cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scaling Energy Per Operation via an Asynchronous Pipeline

Statistical analysis of computations per unit energy in processors over the last 30 years is given that illustrates a sharp reduction in the rate of energy efficiency improvements over the last several years resulting in the formation of an asymptotic “wall” with our dataset; we use the measure of giga multiply accumulates per Joule. We have developed an energy model which takes into account the realities of scaling, specifically for asynchronous systems. Studies of an energy efficient asynchronous pipeline show fabricated results of 17 Giga Operations per Joule in 0.6 μm at subthreshold when fully pipelined, and simulations at a more modern 65 nm process show a further order of magnitude improvement on that.
Higgs boson mass predictions in supergravity unification, recent LHC-7 results, and dark matter

LHC-7 has narrowed down the mass range of the light Higgs boson. This result is consistent with the supergravity unification framework, and the current Higgs boson mass window implies a rather significant loop correction to the tree value pointing to a relatively heavy scalar sparticle spectrum with universal boundary conditions. It is shown that the largest value of the Higgs boson mass is obtained on the Hyperbolic Branch of radiative breaking. The implications of light Higgs boson in the broader mass range of 115 GeV to 131 GeV and a narrower range of 123 GeV to 127 GeV are explored in the context of the discovery of supersymmetry at LHC-7 and for the observation of dark matter in direct detection experiments.
Physics of water: Stretched to the limit

Liquid water expands when heated — or cooled — away from a particular temperature that increases when the fluid is stretched. Experiments on water under extreme tension now enable tracking of this distinctive behaviour well into the negative-pressure domain.
Locomotor conditioning by amphetamine requires cyclin-dependent kinase 5 signaling in the nucleus accumbens.

Intermittent systemic exposure to psychostimulants leads to several forms of long-lasting behavioral plasticity including nonassociative sensitization and associative conditioning. In the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), the protein serine/threonine kinase cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) and its phosphorylation target, the guanine–nucleotide exchange factor kalirin-7 (Kal7), may contribute to the neuroadaptations underlying the formation of conditioned associations. Pharmacological inhibition of Cdk5 in the NAcc prevents the increases in dendritic spine density normally observed in this site following repeated cocaine. Mice lacking the Kal7 gene display similar effects. As increases in spine density may relate to the formation of associative memories and both Cdk5 and Kal7 regulate the generation of spines following repeated drug exposure, we hypothesized that either inhibiting Cdk5 or preventing its phosphorylation of Kal7 in the NAcc may prevent the induction of drug conditioning. In the present experiments, blockade in rats of NAcc Cdk5 activity with roscovitine (40 nmol/0.5 μl/side) prior to each of 4 injections of amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg; i.p.) prevented the accrual of contextual locomotor conditioning but spared the induction of locomotor sensitization as revealed on tests conducted one week later. Similarly, transient viral expression in the NAcc exclusively during amphetamine exposure of a threonine–alanine mutant form of Kal7 [mKal7(T1590A)] that is not phosphorylated by Cdk5 also prevented the accrual of contextual conditioning and spared the induction of sensitization. These results indicate that signaling via Cdk5 and Kal7 in the NAcc is necessary for the formation of context-drug associations, potentially through the modulation of dendritic spine dynamics in this site.
EMuJoy: Software for continuous measurement of perceived emotions in music

An adequate study of emotions in music and film should be based on the real-time measurement of selfreported data using a continuous-response method. The recording system discussed in this article reflects two important aspects of such research: First, for a better comparison of results, experimental and technical standards for continuous measurement should be taken into account, and second, the recording system should be open to the inclusion of multimodal stimuli. In light of these two considerations, our article addresses four basic principles of the continuous measurement of emotions: (1) the dimensionality of the emotion space, (2) data acquisition (e.g., the synchronization of media and the self-reported data), (3) interface construction for emotional responses, and (4) the use of multiple stimulus modalities. Researcher-developed software (EMuJoy) is presented as a freeware solution for the continuous measurement of responses to different media, along with empirical data from the self-reports of 38 subjects listening to emotional music and viewing affective pictures. Behavior Research Methods
Biting the hand that feeds you: an argument against developing organized specialty-wide therapeutic guidelines for dermatologic practice.

Hens is the best definition of health care that I can come up with: It is the care given to a JXZ&X&~~ patient under particular circumstances by a coqmsionate and competent physician who has access to consultants and the best current information, who is not infIuenced by economic incentives to do more or less than is medically appmpnate, and who is committed to serve the patient’s best interests @Ied by the latter’s wishes and medicaZ needs. “-Arnold S. Reknan, MD (Harvard Business Review, Sept-Ott 1994:47)
The Press Gang: Newspapers and Politics, 1865-1878

Relations between the press and politicians in modern America have always been contentious. In The Press Gang , Mark Summers tells the story of the first skirmishes in this ongoing battle. Following the Civil War, independent newspapers began to separate themselves from partisan control and assert direct political influence. The first investigative journalists uncovered genuine scandals such as those involving the Tweed Ring, but their standard practices were often sensational, as editors and reporters made their reputations by destroying political figures, not by carefully uncovering the facts. Objectivity as a professional standard scarcely existed. Considering more than ninety different papers, Summers analyzes not only what the press wrote but also what they chose not to write, and he details both how they got the stories and what mistakes they made in reporting them. He exposes the peculiarly ambivalent relationship of dependence and distaste among reporters and politicians. In exploring the shifting ground between writing the stories and making the news, Summers offers an important contribution to the history of journalism and mid-nineteenth-century politics and uncovers a story that has come to dominate our understanding of government and the media.
A moving blocker system for cone-beam computed tomography scatter correction

Scatter contamination in cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) degrades the image quality by introducing shading artifacts. In our previous study, a moving-blocker-based approach was proposed to simultaneously estimate scatter and reconstruct the complete volume within field of view (FOV) from a single CBCT scan. Promising results were obtained from simulation studies. In this work, we implemented the moving blocker system on a LINAC on-board kV CBCT imaging system. A physical attenuator (i.e., "blocker") consisting equal spaced lead strips was mounted on a linear actuator. A step motor connected to the actuator drove the blocker to move back and forth along gantry rotation axis during CBCT acquisition. Scatter signal was estimated from the blocked region of imaging panel, and interpolated into the un-blocked region. A sparseness prior based statistical iterative reconstruction algorithm was used to reconstruct CBCT images from un-blocked projections after the scatter signal was subtracted. Experimental studies were performed on both a Catphan phantom and an anthropomorphic pelvis phantom to evaluate performance of the moving blocker system. The scatter-induced shading artifacts were substantially reduced in the images acquired with the moving blocker system. CT number error reduced in selected regions of interest of the Catphan phantom from 318 to 17. It also decreased in those of the pelvis phantom from 239 to 10. We demonstrated for the first time that the moving blocker system could successfully estimate the scatter signal in projection data, reduce the imaging dose and obtain complete volumetric information within the FOV using a single scan.
A homologous series of redox-active, dinuclear cations with the bridging ligand 2-(2-pyridyl)-1,8-naphthyridine.

Reactions of [M2(O2CCH3)2(CH3CN)6][BF4]2 (M = Mo, Rh) and Ru2(O2CCH3)4Cl with pynp (2-(2-pyridyl)-1,8-naphthyridine) yield the homologous series of cations [M2(O2CCH3)2(pynp)2]2+, which were fully characterized by X-ray crystallography, cyclic voltammetry, and UV−visible spectroscopy. Electrochemistry revealed interesting redox chemistry for both the dimolybdenum and diruthenium derivatives, which display class II and class III Robin−Day behavior, respectively, for the four one-electron reversible reductions of the two pynp ligands.
Note on experience in ability to predict retardates job choice.

A group of retardates ranked their preferences for six vocational situations. Three discriminable preference groups emerged. Three normal groups, attendants at a state institution, upper-division college students, and vocational rehabilitation counselors, ranked the same situations as they thought retardates would rate them. Analysis of the data suggested a hierarchy of ability to approximate the retardates' preferences, specifically, rehabilitation counselors (high), attendants and students (low) in that order.
Rapid analysis of estrogen receptor heterogeneity by chromatofocusing with high-performance liquid chromatography

Chromatofocusing principles have been utilized to develop a high-performance liquid chromatographic technique for the rapid and routine analysis of steroid receptor heterogeneity. Two anion-exchange columns (SynChropak AX-300 and AX-500) were compared for analytical and preparative chromatofocusing of estrogen receptor components. As many as ten different [125I]iodoestradiol-labeled binding proteins were identified in cytosols prepared from mammary gland and uterus. Estrogen receptors were well separated from other cytosolic proteins and recovery of activity routinely exceeded 90%. Parallel analyses of these cytosols to determine receptor size and shape indicated that HPLC chromatofocusing can be used effectively to study receptor isoforms with Stokes radii ranging from 30 A to greater than 70 A. In contrast to isoelectric focusing, this technique is compatible with the inclusion of a commonly used receptor-stabilizing agent, sodium molybdate. Inclusion of molybdate during chromatofocusing of molybdate-stabilized receptor allowed the identification of two acidic receptor species not previously reported.
A comparison of microsomal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with K+-acetylphosphatase.

Abstract Similar distributions of radioactivity were observed upon paper electrophoresis of pepsin-digested beef brain microsomes previously exposed to either [ 32 P]ATP or acetyl [ 32 P]phosphate in the presence of Na + and Mg 2+ . ATP and acetylphosphate were each competitive inhibitors of the other as substrate for a K + -requiring acetylphosphate (acylphosphate phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.7) and for a (Na + + K + )-dependent ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3). Despite these similarities, there were marked differences in the inhibitory effect of ouabain, oligomycin, and exposure to N -ethylmaleimide on the two enzymes. The data suggest that the K + -acetyl-phosphatase activity of the beef brain may represent a different entity than the ( Na + + K + )-ATPase.
Inhibition of soybean oil oxidation by extracts of dry beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris )

Polyphenolic compounds were extracted from pinto, kidney, white (Great Northern), pink, and black beans by hot methanol extraction and added to soybean oil. Oil oxidation was assayed by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS). All bean polyphenolics extracts exhibited similar antioxidant capacity in delaying the onset of iron-catalyzed oxidation better than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), propyl gallate (PG), and ascorbic acid. Bean polyphenolic compounds were stable after heating to 50°C and maintained their antioxidant potential after 3 mon at 4°C. Bean extracts effectively inhibited iron-catalyzed oxidation of soybean oil, probably by chelating metal ions, because no antioxidant effect was observed when soybean oil was oxidized without an iron catalyst.
Ocean thermal energy conversion: technology development

Abstract The United States is developing four ocean-energy technologies which offer significant promise. These are: ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC), wave power, ocean currents, and salinity gradients. The major funding emphasis has been in OTEC because of its potential, state of development, and availability of the resource to U.S. shores. The closed-cycle OTEC concept, with ammonia as the working fluid, has been emphasized in the U.S. Department of Energy Program, based on analyses which concluded that the closed cycle has the highest probability of achieving early economic viability. Closed-cycle systems have been used in two OTEC conceptual design configurations for 10 to 40 megawatt (MW) pilot plants; viz., a moored plant to produce electrical power for transmission ashore via cable; and a grazing plant to produce energy intensive products on-board such as ammonia. The OTEC technology development program has experimentally verified much of the analytical work and many of the component preliminary designs for the OTEC 10 40 MW pilot plant. This paper summarizes the technological accomplishments, major findings, remaining problems and action planned. The areas of major concern pertain to the cost-effective designs for the heat exchangers, including biofouling countermeasures, cold water pipe, and electrical umbilical cable and the successful system integration of these components into a working plant that can be readily deployed and operated at sea over a design life of 30 years. The 1 MW system, OTEC-1, will be constructed and ready for deployment for at-sea test in mid 1980. The preliminary designs for the 10 40 MW pilot plant is expected to be initiated in fiscal year 1981, with subsequent construction and deployment planned for the end of fiscal year 1985. Many technological advances have been made toward achieving the program objectives for proving the technical and economic feasibility and minimizing engineering risks for eventual commercial applications.
Membrane glycoproteins associated with breast tumor cell progression identified by a lectin affinity approach.

The membrane glycoprotein component of the cellular proteome represents a promising source for potential disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Here we describe the development of a method that facilitates the analysis of membrane glycoproteins and apply it to the differential analysis of breast tumor cells with distinct malignant phenotypes. The approach combines two membrane extraction procedures, and enrichment using ConA and WGA lectin affinity columns, prior to digestion and analysis by LC−MS/MS. The glycoproteins are identified and quantified by spectral counting. Although the distribution of glycoprotein expression as a function of MW and pI was very similar between the two related cell lines tested, the approach enabled the identification of several distinct membrane glycoproteins with an expression index correlated with either a precancerous (MCF10AT1), or a malignant, metastatic cellular phenotype (MCF10CA1a). Among the proteins associated with the malignant phenotype, Gamma-glutamyl hydrol...
The Politics of the State in Contemporary Literary Studies

The relationship between literature and the state has been controversial since the time of Plato. Until recently, however, the few scholars to write on this subject considered it an underdeveloped topic in literary studies. This survey article argues that the last 10 years that have seen marked growth in literary-critical interest in the state form of government. It explains this growth as a product of two, apparently contradictory, historical phenomena: (i) the way that government responses to political violence (especially after the 9/11 attacks) have demonstrated the awesome power of the state; and (ii) the way that, under the aegis of neoliberal economic policy, the long-standing welfare and regulatory functions of the state have been eroded. These historical patterns have given rise to two strands of critical discourse, which the article describes as the ‘critique of sovereignty’ (i.e., the inherently coercive nature of state power) and the ‘defense of social citizenship’ (i.e., the right to welfare services). The article describes these trends and exemplifies them by reference to recent books and articles in literary theory and criticism; it also demonstrates their consequences for literary interpretation through illustrative readings of fiction by J. M. Coetzee, James Kelman, Louise Dean, and Hari Kunzru. It concludes by pointing out the contradictory nature of state power at the present time, where the state’s resort to sovereign violence is (at least in part) a response to the loss of the legitimating power of its welfare function. For this reason, the critique of sovereignty and the defense of social citizenship should be seen as distinct responses to the same historical situation.
Explaining Cultural Differences in Evaluations of Emotional Support Behaviors: Exploring the Mediating Influences of Value Systems and Interaction Goals

Research suggests that affirming, emotion-focused expressions of comfort effectively provide social support. However, little research has examined whether preferred approaches to providing support differ as a function of culture and, if so, why. This study sought to document, for both the Barbee and Cunningham typology of support behaviors and the Burleson hierarchy of comforting messages, whether there are cultural differences in preferred approaches to emotional support provision and, if so, what factors might account for these differences. Participants completed assessments of (a) the appropriateness of using solace, solve, dismiss, and escape behaviors, (b) the perceived sensitivity of comforting messages varying in degree of person centeredness, (c) interaction goal orientation, (d) the value placed on skill in comforting, and (e) collectivist and individualist values. Analyses indicated there were significant cultural differences in evaluations of support behaviors and that these differences were pa...
Research on the risk assessment of occupational hazard in thermal power plant

According to the principle of risk assessment using risk assessment methods to carry out the risk index classification of occupational hazards which may exist during the production process of thermal power plant. It provides a fundamental basis for thermal power plant to manage occupational health. It also optimizes the methods of occupational health protection according to how important the hazards are.
A New Technique for Monitoring Heart Signals-Part II: Orthogonal Lead Extraction

In Part I, instrumentation design is given for recording ECG signals from a home bathtub setup. In Part II, it is asserted that these bathtub signals are the projections of the heart dipole vector. This assertion is tested and the corresponding coefficients of the projection matrix are computed by monitoring the bathtub ECG signals for a subject as well as his orthogonal X, Y, Z leads on a PDP-9 computer. The least-squares estimation technique is used to determine the projection matrix. To compensate for the magnitude and phase distortion of the bathtub ECG signals, suitable digital as well as analog compensators are designed. A comparison of orthogonal leads extracted from bathtub leads and similar leads obtained from the HP1520A vectorcardiograph is given for five different subjects. It is shown that the average standard deviation obtained for these five subjects is 12.6 percent.
Doctoring: University of California, Los Angeles

The Doctoring curriculum at the University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA School of Medicine covers all four years of medical school. Its goal is to train physicians to give care that is compassionate, humanistic, high-quality, and evidence-based through a longitudinal, interdisciplinary curriculum with integration of learning experiences within and between years and with more emphasis on certain topics that had been previously neglected (e.g., advanced physical diagnosis, nutrition, public health, ethics). The curriculum operates alongside the traditional one, but strong attempts are made to link the two curricula. The authors describe the gradual introduction of the Doctoring curriculum, the sometimes formidable barriers that were encountered and in some cases still exist (e.g., some faculty and student resistance, need to find funds, faculty recruitment and retention). Active, interested faculty are essential, and intensive faculty development is needed. A detailed description of each year's courses and teaching approaches is given. Year one focuses on interpersonal communication, the medical interview, human development and behavior, and the role of the community in health care; year two, on clinical reasoning, physical diagnosis skills, population medicine, and ethics; year three, on clinical problem solving, health services, professionalization issues, and prevention; and year four (which is elective), on medical education and leadership. The methods of evaluating students, faculty, and the curriculum itself are described and assessed. The authors conclude with a review of plans, prospects, and ongoing problems.
Magnetic resonance imaging of an infected urethral diverticulum: A case report

We present a case report of a urethral diverticulum where magnetic resonance imaging suggested infected contents of the urethral diverticulum besides providing superb detail of periurethral anatomy. The critical clinical question was answered.
What is asbestos and why is it important? Challenges of defining and characterizing asbestos

Asbestos is a term used to describe a group of six fibrous silicate minerals whose unique set of properties has led to widespread use in a variety of commercial products. Asbestos is also commonly associated with potential disease, increasing government regulation, and the upward spiralling costs associated with asbestos abatement and litigation. Yet what exactly is asbestos? The term is in common use and has often been incorrectly applied to many elongated or fibre-shaped mineral particles. However, it has become important to be more precise: which elongated or fibre-shaped mineral particles should be defined as asbestos and which analytical methods should be used to make an accurate identification? This review article is intended to highlight differences among the various mineral particles identified as asbestos and to address controversies that have arisen from the use of the term by a wide range of interested parties. Historical information and summaries of the latest research trends are presented for...
Veterinarian Involvement in the Prevention and Intervention of Human Violence and Animal Abuse: A Survey of Small Animal Practitioners

ABSTRACTThe objectives of this study were to 1) characterize small animal veterinarians' attitudes about their role in prevention and intervention in suspected cases of human violence and/or animal abuse presenting in a clinical setting, 2) estimate the incidence of animal abuse seen in small animal practices using self-reported rates of suspected animal abuse, and 3) relate demographic and practice data to the incidence data and responses regarding abuse intervention and prevention. The study design was an epidemiological investigation with descriptive and analytical components using a self-administered questionnaire. The sample consisted of 1000 small animal veterinarians randomly selected from the membership list of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Relevant data regarding the veterinarians' attitudes about human violence and animal abuse intervention were collected through an anonymous, self-administered mail survey. Estimated animal abuse incidence data, level of agreement to statements ab...
New measurements quantify atmospheric greenhouse effect

In spite of a large body of existing measurements of incoming short-wave solar radiation and outgoing long-wave terrestrial radiation at the surface of the Earth and, more recently, in the upper atmosphere, there are few observations documenting how radiation profiles change through the atmosphere—information that is necessary to fully quantify the greenhouse effect of Earth's atmosphere. Through the use of existing technology but employing improvements in observational techniques it may now be possible not only to quantify but also to understand how different components of the atmosphere (e.g., concentration of gases, cloud cover, moisture, and aerosols) contribute to the greenhouse effect. Using weather balloons equipped with radiosondes, Philipona et al. continuously measured radiation fluxes from the surface of Earth up to altitudes of 35 kilometers in the upper stratosphere. Combining data from flights conducted during both day and night with continuous 24-hour measurements made at the surface of the Earth, the researchers created radiation profiles of all four components necessary to fully capture the radiation budget of Earth, namely, the upward and downward short-wave and long-wave radiation as a function of altitude.
Creatives Teaching Creativity.

Creativity is very much in the forefront of current international economic news. As developing countries successfully vie with established economies for manufacturing and less-skilled jobs, the pressure is on the developed world to move on to the next economic break-through. Innovation and the creativity that drive it are seen as crucial to this process. Ultimately, education is viewed as the place to inculcate creativity in upcoming generations, to prepare them for the challenges (economic and otherwise) nations will face in coming years. The current global interest in the development of creative thinking for all areas of education requires teachers at all levels to construct learning experiences that generate not only creative products but also creative processes. These processes could ideally be applied across various disciplines requiring complex problem solving, engendering creative outcomes in multiple domains. While the authors assumed that teachers in the creative disciplines of art and design should take a leading role in this development of creative processes, it is not clear that this is happening. This article examines the background of the current calls for creativity, and reviews challenges to the leadership of creative teachers in teaching in non-creative disciplines.
Cross-Racial Appraisal as Related to Attitude Ambivalence and Cognitive Complexity

Previous research has suggested that Whites' evaluations of Blacks who are presented positively or negatively tend to be more extreme than evaluations of similar White targets. In Study 1, White subjects rated a Black or White confederate who was responsible for success or failure at a joint task. There was a clear cross-race polarization of evaluations. Study 2 tested two possible explanations of the polarization phenomenon-the authors' ambivalence formulation and Linville and Jones's cognitive complexity hypothesis. As hypothesized, ambivalence was directly related to favorability of impression ratings in the success condition. In the failure condition, the correlation was in the predicted inverse direction but was not significant. The difference between the two correlations, as expected, was significant. No support was obtained for the cognitive complexity hypothesis. Rather, in the failure condition complexity was directly related to the unfavorability of ratings, contrary to the hypothesis.
Comparison of Meat Quality Between the Right and Left Roasted Turkey Halves

Abstract Turkey meat from a right and a left half, roasted at varying temperatures of 149 to 232 C to an endpoint temperature range of 75 to 95 C, were not significantly (P
Microstructural changes in MgAl2O4 induced by ion irradiation

Abstract Cross-section transmission electron microscopy was used to study the depth-dependent microstructure of polycrystalline magnesium aluminate spinel following irradiation with 2 MeV Al+ or 2.4 MeV Mg+ ions at room temperature and 923 K. There was no evidence of amorphization for peak damage levels up to 8 keV/atom (3 × 1021 Mg+/m2). Faulted interstitial dislocation loops lying on {110} and {111} planes with Burgers vectors of a 4〈110〉 were observed in the irradiated specimens. A network of dislocations was present in the region where the implanted ions were deposited. The microstructure of specimens implanted at 923 K was similar to that observed for the room temperature implants with the exception that a denuded zone was found near grain boundaries and the sample surface. The dislocation loops produced by Mg+ ion irradiation were larger and of lower number density compared to the loops produced by Al+ irradiation.
Evolution of endothermy in fish : mapping physiological traits on a molecular phylogeny

Mackerels, tunas, and billfishes (suborder Scombroidei and Teleostei) provide an ideal taxonomic context in which to examine the evolution of endothermy. Multiple origins and diverse strategies for endothermy exist among these fish. Here a molecular phylogeny of the Scombroidei has been determined by direct sequencing of a portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. The distribution of endothermic species within this proposed genealogy indicates that the ability to warm the brain and retina arose independently in three lineages, each time in association with a movement into colder water. This suggests that the evolution of cranial endothermy in fish was selected in order to permit thermal niche expansion and not selected for increased aerobic capacity.
Fracture rate in children with cerebral palsy

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of previous fracture, the rate of fracture over time and associated risk factors for fracture in children with moderate or severe cerebral palsy (CP).Study design: Three hundred and sixty-four children with moderate-to-severe motor impairment (Gross Motor Function Classification System III, IV and V) enrolled in a multi-centre, region-based longitudinal study of growth, nutrition and health. Of these, 297 had baseline fracture information and 261 children had at least one follow-up assessment. Median duration of follow-up was 1.6 years, for over 600 person-years of follow-up.Results: Forty-six (15.5%) children reported 62 previous fractures at baseline assessment. Children with a history of fractures at baseline were older (mean age 11.9 vs. 8.9 years, p < 0.0001) and had greater body fat (triceps z-score −0.01 vs. −0.68, p = 0.0003) than children with no previous fracture. Twenty children (6.7%) reported 24 fractures during the follow-up period. Factors associated ...
Type B brevetoxins show tissue selectivity for voltage-gated sodium channels: comparison of brain, skeletal muscle and cardiac sodium channels

Abstract Brevetoxins and ciguatoxins are two classes of phycotoxins which exert their toxic effect by binding to site-5 of voltage-gated sodium channels. Sodium channels, a family of at least 10 structurally different proteins, are responsible for the rising phase of the action potential in membranes of neuronal, cardiac and muscular excitable cells. This work is a comparative study of the binding properties and the cytotoxic effects of ciguatoxins and brevetoxins on human embryonic cells (HEK) stably expressing either the skeletal muscle (Na v 1.4), or the cardiac (Na v 1.5) sodium channel α-subunit isoforms. We report that type A (PbTx-1) and type B (PbTx-3 and PbTx-2) brevetoxins as well as ciguatoxins target both cardiac and muscle channels; type B brevetoxins show isoform selectivity, presenting a lower affinity for the heart than the skeletal muscle channel. The lower selectivity of type B brevetoxins for heart sodium channels may result from a more rigid backbone structure than is found in type A brevetoxins and ciguatoxins.
A preliminary experiment to examine chemical exchange at the soil-snow interface

Abstract Exchange of soil gases with the atmosphere is of current interest to researchers in several fields of geophysics and geochemistry. We have begun to examine the exchange of organic vapor at the soil-snow interface. The insights gained from this study may contribute to the general understanding of interfacial exchange processes. Soil specimens, spiked with organic solids having a great range of vapor pressure and aqueous solubility, were placed in shallow trays in contact with the surface prior to snowfall. Snow was allowed to accumulate over the trays and the temperature profiles within the adjacent snow and soil were recorded. Snow specimens were collected above the trays, with a height resolution of 1–5 cm, after exposure periods ranging from days to months. The snow specimens were analyzed with respect to density, particle size and chemical concentration. The preliminary results presented here indicate that organic materials with vapor pressure of the order of 10 −3 to 10 −6 torr achieved orderly concentration profiles coordinated with the distance from the source. Materials with greater or lesser vapor pressure were less orderly and refinement of the experimental method is necessary to understand this behavior. The experiment indicates that snowpack provides temporary storage for organic contaminants, which may exchange with air or groundwater. More extensive experiments are necessary to define the processes regulating organic exchange in snow. We propose that analysis of overlying snow may provide a non-invasive method of surveying soil contamination.
Axenic Seedlings of Drosera

CARNIVORY in higher plants fascinated Darwin1 and later students of evolution, yet a century-long debate2 on the extent of Drosera's dependence on, and specialization for, insect prey remains inconclusive. A technique for obtaining axenic D. intermedia (a sundew) is reported here—a step forward in analysing its biochemical capabilities.
CIVIC CULTURE AS A POLICY PREMISE: APPRAISING CHARLOTTE'S CIVIC CULTURE

The importance of a community’s culture—a combination of its political, governmental, economical, and social conditions—is believed important for understanding the power, value, and decision making...
The bumpy road to better risk control: A Tour d'Horizon of new concepts and ideas

Abstract How can we be sure that sufficient safeguards are in place and safety level is acceptable? As we heard Prof. Nancy Leveson stating at last year's MKOPSC symposium, even with all components functioning, dysfunctional component interaction can still be a cause of mishap. Human factor expert, Prof. Erik Hollnagel, asserts it in even stronger terms: the Efficiency-Thoroughness Trade-off principle, or rather dilemma, contends that one can hardly do it perfectly well. Perfect thoroughness, certainly in complex situations, requires an amount of time with which efficiency will be in conflict. For improved situational awareness, sufficient resilience, and adequate risk control, we must adopt a top-down system approach. Hazard scenarios possible in the system, with all its entangled interactions of hardware, procedures, and humans shall be identified bottom-up and causal relations made clear. Fortunately, in recent years two potentially helpful tools have become available: Blended Hazid, a vastly improved, heavily computerized system approach making use of HazOp and FMEA, and Bayesian networks, a tool to model cause–effect structures allowing inclusion of uncertainty information. Bayesian networks as an infrastructure enable also the use of indicator values to relate the result of safety management effectiveness, which expresses itself as safety attitude of employees, competence, workload, and motivation, with their effects on error and failure probability. This paper will explain the directions these developments are advancing and the openings they provide for further process safety research and risk assessment, which when applied will result in improved process risk control.
FDA standards--good enough for government work?

Dr. Jerry Avorn explains that there is one area of biomedicine in which the government allows — even defends — a minimal standard that would be unacceptable anywhere else in research. It is the set of evidentiary requirements maintained by the Food and Drug Administration for the approval of new drugs.
The consistency of ordinary least-squares and generalized least-squares polynomial regression on characterizing the mechanomyographic amplitude versus torque relationship

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the consistency of ordinary least-squares (OLS) and generalized least-squares (GLS) polynomial regression analyses utilizing linear, quadratic and cubic models on either five or ten data points that characterize the mechanomyographic amplitude (MMG(RMS)) versus isometric torque relationship. The secondary purpose was to examine the consistency of OLS and GLS polynomial regression utilizing only linear and quadratic models (excluding cubic responses) on either ten or five data points. Eighteen participants (mean +/- SD age = 24 +/- 4 yr) completed ten randomly ordered isometric step muscle actions from 5% to 95% of the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of the right leg extensors during three separate trials. MMG(RMS) was recorded from the vastus lateralis during the MVCs and each submaximal muscle action. MMG(RMS) versus torque relationships were analyzed on a subject-by-subject basis using OLS and GLS polynomial regression. When using ten data points, only 33% and 27% of the subjects were fitted with the same model (utilizing linear, quadratic and cubic models) across all three trials for OLS and GLS, respectively. After eliminating the cubic model, there was an increase to 55% of the subjects being fitted with the same model across all trials for both OLS and GLS regression. Using only five data points (instead of ten data points), 55% of the subjects were fitted with the same model across all trials for OLS and GLS regression. Overall, OLS and GLS polynomial regression models were only able to consistently describe the torque-related patterns of response for MMG(RMS) in 27-55% of the subjects across three trials. Future studies should examine alternative methods for improving the consistency and reliability of the patterns of response for the MMG(RMS) versus isometric torque relationship.
Subcellular analysis of the accumulation of estrogen by the brain of male and female rats

Three experiments were preformed to provide additional information on the interaction of estrogen with subcellular components of the brain of male and female rats. In experiment 1 tritiated estradiol was administered to adult gonadectomized male and female rats which were then sacrificed 15,60 or 120 min later. Hypothalamic, cortical and pituitary samples were taken and were separated into nuclear and cytosol fractions. For the hypothalamic tissue from females nuclear concentration of radioactivity increased throughout the 2 h period while for males nuclear concentration rose during the first h and then declined. There was a significant sex difference in hypothalamic nuclear concentration of estrogen, male levels being lower. For both sexes cytosol levels progressively declined. For cortical tissue, nuclear radioactivity levels were low and relatively constant for both sexes, while cytosol levels fell during the 2 h period. Pituitary tissue showed a pattern in both nuclear and cytosol fractions which resembled the hypothalamic pattern although absolute levels were higher in the nuclear fraction. In experiment 2 male and female rats were administered labeled and unlabeled estradiol concurrently and were sacrificed 60 and 120 min later. Radioactivity levels were reduced in hypothalamic and pituitarynuclei, but not in cortical nuclei in comparison with animals not administered unlabeled hormone. In experiment 3 males and females were administered tritiated estradiol and were sacrificed 2 h later. The brain of each animal was split longitudinally. One half of each hypothalamic and cortical sample was subjected to nuclear separation while the other half was digested in tissue solubilizer before radioactivity counting. The former procedure showed a substantially greater nuclear concentration of radioactivity for hypothalamic tissue from females than from males. The whole tissue analysis showed only a slight sex difference for hypothalamic tissue. Sex differences were small by either procedure for cortical tissue. It was concluded that the hypothalamus of both male and female rats contains a limited capacit nuclear binding system for estrogen, but that the system is quantitatively less effective in binding estrogen in males.
HYCANTHONE DOSE-RESPONSE IN SCHISTOSOMA MANSONI INFECTION IN KENYA

Abstract The recommended doses of the drugs now used to cure schistosomiasis mansoni may be associated with toxic side-effects. Since Schistosoma mansoni does not multiply in the human host and the disease seems to be closely associated with the intensity of infection, it may not be necessary to use 100% lethal antischistosomal doses, particularly in endemic areas. A dose-response to the antischistosomal drug, hycanthone was established for three different doses in 169 patients with heavy S. mansoni infections in the Machakos district of Kenya. The highest dose used (1·5 mg/kg or half the recommended package-insert dose) resulted in a 96% decrease in egg output (equivalent to death of the worms); 0·75 mg/kg in an 85% decrease; and 0·375 mg/kg in an 11% decrease one month after treatment. In contrast to the vomiting common with the package-insert dose (3·0 mg/kg), there were no side-effects with any of the lower doses.
A multi-channel calibration method for multi-filter rotating shadow-band radiometer

In order to improve the accuracy of solar radiation related parameters’ for crop modeling, a new calibration method (Multi-Channel Calibration) for Multi-Filter Rotating Shadow-band Radiometer (MFRSR) is proposed. It uses the Angstrom Law that links aerosol optical depth (AOD) at multiple wavelengths as the primary constraint. It also uses the bi-channel Langley Regression to provide an additional constraint. Starting with any initial guess of calibration coefficient (V0) at 870 nm, two consecutive steps, both involves calling trust region based non-linear optimization module (CONDOR), are implemented to solve (1) the intermediate parameter Angstrom coefficient and the set of biased V0s at other channels corresponding to the initial one at 870 nm channel; and (2) the final V0s of all permissible channels. The result shows that Unlike Langley method, the Multi-Channel Calibration method return V0 at all permissible channels. Besides, the new method can converge to the same (less than 0.5%) final V0s with the starting guess in a wide range. Most important, the comparison between AODs derived from those final V0s and those of AERONET sunphotometers suggests the upper limit of the error of those final V0s is less than 1.03%, which is a great improvement over the Langley V0s (7.45%).
Role of vasopressin in diabetes mellitus-induced changes in medullary transport proteins involved in urine concentration in Brattleboro rats.

In rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus for 10–20 days, we showed that the abundance of the major medullary transport proteins involved in the urinary concentrating mechanism, urea tr...
Selecting A-C overcurrent protective device settings for industrial plants

FAULT current (also designated overcurrent or short-circuit current) protective devices, fuses, circuit breakers, and relays are the watchmen of a power system, whose job it is to detect trouble and get rid of it as expeditiously as possible. The design of such a protective system involves two separate although interrelated steps.
Structured Interviews for Assessing Children

Structured interviews provide a valuable means of obtaining and quantifying information about the mental status of children. This review indicates that children can reliably self-report and that the information they provide can concur with the opinion of adults knowledgeable about them. However, considerably more research is warranted before it may be assumed that these interviews are adequately reliable and valid. In general, it appears that the task of documenting the psychometric soundness of these interviews has not been taken seriously, as if content validity were sufficient. For example, except for the CAS and the DISC, there has been little effort to study contrast group validity (i.e. whether the interview even differentiates "known groups"). More specifically, review of the reliability and validity data relevant to DSM-III-R diagnoses provides support for the CAS, DICA, ISC and K-SADS, with the validity data for the DICA being weaker than for the others. One limitation of these data for the DICA, ISC and K-SADS is that the diagnoses were clinician-generated, rather than algorithm-generated. Unfortunately the processes for generating clinical diagnoses were not specified, except for criterion reference to DSM-III-R. The findings for the DISC and the DISC-R are notably weak. There is no evidence for DISC reliability, except for adolescents, and the validity studies have demonstrated only weak relationships. There has been limited study of the psychometric properties of symptom scales. In fact, for two interviews (i.e. DICA and ISC), there are no data available. Reliability for the DISC scales is adequate only for adolescents. Psychometric data have been generated for the CAS and the K-SADS, with considerably more studies conducted with the CAS. The relative paucity of interest in scale scores is striking given that they provide a continuous variable which can indicate extent of symptoms. Other measures of mental status, besides presence/absence of diagnosis, will become increasingly important as research in child psychopathology progresses toward more sophisticated studies (i.e. treatment effects, risk factors). These interviews are labor intensive and costly to the researcher as well as time-consuming and tedious for the children and parents. Given this commitment, researchers should invest in developing other ways of exploiting the richness of the data generated. An example is the CAS "content" scales, which generate scores reflecting on the child's functioning in various areas (e.g. school, friends, family). As the evolution of these interviews continues, it will be important to remain attentive to the developmental limitations of children.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Tyrosine peptides as precursors of melanin in mammals.

THE important role of mammalian tyrosinase in the formation of melanin has been convincingly demonstrated1. In all earlier studies, tyrosine has been thought to be the only effective substrate, with the exception of tyrosine ethyl ester which was found by Lerner et al.2 to be oxidized by Harding–Passey melanoma tyrosinase preparations. In a few cases, tyrosine peptides have been investigated as potential substrates, and Bloch3 found that human skin extracts could not oxidize glycyl-dihydroxyphenyl-alanine, while Kertesz4 reported that glycyl-L-tyrosine was not oxidized by tyrosinase preparations obtained from human melanomas. Lerner1 predicted that tyrosine peptides in which tyrosine occupies the N-terminal position would be substrates of mammalian tyrosinase, but that tyrosine peptides in which tyrosine occupied the C-terminal position would not.
One-electron wavefunctions, dipole polarizabilities

Abstract Variational perturbation theory is used to calculate dipole polarizabilities for H + 2 as a function of internuclear separation. The variational polarizabilities are used to investigate the accuracy of semi-empirical formulae for computing upper and lower bounds.