cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The politics of alienation: nonvoting and support for third-party candidates among 18–30-year-olds

Abstract This article analyzes why many alienated youth choose to stay home on election day while others respond by voting for a third-party candidate. Probit analysis of the 1992 and 1996 American National Election Study data suggests that alienated young people were less likely to vote in both these elections. Among voters, such alienated younger cohorts were more likely to vote for Ross Perot in the 1992 presidential election, but apparently Perot’s appeal to alienated youth faded by the 1996 presidential race. These findings confirm that many young individuals do not vote, but that the existence of the Perot candidacy in 1992 led certain alienated youth to use their vote as a form of protest, by casting a ballot for an unlikely winner in that presidential race.
Overview of optical interconnect technology

High performance computers have been striving for higher speed better connectivity and higher throughput since their inception. Continuous advancement in the performance of active devices is placing an increasingly heavier demand on passive interconnects. This paper reviews optical interconnect technology in light of recent developments and suggests opportunities in datacom applications.
Crashworthiness design of thin-walled curved beams with box and channel cross sections

This paper presents a crashworthiness design of thin-walled curved steel beams with box and channel cross section. Three parameters are chosen as design variables and optimised to acquire the maximisation of the beam's energy absorption capacity during crashes. In this study, the thin-walled curved beam's energy absorption capacity is expressed in terms of the specific energy absorption (SEA), and the response surface method is employed to formulate the SEA as a function of the three design variables. Finite element (FE) models for such beams are created and used for crashworthiness analyses for the objective of deriving such functions. After having the optimal designs, the effects of the design variables on the curved beam's crash performance are investigated through parametric studies. Finally, simplified FE models are created for the thin-walled curved beams again and used for the same optimisation problem. The optimal designs obtained from the simplified FE models are compared to the previous ones to ...
A Systematic Comparison of Mathematical Models for Inherent Measurement of Ciliary Length: How a Cell Can Measure Length and Volume

Cells control organelle size with great precision and accuracy to maintain optimal physiology, but the mechanisms by which they do so are largely unknown. Cilia and flagella are simple organelles in which a single measurement, length, can represent size. Maintenance of flagellar length requires an active transport process known as intraflagellar transport, and previous measurements suggest that a length-dependent feedback regulates intraflagellar transport. But the question remains: how is a length-dependent signal produced to regulate intraflagellar transport appropriately? Several conceptual models have been suggested, but testing these models quantitatively requires that they be cast in mathematical form. Here, we derive a set of mathematical models that represent the main broad classes of hypothetical size-control mechanisms currently under consideration. We use these models to predict the relation between length and intraflagellar transport, and then compare the predicted relations for each model with experimental data. We find that three models—an initial bolus formation model, an ion current model, and a diffusion-based model—show particularly good agreement with available experimental data. The initial bolus and ion current models give mathematically equivalent predictions for length control, but fluorescence recovery after photobleaching experiments rule out the initial bolus model, suggesting that either the ion current model or a diffusion-based model is more likely correct. The general biophysical principles of the ion current and diffusion-based models presented here to measure cilia and flagellar length can be generalized to measure any membrane-bound organelle volume, such as the nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum.
A unique case of retinoblastoma masked by retinal detachment diagnosis and management.

A 4-year-old Latin American boy presented with a history of loss of vision of his left eye for 7 months. He was followed by different ophthalmologists and diagnosed with a retinal detachment. Computerized tomograms and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a large calcified left eye and markedly enlarged optic nerve. Based on these radiologic findings diagnosis of retinoblastoma was strongly suspected. Initially enucleation was not done because it was thought that cutting through the involved optic nerve would cause dissemination. The patient was treated with chemotherapy which resulted in marked response. Following normalization of optic nerve and after irradiation the eye was enucleated. The diagnosis of retinoblastoma was confirmed. No tumor was found in the optic nerve. The importance of imaging studies in diagnosis of retinoblastoma and the role of chemotherapy in the treatment of primary retinoblastoma are emphasized. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Acute tolerance to the discriminative stimulus properties of morphine.

Abstract Two pigeons were trained to discriminate intramuscular injections of 1.0 mg/kg morphine from water by presenting food after keypeck responses on one key when morphine was administered and after responses on a second key when water was administered. Following training, close to 100% of responses occurred on the appropriate key following administration of 1.0 mg/kg morphine or water. Morphine (0.1–5.6 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in the percentage of morphine-appropriate responses (discriminative stimulus properties) and decreases in the rate of responding. A shift to the right of the morphine dose-effect curve for the discriminative stimulus properties of morphine resulted from a single injection of morphine (10.0 mg/kg) 24 hrs prior to testing (i.e., acute tolerance) but not from a single injection of pentobarbital (17.0 mg/kg). Tolerance to the discriminative stimulus properties of morphine was reversible within five days of the single injection. Tolerance did not develop to the effects of morphine on response rate. Naloxone antagonized both the discriminative stimulus properties and the response rate-decreasing effects of morphine. Thus, a single administration of morphine can alter morphine discriminability without affecting other aspects of behavior.
Laparoscopic resection of deep pelvic endometriosis with rectosigmoid involvement

Abstract Background Adequate treatment of severe deep pelvic endometriosis requires complete excision of all implants, but formal bowel resection is not generally recommended. The purpose of this study was to describe our experience with planned complete laparoscopic management of deep pelvic endometriosis with bowel involvement. Study design All patients presenting to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Department of Colorectal Surgery at our institution with stage IV endometriosis and bowel involvement from February 1998 to December 2001 were identified from a prospective database and were retrospectively analyzed. Data analysis included age, previous history of endometriosis, previous pregnancies, operative procedure, body mass index, operating room time, intra- and postoperative complications, length of stay, 30-day readmission, and pain relief. Laparoscopic excision of all visible disease was planned. Results The series consisted of 51 patients with median age of 34 years (range, 32 to 39 years), with history of earlier abdominal operation in 66.7%. Preoperative symptoms were present as dysmenorrhea (85.3%), dyspareunia (55.9%), rectal pain (41.2%), constipation (44.1%), rectal bleeding (14.7%), bloating (29.4%), and tenesmus (8.8%). Management of the bowel disease included superficial excision of serosal endometriosis implants (n = 26), bowel resection (n = 18), and disc excision (n = 5). Five patients required management of disease other than rectosigmoid involvement. Median operating room time was 187 minutes (range, 145 to 277 minutes), and the median length of stay was 2 days (range, 1 to 4 days). Thirty-three percent of excisions were outpatient procedures. Postoperative complications occurred in 10.3%: four cases (7.8%) were converted to formal laparotomy, and three patients (7.7%) were readmitted within 30 days. Only 7 of 47 patients with a uterus (14.9%) required abdominal hysterectomy or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Postoperatively, 87% of patients reported a clinically significant improvement of their symptoms. Conclusions Though technically demanding, complete radical laparoscopic excision of endometriotic implants can be accomplished with preservation of the reproductive organs and appropriate use of bowel resection in the majority of patients. The surgeon or gynecologist who plans to perform laparoscopic excision of deep pelvic endometriosis should have the ability or access to expertise for laparoscopic partial or segmental bowel resection or plan to convert to laparotomy when faced with this disease location.
Aurora A kinase modulates actin cytoskeleton through phosphorylation of Cofilin: Implication in the mitotic process.

Aurora A kinase regulates early mitotic events through phosphorylation and activation of a variety of proteins. Specifically, Aur-A is involved in centrosomal separation and formation of mitotic spindles in early prophase. The effect of Aur-A on mitotic spindles is mediated by the modulation of microtubule dynamics and association with microtubule binding proteins. In this study we show that Aur-A exerts its effects on spindle organization through the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Aurora A phosphorylates Cofilin at multiple sites including S3 resulting in the inactivation of its actin depolymerizing function. Aur-A interacts with Cofilin in early mitotic phases and regulates its phosphorylation status. Cofilin phosphorylation follows a dynamic pattern during the progression of prophase to metaphase. Inhibition of Aur-A activity induced a delay in the progression of prophase to metaphase. Aur-A inhibitor also disturbed the pattern of Cofilin phosphorylation, which correlated with the mitotic delay. Our results establish a novel function of Aur-A in the regulation of actin cytoskeleton reorganization, through Cofilin phosphorylation during early mitotic stages.
Numerical study of hypersonic dissociated air past blunt bodies

Nonequilibrium hypersonic flows past axisymmetric blunt bodies at zero incidence have been numerically simulated by the Navier-Stokes equations with finite-rate dissociation for both noncatalytic and fully catalytic surfaces. The high-temperature air mixture was described by the nonequilibrium Lighthill's dissociation gas model including the equilibrium vibrational excitation of diatomic gas molecules. The numerical results reproduced the detailed physics and the rate of heat transfer in the stagnation region, which agreed very well with the classic theories and experimental measurements.
A Cellular Restriction Dictates the Permissivity of Nondividing Monocytes/Macrophages to Lentivirus and Gammaretrovirus Infection

Primate lentiviruses, including HIV-1, transduce terminally differentiated, nondividing myeloid cells; however, these cells are refractory to infection by gammaretroviruses such as murine leukemia virus (MLV). Here, we present evidence that a cellular restriction is the obstacle to transduction of macrophages by MLV. Neutralization of the restriction by Vpx, a primate lentiviral protein previously shown to protect primate lentiviruses from a macrophage restriction, rendered macrophages permissive to MLV infection. We further demonstrate that this restriction prevents transduction of quiescent monocytes by HIV-1. Monocyte-HeLa heterokaryons were resistant to HIV-1 infection, while heterokaryons formed between monocytes and HeLa cells expressing Vpx were permissive to HIV-1 infection. Encapsidation of Vpx within HIV-1 virions conferred the ability to infect quiescent monocytes. Collectively, our results indicate that the relative ability of lentiviruses and gammaretroviruses to transduce nondividing myeloid cells is dependent upon their ability to neutralize a cellular restriction.
Postcardiac surgical cognitive impairment in the aged using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Background Cardiac surgery is associated with cerebral dysfunction. While 1% to 2% of patients experience stroke, cognitive deficits are seen in more than half of patients. Given the high incidence of cognitive decline, it has become the endpoint of many cardiac surgery investigations. Because the elderly are at highest risk, this investigation sought to determine if there is a relationship between new ischemic changes demonstrated by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) and postoperative cognitive deficit in older patients. Methods Fifty cardiac surgical patients (>65 years of age) underwent preoperative and postoperative neurocognitive examinations, including four to six week, postdischarge, follow-up. This evaluation assessed higher cortical function, memory, attention, concentration, and psychomotor performance. Objective evidence of acute cerebral ischemic events was identified using DW-MRI. Scans were analyzed by a neuroradiologist blinded to clinical status and cognitive outcomes. Results Among patients with a mean age of 73 years, 88% demonstrated cognitive decline in the postoperative testing period while 32% showed evidence of acute perioperative cerebral ischemia by DW-MRI. At postdischarge follow-up, 30% of patients showed cognitive impairment. However, cognitive decline assessed postoperatively, or at a four to six week follow-up, was unrelated to the presence or absence of DW-MRI detected cerebral ischemia. Conclusions Postoperative neurocognitive impairment, assessed by standard means, is unrelated to acute cerebral ischemia detected by DW-MRI. This strongly suggests that cognitive decline after cardiac surgery is a function of underlying patient factors rather than perioperative ischemic events. This observation has broad implications for future investigation of strategies to prevent cardiac surgery-related neurologic injury.
Diffusion in mixed A-B alloys in two and three dimensions.

Precision Monte Carlo simulations of labeled particle diffusion in mixed A-B alloys in two and three dimensions are reported. A variety of concentrations and ratios of the hopping rates ${J}^{B}$/${J}^{A}$=\ensuremath{\eta} are analyzed. Results are compared with those predicted by available theories. The validity of these theories is observed to be strictly limited to the region where \ensuremath{\eta}g1/z (z is the lattice coordination number).
A multidomain boundary element solution for silencer and muffler performance prediction

Abstract The multidomain boundary element technique is used for the analysis of muffler problems in which the acoustic region consists of thin obstacles, such as extended inlet or outlet tubes and internal connecting tubes. In this technique, a muffler is first divided into several subdomains and then the well-known Helmholtz integral equation is applied to each subdomain. Continuity conditions of acoustic pressure and normal velocity are enforced at the interface between two neighboring subdomains. A set of simultaneous linear equations can then be constructed and solved for the boundary unknowns, as well as the interface variables. The boundary element solution is compared with a finite element solution. Excellent agreement between these two solutions is observed in producing the transmission loss curves for different muffler configurations.
Mediation Analysis with Principal Stratification

In assessing the mechanism of treatment efficacy in randomized clinical trials, investigators often perform mediation analyses by analyzing if the significant intent-to-treat treatment effect on outcome occurs through or around a third intermediate or mediating variable: indirect and direct effects, respectively. Standard mediation analyses assume sequential ignorability, i.e., conditional on covariates the intermediate or mediating factor is randomly assigned, as is the treatment in a randomized clinical trial. This research focuses on the application of the principal stratification approach for estimating the direct effect of a randomized treatment but without the standard sequential ignorability assumption. This approach is used to estimate the direct effect of treatment as a difference between expectations of potential outcomes within latent sub-groups of participants for whom the intermediate variable behavior would be constant, regardless of the randomized treatment assignment. Using a Bayesian estimation procedure, we also assess the sensitivity of results based on the principal stratification approach to heterogeneity of the variances among these principal strata. We assess this approach with simulations and apply it to two psychiatric examples. Both examples and the simulations indicated robustness of our findings to the homogeneous variance assumption. However, simulations showed that the magnitude of treatment effects derived under the principal stratification approach were sensitive to model mis-specification.
Olfactory learning and memory in the bumblebee Bombus occidentalis

In many respects, the behavior of bumblebees is similar to that of the closely related honeybees, a long-standing model system for learning and memory research. Living in smaller and less regulated colonies, bumblebees are physiologically more robust and thus have advantages in particular for indoor experiments. Here, we report results on Pavlovian odor conditioning of bumblebees using the proboscis extension reflex (PER) that has been successfully used in honeybee learning research. We examine the effect of age, body size, and experience on learning and memory performance. We find that age does not affect learning and memory ability, while body size positively correlates with memory performance. Foraging experience seems not to be necessary for learning to occur, but it may contribute to learning performance as bumblebees with more foraging experience on average were better learners. The PER represents a reliable tool for learning and memory research in bumblebees and allows examining interspecific similarities and differences of honeybee and bumblebee behavior, which we discuss in the context of social organization.
A geometric method for presenting subgroups of discrete groups

Abstract The Reidemeister-Schreier rewriting process gives a presentation for a subgroup H of a finitely-presented group G when a Schreier system of right coset representatives is known. As an alternative, a geometric method is given when G acts effectively and properly discontinuously.
Sex Differences in the Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Outcomes in IHD

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. Although there are many similarities between men and women, the evolving understanding of ischemic heart disease in women allow us to emphasize the important differences that need to be recognized. These differences, including symptoms at presentation, importance of particular risk factors, pathophysiology of disease, and treatments/outcomes, will be discussed in this review.
Effects of sulfate position on heparin octasaccharide binding to CCL2 examined by tandem mass spectrometry

Chemokine-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) interactions have been shown to be essential for in vivo chemokine signaling, which functions in such diverse processes as inflammation, development, and cancer metastasis. Despite the importance of these interactions, the saccharide sequence dependency of chemokine-GAG interactions is poorly understood. In a recent study, FT-ICR mass spectrometry was used to show that the chemokine CCL2 (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1) binds only to the 11- and 12-sulfated components of a heparin octasaccharide library. Although the exact structure of the fully sulfated, 12-sulfated octasaccharide is known, the 11-sulfated species could have a number of sulfated disaccharide sequences. In the current study, the composition of the 11-sulfated heparin octasaccharides, as well as the composition of CCL2 affinity purified 11-sulfated heparin octasaccharides, were examined by tandem MS. Of the three possible singly desulfated disaccharides, one species, III-S, is enriched by CCL2 affinity purification, indicating that the 11-sulfated heparin octasaccharides containing this disaccharide are preferentially bound to CCL2. These data suggest that 2-O and N sulfation of heparin may be of greater importance to CCL2-heparin binding than 6-O sulfation.
An Intelligent Agent for Prioritizing E-Mail Messages

The proliferation of telecommunication networks, like Internet and Bitnet, has promoted electronic mail e-mail into a viable business communication tool with widespread use that traverses all levels of management. In some organizations, e-mail users are being overwhelmed with a barrage of useless messages or "electronic junk" mail. This interferes with a user's information processing capability and causes a negative effect on usefulness of this communication tool. This paper addresses the issue of time management by reducing information overload in email. A knowledge-based agent, called AIMS, was developed to prioritize e-mail messages. AIMS is different from other systems in three ways: 1 it does not burden users with the task of creating or maintaining message prioritizing rules, 2 it uses a user's personal knowledge or preferences with organizational considerations for prioritizing messages, and 3 it was evaluated at an academic institution with a group of 46 e-mail users who found the prioritized list generated by AIMS highly accurate.
Fenestration of the middle cerebral artery with an associated ruptured aneurysm.

Abstract Intracranial arterial fenestrations are uncommon developmental anomalies that may alter local hemodynamic stress patterns and may be associated with intracranial aneurysms. A 75-year-old woman presented with a mild subarachnoid hemorrhage. Cerebral angiography demonstrated a 5 mm aneurysm arising from the middle cerebral artery (MCA) associated with a dramatic fenestration of the proximal M1 segment of the MCA. The patient underwent craniotomy with microsurgical aneurysm clipping. The aneurysm arose immediately distal to the fenestration. Several fine perforating arteries were dissected away from the neck of the aneurysm to allow for safe clip placement. Postoperatively, the patient awoke without deficit and was discharged to home on the fifth postoperative day in good condition. Anomalies of the intracranial vasculature are common and we describe a rare proximal MCA fenestration with an associated ruptured aneurysm at the site of the fenestration. Neurosurgeons should be thoroughly familiar with such potential “normal variants” to avoid operative complications that may result from the anomalous circulation in such cases.
Viscous Withdrawal of Miscible Liquid Layers

In viscous withdrawal, a converging flow imposed in an upper layer of viscous liquid entrains liquid from a lower, stably stratified layer. Using the idea that a thin tendril is entrained by a local straining flow, we propose a scaling law for the volume flux of liquid entrained from miscible liquid layers. A long-wavelength model including only local information about the withdrawal flow is degenerate, with multiple tendril solutions for one withdrawal condition. Including information about the global geometry of the withdrawal flow removes the degeneracy while introducing only a logarithmic dependence on the global flow parameters into the scaling law.
GEOMETRIC BOUNDS ON THE RELATIVE INDEX

Let $X$ be a compact surface such that $Y\hookrightarrow X$ as a separating, strictly pseudoconvex, real hypersurface; $$ X\setminus Y=X_+\sqcup X_-, $$ where $X_{+}$ ($X_-$) is the strictly pseudoconvex (pseudoconcave) component of the complement. Suppose further that $X_-$ contains a positively embedded, compact curve $Z$. Under cohomological hypotheses on $(X_-,Z)$ we show that if $\dbarb'$ is a sufficiently small, embeddable deformation of the CR-structure on $Y$, then $$ \mathrm{R-ind}(\bar{\partial}_{b},\bar{\partial}_{b}')\geq-[\dim H^{0,2}(X_-)+\dim H^0(Z,\mathcal{O}_Z)]. $$ This implies that the set of small, embeddable deformations of the CR-structure on $Y$ is closed, in the $\mathcal{C}^{\infty}$-topology on the set of all deformations. AMS 2000 Mathematics subject classification: Primary 32V15; 32V30. Secondary 32G07; 32W10; 32W05
Lifeline Response to the Tejon Ranch Earthquake

Abstract The vulnerability of important high voltage switchyard equipment to low seismic input motions has again been demonstrated. Ten of sixteen 230 kV circuit breaker phases failed at the Edmonston Pumping Plant on the California Aqueduct. Failures were primarily porcelain members. The failures were due to both dynamic response of the members and to a lack of slack in conductors connecting adjacent equipment. The aqueduct was out of service for four days until power was partially restored. Repairing or replacing all damaged equipment is expected to take from 6 to 8 weeks. The importance and vulnerability of high voltage power equipment, the long time required to make repairs, and the difficulty in obtaining spare parts quickly emphasizes the need for cost effective measures to improve the seismic response of this type of equipment. While this earthquake did not substantiate the effectiveness of a base isolation system installed on one circuit breaker, it did illustrate the need for instrumentation to e...
An MBoC Favorite: Force generation by microtubule assembly/disassembly in mitosis and related movements

This article came out in December 1995, while I was a postdoctoral fellow in Tim Mitchison’s lab at University of California, San Francisco, and shortly after I had discovered that kinesins could regulate microtubule dynamics. The review was extraordinarily helpful for me in that it provided a perspective that significantly clarified my thinking about the means by which microtubule dynamics could be harnessed to perform work. More generally, the years of knowledge of Inoue and Salmon are evident as you read this article, as well as their deep and brilliant thoughts about the problems at hand. While this article is approaching 20 years of age, I still recommend it to my graduate students, and in fact I think it is time for me to read it yet again.
Plastic laryngeal foreign bodies in children: a diagnostic challenge.

Summary Objective: To review Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center experience with pediatric airway foreign bodies, and examine the incidence and treatment of laryngeal foreign bodies. To determine if plastic laryngeal foreign bodies present differently than other laryngeal foreign bodies. Methods: A retrospective review of all cases of children (1874 patients) undergoing direct laryngoscopy and/or bronchoscopy from 1st January 1997 to 9th September 2003 at a tertiary care children's hospital. Patients with endoscopically documented laryngeal foreign bodies were identified and the medical record reviewed in more detail. Patient age, gender, foreign body location, foreign body type, duration of foreign body presence, radiographic findings, endoscopic findings and treatment complications were recorded. Results: One hundred and five aspirated foreign bodies were identified. The nine laryngeal foreign bodies included five clear plastic radiolucent items, two radiolucent food items, and two sharp radioopaque pins. Time to diagnosis and treatment was on average 11.6 days with 17.6 days for thin/plastic foreign bodies and 1.6 days for metal/food foreign bodies. Conclusion: Laryngeal foreign bodies represent a small portion of all pediatric airway foreign bodies. Difficulty in identifying laryngeal foreign bodies, especially thin, plastic radiolucent foreign bodies can delay treatment. Thin plastic foreign bodies can present without radiographic findings, can be difficult to image during endoscopy and can be particularly difficult to diagnose. A history of choking and vocal changes is associated with laryngeal foreign bodies. Laryngeal foreign bodies should be in the differential diagnosis of all children presenting with atypical upper respiratory complaints especially if a history suggestive of witnessed aspiration and dysphonia can be obtained.
Corporate Web Site Reports: Some Evidence on Relevances and Usefulness

We investigate whether corporations are following the "best disclosure practices" when presenting business reports on their Web sites. As a benchmark, we use the recommendations made by the Jenkins Committee 1994 to improve corporate reporting practices, to evaluate reports presented on corporate Web sites for their value, relevance, and quality of information. We compute a disclosure score using 26 items recommended by the Jenkins Committee and Meek et al. Meek, Roberts, & Gray, 1995 as indicators of best reporting practices. Our findings reveal that most corporations do not follow "best disclosure practices" when reporting information on their Web sites. Only about half of the 26 disclosure items recommended by the Jenkins Committee are reported, and less than 50% of the sample firms in our study make such disclosure. Some of the items that the Jenkins Committee recommends as essential for improving quality and relevance of reporting such as forward-looking information e.g., plans, opportunities and risks, forecasts, critical success factors, nonfinancial items e.g., changes in operating performance, research and development activities, or off-balance sheet financing, are least often reported. The findings suggest that corporations must improve their Web site disclosures for investors to find them valuable, relevant, and useful.
An Interview With Jonathan Overton, Director, Program Management Office, Cook Children’s Health Care System, Fort Worth, Texas

Jonathan Overton shares his expertise on building Project Management Offices (PMOs) and improving delivery through a robust service-centric model, based on his 14 years of experience leading PMOs in the health care industry and overseeing portfolios consisting of over 200 projects valued at over $225M. He also shares his experience of working with senior executive councils that were responsible for aiding in decisions for resource allocation, and of building cultural competence in teams so that they understand local needs and cultural norms as well as actively engage with authorities and communities.
Electrochemical oxidation of methanol using alcohol-soluble Ru/Pt and Ru/Pd catalysts

Abstract The heterobimetallic Ru/Pt and Ru/Pd complexes [η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 · HI]Ru(PPh 3 )(μ-I)(μ-dppm)PtCl 2 ( 7 ), [η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 · HI]Ru(PPh 3 )(μ-I)(μ-dppm)PtI 2 ( 8 ), [η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 · HI]Ru(PPh 3 )(μ-I)(μ-dppm)PdCl 2 ( 9 ), and [η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 · HI]Ru(PPh 3 )(μ-I)(μ-dppm)PdI 2 ( 10 ) were prepared by the reaction of [η 5 -C 5 H 4 CH 2 CH 2 N(CH 3 ) 2 · HI]Ru(PPh 3 )I(κ 1 -dppm) ( 6 ) with Pt(COD)Cl 2 , Pt(COD)I 2 , and Pd(COD)Cl 2 , respectively. Electronic interaction between the two metals is significant for the iodide-bridged compounds 7 – 10 , as evidenced by the shifts of their redox potentials in comparison to the mononuclear complexes. The electrochemical oxidation of methanol was carried out with heterobimetallic complexes 7 – 10 and leads to the formation of dimethoxymethane (DMM) and methyl formate (MF) as the major oxidation products. The chloride complexes 7 and 9 are the most active catalysts, as evidenced by their TON and current efficiencies. Addition of water at the beginning of the electrolysis results in increased formation of the more oxidized product MF along with higher current efficiencies and TON.
What’s new in vascular infections?

This article reviews selected issues relevant to vascular infections. It is not meant as an exhaustive survey of this area, but as an update concerning current issues that have an impact on daily vascular surgical therapy and areas that have evolved significantly in the past 5 to 10 years. The first section reviews antibiotic prophylaxis and discusses endovascular stent infections, which are being reported in increasing numbers. This review is followed by a discussion on antibiotic-impregnated grafts and progress in the field of in situ reconstruction for aortic graft infections.
Histopathologic findings and diagnostic difficulties posed with use of escharotic agents for treatment of skin lesions: a case report and review of the literature

Escharotic agents have been used as alternative therapy for treatment of skin cancer and skin problems for centuries. Internet web sites such as online health product stores and eBay have made them widely available to the general public. The use of these agents carries risk of incomplete removal of tumor, damage of surrounding healthy tissues and marked scarring with poor cosmetic outcome. We report the case of a 27-year-old man who presented with history of moles and self-treatment with an escharotic agent containing bloodroot in order to document the histopathologic findings of topical bloodroot treatment and to show the clinical consequences that may occur in the unsuspecting public. To the best of our knowledge, the histological features following use of bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) have not yet been documented.
Activities and features of the new High Voltage Laboratory at the Ohio State University (USA)

In the USA, only a handful of high voltage laboratories can be found that are operated by universities. The High Voltage Laboratory at The Ohio State University was designed and constructed in the 1990s. Its major facilities are related to the generation and measurement of high voltage AC, DC and surges. The laboratory has high voltage DC sources (up to 150,000 V), high voltage AC sources (up to 250,000 Vrms), a 1,000,000 V surge generator, and a high voltage Tesla transformer (up to 2.5 MV). Test capabilities include withstand, partial discharge and breakdown tests on gases, liquids and solids, electric and magnetic field tests, reduced-scale model tests, fog chamber tests (accelerated aging) and shielding and attenuation experiments. The laboratory is used for education (teaching high voltage courses and lab sessions), research and independent testing.
Box-counting with base bn numerals

Abstract The position of a point in the unit cube [0, 1)n is usually approximated as an n-tuple of p-digit base b numerals. When collated, the base b digits form a single base bn numeral that is well-suited (indeed, tailor-made) for box-counting: Its p digits specify a sequence of nested n-dimensional cubes. For an attractor whose points are represented as an ordered list of such numerals, box-counting is a task of linear complexity. In fact, it suffices to perform a single comparison of each of the adjacent numerals in such a list to count, for all rϵ{1,2,…,p}, the minimal number of cubes of edge length b-r which cover the points on the attractor.
Flash gas bypass in mobile air conditioning system with R134a

Abstract This paper demonstrates that the performance of a mobile air conditioning system (with a microchannel evaporator modified to be single pass) operating normally with R134a in direct expansion mode can be significantly improved when switched to flash gas bypass (FGB) mode. When operated at the same compressor speed, the system in FGB mode produces about 13%–18% more cooling capacity at 4%–7% higher COP than DX mode. When the compressor speed was adjusted to maintain the same cooling capacity, the COP improved 37%–55%. Two main reasons are identified and discussed: 1) improved refrigerant distribution and 2) reduction of refrigerant pressure drop.
Key issues in global supply base management

Abstract Developing effective business relationships with suppliers is hard work, especially when suppliers are located in different parts of the globe. Doing business with a supplier in China entails a very different set of fundamental elements than with one in the United States or Europe. As such, managers cannot rely on information systems to conduct business with global suppliers, but in many cases must travel to the location and visit with the supplier face to face to build an effective business relationship. In this article, 11 key issues that buying organizations should consider in their efforts to manage a global supply base are presented. These issues focus on the need for the “human factor” in establishing positive supplier relationships and the development of a high-performing global supply base.
In vitro assay for trans-phosphorylation of rhodopsin by rhodopsin kinase

Trans-phosphorylation of rhodopsin refers to a reaction in which a rhodopsin kinase molecule that has been activated by a light-activated rhodopsin molecule collides with and phosphorylates a second molecule of rhodopsin that has not been activated by light. It has been invoked as a mechanism for high-gain phosphorylation, a phenomenon that is observed at low bleaching levels where up to several hundred moles of phosphate are added to the rhodopsin pool per mole of photolyzed rhodopsin. Trans-phosphorylation is an appealing mechanism to propose for high-gain phosphorylation, but it has not been tested directly because of the difficulty inherent in unambiguous identification of light-activated and dark forms of rhodopsin present in the same reaction mixture. We report here a direct assay for trans-phosphorylation of rhodopsin. The assay is based on the use of a split receptor mutant of rhodopsin, SR(1-4/5-7), in which the fully functional protein is assembled from two separately expressed fragments. Because of different electrophoretic mobilities, SR(1-4/5-7) and wild-type rhodopsin can be monitored independently for phosphorylation while in the same reaction mixture. Thus, if wild-type rhodopsin is exposed to light and then incubated in the dark with SR(1-4/5-7), ATP, and rhodopsin kinase, phosphorylation of SR(1-4/5-7) would be a clear demonstration that trans-phosphorylation has occurred. Despite numerous attempts using several different experimental configurations, we have been unable to detect trans-phosphorylation of dark rhodopsin with this system.
Aspects of the work of Matthew Arnold for royal commissions

N 1847 Matthew Arnold was appointed Private Secretary to the Marquis of Lansdowne, the President of the Council, who was, at that time, the Government Minister responsible for the administration of public education. Thus began his association with public education, a connection which endured for almost forty years.1 When, in 1851, he was appointed to H.M.I. Arnold became a layman in a field which was almost entirely restricted to ordained Anglican priests. A modern commentator has asserted that even at that time he saw that mid-nineteenth century England needed more culture, not more morality or more religion. Subconsciously acting in the spirit of his schoolmaster father, his chosen task was to be the prophet for this culture, and his own contribution was a talent for clarity of vision which saw both the essence of a problem and its reference in the widest setting.2 Education, in his opinion, was the road to culture.3 From 1851 to 1859 Arnold's Reports appeared punctually in the Annual Reports of the Committee of Council on Education, but apart from the fine prose in which they are written there is no evidence of the deep and sincere concern for public education which he was to evince later in his writings. In fact, in a letter written at about this time to his sister, Mrs. Forster, the wife of the Liberal politician, he asserted that he had no real interest in the subject of public education.4 An extremely important landmark in Arnold's career was the reception, in February 1859 of a letter from Fitzjames Stephens, the Secretary of the newly appointed Royal Commission which was inquiring into 'the state of Popular Education in Continental Europe & on Educational Charities in England & Wales', commonly known as the Newcastle Commission. Although this was the first official communication he had received of his appointment, Arnold had actually been offered the assignment in mid-January 1859 when he attended a personal interview with Stephens, at the latter's request. Originally his particular sphere was to be France, Belgium, Switzerland and Piedmont,
A technique for measuring the dynamic behavior of materials at high temperatures

Abstract A new experimental technique has been developed for the performance of high temperature, high-strain-rate experiments in the compression Kolsky bar (split-Hopkinson pressure bar or SHPB). The new technique (referred to as the High-Temperature Compression Kolsky Bar or HTCKB) uses an infra-red spot-heater to rapidly heat the specimen to the desired temperature, a!nd an electropneumatic actuation system to minimize the development of temperature gradients in the sample. The technique is cheap and relatively easy to implement and yet provides accurate, repeatable results. As an illustration of the application of the technique, we have examined the high-temperature response of the BCC metal vanadium at high-strain rates. Stress–strain curves are obtained for the material at strain rates of 4 × 10 3 s −1 and at temperatures ranging from 300 to 1100 K (27–800°C). Quasistatic (10 −3 s −1 ) experiments have also been performed on vanadium over a slightly smaller range of temperatures, and the results are compared with the new high-temperature, high-strain-rate data. It is observed that the rate of thermal softening is a function of the strain rate. These results illustrate the importance of including the coupling between temperature and strain r!ate in thermoviscoplastic constitutive models.
Forebrain norepinephrine and serotonin concentrations and cardiac conditioning in normal rabbits and rabbits with septal lesions.

Septal lesioned or sham operated rabbits were subjected to two days of differential Pavlovian (classical) heart rate (HR) conditioning in which tones served as the conditioned stimuli and paraorbital electric shock served as the unconditioned stimulus. After completion of training, norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) concentrations were determined in the hippocampus and neocortex to determine if lesion-induced amine depletion was related to changes in the HR conditioned response (CR). The magnitude of the bradycardiac CR was increased by septal lesions during the initial session but during the second session. several lesioned animals revealed accelerative HR changes resulting in an attenuated HR CR in the septal damaged group. The more accelerative HR responding in the septal lesioned animals was accompanied by increased EMG activity which appeared to be related to damage to more posteroventral areas of the septum. Septal lesions produced a depletion of forebrain NE of approximately 30%, but NE concentrations did not appear to be specificially related to lesion-induced changes in the HR CR. However, both NE and 5-HT concentrations were correlated with the magnitude of the HR CR in intact, but not in lesioned, animals.
Linked porphyrin systems

Porphyrin monomers, 5-(monopyridyl)-10,15,20-(triphenyl)porphyrin (1), 5,10-(dipyridyl)-15,20-(diphenyl)-porphyrin (2), and 5,15-(dipyridyl)-10,20-{diphenyl)porphyrin (3), were linked by hydrocarbon chains to form a series of dimers, trimers and polymers. The 5-(monopyridyl)-10,15,20-(triphenyl)porphyrin monomers were linked by 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 carbon chains through the alkylation of the pyridine nitrogens using the appropriate diiodoalkane to form positively charged linked dimers 4–8. A trimer 12 was synthesized from two 5-(monopyridyl)-10,15,20-(triphenyl)porphyrin and one 5,10-(dipyridyl)-15,20-(diphenyl)porphyrin linked by a six carbon chain. Hydrocarbon linked (5,10-(dipyridyl)-15,20-(diphenyl)porphyrin)n (13) and (5,15-(dipyridyl)-10,20-(diphenyl)porphyrin)n (14) were also prepared.
The Work trips of Rural Non‐metropolitan Women in Iowa

This paper presents a model of work commute length for female residents of rural nonmetropolitan areas in Iowa. The authors find that some factors important in constraining the length of urban women's commute, such as linking commuting trips with household-related trips, are less relevant in a rural setting. The authors also find that women working in non-feminized occupations, women receiving employer-provided health benefits, and women with better transportation resources, tend to have longer commutes.
Chaotic vibrations of a beam with non-linear boundary conditions

Abstract Forced vibrations of an elastic beam with non-linear boundary conditions are shown to exhibit chaotic behavior of the strange attractor type for a sinusoidal input force. The beam is clamped at one end, and the other end is pinned for the tip displacement less than some fixed value and is free for displacements greater than this value. The stiffness of the beam has the properties of a bi-linear spring. The results may be typical of a class of mechanical oscillators with play or amplitude constraining stops. Subharmonic oscillations are found to be characteristic of these types of motions. For certain values of forcing frequency and amplitude the periodic motion becomes unstable and nonperiodic bounded vibrations result. These chaotic motions have a narrow band spectrum of frequency components near the subharmonic frequencies. Digital simulation of a single mode mathematical model of the beam using a Runge-Kutta algorithm is shown to give results qualitatively similar to experimental observations.
Bilateral memory for monocular one-trial passive avoidance in chicks.

Numerous studies of monocularly-acquired interhemispheric transfer in birds suggest indirectly that memories are laid down bilaterally, but this has not been established by direct methods. The present experiment was designed to test directly the laterality of memory storage. Day-old chicks were taught monocularly a one-trial passive avoidance task, after which large hyperstriatal lesions were made either contralateral or ipsilateral to the exposed eye at time intervals ranging from 2–18 hr. Twenty-four hours after the training trial transfer and retention were tested by occluding the experienced eye of chicks with lesions contralateral to that eye. In chicks with ipsilateral lesions the same eye was trained and tested. Similar lesions made bilaterally in a control group abolished task retention. Both unilaterally-lesioned groups performed at near-normal levels. It is concluded from the results that memory for one-trial passive avoidance is established bilaterally in the chick brain.