cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ending the Vietnam War: A History of America's Involvement in and Extrication from the Vietnam War

Contents Foreword 1. America's Entry into the Morass (1950-1969) 2. Evolution of a Strategy What the Nixon Administration Found Groping for a Strategy: The North Vietnamese Offensive and the Bombing of Cambodia Attempts at a Diplomatic Outcome Peace Initiatives The Beginning of Troop Withdrawals A Secret Meeting Another Reassessment The Unpacifiable Doves A Strategy Emerges 3. Secret Negotiations and a Widening War The Secret Negotiations Special Advisor Le Duc Tho and the First Round of Talks Laos Interlude The Overthrow of Sihanouk Another Major Troop Withdrawal The Attack on North Vietnamese Sanctuaries The Cambodian Incursion The Domestic Travail The Balance Sheet 4. Diplomacy and Strategy: From a Cease-fire Proposal to the Interdiction of the Ho Chi Minh Trail Madame Binh's Eight Points The Setting of a Strategy The Laos Operation Lam Son 719: The Military Operation Braving Domestic Opposition The Negotiations Are Resumed The South Vietnamese Presidential Election Revealing the Secret Talks 5. Hanoi Throws the Dice: The Vietnam Spring Offensive Diplomatic Maneuvers What Strategy? 6. The Showdown The May 2 Secret Meeting The Mining and Bombing of North Vietnam The Summit in the Balance 7. From Stalemate to Breakthrough Testing the Stalemate A Visit to Saigon Interlude: Meetings of September 15 and 27 The Breakthrough: The October 8 Meeting 8. The Troubled Road to Peace Interlude in Paris Consultation with Thieu Rumblings Showdown with Thieu The Journey Home 9. "Peace Is at Hand" Election Interlude Haig Visits Saigon Again The Meetings with Le Duc Tho Resume The Breakdown of the Negotiations The Christmas Bombing Negotiations Resume The January Round of Negotiations Thieu Relents Peace at Last Postlude 10. A Visit to Hanoi 11. Enforcement and Aid The Thieu Visit Watergate and Enforcement The Search for Peace in Cambodia The Aborted Chinese Mediation The Negotiations Unravel 12. Ford and Vietnam The Strangulation of South Vietnam Hanoi Resumes the Offensive The End of the Road 13. The Collapse of Cambodia The Myth of the Failure to Negotiate on Cambodia The Final Collapse Final Note 14. The End of Vietnamar The Debate over Evacuation The Search for a Political Solution The Evacuation The Last Day Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix Notes Index
Phobias and related symptoms: Some social sources

Data from samples of undergraduates, adolescents, and simpler societies show phobic symptoms to be correlated with patterns of social organization that both foster and forbid their participants' pursuit of personal and special interests rather than common interests. Some evidence is given showing that the social correlates of phobias are different from those for hysteric and obsessional symptoms.
The incidence of both serious and minor complications in young women undergoing oocyte donation

Objective To investigate the incidence of serious and minor complications experienced by women undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte retrieval for oocyte donation. Design Retrospective study. Setting University-based IVF center. Patient(s) Five hundred eighty-seven donors underwent 973 cycles of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and 886 oocyte retrievals for anonymous or directed oocyte donation. Intervention(s) Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation; oocyte retrieval. Main Outcome Measure(s) Complications of the procedure. Result(s) The rate of serious complications, which included ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, ovarian torsion, infection, and ruptured ovarian cyst, was 6 in 886 (0.7%) retrieval cycles. The rate of minor complications severe enough to prompt the donor to seek medical attention after retrieval was 8.5%. The cancellation rate after stimulation cycle initiation was approximately 9%, regardless of whether the donation was anonymous or directed. Conclusion(s) This study provides information on the incidence of serious complications experienced by oocyte donors after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation and oocyte retrieval. It provides evidence that with careful monitoring, and when a liberal cancellation policy is followed, oocyte donors experience lower rates of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, compared with infertile women undergoing IVF. Furthermore, the study provides the first set of data on the rate of symptomatic minor complications experienced by oocyte donors. This information will help clinicians administer appropriate informed consent to the young women who present themselves as potential oocyte donors.
Cell junction and cyclic AMP: III. Promotion of junctional membrane permeability and junctional membrane particles in a junction-deficient cell type

The cyclic nucleotide effect on junction was studied in C1-1D cells, a mouse cancer cell type that fails to make permeable junctions in ordinary confluent culture. Upon administration of cyclic AMP, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, dibutyryl cyclic AMP plus caffeine (db-cAMP-caffeine), or cholera toxin (an adenylate cyclase activator), the cells acquired permeable junctions; they became electrically coupled and transferred fluorescent tracer molecules among each other—a transfer exhibiting the molecular size limit of permeation of normal cell-to-cell channels. The effect took several hours to develop. With the db-cAMP-caffeine treatment, junctional permeability emerged within two hours in one-fifth of the cell opopulation, and within the next few hours in the entire population. This development was not prevented by the cytokinesis inhibitor cytochalasin B. Permeable junctions formed also in two other conditions where the cell-endogenous cyclic AMP level may be expected to increase: serum starvation and low cell density. After three weeks of starving the cells of serum, a junctional permeability arose in confluent cultures, which on feeding with serum disappeared within two to three days. At low cell density, namely below confluency, the cells made permeable junctions, unstarved. In cultures of rather uniform density, the frequency of permeable junctions was inversely related to the average density, over the subconfluent range; at densities of about 1×104 cells/cm2, where the cells had few mutual contacts, 80% of the pairs presumed to be in contact were electrically coupled. In cultures with adjoining territories of high (confluent) and low cell density, there was coupling only in the last, and in this low-density state the cells were also capable of coupling with other mammalian cell types (mouse 3T3-BalbC and human Lesch-Nyhan cells).
A High-Q Terahertz Resonator for the Measurement of Electronic Properties of Conductors and Low-Loss Dielectrics

The successful engineering of sources and components in the terahertz (THz) regime benefits from good characterization of materials properties. Previous research reports have shown that calculations of material parameters that are valid at radio frequencies are no longer accurate at THz frequencies. A high-quality-factor quasi-optical hemispherical resonator operating between 300 GHz-1 THz has been designed and implemented for the measurement of electronic properties of conductors as well as low-loss dielectrics. This apparatus is the first quasi-optical resonator to achieve Q≈ 4×105 at frequencies greater than 400 GHz in the THz regime. It is also the first open resonator designed to measure effective conductivity at these frequencies. This paper discusses the techniques that enabled high-Q operation in the THz regime. It also includes measurements of silicon with different doping densities and conductors of various surface roughness values with comparison to theoretical predictions.
Indecision in the Clinical Practice of Anticoagulation for Brief Atrial Arrhythmias after Cryptogenic Stroke

Introduction Long-term cardiac monitoring has a substantial yield for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) detection in cryptogenic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) patients; however, many of these episodes were brief. We analyzed treatment decisions taken by the clinicians regarding anticoagulation in these short-duration PAF patients. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis on all mobile cardiac outpatient telemetry records between June 2009 and January 2012, initiated by neurologists from a large tertiary care institution stroke center. Results In all, 39 patients were found to have atrial fibrillation (AF), and their records were reviewed. AF episodes were categorized as less than 30 seconds in 24 (62%) patients and 30 seconds or more in 15 (38%) patients. Among the 16 patients without a cardiology evaluation, the rate of anticoagulation was high and did not differ for patients with short AF (90%, 9 of 10) and long AF (83%, 5 of 6) ( P > .99). However, among the 23 patients with a cardiology evaluation, the difference in rates of anticoagulation was significant between patients with short AF (43%, 6 of 14) and long AF (89%, 8 of 9) ( P = .039). Conclusion Our study demonstrates the differences in anticoagulant prescribing practices between neurologists and cardiologists and the inherent indecision these findings have produced. Further study is needed to better define the risks and benefits associated with anticoagulation of brief episodes of atrial arrhythmias lasting less than 30 seconds in patients with cryptogenic stroke or TIA.
DETERMINING PRESCHOOLERS' PREFERENCES FOR CHOICE‐MAKING OPPORTUNITIES: CHOICE OF TASK VERSUS CHOICE OF CONSEQUENCE

Individuals may prefer contexts with the option to choose between 2 reinforcing stimuli or between 2 tasks relative to contexts in which others select the same events. We evaluated children's preferences for conditions characterized by (a) the opportunity to choose between tasks and (b) the opportunity to choose between putative reinforcers delivered following the completion of a task relative to no-choice and no-reinforcement control conditions. Three of 4 participants preferred the consequence-choice condition; the task-choice condition was no more preferred than the no-choice condition in any case.
Prolonged Retention of the Anorectic Cobalt Protoporphyrin in the Hypothalamus and the Resulting Expression of Fos

The anorectic cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP) is known to elicit short-term hypophagia and long-term weight loss through unknown mechanisms in the brains of experimental animals. The goal of this work...
Dopamine and the mechanisms of cognition: Part I. A neural network model predicting dopamine effects on selective attention.

Background: Dopamine affects neural information processing, cognition, and behavior; however, the mechanisms through which these three levels of function are affected have remained unspecified. We present a parallel-distributed processing model of dopamine effects on neural ensembles that accounts for effects on human performance in a selective attention task. Methods: Task performance is stimulated using principles and mechanisms that capture salient aspects of information processing in neural ensembles. Dopamine effects are simulated as a change in gain of neural assemblies in the area of release. Results: The model leads to different predictions as a function of the hypothesized location of dopamine effects. Motor system effects are simulated as a change in gain over the response layer of the model. This induces speeding of reaction times but an impairment of accuracy. Cognitive attentional effects are simulated as a change in gain over the attention layer. This induces a speeding of reaction times and an improvement of accuracy, especially at very fast reaction times and when processing of the stimulus requires selective attention. Conclusions: A computer simulation using widely accepted principles of processing in neural ensembles can account for reaction time distributions and time-accuracy curves in a selective attention task. The simulation can be used to generate predictions about the effects of dopamine agonists on performance. An empirical study evaluating these predictions is described in a companion paper.
Estimation of phosphorus exchange between littoral and pelagic zones during nighttime convective circulation

A fluorescent dye was used in Eau Galle Reservoir, Wisconsin, to examine nighttime convective circulation patterns and exchanges of P between the littoral and pelagic zones during 25–26 July and 12–13 September 1988. Cooler littoral bottom water moved into the pelagic zone at night as an interflow at 2.5 m in July and at 4.0 m in September. Warmer pelagic water moved into the littoral zone as a surface flow during both periods. The littoral zone exhibited high total P concentrations above the sediment in July, but much lower concentrations in September. Estimated net areal total P flux to the pelagic zone was 1.8 mg m−2 d−1 in July but only 0.2 mg m−2 d−1 in September. Net areal total P flux in July accounted for 22% of the summer average, lakewide internal total P load to the reservoir.
Detailing recommendations for 1.83 m wide cold-formed steel shear walls with steel sheathing

Abstract The paper presents an experimental investigation on 1.83 m wide, 2.44 m high cold-formed steel (CFS) stud framed shear walls using steel sheet sheathing. Four wall configurations were studied through monotonic and cyclic tests. The test results indicated that besides the sheet buckling and screw pull out, the buckling of interior studs might occur for the 1.83 m CFS walls. To prevent the failure in the studs, special detailing was developed in this research. It was discovered that the special detailing could increase both the shear strength and the ductility of the shear walls. The research also found that the codified nominal shear strengths can be conservatively used for walls with an aspect ratio of 3:2. Based on the test results, the nominal seismic shear strength for 1.83 m wide CFS shear walls was established for design purposes.
Temporal and spatial transcriptional profiles of aging in Drosophila melanogaster

Temporal and tissue-specific alterations in gene expression have profound effects on aging of multicellular organisms. However, much remains unknown about the patterns of molecular changes in different tissues and how different tissues interact with each other during aging. Previous genomic studies on invertebrate aging mostly utilized the whole body or body parts and limited age-points, and failed to address tissue-specific aging. Here we measured genome-wide expression profiles of aging in Drosophila melanogaster for seven tissues representing nervous, muscular, digestive, renal, reproductive, and storage systems at six adult ages. In each tissue, we identified hundreds of age-related genes exhibiting significant changes of transcript levels with age. The age-related genes showed clear tissue-specific patterns: <10% of them in each tissue were in common with any other tissue; <20% of the biological processes enriched with the age-related genes were in common between any two tissues. A significant portion of the age-related genes were those involved in physiological functions regulated by the corresponding tissue. Nevertheless, we identified some overlaps of the age-related functional groups among tissues, suggesting certain common molecular mechanisms that regulate aging in different tissues. This study is one of the first that defined global, temporal, and spatial changes associated with aging from multiple tissues at multiple ages, showing that different tissues age in different patterns in an organism. The spatial and temporal transcriptome data presented in this study provide a basis and a valuable resource for further genetic and genomic investigation of tissue-specific regulation of aging.
Liver-specific functional studies in a microfluidic array of primary mammalian hepatocytes.

Nearly half a billion dollars in resources are lost each time a drug candidate is withdrawn from the market by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for reasons of liver toxicity. The number of late-phase drug developmental failures due to liver toxicity could potentially be reduced through the use of hepatocyte-based systems capable of modeling the response of in vivo liver tissue to toxic insults. With this article, we report progress toward the goal of realizing an array of primary hepatocytes for use in high-throughput liver toxicity studies. Described herein is the development of a 64 (8 × 8) element array of microfluidic wells capable of supporting micropatterned primary rat hepatocytes in coculture with 3T3-J2 fibroblasts. Each of the wells within the array was continuously perfused with medium and oxygen in a nonaddressable format. The key features of the system design and fabrication are described, including the use of two microfluidic perfusion networks to provide the coculture with an independ...
Resolution of foveal schisis in X-linked retinoschisis in the setting of retinal detachment

Patients who have undergone vitrectomy for complications of X-linkedretinoschisis (XLRS) have demonstrated an improvement in foveal schisis after pars plana vitrectomy. We report the case of a 10-year-old boy with XLRS and bilateral foveal schisis in whom macula-involving retinal detachment in one eye was associated with a resolution of foveal schisis in that eye. This case provides additional support for a role of vitreoretinal traction in the pathogenesis of foveal schisis in XLRS.
Corynebacterium Diphtheriae in a Patient with Multiple Trauma

A 46-year-old patient was admitted to hospital with a flail chest and multiple trauma. Tracheostomy was performed and mechanical ventilation commenced. Corynebacteriaceae diphtheriae were cultured from the tracheal aspirate. The patient remained asymptomatic. The monitoring and interpretation of tracheal aspirate cultures in intubated patients is stressed.
Relationship between air-blowing duration and bond strengths of three adhesive systems to dentin after thermal aging

The purpose was to evaluate the effect of air-blowing duration of three different adhesive systems on immediate or thermal aged resin-dentin shear bond strength (SBS). Human dentin surfaces were bonded with: one-step (Bond Force, BF), two-step (FL-Bond II, FLB) and three-step (Scotch Bond Multi-Purpose, SBMP) adhesive systems. Bonded surfaces from each group were air-blown for 0, 5, or 10 s and cured. Composite cylinders were built on the treated surfaces and cured. Half of the specimens from each group were tested immediately and the other halves were tested after thermal aging. Statistical analysis showed significant decrease in SBS after thermal aging compared to immediate testing in all groups, except BF after 5 s air-blowing or FLB and SBMP with no air-blowing (p>0.05). The results suggested that 5 s air-blowing is necessary to obtain a stable SBS for BF. However, extended airblowing duration of FLB and SBMP decreased the SBS significantly after thermal aging.
Sexual maturation of ewes raised without ram exposure in a controlled lighting environment.

Finn × Dorset ewe lambs (n = 70) born in the spring (March 28 to April 6) from two successive lambing seasons were evaluated for age at first ovulation in the absence of mature rams. Ewe lambs were born in a controlled, short light (8L:16D) photoperiod or in ambient light (13L:11D). At about 10 to 11 wk of age, ewe lambs were allocated to a short (8L:16D) or long (16L:8D) light environment. Plasma progesterone (P4) concentrations were measured as an index of first ovulation. First exposure of ewes to sexually mature rams was in November. Most ewe lambs (77%) ovulated before ram exposure. More lambs (P < 0.025) born in ambient light and raised in short light reached puberty with typical cycles of plasma progesterone compared to other treatments. Long days tended to retard the onset of puberty. Although pregnancy rate did not differ across light treatments, more ewes became pregnant from the ambient-light born and short-light raised treatment. Photoperiod is an important factor affecting the onset of sexual maturation and genesis of normal luteal progesterone secretion in the ewe lamb.
The development of de novo hepatocellular carcinoma in patients on a liver transplant list: Frequency, size, and assessment of current screening methods

Chronic end stage liver disease is the most frequent indication for liver transplantation. Individuals with end stage cirrhosis, and therefore individuals on liver transplant lists, are at increased risk of developing a hepatic cancer. Those individuals on liver transplant lists also may represent the best group available for evaluating the current methods for screening and surveillance for the development of hepatic cancer as an examination of the explant liver provides a gold standard for tumor assessment. Assuming that only tumor free individuals were screened at the onset of this study, the data obtained enables one to determine the frequency of new hepatic cancers since listing and evaluate the positive and negative predictive values of each assessment method over the surveillance interval. All patients listed for liver transplantation with end stage chronic liver disease, who did not have a hepatoma at the time of transplant listing, were followed and assessed for the development of a hepatic cancer while on the waiting list. The screening techniques utilized included quarterly α fetoprotein (αFP) determinations and ultrasound (US) studies as well as semi-annual triple phase computed tomography (CT) scans of the liver. αFP failed to identify any cases of de novo hepatic cancer in patients waiting for a liver transplant. In contrast, US and especially CT scanning with intravenous contrast identified new hepatic masses. The later method, which identified early enhancing mass lesions, was the more valuable method at identifying masses that subsequently were shown by pathologic examination of the explant liver to be hepatic cancers. However, only 14 of 20 individuals found to have a de novo tumor were identified by this method. Once identified however, the treatments utilized for hepatic tumor ablation while waiting for a transplant appear to be effective with a mean of 57.8±8.3% necrosis of the treated masses being identified at the time of explant examination. In conclusion these data suggest that: 1The development of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in an individual on a transplant list is not rare and occurs in as many as 20% of cases; 2The most effective method for the detection of de novo HCC appears to be semi-annual triphasic CT scan with the identification of a new early enhancing lesion; and 3Once recognized, the presence of the tumor enables the individual to move up on the waiting list as result of the additional model endstage liver disease (MELD) points allowed for individuals with HCCs. (Liver Transpl 2004;10:631–637.)
A Losing Battle: Weight Regain Does Not Restore Weight Loss-Induced Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women

Previously, we reported significant bone mineral density (BMD) loss in postmenopausal women after modest weight loss. It remains unclear whether the magnitude of BMD change in response to weight loss is appropriate (i.e., proportional to weight loss) and whether BMD is recovered with weight regain. We now report changes in BMD after a 1-year follow-up. Subjects (n = 23) in this secondary analysis were postmenopausal women randomized to placebo as part of a larger trial. They completed a 6-month exercise-based weight loss program and returned for follow-up at 18 months. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed at baseline, 6, and 18 months. At baseline, subjects were aged 56.8 ± 5.4 years (mean ± s.d.), 10.0 ± 9.2 years postmenopausal, and BMI was 29.6 ± 4.0 kg/m(2). They lost 3.9 ± 3.5 kg during the weight loss intervention. During follow-up, they regained 2.9 ± 3.9 kg. Six months of weight loss resulted in a significant decrease in lumbar spine (LS) (-1.7 ± 3.5%; P = 0.002) and hip (-0.04 ± 3.5%; P = 0.03) BMD that was accompanied by an increase in a biomarker of bone resorption (serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen, CTX: 34 ± 54%; P = 0.08). However, weight regain was not associated with LS (0.05 ± 3.8%; P = 0.15) or hip (-0.6 ± 3.0%; P = 0.81) bone regain or decreased bone resorption (CTX: -3 ± 37%; P = 0.73). The findings suggest that BMD lost during weight reduction may not be fully recovered with weight regain in hormone-deficient, postmenopausal women. Future studies are needed to identify effective strategies to prevent bone loss during periods of weight loss.
Physics-based models for measurement correlations: application to an inverse Sturm?Liouville problem

In many inverse problems, the measurement operator, which maps objects of interest to available measurements, is a smoothing (regularizing) operator. Its inverse is therefore unbounded and as a consequence, only the low-frequency component of the object of interest is accessible from inevitably noisy measurements. In many inverse problems however, the neglected high-frequency component may significantly affect the measured data. Using simple scaling arguments, we characterize the influence of the high-frequency component. We then consider situations where the correlation function of such an influence may be estimated by asymptotic expansions, for instance as a random corrector in homogenization theory. This allows us to consistently eliminate the high-frequency component and derive a closed form, more accurate, inverse problem for the low-frequency component of the object of interest. We present the asymptotic expression of the correlation matrix of the eigenvalues in a Sturm–Liouville problem with unknown potential. We propose an iterative algorithm for the reconstruction of the potential from knowledge of the eigenvalues and show that using the approximate correlation matrix significantly improves the reconstructions.
Interactive Diffusion Tensor Tractography Visualization for Neurosurgical Planning

BACKGROUND: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) infers the trajectory and location of large white matter tracts by measuring the anisotropic diffusion of water. DTI data may then be analyzed and presented as tractography for visualization of the tracts in 3 dimensions. Despite the important information contained in tractography images, usefulness for neurosurgical planning has been limited by the inability to define which are critical structures within the mass of demonstrated fibers and to clarify their relationship to the tumor. OBJECTIVE: To develop a method to allow the interactive querying of tractography data sets for surgical planning and to provide a working software package for the research community. METHODS: The tool was implemented within an open source software project. Echoplanar DTI at 3 T was performed on 5 patients, followed by tensor calculation. Software was developed that allowed the placement of a dynamic seed point for local selection of fibers and for fiber display around a segmented structure, both with tunable parameters. A neurosurgeon was trained in the use of software in , 1 hour and used it to review cases. RESULTS: Tracts near tumor and critical structures were interactively visualized in 3 dimensions to determine spatial relationships to lesion. Tracts were selected using 3 methods: anatomical and functional magnetic resonance imaging-defined regions of interest, distance from the segmented tumor volume, and dynamic seed-point spheres.
Chemical characterization and pronase susceptibility of the Na:K pump-associated phosphoprotein of human red blood cells.

The phosphoproteins formed by incubation of red cell ghosts with [γ-32P]ATP in the presence of Mg and Na + Mg have been characterized by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 32P-labeled phosphoprotein was seen as a single peak confined to the region of the diffuse 90,000 dalton polypeptide band; labeling with Na + Mg considerably increased the quantity of 32P-phosphoprotein contained in this band relative to labeling with Mg alone. Treatment of intact cells with Pronase known to partially hydrolyze the glycoproteins and the 90,000 daltons polypeptide did not change either the amount or the position of the 32P-phosphoprotein present in the gels. The molecular weight of the 32P-phosphoprotein is estimated to be 103,000. Pronase treatment of intact cells also did not significantly alter any of the transport parameters of the membrane such as the K pump flux, ouabain binding, or Na,K-ATPase. In contrast, treatment of ghosts with Pronase not only resulted in drastic alteration of the transport parameters but also inhibited the formation of the phosphoprotein under all conditions. Thus, while the Na:K pump is not intrinsically resistant to Pronase, those elements of the pump which are susceptible are not accessible from the outside of the cell. Further, SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after Pronase treatment of intact cells results in a substantial increase in the purification of the phosphoprotein relative to that which was previously possible in ghosts.
A haptoglobin-like glycoprotein is produced by implantation-stage rabbit endometrium

A polypeptide of 42 kDa was previously identified in rabbit uterine epithelium during the peri-implantation period as a progesterone-dependent, stage-specific protein. Binding of the lectin RCA-I to the 42-kDa band on Western blots demonstrated that it was a glycoprotein, here designated GP42. With use of a polyclonal antiserum to this glycoprotein, strong immunostaining was present on the surface of epithelial cells in implantation-stage uteri (6-7 days pregnant). Uteri of 4-day pseudopregnant females had only trace reactivity, and estrous uteri were devoid of immunostaining. Comparison of GP42 staining on immunoblots of uterine luminal samples, obtained using buffer with or without the detergent Triton X-100, demonstrated that GP42 is either loosely associated with the epithelial surface or is a secretory product. The N-terminal sequence of GP42 was identical through 13 amino acids with the beta subunit of haptoglobin, an acute-phase protein secreted by the liver. Additional immunoblot analyses were carried out after one- or two-dimensional PAGE separation of polypeptides of rabbit uterine samples and human haptoglobin. These employed anti-GP42 as well as antibodies directed against haptoglobin, and results confirmed the similarity of GP42 with beta-haptoglobin. In nonreducing gels, reactivity with anti-GP42 was present in a band of 110 kDa. This is comparable to the molecular size of serum haptoglobin, which occurs as a tetramer of two alpha (15-kDa) and two beta (38-42-kDa) chains. Cultured epithelial cells, derived from 4-day pseudopregnant uteri, released GP42 into the medium, but stromal cells appeared not to produce the glycoprotein. We conclude that GP42 is a uterine glycoprotein, related or identical to haptoglobin, and produced by rabbit uterine epithelial cells during the peri-implantation period. Possible roles for GP42 in relation to ovo-implantation are discussed in light of known functions for haptoglobin and haptoglobin-related protein.
Efficient Weight Estimation in Neural Networks for Adaptive Control

This paper considers the applicaton of neural networks in controlling a system with unknown process equations. To make such an approach practical, it is required that connection weights in the neural network be estimated efficiently. This paper considers the use of a new stochastic approximation algorithm for this weight estimation. It is shown that this algorithm can greatly reduce the computational burden that would be incurred if a more standard stochastic approximation algorithm, based on a finite-difference gradient approximation, were used.
Synthesis and Characterization of Crystalline Silicon Carbide Nanoribbons

In this paper, a simple method to synthesize silicon carbide (SiC) nanoribbons is presented. Silicon powder and carbon black powder placed in a horizontal tube furnace were exposed to temperatures ranging from 1,250 to 1,500°C for 5–12 h in an argon atmosphere at atmospheric pressure. The resulting SiC nanoribbons were tens to hundreds of microns in length, a few microns in width and tens of nanometers in thickness. The nanoribbons were characterized with electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and were found to be hexagonal wurtzite–type SiC (2H-SiC) with a growth direction of . The influence of the synthesis conditions such as the reaction temperature, reaction duration and chamber pressure on the growth of the SiC nanomaterial was investigated. A vapor–solid reaction dominated nanoribbon growth mechanism was discussed.
A mathematical model of line bisection behaviour in neglect.

Summary Subjects with left hemispatial neglect frequently demonstrate an array of abnormal behaviours on line bisection tasks. They misbisect long horizontal lines to the right of true midline. They bisect short lines to the left of true midline. They exaggerate the left-sided length of lines when placing the endpoints for ‘invisible’ lines, and they underestimate the length of the left side of long lines that are shown to them bisected accurately. No current theory of neglect explains all these features of line bisection behaviour. A mathematical model of line bisection behaviour. in neglect is presented that proposes that subjects bisect lines at the point where they perceive the ‘salience’ of the two line segments created by their bisection mark to be equal. Salience is determined by the brain's attentional systems which map salience amplitude to spatial position following a bell shaped distribution. Right hemisphere strokes simulated by decreasing the ’height‘ and ’breadth‘ of the right hemisphere salience to position function produced all of the above features of clinical neglect subjects' line bisection behaviour. Neglect may be conceived of as damage to brain systems performing mappings between stimulus characteristics (such as spatial location) and salience.
k-weighted minimum dominating sets for sparse wavelength converters placement under nonuniform traffic

In WDM all-optical networks, the deployment of wavelength converters improves the blocking performance. One solution is to equip every node in the network with converters (full wavelength conversion); however the cost and the technological limitations make it not practical. The alternative is to choose a subset of nodes and equip them with wavelength converters (sparse wavelength conversion). This paper makes the first known attempt to solve the sparse wavelength converters placement problem using the k-weighted minimum dominating set (k-WMDS) approach. To evaluate our proposed scheme under nonuniform traffic, we compared it against the well-known approach (referred to as k-BLK) of placing converters in nodes having the highest blocking percentage. The two algorithms were compared under different nonuniform traffic loads using network simulation with the U.S Long Haul and NSFNET topologies. For different values of the hop-distance parameter, k, the proposed k-WMDS algorithm has consistently given better blocking performance than k-BLK under the constraint that the number of converters in both algorithms is equal to the cardinality of the k-weighted minimum dominating set.
A hypermedia approach towards teaching physics

Summary form only given. Four aspects of introductory physics courses at Harvard in which computers and hypermedia play a role are discussed. These are: a 'course-interface' shell that allows students to interactively enroll, organize, and participate in a course: computer-based animations for classroom use: Essence of Physics, a HyperCard-based interactive study guide used by the students: and computer-based 'physics intuition' tests. >
The induction and suppression of prostaglandin H2 synthase (cyclooxygenase) in human monocytes.

We report here that the bacterial lipopolysaccharide endotoxin induces human blood monocytes in a time- and dose-dependent manner to release prodigious amounts of prostaglandins with thromboxane A2, the major metabolite formed. Cells responded to as little as 1 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide to release prostaglandin E2 and thromboxane A2 with maximal stimulation at 10 micrograms/ml. Lipopolysaccharide was found to induce increased activity of cyclooxygenase enzyme without affecting the activities of phospholipase and thromboxane synthase or the formation of 5-lipoxygenase products (e.g. leukotriene B4). The glucocorticoid dexamethasone completely blocked the lipopolysaccharide-induced prostanoid release by inhibiting the activity of monocyte cyclooxygenase. Dexamethasone did not affect phospholipase and thromboxane synthase activities or leukotriene formation. Immunoprecipitation of [35S]methionine-labeled cyclooxygenase confirmed that the effect of lipopolysaccharide and dexamethasone on the monocyte prostanoid production could be attributed to an increase or decrease, respectively, in cellular cyclooxygenase de novo synthesis.
Effects of a Multitouch Keyboard on Wrist Posture, Typing Performance and Comfort

This study compares the use of a conventional keyboard (CK) and a prototype ultra-low profile MultiTouch keyless keyboard (MTK) that only requires contact force to register a keystroke and allows mousing and gestural input on the same surface. Twelve subjects completed eight randomly assigned 7.5- minute typing tasks of text passages of similar difficulty and identical length for each keyboard condition. Typing speed, accuracy, wrist postures and user comfort were measured. Subjects, typed slower (F1,11 = 41.86, p=0.000) and less accurately (F1,11 = 23.55, p=0.001) on the MTK during the typing tasks. Mean wrist extension was lower for the MTK (F1,11= 10.205, p=0.000) while radial and ulnar deviation did not differ significantly between the two keyboards. Subjects preferred the CK and reported a higher level of ease (F1,11 = 49.732, p=0.00) and enjoyment (F1,11 = 51.129, p=0.00) during its use. In terms of comfort, subjects reported a higher level of ease and enjoyment in the CK condition. Familiarity and ...
Raising the Legal Drinking Age in Maine - Impact on Traffic Accidents Among Young Drivers

The minimum legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages continues to be a controversial issue in North America as numerous jurisdictions that lowered the legal age in the early 1970s are returning to higher drinking ages. Monthly frequencies of motor vehicle crashes among drivers aged 18-45 in the states of Maine and Pennsylvania from 1972 through 1979 were examined using a multiple time series design. Controlling for the effects of long-term trends, seasonal cycles, and other factors with Box-Jenkins time series models, a significant 17-21% reduction in alcohol-related property damage crash involvement among drivers aged 18-19 is attributable to Maine's increase in drinking age. No demonstrable effect of the raised drinking age on the incidence of injury and fatal crashes was found.
Mitral Prosthetic Valve Assessment by Echocardiographic Guidelines

Compared with a native valve, the prosthetic valve is inherently obstructive, and the type and size of prosthesis determines what is considered normal function. The assessment of mitral prosthetic valve function requires an integrative process using 2-dimensional, 3-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiographic modalities, in addition to transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography. The echocardiographic interpretation of function depends on knowing the exact type, size, and even the date of implantation. This review discusses the echocardiographic assessment of prosthetic mitral valve function based on current American and European guidelines.
IMMUNOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON HUMAN PLASMA LIPOPROTEINS

Some years ago, a series of human serum lipoproteins, distinguishable by their hydrated densities and lipid-protein ratios were recognized and isolated by ultracentrifugal techniques (1). Certain of these lipoproteins are invariably present in human serum and the concentrations of these and of others can be quantitatively correlated with disease (2). No difference in the lipoprotein distribution can be demonstrated between serum and plasma. The purpose of this investigation was to obtain information about the immunochemical specificity of some of the lipoproteins.
Important updates on the management of inpatient hyperglycemia: practical implications for pharmacists. Introduction.

Hyperglycemia is increasingly prevalent in the inpatient setting and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients both with and without diabetes mellitus. While early studies suggested improved clinical outcomes with interventions targeting near-euglycemia, more recent studies
Hydrolysis of Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent probes by perfused rat heart.

Rat hearts were loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicators fura 2, indo 1, rhod 2, or fluo 3 to determine cytosolic calcium levels in the perfused rat heart. With fura 2, however, basal tissue ...
A 2GHz voltage tunable FBAR oscillator

This paper describes the design and measured performance of a low-noise varactor tuned oscillator based on a film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) at 2 GHz. Using varactor tuning, this oscillator demonstrated a 2.5 MHz frequency tuning range at 1985 MHz with a phase noise of -112 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz from the carrier. This represents the first example of a low noise Si-bipolar FBAR tunable oscillator.
Using Cytokines to Assess Immunotoxicity of Drugs: Bridging the Gap from Preclinical to Clinical Studies

A number of ex vivo assays have been developed and validated for the evaluation of immunotoxicity following exposure to drugs or environmental toxicants in animals. Although these assays have proven invaluable in researchers’ understanding of the range and mechanisms of immunotoxicology, a number of them may prove to be impractical for use in human immunotoxicology, particularly for screening purposes in large-scale clinical trials. Due to their central role in the establishment and maintenance of the immune and inflammatory responses, cytokines would appear to be a reasonable choice to fill this role. There are a number of conceptual and technical considerations, however, which must be addressed before cytokine assessment can be used as a reliable measurement of immunotoxicity.
Comparison of simultaneous switching noise measurements using netlist compatible multilayer ceramic packages having variously compromised reference planes

This paper presents a comparison of simultaneous switching-output noise and skew measurements taken with a 0.12 /spl mu/m CMOS test chip on three flip-chip, multilayer-ceramic, single-chip modules (SCMs) having differing amounts of reference mesh and power-supply vias in the package under the chip outline. Missing reference mesh equates to poor current-return paths for signals traversing such package regions. Missing power-supply vias equate to increased supply inductance. The test chip has 732 individually programmable off-chip output buffers, each of which can be individually probed. The first package has full reference mesh under the chip. The second package has reference mesh only in the upper half of the package under the chip. The third package has essentially no reference mesh under the chip. Technology and design features of the chip and package test vehicles are described. Noise and delay measurement techniques and results are presented. The large number of off-chip output buffers enables a statistical view of transmitted noise and skew behavior as signal current-return paths are compromised. This analysis is graphically presented and discussed. Several types of simulations, including extracted loop inductance and full-wave simulation of coupling parameters, are presented. These simulations elucidate the large differences in measured transmitted noise and off-chip output buffer skew between the three packages.
Extracting Places and Activities from GPS Traces Using Hierarchical Conditional Random Fields

Learning patterns of human behavior from sensor data is extremely important for high-level activity inference. This paper describes how to extract a person's activities and significant places from traces of GPS data. The system uses hierarchically structured conditional random fields to generate a consistent model of a person's activities and places. In contrast to existing techniques, this approach takes the high-level context into account in order to detect the significant places of a person. Experiments show significant improvements over existing techniques. Furthermore, they indicate that the proposed system is able to robustly estimate a person's activities using a model that is trained from data collected by other persons.
Wing morphology, flights speeds and insights into niche structure in Caribbean bats from Dominica

We compiled data from six species in four families of Caribbean bats collected on the island of Dominica in order to explore the relation between wing morphology and flight speed. An 18.3 m flight tunnel was constructed in second growth rain forest using a concrete structure as a frame and large tarps to enclose the perimeter, leaving one end open. Bats were caught using mist nets in areas of both mature and second growth rain forest and disturbed habitats. Bats were moved to the tunnel area where morphological measurements were recorded and each bat was photographed with the wing extended. Wing area and wing span were measured using the program ImageJ. These data in combination with other morphological measurements were used to calculate aspect ratio and wing loading, which were each compared to flight speed. To measure flight speed, a bat was released in the flight tunnel and times were recorded at 6.1 m, 12.2 m, and 18.3 m. The findings reveal that flight speed shows little relation to aspect ratio, with the exception of Tadarida brasiliensis, and that flight speed increases as a function of wing loading. The comparison of aspect ratio to relative wing loading demonstrates strong ecomorphological segregation based on foraging mode.
A New Practice Approach for Oral Health Professionals

Abstract The oral health care paradigm presented here would broaden oral health services to include primary health care activities focusing on risk reduction and chronic disease screening. Background and purpose Changes in our nation's health care delivery system, shifting patient demographics, and availability of new health insurance programs have resulted in exploration of new practice models of health care delivery. Chronic diseases require coordinated care efforts over decades of a patient's life. Oral health professionals will be part of that care. Methods The practice model for this article was developed in the context of an academic medical center that promotes oral health care professionals as health care providers through interprofessional education. The combined experiences of the authors, including a diabetes predictive model for oral health settings, the efficacy and effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus screening in a dental setting, the feasibility of using a decision support tool for tobacco cessation, and the effectiveness of integrating oral health education with comprehensive health services for people living with human immunodeficiency virus, have contributed to this concept. Conclusions Prevention is increasingly recognized as a cost-effective means of reducing chronic disease burdens. To be effective, health promotion activities that encourage healthy living and early detection need to occur in a variety of health care settings. Oral health professionals represent an underutilized group of health care providers that can contribute to improved health of populations living with chronic diseases by broadening their scope of practice to include primary health screenings and tailored health promotion activities.
Use of the 'I&R' Process in 2004: How Property Taxes Fared

The author outlines the initiative and referendum process and provides an overview of the votes on statewide property tax issues in the November 2004 elections. Voters in several states gave state lawmakers the power to make adjustments to the property tax, the author says.