cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and uptake of no-carrier-added 1-[11C]putrescine into rat prostate

No carrier-added 1-[11C]putrescine has been prepared using a simple two-step procedure. Radiochemical yields of 1-2% at end-of-synthesis were obtained in a synthesis time of 50-60 min. The in vivo uptake of no carrier-added 1-[11C]putrescine into rat prostate was determined and compared to the uptake of no carrier-added material containing varying amounts of non-radioactive putrescine. The in vivo results indicate that the mechanism of uptake into the prostate is saturable.
Proverb preferences across cultures : Dialecticality or poeticality?

Peng and Nisbett (1999) claimed that members of Asian cultures show a greater preference than Euro-Americans for proverbs expressing paradox (so-called dialectical proverbs; e.g.,Too humble is half proud). The present research sought to replicate this claim with the same set of stimuli used in Peng and Nisbett’s Experiment 2 and a new set of dialectical and nondialectical proverbs that were screened to be comparably pleasing in phrasing. Whereas the proverbs were rated as more familiar and (in Set 1) more poetic by Chinese than by American participants, no group differences were found in relation to proverb dialecticality. Both the Chinese and Americans in our study rated the dialectical proverbs from Peng and Nisbett’s study as more likable, higher in wisdom, and higher in poeticality than the nondialectical proverbs. For Set 2, both groups found the dialectical proverbs to be as likable, wise, and poetic as the nondialectical proverbs. When poeticality was covaried out, dialectical proverbs were liked better than nondialectical proverbs across both stimulus sets by the Chinese and the Americans alike, and when wisdom was covaried out, the effect of dialecticality was reduced in both sets and groups. Our findings indicate that caution should be taken in ascribing differences in proverb preferences solely to cultural differences in reasoning.
Proposed Masonry Specified Compressive Strength Requirements

Currently the TMS 602-08, “Specification for Masonry Structures,” allows the specified compressive strength of masonry, fm′, to be determined using either the unit strength method or the prism test method. With regard to prism testing, the specification gives no requirements in terms of the number of prisms to be tested or how to use the results of the prism testing to determine the specified compressive strength. This paper summarizes the requirements of other codes and specifications and examines a statistical basis for determining a prism compressive strength, including the effects of sample size. It is recommended to use the 75th percent confidence on the ten-percentile value. This is reasonably consistent with other codes and specifications. A minimum of ten tests is recommended.
HIV-associated lymphoma.

The role of infusional chemotherapy and the value of rituximab with chemotherapy have not been clearly defined in patients with HIV-associated lymphoma. Recent data have provided insights into these questions.
Haloing, flocculation, and bridging in colloid-nanoparticle suspensions

Integral equation theory with a hybrid closure approximation is employed to study the equilibrium structure of highly size asymmetric mixtures of spherical colloids and nanoparticles. Nonequilibrium contact aggregation and bridging gel formation is also qualitatively discussed. The effect of size asymmetry, nanoparticle volume fraction and charge, and the spatial range, strength, and functional form of colloid-nanoparticle and colloid-colloid attractions in determining the potential-of-mean force (PMF) between the large spheres is systematically explored. For hard, neutral particles with weak colloid-nanoparticle attraction qualitatively distinct forms of the PMF are predicted: (i) a contact depletion attraction, (ii) a repulsive form associated with thermodynamically stable “nanoparticle haloing,” and (iii) repulsive at contact but with a strong and tight bridging minimum. As the interfacial cohesion strengthens and becomes shorter range the PMF acquires a deep and tight bridging minimum. At sufficiently...
The Causes and Costs of Crime and a Controversial Cure

In spite of recent modest decreases, the epidemic of crime that began in the United States in the early 1960s has left us with a rate of violent crime that is still some 300% higher than it was 40 years ago. The usual suspects--poverty, the easy availability of street drugs and handguns, violent television programs--cannot account for this ominous trend. The fact that African Americans are responsible for nearly half of this violence, although they constitute only about one-eighth of the U.S. population, is the principal reason why the great improvement in race relations made over the past half-century has reached an asymptote. White fears, and Black resentment of these fears, are a grave threat to further progress. It is argued here that the main reason for this epidemic of crime and violence is the rapid recent increase in the proportion of the young people aged 15 to 24 who have grown up unsocialized. It is argued further that most of these feral youngsters are sociopaths, defined as genetically normal children whose failure of socialization was due to their being domiciled with an immature, overburdened, unsocialized, or otherwise incompetent parent or parents. Language: en
Oxidative stress induced by chronic administration of sodium dichromate [Cr(VI)] to rats

Chromium occurs in the workplace primarily in the valence forms Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Recent studies have demonstrated that sodium dichromate [Cr(VI)] induces greater oxidative stress as compared with Cr(III), as indicated by the production of reactive oxygen species by peritoneal macrophages and hepatic mitochondria and microsomes, and enhanced excretion of urinary lipid metabolites and hepatic DNA-single strand breaks (SSB) following acute oral administration of Cr(III) and Cr(VI). We have therefore examined the chronic effects of sodium dichromate dihydrate [Cr(VI); 10 mg (33.56 mumol)/kg/day] on hepatic mitochondrial and microsomal lipid peroxidation, enhanced excretion of urinary lipid metabolites including malondialdehyde (MDA), formaldehyde (FA), acetaldehyde (ACT), acetone (ACON) and propionaldehyde (PROP), and hepatic DNA damage over a period of 90 days. The maximal increases in hepatic lipid peroxidation and DNA damage were observed at approximately 45 days of treatment. Maximum increases in the urinary excretion of MDA, FA, ACT, ACON and PROP were 3.2-, 2.6-, 4.1-, 3.3- and 2.1-fold, respectively, while a 5.2-fold increase in DNA-SSB was observed. The results clearly indicate that chronic sodium dichromate administration induces oxidative stress resulting in tissue damaging effects which may contribute to the toxicity and carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium.
Involvement of mitochondria in intracellular calcium sequestration by rat gonadotropes.

Abstract Intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) dynamics were studied in identified rat gonadotropes using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique in conjunction with Indo-1 photometry. The kinetics of depolarization-induced [Ca2+]i transients vary with Ca2+ load. In addition to a rapid initial decay, large (> 500 nM) [Ca2+]i transients have a slow plateau phase. Application of the mitochondrial inhibitor carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) significantly slows the decay of [Ca2+]i transients, consistent with stopping uptake of Ca2+ by mitochondria. CCCP causes a small increase of [Ca2+]i at rest. After a large Ca2+ entry the amount is much larger, consistent with release from a mitochondrial Ca2+ pool that fills during cytoplasmic Ca2+ loading. The rate of Ca2+ uptake by mitochondria is dependent upon [Ca 2+]i. Consistent with previous studies, gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) induces [Ca2+]i oscillations. The mitochondrial inhibitors CCCP and cyanide (CN−) terminate these oscillations. The mitochondrial ATP-synthase inhibitor oligomycin reduces the frequency and increases the amplitude of the oscillations. In the presence of ruthenium red (a non-specific blocker of the mitochondrial Ca2+-uniporter) in the pipette, GnRH does not induce rhythmic [Ca2+]i oscillations. We suggest that mitochondria play a significant role in the rapid clearance of cytosolic Ca2+ loads in gonadotropes and participate in GnRH-induced periodic [Ca2+]i oscillations.
PAM13: A COST-EFFECTIVENESS MODEL COMPARING CELECOXIB AND ROFECOXIB TO TRADITIONAL NSAIDS FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS TREATMENT

OBJECTIVES: Recent studies have demonstrated slightly improved gastrointestinal (GI) complication rates with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors versus non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications in patients not taking aspirin, however the cost avoidance from such events alone does not justify the high costs of these agents. Evidence that other non-GI adverse events may be lower with COX-2 inhibitors is emerging. Since efficacy of these agents appears to be similar, analysis of value can be compared by evaluating adverse event profiles. The purpose of this pharmacoeconomic model is to characterize the relative cost-effectiveness of celecoxib and rofecoxib compared to traditional NSAIDs in osteoarthritic patients not taking aspirin from the perspective of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health care System. METHODS: Data from recently published outcome studies was incorporated into TreeAge software to construct the one-year decision analysis model. The primary cost drivers thought to influence cost-effectiveness were complicated GI bleeds, hospitalizations, and symptomatic ulcers, as well as differences in renal toxicity, dyspepsia, anemia, hypertension and edema. Sensitivity analysis was performed on all major indices based on variations in results found in reviewed studies. RESULTS: Overall rates of adverse events were similar for all agents (75% NSAIDs, 72% celecoxib, 78% rofecoxib), however celecoxib was associated with less events relating to primary cost drivers. These differences are attributed mainly to variances among adverse event probabilities for hypertension and edema (NSAIDs 4.7%, 4.4%, celecoxib 1.6%, 2.9%, rofecoxib 6.4%, 6.3%, respectively). Cost of drug treatment per year for NSAIDs, celecoxib, and rofecoxib are $36.00, $466.00, and $482.00, respectively, based on Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) pricing. CONCLUSIONS: Based on preliminary data, therapy with COX-2 inhibitors does not appear to be cost-effective to prescribe for all osteoarthritic patients within the VA Health care System. Results may be extrapolated to other health care settings assuming medical costs are similar.
Sound production and associated behaviours in blacktail shiner Cyprinella venusta: a comparison between field and lab

Acoustic signals and associated behaviours of a number of fishes in the genus Cyprinella have been investigated and described in detail, but due to logistics, these studies have been done in the laboratory. We used C. venusta as a model for evaluating potential differences in acoustic signals in field versus laboratory settings. In addition to this analysis, a detailed description of acoustic signals and associated behaviours was produced. We found that males were the only sex to vocalize and did so during reproductively associated behaviours such as courtship, aggression, and spawning. Sounds were similar in gross structure to most other species of Cyprinella in that they were composed of bursts and knocks, but differed in a number of signal parameters including acoustic frequency, pulse duration, pulse period, and pulse rate. One of the more striking findings was that the acoustic frequency distributions of both growls and knocks in C. venusta were bi-modal, a characteristic not mentioned for any other species in the genus Cyprinella. Sounds recorded in the laboratory were also found to be significantly different from those recorded in the field.
Relation of magnesium ions to calcium and phosphate absorption.

CHEMICALLY, magnesium and calcium are related since both elements are members of Group II of the Periodic Table. Physiologically, however, in plants1 or in animals2 their actions are often antagonistic. It has been shown that magnesium-deficient rats absorb more calcium from the gastrointestinal tract than do control rats3 and the active transport of calcium ions across the intestinal wall of several species is depressed by magnesium ions4. These experiments indicate again a physiological antagonism between these ions and also suggest the possibility of a common absorptive pathway. However, the experimental conditions in the former study3 are abnormal since magnesium is an integral part of normal diets and magnesium deficiency may have caused changes in the intestinal mucosa which allowed more calcium to be absorbed. In vitro type experiments4 are, by their nature, unphysiological and extrapolations from such isolated systems to interpretations concerning overall calcium absorption in vivo may not be valid.
Biochemical markers of bone turnover

Recent developments in biomarkers in many fields of medicine have expanded the array of tools health care providers can use today for disease management. Essentially, biomarkers assist clinicians today in four main ways: screening, diagnosis, assessment of severity or risk, and monitoring of, or deciding on, treatment (1). Surrogate markers known as biochemical markers of bone turnover have been used for decades in the management of diseases of the skeleton. Historically, bone biomarkers required 24-h urine collections, lacked accuracy and reliability, and were cumbersome to use. More recently, they have been shown to be effective surrogates for assessments of treatment response and efficacy in osteoporosis. Although used extensively in research and development and in metabolic bone disease clinics, they are still infrequently used tools for osteoporosis management in clinical practice. Today they have been incorporated into the assessment and management of a variety of diseases of bone including complex metabolic bone disorders, osteoporosis, Paget's disease of bone, and skeletal metastases. Developments in the last decade have greatly enhanced their performance characteristics. A variety of tests and assays are now widely available and significantly more accurate and reliable measures of bone metabolism have been developed. However, techniques and assays vary substantially. In order to maximize their clinical usefulness, an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, factors that influence them, and knowledge of their unique intricacies is crucial for the ordering physician during the decision-making process. As the field continues to develop, more specific markers and standardization of measurement techniques will enhance reliability, which facilitate their use in practice. The aim of this review is to increase knowledge of the variety of tests available, their potential and limitations, and current best practice for practitioners and researchers, focusing primarily on their use in the management of osteoporosis.
Beyond TGF-β: a prostaglandin promotes fibrosis

The deposition of excess scar tissue that occurs in lung fibrosis is known to be mediated by transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Prostaglandin F2α and the F prostanoid (FP) receptor are now identified as mediators that act independently of TGF-β (pages 1426–1430).
Media processor programming interface to increase the portability of media processor software

The architecture of mediaprocessors has become increasingly sophisticated to accommodate the need for more performance in processing various media data. However, due to the inability of mediaprocessor compilers to fully detect the parallelism available in a program and maximize the utilization of the mediaprocessor's on-chip resources, C intrinsics, which are hints to the compiler on which assembly instructions to use, have been employed to achieve better performance. Nonetheless, these intrinsics are mediaprocessor-dependent, thus limiting the portability of mediaprocessor software. To help increase the portability of mediaprocessor software, we have developed a Mediaprocessor Programming Interface (MPI), which translates one set of C intrinsics into another. In many cases, the translated code for the target mediaprocessor has similar performance to the code developed with native intrinsics. We believe that the MPI can facilitate the reuse of mediaprocessor software as well as the development of mediaprocessor-independent software.
Automatic monitoring of 22Rn daughter concentration in soil air by an electrode collector

Abstract A new 222 Rn monitor is proposed. We discussed the automatic cyclic operation of counting the positively charged 222 Rn daughter nuclides by GM counter after collecting them on the negatively charged electrode. The monitor was used to measure the variation of 222 Rn concentration in the airspace of a ground-water storage tank and of a basement. The results clearly show that the 222 Rn concentration has a negative cross-correlation with atmospheric pressure and a positive cross-correlation with air temperature.
Metacarpal neck fractures: results of treatment with traction reduction and cast immobilization.

Although fractures of the fifth metacarpal neck (boxer’s fractures) are common, their treatment can be problematic. A description of a technique utilizing traction reduction is presented in this paper. The records and radiographs of 59 patients who underwent reduction using longitudinal traction and subsequent immobilization in a specially molded cast were retrospectively reviewed. On average, 80% of initial fracture angulation in the sagittal plane was corrected, and only 1° of this correction was lost at the discontinuation of casting (3–4 weeks). We have found this technique to be highly effective in the treatment of boxer’s fractures. Advantages of this treatment include its efficacy, ease, and improved patient tolerance over other casting techniques.
Tunable diode laser measurements of widths of air- and nitrogen-broadened lines in the nu(4) band of (13)CH(4).

Tunable diode laser measurements of air-broadened and N2-broadened halfwidths are reported for 23 lines in the nu(4) band of C-13H4, between 1260 and 1360/cm. For all lines, at least three scans of each of four or more pressures were recorded. The experimental halfwidths presently obtained for C-13H4 are both larger and smaller than the U.S. Air Force Geophysics Laboratory values.
Multiplicity of Hepatic Excretory Mechanisms for Organic Anions

Previous studies based upon competition between different organic anions for biliary excretion in vivo have suggested that all organic anions share a common hepatic secretory mechanism. Corriedale sheep with an inherited defect in organic anion excretion by the liver were used to study this problem directly without the need for competition studies, the results of which are difficult to analyze. Maximal biliary excretion of sulfobromphthalein (BSP) in mutant Corriedale sheep was less than 7% of that observed in normal sheep whereas maximal biliary excretion of taurocholate, the major organic anion in sheep bile, was not different in mutant and normal sheep. Taurocholate infusion enhanced maximal hepatic excretion of BSP in normal but not in mutant sheep. These studies of an inheritable disorder which appears to be identical to the Dubin-Johnson syndrome in man, demonstrate that taurocholate excretion requires at least one step in biliary excretion which is not required by other organic anions such as bile pigment, porphyrins, drugs, and dyes.
The Titration of Yellow Fever Virus in Stegomyia Mosquitoes.

Titrations were made of yellow fever virus in stegomyia mosquitoes, using rhesus monkeys as test animals. It was found that: (a) The average mosquito immediately after engorging on highly infectious blood contained between 1 and 2 million lethal doses of virus. The titer of freshly ingested blood was as high as 1 billion lethal doses of virus per cubic centimeter. (b) During the fortnight succeeding a meal on infectious blood there occurred a reduction of titratable virus to not more than 1 per cent of that present in the freshly fed insects. (c) The titer was somewhat higher at later periods. This rise in titer signified possibly not a multiplication, but merely an increase of extracellular virus and of that easily freed by grinding to a titratable form. (d) At no later stage did the quantity of titratable virus equal that demonstrable in freshly fed insects.
Solute retention in micellar liquid chromatography

Abstract A study of the retention behavior of aromatic compounds in micellar and hydro-organic mobile phases was undertaken to better understand the differences in retention and selectivity between micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) and reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The capacity factor for 21 aromatic compounds was measured on Microsorb C18 using both micellar and hydro-organic mobile phases. Through correlation analysis it was shown that solute retention in MLC is influenced in some measure by the net surface charge of the stationary phase as well as by the unusual nature of the micelle—solute interaction.
Crafting Yesterday's Tomorrows: Retro-Futurism, Steampunk, and the Problem of Making in the Twenty-First Century

AbstractThis article highlights a growing confusion between two recent movements: retro-futurism and steampunk. While these each involve visual representations of the past and future, they can be distinguished by their modes of production. Both avant-garde and popular approaches to futurism are considered, and measured against ideas of retro-futurism and steampunk. The latter's manifestation within a culture of tinkering, DIY, and craft are contrasted with retro-futurism's characterization as a detached sensibility that mourns the lost belief in progress. While steampunks celebrate “making” and often build strong ethical claims for their work, the movement's engagement with craft traditions is generally under-theorized; ultimately, in its lack of self-reflectivity, steampunk provides a mirror for our shifting understanding of craft, human agency, and the global implications of making in the early twenty-first century.
School Mental Health Resources and Adolescent Mental Health Service Use

Objective Although schools are identified as critical for detecting youth mental disorders, little is known about whether the number of mental health providers and types of resources that they offer influence student mental health service use. Such information could inform the development and allocation of appropriate school-based resources to increase service use. This article examines associations of school resources with past-year mental health service use among students with 12-month DSM-IV mental disorders. Method Data come from the U.S. National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a national survey of adolescent mental health that included 4,445 adolescent–parent pairs in 227 schools in which principals and mental health coordinators completed surveys about school resources and policies for addressing student emotional problems. Adolescents and parents completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and reported mental health service use across multiple sectors. Multilevel multivariate regression was used to examine associations of school mental health resources and individual-level service use. Results Nearly half (45.3%) of adolescents with a 12-month DSM-IV disorder received past-year mental health services. Substantial variation existed in school resources. Increased school engagement in early identification was significantly associated with mental health service use for adolescents with mild/moderate mental and behavior disorders. The ratio of students to mental health providers was not associated with overall service use, but was associated with sector of service use. Conclusions School mental health resources, particularly those related to early identification, may facilitate mental health service use and may influence sector of service use for youths with DSM disorders.
A New Generation of Corporate Codes of Ethics

Globalization theories posit organizational convergence, suggesting that Codes of Ethics will become commonplace and include greater consideration of global issues. This study explores the degree to which the Codes of Ethics of 157 corporations on the Global 500 and/or Fortune 500 lists include the “third generation” of corporate social responsibility. Unlike first generation ethics, which focus on the legal context of corporate behavior, and second generation ethics, which locate responsibility to groups directly associated with the corporation, third generation ethics transcend both the profit motive and the immediate corporate environment. Third generation ethics are grounded in responsibilities to the larger interconnected environment. The results of the study suggest convergence, insofar as Codes of Ethics are becoming standard communication features of corporations across region and industrial sector but still manifest a primary concern with profits and those behaviors which are mandated by law. Only corporations headquartered in the European Union demonstrate a significant degree of global consciousness and reflexivity. However, there is some evidence that third generation ethics and thinking are becoming part of the corporate landscape. More then three quarters of the corporations made at least some reference to third generation ethics.
Temporal Relation of ATP-Sensitive Potassium-Channel Activation and Contractility Before Cardioplegia

Abstract Background . Pharmacologic treatment using potassium-channel openers (PCOs) before cardioplegic arrest has been demonstrated to provide beneficial effects on left ventricular performance with subsequent reperfusion and rewarming. However, the PCO treatment interval necessary to provide protective effects during cardioplegic arrest remains to be defined. The present study was designed to determine the optimum period of PCO treatment that would impart beneficial effects on left ventricular myocyte contractility after simulated cardioplegic arrest. Methods . Left ventricular porcine myocytes were assigned randomly to three groups: (1) normothermic control=37°C for 2 hours; (2) cardioplegia=K + (24 mEq/L) at 4°C for 2 hours followed by reperfusion and rewarming; and (3) PCO and cardioplegia=1 to 15 minutes of treatment with the PCO aprikalim (100 μmol/L) at 37°C followed by hypothermic (4°C) cardioplegic arrest and subsequent rewarming. Myocyte contractility was measured after rewarming by videomicroscopy. A minimum of 50 myocytes were examined at each treatment and time point. Results . Myocyte velocity of shortening was reduced after cardioplegic arrest and rewarming compared with normothermic controls (63 ± 3 μm/s versus 32 ± 2 μm/s, respectively; p Conclusions . A brief interval of PCO treatment produced beneficial effects on left ventricular myocyte contractile function in a simulated model of cardioplegic arrest and rewarming. These results suggest that a brief period of PCO treatment may provide a strategy for myocardial protection during prolonged cardioplegic arrest in the setting of cardiac operation.
Spectral theory and interpolation of operators

Abstract Let ( B 0 , B 1 ) be an interpolation pair of Banach spaces, and let T : B j → B j be a bounded linear operator, j = 0, 1. We study the spectrum of T on an intermediate space B . In essence, it is shown that this spectrum depends only on the interpolation properties of B .
Spatially nonlocal fluctuation theories: Hydrodynamic fluctuations for simple fluids

Abstract Our development of the effect of spatially nonlocal thermodynamic correlations on fluctuations is continued, focusing here on the hydrodynamic description for simple fluids. We use the canonical fluctuation-dissipation formalism and show that short ranged thermodynamic correlations are systematically included in the hydrodynamic description. In general the theory requires a knowledge of the second functional derivatives of the entropy - or equivalently - the two, three, and four point equilibrium correlation functions. For hard spheres this degenerates to a knowledge of the equilibrium radial distribution function. Within the context of the hydrodynamic theory, we present an exact calculation of the intermediate scattering function for hard spheres and compare with recent results from computer molecular dynamics. At liquid densities quantitative agreement is found as a function of time for distance scales up to the order of the hard sphere diameter. As expected, the time dependence of the fluctuating hydrodynamics results is only qualitatively correct for wavelengths much shorter than interactomic spacings or at interatomic spacings in the domain of gas densities. The implications of spatially nonlocal effects far from equilibrium is discussed.
Mouth Breathing: I. Etiology and Effects (a Review)

Mouth breathing may be defined as habitual respiration through the mouth instead of the nose. An important function of the nose is the preparation of the atmospheric air for use by the lungs. The nose cleans, moistens and warms the inspired air. Failure to do so, by breathing through the mouth instead of the nose, has been considered to be injurious to the tissues lining the respiratory tract and oral cavity because of the impact of cold, dry and dirty air. It has also been stated that mouth breathing has serious effects on the development of the facial skeleton and the occlusion of the teeth because of the displacement of normal labial, buccal and lingual muscular forces. The effects of mouth breathing on the tissues o f the nose and paranasal sinuses have been studied by the rhinologist. The effects o f the habit on the oral soft tissues have been observed by the periodontist, while the orthodontist and pedodontist have studied the effects of mouth breath­ ing on the occlusion of the teeth and the development of the facial skeleton. Thus, the problem of mouth breathing has been studied from different points of view. It is inevitable that some differences of opinion occur as a result of different viewpoints. The various statements and observa­ tions reported in the literature on the cause and effect of mouth breathing will be reviewed in an effort to separate fact from conjecture.
Evolution of Mesas on Si(111) Surface Under Sublimation: Nanofabrication through the Control of Atomic Steps

How the surface morphology of a low index crystal surface evolves under annealing below the roughening temperature is still being investigated both theoretically and experimentally. This research is needed to understand the stability of nanostructures and for the control of step array on surfaces for various technological applications. We have approached this problem from an experimental point of view by looking at the step morphology on the top of mesas patterned on Si(111) after flashing at 1200°C and annealing between 1000–1100°C. We find that after annealing, nanometer height ridges develop on the edges of the mesas except for one edge which becomes a source for steps advancing into the mesa top. The edge that does not develop a ridge is mainly determined by the initial miscut of the surface. We attempt to explain our results through step dynamics and present some applications of this phenomena in creating novel arrays of steps.
Reasons, Value, and Particular Agents: Normative Relevance without Motivational Internalism

While differing widely in other respects, both neo-Humean and neo-Kantian approaches to normativity embrace an internalist thesis linking reasons for acting to potential motivation. This thesis pushes in different directions depending on the underlying view of the powers of practical reason, but either way it sets the stage for an attack on realist attempts to ground reasons directly in facts about value. How can reasons that are not somehow grounded in motivational features of the agent nonetheless count as reasons for that particular agent, having genuine normative force for her? Won't any realist, externalist view threaten to alienate the individual from the reasons that obtain for her, particularly if she fails (even after rational deliberation) to care about the values that are supposed to ground them? I argue that such objections can successfully be answered, and that externalist views of reasons need not be plagued with normative alienation. Focusing largely on a recent debate between Williams and McDowell over the nature of normative reasons, I show that a value-based externalist theory, when properly conceived, can account for the normative relevance of reasons to the particular agents for whom they obtain. Moreover, Williams's own sophisticated neo-Humeanism turns out to be vulnerable to parallel charges of normative alienation, which it cannot escape without compromising the very psychologistic orientation that has been its chief attraction. Realist externalism about reasons turns out to be a more viable and attractive alternative to both neo-Humeanism and neo-Kantianism than many currently take it to be.
Predictors of early mortality in patients with angiographically documented left main coronary artery disease

To determine predictors of early death after coronary angiography in patients with significant left main coronary artery disease (greater than or equal to 60% diameter narrowing, LMCAD), we reviewed the clinical records of patients with LMCAD who died after angiography. Of 1,288 patients with LMCAD studied between January 1978 and October 1989, 21 died within 2 days after angiography (group 1). As a control group, 85 patients were randomly sampled from 1,196 patients who survived at least 30 days after angiography (group 2). The predictors of early death after angiography in patients with LMCAD were older age (P less than 0.05), New York Heart Association Class III or IV (P less than 0.005), shorter duration of unstable angina (P less than 0.005), higher left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (P less than 0.006), lower ejection fraction (P less than 0.005), and significant left circumflex artery disease (P less than 0.006). The use of heparin infusion after angiography did not appear to be a significant factor. It is suggested that earlier operation or more aggressive management be undertaken in patients who, at cardiac catheterization, have significant LMCAD associated with the above-listed variables.
A continuum bright point at the penumbral edge

A small continuum bright point, observed at the outer edge of the penumbra of a small spot in a large complex spot group, is related to an occurrence beneath the Sun's surface. The characteristics of the point appear to be unique, and the name ‘penumbra-periphery bright point’ is proposed.
Diversity and succession of epiphytic macrolichen communities in low-elevation managed conifer forests in Western Oregon

. We examined epiphytic macrolichen communities in Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) forests across the western Oregon landscape for relationships to environmental gradients, stand age and structure, and commercial thinning. We used a retrospective, blocked design through the Coast and the western Cascade ranges of Oregon. Each of our 17 blocks consisted of a young, unthinned stand (age 50–110 yr); an adjacent, thinned stand of equivalent age; and an old-growth stand (age > 200 yr). We found 110 epiphytic macrolichen taxa in the stands. Forage-providing alectorioid lichens and the nitrogen-fixing cyanolichen Lobaria oregana associated strongly with old-growth stands and remnant old trees in younger stands (unthinned + thinned). Relative to unthinned stands, thinned stands had a slightly higher abundance of alectorioid lichens and a greater presence of Hypogymnia imshaugii. However, thinned stands hosted a lower landscape-level (γ) diversity, lacking many species that occurred infrequently in the unthinned stands. Patterns in the lichen community composition correlated strongly with climatic gradients; the greatest variation in composition was between the Coast and Cascade ranges. The difference in communities between mountain ranges was greatest among stands 70–110 yr old, suggesting a difference in lichen successional dynamics between the ranges.
Las Vegas in the Rearview Mirror: The City in Theory, Photography, and Film

In Las Vegas in the Rearview Mirror: The City in Theory, Photography, and Film, Martino Stierli uses the rearview mirror as a metaphor, first to reflect on the history of Robert Venturi, Denise Sco...
Guidelines for the prevention of intravascular catheter-related infections: recommendations relevant to interventional radiology.

THE revised version of the Centers for Disease Control Guidelines for the Prevention of Intravascular Catheterrelated Infections was published on August 9, 2002, in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Reports and Recommendations series (1). It replaces the previous guideline published in 1996. The goal of the new guidelines is to provide evidencebased recommendations for preventing catheter-related infections. The new document was prepared by a working group led by the Society of Critical Care Medicine, in collaboration with the Infectious Disease Society of America, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, Surgical Infection Society, American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Infusion Nurses Society, Oncology Nursing Society, Society of Interventional Radiology, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control. Major areas of emphasis in the new guidelines include (i) education and training of health-care providers who insert and maintain catheters, (ii) use of maximal sterile barrier precautions during central venous catheter (CVC) insertion, (iii) use of a 2% chlorhexidine preparation for skin antisepsis, (iv) avoidance of routine replacement of CVCs as a strategy to prevent infection, and (v) use of antisepticor antibiotic-impregnated short-term CVCs if the rate of infection is high despite adherence to other strategies (ie, education and training, maximum sterile barrier precautions, and 2% chlorhexidine for skin antisepsis). The full guideline, available without charge at http:// www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/RR/RR5110.pdf, is lengthy and includes numerous other recommendations (1). Portions of the new guideline are of particular interest to interventional radiologists, particularly those dealing with CVCs, peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs), and hemodialysis catheters. Selected recommendations are presented verbatim here, along with selected supporting data, background information, and references.
Genetics, clinical management and natural history of congenital hypothyroidism

Congenital hypothyroidism has an incidence of 1:3000-4000 newborns. In the past, it was a common cause of mental retardation, although newborn screening has improved the prognosis. Several transcription factors are crucial to the early organogenesis of the thyroid, including TITF1, FOXE1, PAX8 and HHEX. Nevertheless, a small minority of humans with congenital hypothyroidism carry mutations in these genes. Long-term follow-up studies show that with appropriate therapy, the mental and physical development of congenital hypothyroidism patients is in the normal range, although somewhat delayed when compared with appropriate controls. Critical issues of treatment include early diagnosis and rapid correction of hypothyroidism by ensuring rapid initiation of treatment and rapid normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, especially in cases of severe congenital hypothyroidism. There has been recent question of the need to treat premature infants with hypothyroxinemia but no elevation of the thyroid-stimulating hormone concentration. Numerous controlled studies of the short- and long-term effects of thyroid hormone supplementation have not shown a consistent benefit in this group of patients. Future research will investigate further the genetic underpinnings of the condition. There is a worldwide need to prevent congenital hypothyroidism by ensuring adequate dietary iodine and to develop infrastructure to diagnose and treat congenital hypothyroidism in developing countries.
Upper-Ocean Turbulence during a Westerly Wind Burst: A Comparison of Large-Eddy Simulation Results and Microstructure Measurements

The response of the upper ocean to westerly wind forcing in the western equatorial Pacific was modeled by means of large-eddy simulation for the purpose of comparison with concurrent microstructure observations. The model was initialized using currents and hydrography measured during the Coupled Ocean‐Atmosphere Response Experiment (COARE) and forced using measurements of surface fluxes over a 24-h period. Comparison of turbulence statistics from the model with those estimated from concurrent measurements reveals good agreement within the mixed layer. The shortcomings of the model appear in the stratified fluid below the mixed layer, where the vertical length scales of turbulent eddies are limited by stratification and are not adequately resolved by the model. Model predictions of vertical heat and salt fluxes in the entrainment zone at the base of the mixed layer are very similar to estimates based on microstructure data.
The Near-Infrared Transition of CuCl Observed by Intracavity Laser Spectroscopy.

Abstract The near-infrared electronic transition of CuCl, occurring in the region of 745 nm, was recorded using intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy. The (0, 0), (1, 1), and (2, 2) vibronic bands were analyzed, and from this the molecular constants for the two electronic states were derived. Originally assigned as A ′ 3 Σ + – X 1 Σ + , we have confirmed that this transition does not connect to the ground state, but occurs between two unknown excited states. The excited CuCl molecules were produced in a copper hollow cathode, operated using argon and a small amount of CCl 4 . Line positions were referenced to iodine spectra observed from a heated extracavity cell using the broadband spectral output of the intracavity laser as the light source.
Audience Motivations for Using Interactive Features: Distinguishing Use of Different Types of Interactivity on an Online Newspaper

This study examines audience uses of three types of interactivity, user motivations for visiting an online newspaper, and the relationship between user motivations and use of the different types of interactive features. There are three types of interactivity on a continuum: medium, human/medium, and human interactivity. In an online survey of 542 respondents, results indicate that medium interactive features were used most frequently and human interactive features used the least. Three motivations for using online newspapers emerged—information seeking/surveillance, socialization, and entertainment. In addition, further analysis found that although all three motivations were predictors of use of medium interactive features, the information seeking/surveillance motivation was not a significant predictor of use of human/medium and human interactive features.
Institutions Behind Family Ownership and Control in Large Firms

There is a major debate regarding the role of concentrated family ownership and control in large firms, with three positions suggesting that such concentration is (1) good, (2) bad, or (3) irrelevant for firm value. Why are there such differences? We theorize that the impact of family ownership and control on firm value is associated with the level of shareholder protection embodied in legal and regulatory institutions of a country. Data from 634 publicly listed large family firms in seven Asian countries (Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand) are used to test our hypotheses. Overall, this article sketches the contours of a cross-country, institution-based view of corporate governance, and leads to a more informed understanding of the crucial role of institutions behind family ownership and control in large firms.
Physicians and Ethics in the Health Care Reform Debate

The desire for health care reform in the United States has been motivated by the need to provide universal health insurance coverage to all citizens while at the same time controlling the spiralling costs of the health care industry. The debate has focused primarily on the politics and economics of various proposals while discussion of the values inherent in the choices has been lacking. Americans have finally realized and accepted that health is a primary good and the need for health care services is unevenly distributed throughout the population. It is obvious to everyone that the various options for providing and paying for these needed services are value laden and controversial. As major players in the provision of health care and as respected professionals in the community, physicians ought to be consulted and should participate in setting the priorities and determining the solutions. Physicians, however, do not speak with a single voice. Their views about the appropriate values to be fostered and the correct course for health care reform vary greatly based on sex, ethnicity, race, age, medical specialty, locale, type of practice, and income level. In addition, unfortunately, physicians have focused primarily on the self-serving issues of the impact of reform on their own autonomy and income rather than advocating for the interests of their patients. Physicians ought to be aware that the provision of universal insurance and access to care is not sufficient to ensure that patients will in fact receive care. Thus, any system of health care reform must take into account the development of culturally appropriate, community-based programs to meet the needs of the population as defined by the patients themselves. Health care professionals and politicians alike have placed a great deal of emphasis in recent years on the technological advances in medicine. These modern miracles of medical science involve expensive, hospital-based interventions to rescue those who are critically ill and provide life-prolonging care. Such treatments are highly visible, with obvious benefit to those in need. However, preventive and educational initiatives that are community-based, less visible, and less easily proven to be effective have not received their deserved prominence. Rescue has always been more exciting and sellable than prevention, but focusing on rescue ignores the social and environmental factors that have a major impact on the health of a population. Here again we will need to prioritize the values chosen for reform of the health care system to ensure that preventive interventions are given sufficient emphasis. Assuring access to preventive services need not detract from the provision of appropriate high-technology services to those in need. Preventive interventions have the potential to save significant dollars by decreasing the number of patients requiring high-tech care. …
Data Monitoring of a Placebo-Controlled Trial of Daclizumab in Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease

This trial was undertaken to test the hypothesis that two-drug initial therapy for acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) would produce better control of GVHD and less exposure to corticosteroids than the standard treatment of corticosteroids alone. All participants had undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and developed acute GVHD. Subjects were randomized to treatment with corticosteroids plus placebo or corticosteroids plus daclizumab. The trial was continued past its first interim analysis (~30%; evaluable subjects) but was stopped after the second interim analysis (~50%; evaluable subjects) when the two-drug arm was associated with worse overall survival.