cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coulomb flux tube revisited

We perform $SU(2)$ Yang-Mills lattice simulation of the electric field distribution in the Coulomb gauge for different values of $\ensuremath{\beta}$ to further investigate the nature of the Coulomb flux tube.
Success is being an example: Trajectories and notions of success among Latinx faculty, staff, and students in academia

This study explores trajectories and experiences of Latinx faculty, students and staff at a large, public university in the US. Using interviews and photo elicitation, we document the origins and d...
Populism, Identity Work, and Progressive Organizing in Rural America

ABSTRACTThis article explores the strategy of a left-progressive congressional candidate in one of the most Republican areas in Pennsylvania during the 2018 election cycle. Using ethnographic and i...
Uniting Discovery and Care: The Role of Pharmaceutical Companies in Research, Clinical Studies, and Patient Care

In an era of increased complexity of clinical research, a demand for personalized medicine, an increasing value of diversity, a focus on digital health, and a call for patient centricity, the discovery and development of new medicines, more than ever, is dependent on collaboration between multiple stakeholders.
Rocking the Boat: Resonance, Excitation, and Relaxation

As we concluded the previous section, a sample of protons was described by its energy configuration, the distribution among energy levels. The magnetization of the sample was shown as the NMV. Nonetheless, we could not measure the NMV because it was so small relative to the static magnetic field B0. This chapter answers the question: How then can we measure the magnitude of magnetization in the sample?
Experimental Validation of a Mathematical Framework to Simulate Antibiotics with Distinct Half-Lives Concurrently in an In Vitro Model

Antimicrobial resistance has been steadily increasing in prevalence, and combination therapy is commonly used to treat infections due to multidrug resistant bacteria. Under certain circumstances, combination therapy of three or more drugs may be necessary, which makes it necessary to simulate the pharmacokinetic profiles of more than two drugs concurrently in vitro. Recently, a general theoretical framework was developed to simulate three drugs with distinctly different half-lives. The objective of the study was to experimentally validate the theoretical model. Clinically relevant exposures of meropenem, ceftazidime, and ceftriaxone were simulated concurrently in a hollow-fiber infection model, with the corresponding half-lives of 1, 2.5, and 8 h, respectively. Serial samples were obtained over 24 h and drug concentrations were assayed using validated LC-MS/MS methods. A one-compartment model with zero-order input was used to characterize the observed concentration-time profiles. The experimentally observed half-lives corresponding to exponential decline of all three drugs were in good agreement with the respective values anticipated at the experiment design stage. These results were reproducible when the experiment was repeated on a different day. The validated benchtop setup can be used as a more flexible preclinical tool to explore the effectiveness of various drug combinations against multidrug resistant bacteria.
Robust Controller Design for Open-Loop Unstable Processes via Metamorphic Dual Control

A new theorem is presented which gives sufficient conditions for the robust stability of linear systems controlled via metamorphic dual control (MDC) without requiring that the system be open-loop stable. The theorem can be used to tune the MDC controller if bounds on the relative model error are known. An example demonstrates the utility of the theorem.
The role of the vasopressin 1b receptor in aggression and other social behaviours

Abstract While the importance of vasopressin (Avp) in the neuroendocrine regulation of behaviour is clear, most of Avp's effects on behaviour have been linked to its action via its 1a receptor (Avpr1a) subtype. There is, however, emerging evidence and cross-species consensus that the vasopressin 1b receptor (Avpr1b) is also important in mediating the effects of Avp on behaviour. The Avpr1b is highly expressed in the anterior pituitary where it is thought to play a role in the neuroendocrine response to stress. The Avpr1b is also prominently expressed in the pyramidal cells of the CA2 hippocampal area. Interestingly, in mice, Avpr1b mRNA within the pyramidal neurons of the CA2 field is unaffected by restraint stress or adrenalectomy. Avpr1b knockout mice (−⧸−) have provided strong, consistent evidence that the Avpr1b plays a critical role in the regulation of social behaviour. Avpr1b−/− mice display reduced levels of social forms of aggression, reduced social motivation and impaired social memory (including the Bruce effect). Avpr1b−/− mice, however, have normal main olfactory ability, spatial memory and defensive and predatory behaviours. Mice lacking a functional accessory olfactory system display many of these same behavioural deficits, suggesting that Avpr1b−/− mice may have a deficit in the processing, perception and/or integration of olfactory stimuli detected by the accessory olfactory system. We suggest that the role of the Avpr1b is to couple socially relevant accessory olfactory cues with the appropriate behavioural response. Furthermore, given its prominence in the CA2 field of the hippocampus, we hypothesize that Avpr1b may be important for the formation or recall of memories that have an olfactory-based social component.
Incidental Acantholytic Dyskeratosis and Hailey‐Hailey Like Acantholysis

Materials and Methods: 247 consecutive skin specimens covering a three-month period (1/04–3/04) were reviewed to identify incidental foci of Hailey-Hailey (HH) like acantholysis and focal acantholytic dyskeratosis (FAD). Cases in which these patterns comprised the primary process were excluded. All cases were formalin fixed, paraffin embedded, and hematoxylin-eosin stained. Results: Six cases were identified: three shave biopsies (chest, back, face), two excisions (back, face), and one punch biopsy (scalp). This represented 2.4% of total reviewed. Four specimens had a HH like pattern (1.6%); two had FAD (0.8%). The average patient age was 68 years (range 41–86). Four patients were male; two were female. Three cases were associated with epidermal neoplasia: basal cell carcinoma (HH), actinic keratosis (HH), and malignant melanoma in situ (HH). Two were associated with significant inflammation: seborrheic keratosis (HH) and bullous lichen planus (FAD). One biopsy was of lichen simplex chronicus (FAD). The average diameter of acantholysis was 0.3 mm. Four cases showed associated prominent solar elastosis. Discussion: Incidental acantholysis with FAD and HH like patterns is uncommon. This has previously been postulated to reflect possible pre-neoplastic epidermal damage. The discussed cases show an association with epidermal neoplasia, solar change, and inflammation.
Dispersal and survival of a polygynandrous passerine

ABSTRACT Although sex biases in survival and dispersal are thought to be linked to avian mating systems, little is known about these demographic patterns in less common mating strategies such as polygynandry. We investigated breeding-site fidelity, natal philopatry, and apparent survival of the polygynandrous Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus) over a 7-yr period at 2 areas in Alaska's Brooks Range. We used capture–recapture histories of 243 color-banded adults and 431 juveniles to estimate annual survival and determined dispersal patterns from 34 adults that were found breeding within the study areas over multiple years. Most adults (88%) returned to nest in the same breeding neighborhood as in previous years; mean dispersal distance was 300.9 ± 74.2 m and did not differ between sexes. Juveniles exhibited low natal philopatry; only 4% of banded hatch-year birds were resighted as adults during subsequent years. Those that did return dispersed, on average, 1,674.4 ± 465.8 m from their natal nests (n = 6). ...
Link Prediction in Heterogeneous Collaboration Networks

Traditional link prediction techniques primarily focus on the effect of potential linkages on the local network neighborhood or the paths between nodes. In this article, we study both supervised and unsupervised link prediction in networks where instances can simultaneously belong to multiple communities, engendering different types of collaborations. Links in these networks arise from heterogeneous causes, limiting the performance of predictors that treat all links homogeneously. To solve this problem, we introduce a new supervised link prediction framework, Link Prediction using Social Features (LPSF), which incorporates a reweighting scheme for the network based on nodes’ features extracted from patterns of prominent interactions across the network. Experiments on coauthorship networks demonstrate that the choice for measuring link weights can be critical for the link prediction task. Our proposed reweighting method in LPSF better expresses the intrinsic relationship between nodes and improves prediction accuracy for supervised link prediction techniques. We also compare the unsupervised performance of the individual features used within LPSF with two new diffusion-based methods: Link Prediction using Diffusion Process (LPDP) and Link Prediction using Diffusion Maps (LPDM). Experiments demonstrate that LPDP is able to identify similar node pairs, even far away ones, that are connected by weak ties in the coauthorship network using the diffusion process; however, reweighting the network has little impact on prediction performance.
Gender and social class differences in Japanese mothers’ beliefs about children's education and socialisation

Despite increasing rates of university attendance among women, a significant gender gap remains in socialisation and educational processes in Japan. To understand why and how gender-distinctive socialisation processes persist, this study aimed to examine both middle-class and working-class mothers’ beliefs about gender, education, and children's development. Qualitative analyses were conducted on in-depth interviews with 16 Japanese mothers with preschool children who participated in the research study for three years. The meaning of education differed depending on the children's gender and social class context. While there was a social class difference in mothers’ expectations of their daughters’ educational attainment, the majority of women in this study saw their daughters as caregivers of family members in the future. This study also demonstrates the dilemmas and mixed messages in women's narratives in relation to gender norms and the processes of raising their children.
A continuous acetie acid system for polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of gliadins and other prolamines

A polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system buffered by acetic acid alone was developed for electrophoresis of prolamines. When applied to gliadin electrophoresis, the acetic acid system produces more bands than does a conventional aluminum lactate-lactic acid system (using 12% acrylamide gels). The acetic acid system is relatively simple, requiring a single buffer component that is universally available in high purity.
Syntheses of highly fluorinated 1,3,5-triazapentadienyl ligands and their use in the isolation of copper(I)-carbonyl and copper(I)-ethylene complexes.

Fully fluorinated triazapentadienyl ligand [N{(C3F7)C(C6F5)N}2]- and the related [N{(C3F7)C(2-F,6-(CF3)C6H3)N}2]- have been synthesized in good yield via a convenient route and used in the isolation of three- and four-coordinate copper(I)−carbon monoxide complexes. They show fairly high νCO values (>2100 cm-1), indicating the presence of electron-poor Cu sites. The copper(I)−ethylene adduct [N{(C3F7)C(C6F5)N}2]Cu(C2H4), featuring a three-coordinate Cu site, has also been synthesized using [N{(C3F7)C(C6F5)N}2]CuNCCH3 and C2H4.
Nonsmooth dynamic simulation with linear programming based methods

Abstract Process simulation has emerged as a valuable tool for process design, analysis and operation. In this work, we extend the capabilities of iterated linear programming (LP) for dealing with problems encountered in dynamic nonsmooth process simulation. A previously developed LP method is refined with the addition of a new descent strategy which combines line search with a trust region approach. This adds more stability and efficiency to the method. The LP method has the advantage of naturally dealing with profile bounds as well. This is demonstrated to avoid the computational difficulties which arise from the iterates going into physically unrealistic regions. A new method for the treatment of discontinuities occurring in dynamic simulation problems is also presented in this paper. The method ensures that any event which has occurred within the time interval in consideration is detected and if more than one event occurs, the detected one is indeed the earliest one. A specific class of implicitly discontinous process simulation problems, phase equilibrium calculations, is also examined. A new formulation is introduced to solve multiphase problems.
New Virtual and Paleomagnetic Pole Positions from Isotopically Dated Precambrian Rocks in Wyoming, Montana, and Arizona: Their Significance in Establishing a North American Apparent Polar Wandering Path

Paleomagnetic directions have been determined from well-dated Precambrian rocks, in large part mafic dikes, in Wyoming, Montana, and Arizona. Ages, determined radiometrically, range from 700 to 2,550 m.y. When these data, together with the compilation of acceptable well-dated paleomagnetic poles from North America, are treated by a running-mean method, a generalized belt of apparent polar wandering is suggested. This belt is simple in form, and the rate of polar wandering is nearly uniform. The existence of large-scale loops of relatively rapid wander velocity is largely unsupported.
Factors affecting growth, sporulation, pathogenicity, and survival of Ascochyta rabiei.

SUMMARYIsolates of Ascochyta rabici from diseased chickpea (Cicer arietinum) from India, Iran, Turkey, and West Pakistan varied greatly in growth rate, sporulation, and colony appearance. Maximum s...
Robust Algebraic Segmentation of Mixed Rigid-Body and Planar Motions from Two Views

This paper studies segmentation of multiple rigid-body motions in a 3-D dynamic scene under perspective camera projection. We consider dynamic scenes that contain both 3-D rigid-body structures and 2-D planar structures. Based on the well-known epipolar and homography constraints between two views, we propose a hybrid perspective constraint (HPC) to unify the representation of rigid-body and planar motions. Given a mixture of K hybrid perspective constraints, we propose an algebraic process to partition image correspondences to the individual 3-D motions, called Robust Algebraic Segmentation (RAS). Particularly, we prove that the joint distribution of image correspondences is uniquely determined by a set of (2K)-th degree polynomials, a global signature for the union of K motions of possibly mixed type. The first and second derivatives of these polynomials provide a means to recover the association of the individual image samples to their respective motions. Finally, using robust statistics, we show that the polynomials can be robustly estimated in the presence of moderate image noise and outliers. We conduct extensive simulations and real experiments to validate the performance of the new algorithm. The results demonstrate that RAS achieves notably higher accuracy than most existing robust motion-segmentation methods, including random sample consensus (RANSAC) and its variations. The implementation of the algorithm is also two to three times faster than the existing methods. The implementation of the algorithm and the benchmark scripts are available at http://perception.csl.illinois.edu/ras/ .
Discovering Indirect Associations in Crash Data Through Probe Attributes

Association analysis is a popular data-mining technique for detecting dependencies in transaction databases. The algorithms for discovery of association rules attempt to find the products that tend to sell together. For this purpose, one can treat crashes as individual transactions and crash characteristics as the "products" part of that transaction to discover patterns of the crash characteristics that tend to coexist. The a priori algorithm to search for association rules employs the lower bound on intersection (i.e., joint) frequency of two crash characteristics to ensure that only significant patterns are discovered. Hence, remarkable associations relating crash characteristics that have joint frequency lower than the specified threshold cannot be identified. The present study proposes to apply probe attributes and indirect associations to overcome this problem for crash data. Two sets of items, X and Y, are indirectly related if there exists another set P (i.e., probe attribute) such that, while sets X and Y rarely or never occur simultaneously, they are highly dependent on the common probe attribute P. Indirect associations may be particularly useful in the context of arterial crash patterns because several products are part of the same original nominal variable and have no intersection (i.e., zero joint frequency) in the market basket database. For example, the products rain and cloudy created from the same original variable weather have zero joint frequency. The probe attributes-based analysis revealed some remarkable arterial crash patterns for the SR-50 corridor (in central Florida), including an association between morning and afternoon peak-period crashes through the site location driveway access. It was also found that young drivers are prone to commit errors on arterial sections that are not level, straight, or both.
On local near-rings with Miller–Moreno multiplicative group

A near-ring R with identity is local if the set L of all its noninvertible elements is a subgroup of the additive group R +. We study local near-rings of order 2 n whose multiplicative group R * is a Miller–Moreno group, i.e., a non-abelian group all proper subgroups of which are abelian. In particular, it is proved that if L is a subgroup of index 2 m in R +, then either m is a prime number for which 2 m − 1 is a Mersenne prime or m = 1. In the first case, n = 2m, the subgroup L is elementary abelian, the exponent of R + does not exceed 4; and R * is of order 2 m (2 m − 1)). In the second case, either n < 7 or the subgroup L is abelian and R * is a nonmetacyclic group of order 2 n−1 whose exponent does not exceed 2 n−4.
Role of pain medications, consultants, and other services in improved pain control of elderly adults with cancer in geriatric evaluation and management units.

The number of older adults continues to increase in the United States. According to the Census Bureau’s projections, nearly one in five Americans will be aged 65 and older in 2030, compared with approximately one in eight in 2010.1 The majority of individuals with cancer are elderly. Projections suggest that approximately 60% of cancer incidence and 70% of cancer-related mortality will occur in individuals aged 65 and older.2,3 The burden of pain in individuals with cancer is well documented.4 Fatigue, pain, and distress are the most commonly reported symptoms, according to multiple studies, and this has been poorly studied in elderly adults.5–7 Inadequately controlled pain can adversely affect individuals and their families. The World Health Organization (WHO), international and national professional organizations, and governmental agencies have stressed the importance of pain management as part of routine cancer care.4,8 Limited attention has been paid to the management of cancer pain treatment with a focus on the elderly population. Although older adults are less likely to report pain, there are no data supporting a change in pain perception. Depression, cognitive impairment, and other comorbidities may play a part in this underreporting.9 Pain severity directly correlates with basic and instrumental activity of daily living disability.10 Comprehensive geriatric assessment has been shown to aid in care management, with some evidence of applicability to the care of elderly adults with cancer.11,12 A geriatric evaluation and management unit (GEMU) is a specialized program of services provided by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals usually consisting of a geriatrician, a social worker, and a nurse. These services are targeted for older adults who have geriatric conditions that benefit from geriatric evaluation and management, such as problems with functional status, gait balance and risk for falls, polypharmacy, cognitive status, affective status, nutritional status, pain, and social function. Such services may be provided in an inpatient or out-patient setting and include evaluation and management components. It has been demonstrated that inpatient GEMUs positively influence bodily pain, mental health, and functional status.13 A previous study of a subset of individuals with cancer from the above-mentioned randomized controlled trial comparing inpatient GEMUs with usual inpatient care showed a substantial improvement in pain control that was sustained at 1 year regardless of the type of outpatient care.14 The reasons for this positive effect are unknown, but it was hypothesized that it might be related to better pain assessment and management, better interdisciplinary care, and more-effective use of physical and occupational therapy and other supportive services.
Three-dimensional finite strain from crinoid ossicles

Abstract Randomly oriented crinoid ossicles are useful markers for the determination of three-dimensional finite strain. Two techniques are presented. Both make use of established methods to measure the two-dimensional strain ellipses on three surfaces, which are then combined to calculate the shape and orientation of the strain ellipsoid. First, ossicles positioned such that a thin section cuts across the cylinder appear as randomly oriented ellipses prior to deformation, and can be analyzed using standard Rfφ methods. Second, ossicles positioned such that the section cuts lengthwise through the cylinder appear as rectangular or sub-rectangular shapes with orthogonal geometries in the undeformed state. Measurements of angular shear strain on two or more such markers are analyzed using a non-linear least-squares solution to the Breddin graph, allowing determination of the best-fit strain ellipse. Both methods are applied to an echinoderm grainstone from the central Helvetic nappes of Switzerland. The results are internally consistent, and compatible with those from other strain analysis techniques.
Knowing God, attentional learning, and the local theory of mind

Let me begin by saying that I am enormously grateful for such rich and erudite commentary. It is a privilege to have one's work read so carefully and with such thought. That is rare in the life of ...
A Matched Filter Algorithm can Accurately Detect Amperometric Spikes Resulting from Quantal Exocytosis and Seed a Curve-Fitting Algorithm for Estimation of Spike Parameters

Electrochemical microelectrodes located immediately adjacent to the cell surface can detect spikes of amperometric current during exocytosis as the transmitter released from a single vesicle is oxidized on the electrode surface. Automated techniques are needed both to detect spikes that vary considerably in amplitude and time course and then estimate spike parameters that quantify the amount and time course of transmitter release. We have extended a Matched Filter detection algorithm that scans the data set with a library of prototype spike templates while performing a least-squares fit to determine the amplitude and standard error. The ratio of the fit amplitude to the standard error constitutes a criterion score that is assigned for each time point and for each template. A spike is detected when the criterion score exceeds a threshold and the highest-scoring template is identified. The search for the next spike commences only after the score falls below a second, lower threshold in order to reduce false positives. Receiver Operating Characteristic plots demonstrate that the algorithm detects 94% of manually identified spikes with a false-positive rate of 1%, and performs significantly better than several commercial and “freeware” spike-detecting applications. Subsequently, the time, amplitude, offset and best-fit templates are used as seed values for non-linear curve fitting of each spike with a function consisting of an exponential rise and one or two exponential decays. Using this approach, 74% of well-separated spikes are fit with standard errors that are within two-fold of the background noise standard deviation without any manual intervention. The resulting fits are then used to estimate parameters of interest such as spike area and spike width at half maximum. Supported by NIH R43MH96650 and R01MH095046.
ON THE ASSUMPTION OF BILATERAL LOWER EXTREMITY JOINT MOMENT SYMMETRY DURING THE SIT-TO-STAND TASK

This study examined the validity of the assumption of bilateral lower extremity joint moment symmetry during the sit-to-stand motion for a group of young (n = 7) and a group of elderly (n = 7) female subjects. Two force plates and a motion analysis system were used to determine peak joint moments at the ankles, knees, and hips following liftoff from a chair. Statistically, bilateral asymmetries in peak joint moments were found at the knee joint in the young group [a right to left difference of 0.43% BW x BH (body weight x body height)] and at the hip joint in both subject groups (differences of 0.20% BW x BH and 1.09% BW x BH for the young and elderly subjects, respectively). Subsequent data analysis, using an algorithm that assumed bilateral ground reaction force (GRF) symmetry, was performed to determine whether the bilateral differences were a result of kinematic or GRF asymmetry. It was concluded from these results that both the kinematic and GRF data account for the bilateral asymmetry. The results of the subsequent analysis also showed that the method which assumed bilateral GRF symmetry underestimated the peak joint moments at the ankles, knees, and hips, with the greatest difference between methods being 0.10% BW x BH for the ankle joint. The results of this study suggest that the assumption of bilateral symmetry of lower extremity joint moments during the sit-to-stand is not valid. However, the biomechanical significance of the errors associated with assuming symmetry must also be taken into account.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Monolithic 3D integration advances and challenges: From technology to system levels

Recent technological advances in monolithic 3D integration lay the foundation for highly efficient next-generation computing systems. These advances, however, can only be utilized to their full potential if system architectures are properly optimized by utilizing monolithic 3D-IC technology for target applications. Thus, a multidisciplinary research framework from system architecture to technology layers, and several experimental demonstrations are required.
Quantitative cultures of the mucosalassociated bacteria in the mechanically prepared colon and rectum

Little is known about the mucosal microflora of the colon and rectum at the time of elective surgery. Our objective was to determine the concentrations of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria associated with the mucosa of the mechanically prepared large bowel. Ten patients were studied after a standard polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage preparation. No patient had taken antibiotics in the preceding four weeks. Sterile wire brushes passed through the colonoscope during advancement were used to culture the rectal, transverse colon, and cecal mucosa. Total anaerobic, aerobic, Gram-positive, and enteric bacterial counts were determined along with specific cultures for Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium difficile, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,enterococcus, and staphylococcus species. The results showed that there was a significant increase (P<0.01) in aerobes, anaerobes, enterics, Gram positives,B. fragilis,and E. coli mucosal counts with proximal progression. Aerobes showed a steady gradient, while anaerobes demonstrated an increase from the rectum to the transverse colon but no change between the transverse colon and cecum. We conclude that, in the prepared bowel, there is an increase in the mucosal bacterial counts in the more proximal portions of the bowel. The results may serve as a baseline for future studies on the mucosal-associated bacteria of the large intestine.
Examining Publics' Crisis Responses According to Different Shades of Anger and Sympathy

Integrating the discrete emotions and emotional dimensionality theories in crisis communication research, a 2 (emotional type: anger vs. sympathy) × 2 (emotional intensity: high vs. low) between-subjects experiment using a random general public sample was designed to examine the variance in publics' crisis coping strategies and their acceptance of different organizational crisis responses, as a function of crisis-induced anger and sympathy of different intensity. Differential influences of emotional type and intensity on coping and crisis response preferences were found. Interaction effects revealed: (a) more intense sympathetic feelings lead to higher likelihood of conative coping preference; (b) more sympathy at low intensity contributes to more preference of active cognitive coping and acceptance of accommodative organizational responses; and (c) more intense anger is related to acceptance of more defensive crisis response such as scapegoating.
The incentive effects of executive stock options: evidence from international acquisitions

Abstract I investigate the effect of managerial incentives on international acquisition decisions by examining the relationship between executive stock options and the risk characteristics of international acquisition decisions. To identify how managerial motives are more likely to play a role under different circumstances, I separate international acquisitions into negative and positive announcement period return transactions. I document a positive relationship between the acquiring firm’s executive stock options and the risk change of a firm with negative announcement returns. If the effects of risk-taking on option values are sufficiently high, managers engage in excessive risk taking to increase their option’s value when international acquisitions are negative NPV projects. I find the opposite relationship for firms with positive announcement returns. As long as international acquisitions are positive NPV projects, managers care more about the concavity of their utility function than the convexity of an option’s payoff with the increase of firm risk.
Simple theory of relaxation from instabilities

This paper gives a method for the study of relaxation at instabilities described by Langevin equations. The method uses backward-diffusion equations which are conditioned on the initial value of the dynamical variables, instead of the Fokker-Planck (forward) equation. By using the backward-diffusion equation, we obtain simple characterizations of relaxation properties such as the mean time to leave an observation region about the instability, the probability of reaching a preferred steady state, the mean time to reach it, and the rate of reaching it. Ensemble effects are included by averaging over the initial distribution. This kind of approach complements previous studies which were based on the Fokker-Planck equation. The interaction of noise, strength of the instability, and size of the observation region is studied. A number of examples are given (lasers, ferromagnets, classical molecular scattering, spontaneous optical resolution) and the methods developed here are applied to calculate properties of spontaneous optical resolution.
Volume integrals for boundary element methods

Abstract We consider the numerical approximation of volume integrals over bounded domains D≔ {x∈ R 3 :H(X)⪕0} where H: R 2 → R is a suitable decidability function. The integrands may be smooth maps or singular maps such as those arising in the volume potentials for boundary element methods. An adaptive integration method is described. It utilizes an automatic simplicial subdivision of the domain. The integration step is based on ideas similar to those recently given by Georg (1991) for surface integrals. Several examples illustrate the performance of the method.
Hydrolysis of menhaden oil by a Candida cylindracea lipase immobilized in a hollow-fiber reactor.

A lipase from Candida cylindracea immobilized by adsorption on microporous polypropylene fibers was used to selectively hydrolyze the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid residues of menhaden oil at 40 degrees C and pH 7.0. At a space time of 3.5 h, the shell and tube reactor containing these hollow fibers gives a fractional release of each of the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid residues (i.e., C14, C16, C16:1, C18:1) of ca. 88% of the corresponding possible asymptotic value. The corresponding coproduct glycerides retained over 90% of the initial residues of both eicosapentaenoic (EPA; C20:5) and docosahexaenoic (DHA; C22:6) acids. The half-life of the immobilized lipase was 170 h when the reactor was operated at the indicated (optimum) conditions. Rate expressions associated with a generic ping-pong bi-bi mechanism were used to fit the experimental data for the lipase catalyzed reaction. Both uni- and multiresponse nonlinear regression methods were employed to determine the kinetic parameters associated with these rate expressions. The best statistical fit of the uniresponse data was obtained for a rate expression, which is formally equivalent to a general Michaelis-Menten mechanism. After reparameterization, this rate expression reduced to a pseudo-first-order model. For the multiresponse analysis, a model that employed a normal distribution of the ratio of Vmax/Km with respect to the chain length of the fatty acid residues provided the best statistical fit of the experimental data.
Toward a population-based assessment of death due to pulmonary embolism in New Mexico

During a 5-year period (1981 through 1985), 586 of 46,512 (1.26%) deaths in New Mexico had pulmonary embolism (PE) listed on the death certificate. The frequency of death due to PE was mentioned more frequently in the autopsied than in the non-autopsied component of the study (2.4% v 1.1%). This observation, together with published data on the accuracy of clinical diagnostics among persons dying with autopsy-documented PE, suggests that the frequency of death due to this disease is considerably higher than previously thought. Among autopsied persons who died of PE, risk factors and associated diseases are not appreciably different for those who die in or out of the hospital. Important associations with respect to persons dying of PE include male gender, advanced age, serious medical or surgical disease, immobilization, and trauma.
Encapsulation of vitamin E in edible emulsions fabricated using a natural surfactant

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin widely used in pharmaceutical, supplement, food, and cosmetic preparations that must be encapsulated before it can be dispersed into aqueous-based products. The purpose of this study was to develop “all-natural” oil-in-water emulsions that could be used to incorporate vitamin E into functional food and beverage products. These emulsions were stabilized by a natural food-grade surfactant (Q-Naturale®) isolated from the bark of the Quillaja saponaria Molina tree. The influence of oil phase composition (vitamin E to medium chain triglyceride (MCT) ratio), aqueous phase composition (glycerol to water ratio), and surfactant type (Q-Naturale®versus Tween 80) on the size of the droplets produced by high pressure homogenization was examined. Small droplets could not be formed using only vitamin E acetate as the oil phase because of its very high viscosity, but they could be formed when ≥20% MCT was incorporated into the oil phase prior to homogenization. In the absence of glycerol, Q-Naturale® was capable of forming emulsions containing relatively small droplets (d < 400 nm) from oil phases containing relatively high vitamin levels (60–80%). This droplet size could be decreased (d < 250 nm) by incorporating 50% glycerol in the aqueous phase prior to homogenization to increase its viscosity and decrease its interfacial tension. Tween 80 was more effective than Q-Naturale® at producing small droplets when the oil phase contained low levels of vitamin E acetate (≤40%), but the opposite was true at higher vitamin levels. These results indicate that a natural surfactant (Q-Naturale®) is effective at forming edible Vitamin E delivery systems that could be used in functional food and beverage applications.
Studies of protein binding to nonpolar solutes by using zonal elution and high-performance affinity chromatography: Interactions of cis- and trans- clomiphene with human serum albumin in the presence of β-cyclodextrin

High-performance affinity chromatography and zonal elution studies were used to examine the binding that takes place between the drug clomiphene and the protein human serum albumin (HSA). Equations were derived to describe the behavior of zonal elution experiments in which a solubilizing agent is present in the mobile phase to aid in the dissolution of a competing agent or injected analyte. These equations were then used to determine the association equilibrium constants for the clomiphene/HSA system, with beta-cyclodextrin being used as a complexation agent to improve the water solubility of cis- and trans-clomiphene without affecting the nature of their binding to HSA. It was found in these studies that both cis- and trans-clomiphene have 1:1 interactions at a common binding region on HSA (association constants at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C: cis, 7.5 x 10(6) M-1; trans, 1.3 x 10(6) M-1). Further competition experiments between cis- or trans-clomiphene and various site-selective probes indicated that the clomiphene-binding region is the same as the proposed tamoxifen site of HSA. The approach and equations used within this report are general ones that can be applied to zonal elution studies of other solute-ligand systems in which one or more of the test components have limited solubility in the desired mobile phase.
Everyday articulations of prostitution: how some Filipina migrants in rural Japan describe sexual–economic relationships

This article draws attention to ‘everyday articulations of prostitution’: the diverse, performative ways that people reproduce and rework meanings of ‘prostitution’ as they mobilize the term in their day-to-day lives. The article offers an ethnographic illustration of this process by exploring why and to what ends a group of Filipina wives of rural Japanese men referred to the behavior of another Filipina woman in their community as ‘prostitution.’ It demonstrates that when mobilizing this term, these Filipina women were not categorizing sexual–economic relationships (like ‘prostitution’) in terms of payment systems, as other scholars have assumed. Rather, geographical and cultural factors, such as the stigma associated with these women's migration histories and their long-term residence as wives and mothers in the small rural communities where they had worked in bars, led Filipina women in Central Kiso to describe such relationships according to the sentiments motivating them, the ways one utilized gifts...
IR spectroscopic characteristics of cell cycle and cell death probed by synchrotron radiation based Fourier transform IR spectromicroscopy.

Synchrotron radiation based Fourier transform IR (SR-FTIR) spectromicroscopy allows the study of individual living cells with a high signal to noise ratio. Here we report the use of the SR-FTIR technique to investigate changes in IR spectral features from individual human lung fibroblast (IMR-90) cells in vitro at different points in their cell cycle. Clear changes are observed in the spectral regions corresponding to proteins, DNA, and RNA as a cell changes from the G(1)-phase to the S-phase and finally into mitosis. These spectral changes include markers for the changing secondary structure of proteins in the cell, as well as variations in DNA/RNA content and packing as the cell cycle progresses. We also observe spectral features that indicate that occasional cells are undergoing various steps in the process of cell death. The dying or dead cell has a shift in the protein amide I and II bands corresponding to changing protein morphologies, and a significant increase in the intensity of an ester carbonyl C===O peak at 1743 cm(-1) is observed. Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopolymers (Biospectroscopy) 57: 329-335, 2000.
PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF A “CORTICOTROPIN INFLUENCING FACTOR” (CIF) FROM HUMAN SPINAL FLUID: AN ASSAY METHOD FOR CIF IN THE TRAINED DOG.1

By use of trained dogs with externalized carotid arteries an assay for corticotropin influencing factors has been developed. Injection of cerebrospinai fluid from man or from dog into the carotid artery of such dogs produced a detectable elevation of plasma 17-OHCS within 15 minutes, similar to that observed when 1 μg of ACTH per lb. of body weight was given. A satisfactory dose response curve was obtained when the increased level of 17-OHCS was measured as a function of the amount of spinal fluid (or purified factor) injected into the animal. The factor in spinal fluid can be purified approximately 25-fold by zone electrophoresis on a starch column or on paper. This factor appears to be protein or polypeptide in nature. Present information suggests that the factor may act to stimulate ACTH secretion through the parts of brain irrigated by the carotid artery.
Quantitative Depth Profiling Using Saturation-Equalized Photoacoustic Spectra

Depth profiling using photoacoustic spectra taken at multiple scanning speeds or modulation frequencies is normally impaired by the increase in spectral saturation that occurs with decreasing speed or frequency. Photothermal depth profiling in general is also impeded by the ill conditioned nature of the mathematical problem of determining a depth profile from photothermal data. This paper describes a method for reducing the saturation level in low-speed or low-frequency spectra to the level at high speed or frequency so that all spectra have the same saturation. The conversion method requires only magnitude spectra, so it is applicable to both conventional and phase-modulation photoacoustic spectra. This paper also demonstrates a method for quantitative depth profiling with these converted spectra that makes use of prior knowledge about the type of profile existing in a sample to reduce the instabilities associated with the mathematically ill conditioned task.
Effect of theobromine-containing toothpaste on dentin tubule occlusion in situ.

Objectives Dentin hypersensitivity (DH) is treated by either occlusion of dentin tubules or nerve desensitization. This in situ study compared dentin tubules occlusion by theobromine-containing dentifrices with (Theodent-classic-F®, TCF) and without (Theodent-classic®, TC) fluoride with 1,500 ppm fluoride toothpaste, Colgate®-Regular (Fluoride) and Novamin®-containing toothpaste, Sensodyne®-5000-Nupro (Novamin®).
Static and dynamic reservoir modeling for geological CO2 sequestration at Cranfield, Mississippi, U.S.A.

Abstract Reservoir modeling is an important process for improving our understanding of processes during and after CO2 injection, and traditional rock and fluid characterization is the first step in building a static reservoir model. This model can be further refined by integrating dynamic data as they become available during the life of the project. Such data could improve the static model such that the field could be simulated and its future behavior predicted—especially CO2 plume size and amount of reservoir pressurization. Cranfield is an active CO2 flooding field with a focused research area in the water leg of the reservoir. One injection and two observation wells at a depth of >3000 m with spacing
Riesz inequality for systems of root vector functions of the Dirac operator

We establish a criterion for the Riesz property of systems of root vector functions of the one-dimensional Dirac operator.
Frequency of deep convective clouds in the tropical zone from 10 years of AIRS data

Abstract. Deep convective clouds (DCCs) have been widely studied because of their association with heavy precipitation and severe weather events. Changes in the properties of DCCs are likely in a changing climate. Ten years of data collected by Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) allow us to identify decadal trends in frequency of occurrence of DCCs over land and ocean. In the past, DCCs have been identified in the thermal infrared by three methods: (1) thresholds based on the absolute value of an atmospheric window channel brightness temperature; (2) thresholds based on the difference between the brightness temperature in an atmospheric window channel and the brightness temperature centered on a strong water vapor absorption line; and (3) a threshold using the difference between the window channel brightness temperature and the tropopause temperature based on climatology. Simultaneous observations of these infrared identified DCCs with the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit–Humidity Sounder for Brazil (AMSU-HSB) using 183 GHz water channels provide a statistical correlation with microwave deep convection and overshooting convection. In the past 10 years, the frequency of occurrence of DCCs has decreased for the tropical ocean, while it has increased for tropical land. The area of the tropical zone associated with DCCs is typically much less than 1%. We find that the least frequent, more extreme DCCs show the largest trend in frequency of occurrence, increasing over land and decreasing over ocean. The trends for land and ocean closely balance, such that the DCC frequency changed at an insignificant rate for the entire tropical zone. This pattern of essentially zero trend for the tropical zone, but opposite land/ocean trends, is consistent with measurements of global precipitation. The changes in frequency of occurrence of the DCCs are correlated with the Nino34 index, which defines the sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly in the east-central Pacific. This is also consistent with patterns seen in global precipitation. This suggests that the observed changes in the frequency are part of a decadal variability characterized by shifts in the main tropical circulation patterns, which does not fully balance in the 10-year AIRS data record. The regional correlations and anti-correlations of the DCC frequency anomaly with the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) provide a new perspective for the regional analysis of past events, since the SST anomaly in the Nino34 region is available in the form of the extended MEI from 1871.
License to Deny? Publisher restrictions on document delivery from e‐licensed journals

The licensing of electronic journals is affecting interlibrary loan and document delivery services. This article reports on a survey done in 2003 at 13 large research libraries on how licensing affects both the lending and borrowing operations at those libraries. A brief history on copyright legislation and guidelines as they relate to ILL are provided as background on how licenses can undermine the copyright support libraries have needed to provide the services users require. ILL data is presented to illustrate that the volume of use per title is not what publishers may imagine. The shift to leasing electronic titles and therefore the requirements that underlie licensing are still relatively new; the article recommends that libraries take every opportunity to converse and negotiate with publishers as access evolves.