cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Constructing quaternary stereogenic centers using tertiary organocuprates and tertiary radicals. Total synthesis of trans-clerodane natural products.

A new concise construction of trans-clerodane diterpenoids is reported in which oxacyclic and trans-hydronaphthalene fragments are coupled, and the critical C9-quaternary carbon stereocenter formed stereoselectively, by 1,6-addition of a tertiary cuprate or a tertiary carbon radical to β-vinylbutenolide. This strategy is specifically illustrated by total syntheses of (−)-solidagolactone (4), (−)-16-hydroxycleroda-3,13-dien-15,16-olide (5, PL3), and (−)-annonene (6).
Progressive adrenal failure in polyglandular autoimmune disease

We describe here the clinical course of a boy who developed isolated failure of the zona glomerulosa as part of polyglandular autoimmune disease(PAD)and in whom function of the zona fasciculata remains intact.Initially the patient presented with hypoparathy-roidism and mucocutaneous candidiasis.ACTH tests at age 8 and 11 yrs resulted in a normal response of both mineralo- and glucocorticoids.The constellation of hyponatremia, hyperkalemia and growth failure at age 14 yrs prompted a reevaluation. A repeat ACTH test, assessing individual contributions of zona fasciculata and glomerulosa, showed normal plasma cortisol, DOC and B responses and a normal urinary response of 18 OH DOC and TH DOC.Urinary 18 OH B and urinary as well as plasma aldosterone were undetectable. Plasma renin activity(PRA)was markedly elevated.The ACTH response of adrenal androgens,presumably metabolic products of the zona reticularis was also deficient.Antiadrenal antibodies against all three layers of the adrenal cortex were positive. Mineralo-corticoid therapy resulted not only in normalization of electrolytes and PRA but also in catch up growth.The course of this patient suggests that in addition to monitoring the electrolyte status, periodic tests for both mineralo- and glucocorticoid synthesis should be performed in children with PAD because progressive adrenal insufficiency may go unrecognized.
The intellectual ecology of mainstream marketing research: an inquiry into the place of marketing in the family of business disciplines

Many inside mainstream academic marketing judge the discipline’s influence within the family of business disciplines (as well as in practice) to be in decline. Despite great research productivity, methodologies as sophisticated as any in the social sciences, and a large and rich literature, opinion and evidence suggest that academic marketing is the least influential of the mainstream academic business disciplines. Nevertheless, marketing’s decline is not inexorable. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate this perplexing situation by: (1) assembling and evaluating a number of expert opinions from within marketing; (2) exploring relations and patterns of influence among the leading academic journals in accounting, finance, management, and marketing and evaluating the position and influence of each field; (3) attempting to understand marketing’s problems; and (4) exploring avenues to move marketing back to its once prominent position among the business disciplines.
Identification of plaque isolates of an avian retrovirus causing rapid and slow onset osteopetrosis

This study examines the basis for the observation that serum stocks of myeloblastosis-associated virus MAV-2(0) obtained from chickens with osteopetrosis induced abnormal bone growth after a latent period of less than 3 weeks, while stocks of plaque-purified MAV-2(0) induced abnormal bone growth only after latent periods of 6 weeks or greater. To establish the basis for this distinction, 85 plaque isolates were derived from a serum stock of MAV-2(0), and each plaque isolate was injected into 10-day-old chick embryos. Infected chicks were examined 3 weeks after hatch for the weight of their body, bursa, and bone. Three MAV-2(0) plaque isolates caused bone growth that was at least fivefold greater in infected than in uninfected animals. The other 82 plaque isolates caused slight osteopetrosis or none at all. The serum stock of MAV-2(0) therefore consisted of two forms of virus: one caused rapid onset osteopetrosis, and the other caused slow onset osteopetrosis. Almost all plaque isolates of MAV-2(0) caused decreased body and bursa weights, but with the rapid onset plaque isolates, these effects were more severe. The ability to cause rapid onset osteopetrosis was stable for three sequential plaque purifications. RNA from rapid and slow MAV-2(0) plaque isolates did not differ in T1 oligonucleotide fingerprints, and all had RNA 8.2 Kb in length. Structural polypeptide compositions of rapid and slow plaque isolates were essentially the same, as defined by migration on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. The growth rate of the isolates on embryonic limb bud cells and chick embryo fibroblasts were similar.
The adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate and guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate phosphodiesterases from human lung tissue

Abstract Human lung tissue contains phosphodiesterase enzymes capable of hydrolyzing both adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and guanosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic GMP). The cyclic AMP enzyme exhibits three distinct binding affinities for its substrate (apparent Km = 0.4μM, 3μM, and 40μM) while the cyclic GMP enzyme reveals only two affinities (Km = 5μM and 40μM). The pH optima for the cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase are similar (pH 7.6–7.8). Both are inhibited by known inhibitors of phosphodiesterase activity (aminophylline, caffeine, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine). The divalent cations Mg2+ and Mn2+ stimulate cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity (in the absence of Mg2+) while Ca2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+ inhibit the enzyme. Histamine and imidazole slightly stimulate cyclic AMP hydrolytic activity. Thus, human lung tissue does contain multiple forms of both the cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase which are influenced by a variety of effectors.
New GRID-computing platforms for high performance multi-dimensional and multimodality image rendering

With the increasing number of imaging modalities generating very large image datasets such as multidetector CT scanners, ultrafast scanners and more recently multimodality scanners such as PET-CT, there is an increasing need for high performance image manipulation and rendering of these data. Three-dimensional and volume rendering as well as interactive multiplanar navigation across these large data sets usually require high performance workstations equipped with multiprocessors, high memory capacity and dedicated hardware accelerators. An emerging alternative to a single high performance workstation is the ability to share processing power among multiple computers using grid architectures. Such architecture provides the ability to perform parallel tasks assigned to each computer separately by a single software application.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Inhibition of postreplication repair and the enhancement of induction of SV40 virus from transformed hamster kidney cells.

Abstract The induction by ultraviolet light of simian virus 40 (SV40) from two SV40-transformed hamster kidney cell lines is enhanced by caffeine. In order to investigate the mechanism responsible for this enhancement, the effect of caffeine on postreplication repair of DNA damaged by UV light was studied utilizing alkaline sucrose-gradient sedimentation. Caffeine at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mM inhibited the filling of gaps during postreplication repair. In addition, caffeine was found to potentiate cell killing by mitomycin C, an alkylating agent, and to enhance SV40 induction by mitomycin C. We postulate that the persistence of gaps in DNA, caused by the presence of caffeine, results in the enhancement of SV40 virus induction.
Antibiotic Potentiation I. Influence of Anions and Fatty Substances in Lowering Calcium Inhibition of Intestinal Antibiotic Absorption by Chickens

Abstract EISNER et al. (1953) and Gray et al. (1954) demonstrated that certain organic acids and their salts enhanced absorption of tetracycline antibiotics from the gastrointestinal tract of rats, guinea pigs and dogs. It was later shown that this phenomenon was due to a reversal of calcium inhibition of intestinal absorption of the antibiotics by the organic acids (Price et al., 1959a). The effect of dietary calcium content upon serum antibiotic levels in chickens has been elucidated by Price et al. (1959b). The present report concerns experiments on factors which modify the inhibiting effect of calcium upon absorption of oxytetracycline 4 (OTC) from the intestine of chickens. These include calcium level per se and differences related to the anionic portion of calcium salts. An exploratory study was made of possible antibiotic potentiating action of certain fatty acids, their calcium salts and natural and modified neutral fats. EXPERIMENTAL Experiment 1. This experiment …
The Dwyka Series in Rhodesia

Abstract Glacial relics in the mid-Zambezi Karroo basin of deposition include tillite, outwash gravels, varves, a glaciated pavement, dropstones, and pre-glacial valleys which still contain some sediment. The geographical distribution of these indications of glaciation suggests a limited ice-cap centred on high ground at the eastern end of the basin, and a small freshwater lake in its central part. Suggestions on the age of the Rhodesian Dwyka are discussed. The palaeomagnetic and the palynological ages are in conflict. The difficulties of precise correlation of non-marine facies, such as coal measures with a Glossopteris flora but few animal fossils, and glacial sediments almost devoid of macrofossils, are stressed. The probability that on a drifting continent such facies will be diachronous, is pointed out.
Cellulose fermentation by continuous cultures of Ruminococcus albus and Methanobrevibacter smithii

The hydrolysis and fermentation of cellulose (Avicel) by continuous cultures of Ruminococcus albus strain 7 and Methanobrevibacter smithii strain PS were studied. Cellulose destruction ranged from ca. 22% to 71% for 0.25 to 2.27 days solids retention time, respectively. The cellulose hydrolysis rate constant (k) was 1.3 days−1. Concentrations of soluble reducing sugars were low, showing that cellulose hydrolysis was the rate-limiting step of cellulose fermentation. The estimated methane-based molar growth yield for M. smithii was 2.8 g mol−1. Its maximum specific growth rate was ca. 4 days−1. The dissolved H2 half-saturation constant (K s ) for methanogenesis was ca. 1 μM. The final products of the co-culture were primarily acetate, CH4 and CO2 and low levels of ethanol and H2. The co-culture produced more H2 (used for reduction of CO2 to CH4) and acetate than a monoculture of R. albus. These differences coulb be accounted for by the lower production of ethanol, confirming to the theory of interspecies H2 transfer.
Human infant color vision and color perception

Werner and Wooten write that the basic premise of their 1979 review was that current evidence did not justify the conclusion that infants (2-3 months of age) possess three cone receptors and the visual apparatus that give rise to normal color vision. They asserted: “It remains possible that infants are dichromats and that one or both of their cone photopigments is anomalous” (p. 262). In 1985, they reiterate their conclusions and repeat commentary on two of my 1976 papers. However, Werner and Wooten ignore 6 years of research (19781984) following the publication of my own 1976 studies that provides compelling evidence that infants even younger than 3 months possess the visual apparatus that gives rise to normal, three-dimensional color vision. Here, I review conclusions we may safely reach today about infant color vision, and refute again specific commentary of my 1976 papers.
Predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes: a comparison of injury severity scoring methods.

Abstract Introduction Acute work-related trauma is a leading cause of death and disability among U.S. workers. Occupational health services researchers have described the pressing need to identify valid injury severity measures for purposes such as case-mix adjustment and the construction of appropriate comparison groups in programme evaluation, intervention, quality improvement, and outcome studies. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of several injury severity scores and scoring methods in the context of predicting work-related disability and medical cost outcomes. Methods Washington State Trauma Registry (WTR) records for injuries treated from 1998 to 2008 were linked with workers’ compensation claims. Several Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS)-based injury severity measures (ISS, New ISS, maximum AIS) were estimated directly from ICD-9-CM codes using two software packages: (1) ICDMAP-90, and (2) Stata's user-written ICDPIC programme (ICDPIC). ICDMAP-90 and ICDPIC scores were compared with existing WTR scores using the Akaike Information Criterion, amount of variance explained, and estimated effects on outcomes. Competing risks survival analysis was used to evaluate work disability outcomes. Adjusted total medical costs were modelled using linear regression. Results The linked sample contained 6052 work-related injury events. There was substantial agreement between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDMAP-90 (kappa = 0.73), and between WTR scores and those estimated by ICDPIC (kappa = 0.68). Work disability and medical costs increased monotonically with injury severity, and injury severity was a significant predictor of work disability and medical cost outcomes in all models. WTR and ICDMAP-90 scores performed better with regard to predicting outcomes than did ICDPIC scores, but effect estimates were similar. Of the three severity measures, maxAIS was usually weakest, except when predicting total permanent disability. Conclusions Injury severity was significantly associated with work disability and medical cost outcomes for work-related injuries. Injury severity can be estimated using either ICDMAP-90 or ICDPIC when ICD-9-CM codes are available. We observed little practical difference between severity measures or scoring methods. This study demonstrated that using existing software to estimate injury severity may be useful to enhance occupational injury surveillance and research.
Panic Disorder: Results of a Patient Survey

A series of European Panic Forum meetings presented a unique opportunity to gather data on patients with panic disorder and their treatment. Data were collected on nearly 1200 panic disorder patients by means of a postal questionnaire. The survey gathered data on patient history, presentation, healthcare resources and management. The average patient was in their mid-thirties and had suffered panic disorder for a mean period of almost 5 years. In addition to panic disorder, many patients experienced comorbid depression, agoraphobia or generalized anxiety. Over half the patients were seen by a cardiovascular specialist prior to being seen by a psychiatrist, suggesting poor recognition of panic disorder in general practice. Almost 50 per cent of patients were treated with tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), almost 60 per cent with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and over 80 per cent with benzodiazepines. Of the drug treatments, SSRIs were considered to be markedly or moderately effective in 68 per cent of patients, compared with 59 per cent receiving benzodiazepines and 58 per cent receiving TCAs. Few patients received psychological interventions. In patients receiving combined treatment with either a benzodiazepine plus an antidepressant, or cognitive-behavioural therapy plus drug therapy, treatment was considered effective in 98–99 per cent of cases. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clinical Pharmacokinetics of Pravastatin

The hypolipidaemic agent pravastatin differs from other US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (e.g. lovastatin and simvastatin) because it has greater hydrophilicity, as a result of the hydroxyl group attached to its decalin ring. The hydrophilic nature of pravastatin accounts for its minimal penetration into the intracellular space of nonhepatic tissues, including an apparent inability to cross the blood-brain barrier. The drug is also well tolerated because it is rapidly absorbed and excreted, and does not accumulate in plasma even with repeated administration. Pravastatin is taken up into the liver by an active transport carrier system, and the hepatic extraction ratio is high (0.66). The drug and its metabolites are cleared through both hepatic and renal routes (53 and 47%, respectively). The dual route of elimination reduces the need for dosage adjustment if the function of either of these organs is impaired. Dosage adjustments are also not required on the basis of age or gender. Furthermore, the drug can be given without regard to food intake, an important consideration for compliance since lipid-lowering therapy is generally required long term. The drug is approximately 50% protein bound, and, therefore, compared with other members of its class the tendency for displacement of highly protein bound drugs such as warfarin is decreased. This minimal potential for drug-drug interactions is important for patients who are taking multiple drugs because of concomitant medical problems. However, as with any HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, caution should be exercised when pravastatin is given with nicotinic acid (niacin), gemfibrozil or cyclosporin, because of increased risk for myopathy in patients receiving combination therapy.
A film of picosecond vibrations of a film

Time-domain experiments on solid-state dynamics at the fastest time-scales are typically performed using all optical techniques. These experiments have been made possible by, and have driven significant advances in, pulsed laser technology. Since optical techniques only indirectly probe structure, there is a significant scientific motivation for using higher spatial resolution probes such as X-ray and electron diffraction or microscopy. Unlike lasers, ultrafast X-ray and electron sources are much less developed. Nonetheless, there has been significant advances in ultrafast science using short wavelength probes, showing a similar synergy between source and science as was seen early on in the laser-based community. For their part, electrons are much more strongly interacting with matter than X-rays (the Coulomb is much larger than the Thompson cross-section) and are particularly well suited to studies in the gas phase [1]. Despite the large cross-section for elastic scattering from nuclei, many electrons are required to make a diffraction image, and space charge forces make it difficult to deliver these pulses in a short burst. In the solid phase, most of the (short pulse short wavelength) experiments to date has centered around X-ray diffraction. Here synchrotron based sources provide very bright and very flexible beams with roughly 100 ps duration [2,3], while table top laser-plasma based sources provide subpicosecond duration pulses albeit with very low brightness (but enough photons for single crystal diffraction [4,5]). Nonetheless, time-resolved electron diffraction is a complementary technique that is showing tremendous promise for ultrafast solid-state dynamics. One such experiment is reported in this issue in the article by Park et al. [6]. They report on their success in imaging the coherent atomic motion in a thin metallic film that has been set vibrating by a femtosecond laser pulse. In
Abnormal Doppler pulmonary venous flow patterns in children after repaired total anomalous pulmonary venous connection

Doppler echocardiography was used to evaluate pulmonary venous flow patterns in 16 children with repaired total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and in 16 age-matched normal controls. Using right upper pulmonary venous pulsed Doppler tracings, peak velocities and velocity time integrals were determined for ventricular systole, ventricular diastole, and atrial systole. Mitral inflow indexes and cardiac outputs were obtained. Patients with repaired total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and controls were similar in weight, heart rate, mitral inflow indexes, and cardiac output. In normal children, peak velocities were greater during ventricular diastole than systole, but velocity time integrals were greater during ventricular systole than diastole. Compared with normals, repaired patients had unobstructed flow patterns with increased peak velocities during ventricular diastole (0.92 +/- 0.35 vs 0.62 +/- 0.12 m/s) and atrial systole (0.27 +/- 0.12 vs 0.17 +/- 0.04 m/s). Velocity time integrals of repaired patients were increased during atrial systole (0.02 +/- 0.01 vs 0.01 +/- 0.03 m) but decreased during ventricular systole (0.08 +/- 0.03 vs 0.12 +/- 0.03 m). Systolic-to-diastolic ratios were decreased in repaired patients for peak velocity (0.56 +/- 0.20 vs 0.79 +/- 0.12) and velocity time integral (0.6 +/- 0.18 vs 1.48 +/- 0.35). Thus, pulmonary venous flow in normal children is greater during ventricular systole than during ventricular diastole. Repaired patients show a shift in forward flow from ventricular systole to diastole, with greater reversed flow during atrial systole.
The n-loop string amplitude. Explicit formulas, finiteness and absence of ambiguities

Abstract Explicit formulas are obtained for the n-loop scattering amplitudes of N external tachyons in the Bose closed-string theory and in the type-II superstring theory. The superstring amplitudes are shown to be finite and free of ambiguities.
Alienation and Deviance: Strain Theory Reconsidered*

This paper proposes a way in which the concepts of alienation and anomie may be related in a single dimension of social experience and offers a refinement and expansion of traditional strain theories of deviance causation. It is argued that both alienated and anomic social actors seek a common goal–a sense of effective interaction with their environment; an experience of personal competence. Anomic persons are those who perceive the demands of primary roles as confusing and beyond their abilities and who respond by seeking to maximize certainty, security, and stability in social interaction. By contrast, alienated individuals are those who experience primary role requirements as simple but stifling and restrictive, bereft of meaningful challenges. These latter persons seek greater freedom and opportunities for creativity and self-expression. The ways in which deviance may emerge as these alienated persons adapt to the perceived discrepancy between their abilities and responsibilit ies are outlined and illustrated following the adaptive modes suggested by Merton for anomic persons.
The race to liver transplantation: a comparison of patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma from listing to post-transplantation.

Background There are geographic and disease-specific inequities in liver allograft distribution. We examined differences between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-HCC liver transplantation (LT) candidates from listing through LT in a region with prolonged wait times. Study Design We performed a single-center retrospective study, from 2005 to 2013, of adult, primary, nonstatus 1 candidates who were listed and subsequently underwent LT (n = 270), or were removed because of death or clinical deterioration (n = 277). Results Of the HCC candidates removed from the waitlist (n = 184), 5.5% died waiting, 25.5% deteriorated clinically, and 69% had LT. Of the non-HCC candidates (n = 363), 38.8% died waiting, 21.8% clinically deteriorated, and 39.4% had LT. Of the LT recipients, 127 (47%) had HCC. When compared with non-HCC transplant recipients, HCC recipients spent more time on the waitlist (435 ± 475 vs 301 ± 604 days, p = 0.045) and from listing until LT had higher total pre-transplant hospital admissions per patient (1.1 ± 1.2 vs 0.8 ± 1.8, p Conclusions Despite a shorter wait to have LT, non-HCC candidates at our center have inferior waitlist outcomes. National reprioritization of liver allocation to improve access for non-HCC candidates may lead to increased wait time and resource use for the HCC population; however, a mortality benefit may exist for the non-HCC candidate lacking the benefit of time.
Elucidating NH3 formation during NOx reduction by CO on Pt–BaO/Al2O3 in excess water

Abstract The reduction of NO was investigated with CO, H2, CO + H2O and CO + H2 as the reducing species on a Pt–BaO/Al2O3 monolith catalyst over an intermediate temperature range (200–300 °C). NH3 is a major product of the NO + CO + H2O system under conditions of CO inhibition. The data are interpreted by the known NH3 formation route in which the NO is reduced by H2 formed by the water gas shift (WGS) reaction. In the absence of water, the strong adsorption of CO leads to sharp transitions between a high rate mass transport controlled regime and a lower rate kinetically controlled regime between 200 and 300 °C. Differential kinetics and integral experiments are reported at 270 °C. The intrinsic order with respect to CO in the latter regime is −1. When water is added with the CO feed, the regime transitions are more gradual and mitigated by the enhancement afforded by the hydrogen formed by the WGS reaction. Kinetic evidence for the effect of hydrogen is the much lower inhibition by CO during the WGS reaction (−0.23 order). When H2 is added to the NO + CO mixture (without H2O) in the CO inhibited feed regime NH3 and CO2 are the major products even for low H2/NO feed ratio (∼1). Collectively, the steady-state findings are consistent with the major NH3 formation pathway involving reaction of surface H (from WGS) and OH (from water) with adsorbed NO and N. The NH3 formation route involving the hydrolysis of a surface isocyanate species formed from the reaction of NO and CO, is only of secondary importance.
Recursive windowing for generating autocorrelation coefficients for LPC analysis

A method for recursively computing the autocorrelation estimates needed for LPC analysis in a vocoder environment has been developed theoretically and studied experimentally. The method has three specific advantages: 1) it requires very little memory for its implementation; 2) it is realized by a structure consisting of several identical modules; and 3) the effective window length may be changed without varying the structure. Experimental results showed the speech quality to be comparable to and slightly better than that produced by an auto-correlation LPC vocoder using a Hamming window.
Importance of androgens in male territorial acquisition in the lizard Anolis sagrei: an experimental test

The importance of androgens in the ability of male lizards to acquire a territory was tested by determining whether male brown anoles, Anolis sagrei, treated with the anti-androgen, cyproterone acetate (CA), were less successful in acquiring a ‘high-quality’ habitat patch in an outside enclosure than placebo-treated males of similar size. The habitat patch had a tree for perching, ornamental plants and twigs for refuge, and three females for mating partners. Reproductively active males were treated for 21 days with either CA (0· 1 mg/day) or placebo, both delivered from subcutaneously placed pellets. On day 21, a CA-treated male and a placebo-treated male were placed into the enclosure (6·0 m2). Two hours later, the behaviour and location of the males were monitored for a 30-min period. In tests of 20 pairs, significantly fewer CA-treated males headbob displayed to their male pair-mate, showed the static display modifier of crest erection, and courted females than placebo-treated males. In addition, CA-treated males spent significantly less time in the high-quality habitat patch and less time perched on the tree than did placebo-treated males; they also had significantly less time of exclusive use of these areas. Males treated with CA also perched lower in the habitat than did placebo-treated males. These results suggest that androgens may play an important role in the ability of male A. sagrei and perhaps other lizards to acquire a territory.
Dose reponse behavior in a physiologically accurate defibrillation model

Termination of an episode of ventricular fibrillation by electric countershock is a probabilistic phenomenon. In a clinical or experimental setting, defibrillation exhibits dose-response behavior. We demonstrate for the first time that a physiologically and anatomically accurate model of defibrillation is able to simulate this dose-response behavior. We also demonstrate the ability of this computational model to reproduce the full range of observed shock responses. Finally, we show that the brief cessation of electrical activity on the epicardial surface after a shock near the defibrillation threshold, the isoelectric window, can be explained by the slowed propagation velocity of transmural activation wavefronts around a filament of singularity in the myocardium
Late Pleistocene Climates of Beringia, Based on Analysis of Fossil Beetles

Thirty-one fossil beetle assemblages from central and eastern Beringia (Alaska, the Yukon Territory, and the now-submerged Bering Land Bridge) have yielded seasonal temperature estimates for the interval 43,550–9250 14C yr before present (yr B.P.). Estimates of the mean temperature of the warmest (TMAX) and coldest (TMIN) months were derived by the Mutual Climatic Range method. Assemblages from northern and western sites show a mid-Wisconsin interstadial TMAX warming from 35,000–30,000 yr B.P.; this warming is less pronounced in assemblages for interior regions. There is little or no beetle evidence for the spread of coniferous forest in eastern Beringia during this interstade, except for in parts of the Yukon Territory. During the last glacial maximum TMAX values were depressed by about 2°–2.5°C in Arctic regions of Beringia, and by about 4°C in the interior; TMIN values were about 8°C colder in both regions. TMAX and TMIN values rose rapidly at northern sites after 12,000 yr B.P. Seasonal temperatures peaked at 11,000 yr B.P., just as the Bering Land Bridge was inundated. This was followed by a sharp climatic cooling between 11,000 and 10,000 yr B.P., the equivalent of a Younger Dryas cooling in eastern Beringia.
Estimating personal exposures to NO2

Abstract In this work, we present the results in a simulation study of an application of a modeling tool to the problem of estimating human exposure to nitrogen dioxide. The model uses a Monte Carlo approach to simulate a distribution of exposures within a given microenvironment the partial exposure) as well as the impact of the partial exposures to the total exposure distribution. The conditions simulated are meant to be indicative of a range of environments typical of urban and rural United States. Tables are presented of the mean exposure and exposure variance for each of four cases. In addition, the distributions are presented graphically to depict the overlap of exposure classifications.
UV/TiO2 photocatalytic oxidation of commercial dyes in aqueous solutions

Abstract Photocatalytic oxidation kinetics of five commercial dyes, namely Acid Blue 40, Basic Yellow 15, Direct Blue 87, Direct Blue 160, and Reactive Red 120 was studied in a TiO2/UV slurry reactor. The oxidation kinetics of Direct Blue 160 and Reactive Red 120 follows the Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model at all the pH values studied. However, the oxidation kinetics of Acid Blue 40 fits the model at pH 3, Basic Yellow at pH 3, 5, and 11, and Direct Blue 87 at pH 7 and 9 only. In neutral solution of pH 7, the oxidation rates follow the decreasing order: Direct Blue 87 > Reactive Red 120 > Basic Yellow 15 > Acid Blue 40 > Direct Blue 160. At pH 3, the number of azo linkages in dye molecules seems to be the most important factor. For example, the oxidation rate of monoazo dye of Basic Yellow 15 is faster than disazo dye of Reactive Red 120 which in turn is faster than triazo dye of Direct Blue 160. The fastest reaction rate constants are 0.0160-0.0109 mM/min for monoazo dye of Basic Yellow 15, and the slowest reaction rate constants are 0.0013–0.0021 mM/min for the triazo dye of Direct Blue 160. The effect of Fe2+ and H2O2 on the reaction kinetics was also explored.
Selected biochemical parameters of two sizes of rat skeletal and heart muscle mitochondria at selected intervals of a 16-week endurance training program

Increases in oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle which has undergone training is well documented. The concomitant shifts in mitochondrial size and cytochrome content have varied with different investigations. In this study the shifts in oxidative capacity, SDH activity, thiolase activity, was measured in two sizes of heart and skeletal muscle mitochondria of rats undergoing 4, 8, and 16 weeks of training. In addition cytochrome content was measured in both sizes of mitochondria of the skeletal muscle. The small mitochondria of skeletal muscle showed the significant gains in number during the first 8 weeks of training while the large mitochondria increased in number during the last 8 weeks of training. The oxygen consumption, SDH activity, thiolase activity and cytochrome content all showed varying peaks in activity and content in the different sizes of mitochondria over the 16 weeks of training. In evaluating training regimes' effects on skeletal muscle it appears important to take into consideration the shifts in size of mitochondria as well as oxidative capacity and enzymatic activity alterations. There were no alterations observed in mitochondrial size in cardiac tissue.
Thermographic strain analysis of the proximal canine femur

Abstract Thermographic strain analysis (TSA) was used to measure the surface strain distribution of cyclically loaded canine femora. Eleven canine femora were cyclically loaded at 20 Hz in compression at 600 N (±200 N). After calibration with measured local strain data, it was possible to quantify the full field patterns measured from the proximal, anterior and medial cortex. The average of each TSA signal normalized by the coincident strain data (0.996) was very near to 1.0 ( p = 0.999). The thermographical scans iterate the maximum compressive strains carried by the femur within the region just distal to the femoral neck. Further understanding of the strain distribution in this region is critical in the design of components that attempt to mimic anatomical load transfer after total hip arthroplasty. TSA appears to offer a promising technology as a full field experimental strain analysis method for use with biomechanical issues.
Staged left ventricular recruitment after single-ventricle palliation in patients with borderline left heart hypoplasia

Objectives The goal of this study was to review results of a novel management strategy intended to rehabilitate the left heart (LH) in patients with LH hypoplasia who have undergone single-ventricle palliation (SVP). Background Management of patients with hypoplastic LH syndrome and borderline left ventricle (LV) involves 2 options: SVP or biventricular repair. We hypothesized that staged LV recruitment and biventricular conversion may be achieved after SVP by using a strategy consisting of relief of inflow and outflow tract obstructions, resection of endocardial fibroelastosis, and promotion of flow through the LV. Methods Patients with hypoplastic LH and borderline LV who underwent traditional SVP (n = 34) or staged LV recruitment (n = 34) between 1995 and 2010 were retrospectively analyzed and compared with a control SVP group. Results Mean initial z -scores for LH structures before stage 1 SVP were not significantly different between groups. Mortality occurred in 4 of 34 patients after LV recruitment and in 7 of 34 after traditional SVP. LH dimension z -scores increased significantly over time after LV recruitment, whereas they declined after traditional SVP, with significant interaction between stage of palliation and treatment group. Restriction of the atrial septum (conducted in 19 of 34 patients) was the only predictor of increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume (p Conclusions In these patients with borderline LH disease who underwent SVP, it is possible to increase LH dimensions by using an LV recruitment strategy. In a subset of patients, this strategy allowed establishment of biventricular circulation.
Decreasing aspiration risk with enteral feeding

Aspiration is a clinical concern in patients receiving enteral tube feeding. Aspiration can result in pneumonia leading to increases in the use of antibiotics, length of hospital stay, and the risk of mortality. Pneumonia caused by aspiration of gastric contents is of particular concern in patients who require mechanical ventilation and feeding by nasogastric tube. This article summarizes factors that might influence the development of aspiration pneumonia and minimize risk, such as the position of the patient's body, method of feeding, and size of the feeding tube.
THE GRADED BOUNDARY CARBON-SALINE ELECTRODE.

A new type of electrode for measurement of dc potentials is described. Utilizing a porous graded boundary of carbon on fiber-glass wet with saline, this electrode makes possible highly drift free operation over long periods. With matched pairs of electrodes, base line drifts of less than 1 mv per hour are obtained. Examples of its use in measuring body potentials are given. The voltage-current characteristic shows a useful working region in which the electrode potential is independent of the current.
Theory of feedforward controlled system eigenproperties

Abstract Adaptive feedforward algorithms have be successfully applied in the active control of sound and vibration. However, the actual mechanisms of control inherent in the technique remain an area of much interest. The main objective of this research is to study the dynamic characteristics of a feedforward controlled elastic system. The structure is assumed to be subjected to a harmonic input excitation, and the resulting vibration minimized by utilizing another force for control. The controller is defined by minimizing the square of the response at a point denoted as error sensor location. A new mathematical approach to predict the dynamic characteristics of the controlled structure is presented. It is shown that the controlled system effectively behaves as having new eigenproperties. The controlled eigenvalues and eigenfunctions are function of the control force and error sensor locations, and independent of the input disturbance. Numerical examples demonstrate the applicability of the proposed formulation. These results are also corroborated experimentally using a feedforward controller implemented on a TMS320C20 DSP processor.
Life Dissatisfaction and Eating Behaviors Among Older African Americans: The Protective Role of Social Support

Objectives To examine (a) the influences of life dissatisfaction and dietary social support on eating behaviors (a high-fat diet and fruit/vegetable consumption) of older African Americans and (b) the moderating role of perceived dietary social support on the association between their life dissatisfaction and unhealthy eating behaviors.
Telephone case management for asthma: an acceptable and effective intervention within a diverse pediatric population.

Background. Asthma disproportionately affects low-income and medically underserved children; additional tools are needed in the effort to improve asthma care. Objectives. We reviewed the implementation of a telephone case management program provided by community health workers (CHWs) as an alternative to home visits, to examine its efficiency, acceptability, and capacity to identify and address challenges with asthma management. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included children (and their caregivers) presenting for scheduled visits to a comprehensive asthma clinic at an urban, public hospital during 2007. Results. Overall, 83.2% of caregivers were contacted for follow-up. Of those not reachable, one-third had been discharged from the clinic, and most of the remainder later returned for a subsequent visit. Latino patients were more likely not to be reached by telephone (p < .001). Following the implementation of telephone case management, the number of patient visits to the asthma clinic increased...
Scalable reliable multicast using multiple multicast groups

We examine an approach for providing reliable, scalable multicast communication, using multiple multicast groups for reducing receiver processing costs in a multicast session. In this approach a single multicast group is used for the original transmission of packets. Retransmissions of packets are done to separate multicast groups, which receivers dynamically join or leave. We first show that by using an infinite number of multicast groups, processing overhead at the receivers are substantially reduced. Next, we show that, for a specific negative acknowledgment (NAK)-based protocol, most of this reduction can be obtained by using only a small number of multicast groups for a wide range of system parameters. Finally, we present a local filtering scheme for minimizing join/leave signaling when multiple multicast groups are used.
Time-intensity trading in the late auditory evoked potential.

The present study investigated physiological correlates of the time-intensity trading relationship in late components (N1, P2) of the auditory evoked potential. Late-potential and behavioral thresh...
Paternal age and assisted reproductive technology outcome in ovum recipients

This study suggests that paternal age may be inversely associated with reproductive outcome, as demonstrated by a decline in fertilization, blastocyst formation, implantation and cryopreservation rates with advancing age.
Trade-offs between productivity and quality in selecting software development practices

The authors report detailed data and analyses on productivity and quality from 29 Hewlett-Packard projects. While some software development models' characteristics affect performance negatively when considered alone, their impact disappears when considered in combination with other attributes. So, processes should be thought of as coherent systems of activities rather than as a series of individual practices that can be implemented piecemeal.
Structure-activity studies of the inhibition of FabI, the enoyl reductase from Escherichia coli, by triclosan: kinetic analysis of mutant FabIs.

Triclosan, a common antibacterial additive used in consumer products, is an inhibitor of FabI, the enoyl reductase enzyme from type II bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis. In agreement with previous studies [Ward, W. H., Holdgate, G. A., Rowsell, S., McLean, E. G., Pauptit, R. A., Clayton, E., Nichols, W. W., Colls, J. G., Minshull, C. A., Jude, D. A., Mistry, A., Timms, D., Camble, R., Hales, N. J., Britton, C. J., and Taylor, I. W. (1999) Biochemistry 38, 12514-12525], we report here that triclosan is a slow, reversible, tight binding inhibitor of the FabI from Escherichia coli. Triclosan binds preferentially to the E.NAD(+) form of the wild-type enzyme with a K(1) value of 23 pM. In agreement with genetic selection experiments [McMurry, L. M., Oethinger, M., and Levy, S. B. (1998) Nature 394, 531-532], the affinity of triclosan for the FabI mutants G93V, M159T, and F203L is substantially reduced, binding preferentially to the E.NAD(+) forms of G93V, M159T, and F203L with K(1) values of 0.2 microM, 4 nM, and 0.9 nM, respectively. Triclosan binding to the E.NADH form of F203L can also be detected and is defined by a K(2) value of 51 nM. We have also characterized the Y156F and A197M mutants to compare and contrast the binding of triclosan to InhA, the homologous enoyl reductase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. As observed for InhA, Y156F FabI has a decreased affinity for triclosan and the inhibitor binds to both E.NAD(+) and E.NADH forms of the enzyme with K(1) and K(2) values of 3 and 30 nM, respectively. The replacement of A197 with Met has no impact on triclosan affinity, indicating that differences in the sequence of the conserved active site loop cannot explain the 10000-fold difference in affinities of FabI and InhA for triclosan.
Safe use of opioids in chronic noncancer pain

Many physicians avoid prescribing opioid analgesics for chronic pain because of misconceptions or fears about efficacy, adverse effects, abuse, and addiction potential. We discuss these issues and offer suggestions for the rational use of opioid analgesics in patients with chronic noncancer pain.
Democratization in long perspective

Introduction Democracy is a mechanism of collective choice and a form of social organization that can be considered a superior substitute for other such mechanisms or forms of organization. As such, democracy may be expected to grow, or diffuse, over time among the world’s population, and the question posed in the present study is: does that growth follow a regular pattern, according to the Fisher-Pry substitution model of technological change? Our inquiry finds that, prior to 1800, democratic development was experimental in character, but it has been growing fairly rapidly since the middle of the 19th century, generally fitting quite closely the model of diffusion. At the present time, -40% of the world’s people live in democracies; by extrapolation, the model suggests that the democratic community might reach the 90% level toward 2100.
Individual freight effects, capacity utilization, and Amtrak service quality

Abstract This paper offers a new perspective on the post-deregulation rail industry. We hypothesize that a link exists between individual freight effects and Amtrak service quality. Specifically, we investigate the relationship between freight control of the infrastructure on which Amtrak trains operate and Amtrak train delays. Our sample consists of 1117 directional station-pairs for fiscal years 2002 through 2007 on 28 Amtrak non-Northeast Corridor passenger routes. We found that freight effects have a significant impact on Amtrak train delays after controlling for other important delay determinants such as the capacity utilization rate. The impact is higher on long-distance routes. We also observed significant differences between the effects of different freight railroads. For example, Amtrak operations on infrastructure controlled by several Class I railroads experienced significantly larger delays than baseline operations, while Amtrak train delays on Burlington Northern and Santa Fe’s tracks actually fell below baseline levels.
Modeling and analysis of networked control systems using stochastic hybrid systems

Abstract This paper aims at familiarizing the reader with Stochastic Hybrid Systems (SHSs) and enabling her to use these systems to model and analyze Networked Control Systems (NCSs). Towards this goal, we introduce two different models of SHSs and a set of theoretical tools for their analysis. In parallel with the presentation of the mathematical models and results, we provide a few simple examples that illustrate the use of SHSs to models NCSs.
Fiber-optic dc and low-frequency electric-field sensor

We demonstrate an interferometric fiber-optic dc and low-frequency electric-field sensor based on the electrostrictive effect. The quadratic relationship between the applied electric field E and the induced strain e in electrostrictive ceramics (e.g., Ba:PZT) allows for the detection of low-frequency signals as sidebands of a high-frequency carrier. A preliminary investigation of the sensor has yielded a minimum detectable E field of 0.35 (V/m)/ Hz at 5 Hz for a sensor with 3 cm of fiber.
Optimization of the Q factor in photonic crystal microcavities

We express the quality factor of a mode in terms of the Fourier transforms of its field components and prove that the reduction in radiation loss can be achieved by suppressing the mode's wavevector components within the light cone. Although this is intuitively clear, our analytical proof gives us insight into how to achieve the Q factor optimization, without the mode delocalization. We focus on the dipole defect mode in free-standing membranes and achieve Q > 10/sup 4/, while preserving the mode volume of the order of one half of the cubic wavelength of light in the material. The derived expressions and conclusions can be used in the optimization of the Q factor for any type of defect in planar photonic crystals.