cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Property Takings in Developed Versus Developing Countries: Economics, Politics and the Limits of the Holdout Problem

In the spirit of the Upton Forum, I will take this opportunity to compare and contrast takings in developing versus developed countries (specifically the United States). I will argue that takings differ in the two realms by the political processes through which they pass, which reflects the different institutional and ideological contexts through which they are enacted. These political differences help explain the fact that the distributional effects operate in opposing directions in the two settings: from rich to poor in developing countries but from poor to rich in the United States. Yet there is an important similarity as well. Takings in both developed and developing countries alter people’s incentives for maintaining and investing in their property. This paper explores these margins of contrast between takings in the developed versus developing world, and then discusses implications for the primary economic justification of the takings power, known as the holdout problem. The holdout problem is an argument based on economic efficiency, but it does not account for two sources of inefficiency that I highlight here.
Optimized external scheduling for fair service discrimination

In Web services environments, classes of service are offered at different performance levels. Requests belonging to various service classes are to be handled differently in order to yield their expected corresponding performance level. We investigate a mechanism that provides this service discrimination by deploying an optimized external scheduler, as opposed to common mechanisms for prioritization and internal server scheduling. A measure of Service Performance Level (SPL) that combines target and achieved performance values is introduced. Our approach is based on simple Weighted Round-Robin (WRR) scheduling with dynamically adjustable weights that are computed by solving an integer resource allocation problem. We present experimental results, contrasting a few scheduling policies. Further, we provide an analytic queueing network model to approximate the behavior of the system, and show its effectiveness.
Outbreak due to methicillin- and rifampin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: epidemiology and eradication of the resistant strain from the hospital.

A methicillin- and rifampin-resistant strain of Staphylococcus aureus was introduced into a university hospital by interstate transfer of an infected surgical patient. An outbreak occurred, and 17 patients became infected or colonized with the epidemic strain. Reservoirs appeared to be patients who were infected or colonized with the resistant S aureus and possibly two nurses who were nasal carriers. The outbreak isolate was likely spread by contact with contaminated hands of personnel. A retrospective case-control study identified tracheostomy, debridement, and irrigation of wounds by power spray and prolonged nasogastric intubation as risk factors for acquisition of the epidemic strain. Analysis of factors by groups indicated that surgical procedures, wound care procedures and instrumentation of the respiratory tract were significantly associated with cases. The nasal carrier state was eradicated in two nurses by topical application of 5% vancomycin. The epidemic strain was eradicated from the hospital 8 months after it was introduced.
CHRONIC DIARRHEA AND FAILURE TO THRIVE DUE TO INTESTINAL DISACCHARIDASE INSUFFICIENCY

An infant with chronic diarrhea due to suspected generalized disaccharidase insufficiency is described. The clinical condition of the infant improved following the removal of lactose and sucrose from the diet. The fermentative and acidic stool with free lactose and lactic acid also improved. However, the infant was too ill to undergo direct assay of intestinal mucosal tissue for disaccharidase activity or for challenge with offending sugars. Postmortem tissue assay revealed less than 10% of normal activity for lactase, sucrase, maltase, and isomaltase in the intestinal mucosa.
LEVELS OF PRACTICE, LEARNING CURVES, AND SYSTEM VALUES FOR HUMAN PERFORMANCE ON COMPLEX TASKS.

Even where time, Ss, and money are available for an extensive experiment on a valid experimental task, the estimation of a system value for highly experienced operators is not foolproof. The Ss must be run on the task until their performance shows little or no further improvement with additional practice. Asymptotes must be estimated for each individual S via cautious application of curve-fitting techniques, and these estimates averaged for the appropriate sample of Ss.
Interprofessional Communication Skills Training for Serious Illness: Evaluation of a Small-Group, Simulated Patient Intervention

Background: Communication with patients and families is an essential component of high-quality care in serious illness. Small-group skills training can result in new communication behaviors, but past studies have used facilitators with extensive experience, raising concerns this is not scalable. Objective: The objective was to investigate the effect of an experiential communication skills building workshop (Codetalk), led by newly trained facilitators, on internal medicine trainees' and nurse practitioner students' ability to communicate bad news and express empathy. Design: Trainees participated in Codetalk; skill improvement was evaluated through pre- and post- standardized patient (SP) encounters. Setting and subjects: The subjects were internal medicine residents and nurse practitioner students at two universities. Intervention and measurements: The study was carried out in anywhere from five to eight half-day sessions over a month. The first and last sessions included audiotaped trainee SP encounters coded for effective communication behaviors. The primary outcome was change in communication scores from pre-intervention to post-intervention. We also measured trainee characteristics to identify predictors of performance and change in performance over time. Results: We enrolled 145 trainees who completed pre- and post-intervention SP interviews—with participation rates of 52% for physicians and 14% for nurse practitioners. Trainees' scores improved in 8 of 11 coded behaviors (p<0.05). The only significant predictors of performance were having participated in the intervention (p<0.001) and study site (p<0.003). The only predictor of improvement in performance over time was participating in the intervention (p<0.001). Conclusions: A communication skills intervention using newly trained facilitators was associated with improvement in trainees' skills in giving bad news and expressing empathy. Improvement in communication skills did not vary by trainee characteristics.
Developing an active learning environment with courseware approach

Using multimedia tools in teaching and enhancing students' learning is of interest to many educators and researchers. Moreover, production of multimedia-based educational software has become a popular trend. Many of these products are basically a combination of text, animation, sounds and video scenes. This paper discusses some of the expected features of multimedia-based educational software and courseware approach that are useful in active learning. The focus of the paper is on engineering education and the authors' use their circuits courseware product to illustrate some of the requirements. First, they present a formal/typical definition of an active learning environment and discuss some of the necessary features of an appropriate courseware product for use in this kind of approach. Next, they describe the development of their circuits courseware product.
THE EFFECTS OF INSTRUCTION AND PRACTICE IN CONTENT‐INDEPENDENT TEST‐TAKING TECHNIQUES UPON THE STANDARDIZED READING TEST SCORES OF SELECTED SECOND‐GRADE STUDENTS

Twenty-four relatively test-naive second-grade students received eight 30-minute periods of deliberate instruction and practice in content-independent standardized test-taking techniques over a four-week period. Immediate and delayed effects of treatment were assessed through an analysis of improvement in standardized reading test scores as measured by the difference between experimental and control groups in the Stanford Reading Test. The results showed that students who received instruction and practice in test-taking techniques achieved significantly higher scores on both the immediate posttest administered the week following treatment and the delayed posttest administered four months after treatment. Mean differences were about a quarter of a standard deviation.
A hierarchical approach to the facility layout problem

A hierarchical approach to the continual plane facility layout problem is presented in this paper. The approach employs a divide-and-conquer strategy which consists of three phases: (1) cluster analysis, (2) initial layout, and (3) layout refinement. Cluster analysis generates a hierarchical structure of the layout. Based on the structure, the second phase produces an initial layout of each cluster which is then refined by the layout refinement phase. The relatively small number of facilities in each cluster enables the problem formulation to embody more geometric constraints than existing methods. Cluster layouts are combined using a bottom-up merging process to generate the overall layout. The effectiveness of this procedure is demonstrated by experiments involving five to thirty facilities. Because of the hierarchical nature of this approach, it is suitable for plants with a large number of facilities which operate in tightly coupled groups
Maternal hemoglobin F levels may have an adverse effect on neonatal birth weight in pregnancies with sickle cell disease

A total of 26 patients with sickle cell disease were followed up through 32 pregnancies. There was no correlation between days in hospital or number of painful crises and either birth weight or birth weight percentile. The number of dense irreversibly sickled and least deformable cells was negatively correlated with birth weight percentile (r = -0.63, p less than 0.01). Patients' initial hemoglobin levels were positively correlated with birth weight percentile (r = 0.52, p less than 0.004). Hemoglobin F, on the other hand, was significantly inversely correlated with birth weight percentile. Nine pregnancies with small-for-gestational-age infants had an average hemoglobin level of 9.1% +/- 4.5%. In contrast, patients who were delivered of appropriate-for-gestational-age infants (23 pregnancies) had an average hemoglobin F level of 3.6% +/- 2.9% (p less than 0.01). We conclude that total hemoglobin levels and dense cells are correlated with birth weight percentile; moreover, the higher the maternal hemoglobin F levels the higher the risk of small-for-gestational-age infants. We speculate that although high hemoglobin levels may be beneficial to the fetus, high maternal hemoglobin F levels could increase the desaturation of non-F cells and induce placental obstruction.
Studies of tails in smectic liquid crystals. II. The effect of a butoxyethoxyethoxy tail[1]

Abstract In the previous paper [2], we studied the effect of a hybrid tail on the S*c phase range of a three-ring core mesogen. It is concluded that the ether tail has a small number of contorted, but energetically favored conformers. The hybrid tail has a slightly contorted minimum energy conformation but the fluorine substituents have raised the energy of the particular deep levels available to the ether tail. In brief, the ether substituents enable gauche conformers, and the fluorine substituent prevent the gauche conformers from becoming overwhelming. In an extension to further demonstrate the validity of our theory, we have examined the effect of a butoxyethoxyethoxy tail (BO tail). It is expected that this tail should display a significant effect on the smectic mesophase, especially the S*c phase because the rigidity of the tail increases with the extension of terminal carbon chain from two to four.
TRACKING THE BABY BOOM, THE BABY BUST, AND THE ECHO GENERATIONS: HOW AGE COMPOSITION REGULATES US MIGRATION*

US regional and state migration data from the 1940s–80s, when members of the baby boom generation aged into their years of peak labor force mobility, suggest ways in which changing age composition regulates geographical mobility and interregional migration. Labor supply pressure plays a key role in the dynamics of the national migration system. A “delayed mobility” effect in the 1980s similar to the delayed fertility of the baby boom cohorts appears to be a result of the depressed rates of mobility experienced by members of this generation when they flooded regional labor markets with record numbers of entrants in the 1970s. Recent temporal shifts in age-specific volumes of interregional migration help predict the future pace of migration based upon the projected age distribution of the nation.
Growth Hormone Therapy in Hypophosphatemic Rickets

• The effects of growth hormone therapy on the biochemical measures of bone metabolism were studied in 11 children aged 3.5 to 17 years who had familial hypophosphatemic rickets; five were male. Subjects were maintained on a regimen of stable doses of conventional therapy (calcitriol and phosphate). Subjects were studied at baseline receiving conventional therapy and during three sequential treatment periods: no therapy (4 weeks), growth hormone only (0.05 mg/kg per day for 4 weeks), and conventional therapy plus growth hormone (2 weeks). The nine youngest subjects were continued on a regimen of triple therapy for an additional 24 weeks. Serum phosphate averaged 0.93±0.13 mmol/L (mean±SD) at entry and decreased when the subjects were not receiving any therapy. During the 4 weeks of growth hormone only treatment, phosphate rose in all 11 subjects (0.70±0.08 mmol/L to 0.83±0.08 mmol/L). With triple therapy, phosphate remained higher than with no therapy. Calcitriol, osteocalcin, and parathyroid hormone increased as the subjects received growth hormone alone. Insulinlike growth factor I z scores rose significantly in response to growth hormone therapy alone. All nine subjects receiving 6 months of triple therapy increased their growth rate z scores. Exogenous growth hormone therapy may be useful in familial hypophosphatemic rickets. ( AJDC . 1991;145:1165-1170)
Hyperglycemia-Stimulated Myelopoiesis Causes Impaired Regression of Atherosclerosis in Type 1 Diabetes

People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have a high risk of early morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. A study in this issue of Cell Metabolism (Nagareddy et al., 2013) now identifies a mechanism causing impaired regression of atherosclerosis in T1D.
Slag foaming in bath smelting

Slag foaming measurements in terms of the foaming index (∑) were conducted on bath smelting-type slags (CaO-SiO2-FeO, CaO-SiO2-MgO-Al2O3-FeO) at 1773 K. It was found that the slag foam stability decreases with increasing FeO (FeO > 2 pct) content and basicity. For the slag system (CaO-SiO2-FeO), no stable foam was observed at very low FeO content (<2 pct). As pct FeO increases, the slag foaming index goes through a maximum and then decreases; a similar phenomenon was observed for CaO-SiO2-NiO slags with respect to the NiO content. The foaming index determined from the normal small-scale experiments (3.8-cm ID diameter) were confirmed on a larger scale (9.2-cm ID diameter), indicating that the foaming index is independent of container size. Measurements were also made for the actual compositions for bath smelting slags. For these slags, the foaming index is higher than those of simple CaO-SiO2-FeO slags, because MgO and Al2O3 may increase their viscosities. The foam index is believed to be a function of the physical properties of the slag. Consequently, a dimensional analysis was performed, and a correlation was developed relating the foaming index to the viscosity, surface tension, and density of the slag. An estimation of slag foaming in actual pilot plant trials was also made from the results of the present study. Good agreement was observed between the predicted and observed foam heights and indicated coke in the slag can reduce the foam height by more than 50 pct.
Capturing Planar Tire Properties Using Static Constraint Modes

The interaction between the tire and road has long been of interest for vehicle dynamic simulation. A planar tire model is developed to capture the tire circumferential displacements and calculate the spindle force according to the tire shape. The tire is discretized into segments and Hamilton’s principle is used to derive the model mathematical expression. It is shown that the static constraint modes are functions of two non-dimensional parameters; a third parameter defines the overall stiffness. These parameters are experimentally identified for a specific tire. The bridging and enveloping properties are examined circumferentially. The prediction accuracy of spindle force with respect to tire-road interference is evaluated by comparing the simulation and experimental response for a quasi-static cleat test. The simulation result of spindle force agrees with the experimental data and the process can be implemented as a morphological pre-filter of road profiles for more efficient vehicle modeling and simulation.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Grandparents Responsible for Grandchildren in Native-American Families*

Objectives. The primary goal of this article is to examine factors associated with grandparent care giving within the American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) population. Methods. Data from the 2000 Census of Population, 5% Public Use Microdata Sample, are used to evaluate a multivariate logistic regression model focusing on living with and caring for grandchildren. Particular emphasis is placed on characteristics that may reflect culturally-based ideas about grandparents' responsibility for the care of their grandchildren. Results. Indicators related to Native-American identity—specifically, reporting race as AIAN only rather than mixed race, reporting tribal membership, and living in a nonmetropolitan area of an “Indian” state—increase the likelihood of being responsible for a grandchild among Native-American singles and couples aged 45 and over. Conclusions. Cultural and resource characteristics combine to produce high levels of grandparent care giving within the AIAN population. Inasmuch as those with lower educational and economic resources are especially likely to have responsibility for a grandchild, special attention should be directed toward ensuring adequate support for these caregivers.
WE‐E‐203‐04: Development of a Web Accessible, Data Base to Facilitate Managing Medical Physics Residencies

Purpose: Develop software tools to facilitate managing documentation of a medical physics residency program Method and Materials:Medical physics residency programs are often carried out in busy clinics with few additional staffing resources. Creating a process that is both efficient and meets CAMPEP and university requirements for documenting the resident's entry into and progress through the program can be challenging. When the process involves faculty on multiple campuses, difficulty of the task is increased. Various tools for managing the data electronically were evaluated and a single approach converged upon. Results: Managing data using an SQL database, using web based applications (ASP.Net/C#.Net) as interfaces to the database was the preferred approach. This allowed greater flexibility than spread sheet based solutions and was more easily generalized for use by other medical physics residency programs. Initial applications were created and used to manage application materials for the residency, enable faculty to rank applications through all 4 phases of the process and aggregate statistics on the rankings to inform discussions. Additional applications are being developed to replace the spread sheet based documentation currently used to document resident progress through the program. Conclusion: Managing information on medical physics residencies with a database having a web based interface provides significant advantages for efficient use of staffing resources, facilitating reporting and aggregation of relevant statistics. A solution has been created that may be used by other institutions. Such efforts could form the basis of a unified approach among the various medical physics residency programs.
Axon Regeneration: It’s Getting Crowded at the Gates of TROY

A novel neuronal receptor complex that mediates myelin's inhibitory action on nerve fiber regeneration has at last been identified. This discovery could be an important step towards promoting nerve regeneration after stroke or spinal cord injury.
Relation of Blur Functions to Resolving Power

The type of blur involved in an optical image can be specified by describing the distribution of illuminance across the image of a narrow line. This is called the blur function. If the blur function conforms to the normal curve, the image of a grating will gradually fuse as the spacing decreases without undergoing “spurious resolution.” This property of a Gaussian blur function makes it possible to use it in analyzing the effects obtained with other types of blur. This approach to the problem also explains why there is a poor correlation between the resolution of gratings and the Cobb-Fry index of blur.
INTERNET INVESTMENT BANKING: THE IMPACT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ON RELATIONSHIP BANKING

The production “technology” of investment banking, particularly in the pricing and distribution of securities offerings, has long depended on the ability of bankers to build and maintain networks of relationships with institutional investors and client firms. Among other benefits, these relationships enabled banks to economize on communications with investors at a time when communicating with the investment community was quite costly. But recent advances in information technology are forcing banks to reevaluate this relationship-based technology. For example, Goldman Sachs recently purchased a stake in Wit Capital's efforts to build a retail distribution channel via the Internet. And William Hambrecht, founder of Hambrect & Quist, has gone so far as to propose that IPOs be put up for auction over the Internet. This article offers both historical and economic perspective on these technological innovations in investment banking. In so doing, it provides a framework for thinking about how this segment of the industry is likely to evolve in the near future. It also discusses how advances in information technology coupled with the increasing codification of investment banking practices could reduce the central role of human capital and relationships elsewhere within investment banks, and how this might influence both the organization of individual banks and the industry in general.
Sample preparation and characterization of artificially aged aircraft coatings for microstructural analysis

Abstract The paper describes a method for metallographic preparation of artificially aged aircraft coatings. In order to better understand the in-service performance and identify degradation mechanisms of an aircraft coating, complete characterization of the microstructure is essential. This paper discusses metallographic sample preparation and subsequent microscopy techniques (light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy) for characterization of a standard polyurethane aircraft coating system. The preparation method has proven to produce good, consistent results on a wide range of laboratory-produced simulated environmental exposures. The military specification coating system under study (MIL-PRF-85285C and MIL-PRF-23377G) degrades severely after accelerated weathering. Typical degradation includes deterioration of the polyurethane-based resin system in the topcoat and is observed as a visible change in the color. Increased porosity and some physical deterioration were also observed. In addition, some inorganic pigments in the primer appear to migrate into the topcoat during simulated exposure.
High-dimensional centrally-symmetric polytopes with neighborliness proportional to dimension

Let A be a d by n matrix, d 0 with the property that, for any ź 0 such that weak (k,ź) neighborliness holds at k significantly smaller than źW · d and fails for k significantly larger than źW · d. Sectional (k,ź)-neighborliness asks whether all, except for a small fraction ź, of the k-dimensional intrinsic sections of P are k-dimensional cross polytopes. (Intrinsic sections intersect P with k-dimensional subspaces spanned by vertices of P.) We characterize and compute a proportion źS(ź) > 0 guaranteeing this property for k/d ~ ź < źS(ź). We display graphs of źS and źW.
Federal agencies and the evolution of web governance

Over the last ten years federal agencies have undergone a fundamental transformation in the way they manage programs and internal administration, relations with Congress, and dealings with clients and citizens. Agencies now operate in sophisticated electronic environments of email, electronic documents and filings, Intranets, and Internets. This paper describes and analyzes the emergence of "web governance." Briefly, web governance is concerned with the control of content and design for agency websites. Here we focus on the processes by which web governance decisions are being made by individual federal agencies. We discuss preliminary information about how agencies are responding to Office of Management and Budget's new web content rules.
Atomic rearrangement at ZnTe/CdSe interfaces.

X-ray-absorption fine-structure spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction have been used to study the local atomic structure of four different short-period ZnTe/CdSe (001) superlattices grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. The data indicate Zn-Se and Cd-Te coordination numbers greater than those expected for sharp interfaces in the superlattice. Although strain would appear to suppress interdiffusion, it is shown that the results are consistent with an interchange of the Zn and Cd atomic planes across the Zn-Se interface and Se and Te atomic planes across the Cd-Te interface. Theoretically, this switch of atomic planes has been shown to be energetically favorable by comparing the changes in chemical bond-formation energies and strain energies between a perfect superlattice and one with the above-mentioned switching of atomic planes. Accommodation of this strain is shown through bond bending and bond stretching at the newly formed interfaces.
Development of instruments to measure counselees' knowledge of Down syndrome.

Since approximately 10 % of counselees coming to genetics clinics are concerned with Down syndrome, the development of short objective measures of knowledge of Down syndrome for evaluation could have widespread application. The purpose of this study was to design efficient, self-administered questionnaires of simple vocabulary to measure knowledge and understanding of Down syndrome before and after genetic counseling. Twenty-six previously piloted questions were administered to nurses, graduate students in Medical Genetics, special education teachers, and parents of children with Down syndrome (n = 126). A coefficient alpha of 0.842 indicated strong reliability. The content of the questionnaire was distributed into three categories: genetic knowledge, recurrence risk, and prenatal diagnosis. From the items (1) which had less than 85% correct responses, and (2) which fell into just one of the three categories, 12 questions were selected as a post-test (coefficient alpha of 0.749). Eight additional questions were then extracted (coefficient alpha of 0.56) as a pretest. The pretest predicted 53.3 % of the variance of the post-test. The use of these instruments before and after counseling can be an aid in evaluating counseling and in comparing various approaches for effectiveness.
False suffocation alarms, spontaneous panics, and related conditions. An integrative hypothesis.

• A carbon dioxide hypersensitivity theory of panic has been posited. We hypothesize more broadly that a physiologic misinterpretation by a suffocation monitor misfires an evolved suffocation alarm system. This produces sudden respiratory distress followed swiftly by a brief hyperventilation, panic, and the urge to flee. Carbon dioxide hypersensitivity is seen as due to the deranged suffocation alarm monitor. If other indicators of potential suffocation provoke panic, this theoretical extension is supported. We broadly pursue this theory by examining Ondine's curse as the physiologic and pharmacologic converse of panic disorder, splitting panic in terms of symptomatology and challenge studies, reevaluating the role of hyperventilation, and reinterpreting the contagiousness of sighing and yawning, as well as mass hysteria. Further, the phenomena of panic during relaxation and sleep, late luteal phase dysphoric disorder, pregnancy, childbirth, pulmonary disease, separation anxiety, and treatment are used to test and illuminate the suffocation false alarm theory.
Effect of Temperature and Initial Moisture Content on the Chemical Stability and Color Change of Various Forms of Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a widely used food ingredient, and its stability is both important and sensitive to environmental conditions. To monitor chemical and color stability, samples were prepared with varying water contents (0–50 mol water/mol solid) and stored at temperatures (22–60°C) for up to eight weeks. Three common methods (UV/Vis spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography, and 2,6-dichloroindophenol titration) were used to monitor chemical stability. Color changes were documented using Hunter colorimeter analysis. Both temperature and moisture content had a significant effect on chemical stability. Browning occurred faster than chemical degradation, and kinetic models were developed for both chemical degradation and color change.
The use of qualitative research techniques in orthopedic and sports physical therapy: Moving toward postpositivism

Abstract Evidence-based practice implies the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making clinical decisions about patient care. Historically the evidence is derived from research using quantitative methodologies based on positivist assumptions about the nature of science. However, as we comment in this paper, postpostivism is a philosophy that has a unique perspective about human behavior associated with rehabilitation that promises to contribute to clinical decisions. Physical therapy is a relational practice, and invariably relationships are established within the context of the patients and therapist's values, emotions, and perspectives. Research is emerging from both quantitative and qualitative methods that the behaviors, attitudes, and values of our patients influence the nature and course of treatment as well as its outcomes. Postpositivist research in physical therapy seeks to understand how human and social interactions may influence treatment outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential benefits of qualitative techniques for data collection and analyses based on postpositivist assumptions for the clinical practices of orthopedic and sports physical therapists. In order to address the purpose, this paper will explore the following questions. What is postpositivism? What are the applications of postpositivism in orthopedic and sports physical therapy? What methods are involved in doing research informed by postpositivist assumptions? How rigorous are qualitative research techniques based on postpositivism? What are its limitations?
Fast Segmentation via Randomized Hashing.

This paper describes a feature based approach to segmenting images into coherent regions. The method draws inspiration from earlier work on randomized projection schemes for approximate nearest neighbor computation. The method proceeds by first computing a descriptor vector for each of the pixels in the image. These vectors are then randomly hashed to yield binary vectors. Salient clusters in the hash space are automatically identified by considering the populations associated with various hash codes. Since the method avoids the explicit vector distance computations associated with other methods, it is very amenable to fast implementation. Experimental results are presented on standard data sets.
Analysis for polychlorinated biphenyls by dual capillary column gas chromatography

A dual-column, gas chromatographic, congener-specific methodology was developed that allows determination of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in water and sediment samples. The linearity of the detector responses was checked over a range of 1000 at the sub-ppb range of total PCB in the dual-column mode, with less than 10−12 g of each congener impinging on the detector. The chromatographic method was checked to ensure that there was minimal interference by the organochlorines with the PCB analysis and vice versa. PCB standards were analyzed, and they yielded values within 10% of the expected amounts. Extracts from sediments were analyzed, and the organochlorine pesticide (OC) values agreed with values obtained using standard methods. The PCB values obtained from the standard and presented methods agreed within a factor of two. Use of the method provides results that are comparable to current methodology, and it requires less time.
Effect of pregnancy and lactation on glycosyltransferase activities of rat mammary gland.

Abstract 1. 1. Effect of stage of pregnancy and lactation on levels of protein. DNA, lactose synthetase. CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid synthetase, CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid: GM 3 sialyltransferase. CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid: GM, sialyltransferase. and UDP-galactose:glucosyl ceramide galactosyltransferase in rat mammary gland were examined. 2. 2. In all cases protein content and enzyme activities began to increase one to 2 weeks before parturition and demonstrated sharp increases one to three days after parturition. 3. 3. Maximum enzyme activity, expressed per unit protein, occurred around day thirteen of lactation for all enzymes examined except for CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid: GM 3 sialyltransferase. 4. 4. There was a strong positive correlation between the levels of lactose synthetase. CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid synthetase. CMP- N -acetylneuraminic acid: GM 1 sialyltransferase and UDP-galactose:glucosyl ceramide galactosyl-transferase on any given day. 5. 5. Analysis of variance demonstrated that enzyme levels showed linear, quadratic and cubic properties over the course of the experimental period.
Immunological detection of antigen(s) associated with rat colon carcinoma.

CANCER of the colon and rectum is exceeded only by cancer of the lung as a cause of cancer death in the United States. Of the approximately 350,000 deaths from cancer in 1973, 47,400 were from cancer of the colon and rectum; of the approximately 665,000 cancers diagnosed in 1973, 79,000 were in the colon and rectum. Denmark, Great Britian, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Belgium and Austria have equally high or even slightly higher death rates from this disease and it is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in most western countries. Improved surgical techniques and the development of new diagnostic methods have not significantly affected these mortality statistics1.
Investigating the impact of the definition of previous antibiotic exposure related to isolation of extended spectrum β-Lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

Background Previous antibiotic exposure is a risk factor for extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolation, but the optimal definition of previous antibiotic exposure remains unclear. Methods This was a retrospective, case-control study comparing 88 patients with ESBL-producing K pneumoniae (cases) and 88 patients with non-ESBL-producing K pneumoniae (controls). Three previous antibiotic exposure definitions were analyzed, including durations of 30, 60, and 90 days prior to organism isolation. Results The mean cohort age was 63.6 ± 16.9 years, 43% were male, and 86% were black. In bivariate analysis, third-generation cephalosporins and cefepime were associated with ESBL-producing K pneumoniae isolation, and the odds ratios (OR) were significant regardless of previous antibiotic exposure definition. However, for fluoroquinolones and ampicillin/sulbactam, the ORs varied as a function of previous antibiotic exposure definition. In multivariate analysis, third-generation cephalosporin usage was a risk factor for ESBL-producing K pneumoniae isolation, whereas ampicillin/sulbactam usage was protective against these organisms, regardless of the time frame analyzed. Other independent predictors of ESBL-producing K pneumoniae included nursing home residence (OR, 9.30 [95% confidence interval: 3.69-23.43]) and hemodialysis (OR, 13.60 [95% confidence interval: 4.29-43.17]). Conclusion Prior use of third-generation cephalosporins, nursing home residence, and hemodialysis were independent risk factors for isolation of an ESBL-producing K pneumoniae regardless of the time frame analyzed.
Reinforcer magnitude effects on within-subjccts reversed PRE

Different groups of rats, given larger or smaller reinforcers, were trained in a within-Ss partial reinforcement paradigm which previously had generated reversed partial reinforcement effects. Based upon previous between-Ss studies of factorial combinations of reinforcement schedule with reinforcer magnitude, it was predicted that increasing reinforcer magnitude in the within-Ss paradigm would attenuate or eliminate the reversed PRE. The results confirm the prediction. A significant reversed PRE occurred with the smaller reinforcer, and no schedules effect upon extinction performance occurred with the larger reinforcer.
Clathrin-mediated endocytosis of m3 muscarinic receptors. Roles for Gβγ and tubulin

Receptors as well as some G protein subunits internalize after agonist stimulation. It is not clear whether Gαq or Gβγ undergo such regulated translocation. Recent studies demonstrate that m3 muscarinic receptor activation in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells causes recruitment of tubulin to the plasma membrane. This subsequently transactivates Gαq and activates phospholipase Cβ1. Interaction of tubulin-GDP with Gβγ at the offset of phospholipase Cβ1 signaling appears involved in translocation of tubulin and Gβγ to vesicle-like structures in the cytosol (Popova, J. S., and Rasenick, M. M. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 34299–34308). The relationship of this internalization to the clathrin-mediated endocytosis of the activated m3 muscarinic receptors or Gαq involvement in this process has not been clarified. To test this, SK-N-SH cells were treated with carbachol, and localization of Gαq, Gβγ, tubulin, clathrin, and m3 receptors were analyzed by both cellular imaging and biochemical techniques. Upon agonist stimulation both tubulin and clathrin translocated to the plasma membrane and co-localized with receptors, Gαq and Gβγ. Fifteen minutes later receptors, Gβγ and tubulin, but not Gαq, internalized with the clathrin-coated vesicles. Coimmunoprecipitation of m3 receptors with Gβγ, tubulin, and clathrin from the cytosol of carbachol-treated cells was readily observed. These data suggested that Gβγ subunits might organize the formation of a multiprotein complex linking m3 receptors to tubulin since they interacted with both proteins. Such protein assemblies might explain the dynamin-dependent but β-arrestin-independent endocytosis of m3 muscarinic receptors since tubulin interaction with dynamin might guide or insert the complex into clathrin-coated pits. This novel mechanism of internalization might prove important for other β-arrestin-independent endocytic pathways. It also suggests cross-regulation between G protein-mediated signaling and the dynamics of the microtubule cytoskeleton.
Evaluating Elastic Network Models of Crystalline Biological Molecules with Temperature Factors, Correlated Motions, and Diffuse X-Ray Scattering

In this study, the variance-covariance matrix of protein motions is used to compare several elastic network models within the theoretical framework of x-ray scattering from crystals. A set of 33 ultra-high resolution structures is used to characterize the average scaling behavior of the vibrational density of states and make comparisons between experimental and theoretical temperature factors. Detailed investigations of the vibrational density of states, correlations, and predicted diffuse x-ray scatter are carried out for crystalline Staphylococcal nuclease; correlations and diffuse x-ray scatter are also compared to predictions from the translation, libration, screw model and a liquid-like dynamics model. We show that elastic network models developed to best predict temperature factors without regard for the crystal environment have relatively strong long-range interactions that yield very short-ranged atom-atom correlations. Further, we find that the low-frequency modes dominate the variance-covariance matrix only for those models with a physically reasonable vibrational density of states, and the fraction of modes required to converge the correlations is higher than that typically used for elastic network model studies. The practical implications are explored using computed diffuse x-ray scatter, which can be measured experimentally.
The specific heat of solid N2-argon alloys: Low N2 concentrations

Abstract We report measurements of the specific heat of solid N2-Argon alloys of 5−, 12−, and 23.5 mol % N2 molar concentrations, over the temperature range of 4–40 K. The results are an extension of our previous investigations of the N2-argon quadrupolar glass at higher N2 concentrations. By subtraction of the lattice term the specific heat contribution due to the rotation of the N2 molecules may be examined. This contribution is observed in all the samples as a broadened Schotty-like anomally peaking near 15 K, the height of the anomaly being proportional to the N2 concentration.
THE FACTORIAL STRUCTURE OF APTITUDE TESTS AT SUCCESSIVE GRADE LEVELS1

The purpose of the following research was to verify the alleged differentiation in mental abilities reported by earlier factorists. Correlations for eight tests applied to boys and girls in grades 8 to 12 have been factorized by the method of principal axes and then rotated by the varimax method. Coefficients of similarity have also been calculated for the several groups. In general, the hypothesis of differentiation is confirmed; but in certain minor respects the results obtained seem to diverge appreciably from the conclusions reached by previous investigators.
Analysis and comparison of the biomechanical properties of univalved and bivalved cast models.

PURPOSE Fiberglass casts are frequently valved to relieve the pressure associated with upper extremity swelling after a surgical procedure or when applied after reduction of a displaced fracture in a child. Although different opinions exist regarding the valving of casts, no research to date has explored the biomechanical effects of this commonly used technique. As cast integrity is essential for the maintenance of fracture reduction, it is important to understand whether casts are structurally compromised after valving. Understanding the effects of valving on cast integrity may help guide clinicians in the technique of valving while minimizing the potential for a loss of fracture reduction. METHODS Thirty standardized cylindrical fiberglass cast models were created. Ten models were left intact, 10 were univalved, and 10 were bivalved. All the models were mechanically tested by a 3-point bending apparatus secured to a biaxial materials testing system. Load to failure and bending stiffness were recorded for each sample. Differences in load of failure and bending stiffness were compared among the groups. RESULTS Unvalved cast models had the highest failure load and bending stiffness, whereas bivalved casts showed the lowest value for both failure load and bending stiffness. Univalved casts had a failure load measured to be between those of unvalved and bivalved cast models. Analysis of variance showed significance when failure load and bending stiffness data among all the groups were compared. A post hoc Bonferroni statistical analysis showed significance in bending stiffness between intact and bivalved models (P 0.01). Differences in measured failure load values were found to be statistically significant among all cast models (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Valving significantly decreases the bending stiffness and load to failure of fiberglass casts. Univalved casts have a higher load to failure than bivalved casts. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Valving adversely alters the structural integrity of fiberglass casts. This may impair a cast's ability to effectively immobilize an extremity or maintain a fracture reduction.
Cytological Studies on Rhizobial Nodule Initiation in Pisum

SUMMARYA cytological analysis has been made of the first cell divisions in the cortical cells of the seedling root of the garden pea, Pisum sativum L., variety Little Marvel, resulting from the penetration of the infection thread of the bacterial symbiont Rhizobium leguminosarum during rhizobial root nodule formation. In the study of a carefully timed sequence during nodule initiation it has been found that first mitoses occur six days after inoculation of the seedling root with the bacterium, that each such mitosis is typically polyploid, usually tetraploid but sometimes octaploid or higher and that in this first mitotic event typically one can observe diplochromosomes, indicating that the cortical cell responsive to the bacterial thread penetration had undergone endo-mitotic reduplication prior to the infection. Using Feulgen-stained squash preparations together with phase contrast microscopy it has been possible to establish clearly the association between these first polyploid mitoses and the presence...
Burn fat, build muscle: A content analysis of Men's Health and Men's Fitness.

This study categorized the contents of a sample of Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness magazines published from 1999 to 2003. It found that these magazines were more likely to feature male images characterized as low in body fat and very muscular than images characterized by other levels of fat and muscularity. The contents of the articles and advertisements included in these magazines, particularly in Men’s Fitness, were found to emphasize leanness and muscularity. Exposure to these images and messages could contribute to concerns and behaviors related to achieving a lean and muscular physique. More research is needed to understand the effects these magazines may have on different groups of men.
Demonstration of a medial to lateral gradient in the density of cholinergic neuropil in the rat striatum

Abstract The striatum is anatomically organized into both distinctly bounded compartments (striosomes) and gradients of neuronal markers. Biochemical markers of striatal cholinergic systems are distributed in increasing amounts laterally. We have investigated the morphologic basis of this gradient by quantitative analysis of neuronal somata and neuropil stained immunocytochemically for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). We found in both immature and adult rats that there was no difference in the density (neurons/mm2) of somata in the medial and lateral compartments. In both age groups, however, there was a clear increase in ChAT-positive neuropil laterally. This medial to lateral gradient was present in all striatal planes examined. This gradient corresponds to the distribution of some other, non-cholinergic, striatal biochemical markers, and is likely to represent an important organizational feature of striatal anatomy, with functional implications.