cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian reliability assessment of legacy safety-critical systems upgraded with fault-tolerant off-the-shelf software

This paper presents a new way of applying Bayesian assessment to systems, which consist of many components. Full Bayesian inference with such systems is problematic, because it is computationally hard and, far more seriously, one needs to specify a multivariate prior distribution with many counterintuitive dependencies between the probabilities of component failures. The approach taken here is one of decomposition. The system is decomposed into partial views of the systems or part thereof with different degrees of detail and then a mechanism of propagating the knowledge obtained with the more refined views back to the coarser views is applied (recalibration of coarse models). The paper describes the recalibration technique and then evaluates the accuracy of recalibrated models numerically on contrived examples using two techniques: u-plot and prequential likelihood, developed by others for software reliability growth models. The results indicate that the recalibrated predictions are often more accurate than the predictions obtained with the less detailed models, although this is not guaranteed. The techniques used to assess the accuracy of the predictions are accurate enough for one to be able to choose the model giving the most accurate prediction.
A self-administered, mild form of exposure therapy for older adults

Despite the effectiveness of exposure therapy to alleviate trauma-related distress, many older adults are unable or unwilling to enter therapy. Mild forms of exposure therapy, such as completing memory questionnaires about a stressful event, have been shown to reduce distress in younger adults. This study attempted to examine the impact of a mild form of exposure therapy in an older adult population. A community-living sample of 263 older adults nominated a stressful event from their lives, and were randomly assigned to either complete questionnaires concerning their memory of the stressful event, or a control task. Results indicated that those who had completed the memory questionnaires about a nominated stressful event evidenced lower levels of distress two weeks later. This effect was stronger for events that were either more recent or had elevated initial levels of distress. These findings suggest an alternative treatment for older adults who have experienced a stressful or traumatic event.
Post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction: contemporary approaches from a US perspective

Success of cancer surgery often leads to life-changing side effects, and surgical treatment for malignant urologic disease often results in erectile dysfunction (ED). Patients that undergo surgical prostatectomy or cystoprostatectomy will often experience impairment of erections due to disruption of blood and nerve supply. Surgical technique, nerve sparing status, patient age, comorbid conditions, and pretreatment potency status all have an effect on post-surgical ED. Regardless of surgical technique, prostatectomy results in disruption of normal anatomy and nerve supply to the penis, which governs the functional aspects of erection. A variety of different treatment options are available for men who develop ED after prostatectomy, including vacuum erection device, oral phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5I), intracorporal injections, and penile prosthesis. The vacuum erection device creates an artificial erection by forming a vacuum via suction of air to draw blood into the penis. The majority of men using the vacuum erection device daily after prostatectomy, regardless of nerve-sparing status, have erections sufficient for intercourse. Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors remain a common treatment option for post-surgical ED and are the mainstay of therapy. They work through cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanine monophosphate pathways and are recommended in all forms of ED. Intracorporal injections or intraurethral use of vasoactive substances may be a good second-line therapy in men who do not experience improvement with oral medications. Surgical placement of a penile prosthesis is typically the treatment strategy of choice after other options have failed. Semi-rigid and inflatable devices are available with high satisfaction rates. With careful patient counseling and proper treatment selection, patient satisfaction and improved erectile function can be achieved. We advise that patients use a vacuum erection device daily in the early postoperative period in combination with an oral PDE5I. For patients who do not respond to a vacuum erection device or PDE5I, consideration should be given to intraurethral alprostadil, intracorporal injections, or a penile prosthesis.
Optical absorption of surfaces modified by carbon filaments.

The reflectivities of modified carbon, silicon, and quartz surfaces have been measured from 1 to 25-μm wavelengths. Surfaces were modified by either bombarding carbon surfaces with ∼1000-eV Ar+ ions or growing carbon filaments on them by catalytic chemical vapor deposition from hydrocarbon/hydrogen mixtures. The surfaces were highly absorbing through most of this wavelength region with most surfaces showing a rise in reflectivity beyond ∼15 μm. The reflectivity of one modified Si surface was below 1% throughout the entire wavelength region and may be the most highly absorbing surface yet found.
Theoretical Study on the Oxidation Mechanism and Dynamics of the Zigzag Graphene Nanoribbon Edge by Oxygen and Ozone

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), as an emerg- ing class of material, hold great potential for the future high speed and low power electronic and spintronic devices. The fabrication of GNRs is of the utmost interest in terms of graphene based device research. Chemical narrowing of GNRs by oxidation is a promising technique in producing nanorib- bons of desired widths. In this article, we hope to elucidate the etching mechanism of zigzag GNR (ZGNR) edge by oxidation through theoretical investigations. The oxidation mechanisms and dynamics of the ZGNR edge by O2 and O3 are fully revealed by density functional theory and statistical theory. The relationship between the reaction time and pressure as well as temperature is estimated dynamically. These theoretical results successfully interpret the recent experimental results and can be further used to predict the appropriate oxidation conditions for the precision etching of ZGNRs.
Lessons From the Avandia Controversy: A new paradigm for the development of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes

Sulfonylureas used to be the only oral agents available in the U.S. to treat patients with type 2 diabetes. The biguanide phenformin had been used widely in the 1950s and 1960s but was removed from the market in 1977 because of lactic acidosis (1). Other biguanides, including metformin, were felt to be safer and had been used extensively elsewhere in the world. But a biguanide did not become available in the U.S. until 1995 (2). The year 1995 marked a sea change in availablilty of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes. The approval of metformin, a biguanide, was followed by the approval of acarbose, a galactosidase inhibitor that, like metformin, had been widely used in Europe. A new drug application for acarbose had been rejected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 3 years earlier, but in 1995 the regulatory environment had become friendlier, owing in large part to the finding of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) that aggressive treatment of hyperglycemia prevented or delayed complications of diabetes (3). Approval of the thiazolidinedione (TZD) troglitazone and the non-sulfonylurea insulin secretagog repaglinide followed soon after, along with additional members of the newly approved classes. In 2005, the uninterrupted succession of new drug approvals came to an end. Muraglitazar was a dual peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor agonist. It was different chemically from the TZDs and fibrates but was believed to combine the desirable pharmacological effects of both. Muraglitazar was highly effective in lowering A1C and had favorable effects on serum lipids. But contrary to what one might expect, muraglitazar appeared to increase the risk of adverse events related to cardiac ischemia (4). This might have been considered an isolated event were it not for the recent brouhaha that rosiglitazone (Avandia) also increased the risk of cardiac ischemia. The Avandia affair …
Preferential cleavage planes in biaxially stressed, vickers-indented NiAl monocrystals

The original observation by Pascoe and Newey that cleavage of monocrystalline NiAl occurs on {l_brace}110{r_brace} has apparently been confirmed in subsequent experiments using several different mechanical testing methods (tension, bending, etc.). In more recent work, however, it has become appreciated that cleavage in NiAl is not quite so simple. It is possible to shed some light on the cleavage problem, in principle, by testing specimens in which cleavage can occur with equal probability on several candidate crystallographic planes. This situation arises naturally in a disk-bend test, in which the stress state is biaxial. In tests on disk-shaped monocrystalline specimens the tangential component of the applied stress will impose a tensile stress on a radial crack no matter what crystallographic plane happens to coincide with the plane of the crack. In this work the authors report the results of experiments on small disk-shaped specimens of monocrystalline NiAl in (011) orientation and containing Vickers indentations oriented with corners parallel to both [100] and [01{bar 1}]. They have also investigated the effect of purity by performing comparable experiments on alloys of commercial and high purity.
Highly Accurate Techniques to Measure SNR and Phase of Non-Linear RF Amplifiers

Techniques for accurate measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and insertion phase of non-linear amplifiers will be discussed. These techniques remove the effect of linear and non-linear measurement equipment distortions in software. The vector demodulator (VDM) is the largest source of these linear and non-linear distortions. Data distortion also originates because of electromagnetic interference from the wall voltage. A description of the measurement equipment required for accurate SNR and phase measurements will be given. A non-standard piece of equipment required in this technique is an electronic phase shifter. The use of this electronic phase shifter allows the linear and non-linear VDM distortions to be characterized by sweeping the VDM through several different operating points. Details of the software algorithms for measuring SNR and phase will be discussed. The non-linear data analysis algorithm estimates SNR values in two steps: [11 Estimating the distortion levels by making a Fourier Transform of pulse-averaged I/Q values and [2] calculating an SNR value from amplitude and phase noise fluctuations derived from the measured I/Q values by using a small-signal expansion of the noise fluctuations about the non-linear VDM operating points. Phase measurements are also corrupted due to the presence of VDM distortions. We will introduce phase measurement techques that minimize the effects of these distortions. The presence of line voltage interference is detectable from the Fourier analysis of collected data. Experiments have indicated a detectable level of contamination at frequencies of 60 Hz, 120 Hz, and 180 Hz.
The metabolism of 7-3H-pregnenolone and 4-14C-progesterone by adrenal homogenates of fetal guinea-pigs and other mammalian fetuses.

Abstract Adrenal tissue homogenates from fetal guinea-pigs were incubated with 7- 3 H-pregnenolone or 4- 14 C-progesterone and analyzed for conversion products by reverse isotope dilution procedures. Cortisol and 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione were synthesized from both substrates; corticosterone was formed only from progesterone. The results indicated a similarity in the metabolism of pregnenolone and progesterone by adrenal cortical tissue of late gestation guinea-pig fetuses with that of adult guinea-pigs. The isolation of 11β-hydroxy-androstenedione demonstrates C 19 steroid synthesis by fetal adrenal tissue in a species other than the human, and suggested two pathways of pregnenolone metabolism in this tissue. Fetal armadillo and rat adrenals converted pregnenolone or progesterone to corticosterone or cortisol; canine adrenal preparations showed limited metabolic activity. Steroid synthesis in the adrenal cortex of the human fetus is characterized by the production of 3β-hydroxy-5-steroids including the C 19 steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate 3 , and by an inhibition of corticosteroid synthesis (1, 2). In contrast, cortisol or corticosterone are the major products of adrenal steroidogenesis in fetal rats (3), armadillos (4), and sheep (5). 3β-Hydroxy-5-steroids or androgenic C 19 steroids have not been reported as products of adrenal steroidogenesis in these species. Price and Ortiz reported that adrenal glands of fetal guinea-pigs maintained in organ culture together with fragments of rat prostatic tissue prevented regression of these fragments (6). They further found 3β-hydroxy-5-steroid dehydrogenase activity in the adrenal glands, leading to the conclusion that the capacity for secreting steroidal androgens existed in the adrenal cortex of fetal guinea-pigs (7). The observations of Price and Ortiz prompted the experiments reported here, i.e., in vitro incubations of fetal guinea-pig adrenals with labeled pregnenolone or progesterone. In addition, evidence was sought for 3β-hydroxy-5 -steroid and C 19 steroid formation in adrenals of fetal rats, armadillos and dogs.
The longest common subsequence problem revisited

This paper re-examines, in a unified framework, two classic approaches to the problem of finding a longest common subsequence (LCS) of two strings, and proposes faster implementations for both. Letl be the length of an LCS between two strings of lengthm andn źm, respectively, and let s be the alphabet size. The first revised strategy follows the paradigm of a previousO(ln) time algorithm by Hirschberg. The new version can be implemented in timeO(lm · min logs, logm, log(2n/m)), which is profitable when the input strings differ considerably in size (a looser bound for both versions isO(mn)). The second strategy improves on the Hunt-Szymanski algorithm. This latter takes timeO((r +n) logn), wherer≤mn is the total number of matches between the two input strings. Such a performance is quite good (O(n logn)) whenr~n, but it degrades to ź(mn logn) in the worst case. On the other hand the variation presented here is never worse than linear-time in the productmn. The exact time bound derived for this second algorithm isO(m logn +d log(2mn/d)), whered ≤r is the number ofdominant matches (elsewhere referred to asminimal candidates) between the two strings. Both algorithms require anO(n logs) preprocessing that is nearly standard for the LCS problem, and they make use of simple and handy auxiliary data structures.
Surgical Treatment of Displaced Medial Epicondyle Fractures in Adolescent Athletes

Eight adolescent athletes (average age, 11 years; range, 9 to 15) underwent open reduction and internal fixation of acute, displaced medial epicondyle fractures. Fixation was achieved with a screw and washer. Four patients (50%) had associated elbow dislocations. Elbow motion in a brace was initiated 4 days after surgery. The brace allowed full flexion and extension but protected the elbow against valgus stress. Bracing was continued for 4 weeks. The average duration of followup was 10 months (range, 6 to 13). All fractures united, and full motion was achieved in seven patients. One patient lost 5 degrees of hyperextension compared with the opposite elbow. All eight elbows were stable to valgus stress and were pain-free. All patients returned to full sports activity.
Distributed computing issues in hardware design

The selection of papers in the first few issues of this journal will probably determine to a large extent what areas of study are included under the heading of Distributed Computing. It is important for our readers to realize that many interesting problems properly fall under this heading, but deal neither with communications networks nor distributed databases. Likewise, if our subject is to remain a fertile area for research, it is important to encourage prospective authors who may wonder if our journal is the appropriate place to publish a paper on a somewhat offbeat but relevant topic. With these goals in mind I suggested to Mohamed Gouda that we should organize a special issue on hardware design. The six papers that we have inclu~ied in this issue represent some of the most active areas in that discipline; four of the papers deal with asynchronous circuits, one with data flow computing, and one with systolic arrays. The papers span quite a spectrum as far level of theory and potential applications are concerned. Some deal with new and practical hardware structures, some address fundamental semantical issues, and some propose new methods for implementing algorithms in hardware. However, in my opinion, all expose exciting problems of common interest to researchers both areas. The first four papers deal with asynchronous circuits. Here the relationship with distributed computing is clear and immediate. In order to ensure that an asynchronous circuit works properly, it is necessary to consider very carefully all assumptions regarding the delays of signals exchanged between various circuit components; ideally the circuit should function correctly regardless of the delays associated with wires or individual circuit components. The advantages of using asynchro-
Gerontology in adolescence

Aging: A Challenge to Science and Society. Vol. 1 Biology, edited by D. Danon et al. pp.346, ISBN 0-19-261254-9; Vol. II Medicine and Social Sciences, edited by A.J.A. Gilmore, W.M. Beattie et al. pp.403, ISBN 0-19-261255-7. (Oxford University Press: 1981.) Vol. I £25, $59.50; Vol. II £30, $59.50.
Glurbanization theory: an analysis of global cities

This article analyzes glurbanization theory. The theory rests on the premise that major urban transformations and reconfigurations through interscalar strategies and rescaling processes are a good method of increasing the capacity and status of cities (and their regions) to develop global competitive advantages. This urban model stems from the fact that cities are increasingly exposed to global competition. An important tenet of glurbanization is that large cities worldwide, called ‘global cities’, come to share the same essential attributes (i.e., cityscapes, skyscrapers, financial markets, cultural centers, etc.). Another important tenet of glurbanization is that it collapses the global and the local: urban spaces are restructured so that globalization does not become just a top-down hierarchical design whereby the nation-state dictates how things work; rather, globalization is made to happen both from ‘below’ and from ‘above’.
Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in the Elderly: A Case Series and a Review of the Literature

Abstract Because of age related etiologies and complications, nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) may have a different prognosis in the elderly than in the young. We prospectively studied clinical characteristics and outcomes of 10 patients over age 65 years with NCSE. All underwent continuous video-electroencephalogram monitoring. Patients' ages ranged between 65 and 95 years (mean = 80). Three patients had complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE), seven had complex partial and secondarily generalized NCSE, and none had primary generalized NCSE. Causes of NCSE were: stroke (four), metabolic derangement (two), brain neoplasia (one), head injury (one), electroconvulsive therapy (one), and preexisting epilepsy (one). One patient with hyponatremia and one patient with a previous seizure disorder recovered. Five patients were discharged with new neurologic deficits due to underlying processes; four of these patients also had infectious complications during hospitalization. Three patients died, all due to infectious complications. We conclude that NCSE in the elderly is associated with a poor prognosis, because of underlying causative processes and medical complications.
Postmortem blood tests for HIV, HBV, and HCV in a body donation program.

A retrospective analysis of the results of blood tests conducted on body donors received by the Anatomical Gift Registry of the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) was performed. Over the 5-year period from April 1992 through March 1997 a total of 785 body donors were tested for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis B and C Viruses (HBV and HCV). Eighteen of the 785 donors (2.3%) tested positive for one of these infectious agents. Two donors were positive for HIV, six were positive for HBV and ten were positive for HCV. The death certificates and files of those donors who tested positive were reviewed and the results are presented here. Blood testing prior to the use of the body donors is an effective and reasonable way of identifying the presence of these infectious agents, thus reducing the risk to those who work with cadavers. The cost for the testing at MCW is about $60 per donor. Clin. Anat. 11:250–252, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Neural regulation of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) gene expression in bovine chromaffin cells differs from other catecholamine enzyme genes.

Expression of the gene encoding the epinephrine-synthesizing enzyme phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) is regulated by hormonal and neural stimuli. Because the 5′-upstream regions of the PNMT do not contain sequences analogous to those demonstrated to convey neural regulation to the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) catecholamine-synthesizing enzyme genes, functional and biochemical analyses have been utilized to characterize PNMT promoter responses to cholinergic and depolarizing agents. In primary cultures of bovine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells, reporter gene expression from transiently transfected 3- and 0.9-kb-containing PNMT promoter constructs is stimulated approximately twofold by nicotine and muscarine. Depolarizing concentrations of K+ produce fourfold increases in expression. These responses are not detected with constructs containing the proximal 0.3-kb promoter, indicating that the regions between −273 and −877 bp convey neural responsiveness for the PNMT gene in bovine chromaffin cells. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) with oligonucleotides encoding these regions of the PNMT promoter revealed distinctions in migration of nuclear protein complexes formed following treatment of chromaffin cells with nicotine, muscarine, or 50 mM K+. Thus, the PNMT promoter between 0.3 and 0.9 kb contains sequences capable of responding to cholinergic and depolarization stimuli. Moreover, these treatments influence the interactions of specific nuclear proteins with this region of the PNMT promoter.
Stabilization functions of unforced cumulus clouds : their nature and components

The nature and the spatial distribution of cumuli within an unforced cumulus cloud field are investigated. The thermodynamic effects of convection are quantified as functions of changes of convective available potential energy (CAPE) induced by the convective overturning, and the time rate of change of CAPE is parameterized in terms of a kernel of influence or stabilization function. A three-dimensional cloud model is used to infer and quantify stabilization functions by performing single-cloud experiments. On the basis of the results obtained, a new hypothesis with respect to the spatial distribution of cumuli is postulated, which states that, under completely homogeneous external conditions and assuming a spatially random distribution of cloud-triggering mechanisms, the spatial distribution of cumuli in the resulting cloud field must be regular, as opposed to either random or clustered, because cumulus clouds tend to reduce the available energy for convection, thereby inhibiting further convection nearby.
Signal transduction in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

As a key part of the mechanism which controls growth and division, cells are able to respond to a variety of intracellular and extracellular stimuli. Significant progress has been made in the understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying mating-factor signal transduction in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Some of these mechanisms may be relevant to the regulation of other signal transduction pathways.
Steady state multiplicity and stability in an adiabatic controlled cycled stirred tank reactor

Steady state multiplicity in exothermic adiabatic reaction systems has previously been demonstrated by a number of authors. Specifically, the work of Root and Schmitz proved the existence of multiple steady states in a loop reactor, but difficulty was encountered in controlling such a reaction system at the intermediate steady states. Since a close analogy can be demonstrated between loop reactors and controlled cycled reactors (CCTR), it appeared reasonable to attempt to achieve steady state multiplicity in a CCTR. When the chemical reaction of Root and Schmitz was carried out in a CCTR, it proved relatively easy to obtain experimental values of intermediate steady statesf and to control the reactor at these conditions by means of a simple on-off temperature controller. This work suggests that chemical systems displaying steady state multiplicity can be experimentally investigated in a CCTR and that cyclic operation may be the best way for controlling such reactions systems.
Media literacy as a prevention intervention for college women at low- or high-risk for eating disorders

This study examined whether the media literacy program, ARMED, is an effective prevention intervention for college women at low- or high-risk for an eating disorder. Changes in eating disorder risk factors were assessed in low- (n=26) and high-risk (n=19) women participating in a two-session media literacy intervention as compared to low- (n=31) and high-risk (n=16) controls. Women at high-risk for an eating disorder reported significant decreases in body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, feelings of ineffectiveness, and internalization of societal standards of beauty after participating in ARMED, whereas control participants did not. No significant decreases in perfectionism, physical appearance comparisons, or awareness of societal standards of beauty were reported among high-risk participants. Changes in eating disorder risk factors were not found among low-risk participants, regardless of treatment condition. Findings suggest that media literacy may be an effective secondary prevention intervention for eating disorders.
Pattern-vector-based reduction of 3D meshes created from multimodal data sets

Recent interest in photo-realistic 3D modeling has appeared in a variety of areas. These models are extremely useful in a realistic simulation environment. When viewing these large models, however, the frame-rate of even the fastest computers can be extremely low. Therefore, methods to lower the resolution of the model, and thus increase the frame-rate, while retaining the realism are desired. By using a multi-resolution model, low-resolution representations can be used while interacting with or moving the model, and the details from the higher resolution representation added when the model is stationary. To aid in the creation of such a model, we have developed a new triangle mesh reduction technique based on pattern vectors which creates a representation of a model. The reduction method presented here is based on the edge collapse/vertex split concept since this method lends itself easily to the multi-resolution mesh concept. The uniqueness of this reduction method, however, comes in the form of the data representation. We not only use the position of the vertices, but also other geometric properties such as normal and curvature. In addition, we have the advantage of having even more information about the mesh than just structural information. One of these comes in the form of grey-scale and/or color intensity images. Other information such as thermal or radiation data can also be added. The reduction is accomplished by mapping the data into a higher dimensional pattern space in which each vertex is represented by a pattern or feature vector. Each vertex is assigned a n-dimension pattern vector containing all the feature information. Using the initial network of edge connections and the newly created feature space, the order of the edge collapses can be determined using all the given information by calculating edge lengths in the higher dimensional space and getting an edge length order. Examples from a variety of photo-realistic multi-resolution models are given including models created from synthetic data, laser range images, and digital elevation maps.
Stable isotopes in cave pool systems : Carlsbad cavern, New Mexico, U.S.A.

Abstract The stable isotopic ratios of drip water, pool water and water vapor collected in remote areas of Carlsbad Cavern, New Mexico, were used to develop a conceptual model of the hydrologic conditions of the cave pools. When considered in terms of open and closed pool systems, the data indicate that the pools in Carlsbad Cavern appear to leak more water than they evaporate. The pools in Carlsbad Cavern range between −43 and −31‰ in δD, −7.4 and −5.9‰ in δ 18 O, and have EC-values of 365–710 μS cm −1 The water vapor is consistently 80–82‰ more depleted in D than the associated pool water and appears to be under direct isotopic control by the pools. Most of the drip water ranges between −51 and −44‰ in δD, between −8.0 and −6.9‰ in δ 18 O, and have EC-values of 310–350μS cm −1 , regardless of location of collection in the cave. Drip water collected on popcorn formations (which in this case are formed by evaporation of wall seep) have stable isotopic compositions similar to local pool water; however, they have EC-values of up to 1060 μS cm −1 In addition, a small, closed pool near the Lake of the Clouds has stable isotopic compositions similar to those of the Lake and elevated EC-values of up to 9500 μS cm −1 . The degree of stable isotopic enrichment that evaporating waters can obtain in the Cavern is limited by exchange with the water vapor which, in turn, appears to be controlled by the pools.
A Look Back at the Steel Seizure Case

During every national emergency, the system of checks and balances designed, as James Madison wrote in Federalist 51, to prevent a power grab by any of the three branches by giving each “the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others,” comes under great pressure.1 After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks upon the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the public looked to the President to take extraordinary measures. Congress quickly moved to expand executive powers to meet the emergency, confirming the view of a leading textbook on the presidency that “it has become the dominant institution in a system designed for balanced government.”2
Combined Interaction of Phospholipase C and Apolipoprotein A-I with Small Unilamellar Lecithin-Cholesterol Vesicles: Influence of Apolipoprotein A-I Concentration and Vesicle Composition†

We report the combined effects of phospholipase C (PLC), a pronucleating factor, and apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I), an antinucleating factor, in solutions of model bile. Results indicate that apo A-I inhibits cholesterol nucleation from unilamellar lecithin vesicles by two mechanisms. Initially, inhibition is achieved by apo A-I shielding of hydrophobic diacylglycerol (DAG) moieties so as to prevent vesicle aggregation. Protection via shielding is temporary. It is lost when the DAG/apo A-I molar ratio exceeds a critical value. Subsequently, apo A-I forms small (∼5−15 nm) complexes with lecithin and cholesterol that coexist with lipid-stabilized (400−800 nm) DAG oil droplets. This microstructural transition from vesicles to complexes avoids nucleation of cholesterol crystals and is a newly discovered mechanism by which apo A-I serves as an antinucleating agent in bile. The critical value at which a microstructural transition occurs depends on binding of apo A-I and so varies with the cholesterol mole fracti...
From nature in love: The problem of subjectivity in Adorno and Freudian psychoanalysis

This paper investigates the potential of the concept of sublimation for thinking subjectivity at the intersection of psychoanalysis and critical theory. I first rehearse a recent argument by Whitebook that Freud’s notion of sublimation presents a nonviolent integration and expansion of the ego, which can mediate the modern dichotomy between the rational subject and nonrational impulse and desire. On this view, sublimation turns subjectivity into a site of possibility in the context of modern, rationalized thought and society. I then argue that the concept of sublimation offered to critical theory in this form is insufficiently developed. Both Freud and Adorno analyze a deep-seated destructiveness of the modern subject, which turns up right at the heart of attempts to mediate the dichotomies of rationalized modernity. What is needed to counter this problem is a theory of love in which love is not separated from, but, rather, correlated with drive and desire, and can thereby get on a level with the unconscious or unacknowledged, impulsive nature of death-bearing subjectivity in enlightened modernity. A central conception in Kristeva’s development of Freudian psychoanalysis, the idea of transference love, delivers such a theory and thereby develops the concept of sublimation in the way that is needed at the intersection of psychoanalysis and critical theory.
Nicotine tolerance: an analysis of the time course of its development and loss in the rat

The time course of the development and loss of tolerance to nicotine was measured in female rats that were injected subcutaneously (SC), twice daily with 1.6 mg/kg nicotine. Tolerance to nicotine-induced decreases in locomotor activity and body temperature were observed. Tolerance to the effects of nicotine on both of these measures developed rapidly, with maximal changes occurring within 2-4 days after initiation of treatment. The binding of L-[3H]-nicotine was measured in six brain regions. Chronic nicotine treatment resulted in increases in binding in most brain regions. The increase in binding correlated significantly with the development of tolerance. Rats that had been injected chronically with nicotine did not lose their tolerance throughout a 7-day post-treatment test period. Control levels of binding were regained in all of the brain regions except cortex by 7 days after nicotine treatment was stopped. These findings indicate that changes in receptor binding may relate to the development of tolerance but the retention of tolerance is clearly not related to the number of brain nicotinic receptors, unless nicotine-induced decreases in body temperature and locomotor activity are controlled by cortical [3H]-nicotine binding sites.
Eclipse effects on the F-layer at sunrise

Eclipse effects on the F-layer at sunrise observed on 1 September 1951 at Derwood, Maryland, U.S.A. are studied with some detail. The h'(f) curves taken during the eclipse period and on control days were analysed for N(h) and N(t) curves at a series of heights. The eclipse variation of N computed from the control day data does not coincide with the observed variation. However, if the assumption is made that the electron production rates on the eclipse day were about 30 per cent higher than those on the succeeding control day the agreement between the observed and computed eclipse variations of N is improved. Further, if it is assumed that at the time of totality 30 per cent of the radiation was unobscured, in other words if the 30 per cent of the radiation originates in a region beyond the visible solar disc, then the agreement between the observed and computed eclipse variations is excellent. Some solar data in favour of both these assumptions is given and its validity in the light of several other known eclipses is discussed.
Association of Alterations of Cellular Redox Pathways with Rhinovirus(RV)-Induced Interleukin-8 (IL-8) Elaboration in Respiratory Epithelial Cells† 722

Association of Alterations of Cellular Redox Pathways with Rhinovirus(RV)-Induced Interleukin-8 (IL-8) Elaboration in Respiratory Epithelial Cells† 722
Spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies of caffeine complexes with DNA intercalators

Recent studies have demonstrated that caffeine can act as an antimutagen and inhibit the cytoxic and/or cytostatic effects of some DNA intercalating agents. It has been suggested that this inhibitory effect may be due to complexation of the DNA intercalator with caffeine. In this study we employ optical absorption, fluorescence, and molecular modeling techniques to probe specific interactions between caffeine and various DNA intercalators. Optical absorption and steady-state fluorescence data demonstrate complexation between caffeine and the planar DNA intercalator acridine orange. The association constant of this complex is determined to be 258.4 +/- 5.1 M-1. In contrast, solutions containing caffeine and the nonplanar DNA intercalator ethidium bromide show optical shifts and steady-state fluorescence spectra indicative of a weaker complex with an association constant of 84.5 +/- 3.5 M-1. Time-resolved fluorescence data indicate that complex formation between caffeine and acridine orange or ethidium bromide results in singlet-state lifetime increases consistent with the observed increase in the steady-state fluorescence yield. In addition, dynamic polarization data indicate that these complexes form with a 1:1 stoichiometry. Molecular modeling studies are also included to examine structural factors that may influence complexation.
Uniform approximations to pulses diffracted by a crack

This report discusses the pulses diffracted from a half-plane crack when it is struck by a plane compressional pulse. These pulses are approximated at their wave fronts by uniform asymptotic expansions. These approximations are used to define precisely the regions in which the geometrical theory of diffraction is not accurate.
A comparison of anterior cruciate ligament graft tunnel orientation: anatomic vs. transtibial.

Abstract Background Recent Anterior Cruciate Ligament reconstruction techniques have emphasized reproducing the insertion sites of the native Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Anatomic techniques have shown improvements in biomechanical testing, but their superior results have not been shown clinically. The hypothesis of this study is that more oblique tunnels utilized in anatomic reconstructions cause asymmetric loading across the graft. Methods Seven cadaver knees were tested in a knee simulator that performed a gait cycle and an anterior–posterior laxity test. Each knee underwent both reconstructions in random order utilizing the same Anterior Cruciate Ligament bone patellar tendon bone graft. Before reconstruction, the graft was split longitudinally and miniature force probes were inserted in the medial and lateral portions. Findings During anterior–posterior laxity testing, the transtibial medial bundle averaged 74.8 N compared to 87 N for the anatomic. The lateral bundles averaged 146.2 and 158 N respectively. Both reconstructions exhibited a similar ratio of force distribution between the bundles and there was no statistical difference. The average anterior–posterior motion for the intact knees was 10.8 mm compared to 17.0 mm after the Anterior Cruciate Ligament was sectioned. Anatomic reconstructions had an average of 14.0 mm of laxity compared to 14.9 mm for transtibial reconstructions ( P Interpretation Greater obliquity did not lead to an increase in asymmetry of graft loading. The failure of anatomic reconstructions to show clinical improvement over transtibial reconstructions is not due to oblique tunnels causing asymmetric graft loading.
Persistent lower abdominal and groin pain: what is the diagnosis?

A 54-year-old man is admitted for persistent lower abdominal and groin pain that began after repair of bilateral inguinal hernias 7 months previously. He had already undergone multiple evaluations at other hospitals. These workups included computed tomography (CT), barium contrast studies, magnetic resonance imaging, colonoscopy, and esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Two months before his present admission, he required exploratory laparotomy for increasing pain. The discovery of necrotic omentum and pericholecystitis led to omentectomy and cholecystectomy. The pathology was reported as necrotic without a specific diagnosis. The pain continued after the laparotomy. It is periumbilical, radiating into his groin and legs, and it worsens with movement, especially walking. The patient also complains of sporadic episodes of testicular pain, bowel urgency, diaphoresis, nausea, and vomiting. He denies diarrhea, hematemesis, melena, or rectal bleeding. His symptoms do not occur at rest and are not affected by eating. He has lost about 50 pounds over the preceding 6 months. The patient has a history of hypertension that has recently worsened and coronary artery bypass grafting in 1997. He is also legally blind as a result of giant cell arteritis that was diagnosed in 1995. At that time, he was treated with prednisone for more than one year and also briefly with cyclophosphamide. When questioned, he reports further deterioration of his visual acuity, “flashes of light” in his visual fields, headache, and jaw claudication. Medications on admission include aspirin, hydrochlorothiazide, hydromorphone (prn), lansoprazole, metoprolol, prednisone (10 mg daily), and quinapril. The patient had a 20-pack-per-year history of tobacco use but quit at the time of his bypass surgery.
An issue in corporate social responsibility: An experiential approach to establish the value of human life

While the notion of establishing a “value” for human life may be uncomfortable for some, we argue that it is a fundamental requirement for many aspects of public policy. We compare a number of approaches which have been traditionally relied on to make estimations. Also, we provide an exercise which provides an unusual, but we hope provocative, perspective on the evaluation of human life.
Microbial Sulfate Reduction Measured by an Automated Electrical Impedance Technique

Electrical impedance measurements are used to investigate the rates of sulfate reduction by pure cultures of and sediments containing sulfur-reducing bacteria. Changes in the electrical impedance ratios of pure cultures of Desulfovibrio aestuarii and samples of reduced sediments from San Francisco Bay were measured by a Bactometer 32, and sulfate reduction was followed by measuring the incorporation of (S-35) sulfate into metal sulfides. The growth of the bacteria in pure culture is found to result in an increase of 0.2200 in the impedance ratio within 24 h, accompanied by increases in protein, ATP, sulfide and absorptance at 660 nm, all of which are inhibited by the addition of molybdate. Similar responses were observed in the sediments, although impedance ratio responses were not completely inhibited upon the addition of molybdate, due to the presence of nonsulfate-respiring microorganisms. Experiments conducted with sterile media and autoclaved sediments indicate that the presence of H2S together with iron is responsible for the impedance effect, and sulfate reduction rates ranging between 0.85 and 1.78 mmol/l per day are estimated for the sediments by the impedance technique.
Pre-Triassic volcanic rocks of the southern Appalachians

Volcanic rocks occur from Pennsylvania to Alabama in the Piedmont Plateau, Blue Ridge Area, and the Great Valley. They include volcanics of pre-Cambrian, Cambrian, and Middle Ordovician age. The most abundant types are basalt, andesite, rhyollte flows, tuffs, ash-beds, and bentonite. The paper will discuss the types of volcanics In the different areas, their metamorphism, the relations of volcanics to the adjoining sedimentary and igneous rocks, and the facts on which their age is based.
Do Theists Need to Solve the Problem of Evil

The problem of evil may be characterized as the problem of how precisely to specify a property, P, about which it is possible for a morally sensitive man to believe that (i) a person who possesses it would be morally justified on that account in not preventing instances of intense innocent suffering and (2) it is neither impossible nor unlikely that if there is an omnipotent and omniscient being, he possesses it. Atheists have typically claimed that P cannot be precisely specified. Moreover, they have maintained that in view of our inability to give a precise specification of P, it is irrational to believe that there is an omnipotent and omniscient being who is perfectly good and, hence, irrational to believe that God exists. In the remainder of this paper, I want to discuss the question whether there is any good reason for believing that this latter thesis is true.' If there is no such reason, then no matter how much he may busy himself with an attempt at formulating a precise specification of P, the theist can be justifiably contented with the thought that it doesn't much matter whether he succeeds.
Use of ghrelin as a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease: mechanistic considerations

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)—and in particular Crohn's disease—are immune-mediated processes that result in denuded intestinal mucosa and can produce decreased appetite, weight loss, and systemic inflammation. Current treatments include anti-inflammatory medications, immunomodulators, and feeding interventions. Ghrelin is an endogenous orexigenic hormone that directly stimulates growth hormone release, increases gut motility, and has cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties. Although ghrelin levels are elevated in active IBD, administration of ghrelin in most (but not all) animal models of colitis has produced improvements in disease activity and systemic inflammation. The mechanism for these effects is not known but may relate to decreased inflammation, increased motility, increased appetite, and increased colonic blood flow. Human trials have not been performed, however, and more research is clearly needed.