cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community-level determinants of infant mortality in Mexico.

Data from pregnancy histories collected by the 1976-77 Mexican Fertility Survey show wide variations in infant mortality among a sample of 125 communities. For example in regard to community population localities of 2500 or less averaged 104/1000 live births which was almost 2 times the rate of 56/1000 experienced by cities with 100000 or more people. While the rates for Mexicos 3 largest cities (Guadalajara Monterrey and Mexico City) were slightly higher this trend was due to the large slum populations. Overall there were large and statistically significant infant mortality differentials by community population proportion of the labor force in agriculture mean wage access to the nearest urban center communication means proportion of households with electricity piped water and sewers and distance to the closest 2ndary and preparatory school and university. Considering health care variables there was an expected relationship between distance to the nearest health care facility and mortality levels. These community-level factors which have been litte used in previous studies are highly correlated and do not appear to affect infant survival independently of population size. Community size serves as a summary measure of a localitys overall level of development and comparative risk of early death for its children.
SHIFT OF 2Sl/2 HYPERFINE SPLITTINGS DUE TO BLACKBODY RADIATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON FREQUENCY STANDARDS

Frequency shifts of hyperfine splittings of 2S1/2 states due to the blackbody electric field are calculated. It is shown that they can be estimated from the dc hyperfine Stark shifts, which have previously been measured in the ground states of hydrogen and the alkali atoms. The shifts scale as T4. The fractional shift for Cs at 300 K is -1.7 x 10-14, which is large enough to be significant in primary frequency standards, and should be measurable. A simple method of calculating the hyperfine Stark shifts is described, which is based on the Bates-Damgaard method for determining radial matrix elements and the Fermi-Segre formula for determining the contact hyperfine matrix elements. It agrees with the experiment to within 12% for the entire alkali series. It is applied to Ba+ and Hg+, for which no experimental data are yet available, and which are currently of interest for frequency standards. At 300 K, the fractional shifts are -9.9 x 10-17 and -2.4 x 10-15 for Hg+ and Ba+, respectively. The shift due to the blackbody magnetic field is -1.3 x 10-17 [T(K)/300]2 for any 2S1/2 state.
Implicit and explicit memory and response bias

The influence of response bias on tests of implicit and explicit memory was assessed by using word-stem completion and recognition. During acquisition, subjects were presented either with a list of words unrelated to the task in the retrieval phase or with a list of words whose stems could be completed in only two ways (e.g. “appeal,” “appear”). In the word-stem-completion retrieval phase, the subjects, who were given either explicit or implicit memory instructions, were asked to complete these stems. Retrieval of items in implicit and explicit memory tasks was highly correlated (r =.593 and.625, respectively) when the acquisition list had contained the words completing the stems and similarly correlated (r =.667) when the acquisition list had contained no words completing the stems. There was no correlation between recognition and explicit stem completion. In contrast to stem completion, there was no overall correlation between “recognition” in the condition in which the acquisition list contained words to be recognized later and the guessing condition, in which the acquisition list had contained no words presented during the retrieval phase. However, when the items were divided into two groups differing in memorability, a negative correlation appeared between recognition and guessing probability with the more memorable items, and a positive correlation appeared with the less memorable items. This suggests that response bias, rather than the memory the tasks are designed to test, is responsible for the normally reported lack of correlation between recognition and word completion.
Mathematical modeling and structural analysis of the mandible.

The article presents details of mathematical modeling and subsequent structural analysis of the mandible under occlusal load simulation. A three-dimensional model of the mandible has been developed and analyzed using the finite element displacement matrix approach. Both displacement and stress results are presented. The results are compared with tests of a human mandible using holographic inferferometry. The good agreement achieved indicates that the modeling technique is reliable, thereby paving the way to applying the same for detailed dental implant analysis.
Testing the enemy release hypothesis: a review and meta-analysis

One of the most cited hypotheses explaining the inordinate success of a small proportion of introduced plants that become pests is the ‘natural enemies hypothesis’. This states that invasive introduced plants spread rapidly because they are liberated from their co-evolved natural enemies. This hypothesis had not been properly tested until recently. Previous reviews on this topic have been narrative and vote counting in nature. In this review, we carried out quantitative synthesis and meta-analysis using existing literature on plants and their herbivores to test the different components of the enemy release hypothesis. We found supporting evidence in that (1) insect herbivore fauna richness is significantly greater in the native than introduced ranges, and the reduction is skewed disproportionally towards specialists and insects feeding on reproductive parts; and (2) herbivore damage levels are greater on native plants than on introduced invasive congeners. However, herbivore damage levels are only marginally greater for plants in native than in introduced ranges, probably due to the small numbers of this type of study. Studies quantifying herbivore impacts on plant population dynamics are too scarce to make conclusions for either comparison of plants in native vs introduced ranges or of co-occurring native and introduced congeners. For future research, we advocate that more than two-way comparisons between plants in native and introduced ranges, or native and introduced congeners are needed. In addition, the use of herbivore exclusions to quantify the impacts of herbivory on complete sets of population vital rates of native vs introduced species are highly desirable. Furthermore, three-way comparisons among congeners of native plants, introduced invasive, and introduced non-invasive plants can also shed light on the importance of enemy release. Finally, simultaneously testing the enemy release hypothesis and other competing hypotheses will provide significant insights into the mechanisms governing the undesirable success of invasive species.
The Effects of Perceived Frequency of Organizational Change on Role Clarity and Job Satisfaction of Public Sector Employees

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of organizational change upon role clarity and job satisfaction for a sample of 580 public sector employees. This study introduces a previously untested variable, perceived frequency of organizational change into the relationship between role clarity and job satisfaction. Findings provided support for the negative impact of lack of role clarity and job satisfaction. Public sector employees appeared to prefer low frequency of change and high role clarity in their work situations.
Self-organization of self-assembled photonic materials into functional devices: Photo-switched conductors

Linear porphyrin arrays self-assembled by either hydrogen bonding or metal ion coordination self-organize into lipid bilayer membranes. The length of the transmembrane assemblies is determined both by the thermodynamics of the intermolecular interactions in the supermolecule and by the dimension and physical chemical properties of the bilayer. Thus, the size of the porphyrin assembly can self-adjust to the thickness of the bilayer. An aqueous electron acceptor is placed on one side of the membrane and an electron donor is placed on the opposite side. When illuminated with white light, substantial photocurrents are observed. Only the assembled structures give rise to the photocurrent, as no current is observed from any of the component molecules. The fabrication of this photogated molecular electronic conductor from simple molecular components exploits several levels of self-assembly and self-organization.
Using discrepancies to predict the perceived quality of work life

Two job satisfaction surveys tested the hypothesis that discrepancy models provide stronger predictions of satisfaction than do more parsimonious models relying solely on a single component of discrepancy scores. Questionnaire data from samples of 180 working college students and 125 human service workers focused on specific facets of the job, such as: pay, promotion opportunity, and hours of work. Wanted amount of specific job facets was the standard of comparison considered in both surveys. The questionnaires provided measures of facet satisfaction, facet amount, wanted amount, the perceived discrepancy between facet amount and wanted amount as well as the calculated discrepancy between facet amount and wanted amount. Results from 60 tests of differences between correlations provided mixed support. Discrepancy scores were consistently stronger predictors of satisfaction than were wanted amount scores; 24 of 30 tests provided significant support and only 2 of 30 tests provided significant differences in the direction opposite to the hypothesis. Discrepancy scores were not, however, consistently stronger predictors of satisfaction than were facet amount scores; only 8 of 30 tests provided significant support and 8 of 30 test provided significant differences in the direction opposite to the hypothesis. Discussion focused on the importance of addressing these findings in efforts to improve discrepancy theories of satisfaction.
When Navigation Trumps Visual Dynamism: Hospital Website Usability and Credibility

In-depth interviews about hospital websites were conducted with 15 participants ranging in age, gender, occupation, and computer proficiency. Interviewees completed detailed usability tasks along with questionnaires that gauged perceptions of organizational and website credibility, including visual and technical dynamism. Participants ranked the most dynamic site lower than the less dynamic one because of navigation difficulties. Researchers advocate including usability tasks in website studies, rather than assessing perceptions based on short-term browsing protocols. They present a schema of website concepts organized into language credibility, visual credibility, and technical credibility that can be used in future research or by health communication practitioners. A list of best practices in navigation features is also included.
Millikan: Good to the Last (Oil) Drop

Michael Faraday's experiments with electrolysis had shown that there were tiny units of electric charge that could not be divided into smaller charges. Robert Millikan confirmed this and found a way to measure the quantity of charge on an electron. Millikan used charged droplets of oil sprayed from an atomizer. An oil droplet could be negatively charged (excess electrons), positively charged (deficiency of electrons), or uncharged. This Activity uses a procedure analogous to Millikan's. In this analogy, drop-shaped pieces of magnet represent oil drops, steel BBs represent the electrons, and the mass of a BB represents the charge of an electron. BB samples are composed of individual BBs just as the charge that resides on oil drops consists of individual electrons. The smallest possible difference in mass between any two samples of BBs should be the mass of a single BB just as the smallest difference in charge between any two oil drops was the charge of a single electron.
Phenomenology, epidemiology, and natural progression of the muscular temporomandibular disorders.

Although epidemiologic work has shown great success in diseases that are caused by a single pathogen, the socioeconomic impact created by chronic, debilitating conditions calls for the use of the epidemiologic method in these diseases to arrive at a better understanding of the web of events in their causation. Considering the topic of interest, current knowledge does not support the notion that the masticatory muscle disorders are any different from the painful muscle afflictions in other regions of the human body. However, the tactile sensibility of the tooth support makes the masticatory apparatus unique in that significantly smaller differences can be perceived in this region than in any other musculoskeletal system of the body. Therefore it is not surprising that "bi te shifts" or "teeth no longer fitting r ight" have been reported by patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). As a result, the dental profession has had a long-standing interest in these disorders and a plethora of occlusal treatments have been developed to address the bite complaints. It is the belief of many providers that most cases with masticatory myalgia are treated effectively by managing the dental occlusion. Therefore, failure to resolve a jaw pain problem is perceived by some as a clinician' s inadequacy to provide the patient with an acceptable occlusal scheme. In recent years, however, a reassessment of this point of view was triggered by epidemiologic work and the impression gained in tertiary-care clinics that there exists a group of patients withj aw muscle pain for whom this treatment paradigm does not bring any lasting relief. I f the problem did not resolve with a proper occlusion, psychological reasons are typically used to explain the failure. The question arises as to whether we should pursue more aggressively the popular occlusaltreatment paradigm or whether we should abandon this paradigm, which appears to be incorrect. This issue has become a counterproductive controversy.
Pancreatic hormone response to neuropeptide Y (NPY) perifusion in vitro

Abstract Available data on the effect of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on insulin release are conflicting and little data exist regarding the effect of NPY on glucagon secretion. The purpose of the present study, therefore, was to characterize the direct effect of NPY on the release of these pancreatic hormones and to examine the role of glucose on these interactions. Using a perifused mouse islet system, we found that NPY suppressed both basal and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Thus, basal insulin release assessed as mean integrated area under the curve/20 min (AUC/20 min) decreased from 1446 ± 143 pg to 651 ± 112 pg ( P ) with the addition of 2 · 10−8 M NPY and the AUC/20 min for glucose stimulated insulin output decreased from 1973 ± 248 pg to 1426 ± 199 pg ( P ). In both cases, this inhibitory effect was followed after removing NPY by a stimulation of insulin secretion which was typical of a ‘rebound off-response’. In contrast, NPY exerted a stimulatory effect on basal glucagon release and significantly reversed the suppressive effect of high glucose on glucagon output. The basal glucagon AUC/20 min increased from 212 ± 103 pg to 579 ± 316 pg ( P ), while glucagon secretion in the presence of 27.7 mM glucose increased from 75 ± 26 pg to 255 ± 28 pg ( P ). In conclusion, we have shown that the direct effect of NPY on the endocrine pancreas is to suppress insulin but stimulate glucagon secretion. These data are compatible with a role for NPY in the regulation of pancreatic hormone output.
The EPR spectrum of Os(CO)5+ trapped in a single crystal of Cr(CO)6∗

Abstract Crystals of Cr(CO)6 containing dissolved Os(CO)5 are paramagnetic at 100 K after γ irradiation. The substitutional paramagnetic impurity is Os(CO)5+, in which the unpaired electron occupies an osmium 5dz2 orbital. The z direction is parallel to one of the two types of Cr-C bonds in the crystal, leading to two distinct trapping sites (A and B) for the impurity.
Nefiracetam improves Morris water maze performance following traumatic brain injury in rats.

Abstract Nefiracetam, a pyrrolidone derivative, is a nootropic agent that has facilitated cognitive function in a wide variety of animal models of cognitive dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the chronic postinjury administration of nefiracetam (DM-9384) in improving cognitive performance following central fluid percussion brain injury in rats. Twenty-four hours following surgical preparation, a sham injury or a moderate fluid percussive injury (2.1 atm) was delivered. Nefiracetam was administered chronically (0 or 9 mg/kg, po, for sham animals and 0, 3, or 9 mg/kg for injured animals) on postinjury days 1–15. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Morris water maze (MWM) on postinjury days 11–15. Chronic administration of 3 and 9 mg/kg nefiracetam attenuated MWM deficits produced by central fluid percussive brain injury. Importantly, the MWM performance of the injured animals treated with 9 mg/kg did not significantly differ from uninjured, sham animals. The 9-mg/kg dose of nefiracetam did not have a positive or negative effect on MWM performance of uninjured animals. The results of the present experiment suggest that a nootropic such as nefiracetam may be an appropriate treatment for trauma-induced cognitive dysfunction.
Restorative home environments for family caregivers

Abstract Caregiver stress negatively affects caregiver health and the overall quality of in-home caregiving. While environmental interventions such as home modifications help caregivers manage stressful functional aspects, interventions for managing stressful emotional aspects are unexplored. Frequently, caregiving responsibilities restrict caregivers' spatial and temporal range of restorative activities to their familial residential environment. In a first attempt to explore the restorative potential of a house in which caregiving occurs, this paper reports experiential attributes of restorative environments from environmental psychology and healthcare design research. It discusses the relevance of restorative attributes to the socio–physical residential context of caregiving using three caregiver needs: need for a temporary escape, meaningful social support, and a sense of control. This conceptual exploration of the restorative potential of the residential caregiving environment offers a base for investigating targeted architectural and functional interventions that might complement current advances in home modifications and respite services.
Effects of alcohol on specific and environmental fear.

Sum7na~y.-64 rats were exposed to a conditioned emotional response situation in which a stimulus warned of the imminent delivery of shock. That half of rhe rats which received 1.2 gm/kg alcohol before experiencing this situation exhibited some reduction in fear of the specific warning stimulus and a significant reduction in fear of the general environment.
Effects of interruption of enterohepatic circulation on biliary lipid secretion in man.

To delineate relationships between biliary outputs of bile acids, phospholipids, and cholesterol, studies were carried out in 18 subjects with intact gallbladders and in six with cholecystectomy. Hepatic secretions of three biliary lipids were determined using an intestinal perfusion technique. In studies on subjects with normal gallbladders (study A), continuous infusion of liquid formula was given to stimulate gallbladder contraction, so that gallbladder storage was eliminated and duodenal outputs were equal to hepatic secretion rates. Bile acid pool size and bile lipid outputs were determined under steady-state conditions (intact EHC). Secretion rates of bile acids were then reduced by progressively withdrawing large amounts of bile from the EHC over a 12-hr period, during which biliary lipid secretions were measured continuously. In study B, six subjects without gallbladders ingested three meals of liquid formula during the day and had an overnight fast. Measurements of biliary lipid outputs were made hourly over the 24-hr period. A wide range of bile acid secretion rates occurred under these physiological conditions owing to the lowering of bile acid outputs during fasting. In both studies A and B, bile saturation with cholesterol increased as EHC became interrupted. However, the magnitude of this increase was variable from subject to subject and appeared to depend on two related factors. First, bile saturation was markedly increased in subjects who exhibited a severe reduction of bile acid output on interrupting the EHC. Second, the degree of uncoupling of cholesterol and phospholipid secretion in the lower range of bile acid outputs was also variable. When secretion of cholesterol was well-maintained in the face of decreasing bile acid and phospholipid outputs, bile became supersaturated. Subjects with high biliary cholesterol during intact EHC were especially prone to cholesterol-phospholipid dissociation. However, even at relatively low outputs of cholesterol, interruption of the EHC sometimes caused marked dissociation of secretions of cholesterol and phospholipids causing super-saturated bile at low rates of bile acid flux. Thus, the degree of coupling of cholesterol and phospholipids at low secretion of bile acids was variable from patient to patient and was a major determinant of the extent of increase in bile saturation.
Defined medium for normal adult human prostatic stromal cells

Stromal-epithelial interactions are pivotal in many aspects of prostatic biology. A defined culture system is critical for the investigation of factors that regulate the growth and differentiation of human prostatic stromal cells. We have identified conditions which promote stromal cell attachment and proliferation in serum-free medium. MCDB 201, originally developed for the clonal growth of chick embryo fibroblasts, proved to be a superior basal medium of those that we tested. Supplementation of MCDB 201 with basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) permitted attachment and exponential growth of cells throughout a 7-d period with an initial inoculum as low as 103 cells per well of a 96-well microtiter dish. Using these assay conditions, we subsequently verified that basic FGF and IGF, but not PDGF, were required for optimal growth. No activity was found for heparin, transferrin, or the androgen R1881. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) didn’t stimulate growth when added to medium containing basic FGF and IGF, but was moderately stimulatory when added to basal medium alone. Cholera toxin inhibited growth. This simple and efficient culture medium provides a suitable assay system for more extensive studies of growth regulation and differentiation of human prostatic stromal cells, and will provide the basis for future development of a defined medium that supports clonal growth. Characterization of stromal-epithelial interactions will be facilitated by the use of this defined culture system for stromal cells in conjunction with the serum-free culture systems previously developed for human prostatic epithelial cells.
The ground states of the nucleide44Ti

Ground state binding energies and equilibrium harmonic oscillator energies are computed for the various ground state configurations of the doubly even nucleide44Ti. Employed for the study is a variational calculation carried out in a Cartesian harmonic oscillator basis of states employing a tripartite interaction potential composed of Wigner central forces coupled to Majorana exchange forces each having Gaussian radial dependence.
A method for biomarker directed survival prediction in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with Carboplatin-based therapy.

Platinum-based chemotherapy is a primary treatment of choice for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Analytical methods to specifically evaluate biomarkers predictive of therapeutic efficacy have not been developed. Two randomized phase III trials of carboplatin-based chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC were used for learning and validating the predictive value of ERCC1 in situ protein levels, as measured by accurate quantitative analysis (AQUA). A novel Bayesian method was applied to identify the outcome-based threshold in the learning trial only. Overall survival (OS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis with log rank testing to determine statistical significance in the validating trial. For patients treated with gemcitabine and carboplatin, the median OS was 9.5 months (95% CI 6.7 to 11.8) for the high ERCC1 group compared to 15.6 months (95% CI 11.6 to 24.8) for the low ERCC1 group in the validation trial (log rank p-value = 0.007). The hazard ratio for low ERCC1 was 0.598 (95% CI, 0.394 to 0.908; p = 0.016) relative to high ERCC1 adjusted for age, sex, and histology. Conclusions: Patients with advanced NSCLC could be stratified into high and low ERCC1 expression groups. Patients with low levels benefited from platinum-based chemotherapy, whereas those with high levels did not.
Sensor-fusion walking-in-place interaction technique using mobile devices

This paper describes a sensor-fusion-based wireless walking-in-place (WIP) interaction technique. We devised a new human-walking detection algorithm that is based on a sensor-fusion using both acceleration and magnetic sensors integrated within a smart phone. Our sensor-fusion approach can be useful for the cases when the detection capability of a single sensor is limited to a certain range of walking speeds, when a system power source is limited, and/or when computation power is limited. The proposed algorithm is versatile enough to handle possible data-loss and random delay in the wireless communication environment, resulting in reduced wireless communication load and computation overhead. The initial study demonstrated that the algorithm can detect dynamic speeds of human walking. The algorithm can be implemented on any mobile device equipped with magnetic and acceleration sensors.
From logic to symbolic layout for gate matrix

Gate matrix is a style which allows random logic layout to be performed in a regular manner. An algorithm is introduced which uses logic equations to determine a gate sequence and a set of nets which optimize the layout area. Using logic equations allows the reordering of transistors in a completely general manner. Previous work which uses dynamic net list and the concept of delayed binding performs only a small subset of the reordering possible with the proposed algorithm. The proposed algorithm uses a net-list-independent technique to determine the gate sequence. An optimized net list is created after the gate sequence is known. The algorithm has a time complexity of O(E log E) for a design with E logic equations. The experimental results show a considerable reduction in layout area. >
Sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity assessment in primary care: the Rapid Assessment Disuse Index (RADI) study

Background The emerging evidence of the effects of sedentary time on health outcomes suggests a need to better measure this exposure. Healthcare settings, however, are not equipped with a tool that can quickly assess the sedentary habits of their patient population. The purpose of this study was to validate a tool for rapidly quantifying and tracking the sedentary time and low levels of daily lifestyle physical activity among primary care patients. Methods The study examined the test–retest reliability and validity of the rapid assessment disuse index (RADI) among adult patients from a large primary care clinic. Patients completed RADI (comprised of 3 items: sitting, moving and stair climbing) twice, followed by accelerometer monitoring. Test–retest reliability was computed, and the correlation between survey responses and accelerometry was determined. A receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated. Results RADI was temporally stable (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.79), and a higher score was significantly correlated with greater sedentary time (ρ=0.40; p Conclusions This brief assessment tool, designed to quickly identify patients with high levels of sitting and low daily physical activity, exhibits good reliability and moderate validity. RADI can assist in providing recommendations at the point of care pertaining to modifying sedentary behaviour.
Determining vancomycin clearance in an overweight and obese population

Purpose Two methods of calculating vancomycin clearance were compared to determine the best body weight measure to use when dosing vancomycin for overweight and obese patients. Methods Hospitalized veterans weighing more than 120% of their ideal body weight (IBW) with serum vancomycin concentrations (SVCs) drawn between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2005, were eligible for study inclusion. Exclusion criteria included weight of more than 300% the IBW, unstable renal function, dialysis, uncertain vancomycin dosing or sampling times, and distribution-phase sampling. Data from January 1 through December 31, 2003 (phase 1) determined the best-fit weight for vancomycin clearance for the Leonard and Boro method. The bias and precision of the modified Leonard and Boro method using the best-fit weight for vancomycin clearance were then compared with those of the Rushing and Ambrose method for predicting SVCs from January 1, 2004, through June 30, 2005 (phase 2). Results Forty-eight patients were included in phase 1, with 67 SVCs for analysis. During phase 1, adjusted body weight (ABW), using the Leonard and Boro method, was superior in predicting vancomycin clearance and the resultant SVCs. A total of 96 patients were included in phase 2 of the study, with 160 SVCs for analysis. The modified Leonard and Boro method was significantly more precise than the Rushing and Ambrose method in predicting vancomycin clearance. Conclusion Use of ABW proved to be superior compared with total body weight when estimating vancomycin clearance in overweight and obese patients. While there was no difference in bias between methods, the modified Leonard and Boro method was significantly more precise than the Rushing and Ambrose method in predicting SVCs when dosing vancomycin for obese patients.
THE INFLUENCE OF NITROGEN SOURCE AND ALUMINUM ON GROWTH AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION OF NEMAGUARD PEACH SEEDLINGS

A greenhouse sand culture experiment was conducted to determine the effects of aluminum (Al) and nitrogen source on vegetative growth, biomass production, and nutrient concentration of Nemaguard peach. Seedlings were treated with 3mM N using NO3-N:NH4-N ratios of 100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100 supplemented with 0 or 1 mM Al. Aluminum decreased the number of laterals and lateral length, total vegetative growth, leaf number, and plant leaf area. Root, stem, and leaf dry weight were similar in controls and Al-treated seedlings. Aluminum decreased P, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mo concentration in roots and leaves, decreased P and Mg concentration in the stem tissue, and decreased Mn concentration in the leaves only. Increasing the proportion of NH4-N in the irrigation solution reduced all vegetative parameters measured. The root:shoot ratio increased, suggesting that shoot growth is more sensitive to NH4-N toxicity than roots. Leaf chlorophyll concentration increased on an area basis as NH4-N increased in the irr...
Forecasting volatility of emerging stock markets: linear versus non‐linear GARCH models

ARCH and GARCH models are substantially used for modelling volatility of time series data. It is proven by many studies that if variables are significantly skewed, linear versions of these models are not sufficient for both explaining the past volatility and forecasting the future volatility. In this paper, we compare the linear(GARCH(1,1)) and non-linear(EGARCH) versions of GARCH model by using the monthly stock market returns of seven emerging countries from February 1988 to December 1996. We find that for emerging stock markets GARCH(1,1) model performs better than EGARCH model, even if stock market return series display skewed distributions. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How accessible are the voice-guided automatic teller machines for the visually impaired?

This experience report presents the results of a preliminary user study of the accessibility and usability of a set of automatic teller machines (ATMs). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the voice directions for operating the machine for their accuracy, completeness, and functionality. A salient feature of the study was that the testing was conducted by a blind user with training in Information Design, Technical Communication, and Accessibility. The qualitative data gathered in this study suggests that the accessibility and usability in the present time voice-retrofitted ATM systems leaves much to desire. In fact, this researcher failed to accomplish most of the planned banking tasks on the four ATM systems tested in this study. The researcher recommends that disabled users must be engaged in the initial stages of designing such support systems so that the accessibility features could be built into the machine interface and less than satisfactory retrofits could be avoided.
Crystal structure of the p27Kip1 cyclin-dependent-kinase inhibitor bound to the cyclin A-Cdk2 complex.

The crystal structure of the human p27Kip1 kinase inhibitory domain bound to the phosphorylated cyclin A–cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) complex has been determined at 2.3 A. p27Kip1 binds the complex as an extended structure interacting with both cyclin A and Cdk2. On cyclin A, it binds in a groove formed by conserved cyclin box residues. On Cdk2, it binds and rearranges the amino-terminal lobe and also inserts into the catalytic cleft, mimicking ATP.
Consideration of component failure mechanisms in the reliability assessment of electronic equipment-addressing the constant failure rate assumption

The assumption of the constant failure rate can lead to excessive costs and nonoptimum design decisions. As this paper shows, simply summing constant failure rates can produce results which are highly inaccurate. Highly inaccurate results can introduce significant error in decisions made in everything from product design to logistics support requirements such as spares and maintainers. The authors argue that if a shift is made from reliability accounting tasks to reliability engineering analysis, the ability to address hazard rates versus time based on root-cause failure mechanisms will become cost-effective and can become an integral part of the concurrent engineering approach to product development. The notion of the constant failure rate should no longer be accepted as a rule. Instead, statistical distributions and assumptions must be shown to be appropriate every time they are used. Simplicity alone is not a sufficient reason to use any given methodology or approach.
A deflection criterion for time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters

Analog to digital conversion is often a critical component of a digital communication link. However, the figures of merit that are used in the design of the components that comprise this step are more appropriate for signal reconstruction applications than for digital communication. This paper considers the design of time-interleaved analog-to-digital converters using deflection, or output signal-to-noise ratio, as a tractable design criterion (versus mutual information) for optimizing the phase timing parameters. This criterion is then compared with input to output mutual information, demonstrating their shared qualitative properties. It is shown that for oversampling converters under the deflection criterion, as with mutual information, the optimal sampling phases are not in general equispaced, as is conventionally assumed in converter design.
Periodontal ligament fibroblasts, preosteoblasts, and prechondrocytes express receptors for epidermal growth factor in vivo: a comparative radioautographic study.

Radioiodinated mouse epidermal growth factor (EGF) was used in light and electron microscopic radioautographic studies of the binding of EGF to various cells of young rats. High levels of bound EGF were noted on periodontal ligament fibroblasts, preosteoblasts, and prechondrocytes. Fibroblast in the oral mucosa, tail subepithelial connective tissue, and tail tendon demonstrated much lower levels of binding. Ultrastructural radioautography revealed that silver grains, indicative of radioiodinated EGF, were positioned adjacent to or over the plasma membranes of the cells at 5 minutes after injection of the growth factor. The significance of the high level of EGF receptors on periodontal ligament fibroblasts, comparable to the number observed on preosteocytes and prechondrocytes, is discussed in terms of the possible progenitor role of periodontal ligament fibroblasts for adjacent hard tissue-producing cells.
Estrogen Activation of the Nuclear Orphan Receptor CAR (Constitutive Active Receptor) in Induction of the Mouse Cyp2b10 Gene

The nuclear orphan receptor CAR (constitutively active receptor or constitutive androstane receptor) can be activated in response to xenochemical exposure, such as activation by phenobarbital of a response element called NR1 found in the CYP2B gene. Here various steroids were screened for potential endogenous chemicals that may activate CAR, using the NR1 enhancer and Cyp2b10 induction in transfected HepG2 cell and/or in mouse primary hepatocytes as the experimental criteria. 17beta-Estradiol and estrone activated NR1, whereas estriol, estetrol, estradiol sulfate, and the synthetic estrogen diethylstilbestrol did not. On the other hand, progesterone and androgens repressed NR1 activity in HepG2 cells, and the repressed NR1 activity was fully restored by estradiol. Moreover, estrogen treatment elicited nuclear accumulation of CAR in the mouse livers, as well as primary hepatocytes, and induced the endogenous Cyp2b10 gene. Ovariectomy did not affect either the basal or induced level of CAR in the nucleus of the female livers, while castration slightly increased the basal and greatly increased the induced levels in the liver nucleus of male mice. Thus, endogenous estrogen appears not to regulate CAR in female mice, whereas endogenous androgen may be the repressive factor in male mice. Estrogen at pharmacological levels is an effective activator of CAR in both female and male mice, suggesting a biological and/or toxicological role of this receptor in estrogen metabolism. In addition to mouse CAR, estrogens activated rat CAR, whereas human CAR did not respond well to the estrogens under the experimental conditions.
Both and Neither: in silico v1.0, Ecce Homology

Ecce Homology, a physically interactive new-media work, visualizes genetic data as calligraphic forms. A novel computer-vision user interface allows multiple participants, through their movement in the installation space, to select genes from the human genome for visualizing the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST), a primary algorithm in comparative genomics. Ecce Homology was successfully installed in the UCLA Fowler Museum, 6 November 2003-4 January 2004.
Analytical developments in toxicological investigation of drug-facilitated sexual assault

This paper gives a general overview of the drug-facilitated sexual assault phenomenon. Sexual assault perpetrated on both women and men, while incapacitated by so-called date-rape drugs, recently became the focus of many investigations conducted by law enforcement agencies in the US throughout the 1990s; an alarming increase in reports of this crime as well as in the number of scientific publications on drug-facilitated sexual assault has been observed. The list of drugs reportedly associated with sexual assault is long and among others includes flunitrazepam with other benzodiazepines such as diazepam, temazepam, clonazepam, oxazepam, as well as γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), ketamine, and scopolamine. We discuss the most recent analytical developments in the toxicological investigation of drug-facilitated rape designed to reveal drug presence and that may help successfully prosecute perpetrators.
Nepheline Crystallization in Nuclear Waste Glasses: Progress Toward Acceptance of High-Alumina Formulations

Historical data have been critically compiled and analyzed for investigating the quantity of nepheline (NaAlSiO4) precipitated as a function of composition in simulated nuclear waste glasses. To understand compositional effects two primary methods were used: (1) investigating the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O ternary while filtering for different B2O3 levels and (2) creating a quadrant system consisting of compositions reduced to two representations: (i) the nepheline discriminator (ND) which depends only on the SiO2 content by weight normalized to the total weight of the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O submixture and (ii) the optical basicity (OB) which contains contributions from all constituents in the glass. Nepheline precipitation is expected to be suppressed at high SiO2 levels (ND > 0.62) or at low basicities (OB < 0.55–0.57). Changes in sodium aluminosilicate glass OB values due to additions of CaO and B2O3 correlate with the observed effects on nepheline formation. It is proposed that additional composition space is available for formulating high waste loading, high-Al2O3 nuclear waste glasses when consideration is given to location on the Al2O3–SiO2–Na2O submixture as well as OB.
Synthetic neural systems using current-mode circuits

An approach to the engineering of VLSI analog computing systems is presented. The approach emphasizes the role of currents as an appropriate signal representation, the need for low power dissipation, and the need for simplicity in the basic functional circuits. The design methodology is based on current-mode (CM) MOS circuits, and is inspired by the functional and organizational principles of biological neural circuits. The basic circuit blocks exploit the translinear properties of the MOS transistor in the subthreshold and use unidirectional current signals. Circuits for associative memories and silicon retinas are described. >
Neural recordings and behavioral observations in the monkey vestibulo-ocular reflex constrain the cellular mechanisms for cerebellum-dependent behavioral learning

Recordings from the cerebellum under behavioral conditions that cause learning in the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) constrain the cellular mechanisms that could mediate learning. Analysis of the complex-spike responses of Purkinje cells demonstrates a mismatch between the properties of cerebellar long-term depression (LTD) in vitro and the signals available to guide learning in vivo. To resolve this mismatch, it may be necessary to assume that there are multiple cellular mechanisms of VOR learning, including both depression and potentiation.
Radar Wind Profiler Radial Velocity: A Comparison with Doppler Lidar

Abstract The accuracy of the radial wind velocity measured with a radar wind profiler will depend on turbulent variability and instrumental noise. Radial velocity estimates of a boundary layer wind profiler are compared with those estimated by a Doppler lidar over 2.3 h. The lidar resolution volume was much narrower than the profiler volume, but the samples were well matched in range and time. The wind profiler radial velocity was computed using two common algorithms [profiler online program (POP) and National Center for Atmospheric Research improved moments algorithm (NIMA)]. The squared correlation between radial velocities measured with the two instruments was R2 = 0.99, and the standard deviation of the difference was about σr = 0.20–0.23 m s−1 for radial velocities of greater than 1 m s−1 and σr = 0.16–0.35 m s−1 for radial velocities of less than 1 m s−1. Small radial velocities may be treated differently in radar wind profiler processing because of ground-clutter mitigation strategies. A standard d...
Ascending aortic aneurysm repair and surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation.

Although surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation is commonly performed during concomitant coronary or valve surgery, it is still only performed in a fraction these cases when indicated, and less often in patients undergoing aneurysm surgery. We describe our experience in patients undergoing ascending aneurysm repair and concomitant atrial fibrillation ablation. From January 2004 until November 2011, 40 patients underwent ascending aneurysm repair and atrial fibrillation ablation at our institution and were retrospectively analyzed. Average age was 67.6 years (43–85). Root replacement was performed in 23 (57.5 %) and arch replacement with circulatory arrest in 18 (45 %). At an average of 41.8 months, 81 % of patients were in sinus rhythm. Operative survival was 100 %, with 1 and 5 year survival of 97.5 and 93.1 %, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed improved overall survival in patients with rhythm success (log-rank test p = 0.037). Aortic aneurysm repair with concomitant atrial fibrillation ablation is safe and efficacious despite the requirement for an already extensive procedure with rhythm success rates similar to those quoted in the setting of other procedures. Successful restoration of sinus rhythm improves long term survival and should be considered in patients presenting with aortic aneurysm and atrial fibrillation.
Conductivity and NMR Study of LaGa1−xMnxO3 Single Crystals

Electrical conductivity and magnetic relaxation has been studied in single crystals of Mn doped LaGaO3 with doping concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 2%, 10% and 50%. The resistivity of the crystals strongly depends on temperature and can be described with the hopping model. Both activation energy and resistivity coefficient grow significantly with decrease in Mn ion concentrations. Dramatic changes are observed in 71Ga NMR spin-lattice relaxation times.
Jesus as Teacher: Boundary Breaking in Mark’s Gospel and Today’s Church

Mark 4:35–41 provides an interpretive lens for Jesus as Teacher in the earliest Gospel. It is a lens of inclusive politics. Jesus teaches the Reign of God by how he lives his ministry. That teachin...
Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with (18)F-based radiotracers.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine imaging technique that is widely used in early detection and treatment follow up of many diseases, including cancer. This modality requires positron-emitting isotope labeled biomolecules, which are synthesized prior to perform imaging studies. Fluorine-18 is one of the several isotopes of fluorine that is routinely used in radiolabeling of biomolecules for PET; because of its positron emitting property and favorable half-life of 109.8 min. The biologically active molecule most commonly used for PET is 2-deoxy-2-18F-fluoro-β-D-glucose (18F-FDG), an analogue of glucose, for early detection of tumors. The concentrations of tracer accumulation (PET image) demonstrate the metabolic activity of tissues in terms of regional glucose metabolism and accumulation. Other tracers are also used in PET to image the tissue concentration. In this review, information on fluorination and radiofluorination reactions, radiofluorinating agents, and radiolabeling of various compounds and their application in PET imaging is presented.
Parallelism and divergence in luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone release in nicotine-treated rats.

SummaryIn rats, sc injections of nicotine tartrate during the critical period on the afternoon of vaginal proestrus delayed the spontaneous release of pituitary LH, FSH, and prolactin for approximately 2 hr. In ovariectomized rats, nicotine inhibited LH release but had no effect on plasma FSH or TSH concentration. Nicotine did not inhibit LH release in response to LHRH, and LHRH did not release FSH in proestrous or ovariectomized rats. The results support the view that two releasing hormones are involved in LH and FSH release.The author thanks Dr. Leo Reichert, Jr., for his LER-1056-C2 LH for iodination, Dr. Gordon D. Niswender for his No. 15 antibody, and the National Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Disease, Rat Pituitary Hormone Program, NIH, for the NIAMD materials.