cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RADIATIVE DYNAMICS IN SOLUTION AND IN MOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES OF AN H-AGGREGATE-FORMING STILBAZOLIUM AMPHIPHILE

Radiative dynamics of the hemicyanine dye N-(3-sulfopropyl-4-(p-dioctylaminostyryl)pyridinium (I) have been studied in primary alcohols and in Langmuir−Blodgett (LB) monolayer films by using time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. In solution, the deactivation of the optically excited state is dominated by a radiationless transition via an activated barrier crossing to the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state, and the decay rate decreases substantially with increasing n in the series CH3(CH2)nOH. Observed biexponential decays are consistent with the three-level scheme describing the horizontal transition on the excited-state potential surface. In monolayer films the decay dynamics are similar whether the initial excitation occurs into the monomer or aggregate bands. The kinetics are interpreted in terms of diffusion of excitons in the aggregate with eventual energy transfer to the monomer. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to characterize the motion of the excitons within agg...
Denosumab in postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density.

This study demonstrated that various doses of denosumab, given subcutaneously at 3- or 6-month intervals, were well tolerated, markedly reduced measures of bone turnover, and led to improvements in bone densities at the lumbosacral spine, hip, and distal radius.
More about relatively lawless sequences

In the author's Relative lawlessness in intuitionistic analysis [this Journal, vol. 52 (1987), pp. 68–88] and An intuitionistic theory of lawlike, choice and lawless sequences [Logic Colloquium ’90, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1993, pp. 191–209] a notion of lawlessness relative to a countable information base was developed for classical and intuitionistic analysis. Here we simplify the predictability property characterizing relatively lawless sequences and derive it from the new axiom of closed data (classically equivalent to open data) together with a natural principle of invariance under finite translation. We characterize relative lawlessness in terms of a notion of forcing. Finally, we study relative lawlessness on an arbitrary fan and show that the collection of lawless binary sequences (which is comeager in the sense of Baire) has probability measure zero. The reasoning is predominantly constructive.
Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Annealed Proton Exchanged Lithium Niobate Waveguides

Annealed proton exchange (APE) is an important technique for the fabrication of waveguides in LiNbO3 for electrooptic and nonlinear optical applications. Unannealed proton exchanged (PE) waveguides have step-like refractive index profiles and large extraordinary refractive index changes, but suffer from reduced electrooptic and nonlinear coefficients. Post-exchange annealing is necessary to produce single mode waveguides that exhibit electrooptic and nonlinear optical properties comparable to bulk LiNbO3 and low insertion loss in fiber optic applications.1 While the PE process is well-characterized, quantitative modeling of APE waveguides is much less well developed. In this paper we present measurements of the effective mode indices and fundamental mode profiles for APE waveguides subjected to a variety of exchange and annealing conditions in both X- and z-cut substrates, along with empirical models for the concentration-dependent diffusion coefficient and dispersion that allow accurate calculation of the refractive index profile for APE waveguides as a function of exchange depth and anneal time for wavelengths between 0.4 and 1.1 μm. The reduction of the nonlinear susceptibility in PE waveguides, measured by a reflected second harmonic generation technique, is also discussed.
Biological Activity of 6-Pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one and Its Analogs

The in vitro biological activities (antifungal, phytotoxic) for a group of fungal metabolites structurally related to 6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one have been determined. Six compounds were tested and showed a degree of phytotoxicity in one or more of the assays employed. From among the analogs tested, (R)-5,6-dihydro-6-pentyl-2H-pyran-2-one has been identified as the most active against Penicillium species. Keywords: Antifungal; phytotoxic; 6-alkyl-2H-pyran-2-one; 5-alkyl-2H-furan-2-one
Statistical mechanics of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We investigate the statistical mechanics of a complex fieldo whose dynamics is governed by the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Such fields describe, in suitable idealizations, Langmuir waves in a plasma, a propagating laser field in a nonlinear medium, and other phenomena. Their Hamiltonian $$H(\phi ) = \int_\Omega {[\frac{1}{2}|\nabla \phi |^2 - (1/p) |\phi |^p ] dx}$$ is unbounded below and the system will, under certain conditions, develop (self-focusing) singularities in a finite time. We show that, whenΩ is the circle and theL 2 norm of the field (which is conserved by the dynamics) is bounded byN, the Gibbs measureυ obtained is absolutely continuous with respect to Wiener measure and normalizable if and only ifp andN are such that classical solutions exist for all time—no collapse of the solitons. This measure is essentially the same as that of a one-dimensional version of the more realisitc Zakharov model of coupled Langmuir and ion acoustic waves in a plasma. We also obtain some properties of the Gibbs state, by both analytic and numerical methods, asN and the temperature are varied.
On the Detachment of the Ends of Microfibers from the Matrix Due to Tension in the Composite

The above title describes one of several ways in which a mechan ical failure of a composite has been observed to occur.A rigid oblong elliptic shape has been chosen for the fiber in two-dimensional treatment. Analytical formulation of the problem leads to a mixed boundary value problem of the mathematical theory of elasticity.Recent advances in reducing dual series formulations to varia tional minimization procedures (via a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind) make a mathematical analysis feasible. The variational method leads to a transcendental equation whose only real root has been evaluated by the computer for various values of the elastic constants of the matrix.The results show a substantial destruction of the bond between matrix and fiber due to the size of the detached region which ex tends over practically one-fourth of the microfiber at each end.
Some additions to "solution of switching equations based on a tabular algebra"

A method was presented by A.L. Ruiz, P.P. Trabado, and J.O. Lopera (see ibid., vol.42, no. 5, p. 591-6, 1993) for efficiently generating the solutions of Boolean equations by using tables (i.e., rectangular arrays or matrices) of 0's, 1's, and dashes to represent Boolean expressions. Some enhancements of their method are presented. First, it is shown how the uniting theorem can be applied directly to simplify tables. Then it is shown how to complement a table, which would make their method (henceforth referred to as RTL) directly applicable to expressions containing complemented subexpressions. The latter result allows the method to be extended from the solution of equations of the form f(X)=1 to equations of the form f(X)=0, and, more generally to equations of the form f(X)=g(X), or to simultaneous equations of the same types. >
N-acetylation regulates the behavioral activity of alpha-melanotropin in a multineurotransmitter neuron

A multineurotransmitter neuronal system that synthesizes and secretes both acetylated and deacetylated forms of alpha-melantropin and beta-endorphin is present in rat and human brain. The N-acetylated from of alpha-melanotropin had more potent behavioral effects than the deacetylated alpha-melanotropin. In the case of beta-endorphin, however, the deacetylated form has been shown to be more potent than the acetylated form. Enzymatic N-acetylation appears to be an important regulatory process for modulating the behavioral activity of peptides secreted from the opiomelanotropinergic multineurotransmitter neuron.
Type 2 Diabetes-a Matter of ß-Cell Life and Death?

In type 2 diabetes, the β cells of the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin to meet the body's demand, in part because of an acquired decrease in β-cell mass. In adults, pancreatic β-cell mass is controlled by several mechanisms, including β-cell replication, neogenesis, hypertrophy, and survival. Here, I discuss evidence supporting the notion that increased β-cell apoptosis is an important factor contributing to β-cell loss and the onset of type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, a key signaling molecule that promotes β-cell growth and survival, insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), is a member of a family of proteins whose inhibition contributes to the development of insulin resistance in the liver and other insulin-responsive tissues. Thus, the IRS-2 pathway appears to be a crucial participant in the tenuous balance between effective pancreatic β-cell mass and insulin resistance.
Increase in placental eNOS expression in an ovine model of fetal growth restriction

GROWTH RESTRICTION JUAN ARROYO, RUSSELL ANTHONY, THOMAS PARKER, GATES ROE, SANTOSH PANDIPATI, HENRY GALAN, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Denver, Colorado, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Dept. of Pediatrics, Denver, Colorado OBJECTIVE: Endothelial nitric oxidase synthase (eNOS) and NO modulate fetal-placental blood flow and are regulated, in part, by hypoxia and shear stress. In an established hyperthermic (HT) ovine model of placental and fetal growth restriction (FGR) with numerous features seen in human FGR, we hypothesize that eNOS protein levels would be increased in the placental tissues of 130 day gestation (dGA) animals. STUDY DESIGN: HT ewes (n=4) were exposed to increased ambient temp for 80 days (starting at 35 dGA) and compared to control animals (n=4). At 125 dGA, fetal arterial catheters were placed for blood gas and systemic pressure measurements. Umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry studies were performed just prior to necropsy at 130 dGA. Placentomes were separated into caruncle and cotyledon compartments for western blot analysis (25 mg protein) with an eNOS mAb. eNOS expression was normalized to b-actin. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize eNOS. Data are expressed as meanGSEM and compared with t-tests with p!0.05 as significant. RESULTS: Compared to controls, 1) HT fetuses and placentae were smaller (p!0.001). 2) HT FGR fetuses showed higher S/D ratios (3.8G0.2 v 3.0G0.3; p!0.009) and systemic blood pressures (44.3G1.7 v 41.1G1.5mmHg; p!0.03). 3) FGR caruncle and cotyledon tissues showed a 1.5-fold increase in eNOS protein concentration. 4) HT fetuses had lower O2 saturation (52.2G7.0% v 33.1G11.0% p!0.008) and paO2 (18.9G1.5 mmHg v 13.9G1.9 mmHg; p!0.002). eNOS was localized to vascular endothelium and binucleated cells.
Treatment of fibroelastolytic papulosis with fractionated carbon dioxide laser

AbstractFibroelastolytic papulosis (FEP) is an acquired elastic tissue disorder that presents as white-to-yellow papules and plaques usually occurring on the neck. Although the lesions are often asymptomatic, their appearance may be distressing to patients. FEP has been treated with topical tretinoin in one case report (1). Other reports have not mentioned treatment for this rare disorder (1–6). We present a case of FEP successfully treated with a fractionated carbon dioxide (CO2) laser.
The effective Hamiltonian approach for the two-nucleon distribution function

Abstract The microscopic two-body effective Hamiltonian equation satisfied by the two-nucleon distribution function needed for two-particle transfer processes is derived. The usual approximations made in order to obtain a partial solution to this equation are discussed and compared. It is concluded that contributions to the distribution function from both core state and channel coupling terms are likely to be comparable to continuum configurations in importance. Such contributions must certainly be included if an unambiguous normalization for the distribution function is desired.
An enemy we created: the myth of the Taliban-Al Qaeda merger in Afghanistan

This volume sheds light on the relationship of two highly secretive terrorist organizations, the Afghan Taliban and al Qaeda. Two young European researchers – allegedly the only Westerners to have ...
Retroperitoneal teratomas--potential for surgical misadventure

Abstract Background Retroperitoneal teratoma (RPT) is a relatively uncommon tumor in children. This study concerns 6 children with RPT that involved surrounding structures and required rather extensive operative procedures to successfully excise the lesions. Methods A review of RPT in children encountered at a single institution over an 8-year period by a single surgeon was carried out. Age at presentation, sex, operative findings, surgical management, and outcomes were evaluated. Results Four of the 6 patients were girls, and 5 were younger than 6 months at diagnosis. All of the tumors enveloped and displaced the aorta and vena cava, 1 involved the stomach wall, 2 others displaced the renal vessels, and 1 the portal vein. Extensive resection including major vessel ligation was necessary for complete excision. All the tumors were benign, but 1 recurred. There were no deaths; however, 2 children have persistent hypertension. Conclusions The operative management of RPTs may be complex and challenging. Despite their benign nature, the lesions can attenuate and surround major vessels, making resection difficult. Ligation of major vessels when necessary is tolerated well and may be required for complete tumor excision.
Quantitative fractographic analysis of variability in the tensile ductility of high-pressure die-cast AE44 Mg-alloy

Abstract Cast magnesium alloys often exhibit large variability in fracture related mechanical properties such as ductility and strength. In this contribution, the variability in the tensile ductility of individually cast tensile test specimens of high-pressure die-cast AE44 Mg-alloy is examined at room temperature and at 394 K. Significant specimen-to-specimen variations in the ductility are observed at both temperatures. The variability in the ductility does not quantitatively correlate to the average volume fraction of porosity (or any other microstructural parameters) in the bulk three-dimensional microstructure. The area fraction of porosity measured in the fracture surfaces of the tensile test specimens is much larger than the average volume fraction of the porosity in the corresponding bulk microstructure. Therefore, the fracture path preferentially goes through the regions of highly localized clusters of gas and shrinkage pores. Interestingly, at both test temperatures, the percent tensile ductility e shows a quantitative correlation with the area fraction of the porosity f in the corresponding fracture surfaces , which can be represented by the following simple equation e = e 0 [1 − f ] m , where e 0 and m are empirical constants.
The effects of multi-hospital systems on hospital prices.

US hospital prices are rising again after years of limited growth. We analyze trends in hospital prices during a period of significant price growth (1999-2003) to assess whether hospitals that are part of multi-hospital systems were able to increase their prices faster than non-system hospitals. We find hospitals that were members of multi-hospital systems were able to increase their prices substantially more than comparable non-systems hospitals (34% for large systems and 17% for small systems). Further, we find that the systems effect is not confined to hospitals that have other system member hospitals in their local markets. One possible explanation is that hospitals belonging to non-local multi-hospital systems have improved their bargaining position vis-a-vis health plans.
Shared Stories of the Grandparent-Grandchild Relationship

This research examined the storytelling that oftentimes characterizes interaction between grandparent and grandchild. Close to 120 individuals (college students) audiotaped an interaction with one of their grandparents. They were asked to have their grandparent first "tell a story that captures the meaning of life" for them. In addition, the grandparent was asked to complete the phrase, "To me, life is like ." the students were asked to tell their grandparent "a story that captured the essence of their life at this time in their life." Students were divided into similar numbers of same and mixed sex grandparent-grandchild relationships. The audiotaped interactions were content analyzed. A major assumption of this investigation is that the story which each individual chooses to share with their relational partner reveals to some extent the definitional nature of their relationship. Results of the storysharing interaction across relations revealed some gender differences in the types of stories grandparents share with their grandchildren. The implications of the shared stories upon the relational dynamics of the grandparent-grandchild relationship are discussed. In addition, the metaphors used by the grandparents to describe life in the presence of their grandchildren are analyzed.
Occupational medicine practice in the United States since the industrial revolution.

OBJECTIVES:: Occupational medicine lies at the interface between work and health. Not only do workplace hazards impact health, but our state of health influences our ability to get to work, to perform work, to tolerate work, and to gain a measure of satisfaction from the work we do. Comprehensive occupational medicine requires familiarity with the work that patients do; knowledge of the workplace itself and its hazards; appreciation of the social forces that shape work; and understanding of how chemical, physical, biologic, mechanical, and psychosocial agents influence health. Many practitioners who treat injured workers or provide disability assessments have no more formal training in occupational medicine than primary care physicians in general, which limits the quality, or at least the scope, of the care they give to workers. METHODS:: This history has been compiled from books, journals, letters and recollections. A subset of journal issues from each decade after 1910 has been systematically reviewed, making no attempt to read through every issue. RESULTS:: Industrial medicine as we recognize it began in the late-1800s, grew rapidly in the early and mid-1900s, and peaked toward the end of the 20th century, when American corporations began to outsource medical services, supporting the rise of free-standing industrial medicine facilities, chains of which now operate profitably throughout the country. Many of these facilities emphasize injury treatment, work hardening, and physical therapy rather than disease recognition and prevention. Occupational medicine is one of the very few medical specialties to be underserved. Board-certified specialists are relatively few, and when supply falls short of demand, the demand has tended to lower its sights. CONCLUSIONS:: Occupational medicine has always been influenced by economics, politics, and changing patterns of employment, and today these forces include managed care, weakened unions, outsourcing and contract labor, and a generally growing political and social conservatism, not to mention multinational corporations. The globalization of manufacture and economics facilitated by rapid population growth in poor nations assures an unending supply of cheap labor, allowing limited attention to hazard control, thereby impeding progress in occupational health and safety. Some corporations are meeting the challenge of protecting their international workforce. Many, probably most, have not yet achieved this.
Rationale for key elements of Sino-American collaboration in clinical research

When new scientific discoveries are properly evaluated within the translational research continuum and definitive evidence is generated regarding the balance of benefits and risks associated with therapeutic interventions, dramatic health improvements are seen both for individuals and populations. Until recently, however, technological limitations dictated that definitive evidence could be generated for only a fraction of interventions under development, because clinical investigation was limited by geography and access to expertise. Today, less than 15% of major medical decisions are informed by high-quality evidence [1]. Furthermore, increasing knowledge about the roles played by genetics and practice environments demonstrates that we must develop multinational studies to generate evidence relevant to particular biological and cultural contexts [2]. It is now time to begin to plan for a global learning health system. Modern informatics and information technology have enabled the sharing of research data without regard to geographic boundaries. These new capabilities expand the concept of human biomedical research from an activity conducted in a limited number of specialized centers to a global activity accessible to all patient populations and qualified practitioners [3]. With appropriate informatics support, shared protocols, and facilitative cultural elements, common diseases can be studied on a larger scale and clinical trials in rare diseases will be able to accrue adequate sample sizes, enabling valid inferences to be drawn. In essence, the limits on knowledge generation will henceforth be determined by two key factors: (1) the number of qualified individuals in the clinical and translational research workforce and (2) the degree to which regulatory and funding sources encourage broad-scale collaboration. Examples of therapeutic areas where progress could be accelerated include diabetes (which affects global populations in large numbers), congenital heart disease (which affects 1% of all global populations) and Pompe disease (a rare disease with a new effective therapy). In each case, collaborative studies between China and the United States—two of the world’s largest funders of biomedical research—could provide the example to stimulate similar activity on a global scale. We propose that five key programs specific to clinical and translational research [4] (Table ​(Table1)1) will need to train and educate a vast workforce over the coming decade in order to capitalize on these technological advances. Table 1 Key programs for clinical & translational research
The Influence of a Multi‐theme Park on Cultural Beliefs as a Function of Schema Salience: Promoting and Undermining the Myth of the Old West1

This study assessed the idea that theme park visits can influence cultural beliefs about the past and, further, that such effects depend on the schema of the park most available to the particular visitor. Subjects were randomly assigned to complete a questionnaire either before entering or after exiting Old Tucson, an Old West theme park and movie location. In addition, subjects were given either an “authentic Old West town” cue, a “famous movie location” cue, or no cue. It was expected that the cues would affect Old Tucson's impact on beliefs about the Old West. There was a significant entrance-exit by cue interaction for beliefs in the myth of the Old West. As expected, when no cue was provided, belief in the Old West myth was stronger for exit subjects than for entrance subjects. When the town cue was provided, belief in the myth of the Old West was not affected by the visit. When the movie cue was provided, belief in the Old West myth was weaker for exit subjects than for entrance subjects. For movie cue subjects, the Old Tucson experience seemed to debunk the myth.
An analysis of H3-thymidine distribution throughout the vegetative meristem of Arabidopsis Thaliana (L.) heynh

Abstract The material was grown under aseptic culture conditions from seed through flowering under a 12-hr photoperiod. H 3 -thymidine was applied to the vegetative shoot meristem for a six-hr period, sixteen days after sowing. Samples of the material were collected, processed for histological and autoradiographic techniques. Chi-square analysis of the grain distribution in the shoot apex shows less H 3 -thymidine label in the most axial tunica 1, tunica 2 and subjacent outer corpus layer than the remaining portions of the shoot meristem.
Centrifugal casting of ceramics. Main parameters and the regularities of the process

Using HCBS of fused quartz, we studied and analyzed the main regularities of the centrifugal casting process of ceramic products. The procedure for calculating the magnitude of the centrifugal pressure during the molding process and a nomogram establishing the relationship between the rotational frequency of the mold, the diameter of the product being molded, and the circumferential velocity of centrifugal forming were presented. Based on the integral curves of grain size distribution of the castings, the degree of layering in their solid phase was characterized. The volume fraction of HCBS, the circumferential velocity and the temperature maintained during the molding process, and the coefficient of excess solid phase form the most important and decisive technological parameters of the process of centrifugal forming. The method of centrifugal casting makes it possible to accelerate the molding process by several tens of times as compared to slip casting. In this case, the porosity of the castings amounts to 12–20%.
Dynamic growth in a photovoltaic market

The growth of a new industry is a dynamic process governed by both reinforcing and goal seeking feedback, which are in turn created by entrepreneurs, policy-makers, industry leaders and other actors. In this paper I present a system dynamics model of the growth of a new industry based on the features of a local photovoltaic market. The model includes features unique to the adoption of renewable energy, along with some applicable to a growing industry in general. Analysis reveals important lessons for policy and strategy: building strong feedback and coordinated and sustained action are the highest leverage interventions for growth.
Program Interventions for Children at the End of Life and Their Siblings

‘‘How can I tell my child she is dying?’’ ‘‘What should I tell him?’’ ‘‘I’m afraid she’ll give up if we tell her the truth.’’ ‘‘I don’t want to destroy his hope.’’ ‘‘He’s too young to understand.’’ ‘‘I don’t want her sister and brother to see her this way.’’ ‘‘I don’t want this to be the last image they have of him.’’ ‘‘What should I tell her brothers and sisters?’’ ‘‘I still pray for a miracle.’’ As children, teenagers, and parents ask questions, the health care providers struggle to find answers that will make sense in an apparently senseless situation. For both the child who has a life-threatening illness and the sibling left behind, there are common themes that suggest possible interventions. Appropriate and helpful interventions will be based on a family’s style, values, spirituality, and culture. Interventions are also selected based on the child’s style, values, spirituality, culture, and ways of relating to and interfacing with others in his or her world. The goal of the interventions is to maximize the child’s quality of life. The goals of interventions for the siblings are to provide a supportive structure to maximize the relationship with the dying sister or brother and to lay a pathway for processing grief after the death. Clearly, sibling bereavement lasts throughout life [1], and as for parents, certain events may trigger renewed grief. The bereaved sibling, needs to know that this is normal. Common themes need to be considered, such as the importance of communication. It is clear from recent research that parents highly value
Monte Carlo simulation of weldment fatigue strength

Abstract The fatigue strength of constructional steel weldments is predicted using a Monte Carlo simulation which estimates the mean fatigue strength and its expected uncertainty at long lives. The underlying analytical model is at present solely based on fatigue crack initiation and early crack growth and is restricted to long-life applications. Several different kinds of fatigue variables are considered: applied or induced bending stresses, notch severity, notch-root residual stresses, and notch-root mechanical properties. Each of the fatigue variables is treated as a random variable, and its uncertainty is modeled by an appropriate probability distribution function based on laboratory observations. Simulations of constructional steel weldment fatigue strength are compared with laboratory test results on cruciform weldments and similar recent fatigue data reported in the literature. The Monte Carlo simulation also permits one to estimate the contribution of each fatigue variable to the overall uncertainty in fatigue strength and thus determine the economic merits of reducing the uncertainty in any one of the fatigue variables to improve the design fatigue strength.
MUSCLE RECEPTOR RESPONSES TO SINUSOIDAL STRETCH.

Abstract The firing patterns of primary and secondary afferents of muscle spindles and of tendon organs in the de-efferented head of the cat's gastrocnemius muscle have been contrasted during sinusoidal stretch of physiological amplitude (3–5 mm) and frequency (1.5, 5, 10 and 15 cycle/sec). At each stretch frequency the responses of primary endings differed significantly from those of secondary spindle endings and tendon organs in having a greater number of impulses generated with each cycle of lengthening, a higher mean frequency of discharge, and a shorter minimum interspike interval. No significant differences in these parameters were found between the secondary spindle and tendon organ afferents. Although with increasing frequencies of stretch all three receptors displayed a higher mean frequency when discharging, there were fewer impulses during each stretch cycle. This reduction in the number of impulses generated at increasing stretch frequencies was far more pronounced for primary than for secondary spindle and tendon organ afferents. This suggested that the reflex influence of secondary spindles and tendon organs would become relatively stronger at faster frequencies of oscillatory movement. Primary and tendon organ discharges significantly led in phase the secondary ending discharges. Even the latter, however, preceded the peak tension developed by the muscle at each frequency of stretch. Between 1.5 and 15 cycle/sec, phase shifts of similar magnitude were seen for all three receptors and for peak tension with respect to peak muscle length. It was concluded that primary spindles signalled static displacement and to a lesser extent the velocity of lengthening at 1.5 cycle/sec stretch and largely the velocity component at 10 or 15 cycle/sec. The possibility that tendon organs signalled the extent and velocity of tension development was considered as was the relation of secondary spindle discharges to changes in intramuscular pressure.
Ecosystem management and conservation biology

Ecosystem management argues for the maintenance of native biological diversity, in addition to commodity and amenity uses, on our public lands. Heretofore, natural resource management agencies have focused on managing for single species, usually those that are commercially valuable, threatened or endangered, or over-abundant. For a variety of reasons, the future of public-land management will place increasing importance on managing for species communities. Three approaches which can be used to manage for communities include: (1) a species approach, (2) an ecological processes approach, and (3) a landscape approach. Each method is briefly discussed.
The tangled web of coronary risk factors

Abstract Although epidemiologic, genetic, and pathophysiologic studies have shown that low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) are involved in the development of coronary artery disease, the standard measurement of LDL cholesterol comprises a number of separate components that may contribute in different ways to the disease process. Some of these components appear to be of particular pathologic importance. Intermediate-density lipoproteins (IDLs) and lipoprotein (a) are highly atherogenic species that each normally account for up to 10% to 15% total LDL cholesterol but may be disproportionately elevated in pathologic states and may therefore contribute disproportionately to coronary disease risk in certain patients. Recently, another subclass of LDL, characterized by relatively small particle size and increased density, also has been found to be associated with relatively increased risk of coronary disease. Furthermore, levels of this subclass, designated LDL-III, are linked to a number of interrelated hormonal and metabolic factors, each of which have also been associated with risk of coronary artery disease. These include male gender, postmenopause, abdominal adiposity, elevated triglyceride levels, increased levels of apolipoprotein B, and reductions in high-density lipoproteins (HDLs), particularly in the HDL 2 subclass. Other studies have demonstrated that many of these factors are also commonly associated with relative insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. Thus, a lipoprotein profile characterized by a relative increase in LDL-III and a reduction in HDL 2 is indicative of a constellation of metabolic features that defines a high-risk state and that makes it extremely difficult to single out one or more factors that are most directly involved in the disease process. Combinations of genetic and environmental factors acting on this "tangled web" of risk factors may account for much of the variation in coronary disease susceptibility found in the general population.
Scanning Force Microscopy of Small Ligand-Nucleic Acid Complexes: Tris(o-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) as a Test for a New Assay

An understanding of DNA−ligand interactions at the molecular level is important for the design of new drugs and probes that can recognize specific DNA sequences and structural motifs. Interestingly, determining the mode-of-binding of a DNA ligand is not always straightforward due to uncertainties inherent in traditional assays. We have recently reported an exciting new assay utilizing scanning force microscopy (SFM) that can discern whether a ligand binds to DNA by intercalative or nonintercalative modes [Coury et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1996, 93, 12283−12286]. Visualization of individual DNA molecules by SFM and observation of ligand-induced lengthening provides direct evidence for intercalation. Metal complexes of polypyridyl ligands have been extensively studied as new probes of DNA structure and function because they exist as chiral molecules with the potential of enantioselective recognition of DNA. The binding mode of even the most widely studied of the members of this group, tris(o-phenan...
Elevated mortality rates from circulatory disease in African American men and women of Los Angeles County, California--a possible genetic susceptibility?

ABSTRACT Objective Reports of higher mortality in African Americans have often focused on socioeconomic differences. Such differences do not explain the excess mortality in African Americans compared with Hispanics in Los Angeles County. We suggest the existence of genetic factors to explain at least some of the differences in mortality risk. Methods We compared the mortality rates from circulatory diseases in African American and Hispanic adults of Los Angeles County for 1988 to 1992 with the frequency of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genotype. Results African American adults 45 to 74 years old had a 2-fold higher overall mortality rate than Hispanics. The largest differences were seen for hypertensive disease and cardiomyopathy in men; the most striking differences were seen in the youngest age group. Rates were lower in women than in men, but African American women also showed substantial excess compared with Hispanics. ACE genotype also showed a significant difference between the Hispanic and African American population; the latter had a significantly higher prevalence of the DD genotype, which is associated with a higher level of circulating enzyme, and lower prevalence of the II genotype, which is associated with a lower enzyme level. Conclusion African American adults aged 45 to 74 years in Los Angeles County have a substantial excess mortality from hypertensive diseases compared with a similar Hispanic population. The frequency of the ACE DD genotype was higher in African Americans than in Hispanics. These studies may indirectly support the possibility of a genetic contribution to the excess hypertensive disease mortality in African Americans.
Visual languages and computing survey: Data flow visual programming languages

Abstract The data flow model is a popular model on which to base a visual programming language. This paper describes alternatives available to a designer of data flow languages, describes many of the languages, discusses some strengths of the languages, and discusses some unsolved problems in the design of data flow languages.
Theory of Transmission of Electromagnetic Waves along a Drill Rod in Conducting Rock

We present an analysis of the electromagnetic fields excited by a toroidal cofl that is coaxial with a circular metal rod located in a conducting medium. The integral representation for the induced axial current on the rod is cast in a form that is suitable for numerical evaluation. Some results for the electric current distribution on the infinitely long configuration are given for a fixed magnetic current source. Good agreement is obtained with an asymptotic estimate for this quantity. The effects of truncating the bottom end of the rod and terminating the top in an ideal ground plane are treated by an approximate method. Numerical results for this confilguration are also given.
Functional significance of variation in bryophyte canopy structure.

In most bryophytes, the thickness of boundary layers (i.e., unstirred layers) that surrounds plant surfaces governs rates of water loss. Architectural features of canopies that influence boundary layer thickness affect the water balance of bryophytes. Using field samples (9.3 cm diameter cushions) from 12 populations (11 species) of mosses and liverworts, we evaluated the relationship between canopy structure and boundary layer properties. Canopy structure was characterized using a contact surface probe to measure canopy depth along perpendicular transects at spatial scales ranging from 0.8 to 30 mm on 186 points per sample. Semivariance in depth measurements at different spatial scales was used to estimate three architectural properties: surface roughness ( Lr), the scale of roughness elements (Sr), and fine-scale surface texture, the latter characterized by the fractal dimension (D) of the canopy profile. Boundary layer properties were assessed by evaporation of ethanol from samples in a wind-tunnel at wind speeds from 0.6 to 4.2 m/s and applied to characterize mass transfer using principles of dynamic similarity (i.e., using dimensionless representations of conductance and flow). In addition, particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to visualize and quantify flow over two species. All cushions exhibited the characteristics of turbulent as opposed to laminar boundary layers, and conductance increased with surface roughness. Bryophyte canopies with higher Lr had greater conductances at all wind speeds. Particle image velocimetry analysis verified that roughness elements interacted with flow and caused turbulent eddies to enter canopies, enhancing evaporation. All three morphological features were significantly associated with evaporation. When Lr, Sr, and D were incorporated with a flow parameter into a conductance model using multiple linear regression, the model accounted for 91% of the variation in mass transfer.
Cubic polynomials and quadratic forms

We aim to count the number of rational points on cubic Ch�atelet surfaces. Our results provide evidence toward well-accepted conjectures concerning the density of rational points on such surfaces. Using rather delicate sieve arguments we give a good lower bound for the number of rational points in boxes with respect to a natural height function
A patient with osteoarthritis and cardiovascular disease presenting with bilateral hip pain: a case report.

The pharmacological management of osteoarthritis normally begins with the administration of acetaminophen or a nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. However, acetaminophen may not be efficacious in all patients, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be associated with gastrointestinal and cardiovascular adverse effects. A 79-year-old Caucasian man with bilateral hip pain was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hip. His past medical history included three prior myocardial infarctions, the most recent one occurring 2 years ago. He is taking aspirin 81 mg once daily. Despite no history of ulcer disease or bleeding, he has been reluctant to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and because of his cardiac history there is a contraindication to cyclooxygenase-2-specific inhibitors. He was started on naproxen 220 mg twice daily, with the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole 20 mg once daily. Upon follow-up at 4 weeks, his hip pain had decreased from a rating of 7 (on a ten-point scale) to 5 on his left side and from 5 to 2 on his right side. The patient began a course of physical therapy in conjunction with a regimen of naproxen 440 mg in the morning and 220 mg at night, plus the omeprazole and acetaminophen 650 mg twice daily. He reported no gastrointestinal effects. The addition of a proton pump inhibitor to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy can reduce the risk of peptic ulcer bleeding by ≥80%, making the incidence of gastropathy the same as with cyclooxygenase-2-specific inhibitors. The fact that naproxen is not associated with an increased risk of acute myocardial infarction made it an appropriate choice for this patient.
An unconditionally stable finite element time-domain solution of the vector wave equation

This paper presents an implicit finite element time-domain (FETD) solution of the time-dependent vector wave equation. The time-dependent formulation employs a time-integration method based on the Newmark-Beta method. A stability analysis is presented demonstrating that this leads to an unconditionally stable solution of the time-dependent vector wave equation. The advantage of this formulation is that the time step is no longer governed by the spatial discretization of the mesh, but rather by the spectral content of the time-dependent signal. A numerical example of a three-dimensional cavity resonator is presented studying the effects of the Newmark-beta parameters on the solution error. Optimal choices of parameters are derived based on this example. >
ShareCam part 1: interface, system architecture, and implementation of a collaboratively controlled robotic Webcam

ShareCam is a robotic pan, tilt, and zoom web-based camera controlled by simultaneous frame requests from online users. Part II describes algorithms. This paper, part I, focuses on the system. Robotic Webcameras are commercially available but currently restrict control only one user at a time. ShareCam introduces a new interface that allows simultaneous control many users. In this Java-based interface, participating users interact desired frames remotely located browsers where users draw desired frames over a fixed panoramic image. User inputs re transmitted back to pair of PC servers that compute optimal camera back to a pair of PC servers that compute optimal camera parameters, servo the camera, and provide a video stream to all users. We describe the system, online experiments, and compare results with two frame selection models based on user "satisfaction", one memoryless and the second based on satisfaction over multiple motion cycles.
Social Networks of Researchers and Educators on nanoHUB.org

The science gateway nanoHUB.org is the world's largest nanotechnology user facility, serving 167, 196 users in 2010 with over 2,300 resources including 189 simulation programs. Surveys of nanoHUB users and automated usage analysis find widespread simulation use in formal classroom education, thereby connecting recent research more rapidly and closely to education. Analysis of 719 citations in the scientific literature by over 1,300 authors to nanoHUB.org resources documents use of simulation programs by new research collaborations, by researchers outside of the community originating the program, and by experimentalists. The publication and author networks reveal research collaborations and capacity building through knowledge transfer. Analysis of secondary citations documents the quality of the conducted research with an h-index of 30 after just 10 years of operation. Our analysis proves with quantitative metrics that impactful research can be conducted by an ever growing research community. We argue that HUBzeroTM technology and the user-focused design and operation of nanoHUB.org are keys to success that can be transferred to other science gateways.
Prediction of Transition Due to Isolated Roughness

A combination of an interactive boundary-layer procedure and ^"-method has been used to determine the locations of the onset of transition for flows over a flat plate with bumps or hollows. The details of the procedure are examined and the need for fine-grid calculations in regions of strong adverse pressure gradients emphasized. The location of initial disturbance is shown to be unimportant, provided it does not occur in the region where the critical Reynolds number is higher than the flow Reynolds number. The procedure allows good results for flows with and without separation. Possible means of improvement of the method are discussed.
Protein Modulation of Liposome Fusion

Membranes provide the barrier of cellular individuality or intracellular compartmentation. Individuality or compartmentation is unlikely to be traversed except in A. well-regulated biological process, membrane fusion. To understand the fundamental mechanism of membrane fusion, simple membrane systems have been studied extensively (reviewed by Papahadjopoulos et al, 1979; Nir et al, 1983; Duzgunes, 1985). Information obtained from model membranes has been useful not only for defining the role of fusion triggers or modulators, but also for determining the fusion susceptibility of individual components of membranes. However, fusion requirements for these simple systems are often far from those known to be required for biological fusion. For example, fusion between isolated secretory vesicles occurs at much lower Ca2+concentrations than those required for fusion of liposomes made from the extracted lipids of the secretory vesicles (Gratzl et al, 1980; Ekerdt et al, 1981). A. simple explanation for this discrepancy in Ca2+threshold is that other factors are involved in the sensitivity for Ca2+in the fusion event. Among these factors, protein is considered A. likely candidate. Therefore, protein-facilitated fusion of liposomes is an important step toward the reconstitution of natural membrane fusion.
Deleterious effects due to hemorrhage after myocardial reperfusion.

Abstract The effect of coronary reperfusion on evolving myocardial infarction was examined in 16 conscious dogs. Coronary arterial occlusion was produced by inflating an exteriorized balloon cuff, and reperfusion was initiated 5 hours later by deflating the cuff. Infarct size calculated from 24 hour serial serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) values was compared to infarct size predicted from log normal curves best fit to initial 5 hour serial CPK changes. With sustained occlusion, predicted and observed infarct size correlated closely ( r = 0.94, no. = 11). Reperfusion produced two disparate effects. In nine dogs, observed infarct size was less than predicted, reflecting 42 ± 6 percent (standard error) salvage of myocardium. In seven dogs, observed infarct size exceeded predicted size by more than 100 percent. Thus, reperfusion resulted in extension of myocardial infarction in 44 percent of the animals. Extension of infarction was associated with myocardial hemorrhage. Hemoglobin content in biopsy specimens from the center of the infarct was 10 times greater in the animals with extension of infarction than in those with myocardial salvage. Thus, reperfusion is not without hazard during evolving infarction in the conscious dog; although it frequently diminishes ischemic injury, it may precipitate myocardial hemorrhage and extension of infarction.