cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Segmental orientation in blends of poly(ϵ-caprolactone) with poly(vinyl chloride) and nitrocellulose

Binary blends of polycaprolactone (PCL) with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and nitrocellulose (NC) have been shown to be compatible over a wide range of composition. In this study, segmental orientation was determined by dynamic, differential infrared dichroism for each component in the PVC and NC blends with PCL. In compatible amorphous blends, PCL orientation behavior was essentially the same as for the orientation of NC or the isotactic segments of PVC. Syndiotactic PVC segments showed higher orientations, reflecting the greater intrachain stiffness of the microcrystalline PVC phase. PCL segments in the blends where the PCL component was semicrystalline were found to exhibit orientation characteristics which were quite different from the orientation of the nitrocellulose and PVC components of the blends. By assuming that the NC orientation represented the response of the amorphous PCL, the orientation of the crystalline PCL was determined for a NC blend using a simple model of additive dichroism response. In PVC blends, a similar analysis using the amorphous-component response of PVC was made. In both cases the results from the dichroism model showed fair agreement with the PCL unit cell C-axis orientation from independent dichroism calculations.
When money isn't enough: The effect of equity sensitivity on performance-based pay systems

Abstract The value of performance-based pay has been supported by numerous empirical studies, yet such plans are not effective for all individuals. Although the norm of equity suggests that individuals seek equity and thus should work more effectively under pay-for-performance systems, this may not be the case. This article proposes that the effectiveness of performance-based pay systems is a function of the equity sensitivity of the individual. Thus, some individuals prefer conditions in which they are over - or underpaid rather than equitably compensated. These individuals will be less likely to find pay-for-performance systems to be motivating and satisfying.
Discussion of recent papers on carbonated peridotite, bearing on mantle metasomatism and magmatism

The solidus temperature for peridotite-CO_2 drops sharply within a narrow temperature interval, with increasing pressure, to an invariant point where dolomite becomes stable at the solidus. This geometry presents a barrier to some volatile-charged magmas rising through the lithosphere, with many petrological applications. The phase relationships are based on results in the model system CaO-MgO-SiO_2-CO_2, and peridotite-CO_2-H_2O. Two published sets of experimental results for the solidus of amphibole-dolomite-peridotite are here interpreted in terms of the topology of the system peridotite-CO_2-H_2O, with the conclusion that the two results yield quite different values for the pressure of the significant invariant point in peridotite-CO_2: 17 kbar or 27 kbar (equivalent to 30 km in the upper mantle). Better definition of this pressure, and clarification of the topology of the intersecting stability fields for dolomite, amphibole and phlogopite with the peridotite-vapor solidus, are essential for understanding magmatic and metasomatic processes in the lithosphere, and the petrogenesis of alkaline magmas and associated carbonatites.
Zoning and Industrial Land Values: The Case of Philadelphia

This paper examines the market effects of zoning. Using the hedonic framework, we perform an empirical analysis that shows that lots zoned for industrial use in our study area are associated with a 58% price discount. The paper highlights the outcome of static zoning policies in a dynamic world. As the demand for industrial land in Philadelphia declined (resulting in vacancies), prices fell, but zoning was slow to adjust, therefore land conversion did not occur to re-equilibrate.
Recent advances in marine pharmacology

New York, pp. 129-t72. KrnjeviL K. (1974) Physrol. Rev. 54, JtR-5JO. Nastuk. W. 1.. (1953)F& /+x. 12. 102. Dr Server .V. h’orhechkm 1.5 a tenror rewarch worker Ryall. R. W. and Kelly. J. S. (cds) (1978) m the Laboratory OJ Nrurn;~harmacn/o~_~ O/ rh,lonfophoresrs and Transmiiter Mechanisms m In.rtrfutc u/ PhormocnloR.v m the Arademv 01 the Mwnmalian C’enfral Nervous Sytrem, Mrdtcal kiencer oJ rhr ti S. F R Smce 1966 he hrrc Elsevier/Norlh-Holland Amsterdam and WCH been CnRG?ed m rewarch on fhe pharmacntoyy of York. cenrral c_vnclprrr wanwn,won.
Sulfur-33 Magnetic Resonance Spectrum of Thiophene

Nuclear magnetic resonance data for sulfur-33 nuclei in pure compounds are extremely sparse. Although the first observation of a 33S NMR signal was reported in 1951, it was not until 17 years later that additional data were published. Of the seven compounds investigated, only two, carbon disulfide and 1,2-ethanedithiol, can be considered organic; the chemical shift of the latter compound was not measured. The original objective of the present study, although not achieved, was to determine if a measurable chemical shift exists between the aromatic sulfur atom in thiophene and the nonaromatic one in tetrahydrothiophene. This is part of a more extensive investigation of the potential uses of new spectroscopic methods in studies of the structure of coals and related materials. The 33S NMR spectrum of thiophene and our unsuccessful attempt to observe the 33S resonance in tetrahydrothiophene are described in this note.
HWLC graphites prepared by hot-working extruded stock☆

Abstract Extruded graphite stock containing molybdenum metal has been investigated as a starting material for the process of hot-working with a dispersed liquid carbide (the HWLC process). The extruded stock is easily deformed in compression along the extrusion axis with little risk of fracture providing that the hot-working stresses are kept below 3000 psi until the isotropic state is passed. Measurements have been made of chemical composition, density, compressive and flexural strengths, thermal and electrical conductivities, and thermal expansitivity for a series of HWLC-Mo materials hot-worked to various strain levels up to 65 per cent true strain. These properties indicate that a wide range of preferred orientations is attainable, the isotropic state for the extruded material used being attained at a strain level of 20 per cent. The properties of the HWLC-Mo graphites which have been strained only to the isotropic state show only modest improvements over the properties of conventional graphites. At higher levels of hot-working strain, the characteristic dense, uniform microstructure of the HWLG graphites is imposed on the extruded stock. Thus, the properties of material prepared from extruded stock approach those of materials prepared from molded stock provided that the extruded stock is hot-worked to a sufficiently higher strain level.
Rationally designed capsid and transgene cassette of AAV6 vectors for dendritic cell-based cancer immunotherapy

Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy has recently demonstrated a great potential for clinical applications; however, additional progress in the methods of tumor-specific antigen delivery to DCs is necessary for the further development of anti-tumor vaccines. To this end, a capsid-optimized adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6-T492V+S663V) vector was developed by site-directed mutagenesis of surface-exposed serine (S) and threonine (T) residues, which have a critical role in intracellular trafficking of AAV vectors. This double-mutant AAV6 vector had ∼ 5-fold greater transduction efficiency in monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs) compared with wild-type (WT)-AAV6 vectors. The increase in the transduction efficiency correlated with the improved nuclear translocation of AAV6-T492V+S663V over that of the WT-AAV6 vector. Additional studies of the CD11c promoter identified critical regulatory elements that fit into the AAV expression cassette and drive EGFP expression in moDCs. Development of a chimeric promoter (chmCD11c) that contains functional modules of CD11c and a Simian virus (SV40) enhancer element dramatically increased the EGFP expression in moDCs. MoDCs transduced by the capsid-optimized AAV6 vector carrying human prostate-specific antigen (hPSA) driven by CBA (AAV6-T492V+S663V-CBA-hPSA) or chmCd11c (AAV6-T492V+S663V-chmCD11c-hPSA) generated specific T-cell clone proliferation and superior cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) with higher killing capability against human prostate adenocarcinoma cells, LNCaP, compared with WT-AAV6 induced CTLs. Taken together, these studies suggest that optimization of capsid and promoter components of AAV vectors can be a useful approach for efficient targeting of moDCs and may prove to be a promising tool for cancer immunotherapy.
Peacemakers in China: American Missionaries and the Sino-Japanese War, 1937–1941

Although the importance of the American missionary, once "the invisible man [and woman] of American history,"1 has begun to materi alize with the publication of numerous books and articles in recent years, lacuna in the field remain, particularly for the years preceding World War II. As the historian Daniel Bays has commented recently, "The period from mid-1937 until early 1942 is a most interesting one, and much understudied."2 In recent years, historians, in discussing Protestant American missionary activities during the early years of the Sino-Japanese War, have focused on the missionaries' images of China or their attempts to influence public opinion and American foreign pol icy.3 Scholars, however, have yet to answer some basic questions. Why did the missionaries view China as a victim of aggression? Why did
Successful Multimodality Endoscopic Treatment of Gastric Outlet Obstruction Caused by an Impacted Gallstone (Bouveret's Syndrome)

Bouveret's syndrome is a rare condition of gastric outlet obstruction resulting from the migration of a gallstone through a choledochoduodenal fistula. Due to the large size of these stones and the difficult location in which they become impacted, endoscopic treatment is unsuccessful and most patients require surgery. We report the case of an elderly male who presented with nausea and hematemesis, and was found on CT scan and endoscopy to have an obstructing gallstone in his duodenal bulb. After several endoscopic sessions and the use of multiple instruments including a Holmium: YAG laser and electrohydraulic lithotripter, fragmentation and endoscopic removal of the stone were successful. We believe this to be the first case of Bouveret's syndrome successfully treated by endoscopy alone in the United States. We describe the difficulties encountered which necessitated varied and innovative therapeutic techniques.
Robust transmission of packet-based H.264/AVC video with data partitioning over DS-CDMA wireless channels

In this paper, we address the problem of robust transmission of packet based H.264/AVC video over direct sequence-code division multiple access (DS-CDMA) channels. H.264 based data partitioning is used to produce video packets of unequal importance with regards to their need in terms of the decoded video quality. In the proposed transmission system, the data partitioned video packets are packetized as per IP/UDP/RTP protocol stack and are sorted into different levels for giving unequal error protection (UEP) using Rate Compatible Punctured Convolutional (RCPC) codes. Constant size framing is done at the link layer and Cyclic Redundancy Check header (CRC) is attached for error detection. Link layer buffering and packet interleaving schemes are proposed to improve the efficiency of the system. A multipath Rayleigh fading channel with Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) and interference from other users is considered at the physical layer. The link layer frames are channel encoded, spread and transmitted over the channel. The received data is despread/demodulated using the Auxiliary Vector (AV) filter or RAKE matched filter (RAKE-MF) receiver and subsequently channel and source decoded. Our experimental results show the effectiveness of using data partitioning for wireless transmissions when compared to the system not using data partitioning. Also the superior interference mitigation capabilities of AV receiver is shown in comparison to the RAKE-MF receiver.
Last step in the conversion of trehalose to glycogen: a mycobacterial enzyme that transfers maltose from maltose 1-phosphate to glycogen.

We show that Mycobacterium smegmatis has an enzyme catalyzing transfer of maltose from [14C]maltose 1-phosphate to glycogen. This enzyme was purified 90-fold from crude extracts and characterized. Maltose transfer required addition of an acceptor. Liver, oyster, or mycobacterial glycogens were the best acceptors, whereas amylopectin had good activity, but amylose was a poor acceptor. Maltosaccharides inhibited the transfer of maltose from [14C]maltose-1-P to glycogen because they were also acceptors of maltose, and they caused production of larger sized radioactive maltosaccharides. When maltotetraose was the acceptor, over 90% of the 14C-labeled product was maltohexaose, and no radioactivity was in maltopentaose, demonstrating that maltose was transferred intact. Stoichiometry showed that 0.89 μmol of inorganic phosphate was produced for each micromole of maltose transferred to glycogen, and 56% of the added maltose-1-P was transferred to glycogen. This enzyme has been named α1,4-glucan:maltose-1-P maltosyltransferase (GMPMT). Transfer of maltose to glycogen was inhibited by micromolar amounts of inorganic phosphate or arsenate but was only slightly inhibited by millimolar concentrations of glucose-1-P, glucose-6-P, or inorganic pyrophosphate. GMPMT was compared with glycogen phosphorylase (GP). GMPMT catalyzed transfer of [14C]maltose-1-P, but not [14C]glucose-1-P, to glycogen, whereas GP transferred radioactivity from glucose-1-P but not maltose-1-P. GMPMT and GP were both inhibited by 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol, but only GP was inhibited by isofagomine. Because mycobacteria that contain trehalose synthase accumulate large amounts of glycogen when grown in high concentrations of trehalose, we propose that trehalose synthase, maltokinase, and GMPMT represent a new pathway of glycogen synthesis using trehalose as the source of glucose.
History of drugs for thrombotic disease. Discovery, development, and directions for the future.

The history of the antithrombotic agents--aspirin, heparin, warfarin, and the thrombolytics--is a rich and lively odyssey of serendipity, perseverance, vision, and conflict involving a number of striking personalities. The history of aspirin spans ages and continents from Hippocrates' analgesic for women in labor to the rediscovery of the white willow bark by English country scholar Reverend Edward Stone. Bayer chemist Felix Hoffmann reinvented aspirin for his ailing father; suburban physician L.L. Craven pioneered the prophylactic antithrombotic uses of aspirin; and Sir John Vane elucidated aspirin's mechanism of action as the inhibition of prostaglandin synthetase. Heparin was discovered by McLean, working as a medical student in 1915 in search of a pure procoagulant in dog liver. His original impure material differed somewhat from today's heparin, but purified heparin was rapidly accepted for a myriad of clinical uses; to this day, diverse new properties of this complex glycosaminoglycan continue to be elucidated. The oral anticoagulants emerged from veterinary research in the 1920s on a hemorrhagic disorder afflicting cattle that consumed spoiled sweet clover hay. Several chance encounters led Karl Link and his University of Wisconsin team to the identification of dicumarol as the offending agent in 1939 and its widespread therapeutic use by Wright and others in the 1940s. Link later developed warfarin as a rodenticide, but its use in humans soon followed in the 1950s. Vitamin K was discovered in the 1930s; its involvement in the mechanism of the anticoagulant agents was not delineated until the 1970s. The intrinsic ability of clotted blood to liquify and the fibrinolytic properties of normal urine were noted in the 1800s. Tillett and Sherry's group stumbled on the fibrinolytic properties of streptokinase in the 1930s and pioneered the therapeutic use of streptokinase in the 1940s and of urokinase in the 1960s. Several teams found tissue-type plasminogen activator in various body sites beginning in the 1940s, leading to its cloning and widespread use in the 1980s; anisoylated plasminogen-streptokinase activator complex is an example of rational drug design. The discoverers of these diverse agents have not only provided physicians with a potent armamentarium of antithrombotic drugs but also helped elucidate much basic science and vividly demonstrated the merits of perseverance, independent thought, and adherance to the scientific method.
Transfer of Motor Learning Engages Specific Neural Substrates During Motor Memory Consolidation Dependent on the Practice Structure

The authors investigated how brain activity during motor-memory consolidation contributes to transfer of learning to novel versions of a motor skill following distinct practice structures. They used 1 Hz repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) immediately after constant or variable practice of an arm movement skill to interfere with primary motor cortex (M1) or dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The effect of interference was assessed through skill performance on two transfer targets: one within and one outside the range of practiced movement parameters for the variable practice group. For the control (no rTMS) group, variable practice benefited delayed transfer performance more than constant practice. The rTMS effect on delayed transfer performance differed for the two transfer targets. For the within-range target, rTMS interference had no significant affect on the delayed transfer after either practice structure. However, for the outside-range target, rTMS interference to DLPFC but not M1 attenuated delayed transfer benefit following variable practice. Additionally, for the outside-range target, rTMS interference to M1 but not DLPFC attenuated delayed transfer following constant practice. This suggests that variable practice may promote reliance on DLPFC for memory consolidation associated with outside-range transfer of learning, whereas constant practice may promote reliance on M1 for consolidation and long-term transfer.
Examining the relevance of the physician's clinical assessment and the reliance on computed tomography in diagnosing acute appendicitis

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to examine the relevance of clinical assessment in diagnosing appendicitis in the current medical environment, in which routine use of computed tomography (CT) has become the norm. Methods A retrospective review was conducted, analyzing patient demographics, Alvarado clinical assessment scoring, and radiologic and pathologic results. Results A total of 664 patients were identified. Higher Alvarado scores were significantly associated with pathologically confirmed appendicitis (low, 87%; moderate, 92%; high, 96%; P = .05). As clinical assessment scores increased, use of CT decreased significantly (low, 97%; moderate, 85%; high, 79%; P = .01). The negative appendectomy rate for patients with clinical assessments consistent with appendicitis was 4%, compared with 3% associated with CT. Regardless of assessment scores, 82% of the cohort underwent CT. From a random sample of 100 charts, 87% of initial emergency department plans stratified disposition on the basis of the results of CT. Conclusions Although physical examination remains crucial, CT has become the primary modality dictating care of patients with presumed appendicitis.
Effect of Water‐Level Recoveries on Fault Creep, Houston, Texas

Fault creep has stopped or slowed in the eastern part of the Houston, Texas, land subsidence area where reductions in pumping of ground water have allowed water levels to recover partially. Creep has continued across faults in the western part where heavy pumping causes water levels to continue to decline. The observations support the long-suspected relation between historical faulting and withdrawal of ground water and indicate that partial water-level recoveries can reduce fault movement and structural damage.
A distance to dose difference tool for estimating the required spatial accuracy of a displacement vector field

Purpose : To introduce a tool, termed distance to dose difference (DTD), which estimates the required spatial accuracy of displacement vector fields (DVFs) used for mapping four dimensional dose values. Methods : Dose mapping maps dose values from an irradiated geometry to a reference geometry. DVF errors result in dose being mapped from the wrong spatial location in the irradiated geometry, with a dose error equal to the dose difference between the error-free and sampled spatial locations. The DTD, defined as the distance to observe a given dose difference in the irradiated geometry, quantifies the permitted DVF error to ensure a prespecified desired dose mapping accuracy is achieved. To demonstrate the DTD, a treatment plan is generated with a 5 mm internal target volume-to-planning target volume margin for an intensity modulated radiation therapylung patient. The DTD is evaluated for mapping dose from the end of inhale image with a dose error tolerance of 3.30 Gy, which equals 5% of the 66 Gy prescription dose. The DTD is loaded into the treatment planning system to visualize positional dependencies of permissible DVF errors overlaid on the patient’s anatomy and DTD-volume-histograms are generated. Results : DTD values vary with location in the patient anatomy. For the test case, DTD analysis indicates that accurate DVFs (∼1 mm) are required in high dose gradient regions while large DVF errors (>20 mm) are acceptable in low dose gradient regions. Within the clinical target volume (CTV), tolerated DVF uncertainties range from 1 to 12 mm, depending on location. Ninety percent of the CTV volume had DTD values less than 4 mm. Conclusions : The DVF spatial accuracy required to meet a dose mapping accuracy tolerance depends on the spatial location within the dose distribution. For dose mapping, DVFs accuracy must be highest in dose gradient regions, while less accurate DVFs can be tolerated in uniform dose regions. The DTD tool provides a useful first estimate of DVF required spatial accuracy.
Neurons labelled after the application of tracer to the distal stump of the transected hypogastric nerve in the rat

Axons within the hypogastric nerve (HGN) provide sympathetic innervation to various tissues of the pelvic viscera (e.g. bladder, urethra, ureter, colon and sexual organs). Traditionally the HGN was considered to carry efferent impulses from the lumbar spinal cord to the periphery and afferent information from the periphery to the lumbar cord. In recent years however, there have been a number of reports of axons in the hypogastric nerve carrying impulses in directions opposite to these traditional ones. To further study this phenomenon fast blue dye was applied to the distal (or for comparison the proximal) stump of one transected hypogastric nerve and the locations of retrogradely labelled neurons determined in the spinal cord, the dorsal root ganglia (DRG), the sympathetic chain ganglia and the major pelvic ganglia (MPG). Labelled neurons were found in the spinal cord only for proximal stump dips. Labelled DRG neurons were mainly located in the L6-S1 ganglia when dye was applied to the distal stump, and mainly in the L1-L2 ganglia for proximal stump dips. The distribution profile of labelled sympathetic chain neurons was shifted caudally about one segment when the distal stump was dipped compared to the distribution obtained following a proximal stump dip. Labelled neurons were found contralateral to the dipped distal stump in all categories although in reduced numbers. More labelled neurons were found in male animals than in female animals. Fast blue in neurons in the DRGs and sympathetic chain labelled from the distal HGN reached these structures via the pelvic nerves. Labelled MPG neurons were found when the distal stump was dipped. Labelled MPG neurons were larger in the male than in the female. These fast blue labelled MPG neurons were also tested immunohistochemically for the presence of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Labelled neurons which were TH+ were only found in the male; labelled neurons which were NPY+ or VIP+ were found in males and in females.
Two Theories of Just War

As it is traditionally conceived, Just War Theory is not well suited for dealing with nation vs non-nation wars. It thus makes sense to create a second Just War Theory to deal with these wars. This article explores the differences and similarities between the two theories.
Building on the ashes of failed policy

Times past, to speak happily of the future of race relations in America established one solidly in the camp of progressives. Today, the same discourse earns one the title “conservative retrograde.” Never mind. It remains true that California’s voters announced in last November’s election a public truth that is the key to a happy future for race relations: the death of affirmative action. While it is only natural that inertial social forces—like the presidency—will continue to deny the evidence before their eyes and posture in defense of an approach that neither delivered its promises nor spoke to the country’s most urgent needs, the fact is that affirmative action no longer constitutes a rational response to any need the country has.
Depression of the 660 km discontinuity beneath the Tonga slab determined from near-vertical ScS reverberations

The occurrence of the March 9, 1994 (Mw 7.6) deep Tonga earthquake during a temporary deployment of broadband seismographs provides an excellent opportunity to study the seismic discontinuity structure in the vicinity of a subducting slab. Near vertical ScS reverberations from the 410, 520, and 660 discontinuities are visible at 10 stations in the South Pacific at frequencies between 0.003–0.033 Hz without stacking. We use a regional velocity model and ray theory to model the interval from ScS to ScS3. A grid search is then performed on the depth and impedance contrast at each of the seismic discontinuities to optimize the fit to both the underside and topside reflections. Stacked records indicate prominent discontinuities at 400 km and 665 km depth beneath and to the west of the slab, and 410 km, 500 km, and 640 km to the east of the slab. Analysis of individual records suggests a local depression of 30 km in the 660 and a broadening of the transition zone directly beneath and to the west of the Tonga slab, in a region of possible near horizontal slab. These results are consistent with a large cool region just to the west of the intersection of the Tonga slab with the 660.
Site-specific dissociation of N2 on the stepped Ru(109) surface

Abstract The dissociative adsorption of molecular nitrogen on Ru(1 0 9) is investigated by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). This surface presents double-height steps separated by ∼9-atom wide Ru(0 0 1) terraces. Thermal dissociation of N 2 is shown to be site-specific to the steps leaving atomic N on the steps (step-N), while electron-stimulated dissociation of N 2 adsorbed on Ru(1 0 9) can also provide atomic N on the terraces (terrace-N) as well as on the steps. The corresponding activation energy for the thermally-activated N 2 dissociation on the steps is measured to be 0.26 ± 0.05 eV. We postulate that the steps on Ru(1 0 9) catalyze not only a unique reaction channel for the N 2 dissociation but also provide active sites during subsequent catalytic reactions by providing more stable adsorption sites for dissociated N atoms.
Secobarbital in Humans Discriminating Triazolam Under Two-Response and Novel-Response Procedures

Humans were trained to discriminate the benzodiazepine triazolam (0.32 mg/70 kg) from placebo under a two-response (drug vs. placebo) drug discrimination procedure. Dose-effect curves for several drugs were then determined in a crossover design using the two-response procedure and a 'novel-response procedure' that provided a novel-appropriate response for drugs unlike triazolam or placebo. Three subjects were tested with triazolam (0.1-0.32 mg/70 kg), the barbiturate secobarbital (56-177 mg/70 kg), and caffeine (320 and 560 mg/70 kg). Triazolam dose dependently increased triazolam-appropriate responding under both procedures and generally did not occasion novel-appropriate responding under the novel-response procedure. Secobarbital substituted for triazolam in the two-response procedure and dose-dependently increased novel-appropriate responding as well as occasioned some triazolam-appropriate responding in the novel-response procedure. Caffeine generally occasioned placebo-appropriate responding under the two-response procedure and a mix of novel- and placebo-appropriate responding under the novel-response procedure. Triazolam and secobarbital produced qualitatively similar self-reported drug effects. These results suggest that the novel-response procedure for human drug discrimination may enhance the pharmacological selectivity of triazolam- and placebo-appropriate responding.
Simultaneous imaging and pH measurments with a single fiber optic imaging bundle

The distal tip of a 350-micrometers imaging fiber comprised of thousands of 4- to 6-micrometers fibers is coated with a thin layer of pH sensitive material. Polymerization is initiated photochemically and is combined with spin coating techniques to yield a uniform coating of polyHEMA/fluorescein on the order of 10 micrometers thick. Performance data for this fiber demonstrates it is capable of simultaneous pH measurements and near-field imaging.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Influence of instrumental activities of daily living assessment method on judgments of independence.

OBJECTIVE Occupational therapists frequently evaluate instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) performance with interviews and observation of simulated tasks. This study examined the congruence of judgments of independence when comparing task performance assessed by interview and simulation with task performance assessed by observation in the natural environment. METHOD Twenty persons with severe mental illness were selected through convenience sampling and evaluated on two IADL tasks (making a purchase in a store and using the bus). The participants were evaluated on each task with two methods of assessment: interview and simulation and observation in the natural environment. RESULTS Results indicated inconsistent performance across assessment approaches and tasks and supported the importance of considering contextual features in understanding the complexity of performance in the natural environment. A trend toward false positives was found in which several participants were judged independent on the IADL assessment but could not perform the same tasks in the natural environment. CONCLUSION Occupational therapists should be cautious when making judgments of independence on the basis of interview and observation of simulated tasks. Evaluating IADL performance in the persons' natural environment may provide more accurate information.
Osteomalacia in a hemodialysis patient receiving an active vitamin D sterol

Background A 17-year-old Filipino male hemodialysis patient presented for renal transplant evaluation. He had significant skeletal abnormalities characterized by bone pain, an inability to walk, and secondary hyperparathyroidism despite therapy with an active vitamin D sterol (paricalcitol). Investigations The patient underwent a physical examination, and his serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, aluminum and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OH-vitamin D) were determined. X-rays of hips and lower extremities, MRI, and bone histomorphometry after double tetracycline labeling were performed. Diagnosis Osteomalacia associated with low 25OH-vitamin D levels. Management Monthly therapy with ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and discontinuation of paricalcitol.
P22 morphogenesis II: Mechanism of DNA encapsulation

Phage P22 is known to have a linear duplex chromosome which is circularly permuted and terminally repeated. The propagation of these features of the mature phage DNA is accounted for by the fact that phage DNA lengths (headfuls) are cut from an intracellular intermediate form of phage DNA several phage genomes in length (concatemer) as first suggested by Streisinger. Studies with mutant phages show that cutting of concatemer DNA is intimately connected to the morphogenesis of the phage head. We have also found, by constructing a partial denaturation map of mature P22 DNA, that circular permutation in P22 DNA is restricted: all of the ends of the mature DNA fall within 20% of each other on the physical map. The limited distribution of ends can be explained by Streisinger's “headful” packaging model with the additional specifications that: a. the intracellular precursor DNA is no longer than ten times the length of mature phage DNA; b. encapsulation of DNA starts at a unique site; c. encapsulation proceeds sequentially therefrom. This model is supported by the distribution of molecular ends in denaturation maps of two deletion phage DNAs. We found, as expected from our model, that the extent of permutation is a direct function of the length of terminal repetition.
Banding of human chromosomes with basic fuchsin.

In this paper a technique is described for the banding of human metaphase chromosomes with basic fuchsin. The main characteristics of the G-banding pattern obtained with this cationic triphenylmethane dye are: the secondary constriction regions of chromosomes Nos. 1 and 16 are strongly stained, especially in the latter one; the heterochromatic area of chromosome No. 9, usually negative with most other G-banding techniques, is clearly visible as an intensely stained band adjacent to the centromere; the chromosomal outline is often very distinct, facilitating the study of the telomeres; a number of chromosomal regions with bright Q fluorescence such as the polymorphic regions of the chromosomes Nos. 3, 4, and Y also stain strongly with basic fuchsin. The basic fuchsin technique combines therefore properties of G-, C-, and Q-banding methods and seems very suitable for use in e.g., family and linkage studies. Several triphenylmethanes closely related to basic fuchsin produce similar banding patterns. The band-producing ability is, however, diminished in those dyes which contain methylated amino groups. If the methyl groups are attached to the carbon atoms at the 3-positions in the phenyl rings, band formation seems unaffected. The way in which basic fuchsin and chromatin may interact as well as the possible mechanism(s) of band formation with this dye are discussed.
Hand gesture video browsing for broadband-enabled HDTVs

This paper presents three methods for hand gesture detection and recognition that can be applied to online video browsing. These methods aim at recognizing hand signs and positions using a single webcam, which can in turn, be used to control a broadband-enabled HDTV. The hand gesture can be trained to suit the user preference. We first provide an analysis of pattern matching, histogram back projection, and the use of Fourier's descriptors. These methods achieve good reliability and acceptable resource consumption. We compare these methods with a new method based on H.264 motion vectors that directly analyzes video in the compressed domain. It will be shown that this technique provides a faster and accurate way to recognize motion trajectories that may correspond to letters or alphabets. The extracted gesture or trajectory information can then be used for various multimedia applications, including improving human-TV interaction.
Ask the Pharmacist to Join Your Diabetes Care Team

Pharmacists are a key source of education, medication, monitoring, and motivational support for people with diabetes. Their training places them in a unique and valuable role in diabetes care, with expertise in the pharmacological management of diabetes. Additionally, pharmacists routinely provide patient education and are trained in the motivational interviewing techniques important for promoting effective self-management. An article by Julie Stading, PharmD, CDE, et al. in this issue of Diabetes Spectrum (p. 241) highlights improved A1C benefits that resulted when clinical pharmacists were added to the diabetes care team and when they worked directly with patients who were newly diagnosed with diabetes or new to insulin therapy at the Veterans Administration. Although their study was a retrospective comparison, it suggests a beneficial effect of the expanded team (i.e., one that includes a pharmacist) compared to a control group of patients who did not see a pharmacist. These findings are consistent with other studies that have explored the effect of pharmacist collaboration with patients and providers to improve the management of diabetes. It further underscores the importance of the expertise of the pharmacist as part of the diabetes care team. In addition to providing diabetes self-management education in the clinic setting, randomized controlled trials …
The response of capital markets to the R&D process

Abstract We examine the response of the capital markets to research and development (R&D) project announcements by firms along three stages of the R&D process: initiation, continuation, and new-product introduction. Using event study methodology, conventional in financial economics and strategic management, we examined 525 R&D project announcements over the 1977–1989 period. Our analysis suggests that investors respond favorably to R&D announcements during the continuation and new-product introduction stages. In the biotechnology industry, however, the greatest response occurred in the initiation and continuation stages. Significant gains in wealth were observed for relatively smaller firms, and in the case of continuation announcements when R&D was viewed as a way of stimulating growth. After accounting for firm size and the effect of the biotechnology industry, the frequency of R&D announcements by firms does not lead to greater stock market effects. Our data paint a picture of rational and sophisticated investors who understand and respond to R&D project announcements — a portrait that stands in stark contrast to the current criticisms of a myopic stock market.
Ca2+ Sparks in Frog Skeletal Muscle: Generation by One, Some, or Many SR Ca2+ Release Channels?

Ca2+ sparks were first detected as spontaneous, highly localized elevations of Ca2+ indicator fluorescence in confocal microscope images of rat cardiac myocytes studied under resting conditions ([Cheng et al., 1993][1]). It was immediately suggested that these events are likely to reflect the
Passage of Charged Particles through Plasma

The plasma has been treated phenomenologically as a homogeneous dispersive medium characterized by a "dielectric constant" which is a function not only of the frequency of the applied field (as in conventional dispersive media) but also on its wave number. The representation of plasma as a dispersive medium is subject to certain validity criteria which are satisfied for such typical cases as the ionosphere and electrical discharge through gases but is not satisfied for electrons in the conduction band of a metal. The passage of charged particles through plasma is investigated by means of straightforward application of Maxwell's equations for a dispersive medium. The Debye screening, which is applicable to the potential of an incident particle having velocity $V\ensuremath{\ll}{〈{v}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ (where ${〈{v}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ is the root mean square velocity of plasma electrons), loses its significance when $V\ensuremath{\gg}{〈{v}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$; and in the latter case, the potential decreases with the distance in accordance with an inverse cube law. The stopping power has been calculated for slow incident charged particles having $V\ensuremath{\ll}{〈{v}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ and for fast particles having $V\ensuremath{\gg}{〈{v}^{2}〉}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ in a plasma comprising electrons distributed in accordance with Maxwell-Bolzmann and Fermi-Dirac statistics. For slow particles the results represent an extension of the formula of Fermi and Teller. An expression has been derived for the distribution of the polarization density in the space surrounding a moving particle.
Targeting Stat3 blocks both HIF-1 and VEGF expression induced by multiple oncogenic growth signaling pathways

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) upregulation is induced by many receptor and intracellular oncogenic proteins commonly activated in cancer, rendering molecular targeting of VEGF expression a complex challenge. While VEGF inducers abound, only two major transcription activators have been identified for its promoter: hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat3). Both HIF-1 expression and Stat3 activity are upregulated in diverse cancers. Here, we provide evidence that Stat3 is required for both basal and growth signal-induced expression of HIF-1. Moreover, induction of VEGF by diverse oncogenic growth stimuli, including IL-6R, c-Src, Her2/Neu, is attenuated in cells without Stat3 signaling. We further demonstrate that Stat3 regulates expression of Akt, which is required for growth signal-induced HIF-1 upregulation. Targeting Stat3 with a small-molecule inhibitor blocks HIF-1 and VEGF expression in vitro and inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, tumor cells' in vivo angiogenic capacity induced by IL-6R, which simultaneously activates Jak/STAT and PI3K/Akt pathways, is abrogated when Stat3 is inhibited. Activation of Stat3 signaling by various growth signaling is prevalent in diverse cancers. Results presented here demonstrate that Stat3 is an effective target for inhibiting tumor VEGF expression and angiogenesis.
Sufficiency of the number of segregating sites in the limit under finite-sites mutation.

We show that the number of segregating sites is a sufficient statistic for the scaled mutation parameter (θ)(θ) in the limit as the number of sites tends to infinity and there is free recombination between sites. We assume that the mutation parameter at each site tends to zero such than the total mutation parameter (θ)(θ) is constant in the limit. Our results show that Watterson’s estimator is the maximum likelihood estimator in this case, but that it estimates a composite parameter which is different for different mutation models. Some of our results hold when recombination is limited, because Watterson’s estimator is an unbiased, method-of-moments estimator regardless of the recombination rate. The quantity it estimates depends on the details of how mutations occur at each site.
Semi-automated digital image analysis of patellofemoral joint space width from lateral knee radiographs

Objective To design a semi-automated program to measure minimum patellofemoral joint space width (JSW) using standing lateral view radiographs.
Studies in the use of crystalline vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the prophylaxis and treatment of infantile scurvy and some other disorders of infancy and childhood

Summary 1. Nineteen infants were given crystalline vitamin C* in the dosage of 1.83 mg. per kg. daily for a period of five months as a prophylactic against scurvy. No clinical or roentgenologic evidence of scurvy was apparent during the period of observation. 2. Crystalline vitamin C was used in the treatment of 21 cases of infantile scurvy. Satisfactory healing was obtained in all instances. A brief analysis of the amounts of the vitamin necessary to produce clinical healing is presented. 3. The presence and significance of fever in the scorbutic infant are analyzed, and the lack of temperature elevation following the administration of vitamin C is pointed out. 4. A study was made of the hematopoietic response following the administration of crystalline vitamin C. 5. There was no constant effect produced upon the capillary resistance (capillary fragility test) in our scorbutic infants following the administration of vitamin C. 6. A brief discussion of the effect of scurvy upon the heart is given. 7. Crystalline vitamin C seemed to stimulate wound healing in the incision of an infant operated upon for pyloric stenosis in whom there was no evidence of healing prior to its administration. 8. Intravenous administration of vitamin C seemed to have no effect on the hematuria in a case of subacute hemorrhagic nephritis. 9. Complete case histories of three scorbutic infants treated with crystalline vitamin C are given.
Psychology of time awareness.

Abstract Mind transforms the continuance of physical spacetime into moments (the absolute Now) and blends these moments into an apparent continuity through an overlapping of unfolding capsules. The flow of psychological time is an illusion based on the rapid replacement of these capsules. Each mind computes the measure of time passing and duration from the decay of the surface present in relation to a core of past events. As each new surface is generated, that surface, the rim of the immediate past, recedes in the wake of rising contents. This recession, an uncovering of phases latent in the original traversal, exposes layers in the past forming the content of the immediate past moment. The surge of the microgeny to a surface that dissolves the instant it appears, the priority of the Self in the unfolding sequence, the feeling of agency, create a Self in a state of becoming, a Self that travels in time like the crest of a wave, always in pursuit of a future just beyond the grasp of the present.
Synthesis of 1-(9-Anthracene)phosphirane and Novel Intramolecular π-Stacking of 1-(9-Anthracene)phosphirane Ligands in a cis-Platinum(II) Complex

1-(9-Anthracene)phosphirane was prepared in two steps starting from anthryldichlorophosphine. 1-(9-Anthracene)phosphirane is found to be quite stable, resisting attempts at thermal, free radical, cationic, or anionic polymerizations. The reaction of 1-(9-anthracene)phosphirane with PtCl2(1,5-cyclooctadiene) produces which was characterized by X-ray crystallography. The molecular structure of reveals novel intramolecular π-stacking that produces a “tweezer-like” assembly involving the two anthracene phosphirane ligands and the platinum atom.
In application specific integrated circuit and data acquisition system for digital X-ray imaging

Abstract We have developed an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and data acquisition system for digital X-ray imaging. The chip consists of 16 parallel channels, each containing preamplifier, shaper, comparator and a 16 bit counter. We have demonstrated noiseless single-photon counting over a threshold of 7.2 keV using Silicon detectors and are presently capable of maximum counting rates of 2 MHz per channel. The ASIC is controlled by a personal computer through a commercial PCI card, which is also used for data acquisition. The content of the 16 bit counters are loaded into a shift register and transferred to the PC at any time at a rate of 20 MHz. The system is non-complicated, low cost and high performance and is optimised for digital X-ray imaging applications.
Exploratory analysis of association models using loglinear models and singular value decompositions

Abstract A method of approximating maximum likelihood fits of multivariate association models is explored. The proposed procedure is based on singular value decompositions of matrices of interaction terms from hierarchical loglinear models estimated by the method of maximum likelihood. Potential applications include use in exploratory data analyses, in screening procedures to select models to be estimated by maximum likelihood, and in generating initial estimates for algorithms which compute maximum likelihood estimates. Two examples are used to illustrate features of the estimation procedure and its application to model screening.