cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The utility of event variability in two choice probability learning

Two types of instructions and three levels of event variability were factorally combined in a two-choice probability learning task. The rank order of the marginal response probabilities provided some support for a utility theory. It was suggested that such a utility theory might prove useful for several diverse probability learning situations where overshooting is typically obtained.
Product operators and coherence transfer in multiple‐pulse NMR experiments

A practical introduction to coherence and coherence transfer pathways in NMR is provided using the density matrix and product-operator formalisms. The concept of coherence in NMR is first introduced using the density matrix formalism. Pictorial and quantitative representations of coherence are provided using product operators in the Cartesian basis. A simple transformation from the Cartesian basis to a spherical basis is used to follow coherence order during multiple-pulse experiments with coherence transfer pathways. The rules are introduced for designing phase cycles to eliminate unwanted coherences and pathways. An appendix contains a computer program written in Mathematica for performing product-operator calculations interactively.
Basics of Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair

Traditional methods of open and mini-open rotator cuff repairs have shown excellent results in shortand medium-term follow-up and remain viable methods of treating rotator cuff pathology. A trend toward the arthroscopic repair of rotator cuff tears continues, however, and will probably accelerate as the next generation of surgeons is trained in arthroscopic treatment methods. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the arthroscopic treatment of rotator cuff repair with an emphasis on technique. An understanding of the principles of rotator cuff repair and arthroscopy serves as a basis for a step-by-step approach to arthroscopic rotator cuff repair.
Identification of bombesin receptors on isolated muscle cells from human intestine.

Abstract Smooth muscle cells were isolated separately from the longitudinal and circular muscle layers of human jejunum obtained at surgery and used to determine whether amphibian bombesin-14 and 3 mammalian homologues, GRP-(1–27), GRP-(18–27) and neuromedin B, can cause contraction by acting directly on muscle cells. Circular and longitudinal muscle cells contracted identically in response to bombesin-14 (C 50 2 × 10 −12 M). The contractile response was not affected by selective muscarinic, opioid, CCK or serotonin antagonists but was inhibited by the substance P (SP) derivative, [ d -Arg 1 , d -Pro 2 , d -Trp 7,9 , Leu 11 ]SP. All 3 mammalian bombesins were less potent than bombesin-14. GRP-(1–27) and GRP-(18–27) were equipotent (C 50 4 × 10 −11 M) but 20 times less potent than bombesin-14. Neuromedin B (C 50 6 × 10 −12 M) was 3 times less potent than bombesin-14. All bombesins, however, were more potent than other enteric neuropeptides (e.g., tachykinins, opioid peptides). The study demonstrates conclusively the ability of bombesins to cause direct contraction of intestinal smooth muscle cells.
Component based simulation modeling from neutral component libraries

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have proposed the development of libraries of formal, neutral models of simulation components. The availability of such libraries would simplify the generation of simulation models, enable reuse of existing models construction of complicated models from simpler ones, and speed Internet-based simulation services. The result would be a dramatic increase in the use of simulation for decision-making and control in manufacturing. In this paper, we describe a collection of formal, neutral models for a discrete-event simulation of the flow of jobs through a job shop, where the simulation executes jobs based on a pre-provided schedule. We then derive a database structure from these formal models and discuss the population of that database with the data entries for a sample job shop. We then examine the translators we developed to go from the neutral representation of the simulation components to the representation required by Arena. Finally, we compare this routing aspect of translator to the routing aspects of a translator we built for ProModel.
Understanding and Governing the Global Food System

“When it comes to food,” suggests Robert Paarlberg in the preface to his book Food Politics, “everybody is interested” (p. xv). This interest makes sense as a brute function of biology. At the same time food is a basic feature of cultural, economic, and political life. Yet despite food’s obvious importance, it has for long stretches been an object of only marginal interest to the social sciences. Food is mundane and of the body—hardly the stuff to excite disciplines concerned principally with things exotic and of the mind. In the last few years, however, as the four excellent and distinctive books examined here attest, food studies, and the politics of food in particular, have become increasingly fashionable areas for scholarly investigation. This development is welcome, even though many of the factors driving this growing interest, from soaring rates of chronic hunger to environmental harm associated with dominant modes of agricultural production, are not themselves any cause for celebration. Each of the books discussed in this essay sheds important light on crucial food-related concerns, and, more importantly, has things to say about what might be done to address them. They do so through engagement with quite different subject matters. There are nevertheless some major themes that connect these books. The arst has to do with governance, in its broadest sense. In a range
Why Altruism Is Impossible ... and Ubiquitous

Deeply held commitments to individualism, atomism, and egoism have moved psychology to underestimate the frequency and significance of altruism and to seek explanations of examples of altruism that are based in the self-interested motives of the altruists. In this article, I review evidence that altruism is pervasive and discuss the conditions that promote its development in children and its display in adults. However, I suggest that there is nothing natural or inevitable about the pervasiveness of altruism-that large-scale cultural influences that regulate social relations and contribute to establishing the boundaries between self and other can have profound effects on altruism. The contemporary United States, with its emphasis on market relations between free and autonomous individuals, exemplifies the cultural conditions least conducive to altruism.
Long-term influence of mowing on population dynamics in the rare orchid Dactylorhiza lapponica: The importance of recruitment and seed production

Abstract Many orchids are currently red-listed due to changes in land use, and their future persistence will depend on management. Traditional land use like mowing is believed to favour orchids through increased survival and reproduction of established individuals, but the lack of data connecting their complex life cycle presently limits our ability to evaluate effects of management. Here we used data from 16 years of demographic monitoring to study how mowing affects population dynamics in two populations of the rare orchid Dactylorhiza lapponica. Both populations were characterized by long-lived individuals, low adult mortality and high seedling mortality. The traditional regime of mowing every second year strongly increased recruitment and reduced seed production in both populations, but had moderate effect on adult survival, growth rate and flowering probability. Population growth rate was positive for all population × treatment combinations. Traditional mowing significantly increased growth rate in both populations, and LTRE-analyses revealed that this primarily was a result of increased recruitment. The results indicate that demographic rates commonly associated with orchid persistence may be insensitive to traditional management, and underscores the importance of seed production and recruitment to maintain population growth in this long-lived species. The combination of low establishment success and no seed bank makes D. lapponica dependent on high seed input. Our results suggest that D. lapponica would benefit most from traditional mowing performed after seed dispersal in the study areas, but also suggest a high probability of future survival in the absence of mowing.
Multiple time-scale molecular simulations: Modeling realistic loading rates

The vast gap between the molecular dynamics (MD) and experimental time scales poses serious problems to direct comparison between the MD simulation and experimental results. The inability of the traditional MD simulation methods to model long enough time scales also results in modeling unrealistically high loading rates and strain rates that are usually at least six or seven orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding experimental values. This may have a tremendous effect on the realism and quality of the simulation results.© 2007 ASME
PHOTOPERIOD EVIDENCE IN THE INTRODUCTION OF XANTHIUM STRUMARIUM TO TAHITI AND HAWAII FROM MEXICO

A B S T R A C T Successful invasion of islands in the Pacific by Xanthium probably resulted from the chance introduction of a morpho-physiological form adapted to subtropical coastal habitats in North America. This hypothesis was tested by comparing naturalized plants from Tahiti in the So- ciety Islands and Oahu in the Hawaiian Islands with collections from various coastal sites in Mexico. Plants from Tampico and Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas; Veracruz (Antigua), Vera- cruz; and Salina Cruz, Oaxaca have morphological and physiological similarity to the Pacific introductions; however, each collection has certain niche relations that are slightly different from each other. All of the collections are in the same morphological complex and have apparent critical nights of 10.75-11 hr for reproduction. This morpho-physiological form is probably indigenous to Mexico, and it is widely distributed on the northeastern coastal plain of Tamaulipas.
Atomic data and spectral line intensities for Ca XIII

Electron impact collision strengths, energy levels, oscillator strengths and spontaneous radiative decay rates are calculated for Ca XIII. The configurations used are 2 s 2 2p 4 , 2s2p 5 , 2p 6 , 2s 2 2p 3 3s, 2s 2 2p 3 3p and 2s 2 2p 3 3d giving rise to 86 fine-structure levels in intermediate coupling. Collision strengths are calculated at five incident energies (40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 Ry) in the distorted wave approximation. Excitation rate coefficients are calculated as a function of electron temperature by assuming a Maxwellian electron velocity distribution. Using the excitation rate coefficients and the radiative transition rates, statistical equilibrium equations for level populations are solved at electron densities covering the range of 10 8 -10 14 cm -3 at an electron temperature of log T e (K) = 6.5, corresponding to maximum abundance of Ca XIII. Relative and absolute spectral line intensities are calculated, and their diagnostic relevance is discussed. This dataset will be made available in the next version of the CHIANTI database.
Characterization and uniqueness of equilibria in locational choice problems

This paper considers the problem of characterizing equilibria in markets involving n producers and a differentiated product. Each producer chooses a position in a set Ω taking into account the distribution of consumer ideals. Subsequently, an equilibrium is reached if no producer has incentive to unilaterally reposition. In this work, we consider the two extreme cases of this problem: In the first case, producers may be ignorant about consumer ideals and play conservatively by assuming a uniform distribution. We show that the rich class of equilibria that exists for this case can be narrowed down to a unique equilibrium when inequity considerations are taken into account. First, this involves showing that a so-called “minimal inequity equilibrium” is obtained via solution of a specially constructed nonlinear program. Subsequently, we display a unique closed form solution for this nonlinear program, which provides considerable insight that cannot be obtained by usual numerical methods. On the other extreme, when complete knowledge of consumer preferences can be assumed, we consider an atomic distribution of ideals. Under such a distribution, we generate a new large class of equilibria.
Surface enhanced Raman scattering in art and archaeology

The identification of natural dyes found in archaeological objects and in works of art as textile dyes and lake pigments is a demanding analytical task. To address the problems raised by the very low dye content of dyed fibers and lake pigments, and by the requirement to remove only microscopic samples, surface enhanced Raman scattering techniques were investigated for application to museum objects. SERS gives excellent results with the majority of natural dyes, including: alizarin, purpurin, laccaic acid, carminic acid, kermesic acid, shikonin, juglone, lawsone, brazilin and brazilein, haematoxylin and haematein, fisetin, quercitrin, quercetin, rutin, and morin. In this study, limits of detection were determined for representative dyes and different SERS supports such as citrate reduced Ag colloid and silver nanoisland films. SERS was successfully used to identify natural madder in a microscopic fragment from a severely degraded 11 th Century Byzantine textile recently excavated in Amorium, Turkey.
The stress distribution and curvature of a general compositionally graded semiconductor layer

Abstract The physical system considered is a thin, strained-layer structure. It is shown that the stress distribution and curvature for such a structure, with arbitrary compositional gradiation and with general thickness variation of temperature of epitaxial mismatch strain can be determined by means of elementary formulae. As an illustration, the results are applied to compute the stress in a GaAs/In x Ga 1− x As/In 0.12 Ga 0.88 As ternary epitaxial structure with X varying through the thickness of the 1185 middle layer.
Analysis of spectral projectors in one-dimensional domains

Results are proven concerning certain projection operators on the space of all polynomials of degree less than or equal to N with respect to a class of one-dimensional weighted Sobolev spaces. The results are useful in the theory of the approximation of partial differential equations with spectral methods.
Mobility Weighting in Numerical Reservoir Simulation

The sensitivity of a numeric steam flooding model with respect to mobility weighting is examined in depth. Three numeric discretization procedures are used in this investigation: a new numeric scheme, a 5-point finite difference method, and a procedure which, under certain assumptions, is equivalent to that introduced by McCracken and Yanosik. Three mobility weighting schemes also are investigated: (1) upstream mobility weighting; (2) harmonic total mobility weighting; and (3) upstream weighting of fractional flow terms. The approach introduced uses the kinematic viscosity in the total mobility and the fractional flow terms. The steam displacement model formed from the combination of this mobility weighting approach and the McCracken and Yanosik discretization procedure is shown to produce realistic simulations of an inverted 7-spot pattern under a continuous steam drive. 20 references.
Internal friction of Nb-H alloys

Abstract A series of seven major peaks in the acoustical absorption spectrum of Nb-H alloys has been seen between 20–400°K. Some of these are attributed to effects that occur in the bcc solid solution, others to phenomena associated with the hydride.
A descriptive profile of caregivers of older adults with MS and the assistance they provide.

Purpose. To describe and compare spousal and non-spousal caregivers of older adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), the nature and extent of assistance they provide, and the challenges they experience in the course of their caregiving role.Methods. This cross-sectional descriptive study uses data from telephone interviews with 302 caregivers of older adults with MS. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Wilcoxon tests were used to generate and compare caregiver profiles. A proportional odds model examined factors associated the provision of greater extent of care.Results. Spousal and non-spousal caregivers differed in age, sex, location of residence, and employment status. The characteristics of the people with MS for whom they cared were very similar. Spousal caregivers assisted with more activities, although non-spousal caregivers provided equivalent caregiving time. Twenty percent of caregivers spent more than 3.5 h per day caregiving. Caregiving time was influenced by cognitive and ADL status of the pe...
The use of human T-lymphocyte clones to study T-cell function in allergic contact dermatitis to urushiol

Allergic contact dermatitis to poison ivy ( Toxicodendron radicans ) is believed to be mediated by T lymphocytes specific for the hapten urushiol. Activated T lymphocytes may produce pathology by a variety of mechanisms including direct cytotoxicity, production of lymphokines, recruitment of non-specific effector cells, non-specific cytotoxicity, and possibly autologous DR reactivity. The regulation and pathogenesis of this condition was studied by cloning and characterizing urushiol-specific T cells from the peripheral blood of patients with poison ivy dermatitis. Multiple CD8+ (T8+) urushiol-specific clones were derived. All clones that proliferated in response to a crude extract of T. radicans also proliferated in response to purified urushiol. Thus, urushiol appears to be the single immunogenic component of T. radicans resin. Pentadecylcatechol (PDC), which differs from urushiol only in the lack of unsaturated bonds in its lipophilic tail, stimulated only one of seven clones tested. This suggests that the double bonds in the C15 lipophilic tail of urushiol are required for antigenicity. Several of the CD8+ urushiol-specific clones suppressed pokeweed mitogen-induced IgG production in the presence of urushiol. Suppression was triggered specifically by urushiol and required MHC compatibility both for the antigen-presenting cells and the responding B cells. These suppressor clones were isolated from convalescent blood and may represent a mechanism for the termination of an allergic contact dermatitis.
Distributivity in lattices

A lattice L is infinitely (join) distributive if a ∩ ∪ B b = ∪ B (a ∩ b) whenever the indicated joins exist in L. Clearly infinite distributivity implies ordinary distributivity. On the other hand it is easy to give examples of distributive lattices which are not infinitely distributive. For example, the rational integers under the relation of division form a distributive lattice which is not infinitely distributive. However for complemented lattices, as observed by Tarski [8] and von Neumann [6], distributivity implies infinite distributivity.
Dynamic interactions between coupled oscillators within the hamster circadian pacemaker.

Within the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus, multiple oscillators are coupled to form a functional pacemaker coordinating circadian rhythms in behavior and physiology. A clear understanding of circadian coupling has been elusive due to the lack of analytical paradigms well suited for this purpose. We have developed a novel behavioral assay that disassociates central oscillators and allows rigorous study of their formal properties and interactions. Nocturnal rodents held under 24 h light:dark:light:dark (LDLD) cycles display bimodal, or “split,” activity rhythms, which reflect the reorganization of the central pacemaker into two oscillator groups cycling ~ 12 h apart. After transfer from LDLD to constant conditions, the two activity components rapidly rejoin through a series of transients lasting 2–7 days. Here we analyze the dynamics of fusion, characterize the oscillator interactions underlying this process, and assess two factors that influence this dynamic: phase of transfer into constant conditions and lighting conditions upon transfer. Syrian hamsters were split under LDLD with dimly lit nights then transferred to constant dim illumination or complete darkness at the beginning of one of the two daily scotophases. Fusion of the split activity bouts was influenced by the phase of release suggesting that the oscillators split under LDLD exert an asymmetric influence over one another. Constant dim and dark conditions produced similar overall patterns of fusion, but nevertheless differed in the state to which the system rejoined, indicating that dim light likely modulates interactions during this process. The present results are discussed within a model for circadian coupling wherein oscillators are able to influence one another in a phase dependent manner.
POSITRONIUM LIFETIME IN CONDENSED HYDROGEN

The orthopositronium lifetime τ2 in gaseous, liquid, and solid hydrogen has been measured. τ2 is 31.2 ± 1.5 nsec for liquid at normal temperature of ebullition and is 16.3 ± 0.8 nsec for solid below the melting point. There is a sharp rise in τ2 at melting, but the abundance of the orthopositronium component I2 remains the same. For gaseous hydrogen at densities corresponding to the liquid and solid densities, τ2 is density-dependent and shows no rapid change in the density range of the solid-to-liquid phase transition. These results lead to the conclusion that the orthopositronium lifetime or its pickoff rate is influenced by the physical state of the condensed hydrogen.
La déconstruction des centrales UNGG de Chinon

Les operations de deconstruction au niveau 2 de Chinon A3 se terminent. En 2000, les trois centrales UNGG (Uranium Naturel Graphite Gaz) de Chinon seront en phase d'entreposage. C'est l'occasion de faire le bilan des travaux realises sur les trois reacteurs.
Estimating the number of defects under imperfect inspection

A capture-recapture sampling plan is defined for estimating the number of defects in one or more products. This sampling plan will be useful in applications where every defect cannot be detected with complete certainly.
Child health policy in the U.S.: the paradox of consensus.

Abstract The U.S. spends more of its total GNP on health services than any other nation, yet it has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the industrialized world. Young American children are immunized at rates that are one-half those of Western Europe, Canada, and Israel. In the mid-1980s, a consensus among policymakers on the need for federal action to improve child health services resulted in the expansion of Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women and young children and the separation of Medicaid eligibility from eligibility for AFDC. The current phase of child health policymaking includes discussion of much broader proposals for changes in health care financing and innovation in health care delivery. This examination of child health policy begins by reviewing the politics of maternal and child health services from the early twentieth century to the Reagan administration, including the role of feminist movements, the development of pediatrics, and the expansion of federal involvement during the 1960s. Next, the politics of Medicaid expansion as a strategy for addressing child health issues are discussed. Current critiques of child health services in the U.S. are examined, along with proposals to restructure health care financing and delivery. Central to the politics of child health policy during the 1980s and into the 1990s is the way in which child health has been defined. Infant mortality and childhood illness are presented as preventable problems. Investment in young children is discussed as a prudent as well as a compassionate policy, one which will reduce future health care costs and enhance our position in the international economy. Unlike other "disadvantaged groups," children are universally viewed as innocent and deserving of societal support. Framing child health issues in these terms helped to produce consensus on the expansion of Medicaid eligibility. Yet the issues beyond the expansion of Medicaid eligibility involve the restructuring of health care financing and delivery, and, on these issues, conflict is far more likely than consensus.
Optimal predictive control of synchronous generators

This paper describes a method of optimal control for a second order system or of a sub-optimal control for a higher order system which can be approximated to second order. The method is based on the prediction of the optimal trajectory in the state space and from such prediction a logical decision as to the input of the system is drawn. The prediction is realized by the use of a fast-time linearized second order equivalent model. The effectiveness of the optimal predictive controller is examined by a digital simulation study for the response of a synchronous machine connected to an infinite bus under various input and initial conditions. This paper also gives an analysis on the stability of the overall system controlled by the optimal predictive controller.
Quantitation of taurolidine decomposition in polymer solutions by chromotropic acid formaldehyde assay method

A sensitive, selective, and specific assay was needed to study the degradation kinetics of taurolidine and its stabilization by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the usefulness of the chromotropic acid method and other formaldehyde or amine derivatization methods. The methods evaluated included formaldehyde derivatization with chromotropic acid, acetylacetone, 4-amino-5-hydrazino-3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, semicarbazide hydrochloride, or 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine and taurolidine decomposition product derivatization with dansylchloride or 7-chloro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole chloride. Results indicated that the chromotropic acid method provided sufficient selectivity, reproducibility and sensitivity. It was able to quench taurultam decomposition and avoided PVP interference. The method was optimized by performance based selection of reagent lots, appropriate reagent storage and preparation, and controlled derivatization conditions. In conclusion, the optimized chromotropic method was the most appropriate method for quantitating taurolidine decomposition.
Uniform stabilization to equilibrium of a nonlinear fluid–structure interaction model

Abstract We consider uniform stability to a nontrivial equilibrium of a nonlinear fluid–structure interaction (FSI) defined on a two or three dimensional bounded domain. Stabilization is achieved via boundary and/or interior feedback controls implemented on both the fluid and the structure. The interior damping on the fluid combining with the viscosity effect stabilizes the dynamics of fluid. However, this dissipation propagated from the fluid alone is not sufficient to drive uniformly to equilibrium the entire coupled system. Therefore, additional interior damping on the wave component or boundary porous like damping on the interface is considered. A geometric condition on the interface is needed if only boundary damping on the wave is active. The main technical difficulty is the mismatch of regularity of hyperbolic and parabolic component of the coupled system. This is overcome by considering special multipliers constructed from Stokes solvers. The uniform stabilization result obtained in this article is global for the fully coupled FSI model.
The physical self-attribute questionnaire: development and initial validation

The Physical Self-attribute Questionnaire was developed for use in conjunction with the Physical Self-perception Profile to model cognitive facets of perceived competence, certainty, importance, and discrepancy from ideal to each of the physical subdomains measured by the latter (Strength, Attractive Body, Condition, and Sport). To this end, two studies were conducted. Study 1 examined the factor structure, test-retest reliability, and validity of the questionnaire in a sample of 154 (28 men, 126 women) undergraduate health students. Reliability and validity were acceptable, and confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit for a four-factor solution. In Study 2, the reliability, validity, and factor structure was again confirmed in a sample of 120 (83 men, 37 women) undergraduate students recruited from exercise classes. Results of these two studies suggest that the Physical Self-attribute Questionnaire is a viable tool to measure the underlying cognitive facets of subdomain-specific physical self-esteem.
NOTE ON A QUESTION OF REINHOLD BAER ON PREGROUPS II

Reinhold Baer asked the relationship between certain properties in a nonempty set P with a partial operation (called an “add" by Baer [1]). The first paper in our sequence [Paper I] answered his question for a special type of an add called a pregroup by Stallings [12]. This paper [Paper II] answers an analogous question for a wider class of adds.
Verification and validation of CFD simulations for local flow dynamics in a draft tube airlift bioreactor

Abstract Airlift reactors have been recognized as one of the promising photobioreactors for biomass/bio-energy production, where mixing has significant impact on the reactor performance. In recent years, using CFD simulations to track microorganism cells and to generate their trajectories in the reactor for reactor performance evaluations becomes more common. However, there is a lack of systematic and rigorous verifications and validations of the reliability of CFD models in particle tracking against experimental measurements in the open literature, which is vital for the faithful application of CFD in reactor design and scale-ups. In this work, we attempt to evaluate the reliability of using CFD simulations to generate trajectories of microorganisms in a draft tube column photobioreactor. A computationally promising CFD simulation model based on CFX5.7 was validated against a benchmark experimental database reported in Luo and Al-Dahhan, 2008a , Luo and Al-Dahhan, 2008b , Luo and Al-Dahhan, 2010 . This model was then used to generate typical trajectories of microorganisms in the studied airlift column, which was further validated against experimentally measured tracer trajectories. The results indicated that the CFD model reasonably predicted the recirculation of the microorganism around the draft tube, however over-estimated the cells' residence time in the wall regions. Proper treatment for the wall region such as griding and wall function is needed to better capture the movement of microorganism cells in such bioreactors.
Effect of age on epinephrine-induced arrhythmias during halothane anaesthesia in pigs

The effect of age on the arrhythmogenicity of epinephrine during halothane anaesthesia was studied in pigs of two different age groups. At a stable alveolar concentration of 0.84 volumes per cent halothane, ventricular arrhythmias could not be elicited in one- to three-day-old pigs by a 100μg·kg-1 infusion of epinephrine. PVCs were pro-duced in 50- to 55-day-old pigs at a mean epinephrine dose of 9.55 μ·kg-1. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and rate-pressure product were significantly higher before and during the epinephrine infusion in the 50- to 55-day-old pigs. It is concluded that there is an age dependent effect upon epinephrine induced arrhythmias during halothane anaesthesia in pigs.
New Pharmacologic Aspects of β-Diethyl-Aminoethyl 2,2-Diphenylpentanoate

In a comparison with atropine and structurally related adiphenine using a gross in vivo screen in rats, β -diethyl-aminoethyl 2,2-diphenylpentanoate (SKF 525-A) appeared to act peripherally as a parasympatholytic and/or sympathomimetic. SKF 525-A apparently has some selective activity on the central nervous system (blepharoptosis, hypothermia) indicating a capacity to cross the blood-brain barrier. Drug-receptor interactions were studied on the isolated rat jejunum using furtrethonium as the agonist. SKF 525-A was primarily a noncompetitive antagonist with a competitive component and qualitatively different from the activities of atropine, adiphenine, and papaverine. The respective pA2 and pD'2 values are reported. The SKF 525-A receptor appears composed of the cholinergic receptor plus another spasmogen receptor. SKF 525-A did not inhibit the action of acetylcholinesterase, but was a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase at physiological concentrations.
The application of linear multivariable control to an AGC system

An automatic gain control (AGC) system must maintain an electric energy system at a desired operating level. Linear multivariable control is a suitable tool in this case. It is shown how an LQG (linear quadratic Gaussian) controller can be implemented to an AGC system that uses a proportional-integral (PI) controller. This is demonstrated on a two-area interconnected power system. The LQG controller has the advantage of providing a guaranteed robustness margin as well as tracking performance. Therefore, the system is less sensitive to parameter changes.
The Effect of LWR Coolant Environments on the Fatigue Life of Reactor Materials

The existing fatigue strain–vs.–life (e–N) data illustrate potentially significant effects of light water reactor (LWR) coolant environments on the fatigue resistance of pressure vessel and piping steels. This paper reviews the existing fatigue e–N data for carbon and low–alloy steels and austenitic stainless steels in LWR coolant environments. The effects of key material, loading, and environmental parameters, such as steel type, strain amplitude, strain rate, temperature, dissolved oxygen level in water, flow rate, surface finish, and heat-to-heat variation, on the fatigue lives of these steels are summarized. An updated version of the ANL statistical models is presented for estimating the fatigue e–N curves for these steels as a function of the material, loading, and environmental parameters. The Fen (environmental fatigue correction factor) approach for incorporating the effects of LWR coolant environments into the fatigue evaluations of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Code is presented.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Stability of leaf anatomy and light response curves of field grown maize as a function of age and nitrogen status

Summary Little information exists linking leaf anatomical characteristics, gas exchange rates and the effects of irrigation and nitrogen applications in field grown maize. The objectives of this study were: (i) to characterize the light response curves of leaves 13 and 17; (ii) to characterize leaf anatomical features (leaf thickness; bundle sheath diameter; separation between bundle sheaths; number of mesophyll cells between bundle sheaths; number of mesophyll cells separating the bundle sheaths from the epidermis; bundle sheath area ratio) over the season as a function of leaf position (leaves 13 and 17, counting from stem base), and (iii) to relate these anatomical features to the net assimilation rate at a PPFD of 2000 µmol m –2 s –1 (Amax) and to the convexity parameter of a light response curve of field grown maize in response to extremes in irrigation and nitrogen. Experiments were conducted in 1995 and 1996 with the maize hybrid Pioneer 3394. A randomized complete block with split-plot treatment design with two replications was used. Irrigation/no irrigation was the main plot and nitrogen (120 kg nitrogen ha –1 or no nitrogen) was the split plot treatment. Leaves from tagged plants were measured and then fixed for anatomical measurements. Environmental conditions during each year were markedly different providing a wide range of responses. Leaf thickness as well as other anatomical features were influenced by water stress and nitrogen in a coordinated fashion such that environmental conditions had little or no effect on the ratio of mesophyll and bundle sheath tissue. Amax increased with leaf thickness but the correlation was weak. The convexity parameter and Amax decreased with leaf age, with no correlation to the anatomical features described here.
0.18-μm fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator MOSFET's

High-performance 0.18-/spl mu/m gate-length fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (FD-SOI) MOSFET's were fabricated using 4-nm gate oxide, 35-nm thick channel, and 80-nm or 150-nm buried oxide layer. An elevated source/drain structure was used to provide extra silicon during silicide formation, resulting in low source/drain series resistance. Nominal device drive currents of 560 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m and 340 /spl mu/A//spl mu/m were achieved for n-channel and p-channel devices, respectively, at a supply voltage of 1.8 V. Improved short-channel performance and reduced self-heating were observed for devices with thinner buried oxide layers.
Cross Sectional Return Predictability in Taiwan Stock Exchange: An Empirical Investigation

This paper provides an analysis of the effectiveness of certain return predictors in Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) from January 1990 to December 2011 by employing both portfolio method and cross-sectional regressions. While we found no statistically significant predictive power of beta, total volatility, and idiosyncratic volatility the two cheapness variables, book-to-market (BKMT) and cash-flow-to-price (FPR) ratios showed strong consistent economically and statistically significant predictive powers. In addition, our multiple regressions found predictive power in total volatility, short-term reversal (STREV), and market capitalization in the set of small stocks, while our all stock set showed predictive power only in total volatility and STREV.
Controlled cortical impact and craniotomy induce strikingly similar profiles of inflammatory gene expression, but with distinct kinetics.

An immediate consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the induction of an inflammatory response. Mounting data suggest that inflammation is a major contributor to TBI-induced brain damage. However, much remains unknown regarding the induction and regulation of the inflammatory response to TBI. In this study we compared the TBI-induced inflammatory response to severe parenchymal injury (controlled cortical impact) vs. mild brain injury (craniotomy) over a 21 day period. Our data show that both severe and mild brain injury induce a qualitatively similar inflammatory response, involving highly-overlapping sets of effector molecules. However, kinetic analysis revealed that the inflammatory response to mild brain injury is of much shorter duration than the response to severe TBI. Specifically, the inflammatory response to severe brain injury persists for at least 21 days, whereas the response to mild brain injury returns to near baseline values within 10 days post-injury. Our data therefore imply that the development of accurate diagnostic tests of TBI severity that are based on imaging or biomarker analysis of the inflammatory response may require repeated measures over at least a 10 day period, post-injury.
Pressure gain in single-layer microfluidics devices via optofluidic lithography

Self-regulating and autonomous microfluidic devices are essential for the long-term development of versatile biological and chemical platforms, including point-of-care molecular diagnostics and on-site chemical assays. However, regulating microfluidic systems without substantial manufacturing complexity has proven to be a considerable challenge. Previously, researchers have utilized valve components that are directly pressure actuated. These systems can be modified to enable pressure gain (i.e., using low-pressure control channels to actuate valves in high-pressure flow channels), but have generally required at least four microfluidic layers. Thus, we introduce a single-layer microfluidic device - built from guided microstructures constructed in situ via optofluidic lithography - with differential area ratios (R) that enable a static gain much greater than unity. Non-unity gain allows moving pistons to close against a higher pressure, and could be used as a dynamic microfluidic control mechanism. COMSOL simulations suggest pressure gains approaching R. Experimental results revealed pressure gain between 6.30±0.23 (for R = 10) and 1.94±0.09 (for R = 2).
Molecular Biology and Pharmacology of Recombinant Adenosine Receptors

The physiological effects of adenosine are mediated by four homologous G protein coupled receptors, A1, A2A, A 2B and A3, that have been cloned from multiple species. There is no difference in the structure of receptor subtypes cloned from different tissues of the same species but there are substantial differences in the pharmacological properties of receptors between species. There have been recent significant advances in the development of receptor subtype-selective compounds, particularly A2A and A3 antagonists. The anti-asthma drug, enprofylline, is a weak but somewhat selective antagonist of A 2B receptors, and inosine is a weak, but selective agonist of rodent A3 receptors. The A1and A3 receptors both couple to inhibitory Gi/o G proteins, but can activate phospholipase C via G protein βγ subunits, but the A1 receptor desensitizes much more slowly. The A2A and A2B receptors both couple to Gs, but theA2B receptor also can couple to Gq to mobilize calcium.
Gastrointestinal Dysfunction in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunctions are frequently reported by parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and have been recently recognized as a comorbid condition. However, the clinical significance of these GI dysfunctions remains to be delineated. This study describes the clinical characteristics, associated comorbid disorders, and endoscopic and colonoscopic evaluation of GI dysfunction in a cohort of 164 children with ASD evaluated at a pediatric neurology practice. Symptoms of GI dysfunction were prevalent: 49% of the children reported one or more chronic GI complaints, 22% exhibited diarrhea, 26% suffered from constipation. Furthermore 13% of the parents reported their children to suffer from bloating and/or being gassy and while 10% of the parents reported vomiting or gastroesophageal reflux problems. Similar rates of GI symptoms were reported among pre-school and school-aged children. Inflammation of the gut was found in 6 of the 12 subjects who underwent endoscopic and colonoscopic evaluations, however clinical symptoms did not predict the results of the evaluation. GI dysfunction was significantly associated with sleep disorders and food intolerance, but not with irritability or aggressiveness. In summary, GI dysfunction was prevalent in this cohort of children with ASD, observations consistent with the reports of parents and other clinicians. We conclude that the GI dysfunction in ASD requires proper evaluation and treatment.
Applications of optical resonance to biological imaging and label-free protein microarrays

We present biological imaging and sensing methods based on optical resonance and interference. In fluorescence microscopy, our nanoscale imaging capability sheds light onto conformational changes of DNA, DNA-protein complexes and polymer coatings on a solid surface. Interference measurements on a layered substrate yield a label-free sensing platform for protein binding in a high-throughput micro-array format.
The Rate of Compensatory Mutation in the DNA Bacteriophage φX174

A compensatory mutation occurs when the fitness loss caused by one mutation is remedied by its epistatic interaction with a second mutation at a different site in the genome. This poorly understood biological phenomenon has important implications, not only for the evolutionary consequences of mutation, but also for the genetic complexity of adaptation. We have carried out the first direct experimental measurement of the average rate of compensatory mutation. An arbitrary selection of 21 missense substitutions with deleterious effects on fitness was introduced by site-directed mutagenesis into the bacteriophage φX174. For each deleterious mutation, we evolved 8–16 replicate populations to determine the frequency at which a compensatory mutation, instead of the back mutation, was acquired to recover fitness. The overall frequency of compensatory mutation was ∼70%. Deleterious mutations that were more severe were significantly more likely to be compensated for. Furthermore, experimental reversion of deleterious mutations revealed that compensatory mutations have deleterious effects in a wild-type background. A large diversity of intragenic compensatory mutations was identified from sequencing fitness-recovering genotypes. Subsequent analyses of intragenic mutation diversity revealed a significant degree of clustering around the deleterious mutation in the linear sequence and also within folded protein structures. Moreover, a likelihood analysis of mutation diversity predicts that, on average, a deleterious mutation can be compensated by about nine different intragenic compensatory mutations. We estimate that about half of all compensatory mutations are located extragenically in this organism.
The Histologic Characteristics of Primary and Restenotic Carotid Plaque

Background.Although smooth muscle cell proliferation is a prominent feature of restenosis in experimental models, the role of cellular proliferation in the initiation and progression of carotid restenosis is not well documented. Methods.Between 1985 and 1995, 35 carotid endarterectomies (CEA) in 34 patients were performed for restenosis. Patient risk factors, cerebrovascular symptoms, and operative findings were recorded. Tissue specimens from 29 of these cases and 14 original specimens from the same patient were examined by light microscopy (H&E, trichrome, elastochrome, and Alcian blue) and immunohistochemistry (α actin, CD 68, vWF, and proliferating nuclear cell antigen (PCNA)) in order to determine the morphologic characteristics and cellular proliferative activity of the plaque. Results.Hemodynamically significant recurrent stenosis occurred in the 29 patients (69% symptomatic) between 2 months and 30 years after their initial CEAs. Eleven of 29 (38%) lesions were removed early (<3 years). Recurrent lesions were characterized based on their components as neointimal thickening, 24% (7/29), neointimal thickening and atherosclerosis, 55% (16/29), or atherosclerotic, 21% (6/29). Nineteen of 29 (66%) plaques were complicated by mural thrombus or intraplaque hemorrhage. An inflammatory cell infiltrate consisting of macrophages and T lymphocytes was observed adjacent to areas of recurrent atherosclerosis and macrophages in regions of intimal thickening. Although infrequently present (generally 1–3% of cells) PCNA-positive cells were detected in 41% (12 of 29) of recurrent and 14% (2 of 14) of primary plaques. No PCNA-positive cells were detected in the remaining 67% (29 of 43) of specimens. There was no statistical difference in the number of PCNA-positive cells in early recurrent lesions compared to those recurring after 3 years (36% vs 44%). PCNA immunoreactivity when present was most commonly noted in macrophages associated with thrombus or atheroma rather than smooth muscle cells. Conclusions.Although evidence of cellular proliferation was observed in 40% of recurrent carotid endarterectomy lesions, the proliferation rate was low (1–3%) and unrelated to the time interval of recurrence. Proliferative activity was most pronounced in macrophages associated with intraplaque hemorrhage or atheroma. The contribution of inflammatory cells to the biologic behavior of restenotic lesions requires further investigation.