cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aplastic an˦mia: a disorder of the bone-marrow sinusoidal microcirculation rather than stem-cell failure?

Summary Aplastic an˦mia may sometimes be caused by destruction of the sinusoidal microcirculation of the bone-marrow or "soil" rather than by h˦matopoietic stem-cell or "seed" failure. Experimentally such a lesion has followed large doses of localised X-irradiation in rats. Aplastic disease of the marrow caused by a sinusoidal lesion cannot be repopulated by intravenously administered bone-marrow, but the marrow can be regenerated by bone-marrow curettage followed by local infusion of the isogeneic marrow. Local infusion of bone-marrow may provide a vascular stem-cell which cannot be transplanted intravenously. A similar lesion of the sinusoidal microcirculation occurred in rats given lethal total body irradiation but protected with allogeneic bone-marrow. Late survivors developed a mild secondary syndrome with accompanying aplastic marrow and a defect of the sinusoidal microcirculation. The sinusoidal lesion may have been caused by immunological effects of a graft-versus host reaction. Other experimental and clinical evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that aplastic disease of the marrow in human patients may result from immunological damage to the sinusoidal microcirculation. Such a hypothesis would explain the failure of isogeneic transplants to repopulate the marrow of patients with aplastic an˦mia. It would also explain the failure of endogenous stem-cell repopulation of aplastic marrow in patients with foci of active h˦matopoietic bone-marrow.
Impact of caring for children with special health care needs on the family: Rhode Island's experience.

Objectives: The impact of caring for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) on their families’ finances and employment was studied. Methods: Data from the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs were used to measure financial and employment problems. The level of impact was examined by child’s age, gender, ethnicity, race, mother’s education, poverty status, and severity of the child’s condition. The association between core outcome measures and the level of family impact was determined after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Results: Financial or employment problems were more likely to occur among families with young children, with incomes below 200% poverty and with children whose condition usually/always affected their activities. Compared to families without these problems, impacted families were less likely to partner in decision making, be satisfied with services, receive comprehensive care in a medical home, have adequate health insurance, and feel service systems are organized for easy use. Conclusions: Many families of CSHCN face financial and employment problems and are less likely to have a medical home, adequate insurance, and access to health care services.
Analysis of sequence impedance of 345 kV cable systems with special bondings using ATP

Zero sequence impedance is an important parameter for accurate estimation of unbalanced fault current in power systems. In case of high voltage cable systems, there are various kind of bonding schemes resulting in more complicated zero sequence circuit compared to that of overhead transmission systems. Besides, the zero sequence circuit can be much more complicated when the cable system has a single-point bonding because of the rather complicated distribution of zero sequence current between cable sheaths grounding and the earth. In this paper, sequence impedances of 345 kV 4 circuits cable system with various bonding schemes is analyzed using ATP (Alternative Transient Program). The calculation results showed that the conventional method of zero sequence calculation can be erroneous in case of underground transmission lines mainly caused by its complicated and nonlinear return path of ground fault current.
Studies on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of recombinant hirudin (rHV2-Lys 47) after intravenous and subcutaneous administration in dogs.

In recent years, the pharmacological and biochemical characterization of hirudins has taken a major upswing due to the availability of this natural polypeptide in recombinant form. Despite this, the current knowledge on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of recombinant hirudin (rH) appears to be incomplete. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between plasma concentrations of rH with corresponding antithrombin responses after intravenous (i.v.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) administration in dogs. Four male, Mongrel dogs were each injected with an i.v. (bolus) dose (1 mg/kg) of one specific variant of rH, i.e. rH with a lysine residue in position 47 (rHV2-Lys 47). The dogs were injected with a s.c. dose (1 mg/kg) of rHV2-Lys 47 after one week. After each dose, blood was collected at different time intervals, plasma separated and stored at -70 degrees C. Plasma concentrations of rHV2-Lys 47 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using standard non-compartmental methods. The ex vivo antithrombin activity of the drug was measured using activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), calcium-thrombin time (Ca++TT) and a chromogenic anti-IIa assay. The results from this study indicate that the pharmacokinetic behavior of rHV2-Lys 47 is strongly influenced by the route of administration. In all three functional assays used, a significant correlation was obtained after i.v. administration between plasma concentrations and corresponding responses over the time period of the study when compared to s.c. administration. The results are indicative of a probable structural and functional modification of this rH variant after s.c. administration which may be responsible for the altered pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics after s.c. dosing.
The sexual stratification hypothesis revisited: Testing assumptions about simple versus aggravated rape

Previous research testing the sexual stratification hypothesis has included only African American and White victims and suspects. This study also included Hispanic victims and suspects. Using data on all sexual assaults reported to the San Diego Police from 1995 to 2002, the analysis focused on the effects of the racial/ethnic composition of the victim/offender dyad, the relationship between victim and offender, and type of rape on three sexual assault case outcomes: whether the victim declined prosecution, whether the police unfounded the crime, and whether the district attorney filed charges. A secondary analysis employed the liberation hypothesis to test whether the effect of race was confined to simple rape. Results indicated that the racial composition of the victim/offender dyad was largely insignificant in determining case outcomes, but that the relationship between victim and offender and whether the suspect and victim were under the influence of alcohol or drugs had strong effects.
Recycle gel permeation chromatography. III. Design modifications and some results with polycarbonate

Abstract : In previous communications a new recycle device for Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) was described and its advantages demonstrated with an analysis of epoxy resins. This device uses a principle which was termed alternate pumping (AP). In the present communication, a modified design for AP recycle is described and some results with a polycarbonate resin are analyzed. This new design differs from the previous one in two major features. It utilizes only one 6-port switching valve and it excludes the refractometer cell from the recycle loop. These features simplify the recycle system and eliminate the problems that were caused by subjecting the refractometer cell to high pressures. (Author)
Studies of lysophospholipase D of rat liver and other tissues

Abstract Lysophospholipase D (EC 3.1.4.-) activity was demonstrated in rat kidneys, intestines, lungs, testes, and liver. The liver enzyme was studied in greatest detail and its labeled products were identified by chemical and Chromatographic techniques. This enzyme hydrolyzes 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine and 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine to yield 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphate; the initial product is subsequently dephosphorylated by a phosphohydrolase in microsomes to form 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl- sn -glycerol. The possibility that phospholipase C and a phosphotransferase were responsible for the formation of 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphate was ruled out. Neither 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl-2-acyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine nor 1-[1- 14 C]hexadecyl-2-acyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphocholine was hydrolyzed. The enzyme requires Mg 2+ , is inhibited by Ca 2+ , and is stimulated by high salt concentrations; it is localized in the microsomal fraction and has a pH optimum between 7.0 and 7.6. Inhibition by sulfhydryl reagents and protection by glutathione and dithiothreitol suggest that a sulfhydryl group is required for activity. The enzyme is inhibited by detergents and by organic solvent extraction. It appears to be tightly bound to the microsomes, since repeated freeze-thawing or sonication did not release the activity, and trypsin digestion (either in the presence or in the absence of 0.04% deoxycholate) did not destroy the activity. Lysophospholipase D was previously known to occur only in brain (R. L. Wykle and J. M. Schremmer, 1974, J. Biol. Chem. , 249 , 1742–1746) .
Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Dioxide by Direct-Current Corona Discharges in Dry Air Containing Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane Vapor: Measurement of the Deposition Rate

Experiments in a positive-polarity, wire/plate electrode establish the effects of the concentration of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (150–1100 ppm) and the operating current (0.5–2.55 μA/cm length of wire) on the rate of deposition of silicon dioxide on the high voltage wire. The wire is 100 μm radius tungsten and the wire-to-plate spacing is 1.5 cm. Analyses of the deposit with X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy show that it is amorphous silicon dioxide. The deposition rate increases linearly with increasing silicone concentration and corona current. For the concentrations of silicone likely to present in indoor air, the gas-phase processes limit the rate of deposition.
Glycinergic transmission modulates GABAergic inhibition in the avian auditory pathway

For all neurons, a proper balance of synaptic excitation and inhibition is crucial to effect computational precision. Achievement of this balance is remarkable when one considers factors that modulate synaptic strength operate on multiple overlapping time scales and affect both pre- and postsynaptic elements. Recent studies have shown that inhibitory transmitters, glycine and GABA, are co-released in auditory nuclei involved in the computation of interaural time disparities (ITDs), a cue used to process sound source location. The co-release expressed at these synapses is heavily activity dependent, and generally occurs when input rates are high. This circuitry, in both birds and mammals, relies on inhibitory input to maintain the temporal precision necessary for ITD encoding. Studies of co-release in other brain regions suggest that GABA and glycine receptors (GlyRs) interact via cross-suppressive modulation of receptor conductance. We performed in vitro whole-cell recordings in several nuclei of the chicken brainstem auditory circuit to assess whether this cross-suppressive phenomenon was evident in the avian brainstem. We evaluated the effect of pressure-puff applied glycine on synaptically evoked inhibitory currents in nucleus magnocellularis (NM) and the superior olivary nucleus (SON). Glycine pre-application reduced the amplitude of inhibitory postsynaptic currents evoked during a 100Hz train stimulus in both nuclei. This apparent glycinergic modulation was blocked in the presence of strychnine. Further experiments showed that this modulation did not depend on postsynaptic biochemical interactions such as phosphatase activity, or direct interactions between GABA and glycine receptor proteins. Rather, voltage clamp experiments in which we manipulated Cl- flux during agonist application suggest that activation of one receptor will modulate the conductance of the other via local changes in Cl- ion concentration within microdomains of the postsynaptic membrane.
LOW BIRTHWEIGHT IN A PUBLIC PRENATAL CARE PROGRAM: BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION

Abstract A retrospective, observational study of 3073 low income African American, Latina, and White women receiving comprehensive prenatal care at 26 provider sites was completed. The purpose of the study was to test three hypotheses. First, after adjustment for biomedical complications, the presence of maternal behavioral and psychosocial factors would be associated with an increased rate of low birthweight infants. Second, increased time spent in psychosocial services would negate the relationship between maternal psychosocial factors and low birthweight. Third, after adjusting for biomedical, behavioral, and psychosocial factors, rates of low birthweight would no longer differ by race. Maternal smoking (over five cigarettes per week), maternal low weight for height and/or weight gain, negative mood (depression, anxiety, and/or hostility) and rejection of the pregnancy were found to be related to an increased rate of low birthweight birth ( Further analyses revealed that the strength and direction of the relationship between time spent in psychosocial services and low birthweight remained after controlling for the number of prenatal care visits, the time spent in nutrition or health educational services, and gestational age. Also, the time spent in psychosocial services was related to a reduced rate of low birthweight even after excluding time spent in psychosocial services in the third trimester of pregnancy or excluding women who received their first psychosocial assessment in the third trimester from the analysis. Although definitive evidence from randomized trials of psychosocial services is lacking, receiving over 45 min of psychosocial services was related to a reduced risk of low birthweight for all women in this study. Therefore, general psychosocial services appears to be an important component of prenatal care for all low income women. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd
BETTER COLLEGE INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS: THE ROLE OF THE STATE TWO‐YEAR COLLEGE AGENCY

Prospective two‐year college students often lack adequate information on the range of educational alternatives available to them. Increasingly, state level agencies are playing a role in responding to that need. This article reports on a. national study of state two‐year college agencies to determine the extent and comprehensiveness of the postsecondary educational information they provide to students. Results indicate that most states have information they send to prospective students, but it varies widely in quality and often overlooks information students say they want to know. States with model information are identified.
Cultural Influences in the Perception of People: The Case of Chinese in America

The social perception of 336 Chinese college students in America was studied. The results indicate that as the Chinese are becoming progressively removed from their ethnic culture and in greater contact with the host culture, they show an increase in their internalization of the affective-cognitive norms of western culture. However, the Chinese from urban Hong Kong showed a greater degree of internalization than Chinese from other areas of China and even some of the Chinese generations in America.
Fatty acid analyses of known mixtures of purified methyl esters

Mixtures of known composition of purified methyl esters of lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids have been prepared. Fractional distillation under reduced pressure followed by spectrophotometric determination of methyl linoleate and methyl linolenate in each of the fractions and determination of iodine values and saponification equivalents allowed calculation of the compositions which agreed well with the compositions of the original mixtures.
Learning Task Grouping using Supervised Task Space Partitioning in Lifelong Multitask Learning

Lifelong multitask learning is a multitask learning framework in which a learning agent faces the tasks that need to be learnt in an online manner. Lifelong multitask learning framework may be applied to a variety of applications such as image annotation, robotics, automated machines etc, and hence, may prove to be a highly promising direction for further investigation. However, the lifelong learning framework comes with its own baggage of challenges. The biggest challenge is the fact that the characteristics of the future tasks which might be encountered by the learning agents are entirely unknown. If all the tasks are assumed to be related, there may be a risk of training from unrelated task resulting in negative transfer of information. To overcome this problem, both batch and online multitask learning algorithms learn task relationships. However, due to the unknown nature of the future tasks, learning the task relationships is also difficult in lifelong multitask learning. In this paper, we propose learning functions to model the task relationships as it is computationally cheaper in an online setting. More specifically, we learn partition functions in the task space to divide the tasks into cluster. Our major contribution is to present a global formulation to learn both the task partitions and the parameters. We provide a supervised learning framework to estimate both the partition function and the model. The current method has been implemented and compared against other leading lifelong learning algorithms using several real world datasets, and we show that the current method has a superior performance.
Referral reasons for psychological services for adults with mental retardation

This study examined 391 adult referrals made to a mental health clinic serving individuals with mental retardation, in order to explore the relationship between referral source and referral reason. Each referral was categorized into 1 of 8 referral sources (e.g., vocational placements, day treatment programs) and into 1 of more of 10 behavior categories (e.g., depression, externalizing behavior problems). Externalizing behaviors were the most common overall referral reason. However, referral reason did vary as a function of referral source. Also, sex and mental retardation level were associated with referral reason. Implications for assessment practices and future research are considered.
Spreading rate dependence of three-dimensional structure in oceanic spreading centres

SEGMENTATION by transform faults and other types of along-axis discontinuity1 is a well described but poorly explained characteristic of oceanic spreading centres. Here we use numerical experiments to explore the dynamics of mantle flow and melting beneath a mid-ocean ridge. Buoyant upwelling, driven by compositional density variations resulting from the extraction of the melt that forms the ocean crust, exhibits a spreading-rate-dependent transition between two-dimensional and three-dimensional upwelling structures. For low spreading rates and mantle viscosities an initial two-dimensional structure transforms into a three-dimensional one; at high spreading rates, an initially two-dimensional structure remains two-dimensional. These results suggest that the origin of spreading-centre segmentation may be different at fast and slow spreading rates.
Electronic structure of amorphous and polycrystalline GeTe

Abstract Reflectivity data and energy distribution curves (EDC's) of photoemitted electrons from thin films of stoichiometric amorphous and polycrystalline GeTe have been obtained in ultrahigh vacuum at photon energies up to 11.7 eV EDC's from amorphous films have two peaks, at 1.5 eV and about 3.1 eV below the high energy edge. These appear to be due to peaks in the valence band density of states. No evidence for direct transitions is seen. The implications of the peak in the EDC's of amorphous Ge also being 1.5 eV below the edge are discussed. For polycrystalline films of GeTe the EDC's differ markedly from those of amorphous films and show more evidence for direct transitions.
Distribution and Relative Abundance of Fish in Pool 7 of the Upper Mississippi River

Abstract The distribution and relative abundance of fish species in Pool 7 of the Upper Mississippi River near Dresbach and Dakota, Minnesota were compared in three habitat types on the basis of catches in hoop nets and gill nets. Habitat types included the main channel, side channels, and backwater areas. A total of 36 species was collected. Twenty-four species and 14% of the total number of individual fish caught were collected in the main channel. Thirty species and 33% of the total number caught were captured in the side channel, and 28 species and 53% of the total number caught were collected in the backwater areas. The species caught most frequently were not limited to a particular habitat, but were perhaps relatively more accessible to gill nets and hoop nets in backwater habitats. The low relative abundance of species and individual fish in the main channel suggested a lower habitat diversity there than in the side channel and backwater areas.
A new topology of tensegrity towers with uniform force distribution

This work investigates the design of a new class of three dimensional tensegrity tower structures with nodes lying on a cylinder. The novel aspect of the proposed topology is the fact that all bars in all stages are oriented in the same way, clockwise or counterclockwise. We investigate the existence of conditions for static equilibrium of such towers with an arbitrary number of stages and uniform force distribution.
A novel active warden steganographic attack for next-generation steganography

Digital steganography is often divided into two categories of research: steganographer and attacker, where a steganographer attempts to successfully hide the existence of hidden data and an attacker attempts to uncover and destroy said data. Often steganographic attacks utilize passive techniques, where the attacker monitors messages and alters or destroys the cover media only if the media is suspected to contain a message. Passive attacks are much more prevalent than active attacks for a variety of reasons. Generally passive attacks are more efficient and effective in determining the existence of hidden data in a given cover media, however, most passive attacks are not generic enough to detect the presence of a hidden message outside of a very small subset of steganographic algorithms. Conversely, current active attacks are very cost effective and often severely degrade or destroy the quality of the cover media. In this paper, we propose a novel active steganographic attack called the Discrete Spring Transform (DST). The concept of the DST attack is that of likening the cover media to a spring, in that it can be physically altered or manipulated in a manner of ways, while the basic structure and integrity of the spring is preserved despite these alterations. Since many steganographic schemes rely on the fact that the cover media remains somewhat stable the DST is effective in destroying the stego media for such types of steganographic algorithms. It follows that the DST is an effective and highly adaptable active attack that can be applied to a variety of cover media, including video. We will demonstrate that the attack is capable of defeating next-generation steganographic algorithms, including motion-vector steganography and RST-resilient algorithms by increasing the Bit Error Rate (BER) of the steganographic algorithm to approximately 0.5 while maintaining the quality of the cover media, where the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) of the image-derived media always remains above 30db.
Swedish health care in perspective.

Abstract The evolution and current problems of the Swedish health services are placed in an International comparative perspective with other industrially developed democratic states as to cost control, distribution of facilities and personnel, management of waiting lists for services, and differences in use of services. All of these countries are experiencing the same aforementioned problems differing mainly in degree. It is suggested that Sweden as well as other countries needs to reconceptualize the meaning of equality of access relative to the apparent emergence of private insurance as waiting lists grow for quality of Ilfe procedures such as lens and hip replacement. A concept of a basic service for everybody and so-called luxury service for those who wish to buy it needs to be faced in political debate. It is clear that government is unable to finance and supply the range of demand of a consumption good represented by a modern medicine. In so far as Sweden has been regarded as a model it appears that no country is a model anymore. The complexities of a modern health service has overwhelmed all countries and can be regarded as a sublime loss of Innocence.
An evaluation of methods for detecting brain activations from functional neuroimages

Brain activation studies based on PET or fMRI seek to explore neuroscience questions by statistically analyzing the acquired images to produce statistical parametric images (SPIs). An increasingly wide range of univariate and multivariate analysis techniques are used to generate SPIs in order to detect mean-signal activations and/or long-range spatial interactions. However, little is known about the comparative detection performance of even simple techniques in finite data sets. Our aims are (1) to empirically compare the detection performance of a range of techniques using simulations of a simple image phantom and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, and (2) to construct two near-optimal detectors, both generalized likelihood ratio tests as upper performance bounds. We found that for finite samples of (10-100) images, even when the t-test with single-voxel variance estimates (single-voxel t-test) is the ''correct'' (i.e. unbiased) model for simple local additive signals, better detection performance is obtained using pooled variance estimates or adaptive, multivariate covariance-based detectors. Normalization by voxel-based variance estimates causes significantly decreased detection performance using either single-voxel t-tests or correlation-coefficient thresholding compared to pooled-variance t-tests or covariance thresholding, respectively. Moreover, we found that SVD by itself, or followed by an adaptive Fisher linear discriminant, provides a detector that is (1) more sensitive to mean differences than a single-voxel t-test, (2) insensitive to the large local signal variances detected by covariance thresholding, and (3) much more sensitive to signal correlations than correlation-coefficient thresholding. Adaptive, multivariate covariance-based approaches and pooled-variance t-tests represent promising directions for obtaining optimal signal detection in functional neuroimaging studies.
Anxiety sensitivity and CO2 challenge reactivity as unique and interactive prospective predictors of anxiety pathology

Emerging evidence suggests that anxiety sensitivity (AS) and CO2-induced fear reactivity are associated with panic attacks and anxiety disorders. However, evidence regarding the unique and potentially synergistic effects of these variables is currently lacking. Our primary aims in this study were to determine whether AS and CO2-induced fear reactivity are unique and potentially interactive vulnerability factors involved in the pathogenesis of panic attacks and anxiety psychopathology. A large nonclinical sample of young adults (N=404) was prospectively followed over approximately 2 years. AS (i.e., 16-item Anxiety Sensitivity Index total scores) and biological challenge reactivity [i.e., fearful responding to pre– and postchallenge changes in subjective units of distress (SUDS) to a 20-s 20% CO2 challenge] at study entry served as the primary predictor variables. Consistent with expectation, AS and challenge reactivity correlated only moderately with one another. Challenge reactivity was uniquely associated with the development of spontaneous panic attacks, whereas AS was uniquely associated with anxiety disorder diagnoses, including panic disorder. Moreover, the combination of both risk factors predicted spontaneous panic attacks beyond the effects of either risk factor individually. These data provide novel evidence for the unique and combined effects of AS and CO2-induced fear reactivity as risk factors in the development of anxiety and its disorders. Depression and Anxiety 24:527–536, 2007. Published 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Comparison of Acousto-Optic and Liquid Crystal Tunable Filters for Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy:

In this paper, we report the first time-resolved laser-induced plasma images acquired using a liquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF). We also compare the use of LCTFs and acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs) for time-resolved plasma imaging applications in terms of resolution, out-of-band rejection, and image quality. Application of tunable filter technologies to plasma imaging is unlike other spectroscopic imaging methods because of the intense and spectrally broad background generated by a laser-induced plasma. High quality images of the distribution of atomic emission within a laser-induced plasma can be achieved using both AOTFs and LCTFs. However, additional filters are needed for rejection of wavelengths outside the tuning ranges of the devices. Both devices exhibited superior resolution in the lower working range of the filters (~500 nm) with the LCTF exhibiting superior spectral resolution to the AOTF.
Design of Optimal Low-Thrust Lunar Pole-Sitter Missions

Using a thruster similar to Deep Space 1’s NSTAR, pole-sitting low-thrust trajectories are discovered in the vicinity of the L 1 and L 2 libration points. The trajectories are computed with a seventh-degree Gauss-Lobatto collocation scheme that automatically positions thrusting and coasting arcs, and aligns the thruster as necessary to satisfy the problem constraints. The trajectories appear to lie on slightly deformed surfaces corresponding to the L 1 and L 2 halo orbit families. A collocation scheme is also developed that first incorporates spiraling out from low-Earth orbit, and finally spiraling down to a stable lunar orbit for continued uncontrolled surveillance of the lunar south pole. Using direct transcription via collocation, the pole-sitting coverage time is maximized to 554.18 days, and the minimum elevation angle associated with the optimal trajectory is 13.0°.
Energy dependence of X-ray transition radiation from ultrarelativistic charged particles

Abstract Measurements have been made on the γ (Lorentz factor) dependence of the transition radiation intensity in the x-ray region caused by positrons with γ ranging from 1000 to 8000. Our results show that the intensity of the X-ray transition is linearly proportional to γ as predicted by theory. Because of such a linear dependence as well as a reasonable intensity available the X-ray transition radiation can be feasibly used for the determination of the γ value of ultrarelativistic particles.
Working Through Political Entertainment: How Negative Emotion and Narrative Engagement Encourage Political Discussion Intent in Young Americans

This study examines how a political entertainment film (Man of the Year) can impact an individual's political discussion intent after the same political topic is made salient in a subsequent news story. In addition, a process of communication influence is assessed when the roles of negative emotion and narrative engagement are considered as potential mediators of the relationship between political entertainment film viewing and political discussion intent. Seven hypotheses serve as the foundation for this experimental study, and structural equation modeling was used to test these hypotheses. Results reveal there was no direct influence of political entertainment film viewing on political discussion intent, but there was an indirect effect through negative emotion. Furthermore, narrative engagement emerged as a predictor of political discussion intent and a mediator of the association between negative emotion and political discussion intent.
Trial base adapted with sealed temporary soft liner

Autopolymerizing acrylic resin is combined with temporary soft reline material to make a record base. Rigid acrylic resin is formed over a wax spacer. The wax is removed and the loose-fitting base is relined on the master cast with soft reline material. The soft material is cured in a pressure pot and sealed with a mono-poly mixture. Visible light-curing material can be used instead of autopolymerizing acrylic resin.
Growth dynamics and water use of seedlings of Quercus alba L. in CO2‐enriched atmospheres

summary White oak (Quercus alba L.) seedlings were grown from a half-sib collection of acorns in pots containing a nutrient-Poor forest soil and maintained in controlled-environment chambers having mean atmospheric CO2concentrations of 389, 496, and 793 cm3 m−3. Additions of nitrogen and phosphorus to the soil increased plant growth, indicating that the unfertilized plants were nutrient deficient. Despite the nutrient deficiency, the plants grown in elevated concentrations of CO., generally were larger than those in ambient CO2, but dry weight data from harvests at 5, 12, 24, and 36 weeks provided insufficient evidence of an effect of CO2 because of the high variability associated with the recurrently-Hushing habit of these seedlings. Mathematical growth analysis based on periodic non-destructive measurements allowed comparisons of the continuous growth patterns of the plants and avoided the problems of ontogenetic variation. CO2, enrichment was thus shown to increase plant growth rate primarily through increased unit leaf rate rather than increased leaf area production. Unit leaf rate during the second half of the experiment was 22 and 27% higher in the medium and high concentrations of CO2 compared with that in low CO 2 instantaneous measurements of foliar gas exchange also showed that CO2, assimilation increased with CO2, enrichment. The most pronounced effect of CO2, enrichment was increased water-use efficiency, which was shown both through whole-plant gravimetric analysis and instantaneous gas exchange measurements. Whole-plant water-use efficiency for the duration of the experiment was increased by 52 and 82% by the mdium and high concentrations of CO2. Limitations of resources, including water and nutrients, do not preclude plant growth responses to CO2 enrichment of the atmosphere.
Size Distribution and Diurnal and Seasonal Trends of Ultrafine Particles in Source and Receptor Sites of the Los Angeles Basin

This paper presents results from a study conducted in two urban areas of southern California, Downey and Riverside, to examine the effect of different sources and formation mechanisms on the size distribution and temporal trends of ultrafine particles. Near-continuous data were collected for 5 months at each location. Our data clearly identified Downey as a source site, primarily affected by vehicular emissions from nearby freeways, and Riverside as a receptor site, where photochemical secondary reactions form a substantial fraction of particles, along with local vehicular emissions. In Downey, the diurnal trends of total particle number concentration and elemental carbon (EC) appear to be almost identical throughout the day and irrespective of season, thereby corroborating the role of primary emissions in the formation of these particles. This agreement between EC and particle number was not observed in Riverside during the warmer months of the year, while very similar trends to Downey were observed during the winter months in that area. Similarly, the size distribution of ultrafine particles in Downey was generally unimodal with a mode diameter of 30-40 nm and without significant monthly variations. The number-based particle size distributions obtained in Riverside were bimodal, with a significant increase in accumulation mode as the season progressed from winter to summer. During the warmer months, there was also an increase in sub-100-nm particles in the afternoon hours, between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., that also increased with the temperature. The differences observed in the ultrafine particle distribution and temporal trends clearly demonstrated that mechanisms other than direct emissions play an important role in the formation of ultrafine particles in receptor sites of the Los Angeles Basin.
Magnetic bubble wall dynamics—A review

Abstract Bubble material with its relatively high anisotropy and low magnetization provide an environment where wall structure, its movement, generation and annihilation dominate the dynamic character of the wall. Horizontal Bloch line motion, vertical Bloch line motion, backward 2π horizontal Bloch lines and both 2π and 4π horizontal Bloch lines each have their own dynamic character. For each case it is possible to model the motion in good agreement with the experimental results as long as low drive fields are used. The high drive region is yet to be understood, however, a dynamic wide wall comes from dynamic distortion through the thickness of the sample.
The Study Strategies of Successful and Unsuccessful High School Students

I examined the study strategies of successful and unsuccessful learners to determine if successful learners would differ in the quality of their information processing from unsuccessful learners. It was expected that good learners would use studying techniques requiring greater cognitive effort, such as notetaking, summarizing, and outlining. Three high school students in Grade 11 were studied as successful students; three unsuccessful students were studied as well. Each of the six participants was interviewed individually for a single, 1-hour session. During the session, students read and studied an article. A videotaped interview with the researcher followed reading and studying. The successful students were more active, purposeful, and flexible in their strategy use. Although the unsuccessful students were generally less efficient in their use of learning strategies, they were satisfied with their academic performance. That is, the unsuccessful students perceived themselves as successful learners, lack...
THERAPEUTIC EQUIVALENCY - AN EFFECTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL UTILIZATION TOOL FOR PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS. • 671

THERAPEUTIC EQUIVALENCY - AN EFFECTIVE ANTIMICROBIAL UTILIZATION TOOL FOR PEDIATRIC HOSPITALS. • 671
Linking Lasswell’s political psychology and the policy sciences

Contrary to apparent differences in timing and style between Harold D. Lasswell’s political psychology and the policy sciences approach that he pioneered, the continuity and compatibility between the two are very high. The appropriateness of Lasswell’s political psychology framework for addressing the intellectual tasks of the policy sciences is demonstrated by linking the insights of his political psychology to the policy sciences framework, and reviewing the common pragmatist philosophy underlying both his political psychology and the policy sciences.
SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF TL-BA-CA-CU-O SUPERCONDUCTORS

We review the synthesis methods and properties of single crystal, powder, and thin film TlBaCaCuO high-temperature superconducting (Tl-HTS) materials. With transition temperatures ≥ 100 K for several compounds, Tl-HTS materials present real opportunities for applications above 77 K. Experiments using (1) single crystals: determined precise structural parameters and identified the complex Tl1+–Tl3+ equilibrium model; (2) powders: studied the complex thermodynamic phase diagram; and (3) epitaxial films: studied fundamental properties such as electron pair symmetry and the effect of controlled extrinsic defects on flux pinning strength, as well as providing the large-area surfaces required for device applications.
Unrest in Long Valley Caldera, California, 1978-2004

Long Valley Caldera and the Mono–Inyo Domes volcanic field in eastern California lie in a left-stepping offset along the eastern escarpment of the Sierra Nevada, at the northern end of the Owens Valley and the western margin of the Basin and Range Province. Over the last 4 Ma, this volcanic field has produced multiple volcanic eruptions, including the caldera-forming eruption at 760 000 a BP and the recent Mono–Inyo Domes eruptions 500–660 a BP and 250 a BP. Beginning in the late 1970s, the caldera entered a sustained period of unrest that persisted through the end of the century without culminating in an eruption. The unrest has included recurring earthquake swarms; tumescence of the resurgent dome by nearly 80 cm; the onset of diffuse magmatic carbon dioxide emissions around the flanks of Mammoth Mountain on the southwest margin of the caldera; and other indicators of magma transport at midto upper-crustal depths. Although we have made substantial progress in understanding the processes driving this unrest, many key questions remain, including the distribution, size, and relation between magma bodies within the mid-to-upper crust beneath the caldera, Mammoth Mountain, and the Inyo Mono volcanic chain, and how these magma bodies are connected to the roots of the magmatic system in the lower crust or upper mantle. northward from the west-central part of the caldera to Mono Lake.
Chemical Denaturation: Potential Impact of Undetected Intermediates in the Free Energy of Unfolding and m-Values Obtained from a Two-State Assumption

The chemical unfolding transition of a protein was simulated, including the presence of an intermediate (I) in equilibrium with the native (N) and unfolded (U) states. The calculations included free energies of unfolding, DeltaGuw, in the range of 1.4 kcal/mol to 10 kcal/mol and three different global m-values. The simulations included a broad range of equilibrium constants for the N left arrow over right arrow I process. The dependence of the N I equilibrium on the concentration of denaturant was also included in the simulations. Apparent DeltaGuw and m-values were obtained from the simulated unfolding transitions by fitting the data to a two-state unfolding process. The potential errors were calculated for two typical experimental situations: 1) the unfolding is monitored by a physical property that does not distinguish between native and intermediate states (case I), and 2) the physical property does not distinguish between intermediate and unfolded states (case II). The results obtained indicated that in the presence of an intermediate, and in both experimental situations, the free energy of unfolding and the m-values could be largely underestimated. The errors in DeltaGuw and m-values do not depend on the m-values that characterize the global N U transition. They are dependent on the equilibrium constant for the N I transition and its characteristic m1-value. The extent of the underestimation increases for higher energies of unfolding. Including no random error in the simulations, it was estimated that the underestimation in DeltaGuw could range between 25% and 35% for unfolding transitions of 3-10 kcal/mol (case I). In case II, the underestimation in DeltaGuw could be even larger than in case I. In the same energy range, a 50% error in the m-value could also take place. The fact that most of the mutant proteins are characterized by both a lower m-value and a lower stability than the wild-type protein suggests that in some cases the results could have been underestimated due to the application of the two-state assumption.
Assessing lithologic discontinuities and parent material uniformity within the Texas sandy mantle and implications for archaeological burial and preservation potential in upland settings

Alfisols within the Texas Gulf Coast Plain commonly exhibit textural contrasts between sandy, artifact-bearing A–E horizons (i.e., sandy mantle), and artifact-sterile clay-rich Bt (argillic) horizons. This has invoked debate about parent material uniformity and pedogenic versus geomorphic sandy mantle origins, which has implications for the scientific value of buried archaeological sites. To improve our understanding of archaeological burial in upland settings, we evaluated parent material uniformity within five pedons to distinguish pedogenically derived textural changes from geomorphologically created lithologic discontinuities. Depth trends in clay-free particle size classes and stable/immobile Ti and Zr constituents failed to reveal lithologic discontinuities between the sandy mantle and Bt horizons, and the observed textural differences are interpreted to have resulted from pedogenic processes. This interpretation is supported by clay skins, fine clay increases in Bt horizons, and micromorphological observations. Consequently, artifacts buried in upland summits have likely moved down the soil profile due to biomantle processes. Deep sandy mantle sites, non-parallel contacts between the sandy mantle and Bt horizons, and paleogullies incised into Eocene bedrock are better explained by colluvial/soil creep processes adjacent to summits, where archaeological materials may exhibit preservation potential. No single explanation can account for sandy mantle origins, and we advocate a case-by-case approach.
Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori in vitro by various berry extracts, with enhanced susceptibility to clarithromycin.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of various berry extracts, with and without clarithromycin on Helicobacter pylori. Resistance to clarithromycin by H. pylori has been reported, leading to interest in alternatives/adjuncts to therapy with clarithromycin. H. pylori American type culture collection (ATCC) strain 49503 was grown, cell suspensions were made in PBS and diluted 10-fold. One hundred μl of the suspension was then incubated for 18 h with extracts of raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, elderberry, blueberry, bilberry, and OptiBerry®, a blend of the six berries, at 0.25–1% concentrations. Serially diluted cell suspensions were exposed for 1 h to clarithromycin at 15 μg/ml. Ten μl of bacterial samples from the 10−7 dilution tube were plated and incubated for 18 h and the number of colonies were counted. Growth of H. pylori was confirmed by the CLO® test. All berry extracts significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited H. pylori, compared with controls, and also increased susceptibility of H. pylori to clarithromycin, with OptiBerry® demonstrating maximal effects. (Mol Cell Biochem 265: 19–26, 2004)