cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bilirubin excretion and bile flow in fed and fasted Brazilian squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

Fasted Brazilian squirrel monkeys (BrSMs) exhibited slightly higher serum bilirubin levels (0.30±0.05 mg/dl) than others in the fed state (0.13±0.01). The mean liver weight was 50% lower following a 22 h fast. The rate of bile flow was unaffected by fasting and averaged 13.8 μl/min/kg and 47.5 μl/min/100g liver in six BrSMs. No significant difference in mean bilirubin excretion/min was observed on a body weight basis following fasting. When the mean rate of bilirubin excretion was calculated as a function of liver weight, a two-fold higher rate was present in fasted monkeys, but only at the p=0.06 level of statistical significance. From data collected in this and earlier studies, it would appear that BrSMs represent the best animals studied to date to serve as experimental controls in comparative studies with Bovilian squirrel monkeys which exhibit a Gilbert-like syndrome.
Interactions between environmental temperature and porcine growth hormone (pGH) treatment in neonatal pigs.

Age-dependent interactions between environmental temperature and porcine growth hormone (pGH) treatment on the function of the somatotrophic axis were evaluated in the neonatal pig. At 3 d of age, 40 Landrace x Yorkshire x Duroc piglets received intraperitoneal implants containing either recombinant pGH (0.5 mg/d; n = 20) or vehicle (control; n = 20). Piglets were maintained at either a low (21°C, 50% relative humidity; n = 20) or high (32°C, 50% relative humidity; n = 20) temperature. At 4 and 6 wk of age, 5 pGH-treated and 5 control piglets from each thermal group were sacrificed for tissue collection. Blood samples were collected at the time of sacrifice and analyzed for serum concentrations of GH, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and IGF-2. Liver RNA was analyzed for mRNAs specific for the GH receptor, IGF-1, IGF-2, and IGF binding protein 3. There was no effect of pGH treatment (P = 0.4) on average daily gain; however, both age (P = 0.002) and temperature (P = 0.001) had an effect on average daily gain such that those animals maintained at a low temperature and those sacrificed at 6 wk had greater average daily gains. Serum concentration of GH was elevated (P = 0.003) by pGH treatment and was lowest in the 6-wk-old group (P = 0.008). Serum concentration of IGF-1 was elevated (P = 0.007) by pGH treatment and increased with age (P = 0.01). Liver GH receptor mRNA was unaffected (P > 0.5) by pGH treatment, but was greater in the 6-wk-old group (P 0.5) between age groups. IGF-2 mRNA was greater (P = 0.0009) in the 4-wk-old group and in piglets maintained at the high temperature (P = 0.007), but was unaffected (P = 0.5) by pGH treatment. IGF binding protein 3 mRNA increased with age (P = 0.0004) and was stimulated by pGH treatment in the 6-wk-old group (P = 0.034). The relatively lower level of GH receptor and IGF mRNAs in conjunction with greater growth in the cold environment suggests that somatotrophic gene expression in the liver is not rate limiting for growth in the neonatal pig.
Two Construct Validity Studies of the Thumin Test of Mental Dexterity

Construct validity of the Thumin Test of Mental Dexterity was studied in two ways: (a) by relating test scores to level of formal education among 168 male job applicants and (b) by correlating test scores with WAIS IQs among 32 vocational counseling clients. Mental ability, as measured by the Thumin scale, increased significantly with increasing levels of education as did scores on the numerical and verbal comprehension subtests. In the second investigation, mental ability scores on the scale correlated .91 with WAIS IQs, and .92 with WAIS verbal scores of 32 clients for vocational counseling.
A cationic aluminum methyl complex supported by an anionic tacn ligand

Abstract Reaction of (tacn)H [(tacn)H=1,4-diisopropyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane] with AlMe3 leads to the formation of the thermally stable adduct [(tacn)H]·AlMe3 (1). The dimeric aluminum dimethyl complex [(tacn)AlMe2]2 (2) was obtained by metathesis of (tacn)Li2 with two equivalent of Me2AlCl in toluene at 80 °C. In 2 the anionic nitrogen atoms bridge the two AlMe2 units while the neutral amino atoms are free of coordination. Treatment of 2 with 2 equiv. of B(C6F5)3 in CH2Cl2 yielded a well separated ionic aluminum methyl borate complex [((tacn)AlMe)2][MeB(C6F5)3]2 (3), featuring five-coordinate aluminum centers. Molecular structures of 2 and 3 were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.
On a Proposed New Kinematic Assumption for Analysis of Laminated, Fiber-Reinforced Composite Shells: Part 1

A proposal is made for a new form of kinematic assumption for inclusion into a theory of laminated shells. The proposed form is a variant of the first-order transverse shear deformation theory, incorporating a stiffness-based discontinuity term at lamina interfaces, in order to provide complete, a priori satisfaction of interlaminar continuity of transverse shear and transverse normal stresses, and correspondent intelaminar discontinuity of thickness-direction gradients of displacement. Continuity of displacement is maintained, as is the possibility of interlaminar discontinuity of in-plane stresses. It is hoped that this kinematic form will enhance the utility of shell theories for analysis of laminated structures. The paper deals only with the development of the kinematic assumption, and not its implementation into analysis code.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Telomere Dysfunction in Peripheral Lymphocytes as a Potential Predisposition Factor for Renal Cancer

Purpose: Genetic integrity is maintained in part by the architecture of telomeres. We previously developed a laser scanning cytometry based quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization assay to assess telomere length in peripheral blood lymphocytes. In this study we modified the assay by incorporating 9 control cell lines to normalize telomere length.Materials and Methods: We applied this assay to 65 patients with renal cell carcinoma, and 65 age, sex and ethnicity matched controls. For each subject we measured telomere length in CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and overall peripheral blood lymphocytes.Results: For cases vs controls mean normalized telomere length ± SD was 0.84 ± 0.15 vs 0.95 ± 0.18 for CD4+ T cells, 0.80 ± 0.21 vs 0.95 ± 0.22 for CD8+ T cells and 0.88 ± 0.25 vs 0.99 ± 0.22 for overall peripheral blood lymphocytes (each p <0.05). After adjustment for patient age, sex, ethnicity and smoking status, and using 75% of telomere length in controls as a cutoff point, short telomere length in CD4+ T...
Genealogical relationships within and among shallow-water Ciona species (Ascidiacea)

In spite of historical and current interest in Ciona intestinalis and its congeners, little is known about evolutionary relationships among the members of the genus Ciona. Here 744-bp sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene are used to examine phylogenetic relationships among three described species (C. intestinalis, C. roulei, C. savignyi) sampled from multiple coastal sites in the Northeast Pacific (CA, USA), Northwest Atlantic (from New Hampshire to Connecticut, USA), Northeast Atlantic (Sweden and The Netherlands), and Mediterranean (Banyuls-sur-Mer, France). The samples were collected in June–October 2005. The COI sequences of Northeast Pacific/Mediterranean (Type A) and Northwest Atlantic (Type B) C. intestinalis differ by ∼12% and C. roulei is nested within Type B C. intestinalis. Ciona savignyi differs from all other haplotypes by 13–16%. A previously undescribed but morphologically distinct Ciona sp. found at the Banyuls-sur-Mer site was >10% divergent from all other haplotypes. Although these data arise from a single gene study, they indicate that further elucidation of species relationships within the genus and of the species’ distributions will be needed if continuing invasions and potential reproductive isolation are to be investigated.
Reduction in lateral thermal damage using heat‐conducting templates: A comparison of continuous wave and pulsed CO2 lasers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The advantages of the continuous wave (c.w.) CO(2) laser are offset by the delay in laser wound healing secondary to thermal damage. We have developed novel heat-conducting templates to reduce laser thermal damage. Because shortened pulse durations also decrease thermal damage, we tested the effectiveness of heat-conducting templates with a c.w. CO(2) clinical laser and a short-pulsed CO(2) laser to determine the best method and mechanism to minimize thermal damage. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Comparison of 0.2-second shuttered c.w. and 5-microsecond pulsed CO(2) lasers were made by doing incisions on 150 tissue samples from reduction mammoplasties and abdominoplasties. Copper, aluminum, glass, and Plexiglass heat-conducting templates were tested against no template (air) with both lasers. Histological samples were evaluated using computerized morphometrics analysis. RESULTS: Statistically significant reductions in lateral thermal damage were seen with the copper (50%) and aluminum (39%) templates used with the c.w. CO(2) laser. Only the copper template (39%) significantly reduced thermal damage when used with the pulsed CO(2) laser. Less thermal damage was seen using the pulsed CO(2) laser compared to the c.w. CO(2) laser with each template. CONCLUSIONS: Heat-conducting templates significantly reduced the amount of lateral thermal damage when used with the c.w. CO(2) laser (copper and aluminum) and short-pulsed CO(2) laser (copper). The c.w. CO(2) laser with the copper template compared favorably to the short-pulsed CO(2) laser without a template. Therefore, both heat conductive templates and short-pulse structure provide successful methods for reducing lateral thermal damage, and a combination of the two appears to provide optimal results.
Inside the House of Learning : The Relative Performance of Public and Private Schools in Orissa

Empirical evidence shows that the quality of learning in public schools is very low in India. There is also a robust belief that private schools offer better‐quality learning at a lower cost and are a cost‐effective alternative to public schools. Most of the evidence on which this latter claim is based does not correct for selection bias – students who go to private schools may differ systematically from students who go to public schools on observable and unobservable characteristics. In this context, it is entirely plausible that public schools may be no worse or even better than private schools although the latter may still be more cost‐effective. In this paper, we use a strategy suggested by Altonji, Elder, and Taber to estimate selection bias in the positive private school effect on test scores. We use test scores data on Grade Four students attending public and private schools in the eastern state of Orissa in India. Our findings suggest that there is a true private school effect as only 12–13% of th...
Geodetic measurement of deformation in the Loma Prieta, California earthquake with very long baseline interferometry

VLBI measurements were conducted immediately after the Loma Prieta earthquake and compared with VLBI gathered at Monterey, San Francisco, and Point Reyes since 1983 to obtain preearthquake deformation rates with respect to a North American reference frame. The estimated displacements at Monterey and San Francisco are consistent with the static displacements predicted on the basis of a coseismic slip model in which slip on the southern segment is shallower than slip on the northern segment of the fault rupture. Cartesian positions are presented at epoch 1990.0 of a set of VLBI fiducial stations and the three mobile sites in the earthquake's vicinity.
Protocols for amide high-speed analoging. Preparation of novel, small molecule cathepsin D inhibitors

Procedures for solution phase parallel synthesis of new, small molecule cathepsin D inhibitors by the coupling of acyl chlorides, sulfonyl chlorides and carboxylic acids with nitrogen nucleophiles have been established using polymer-bound reagents to facilitate the chemistry and/or to efficiently scavenge the unreacted starting materials and reaction by-products. Silver(I) benzoate was used to facilitate the coupling of acyl chlorides with less reactive anilines. Compound 4 was identified as a sub-micromolar cathepsin D inhibitor (IC50=320 nM).
Relaxation Attenuation of Ultrasonic Waves in InAs

The attenuation of longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves with frequencies between 90 and 510 MHz and propagating in the [110] direction in InAs has been measured at room temperature. Measurements were also made at lower temperatures employing 210-MHz longitudinal waves. The attenuation at room temperature is observed to increase less strongly than ${f}^{2}$, where $f$ is the frequency. However, when the residual attenuation observed at 4.2 K is subtracted from the room-temperature data, the difference approaches the ${f}^{2}$ dependence expected for the Akhieser phonon viscosity mechanism. It is found that the temperature dependence of the attenuation can also be accounted for within the framework of the Akhieser mechanism and is due mainly to the quantity $\ensuremath{\Sigma}{i}^{}{\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{i}^{2}{C}_{{V}_{i}}$, where the ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{i}$'s and ${C}_{{V}_{i}}$'s are the Gr\"uneisen $\ensuremath{\gamma}$'s and heat capacities of a small number of Debye continua and Einstein modes by which the actual phonon spectrum can be approximated.
An Empirical Analysis of the Dimensions of Community Adjustment for Adults with Mental Retardation in Semi-Independent Living Programs

This study examines the empirical validity of a multi-dimensional model of community adjustment, utilizing a sample of adults with disabilities from semi-independent living programs in 4 western states. The findings confirm a proposed 4 dimensional model, including occupation, residential environment, social support/safety, and client satisfaction as largely independent dimensions of community adjustment These findings are discussed with respect to the current Federal model of transition in the United States, looking particularly at the implications for program planning and program evaluation.
Serial Changes on Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Encephalitis or Encephalopathy

It is recognized that diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is a sensitive method of detecting cerebral lesions in various neurologic disorders. This report presents two patients with acute encephalitis or encephalopathy who manifested similar serial changes on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Clinically, Patient 1, a 2-year-old male, was diagnosed as having hemiconvulsion-hemiplegia-epilepsy syndrome and Patient 2, a 9-month-old male, acute encephalitis associated with exanthema subitum. Despite the different etiology and the distribution of lesions, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of these two patients revealed high-intensity lesions in the subcortical white matter in the acute phase, and then in the cortex, or basal ganglia, or both. In the convalescent phase, high-intensity lesions disappeared and brain atrophy developed. These serial changes were not recognized using other conventional methods. Although the exact mechanism for these serial changes remains unknown, these changes might reflect some pathogenic mechanism in acute encephalopathy or encephalitis.
Sex-specific effects of nicotine exposure on developmental programming of blood pressure and vascular reactivity in the C57Bl/6J mouse.

Objective The objective of the study was to determine whether perinatal nicotine exposure adversely affects cardiovascular health in adulthood. Study Design C57Bl/6J female mice were randomized to 200 μg/mL nicotine in 2% saccharin or 2% saccharin alone from 2 weeks before breeding until weaning. Offspring weight, vital signs, and carotid artery vascular reactivity were studied. A second cohort was subjected to shaker stress on day 4 of 7 days. Selected mediators of vascular tone were evaluated by molecular studies. Student t or Mann-Whitney U test was performed for statistical analysis (significance: P Results Nicotine-exposed compared with control female offspring had significantly elevated mean blood pressure under normal and stress conditions. Nicotine females lacked heart rate elevation after stress. Nicotine males had higher mean heart rate and a blunted contractile response to phenylephrine compared with controls, without an increase in blood pressure. Conclusion Perinatal nicotine exposure has an impact on the developmental programming of future cardiovascular health, with adverse effects more evident in female offspring.
Management of lesions of the helical rim using a chondrocutaneous advancement flap.

This report describes and illustrates a method, believed heretofore unreported, for the surgical management of defects of the helical rim. There have been no complications or recurrence of tumors in 18 patients treated by this method, and cosmetic results are satisfactory.
Mapping convulsants' binding to the GABA-A receptor chloride ionophore: A proposed model for channel binding sites

Abstract Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptors play a key role in brain inhibitory neurotransmission, and are ligand-activated chloride channels blocked by numerous convulsant ligands. Here we summarize data on binding of picrotoxin, tetrazoles, β-lactams, bicyclophosphates, butyrolactones and neurotoxic pesticides to GABA-A ionophore, and discuss functional and structural overlapping of their binding sites. The paper reviews data on convulsants’ binding sensitivity to different point mutations in ionophore-lining second trans-membrane domains of GABA-A subunits, and maps possible location of convulsants’ sites within the chloride ionophore. We also discuss data on inhibition of glycine, glutamate, serotonin (5-HT3) and N -acetylcholine receptors by GABA-A channel blockers, and examine the applicability of this model to other homologous ionotropic receptors. Positioning various convulsant-binding sites within ionophore of GABA-A receptors, this model enables a better understanding of complex architectonics of ionotropic receptors, and may be used for developing new channel-modulating drugs.
CTH03-6: Approaching MIMO-OFDM Capacity with Closed-Loop V-BLAST

In this paper, power-efficient transmission schemes are studied for MIMO-OFDM block-fading channels under the assumption that the channel is perfectly known at the receiver but unknown at the transmitter. Based on the well-known V-BLAST architecture that employs the horizontal encoding and the interference-nulling based successive decoding, this paper presents a closed-loop V-BLAST extension for MIMO-OFDM whereby the transmit rate and power as well as the assigned transmit antenna for each data stream at different OFDM tones are jointly optimized at the receiver and then fed back to the transmitter. Simulation results have confirmed that the closed- loop V-BLAST architecture is able to approach closely the MIMO-OFDM channel capacity attained through the eigenmode transmission that requires the complete channel feedback from the receiver to the transmitter.
Amino acid–dependent stability of the acyl linkage in aminoacyl-tRNA

Aminoacyl-tRNAs are the biologically active substrates for peptide bond formation in protein synthesis. The stability of the acyl linkage in each aminoacyl-tRNA, formed through an ester bond that connects the amino acid carboxyl group with the tRNA terminal 3′-OH group, is thus important. While the ester linkage is the same for all aminoacyl-tRNAs, the stability of each is not well characterized, thus limiting insight into the fundamental process of peptide bond formation. Here, we show, by analysis of the half-lives of 12 of the 22 natural aminoacyl-tRNAs used in peptide bond formation, that the stability of the acyl linkage is effectively determined only by the chemical nature of the amino acid side chain. Even the chirality of the side chain exhibits little influence. Proline confers the lowest stability to the linkage, while isoleucine and valine confer the highest, whereas the nucleotide sequence in the tRNA provides negligible contribution to the stability. We find that, among the variables tested, the protein translation factor EF-Tu is the only one that can protect a weak acyl linkage from hydrolysis. These results suggest that each amino acid plays an active role in determining its own stability in the acyl linkage to tRNA, but that EF-Tu overrides this individuality and protects the acyl linkage stability for protein synthesis on the ribosome.
Caregivers as money managers for adults with severe mental illness: how treatment providers can help.

Objective To review the prevalence, benefits, and problems associated with families who, either informally or formally as representative payees, manage money for adults with severe mental illness.
Algorithms for Obtaining Cumulative Reaction Probabilities for Chemical Reactions

Miller and coworkers have proposed calculating the cumulative reaction probabilities of a chemical reaction through the computation of the few lowest eigenvalues of a matrixZ. In this study, the possibility of computing these eigenvalues using the iterative IRLM approach of Sorensen is investigated. The application to collinear H + H2? H + H2reactions shows that it is possible to compute the physical eigenvalues ofZiteratively using the IRLM formulation with a Chebychev preconditionedZmatrix as the primary matrix. Because the IRLM formulation only requires simple matrix?vector operations, one never needs to assemble and store the wholeZmatrix. Moreover, the multiplication ofZby a vector takes full advantage of the underlying sparseness of the matrix. This study presents several new and successful strategies to improve the convergence speed of IRLM, as well as strategies for obtaining the eigenvalues ofZwhen the eigenvalue span ofZis very large (1?1010).
Predictors of later bipolar disorder in patients with subthreshold symptoms.

Abstract Introduction The clinical significance of subthreshold bipolar disorder (SBD), which is characterized by an insufficient number or severity of hypomanic symptoms to qualify for a formal bipolar disorder diagnosis, remains to be determined. Methods We examined the outcomes three years later (2004–2005; Wave 2) of 40,512 civilian, non-institutionalized subjects who endorsed elation and/or irritability but did not meet full criteria for lifetime mania or hypomania in 2001–2002 (Wave 1). Results The likelihood of developing a clear episode of mania or hypomania by Wave 2 was significantly increased in subjects with elation or only irritability at Wave 1 compared with subjects who did not endorse either (OR 2.8, p p Limitations SBD was not limited to depression, reducing comparability to previous studies. Despite the large sample size, there were not enough subjects to determine the impact of different numbers and types of additional symptoms on bipolar outcome. Although the majority of subjects were followed between the two Waves, the total duration of follow-up was probably too short to determine the long-term conversion rate to mania or hypomania. Conclusions Elation and/or irritability, especially if accompanied by trouble concentrating, racing thoughts or hyperactivity, may represent a prodrome of formal bipolar disorder that indicate close follow-up and cautious use of antidepressants.
Enteroviral Infections of the Central Nervous System

Infections of the CNS with the nonpolio enteroviruses are common and important causes of morbidity in both children and adults. Studies have recently defined the short-term and long-term outcomes of aseptic meningitis due to the enteroviruses. Focal encephalitis is increasingly recognized as a complication of enterovirus infection. Patients at greatest risk for sequelae of CNS enteroviral disease include neonates and those who are immunocompromised. The clinical presentation may mimic that of bacterial or other viral CNS infections, a circumstance making laboratory diagnosis of paramount importance for reducing unnecessary hospitalization and therapy. Recent advances in PCR technology, including its adaptation to a colorimetric microwell plate format, promise to greatly facilitate diagnosis of enteroviral infections. Promising antiviral drugs for CNS disease and other serious manifestations of enteroviral infections are under development.
Pursuing the Horizon: Striving for Elusive Goals

Counselors are often confronted with client goals that seem to be, at varying levels of awareness, elusive to either the counselor or the client.
Pulse-frequency analysis of septal and hypothalamic reinforcement effects

Electrical stimulation of the septal or the lateral hypothalamic region was used to reinforce responding of rats. Holding constant the number, duration, and intensity of the pulses in each stimulation train, the pulse frequency was varied. Septal self-stimulation was found to be relatively invariant when every response was reinforced but was sensitive to frequency manipulations when variable interval reinforcement schedules were used. Septal self-stimulators responded most rapidly for low pulse frequencies (50/sec), while hypothalamic rats responded most rapidly for higher frequencies (250–400/sec). The frequency functions are not well accounted for by refractory period data, but do seem to represent fundamental differences in the neural substrates of reinforcement for these loci.
Escherichia coli cis- and trans-acting mutations that increase glyA gene expression.

We used anEscherichia coli strain blocked in serine biosynthesis and carrying a partialglyA deletion to isolate strains with altered regulation of theglyA gene. TheglyA deletion results in 25% of the normal serine hydroxymethyltransferase activity. Three classes of mutants with increasedglyA expression were isolated on glycine supplemented plates. One class of mutations increasedglyA expression 10-fold by directly altering the – 35 consensus sequence of theglyA promoter. The two other classes increasedglyA expression about 2- and 6-fold, respectively. The latter two classes of mutations also affected regulation of themetE gene of the folate branch of the methionine pathway, but notmetA in the nonfolate branch of the methionine pathway, or thegcv operon, encoding the glycine cleavage enzyme system. The mutations were mapped to about minute 85.5 on theE. coli chromosome.
Imaging the Ferron Member of the Mancos Shale formation using reprocessed high-resolution 2-D seismic reflection data: Emery County, Utah

Abstract Late in 1982 and early in 1983, Arco Exploration contracted with Rocky Mountain Geophysical to acquired four high-resolution 2-D multichannel seismic reflection lines in Emery County, Utah. The primary goal in acquiring this data was an attempt to image the Ferron Member of the Upper Cretaceous Mancos Shale. Design of the high-resolution 2-D seismic reflection data acquisition used both a short geophone group interval and a short sample interval. An explosive energy source was used which provided an input pulse with broad frequency content and higher frequencies than typical non-explosive Vibroseis® sources. Reflections produced by using this high-frequency energy source when sampled at a short interval are usually able to resolve shallow horizons that are relatively thin compared to those that can be resolved using more typical oil and gas exploration seismic reflection methods. The U.S. Geological Survey-Energy Resources Program, Geophysical Processing Group used the processing sequence originally applied by Arco in 1984 as a guide and experimented with processing steps applied in a different order using slightly different parameters in an effort to improve imaging the Ferron Member horizon. As with the Arco processed data there are sections along all four seismic lines where the data quality cannot be improved upon, and in fact the data quality is so poor that the Ferron horizon cannot be imaged at all. Interpretation of the seismic and core hole data indicates that the Ferron Member in the study area represent a deltaic sequence including delta front, lower delta plain, and upper delta plain environments. Correlating the depositional environments for the Ferron Member as indicated in the core holes with the thickness of Ferron Member suggests the presence of a delta lobe running from the northwest to the southeast through the study area. The presence of a deltaic channel system within the delta lobe complex might prove to be an interesting conventional exploration target along with the coal-bed methane production already proven in the area.
Ethical decision making: A review of the empirical literature

The authors review the empirical literature in order to assess which variables are postulated as influencing ethical beliefs and decision making. The variables are divided into those unique to the individual decision maker and those considered situational in nature. Variables related to an individual decision maker examined in this review are nationality, religion, sex, age, education, employment, and personality. Situation specific variables examined in this review are referent groups, rewards and sanctions, codes of conduct, type of ethical conflict, organization effects, industry, and business competitiveness. The review identifies the variables that have been empirically tested in an effort to uncover what is known and what we need to know about the variables that are hypothesized as determinants of ethical decision behavior.
Coma formation driven by carbon monoxide release from comet Schwassmann–Wachmann 1

DISTANT comets are sometimes observed to undergo outbursts of activity that generate a surrounding coma, but the cause of this activity is not known1,2. Whereas such outbursts in near-Sun comets are driven by the sublimation of water ice3, distant comets are too cold for this process to operate. The most plausible mechanisms involve the release of trapped gases from ice heated by an exothermic phase transition from an amorphous to a crystalline state4–6, or the sublimation of very volatile ices such as molecular nitrogen and carbon monoxide7–9. Here we report the detection of emission from carbon monoxide at submillimetre wavelengths from a distant comet, the periodic comet Schwassmann–Wachmann 1. The inferred rate of CO production is sufficient to generate the observed coma. These results provide the first direct evidence that sublimation of volatiles can drive the activity of distant comets.
The Exchange Rate Exposure of a Global Competitor

This paper analyzes the exposure of operating cash flows to an exogenous exchange rate change for a firm operating internationally as a multimarket oligopolist (i.e., a “global” competitor) and facing demand that depends in a general way on the exchange rate. It is shown that exposure is the sum of a base case exposure identified in other studies and two other components: terms associated with exchange rate-induced demand shifts and terms associated with competitors's reoptimization following the exchange rate shock. In general, the magnitudes of these additional terms are significant, especially in the presence of asymmetries across markets and firms. Numerical examples are provided that incorporate asymmetries corresponding to stylized facts about some U.S. markets and U.S. manufacturers.
Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for the analysis of biological materials

Abstract Graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) is used to analyze a variety of biological materials. Conventional single element determinations as well as multielement determinations made on the SIMAAC are discussed. Four sample preparation methods were used to prepare samples for GFAAS including: direct analysis of liquids, wet ashing, dry ashing, and slurry preparation. Results from analyses of a wide variety of materials are presented.
Autonomous mobile networks

Summary form only given, as follows. Autonomous mobile networks are distributed ad-hoc networks of nodes that can sense, actuate, compute and communicate with each other using point-to-point multi-hop communication. The nodes in such networks include static sensors, mobile sensors, robots, and humans. Such systems combine the most advanced concepts in perception, communication and control to create computational systems capable of large-scale interaction with the environment, extending the individual capabilities of each network component to encompass a much wider area and range of data. We discuss communication, control and information processing in networked robots. Due to the absence of any networking infrastructure, the nodes must cooperate to accomplish communication, global control and distributed information aggregation. We present distributed algorithms for routing messages that use mobility to guarantee message delivery, distributed algorithms for aggregating maps and using the maps to guide navigation, and some recent results on information diffusion.
Fluorescent Particle Injection Technique for Two-Phase Flow Measurement Using Particle Image Velocimetry

Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is a well established measurement technique to measure velocity in a variety of different fluids. Using PIV to measure single-phase flow is well established, but recently PIV has been used to measure two-phase flows as well. Most two-phase PIV measurements have been for dispersed or bubbly flows, often utilizing the bubbles or droplets as PIV seed particles. However, there are other types of two-phase flow situations, such as stratified or slug flow, in which PIV measurement techniques are not yet well established. Situations such as these require both liquid and gas phases to be seeded separately with particles that can distinguish each phase. A particle injection method is presented for the air phase of a two-phase system using fluorescent tracer particles. Information about the system, including details of the fluorescent particles and injection device are given. The device injects micron sized fluorescent particles at a uniform rate into the flow of interest. A cut-off lens filter on the PIV camera is used to distinguish the fluorescent particles used for the air phase from non-fluorescent particles used in the liquid phase. Results using the technique with a two-phase air/water system in a thin rectangular channel for stratified/wavy flow are given. The channel is enclosed in a clear acrylic plastic tank and the dimensions of the channel are 600 mm long, 40 mm high, and 15 mm wide. The results demonstrate the ability to use PIV to measure the gas phase of a two-phase system for stratified/wavy flow and the method could be extended to other two-phase flow regimes as well.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Neutrophils generate oxygen free radicals in rat mesenteric microcirculation after abdominal irradiation

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: Oxygen free radicals have been invoked as mediators of tissue injury in gastrointestinal diseases. This study determines whether oxygen radicals are generated in the mesenteric microvasculature after abdominal irradiation and defines the cellular source of these radicals. METHODS: Leukocyte adherence and emigration in mesenteric venules were measured using intravital microscopy at 2 or 6 hours after abdominal irradiation. Oxygen radical production was measured using the oxidant-sensitive fluorochrome dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR-123). RESULTS: Relative to control microvessels, irradiated venules exhibited a significant increase in adherent leukocytes 2 hours after irradiation, whereas both adherent and emigrated leukocytes were increased at 6 hours. An increased oxidation of DHR-123 was noted within venules at 2 hours after irradiation, with a more marked response, associated with leukocytes emigrated into the interstitium, observed at 6 hours after irradiation. Treatment with an anti-CD18 antibody blocked irradiation-induced leukocyte adherence and emigration and prevented the DHR-123 oxidation, normally observed at 6 hours, with a partial attenuation of DHR-123 oxidation at 2 hours. Neither the leukocyte-independent component of DHR-123 oxidation nor the leukocyte recruitment normally observed at 2 hours postirradiation was blunted by the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that activated leukocytes represent the major source of oxidants generated in the mesentery after abdominal irradiation. (Gastroenterology 1996 Oct;111(4):981-9)
Mental Health Consumers' Experience of Stigma

The extent to which mental health consumers encounter stigma in their daily lives is a matter of substantial importance for their recovery and quality of life. This article summarizes the results of a nationwide survey of 1,301 mental health consumers concerning their experience of stigma and discrimination. Survey results and followup interviews with 100 respondents revealed experience of stigma from a variety of sources, including communities, families, churches, coworkers, and mental health caregivers. The majority of respondents tended to try to conceal their disorders and worried a great deal that others would find out about their psychiatric status and treat them unfavorably. They reported discouragement, hurt, anger, and lowered self-esteem as results of their experiences, and they urged public education as a means for reducing stigma. Some reported that involvement in advocacy and speaking out when stigma and discrimination were encountered helped them to cope with stigma. Limitations to generalization of results include the self-selection, relatively high functioning of participants, and respondent connections to a specific advocacy organization-the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
Clinical outcome after multivessel coronary stent implantation.

Abstract Background Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) has been shown to be an effective therapy for multivessel coronary artery disease, although more frequent acute complications and an increased need to repeat revascularization than with single-vessel PTCA continue to be limitations. Intracoronary stent placement has been shown to reduce the rate of acute complications and the need for subsequent revascularization. We sought to evaluate the outcome among patients undergoing successful multivessel coronary intervention with stents. Methods The participants were 175 patients without coronary artery bypass grafts who underwent multivessel coronary revascularization in which stent placement was attempted in all treated segments from January 1992 through March 1998 at our institution. Clinical and angiographic characteristics and outcomes were analyzed. Results Stent placement was attempted for 428 coronary lesions. The angiographic success rate was 100%. Modified American College of Cardiology–American Heart Association type B2 and C lesions accounted for 74.5% of the lesions. Three patients (1.7%) died in the hospital. No patient had Q-wave myocardial infarction or needed coronary artery bypass grafting. Procedural success was achieved for 172 patients (98.3%). The Kaplan-Meier probability of freedom from death or myocardial infarction at 12 months was 96.6%, of any revascularization was 81.7%, and of death, myocardial infarction, and any revascularization combined was 79.8%. The use of long-acting nitrates at 12 months was reduced (34.3% versus 19.1%, P = .01). Conclusions Multivessel coronary stent placement is associated with an excellent procedural success rate despite a high rate of adverse lesion characteristics and a high event-free survival rate during the follow-up period. The likelihood that revascularization will not have to be repeated during the first follow-up year is significantly better than that for historic controls of multivessel PTCA. (Am Heart J 1999;138:1105-10.)
Vertical and horizontal land deformation due to fluid withdrawal

A non-linear distribution of vertical displacement versus aquifer depth is calculated in the case of a partially penertrating well. For a fully penetrating well, however, a linear distribution is observed. The solution exhibits a vertically uniform horizontal displacement in the case of a fully penetrating well and, for a partially penetrating well, the maximum horizontal displacement occurs at the elevation of the well bottom.
Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating of Sediments over the Past 200,000 Years

Optical dating of sediment using optically stimulated luminescence has become important for studying Earth surface processes, and this technique continues to develop rapidly. A group of closely linked luminescence methods can be used to estimate the time since grains of quartz and feldspar were last exposed to daylight by detecting their subsequent response to environmental ionizing radiation exposure. The technique is well suited to the dating of deposits as young as one year to several hundred thousand years. Recent technical developments have established a dating protocol with improved precision, a high degree of reliability, and an in-built means to detect incomplete signal removal during deposition. This approach has been extended to age estimation for single grains, opening up a wider range of potential environments and new possibilities for understanding postdepositional grain movement. Ongoing research offers the possibility of significant age range extension and novel applications including low-t...
A study of coincidence line spread function (CLSF) estimation for small scintillators using quadrant sharing technique

Inter-crystal scatter is one of the primary reasons to misplace the coincidence events in positron emission tomography (PET). The probability of Compton scattering of a 511 KeV photon within the crystal is more than 50% of all interactions. Unlike one-to-one scintillator-photomultiplier tube (PMT) coupled (discrete) detectors, detector blocks utilizing the light sharing technique must have an additional degradation on their spatial resolution due to shared scintillation photons within the block. This study focuses on an estimation of the coincidence line spread function (CLSF) for 7/spl times/7 BGO (bismuth germanate) detector blocks by comparing the simulation results for discrete and light shared detectors. Based on experimental measurements, decoding probabilities, which describe the uncertainty in positioning between neighboring crystals, were estimated from photoelectron statistics. The results were embedded into the Monte Carlo simulation to estimate the CLSF more accurately. In this study, two 7/spl times/7 BGO detector blocks (2.68 mm/spl times/2.68 mm/spl times/18 mm) with different surface treatments coupled to 4 PMTs were used to estimate the decoding probability values. For discrete detectors, the FWHM values of CLSF for 7/spl times/7 BGO block with crystal dimensions of 2.68 mm/spl times/2.68 mm/spl times/18 mm were approximately found 1.47 mm for discrete detectors and 1.51 mm for light shared detectors. The intrinsic spatial resolutions of 7/spl times/7 light shared BGO block with crystal dimensions of 2.68 mm/spl times/2.68 mm/spl times/18 mm for 20 cm, 40 cm and 80 cm detector ring diameters were projected to 1.57 mm, 1.75 and 2.30 mm, respectively. Making the assumption that LSO (lutetium orthosilicate) crystals have 5 times more light output than BGO, 14/spl times/14 LSO block with crystal dimensions of 1.32 mm/spl times/1.32 mm/spl times/20 mm can be decoded and intrinsic spatial resolutions for 20 cm, 40 cm and 80 cm detector ring diameters were expected to be 0.87 mm, 1.15 mm and 1.91 mm, respectively.
Pyridinium 2-azo-p-dimethylaniline chromophore, a chromogenic reagent for beta-lactamase testing compared to nitrocefin.

Pyridinium-2-azo-p-dimethylaniline chromophore was evaluated as a test tube, filter paper and spectrophotometric assay for detection ofβ-lactamases from grampositive and gram-negative organisms. Although useful for detection of TEMβ-lactamases inHaemophilus influenzae andNeisseria gonorrhoeae, it was a poor agent for detecting TEM, OXA and PSE enzymes inEnterobacteriaceae. It also proved poor for detecting cephalosporinases inPseudomonas aeruginosa andEnterobacteriaceae, and penicillinases inStaphylococcus aureus when compared to nitrocefin. As a spectrophotometric substrate it was equivalent to nitrocefin and cephaloridine with variousβ-lactamases.
Influence of ileal pouch anal anastomosis on bone loss in ulcerative colitis patients.

Abstract Background and aim Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are at an increased risk for low bone mineral density (BMD). It is unclear whether proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) for UC alters the risk of bone loss. The aim of this study was to compare BMD in UC patients with and without IPAA. Methods A total of 267 patients with UC and IPAA (study group) were compared to 119 UC patients without IPAA (control group) in this cross-sectional study. The demographic and clinical variables including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan results were compared. Patients were classified as having normal or low BMD, based on the criteria by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess risk factors associated with low BMD. Age, gender, race, smoking status, steroid use, alcohol use, body mass index, years of absent estrogen protection, use of calcium, vitamin D supplements and disease duration were selected as covariates. Results 83 (31.1%) had low BMD in the study group vs. 18 (15.1%) in the control group (p=0.001). 2/13 (15.4%) had low BMD before surgery. The mean age of patients in the study and control groups were 44.7±14.1 vs. 52.4±17.7years, respectively (p 2 decrease; 95% CI, 1.68–3.36), and the presence of IPAA (OR=6.02; 95% CI, 2.46–14.70). For the 13 IPAA patients who had information available, BMD before IPAA was low. After a median of 46 (Range 7–84) months after IPAA, BMD improved in 7/13 patients (53.8%), while it continued to be low in 6/13 (46.2%) patients. Conclusions Low BMD is common in patients with UC. The risk appears to persist even after colectomy and IPAA surgery suggesting that these patients need to be monitored for bone loss.
Immune regulation of a chronic bacteria infection and consequences for pathogen transmission

Background: The role of host immunity has been recognized as not only playing a fundamental role in the interaction between the host and pathogen but also in influencing host infectiousness and the ability to shed pathogens. Despite the interest in this area of study, and the development of theoretical work on the immunoepidemiology of infections, little is known about the immunological processes that influence pathogen shedding patterns. Results: We used the respiratory bacterium Bordetella bronchiseptica and its common natural host, the rabbit, to examine the intensity and duration of oro-nasal bacteria shedding in relation to changes in the level of serum antibodies, blood cells, cytokine expression and number of bacteria colonies in the respiratory tract. Findings show that infected rabbits shed B. bronchiseptica by contact up to 4.5 months post infection. Shedding was positively affected by number of bacteria in the nasal cavity (CFU/g) but negatively influenced by serum IgG, which also contributed to the initial reduction of bacteria in the nasal cavity. Three main patterns of shedding were identified: i- bacteria were shed intermittently (46% of individuals), ii- bacteria shedding fell with the progression of the infection (31%) and iii- individuals never shed bacteria despite being infected (23%). Differences in the initial number of bacteria shed between the first two groups were associated with differences in the level of serum antibodies and white blood cells. These results suggest that the immunological conditions at the early stage of the infection may play a role in modulating the long term dynamics of B. bronchiseptica shedding. Conclusions: We propose that IgG influences the threshold of bacteria in the oro-nasal cavity which then affects the intensity and duration of individual shedding. In addition, we suggest that a threshold level of infection is required for shedding, below this value individuals never shed bacteria despite being infected. The mechanisms regulating these interactions are still obscure and more studies are needed to understand the persistence of bacteria in the upper respiratory tract and the processes controlling the intensity and duration of shedding.