cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Design of a 4-valued digital multiplier using an artificial heterogeneous two-layered neural network

A two-layered parallel cascaded neural network using heterogeneous binary and ternary artificial neurons is used to implement the four-valued digital multiplication process. The hardware design is derived from a general M-valued perceptron mapping theory. It requires only three binary neurons and one ternary neuron. The use of heterogeneous perceptron mapping techniques allows the design to be reasonably simple and accurate. >
Greek Forerunners of Simenon

Rhetoric as a reality of life started the moment that two persons were in existence. (Or even earlier, to judge by North Beach, where folks stand around animatedly talking to themselves.) As a craft, analyzed and taught, it originated-if we can trust Aristotle'--around 500 B.C. in Sicily, Greek-speaking at the time. The island was then in a peculiar state, reminiscent of Germany or Italy after World War II. The dictators who had overthrown the traditional city constitutions were deposed again. At first, many who had been ill-treated by them or their henchmen used self-help to exact retribution and recover their losses. But as this created turmoil, the courts took over. In the trials that ensued, old-accustomed notions of criminality turned out to be inadequate. One had to go much further than before in bringing to account evil-doing by remote control. As usual in such regimes, those on top had left much of the dirty work to their underlings: to take it out on these alone would make no sense. Similarly, one had to go further in punishing passivity-collaboration by staying on and pursuing ordinary activities when high-minded citizens chose exile.2 Another vast area demanding fresh solutions was moral assessment of conduct: what weight was to be accorded to the manifold excuses available in so troubled a period? An outrage might have been perpetrated in deference to superior orders, disregard of which would be perilous.3 Foreign mercenaries and their families might have received land from the tyrant for services which, on the whole, were beneficial to the community and which, in any case, it was not up to them to question.4
Evaluation of Unknown Foundations of Bridges Subjected to Scour: Physically Driven Artificial Neural Network Approach

Missing substructure information has impeded the safety assessment of bridges with unknown foundations, especially for scour-prone bridges. An approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) was developed to identify the inherent patterns in the substructure design of bridges with commonly available evidence (e.g., geometric characteristics of superstructures, loading conditions, soil properties, year built, and location) and then to generalize them further to bridges with unknown foundations. The proposed ANN models were trained with information collected for an inventory of bridges with available foundation records located in the Bryan District of the Texas Department of Transportation. Results showed that the proposed ANN models were able to make successful predictions about the foundation type and the embedment depth for deep foundations. In addition, the degree of uncertainty in the models' predictions was evaluated by performing the random subsampling method. Graphs of the probability of exceeda...
Workplace and social support in ameliorating managerial burnout in the food and beverage industry.

The effect of sources of support, i.e. supervisory, collegial, subordinate, family and friend support, on burnout was studied by asking managers to rank each source of support as to the amount of advice, feedback, information, assistance, and encouragement given them. Sources of support were correlated with three dimensions (Emotional Exhaustion, EE; Depersonalization, DP; and Personal Accomplishment, PA) of the Maslach Burnout Inventory and with various demographic factors.Findings show women have a significantly higher burnout rate with less subordinate support than men do. Single people have a significantly greater burnout rate than married people and perceive significantly less supervisory and family support. Older, married men who have remained longer with one company perceive more support and less burnout than do their younger, single (male and female), female counterparts who frequently change jobs and companies.
Therapy for β‐globinopathies: a brief review and determinants for successful and safe correction

Gene therapy for beta-globinopathies, particularly beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, hold much promise for the future, as a one time cure for these common and debilitating disorders. Correction of the beta-globinopathies using lentivirus vectors (LV) carrying the beta- or gamma-globin genes and elements of the locus control region has been well established in murine models, and a good idea of "what it will take to cure these diseases" has been developed in the first decade of the twenty-first century. A clinical trial using one such vector has been initiated in France while other trials are in development. Vector improvements to enhance the safety and efficiency of LV are being explored, while newer strategies, like homologous recombination in induced pluripotent cells for correction of sickle cell anemia, has been shown as a proof-of-concept. Here we provide a review of current progress in genetic correction of beta-globin disorders.
Balancing job performance with system performance via locality-aware scheduling on torus-connected systems

Torus-connected network is widely used in modern supercomputers due to its linear per node cost scaling and its competitive overall performance. Job scheduling system plays a critical role for the efficient use of supercomputers. As supercomputers continue growing in size, a fundamental problem arises: how to effectively balance job performance with system performance on torus-connected machines? In this work, we will present a new scheduling design named window-based locality-aware scheduling. Our design contains three novel features. First, rather than one-by-one job scheduling, our design takes a “window” of jobs, i.e. multiple jobs, into consideration for job prioritizing and resource allocation. Second, our design maintains a list of slots to preserve node contiguity information for resource allocation. Finally, we formulate our scheduling decision making into a 0–1 Multiple Knapsack Problem and present two algorithms to solve the problem. A series of trace-based simulations using job logs collected from production supercomputers indicate that this new scheduling design has real potentials and can effectively balance job performance and system performance.
Functional and morphological studies of protein transcytosis in continuous endothelia.

Continuous microvascular endothelium constitutively transfers protein from vessel lumen to interstitial space. Compelling recent biochemical, ultrastructural, and physiological evidence reviewed herein demonstrates that protein transport is not the result of barrier “leakiness” but, rather, is an active process occurring primarily in a transendothelial vesicular pathway. Protein accesses the vesicular pathway by means of caveolae open to the vessel lumen. Vascular tracer proteins appear in free cytoplasmic vesicles within minutes; contents of transport vesicles are rapidly deposited into the subendothelial matrix by exocytosis. Caveolin-1 deficiency eliminates caveolae and abolishes vesicular protein transport; interestingly, exchange vessels develop a compensatory transport mode through the opening of a paracellular permeability pathway. The evidence supports the transcytosis hypothesis and the concept that transcytosis is a fundamental component of transendothelial permeability of macromolecules.
Dysphagia without endoscopically evident disease: to dilate or not?

Abstract OBJECTIVES: It is not known whether patients with symptoms of dysphagia but normal upper endoscopy benefit from empiric esophageal dilation. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether patients with solid food dysphagia and normal upper endoscopy have symptomatic benefit from empiric dilation using a through-the-scope balloon. METHODS: Patients who were seen for complaints of solid food dysphagia and who had normal endoscopic examinations at our institution from 1998 through 1999 were identified. Those patients who had agreed before sedation to participate in the study, if eligible, were randomized to either sham or balloon dilation using an 18-mm through-the-scope balloon at the time of esophagogastroduodenoscopy. All potentially eligible patients who had given provisional consent completed a dysphagia questionnaire and a 10-cm visual analog dysphagia scale before endoscopy. Follow-up questionnaires were completed on day 1 and at 3 months and 6 months after the procedure. The primary endpoint of the study was the patient’s self-assessment of difficulty swallowing, based on the questionnaires. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients met the study criteria and were randomized to balloon dilation (n = 43) or sham (n = 40). The two groups were comparable in age, sex, severity of baseline dysphagia, and use of antireflux medication. Improvement in dysphagia comparing sham to balloon on day 1 was 66% versus 67% ( p = 0.99); at 3 months it was 82% versus 76% ( p = 0.56); and at 6 months it was 84% versus 73% ( p = 0.38). There were no reported complications in either group. CONCLUSION: The data from this prospective randomized, controlled study do not support the practice of empiric dilation in patients with symptoms of dysphagia without an endoscopically evident cause of dysphagia.
Techniques for intramedullary nailing of proximal tibia fractures

Despite poor early results with intramedullary nailing of extra-articular proximal tibia fractures, improvements in surgical technique and implant design modifications have resulted in more acceptable outcomes. However, prevention of the commonly encountered apex anterior and/or valgus deformities remains a challenge when treating these injuries. It is necessary for the surgeon to recognize this and know how to neutralize these forces. Surgeons should be comfortable using a variety of the reduction techniques presented to minimize fracture malalignment.
A Diagnostic Tool for Assessing the Relative Importance of Information in Impression Formation: Application in Order Effects

This paper describes a diagnostic tool for assessing relative impact weights of time-dependent information on an impression or judgment and illustrates its use in the area of order effects. A novel and somewhat counterintuitive finding, based on applying this tool, is that the bit of information associated with the greatest impact weight is not necessarily the bit of information associated with the greatest relative impact weight. At the heart of this tool is the ability to compute precisely the relative impact weights associated with each piece of information, which are, in general, different from the actual impact weights associated with each piece of information. This provides the opportunity to determine relative impact weights under various assumptions about, and theories of, or related to, impression formation. In turn, this diagnostic information may be used to deepen understanding of a particular theory or, perhaps, to propose or define new theory.
Computer-assisted adjustment of inspired oxygen concentration improves control of oxygen saturation in newborn infants requiring mechanical ventilation

Open-loop computer control of inspired oxygen concentration was evaluated in 16 newborn infants requiring mechanical ventilation. FIO2 and oxygen saturation were compared for 2-hour periods of computer versus routine manual FIO2 adjustment. During computer-assisted FIO2 adjustment, patients spent more time at the target SaO2 and less time with SaO2 < 90%.
Newton's method for a class of nonsmooth functions

This paper presents and justifies a Newton iterative process for finding zeros of functions admitting a certain type of approximation. This class includes smooth functions as well as nonsmooth reformulations of variational inequalities. We prove for this method an analogue of the fundamental local convergence theorem of Kantorovich including optimal error bounds.
Laboratory studies of the marine copepod Centropages typicus: egg production and development rates

Egg production and development rates of Centropages typicus (Kroyer) were studied in the laboratory under carying food and temperature conditions. Egg production rates in the laboratory ranged from 0 to 124 eggs female-1 d-1 and increased with food concentration up to a critical food concentration (Pc) above which egg production was constant. Egg production rates were influenced by temperature, with more eggs being produced at 15°C than at 10°C. Thalassiosira weisflogii and Prorocentrum micans were determined to be equally capable of supporting egg production at concentrations above Pc at 15°C. Rate of egg production was independent of adult female size when food and temperature were constant. Egg production rates of freshly captured females ranged from 0 to 188 eggs female-1 d-1 and were higher in April and May than in June or July. Hatching rates of eggs increased with increased temperature; 95% of the eggs at 15°C hatched within 48 h, while only 8% of the eggs at 10°C hatched within 48 h. Development rates, determined at 10°C in excess concentrations of T. weisflogii, were 23.0 d from egg release to copepodid state I, 27.0 d to stage II, 29.5 d to stage III, 32.2 d to stage IV, 38.5 d to stage V and 49 d to adulthood based on the average time required for 50% of the organisms in an experiment to attain a given stage. Adult males were usually observed 2 to 4 d before adult females, and therefore have a slightly faster rate of development. The effects of temperature, food type and food concentration on egg production and the seasonal appearances of diatoms in the New York Bight may account for the observed seasonal cycles in abundance of C. typicus in these coastal waters.
Are antibodies important in mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii

It is unwise to extrapolate results, even from one mouse strain to another, when attempting to define the mechanisms that control and effect anti-malaria immunity. It is important to better characterize the broad range o f possible responses that are likely to occur when individuals in an outbred population are infected. Here, Peter Sayles and Donald Wossom discuss briefly their views on the role of antibody in murine and human malaria infections, based on their work on mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii.
The Touch Dome Defines an Epidermal Niche Specialized for Mechanosensory Signaling

In mammalian skin, Merkel cells are mechanoreceptor cells that are required for the perception of gentle touch. Recent evidence indicates that mature Merkel cells descend from the proliferative layer of skin epidermis; however, the stem cell niche for Merkel cell homeostasis has not been reported. Here, we provide genetic evidence for maintenance of mature Merkel cells during homeostasis by Krt17+ stem cells located in epidermal touch domes of hairy skin and in the tips of the rete ridges of glabrous skin. Lineage tracing analysis indicated that the entire pool of mature Merkel cells is turned over every 7-8 weeks in the adult epidermis and that Krt17+ stem cells also maintain squamous differentiation in the touch dome and in glabrous skin. Finally, selective genetic ablation of Krt17+ touch-dome keratinocytes indicates that these cells, and not mature Merkel cells, are primarily responsible for maintaining innervation of the Merkel cell-neurite complex.
Propagated and nonpropagated calcium transients during egg activation in the annelid, Chaetopterus.

Transient waves of Ca 2/ release cross-fertilizing deuterostome eggs from the point of sperm entry to its antipode and provide much of the activating stimulus for the egg. Based on several indirect lines of experimental evidence, it was proposed that protostome eggs are activated by a prolonged uptake of Ca 2/ from the medium due to sperm-induced membrane depolarization and that this uptake then starts an activation wave similar to those in deuterostomes, except that it moves inward from the whole surface rather than through the egg from pole to pole. To test these hypotheses, we microinjected oocytes of the polychaete annelid, Chaetopterus pergamentaceus, with semisynthetic recombinant aequorins and measured light emission in response to both fertilization and artificial activation by excess K / . Both fertilization and K / -activation induced multiple, brief Ca 2/ transients in the eggs. The first transient did not propagate, but it was followed by a series of globally propagated Ca 2/ waves interspersed with additional nonpropagated pulses. The waves traversed the egg at about 30 mm/sec. Sequential propagated waves and nonpropagated pulses generally originated at different regions on the egg surface, except the last few, which originated in the same ‘‘pacemaker’’ region. These new data are consistent with the hypothesis that the activation of protostome eggs is initiated by Ca 2/ waves. However, the fact that these waves propagated from pole to pole like those in deuterostome eggs refutes the notion that Ca 2/ waves in
HPV-16 E6/7 Immortalization Sensitizes Human Keratinocytes to Ultraviolet B by Altering the Pathway from Caspase-8 to Caspase-9-dependent Apoptosis

UVB from solar radiation is both an initiating and promoting agent for skin cancer. We have found that primary human keratinocytes undergo an apoptotic response to UVB. To determine whether these responses are altered during the course of immortalization, we examined markers of apoptosis in primary human foreskin keratinocytes (HFK) transduced with either a retroviral vector expressing the E6 and E7 genes of HPV-16 or with empty vector alone (LXSN-HFK). Whereas LXSN-HFK as well as early passage keratinocytes expressing HPV-16 E6 and E7 (p7 E6/7-HFK) were both moderately responsive to UVB irradiation, late passage-immortalized keratinocytes (p27 E6/7-HFK) were exquisitely sensitive to UVB-induced apoptosis. After exposure to UVB, enhanced annexin V-positivity and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation were observed in p27 E6/7-HFK compared with either LXSN- or p7 E6/7-HFK. Caspase-3 fluorometric activity assays as well as immunoblot analysis with antibodies to caspase-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase revealed elevated caspase-3 activity and processing at lower UVB doses in p27 E6/7-HFK compared with LXSN- or p7 E6/7-HFK. In addition, the caspase inhibitor DEVD-CHO reduced the apoptotic response and increased survival of all three HFK types. Immunoblot analysis revealed that caspase-8 was activated in all three cell types, but caspase-9 was only activated in p27 E6/7-HFK. Cell cycle analysis further showed that only p27 E6/7-HFK exhibit G2/M accumulation that is enhanced by UVB treatment. This accumulation was associated with a rapid down-regulation of Bcl-2 in these cells. The immortalization process subsequent to the expression of HPV E6 and E7 may therefore determine UVB sensitivity by switching the mode of apoptosis from a caspase-8 to a Bcl-2-caspase-9-mediated pathway of apoptosis.
2003 Mars Exploration Rover orbit determination using delta VLBI data

The Mars Exploration Rover mission plans to launch two spacecraft, each containing one rover, and to deliver them to the surface of Mars allowing the rovers to collect science data on the surface.
Pulmonary responses of acute exposure to ultrafine iron particles in healthy adult rats

As critical constituents of ambient particulate matter, transition metals such as iron may play an important role in health outcomes associated with air pollution. The purpose of this study was to determine the respiratory effects of inhaled ultrafine iron particles in rats. Sprague Dawley rats 10-12 weeks of age were exposed by inhalation to iron particles (57 and 90 microg/m(3), respectively) or filtered air (FA) for 6 h/day for 3 days. The median diameter of particles generated was 72 nm. Exposure to iron particles at a concentration of 90 microg/m(3) resulted in a significant decrease in total antioxidant power along with a significant induction in ferritin expression, GST activity, and IL-1beta levels in lungs compared with lungs of the FA control or of animals exposed to iron particles at 57 microg/m(3). NFkappaB-DNA binding activity was elevated 1.3-fold compared with that of control animals following exposure to 90 microg/m(3) of iron, but this change was not statistically significant. We concluded that inhalation of iron particles leads to oxidative stress associated with a proinflammatory response in a dose-dependent manner. The activation of NFkappaB may be involved in iron-induced respiratory responses, but further studies are merited.
Ceramide induces endothelial cell senescence

Ceramide has been proposed to be a mediator of replicative senescence. Our aim was to determine whether ceramide induces senescence in vascular endothelial cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured to different population doubling levels and ceramide levels were quantitated. The endogenous levels of ceramide increased 2.4-fold with senescence onset. Low passage cells were chronically treated with exogenous C6-ceramide. This treatment induced a senescent phenotype as measured by an inhibition of cell proliferation and DNA replication while increasing senescence-associated β-galactosidase expression. This is the second cell type in which ceramide induces senescence, thus implicating ceramide as a general mediator of cellular senescence. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An equation of state formulation of the thermodynamic properties of R134a (1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane)

Abstract New correlations for the thermodynamics properties of R134a are presented. A classical equation for the molar Helmholtz energy is used with temperature and density as the independent variables. The equation is accurate for both the liquid and vapour phases at pressures up to 70 Pa, and for a temperature range from the triple point to 450 K. Temperatures are given on the new International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS 90). The equation was developed by using experimental data for pressure-volume-temperature ( PVT ) properties, isochoric heat capacity, second virial coefficients, speed of sound and coexistence properties. Comparisons with experimental data and with two other equations of state are given. Ancillary equations representing the saturated liquid and vapour densities and the vapour pressure are also presented.
Teachers and Tests Changes in the New York State Testing Program

How do teachers change their pedagogical practices? While many current initiatives seek to raise educational standards and improve student academic performance, there is a curious gap in national and state reforms. Considerable attention is given to defining higher expectations for what students will know and be able to do, yet little attention is given to how teachers should learn new pedagogical ideas and practices. This exploratory study uses focus group interview data collected over two years to examine how cross-subject matter groups of elementary and secondary New York State teachers respond to one way of learning to change their classroom practices: state-level testing. Analysis of the data highlights three issues: the nature and substance of the tests, the professional development opportunities available to teachers, and the rationales for and consequences of the state exams.
Markets, Politics, and Learning: Explaining Monetary Policy Innovations in Brazil

An increasing number of developing and emerging economies have adopted an inflation targeting framework for monetary policy during the last two decades. This article investigates the politics of inflation targeting by focusing on the case of Brazil. I argue that the decision to implement an inflation targeting system in 1999 did not only reflect the concerns of political leaders with maintaining electoral support and external credibility. In addition, the choice of this new policy approach was informed by a shift in the technical consensus among Brazilian economists about the most effective way to tame inflationary pressures in a context of high capital mobility. The shift to inflation targeting thus reflected a process of social learning among technical elites, facilitated not only by the failure of the previous policy but also by the successful experience of other inflation targeting countries. Moreover, the evidence presented here suggests that, as the first country to adopt inflation targets in the context of an IMF-supported program, Brazil became a test case and a natural experiment for the redefinition of IMF conditionality and surveillance mechanisms. The paper thus sheds light on a process of reciprocal learning, whereby the IMF not only contributed to collective learning but also learned from the Brazilian case, subsequently becoming an active promoter of inflation targeting among developing countries.
Use of an efficient method for culturing human mammary epithelial cells to study adriamycin sensitivity.

Techniques are described for isolating, cryopreserving, and culturing human mammary epithelial cells of both normal and malignant origin. The cells can be grown either in mass culture or as a clonal assay suitable for quantitating drug sensitivity. With this clonal assay plating efficiencies of 6%–41% were routinely obtained. We examined the response to adriamycin of five different primary carcinoma cultures from patients without prior drug therapy. We were able to detect heterogeneity in response to adriamycin among the breast carcinoma cultures as well as heterogeneity among subpopulations within a single carcinoma. The differences in adriamycin sensitivity were unrelated to growth rates in culture.
A Call for Sound Empirical Testing and Evaluation of Criteria for Complicated Grief Proposed for DSM-V:

The empirical testing of diagnostic criteria for Complicated Grief (CG) by autonomous investigators is a welcome development. Cross-validation studies are essential to an impartial evaluation of diagnostic criteria for CG proposed for inclusion in the DSM-V. Nevertheless, the review of evidence to confirm or disconfirm the diagnostic validity of the proposed CG criteria requires a fair, unbiased, and relevant examination of the data. It is our view that Hogan, Worden, and Schmidt's (2003–2004) “An Empirical Study of the Complicated Grief Disorder Criteria” (see Table 1) fails to meet these standards. Hogan et al. test for the independence between: a) separation distress and traumatic distress symptoms, b) CG and depressive symptoms, c) CG symptoms and presumably “normal” symptoms of grief. Testing for the independence of these constructs is a red herring. Issues central to the validity and reliability of a CG diagnosis should focus on the ability of the symptoms to identify the small number of bereaved pe...
Tradeoffs and design choices for a software defined acoustic modem: a case study: extended abstract

Challenges in developing high performance underwater acoustic modems can be summarized as:1. Lack of maturity in underwater acoustic communications technology at all layers of the communication stack. This stems in part from the complex and dynamic nature of the underwater channel.2. Spatially and temporally dynamic nature of the underwater acoustic channel. Theoretically "high performance" communications may not be achievable using the largely channel-specific (channel-static) processing techniques similar to those which have evolved for radio frequency and optical communications.3. Resources. Without the expectation that the processing being implemented will reach a point of high maturity and meet a high-priority near-term operational need, it can be difficult to justify such an application specific investment.
Depletion of conduction band electrons in TiO2 by water chemisorption – IR spectroscopic studies of the independence of Ti–OH frequencies on electron concentration

Abstract The chemisorption of water at 300 K onto reduced TiO2 produces both adsorbed Ti–OH groups and chemisorbed water. During the adsorption of H2O, the concentration of conduction band electrons is found to decrease as measured by transmission infrared spectroscopy. The TiO2 electron depletion process occurs predominantly during the first stages of water adsorption, probably due to Ti–OH species formation. It is also found that the infrared spectrum of Ti–OH groups in the ν(OH) region is not influenced by the electronic state of the TiO2 surface, comparing TiO2 containing different concentrations of conduction band electrons.
Waiting for the family legacy: The experience of being at risk for Machado-Joseph disease

Every offspring of an individual with Machado-Joseph disease has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease-causing gene, and symptoms usually do not appear until adult life, usually between the ages of 20 and 40. There are no predictive screening tests available for the disease. This paper, drawn from data collected as part of a larger study of the malady among descendants of Azorean-Portuguese in the Azores Islands and in northern California, explores the subjective state of genetic risk. Although individuals at risk vary in their reactions to the threat of Machado-Joseph disease, there are commonalities of concern that cross-cut individual differences. These differences and commonalities are important for what they might tell us about the experience of genetic risk in general, as well as Machado-Joseph disease in particular.
In vivo synthesis of certain low molecular weight milk fatty acids.

Summary Ten lactating dairy cows were given 1-C 14 and 2-C 14 acetate and 1-C 14 , 2-C 14 , and 3-C 14 butyrate by intravenous injection in a series of separate investigations. Butyric, caproic, and caprylic acids were isolated from the milk fat produced at 3 and 10 hr after injection and were degraded to determine their intramolecular C 14 labeling patterns. Our results provide additional proof that low molecular weight milk fatty acids are synthesized via the successive addition of two carbon units. These condensation reactions appear to be highly organized and give rise to carbon 14 labeling patterns which suggest that the carboxyl carbon of the primary precursor—presumably Acetyl CoA—retains its identity as the carboxyl carbon of the higher milk fatty acids. Thus, carbon chain elongation seems to proceed at the methyl end of the primary precursor and of each successive two carbon homologue. Lastly, we obtained strong evidence that the four carbon skeleton of butyrate may be utilized as such for the synthesis of the lower milk fatty acids. However, it appears that this is a relatively minor pathway of butyrate metabolism—the major pathway being beta oxidation to Acetyl CoA molecules which are, in turn, used for fatty acid synthesis.
Volcanic activity in 1933

The first accounts of activity in volcanic areas are usually obtained from consular and newspaper reports and are only then recorded if the disturbance caused by an explosion, a fall of ash, flow of lava, or steam-cloud is more than purely local in its manifestations. The news value of such events is greatly enhanced if the eruption is accompanied by loss of life or destruction of property. This point is illustrated by the accounts in the newspapers of the eruption of Vesuvius which began in March and continued until June 1933. A lurid picture was drawn of the destruction of life and property, Naples was doomed, etc., etc. The reports of the activity were so greatly exaggerated and so needlessly alarmed the population that the Observatory at Vesuvius was asked to discontinue its bulletins. The newsmen finally contented themselves with the statement that the activity was now of interest only to the scientists. This statement came closer to the truth than the reporters probably realized for it is becoming more and more apparent that the periods preceding and following an eruption are from a scientific viewpoint as important as the period of eruption itself; as a matter of fact, they are especially important in establishing the empirical background that will be required before we can hope to forecast an eruption. This report for 1933 includes not only the volcanic disturbances of far-reaching influence but also those whose effect was confined to the vent itself.
ENZYME REPLACEMENT THERAPY: DIRECTING EXOGENOUS ENZYME TO THE LIVER

Mammalian liver possesses sites, not shared by other organs, which bind several glycoproteins whose terminal sugars are galactose. Such proteins are taken up rapidly—and almost exclusively—by the liver following intravenous administration (Morell, et al. J. Biol. Chem. 246:1461, 1971). We determined whether the coupling of p-antinophenyl-thio- derivatives of either galactose or glucose to purified Aspergillus amylase could increase binding of the enzyme to liver in vitro and in vivo. The enzymes to which sugar was coupled (gal-amylase or glu-amylase) had 60% of the enzyme activity of the unmodified amylase. Employing the assay of Van Lenten and Ashwell (J. Biol. Chem. 247:4633, 1972) the greatest affinity for the binding site on liver cell membrane was observed with gal-amylase; over 50 times as much glu-amylase was required for comparable binding. Unmodified amylase did not bind even when 105 times as much was used. Mice were injected intravenously with either unmodified 125I-amylase, 125I-gal-amylase or 125I-glu-amylase and sacrificed 5-15 minutes later. The proportion of radioactivity found in whole liver was highest for gal-amylase, intermediate for glu-amylase and least for unmodified amylase. It remains to be determined whether the rapid uptake of gal-amylase is associated with diminished immune response and to what extent its enzyme activity persists in the liver.
Responsibility Inferences and Intergenerational Obligations to Parents and Stepparents: Are Step/Children Less Obligated When Older Adults Are at Fault for Their Problems?

Beliefs about intergenerational obligations to assist older adults are known to be influenced by contextual variables such as the type of kin relationship (i.e., stepparent, parent) between older and younger adults. One contextual variable that has not been studied is the degree to which older individuals are seen as culpable for their problems. If older kin are perceived to be at fault for their problems, are they seen as less deserving of help than if they are not to blame? Do judgments about being at fault for problems affect beliefs about helping parents differently than beliefs about helping stepparents? A random national sample of 229 men and 274 women responded to vignettes about an older parent or stepparent who needed help managing diabetes, which was presented as either the consequence of the older adult's actions or as an inherited illness. Respondents were asked about younger family members' obligations to help older adults, how much help younger adults and public agencies should provide, and ...
DnaB Drives DNA Branch Migration and Dislodges Proteins While Encircling Two DNA Strands

DnaB is a ring-shaped, hexameric helicase that unwinds the E. coli DNA replication fork while encircling one DNA strand. This report demonstrates that DnaB can also encircle both DNA strands and then actively translocate along the duplex. With two strands positioned inside its central channel, DnaB translocates with sufficient force to displace proteins tightly bound to DNA with no resultant DNA unwinding. Thus, DnaB may clear proteins from chromosomal DNA. Furthermore, while encircling two DNA strands, DnaB can drive branch migration of a synthetic Holliday junction with heterologous duplex arms, suggesting that DnaB may be directly involved in DNA recombination in vivo. DnaB binds to just one DNA strand during branch migration. T7 phage gp4 protein also drives DNA branch migration, suggesting this activity generalizes to other ring-shaped helicases.
Transmission of Surfactant Protein Variants and Haplotypes in Children Hospitalized With Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Severity of lung injury with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is variable and may be related to genetic variations. This preliminary report describes a prospective, family-based association study of children hospitalized secondary to RSV, aimed to determine whether intragenic and other haplotypes of surfactant proteins (SP)-A and SP-D are transmitted disproportionately from parents to offspring with RSV disease. Genomic DNA was genotyped for several SP-A and SP-D single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Transmission disequilibrium test analysis was used to determine transmission of variants and haplotypes from parents to affected offspring. Three hundred seventy-five individuals were studied, including 148 children with active RSV disease and one or both parents. The SP-A2 intragenic haplotype 1A2 was found to be protective (p = 0.013). The SP-D SNP DA160_A may possibly be an “at-risk” marker (p = 0.0058). Additional two- and three-marker haplotypes were associated with severe RSV disease, with two being protective (DA11_T/DA160_G and DA160_G/SP-A2 1A0/SP-A1 6A2). We conclude that there may be associations between SP-A and SP-D and RSV disease. Further study is required to determine whether these variants can be used to target a high-risk patient population in clinical trials aimed at reducing either the symptoms of acute infection or long-term pulmonary sequelae.
Organelle assortment and mitochondrial DNA rearrangements in Brassica somatic hybrids and cybrids

Protoplast fusion permits manipulations of organelle genomes not readily achieved by other in vitro procedures or sexual crosses. Although considerable information is now available about the fate of chloroplasts and mitochondria in fusion products of various genera, many additional questions about factors affecting organelles after fusion remain to be answered. Brassica species are particularly favorable materials for such studies
Sequential Atrioventricular Pacing as a Stress Test: Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function in Second-Degree AV Heart Block Developing During Atrial Pacing

Advanced or second-degree atrioventricular (AV) heart block pro-existing or developing during atrial pacing (AP) at low heart rates of
Synthesis, characterization, and applications of fluorous resorcin[4]arenes

Three fluorous resorcin[4]arenes (1a-c) were synthesized and characterized for their potential application in separation science. A crystal structure of 1b confirmed its ring size and conformation. The fluorous resorcin[4]arenes are soluble in hybrid fluorous solvents. Preliminary studies demonstrated that 1a immobilized in a fluorous bulk membrane is capable of transporting tetramethylammonium cation from an aqueous source phase into an aqueous receiving phase.
Disabling Supraventricular Tachycardia of Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (Type A) Controlled by Surgical A-V Block and a Demand Pacemaker after Epicardial Mapping Studies

A patient with W-P-W syndrome (type A) and disabling supraventricular tachycardia was studied with epicardial mapping prior to surgical interruption of the circus pathway. Analysis of the delta vector and results of the epicardial mapping strongly suggested aberrant pathway located very posteriorly and crossing the atrioventricular sulcus in or adjacent to the interventricular septum. A circus movement responsible for the supraventricular tachycardia was felt to be a mechanism of antegrade A-V conduction and retrograde accessory bundle conduction. Attempts to interrupt the aberrant pathway primarily were unsuccessful, and surgical A-V block was performed. An epicardial demand pacemaker was inserted as a safety feature. Since the operation the patient has been free of supraventricular tachycardia. The postoperative electrocardiograms demonstrated antegrade accessory pathway conduction, but neither antegrade nor retrograde A-V conduction. Failure to interrupt the accessory pathway after incision of the enti...
Normalization of cardiopulmonary endurance in severely asthmatic children after bicycle ergometry therapy.

Sixty-five children with severe asthma were tested on a bicycle ergometer to determine their cardiopulmonary endurance and to determine whether they could achieve normal levels of endurance after a physical rehabilitation program. Workloads on entry into the study ranged from 12% to 222% (median 70%) of predicted. Abnormalities in cardiopulmonary endurance did not correlate with historical features commonly used to define severe asthma or degree of airways obstruction. Forty (58%) patients required further bicycle ergometry training two to five times per week: 32 had scores
The reactive SH1 and SH2 cysteines in myosin subfragment 1 are cross-linked at similar rates with reagents of different length.

The rate of cross-linking the SH1 and SH2 residues in S-1 has been examined for several reagents which were recently shown to link these thiols with concomitant trapping of nucleotide at the protein's active site (Wells etal., (1980) J. Biol Chem. 255, 11140). Similar cross-linking rates were observed with naphthalene-1,5-dimaleimide, N,N′-p-phenylene dimaleimide, N,N′-o-phenylene dimaleimide, 4,4′-difluoro-3,3′-dinitrophenyl sulfone, and Co(II)Co(III)-phenanthroline, both in the presence of MgADP or MgATP, at O° and 25°C. These results suggest that the mobile region in S-1 coincides or communicates with the SH1-SH2 peptide.
A first-principles analysis of hydrogen interaction in Ti-doped NaAlH4 surfaces: structure and energetics.

First principles density functional theory studies have been carried out to investigate the hydrogen interactions in Ti-doped NaAlH4 (001) and (100) surfaces. In both surfaces, Ti was found to ener...
Testing social cognitive mechanisms of exercise in college students

OBJECTIVES To determine if different dimensions of outcome expectations are mediators between self-efficacy and exercise among college students. METHODS Students (n = 290) reported exercise levels, self-efficacy, and expectations using a Web-based questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed to identify dimensions of expectations; regression analyses tested whether each factor mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and exercise. RESULTS Physical, mental, social, and self-evaluative expectations emerged from the factor analysis, but none was associated with exercise independent of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy, however, was significantly associated with exercise independent of expectations (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS College students' activity expectations are multidimensional, but do not mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and exercise.
Ultrafast laser micromachining of thermal sprayed coatings for microheaters : Design, fabrication and characterization

This work presents an ultrafast laser (pulse duration < 1 ps) direct-write technique for rapid prototyping and manufacturing of embedded microheater structures on thermal sprayed NiCr (80 wt.%/20 wt.%) alloy coatings. By combining thermal spray, an additive material process, and ultrafast laser micromachining, a subtractive material process, this technique shows considerable potential in fabricating small scale embedded functional parts within thermal spray coatings. Heater patterns designed to produce a uniform heat flux, a linear distributed heat flux, and a non-uniform heat flux that compensates for edge losses to produce a uniform temperature distribution have been fabricated and characterized. A stable working temperature of up to 500 C measured in still air is observed, with fracture in the samples observed at higher operating temperatures. A mechanical analysis based on bimorph beam bending is presented to account for the failure mechanism of the laser-machined thermal spray microheaters at high temperatures, and recommendations are made for improved materials and fabrication parameters for high-temperature operation.
On the effective thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites

Abstract In this paper, a theoretical model has been developed for predicting the effective thermal conductivity of an aligned multi-walled nanotube polymer composite. This model is based on an effective medium theory that has been developed for composites containing aligned spheroidal inclusions with imperfect interfaces. To incorporate the nanotube structure into this theory, a continuum model of the nanotube geometry is developed by considering its structure and the mechanism of heat conduction through it. Results show that the overall conductivity will be much lower than expected due to the fact that in the composite, the outer nanotube layer carries the bulk of the heat flowing through the nanotube. It is also seen that the high nanotube–matrix boundary resistance does not significantly affect the overall conductivity. The effective conductivity was also found to be highly sensitive to the nanotube diameter.
Alternating copolymers of propylene and alkyl acrylates

High-molecular-weight alternating and acrylate-rich copolymers of propylene and ethyl acrylate were prepared by using boron trifluoride to complex the acrylate ester. The polymerizations were run at room temperature and autogeneous pressures with free-radical initiation. The polymers were characterized by their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and infrared (IR) spectra, differential scanning calorimetry, and gel permeation chromatography. The proton and 13C NMR spectra show that the equimolar copolymers are alternating to a high degree.
Mapping the Interaction Forces between TAR RNA and TAT Peptides on GaAs Surfaces Using Chemical Force Microscopy

The complexation of the HIV transactivation response element (TAR) RNA with the viral regulatory protein TAT is of enormous interest for the design of new sensing and therapeutic strategies. In this work, we anchored TAT peptides on GaAs surfaces using microcontact printing. Atomic force microscopy was used to quantify the interaction between TAR RNA and model TAT peptide sequences. Different pH conditions were utilized in order to assess specific vs nonspecific interactions. AFM tips functionalized with TAR RNA molecules were used to collect adhesion maps that displayed stronger interaction with peptide sequences that contained a greater number of arginine residues. All of the studies consistently showed a pH dependence of the interaction between the surface bound peptides and the TAR RNA on the AFM tips. This work quantifies the TAR RNA/TAT peptide interaction after one of the molecules is anchored on a surface. The conclusions in this paper are consistent with previous work and demonstrate that cationi...
Radiation necrosis of the mandible: a 10 year study. Part II. Dental factors; onset, duration and management of necrosis

Abstract In a review of patients receiving radiation for cancer in the oral region the rate of radiation necrosis of the mandible was found to be similar for patients who had dental extractions before radiation therapy and for the remainder of the dentate population. It was suggested that diseased teeth should be removed prior to irradiation and sufficient healing time should be allowed. Teeth should not be extracted after irradiation. Dental prostheses can be provided for most irradiated patients if adequate care is exercised. The probability of necrosis commencing was highest three to twelve months after the start of therapy, it diminished gradually after that period. The duration of necrosis was depicted as an exponential curve with a constant probability of necrosis termination at each time point after onset. In 46.8 % of the patients in study II (1971–19751, the necrosis was healed by conservative means. This was a significant increase over study I (1966–1969), and a complementary reduction in the necessity for surgical intervention was also found.