cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The social cost of living index

Abstract Household cost of living indexes reflect household preferences; analogous indexes for groups of households require a corresponding concept of group preferences. In this paper I investigate the ‘social cost of living index’, a group index based on the Bergson-Samuelson social welfare function. I first define the index and examine its properties under the assumption that the investigator constructing it expresses his distributional judgments in an explicit Bergson- Samuelson social welfare function; I then examine the ‘maximizing society’ and the ‘independent society’, two cases in which the index can be constructed from the information contained in the market demand functions. In these two cases a Laspeyres index (i.e. the fixed weight index based on the reference consumption pattern) is an upper bound on the exact social cost of living index. In general, however, the assumptions required to place bounds on the social cost of living index are much more likely to be satisfied than those required to place analogous bounds on a household's cost of living index.
Visual navigation structures in collaborative virtual environments

The international Grid, or the iGrid, is a fertile ground for exploring levels of sensorial communication, visual metaphors and navigation strategies. This paper seeks to answer the following questions: What is the iGrid? What does it mean to share a collaborative virtual environment (CVE)? What implications does sharing CVEs have for communication? What are visual navigation strategies across a high performance high-speed network? How can art shape experience in a technological world? Networking virtual environments via the iGrid establishes a performance theater where academics and researchers create dialogues between disciplines. CVEs synergize towards a new dimension of literacy where knowledge is presented as abstract visual engagement. In CVEs, the visuals act as three dimensional navigation icons that can symbolize a choice to be made, a direction to consider or a sequence in a narrative. The user's ability to influence events and receive feedback from the environment through sensorial stimulation enhances the level of immersion. Art CVEs function across the network based on aesthetic style, engagement, levels of interaction and the quality of audio immersion. A level of plasticity, or malleability, is required in CVEs to encourage participants to become directly involved with understanding and realizing the environment.
EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FATS FOR USE IN HIGH-RATIO LAYER CAKES

Abstract Shortening is a major ingredient used in high-ratio layer cakes. Plastic shortenings are the most commonly used by the U.S. baking industry. However, the high levels of trans- or saturated fats in some plastic shortenings cause health concerns. Compared to plastic shortenings, liquid shortenings could significantly reduce the dependence on high melting point fats and the emulsifiers they contain would enhance the shortening’s functionality. The objective of this research was to compare the influence of different types of fats on the texture and shelf-life of high-ratio layer cakes. Cakes were baked with soybean oil to evaluate the function of three emulsifiers [propylene glycol monostearate (PGMS), glycerol monostearate (GMS), and Lecithin] on layer cake quality, including volume, cake score, and firmness. An optimum emulsifier combination was chosen (PGMS 1.8, GMS 1.0, and Lecithin 0.8 in g/100g flour) for addition to the liquid oil. Four groups of layer cakes were baked using: plastic shortening, liquid shortening, liquid oil, or liquid oil plus emulsifier combinations. Cake performance and firming over-time were evaluated. The liquid shortening provided the best fresh cake characteristics and cake firmness performance. Liquid oil with a combination of added emulsifiers performed very similarly in terms of firmness to the liquid shortening. This indicated that emulsifiers played an important role on the improvement of cake firmness shelf-life.
Probing the structure of macromolecules using microsecond time-resolved fluorescence of europium chelates

Lanthanide chelates, due to their unique luminescence properties, offer a potential for improvement and simplification of fluorescence resonance energy transfer distance measurements. In this report we present a procedure for incorporation of highly-luminescent europium chelate into internal sites of ds DNA. Using this labeling strategy donor- acceptor labeled 20 bp DNA fragments were prepared containing a stretch of six A residues (A-tract) in the middle of the fragment. Distance measurement between the donor (europium chelate) and acceptor (Cy5) were performed and compared to measurements with a DNA fragment lacking the A-tract. Only small changes in measured distances were observed between these two DNA molecules. The implications of these results for existing models of A-tract induced DNA bending are discussed.
LEFT ANTERIOR HEMIBLOCK (LAH) AND COMPLETE REPAIR OF TETRALOGY OF FALLOT (TF)

The pre- and postop ECG's of 272 consecutive survivors of repair of TF operated 1960 to 1965 were analyzed for incidence of LAH and it's possible association with significant dysrhythmia or sudden death. Mean length of follow-up was 10.2 years. 22 of 272 (8%) developed LAH after TF repair; 6 of these developed 1 to 12 years after repair. 2 of 22 reverted to normal in late follow-up. There were no significant dysrhythmias or sudden deaths in this group. 10 of 22 (45%) had transient atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction disturbances during or immediately after surgery. Anatomy, and type of repair did not differ from group as a whole. 4 additional patients developed “atypical” LAH after repair and all remained well at late follow-up. 6 patients had LAH prior to repair and 5 remained in LAH postop. All remain well. 240 patients had typical EGG postop. One died suddenly in late follow-up and another 3 cases have persistent significant AV conduction disturbance. 39 of these 240 (16%) had transient AV conduction disturbance during or shortly after surgery. Our data show that: LAH is uncommon after TF repair, is not associated with significant dysrhythmia or sudden death and is related more frequently to transient AV conduction disturbance during or shortly after repair.
The conditional level of confidence intervals for the normal variance and applications

Suppose we observe two independent random vectors each having a multivariate normal distribution with covariance matrix known up to an unknown scale factor σ . The first random vector has a known mean vector while the second has an unknown mean vector. Interest centers around finding confidence intervals for σ2 with confidence coefficient 1 − α. Standard results show that, when we only observe the first random vector, an optimal (i.e., smallest length) confidence interval C, based on the well-known chi- squared statistic, can be constructed for σ2 . When we additionally observe the second random vector, the confidence interval C is no longer optimal for estimating σ2. One criterion useful for detecting the non-optimality of a confidence interval C concerns whether C admits positively or negatively biased relevant subsets. This criterion has recently received a good deal of attention. It is shown here that under some conditions the confidence interval C admits positively biased relevant subsets. Applicatio...
Palliative Care for Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease Ineligible for Liver Transplantation

As the final common end point in patients with chronic liver disease of a variety of causes, end-stage liver disease (ESLD) poses an important clinical challenge. Epidemiologic factors including the increasing numbers of patients with chronic hepatitis C developing cirrhosis, the increasing age of the population, and the obesity epidemic translate into a growing number of patients with ESLD. The number of patients with ESLD is increasing, while the number of donor organs available for transplantation remains relatively stable. These patients with ESLD need to be managed in the community without liver transplantation. These patients face a variety of symptoms and disease-related complications, which affect their survival and health-related quality of life. Understanding the principles of palliative medicine and the management of complications of cirrhosis is important for improving the health status of patients with ESLD. SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM: CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY OF END-STAGE LIVER DISEASE Patients with cirrhosis who develop complications, such as ascites, portal hypertension, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, or hepatic encephalopathy, are considered to have ESLD. No recent population-based epidemiologic study describing the secular trends of disease burden for cirrhosis is available; however, data support the notion that ESLD is a significant cause of morbidity, resource use, and death in the United States. An estimated 5.5 million people (2% of the US population) are affected by cirrhosis, its consequences from portal hypertension, and the attendant risk for carcinogenesis [1‐12]. Approximately 26,000 patients die of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis in the United States each year, making this condition the seventh leading cause of death among
Transport in (10,10) Carbon Nanotubes with Defects

: In this paper, we numerically calculate the conductance characteristics of a uniform (10,10) carbon nanotube in the presence of an applied bias. It is shown that for long tubes, the conduction mechanism involves only the four nondegenerate sub-bands when the applied bias drops slowly across the tube. The focus of our work is to calculate the transmission coefficient and low bias conductance of carbon nanotubes with defects. Our calculations show that (1) a weak uniform disorder in the tube does not cause a significant change in the zero bias conductance and (2) substitutional defects which are strong scatterers, can cause a gap in the transmission coefficient versus energy at the middle of the band resulting in a significant change in the low bias conductance
Bounds on impedance functions of R, ± L, ± C, T networks

Abstract It is shown that if Zij(s) is an open circuit impedance of a two-port network N containing positive resistances, positive and negative inductances, positive and negative capacitances, and ideal transformers, then Zij(jw) satisfies the inequality | Z ij (jw) − R ijo + R ijs 2 | ≤ (R ijo − R ijs ) 2 (R jjo − R jjs ) 2 (i,j = 1,2) for all real ω, where Rijo = the impedance Zij of N when all reactive elements are open circuited, and Rijs = the impedance Zij of N when all reactive elements are short circuited. The inequality is useful for finding bounds on the magnitude, the phase angle, and the real and the imaginary parts of the Zij(jw).
Monte carlo and perturbation theory studies of the equation of state of the two-dimensional Lennard-Jones fluid

Monte Carlo values for the equation of state of the two-dimensional Lennard-Jones fluid are reported. The agreement with previous simulations is good, with the exception of the critical point region. However, the estimates of the critical temperature and density given here are lower than those previously reported. The first and second-order Barker-Henderson and first-order Weeks-Chandler-Andersen perturbation theories are applied to this system and are found to be satisfactory only at high densities. A semiempirical correction term to the second-order Barker-Henderson theory is constructed. The resulting parameterization of the Monte Carlo data is found to be accurate and useful at all densities and temperatures for which the Monte Carlo data exist.
A model driven approach for system validation

In this paper we present a novel model driven approach for system validation. In the proposed methodology the system usage data is modeled as state transition diagrams using Markov modulated Markov process. Further, thus created system models are used for test plan generation which comprises of two steps 1) Test Sequence Generation 2) Test Sequence Prioritization. A simulation based case study is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in identifying a set of test sequences offering high coverage factor for a given number of test sequences.
Quantitation of the repair of gamma-radiation-induced double-strand DNA breaks in human fibroblasts.

Abstract The quantitation and repair of double-strand DNA breaks in human fibroblasts has been determined using a method involving the nondenaturing elution of DNA from a filter. DNA from cells from two human fibroblast lines exposed to γ-radiation from 0 to 10 000 rad showed increasing retention on a filter with decreasing radiation dose, and the data suggest a linear relationship between double-strand breaks induced and radiation dose. The ability of normal human fibroblasts to repair double-strand breaks with various doses of radiation was demonstrated, with a t 1 2 of 10 min for repair of 5000 rad exposure and 39 min for repair of 10 000 rad damage. The kinetics of the DNA rejoining were not linear and suggest that, as in the repair of single-strand breaks, both an initial ‘fast’ and a later ‘slow’ mechanism may be involved.
Inadvertent Screw Stripping During Ankle Fracture Fixation in Elderly Bone

Poor screw purchase because of osteoporosis presents difficulties in ankle fracture fixation. The aim of our study was to determine if cortical thickness, unicortical versus bicortical purchase, and bone mineral density are predictors of inadvertent screw stripping and overtightening. Ten paired cadaver ankles (average donor age, 81.7 years; range, 50-97 years) were used for the study. Computed tomography scanning with phantoms of known density was used to determine the bone density along the distal fibula. A standard small-fragment, 7-hole, one-third tubular plate was applied to the lateral surface of the fibula, with 3 proximal bicortical cortical screws and 2 distal unicortical cancellous screws. A posterior plate, in which all 5 screws were cortical and achieved bicortical purchase, was subsequently applied to the same bones and positioned so that the screw holes did not overlap. A torque sensor was used to measure the torque of each screw during insertion (Ti) and then stripping (Ts). The effect of bone density, screw location, cortical thickness, and unicortical versus bicortical purchase on Ti and Ts was checked for significance (P < .05) using a general linearized latent and mixed model. We found that 9% of the screws were inadvertently stripped and 12% were overtightened. Despite 21% of the screws being stripped or being at risk for stripping, we found no significant predictors to warn of impending screw stripping. Additional work is needed to identify clinically useful predictors of screw stripping.
Evaluating the applicability of regulatory leaching tests for assessing lead leachability in contaminated shooting range soils.

The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) is the current US-EPA standard protocol to evaluate metal leachability in wastes and contaminated soils. However, application of TCLP to assess lead (Pb) leachability from contaminated shooting range soils may be questionable. This study determined Pb leachability in the range soils using TCLP and another US-EPA regulatory leaching method, synthetic precipitation leaching procedure (SPLP). Possible mechanisms that are responsible for Pb leaching in each leaching protocol were elucidated via X-ray diffraction (XRD). Soil samples were collected from the backstop berms at four shooting ranges, with Pb concentrations ranging from 5,000 to 60,600 mg kg−1 soil. Lead concentrations in the TCLP leachates were from 3 to 350 mg l−1, with all but one soil exceeding the USEPA non-hazardous waste disposal limit of 5 mg l−1. However, continued dissolution of metallic Pb particles from spent Pb bullets and its re-precipitation as cerussite (PbCO3) prevented the TCLP extraction from reaching equilibrium at the end of the standard leaching period (18 h). Thus, the standard one-point TCLP test would either over- or under-estimate Pb leachability in shooting range soils. Lead concentration in the SPLP leachates ranged from 0.021 to 2.6 mg l−1, with all soils above the USEPA regulatory limit of 0.015 mg l−1. In contrast to TCLP, SPLP leaching had reached equilibrium, with regard to both pH and Pb concentrations, within the standard 18 h leaching period, and the analytical SPLP results were in good agreement with those derived from modeling. Thus, we concluded that SPLP is a more appropriate alternative than TCLP for assessing lead leachability in range soils.
On the Phenomenon of “Dog‐Wise Arrangement”

An influential line of thought in metaphysics holds that where common sense discerns a tree or a dog or a baseball there may be just many microparticles. Provided the microparticles are arranged in the right way—are “treewise” or “dogwise” or “baseballwise” arranged—our sensory experiences will be just the same as if a tree or dog or baseball were really there. Therefore whether there really are such familiar objects in the world can be decided only by determining what more is needed for microparticles dogwise arranged actually to compose a dog. This paper argues that this line of thought sets up the wrong agenda. Composition is trivial; dogwise (etc.) arrangement is tricky. Dogwise arrangement will obtain in the wrong regions unless we stipulate that there are dogs, and that dogwise arrangement obtains only within their borders. The bearers of dogwise arrangement, moreover, will have to be dogs themselves, not their microparticles. Thus allowing that dogwise arrangement obtains at all is allowing that there are dogs.
Predicting the Phonon Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Using the Spectra Energy Density

Thermal transport by phonons in water/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite systems is investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. We calculate the spectral energy density of empty and water-filled CNTs and use it to extract the mode-specific phonon group velocities, relaxation times, and thermal conductivities. The total thermal conductivity predicted from the spectral energy density is consistent with what we predict using a direct application of the Fourier law in an MD simulation. The number of atoms and simulation runtime required to predict the spectral energy density, however, are both at least one order-of-magnitude smaller.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Composite Dirac fermions in graphene

Generalizing the notion of composite fermions to the case of ``pseudorelativistic'' quantum Hall phenomena in graphene, we discuss a possible emergence of compressible states at the filling factors $\ensuremath{\nu}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1∕2,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}3∕2$. This analysis is further extended to the nearby incompressible states viewed as integer quantum Hall effect of composite Dirac fermions, as well as those at $\ensuremath{\nu}=0,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$ that occur as a result of (pseudo)spin-singlet pairing between the latter.
The Age Replacement Problem

An age replacement policy requires that a unit be replaced when it attains a specified age, or at failure, whichever occurs first. The mathematical solution to the problem of what is the optimal age for replacement is well known. This paper adapts this general mathematical solution to the cases when a truncated normal, Gamma, or Weibull distribution can be assumed. Graphs are presented from which one can readily ascertain the optimal solutions for these models.
EMBRYO CULTURE AND TAXANE PRODUCTION IN TAXUS SPP

We have previously shown (Flores and Sgrignoli, 1991) that immature embryos ofTaxus brevifolia andT. X media are capable of precocious germination and can grow into seedlings in vitro. The cultural and environmental parameters for embryo germination and conversion into seedlings have been optimized and extended toT. baccata andT. cuspidata. A 14-h photoperiod improved embryo germination and growth into seedlings. A pregermination cold treatment of the seeds had a positive effect on both the onset and percentage of germination. Embryos from cold-treated seeds germinated earlier and at a higher frequency than those from control seeds. Boron was necessary for embryo germination, and levels of this micronutrient were established for optimal growth and germination ofT. brevifolia andT. X media cv. Hicksii embryos. Gupta and Durzan’s medium was superior to White’s for embryo germination and root formation. Naphthaleneacetic acid stimulated root formation in embryo-derived seedlings. We also found that immature embryos could be induced to form callus with embryogenic potential. Taxol and related taxanes were detected in embryo- derived seedlings.
Gene expression of the human growth hormone locus in the placentas of growth restricted and normally grown fetuses

OF GROWTH RESTRICTED AND NORMALLY GROWN FETUSES JULIE MOLDENHAUER (F), ADRIAN PLATTS, GOODRICH ROBERT, RUI MARTINS, STEPHEN KRAWETZ, University of Chicago, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chicago, Illinois, Wayne State University, Obstetrics and Gynecology & Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Detroit, Michigan, Wayne State University, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Detroit, Michigan, Wayne State University, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Center for Molecular Medicine and Genetics, and Institute for Scientific Computing, Detroit, Michigan OBJECTIVE: To determine if gene expression is significantly different in the placenta of growth restricted (GR) fetuses. STUDY DESIGN: Placental biopsies were obtained from 5 patients whose neonate was SGA (!10th centile for gestational age), and from 5 gestational age matched normally grown controls. Patients with diabetes, hypertensive disorders, and anomalous fetuses were excluded. Placental samples were recovered at the time of delivery, snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, and kept frozen until processing. Total RNA was extracted from each sample then reverse transcribed in preparation for analysis by Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR). Primers were designed for each of the five genes in the growth hormone (GH) locus to interrogate 2 of 5 isoforms for GH1, 3 of 4 for CSH1, 2 of 4 for CSH2, and all for GH2 and CSHL1. Primers were also designed for 7 genes encompassing a 300 kb region of the GH locus, including SCN4A, CD79B, SMARCD2, FTSJ3, PSMC5, DDX42, and LYK5. Each of the 10 samples were assayed for this suite of transcripts by quantitative RT-PCR, standardized to the ubiquitously expressed cyclophillin b, and the groups were then compared. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences found in the level of expression of the tested isoforms of the five genes of the GH locus or the 7 flanking genes between the GR and normally grown groups after standardization to cyclophillin b, as shown in the scatter plot below. SMFM Abstracts S139
A pressure system for the microinjection of substances into the brain of awake monkeys

We describe a method for placing pressure microinjections of drugs or anatomical tracers in physiologically defined sites in the brain of awake monkeys. This method provides a means to record neuronal activity from the tip of an injection cannula so that an injection can be made at a physiologically defined location. It uses pressure in a closed system to precisely control the amount of fluid injected and provides a visible means for monitoring injection volume. The injection cannula is easy to make with readily available components and can be used repeatedly for multiple recording sessions and injections.
Neuronal encoding of the distance traversed by covert shifts of spatial attention

Neurons in monkey medial superior temporal cortex selectively respond to the patterned visual motion in optic flow that simulates observer self-movement. We trained monkeys in a task that required behavioral responses indicating the location of a precue or the simulated heading direction in a subsequent optic flow stimulus. Medial superior temporal neuronal responses contained transient peaks at latencies proportionate to the distance from the precue to the heading direction represented by the subsequent optic flow. We conclude that these response transients reveal neural mechanisms underlying covert shifts of spatial attention and that the varying latency of these transients reflect the time required for reorientation between attentional targets.
Algorithm for reconstruction after endoscopic pituitary and skull base surgery.

Introduction: The expanding role of endoscopic skull base surgery necessitates a thorough understanding of the indications, techniques, and limitations of the various approaches to reconstruction. The technique and outcomes of endoscopic skull base reconstruction remain incompletely described in the literature. Study Design and Methods: Patients undergoing endoscopic skull base surgery underwent an algorithmic approach to reconstruction based on tumor location, defect size, and presence of intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. A prospective database was reviewed to determine the overall efficacy of reconstruction and to identify risk factors for postoperative CSF leak. Results: The diagnosis in the 127 patients in this series included pituitary tumor in 70 (55%) patients, encephalocele in 16 (12.6%) patients, meningioma in 11 (8.7%) patients, craniopharyngioma in 9 (7.1%) patients, and chordoma in 6 (4.7%) patients. Successful reconstruction was initially achieved in 91.3% of patients. Eleven (8.7%) patients experienced postoperative CSF leak, 10 of which resolved with lumbar drainage alone. One (0.8%) patient required revision surgery. Correlation between postoperative CSF leak and study variables revealed a statistically significant longer duration of surgery (243 vs. 178 min, P = .008) and hospitalization (12.1 vs. 4.5 days, P < .0001) and a trend toward larger tumors (mean, 3.2 vs. 2.3 cm; P = .058) in patients experiencing postoperative CSF leak. Conclusion: The algorithm for reconstruction after endoscopic surgery presented in this study is associated with excellent overall efficacy. A greater understanding of risk factors for postoperative CSF leak is imperative to achieve optimal results.
THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE OF TVALCHRELIDZEITE, Hg3SbAsS3, AND A REVISION OF ITS CHEMICAL FORMULA

We have determined the crystal structure of tvalchrelidzeite, Hg3SbAsS3, for the first time with single-crystal X-ray diffraction. It is monoclinic, with space group P 21/ n and unit-cell parameters a 11.5526(4), b 4.3852(1), c 15.6373(5) A, β91.845(2)°, V 791.79(5) A3. There are eight symmetrically distinct sites in the structure, three occupied by Hg, one by Sb, one by As, and three by S. There is no disorder between Sb and As. Each Sb is surrounded by six S2− anions, with three at distances shorter than 2.51 A and three at distances longer than 3.20 A. In contrast, each As is coordinated by six Hg2+ cations, with three at distances shorter than 2.51 A and three at distances longer than 3.31 A. All three independent Hg ions are situated in considerably distorted octahedral sites, with two opposite bonds (one Hg–S and one Hg–As) shorter than 2.51 A and four equatorial bonds longer than 2.98 A. The structure of tvalchrelidzeite can be viewed as a sequence of sheets parallel to (101). These sheets are composed of [Hg6Sb2As2S6] ribbon-like units (extending along the b axis) linked together by the short Hg1–As bonds (2.494 A). The linkage between sheets is achieved through the weak Hg–S (>3.0 A) and Sb–S (>3.2 A) bonds, accounting for the observed perfect cleavage in one direction. Tvalchrelidzeite represents one of very few sulfosalt minerals that contain both Sb and As, with the latter behaving as an anion.
Phase I clinical trial using escalating single-dose infusion of chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (IDEC-C2B8) in patients with recurrent B-cell lymphoma

The B-cell antigen CD20 is expressed on normal B cells and by nearly all B-cell lymphomas. This nonmodulating antigen provides an excellent target for antibody-directed therapies. A chimeric anti-CD20 antibody (IDEC-C2B8), consisting of human IgG1-kappa constant regions and variable regions from the murine monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody IDEC-2B8, has been produced for clinical trials. It lyses CD20+ cells in vitro via complement and antibody-dependent cell-mediated lysis. Preclinical studies have shown that the chimeric antibody selectively depletes B cells in blood and lymph nodes in macaque monkeys. In this phase I clinical trial, 15 patients (3 per dose level) with relapsed low-grade B-cell lymphoma were treated with a single dose (10, 50, 100, 250, or 500 mg/m2) of antibody administered intravenously. Treatment-related symptoms correlated with the number of circulating CD20 cells and grade II events consisted of fever (5 patients); nausea (2), rigor (2), orthostatic hypotension (2), bronchospasm (1), and thrombocytopenia (1). No significant toxicities were observed during the 3 months of follow-up. Serum C3, IgG, and IgM levels, neutrophils, and T cells were largely unchanged. At the three higher dose levels, pharmacokinetics of the free antibody showed a serum half-life of 4.4 days (range, 1.6 to 10.5). Levels greater than 10 micrograms/mL persisted in 6 of 9 patients for more than 14 days. No quantifiable immune responses to the infused antibody have been detected. CD20+ B cells were rapidly and specifically depleted in the peripheral blood at 24 to 72 hours and remained depleted for at least 2 to 3 months in most patients. Two-week postinfusion tumor biopsies showed the chimeric antibody bound to tumor cells and a decrease in the percentage of B cells. Tumor regressions occurred in 6 of 15 patients (2 partial and 4 minor responses). The results of this single-dose trial have been used to design a multiple-dose phase I/II study.
Multidimensional radar imaging with a polarimetric focused-beam scatterometer

A small millimeter-wave, polarimetric, focused-beam radar scatterometer known as the flashlight radar (FLR) has been developed. The FLR has three-dimensional resolution capability. It obtains high angle-angle resolution from a focused horn-lens antenna that produces a beam spot size of 4.6 in. in diameter at a distance of 10 ft from the radar. Six-inch range resolution is achieved from its 1-GHz swept bandwidth. The scatterometer operates at a center frequency of 35 GHz and uses the FM-CW method. It has been used to look at small targets and materials, and to make three-dimensional radar images of large objects. The radar output can be processed to simulate larger beamwidths, for example, or to give differing resolutions, or one of its three dimensions can be collapsed so as to compare an existing synthetic aperture radar image with that obtained from the scatterometer. The authors outline the FLR design, calibration, and processing. Also presented are samples of processed radar data obtained with the instrument. >
Mycobacterium smegmatis whmD and its homologue Mycobacterium tuberculosis whiB2 are functionally equivalent

Mycobacterium smegmatis whmD is is an essential gene involved in cell division. This paper shows that whmD and its homologue whiB2 in Mycobacterium tuberculosis are functionally equivalent. The genes are syntenous, and share significant homology in both their coding and non-coding DNA sequences. Transcription site mapping showed that the two genes possess near-identical promoter elements, and they displayed comparable promoter strengths in a reporter gene assay. The two proteins show near identity in their C-terminus, and polyclonal antiserum to WhmD specifically cross-reacts with a ∼15 kDa band in M. tuberculosis lysates. Following overexpression of sense and anti-sense constructs in their cognate mycobacterial hosts, whiB2 and whmD transformants displayed a small-colony phenotype, exhibited filamentation, and showed a reduction in viability. These observations reveal that the two proteins are functionally homologous and that their intracellular concentration is critical for septation in mycobacteria. Colonies of M. tuberculosis overexpressing whiB2 were spherical and glossy, suggesting a change in composition of the cell envelope. Filaments of the conditionally complemented M. smegmatis whmD mutant were non-acid-fast, also indicating changes in characteristics of surface lipids. M. smegmatis transformants carrying a whmD–gfp fusion showed a diffuse pattern of fluorescence, consistent with the putative role of WhmD as a regulator. These observations strongly suggest that M. tuberculosis whiB2 is an essential gene and its protein product in all likelihood regulates the expression of genes involved in the cell division cascade.
Photon-mediated thermal relaxation of electrons in nanostructures.

Measurements of the thermal properties of nanoscale electron systems have ignored the effect of electrical noise radiated between the electron gas and the environment, through the electrical leads. Here we calculate the effect of this photon-mediated process, and show that the low-temperature thermal conductance is equal to the quantum of thermal conductance, ${G}_{Q}={\ensuremath{\pi}}^{2}{k}_{B}^{2}T/3h$, times a coupling coefficient. We find that, at very low temperatures, the photon conductance is the dominant route for thermal equilibration, while at moderate temperatures this relaxation mode adds one quantum of thermal conductance to that due to phonon transport.
Protein Kinase A–Mediated Phosphorylation of cMyBP-C Increases Proximity of Myosin Heads to Actin in Resting Myocardium

Protein kinase A-mediated (PKA) phosphorylation of cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBP-C) accelerates the kinetics of cross-bridge cycling and may relieve the tether-like constraint of myosin heads imposed by cMyBP-C. We favor a mechanism in which cMyBP-C modulates cross-bridge cycling kinetics by regulating the proximity and interaction of myosin and actin. To test this idea, we used synchrotron low-angle x-ray diffraction to measure interthick filament lattice spacing and the equatorial intensity ratio, I(11)/I(10), in skinned trabeculae isolated from wild-type and cMyBP-C null (cMyBP-C(-/-)) mice. In wild-type myocardium, PKA treatment appeared to result in radial or azimuthal displacement of cross-bridges away from the thick filaments as indicated by an increase (approximately 50%) in I(11)/I(10) (0.22+/-0.03 versus 0.33+/-0.03). Conversely, PKA treatment did not affect cross-bridge disposition in mice lacking cMyBP-C, because there was no difference in I(11)/I(10) between untreated and PKA-treated cMyBP-C(-/-) myocardium (0.40+/-0.06 versus 0.42+/-0.05). Although lattice spacing did not change after treatment in wild-type (45.68+/-0.84 nm versus 45.64+/-0.64 nm), treatment of cMyBP-C(-/-) myocardium increased lattice spacing (46.80+/-0.92 nm versus 49.61+/-0.59 nm). This result is consistent with the idea that the myofilament lattice expands after PKA phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I, and when present, cMyBP-C, may stabilize the lattice. These data support our hypothesis that tethering of cross-bridges by cMyBP-C is relieved by phosphorylation of PKA sites in cMyBP-C, thereby increasing the proximity of cross-bridges to actin and increasing the probability of interaction with actin on contraction.
Alpha-2 adrenergic modulation of norepinephrine secretion in the perfused rabbit iris-ciliary body

Clonidine and other selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonists have been found to lower intraocular pressure in the eyes of rabbits and primates, including humans. It has been suggested that the ocular hypotensive response to alpha-2 agonists may be mediated, in part, by prejunctional inhibition of norepinephrine secretion at intraocular synapses. In this study, we have investigated the effects of adrenergic agonists and antagonists on field-stimulated, Ca++ -dependent release of 3H-norepinephrine (3H-NE) from isolated, perfused rabbit iris-ciliary bodies and have utilized radioligand binding methods to identify prejunctional adrenoceptors in this tissue. Clonidine (10−9 10−5 M) produced a dosage-dependent inhibition of stimulation-evoked H-NE secretion (EC50 ≜ 3 × 10−8 M), but did not alter basal secretion. Other adrenergic agonists capable of activating alpha-2 adrenoceptors (e.g., epinephrine, norepinephrine and xylazine) also significantly depressed 3H-NE secretion, whereas selective alpha-1 adrenergic or ...
Beyond Cultural Competence: Human Diversity and the Appositeness of Asseverative Goals

I argue that, as a profession, psychology needs to aspire beyond the goal of achieving cultural competence when addressing issues of human diversity. Although laudable, cultural competency as a goal may not set the bar high enough to achieve equity regarding those minority groups traditionally neglected or marginalized. As such, I further argue that asseverative objectives—ones that ask us to aver, affirm, and embrace human diversity—would be more consistent with a truly egalitarian perspective and our own code of ethics. I then describe barriers to achieving such goals that exist as endemic aspects of clinical psychology’s worldview of human behavior and psychopathology, as well as inherent characteristics of simply being human. Last, I suggest that in order to reach such asseverative goals, we need to be more active (as compared to simply reading relevant journal articles) in our daily activities when it comes to issues of human diversity.
Myocardial oxygenation and high-energy phosphate levels during KATP channel blockade

Inhibition of ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel activity has previously been demonstrated to result in coronary vasoconstriction with decreased myocardial blood flow and loss of phosphocreatine (PCr)...
The Impact of TCARE® on Service Recommendation, Use, and Caregiver Well-being

Growing recognition of the significant contributions of family caregivers to the long-term care system and the negative consequences that may accrue from caregiving have led to the development of an array of caregiver support services including in-home services, respite programs, assistance with information, counseling, support groups, caregiver education, and supplemental services (Family Caregiver Alliance, 2006; Feinberg, 2002). Although numerous studies of caregiver interventions have been conducted and reviewed over the past decade (e.g., Goy, Freeman, & Kansagara, 2010;Montgomery & Kwak, 2008; Schulz et al., 2002, only a small number of intervention studies (Bass, Clark, Looman, McCarthy, & Eckert, 2003; Gitlin, Reever, Dennis, Mathieu, & Hauck, 2006; Guberman et al., 2003) have examined the effect on caregiver outcomes of a standardized assessment or care planning process designed specifically for caregivers. Consequently, minimal information has been made available to help care managers or other family specialists systematically assess the needs and strengths of caregivers or strategically link caregivers with services. As a result, practitioners tend to offer caregivers the services that are available from the agency for which the practitioner works or the services available in the community about which the practitioner has the most knowledge. Unfortunately, this practice creates the circumstance that many caregiver services go unused or do not fully benefit the caregiver or the care receiver (Montgomery, 2002).
Internal Voltages and Currents in Solid-Shielded Cables

Analytical techniques for determining the current induced in long conductors near the surface of the ground by surface fields have been developed by Sunde and Wait. These techniques have been verified for insulated and bare conductors in experiments conducted with a CW transmitter, and computer programs have been developed to calculate the currents using a version of Sunde's theory. Until recently, however, cable-current theory was limited to determining the total current induced in a cable. For many applications where shielded or multiply shielded cables are used, however, it is important to know what voltages and currents are induced in the signal-carrying core of the cable. The purpose of this note is to describe one technique that has been developed to compute these internal currents and voltages. The technique described in this paper combines the shielding theory of Kaden and the transmission-line theory of Sunde. Classical shielding theory is used to determine the axial electric-field strength at the inside surface of the shield from the current flowing in the shield. This axial electric field is then used in the equations for a transmission line with a distributed driving source to compute the current in the core and the core-to-shield voltage. (In the case of multiple shields, multiple applications of these two steps are required to progress from the outer shield through the inner shields to the core.
A Scheme to Enforce Data Dependence on Large Multiprocessor Systems

Enforcement of data dependence in parallel algorithms requires certain synchronization primitives. For simple data dependence, synchronization primitives like Full/Empty bit in HEP machine [5] can be very effective. However, if data dependence cannot be determined at compile time, or if very complicated, more efficient synchronization schemes and algorithms are needed.
Inactivation of Metalloenzymes by Lysinoalanine, Phenylethylaminoalanine, Alkali-Treated Food Proteins, and Sulfur Amino Acids

Synthetic lysinoalanine (LAL) may be a more effective inhibitor of the zinc-containing enzyme carboxypeptidase A than is ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The enzyme is also inactivated by alkali-treated, lysinoalanine-containing food proteins such as casein, high-lysine corn protein, lactalbumin, soy protein isolate, and wheat gluten, and by alkali-treated zein, which contains no lysinoalanine. Zinc sulfate regenerates only part of the enzymatic activity after exposure to the treated proteins. The extent of inhibition increases with protein concentration and time of treatment. Any inhibition due to phytate is distinct from that due to the treatment. Phenylethylaminoalanine (PEAA), derived from biogenic phenylethylamine, inhibited enzymatic activity of the metalloenzyme carboxypeptidase A (CPA). The inhibition was maximal at pH 7.0 in the pH range 7 to 8.5. The extent of inhibition increased with time of treatment and PEAA concentration. N-acetyl-PEAA did not inhibit the enzyme, suggesting that the free α-NH2 group is required for inhibition. PEAA, LAL, sodium phytate, and cysteine also inactivated the copper enzyme, polyphenol, oxidase (tyrosinase) which plays a major role in enzymatic (oxidative) browning of foods. Analogous comparative studies with LAL, EDTA, and sodium phytate suggest that the potency of PEAA as an inhibitor of CPA is similar to that of sodium phytate, and that of the four compounds tested, PEAA is least effective against tyrosinase. Related studies of the iron and copper containing enzyme cytochrome C oxidase showed that EDTA was not inhibitory, PEAA was slightly inhibitory, and LAL and sodium phytate were stronger inhibitors. Mechanistic explanations are offered to account for some of these observations. The possible relevance of these findings to in vivo protein digestion, enzymatic (oxidative) browning of foods, and the mechanism of the lysinoalanine effect on kidney cells are also discussed.
A Core National Security Interest: Framing Atrocities Prevention

This essay analyzes President Barack Obama’s communication strategies in his speeches and presidential statements concerning threats of mass atrocities in Libya, Syria, and Iraq from 2011 through 2015. It examines how he has used three rhetorical “frames” to explain events in these countries and to advocate specific U.S. policy responses: the “legalistic” (or “liberal internationalist”), the “moralistic,” and the “security” frame. Obama utilized primarily the legalistic frame to justify U.S. military intervention in Libya in 2011, and he relied mainly on the security frame (focusing on terrorist threats against U.S. nationals) to justify the deployment of U.S. military forces against ISIL in Iraq and Syria in 2014−2015. Obama’s rhetorical framing of the violence perpetrated by the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad since 2011 has been less consistent. Hardly ever in these speeches did Obama suggest that mass atrocities per se constituted a threat to U.S. national security—despite the declaration in Obama’s 2011 Presidential Study Directive on Mass Atrocities that “preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest” of the United States. Utilizing an approach to linguistic analysis developed by Roman Jakobson, the paper shows how Obama has employed rhetorical devices that emphasize the boundaries between the “in-group” of the American national community and the “out-groups” in other countries who are threatened by mass atrocities. Because members of an in-group are typically depicted as warranting greater concern than members of out-groups, Obama’s assignment of victimized communities to out-group status has effectively justified inaction by the U.S. government in the face of genocidal violence.
THE EVOLUTION OF DEVELOPMENT: TWO PORTRAITS OF SKULL OSSIFICATION IN PIPOID FROGS

Development creates morphology, and the study of developmental processes has repeatedly shed light on patterns of morphological evolution. However, development itself evolves as well, often concomitantly with changes in life history or in morphology. In this paper, two approaches are used to examine the evolution of skull development in pipoid frogs. Pipoids have highly unusual morphologies and life histories compared to other frogs, and their development also proves to be remarkable. First, a phylogenetic examination of skull bone ossification sequences reveals that jaw ossification occurs significantly earlier in pipoids than in other frogs; this represents a reversal to the primitive vertebrate condition. Early jaw ossification in pipoids is hypothesized to result from the absence of certain larval specializations possessed by other frogs, combined with unusual larval feeding behaviors. Second, thin-plate spline morphometric studies of ontogenetic shape change reveal important differences between pipoid skull development and that of other frogs. In the course of frog evolution, there has been a shift away from salamander-like patterns of ontogenetic shape change. The pipoids represent the culmination of this trend, and their morphologies are highly derived in numerous respects. This study represents the first detailed examination of the evolution of skull development in a diverse vertebrate clade within a phylogenetic framework. It is also the first study to examine ossification sequences across vertebrates, and the first to use thin-plate spline morphometrics to quantitatively describe ontogenetic trajectories.
Similarity in Responses of Laboratory-Reared and Field-Collected Lone Star Tick (Acari: Ixodidae) Nymphs to Repellents

Ticks and tick-borne diseases that affect humans are a growing source of concern in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world (Gratz 1999, Annu. Rev. Entomol. 44: 51-75). The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.), is increasingly a problem in the southeastern, south-central and mid-Atlantic states because it readily bites humans, is expanding its range, and has been implicated in the transmission of ehrlichial pathogens (Childs and Paddock 2003, Annu. Rev. Entomol. 48: 307-337). Although progress has been made recently in the development of area-wide tick control technologies (Pound et al. 2000, J. Med. Entomol. 37: 588-594), repellents remain the primary method of personal protection against tick bites (CDC 2002 Lyme disease. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ft. Collins, CO, 12 p).