cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Disease in Pediatric Populations

Increasing numbers of children with nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infections have been reported from many pediatric hospitals. The most common manifestation, cervical lymphadenitis, is most common in preschool-aged, immunocompetent children, and surgical excision may be curative. Isolated skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) can be seen in immunocompetent children after direct inoculation from penetrating trauma or can be the first presentation of disseminated disease in immunocompromised hosts. Disseminated and pulmonary NTM infection is almost always seen in children with either immunocompromising conditions (primary or acquired) or in children with conditions predisposing them to parenchymal lung damage (e.g., cystic fibrosis). While the treatment principles are the same as for adults, many children may have paucibacillary disease and may thus either require fewer medications or a shorter duration of therapy.
Proteomics Profiling of Pancreatic Cancer: Roles in Biomarker Discovery

Abstract Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal diseases, characterized by its late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Current biomarkers, such as CA 19-9 and CEA, do not provide adequate sensitivity and specificity for cancer detection. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics has been emerged as a pivotal approach in biomarker discovery, benefiting from the recent advances in instrumentation, bioinformatics, and methodology. Proteomics approaches, including global proteomics profiling and candidate-based quantitative analysis, facilitate the discovery of potential biomarkers and the subsequent validation. A variety of clinical specimens from pancreatic cancer patients and relevant controls, including pancreatic tissues, plasma/serum, pancreatic juice, cystic fluid, and urine have been investigated, leading to the discovery of a number of potential protein targets for biomarker development. These efforts have laid a foundation for future innovations to improve early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Fitting Large Factor Analysis Models With Ordinal Data

A simulation study was conducted to investigate the model size effect when confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models include many ordinal items. CFA models including between 15 and 120 ordinal items were analyzed with mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares to determine how varying sample size, number of ordered categories, and misspecification affect parameter estimates, standard errors of parameter estimates, and selected fit indices. As the number of items increased, the number of admissible solutions and accuracy of parameter estimates improved, even when models were misspecified. Also, standard errors of parameter estimates were closer to empirical standard deviation values as the number of items increased. When evaluating goodness-of-fit for ordinal CFA with many observed indicators, researchers should be cautious in interpreting the root mean square error of approximation, as this value appeared overly optimistic under misspecified conditions.
An Unusual Case of Noisy Breathing in an Infant.

Laryngomalacia is a common cause of chronic noisy breathing that can present as stridor in infants and neonates. Mild cases of laryngomalacia are usually followed clinically and managed conservativ...
Responding to Recall Requests: A Strategy for Managing Goods Withdrawal:

Goods recalls occur with unfortunate regularity, primarily due to sellers’ mistakes, but occasionally because of product tamperings. In either situation the legal environment affects what the marke...
Impregnating Activated Carbon with Iron Salts to Increase Hydrogen Sulfide Removal

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions from landfills negatively impact surrounding communities. In addition to an unpleasant, rotten-egg odor, inhalation of the gas can cause respiratory distress and irritation. Peak emissions are released from C&D landfills through the decomposition of gypsum drywall. Current removal technologies are costly and often ineffective. The goal of this research was to develop a cost-effective mat geared toward H₂S removal. Preliminary research revealed an increase in adsorption capacity through the addition of iron salts, FeCl3 and FeSO4, to activated carbon at a 5:1 carbon to iron ratio. To evaluate the effect of heat treatments on iron oxide formation, and subsequent adsorption capacity, samples were divided into heat treatment groups of 250oC, 450oC, and 650oC. Samples were flushed with 100 ppm of H₂S under N₂ at 250 ml/min for two hours. Over this time duration, samples subjected to higher temperature heat treatments showed increased adsorption capacity. All heat treated samples demonstrated higher adsorption compared to the baseline non-heat treated samples. Additional research will be conducted to assess the effect of heat treatments above 650oC.
Solid-state hydrogen desorption of 2 MgH2 + LiBH4 nano-mixture: A kinetics mechanism study

Abstract The dehydrogenation reaction pathway and rate-limiting step of a nano-LiBH4 + nano-MgH2 mixture with a 0.5:1 molar ratio, which has been shown to have the ability to reversibly release and absorb ∼5.7 wt% H2 at 265 °C, have been investigated in detail. The study reveals that the solid-state dehydrogenation kinetics of the MgH2 + 0.5 LiBH4 mixture at 265 °C is nucleation-and-growth controlled. The rate-limiting step for dehydrogenation via the two parallel reaction pathways has been identified through examination of the elementary reactions as the nucleation and growth of reaction products LiH and MgB2. The interfacial area between MgH2 and LiBH4 plays a critical role in the nucleation and growth of LiH and MgB2, and thus influence the dehydrogenation kinetics and H2 storage capacity of the MgH2 + 0.5 LiBH4 mixture. X-ray diffraction, SEM analysis and specific surface area measurements reveal that the evolution of the powder characteristics before and after isothermal hydrogen uptake/release cycles is consistent with the kinetics observation and analysis. This study indicates that to further improve the dehydrogenation kinetics of the MgH2 + LiBH4 mixture, the nucleation and growth rates of LiH and/or MgB2 should be enhanced in the future, while the interfacial area between MgH2 and LiBH4 should be increased and maintained to be as large as possible during hydrogen uptake/release cycles.
Fitting phenological curves with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs)

Abstract Understanding organismal phenology has been an emerging interest in ecology, in part because phenological shifts are one of the most conspicuous signs of climate change. While we are seeing increased collection of phenological data and creative use of historical data sets, existing statistical tools to measure phenology are generally either limited (e.g., first day of observation, which has problematic biases) or are challenging to implement (often requiring custom coding, or enough data to fit many parameters). We present a method to fit phenological data with Gaussian curves using linear models, and show how robust phenological metrics can be obtained using standard linear regression tools. We then apply this method to eight years of Baltimore checkerspot data using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs). This case study illustrates the ability of years with extensive data to inform years with less data and shows that butterfly flight activity is somewhat earlier in warmer years. We believe our new method fills a convenient midpoint between ad hoc measures and custom-coded models.
Seroprevalence of COVID-19 infection in a rural district of South India: A population-based seroepidemiological study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to estimate the seroprevalence of COVID-19 in a rural district of South India, six months after the index case. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 509 adults aged more than 18 years. From all the four subdistricts, two grampanchayats (administrative cluster of 5-8 villages) were randomly selected followed by one village through convenience. The participants were invited for the study to the community-based study kiosk set up in all the eight villages through village health committees. We collected socio-demographic characteristics and symptoms using a mobile application-based questionnaire, and we tested samples for the presence of IgG antibodies for SARS CoV-2 using an electro chemiluminescent immunoassay. We calculated age-gender adjusted and test performance adjusted seroprevalence. RESULTS: The age-and gender-adjusted seroprevalence was 8.5% (95% CI 6.9%- 10.8%). The unadjusted seroprevalence among participants with hypertension and diabetes was 16.3% (95% CI:9.2-25.8) and 10.7% (95% CI: 5.5-18.3) respectively. When we adjusted for the test performance, the seroprevalence was 6.1% (95% CI 4.02-8.17). The study estimated 7 (95% CI 1:4.5-1:9) undetected infected individuals for every RT-PCR confirmed case. Infection Fatality Rate (IFR) was calculated as 12.38 per 10000 infections as on 22 October 2020. History of self-reported symptoms and education were significantly associated with positive status (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of the rural population in a district of south India remains susceptible to COVID-19. A higher proportion of susceptible, relatively higher IFR and a poor tertiary healthcare network stress the importance of sustaining the public health measures and promoting early access to the vaccine are crucial to preserving the health of this population. Low population density, good housing, adequate ventilation, limited urbanisation combined with public, private and local health leadership are critical components of curbing future respiratory pandemics.
Long-term Demography Study of Trillium pusillum var. pusillum Following Hurricane Hugo in 1989

Hurricane Hugo was a category five storm in September of 1989 that significantly impacted natural areas along the Carolina coastal plain through wind damage and storm surge flooding. Francis Beidler Forest, an Audubon wildlife sanctuary in Four Holes Swamp, suffered severe damage to its forest canopy. In response to concerns that the rare spring ephemeral Trillium pusillum var. pusillum may be negatively impacted by the loss of the mixed hardwood canopy, we established permanent plots in the spring of 1990 with single leaf, triple leaf, and flowering individuals recorded by Ecology faculty and students at The Citadel. Disruption to the forest canopy would significantly alter forest floor microhabitat conditions negatively affecting T. pusillum var. pusillum population demography. There was no expected negative effect of Hurricane Hugo, and the loss of canopy cover on the population. Evidence suggests that the decrease in canopy cover and increased light was associated with increased flowering. The coefficient of variation, as a measure of cohort variability among years, increased from flowering, to triple leaf, to single leaf across the 29 years of population monitoring. There was a significant positive association between the number of named storms in the previous two and three years and the number of single leaf plants. There was no evidence that the population is decreasing, even though the number of flowering individuals has decreased. The results of this long-term demography suggest that even severe natural disturbances, like hurricanes and tropical storms, may have a positive effect on Trillium population dynamics.
The Library Liaison’s Guide to Collection Management: by Alison M. Armstrong and Lisa Dinkle, Chicago, IL, American Library Association, 2020, 102 pp., $49.99 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0-839-4802-6

Faced with flat library budgets and the philosophical shift from acquiring to accessing resources, academic libraries plan different methods to develop a collection that meets the needs of their lo...
A Double-Signal Retail Pricing Scheme for Acquiring Operational Flexibility from Batteries

Batteries can provide valuable operational flexibility to facilitate the system efficiency. However, there lacks market environments to effectively harness and monetize the value of these assets. Most existing works apply a profit-oriented single-signal pricing scheme, which mixes the value of energy and flexibility together and may ultimately raise the electricity bill. Therefore, this paper proposes a profit-neutral double-signal retail pricing scheme that distinguishes elastic market players (i.e., batteries) from inelastic market players (i.e., inflexible loads) and quantifies the value of energy and flexibility separately. Experimental results indicate that under the incentive provided by the proposed retail pricing scheme: 1) The system efficiency benefit aligns with benefits to both batteries and inflexible loads; 2) Value of operational flexibility, contributing to improve the energy efficiency, can be transparently priced and fairly allocated among batteries; and 3) The dominant role in which inflexible loads play on determining the market price is avoided.
EPR Oximetry with Nitroxides: Effects of Molecular Structure, pH, and Electrolyte Concentration

Nitroxide spin probes and spin labels are broadly utilized in EPR oximetry studies ranging from in vivo investigation to profiling heterogeneous environment of lipid bilayer membranes and proteins by site-specific oxygen-accessibility experiments. In such experiments, effective collision distances of the spin exchange interaction between the nitroxide and molecular oxygen are typically assumed to be the same even though localization of spin density over the nitroxide moiety is known to be affected by local polarity. Furthermore, some biophysical studies, such as those involving lipid bilayers, are often carried out with structurally different nitroxides but the results are analyzed under an assumption that proportionality between changes in the nitroxide electronic relaxation times and the product of the local oxygen concentration and translational diffusion coefficients remain the same. Here, we present an experimental verification of such a prevailing but not yet verified assumption by measuring effects of molecular oxygen in air and pure oxygen at atmospheric pressure on continuous wave EPR spectra of six structurally different nitroxides including those capable of reversible protonation. The data were analyzed using a convolution fitting model, which, by comparing EPR spectra measured at two different oxygen concentrations, allows one to extract the peak-to-peak width $${\Delta }B_{{{\text{p}} - {\text{p}}}}$$ of a Lorentzian function that characterizes the effect of oxygen broadening. While the data on oxygen broadening measured by comparing EPR spectra of nitroxide solutions equilibrated with nitrogen and pure oxygen show clear trends that are rationalized by differences in the nitroxide structure, the overall variations in $${\Delta }B_{{{\text{p}} - {\text{p}}}}$$ for various nitroxides fall within ca. ± 5%. Such variations are comparable to the effect of “salting-out” of molecular oxygen in aqueous solutions when electrolytes are present in physiological concentrations. Overall, the data further establish nitroxides as robust EPR molecular probes to measure the product of local oxygen concentration and its translational diffusion coefficient under a wide range of conditions such as pH and electrolyte concentrations.
An Extraordinary Red Tide and Fish Kill in Narragansett Bay

Many of the chapters in this volume deal with the intense algal bloom or “brown tide” that developed in Narragansett Bay and other nearby coastal waters during the summer of 1985. This was not the first algal bloom to discolor the bay, however, or the most destructive in its impact on other forms of life. Over a period of perhaps half a dozen years around the turn of this century, Narragansett Bay was marked during late summer by recurring “red”, “reddish-brown”, or “chocolate” tides, the most dramatic of which occurred from late August through early October of 1898.
Deciding Not to Decide: The Politics of Recusals on the U.S. Supreme Court

When are U.S. Supreme Court justices more likely to recuse themselves from cases? This article proposes a strategic model of recusal behavior, hypothesizing that the justices balance statutory guidelines concerning recusals against other policy and institutional goals. Using data from the Supreme Court Database, I find evidence that recusal behavior is influenced by a combination of statutory, policy, and institutional considerations. Consistent with statutory explanations, which emphasize the elimination of bias or its appearance, justices are more likely to recuse themselves from cases when business interests are before the Court, when they have served for shorter terms, and when they have previously acted as Solicitor General. However, I also find that the justices are less likely to recuse themselves when cases are likely to be close or when the justices' policy goals are likely to be advanced by participating. These findings suggest that while the justices do follow statutory recusal guidelines, they also have other institutional and policy incentives that lead them to participate in cases despite their conflicts of interest.
Hospital cost functions for developing countries

There is extensive literature on hospital cost functions for industrial countries, but very little literature for developing countries. Yet the issues facing policy-makers in all countries are much the same: are hospitals overcapitalized, as is often claimed of U.S. hospitals? Are hospitals inefficient in other respects? Do hospitals vary in efficiency? Are private hospitals more efficient than their public counterparts? Should hospitals specialize or provide a broad range of services? Should costs be reduced by concentrating cases in fewer hospitals? The authors critically survey the techniques available for analyzing hospital costs and review the few hospital cost-function studies undertaken for developing countries. Although the paper is intended primarily for those working in developing countries, the discussion for cost function methodology has broad implications for interpreting econometric cost functions and for examining economies of scale and scope in both developing and industrial countries. The authors survey of econometric techniques is not uncritical. They question, for example, the validity of recent tests of over-capitalization undertaken on American hospitals. They also make general observations about the methods used to investigate economies of scope and economies of scale.
The white dwarf mass and orbital period distribution in zero-age cataclysmic binaries

A zero-age cataclysmic binary (ZACB) we define as a binary system at the onset of interaction as a cataclysmic variable. We present here the results of calculations of the distributions of white dwarf masses and of orbital periods in ZACBs, due to binaries present in a stellar population which has undergone continuous, constant star formation for 1010 years. Distributions of ZACBs were calculated for binaries formed t years ago, for log t = 7.4 (the youngest age at which viable ZACBs can form) to log t = 10.0 (the assumed age of the Galactic disk), in intervals of log t = 0.1. These distributions were then integrated over time to obtain the ZACB distribution for a constant rate of star formation. To compute the individual distributions for a given t, we require the density of systems forming (number of pre-cataclysmics forming per unit volume of orbital parameter space), n£(t), and the rates at which the radii of the secondary and of its Roche lobe are changing in time, s (t) and L, s (t), respectively. In calculating nf(t), we assume that the distribution of the orbital parameters in primordial (ZAMS) binaries may be written as the product of the distribution of masses of ZAMS stars (Miller and Scalo 1979), the distribution of mass ratios in ZAMS binaries (cf. Popova, et al., 1982), and the distribution of orbital periods in ZAMS binaries (Abt 1983). In transforming the the orbital parameters from progenitor (ZAMS) to offspring (ZACB) binaries, we assume that all of the orbital energy deposited into the envelope during the common envelope phase leading to ZACB formation goes into unbinding that envelope. R.L, s (t) is determined from orbital angular momentum loss rates due to gravitational radiation (Landau and Lifshitz 1951) and magnetic braking (γ = 2 in Rappaport, Verbunt, and Joss 1983). We turn off magnetic braking if the secondary is completely convective.
Strategies for managing the execution of unauthorized programs on a university computer network

Universities are constantly plagued by the installation of unauthorized programs on university computer networks. These programs cause maintenance problems, consume disk space and network bandwidth, and expose the university to potential legal liability due to potential copyright violations. This paper outlines several easy to implement methods to stop the execution of unauthorized programs on computers using Windows NT based computers.
The thermolability of nuclear protein import in tsBN2 cells is suppressed by microinjected Ran-GTP or Ran-GDP, but not by RanQ69L or RanT24N

The nuclear protein regulator of chromosome condensation 1 (RCC1) stimulates guanine nucleotide exchange on a protein, Ran, that is required for nuclear protein import. In the present report, we confirm that RCC1 is also required for nuclear protein import in tsBN2 hamster cells in vivo. The thermolability of nuclear protein import in tsBN2 cells was suppressed by microinjection of purified Ran-GTP into the cytoplasm, but Ran-GDP also relieved the import deficiency, suggesting either that both forms of Ran are active in import in vivo or that tsBN2 cells at restrictive temperature retain a mechanism to convert Ran-GDP to Ran-GTP. To distinguish between these possibilities, nuclear protein import in tsBN2 cells was tested in the presence of Ran mutants, one deficient in GTP hydrolysis (RanQ69L), and one with weak binding to GDP and little or no binding to GTP (RanT24N). Microinjection of the mutant RanQ69L inhibited import in vivo in either the GTP- or GDP-bound form at both the permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. RanT24N-GDP inhibited import in vivo at the permissive temperature and failed to stimulate nuclear protein import at the nonpermissive temperature. The implications of these results for the roles of RCC1 and Ran in nuclear protein import in vivo are discussed.
Floral color variation and associations with fitness-related traits in Malva moschata (Malvaceae)

Genetic polymorphisms for floral color are interesting phenomena to study because they are likely to be maintained by opposing selective forces. Pollinator preferences may exert direct selection on floral color; however, floral color might also be the indirect target of selection through genetic associations with other traits under selection. Malva moschata (Malvaceae) is a North American species that produces either red or white flowers. In the present study, we present reflectance spectrophotometry data that characterize the nature of floral color variation in this species and show that honey bees and bumble bees should be able to distinguish between the morphs through differential sensitivity at the green (long-wavelength) photoreceptor. Second, we use a series of phenotypic measures to investigate whether the color morphs differ with respect to other floral traits, vegetative traits or female reproductive success, and use a series of correlation analyses to infer the relative independence of color from these other traits. We found that red-flowered morphs produced more anthers per flower and had greater leaf area, and that white-flowered morphs had greater percentage fruit set; however, there were no reproductive success differences between the morphs. The relationship between flower size and anther number was the only correlation that differed between the morphs. Finally, a series of pollinator-choice experiments showed that bumble bees strongly prefer red morphs in terms of visit frequency and duration, but honey bees have no preference. Taken together, our results suggest that color is rather independent of other phenotypic traits, and that honey bee abundance is likely to play a role in maintaining color variation in this system.
Can Tip Vortices Enhance Lift of a Flapping Wing

AEROSPACE LETTERS are brief communications (approximately 2000 words) that describe new and potentially important ideas or results, including critical analytical or experimental observations that justify rapid publication. They are stringently prescreened, and only a few are selected for rapid review by an Editor. They are published as soon as possible electronically and then appear in the print version of the journal.
On the Theory of the Solar Corona

The outer atmosphere of the sun is assumed to be composed mainly of ions and electrons which are actuated by gravitation, radiation pressure and the magnetic field of the sun. By distillation along the lines of magnetic force the particles collect in the lower latitudes of the solar outer atmosphere and by their diamagnetism reduce the magnetic field approximately to zero in this region, leaving a stray field at the poles. Thus the polar plumes, prominent during sun-spot minima, are regarded as owing their form to the magnetic field of the sun. Whereas the wide spreading structureless coronal luminosity extending out from the lower latitudes is due to an accumulation of ionization which reduces the magnetic field to a low value and permits the radiation to blow the particles out to great distances. During maximum solar activity there is sufficient ionization of the outer atmosphere to reduce the magnetic field to a low value even at the poles, and hence the outer atmospheric spray extends roughly equally in all directions, in accord with the appearance of the corona.
Copurification of beta-adrenergic catecholamine receptors and hormone-sensitive adenylate cyclase with uterine smooth muscle plasma membranes.

AbstractA putative plasma membrane fraction isolated from rat uterine smooth muscle was substantially enriched in both β-adrenergic catecholamine receptors as detected by radioligand binding methods and adenylate cyclase. Receptors for adrenergic catecholamines as well as series E prostaglandins were functionally coupled to the enzyme in the purified membranes by a GTP-requiring process. Localization of receptors and enzymes to the same subcellular compartment suggest that in myometrium, as in other target tissues, β-adrenergic catecholamines and perhaps series E prostaglandins exert their effects by regulating cAMP production.
Rapidly reversible acute renal failure from ureteral obstruction in pregnancy

We report a case of acute renal failure due to bilateral ureteral obstruction that rapidly resolved after delivery. Acute renal failure secondary to bilateral ureteral obstruction is rare; to our knowledge, only 18 cases have been reported in the English literature. Review of these cases reveals that twin pregnancies, polyhydramnios, and obstruction of the solitary kidney seem to increase the risk of obstructive renal failure. Measures including induced delivery, amniocentesis, and insertion of ureteral stents or nephrostomy tubes undertaken to relieve the ureteral obstruction usually lead to rapid improvement in urine flow and renal function. Acute renal failure secondary to bilateral ureteral obstruction is a rare but reversible complication of pregnancy.
Transformation of NIH 3T3 cells by a human c-sis cDNA clone.

The mechanism of leukaemogenk transformation by human T-cell leukaemia/Iymphoma virus (HTLV), a retrovirus implicated in the aetiology of certain adult T-cell leukaemias and lymphomas, is unknown but is conceivably associated with the expression of the cellular analogues of retroviral oncogenes. The HUT-102 cell line1, derived from a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and infected with HTLV2–4, expresses several cellular oncogenes5. It is unusual among haemopoietic cell lines in that one of these is c-sis, the gene from which the oncogene v-sis of the simian sarcoma virus was derived, and perhaps the gene for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)6,7. To explore the possible role of c-sis expression in HTLV-induced disease, we have obtained cDNA clones of c-sis from HUT-102 cells. Here we describe two such clones and report that one of them transforms NIH-3T3 cells. This is the first example of transformation of NIH-3T3 cells by a human onc gene other than c-ras or Blym, as well as the first demonstration of transformation by a human cDNA clone.
Evidence for polyphosphate in phosphorylated nonhistone nuclear proteins

Structural studies of eucaryotic nuclear proteins have revealed the presence of bound polymeric phosphates. 32P-labeled and nonlabeled nonhistone nuclear proteins (NHPs) were isolated from rat liver nuclei and subjected to various controlled hydrolytic conditions. The analysis of protease-trypsin limit peptides revealed the presence of six phosphorylated, homogeneous fragments with phosphate/amino acid molar ratios greater than unity, ranging from 1.3 to 79. Alkaline β elimination of phosphoester bonds released polymeric phosphates with chain lengths from 2 to over 200, as determined by using two-dimensional chromatographic analysis. The identity of these labeled polymeric phosphates was established to be polyphosphate by a number of criteria, including chromatographic mobility, gravimetric precipitation to constant specific activity, generation of orthophosphate on hydrolysis, and the determination of the ΔHof hydrolysis of phosphoanhydride bonds. The evidence suggests that, in addition to the phosphomonoesters of serine and threonine, multiple phosphoanhydride linkages can result in the formation of polyphosphorylated NHPs. Previous investigators have demonstrated that exogenous, free polyphosphate causes destabilization of chromatin and enhancement of transcription in vitro. Although the function of the polyphosphorylated NHPs is currently unknown, such findings have possible functional implications with regard to the postulated role of NHPs as positive modifiers of gene expression.
The neighbor and the infinite : Marion and Levinas on the encounter between self, human other, and God

In this article I examine Jean-Luc Marion's two-fold criticism of Emmanuel Levinas’ philosophy of other and self, namely that Levinas remains unable to overcome ontological difference in Totality and Infinity and does so successfully only with the notion of the appeal in Otherwise than Being and that his account of alterity is ambiguous in failing to distinguish clearly between human and divine other. I outline Levinas’ response to this criticism and then critically examine Marion's own account of subjectivity that attempts to go beyond Levinas in its emphasis on a pure or anonymous appeal. I criticize this move as rather problematic and turn instead back to Levinas for a more convincing account of the relations between self, human other, and God. In this context, I also show that Levinas in fact draws quite careful distinctions between human and divine others.
An Energy Principle for Hydromagnetic Stability Problems

The problem of the stability of static, highly conducting, fully ionized plasmas is investigated by means of an energy principle developed from one introduced by Lundquist. The derivation of the principle and the conditions under which it applies are given. The method is applied to find complete stability criteria for two types of equilibrium situations. The first concerns plasmas which are completely separated from the magnetic field by an interface. The second is the general axisymmetric system.
Hadron Calorimetry at the Fermilab Tagged Photon Spectrometer Facility

Hadron calorimetry apparatus and techniques as used in the Fermilab Tagged Photon Spectrometer Facility are described. This paper concentrates on the iron-acrylic scintillator device which is used in conjunction with an upstream lead-scintillator electromagnetic shower calorimeter. Distributions of energy deposit are given which can be used for Monte Carlo simulations of hadronic showers in such devices. We also present results on calibration, energy resolution and stability. The uses of the system in triggering on hadronic events in a photon beam and in the observation of neutral hadrons are described.
Pathways to national economic benefits from ATP-funded technologies

An important component of the Advanced Technology Program’s (ATP) economic evaluation plan for tracking project progress and outcomes is the administration of an electronic survey on a regular basis to participants in all projects funded since 1993. Progress of projects is compared against business plans and projected economic benefit goals outlined in their proposals. The resulting Business Reporting System (BRS) database is used for ATP project management and for evaluation research. Based on BRS data compiled through December 31, 1996, filed by 480 companies in 210 projects, funded in 19 competitions, this paper provides an overview of pathways to achieving targeted commercial and broader economic goals. Progress reports for the group of projects provide a variety of evidence of (a) opportunities for economic spillovers and national economic benefit and (b) activities supporting technology diffusion.
Molecular complexity of Paramecium symbiont lambda deoxyribonucleic acid: evidence for the presence of a multicopy genome.

Abstract DNA was isolated from highly purified symbiont lambda particles of Paramecium aurelia . Renaturation kinetic data revealed a molecular size of 0.71 × 10 9 daltons. Analytical complexity estimated from chemical data was 7.5 × 10 9 daltons. These values correspond to about ten copies of the genome per lambda particle. The relationship of symbiont lambda particles to bacteria and cellular organelles, i.e. chloroplasts, mitochondria and kinetosomes, is discussed.
Catecholamine‐Sensitive Adenylate Cyclase in the White Perch (Roccus americanus) Retina: Evidence for β‐Adrenergic and Dopamine Receptors Linked to Adenylate Cyclase

We have examined the catecholamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase in the retina of the white perch (Roccus americanus). Both dopamine and the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol stimulate cyclic AMP accumulation in this retina, but serotonin, an indoleamine, and phenylephrine, an alpha-adrenergic agonist, had no effect. The stimulation of adenylate cyclase by isoproterenol is more potent and effective than that of dopamine. The effects of dopamine and isoproterenol are mediated via independent dopamine and beta-adrenergic receptors. Haloperidol, a dopamine antagonist, blocks the stimulatory effect of dopamine but not of isoproterenol. Conversely, propranolol, a beta-adrenergic antagonist, blocks the stimulatory effect of isoproterenol but not of dopamine. The effects of dopamine and isoproterenol are not additive. In fractions of purified horizontal cells we found evidence for dopamine receptors linked to adenylate cyclase but did not find evidence for the presence of cyclase coupled beta-adrenergic receptors. The cellular location of the beta-adrenergic receptors is unknown. Our findings demonstrate the existence of both beta-adrenergic and dopamine receptors coupled to adenylate cyclase in the white perch retina. However, we did not find either epinephrine or norepinephrine, endogenous ligands of the beta-receptor, to be present in retinal extracts subjected to HPLC.
A Probe Technique for Determining the Thermal Conductivity of Tissue

A small needle-like probe has been developed for the determination of the thermal conductivity of either in-vitro or in-vivo tissue. This probe consists of a copper cylinder having a diameter of 1.5 mm and a length of 22.5 mm. Constantan and copper leads are attached to the center and top of the cylinder, respectively, and as a consequence the probe acts as a thermocouple. The distinguishing characteristic of this probe is that when it is suddenly embedded into a medium at a different temperature, the duration of its temperature–time response is such that it can be related to the thermal properties of the medium. This is accomplished by a match with an analytically determined response curve which accounts for metabolic heat generation, blood flow, and conductive effects. By nondimensionalizing the governing equations for the probe–tissue system, three nondimensional groups for time, temperature, and blood flow emerge. The results of a parametric study of these effects are presented in tabular form. Initially, the probe technique was used to determine the thermal conductivity of a 1 percent agar–water mixture and the results were within 5 percent of water. Subsequently, experimental thermal-conductivity data were obtained on the following in-vitro human organs: liver, kidney, heart, spleen, whole brain, brain gray matter, and brain white matter. In addition, density, specific-heat, and water-content measurements were also obtained on these organs. In-vivo conductivity data have recently been obtained for canine liver with and without blood flow. These data indicate that the in-vivo value without blood flow is approximately the same as the in-vitro value after the organ had been removed and refrigerated for 24 hr. Blood flow, if not considered, resulted in apparent conductivities which were 15 to 25 percent higher than that of the tissue.
Four-transistor continuous-time MOS transconductor

A general condition for nonlinearity cancellation in the recently reported four-transistor continuous-time MOS transconductor is presented. It is shown that the circuit possesses a high degree of versatility and can operate with different sets of signal excitations using enhancement or depletion transistors.
Chronic histologic changes after vascular clamping are not associated with altered vascular mechanics.

The mechanical properties of arteries, along with the histologic and scanning electron microscopy characteristics of the nonatherosclerotic canine arteries, were investigated six months after vascular clamping. Different vessel clamps were applied to 73 sites on the carotid and femoral arteries in five anesthetized dogs. Each clamp was applied for 30 minutes with (a) sufficient force to just occlude blood flow or (b) as tightly as the clamp could be placed. After six months the vessels were excised, filled with barium sulfate suspension, and pressurized in 25 mmHg steps up to 150 mmHg. High resolution contact radiographs were taken at each pressure. These were magnified 35x and measured. Scanning electron microscopy and conventional histology disclosed that the clamped sites exhibited serrated clamp "tracks" in the intima, intimal hyperplasia, and, in a few cases, fractured elastic lamellae. These histologic changes were seen more frequently in the femoral artery than in the carotid artery (p less than .01). The mechanical properties, as determined from radiographic measurements, demonstrated that, for all types of clamps, the luminal diameter, pressure-diameter relationship, and compliance of the clamped vessels were not significantly different from nonclamped control regions (ANOVA). These studies demonstrate that careful application of clamps to nonatherosclerotic arteries produces persistent morphologic changes, but these are not associated with altered mechanical properties of the vessel wall.
MO‐D‐330A‐02: Motion Artifact Correction Using a Novel Data Consistency Condition

Purpose: During diagnostic x‐ray CTimaging procedures or image guided radiotherapy,image quality will be degraded if target organs move during the data acquisition. This can be caused by patients' occasional motion or by intrinsic motion like cardiac and respiratory motion. The inconsistency in the projection data is the major reason for the image quality degradation. We present and validate a method to improve the consistency of the projections using a novel Fan‐beam Data Consistency Condition (FDCC) such that the image quality can be improved. Method and Materials: Computer‐simulated dynamic phantoms are generated and projection data are acquired from these dynamic phantoms. Using the FDCC, individual projection data from one view of fan‐beam projections can be estimated from filtering all the other projection data acquired from different view angles. Then those projections contaminated by motion are re‐estimated using the FDCC, resulting in a corrected sinogram. A standard Fan‐beam Filtered Back Projection (FBP) reconstruction algorithm is then used to reconstructimages from the corrected sinograms. Motion artifacts can be alleviated using this procedure. Results:Images are reconstructed from both the original sinogram where projections are contaminated by motion and the corrected sinogram after applying the FDCC. Strong motion artifacts are observed in the imagesreconstructed from the contaminated sinogram while improvement can be found in the reconstructed images using the corrected sinogram.Conclusions: A novel method using the new FDCC is proposed to combat the motion artifacts due to the temporal inconsistency in the projection data. Numerical simulations were conducted to demonstrate the potential of this correction scheme to mitigate motion artifacts. Thus, the preliminary numerical results indicate that the FDCC has potential use in combating both cardiac and respiratory motion in CTimaging.
Performance Modeling for Carbon Nanotube Interconnects in On-Chip Power Distribution

A novel paradigm is proposed to potentially use thin single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) signal interconnects and large-diameter multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) power interconnects in the second interconnect level. Using physical circuit models for SWNTs and MWNTs, it is demonstrated that by the end of the ITRS the proposed approach can improve the sheet resistance of power interconnects by up to 3 times, improve the speed of local signal interconnects by 50%, and lower their dynamic power dissipation by more than two times. In the first interconnect level, a hybrid system of power copper wires and thin SWNT signal interconnects would offer the same improvements for signal interconnects and allow utilizing thick copper wires with no performance or power penalties for signal interconnects. At the global levels, it is shown a minimum density of 1 metallic SWNT per 2.5 nm2 cross-sectional area is needed to outperform copper power interconnects. Power grids made out of MWNTs can offer smaller resistances compared to copper grids only if very coarse grids with grid pitches larger than 20 mum are needed.
Immobilization of aqueous Hg(II) by mackinawite (FeS)

Abstract As one of the major constituents of acid volatile sulfide (AVS) in anoxic sediments, mackinawite (FeS) is known for its ability to scavenge trace metals. The interaction between aqueous Hg(II) (added as HgCl2) and synthetic FeS was studied via batch sorption experiments conducted under anaerobic conditions. Due to the release of H+ during formation of hydrolyzed Hg(II) species which is more reactive than Hg2+ in surface adsorption, the equilibrium pH decreased with the increase in Hg(II)/FeS molar ratio. Counteracting the loss of FeS solids at lower pH, the maximum capacity for FeS to remove aqueous Hg(II) was approximately 0.75 mol Hg(II) (mol FeS)−1. The comparison of X-ray power diffraction (XRPD) patterns of synthetic FeS sorbent before and after sorption showed that the major products formed from the interaction between FeS and the aqueous Hg(II) were metacinnabar, cinnabar, and mercury iron sulfides. With the addition of FeS at 0.4 g L−1 to a 1 mM Hg(II) solution with an initial pH of 5.6, Fe2+ release was approximately 0.77 mol Fe2+ per mol Hg(II) removed, suggesting that 77% of Hg(II) was removed via precipitation reaction under these conditions, with 23% of Hg(II) removed by adsorption. Aeration does not cause significant release of Hg(II) into the water phase.
Extremal bounds on the seismic velocities in the Earth's mantle

Summary Based on global travel-time constraints of the function τ(p) (Lee & Johnson), the confidence region for the lower mantle P and S velocity profiles have been determined. An exact method (Bessonova et al.) is used to compute the extremal bounds on velocity. Bounds on the lower mantle P velocity have an average resolution of 70 km in the depth range of ∼ 800–2900 km. The average bound width is ∼ 0.14 km s-1 at the 97 per cent confidence level. Bounds on the lower mantle S velocity have an average resolution of 85 km in the depth range ∼ 850–2900 km and an average width of 0.13 km s-1. These results indicate that significant differences exist among the published velocity models and that the bounds can be used to discriminate among them. The confidence regions are computed with an assumed upper mantle velocity model and are therefore subject to small baseline adjustments in velocity. The introduction of approximate bounds on the upper mantle τ(p) increases the lower mantle bound width by 30 per cent (for the P velocity). In this case, one obtains constraints on the absolute velocity function.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 174

Abstract The 1965 version of the Nuclear Data Sheets for A = 174 has been revised on the basis of experimental data received prior to May 1, 1972. Nine nuclei are known for A = 174. Only the α-decays and half-lives are known for 174 Os, 174 Ir, and 174 Pt. Consistent decay schemes for 174 Tm, 174 Lu, and 142-d 174m Lu, and levels in 174 Yb, 174 Lu, 174 Hf, and 174 W from reaction studies are presented. The (e+β + )-decay of 174 Ta is not well known, presumably because of competition from decays of 175 Ta and 176 Ta. A number of states in 174 Hf from this decay, however, are consistent with levels established in reaction studies. Study of isotope-separated 174 Ta activity would probably remove the uncertainties in the present data.
Preliminary orbit determination for lunar satellites.

Methods for the determination of orbits of artificial lunar satellites from earth-based range rate measurements developed by Koskela (1964) and Bateman et al. (1966) are simplified and extended to include range measurements along with range rate measurements. For illustration, a numerical example is presented.
A parallel robots framework to study precision grasping and dexterous manipulation

Dexterous, within-hand manipulation, in which an object generally held in the fingertips is manipulated by the fingers, shares many similarities to parallel robot configurations. This paper shows how to apply a mathematical framework commonly used for parallel robots to study the kinetostatic properties of hands manipulating objects using precision grasps, considering compliance and underactuation in the joints, without requiring the use of the grasp matrix. The proposed framework is suitable for any hand, but we focus on underactuated hands. We show how the natural redundancy present in fully-actuated hands can be eliminated using underactuation, leading to simplified non-redundant systems that are easier to control. We primarily focus our efforts on introducing and describing the theoretical framework, and follow this with an example application using a three-fingered underactuated hand. For this example, we define the feasible workspace as the subspace of the kinematic workspace for which the hand can accomplish a grasp, and we study how the compliance, rest angles, and joint coupling in the fingers can be designed to increase the size of this feasible workspace.