cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal-Piezoresistive Resonators and Self-Sustained Oscillators for Gas Recognition and Pressure Sensing

This paper presents experimental and theoretical investigation of the response of microscale dual-plate thermal-piezoresistive resonators (TPRs) and self-sustained oscillators (TPOs) to different gases and pressures. It is demonstrated that the resonant frequency of such devices follow particular trends in response to the changes in the surrounding gas and its pressure. A mathematical model is derived to explain the damping dependent frequency shift characteristic of the TPO. The solution of the model indicates that the stiffness of the actuator beam decreases as the value of the damping coefficient drops at lower gas density caused by the change in the gas molecular mass or pressure. When operated in the TPR mode (linear operation), however, the frequency shift of the same silicon structure is mainly a function of gas thermal conductivity. The two different sensing mechanisms are confirmed by the measurement results showing opposite frequency shift for the TPR and TPO in helium-nitrogen mixtures. In pressure tests, frequency shifts as high as -2300 ppm are measured for a TPO by changing the air pressure from 84 to 43 kPa.
Metastatic neuroendocrine tumors to the liver: treatment with bland embolization versus radioembolization

Purpose To compare the overall survival, time to progression, and complication rates of radioembolization and bland embolization in patients with neuroendocrine tumor metastatic to the liver. Materials and Methods A total of 45 patients underwent embolization procedures for treatment of metastatic neuroendocrine tumor at our institution: 29 patients (13 males, mean age 56) were treated with bland embolization from 2/2004 to 5/2011 and 17 patients (9 males, mean age 57) were treated with radioembolization from 3/2008 to 6/2012. Medical records and imaging were retrospectively reviewed to determine the overall survival and time to progression after treatment. Survival and time to progression were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log rank test. Results Overall survival at 6 and 12 months after therapy were 93% and 82% after bland embolization compared to 85% and 68% after radioembolization respectively (p=0.92). Survival subanalysis for carcinoid and non-carcinoid tumors also demonstrated similar overall survival between bland embolization and radioembolization. Freedom from progression at 6 and 12 months were 47% and 37% after bland embolization and 43% and 35% after radioembolization (p = 0.30). Again, no significant differences were identified comparing bland embolization to radioembolization based on tumor type. In the bland embolization group, one patient developed a hepatic abscess requiring drainage. In the radioembolization group, one patient developed an ulcer and one had severe gastritis, both treated conservatively. No cases of hepatic failure were encountered. Conclusion Treatment of neuroendocrine tumors metastatic to the liver with bland embolization and radioembolization demonstrated similar overall survival and time to progression.
Characterization of the Ca2+-switch in skeletal and cardiac muscles

To determine the significance of the global structure of the regulatory proteins in the mechanism of the Ca2+-switch in cardiac and skeletal muscle contractions, the properties of a family of Ca2+-binding proteins with 4 or 3 EF-hand motifs have been studied with desensitized skinned fiber preparations. Proteins with 4 EF hands (such as troponins C - TnCs) are dumb-bell shaped, those with 3 EF hands (parvalbumin) being ellipsoidal. The number of active sites varied between four and two. We find that the ability to anchor in the fiber is limited to proteins with 4 EF hands and, at least, two active Ca2+-binding sites, one each in the N- and C-termini. The results suggest that the dumb-bell shaped global structure is critical for the switching action in muscular contraction, and a trigger site in the N-terminus and a structural site in the C-terminus need to be active in order to regulate contractility.
Quantitative Trait Loci for Soybean Seed Yield in Elite and Plant Introduction Germplasm

Genetic improvement for yield in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] has been accomplished by breeding within a narrow elite gene pool. Plant introductions (PIs) may be useful for obtaining additional increases in yield if unique and desirable alleles at quantitative trait loci (QTL) can be identified. The objectives of the study were to identify QTL for yield in elite and PI germplasm and to determine if the PIs possessed favorable alleles for yield. Allele frequencies were measured with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in three populations, designated AP10, AP12, and AP14, that differed in their percentage of PI parentage. AP10 had 40 PI parents, AP12 had 40 PI and 40 elite parents, and AP14 had 40 elite parents. Four cycles of recurrent selection for yield had been conducted in the three populations. Allele frequencies of the highest-yielding C4 lines in the three populations were compared with the parents used to form the populations of the initial cycles. Allele flow was simulated to account for genetic drift. Fifty-four SSRs were associated with 43 yield QTL. Seven of the QTL had been identified in previous research. Sixteen favorable marker alleles were unique to the PI parents. The genes associated with the unique PI alleles merit further investigation for their potential to increase yield of soybean cultivars.
Effect of Driving Laser Fluctuations in Optical Bistability

The standard model for optical bistability1, 2 (OB) consists of a system of N two-level systems in a cavity driven by an external field of specified amplitude and phase. The only source of fluctuations in the model is the spontaneous emission of the two-level systems in the cavity. Since the number of photons in the cavity is large, the spontaneous emission which is roughly inversely proportional to the number of photons in the cavity, is very small. The value of the dimensionless parameter that measures the ratio of spontaneous emission to mean field terms in present day OB systems are typically 10-6 or less. In a recent paper3 we showed that driving laser frequency fluctuations cause fluctuations in the phase of the field that are typically many orders of magnitude larger than the fluctuations caused by spontaneous emission. In this article, we show the effect of driving laser fluctuations on the amplitude of the field in the cavity can be much more important than on the field phase because the amplitude undergoes critical slowing down and the amplitude fluctuations diverge at the turning points of the OB curve.
Enhanced retroreflectance effects in the reflection of light from randomly rough surfaces

Abstract A review is made of theoretical and experimental work on retroreflection enhancements in the diffuse component of light elastically reflected from randomly rough surfaces. These effects are seen as a narrow peak in the angular distribution of the intensity of diffusely reflected light which is centered about the direction for reflected light motion antiparallel to the original incident beam. This peak is observed in the scattering of light from many different types of rough surfaces and has been studied in fields as diverse as solid state physics, astronomy, geophysics, meterology and radar. Work covering all of these fields will be presented in this review. Retroreflection enhancements arise both from shadow casting properties of surface irregularities and from the phase coherence of retroreflected light. These mechanisms can act to create retroreflection enhancements from rough surfaces of dielectric and/or metallic compositions and of surface disorders characterizable on length scales which are large, comparable to or small compared to the wavelength of the scattered light. Specific discussions will be presented of three types of enhanced retroreflectance: (1) A treatment of the optical glory and Heiligenschein phenomena which are concerned with the meterological and geophysical study of light reflected from clouds and terraine will be given. (2) The theory of the opposition effect, encountered in astronomy as an enhanced retroreflection in the light scattered from atmosphereless planets and space debris, will be used to provide a theoretical basis to understand shadowing effects. (3) A recently discovered phenomenon of enhanced retroreflection from weakly rough metallic mirrors, associated with the Anderson localization of surface waves, is also presented. This last phenomenon and its relationship to the study of the Anderson localization of surface waves will be emphasized throughout our discussions. Similar enhancement effects in the scattering of acoustic waves from rough surfaces and a brief outline of some recent work on optical backscattering enhancements due to the Anderson localization of bulk polariton modes, is also presented.
Performance and characterization results of a lasercom testbed for the pointing, acquisition, and tracking subsystem of a satellite-to-satellite laser communications link

The Aerospace Corporation has developed a testbed for studying pointing, acquisition, and tracking systems for lasercom terminals. The testbed consists of two configurable terminals that are currently set up to represent a GEO-to- GEO link. Each terminal has the ability to point open-loop, execute scan patterns, and track a received beam. The system operates in small-beam space and consists of a far-field space simulator and two lasercom terminals operating at 473 nm and 633 nm with representative hardware (fast steering mirrors, optical detectors, etc.). This paper discusses the software developed for the testbed and the characterization of its performance, which includes open-loop pointing accuracy and residual tracking error in the presence of applied disturbances. Analytical predictions are compared to experimental results. Each terminal has the ability to progress from acquisition to tracking mode and the two terminals together demonstrate the cooperative acquisition process.
Fluorescent cholangiography in a mouse model: an innovative method for improved laparoscopic identification of the biliary anatomy.

Background Real-time imaging of the biliary anatomy may facilitate safe and timely completion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study sought to determine whether the unique autofluorescent properties of bile could facilitate intraoperative identification of the biliary anatomy in mice using fluorescent cholangiography.
Verbal working memory and solvent exposure: a positron emission tomography study

Neuropsychological studies have documented frontal dysfunction in patients with a history of exposure to organic solvents. The deficits typically observed in these patients appear to be related to working memory (WM). This study used [15O] water positron emission tomography (PET) to examine the pattern of neural activation during verbal working memory in patients with a history of exposure to solvents. Six individuals with solvent exposure were compared with 6 age- and education-matched controls. On the 2 WM tasks examined with PET, with equivalent task performance, participants with solvent exposure demonstrated frontal peaks that were atypical for the tasks, whereas the posterior peaks were typical for the tasks. The results support frontal dysfunction and compensatory use within anterior regions of the WM system in patients with solvent exposure.
Asymmetric Homotypic Interactions of the Atypical Cadherin Flamingo Mediate Intercellular Polarity Signaling

Acquisition of planar cell polarity (PCP) in epithelia involves intercellular communication, during which cells align their polarity with that of their neighbors. The transmembrane proteins Frizzled (Fz) and Van Gogh (Vang) are essential components of the intercellular communication mechanism, as loss of either strongly perturbs the polarity of neighboring cells. How Fz and Vang communicate polarity information between neighboring cells is poorly understood. The atypical cadherin, Flamingo (Fmi), is implicated in this process, yet whether Fmi acts permissively as a scaffold or instructively as a signal is unclear. Here, we provide evidence that Fmi functions instructively to mediate Fz-Vang intercellular signal relay, recruiting Fz and Vang to opposite sides of cell boundaries. We propose that two functional forms of Fmi, one of which is induced by and physically interacts with Fz, bind each other to create cadherin homodimers that signal bidirectionally and asymmetrically, instructing unequal responses in adjacent cell membranes to establish molecular asymmetry.
Higher education markets and public policy

In the major reforms to higher education being introduced throughout the world, market and “market life” policy instruments are assuming increasing importance. Long perceived as a unique characterstic of the U.S system of higher education, experiments with market competition in academic labor markets, institutional finanace, student support, and the allocation of the resaerch funds are now evident in the higher education policy of many different nations. Ironically, the overt rationale for these reforms is not only the traditional argument of economic effiency—with its supposed corollary benefits of institutional adapation and innovation—but increase a resort to market competition as a means of acheving equity in the form of mass higher education. The paper explores the nature of markets in higher education, the policy mechanisms related to their implementation, and some emerging questions regarding their impact.
The application accuracy of a skull-mounted trajectory guide system for image-guided functional neurosurgery.

Objective: Frameless image guided systems have traditionally been perceived as being less accurate than stereotactic frames, limiting their adoption for trajectory-based procedures such as deep brain stimulator placement which require submillimetric accuracy. However, some studies have suggested that high degrees of accuracy are attainable with optical localization systems. We evaluated the application accuracy of a skull-mounted trajectory guide coupled to an optical image-guided surgery system in a laboratory setting.Materials and Methods: A plastic skull phantom was fitted with five fiducial markers rigidly attached via self-drilling bone screws. Varying MRI and CT imaging protocols were obtained at 25 different centers. A metal disc marked in 1-mm increments was placed at the expected target point. Following registration and alignment of the trajectory guide, radial and depth localization errors were measured. A total of 560 measurements were obtained and detailed statistical analyses were performed.R...
A stability result for differential inclusions in Banach spaces

On etablit un resultat de stabilite pour les inclusions differentielles definies sur un espace de Banach separable
The Impact Discounts and the Price-Quality Effect Have on the Choice of an Institution of Higher Education

ABSTRACT This article reports on the results of a study of the price-quality relationship as it impacts consumer's institution of higher education selection decisions. This study also investigates the effect that financial discounts in the form of financial aid have on the decision to attend an institution. Based upon focus group discussions and depth interviews, a set of quality attributes were developed. A survey of 303 potential college students and their parents indicates that high price and low price institutions are evaluated higher on quality attributes than are moderately priced institutions. Further, discounts are found to have little effect on the attendance decision. Implications of these results relative to the pricing strategies used by institutions of higher education are discussed.
Testing versus Static Analysis of Maximum Stack Size

For event-driven software on resource-constrained devices, estimates of the maximum stack size can be of paramount importance. For example, a poor estimate led to software failure and closure of a German railway station in 1995. Static analysis may produce a safe estimate but how good is it? In this paper we use testing to evaluate the state-of-the-art static analysis of maximum stack size for event-driven assembly code. First we note that the state-of-the-art testing approach achieves a maximum stack size that is only 67 percent of that achieved by static analysis. Then we present better testing approaches and use them to demonstrate that the static analysis is near optimal for our benchmarks. Our first testing approach achieves a maximum stack size that on average is within 99 percent of that achieved by static analysis, while our second approach achieves 94 percent and is two orders of magnitude faster. Our results show that the state-of-the-art static analysis produces excellent estimates of maximum stack size.
Vapor Pressures of Hexafluoroethane and Octafluorocyclobutane

We have used a static cell to measure vapor pressures of hexafluoroethane (C2F6) and octafluorocyclobutane (cyc-C4F8). Measurements for hexafluoroethane were made over the temperature range 177 to ...
Experimental Test of the Theory of High-Field Superconductivity

The theory of high-field superconductivity contains two parameters, one of which, the spin-orbit scattering rate, previously has been treated as a variable in fitting the theory to the experimental data. We have made critical-field measurements on thin-film super-conductors and have simultaneously determined both parameters from an independent spin-polarized tunneling measurement, allowing for the first time a test of the theory with no adjustable parameters. A significant lack of agreement was found.
Nitric oxide from nitrite reduction by hemoglobin in the plasma and erythrocytes

Experimental evidence has shown that nitrite anion plays a key role in one of the proposed mechanisms for hypoxic vasodilation, in which the erythrocyte acts as a NO generator and deoxygenated hemoglobin in pre-capillary arterioles reduces nitrite to NO, which contributes to vascular smooth muscle relaxation. However, because of the complex reactions among nitrite, hemoglobin, and the NO that is formed, the amount of NO delivered by this mechanism under various conditions has not been quantified experimentally. Furthermore, paracrine NO is scavenged by cell-free hemoglobin, as shown by studies of diseases characterized by extensive hemolysis (e.g., sickle cell disease) and the administration of hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers. Taking into consideration the free access of cell-free hemoglobin to the vascular wall and its ability to act as a nitrite reductase, we have now examined the hypothesis that in hypoxia this cell-free hemoglobin could serve as an additional endocrine source of NO. In this study, we constructed a multicellular model to characterize the amount of NO delivered by the reaction of nitrite with both intraerythrocytic and cell-free hemoglobin, while intentionally neglecting all other possible sources of NO in the vasculature. We also examined the roles of hemoglobin molecules in each compartment as nitrite reductases and NO scavengers using the model. Our calculations show that: (1) approximately 0.04pM NO from erythrocytes could reach the smooth muscle if free diffusion were the sole export mechanism; however, this value could rise to approximately 43pM with a membrane-associated mechanism that facilitated NO release from erythrocytes; the results also strongly depend on the erythrocyte membrane permeability to NO; (2) despite the closer proximity of cell-free hemoglobin to the smooth muscle, cell-free hemoglobin reaction with nitrite generates approximately 0.02pM of free NO that can reach the vascular wall, because of a strong self-capture effect. However, it is worth noting that this value is in the same range as erythrocytic hemoglobin-generated NO that is able to diffuse freely out of the cell, despite the tremendous difference in hemoglobin concentration in both cases (microM hemoglobin in plasma vs. mM in erythrocyte); (3) intraerythrocytic hemoglobin encapsulated by a NO-resistant membrane is the major source of NO from nitrite reduction, and cell-free hemoglobin is a significant scavenger of both paracrine and endocrine NO.
Identification of fuzzy sets with a class of canonically induced random sets

Any random subset of a space X clearly determines the membership function of a fuzzy subset through its one point coverages. This paper shows, conversely, that any fuzzy subset A of X can always be identified with, in general, many random subsets S(A) of X with respect to one point coverages i.e., simultaneously, for all x ? X, ?A(x) = Pr(x?S(A)). In a related manner, it is shown that any fuzzy set can be uniformly closely approximated with respect to one point coverages by a random set having a finite number of outcomes. In particular, the canonical mapping SU, defined by A ? SU (A) =df ?A -1 ([U,1]), where A is any fuzzy subset of X and U is any uniformly distributed r.v. over [0, 1], produces such an identification. Moreover, SU is an isomorphism from the collection of all fuzzy subsets onto a proper subcollection of all random subsets of X, with respect to many of the basic fuzzy set operations and corresponding ordinary set operations among random sets. In addition, SU, among all possible mappings from the class of all fuzzy subsets of X into the class of all random subsets of X which preserve one point coverages, induces both the maximal lower probability measure and the minimal upper probability measure in Dempster's sense on P (X). Applications of the results to fuzzy attribute reasoning are presented, emphasizing the close connection between fuzzy and random confidence sets.
Multicenter pin care study.

Background Pin-site infection is a common complication of external fixation. Because few studies have compared methods of pin care that reduce infection rate, there is a need for evidence-based practice guidelines for pin-site care. Methods Two of 10 original clinical centers completed a prospective, randomized pin-care study between May 2000 and May 2002 to determine which of seven methods for caring for skeletal pins (external fixator, traction, or halo) resulted in the fewest pin-site infections. Results The 92 subjects had an average infection rate of 34%, and the 527 pins had a rate of 20%. Thirty patients (98 pins) had stage II infections, two patients (12 pins) had stage III infections, and none had deep infection or osteomyelitis. The protocols were (1) half-strength peroxide cleansing and gauze wraps (45%), (2) half-strength peroxide cleansing and Xeroform wraps (9%), (3) saline cleansing and gauze wraps (33%), (4) saline cleansing and Xeroform wraps (26%), (5) antibacterial soap-and-water cleansing and gauze (38%), (6) antibacterial soap-and-water cleansing and Xeroform gauze (50%), and (7) stable dressings with no pin cleansing (36%). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated significant inverse relationships (p = .05) between infection rate and age, as well as fixator type; the latter may be related to exposed threads. Conclusion Results suggest that other factors outside the realm of this study may affect children's pin-site infection rate and that half-strength peroxide and Xeroform dressings were superior to soap-and-water cleansing. This pilot study indicates a need for further research with a larger sample size and for exploring factors in a younger population.
Closed-loop control of a fragile network: application to seizure-like dynamics of an epilepsy model.

It has recently been proposed that the epileptic cortex is fragile in the sense that seizures manifest through small perturbations in the synaptic connections that render the entire cortical network unstable. Closed-loop therapy could therefore entail detecting when the network goes unstable from spike train measurements, and then stimulating with an exogenous current to stabilize the network. In his study, a nonlinear stochastic model of a neuronal network was used to simulate both seizure and non-seizure activity. In particular, synaptic weights between neurons were chosen such that the network's fixed point is stable during non-seizure periods, and a subset of these connections (the most fragile) were perturbed to make the same fixed point unstable to model seizure events; and, the model randomly transitions between these two modes. The goal of this study is to measure spike train observations from this epileptic network and then apply a feedback controller that will (i) detect when the network goes unstable, and then (ii) apply a state-feedback gain control input to the network to re-stabilize the network. The stability detector is based on a 2-state (stable, unstable) hidden Markov model (HMM) of the network, and detects the transition from the stable mode to the unstable mode from the firing rate of the most fragile node in the network (which is the output of the HMM). When the unstable mode is detected, a state-feedback gain is applied to generate a control input to the fragile node to bring the network back to the stable mode. Finally, when the network is detected as stable again, the feedback control input is switched off. High performance was achieved for the stability detector, and feedback controlled suppressed seizures within 2 seconds after onset.
Amyloid peptide toxicity and microtubule-stabilizing drugs.

Based on microtubule (MT) disruption observed in primary neurons exposed to fibrillar amyloid peptides (Aβ), we tested the potential protective effect of MT-stabilizing drugs such as Taxol® against Aβ-induced disruption of the cytoskeleton. Although Taxol® was strongly protective, the fact that it does not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) led us to synthesize and test other agents with MT-stabilizing properties and possible penetration into the brain. Our studies have thus far demonstrated that several MT-stabilizing agents, including some with structures quite different from that of Taxol®, showed significant protective effects. However, not all agents that promoted MT-assembly were protective, suggesting additional mechanisms are involved in the actions of the drugs. A small number of neuroprotective compounds appear to have potential to enter the brain and thus might be tested to see if they slow progression of neurodegeneration in an appropriate animal model of Alzheimer’s disease.
Credit ratings and long-term IPO performance

We examine the impact of credit ratings on long-term IPO pricing. Our findings suggest that the provision of credit ratings prior to IPO reduces information asymmetry and improves market efficiency. The increase in disclosure through credit ratings can reduce information risk and price discounts. IPOs with (without) credit ratings are less (more) underpriced and more positively (negatively) perceived by outside investors. The market reactions for rated IPOs are more immediate and more complete (as the result of improved transparency), while long-term performance is insignificant when information asymmetry is reduced.
A search for integrally charged quarks

Abstract A search has been conducted for Han-Nambu quarks with charge + | e |, using a Van de Graaff accelerator. The upper limit per proton for such quarks in ordinary hydrogen is less than 5×10 −16 for the mass region below 1.86 amu.
On the interpretation of H.F.S. in molecules in terms of molecular structure and nuclear moments

In cases where the effect of strongly penetratingp-valence electrons is important, such as in the halogens, it is possible to make a fairly good evaluation ofq. In the light elements, however, where the valence effects do not predominate, and in the elements with other than strongly penetratingp-valence electrons, such as the alkalis, effects such as close shell distortions become important and evaluation ofq is much more difficult.
Intrapleural therapy in empyema thoracis: a contemporary solution to an age-old problem?

p c a Infection within the pleural space has posed a management dilemma for physicians since the time of Hippocrates. Despite advances in medical treatment for pneumonia, the incidence of both complicated parapneumonic effusion and empyema is increasing in both the United States and the United Kingdom.1,2 The impact of the problem is significant; with up to one-third of patients progressing to surgical decortication and drainage and overall mortality ranging from 10%-20%.1,3 Complete drainage of the infection is the key management principle. Systemic antibiotic therapy and drainage of the pleural space via tube thoracostomy constitute first-line management, with surgical drainage reserved for those with complicated effusions, development of a pleural “peel or rind,” or uncontrolled pleural sepsis. Adjunctive administration of pleural fibrinolytic agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), through an indwelling thoracostomy tube has been well-described. The intent of treatment is to dissolve the fibrinous septa forming pleural loculation. Although several retrospective series reported improved therapeutic efficacy, the first randomized trial of this approach, the Multicenter Intrapleural Sepsis Trial (MIST1), showed no benefit to the addition of intrapleural streptokinase in this patient population.4 A subsequent meta-analysis assessing the use of intrapleural fibrinolytic agents also identified no benefit over traditional pleural drainage.5 These findings, coupled with increased experience with thoracoscopic techniques for decortication and pleural drainage, resulted in a shift toward early surgical management of patients with complicated effusions. In contrast to the poor success by using a single
NMR STUDIES OF CO.DEGLYCOBLEOMYCIN A2 GREEN AND ITS COMPLEX WITH D(CCAGGCCTGG)

NMR studies of the hydroperoxide form of cobalt deglycoBleomycin A2 (HOO−CodGBLM) and its complex with oligonucleotide d(CCAGGCCTGG) (1, C is the site of cleavage) are presented in an effort to establish deglycoBLM as a prototype for studies with BLM analogues, synthesized without the sugar moieties (Boger et al. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 1995, 3, 1281−1295). The structure determination of free HOO−CodGBLM has been hampered by the lack of NOE or ROE information. By direct comparison of the chemical shifts and coupling constants of HOO−CodGBLM with its glycosylated parent HOO−CoBLM, the former is shown to share many global structural features with the latter, including the nature of axial ligands (a point recently disputed by Caceres-Cortes et al. Eur. J. Biochem. 1997, 244, 818−828), the screw sense of metal-coordinating ligands, and the folding of the peptide linker region. The structure of HOO−CodGBLM bound to 1 is reported based on molecular modeling using NMR constraints (39 intermolecular and 44 intramolecu...
Detection of hazelnuts and almonds using commercial ELISA test kits

Three commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kits for the detection of hazelnuts and almonds were evaluated. Limits of detection and dynamic ranges were determined for hazelnuts and almonds spiked into cooked oatmeal, dipping chocolate, and muffins (baked). The limit of detection values varied from 1 to 38 μg/g, depending on the food matrix and ELISA test kit. Percent recoveries based on the standards supplied with the test kits varied from 10% to 170%. It is impossible to ascertain whether the percent recoveries reflect the performance of the ELISAs or differences between the protein content of the nuts used to spike the samples and the test kit standards. Unfortunately, reference materials do not exist that can be used to compare the results from different test kits and standardize the test kit standards. Also, insufficient knowledge regarding the epitope specificity of the antibodies used in the ELISAs further hinders interpretation of the results generated by the different test kits.
Observers' Perceptions of a Counselor's Treatment of a Religious Issue

How a counselor treats a client's religious beliefs may affect perceptions of the counselor. Participants (N =102) of either high or low Christian commitment rated a videotaped excerpt from counseling in which a client's religious belief was either supported, ignored, or challenged. Participants' religious beliefs did not affect participants' ratings of the counselor. Results suggested, however, that most college students expect counselors to support a client's religious beliefs or attend to psychological (rather than religious) beliefs rather than challenge a client's religious beliefs.
Effects of Smoking Cessation on Eight Urinary Tobacco Carcinogen and Toxicant Biomarkers

We determined the persistence at various times (3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, and 56 days) of eight tobacco smoke carcinogen and toxicant biomarkers in the urine of 17 smokers who stopped smoking. The biomarkers were 1-hydroxy-2-(N-acetylcysteinyl)-3-butene (1) and 1-(N-acetylcysteinyl)-2-hydroxy-3-butene (2) [collectively called MHBMA for monohydroxybutyl mercapturic acid] and 1,2-dihydroxy-4-(N-acetylcysteinyl)butane (3) [DHBMA for dihydroxybutyl mercapturic acid], metabolites of 1,3-butadiene; 1-(N-acetylcysteinyl)-propan-3-ol (4, HPMA for 3-hydroxypropyl mercapturic acid), a metabolite of acrolein; 2-(N-acetylcysteinyl)butan-4-ol (5, HBMA for 4-hydroxybut-2-yl mercapturic acid), a metabolite of crotonaldehyde; (N-acetylcysteinyl)benzene (6, SPMA for S-phenyl mercapturic acid), a metabolite of benzene; (N-acetylcysteinyl)ethanol (7, HEMA for 2-hydroxyethyl mercapturic acid), a metabolite of ethylene oxide; 1-hydroxypyrene (8) and its glucuronides (1-HOP), metabolites of pyrene; and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (9) and its glucuronides (total NNAL), a biomarker of exposure to 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK). These biomarkers represent some of the major carcinogens and toxicants in cigarette smoke: 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, benzene, ethylene oxide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and NNK. With the exception of DHBMA, levels of which did not change after cessation of smoking, all other biomarkers decreased significantly after 3 days of cessation (P < 0.001). The decreases in MHBMA, HPMA, HBMA, SPMA, and HEMA were rapid, nearly reaching their ultimate levels (81-91% reduction) after 3 days. The decrease in total NNAL was gradual, reaching 92% after 42 days, while reduction in 1-HOP was variable among subjects to about 50% of baseline. Since DHBMA did not change upon smoking cessation, there appear to be sources of this metabolite other than 1,3-butadiene. The results of this study demonstrate that the tobacco smoke carcinogen/toxicant biomarkers MHBMA, HPMA, HBMA, SPMA, HEMA, 1-HOP, and NNAL are related to smoking and are good indicators of the impact of smoking on human exposure to 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, crotonaldehyde, benzene, ethylene oxide, PAH, and NNK.
Testing model fit in longitudinal data analysis against alternatives with omitted covariates.

Several types of common model misspecifications can be re-formulated as problems of omitted covariates. These include situations with unmeasured confounders, measurement errors in observed covariates and informative censoring. Longitudinal data present special opportunities for detecting omitted covariates that are related to the observed ones differently across time than across individuals. This situation arises with period and cohort effects, as well as with usual formulations of classical measurement error in observed covariates. In this article we focus on testing for the existence of omitted covariates in longitudinal data analysis when models are fit by generalized estimation equations. When omitted covariates are present, specification of the correct link function conditionally on only observed covariates under the alternative usually involves complicated numerical integration. We propose a quasi-score test statistic that avoids the need to fit such alternative models. The statistic is asymptotically chi-square distributed under the null hypothesis of no omitted covariates with degrees of freedom determined by the assumed alternative structure. We study the significance level and the power of the quasi-score test in linear and logistic regression models. The test is then applied to an analysis of excessive daytime sleepiness.
When Zhong 忠 Does Not Mean "Loyalty"

One of the challenges of reading ancient Chinese philosophical texts is to recognize that certain keywords have attained significantly different senses in the more recent language, and to try to reconstruct, on the basis of contemporary documents, what these terms would have meant to classical audiences. One such term is zhong 忠, which is often mechanically translated as “loyalty.” Throughout the imperial period, and in many Eastern Zhou contexts, zhong did indeed mean something very similar to loyalty. However, simply plugging in the word “loyalty” every time one encounters zhong can lead to seriously incorrect translations, especially when dealing with texts from before the third century BCE. This article discusses a range of complex early meanings including “treating people right,” “being honest with oneself in dealing with others,” and “adjudicating a case fairly.” In addition, the relationship with zhong 中 is explored by means of a revealing Western Zhou bronze inscription.
A FORTRAN procedure for plotting two-dimensional barycentric simplicia

The results of much research, particularly in the behavioral sciences, is presented in the form of contingency tables, which, until the introduction of Snee's (1974) procedure for graphic display, had not lent themselves easily to graphical summary. Such summary is particularly appropriate when a significant difference between distributions is found. When a significant effect is observed in an R by C table, it then becomes of interest to determine which rows are producing the nonhomogeneity. Since each of the rows is a sample from a multinomial distribution, each observed frequency nij can be expressed as a proportion Pij of the total row frequency Ni . Each row can then be plotted as a point in a C 1 dimensional simplex. Points which cluster together indicate that the associated rows are homogeneous. The 100 (I a) confidence interval is approximated by the set of all points (ail' au ••• , ~d for which 2 2 2 Pi! Pi2· PiC (W ) -.+-+ •.. +~ + 1 ~l ~2 ai C Ni
Opposing mechanisms of regulation of a G-protein-coupled inward rectifier K+ channel in rat brain neurons.

Abstract In locus coeruleus neurons, substance P (SP) suppresses an inwardly rectifying K+ current via a pertussis toxin-insensitive guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein; GnonPTX), whereas somatostatin (SOM) or [Met]enkephalin (MENK) enhances it via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein (GPTX). The interaction of the SP and the SOM (or MENK) effects was studied in cultured locus coeruleus neurons. In neurons loaded with guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[gamma S]), application of SOM (or MENK) evoked a persistent increase in the inward rectifier K+ conductance. A subsequent application of SP suppressed this conductance to a level less than that before the SOM (or MENK) application; the final conductance level was independent of the magnitude of the SOM (or MENK) response. This suppression by SP was persistent, and a subsequent SOM (or MENK) application did not reverse it. When SP was applied to GTP[gamma S]-loaded cells first, subsequent SOM elicited only a small response. In GTP-loaded neurons, application of SP temporarily suppressed the subsequent SOM- (or MENK)-induced conductance increase. These results suggest that the same inward rectifier molecule that responds to an opening signal from GPTX also responds to a closing signal from GnonPTX. The closing signal is stronger than the opening signal.
Theoretical estimation of the temperature dependence of backscattered ultrasonic power for noninvasive thermometry

Abstract The backscattered signal received from an insonified volume of tissue depends on tissue properties, such as attenuation, velocity, density, and backscatter coefficient and on the characteristics of the transducer at the insonified volume. Analysis of scattering in response to a burst of insonification showed that the temperature dependence of backscattered power was dominated by the effect of temperature on the backscatter coefficient. The temperature dependence of attenuation had a small effect on backscattered power. Backscattered power was independent of effects of temperature on velocity. These results were seen in the analysis of two types of inhomogeneity: 1) an aqueous scatterer in a water-based medium and 2) a lipid-based scatterer in the same water-based medium. The temperature dependence of the backscatter coefficient was inferred assuming that the backscatter coefficient was proportional to the scattering crosssection of a small scatterer. Backscattered power increased nearly logarithmically with temperature over the range from 37° to 50°C. Our model predicted a change of 5 dB for the lipid scatterer and a change of up to 3 db for the aqueous-based scatterer over that temperature range. For situations in which temperature dependence of the backscattered power can be calibrated, it may be possible to use the backscattered power level to track temperature distributions in tissue.
Cost comparison of surgery vs organ preservation for laryngeal cancer.

Objective To perform a cost minimization analysis of total laryngectomy with postoperative radiotherapy vs induction chemotherapy with subsequent radiotherapy in patients with advanced (stage III or IV) squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx. Design Decision-analysis model using data from peer-reviewed trials, case series, meta-analyses, and Medicare diagnosis related group reimbursement rates. Setting and Patients A hypothetical cohort of patients with stage III or IV laryngeal cancer. The perspective is that of a health care payer. Interventions The hypothetical patient cohort could receive (1) surgery (total laryngectomy) with postoperative radiotherapy or (2) induction chemotherapy (fluorouracil and cisplatin) with radiotherapy followed by salvage surgery for patients failing to respond to chemotherapy. Main Outcome Measure Overall difference in direct medical costs in 2003 US dollars between the 2 treatment arms from initiation to completion of treatment. Results In the baseline analysis, the direct medical costs for the surgical arm were $30 138 per patient. For the organ preservation arm, the direct medical costs were $33 052 per patient. The finding that the surgical arm costs were lower was robust to all sensitivity analyses except for the extreme low estimate for the cost of chemotherapy. Conclusions Our results suggest that total laryngectomy with postoperative radiotherapy costs nearly $3000 less than organ preservation treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer. Given that survival appears equivalent between the 2 modalities, cost consideration and patient preference may be important factors in decision making for the treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer.
Effects of inhalational anesthetics on α2-adrenergic signaling in isolated platelets

(1) The hypothesis that inhalational anesthetics affect G-protein linked α 2 adrenergic signaling pathway was investigated using human platelets as a model system. (2) α 2 receptor stimulation by UK-14304, a potent and selective agonist, inhibits cAMP production induced by prostaglandin I 2 (PGI 2 ). (3) Brief stimulation (30 s) with PGI 2 raised cAMP levels in platelets by 25-fold: UK-14304 suppressed the PGI 2 stimulus by 80%. (4) Halothane at fractional minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) through super physiological levels (16 MAC) had no effect on basal or prostacyclin stimulated levels of cAMP, nor did it have any effect on the inhibition of cAMP production by UK-14304. Moreover, isoflurane, enflurane and sevoflurane had no significant effect on cAMP production at 1.5 or 8 MAC. The results suggest α 2 and PGI 2 signaling pathways are not sensitive to volatile anesthetics including the α 2 or PGI 2 receptor/G-protein complex. G-protein/adenylyl cyclase complex and adenylyl cyclase itself. (5) The possibility that halothane and related anesthetics act more distally in the pathway, on cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), was investigated by measuring the phosphorylation pattern of endogenous platelet proteins by PKA. (6) An increase in the [ 32 P]phosphate incorporation was observed in platelets exposed to either, low doses of PGI 2 or isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX). Halothane, isoflurane, enflurane or sevoflurane further increased the level of [ 32 P]-incorporation. The apparent increase in PKA activity suggests that at least in platelets. volatile anesthetics activate PKA-dependent pathways which should antagonize α 2 adrenergic signaling.
Understanding consultants' information-seeking practices: knowledge management's touchpoint

This note reports on preliminary findings from a study of consultants' information-seeking practices in a global IT services company. We conducted semi-structured interviews with consultants in addition to observing their interactions with a knowledge repository in the course of everyday problem-solving events. Initial analyses suggest that consultants interacted with the knowledge repository with very instrumental ends in mind, looking for information that resembled more tidbits than knowledge. Time was also an important constraint--search was rarely approached without a perceived time cost. Though deeper analysis is pending, our data points to broader implications for the design of knowledge repositories, designers' and scholars' conceptualizations of them, and subsequently, approaches to studying them. We end with a discussion of next steps toward developing this work more fully.
Support Culturally Responsive Teaching

This was Haamed's first year in the school, after recently moving with his family from South Africa to the United States. Every morning, Haamed would walk into the classroom and stop at Mrs. Stout'...
Symposium on the Monetary Transmission Mechanism

Understanding of monetary transmission mechanisms is crucial to answering a broad range of questions. These transmission mechanisms include interest-rate effects, exchange-rate effects, other asset price effects, and the so-called credit channel. This introduction to the symposium provides an overview of the main types of monetary transmission mechanisms found in the literature and a perspective on how the papers in the symposium relate to the overall literature and to each other.
Distribution of siphonophores, chaetognaths, euphausiids and oceanographic conditions in the fjords and channels of southern Chile

Abstract Interior waters of the fjords and channels of southern Chile (41.5°S–56°S) receive inputs of Subantarctic Water, Equatorial Subsuperficial Water and Western Pacific Subsurface Water from the adjacent Pacific Ocean by means of numerous connecting channels that lead inward from the ocean margin. These waters become mixed in the interior zone with freshwater from precipitation, river flow, and meltwater from cordilleran glaciers. A two-layered positive estuarine circulation becomes established, with a superficial layer having a net movement towards the adjacent ocean, and a deep layer with net movement towards the fjords. The biomass of the interior waters is composed principally of planktonic crustaceans (copepods and euphausiids), chaetognaths, and gelatinous carnivores. In a southerly direction, decreases are observed in biomass, in relative abundance, and in species diversity of siphonophores, chaetognaths, and euphausiids. Only a few species have been able to adapt successfully to the extreme oceanographic conditions typical of the region, reflected in dominant monospecific populations such as Muggiaea atlantica, Sagitta tasmanica, and Euphausia vallentini. The zooplankton fauna of interior waters, characterized by its low degree of specific richness, is made up of a mixture of species typical of Subantarctic Water (Sagitta tasmanica, S. decipiens, Euphausia lucens, Nematoscelis megalops, Thysanoessa gregaria), antarctic water (Pyrosthephos vanhoeffeni, Dimophyes arctica, Sagitta marri, S. gazellae, Eukrohnia hamata, E. bathyantarctica, Euphausia vallentini), temperate and warm epipelagic waters (Eudoxoides spiralis, Lensia conoidea, Chelophyes appendiculata, Muggiaea atlantica, Sphaeronectes gracilis, S. fragilis, Abylopsis tetragona, Sagitta enflata), and mesopelagic water (Physophora hydrostatica, Stylocheiron maximum, Vogtia pentacantha, V. serrata).