cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does aggregation hide the harmful effects of inequality on growth

Abstract Aggregation can severely bias conventional tests of whether inequality impedes growth. A micro growth model estimated on farm-household data for rural China indicates that asset inequality in the area of residence has a harmful external effect on consumption growth. The effect is lost in a regional growth regression.
A note on the derivation of Black‐Scholes hedge ratios

TIE SU An option hedge ratio is the sensitivity of an option price with respect to price changes in the underlying stock. It measures the number of shares of stocks to hedge an option position. This article presents a simple derivation of the hedge ratios under the Black-Scholes option-pricing framework. The proof is succinct and easy to follow. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 23:1119–1122, 2003
Status of risk factors and their consideration in antihypertensive therapy

Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include atherogenic personal attributes, living habits that promote them, signs of preclinical disease and host susceptibility. Atherogenic traits include the blood lipids, blood pressure and glucose tolerance. An increased low density lipoprotein cholesterol level is positively related, and an increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol level is inversely related, to cardiovascular disease incidence. Hypertension, whether systolic or diastolic, labile or fixed, casual or basal, at any age in either sex contributes greatly. The impact of diabetes is greater for women than men and varies depending on the level of the foregoing risk factors. An atherogenic lifestyle is typified by a diet excessive in calories, fat and salt, sedentary habits, unrestrained weight gain and smoking. Alcohol used in moderation may be beneficial. Oral contraceptives worsen atherogenic traits and, when used for long periods beyond age 35 and in conjunction with cigarettes, predispose to thromboembolism. Type A persons with an overdeveloped sense of time urgency, drive and competitiveness develop an excess of angina pectoris. Men married to more highly educated women are at increased risk as are men married to women in white collar jobs. Preclinical signs of compromised coronary circulation include silent myocardial infarction, left ventricular hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram, blocked intraventricular conduction and repolarization abnormalities. An electrocardiogram obtained during exercise may elicit still earlier evidence. Measures of innate susceptibility include a family history, history of premature cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and gout. Optimal prediction of risk requires a quantitative combination of risk factors in multiple logistic risk formulations to identify high risk persons with multiple marginal abnormalities.
Distributed Modeling Architecture of a Multi-Agent-Based Behavioral Economic Landscape (MABEL) Model

The authors discuss a distributed modeling architecture in a multi-agent-based behavioral economic landscape (MABEL) model that simulates land-use changes over time and space. Based on agent-based modeling methodologies, MABEL presents a bottom-up approach to allow the analysis of dynamic features and relations among geographic, environmental, human, and socioeconomic attributes of landowners, as well as comprehensive relational schematics of land-use change. The authors adopt a distributed modeling architecture (DMA) in MABEL to separate the modeling of agent behaviors in Bayesian belief networks from task-specific simulation scenarios.Through a client-server infrastructure, MABEL provides an efficient and scalable decision request-response mechanism among heterogeneous agents, scenarios, and behavioral models. As an important part of the land-use change model, a market-bidding system and an adaptive land partition algorithm for land transactions are also discussed.
Evolution of undercut slopes on abandoned incised meanders in the Eastern Highland Rim of Tennessee, USA

Abstract Field surveys, location-for-time reasoning, and computer modeling were used to study the evolution of slopes on valley walls of abandoned bedrock meanders on the Eastern Highland Rim, Tennessee. Hillslopes on the undercut slopes of cutoff incised meanders were ordered as to relative age by the height of their meander floors above the modern stream level. The assumption is that the undercut slope is actively eroded by the stream until abandonment of the meander, at which time the slope begins to evolve to a different form. More-advanced stages of evolution occur on walls of higher meanders that were abandoned earlier. The most rapid change in this initial form is the elimination of a free face, which occurs soon after the meander is abandoned. In addition, the hillslopes associated with even the lowest (youngest) cutoff meanders show somewhat gentler overall gradients than the actively undercut slopes. Hillslopes associated with meanders 3 to about 20 m above modern stream level maintain straight segments with angles showing only a slight decrease from the 36–38° associated with the lowest cutoffs; overall angles decrease, however, as the straight segment becomes shorter. The oldest slopes, those on cutoffs 30 m or greater above modern stream level, have developed into convex–concave slopes with maximum slopes of 15°. A hillslope evolution model based on previously published algorithms was used to simulate the transition of actively undercut hillslopes into hillslopes on abandoned meanders. Hillslope modeling is particularly useful in this setting. If the valley incision rate is known, an age can be estimated for the cutoff and hence for the hillslope. Alternatively, if hillslope process rates are known, a model age obtained for the hillslope can be used to estimate an incision rate. Even where both incision rates and hillslope process rates are poorly constrained, as in the present setting, modeling allows assumptions about specific rates to be evaluated by determining their implications for other rates. For example, for three cutoff meanders along one stream, best-fit criteria were used to select process rates for the model. Model ages of hillslopes were then obtained and compared with those calculated from a valley-incision rate measured elsewhere in the same physiographic province. For two of the hillslopes, model ages were found to be much younger than those calculated from the incision rate. In order to make the two ages agree, unreasonably low process rates had to be used in the model, thus implying that the incision rate probably underestimates the actual incision rate in this valley. Experimentation with heights of initial profiles, again using best-fit criteria, suggests that since abandonment of the highest cutoff, the plateau has been downwasting at a rate about one-fourth that of the valley incision rate, a finding in agreement with published rates of chemical denudation in the area.
Effect of Methionine and Choline on Tannic Acid and Tannin Toxicity in the Laying Hen

Abstract Single Comb White Leghorn hens were fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet marginal in methionine and choline to study the influence of supplemental choline and/or methionine on the toxicity of 2% tannic acid (TA) (Experiment 1) and 1% TA (Experiment 2) using 12 birds per treatment. In a third study, with two groups of 10 hens per treatment, the feeding value of a low tannin (0.26%) and two high tannin (1.20 and 1.24%) grain, sorghum varieties was studied with and without supplemental choline and methionine. In Experiment 1 the 2% TA-containing diet was toxic and caused a decrease in egg production, egg weight and body weight and an increase in egg yolk mottling. Supplementing this diet with choline, methionine or both partially alleviated the toxic effects. In Experiment 2 the 1% TA-containing diet gave a slight but non-significant reduction in egg production, decreased egg weight and body weight. In Experiment 3 the high tannin grain sorghums had no significant effects on egg production, egg weight, but there was a trend toward a decrease in both factors. The high tannin sorghums did not influence yolk mottling, but caused a reduction in body weight which was prevented by the addition of methionine and choline to the diet.
Influence of Temperature and Penetration Depth on Photopolymerization of n-Butyl Acrylate Using a Narrow Channel Reactor

The influence of temperature and reactor size on photopolymerization kinetics of n-butyl acrylate (n-BA) using narrow channel reactors has been investigated. Experimental results have shown that increase in temperature and decrease in size of the reactor increases the monomer conversion. The effect of temperature was studied by immersing the reactor in a water bath maintained at different temperatures. A narrow channel glass reactor, 900 mm long, with diameters 1.5 mm, 1.0 mm, and 0.5 mm respectively were used to study the effect of light penetration depth on the rate of polymerization and molecular weights of the polymer produced. The degree of branching in the polymer produced was also estimated and compared with published data. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
The fragile politics of addiction

Suppose the optimizing consumer only has local information, then what? Obviously, there will be a random element of consumption. The link between the frequency distribution of consumption by person and preference surface is worked out. Under convex preferences there will be a unimodal distribution and conversely. A local optimizing theory of addictive behavior is developed from nonconvex preferences. The resulting bimodal distribution of consumption implies a nonrobust outcome for median voter politics. Such a local optimizing model of addiction is compared with globally optimizing models of addiction.
International franchising in China with Kodak

According to Kodak, China poses unparalleled opportunities for low-cost production and marketing of products to the world's largest nation. According to the company's estimate, China will become the largest market in the world for photographic products and services within the next ten years. This article reviews Kodak's operations in China and presents an interview with a local franchising manager in Shanghai—the largest city in China. It provides a unique glimpse into the inner working of the organization's franchising activities in China. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Prolactin receptors in tilapia (Sarotherodon mossambicus) tissues: Binding studies using 125I-labeled ovine prolactin

Abstract The binding of 125I-labeled ovine prolactin (oPRL) to membrane preparations of tissue from freshwater-adapted tilapia (Sarotherodon mossambicus) was examined. Liver, ovary, and testis showed a relatively high specific binding (5–10%). A lower specific binding occurred consistently in intestine and gill tissue, and inconsistently in urinary bladder and kidney preparations. Desaturation experiments with MgCl2 indicated that a majority of the PRL receptors were already occupied by endogenous PRL. Scatchard analysis of liver binding gave a dissociation constant of 0.6 × 10−9 M and a capacity of 207 fmol/mg protein.
Oxygen consumption of genetically obese rats

Der Sauerstoffverbrauch genetisch fettleibiger Ratten ist auffallend niedriger als derjenige von Normalratten (littermates), die nach Hypothalamusverletzung fettleibig wurden.
Emerging Areas of Scientific Research Using Ultrashort-Pulse X-ray Sources

Over the past few decades, scientists have focused their attention on the development of concepts and designs, leading to demonstrations, of unique x-ray sources to perform femtosecond and attosecond science. The rewards of such an effort in the x-ray wavelength range will revolutionize the subfields of atomic physics, molecular physics, biology, condensed matter physics and material science. A brief review of this subject and its impact on emerging areas of science will be presented. The storage-ring-based synchrotron radiation sources are today's workhorses in providing both time-averaged and time-resolved structural and chemical information with subnanosecond to subsecond resolution using x-ray imaging, spectroscopy and scattering techniques. On the other hand, many phenomena are ultrafast with characteristic periods of a few femtoseconds to tens of picoseconds. These include electronic motions around a nucleus in an atom, atomic and molecular vibrational motions in matter, spin dynamics, chemical and biological reactions, and phase transitions in response to photoexcitation. Probing such phenomena using photon-excited pump-probe experiments will require both optical and x-ray sources with comparable resolution. In the future, sources based on atypical concepts in storage-rings, table-top plasma sources, laser-based high harmonic generation (HHG) sources, linac-based sources, such as energy-recovery linacs (ERLs) and x-ray free-electron lasers (FELs), will likely meet these demands.
Influence of temperature stress on the energy and protein metabolism and requirements of the working horse

Abstract In coping with the effects of high temperatures, the movement of performance horses from temperate to tropical and sub-tropical regions places major demands on their animals metabolic and cooling systems. Without acclimation, high temperatures increase body core temperature, sweating, metabolic rate, and alter the rate at which glucose and lipids are metabolized. These effects appear to be transitory, as the animal's metabolism returns to near temperate metabolism after 2–3 weeks of acclimatization. High temperatures also result in reduced feed intake. Feeding animals under high temperature conditions generally means keeping forage intake to a minimum and maximizing the energy density of the concentrate. A high fat concentrate is recommended because fat reduces the heat load on the animal, even though the fat may be metabolically less important than glucose. Increased sweat production will increase nitrogen loss, making additional protein intake necessary. Nevertheless, protein intake, above the animal's requirement, may have an adverse effect on body heat production. Therefore, minimizing protein intake, by the addition of appropriate amino acids, such as lysine and threonine, to the diet, may be beneficial.
Observations of the convective plume of a lake under cold-air advective conditions

Moderating effects of Lake Apopka, Florida, on downwind surface temperatures were evaluated under cold-air advective conditions. Point temperature measurements north and south of the lake and data obtained from a thermal scanner flown at 1.6 km indicate that surface temperatures directly downwind may be higher than surrounding surface temperatures by as much as 5 C under conditions of moderate winds (about 4 m/s). No substantial temperature effects were observed with surface wind speed less than 1 m/s. Fluxes of sensible and latent heat from Lake Apopka were calculated from measurements of lake temperature, net radiation, relative humidity, and air temperature above the lake. Bulk transfer coefficients and the Bowen ratio were calculated and found to be in agreement with reported data for nonadvective conditions.
Heat capacity measurements by computer-interfaced DSC

A computer assisted heat capacity measuring system has been designed from commercial components. A differential scanning calorimeter of type Perkin-Elmer DSC-2 forms the basis for measurements from 100 to 1000 K. A Hewlett-Packard calculator (minicomputer) of type 9821 is the data handling system. The data are collected and permanently stored on teletape. The program has been written to govern measurement and final computation, tabulation, plotting, and curve fitting. Calibration is done by comparison with benzoic acid or aluminium oxide (sapphire). Zinc heat capacities have been measured as an example and for evaluation of accuracy. Accuracies of better than ± 0.5% have been achieved, an improvement of approximately a factor 3 to 5 over a similar system without computer assist. The system will be used mainly for heat capacities of linear macromolecules.
Synthesis, structures and magnetic properties of 2-aminomethylpyridine-Ni(II) complexes

Abstract A family of complexes of Ni(II), 2-aminomethylpyridine (ampy) and tricyanomethanide (tcm) have been prepared and studied by IR, X-ray crystallography and variable temperature susceptibility. The complexes synthesized include [Ni(ampy)3](ClO4)2 (1), [Ni(ampy)3](tcm)(PF6) (2), [Ni(ampy)3](PF6)2 (3), [Ni(ampy)2(H2O)2]Cl2 (4), and [Ni(ampy)2(tcm)2] (5). No coordination polymers of tcm were obtained. The magnetic behavior of the complexes, and the known material [Ni(ampy)(NO3)2], is dominated by single-ion anisotropy effects with D-values in the range of −2 to −12 K, although some compounds show a weak antiferromagnetic interaction.
Formation of magnetic single-domain magnetite in ocean ridge basalts with implications for sea-floor magnetism.

Although magnetic data are the primary evidence for ocean floor spreading, the processes by which magnetic phases in ocean floor basalts are formed remain poorly constrained. Scanning transmission electron microscopic observations show that magnetic single-domain magnetite in sheeted dike basalts of Deep Sea Drilling Project hole 504B formed through oxidation-exsolution of ilmenite, exsolution of ulvospinel lamellae, and recrystallization of end-member magnetite by interaction with convecting fluids. The data suggest that the sheeted dike basalts, with single-domain magnetite as an efficient and stable magnetic carrier, contribute significantly to sea-floor magnetism.
Transportable broad-band-pass Fabry-Perot spectrometer for solar system observations

To take advantage of the large luminosity-resolution product of the Fabry-Perot interferometer used in tandem with modest aperture telescopes, a Fabry-Perot interferometer has been developed that is widely adaptable to a variety of extended source observations. The instrument is designed for adaptability across a range of optical and near infrared spectral lines from 550 nm to 1,100 nm, which are characterized by a wide range of velocity distributions of the emitting species. The system features twin etalon configuration to provide extended free spectral range and to enhance contrast when observations include bright reflected solar or twilight backgrounds. Although the optical path and all optical elements of the system are readily accessible, the instrument is ruggedized for transportability and extended remote field operation once optically configured. State-of-the-art, but proven detectors (GaAs photomultipliers, large charge coupled devices, and Ge-Nitride integrating detectors) are featured to optimize instrument sensitivity, and are modularly adaptable.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Perseverative Thinking and Health: Neurovisceral Concomitants

In the present paper we present the outlines of a model that may help to guide us in our understanding of the relationship between perseverative thinking and health. We will emphasize the relationship between perseverative thinking and vagal cardiac control and propose a group of underlying neural structures that serve to integrate these functions in the service of self-regulation and adaptability of the organism. We will attempt to place this network in the context of systems models which involve feedback and feedforward circuits with special attention to negative feedback mechanisms and inhibitory processes. From a systems perspective, inhibitory processes can be viewed as negative feedback circuits that allow for the interruption of ongoing behavior and the re-deployment of resources to other tasks. When these negative feedback mechanisms are compromised, positive feedback loops may develop as a result of dis-inhibition. From this perspective, the relative sympathetic activation seen in perseverative t...
Teacher Absenteeism in Urban Schools

School reform efforts aimed at promoting equity and excellence at urban school settings are heavily dependent upon the quality of teaching personnel that are used to deliver the instructional program. Social Justice and other public policy issues related to equity and excellence at urban schools have begun to examine the impact that teacher absenteeism, and by extension the reliance on substitute teachers to deliver instructional might have on educational attainment. This study combines school district data gathering mechanisms on teacher absence rates at school sites with Geographical Information Systems (G.I.S.) to map the association between a school's geographical environmental space and the propensity for teacher absence. The disparity between teaching resources as delivered by the school district vs. teacher resources as actually received by students in the classroom via teacher absenteeism is examined in the context of schools located in positive (high income) and negative (low income) geographical space. The study concludes that there is a strong association between the geographical quality of the school site setting, teacher absenteeism, and the reliance on substitute teachers to deliver instructional programs. Disparity in teacher absenteeism rates across large urban geographical areas threatens the promotion of equity and excellence in the schools by attenuating or lessening the effect of school resources to support instruction and amplifying the risk factors of students in the classroom.
A global overview of aquaculture production

Abstract Aquaculture, or underwater agriculture, is an art that has been practiced for some 4000 years. Largely within the past three decades, it has developed into a science. Aquacultured plants, molluscs, crustaceans, and fishes contribute significantly to man's food supply, though total production from wild harvest continues to greatly exceed the contribution from aquaculture. In the United States, development of the channel catfish industry since 1960 is an example of one of the major success stories of aquaculture. U.S. aquaculture is almost insignificant, however, in comparison with production levels that have been achieved in Asia. Constraints associated with user conflicts, availability of water, and a pending crisis in the world's fish meal supply exist, but modern technology may find solutions to these problems. Aquaculture, while not the total answer to providing food for a hungry planet, will continue to make an important contribution. One of the major challenges to further aquaculture growth ...
Intramedullary spinal cord astrocytomas in children.

Background Intramedullary spinal cord astrocytomas are uncommon tumors in childhood. There is little information on therapy and outcome of astrocytomas in this location. Procedure A retrospective review was performed for the 10 children who were treated between 1996 and 2003 for spinal cord astrocytomas in our institution. Only one had metastatic disease. All ten patients underwent surgical resection, nine partial and one total. Eight had low-grade tumors, and two high-grade tumors. Two had surgery only, four had chemotherapy only, two had radiation only, and two had both radiation and chemotherapy. Results Progression free survival was 58% and survival was 68% at 4 years. Four patients had disease progression, of which three died. Both children with high-grade astrocytomas died. Two of eight of the children with low-grade astrocytomas of the cord recurred, one having received radiation as initial therapy and the other chemotherapy. The child, who relapsed after radiation, had a spastic quadriplegia from radiation myelitis and no salvage therapy was attempted. The four patients, all with low-grade astrocytomas, who treated with chemotherapy alone, received carboplatin and vincristine. Of these four, three are in continuous remission and one relapsed, but was salvaged with radiation. Conclusions Chemotherapy and radiation did not benefit those with high-grade astrocytomas of the spinal cord. Good outcomes can be achieved by conservative surgery for low-grade astrocytomas of the cord when adjuvant therapy is given. Carboplatin and vincristine appeared to be effective, safe therapy for those with low-grade astrocytomas of the cord. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Hitting time fork edge-disjoint spanning trees in a random graph

We show that in almost every random graph process, the hitting time for havingk edge-disjoint spanning trees equals the hitting time for having minimum degreek.
A Method to Estimate the 3D–Time Structure of the Raindrop Size Distribution Using Radar and Disdrometer Data*

AbstractA geostatistical method to quantify the small-scale 3D–time structure of the drop size distribution (DSD) from the ground level up to the melting layer using radar and disdrometer data is presented. First, 3D–time radar reflectivity fields are used to estimate the large-scale properties of a rain event, such as the apparent motion, spatial anisotropy, and temporal innovation. The retrieved quantities are then combined with independent disdrometer time series to estimate the 3D–time variogram of each DSD parameter. A key point in the procedure is the use of a new metric for measuring distances in moving anisotropic rainfall fields. This metric has the property of being invariant with respect to the specific rainfall parameter being considered, that is, it is identical for the radar reflectivity, rain rate, mean drop diameter, drop concentration, or any other weighted moment of the DSD. Evidence is shown of this fact and some illustrations for a stratiform event in southern France and a convective c...
Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution using amorphous tungsten phosphide nanoparticles

Amorphous tungsten phosphide (WP), which has been synthesized as colloidal nanoparticles with an average diameter of 3 nm, has been identified as a new electrocatalyst for the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) in acidic aqueous solutions. WP/Ti electrodes produced current densities of −10 mA cm−2 and −20 mA cm−2 at overpotentials of only −120 mV and −140 mV, respectively, in 0.50 M H2SO4(aq).
Characteristics of Preschoolers Interested in Microcomputers

AbstractThis study aimed to assess cognitive and behavioral correlates of young children's interest in computers. Based on teachers' ratings, 20 4-to 5-year-old children were classified as highly involved, moderately involved, or little involved in using an Apple II microcomputer made available to them in a preschool setting. Free play observations were made, and cognitive tests were administered to all children. Summing over times when with an adult, with a peer, or when alone, several significant differences among the groups of children were found. Computer users tended to be older, were equally likely to be a boy or a girl, and most important, exhibited significantly higher levels of cognitive maturity than children who were rated by their teachers as not very likely to be seen using the Apple. Even after statistically controlling for the effects of age, several significant group differences remained. High microcomputer users manifested higher levels of representational competence as measured by a symb...
Estimating Hazard Functions for Discrete Lifetimes

ABSTRACT Frequently in inference, the observed data are modeled as a sample from a continuous probability model, implying the observed data are precisely measured. Usually, the actual data available to the investigator are discrete–-either because they are rounded, meaning the exact measurement is within an interval defined by some small measurement unit related to the precision of the measuring device, or because the data are discrete, meaning the time periods until the event of interest are countable instead of continuous. This article is motivated by the common practice of testing for duration dependence (non constant hazard function) in economic and financial data using the continuous Weibull distribution when the data are discrete. A simulation study shows that biased parameter estimates and distorted hypothesis tests result when the degree of discretization is severe. When observations are rounded, as in measuring the time between stock trades, it is proper to treat them as interval-censored. When o...
Acceleration of Polarized Protons in the Brookhaven AGS

A multi-laboratory-university collaborative project involving Argonne, Brookhaven, Michigan, Rice and Yale is underway to accelerate polarized protons at the AGS. The success of the now turned off 12 GeV/c ZGS polarized beam and the design studies for the AGS made us confident of the feasibility of achieving a polarization of about 60% at 26 GeV/c with an intensity 1011 to 1012 protons/pulse. Such a beam would be a potential source of polarized protons for ISABELLE. This report gives a brief discussion of the overall project and describes the tests of a prototype of the fast pulsed ferrite quadrupole magnets which will jump the intrinsic depolarizing resonances.
Transmission electron microscopy study of the microstructure and crystallographic orientation relationships in V/Ag multilayers

Abstract Microstructures and orientation relationships in sputter-deposited, polycrystalline V/Ag multilayers with different individual thicknesses ranging from 1 to 50 nm were investigated. It was found that the wavy morphology of layers resulting from competitive kinetic limitations of deposited atoms gives rise to a variety of orientation relationships between two adjacent layers. At the top or bottom of curved layers Kurdjumov–Sachs and Nishiyama–Wasserman orientations were dominant, while on the slopes of the wavy interfaces close-packed face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic planes joined each other. As a consequence, Bain, Pitsch and many intermediate orientation relationships were generated. In most cases intermediate orientations with 1–3° deviations from the parallel planes or directions in standard orientations were observed. The tilted interfaces, followed by the introduction of disconnections to relieve misfit stress, had a tendency to form an invariant habit plane in which the strain was completely relieved. A model describing disconnections and invariant planes can explain the observed deviations and orientation of the habit plane. Calculations of the evolution of the surface morphology on the basis of the kinetic behavior of deposits were performed to facilitate interpretation of the formation of the wavy structure.
The chakra system as a bio‑socio‑psycho‑spiritual model of consciousness: Anahata as heart‑centered consciousness

Today, to most scientific materialists the seat of consciousness is the brain. According to the dominant strand of this reductionist monist view, consciousness - and naturally the mind of which it is a part - is an epiphenomenon of the brain. This is a metaphysical assumption and as far as I know, there has not been any proof as of yet to support such a claim (aka the hard problem of consciousness). According to scientism, the mind is an illusion, albeit, a useful one from an evolutionary standpoint. This illusion - which strangely enough is not too different from the Hindu notion of maya - has helped us not only survive for thousands of years but also adapt more quickly to our environment. Even though our holographic-like representations of physical reality or the noumenal world are not accurate they are close enough to the-thing-itself that we have succeeded to control and abuse the planet and its resources while dominating other species along the way, to say the least. Why is this the case? Are we too much in our heads? Are we too caught up in our emotions? Clearly, there is an imbalance within and without us for which we are primarily responsible; the results of this global imbalance are such things as threats to biodiversity, war, poverty, and health issues to name but a few. We are using the wrong lenses metaphysically speaking and that is partially why we have been distorting reality, be it monism or dualism. The contributions of science ever since the Scientific Revolution are immense and grateful to them we are, especially in terms of their technological application. However, the dark side is that industrialization has made us more dehumanized and social media has made us more disconnected in the real world. The argument here is not whether technology is good or bad, but rather the question is how can we create eco-friendly technologies (from our cars to our cities) that are harmonious with nature in the ultimate or nondual sense. So what is missing? Perhaps the will is. Maybe we have been blinded by our selfishness to the extent that we cannot see beyond our desires. The paradigm shift hinted at here is one that is reminiscent of the Buddhist concept of the Middle Way, the goal being global coherence through individual transformation, which cannot happen unless there is balance in the first place and the key is balancing the heart.
Skeletal Abnormalities in the F(1) Generation of Mice Exposed to Ionizing Radiations.

Results are reported from an experiment designed to test the feasibility of measuring part of the overall genetic damage of irradiation by means of skeletal studies in the F/sub 1/ generation. Male 101-strain mice were irradiated, using different radiation sources and conditions, and subsequently the males were mated to adult C3H-strain femaies. Progeny was selected to sample gametes irradiated in different stages of spermatogenesis. The F/sub 1/ generation was sacrificed at 26 to 28 days of age and animals were processed for skeletal study by a modification of Dawson's technique. Observed abnormalities were classified according to whether they occurred only once in the whole experiment (Class 1) or more than once (Class 2). For Class-1 abnormalities, a highiy significant increase in frequency was observed in offspring of irradiated males. This increase is due largely, if not wholly, to irradiation in postspermatogonial stages. For Class-2 abnormalities, no differences between irradiated and control groups couid be detected. Therefore, we conclude that the classification used served its original purpose of distinguishing between the effects of newly occurring dominant genetic changes and variability from environmental causes. With the methods used, studies of skeletal abnormalities in the first generation can detect part of the overallmore » genetic damage from irradiation. (auth)« less
Serotonergic, cholinergic and nociceptive inhibition or excitation of raphe magnus neurons in barbiturate-anesthetized rats

Abstract Neurons in the nucleus raphe magnus were recorded extracellularly from barbiturate-anesthetized rats, and were classified by their responses to noxious mechanical stimulation as either pinch-excited, pinch-inhibited or biphasic (inhibited then excited). They were then subjected to iontophoresis of serotonin, some serotonergic agonists and antagonists, acetylcholine, and γ-amino-n-butyric acid. Serotonin reduced the spontaneous firing of most pinch-inhibited cells (79%). Significantly fewer (P It is concluded that serotonin is continuously released in the ventral medial medulla under barbiturate anesthesia, but it may not be the primary mediator of nociceptive responses here, since some of them are opposite in direction from serotonergic responses. Behavioral studies show either no effect or analgesia upon application of serotonin to the raphe magnus; this uncertainty may reflect the complex distribution of serotonergic effects among the nociceptive classes.
Assessment of bone and mineral metabolism in inflammatory bowel disease: Case series and review

ABSTRACT Objective To determine the prevalence of low bone mass, fractures, and vitamin D deficiency and the levels of biochemical markers of mineral metabolism in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods Our retrospective study consisted of 30 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 18 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry was performed to determine bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and hip. Serum calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, urinary N-telopeptide cross-linked collagen type I, and 24-hour urinary calcium levels were evaluated. Results On the basis of Z-score definitions of low bone mass in the IBD group as a whole, 13 patients (27%) had low bone mass at the lumbar spine. Similarly, at the femoral neck, 13 patients (27%) had low bone mass. There was a higher prevalence of low bone mass in the UC group than in the CD group, consistent with a high prevalence of fractures in that group. Of all patients with IBD, 65% had a history of fractures, of which 23% were atraumatic. Deficiency of 25-OHD was high, with a prevalence of 55% in patients with UC and 83% in patients with CD. Secondary hyperparathyroidism, defined as a parathyroid hormone level > 55 pg/mL in conjunction with a low or normal serum calcium and a low 25-OHD level, was present in 50% of patients with CD and only 7% of patients with UC. Conclusion Metabolic bone disease and fractures are common in IBD. The mean bone mineral density of the spine or femoral neck did not differ significantly between patients with CD and those with UC. Patients with UC had a higher prevalence of low bone mass, as defined by a Z-score of less than -2, than did patients with CD, consistent with a high prevalence of fractures in the UC group. In contrast, hyperparathyroidism attributable to vitamin D deficiency was more prevalent in patients with CD than in those with UC. This finding suggests a different etiologic mechanism of low bone mass in patients with CD. (Endocr Pract. 2006;12:622-629)
Molecular dynamics simulation of amorphous zinc silicate

The structure of the amorphous system ZnO:3SiO 2 was studied using the molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulation technique. Appropriate parameters in the Born-Mayer-Huggins (BMH) potential yielded bond length and coordination numbers for zinc and silicon which fit within a range of results from crystalline and glassy zinc silicates. Simulation results were also compared to EXAFS data of Zn in low zinc concentration in vitreous silica. The simulations showed that zinc additions to vitreous silica collapsed the amorphous structure locally. This structure is consistent with pyroxene type ZnSiO 3 (monoclinic) but differs from that suggested for amorphous zinc silicates.
Clinical experience with crystalline vitamin D: The influence of the menstruum on the effectiveness of the antirachitic factor

Summary In order to determine whether crystalline vitamin D in milk was more effective unit for unit than crystalline vitamin D in oil, nine rachitic infants were given 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk, and nine were given 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in oil and a comparison of healing in both groups was noted. The scope of the investigation was enlarged to include a study of the effect on the course of rickets of 45 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk, and 900 units in oil. Accordingly eight rachitic infants were given daily 45 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk, and ten infants, 900 units in oil. The results of the administration of 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk were definitely superior to those obtained with a similar number of units in oil. Of nine infants receiving 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk, healing was observed in all at the end of one month, whereas only three of nine infants receiving 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in oil showed healing during the same period of observation. Roentgenograms were also taken after crystalline vitamin D had been given for six, eight, and ten weeks, and the results revealed that the group of infants receiving the antirachitic vitamin in milk reacted more favorably. These results indicate that the medium of milk allows for better utilization of the antirachitic vitamin than does the medium of corn oil and thus offer an explanation for the greater effectiveness, from the standpoint of rat units, of antirachitic milks as compared with viosterol. The therapeutic results with 45 units of crystalline vitamin D in milk were superior to those obtained with 90 units of crystalline vitamin D in oil. However, two failures were noted among eight infants receiving the 45-unit milk, so that this dosage of units in milk must be regarded as below the therapeutic level. With 900 units of crystalline vitamin D in oil, satisfactory healing resulted in nine of ten rachitic infants. We would recommend that from 10 to 15 drops (800 to 1,200 Steenbock units) of a 250-D preparation of crystalline vitamin D in oil should be used as a curative dose for mild and moderate cases of rickets and that from 20 to 60 drops be given for marked cases. However, if a solution of crystalline vitamin D in propylene glycol 250-D is employed by incorporation in 24 ounces of milk, only one drop (83 Steenbock units) is necessary to cure infantile rickets.
Measurement of the wave front of a pulsed dye laser using an integrated-optics sensor with 200-nsec temporal resolution.

We report the use of an integrated-optics wave-front measurement sensor to measure with 200-nsec temporal resolution the phase and intensity at the aperture of a high-power (3.5-MW peak power) flash-lamp-pumped pulsed dye laser. The measurements reveal large fluctuations of the dye-laser wave front during the 2-μsec duration of the laser pulse. The fluctuations and the resulting poor beam quality are attributed to inhomogeneous heating of the dye during the pulse. These high-temporal-resolution measurements, which are not possible with other state-of-the-art wave-front analyzers, explain the previously measured poor beam quality of the laser.
An Assessment of the NCEP, NASA, and ECMWF Reanalyses over the Tropical West Pacific Warm Pool

Three very different views of the mean structure and variability of deep convection over the tropical east Indian and west Pacific Oceans, provided by three different reanalysis datasets for 1980–93, are highlighted. The datasets were generated at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Precipitation, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), and 200-mb wind divergence fields from the three datasets are compared with one another and with satellite observations. Climatological means as well as interannual and intraseasonal (30–70 day) variability are discussed. For brevity the focus is restricted to northern winter (DJF). The internal consistency of the datasets is high, in the sense that the geographical extremes of rainfall, OLR, and divergence in each dataset correspond closely to one another. On the other hand, the external consistency, that is,...
Efficacy of Metered-Dose Inhaler Administration of Albuterol in Intubated Infants

Study objective To compare the safety and efficacy of metered-dose inhaler (MDI) albuterol to nebulized (NEB) albuterol administration. Design A randomized, triple-blinded, crossover study. Setting A pediatric ICU in a tertiary care children's hospital. Patients Eleven intubated infants with bronchiolitis. Interventions Subjects received four puffs of MDI albuterol (360 µg) and 3 mL of NEB saline solution placebo or 0.3 mL of NEB albuterol (1.5 mg) and MDI saline solution placebo. Each set of albuterol and saline solution placebo was administered after direct attachment of delivery device to the endotracheal tube and bag-valve system. Subjects received the opposite sequence 4 h after the initial sequence. The second sequence was given first the next day, and the first sequence was administered 4 h later. Measurements and results Respiratory system compliance and resistance were measured at baseline and 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h after each set of placebo and albuterol. There was an appreciable improvement in compliance and resistance for up to 2 h following both methods of administration. However, the degree of improvement was not significantly different (p>0.05) between the two methods. Neither method caused a significant change in resistance when measured at 4 h after albuterol/placebo administration. No evidence of toxicity was detected. Conclusions MDI-administered albuterol is as safe and efficacious as nebulized-administered albuterol in intubated infants with bronchiolitis. Generalizability of these results is limited by differences in drug delivery with different brands of nebulizers and spacers and sites of attachment.
Human embryonic stem cell-derived keratinocytes exhibit an epidermal transcription program and undergo epithelial morphogenesis in engineered tissue constructs.

Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are an attractive source of cellular material for scientific, diagnostic, and potential therapeutic applications. Protocols are now available to direct hES cell differentiation to specific lineages at high purity under relatively defined conditions; however, researchers must establish the functional similarity of hES cell derivatives and associated primary cell types to validate their utility. Using retinoic acid to initiate differentiation, we generated high-purity populations of keratin 14+ (K14) hES cell-derived keratinocyte (hEK) progenitors and performed microarray analysis to compare the global transcriptional program of hEKs and primary foreskin keratinocytes. Transcriptional patterns were largely similar, though gene ontology analysis identified that genes associated with signal transduction and extracellular matrix were upregulated in hEKs. In addition, we evaluated the ability of hEKs to detect and respond to environmental stimuli such as Ca2+, serum, and culture at the air–liquid interface. When cultivated on dermal constructs formed with collagen gels and human dermal fibroblasts, hEKs survived and proliferated for 3 weeks in engineered tissue constructs. Maintenance at the air–liquid interface induced stratification of surface epithelium, and immunohistochemistry results indicated that markers of differentiation (e.g., keratin 10, involucrin, and filaggrin) were localized to suprabasal layers. Although the overall tissue morphology was significantly different compared with human skin samples, organotypic cultures generated with hEKs and primary foreskin keratinocytes were quite similar, suggesting these cell types respond to this microenvironment in a similar manner. These results represent an important step in characterizing the functional similarity of hEKs to primary epithelia.
Negative Charge of Dioctahedral Micas as Related to Weathering

Negative charge and related characteristics of dioctahedral micas have been investigated by conducting artificial weathering studies on a muscovite from Ontario, Canada, and saprolitic micas from Virginia. Emphasis is given to the relationship between loss of potassium, increase in net negative charge, or cation exchange capacity, and expansion characteristics. Boiling solutions of acetic acid, sodium chloride and magnesium chloride removed potassium and sodium from a saprolitic mica but produced a negligible increase in cation exchange capacity. Expansion of the mica structure occurred following treatment with salt solutions but not with acid solutions. Boiling solutions of sodium citrate removed potassium effectively, produced marked expansion, and caused a large increase in cation exchange capacity. The small increase in cation exchange capacity resulting from acid and salt treatments is attributed to the hydrolysis of exchangeable aluminum to form hydroxy-aluminum polymeric groups, which can occupy exchange sites but remain non-exchangeable. The results of the sodium citrate tratement are attributed to the complexing of aluminum by citrate, thus releasing the hydroxy-aluminum polymeric groups from exchange positions and permitting an increase in cation exchange capacity. Molten lithium nitrate treatment of specimen muscovite produced a greater increase in cation exchange capacity than in the case of muscovite separated from soil-forming mica phyllite. The observed difference in charge characteristics, concomitant with the greater expansion of the muscovite, suggest that soil micas and specimen-type micas differ in their alteration tendencies. When interlayer hydroxy groups are eliminated and account is taken of residual sodium, potassium, and water, dioctahedral micas apparently lose no negative charge on expansion to vermiculite-like minerals.