cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The protective effects of tumor necrosis factor α receptor 1 deletion on hindlimb ischemia

Objective Signals in the tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) pathway, including TNFα and tumor necrosis factor α receptor 1 (TNFR1), are upregulated after acute hindlimb ischemia. It is unclear, however, whether this upregulation is a pathophysiological consequence or a compensatory response. In the present study,the effect of TNFR1 deletion in a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia was investigated. Methods Hindlimb ischemia was produced through ligation of the proximal and distal left femoral artery and its branches in TNFR1 knockout (TNFR1 -/-) and wild type (WT) mice. Laser Doppler blood flow measurement showed that limb perfusion was significantly higher in TNFR1 -/- mice than that in the WT mice at 1 day after operation. Results The calculated ischemic scores were (3.67±0.52) in WT group and (1.83±0.41) in TNFR1 -/- group (P0.05). The rate of amputation was 50% in WT mice versus 0% in TNFR1 -/- mice. There were less TUNEL positive cells in the calf muscle of TNFR1 -/- mice than that of WT mice. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation was more obvious in WT mice. Western blot showed less expression of Bax and cleaved caspase 3 in TNFR1 -/- mice 1 day after ischemia, suggesting a reduced apoptotic process in the absence of TNFR1. Conclusion In mice with hindlimb ischemia, knockout of TNFR1 prevents the activation of death-related proteins down streaming to TNF α and attenuated cell death including apoptosis. Systemic block of the TNFR1 might be a new interventional methods to preserve the limbs from acute ischemic attack in patients with peripheral arterial obstructive disease.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Outcomes After Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Bypass.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to assess whether vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) increases the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), esophagitis and Barrett esophagus (BE) relative to patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in patients with and without preoperative GERD. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Concerns for potentiation of GERD, supported by multiple high-quality retrospective studies, have hindered greater adoption of the VSG. METHODS From the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, VSG and RYGB patients with ≥2 years enrollment were identified and matched by follow-up time. GERD [reflux esophagitis, prescription for acid reducing medication (Rx) and/or diagnosis of BE], upper endoscopy (UE), and re-admissions were evaluated beyond 90 days. RESULTS A total of 8362 patients undergoing VSG were matched 1:1 to patients undergoing RYGB, on the basis of post-operative follow-up interval. Age, sex, and follow-up time were similar between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). Among all patients, postoperative GERD was more frequently observed in VSG patients relative to RYGB patients (60.2% vs 55.6%, respectively; P < 0.001), whereas BE was more prevalent in RYGB patients (0.7% vs 1.1%; P = 0.007). Postoperatively, de novo esophageal reflux symptomatology was more common in VSG patients (39.3% vs 35.3%; P < 0.001), although there was no difference in development of the histologic diagnoses reflux esophagitis and BE. Furthermore, postoperative re-admission was higher in the RYGB cohort (38.9% vs 28.9%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Compared to RYGB, VSG may not have inferior long-term GERD outcomes, while also leading to fewer re-hospitalizations. These data challenge the prevailing opinion that patients with GERD should undergo RYGB instead of VSG.
Effects of poor maternal nutrition during gestation on ewe and offspring plasma concentrations of leptin and ghrelin

Abstract Poor maternal nutrition during gestation can negatively affect offspring growth, development, and health. Leptin and ghrelin, key hormones in energy homeostasis and appetite control, may mediate these changes. We hypothesized that restricted- and over-feeding during gestation would alter plasma concentrations of leptin and ghrelin in ewes and offspring. Pregnant ewes (n = 37) were fed 1 of 3 diets starting on d 30 ± 0.02 of gestation until necropsy at d 135 of gestation or parturition: restricted- [RES; 60% National Research Council (NRC) requirements for total digestible nutrients, n = 13], control- (CON; 100% NRC, n = 11), or over-fed (OVER; 140% NRC, n = 13). Blood samples were collected from pregnant ewes at days 20, 30, 44, 72, 100, 128, and 142 of gestation. Offspring blood samples were collected within 24 h after birth (n = 21 CON, 25 RES, 23 OVER). Plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations were determined by RIA. Ewe data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure in SAS with ewe as the repeated subject. Offspring data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure. Correlations between BW and leptin and ghrelin concentrations were identified using PROC CORR. At d 100, RES (5.39 ± 2.58 ng/mL) had decreased leptin concentrations compared with OVER (14.97 ± 2.48 ng/mL; P = 0.008) and at d 128, RES (6.39 ± 2.50 ng/mL) also had decreased leptin concentrations compared with OVER (13.61 ± 2.47 ng/mL; P = 0.04). At d 142, RES (0.26 ± 0.04 ng/mL) had increased ghrelin concentrations compared with CON (0.15 ± 0.04 ng/mL; P = 0.04). Leptin and ghrelin concentrations were also altered between days of gestation within a dietary treatment. In CON ewes, plasma concentrations of leptin were increased at d 30 (19.28 ± 7.43 ng/mL) compared with d 44 (5.20 ± 3.10 ng/mL; P = 0.03), and the plasma concentrations of ghrelin at d 128 (0.20 ± 0.03 ng/mL) were increased compared with d 30 (0.16 ± 0.03 ng/mL; P = 0.01) and d 100 (0.17 ± 0.03 ng/mL; P = 0.04). Maternal diet did not alter plasma ghrelin or leptin concentrations in the offspring (P > 0.50). There were no strong, significant correlations between ewe BW and leptin (r 0.06) or ghrelin (r > -0.47; P > 0.001) concentrations or lamb BW and leptin or ghrelin concentrations (r > -0.32, P > 0.06). Maternal alterations in circulating leptin and ghrelin may program changes in energy balance that could result in increased adiposity in adult offspring. Alterations in energy homeostasis may be a mechanism behind the long-lasting changes in growth, body composition, development, and metabolism in the offspring of poorly nourished ewes.
Investigating Increased CO2 concentration on the pH of various plant species

The concept of bioremediation is quickly becoming the norm in the resolution of environmental issues. The steady increase in carbon dioxide levels, as documented by NASA, inspired scientists to engineer plants to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Here, we have explored the consequences of the uptake of excess carbon dioxide by select plants. Carbon dioxide dissolves in water to produce carbonic acid, which dissociates to yield H+ ions. We hypothesized that increased carbon dioxide absorption results in decrease in pH of plant sap. Three plants (Byophyllum pinnatum, Romaine Lettuce and Nevada Lettuce), exposed to increased carbon dioxide concentrations (15%), demonstrated a consistent increase in pH towards alkalinity compared to control plants. Based on the outcome being opposite of what we have hypothesized, our results suggest Byophyllum pinnatum, Romaine lettuce and Nevada lettuce, all have a unique homeostatic system to prevent over-absorption of carbon dioxide in a carbon dioxide-rich environment.
Comparison of Capsaicin and Capsiate’s Effects at a Meal

Capsaicin, the major pungent component of hot peppers, promotes negative energy balance; however, many individuals avoid capsaicin-containing foods due to pungency. Capsiate, a capsaicin analog found in CH-19 sweet peppers, is a non-pungent alternative that promotes negative energy balance when consumed as an encapsulated supplement. No studies have investigated capsiate’s effects on energy balance when consumed orally with a meal. This randomized cross-over trial’s purpose was to compare effects of capsaicin and capsiate consumed orally at a meal. Participants were 24 healthy, lean individuals. Following capsaicin (2 mg), capsiate (2 mg), or control (no pepper) meals, appetitive sensations were recorded at 30-min intervals for 4.5 h, and blood pressure was taken every 15 min for 1 h. Energy intake was recorded at an ad libitum challenge meal (4.5 h after test meals) and self-reported for the remainder of the day. All meals were neutral to liked (≥3.2 on a 5-point category scale). The flavor of the control was better liked than the capsaicin-containing meal (p = 0.022). Purchase intent for similarly flavored restaurant meals was neutral to likely (≥2.9 on a 5-point category scale), with participants tending to prefer the capsiate or control meals (p = 0.066). Appetite, blood pressure, and energy intake did not vary between meals. This suggests that meals with low capsaicin and capsiate doses are acceptable and unlikely to cause unfavorable effects. Lack of metabolic changes could be related to dose, insufficient power to stratify by habitual spicy food intake, or that capsaicin and capsiate are not effective stimuli.
Rule-based noise detection for software measurement data

The quality of training data is an important issue for classification problems, such as classifying program modules into the fault-prone and not fault-prone groups. The removal of noisy instances will improve data quality, and consequently, performance of the classification model. We present an attractive rule-based noise detection approach, which detects noisy instances based on Boolean rules generated from the measurement data. The proposed approach is evaluated by injecting artificial noise into a clean or noise-free software measurement dataset. The clean dataset is extracted from software measurement data of a NASA software project developed for realtime predictions. The simulated noise is injected into the attributes of the dataset at different noise levels. The number of attributes subjected to noise is also varied for the given dataset. We compare our approach to a classification filter, which considers and eliminates misclassified instances as noisy data. It is shown that for the different noise levels, the proposed approach has better efficiency in detecting noisy instances than the C4.5-based classification filter. In addition, the noise detection performance of our approach increases very rapidly with an increase in the number of attributes corrupted.
Periodontal disease, chronic kidney disease and mortality: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Periodontal disease is associated with increased mortality in the general population, however its prognostic significance in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not known. We evaluated the joint effect of periodontal disease and CKD on all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Prospective observational study of 10,755 adult participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994 (NHANES III). CKD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate 4 mm attachment loss in ≥ 2 mesial sites or 5 mm pocket depth in ≥ 2 mesial sites), or severe (> 6 mm attachment loss in ≥ 2 mesial sites and > 5 mm pocket depth in ≥ 1 mesial site). All-cause and cardiovascular mortality were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models. There were 1,813 deaths over a median follow-up of 14 years. In multivariate analyses, as compared to participants with neither periodontal disease nor CKD, those with periodontal disease only or CKD only had increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.39; 95 % CI, 1.06 - 1.81 and 1.55; 1.30 - 1.84, respectively). The presence of both periodontal disease and CKD was associated with HR (95 % CI) 2.07 (1.65 - 2.59) for all-cause mortality, and 2.11 (1.52 - 2.94) for cardiovascular mortality. We found no evidence of multiplicativity or additivity between periodontal disease and CKD. In stratified analyses limited to individuals with CKD, periodontal disease (vs. not) was associated with adjusted HR (95 % CI) 1.35 (1.04 - 1.76) for all-cause, and 1.36 (0.95 - 1.95) for cardiovascular mortality. These findings confirm the well-established association between periodontal disease and increased mortality in the general population, and provide new evidence of this association among individuals with CKD.
Questioning the Fundamental Right to Marry

The Supreme Court has adopted the doctrine of a constitutional “fundamental right to marry,” and has construed this doctrine to mean a fundamental right to state-recognized legalmarriage. However, the doctrine has several problems: (a) the Court never satisfactorily explains why marriage is a fundamental right; (b) the Court never defines the boundaries of marriage as a fundamental right; and (c) the Court has occasionally treated marriage as if it were not a fundamental right. Further, the idea of a “fundamental right to marry” contains a debilitating internal contradiction: the notion of a fundamental right implies firm privileges which the state cannot deny, define, or disrespect, but marriage boundaries (the legal rules establishing who is eligible to marry whom, what formalities are required for marriage, and the legal ramifications of marriage) in the United States have always been subject to almost plenary state control which denies some marriages and refuses to give legal effect to others. What can a “right to marry” protecting individuals against the state possibly mean when the state itself determines what this thing called “marriage” is? Two observations about marriage suggest the answer to this question. First, the word “marriage” carries several different meanings which are related to each other but conceptually distinct. The “fundamental right to marry” conundrum arises in part from the conflation of these various meanings. Second, the history of western marriage regulation—particularly the contemporary rejection of the traditional beliefs about sexuality and marriage that once provided principled boundaries for a right to marry—explains why the various meanings of marriage often are conflated today, and it suggests how the law can escape the “fundamental right to marry” conundrum. The Supreme Court should reinterpret the fundamental right to marry as referring to the practice of personal-marriage behaviors (cohabitation, economic partnership, joint decisionmaking, etc.) rather than state-recognized legal-marriage. This would preserve the entrenched idea of a fundamental right to marry while cohering with the negative liberty nature of the Court’s other recognized fundamental rights and accommodating the reality that the Constitution does not (currently) textually define or even mention marriage in any way.
Entanglement patterns in mutually unbiased basis sets

A few simply stated rules govern the entanglement patterns that can occur in mutually unbiased basis sets (MUBs) and constrain the combinations of such patterns that can coexist in full complements of MUBs. We consider Hilbert spaces of prime power dimensions ($D={p}^{N}$), as realized by systems of $N$ prime-state particles, where full complements of $D+1$ MUBs are known to exist, and we assume only that MUBs are eigenbases of generalized Pauli operators, without using any particular construction. The general rules include the following: (1) In any MUB, a given particle appears either in a pure state or totally entangled and (2) in any full MUB complement, each particle is pure in ($p+1$) bases (not necessarily the same ones) and totally entangled in the remaining (${p}^{N}\ensuremath{-}p$). It follows that the maximum number of product bases is $p+1$ and, when this number is realized, all remaining (${p}^{N}\ensuremath{-}p$) bases in the complement are characterized by the total entanglement of every particle. This ``standard distribution'' is inescapable for two-particle systems (of any $p$), where only product and generalized Bell bases are admissible MUB types. This and the following results generalize previous results for qubits [Phys. Rev. A 65. 032320 (2002); Phys. Rev. A 72, 062310 (2005)] and qutrits [Phys. Rev. A 70, 012302 (2004)], drawing particularly upon [Phys. Rev. A 72, 062310 (2005)]. With three particles there are three MUB types, and these may be combined in ($p+2$) different ways to form full complements. With $N=4$, there are 6 MUB types for $p=2$, but new MUB types become possible with larger $p$, and these are essential to realizing full complements. With this example, we argue that new MUB types that show new entanglement patterns should enter with every step in $N$ and, also, when $N$ is a prime plus 1, at a critical $p$ value, $p=N\ensuremath{-}1$. Such MUBs should play critical roles in filling complements.
Importing Concepts from Biology into Political Science: The Case of Punctuated Equilibrium

From the 1950s to the 1990s, the “incrementalist” model dominated theories of policymaking. Since Baumgartner and Jones's Agendas and Instability in American Politics was published in 1993, however, the “punctuated equilibrium” model, borrowed from evolutionary biology, has supplanted the incrementalist model. But what do such alien models do to the discipline of political science, and what does the discipline do to the models, when they are thus imported? In this article, I first discuss the functions of concepts in political science, then discuss and analyze the creation and meaning of the concept of punctuated equilibrium in biology, then trace its transformation as it was initially adopted by political scientists, then analyze the manner in which its meaning developed and altered as it grew in popularity within the discipline, and finally assess its value to political science now. I will conclude with some general observations about the process of importing concepts from outside the discipline.
Iniciativas en Estados Unidos para investigar el tratamiento del abuso de drogas y la Justicia Penal

En Estados Unidos la investigacion ha demostrado de forma consistente que el consumo de drogas y la actividad delictiva estan muy relacionados, como queda patente en el creciente numero de consumidores de sustancias recluidos en prisiones y carceles estadounidenses en las dos ultimas decadas. El numero de consumidores de sustancias encarcelados ha generado progresivos esfuerzos por desarrollar, poner en practica y comprobar intervenciones tanto en programas institucionales como en programas comunitarios de reinsercion. En el ano 2002 estos esfuerzos cristalizaron en el desarrollo de las subvenciones del acuerdo cooperativo para Estudios sobre el Tratamiento del Consumo de Drogas y la Justicia Penal (CJDATS), otorgadas por el Instituto Nacional contra el Consumo de Drogas (NIDA). CJDATS ha ejecutado doce protocolos de investigacion disenados para identificar los diferentes niveles del progreso de un delincuente desde la institucion a la comunidad, incluyendo la valoracion de practicas habituales, la promocion de una reinsercion estructurada, el desarrollo de instrumentos de proyeccion y referencia y el diseno de nuevos modelos de tratamiento. Asimismo, CJDATS tiene un interes especial en poblaciones de delincuentes (como las mujeres) y tratamientos especificos (como el VIH). El exito del CJDATS depende en gran parte de la colaboracion a nivel local, estatal y nacional con las administraciones y las instituciones de tratamiento tanto en los establecimientos correccionales como en la comunidad.
Tactile Stimulation of the Human Head for Information Display

A series of three studies was conducted to explore the use of tactile stimulation or light tapping of the human head to inform a pilot of possible threats or other situations in the flight environment. Study 1 confirmed that subjects could achieve 100 percent detection of the tactile stimuli. Localization performance, measured in Study 2, depended on the number of different stimulus sites and ranged from 93 percent accuracy for 6 sites to 47 percent accuracy for 12 sites across the parietal meridian of the head. In Study 3, the authors investigated the effect of performing the localization task simultaneously with a dual memory/tracking task or an air combat simulation task. The studies demonstrated that tactile information display could be an integral contributor to improved situation awareness, but not without cost to other task performance. The results of Study 3 were also examined with reference to popular models of attention and workload.
A center-of-inertia transform applied to transient responses of nonlinear power systems

The authors describe a rotational transform that has been developed to reduce a large electrical power system into an equivalent system of reduced size. Any arbitrary group of nodes can be eliminated from a circuit, with each group being replaced by a single equivalent node. The significance of the transform is found in the usefulness of the equivalent nodes. The choice of the voltage phasor at each equivalent is an arbitrary one, and this choice is judiciously made to preserve nonlinear properties of the reduced regions of the circuit. The equivalent node is chosen to represent the center of inertia (COI) of the reduced region. The generators in the region are also reduced into a COI equivalent generator. The COI equivalent node and the COI equivalent generator replace each region's nodes and generators during simulation of large transient disturbances. The application of the transform to a 17-generator power system is described. >
Determining end-of-life strategies as a part of product definition

This paper presents an approach for determining feasible end-of-life strategies from significant product characteristics. Previous surveys of a broad range of products led to a classification scheme that helps designers incorporate suitable end-of-life strategies in their product definition. The development of the end-of-life categorization results from statistical analysis applied to twelve characteristics across twenty products from the electronics and appliances industries. Further, the paper describes in detail the development of a Web-based application, End-of-Life Design Advisor (ELDA). ELDA guides designers, recycling technology developers and policy makers to specify end-of-life strategies and improve decisions related to end-of-life strategies.
Health Effects of Ozone Depletion

The problem of ozone depletion has recently become a topic of major concern. What was once a vague, theoretical hypothesis that artificial chlorofluorocarbon compounds could accumulate in the stratosphere and break down ozone molecules is an imminent reality. A decrease in the concentration of stratospheric ozone would increase the amount of ultraviolet radiation in ambient sunlight. In addition to altering plant and aquatic life in unpredictable ways, increiased ultraviolet radiation will adversely affect human health. The incidence of various types of skin cancers will increase, as will the rate of deaths from skin cancer. In addition, there will be an increase in the occurrence of certain types of ocular cataracts. The most recently described effect of ultraviolet radiation on a biologic system is its ability to alter the immune system in experimental animals and humans. Although much is known about the immunologic effects of ultraviolet radiation, particularly in animal models, little information is a...
Site-specific cleavage of duplex DNA by a semisynthetic nuclease via triple-helix formation.

Abstract A Lys-84----Cys mutant staphylococcal nuclease was selectively linked to the 5' and/or 3' terminus of a thiol-containing polypyrimidine oligonucleotide via a disulfide bond. The oligonucleotide-staphylococcal nuclease adduct is capable of binding to a homopurine-homopyrimidine region of Watson-Crick duplex DNA by the formation of a triple-helical structure. Upon the addition of Ca2+, the nuclease cleaves DNA at sites adjacent to the homopurine tract. Specific double-strand cleavage occurred predominantly at A + T-rich sites to the 5' side of the homopurine tract for both the 5'-derivatized and the 5',3'-diderivatized nucleases; the 3'-derivatized nuclease gave no cleavage. The cleavage pattern is asymmetric and consists of multiple cleavage sites shifted to the 5' side on each strand, centered at the terminal base pair of the binding site. Microgram amounts of plasmid pDP20 DNA (4433 base pairs) containing a homopurine-homopyrimidine tract were selectively cleaved by a semisynthetic nuclease with greater than 75% efficiency at room temperature within 1 hr. Cleavage reaction conditions were optimized with respect to pH, temperature, reaction times, and reaction components. Semisynthetic nucleases of this type should provide a powerful tool in chromosomal DNA manipulations.
Deficiency of central dopamine in multiple obesity models.

The contribution of mesolimbic dopamine to the development of dietary obesity is not yet well understood. Because this system responds to feeding, dietary and/or genetic obesity could be linked to central dopamine deficiencies. In this study, we use inbred obesity-prone and obesity-resistant Sprague-Dawley adult female rats (Charles River Laboratories) to show that obesity-prone animals have lower basal extracellular dopamine levels in the nucleus accumbens shell in vivo (0.029±0.002 vs. 0.040±0.001 pg/sample, p p p p
Renormalization-Group Treatment of the Random Resistor Network in 6−ε Dimensions

We consider a hypercubic lattice in which neighboring points are connected by resistances which assume independently the random values σ > -1 and σ -1 with respective probabilities p and 1-p. For σ =0 the lattice is viewed as consisting of irreducible nodes connected by chains of path length L. This geometrical length is distinct from the characteristic length L r which sets a scale of resistance in the random network or L m which sets a scale of effective exchange in a dilute magnet. Near the percolation concentration p c one sets L~|p-p c | -ζ , L r ~|p-p c |- ζr and L m ~|p-p c | -ζm . Stephen and Grest (SG) have already shown that ζ m =1+o(e 2 ) for spatial dimensionality d=6-e. Here we show in a way similar to SG that ζ r =1+o(e 2 ). Thus it is possible that ζ m =ζ r =1 for a continuous range of d below 6. However, increasing evidence suggests that this equality does not hold for d m does not seem possible.
Pretranstional phenomena in phospholipid/water multilayers

We have measured the water order in monodomain phospholipid samples using 2H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and analyzed the splittings in terms of critical exponents. Our data and the model developed to interpret them in terms of fluctuations provide an explanation of the puzzling sharp reduction of water order near the chain-ordering phase transition. The temperature range of the fluctuations is approximately the same as that observed for increased 22Na+ efflux from phospholipid vesicles.
Role of Extracellular Adenosine Triphosphate in Human Skin

The nucleotide adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has long been known to drive and participate in countless intracellular processes. Extracellular ATP and its metabolite adenosine have also been shown to exert a variety of effects on nearly every cell type in human skin. Knowledge of the sources and effects of extracellular ATP in human skin may help shape new therapies for skin injury, inflammation, and numerous other cutaneous disorders. The objective of this review is to introduce the reader to current knowledge regarding the sources and effects of extracellular ATP in human skin and to outline areas in which further research is necessary to clarify the nature and mechanism of these effects. Extracellular ATP seems to play a direct role in triggering skin inflammatory, regenerative, and fibrotic responses to mechanical injury, an indirect role in melanocyte proliferation and apoptosis, and a complex role in Langerhans cell-directed adaptive immunity.
Comparative studies on the absorption of 3H-thalidomide in rabbits and rats

An extensive review of the literature revealed that orally administered thalidomide produces a variable teratogenic response in rabbits at equal doses; while rats are uniformly resistant to the teratogenic effects of thalidomide. In an effort to explain these individual and species differences a study was made comparing the oral absorption of 3H-thalidomide suspension in these species under identical conditions at teratogenic dosage levels (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg). New Zealand white female virgin rabbits and Sprague-Dawley female virgin rats were employed. Unlike rats, rabbits were quite variable in absorbing thalidomide suspensions, and this was presumably related to the delayed gastric emptying time in some animals. However, the mean plasma concentrations were similar in both species during multiple daily administration of thalidomide suspensions. When thalidomide was administered to rabbits in hard gelatin capsules it was poorly absorbed because of slow dissolution of the powdered drug in gastrointestinal fluids. Regardless of the dosage form administered, only negligible absorption occurred from the rabbit stomach. The small intestine was shown to be the site of absorption in rabbits. These results suggest that the absorption of orally administered thalidomide suspension is so similar in rabbits and rats that it could not be responsible for the species difference in its teratogenic potency. However, the availability of thalidomide from encapsulated powder is so poor in rabbits that the positive teratogenic results recorded in the literature with this dosage form are questionable.
Qubits as spectrometers of dephasing noise

We present a procedure for direct characterization of the dephasing noise acting on a single qubit by making repeated measurements of the qubit coherence under suitably chosen sequences of controls. We show that this allows a numerical reconstruction of the short-time noise correlation function and that it can be combined with a series of measurements under free evolution to allow a characterization of the noise correlation function over many orders of magnitude range in time scale. We also make an analysis of the robustness and reliability of the estimated correlation functions. Application to a simple model of two uncorrelated noise fluctuators using decoupling pulse sequences shows that the approach provides a useful route for the experimental characterization of dephasing noise and its statistical properties in a variety of condensed phase and atomic systems.
RELATIVE FORAGING VALUE TO LESSER SCAUP DUCKS OF NATIVE AND EXOTIC CLAMS FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY

Invasions of exotic invertebrates have greatly altered many aquatic communities, but impacts on the foraging energetics of predators seldom have been assessed. In San Francisco Bay, California (USA), a major community change occurred with introduction of the Asian clam (Potamocorbula amurensis) in 1986. This species now greatly outnumbers the previous clam prey of a variety of sharks, rays, sturgeon, flatfish, and crabs, as well as several diving duck species for which the bay is the most important wintering area on the U.S. Pacific Coast. P. amurensis also accumulates much higher levels of some contaminants than the formerly dominant prey. Because alteration of the food base or contaminated foods on wintering areas may be factors in the population decline of scaup ducks, effects of this exotic invasion are important to assess. For Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), we studied effects of differences in nutrient content, digestibility, crushing resistance of shells, areal density, size, and depth in the sediments on the relative foraging value of exotic P. amurensis vs. the formerly dominant native clam Macoma balthica. P. amurensis, including shells, had higher nitrogen and energy content per clam of the same length class, and higher digestibility of energy, than M. balthica. Gut retention time did not differ between clam species, so their relative profitability for scaup was determined mainly by the intake rate of digestible nutrients during short, costly dives. For scaup foraging in an aquarium 1.8 m deep, intake rates (number of prey per second) of food items buried in sand-filled trays increased with increasing prey density up to at least 4000 prey/m2. For items buried 3 cm deep, intake rates did not differ for prey <6 mm long vs. prey 6–12 mm long; however, intake rates were much lower when prey were deeper in the sediments (6 cm vs. 3 cm). In the field, a much higher percentage of P. amurensis were in the length range most commonly eaten by Lesser Scaup (<12 mm), and unlike M. balthica, almost all P. amurensis were in the top 5 cm of sediments where scaup intake rates are highest. In tensometer measurements, shells of P. amurensis were much harder to crush than shells of M. balthica, which might partly offset the apparent energetic advantages of P. amurensis. In many respects, the exotic P. amurensis appears to be a more valuable food than the native M. balthica for Lesser Scaup. However, because P. amurensis accumulates much higher levels of some contaminants, this exotic invasion increases the risk of toxicity to scaup and a range of other benthic predators.
Collisional quenching of K* (4p2p) and K* (5p2p by H2O, CF4, and CH4

Abstract Rate constants are reported for collisional quenching of K * (4p 2p and K * (5p 2p ) by H 2 O, CF 4 and CH 4 . The K * (4p 2p or K * (5p 2p ) is produced by photodissociation of K1 vapor at 2450 A or 1925 A, respectively. As for Na * (3p 2p , H 2 O, CF 4 , and CH 4 are very inefficient at quenching K * (4p 2p ); however, they are very efficient at quenching K * (5p 2p ).
Angular distributions for electron capture from He by multiply charged C, N, O, F, and Ne ions.

Angular distributions of the projectile products have been measured for electron capture from He by C, N, O, F, and Ne ions in charge states between 5+ and 8+ at energies ranging from 7.4 to 16 keV. The angular distributions depend in character more on the incident charge state than on ionic species. A strong forward peaking is found for the 5+ and 7+ incident ions, whereas the 6+ ions show a maximum at an angle outside the half-Coulomb scattering angle. Oscillatory structure is seen for ${\mathrm{O}}^{6+}$ on He. The general features of the distributions can be understood on the basis of classical deflection functions for the heavy-particle motion.
Intergenerational transfers and the social discount rate

This paper investigates the relationship between intergenerational asset transfers and the choice of the discount rate for use in cost-benefit analysis in a model of a competitive overlapping generations economy constrained by a socially managed exhaustible resource. Provided that there are no distortions in capital markets and that all agents hold perfect foresight, cost-benefit techniques will result in a Pareto efficient resource allocation if the discount rate is set equal to the market rate of interest. But since the path of the interest rate depends on the level of intergenerational transfers, cost-benefit techniques do not ensure a socially desirable distribution of welfare between generations; a social optimum will result only if intergenerational transfers are properly chosen and enforced. Decentralized private altruism may result in intergenerational transfers that both present and future individuals would agree are too small if members of the present generation attach positive weight to the general welfare of future generations, not simply their personal descendants. In a world where intergenerational transfers are non-optimal, second-best policy-making may imply a constrained optimum that is inefficient. Together, these findings suggest that cost-benefit analysis is at best a partial criterion to policy formulation that should be used only in conjunction with ethical principles that define the proper distribution of welfare between present and future generations.
Effects of second language study of phonemic discrimination and auditory event-related potentials in adults.

This study was designed to investigate the effects of acquisition of a second language on auditory event-related brain potentials and discrimination of foreign language phonemes by 36 women (ages 1...
Center for Optics Manufacturing

The Center for Optics Manufacturing, located at the University of Rochester's Institute of Optics, is a collaborative effort with industry, several academic institutions and the Department of Defense. The Center's mission is to develop advanced optics manufacturing technology, implement technology transfer, and establish training and education for the optics industry. Areas of technology include materials, processes, quality, equipment, metrology and management. A principal objective is to research and introduce innovative technology and novel techniques that increase the competitiveness of the optics manufacturing base and its customers. The Center (COM) is designed to promote cooperative industry-university-government interaction in areas of unique potential for translation into industrial growth. This interaction is directly beneficial in identifying and adopting emerging technology. COM encourages the participation of manufacturers, prime contractors and government agencies by offering training, information and technology. COM user labs, which demonstrate newly developed technology and methods, will provide unique facilities and equipment that benefit all participants. This university-industrygovernment collaborative effort will identify results that lead to the development and commercialization of new products, new manufacturing technology and serve as the central resource for optics technology advancement. While the Center's primary location is at the University of Rochester, the COM has a national academic and industrial constituency. The Universities of Arizona and Central Florida will establish Regional Centers located close to major optics centers. This maximizes interaction and support of the industrial base. These activities will influence educational programs at the academic institutions and the transfer of technology to participating industry and government organizations. Other universities and national laboratories have offered resources and will add valuable contributions.
Multi-channel underwater acoustic holographic recording system

We have constructed an experimental underwater acoustic holographic system that uses 100 piezoelectric transducers in a linear receiving array with the object area insonified by a single cylindrical acoustic radiator. The receiving array is swept through the water synchronously with a linear array of 100 light-emitting diodes positioned above the water. The holographic data is parallel-processed in 100 electronic channels, each driving its respective light-emitting diode during the sweep. A time-exposed photograph of the optical pattern thereby created is processed and used as an optical hologram. Many holograms have been made with the system in a laboratory tank. The reconstructed images demonstrate that the resolution attained is of the order of a few wavelengths. The principal practical problems were cross-talk between channels and tolerance of components. If the scanning of a larger system is carried out by the passage of a ship through the water, rapid surveying of the ocean floor becomes a possibility.
Water Hardness, Detergent Type, and Prewash Product Use as Factors Affecting Methyl Parathion Residue Retained in Protective Apparel Fabrics

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of water hardness, detergent type, and prewash product on methyl parathion residue remaining in fabric after laundering. Measured water hardness ...
Tissue specific binding invitro of progesterone-receptor to the chromatins of chick tissues

Summary When H 3 -progesterone is incubated with chick oviduct cytosol, it binds to a specific receptor protein. The subsequent binding of this complex to oviduct chromatin is greater than that of free progesterone alone. This specific affinity for the progesterone-receptor complex is not observed with spleen, heart, liver or erythrocyte chromatin. Progesterone incubated with the cytosols of non-target tissues such as liver or spleen shows no specific binding to chromatin from any source. Artificial complexes of chick histone and DNA display a low degree of non-specific binding. The results suggest that the chromatin of target tissue (oviduct) may contain “acceptor” sites for the hormone-receptor complex contained in the cytoplasm of the cell. The genome may thus be preprogrammed to receive the hormone receptor complex as it enters the nucleus of the target cell.
Intensities of the 1397 cm−1 (v3) band of HO2NO2 and feasibility of atmospheric detection

Abstract Absorption coefficients of the 1397 cm −1 ( v 3 ), band of peroxynitric acid (HO 2 NO 2 ) have been measured at 225–230 K in order to calculate the feasibility of detecting this spectral feature in atmospheric spectra. High-resolution (0.0078 cm −1 ) Fourier transform spectra (1370–1430 cm −1 ) of low pressure gas-mixtures containing HO 2 NO 2 were analyzed to determine the absorption coefficient k(v) . The maximum absorption coefficient was found to be 1.0 × 10 −18 cm 2 /molec at the peak of the 1397 cm −1 Q -branch. An average pressure broadening coefficient of 0.1 (± 0.02) cm −1 /atm was also measured using a tunable diode laser spectrometer (resolution 0.001 cm −1 ) and a convolution technique. The high resolution spectrum and pressure broadening coefficient were used to simulate the atmospheric transmission spectrum at an altitude where HO 2 NO 2 is expected to have its peak in the vertical concentration profile (27 km).
Food Habits of Juvenile Marine Fishes Occupying Seagrass Beds in the Estuarine Zone near Crystal River, Florida

Abstract Quantitative gravimetric analyses of stomach contents were carried out on juveniles of 21 species of fishes that cohabit seagrass beds near Crystal River, Florida. Our analyses were based on dry weights of food items and are expressed as percent of total stomach contents. The species analyzed were Harengula pensacolae, Opisthonema oglinum, Anchoa hepsetus, Anchoa mitchilli, Synodus foetens, Strongylura marina, Hyporhamphus unifasciatus, Oligoplites saurus, Trachinotus falcatus, Eucinostomus gula, Haemulon plumieri, Orthopristis chrysoptera, Bairdiella chrysura, Cynoscion nebulosus, Diplodus holbrooki, Lagodon rhomboides, Microgobius gulosus, Chasmodes saburrae, Menidia beryllina, Trinectes maculatus, and Sphoeroides nephelus. Analyses of stomach contents taken from small, sequentially arranged size classes enabled us to delineate discrete ontogenetic changes in food habits in many of the species. In the 15 species in which planktivorous feeding stages were detected, only zooplankters were consume...
Prevalence of motor vehicle crashes involving drowsy drivers, United States, 1999-2008

The proportion of motor vehicle crashes that involve a drowsy driver likely is greater than existing crash databases reflect, due to the possibility that some drivers whose pre-crash state of attention was unknown may have been drowsy. This study estimated the proportion of crashes that involved a drowsy driver in a representative sample of 47,597 crashes in the United States from 1999 through 2008 that involved a passenger vehicle that was towed from the scene. Multiple imputation was used to address missing data on driver drowsiness. In the original (non-imputed) data, 3.9% of all crashes, 7.7% of non-fatal crashes that resulted in hospital admission, and 3.6% of fatal crashes involved a driver coded as drowsy; however, the drowsiness status of 45% of drivers was unknown. In the imputed data, an estimated 7.0% of all crashes (95% confidence interval: 4.6%, 9.3%), 13.1% of non-fatal crashes that resulted in hospital admission (95% confidence interval: 8.8%, 17.3%), and 16.5% of fatal crashes (95% confidence interval: 12.5%, 20.6%) involved a drowsy driver. Results suggest that the prevalence of fatal crashes that involve a drowsy driver is over 350% greater than has been reported previously.
Dominant diffusing mode in the self-similar phase separation of a magnetic suspension in a magnetic field

We report time-resolved light-scattering measurements showing that a magnetic suspension quenched in a strong magnetic field undergoes a dynamic instability with a selected wave vector. In the plane normal to the field, the suspension phase-separates self-similarly into columns of circular cross-section and is described by an extremely small dynamic exponent. This phase separation is shown to be dominated by a single diffusing mode, with a wave vector that corresponds to the peak of the final steady-state structure factor. This finding is explained with a mean-field model of phase separation.
The Effects of Formal Schooling on Cognitive Style.

Summary A study was undertaken in Morocco in order to separate the effects of age and formal schooling on the development of cognitive style. A total of 384 boys (age range: 6–22 years) were selected from environmental backgrounds including: urban/schooled, rural/schooled, urban/nonschooled, and rural/nonschooled. Results indicated that chronological age and schooling played major, but independent roles in promoting perceptual development (and “field independent” cognitive style), while childhood environment appeared to have little effect. It was concluded that general statements about the effects of cultural socialization practices on cognitive style should be tempered by considering particular environmental experiences (such as formal schooling) that may significantly influence cognitive assessment techniques that are said to measure cognitive style.
Three-Dimensional Object Recognition Using Range Data

For the past two decades, most computer vision research has been concerned with digitized gray scale intensity images as sensor data. Digitized intensity images do not, however, contain explicit information about depth or range. More recently, digitized range data from both active and passive sensors has been used for object recognition and image understanding. In this paper we present a 3-dimensional range data recognition scheme. This scheme is based on the association of a set of geometric features to a surface which approximates the surface of an unknown object. A key feature of this system is its efficient use of dense range data.
Peptide YY as a growth factor for intestinal epithelium

Peptide YY is an abundant distal gut hormone that may play a significant role in intestinal epithelial proliferation. Gut epithelial cells express specific receptors for PYY, PYY induces proliferation in intestinal cells in vivo and in vitro, and the Y1 receptor subtype couples to mitogenic signaling pathways. In addition to proposed physiologic effects on gut mucosal maintenance, PYY proliferative effects may be hypothesized to contribute to pathophysiologic consequences of stimulated growth.