cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manufacturing knowledge : a history of the Hawthorne experiments

Editors' preface Glossary of manuscript collections Introduction 1. The management of work 2. The T room 3. Interpreting the relay test 4. Elton Mayo and the research network 5. The psychopathology of industrial life 6. The anthropology of work 7. Manufacturing the Hawthorne experiments 8. Human relations in industry 9. Human relations in the social sciences Conclusion: manufacturing knowledge Acknowledgements Bibliography of the Hawthorne experiments Index.
Thresholds of Physical Activity and Life Expectancy for Patients Considering Destination Ventricular Assist Devices

Background Current implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) improve survival and function for patients with very late stage heart failure (HF) but may also offer benefit before inotrope dependence. Debate continues about selection of HF patients for LVAD therapy. We sought to determine what level of personal risk and disability HF patients thought would warrant LVAD therapy. Methods The study included 105 patients with symptomatic HF and an LV ejection fraction (EF) Results Participants (mean age, 58 years) had an LVEF of 21%. The median duration of HF was 5 years, and 65% had a primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Presented with a scenario of bed-ridden HF, 81% stated they would definitely or probably want an LVAD; 50% would consider LVAD to prolong survival if HF survival were predicted to be Conclusions Patient thresholds for LVAD insertion parallel objective survival and functional data. HF patients would be receptive to referral for discussion of LVAD by the time expected mortality is within 6 to 12 months and activity remains limited to less than 1 block.
Endocytic Regulation of EGFR Signaling

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the ErbB family (ErbB1-4) of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). EGFR controls numerous physiological functions, including cell proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. Importantly, aberrant signaling by EGFR has been linked to human cancers in which EGFR and its various ligands are frequently overexpressed or mutated. EGFR coordinates activation of multiple downstream factors and is subject of various regulatory processes as it mediates biology of the cell it resides in. Therefore, many studies have been devoted to understanding EGFR biology and targeting the protein for the goal of controlling tumor in clinical settings. Endocytic regulation of EGFR offers a promising area for targeting EGFR activity. Upon ligand binding, the activated receptor undergoes endocytosis and becomes degraded in lysosome, thereby terminating the signal. En route to lysosome, the receptor becomes engaged in activating various signaling pathways including PI-3K, MAPK and Src, and endocytosis may offer both spatial and temporal regulation of downstream target activation. Therefore, endocytosis is an important regulator of EGFR signaling, and increasing emphasis is being placed on endocytosis in terms of cancer treatment and understanding of the disease. In this review, EGFR signaling pathway and its intricate regulation by endocytosis will be discussed.
Highly efficient ligation of small RNA molecules for microRNA quantitation by high-throughput sequencing.

MiRNA cloning and high-throughput sequencing, termed miR-Seq, stands alone as a transcriptome-wide approach to quantify miRNAs with single nucleotide resolution. This technique captures miRNAs by attaching 3’ and 5’ oligonucleotide adapters to miRNA molecules and allows de novo miRNA discovery. Coupling with powerful next-generation sequencing platforms, miR-Seq has been instrumental in the study of miRNA biology. However, significant biases introduced by oligonucleotide ligation steps have prevented miR-Seq from being employed as an accurate quantitation tool. Previous studies demonstrate that biases in current miR-Seq methods often lead to inaccurate miRNA quantification with errors up to 1,000-fold for some miRNAs1,2. To resolve these biases imparted by RNA ligation, we have developed a small RNA ligation method that results in ligation efficiencies of over 95% for both 3’ and 5′ ligation steps. Benchmarking this improved library construction method using equimolar or differentially mixed synthetic miRNAs, consistently yields reads numbers with less than two-fold deviation from the expected value. Furthermore, this high-efficiency miR-Seq method permits accurate genome-wide miRNA profiling from in vivo total RNA samples2.
Enhancement of the free-to-bound transition in narrow GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As quantum wells via a possible excitonic Auger mechanism.

Ce phenomene contraste avec les mesures de photoluminescence avec une excitation superieure a la bande interdite ou on n'observe pas la bande de la transition libre a liee. On etudie la correlation de cette bande avec les excitons libres. Dans la tentative d'explication par le mecanisme d'Auger, le trou de l'exciton libre est attire et capture par un accepteur ionise
A German Eighteenth-Century Iron Works During its First Hundred Years: Notes Contributing to the Unwritten History of European Aristocratic Business Leadership—III

The profits of and the amount of capital sunk in the Lauchhammer Iron Works are not revealed in the Festschrift, the history of that firm which has served as the main source of this article. (The omission is hardly surprising, since this company was owned by noblemen, one of whom was the most powerful official in the Kingdom of Saxony, and since its history was written by the general manager of the Works and was published in 1825.) But profits must have been considerable. Otherwise the Works' continuous improvement and expansion, described earlier in this article, would have been impossible. In 1818, the Lauchhammer Iron Works was even able to lend to the Groditz plant the funds it needed to expand into an integrated iron enterprise. Whether the Works had any bank connection prior to 1825 is not known; none is mentioned in the history, but that fact is not conclusive. Cash holdings were probably rather large; this, however, was not the case in 1776 (see the inventory on page 233). It seems certain that both expansion and improvement in the eras of both Einsiedels were financed by ploughing back profits.
Reduction of glutamine synthetase activity in astroglia exposed in culture to low levels of inorganic lead.

Abstract Astroglia serve as a site of lead (Pb) deposition in Pb-exposed animals. Thus, the potential exists for astroglial function to be impaired by elevated intracellular Pb levels. We previously showed that the specific activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), an astroglial enzyme with a key role in glutamate and ammonia metabolism in the brain, is reduced in fetal guinea pigs exposed to low levels of lead. This observation indicates either a direct effect of Pb on astroglia or an indirect systemic effect. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that Pb directly reduces GS activity in astroglia. Cultured rat astroglia were fed three times per week with medium containing 0, 0.25, 0.5, or 1 μM Pb acetate for 7, 14, or 21 days. Trypan blue dye exclusion, cell number, and GS activity were measured. Lead treatment reduced the ability of cells to exclude trypan blue in a dose- and time-dependent manner, with the greatest reduction (28%) on day 21 in the group treated with 1 μM Pb. Cell numbers were reduced a maximum of 15% on day 15, but were unaffected on days 7 and 21. The effects of Pb exposure on GS activity were much more pronounced. For example, cultures exposed to 0.25 of 1 μM Pb for 7 days showed, respectively, 17 and 52% reduction in activity from the control value. Slightly greater reductions were measured on days 14 and 21. The much greater sensitivity in vitro of GS activity than dye exclusion or cell numbers to low level lead supports a specific enzymatic inhibition. In order to test the possibility that Pb might directly inhibit GS activity Pb-treated cells, we also measured the effect of Pb on GS activity in cytosolic extracts of the cells. Pb inhibited GS activity in a dose-dependent manner ranging from 27% inhibition at 0.1 nM to 67% at 0.1 μM and 100% at 10 μM Pb. These results indicate that astroglial function is vulnerable to Pb exposure, even at low lead levels.
A Review of Fair Employment Cases in the Field of Training.

Federal fair employment legislation, administrative guidelines, and court cases that relate to training are reviewed. The review identified three issues: (a) selection practices which use training as a criterion, (b) justification of training programs where there has been a determination of disparate treatment, and (c) the use of training programs as a legitimate factor other than sex to justify pay differentials. The review indicates most Courts will not accept training success as a valid criterion for test selection, although tests for minimum standards might be validated against training alone; Courts generally review equal treatment factors rather than determining the business necessity of training; and finally, there are definite guidelines for demonstrating pay differentials based on training programs. The implications for courts and professionals conclude the paper.
An investigation of time efficiency in wavelet-based Markov parameter extraction methods

This paper investigates the time efficiency of using a wavelet transform-based method to extract the impulse response characteristics of a structural dynamic system. Traditional time domain procedures utilize the measured disturbances and response histories of a system to develop a set of auto and cross correlation functions. Through deconvolution of these functions, or matrix inversion, the Markov parameters of the system may be found. By transforming these functions into a wavelet basis, the size of the problem to be solved can be reduced as well as the computation time decreased. Fourier transforms are also used in this capacity as they may increase the time efficiency even more, but at the cost of accuracy. This paper will therefore compare the time requirements associated with a time, wavelet, and Fourier-based method of Markov parameter extraction, as well as their relative accuracy in modeling the system.
Nonlinear Dynamics in the Resolution of Lexical Ambiguity: A Parallel Distributed Processing Account

Abstract A connectionist account of lexical ambiguity resolution is presented in which the nonlinear dynamics that arise during processing is emphasized. In the implementation, the spelling, pronunciation, part of speech, and meaning of both ambiguous and unambiguous words are represented as a distributed pattern of activity over a set of simple processing units in a fully recurrent network. After the network is trained on this lexicon using an error-correction algorithm, the performance of the network is assessed by presenting just part of a lexical entry (e.g., the spelling). The number of processing cycles to activate all the units representing the spelling, the pronunciation, or the meaning to their minimal or maximal activation are used as indices of lexical decision times, naming times, or reading times. respectively. Consistent with empirical results, the simulations demonstrate the effect of frequency and context on the processing of unambiguous words, as well as the effect of relative dominance and context on the time course of the activation of meanings of ambiguous words. Advantages of a distributed representation are also discussed.
Boston's artillery election sermons and the American revolution

(1967). Boston's artillery election sermons and the American revolution. Speech Monographs: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 43-50.
Effects of early handling on amphetamine-induced locomotor activation and conditioned place preference in the adult rat.

Rationale: Altered hormonal stress responsiveness has been implicated in psychostimulant responsivity, and early handling represents a mild environmental manipulation which alters the hormonal profile following stress exposure. Objective: The present experiments examined whether early handling in rats would alter locomotor effects of amphetamine, as well as cross-sensitization of locomotor responsiveness after chronic stress. Conditioned place preference (CPP) for amphetamine was also measured. Methods: Handling consisted of daily 15-min isolation periods from days 1–12 postnatally. Novelty- and amphetamine (0, 1.5 mg/kg)-induced locomotion were examined using circular corridors in adult rats that were either restrained repeatedly over 8 days or not disturbed prior to testing. The effects of handling on amphetamine (0, 1, 2, 5 mg/kg) conditioned place preference (CPP) were also examined following 3 days of drug-compartment pairings. Results: Early handling produced a more rapid post-stress recovery in corticosterone levels. Handled animals also exhibited a significant attenuation in amphetamine-induced CPP compared to non-handled controls. Locomotor responsiveness to novelty and amphetamine was not altered by early handling. Although no cross-sensitization was observed, evidence for stress sensitization was seen, but was unaffected by early handling. Conclusions: Handled animals showed an attenuated CPP for amphetamine, data suggesting that sensitivity to the reward value of drugs of abuse in adulthood may be susceptible to relatively minor environmental manipulations early in life. This effect of handling on CPP does not seem to reflect differences in locomotor sensitivity to amphetamine.
Measurement of choline and choline metabolite concentrations using high-pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

We have developed a reproducible and sensitive procedure for the isolation and measurement of choline, phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine and acetylcholine in a single 100-mg sample of biological tissue. Tissues were spiked with 14C-methyl- and 2H-methyl- or 15N-choline labeled internal standards for each compound. They were extracted with chloroform/methanol/water and the aqueous and organic phases were dried. The organic phase was resuspended in chloroform/methanol (1/1, v/v) and an aliquot was applied to a silica-gel thin-layer chromatography plate. The plate was developed in chloroform/methanol/water (65/30/4, v/v). Segments which cochromatographed with external standards of phosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylcholine were stained, scraped, and hydrolyzed in 6 M methanolic-HCl at 80 degrees C for 60 min, liberating free choline. The aqueous phase was resuspended in methanol/water and injected onto a silica HPLC column. Choline and its metabolites were eluted using a binary nonlinear gradient of acetonitrile/ethanol/acetic acid/1 M ammonium acetate/water/0.1 M sodium phosphate (800/68/2/3/127/10, v/v changing to 400/68/44/88/400/10, v/v). Peaks were detected with an on-line radiometric detector, collected, and dried under vacuum. Each choline ester was digested in 6 M HCl at 80 degrees C to form choline. Choline was then converted to the propionyl ester and demethylated with sodium benzenethiolate. This volatile derivative was then isolated using gas chromatography and measured with a mass selective detector. Deuterated internal standards were used to correct for variations in recovery. Choline, glycerophosphocholine, phosphocholine, phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, and acetylcholine were measured in rat liver, heart, muscle, kidney, plasma, red blood cells, and brain and in human plasma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Transtympanic facial nerve injury in welders

The risk for ear injury from molten metal or hot sparks produced during welding procedures is small, but the effects can be significant. Burns, tympanic membrane perforations and chronic otorrhoea are the most common results. Rare cases of inner ear injury and facial nerve paralysis have also been reported. Two cases recently encountered at our institution highlight the risk that exists for facial nerve injury. One patient suffered a significant facial nerve injury and deafness, while the other had a transient facial paresis. The injuries occurred when molten metal (slag) and a hot spark fell into the ear canal while welding. Neither subject was using ear protection at the time. These two cases are presented to highlight the rare but significant hazard of transtympanic facial nerve injury that exists during welding procedures. The use of ear protection is strongly advocated during welding operations that place the ear at risk.
Correlates of ovarian morphology, estrous behavior, and cyclicity in an inbred strain of miniature swine

Ovarian morphology and behavioral relationships were studied in a group of nine miniature pigs with a characteristically small litter size (-5) and an average coefficient of inbreeding of 0.39. The first day of standing estrus was designed as day 0, Laparoscopy was used to evaluate and photograph ovarian activity on days 1, 5, 11, 17, and day 2 of the subsequent estrous cycle. Mean (+/-SEM) duration of estrus and the estrous cycle was 3.1 +/- 0.2 and 22.6 +/- 0.3 days, respectively. An average of 9.0 +/- 0.4 vesicular follicles developed/estrous period and 96% of the follicles showed morphologic evidence of ovulation resulting in a mean of 8.6 +/- 0.3 corpora lutea (CL) per animal. There was no significant correlation between the degree of inbreeding and number of vesicular follicles (r = 0.27) or CL (r = 0.28) developing/cycle within the experimental group. Mature preovulatory follicle and CL size ranged from 6-12 mm and 8-12 mm in diameter, respectively, and 22.5% of the newly formed CL contained distinct postovulatory stigmata. These data indicated that 1) temporal relationships of sexual behavior and gross ovarian morphology in the miniature pig were similar to descriptions previously reported for the standard pig, and 2) the reduced litter sized characteristic to this particular strain is, at least in part, due to decreased number of vesicular follicles developing during the estrous cycle.
Viscoelastic properties of human cortical bone tissue depend on gender and elastic modulus.

Bone exhibits rate-dependent failure behavior, suggesting that viscoelasticity is a factor in the damage and fracture of bone. Microdamage initiates at scales below the macroscopic porosity in bone, and, as such, is affected by the intrinsic viscoelasticity of the bone tissue. The viscoelasticity of the bone tissue can be measured by nanoindentation and recording the creep behavior at constant load. The viscoelastic properties have been used to assess differences in tissue behavior with respect to fracture healing, aging, and mouse strains. In this study, we compared the viscoelastic behavior of human cortical bone between genders by using nanoindentation at a fixed load of 10 mN to measure the creep time constant. Bones from females had a significantly greater time constant, indicating slower creep and relaxation, than bones from males. The creep time constants decreased with increasing tissue modulus. The mineralization, collagen content, and collagen cross-link density, which were bulk measurements, were analyzed to determine if the differences in viscoelastic behavior were explained by compositional differences in the bone. However, none of the parameters differed between genders, nor were they correlated to the viscoelastic time constant. As such, the difference must depend on other matrix proteins that we did not assess or differences in the microstructural organization. This is one of the only intrinsic bone material properties that has been found to differ between males and females, and it may be important for assessing differences in fracture risk, since crack propagation is generally sensitive to viscoelastic properties. © 2011 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:693–699, 2012
Transient oxidation of multiphase Ni-Cr base alloys

Four commercially available Ni-Cr-based alloys used with porcelain enamels were studied. Major alloying elements were Al, Be, Si, B, Nb, and Mo. All alloys were multiphase. During heat treatments simulating enameling conditions, phase changes occurred in most alloys and were detected using hardness testing, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and microscopy. Oxidation of these alloys at 1000°Cfor 10 min produced an oxide layer consisting principally of chromium oxide, but the oxide morphology varied with each alloy depending on the alloy microstructure. Controlling alloy microstructure while keeping the overall composition unchanged may be a means of preventing wrinkled poorly adherent scales from forming.
Sister chromatid exchange and chromosome breakage in complete hydatidiform moles

Abstract Women with complete hydatidiform moles (CHM) are at a 10% risk for developing persistent trophoblastic disease or choriocarcinoma. We studied sister chromatid exchange (SCE) as a prognostic indicator for malignancy in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from women with CHM and their husbands, but found no differences from normal control couples. SCE levels in cultured tissue derived from 11 CHM (avg. 7.9) and 2 choriocarcinomas (avg. 6.8) were not significantly different from those of 8 normal skin fibroblast cultures (avg. 7.8). These same tissues were then examined for chromosome breakage which was significantly higher for CHM (0.48/cell) and choriocarcinoma (0.87/cell) than normal fibroblasts (0.33/cell). Chromosome breaks occurred at 50–60% known fragile sites and at 50–55% of cancer breakpoints. Whereas SCE was only associated with 13% of breaks in the three tissues, half of these were at known fragile sites. Our results suggest that SCE is not an indicator of malignancy in PBL or cultured cells from CHM or choriocarcinoma and that the level of SCE is not elevated in CHM or choriocarcinoma. However, our results confirm the increased breakage seen in the latter two tissues which may represent general DNA instability predisposing to choriocarcinoma and its accompanying chromosomal rearrangements.
Intravascular ultrasonography versus digital subtraction angiography: a human in vivo comparison of vessel size and morphology.

Abstract The accuracy of catheter-based intravascular ultrasonography to define luminal size in humans in vivo and its sensitivity to describe lesion morphology have not been previously reported. Vessel diameter, cross-sectional area and lesion characteristics assessed by digital subtraction angiography and intravascular ultrasonography (20 MHz) were compared in 86 human arterial segments. The same arterial segments were imaged and analyzed by digital subtraction angiography and intravascular ultrasonography at 49 femoral, 3 renal, 5 iliac, 7 pulmonary and 22 aortic sites. Digital subtraction angiographic diameter and area were determined geometrically by an automated algorithm. Intravascular ultrasonographic diameter and area were determined by planimetry. Linear correlation for diameter by the two techniques was 0.97, standard error of the estimate (SEE) = 1.83 mm, and for cross-sectional area it was 0.95, SEE = 0.65 cm 2 . Intravascular ultrasonography identified 24 sites in which plaque was present; 11 (46%) of these segments appeared normal by digital subtraction angiography. Conversely, digital subtraction angiography demonstrated irregularities in 18 segments of which 5 (28%) appeared normal by intravascular ultrasonography. These data indicate an excellent correlation between intravascular ultrasonography and digital subtraction angiography for in vivo assessment of human arterial dimensions in normal and minimally diseased segments. However, intravascular ultrasonography is more likely to identify atherosclerotic plaque that may be angiographically “silent.”
Current status of robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation and reconstruction.

We reviewed the literature on robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation and provide general considerations for indications, perioperative management, and steps of the case. Robot-associated laparoscopic procedures are becoming more common in urologic surgery. The uses of the da Vinci robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA) are expanding as well. We examine the use of the robot in distal ureteral reconstruction. A PubMed search was performed using keywords “robot” and “ureter,” “distal ureter,” “ureteral reimplant,” “psoas,” and “Boari.” Papers that discussed proximal ureteral reconstruction and nephroureterectomy were excluded. A total of nine papers were relevant. Personal experience was also drawn upon. Distal ureteral reconstruction using the robotic technique is feasible, safe, and becoming more and more prevalent as surgeon comfort with the robot increases.
DNA polymerase III of Mycoplasma pulmonis: isolation and characterization of the enzyme and its structural gene, polC.

Summary Mycoplasmas have originated from Gram-positive bacteria via rapid degenerative evolution. The results of previous investigations of mycoplasmal DNA polymerases suggest that the process of evolution has wrought a major simplification of the typical Gram-positive bacterial DNA polymerase profile, reducing it from three exonuclease (exo)-positive enzymes to a single exo-negative species. The objective of this work was to rigorousiy investigate this suggestion, focusing on the evolutionary fate of DNA polymerase III (Pol III), the enzyme which Gram-positive bacteria specifically require for replicative DNA synthesis. The approach used Mycoplasma pulmonis as the model organism and exploited structural gene cloning, enzymology, and Pol III-specific inhibitors of the HPUra class as investigative tools. Our results indicate that M. pulmonis has strongly conserved a single copy of a structural gene homologous to polC, the Gram-positive bacterial gene encoding Pol III M. pulmonis was found to possess a DNA polymerase that displays the size, primary structure, exonuclease activity, and level of HPUra sensitivity expected of a prototypical Gram-positive Pol III. The high level of sensitivity of M. pulmonis growth to Gram-positive Pol III-selective inhibitors of the HPUra type strongly suggests that Mycoplasma has conserved not only the basic structure of Pol III, but also its essential replicative function. Evidence for a second, HPUra-resistant polymerase activity in M. pulmonis is also described, indicating that the DNA polymerase composition of Mycoplasma is complex and closer to that of Gram-positive bacteria than previously thought.
Dipole approximation in electron-energy-loss spectroscopy: K -shell excitations

We investigate the conditions for the validity of the ``dipole approximation'' in electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) of atomic K-shell excitations on an analytic model that takes account of the wave function of the ejected core electron, as well as that of the core state. We derive, for the first time, a closed-form expression for the limiting magnitude ${q}_{d}$ of the momentum-transfer vector, as a function of both the atomic number and the energy \ensuremath{\varepsilon} of the ejected core electrons. We find that the value currently assumed, namely ${q}_{d}$=${Z}^{\mathrm{*}}$, where ${Z}^{\mathrm{*}}$ is the effective nuclear charge, is only strictly valid in the limit of low energies of the ejected core electron. In fact ${q}_{d}$ decreases noticeably with increasing \ensuremath{\varepsilon}. Matrix elements with many different values of q contribute to a typical EELS signal, but the dominant ones lie close to the minimum value ${q}_{\mathrm{min}}$. The increase of ${q}_{\mathrm{min}}$ with \ensuremath{\varepsilon} coupled with the decrease of ${q}_{d}$ with the same quantity makes it easier to satisfy the conditions for the dipole approximation in the near edge rather than the extended-fine-structure region of the energy-loss spectrum. Our analytic approach is well suited for extension to the cases of other absorption edges (e.g., L, M, edges, etc.).
The Stroke Prevention Policy Model : Linking evidence and clinical decisions

Simulation models that support decision and cost-effectiveness analysis can further the goals of evidence-based medicine by facilitating the synthesis of information from several sources into a single comprehensive structure. The Stroke Prevention Policy Model (SPPM) performs this function for the clinical and policy questions that surround stroke prevention. This paper first describes the basic structure and functions of the SPPM, concentrating on the role of large databases (broadly defined as any database that contains many patients, regardless of study design) in providing the SPPM inputs. Next, recognizing that the use of modeling continues to be a source of some controversy in the medical community, it discusses the philosophical underpinnings of the SPPM. Finally, it discusses conclusions in the context of both stroke prevention and other complex medical decisions. We conclude that despite the difficulties in developing comprehensive models (for example, the length and complexity of model development and validation processes, the proprietary nature of data sources, and the necessity for developing new software), the benefits of such models exceed the costs of continuing to rely on more conventional methods. Although they should not replace the clinician in decision making, comprehensive models based on the best available evidence from large databases can support decision making in medicine.
Public Pension Funds and Assumed Rates of Return An Empirical Examination of Public Sector Defined Benefit Pension Plans

This research adds to an existing body of research that suggests that the adoption of investment return assumptions associated with public sector defined benefit (DB) pension plans may partly be ex...
Zeolite-catalyzed ring-shift isomerization of sym-octahydrophenanthrene and conformational isomerization of cis-decahydronaphthalene

Abstract This paper reports on two zeolite-catalyzed isomerization reactions of polycyclic hydrocarbons. The first is the transformation of 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydrophenanthrene (sym-OHP) to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroanthracene (sym-OHAn), which we call ring-shift isomerization. Among the Y zeolites and mordenites tested, a proton-form mordenite (HML8) with relatively lower SiO2/Al2O3 ratio afforded a higher yield of sym-OHAn with a higher sym-OHAn/sym-OHP ratio. The best selectivities towards sym-OHAn with HML8 at 250°C are 89–91% at 58–59% conversion of sym-OHP in decalin and in mesitylene solvents. The second is the conversion of cis-decahydronaphthalene (cis-DeHN) to trans-DeHN, which may be called conformational isomerization. For this reaction, a La ion-exchanged Y zeolite (LaHY) displayed the best selectivity with a trans-DeHN/cis-DeHN ratio of over 10 at 250°C.
Neutralization of neutrophin-3 in the ventral tegmental area or nucleus accumbens differentially modulates cocaine-induced behavioral plasticity in rats.

These experiments were designed to assess the influence of neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the mesoaccumbens dopamine system on the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. A neutralizing antibody for NT-3, BDNF or their vehicle was administered into the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or nucleus accumbens prior to each of four daily injections of 15 mg/kg cocaine. Behavioral sensitization was operationally defined as a significant increase in the behavioral response to cocaine relative to the first daily injection. Results indicated that the NT-3 antibody had differential effects when administered into the VTA or nucleus accumbens. Intra-VTA microinjection of anti-NT-3 resulted in enhanced sensitization to repeated cocaine injections in that the cocaine-induced behavioral response in the anti-NT-3 group was significantly greater than the vehicle group following the second and third daily injections of cocaine. Administration of anti-NT-3 into the nucleus accumbens increased the behavioral response to cocaine over all 4 days of cocaine administration, with no sensitization of this behavioral response. In contrast, pretreatment with anti-BDNF into the VTA or nucleus accumbens had no influence on the initiation of behavioral sensitization to cocaine. Taken together, these data indicate that neutralization of NT-3 in the VTA enhances cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization, while administration of the NT-3 antibody into the nucleus accumbens increases the hyperactive behavioral response induced by cocaine but impairs the further development of behavioral sensitization.
Parasympathetic and sympathetic efferent traffic during a cardiogenic hypertensive chemoreflex

Activation of a cardiac chemoreceptor with serotonin elicits a reflex which includes changes in heart rate, contractile force, regional blood flow and hypertension. In six anaesthetised dogs we simultaneously recorded parasympathetic and sympathetic efferent traffic elicited during this cardiogenic reflex. The parasympathetic fibres were confirmed by reciprocal frequency changes with changes in blood pressure. The sympathetic fibre activity (anterior ansa subclavia) was attenuated or eliminated by ganglionic blockade or by clonidine. Whereas the phasic sympathetic multifibre discharge was only followed by a quiet period, the parasympathetic multifibre discharge was both preceded and followed by a quiet period. The sympathetic discharge preceded the parasympathetic discharge by 683 ± 170 ms. These autonomic efferent discharges were not elicited by administration of serotonin into the carotid artery, but were abolished by pretreatment with the serotonin antagonist, cyproheptadine. Cyproheptadine blockade could be overcome by increasing the serotonin concentration tenfold. This remarkable neural asynchrony has important implications concerning the electrical stability of the heart.
The Problem of Memory Knowledge

When one recalls that P, how is one justified in believing that P? I refute the three most natural answers to this question: a memory belief is not justified by a belief in the reliability of memory; a memory experience does not provide a new, foundational justification for a belief; and memory does not merely preserve the same justification a belief had when first adopted. Instead, the justification of a memory belief is a product of both the initial justification for adopting it and the justification for retaining it provided by seeming memories.
Jamming Effects on Distributed AF SIMO Wireless Relay Networks under Power Constraints

This paper studies a noncooperative distributed wireless relay system under jamming and no jamming influence. The system under investigation employs amplify-and-forward (AF) tactic at relays, where N-relays forward their received signals from one-source to M-destination nodes. The new proposed optimal amplifying relay diagonal matrices, designed for single-input-multiple-output (SIMO) system, utilizes the minimum mean square error (MMSE) criterion. It also considers power constraints at relay nodes. Impacts of jamming locations, jamming power levels and number of relays on SIMO system, were deeply examined. Evaluations of the system performance, using the derived optimal AF matrices, are presented in terms of bit error rate (BER). Comparisons between a system, that employs the amplifying matrix, and a system that does not are also presented.
Predischarge Screening for Severe Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia Identifies Infants Who Need Phototherapy

Objective To test whether the combined use of total plasma/serum bilirubin (TSB) levels and clinical risk factors more accurately identifies infants who receive phototherapy than does the use of either method alone. Study design We recruited healthy infants of ≥35 weeks' gestation at 6 centers that practiced universal predischarge TSB screening. Transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured at 24 hours, with TSB at 24-60 hours and at 3- to 5- and 7- to 14-day follow-up visits. Clinical risk factors were identified systematically. Results Of 1157 infants, 1060 (92%) completed follow-up, and 982 (85%) had complete datasets for analysis. Infant characteristics included 25% were nonwhite and 55% were Hispanic/Latino; >90% were breastfed. During the first week, jaundice was documented in 84% of subjects. Predischarge TSB identified the 41 (4.2%) and 34 (3.5%) infants who received phototherapy before and after discharge, respectively. Prediction of postdischarge phototherapy was similar for combined clinical risk factors (earlier gestational age [GA], bruising, positive direct antiglobulin test, Asian race, exclusive breastfeeding, blood type incompatibility, jaundice extent) and age-adjusted TSB (area under the curve [AUC] = .86 vs .87), but combined screening was better (AUC = .95). TcB/TSB combined with GA alone was equally predictive (AUC = .95; 95% CI .93-.97). Conclusions Jaundice is present in 4 of 5 (84%) healthy newborns. Predischarge TcB/TSB (adjusted for postnatal age) combined with specific clinical factors (especially GA) best predicts subsequent phototherapy use. Universal implementation of this strategy in the US should improve outcomes of healthy newborns discharged early.
Kinetics of imidization of poly(amic acid) in miscible and immiscible polymer blends

Blends of commercial poly(amic acid), LARC-PAA polymer were prepared with thermoplastic polyimide P84. The blends were shown to be miscible over a certain composition range. Chemical imidization of LARC-PAA in the blends leads to phase separation. Thermal imidization of LARC PAA in the blends was carried out in the solid state. Miscible compositions of the blend remained miscible after imidization and showed a single glass transition for each blend. Immiscible compositions after imidization remained immiscible and showed two glass transition temperatures in the DSC scans. The kinetics of thermal imidization of PAA to polyimide (PI) in the solid state were studied using FTIR. In the immiscible blend the kinetics remained unaffected while in the miscible state the rate of imidization became faster than that of the pure PAA.
Coexisting chronic conditions associated with mortality and morbidity in adult patients with asthma

AbstractObjective: Many asthma patients suffer from chronic conditions other than asthma. We investigated the specific contribution of common comorbidities on mortality and morbidity in adult asthma. Methods: In an observational study of adults with incident asthma identified between 1999 and 2003 using National Veterans Affairs and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services encounter databases (n = 25 975, follow-up 3.0 ± 1.7 years), association between 13 most prevalent comorbidities (hypertension, ischemic heart disease (IHD), osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, mental disorders, substance/drug abuse, enlarged prostate, depression, cancer, alcoholism, HIV and heart failure) and four conditions previously associated with asthma (sleep apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), rhinitis and sinusitis) and mortality, hospitalizations and asthma exacerbations were assessed using multivariate regression analyses adjusted for other clinically important covariates. Results: HIV followed by alc...
Application of Infrared Imaging for Quality Inspection in Resistance Spot Welds

Infrared thermal imaging method was applied for the development of a non-destructive inspection technique to determine the quality of resistance spot welds. The current work is an initial feasibility study based on post-mortem inspection. First, resistance spot welds were fabricated on dual phase steel sheets (DP 590 steel) with carefullycontrolled welding parameters. It created welds with desirable and undesirable qualities in terms of nugget size, indentation depth, and voids and cracks. Second, five different heating and cooling methods were evaluated. The heating or cooling source was applied on one side of the weld stack while the surface temperature change on the other side of the weld was recorded using an infrared camera. Correlation between the weld quality and the "thermal signature" of each weld was established. Finally, a simplified thermal finite element analysis was developed to simulate the heat flow during inspection. The thermal model provided insight into the effect of the nugget size and indentation depth on the peak temperature and heating rate. The results reported in this work indicate that the IR thermography technique is feasible for weld quality inspection due to the distinguish temperature profiles for different welds and the repeatability and consistency in measurement.
Homo-oligomerization facilitates the interferon-antagonist activity of the ebolavirus VP35 protein

Abstract We have identified a putative coiled-coil motif within the amino-terminal half of the ebolavirus VP35 protein. Cross-linking studies demonstrated the ability of VP35 to form trimers, consistent with the presence of a functional coiled-coil motif. VP35 mutants lacking the coiled-coil motif or possessing a mutation designed to disrupt coiled-coil function were defective in oligomerization, as deduced by co-immunoprecipitation studies. VP35 inhibits signaling that activates interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3) and inhibits (IFN)-α/β production. Experiments comparing the ability of VP35 mutants to block IFN responses demonstrated that the VP35 amino-terminus, which retains the putative coiled-coil motif, was unable to inhibit IFN responses, whereas the VP35 carboxy-terminus weakly inhibited the activation of IFN responses. IFN-antagonist function was restored when a heterologous trimerization motif was fused to the carboxy-terminal half of VP35, suggesting that an oligomerization function at the amino-terminus facilitates an “IFN-antagonist” function exerted by the carboxy-terminal half of VP35.
Accuracy of frozen‐section diagnosis in salivary gland lesions

A retrospective study is presented comparing the results of 462 frozen-section analyses of surgically extirpated salivary gland tumors with the permanent-section results. The overall agreement between frozen- and permanent-section analyses was 95.7%. A separate review of the last 47 months of this 32-year study revealed an accuracy rate of 98.8%. Frozen-section diagnosis of salivary gland tumors has been reliable and clinically valuable in our practice.
Effect of stimulus intensity on subcortical and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials by posterior tibial nerve stimulation

Abstract The effect of stimulus intensity on subcortical and cortical somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to posterior tibial nerve (PTN) stimulation were studied in 16 normal controls. Stimulus intensity was evaluated as a function of sensory threshold (S). Motor threshold (M) varied between 1 S and 2 S. The amplitude of N18 (afferent volley immediately before it enters the spinal canal) increased approximately linearly up to at least 4.5 S. N20 (dorsal cord potential) also demonstrated a linear increase up to at least 4 S but the rate of increase was significantly smaller. All central components (subcortical brain-stem components P27 and N30, and cortical components N1 and P2) showed an even smaller rate of increase which was non-linear and reached a plateau at 3 S. The relatively higher rate of increase of N18 as compared with N20 was most probably due to the recording of sensory impulses plus antidromic impulses in motor fibers. The smaller rate of increase and early saturation of all the central components compared with N20 suggests that all the afferent fibers generating N20 only the low threshold fibers participate in the generation of more central components. Stimulus intensities of 3 S are recommended for clinical studies of the central SEPs to PTN stimulation.
The ethics of conducting research with older psychiatric patients.

The ethical context in which geropsychiatric research is carried out today in the United States has its origins in events of the 1960s and 1970s. Three main trends can be identified. The first is sociopolitical and involves the challenge to tradition and authority manifested in that period with its consequent moral pluralism and focus on new forms of individualism. Ethical thinkers redirected their attention to more normative questions and moral problems in medicine came under close scruitiny. Regulatory changes affecting research followed. The second trend greatly influenced the type of research that would predominate in psychiatry after the mid-1970s. This trend involved the redirection of psychiatric thinking towards renewed interest in psychopathology, nosology and quantitation which was dormant during the preceding psychodynamically oriented decades. The final trend was the aging of the American population. Whereas before the 1960s there was little interest in aging the age-related neuropsychiatric conditions, subsequent decades ushered in much interest and support for human aging research. New moral problems have naturally arisen. Most of them have involved vulnerable subpopulations of elderly. Nontheless, while small areas of disagreement remain and regulation is incomplete, research in geriatric psychiatry now proceeds within a well-structured context of ethical guidelines and government regulations.
ADA multitasking and the single source shortest path problem

Abstract This paper examines the implementation in ADA of several parallel algorithms for solving the single source shortest path problem. The algorithm favor certain parallel architectures: vector machine, tree machine, and a distributed processor environment. The paper gives ADA implementations of the algorithms that attempt to retain the preferential treatment to the particular hardware, and discusses whether with proper translation, preferential efficiency can be maintained.
Excision of sclerosing osteomyelitis and reconstruction with particulate hydroxylapatite

A new technique for treating diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis is described. The entire lesion is eliminated and the ridge bulk and form are immediately reconstructed by implantation of hydroxylapatite. Three cases are described.
Field experiments on the settlement, orientation and habitat choice of Chthamalus fragilis (Darwin)

Field experiments using stems of Spartina allernifolia as substrata indicate that Chthamalus fragilis, one of the few chthamalids to be so tested, shares with all the balanids so far examined, the advantage of settling more readily among conspecifics than on bare substrata. Despite a general preference for concavities, C. fragilis cyprids settle on the convex stems of Spartina, particularly if they already bear settled individuals. Initial settlement usually occurs in the axillary region, the prime location, which is shaded by the blade. Later colonisers tend to settle further up the stem as space in the axillary area becomes filled up. As in other barnacles, all individuals appear to settle so that the carina points upwards and the adult eyes point to the shaded side.
Observations on the energy resolution of germanium detectors for 0.1-10 MeV gamma rays

The ratio of variance to yield was studied for γ-rays at energies up to 10.080 MeV in lithium-drifted germanium detectors. With detectors of thickness up to 14 mm this ratio was found to be as low as 0.13 /spl I.plusmn/ 0.02 at 122 and 356 keV. At energies between 1 and 10 MeV the ratio was found to be 0.16 ± 0.01, corresponding to a detector contribution of 4.8 /spl I.plusmn/ 0.1 keV (FWHM) at 10 MeV. Investigation of the dependence of the ratio of variance to yield on electric field intensity resulted in acceptance of F = 0.13 /spl I.plusmn/ 0.02 as the best experimental estimate of the Fano factor, and F = 0.16 is interpreted as an upper limit for γ-rays at energies between 1 and 10 MeV.