cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Relation of Firm Market Values with Book Values and Residual Accounting Earnings in Six Asian Countries

We examine the relation between stock prices and accounting numbers across six Asian countries: Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand. Accounting practice in the six countries differs in faithfulness to clean surplus accounting and in bias (conservatism). We address two questions. First, are there systematic differences across the countries in the value relevance of accounting? Second, are there systematic differences in the incremental and relative information content of book values and abnormal (residual) earnings per share (REPS) across the countries? We also examine whether differences are related to accounting differences. We find differences across the six countries in the value relevance of accounting numbers. Explanatory power for Taiwan and Malaysia is relatively low while that for Korea and the Philippines is relatively high. Second, we find book value to have high explanatory power in the Philippines and Korea but little in Taiwan. REPS had less explanatory power than book value (and less than EPS) in all six countries.
1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins.

Publisher Summary Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a powerful, nondestructive means to characterize glycoprotein carbohydrates structurally, and has become an integral part of the current methodology of protein glycosylation site mapping. This chapter discusses 1 H NMR spectroscopy as a method for the characterization of the primary structure of N-type and O-type oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins. The practical aspects of the method, including sample preparation, recording a spectrum (data acquisition), and data processing are emphasized. The usefulness of the structural reporter group concept for interpretation of the 1 H NMR spectrum of a carbohydrate in terms of its primary structure is outlined. The chapter illustrates the application of 1 H NMR spectroscopy for the structural elucidation of the carbohydrate chains of human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and of recombinant human erythropoietin (rEPO) expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. The most important advantage of NMR spectroscopy over other techniques used for structural analysis of carbohydrates is its nondestructive nature. The oligosaccharide/glycopeptide sample, after NMR analysis, can be recovered 100% unimpaired and used for other analyses, and biological activity tests. Also, mixtures of components with closely related structures can be analyzed successfully.
Differential activation and inhibition of RhoA by fluid flow induced shear stress in chondrocytes.

Physical force environment is a major factor that influences cellular homeostasis and remodelling. It is not well understood, however, as a potential role of force intensities in the induction of cellular mechanotransduction. Using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based approach, we asked whether activities of GTPase RhoA in chondrocytes are dependent on intensities of flow-induced shear stress. We hypothesized that RhoA activities can be either elevated or reduced by selecting different levels of shear-stress intensities. The result indicates that C28/I2 chondrocytes have increased RhoA activities in response to high shear stress (10 or 20 dyn/cm(2) ), whereas a decrease in activity was seen with an intermediate shear stress of 5 dyn/cm(2) . No changes were seen under low shear stress (2 dyn/cm(2) ). The observed two-level switch of RhoA activities is closely linked to the shear-stress-induced alterations in actin cytoskeleton and traction forces. In the presence of constitutively active RhoA (RhoA-V14), intermediate shear stress suppressed RhoA activities, while high shear stress failed to activate them. In chondrocytes, expression of various metalloproteinases is, in part, regulated by shear and normal stresses through a network of GTPases. Collectively, the data suggest that intensities of shear stress are critical in differential activation and inhibition of RhoA activities in chondrocytes.
Household Migration, Remittances, and Its Impact on Health in Indonesia

The growing flow of migrants’ remittances has generated much interest in understanding the socio-economic consequences of household migration for individuals and families in migrant-sending areas. In this paper, I examine the effect of household migration on health status, as measured by nutritional status, of adults who have remained behind in rural Indonesia, a setting with a high rate of out-migration and poor nutritional profiles. Assuming that remittances may improve household economic resources and thus change dietary intake and health-related investment, household migration may be associated with the risks of both undernutrition and overnutrition. The analyses use longitudinal data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey and fixed-effect regressions. The results show that adults in emigrant households were significantly less susceptible to being underweight than those in non-migrant households, but that they did not have an increased risk of being overweight. The improved nutritional status was restricted to people in households with labour migrants, highlighting the role of remittances in improving nutritional intake. The health gain was also concentrated among women, increased with the number of out-migrants and was revealed over time as remittances arrived. Overall, this study demonstrates the beneficial role of household migration, and especially the resulting remittances, in the health status of household members in resource-constrained settings. Improving transfers of remittances would be helpful in reducing the problem of undernutrition in poor migrant-sending areas.
Cancer Survivors' Use of Fertility Preservation

Abstract Background: Some cancer diagnoses and treatments can place patients at risk for infertility. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends that health care providers address the possibility of infertility with cancer patients who are treated during their reproductive years; however, research suggests that many providers do not disclose the risk of infertility to their patients. This study examines adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer survivors' use of and costs for fertility preservation (FP) over time. Methods: The study included 550 AYA cancer survivors diagnosed at the ages of 15 and 39 years between 2006 and 2012. Logistic regression analyses and chi-squared tests were conducted to identify factors associated with FP use, barriers, and expenses. Results: One hundred eighty two (33%) of the AYA survivors took steps to preserve their fertility. Men, survivors who did not have children, those who received chemotherapy, and those who lived in the Northeast (vs. the South) were more likely t...
Fixation of phalangeal fractures

The indications and methods for operative treatment of phalangeal fractures are reviewed. Included are descriptions with examples of closed reduction and percutaneous pin fixation, percutaneous reduction and percutaneous fixation, open reduction and internal fixation, and static and dynamic external fixation. Also included are tips for facilitating phalangeal fixation and a description of potential complications.
Solar wind control of auroral Alfvénic power generated in the magnetotail

The effects of solar wind driving conditions on the polar distribution of large-scale, nondispersive Alfvenic Poynting flux at low altitude during steady magnetosphere convections are studied using three-dimensional global simulations of the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere interaction. Results from 18 test simulations driven by steady upstream solar wind (SW) and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions are used to investigate the relationship between SW/IMF driving and low-altitude signatures of large-scale Alfvenic Poynting flux. When the IMF is southward, the intensity of the Alfvenic Poynting flux increases, and the hemispheric integrated Alfvenic Poynting flux exhibits a linear relation with the SW electric field. When the IMF has a By component, the simulated hemispheric Alfvenic power does not fit to the same linear relation. During steady IMF By driving conditions, the low-altitude regions with enhanced Alfvenic Poynting flux are magnetically connected with magnetospheric dynamo regions on both open and closed field lines. The physical origin of low-altitude Alfvenic Poynting flux connecting to the closed field line region is similar with that during southward IMF Bz driving. However, the Alfvenic Poynting flux flowing from the open field line dynamo region may be related to the physical process on the magnetopause, and only shear-mode waves are generated.
Emergency medical services dispatcher identification of stroke and transient ischemic attack

Objective. Certain forms of stroke can be treated if access to medical care is expeditious. Since many stroke victims first enter medical care through emergency medical services (EMS) access, minimizing delays in the EMS system may translate to improved neurologic outcome. Because EMS dispatchers determine the response priority for these calls, dispatchers should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of stroke based on their brief phone interviews. The authors studied the abilities of dispatchers in a major urban area to correctly identify stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in victims who access 911 and describe what is communicated in the 911 call. Methods. A retrospective review was conducted of the medical records of patients treated for stroke or TIA at two urban hospitals during 1996. The tape-recorded 911 calls from patients using EMS were transcribed and analyzed. Information regarding dispatcher classification and triage of these calls was collected and described. Results. The record...
An evaluation of metallized propellants based on vehicle performance

An analytical study was conducted to determine the improvements in vehicle performance possible by burning metals with conventional liquid bipropellants. These metallized propellants theoretically offer higher specific impulse, increased propellant density and improved vehicle performance compared with conventional liquid bipropellants. Metals considered were beryllium, lithium, aluminum and iron. Liquid bipropellants were H2/O2, N2H4/N2O4, RP-1/O2 and H2/F2. A mission with a delta V = 4267.2 m/sec (14,000 ft/sec) and vehicle with propellant volume fixed at 56.63 cu m (2000 cu ft) and dry mass fixed at 2761.6 kg (6000 lb) was used, roughly representing the transfer of a chemically propelled upper-stage vehicle from a low-Earth orbit to a geosynchronous orbit. The results of thermochemical calculations and mission analysis calculations for bipropellants metallized with beryllium, lithium, aluminum and iron are presented. Technology issues pertinent to metallized propellants are discussed.
(The Feeling of) Meaning-as-Information:

The desire for meaning is recognized as a central human motive. Yet, knowing that people want meaning does not explain its function. What adaptive problem does this experience solve? Drawing on the feelings-as-information hypothesis, we propose that the feeling of meaning provides information about the presence of reliable patterns and coherence in the environment, information that is not provided by affect. We review research demonstrating that manipulations of stimulus coherence influence subjective reports of meaning in life but not affect. We demonstrate that manipulations that foster an associative mindset enhance meaning. The meaning-as-information perspective embeds meaning in a network of foundational functions including associative learning, perception, cognition, and neural processing. This approach challenges assumptions about meaning, including its motivational appeal, the roles of expectancies and novelty in this experience, and the notion that meaning is inherently constructed. Implications ...
Atrazine induced species-specific alterations in the subcellular content of microalgal cells

Physiological effects of the commonly used herbicide atrazine were examined by quantifying changes in carbon allocation into macromolecular pools (low molecular weight (LMW) molecules, lipids, polysaccharides, and proteins) of five microalgal species. Despite decreased growth rate in all test populations, total carbon uptake per cell varied among species. Specifically, total carbon uptake per cell was unaffected in Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Isochrysis galbana; increased in Synechococcus sp.; and decreased in Dunaliella tertiolecta and Phaeodactylum tricornutum. In the chlorophytes, P. subcapitata and D. tertiolecta, carbon allocation into LMW molecules increased while carbon allocation into protein decreased. D. tertiolecta also increased carbon allocation into lipids and polysaccharides at the highest atrazine treatment. In the cyanobacterium, Synechococcus sp., carbon allocation into LMW molecules decreased and carbon allocation into protein increased. The diatom, P. tricornutum, had decreased carbon allocation into protein at the highest atrazine concentration tested. No significant macromolecular changes were found in the prymnesiophyte, I. galbana. Alterations in the macromolecular composition of microalgal species may negatively affect higher trophic levels, as nutritionally altered algal cells may have a reduced energy per mass uptake for consumers.
Desktop data management and security

Effectively managing end user data on desktops and laptops in Higher Education is probably the most difficult task faced by IT managers. It is relatively easy for centralized computing services to lock down and backup servers and regulate access to data for administrative computing but how do you effectively regulate and secure sensitive data that is created, downloaded and used on a desktop or laptop? How do we ensure that user data is backed up on a regular basis and easily accessible? How do you establish and enforce policies and guidelines for backing up and securing data on desktops? This paper will explore and discuss the issues and problems faced by Colleges and Universities in relation to managing and securing data on user desktops and laptops as well as explore the most effective way to create and enforce desktop computing guidelines and policies.
Isopycnometric Serology: a New Technique based on Buoyant Density Changes in Latex Beads

WE wish to describe new serological techniques based on changes in buoyant density occurring when antibodies, or antigens, or both, are attached to latex beads. For the density change to be observed, the mass of the attached particles must be an appreciable fraction of the total mass. Using very small carrier beads less than one hundred antibody molecules or one virus particle per bead can be detected. The speed and sensitivity of the method make it directly applicable to the clinically important problem of rapid identification of infectious agents.
The influence of disbond defects on Lamb wave testing in GLARE composites

In this paper, the influence of disbonds on Lamb wave propagation in GLARE composites is described. Guided Lamb waves were launched and detected with Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) comb transducers. Disbond defects were introduced with ball drop test to study their influence on the Lamb wave signals. The amplitudes of the detected Lamb wave signals show distinct differences with and without disbonds, which can be used to monitor the disbond growth. In addition, a thermal imaging technique was applied to inspect the disbond region so as to cross-correlate the disbond size with its influence on the Lamb wave signals measured by the PVDF sensors. It is demonstrated that the amplitudes of the A o mode Lamb wave decrease exponentially with increasing disbond size.
Helitrons: Enigmatic abductors and mobilizers of host genome sequences

Abstract Helitrons are a recently discovered superfamily of eukaryotic transposable elements. They are known for their ability to capture and mobilize gene fragments and, in turn, significantly contribute to the lack of gene colinearity widely reported among different maize inbred lines. As judged by present evidence, Helitrons differ fundamentally from Class I and Class II families of transposable elements in both structure and the mechanism of transposition. These elements are poorly understood despite their massive abundance, their structural diversity and the important role they apparently play in the evolution of maize genome. Although evidence for recent Helitron movement has been reported in maize, autonomous Helitron activity has not been reported. Helitrons are postulated to transpose via a so-called rolling circle (RC) mechanism involving strand replacement catalyzed by helicase and replicase enzymes encoded by an autonomous element. However, no experimental evidence in support of this hypothesis has been reported. Several models for gene piece capture have been proposed based on the structural features of Helitrons and the comparison of captured gene fragments of related elements. However no supporting evidence is extant for any of the models proposed. A better understanding of these elements requires concrete evidence of their transposition in the present day genome, establishment of a system to assay their transposition and an analysis of additional indigenous Helitrons in other species. This review critically analyses the proposed mechanisms of Helitron transposition, their impact on genome evolution and the process by which these enigmatic elements capture and multiply host genes.
Effects of Heat and Salinity Stress on the Sponge Cliona Celata

Ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are predicted to increase by 2oC by 2050, and over the next 100 years, global warming is expected to cause additional increases by as much as 2oC to 4oC. In this study, pigment concentrations were used to determine the effects of temperature and salinity stress on the sponge Cliona celata. Pigments extracted from sponge tissue were analyzed using HPLC; no significant losses in pigments occurred at temperatures of 18oC, 25oC, 31oC, and 33oC and practical salinities of 22, 32, and 42, indicating a high threshold to thermal and salinity stresses. Further, we report for the first time the existence of this species in the jetties of Texas, representing a new range in habitat. These sponges may become more dominant in reef habitats and may rapidly colonize new locations as corals worldwide suffer from bleaching.
Non-water-stressed baselines for calculating crop water stress index (CWSI) for alfalfa and tall fescue grass

The lack of transferability of the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) baselines, together with the restriction of having to make required measurements close to noon and under clear-sky conditions, are major drawbacks that restrict the use of the empirical CWSI method for irrigation scheduling. The objectives of this study were to: (1) evaluate the effect of solar radiation (Rs) on the non-water-stressed baselines (NWSBs) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and tall fescue grass (Festuca arundinacea), and (2) develop empirical equations to estimate their NWSBs, which could be applied at any time during the daytime cycle and under conditions of full canopy cover. A Bowen ratio system was used to measure 20 min averages of radiometric surface temperature, air temperature (Ta), wind speed (u2), dew point, and Rs over the two crop canopies during the 1991 growing season at Kimberly, Idaho. Using this dataset, empirical NWSBs for different Rs ranges were derived, which tended to diverge from each other as vapor pressure deficit (VPD) increased, indicating that Rs considerably affected the baselines and that its effect was more pronounced as the air got drier. Multiple regression analysis was also used to develop equations to estimate the NWSBs for the entire daytime cycle and specifically for the near-noon period. For alfalfa, the equation derived for the entire daytime cycle estimated the NWSBs as a function of Rs, VPD, Ta, u2, and plant canopy height (h) (r2 = 0.89). For grass, the equation only included Rs, VPD, Ta, and u2 (r2 = 0.89). For alfalfa, the near-noon equation included Rs, VPD, Ta, u2, and h (r2 = 0.92). For grass, on the other hand, Ta and h were not statistically significant, and the near-noon equation only included VPD, Rs, and u2 (r2 = 0.94). Since all variables that significantly affected the NWSBs for these crops were included in the equations, we expect them to be transferable to other locations; however, additional testing at other locations is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Stretching vibrations of benzene in the algebraic model

Abstract We introduce an algebraic model of coupled anharmonic oscillators capable of describing the complete spectrum and intensities of X-Y stretching vibrations of medium size and large polyatomic molecules. We apply this model to the calculation of CH and CD stretches of C 6 H 6 and C 6 D 6 . The model appears to describe the data accurately.
Cloning of a yeast 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase reveals the existence of a base-excision DNA-repair protein superfamily

Abstract Background Reactive oxygen species, ionizing radiation, and other free radical generators initiate the conversion of guanine (G) residues in DNA to 8-oxoguanine ( O G), which is highly mutagenic as it preferentially mispairs with adenine (A) during replication. Bacteria counter this threat with a multicomponent system that excises the lesion, corrects O G:A mispairs and cleanses the nucleotide precursor pool of d O GTP. Although biochemical evidence has suggested the existence of base-excision DNA repair proteins specific for O G in eukaryotes, little is known about these proteins. Results Using substrate-mimetic affinity chromatography followed by a mechanism-based covalent trapping procedure, we have isolated a base-excision DNA repair protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae that processes O G opposite cytosine ( O G:C) but acts only weakly on O G:A. A search of the yeast genome database using peptide sequences from the protein identified a gene, OGG1 , encoding a predicted 43 kDa (376 amino acid) protein, identical to one identified independently by complementation cloning. Ogg1 has O G:C-specific base-excision DNA repair activity and also intrinsic β -lyase activity, which proceeds through a Schiff base intermediate. Targeted disruption of the OGG1 gene in yeast revealed a second O G glycosylase/lyase protein, tentatively named Ogg2, which differs from Ogg1 in that it preferentially acts on O G:G. Conclusions S. cerevisiae has two O G-specific glycosylase/lyases, which differ significantly in their preference for the base opposite the lesion. We suggest that one of these, Ogg1, is closely related in overall three-dimensional structure to Escherichia coli endonuclease III (endo III), a glycosylase/lyase that acts on fragmented and oxidatively damaged pyrimidines. We have recently shown that AlkA, a monofunctional DNA glycosylase that acts on alkylated bases, is structurally homologous to endo III. We have now identified a shared active site motif amongst these three proteins. Using this motif as a protein database searching tool, we find that it is present in a number of other base-excision DNA repair proteins that process diverse lesions. Thus, we propose the existence of a DNA glycosylase superfamily, members of which possess a common fold yet act upon remarkably diverse lesions, ranging from UV photoadducts to mismatches to alkylated or oxidized bases.
Historical Open Forest Ecosystems in the Missouri Ozarks: Reconstruction and Restoration Targets

Current forests no longer resemble historical open forest ecosystems in the eastern United States. In the absence of representative forest ecosystems under a continuous surface fire regime at a large scale, reconstruction of historical landscapes can provide a reference for restoration efforts. For initial expert-assigned vegetation phases ranging from prairie to forest across the Missouri Ozarks landscape, we reconstructed historical (1815 to 1850) forest densities, basal area, percent stocking or growing space, and canopy cover. After examination of structural means and ranges by initial expected vegetation phases, we classified vegetation phases based on percent stocking boundaries of 30-55% for open woodlands and 55-75% for closed woodlands (diameters = 12.7 cm). We suggest that a percent stocking boundary of 10% may separate prairie and savannas, but we did not identify any large scale prairies in Missouri. We provided structure of each vegetation phase for restoration targets; mean historical densities of vegetation phases ranged from 81 trees/ha in savannas to 285 trees/ha in non-oak/non-pine forests (diameters = 12.7 cm). Due to greater densities than expected and larger diameter trees than current forests, historical forests may have been primarily (about 65%) woodlands with nearly closed canopies, unlike the open canopies presumed during settlement in the Missouri Ozarks. However, a closed yet single canopy layer can transmit enough light to sustain an herbaceous ground cover, given an open midstory due to frequent surface fires. Restoration of open woodlands across all public lands is not practical, but restoration of lower density forests composed of drought-tolerant tree species should translate to management for changing climate.
Role of cardiac evaluation before thoracic endovascular aortic repair

Background Patients with thoracic aortic disease undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) often have concomitant coronary artery disease and are at risk for perioperative adverse cardiac events. Despite this risk, the need for and extent of preoperative cardiac workup before TEVAR remain undefined. This study seeks to assess the adequacy of a limited cardiac evaluation before TEVAR, including assessment of cardiac symptoms, resting electrocardiography (ECG), and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), as well as to estimate the incidence of perioperative cardiac events in patients undergoing TEVAR. Methods Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained Institutional Review Board-approved database was performed for all patients undergoing TEVAR at a single referral institution between May 2002 and June 2013. The analysis identified 463 TEVAR procedures. All procedures involving median sternotomy were excluded, and 380 procedures (343 patients) were included in the final analysis. Degree of cardiac workup was classified on the basis of the highest level of preoperative testing: no workup, resting ECG only, resting TTE, exercise/pharmacologic stress testing, or coronary angiography. Standard workup consisted of cardiac symptom assessment along with resting ECG or TTE, with further workup indicated for unstable symptoms, significantly abnormal findings on ECG or TTE, or multiple cardiac risk factors. Categorical and continuous variables were compared by Fisher's exact test and analysis of variance, respectively. Results No preoperative cardiac workup was performed for 28 patients (7.4%); 127 patients (33.4%) had resting ECG only, 208 patients (54.7%) had resting echocardiography, 12 patients (3.2%) underwent stress testing, and five patients (1.3%) had coronary angiography. Patients undergoing stress testing or coronary angiography were older and had a higher incidence of known coronary artery disease ( P P = .01). Complex hybrid aortic repairs and TEVAR for aneurysmal disease were more likely to have an extensive workup, whereas nonelective procedures more commonly had no workup. A total of nine patients (2.4%) experienced a perioperative cardiac event (myocardial infarction or cardiac arrest), with no significant difference noted among all groups ( P = .45), suggesting that the extent of cardiac workup was appropriate. The incidence of 30-day/in-hospital mortality (5.5%) and cardiac-specific mortality (0.8%) was similar among all groups. Conclusions The risk of a postoperative cardiac event after TEVAR is low (2.4%), and initial screening with either resting TTE or ECG, in addition to assessment of cardiac symptom status, appears adequate for most TEVAR patients. As such, we recommend resting TTE or ECG as the initial cardiovascular screening mechanism in patients undergoing TEVAR, with subsequent more invasive studies if initial screening reveals cardiovascular abnormalities.
Predisposing risk factors for non-contact ACL injuries in military subjects.

The goal of this study was to document the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and possible risk factors for these injuries in a large population of young, athletic subjects. The authors retrospectively reviewed the US Naval Academy’s database of midshipmen admitted in 1999 and 2000 (n = 2,345) and prospectively followed until graduation 4 years later or disenrollment. Excluded were 658 who had a history of preadmission ACL injury or surgery, those without initial radiographs or documented baseline height and weight, or those who had documented contact ACL injuries. Therefore, 1,687 subjects comprised the study group. Standard radiographic measurements, including condylar width, notch width, and femoral notch width index (notch width divided by condyle width), were obtained for all subjects. Statistical analyses were used to determine differences between injured and uninjured subjects. The overall incidence of non-contact ACL injury was 2.9% (37 men, 12 women). The average BMI was 25.6 and 24.4 kg/m2 for the injured and uninjured groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Although femoral notch width alone was not associated with non-contact ACL injuries, subjects with higher than average BMI in combination with narrow notch width were at significant risk for ACL injury (P = 0.021). Elevated BMI combined with narrow notch width may predispose young athletes to non-contact ACL injury. Retrospective comparative study, Level III.
The characterization of magnesium oxide surfaces prepared by electron beam cleavage

Abstract The surface of freshly electron beam cleaved MgO was analyzed by in situ gold decoration experiments. The depositions were performed under controlled vacuum, temperature and supersaturation conditions. Particular attention was directed to the influence of ion and electron irradiation of the substrate surface prior to the depositions. Several significant results were obtained. The decoration behavior on electron beam cleaved (001)MgO is substantially different from published data obtained on mechanically cleaved (001)MgO surfaces. The differences are believed to be due to the extreme temperature conditions during the electron beam cleavage process. No such unusual behavior was found for the (111)-oriented MgO surfaces which are also generated during the electron beam cleavage process. Furthermore, the MgO surface is noticeably susceptible to electron irradiation damage under normal transmission electron microscope imaging conditions, and very small doses of noble gas ion bombardment induce strong structural surface damage which annihilates the differences in nucleation behavior between (100) and (111) substrate areas.
Degeneracy effects on semiconductor surfaces

Abstract Two types of degeneracy effects are discussed in this paper. In the first case, degenerate surfaces on degenerate bulk semiconducting materials are reviewed. It is pointed out that epitaxic thin films are a prerequisite for any reasonable study of this type of substance. Recent work on degenerate lead chalcogenide films have illustrated the need for epitaxic films. The results show that the scattering at the surface is quite specular. Extremely high surface charge densities were generated by oxygen adsorption. It was found that coulombic interactions caused spreading of the surface state levels comparable to the band gap of the semiconductors. A model based on an oxide with high defect densities of ionized oxygen appears more reasonable. In the second case, a degenerate layer is formed on a nondegenerate bulk by means of an external electric field in a metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) structure. At low temperatures, an n-type inversion layer formed on a (100) p-type silicon MOSFET behaves like a two-dimensional electron gas as shown by Fowler, Fang, Howard and Stiles using Schubnikov-de Hass osculations. Recently, an oscillatory behavior was observed in the gate voltage dependence of the capacitance of a MOSFET in a high magnetic field (> 50 kOe). Potential utility of these measurements is discussed.
Mechanical Responses of the Rabbit Patello-Femoral Joint to Blunt Impact

Various studies suggest impact trauma may initially soften cartilage, damage subchondral bone, or a combination thereof. The initial damages are commonly thought due to excessive contact pressure generated on cartilage and the underlying bone. The objective of this research was to develop a small animal model for studying post-traumatic OA and to correlate contact pressure with tissue damage. Blunt insult was graded by dropping a rigid mass onto the hyperflexed hind limb of rabbits. Contact pressure in the patello-femoral joint was measured with pressure sensitive film. One, 3, 6, and 14 days later the animals were euthanized. Damage to cartilage and the underlying bone was assessed visually and in microscopic sections. Indentation experiments were performed on the patellar cartilage with a rigid, flat probe. Contact pressures were nonuniform over the articular surfaces and a high frequency of surface fissures were generated on the lateral facet in severe insults. The appearance of surface fissures correlated better with the magnitude of contact pressure gradients in the damage zone than the magnitude of contact pressures on the facet, per se. Blunt trauma causing surface fissures resulted in a measurable degree of softening in the patellar cartilage, especially close to the defects. Surgical intervention of the joint to insert pressure sensitive film, however, also resulted in significant softening of the cartilage.
Fine-scale anisotropy of the cosmic γ-ray background to identify the underlying generation process

Abstract The study of the intrinsic anisotropies of the extragalactic γ-ray background is of cosmological importance. As the first step to investigate the anisotropies, we introduce new evolution results of the active galaxies, and calculate the fine-scale anisotropy due to the possible contribution from the active galactic nuclei (AGN) model. By use of Monte Carlo simulations, we discuss the fine-scale fluctuation patterns, and propose that these patterns or anisotropies form a unique test for the AGN generation mechanism. We also suggest that the best energy range to test the AGN model is Eo ∼ 10 MeV.
The relationship of the Allen Cognitive Level Test to demographics, diagnosis, and disposition among psychiatric inpatients.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationship of the Allen Cognitive Level Test (ACL) to demographics, diagnosis, and disposition after hospitalization among persons with psychiatric disorders. METHOD Data were retrospectively collected from medical records, including initial occupational therapy evaluation notes, on 62 female and 38 male patients consecutively admitted to an urban, acute psychiatric inpatient unit. Collected was information on demographics, diagnosis, mental and physical health history, initial ACL scores, role involvement, and discharge living situation (DLS). RESULTS Patients with higher initial ACL scores were more likely to be younger, to have lived independently before admission, to have been given nonpsychotic diagnoses, and to have been suicidal before admission. Although DLS was most strongly correlated with living situation before admission, ACL scores showed the second strongest correlation to DLS. Patients with higher ACL scores were significantly more likely to be discharged to independent living than were patients with lower ACL scores. CONCLUSIONS These results provide evidence that patients' cognitive level, as measured by the ACL, may be a useful predictor of community functioning. However, further research is needed to validate the Cognitive Disabilities Model.
Inhibition and substrate competition kinetics in analysis of porcine thyroid alkaline ribonuclease's specificity toward synthetic RNA's and tRNA.

AbstractInhibition and substrate competition kinetics demonstrated that tRNA is a highly preferred substrate of thyroid alkaline RNase. The pyrimidine-specific RNase cleaved poly(C) 2.8 × 105 faster than poly(U). kcat: KM ratios for tRNA and poly(C) based on molecular weights failed to predict preference when both were present. Competition experiments between poly(C) and tRNA revealed tRNA was a tight-binding competing substrate and the cytidylate residues in the 3prime;-CCA terminus of tRNA were preferred about 280: 1 over those in poly(C). Poly(U) was competitive with tRNA. When poly(C) was the substrate, inhibition type by poly(G) depended on poly(G) concentration. Neither tRNA lacking its 3prime; terminal cytidylyl(3prime;-5prime;)adenosine and terminating in a 2prime;:3prime; cCMP residue, tRNA lacking its 3prime; terminal 5prime;AMP residue, guanosine, nor guanylyl(3prime;-5prime;)guanylyl(3prime;-5prime;)guanosine were inhibitors. Product inhibition by adenosine and 2prime;:3prime; cCMP showed the ...
Utility and limits of Hprt-Cre technology in generating mutant mouse embryos

Background Hprt-Cre doubles the prevalence of homozygous null embryos per litter versus heterozygous breedings without decreasing litter size. Resulting mutant embryos are genotypically and phenotypically equivalent between strategies. We set out to confirm the effectiveness of this approach with other alleles and hypothesized that it would increase efficiency in generating compound mutants.
A stereoselective route to cis-2-phenyl-3-piperidinol

Enantiopure cis-2-phenyl-3-piperidinol is a commonly used synthon for the obtention of a potent class of neurokinin substance P receptor antagonists. Starting from (R)-phenylglycine, the present report describes an efficient route for the stereoselective synthesis of the above piperidinol structural core.
Activity of oral antibiotics in middle ear and sinus infections caused by penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae: Implications for treatment

The increasing prevalence of intermediately and highly penicillin-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae is a problem worldwide. However, optimal management of patients with middle ear and sinus infections caused by resistant pneumococci has not been established. We performed agar dilution susceptibility studies on 71 strains of penicillin-resistant pneumococci (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), > or = 0.1 microgram/ml) recovered from middle ear and sinus cultures of Houston children against 13 oral antibiotics with the use of both established and newly proposed National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards susceptibility criteria. Of the 62 middle ear isolates 35 (56%) were intermediately resistant and 27 (44%) were highly resistant to penicillin. Of the 9 sinus isolates tested, 5 (56%) were intermediately resistant (MIC between 0.1 and 1 micrograms/ml) and 4 (44%) were highly resistant (MIC > or = 2 micrograms/ml) to penicillin. The MIC90 increased with increasing penicillin resistance for the antibiotics tested except for rifampin, ciprofloxacin, loracarbef, clindamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. None of the highly penicillin-resistant isolates was susceptible to loracarbef or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. The MIC90 values for clindamycin and rifampin were similar for the intermediately and highly penicillin-resistant groups, and the number of susceptible isolates in each group remained greater than 90% for both antibiotics. Thirty-five isolates were resistant to erythromycin but susceptible to clindamycin, a susceptibility pattern distinctly different from that seen in South Africa and Europe, where clindamycin resistance parallels erythromycin resistance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Monoclonal antibody therapy of ovarian cancer

Despite advances in understanding and treatment, ovarian cancer remains a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Debulking surgery and paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy induce good initial responses in most patients, although most cases of advanced disease are not controlled. Monoclonal antibodies hold promise as a potential incremental advance for the treatment of the disease. Antibodies can be used to stimulate the immune response, target tumor-specific receptors to induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity or interfere with biologic pathways. They can also be used to deliver therapeutic radioisotopes to malignant cells. Oregovomab is in Phase III clinical trials as a consolidation treatment post front-line therapy to trigger tumor-specific cellular immunity. Bevacizumab, which blocks vascular endothelial growth factor, will be entering Phase III as an adjuvant to front-line chemotherapy with a direct effect on angiogenesis. Additional immunostimulating, immune counter-regulatory and recepto...
Ultra-short pulse free electron laser oscillators

Abstract An RF linear accelerator can produce ultra-short electron pulses on the order of a picosecond. In a long wavelength FEL, the pulse length can be much less than the slippage distance. Simulations show the effects of such short pulses on weak-field gain, saturated power, and optical pulse structure.
Linear Growth Characteristics of Untreated Congenitally Growth Hormone Deficient (CGHD) Infants from Birth to One Year of Age

Linear Growth Characteristics of Untreated Congenitally Growth Hormone Deficient (CGHD) Infants from Birth to One Year of Age
Metrics, measures, and parametrizations for grain boundaries : a dialog

Analysis of experimental data on grain boundaries (GBs) can involve putting data into angle “bins.” An example is Brandon’s classification: if rotation angle and axis are each within $$15^\circ/\sqrt{\Sigma}$$ of a perfect coincidence site lattice (CSL) with density 1/Σ, the GBs can also be considered to be in that CSL relationship, and not if otherwise. Other examples of binning are studies of GB distributions in the full 5D angle space. To determine the size of a bin (necessary for densities, gradients, etc.) one must find a useful way, respecting symmetry, of determining metrics and measures on the full 5-dimensional space of both misorientation and interface normal. For a pair of low-angle GBs, the issue of metric is complicated by the fact that both their rotation axes and their GB normals can stay far apart as their rotation angles approach zero. We address all these issues as a dialog, and provide a framework for choosing metrics.
Nearest-neighbor distributions in thin films, sheets, and plates

Uniform random spatial distance distribution of point particles in thin films, sheets, and plates is modeled and an exact analytical expression for the nearest-neighbor distance distribution of such point particles is derived. The results can be applied to model spatial distributions of nano-clusters in thin films as well as for modeling spatial arrangements of brittle inclusions in sheets and plates. It is shown that the nearest-neighbor distance distribution is not only a function of the number density of point particles but also a function of film/sheet thickness and the distance of point particles of interest from the film/sheet surface. The overall mean nearest-neighbor distance (averaged over all distances from the surface of a film/sheet) is also a function of film/sheet thickness such that for films thinner than a certain critical value, the mean approaches the classic two-dimensional planar solution; and for films thicker than another critical value, the mean approaches the classic three-dimensional bulk solution. The critical thickness for approach to the three-dimensional bulk solution is very small, and consequently many thin films lie above this value and exhibit mean nearest-neighbor distances closer to those predicted by the classic three-dimensional bulk solution.
Semidiscrete approximation schemes for LQR control of equations in thermoelasitcity

We consider finite dimensional semidiscrete approximation of an LQR control problem for a model in linear thermoelasticity. A test problem is constructed for which the exact solution of the associated algebraic Riccati equation is known. We can then determine the exact feedback functional gain, and compare convergence behavior of different semidiscrete Galerkin approximation schemes. Numerical results are presented.
A technique for assessing the biological availability of folate in foods

Abstract A method is described for the assessment of folate availability from human foods using the the folate-depleted rat. Animals were maintained on a semisynthetic diet for periods of 4 weeks or more. At the end of this period tissue folate levels were measured using a radioimmunoassay. Folate intakes were assessed by monitoring food intake on a daily basis. The folate content of the diet was determined by microbiological assay. The animals continued to grow and maintain health throughout the depletion period, but levels of folate in liver, serum and intestinal mucosa were significantly reduced in comparison to rats fed a folate supplemented diet. Refeeding depleted rats with crystalline folic acid, or with freeze-dried cabbage incorporated into the semi-synthetic diet led to a measurable increase in tissue folate stores within 24 h. The serumfolate level appeared to be the most consistent and conveniently measurable index of folate status. The method provides a relatively inexpensive and rapid method of measuring the physiological response to the most important sources of folate in the human diet.
Quantitative Investigation of Charge-Trapping Effects on Raman Spectra Acquired Using Charge-Coupled-Device (CCD) Detectors

Changes in spectral band parameters (width, center frequency, intensity) which arise from charge-trapping artifacts in the Thomson TH 7882 charge-coupled-device (CCD) detector are reported. These parameters are measured for a Raman scattering band of carbon tetrachloride with respect to CCD geometry (parallel vs. serial binning), in the presence and absence of preflash, vs. changes in integration time (variation in detected light level). The dependence of the spectral parameters on detector temperature was also measured. The degree of charge trapping and the charge transfer efficiency were estimated from the change in peak width and intensity vs. integration time, respectively, and were found to vary with detector temperature according to an Arrhenius relationship for the serial-binning geometry; from these results, the energy barriers to charge trapping and loss in the serial register were estimated. Practical guidelines for acquisition of binned spectra with this detector are suggested.
High Pressure Solubility of Calcium Carbonate in Seawater

The saturation concentration of calcium carbonate, equilibrated with aragonitic oolites, is about 2.7 times larger after exposure to 1000 atmospheres than it is when saturation is achieved at 1 atmosphere. This sugests that deep ocean waters may be undersaturated with calcium carbonate, in which case the alkalinity of the oceans would increase as sinking calcareous organisms dissolve.