cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting communication and collaboration practices in safety-critical situations

In this paper, we present the Firefighter Communication System -- a system designed to enhance and improve firefighter communication during a crisis situation such as a structural fire. The system we present is a half-duplex communication system with an audio horizon for officers and a full-duplex system for standard firefighters. We also address the design for the company commander who simultaneously participates in both systems. These initial designs are the result of ethnographic-style investigations into firefighting practice combined with iterative design.
The Detection of Enzyme Activity Following Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

More than a hundred different enzymes impinging on aspects of cell function ranging from carbohydrate and lipid metabolism to signal transduction and gene expression to biomolecule degradation have been detected by the assay of their enzymatic activities following SDS-PAGE. The strategies by which this has been accomplished are as varied as the enzymes themselves and offer testimony to the creativeness and ingenuity of life scientists. Assay of enzyme activity following SDS-PAGE is well adapted to identifying the source of catalytic activity in a heterogeneous protein mixture or a heterooligomeric protein (20), or determining if multiple catalytic activities reside in a single polypeptide (60). The alliance of versatile enzyme assay techniques with the molecular resolution of SDS-PAGE offers a powerful means for meeting the increasing demand for the high-throughput screening arising from protein engineering, combinatorial chemistry, and functional genomics.
Current status of carotid bifurcation angioplasty and stenting based on a consensus of opinion leaders

Abstract Objective: Carotid bifurcation angioplasty and stenting (CBAS) has generated controversy and widely divergent opinions about its current therapeutic role. To resolve differences and establish a unified view of CBAS' present role, a consensus conference of 17 experts, world opinion leaders from five countries, was held on November 21, 1999. Methods: These 17 participants had previously answered 18 key questions on current CBAS issues. At the conference these 18 questions and participants' answers were discussed and in some cases modified to determine points of agreement (consensus), near consensus, (prevailing opinion), or divided opinion (disagreement). Results: Conference discussion added two modified questions, placing a total of 20 key questions before the participants, representing four specialties (interventional radiology, seven; vascular surgery, six; interventional cardiology, three; neurosurgery, one). It is interesting that consensus was reached on the answers to 11 (55%) of 20 of the questions, and near consensus was reached on answers to 6 (30%) of 20 of the questions. Only with the answers to three (15%) of the questions was there persisting controversy. Moreover, both these differences and areas of agreement crossed specialty lines. Consensus Conclusions: CBAS should not currently undergo widespread practice, which should await results of randomized trials. CBAS is currently appropriate treatment for patients at high risk in experienced centers. CBAS is not generally appropriate for patients at low risk. Neurorescue skills should be available if CBAS is performed. When cerebral protection devices are available, they should be used for CBAS. Adequate stents and technology for performing CBAS currently exist. There were divergent opinions regarding the proportions of patients presently acceptable for CBAS treatment (
Responses of neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of the cat to natural vestibular stimulation

To investigate the neural substrate of vestibulo-sympathetic reflexes, we studied the responses of neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) of decerebrate cats to natural stimulation of the labyrinth in vertical and horizontal planes. The RVLM is a major source of excitatory inputs to sympathetic preganglionic neurons. The animals used in these studies were baroreceptor-denervated and vagotomized and had a cervical spinal transection so that inputs from tilt-sensitive receptors outside of the labyrinth did not influence the units we recorded. Of the 38 neurons whose type of vertical vestibular inputs could be classified, the majority (27) received signals mainly from otolith organs. Only 4 of the neurons received inputs predominantly from vertical semicircular canals, and 7 were classified as having convergent inputs from otoliths and canals that were spatially aligned (2 cells) or misaligned (5 cells). In addition, only 2 of 68 neurons tested responded to sinusoidal horizontal rotations in a manner typical of brainstem neurons that receive inputs the horizontal semicircular canals. Thus, the vestibular inputs to the RVLM appear to come mainly from otolith receptors. In labyrinthectomized cats, we were unable to locate neurons with responses to tilt similar to those of cells recorded in labyrinth-intact cats, confirming that the responses attributed to vertical vestibular inputs were produced by signals from the labyrinth. In animals whose semicircular canals had been rendered dysfunctional by plugging, we only recorded responses similar to those of neurons classified as having mainly otolith inputs in canal-intact animals, indicating that the dynamic behavior of these cells does not depend upon canal inputs. The presence of otolith inputs to the RVLM is consistent with the hypothesis that this region mediates vestibulo-sympathetic reflexes involved in correcting posturally-related changes in blood pressure.
In situ tetramer staining

The development of MHC tetramer staining has opened the doors to multiple avenues of new research [Science 274 (1996) 94]. In this review, we will discuss the development and application of in situ MHC tetramer (IST) staining. We describe two independently developed IST staining methodologies and discuss current uses, limitations, future uses and the interesting biology revealed by the use of IST staining.
Migration in World History – By Patrick Manning

This study is not the typical book on world immigration. The author goes back thousands of years and traces movements of homosapiens and whole communities, first in Africa and then in Eurasia. He a...
Cloning of the syrian hamster p53 gene: Structural and functional characterization of the upstream promoter region

We isolated the p53 gene from Syrian hamster embryo cells by cosmid cloning procedures. The organization of the hamster p53 gene was similar to that of other mammalian p53 genes; it had 11 exons, a noncoding exon 1, and a long intron 1 (about 6.5 kb). The upstream p53 promoter was isolated, and the nucleotide sequence of a region encompassing 694 bp upstream from the exon/intron 1 boundary plus the first 6 nt of intron 1 was determined. This genomic region was highly homologous to those of mice and humans but contained a repetitive element not present in either species. Sequence comparisons with the murine and human promoters revealed the presence of similar transcription-factor binding motifs mapping within a 431-bp Sacl-Pstl fragment. Transient transfection assays of primary Syrian hamster embryo cells and neoplastic cell lines with recombinant constructs in which the Sacl-Pstl fragment was placed upstream of a bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene revealed the efficient expression of CAT activity. Primer extension analyses identified several putative transcription initiation sites within the p53 upstream promoter, the strongest of which was located 315 bp upstream from the exon/intron 1 junction and about 30 bp upstream from the region encompassing the regulatory motifs. ©1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The distribution of tyrosyltubulin ligase in brain and other tissues.

Abstract Tyrosyltubulin ligase is widely distributed. It is present in all brain areas, synaptic endings, all of the nonnervous tissues that were examined and in birds as well as mammals. Brain is the only tissue that contains large amounts of endogenous tyrosylatable tubulin. In nervous tissues, ligase activity is not correlated with regions of high catecholamine synthetic capacity.
Resonance assignments of a membrane protein in phospholipid bilayers by combining multiple strategies of oriented sample solid-state NMR.

Oriented sample solid-state NMR spectroscopy can be used to determine the three-dimensional structures of membrane proteins in magnetically or mechanically aligned lipid bilayers. The bottleneck for applying this technique to larger and more challenging proteins is making resonance assignments, which is conventionally accomplished through the preparation of multiple selectively isotopically labeled samples and performing an analysis of residues in regular secondary structure based on Polarity Index Slant Angle (PISA) Wheels and Dipolar Waves. Here we report the complete resonance assignment of the full-length mercury transporter, MerF, an 81-residue protein, which is chal- lenging because of overlapping PISA Wheel patterns from its two trans-membrane helices, by using a combination of solid-state NMR techniques that improve the spectral reso- lution and provide correlations between residues and reso- nances. These techniques include experiments that take advantage of the improved resolution of the MSHOT4-Pi4/ Pi pulse sequence; the transfer of resonance assignments through frequency alignment of heteronuclear dipolar cou- plings, or through dipolar coupling correlated isotropic chemical shift analysis; 15 N/ 15 N dilute spin exchange experiments; and the use of the proton-evolved local field experiment with isotropic shift analysis to assign the irreg- ular terminal and loop regions of the protein, which is the major ''blind spot'' of the PISA Wheel/Dipolar Wave method.
The Use Of Areal-Time Weather And Wave Measurement Program To Assist In Offshore Operations

Conoco, in cooperation with the National Weather Service, (NWS), began program in 1980 to improve offshore weather forecasting using microprocessor technology for real time data gathering. The cornerstone of the program is an offshore network of production platforms instrumented with weather and wave equipment. The automation and communication system already developed by Conoco for automated hydrocarbon production is used to analyze the wind and wave data and to transmit the results to shore in a real time mode. Conoco utilizes radar, satellite, and a sophisticated computer system to interact with the offshore network, NWS, and Conoco's private forecast consultant. The goals, procedures, and costs of the system are presented in the paper.
Orally‐based information

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a new research area: orally‐based information.Design/methodology/approach – The study utilizes a social constructionist approach. The social constructionist meta‐theory, which holds that contributions to knowledge can be made orally, frames it.Findings – The paper explicates how orality, or word‐of‐mouth transactions, conveys information; describes approaches for investigating orally‐based information; and articulates the need for future information behavior investigations that focus on orality.Research limitations/implications – The research exploration focuses on face‐to‐face oral data. It calls for increased attention to orally‐based information, and offers tentative suggestions for accomplishing this goal.Practical implications – The results provide insight that assist in understanding how orally‐based information intersects with information behavior, knowledge management, information policy, cultural heritage, and professional development that involve...
Promoting health equity: a new challenge for Frontiers in Public Health

Public Health Education and Promotion, a new section of the journal Frontiers in Public Health, provides a refreshing forum for those readers who have traversed the familiar landscape of near-intractable health inequities on a national and global level and desire new knowledge on how best to ameliorate health inequities and the social factors that perpetuate them. The new “frontier” in public health hopefully heralds an era of increased and appropriate resource allocation for interventions that improve public health education and consequently begins to shift the needle toward health equity. This article highlights a series of approaches that, asserting an ecological model, can promote and sustain health equity by:
Hydrous pyrolysis of alkanes, alkenes, alcohols and ethers

Abstract The decomposition reactions of alkanes, alkenes and related compounds have been systematically studied under conditions of hydrous pyrolysis: 3–5 days at 317°C, in the presence of simulated oil field brine and clay. n-Hexadecane slowly cracks to give n-alkanes and n-alkenes C-2 through C-14. Ethers and alcohols rapidly hydrolyze and dehydrate producing alkenes. Alkenes add to hexadecane to give branched alkanes. Tetrahydronaphthalene inhibits the cracking and alkylation of hexadecane both. n-Hexadecene cracks like n-hexadecane, but a large fraction of it dimerizes. Most though not all reactions observed may be explained in terms of free radical chain mechanisms. For example, there is little evidence for the rearrangement of carbon skeletons, and the distribution of cracking products obtained from squalane is also consistent with a free radiical chain reaction. However, the dehydration of alcohols may involve carbonium ions, and extensive migration of double bonds in alkenes was observed. These results demonstrate why alkenes are insignificant in natural oils, while they are commonly present in artificial shale oil. Even at 317°C, the rate of alkylation is comparable to the rate of cracking. Because the activation energy for alkylation is smaller than for cracking, the probability of alkylation increases relative to cracking at lower temperature. Therefore, alkylation will be much faster than cracking in petroleum source beds and reservoirs, and the steady state concentration of alkenes will be very small. In the low pressure, high temperature pyrolysis of oil shale of fraction of the alkenes produced boil off together with the alkanes before they are able to react, and appear in the product distillate.
From randomized controlled trials to evidence grading schemes: current state of evidence-based practice in social sciences

With the advance of web search and navigation technology, enormous amount of information, non-information, and misinformation may be obtained in milliseconds in response to questions about ‘what works’ in social sciences. Today, policy makers in non-medical public service arenas are under increasing pressure to make sound decisions based on scientific evidence. Some of these decisions are a matter of legal requirement. This paper shows how such movements are closely aligned with the evolution of organizations that develop and apply evidence standards and evidence grading schemes within the social science communities. The current state of evidence-based practice in social sciences is examined by reviewing the latest development of randomized trials and evidence grading schemes in the fields of education, criminal justice, and social welfare. Studies conducted under the auspices of the Campbell Collaboration and What Works Clearinghouse are used to illustrate ingredients of evidence grading schemes, graphic display of results of systematic reviews, and discrepancies of evidence derived from randomized trials and non-experimental trials. Furthermore, it is argued that the use of evidence on ‘what works’ depends on the potential users' awareness, understanding of the evidence, as well as their capacity and willingness to use it. Awareness and understanding depends on the world wide web and its augmentations, while capacity and willingness depends more on incentives to use good evidence and on political and ethical values. Implications for the future development of evidence grading organizations are discussed.
Phosphonate Ester Probes for Proteolytic Antibodies

Abstract The reactivity of phosphonate ester probes with several available proteolytic antibody (Ab) fragments was characterized. Irreversible, active site-directed inhibition of the peptidase activity was evident. Stable phosphonate diester-Ab adducts were resolved by column chromatography and denaturing electrophoresis. Biotinylated phosphonate esters were applied for chemical capture of phage particles displaying Fv and light chain repertoires. Selected Ab fragments displayed enriched catalytic activity inhibitable by the selection reagent. Somewhat unexpectedly, a phosphonate monoester also formed stable adducts with the Abs. Improved catalytic activity of phage Abs selected by monoester binding was evident. Turnover values (k cat) for a selected Fv construct and a light chain against their preferred model peptide substrates were 0.5 and 0.2 min− 1, respectively, and the corresponding Michaelis-Menten constants (K m) were 10 and 8 μm. The covalent reactivity of Abs with phosphonate esters suggests their ability to recapitulate the catalytic mechanism utilized by classical serine proteases.
Short-term memory: a neuropharmacologically distinct process.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether cholinergic, dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and/or serotonergic synaptic activity is necessary for the expression of short-term memory (STM) in mice. Consequently, male mice of the C57BL/6 IBG strain, trained to develop a successive reversal learning set, were delayed-response tested at an interval where STM has been previously shown to be quite strong. When treated with atropine or scopolamine, behavior was impaired; however, neither diethyldithiocarbamate, sotalol, propranolol, phentolamine, haloperidol, nor p -chlorophenylalanine reliably altered delayed responding. Since all of the synaptic systems studied have been implicated in the expression of long-term memory and consolidation processes, the findings of this study indicate that STM involves more delimited neurohumoral substrates, and suggest that STM is morphologically distinct from other memory systems.
On friction-induced temperatures of rubbing metallic pairs with temperature-dependent thermal properties

Abstract This paper investigates the temperature rises for dry sliding systems when the variation in the thermal conductivity with temperature is taken into account. For the purpose of the analysis, it has been assumed that the thermal conductivity of the rubbing materials vary linearly with temperature. Accordingly, materials are classified into three categories based on that variation: materials for which the conductivity drop with temperature elevation (class a): materials for which the conductivity increases with temperature elevation (class b): and materials for which the conductivity-temperature curve has an inflation point (class c). The variable conductivity temperatures are obtained by applying the so called ‘Kirchoff transformation’ to the fundamental solution of the heat equation. The results indicate that the behavior of the conductivity with temperature is significantly influential to the magnitude of the temperatures reached by the rubbing pair. For a variety of sliding pairs analyzed in this work, significant variation between the constant and the variable conductivity predictions were found. For example, the temperature rise for a mild steel (AISI 1020) rubbing pair, sliding at 6 m/s and 30 N nominal load, predicted by the variable conductivity solution is about 30% higher than that predicted using a constant conductivity solution. It is also shown that the estimates of the heat conducted through the surface may be in error (by about 30–40%) if based on a constant conductivity solution. Such behavior has direct effects on the thickness of the thermally affected subsurface layer (the so-called thermal skin), and the thermal distortion of the contact interface. The error introduced in the estimates of the temperature rises for class c materials is shown to be proportional to the ratio between the inflation to the melting temperatures of the moving solid.
Improved adverse postoperative outcomes with revised American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines for patients with cardiac stents.

Importance In 2007, the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines were revised for patients with cardiac stents in need of subsequent surgery to recommend delaying elective noncardiac surgery by 365 days in patients with drug-eluting stents (DESs). Objective To examine the effect of the guidelines on postoperative major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) in subsequent noncardiac surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants Patients receiving a cardiac stent between fiscal years 2005 and 2010 were identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes in the Veterans Affairs Medical SAS data sets. The Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program data were used to identify subsequent operations in the 2 years following stenting. The preguideline period was defined as fiscal years 2005 through 2007 and the postguideline period was defined as fiscal years 2008 through 2010. Surgery patients admitted through the emergency department or transferred from another hospital were excluded from analyses. Overall, 16 634 elective noncardiac operations were identified (8034 [48.3%] in the preguideline period; 8600 [51.7%] in the postguideline period). Main Outcomes and Measures Composite 30-day postoperative MACEs. We used χ 2 tests to examine differences in bivariate frequencies and used logistic models to examine adjusted associations with 2-year postoperative MACEs. Results The median time to surgery was 364 days (interquartile range, 184-528 days). A total of 11 026 operations (66.3%) followed DES placement, and 5608 (33.7%) followed bare metal stent placement. After the guidelines’ publication, surgery timing increased following DES placement from 323 to 404 days ( P P P = .002). After adjusting for cardiac risk factors and procedure characteristics, there was an overall absolute risk reduction of 0.9% for MACEs (odds ratio = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62-0.89). On further examination of trends across time, MACE rates with DES placement began to decrease prior to the guidelines’ publication from 5.5% in 2005 to 4.3% in 2006 and remained stable through 2010. In contrast, MACE rates with bare metal stent placement increased from 4.3% in 2005 to 8.0% in 2007 but decreased to 4.8% following the guidelines’ publication. Conclusions and Relevance After the guidelines’ publication, noncardiac surgery was delayed in patients with DESs but not bare metal stents. With a 26% reduction in MACEs following the guidelines, it would appear that the guidelines did improve postoperative outcomes; however, when examined over time, it becomes evident that there are many more factors influencing management of patients with cardiac stents in need of subsequent surgery.
Interactive effects of age and other risk factors on long-term survival after coronary artery surgery.

Abstract The effect of age at the time of coronary artery bypass graft surgery on postoperative survival was studied in 2,507 patients with significant coronary artery disease. Patients were subdivided into five groups based on age at the time of surgery: 20 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69 and ≥70 years. The observed death rate was compared with that expected for subjects from the general U.S. population matched for age, gender, race and calendar year. For patients ≤59 years of age, the ratio of observed to expected death rates was significantly greater than unity (observed/expected = 4.9 for ages 20 to 39,1.9 for ages 40 to 49 and 1.3 for ages 50 to 59 years, p Thus, the reduced relative survival rate of younger patients after coronary artery bypass graft surgery may be attributed to the interactive harmful effects of cigarette smoking.
Interrelationships between importance, knowledge and attitude of the inexperienced

Abstract This research study reports on the use of a computerized simulation integrated within a preservice methods course for early childhood majors. An experimental design was used to compare the difference in response to importance, knowledge and attitude related to computer utilization in the course between a group exposed to computer simulation, and with groups assigned to sections taught by traditional means. A one way ANOVA combined with t-tests for paired samples revealed a significant difference in experimental students' knowledge about computers (t=4.65, P=0.000). A fairly high correlation (0.776) for knowledge about computers was also shown through the data analysis. Main effects of ANCOVA revealed no significant difference in importance, knowledge and attitudes among the three groups. Similarly, results of t-tests for paired samples also showed no significant difference among the groups on importance of, or attitudes toward computers.
Income Distribution Implications of Rural Household Production

Economic well-being is a difficult concept to measure. It is defined theoretically by a household's or individual's total access to goods and services. However, economic well-being is almost always measured empirically by money income (Moon and Smolensky). While money income provides a fairly accurate indicator of access to goods and services that can be purchased in the marketplace, it fails to measure access to goods and services that are a result of household production. Such an omission means that empirical estimates of economic well-being based solely on money income are biased if money income and household production are correlated. Concern about potential bias increases when attention is focused on comparing the economic well-being of groups-such as rural and urban households-which may differ in their reliance on household production. Historically, rural households have had less equal money income distributions than urban households (Foley). However, family members in rural households also spend more time in household production than do their urban counterparts (Goebel and Hennon, Olson et al.). Could it be that the relatively greater unevenness in the distribution of rural households' money income is in part compensated for by differences in home productivity? Or would the addition of home production to measures of economic well-being make the distribution of income across rural households even more unequal than their urban counterparts?' In this paper we explore how rural and urban income distributions change if the value of household production is added to money income.
Intersexual aggression and male sexual activity in captive rhesus macaques

Rape has been posited to be an outgrowth of male reproductive strategies. Forced copulations may have evolved as a consequence of the low parental investment made by males in producing and raising offspring. We designed a laboratory experiment which paired rhesus macaque males with females in order to assess the influence of intersexual aggression on male sexual activity. Younger and older adult males had comparable levels of sexual behavior, but younger males were more aggressive towards females than were older males. In addition, females threatened younger males more than older males. Male attacks on females did not result in sexual intercourse. On the contrary, a negative correlation existed between male aggression towards females and male success at achieving intromissions. Female aggression towards males appeared to be an effective tactic which reduced the chances of sexual intercourse. We conclude that intersexual aggression acts either as a mechanism of dominance assertion or as a means to increase spatial distance between individuals. These data do not support the idea that rape in humans has an evolutionary foundation derived from male reproductive strategies.
Fast and stable algorithms for computing the principal nth root of a complex matrix and the matrix sector function

This paper presents rapidly convergent and more stable recursive algorithms for finding the principal nth root of a complex matrix and the associated matrix sector function. The developed algorithms significantly improve the computational aspects of finding the principal nth root of a matrix and the matrix sector function. Thus, the developed algorithms will enhance the capabilities of the existing computational algorithms such as the principal nth root algorithm, the matrix sign algorithm and the matrix sector algorithm for developing applications to control system problems.
The design of a peptide linker group to enhance the SERS signal intensity of an atto680 dye-nanoparticle system

The Surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) spectra of three modified atto680 dyes were recorded using Au nanoparticles and an excitation laser operating at 670 nm. The dyes were modified with linker groups based on the small peptides, Cys, Cys–Gly and Cys–Gly–Gly. The Cys thiol group acted as the coupling point to the Au surface and the Gly NH2 group used to attach the dye. The maximum signal was recorded for the Cys–Gly linker. This gave a signal intensity for the 577 cm−1 Raman peak of the atto680 dye that was more than 27 times greater than the unmodified dye. The Au nanoparticles used had a diameter of 49.8 ± 1.2 nm and were synthesised by the citrate reduction method. The Raman dye-AuNP probes were also used in an immunoassay to detect mouse IgG in the femto mole range. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On-orbit radiometric characterization of OLI (Landsat-8) for applications in aquatic remote sensing

Landsat-8 carries two separate sensors, namely the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Radiometer Suite (TIRS), that image the earth surface throughout the visible and thermal portions of the spectrum. Compared to Landsat heritage sensors, the OLI has enhanced features, which include its 12-bit radiometric resolution and the addition of a band centered at 443 nm. The dramatically improved data quality/quantity expands existing applications of Landsat imagery in aquatic sciences from the retrieval of bio-geochemical properties, such as near-surface concentrations of chlorophyll-a (CHL) and total suspended solids (TSS), to benthic mapping. This study offers analysis of OLI's absolute radiometric performance over bodies ofwater using benchmark observations, namely the top-of-atmosphere (TOA) ocean color observations and marine in situ radiometric measurements. Sensor-to-sensor comparisons are performed to derive gain factors (g1) from near-concurrent observations in TOA radiance and reflectance domains. The gains in the radiance domain were further validated/adjusted by determining a second set of gains (g2) via analysis of OLI-derived water-leaving radiance, i.e., L(sub w) (gamma), against in situ measurements made either at the Ocean Color AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONETOC) sites or during field campaigns. The analyses yield the OLI calibration uncertainties that need to be accounted forwhen studying aquatic environments. Itwas found that, for the visible and near-infrared channels, the OLI radiometric responses, on average, are well in agreement (b 2 % discrepancies) with the TOA radiances estimated by ocean color satellites or those predicted by models based onmeasurements of aquatic and atmospheric properties. However, the TOA radiance at the new 443-nm band is found to be, on average, 3.4 % larger than the reference observations. The inter-sensor comparisons in the reflectance domain, however, indicated slightly different results with the OLI responses being low in the blue bands. To enhance the retrieval accuracy of aquatic-science products from OLI datasets, sets of temporally averaged gains (radiance and reflectance) are derived and recommended for use prior to the retrieval of in-water products.
Teenage fertility in developing countries.

Perhaps one of the most pervasive phenomena among teenaged females today is “teenage fertility”. The purpose of this article is to describe teenage fertility as it relates to developing countries. The study attempts to pose the problem by considering a large number of developing nations for which data are available and by describing the levels and trends in teen fertility rates.
Molecular Orbital Study of Be4

An LCAO MO SCF study was made of the square, planar Be4 complex. A complete SCF calculation was performed at four different internuclear distances. In this series of calculations all one‐ and two‐center integrals were evaluated exactly and the value of each three‐ and four‐center integral was estimated by a method considered most suitable for it. The results showed the complex unstable. The energy values when extrapolated to infinite internuclear distance were in good agreement with experiment. A second series of calculations was made to determine the effect of three‐ and four‐center integral approximations on the energies. Here all the multicenter integrals were evaluated by one type of approximation. This introduced a relatively small change in the integral values, but large changes in the energies. The study emphasizes the need for exact values of three‐ and four‐center integrals before exact calculations can be undertaken.
Immunochemical distinctions among histones and their variants in a solid-phase radioimmunoassay

Abstract A solid-phase radioimmunoassay allows detection of small structural differences in histones. In this assay, histones are absorbed to plastic tubes; the coated tubes bind antibody from the IgG fraction of antihistone rabbit antiserum, and the bound rabbit IgG is detected with 125 I-labeled purified goat anti-rabbit IgG. H2a-anti-H2a and H2b-anti-H2b systems showed no cross-reactivity with each other. H2a variants (H2a.1 and H2a.2) showed some cross-reaction but were distinguished reciprocally by corresponding antisera even though they differ in only two amino acids. This quantitative distinction was detected with a wide range of IgG concentrations, whereas only low concentrations revealed the differences in complement fixation assays. Histones in solution competed with the tube-absorbed histone for binding of the IgG.
Management Development in the 1980s: A Field in Transition

The article considers the present trends occurring in the field of management development. One of the biggest problems today is the lack of a systemmatic approach to developmental needs. Practitioners and researchers are now considering the improvement of the design of management development programmes and the influence of organisational culture on their effectiveness. Specifically, they are discovering ways to conduct meaningful evaluation despite the constraints imposed by the typical organisational setting.
Trends in the Surgical Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis over Time: Increased Mortality and Centralization of Care

New medical therapies available to ulcerative colitis (UC) patients have influenced operative mortality for patients requiring colectomy. We sought to examine trends in treatment and outcome for UC patients treated surgically. A review of 36,447 UC patients from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample was performed, comparing the pre-monoclonal antibody era (1990–1996) to the present-day era (2000–2006). Patients treated with total colectomy with ileostomy or proctocolectomy with ileal pouch were reviewed for outcome measures and practice setting (rural, urban non-teaching, urban teaching). Our main outcome measures were in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total charges. Total colectomy (n = 30,362) was performed five times more often than proctocolectomy (n = 6,085). When comparing the two study periods, mortality after total colectomy increased 3.8% to 4.6% (p = 0.0003). This difference was primarily due to increasing mortality in later years; when 1995–1996 was compared to 2005–2006, mortality increased from 3.6% to 5.6% (p < 0.0001). There were no deaths in the proctocolectomy group (p < 0.0001). The distribution by practice setting shifted over the two study periods, decreasing in rural (7.0% to 4.8%) and urban non-teaching (43.7% to 28.4%) centers, and increasing in urban teaching centers (49.3% to 66.8%). The total inflation-adjusted charges per patient increased significantly ($34,638 vs. $43,621; p < 0.0001). The mortality rate after total colectomy is increasing, and the difference is accentuated in the years since widespread use of monoclonal antibody therapy. The care of these patients is being shifted to urban teaching centers and is becoming more expensive.
Effects of cocaine esterase following its repeated administration with cocaine in mice.

Background A bacterial cocaine esterase (CocE) produces robust protection and reversal of cocaine toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate how effectiveness of CocE was changed following its repeated administration together with cocaine.
The basilar membrane as a uniformly loaded plate clambed on two spiral boundaries in a plane or on two helical-spiral boundaries: relevance of the species record

Abstract The species record of the cochlea of the inner ear is examined, and the hypothesis is offered for numerical testing that the survival value of coiling is in protection of the high-frequency, or basal, end of the basilar membrane from low-frequency distortions due to vibrations of the apical end and vise versa. Crude estimates from figures given by von Bekesy give one curve for the approximate relation of the radius of curvature to arc length r / s versus angle of coiling θ as the spiral design used in all therian animals. A discussion of the model to be studied is given in [7]. It is important to remember that a complicated partial differential equation is to be solved involving variations with respect to two space variables (and time), not just with respect to one variable. The reaction of the basilar membrane as a whole must be considered together with its coiling. The experimental state of the art now clearly justifies undertaking computations in this context.
On an analogue of a conjecture of Gross

The paper is concerned with a problem in the theory of congruence function fields which is analogous to a conjecture of Gross in Iwasawa Theory. Zp-extensions K∞/K0 of congruence function fields K0 of characteristic p≠2 involving no new constants are considered such that the set S of ramified primes is finite and these primes are fully ramified. Is the set of S-classes invariant under Gal(K∞/K0) finite ? Gross' conjecture asserts that a similar question has an affirmative answer for the class of cyclotomic Zp- extensions of CM-type if S is the set of p-primes and the classes considered are minus S-classes. Using a formula of Witt for the norm residue symbol in cyclic p-extensions of local fields of characteristic p, a necessary and sufficient condition for the validity of the analogue of Gross' conjecture is given for a class of extensions K∞/K0. It is shown by examples that the analogue of Gross' conjecture is not always true.
A conjecture of a basis for the diagonal harmonic alternants

Abstract Let Q [ X, Y ] denote the ring of polynomials with rational coefficients in the variables X = { x 1 , x 2 ,…, x n } and Y = { y 1 , y 2 ,…, y n }. Garsia and Haiman in A remarkable q , t Catalan and q-Lagrange inversion (see [4]) define the diagonal harmonics as the solution space DH n = {P(X,Y) ∈ Q [X,Y] : ∑ i=1 n ∂ x i h ∂ y i k P = 0 , they define the diagonal harmonic alternants DHA n as DHA n = {P(X, Y) ∈ DH n : σP = sign (σ)P} and conjecture that the dimension of DHA n is the Catalan number 1 (n+1) 2n n , they conjecture that the Hilbert series of DHA n is a q , t polynomial generalization of the Catalan numbers. In this paper, I conjecture that a collection of polynomials closely related to a collection of Schur functions is a basis for DHA n . This conjecture has been verified by computer up to n = 7. Furthermore, a ring EV n analogous to DHA n is studied and it is shown that in EV n the analogous conjecture is true. The Hilbert series of EV n gives a different q , t polynomial generalization of the Catalan numbers than that given by Garsia and Haiman.
Storm Track Predictability on Seasonal and Decadal Scales

This paper is concerned with estimating the predictable variation of extratropical daily weather statistics (''storm tracks'') associated with global sea surface temperature (SST) changes on interannual to interdecadal scales, and its magnitude relative to the unpredictable noise. The SST-forced storm track signal in each northern winter in 1950-99 is estimated as the mean storm track anomaly in an ensemble of atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) integrations for that winter with prescribed observed SSTs. Two sets of ensembles available from two modeling centers, with anomalous SSTs prescribed either globally or only in the Tropics, are used. Since the storm track signals cannot be derived directly from the archived monthly AGCM output, they are diagnosed from the SST-forced winter-mean 200-mb height signals using an empirical linear storm track model (STM). For two particular winters, the El Nino of January-February-March (JFM) 1987 and the La Nina of JFM 1989, the storm track signals and noise are estimated directly, and more accurately, from additional large ensembles of AGCM integrations. The linear STM is remarkably successful at capturing the AGCM's storm track signal in these two winters, and is thus also suitable for estimating the signal in other winters. The principal conclusions from this analysis are as follows. A predictable SST-forced storm track signal exists in many winters, but its strength and pattern can change substantially from winter to winter. The correlation of the SST-forced and observed storm track anomalies is high enough in the Pacific-North America (PNA) sector to be of practical use. Most of the SST-forced signal is associated with tropical Pacific SST forcing; the central Pacific (Nino-4) is somewhat more important than the eastern Pacific (Nino-3) in this regard. Variations of the pattern correlation of the SST-forced and observed storm track anomaly fields from winter to winter, and among five-winter averages, are generally consistent with variations of the signal strength, and to that extent are identifiable a priori. Larger pattern correlations for the five-winter averages found in the second half of the 50- yr record are consistent with the stronger El Nino SST forcing in the second half.None of these conclusions, however, apply in the Euro-Atlantic sector,where the correlations of the SST-forced and observed storm track anomalies are found to be much smaller. Given also that they are inconsistent with the estimated signal-to-noise ratios in this region, substantial AGCM error in representing the regional response to tropical SST forcing, rather than intrinsically lower Euro-Atlantic storm track predictability, is argued to be behind these lower correlations.
The α-2 isomer of the sodium pump is inhibited by calcium at physiological levels

The inhibition of the (Na,K)ATPase by calcium was investigated in plasma membrane preparations of rat axolemma, skeletal muscle and kidney outer medulla. Ouabain titration curves demonstrated that physiological calcium (0.08-5μM) inhibited mainly the high affinity α2 isomer. In axolemma all the (Na,K)ATPase had high ouabain affinity and calcium inhibited 40–50% of the activity with a K i of 1.9±0.9×10 −7 M. In skeletal muscle high and low ouabain affinity components were present in equal amounts and calcium inhibited only the high affinity component with a K i of 1.3±0.3×10 −7 M. Kidney enzyme had a low affinity for ouabain and showed very little sensitivity to calcium in the physiological range. It was demonstrated that high calcium levels inhibit the enzyme in a general sense, irrespective of the isomer, with a K i of 6.5±6×10 −4 M for the kidney and 5.9±4×10 −4 M for the axolemma enzymes. In axolemma, enzyme activity was studied as a function of sodium concentration. Physiological calcium reduced Vmax while not significantly changing K 0.5 for sodium binding.
Electron-photon Monte Carlo calculations: The ETRAN code

Abstract This paper briefly describes the Monte Carlo code ETRAN, developed for the solution of coupled electron-photon transport problems. We focus on the multiple-scattering distributions and underlying cross sections that form the basis of current versions of ETRAN, without details on sampling algorithms or numerical procedures.
Determination of mean input time, mean residence time, and steady-state volume of distribution with multiple drug inputs.

A general treatment for determination of mean residence time (MRTV)and steady-state volume of distribution (V ss )after multiple drug inputs via any mode of administration is presented. For multiple inputs, either simultaneous or consecutive, the mean input time (MIT)can be readily calculated using the general equations presented here. Sample calculations for (MIT, MRT),and V ss following different combinations of multiple drug inputs are presented. Errors inherent in noncompartmental area determinations are discussed.
Quality of life measures in alcohol dependent subjects and changes with abstinence and continued heavy drinking

This study evaluates the quality of life status of 39 male and 21 female Caucasian subjects admitted to a voluntary sector community alcohol detoxification unit. Baseline data including socio-demographics, severity of alcohol dependence and alcohol problems were collected 4-5 days following admission. In addition, the following measures were obtained: Rotterdam Symptoms Checklist, the Beck Depression Inventory, the General Health Questionnaire 12, Chubon's Life Situation Survey and the Nottingham Health Profile. Subjects were followed up at 12 weeks, and subdivided into two groups: relapsers and non-relapsers. A relapse was defined as drinking 21 or more units per week for men and 14 units or more per week for women over 7 consecutive days (1 unit is the equivalent of 8-10 g of absolute ethanol). Fifty-eight (97%) subjects were successfully followed-up, with 36 (62%) of the group relapsing to heavy drinking within 12 weeks. The results show that alcohol dependence is associated with a poor quality of life. Subjects rated poorly on the standardized questionnaires compared with the normative values for their reference populations. Relapsers and non-relapsers differed significantly in their life situation, depression, physical and psychological symptom total scores and the Nottingham Health Profile sub-score energy at 12 weeks compared with baseline, and these changes were investigated for each group. Within the relapse group a linear regression showed no association between any of the quality of life measures and time to relapse. Individual sub-score analysis of the Nottingham Health Profile results point to the importance of sleep, social isolation, pain, physical mobility and anergia in alcohol dependency. There was little change as a result of either not remitting or returning to heavy drinking and overall these findings confirm that alcohol dependent subjects have a poor quality of life.