cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Moveon Effect: Disruptive Innovation within the Interest Group Ecology of American Politics

This paper explores the structural and tactical innovations that have led to MoveOn's meteoric rise in American politics. Drawing upon recent works detailing the history of civic associations in America, it suggests that the changes in membership and fundraising regimes introduced by MoveOn are similar to the changes witnessed in the late 1960s and early 1970s - changes which led to both an "interest group explosion" (Baumgartner and Jones 1993) and the replacement of a previously-dominant organization type with a new modal organization-type (Skocpol 2003). It offers an early investigation of the new political economy of interest group representation, characterized by large "generalist" organizations that span multiple issue spaces and, relying on the internet for communications, function with greatly-reduced infrastructure overhead costs, and also by small niche organizations that cater to specialized publics or topics. In so doing, it demonstrates why the recent explosion of internet-mediated participatory activities is associated with significant disadvantages for longstanding political associations, presaging a generation shift within the advocacy community that structure and mobilize collective action in American politics. The paper has four parts. It will begin with a brief review of the relevant literature. Of particular importance are two recent works in political science - Bruce Bimber's Information and American Democracy and Theda Skocpol's Diminished Democracy - and one work from organizational management - Clayton Christensen's The Innovator's Dilemma. These three works, rarely associated with each other, each offers important insights into the dynamic shifts in online transaction costs that enable MoveOn's rise to prominence. The paper will then move to a detailed discussion of MoveOn itself, with a focus on its member recruitment, engagement, and fundraising strategies. Despite MoveOn's prominent place in American politics, the organization has attracted surprisingly little scholarly attention (one noteworthy exception being Chadwick 2007). Based upon website and e-mail content analysis and elite-level interviews, I will offer a description of "The MoveOn Model." Thirdly, it will look more broadly at membership and fundraising trends among the single-issue professional advocacy organizations that have dominated interest group politics since the interest group generation shift of the 1970s, illuminating important shifts in membership and fundraising regimes currently under way. The paper then closes by discussing the impact of "the MoveOn effect" on various classes of nonprofit political association, as well as identifying those areas currently underdefined or in need of further exploration.
Maternal Education and the Link Between Birth Timing and Children's School Readiness*

Objective This study explored whether mothers’ education magnified any benefits that waiting until older ages to have children might have for their children's educational careers. Methods Multiple-group path modeling assessed whether and why the positive association between mothers’ age at first birth and children's test scores was greater for children of college-educated women than children of other women. Results Older age at first birth was associated with higher math and reading test scores among the children of college-educated women via their mothers’ higher income and cognitive support for children. These mediational paths were less pronounced among the children of high-school-educated women and were not observed among the children of high school dropouts. Conclusion Any potential effects of women's delayed fertility on their children's early educational experiences appeared to be confined to the most educated women.
Using Logic Modeling to Focus Evaluation Efforts

Abstract ABSTRACT De spite con siderable ad vo cacy for the prin ci ples of the - ory-based eval u a tion, in prac tice such ap proaches are of ten more con cep - tual than op er a tional. This ar ti cle ex plores how the ory-based eval u a tion can ad vance be yond the ideo log i cal stage through the ve hi cle of logic mod el - ing. Il lus tra tions from cor rec tional in ter ven tions are used to dem on strate how pro gram the ory, in ter ven tion pro cesses, and eval u a tion meth od ol ogy can be united through mod els that vi sually dis play hy pothesized causal link ages. Both the prag matic and the the o ret i cal util ity of logic mod el ing are ad dressed, par tic u larly in terms of how it can help to bridge gaps be - tween re search ers and ad min is tra tors, guide op er a tional im prove ments, and more ef fec tively align pol icy-mak ing with re search find ings, thereby con - trib ut ing to the on-go ing pro cesses of both the ory-build ing and pol icy de - vel op ment.
The electrical conductivity of blood. I: Relationship to erythrocyte concentration.

1. The factors influencing blood conductivity have been noted. 2. An accurate apparatus has been designed to measure blood and plasma conductivity. 3. A new cell has been designed to measure conductivity of blood. 4. Through studies on normal blood before and after dilution, a correlation has been shown to exist between blood conductivity and the red cell count. 5. The form factor for normal human red cells has been determined to be 1.393. 6. A mathematical equation is presented relating red cell count with conductivity for normal blood. See PDF for Equation 7. The factor C on the basis of 33 determinations has been calculated to be 10.80.
Animating Fermi—A Collaboration between Art Students and Astronomers

Undergraduate animation students at the Maryland Institute College of Art teamed up with scientists from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to produce a set of animations on several astronomy topics. Here, the authors describe the process and discuss the results, educational benefits and the cross-cultural experience. These animations are available for free online.
Table look-up based compact modeling for on-chip interconnect timing and noise analysis

A compact model for RLC interconnect lines, in the form of a two-path hybrid ladder, is proposed for on-chip interconnect timing and noise analysis. The model parameters are synthesized through constrained nonlinear optimization to directly match the circuit response characteristics over a range of transition times and loads, both at the driving point and at the receiver end. The effect of capacitances on the return current distribution is explicitly considered in our work in obtaining the accurate responses for industrial circuits, and is found to have a significant effect. The parameters for this model are embedded in a table that is characterized once for a design and then used for the analysis of various structured interconnects. Compared with a prior compact modeling approach, our model is demonstrated to accurately predict responses such as the interconnect delay, gate delay, transition times at near and far ends of switching lines as well as the overshoot at the far ends of switching lines.
Measurement of Gravitational Interaction on mm Scale

An experiment with a Cavendish balance and Dxh = 19x 1.6 mm lead disc masses withsurfaces separated by 0.2–0.3 mm revealed no noticeable deviation from the Newtonian inverse square law. The experiment rules out at least significant deviations from the inverse square law on a 1-mm scale.
Cosmic Ripples Confirm Universe Speeding Up

Four years ago, cosmologists announced that the universe appears to be expanding at ever-increasing speed--and that a mysterious antigravity force must be doing the pushing. Now an international consortium of astronomers has confirmed the original finding by taking a completely different approach. The new research adds to the mounting evidence that ordinary matter alone cannot mold space into the geometry that cosmologists believe it has. Instead, many now believe, "dark energy" must be added to the mix.
Understanding and Curing Myopic Voting

Retrospective voting is central to theorizing about democracy. Given voters’ ignorance about politics and public policy, some argue that it is democracy's best defense. This defense, however, assumes citizens are competent evaluators of incumbent politicians' performance. Although little research has investigated this assumption, voters' retrospective assessments in a key domain, the economy, appear flawed. They overweight election-year income growth in presidential elections, ignoring cumulative growth under the incumbent. In this paper, I present evidence that this myopia arises from a more general “end bias” in retrospective assessments. Using a three-year panel survey, I show that citizens' memories of the past economy are inconsistent with their actual experience of the economy as they reported it in earlier interviews. They fail to remember the past correctly in part because the present shapes their perceptions of the past. I then show similar behavior in the lab. When participants evaluate economic and crime data, I again find that election-year performance shapes perceptions of overall performance, even under conditions where the election year should not be more informative. Finally, I search for and appear to find a cure. Presenting participants with cumulative information on performance (e.g., total income growth or total rise in murders during incumbents’ terms) cures this myopia. On one hand, these results are troubling for democracy because they confirm citizens’ incompetence at retrospection. On the other hand, they point to a remedy, one that candidates and the news media could adopt.
SCAI expert consensus statement for femoral-popliteal arterial intervention appropriate use.

Intervention to treat infrapopliteal arterial disease can be challenging because the patients' comorbidities, the anatomic variables, and the limitations of our techniques. Clinical scenarios based on anatomic and clinical variables are presented. Recommendations regarding intervention (appropriate care, may be appropriate care, rarely appropriate care) are made based on best evidence.
Interleukin-1 modulation of cytokine receptors on human neutrophils: in vitro and in vivo studies

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) modulation of cytokine receptors (human IL-1 receptor [hIL-1R], human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [hG-CSFR], human granulocyte-macrophage CSF receptor [hGM-CSFR], and human tumor necrosis factor receptor [hTNFR]) on human neutrophils was studied both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, incubation of neutrophils with IL-1 at 37 degrees C for 0.5 or 8 hours caused a reduction of IL-1 binding in a dose-dependent manner, but did not demonstrably affect binding of the other cytokines tested. In vivo, neutrophils from patients with gastrointestinal malignancies who were participating in a clinical trial of recombinant human IL-1 beta (rhIL-1 beta) demonstrated modulation of cytokine receptors in an IL-1 beta dose- and time-dependent manner. At the two highest dose levels of IL-1 beta (0.068 and 0.1 microgram/kg), reduction (> 40%) of G-CSF binding and elevation (twofold to sixfold) of IL-1 binding to neutrophils was observed after 1 hour and 4 to 8 hours, respectively. In addition, IL-1 beta rapidly elevated G-CSF and glucocorticoid levels in plasma. Patients at the lowest dose level (0.002 microgram/kg) had a less dramatic change in these parameters. Further in vitro studies showed that synthetic glucocorticoids and G-CSF synergistically up-modulated IL-1 binding to neutrophils in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Scatchard analysis of binding data showed that this in vitro synergistic modulation was due to an increase in receptor numbers, rather than an increase in binding affinity. In addition, both human umbilical cord blood and bone marrow neutrophils responded to G-CSF and dexamethasone (Dex) with a superadditive increase in IL-1 binding. Therefore, one of mechanisms for IL-1 up-modulation of IL-1R on human neutrophils in vivo was due to the fact that IL-1 rapidly elevates serum levels of G-CSF and glucocorticoids.
A programmable switched-capacitor sinewave generator

A new switched-capacitor topology is presented to realize a sinewave generator. The circuit architecture is simple and is suitable for monolithic realization. The peak amplitude as well as the frequency of the sinusoid are digitally programmable. The frequency is independent of circuit parameters, and it depends directly on the clock frequency and thus provides stability as well as accuracy. Stability in the peak amplitude is provided by a stable external dc source. Breadboard testing of the circuit has given harmonic distortion of less than 35 dB with /spl plusmn/5% capacitors. Distortion has been reduced to less than 45 dB when the capacitors are adjusted closer to the design values.
Neural data association

A neural data association process during the motion perception which may occur at a low level in the human visual system is described. Principles of the neural process are then applied to the data association (DA) problem arising in radar target tracking. After reviewing radar tracking operations and problems with current DA algorithms, a new biological model based approach is presented.
Pharmacological and genetic evidence for a role of rootlet and phycoplast microtubules in the positioning and assembly of cleavage furrows in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, specialized cytoskeletal structures known as rootlet microtubules are present throughout interphase and mitosis. During cytokinesis, an array of microtubules termed the phycoplast is nucleated from rootlet microtubules and forms coincidentally with the cleavage furrow [Johnson and Porter, 1968: J. Cell Biol. 38:403-425; Holmes and Dutcher, 1989: J. Cell Sci. 94:273-285; Gaffel and el-Gammel, 1990: Protoplasma 156:139-148; Schibler and Huang, 1991: J. Cell Biol. 113:605-614]. We have obtained two independent lines of evidence that support the hypothesis that the rootlet and phycoplast microtubules play a direct role in cleavage furrow placement and assembly. First, the destabilization of spindle and phycoplast microtubules by pharmacological agents was accompanied by the aberrant distribution of actin and a failure of cytokinesis. Second, we characterized mutant strains that failed to complete cytokinesis properly. Actin and myosin were mislocalized to additional rootlet microtubules in the cyt2-1 strain, and this mislocalization was correlated with the presence of additional cleavage furrows. This evidence suggests that microtubules are necessary for the correct positioning and assembly of functional cleavage furrows in C. reinhardtii.
Computer enhancement of direct and venous-injected left ventricular contrast angiography

Abstract Following peripheral venous injection of radiopaque contrast material, a new on-line automatic computer image enhancement technique was employed to delineate the left ventricular (LV) endocardial silhouette in 10 dogs and 8 patients. This technique employs a very fast analog-to-digital conversion system capable of digitizing video frames on-line. By averaging into digital image memory the first 30 video frames and then subtracting each incoming frame from this memory, most of the background is eliminated, leaving only the contrast-filled ventricle. Since the technique employs conventional fluoroscopic exposure rates rather than cineangiography, there is marked reduction in xray exposure. An in vitro study using the Rando whole body phantom demonstrated that a 5 mm object with 2% contrast could be imaged within the complex chest anatomy with an incident exposure rate of only 30 mR/sec, using digital subtraction followed by contrast enhancement. In vivo studies were performed to assess the relative accuracy of ventricular border definition using this new technique by comparison to the unenhanced images in eight patients. The difference in planmetered area of the two cardiac silhouettes was 13 ± 4 mm 2 (mean difference ± 3.4%). In four patients both direct and peripheral venous LV angiograms were obtained. There was a small (2% to 7%) systematic difference between calculated end-diastolic and end-systolic LV volume, with peripheral venous volumes invariably being smaller. Differences in calculated ejection fraction (EF) were of smaller magnitude; the maximum absolute difference in EF was 2%. We conclude that this technique is applicable to angiographic studies involving either cardiac or peripheral vascular injection of contrast material, and allows high quality images to be obtained at approximately seven-fold reduction in radiation dose (5 mA, 65 to 85 kv).
The Extent, Nature, and Utility of Evaluating Consumer Satisfaction in Community Mental Health Centers

Evaluating consumer perceptions is a recent development in community mental health. The authors surveyed the 504 federally funded community mental health centers to discover the extent to which they assessed consumer satisfaction, the methods used to collect data, and the utility of the results. Of the 366 centers that responded, 48% had gathered consumer feedback in the previous 18 months, and most others planned to initiate such evaluations within a year. Methods of conducting the studies were extremely diverse. Respondents felt the results were useful and shared them primarily with agency personnel, rather than with outside funders, fellow agencies, or clients. The authors conclude that community mental health centers are evaluating consumer satisfaction more frequently than in the recent past, but this movement has not yet developed clear, standardized methods. Until evaluators consolidate their efforts this evaluation strategy will continue to have limited utility.
Preparation of well-defined samples of AlPdMn quasicrystals for surface studies

Abstract We have developed a method for preparing single-grain, quasicrystalline AlPdMn samples for surface studies in ultrahigh vacuum. The main issues of concern are phase purity, the quality of the surface structure, and the surface, and the surface composition. Phase purity is enhanced by annealing the sample in ultra-pure Ar in a sealed quartz ampoule for several days before polishing. Polishing with colloidal silica allows secondary phases to be detected readily with an optical microscope. As a final precaution, phase purity can be checked sensitively with scanning Auger microscopy. After this stage, the sample can be cleaned in ultrahigh vacuum with ion bombardment. Annealing is required after bombardment to restore surface structure and to obtain a low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) pattern of an oriented sample. However, both ion bombardment and heating to temperatures above 870 K in vacuum, produce Pd-rich surfaces. As a final step, for the five-fold surface, we recommend heating briefly to 1050–1100 K and then annealing at 870 K for several hours. This produces both an excellent LEED pattern, and a surface composition close to that of the bulk.
Phase Equilibria for Highly Unsymmetrical Plasmas and Electrolytes

The conclusion of classical Debye-Huckel theory that a phase separation may occur in highly unsymmetrical plasmas or electrolytes is shown to be false and to arise from a serious error in the treatment of the interaction of pairs of the most highly charged ions. After an approximate correction for this error, no phase separation is predicted. Specific application to iron in the solar plasmas is discussed.
Using Blackboard in Library Instruction: Addressing the Learning Styles of Generations X and Y

Abstract Studies show that recent generations of college students have a learning style with identifiable characteristics. Library instruction efforts must adapt to these learning styles. Course management software (CMS), such as Blackboard, is one resource available to academic librarians to meet the challenges posed by the "Net Generation." At Stetson University, the use of Blackboard courseware in library instruction sessions successfully addressed the unique learning styles of students.
Continuous-wave ultraviolet emission through fourth-harmonic generation in a whispering-gallery resonator

We experimentally demonstrate continuous-wave ultraviolet emission through forth-harmonic generation in a millimeter-scale lithium niobate whispering-gallery resonator pumped with a telecommunication-compatible infrared source. The whispering-gallery resonator provides four spectral lines at ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and infrared, which are equally spaced in frequency via the cascaded-harmonic process and span a 2-octave frequency band. Our technique relies on a variable crystal poling and high transverse order of the modes for phase-matching and a resonator quality factor of over 107 to allow cascaded-harmonic generation up to the fourth-harmonic at input pump powers as low as 200mW. The compact size of the whispering gallery resonator pumped at telecommunication-compatible infrared wavelengths and the low pump power requirement make our device a promising ultraviolet light source for information storage, microscopy, and chemical analysis.
Quest for selectivity in inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), of which at least 26 are known in humans, have been linked to a number of pathological conditions including tumor metastasis, inflammation, neurological and cardiovascular diseases. Inhibition of MMPs has been widely sought as a strategy in intervention of these disease processes. Whereas a large number of broadspectrum MMP inhibitors have been developed over the past decade, these inhibitors have not met the promise and expectations in clinical trials. The broad-spectrum inhibition, which besides MMPs often targets other metalloproteinases, has been considered one of the potential problems that affects the therapeutic efficacy of MMPs inhibitors. Several MMP inhibitors that show selectivity for various MMPs have been reported in the past few years. This report describes the structural and inhibitory properties of these novel inhibitors, which hold considerable promise for effective targeting of these important enzymes.
Mr. Wright's Theory of Interest: Comment

Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out. — Santayana
Analysis of electron diffraction in a novel field-effect transistor

We analyze a field effect transistor whose operation utilizes the quantum diffraction of electrons by a narrow slit in the gate. Calculations are performed using a low-energy conformal mapping technique which does not assume small-angle scattering. It is shown that the device will exhibit far-field quantum diffraction similar in appearance to the Fraunhofer patterns observed in optics. The diffraction pattern can be detected as current collected at a number of narrow Schottky contacts which together comprise a “viewing screen”. Fringe visibilities on the order of 0.5 are predicted. A number of applications of the device are discussed.
Seasonal Variation in Guild Structure of the Puget Sound Demersal Fish Community

Identification of food web linkages is a major aim in ecology because it provides basic information on trophic flows and the potential for interspecific interactions. In addition, policy and restoration measures mandated to conform to ecosystem-based management principals can benefit from information on temporal and spatial variability in community-level interactions. Here, we analyzed guild structure of the demersal fish assemblage in Puget Sound, WA, a temperate estuarine system on the US west coast. Using diet information from 2,401 stomachs collected across three seasons (fall, winter, and summer), we identified guild membership for 21 fish species, examined seasonal guild switching, and tested for seasonal shifts in predation and for differences in the degree of diet overlap at the assemblage level. We accounted for ontogenetic variation in diet by dividing species into large (L) and small (S) size classes when appropriate. Using cluster analysis and a permutation approach, we identified seven significant guilds that were typified by predation on benthic invertebrates, pelagic invertebrates, and piscivory. Of the 18 species with more than one season of diet information, six switched guilds (Pacific sanddab L, sturgeon poacher, Pacific tomcod S, speckled sanddab, rex sole, and rock sole S). At the assemblage level, we tested for seasonal differences in prey use between seasons by performing an analysis of similarities based on Bray–Curtis diet similarities and found no significant difference. However, diet overlap was significantly higher in the summer than the fall and winter (with summer > fall > winter) indicating that diets within the assemblage converged in the summer. These results indicate that analyses of guild structure and diet overlap can reveal seasonal variation in community trophic structure and highlight intra-annual food web variation in the Puget Sound demersal fish community.
Arrays of silicon drift detectors for an extraterrestrial X-ray spectrometer

Abstract Arrays of Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) were designed, produced and tested. These arrays are the central part of an X-Ray Spectrometer (XRS) for measuring the abundances of light surface elements (C–Fe) fluoresced by ambient radiation on the investigated celestial object. The basic building element (or cell) of the arrays consists of a single hexagonal SDD. Signal electrons drift toward the center of the hexagon where a very low capacitance anode is located. The hexagonal shape of an individual SDD allows for a continuous covering of large detection areas of various shapes. To match the number of SDD cells with the external Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), two arrays, one with 16 and another with 64 cells were developed. One side of SDDs, called the window side, is a continuous thin rectifying junction through which the X-ray radiation enters the detector. The opposite side, called the device side contains electron collecting anodes as well as all other electrodes needed to generate the drift field and to sink leakage current produced on Si–SiO 2 interface. On both sides of the detector array there is a system of guard rings, which smoothly adjusts the voltage of the boundary cells to the ground potential of the silicon outside the sensitive volume. The drift voltage inside the detector is generated by an implanted rectifying contact, which forms a hexagonal spiral. This spiral produces the main valley where signal electrons drift as well as the voltage divider to produce the drift field. System performance is shown by a spectrum of Mn X-rays produced by the decay of 55 Fe.
Comparison testing of the irritancy of children's liquid bubble bath using a modified human repeat insult patch test

Abstract Background : Bubble baths are common products used by parents with young children. Some dermatologists and pediatricians do not recommend the use of these products. Objective : The purpose of this study was to compare the irritancy of nine children's liquid bubble bath solutions. Methods : A modified human repeat insult patch test (HRIPT) was used to rank order the irritancy of nine bubble bath preparations. Erythema, scaling, and fissuring were evaluated at the patch test sites. Results : The nine products tested varied in their ability to cause irritation. Based on the degree of erythema, the least irritation was produced with Sesame Street Fresh Apple Splash bubble bath. Conclusion : This study suggests that there are differences in the irritancy of brands of children's liquid bubble bath and that recommendations can be made by both dermatologists and pediatricians when parents choose to use these products on their children. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on its use.
Neotropical ant gardens II. Bioassays of seed compounds.

A number of volatile compounds occur on the seeds of taxonomically unrelated ant-garden epiphytes in western Amazonia. In field trials in southeastern Peru, we assayed the responses of ant-garden ants (Camponotus femoratus) to these and structurally similar compounds applied to artificial “seeds” made from zeolite molecular sieves. Benzothiazole,2, present on seeds of eight ant-garden epiphytes, repelled ants over the range of concentrations tested, as did 1-(2-hydroxy-6-methylphenyl)ethanone,3, occurring on seeds of six ant-garden epiphytes. 2-Hydroxy-6-methylbenzoic acid, methyl ester (methyl-6-methylsalicylate, 6-MMS),1, found on seeds of at least nine ant-garden epiphytes, was mildly repellent at high concentration, but stimulated excitement, seed handling, and (rarely) seed carrying at lower concentrations. Vanillin,5, a seed compound of four ant-garden epiphytes, and limonene,6, a monoterpene from seeds of three ant-garden epiphytes, both stimulated excitement, alarm, seed handling, and (rarely) seed carrying. Identified from seeds of seven ant-garden epiphytes, 1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanone,4, elicited little or no response. Among 70 compounds tested (mainly aromatic compounds), those found on seeds of ant-garden epiphytes or having structural features in common with such compounds were the most attractive to the ants. Although not present on epiphyte seeds, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzenemethanol,10, consistently stimulated seed transport to the nest in one year, but did so only rarely in subsequent years. Some of the volatile compounds on seeds of ant-garden epiphytes probably play a role in ant attraction to epiphyte seeds, but evidence remains ambiguous. Finally,Ca. femoratus responded to one test compound [1-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone,60] (absent from epiphyte seeds) by descending from the vegetation to the ground.
Antibody production in vitro by means of a new perfusion chamber.

THE in vitro production of antibodies by explanted tissues or cells has been demonstrated by numerous workers. With a few exceptions, most of the reports have utilized qualitative or semi-quantitative methods to assay the antibody-levels. In those studies in which the investigators were able to measure the amount of antibody produced, either by isotopic techniques1–3, or quantitative precipitin assay1,4, the production of antibodies in vitro was of relatively short duration.
The new frontier: increasing geriatrics expertise in surgical and medical specialties.

The basic principles are straightforward and well supported by research findings and clinical experience.
Hume on the Tedium of Reading Spenser

This paper looks at a passage from the History of England in which Hume says that Edmund Spenser is an excellent but unread writer. This type of remark (the 'Spenser judgement') should not be explained away. Hume himself does not show how the Spenser judgement is possible, but a passage in 'Of the Standard of Taste' can nevertheless be reinterpreted so as to yield a distinction on which an acceptable account relies.
Absorbed fractions for dose calculations of neuroreceptor PET studies

A simple Monte Carlo program was constructed for the purpose of calculating absorbed fractions of relevance to neurologic positron-emission-tomography studies. The caudate, putamen, and cerebellum regions of the brain were mathematically modeled to serve as source regions for the absorbed-fraction calculations for positron-annihilation photons. The target organs were the caudate, putamen, cerebellum, brain, spine portion in the head, skull, and head. Absorbed fractions were also calculated for a uniform ring source which encircled the head phantom.
Covariation of reactive solutes in the sea

Abstract Ideally covariant reactive solutes are defined as those that pass through oceanic cycling without fractionation. The equation for the distribution of a variable was used to conclude that a pair of such solutes must have a constant concentration ratio in any part of the ocean wherein they covary ideally. A linear relationship between their concentrations is insufficient to demonstrate ideal covariation unless the equation for the relationship also happens to have a zero intercept. The existence of a constant concentration ratio provides a test for ideality since composite profiles of concentration ratios can be compared with the vertical straight line which denotes ideal covariation. The test was applied to pairs of minor reactive solutes that were grouped into two categories: those associated with diatoms ( 226 Ra, Ba, Ge and Si) and reactive metals not specifically associated with diatoms (Zn, Cd, Ni and Cu). In descending order, the covariation ranking is 226 Ra-Ba > Ge-Si > Ni-Cu > Zn-Cd > 226 Ra-Si=Ba-Si. Two of the important conclusions to be drawn from this ranking are: (i) 226 Ra and Ba appear to be the most tightly coupled reactive solutes in the sea, probably because combinations of internal chemical and transport processes effectively counteract boundary effects on the concentration-ratio profile; and (ii) the deep Indo-Pacific shows a highly ideal 226 Ra-Si covariation while the deep North Atlantic is highly non-ideal. Discrepancies in the ideality of 226 Ra-Si covariation and covariation differences among the four diatom-associated solutes were further examined in a culture experiment with a neritic diatom and in box model calculations. This experiment demonstrated the previously unreported capability of a single diatom to extract all four solutes simultaneously. It also demonstrated that a diatom can produce changes in concentration ratios of the four solutes, which nearly duplicate trends between the deep and upper ocean. The box model calculations used element:Si ratios from the culture and from field samples to show the strong possibility that diatoms are important in the removal of 226 Ra and Ba as well as Ge, despite the non-ideal covariation between 226 Ra or Ba and Si in parts of the ocean.
Flow Dynamics of the Internal Thoracic and Radial Artery T-Graft

Abstract Background Complex use of arterial conduits has resurrected concerns about the adequacy of conduit flow. The T-graft is the extreme example of this trend. Our purpose was to identify the limitation of single source inflow and to compare flow capacity with completion coronary flow. Methods Between February 1999 and November 2001, 372 patients underwent total arterial revascularization with the T-graft alone. Intraoperative flows were recorded for each limb of the T-graft before and after distal anastomoses in 204 patients. Independent predictors of T-graft flow were identified by multivariate analysis. Results Free flow for the radial arterial (RA) limb was 161 ± 81 mL/min, the internal thoracic artery (ITA) limb 137 ± 57 mL/min (combined 298 ± 101 mL/min) versus simultaneous limb flow of 226 ± 84 mL/min giving a flow restriction of 24% ± 14%. Completion coronary flow was 88 ± 49 mL/min for the RA, 60 ± 45 mL/min for the ITA, and 140 ± 70 mL/min for both limbs simultaneously to give a flow reserve (vs simultaneous free flow) of 160% or 1.6. Independent predictors of completion RA limb flow are RA proximal diameter ( p = 0.005), number of anastomoses ( p = 0.018), and target stenosis ( p = 0.005). Conclusions A flow reserve of 1.6 compares favorably with an ITA flow reserve of 1.8 at 1-month postoperatively and 1.8 for both the ITA T-graft and the ITA/RA T-graft at 1-week postoperatively as reported by others. Proximal RA diameter and competitive coronary flow influence completion T-graft flow. These data quantitate the limitation of single source inflow of the T-graft configuration and support its continued use.
Two-coupling phase diagram for Hamiltonian lattice QED

Abstract We calculate the phase diagram obtained by varying a chirally invariant four-fermion interaction as well as the usual gauge coupling g in hamiltonian lattice QED. We employ a strong-coupling expansion to fourth order ( 1 g 8 ) and monitor poles in the Pade approximants to find the critical gauge coupling g c . We find that the new phase of QED can be reached even for weak g if the four-fermion coupling is sufficiently strong.
The bundling of actin with polyethylene glycol 8000 in the presence and absence of gelsolin

Actin filament and bundle formation occur in the cytosol under conditions of very high total macromolecular concentration. In this study we have utilized the inert molecule polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG) as a means of simulating crowded conditions in vitro. Column-purified Ca-actin was polymerized in the absence and presence of gelsolin (to regulate mean filament lengths between 50 and 5000 mers) and PEG (2–8%) using various concentrations of KCl and/or 2 mM divalent cations. Bundling was characterized by the scattered light intensity and mean diffusion coefficients obtained from dynamic light scattering, as well as by fluorescence and phase-contrast microscopy. The minimum concentration of KCl required for bundling decreases both with increasing concentration of PEG at a fixed mean filament length, and with decreasing filament length at a fixed concentration of PEG. In the absence of divalent cation, bundling is reversible on dilution, as determined by intensity levels, diffusion coefficients, and microscopy. However, with either 2 mM Mg2+ or Ca2+ added, bundling is irreversible under conditions of higher PEG concentrations or longer filaments, indicating that osmotic pressure effects cannot fully explain actin bundling with PEG. Weaker divalent cation-binding sites on actin as well as disulfide bonds appear to be involved in the irreversible bundling.
GPU-accelerated Monte Carlo convolution/superposition implementation for dose calculation

Purpose: Dose calculation is a key component in radiation treatment planning systems. Its performance and accuracy are crucial to the quality of treatment plans as emerging advanced radiation therapy technologies are exerting ever tighter constraints on dose calculation. A common practice is to choose either a deterministic method such as the convolution/superposition CS method for speed or a Monte Carlo MC method for accuracy. The goal of this work is to boost the performance of a hybrid Monte Carlo convolution/superposition MCCS method by devising a graphics processing unit GPU implementation so as to make the method practical for day-to-day usage. Methods: Although the MCCS algorithm combines the merits of MC fluence generation and CS fluence transport, it is still not fast enough to be used as a day-to-day planning tool. To alleviate the speed issue of MC algorithms, the authors adopted MCCS as their target method and implemented a GPU-based version. In order to fully utilize the GPU computing power, the MCCS algorithm is modified to match the GPU hardware architecture. The performance of the authors’ GPU-based implementation on an Nvidia GTX260 card is compared to a multithreaded software implementation on a quad-core system. Results: A speedup in the range of 6.7‐11.4 is observed for the clinical cases used. The less than 2% statistical fluctuation also indicates that the accuracy of the authors’GPU-based implementation is in good agreement with the results from the quad-core CPU implementation. Conclusions: This work shows that GPU is a feasible and cost-efficient solution compared to other alternatives such as using cluster machines or field-programmable gate arrays for satisfying the increasing demands on computation speed and accuracy of dose calculation. But there are also inherent limitations of using GPU for accelerating MC-type applications, which are also analyzed in detail in this article. © 2010 American Association of Physicists in Medicine. DOI: 10.1118/1.3490083
Apolipoprotein A-IV protein polymorphism: frequency and effects on lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins among Mexican-Americans in Starr County, Texas

Apolipoprotein A-IV phenotypes were determined by reprobing immunoblots initially typed for the apolipoprotein E polymorphism on a representative sample of Mexican-Americans from South Texas. Typings on 331 individuals gave frequency estimates of 0.928, 0.066, 0.003, and 0.003 for alleles 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. To evaluate the effects of this polymorphic variability on lipid-related measures, mean levels between phenotypes were tested for equality following adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. Analyses of levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, total high density lipoprotein, and its subfractions, low density lipoprotein, alpha and beta lipoproteins and apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III, and E demonstrate that the A-IV genetic variability contributes minimally to normal variation of these quantitative factors in the population. Examination of the rare types, however, indicates the possibility of large metabolic effects whose follow-up may be useful for elucidating the metabolic roles of apolipoprotein A-IV.
A logic-based verification framework for authentication protocols

Designing authentication protocols is an error-prone process. In this paper, we develop a deductive style proof-based framework to verify authentication protocols. The proposed framework clearly represents authentication protocols and concisely proves their security properties. We utilise Distributed Temporal Protocol Logic (DTPL) to capture temporal aspects of distributed events. We formalise essential features for achieving authentication. We also extend the notion of source association for public-key protocols. The resulting framework demonstrates the ease with which a protocol is analysed. It also demonstrates DTPL's suitability to be used as a meta-level tool to benefit from different formalisms.
Efficient generation and amplification of temporally coherent and narrow-linewidth terahertz waves based on parametric processes

We have considered forward and backward optical parametric oscillation and amplification, and difference-frequency generation for efficiently generating and amplifying terahertz waves in CdSe, GaSe, periodically-poled LiNbO3 and LiTaO3, and diffusion-bonded-stacked GaAs and GaP plates. The advantage of using birefringence in CdSe and GaSe is tunability of the output terahertz frequency. Furthermore, both CdSe and GaSe can be used to achieve the backward parametric oscillation without any cavity. On the other hand, in periodically-poled LiNbO3 and LiTaO3, one can take advantage of large diagonal elements of second- order nonlinear susceptibility tensor. In the diffusion- bonded-stacked GaAs and GaP plates, quasi-phase matching can be achieved by alternatively rotating the plates. The advantage of using coherent parametric processes is possibility of efficiently generating and amplifying temporal-coherent and narrow-linewidth terahertz waves. Compared with a noncollinear configuration, by using the parallel wave propagation configurations, the conversion efficiency can be higher because of longer effective interaction length among all the waves.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Selective Use of the Intensive Care Unit Following Carotid Endarterectomy

The purpose of this study was to develop criteria by which selected patients can be observed solely on the ward following carotid endarterectomy (CEA). One hundred consecutive CEA patients were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative medical conditions were identified, and the postanesthesia recovery room course was reviewed in an attempt to predict the need for intensive care unit (ICU) level care. Forty-four of our 100 patients developed perioperative complications or conditions that required some intervention. Conditions included hypertension in 23, hypotension in nine, arrhythmias in six, and myocardial ischemia in two. Complications included nonfatal cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in one, fatal CVA in one, and postoperative bleeding in two. Sixteen patients required ICU level intervention (hypertension in five, hypotension in five, arrhythmias in two, nonfatal CVA in one, fatal CVA in one, and postoperative bleeding in two. Fifteen of the 16 were identified in the recovery room. Fifty-three patients had a medical history of significant hypertension (42), cardiac disease (27), and/or recent CVA (seven). Thirty-six (68%) of these patients required perioperative intervention in some form; 12 (23%) required ICU level therapy. Eight of 47 (17%) patients without a significant medical history required intervention; only four (9%) required ICU level care. All eight patients were identified in recovery. Only 16 of 100 CEA patients required ICU level care. Fifteen of 16 were identified in recovery. Certain patients identified in the recovery room can be followed safely in a less intense and costly setting.
Über Einige Derivate des 2‐Äthyl‐4.6‐Diphenyl‐1.3.5‐Triazins

Aus dem 2-Athyl-4.6-diphenyl-1.3.5-triazin wurden die Monochlor- und Monobromathyl- sowie die Dichlor- und Dibromathylverbindung hergestellt. Die Athylverbindung wurde durch thermische Zersetzung in das 2-Vinyl-4.6-di-phenyl-1.3.5-triazin ubergefuhrt. Die Vinylverbindung wurde durch Peroxyde zu einer hochmolekularen Verbindung polymerisiert.
Bizarre leiomyoblastoma of jejunum with alcohol-induced pain.

A patient is described with a leiomyoblastoma of the jejunum whose presenting symptom was alcohol-induced pain. A description of this bizarre tumor is given, as well as a brief review of the literature concerning alcohol intolerance in other neoplastic conditions.
Snakes and Eels and Dogs! Oh, My! Evaluating High School Students’ Tree-Thinking Skills: An Entry Point to Understanding Evolution

The biological community is currently undertaking one its greatest scientific endeavours, that of constructing the Tree of Life, a phylogeny intended to be an evidenced-based, predictive road map of evolutionary relationships among Earth’s biota. Unfortunately, we know very little about how such diagrams are understood, interpreted, or used as inferential tools by students—collectively referred to as tree thinking. The present study provides the first in-depth look at US high school students’ competence at tree thinking and reports how they engage cognitively with tree representations as a precursor to developing curricula that will provide an entry point into macroevolution. Sixty tenth graders completed a 12-question instrument that assessed five basic tree-thinking skills. We present data that show patterns of misunderstandings are largely congruent between tenth graders and undergraduates and identify competences that are pivotal to address during instruction. Two general principles that emerge from this study are: (a) Students need to be taught that cladograms are an authoritative source of evidence that should be weighted more than other superficial or ecological similarities; (b) students need to understand the vital importance and critical difference between most recent common ancestry and common ancestry. Further, we show how the objectives of this study are closely aligned with US and International Standards and argue that scientifically-literate citizens need at least a basic understanding of the science behind the Tree of Life to understand and engage in twenty-first century societal issues such as human health, agriculture, and biotechnology.
Cardiac Hypertrophic and Developmental Regulation of the β-Tubulin Multigene Family

Increased microtubule density, through viscous loading of active myofilaments, causes contractile dysfunction of hypertrophied and failing pressure-overloaded myocardium, which is normalized by microtubule depolymerization. We have found this to be based on augmented tubulin synthesis and microtubule stability. We show here that increased tubulin synthesis is accounted for by marked transcriptional up-regulation of the β1- and β2-tubulin isoforms, that hypertrophic regulation of these genes recapitulates their developmental regulation, and that the greater proportion of β1-tubulin protein may have a causative role in the microtubule stabilization found in cardiac hypertrophy.