cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Cilostazol in Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the addition of cilostazol to standard dual antiplatelet therapy (DAT) with aspirin and clopidogrel in patients receiving coronary stenting.DATA SOURCES:Relevant information was identified through a search of MEDLINE (1966-November 2011), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1960-2011), and Cochrane Databases (publications archived until November 2011) using the terms cilostazol, percutaneous coronary intervention, triple therapy, and antiplatelet agents.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:English-language prospective and retrospective studies, including registry data in adults, were eligible for inclusion if triple therapy with cilostazol was compared with DAT with aspirin and clopidogrel in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with stenting. Article bibliographies were also reviewed.DATA SYNTHESIS:Cilostazol uniquely possesses antiproliferative properties in addition to its antiplatelet effects. Several prospective and retrospective clinical trials evalua...
Mechanisms of functional promiscuity by HP1 proteins

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) proteins were originally identified as critical components in heterochromatin-mediated gene silencing and are now recognized to play essential roles in several other processes including gene activation. Several eukaryotes possess more than one HP1 paralog. Despite high sequence conservation, the HP1 paralogs achieve diverse functions. Further, in many cases, the same HP1 paralog is implicated in multiple functions. Recent biochemical studies have revealed interesting paralog-specific biophysical differences and unanticipated conformational versatility in HP1 proteins that may account for this functional promiscuity. Here we review these findings and describe a molecular framework that aims to link the conformational flexibility of HP1 proteins observed in vitro with their functional promiscuity observed in vivo.
Occurrence of rippling during the deformation of oriented polyethylene

Rippling is another mode, in addition to kink-band formation, by which oriented polyethylene can deform and results in a profuse and irregular waviness in the fibrils. For the medium-density and high-density polyethylenes investigated, rippling tended to occur only at strain rates below about 1 min−1 at 25°C. Above this rate, kink bands tended to form. It is suggested that rippling results from easy slip between the fibrils of the oriented polymers and from the resistance of the fibrils to shortening under a compressive stress. The applied shear stress is reduced by the easy slip to a simple compression along the fibrils, and this distorts the fibril into the series of waves that constitutes rippling. Stress–strain measurements confirm that fibril slip is considerably easier under the rates at which rippling occurs than at the rates at which kink bands form.
The Relationship of Motor Attachment Geometry and Velocity Fluctuations in Kinesin-Microtubule Gliding Motility Assays

In gliding motility assays, surface-adhered motor proteins bind to the gliding filaments in a variety of orientations. The resulting variations in the angle of attachment affect the efficiency of force transfer onto the filament, which in turn results in fluctuations of the gliding velocity as shown theoretically by Sekimoto and Tawada [1]. The theory establishes a relationship between the motional diffusion coefficient, the gliding velocity, the motor density, and a factor capturing the angular variations in the motor attachment. We present measurements of the motional diffusion coefficient for microtubules gliding on full-length kinesin-1 with known surface density. Measurements at varying ATP concentrations and kinesin surface densities enable, for the first time, measurements of the geometry factor. The implications of these measurements for the underlying motor attachment geometry as well as the efficiency of force generation by coupled motors will be discussed.1. Sekimoto, K.; Tawada, K. Phys Rev Lett 1995, 75, (1), 180-183.
Jacobi's Action and the Recovery of Time in General Relativity

We argue that the usual action principle of general relativity, applied to spacetimes with closed spatial geometries, should be regarded as analogous to Jacobi's form of the principle of stationary action, in which the energy rather than a physical time is fixed. Following the paradigm of quantization based on Jacobi's action for a nonrelativistic particle, we show that the Wheeler-DeWitt equation corresponds to a time-independent Schr\"odinger equation. The relationship between Jacobi's and Hamilton's action principles then allows us to derive a time-dependent Wheeler-DeWitt equation of the Schr\"odinger type. In this equation, the role of energy is played by the cosmological constant and that of physical time by the four-volume of spacetime.
Effect of Sb, Sn and Pb on the recrystallization of bismuth

Abstract High purity bismuth and BiSb, BiSn and BiPb solid solutions were deformed by uniaxial compression and subsequently annealed for one hour. The annealing temperature was varied and changes in electrical resistivity, hardness and microstructure were followed. The decreases in resistivity and hardness after a single annealing are attributed to recrystallization, a hypothesis which is confirmed by microstructural observations. The recrystallization temperature, temperature range of recrystallization and estimated energy released increase with solute content and type (in the order Sb, Sn, Pb). The greater the deviation from the Hume-Rothery rules for substitutional solutions, the greater is the effect which solute addition appears to have on the recrystallization process.
Prediction of radiative forcing values for hydrofluoroethers using density functional theory methods

[1] In this work, we use computational chemistry at the B3LYP/6–31g* level of theory combined with Pinnock's cloudy sky instantaneous radiative transfer model to predict radiative forcing for hydrofluoroether compounds. We validate our predictive ability using the 27 values of cloudy sky radiative forcing reported in the literature before populating a database of 25 other hydrofluoroethers where no radiative forcing data is available. These additional compounds were selected because kinetic data are available for them and one could predict global warming potentials using the work reported here.
Decitabine can be safely reduced after achievement of best objective response in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Abstract Background Decitabine is standard therapy in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Current recommendations suggest a dose of 20 mg/m 2 intravenously (IV) daily for 5 days every 4 weeks. However, this therapy is associated with frequent grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity, requiring dose delays and/or dose reductions (DD/DR). Results We investigated the outcomes of 122 patients with MDS who had DD/DR of frontline decitabine therapy. Sixty-five patients (53%) had DR by at least 25% or DD (defined as a delay beyond 5 weeks between cycles). Thirty-five patients (29%) underwent DD/DR after achieving best objective response, 30 patients (25%) underwent DD/DR before best objective response, and 57 (54%) patients had no DD/DR. There was a trend for more durable responses in favor of patients requiring DD/DR after the achievement of best objective response (median not reached) ( P = .161). Overall survival rates were significantly higher for patients who had DD/DR after best objective response compared with those who had DD/DR before best objective response or those with no DD/DR (30 vs. 22 vs. 11 months, respectively; P P = .285). Conclusion DD/DR may be safely accomplished once the patient has achieved best objective response (preferably complete remission [CR]) without impacting outcome. Prospective evaluation of an approach conceived of a loading dose for induction of a best objective response followed by a maintenance schedule is to be considered.
The effects of reward on tutor's behaviors in a cross-age tutoring context

Abstract Utilizing a cross-age tutoring context, this study examined the effects of reward on the teaching behaviors of the tutor, the tutor's subsequent motivation to continue to teach during a free choice period, and the social interaction between a tutor and a tutee. Third-grade boys and girls (n = 96) who exhibited a positive reinforcement style were asked to teach six addition problems to a first-grade boy or girl (n = 96). The children were randomly assigned to pairs and to one of the three reward conditions. In the performance-contingent reward condition, the tutors were promised a toy if the first-grader learned all of the arithmetic problems. In the noncontingent reward condition, the tutors were promised a toy for teaching the first-grader. In the no reward condition, the tutors taught the first-grader without promise of a toy. The results indicated that the social interaction was rated lower for the children in the performance-contingent group and that the tutors in this group spent less time teaching during the free choice period. However, neither the tutor's teaching style nor the tutee's post-test performance was adversely affected by the reward.
Effective field theory, black holes, and the cosmological constant

Bekenstein has proposed the bound S{le}{pi}M{sup 2}{sub P}L{sup 2} on the total entropy S in a volume L{sup 3} . This nonextensive scaling suggests that quantum field theory breaks down in large volume. To reconcile this breakdown with the success of local quantum field theory in describing observed particle phenomenology, we propose a relationship between UV and IR cutoffs such that an effective field theory should be a good description of nature. We discuss implications for the cosmological constant problem. We find a limitation on the accuracy which can be achieved by conventional effective field theory. {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}
Gems of Chemistry and Physics: Macroporous Metal Oxides with 3D Order

Naturally occurring gem opals would seem to be the inspiration for the recent explosion of work on three-dimensionally ordered macroporous, or “3DOM” materials. Myriad techniques have been developed for the creation of 3DOM products. This work focuses on ordered metal oxides and the effects that the chemistry behind precursors and template removal have on the phase and composition of the end product. Structural features that affect the materials' photonic, optical, catalytic, and magnetic properties are discussed.
Fast-liquid chromatography using columns of different internal diameters packed with sub-2 μm silica particles

Capillary columns (50, 75 and 100 μm I.D.) were packed with silica C₁₈ sub-2 μm particles for 50mm and were employed in nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC) for fast chromatographic separations. Mixtures of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids were used as models. Separations no longer than 3 min were obtained with the three capillary columns employing a mobile phase of 35/65 (v/v) and 45/55 (v/v) ACN/H(2)O in 0.1% formic acid (HFo) for steroids and NSAIDs, respectively. Among the capillary columns used, best results, in terms of retention factor and selectivity, were achieved with the 50 μm I.D. column. The same sample mixtures were analyzed by micro-liquid chromatography (μ-LC), employing a commercial microbore column Hypersil GOLD™ (50 mm × 1.0 mm I.D.) packed with C₁₈ 1.9 μm particles, and working at the same linear velocity. The results were compared with those obtained with the 50 μm I.D. column in terms of analysis time, efficiency and selectivity. An evaluation of Van Deemter curves was also done for both columns. Finally both nano-LC and μ-LC methods, developed for the separation of the steroid mixture, were validated and applied to the determination of dexamethasone in commercial tablets. Relative standard deviation (RSD%), intra and inter days, of retention time were in the 0.1-1.0% and 2.3-3.5% ranges respectively, for nano-LC, while for μ-LC they were in the 0.6-1.4% and 0.9-1.6% ranges. Peak areas RSD% were also satisfactory (not higher than 6.3% for inter days values). LOD were between 0.010 and 0.040 μg/mL for nano-LC and between 0.1 and 0.5 μg/mL for μ-LC. To assess the linearity of both methods, six concentration levels were injected for three times in two different concentration ranges. Correlation coefficients (r²) of 0.998 and 0.997 were obtained for μ-LC and nano-LC respectively. Good recovery data were also found from analysis of real samples, utilizing 11α-hydroxyprogesterone as internal standard.
Global-local precedence in picture processing.

Previous investigations of the global precedence hypothesis (Navon, 1977) have utilized compound letter stimuli. In these stimuli there is no predictive relationship between the global and local levels. Pictorial stimuli, however, contain mutually predictable global and local levels. This study investigated the global precedence hypothesis with pictorial stimuli using a Stroop-like interference task similar to that used by Navon. Subjects were required to respond either to the global (e.g., beach or farm) or local (e.g., boat or tractor) level of a scene. The display size and consistency of the global and local levels were varied. Response latencies supported global precedence for small scenes (4°) but local precedence for large scenes (16°). The results are interpreted by a model in which the priority of processing is determined by a critical spatial frequency sampling bandwidth.
On the applicability of matrix completion on MIMO radars

It was recently shown that networked MIMO radars with sparse sensing and matrix completion (MC) can significantly reduce the volume of data required for accurate target detection and estimation. Based on the target returns, forwarded by the receive antennas to a fusion center, a matrix can be formulated and used in standard array processing methods to estimate the target parameters. For a small number of targets, the aforementioned matrix is low-rank and thus can be recovered from a small subset of its elements using MC. This allows for sparse sensing at the receive antennas, and subsequently populating the data matrix in a uniformly sparse fashion. This paper studies the applicability of MC theory on the data matrices that arise in colocated MIMO radars using uniform linear arrays. It is shown that the coherence is directly related to transmit waveforms, and that when the waveforms are orthogonal the optimum choice is for them to be spatial white noise-type functions in all snapshots.
A hierarchical study of macroinvertebrate recolonization of disturbed patches along a longitudinal gradient in a prairie river

SUMMARY 1. Macroinvertebrate densities and community composition were examined at three spatial scales after substratum disturbance; among reaches along a longitudinal gradient, within reaches and within plots. Reaches consisted of sandstone outcrops that were separated by approximately 2 km of highly mobile sandy silt substratum. 2. Substrata were disturbed by scraping sandstone plots (0.3 ± 0.3 m). Body-sized depressions created by Trichoptera in the sandstone were removed along with the upper 5 mm of sandstone, resulting in areas of newly exposed, smooth sandstone. 3. The spatial scale of examination determined whether patterns of macroinvertebrate distribution and densities were discernible. Initially there were no significant differences in community composition or total densities among reaches or among upstream/ downstream locations within reaches. Following substratum disturbance and 30 days recolonizarion, total macroinvertebrate densities did not differ significantly between undisturbed plots and disturbed plots. However, densities of Petrophilia (Pyralidae: Lepidoptera) differed along the longitudinal gradient and the Simuliidae had its highest density in the upstream reach. Significant differences were found in total macroinvertebrate densities between the upstream and the downstream halves of disturbed plots, with higher densities occurring in the downstream portions. 4. Recolonized plots had similar macroinvertebrate densities and community composition to undisturbed plots, suggesting that the stream community was highly resilient.
On the measurement of social orientations in the minimal group paradigm: norms as moderators of the expression of intergroup bias

Contrary to most other research conducted in the minimal group paradigm tradition, Bornstein, Crum, Wittenbraker, Harring, Insko and Thibaut (1983a) found little evidence of ingroup favoritism when they employed a revised measurement system (i.e. the Multiple Alternative Matrices; MAMs). The current experiment examined whether Bornstein et al.'s effects could be attributed to norms that prohibit intergroup discrimination, which are made salient by framing the outcome values in the intergroup allocation task as monetary payment. We manipulated the salience of prohibitive norms by varying whether participants allocated on the MAMs monetary payment, bonus money or feelings. Participants more strongly associated ‘having to be fair and equal’ with payment than with bonus or feelings and category members made fewer allocations that maximized the ingroup's relative and absolute profit and more allocations that minimized intergroup differences when allocating monetary payment than when allocating bonus money or feelings. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An X-ray diffuse scattering study of domains in F(CF2)10(CH2)2OH monolayers at the hexane-water interface

X-ray off-specular diffuse scattering is used to directly probe the statistical distribution of domains in monolayers of F(CF2)10(CH2)2OH adsorbed at the hexane-water interface. These domains appear very near a transition from a monolayer solid to gas phase. The domains have a nearly constant radius of ≈ 1.5 μm and a nearest-neighbor separation that varies from 2 to 8 μm with temperature. Evidence that the domains are of equilibrium size suggests that the domain line tension, λt ≈ 3 × 10−11 N, can be determined.
Determinants of the pace of global innovation in energy technologies.

Understanding the factors driving innovation in energy technologies is of critical importance to mitigating climate change and addressing other energy-related global challenges. Low levels of innovation, measured in terms of energy patent filings, were noted in the 1980s and 90s as an issue of concern and were attributed to limited investment in public and private research and development (R&D). Here we build a comprehensive global database of energy patents covering the period 1970–2009, which is unique in its temporal and geographical scope. Analysis of the data reveals a recent, marked departure from historical trends. A sharp increase in rates of patenting has occurred over the last decade, particularly in renewable technologies, despite continued low levels of R&D funding. To solve the puzzle of fast innovation despite modest R&D increases, we develop a model that explains the nonlinear response observed in the empirical data of technological innovation to various types of investment. The model reveals a regular relationship between patents, R&D funding, and growing markets across technologies, and accurately predicts patenting rates at different stages of technological maturity and market development. We show quantitatively how growing markets have formed a vital complement to public R&D in driving innovative activity. These two forms of investment have each leveraged the effect of the other in driving patenting trends over long periods of time.
Pyramiding genes for resistance to bean common mosaic virus

Gene pyramiding in Phaseolus vulgaris is being utilized to develop more effective resistance to the temperature-insensitive-necrosis-inducing (TINI) strains of Bean Common Mosaic Virus (BCMV) present in the USA. Our data indicate that contrary to previous work, the bc-3 gene is effective against these strains in the absence of the strain unspecific bc-u gene in genotypes possessing the I gene. The epistatic bc-3 gene interferes with traditional efforts to pyramid the other recessive resistance genes by masking their activity. Indirect selection based on markers linked to the other recessive resistance genes would likewise be ineffective without the ability to also select for the bc-u gene which is required for expression of the bc-2 2 gene in germplasm carrying the I gene. Because the most resistant genotype (I, bc-u, bc-I 2, bc-22, bc-3) can only be introduced into a wide range of germplasm through the use of molecular markers linked to the different resistance genes, the search for a marker linked to the strain unspecific bc-u gene should also be given priority.
Peculiar transformation of a nonaromatic Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4) into an aromatic Na(2)Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4).

We analyzed the molecular orbitals for a Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4) compound, which is a model of the (AlBr x NEt(3))(4) crystal structure recently reported by Schnockel and co-workers. We found that even though Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4) contains a planar square Al(4) cluster it is not an aromatic compound. However, the addition of two sodium atoms to Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4) yields a new Na(2)Al(4)Cl(4)(NH(3))(4) compound which is a pi-aromatic molecule. We hope that prediction of this new compound will facilitate a synthesis of aluminum aromatic solids.
Investigation of direct vs. indirect involvement of the c‐type cytochrome MacA in Fe(III) reduction by Geobacter sulfurreducens

The electron transfer pathway to Fe(III) reduction in Geobacter sulfurreducens has been hypothesized to consist of a series of c-type cytochromes. Previous genetic studies suggested that the inner membrane-associated, c-type cytochrome, MacA, was a component of the electron transfer chain leading to Fe(III) reduction in the dissimilatory Fe(III)-reducer, G. sulfurreducens. However, investigation of the expression of OmcB, an outer-membrane c-type cytochrome demonstrated previously to be critical for optimal Fe(III) reduction, revealed that both omcB transcript and protein levels were dramatically reduced in the MacA-deficient mutant. Expression of the omcB gene in trans enabled the MacA-deficient mutant to reduce Fe(III) at a rate that was proportional to the level of omcB expression. These results suggest that MacA is not directly involved in electron transfer to Fe(III) and further confirm the importance of OmcB in Fe(III) reduction by G. sulfurreducens.
Regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase mRNA in lordosis-relevant neurons of the ventromedial hypothalamus following short-term estrogen treatment

Short-term estrogenic regulation of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA in the ventrolateral subdivision of the ventromedial nucleus (VLVMN), an area central to lordosis, was demonstrated using in situ hybridization. Estrogen-treated animals showed a significantly greater signal in the VLVMN, but not the arcuate or supraoptic nuclei, compared to ovariectomized controls. Neuronal NOS may be involved in early actions of estrogen in the VLVMN.
Transcription of chromatin by bacterial RNA polymerase.

Abstract The ability of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase to transcribe chromatin from mouse and frog (Xenopus laevis) liver was examined. In mouse liver chromatin, E. coli polymerase did not transcribe the mouse satellite sequences, although it did transcribe them in deproteinized DNA. In confirmation of previous reports, unlabeled mouse liver nuclear RNA competes more efficiently for the hybridization of chromatin transcripts to bulk DNA than it does with transcripts of deproteinized DNA. However, when chromatin and DNA transcripts were hybridized to mouse DNA from which the satellite sequences had been removed, they hybridized and competed identically. It is concluded that this type of hybridization-competition experiment is a very insensitive way to assay the fidelity of chromatin transcription. In chromatin from the frog, both the genes for rRNA and the genes for 5 S RNA are transcribed but in an aberrant manner. Transcription occurred on both strands and in the gene as well as spacer regions. In the F1 hybrid between X. laevis andX. mulleri, transcription of theX. mulleri rDNA † is repressed by over 95% in vivo (Honjo & Reeder, 1973). In chromatin from such hybrid frogs, E. coli RNA polymerase transcribed at least 25% X. mulleri rRNA, indicating that the bacterial polymerase could not recognize the repression mechanism. These studies suggest that transcription of chromatin by E. coli RNA polymerase is much less accurate than previously claimed.
The Anelasticity of the Mantle

Abstract Data on attenuation of body waves, surface waves and free oscillations are summarized. Virtually all of the seismic attenuation in the mantle occurs in the low-Q zone that corresponds to the low-velocity zone for seismic waves. Regardless of the data source, all experiments show an order of magnitude increase in Q in the region between 400 and 800 km depth. Data compiled here indicate the rate of increase of Q is more rapid than has been suggested in the past, that is, lower boundary of the low-Q zone is very sharp. An intercomparison of the various results shows that a larger difference between Q-values exists than would be expected from looking at the internal consistency of each experiment. These discrepancies cannot be explained on the basis of path differences or frequency dependence alone, but may also be due in part to amplitude dependence. The current uncertainties in data on attenuation of surface waves and free oscillations arc so large that it does not appear to call for the same level of effort now being applied in the inversion of velocities of surface waves and frequencies of free oscillations. Improved long-period instrumentation and the larger number of long-period stations that now exist can be expected to provide a substantial improvement in the quality of attenuation data in the near future.
Influence of photoexcitation pathways on the initiation of ablation in poly (methyl methacrylate)

Experimental and theoretical studies of laser ablation of polymers, under various processing conditions, have identified many possible photoexcitation pathways and consequently many likely processes responsible for the onset of ablation. We investigate the role of these processes—namely the thermal, mechanical and chemical processes—occurring in a polymeric substrate during UV irradiation. Molecular dynamics simulations with an embedded Monte Carlo-based reaction scheme were used to study ablation of Poly (methyl methacrylate) at 157 nm. Laser-induced heating and chemical decomposition of the polymeric substrate are considered as ablation pathways. For the heating case, the mechanism of ejection is thermally driven limited by the critical number of bonds broken. This fragmentation process is well reproduced by the existing bulk photothermal ablation model. Alternatively, if the photon energy goes toward direct bond breaking, it initiates chemical reactions, polymer unzipping, and formation of gaseous products leading to near complete decomposition, loss of strength and cohesiveness of the top layers of the polymeric substrate. The ejection of small gaseous molecules weakens and hollows out the substrate, facilitating liftoff of larger fragments of material. These larger clusters are thermally ejected and the photochemical ablation process can be described by the two-step model proposed by Kalontarov.
Voluntary Environmental Programs: Assessing Their Effectiveness

Voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) seek to improve the environment by encouraging, rather than mandating, businesses and other organizations to adopt environmentally protective measures. Since the 1990s, VEPs established by industry, government, and nongovernmental organizations have proliferated around the globe, raising the question of how effective these programs are in securing environmental protection, both on their own and in comparison to traditional mandatory regulations. This article reviews the emerging research literature on VEPs, describing the variation in their structures, providing a framework for assessing their impacts, and summarizing what is known about why organizations engage in voluntary environmental action and what effects these programs have on environmental quality.
Fictions of Emergence Foucault/Genealogy /Nietzsche

Michel Foucault's genealogies, due to their reliance on Nietzschean accounts of the violent origins of human culture, present a problematic description of the emergence of patterns of resistance and domination. By creating a parallel fiction of emergence that replaces Nietzschean originary violence with Richard Dawkins's account of the centrality of cultural transmission in human survival we can release emergence from the unitary Foucauldian drama. It is then possible to reconstruct Foucault's genealogies, anchoring the will to knowledge in an active agent dedicated to the transgression of sociocultural limits.
A control theory formulation for random variate generation

The need to simulate complex systems in a Monte Carlo manner necessitates efficient methods for generating random variates. We propose a method for random variate generation. The method is based on a control theory formulation. We use a cascade structure consisting of a neural network "controller" and a density estimator ("plant"). The neural network "controller" acts as a density shaper, and is trained until the density of its output (as measured by the density estimator) is as close as possible to the given density. Once training is complete in the design phase, the generation of random numbers can be performed in a very fast manner.
Rapid method for the preparation of a robust optical pH sensor

A simple and rapid method for the preparation of a fluorescence-based optical pH sensor is described. The sensor is based on excitation ratiometric detection of a methacryloyl-modified analog of the well-known fluorescent pH indicator dye, 8-hydroxy-1,3,6-pyrene trisulfonic acid (HPTS). The modified dye, 6-methacryloyl-8-hydroxy-1,3-pyrene disulfonic acid (MA-HPDS), is similar in structure and function to HPTS. However, unlike HPTS, the presence of the methacrylate moiety allows MA-HPDS to participate as a comonomer in a free radical polymerization reaction. Covalent immobilization by this method is simple, as the preparation of the modified dye is accomplished in a single reaction step and its subsequent reaction with a comonomer results in simultaneous immobilization and purification. Sensors were prepared by copolymerization of the MA-HPDS with poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate. Minimal leaching of the immobilized dye was observed from the HPDS-PEG matrix. The copolymer of HPDS and PEG-DA is fully autoclavable. The sensor is useful over the pH range of 6-9, with excellent reproducibility. Ionic strength effects on the apparent pKa of the immobilized dye are small and predictable.
Equity Dilution: An Alternative Perspective on Mortgage Default

Empirical research on mortgage default in the single-family market has focused on the value of the borrower's put option using house price indices to estimate contemporaneous loan-to-value ratio or the probability of negative equity. But since the borrower possesses the option to increase leverage by taking on additional debt secured by junior liens subsequent to loan origination (a phenomenon termed here equity dilution), even a perfect house price adjustment cannot be expected to accurately measure changes in borrower equity over time. Since junior liens are generally unobservable to senior debt holders, proxies are required in empirical applications. This paper employs an independent estimate of junior lien probability developed from the 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances combined with loan level mortgage performance data to examine the role junior liens play in increasing default risk.
The Relationship Among Negative Life Events, Cognitions, and Depression Within Three Generations

This study investigates the extent to which cognitions mediate the relationship between negative life events and depression. College students and their same-sex parents and grandparents (N = 171) completed measures of stressful life events, automatic thoughts, dysfunctional attitudes, and depression. There was an interaction between negative life events and cognition for the young adults but not for either of the older groups.
Adenosine deaminase deficiency and severe combined immunodeficiencies

Abstract Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency in humans is associated with a severe combined immunodeficiency disease which is characterized by the absence of functional T and B cells in affected individuals. Pharmacological stuides involving the use of ADA inhibitors have provided additional evidence that ADA is indispensable for the development and proper functioning of the mammalian immune system. This essential relationship between ADA expression and immunodevelopment is also reflected in the tissue distribution and developmental expression of the enzyme.
Consumers' evaluation of brand portfolios.

Abstract This study explores how consumers evaluate lodging brand portfolios and shows the important role of brand-specific associations and brand portfolio effects in forming brand attitudes toward extended brands. The findings suggest, in general, that both brand-specific associations and brand portfolio affect consumers’ evaluations of extended brands. In addition, brand fit and familiarity are found to be important in consumers’ attitude formation in that they moderate attitude transferability between a brand portfolio and its extended brands. Managerial implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Feature extraction and terrain matching

An algorithm is presented which uses Gaussian curvature for extracting special points on the terrain, and then uses these points for recognition of particular regions of the terrain. The Gaussian curvature is chosen because it is invariant under isometry, which includes rotation and translation. In the Gaussian curvature image, the points of maximum and minimum curvature are extracted and used for matching. The stability of the position of these points in the presence of noise with resampling is investigated. The Gaussian curvature is calculated from the 3-D digital terrain data by fitting a quadratic surface over a square window and calculating directional derivatives of this surface. A method of surface fitting which is invariant to coordinate system transformation is suggested and implemented. This method involves finding an optimal directional in which the fitting is performed. >
Demonstration of on Sky Contrast Improvement Using the Modified Gerchberg-Saxton Algorithm at the Palomar Observatory

We have successfully demonstrated significant improvements in the high contrast detection limit of the Well-Corrected Subaperture (WCS) using a number of steps aimed at reducing non-common path (NCP) wavefront errors, including the Autonomous Phase Retrieval Calibration (APRC) software package developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the Palomar adaptive optics instrument (PALAO). APRC utilizes the Modified Gerchberg-Saxton (MGS) wavefront sensing algorithm, also developed at JPL. The WCS delivers such excellent correction of the atmosphere that NCP wavefront errors not sensed by PALAO but present at the coronagraphic image plane begin to factor heavily as a limit to contrast. The APRC program was implemented to reduce these NCP wavefront errors from 110 nm to 35 nm (rms) in the lab, and now these exceptional results have been extended to targets on the sky for the first time, leading to a significant suppression of speckle noise. Consequently we now report a contrast level of very nearly 1×10^(-4) at separations of 2λ/D before the data is post processed, and 1×10^(-5) after post processing. We describe here the major components of our instrument, the work done to improve the NCP wavefront errors, and the ensuing excellent on sky results, including the detection of the three exoplanets orbiting the star HR8799.
Preoperative evaluation for hand surgery in adults.

g c b e m f a HAND SURGERY CAN BE performed with a combination of local or regional anesthesia and different levels of sedation versus general ansthesia. The choice of anesthesia type is based on the lanned procedure and duration of the surgery, the atient’s general health and medical comorbidities, and atient and surgeon preference. A thorough preoperaive evaluation, including major organ systems, is critcally important in selecting appropriate and safe aneshesia for the patient, and can ensure that the patient is ptimally prepared for surgery, whatever his or her aseline state of health.
Model-based control with quantitative feedback theory; empirical model analysis

An empirical approach to developing the linear time-invariant models necessary for quantitative feedback theory (QFT) robot controller design is presented. A Golubev curve fitting routine produces transfer functions based on the actual input/output empirical data from nonlinear robot system experiments. These linear time-invariant models are equivalent to the nonlinear model with respect to the restricted inputs used in their development. The empirical models are used to analyze several implementation issues for model-based control with quantitative feedback theory (MBQFT). A PUMA-560 is used for the case study. The resultant empirical models produce transfer functions with higher gains than transfer functions produced by the use of linearized Lagrange-Euler dynamic equations. While the empirical models are too complex to replace the analytical models currently used in MBQFT design, their higher gains explain previously observed QFT robot control phenomena. It is concluded that intuition gained from this analysis will aid the continuing development of better models for QFT robot controller design. >
Sleep deprivation and starvation in hospitalised patients: how medical care can harm patients

The field of patient safety has focused on acute adverse events. However, hospitalised patients face regular stressors, such as sleep deprivation and malnutrition, which frequently predispose them to other complications, yet are unlikely to be detected as preventable adverse events in chart-based studies. Unlike easy-to-measure patient safety events, such as retained foreign objects or catheter infections, sleep deprivation and malnutrition are more difficult to measure, as they are dynamic and occur with varying severity. Even a young, extremely healthy person at home without illness will become physiologically stressed and transiently immunocompromised after a mere 24 h of starvation and a poor night's sleep.1 These stressors alone can result in acne, fatigue, oral ulcers and impaired judgment—conditions that in the presence of illness can worsen or obscure the clinical picture being evaluated by clinicians. In frail patients, the stressors of sleep deprivation and malnutrition are magnified further, and, in conjunction with the stress of the patient's underlying medical condition, can overwhelm a patient's physiological reserve and lead to or worsen complications.2 Consider a 65-year-old woman who presents to the emergency department (ED) for pneumonia. She has not eaten or had anything to drink for a few days due to not feeling well. Because the doctors are unsure if the admitting doctor may want to perform a procedure, she is placed on nil per os (NPO) status until the admitting team can come to evaluate her. The patient waits in a noisy ED with devices beeping and people talking loudly outside her room, shared with another patient—a room she will stay in for an additional full day since the hospital ward is full. Including the time in the ED waiting room, and waiting for an admitting service to arrive, the patient spends nearly 12 h until she is seen by the trainee …
Pyrethroid as a Substance of Abuse

This is a case of a 22-year-old Hispanic male with a history of bipolar disorder and methamphetamine dependence who was admitted after presenting with suicidal ideations by slashing his throat with a machete. The patient had been smoking and inhaling “processed” pyrethroid for about eight weeks as an inexpensive methamphetamine substitute. He reported experiencing a “rush” similar to methamphetamine after using pyrethroid from liquid insecticide that had been heated (electrocuted) or sprayed on hot metal sheets until it crystallized. The patient presented with no significant physical markings or findings but claimed to have his suicidal ideations precipitated by concerns of ill effects of pyrethroid on his health. He also had positive urine drug screen for methamphetamine, which he admitted to using on the day of admission. We conclude that it is important for physicians to maintain a high level of suspicion for alternate and uncommon substances of abuse as well as risks for suicidal tendencies in these patients.
Copyrighting the Kaiser: Publicity, Piracy, and the Right to Wilhelm II's Image

In 1900, the Encyclopedia Britannica requested an original, previously unpublished portrait from Kaiser Wilhelm II for its forthcoming edition. The German emperor denied the request, instead advising the British publishers to find an existing photograph on the open market. A few years later, when a Berlin-based association for hunting dogs needed a cover shot for its journal, the Kaiser gladly sat for the picture. From a twenty-first-century perspective, Wilhelm's choice seems a bizarre case of misplaced priorities: the Kaiser took care to position himself among the hounds, but left his encyclopedia image in the hands of foreign publishers. Was this gaffe an example of what Wilhelm II's grandson, Louis Ferdinand, later criticized as the Kaiser's “deficient” sense of public relations, his feeling that “the imperial family stands high above the need to worry about publicity”? In England, mused the royal heir, “publicity is taken much more seriously”—after all, as early as the 1860s, Queen Victoria had courted public support by publishing her family portraits and private diaries.
A computational study of the inertial lift on a sphere in a linear shear flow field

Abstract The shear induced inertial migration of a rigid sphere has been studies computationally by simulating the flow around a rigid sphere with a Fourier finite volume technique. The values of the lift force obtained by flow simulation have been compared with those predicted by asymptotic analyses for rotating and non-rotating spheres.
A simulation approach to the evaluation of operational costs and performance in liner shipping operations

This paper presents a simulation model of the operation of a liner shipping network that considers multiple service routes and schedules. The objective is to evaluate the operational costs and performance associated with liner shipping, as well as the impact of individual service schedules on the overall system. The approach proposes a discrete-event simulation model where shipping activities, container ship operations, and intermodal container movements are considered. The model allows for direct and transshipment operations of container cargo, and the evaluation of fuel consumption and other logistics metrics. The model is used to evaluate a liner shipping network consisting of four service routes, up to 64 container ships, and up to 20 ports with diverse physical characteristics and cost components. The results show the contribution of service routes, ports, container ships, and containers to the cost and performance of the system.
Phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages: pharmacologic features.

These studies are examples of the use of pharmacologic agents to analyze some mechanisms of phagocytosis in an important pulmonary defense cell. They suggest that: 1) the metabolic features of phagocytosis may result from modification of cell membrane phospholipids, 2) AM phagocytosis depends on contractile microfilaments, and 3) cyclic AMP regulates glucose metabolism in the AM.
Accident prevention and the clean air act amendments of 1990 with particular reference to anhydrous hydrogen fluoride

The Sections of the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) of 1990 that refer to accident prevention are to be found in Title III. Two significant requirements of the CAAA in this respect relate to the responsibilities of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which has promulgated a new Process Safety Management (PSM) standard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which at the time of writing, is developing Risk Management Program (RMP) regulations. The focus of this paper is on how the requirements of the CAAA may affect the reasons for performing a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) or may affect the results of QRA. In order to limit the discussion, this paper focuses on HF. First, the CAAA requires that the EPA assess the hazards associated with HF: the EPA's current draft report is discussed. Second, a generic assessment of the risks associated with the use of HF is given, with emphasis on alkylation units in refineries. The principal contributors to risk will be listed. Finally, an assessment of OSHA's PSM standard 29 CFR 1910.119, the related requirements of state laws such as California's Risk Management and Prevention Program and the potential requirements of EPA's Risk Management Program will be given, including an assessment of how these requirements may influence quantitative estimates of risk.
Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: A case illustrating doppler color flow imaging and its potential for preoperative diagnosis

Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis is a rare aggressive Mneoplasm with fewer than 100 cases reported in the world literature. Because of its nonspecific symptoms, wide age distribution, and absence of tumor markers, most cases have been diagnosed intraoperatively. 1 A small number of case reports have illustrated the typical sonographic appearance of this tumor, but in only 1 case has imaging led to a preoperative diagnosis. 2 Color Doppler images have been documented with the advancement of imaging technology, but all of these cases lacked appearances specific for malignancy. We describe a case of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis with typical sonographic and previously unreported color Doppler characteristics.
Autonomous Agents in Complex Event-Driven Software Systems

Summary form only given. AFRL cognitive scientists are struggling to develop cognitive process models that behave more like autonomous goal-pursuing agents than programs. Autonomous agents are difficult to develop because the broader system in which contingencies and effective actions mesh must be represented and processed by the agent. In complex and dynamic environments, it is virtually impossible to author a set of pre-defined rules capturing all the relationships between contingencies, constraints, and effective actions. For the last three years, an AFRL Large-Scale Cognitive Modeling (LSCM) research initiative has worked to develop new agent specification formalisms that decrease the importance of pre-defined rules. The initiative has also developed execution frameworks for these formalisms that reduce the difficulty of integrating autonomous agents into training and operational environments built upon complex event-driven software systems. During this address, I will describe how the LSCM initiative has used meta-modeling in the Generic Modeling Environment and agent execution in a "cognitively enhanced" complex event processing architecture to fundamentally change the way cognitive models and agents are conceived of, specified, and executed. The address will demonstrate how these changes help AFRL cognitive scientists specify autonomous agents and integrate them into complex event-driven software systems.