cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards a Market in Unmatured Tort Claims

!JnORT claims arise only if possible events, such as accidents, actually hap1pen. A pedestrian, for example, cannot sue until she is injured as a result of a driver's negligence. The fact that the pedestrian may be injured by the driver sometime in the future conveys no current right to compensation. The term "unmatured tort claim" (UTC) refers to tort claims, like the pedestrian's, based on accidents that may occur in the future. Current tort law generally prohibits trading in UTCs-i.e., the pedestrian cannot sell her potential claim to the driver (or the driver's insurer).' More generally, however, trading on financial markets in contingent claims has proliferated in response to recent relaxation of restrictions.2 Suppose the legal prohibitions against UTCs were relaxed, allowing, for example, the pedestrian to sell her potential claim. If the same ingenuity that has gone into inventing new financial instruments were brought to bear on UTCs, a brisk market might develop. Though a market for UTCs appears foreign at first, many practical proposals for tort reform effectively adopt such a scheme.3 These proposals
Solution of the Robbins Problem

In this article we show that the three equations known as commutativity, associativity, and the Robbins equation are a basis for the variety of Boolean algebras. The problem was posed by Herbert Robbins in the 1930s. The proof was found automatically by EQP, a theorem-proving program for equational logic. We present the proof and the search strategies that enabled the program to find the proof.
The roles of deep convection and extratropical mixing in the tropical tropopause layer: An in situ measurement perspective

The majority of air which enters the stratosphere passes through the tropical tropopause layer (TTL), where the temperature profile and amount of deep convection set the entry level for stratospheric water vapor. We use simultaneous in situ measurements of ozone, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and heavy water vapor (HDO) from the 2006 Costa Rica Aura Validation Experiment and 2007 Tropical Composition, Cloud, and Climate Coupling campaigns in a one-dimensional mixing model to investigate how different transport pathways in the TTL impact the amount of water vapor which enters the stratosphere. We focused on four main pathways: (1) slow upward ascent, (2) isentropic transport from the midlatitude lowermost stratosphere, (3) convective injection, and (4) descent within the TTL coupled to convection. Each pathway brings air into the TTL with a specific chemical signature, such that anomalies in simultaneously measured tracer concentrations can be used to identify the source of the air mass. We found that isentropic transport from the midlatitude lowermost stratosphere accounted for 20–60% of the air in the lower TTL and 20–40% of air above the tropopause, bringing elevated ozone concentrations which radiatively warm the TTL, impacting the amount of dehydration which takes place. Convective input accounted for on average ~30% of the air measured below 370 K potential temperature, and ~10% of air above the tropopause in both summer and winter, increasing water vapor concentrations above the tropopause by 0.3 ppmv on average and by up to 1.6 ppmv in some air masses.
Change Strategies for Integrating Women's Knowledge into Social Work Curricula

Gender integration seeks to bring gender to the center of the curriculum by examining critically how gender influences knowledge development and ways of knowing. This undertaking calls for a major transformation, since women's realities and experiences have traditionally been marginal or absent in social work knowledge construction. In this article, the authors examine the context and process for making the change toward a gender-integrated curriculum. The authors argue that change agents must understand the type of culture characterizing a school, the variety of leaders available, the opportunities that might activate effective leadership, and the contingencies that affect curriculum decisions.
SWATI: Synthesizing Wordlengths Automatically Using Testing and Induction

In this paper, we present an automated technique SWATI: Synthesizing Wordlengths Automatically Using Testing and Induction, which uses a combination of Nelder-Mead optimization based testing, and induction from examples to automatically synthesize optimal fixedpoint implementation of numerical routines. The design of numerical software is commonly done using floating-point arithmetic in design-environments such as Matlab. However, these designs are often implemented using fixed-point arithmetic for speed and efficiency reasons especially in embedded systems. The fixed-point implementation reduces implementation cost, provides better performance, and reduces power consumption. The conversion from floating-point designs to fixed-point code is subject to two opposing constraints: (i) the word-width of fixed-point types must be minimized, and (ii) the outputs of the fixed-point program must be accurate. In this paper, we propose a new solution to this problem. Our technique takes the floating-point program, specified accuracy and an implementation cost model and provides the fixed-point program with specified accuracy and optimal implementation cost. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a set of examples from the domain of automated control, robotics and digital signal processing.
An Unbiased Measure of Integrated Volatility in the Frequency Domain

This article studies the effect of market microstructure noise on volatility estimation in the frequency domain. We propose a bias-corrected periodogram-based estimator of integrated volatility. We show that the new estimator is consistent and the central limit theorem is established under a general assumption of the noise. We also provide a feasible procedure for computing the bias-corrected estimator in practice. As a byproduct, we extract a consistent frequency-domain estimator of the long-run variance of market microstructure noise from high-frequency data.
Instruction Schedulimg over Regions: A Framework for Scheduling Across Basic Blocks

Global instruction scheduling is important for superscalar, superpipelined and VLIW machines. Instruction scheduling issues for scopes extending beyond a basic block are significantly different from those for scheduling within a basic block. This paper presents a general framework for performing scheduling across basic blocks. The method presented here identifies control flow subgraphs termed regions, within which basic blocks are scheduled in forward topological order while hoisting instructions from basic blocks lower in the flow graph. Within each basic block, a directed acyclic graph represents the dependence information, while a definition matrix in conjunction with a path matrix represents the overall control and data dependence information within a region. These data structures are consulted prior to the global motion of an instruction and incrementally updated when necessary. In addition, precautions are taken to guarantee safe execution of speculative instructions. Limited renaming and code duplication is performed to overcome dependency constraints. Profile information is used when available to guide the choice of instructions. An optimizing compiler using this technique was implemented and evaluated using a set of standard performance benchmarks on real and hypothetical target machines.
Progress in Understanding the Genetics of Obesity

Progress in understanding the genetics of obesity has moved rapidly in the past few years. The genes for all of the single gene defects that produce obesity in experimental animals have now been cloned. The new insights from these models are one spur for the examination of possible links to human obesity. In thinking about the biology of obesity produced by single gene defects, it must be kept in mind that adrenalectomy can prevent the phenotypic expression in all of the single gene models of obesity. Thus, nongenetic components can play a major role in regulating even single gene models of obesity. Transgenic mice have also expanded our understanding of obesity. Transgenic models that both increase and decrease body fat have been published. Of particular interest from the perspective of the physiological control of obesity is the destruction of the uncoupling protein in brown adipose tissue, which is followed by hyperphagia and obesity, suggesting that the sympathetic nervous system is involved in both modulation of food intake and energy storage. Gene mapping using quantitative trait loci and studies of candidate genes have been applied to experimental models of animals with differing susceptibilities to dietary fat and have been applied to the human genome in more detail.
Photoreductive path of carbon fixation in green plant photosynthesis. Reaction pathway of six-carbon ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylation adduct intermediate

Abstract In this paper we examine the six-carbon intermediate pathway of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation reaction in photosynthesis. Based on the observed reactions of purified RuBP carboxylase, mechanisms are described for carbon dioxide assimilation leading to the hydrolytic splitting of the six-carbon intermediate to two enzyme-bound glycerate-3-P (3-PGA) molecules. It is concluded that, under photosynthetic conditions, the reduction of enzyme-bound NADP+ by the chlorophyll is responsible for the rapid carboxylase turnover rate given by the lifetime, τ L = 0.4 s , which is nearly two orders of magnitude shorter than the corresponding value, τ D = 11 ± 3 s , for the dark decay of enzyme-bound RuBP. The nocturnal inhibition and photoactivation of RuBP carboxylation are described in terms of the reversible ligh-dark cycles of the NADP + NADPH redox couple and endogenous changes that accompany the 2-carboxy-D-arabinitoll-phosphate binding to the enzyme active site.
A digital procedure for the computation of ultracentrifuge data.

Abstract An interactive computer system is described which allows automatic calculation of molecular weights from information obtained from an ultracentrifuge scanner. The system consists of a small (4K) mini-computer, a large display scope and a joystick. Under program control, the user can select reference points, pick the range of data to be used in his calculations etc., from the information displayed on the scope. A comparison of the results obtained using this procedure and those obtained by manual calculations is made using serum albumen.
An ab initio study of helium and neon monoionic positive trimers

Abstract The dimeric and trimeric positive monoions of helium and neon are studied with ab initio quantum mechanical methods. It is found that while the dimers are strongly bound, the trimers exhibit very small binding energies.
The determination of hydrazine and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, separately or in mixtures, by high-pressure liquid chromatography

Abstract A rapid, sensitive liquid chromatographic method for the determination of hydrazine and 1,1-dimethylhydrazine, separately or in mixtures of varying proportions, is described. The procedure involves salicylaldehyde derivative formation followed by chromatography on a reversed phase (octadecylsilane) column with acetonitrile (52%)—0.14 M potassium dihydrogenphosphate (48%) as a mobile phase and u.v. (254 nm) detection. This system is sensitive to 2 μg ml-1 of hydrazine and 5 μg ml-1 of 1,1-dimethylhydrazine and has a relative standard deviation of less than 1%. Monomethylhydrazine forms an unstable salicylaldehyde hydrazone; although it cannot be determined, it can be detected (sensitivity 5 μg ml-1 ) and does not interfere with quantitative measurement of either hydrazine or 1,1-dimethylhydrazine.
Dissolution of Composition B Detonation Residuals

Composition B (Comp B) detonation residuals pose environmental concern to the U. S. Army because hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), a constituent, has contaminated groundwater near training ranges. To mimic their dissolution on surface soils, we dripped water at 0.51 mL/h onto individual Comp B particles (0.1−2.0 mg) collected from the detonation of 81-mm mortars. Analyses of the effluent indicate that the RDX and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) in Comp B do not dissolve independently. Rather, the relatively slow dissolution of RDX controls dissolution of the particle as a whole by limiting the exposed area of TNT. Two dissolution models, a published steady-flow model and a drop-impingement model developed here, provide good agreement with the data using RDX parameters for time scaling. They predict dissolution times of 6−600 rainfall days for 0.01−100 mg Comp B particles exposed to 0.55 cm/h rainfall rate. These models should bracket the flow regimes for dissolution of detonation residuals on soi...
Surface morphology and microstructure of Al-O alloys grown by ECR plasma deposition

The growth of polycrystalline and amorphous aluminum-oxygen alloy films using electron-beam evaporation of Al in the presence of an O{sub 2} electron-cyclotron-resonance (ECR) plasma was investigated for film compositions varying from 40% Al (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) to near 100% Al (AlO{sub x}). Processing parameters such as deposition temperature and ion energy were varied to study their effects on surface texture and film microstructure. The Al-rich films (AlO{sub x}) contain polycrystalline fcc Al grains with finely dispersed second-phase particles of {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (1-2 nm in size). The surface roughness of these films was measured by atomic force microscopy and found to increase with sample bias and deposition temperature. Stoichiometric Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films grown at 100{degrees}C and 400{degrees}C without an applied bias were amorphous, while an applied bias of -140 V formed a nanocrystalline {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film at 400{degrees}C. The surface roughness of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} increased with temperature while ion irradiation produced a smoother surface.
TU-E-BRC-07: Accurate Tumor Motion Delineation with 4D Cone Beam CT Using Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS-4DCBCT)

Purpose: To validate that 4D cone beam CT using the Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS) method enables accurate extraction of tumor motion profiles using a 1‐minute data acquisition scheme. Methods: Two methods with known ground truth were used in this validation study. The first method is numerical simulations based on a 4DCT dataset of a human subject, and the second one is a physical motion phantom. In both cases, 600 projections were either simulated from human subject 4DCT data or experimentally acquired using a on‐board CBCT system (Trilogy, Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, California) over a 1‐minute gantry rotation through 360°. Images were reconstructed using the PICCS algorithm for all respiratory phases. The motion profile of a selected ROI was extracted using a free‐form deformable registration method. The extracted motion trajectories were compared with the ground truth (the first method uses the motion trajectory from 4DCT images, and the second uses the programmed motion profile) for both methods to evaluate their accuracy. The root mean square error (RMSE) was used to quantify the error of motion trajectory over all phase bins. Results: Results from both methods show excellent agreement between the extracted motion profiles from PICCS‐4DCBCT images and the ground truth. The RMSEs for the first method are 0.68 mm, 0.23 mm and 0.24 mm in x, y and z directions, respectively. The RMSEs for the second method are 0.58 mm and 0.47 mm in AP and SI directions, respectively. The accuracy of motion delineation is at sub‐pixel level. Conclusions: PICCS‐4DCBCT using a standard 1 minute acquisition protocol has been validated to provide tumor motion delineation with high accuracy.
Egg Size, Intrinsic Competition, and Lethal Interference in the Parasitoids Encarsia pergandiella and Encarsia formosa

Abstract Recent population dynamic theory predicts that disruption of biological control may occur when one parasitoid species' superiority in intrinsic competition is associated with a lower ability to find and exploit hosts (i.e., ability in extrinsic competition). One might expect such a trade-off, for instance, if parasitoids with larger (and fewer) eggs are more likely to prevail in intrinsic competition than species with smaller (and more numerous) eggs. We tested the idea that relative egg size could be used to predict the outcome of intrinsic competition in two closely related endoparasitoids, Encarsia pergandiella Howard and Encarsia formosa Gahan. Contrary to expectation, the parasitoid species with smaller eggs, E. pergandiella, prevailed in intrinsic competition, regardless of the order that hosts were exposed to the two species. In a literature survey, we found four studies of competing pairs of endoparasitoid species for which: (a) egg size estimates were available and (b) one species was consistently superior in intrinsic competition. In three of the four studies, the small-egged species prevailed in intrinsic competition, as we also found. Although E. formosa lost in intrinsic competition, this species negatively affected E. pergandiella's progeny production by host feeding on and killing hosts containing E. pergandiella eggs. E. formosa females also host fed on conspecific-parasitized hosts. As a mechanism of both intra- and interspecific interference competition, host feeding on parasitized hosts contradicts assumptions about the nature of interference competition in existing population dynamics models.
Role of nucleobase energetics and nucleobase interactions in single-stranded peptide nucleic acid charge transfer.

Self-assembled monolayers of single-stranded (ss) peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) containing seven nucleotides (TTTXTTT), a C-terminus cysteine, and an N-terminus ferrocene redox group were formed on gold electrodes. The PNA monomer group (X) was selected to be either cytosine (C), thymine (T), adenine (A), guanine (G), or a methyl group (Bk). The charge transfer rate through the oligonucleotides was found to correlate with the oxidation potential of X. Kinetic measurements and computational studies of the ss-PNA fragments show that a nucleobase mediated charge transport mechanism in the deep tunneling superexchange regime can explain the observed dependence of the kinetics of charge transfer on the PNA sequence. Theoretical analysis suggests that the charge transport is dominantly hole-mediated and takes place through the filled bridge orbitals. The strongest contribution to conductance comes from the highest filled orbitals (HOMO, HOMO-1, and HOMO-2) of individual bases, with a rapid drop off in contributi...
Fatigue Life Reduction of Roller Bearings Due to Debris Denting: Part II - Experimental Validation

Life tests have been conducted for tapered roller bearings. Bearing race ways are pre-dented with particles of various types and sizes. Life reductions due to surface indentation are calculated by a stress-based life model using the measured raceway topography. The predictions are compared and validated with testing results. The study concludes that bearing life reduction is primarily determined by the slopes and area densities of surface indentations. Life reduction factor decreases as dent slope and area-density increase. The hardness and fracture toughness of the denting particles have a noticeable effect on bearing life reduction. Ductile particles cause more severe life reduction than the brittle particles. Surface failures associated with small dents are superficial and often appear in forms of “micro-pitting” and “micro-peeling.” Large dents generated by ductile particles cause severe damage to bearing raceways and are more likely to induce surface pits and spalls. Presented as a Society of Tribolo...
A probabilistic treatment of creep rupture behavior for polymers and other materials

A recent deterministic derivation for the creep rupture behavior ofpolymers is taken as the basis for the present work. The formulation isthat for the prediction of the lifetime of viscoelastic materials underconstant load, based upon kinetic crack growth from initial flaws. Thestatistical generalization involves using a Weibull type distributionfor the instantaneous static strengths. Then the resulting fullstatistical character for the lifetimes as a function of stress level isfound. The lifetime distributions are determined to be much broader thanare the static strength distributions. An unusual statisticalcharacteristic emerges from the derivation. When the lifetimes areviewed on log stress versus log lifetime scales the envelopes for thevarious probability levels of failure are found to have a common shape,as in a single master curve, but they are shifted relative to each otheralong the log stress axis. This shifting property could haveconsiderable utility in reducing the number of tests required to obtaina complete, statistical database. Finally, similar implications forfatigue characterization are considered.
FSH-Induced Ovulation in the Immature Rat

FSH suspended in 5 % beeswaxoil induced ovulation at doses of 2, 4 and 8 mg with an average count of 12.7, 42.5 and 37.4 ova/rat. FSH dissolved in saline failed to induce ovulation at a dose of 8 mg. Examination of the ovarian weights indicated that the single dose of 8 mg FSH in saline failed to induce adequate ovarian stimulation. It is concluded that FSH, like PMS, will induce ovulation in the immature rat if the FSH is suspended in a vehicle which permits delayed absorption from the site of injection. (Endocrinology> 79: 445, 1966)
Acute immobilization stress alters LH and ACTH release in response to administration of N-methyl-D,L-aspartic acid in peripubertal and adult male rats

We have evaluated the effects of stress on the pituitary hormone response to N-methyl-D,L aspartic acid (NMA) in peripubertal (43 day old) and adult (80 day old) male rats. Animals were stressed by immobilization for 3 h. Fifteen min prior to the end of the stress period, animals were injected sc with either vehicle or increasing doses of NMA (10, 30 or 60 mg/kg BW). Animals were sacrificed 15 minutes later. A significant rise in plasma LH in response to NMA occurred at a lower dose (10 versus 60 mg/kg BW), and the magnitude of the response was greater overall in peripubertal than in adult unstressed rats. Stress altered the LH response to NMA in both age groups. In peripubertal stressed rats, NMA did not induce a rise in plasma LH levels. In adult rats exposed to stress, the magnitude of the LH response to 60 mg/kg BW of NMA was lower than in unstressed animals. NMA administration triggered a rise in plasma ACTH levels in unstressed rats of both age groups, but the magnitude of the rise was greater in adults than in peripubertal animals. Stress reduced the ACTH response to NMA administration in both age groups. Plasma FSH concentrations were higher in peripubertal animals than in adults. NMA and stress were without major effect on plasma FSH levels in either age group. These data suggest that excitatory amino acids (EAA) form an important component in the regulatory processes governing the release of LH and ACTH, and that the maturational stage of the central nervous system and exposure to stress alter the LH and ACTH response to EAA.
Growth of ZnTe by physical vapor transport and traveling heater method

ZnTe crystals were grown by horizontal physical vapor transport (PVT) and a Te-solution vertical traveling heater method (THM). The grown crystals were examined by X-ray Laue diffraction technique and Hall measurements to determine the growth orientation and the electrical properties of the crystals. They were also characterized by low temperature infrared (IR) absorption measurements. Several sets of distinct peaks were observed in the IR absorption spectra for the THM samples and were identified as resulting from CU(2+) impurities. Similar measurements on vapor grown ZnTe showed featureless absorption spectra. Chemical analyses were carried out to measure the impurity content in various ZnTe samples and synchrotron radiation topography was used to Study crystalline microstructure of the (111) ZnTe single crystals grown by PVT.
Role of phosphorylation and basic residues in the catalytic domain of cytosolic phospholipase A2α in regulating interfacial kinetics and binding and cellular function

Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α) is regulated by phosphorylation and calcium-induced translocation to membranes. Immortalized mouse lung fibroblasts lacking endogenous cPLA2α (IMLF-/-) were reconstituted with wild type and cPLA2α mutants to investigate how calcium, phosphorylation, and the putative phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) binding site regulate translocation and arachidonic acid (AA) release. Agonists that elicit distinct modes of calcium mobilization were used. Serum induced cPLA2α translocation to Golgi within seconds that temporally paralleled the initial calcium transient. However, the subsequent influx of extracellular calcium was essential for stable binding of cPLA2α to Golgi and AA release. In contrast, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate induced low amplitude calcium oscillations, slower translocation of cPLA2α to Golgi, and much less AA release, which were blocked by chelating extracellular calcium. AA release from IMLF-/- expressing phosphorylation site (S505A) and PIP2 binding site (K488N/K543N/K544N) mutants was partially reduced compared with cells expressing wild type cPLA2α, but calcium-induced translocation was not impaired. Consistent with these results, Ser-505 phosphorylation did not change the calcium requirement for interfacial binding and catalysis in vitro but increased activity by 2-fold. Mutations in basic residues in the catalytic domain of cPLA2α reduced activation by PIP2 but did not affect the concentration of calcium required for interfacial binding or phospholipid hydrolysis. The results demonstrate that Ser-505 phosphorylation and basic residues in the catalytic domain principally act to regulate cPLA2α hydrolytic activity.
Toward improved spectral measures of /s/: results from adolescents.

Purpose This article introduces theoretically driven acoustic measures of /s/ that reflect aerodynamic and articulatory conditions. The measures were evaluated by assessing whether they revealed ex...
Written Corporate Policy on Communicating A Delphi Survey

How an organization communicates influences its ultimate success. An organization's communicators, however, are guided by many kinds of rules, of which written corporate policy on communicating is only one kind. This study establishes from the literature a number of areas where written corporate policy on communicating might be expected, then presents results of a Delphi survey asking a panel of corporate communication executives whether such policy is appropriate in those areas. The panel said corporate policy should be formulated in six of the areas but not in seven others. In addition, these panelists generated the most likely costs and drawbacks of corporate policy on communicating and weighted them with respect to seriousness and to difficulty of control; and they generated the most likely benefits of corporate policy on communicating and weighted them with respect to desirability and to likelihood of obtaining them.
Understanding the mechanisms creating false positive lumpectomy margins

Abstract Objective All breast surgeons deal with the frustration of initial pathologic close or positive margins that have no residual cancer upon re-excision. To understand the mechanisms that create false positive margins, specimen handling was standardized in a single surgeon’s practice and margin issues were tracked. Methods Prospectively over a 3.5-year period, needle-localized lumpectomies for the management of early-stage breast cancer were standardized in all aspects of specimen handling, including surgeon inking and specimen compression for specimen radiography for quality assurance. The current study reviews 220 such cases where the original lumpectomy included a small piece of overlying skin from over the target lesion. All specimen radiography was performed with compression at the skin to deep level to bias the “pancaking” effect of pushing tumor to specimen surface to the deep margin. Results Of the 220 therapeutic lumpectomies performed for clinical stage 0–2 breast cancer in this fashion, 175 (79.5%) had negative margins by a distance of 10 mm or more. Margins less than 10 mm were classified as close and were present in 20 (9.1%) of cases. These were heavily biased toward margins closer than 2 mm. Positive initial margins accounted for 25 (11.4%) of cases. Of the 45 close or positive margin cases, 12 involved the deep margin only, and on re-excision none was found to have residual tumor. When other single margins were involved, re-excision found tumor in 5 of 14 cases (35.7%). When multiple margins were close or positive, 9 of 19 cases (47.3%) were found to have residual tumor at re-excision. Conclusions Specimen compression increases the incidence of false margin positivity. The best predictors of true margin positivity are multiple close or positive margins or margin positivity in a direction not associated with specimen ex vivo compression.
Home or Office? The Homeless and Atlanta’s Downtown Park

In this study, we apply symbolic interactionism to explore the ways that homeless men and women who regularly use a downtown park are active participants in the dynamic social construction of a public space. The case study suggests that as a general use space, the homeless did not identify the park as “home,” but did use it for their private purposes. Further, as a public place, there were persistent tensions between park officials and the homeless. Among the homeless men and women, those who used the park for their private purposes more regularly and had greater place attachment were more likely to adapt and less likely to persist or exit when confronted with park authorities. As a general public place, the park is becoming a vibrant and exciting locale for everyday, unscripted encounters.
Determination of Phosphate in Aqueous Solutions Containing NTA and EDTA

Abstract A simple and precise colorimetric method of determining phosphate in aqueous solutions containing nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) or ethylendiaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is described. It involves precipitation of the NTA or EDTA by acidification to pH 1.5 and colorimetric determination of the phosphate in the filtrate by a heteropoly blue method. The method is sensitive and accurate, and it permits determination of microgram amounts of phosphate in samples of aqueous solutions containing up to 300 mM of NTA and (or) EDTA.
An experimental study of pulsed micro-flows pertinent to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the unsteady micro-flow driven by an insulin pump commonly used in continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) therapy. A microscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) system was used to characterize the transient behavior of the micro-flow upon the pulsed excitation of the insulin pump in order to elucidate the underlying physics for a better understanding of the microphysical process associated with the insulin delivery in CSII therapy. The effects of air bubbles entrained inside the micro-sized CSII tubing system on the insulin delivery process were also assessed based on the micro-PIV measurements. While most solutions to insulin occlusion-related problems are currently based on clinical trials, the findings derived from the present study can be used to provide a better guidance for the troubleshooting of insulin occlusion in CSII therapy.
Importance of timing of olfactory receptor-axon outgrowth for glomerulus development in Manduca sexta.

In the moth Manduca sexta, development of glomeruli in the antennal (olfactory) lobes (ALs) follows a precise timetable and involves interactions of olfactory receptor cell (ORC) axons with AL glial cells and neurons. To study the importance of timing for these intercellular interactions, we experimentally desynchronized the development of the ALs and the ORCs by altering the temperature of the developing antenna and brain for defined periods of time during development. Selective cooling of the antenna relative to the body resulted in a delay of ORC-axon outgrowth, and slightly warming the antenna while cooling the body caused precocious ingrowth of axons into the AL. Whereas cooling of the antenna for 24 hours caused only a delay in the formation of glomeruli, cooling for 48 hours led to significant disruption of glomerular development. Glial cells did not form normal glomerular borders, and glomeruli were shaped abnormally. Axons of pheromone-specific ORCs projected to their correct target, but terminal branches within the macroglomerular complex (MGC) were not clearly segregated. The results suggest that proper formation of glial glomerular borders requires interaction of ORC axons and glial cells within a sensitive period, whereas targeting of ORC axons appears to be effective over extended periods in development. Precocious ingrowth of ORC axons after warming the antenna and cooling the body for 48 hours resulted in enlarged protoglomeruli. Glial borders formed normally, but a subpopulation of MGC-specific ORC axons grew past the MGC. The decreased accuracy of targeting in these cases suggests that targeting mechanisms are not fully developed before the time when ORC axons normally would enter the brain.
Designing Vlsi Computer Architectures With Knowledge

One major development that should reach fruition in the near future is a system that integrates design tools and design databases, and to design an entire engineering system based on formal specifications. In this paper we introduce a knowledge engineering framework for designing VLSI computer architectures. This framework introduces three core concepts: knowledge abstraction, object-oriented design, and very high-level design programming. The input to the system is a descriptive specification of the behavior of a computing system. The description is then matched against the existing design knowledge in the knowledge base, where the knowledge is abstracted and organized as classes. If a match can be found, the abstract knowledge is instantiated and can be reused; otherwise the designer has to go one level down decom-posing the system into a set of smaller systems, where a structural description among different modules is specified but only the behavioral specification for each module is given. The process is then repeated until a complete structural description is developed.
Nonlinear control law with application to high angle-of-attack flight

This paper proposes a general structure for aircraft control at whose core are several blocks of dynamic inversion of the controlled system. This control law is then applied to a nonlinear model of the high angle-of-attack research vehicle (HARV). The control law itself uses the complete nonlinear aerodata base and has no restrictions on the manner in which the control inputs enter the dynamic equations. An algorithm that handles surface limiting while ensuring a solution to the moment equation inverse is incorporated into the control law. The performance of the control law is demonstrated via simulation of a selected supermaneuver.
Relative Diameters of Galaxies

IN their communication on galactic noise and the rotation of the galaxy1, Bolton and Westfold remark, on the basis of some early measures from the Mt. Wilson Observatory2, that “the size of the external galaxies increases steadily with increasing spiral structure”, and this result is used to support the surmise that our own large galaxy presumably has spiral structure. There are other strong evidences of the spiral structure of our galactic system, and therefore the revision of the results underlying the statement quoted above is of no consequence to the subject-matter of the communication by Bolton and Westfold.
THE LEADING SECTOR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY: A REPLY TO PROFESSOR CURRIE

Professor Currie's Comment not only strengthens his already well‐known leading sector strategy of development; it also raises some further interesting questions regarding the behavior of suppliers in Latin America which are crucial to the choice of policy for development. While the definitive answers to these questions probably lie beyond our limited, present knowledge, I hope this clarifying reply to his comment will offer some tentative answers which may have important implications for the application of the leading sector strategy.
Steroid Receptor‐Mediated Modulation of CD4+CD62L+ Cell Homing. Implications for Drug Abusersa

Naive human T cells home to peripheral lymph nodes via the leukocyte endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (LECAM-1, l-selectin, CD62L, Leu8 antigen) they express. We enriched populations of CD4+CD62L+ cells (attachment of Leu8+ T cells to flasks coated with anti-mouse IgG (AIS); Leu8+ T cells, 82.3% pure (+/- 2.3%), enriched for CD4+ cells by incubation over flasks coated with anti-CD4 antibody--this 3-4-day procedure yields an 88 +/- 1.4% recovery. Cells were treated with dexamethasone in vitro for 24-48 h, and monitored by flow cytometry. We found severe toxicity by this steroid at high concentration (10(-6) M: 35% decrease in CD62L+ T cells, 22% drop specifically in CD4+CD62L+ cells), suggesting the onset of receptor-mediated apoptotic events. The toxicity was dose dependent (5% and 7% drop in CD62L+ T and CD4+CD62L+ cells, respectively, at 10(-9) M, the concentration found in plasma 10 h following the administration of 1 mg dexamethasone). One mg of dexamethasone given to normal subjects leads to a 15-20% decrease in circulating CD4+CD62L+ cells at 10 h. This tends to be correlated with a drop in the number of glucocorticoid cytosolic receptors. Thus, steroids seem to modulate CD4+CD62L+ cell homing by means of receptor-mediated mechanisms.
Evaluation of a Biofeedback-Assisted Meditation Program as a Stress Management Tool for Hospital Nurses: A Pilot Study

Objective To assess whether a self-directed, computer-guided meditation training program is useful for stress reduction in hospital nurses. Design We prospectively evaluated participants before and after a month-long meditation program. The meditation program consisted of 15 computer sessions that used biofeedback to reinforce training. Participants were instructed to practice the intervention for 30 minutes per session, four times a week, for four weeks. Visual analogue scales were used to measure stress, anxiety, and quality of life (assessments were performed using Linear Analogue Self-Assessment [LASA], State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI], and Short-Form 36 [SF-36] questionnaires). Differences in scores from baseline to the study's end were compared using the paired t test. Results Eleven registered nurses not previously engaged in meditation were enrolled; eight completed the study. Intent-to-treat analysis showed significant improvement in stress management, as measured by SF-36 vitality subscale ( P = .04), STAI ( P = .03), LASA stress ( P = .01), and LASA anxiety ( P = .01). Nurses were highly satisfied with the meditation program, rating it 8.6 out of 10. Conclusions The results of this pilot study suggest the feasibility and efficacy of a biofeedback-assisted, self-directed, meditation training program to help hospital nurses reduce their stress and anxiety. Optimal frequency of use of the program, as well as the duration of effects, should be addressed in future studies.
BOD (Bcl-2-Related Ovarian Death Gene) Is an Ovarian BH3 Domain-Containing Proapoptotic Bcl-2 Protein Capable of Dimerization with Diverse Antiapoptotic Bcl-2 Members

Using the yeast two-hybrid protein-protein interaction system to search for genes capable of forming dimers with the antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1, we have isolated BOD (Bcl-2-related ovarian death agonist) from an ovarian fusion cDNA library. The three variants of BOD (long, medium, and short) have an open reading frame of 196, 110, and 93 amino acids, respectively; all of them contain a consensus Bcl-2 homology 3 (BH3) domain but lack other BH domains found in channel-forming Bcl-2 family proteins. In the yeast cell assay, BOD interacts with diverse antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins[ Mcl-1, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Bcl-w, Bfl-1, and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BHRF-1] but not with different proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins (BAD, Bak, Bok, and Bax). After overexpression in mammalian Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, BOD induces apoptosis that can be prevented by the baculoviral caspase inhibitor P35. The cell-killing activity of BOD is also antagonized in cells cotransfected with the antiapoptotic Bcl-w protein, which showed hi...
Development of the choroid plexus and blood-CSF barrier.

Well-known as one of the main sources of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the choroid plexuses have been, and still remain, a relatively understudied tissue in neuroscience. The choroid plexus and CSF (along with the blood-brain barrier proper) are recognised to provide a robust protective effort for the brain: a physical barrier to impede entrance of toxic metabolites to the brain; a ‘biochemical’ barrier that facilitates removal of moieties that circumvent this physical barrier; and buoyant physical protection by CSF itself. In addition, the choroid plexus-CSF system has been shown to be integral for normal brain development, central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, and repair after disease and trauma. It has been suggested to provide a stem-cell like repository for neuronal and astrocyte glial cell progenitors. By far, the most widely recognised choroid plexus role is as the site of the blood-CSF barrier, controller of the internal CNS microenvironment. Mechanisms involved combine structural diffusion restraint from tight junctions between plexus epithelial cells (physical barrier) and specific exchange mechanisms across the interface (enzymatic barrier). The current hypothesis states that early in development this interface is functional and more specific than in the adult, with differences historically termed as ‘immaturity’ actually correctly reflecting developmental specialisation. The advanced knowledge of the choroid plexus-CSF system proves itself imperative to understand a range of neurological diseases, from those caused by plexus or CSF drainage dysfunction (e.g. hydrocephalus) to more complicated late-stage diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s) and failure of CNS regeneration. This review will focus on choroid plexus development, outlining how early specializations may be exploited clinically.
Mobile Capital, Local Externalities, and Industrialization

Abstract This paper seeks to understand how industrialization is distributed geographically when capital is mobile and labor is not. A stylized model of a spatial economy is constructed where individuals not employed in industry work in traditional activities. Results show that convergence across locations is characterized by a succession of catching-up episodes. As one location at a time industrializes, the others stagnate. This occurs whether or not local externalities are present. These results cast doubt on whether free movements of capital can foster the rapid industrialization of all countries and regions of the world simultaneously. J. Comp. Econom., December 1997, 25 (3), pp. 345–365. Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-6072.
Attitudes toward and perceptions of free-roaming cats among individuals living in Ohio

Objective—To characterize attitudes toward and perceptions of free-roaming cats among individuals living in Ohio. Design—Cross-sectional study. Sample Population—Households in Ohio. Procedures—A random-digit–dial telephone survey was performed, and 1,250 households were contacted. Results—703 of the 1,250 (56.2%) households completed interviews. Five hundred fifty-three (78.7%) participants reported seeing free-roaming cats at least occasionally, and 184 (26.2%) reported having fed free-roaming cats during the previous year. However, only 42 (22.8%) participants who fed free-roaming cats had ever taken one to a veterinarian, and 43 (23.4%) participants who fed free-roaming cats reported that at least one of the free-roaming cats had produced a litter in the preceding year. Differences existed between cat owners and other participants and among urban, suburban, and rural residents in regard to their attitudes toward free-roaming cats and the need for government regulations. Conclusions and Clinical Relevan...
Cancer: the evolved consequence of a destabilized genome.

The genome is a stable repository of vastly intricate genetic information developed over eons of evolution; this information is replicated at the highest fidelity and expressed within each cell at the highest selectivity. Non-leukemia cancers break this standard; the intricate genetic information qualitatively and progressively deteriorates, resulting in a somatic Darwinian free-for-all. In a process lasting several years, a genomically heterogeneous population replicates from a single cell that originally lost the ability to preserve its genomic integrity. Cells selected for their abilities to proliferate and spread, while evading host defenses, inexorably expand their numbers. The clinical consequences of this become severe, as the genomically diverse cell population that evolves contains members that can evade most therapeutic approaches aimed at "the tumor cell".
Effects of Damaged Boundaries on the Free Vibration of Kirchhoff Plates: Comparison of Perturbation and Spectral Collocation Solutions

In order to compare numerical and analytical results for the free vibration analysis of Kirchhoff plates with both partially and completely damaged boundaries, the Chebyshev collocation and perturbation methods are utilized in this paper, where the damaged boundaries are represented by distributed translational and torsional springs. In the Chebyshev collocation method, the convergence studies are performed to determine the sufficient number of the grid points used. In the perturbation method, the small perturbation parameter is defined in terms of the damage parameter of the plate, and a sequence of recurrent linear boundary value problems is obtained which is further solved by the separation of variables technique. The results of the two methods are in good agreement for small values of the damage parameter as well as with the results in the literature for the undamaged case. The case of mixed damaged boundary conditions is also treated by the Chebyshev collocation method.
Effect of Taper Ratio at Low Reynolds Number

A low speed wind-tunnel investigation is presented documenting the impact of taper ratio at low Reynolds number. An AR=5.56 wing using a S8036 section was tested at Re=100,000 and 150,000. Taper ratio was varied from 1 down to 0.2 in 0.2 increments. An analytic prediction method as well as extended numerical lifting line theory incorporating nonlinear section data was implemented to compare with experiment. The experimental results indicated a weak dependence of peak lift to drag ratio on taper ratio for both Reynolds numbers. Surface flow visualization showed the presence of a large laminar transitional bubble on the upper wing surface. The relative extent of the bubble was observed to increase towards the tip region for tapered planforms. Agreement between theory and experiment in terms of lift and drag estimation was good. Planform optimization using the extended numerical lifting line theory indicated that at the test conditions and using the selected airfoil section, a planform that differs from stra...
The separation and quantitative determination of ring-substituted hippuric acid derivatives.

1. 1. A method for the paper chromatographic separation of hippuric acid, o-aminohippuric acid, p-aminohippuric acid, p-N-acetylaminohippuric acid, and 3-hydroxy-2-aminohippuric acid is described. 2. 2. After conversion of the amino acid spots to their corresponding azlactones and elution of the aforementioned spots in methanol, each individual hippuric acid component could be determined quantitatively by photometric methods. 3. 3. The synthesis of 3-hydroxy-2-aminohippuric acid is described.