cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kepone induction of hepatic mixed function oxidases in the male rat

Abstract Effect of preexposure to kepone on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and several parameters of mixed function oxidase (MFO) system was investigated. Male rats were exposed to 0, 50, 100 and 150 ppm kepone in the daily ration for 16 days. Gain in body weight was declined after kepone to 86, 62 and 33% of controls for 50, 100 and 150 ppm kepone respectively. Liver weight was unaltered at all three levels of kepone. While hydroxylation of both aniline and pentobarbital was enhanced, the increased in aliphatic hydroxylation (i.e., pentobarbital) were greater at all levels of exposure to kepone. Aminopyrine demethylase was enhanced roughly 3 fold at 50 ppm kepone and was not further increased at higher levels of kepone. Cytochrome P450, NADPH-cytochrome c reductase, and aniline binding were all increased suggesting that there were general increases with intermediate steps of the electron transfer and drug oxidation system. Cytochrome b5 and NADPH dehydrogenase were unaltered after kepone treatment. These results suggest that kepone is an efficient inducer of hepatic MFO system.
Entropic recoil separation of long DNA molecules.

A novel technique that can rapidly separate long-strand polymers according to length is presented. The separation mechanism is mediated by a confinement-induced entropic force at the abrupt interface between regions of vastly different configuration entropy. To demonstrate this technique, DNA molecules were partially inserted into a dense array of nanopillars (an entropically unfavorable region) using a pulsed electric field and allowed to relax to their natural state by removal of the field. Molecules of dissimilar lengths (T2 and T7 coliphage DNA) were inserted into this region in such a way that shorter molecules were fully inserted in this region, while longer molecules remained partially across the interface. The longer T2 molecules were observed to recoil entirely out of the pillar array, leaving the shorter T7 molecules inserted, and effecting separation of the two species in a single step. To show how this method can be used for separation of unknown samples, the inserting electric field was pulse...
A Novel Shallow Trench Isolation with Mini-Spacer Technology

A new shallow trench isolation (STI) process with a mini-spacer at the masking nitride sidewall before silicon trench etching was proposed. With this mini-spacer, thicker corner liner oxide and a T-shaped trench oxide can be formed simultaneously. The issue of oxide-recess at STI corner can be effectively reduced and larger process window for subthreshold kink free device were obtained. The isolation capability and junction integrity were both improved as compared with those of the conventional STI process. Reverse narrow width effect as well as gate oxide integrity were also improved. This technology was employed for 0.13 µm complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) device fabrication.
Charge trapping in n-AlxGa1-xAs “insulators” and related device instabilities

In some devices based on GaAs/AlxGa1-xAs heterostructures, the AlxGa1-xAs plays the role of a wide band gap “insulator”. These devices are therefore excellent systems for studying charge trapping in AlxGa1-xAs. It is a poorly understood property of AlxGa1-xAs that incorporation of any n-type dopant results in the formation of a deep electron trap, the DX center. Recent experiments on heterostructure devices have probed both thermal and athermal (hot electron) capture and emission by the DX center. By observing the trapping behavior as the composition (Al mole fraction) of the alloy is varied, the relationship between the trap level and the band structure of the host material has been clarified. A remarkable result is the observation of electron trapping at alloy compositions where the trap state is resonant with the conduction band.
Fiducial approach to uncertainty assessment accounting for error due to instrument resolution

This paper presents an approach for making inference on the parameters µ and σ of a Gaussian distribution in the presence of resolution errors. The approach is based on the principle of fiducial inference and requires a Monte Carlo method for computing uncertainty intervals. A small simulation study is carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed procedure and compare it with some of the existing procedures. The results indicate that the fiducial procedure is comparable to the best of the competing procedures for inference on µ. However, unlike some of the competing procedures, the same Monte Carlo calculations also provide inference for σ and many other related quantities of interest. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Characterization of Random Media by Low-Coherence Interferometry

We describe the use of low-coherence interferometry (LCI) for the structural characterization of nonuniform media with mesoscopic heterogeneities. The high sensitivity of LCI to the phase properties of scattered light makes it a suitable technique for the direct determination of size, concentration, and uniformity of heterogeneities in multi-phase systems. To demonstrate this, we examine using LCI to study a range of polystyrene microsphere suspensions with particle sizes ranging from 41 to 818 nm and concentrations from 0.25% to 10% by weight. The particle size and concentration information was extracted from the amplitude of the signal by using the theory of light scattering in nonuniform media. We have shown that the fluctuations in the unaveraged LCI signal may be utilized to extract additional information about system uniformity.
The digital divide: Internet and e-mail use by the elderly

The elderly are the fastest growing population group. Along with their rise in numbers is their volume of use of health care services, in both number and intensity. Since many elderly live alone, can their independence be maintained such that health care costs can decrease? With the rise in technology utilization, specifically the Internet, can the elderly utilize the Internet for health care purposes? Survey methodologies conducted for this study showed that the elderly can learn to use computers and are looking for methods to stay connected and be informed. Further longitudinal research is needed to measure clinical outcomes.
A longitudinal study of unsaturated iron-binding capacity and lactoferrin in unstimulated parotid saliva

Availability of iron is one important nutritional parameter for microbial growth in saliva. This longitudinal study measured the diurnal and day-to-day variations in the total iron (TI), total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC), and lactoferrin (LF) in unstimulated human parotid saliva. Saliva was collected from 15 young male subjects in the morning and afternoon hours each day for five consecutive days. The TI and TIBC were determined by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy, and UIBC was determined by subtraction of TI from TIBC. The LF was determined by "sandwich" enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). One peripheral blood sample of each subject was also analyzed for TI, TIBC, and ferritin. The results showed no significant diurnal or day-to-day variation of TI, TIBC, UIBC, or LF in saliva for most subjects. However, significant between-subject variations were observed for most parameters. Variations ranged from subjects with constantly positive UIBC values to subjects with constantly negative UIBC values. The relationship between the LF values and the TI and TIBC values suggests that other iron-binding protein(s) are present in saliva. Also, saliva had significantly lower TIBC values than serum. This finding indicated that iron may be easily available in saliva. However, further studies are required to determine the relationship between UIBC value of saliva and oral and dental diseases, and also to detect the presence of other iron-binding proteins in saliva.
Information Theory and Oral Interpretation.

The Mathematical Theory of Information can be applied to the study of oral interpretation in ways that help performers understand and use the channels available to them in sharing literature with listeners.
C1 arch regeneration, tight cisterna magna, and cervical syringomyelia following foramen magnum surgery.

Abstract Background Although bone regrowth following craniocervical decompression has been rarely reported to cause late recurrence of Chiari symptoms, syringomyelia has not been observed in such cases. We report a unique case of cervical syringomyelia resulting from spontaneous regeneration of the posterior C1 arch after foramen magnum decompression. Case Description A 38-year-old male patient underwent resection of a symptomatic foramen magnum meningioma. Three years later, he developed neuropathic pain in his left upper extremity with worsening dysphagia and dysphonia. MRI revealed regeneration of the posterior arch of C1 with tight tonsillar impaction of the foramen magnum and extensive cervical syringomyelia. Surgical exploration was undertaken. Neo-ossification of the posterior arch of C1 and thick arachnoid adhesions were found to obstruct cerebrospinal fluid flow through the foramen of Magendie. Foramen magnum decompression, arachnoid dissection, and duraplasty were thus performed and cerebrospinal fluid flow was reestablished through the foramen of Magendie. Postoperatively, patient's symptoms improved dramatically and repeat MRI showed complete resolution of the syrinx cavity. Conclusion Spontaneous bone regrowth and arachnoid scarring may lead to the development of cervical syringomyelia several years after foramen magnum surgery. Neurosurgeons should be aware of this rare complication whose management is similar to that of Chiari malformations, namely craniocervical decompression and establishment of a patent foramen of Magendie.
Elastodynamic fracture analysis of large crack-arrest experiments

Abstract Recent elastodynamic fracture analysis results are summarized from Heavy-Section Steel Technology (HSST) studies in two major areas that related to assessing nuclear reactor pressure vessel integrity under pressurized-thermal-shock (PTS) conditions. These areas are crack run-arrest behavior in wide plates under nonisothermal conditions and fracture behavior of a thick-wall vessel under combined thermal and pressure loadings. The WP-1 series of HSST wide-plate crack-arrest tests are being performed at the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), Gaithersburg, MD, using specimens from HSST Plate 13A of A533 grade B class 1 steel. The six tests in the WP-1 series are aimed at providing crack-arrest data at temperatures up to and above that corresponding to the onset of the Charpy upper-shelf, as well as providing information on dynamic fracture (run and arrest) processes for use in evaluating improved fracture analysis methods. Elastodynamic analyses have been completed for the actual test conditions of the four tests, WP-1.1 through WP-1.4, conducted thus far in the WP-1 series. In this paper, the computed results are compared with data for crackline strain-time response, crack-propagation speed, arrest location and post-arrest tearing. The paper includes a summary of the arrest toughness calculations compiled in the four tests at temperatures that range from transition to upper-shelf values for the wide-plate material. These same elastodynamic fracture analysis techniques have been applied to the analysis of the first pressurized-thermal-shock experiment (PTSE-1) performed at ORNL. The experiment addressed warm-prestressing phenomena, crack propagation from brittle to ductile regions, and crack stabilization in ductile regions. Test and analysis results are summarized in the paper.
New form for the optimal rendezvous equations near a Keplerian orbit

are removable singularities, they may lead to computational instabilities in the solution. Especially bothersome is the fact that computational problems can occur where the true anomaly is near zero. These problems are avoided in the work of solution that does not involve 7(0), but their work is confined to elliptical orbits. The purpose of this Note is to modify the original form by replacing 1(0) by a related integral 7(0), thereby removing all singularities and computational instabilities. The resulting solution, in terms of /(0), is identical for hyperbolic, parabolic, or noncircular elliptic orbits, but the particular case determines the nature of the closed-form evaluation of 7(0). Application of this work to actual problems usually involves the solution of a two-point boundary-value problem and is not considered here. Although we emphasize the case of bounded thrust, the unbounded thrust case can also be investigated through the use of the simpler equations for unpowered flight, which we also present. If the maximum number of impulses is known for an optimal rendezvous in this case, the two-point boundary-value problem is reduced to a problem of parameter optimization on the velocity increments and their locations. We conjecture that the maximum of impulses for this problem is four. If the number of impulses is restricted to two, the problem is solved by methods similar to those of Weiss et al.11'12 For the case of bounded thrust, a method such as that used for the rendezvous problem near circular orbit16 can be applied with starting iteratives obtained from the related unbounded thrust case.
Knowledge and attitudes about AIDS: A comparison of public high school students, incarcerated delinquents, and emotionally disturbed adolescents

This study compared AIDS knowledge and attitudes in public high school students (N=167), incarcerated delinquents (N=166), and emotionally disturbed (SED) adolescents (N=151). The response measure was a 50-item Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) questionnaire that was previously used by Bell et al., in their 1991 study of learning disabled adolescents. Although AIDS knowledge was moderately high in all three groups, widespread misunderstandings about disease transmission and awareness of high-risk groups and practices were noted. Knowledge scores were significantly higher in the public school sample than in the SED adolescents; moreover, they tended to be slightly higher (p<0.10) than the delinquent group as well. Teenagers with the severest emotional problems were by far the least informed. Age and race were also predictive of AIDS knowledge. Other results showed that delinquents were more permissive in their attitudes about sex, more inclined to disdain safe sex practices, and more likely to feel threatened by high-risk groups as well as powerless to protect themselves against AIDS. Generally speaking, the findings extend the work of other investigators on the needs for AIDS education in adolescents. The need is especially urgent in delinquent and emotionally disturbed youth who may require a more comprehensive intervention because of their greater knowledge deficits, propensity for high-risk practices, and tendency to deny or underestimate their own vulnerability.
A model for predicting the evolution of damage in viscoelastic particle-reinforced composites

A viscoelastic cohesive zone model is employed within the framework of a finite element code to analyze a two-phase viscoelastic particle-reinforced composite material consisting of a relatively stiff aggregate embedded in a copolymer binder. The composite of interest, LX17, is noted to have a very large aggregate volume fraction and as such, aggregate grain boundaries were generated within finite element meshes along which viscoelastic cohesive zones have been embedded to model the binder. It has been observed experimentally that the majority of damage in LX17 occurs within the binder, and thus, a damage evolution law has been applied to the viscoelastic cohesive zones that is phenomenological in nature. The responses obtained for the composite from the FEM analysis are then compared to the experimental data compiled by Lawrence Livermore National Labs for various constant strain rate tests conducted by Groves and Cunningham [Tensile and compressive mechanical properties of billet pressed LX17-1 as a function of temperature and strain rate. UCRL-ID-137477. Internal report prepared for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA].
Sensitivity of control-augmented structure obtained by a system decomposition method

The verification of a method for computing sensitivity derivatives of a coupled system is presented. The method deals with a system whose analysis can be partitioned into subsets that correspond to disciplines and/or physical subsystems that exchange input-output data with each other. The method uses the partial sensitivity derivatives of the output with respect to input obtained for each subset separately to assemble a set of linear, simultaneous, algebraic equations that are solved for the derivatives of the coupled system response. This sensitivity analysis is verified using an example of a cantilever beam augmented with an active control system to limit the beam's dynamic displacements under an excitation force. The verification shows good agreement of the method with reference data obtained by a finite difference technique involving entire system analysis. The usefulness of a system sensitivity method in optimization applications by employing a piecewise-linear approach to the same numerical example is demonstrated. The method's principal merits are its intrinsically superior accuracy in comparison with the finite difference technique, and its compatibility with the traditional division of work in complex engineering tasks among specialty groups.
The hunt for a descriptive theory of choice under risk—A view from the road not taken

Abstract In this paper I propose that the development of descriptive theories of choice in economics has been profoundly influenced by an arbitrary and seemly innocuous decision as to how to present risky choices to experimental subjects. This decision to represent lotteries as prospects has lead to a preoccupation with the question of whether preferences conform to what is known as the “independence axiom.” Had the profession chosen to represent lotteries in the action-by-state matrices favored by Savage, the independence axiom would have appeared uncontroversial but we would have questioned whether preferences obeyed arguably more fundamental tenets of rationality like transitivity. That different ways of representing lotteries lead to different conclusions regarding which axioms preferences do and don’t obey suggests that the choices people make aren’t necessarily reflecting properties of their preferences at all. Instead the choices reveal properties of the decision rule individuals use to try to satisfy their preferences – a rule that involves judgments regarding the similarity or dissimilarity of prizes and their associated payoffs across alternatives. The paper discusses how such judgments explain observed behaviors given both prospect and matrix representations of lottery choices as well as explaining anomalies in other choice domains.
Effect of disorder on superfluidity in double layer graphene

Post-CMOS logic in bilayer graphene is very promising due to the possibility of observing room temperature collective states. An excitonic superfluid is predicted to form in double layer graphene systems at room temperature if the two individual monolayers of graphene are separated by an oxide no more than a few nanometers thick [1]. Recent experiments have shown evidence of interaction enhanced transport in double layer graphene [2], but there is a significant discrepancy in the quality of the two graphene layers which may be occluding the phase transition. We present and compare the performance characteristics of ideal and disordered double layer graphene systems at room temperature in the purported regime of superfluidity. We perform quantum transport calculations on double layer graphene using the Non-Equilibrium Green's Function (NEGF) formalism in an effort to elucidate the evolution of a BEC under non-equilibrium conditions in the presence of lattice defects. We find that lattice defects spread throughout the channel can degrade interlayer current by 30%, but disorder concentrated near the contacts causes a much more significant reduction of 80% in interlayer current. We also find that steady-state spontaneous coherence is lost for defect concentrations greater than 4%; a very clean system is therefore necessary for potential post-CMOS logic applications.
Back-transfer of late gastrula nuclei of nucleocytoplasmic hybrids.

Abstract Late gastrula-early neurula endoderm nuclei from nucleocytoplasmic hybrids consisting of Rana pipiens nuclei and Rana palustris cytoplasm were back-transferred into enucleated eggs of Rana pipiens . Approximately half of the normally cleaved back-transfer embryos developed normally. A similar result was obtained with nuclear transfer controls. As expected, the development of the nucleocytoplasmic hybrid donors, at the time the back-transfers were carried out, was clearly abnormal. Consequently, a significant proportion of endoderm nuclei from these embryos undergo no irreversible changes in their developmental capacity even after the nucleocytoplasmic incompatibility between these two amphibian species is expressed.
Predictors of Adult Height and Weight in Boys Treated With Methylphenidate for Childhood Behavior Problems

ABSTRACT Objective To examine associations between childhood treatment with methylphenidate (MPH) and adult height and weight. Method Subjects were 97 boys, aged 4 to 12 years, with behavior problems who were (1) referred to a child psychiatry outpatient clinic, (2) treated clinically with MPH for an average of 36 months, and (3) reevaluated between ages 21 and 23 years. Hierarchical analyses predicted adult height and weight from sets of nonmedication and medication-related variables. Results Medicated subjects' age, height, and parental socioeconomic status (SES) at referral predicted 44.8% of variation in adult height. Medicated subjects' birth weight, age, height and weight at referral, and parental SES predicted 61.8% of variation in adult weight. With these nonmedication variables held constant, initial nausea and vomiting side effects predicted 4.4% incremental variation in adult height, and MPH maintenance dose predicted 3.2% incremental variation in adult weight. Conclusions Medicated individuals who had attained their final stature did not differ in average height or weight from family, community, or unmedicated controls. Most aspects of medication were not associated with adult height or weight. In some individuals, nausea and vomiting side effects and treatment with higher doses of MPH were associated with adult growth decrements.
An evaluation of models of apatite compositional variability using apatite from the Middle Banded series of the Stillwater Complex, Montana

Apatite is a relatively common accessory mineral in the olivine-bearing zones (OB-III and OB-IV) of the Middle Banded series of the Stillwater complex, occurring interstitial to cumulus grains, as monomineralic inclusions in cumulus grains, and in polymineralic clusters which may or may not be included in the cumulus grains. Eighty-nine of 185 samples examined were found to contain some apatite. The F-Cl-OH content of the apatite show distinct stratigraphic variations. XClAp (mole fraction Cl in apatite) of interstitial apatite increases upsection in both OB-III and OB-IV with average values ranging from 0.15 to 0.85 in OB-III and from 0.03 to 0.60 in OB-IV. XFAp varies inversely with XClApwith average values ranging from 0.00 to 0.70, while XOHAp remains relatively constant near 0.40 or decreases slightly with height. These variations are remarkable given that no appreciable stratigraphic variations in either the major or trace element compositions of any of the cumulus minerals are found in the 800 m of section that comprise OB-III and OB-IV. Within-sample variation of XClAp for samples containing Cl-rich apatite is substantially larger (up to 0.65 XClAp) than for samples with more F-rich apatite (XClAp varies by approximately 0.15). Although interstitial apatite is found throughout OB-III and OB-IV, apatite occurring as monomineralic inclusion in cumulus grains or in polymineralic clusters is almost exclusively found in samples with Cl-rich apatite. The data are best explained by a model involving the degassing of a Cl-rich volatile phase from the crystallizing interstitial liquid. The up-section migration of this fluid resulted in the crystallization of F-rich apatite in the lower portion and progressive Cl-enrichment in the apatite with height. The presence of hornblende-bearing dikes, veins and pegmatoids at the level of maximum Cl-enrichment is consistent with a fluid migration model.
A Prospective Double-Blind Study of Side Effects Associated with the Administration of Amantadine for Influenza A Virus Prophylaxis

During a study of efficacy of amantadine prophylaxis of influenza A virus infection in young adults, gross and subtle side effects were monitored. Eighty-eight students were randomly selected to receive either amantadine or placebo for four weeks or both in a sequential crossover design of two weeks each. Side effects (i.e., dizziness, nervousness, and insomnia) occurred in 33% of those receiving amantadine and in 10% of those receiving placebo (P < 0.005). Although side effects were well tolerated by most subjects, six volunteers discontinued amantadine because of marked complaints. Cessation of side effects occurred in more than half of those continuing amantadine. Sixteen students receiving amantadine had decreased performance on sustained attention tasks as compared with ones receiving placebo (P < 0.05). Gross and subtle side effects of amantadine observed in this study on currently recommended dosage are higher than previously reported, which may be an important factor in consideration of mass prophylaxis. Amantadine hydrochloride has been shown to be effective prophylactically against influenza A virus infection in studies with volunteers and in
The effects of liabilities of age and size on autonomous sub-units of established firms in the steel distribution industry

Abstract This study investigates the effects of organizational sub-unit age and size on three dimensions of customer relationships: response satisfaction, service-depth satisfaction, and perceived cooperation. The study is motivated by the frequent suggestion that one way to introduce an entrepreneurial climate into large and/or old organizations is to create small, autonomous sub-units. By establishing internal start-ups, mature organizations can achieve the flexibility and innovation associated with youth and small size. However, this argument only holds if it is found that being embedded in an established firm enables the sub-units to overcome some of the problems normally experienced by independent start-ups. Liabilities of age and size hypotheses suggest that there are advantages and disadvantages to youth and old age, and correspondingly, to small and large size. Often these advantages and disadvantages are complementary. Consistent with these insights we offer the following three sets of hypotheses on the effects of sub-unit age and size on the relationships between an organizational sub-unit and its customer population.
Mathematical model for optimization of laser photoablated microstructures

Pulsed laser photoablation of polymers is a rapid prototyping technique that has applications for the manufacturing of high aspect ratio microparts. To enhance the manufacturing capability of the process, it is necessary to develop mathematical models to predict the scanning pattern of the pulsed laser on the material surface in order to etch a microstructure with a pre-specified geometry. In this study, we consider a model that predicts the number of pulses at each pixel of the surface to be scanned in order to produce a microstructure of a given geometry. In predicting the number of pulses at a pixel, the model takes into account the etch depth per pulse, the laser intensity distribution, and the geometry of the microstructure.
Evidence for high-frequency allele loss at the aprt locus in TK6 human lymphoblasts

The aprt locus in TK6 human lymphoblasts has been previously shown to have an unusual mutation frequency (5 x 10(-8) and a gene dosage of 2. Measurements of mutation rate (1.2 x 10(-9)) reported here, confirm the mutation-frequency observations. These results are not easily accommodated by models of the gene as functionally homozygous or heterozygous. Characterization of all exon and intron sequences identified no polymorphism which could distinguish two heterozygous aprt alleles. Furthermore, autoradiographs of 16 spontaneous APRT- mutants demonstrate a variety of unique sequences. If aprt were heterozygous, wild-type sequence from the alternate allele would be observed at positions where mutations have occurred. These observations cannot be explained by conventional loss of heterozygosity in which the same mutated allele would be repeatedly recovered. We therefore propose that aprt is a functionally homozygous locus. APRT- mutants may arise by conventional mutation of one allele, and high-frequency loss or conversion of the alternate allele.
Preparation and characterization of biodegradable poly(l-lactic acid) gentamicin delivery systems

Abstract In the last two decades, localized antibiotic therapy has emerged as an important approach to treating orthopedic infections. This paper describes the preparation and in vitro evaluation of biodegradable, poly( l -lactic acid), implants for localized delivery of gentamicin sulfate for the treatment of osteomyelitis. Cylindrical, poly( l -lactic acid) implants containing gentamicin sulfate were obtained by compression of microcapsules prepared by a nonsolvent-induced, coacervation process. Mean particle size distributions of the microcapsules, based on volume, ranged from 278 to 444 μm. The gentamicin sulfate loading of the microcapsules, after a methylene chloride-water extraction procedure, exceeded 95% of the theoretical value. In vitro dissolution studies on microcapsules and implants with drug loading varying from 5 to 67% w/w indicated that the rate of gentamicin sulfate released from both microcapsules and implants increased, while the dissolution half-life (T50) decreased, exponentially, with an increase in drug loading. Profiles of amount of drug dissolved at different times followed a square-root-time relationship. All batches of microcapsules and implants released greater than 80% gentamicin sulfate within 3 weeks. In comparison, previous studies in this laboratory have indicated that conventional, nonbiodegradable polymethylmethacrylate implants, containing gentamicin or tobramycin, show incomplete and poorly controlled drug release during the same time period.
Proportionality and international humanitarian law: an economic analysis

Protocol I, Additional to the Geneva Conventions, in Article 57, mandates the rule of proportionality governing military attacks. The literature on international humanitarian law, however, reflects a widely-held view that this mandate is often ignored. Motivated by that view, this paper discusses three strategies, which, by appealing to ubiquitous social values, can encourage respect for and, in turn, compliance with the proportionality rule. These strategies are: first, interpreting a proportional attack as one which requires a rational and equitable balance, in cost–benefit terms, of the conflicting military and humanitarian interests, respectively, of the attacking and the attacked Parties (without sacrificing the desired military advantage of the former); second, requiring a planned attack to be ‘objectively proportional’, as measured by the preferences, quantified in statistical terms, of the ‘reasonable military commander’; and, third, requiring the attacking Party to compensate victims for incident...
Italian politics: technocrats in office. 2012

Explaining the events of 2012, a crucial year in recent Italian history, is particularly challenging due to the confluence of multiple phenomena, most notably the economic crisis, corruption scanda...
Southern Ute Women: Autonomy and Assimilation on the Reservation, 1887-1934

After the passage of the Dawes Severalty Act in 1887, the Southern Ute Agency was the scene of an intense federal effort to assimilate the Ute Indians. The Southern Utes were to break up their common land holdings and transform themselves into middle-class patriarchal farm and pastoral families. In this assimilationist scheme women were to surrender the greater autonomy they enjoyed in traditional Ute society and to become house-bound homemakers, the "civilizers" of their fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons. This history of Southern Ute women shows that they accommodated Anglo ways that benefited them but refused to give up indigenous culture and ways that gave their lives meaning and bolstered personal autonomy. In spite of federal policies that stripped women of many legal rights, Southern Ute women demanded participation in political, economic, and legal decisions that affected their lives and insisted on retaining control over their marital and sexual behavior.
Intestinal parasitism terminates self tolerance and enhances neonatal induction of autoimmune disease and memory

Genetic and environmental factors both influence autoimmune disease occurrence, but the identity and mechanism of action of environmental factors are poorly understood. Here we show that pinworm-infected neonatal but not adult mice, injected with an ovarian self peptide of the zona pellucida protein 3 (pZP3) in water and without adjuvant, develop Th2 responses and severe eosinophilic autoimmune ovarian disease. A strong Th2 memory response is recalled when, as adults, the mice are challenged with a regimen that elicits a strong Th1 response in naive adults. The strong Th2 autoimmune response included high levels of IL-4 and IL-5 production by pZP3-specific T cells, and an IgG1-biased autoantibody response. The Th2 response ended promptly upon pinworm eradication, and partially resurfaced upon re-infection. We conclude that the rodent pinworm is an environmental agent that modifies the neonatal response to a self peptide, resulting in termination of the tolerance state and induction of a strong Th2-associated autoimmune disease and T cell memory.
Beta particle spectrometer for measuring aggregate beta spectra following fission

Abstract The beta spectrometer consists of a gated plastic scintillator suitable for measuring aggregate beta energy spectra following fission. This general utility spectrometer is very insensitive to the gamma rays accompanying the fission products, has good linearity, and adequate energy resolution for these continuous beta energy distributions. Response functions are measured below 1 MeV and trial sets of response functions are tested with known beta spectra extending to 5 MeV.
Errata-Drift of Buoyant Wing-Tip Vortices

For stable systems, the eigenvalues are complex with a negative real part for underdamped modes. In this case, both the eigenvalues and eigenvectors occur in complex conjugate pairs and Eq. (18) can be expressed in real form by TV terms. In conclusion, this paper points out that the equations of motion of a flexible airplane can be written in the form of a general nonself-adjoint system which can be solved by the eigenfunction expansion.
On the Mechanism of the Austin Flint Murmur

We studied mitral valve motion in 15 patients with aortic regurgitation and an Austin Flint murmur by recording simultaneously the phonocardiogram, apexcardiogram, and mitral valve echocardiogram. ...
Domain boundaries and buckling superstructures in Langmuir–Blodgett films

MANY technological and scientific applications have been proposed for Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films1. These ordered arrays of oriented amphiphilic molecules may be useful as nonlinear optical systems2, as insulating or patterning layers in microelectronics3,4, as model systems for studies of two-dimensional phases5 and as molecular templates for protein crystallization6. The potential of LB films for these applications is sensitive to the details of their molecular packing; in particular, they require that the layers have a defect-free, periodic structure1. Here we present images from atomic force microscopy of domain boundaries between regions of different crystallographic orientation in LB multilayers. The regular lattice structure is preserved to within 1 nm of the grain boundaries, and the domains are oriented in a near-twinning arrangement. We also observe a periodic buckling superstructure along a particular lattice symmetry direction, with a wavelength of about 2 nm and an amplitude of ≤0.1 nm. The buckling was independent of surface pressure during deposition, dipping direction, number of layers deposited and nature of the substrate, and was stable over many hours. These departures from two-dimensional periodicity may have an important bearing on applications that rely on perfect crystallinity.
Pr3+-doped fluoride fiber amplifiers: optimum design considerations

Waveguide parameters for Pr+-doped fluoride fiber amplifiers have been optimized for low and moderate values of relative refractive index difference. A cut-off wavelength of 750 nm gives maximum gain for NA equals 0.1 and 0.2. A pump reflecting mirror etched at the output end of the amplifier gives higher gain at smaller lengths (approximately equals 1/3) in both the small and large signal regimes.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Time course of flow-induced smooth muscle cell proliferation and intimal thickening in endothelialized baboon vascular grafts.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts placed into the arterial circulation of baboons for 8 weeks under high blood flow (HF) conditions develop a thin intima composed of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and extracellular matrix beneath an endothelial monolayer. When these grafts are returned abruptly to normal flow (NF), they develop marked intimal thickening within 1 month. The mechanisms underlying this thickening are unclear. We studied the SMC response to altered flow by placing bilateral aortoiliac PTFE grafts into baboons with bilateral femoral arteriovenous fistulas. After 8 weeks, one fistula was closed, returning the graft flow on that side to NF. The opposite graft remained under HF conditions. Flow differences were monitored with duplex ultrasound (for all grafts: NF, 135 +/- 21 [mean +/- SEM] mL/min; HF, 507 +/- 35 mL/min; P < .001). Grafts were removed 2, 4, 7, 14, or 28 days later (five animals per group). Endothelial coverage, as assessed by scanning electron microscopy, was intact in each graft. Intimal area and SMC number increased progressively in NF grafts through 28 days (for area: NF, 3.0 +/- 0.3 mm2; HF, 0.6 +/- 0.2 mm2; P < .001; and for SMCs per cross section: NF, 11.8 +/- 1.1 x 10(3); HF, 2.6 +/- 1.0 x 10(3); P < .002). Intimal SMC proliferation (thymidine labeling) was increased significantly in NF grafts at 4 and 7 days (at 4 days: NF, 5.9 +/- 1.5%; HF, 1.4 +/- 0.6%; P < .05). Extracellular matrix accounted for an equal proportion of intimal mass in NF and HF grafts (percent matrix at 28 days: NF, 62.9 +/- 1.6%; HF, 63.7 +/- 4.7%; P = NS). We conclude that intimal thickening in this model of flow-induced vascular remodeling is due to increased SMC proliferation and accumulation of SMCs with a proportionate amount of extracellular matrix.
Accounting for “negative salvage”

Abstract Many businesses are overlooking a current cost of operation which should be matched against current revenues. This cost, really a bundle of related cost items, is incurred at the end of an asset's useful life. In the public utility sector the general term ascribed to this cost element is “negative salvage”. In this note some current examples of negative salvage are identified and some of the causes of negative salvage are discussed. The introduction of negative salvage into the classroom discussion of depreciation provides an interesting new example of the matching/allocation problem.
Intron-containing tRNA genes ofSulfolobus solfataricus

Nucleotide sequences of four tRNA genes from the archaebacteriumSulfolobus solfataricus have been determined. Based upon DNA sequence analysis, three of the four genes contain presumptive intervening sequences (introns) in their anticodon loops. The three introns can form similar, but not identical, secondary structures. The cleavage site at the 3′ end of all three introns occurs in a three-base bulge loop. All four genes lack an encoded 3′ CCA terminus and are flanked by A+T-rich DNA sequences. Two of the genes are located on antiparallel DNA strands, with their 3′ termini separated by 414 bp of sequence. Including two previously published sequences, a total of five introns have now been detected among sixS. solfataricus tRNA genes. Occurrence of introns at corresponding locations in both archaebacterial and eukaryotic tRNA genes suggests that the intron/exon form of gene structure predates the evolutionary divergence of the archaebacteria and the eukaryotes.
Changes in Pulmonary Function Test Results After 1 Year of Therapy as Predictors of Survival in Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

The study group consisted of 58 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) recognized between 1970 and 1991 who were treated for their pulmonary disease, survived for at least 1 year from the time of initiation of treatment, and had forced vital capacity (FVC) measurements at the time of diagnosis and 9 to 15 months later. Forty-four of the patients also had a single-breath diffusing capacity (Dsb) measured initially and after 9 to 15 months of treatment and 33 patients had an arterial blood gas, breathing room air at the time of diagnosis and 9 to 15 months into therapy. Patients' conditions were classified as improved, unchanged, or worse after the year of treatment based on each of the three pulmonary function tests. A ≥ 10% increase in FVC, ≥20% increase in Dsb, and ≥5 mm Hg decrease in alveolar-arterial difference in oxygen partial pressure [P(A-a)O 2 ] defined improved function. A ≥10% decrease in FVC, ≥20% decrease in Dsb, and ≥5 mm Hg increase in P(A-a)O 2 defined worse function. Patients with 2 were regarded as having unchanged conditions. Kaplan-Meier survival plots and the Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to analyze survival time in relation to change in pulmonary function after 1 year of therapy. Patients with an improved or unchanged FVC at 1 year had no difference in survival (p=0.75), but both showed enhanced survival compared with patients with a ≥10% reduction in FVC with 1 year of treatment (p (CHEST 1995; 108:305-310)
Gonadotroph Cell Adenomas of the Pituitary

Although the frequency of gonadotroph cell adenomas among all unselected pituitary adenomas is not yet known, it is probably much higher than previously suspected. The true incidence is probably somewhere between the 3-4% found in surgical and autopsy series, which is probably an underestimate because of its reliance on tissue content, and the 17% (24% when alpha-secreting adenomas are included) of 139 patients from this institution, which may be an overestimate of the incidence among all adenomas, because it is heavily weighted to very large adenomas in men only. Most patients who have been reported to have gonadotroph cell adenomas have similar clinical characteristics. Most are middle-aged men who have a history of normal pubertal development and a normal fertility history, and by examination are normally virilized and have testes of normal size. They are brought to medical attention because of visual impairment, which is the result of the enormous size of the adenoma. The most common hormonal characteristic of gonadotroph cell adenomas in vivo is hypersecretion of FSH, which is often accompanied by hypersecretion of FSH beta and alpha-subunit and less often by hypersecretion of LH beta or intact LH. Another common characteristic is secretion of FSH and/or LH in response to TRH. A few patients with gonadotroph cell adenomas hypersecrete intact LH and, therefore, have supranormal serum testosterone concentrations. A larger number have secondary hypogonadism because the adenomas are not secreting intact LH, but are compressing the normal gonadotroph cells and impairing LH secretion. These patients have concentrations of intact LH that are not elevated in spite of subnormal testosterone concentrations. Testosterone levels increase markedly in response to hCG. The hormonal characteristics of gonadotroph adenomas in dispersed cell culture are similar to their characteristics in vivo, including hypersecretion of FSH and LH subunits and responsiveness to TRH. Both the clinical and hormonal characteristics of gonadotroph cell adenomas usually make them readily distinguishable from pituitary enlargement due to long-standing primary hypogonadism. Pituitary adenomas that hypersecrete only alpha-subunit in vivo may also be adenomas of gonadotroph cells, because some of them secrete large amounts of FSH as well as alpha-subunit in culture. Most gonadotroph cell adenomas are now treated first by transsphenoidal surgery, to attempt to restore vision as quickly as possible, and then by supervoltage radiation to prevent regrowth of the remaining adenomatous tissue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Technical note: Urine collection from vervet monkeys by instrumental conditioning

Gang-caged adult male vervet monkeys were trained to urinate on demand into a plastic beaker by positive reinforcement (peanut rewards). The animals were not separated from their social group during training or sampling.
Structural features of a series of S-alkylated and non-S-alkylated aminothiolate nickel(II) complexes

The structural aspects of a family of S-alkylated complexes, generated by reacting iodoacetamide or iodoethanol with two mononuclear Ni(II) diaminodithiolate complexes are discussed. The S-alkylation reactions were investigated with particular attention paid to the size of the chelate ring that straps the N,N′-methylamine donors. In one complex the N-methyl groups are cis to each other and in the other they are trans. Both complexes undergo S-alkylation with two equivalents of either reagent, that coordinates through the pendant oxygen to the Ni(II), forming dications with an N2S2O2 ligand donor set. Crystal structures of [NiC12H26N4O2S2]I2 · MeOH, [NiC12H28N2O2S2]I2, and [NiC13H30N2O2S2]I2 · 1/2MeOH, are determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. The N-methyl groups in each of the alkylated derivatives are trans to each other, suggesting that the cis configuration is highly unfavored for such complexes in octahedral conformation. Crystal packing data shows that each of the alkylated complexes interacts closely with the iodide counterions, and with solvent if present; some of these interactions include H-bonds. Only the iodoacetamide derivative shows any significant interaction with a neighboring molecule.
Sodium channel molecular conformations and antiarrhythmic drug affinity.

Class I cardiac antiarrhythmic drugs, for example, lidocaine, mexiletine, flecainide, quinidine, and procainamide, continue to play an important role in the therapy for cardiac arrhythmias because of the presence of use-dependent block. Lidocaine, as well as related drugs such as mepivacaine, bupivacaine, and cocaine, also belong to the class of medications referred to as local anesthetics. In this review, we will consider lidocaine as the prototypical antiarrhythmic drug because it continues to be widely used both as an antiarrhythmic drug (first used as an antiarrhythmic drug in 1950) as well as a local anesthetic agent. Both of these clinical uses depend upon block of sodium current (I Na ), but it is the presence of use-dependent I Na block, that is, an increasing amount of block at faster heart rates, which enables a local anesthetic agent to be a useful antiarrhythmic drug. Although many early studies investigated the action of antiarrhythmic drugs on Na currents, the availability of site-directed mutant Na channels has enabled for major advances in understanding their mechanisms of action based upon molecular conformations of the Na channel.