cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Purification and Characterization of a (R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate Dehydrogenase Deletion Mutant. Evidence for C-Terminal Involvement in Enzyme Activation by Lecithin

(R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (BDH; EC 1.1.1.30) is a lipid-requiring enzyme with a specific requirement of phosphatidylcholine for optimal function. The purified enzyme, devoid of lipid, can be reactivated with soluble lecithin or by insertion into phospholipid vesicles containing lecithin. In order to obtain insight into the mechanism of lipid activation, a C-terminal deletion mutant was constructed which contained 18 amino acids less than BDH. The purified deletion mutant had low, but detectable catalytic activity in the absence of phospholipid. However, the addition of either soluble lecithin or phospholipid vesicles containing lecithin had no effect on enzymatic function. Further experiments were conducted to determine if the deletion mutant had also lost its ability to bind to phospholipid vesicles and natural membranes. Our findings indicate that the mutant enzyme binds to both liposomes and rat liver microsomes. These results suggest that the binding of BDH to the phosphatidylcholine head group is independent of its interaction with the apolar core of the phospholipid bilayer.
Trade Law and Quality of Life -- Dispute Resolution Under the NAFTA Side Accords on Labor and the Environment

This article examines the dispute resolution process embodied in NAFTA's Side Agreements as a modality in international trade law for reconciling trade values with social and environmental values. It explores the political considerations underlying the Side Agreement dispute resolution process, and notes particularly the provision for consultations between the parties, and for mediation before, during and after arbitration, that allows a many-layered opportunity to modify behavior and avoid the imposition of sanctions. The article also assesses the Side Agreements' capacity for promotion of the trade values of predictability and reliability, and their responsiveness to quality-of-life concerns. It concludes that the Side Agreements constitute a profound disjunction with the past regime of the law of international trade, in particular the GATT, and that the Side Agreements, by incorporating goals other than trade liberalization, can be a model for international trade agreement dispute resolution.
Mechanism of the 1996–97 non-eruptive volcano-tectonic earthquake swarm at Iliamna Volcano, Alaska

A significant number of volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquake swarms, some of which are accompanied by ground deformation and/or volcanic gas emissions, do not culminate in an eruption. These swarms are often thought to represent stalled intrusions of magma into the mid- or shallow-level crust. Real-time assessment of the likelihood that a VT swarm will culminate in an eruption is one of the key challenges of volcano monitoring, and retrospective analysis of non-eruptive swarms provides an important framework for future assessments. Here we explore models for a non-eruptive VT earthquake swarm located beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska, in May 1996–June 1997 through calculation and inversion of fault-plane solutions for swarm and background periods, and through Coulomb stress modeling of faulting types and hypocenter locations observed during the swarm. Through a comparison of models of deep and shallow intrusions to swarm observations, we aim to test the hypothesis that the 1996–97 swarm represented a shallow intrusion, or “failed” eruption. Observations of the 1996–97 swarm are found to be consistent with several scenarios including both shallow and deep intrusion, most likely involving a relatively small volume of intruded magma and/or a low degree of magma pressurization corresponding to a relatively low likelihood of eruption.
Prepartying promotes heightened risk in the college environment: An event-level report ☆

Due to the emergence of research literature examining the prepartying behavior of college students, the present study examines students' varying drinking rates, blood alcohol levels (BALs), and alcohol-related consequences during two drinking events - one involving prepartying and one devoid of prepartying. Two-hundred and thirty-eight student drinkers completed an online drinking assessment detailing their two most recent drinking occasions involving and not involving prepartying. Participants responded to a series of questions regarding quantities consumed on the drinking day and occurrence of alcohol-related consequences. While men did not differ in drinking or estimated BALs, between the two drinking days, female participants drank significantly more drinks and reached higher BALs on the prepartying drinking day. Both males and females reported increased experience of alcohol-related consequences on the prepartying drinking day. In analyzing the prepartying drinking day specifically, we found that while men drink more alcohol during prepartying, but both men and women reached similar BALs during the event. Also, amount consumed during prepartying related to further drinking throughout the evening. It appears that prepartying may influence women to reach comparable levels of intoxication and alcohol-related consequences as their male peers. Quick drinking during prepartying may raise BALs and lead to alcohol-related consequences particularly for female students.
Spectral analysis of heart rate dynamics in elderly persons with postprandial hypotension.

Prior studies suggest that postprandial hypotension in elderly persons may be due to defective sympathetic nervous system activation. We examined autonomic control of heart rate (HR) after a meal using spectral analysis of HR data in 13 old (89 +/- 6 years) and 7 young (24 +/- 4 years) subjects. Total spectral power, an index of overall HR variability, was calculated for the frequency band between 0.01 and 0.40 Hz. Relatively low-frequency power, associated with sympathetic nervous system and baroreflex activation, was calculated for the 0.01 to 0.15 Hz band. High-frequency power, representing parasympathetic influences on HR, was calculated for the 0.15 to 0.40 Hz band. Mean arterial blood pressure declined 27 +/- 8 mm Hg by 60 minutes after the meal in elderly subjects, compared with 9 +/- 8 mm Hg in young subjects (p less than or equal to 0.0001, young vs old). The mean change in low-frequency HR power from 30 to 50 minutes after the meal was +19.4 +/- 25.3 U in young subjects versus -0.1 +/- 1.5 U in old subjects (p less than or equal to 0.02). Mean change in total power was also greater in young (19.0 +/- 26.6 U) subjects compared with old subjects (0.0 +/- 1.6 U, p greater than or equal to 0.02). Mean ratio of low:high-frequency power increased 3.1 +/- 3.3 U in young subjects vs 0.5 +/- 2.7 U in old subjects (p less than or equal to 0.01). The increase in low-frequency HR power and in the low:high frequency band ratio in young subjects is consistent with sympathetic activation in the postprandial period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).
Averaging of diffusion tensor imaging direction-encoded color maps for localizing substantia nigra

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a form of MRI that has been used extensively to map in vivo the white matter architecture of the human brain. It is also used for mapping subcortical nuclei because of its general sensitivity to tissue orientation differences and effects of iron accumulation on the diffusion signal. While DTI provides excellent spatial resolution in individual subjects, a challenge is visualizing consistent patterns of diffusion orientation across subjects. Here we present a simple method for averaging direction-encoded color anisotropy maps in standard space, explore this technique for visualizing the substantia nigra (SN) in relation to other midbrain structures, and show with signal-to-noise analysis that averaging improves the direction-encoded color signature. SN is distinguished on averaged maps from neighboring structures, including red nucleus (RN) and cerebral crus, and is proximal to SN location from existing brain atlases and volume of interest (VOI) delineation on individual scans using two blinded raters.
Competitive inter‐firm interactions: determinants of divergence versus convergence

This paper is a study of competitive and cooperative interactions among members of a competitive industry group. There are few strategic, tactical or market moves that do not affect competition in any industry. Competitive and cooperative interactions among competitive firms are studied to determine how the reactions of competitors to an initiator of an action cause convergent or divergent patterns. It is hypothesized that the patterns, or cycles, of competitive and cooperative interactions are a function of complexity of the interaction cycle, degree of offensiveness of participants’ moves, action reversibility, previous interaction experience, interaction cycle visibility and response time. An empirical test of the hypothesis revealed that the two most strongly supported hypotheses were: interaction cycle complexity increases the likelihood of interaction cycle convergence, and interaction cycle visibility increases the likelihood of interaction cycle divergence.
RIGHT BUNDLE BRANCH BLOCK IN CARDIOMYOPATHY IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA/FIBRILLATION AND CARDIAC MORTALITY

Both left and right bundle branch blocks (LBBB; RBBB) are associated with increased mortality in patients with cardiomyopathy. RBBB confers a worse prognosis than LBBB amongst patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We hypothesized that RBBB is associated with worse outcome
MECHANICAL THROMBECTOMY IN ACUTE AND SUBACUTE THROMBOSIS WITH USE OF THE AMPLATZ DEVICE : ARTERIAL AND VENOUS APPLICATIONS

Purpose To perform a feasibility study of the Amplatz Thrombectomy Device (ATD) in a variety of vascular territories with acute or subacute thrombosis. Materials and Methods Thirteen patients (mean age, 44.6 years) with multiple risk factors who had acute/subacute thrombosis of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and iliac veins ( n = 3), superior vena cava (SVC) and/or subclavian veins ( n = 3), lower extremity polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft ( n = 2), iliac artery ( n = 2), portal vein and transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) ( n = 2), and an IVC to pulmonary artery Fontan conduit ( n = 1), were treated by means of mechanical thrombectomy with use of the ATD. Thrombolysis failed to recanalize the vessels when used before thrombectomy for 12–34 hours in three patients, and was contraindicated in three other patients. Thrombolysis was used as a complement to the ATD procedure in five patients. Results Technical success was achieved in 11 patients, and procedure success was achieved in 10 patients. Failure was observed in the remaining three patients. One patient with a PTFE graft was successfully declotted but thrombosis occurred 2 weeks later, requiring surgery. The other patient with a PTFE graft did not improve and needed surgery to declot and treat the distal anastomosis and distal circulation. The two patients with an occluded iliac artery underwent successful declotting but rethrombosis occurred in one shortly after the procedure requiring thrombolytic therapy. One patient with TIPS thrombosis improved and another patient with a thrombosed portal vein did not improve after thrombectomy. Conclusion The ATD is useful for recanalization of acute/subacute clotted native vessels and grafts. The application of the device is broad, and although declotting can be achieved in most cases, long-term success may be limited by anatomical and technical problems of the grafts and multifactorial clinical problems of severely sick patients, as was the case in the series. The use of additional thrombolytic therapy may be necessary in a number of patients.
Ascorbate concentration in fish ontogeny

The ontogenetic trend of ascorbate has been quantified in three freshwater fishes: roach (Rutilus rutilus), whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) and Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus). Total ascorbate (reduced and oxidized) declined from 150 to μg g−1 as newly hatched larvae grew to become several-months-old juveniles. Declining total ascorbate with increasing size of metamorphosing fish could not be reversed by feeding on brine shrimp, Artemia salina nauplii, zooplanktonic food containing > 74μg g−1 total ascorbate. The proportion of reduced ascorbate in total ascorbate increases with fish size/age. The physiological mechanism of the changes in transferable ascorbate forms remains unknown, but high dehydroascorbate concentrations suggest high vulnerability of larval fish to oxidation stress. This is the first report on quantity of vitamin C retained in actively-feeding larval and juvenile fish. The efficiency of ascorbate transfer from zooplankters to larval fish amounted to 5–20%. The ecological significance of larval fish feeding on various zooplankters and/or phytoplankton may reflect a trend toward maximum transfer of this vitamin in freshwater food webs.
Gene–environment interactions and the impact on obesity and lipid profile phenotypes

and equally confounding, are GWAS results that do not replicate candidate genes with established associations to traits of interest. Examples include APOA2 (apolipoprotein A‐II) and PLIN1 (perili‐ pin‐1) where GWAS signals for BMI are weak to nonexistent. The profound interaction between the –265 promoter variant of APOA2 and BMI with intake of saturated fat [2] is simply not tested by the standard GWAS.
A 100 μsec, reliable, 10 Hz pulsed supersonic molecular beam source

A 10-Hz repetition rate, 100-microsec duration, reliable pulsed supersonic molecular beam source is described. Mechanical and electrical design of the pulsed valve are given in detail. Characteristics of the supersonic expansion obtained using coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy in acetylene are presented. They include pulse shape, gas rotational and translational cooling as a function of distance from the nozzle, clustering effects, and shock heating at the leading edge of the pulse.
Rhetoric Versus Reality in Educational Reform: The Case of the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Initiative

In this paper, we present findings from a study assessing the impact of reforms on mathematics and science instruction to illustrate the multiple levels at which educational change must occur to promote student achievement and close achievement gaps. We undertake an analysis of the extent to which the rhetoric of national policy, in this case, the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Initiative, matches the realities of the day-to-day classroom practices we evaluated in our study. Addressed here is the problem of how applied anthropologists can broaden the scope of research and research findings from the edges of the societal mainstream to address larger policy issues. More globally, we discuss the influence of contemporary applied anthropologists and their colleagues who study marginalized groups on educational research.
Role of nuclear proteins as high affinity sites ("acceptors") for progesterone in the avian oviduct.

Abstract Administering multiple doses of progesterone to immature chicks results in the detection of several classes of oviduct nuclear binding sites. Comparisons of serum progesterone levels and responses to RNA polymerase I and II activities with the nuclear binding, indicate that the highest affinity classes of sites are the biologically important ones. In vitro binding studies using isolated progesterone receptor complex also reveal the presence of these multiple classes of sites. The highest affinity class of nuclear sites in the oviduct, representing 6000 to 10,000 sites per cell with a K D ~ 10 −9 M, appear to be tissue specific. These sites are present but completely masked in the chromatin of non-target organs (spleen and erythrocyte), while 70% are masked in the target tissue (oviduct). Further fractionation studies involving DNA affinity chromatography using chromatin-cellulose resins and molecular sieve-chromatography using Agarose-GuHCl resins reveal that the “acceptor” activity is associated with two molecular weight-proteins between 12,000 and 17,000. These proteins are bound with very high affinity to DNA. The “acceptor-proteins” must be reannealed to DNA to achieve binding activity. These results support that acidic proteins determine the high affinity nuclear binding sites for steroids.
Global Patterns of City Size Distributions and Their Fundamental Drivers

Urban areas and their voracious appetites are increasingly dominating the flows of energy and materials around the globe. Understanding the size distribution and dynamics of urban areas is vital if we are to manage their growth and mitigate their negative impacts on global ecosystems. For over 50 years, city size distributions have been assumed to universally follow a power function, and many theories have been put forth to explain what has become known as Zipf's law (the instance where the exponent of the power function equals unity). Most previous studies, however, only include the largest cities that comprise the tail of the distribution. Here we show that national, regional and continental city size distributions, whether based on census data or inferred from cluster areas of remotely-sensed nighttime lights, are in fact lognormally distributed through the majority of cities and only approach power functions for the largest cities in the distribution tails. To explore generating processes, we use a simple model incorporating only two basic human dynamics, migration and reproduction, that nonetheless generates distributions very similar to those found empirically. Our results suggest that macroscopic patterns of human settlements may be far more constrained by fundamental ecological principles than more fine-scale socioeconomic factors.
Products of Cesàro convergent sequences with applications to convex solid sets and integral operators

Let 0 < a n ,b n ,c n such that a n = b n c n . If a = lim a→∞ a n , and {b n } and {c n } Cesaro converge to b, respectively c, then a ≤ bc. This implies that if in addition {b n } and {c n } are similarly ordered, then a = bc. As applications we prove that the pointwise product of two convex solid sets closed in measure is again closed in measure and a factorization result for kernels of regular integral operators on Lp-spaces.
Principles of antibody elution

Antibody-antigen binding depends upon ionic, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonds, as well as van der Waals forces and three-dimensional conformation. Antibody elution techniques attempt to break those forces by alterations of ionic strength, pH, thermal agitation, and the use of organic solvents. Because of the heterogeneity of the physical forces involved in binding, no single elution technique finds universal applicability to the disruption of all types of antibody-antigen bonds.
Neuroendocrine Basis of Human Disease

This paper is a short review of the traditionally obvious diseases of neuroendocrine origin (diabetes insipidus, Kallman syndrome, etc.), but also of the newly recognized participation of several peptides originally characterized in the hypothalamus and of their receptors, in a series of diseases, both in internal medicine and in psychiatry (rheumatoid arthritis, inflammation, carcinoids, anxiety, depression, etc.). The concept of neuropeptides is now vastly expanded, as these molecules and their several receptors are now known to be widely distributed throughout the brain and the periphery with increasing evidence of paracrine and autocrine modes of action.
Biogas production from anaerobic lagoons

Abstract Biogas production was measured on several anaerobic lagoons. Biogas production rates varied widely (0·02 to 0·50 m 3 m −2 day −1 (lagoon surface area basis): 0·03 to 0·23 m 3 m −3 day −1 (lagoon volume basis)). Carbon dioxide concentration of the lagoon biogas was less than 35%. Biogas production was influenced by lagoon organic acid concentration, position of the collection cover on the lagoon surface and lagoon temperature. Biogas production from normally-loaded lagoons ( −3 ) is not of sufficient quantity nor is the production rate consistent enough throughout the year to be considered a reliable source of energy.
Transdermal scopolamine in the treatment of asthma: a preliminary report

The use of atropine has emerged over the past few years as a treatment for asthma. Scopolamine is pharmacologically similar to atropine and, as such, was used in a study of nine patients as a bronchodilator. These nine patients had diverse types of lung diseases. Two patients were intolerant to the medication and were not able to participate in the study. The other seven patients had variable responses with significant improvement in baseline pulmonary function testing occurring in four patients. Five of the seven patients had symptomatic relief and are now employing transdermal scopolamine on a once-every-3-days basis for the treatment of their bronchoconstriction. Baseline testing was performed to indicate response to parasympatholytic medications. Transdermal scopolamine appears to be a safe and effective means of achieving bronchodilation in some patients with asthma.
Host Specificity and Risk Assessment of Trichogramma fuentesi (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), a Potential Biological Agent of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is a non-native moth attacking prickly pear cactus, Opuntia spp., in southeastern U.S. The insect is also an important threat to ecological systems and to native and endangered Opuntia spp. in southwestern USA. The egg parasitoid Trichogramma fuentesi Torre (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was discovered attacking wild C. cactorum in Florida. To evaluate the potential effect of inundative releases of T. fuentesi against C. cactorum, the host searching behavior of T. fuentesi on C. cactorum eggs and host suitability of selected lepidopteran eggs were studied in the laboratory. Host suitability was studied on the native blue cactus moth, Melitara prodenialis Walker, and 6 selected species of butterfly eggs [Danaus plexippus (L.), Dryas iulia (Hubner), Junonia coenia (Hubner), Papilio glaucus (L.), Papilio polyxenes (F.), and Vanessa cardui (L.)] to assess the potential for non-target effects from T. fuentesi. The proportion of parasitism of the ...
Nonlinear wave propagation in viscoelastic tubes: application to aortic rupture

Recent statistical surveys into the causes of automobile Fatalities have shown that traumatic rupture of the aorta followed by immediate exsanguination is responsible for a significant percentage of traffic deaths in the United States. The object of this investigation is to understand a possible mechanism for this failure. A mathematical analysis is presented of the motion of blood in a distensible viscoelastic segment of aorta subjected to a deceleratlve force field. Calculations of axial wall strain and strain-rate indicate that wave propagation resulting in abrupt shock-like transitions along the aortic wall may well account for the transverse ruptures observed. when compared with the limited amount of rupture data presently available. The analytic method and numerical solution by a two-step Lax-Wendroff differencing scheme are sufficientlv general to describe a wide variety of initial and boundary conditions related to blunt impact to the thorax. Blunt impact to the thorax often results in traumatic rupture of the aorta, leading to immediate exsanguina- tion. Current interest in the mechanisms of this failure is great (Roberts and Beckman, 1970), particularly with regard to vehicular fatilities in which passengers are subjected to high levels of deceleration. An estimated 61-83 per cent of all such aortic ruptures occur in automobile collisions. Mechanical forces acting on the wall of the aorta may derive: from the intra-aortic pressure field which changes significantly during im- pact. from sudden local stretching of the wall at points of relative fixation, or from the effects of nonlinear wave propagation along the aorta. The dominant mechanism(s) responsible for rupture still constitute a subject of considerable controversy in the medical literature (see references). In the next section, a review is presented of the current hypotheses concerning the mechanisms of aortic rupture. followed by a theoreti- cal analysis of the coupled problem of fluid and wall motions for a straight aortic segment subjected to various levels of acceleration.
Marriage matching and gender satisfaction

The performance of the Gale–Shapley marriage matching algorithm (Am Math Mon 16:217–222, 1962) has been studied extensively in the special case of men’s and women’s preferences random. We drop the assumption that women’s preferences are random and show that \({R_n/n\ln n\rightarrow 1}\) , where Rn is the men’s expected level of satisfaction, that is, the expected sum of men’s rankings of their assigned mates, when the men-propose Gale–Shapley algorithm is used to match n men with n women. This is a step towards establishing a conjecture of Knuth (Mariages Stables et leurs relations avec d’ autres problemes combinatoires, 1976, CRM Proceedings and Lecture Notes, Vol 10, 1997) of 30 years standing. Under the same assumptions, we also establish bounds on the expected rankings by women of their assigned mates.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of Methyl Vinyl Ketone Hydroalkoxylation Catalyzed by Palladium(II) Complexes

Palladium(II) coordination complexes such as (CH3CN)2PdCl2, 1, catalyze the addition of alcohols to vinyl ketones to produce ethers. During the catalytic cycle, the alcohol adds selectively to the β-carbon (anti-Markovnikov). The kinetics for the reaction of benzyl alcohol (BA) with methyl vinyl ketone (MVK) as catalyzed by 1 has been investigated in detail. The experimental rate law is first-order in catalyst and BA and features saturation kinetics in MVK. Acetonitrile is a competitive inhibitor for MVK. The most consistent mechanism with the experimental findings involves substitution of an acetonitrile ligand by MVK in a preequilibrium step (K1 = 0.020 ± 0.004 in CDCl3 at 25 °C) followed by nucleophilic attack of benzyl alcohol (k2 = (7.6 ± 0.8) × 10-3 M-1 s-1 in CDCl3 at 25 °C). A kinetic isotope effect has been noted for the reaction in the limit of saturated MVK (k2H/k2D = 2.0). MVK coordinates to palladium affording an η2-alkene adduct. The rate constants for several alcohols are reported; the cata...
Beryllium windows for synchrotron light sources

As part of an on-going upgrade program at the National Synchrotron Light Source, a parametric study of rectangular flat and curved beryllium windows of varying thickness and heights and under varying thermal loading was undertaken. The study consisted of a series of 2D and 3D thermal stress finite element analyses to determine the relative benefit of various combinations of parameters with respect to the windows` ability to withstand thermal loads. This study includes evaluation of fixed versus flexible mounting of flat and curved beryllium windows. Buckling analyses for both types of mountings are also included.
Implementation of a modified birdcage resonator for 19F/1H MRI at low fields (0.14 T)

Fluorine‐19 nuclear magnetic resonance of perfluorinated blood substitute materials provides a method for determination of oxygen tension (pO2) in vivo. Use of a double resonant19F/1H radio frequency coil allows convenient correlation between the high resolution anatomic presentation of protonimages and the fluorine distribution. However, quantitative 19F measurements require an RF coil with good H 1 field homogeneity over the image volume and a high quality factor (Q) to minimize errors caused by the low signal‐to‐noise levels available in in vivoimaging and image nonuniformities introduced by the large chemical shift of fluorocarbons. The birdcage coil design provides a high Q structure with optimum H 1 field uniformity and fill factor. However, at low resonance frequencies, the inherently low inductance of the birdcage geometry requires the use of a large number of chip capacitors giving rise to unwieldy coil fabrication and increased cost. This communication describes a modification to the birdcage design that reduces the chip capacitor requirement by at least a factor of 4 for a given dimension, yet retains the essential characteristics of the birdcage design. The modified structure was tuned for double resonance at 5.7/6.0 MHz for 19F/1H magnetic resonance imaging at 0.14 T. For a coil with a length to diameter ratio of 1.67, an H 1 uniformity of ±2% for the 19F resonance was obtained over a cylindrical region with radius ∼0.6r (r=radius of coil) and length ∼1.8r within the coil.
Molecule Specific Imaging of Freeze-Fractured, Frozen-Hydrated Model Membrane Systems Using Mass Spectrometry

Imaging time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry is used to chemically resolve the spatial distribution of lipids in submicrometer sections of phospholipid membranes. The results show that it...
Functional-integral study of the asymmetric Anderson model for dilute fluctuating-valence systems

The functional-integral method in the harmonic approximation which was developed by Amit and Keiter has been extended to study the asymmetric Anderson model. This model gives a valid description of dilute rare-earth ions in metal. The magnetic susceptibility and the occupation number of the localized or $f$ electrons are expressed in terms of some series of double integrals. These double integrals are evaluated numerically by an integration method in number theory. Our results for the temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility agree quite well with those of renormalization-group calculation by Krishna-Murthy et al. for the $f$ level lying above the Fermi level. However, when the $f$ level lies below the Fermi level, the result of the present approximation loses its agreement with that of the renormalization-group calculation at low temperatures. The $f$-electron occupation number has also been calculated as a function of temperature and as a function of the energy level of $f$ electrons.
Fatigue crack growth behaviour of Ti-6 Al-4 V metal matrix/continuous SiC and B4C/B fibre composites

The fatigue crack growth (FCG) behaviour of SiC and B4C/B reinforced Ti-6 Al-4 V metal matrix composites loaded in the transverse direction as a function of modifications of the interface between the fibre and matrix was studied. The interface chemistry, modified by sulphur diffusion during thermal cycling treatment, changed the FCG in air, dry nitrogen and hydrogen environments when compared with the as-received specimens. The FCG rates tend to be higher in a humid environment. The SEM fractrography indicates that the FCG in humid air was by an increased amount of fibre splitting. The FCG in dry nitrogen environment was more often by interface debonding with some fibre splitting and fiber fracture. The FCG rates in dry hydrogen for both as-received and heat-treated specimens were intermediate between the observed rates for dry nitrogen and humid air. During FCG in laboratory air, the sulphur-enriched interface of the specimens thermal cycled in a sulphur environment reacts with the humidity in air to degrade the interface cohesion, resulting in complete separation of the interface from the matrix and the fibre at low strains. This inability of the interface to sustain any strain further increases the FCG rates in the matrix. The results show that the interface does transfer load during fatigue cycling either in an inert environment or if the interface has a minimal amount of impurities.
On the p-point uncertainty class (Corresp.)

The p -point uncertainty class (also known as Sakrison's class b) is considered. Although the p-point class is not a 2 -alternating Choquet capacity class, it is shown how many of the robust signal processing and communication theory results which have been developed for capacity classes can be applied to the p -point class by embedding it in a slightly larger "extended p -point class."
The Channel Assignment Problem

An optimization problem exists in the context of local area network security. The network provides a number of physical or logical "channels", each carrying a set of levels or compartments of information. A channel is accessible to users cleared for all the levels it carries. The problem is to assign the set of levels to be carried by each channel so as to minimize the total number of channels, under the constraint that each pair of users with a level in common can communicate over some channel. This problem was found to be equivalent to a known NP-complete problem, the set basis problem.The main result is an approximate algorithm that runs in polynomial time and finds one solution. It has succeeded in finding an optimal solution in all of the test cases small enough to confirm the optimality independently.
Restoration of Access to Voluntary Capital Market Financing: The Recent Latin American Experience

After a prolonged and almost total reliance on debt restructurings and concerted money facilities, several Latin American countries have mobilized voluntary financing from international capital markets. Although the phenomenon is still limited in terms of volume and number of borrowers, it has attracted considerable attention. This paper reviews the nature, magnitude, and terms of the market re-entry process and analyzes the factors that have facilitated it. A discussion follows, based on this review, of the key elements affecting the short-term prospects for Latin American private and public sector voluntary debt and equity financing from international capital markets.
An Application of a Human Resources Strategic Model to the 2008 Beijing Olympics: A Discussion of HR Goal Misalignment in Projects

Abstract We develop a model of Strategic Human Resources and apply this model to Beijing's hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games. We discuss how the People's Republic of China's failure to strategically align its human resources activities with its national image enhancement goals for the Games could lead to a large scale public relations disaster. This discussion and the strategic model we develop can be generalized to any sized project, in any locale, for any goal, and by any entity. Much of the world will be watching the televised Beijing Olympic Games and following related developments in the news media, therefore, China's Olympics-related labor processes must align with the national image enhancement goal such that labor processes win world-wide approval. Further, if China can show that it is now using globally-perceived fair and ethical labor processes, then an additional benefit would be a reduction in labor-associated risks for all of its foreign investors' projects and businesses.
Influence of Bottom Tuyere Configuration on Bath Stirring in a Top and Bottom Combined Blown Converter

Influence of bottom tuyere configuration on bath stirring in top and bottom combined blown converter was investigated with physical modeling experiments by measuring mixing time of bath. The results showed that asymmetric bottom tuyere configurations have shorter bath mixing time than symmetric bottom tuyere configurations due to their better bath stirring effect. Bath oscillation in converters with too high top gas flow rates would deteriorate the bath stirring and prolong the bath mixing time in the case of asymmetric bottom tuyere configurations. The industrial application data indicated that the converter with asymmetric bottom tuyere arrangement showed better metallurgical results at tapping. Average tapping [O]e decreased by 160 ppm and average tapping [C]e×[O]e reduced from 0.0031 to 0.0025. Average tapping (T.Fe)e content in slag decreased by 2.21%, while average tapping [Mn]e increased by 0.029%.
Micromechanics of the progress induced damage evolution in thermosets

Abstract The present study focuses on the formulation of a micromechanically based analytical model of the evolution of damage in thermoset resins during cure. The study emphasizes the effect of the microstructural disorder on the macro response. To avoid introduction of arbitrary fitting constants and parameters the problem is considered on three different length scales. The proposed model consists of a system of equations governing the exothermic chemical reaction, heat transfer and deformation. Effective properties of the solid and distribution of stresses are determined using non-traditional micromechanical models.
The effects of acute psychologic stress on cellular adhesion molecules.

Cellular adhesion molecules, or CAMs, constitute a family of cell-surface receptors responsible for mediating interactions among leukocytes, platelets, and vascular endothelium. This pilot study (N = 22 healthy men and women) examined the effects of a 6-minute speaking stressor on several CAMs, including L-selection, ICAM-1, and the integrins. The psychologic stressor caused a significant decrease in L-selectin (p = 0.04). Significant task by gender interactions indicated that during stress women increased whereas men decreased in 3 markers of the integrin family, LFA-1, LFA-2, and LFA-3 (all p<0.05). There was no significant task effect on ICAM-1 nor group differences in state anger or anxiety ratings following the task. Across all subjects, the changes (task minus baseline) in LFA-1 and LFA-2 were negatively correlated with the subjects' age (r = = −0.49, p = 0.02 and r = −0.53, p = 0.01, respectively), indicating that older subjects showed less change in these markers than did younger subjects. These preliminary findings suggest that the immune activation that accompanies acute psychologic stress may be sufficient to alter the expression of certain cellular adhesion molecules. Further study should be directed towards determining whether cellular adhesion molecule expression is altered equally across various leukocyte subsets or is restricted to specific cell types.
Human Embryo Cryopreservation—Methods, Timing, and other Considerations for Optimizing an Embryo Cryopreservation Program

The contribution of embryo cryopreservation to the birth rate per in vitro fertilization cycle has escalated from a rare subsidy to a vital tool that is called upon to augment the cycle outcome. Embryology laboratories must identify the embryo stage, quality criteria and methodology that will optimize their ability to preserve each embryo's reproductive potential. This chapter reviews the principles of cryopreservation, outcomes based on embryo stage and cryopreservation method and benchmarks that may be employed by the laboratory to measure the performance of their embryo cryopreservation program.
Stoichiometry and structure of poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-lipid complexes

The energetics, stoichiometry, and structure of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimer-phospholipid interactions were measured with isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Dendrimers of sixth-generation and smaller interacted with the lipids at an average stoichiometry and enthalpy proportional to the number of primary amines per dendrimers (4.5 ± 0.1 lipids/primary amine and 6.3 ± 0.3 kJ/mol of primary amines, respectively). Larger dendrimers, however, demonstrated a decreased number of bound lipids and heat release per primary amine, presumably due to the steric restriction of dendrimer deformation on the lipid bilayer. For example, eighth-generation PAMAM dendrimers bound to 44% fewer lipids per primary amine and released 63% less heat per primary amine as compared to the smaller dendrimers. These differences in binding stoichiometry support generation-dependent models for dendrimer-lipid complexation, which are consistent with previously observed generation-dependent differences in dendrimer-induced membrane disruption. Dendrimers of seventh-generation and larger bound to lipids with an average stoichiometry consistent with each dendrimer having been wrapped by a bilayer of lipids, whereas smaller dendrimers did not.
Ligament-Derived Matrix Stimulates a Ligamentous Phenotype in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells

Human adipose stem cells (hASCs) can differentiate into a variety of phenotypes. Native extracellular matrix (e.g., demineralized bone matrix or small intestinal submucosa) can influence the growth and differentiation of stem cells. The hypothesis of this study was that a novel ligament-derived matrix (LDM) would enhance expression of a ligamentous phenotype in hASCs compared to collagen gel alone. LDM prepared using phosphate-buffered saline or 0.1% peracetic acid was mixed with collagen gel (COL) and was evaluated for its ability to induce proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix synthesis in hASCs over 28 days in culture at different seeding densities (0, 0.25 x 10(6), 1 x 10(6), or 2 x 10(6) hASC/mL). Biochemical and gene expression data were analyzed using analysis of variance. Fisher's least significant difference test was used to determine differences between treatments following analysis of variance. hASCs in either LDM or COL demonstrated changes in gene expression consistent with ligament development. hASCs cultured with LDM demonstrated more dsDNA content, sulfated-glycosaminoglycan accumulation, and type I and III collagen synthesis, and released more sulfated-glycosaminoglycan and collagen into the medium compared to hASCs in COL (p <or= 0.05). Increased seeding density increased DNA content incrementally over 28 days in culture for LDM but not COL constructs (p <or= 0.05). These findings suggest that LDM can stimulate a ligament phenotype by hASCs, and may provide a novel scaffold material for ligament engineering applications.
Pharmacological Treatment for Antisocial Personality Disorder Alcoholics: A Preliminary Study

A short time ago, we reported that a subgroup of hospitalized alcoholic men with comorbid antisocial personality disorder (ASP) seemed to benefit significantly from antidepressant medication at the end of a 6-month period in a double-blind, random assignment, placebo-controlled study. In a reanalysis of those data, we divided the ASP alcoholic group (n= 29) into those who did (n= 15) and who did not (n= 14) also satisfy DSM-III-R criteria for an additional current mood and/or anxiety disorder and then compared the 6-month outcomes of these two smaller subgroups. Despite the small ns, the results for most drinking outcome measures indicated: (1) that ASP alcoholics with a current mood/anxiety disorder improved significantly more with pharmacological treatment, relative to placebo; and (2) that ASP alcoholics with no current mood/anxiety disorder failed to respond differentially to pharmacological treatment over the 6-month period. These findings suggest a possibly useful and inexpensive approach to the long-term management of a very difficult-to-treat subgroup of men substance abusers.
Influence of Role and Gender on the Use of Distributive Versus Procedural Justice Principles

Differences in perceptions of fairness may result from differential emphasis on distributive and procedural justice. The author found that organizational role and gender influenced the extent to which distributive and procedural justice principles were used when participants allocated and evaluated pay raises. When participants took the role of a supervisor, they were more likely to use procedural justice principles; when they took the role of a subordinate, they were more likely to use distributive justice principles. Also, men were more likely to use distributive justice than procedural justice principles when allocating and evaluating raises. These findings suggest that organizations should become aware of individual and role-based differences in emphasis on justice-related factors that could potentially lead to perceptions of unfairness.
College students, cookies and collections: using holiday study breaks to encourage undergraduate research in special collections

Purpose – To launch the University of Chicago Library's study break program for undergraduate students which introduces them to rare book and manuscript collections.Design/methodology/approach – Two study breaks, Love in the Stacks and Things that Go Bump in the Stacks' are described in detail, including selecting material for viewing, marketing the event and basic logistics. In addition the authors discuss the educational materials they created for distribution at the event, attendance, the feedback and comments they received and finally what they learned.Findings – Provides information about the events, and looks towards future events. Discusses how book and manuscript collections can be intimidating to undergraduate students, who often believe the materials are for the use of faculty or other “serious” scholars.Originality/value – This paper describes an innovative program that has successfully introduced undergraduate students to Special Collections, and provides information which would allow others t...
Remarks on the strong asymptotic decrease of form factors

Wu and Yang have recently suggested on the basis of statistical considerations that the nucleon electromagnetic form factorF(t) (which may be either electric or magnetic) should decrease like exp [−c|t|1/2],c>0 when the square of the invariant momentum transfert tends to infinity. They have also shown that this behaviour is consistent with the experimental data onF(t) for large spacelike momentum transfers. We prove that if i)F(t) decreases faster than any inverse power oft whent→−∞, and ii) ImF(t)=O (exp [−c|t|1/2]),c>0 whent→+∞, thenF(t) is uniquely determined by the subtraction functionG(t) associated with its dispersion relation and that this function must be an entire function of nonzero order. It is also shown thatF(t) must increase faster than any power oft whent→∞ along some real or complex direction. The spectral function forF(t) is explicitly exhibited as the Fourier transform of an analytic function which is defined by a power series in a certain domain of its regularity. The power series involves only quantities which are determined byG(t). Unitarity is not used in the proof so that the unitary structure ofF(t) and hence the mass spectrum in thet-channel must be consequences of the properties ofG(t) and of the assumed asymptotic behaviour ofF(t).
Some effects on information load on search patterns used to analyze performance reports

Abstract This paper contains a framework within which to describe how the amount of information in a performance report impacts on a manager's report analysis process. Generally, the data collected from experienced managers as they analyzed performance reports were not completely supportive of the framework based hypotheses. An explanation is presented to account for the discrepancies. Future research could use this explanation to describe further how managers analyze performance reports.
Finite element study of the Nevis Bluff (New Zealand) rock slope failure

Finite Element Study of the Nevis Bluff (New Zealand) Rock Slope Failure In June 1975, part of the Nevis Bluff rock slope failed along State Highway 6 in the South Island of New Zealand. The slope is near the bottom of the Kawarau River valley, which has been deeply entrenched in chlorite schist rocks. The detailed geology of the slope, and the mechanical properties of the rocks comprising the slope are described. For the purposes of finite element modelling, the schist was assumed to be a transversely isotropic material with four independent deformability parameters. A two dimensional finite element program was used to establish the regional state of stress, the results from which were then used in a larger scale model of the rock slope. The results of finite element analyses suggested that slope failure occurred by flexural toppling, where continuous columns broke in flexure as they slid along schistosity surfaces. Flexural cracking was then responsible for propagating the plane along which sliding occurred. When the shear strength available along this plane was exceeded by shear stresses, the slope failed.