cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Increase in Campaign Expenditures in State Legislative Elections: A Comparison of Four Northwestern States

ntil recently, the difficulty of obtaining state legislative campaign finance data meant that only a few political scientists had broached the subject (see, e.g., Adamany 1969; Alexander 1976; Owens and Olson 1977; and Glantz et al. 1976). Within the last decade, however, there is an increased scholarly attention in the subject. Aside from Ruth Jones's (1984) and Herbert Alexander's (1991) comprehensive reviews, there are basically two types of such studies. The first type explores the relationship between some measure of campaign funding (either expenditures or contributions), and electoral outcomes. In these studies, expenditures are treated as one of several independent variables, and electoral outcome is the dependent variable. This genre, represented by studies such as Tucker and Weber (1987), Giles and Pritchard (1985), and Caldeira and Patterson (1982), generally find that campaign expenditures and party strength are important correlates of electoral success.
Subclassification of neurons in the subthalamic nucleus of the lesser bushbaby (Galago senegalensis): A quantitative Golgi study using principal components analysis

The morphology of neurons in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of the lesser bushbaby (Galago senegalensis) is described in coronal brain sections processed by Golgi- and Nissl-staining techniques. Quantitative and statistical methods are used to evaluate (1) soma size and shape, (2) dendritic field size, shape, and branch frequency, (3) the number of dendritic and somatic spines per neuron, and (4) neuron location within the STN. Principal components analysis of these variables suggests that three classes of neurons are present. Two of these classes are considered to be projection cells, referred to as elongate-fusiform and radiate neurons, respectively. Elongate fusiform neurons have somata and dendritic fields which are large in diameter, extremely fusiform in shape, and give rise to few appendages. Somata and dendritic fields of radiate neurons are smaller in diameter, more rounded in shape, and support more spines than the elongate-fusiform neurons. The third class of cells in Galago STN is tentatively identified as consisting of interneurons on the basis of small soma and dendritic field size, thin and varicose dendritic morphology, and the presence of multilobulated dendritic appendages.
Further evaluation of proteins for the growing chicken by the carcass retention method.

In this study are reported further net protein values (SPV) of protein sources used either commercially or in the laboratory with the growing chicken. A dehulled soya meal was a better protein source than non-dehulled meal. Dried beef prepared in the laboratory gave one of the highest NPV yet determined in our laboratory. When a commercial fish or meat meal was used as a supplement to a maize-soya-lucerne protein combination, the former protein significantly improved the KPV of the mixture, whereas the latter did not. Safflower protein, when supplemented with the limiting amino-acids, methionine and lysine, supported excellent growth but the XPV was much inferior to those of other proteins that supported equivalent growth.
Use of Atomic Force Microscopy for the Study of Surface Acid-Base Properties of Carboxylic Acid-Terminated Self-Assembled Monolayers

Atomic force microscopy was used to measure the forces between a silica probe and a carboxylic acid-terminated self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold substrate in the presence of KCl electrolyte solutions of different pH. Silica−silica interaction force measurements were conducted at different pH values to determine the silica probe surface electrostatic potentials under these conditions. The interaction between two silica surfaces is repulsive and can be accurately predicted (except at short distances) by the Derjaguin−Landau−Verwey−Overbeek theory. The interaction between silica and clean gold surfaces exhibits an attractive interaction at neutral pH. The interaction between a silica probe and carboxylic acid-terminated SAM-covered gold substrate was a strong function of the pH value of the electrolyte. The surface electrostatic potentials of the surface-confined monolayers of carboxylic acid were obtained by theoretical fits of the force data to solutions of the complete nonlinear Poisson−Boltzmann e...
Supine Positioning for Surgical Repair of the Achilles Tendon

In this article, we describe supine positioning for Achilles tendon surgery. We find this to be a safer and more efficient method than either prone or lateral positioning. It allows easier access for airway monitoring, it does not compromise access to the surgical site, and it requires less setup time for both anesthesia and surgical positioning, thereby potentially saving time in the operating room.
Drawing the sexuality card: Teaching, researching, and living bisexuality

This essay utilizes autoethnography to understand the stigma associated with identifying as bisexual in academic contexts. I weave classroom experiences as teacher and student with academic research, social systems, and critical analysis to highlight the importance of multiple approaches to issues of sexuality. While I recognize the logic of withholding one’s sexual identity in the classroom, I also show how denying this information to students and audiences that need it most closes any potential for dialogue that could improve our social and academic understanding of sexuality.
A Climatology and Case Study of Continental Cold Season Dense Fog Associated with Low Clouds

Abstract This study focuses on dense fog cases that develop in association with low clouds and sometimes precipitation. A climatology of weather conditions associated with dense fog at Peoria, Illinois, for October–March 1970–94 indicated that fog forming in the presence of low clouds is common, in 57% of all events. For events associated with low pressure systems, low clouds precede dense fog in 84% of cases. Therefore, continental fogs often do not form under the clear-sky conditions that have received the most attention in the literature. Surface cooling is usually observed prior to fog on clear nights. With low cloud bases, warming or no change in temperature is frequent. Thus, fog often forms under conditions that are not well understood, increasing the difficulty of forecasting fog. The possible mechanisms for fog development under low cloud-base conditions were explored for an event when dense fog covered much of Illinois on 7 November 2006. Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) and raw...
Identification of an antisense transcript to ZIM2 in the primate lineage.

Abstract In this study, we identified an antisense transcript to ZIM2 (zinc finger imprinted gene 2) in the human, called ZIM2as. Sequence analysis of the 110 kb region spanned by this transcript revealed a cluster of tandemly repeated sequence in the human, orangutan, and chimpanzee as well as a loss of approximately 70 kb from the corresponding region in the rhesus. The homologous region in most mammals contains a cluster of olfactory receptor (OLFR) genes, but this gene cluster has been lost from the primate lineage. Expression analyses confirmed that ZIM2as is expressed in the human brain and testis. Two CpG islands near the promoter region of ZIM2as showed different methylation patterns in these three species. The CpG island distal to ZIM2as showed an allele-specific DNA methylation pattern in the human testis, while the CpG island proximal to the ZIM2as promoter showed a mosaic methylation pattern in the chimpanzee. The methylation status of several nearby zinc finger genes was unchanged among the primates tested. Overall, this study reports the presence of a previously unreported primate-specific antisense transcript in the PEG3 imprinted domain, suggesting that the formation of this transcript may coincide with the loss of the OLFR cluster.
The Columbian Encounter and the Little Ice Age: Abrupt Land Use Change, Fire, and Greenhouse Forcing

Pre-Columbian farmers of the Neotropical lowlands numbered an estimated 25 million by 1492, with at least 80 percent living within forest biomes. It is now well established that significant areas o...
On the Systematic Long‐Period Noise Reduction on Ocean Floor Broadband Seismic Sensors Collocated with Differential Pressure Gauges

Vertical-component broadband seismic data collected on the ocean floor at regional distances from the shore and water depths on the order of 1-2 km are polluted by noise due to ocean infragravity (IG) waves in a period range (20-200 s) that is critical for regional structure studies and the determination of moment tensors for regional earthquakes. Using broadband seismic and differential pressure gauge data collected at the Monterey Ocean Bottom Broadband (MOBB) observatory, which has been operational since 2002, we identify the optimal length of time window to obtain the transfer function between the vertical seismic and pressure records. The maximum reduction in IG-wave-induced noise is obtained by using a one-day stack of transfer function inferred from data segment collected in the last 24 hours prior to data in which the noise removal method is applied. We show that a one-year stack of transfer function effectively reduces the noise level in the period band 50-100 s by 20 dB and by up to 15 dB at shorter periods. This resultant 20 dB noise reduction is comparable to that obtained from the one-day stack of transfer function. Our result suggests that the removal of noise induced by IG waves on MOBB vertical-component data can be done routinely without continuously calibrating the transfer function, also in near-real time, and is therefore also useful for routine regional moment tensor de- termination. This noise removal method has been implemented in the moment tensor determination system of the Northern California Seismic System.
RNA polymerase in normal avian erythrocytes.

Abstract Significant RNA polymerase activity was demonstrated in isolated nuclei from mature avian erythrocytes. This activity was shown to have characteristics common to mammalian systems, including sensitivity to α-amanatin. A crude fraction of RNA polymerase was solubilized from these nuclei and characterized to provide further support for the existence of the enzyme in these cells.
Hydrothermal syntheses and structures of bimetallic organoarsonate compounds of the Cu(II)-imine/VxOy/RAsO3n− family

Abstract Hydrothermal reactions of sodium orthovanadate, copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate, phenylarsonic acid and an imine ligand yielded two compounds of the Cu(II)-imine/VxOy/RAsO3n− family. Under the conditions of this study the one-dimensional [Cu(phen)VO2(O3AsC6H5)(HO3AsC6H5)] (1) and the unique mixed-dimensionality structure of [Cu(bpy)VO2(O3AsC6H5)(HO3AsC6H5)][Cu(bpy)V2O4(O3AsC6H5)2] (2), which consists of a cluster and a one-dimensional chain, were produced. (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine)
Grape phylloxera, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae (Fitch) (Hom., Phylloxeridae), population response to preformed tuberosities

Laboratory tests were used to assess feeding and population growth of three grape phylloxera strains on preformed root tuberosities of the grape rootstock 'AXR#1'. The tuberosities were formed on root sections by grape phylloxera biotypes A or B (first generation), after which the insects were removed and the roots were reinfested with a second cohort (second generation). Second generation phylloxera were of biotypes A or B, or a third strain, 'SG'. Preformed tuberosities were preferentially colonized over non-tuberosity portions of roots by all phylloxera irrespective of whether the first generation was biotype A or B. All three phylloxera types had a shorter time to maturity and a higher percentage reaching maturity when they fed on tuberosities preformed by biotype B rather than by biotype A ; there was no difference in fecundities. Phylloxera also established, grew and reproduced on non-tuberosity portions of the roots with preformed tuberosities. The time to maturity on the non-tuberosity portions of the roots was longer and the fecundity was lower than on the preformed tuberosity portions of the same roots. After 45 days on AXR#1 roots previously infested by biotype A phylloxera, biotype A, B, and strain SG populations increased 11-, 29- and 9-fold, respectively. On roots previously infested by biotype B, the increases were 59-, 107- and 44-fold, respectively. Formation of tuberosities by phylloxera on AXR#1 increased the vulnerability of the root to subsequent attack at the preformed tuberosities, but not at other portions of the roots. Implications of these findings to population dynamics and bioassays for screening for phylloxera resistance in candidate rootstocks are discussed.
the golden chain: a study of the structure, function, and patterning of comparatico in a south Italian village

The ritual coparent relationship in a South Italian village is examined against a background of interpersonal relationships characterized by atomism and familism. The integrative potential of the relationship is stressed by comparing it with kinship, friendship, and reciprocity bonds and by quantitatively examining the actual types of social units joined by this relationship.
The Identification and Treatment of Alcohol Abuse and Dependency

AbstractRecent epidemiologic and clinical studies have shown that alcohol abuse and dependence are highly prevalent. Careful assessment of drinking habits and related problems is warranted in all patients presenting with either medical or psychiatric complaints. Once a diagnosis of abuse or dependence is made, treatment can be individualized to address the specific needs of the patient, including the potential for alcohol withdrawal and factors relevant to ongoing rehabilitation. The treatment of alcohol withdrawal requires attention to concomitant medical disorders, that if neglected can exacerbate the withdrawal reaction. Good supportive care is generally adequate for the treatment of mild-to-moderate withdrawal reactions. Medications that are cross-tolerant with alcohol (e.g. benzodiazepines) are indicated for moderate-to-severe withdrawal. Alcoholism rehabilitation, while in general shown to be beneficial, consists of a wide variety of treatment settings and therapeutic approaches. There is little evi...
Identification and Characterization of Cathepsin B as the Cellular MARCKS Cleaving Enzyme

The importance of regulating the cellular concentrations of the myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS), a major cellular substrate of protein kinase C, is indicated by the fact that mice lacking MARCKS exhibit gross abnormalities of central nervous system development and die shortly after birth. We previously identified a novel means of regulating cellular MARCKS concentrations that involved a specific proteolytic cleavage of the protein and implicated a cysteine protease in this process (Spizz, G., and Blackshear, P. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 553–562). Here we show that p40, the carboxyl-terminal fragment resulting from this cleavage of MARCKS, was associated with the mitochondrial/lysosomal pellet fraction of human diploid fibroblasts and that its generation in cells was sensitive to treatment with NH4Cl. These data suggest the involvement of lysosomes in the generation and/or stability of p40. The MARCKS-cleaving enzyme (MCE) activity was peripherally associated with a 10,000 ×g pellet fraction from bovine liver, and it co-purified with the activity and immunoreactivity of a lysosomal protease, cathepsin B. Cathepsin B catalyzed the generation of p40 from MARCKS in a cell-free system and behaved similarly to the MCE with respect to mutants of MARCKS previously shown to be poor substrates for the MCE. Treatment of fibroblasts with a cell-permeable, specific inhibitor of cathepsin B, CA074-Me, resulted in parallel time- and concentration-dependent inhibition of cathepsin B and MCE activity. Incubation of a synthetic MARCKS phosphorylation site domain peptide with purified cathepsin B resulted in cleavage of the peptide at sites consistent with preferred cathepsin B substrate sites. These data provide evidence for the identity of the MCE as cathepsin B and suggest that this cleavage most likely takes place within lysosomes, perhaps as a result of specific lysosomal targeting sequences within the MARCKS primary sequence. The data also suggest a direct interaction between MARCKS and cathepsin B in cells and leave open the possibility that MARCKS may in some way regulate the protease for which it is a substrate.
Human verbal working memory impairments associated with thalamic damage

Although animal studies, human neuroimaging studies, and numerous theoretical models suggest possible contributions of the thalamus to working memory, there are very few reported deficits in human working memory following thalamic lesions. The present study examined working memory performance in six individuals with isolated thalamic stroke and found evidence of impairment on a number of working memory span tasks, but not on a forward digit-span measure. Examination of additional aspects of working memory performance (e.g., spatial and object working memory), analysis of subjects with other sites of thalamic stroke, and functional neuroimaging suggest a role of the thalamus in working memory.
Capture in ( K − , p ) Atoms

It was concluded by Day et al. Phys. Rev. Letters 3, 61 (1959) that the reactions of K- mesons at rest in liquid hydrogen almost invariably result from the interaction of the (K/sup -/,p) system in states of zero relative orbital angular momentum. Corrections are pointed out to the specific calculations which appear in vitiate largely the specific conclusions that P- state capture cannot be important. (W.D.M.)
The promoter of the mouse tissue transglutaminase gene directs tissue-specific, retinoid-regulated and apoptosis-linked expression

Tissue transglutaminase is a multifunctional enzyme that accumulates to high levels in cells undergoing apoptosis. Retinoids act as an acute and direct regulator of tissue transglutaminase gene transcription. The studies reported here were carried out to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of tissue transglutaminase expression. We have isolated and characterized the mouse tissue transglutaminase gene promoter and 3.8 kb of 5'-flanking DNA. A large fragment of the promoter that includes both the core promoter and 3.8 kb of 5'-flanking DNA shows retinoid-dependent transcriptional activity when stably transfected into HeLa cells. In these stably transfected HeLa cells both the endogenous tissue transglutaminase gene and transfected mouse tissue transglutaminase promoter are activated by all-trans retinoic acid and by retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-specific and retinoid X receptor (RXR)-specific retinoids. In embryos made transgenic with a transglutaminase promoter-beta-galactosidase reporter gene, the transgene shows specific patterns of expression during limb development. The transglutaminase transgene is expressed in cartilage, the cells of the apical ectodermal ridge, and in regions of apoptotic cell death of the interdigital mesenchyme. It appears that cis-acting elements responsible for the complex retinoid regulation, tissue- and apoptosis-specific expression are embedded within the proximal 3.8 kb of DNA flanking the 5'-end of the mouse tissue transglutaminase gene.
Quantification of human high molecular weight kininogen by immunoblotting with a monoclonal anti-light chain antibody.

Abstract Activation of the Hageman factor-dependent pathways in human plasma leads to the cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) into a disulfide-linked two-chain (heavy and light chain) molecule and release of bradykinin, a vasoactive peptide. We have utilized murine monoclonal antibodies to the light chain of HMWK (Blood (1988) 71, 1344) and developed a very sensitive immunoblotting assay to detect and quantify the amount of cleaved or uncleaved HMWK in whole plasma. The total HMWK content of plasma from apparently healthy donors was 55 μg/ml by this method. Cleaved HMWK was detected when only 2% of the plasma had been activated and the method was sensitive down to 2 ng of HMWK. Because of the extreme lability of bradykinin in body fluids, quantification of cleaved HMWK provides an important adjunct which reflects contact activation and permits calculation of a theoretical upper limit of the potential kinin formed.
A Peierls analysis of the critical stress for transmission of a screw dislocation across a coherent, sliding interface

The resistance of interfaces and grain boundaries to dislocation transmission is a fundamental quantity that often serves to control strength in plastically deforming polycrystals and multiphase materials. This manuscript extends the standard continuum view of the transmission process, in which a Volterra or Peierls dislocation interacts with a non-slipping interface. The extensions in this work are to use a modified Peierls description of the dislocation on the incoming and outgoing slip planes and to let the interface slip according to a simple, periodic constitutive relation, so that the interface can store and emit dislocation content during the transmission process. The analysis is restricted to a screw dislocation oriented parallel to the interface, with incoming and outgoing slip planes that are normal to the interface, and with Burgers vectors that are the same on each side of the interface. The last restriction is characteristic of coherent interfaces. The results show that the critical stress for transmission can be increased dramatically by decreasing the elastic shear modulus and unstable stacking fault energy of the interface. In such cases, a significant portion of the dislocation core can become stored in the interface during the transmission process, so that the critical transmission step is to extract the core from the interface. The peak stress for dislocation transmission across interfaces is contrasted for slipping and non-slipping cases.
In situ demonstration of T cell subsets in atrophic parapsoriasis

It has been demonstrated recently in mycosis fungoides and lichen planus that T lymphocyte subsets may be identified in cutaneous lymphocytic infiltrates using the immunoperoxidase technic in conjunction with monoclonal antibodies produced by the technic of Kohler and Milstein. This communication describes the application of this technic to cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates of parapsoriasis in which T cell predominance has been demonstrated previously. The lymphoid infiltrates of six patients with atrophic parapsoriasis were examined by the indirect immunoperoxidase technic using monoclonal antibodies (from two commercial sources) directed against "helper" and "suppressor" T cell subsets. Both "helper" and "suppressor" cells (as defined by a positive reaction with monoclonal antibodies) could be identified in cutaneous infiltrates. "Helper" cells predominated, but in varying degrees among patients. The relevance of these findings in relation to the possible development of clinical mycosis fungoides from atrophic parapsoriasis is discussed. In addition, factors causing difficulty in the consistent identification of cell subtypes are discussed. These factors suggest that in the present state of imperfection, difficulty will be experienced in using this technic for the accurate quantification of percentages of lymphocyte subsets in tissue sections.
Thermal Denaturation of Subtilisin-SSI Complex Analyzed by SDS-PAGE

This paper describes a preliminary observation that the SDS-PAGE method is useful for characterizing both the unfolding temperature and the final products of denaturation
Dual parallel-cavity Fabry-Perot interferometer

Laser Doppler shift velocimetry operating in the fringe mode is widely used to record the velocity history of optically reflective solid objects. When the object is rapidly accelerated, the time resolution of the Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI)/streak camera system is frequently inadequate to unambiguously record the data. That is, there is a 'dead time' during which fringes form and expand without producing a resolvable record. To remedy this, we have developed a dual, parallel cavity FPI which produces two sets of fringes at the slit of the recording streak camera. The input mirror of the FPI is a conventional flat while the output mirror is stepped so there are two mirror spacings. The input light is divided by the respective areas of the stepped mirror to form two sets of fringes; a higher quality set of fringes 'A' is used to determine the velocity history while a second set of fringes 'B' is used as a 'referee' to determine the number of fringe jumps during the 'dead time'. Since the two sets of fringes are necessarily interleaved, there is a possibility of fringe overlap, i.e., fringes of set A can spatially overlap fringes of set B. To date, two dual FPI's have been successfully constructed and characterized. The theory of operation, details of construction, and the results are described.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Concrete structure design using mixed-integer nonlinear programming with complementarity constraints

We present a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) formulation to achieve minimum-cost designs for reinforced concrete (RC) structures that satisfy building code requirements. The objective function includes material and labor costs for concrete, steel reinforcing bars, and formwork according to typical contractor methods. Restrictions enforce correct geometry of the cross-section dimensions for each element and relative sizes of cross-section dimensions of elements within the structure. Other restrictions define a stiffness and displacement correlation among all structural elements via finite element analysis. The design of minimum cost RC structures introduces a new class of optimization problems, namely, mixed-integer nonlinear programs with complementarity constraints. The complementarity constraints are used to model RC element strength and American Concrete Institute code-required safety factors. We reformulate the complementarity constraints as nonlinear equations and show that the resulting ...
Effects of phase separation on stress development in polymeric coatings

Abstract A cantilever deflection technique was used to monitor stress in situ during drying of cellulose acetate coatings. Porosity was introduced in some coatings using dry-cast phase separation. Stress and weight loss profiles for dense coatings, a coating that contained small (∼1 μm) pores, and a coating that contained small (∼1 μm) pores and macrovoids (∼200 μm) are compared. In-plane tensile stress after drying ranged from 30 MPa (dense coatings) to 5 MPa (macrovoid-containing coating). The stress profiles for dense coatings feature a period of rapidly and then slowly increasing stress due to constrained shrinkage. For a coating that formed small pores, drying and stress development are delayed, stress rises and then drops a small amount due to capillary pressure relief. The stress profiles for the small pore and macrovoid-containing coatings are similar, except for a stress plateau at early stages of drying, which may be caused by macrovoid growth.
Smart Power: Definitions, Importance, and Effectiveness

AbstractThe analyses of smart and soft power have developed little beyond what their critics would refer to as ‘soft theory’, and in both cases the theoretical development is less than ‘smart’. This article attempts to address these deficiencies in the theoretical development of smart power by: (1) articulating a more rigorous and systematic understanding of the processes of smart power; (2) explaining how changes in world politics have raised the value of smart power relative to hard power; (3) analyzing smart power in the context of recent US foreign policy, and (4) proposing several prescriptions that will encourage decision-makers to value and effectively use smart power strategies in their foreign policies.
Origin of organic matter in early solar system—III. Amino acids: Catalytic synthesis

Early solar system organic matter origin, discussing amino acid synthesis from CO, H and ammonia reaction with N, alumina or clay catalysts
Measurement of 7Be in soils and sediments by gamma spectroscopy

Abstract Measurement of cosmogenic 7 Be in soils and sediments by gamma spectroscopy has been routine for three decades. However, the analytical constraints of this method have yet to be adequately described. Natural abundance of 7 Be in bulk soils and sediments is typically low (10 6 to 10 8 atoms kg − 1 ), resulting in very low signal-to-noise ratio in the gamma spectrum. 7 Be quantification is further complicated by numerous interferences from ubiquitous 238 U- and 232 Th-series radionuclides. We investigated the environmental gamma spectrum in the region of 7 Be emission using spectra obtained from hundreds of natural stream sediment samples, one well-characterized sediment naturally-enriched in 7 Be, and pure standard materials enriched in both 238 U-series and 232 Th-series decay chains. In typical samples no fewer than three discrete photopeaks directly interfere with 7 Be measurement, one of which, the 228 Ac 478.3 keV photon, yields significant positive bias. Risks of 7 Be false-positives due to this overlapping photopeak approach 50% for typical soils or sediments. Detection limits for 7 Be in these materials using conventional high-purity germanium instruments are as low as 0.1 Bq, but increase by up to a factor of four in the presence of modest activities of 238 U- and 232 Th-series nuclides. Here we demonstrate a methodology for the measurement of low 7 Be abundances in soils and sediments that is unbiased and that optimizes precision.
Evaluation of the characteristics of venous occlusion after placement of an ameroid constrictor in dogs.

Objectives— To evaluate the mechanism of vascular occlusion after placement of an ameroid constrictor (AC) on a large intra-abdominal vein and document changes in blood flow. Study Design— Experimental study. Animals— Six adult dogs. Methods— Six 6.5 mm ACs were digitally scanned to measure area and circumference of the ameroid and inner lumen before surgery. ACs were surgically positioned around the left common iliac vein (CIV) in each dog. Peri-vascular ultrasonic flow probes were positioned on the left CIV cranial to the AC, and on the right CIV as an internal control. Blood flow measurements were recorded daily until there was no, or prolonged minimal, blood flow, at which time the dogs were euthanatized. Left and right CIVs were removed for histologic evaluation, and the ACs re-scanned to evaluate degree and direction of expansion of the ameroid. Results— Reduction in blood flow occurred within 10 days in all dogs. Three dogs had complete occlusion by day 10 from thrombus formation. One dog damaged the flow probes at 13 days when blood flow was approximately 50% of intra-operative values; the dog was euthanatized at 37 days; there was partial occlusion from thrombosis. Two dogs had persistent low blood flow and occlusion from thrombus formation when euthanatized at 59 and 98 days. There was a significant increase in total AC area and outer circumference, and decrease in luminal area and inner circumference when presurgical and postocclusion measurements were compared. Conclusions— Vascular occlusion after placement of an AC on a large intra-abdominal vein occurred from thrombus formation. Clinical Relevance— A similar pattern of venous occlusion may occur after placement of an AC on a portosystemic shunt, which may lead to both short- and long-term complications associated with portal hypertension.
Prior health care utilization as a potential determinant of enrollment in a 21-year prospective study, the Millennium Cohort Study

Results obtained from self-reported health data may be biased if those being surveyed respond differently based on health status. This study was conducted to investigate if health, as measured by health care use preceding invitation, influenced response to invitation to a 21-year prospective study, the Millennium Cohort Study. Inpatient and outpatient diagnoses were identified among more than 68,000 people during a one-year period prior to invitation to enroll. Multivariable logistic regression defined how diagnoses were associated with response. Days spent hospitalized or in outpatient care were also compared between responders and nonresponders. Adjusted odds of response to the questionnaire were similar over a diverse range of inpatient and outpatient diagnostic categories during the year prior to enrollment. The number of days hospitalized or accessing outpatient care was very similar between responders and nonresponders. Study findings demonstrate that, although there are some small differences between responders and nonresponders, prior health care use did not affect response to the Millennium Cohort Study, and it is unlikely that future study findings will be biased by differential response due to health status prior to enrollment invitation.
Social Security Income and Informal Home Care: Evidence from the Social Security Notch

This paper exploits Social Security law changes to identify the effect of Social Security income on the use of formal and informal home care by the elderly. Results from an instrumental variables estimation strategy show that as retirement income increases, elderly individuals increase their use of formal home care and become less likely to rely on informal home care provided to them by their children. This negative effect on informal home care is most likely driven by male children withdrawing from their caregiving roles. The empirical results also suggest that higher Social Security benefits would encourage the use of formal home care by those who would not have otherwise used any type of home care and would also encourage the use of both types of home care services among elderly individuals.
Regulation and the Sociopathic Firm

This paper draws on observations in abnormal psychology and evolutionary economics to develop a conceptual framework of the sociopathic organization. This framework explains certain failures in the socialization of modem firms. It is suggested that the framework be applied in exploring whether such failures are related to government regulation. Preliminary observations indicate that rather than providing for social learning, government intervention may in fact exacerbate sociopathic behavior by organizations.
Regional cerebral glucose metabolism in late-life depression and Alzheimer disease: a preliminary positron emission tomography study.

Abstract Eight subjects with late-life depression, eight subjects with probable Alzheimer disease, and eight healthy age-matched controls were studied using 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography in the resting state with their eyes open and ears unoccluded. The depressed subjects showed widespread reductions in the regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose in most major neocortical, subcortical, and paralimbic regions that were significantly different from control values (P < 0.01). The metabolic decrements in the depressed group were comparable in magnitude to those seen in the Alzheimer disease group. These data demonstrate widespread nonfocal decline in glucose metabolism in late-life depression that is comparable to the hypometabolism seen in Alzheimer disease. These findings have pathophysiological implications in major depressive disorder in the elderly.
Effects of spinning conditions on morphology and properties of polyethylene terephthalate fibers spun at high speeds

Fiber spinning of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was studied at take-up speeds ranging from 2000 m/min to 7000 m/min under various spinning conditions. Effects of changes in process variables on the molecular orientation, crystallinity, and properties of as-spun PET fibers are reported. Conventional cross-flow quench in high-speed spinning yields fibers with undesirable crimp and asymmetric structure with respect to the fiber axis. Radial-flow quench eliminates these problems. Changes in other spinning conditions, such as extrusion temperature, throughput or take-up denier, and molecular weight, may also affect the development of PET fiber structure in the high-speed threadline.
A novel scheme for the solution of the time-domain integral equations of electromagnetics

A new method to numerically solve time-domain integral equations pertinent to electromagnetic surface scattering phenomena is presented. The method uses approximate prolate spheroidal wave functions and standard Rao-Wilton-Glisson basis functions to effect the temporal and spatial discretization of the integral equations, respectively. Because the temporal basis functions are noncausal, an extrapolation scheme is used to construct a system of equations that can be solved by marching on in time. Numerical results show that the proposed method is stable and that its solutions converge exponentially fast with the time-bandwidth product of the approximate prolate spheroidal wave functions to results from a frequency-domain method of moments solver that uses spatial basis functions and integration rules identical to those in the time-domain solver.
Social Constructivist Teaching Strategies in the Small Group Classroom

The purpose of this article is to describe a series of techniques for teaching students about groups. Vygotsky’s social constructivism is used as a theoretical framework to understand the ways that students acquire knowledge about groups. After a brief discussion of this framework, we turn to a discussion of five specific pedagogical techniques for teaching small group and teamwork principles. These techniques include (a) carefully assigning group membership, (b) using a grading structure that incorporates individual, group, and peer evaluation assessment, (c) testing students individually and in groups, (d) asking students to write two papers that require an analysis and synthesis of both readings and observations, and (e) requiring a comprehensive service learning project from students that requires their collaboration for successful completion. The last portion of the article describes the challenges of using each of these techniques and the typical results of their application.
Slow Prenatal Growth and Accelerated Postnatal Growth: Critical Influences on Adult Blood Pressure

It is well established that birth weight has a significant and inverse relationship with systolic blood pressure.1 Rapid weight gain in early infancy after slow fetal growth promotes higher blood pressure and increased cardiovascular risk in later life.2,3 Accelerated weight gain during childhood also enhances the risk of elevated blood pressure associated with low birth weight.4 However, the exact contribution of weight gain during “distinct” periods of early life on later blood pressure and whether accelerated postnatal growth independent of birth weight is critical to a later increase in blood pressure remain unclear. In the current issue of Hypertension , Ben-Shlomo et al5 used multiple measures of growth from birth to 5 years with an approach that modeled changes in growth velocity rather than anthropometry in relation to adult blood pressure. Use of this approach to model growth trajectories allowed them to investigate the inherent complexities of discrete periods of early growth on later blood pressure. In this study they demonstrated that rapid increases in postnatal weight in the first 6 months of life were critical to elevated adult systolic and diastolic blood pressure. …
Identification of ractopamine hydrochloride metabolites excreted in rat bile

1. Rats dosed orally with 2.85 +/- 0.30 mg [14C]ractopamine HC1 [(1R*, 3R*), (1R*, 3S*)-4-hydroxy-alpha-[[[3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)- 1-methylpropyl]-amino]-methyl]([U-14C]benzenemethanol)hydrochloride] containing 1.44 +/- 0.15 microCi radioactivity excreted 58 +/- 7% of the administered radioactivity in the bile within 24 h. Absorption and excretion of radioactivity was rapid as 55% of the administered radiocarbon was excreted into the bile during the first 8-h collection period. 2. Radioactivity excreted in rat bile was partitioned by XAD-2 column chromatography and reverse-phase hplc into at least seven different crude metabolite fractions; metabolites representing approximately 76% of the biliary radioactivity were isolated and identified from four of the crude metabolite fractions. 3. Approximately 46% of the biliary radioactivity was identified as a sulphate-ester, glucuronic acid diconjugate of ractopamine. Identification was based on 1H-nmr and negative-ion FAB-ms spectroscopy. Enzymatic and chemical hydrolysis of the sulphate-ester followed by co-chromatography of the hydrolysis products with synthetic ractopamine mono-glucuronides, established the site of sulphation at the C-10' phenol (phenol attached to carbinol) and glucuronidation at the C-10 phenol (phenol attached to methylpropyl amine) of ractopamine. 4. A metabolite representing approximately 6% of the biliary radioactivity was identified as a ractopamine mono-sulphate conjugate by using mass spectral and 1H-nmr techniques. Sulphate was conjugated at the C-10' phenol of ractopamine and was not stereospecific. 5. Approximately 25% of the biliary radioactivity was identified as ractopamine mono-glucuronides. The major site of glucuronidation was at the C-10 phenol, but ractopamine glucuronidated at the C'-10 phenol was also present.
The application of adjoint sensitivity theory to a liquid fuels supply model

Abstract Adjoint sensitivity theory has been applied to a liquid fuels supply model to determine the sensitivity of calculated results to the parameters in the model. The power of the adjoint sensitivity methodology is that it provides, in principle, an efficient means of calculating the sensitivity, d R d x , of any calculated result R to every parameter x in the model. The liquid fuel supply model considered is one of a class of models that may be constructed from the Generalized Equilibrium Modeling System (GEMS) developed at Decision Focus, Inc., Los Altos, California. It is shown that for this class of models the lengthy development effort that is usually associated with applying the adjoint sensitivity methodology can be avoided by using the GEMS program to evaluate the large number of partial derivatives that are needed to apply the methodology.
Adjusting scoring matrices to correct overextended alignments.

Motivation: Sequence similarity searches performed with BLAST, SSEARCH and FASTA achieve high sensitivity by using scoring matrices (e.g. BLOSUM62) that target low identity (533%) alignments. Although such scoring matrices can effectively identify distant homologs, they can also produce local alignments that extend beyond the homologous regions. Results: We measured local alignment start/stop boundary accuracy using a set of queries where the correct alignment boundaries were known, and found that 7% of BLASTP and 8% of SSEARCH alignment boundaries were overextended. Overextended alignments include non-homologous sequences; they occur most frequently between sequences that are more closely related (433% identity). Adjusting the scoring matrix to reflect the identity of the homologous sequence can correct higher identity overextended alignment boundaries. In addition, the scoring matrix that produced a correct alignment could be reliably predicted based on the sequence identity seen in the original BLOSUM62 alignment. Realigning with the predicted scoring matrix corrected 37% of all overextended alignments, resulting in more correct alignments than using BLOSUM62 alone. Availability: RefProtDom2 (RPD2) sequences and the FASTA software
Absorption of Hydrogen Bond Donors by Pyridyl Bis-Urea Crystals

A one-dimensional crystalline solid built from pillars of self-assembled bis-urea pyridyl macrocycles affords a close packed structure with no pores. These organic pillars contain unsatisfied urea oxygen lone pairs that can be used to drive the absorption of alcohols including trifluoroethanol, phenol, pentafluorophenol, and ethylene glycol to give well-ordered host:guest complexes with repeatable stoichiometry. The driving force for reversible solid transitions appears to be the formation of hydrogen bonds between the guest and an unsatisfied hydrogen bond acceptor, which is a lone pair of the urea oxygen. Halogen bonding with the electrophilic iodide in pentafluoroiodobenzene can also drive absorption by the host to give a well-ordered host:guest complex. These results suggest that the organic solid-state is surprisingly dynamic and may have potential applications for sorbents.
Application of FDA Adverse Event Report Data to the Surveillance of Dietary Botanical Supplements

Background:Concerns have been raised about the sufficiency of dietary botanical supplement (DBS) surveillance in the US. The Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Adverse Event Reporting System (CAERS) represents one of the few existing surveillance mechanisms, but it has not been well characterized with respect to DBS adverse effects.Objective:To characterize data on DBSs associated with adverse event reports submitted to CAERS.Methods:We requested and obtained CAERS data from 1999 to 2003 involving adverse effects associated with the 6 most frequently used DBSs: Echinacea, ginseng, garlic, Ginkgo biloba, St. John's wort, and peppermint. We summarized and characterized the adverse event reports received, focusing on the composition of the DBSs and the nature of associated adverse events. We also cross-referenced reported single-ingredient DBSs with corresponding available product information. A sample of CAERS cases associated with signal DBSs was also characterize...
The ‘missed’ tight tendon achilles?

Summary We describe the case of a 15-year-old boy with an unusual foot deformity with his hindfoot held off the ground in equinus. A midfoot break has led to weight bearing occurring across the tarsus and at the heads of the first and fifth metatarsals. We discuss the possible aetiology.
Fabrication and test of the first normal-conducting crossbar H-type accelerating cavity at Fermilab for HINS

The proposed high intensity neutrino source (HINS) at Fermilab is based on an 8 GeV linear proton accelerator that consists of a normal-conducting (warm) and a superconducting section. The warm section is composed of an ion source, a radio frequency quadrupole, a medium energy beam transport (MEBT) and 16 warm Crossbar H-type (CH) cavities that accelerate the beam from 2.5 MeV to 10 MeV (from beta=0.0744 to beta=0.1422). These warm cavities are separated by superconducting solenoids enclosed in individual cryostats. Beyond 10 MeV, the design uses superconducting spoke resonators to accelerate the beam up to 8 GeV. In this paper, we illustrate the completion of the first warm CH cavity (beta=0.0744) explaining in detail the mechanical engineering aspects related to the machining and brazing processes. The radio-frequency (RF) measurements and tuning performed at Fermilab on the resonator and comparisons with simulations are also discussed.