cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of obesity and consequent insulin resistance on coronary risk factors in medically treated patients with coronary disease

Obesity promotes the development and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD), in part, through its association with hyperlipidemia, hypertension, clotting abnormalities and insulin resistance. We assessed whether these relationships persist in patients with established CHD treated with evidence-based preventive pharmacologic therapies. We performed a cross-sectional study of 74 adults with CHD and a body mass index (BMI) of >27 kg m–2 (mean 32±4). The mean age of subjects was 64±9 years (range 44–84 years). Obesity measures included weight, BMI, waist, fat mass, intra-abdominal fat and subcutaneous fat. Risk factor measures included insulin sensitivity, fasting insulin level, lipid profiles, blood pressure, C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and platelet reactivity. Medication use included aspirin (99%), statin (84%), β-blocker (71%), ACE inhibitor or blocker (37%) and clopidogrel (28%). There was no direct relationship between obesity parameters and risk factor measures of lipid concentrations, blood pressure, clotting abnormalities or platelet reactivity except for a modest relationship between visceral fat and hs-CRP (r=0.30, P=0.02). However, increased BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, total abdominal fat and abdominal subcutaneous fat all correlated with insulin sensitivity (r-values −0.30 to −0.45, P-values 0.01 to <0.001) and insulin concentrations. Insulin sensitivity, in turn, was the best predictor of PAI-1, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, cholesterol/HDL levels (all P<0.01) and platelet reactivity (R=0.34, P=0.02). Use of preventive pharmacologic therapies obviated the expected relationship between adiposity and CHD risk factors. However, a residual effect of insulin resistance is left untreated. Total adiposity and central adiposity were strong predictors of insulin sensitivity, which in turn predicted cardiac risk factors such as lipid concentrations, PAI-1 and platelet reactivity. Thus, while evidence-based pharmacologic treatments may diminish the statistical relationship between obesity and many cardiac risk factors, adiposity negatively impacts CHD risk by reducing tissue insulin sensitivity.
Calcium enhances Salmonella typhimurium invasion of HeLa cells

Salmonella typhimurium cultured with physiological levels of calcium are significantly enhanced in their ability to penetrate HeLa cells in vitro. Increased infectivity was not observed in magnesium-supplemented media, but was demonstrated in calcium-supplemented minimal defined or calcium-supplemented cation-deficient media. Invasion enhancement was observed for a number of S. typhimurium strains and ranged from 28–390% over calcium-deficient controls. Enhanced HeLa cell infectivity was not dependent on the presence of an autonomous 60-MDa plasmid.
The Incorporation of Causal Perceptions into Models of Elite Belief Systems

O VVER twenty years ago, Converse (1964) began the systematic analysis of political belief systems by focusing on the relationship between a general ideological orientation, e.g., liberalism-conservatism, and positions on specific policy issues (such as federal aid to education, public works projects, and foreign aid). He found that political elites had more constrained belief systems than did the general public. A decade later, the portrait of elite belief systems had become more differentiated. In summarizing this literature, Putnam (1976: 79-91) found the following elements:
Effect of Potassium Infusion on the Human Conduction System

His bundle electrograms were recorded in 12 patients before and after the intravenous administration of 5 mEq of potassium. Antegrade and retrograde refractory periods were determined with the extrastimulus technique. The AH interval was 84 ± 7 msec before and 89 ± 7 msec after potassium (P < 0.05). The AH interval at an atrial pacing rate of 140/minute was 129 ± 13 msec be fore and 143 ± 16 msec after potassium (P < 0.02). The effective refractory pe riod of the atrium was 264 ± 9 msec before and 280 ± 9 msec after potassium ( P < 0.001). Thus small amounts of potassium delay conduction at the atrial and AV nodal level.
Urinary and rogens under stimulation-suppression tests in children with gonadal dysgenesis

Abstract Five urinary androgens were gas chromatographically estimated in 5 girls (aged 12 1 2 to 16 yr.) with gonadal dysgenesis during an investigation on the effects of stimulation-suppression tests with adrenocorticotrophic hormone, dexamethasone and human chorionic gonadotrophins. Four girls had 45/XO karyotype and one had XX/XY/XΛ The results revealed that in most patients the source of the androgens, including testosterone, was the adrenal. An exaggerated response to ACTH seen in the patients may be due to a compensatory mechanism in the adrenals, which indicates an overall integration of androgen production from adrenals and gonads in the females.
Review: recent advances in argatroban-warfarin transition in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is a devastating, life-threatening, immune-mediated complication of therapy with unfractionated heparin, and less frequently, with low molecular weight heparin. Direct thrombin inhibitors are now standard therapy for the prevention of thrombosis in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Argatroban, a small synthetic molecule that inhibits thrombin at its active site, is increasingly used as the direct thrombin inhibitors of choice. Transition to longer term oral anticoagulation needs to be instituted after the platelet count has risen, because of the persistent risk of thrombosis. Although guidelines available in the literature outline the management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, they are not presented in a concise and comprehensive manner easily followed by physicians. This article reviews current recommendations, relevant studies, and clinical management trials carried out on patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and provides updated, detailed guidelines for t...
Terahertz metasurface for potential live cell sensing application

This paper presents a terahertz (THz) metasurface structure which may be promising for sensing and characterizing live cells. The metasurface consists of periodic hole arrays with a pair of narrow tips as electrodes. Simulation results show a bandpass resonant transmission at 0.49 THz for free-standing case. The influence of substrate and the device sensitivity are investigated. Fields are largely concentrated near the metallic probe tips, therefore increases the coupling of incident THz radiation with examined biological samples. The design is aimed to develop a lab-on-a-chip device to sense and characterize live cells.
1-[N,O-Bis-(5-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-N-methyl-l-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-62), an inhibitor of calcium-dependent camodulin protein kinase II, inhibits both insulin- and hypoxia-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle

Previous studies have indicated a role for calmodulin in hypoxia-and insulin-stimulated glucose transport. However, since calmodulin interacts with multiple protein targets, it is unknown which of these targets is involved in the regulation of glucose transport. In the present study, we have used the calcium-dependent calmodulin protein kinase II (CAMKII) inhibitor 1-[N, O-bis-(5-isoquinolinesulphonyl) -N-methyl-L-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-62) to investigate the possible role of this enzyme in the regulation of glucose transport in isolated rat soleus and epitrochlearis muscles. KN-62 did not affect basal 2-deoxyglucose transport, but it did inhibit both insulin- and hypoxia-stimulated glucose transport activity by 46 and 40% respectively. 1-[N,O-Bis-(1, 5-isoquinolinesulphonyl)-N-methyl-l-tyrosyl]-4-phenylpiperazine (KN-04), a structural analogue of KN-62 that does not inhibit CAMKII, had no effect on hypoxia-or insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Accordingly, KN-62 decreased the stimulated cell-surface GLUT4 labelling by a similar extent as the inhibition of glucose transport (insulin, 49% and hypoxia, 54%). Additional experiments showed that KN-62 also inhibited insulin- and hypoxia-stimulated transport by 37 and 40% respectively in isolated rat epitrochlearis (a fast-twitch muscle), indicating that the effect of KN-62 was not limited to the slow-twitch fibres of the soleus. The inhibitory effect of KN-62 on hypoxia-stimulated glucose transport appears to be specific to CAMKII, since KN-62 did not inhibit hypoxia-stimulated 45Ca efflux from muscles pre-loaded with 45Ca, or hypoxia-stimulated glycogen breakdown. Additionally, KN-62 affected neither insulin-stimulated phosphoinositide 3-kinase nor Akt activity, suggesting that the effects of KN-62 are not due to non-specific effects of this inhibitor on these regions of the insulin-signalling cascade. The results of the present study suggest that CAMKII might have a distinct role in insulin- and hypoxia-stimulated glucose transport, possibly in the vesicular trafficking of GLUT4.
Pairing in CuO2 driven by exchange interactions between carriers and localized Cu spins

Abstract Calculations using a realistic multi-band extended Hubbard hamiltonian, which correctly describes the Heisenberg excitation spectrum and superexchange energy of the insulating phase of CuO 2 , show that the two largest energies relating to the carrier quasiparticle are the carrier bandwidth (> 5 eV) and an exceptionally large (∼3 eV times a density of states factor as in an RKKY interaction) effective exchange energy between a delocalized carrier hole and a localized Cu hole. The Cu holes are found to remain localized in the superconducting materials. Calculations using a model pairing hamiltonian show that this exchange induces (through partial spin-polarization of the Cu holes) an attraction between carriers. This attraction is strong enough to overcome a realistic Coulomb repulsion, hence leading to net attractive pairing. Triplet p-wave (or possibly singlet d-wave) pairing is implied.
Effect of Season and Exposure to Heat Stress on Oocyte Competence in Holstein Cows

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate seasonal variation in oocyte competence in Holstein cows and to test whether oocyte quality in summer is affected by the magnitude of heat stress. In the first experiment, ovaries of Holstein cows were collected from a slaughterhouse and used to harvest oocytes over 1 yr (n = 18 replicates). After in vitro maturation, fertilization, and culture, proportions of oocytes and cleaved embryos that developed to blastocysts by d 8 were lower in the warm season compared with the cool season. In the second experiment, nonlactating Holstein cows were housed in one of the following three environments for 42 d before slaughter: heat stressed (housed with shade cloth in summer; n = 14); cooled (housed in a free-stall barn with foggers and fans in summer; n = 14); and winter (housed similar to the heat-stressed group; n = 12). Cows were slaughtered at d 18 to 19 of the estrous cycle. Oocytes from the two largest follicles per cow were aspirated and cultured individually. Ovaries were then dissected to collect additional oocytes that were processed in a group for in vitro maturation, fertilization, and culture. Cleavage rates were similar among treatments, but none of the individually cultured oocytes developed to blastocysts. For other oocytes cultured in groups, proportions of oocytes and cleaved embryos that developed to blastocysts by d 8 were lower in summer than winter with no difference between the heat-stressed and the cooled treatment groups. Summer depression in oocyte quality in Holstein cows was evident, but cooling cows for 42 d did not alleviate that seasonal effect.
Enamel organic matrix: potential structural role in enamel and relationship to residual basement membrane constituents at the dentin enamel junction.

AbstractAlthough mature enamel is predominantly composed of mineral, a previously uncharacterized organic matrix layer remains in the post-eruptive tissue that begins at the dentin enamel junction and extends 200–300 μm towards the outer tooth surface. Identification of the composition of this layer has been hampered by its insolubility; however, we have developed a single step method to isolate the organic enamel matrix relatively intact. After dissociative dissolution of the matrix with SDS and urea, initial characterization by Western blotting and gel zymography indicates the presence of type IV and type VII basement membrane collagens and active matrix metalloproteinase-20. When combined with data from transgenic knockout mice and from human mutations, these data suggest that the enamel organic matrix (EOM) and dentin enamel junction may have a structural and functional relationship with basement membranes, e.g. skin. To clarify this relationship, we hypothesize a “foundation” model which proposes tha...
Semi-autonomous sounding selection for OCO-2

Abstract. Many modern instruments generate more data than may be fully processed in a timely manner. For some atmospheric sounders, much of the raw data cannot be processed into meaningful observations due to suboptimal viewing conditions, such as the presence of clouds. Conventional solutions are quick, empirical-threshold filters hand-created by domain experts to weed out unlikely or unreasonable observations, coupled with randomized down sampling when the data volume is still too high. In this paper, we describe a method for the construction of a subsampling and ordering solution that maximizes the likelihood that a requested data subset will be usefully processed. The method can be used for any metadata-rich source and implicitly discerns informative vs. non-informative data features while still permitting user feedback into the final features selected for filter implementation. We demonstrate the method by creating a selector for the spectra of the Japanese GOSAT satellite designed to measure column averaged mixing ratios of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO2). This is done within the Atmospheric CO2 Measurements from Space (ACOS) NASA project with the intention of eventual use during the early Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission. OCO-2 will have a 1.5 orders of magnitude larger data volume than ACOS, requiring intelligent pre-filtration.
Sovereign Dilemmas: Saudi Arabia and Sovereign Wealth Funds

While the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) can claim over half of SWF assets globally, the largest and most strategically important state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has heretofore lacked a dedicated investment fund. This paper challenges some of the conventional wisdom on SWFs in explaining the Saudi government's reticence to launch an SWF and its recent decision to cautiously move in this direction. First, while Washington policy makers raise fears of enemies using SWFs against US interests, Saudi foreign assets have been used in support of its continuing alliance with the United States. And second, while critics decry the lack of transparency of SWFs, the Saudi launch of a new SWF could represent a move toward greater transparency, by working to separate “private” sovereign funds from “public” ones. Indeed, the launch of a SWF fits into a broad pattern of reforms rationalising Saudi governing institutions as King Abdullah has moved to control spendthrift princes, to streamline decision...
The Relative Effectiveness of Monetary Reinforcers and Adult Instructions in the Control of Children's Choice Behavior.

Abstract During daily sessions four first-grade boys each played a two-choice marble dropping game. When one colored light was presented a plain token was dispensed as soon as S dropped a marble, and when another light was on a token with a hole in its center was delivered. During choice trials that were interspersed among single-color trials S had to choose one of the two different colored holes. At the end of each session S traded tokens with holes for pennies and then turned in the remaining plain tokens which were not exchanged for money. After S had developed a preference for the response that earned the tokens with holes (tokens that were backed up with pennies) E instructed S to try to get as many plain tokens (unexchangeable tokens) as he could. All Ss immediately switched to the response that earned unexchangeable tokens but as soon as E left they returned to choosing the backed up response. When the adult reentered, Ss again chose to work for unexchangeable tokens. Two different Es (male and female) served and the instructions of each were effective in controlling responding as long as the adult was present, except for one S who did not respond to one E, but did respond as described for the other.
Role of sham feeding in postprandial changes of gastric myoelectrical activity

The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of sham feeding in postprandial changes of gastric myoelectrical activity. Eighteen asymptomatic healthy volunteers (10 men, 8 women; mean age: 31), with no history of gastrointestinal disease were studied. Gastric myoelectrical activity was recorded for 30 min at baseline, 30 min after sham feeding, and 1 hr after eating, using surface electrogastrography. The electrogastrogram (EGG) was analyzed by spectral analysis. It was found that the changes of postprandial EGG parameters were significantly correlated with those after sham feeding (EGG dominant power:r=0.6,P<0.01; dominant frequency:r=0.8,P<0.001; percentage of regular slow waves:r=0.7,P<0.003). We concluded that intrinsic gastric electrical activity can be altered by sham feeding and the cephalic phase of digestion plays an important role in the postprandial response of gastric myoelectrical activity.
Anomalous currents in gauge field theories

Abstract Properties of symmetry currents are examined within the context of renormalizable gauge field theories. The existence of triangle anomalies requires that some of the symmetry currents must have well-defined gauge transformation properties. Exact low-energy theorems for certain matrix elements of the divergences of the currents are established to all orders in perturbation theory.
Teaching daily living skills to children with autism in unsupervised settings through pictorial self-management

We investigated the efficacy of pictorial self-management to teach daily living skills to 3 low-functioning children with autism. Stimulus and response generalization, stimulus control of self-management materials, and maintenance of behavior change were also assessed. Results showed that children with autism could successfully use pictures to manage their behavior in the absence of a treatment provider, generalize their behavior across settings and tasks, and maintain behaviors at follow-up. In addition, when compared to baseline, all children showed a substantial decrease in stereotypic behaviors. When picture order was manipulated in stimulus control probes, the children followed the new picture sequence, suggesting that the pictures were controlling their behavior. Further, a savings effect was demonstrated, in that 2 subjects reached criterion on second and third behaviors within less than 25% of original training time.
Studies on Aromatic Amines. I. Preliminary Observations on Benzidine Metabolism

(1958). Studies on Aromatic Amines. I. Preliminary Observations on Benzidine Metabolism. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal: Vol. 19, No. 6, pp. 499-503.
Spectroscopic And Computational Studies Of The Laser Photolysis Of Matrix Isolated 1,2-dibromoethanes: Formation And Fate Of The Bromoethyl Radicals

We report experimental and computational studies of the photolysis of atmospherically important 1,2-dibromoethanes (1,2-C(2)X(4)Br(2); X = H, F) in Ar matrixes at 5 K. Using the pulsed deposition method, we find that significant conformational relaxation occurs for 1,2-C(2)H(4)Br(2) (EDB; observed anti/gauche ratio =30:1) but not for 1,2-C(2)F(4)Br(2) (TFEDB; anti/gauche = 3:1), which is traced to a larger barrier to rotation about the C-C bond in the latter. Laser photolysis of matrix-isolated EDB at 220 nm reveals the growth of infrared bands assigned to the gauche conformer and C(2)H(4)-Br(2) charge transfer complex (both as major products), and the C(2)H(4)Br radical and C(2)H(3)Br-HBr complex as minor (trace) products. The presence of the C(2)H(4)-Br(2) complex is confirmed in the UV/visible spectrum, which shows an intense charge transfer band at 237 nm that grows in intensity upon annealing. In contrast to previous reports, our experimental and computational results do not support a bridged structure for the C(2)H(4)Br radical in either the gas phase or matrix environments. We also report on the laser photolysis of matrix-isolated TFEDB at 220 nm. Here, the dominant photoproducts are the anti and gauche conformers of the C(2)F(4)Br radical, the vibrational and electronic spectra of which are characterized here for the first time. The increase in yield of radical for TFEDB vs EDB is consistent with the stronger C-Br bond in the fluoro-substituted radical species. The photochemistry of the C(2)F(4)Br radical following excitation at 266 nm was investigated and found to lead C-Br bond cleavage and formation of C(2)F(4). The implications of this work for the atmospheric and condensed phase photochemistry of the alkyl halides is emphasized.
Coping with pain: A component analysis of stress inoculation

The stress inoculation paradigm for helping clients deal with pain consists of education about the psychological dimensions of pain a la Melzack, training in a number of coping skills relevant to each dimension, and practice in applying these skills to the noxious stimulus. In order to determine which of these treatment components have a reactive effect, 70 screened clients were randomly assigned to one of five treatment conditions. The cold pressor and pressure algometer tasks, respectively, yielded three direct and three generalization measures. On all direct measures coping skills training resulted in highly significant improvement. Neither education (i.e., insight)nor exposure had any effect. In comparison to a nonspecific treatment the stress inoculation package proved useful on two direct measures; however, on the generalization measures neither stress inoculation nor any of its components had any impact. Heart rate changes, observed for exploratory purposes, were consistent with current research and speculation.
Can you predict an immediate, complete, and sustained response to the ketogenic diet?

Summary: Purpose: Although the ketogenic diet has been in use for >80 years, little agreement exists as to which patients are most likely to have dramatic, sudden, and complete seizure control. Methods: A case–control study was performed of children with intractable epilepsy started on the ketogenic diet at our institution since June 2001. Patients with a dramatic response were defined as those becoming seizure free within 2 weeks of diet onset. These children were compared with all other patients treated with the diet over the same time period in terms of patient demographics, epilepsy characteristics, and diet parameters. Results: Eighteen early, dramatic responders over a 3-year period were identified and compared with 89 patients who were not similarly improved. The absence of complex partial seizures as the predominant seizure type (0 vs. 23%; p = 0.02) correlated with this dramatic success. The presence of infantile spasms (39% vs. 20%; p = 0.09) approached significance, but all other variables did not. Conclusions: An early, dramatic response to the ketogenic diet is more likely in patients with predominant seizure types other than complex partial. It may also be more likely to occur in children who have infantile spasms. In all other patient demographics and diet parameters, an equal likelihood of similar success was found.
Return Migration by German Guestworkers: Neoclassical versus New Economic Theories

Neoclassical economics and the new economics of labour migration posit very different motivations for international migration. The former assumes that people move abroad permanently to maximize lifetime earnings whereas the latter assumes they leave temporarily to overcome market deficiencies at home. As a result, the two models yield very different conceptualizations of return migration. We draw upon each theoretical model to derive predictions about how different variables are likely to influence the probability of return migration. We use data from the German Socio–economic Panel to test specific hypotheses derived from each model. Finding some support for both perspectives, we suggest that migrants may be heterogeneous with respect to their migratory motivations. If so, then parameters associated with the determinants of return migration in any population of international migration will reflect a blending of parameters associated with two distinct economic rationales. Equations estimated separately for remitting and non–remitting migrants lend support to this interpretation, meaning there may not be one unitary process of return migration, but several.
Study of aircraft wake vortex behavior near the ground

Aircraft wake vortices have been modeled using an unsteady, two-dimensional laminar (constant eddy viscosity) approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations, to study the influence of ground coupling, stratification, and cross-wind on vortex system behavior and decay. Initialization and boundary conditions are developed and implemented systematically for a nonuniform grid representation of the semi-infinite domain containing a vortex pair. Subsequently, the physics of wake vortex interactions with the ground for different types of surface weather conditions are discussed.
Mechanism of the positive inotropic action of cocaine in the guinea pig atrium

We studied the mechanism of the positive inotropic action of cocaine in isolated guinea pig atria superfused with Tyrode's solution at 31 degrees C while attached to a force transducer to measure peak tension developed, maximum velocity of development of tension, and time to peak tension. Cocaine 2.9 microM enhanced peak tension developed and velocity of development of tension, and prolonged time to peak tension. The increase in peak tension developed produced by cocaine was not affected by propranolol. On the other hand, the cocaine-induced increase in velocity of development of tension was reduced, but not abolished. In the presence of propranolol and phentolamine combined, the cocaine-induced prolongation of time to peak tension was abolished and the increases of both peak tension developed and velocity of development of tension were significantly smaller than those observed in the absence of the two adrenergic blockers. For all practical purposes, nifedipine completely abolished the increase in peak tension developed induced by cocaine. It is concluded that the positive inotropic effect of cocaine in the guinea pig atrial muscle is predominantly the result of adrenergic-dependent, both alpha- and beta- receptor mediated, as well as adrenergic-independent increases in calcium influx through the L-type calcium channels in the sarcolemma.
Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia: rebuttals of rebuttals--the moral prohibition remains.

(2001). Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia: Rebuttals of Rebuttals The Moral Prohibition Remains. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy: Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 93-100.
The Value of Intraoperative Ultrasonography in Cervical Corpectomy: Assessment by Postoperative Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVE : We assessed the value of intraoperative ultrasonography (IUS) in cervical corpectomy by using postoperative computed tomography (CT) for comparison. METHODS : Twenty patients underwent a one-, two-, or three-level cervical corpectomy. The decompression was performed in a stepwise fashion, guided in each case by IUS findings until considered adequate. Each patient underwent postoperative CT to evaluate the accuracy of the IUS in guiding the decompression. RESULTS : In the 20 patients who underwent corpectomy, IUS guided a complete lateral gutter decompression. No evidence of asymmetry and excessive bone removal was identified by IUS at the end of the procedure. IUS was not useful in assessing the adequacy of longitudinal decompression because of the absence of neural landmarks in the sagittal plane. Postoperative CT confirmed adequate decompression in all patients. The width of decompression at the posterior margin of the vertebral body ranged from 18 to 20 mm, with a mean of 19.2 mm. CONCLUSION : We conclude that IUS is helpful and reliable in performing a properly centered, thorough, lateral decompression in cervical corpectomy. A limited corpectomy can be started under visual guidance and then enlarged after IUS findings until complete decompression of the neural elements has been achieved. This approach avoids the problems of asymmetry, inadequate decompression, and excessive bony removal that could lead to endangerment of the vertebral artery and possible failure of the reconstruction. The accuracy of the IUS was confirmed in this study by postoperative CT.
Centers of triangles of fixed center: Adventures in undergraduate research

There are many popular misconceptions about undergraduate research projects in mathematics: that they are only for advanced students; that they require a tremendous amount of extracurricular time and effort; that they must be guided by an advisor with a vast and detailed knowledge of the subject; that good topics, simultaneously rich and accessible, are difficult to find. The truth is much simpler. The joys and frustrations of mathematical research can be experienced in any subject, at any level. One must only learn to look closely, with an openness to the possibility of discovery. And "looking" is easier than it has ever been before. Fast computers and friendly software allow students to manipulate their intuitions with a naturalness that most research mathematicians only dreamed of during their own undergraduate days. In the new age of electronic Surrealism,' students may wander freely through the landscape of mathematics, finding their own way to "advanced" destinations that were previously inaccessible to them. Moreover, and more importantly for the development of undergraduate research projects, it is now possible for students to stop along the way and scrutinize the objects in the landscape in all of their extraordinary detail. The computer, when guided by a genuine curiosity, is capable of revealing "neglected associations" in even the simplest things. The research advisor, on journeys such as these, need only act as a gentle chaperon, reminding students that the "control exercised by reason" (look carefully and systematically; write down what you see; prove it) is the key to turning their adventures into legitimate mathematical formulations.
Three-dimensional localization and optical imaging of objects in turbid media with independent component analysis

A new approach for optical imaging and localization of objects in turbid media that makes use of the independent component analysis (ICA) from information theory is demonstrated. Experimental arrangement realizes a multisource illumination of a turbid medium with embedded objects and a multidetector acquisition of transmitted light on the medium boundary. The resulting spatial diversity and multiple angular observations provide robust data for three-dimensional localization and characterization of absorbing and scattering inhomogeneities embedded in a turbid medium. ICA of the perturbations in the spatial intensity distribution on the medium boundary sorts out the embedded objects, and their locations are obtained from Green’s function analysis based on any appropriate light propagation model. Imaging experiments were carried out on two highly scattering samples of thickness approximately 50 times the transport mean-free path of the respective medium. One turbid medium had two embedded absorptive objects, and the other had four scattering objects. An independent component separation of the signal, in conjunction with diffusive photon migration theory, was used to locate the embedded inhomogeneities. In both cases, improved lateral and axial localizations of the objects over the result obtained by use of common photon migration reconstruction algorithms were achieved. The approach is applicable to different medium geometries, can be used with any suitable photon propagation model, and is amenable to near-real-time imaging applications.
Paradoxical Bleeding in Intensively Transfused Hemophiliacs: Alteration of Platelet Function

Platelet function tests (bleeding time, platelet adhesiveness, platelet factor 3 release, and platelet aggregation to ADP) were done on a group of severe factor VIII deficient hemophiliacs before, during, or after transfusion therapy with cryoprecipitate or factor VIII concentrate. Mild decreased platelet function was seen in nonbleeding hemophiliacs after a single transfusion of cryoprecipitate. More severe abnormalities of platelet function were observed in a group of patients receiving factor VIII therapy for severe hemorrhages or in the postoperative period. Several of these intensively transfused patients bled when their circulating factor VIII level was normal or near normal. In one patient, who was studied repeatedly, prolongation of the thrombin time and partial thromboplastin time occurred in association with high levels of fibrinogen. Fibrin split products (fsp) were increased in most of the patients during bleeding episodes. Mixtures of cryoprecipitate or factor VIII-concentrate with normal plasma contained increased protamine precipitable material and fibrin split products. Paradoxical bleeding can occur in intensively transfused hemophilic patients and may be related to either abnormal platelet function or increased levels of circulating fibrin monomer, fsp, or fibrinogen interfering with thrombin-fibrinogen interaction.
Augusta's first theatre season: 1790–91

In 1790–91 two professional actresses opened a theatre in Augusta, Georgia, the frontier capital on the banks of the Savannah River. Their theatre was the first floor of the Academy, also used as the Court‐House. Aided by the Dramatic Society of gentlemen thespians, Mrs. Robinson and Miss Susannah Wall presented comedies, vocal entertainments, and sketches. Their efforts were reviewed in the Augusta Chronicle by “Zoilus,” a keen and witty critic. The building eventually became known as “The Theatre” and was used by actors from Charleston and Savannah until it burned to the ground in 1823. Although the selection of plays was conservative, the Augustans’ liberality in welcoming two pioneer women was unique in the theatre annals of eighteenth‐century America.
Improved Production of Enzymes, Which Are Expressed under the Pho Regulon Promoter, in the rmf Gene (encoding ribosome modulation factor) Disruptant of Escherichia coli

Using a DNA macroarray, we investigated the effects of rmf gene (encoding ribosome modulation factor) disruption on gene expression profiles in Escherichia coli. This strain showed a phosphate-starvation-like response in gene expression even under phosphate sufficient conditions; significant upregulation of the Pho regulon genes was observed. Further, the production of alkaline phosphatase, a product of the Pho regulon gene, phoA, increased in the rmf disruptant under a Pi sufficient condition. Furthermore, production of PhoC acid phosphatase/nucleoside pyrophosphate phosphotransferase derived from Morganella morganii also increased significantly in the rmf disruptant. We concluded that host modification by the rmf gene disruption has potential benefit in industrial enzyme production using Escherichia coli.
Applying neopiagetian theory to the moral reasoning process.

Summary.-This study examined moral reasoning process and patterns of skills underlying a moral dilemma through use of K. W. Fischer's theory for cognitive skill acquisition. Kohlberg's Heinz dilemma issues of life and law were hypothesized as scalable within task-domains pertaining to Familial Relationships, Sickness/Death, Laws/Rules, and Fairness. 80 4- to 12-yr.-olds were interviewed regarding these issues. Guttman scale analyses examined scalability of their responses to items in each task and skill domain. Guttman coefficients validated task-domain scales of Laws/Rules and Fairness. Other scale coefficients approached validity. A revised scale is proposed for study. Kohlberg's (Colby & Kohlberg, 1987) theory of moral reasoning has long been held as the standard view of moral development. Rest (1989) states that Kohlberg relied on Piaget's notion of cognitive processes in forming his theoretical perspective, as it was the most defensible theory of human reasoning available at the time. However, he further argues that as new theories depicting the decision-making process become available, they may provide new means for examining moral reasoning. This study examined the moral reasoning process by identifying developmental patterns of skills underlying a moral dilemma. Fischer's (1980) view of cognitive development as skill acquisition was used. Within Fischer's framework, levels of cognition are viewed as an hierarchy of skills in that each higher-level skill is actually composed of lower-level skills. A skill is defined as a unit of behavior composed of one or more sets of action between organism and environment. Sets of behaviors involving only minor vatiation in the same task are referred to as "task domains," while a broad grouping of skills incorporating several task domains has been referred to as a "skill domain" (Fischer, 1980). Skills develop through a series of levels wherein development is seen as relatively continuous and gradual, and the individual rarely shows skills at the same level. The individual is first able to control variations in only one action or skill, then to relate two or more actions into a mapping. The subsequent integration of these mappings of skills produces a system, and eventually coordination of a system of systems provides the highest level of cognitive processing (Fischer, 1980). Fischer's (1980) notions of hierarchical skill acquisition were hypothe
ADAM-8 isolated from human osteoarthritic chondrocytes cleaves fibronectin at Ala271

Objective Fibronectin fragments are thought to play a critical role in the initiation and progression of cartilage degradation in arthritis. In a recent study, fibronectin neoepitopes resulting from cleavage of intact fibronectin at the Ala271/Val272 scissile bond, generating an ∼30-kd fragment with the new C-terminus VRAA271 and an ∼50–85-kd fragment with the new N-terminus 272VYQP, were identified in osteoarthritis (OA) cartilage. The present study was undertaken to isolate the enzymes responsible for this cleavage from human OA chondrocytes. Methods Fibronectin-degrading activity in human OA chondrocyte–conditioned medium (OACCM) was purified using conventional chromatography. A fluorescent peptide was developed based on the fibronectin scissile bond 269RAAVal272, and this peptide was used to track fibronectinase activity during purification. Western blotting with antibodies that detect the fibronectin neoepitopes VRAA271 and 272VYQP was used to confirm cleavage of intact fibronectin by the enzymatically active fractions. Mass spectrometry was used to identify the proteins found in the fibronectinase-enriched fractions, with further confirmation by Western blotting. In addition, a recombinant enzyme identified by mass spectrometry was tested by Western blotting and dimethylmethylene blue assay for its ability to produce fibronectin neoepitopes in OA cartilage. Results Purification of OACCM by chromatography resulted in isolation of a fibronectin-degrading enzyme, and mass spectrometry identified ADAM-8 as the fibronectinase present in these preparations. Furthermore, treatment of OA cartilage with recombinant human ADAM-8 promoted cartilage catabolism. Conclusion The results of this study identify ADAM-8 as a fibronectinase in human OA chondrocytes. Because ADAM-8 is capable of producing the fibronectin neoepitopes VRAA271 and 272VYQP in human OA cartilage, this enzyme may be an important mediator of cartilage catabolism.
Audiometric Referral Criteria for Industrial Hearing Conservation Programs

Objectives: To determine referral rates resulting from application of American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery audiometric referral criteria for occupational hearing conservation programs (HCPs) in a large industrial population and to estimate the efficacy of audiometric retesting in identifying false-positive referral flags. Design: Retrospective, comparing referral rates between control and noncontrol HCPs from public domain data in the American National Standards Institute Draft American National Standard: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Hearing Conservation Programs. Setting: Occupational HCPs from the United States and Canada. Patients: A total of 45 055 baseline and 27 047 second chronologic audiograms were analyzed. A subset of 3958 employees who had baseline and seven subsequent tests were examined to confirm results. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measures: Percent of employees meeting referral criteria was calculated for unconfirmed (ie, single test) and confirmed (two consecutive tests) audiometric findings. No a priori hypotheses were formulated for referral rates for control or noncontrol HCPs. Results: Noncontrol HCP referral rates were typically two to three times that of control HCPs. Control and non-control HCPs had about half as many audiometric referral flags when retests were used to confirm initial results. Conclusions: Mature industrial populations are likely to yield higher baseline referral rates than younger populations. Retesting may identify up to 50% of audiometric referral flags as false-positive and significantly reduce costly overreferrals. Annual referral rates of 1% to 2% seem to be achievable in well-run HCPs in which retesting is performed to identify false-positive audiometric outcomes. (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1995;121:407-411)
Stress-induced cardiovascular reactivity and atherogenesis in adolescents.

Objective To examine the association between cardiovascular reactivity to a set of psychological stressors and carotid artery intima-media thickness, a marker of subclinical cardiovascular disease in healthy adolescents.
Snow wetness estimates of vegetated terrain from satellite passive microwave data

The Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) radiometer is a useful tool for monitoring snow wetness on a large scale because water content has a significant effect on the microwave emissions at the snowpack surface. To date, SSM/I snow wetness algorithms, based on statistical regression analysis, have been developed only for specific regions. Inadequate ground-based snow wetness measurements and the non-linearity between SSM/I brightness temperatures (T B S) and snow wetness over varied vegetation covered terrain has impeded the development of a general model. In this study, we used a previously developed linear relationship between snowpack surface wetness (% by volume) and concurrent air temperature (°C) to estimate the snow wetness at ground weather stations. The snow condition (snow free, dry, wet or refrozen snow) of each SSM/I pixel (a 37 × 29 km area at 37.0 GHz) was determined from ground-measured weather data and the T B signature. SSM/I T B S of wet snow were then linked with the snow wetness estimates as an input/output relationship. A single-hidden-layer back-propagation (backprop) artificial neural network (ANN) was designed to learn the relationships. After training, the snow wetness values estimated by the ANN were compared with those derived by regression models. Results show that the ANN performed better than the existing regression models in estimating snow wetness from SSM/I data over terrain with different amounts of vegetation cover.
The application of publish/subscribe messaging to environmental, monitoring, and control systems

A significant opportunity exists to apply information technology to better understand and more efficiently manage large complex manmade and natural systems. These systems often involve large-scale environmental, monitoring, and control systems, operating in harsh conditions with unreliable and low-bandwidth connections between a variety of heterogeneous devices. While there are many examples of these systems deployed, increasingly, there is a requirement to tightly integrate and couple these systems with more traditional core business applications and underlying infrastructure. This requirement is motivated by the desire for organizations to respond more quickly to new opportunities or threats, to gain deeper insight into the behavior of these systems, and to leverage existing investments in common tools, software stacks, programming models, and infrastructure. Deployment of such systems requires a pervasive messaging infrastructure to enable intercommunication of applications and devices. The publish/subscribe messaging paradigm has a number of characteristics that make it very attractive in this environment. These include scalability, efficiency, decoupling between publishing and subscribing entities, and the ability to integrate a wide variety of devices and systems. In this paper, we explore the application of the publish/subscribe messaging paradigm and a programming model to environmental, monitoring, and control systems, drawing on experience of projects from a variety of industries.
Microorganisms as hydrocarbon producers

Multifaceted and diverse energy sources will replace our once massive accumulations of energy reserves. One of these energy sources will be biomass and its natural products; in fact, it will most certainly be one of the essential elements in the complex of the future energy structure.
Temporal and spatial interactions involved in the band movement phenomenon.

Abstract The velocity at which a light, rotated in a frontoparallel plane around a foveal fixation target, appears as a “filled” band of light rather than a moving luminous object was determined. The data are presented in this paper in terms of the time in the field at the band movement threshold (distance/threshold velocity). When arc length is increased at a given luminance, the time in the field for a 10′ “white” light target increases linearly for a stimulus moving at 3.3° eccentricity. In 625 nm illumination at 3.3°, the time in the field at the band movement threshold shows a hyperbolic decrease as luminance and target area increase, and a linear increase as arc length is increased. The slopes of the linear functions, relating time in the field to arc length, show a systematic decrease as the area-luminance product increases, approaching an asymptote at high area-luminance products. An explanatory model is presented which suggests that the band movements threshold is determined by luminance dependent rise times of successive elementary areas traversed by the moving light.
In situ intercalative polymerization as a route to layered conducting polymer-inorganic matrix microlaminates. Polypyrrole and polythiophene in FeOCl

Abstract The reaction of FeOCl with pyrrole and 2,2′-bithiophene proceeds with concomitant intercalation and oxidative polymerization of these heterocycles within the FeOCl van der Waals gap to yield (polypyrrole)0.34FeOCl and (polythiophene)0.28FeOCl, respectively. This process is accompanied by a simultaneous and structurally appropriate expansion in the FeOCl interlayer separation. Chemical, infrared spectroscopic, 57Fe Mőssbauer spectroscopic, and variable temperature charge transport data (four-probe conductivity, thermoelectric power) are in accord with this structural model.
Copper in medicine.

Copper has been found to be causative in several diseases. New findings with the greatest potential for impact in medicine include the use of copper-lowering therapy for antiangiogenesis, antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory purposes. The indication of the role of copper in formation of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease, and successful treatment of an Alzheimer's rodent model by copper chelation are also potentially important. There have also been recent developments in the genetic and non-genetic abnormalities of copper, including the finding of new copper-related genes that potentially could cause disease if mutated.