cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Abbreviated Expression for Dynamic Ranges in Atomic-Absorption Flame Photometry

Different abbreviated expressions for concentration dynamic ranges are proposed and discussed. These expressions are also intended to give information on percentual sensitivity (related to slope of analytical calibration curves) and noise level. Use of logarithmic terms permits calculation of total dynamic range ratios when using instruments which allow wide variation of instrumental sensitivity.
Exertional Myopathy in Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) Subsequent to Capture

Out of 33 Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) captured and fitted with radio-transmitters, 12 were later found dead. Three carcasses were recovered and submitted for necropsy. One bird had large pale foci in multiple muscles. Microscopically, skeletal muscle in all three had evidence of severe coagulative necrosis, consistent with capture myopathy.
Algorithms for synthesizing mechanical systems with maximal natural frequencies

Abstract We consider a simpler version of an open problem in system realization theory, which has relevance to several important problems in biomedicine, altering the dynamic response of discrete and continuous systems, connectivity of Very Large Scale Integrated circuits, as well as the co-ordination of Unmanned vehicles. The fundamental question this article tries to answer is the following one: Given all the components of a system, how do we put these components together in order to obtain a desired response? In the simplest form, this basic question arises in mechanical systems where, the objective is to connect the masses with springs in a suitable way, and in the most general form, it arises in biomedicine where one is interested in engineering and achieving a desired output by either allowing certain new interactions or disallowing some interactions to take place between the proteins, nucleic acids and other cellular components. We formulate a simpler version of this problem in one dimension (i.e., all the masses and springs are arranged along a line), where the objective is to choose a set of springs to connect the masses so that the resulting “graph” structure is as stiff as possible. The system considered corresponds to an ungrounded structure and will always admit a rigid body mode; for that reason, the smallest natural frequency is zero and we use the smallest non-zero natural frequency as a metric for stiffness of the structure and we maximize this objective. Maximizing the smallest non-zero frequency increases all the natural frequencies thereby making the system stiffer. We develop an iterative primal-dual algorithm and a cutting plane algorithm to solve the problem and provide preliminary computational results on a network up to nine masses.
Development of a mouse limb transplantation model.

A tremendous amount of research has been dedicated to laying the groundwork that will eventually lead to successful limb transplantation in humans. Limb transplantation in animal models has also been widely used for evaluating composite tissue allografts and various immunosuppressive regimens. Currently, there is no mouse model of limb transplantation. Such a model is attractive because it would allow investigators to apply the well-defined genetic characteristics of the mouse to the challenging field of limb transplantation. In this study, 12 mice underwent orthotopic hind limb transplantations using end-to-end anastomoses of the femoral vessels. The success rate of this surgical procedure was 83%, with 10 of the 12 limbs surviving. Experimental devices, operative procedures, and the major elements of success are discussed.
A study of the induced anisotropy in a ferromagnetic grain from an exchange coupled antiferromagnetic grain with uniaxial anisotropy

Approximate analytic solutions for the energy of an antiferromagnetic (AF) grain, which experiences an external exchange torque from a ferromagnetic grain have been obtained for a wide range of AF thickness. The accuracy of the analytic expression is within 2.0% of the exact solution, which do not have a closed analytical form. The model predicts that there are two critical AF grain thickness for each particular exchange energy strength. Below the first critical thickness, the induced anisotropy energy is well approximated by an uniaxial anisotropy term. Above the second critical thickness the induced anisotropy is unidirectional. In the intermediate range the induced anisotropy can not be expressed simply as uniaxial or unidirectional. The exchange bias and coercivity in NiFe/IrMn films have been studied as a function of the IrMn thickness, and the results are consistent with the proposed theory.
Putting Enterohemorrhagic E. coli on a Pedestal

Many pathogenic bacteria exploit host cytoskeletal pathways to promote infection. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Weiss et al. (2009) identify the host factor IRSp53 as the missing link that connects two intracellular bacterial proteins, thereby completing an actin cytoskeletal signaling pathway critical to enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli pathogenesis.
Comprehensive and sensitive quantification of long-chain and very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in small samples of human and mouse retina.

Abstract Fatty acids (FAs), including long-chain and very long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs, C12–22; VLC-PUFAs, C24–38), play an important role in retinal function and health. Deficiencies in LC-PUFAs and VLC-PUFAs, as well as mutations in the enzyme responsible for elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (ELOVL4), have been associated with macular dystrophies and degenerations. Published analytical methods, including high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS) and gas chromatography–MS (GC–MS), can quantify VLC-PUFAs but require at least an entire human retina which limits the ability to understand physiologically relevant variations in lipids that can occur at a regional level within the retina. Until now, quantification of VLC-PUFAs in just the human macula, the cone-rich region of the central retina responsible for high acuity vision, has not been feasible due to its small size (4–5 mm in diameter). In this study, we have developed a sensitive GC–MS method using newer generation enhanced GC–MS detector sensitivity which for the first time quantifies not only 14 VLC-PUFAs and 26 LC-FAs but also n-3/n-6 ratios of PUFAs in 4 mm punches of human retina or a single pair of mouse retinas. Our results showed that saturated LC-FAs are higher in the human peripheral retina than in the macula, while unsaturated LC-FAs are higher in the macula than in the peripheral retina. On the other hand, the VLC-PUFAs are higher in the peripheral retina compared to macula. There is no difference in n-3/n-6 ratios of PUFAs observed between human macula and peripheral retina, while mouse retina has almost ten times more VLC-PUFAs than human macula and peripheral retina (2.27% versus 0.25% and 0.32%, respectively) and much higher n-3/n-6 ratios compared to human retina (9:1 versus ∼0.9:1). This high sensitivity analytical technique provides a valuable new tool for studies on the role of FAs in the pathological processes of macular degenerations and dystrophies.
Influence of s and d orbital occupation on the binding of metal ions to imidazole

Threshold collision-induced dissociation of M+(imidazole) with Xe is studied using guided ion beam mass spectrometry techniques. The metal ions, M+, studied include: Na+, Mg+, Al+, Ca+, Sc+, Ti+, V+, Cr+, Mn+, Fe+, Co+, Ni+, Cu+, and Zn+. For the systems involving Na+, Mg+, Al+, Ca+, and the late transition metals, Cr+ through Cu+, the primary product corresponds to endothermic loss of the intact imidazole molecule. For the Zn+ system, this process also occurs but forms Zn + imidazole+ as the dominant product and Zn+ + imidazole as a minor dissociation pathway. For the complexes to the early transition metal ions, Sc+, Ti+, and V+, loss of the intact imidazole ligand competes with endothermic elimination of HCN to form M+(C2H3N). The energy-dependent collision-induced dissociation cross sections for M+(imidazole) are modeled to yield threshold energies that are directly related to 0 and 298 K bond dissociation energies (BDEs) for M+−imidazole after accounting for the effects of multiple ion-neutral colli...
Load balancing and optimization of distributed proximity effect correction on a temporally heterogeneous cluster

Grayscale electron-beam lithography is a technique widely used in transferring three-dimensional structures onto the resist layer or substrate. The proximity effect caused by electron scattering in the resist imposes a severe limitation on the ultimate spatial resolution attainable by e-beam lithography. Therefore, correction of the proximity effect is essential particularly for the fine-feature, high-density circuit patterns. However, the proximity effect correction is very time-consuming due to the intensive computation required in the correction procedure and a large size of circuit data to be processed. Hence, it is an ideal candidate for distributed computing where the otherwise-unused CPU cycles of a number of computers on a network (cluster) can be efficiently utilized. One of the characteristics of such a cluster is its heterogeneity, i.e., the available computing power varies with computer and/or time. This variation may degrade the performance of distributed computing significantly. In this paper, efficient distributed implementations of grayscale proximity effect correction on a temporally heterogeneous cluster are described with the main emphasis on static and dynamic load balancing schemes and their optimization through effective task partitioning methods. The experimental results obtained on a cluster of Sun workstations shared by multiple users are presented with detailed discussion.
Arm complications after radial artery procurement for coronary bypass operation.

Abstract Background . Radial arteries are being used frequently for coronary artery bypass conduits, and surgeons are appropriately concerned about the risks of ischemia, infection, and neurologic dysfunction of the "donor" arm. We present our record of donor site complications, with emphasis on the safety of radial usage in patients older than 65 years of age. Methods . A total of 343 radial arteries were removed from 217 patients, aged 37 to 83 years. Forty-nine (23%) of the patients were women; 126 of the radial arteries were from patients aged 65 years or older. Four patients died. In the remaining 213 patients, 338 donor arms were examined for at least 6 weeks postoperatively for evidence of infection, ischemia, hematoma, seroma, or paresthesia. Results . No donor arms developed symptoms of ischemia or motor dysfunction. Two of 338 (0.6%) arms developed hematomas requiring operative drainage. Relatively minor complications of stitch abscesses, skin dehiscence, superficial infection, and small hematomas or seromas affected another 14 arms (4.1%). Cutaneous paresthesias in the radial distribution of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve or superficial branch of the radial nerve were noted postoperatively in 36 arms (10.7%). The risk of any arm complication occurring was 13% in the 65 and older group and 17% in those less than 65 years old ( p = NS). Conclusions . The risk of a major arm complication from radial artery harvesting for coronary bypass is low, even in patients of advanced age.
Anxiolytic-like action of neuropeptide Y: mediation by Y1 receptors in amygdala, and dissociation from food intake effects.

Anxiolytic-Like Action of Neuropeptide Y: Mediation by Y1 Receptors in Amygdala, and Dissociation from Food Intake Effects
Narrowing the US energy efficiency gap.

The energy-efficiency gap has puzzled researchers and policy makers for decades (1). Changes in behavior and the use of efficient technologies could substantially reduce energy consumption, yielding strong financial returns. However, householders, business managers, and government officials fail to take advantage of the opportunity. Attari et al. (2) reveal important features of the gap by an innovative analysis of how US householders think about energy.
Kinetics of chlorambucil hydrolysis using high-pressure liquid chromatography.

A stability-specific high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method was developed to assay intact chlorambucil (I) in the presence of its hydrolytic decomposition products. The HPLC method was used to follow the degradation kinetics of I over pH 1.0–10.0 in the presence of various buffers with and without added chloride ion. In the absence of chloride ion, the hydrolysis of I followed first-order kinetics and the pH rate profile showed a sharp inflection around pH 2.5 attributable to the ionization of the nitrogen mustard and a shallower inflection around pH 5.0 attributable to the ionization of the carboxylic group. The rate was pH independent over pH 6.0–10.0 and independent of buffer species in the absence of chloride ion. In the presence of chloride ion, the kinetics of I hydrolysis was still first order. However, the degradation half-life at a particular pH and buffer concentration increased linearly with chloride concentration. Kinetic evidence is presented to show that the mechanism of chloride stabilization involves the attack of chloride ion on the unstable cyclic ethyleneimmonium intermediate to give back I. Implications of the kinetic data obtained on the fate of orally administered I are discussed.
Studies on the Organisation of the Chicken Genome and its Expression during Myogenesis in vitro

DNA from the chicken genome was analysed both by isopycnic centrifugation in cesium salt density gradients and by reassociation analysis using hydroxyapatite (HAP) chromatography. Centrifugation in neutral CsCl revealed a single non-Gaussian band skewed toward the heavy side, but no discrete satellite components. In heavy metal (Ag + or Hg ++ )-Cs 2 SO 4 gradients, 4–8 satellite bands were revealed, comprising 5–9% of the total DNA. Purification of the satellites and recentrifugation in neutral CsCl demonstrated that 80–90% of this DNA would band in the shoulder, with the remainder in the main band. These satellites can account at most for 30% of the heavy shoulder DNA, thus most of the heavy shoulder DNA must be of lower repetition frequencies. Reassociation analyses of chicken DNA demonstrated that the complexity of the non-repetitive DNA is 9.49 × 10 8 nucleotide pairs, equivalent to about 90% of the haploid genome. Repetitive DNA comprises only 8–10% of the genome and has the following composition, relative to total DNA: 3.7% intermediate repetitive, 1.9% highly repetitive, and 3.9% “zero-time binding” DNA. This unusually low repetitive DNA content may be related to the small genome size of chickens, relative to other vertebrates, and to the presence of many microchromosomes in the chicken karyotype. Total cell RNA extracted from prefusion myoblasts, post-fusion myotubes, and myoblasts grown in BrdU was incubated in large excess with 3 H-TdR labelled non-repetitive DNA and the resulting hybrids assayed by HAP chromatography. The amount of non-repetitive DNA represented in the RNA was found to increase from 7–8% in the myoblast stage to 10–11% in myotubes. An even smaller proportion, about 5%, is represented in the RNA of myoblasts prevented from differentiating by growth in BrdU.
Hybridoma 2.4G2: Dissociation of the B-lymphocyte-triggering activity from the monoclonal anti-Fc IgG receptor antibody

Previously, we have reported that monoclonal antibody specific for mouse Fc IgG receptors (Fc gamma R) [purified by affinity chromatography using goat F(ab')2 anti-rat Ig linked to Sepharose from supernatants of hybridoma 2.4G2] can induce both proliferation and antibody secretion of normal B-lymphocytes in the absence of T-lymphocytes. The current studies have shown that the B-cell-triggering activity is associated with a substance produced by 2.4G2 which can be distinguished from the 2.4G2 antibody by several criteria: (1) different preparations of 2.4G2 antibody with identical binding capacity for Fc gamma R differ markedly in their ability to trigger B-lymphocytes; (2) the B-lymphocyte-triggering substance and the anti-Fc gamma R antibody can be separated using insolubilized monoclonal mouse anti-rat kappa-antibody columns; and (3) the B-lymphocyte-triggering substance has a mol. wt of less than 50,000, while the 2.4G2 antibody has a mol. wt of 160,000. The B-lymphocyte-triggering moiety produced by the 2.4G2 hybridoma may be a previously undescribed lymphokine.
Extremal Solutions of Functional Differential Inclusions

Abstract In this paper, we prove the existence of extremal solutions of functional differential inclusions, in particular, we can prove the existence of extremal solutions of differential inclusions without assuming that the right-hand side multifunction is jointly upper semi-continuous.
Computed tomographic angiography for the evaluation of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Objectives: Computed tomography (CT) followed by lumbar puncture (LP) is currently the criterion standard for diagnosing subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in the emergency department (ED); however, this is based on studies involving a limited number of patients. The authors sought to assess the ability of CT angiography (CTA), a new diagnostic modality, in conjunction with CT/LP to detect SAH. Methods: Consecutive patients presenting to the ED with symptoms concerning for SAH were approached. All patients had an intravenous catheter placed and underwent a noncontrast head CT followed by CTA. Patients whose CT did not reveal evidence of SAH or other pathology underwent LP in the ED. CTAs were read within 24 hours by a neuroradiologist blinded to the patient's history. Results: A total of 131 patients were approached, 116 were enrolled, and 106 completed the study. In six of 116 patients (5.1%), aneurysm was found on CTA with normal CT and positive findings on LP; three had a positive CTA with normal CT and LP findings (one of which had a negative cerebral angiogram), and there was one false-positive CTA. Follow-up of all 131 patients showed no previously undiagnosed intracranial pathology. In this patient population, 4.3% (5/116) were ultimately found to have an SAH and/or aneurysm. Conclusions: In this pilot study, CTA was found to be useful in the detection of cerebral aneurysms and may be useful in the diagnosis of aneurysmal SAH. A larger multicenter study would be useful to confirm these results.
How the magnetosphere is driven into the substorm

This paper puts together several aspects of the substorm phenomena into a scenario subject to quantitative analysis, based on Ampere's law, magnetic stresses, and the effect of the parallel electric field. As the magnetospheric convection continuously shears the magnetic field, the parallel electric field suddenly switches on when the shear reaches a critical value. The parallel electric field not only accelerates the charged particles to cause the auroral display but also partially decouples the ionosphere from the magnetosphere so that the magnetospheric convection is enhanced significantly, causing the substorm expansion phase. Pi 2 pulsations are excited by the change of the magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling. We show a direct relationship between the parallel potential drop, the enhanced convection rate, and the amplitude of the Pi 2 pulsations. With no adjustable parameter, the relationship shows quantitative agreement with the diverse observations.
Differential Forms and the Change of Variable Formula for Multiple Integrals

Recently P. Lax has produced a novel approach to the proof of the change of variable formula for multiple integrals. In Section 1 we give a variant of Lax's proof, using the language of differential forms. In Sections 2 and 3 we discuss extensions involving more singular maps and integrands.
An Extension of Van Gelder's Alternating Fixpoint to Magic Programs

We study the application of the magic-sets transformation technique to Datalog?(function-free programs with negation) that may not have two-valued well-founded models. In this general setting, the well-founded model of the original program does not always agree with the well-founded model of the magic program derived by commonly used left-to-right sideways information-passing strategies on the query. In order to correct this disagreement we present a novel method that is obtained by slightly and naturally tailoring Van Gelder's alternating fixpoint technique to any magic program.
Adaptive-Weighting Input-Estimation Approach to Nonlinear Inverse Heat-Conduction Problems

The inverse heat-conduction problem involves surface-heat-flux or heat-source estimation that requires only the temperatures measured at an insulated wall. This problem becomes nonlinear if the thermal properties are temperature-dependent. Innovative adaptive-weighting input-estimation inverse methodology for estimating a time-varying unknown heat source from a nonlinear thermal system is presented. This algorithm includes the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and the recursive least-square estimator. EKF recursively estimates the interior temperature of a body under a system involving noisy measurement and modeling errors. During the EKF estimation procedure, an important regression equation between the observable bias residual innovation and the thermal unknown is provided. Based on this regression model, a recursive least-square estimator weighted by the adaptive weighting factor is proposed to estimate these unknowns, defined as the input. The Kalman tuning parameter is used first to analyze the interactive relationship between measurement noise and modeling-error variance. The superior capabilities of the proposed algorithm are demonstrated through two simulated examples with different types of time-varying heat sources as the unknown inputs. Nomenclature
Sequential two-step multienzyme synthesis of tumor-associated sialyl T-antigens and derivatives.

A series of α2–3-sialylated β1–3-linked galactosides, including sialyl T-antigens, 3′-sialyl galacto-N-biose, 3′-sialyl lacto-N-biose, and their derivatives containing natural and non-natural sialic acid forms have been synthesized from simple monosaccharides using an efficient sequential two-step multienzyme approach.
Comment on “Habitat Split and the Global Decline of Amphibians”

Becker et al. (Reports, 14 December 2007, p. 1775) reported that forest amphibians with terrestrial development are less susceptible to the effects of habitat degradation than those with aquatic larvae. However, analysis with more appropriate statistical methods suggests there is no evidence for a difference between aquatic-reproducing and terrestrial-reproducing species.
Efficacy of short novel antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides in a mouse model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin infection

The therapeutic efficacy of two novel short antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory peptides (RR and RRIKA) was evaluated in a mouse model of staphylococcal skin infection. RR (2%) and RRIKA (2%) significantly reduced the bacterial counts and the levels of proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-6, in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA 300-0114 skin lesions. Furthermore, the combined therapy of RRIKA (1%) and lysostaphin (0.5%) had significantly higher antistaphylococcal and anti-inflammatory activity compared to monotherapy. This study supports the potential use of these peptides for topical treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections.
The association between serological and dietary vitamin d levels and hepatitis c-related liver disease risk differs in african american and white males

Background Vitamin D may affect the severity of HCV-related liver disease. We examined the association between serum vitamin D levels and advanced liver disease in a multiethnic U.S. cohort of HCV patients, and accounted for dietary and supplemental intake.
‘Une Question Ecrite, Pour Quoi Faire?’ The Causes of the Production of Written Questions in the French Assemblée Nationale

An examination of the questions ecrites (written questions), a procedure by which Representatives ask questions to members of government, reveals an extraordinary variation in the use of this procedure by individual Deputies. I use data that I have collected on the 11th legislature (1997–2002) to test, through regression analysis, the level of support for institutional and rational choice explanations of this variation. I find support for the argument that written questions are not used as a mean for reelection, but are rather employed by legislators from the opposition parties as an instrument to conduct oversight functions and used by freshmen legislators to obtain information about governmental policies.
Quasi-orthogonal Polynomials, Quadrature, and Interpolation

Abstract We investigate the quasi-orthogonal polynomials by expressing them as characteristic polynomials of symmetric matrices. Many properties of zeros of quasi-orthogonal polynomials are derived from this formulation. We derive new formulae for quadrature and interpolation based on the zeros of quasi-orthogonal polynomials and prove the mean convergence of Lagrange interpolation.
New insights into the astrophysical r-process

Elements heavier than iron are known to be made partly by rapid neutron capture—the astrophysical r-process. New data from nuclear experiments and astronomical observations may allow some of the proposed astrophysical sites for the r-process to be ruled out and suggest that these elements are mostly produced in type II supernovae.
Effects of operating speed and tension and sources of lateral tape motion in a linear tape drive

Abstract Demand for increased storage capacity is forcing tape drive manufacturers to design future drives that operate at higher speed and lower tension than the current state of the art. Operating speed and tension are known to affect tape wear, head–tape spacing, and tape guiding performance. The objective of the current study is to determine the effects of operating speed and tension on tape durability, guiding, and magnetic performance. Damage to the tape edge is monitored and quantified using optical microscopy. A technique for measuring lateral tape motion (LTM) is used to explore the effects of speed and tension and to determine other sources of LTM within the drive. RMS head output and signal dropouts are monitored to gauge changes in magnetic performance during tape cycling.
The role of insulin‐like growth factor‐I and its binding proteins in glucose homeostasis and type 2 diabetes

This review addresses the possible role of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-axis in normal glucose homoeostasis and in the etiopathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. IGF-I, a peptide hormone, shares amino acid sequence homology with insulin and has insulin-like activity; most notably, the promotion of glucose uptake by peripheral tissues. Type 2 diabetes as well as pre-diabetic states, including impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, are associated cross-sectionally with altered circulating levels of IGF-I and its binding proteins (IGFBPs). Administration of recombinant human IGF-I has been reported to improve insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals as well as in patients with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Further, IGF-I may have beneficial effects on systemic inflammation, a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and on pancreatic beta-cell mass and function. There is considerable inter-individual heterogeneity in endogenous levels of IGF-I and its binding proteins; however, the relationship between these variations and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes has not been extensively investigated. Large prospective studies are required to evaluate this association.
Pulmonary intra-alveolar histiocytosis induced by drugs

Abstract Chlorcyclizine, its derivatives (norchlorocyclizine, homochlorcyclizine, cyclizine, hydroxyzine and meclizine), some hypocholesterolemic agents (triparanol, haloperidol, boxidine) and chloroquine fed in large quantities to male Spraque-Dawley rats for 6 weeks lead to accumulation of large foam cells in pulmonary alveoli. Ultrastructural studies of chlorcyclizine-treated rats reveal hyperplasia and hypertrophy of granular pneumocytes, accumulation of secretions of these cells in alveolar lumina and phagocytosis of the secretions by alveolar macrophages. The inability of alveolar macrophages to eliminate these secretions as evidenced by massive accumulation of foam cells is interpreted as a result of drug binding to the secretions which inhibits intracellular digestion. Other changes observed are large heterogeneous dense bodies filled with granular and membranous material in type 1 pneumocytes. Myeloid bodies are found in interstitial fibroblasts, intravascular leukocytes, and nonciliated bronchiolar cells.
Seasonal variation in fecundity, egg case viability, gestation, and neonate size for little skates, Leucoraja erinacea , in the Gulf of Maine

Landings of the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea, within the territorial waters of the United States are currently regulated by a federal fishery management plan (FMP). For a FMP to be effective, thorough knowledge of a species’ reproductive biology is essential. Currently, little information exists on annual fecundity, egg case viability, gestation length, and neonate total length, for the little skate in the Gulf of Maine. To study these reproductive parameters, mature skates and egg cases were housed in fiberglass tanks with an open seawater system that provided natural, seasonal fluctuations in water temperature. Egg case deposition was highest during summer months with a seasonal peak in June. Of the 324 egg cases laid by seven females (c. 46 eggs per year, per female), 74.1% were viable. Gestation lengths ranged from 22 to 54 weeks throughout the four seasons. Egg cases laid in the fall had the longest gestation times (44.9 weeks, ± 0.13 weeks) and those laid in the spring had the shortest gestation times (24.5 weeks, ± 0.21 weeks). Total lengths of neonates from spring oviposition were statistically the longest (10.74 ± 0.05 cm) when compared to neonates from other seasons; however, egg viability was statistically the lowest for spring when compared seasonally.
The psychiatric profile of patients with chronic diseases who do not receive regular medical care.

Objective To assess the relationship between psychiatric disorders and lack of regular medical care in individuals with chronic medical diseases. Methods Nine hundred sixty-three respondents to the household-based Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Follow-Up Study were interviewed in 1981, 1982, and 1993-1996. The main outcome measures were: 1) not receiving regular care from a health professional for an active chronic medical condition in 1981, 2) persistent lack of regular medical care, and 3) leaving regular medical care. Results In cross-sectional analyses, having a psychiatric disorder (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.17-2.48) was associated with not receiving regular medical care. This was mostly due to individuals with phobic disorder (OR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02-2.43). In prospective analyses, depression (RR 2.4, p Conclusions Psychiatric disorders appear to place an individual at risk for irregular medical care. Studies of the quality and continuity of care for patients with chronic medical conditions should include measures of common psychiatric conditions.
Polarization-sensitive subwavelength antireflection surfaces on a semiconductor for 975 nm

We present the results of subwavelength antireflection surfaces etched into GaAs for use at 975 nm. These surfaces comprise linear gratings with periods less than the wavelength of light in GaAs. The structure appears as a homogeneous birefringent film. For one of the two polarizations, the film is directly analogous to the well-known quarter-wavelength antireflection coating. For the other polarization there is little effect on the surface reflectivity.
The Assessment of High-Risk Sexual Behavior and Self-Presentation Concerns:

Objective: This project developed a new questionnaire format to facilitate the self-report of risky sexual behavior. This new format asked participants whether they or their partners initiated various sexual behaviors. It was predicted that allowing respondents to attribute their behaviors to others would facilitate the disclosure of risky sex. Method: College student participants were randomly assigned to one of two sexual behavior questionnaire formats (Initiation vs Standard). Results: Individuals assigned to the Initiation Questionnaire format, in comparison to Standard format, reported significantly more sexual partners during the past 1 and 3 months. Women reported significantly more unprotected oral sex during the previous 3 months using the Initiation format. Participants not in a committed relationship reported significantly more unprotected vaginal intercourse in the Initiation condition during the previous 1 and 3 months. Conclusion: The Initiation Questionnaire format may facilitate the self-r...
Universal quantitative NMR analysis of complex natural samples

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a universal and quantitative analytical technique. Being a unique structural tool, NMR also competes with metrological techniques for purity determination and reference material analysis. In pharmaceutical research, applications of quantitative NMR (qNMR) cover mostly the identification and quantification of drug and biological metabolites. Offering an unbiased view of the sample composition, and the possibility to simultaneously quantify multiple compounds, qNMR has become the method of choice for metabolomic studies and quality control of complex natural samples such as foods, plants or herbal remedies, and biofluids. In this regard, NMR-based metabolomic studies, dedicated to both the characterization of herbal remedies and clinical diagnosis, have increased considerably.
Algorithm for automated eye-strain reduction in real stereoscopic images and sequences

Eye strain is often experienced when viewing a stereoscopic image pair on a flat display device (e.g., a computer monitor). Violations of two relationships that contribute to this eye strain are: (1) the accommodation/convergence breakdown and (2) the conflict between interposition and disparity depth cues. We describe a simple algorithm that reduces eye strain through horizontal image translation and corresponding image cropping, based on a statistical description of the estimated disparity within a stereoscopi image pair. The desired amount of translation is based on the given stereoscopic image pair, and, therefore, requires no user intervention. In this paper, we first develop a statistical model of the estimated disparity that incorporates the possibility of erroneous estimates. An estimate of the actual disparity range is obtained by thresholding the disparity histogram to avoid the contribution of false disparity values. Based on the estimated disparity range, the image pair is translated to force all points to lie on, or behind, the screen surface. This algorithm has been applied to diverse real stereoscopic images and sequences. Stereoscopic image pairs, which were often characterized as producing eye strain and confusion, produced comfortable stereoscopy after the automated translation.
THE BLOOD‐SUGAR OF NORMAL HUMAN SUBJECTS AFTER THE INTRAVENOUS INJECTION OF INSULIN

1. The rate of development of hypoglycemia in adult men, after intravenous injections of 2 units of insulin, is constant, after a possible but in any case very brief latent period. 2. The minimum sugar values are reached at a definite time, which is indicated at about 18 minutes after the injection. 3. Recovery from hypoglycemia, with the doses employed, begins immediately after the minimum sugar value has been reached. It is rapid at first, although slower than the rate of fall of the blood-sugar. After about 30 or 40 minutes it frequently slows down. It is complete in lean subjects within about 75 minutes or sooner. 4. In overweight subjects the rate of recovery seems slower than in lean subjects, suggesting the effect of —type differences“(adipose tendency among them) on the reaction to insulin. 5. As the weight of the subject increases, the dose remaining constant, the decrease of the blood-sugar from the initial levels becomes less, as would be expected, but the other features of the curves do not seem to be affected, except when the subjects are overweight. The authors are under obligation to the volunteers in this series of tests for their generous co-operation. The insulin used in these tests was obtained through the courtesy of the Eli Lilly Company. The dosage is stated in terms of their product.
China and Russia After the Russian-Georgian War

China's public disagreement with Russia's actions during the Russian-Georgian War as well as China's decision not to support Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia demonstrate that despite their partnership, China and Russia pursue different strategies to gain power and influence. But is this to the detriment of their future relations? Drawing from over 800 Chinese news articles written after the war, I show that while China showed disapproval of Russia's actions internationally, domestically it used the war to highlight the escalating tensions between the East and West, and took a strategic stand on the side of the East.
Replacement of intervertebral discs in chimpanzees by silicone-dacron implants: a preliminary report.

We have developed a prosthetic replacement for the intervertebral disc. Although current management of a patient with degenerative disc disease is usually effective, certain inadequacies in permanent pain relief do exist. Most of the persistent symptoms seem to occur because of vertebral settling with subsequent posterior joint incongruities followed by arthritic changes. Theoretically, the replacement of a diseased intervertebral disc, prior to the onset of irrevocable changes, with a spacer would maintain anatomical congruity and physiologic function. This study is the preliminary report of the development of a silicone-Dacron prosthesis and its experimental trials in chimpanzees. Our early evaluation shows that the prosthesis allows motion, maintains the intervertebral space, and absorbs the compressive stresses placed on the spine. The artificial disc has a biomechanical behavior comparable to the normal chimp disc. Resorption of adjacent bone, reactive bone formation, and infection are complications that we have experienced. Continued evaluation is necessary.
Protein-free culture medium improvement: testing additives and their interactive effects in 96-well plates

In order to achieve a rational screening of additives suspected to improve antibody production over basal Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM), we have developed a 96-well plate method for simultaneously testing individual and interactive effects of multiple additives. Cell viabilities were determined directly in each well by a colorimetric assay (MTT assay) and antibody production was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed on well supernatants. Such as supplemented culture medium might considerably reduce production costs since commercial serum- or protein-free media are sold at serum-enriched basal medium costs. The CBM-P22 mouse cell line used in this study was shown to be sensitive to key amino acids, oxalacetic acid, ethanolamine and selenium at low cell density (<1 × 105 cells·ml−1). When these cells were inoculated in 96-well plates their antibody productivity was improved (sevenfold) by adding these additives to the basal DMEM as evidenced by ELISA absorbance readings. This improved productivity, obtained with the supplemented DMEM, named DOWSENs, is comparable to the one obtained with the commercial, but costly, protein-free hybridoma medium (PFHM II), taken here as the positive control. Results were confirmed by growing these cells in different media in standard (25 cm2) T-flask static culture. In addition, specific amino acid consumption, as analysed by HPLC, showed that asparagine and tryptophan when added to DMEM may improve antibody production, even if these amino acids are not limiting or highly consumed in PFHM II. Using this 96-well plate assay allows the assessment of a large number of different assays with a few milligrams of the product(s) tested. This is a rapid technique that gives results for additives that are not easily quantified by analytical techniques or for the study of interactive effects, which is time consuming and labour-intensive when done in individual T-flasks.
Membrane potential hyperpolarization in Mammalian cardiac cells by synchronization modulation of Na/K pumps.

In previously reported work, we developed a new technique, synchronization modulation, to electrically activate Na/K pump molecules. The fundamental mechanism involved in this technique is a dynamic entrainment procedure of the pump molecules, carried out in a stepwise pattern. The entrainment procedure consists of two steps: synchronization and modulation. We theoretically predicted that the pump functions can be activated exponentially as a function of the membrane potential. We have experimentally demonstrated synchronization of the Na/K pump molecules and acceleration of their pumping rates by many fold through use of voltage-clamp techniques, directly monitoring the pump currents. We further applied this technique to intact skeletal muscle fibers from amphibians and found significant effects on the membrane resting potential. Here, we extend our study to intact mammalian cardiomyocytes. We employed a noninvasive confocal microscopic fluorescent imaging technique to monitor electric field–induced changes in ionic concentration gradient and membrane resting potential. Our results further confirm that the well-designed synchronization modulation electric field can effectively accelerate the Na/K pumping rate, increasing the ionic concentration gradient across the cell membrane and hyperpolarizing the membrane resting potential.
A subgroup of class α glutathione S-transferases Cloning of cDNA for mouse lung glutathione S-transferase GST 5.7

A full-length cDNA clone encoding the previously purified mouse glutathione S-transferase GST 5.7 [(1991), Biochem. J. 278, 793-799] has been isolated from a mouse lung cDNA library in lambda gt11. Sequencing of the clone revealed the presence of microheterogeneity in GST 5.7. Comparison of the deduced protein sequence with other glutathione S-transferases, together with previous information available on GST 5.7, indicates that the enzyme belongs to a novel subgroup within the alpha class of glutathione S-transferases. Members of the subgroup, which also include the rat GST 8-8 and perhaps chicken GST CL3, show high sequence homology with each other, but only moderate similarity to other alpha class enzymes. They share a substrate specificity profile that resembles pi-class enzymes, and are active in the conjugation of lipid peroxidation products.
TRANSITION TO A LAND FLORA: A MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETIC PERSPECTIVE

Phylogenetic analyses of morphoultrastructural characters and DNA sequences of chloroplast, mitochondrial, and nuclear genes and investigations of genomic structural features in both organellar genomes have clarified several difficult issues in charophyte and bryophyte phylogenies. Mesostigma seems to represent the first lineage of streptophytes, and Charales are a derived member of charophytes. Liverworts and hornworts both are candidates for the basal-most lineage in land plants according to analyses of morphoultrastructural and sequence data, but mitochondrial intron distribution favors the former. Takakia is likely a basal moss. More studies using both multigene sequence analyses and genomic structural characters will significantly improve our understanding of the origin and early evolution of land plants.
Application of Dynamical Analysis Techniques in the Extraction of Compound-Specific Information from Fourier Transform Infrared Interferograms

An automated compound-detection procedure is described that is based on the application of dynamical analysis techniques to digitally filtered Fourier transform infrared interferogram data. With the use of benzene as a test analyte, surface-of-section maps are computed from the filtered data. This calculation is resistant to phase variation in the interferograms and serves to remove the oscillating component of the filtered signal. Information regarding the overall shape or profile of the signal is enhanced, thereby resulting in an improved sensitivity for distinguishing analyte information from that due to interferences. Data vectors constructed from the surface-of-section maps are examined by use of principal component analysis. Linear discriminant analysis is then used to implement an automated algorithm for detecting benzene in the presence of nitrobenzene. When tested with data not included in the discriminant development computations, the computed linear discriminants are shown to perform with a detection accuracy of greater than 99%.
Review of Caroline Vander Stichele and Todd Penner’s Her Master’s Tools?

Jennifer Bird reviews Her Master’s Tools? Feminist and Postcolonial Engagements of Historical-Critical Discourse , edited by Caroline Vander Stichele and Todd Penner (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005. 390 pp.).
Just Do It™: Creative Writing Exercises and the Ideology of American Handbooks

Those of us who rely on handbooks in our creative writing classes often consider them practical or convenient guides useful for introducing students to the crafts of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction or drama; rarely, however, do we examine these handbooks critically, treating them as ideological texts implicated in a web of power relations. In this paper – written in part as a series of exercises and in part as a critical survey of creative writing handbooks – I invite readers to participate first-hand in this process of examination. Focusing on how exercises, prompts and writing advice found in both mainstream and radical handbooks function to promote particular beliefs about what creative writing should be and do, I argue that the guidelines for exercises serve not only as formal restraints aimed to assist students’ processes of invention and experimentation, but also as behavioural restrictions that actively discourage students from defining their purposes as politically motivated and using their w...
Exact Results for a Quantum Many-Body Problem in One Dimension

We investigate exactly a system of either fermions or bosons interacting in one dimension by a two-body potential $V(r)=\frac{g}{{r}^{2}}$ with periodic boundary conditions. In addition to rederiving known results for correlation functions and thermodynamics in the thermodynamic limit, we present expressions for the one-particle density matrix at zero temperature and particular (nontrivial) values of the coupling constant $g$, as a determinant of order $N\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}N$. These concise expressions allow a discussion of the momentum distribution in the thermodynamic limit. In particular, for a case of repulsive bosons, the determinant is evaluated explicitly, exhibiting a weak (logarithmic) singularity at zero momentum, and vanishing outside of a "Fermi" surface.