed the onset of alcohol-induced loss of the righting reflex (LORR) and increased the duration of the LORR. NAME (100 mg/kg) pretreatment combined with high doses of alcohol (4–5 g/kg) exerted significant lethal effects, even though treatment with either agent alone or NAME combined with lower doses of alcohol (3–3.5 g/kg) was not lethal. Simultaneous treatment with the NOS substrate AME (100 mg/kg, subcutaneous) blocked the effects of NAME on LORR duration times, but did not alter LORR onset times. The NO donor ISDN (30 mg/kg) given by oral gavage 2 hr before alcohol decreased LORR duration times without affecting the onset of LORR. In addition, ISDN dose-dependently inhibited NAME-induced LORR duration increases during alcohol narcosis without significantly altering LORR onset times. Neither ISDN nor NAME significantly altered blood alcohol concentrations. These results suggest that NOS inhibition and subsequent decreases in NO production enhance alcohol-induced narcosis and that increases in NO concentrations inhibit alcohol narcosis, supporting the hypothesis that inhibition of arginine-NOS-NO systems mediates part of the sedative-hypnotic effect of alcohol.
Enlarging the region of attraction for underactuated systems using impulsive inputs

Underactuated systems typically have multiple equilibria and therefore a stabilizing controller is effective for initial configurations that lie within the region of attraction of the equilibrium. An impulsive control algorithm is proposed to enlarge this region of attraction of the stabilized equilibrium. The algorithm uses impulsive inputs that are applied in conjunction with the stabilizing controller, and the success of the algorithm depends on two sufficient conditions that need to be satisfied. The algorithm is applied to the Pendubot and the Acrobot and numerical simulation results establish its effectiveness.
Ultrasonic NDE system modeling and reliability - : An overview

Over the past two and a half decades there has been considerable progress made in the modeling of ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) inspections. These models have also been combined with models of the noise and variability present in an inspection to estimate probability of detection (POD) versus flaw size curves. An overview will be given of the past and present accomplishments made in ultrasonic NDE modeling, POD modeling, and the relationship of those advances to reliability modeling that incorporates explicitly the results of inspections. A brief look into the future of this modeling technology will also be given.
Boom, bust and the changing geography of Irish tourism

Whereas considerable scholarly attention has been paid to Ireland's leading economic activities, such as computer hardware and software, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, far less has been focused on tourism's role in the Irish economic boom and subsequent bust. Tourism was central to the economic transition during the early years of the Celtic Tiger, especially in the area of job creation, but has equally been heavily implicated in the economic crisis, particularly due to the degree of speculative property investment in the hotel sector. The paper shows how the tourism industry changed qualitatively during this longer period, by considering the trajectory of the Irish hotel sector, and examining both the changing geography of overseas tourist origins and the internal distribution of tourism within Ireland.
$L^p$ estimates for maximal averages along one-variable vector fields in ${\mathbf R} ^2$

We prove a conjecture of Lacey and Li in the case that the vector field depends only on one variable. Specifically: let v be a vector field defined on the unit square such that v(x, y) = (1, u(x)) for some measurable u : [0,1] → [0,1]. Let δ be a small parameter, and let R be the collection of rectangles R of a fixed width such that δ much of the vector field inside R is pointed in (approximately) the same direction as R. We show that the operator defined by (0.1) M R f(z) = sup 1 |R| f R |f| z∈R∈R is bounded on L P for p > 1 with constants comparable to 1 δ.
A Modified, High-Efficiency, Recuperated Gas-Turbine Cycle

The thermal efficiency of an intercooled/recuperated cycle may be increased by: (a) evaporatively aftercooling the compressor discharge; and (b) injecting and evaporating an additional amount of water in the recuperator. Comparative computations of such a modified cycle and intercooled/recuperated cycles carried out over a wide range of pressure ratios and turbine inlet temperatures and at two different levels of component technologies show an advantage of over five percentage points in efficiency for the modified cycle. About 60 percent of this improvement results from modification (a) and 40 percent from modification (b). The modified intercooled/recuperated cycle is compared with nonintercooled steam-injected gas turbine systems at each component technology level. The present cycle is found to be superior by about 2.75 percentage points in efficiency and to require a substantially smaller water flow rate. To assist in interpreting those differences, the method of available-work analysis is introduced and applied. This is identical to exergy analysis for systems with a pure-substance working fluid, but differs from the latter for systems using a mixture of pure substances insofar as the thermodynamic dead state is defined for the chemical and phase composition realized at the exhaust conditions of practical engineering devices and systems. This analysismore » is applied to the heat-recovery processes in each of the three systems considered. It shows that the substantial, fundamental available-work loss incurred by mixing steam and gases in the steam-injected system is the main reason for the superior efficiency of the precent cycle.« less
Curvature Invariant for Hilbert Modules over Free Semigroup Algebras

Abstract We introduce a notion of relative curvature (resp. Euler characteristic) for finite rank contractive Hilbert modules over C F +n, the complex free semigroup algebra generated by the free semigroup F +n on n generators. Asymptotic formulas and basic properties for both the curvature and the Euler characteristic are established. In particular, it is shown that the standard relative curvature invariant (resp. Euler characteristic) of a Hilbert module H is a nonnegative number less than or equal to the rank of H , and it depends only on the properties of the completely positive map φT(X)≔∑ni=1 TiXT*i, where [T1, …, Tn] is the row contraction of (not necessarily commuting) operators uniquely determined by the C F +n-module structure of H . Moreover, we prove that for every t⩾0 there is a Hilbert module H such that curv( H )=χ( H )=t. The module structure defined by the left creation operators on the full Fock space F2(Hn) on n generators occupies the position of the rank-one free module in the algebraic theory. We obtain a complete description of the closed submodules (resp. quotients) of the free Hilbert module F2(Hn) and calculate their curvature invariant. It is shown that the curvature is a complete invariant for the finite rank submodules of the free Hilbert module F2(Hn)⊗ K , where K is a finite dimensional Hilbert space. A noncommutative version of the Gauss–Bonnet–Chern theorem from Riemannian geometry is obtained for graded Hilbert modules over C F +n. In particular, it is proved that the curvature and Euler characteristic coincide for certain classes of pure Hilbert modules. Our investigation is based on noncommutative Poisson transforms, noncommutative dilation theory, and harmonic analysis on Fock spaces.
Multidisciplinary management of lung cancer.

Despite years of research, the five-year survival rate among patients with lung cancer is a mere 14 percent. Lung cancer is divided into two major types — non–small-cell lung cancer and the more aggressive small-cell lung cancer. This review considers the treatment of each type in the framework of multidisciplinary management and recent clinical trials.
Características individuales y de la estructura familiar de un grupo de adolescentes abusadores de alcohol y/o marihuana

Antecedentes. Entre los factores mas importantes para la comprension y tratamiento del abuso y/o adiccion a alcohol y/o marihuana se encuentran los rasgos de la personalidad del sujeto, las variables sociales y las caracteristicas de su estructura familiar. Objetivos. Describir caracteristicas de la personalidad y otras variables individuales de un grupo de adolescentes consumidores de alcohol y/o marihuana y las caracteristicas estructurales de sus familias. Metodo. 16 adolescentes con sus familias consultantes en el Centro Terapeutico Rukantu entre los meses de enero y junio de 2001 fueron evaluados individualmente con una encuesta ad hoc y con el MMPI-I y familiarmente con la aplicacion de las escalas FACES III y CRS para caracterizarlas estructuralmente segun el Modelo Circumplejo Tridimensional de Olson (MCO-3D). Resultados. Los individuos mostraron un perfil de personalidad caracterizado por bajo control impulsivo, tendencia a conductas auto y heteroagresivas, tendencia a alterar el juicio de realidad y grave dificultad para el ajuste social. La mayoria de las familias pertenecian a un estrato economico, educacional y laboral bajo y mostraron estructuras familiares de tipo desbalanceado e intermedio. Conclusiones. Las estructuras familiares desbalanceadas e intermedias del MCO-3D podrian asociarse al abuso de alcohol y/o marihuana; los rasgos de personalidad encontrados en estos adolescentes corresponden al perfil de personalidad asociado con el abuso y/o adiccion de alcohol y/o marihuana. Estos hallazgos plantean la necesidad de estudiar en forma controlada las relaciones entre las dimensiones individual y familiar
Bleomycin, an inhibitor of vaccinia virus replication.

Abstract Bleomycin inhibits vaccinia virus replication in infected HeLa cells and in mice. Viral DNA synthesis and core RNA polymerase activity are significantly inhibited by the antibiotic. Synthesis of messenger RNA in isolated vaccinia cores is inhibited, but synthesis of poly(A) is unaffected. Vaccinia core DNA is degraded during the course of the RNA polymerase reaction in the presence of bleomycin. The presence of ribonucleoside triphosphates accelerates the degradation of vaccinia core DNA by bleomycin. Effects on DNA synthesis, in particular, the induced degradation of template DNA, may be responsible for the observed antiviral activity of bleomycin.
Fiber optic fluorescence detection of low-level porphyrin concentrations in preclinical and clinical studies

A significant clinical problem in the local treatment of cutaneous metastases of breast cancer (by any modality--surgery, radiation therapy or photodynainic therapy) is the fact that the disease almost always extends beyond the boundary of visible lesions in the form of microscopic deposits. These deposits may be distant from the site of visible disease but are often in close proximity to it and are manifested sooner or later by the development of recurrent lesions at the border of the treated area, thus the "marginal miss" in radiation therapy, the "rim recurrence" in photodynamic therapy, and the "incisional recurrence" following surgical excision. More intelligent use of these treatment modalities demands the ability to detect microscopic deposits of tumor cells using non-invasive methodology. In vivo fluorescence measurements have been made possible by the development of an extremely sensitive fiber optic in vivo fluorescence photometer. The instrument has been used to verify that fluorescence correlated with injected porphyrin levels in various tissues. The delivery of light to excite and detect background fluorescence as well as photosensitizer fluorescence in tissues has been accomplished using two HeNe lasers emitting at 632.8 nm and 612 nm delivered through a single quartz fiber optic. Chopping at different frequencies, contributions of fluorescence may be separated. Fluorescence is picked up via a 400 micron quartz fiber optic positioned appropriately near the target tissue. Validation of these levels was made by extraction of the drug from the tissues with resultant quantitation. Recently, an extensive study was undertaken to determine if fluorescence could be used for the detection of occult, clinically non-palpable metastases in the lymph node of rats. This unique model allowed for the detection of micrometastases in lymph nodes using very low injected doses of the photosensitizer Photofrin II. Data obtained revealed the ability to detect on the order of 50-100 cells using 0.25 mg/kg of sensitizer, a level 20 times lower than normally used for treatment of animal tumors. These results indicate that Photofrin II could be used for fluorescence detection of small metastatic tumors, while substantially reducing the major side effect of PDT; namely, prolonged photosensitivity. Results to be presented demonstrate the ability of this technique to detect microscopic deposits of malignant tumor cells in patients with metastatic breast cancer. These deposits were found in clinically negative areas of the chest wall.
Genetic Regulation of Atherosclerotic Plaque Size and Morphology in the Innominate Artery of Hyperlipidemic Mice

Objective— We sought to determine the genetic factors contributing to atherosclerotic plaque size and cellular composition in the innominate artery, a murine model of advanced atherosclerosis. Methods and Results— We examined genetic contributions to innominate atherosclerotic plaque size and cellular composition in an intercross between C57BL/6J.Apoe−/−, a strain susceptible to aortic lesions, and C3H/HeJ.Apoe−/−, a strain resistant to aortic lesions. Surprisingly, total innominate lesion size was similar in the two strains. Genetic analyses identified one novel locus on Chromosome 2 for innominate artery lesion size, a significant locus for fibrous cap thickness on Chromosome 15, and several suggestive loci for cellular composition, all distinct from loci influencing aortic lesions. The Chromosome 2 locus contains a candidate, CD44. We show that CD44 is expressed in the innominate artery and differs strikingly in expression between the parental strains. Conclusion— Multiple aspects of innominate lesion ...
High Performance Message-passing InfiniBand Communication Device for Java HPC

Abstract MPJ Express is a Java messaging system that implements an MPI-like interface. It is used for writing parallel Java applications on High Performance Computing (HPC) hardware including commodity clusters. The software is capable of executing in multicore and cluster mode. In the cluster mode, it currently supports Ethernet and Myrinet based interconnects and provide specialized communication devices for these networks. One recent trend in distributed memory parallel hardware is the emergence of InfiniBand interconnect, which is a high-performance proprietary network and provides low latency and high bandwidth for parallel MPI applications. Currently there is no direct support available in Java (and hence MPJ Express) to exploit the performance benefits of InfiniBand networks. The only option to run distributed Java programs over InfiniBand networks is to rely on TCP/IP emulation layers like IP over InfiniBand (IPoIB) and Sockets Direct Protocol (SDP), which provide poor communication performance. To tackle this issue in the context of MPJ Express, this paper presents a low-level communication device called ibdev that can be used to execute parallel Java applications on InfiniBand clusters. MPJ Express is based on a layered architecture and hence users can opt to use ibdev at runtime on an InfiniBand equipped commodity cluster. ibdev improves Java application performance with access to InfiniBand hardware using native verbs API. Our performance evaluation reveals that MPJ Express achieves much better latency and bandwidth using this new device, compared to IPoIB and SDP. Improvement in communication performance is also evident in NAS parallel benchmark results where ibdev helps MPJ Express achieve better scalability and speedups as compared to IPoIB and SDP. The results show that it is possible to reduce the performance gap between Java and native languages with efficient support for low level communication libraries.
Bone Disease in Kidney Transplant Patients

Chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease are associated with significant disturbances in bone and mineral metabolism. With advances in the management of chronic kidney disease and improved outcomes of kidney transplantation, posttransplantation bone disease is a serious cause of morbidity in long-term survivors. The management of post-kidney transplantation bone disease is difficult because of its complex pathophysiology. Furthermore, studies of therapeutic options that may show improvement in bone mineral density have not necessarily been shown to decrease fracture risk. Evaluating and managing post-kidney transplantation bone disease remains an integral part of posttransplant medical care.
Guns and vaginas: A personal perspective on free speech and sexual harassment in Oklahoma

In February of 2000, the author was charged with twenty-five counts of sexual harassment at the University of Oklahoma for writing a letter to the editor that compared the misuse of a gun to the misuse of a vagina. In his opinion, the University of Oklahoma administration and faculty exhibited virtually no support for principles of free speech and academic freedom. After he had been subjected to a hearsay smear campaign and secret trial, the charges filed against the author were dismissed when attorneys from a public interest law group threatened a First Amendment lawsuit.
Creation and Storage of Standards-based Pre-scanning Patient Questionnaires in PACS as DICOM Objects

Radiology departments around the country have completed the first evolution to digital imaging by becoming filmless. The next step in this evolution is to become truly paperless. Both patient and non-patient paperwork has to be eliminated in order for this transition to occur. A paper-based set of patient pre-scanning questionnaires were replaced with web-based forms for use in an outpatient imaging center. We discuss this process by which questionnaire elements are converted into SNOMED-CT terminology concepts, stored for future use, and sent to PACS in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format to be permanently stored with the relevant study in the DICOM image database.
Integrated optical half adder circuit

An integrated optical half adder circuit was fabricated on LiNbO3 substrate. The circuit is composed of several elementary logic gates. Interaction between guided light beams was achieved by utilizing LiNbO3 electrooptic modulators, which operate by changing the cutoff condition of the lowest order guided mode in an outdiffused LiNbO3 channel waveguide, and CdS photodetectors. Light signals were injected into an array of channel waveguides by end-fire coupling from an array of four single mode optical fibers arranged in preferentially etched V-grooves in silicon.
District of Columbia et al. v. Heller: Another Round in the Debate Over Gun Control

n a 5-4 decision on June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court of the United States identified circumstances under which the SecondAmendment to the Constitution allows for an individual to lawfully possess a handgun. In the majority opinion of the Court, Justice Scalia stated, “The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home” (Supreme Court of the United States, 2008, p. 1). This potentially landmark decision addresses (at least in part) the longstanding question over whether the right to bear arms mentioned in the Second Amendment applies to individuals or whether it authorizes states to arm militias. More specifically, the Heller decision overturned the 1976 ban on handguns in the District of Columbia, which prohibited the possession of handguns, prohibited their registration, and invalidated the requirement that other firearms (e.g., rifles and shotguns) stored within the home must be (a) unloaded and (b) disassembled or equipped with a trigger locking device (Supreme Court of the United States, 2008). No doubt, the potential implications of the Heller case will result in even more debate over an issue that Wellford, Pepper, and Petrie (2004) suggest is already one of the most controversial subjects in the United States. The primary objective of this essay is to show how the case reflects the extremely complex issue of guns and policies surrounding their ownership and use.
Sec24b selectively sorts Vangl2 to regulate planar cell polarity during neural tube closure

Craniorachischisis is a rare but severe birth defect that results in a completely open neural tube. Mouse mutants in planar cell polarity (PCP) signalling components have deficits in the morphological movements of convergent extension that result in craniorachischisis. Using a forward genetic screen in mice, we identified Sec24b, a cargo-sorting member of the core complex of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi transport vesicle COPII, as critical for neural tube closure. Sec24bY613 mutant mice exhibit craniorachischisis, deficiencies in convergent extension and other PCP-related phenotypes. Vangl2, a key component of the PCP-signalling pathway critical for convergent extension, is selectively sorted into COPII vesicles by Sec24b. Moreover, Sec24bY613 genetically interacts with a loss-of-function Vangl2 allele (Vangl2LP), causing a marked increase in the prevalence of spina bifida. Interestingly, the Vangl2 looptail point mutants Vangl2D255E and Vangl2S464N, known to cause defects in convergent extension, fail to sort into COPII vesicles and are trapped in the ER. Thus, during COPII vesicle formation, Sec24b shows cargo specificity for a core PCP component, Vangl2, of which proper ER-to-Golgi transport is essential for the establishment of PCP, convergent extension and closure of the neural tube.
A Giant Impact Origin of Pluto-Charon

Pluto and its moon, Charon, are the most prominent members of the Kuiper belt, and their existence holds clues to outer solar system formation processes. Here, hydrodynamic simulations are used to demonstrate that the formation of Pluto-Charon by means of a large collision is quite plausible. I show that such an impact probably produced an intact Charon, although it is possible that a disk of material orbited Pluto from which Charon later accumulated. These findings suggest that collisions between 1000-kilometer-class objects occurred in the early inner Kuiper belt.
Electrical conductivity in calcium titanate

Abstract The electrical conductivity of polycrystalline CaTiO3 was measured over the temperature range 800–1100°C while in thermodynamic equilibrium with oxygen partial pressures from 10−22 to 100 atm. The data were found to be proportional to the − 1 6 th power of the oxygen partial pressure for the oxygen pressure range 10−16 – 10−22 atm, proportional to P − 1 4 O 2 for the oxygen pressure range 10−8 – 10−15 atm, and proportional to P + 1 4 O 2 for the oxygen pressure range greater than 10−4 atm. The region of linearity where the electrical conductivity varies as − 1 4 th power of PO2 increased as the temperature was decreased. The observed data are consistent with the presence of small amounts of acceptor impurities in CaTiO3. The band-gap energy (extrapolated to zero temperature) was estimated to be 3.46 eV.
Thoughts on ‘management-think’

In this paper I briefly summarize Pastin's views on the problem of good business thinking (GBT) and the solution (Perspectival Analysis) which he offers. In discussing Pastin's solution I offer a number criticisms which call for further elucidation on Pastin's part. Specifically, I challenge his vagueness on which perspectives a manager must consider, the manner in which the moral components of these perspectives are to be evaluated, and whether Pastin is not in the end committed simply to an economic account of GBT. Finally, I contend that Pastin's account of GBT errors in being too intellectualistic and too individualistic.
Winter establishment of Eastern Gamagrass in the Southern Piedmont

Eastern gamagrass [Tripsacum dactyloides (L.)] has the potential to contribute as a warm-season component in grazing systems and conservation plantings, but its seeds exhibit a strong dormancy that reduce germination and successful stand establishment. A 3-yr study was conducted on Typic Hapudult soils to determine the influence of fungicide seed treatment [Captan (N-trichloromethylthio-4-cyclo-hexene-1,2-dicarboximide), 5.6 g a.i, kg -1 seed] and winter planting date (November-February) on germination, stand establishment, and herbage mass of eastern gamagrass. Eastern gamagrass was planted with and without fungicide seed treatment at monthly intervals between November and May. The May plantings (stratified and nonstratified seeds) served as controls. Fungicide seed treatment had no effect on initial or subsequent stands of eastern gamagrass. Winter plantings resulted in initial stands that were equal or superior to stands established from planting stratified seeds in May (5.9 vs. 3.4 plants m 2 , respectively). Significant seed carry-over effects were observed from spring (April and May) plantings, with an average of 8.8 seedlings m -2 germinating in spring of the second year compared with 1.7 seedlings m -2 for winter treatments. Herbage mass for spring plantings (March, April, and May) was depressed up to 75% compared with winter plantings. Planting in November, December, or January is an effective alternative to planting stratified seeds in May in the southern Piedmont.
Glucose-1-Phosphate Containing Glycoproteins and Interneuronal Adhesion

In embryonic chick neural retina the carbohydrate-binding protein ligatin has beenshown to interact with peripheral glycoproteins whose oligosaccharides contain phosphodiester- linked terminal glucose residues. These glycoproteins have been implicated as being important to intercellular adhesion since exogenously added ligatin will bind to intact retinal cells and inhibit their adhesivity. The glycoproteins bearing this modification have been partially characterized by incubating retinal cell homogenates with [β32P]UDP-glucose andidentifying the macromolecular acceptors of phosphodiester-linked glucose by autoradiography following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It is suggested that this modification could be important for directing these glycoproteins intracellularly during their delivery to the plasma membrane.
Optimal balanced 27 fractional factorial designs of resolution V, 49 ≤ N ≤55

In this paper, we present a class of fractional factorial designs of the 27 series, which are of resolutionV. Such designs allow the estimation of the general mean, the main effects and the two factors interactions (29 parameters in all for the 27 factorial) assuming that the higher order effects are negligible. For every value ofN (the number of runs) such that 29≦N≦42, we give a resolutionV design that is optimal (with respect to the trace criterion) within the subclass of balanced designs. Also, for convenience of analysis, we present for each design, the covariance matrix of the estimates of the various parameters. As a by product, we establish many interesting combinatorial theorems concerning balanced arrays of strength four (which are generalizations of orthogonal arrays of strength four, and also of balanced incomplete block designs with block sizes not necessarily equal).
The Inverse of the Freeman – Tukey Double Arcsine Transformation

Abstract A formula for the inverse of the Freeman–Tukey double arcsine transformation is derived. This formula is useful when expressing means of double arcsines as retransformed proportions. When the mean is taken from original proportions involving different n's, it is suggested that the harmonic mean of the n's be used in the inversion formula.
Research frontiers in the analysis of coupled biogeochemical cycles

The analysis of coupled biogeochemical cycles (CBCs) addresses the scientific basis for some of today's major environmental problems. Drawing from information presented at a series of sessions on CBCs held at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America and from the research community's expertise, we identify several principal research themes that justify action and investment. Critical areas for research include: coupling of major element cycles to less studied yet equally important trace element cycles; analyzing CBCs across ecosystem boundaries; integrating experimental results into regional- and global-scale models; and expanding the analysis of human interactions with CBCs arising from human population growth, urbanization, and geoengineering. To advance the current understanding of CBCs and to address the environmental challenges of the 21st century, scientists must maintain and synthesize data from existing observational and experimental networks, develop new instrumentation networks, and adopt emerging technologies.
Anchorage-independent growth with JB6 cells exposed to 60 Hz magnetic fields at several flux densities

Abstract JB6 clone 41 cells have previously been shown to respond to a 1.1. mT magnetic field with increased growth under anchorage-independent (AI) conditions. Here we have examined the AI growth-response simultaneously at three lower flux densities and without an applied field. Fields were generated with Helmholtz coils held in water-jacketed CO2 incubators. Colony growth (60 μm diameter) was scored at 8 and 14 days after seeding cells in soft agar. Zero-field experiments conducted simultaneously in several incubators produced uniform counts (about 1 per 103 cells seeded). For 14-day exposures at 100 μT, 10 μT and 1μT, four of four, six of six, and two of three experiments, respectively, showed a significantly increased colony number (p
Effect of 5‐HT2 receptor antagonist ergolines and their desisopropyl metabolites on rabbit platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo

Amesergide and LY215840 are potent and long-lasting 5-HT2 receptor antagonists after oral administration to animals. In animals, these ergolines are metabolized to their desisopropyl ergoline congeners which have lower affinity (40–60 nM) at 5-HT2 receptors in the rat relative to higher 5-HT2 receptor affinity (2–3 nM) at the cloned human 5-HT2 receptor. Because amesergide and LY215840 are effective in rabbit models of thrombosis, we asked whether their efficacy in the rabbit was related in part to the activity of both the parent and desisopropyl metabolites at rabbit platelet 5-HT2 receptors. Platelet aggregation responses were first optimized to ADP and the combination of ADP and serotonin with regard to platelet number (300,000 platelets/μl of plasma) and time (70 to 140 min after platelet harvest). In ex vivo studies, both amesergide and LY215840 (3.0 mg/kg p.o.) showed similar and marked antagonism of rabbit platelet 5-HT2 receptors at 1 and 24 h after their oral administration to rabbits. Furthermore, the desisopropyl ergoline metabolites of both amesergide and LY215840 inhibited serotonin-amplified platelet aggregation responses in vitro as did amesergide and LY215840. Thus, these studies add support to the hypothesis that the desisopropyl metabolites of amesergide and LY215840 may contribute to the oral antithrombotic efficacy of the parent molecules in rabbits.
The plastic deformation of ferromagnetic face-centred cubic Fe-Ni-C alloys

Abstract When face-centred cubic alloys with the physical properties typical of Invar are strained over a sufficient range of deformation variables, peculiar deformation characteristics become apparent. For example, there is an unusually large temperature-dependence of the flow stress, completely atypical of f.c.c. metals. Factors such as compositional departure from the Invar range, the intentional formation of martensite, arranged prohibition of martensite, and compositional control of Curie temperatures, were manipulated to determine the origin of the deformation behaviour. Only the Invars reacted as a class, and ferromagnetism appeared causal both to the onset of the special deformation and to its nature. It was observed that the increase of flow stress produced by cooling below the Curie temperature can be completely reversed upon heating, that the formation of martensite is irrelevant, and that the nucleation of martensite is inhibited by the spontaneous ferromagnetism. Observations such as these is...
Mathematical modeling in glucose metabolism and insulin secretion

Purpose of review Mathematical models in the study of glucose metabolism, insulin secretion and the insulin-glucose interactions have a longstanding tradition. The recent advances in this area are reviewed, with particular emphasis on the methods for the assessment of insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion. The available models are illustrated, and their common aspects and differences discussed. Recent findings For the assessment of insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, several modeling methods have recently been developed. Models for insulin sensitivity provide insulin-sensitivity indices from simple clinical tests, or a rich multiple-parameter characterization of insulin sensitivity from more elaborate experiments. Models for beta-cell function yield indices that quantify the ability of the beta-cells to respond to glucose stimuli. Furthermore, models of the insulin-glucose interactions propose interesting explanations of some experimental observations such as insulin-glucose oscillations and the progression to type 2 diabetes. Summary Mathematical models in this area continue to evolve toward more accurate and clinically applicable approaches, and should be considered as a useful resource for clinical investigators. Models also have a potentially important role for understanding the mechanisms governing the insulin-glucose regulation system.
A fast algorithm for minimizing FPGA combinational and sequential modules

We present a quadratic-time algorithm for minimizing the number of modules in an FPGA with combinational and sequential modules (like the C-modules and S-modules of the ACT2 and ACT3 architectures). The constraint is that a combinational module can be combined with one flip-flop in a single sequential module, only if the combinational module drives no other combinational modules. Our algorithm uses a minimum-cost flow formulation to solve the problem with a significant time improvement over a previous approach that used a general linear program.
Quantum collision theory with phase-space distributions

Quantum-mechanical phase-space distributions, introduced by Wigner in 1932, provide an intuitive alternative to the usual wave-function approach to problems in scattering and reaction theory. The aim of the present work is to collect and extend previous efforts in a unified way, emphasizing the parallels among problems in ordinary quantum theory, nuclear physics, chemical physics, and quantum field theory. The method is especially useful in providing easy reductions to classical physics and kinetic regimes under suitable conditions. Section II, dealing in detail with potential scattering of a spinless nonrelativistic particle, provides the background for more complex problems. Following a brief description of the two-body problem, the authors address the N-body problem with special attention to hierarchy closures, Boltzmann-Vlasov equations, and hydrodynamic aspects. The final section sketches past and possibly future applications to a wide variety of problems.
A clamped rectangular plate containing a crack

The general problem of a rectangular plate clamped along two parallel sides and containing a crack parallel to the clamps is considered. The problem is formulated in terms of a system of singular integral equations and the asymptotic behavior of the stress state near the corners is investigated. Numerical examples are considered for a clamped plate without a crack and with a centrally located crack, and the stress intensity factors and the stresses along the clamps are calculated.
Nonlinear acoustic effects in superfluid 3He-B

We consider the nonlinear interaction of zero sound with the collective modes of the order-parameter in superfluid 3He-B. The approximate particle-hole symmetry of the 3He-Fermi liquid determines selection rules for the linear and nonlinear coupling of zero sound to the collective modes. Starting from the quasiclassical theory of superfluid 3He, we have shown that the coupling strenghts have a simple representation in terms of Feynman diagrams. We predict measurable two-photon absorption and nonlinear-Raman scattering by the J = 2+ (real squashing) modes at low pressures. Recent observations of two-phonon absorption by a group in Helsinki are compared to the theoretical predictions. Two-phonon absorption can be used to determine the dispersion of the J = 2+ modes.
The prevalence of driveway back-over injuries in the era of sports utility vehicles.

Background: Small children are vulnerable to serious accidents when a motor vehicle is placed in motion in a driveway. We describe a series of such accidents, consider the predisposing factors, and analyze the outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the trauma database of a large, level I, freestanding children’s hospital with specific attention to driveway auto-pedestrian accidents. Results: During an 8-year period, 495 children were treated for injuries sustained in auto-pedestrian accidents, with 128 occurring in the driveway. The children’s median age was 2.9 years, with 54% of the injuries sustained by boys. These often serious accidents carried an overall mortality rate of 6%. The most common injuries were abrasions, blunt head injury, and fractures. Chest trauma was associated with the highest mortality (11%), and both chest and abdominal trauma had the highest median Injury Severity Score of 13. Orthopedic injuries were the most common reason for operative intervention. Thirty-one percent of the children required intensive care unit monitoring, with their average unit stay being 3.9 days. Cars, trucks, and sports utility vehicles comprised 55%, 25%, and 12% of the accidents, respectively. Truck accidents carried the highest mortality rate (19%). Accidents were more likely to occur between 3:00 and 8:00 pm, between Thursday and Saturday, and between May and October. An increasing number of accidents occurred during the last 4 years of the study. Conclusions: Driveway injuries are an underrecognized often severe form of auto-pedestrian accidents. To prevent these family tragedies, drivers of large vehicles with children younger than 12 years old
Chromatographic effects of residual amino groups on liquid chromatographic stationary phases derived from aminopropyl-silica gel

Abstract Low-capacity phenylazo-8-quinolinol-silica gel (QSG) stationary phases were made by two different procedures. The first began with an aminopropyl-silica gel (APSG), which was converted to nitrobenzamide-silica gel (NBSG) by amidization with p -nitrobenzoyl chloride. The second began with the direct preparation of the NBSG using nitrobenzamidesilane. Retention data for several organic analytes were obtained on APSG and on the NBSG and QSG phases made by both procedures. Anomalously high capacity factors were obtained for p -nitrobenzoic acid on the NBSG material obtained from APSG, indicating the presence of unreacted aminopropyl anion-exchange sites. Only after reamidization of the NBSG using more vigorous conditions did the retention data approach that on the NBSG made by the second method. Even then, the opposite order of elution of p -nitrobenzoic and benzoic acids on the two NBSG and QSG phases indicated that vestiges of amino groups remained on the materials made from the APSG. Several chromatographic and chemical characterization methods confirmed the presence of residual aminopropyl groups.
Exploring associations between serum levels of select organochlorines and thyroxine in a sample of New York state sportsmen: the New York State Angler Cohort Study.

This preliminary study investigated associations between environmental organochlorine compounds and thyroid function in a sample of 66 sportsmen selected from among participants in the New York State Angler Cohort Study. A cross-sectional design was employed with the primary goal of the analysis being the generation of specific testable hypotheses. Blood samples were analyzed for compounds based on a priori identified literature-cited evidence of thyroid disruption. These included hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyl congeners 19, 28, 47, 118, 153, 169, 180, 183, and 187. Time of sample collection, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoproteins, age, body mass index, and cigarette smoking were considered for each participant. Potential associations between organochlorine compounds and serum total thyroxine, controlling for potential confounders, were examined using multivariable linear regression models. The models reported consisted of all variates being entered (“full” model, R2=0.380, P=0.136) and stepwise selection of variates (“reduced” models, α=0.15) using the criterion of maximum partial correlation at each step. Several procedures were considered to address contaminant data below the limit of detection in the reduced models with no change in selected predictors. Hexachlorobenzene (β=−0.113) and age (β=0.007) were selected as predictors of serum T4 in the reduced models (R2=0.083, P=0.065). Power analysis suggested that by doubling the sample size the existing results would be statistically significant with a type I error of 0.05 and a power of 0.80. These findings are important in the design of a new specific study of thyroid function and environmental contaminants.
Parental Gentle Guidance and Children's Compliance Within the Family: A Replication Study

In this study, the authors examined the link between young children's compliance and parental gentle guidance from a within-family perspective. Observational data from 57 families (mothers, fathers, and 2 siblings) participating in a family clean-up session were used to replicate earlier findings reported by B. L. Volling, A. Y. Blandon, and B. J. Gorvine (2006). Several of the results were replicated with the authors' older sample. Older siblings used more committed compliance and less passive noncompliance than their younger siblings. Mothers used more gentle guidance than fathers, but no differences were found in their parenting across siblings. Maternal and paternal gentle guidance interacted to explain younger siblings' committed compliance to the father and older siblings' situational compliance. For older siblings' committed compliance and both siblings' passive noncompliance, it was the direct effect of parental gentle guidance that was important. Differential parental gentle guidance appears to have a negative impact on older siblings' compliance. Results underscore the need to explore within-family processes to understand children's early compliance and internalization.
SU-FF-I-125: Assessment of Inter and Intra-Scanner Variation in Diffusion Tensor Imaging Using the ACR Phantom

Purpose:DiffusionTensorImaging (DTI) has become a widely used MRI sequence to assess patient response to many forms of therapy. In order to track small changes in patient DTI parameters in a clinical setting, knowledge of inter‐scanner and intra‐scanner variations is necessary to insure that a perceived patient therapy response is statistically significant. Ideally, inter and intra‐scanner variations should be determined from a large sample of healthy patients so that scanner specific effects can be quantified. However, this type of analysis is not practical in most institutions. Because of the lack and availability of DTI phantoms which closely model typical pathology, we will assess the usefulness of the MRI ACR phantom for this application. Method and Materials: Clinical DTI acquisitions were performed using the ACR phantom on 8 GEscanners (two 3T and six 1.5T) using an 8‐channel head coil at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center to assess inter‐scanner variations. Repeated acquisitions were also performed at each scanner to assess intra‐scanner variations. DTI image sets were analyzed using several ROIs in homogeneous regions of the phantom. Axial profiles were obtained for each ROI in each scan for several DTI parameters. Results: We have compared several DTI parameters obtained from our scans of the ACR phantom to published patient measurements as well as patient data gathered from our own institution and found that the ACR phantom is quite viable for quantification of inter and intra‐scanner variations in DTI measurement. Conclusion: This work suggests that the widely available ACR phantom may be useful for assessing DTI variability between scanners. With this information, it may be possible for institutions to schedule consecutive DTI acquisitions for a single patient on scanners which behave similarly, limiting the effects of inter‐scanner variations on physicians' ability to assess therapy response.
Covalent attachment of a nickel nitrilotriacetic acid group to a germanium attenuated total reflectance element.

The surface of a germanium internal reflectance element (IRE) was modified to bind 6X-histidine (his)-tagged biomolecules. The step-by-step surface modification was monitored via single-pass attenu...
School psychology: Failure and promise

Abstract School psychology can offer the practitioner a multitude of opportunities to aid parents, teachers, and children in the educational process. Evidence of the contribution of school psychology to the educational enterprise can be found in the analysis of activities of school psychologists as well as program trainers. This is an account of one such odyssey. Observing that school psychology is showing signs of strain and stress, the author describes some of the issues facing the field and warns of consequences of lack of consensus in solving the many problems of school support services.
Shock Shells in Coulomb Explosions of Nanoclusters

We predict that Coulomb explosion of a nanoscale cluster, which is ionized by high-intensity laser radiation and has a naturally occurring spatial density profile, will invariably produce shock waves. In most typical situations, two shocks, a leading and a trailing one, form a shock shell that eventually encompasses the entire cluster. Being the first example of shock waves on the nanometer scale, this phenomenon promises interesting effects and applications, including high-rate nuclear reactions inside each individual cluster.
An adaptive background estimation technique for enhancing target detection in through-the-wall-radar imaging applications

The challenge in detecting behind the wall stationary targets appears when the target is close to the wall and has a frequency response that is fully or partially overlapping with the wall's spectrum. In order to detect such targets, background subtraction is usually applied. The main challenge of using this method is the availability of the empty scene, which is typically unavailable to the user. In this paper, we introduce an adaptive background estimation and subtraction technique, to detect objects behind the wall with the focus on human detection. This technique is based on the architecture of the adaptive side-lobe canceller, where a number of antenna elements are used to form a subarray that captures the background in the main beam, while receiving the incident scatterings from the target in the sidelobes. The output of this subarray is then used as the reference signal to suppress the background components at the output of each sensor, through adaptive Recursive Least Squares (RLS) algorithm. This technique can be used with both co- and cross-polarization returns, in order to further reduce the effect of the background and enhance the detectability of the target.