cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asymptotic distributions of functions of the eigenvalues of sample covariance matrix and canonical correlation matrix in multivariate time series

Abstract Let S = (1/ n ) Σ t=1 n X ( t ) X ( t )′, where X (1), …, X ( n ) are p × 1 random vectors with mean zero. When X ( t ) ( t = 1, …, n ) are independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) as multivariate normal with mean vector 0 and covariance matrix Σ, many authors have investigated the asymptotic expansions for the distributions of various functions of the eigenvalues of S . In this paper, we will extend the above results to the case when { X ( t )} is a Gaussian stationary process. Also we shall derive the asymptotic expansions for certain functions of the sample canonical correlations in multivariate time series. Applications of some of the results in signal processing are also discussed.
High and Volatile Treasury Yields in Tanzania: The Role of Strategic Bidding and Auction Microstructure

The observed increase in the level and volatility of Tanzania's Treasury yields in recent years against an otherwise benign macroeconomic backdrop presented a puzzle for policymakers, while raising concerns about the fiscal burden of rising debt interest payments and diversion of bank credit away from the private sector. Using evidence from bid-level data and supported by theoretical models, this paper argues that oligopolistic bidding through 2005 may have been partly responsible for the rising level of yields; while the high volatility during 2006-07 could be traced to the emergence of a sharp segmentation of the T-bill market between sophisticated financial market players (foreign-controlled banks) and a less experienced group of investors (domestic pension funds and small banks). An important policy recommendation that emerges is that public debt managers should avoid micromanaging Treasury bill auctions by issuing amounts in excess of those offered or by dipping into oversubscribed segments of the yield curve, as such practices seriously disadvantage the less-sophisticated (but more competitive) investors vis-a-vis the more sophisticated players.
A method to pattern Pd over-layers on GdMg films and its application to increase the transmittance of metal hydride optical switches

A process to pattern Pd over-layers on reactive metal films was developed using ion milling through a tungsten trioxide mask patterned by photolithography and wet etching. The WO3 mask exhibited a low Ar+ sputter yield and, unlike conventional mask materials (SiO2, Si3N4), was easily etched in a mild alkaline solution. This procedure was applied to convert a 20-nm Pd cap over a 160-nm GdMg film to a Pd grid with ≈9-μm-diameter openings covering ≈40% of the surface. The Pd grid proved sufficient to catalyze the (de)hydriding reactions required to reversibly switch the GdMg film from reflecting to transparent. The maximum transmittance of the patterned Pd/GdMg hydride bi-layer was twice that of an otherwise identical sample with a continuous Pd cap, with similar hydriding kinetics.
Dealing with a nonobvious source of problems related to selecting R&D to meet customers' future needs: weaknesses within an R&D organization's and within a marketing organization's individual operations

The problems related to selecting RD to change how people and/or activities are managed; and to get their members to make better efforts to identify customer's needs. >
A tight polyhedral immersion of the twisted surface of Euler characteristic −3

Abstract Early studies of tight surfaces showed that almost every surface can be immersed tightly in three-space. For these surfaces we can ask: How many significantly different tight immersions are there? If we consider two such immersions to be the same when they are image homotopic, then we can answer the question by determining the number of homotopy classes where tight immersions are possible. A complete description of all classes of immersions under image homotopy already exists, and tight examples are known in all but three of the classes where tight immersions are possible. In this paper we produce examples in two of those three missing classes, and conjecture that no tight immersion exists in the third.
Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone (LH-RH) Content of the Hypothalamic Nuclei in Rat

The luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) content of 16 separate hypothalamic nuclei and of the median eminence have been determined by radioimmunoassay in the rat. High concentrations of LH-RH were measured in the median eminence and in the arcuate nucleus. Other nuclei of the hypothalamus, as well as the medial preoptic nucleus, contained little or no LH-RH. The amount of LH-RH stored in the median eminence is about twice that found in the arcuate nucleus, but the concentration in the median eminence is 7.7 times higher than in the arcuate nucleus. Within the arcuate nucleus 73% of the LH-RH is present in the middle part (NA III) of the nucleus. (Endocrinology 95: 554, 1974)
Relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder and asthma among New York area residents exposed to the World Trade Center disaster.

Abstract Objective The heightened prevalence rates of respiratory problems and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among New York area residents following the World Trade Center disaster on September 11, 2001, have received national attention. Although there is some evidence suggesting that PTSD is associated with increased risk for asthma, this relationship has not been well documented in this population at high risk for both disorders. There is also a need to examine this relationship while controlling for notable confounds, including dust exposure and smoking. Method This study examined the association between symptoms indicative of probable PTSD and the diagnosis of asthma following 9/11 among the individuals who participated in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) baseline study between September 2003 and November 2004. A total of 71,437 participants enrolled in this study and completed questionnaires pertaining to exposure, physical health symptoms before and after 9/11, and self-reported PTSD symptoms. Results Logistic regression revealed that, compared to participants without probable PTSD, individuals with probable PTSD were 1.65 times more likely to be diagnosed with asthma following 9/11, which was significant after controlling for the effects of gender, ethnicity, income, smoking status, dust exposure, and nonspecific psychological distress [Wald χ 2 (1) = 52.375, P Conclusion These results suggest that PTSD symptoms are associated with the development of asthma following 9/11 and that this relationship is not explained by sociodemographic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.
Synthesis and characterization of Cu(bpe)(ddc) [bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane, H2ddc = 1,10-decanedicarboxylic acid]

Abstract A new 2D structure, Cu(bpe)(ddc) was synthesized by a reaction of hydrated cupric nitrate, 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe), 1,10-decanedicarboxylic acid (H2ddc) and triethylamine (tea) via a room temperature diffusion method. The compound with chemical formula C24H32N2CuO4 crystallizes in triclinic space group P 1 – , a = 7.944(3) A, b = 8.714(3) A, c = 9.366(3) A, α = 64.55(3)o, β = 86.72(2)o, γ = 73.74(3)o, V = 560.5(3) A3 and Z = 1. Within the structure, each copper forms four equatorial bonds with two ddc and two axial bonds with two bpe to give rise to a distorted octahedron. The Cu–ddc connections generate a 1D zigzag chain. The chains are further connected via bpe nitrogen at Cu axial positions to result in a 2D layered structure. To cite this article: B. Finkel et al., C. R. Chimie 8 (2005). Resume Une nouvelle structure 2D Cu(bpe)(ddc) a ete synthetisee par reaction d’hydratation du nitrate de cuivre, du 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpe), de l’acide 1,10-decanedicarboxylique (H2ddc) et de la triethylamine (tea) par une methode de diffusion a temperature ambiante. Le compose, de formule C24H32N2CuO4, cristallise dans le groupe d’espace triclinique P 1 – , avec a = 7,944(3) A, b = 8,714(3) A, c = 9,366(3) A, α = 64,55(3)o, β = 86,72(2)o, γ = 73,74(3)o, V = 560,5(3) A3 et Z = 1. Dans la structure, chaque cuivre forme quatre liaisons equatoriales avec deux ddc et deux liaisons axiales avec deux bpe pour donner un octaedre deforme. Les enchainements Cu–ddc produisent une chaine en zigzag a une dimension. Les chaines sont ensuite liees par l’intermediaire de l’azote du bpe aux positions axiales du cuivre pour donner une structure en couches bidimensionnelle. Pour citer cet article : B. Finkel et al., C. R. Chimie 8 (2005)
Mechanical energy absorption in Ni–Mn–Ga polymer composites

Abstract The motion of twin boundaries in Ni–Mn–Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloy (FSMA) particles embedded in a polymer matrix has been proposed as an effective mechanism for the dissipation of vibration energy. Indirect evidence of the motion of these boundaries through vibrating sample magnetometer measurements on FSMA/polyurethane matrix composite is shown.
Expansions of analytic functions in spherical harmonics

It is shown that every analytic function f(x1,…,xk) defined in the intersection of the complex sphere in C k with an open bail in C k can be expanded in spherical harmonics. An application to the theory of Lame functions is given.
Autoradiographic distribution of 125I-VIP binding in the rat adrenal cortex.

Abstract Using in vitro autoradiography, 125I-VIP binding was found to be concentrated in the capsule and glomerulosa of the rat adrenal cortex. The densest receptor distribution was coincident with the distribution of VIP nerve fibers that arborize extensively in the capsule and glomerulosa. The specificity of this binding was demonstrated using unlabelled VIP, ACTH and angiotensin II. The presence and distribution of 125I-VIP binding sites provides the link between the previously found VIP nerves and the stereoidogenic effect of exogenous VIP, thereby substantiating the physiological role of VIP-containing autonomic nerves in the regulation of adrenocortical cell function.
Morphing the hyomandibular skeleton in development and evolution

How might changes in developmental regulatory pathways underlie evolutionary changes in morphology? Here we focus on a particular pathway regulated by a secreted, signaling peptide, Endothelin1 (Edn1). Developmental genetic analyses show the Edn1-pathway to be crucial for hyomandibular patterning, and we discuss our work with zebrafish suggesting how the signal may function in regulating numbers of skeletal elements, their sizes and their shapes. We then review a broader collection of comparative studies that examine morphological evolution of a subset of the same skeletal elements-the opercular-branchiostegal series of bones of the hyoid arch. We find that phenotypic changes in zebrafish mutants copy evolutionary changes that recur along many actinopterygian lineages. Hence the developmental genetic studies are informative for providing candidate pathways for macroevolution of facial morphology, as well as for our understanding of how these pathways work.
Modulation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase by dexamethasone not mediated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation.

Abstract The activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMG-CoA reductase, EC 1.1.1.34) was increased severalfold in the microsomes isolated from HeLa S3G cells grown in the presence of 10−6 m dexamethasone. HMG-CoA reductase activity was inactivated by ATP + Mg2+. This inactivation was a function of time of incubation and ATP + Mg2+ concentration. Nevertheless dexamethasone-treated cells always showed higher activity. The inactivated enzyme was reactivated by incubation with potato acid phosphatase. Incubation of the microsomes with either purified alkaline phosphatase from intestine or HeLa cell homogenates as a source of alkaline phosphatase showed no effect on the activity of HMG-CoA reductase. ML236B, a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, partially inactivated the enzyme. Both in the presence and in the absence of this compound, dexamethasone-treated cells showed higher activity. However, the relative percentage inhibitions by ML236B at a fixed HMG-CoA concentration remained the same for both control and dexamethasone-treated cells. The results suggest that the increase in HMG-CoA reductase activity elicited by dexamethasone is due to the increased level of the enzyme.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-induced angioedema may not be a class-related event: Case study

Angioedema is a rare but potentially life threatening condition commonly associated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs). The incidence is approximately 0.1–0.2% and may occur within the first week to several years of taking an ACEI. We present a case of a 37-year-old African American male who was uneventfully taking a drug combination of quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide. When his medication was changed to lisinopril he developed an acute swelling of his lower lip and chin on fifth dose. The angioedema subsided within 24 hours after discontinuation of lisinopril. Therefore, this suggests that future treatment with ACEIs, as well as angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), is not recommended in this type of patient.
Metabolism of aldosterone in the colostomized duck (Anas platyrhynchos): partial characterization of urinary metabolites.

Abstract 1. 1. Chronically colostomized ducks were injected with [4- 14 C]-aldosterone to study the metabolism of aldosterone and the pattern of metabolite excretion via the kidney. 2. 2. Nearly half of the injected dose was excreted as radiometabolites during the first 24 hr; the largest amounts being excreted during the first 3 hr after injection. 3. 3. Ion-exchange chromatography showed that monosulfate, disulfate, glucuronide, acidic, and neutral metabolites were excreted during eachy collection period, and that their relative proportions changed with time after injection of [4- 14 C]-aldosterone. 4. 4. HPLC analysis of the neutral radiometabolites revealed 15 major peaks with retention times corresponding to both polar and reduced derivatives of aldosterone. 5. 5. Only small quantities of unaltered labelled aldosterone were excreted. 6. 6. Treatment of the birds with SKF 525-A caused a decrease in the total quantity of radiometabolite excreted and a change in the proportions of neutral and acidic metabolites in the cloacal fluid. 7. 7. The decreases that occurred in the absolute amounts of some of the polar metabolites excreted by the birds treated with SKF-525A suggests that they may be hydroxylated and at least part of the aldosterone metabolizng system in the duck is cytochrome P450 dependent.
A biopsychosocial model of medical student distress.

Medical student distress was examined in two consecutive first-year classes (N = 312) in September, before they interacted with the school regimen, and again in May before exams. Anxiety means were one SD above the normative mean for nonpatients at both times. The number of students reporting a significant level of depression doubled from September (N = 36) to May (N = 78). The correlation of distress in September and May was .40, indicating that for many students distress was enduring. A biopsychosocial model of initial distress explained more variance (36%) in the cross-validation sample than did any one variable alone. Distressed students had higher Type A scores. Also, anger held in was a risk factor for distress in students with a family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Students who hold anger in may experience prolonged stress which, coupled with a family history of CVD, could make them psychobiologically vulnerable to distress.
A novel method for determining the inhibitory potential of anti-HIV drugs.

In the absence of cure, most HIV-1-infected individuals will require lifelong treatment. It is therefore essential to optimize highly active antiretroviral therapy. Recent research has shown that the slope parameter or Hill coefficient, which describes the steepness of a dose–response curve, is a critical missing dimension in the evaluation of the activity of antiviral drugs. Based on this finding, instantaneous inhibitory potential (IIP) has been derived as a new measure of antiviral drug activity. IIP incorporates the slope parameter and thus is a more accurate pharmacodynamic measure of antiviral activity than current measures such as IC 50 and inhibitory quotient. Determining how to use IIP to predict the in vivo efficacy of anti-HIV-1 drugs is nevertheless important. This article discusses recent advances in in vitro measures of antiviral activity and the therapeutic implications of the dose–response curve slope and IIP.
Performance analysis of the converted range rate and position linear Kalman filter

In active sonar and radar applications measurements consist of range, bearing and often range rate — all nonlinear functions of the target state (usually modeled in Cartesian coordinates). The converted measurement Kalman filter (CMFK) first converts the range and bearing measurements into Cartesian coordinates to allow for the use of a linear Kalman filter. The extension of the CMKF to use range rate as a linear measurement however has been limited to cases with small bearing errors. The use of range rate as a nonlinear measurement requires the use of a nonlinear filter such as the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Due to the uncertain performance of the EKF, various modifications have been proposed, including use of a pseudo measurement, an alternative linearization of the measurement prediction function, and sequentially processing the converted position and range rate measurements (applied to the EKF and the Unscented Kalman Filter). Common to these approaches is that the measurement prediction function remains nonlinear. A measurement conversion from range, bearing and range rate to Cartesian position and velocity has recently been proposed [4]. This manuscript expands the evaluation of this new approach by comparing to the Sequential EKF, the Sequential Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) and the posterior Cramer-Rao lower bound (PCRLB). The new method is shown to have improved mean square error performance and exhibits improved constancy over the previously proposed methods, especially in cases with poor bearing accuracy.
Late Leonardian Plants from West Texas: The Youngest Paleozoic Plant Megafossils in North America

Abundant Permian plant megafossils were discovered in the Del Norte Mountains of Brewster County, Trans-Pecos Texas. The flora is dominated by a new and distinctive type of gigantopteroid leaves. Marine invertebrates are closely associated, and this admixture of continental and marine fossils indicates a deltaic depositional setting, probably on the southern margin of the Permian Basin. Conodonts indicate correlation with the uppermost Leonardian Road Canyon Formation in the Glass Mountains. These are the youngest Paleozoic plant megafossils known in North America; they add an important paleontological element to the classic Permian area of this Continent.
An aboveground pathogen inhibits belowground rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Phaseolus vulgaris

Induced aboveground plant defenses against pathogens can have negative effects on belowground microbial symbionts. While a considerable number of studies have utilized chemical elicitors to experimentally induce such defenses, there is surprisingly little evidence that actual aboveground pathogens affect root-associated microbes. We report here that an aboveground fungal pathogen of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) induces a defense response that inhibits both the belowground formation of root nodules elicited by rhizobia and the colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Foliage of plants inoculated with either rhizobia or AMF was treated with both live Colletotrichum gloeosporioides—a generalist hemibiotrophic plant pathogen—and C. gloeosporioides fragments. Polyphenol oxidase (PPO), chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activity in leaves and roots, as well as the number of rhizobia nodules and the extent of AMF colonization, were measured after pathogen treatments. Both the live pathogen and pathogen fragments significantly increased PPO, chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase activity in the leaves, but only PPO activity was increased in roots. The number of rhizobia nodules and the extent of AMF colonization was significantly reduced in treatment plants when compared to controls. We demonstrate that aboveground fungal pathogens can affect belowground mutualism with two very different types of microbial symbionts—rhizobia and AMF. Our results suggest that systemically induced PPO activity is functionally involved in this above-belowground interaction. We predict that the top-down effects we show here can drastically impact plant performance in soils with limited nutrients and water; abiotic stress conditions usually mitigated by microbial belowground mutualists.
Ornithine decarboxylase and histaminase (diamine oxidase) activities in rat thymus and their relationship to the thymus lymphocyte.

Abstract Two enzymes associated with the synthesis and degradation of polyamines, ornithine decarboxylase and diamine oxidase (histaminase), were found in high levels in rat thymus. The ornithine decarboxylase and, to a smaller extent, the histaminase activity declined with age or upon depletion of thymus of its lymphocytes by treatment with dexamethasone. The ornithine decarboxylase activity was located exclusively in the lymphocytes and the histaminase activity was located outside the lymphocytes in the surrounding thymus stroma. Studies with labeled precursor, dl -[2- 14 C]ornithine, in vitro showed that the amino acid was taken up by the isolated thymus lymphocytes and was converted to [ 14 C]putrescine, the first of the amines in the polyamine metabolic pathway. The labeled putrescine accumulated in the cell and did not diffuse readily in or out of the cell. It is suggested that the ability of the thymus lymphocytes to synthesize polyamines may be related to their capacity to proliferate at a rapid rate in thymus. These cells may serve, therefore, as a useful model to study the role of polyamines in cell and tissue growth.
Beta cells in type 2 diabetes – a crucial contribution to pathogenesis

The healthy beta-cell has an enormous capacity to adapt to conditions of higher insulin demand (e.g. in obesity, pregnancy, cortisol excess) to maintain normoglycaemia with an increase in its functional beta-cell mass. This compensates in 80-90% of individuals for insulin resistance. However, in 10-20% of individuals, the beta-cells are unable to match the demands of insulin resistance and insulin levels are relatively insufficient to maintain normal glycaemic control. This eventually leads to glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Accordingly, preservation of functional beta-cell mass has become central in the treatment of type 1 diabetes as well as T2DM. The purpose of this review is to summarize the recently described mechanisms of beta-cell death in T2DM and to postulate possible new targets for treatment.
Catalytic reduction of 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane by nickel(I) salen electrogenerated at vitreous carbon cathodes in dimethylformamide

Abstract Catalytic reduction of 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) by nickel(I) salen electrogenerated at a carbon cathode has been investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential (bulk) electrolysis in dimethylformamide (DMF) containing 0.10 M tetramethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TMABF 4 ). Cyclic voltammograms for reduction of nickel(II) salen in the presence of HBCD exhibit the characteristics of a catalytic process: (a) at low concentrations of HBCD, a tiny cathodic prepeak is observed that merges with the peak associated with reduction of nickel(II) salen and (b) as the substrate concentration increases, the cathodic peak current rises and the anodic peak current falls for the nickel(II) salen–nickel(I) salen redox couple. Bulk electrolyses at a reticulated vitreous carbon cathode of solutions containing 1.0 mM nickel(II) salen and less than 20.0 mM HBCD result in conversion of the starting material to 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene (CDT, 88–95%), along with small amounts of cyclododeca-1,5-dien-9-yne (CDY, 3–4%), in a six-electron process. Incomplete catalytic reduction occurs for concentrations of HBCD at or above 20.0 mM; CDT is produced in only 35% yield, and traces of unreduced starting material remain. In addition, at this higher concentration of HBCD, other products (pentabromocyclododecene, tetrabromocyclododecene, tribromocyclododecadiene, dibromocyclododecadiene, and bromocyclododecatriene) have been detected, but not quantitated.
How to STIMulate Calcium Channels

The movement of calcium across cell membranes regulates many important physiological processes in vertebrates, as various as the contraction of heart muscle, the firing of brain cells, the expression of genes by immune cells, and the secretion of hormones. Cells have two main types of calcium channels that enable calcium ions (Ca2+) to flow into the cell. Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels typically function only in electrically excitable cells, such as neurons, heart muscle cells, and insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. By contrast, store-operated Ca2+ channels work only in electrically inexcitable cells, such as lymphocytes and other cells of the immune system. Researchers have long puzzled over this pattern, in part because biochemical evidence suggested that both channel types are present in both excitable and in excitable cells. On pages 101 and 105 of this issue, reports by Park et al. and Wang et al. ( 1 , 2 ) help solve the puzzle by presenting a new mechanism that determines which type of Ca2+ channel predominates in a particular cell type. These two groups show that the protein STIM1, which was already known to activate store-operated Ca2+ channels, inhibits voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. Together, the reports help to illuminate a reciprocal calcium control mechanism that, if it goes wrong, can have life-threatening consequences.
The growth and characterization of BiPbSrCaCuO films on single crystal substrate by spray pyrolysis and RF magnetron sputtering

Abstract Studies to obtain large amount of high-Tc phase (≈ 110 K ) of the Bi Pb Sr Ca Cu O films have been made. Superconducting films with Tc (onset) about 115 K and Tc (zero) at 98 K and 110 K were form on (001) MgO single crystal substrate by spray pyrolysis and RF magnetron sputtering, respectively. X-ray diffraction shows that there are three different phases existed in films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering method. The composition of film was analyzed by ICPAES. It is found that the films composition is the dominate factor to obtain large amount of high Tc phase for samples heat treatment in air for less than 20 hrs.
Toward a sustainable landscape with high visual preference and high ecological integrity: the loop road in Acadia National Park, U.S.A.

Abstract This paper on reseach which develops an experimental mode of landscape planning, using simulation modelling methods applied to Acadia National Park and Mt. Desert Island, Maine, U.S.A. The research was directed at establishing levels of sensitivity to landscape management and design changes for both the ecological landscape and the visual landscape. Both are of great important to the park; evidence points to the perceived beauty of the landscape as the overwhelming reason for the user-popularity of Acadia. A detailed geographic information system (GIS) was prepared for the island. User preferences for the visual landscapes of Mt. Desert Island were assessed via interviews with several hundred residents and visitors. Five conceptually different existing visual models were compared for their ability to have generated the survey responses. Based on results, a new and more predictive model was then developed. Analyses were also conducted to identify the landscape elements of the island which are most important for maintaining a diversity of wildlife habitats and thus their ecological integrity. The visual and ecological models were applied to the GIS, mapped and compared. Twelve landscape planning policies and actions were simulated along the Loop Road, the most frequently used route in the park. Using spreadsheet methods, these were evaluated by the models for their visual and ecological impacts. Taken in combination, alternative landscape management plans can thus be designed, compared and directed toward a more sustainable landscape.
Raman measurements of Y1−xEuxBa2Cu3O7: Comparison with Y1−xPrxBa2Cu3O7

Abstract We present polarized Raman measurements of small single crystals embedded in Y 1− x Eu x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 polycrystalline pellets. Superconductivity remains unsuppressed through the entire range of x . With increasing x , the frequency increase of the Ba-Ba vibrational mode and the apical oxygen O z -O z vibrational mode, is significantly smaller than in Y 1− x Pr x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7 , even though similar changes in interatomic distances occur in both systems. These results support the assertion that the frequency changes of Ba-Ba and O z -O z modes are due to changes in electronic states and not due to interatomic distances.
Two-dimensional fiber optic control of a wideband array transmitter

We report on the first demonstration of a 2D, fiber-optic, true time-delay control system capable of squint-free steering of an ultrawideband array. The system is based on a novel fiber-optic prism technique with separate azimuth and elevation control stages. In this technique, high dispersion fiber is used to provide a wavelength-dependent time-delay between the rows and columns of the array. The fiber-optic control system was used to drive a 4 by 4 array of flared- notch elements. The system was tested in a compact radar range and 2D array patterns were obtained. The system demonstrated independent +/- 30 degrees elevation steering of a 4 by 4 array over a 6 to 18 GHz bandwidth with no observable squint. We believe this is the first demonstration of such a system. The design of the demonstrated system allows for transitioning to larger, real-world ultrawideband array transmitters.
Politics in Mexico

New for this edition: Coverage of the NAFTA agreement, the Chiapas uprising , the new Zedillo administration, and the 1995 economic crisis. This introduction to the politics of Mexico examines not only the roots of Mexico's contemporary political culture, but its structure of government and electoral process, issues of corruption and foreign policy, the impact of political and economic modernization since 1988, and the possibilities for Mexico's future.
Diagnostic radiographic findings and symptom-free teeth

The determination of whether a symptom-free tooth has pulpal and periapical disease relies heavily on radiographic findings and pulp tests. A case of a symptom-free upper left first molar is presented. The radiographic evidence of pathological changes associated with the endo-antral syndrome coupled with diffuse pulpal calcifications facilitated the diagnosis of chronic pulpal periapical disease. Non-surgical root canal therapy resulted in periapical healing as shown on a follow-up radiograph.
Selective decrease of small sensory neurons in lumbar dorsal root ganglia labeled with horseradish peroxidase after Nd:YAG laser irradiation of the tibial nerve in the rat

Abstract Recent electrophysiological evidence indicates that Q-switched Nd:YAG laser irradiation might have selective effects on neural impulse transmission in small slow conducting sensory nerve fibers as compared to large diameter afferents. In an attempt to clarify the ultimate fate of sensory neurons after laser application to their peripheral axons, we have used horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a cell marker to retrogradely label sensory neurons innervating the distal hindlimb in the rat. Pulsed Nd:YAG laser light was applied to the tibial nerve at pulse energies of 70 or 80 mJ/pulse for 5 min in experimental rats. Seven days later HRP was applied to the left (laser-treated) and to the contralateral (untreated) tibial nerve proximal to the site of laser irradiation. In control animals the numbers of HRP-labeled dorsal root ganglion cells were not significantly different between the right and the left side. In contrast, after previous laser irradiation labeling was always less on the laser-treated side (2183 ± 513 cells, mean ± SEM) as compared to the untreated side (3937 ± 225). Analysis of the dimensions of labeled cells suggested that the reduction of labeled cells on the laser-treated side was mainly due to a deficit in small sensory neurons. Since the conduction velocity of nerve fibers is related to the size of their somata, our histological data imply that laser light selectively affects retrograde transport mechanisms for HRP in slow conducting sensory nerve fibers.
A computational study of the formation of 1,3,2-dioxaborolane from the reaction of dihydroxy borane with 1,2-ethanediol

Abstract Boronic acids are well known to form covalent linkages with compounds containing 1,2- or 1,3-diol moieties that lead to 5- or 6-membered cyclic boronate esters, respectively. In the present study, we use density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311++G** computational level to discuss formation of the representative 5-membered cyclic ester 1,3,2-dioxaborolane, HB(–O–CH2–CH2–O–), from the dehydration reaction of dihydroxy borane, HB(OH)2, and 1,2-ethanediol, HOCH2–CH2OH. Calculations support a stepwise mechanism in which the monoester HB(OH)–O–CH2–CH2OH is formed in an initial bimolecular dehydration; this is followed by a unimolecular elimination in which HB(–O–CH2–CH2–O–) is formed. Since diol complexations with boronic acids are typically carried out either in aprotic solvents using a dehydrating agent or in basic aqueous media, the effects of acetonitrile and various Lewis bases on the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of these dehydration and elimination reactions are also discussed.
Full Metal Jacket Stenting de l’artère fémorale superficielle : Une étude rétrospective

Introduction La technique de stenting long d’un segment de l’artere femorale superficielle (AFS) a ete associee a des resultats mediocres a court et long termes. Le full metal jacket (FMJ) stenting est typiquement decrit comme le stenting continu d’un long segment vasculaire. Au debut, cette technique a ete decrite dans les interventions coronaires percutanees. Cependant, jusqu’a recemment, le FMJ de l’AFS n’a pas ete etudie. Nous avons examine notre experience de FMJ de l’AFS afin d’evaluer les resultats et la surete de cette technique. Methodes Les donnees retrospectives etaient recueillies concernant les angioplasties peripheriques avec stenting sur la periode de janvier 2005 a decembre 2008. Les cas impliquant un stenting en FMJ de l’AFS etaient identifies par les resultats angiographiques et les comptes-rendus operatoires fournissant les donnees du stent. Le stenting selectif en FMJ de l’AFS etait realise pour une stenose residuelle apres angioplastie au ballon de l’AFS en raison d’une dissection ou d’un recoil significatif. Les cas d’angioplastie concomitante et/ou stenting de l’artere iliaque etaient exclus des donnees analysees. Les criteres d’evaluation etaient les taux primaires de permeabilite, taux de mortalite, et taux de sauvetage de membre, qui etaient stratifiees sur la base des facteurs de risque. Resultats Un total de 63 cas impliquant un stenting en FMJ de l’AFS ont ete identifies dans la base de donnees de 707 patients qui avaient eu des interventions endovasculaires peripheriques entre janvier 2005 et decembre 2008. L’âge moyen des patients etait de 70 ans (extremes : 52-104 ans, ecart-type : 10,1 ans). Il n’y avait aucune lesion TASC A, 11% (7/63) des lesions etaient TASC B, 68% (43/63) etaient TASC C, et 21% (13/63) etaient TASC D. Le taux primaire median de permeabilite etait de 9 mois (IC a 95% : 5,06-12,94). Le taux de mortalite etait de 4% au cours du suivi de six mois. Le taux de sauvetage de membre etait de 85,7%. En tout, 65% (41/63) des patients etaient des claudicants, tandis que 23% (15/63) ont eu une intervention pour un trouble trophique (ulcere, gangrene ischemique). Une intervention sous poplitee associee a ete effectuee dans 15,9% des patients. Le niveau moyen de creatininemie etait de 1,67 (extremes : 0,7-10,9, ecart-type : 2,03) et 49% (31/63) des patients etaient diabetiques. Le taux moyen a six mois de permeabilite etait de 55% (ecart-type : 0,5). L’analyse de regression logistique multivariee montrait que le diabete (OR : 0,33, p = 0,044, IC a 95% : 0,11-0,97) et un niveau de creatininemie ≥ 1,6 (OR : 0,16, p = 0,038, ic a 95% : 0,03-0,9) etaient des facteurs de risque independants de thrombose Conclusion Notre experience suggere des resultats prometteurs de la technique de FMJ de l’AFS, et d’autres etudes sur cette technique sont justifiees.
Incremental evaluation for attribute grammars with application to syntax-directed editors

A syntax-directed editor is a tool for structured program development. Such an editor can enforce syntactic correctness incrementally by restricting editing operations to legitimate modifications of the program's context-free derivation tree. However, not all language features can be described by the context-free formalism. To build editors that enforce non-context-free correctness, a more powerful specification technique is needed. In this paper we discuss the advantages of attribute grammars as a specification technique for a syntax-directed editing system. We also present an efficient algorithm for incrementally evaluating attributes as a program tree is derived.
Treatment of phobias in a hospitalized child.

Abstract A 12-year-old girl, hospitalized on a psychiatric intensive care unit, was treated for phobias of school and unfamiliar males. Treatment focused on decreasing several avoidance responses and increasing prosocial approach responses. Treatment consisted of instructions, performance feedback, participant modeling and social reinforcement. Marked changes were evident when treatment was introduced in a multiple-baseline design across several phobic and prosocial behaviors. Treatment effects generalized beyond the persons and situations included in training, were reflected in overall global ratings by persons unfamiliar with the treatment, and were maintained up to a 7-week follow-up when the child returned to the hospital for reassessment. Contact with the child 21 weeks after discharge indicated that the gains were reflected in school attendance and social interaction in everyday situations.
How instruction influences attitudes of college men and women towards computers

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of micro-computer training on attitudes toward computers. One hundred and ninety-four undergraduate and graduate students participated; 107 took a microcomputer training course, while the remaining 87 received no computer training. Students in both conditions completed the Computer Attitude Scale (Loyd & Loyd, 1985) during the first and final weeks of a 16-week semester. Results from a series of multivariate and univariate analyses indicated that (a) students who received microcomputer training demonstrated less anxiety, more confidence, and more interest in using computers than students who received no training; (b) there were no significant gender differences in attitudes at the beginning or end of the study; and (c) attitudes toward computers improved significantly over time with computer training but did not change without training. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Synthesis of keratin proteins during maturation of cultured human keratinocytes

We have examined the synthesis of keratin and total protein during cellular maturation in cultured oral and epidermal keratinocytes. Keratinocytes were separated on the basis of maturational age on gradients of Ficoll 400. Analysis of selected gradient fractions revealed that during maturation in culture the amount of protein/cell increases from 100 to 900 pg and the apparent rate of protein synthesis increases about two-fold. However, the proportion of protein that is keratin remains constant throughout this process. The major keratin proteins (58K, 56K, and 46K) are synthesized at the same relative rates throughout maturation in vitro. Therefore, during terminal differentiation in culture, the keratinocyte forms an expanding cell in which the rate of protein synthesis increases while the relative proportion of keratin proteins and nonkeratin proteins remain the same.
Metabolism of benzoic acid in normal and irradiated rats.

Summary1. The isotope concentration of the urinary hippuric acid of starved irradiated or non-irradiated rats given benzoic acid-carboxyl-C14 is much less than the dilution expected from the conjugation of the injected labeled benzoic acid with inert carbon atoms of the glycyl residue. 2. Evidence is presented that benzoic acid is a normally occurring metabolite in rats. 3. The effect of xradiation on the ability of starved rats to conjugate benzoic acid-carboxyl-C14 has been tested and no defect detected under the experimental conditions used.
Performance of Electromagnet and Permanent Magnet Quadrupoles with Iron Poles

Abstract The largest field that can be obtained at the pole tip of an iron core quadrupole is limited by saturation in the iron and by its excitation by either the current density in the coil or the remanent field of the permanent magnet material. An analytical model is used to find the saturation limited performance of quadrupoles with either electromagnet or permanent magnet excitation. The results are presented in a form that can be used to evaluate proposed magnet designs but, more significantly, show that the strength of the excitation has less of an effect on the pole tip field than the size of the magnet needed to achieve it and that saturation has more of an effect on the achievable field strength than excitation strength does.
Three Innovative Programs: Comparisons and Conclusions

During the latter part of the 1960's, a number of schools drew national attention for their attempts to counteract problems that had been plaguing foreign language instruction for years. New programs were being established to attract students of varying interests and abilities as well as to stem the tide of decreasing enrollments. ‘Three such programs were those of West Bend, Wisconsin; Oxon Hill, Maryland: and the McChier High School, Ferguson-Florissant School District, Missouri. Oxon Hill's program was one of multi-level grouping, whereas those of West Bend and McCluer were individualized. In order to determine the success of these innovative curricula in terms of student/teacher satisfaction, a survey was conducted using the Jakobovits “Foreign Language Attitude Questionnaire” and a series of in-depth interviews with members of the instructional staff and randomly selected, second-level students from each program. The results of the survey show that while strong foreign language students reacted well to multi-level grouping, the individualized programs of West Bend and McCluer succeeded to a greater extent in providing satisfactory learning experiences to students of varying levels of ability.
Multiplication and survival of tubercle bacilli in the organs of mice.

Cultures of tubercle bacilli (typical bovine and human strains) known to differ in the severity of the lesions they induce in experimental animals, were injected in various doses into the cerebrum, peritoneal cavity, or blood stream of mice. Quantitative determinations of the numbers of living bacilli present in the tissues at different intervals of time after infection led to the following classification of the cultures tested:— (a) Certain well known variant forms of tubercle bacilli were found to be unable to multiply in vivo, although they could survive for many weeks in the tissues of mice. These organisms proved to be truly avirulent. (b) Other variant forms underwent multiplication in vivo, even when extremely small infective doses were used, but could not give rise to progressive disease. It is proposed to designate these strains, which produce only abortive infections, as "attenuated." Different levels of attenuation could be detected. The maximum numbers of living bacilli that were recovered from the tissues corresponded directly to the severity and duration of the abortive lesions that could be produced by the strain in guinea pigs or in mice and were characteristic for each strain tested. The two BCG substrains tested were found to differ markedly in their level of attenuation. (c) The cultures virulent for guinea pigs were also capable of establishing a progressive infection in mice even when small infective doses were used. In the case of the attenuated and virulent strains, the population of living bacilli present in the lungs was at first much lower than that in the spleen, but it continued to increase in the former organs throughout the period of observation. This was notably true in the case of the virulent cultures. In contrast, the numbers of living bacilli in the spleen rapidly reached a maximum in the case of all cultures and then decreased progressively. For a given infective dose, and a given interval of time after inoculation, the maximum levels of living bacterial population attained in the spleen and in the lungs proved to be a direct expression of the virulence of the strain.
The kinase activity of Rip1 is not required for tumor necrosis factor-alpha-induced IkappaB kinase or p38 MAP kinase activation or for the ubiquitination of Rip1 by Traf2.

The death domain kinase Rip1 is recruited to the tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 and mediates the IκB kinase and p38 MAP kinase pathways. In response to tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), we find Rip1 phosphorylated and ubiquitinated, suggesting that Rip1 phosphorylation may stimulate its ubiquitination. To address the contribution of the kinase activity of Rip1 to its ubiquitination and to TNF-α signaling, we introduced wild type Rip1 and a kinase-inactive form of Rip1, Rip1D138N, into rip1-/- murine embryonic fibroblast cells by retroviral infection. TNF-α-induced ubiquitination of Rip1 is observed in Rip1D138N cells, supporting the argument that Rip1 autophosphorylation is not required for Rip1 ubiquitination. TNF-α-induced Ikk and p38 MAP kinase activation is normal, and the Rip1D138N cells are resistant to TNF-α-induced cell death, indicating that the kinase activity of Rip1 is not required to mediate its antiapoptotic functions. In the absence of Traf2, TNF-α-induced ubiquitination of Rip1 is impaired, suggesting that Traf2 may be the E3 ubiquitin ligase responsible for the TNF-α-dependent, ubiquitination of Rip1. Finally, recruitment of the ubiquitinated Tak1 complex is dependent on the presence of Rip1, suggesting that Rip1 ubiquitination rather than its phosphorylation is critical in signaling.
The Passive Influence of the Oceans upon the Rotation of the Earth

A general theory is developed which allows the exact numerical computation of the static equilibrium response of a non-rotating spherically symmetric Earth model covered by thin oceans with geometrically irregular coastlines to the action of an imposed static tidal or centrifugal potential. The theory is self-consistent, and takes into account the gravitational self-attraction of the oceans and the elastic-gravitational response of the Earth model to both the applied potential and the equilibrium oceanic tidal load on the surface. The results are used to determine the influence of an equilibrium pole tide on the free period and the associated rotational eigenfunction of the Chandler wobble. If the pole is globally well represented by this equilibrium approximation, its effect is to increase the Chandler wobble period by 27·6 days. It is shown that a fully self-consistent theory of the rotation of an Earth model with oceans predicts that changes in spin and wobble will be coupled, and that the Chandler wobble should, as a result, be accompanied by an associated periodic change in the length of day. The consequences of spin-wobble coupling are explored quantitatively, and found to be slight.