cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Motor evoked potentials and central motor conduction: studies of transcranial magnetic stimulation with recording from the leg.

Abstract To determine central conduction times in the corticospinal pathways of humans using magnetic stimulation, we have developed a method for consistently recording conduction times between the motor cortex and the L4–5 level of the spinal cord. In 30 subjects, motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the tibialis anterior muscle following contralateral motor cortex and peroneal nerve stimulation. In 18 of these subjects, the L4–5 intervertebral space was stimulated. The stimuli consisted of single, painless, short-duration magnetic pulses. In 12 subjects, measurements were made during voluntary ankle dorsiflexion, and during vibration of the TA tendon at rest. All subjects had measurable MEP latencies of 30.3 ± 2.2 (mean ± S.D.). The central motor conduction time (CMCT) was calculated using both a direct as well as an indirect method. The direct method in 18 subjects had a mean value of 16.2 ± 1.7 msec, while the indirect method in all 30 subjects was 13.8 ± 1.8 msec. No significant correlation of the CMCT was found with either age or height in these subjects. Ankle dorsiflexion significantly reduced the MEP latency and increased the amplitude, whereas vibration of the TA tendon significantly increased the amplitude alone. We conclude that MEPs may be consistently and painlessly measured in the lower extremity using magnetic stimulation in adults. Facilitation of the MEPs was produced more consistently by voluntary contraction than by vibratory stimulation of the tibialis anterior muscle tendon. Finally, CMCT was independent of both age and height in our study population.
Differentiation in a two-dimensional market

Abstract A two-dimensional extension of Hotelling's spatial competition model may lead to maximal differentiation in one dimension but minimal differentiation in the other dimension.
BECOMING WEN: THE RHETORIC IN THE “FINAL EDICTS” OF HAN EMPEROR WEN AND WEI EMPEROR WEN

This article argues that an emperor’s “final edict” (yizhao 遺詔, yiling 遺令, zhongling 終令, or zhongzhi 終制) should be read not simply as an emperor’s instruction for his funeral and burial, but as a piece of rhetoric meant to define his image and legacy. Through a comparative reading of Han Emperor Wen’s and Wei Emperor Wen’s “final edicts”—two of the longest pieces in the early development of the genre—the author discusses their different rhetorical strategies, their different visions of emperorship, and their different imperial “personae.” In conducting the comparison, the author also examines the authority of imperial rhetoric against skepticism about such rhetoric. As her analysis demonstrates, the tension between rhetoric and anti-rhetoric is present even within a “final edict” itself and can still be felt in modern interpretations of the genre.
Evaluation of the discriminative stimulus and reinforcing effects of gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB)

Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) satisfies many of the criteria for consideration as a neurotransmitter including having specific receptor sites, endogenous synthesis, and heterogeneous CNS distribution. GHB has been reported to be illicitly used, to induce physical dependence, and to relieve effects from alcohol and heroin withdrawal. GHB has also been shown to have antidopaminergic activity to displace3H[MK-801] binding in brain membranes, and to have some in vivo effects similar to the typical antipsychotics. To characterize the behavioral pharmacology of GHB further, we evaluated it for its reinforcing effects upon IV administration in rhesus monkeys with PCP self-administration histories, its ability to produce heroin- and PCP-like discriminative stimulus effects, and for its ability to antagonize cocaine discrimination in rats. The results indicated that GHB (300–7500 μg/kg per infusion) was not self-administered above vehicle control rates, although self-infusions occurred at levels sufficient to produce signs indicative of sedation. Also, neither heroin nor PCP discriminative stimulus effects generalized to injections of GHB up to 300 mg/kg IP, and GHB did not effectively antagonize the cocaine discriminative stimulus when tested up to 300 mg/kg IP. These data indicate that GHB is unlike PCP as a reinforcer and that neither PCP nor heroin generalize to injections of GHB, nor can injections of GHB attenuate the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine.
Long-Term Results of Valve Implants in Filtering Surgery for Eyes with Neovascular Glaucoma

Filtration surgery was performed with a pressure-sensitive, unidirectional valve implant in 79 eyes with neovascular glaucoma. The device consisted of an open Supramid tube (outside diameter 0.58 mm) sealed to a Silastic tube with a slit valve. The Supramid tube was inserted at the corneoscleral limbus 1 to 4 mm into the anterior chamber. The Silastic portion was located under a scleral flap. Of the 79 eyes, 53 had postoperative intraocular pressures ≤24 mm Hg after a mean follow-up period of 23.7 + 10.9 months. Bleb revision for external scarring was required in ten of these 53 eyes and postoperative medical therapy was required in 26. The valve implant failed to control intraocular pressure in 26 of the 79 eyes. Failure was secondary to scarring of the external bleb in 18 eyes and to closure of the internal Supramid tube in five eyes. Mortality during the follow-up period was high: 12 of the 53 successfully treated patients and five of the unsuccessfully treated patients died.
Observations of solar wind pressure initiated fast mode waves at geostationary orbit and in the polar cap

Abstract This study involves a multi-satellite investigation of magnetic field perturbations in the magnetosphere due to solar wind dynamic pressure variations. The case study uses data acquired on 3 August 1986 from IMP-8, GOES-5, GOES-6, VIKING, and ground magnetograms. As expected, dramatic solar wind dynamic pressure variations, recorded at IMP-8, produced compressions and rarefactions of the magnetosphere as seen in GOES-5 and GOES-6 magnetic field observations at geostationary orbit. These same compressions and rarefactions were also recorded by the VIKING magnetic field experiment over the polar cap at mid-altitudes. The magnetic field perturbations are interpreted in terms of fast mode waves which were generated near the magnetopause and propagate anti-sunward into the inner magnetosphere. In addition, we compare the amplitude of the magnetic field perturbations recorded at geostationary orbit and VIKING. The wave amplitudes recorded by GOES and VIKING were nearly identical, suggesting a low damping rate of the waves in the magnetosphere.
The distribution of systemically administered [3H]-paclitaxel in rats: a quantitative autoradiographic study.

Paclitaxel is an important agent in the treatment of many common malignancies. Although the symptomatic peripheral neuropathy caused by this drug is its principal nonhematologic toxicity, little is known about the distribution of paclitaxel within the peripheral or central nervous system following systemic administration. In order to study paclitaxel's distribution in neural and extraneural tissues, adult Sprague-Dawley rats were sacrificed 2 h after a tail vein injection of [3H]-paclitaxel (0.03 mg/kg, 250 μCi/rat). Samples of lung, heart, liver, spleen, kidney, skeletal muscle, brain, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, and peripheral nerve were then removed and snap-frozen. These tissues were sectioned at 10 μm in a cryostat and exposed to autoradiography film for 2 weeks. The distribution and concentrations of [3H]-paclitaxel in plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid were also determined using liquid scintillation spectrometry. [3H]-Paclitaxel concentrations (and organ/plasma concentration ratios) in plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid were 2.6 nM (1), 38 nM (15) and 0.7 nM (0.3), respectively. A relatively homogeneous distribution of [3H]-paclitaxel was observed in liver [412 nM (151)], spleen [351 nM (133)], heart [319 nM (117)], lung [268 nM (93)] and muscle [69 nM (26)]. Higher concentrations of [3H]-paclitaxel were noted in the portal triads [869 nM (361)], glomeruli [797 nM (304)], and renal medulla [961 nM (363)], which may reflect biliary excretion and glomerular filtration. A high concentration of [3H]-paclitaxel was also noted in the choroid plexus [432 nM (167)], but [3H]-paclitaxel was not detected in the brain parenchyma, spinal cord, dorsal root ganglion, peripheral nerve, or the testicles. The pathogenesis of paclitaxelinduced neurotoxicity remains obscure given its limited distribution in the nervous system. In addition, these results suggest that systemically administered paclitaxel is not likely to be effective for the treatment of malignancies in the testes or the nervous system.
Making a Space for Dissent in the Human Rights Discourse

Human Rights Fifty Years On, Tony Evans, ed. (Manchester, U.K.: Manchester University Press, 1999). 224 pp., cloth (ISBN: 0-7190-5102-9), $69.95; paper (ISBN: 0-7190-5103-7), $24.95. Book reviewed: Human Rights Fifty Years On , Tony Evans, ed.
Hyperspectral signature analysis of skin parameters

The temporal analysis of changes in biological skin parameters, including melanosome concentration, collagen concentration and blood oxygenation, may serve as a valuable tool in diagnosing the progression of malignant skin cancers and in understanding the pathophysiology of cancerous tumors. Quantitative knowledge of these parameters can also be useful in applications such as wound assessment, and point-of-care diagnostics, amongst others. We propose an approach to estimate in vivo skin parameters using a forward computational model based on Kubelka-Munk theory and the Fresnel Equations. We use this model to map the skin parameters to their corresponding hyperspectral signature. We then use machine learning based regression to develop an inverse map from hyperspectral signatures to skin parameters. In particular, we employ support vector machine based regression to estimate the in vivo skin parameters given their corresponding hyperspectral signature. We build on our work from SPIE 2012, and validate our methodology on an in vivo dataset. This dataset consists of 241 signatures collected from in vivo hyperspectral imaging of patients of both genders and Caucasian, Asian and African American ethnicities. In addition, we also extend our methodology past the visible region and through the short-wave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. We find promising results when comparing the estimated skin parameters to the ground truth, demonstrating good agreement with well-established physiological precepts. This methodology can have potential use in non-invasive skin anomaly detection and for developing minimally invasive pre-screening tools.
Sailors, states, and employers in the construction of masculine maritime identity

Gender identity is a complex cultural and social construct based on several historical factors and circumstances. Some elements of gender construction occur unthinkingly while other elements are cr...
Effect of ovarian stage on plasma vitellogenin and calcium in cultured white sturgeon

Abstract We developed an enzyme immunoassay for plasma vitellogenin (VTG) of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus , cultured in California. The assay, based on polyclonal rabbit antibody to purified VTG, was tested for specificity and applied on sturgeon broodstocks (age 4–12 years) reared at three locations. Plasma VTG concentrations were correlated with total plasma calcium and stage of ovarian maturity. Females in the previtellogenic ovarian stage and at the onset of yolk deposition had low VTG concentrations, but plasma VTG and calcium increased after onset of yolk deposition in the oocytes. Total plasma calcium exhibited a linear relationship with plasma VTG. Concentrations of both metabolites in plasma discriminate previtellogenic and vitellogenic females, but fail to discriminate specific stage of ovarian vitellogenesis. The immunoassay for plasma VTG or flame photometry for total plasma calcium can be utilized to segregate vitellogenic females in cultured sturgeon broodstocks.
Protective coatings of amorphic diamond on fragile and sensitive substrates

Abstract Amorphic diamond films can be grown with a laser plasma discharge source in an ultrahigh vacuum environment without the use of any catalyst. This technique produces films that adhere more readily to substrates. Described here is a study of the bonding and properties realized in one such example, the deposition of amorphic diamond on germanium. Measurements with Rutherford-backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy showed that the diamond coatings deposited from laser plasmas were bonded to the germanium substrates through an interfacial layer 200–300thick. Resistance to wear was estimated with a modified sandblaster and it was shown that a coating of only 1.4 μm of amorphic diamond can increase the lifetime of samples by a factor of better than 12. Results of other mechanical measurements such as hardness and friction tests are also described.
Evaluation of coverage variation of SNP chips for genome-wide association studies

Genome-wide association (GWA) studies for complex human diseases are now feasible. Many GWA studies rely on commercial SNP chips, for which a common evaluation criterion is global coverage of the genome. Although providing an overall evaluation of an SNP chip, the global coverage does not tell us how the coverage varies across the genome, an important feature that should be taken into consideration, as coverage variation often results in power variation and potentially biased search in subsequent association analysis. To achieve a fuller understanding of SNP chip coverage, we conducted detailed evaluation of coverage, including (1) a map of local coverage - calculated over small consecutive genomic regions and (2) gene coverage - calculated for each known gene in the genome. These evaluations can reveal the degree of variation of each SNP chip in covering the genome and can facilitate SNP chip comparisons at a finer scale.
Tunnel Transistors for Low Power Logic

Tunnel transistor (TFET) as steep slope device to enable supply voltage scaling is explored at the device level as well as circuit level. Hetero-junction TFET is demonstrated with high drive current and high on-off current ratio. Hetero-junction TFETs with scaled device geometry outperform Si FINFET at Vcc <; 0.3V. Design considerations of TFET based circuits for logic applications are investigated and performance benchmarked with Si FinFET technology.
A procedure for the isotopic analysis of boron by negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry

Presented here is a simple and precise technique for the measurement of boron isotopes in carbonates and natural waters. Analytical uncertainty for this technique is ± 0.7‰ analyzing as little as 1 ng B. A boron separation and concentration procedure using Amberlite® IRA-743 boron-specific anion-exchange resin is presented that results in 100 ± 1% recovery of boron from sample solutions. A mass spectrometry technique to measure the BO2− ion has been improved, resulting in a five-fold increase in analytical precision, and an order of magnitude increase in ionization efficiency over previous negative ion techniques.
On forced oscillations in a rotating stratified fluid

An attempt is made to study the axisymmetric forced oscillations of an inviscid rotating stratified fluid confined in a finite circular cylinder. An unsteady flow is generated in the fluid by harmonic oscillations of the plane ends of the cylinder. The principal features of the flow phenomena are determined by the relative magnitudes of the angular velocity ? of rotation, the forcing frequency ? of the imposed oscillations and the Brunt Vaisala frequency N . It is shown that the solution for the disturbance pressure (and hence the velocity field) consists of two components—the periodic solution oscillating harmonically with frequency ? and the normal inertial modes each of which is spatially periodic in the direction of the axis of rotation. The latter contains a doubly infinite set of modes whose frequencies form a discrete spectrum dense in [min (2?, N ), max ((2?, N )]. Both of these solutions are independently modified by the density stratification. The solution is found to have a resonant behaviour when the forcing frequency ? is equal to one of the resonant frequencies ? mn . In contrast to the singular behaviour of the solution at ? = 2? which usually occurs in the forced motion of a rotating liquid, the present solutions for this critical case ? = 2? and the case ? = N represent the inertial modes only. A qualitative assessment of the possible effects of viscosity on the flow has been made. Several interesting features of the rotating stratified flow phenomena have been analyzed. The initial value problem is solved by using the joint Laplace and the Hankel transforms of the second kind. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1974.tb01644.x
HEMATOLOGIC VALUES OF CONDITIONED, CAPTIVE WILD COYOTES

Hemograms were performed on blood samples collected from 35 coyotes (Canis latrans). Hematologic values were established for conditioned, captive wild coyotes under controlled conditions of environment and nutrition.
The impact of stigma on severe mental illness

Movies, newspapers, magazines, television shows, books, radio programs, and advertisements have all been vehicles for communicating the experience of severe mental illness. This has, however, tended to be a misrepresentation of the experience. Persons with psychiatric disability suffer societal scorn and discrimination because of the stigma that evolves out of these misrepresentations. This kind of rebuff frequently leads to diminished self-esteem, fear of pursuing one's goals, and loss of social opportunities (e.g., landlords are hesitant to rent apartments to persons with severe mental illness). Social psychologists have developed a model of stereotype that frames stigma as a cognitive structure. Their social cognitive paradigm seems especially useful for a model of cognitive behavioral therapy for stigma. This model identifies three targets: (a) persons who hide their mental health experience from the public and suffer a private shame; (b) persons who have been publicly labeled as mentally ill and suffer societal scorn; and (c) society itself, which suffers fears and misinformation based on stigma and myth. Each of these three targets suggests specific behavioral interventions that may alleviate the impact of stigma.
Individual surgeon, pathologist, and other factors affecting lymph node harvest in stage II colon carcinoma. is a minimum of 12 examined lymph nodes sufficient?

Insufficient lymph node harvest in presumed stage II colon carcinomas can result in understaging and worsened cancer outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors affecting the number of lymph node examined, their corresponding impact on cancer outcomes, and the optimal number of examined nodes with reference to the standard of 12. We evaluated all patients undergoing surgery alone for stage II colon cancer included in our colorectal cancer database since 1976. A total of 901 patients were included. Mean follow-up exceeded 8 years. The individual pathologist had no statistically significant association with the number of lymph nodes examined. Harvest of at least 12 nodes was related to surgery after 1991 (85% vs 69%, P < 0.001), right vs left colon carcinomas (85% vs 72%, P < 0.001), individual surgeon (P = 0.018), and length of specimen at different cutoffs of at least 30, 25, and 20 cm (P < 0.001). Increasing age was associated with fewer examined lymph nodes (Spearman correlation = −0.22, P < 0.001). Fewer than 12 nodes and T4N0 staging independently affected overall survival (P = 0.003 and P = 0.022, respectively), disease-free survival (P = 0.010 and P = 0.09, respectively), disease-specific mortality (P = 0.009 and P < 0.001, respectively), and overall recurrence (P = 0.13 and P = 0.023, respectively). A minimal number of more than 12 examined nodes had no significant effect on cancer outcomes. A number of factors influenced lymph node harvest in stage II colon cancer. However, lymph node assessment of at least 12 nodes was the only modifiable factor optimizing cancer outcomes.
Toxicological study of aflatoxin P1 using the fertile chicken egg

Abstract Aflatoxin P 1 , the desmethyl metabolite of aflatoxin B 1 in the monkey, was injected into fertile chicken eggs in a parallel experiment with aflatoxin B 1 , using dose levels at which aflatoxin B 1 was known to be highly toxic and teratogenic. No significant change in embryo viability or teratogenic effect attributable to aflatoxin P 1 was observed, whereas the response of the embryos to aflatoxin B 1 was the same as observed in all previous experiments.
Influence of season and body condition on plasma volume levels of white‐tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus

Abstract Changes in the circulating plasma volume were monitored for twelve consecutive months in five white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) maintained outdoors in a 2.4‐ha enclosure in northern New York stale. The mean annual relative plasma volume of the two male white‐tailed deer (43.6 ± 1.0 ml/kg) was not significantly different from that of three females (45.7 ± 0.7 ml/kg). Mean annual absolute plasma volume, however, was significantly higher in males (2588 ± 90.7 ml) than in females (2092 ± 79.1 ml), mainly because of the greater body weights of males in late summer and early fall. Both sexes had a marked seasonality in the level of relative and absolute plasma volume regulation. Relative plasma volumes were lowest in February‐March and highest in May‐June and again in October, while absolute plasma volumes were lowest in late winter to early spring, when body weights in the annual cycle were lowest, and volumes were highest in mid‐fall, at the annual peak of body condition. Males had a greater...
Public involvement in transit planning: a case study of Pierce Transit, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Abstract As consultants to Pierce Transit, the authors were responsible for conducting an assessment of the newly-established, county-wide ‘timed transfer’ bus system. Guided by a strong public involvement programme, the system had been planned to replace outdated Tacoma Transit with its single transfer point, downtown Tacoma. The timed transfer system responded to the need for people to travel between suburban locations throughout the county. The new system was partly established experimentally with several temporary transfer centres in place. A system assessment needed to assure the Board of Commissioners that the new system was working well before they took the political risk of investing in permanent facilities. Instruments were developed to survey opinions of the four major groups using, operating and managing the system: riders, drivers, staff and board members. The strong positive response (along with other important critical feedback) supported the board in moving ahead with the development of permanent facilities. The Pierce Transit case study illustrates several key dimensions of a general model of public involvement and interactive decision-making relevant to the planning of large scale public service and investment systems as a prelude to detailed design programming.
The relative numbers of oligodendroglia in different brain regions of normal and postnatally undernourished rats.

The relative numbers of oligodendroglia were compared in representative brain regions of 21 day old undernourished and control rats. As a result of postnatal undernutrition which produced half normal body weights and a 10–15 percent reduction in brain weight, the relative numbers of oligodendroglia were slightly increased in photomicrographs of corticospinal tract (a motor tract), medial lemniscus (a sensory tract), red nucleus (a motor nucleus) and somatosensory cortex. Relative numbers were reduced in the corpus callosum, and the thickness of the corpus callosum was significantly reduced. Cell sizes of oligodendroglia were essentially normal throughout the brain, although some reductions of 5 to 6 percent were observed. Areas of brain structures in cross section were essentially unchanged. We have previously hypothesized that nutritionally induced brain hypomyelination results from a reduction in the specific numbers of oligodendroglia and consequently a lasting reduction in the brain myelin concentration. The present results are inconsistent with this hypothesis, as both the density of oligodendroglia and sizes of brain regions are essentially normal. We know from prior work using the same model of nutritional deprivation that myelin synthesis is greatly reduced. Consequently an important depressant effect of undernourishment on oligodendroglia in the developing brain involves either the communication between axons and oligodendroglia leading to myelin induction or the synthetic capacity to make myelin.
Steady State Gamma Testing of a 4K NMOS Dynamic Ram

Samples of the Texas Instruments TMS4060JL, 4096 bit dynamic random-access memory (4K RAM) were tested in the ionizing environment of a /sup 137/Ce source. Irradiated in an active condition, the devices were observed to fail at 1 x 10/sup 3/ rads (Si). Twenty-four hours after irradiation, 4 of the 5 devices tested were again functional. The devices were not powered and were at room temperature during the 24 hour anneal period.
Methylmalonic aciduria in pregnancy: A case report

Methylmalonic aciduria is a rare metabolic disorder of amino acid metabolism that is characterized by accumulation of large amounts of methylmalonic acid in the blood and urine. To our knowledge this is the first case report of a patient with methylmalonic aciduria who carried a pregnancy to term; the outcome was favorable despite high levels of methylmalonic acid in the serum and urine.
Growth of Dictyostelium discoideum in the Presence of Antibiotics

Abstract Cultures of the amoeboid slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, were grown in the presence of various antibiotics and antimetabolites. Results indicate that many antibiotics may be used in amoeba cultures to help minimize contamination (for example: polymyxin B, kanamycin, tetracycline, neomycin, oxacillin, ampicillin, cephalothin, and erythromycin). A few potent antibiotics were found to be unsuitable (colistin, nystatin, amphotericin B, actinomycin, and cycloheximide); the mechanisms of the inhibitions observed were not investigated further.
GPU acceleration of the WRF Purdue Lin cloud microphysics scheme

The Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model is a numerical weather prediction and atmospheric simulation system. It has been designed for both research and operational applications. WRF code can be run in different computing environments ranging from laptops to supercomputers. Purdue Lin scheme is a relatively sophisticated microphysics scheme in WRF. The scheme includes six classes of hydro meteors: water vapor, cloud water, raid, cloud ice, snow and graupel. In this paper, we accelerate the Purdue Lin scheme on the multi-core NVIDIA Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). Lately, GPUs have evolved into highly parallel, multi-threaded, many-core processors possessing tremendous computational speed and a high memory bandwidth. We discuss how our GPU implementation exploits the massive parallelism, resulting in a highly efficient acceleration of the Purdue Lin scheme. We utilize a low-cost personal supercomputer with 512 CUDA cores on a GTX590 GPU. We achieve an overall speedup of 156× in case of 1 GPU as compared to the single-threaded CPU version. Since Purdue Lin microphysics scheme is only an intermediate module of the entire WRF model, host-device I/O should not happen, i.e. its input data is already available in the GPU global memory from previous modules and its output data should reside in the GPU global memory for later usage by other modules. The speedup without host-device data transfer time is 692×.
Synthesis and Mechanism of Action Studies of a Series of Norindenoisoquinoline Topoisomerase I Poisons Reveal an Inhibitor with a Flipped Orientation in the Ternary DNA-Enzyme-Inhibitor Complex As Determined by X-ray Crystallographic Analysis

Several norindenoisoquinolines substituted with methoxy or methylenedioxy groups have been prepared and their anticancer properties evaluated in cancer cell cultures and in topoisomerase I inhibition assays. 2,3-Dimethoxy-8,9-methylenedioxy-11H-indeno[1,2-c]isoquinoline hydrochloride (14) is a strong topoisomerase I inhibitor and also displays very high cytotoxicity in the NCI cancer cell culture screen (mean graph midpoint of 50 nM). The X-ray crystal structure of norindenoisoquinoline 14 in complex with topoisomerase I and DNA has been solved, providing insight into the structure-activity relationships within this class of new anticancer agents. The number and position of the norindenoisoquinoline substituents have a significant influence on biological activity and demonstrate that substitution on the nitrogen atom is not an absolute requirement for the antitumor effect of the indenoisoquinolines. Removal of the 11-keto group from the lead compound 1 and replacement of the N-alkyllactam with an unsubstituted pyridine ring causes the indenoisoquinoline ring system to flip over in the DNA-enzyme-inhibitor ternary complex. This allows the nitrogen atom to assume the hydrogen bond acceptor role of the 11-keto group, resulting in hydrogen bonding to Arg364.
Optimum cost design of reinforced concrete slabs using neural dynamics model

For structural optimization algorithms to find widespread usage among practicing engineering they must be formulated as cost optimization and applied to realistic structures subjected to the actual constraints of commonly used design codes such as the ACI code. In this article, a general formulation is presented for cost optimization of single- and multiple-span RC slabs with various end conditions (simply supported, one end continuous, both ends continuous, and cantilever) subjected to all the constraints of the ACI code. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer-discrete variable optimization problem with three design variables: thickness of slab, steel bar diameter, and bar spacing. The solution is obtained in two stages. In the first stage, the neural dynamics model of Adeli and Park is used to obtain an optimum solution assuming continuous variables. Next, the problem is formulated as a mixed integer-discrete optimization problem and solved using a perturbation technique in order to find practical values for the design variables. Practicality, robustness, and excellent convergence properties of the algorithm are demonstrated by application to four examples.
Faunal Utilization of Created Intertidal Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Reefs in the Southeastern United States

Oyster cultch was added to the lower intertidal marsh-sandflat fringe of three previously createdSpartina alterniflora salt marshes. Colonization of these created reefs by oysters and other select taxa was examined. Created reefs supported numerous oyster reef-associated faunas at equivalent or greater densities than adjacent natural reefs. Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) settlement at one site of created reef exceeded that of the adjacent natural reefs within 9 mo of reef creation. After only 2 yr, harvestable-sizeC. virginica (>75 mm) were present in the created reefs along with substantial numbers ofC. virginica clusters. The created reefs also had a higher number of molluscan, fish, and decapod species than the adjacent natural reefs. After 2 yr the densities ofC. virginica, striped barnacle (Balanus amphitrite), scorched mussel (Brachidontes exustus), Atlantic ribbed mussel (Geukensia demissa), common mud crab (Panopeus herbstii), and flat mud crab (Eurypanopeus depressus) within the created reefs were equivalent to that of adjacent natural reefs. From these data it is evident that created oyster reefs can quickly acquire functional ecological attributes of their natural counterparts. Because the demand for oysters continues to increase in the face of dwindling natural resources, habitat creation techniques need to evolve and these approaches need to consider the ancillary ecological benefits reef creation may provide. Reef function as well as physical and ecological linkages of oyster reefs to other habitats (marsh, submerged aquatic vegetation, and bare bottom) should be considered when reefs are created in order to provide the best use of resources to maintain the integrity of estuarine systems.
The transformation temperatures of high-purity uranium

Abstract The transformation temperatures of high-purity uranium were determined by repeated thermal analyses where the rates of heating and cooling were independently controlled. The solid state transformation temperatures and the logarithm of the heating or cooling rates are related linearly. The extrapolated functions intersect at a point where the disturbing effects of hysteresis, superheating and undercooling disappear, i.e. at the equilibrium temperature. The transformation temperatures are 667.7 ± 1.3° C for α a g β and 774.8 ± 1.6° C for β a g γ . The mean temperature for melting and freezing is 1132.3 ± 0.8° C .
CaMKIIδC slows [Ca]i decline in cardiac myocytes by promoting Ca sparks

Acute activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase (CaMKII) in permeabilized phospholamban knockout (PLN-KO) mouse myocytes phosphorylates ryanodine receptors (RyRs) and activates spontaneous local sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release events (Ca sparks) even at constant SR Ca load. To assess how CaMKII regulates SR Ca release in intact myocytes (independent of SR Ca content changes or PLN effects), we compared Ca sparks in PLN-KO versus mice, which also have transgenic cardiac overexpression of CaMKIIδC in the PLN-KO background (KO/TG). Compared with PLN-KO mice, these KO/TG cardiomyocytes exhibited 1), increased twitch Ca transient and fractional release (both by ∼35%), but unaltered SR Ca load; 2), increased resting Ca spark frequency (300%) despite a lower diastolic [Ca]i, which also slowed twitch [Ca]i decline (suggesting CaMKII-dependent RyR Ca sensitization); 3), elevated Ca spark amplitude and rate of Ca release (which might indicate that more RyR channels participate in a single spark); 4), prolonged Ca spark rise time (which implies that CaMKII either delays RyR closure or prolongs the time when openings can occur); 5), more frequent repetitive sparks at single release sites. Analysis of repetitive sparks from individual Ca release sites indicates that CaMKII enhanced RyR Ca sensitivity, but did not change the time course of SR Ca refilling. These results demonstrate that there are dramatic CaMKII-mediated effects on RyR Ca release that occur via regulation of both RyR activation and termination processes.
Cost Minimization and Elasticity Estimation: A Two-Input, Two-Time Period Analysis

Given data on input price changes and the resulting changes in optimal input use, a means of estimating numerical elasticity values for the two-input, two-time period case is presented in this article. The estimation procedure stems directly from the model of cost minimization subject to producing a given level of output. By showing the direct link from the world of theory to that of measurement, the author provides an interesting framework to illustrate the cost-minimization model's implications beyond the study of first- and second-order conditions. In developing estimation equations, opportunities arise for presenting and reviewing key economic concepts and mathematical techniques. The connection of the theoretical model with a numerical application helps students better appreciate the relevance of theory in finding quantitative answers to economic problems.
Studying Political Islam

Over the past two decades, scholars of the Middle East have produced an impressive body of scholarship that seeks to understand diverse groups and practices that are together called political Islam. Much of our work has drawn little attention outside of academia despite the obsession with Islam shared by policymakers and the general public. The many careful studies produced by academics and some journalists—typically based on extensive field research and use of primary sources in Arabic, Turkish, and Persian—have to contend with bestselling books that trade in fears about the irrational, West-hating Muslim fanatic. Unfortunately, serious scholarship on political Islam cannot ignore this terrain of stereotypes and fearmongering, as it dominates mainstream debates about Islam and the Middle East. But in responding to these discourses, we often allow them to dictate our analytic starting point, resulting in less theoretical innovation and empirical insight than might emerge if we moved beyond the focus on Islamist groups and whether most are moderate or radical. Indeed, we might do well to abandon altogether the idea that “political Islam” represents a tangible object of study.
Recovery of biological materials through ultrafiltration

Experiments were performed on a cellulose acetate ultrafiltration membrane (HF-200, ABCOR Inc., Cambridge, Mass.) to test its efficacy in concentrating and purifying a crude enzyme (trypsin) preparation. Studies were also made to determine the influence of inorganic salts, pressure, and temperature on the rate of ultrafiltration for this membrane. The results showed reductions in the rates will be encountered due to the presence of inorganic salts. However, the reduced rates were still sufficiently high to make this method extremely attractive. Operating at filtration pressures above 75 psi at, 20 to 30°C for this membrane does not show any beneficial effect in terms of ultrafiltration rates. However, at 10°C there were continual increases in the filtration rates up to 100 psi. Concentration and purification studies with trypsin yielded a concentration factor of 8.35 and a purification factor 2.35. It was shown concretely that the purification of the enzyme was due to the passage of low molecular weight proteins (below 20,000) through the membrane. Enzyme activity slightly greater than 90% was obtained: 70% was found in the concentrate and 20% in the filtrate. It is concluded that membrane ultrafiltration is an ideal simple, rapid, and economical method for the recovery of biological active substances.
Can Classroom Emotional Support Enhance Prosocial Development among Children with Depressed Caregivers

Abstract Preschool children from economically disadvantaged families often experience difficulties in developing prosocial behavior. Risk associated with depressive symptomatology in caregivers (parents and guardians) may further compound these difficulties. The overall objective of the present study was to examine the compensatory effect of Head Start classroom environments on the development of prosocial behavior among children with caregivers high in depressive symptomatology. We initially examined the association between caregiver depressive symptoms and children's starting levels of prosocial behavior and then tested classroom emotional support as a moderator of the relation between caregivers’ depressive symptoms and children's prosocial behavior development during the school year. The sample of 194 Head Start preschoolers in 28 classrooms was part of a larger study designed to test the effects of an emotion-based prevention program. As expected, caregivers’ levels of depressive symptoms predicted lower starting levels of prosocial behavior. However, classroom emotional support promoted improvements in prosocial behavior for the children of the caregivers high in depressive symptomatology. The implications of these findings for the development of preventive interventions are discussed.
Relationships between capsaicin sensitivity of mammalian sensory neurons, cell size and type of voltage gated Ca-currents.

Abstract (1) The relationship between capsaicin sensitivity, cell size and the expression of voltage-dependent high-threshold (L- and N-type) and low-threshold (T-type) Ca-currents were investigated in cultured adult rat dorsal root ganglion neurons using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. (2) The capsaicin (10 μM) evoked inward current was used to identify the capsaicin-sensitive population. To identify the voltage-dependent Ca-currents, the activation threshold and the inactivation kinetic were used. (3) In cultured dorsal root ganglion cells the capsaicin sensitivity is not restricted to the small cell population. About 28% of cells with large cross sectional areas (⩾1001 μm 2 ) responded with about the same amplitude per μm 2 cross sectional area as small cells. (4) The amplitude of the capsaicin evoked inward current depended on the length of time the cells were maintained in culture. (5) All cells exhibited the high-threshold Ca-currents. About 45% of the c capsaicin-insensitive cells also had low-threshold Ca-currents. None of the capsaicin-sensitive cells had the low-threshold type. (6) Most of the cells which expressed the low-threshold type were in the upper size range.
Credibility and rationality of players strategies in multilevel games

The credibility of threats and the rationality underlying their execution is studied in the context of a Stackelberg game with the reversed information structure, repeated an infinite number of times.
High voltage operation of grooved Si(Li) detectors

Abstract Some characteristics of the high voltage operation of geometrically contoured Si(Li) detectors are described. Improved charge collection is obtained as detector bias voltage is increased up to at least 600 V/mm of drifted depth.
The mixed area of a convex body and its polar reciprocal

Half the vector sum of a convex body and its polar reciprocal with respect to a unit sphereE containsE. A consequence of this is: The mixed area of a plane convex body and its polar reciprocal with respect toE is minimized by circles concentric withE.
Symposium: Hardware innovation and utilization

A tutorially structured symposium is being presented by professionals in various fields of computer technology. The symposium develops the theme of effective utilization of computer-related hardware in papers describing (a) elementary hardware logic design, (b) microcomputer and microcontroller design and applications, and (c) microprogramming techniques and applications.
A robust and reliable approach to nonlinear dynamical problems

A new approach, which utilizes Gaussian Lagrange distributed approximating functionals (LDAFs) for evaluating spatial derivatives to high accuracy is proposed for solving nonlinear dynamical problems. Three different nonlinear problems (Burgers' equation, a nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation and the Korteweg-de Vries equation) are used to demonstrate the usefulness and test the accuracy of the method. It is found that the present approach is robust for a variety of different nonlinear dynamical problems, and, using equivalent parameters, is the most accurate available method for the problems which we have examined.
HIGH FIDELITY INTERVAL ASSIGNMENT

Quadrilateral meshing algorithms impose certain constraints on the number of intervals or mesh edges of the curves bounding a surface. When constructing a conformal mesh of a collection of adjoining surfaces, the constraints for all of the surfaces must be simultaneously satisfied. These constraints can be formulated as an integer linear program. Not all solutions to this problem are equally desirable, however. The user typically indicates a goal (soft-set) or required (hard-set) number of intervals for each curve. The hard-sets constrain the problem further, while the soft-sets influence the objective function. This paper describes an algorithm for solving this interval assignment problem. In a good solution, for each curve the positive or negative difference between its goal and assigned number of intervals is small relative to its number of goal intervals. The algorithm solves a series of linear programs, and comes close to minimizing the maximum lexicographic vector of these weighted differences. Then the algorithm solves a nearby mixed-integer linear program to satisfy certain "sum-even" constraints. The algorithm reliably produces numbers of intervals that are very close to the user's desires and is easily extendible to new constraints. Earlier versions of the algorithm1 were slower than alternative algorithms, but this is no longer a significant issue; in practice, the running time is a minor fraction of the time to mesh, even in models composed of thousands of curves.
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE FOREST MANAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLE VALUES

Abstract Comparisons of natural and managed forests suggest that single-focus management of 2nd growth is unlikely to achieve broad conservation goals because biocomplexity is important to ecosystem capacity to produce useful goods and services. Biocomplexity includes species composition, the absolute and relative abundances of those species, and their arrangement in space (for example, trees and shrubs of various species, sizes, vigor, and decay states). Key to high biocomplexity is patchiness at the appropriate spatial scale (for example, 0.1 to 0.5 ha). Passive management (benign neglect) does not necessarily remedy whatever degradation might have occurred under past management or neglect (for example, lack of biological legacies, artificial homogeneity, loss of biodiversity, missing keystone species, presence of diseases, or increased vulnerability to disturbance). Furthermore, not all management is equal. Purposefully managing processes of forest development and landscape dynamics is more likely to b...
The Frequency and Factors Associated With the Use of a Dedicated Supportive Care Center Telephone Triaging Program in Patients With Advanced Cancer at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Abstract Context There is limited literature on characteristics of telephone triage programs and the nature of interventions in palliative care. Objectives Our aim was to determine frequency and type of care provided by a Supportive Care Center Telephone Triaging Program (SCCTP) in advanced cancer patients (ACPs). Methods Electronic medical records were reviewed of 400 consecutive ACPs referred to palliative care at a comprehensive cancer center and given access to the SCCTP: 200 from the outpatient (OP) supportive care center and 200 from inpatient (IP) palliative care given access after discharge. We reviewed call frequency, type, reason, and outcomes including pain and other symptoms (Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale and Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale [MDAS]) associated with utilization of the SCCTP. Results A total of 375 patients were evaluable. One hundred fifteen of 400 patients (29%) used the SCCTP: 96 OPs (83%) used the SCCTP vs. only 19 IPs (17%) (P Conclusion In this study, we found that overall utilization of the SCCTP by ACPs referred to palliative care was relatively low at 28.7%. The use of the SCCTP was particularly poor among the IPs on discharge. Patients who used SCCTP had worse pain, fatigue, depression, and well-being scores and better delirium scores.