cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current status of pacemaker power sources.

Abstract After years during which pacers of very similar design and capabilities were provided by a small number of manufacturers, many different lithium, halogen, rechargeable, and nuclear power sources are now available. The variety of chemistries, methods of construction, and sealing techniques used in the batteries of the different manufacturers is almost unlimited. This has made it necessary for physicians who implant and follow pacers to acquire a general knowledge of the field if they are to make an informed choice of pacemaker power source for implantation and if they are to manage recalls with a minimum of patient and physician trauma. More experience is required before it can be definitely determined which of the new pacer power sources will prove superior, but when coupled with well-designed, hermetically sealed pulse generators, all are capable of providing continuous pacing for at least 5 years and the 10-year pacemaker is now a probability.
Phase diagram kinetics for shape memory alloys: a robust finite element implementation

A physically based one-dimensional shape memory alloy (SMA) model is implemented into the finite element software ABAQUS via a user interface. Linearization of the SMA constitutive law together with complete transformation kinetics is performed and tabulated for implementation. Robust rules for transformation zones of the phase diagram are implemented and a new strategy for overlapping transformation zones is developed. The iteration algorithm, switching point updates and solution strategies are developed and are presented in detail. The code is validated via baseline simulations including the shape memory effect and pseudoelasticity and then further tested with complex loading paths. A hybrid composite with self-healing function is then simulated using the developed code. The example demonstrates the usefulness of the methods for the design and simulation of materials or structures actuated by SMA wires or ribbons.
DCIS of the breast: a look towards discovery and advancements in the field.

Somany assumptions and questions remain regarding ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). We overtreat the majority of patients with DCIS as this entity is generally not immediately life threatening. For many patients with an initial diagnosis of DCIS, progression to invasive cancer (if at all) may be over a period of several decades. What are our treatments for DCIS? We perform surgery, utilize radiation in most, use Tamoxifen in many cases, and we are even beginning trials to test other novel systemic biologic agents for the disease. However, the use of the word ‘‘treatment’’ is probably our first and most obvious mistake when we talk aboutDCIS.We really need to begin to talk about prevention when we mention DCIS. We treat DCIS to prevent invasive breast cancer; just as we may treat patients with very strong family histories or known genetic predisposition to cancer, or LCIS, or atypical hyperplasia. Our fundamental understanding of the biology and clinical behavior of DCIS is not clear. Some essential questions regarding DCIS need to be examined systematically:
Mid-infrared absorption in self-assembled Ge quantum dots grown on Si substrate

Mid-infrared absorption in boron-doped and modulation boron- doped self-assembled Ge quantum dots grown on (001) oriented Si substrates is reported for the first time in this paper. The structures, which were grown by a solid source molecular beam epitaxy system, are composed of 20 or 30 periods of Ge dot layers and Si spacer films. The structural properties of the multilayers and some uncapped Ge dots on sample surface were tested by cross-sectional transmission electron and atomic force microscopes, respectively. Through use of Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectrometers, infrared absorption signals peaking in the mid-infrared range were observed. The absorption is strongly polarized along the growth axis of the samples. Experimental and theoretical analysis suggests that the mid-infrared response be attributed to intraband transitions in the valence band of the Ge quantum dots. This study demonstrates the application potential of these kinds of Ge/Si quantum dot multilayer structures for developing mid-infrared photodetectors.
Influence of cadmium on calcium absorption from the rat intestine

Influence of Cadmium on Calcium Absorption from the Rat Intestine. Yuhas, E. M., Miya, T. S., and Schnell, R. C. (1978). Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 43 , 23–31. The effect of cadmium on gastrointestinal calcium absorption in male rats was examined using an in situ single-pass intestinal perfusion technique. The addition of cadmium, (10 −5 , 10 −3 , or 10 −2 m ) to the perfusion medium caused a decrease in net calcium absorption. At Cd concentrations greater than 10 −5 m , a net negative calcium balance occurred. The decrease in net calcium absorption resulted from both a decrease in the lumen-to-plasma flux of calcium (10 −5 to 10 −2 m Cd) and an increase in the plasma-to-lumen flux to calcium (10 −4 to 10 −2 m Cd). Intestinal calcium absorption was unaltered 72 hr following a single acute injection of cadmium acetate (2 mg/kg, ip). In another experiment, rats were given cadmium (0, 1, 10 or 100 ppm) in the drinking water for 13, weeks, and then in situ intestinal calcium absorption was determined. At 1 or 10 ppm of Cd, there was no effect on net calcium absorption or lumen-to-plasma or plasmato-lumen fluxes of calcium. At 100 ppm of Cd, there was an increase in the lumen-to-plasma-to-lumen fluxes of calcium. At 100 ppm of Cd, there was an increase in the lumen-to-plasma flux of calcium since there was no effect on the plasma-to-lumen flux of calcium. While cadmium added to the perfusate may exert a direct inhibitory effect on intestinal calcium absorption, the treatment in vivo of rats with cadmium, either acutely or chronically, does not decrease intestinal calcium absorption.
Modeling and simulation of data center networks

Data centers are integral part of cloud computing that support Web services, online social networking, data analysis, computation intensive applications and scientific computing. They require high performance components for their inter-process communication, storage and sub-communication systems. The performance bottleneck that used to be the processing power has now been shifted to communication speed within data centers. The performance of a data center, in terms of throughput and delay, is directly related to the performance of the underlying internal communication network. In this paper, we introduce an analytical model that can be used to evaluate the underlying network architecture in data centers. The model can further be used to develop simulation tools that extend the scope of performance evaluation beyond what it can be achieved by the theoretical model in terms of various network topologies, different traffic distributions, scalability, and load balancing. While the model is generic, we focus on its implementation for fat-tree networks that are widely used in data centers. The theoretical results are compared and validated with the simulation results for several network configurations. The results of this analysis provide a basis for data center network design and optimization.
Diagnosis of multilayer clouds using photon path length distributions

[1] Photon path length distribution is sensitive to 3-D cloud structures. A detection method for multilayer clouds has been developed, by utilizing the information of photon path length distribution. The photon path length method estimates photon path length information from the low level, single-layer cloud structure that can be accurately observed by a millimeter-wave cloud radar (MMCR) combined with a micropulse lidar (MPL). As multiple scattering within the cloud layers and between layers would substantially enhance the photon path length, the multilayer clouds can be diagnosed by evaluating the estimated photon path information against observed photon path length information from a co-located rotating shadowband spectrometer (RSS). The measurements of MMCR-MPL and RSS at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Southern Great Plains (SGP) site have been processed for the year 2000. Cases studies illustrate the consistency between MMCR-MPL detection and the photon path length method under most conditions. However, the photon path length method detected some multilayer clouds that were classified by the MMCR-MPL as single-layer clouds. From 1 year statistics at the ARM SGP site, about 27.7% of single-layer clouds detected by the MMCR-MPL with solar zenith angle less than 70° and optical depth greater than 10 could be multilayer clouds. It suggests that a substantial portion of single-layer clouds detected by the MMCR-MPL could also be influenced by some “missed” clouds or by the 3-D effects of clouds.
Angioedema of the Arytenoids

This woman reported feeling as if something were stuck in her throat. She had a hoarse, raspy voice but no respiratory symptoms.
Effect of price discount frames and levels on consumers' perceptions in low-end service industries.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of price discount frames and price discount levels on consumer perceptions about the quality of the service product, the value of the discount, their purchase intentions and their willingness to spread the word of mouth about the discount savings across different types of services.Design/methodology/approach – The study uses an experiment design method using three interesting variables: discount format, discount level and service industry type. The experiment included four different types of low‐end price service levels: restaurants, hotels, mailing services, and retail services.Findings – The findings indicate that price discount frames and discount levels do affect consumers' perceptions on the value of the discount, the quality of the service, their intention to purchase and their willingness to engage in WOM advertising.Practical implications – The practical implication for service firms that want to use price discount promotions to enc...
An update on the diagnosis and treatment of varicose veins

Abstract Varicose veins are a common ailment affecting more than 20 million Americans. These veins and the associated venous hypertension are associated with leg swelling, pain, dermatitis, phlebitis, and ulceration. The underlying principle of treatment of any varicosity is the removal or obliteration of pathologically functioning veins and the preservation of those with normal function. Diagnosis is obvious, but deciding whether the varicose veins are responsible for the patient's symptoms is more difficult. Often a trial of graduated compression stockings is worth-while. Treatment consists of compression, sclerotherapy, and/or operation depending on the etiology and severity of the condition.
Dysregulated cytokine and growth factor expression in OSSN HIV-1 patients from Botswana with multiple infections

Background Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is a conjunctival or corneal neoplastic tumor that is becoming prevalent in HIV-1 infected patients. Prior to the HIV pandemic, OSSN was noted to occur predominantly in the elderly for whom it is the third most common oculoorbital tumor after melanoma and lymphoma. In Africa OSSN is becoming more common, more aggressive, and affects young people, especially females. In parallel with the dramatic increase of HIV in Africa, several countries have noted a sharp rise in the incidence of OSSN in HIV infected individuals such that OSSN is currently the most common ocular tumor among adults. The underlying cause of this cancer in HIV-infected patients from Botswana is not well defined.
The Graduate Record Examination and undergraduate grade point average: Predicting graduate grade point averages in a Criminal Justice graduate program

This study was conducted to investigate if there are any predictive relationships between scores of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and graduate grade point average (GGPA), and undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and GGPA. The data were collected from all graduates from the Master's program in Criminal Justice at a medium-sized Southern university from 1989 to 1999 (N = 94). The results indicated that UGPA and GRE scores explain about 40% of the variance in GGPAs. It is concluded that all three GRE subscales should be considered in the graduate admissions process in criminal justice programs.
Expression, indication and showing what’s within

This essay offers a constructive criticism of Part I of Davis' Meaning, Expression and Thought. After a brief exposition, in Sect. 2, of the main points of the theory that will concern us, I raise a challenge in Sect. 3 for the characterization of expression that is so central to his program. I argue first of all that a sincere expression of a thought, feeling, or mood shows it. Yet attention to this fact reveals that it does not go without saying how it is possible to show such things as thoughts, feelings or moods; we need an account of how this is possible, and I offer a partial such account in Sect. 4. Second, much of the attraction of Davis' program depends on its ability to explain how linguistic meaning can be arrived at without covertly presupposing linguistic conventions. This in turn depends, in Davis' hands, upon the claim that it is possible to express any of a wide range of ideas in the absence of conventions. I argue in Sect. 5 that the account of showing at which we will by then have arrived makes clear that Davis needs, and lacks, an explanation of how it is possible to do this.
In vivo synthesis of stigmasterol in Nicotiana tabacum

Abstract Six-day-old tobacco seedlings rapidly incorporated and metabolized exogenously supplied [4- 14 C]-sitosterol, but none of the radioactivity was recovered from stigmasterol. However, exogenously supplied [2- 14 C]-mevalonic acid was incorporated into both sitosterol and stigmasterol. Based on these results it is suggested that the biosynthetic pathway of stigmasterol is not via sitosterol but that both sterols have a common precursor.
Mechanical Degradation Effects on Turbulent Flows With Macro-Molecular Polymer Structures

Macro-molecular polymer structures due to either the entanglement of polymer molecules or the ionic character of the polymer, have been shown in the literature to enhance the drag reducing abilities of polymer solutions in internal water flows. The purpose of this study is to contrast the performance of an ionic and a non-ionic polymer as drag reduction agents with and without the presence of such macro molecular polymer structures. The endurance of such polymer structures to mechanical degradation is also assessed and documented herein. It will also be shown that special attention needs to be paid to the design of optimum polymer delivery systems since they can contribute to the formation or to further enhancing the drag reducing abilities of homogeneous polymer solutions.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Reprint of: The insurance value of state tax-and-transfer programs

Abstract This paper estimates the total value that individuals derive from their state's tax-and-transfer program, and shows how this value varies by income. The paper decomposes this total value into two components: redistributive value, which is due to predictable changes in income (and family circumstances), and insurance value, which occurs when taxes and transfers compensate for unexpected income shocks. Our approach is a forward-looking one, where we examine income and transfers net of taxes over a 10-year period. We model state taxes (personal income taxes, the EITC, and sales taxes) and state means-tested transfers (AFDC/TANF and Medicaid/SCHIP). The calculations are made using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and allow for analysis of the role of changes in tax-and-transfer programs, demographics, and income in the value of state net benefits over a period of more than 30 years. We find that the redistributive value of state tax-and-transfer programs sharply declines with income, but that the insurance value is increasing in income. The resulting total value still declines with income, but not nearly as sharply as the redistributive value. Hence, the insurance value mitigates the incentives for mobility that would “undo” state redistributive spending.
The cross section for the 41K(n,p)41Ar reaction between 14.2 and 17.2 MeV

Abstract Activation techniques have been used to measure the cross section for the 41 K(n,p) 41 Ar reaction between 14.2 and 17.2 MeV. Neutrons were produced by the 3 H(d,n) 4 He reaction, and the mixed-power method was used to measure the neutron flux through the 27 Al(n,α) 24 Na reaction. The activated samples were counted for the 1294 keV, 1.827 h γ-activity of 41 Ar and the 1369 keV, 15.03 h γ-activity of 24 Na using a 16% Ge(Li) detector and a 4096-channel analyzer. The cross sections for the 41 K(n,p) 41 Ar reaction using the mixed-power method were found to be 53 ± 3 mbarn at 14.2 ± 0.2 MeV, 47 ± 3 mbarn at 15.2 ± 0.2 MeV, 41 ± 3 mbarn at 16.2 ± 0.2 MeV and 36 ± 4 mbarn at 17.2 ± 0.2 MeV. The associated-particle method was also used for measuring the neutron flux in order to check the mixed-powder result at 14.2 MeV. The average cross section for three associated-particle runs at 14.2 MeV was found to be 50 ± 3 mbarn which, within experimental error, agrees with the mixed-powder value.
An Iterative Algorithm for Objective Wind Field Analysis

Three different algorithms for objective wind field analysis were tested on the same set of initial conditions: Dickerson-Sasaki's 'strong constraint' algorithm, a fixed-vorticity algorithm, and a newly proposed fixed-station-velocity algorithm. The three methods are compared with respect to the degree of minimization of wind divergence and the accuracy of wind data at a measured station. The first two techniques, though they reduce wind divergence, produce wind vectors substantially different from the observed values. The proposed iterative scheme is similar to Endlich's (1967) procedure for treating a macroscale wind field, and minimizes divergence while retaining the observed wind vectors.
How I treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia in older adolescents and young adults

At the intersection between children and older adults, the care of adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) poses unique challenges and issues beyond those faced by other age groups. Although the survival of AYA patients is inferior to younger children, growing evidence suggests that AYA patients have improved outcomes, with disease-free survival rates of 60% to 70%, when treated with pediatric-based approaches. A holistic approach, incorporating a multidisciplinary team, is a key component of successful treatment of these AYA patients. With the appropriate support and management of toxicities during and following treatment, these regimens are well tolerated in the AYA population. Even with the significant progress that has been made during the last decade, patients with persistence of minimal residual disease (MRD) during intensive therapy still have a poor prognosis. With new insights into disease pathogenesis in AYA ALL and the availability of disease-specific kinase inhibitors and novel targeted antibodies, future studies will focus on individualized therapy to eradicate MRD and result in further improvements in survival. This case-based review will discuss the biology, pharmacology, and psychosocial aspects of AYA patients with ALL, highlighting our current approach to the management of these unique patients.
Punishment-induced suppression and the occurrence of behavioral contrast in rats with septal lesions

Control rats and rats with septal lesions were reinforced according to a multiple schedule for running from one side of a shuttlebox to the other. Following stabilized performance, shock punishment was delivered for crossing to one side of the shuttlebox during the second component of the schedule (S2). Rats with septal lesions did not show the passive avoidance deficit usually observed when food reinforced responses are punished. The punishment contingency induced suppression in all of the lesioned rats during S2. The magnitude of this suppression was greater than that observed in control subjects. Subjects with septal lesions also showed a significant increase in nonpunished rates of responding following the introduction of shock into the changed component (positive behavioral contrast) whereas control subjects did not. The occurrence of suppression in subjects with septal lesions was attributed to the use of a multiple schedule, which included a signaled time period during which responding was positively reinforced and was not punished. Since other studies have indicated that septal lesions may induce an inability to process and retain certain kinds of sensory information, the presence of distinctive visual discriminative stimuli associated with each component of the multiple schedule may have compensated for this lesion-induced deficit.
Errors in the electric field jump evaluation of the rate constant for weak acid ionization in aqueous solution

Abstract The experimental evaluation of the rate constant for weak acid ionization in aqueous solution by electric field jump methods is subject to very large errors when pKa for the acid becomes about 6 or greater. For stronger acids the error becomes equal to or less than the experimental precision. It is therefore recommended that for acids with pKa 6 or greater the rate constant for ionization be evaluated from the rate constant for ion combination and the equilibrium constant.
Cirrhosis and portal hypertension in pregnancy

Cirrhosis and portal hypertension infrequently coincide with pregnancy but increase maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality when present. Chronic liver disease and portal hypertension are not contraindications to pregnancy but necessitate intensive monitoring throughout pregnancy. The complications of liver disease are numerous and pose additional risks. Management of complications arising during pregnancy is similar to management in the nonpregnant patient. Provision of optimal care for mother and fetus can require the skills of multiple specialties such as maternal fetal medicine, gastroenterology, nutrition, and surgery. This report provides guidelines for the management of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in pregnancy.
Meta-analysis of physiological outcomes of hospital-based infant intervention programs

A meta-analysis of 37 studies on the effects of an intervention program on physiological development of the premature infant was conducted using multidisciplinary research reported since 1979. Two homogeneous populations based on mean infant birth weight were found in which infant stimulation programs were shown to be effective in enhancing physiological development (Group I: mean birth weight = 1,260 g, mean combined effect size = 1.54, SD = 0.54, 95% confidence interval = 1.22-1.86; Group II: mean birth weight = 1,524 g, mean combined ES = 0.51, SD = 0.30, 95% confidence interval = 0.39-0.63). The robustness of Group I was tentative based on the lack of small sample-small effect nonsignificant result studies discovered in the funnel plot. Group II results (based upon 1,306 infants) are a stronger indication that, in general, infants with birth weights greater than 1,500 g are positively affected by the initiation of a stimulation program during hospitalization.
The directing function of goals in task performance.

Abstract Two studies are reported which deal with the directing function of goals in task performance. Subjects were given, on each trial, knowledge of their scores on two or more independent (uncorrelated) performance dimensions; but they set goals to maximize (or minimize) their scores on only one performance dimension. It was predicted that scores on a given dimension would be higher (or lower) when the subject was trying to maximize (or minimize) his score on that dimension than when he was trying for some other goal. The predictions were generally confirmed.
Market Concentration, Economic Welfare, and Antitrust Policy

The authors review the foundation for incorporating market concentration directly into consumer utility functions, and develop a general equilibrium model to derive welfare-maximizing principles for optimal enforcement of antitrust policies toward concentrated market structures, including merger policy. An intriguing result is that increased market concentration can fail to maximize economic welfare even if a proposed merger might generate positive net efficiencies.
Proline residues link the active site to transmembrane domain movements in human nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 (NTPDase3)

The active sites of the membrane-bound nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases) regulate and are regulated by coordinated and spatially distant movements of their transmembrane helices, modulating enzyme activity, and substrate specificity. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the roles of the conserved proline residues (N-terminal: P52 and P53; C-terminal: P472, P476, P481, P484, and P485) of human NTPDase3, located in the “linker regions” that connect the N- and C-terminal transmembrane helices with the extracellular active site, were examined. Single cysteine substitutions were strategically placed in the transmembrane domain (N-terminal helix: V42C; C-terminal helix: G489C) to serve as cross-linking “sensors” of helical interactions. These “sensor” background mutant proteins (V42C and G489C NTPDase3) are enzymatically active and are cross-linked by copper phenanthroline less efficiently in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Proline to alanine substitutions at P53, P481, P484, and P485 in the V42C background, as well as P53, P481, and P484 in the G489C background, exhibited decreased nucleotidase activities. More importantly, alanine substitutions at P53 and P481 in the V42C background and P481 in the G489C background no longer exhibited the ATP-induced decrease in transmembrane cross-linking efficiency. Interestingly, the P485A mutation abolished oxidative cross-linking at G489C both in the presence and absence of ATP. Taken together, these results suggest a role for proline residues 53 and 481 in the linker regions of human NTPDase3 for coupling nucleotide binding at the enzyme active site to movements and/or rearrangements of the transmembrane helices necessary for optimal nucleotide hydrolysis.
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for reirradiation of locally recurrent lung tumors.

Introduction: Patients with thoracic tumors that recur after irradiation currently have limited therapeutic options. Retreatment using stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) is appealing for these patients because of its high conformity but has not been studied extensively. Here we report our experience with SABR for lung tumors in previously irradiated regions. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with primary lung cancer or metastatic lung tumors treated with SABR. We identified 17 such tumors in 15 patients and compared their outcomes with those of a cohort of 135 previously unirradiated lung tumors treated with SABR during the same time period. Results: Twelve-month local control (LC) for retreated tumors was 65.5%, compared with 92.1% for tumors receiving SABR as initial treatment. Twelve-month LC was significantly worse for reirradiated tumors in which the time interval between treatments was 16 months or less (46.7%), compared with those with longer intertreatment intervals (87.5%). SABR reirradiation did not lead to significant increases in treatment-related toxicity. Conclusions: SABR for locally recurrent lung tumors arising in previously irradiated fields seems to be feasible and safe for appropriately selected patients. LC of retreated lesions was significantly lower, likely owing to the lower doses used for retreatment. Shorter time to retreatment was associated with increased risk of local failure, suggesting that these tumors may be particularly radioresistant. Our findings suggest that dose escalation may improve LC while maintaining acceptable levels of toxicity for these patients.
Part III. Implementation of integrated information services. Library/computer center partnership

Information technologies are changing the traditional role of the library from that of a repository of information to that of an aggressive provider of information services utilizing electronic methods. In many cases, the library cannot realistically achieve this transformation independently but must work with the computer center to reach its objectives. Various models of the integration of libraries and computer centers are thus emerging. At the University of Maryland at Baltimore the Health Sciences Library and the Information Resources Management Division have developed a partnership based on functional relationships without changing the organizational structure. Strategic planning for an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) acted as a catalyst in the process. The authors present the evolution of the partnership and discuss current projects being developed jointly by the two units.
An Isatin-β-thiosemicarbazone-resistant Vaccinia Virus Containing a Mutation in the Second Largest Subunit of the Viral RNA Polymerase Is Defective in Transcription Elongation

The vaccinia virus RNA polymerase is a multi-subunit enzyme that contains eight subunits in the postreplicative form. A prior study of a virus called IBT(r90), which contains a mutation in the A24 gene encoding the RPO132 subunit of the RNA polymerase, demonstrated that the mutation results in resistance to the anti-poxvirus drug isatin-beta-thiosemicarbazone (IBT). In this study, we utilized an in vitro transcription elongation assay to determine the effect of this mutation on transcription elongation. Both wild type and IBT(r90) polymerase complexes were studied with regard to their ability to pause during elongation, their stability in a paused state, their ability to release transcripts, and their elongation rate. We have determined that the IBT(r90) complex is specifically defective in elongation compared with the WT complex, pausing longer and more frequently than the WT complex. We have built a homology model of the RPO132 subunit with the yeast pol II rpb2 subunit to propose a structural mechanism for this elongation defect.
Specificity of UV mutagenesis in the lac promoter of M13lac hybrid phage DNA.

The mutagenic effect of UV irradiation on Escherichia coli and its phages depends on induction of the E. coli recA+ lexA+ regulatory system (for review, see ref. 1). It is not understood how mutations result from UV damage in DNA, particularly with respect to the function(s) of proteins that may be induced in UV-irradiated cells. Misincorporation of nucleotides during DNA synthesis on template DNA containing UV-induced lesions may occur predominantly at the specific sites of damage, implying that the DNA replication apparatus in UV-irradiated cells can bypass premutational lesions. Alternatively, misincorporation may occur randomly, suggesting an altered and inaccurate DNA replication apparatus in UV-irradiated cells. To study the specificity of UV mutagenesis at the nucleotide level, we have used M13lac hybrid phage, developed by Messing and colleagues2,3 for rapid nucleotide sequencing of cloned DNA, as a forward mutation system. Nucleotide changes in a nonessential lac DNA sequence of the hybrid phage genome were determined by sequencing the DNA of mutant clones derived from UV-irradiated hybrid phage grown in UV-irradiated cells. We report here the nucleotide changes observed in the lac promoter of the mutant hybrid phage.
The Mobile Librarian Program at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

The library at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, began a Mobile Librarian Program in February 2009 to meet the information needs of approximately 8,500 employees in more than 30 buildings across a large campus. Reference librarians established themselves in selected buildings at NASA Goddard, becoming a part of the day-to-day workflow of the community. These mobile librarians provided NASA Goddard's scientists and engineers with ready reference, library instruction, interlibrary loan, circulation, and interviews for extensive reference research. This article outlines the user communities served at NASA Goddard, the planning and support for the Mobile Librarian Program, and lessons learned from our first year of field operations. We describe the demographic research conducted to choose buildings for mobile librarian service, campaigns for advertising the service, and how we established a loyal customer base. In the Mobile Librarian Program's first year, the project contributed an...
Another Look at John Canne

The purpose of this paper is to establish a more consistent estimate of John Canne within the context of English Puritanism, 1630–1660. A further conclusion, however, is that study of a figure like Canne makes evident the need to interpret his Puritan context in new ways. This reconsideration involves at once a critical attitude toward the exaggerated emphasis on parties in the analysis of Stuart Puritanism and also an appreciation of the apocalyptic exegesis of scripture which was common in that era and which frequently issued in Millenarianism. It is beyond the scope of this paper to implement these observations but it will be argued that such an effort is required insofar as John Canne has representative significance.
What's in a name? Use of brand versus generic drug names in United States outpatient practice.

The use of brand rather than generic names for medications can increase health care costs. However, little is known at a national level about how often physicians refer to drugs using their brand or generic names. To evaluate how often physicians refer to drugs using brand or generic terminology. We used data from the 2003 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS), a nationally representative survey of 25,288 community-based outpatient visits in the United States. After each visit, patient medications were recorded on a survey encounter form by the treating physician or transcribed from office notes. Our main outcome measure was the frequency with which medications were recorded on the encounter form using their brand or generic names. For 20 commonly used drugs, the median frequency of brand name use was 98% (interquartile range, 81–100%). Among 12 medications with no generic competition at the time of the survey, the median frequency of brand name use was 100% (range 92–100%). Among 8 medications with generic competition at the time of the survey (“multisource” drugs), the median frequency of brand name use was 79% (range 0–98%; P < .001 for difference between drugs with and without generic competition). Physicians refer to most medications by their brand names, including drugs with generic formulations. This may lead to higher health care costs by promoting the use of brand-name products when generic alternatives are available.
Asymptotic analysis of improved linear receivers for BPSK-CDMA subject to fading

In this paper, we design and analyze a new class of linear multiuser detectors, which can be applied when the users employ BPSK modulation and the fading coefficients of the active users are known at the receiver (such as base-station demodulation). The tools of asymptotic distribution of the spectrum of large random matrices are used to show that relative to the classical minimum mean-square-error (MMSE) receiver, the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) improves by halving the number of effective interferers and adding 3 dB to the input SNR. We also propose sensible approximations to the proposed linear receivers so as to facilitate their use in CDMA systems that employ long codes.
Optimal rejection of l ∞ disturbances, robust stability and mixed sensitivity minimization

c$ = fi-fiQ{l where H, fi ,c are given stable rational matrices, and Q is an arbitrary stable rational matrix. The, object in [3] was to minimize the A -norm of 0 with respect to Q and the problem yas solved under the assumption that U has full row rank, an$ V has full column rank. In many important applications, U may have column rank and/or V may have row rank. These cases are considerably more difficult and this paper provides an approach to these more general problems. It is no longer possible to compute optimal rational solutions to these problems as was done in [3]. It is only possible to compute rational sub-optimal solutions arbitrarly close to the optimal solutions. This is done by solving a sequence of linear programming problems involving an increasing number of constraints. Under these conditions, the A -norm of c$ is a non-increasing function of the number of constraints. When an acceptable value of this norm is reached, the rational compensator that achieves this norm can be found by solving a set of linear equations. In addition, we will discuss the application of the 1'optimization problem in designing closed loop systems that are robustly stable for all possible additive or multiplicative stable perturbations to the nominal plant. We will require these perturbations to be 1"-stable, but otherwise arbitrary and show that the /'-norm provides a measure for such robustness. Using this result, we set up a mixed sensitivity optimization problem to reject l=-disturbances and simultaneously guarantee robust stability. This problem will not satisfy the rank conditions in [3] and has to be solved using the theory developed in this paper.
Thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib in the management of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

The field of multiple myeloma therapeutics has been an active one for many years, but perhaps no more so than in the past decade. The introduction of thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib in the treatment of this disease highlights clinical advances made during this period. While these agents were initially utilized in the setting of relapsed and refactory disease, they are now part of the therapeutic armamentarium for transplant-eligible and transplant-ineligible patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The principles of management applied in the care of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma are reviewed in this article, along with the clinical studies supporting the use of thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Management of treatment-related side effects is also discussed, since it constitutes a critical element in the successful management of patients with this disease. Combination regimens utilizing thalidomide, lenalidomide and bortezomib are also highlighted, as these regimens are likely to play an increasingly important role in myeloma therapy in the future.
Batch Production of Pharmaceutical Granulations in a Fluidized Bed II: Effects of Various Binders and their Concentrations on Granulations and Compressed Tablets

A study was made of the effects of various binders and binder concentrations on the physical properties of fluidized bed granulations. The binders investigated included gelatin USP, acacia USP, povidone NF, and hydroxypropyl cellulose. In general, increasing the binder formula weight had the following effects upon the final granulation: (a) increased average granule size, (b) decreased granule friability, (c) increased interparticulate porosity, and (d) decreased granule flowability. Due to slower solvent evaporation rates, viscous binder solutions reduce the bulkiness of fluidized bed granuiations through their enhanced ability to penetrate and wet the fluidized solids. Correlations, similar to those observed with conventional granulations, exist between the physical properties of the fluidized bed granulations and their compressed tablets.
Open-Closed Mindedness and Choice of University Programs

Comparisons between groups on the basis of dogmatic tendencies are traditionally made on the grounds of summated scores. Given the multidimensionality of the D-Scale, this study explored the possibility of group comparison on an item rather than a summated score basis. The Ss (N = 471: male 250, female 221) were enrolling in various first year university programs. Significant differences did occur in specific items of the D-Scale, and in particular between Ss enrolling in the Arts and the Science programs. Factor analysis of Ss' responses raised the possibility of the significantly different items defining a particular facet or aspect of dogmatism.
Novel dual inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor and VEGFR2 receptor.

Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) helps control tumour growth via causing new capillaries growth in tumours. Four cardiac hormones [i.e. vessel dilator, long-acting natriuretic peptide (LANP), kaliuretic peptide (KP) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)] that eliminate up to up to 86% of human small-cell lung cancers growing in mice were investigated for their effects on VEGF and the VEGFR2 ⁄ KDR ⁄ Flk-1 receptor. The VEGFR2 receptor is the main receptor mediating VEGF’s cancer-enhancing effects. Materials and Methods Four cardiac hormones were evaluated for their ability to decrease VEGF ⁄ VEGFR2 measured by ELISAs in three human cancer cell lines. Results Vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP, over a concentration range of 100 pM to 10 lM, maximally decreased the VEGFR2 receptor in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells by 48%, 49%, 74% and 83%. Vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP decreased the VEGFR2 receptor by 77%, 89%, 88% and 67% in human small-cell lung cancer cells and by 48%, 92%, 64% and 71% in human prostate cancer cells. These results were confirmed with the cardiac hormones also decreasing the VEGFR2 receptor measured by Western blots. VEGF itself in pancreatic carcinoma cells was decreased by 42%, 58%, 36% and 40% by vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP. VEGF levels were decreased 25%, 23%, 17% and 23% in small-cell lung cancer cells and decreased by 24%, 20%, 23% and 24% in prostate cancer cells by vessel dilator, LANP, KP and ANP. Conclusion Four cardiac hormones are the first dual inhibitors of VEGF and the VEGFR2 ⁄ KDR ⁄ Flk-1 receptor.
Protein-Protein Complex Structure Predictions by Multimeric Threading and Template Recombination

The total number of protein-protein complex structures currently available in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) is six times smaller than the total number of tertiary structures in the PDB, which limits the power of homology-based approaches to complex structure modeling. We present a threading-recombination approach, COTH, to boost the protein complex structure library by combining tertiary structure templates with complex alignments. The query sequences are first aligned to complex templates using a modified dynamic programming algorithm, guided by ab initio binding-site predictions. The monomer alignments are then shifted to the multimeric template framework by structural alignments. COTH was tested on 500 nonhomologous dimeric proteins, which can successfully detect correct templates for 50% of the cases after homologous templates are excluded, which significantly outperforms conventional homology modeling algorithms. It also shows a higher accuracy in interface modeling than rigid-body docking of unbound structures from ZDOCK although with lower coverage. These data demonstrate new avenues to model complex structures from nonhomologous templates.
Multiple window based minimum variance spectrum estimation for multidimensional random fields

Spectrum analysis is viewed as the problem of estimating the power of a process contained within narrow bands. This view leads naturally to consideration of filter-based methods for estimating spectra. Multiple window-based estimators where the power in a band is estimated as the average of the powers estimated at the outputs of multiple filters are considered. The filters are designed using a linearly constrained minimum variance criterion commonly employed in adaptive beamforming. This results in filters that automatically adjust their sidelobes to minimize leakage of energy from outside the band of interest. Expressions for the bias and variance of the power estimates are derived assuming the sample covariance matrix estimate is used to estimate the data covariance matrix and that the data are independent and identically Gaussian distributed. These expressions lead to the definition of a performance factor that indicates the degree of variance reduction obtained via multiple window processing. A technique for obtaining increased suppression of energy leaking through the filter sidelobes at the expense of the response fidelity to energy in the band is presented. Simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the technique. >
Help‐Seeking and Counseling Within a Traditional Male Gender Role: An Examination From a Multicultural Perspective

A traditional male gender role reflects an affirmation of masculine identity associated with such qualities as success and self-reliance. This gender role is examined from a diversity perspective in counseling, because it may affect many men's help-seeking attitudes and behaviors. Suggestions from the literature are reviewed from the standpoint of the Multicultural Counseling Competencies (P. Arredondo et al., 1996). The counseling profession would benefit from greater sensitivity in aiding men endorsing this role.
A large aperture inexpensive interferometer for routine flow measurements

A description is given of an interferometer which has been shown to produce good infinite fringe interferograms of large flow fields without the use of extremely high-quality optics. The method is no more sensitive to temperature and vibration than a conventional schlieren system. An attractive feature is that a schlieren can be converted to an interferometer simply by using a laser source and by replacing the knife-edge with a suitable spatial filter. This interferometer makes it possible to construct relatively low-cost, large-aperture interferometers work in a normal laboratory environment. Because of the brightness of the source and the low losses encountered in the system, it is possible to record real-time interferograms to study unsteady phenomena or to record interferograms of a steady flow with a continuously changing view angle. >
Signal Transduction: From the Atomic Age to the Post-Genomic Era

We have come a long way in the 55 years since Edmond Fischer and the late Edwin Krebs discovered that the activity of glycogen phosphorylase is regulated by reversible protein phosphorylation. Many of the fundamental molecular mechanisms that operate in biological signaling have since been characterized and the vast web of interconnected pathways that make up the cellular signaling network has been mapped in considerable detail. Nonetheless, it is important to consider how fast this field is still moving and the issues at the current boundaries of our understanding. One must also appreciate what experimental strategies have allowed us to attain our present level of knowledge. We summarize here some key issues (both conceptual and methodological), raise unresolved questions, discuss potential pitfalls, and highlight areas in which our understanding is still rudimentary. We hope these wide-ranging ruminations will be useful to investigators who carry studies of signal transduction forward during the rest of the 21st century.