cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating Pereskia and the Earliest Divergences In Cactaceae

Abstract The cacti are renowned desert plants of the New World. The are typically leafless, spine-bearing stem succulents. Species of Pereskia possess broad, regular leaves and have been viewed as being representative of ancestral cacti. A number of previous studies have attempted to resolve phylogenetic relationships within Pereskia and between Pereskia and other cacti. Here, we present the results of a joint analysis along with hypothesis testing using datasets previously published independently by each author. This study clearly shows a basal split in the cacti between a clade of Caribbean-basin-centered Pereskia species and all other cacti. Furthermore, hypothesis testing strongly supports the basal Pereskia hypothesis over an alternative hypothesis in which the Opuntioideae form the basal split in the cacti (although the latter hypothesis was not statistically rejected).
How you ask matters: An experimental investigation of the influence of mood on memory self-perceptions and their relationship with objective memory

Stronger relationships often emerge between mood and memory self-efficacy (MSE) than between MSE and memory abilities. We examined how social desirability, mood congruency and framing influence the mood–MSE relationship. Social desirability correlated with all self-report measures, and covarying social desirability diminished the mood-MSE relationship while enhancing the relationship between MSE and objective memory. Participants rated their memory more harshly on positively than neutrally or negatively worded MSE items. Current mood state did not affect MSE overall or when items were worded positively or neutrally. However, on negatively worded items, participants in a negative mood exhibited lower MSE than participants in a positive mood. Thus, both MSE and the mood–MSE relationship depended upon question wording. These results indicate that controlling social desirability and item framing on MSE questionnaires may reduce their confounding influence on memory self-perceptions and the influence of mood o...
Choices for future interconnect materials and processing

For the next couple of generations, physical vapor deposition (PVD) for interconnect metal barriers and seeds appears to be extendable. At the same time a variety of atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques are become available replacement options. New barrier materials such as Ru have also been considered. In this paper we discuss the motivations of these developments and the challenges for the implementation of these ideas
Preferential DNA damage in the p53 gene by benzo[a]pyrene metabolites in cytochrome P4501A1‐expressing xeroderma pigmentosum group A cells

Gene-specific DNA damage levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) after treating cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1-expressing xeroderma pigmentosum fibroblasts with [3H]benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol ([3H]BPD) or [3H]benzo[a]pyrene-trans-7,8-dihydrodiol-9, 10-epoxide([3H]BPDE). DNA damage in the p53 gene (which is transcriptionally active) and the β-globin gene (which is transcriptionally inactive) was measured in cells treated with [3H](±)-anti-BPDE, [3H](±)-BPD, and [3H](−)-BPD. DNA adduct formation in the genome overall was determined by measuring the incorporation of 3H into DNA. DNA damage in a p53 gene fragment (exons 8–9, 445 bp) was readily detected by QPCR. DNA damage was either not detected or much reduced in a similarly sized target in the β-globin gene (exons 1–2, 551 bp). At equivalent levels of genomic DNA adducts, BPD treatment induced more damage in the p53 gene than BPDE treatment did. The lesion frequencies in the p53 and β-globin genes in purified DNA treated with BPDE in vitro were the same, indicating that there was no sequence-specific basis for preferential lesion formation in the p53 gene in treated cells. DNA damage in both the p53 and β-globin genes showed a dose response to [3H](−)-BPD. The frequency of BPD-induced lesions in the p53 gene was sixfold to sevenfold greater than in the β-globin gene and 200- to 300-fold greater than in bulk DNA. The BPD-induced lesion frequency in the β-globin gene was 30- to 50-fold greater than in bulk DNA. The data indicate that the distribution of BPDE-induced DNA lesions is dramatically nonrandom and suggest that the nonrandomness is governed by DNA sequence composition, chromatin structure, and dose rate. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Demagnetization factors of the general ellipsoid: An alternative to the Maxwell approach

A transparent, exhaustive, and self-contained method for the calculation of the demagnetization tensor of the uniformly magnetized ellipsoid is presented. The method is an alternative to the established Maxwell derivation and is based on a Fourier-space approach to the micromagnetics of magnetized bodies. The key to the success of the procedure lies in the convenient treatment of shape effects through the Fourier representation. The scaled form of the demagnetization factors which depends on two dimensionless aspect ratios is argued to be their natural integral representation. Amongst other advantages, it allows for the immediate implementation of symmetry arguments such that only one of the principal factors needs to be computed. The oblate and prolate ellipsoids of revolution are examined from the same general point of view. The demagnetization factors for these distinct types of spheroid are seen to be related by analytic continuation of well-known Gaussian hypergeometric functions.
Combined Use of Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Cross-Sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy for Characterization of Thin-Film Reactions

We demonstrate that the combined use of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) is a powerful technique in the quantitative investigation of the nucleation and growth of metastable and equilibrium phases during thin-film interdiffusion reactions. The Various approaches and advantages of the DSC/XTEM technique in obtaining a variety of kinetic and thermodynamic data are discussed. Explosive reactions, as opposed to conventionally controlled reactions, may occur in thin films where the multilayer geometry is used.
Displacement of endogenous glutamate with D-aspartate: an effective strategy for reducing the calcium-independent component of glutamate release from synaptosomes.

d-aspartate was used in the present study to partially deplete the cytosolic pool of glutamate, which is released independent of extracellular Ca2+, prior to measuring the K+-evoked release of this endogenous acidic amino acid from rat hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes. This pretreatment is known to be an effective method for substantially reducing the Ca2+-independent component of glutamate release. The rate of glutamate efflux is dependent on the concentration of sodium ions in the external medium and can be stimulated by exposure of hippocampal mossy fiber synaptosomes to externald-aspartate (50 μM). Following the partial displacement of this cytosolic pool of glutamate withd-aspartate, the K+-evoked release of the residual, presumably vesicular, pool of endogenous glutamate has a strict requirement for external calcium and is highly dependent on the extent to which depolarization elevates the level of free cytosolic calcium. It is concluded that the protocol described in this study for the displacement of cytosolic glutamate withd-aspartate provides a useful alternative method of controlling for the Ca2+-independent component of glutamate release in synaptosomal preparations.
ADVANCED AND RETARDED SOLUTIONS IN FIELD THEORY.

The appearance of retarded and advanced solutions to the wave equation and thead hoc choice of one of them in preference to the other has led to the claim that electromagnetic theory is incomplete. It is contended that some other condition outside that theory must be invoked in order to make a meaningful physical choice. However, both a physical and mathematical analysis show, that, in fact, both retarded and advanced solutions are necessary and that the rejection of the advanced type of solution is not valid; that its rejection is based on an ambiguous mathematical technique and a faulty physical interpretation. A unique form for the Green's function is obtained which is related to all other types of Green's functions by the appropriate adjunction of solutions to the homogeneous equation.
Brainstem mechanisms for analyzing temporal patterns of echolocation sounds: a model for understanding early stages of speech processing?

Because of their stereotyped audio--vocal behavior and highly accessible brainstem circuitry, echolocating bats provide a good model system in which to study the neural mechanisms that underlie the analysis of temporal features of sound. This paper reviews the lower brainstem auditory circuitry and describes selected forms of information processing that are performed in the pathways of the lower brainstem and auditory midbrain (inferior colliculus (IC)). Several examples of neural circuits in echolocating bats point out the ways in which inputs with different properties converge on IC neurons to create selectivity for specific temporal features of sound that are common to speech and echolocation. The initial transformations of auditory nerve input that occur in the lower brainstem pathways include a change in sign from excitatory input to inhibitory output, changes in discharge pattern, and the creation of delay lines. Convergence of multiple inputs on neurons in the IC produces tuning for temporal features of sound including duration, the direction of frequency sweeps, modulation rate, and interstimulus interval. The auditory cortex exerts control over some of this processing by sharpening or shifting neuronal filter properties. The computational processes that occur in the IC result in integration across a time scale that is consistent with the rate at which biological sounds are produced, whether they be echolocation signals or human speech components.
Quality of life associated with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease

Acute and chronic graft-versus-host diseases (GVHD) are associated with increased morbidity and mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We prospectively measured the quality of life (QOL) of patients undergoing allogeneic transplantation. Ninety-six subjects completed self-assessment surveys before HCT, and at 6 and/or 12 months post-HCT that included the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12 (SF12) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant scale. Eighty-three percent of survivors responded at 6 and 12 months. Physical and mental functioning assessed by the SF12 was not associated with either acute or chronic GVHD. In contrast, the trial outcome index (TOI) of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Bone Marrow Transplant was sensitive to occurrence of either acute or chronic GVHD. GVHD is a major determinant of the long-term QOL of survivors. The adverse effects of acute GVHD are detectable with the TOI at 6 months post transplantation after which development of chronic GVHD is the most strongly correlated with worse QOL.
Mechanical properties of methanol crazes in poly(methyl methacrylate)

Methanol crazes are grown from sharp cracks in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). The craze thickness profile is measured using a replica technique after the craze opening displacement profile of the growing craze has been measured with holographic interferometry. The craze strain profile is then computed from these data. The craze surface stress profile is determined by two methods: (1) from the uniaxial strain profile of regions adjacent to the craze as measured from the fringe spacing on the reconstructed hologram and (2) from the craze opening displacement profile using the Fourier transform method of Sneddon. From the surface stress and craze-strain profiles a true stress-strain curve for the craze fibrils has been constructed. The extrapolated fibril yield stress is in good agreement with the yield stress of bulk PMMA plasticized with methanol indicating that surface tension effects do not contribute importantly to craze fibril mechanical properties at room temperature. The craze strain increases from 0.4 near the craze tip to 1.4 near the craze base implying that methanol crazes in PMMA thicken by further straining of the existing craze fibrils and not by drawing new material into the craze from the craze surfaces. The primordial craze thickness, i.e., the original thickness of polymer which fibrillates to form the craze fibrils, is approximately 1 μm and is constant over most of the craze length. This thickness may be determined by diffusion of methanol normal to the craze surfaces in a process zone just behind the craze tip.
Monte carlo simulation of a catalytic surface: Activity and selectivity of γ-alumina for dehydration

Abstract The acidic properties and catalytic activity of oxide surfaces have been shown in a number of cases to be directly influenced by their degree of hydration. In the present work the rates and selectivities of ethanol dehydration on a well characterized gamma alumina have been measured experimentally over the temperature range of 180 to 400 °C with feeds containing 0, 10, 20, and 40 mole % water. The effects of surface hydration and feed composition are compared with the predictions of a Monte Carlo simulation based on a model of the alumina surface and the mechanism of the dehydration reaction. The simulation is in good agreement with experiment, and points clearly to the distinctions which can be made between the separate effects of reaction energetics and surface configurations on rate and selectivity in the reaction.
Characterizing O-linked glycopeptides by electron transfer dissociation: fragmentation rules and applications in data analysis

Studying protein O-glycosylation remains an analytical challenge. Different from N-linked glycans, the O-glycosylation site is not within a known consensus sequence. Additionally, O-glycans are heterogeneous with numerous potential modification sites. Electron transfer dissociation (ETD) is the method of choice in analyzing these glycopeptides since the glycan side chain remains intact in ETD, and the glycosylation site can be localized on the basis of the c and z fragment ions. Nonetheless, new software is necessary for interpreting O-glycopeptide ETD spectra in order to expedite the analysis workflow. To address the urgent need, we studied the fragmentation of O-glycopeptides in ETD and found useful rules that facilitate their identification. By implementing the rules into an algorithm to score potential assignments against ETD-MS/MS data, we applied the method to glycopeptides generated from various O-glycosylated proteins including mucin, erythropoietin, fetuin, and an HIV envelope protein, 1086.C gp1...
Protective action of antibiotics against the toxin of Pasteurella pestis in mice.

SummaryIntraperitoneal administration of aureomycin, chloramphenicol and terraniycin in 2.0 mg doses within 12 hours of intravenous injection of plague toxin conferred definite, but limited, antitoxic protection to mice. Streptomycin was without this protective action. Aureomycin injected 1 hour or 12 hours prior to toxin exerted the greatest protective effect. Chloramphenicol was not as effective as either aureoniycin or terramycin against Pasteurella pestis toxin.
Temperature Tolerance of Three Whitefly Species Found in Florida

Seasonally acclimatized individuals of woolly whitefly Aleurothrixus floccosus (Moskell), cloudywinged whitefly Dialeurodes critifolii Morgan, and Aleurodicus dispersus Russell were exposed to extreme temperatures for 3-h periods and survivorship measured. Survivorship of the 3 whitefly species under field conditions also was followed to determine temperature induced mortality. Summer survivorship was measured during July, Aug., and Sept. in Fort Lauderdale, FL and winter survivorship was measured during Dec., Jan., and Feb. Heat tolerance was the same among the 3 whitefly species and cold tolerance was different with woolly whitefly > cloudywinged whitefly > A. dispersus . The nymphal overwintering stage is an aleyrodid adaption to cold stress in Florida. My data indicate that the abundance of cloudywinged whitefly populations in northern Florida, and range expansion of A. dispersus northward are both limited by winter cold temperatures.
A 4-year follow-up of treatment of self-injury

Data on the long-term effectiveness of behavioral treatment for self-injurious behavior in individuals with mental retardation is rare. We present 4-year follow-up data on a 28-year-old man whose severe self-injurious behavior was treated with brief contingent electric stimulation via the Self-Injurious Behavior Inhibiting System (SIBIS). Event data collected throughout follow-up showed reductions in head-hitting and head-banging from over 2,600 responses per hour to approximately 1 response per hour during much of the first 31 months of treatment. However, the rate of head-banging began increasing thereafter, with the SIBIS losing its effectiveness to such an extent that it was no longer clinically useful.
Chlorpromazine and brain-stimulation reward: Potentiation of effects by naloxone ☆

Abstract Chlorpromazine (0.25–2.0 mg/kg IP) raised the threshold for brain stimulation reward in a dose-dependent manner in rats. Naloxone (4.0 mg/kg IP) administered alone was without effect on this behavior. However, this dose of naloxone administered concurrently with chlorpromazine produced substantial potentiation of the threshold increases. These resultsstrongly suggest a catecholaminergic-enkephalinergic involvement in the regulation of central reward processes.
Mathematical Model of NO and O2 Transport in an Arteriole Facilitated by Hemoglobin Based O2 Carriers

Abstract The increasing demand for donated human blood has spurred research to develop hemoglobin-based O 2 carriers (HBOCs) that can be used as red blood cell (RBC) substitutes. However, in vivo studies of acellular HBOCs have shown an increase in mean arterial pressure following transfusion that has been attributed to the HBOC's ability to scavenge NO (an important vasodilator that is synthesized by endothelial cells in the blood vessel wall that signals neighboring smooth muscle cells to relax). In this study, a mathematical model was developed to describe NO and O 2 transport in an arteriole containing a mixture of acellular HBOCs and RBCs. The acellular HBOCs studied in this work possessed a wide range of O 2 affinities, O 2 dissociation rate constants and NO reactivities in order to evaluate their effect on O 2 tension and NO concentration in the arteriole tissue region. By focusing on the concentration of NO that is localized in the arteriole smooth muscle cell region, the model can predict the vasopressor response of HBOCs. The results of this study confirmed that acellular HBOCs scavenge large amounts of NO from the entire arteriole (~ 50% or more NO compared to RBCs only). A recombinant Hb, rHb3011, displayed the least NO reactivity and consequently left the most NO remaining in the arteriole. The NO concentration in the arteriole with respect to the other HBOCs studied was proportional to their NO reactivity. Therefore, the results of this study demonstrate that NO scavenging is an unavoidable consequence of transfusing HBOCs. To prevent or reduce vasodilatation, we suggest administration of NO by either inhaling NO or transfusing nitrite into the blood stream followed by transfusion of HBOC.
A simplified car-following theory: a lower order model

Abstract A very simple “car-following” rule is proposed wherein, if an nth vehicle is following an (n−1)th vehicle on a homogeneous highway, the time-space trajectory of the nth vehicle is essentially the same as the (n−1)th vehicle except for a translation in space and in time. It seems that such a rule is at least as accurate as any of the more elaborate rules of car-following that have been proposed over the last 50 years or so. Actually, the proposed model could be interpreted as a special case of existing models but with fewer parameters and a different logic. At least this should form a reasonable starting point for investigating other phenomena.
Temperature-dependent modification of divalent cation flux in the rat parotid gland basolateral membrane.

Divalent cation (Mn2+, Ca2+) entry into rat parotid acinar cells is stimulated by the release of Ca2+ from the internal agonist-sensitive Ca2+ pool via a mechanism which is not yet defined. This study examines the effect of temperature on Mn2+ influx into internal Ca2+ pool-depleted acini (depl-acini, as a result of carbachol stimulation of acini in a Ca2+-free medium for 10 min) and passive 45Ca2+ influx in basolateral membrane vesicles (BLMV). Mn2+ entry into deplacini was decreased when the incubation temperature was lowered from 37 to 4°C. At 4°C, Mn2+ entry appeared to be inactivated since it was not increased by raising extracellular [Mn2+] from 50 μm up to 1 mm. The Arrhenius plot of depletion-activated Mn2+ entry between 37 and 8°C was nonlinear, with a change in the slope at about 21°C. The activation energy (Ea) increased from 10 kcal/mol (Q10=1.7) at 21–37°C to 25 kcal/mol (Q10=3.0) at 21-8°C. Under the same conditions, Mn2+ entry into basal (unstimulated) cells and ionomycin (5 μm) permeabilized depl-acini exhibit a linear decrease, with E a of 7.8 kcal/mol (Q10=1.5) and 6.2 kcal/mol (Q10 < 1.5), respectively. These data suggest that depletion-activated Mn2+ entry into parotid acini is regulated by a mechanism which is strongly temperature dependent and distinct from Mn2+ entry into unstimulated acini. As in intact acini, Ca2+ influx into BLMV was decreased (by 40%) when the temperature of the reaction medium was lowered from 37 to 4°C. Kinetic analysis of the initial rates of Ca2+ influx in BLMV at 37°C demonstrated the presence of two Ca2+ influx components: a saturable component, with K Ca =279 ± 43 μm, Vmax = 3.38 ± 0.4 nmol Ca2+/mg protein/min, and an apparently unsaturable component. At 4°C, there was no significant change in the affinity of the saturable component, but Vmax decreased by 61% to 1.3 ± 0.4 nmol Ca2+/mg protein/min. There was no detectable change in the unsaturable component. When BLMV were treated with DCCD (5 mm) or trypsin (1∶100, enzyme to membrane) for 30 min at 37°C there was a 40% decrease in Ca2+ influx. When BLMV were treated with DCCD or trypsin at 4°C and subsequently assayed for Ca2+ uptake at 37°C there was no significant loss of Ca2+ influx. These data suggest that the temperature sensitive high affinity Ca2+ flux component in BLMV is mediated by a protein which undergoes a modification at low temperatures, resulting in decreased Ca2+ transport.
On size, distance, and visual angle perception.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, Wisconsin Standard descriptions of visual spatial experiences, especially illusions, create destructive paradoxes because, along with the perceived distance variable (D’), they use only one “perceived size” variable (S′) in the equation S′/D′ = V′ rad, to describe perception of a target’s linear size, S m, its distance, D m, from the eye, and the visual angle, V deg, its outer edges subtend at the eye. Simple paradoxes vanish in descriptions using the different equation, S’/D’ = V’ rad, which adds the perceived visual angle variable, V′ rad. Redefining classic illusions as illustrations primarily of misperceived direction difference (V) values removes the pseudoparadoxes that have made Extant explanations of illusions seem unsatisfactory.
Fatigue crack initiation and propagation in AISI 4130 steel exposed to neutral perchlorate solution

Abstract In order to check whether recent results on the corrosion fatigue of copper single crystals may apply to a commercial metal, corrosion fatigue crack initiation and propagation in normalized AISI 4130 steel have been studied (1) in air, (2) in 0.1 M NaClO 4 solution in free corrosion and (3) in the same solution but at an imposed anodic potential of −0.555 V with respect to a saturated calomel electrode. As expected, crack initiation and propagation lives were reduced by the corrosive environment. Cracks initiated at inclusions in air, while in solution the first cracks initiated in grain boundaries and later in life they also initiated transgranularly. In solution, cracks propagated in a mixed intergranular and transgranular mode but mainly transgranular. When the test frequency was increased, the mode of cracking tended to change from intergranular to transgranular. Another effect of cyclic deformation in corrosive solution was to increase the rate and magnitude of the potential shift compared with the behavior in an unstressed specimen and the rate changes corresponded to the different stages of corrosion fatigue damage. Current transient behavior is similar to that observed in copper cycled under anodic conditions which produce oxide films. The intergranular cracking behavior is related to the homogeneity of slip which was promoted by the corrosive environment and to similar results found in copper and iron.
Phonetic to acoustic mapping using recurrent neural networks

The application of artificial neural networks for phonetic-to-acoustic mapping is described. The specific task considered is that of mapping consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) syllables to the corresponding formant values at different speech tempos. The performances of two different networks, the Elman recurrent network and a single hidden layer feedforward network, are compared. The results indicate that the recurrent network is able to generalize from the training set and produce valid formant contours for new CVC syllables that are not a part of the training set. It is shown that by choosing the proper input representation, the feedforward network is also capable of learning this mapping. >
Liquid-fluidized magnetically stabilized beds

Abstract The fluid mechanics of liquid-fluidized magnetically stabilized beds (MSBs) have been studied to determine their operating characteristics and properties. Experiments were conducted to study the operating regimes, bed expansion and pressure drop, and axial liquid dispersion. Several regimes exist for magnetized, liquid-fluidized beds. These include the unfluidized or packed, stable, roll-cell, and random motion regimes. The transition between the stable and roll-cell regimes was found to be strongly dependent on the type of fluid distributor grid used. A hysteresis was found in both the pressure drop and bed expansion behavior. With decreasing liquid velocity, the pressure drop through the bed fell immediately to a value below the weight of the bed and the bed remained expanded even after the liquid flow had ceased. The height of the bed in the stable regime was found to depend on the liquid velocity but not on the strength of the magnetic field. Contacting experiments indicate axial dispersion in a liquid-fluidized MSB to be nearly the same as for packed beds and independent of the path taken to the stable operating condition.
Intestinal Calcium Absorption and Vitamin D Status in Chronic Cholestatic Liver Disease

Metabolic bone disease is common in patients with cholestatic liver disease. The importance of vitamin D status and calcium malabsorption in the pathogenesis of bone disease in these patients remains undefined. We have measured intestinal calcium absorption in relation to vitamin D status in 14 patients with chronic cholestatic liver disease including 11 with primary biliary cirrhosis. Fractional calcium absorption was determined from radioactive counts in the right forearm after separate oral and intravenous doses of 47CaCl2 in the fasting state. Eight of 14 patients (57%) had a decreased calcium absorption compared to controls. A significant correlation was observed between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and fractional calcium absorption (r = 0.623, p less than 0.02). Treatment with oral 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in three patients with low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels resulted in correction of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and improvement in fractional calcium absorption. No correlation was found between serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels and fractional calcium absorption (r = 0.221). Calcium malabsorption was common in this series of patients, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were useful in predicting fractional calcium absorption. Treatment with oral 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was accompanied by improved calcium absorption.
Mixed convection from a sphere at small Reynolds and Grashof numbers

Consideration is given to the effects of gravity which arise when a heated sphere, maintained at a steady uniform temperature, is located in a vertical uniform stream. Restricting analysis to a medium of unit Prandtl number (σ), the method of matched asymptotic expansions is employed in obtaining solutions for the velocity, temperature and pressure fields in the limit: G = o(R2), R ↓ 0 (G and R being, respectively, the Grashof and Reynolds numbers). Based on these results, conjectures are formed about the corresponding pure natural convection problem.
Heart failure and shock in acute myocardial infarction

When heart fallure and shock follow myocardial infarction, mortality is as high as 90%. A major factor in "power" failure is a myocardial contractile deficit secondary to the ischemia. In addition, dyskinetic and asynchronous muscle activity, as well as regurgitant flow, can further increase failure. Left ventricular output falls and end diastolic pressure rises. Low arterial pressure and consequent lowered coronary flow aggravate the ischemia. Therapy depends on a critical balance between the following factors: augmentation of contractility of the non-infarcted myocardium, maintenance of adequate mean arterial pressure to insure coronary blood flow, and avoidance of excessive increases in myocardial oxygen consumption. This may be achieved by adequate monitoring, tltration, and control of effects of alpha and beta adrenergic agents, coupled with judicious use of dluretic agents. In addition, the Inotropic agent, glucagon, may be helpful while, in general, digitalls and isoproterenol are not. In cases of pharmacologic fallure, mechanical circulatory assistance may prove beneficial.
Fast polymer semiconductor transistor by nano-particle self assembly

Abstract Polymer semiconductor based field effect transistors promise low cost electronics over rigid and flexible large area substrates using fabrication techniques such as ink-jet printing. However, the low mobility of carriers in these semiconductors does not permit high performance electronics. A primary means to achieve higher speed in spite of the low carrier mobility is to reduce feature size, particularly channel length, of the field effect transistors. In this paper, we use the controlled coffee stain effect in a silver nano-particle colloid along with ink-jet printing to develop a process which helps reduce field effect transistor channel length to about 1–10 μm and improve transistor speed.
Asymmetry of doubt in medical self-diagnosis : the ambiguity of uncertain wellness

In 2 studies Ss received a clear or an unclear diagnosis, indicating either disease or no disease. In Experiment 1, Ss responded to a hypothetical bacteria test. In Experiment 2, Ss performed 2 saliva tests purportedly measuring risk for pancreatic disorders. Responses to the unclear well diagnosis were unique in several ways. Ss thought the test more invalid, inferred a greater likelihood of illness from a 2nd identical result, saw the disorder as more pernicious, and held no self-protective beliefs about the test or the disease. Moreover, desire for treatment among these Ss was as great as among those receiving a clear diagnosis of illness. Possible mechanisms are discussed, as are potential applications to clinical issues and to the development and maintenance of hypochondriacal health concerns.
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression induced by interleukin (IL)-1β or an IL-1β fragment is blocked by an IL-1 receptor antagonist and a soluble IL-1 receptor

The effects of a recombinant human interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and a recombinant human soluble IL-1 receptor (sIL-1R) on cytokine-induced intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in a human glioblastoma cell line and a neuroblastoma cell line were determined. Cells were incubated with IL-1 beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and interferon (IFN) gamma. Cells were also tested under identical conditions with an IL-1 beta synthetic peptide fragment (IL-1 beta 208-240) previously shown to possess biological activity. IL-1 beta, TNF alpha and IFN gamma potentiated ICAM-1 expression in both cell lines in a dose-related manner. The IL-1 beta 208-240 fragments, corresponding to the rabbit, rat and human sequences, enhanced ICAM-1 expression in glioblastoma cells at high doses. ICAM-1 expression induced by IL-1 beta, rabbit IL-1 beta 208-240 and human IL-1 beta 208-240 was blocked by the IL-1ra, while TNF alpha- and IFN gamma-induced ICAM-1 expression were not. ICAM-1 expression induced by IL-1 beta and human IL-1 beta 208-240 was also blocked by the sIL-1R. Our findings suggest that IL1 beta 208-240 acts as an IL-1 beta agonist in enhancing ICAM-1 expression in vitro and that this effect is receptor-mediated.
Large system decomposition and simulation methodology using axiomatic analysis

Large, established systems are essentially impossible to replace and must be improved incrementally to incorporate disaster tolerance. The question of which components need to be upgraded or have added redundancy requires the system to be wholly analyzed or simulated. Unfortunately, extremely large systems are not amenable to comprehensive simulation studies due to the large computational complexity requirements. This research presents a new method that results in a dramatic decrease in simulation time from that required by an entire system simulation to the sum of the total time of simulations for decomposed subsystems. Axiomatic analysis principles of information and independence are used as part of the methodologies to determine the best decomposition boundaries between subsystems. This allows the smaller subsystems to have maximum independence so that the entire system response can be reconstructed from a linear combination of the individual subsystem simulation responses.
Erminio Costa, M.D. (1924–2009)

| | || Erminio (Mimo) Costa, one of the co-founding members of the CINP, died on Saturday, 28 November 2009 from complications of multiple myeloma. Dr Costa is survived by his wife Ingeborg Hanbauer and sons Michael and Max. His son Robert passed away on 1 September 2006. In 1970, when Dr Alessandro Guidotti (Sandro) joined Dr Costa's laboratory at NIMH as a visiting scientist, his intent was to spend 2 years as a research trainee but he found Mimo's take on the various fields of neuroscience so exciting and rewarding, he became his close colleague for the next 40 years. Sandro was one of many who could not fail to be positively affected by Dr Costa's passion for science, by his rigorous approach to the analyses of experimental results, and by the long working hours he spent with each of his pupils in formulating hypotheses, in designing appropriate experiments and in discussing the development of state-of-the-art technologies to implement these studies. Mimo always encouraged and fostered discussion, exchange of ideas, a multidisciplinary approach and top-level scientific interactions … (Email: dgrayson{at}psych.uic.edu) (Email: AGuidotti{at}psych.uic.edu)
Explaining economic fragmentation in China: A systems approach☆

Abstract Recent research indicates that China's economic growth since the 1950s has been characterized by a strong tendency toward local self-sufficiency. This paper seeks to explain this tendency as an outcome of China's planning system. Descriptive and statistical evidence from a variety of sources is used to develop a schematic analysis of the planning organization and to identify distinctive features conducive to fragmentation. In particular, the evidence examined supports the hypothesis that regional partitioning of the Chinese economy for purposes of planning has created substantial and persistent barriers to internal trade across provincial and intraprovincial boundaries.
Materials characterization of superplasticized cement–sand grout

Abstract Selected material properties were determined for a superplasticized cement–sand grout formulation designed for sealing boreholes used with geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). The grout was investigated as an alternative to bentonite and neat cements. Hydraulic conductivities (permeability coefficients) of grouts when cast around high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes to represent a heat exchanger were measured over a range of typical operating temperatures. It was determined that the cement–sand grout had hydraulic conductivity up to two orders of magnitude lower than neat cements depending on test temperature. Infiltration tests performed on grouted tubes containing HDPE pipes also indicated better sealing capability with the cement–sand grout. Mechanical properties measured included bond strength to HDPE, compressive and splitting tensile strength, dynamic and static elastic moduli, shear modulus and Poisson's ratio.
Predictors of Baby Video/DVD Ownership: Findings From a National Sample of American Parents With Young Children

This study examines demographic and attitudinal predictors of parents reported ownership of baby DVDs among a national sample of US parents with children under age three. Results indicate few associations with demographic variables. Fathers report greater ownership of baby videos/DVDs, and parents with more videos/DVDs report more satisfaction with these products. Parent attitudes toward early childhood education are related to owning more videos/DVDS, while promotion-focused orientation (i.e., propensity to pursue possible rewards when outcomes are uncertain) predicts satisfaction with baby videos/DVDs. Furthermore, results indicate that parents' belief in the educational value of media for young children is a strong predictor of both ownership and satisfaction with these products. In light of the controversy surrounding baby videos/DVDs and growing number and variety of screen media for infants and toddlers, implications of these findings for policy and further research are discussed.
Validity research on student evaluations of teaching effectiveness: Individual student observations versus class mean observations

Among the several substantive methodological issues in statistical research on possible relationships between student evaluations of teaching effectiveness and student achievement is the issue of whether it is preferable to use individual students or class means as observations. The problem is illuminated in this paper through Monte Carlo simulation experiments employing a general model which may be used to represent validity or invalidity of student evaluations of teaching through appropriate specification of the numerical parameters of the model. The results suggest the superiority of class means, because statistics based on class mean observations do better at manifesting the true condition under both cases: validity and invalidity.
Distribution of stripping-induced flaws

In this paper we present tensile and 2-point bending strength results on 5 cm. (2-inch) sections of mechanically stripped fiber. We show that the ‘weakest-link’ model is apparently not obeyed since the low strength mode of the resulting distributions have different widths, i.e., the Weibull m-values for the tensile and 2-point tests are ~2 and ~7, respectively. This simply means that the two measurements are sampling different flaw populations. The importance of understanding this behavior and applying that understanding in practice is emphasized.
Microchimerism of presumed fetal origin in thyroid specimens from women: a case-control study.

Summary Background Some so-called autoimmune diseases in women might be alloimmune and represent a chronic graft-versus-host response attributable to transplacentally acquired fetal cells. Thyroid disease is more common in women than men, and post partum exacerbation of thyroiditis is common. Our aim was to investigate whether there is an association between fetal cell microchimerism and thyroid disease in women. Methods Surgical specimens were obtained from 29 women who underwent thyroidectomy for various thyroid disorders. Control specimens were taken from clinically and histologically normal thyroids obtained at necropsy from eight women who died from unrelated conditions. Medical records and pregnancy histories were reviewed. Fluorescence in-situ hybridisation analysis was done with probes specific for X and Y chromosomes. Slides were examined with a fluorescence microscope to detect the presence of male cells—with one X and one Y signal in the nucleus—among maternal cells containing two X signals. Findings Male cells were seen in thyroid sections from 16 patients but not in those from controls (p=0·01). Male cells (1–165 per slide) were seen individually or in clusters in all thyroid diseases and were not restricted to inflammatory thyroid diseases. In one patient with a progressively enlarging goitre, we noted fully differentiated male thyroid follicles closely attached to and indistinguishable from the rest of the thyroid. Interpretation Our findings suggest a relation between fetal cell microchimerism and thyroid disease. Furthermore, fetal stem cells might be capable of differentiation into mature thyroid follicles in their mothers with favourable environmental and developmental factors.
Transient Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore Opening in Cardiac Myocytes During SR Ca Release

The opening of a high-conductance and long-lasting mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) induces uncoupling of respiration from ADP phosphorylation, and causes mitochondrial injury and cell death. However, low-conductance and transient openings of mPTP may limit mitochondrial calcium load and mediate mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling. Transient openings of mPTP have been proposed, and could be cardioprotective, but evidence for this in cells is indirect and not thoroughly studied. To address the cellular mechanism, we measured mitochondrial [Ca] ([Ca]Mito) with Rhod-2 AM and membrane potential (Δψm) in isolated single permeablized myocytes during cyclical sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release using 2-D confocal imaging where individual mitochondria can be seen. Rapid and transient decreases in both mitochondrial [Ca] and Δψm were observed during SR Ca release. The frequency of these candidate transient mPTP openings increased at higher [Ca] and with H2O2 (1μM) exposure, but were typically observed in << 1% of individual mitochondria being imaged. This suggests that both Ca and ROS modulate transient pore openings. These [Ca]mito and Δψm oscillations and H2O2 effects were sensitive to mPTP inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA, 10μM) and we conclude that they are mediated by transient mPTP openings and closings. The duration of these openings was 47 ± 15 s. The size of the pore did not allow Rhod-2 or calcien (M.W. 600 Da) permeation, indicating that only small solutes can freely move across. Our data are consistent with the idea that rare transient mPTP openings allow individual mitochondrial Ca efflux, but with minimal perturbation of global average [Ca]mito or Δψm. These events may be an important physiological protective mechanism to limit [Ca]Mito overload.
The sequence of events in psoriatic plaque formation after tape-stripping.

SUMMARY The sequence of events leading to the formation of a psoriatic plaque induced by tape-stripping was studied using light and electron microscopy. Among the earliest changes noted were increased mobility of the epidermal Langerhans cells across the basement membrane, evidence of Langerhans cell-lymphocyte interaction, and increased Langerhans cell ‘activity’ or ‘cytotoxicity’. These changes were seen as early as 2 min after stripping and remained until the development of clinical psoriasis. Collections of epidermal lymphocytes showing the features of blastoid transformation while in contact with processes from activated Langerhans cells, suggest the involvement of la antigens in this process. We postulate that these findings are a manifestation of an increased immune responsiveness to trauma, controlled by genes located at the HLA-D locus of the major histocompatibility complex, and mediated by enhanced cellular interactions. The appearance of basal keratinocyte herniations (BKH) at 1–3 weeks after stripping, coincided with the development of clinical psoriasis. Neutrophils made their appearance at the same time as, or slightly before, the appearance of BKH, and are suspected to play a role in the development of these structures. We believe that BKH maintain epidermal proliferation through the persistence of the epidermal-stromal interaction.
COORDINATING BUSES AND RAPID RAIL IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: THE CASE OF BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT

This paper examines attempts by planners and policy makers to analyze and bring about the coordination of rail and bus transit in the San Francisco Bay Area. Drawing on studies and plans before and after the creation of the rapid rail system BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), the author points to technical, analytical and political problems in attempts to link BART and buses. Some options and cautions are presented for planners considering route coordination, feeder buses, transfers and institutional arrangements to manage bus and rail services.
The place of community in medical encounters.

Disease and injury creates a break between the individual and the community which compromises the individual's status within the community as well as the integrity of the self as a "product" of social interaction. Our "everyday" activities are called into question since our ability to fulfill obligations and to achieve many of our ends is diminished through the weakening of our bodies. In light of this account of disease, healing is about restoring the individual to a state of vital functioning, and vital functioning entails communal participation. As John Dewey points out, health as "living healthily" can be understood only in context of each patient's pursuits which are always social and communal. But, if living in community with others is the end-in-view for medical encounters, it too must be implicated in the means to that end. A patient who is given the opportunity to participate as a member of the health care community has already begun within the medical encounter itself to live healthily. It follows, then, that we must work to promote new attitudes within health care towards aiding in the effective agency and participation of patients in their healing process -- i.e., we must see community as healing.
Role of Polymer Flexibility in the Stabilization of Colloidal Particles by Model Anionic Polyelectrolytes

Abstract In this study, single-stranded DNA is employed as a model polymer to investigate the effect of polyelectrolyte coatings on colloid stability. By use of homologous series of negatively charged DNA homopolymers ranging in size from monomers to molecules 1400 nucleotides in length (MW = 330 to 460,000, respectively), it was found that there is a critical polymer length (CPL) required for the stabilization of polystyrene latex microspheres suspended in an aqueous solution at high salt concentration (0.35–1MNaCl). The CPL corresponds to one to two persistence lengths, suggesting that relatively little molecular flexibility is required for the development of adsorbed layers capable of stabilizing particle suspensions. For polymers larger than the CPL, the stability of the particle suspension increases with increasing chain length at high surface coverage. The CPL depends weakly on the background NaCl concentration, implying that these molecules stabilize particles through a combination of steric and electrostatic—or electrosteric—repulsive forces. The results indicate that polymer flexibility is an important factor in the ability of polymer molecules to stabilize colloidal particles, particularly for systems where the time scale for coagulation is short relative to the time scale for polymer relaxation on the surface.