cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐GG‐J‐93: PCA‐Based Lung Motion Model

Purpose: To theoretically study the effectiveness of principal component analysis (PCA) modeling of lung motion, and to investigate its applicability for clinical data. Method and Materials: We first derived an important property which is concerned with the implicit regularization imposed by the PCA lung motion model, i.e., for any two voxels with similar motion, their motion represented by PCA will also be similar. We then introduced two respiratory phantoms based on simple and yet realistic assumptions, where each voxel in the lung moves with cosine motion or an even power of cosine motion, both with arbitrary amplitudes and phases. We then applied the PCA model on two patient 4DCT data sets to test the modeling accuracy. Results: We proved that for respiratory phantoms with cosine and an even power (2n) of cosine motion, 2 and 2n PCA coefficients and eigenvectors will completely represent the lung motion, respectively. Moreover, for the respiratory phantom with cosine motion, we derived the equivalence conditions for the PCA motion model and the physiological 5D lung motion model (Low 2005). When tested on clinical data, the average 3D RMS model error was found to be below 1 mm using only 2 PCA coefficients. Conclusion: We have presented the theoretical analysis and clinical validation of a lung motion model based on PCA. Potential clinical applications include removing motion artifacts in 4DCT, lung motion tracking from implanted markers, surface imaging, or x‐ray projection images.
Abstract B208: Phase I study of angiotensin‐(1–7), an endogenous antiangiogenic hormone: Clinical, pharmacokinetic, and biomarker findings

Background: Angiotensin‐(1–7) [Ang‐(1–7)] is an endogenous peptide hormone of the renin‐angiotensin system with anti‐proliferative and anti‐angiogenic properties. The primary objective of this study was to establish the recommended phase II dose of Ang‐(1–7) for treating patients with advanced cancer. Secondary objectives were to assess toxicities, pharmacology, clinical responses, and potential biomarkers of anti‐angiogenic effects. Methods: Patients with advanced solid tumors refractory to standard therapy were eligible. Patients were treated with escalating doses of Ang‐(1–7) in cohorts of three patients. Ang‐(1–7) was administered by subcutaneous injection once daily for five consecutive days on a three week cycle. Tumor measurements were performed every two cycles and treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Blood samples were obtained for pharmacokinetic and plasma biomarker analyses. Results: Eighteen patients were enrolled. Serious adverse events possibly related to treatment included stroke, reversible cranial neuropathy, and deep vein thrombosis. Other toxicities were mild. One patient developed a 19% reduction in tumor measurements. Three additional patients demonstrated clinical benefit with stabilization of disease lasting more than three months. One patient with stable disease also demonstrated cystic tumor changes, and one patient with stable disease also demonstrated minor PSA reductions after each cycle. In patients with clinical benefit, Ang‐(1–7) administration resulted in a dose‐dependent decrease in plasma placental growth factor (PlGF) (P = .04) on day 1. No change in plasma PlGF occurred in patients without clinical benefit on day 1 (P = .25). On day 5, PlGF levels remained lower in patients with clinical benefit compared to patients without clinical benefit (P = .04). Conclusions: Ang‐(1–7) is a first‐in‐class anti‐angiogenic drug targeting the mas receptor. Clinical benefit is associated with a reduction in plasma PlGF levels following Ang‐(1–7) treatment. The recommended phase II dose is 400 mcg/kg for this administration schedule. Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(12 Suppl):B208.
Parkinson’s disease: Is there a light at the end of a tunnel?

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neu- rodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer disease affecting 1% - 2% in people >60 years old and 3% - 4% in people >80.
A model of pulse generation in the peripheral nervous system.

A model of pulse generation in the peripheral nervous system is discussed in this paper. The model uses no nonlinear circuit analogues of cellular membrane but rather a direct piecewise linear characterization of the membrane permeability changes and related ionic transport which accompany pulse generation. The relative simplicity of the model notwithstanding, predictions of pulse frequency versus generator potential amplitude relationship and pulse frequency versus pulse amplitude relationship as well as the threshold property of the process are correctly furnished by straight-forward calculations.
4-1BB Aptamer-Based Immunomodulation Enhances the Efficacy of Ionizing Radiation in a Preclinical Murine Tumor Model

Purpose/Objective(s): In head and neck, pancreatic, and breast cancers, tumor engraftment into immune-deficient mice is mediated by tumorinitiating cells (TICs) and has been associated with a poor prognosis. Volkmer et al proposed three distinct bladder TIC populations: CD90 + CD44 + CD49f+ (basal), CD90-CD44 + CD49f+ (intermediate) and CD90-CD44-CD49f+ (differentiated) TICs. However, the prognostic significance and the relationship between tumor engraftment and urothelial TICs has yet to be established. TICs have also been implicated in radiation resistance but this has not been investigated in bladder cancer. We investigated the distribution of TIC populations in patient-derived xenografts from bladder cancer patients as well as the effect of radiation on TIC populations. Materials/Methods: We injected fragments of 40 primary bladder tumors intradermally in NOD-SCID mice. After intradermal injection, 23 of the 40 primary human bladder tumors engrafted to produce patient-derived xenografts. Using flow cytometry, we have analyzed the proportion of TIC populations. We irradiated these patient-derived xenografts with 20 Gy and analyzed the surviving TIC cell populations. Results: Total TIC content per tumor ranged from 0.03% to 67%. The average TIC content per tumor of basal, intermediate and differentiated TICs was 2.42% (range, 0-17%), 5.68% (range, 0-67%), and 16.1% (range, 0-61%), respectively. Tumors that regrew following 20 Gy were enriched 2 to 3 fold for basal TICs. Conclusions: All bladder tumors contain TICs; however, heterogeneity exists with regard to the distribution of the TIC populations. We continue to accrue human bladder cancer derived xenografts and to analyze their TIC content with the goal of defining the relationship between growth in NOD-SCID mice and clinical outcome. Our preliminary results identify radioresistant TICs and molecular analysis of these cells is underway. We hypothesize that patient-derived xenografts may identify patients with radioresistant TIC populations and that patients that do not have significant numbers of these radioresistant TICs may be suitable for bladder-sparing therapy. Author Disclosure: O.D. Offor: A. Employee; University of Chicago Medicine. J. Namm: A. Employee; University of Chicago Medicine. M. Beckett: A. Employee; University of Chicago Medicine. G. Steinberg: K. Advisory Board; Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network. R.R. Weichselbaum: A. Employee; University of Chicago Medicine.
Pneumococcal Crepitant Cellulitis Caused by a Bronchocutaneous Fistula

An elderly woman who had received radiation treatment for carcinoma of the lung presented with erythema, crepitus and pain over the scapular area. Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in pure culture from the subcutaneous tissues, and a bronchocutaneous fistula was demonstrated.
Teleconnections with Tropical Precipitation Surges

Abstract Precipitation surges in the equatorial Pacific “dry zone” (as delineated in a study by Doberitz) reveal statistically significant teleconnections with midlatitude tropospheric flow patterns during all seasons. These connections are strongest, however, during winter and agree with linear numerical model results. There is evidence that deep troughs in the central North Pacific antecede precipitation surges in the equatorial dry zone during that season, suggesting the possibility of triggering of such surges by middle latitude planetary-wave perturbations. Nonlinear numerical model results also indicate that the midlatitude planetary-wave response is strongest when North Pacific cold sea-surface temperature anomalies and equatorial East Pacific warm anomalies are present simultaneously. The planetary-wave pattern associated with equatorial Pacific precipitation surges appears to be in phase with orographically generated wave patterns, whereas an anomalous low-latitude heat source over the extreme eq...
Effects of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide on gonadotropin secretion and subunit messenger ribonucleic acids in perifused rat pituitary cells

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-38 (PACAP38) is a neuropeptide related to vasoactive intestinal peptide-secretin-glucagon which stimulates adenylate cyclase in cultured rat pituitary cells and stimulates LH and FSH release in vitro and in vivo. Because the cAMP-protein kinase-A pathway regulates the gonadotropin subunit messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and modulates GnRH-stimulated gonadotropin secretion in vitro, we examined the effects of PACAP38 on gonadotropin secretion and subunit mRNA levels. Anterior pituitary cells were prepared from 7-week-old male rats castrated at 5 weeks of age. In monolayer cultures stimulated with GnRH, 0.1-10 nM PACAP38 decreased (P < 0.05) the EC50 for GnRH dose-dependently without affecting the maximum LH secretory response. Cells were next stimulated with 1-min pulses of 2.5 nM GnRH every hour for 9 h in the absence or presence of 10 nM PACAP38, which was perifused continuously. The amplitude of GnRH-induced LH, FSH, and alpha-subunit secretory episodes from PAC...
Your Seat at the Roundtable

Excerpt] This issue features three articles that arose out of the labor and employment law roundtables of 2005 and 2006. As many readers are aware, the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) has been sponsoring industry roundtables since spring 2002. The CHR roundtables focus either on a specific discipline or an industry segment. For example, during the 20062007 academic year, the CHR will sponsor discipline roundtables in human resources, labor and employment law, and marketing. In addition, we will hold lodging and restaurant industry roundtables.
When infinite flow is sufficient for ergodicity

We consider the consensus and ergodicity for a random linear discrete-time system driven by stochastic matrices. We focus on independent models with certain properties, and we study the ergodicity and consensus of such random models through a novel property, termed infinite flow property. Our key result is the establishment that for a class of independent random models, this property is a necessary and sufficient condition for ergodicity. Using this result, we show that the ergodicity of these models and the ergodicity of their expected models are the same. The result provides us with new tools for studying various aspects of dynamic networks and beyond. We demonstrate the potential use of our key result through several different applications. In particular, we apply it to provide a generalization of the randomized gossip algorithm and to study a consensus over a dynamic network with link failures. Also, we use the result to investigate necessary and sufficient conditions for the ergodicity of an equal-neighbor average algorithm on Erdos-Renyi random graphs. Finally, we demonstrate that our result can be employed to provide an alternative proof of the second Borel-Cantelli lemma.
Real Estate Brokers, Housing Prices, and the Demand for Housing:

This study examines the role of real estate brokers in the market for residential housing. It is shown that brokers obtain higher prices for the homes they sell and implicitly shift part of the bro...
Structural Analysis of an 18 T Hybrid Canted–Cosine–Theta Superconducting Dipole

The canted–cosine–theta (CCT) is an advantageous design for high-field superconducting dipoles because of its modular construction and significant reduction in Lorentz-force-induced conductor stress. This is accomplished by introducing layered structural elements within the coilpack to both position the conductor and prevent the accumulation of Lorentz forces. This paper presents 3-D structural analysis of a CCT dipole consisting of four inner layers of Bi2212 high-temperature superconductor (HTS) and eight outer layers of $\hbox{Nb}_{3}\hbox{Sn}$ . Finite-element calculations in ANSYS are shown for configurations with and without the HTS insert. The effectiveness of using mandrels as an internal structure is demonstrated by local conductor stress components of less than 75 MPa in Bi2212 and less than 100 MPa in $\hbox{Nb}_{3}\hbox{Sn}$ with minimal structure external to the coilpack.
Coping with negative social identity: the case of Mexican immigrants.

Social identity theory suggests that an individual's self-concept is shaped through group identification and positive social identities are established by favorably comparing the individual's in-group against an out-group. When unfavorable intergroup comparisons occur, individuals perceive a negative social identity. Because of the motivation to maintain a positive self-concept, this perception creates a need to cope. On the basis of face-to-face interviews with Mexican immigrants, the author examined the ways in which negative social-identity perceptions triggered different coping mechanisms. The findings offer support for two coping mechanisms—individual mobility and social creativity, with social creativity used more often than individual mobility.
INHIBITION OF PROGESTERONE IN DECIDUAL DEVELOPMENT BY STEROID COMPOUNDS

THE inhibition of progesterone by estrogens has been reported by many investigators and the literature dealing with this reaction has been reviewed by Courrier (1950). More recently, we (Velardo and Hisaw, 1951) have made a comparative study of the inhibitory action of several estrogens on the decidual response in rats, and also have extended our observations to include other steroid compounds. We were interested particularly in natural and synthetic compounds that are more or less chemically related to progesterone and which are non-progestational in their action or are effective only at high doses. It was thought that certain of the inactive steroids might compete with progesterone and thus modify the development of deciduomata. The present paper reports the results of a series of experiments designed to test this possibility.
Geochemical modeling of magma mixing and magma reservoir volumes during early episodes of Kīlauea Volcano’s Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō eruption

Geochemical modeling of magma mixing allows for evaluation of volumes of magma storage reservoirs and magma plumbing configurations. A new analytical expression is derived for a simple two-component box-mixing model describing the proportions of mixing components in erupted lavas as a function of time. Four versions of this model are applied to a mixing trend spanning episodes 3–31 of Kilauea Volcano’s Puu Oo eruption, each testing different constraints on magma reservoir input and output fluxes. Unknown parameters (e.g., magma reservoir influx rate, initial reservoir volume) are optimized for each model using a non-linear least squares technique to fit model trends to geochemical time-series data. The modeled mixing trend closely reproduces the observed compositional trend. The two models that match measured lava effusion rates have constant magma input and output fluxes and suggest a large pre-mixing magma reservoir (46±2 and 49±1 million m3), with little or no volume change over time. This volume is much larger than a previous estimate for the shallow, dike-shaped magma reservoir under the Puu Oo vent, which grew from ∼3 to ∼10–12 million m3. These volumetric differences are interpreted as indicating that mixing occurred first in a larger, deeper reservoir before the magma was injected into the overlying smaller reservoir.
Proliferation of wound derived capillary endothelial cells: young versus aged

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare the proliferative potential of wound derived capillary endothelial cells (WCEC) from aged and young rats. Endothelial cells were isolated from subcutaneously implanted sponges in 2- and 24-month-old rats. The identity of the cells as endothelial was confirmed by staining for Ac-LDL uptake. Aged and young WCEC (20 000/well) were stimulated with increasing concentrations of fetal calf serum (0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15%). The increase in cell number was determined with a Coulter counter. At all serum concentrations, the proliferative capacity of WCEC from aged rats was significantly higher than that of WCEC from young rats.
Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy Study of Biological Tissues.

The objective of this study was to investigate the electrical impedance properties of rat lung and other tissues ex vivo using Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy. Rat lungs (both electroporated and naive (untreated)), and mesenteric vessels (naive) were harvested from male Sprague-Dawley rats; their electrical impedance were measured using a Solartron 1290 impedance analyzer. Mouse lung and heart samples (naive) were also studied. The resistance (Real Z, ohm) and the reactance (Im Z, negative ohm)) magnitudes and hence the Cole-Cole (Real Z versus Im Z) plots are different for the electroporated lung and the naive lung. The results confirm the close relationship between the structure and the functional characteristic. These also vary for the different biological tissues studied. The impedance values were higher at low frequencies compared to those at high frequencies. This study is of practical interest for biological applications of electrical pulses, such as electroporation, whose efficacy depends on cell type and its electrical impedance characteristics.
Watershed Councils: AN Emerging Form of Public Participation in Natural Resource Management

: There is increasing interest in using watershed councils to provide information to public natural resource managers, particularly in the western states. Watershed councils are composed of interested governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders that form to collaboratively manage water and other natural resources at the scale of a watershed. This research is the first step in a multi-step policy analysis designed to answer the question of whether watershed councils are an improvement over traditional methods of public involvement in natural resource management. This paper outlines why watershed councils form and discusses their structure and operation. There is considerable variability in terms of watershed councils' goals, their effectiveness, stakeholder composition, their involvement in the “real” decision-making process, types of participation that are allowed, leadership, financing, decision-making procedures, efficiency, and temporal scale. These structural components are presented as a framework that can be used by researchers to develop criteria to evaluate watershed councils.
Chemical and isotopic fractionation by grain size separates

Fractionation of refractory elements according to grain size is argued to occur during their growth. Two major modes should exist: (1) during thermal condensation sequences whenever the condensing phase (e.g. Mg2SiO4) does not alloy with the precondensed phase (e.g. MgAl2O4); (2) during accretion of gaseous atoms in the nonequilibrated interstellar medium. Processes dynamically sorting grains according to size (e.g. sedimentation) therefore are potentially capable of achieving fractionations normally attributed to separations of dust and gas. This paper considers the first mode during supernova condensation; however, it also can occur in an equilibrium solar condensation sequence owing to an overlooked freedom in that simplified description.
Congress, constituency, and jobs: the Superconducting Super Collider, the Space Station, and National Science Policy

Abstract This paper examines the very different decisions that occurred with regards to the International Space Station and the Superconducting Super Collider, two major science and engineering projects which marched across the 1980s only to stumble badly in the early 1990s. The Space Station survived its encounter with congressional politics while the physics project was abruptly cancelled. The argument suggested is that constituency politics within Congress drives decisions especially when resources are scarce as happened in the early 1990s when a spending cap on discretionary spending eliminated congressional ability to fund all programs. The space station program under the leadership of NASA was able to solidify its support nationally by the distribution of contracts and other constituency-related efforts. By contrast, the Collider was perceived as a Texas-dominated project with comparatively little benefit to other areas of the country. The result was that the Space Station survived (by a single vote) its encounter with congressional politics while the Collider was cancelled. Arguments about international linkages, constituency benefits and economic competitiveness were put forth by both programs but the Collider essentially was not persuasive. This program was an early victim of the changing nature of American politics and the increasing reluctance to fund large-scale projects outside selected areas and defense.
Controlled Tissue Expansion in Periocular Reconstructive Surgery

Background: Soft tissue expansion is a technique useful in reconstruction when a shortage of tissue exists. This method allows the creation of skin similar in appearance and type to that immediately adjacent to the defect. The use of this technique as a stage in repairing large periocular defects is presented. The sequence of implant placement, expansion, and ensuing eyelid reconstruction is illustrated. Methods: The soft tissue adjacent to an eyelid defect was expanded by means of a subcutaneously implanted reservoir that was progressively inflated over several weeks by percutaneous injection of fluid. The prosthesis was removed after adequate expansion had been achieved. The expanded tissue was then used to fashion a local flap to resurface the defect. Results: Upper eyelid skin expansion was performed in one patient, and five patients received expansion in an adjacent area. The expanded tissue was then used to reconstruct the eyelid defect. The only complications encountered were tissue necrosis at the tip of an advancement flap in one patient and hematoma formation within the dissection pocket after expander insertion in another patient. Conclusions: This technique complements existing reconstructive methods and provides a valuable surgical alternative for managing various periocular defects. The potential application of this technique in eyelid and periocular reconstruction appears promising.
Examining Barriers and Supports to Community Living and Participation After a Stroke from a Participatory Action Research Approach

This participatory action research study focused on identifying community participation goals, barriers, and supports/strategies in partnership with people who have experienced a stroke. Goals demonstrate that participation is more than activity performance in context; instead, it relates to “being a part of” the community and having access to participation opportunities and supports. Results of community site audits from the first 20 participants document environmental (physical, cognitive, social) and system level barriers, as well as effective strategies for promoting participation via environmental modification and systems level changes. A consumer-directed, Web-based tool for documenting participation barriers and sharing strategies is discussed.
Model Calculations of the Dynamic Susceptibility for the Modified Zener Model of Ferromagnetism and Comments on the Random-Phase Approximation

The transverse dynamic susceptibility for the modified Zener model of ferromagnetism is calculated in order to examine the behavior of neutron scattering resonances at low temperatures and at the Curie temperature ${T}_{C}$. The relationship of these calculations to those for a pure itinerant-electron ferromagnet is discussed. The inadequacy of the random-phase approximation in describing the behavior of the spin waves for Ni near ${T}_{C}$ is also discussed.
Precise truss assembly using commodity parts and low precision welding

We describe an Intelligent Precision Jigging Robot (IPJR), which allows high precision assembly of commodity parts with low-precision bonding. We present preliminary experiments in 2D that are motivated by the problem of assembling a space telescope optical bench on orbit using inexpensive, stock hardware and low-precision welding. An IPJR is a robot that acts as the precise "jigging", holding parts of a local assembly site in place while an external low precision assembly agent cuts and welds members. The prototype presented in this paper allows an assembly agent (in this case, a human using only low precision tools), to assemble a 2D truss made of wooden dowels to a precision on the order of millimeters over a span on the order of meters. We report the challenges of designing the IPJR hardware and software, analyze the error in assembly, document the test results over several experiments including a large-scale ring structure, and describe future work to implement the IPJR in 3D and with micron precision.
Heat and Moisture Transfer Through Nonwoven Fabrics: Part I: Heat Transfer

A theoretical model is demonstrated that provides a reliable prediction of thermal transmission through nonwoven structures. The validity of the model is confirmed in experiments that measure the t...
Chromium supplementation alters both glucose and lipid metabolism in feedlot cattle during the receiving period.

Crossbred steers (n = 20; 235 ± 4 kg) were fed for 53 d during a receiving period to determine if supplementing chromium (Cr; KemTRACE Chromium Propionate 0.04%, Kemin Industries, Des Moines, IA) would alter glucose or lipid metabolism of newly received cattle. Chromium premixes were supplemented to add 0 (Con) or 0.2 mg/kg of Cr to the total diet on a DM basis. Cattle were fi tted with jugular catheters on d 52. A glucose tolerance test (GTT) and an insulin sensitivity test (IST) were conducted on d 53. Blood samples were collected from -60 to 150 min relative to each infusion. Serum was isolated to determine glucose, insulin, and NEFA concentrations. Throughout GTT, no differences were detected in glucose concentrations, glucose clearance rates (k), or preinfusion insulin concentrations (P > 0.50), but insulin concentrations postinfusion tended (P = 0.06) to be greater for the Cr-supplemented steers. This caused an increase in the insulin to glucose ratio (I:G) from 0 to 150 min postinfusion for the Cr-supplemented steers (P = 0.03). In addition, NEFA concentrations during GTT were lower (P ≤ 0.01) for Cr-supplemented steers both preinfusion and postinfusion. During IST, there was no treatment effect on glucose concentrations preinfusion (P = 0.38), but postinfusion glucose concentrations were greater (P 0.33). The I:G were not affected by treatment (P > 0.40).Concentrations of NEFA were reduced (P < 0.01) both preinfusion and postinfusion during IST for Cr-supplemented steers. Results of this study indicate that supplementation of Cr can signifi cantly alter lipid metabolism. This suggests that these steers had less dependence on lipid metabolism for energy or sensitivity of adipose tissue to antilipolytic signals was reduced. Results of glucose and insulin metabolism were inconsistently modifi ed after a GTT and an IST.
Time-variable electromagnetics of superconductors

Abstract A set of four primary, gauge-invariant and couple differential equations is found which describes temporal and spatial electromagnetic phenomena of superconductors within the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau theory. Secondary equations, which are modified London equations, determine the electric and magnetic fields.
Robust phase-unwrapping algorithm with a spatial binary-tree image decomposition

The search for fast and robust phase-unwrapping algorithms remains an important problem in the development of real-time interferometric systems. Our phase-unwrapping approach uses a spatial binary-tree image decomposition to permit maximum parallelism in implementation. At each node in the tree structure, a single unwrapping decision is made between two image blocks. The unwrapping rule is derived from a statistical-estimation framework. Specifically, a maximum-likelihood estimate of the demodulation term is used. This term can be viewed as that which minimizes a discontinuity-penalizing cost function. We show that the algorithm exhibits a high level of robustness. Quantitative measures of performance are provided, and many phase maps are shown for subjective evaluation.
Stereochemische Betrachtungen über Reaktionen alkaliorganischer Verbindungen

Es wurden die stereochemischen Daten von Reaktionen alkali-organischer Verbindungen mit Alkylhalogeniden und athern gesammelt, um aus ihnen Naheres uber die Reaktionsablaufe zu erfahren. Die Bildung der recht verschiedenen Reaktionsprodukte last sich verstehen, wenn man die Umsetzungen in jeweils eine Kupplungs-, Austausch- und Eliminierungsreaktion aufteilt.
International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism: Relationship of cell necrosis and proliferation, free radicals and other agents to alcohol-related cancers

Alcohol, tobacco and diet are the three major human cancer risk factors. A community-based study carried out by the American Psychiatry Association showed that approximately 13% of the adult population in the United States has had alcohol abuse and dependence sometime in their life. The proportion of the population that is alcohol-dependent is even larger in some other countries. The problems associated with alcohol abuse are highlighted in presentations and discussions of the International Society for Biomedical Research on Alcoholism (ISBRA) and its regional affiliates including its European counterpart, ESBRA and the US Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA). Regional affiliates normally meet each year while ISBRA holds a conference in a different country every other year. This year the ISBRA conference was held at Bristol (England) with two satellite meetings at Bordeaux (France) and Lund (Sweden) from 18 June to 1 July 1992. This report deals with areas relating to alcohol and cancer that were discussed in the conferences at Bordeaux and Bristol. Since epidemiological studies have indicated a strong association between chronic alcohol consumption and cancer risk, animal models are developed to determine the mechanisms that underlie this risk. A mechanism proposed suggests that ethanol could modulate carcinogenesis by its ability to induce enzymes of the cytochrome P-450 system that convert pro-carcinogens to their reactive intermediates, which are DNA-reactive and mutagenic. Another mechanism involves the effect of ethanol on cell injury and cell proliferation. Ethanol is cytotoxic and its presence causes cell atrophy that is followed by a proliferative cell response. H.K. Seitz (Heidelberg, FRG) at the meeting in Bordeaux presented data indicating that chronic ethanol consumption led to an atrophy and lipomatic metamorphosis of the parenchyma of the salivary glands, a condition that is associated with a striking reduction in saliva secretion. He also found
Inference procedures for a bivariate exponential model of Gumbel based on life test of component and system

Abstract Based on life test experiments conducted at both component and (series) system levels, we develop inference procedures for a bivariate exponential distribution of Gumbel. For the case of identical marginals, maximum likelihood estimators are obtained in closed form and their asymptotic properties are presented. Some nonstandard conditions arise due to the restricted form of the parameter space. Exact optimal test and confidence bounds are provided for the model parameters as well as series system reliability. For testing the equality of marginals, we derive an asymptotically best combination of two test statistics each of which provides optimal test when only a part of sufficient statistics is observable
Providing Reference Service Using State Documents

State publications are sometimes regarded as under utilized resources, the neglected orphans of the library. Yet they contain essential, pertinent information. Publications from various states are often the only source of information for the following types of questions: biographical data on state officials; agency addresses; statistics covering crimes, revenue, state aid and election returns; and information about social issues, such as health, race, the aged, and women's issues.
Providers and Staff Respond to Medicaid Managed Care: The Unintended Consequences of Reform in New Mexico

In 1997 a new Medicaid managed care (MMC) program called Salud! was implemented by the State of New Mexico. This article serves as an introduction to a special issue of Medical Anthropology Quarterly that assesses the unintended consequences of this reform and its impact on providers and staff who work in clinics, physician offices, and emergency rooms where Medicaid patients are served. MMC fused state and corporate bureaucracies, creating a complex system where enrollment and access was difficult. The special issue focuses on providers' responses to these new structures, including ways in which staff buffer the impact of reform and the role of the discourses of medical necessity and accountability in shaping the way in which MMC functions.
Esophageal angulation after hiatoplasty and fundoplication: a cause of dysphagia?

SUMMARY Hiatoplasty is generally considered an essential part of antireflux operations. Posterior closure of an enlarged hiatus may lead to anterior displacement of the esophagus and it may be contributory to postoperative dysphagia. The aims of this study were to (i) measure the normal esophageal anteroposterior angulation, (ii) evaluate the variation of the angulation after laparoscopic hiatoplasty and fundoplication, and (iii) correlate the angulation with postoperative dysphagia. Normal esophageal anteroposterior angle determined by barium preoperative barium esophagram was evaluated based on the study of 100 patients. Postoperative angulation was evaluated based on the study of 32 patients who underwent barium esophagram after laparoscopic hiatoplasty and fundoplication. The results showed that the normal esophageal anteroposterior angle was 150.4 ± 10.7 (range 119–169) degrees. There was no correlation between the angle and gender (P = 0.6) or age (P = 0.1). Postoperative angle averaged 146.6 ± 11.7 (range 122–170) degrees. Normal and post-operative angle were not different (P = 0.1). The difference between post- and preoperative angle averaged 0.7 ± 8.9 (range –15–14). There was no statistically significant difference when pre- and post-operative angles were compared (P = 0.6). De novo dysphagia was present in 31% of the 32 postoperative patients. There was no statistically significant difference when the angles in patients with and without de novo dysphagia were compared (P = 0.2). We concluded that (i) laparoscopic hiatoplasty and fundoplication does not significantly change the esophageal anteroposterior angle; and (ii) de novo dysphagia is not with the esophageal anteroposterior angle.
The reliability and validity of a measure of reported affinity for figurative language

Abstract: Figurative language, as the linguistic expression of metaphoric thought, occupies a central place in the study of human cognition and creativity. This article describes four initial investigations of the reliability and validity of a measure of affinity for figurative language. In Study 1, a factor analysis of the Language Preference Report (LPR) yielded three orthogonally rotated components of affinity for figurative language: Liking to Produce Figurative Language, General Dislike of Figurative Language, and Liking to Study Texts Which Include Figurative Language. The factors, based on 540 responses, accounted for 73% of the total variance and were correlated with each other (absolute values between .55 and .36). Study 2, based on repeated administrations to 103 students at 2‐week intervals, investigated the reliability of the LPR Internal consistency estimates ranged from .92 to .84, and test‐retest reliability estimates ranged from .86 to .69. In Study 3, 39 students responded to both the LPR...
Neural networks and their applications in component design data retrieval

Neural networks have gained increased importance in the past few years. One of the basic characteristics of neural networks is the property of associative memory. In this paper we study the possibility of using the ideas of neural networks and associative memory in the manufacturing domain, with specific reference to design data retrieval in group technology. A two-layer feed-forward perceptron with backpropagation is simulated on a Vax-8550 to train example parts. The complete scheme along with the simulation results are explained and future directions indicated.
Circuit Analysis of Eddy Currents

Maxwell's equations govern the eddy-current phenomenon, and are the starting point of this analysis. It is shown that Maxwell's equations, as applied to steady-state ac conditions, can be transformed to a Fredholm-type integral equation in eddy-current density. In turn, it is demonstrated that the method of subareas can be used to solve the Fredholm equation. This approach leads to the familiar circuit-analysis concepts of resistance and inductance in finite coupled circuits. The coupledcircuit method can be utilized in cases of complex, mixed boundary conditions without difficulty, as is illustrated by an example of the eddy-current losses in a conducting disk of finite thickness and finite radius, in the presence of a current-carrying loop. Experimental data is presented which confirms the theory, for a range of disk thicknesses. References are included to previous work.
Data compression in digitized lines

The problem of data compression is very important in digital photogrammetry, computer assisted cartography, and GIS/LIS. In addition, it is also applicable in many other fields such as computer vision, image processing, pattern recognition, and artificial intelligence. Consequently, there are many algorithms available to solve this problem but none of them are considered to be satisfactory. In this paper, a new method of finding critical points in a digitized curve is explained. This technique, based on the normalized symmetric scattered matrix, is good for both critical points detection and data compression. In addition, the critical points detected by this algorithm are compared with those by zero-crossings.
Absorption and desorption of dichloromethane vapor by water drops in air. An experimental test of scavenging theory

An experimental study of the scavenging of dichloromethane vapor by water drops falling at terminal velocity, has been carried out in the UCLA precipitation shaft, in order to test the predictions of theoretical washout models. Whereas good agreement between theory and experiment was found for drops of radius 0.332 mm, computed gas uptake rates for 1.253 and 2.21 mm radius drops were much slower than those measured, just as reported previously for the washout of both sulfur dioxide and acetaldehyde. An analysis shows that theory can be reconciled with all of the experimental data by replacing the compound specific aqueous phase Fickian molecular diffusion coefficient used in the theory, by an ‘effective diffusivity’, having a constant value, (3×10-4 cm2 s-1), independent of the physical and chemical nature of the absorbed species, for all drops of equivalent radii greater than 0.9 mm.
A law of large numbers result for a bifurcating process with an infinite moving average representation

Abstract This paper derives a law of large numbers theorem for bifurcating processes defined on a perfect binary tree. This theorem can be viewed as a generalization of some results that have already appeared in the literature. For instance, all that is required of the bifurcating process is an infinite moving average representation with geometrically decaying coefficients and a finite moment assumption. In addition, the summands are assumed to belong to a flexible class of functions that satisfy a generalized Lipschitz type condition. These two criteria allow for an expansive range of applicability. Two examples are given as corollaries to the theorem.
Ndd1 turnover by SCF(Grr1) is inhibited by the DNA damage checkpoint in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ndd1 is the dedicated transcriptional activator of the mitotic gene cluster, which includes thirty-three genes that encode key mitotic regulators, making Ndd1 a hub for the control of mitosis. Previous work has shown that multiple kinases, including cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk1), phosphorylate Ndd1 to regulate its activity during the cell cycle. Previously, we showed that Ndd1 was inhibited by phosphorylation in response to DNA damage. Here, we show that Ndd1 is also subject to regulation by protein turnover during the mitotic cell cycle: Ndd1 is unstable during an unperturbed cell cycle, but is strongly stabilized in response to DNA damage. We find that Ndd1 turnover in metaphase requires Cdk1 activity and the ubiquitin ligase SCFGrr1. In response to DNA damage, Ndd1 stabilization requires the checkpoint kinases Mec1/Tel1 and Swe1, the S. cerevisiae homolog of the Wee1 kinase. In both humans and yeast, the checkpoint promotes Wee1-dependent inhibitory phosphorylation of Cdk1 following exposure to DNA damage. While this is critical for checkpoint-induced arrest in most organisms, this is not true in budding yeast, where the function of damage-induced inhibitory phosphorylation is less well understood. We propose that the DNA damage checkpoint stabilizes Ndd1 by inhibiting Cdk1, which we show is required for targeting Ndd1 for destruction.
Aberrant casein kinase II in Alzheimer's disease

Abnormal protein phosphorylation has been identified in Alzheimer's disease (AD) for several proteins including a Mr 60,000 protein, a Mr 86,000 protein and a microtubule-associated protein tau. The Mr 86,000 protein is phosphorylated by protein kinase C, whereas protein kinases responsible for other aberrant phosphorylation reactions are not known. In addition to protein kinase C, another kinase, casein kinase II (CK-II), has now been shown to be aberrant in AD. The spermine-dependent CK-II activity is reduced by 84% in AD and the amount of CK-II as determined by its immunoreactivity on a Western blot is reduced by 63%. Furthermore, the distribution of CK-II in AD is altered. Although the neuronal cell body reacts well with CK-II antisera in the normal cortex, the non-tangle-bearing neurons in the AD cortex showed a 15-30% decrease in anti-CK-II immunoreactivity. The neurofibrillary tangles, on the other hand, stain very strongly with rabbit anti-CK-II and indicates that CK-II may be involved in the pathology of AD. The study of CK-II immunoreactivity for dementing diseases other than AD revealed a similar reduction, suggesting the CK-II involvement in the common process of neurodegeneration.
Micromechanics: a toolbox for femtoscale science: “Towards a laboratory on a tip”

Abstract Micromechanics and microscopy at the atomic scale became inseparably linked in 1986 with the invention of scanning force microscopy (SFM). The extreme sensitivity of these nanoscale science methods extends their use well beyond force detection. In principle, every signal domain such as magnetic, electrical, thermal, chemical, stress, and flow can be detected at ultimate limits of sensitivity, speed, and size through transduction into mechanical motion. We first pioneered the use of such SFM sensors as calorimeters enabling the detection of chemical reactions involving heat changes at the femtojoule level. These devices, which utilize the well-known “bimetallic strip” principle, have since been extended to a novel form of optical absorption spectrometer also capable of outperforming conventional techniques. Detection of stress induced in thin films on micromechanical devices is also being actively pursued for electrochemical processes. Volume changes and heat having evolved during phase transitions have been separated successfully using a variation of the bimetallic method analogous to standard thermal analysis. The attachment of picoliter amounts of material at the apex of the cantilever device, the attachment of tiny zeolite crystals, and the fabrication of miniature shovels or thermocouples at the tip region will lead to the creation of laboratory on a tip. The use of arrays extends the capabilities of these devices to applications such as artificial noses or for process control and has significant potential for sensor applications of all kinds. Progress so far indicates that a complete laboratory can be shrunk to the dimensions of the tip of a needle.
Early Eocene Lizards of the Wasatch Formation near Bitter Creek, Wyoming: Diversity and Paleoenvironment during an Interval of Global Warming

ABSTRACT Lizards (nonophidian squamates) from a vertical series of localities in the early Eocene Wasatch Formation (Washakie Basin, Wyoming, USA) deposited during an interval of global warming are described on the basis of isolated cranial and some postcranial bones. At least 24 species are present. New material supports a close relationship of the iguanid Paranolis to Anolis (to the exclusion of Anolbanolis). Records of Tinosaurus and Scincoideus are the earliest in North America; a potential affinity of the latter, a new species, with Lacertidae is explored. A new species of Palaeoxan tusia and two species related to Neotropical Night Lizards, Lepidophyma, are named. A rhineurid amphisbaenian is present. New material of Apodosauriscus minutus further bolsters the case for its relationship to living Anniella. Glyptosaurine anguids are also present, including new species referred to Xestops, Arpadosaurus, and Glyptosaurus, the last with distinctive crushing posterior teeth. A distinctive new anguimorph l...
Short-Term Programs on Death and Dying and Aging: A Review of Selected Literature.

Abstract Agencies and institutions dealing with the elderly have only limited time, money, and personnel with which to plan and implement educational programs. Yet a basic knowledge of aging and death and dying seems to be essential for those working with older adults. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on short‐term educational programs on death and dying and aging in order to offer practitioners some guidance for efficiently structuring programs to bring about desired changes in these areas. From 15 selected studies, 3 aspects of such programs are reviewed and analyzed: the length of the intervention, the type of treatment, and the nature of the target group involved.