cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Halogen charge-transfer excitations in alkali metals

The excitation spectra of halogen impurities in alkali metals have been investigated by vacuum-uv spectroscopic methods. We observe threshold energies for the charge-transfer excitation that agree quantitatively with the earlier predictions by Flynn. The deduced Stokes shifts are almost independent of impurity species and compatible with the observed threshold broadening. Continuum absorption observed below threshold is probably due in part to impurity-induced electron scattering. There is a clear indication that the charge-transfer excitation couples to these continuum processes and produces a Fano-like interference in the optical density. Although the absorption profiles above threshold bear a marked resemblance to those of the analogous salts, most of the structure at higher energy remain poorly understood. The profile near threshold in the metal is identified as a specific chemical property of the impurity species. However, the form of the profile cannot be predicted reliably using current theories.
The 5-lipoxygenase enzymatic pathway in the mouse brain: Young versus old

The 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism is an important source of inflammatory mediators, and is also present in the central nervous system. In this study, we assayed the expression levels and activity of 5-LO in different brain regions of young versus old C57Bl/6 mice. 5-LO mRNA was expressed in all the brain regions considered, i.e. cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum. The highest expression level was observed in cerebellum compared with cortex and hippocampus, although it was not affected by aging. By contrast, 5-LO mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in the hippocampus of old (25 months) versus young (3 months) mice. Finally, levels of the leukotriene B4, a metabolic product of 5-LO, were significantly increased in the hippocampus of old mice, but no difference was observed in cortex and cerebellum. These results demonstrate that the 5-LO enzymatic pathway is widely expressed in the mouse CNS, where significant changes are region-specific and age-dependent. This observation supports the hypothesis that 5-LO may be involved in diseases of the brain associated with aging.
Proposing the Affect-Trust Infusion Model (ATIM) to Explain and Predict the Influence of High- and Low-Affect Infusion on Web-Vendor Trust

Trust is just as essential to online business as it is to offline transactions but can be more difficult to achieve - especially for newer websites with unknown web vendors. Research on web-based trust development explains that web vendor trust can be created by both cognitive and affective (e.g., emotion-based) influences. But under what circumstances will emotion or cognition be more dominate in trust establishment? Theory-based answers to these questions can help online web vendors design better websites that account for unleveraged factors that will increase trust in the web vendor. To this end, we use the Affect Infusion Model and trust transference to propose the Affect-Trust Infusion Model (ATIM) that explains and predicts how and when cognition, through perceived website performance (PwP), and positive emotion (PEmo) each influence web vendor trust. ATIM explains the underlying causal mechanisms that determine the degree of affect infusion and the subsequent processing strategy that a user adopts when interacting with a new website. Under high-affect infusion, PEmo acts as a mediator between PwP and vendor trust; under low-affect infusion, PwP primarily impacts trust and PEmo is dis-intermediated. We review two distinct, rigorously validated experiments that empirically support ATIM. To further extend the contributions of ATIM, we demonstrate how use of specific contextual features-rooted in theory and that drive one's choice of affect infusion and cognitive processing-can be leveraged into a methodology that we propose to further enhance user-centered design (UCD). We further detail several exciting research opportunities that can leverage ATIM.
Dose-response evaluation of oral labetalol in patients presenting to the emergency department with accelerated hypertension.

Study objective: Dose-response evaluation of oral labetalol (100, 200, or 300 mg) on heart rate and systemic blood pressure in emergency department patients with hypertensive urgency (diastolic blood pressure, 110 to 140 mm Hg, and no end-organ evidence of hypertensive emergency). Methods: This acute-treatment, dose-ranging study used a randomized, double-blind, parallel design. Patients with supine diastolic blood pressure of 110 to 140 mm Hg after 30 minutes of bedrest received an oral dose of labetalol. Supine blood pressure and heart rate were measured manually and recorded hourly for four hours after dose. Diastolic blood pressure of 100 mm Hg or less or a 30-mm Hg reduction in diastolic blood pressure was considered a treatment success. Results: Two hundred fifty-five patients were evaluated for inclusion, and 36 patients (19 women and 17 men; mean age, 44 years; age range, 23 to 67 years) were studied. The most frequent reason for exclusion was a spontaneous decrease in diastolic blood pressure to less than 110 mm Hg (31%) with bedrest. There were 12 patients in each treatment group. Compared with baseline, the 100-mg dose significantly ( P P P = .903). At four hours after dose, diastolic blood pressure control was observed in 50%, 64%, and 67% of patients receiving 100, 200, and 300 mg, respectively ( P = .755). A comparison of treatment success rates between the two time periods showed a waning of response with the 100-mg dose of labetalol at hour 4 compared with hour 2 ( P Conclusion: Labetalol provides safe and effective treatment for hypertensive urgencies when administered orally in doses of 100 to 300 mg.
Iron(III) coordination chemistry of alterobactin A: a siderophore from the marine bacterium Alteromonas luteoviolacea.

Alterobactin A is a siderophore produced by the oceanic bacterium Alteromonas luteoviolacea. The thermodynamic stability constant of the ferric alterobactin A (Alt-A) complex was estimated from electrochemical measurements on the basis of a previously reported linear relationship between the reduction potentials and the pH-independent stability constants for known iron(III) complexes. The reduction potential of the ferric alterobactin A complex determined by square wave voltammetry is −0.972 V vs SCE and reversible, corresponding to a thermodynamic stability constant of 1051±2. Potentiometric titration of Fe(III)−Alt-A shows the release of six protons on complexation of Fe(III) to Alt-A. The 1H NMR resonances of the Ga(III)−Alt-A complex show that the C-4, C-5, and C-6 catecholate protons and the Cα and Cβ protons of both β-hydroxyaspartate moieties are shifted downfield relative to the free ligand, which along with the potentiometric titration data is consistent with a complex in which Fe(III) is coordin...
Solubilization of kainic acid binding sites from rat brain.

: Kainic acid binding sites were solubilized from rat brain using a combination of Triton X-100 and digitonin. The highest percentage of solubilized binding sites (45%) was obtained by treating brain membranes with 1 % Triton-X-100 and 0.2% digitonin in 0.5 M potassium phosphate containing 20% glycerol. The solubilized binding sites were stable and amenable to analysis by gel nitration and lectin affinity chromatography. Computer assisted analyses demonstrated that the solubilized sites displayed high-and low-affinity binding constants similar to the membrane-bound sites. Competition experiments further supported the pharmacological similarities of the solubilized and membrane-bound sites. Gel nitration chromatography of the solubilized binding site indicated that the detergent-bound complex had a Stokes radius of 82.7 A. The [3H]kainic acid binding site appears to be glycosylated based on its capability to bind to lectins. The lectin, wheat-germ agglutinin, proved to be a potentially useful tool for characterization because the solubilized binding sites were bound and eluted in relatively high yield.
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method for rapid identification and differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei from each other, Burkholderia thailandensis and several members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex

Aims To develop a simple gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the detection and differentiation of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei from each other, Burkholderia thailandensis and several members of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. Methods and Results Biomarkers were generated by one-step thermochemolysis (TCM) and analysed using a GC-MS system. Fragments of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate [poly(3HBA-co-3HVA)] produced by TCM were useful biomarkers. Several cellular fatty acid methyl esters were important in differentiating the various Burkholderia species. A statistical discrimination algorithm was constructed using a combination of biomarkers. The identities of four B. pseudomallei strains, four B. mallei strains and one strain of each near neighbour were confirmed in a statistically designed test using the algorithm. The detection limit for this method was found to be approximately 4000 cells. Conclusions The method is fast, accurate and easy to use. The algorithm is robust against different growth conditions (medium and temperature). Significance and Impact of the Study This assay may prove beneficial in a clinical diagnostic setting, where the rapid identification of B. pseudomallei is essential to effective treatment. This method could also be easily employed after a biological attack to confirm the presence of either B. pseudomallei or B. mallei.
PREDICTION OF THE PHASE BEHAVIOR OF ASPHALTENE MICELLE / AROMATIC HYDROCARBON SYSTEMS

ABSTRACT Asphaltene particles can be dissolved in an organic molecular system, and they may form micelles in the presence of excess amounts of aromatic molecules. The existent thermodynamic theory of phase separations in micellar solutions, developed for water/ amphiphile solutions, it is generalized and applied to the prediction of the phase separation in micellar solutions of aromatic/ asphaltene at various temperatures and normal pressure, in this paper. Three forms for asphaltene micelle formation are proposed. The calculations performed are indicative of the existence of one new phase in the asphaltene micelle formation region. The results obtained are compared with the available critical micelle concentration data.
Visual Recognition and Inference Using Dynamic Overcomplete Sparse Learning

We present a hierarchical architecture and learning algorithm for visual recognition and other visual inference tasks such as imagination, reconstruction of occluded images, and expectation-driven segmentation. Using properties of biological vision for guidance, we posit a stochastic generative world model and from it develop a simplified world model (SWM) based on a tractable variational approximation that is designed to enforce sparse coding. Recent developments in computational methods for learning overcomplete representations (Lewicki & Sejnowski, 2000; Teh, Welling, Osindero, & Hinton, 2003) suggest that overcompleteness can be useful for visual tasks, and we use an overcomplete dictionary learning algorithm (Kreutz-Delgado, et al., 2003) as a preprocessing stage to produce accurate, sparse codings of images. Inference is performed by constructing a dynamic multilayer network with feedforward, feedback, and lateral connections, which is trained to approximate the SWM. Learning is done with a variant of the back-propagation-through-time algorithm, which encourages convergence to desired states within a fixed number of iterations. Vision tasks require large networks, and to make learning efficient, we take advantage of the sparsity of each layer to update only a small subset of elements in a large weight matrix at each iteration. Experiments on a set of rotated objects demonstrate various types of visual inference and show that increasing the degree of overcompleteness improves recognition performance in difficult scenes with occluded objects in clutter.
Autocorrelation on symbol dynamics for a chaotic dry-friction oscillator

Abstract An autocorrelation function based on symbol dynamics is applied to a chaotic dry-friction oscillator to estimate the largest Lyapunov exponent. The friction problem is well suited for symbol dynamics since two distinct states of motion can be identified: sticking and slipping. In addition, the dynamics of the oscillator can be reduced to a non-invertible one-dimensional map, which has been studied in terms of binary symbol sequences. The study is done for an experimental oscillator and for a numerical model. The numerical result is compared to the Lyapunov exponent estimated from the continuous flow.
Anisotropy of warm electrons in germanium and silicon

Measurements of the warm carrier coefficient β, which describes the deviations from Ohm's law at medium electric field strengths, are reported forn-type silicon andn-type germanium for different impurity concentrations and for different crystallographic orientations. Due to the anisotropy of β we can divide into deviations from Ohm's law in one valley of the many valley-semiconductors and into intervalley scattering between the different valleys. Both effects decrease with increasing electron concentration. Additional we observe a maximum in intervalley scattering with the inset of dominating impurity scattering.
Reducing cardiovascular mortality in chronic kidney disease: something borrowed, something new

Clinical vignette: A 48-year-old man with chronic kidney disease stage five due to type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension was referred for hemodialysis initiation. His physical exam showed a blood pressure of 150/80, normal fundi, a positive fourth heart sound (S4), and trace pedal edema. Moderate aortic calcification was present on prior chest X-ray. The ECG showed left ventricle hypertrophy by voltage and slight prolongation of the QT interval. Medications included chlorthalidone, amlodipine, carvedilol, cholecalciferol, erythropoietin, and a phosphate binder. What additional therapy should be initiated to reduce vascular calcifications and cardiovascular mortality?
Input-shaped control of three-dimensional maneuvers of flexible spacecraft

This paper deals with the control of three-dimensional rotational maneuvers of flexible spacecraft. A spacecraft model with a cylindrical huh and four symmetric appendages is considered. The appendages are tong and flexible, leading to low-frequency vibration under any control action. To provide a comprehensive treatment of input-shaped controllers (time-delay filters), both open-loop and closed-loop maneuvers are considered. For the open-loop maneuver, a five-switch, near-minimum-time bang-bang controller is designed based on the rigid-body model. The design procedure accounts for the presence of the time-delay filter for determining the switch times. In addition, a combination of a Lyapunov controller with the time-delay control technique is proposed to take advantage of the simple feedback control strategy and augment it with a technique that can eliminate the vibratory motion of the flexible appendages more efficiently. I. Introduction N this paper the problem of reorientation of a hub-apI pendage structure is considered. Considerable work has been done on Lyapunov control of single-axis maneuvers of hub-appendage structures. Hablani5 provides a technique for the estimation of the switch times for a bang-bang profile for zero residual energy, single-axis slew of a flexible spacecraft. Techniques are provided to estimate switch times for a system with either damped or undamped modes. A weighted time-fuel optimal controller for the rest-to-rest slew with zero residual energy is designed using the principles of dynamics by Skaar et a1.6 An elegant input-shaping scheme proposed by Smith 7 and later modified by Singer and Seering* has been used by Wie and Liu9 to modify the flexible-body time optimal control profile to produce a robust control scheme, which has been applied to the control of a two-mass spring model. Here we consider the three-dimensional case, leading to a model that has kinematic and dynamic nonlinearities. The system under consideration consists of a cylindrical hub, with four cantilevered cylindrical appendages of equal dimensions (Fig. 1). In modeling this system, only those modes that will be excited by a hub torque are considered. These modes lead to displacements of the appendages (which are modeled as EulerBernoulli beams), which resemble a three-dimensional starfish. The equations of motion of the flexible appendages are arrived at using the Lagrangian approach, and the rigidbody equations are arrived at using the Newton-Euler technique. The assumed modes technique is used to transform the partial differential equations (representing the equations of motion of the flexible appendages) to ordinary differential equations. Two modes are used to represent the displacement of each of the flexible appendages in the simulation of the system. The first controller proposed in this study is based on the amalgamation of two powerful control techniques. First, the rigid-body controller is designed based on the Lyapunov sta
Effect of electrotransport on the solidification of Sn-Bi alloys

The influence of an electric field upon the stability of a planar interface during solidification of single phase Sn-Bi alloys was studied. Electrotransport of solute, increased temperature gradient due to Joule heating, melting of perturbations on the interface, and Peltier heating effects at the interface were all considered. At current densities of 1275 amp/cm2 an effect of the electric field was observed. The effect appears to be due to alteration of the consti-tutional supercooling criterion by electrotransport, but it is somewhat smaller than pre-dicted theoretically.
Role of human prefrontal cortex in attention control.

Abstract Without a functioning dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, humans are stimulus bound and have little confidence in their ability to interact with the environment. Deficits in inhibitory control of external and internal processes coupled with impaired temporal coding of stimuli and detection capacity for novel events leave the patient functioning in a noisy internal environment without critical spatiotemporal cues. Some of these proposals are similar to those of Nauta (104). Based on connectivity of the prefrontal cortex, Nauta suggested that this region was ideally suited to generate and evaluate internal models of action. It is proposed that, in addition to this generation function, the prefrontal cortex is crucial for detecting changes in the external environment and for discriminating internally and externally derived models of the world. This chapter has described a cascade of deficits that result from damage to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Awareness of the sensory world, and of the apparent stream of internal and external events, is impaired by deficits in novelty detection. Changes in the world, internal or external, may not be noticed in a noisy internal milieu. These deficits contribute to impaired reality monitoring and to a subsequent lack of confidence in behavior. An inability to bridge temporal gaps and temporally sequence internal events, together with deficits in inhibitory control systems, contribute to an impairment in the ability to generate coherent representations of alternate or counterfactual realities.
Bismuth-loaded plastic scintillators for gamma spectroscopy and neutron active interrogation

Bismuth-loaded plastic scintillators capable of gamma spectroscopy are being scaled up to multiple cubic inch sizes. High light yields of >38,888 Ph/MeV are obtained with Iridium-complex fluors due to efficient harvesting of both singlet and triplet excitons, providing energy resolution of ~10% at 662 keV for 3 in3 scintillators. Although singlet fluors provide a poorer light yield of ~12,888 Ph/MeV and resolution at 662 keV of 14% in the Bismuth-loaded plastics, the fast decay time of <;100 ns and the low neutron capture cross-sections of the constituent elements lend themselves to applications in neutron active interrogation. Measurements of the scintillation light yield non-proportionality reveal that exciton-exciton annihilation is suppressed in Iridium-complex activated plastic, in contrast with the singlet fluor activated plastic.
A systematic construction of B‐bar functions for linear and non‐linear mixed‐enhanced finite elements for plane elasticity problems

In a previous paper a modified Hu–Washizu variational formulation has been used to derive an accurate four node plane strain/stress finite element denoted QE2. For the mixed element QE2 two enhanced strain terms are used and the assumed stresses satisfy the equilibrium equations a priori for the linear elastic case. In this paper an alternative approach is discussed. The new formulation leads to the same accuracy for linear elastic problems as the QE2 element; however it turns out to be more efficient in numerical simulations, especially for large deformation problems. Using orthogonal stress and strain functions we derive B functions which avoid numerical inversion of matrices. The B-strain matrix is sparse and has the same structure as the strain matrix B obtained from a compatible displacement field. The implementation of the derived mixed element is basically the same as the one for a compatible displacement element. The only difference is that we have to compute a B-strain matrix instead of the standard B-matrix. Accordingly, existing subroutines for a compatible displacement element can be easily changed to obtain the mixed-enhanced finite element which yields a higher accuracy than the Q4 and QM6 elements. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transthyretin as a marker to predict outcome in critically ill patients.

Abstract Background A determination of serum Transthyretin (TTR, Prealbumin) level is an objective method of assessing protein catabolic loss of severely ill patients and numerous studies have shown that TTR levels correlate with patient outcomes of non-critically ill patients. We evaluated whether TTR level correlates with the prevalence of PEM in the ICU and evaluated serum TTR level as an indicator of the effectiveness of nutrition support and the prognosis in critically ill patients. Methods We studied PEM prevalence in 118 patients admitted to a community hospital's medical intensive care unit and the association between TTR, low albumin (ALB) concentration and high-risk disease (HRD), i.e., sepsis, inability to take in oral nutrients, etc. Serum TTR was measured on the day of admission, day 3 and day 7 of their ICU stay. APACHE II and SOFA score was assessed on the day of admission and the nutritional status and nutritional requirement was assessed for their entire ICU stay. Patients were divided into three groups based on initial TTR level and the outcome analysis was performed for APACHE II score, SOFA score, ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and mortality. Results TTR showed excellent concordance with patients classified with PEM or at high malnutrition risk, and followed for 7 days, it is a measure of the metabolic burden. TTR levels decline from day 1 to day 7 in spite of providing nutritional support. Patients were classified in 3 categories with respect to the level of TTR: more than 170 mg/L, twenty-five patients (group 3); 100–170 mg/L, forty-eight patients (group 2); less than 100 mg/L, forty-five patients (group 1). TTR level correlated with ICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and APACHE II score, and predicts mortality. Conclusions TTR identified patients at highest risk for metabolic losses associated with stress hypermetabolism as serum TTR levels did not respond early to nutrition support because of the delayed return to anabolic status. It is particularly helpful in removing interpretation bias, and it is an excellent measure of the systemic inflammatory response concurrent with a preexisting state of chronic inanition.
Determination of the fraction of plastic work converted into heat in metals

Abstract A new approach for measuring the fraction of plastic work that is converted into heat (also known as the Inelastic Heat Fraction, IHF or the Taylor–Quinney coefficient) during the plastic deformation of metals is proposed in this paper. The method is based on the uniaxial tension of a slender metal rod, with the lateral surface of the rod being under well-defined thermal boundary conditions. The corresponding one-dimensional model of heat transfer during the process is considered in the form that accounts for all major effects. The current approach is based on the fact that the unknown IHF enters this heat equation linearly and therefore can be found explicitly if all the other terms are accounted for experimentally. The experimental procedure developed is based on local measurements of temperature and its gradients and of strain and velocity with the aid of an infrared (IR) camera and a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system, respectively. A vacuum tube that encloses the specimen was designed to provide control over the heat losses due to convection during the test. A fitting method based on Hermite splines allows us to deal with smooth functions instead of noisy data sets, improving the overall accuracy of the procedure. The IHF is obtained as a function of plastic strain for a set of strain rates for four materials: 303 and 316 stainless steels, commercially-pure titanium (CP Ti) and the alloy Ti–6Al–4V. The findings indicate that the IHF is not constant with the plastic strain and furthermore, it is also sensitive to the strain-rate. Our measurements revealed that depending on the material the IHF was generally between 0.55 and 0.8, but it could also be as low as 0.3.
A Maintenance Model for Clinical Engineering

The numbers presented here for an equipment maintenance model are derived from a mix of soft data and intuition based on experience. They relate best to university hospitals in the 250-400-bed range. They relate better to numbers of devices than number of beds. In summary, they are: 1. Ideal technician workload = 400 to 550 devices. 2. Average technician productivity or ``hands-on'' maintenance time = 75%. 3. Average dollar value per device = $2,000. 4. Annual in-house maintenance ratio = 5% to 7% of value plus parts in excess of $200/item. 5. Effective rate per hour = $35 to $45/hr (depending upon region and labor costs in that region). 6. In-house maintenance costs should be less than outside costs. However, the in-house department should be aware of cost-effective outside options and employ them as appropriate. 7. Appropriate resources. 250 sq ft/technician, $20,000 capital equipment/technician, and $15 to $25/device in supplies. 8. Clinical engineers. One engineer to start the service and one engineer for each three additional technicians added. 9. Clerical support. One clerical FTE for a minimum 3 technician department, and one additional clerical FTE for each additional 1.5 FTE clinical engineers or each additional 5 FTE technicians. 10. Annual maintenance = 2.5 hr/device. (When clinical devices are distinguished from nonclinical devices, averages are 3 hr/clinical device and 2 hr/nonclinical device.) As clinical engineers, BMETs, and their departments gather experience to support or modify these numbers, I encourage them to share their findings in an experience pool available to all.
Risk of hemoptysis in patients with resected squamous cell and other high-risk lung cancers treated with adjuvant bevacizumab

Purpose Bevacizumab improves survival in lung adenocarcinomas. The potential anti-tumor benefit of bevacizumab in squamous cell lung cancers (SQCLCs) is unknown because bevacizumab is contraindicated in patients with advanced SQCLC due to an increased risk of hemoptysis. The risk of hemoptysis may be eliminated in patients with resected SQCLCs. We evaluated the safety of adjuvant bevacizumab in patients with resected SQCLCs and other lung cancers at high risk of hemoptysis.
Magmatic lobes as “snapshots” of magma chamber growth and evolution in large, composite batholiths: An example from the Tuolumne intrusion, Sierra Nevada, California

Precise chemical abrasion–thermal ionization mass spectrometry (CA-TIMS) U-Pb zircon ages in combination with detailed field mapping, 40 Ar/ 39 Ar thermochronology, and finite difference thermal modeling in the magmatic lobes of the Tuolumne batholith characterize these 10–60 km 2 bodies as shorter-lived, simpler magmatic systems that represent increments of batholith growth. Lobes provide shorter-term records of internal and external processes that are potentially obliterated in the main body of long-lived, composite batholiths. Zircon ages complemented by thermal modeling indicate that lobe-sized magma chambers were present between ∼0.2 and 1 m.y., representing only a small fraction of the total duration of melt presence in the main body. During these shorter intervals, a concentric pattern of normal compositional zoning formed during inward crystallization and widespread zircon recycling in the lobes. Lobes largely evolved as individual magma bodies that did not interact significantly with the main, more complex magma chamber(s). Antecrystic zircons and the range of autocrysts, used to track the extent of interconnected melt, record only a limited range of ages and have contrasting zircon populations to those found in the same units in the main batholith. We consider lobes to either be single batches formed during continuous magma flow or multiple, quickly coalescing pulses that in either case formed separate magma chambers that failed to amalgamate with other compositionally distinct pulses such as those occurring in the central batholith. Zircon age comparisons between all four lobes and the main body imply that growth of the Tuolumne intrusion was not stationary, but that the locus of magmatism shifted both inward and northwestward.
A track reconstruction method for silicon microstrip detectors

Abstract A method for reconstructing the position of tracks traversing a silicon microstrip detector is presented. The method attempts a maximal use of the information in the charge collected at individual strips. The position resolution is determined for various strip pitch, signal to noise and incident track angle values. Application to pixel detectors is also discussed.
HLA–D Typing with Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines VIII. Cut Points and Gene Frequency Estimates by Multiple Testing Analysis

One-way mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) data were analyzed using multiple testing analysis, a new procedure for separating HLA--D typing and non-typing responses. Using the cut points derived by this analysis, HLA--Dw phenotype frequency estimates were computed from a data base which included testing of over 400 Caucasian donors. From these, gene frequency estimates were computed and compared with those of other investigators.
Serial Pulse Oximetry in Hepatopulmonary Syndrome

The natural history of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is poorly characterized and how hypoxemia develops and progresses over time is unclear. We evaluated oxygenation over time in advanced liver disease patients with and without HPS using serial pulse oximetry. Data from a prospective cohort of patients evaluated for liver transplantation were analyzed. All patients with significant cardiopulmonary disease were excluded and patients with and without HPS were compared. Arterial oxygen saturation measurements with pulse oximetry (SpO2) were recorded serially from initial evaluation until transplantation or last clinic visit on record. Patients with SpO2 measurements at ≥2 visits were included. A total of 22 HPS patients were compared to 32 non-HPS patients (18 with intrapulmonary vasodilation on contrast echocardiography, CE) over a mean duration of 20 months and 4 SpO2 measurements. HPS patients had lower SpO2 at baseline (96.8 vs. 98.4%, P = 0.02) and at end of follow-up (95.8 vs. 98.2%, P = 0.02), and were more likely to have a ≥2% reduction (P = 0.04) and faster decline in SpO2 as compared to non-HPS patients (F = 2.2, P = 0.04). HPS patients with lower SpO2 and/or PO2 at baseline appeared more likely to worsen over time. There was no difference in SpO2 over time between the 2 non-HPS subgroups (− or +CE). HPS patients have a significant decline in SpO2 over time compared to non-HPS patients, and therefore, pulse oximetry may be useful for monitoring cirrhotics for development or worsening of HPS. Presence of intrapulmonary vasodilation in the absence of hypoxemia does not appear to affect SpO2 over time.
Triple-column ion-exchange physiological amino acid analysis with fluorescent detection: Baseline characterization of human cerebrospinal fluid

Abstract A highly resolving triple-column amino acid analyzer with fluorometric detection is described. The reliability of this technique was evaluated and it was used in a baseline investigation of amino acids and related compounds in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The procedure employs three distinct ion-exchange columns to elute the acidic, neutral, and basic amino acids, respectively. Each column is run isocratically with lithium citrate buffers designed to provide overlapping elution profiles. Studies using CSF collected under strictly controlled conditions documented nanomolar concentrations of aspartate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), β-alanine, 1-methylhistidine, and 3-methylhistidine, as well as low levels of glutamate, methyllysine, and ammonia. In addition, other common amino acids were also quantified. Chromatograms of CSF from all three systems (acidic, neutral, and basic) exhibited numerous uncharacterized compounds emphasizing the resolution and sensitivity of the analytical procedure. In vitro stability studies revealed that levels of aspartate, glutamate, GABA, homocarnosine, and ammonia are subject to significant change when CSF is maintained at room temperature for various periods of time up to 24 h. It is concluded that the valid and accurate measurement of CSF amino compounds, especially the neurotransmitter amino acids, requires a highly specific and sensitive assay procedure as well as strict control of CSF manipulation in vitro.
Hydrogen peroxide: A potent activator of dioxygenase activity of soybean lipoxygenase

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide, an ubiquitous biologically occurring peroxide, was found to stimulate the dioxygenase activity of soybean lipoxygenase at the physiologically attainable concentration. The increase in enzyme specific activity was directly proportional to hydrogen peroxide concentration up to 0.5 nM. A decrease in the stimulation of dioxygenase activity was observed at higher concentrations. At low enzyme concentration up to 28-fold stimulation was noted when the formation of lipid hydroperoxide was monitored spectrophotometrically. The stimulation was further confirmed by increased oxygen uptake. It is proposed that the mechanism for in vivo activation involves hydrogen peroxide.
Suppressive effects of remifentanil on hemodynamics in baro-denervated rabbits.

Purpose: To elucidate mechanisms by which remifentanil, an ultra-short-acting μ-opioid receptor agonsit, causes hypotension and bradycardia.
Acquisition of morphological variation: The case of the English definite article

Morphological systems have been pivotal in exploring cognitive mechanisms of language use and acquisition. Adult English definite article form preference seems to depend non-deterministically on multiple factors. A corpus study of adult spontaneous speech revealed similar patterns of variability. In an experiment, article variant preferences of three age groups were compared. Children were sensitive to the same phonological factors as adults, but showed effects of more limited experience with articulation and orthography. Preferences across age groups suggest developmental changes, but no evidence that children initially use a default form. Corpus studies of children's and adults’ speech also revealed no evidence for a default. The results point to overgeneralisation of both article variants, resulting from extended competition between variant forms.
Influence of the Distal His in Imparting Imidazolate Character to the Proximal His in Heme Peroxidase: 1H NMR Spectroscopic Study of Cyanide-Inhibited His42→Ala Horseradish Peroxidase

The functional higher oxidation states of heme peroxidases have been proposed to be stabilized by the significant imidazolate character of the proximal His. This is induced by a “push−pull” combination effect produced by the proximal Asp that abstracts (“pulls”) the axial His ring NδH, along with the distal protonated His that contributes (“pushes”) a strong hydrogen bond to the distal ligand. The molecular and electronic structure of the distal His mutant of cyanide-inhibited horseradish peroxidase, H42A-HRPCN, has been investigated by NMR. This complex is a valid model for the active site hydrogen-bonding network of HRP compound II. The 1H and 15N NMR spectral parameters characterize the relative roles of the distal His42 and proximal Asp247 in imparting imidazolate character to the axial His. 1D/2D spectra reveal a heme pocket molecular structure that is highly conserved in the mutant, except for residues in the immediate proximity of the mutation. This conserved structure, together with the observed d...
PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES IN SOYBEAN INHIBITED BY GASEOUS POLLUTANTS BUT NOT BY ACID RAIN

Summary The responses of several physiological processes and indices were studied in soybean plants [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. ‘Davis’] exposed to combinations of polluted air (0.1 μl l−1 SO2+ 0.05 μl l−1 O3) and simulated acid rain (pH 3.4, 4.2 and 5.0). Plants exposed to the gaseous air pollutants had lower foliar concentrations of mineral nutrients and chlorophyll. Leaf abscission was increased and photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, and vegetative growth were inhibited by SO2+ O3. There was no evidence of adverse effects from acid rain on the physiology of this cultivar, regardless of the gaseous pollutant treatment. In the absence of fundamental physiological dysfunctions, acid rain is unlikely to reduce yield; hence, this study with ‘Davis’ soybeans supports the conclusion of those field studies that have indicated no adverse effects of acid rain on soybeans.
ENDOGENOUS NOCTURNAL GROWTH HORMONE (GH) RELEASE CONTINUES TO OCCUR IN PUBERTAL CHILDREN WITH IDIOPATHIC SHORT STATURE (ISS) DESPITE GH THERAPY

We have shown that the GH axis is resilient with a return of pulsatile CH release 48 hours after injection of GH in children with ISS (JCEM 70:1612, 1990). Pharmacokinetics of GH after a subcutaneous (SC) dose of GH has been performed in children with idiopathic GH deficiency (JCEM 72:1148, 1991). This study was performed to determine if daily GH therapy influences the endogenous nocturnal pulsatile GH release in prepubertal (PP) and pubertal (P) males. GH levels were obtained every 20 minutes over a 24 hour period from 9a.m.-9a.m. in 7 healthy children with ISS (height 10ng/ml in response to provocative stimuli) on GH treatment for at least 3 months. GH (Protropin) 0.043mg/kg SC was given at 7 p.m. on the day of study. 5 pubertal males (Testes > 6 ml) and 2 prepubertal males with a Body mass index SD score < 2 SD of age- derived normal measures have been studied. GH parameters examined included 24 hour mean GH levels, mean peak frequency, and maximum GH peak amplitude (max GH-PA). GH peak analysis was performed using the Cluster Analysis Program.
Herpes zoster and diabetes mellitus.

Received November 20, 2013. Revised November 25, 2013. Accepted November 25, 2013. Correspondence to: Ivan Chernev ARH Southern WV Clinic, 250 Stanaford Road, Beckley, West Virginia, 25801, USA Tel: +1-304-254-2646, Fax: +1-304-254-2794, E-mail: ivantchernev@yahoo.com This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Copyright c The Korean Pain Society, 2014 LETTERS TO EDITORS
Are Floods on the Delaware River Getting Worse

Historical floods on the Delaware River were analyzed using 15-, 25-, and 50-year-long records to determine whether floods in recent years are worse than those in previous periods. The 111-year-long record of annual maximum floods at Trenton, New Jersey, was used. Predictions of the 10-, 50-, 100-, and 1,000-year floods were seen to vary significantly with the record length used to predict them.
Promoter Elements Responsible for Antioxidant Regulation of MCP-1 Gene Expression

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is produced by different cells in response to inflammatory stimulation. In the present study, a series of human MCP-1 promoter reporter genes were constructed to illustrate elements involved in antioxidant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) inhibition of MCP-1 gene expression. MCP-1 secretion and mRNA expression and transcription activity stimulated by TNF-α or IL-1β were significantly inhibited by 1% DMSO in alveolar type II epithelial cells (A549). Deletion of −7537 to −2741 caused a 77% decrease in reporter activity, but DMSO inhibition was still present. Deletion of −7537 to −2616 containing the A1 NF-κB binding site resulted in a complete loss of MCP-1 stimulation. Deletion of −2585 to −74 decreased reporter activity by ∼50%, and DMSO inhibited this induction. Deletion of −2614 to −74 containing the A2 NF-κB binding site completely abolished responses to stimulation. Mutations of either of the NF-κB binding sites decreased promoter activity, which could still be inhi...
A Three Component Method Of Data Analysis For Nondestructive Testing By Infrared Scanning

The infrared scanning data for nondestructive testing are decomposed into three components; global trend, local contours, and noise. Methods are proposed to determine the trend function resulting from surface curvature and surface emissivity changes. The contour function is shown to possess isotherm features which permit the use of pattern recognition to detect structure defects. Data discrimination methods are also presented to identify data as to its implications. As a demonstration for application, two case studies are presented that include analysis for data without either contour or trend component.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Crash Risk Assessment Using Intelligent Transportation Systems Data and Real-Time Intervention Strategies to Improve Safety on Freeways

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the novel idea of real-time traffic safety improvement on freeways. Crash prone conditions on the freeway mainline and ramps were identified using loop detector data, then intelligent transportation systems (ITS) strategies to reduce the crash risk in real-time are proposed. Separate logistic regression models for assessing the risk of crashes occurring under two speed regimes were estimated. The results show that the variables in the two models are consistent with probable mechanisms of crashes under the respective regimes (high-to-moderate and low speed). This study also discusses the analysis of parameters and conditions that affect crash occurrence on freeway ramps by type (on-/off-ramp) and configurations (diamond, loop, etc.) using five-minute traffic flow data obtained from the loop detectors upstream and downstream of ramps to reflect actual traffic conditions prior to the time of crashes. Finally, several traffic management strategies are evaluated for the resulting traffic safety improvement in real-time using PARAMICS microscopic traffic simulation and the measures of crash potential determined through the logistic regression models. The results show that, while variable speed limit strategies reduced the crash potential under moderate-to-high speed conditions, ramp metering strategies were effective in reducing the crash potential during the low-speed conditions.
Outcomes of carotid endarterectomy and stenting in elderly patients.

Importance: Uncertainty exists about the influence of advanced age on the outcomes of carotid revascularization. Objective: To undertake a comprehensive review of the literature and conduct an analysis of the outcomes of carotid interventions in the elderly. Design and Setting: A systematic literature review was conducted to identify articles comparing early outcomes of carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid stenting (CAS) in elderly and young patients.
Multiple constituencies model in the identification of library effectiveness

Purpose – Public libraries can benefit from understanding the perspectives of various stakeholders leading to the development of measures for decision making and competing for funding as well as demonstrating accountability. The purpose of this paper is to examine library effectiveness from the perspective of multiple stakeholders from a list of indicators pertinent to today and to determine which are most important to a constituency of a single library and any differences among the various constituencies. Design/methodology/approach – A survey that listed indicators of effectiveness for a public library was given to four stakeholder groups of a city library: employees, library board, library foundation members, and the public. Findings – Of the 51 indicators, 39 comprised eight dimensions of effectiveness under the labels of: user experience, facility, digital collection, social media and board, community use, employees, administration, and collection management. The number of statistically significant d...
A Comparison Study of Three Polar Grids

Abstract The circumference of a latitude circle decreases toward the Poles, making it difficult to present meteorological field variables on equally spaced grids with respect to latitude and longitude because of data aggregation. To identify the best method for displaying data at the Poles, three different grids are compared that have all been designed to reduce data aggregation: the reduced latitude–longitude (RL) grid, the National Snow and Ice Data Center Equal-Area Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) Earth (EA) grid, and the National Meteorological Center octagonal (OG) grid. The merits and disadvantages of these grids are compared in terms of depictions of the Arctic summer circulation with wind vectors, streamfunction, and velocity potential at 400 hPa where maximum westerlies are located. Using geostrophy, the 400-hPa streamfunction at high latitudes can be formed from geopotential height. In comparison with this geostrophic streamfunction, the streamfunction generated from vorticity on the OG ...
Plato on Sense-Perception and Knowled ge (Theaetetus 184-186)

Plato's argument in the Theaetetus (184 b 186 e) against the proposal that knowledge be defined as caatqaL1 has, I think, not yet been fully understood or rightly appreciated. Existing interpretations fall into two groups. On the one hand, F. M. Cornford2 and others think that Plato rejects the proposal on the ground that the objects which we perceive are not the sort of objects of which one could have knowledge: only the unchanging Forms can be known. On the other hand, there are those3 who think Plato's argument has nothing to do with Forms but instead turns on a distinction between sensation and judgment which has the consequence that the thinking we do about the deliverances of the senses, and not the mere use of the senses, is the source of our knowledge. The interpretation which I advance in this paper belongs to the second of these two broad classes, but differs from others in providing a more careful account of the distinctions which Plato seems to be making in this passage. Much of the interest of the argument lies, I think, in the analysis of the process of perception which Plato produces by distinguishing carefully the contribution of the senses from that of the mind; but this analysis has not been given the attention it deserves. The complexities of the argument can be usefully indicated by a brief examination of Comford's interpretation. According to Cornford Plato's argument proceeds in two stages. In the first (184 b 186 a 1) Plato concludes that there is knowledge which is not a matter of per-